China's vision of multilateralism echoed at int'l forum amid global turmoil Xinhua) 08:18, January 20, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 scholars, diplomats and officials from 23 countries gathered for a seminar in Beijing on Monday to address a pressing question: What type of international governance system to build and how to construct it? "Facing an array of new challenges, withdrawing from international agreements is not the answer. Strengthening multilateral cooperation is the key to bridging governance gaps," said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong at the opening of the Seminar on Upholding Multilateralism and Promoting Global Governance. Hosted by the Research Center on Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind, the one-day seminar featured four sub-forums on global governance, focusing on international order, major power relations, international law and regional cooperation. The seminar unfolded in the wake of a series of dramatic events that made global headlines, including an announcement by the United States of its withdrawal from 66 international organizations and that country's forcible seizure of Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, blatantly violating international law and basic norms of international relations. In discussions on multilateralism and global governance at the Beijing seminar, participants widely echoed China's vision for a global landscape based on "true multilateralism." China's concept of "true multilateralism" advocates collective decision-making among all 193 United Nations (UN) member states. "Whether the existing international order can survive and thrive depends not on any single great power, but on the collective commitment of all countries to uphold multilateralism," said Liu Zhenmin, China's special envoy for climate change. "Over the past three decades, since China joined the WTO, we've seen firsthand how multilateralism has benefited not only China but also the whole world. It has been crucial for global stability, peace, development, employment and investment," observed Wang Yizhou, vice president of the China National Association for International Studies. As a beneficiary and advocate of multilateralism, China has advanced it through initiatives like the Global Governance Initiative (GGI). The GGI outlines five core principles: adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating a people-centered approach and focusing on taking concrete actions. "This is a direct response to unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism, offering China's approach to reforming global governance," said Huang Jin, president of the Chinese Society of International Law. "It's rooted in a clear understanding of the severe imbalances in the current system." Huang observed that for years, the narrative regarding global governance has been shaped by a few developed nations, with rules often benefiting their specific interests. These rules have not adequately reflected the voices of "the majority of countries" or profound changes in the global landscape. The GGI emphasizes unity among nations with shared interests, aiming to reflect the collective needs of people worldwide. It asserts that global governance reforms should be determined by "the majority of countries," not just those with the most power. "I believe international law is the foundation of global governance," Huang said. "Without it, we would return to the law of the jungle, and humanity would be facing disaster." China's global initiatives are designed to address crucial pillars of cooperation. The Global Development Initiative (GDI) focuses on laying the material foundation, while the Global Security Initiative (GSI) is about security and stability. The Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) aims to foster understanding and the GGI is about institutional frameworks for cooperation. Abu Bakarr Karim, Sierra Leone's ambassador to China, pointed out that turbulence in the international order affects developing countries the most, especially those in Africa. "We should seize this moment to reflect on how we can better harness our own development," he said. Commenting on rising geopolitical tensions and competition in pursuit of scarce resources, Wang Fan, former president of China Foreign Affairs University, said innovation in areas like new energy, materials and high-end manufacturing must be advanced to deal with such pressure. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) China's supreme court highlights stronger crackdown on emerging crimes Xinhua) 10:09, January 20, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) highlighted more law-based and coordinated governance of emerging crimes with tighter administrative and criminal penalties at a national meeting of high court presidents held in Beijing on Monday. As crimes committed using internet information technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, tend to be more covert, malicious in intent, and socially harmful, such crimes should be punished more strictly to promote fairness and justice, the SPC said in a statement. While cracking down hard on high-tech professional criminal gangs and crimes carried out through online coordination, courts should also thoroughly expose criminal methods, nature and harm to better educate and warn the public, the SPC said. Noting that overall criminal cases are on a downward trend with serious crimes decreasing and minor crimes increasing, the SPC said criminal justice policy must be more targeted. Courts will uphold a firm stance of severe punishment against crimes that seriously endanger national security and social stability, challenge legal and ethical bottom lines, or arouse strong public resentment, it said. However, the SPC noted that for minor offenses carrying lighter statutory penalties, the focus will be on rehabilitating offenders and addressing the root causes of these crimes. The SPC also said that the upward trend in juvenile crime cases was effectively curbed in 2025. It urged criminal trials to better protect minors' civil and administrative rights, while requiring civil and administrative trials to eliminate negative factors that could lead to juvenile delinquency. The court called for a coordinated social governance approach, deepening efforts in family education guidance, recommending specialized schooling, and preventing student bullying to enhance overall protection for minors. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) - Showing World NX Group's "will toward the future" Manifested in Its Support for Evolution in Semiconductor and Automotive Industries - TOKYO, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. has released a new global brand movie titled "Moving India Forward" that focuses on the rapidly growing Indian market. The movie is available on the company's website as of January 15 and is now being broadcast on global media. Logo: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dqm0cxpYamnvMUra1AGXMuGlX932Z353/view?usp=drive_link Scene from new brand movie "Moving India Forward": https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FDdorvqKqluJcAeh2RzTwjkfl_0xIDKQ/view?usp=drive_link - Background to production: India as a global powerhouse India is quickly emerging as a new global economic powerhouse, and the NX Group regards the Indian market as the most critical base to realize its long-term vision of becoming "a logistics company with a strong presence in the global market." The movie illustrates how the NX Group has transcended the bounds of a simple logistics company to operate as a dynamic "strategic partner" in driving the evolution of social infrastructure within the convergence of tradition and innovation that is modern India. - Highlights of the new brand movie 1. Logistics supporting the evolution of Indian industry India's industrial structure is making brisk advances, propelled by the rise of the semiconductor industry and the expansion of e-commerce. The movie showcases how the NX Group's global quality -- encompassing precision equipment handling and smart logistics -- underpins the evolution of India's industries. Image1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11bofzBIzg2u3FZ_0SePiObL36vQmo2IW/view?usp=drive_link 2. Rail transport: lifeline of the automotive industry The movie dynamically depicts the rail transport connecting the Group's vast network across India and stresses the Group's commitment to strengthening the automotive industry's supply chains by supplementing truck transport with the use of diverse transport modes to accomplish low-environmental-impact modal shifts. Image2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gCIgJjvzfrcSu94EDXuVI7NmghgxOSN0/view?usp=drive_link 3. The spirit of "We Find the Way" While contrasting India's vibrant landscapes with the NX Group's sophisticated logistics solutions, the movie powerfully presents the corporate message "We Find the Way" as an expression of the Group's determination to find solutions to all challenges, no matter how difficult. Image3: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10SHoWIBl434hcxZ0iL81r_2TCzAOXrXO/view?usp=drive_link The new brand movie is available in three languages: English, Japanese and Chinese. Anyone can watch it on the company's official website as well as on its official YouTube and LinkedIn accounts. It will also be broadcast worldwide through CNN programs and commercials. Please take a look. The NX Group will continue connecting people, businesses and communities through logistics and contributing to global social development to realize its customers' aspirations for a new future. Overview of "Moving India Forward" Title: "Moving India Forward" Release date: January 15, 2026 Formats: Full-length (1 minute), short-form (15 seconds) Available languages: English, Japanese, Chinese Publicly accessible media: Official website: https://www.nipponexpress-holdings.com/en/?_langEN YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nittsu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-express-group/ About the NX Group: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mbvBL6C8THZNrR5LREgGeafNkEdaAmV-/view?usp=drive_link NX Group official website: https://www.nipponexpress.com/ NX Group's official LinkedIn account: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nippon-express-group/ SOURCE NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC. Today's news: record number of tourists in Japan in 2025 despite tensions with Beijing. Seoul, civilian-piloted drones to North Korea fuel tensions with Pyongyang. Indian soldier killed in anti-terrorism operation in Jammu and Kashmir. Hamas ready to transfer all powers to technocratic committee managing the Gaza Strip, China also invited to join the Board of Peace. ASEAN - MYANMAR ASEAN, composed of 11 members, will not send observers to the three-stage elections currently underway in Myanmar and therefore will not endorse the vote, the Malaysian Foreign Minister said. Myanmar has been ravaged by conflict since the military staged a coup against the civilian government in 2021. The elections, which began in December 2025, have been criticised by the United Nations, many Western countries and human rights groups. JAPAN In 2025, Japan recorded a record number of tourists, despite a sharp drop in Chinese visitors in December due to diplomatic tensions. According to the Ministry of Transport, the country recorded 42.7 million tourist arrivals in 2025, surpassing the 2024 record of nearly 37 million, thanks to the fact that the weak yen increased its attractiveness. Tourists from China last month fell by 45% compared to the previous year, standing at around 330,000. SOUTH KOREA - NORTH KOREA President Lee Jae Myung has declared a flaw in his country's monitoring system for detecting civilian-piloted drones flying into North Korea. Earlier this month, Pyongyang claimed that a drone from South Korea had recently entered its airspace, taking photographs of debris and producing aerial images of buildings. Lee warns that such incidents risk fuelling tensions and that the action is equivalent to declaring war. INDIA A special forces soldier who was wounded in a clash in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir state has died from his injuries. The Jammu-based White Knight Corps said the soldier, identified as Havildar Gajendra Singh, died after sustaining serious injuries on Sunday during a clash with a group of suspected militants from the Islamist terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad. Seven people were injured. GAZA Hamas has declared itself ready to transfer power to a technocratic committee tasked with managing the Palestinian enclave. On Saturday, Ali Shaath, the Palestinian head of the Committee, signed the body's mandate, outlining its working principles and areas of responsibility. The day before, the White House announced the formation of the Board of Peace and approved the composition of the Committee as part of the four bodies designated to manage the post-war transition phase in the enclave. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry has announced that Beijing has also received an invitation to join the controversial Board of Peace chaired by Trump. RUSSIA In Moscow, unknown individuals smashed the memorial plaque to journalist Anna Politkovskaya, which had been affixed to the wall of her home in Lesnaya Street, where she was killed on 7 October 2006. Her children and colleagues at Novaya Gazeta intend to file a complaint with the police against persons unknown, while activists have installed a new temporary plaque commemorating the first journalist murdered in Putin's Russia. UZBEKISTAN The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has stated that the entire Uzbek society is dissatisfied with the continuing violations of the rights of migrant workers abroad, calling on the Foreign Ministry and ambassadors to abandon office diplomacy and simple notes of protest and to offer qualified legal assistance and visit construction sites, workplaces and places of study of their compatriots to better understand their problems and help resolve them. Seven people were killed in an attack claimed by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) in the commercial district of Shahr-e-Naw. The attack, which is part of a broader anti-Chinese jihadist campaign, reignites fears for the security of investments in Afghanistan. Beijing continues to maintain a diplomatic and economic presence, while internal divisions within the Taliban leadership complicate the political and security situation. Kabul (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Beijing confirmed this morning that an attack yesterday in Kabul killed one Chinese citizen and wounded five others. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun reiterated at a press conference that travel to Afghanistan should be avoided and asked people to leave high-risk areas as soon as possible. The attack took place in Shahr-e-Naw, a commercial district of the Afghan capital. The non-governmental organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it had received 20 wounded in its clinic. According to the Taliban authorities, the final toll is seven dead and 13 wounded. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (known by the acronym ISKP), which targeted a Chinese noodle restaurant run by a Muslim couple from Xinjiang. Before the terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack, the Taliban authorities had tried to spread the news that it was an accident caused by a gas cylinder explosion. Since regaining control of the country in August 2021, the Taliban have sought to downplay the threat posed by the Islamic State, which considers the Taliban's ideology too lukewarm and has therefore continued to target both the Taliban and foreigners doing business in Afghanistan. Yesterday's suicide bombing is the third in the last five years that ISKP has claimed against Chinese citizens. In November 2022, the terrorist group attacked a hotel in the same area of Kabul, while in January a year ago it killed a Chinese worker in the Afghan province of Takhar. ISKP has been producing propaganda material against China for some time. Analyst Lucas Webber explained that the attack shows how Afghanistan has become a front line in the jihadist campaign against Beijing. It was therefore an operation that seems calibrated not only to cause casualties, but also to send a political message: China's growing presence in Afghanistan and its partnership with the Taliban authorities will come at a cost in terms of security. In Islamic State propaganda, Xinjiang, also known as East Turkestan, a region inhabited by the Uighur minority, mostly of Islamic faith, has taken on greater prominence since 2021. China has consequently become one of the organisation's main enemies. After the Taliban recaptured power, Beijing (along with Moscow) maintained its embassy in Afghanistan, unlike the rest of the international community, which withdrew its diplomatic delegations and avoided formally recognising the new government in Kabul. Since then, China albeit with some caution, according to several observers has continued to invest in Afghanistan, especially in the extraction of gold and other minerals, such as lithium, copper and iron. Chinese exports more than doubled between 2021 and 2024, while imports declined, causing a trade deficit that led the Taliban to set up a special commission in March 2025 to address the situation. Several other projects, such as the Mes Aynak copper mine, are not yet active or fully operational, but despite delays of several years, they have not been abandoned by Beijing. The situation is further complicated by internal divisions within the Taliban leadership. The supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate, Hibatullah Akhundzada, proposes a vision of a country isolated from the modern world, where religious figures control every aspect of society, while a group of Taliban close to the Haqqani network would like to see an Afghanistan that engages with the outside world, strengthens the country's economy and even allows girls access to education, one of the many rights denied to them after 2021. These internal tensions add to the low-intensity war with the Islamic State of Khorasan, but they do not prevent China from continuing, albeit very slowly, with its rare earth extraction projects. In August last year, Beijing explicitly expressed its desire for Afghanistan to join the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the mega infrastructure project launched by Xi Jinping in 2013. At the time, Beijing declared that it would continue to support the Taliban government in achieving long-term peace and stability. During a meeting yesterday in Palam between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed to greater cooperation with future closer partnerships in business, energy, and space. The game of global alliances plays out in the background, with Israel and the Abraham Accords casting their shadow. Mumbai (AsiaNews) The rivalry between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, which recently turned violent in Yemen, is crossing the Gulf and taking on the character of a global challenge. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) responded to the recent defence cooperation agreement (including a nuclear shield) signed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan with a similar deal with India. In addition to the strategic defence sector, the two countries plan to boost cooperation in many other areas, from space and energy to new technologies and artificial intelligence, without neglecting food security. The goal for the two countries is to reinforce a long-standing partnership, thanks also to consolidated ties with other international players like the United States and, above all, Israel. Like India, but unlike Saudi Arabia, the UAE boasts a solid relationship with the Jewish state, as evinced by the signing of the Abraham Accords sponsored by US President Donald Trump. Despite US efforts, the Saudis have not joined this framework of alliances, partly due to the brutal war in Gaza. The UAE and India are part of the global trade route connecting Asia and Europe. The recent talks in New Delhi between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be seen from this perspective. The UAE leader was welcomed at Palam Air Base by the Indian Prime Minister for the signing of a series of strategically important deals, including a letter of intent on a strategic defence partnership, exchanged between UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Speaking about the meeting, Prime Minister Modi noted that the UAE presidents visit illustrates the importance he attaches to a strong India-UAE friendship. It is important to note that India and the UAE are key players in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) initiative, which aims to connect the Asian giant to the Old Continent via the Middle East. This strategic route also includes Israel, with which both India and the UAE maintain strategic partnerships. Defence ties between the UAE and India have been strengthened recently, following the official visit by Indias Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi to Abu Dhabi earlier this month, with the aim of deepening military cooperation and strategic dialogue. Furthermore, last December, troops from the two countries took part in joint military exercises in the UAE capital. Speaking to reporters after yesterday's visit, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri clarified that the letter of intent does not imply India's involvement in regional conflicts. Our involvement on the defence and security front with a country from the region does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that we will get involved in particular ways in the conflicts of the region, he said. The statement hints, without directly naming it, at the agreement signed in September by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, India's regional rival, both nuclear powers with an unresolved border dispute that led to tensions and wars in the past. In the joint defence plan, Islamabad and Riyadh (both of which are predominantly Sunni Muslim) state that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both. This gives the Saudis a secure nuclear cover from Pakistan in the event of an attack. Finally, yesterday, the UAE and India also signed a 10-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) agreement, with the leaders of the two countries pledging to double bilateral trade to US$ 200 billion by 2032. The ten-year pact involves Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and ADNOC Gas for the delivery of 0.5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per year, starting in 2028. by Maria Casadei Interior Minister Amit Shah touts data on the increase in drug seizures. But the number of consumers has also grown, including among the very young: it is estimated that over 25% of minors use drugs. The issue of chemicals produced in India and destined for laboratories producing methamphetamine in Myanmar, but also in Central America and Africa Delhi (AsiaNews) - At the beginning of 2026, India relaunches the fight against drugs. On January 9, Home Minister Amit Shah announced a national campaign to combat consumption, trafficking, and narco-terrorism. By the end of March, central and state administrations will have to present a three-year plan with clear objectives, defined deadlines, and systematic checks. The announcement came during the ninth summit meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD), the mechanism that has been coordinating ministries, agencies, and local governments since 2016. Shah stressed the urgency of fighting on all fronts to protect young people, the main target of drug trafficking, with the aim of dismantling criminal networks, logistics routes, and financial channels. The ruling governmentled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in office since 2014claims to have achieved significant results in these eleven years. It boasts figures on drug seizures: between 2004 and 2013, the total value was around 4.4 billion, while between 2014 and 2025, it rose to around 19 billion. The action has focused mainly on synthetic drugs and illegal opium cultivation. India is in fact the only country that produces opium gum for medical, scientific, and export purposes, according to the 1961 Convention; however, part of the legal harvest is diverted to illicit channels and converted into heroin, most of which is consumed in the country. The situation is further complicated by the country's geographical position. India is located between the two main areas of illegal opium production in the world: the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan) and the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand). In this context, the country becomes both a destination and a transit route for opiates from these areas, influencing the dynamics of trafficking in the subcontinent. According to official estimates, opioid users rose from 3.3 million in 2004 to 23 million in 2018, with an increase in heroin, crystal meth, synthetic drugs, and hydroponic marijuana in recent years. The growth of domestic methamphetamine laboratories and the 6.6 million users in Punjab, including approximately 697,000 minors, point to an emergency that also affects children and adolescents. It is estimated that between 25 and 29% of minors in India use drugs. In addition to domestic consumption, India is an important hub for international trafficking. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the country supplies chemicals to methamphetamine laboratories in Myanmar and further afield, such as Central America and Africa. In 2024, laboratories run by foreigners and linked to Mexican cartels were discovered in Greater Noida, near New Delhi. To address these internal and external challenges, during the NCORD meeting, the Minister of Home Affairs emphasized the decisive role of information and awareness-raising, aiming to build a stable, non-emergency system based on prevention and education. A humanitarian approach is planned for those who are addicted, with treatment and rehabilitation programs. Another key point is the fight against narco-terrorism, defined as a strategy aimed at weakening the younger generation. The challenge, Shah explained, is not only one of health or public order, but also of national security. The campaign is part of the long-term goals set by Prime Minister Modi for 2047, the centenary of independence from British rule: an India that is a leader in all sectors, with young people protected from addiction and ready to contribute to the country's development. Syrian government forces have intensified their offensive in areas administered by Kurdish-led forces. The advance has been accompanied by support from local Arab tribes, Turkish drones, and Washingtons silent approval, while talks between the central government and the Kurds have failed. There are fears of further destabilisation after Islamic State fighters broke out of prisons previously run by the Kurdish autonomous administration. Aleppo (AsiaNews) After taking control of three Kurdish-majority neighbourhoods in the city of Aleppo over the weekend, Syrian government forces continued their advance into northeast Syria, an area known as Rojava, administered since 2015 by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Yesterday afternoon, after five hours of talks, an attempt at a diplomatic solution between Ahmed al-Sharaa, the current (unelected) Syrian president, and Mazloum Abdi, the SDF commander, failed. The Syrian army's advance was made possible by several factors, including the presence of Turkish drones and the contribution of local Arab tribes, mostly Sunni Muslim clans living under SDF control in the Deir Ezzor governorate and the city of Raqqa. Unhappy after years of Kurdish rule, they saw the advance of government forces as liberation. Videos circulating online recently show young Arabs celebrating by tearing down posters of Abdullah Ocalan, founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and statues erected in memory of the People's Protection Units (YPG) fighters who fell in battle against the Islamic State militants. For Turkey (along with Qatar, the current governments main sponsor), the YPG and the twin YPJ female units, which merged with the SDF, are terrorist groups that must be eliminated. In recent days, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the Syrian army's offensive. But the current upheavals were also made possible by the United States switching alliance. After years of militarily supporting the SDF in the fight against the Islamic State, Washington scaled back its support, focusing on Ahmed al-Sharaa, who had joined al-Qaeda before becoming head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the armed group that led the offensive against the brutal regime of Bashar al-Assad, ending it on 8 December 2024. Al-Sharaa, who before becoming president went by the name Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, had a US$ 10 million bounty on his head. Tom Barrack, US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, was also present at yesterday's meeting between Abdi and the former jihadi. According to Rohilat Efrin, the YPJ's general commander, Barrack reportedly displayed a weak stance, reneging on a promise that the Kurds would be able to maintain some form of self-government. Syrias government, perhaps aware that the United States is already engaged in several theatres, did not hesitate to make further demands, ordering the SDF to immediately withdraw from Hasakah and Kobane, hand over all weapons, and enlist individually in the Syrian army, not in battalions as initially agreed. Efrin described the situation as an attempt to impose total surrender and end 13 years of Kurdish self-government. Last year, the Syrian government and the Kurdish administration had already attempted to reach a diplomatic agreement to integrate the YPG and YPJ into the Syrian army. In recent days, Sharaa had also announced a ceasefire with the SDF, stating that Kurdish education would be protected and Nowruz would be a national holiday. The Kurdish administration, however, demanded greater guarantees for government autonomy and greater security protections. While Arabs opposed the SDF administration (which some view as undemocratic, contrary to Kurdish claims), Kurds fear the groups incorporated into the Syrian army after the fall of the Assad regime, since they engaged in violence last year against the Alawite and Druze minorities and crimes against humanity against the Kurds. Even local sources opposed to SDF control say they are terrified of the possibility of the Syrian army entering their areas. And their concerns are not unfounded. Today, a Syrian minister urged mosques across the country to celebrate the conquests and victories" achieved by government forces in eastern Syria. For his part, Sharaa appointed a relative, Abdulrahman Salameh, a former deputy governor of Aleppo and jihadi emir, as the new governor of Raqqa province. The escape of hundreds of Islamic State fighters from prisons held by the SDF is another source of concern. After the war against the Islamic State ended, the United States entrusted the Rojava self-government with running the prisons holding approximately 9,000 jihadis, mostly of foreign origin. For years, the Kurds had called on the international community to solve the situation, either by initiating legal proceedings against the inmates or by enrolling former fighters in deradicalisation programmes. But few exceptions, like Iraq, which has repatriated several of its citizens, almost nothing has been done by other countries. Hundreds (if not thousands) of these militants have escaped in the past few hours. The SDF said they had lost control of Shaddadi prison, south of the city of Hasakah, after an attack by government forces on the prison that left dozens dead and wounded. The anti-Islamic State coalition, just a few kilometres away, did not intervene despite repeated appeals, they reported. Last night, the Syrian army confirmed the escape of 120 prisoners, claiming to have recaptured 81, and later reported imposing a curfew. According to Kurdish sources, however, 1,500 people escaped from the prison. Some observers accuse the Kurds of using the terrorists escape as a pretext to gain external military support. Meanwhile, armed clashes also broke out at al-Aqtan prison in Raqqa, while two other detention facilities in the city have been freed by the local population. Also located in northeast Syria is the al-Hol camp, which primarily houses the wives and children of jihadi fighters. The text of the agreement signed between the SDF and the Syrian government a few days ago stipulates that prison administration will be handed over to the Syrian government, which will assume "full legal and security responsibility" for these facilities. Needless to say, Kurdish forces are wary of the inmates ties to the former jihadi militias supporting the current government. GATEWAY TO THE EAST IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO THE MIDDLE EAST. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY TUESDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. by Vladimir Rozanskij From Kabardino-Balkaria to Chechnya, new attacks by individuals or Islamist groups have been reported in recent months. But there is also controversy over the methods of repression, with the use of torture and the data itself, which some believe has been exaggerated to replicate the sense of insecurity that led to Putin's rise. Meanwhile, it is precisely war and economic instability that fuel radicalism. Moscow (AsiaNews) - During 2025, there have been several incidents of armed assaults on law enforcement agencies by groups and members of radical Islamic movements in the Russian republics of the North Caucasus, such as in July in Kabardino-Balkaria, where similar incidents had not occurred for over six years. The head of the republic, whose capital is Nal'chik, Kazbek Kokov, urged that no mercy be shown to terrorists, and his call was immediately heeded by his Chechen colleague Ramzan Kadyrov, who had a 17-year-old resident of Achkhoj-Martan accused of attacking police officers killed on the spot. His body was displayed for public ridicule, and several families considered accomplices to the attacks were subsequently expelled from the republic. The methods used to combat the radicalisation of young people are the subject of much debate, due to the way cases are brought, the use of torture and the falsification of statistics. There have been other cases of accusations against minors, two 15-year-olds in North Ossetia and a 16-year-old in the city of Bujnaksk in Dagestan, who have been accused of terrorist attacks against members of the security forces. Activist Aleksandr Cherkasov of the Memorial Centre believes that in reality there is no underground youth cell, but rather a constantly evolving movement, of which young people are one of many components, exposed by the authorities to accentuate repressive actions. In fact, there is no coordinated plan by radical Islamic groups such as ISIS or others to destabilise the North Caucasus, even if new cells arise sporadically with sensational actions, such as the attack on an Orthodox church in Dagestan two years ago. The excessive repression by the authorities of the various republics is intended to replicate the sense of insecurity and the need for strong measures, which was one of the original motivations for Vladimir Putin's rise to power in 1998, when he was appointed prime minister to go and get all the terrorists, wherever they are. For this reason, official statistics report annual figures of between 800 and 1,200 terrorists destroyed, neutralised or captured, according to various formulas, including among them field commanders, fighters or simply accomplices. This artificial growth of radicalism is also influenced by the war in Ukraine, which is supported with particular fervour by the leaders of Russia's Caucasian republics and is associated with the universal conflict between Russians and Westerners and between Caucasians and Islamic extremists. Digital chat data is therefore fabricated and provocative actions are exaggerated in order to be able to act more intensively in repressive operations, including against nationalists, ethnic separatists and traitors who support Ukraine. If statistics show a lower number of these categories, Moscow would reduce its financial support and military and police personnel. On the other hand, as Cherkasov points out, it is precisely the excesses of persecution that fuel radical tendencies, especially among the very young. The steadily declining standard of living, especially in this region, with its high unemployment rate, is also making the situation of the younger generation increasingly unstable, as they do not want war and military service to be their only prospects in life. As several recent events have shown, this does not only concern the most marginalised sections of the population, but also many members of the so-called golden youth, the children of municipal leaders or other officials, making Islamic radicalism a form of dissent against the regime in Russia and the Caucasus, which offers no real hope for the future. In the Muslim regions of Russia, Salafi Islam offers answers that are often interpreted not as support for patriotic rhetoric, but as an indication of alternative social, economic and political paths. Caucasian Islamic radicalism is growing in parallel with far-right neo-Nazism in Russia, outlining a new possible internal conflict within the Federation. 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 January 2026 16:35 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. Azerbaijani citizens purchased 944 apartments in Turkiye in 2025, marking a year-on-year increase despite remaining below earlier peak levels, Azernews reports, citing data from the Turkish Statistical Institute. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! SYDNEY, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Australian-owned manufacturer launches a quieter, more comfortable all-terrain tyre built for how Aussies actually drive. Ozzy Tyres As Australia's growing appreciation with 4x4 utility vehicles continues to grow, Ozzy Tyres has announced the launch of a new MONSTA all-terrain tyre engineered specifically for modern driving habits, where most utes spend their time on sealed roads rather than off-road tracks. Developed over six months of dedicated research and development, the new MONSTA tyre has been designed to deliver the aggressive look and off-road capability drivers want, without the noise, stiffness and harsh ride typically associated with traditional all-terrain tyres. Founder and Director Hussein Chahine said the product was born from a clear shift in how Australians are using their vehicles. "We saw a growing gap in the market," Chahine said. "Most 4x4 utes today are daily drivers. People want the all-terrain look and capability, but they don't want road noise, vibration or a stiff ride. So we built a tyre that matches how Australians actually use their vehicles." Designed for the Reality of Australian Roads While conventional all-terrain tyres rely on large tread blocks and wide voids to disperse mud, sand and water, that same design often creates excessive road noise and a firmer ride on sealed surfaces. Ozzy Tyres approached the challenge differently. The new MONSTA pattern features narrower gaps and smooth, curved tread lines, allowing the tyre to remain quiet and stable on-road while still maintaining off-road traction and durability. The sidewalls have also been engineered to be more compliant than traditional all-terrain tyres, improving ride comfort and reducing strain on suspension components. "Most all-terrain tyres are built with extreme off-road use in mind," Chahine said. "But the reality is many Australian drivers never leave the road. This tyre gives them comfort and confidence day to day, without sacrificing performance when they do head off-road." Built for the Modern 4x4 Driver Australia's utility vehicle market has become one of the largest in the country, with models like the Ford Ranger consistently ranking among the nation's top-selling vehicles. Industry data shows a significant portion of 4x4 owners use their vehicles primarily for commuting and family transport, with only occasional off-road use. Despite this, demand for rugged styling and all-terrain capability continues to grow. Ozzy Tyres says the new MONSTA tyre was developed to meet that exact expectation. "Drivers still want that aggressive all-terrain look," Chahine said. "They want the sidewall strength and the confidence off-road, but they also want a smooth, quiet drive to work every day. That's what this tyre delivers." From R&D to Manufacturing Manufacturing of the new MONSTA tyre has now commenced, with ten size moulds opened initially and further sizes planned as demand grows. The launch marks another milestone for MONSTA, which remains the only Australian-owned tyre brand in the market. The brand has also gained organic traction internationally, with MONSTA tyres now sold in countries including Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines and Fiji. "This isn't about reselling someone else's product," Chahine said. "We design and develop our own tyres because we understand our customers. When you manufacture for your own market, you have full control over performance, comfort and quality." A Customer-Led Approach to Manufacturing Ozzy Tyres' vertically integrated model allows the business to respond directly to customer feedback and driving trends, rather than relying on imported products designed for overseas conditions. Chahine said the new MONSTA tyre reflects the company's broader philosophy of building products for Australian roads and Australian lifestyles. "We listen closely to how people are driving and what they want from their vehicles," he said. "That's how this tyre came to life, and it's why we're confident it will resonate with Australian drivers." About Ozzy Tyres Ozzy Tyres is an Australian-owned wheel and tyre company with more than 20 retail locations nationwide and a growing eCommerce presence. Established over two decades ago, the business designs and manufactures its own tyre and wheel products, including the MONSTA tyre range, engineered specifically for Australian roads and conditions. Ozzy Tyres operates on an owner-operator franchise model and is known for its customer-first approach, technology-led retail experience and commitment to quality, safety and value. For more information, users can visit https://www.ozzytyres.com.au Contact PR Executive Jade Maclou Ozzy Tyres [email protected] 0448806428 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2865412/Ozzy_Tyres.jpg SOURCE Ozzy Tyres 20 January 2026 11:39 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Schools under the Baku City Education Department have organized a series of in-class activities and visits to the Martyrs' Alley in honor of January 20 National Day of Mourning, Azernews reports. Both students and teaching staff participated in these commemorative events, reflecting on the sacrifices made for Azerbaijan's independence. The anniversary events began with the performance of the Azerbaijan State Anthem followed by a moment of silence in memory of the country's martyrs. Students were then given detailed insights into the historical context of the tragic events of January 20, 1990, emphasizing the bravery and struggle of the Azerbaijani people in their fight for freedom and independence. Speakers highlighted that January 20 marks the beginning of Azerbaijan's path to independence and a day of national awakening. Even 36 years later, this date is remembered as a moment when the Azerbaijani people stood united, demonstrating their willingness to sacrifice for freedom and national ideals. Students were encouraged to preserve and honor the memory of this defining chapter of their nation's history. During the events, students recited poems dedicated to the January 20 tragedy and performed literary and artistic compositions, paying tribute to the courage and resilience of those who gave their lives for the country. 20 January 2026 17:56 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more The Black January remains one of the most painful moments in Azerbaijan's contemporary history, when Soviet forces ruthlessly targeted unarmed civilians in an effort to suppress the nation's yearning for freedom and independence. This fateful day, marked by profound loss and heroism, has since become a pivotal event in shaping Azerbaijan's national identity and its relentless pursuit of sovereignty. In remembrance of those who gave their lives, the National Museum of Azerbaijani Literature has organized a scientific session to examine the historical, literary, and international significance of the January 20 events, Azernews reports. The session was opened by the museum's director, Academician Rafael Huseynov, with a report titled "Courage at the Pinnacle of Martyrdom". He noted that the bullets fired at peaceful civilians during the night of January 1920, 1990, were intended to extinguish the Azerbaijani people's desire for freedom and break their dignity. In his speech, Rafael Huseynov noted that, as in other Soviet republics of the time, a national movement had already begun in Azerbaijan. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, thousands of Azerbaijanis flocked to Azadlq (Freedom) Square, creating a powerful image that resonated worldwide, earning the Azerbaijani people recognition as the People of the Year. The Academician also reflected on Azerbaijan's history of tragic days, including the March 1918 genocide, the January 20 tragedy, and the Khojaly massacre, noting that today, the souls of all martyrs are honored because an independent Azerbaijan has achieved victory. He attributed this success to the country's strong and wise political leadership, which ensures national security and stability. Huseynov further highlighted the role of Azerbaijani intellectuals who gave voice to the peoples demands during those fateful days, citing literary figures such as Khalil Rza Uluturk, Bakhtiyar Vahabzadeh, and Zalimkhan Yagub, whose creative works reflected the nations struggle and resilience. Professor Shafag Alibayli, head of the museum's department, spoke about how the events of Bloody January reverberated even in Moscow, particularly at Azerbaijan's then-Permanent Mission, highlighting the international impact of the tragedy. The museum's scientific secretary, PhD in Philology Nurana Asadullayeva, presented a report titled "The Theme of January 20 in Our Literary Thought", emphasizing that the events had a profound and lasting impact on Azerbaijani literature from the very first days. The tragedy has been widely reflected in poetry, journalistic prose, memoirs, and essays, illustrating the deep resonance of January 20 in the nation's cultural memory. Another museum researcher, PhD in Philology and Senior Researcher in the International Relations and World Museums Department, Gulnar Agig, presented on "The January 20 Tragedy in the World Media". She noted that following a special appeal from National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the Azerbaijani diaspora around the world became aware of the tragedy in Baku and expressed moral support for the Azerbaijani people through letters, articles, and other media publications. The session highlighted both the historical significance and the cultural memory of January 20, underscoring the interplay between national struggle, literary expression, and global awareness. 20 January 2026 15:48 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Azerbaijan Presidential Library has hosted a commemorative event dedicated to the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy, Azernews reports. The event began with the Azerbaijan National Anthem. Following this, a minute of silence was observed in honor of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of the country. Opening the event, Director of the Presidential Library, Professor Afet Abbasova, provided an extensive account of the historical roots and consequences of the bloody events of January 20, 1990, in Baku. She pointed out that this date marks a turning point in the national liberation movement and is a proud chapter in the history of the Azerbaijani people. Professor Abbasova also highlighted the pivotal role of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in politically and legally acknowledging the tragedy for the first time, stressing that this policy continues to be upheld by the state today. The event included a video presentation dedicated to the memory of the January 20 martyrs and the heroism of the Azerbaijani people. During the event, speakers such as Minavvar Aliyeva, Senior Bibliographer of the Library's Information-Bibliography Service Group, Afiyat Majidova, Senior Editor of the Periodicals Fund Group, Rahshan Guliyeva, Senior Bibliographer of the Library Fund Department, and Zakir Ismaylov, Head of the Department for Library Automation, Digitization, and Electronic Resources, discussed the role of libraries in informing the international community about the January 20 tragedy and instilling a sense of patriotism in younger generations. The speakers also addressed the ongoing efforts to preserve the memory of the martyrs and the role of this bloody chapter in Azerbaijan's path to independence. As part of the event, the traditional book exhibition and virtual display titled "January 20: Aggression 1990" were showcased. These exhibitions feature a range of publications in various languages detailing the causes, course, and consequences of the January 20 events, and provide documented evidence of the Soviet army's massacre in Baku. It is worth noting that the Presidential Library's 2010 electronic project, "20 January: Aggression 1990," serves as a key resource for studying the historical, political, and legal aspects of the tragedy. More details about the project can be accessed via the link. 20 January 2026 12:20 (UTC+04:00) by Mazahir Afandiyev, In the history of Azerbaijan, there are many unforgettable days and indelible moments that have been permanently engraved in memory. January 20, 1990, is not only a great tragedy for the Azerbaijani people, but also a day of national pride and honora day when a heroic epic was written with blood and sacrifice. This day, which entered the socio-political life of our country as the January 20 tragedy, holds a unique place in the philosophy of national memory and the process of national self-awareness of our people. There are a number of events in our history that have left deep and lasting marks on our national consciousness and on the ideological thinking of Azerbaijani identity. In January 1990, the Azerbaijani people witnessed in horror on television screens the brutal violence inflicted upon their compatriots. The Bloody January eventsresulting in the killing of 147 people across the Republic, the wounding of 744, the illegal arrest of 841 individuals, and the destruction of 200 houses and apartments, 80 vehicles including ambulances, as well as state and private propertybecame one of the gravest military crimes committed against the Azerbaijani people. In mid-January 1990, more than 66,000 soldiers and officers from units of the USSR Ministry of Defense, the State Security Committee, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs were brought to and deployed in the city of Baku. Armenian officers and soldiers, as well as Armenian cadets studying at military schools, were also included in the composition of the military units sent to Azerbaijan. Despite the requirement under Article 1 of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that the public be officially informed about the imposition and duration of a state of emergency from the moment such a decree is signed, no warning was given to the citys population. Only after a mass killing of civilians had taken placeat 5:30 a.m. on January 20, 1990was official information about the imposition of a state of emergency broadcast via radio. After the tragedy, the national liberation movement in Azerbaijan took on an irreversible character, and the people saw their future solely in the creation of an independent Azerbaijan. Following these events, Azerbaijanis around the world began, for the first time, to organize in the countries where they lived in order to bring international recognition to this national tragedy. At that time, expressing an assessment or taking a stance on these processes was extremely dangerous. Nevertheless, the first official protest regarding the January 20 events was voiced by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev. Fearing no danger, on January 21, 1990, despite the prohibitions of the Soviet regime, he came to Azerbaijans Permanent Mission in Moscow, publicly accused the organizers of the bloody tragedy before the world community, and called on the Azerbaijani people to unite. At the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, on November 21, 1990, the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic adopted a decision giving a political and legal assessment of the January 20 tragedy. Later, on March 29, 1994, again at his initiative, the tragedy received for the first time a political and legal assessment at the state level by the highest legislative bodythe Milli Majlis (National Assembly). Thus, January 20 became a glorious page in the history of our wise people, who were ready to make any sacrifice to preserve their dignity and achieve independence, uniting against the enemy. It marked the beginning of the path toward the full restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the modern Republic of Azerbaijan. As every year, this year too, in accordance with the Decree of the President of Azerbaijan dated August 5, 1998, our people will visit the Eternal Flame memorial complex erected in the Alley of Martyrs in Baku, commemorating with sorrow the heroic martyrs who lost their lives, bowing their heads in deep respect before their memory. The great efforts undertaken by National Leader Heydar Aliyev to immortalize the memory of the January 20 martyrs and to strengthen the social protection of their families, as well as the successful policies he laid the foundation for, are today being honorably continued by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the Great Leader, President Ilham Aliyev. While January 20 remains in history as a tragedy and a horrific act of terror, it is also, as emphasized by the head of state, a heroic page in Azerbaijani history. This date was crowned by the victories we have achieved since 2020, both on the battlefield and on the diplomatic frontmost notably by the signing of the Washington Declaration on August 8, 2025, between the President of Azerbaijan, the President of the United States of America, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. Thirty-six years ago, on that tragic day, despite all threats, intimidation, and facing death itself, our people demonstrated that they were ready to become martyrs for the sake of independence and freedom. For this very reason, the January 20 tragedy will never be erased from the memory of the Azerbaijani people; the souls of the January 20 martyrs, as well as those of the First and Second Karabakh Wars, will always be remembered, and their cherished memory will live forever in the hearts of our grateful nation. ----- Mazahir Afandiyev is a member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The views and opinions expressed by guest columnists in their articles may differ from those of the editorial board and do not necessarily reflect its views 20 January 2026 21:03 (UTC+04:00) The President of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan, has expressed gratitude to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for demonstrating political will and commitment toward achieving peace in the South Caucasus, Azernews reports. Khachaturyan made the remarks during a panel discussion titled Defining Eurasias Economic Identity, where he reflected on the evolving political and economic dynamics of the region. He emphasized that the future of the South Caucasus largely depends on the resolve and leadership of Baku and Yerevan, noting that both sides have already shown readiness to take peace-oriented steps and the political courage required for such decisions. Just a year or two ago, it was difficult to imagine that we could reach the current level of interaction, Khachaturyan said. He pointed to emerging practical cooperation, highlighting that Armenia is already receiving cargo from Azerbaijan via Georgian territory. Expressing optimism about future developments, the Armenian president added that direct transportation routes between Armenia and Azerbaijan could become a reality. I am confident that in the future transportation will be carried out directly through our territories, he noted, underscoring the potential economic and connectivity benefits of normalization. The remarks come amid ongoing discussions on regional integration, trade routes, and post-conflict cooperation, signaling a cautious but notable shift in rhetoric toward pragmatic engagement and long-term stability in the South Caucasus. 19 January 2026 23:05 (UTC+04:00) On January 19, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Jacob Aarup-Andersen, Chief Executive Officer of Carlsberg Group, in Davos. During the meeting, the sides noted that a number of projects have already been implemented to ensure the production of fully locally sourced products. In this regard, discussions touched upon the operation of the barley malt processing facility in Imishli, which serves as a key raw material for beer production. They also stated that the production of packaging materials is expected to be fully localized in the future. Jacob Aarup-Andersen highlighted that exports of products manufactured by Carlsberg Group in Azerbaijan recorded a significant increase in 2025. Satisfaction was expressed with the favorable conditions created in Azerbaijan for foreign investors. 20 January 2026 11:01 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more On January 20, the Day of National Mourning, Prime Minister Ali Asadov, Speaker of the National Assembly Sahiba Gafarova, Head of the Presidential Administration Samir Nuriyev, and other government officials visited the Martyrs Lane. Azernews reports that the officials laid fresh flowers on the graves of the heroic sons of Azerbaijan who sacrificed their lives for the countrys freedom, paying their respects and honoring their memory. January 20, known in Azerbaijan as the Day of National Mourning, commemorates the tragic events of January 20, 1990, when Soviet troops entered Baku, violently suppressing the Azerbaijani independence movement. Dozens of civilians were killed, and hundreds were injured during the crackdown. The events marked a turning point in Azerbaijans struggle for sovereignty, galvanizing public opposition to Soviet rule and strengthening the national independence movement. Each year, the country observes the day with ceremonies at Martyrs Lane, laying flowers and honoring those who sacrificed their lives for Azerbaijans freedom and independence, keeping their memory alive for future generations. 20 January 2026 14:11 (UTC+04:00) On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in Davos, Azernews reports. Masrour Barzani passed on the greetings of Nechirvan Barzani, Head of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to President Ilham Aliyev. Expressing gratitude for the greetings, the head of state asked that his own greetings be conveyed to Nechirvan Barzani. During the conversation, they fondly recalled Masrour Barzanis visits to Azerbaijan and his previous meetings with President Ilham Aliyev. They exchanged views on the prospects for economic, trade, cultural, and humanitarian ties, and discussed matters of mutual interest. 20 January 2026 17:21 (UTC+04:00) On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in Davos, Azernews reports. During the conversation, the sides expressed satisfaction with the established cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EBRD, noting a number of successful projects implemented by the Bank in the country. In this context, reference was made to various projects carried out by the EBRD in several regions of Azerbaijan, including Ganja and Sheki, particularly in the water sector. Discussions were also held on the financing of projects envisaged under the State Program for the improvement of water supply, wastewater, and stormwater systems in Baku and the Absheron Peninsula for 20262035. The meeting also featured an exchange of views on cooperation in the renewable energy sector, the modernization of Nakhchivans transport system, and the financing of household waste management projects in various regions of the country. The conversation further touched upon the measures undertaken by the state to develop Azerbaijans banking sector, promote entrepreneurship, and create an effective investment environment for local and foreign businesspeople. 20 January 2026 21:10 (UTC+04:00) President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic has praised President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev as one of the great, brilliant leaders of the modern era, Azernews reports. Vucic made the remarks during a panel session titled Defining Eurasias Economic Identity held in Davos, responding to President Ilham Aliyevs comments on the importance of achieving regional success through national development and strategic vision. Highlighting the significance of Azerbaijans experience, the Serbian president stressed that leadership of this caliber is increasingly uncommon in todays global political landscape. It is very rare to see such a leader in the current era, Vucic noted, underscoring Aliyevs role in shaping regional achievements through long-term planning and decisive governance. The comments reflect growing international recognition of Azerbaijans development trajectory and President Aliyevs influence in broader Eurasian economic and political discussions. CHICAGO, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard is pleased to announce the firm's Founder and Managing Equity Partner, Patrick A. Salvi, has been listed among the Top 10 Illinois Super Lawyers in all practice areas for the 13th consecutive year. This year, Mr. Salvi was ranked #3 overall in the state. Every year, Super Lawyers evaluates lawyers across the country for its annual list of top attorneys in each state. Each candidate is measured via a patented multiphase selection process involving peer nomination, independent research and peer evaluation of more than 94,000 Illinois attorneys. Eligible nominees from more than 70 practice areas are considered to determine the "best of the best." Mr. Salvi has been named to the Illinois Super Lawyers list since its inception in 2005. He concentrates his legal practice in cases concerning serious personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and mass torts. Mr. Salvi founded the law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. in 1982. Under his leadership, the firm has obtained more than $3 billion on behalf of injured clients and is routinely recognized as one of the top plaintiff's personal injury law firms in Illinois. In 2024 and 2025, the firm earned the Top Spot in Chicago Lawyer Magazine's annual Settlement Survey. An additional nineteen attorneys from the firm were honored by Illinois Super Lawyers in 2026. Partners Patrick A. Salvi II, Matthew L. Williams and Tara R. Devine were listed in the 2026 Top 100, and Partners Jennifer L. Ashley, Tara Devine and Heidi L. Wickstrom were among the Top 50 female attorneys for 2026. The lawyers who received the honor are not only dedicated to their clients, but published authors, accomplished speakers, experienced trial attorneys, members of several professional bar associations and highly involved in their community. SOURCE Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. 20 January 2026 22:59 (UTC+04:00) On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met in Davos with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, Azernews reports. The Prime Minister conveyed the greetings of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, to the head of state. President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude for the greetings and asked that his own regards be conveyed to the Amir of Qatar. During the meeting, they hailed the current level of relations between the two countries. They emphasized that there is broad potential for further development of cooperation across multiple areas, including the economic and trade spheres. Both sides expressed confidence that the close ties between Azerbaijan and Qatar will continue to strengthen in the future. The successful cooperation between the two countries in restoring Syrias energy supply through the delivery of Azerbaijani gas by SOCAR was highlighted. The conversation included an exchange of views on issues of mutual interest. 20 January 2026 10:00 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. The price of Azerbaijans Azeri Light crude oil delivered to Italys Augusta port on a CIF basis fell by $1.66, or 2.35%, compared to the previous indicator, settling at $68.88 per barrel, Azernews reports. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 20 January 2026 11:22 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. Between January and November 2025, Azerbaijan exported 192.6 million cubic meters of natural gas in gaseous form to Serbia, worth $106.4 million, Azernews reports, citing the State Statistical Committee. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 20 January 2026 14:08 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Armenia is discussing the possibility of transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia to its territory by rail through Azerbaijan, the Armenian Ministry of Economy said, seeking to ensure reliable energy supplies after disruptions on traditional routes, Azernews reports. According to the ministrys statement, Armenia currently imports gas mainly from Russia and Iran, but problems have arisen with both sources. Difficulties on the Iranian route are tied to broader regional issues, while complications with Russia relate to congestion and logistical challenges at the Verkhny (Upper) Lars border crossing on the RussiaGeorgia frontier. The ministry emphasized that these problems are expected to be resolved soon and that LNG deliveries by rail via Azerbaijan could begin in the near future. Officials have called the alternative route an urgent measure to safeguard energy resources and ensure uninterrupted gas supplies for domestic needs. Delivering Russian gas through Azerbaijani territory would mark a significant shift in Armenias energy logistics and reflects evolving cooperation between Yerevan and Baku following recent diplomatic breakthroughs. Historical and regional background The idea of using Azerbaijani transit routes for Armenian energy and commodity supplies has gained momentum as Armenia seeks to diversify transit corridors and reduce dependence on traditional transit bottlenecks: Upper Lars checkpoint has long been a critical point for Armenias land access to Russia and beyond. Seasonal weather-related closures and logistical issues at this crossing have frequently disrupted freight traffic, including fuel and gas deliveries, making Armenia vulnerable to supply interruptions. Iranian supply challenges stem from broader regional complications, including economic sanctions impacts and transportation bottlenecks, which have at times limited the volume of gas Iran can export to Armenia. Since late 2025, Armenia and Azerbaijan have also begun moving key commodities through Azerbaijans territory including Russian grain and Azerbaijani petroleum products after years of closed borders following conflict in the region. This reflects a renewed period of economic and logistical cooperation that has opened up new supply options for Armenia. Locally, some analysts and commentators link recent price spikes in LNG in Armenia to these supply disruptions and transit challenges, while noting that increased deliveries through Azerbaijan could help stabilize energy costs. 20 January 2026 09:00 (UTC+04:00) US President Donald Trump is slated to meet with international business executives in Davos on Wednesday after inviting global CEOs in financial services, cryptocurrency, and consultancy to a reception after his speech at the World Economic Forum's annual gathering, Azernews reports via Reuters. Business leaders, including CEOs in financial services, crypto and consulting, were invited to a reception after Trumps address to the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, the sources told Reuters on Monday. The agenda was unclear. One CEO simply had "a reception in honour of President Donald J Trump" scheduled in their diary, while another said their understanding was that global CEOs had been invited, not just those from the United States. One of the sources said the invitations had come from the White House. Trump is expected to arrive in the Swiss resort on Wednesday, where he is due to deliver a special address. Several top U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, are also planning to accompany Trump. Bessent is expected to hold a press briefing later on Monday, according to the Davos USA House. The conference agenda has to some extent been overtaken by the U.S. president's dramatic policy moves, including his demand in recent days that the United States take over Greenland. The WEF has said that over 3,000 delegates from more than 130 countries will attend this year, including 64 heads of state and government, particularly from emerging economies. The list also includes several heads of G7 nations, with changes in U.S. policy under Trump in focus. Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev will also travel to Davos and hold meetings with members of the U.S. delegation, two sources with knowledge of the visit told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, national security advisers from a number of countries are due to meet on the sidelines of the event on Monday, with Greenland among the subjects on the agenda, diplomatic sources said. One European diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Greenland had been added to the agenda of the previously scheduled meeting after Trump threatened on Saturday to impose extra tariffs on eight European countries. European shares fell on Monday after the threat of additional tariffs until the U.S. is allowed to buy Greenland. 20 January 2026 13:22 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more U.S. President Donald Trump posted overnight that hed spoken to NATO chief Mark Rutte, agreed to a meeting in Davos with key players on Greenland then leaked an apparent text message from French President Emmanuel Macron, shared a map of the Western Hemisphere showing Canada (and Venezuela) as American, and berated Britain for ceding a military base in the Indian Ocean, Azernews reports citing Politico. I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland, Trump wrote. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees! Trump has stepped up his threats to seize Greenland in recent days, announcing he will impose 10 percent tariffs on eight European countries that have mobilized to try and block the U.S. presidents extraterritorial ambitions. The tariff announcement has triggered an ongoing scramble among European leaders to come up with a response to Trump. Macron, in a text message that Trump screenshotted on social media, purportedly wrote to the U.S. leader: My friend, We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things, Macron added, as he tried to win over Trump. i can set up a g7 meeting after Davos in Paris on thursday afternoon. I can invite the ukrainians, the danish, the syrians and the russians in the margins. let us have a dinner together in Paris together on thursday before you go back to the us. Emmanuel. A French official close to Macron confirmed the message was authentic. In another indication of how the American president and his MAGA allies are stepping up chatter about pursuing supremacy over the entire Western Hemisphere, Trump then shared a fake map featured in the background of a genuine photo from a European leaders dash to Washington in August to talk Ukraine that showed Canada, Greenland and Venezuela all under the U.S. flag. To complete the blizzard of social media posting, Trump then turned his attention to Britain, which has agreed a deal to cede full sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. He hammered the U.K. for planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. 20 January 2026 12:09 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Norwegian authorities have reportedly sent thousands of letters urging citizens to be prepared for the confiscation of homes and vehicles in the event of a large-scale conflict with Russia, Azernews reports, international media outlets. The letters were issued by the Norwegian Armed Forces. Andres Yernberg, head of the Armed Forces Logistics Division, told the newspaper that Norway is facing the most serious security situation since World War II. Yernberg emphasized that Norwegian society must be ready to confront defense crises, and even war. He added that the country is currently strengthening both military and civilian preparedness measures. 20 January 2026 11:56 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Aircraft from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) are set to arrive at the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland in the coming days as part of previously scheduled operations, according to an official statement. The deployment will complement NORAD aviation assets already operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada. Together, the forces will support a range of pre-planned NORAD activities, drawing on the longstanding defence cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark. The activities have been coordinated with the Danish authorities, and all participating forces are operating with the required diplomatic clearances. The Government of Greenland has also been informed in advance of the planned operations. NORAD is a joint US-Canadian command responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning across North America. 20 January 2026 18:27 (UTC+04:00) by Alimat Aliyeva In a statement released Thursday, BYD reported that sales of its battery-powered vehicles surged nearly 28% to 2.26 million units in 2025. Tesla, by contrast, delivered 1.64 million vehicles during the same period, marking an 8% decline from 2024 and its second consecutive annual drop. Teslas fourth-quarter deliveries fell about 16% compared with the same quarter in 2024, when the company reported 495,570 vehicles, Azernews reports, citing foreign media. Back in October 2011, Elon Musk had openly dismissed BYD in an interview with Bloomberg TV, saying, I dont think they have a great product, and adding that he did not consider BYD a competitor. Since then, BYD has undergone a meteoric rise, culminating in what analysts are calling a historic shift in the global electric vehicle market. Tesla faced a turbulent 2025, with shares plummeting in the first quarter amid stiff competition, particularly from Chinese EV manufacturers, and reputational challenges linked to Musks political statements, according to ABC News. Analysts had expected Teslas fourth-quarter deliveries to slow only slightly, predicting around 449,000 vehicles. However, the phase-out of the $7,500 U.S. EV tax credit at the end of September 2025 contributed to the slowdown. Political factors also weighed on Tesla, with sales struggling in key markets following Musks public support for former President Donald Trump and other far-right figures. BYD, known in Chinese as Biyadi which translates to Build Your Dreams was founded in 1995 as a battery manufacturer. Since then, it has grown into a leading player in Chinas highly competitive new energy vehicle market, producing both fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. With China being the worlds largest EV market, BYD leveraged its affordable, high-volume models to capture significant market share. Despite facing hefty U.S. tariffs, BYD is expanding overseas, gaining traction in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. In 2025, the company exported over 1 million vehicles, a 150% increase from the previous year. December alone saw a record 133,000 units shipped abroad, with production soon set to begin in new plants in Brazil and Hungary moves designed to bypass trade barriers and strengthen its global presence. The 2025 leadership shift highlights two contrasting trajectories. Teslas deliveries fell due to aging models, political challenges, and the EV tax credit phase-out, while BYD surged nearly 30% by targeting entry-level, high-volume segments Tesla has yet to penetrate. Analysts note that BYDs vertical integration producing its own batteries and semiconductors gives it a scale advantage, protecting margins as competitors struggle. Despite record sales, BYD may face challenges in 2026 due to a shift in Chinese policy. Fixed rebates have been replaced with a percentage-based system, requiring vehicles to cost at least 166,700 yuan to receive the maximum 20,000 yuan subsidy. A new 5% purchase tax could further impact demand for budget models like the Seagull, though analysts believe BYDs premium sub-brands are well-positioned to attract consumers moving upmarket. In 2024, Tesla narrowly beat BYD, selling 1.79 million units versus BYDs 1.76 million. But 2025 marks the first time BYD has outproduced the American EV giant. Tesla shares dipped 0.5% in early New York trading on Friday, but analysts at Los Angeles-based Wedbush Securities noted that Teslas quarterly sales still exceeded some expectations, even as challenges in Europe and other key markets persist. With its affordable models, efficient manufacturing, and expanding international footprint, BYD is now poised to reshape the global EV landscape signaling a historic shift in the balance of power between Chinese and American automakers. Some analysts even predict that BYD could become the worlds largest EV maker within the next few years, further intensifying competition in the global market. 20 January 2026 18:54 (UTC+04:00) French President Emmanuel Macron used his address at the World Economic Forum in Davos to urge Europe to defend its interests more assertively, as diplomatic tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump escalated following the publication of private messages and renewed trade threats, Azernews reports citing Euronews. Speaking to a packed audience, Macron said Europe should not hesitate to deploy all tools at its disposal to protect itself, warning against what he described as attempts to subordinate Europe through economic and political pressure. Wearing aviator glasses and adopting a sharp tone, the French leader called on the continent to fix its key issues, stressing the need for stronger innovation, private investment, and strategic autonomy across critical sectors. "Europe clearly has to fix its key issues," he emphasised in a strongly-worded message to the continent, pushing for greater innovation and private investment across key sectors. While he did not directly address Trump, Macron did not completely shy away from the subject either. He opened his speech by saying, "It's time of peace, stability and predictablilty," to considerable laughter in the room. Yet we have approached "instability and imbalance," Macron added, stating that "conflict has become normalised." Then came the indirect potshot at Trump: while pointing out that 2025 was plagued by dozens of wars, the French president said, "I hear some of them have been settled." He circled back to the topic towards the end of his otherwise economy-heavy address. "Its not a time for new imperialism or new colonialism," Macron said. "This is a time of cooperation in order to fix these three global challenges for our fellow citizens." "We do prefer respect to bullies," Macron concluded. "And we do prefer rule of law to brutality." Macron's Davos address comes as Trump published messages showing the French leader's confusion over Greenland and his proposal to hold a G7 meeting in Paris on Thursday that would include Russian representatives on the margins. Trump posted screenshots on his Truth Social platform showing Macron offering to host a meeting with "Ukrainians, the Danish, the Syrians and the Russians" and inviting the US president to dinner in Paris. "My friend ... I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland," Macron wrote. "Let us try to build great things." The messages emerged after Macron declined Trump's invitation to join his Board of Peace initiative, prompting the US president to threaten 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne. "Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon," Trump told reporters on Monday. "I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and he'll join." In a press briefing prior to Macron's speech at Davos, the Elysee was explicit in its criticism of Trump's tariff strategy, stating France does not view tariffs as a solution to global problems or economic imbalances. Officials described the coercive trade approach as anti-cooperation and a fundamentally flawed method. However, the Elysee said Trump's actions validate Macron's long-standing advocacy for European strategic autonomy, which predates the current US administration. GURUGRAM, India, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on more than 450 years of academic excellence in the UK, Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet, in partnership with GEDU Global Education, has announced its first branch campus in India, to be located in Gurugram, opening in August 2026. With a legacy rooted in academic distinction, Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet stands among the most prestigious institutions in the world. Founded in 1573 by a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I, the school has consistently set global benchmarks in academic excellence, character building and leadership development. The Gurugram campus represents the next chapter in this journey, bringing the same heritage, ethos and academic rigour to India. The India campus will reflect the educational philosophy that has made Queen Elizabeth's School one of the most respected names in global K12 education. It will deliver a curriculum grounded in academic depth, intellectual discipline and holistic development, designed to prepare students for leadership in an increasingly interconnected world. The school will offer an exceptional, vibrant campus life that is focused on academic excellence and co-curricular activities, providing students with a learning environment drawing inspiration from both the founding school and the wider local context in Gurugram. It will include world-class sport facilities, a swimming pool and specialist creative and performing arts facilities. Speaking on the occasion, Caroline Pendleton-Nash, Chief Executive Officer of Queen Elizabeth's Global Schools, said, "The opening of Queen Elizabeth's School in Gurugram is another landmark moment for our organisation." "Children born in India now will be graduating in 2047, entering the workforce of an economic, political and cultural superpower. "A world-class K12 education will be critical to ensure these individuals seize the opportunities that are presented to them, and support the aspirations of Viksit Bharat 2047. "We're honoured to bring the heritage, values and exacting standards of Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet to Indian students and families. With GEDU Global Education's long-term commitment to India, we are building a school that will nurture confident, capable and principled young people who are prepared to lead with purpose in a rapidly changing and competitive world." With a second Queen Elizabeth's School campus planned for 2027-28, GEDU has also committed to investing an additional 150200 million over the next three years across India's K12 and higher education landscape. GEDU's investments and partnerships in the country reflect its long-term vision of building a network of exceptional K12 and higher education institutions. Through these efforts, GEDU aims to significantly elevate access, quality, and opportunity across India's education sector. Neil Enright, Headmaster of Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet, said "We are delighted to have this opportunity to offer a rounded and enriching QE education to children in India, spreading opportunity and supporting students to become the leaders of their generation. Our school in Barnet is built upon the high levels of aspiration, dedication and active engagement of our Elizabethan community, and these are values that we think will resonate strongly in Gurugram." "We are excited by the potential for international collaboration, which, in time, will build a global network of Elizabethans for the benefit of our new students as well as those within the state sector in Barnet." Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet was recently named The Sunday Times State secondary School of the Year, also winning national recognition as State School of the Year for Academic Excellence and for A-levels. The school ranked first in the sector nationally for GCSE and A-level results. "The QE experience is so much more than what goes on within the classroom" added Mr Enright. "The breadth and depth of our co-curricular activities (from sport to the arts, debating to robotics), bespoke pastoral care and expert guidance, means that we succeed in our enduring mission to produce fully rounded young people who are confident, able and responsible." Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India. British Council said: "I congratulate Queen Elizabeth's School on opening its first campus in India, in Gurugram, which will strengthen connections and create greater opportunities for young people in both India and the UK. This Initiative complements the UK-India Vision 2035, to internationalise education and help young people gain a deeper understanding of each other's countries especially modern UK and India while building trust and equipping them with the skills to succeed anywhere in the world." Alba Smeriglio, Deputy High Commissioner, British Deputy High Commission Chandigarh said: "Education is one of the strongest bridges between the UK and India. The opening of Queen Elizabeth's School in Gurugram is an exciting milestone for UK-India ties and will help nurture skills, promote exchange of best practice, and expand opportunities for young people in Haryana to engage with world-class British education". The leadership for the school will be announced in the coming weeks, comprising an expert international team with decades of experience across global education. For more information, visit www.qegurugram.com About GEDU GEDU Global Education (GEDU) is changing lives through education and making a fundamental difference to living standards and access to learning globally. We have operations in 16 countries, including the USA, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Malta, UAE, India, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Ireland and Canada. We offer a range of educational opportunities from K-12 through Bachelor's , Master's degrees and Ph.D./DBA, plus apprenticeships and language schools. Our portfolio has over 85,000 students, covers a wide range of subjects and is characterised by a keen focus on both employability and student experience to maximise return on investment for students. SOURCE Queen Elizabeth's Global Schools 20 January 2026 21:10 (UTC+04:00) International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine lost all off-site power due to "widespread military activity" this morning local time, Azernews reports. He added that other nuclear power plants in Ukraine were also affected as attacks damaged several electrical substations. "The IAEA is actively following developments in order to assess the impact on nuclear safety," Grossi said. Last month, the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant lost power overnight following strikes, the 12th time since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 20 January 2026 23:30 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said during a press conference on Tuesday that the population and the local authorities should be ready for a possible invasion, although he still considered it an unlikely scenario. His comments comeamid repeated requests by the United States to acquire sovereignty of the Arctic island from Denmark, Azernews reports. "Its not likely there will be a military conflict, but it cant be ruled out," Nielsen stressed as US President Donald Trump insisted on owning the territory. Furthermore, the prime minister promised that the authorities would form a task force to help the local population prepare for the possibility of disruptions to civilian life resulting from a hypothetical military intervention. The government will also recommend that people have a five-day supply of food reserves in their homes. Denmark has repeatedly resisted Trump's push to take control of Greenland, while European leaders mulled their response to Washington's threat of imposing tariffs if no solution is reached. UPDATES: G4 Geomagnetic Storm Predicted: Aurora Chances Oregon, Washington, California Updates 01/19/26 at 4:55 p.m. By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (Portland, Oregon) UPDATES ON TIMING, STRENGTH. Depending on weather in your part of Pacific Northwest, your chances of seeing some bright aurora borealis action tonight are really pretty good to decent. From about 10 p.m. to 1 p.m., the geomagnetic storm intensity is about what it was during that major event in May of 2024, a Kp index of 8. (Waldport: courtesy - Jacklyn Larsen Photography) UPDATES: The Kp 8 came early and now G3 and G2 storms are expected - not as strong. Look from dusk into overnight hours, with strongest times NOW predicted dusk through about 1 a.m. The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) issued a G4 or greater storm watch, with tonight reaching severe levels. Aurora may be seen as low as Alabama and northern California, the SWPC said. [UPDATE FROM OMSI'S JIM TODD] "If NOAA's forecast is correct, the CME will strike during the early hours of Jan. 20th. In North America, that means the night of Jan. 19-20. A severe storm could spark auroras visible to the naked eye in at least a dozen northern-tier US states. Photographic auroras with colors visible only to cameras (and smartphones) could descend as far south as Arizona, Texas and southern California." Looking at tonight's forecast graphic, Oregon as well as most of its coastlines are well within the red viewing boundary. UPDATES ON TIMING: "The best viewing hours are typically between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time," Todd said. Some stronger storms are still going until about 7 p.m. The Kp 6 fun (a G2 storm) starts about 7 p.m. tonight (Monday). By 11 p.m. it's PREDICTED (this means possibly) to hit the Kp 8 range, a G4 category. The SWPC said it could be higher tonight. Those in Washington and its coastlines will be able to see it overhead if it happens. Those in Oregon and coastal areas like Manzanita, Lincoln City or Garibaldi should see it on the northern horizon as will those in northern California. However, weather in southern Oregon and the south coast starts to get quite hazy with a lot of fog, happening in Coos Bay, Bandon, Gold Beach, etc. Unless there's occasional clearing you may not catch it. From Florence and Eugene northward the weather is quite clear, although more clouds come in for northern Washington regions like Seattle. It's predicted to be partly cloudy there. Portland, Salem and the northern half of the coast appear to get the best deal tonight. However, it will be frightfully cold in those regions, with no clouds to keep in heat. See what causes Aurora Borealis and Northern Lights: First, they are caused by sunspots, which sometimes fire off plasma material from the Sun, according to NASA. Sunspots are cooler regions on the Sun caused by a concentration of magnetic field lines, NASA said. Sunspots are the visible component of active regions, areas of intense and complex magnetic fields on the Sun that are the source of solar eruptions. Those CMEs are what causes space weather. They hit the magnetic field generated by geologic forces inside the planet. It's like a shield of magnetism, called the magnetosphere. It lights up when material from the sun smacks into it. 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Coastal Spotlight Washington Coast / Oregon Coast Articles (stories are random: hit reload to see different articles) Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted How west Belfast woman went from carer to managing director: I never could have imagined Id be leading this company Lorraine Corr, head of Connected Health north of the border, talks to Margaret Canning about her journey in the firm and challenges in the sector Lorraine Corr, managing director Northern Ireland of Connected Health. Friday, Jan 16, 2026. Picture by Peter Morrison Margaret Canning Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 08:23 She has learned every part of the Connected Health business since joining in 2012. Now, Lorraine Corr has been appointed Northern Ireland managing director of the independent homecare provider. Travel club founded by Co Down man receives multi-million investment from business family Founder Rory King (33) is hoping the news will mean his business can become a global brand in as little as three to five years John Ferris, accelerator community manager at Ulster Bank, presented Rory King, founder of Rory's Travel Club, with the top award at the pitching competition at the 2024 Belfast Telegraph Business Awards Margaret Canning Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 18:16 A travel club which won a Belfast Telegraph competition in 2024 has received a multi-million pound investment from a well-known NI business family. Ask Allison: My son tells me his wife screams at him and knows how to push his buttons. He feels so lost. How do I help? Northern Irelands Justice Minister Naomi Long has accused SDLP Stormont leader Matthew OToole of attempting to impugn her character and integrity as she answered questions over an ongoing strike by criminal barristers. The exchange in the Assembly occurred after Mr OToole drew attention to an error made by the minister during a live broadcast interview, accusing her of attempting to win an argument rather than solve a problem. Criminal barristers started the strike action this month in a long-running dispute over the fees paid for legal aid work. The SDLPs leader of the opposition at Stormont Matthew OToole (Liam McBurney/PA) The escalated action has effectively halted Crown Court cases involving people who required legal aid. The barristers have argued it is a last resort, and that legal aid fees are worth less than half what they were worth in 2005 when they were set. But Ms Long has said a recent 16% uplift will amount to an annual increase of 11.5 million in legal aid fees. The Department of Justice issued a clarification last week after Ms Long said on air that a barrister earned more than 3 million in legal aid in a single year. The department clarified that one barrister did earn 3.98 million, but it was over a three-and-a-half year period which ended in September. Raising the issue at ministerial question time, Mr OToole said the error would have set back relations that have already been frayed between you and the Criminal Bar. He added: The people who are suffering are victims and witnesses of crime awaiting the criminal justice process. It speaks to a deeper tendency people have observed in you, which is a desire to win an argument rather than solve a problem. Will you commit now to entering into a process of mediation with the Criminal Bar, as suggested by the Lady Chief Justice? Ms Long responded: I note that every time the member asks a question, he always tries to in some way impugn my character or my integrity as part of his questioning. It can never simply be a case that there is a disagreement and that I am actually trying to resolve that disagreement, he always has to have a dig at me personally when he asks this question. I have already put on the record my error in that quote. Lets be absolutely clear then for the avoidance of doubt, one barrister received three 3.98 million over a three-and-a-half year period, which ended in September 2025. That was just over the cumulative total paid to 53% of their colleagues involved in criminal legal aid work. That is the fact of the matter and people can make of those facts what they wish. The minister said the fact that some young barristers are not able to earn a living is not down to the rates of pay, but down to the poor distribution of cases amongst the bar and the concentration of large numbers of cases with a small number of barristers. She added: Im happy to correct the record where I have been wrong, despite what some people say. And I am not about winning an argument here, but I am about protecting public money, and I have to be. Were I to come to this chamber in the context of the budgetary constraints that we face, and be profligate in my spending of public money, Im sure the leader of the opposition would be the first to his feet to suggest its a character trait of mine. The action by criminal barristers has effectively halted Crown Court cases involving people who required legal aid (Liam McBurney/PA) Ms Long went on to tell MLAs that she was hopeful the strike could be brought to an end sooner rather than later. She was then asked what options her department is considering to deliver services if the strike does not conclude quickly. Ms Long said short-term mitigations were being considered in some cases. She added: A number of cases have been assessed, 13 in total, by people who are experts in supporting victims and witnesses and who understand the cases. And those have been identified for a derogation from the strike, what were asking is the bar to proceed with those 13 cases. Those are cases that are already progressing, and therefore it would make sense that they would be able to progress the conclusion and they involve high risk and vulnerable victims. So far, only one of those has been agreed, but I understand the conversations are ongoing between PPS and the bar about some further cases of those 13. Ms Long said it was not the first time criminal barristers had gone on strike, adding we cannot have the justice system essentially held hostage like this periodically in relation to disputes. There are things I think we can do better in terms of regular reviews of fee levels and regular engagement, and Ive undertaken to do that. There are also things we need to look at in terms of alternative delivery of service which will be for the longer finger, but will still need to be done nevertheless. Four voices, eight ears, and infinite passion for sound unite to share the stories, characters, and discoveries shaping music across generations DALLAS, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- reVolver Podcasts, a leading multicultural audio network based in Dallas, Texas, today announced the launch of EL POCAS, a new Spanish-language podcast created with the support of RPM Records, the renowned vinyl shop in Bogota, Colombia. EL POCAS is rooted in a simple but powerful idea: music is not only sound, it is an ongoing conversation that connects us to the past, the present, and the future. In each episode, four distinct voices come together to share the most personal and deep discoveries from their musical journeys, recommending stories, sounds, and characters that have shaped the musical scene across generations. Designed for anyone who feels that intrinsic need to share music with others, the podcast delivers a highly curated listening experience that is intimate, thoughtful, and culturally alive. "EL POCAS is a celebration of music as identity, memory, and connection," said Jack Hobbs, President of reVolver Podcasts. "This show brings together authentic voices with real credibility and deep roots in the Colombian and international music community. We're proud to welcome EL POCAS into the reVolver network and to amplify the passion behind RPM Records in Bogota through a podcast built for true music lovers." The EL POCAS lineup includes Guillermo Patino, broadcasting from Barcelona, who brings the essence of the alternative movement and a deep connection to the influential local scene of the 1990s through his work as a creator of the legendary program Radio Paramecio and his involvement in iconic cultural spaces from that era. Joining him is Luis Fernando Rondon, a veteran music journalist and radio host who has dedicated his career to documenting Colombian rock, notably through the iconic program Rock 91.9, and whose work preserving the country's sonic heritage makes him a leading guide for this kind of conversation. Max Correa, the driving force behind RPM Records, represents the raw authenticity of vinyl culture with a steadfast punk spirit and a visceral love for music, complemented by a strong passion for music books and subculture history. Rounding out the hosts is Julian Correcha, a key figure in Bogota's independent music ecosystem, known for his deep dedication to curation through projects like Mucha Musica and El Parlante Amarillo, and widely recognized as an early pioneer of podcast-like formats in Colombia after launching his project El Mixedtape in 2007. EL POCAS is a Spanish-language music and music commentary podcast with an explicit content advisory. New episodes will be released weekly on Tuesdays, and the show will be available on all major audio platforms. reVolver Podcasts is a leading force in digital audio content, dedicated to providing diverse, innovative, and engaging podcasts across various genres. With a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, reVolver Podcasts continues to shape the future of digital storytelling, programming is free to millions of listeners in the U.S. and around the world across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Deezer, iHeartRadio app, Amazon Music, also available for download on the reVolver Podcasts App through the Samsung Galaxy Store available in the reVolver Podcasts App on Roku streaming devices and at www.revolverpodcasts.com . About reVolver Podcasts reVolver Podcasts is the leading multicultural, audio-on-demand content creator and distributor in the U.S. Home to Erazno y La Chokolata, El Show de Piolin, The Shoboy Show, Panda Show - Picante, and Don Cheto Al Aire, plus more than 70 additional programs spanning sports, music, finance, entertainment, lifestyle, health and wellness, inspiration, news, branded content, and live events, distributed across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio app, Amazon Music, also available for download on the reVolver Podcasts App through the Samsung Galaxy Store and on Roku streaming devices and at reVolverPodcasts.com. For more information about the company, visit www.revolverpodcasts.com. SOURCE reVolver Podcasts Omniplex has announced a closure of one of its cinemas. Omniplex Armagh has announced it will close its doors later this month, bringing an end to years of big-screen entertainment in the city. In a statement shared with customers on social media, the cinema confirmed it will take its final bow on Sunday, 25 January, thanking staff and audiences for their support over the years. The cinema group said the decision marked the end of a chapter, but stressed it was not the end of its presence in the wider region. After many wonderful years of bringing stories to life on the big screen in Armagh, we wanted to share an important update with our customers and community, the statement said. Wed like to say a heartfelt thank you to every member of our team, past and present, and to everyone who joined us for a movie, a popcorn, or a special night out over the years. The company added that its other Northern Ireland locations will continue to operate as normal, encouraging customers to visit nearby venues instead. Our Omniplex cinemas in Dungannon and Craigavon will continue to operate as normal, and wed love to welcome you there for the next reel of your big-screen experience with us, the statement said. Omniplex Cinemas operates multiple sites across Ireland and Northern Ireland and remains one of the regions largest cinema operators. No further details were provided on the reasons behind the Armagh closure, or on the future of the building. Omniplex has announced a closure of one of its cinemas. News catch up - Tuesday 20th January The cinema signed off by thanking customers for being part of what it described as the Omniplex Armagh story, adding: While this chapter is coming to a close, the story continues. Police at the scene of north Belfast alert Two airsoft guns have been recovered following a security alert in north Belfast. Police evacuated several homes as a precaution in the Eia Street area of the city, which was closed at its junction with Brookhill Avenue following the discovery Inspector McAlea said: Shortly after 1pm, police received a report that a suspicious object had been discovered in the area. A number of homes were advised to be evacuated as enquiries got underway, and ammunition technical officers attended the scene. Two BB style guns were subsequently recovered from the scene, and taken away for further examination. Residents have now been returned to their homes. Enquires are this morning ongoing, and officers would appeal to anyone who might have any information which would assist us, to get in touch. Kevin Scott at the scene last night: Police and ATO arrived here earlier this afternoon to reports of a suspicious object at the rear of some houses. I understand some residents here have been evacuated however, some who have chosen to remain are to stay away from windows. An ATO robot has been deployed, but at around 7pm a member of the bomb disposal team put on an explosive protection suit and began a manual inspection of the objects. I understand the items to be two suspected firearms, located behind some houses in an entryway. James Rochfort captured these images of the Northern lights over Belleek Co Fermanagh A map from the MET Office showing cloud cover James Rochfort captured these images of the Northern lights over Belleek Co Fermanagh Northern Ireland has a second chance to see the spectacular Northern Lights tonight. The skies over Northern Ireland and Ireland were treated to a breathtaking light show on Monday night as a powerful solar storm headed straight for Earth. The Met Office said this morning that the Northern Lights may still be visible tonight in parts of the UK. For most of Northern Ireland, cloud cover prevented many from taking in the spectacular sight, but there is another chance to catch it tonight. Below, we have included tips on how to take the best photo on your phone. You can submit your images on the link below too. While the storm won't be as prominent as Monday night, experts say there is a high chance of catching a glimpse of the lights on Tuesday night. The map below from the Met Office shows the areas with little cloud during that time. A map from the MET Office showing cloud cover Because of the conditions, the stunning aurora borealis, more commonly known as the Northern Lights, will be visible much further south than usual, lighting up night skies across Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England. Where and when to look Best viewing hours are expected to be between 6pm and 9pm on Tuesday. To maximise your chances, find a dark, open area with a northern horizon, away from streetlights. Based off the Met Office data, any area without cloud cover on the map above could be in with a chance. Clear skies will be crucial, as cloud cover could block the view even if the aurora is active. James Rochfort captured these images of the Northern lights over Belleek Co Fermanagh How to photograph the Northern Lights You do not need expensive gear; just keep your device very still iPhone Open the camera Make sure night mode is on (moon icon) Rest the phone on a wall, car roof, or use a tripod Use normal camera (1x) or wide (0.5x) Turn flash off Hold still and take the photo Tip: If the photo looks too bright, tap the screen and gently slide the brightness down. Android phone (Samsung, etc.) Open camera Select night mode or pro mode Rest phone on something solid If using Pro Mode: Set focus to (infinity) if you see it Use 1020 seconds if shutter time is available Take the photo and dont move the phone Tip: Use night mode if pro mode feels confusing. James Rochfort captured these images of the Northern lights over Belleek Co Fermanagh News catch up - Tuesday 20th January Google Pixel (Google phone) Open camera Choose night sight Place phone on a solid surface or tripod Wait for astrophotography mode to appear Press the button and dont touch the phone The phone will take the photo automatically. Camera (DSLR / Mirrorless) Put camera on a tripod Switch to manual mode Lens as wide as possible ISO around 1600 Shutter 10 seconds Focus on a distant light or star Use a 2-second timer and take the photo Tip: If the lights are moving fast, try shorter photos (5 seconds). Important tips for everyone Get away from streetlights Dress warm, batteries drain fast in the cold The lights may look stronger in photos than with your eyes Even a faint green glow can look amazing on camera. A 30 year-old man arrested by detectives investigating the murder of Wayne Reid has been released on bail to allow for further enquiries. Mr Reids body was found on Monday January 12 in Coleraine and the discovery prompted a major murder investigation. To date there have been nine people arrested in relation to the murder, with one man charged to court and eight persons released on bail. Wayne Reid Funeral of Coleraine murder victim Wayne Reid takes place As part of the murder investigation, police have carried out a series of arrests and searches in what they say is a complex and ongoing inquiry. The scene at a property in the Society Court area of Coleraine after Wayne Reid was pronounced dead at the address. Police believe he may have been involved in an altercation, sometime between Thursday January 8 and Saturday January 10 in the Society Court or Society Street areas of the town. A 33-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Picture date: Thursday January 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire Detectives have reiterated that enquiries are continuing and that they are following a number of lines of investigation. Mr Reids funeral heard on Monday his family have been left in darkness following his death. Mourners gathered at James McMullan and Son Funeral Home followed by interment in Drumreagh Presbyterian Churchyard, in Ballymoney. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph ahead of the funeral, Reverend Dr Richard Murray, who conducted the service, said Mr Reid was originally from Scotland and was the only child of Tom and Kate, who loved him deeply. He was also the loving father of Jackson. He worked as a sheet metal worker in Scotland before getting into sales when he moved to Northern Ireland. Reverend Dr Murray, who is currently Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, said: His parents were very good to him and right to this day they are an example of parental love for their child. Ex-terror chief believes this man will soon be arrested over Denis Donaldson murder It is almost 20 years since Donaldson was gunned down at his remote cottage home near Glenties in west Donegal Johnny Adair (left) and Anton Duffy (right) Hugh Jordan Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 12:00 Former loyalist terror chief Johnny Mad Dog Adair believes the man pictured here will soon stand trial for the murder of republican double agent Denis Donaldson. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the case was an example of the severe crisis in the ambulance service (Niall Carson/PA) A 68-year-old Mayo man died after his family drove him to hospital following a delayed ambulance response, the Dail has heard. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the case was an example of the severe crisis in the ambulance service, which she said was stretched to breaking point. She told the Dail on Tuesday that Stephen Lavelle, from Erris, became gravely ill shortly after arriving at a pub in Binghamstown on Saturday January 10. Mary Lou McDonald said the ambulance should have arrived within 19 minutes (Niall Carson/PA) An ambulance was called at 10.25pm but none arrived despite several follow-up calls. Ms McDonald said a doctor was called who told Stephens son Anthony that it was a category one emergency, adding: You need to get him to hospital right now. She said that an increasingly distressed and desperate family put Mr Lavelle into a car for the 56-mile journey to Mayo University Hospital. His wife Martina, his son Anthony, and his daughter-in-law Rebecca all accompanied him. As they drove, Stephens condition deteriorated. He was screaming in pain. They kept getting disconnected from the ambulance service because of the bad mobile phone coverage. Stephens head began to droop. His eyes were wide in his head, and Rebecca started CPR in the car. Ms McDonald said when the family finally met the ambulance, they were only three minutes away from the hospital. When they arrived, nobody was waiting for them at the hospital. Anthony ran in and got help, and it was now well after midnight. Stephens pulse came back after eight minutes of CPR. He was ventilated and he was brought to the ICU, but sadly, Stephen passed away the following morning. She said her heart goes out to Mr Lavelles heartbroken family, adding that no words could adequately describe the horror his relatives faced. Ms McDonald said ambulances around the country were taking far too long to arrive but that this was especially dangerous in rural areas far from hospital. She said the response should have been within the standard of 19 minutes but that this threshold was not met in more than half of cases. Taoiseach Micheal Martin described Mr Lavelles death as a devastating loss (Brian Lawless/PA) She also said that ambulances had been treated as a bed outside the hospital, stuck waiting for hours outside rather than responding to emergencies. Addressing the Taoiseach during Leaders Questions, she said: We have outstanding paramedics, but we dont have nearly enough of them. Four years ago, you were told that the service required an additional 2,000 staff by 2026 but not even a quarter of that number has been recruited. Micheal Martin said he was not aware of the specifics of the case but agreed that no words can console the family of Mr Lavelle and described his death as a devastating loss. He said there had been significant investment in the ambulance service but reiterated this would be no consolation for the Lavelles. There has been significant investment in the first-responder approach, and in terms of the whole professionalisation of our medical area, because the principle being that the more first responders we can get to the scene of an accident or somebody becoming very acutely ill, is the most effective way of preventing loss of life and dealing with patients in very, very difficult and life-threatening situations. On recruitment, he said: There had been additional posts allocated to the National Ambulance Service (NAS). Were looking at this year alone again, another eight million (euros) for 180 additional posts, and for development of NAS specialist services about 81 of those have been recruited to date with the remainder at various stages of recruitment. At the moment, investment by Government is seeing total NAS staff rise to 2,430 as of August 2025 and thats a rise of 25% or 502 staff since 2020 with 85% working in direct patient facing roles. Ms McDonald said the Government was putting lives at risk by failing to resource and recruit for the service. Mr Martin defended recruitment in the service but said further reforms in alternative care pathways were also needed. Grateful and Gloria Nkencho appeared at Dublin District Coroners Court for the inquest into the death of their brother George Nkencho who died outside his home in west Dublin in December 2020 after being shot multiple times by the Garda armed support unit (PA) The sisters of George Nkencho have described efforts made to tell gardai that their brother had mental health difficulties moments before he was shot. Gloria Nkencho told an inquest she opened the door of the house and informed gardai her brother was not well but gardai outside her home either did not listen or hear me. Ms Nkencho and her sister Grateful Nkencho also described mental health difficulties their brother had. Gloria said a doctor had said Mr Nkencho had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after being involved in a car accident in 2015, but he was never formally diagnosed. Gloria Nkencho said she did not see George holding a knife (Niall Carson/PA) She said that Mr Nkencho had experienced episodes of paranoia and there were times that he would get upset, but said that the family were aware of his triggers and would try to calm him down. The inquest at Dublin District Coroners Court heard that gardai had called to the house in June 2020 and had told the family that they did not have the resources to deal with mental health issues, but gave the family advice. Mr Nkencho, 27, died outside his home in west Dublin in December 2020 after being shot multiple times by the Garda armed support unit. The inquest, which began last week, has heard from shop workers and customers who described seeing Mr Nkencho punch an assistant manager at a Eurospar in Hartstown, and members of the public who said they saw him holding a knife, as well as Garda dispatchers who described how units were deployed to the scene. Grateful Nkencho, who was 18 years old when the incident took place, said she was the first person to go downstairs in response to the commotion outside the house. She said she remembered the door already being open when she came downstairs and when she first saw George he was lying on his back outside the house while holding a knife and pulling Taser wires out of his body. Grateful Nkencho was 18 years old when her brother died (Niall Carson/PA) Grateful said she knew at the time these were Taser wires, as she had previously researched Taser wires and pepper spray. She said as he was doing that, a female officer came up close to him and pepper-sprayed him in his eyes. Grateful said there were around 15 gardai outside the house, between armed, uniformed and plain clothed gardai. She said her sister Gloria then said very loud to gardai that this was her brother and he had mental health issues. Grateful added of her sister: She kept saying: This is my brother, hes sick, he has mental health issues, but even as she was saying that, she was brushed away. Like, nobody really paid attention to what she was saying. George Nkencho who was shot dead outside his home in Dublin in December 2020 (Brian Lawless/PA) She said an armed garda shouted get back, angrily and said a garda closed the door after a minute or two, but she could not remember if it was a man or woman. Grateful said she heard a bang and looked through a white mesh curtain over a window to the side of the door. Thats when I seen George laying lifeless on the ground, she told the inquest. When I came down the stairs, George was on the ground. When the door was closed, the curtain was opened, George was still on the ground. I never seen George get up at any time and wave a knife. He was always on the ground. Grateful said she did not hear gardai say: Drop the knife, or warn that Tasers would be used. She said they were told 15 minutes later by gardai to leave the house. I remember actually saying to my siblings in the house that: Oh, he hasnt passed away, well be fine, well go to the hospital, because we were actually on the way to the hospital. So we said: Well go to my aunties house to get her car, and then well go to the hospital, because we all believed that George was going to make it. Gloria Nkencho said when she went downstairs, she saw George on the ground through the window and opened the door. She said she had a brief interaction with a garda where they were almost talking over each other, where she tried to tell them her brother had an illness. I opened the front door and said: Its my brother, he is sick. I was ushered back in by the guards, she said. She added she did not want to make the situation worse, so she went back inside as instructed and tried to call her mother. I heard shots and my heart sank, she said in her deposition. Gloria said she did not remember seeing anyone carrying a gun and did not see George holding a knife. She also said before this she saw a garda give Mr Nkencho a forceful, hard kick in the back, and said she heard no verbal efforts by gardai to deescalate the situation. I was shouting that he is not well. The gardai either did not listen or hear me, she said in her deposition. I heard no verbals from the gardai to de-escalate the situation. I could only hear noise, no words. The inquest continues before a jury. A popular priest in Belfast has been remembered for his years of faithful service following his death. Fr Brendan McConvery died at Kilwee Nursing Home on Tuesday, surrounded by his family, according to a post shared by Clonard Monastery in Belfast. News of the much-loved priests passing prompted an outpouring of messages remembering a man described as gentle, faithful and deeply committed to his vocation. In tributes, Fr McConvery is described as the beloved son of John and Sarah McConvery and a much-loved brother of Mary McGuigan, Geraldine McAuley, Sean, Brenda Richards and Kathy Sloan, and the late Anne Cappa. He is deeply mourned by his large family circle, his Redemptorist confreres, and all who had the privilege of knowing him, the post said. Announcing his death, the Redemptorist community said: They give thanks to God for his life, his vocation and his years of faithful service, extending sincere sympathy to his family, friends and all who loved him. Funeral arrangements have also been shared. Fr McConvery will repose at his sister Brendas home at Forest Park from Tuesday evening. He will leave there on Wednesday at 5pm, arriving at Clonard Monastery, where he will repose from 6pm. On Thursday, he will leave the monastery at 5.30pm to arrive at Clonard Church for 5.45pm. His Funeral Mass will take place on Friday morning at 11am, followed by burial in Milltown Cemetery. Messages of condolence and prayer quickly followed the announcement of Fr McConverys death. Many mourners expressed their sadness and gratitude for his life and ministry. Fr Brendan McConvery News catch up - Tuesday 20th January One mourner simply wrote: Rest in eternal peace Father Brendan, while another supporter offered prayers, writing: Rest in peace, Father Brendan. . The site of the proposed new Chinese embassy on the site of the former Royal Mint in Tower Hamlets, east London (PA) China has been given permission to build a vast new embassy in the heart of London despite criticism from MPs and campaigners that it will be used as a base for spying and security crackdowns. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has approved the plans for the building at Royal Mint Court, a site near the Tower of London. The decision removes a diplomatic hurdle in the relationship with Xi Jinpings government, clearing the way for Sir Keir Starmer to make a widely-expected visit to China, possibly within weeks. Residents living close to the site have vowed to continue to challenge the Governments approval of the plans. Critics have raised concerns about what are described as hidden rooms proposed for the site, as well as its close proximity to communication cables essential to the UKs financial sector. MPs and peers on the Labour-led Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy had called on ministers to reject the plans, warning the embassy, the biggest in Europe, would create a hub for expanded intelligence-gathering and intimidation operations. Protesters at a demonstration outside Royal Mint Court, London, the site of the proposed new Chinese embassy (Lucy North/PA) Mr Reed insisted the decision was made following a quasi-judicial process, adding: This means they must make decisions fairly, based on evidence and planning rules. A written statement from the Communities Secretary also said: All material considerations were taken into account when making this decision. The decision is now final unless it is successfully challenged in court. Steve Reed said the decision was made following a quasi-judicial process (Gareth Fuller/PA) A Government spokesperson meanwhile insisted countries establishing embassies in other countries capitals is a normal part of international relations. They added: National security is our first duty. Intelligence agencies have been involved throughout the process and an extensive range of measures have been developed to manage any risks. The spokesman also insisted there were clear security advantages to the Chinese consolidating their seven different embassy sites in London into one large building. The Government said Mr Reed agreed with the planning inspector that any ethical or similar objections to the provision of an embassy for a specific country cannot be a material planning consideration. He also noted the inspectors comment that there was limited evidence to back up claims of national security concerns levelled at the future occupants, and considers that non-site-specific national security concerns would be dealt with by other means, via other legal processes and by various agencies, including under the Vienna Conventions, according to the decision letter. National security risks linked to Chinas new London embassy cannot be wholly eliminated, MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum warned in a joint letter with GCHQs director to the Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary. Sir Ken and Anne Keast-Butler wrote: MI5 has over 100 years of experience managing national security risks associated with foreign diplomatic premises in London. For the Royal Mint Court site, as with any foreign embassy on UK soil, it is not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk. (And even if this were a practicable goal, it would be irrational to drive embassy-generated risk down to zero when numerous other threat vectors are so central to the national security risks we face in the present era.) However, the collective work across UK intelligence agencies and HMG departments to formulate a package of national security mitigations for the site has been, in our view, expert, professional and proportionate. Demonstrators outside Royal Mint Court, London, the site of the proposed new Chinese embassy on Saturday January 17 (Lucy North/PA) They also said the package of mitigations deals acceptably with a wide range of sensitive national security issues, including cabling. Critics of the scheme are already planing to challenge the decision in the courts, with local residents raising money to launch a judicial review against the project. Mark Nygate, treasurer of the Royal Mint Residents Association, said: The residents are determined to keep fighting todays decision. Luke de Pulford, head of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which has campaigned to halt the plans, told the Press Association: This is the wrong decision for the UK, sending all the wrong signals. Wrong for dissidents, wrong for UK national security. Our three Cs China policy is less compete, challenge and cooperate, more cover-up, cave in, and cash out. Senior Conservatives lined up to criticise the decision, with shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly describing it as a disgraceful act of cowardice from a Labour Government and Prime Minister utterly devoid of backbone. 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 Dame Priti Patel, shadow foreign secretary, meanwhile said: Keir Starmer has sold off our national security to the Chinese Communist Party with his shameful super embassy surrender. Speaking in the Commons Dame Priti said it was unacceptable to approve the embassy while dual-British national Jimmy Lai remains in prison in China under the Beijing-imposed Hong Kong National Security Law. She said it would be a failure of British diplomacy if Sir Keir fails to get Mr Lai released when he visits China. In response Ms Cooper said: The shadow foreign secretary will know that we have made the strongest of criticisms of the decision on Jimmy Lai, and we continue to pursue this issue with the Chinese government and to stress the urgent need for him to be released immediately on humanitarian grounds. The Liberal Democrats described the decision as Sir Keirs biggest mistake yet. The partys foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller said: The Prime Minister knows his decision today will amplify Chinas surveillance efforts here in the UK and endanger the security of our data not to speak of the safety of the brave Hong Kongers on British soil. Its categorically wrong that hes embraced these threats to further his flirtation with China. Reform UK said the decision represents a serious threat to national security. Sir Keir Starmer will seek to steady the ship amid a tumultuous rift between Donald Trump and European countries over Greenland as the US President marks one year in the White House. The Prime Minister will hold talks with ministers at his weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, following his call for calm in response to the US leaders threats of a trade war. Yvette Cooper will then face a grilling from MPs during Foreign Office questions in the Commons, where the crisis over the dispute over the mineral-rich Arctic territory is likely to feature high on the agenda. The US president said on Monday evening he was 100% committed to hitting the UK and European allies with tariffs over their opposition to his plan to annex Greenland. US President Donald Trump has committed to hitting the UK and European allies with tariffs (Leon Neal/PA) The dispute caps the first year of Mr Trumps second presidency, during which Sir Keir has sought to avoid public disagreements with the White House amid strained relations between the US and Europe. The president has imposed import taxes on foreign nations and argued that Nato allies should increase their contributions to the military bloc. The Prime Ministers approach has faced an unprecedented challenge over the last week as the US President heightened his threats to take over Greenland, a semi-autonomous region in the Kingdom of Denmark. In an emergency press conference in Downing Street on Monday morning, Sir Keir said the future sovereignty of the territory was solely a matter for it and Denmark, adding: The use of tariffs against allies is completely wrong.It is not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance, nor is it helpful to frame efforts to strengthen Greenland security as a justification for economic pressure. He said the dispute over the territory, which Mr Trump wants to take over because of its strategic Arctic location, should be resolved through calm discussion between allies rather than military action. The US President again refused to rule out using the armed forces to seize the island just hours after Sir Keirs press conference, during which he played down the prospect of a US invasion of Greenland. Asked if he would use force to seize Greenland, the president told NBC News: No comment. He also said that he would charge Britain a 10% tariff on any and all goods sent to the US from February 1, increasing to 25% from June 1, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark. Mr Trump said the same would apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland all of whom are members of Nato. Mr Trump is expected to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, where Chancellor Rachel Reeves is also due to take part in a panel discussion alongside US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. A UK delegation will also include Trade Secretary Peter Kyle and Foreign Secretary Ms Cooper, though there are no current plans for Sir Keir to go, it is understood. Mr Kyle said the Government is having frank talks with US officials over the tariff threat and is in regular contact with Mr Lutnick and American trade representative Jamieson Greer. 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 We have good, strong relationships. One of the things Ive enjoyed in getting to know the US administration has been that they are all individual characters and very unique characters, he said. However, he added that the UK-US relationship had been tested and of course, were having frank conversations. But in my experience, all of the key protagonists in the administration thrive on frank conversations and wouldnt have it any other way. There appeared to be an agreed condemnation of the US presidents latest actions across the political spectrum. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge told the Press Association it was absolutely critical to stand up to Mr Trumps threats through close engagement with the US administration, adding: It is totally unacceptable, and I hope the wider American public, congressmen et cetera, recognise that and, of course, the administration. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for a package of tariffs on America coordinated with European allies after branding the US presidents actions economic thuggery that cannot go unanswered. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage suggested negotiation was a preferred response to a trade war, but described Mr Trumps threats of tariffs as wrong, and said he would be having some words with the American administration about it in Davos. On Monday, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle welcomed Mike Johnson, the speaker of the US house of representatives, to Parliament. Mr Johnson will address members of both Houses during an official visit on Tuesday to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. SARGAD Partners with the Government of Telangana to Modernize MSMEs into World-Class Aerospace & Defense Suppliers DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- At the World Economic Forum today, SARGAD LLC and the Government of Telangana signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish AeroNxt, a collaborative initiative to modernize India's aerospace and defense manufacturing ecosystem. The MOU was signed at the India Pavilion during the WEF Annual Meeting 2026, with SARGAD targeting deployment of up to $100 million USD in the state's aerospace & defense sector over the next several years. The initiative addresses a critical supply chain gap as global air travel continues to expand and demand for new aircraft and their sustainment accelerates. Original Equipment Manufacturers are seeking reliable, cost-competitive manufacturing partners to meet this growing demand while managing supply chain uncertainty. The initiative is supported by a group of senior global executives, bringing decades of leadership experience and relationships across global aerospace and defense programs. The initiative targets four strategic objectives: investing in and modernizing MSMEs; developing capabilities to deliver high precision components, sub-systems, and structures for next-generation aircraft and defense programs; facilitating access to global OEM's and Tiered supply base; and establishing an MRO Center of Excellence for aerospace components. "Global aerospace supply chains are shifting toward trusted, cost-competitive suppliers with quality manufacturing and design capabilities, with the ability to supply reliably at scale. India has the engineering talent and the strategic positioning. This partnership with the Government of Telangana is about selectively investing in MSMEs, building capabilities in high-precision mechanical and electronics components and software, and supporting the needs of aircraft manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers globally," said Sri Thota, Founder & CEO of SARGAD LLC. SARGAD is an operator-led industrial and investment platform with experience across aerospace, defense, automotive, clean energy, and data center manufacturing sectors, focused on IP-driven industrial businesses. The initiative is expected to be pursued through SARGAD's Industrial Investment Platform. The initiative capitalizes on Telangana's industrial ecosystem, anchored by HAL, DRDO, BDL, Tata ASL, and Cyient, combined with a strong engineering talent pool and progressive government policies. The existing MSME base is strategically positioned for modernization into globally competitive aerospace suppliers. The partnership aims to support incremental export growth, job creation, skill development, and MSME modernization over a multi-year period. The initiative seeks to contribute to Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives and build private sector participation in aerospace and defense capabilities. About SARGAD SARGAD LLC delivers strategic Private Equity partnerships and Innovation Solutions across the private and public sectors. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, SARGAD partners with organizations to build, modernize, and scale businesses by combining Fortune 200level leadership, deep operational expertise, and disciplined capital deployment to drive sustainable growth and global competitiveness across the aerospace, defense, automotive, data centers, clean energy, and healthcare sectors. Media Contact: SARGAD LLC 755 W Big Beaver Rd, Suite 2020 Troy, MI 48084 248-302-0666 [email protected] www.sargad.com SOURCE SARGAD The driver in crash that injured British heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua and killed his two friends in Nigeria has appeared in court. Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, appeared at a local court in south-western Ogun state following the accident in December that occurred near the economic hub of Lagos. He is charged with dangerous driving, causing death and driving without a valid national drivers licence. Kayode was driving Joshua and his friends in a Lexus SUV when it hit a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which links Ogun state to Lagos, causing minor injuries to Joshua and the death of his two close associates Sina Ghami and Latif Latz Ayodele. Anthony Joshua (Andrew Matthews/PA) Officials later said they found the driver to be driving at high speed. The defendant was first charged early January for dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care and driving without a valid national drivers licence. He was at the time granted bail of five million naira (2,600). The defendant arrived at the Sagamu Magistrates Court in Ogun wearing a black hoodie and black trousers and in the company of his lawyers. The court, however, adjourned the trial until February 25 following a request by prosecutors. Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, the driver in a crash that injured Anthony Joshua and killed his two friends (Sunday Alamba/AP) Defence lawyers appeared to push back over the application for adjournment. Coupled with the fact that the matter is slated for definite hearing for today, and their witnesses are in court, nothing stops the court from going on, Abiodun Olalekan, the defence counsel, told reporters. Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion, returned to the United Kingdom after the accident that raised questions about road safety in Nigeria. Joshua has family roots in Nigeria and he briefly attended boarding school there as a child. He also holds Nigerian nationality. Israeli crews have begun bulldozing a United Nations headquarters in east Jerusalem as the government tightens restrictions on humanitarian groups that provide aid to Palestinians. UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, said on X that Israeli forces had confiscated staff devices and forced them out of their headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. This is an unprecedented attack not only against UNRWA and its premises. It constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, it said. 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 Israel has long decried UNRWA for what it said is pro-Palestinian leanings and accused the group of ties to Hamas which the UN agency has strongly denied. Israels Foreign Ministry said the demolition was following through on a new law that banned the organisation, accusing it of ties to militant groups and Hamas. National security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a statement that he had accompanied crews to the headquarters and called it a historic day. UNRWA maintains infrastructure in Palestinian refugee camps and also runs schools and provides healthcare to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as well as in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Palestinians say it is critical to ensuring people receive basic services but the group has for decades been a target of Israel. The UNRWA compound belongs to the UN agency that assists Palestinian refugees (Mahmoud Illean/AP) The Trump administration cut funding for the group in 2018. Israels Knesset last year passed legislation banning it from functioning in what it defines as Israel including east Jerusalem, where the organisation is headquartered. The ban dovetailed with broader efforts to deregister aid groups operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Israel has passed laws requiring non-governmental organisations not to hire staff involved in activities that delegitimise Israel or support boycotts, demanding they register lists of names as a condition of being allowed to work. Israeli authorities told dozens of groups that their licences would expire at the end of 2025. Emmanuel Macron appeared to be channelling his inner Tom Cruise as he was seen sporting a pair of Top Gun-style aviator sunglasses at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. The French president has been battling an eye condition that he has said is completely harmless, but has made his right eye look red and puffy. Canadian PM Mark Carney meets French president Emmanuel Macron (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP) He first wore sunglasses last week when inspecting members of Frances armed forces and wore them again at Davos, where he mingled with world dignitaries. Simply see an unintentional reference to the Eye Of The Tiger for those who catch the reference, it is a sign of determination, the president joked while inspecting the troops, in an apparent reference to the theme song by American band Survivor from the 1982 Rocky III movie starring Sylvester Stallone. BENNINGTON In the first management team decision under Town Manager Dan Monks, the town has hired David Conwill to fill the managers former position as planning director. Conwill, who had previously worked as an attorney, with Hemmings Motor News and with consultants The NLS Group, began in his town position on Tuesday. According to a media release, the town planning director is a responsible for leading planning, zoning and land use functions while also advancing economic and community development initiatives. The director provides strategic leadership and technical expertise to ensure that Bennington grows in a way that is vibrant, inclusive, and economically resilient, the release stated, and serves as a key advisor to the town manager, community development director, Select Board, Planning Commission and Development Review Board, while also engaging with residents, businesses and community partners. Reached on Tuesday, Conwill said in an email, "Im very excited to be joining the team at the Town of Bennington. You may already know that I moved here in 2015 to work for Hemmings. In the intervening years, my family and I have come to love this area, so I am excited to take an active role in maintaining and improving it." The planning directors position became vacant when Monks was hired last fall to be the new town manager, replacing longtime Town Manager Stuart Hurd, who died August 30 following a long illness. A search for applicants for the planning directors post began in the fall. Conwill was one of 10 candidates reviewed by a hiring committee, according to the release, and was one of two interviewed for the position. Management changes Monks also previously served as assistant town manager, but that position has not been yet been posted. Monks said at the start of the hiring process that, depending on the skills and experience of the new planning director, he would consider changes in the roles of the top management positions. Monks said Tuesday in an email, I am not prepared to discuss the Assistant Town Manager position, yet. After the planning director settles in, I will be considering additional changes to the management team. According to the release, Conwill, who is from Michigan, began his career as an attorney. He moved to Vermont in 2015 to accept a position at Hemmings Motor News. In 2024, he began working with the NLS Group, performing work for Green Mountain Power. The release stated that Conwill is passionate about working on a broad range of issues relating to land use, transportation, community revitalization, and workforce initiatives. His combination of skills, experience, and enthusiasm set him apart from the other candidates. Conwill can be reached at dconwill@benningtonvt.org. 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. You are the owner of this article. DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to MarketsandMarkets, the Smart Learning Market is projected to grow from USD 80.69 billion in 2025 and to reach USD 178.62 billion by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17.2% during the forecast period. Browse 350 market data Tables and 50 Figures spread through 309 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Smart Learning Market - Global Forecast to 2030" Smart Learning Market Size & Forecast: Market Size Available for Years: 20192030 20192030 2025 Market Size: USD 80.69 billion USD 80.69 billion 2030 Projected Market Size: USD 178.62 billion USD 178.62 billion CAGR (20252030): 17.2% Smart Learning Market Trends & Insights: The software segment is projected to achieve the highest CAGR of 18.8% during the forecast period. The synchronous learning segment is projected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. The enterprises segment is projected to dominate the smart learning market during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is projected to achieve the highest growth rate during the forecast period. Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=571 Educational institutions and enterprises are dealing with larger, more diverse learner populations, hybrid delivery models, and rising expectations for measurable learning outcomes. Traditional classroom-centric approaches are proving difficult to scale under these conditions. As a result, institutions are shifting toward digital learning environments that support flexible content delivery, learner progress tracking, and remote access. Cloud-based Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS) are increasingly used to manage dispersed learners and standardize course delivery across locations. Their ability to update content quickly and monitor engagement has become a practical requirement, particularly for higher education, corporate training, and government-led skilling programs. These structural needs continue to support steady demand for smart learning platforms. The software segment is projected to register the highest growth during the forecast period. The software segment is projected to register the highest growth during the forecast period. This growth is supported by increasing reliance on digital learning platforms that manage content delivery, learner engagement, assessment, and performance tracking across distributed environments. Educational institutions and enterprises are gradually shifting away from hardware-centric deployments toward software platforms that can be updated, scaled, and configured without significant physical infrastructure changes. Cloud-based learning management systems, learning analytics tools, and collaboration platforms are being adopted to support hybrid and remote learning models. Software solutions also allow organizations to standardize learning experiences across locations while maintaining flexibility in delivery formats. As budget constraints and accountability requirements increase, demand is rising for subscription-based software offerings that provide measurable outcomes and centralized oversight, contributing to faster growth of the software segment compared to hardware components. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=571 The asynchronous learning segment is projected to lead the smart learning market during the forecast period. By learning type, the asynchronous learning segment is projected to lead the market during the forecast period. This growth is due to the flexibility and cost efficiency offered by this type of learning. Learners increasingly require access to coursework that fits around work schedules, geographic constraints, or limited connectivity. Real-time instruction is not always practical in these settings, particularly for professional certification, reskilling programs, and distance education. Asynchronous platforms allow institutions to deliver standardized content while enabling learners to progress at their own pace. This model also reduces pressure on instructors by separating content creation from live instruction. Recent improvements in content authoring tools, assessment frameworks, and learner tracking have strengthened the reliability of asynchronous delivery. These factors support its continued relevance across academic and enterprise learning environments. Inquire Before Buying @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=571 Asia Pacific is projected to achieve the highest growth rate during the forecast period during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is projected to achieve the highest growth in the smart learning market during the forecast period. This growth is due to demographic scale and education system expansion. Countries such as India, China, Australia, and New Zealand are investing in digital learning infrastructure to address teacher shortages, uneven access to education, and rising demand for workforce training. Public and private institutions across the region are adopting online and blended learning models to extend reach beyond urban centers. Government-supported digital education initiatives and national skilling programs are accelerating platform adoption, particularly in higher education and vocational training. As institutions prioritize access, scalability, and cost control, smart learning solutions are becoming a core part of education delivery strategies across Asia Pacific. Top Companies in Smart Learning Market: The Top Companies in Smart Learning Market include are IBM (US), Samsung (South Korea), Adobe (US), Anthology (US), SMART Technologies (Canada), SAP (Germany), Microsoft (US), Cornerstone OnDemand (US), Pearson (UK), BenQ (Taiwan), Google (US), McGraw Hill (US), Huawei (China), Cisco (US), Oracle (US), D2L (Canada), Ellucian (US), Alphabet (Alphabet Inc.), Upside LMS, Edsys (India), echo360 (US), Knowledge Anywhere (US), Instructure (US), SkyPrep (Canada), Paradiso Solutions (US), CYPHER Learning (US), and Schoology (US). These players have adopted various growth strategies, such as partnerships, agreements & collaborations, product launches, enhancements, and acquisitions, to expand their footprint in the smart learning market. Browse Adjacent Markets: Software and Services Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: DRaaS Market - Global Forecast to 2032 Mass Notification System Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Workforce Management Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Employee Performance Management Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Vector Database Market - Global Forecast to 2030 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. 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To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook . Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets The merger of the parent companies of Berkshire and Brookline banks will be completed during a conversion process next month, with Beacon Bank emerging as the new name of the regional powerhouse active in five states. The annual community food drive with a twist is organized by UNICO of Pittsfield, which is asking Berkshire residents to donate non-perishable foods that can be eaten from a bowl to a number of community partners serving as drop-off locations. Quality local journalism needs your support Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access. Subscribe today. Cancel anytime. Subscribe now for 99 Subscriber Sign In | Return Home Stay up to date on Berkshires news with Berkshires in Brief, our free daily newsletter ADAMS The Adams Fire District has outgrown its quarters built in 1960 and the Prudential Committee is beginning to hunt for a new space in town. At the same time, district officials are again raising the possibility of restructuring two elected positions a move they say reflects the increasing professional and regulatory demands placed on fire districts. This week, for the second time, the district will revisit the idea of changing the fire chiefs position from an elected, part-time role to a full-time appointed one. For the first time, officials are also considering professionalizing the clerk-treasurers position by making it appointed rather than elected. These personnel changes were suggested in a consultant's report. The district is holding an informational meeting about these proposed changes at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Council on Aging. HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST? Victoria A. Lassonde, the district's bookkeeper, calculated what those in the district will pay to fund a full-time chief based on the current year's assumptions. She estimates it's less than a cup of coffee $2.24 to $3.05 on a monthly basis. Residents and businesses served by the district now pay 87 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to the district. Depending on the new salary, Lassonde said the rate would increase from 11 cents to 15 cents per thousand to fund the new fire chief. With the average single-family home valued in Adams at $243,000, she said the average homeowner now pays $212.13 for water, fire protection and street lights. The total bill would rise by a range of $26.82 to $36.58. Created in 1873 by an act of the Legislature, the Adams Fire District has supplied the area comprising the district with water, fire protection and street lights. The district has 2,949 active service connections serving most of Adams with water. There are 150 properties in Adams outside the district. As it stands, Chief Engineer John Pansecchi, who has close to 40 years of service, earns an annual stipend of $29,989.49. If the chiefs position is made full-time, the cost would jump to at least $75,000 per year with 15 steps plus benefits. In 2019, district voters rejected a proposal to professionalize the chief's position. Always the cost, Thomas Satko, chair of the Prudential Committee, said, by way of explaining that vote. Still, Satko says professionalizing the role is needed, pointing out the increased paperwork and tightening regulatory environment fire chiefs face now. If the Occupational Safety and Health Administration adopts a proposed Emergency Response Standard, fire chiefs expect increased regulatory demands, something some Berkshire County chiefs say volunteer chiefs would struggle to meet. As to the clerk, Allen Mendel, who is elected, is paid $2,104.29. The plan is to make that position full-time with someone highly versed in municipal accounting. The administrative office would undergo a restructuring if the clerks position becomes full-time. Currently, we have a clerk treasurer, a bookkeeper, an assistant clerk-treasurer, and an administrative assistant, bookkeeper Victoria A. Lassonde said. And so we want to absorb the bookkeeper within three positions. So we would only have a clerk treasurer, assistant clerk-treasurer and administrative assistant. She said the total amount spent on salaries in the administrative office isnt expected to change, but would be shifted differently among the three positions. Concerns about the districts aging headquarters at 3 Columbia St. have also prompted action. The building has faced ongoing issues, including a leaking roof, failing windows and a sagging floor. The district recently spent $73,150 to shore up the garage floor after a new fire truck with a shorter wheelbase placed additional pressure on the structure. The building has Federal Pacific breaker/fuse boxes, a known fire hazard; no smoke detectors in the fire station, carbon monoxide detectors or sprinklers. It also contains asbestos, according to officials. The bay doors are a tight fit for the bigger trucks of today and theres no room to expand beyond the two existing parking bays. Lassonde said the district is seeking a downtown location for a new station. Central because of our fire response, she said. But its very limited with whats available. The district is now forming a building committee to begin a needs assessment. "We're getting by," Satko said, "but it would be nice to have a bigger station." HOW MUCH? Victoria A. Lassonde, the district's bookkeeper, calculated what those in the district will pay to fund a full-time chief based on the current year's assumptions. She estimates it's less than a cup of coffee $2.24 to $3.05 on a monthly basis. Residents and businesses served by the district now pay 87 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to the district. Depending on the new salary, Lassonde said the rate would increase from 11 cents to 15 cents per thousand to fund the new fire chief. With the average single-family home valued in Adams at $243,000, she said the average homeowner now pays $212.13 for water, fire protection and street lights. The total bill would rise by a range of $26.82 to $36.58. Residents wrote down ideas and added stars to the concepts on large pieces of paper as a way of contributing to the input that will go into the towns open space plan, which is due in June. GREAT BARRINGTON A missed question at a doctors appointment sparked Monument Mountain Regional High School sophomore Jonah Sanabria to spend weeks developing an artificial intelligencepowered app designed to help patients better communicate with their doctors. The app was selected as the winner of the Congressional App Challenge for Massachusetts 1st Congressional District. Sanabria's app, along with the winners of other participating districts, will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for the next year. He will also be invited to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. in the spring for the House of Code celebration to present his app and connect with other coders from around the country. The app, Health Advocate, is designed to combat doctor-to-patient miscommunication. Before the appointment, it can help the patient organize questions and explain their symptoms and concerns. During the appointment, the AI listens and not only reminds the patient to ask the prewritten questions but also suggests others based on what was said. After the appointment, it helps to track medication and other goals laid out in the care plan. Every day, patients of all ages go to the doctor feeling stressed, confused, scared and uncertain, meaning they often forget what they wanted to say, and they leave without fully understanding what was said or the plan ahead, Sanabria said. It's not because doctors don't care. It's because the system is set up in a way that makes relaxed communications really hard. Telehealth opportunities have improved access to health care, especially in rural communities like the Berkshires, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal told a class of sophomores Friday, where he awarded Sanabria a certificate. But, there are still many problems in the health care industry, like the ability to understand health care terminology in the moment in order to ask appropriate questions, he said. We should note the irony that the health care battle ensues every day in America, and I think that he came up with a very simple solution, and that was to make it easier for the patient and the doctor to relate to each other, Neal said. The annual app challenge started in 2015 and encourages STEM, coding and computer science through hands-on innovation, with each participating representative hosting a competition in their district. More than 85,000 students across all 50 states have participated over the years. Neal described the app as a model for how health care technology should evolve. This whole notion of the relationship between a patient and a doctor is a big deal, a big, big deal and we never want patient care to be just a number, Neal said. When you have that time with your doctor, you need to have the moment when you can ask them a question and not be afraid to do so. After Neal's remarks, Sanabria gave a presentation on how the app works and thanked his family, friends and school for supporting him. He said he is working to continue developing the software so it can be available on the App Store, which he said is a challenge, but hes been working to launch it. I would like to thank all my teachers and principals for making this happen and really making the school such a good place for me, Sanabria said. I'm able to learn so many things, to learn about problem solving, and it really helped to formulate my ideas. Sanabria's mother, Naomi Mersky, started to cry while talking about how proud she is of her son. He worked really hard on this and he really challenged himself and brought it to the next level, Mersky said. It's great for his peers to see what can be accomplished when you work really hard and you put yourself out there and take a risk, because this is a risk and it really paid off for him. Principal Christopher Barnes and Superintendent Peter Dillon separately said they are thrilled by what Sanabria created and to have a Monument student honored at this level for doing something that could have such a significant impact. "Jonah is obviously a bright, driven, and self-motivated young man. We are incredibly proud of him, and his initiative and skills with technology, Barnes said. "That he focused his efforts on health care is also highly impressive. I do have to say that we very much appreciate Jonah bringing Congressman Neal to our school. It's a great honor. Led by nonprofit K12 real estate developer Building Hope, an abandoned eight-acre property on Albuquerque's Westside will become the new campus for the Albuquerque School of Excellence in time for the 202627 school year. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Albuquerque School of Excellence (ASE) broke ground today on the construction of its new 110,000-square-foot campus on Sequoia Road, which will serve over 1,200 K12 students. The $42 million project's development and construction are being managed by Building Hope , a nonprofit supporting schools with facilities, financing, and operational services, in partnership with the Equitable Facilities Fund (EFF), a social impact fund providing low-cost, long-term financing to high-quality public charter schools. ASE is a tuition-free, college-preparatory charter school emphasizing science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. The school has earned multiple state and national accolades, including the U.S. Department of Education's National Blue Ribbon School Award in 2022 and recognition as a 2023 ESEA National Distinguished School one of only two schools in New Mexico to receive the honor. It is the only "School of Character" in New Mexico, a recognition awarded by Character.org to schools that demonstrate strong character development alongside academic excellence. The initial campus is set to open for the 202627 school year, serving 440 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Phase 2, opening in January 2027, will allow the school to serve high school grades incrementally, beginning with grade nine in 202728, and reach full K12 enrollment of 1,200 students by 2031. The groundbreaking kicks off a full redevelopment of the 8-acre property, including six new or remodeled buildings. The school campus will include a gym, full-service cafeteria, multiple playgrounds, and a playfield. The campus is being designed to support ASE's emphasis on hands-on STEM learning and collaborative instruction, including a makerspace, science labs, a music room, and outdoor learning areas. "Designing our campus from the ground up has afforded us the opportunity to intentionally shape learning environments that reflect how students learn environments that promote intellectual curiosity, purposeful exploration, and creative inquiry," said Mr. Mustafa Ayik, Albuquerque School of Excellence's Executive Director. "Building Hope has served as a trusted and valued partner throughout this process, bringing a sophisticated understanding of the complexities inherent in educational facilities and providing critical guidance at every stage, from zoning to financing. This expansion also affirms our steadfast commitment to fulfilling our promise of preparing students to be college- and career-ready while fostering strong character within a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning community. Most importantly, the new campus will enable us to extend this mission to the 450 students currently on our waitlist who seek the opportunity to join our school. It stands as a meaningful and enduring investment in our students, our families, and the future of our city." The financing structure uses a lease-to-purchase model, with the school expected to assume ownership of the facility in the coming years. The development team includes Mussman Architects, HB Construction, and Kimley-Horn. "This project embodies what's possible when a school's vision aligns with community needs," said Dru Damico, president of Real Estate at Building Hope. "We're proud to help ASE create a safe, modern campus that will expand opportunity for hundreds of students and serve as a neighborhood hub." About Building Hope Building Hope is a national nonprofit that empowers advancements in education through our work with schools providing unparalleled facility financing, real estate development, and operational services. We believe a facility should never be the barrier preventing a child from attending a great school. During our 20-year history, Building Hope has supported over $2 billion in the development of school facilities. For more information, visit www.buildinghope.org . Contact: David Walker, [email protected] SOURCE Building Hope 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. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code LONDON, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cappfinity is pleased to announce the promotion of Stephanie Hopper to the role of Chief Talent Management Officer, marking an acceleration in the global talent technology company's expansion and growth plans. Stephanie Hopper joined Cappfinity in 2017 and has led the Talent Management arm of the business through significant growth. As a global talent and leadership expert with 25+ years experience, Stephanie is a well-regarded thought leader and highly sought after by global clients for strategic advice and insights. Stephanie's promotion to Chief Talent Management Officer will accelerate Cappfinity's expansion, reflecting the belief that talent management sits alongside talent acquisition, with better decisions coming from understanding capability and not credentials. Under Stephanie's leadership, Cappfinity will continue to advance its talent management software, combining deep behavioural science with scalable technology to support global organisations in making better, fairer talent decisions at every stage of the employee lifecycle. Alex Linley, Co-CEO at Cappfinity, expressed his enthusiasm for this promotion, saying: "Stephanie has been instrumental in building a Talent Management proposition that combines behavioural science with scalable technology. Her appointment underscores our commitment to investing in talent management software that enables organisations worldwide to identify, develop and deploy talent with greater confidence, consistency and fairness." With this appointment, Cappfinity reiterates its commitment to strengthen the world, and empower companies to make the best talent decisions. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2864259/Cappfinity_Logo.jpg Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Cappfinity The settlement of a High Court employment dispute in which it was claimed that the CEO of a company allegedly spent the firm's money providing homes and jobs for his girlfriends, who had allegedly been screened through illicit websites, may be in danger of breaking down, a judge was told. Last month, Mr Justice Brian Cregan was told the dispute had been settled and was adjourned a number of times so the settlement agreement could be implemented. On Tuesday, the court was told however the companys principal had signed another version of the settlement and the situation now appeared to be that it was not now settled. The case was brought by Jennifer O'Carroll, chief operations officer of Limerick-based enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management software group, HansaWorld, who had sought orders lifting her suspension as director and company secretary and to stop alleged interference in her role as COO. Advertisement As part of her proceedings, Ms O'Carroll had made claims about the manner in which the group's CEO and majority shareholder, Karl Bohlin, had been running the business and what she considered was his "extravagant personal spending" using company funds. She claimed that since last Spring, Mr Bohlin had been primarily concerned with his love life and finding a girlfriend which he described as his "highest priority, she said. She claimed Mr Bohlin used the company human resources "to screen the girls from various illicit websites for suitability". Over recent months, she said, he has "insisted on hiring these ladies even if they are not suitable candidates" to positions in the company and insisted on using the firm's funds to lease houses for them, including one in China and another in Dubai. The claims were denied. The matter was adjourned a number of times after the defendants, HansaWorld Ireland Ltd, HansaWorld Holding Ltd and HansaWorld Inc Ltd, agreed to a number of undertakings including not to take steps to dismiss her. Those undertakings, which also included that the company would not take steps to remove her from her roles as secretary and director of the company, remained in place until the court was told it had been implemented. On Tuesday, Gary McCarthy SC, for Ms O'Carroll said although a settlement agreement had been drawn up, the principal of the defendants had signed "another version of the agreement" which meant "we are left in a situation where it has not been settled". Advertisement Ireland Hospital apologises for 'egregious errors' in care of woman (25) who was crushed by horse Read more Counsel sought an adjournment so that there could be discussions with the defendants' lawyers about the matter. Michael O'Sullivan BL, for the defendants, asked that the adjournment be short as "it may avail us to keep the pressure on" in circumstances where there had been considerable work done on the settlement. Counsel also said "if what needs to be done is not done", then his side would have to apply to the court to seek to no longer represent Hansaworld. Mr Justice Cregan, who commented that the situation was unfortunate, adjourned it to Friday. People called Ireland's defence capabilities "embarrassing" in messages to Taoiseach Micheal Martin over the presence of drones near the flight path of Volodymyr Zelenskiy's plane during a recent visit. The drones were as close as 500m to an Irish navel vessel, the LE William Butler Yeats, however, officers decided they could not shoot them down due to the presence of civilian aircraft in Irish airspace. They were also spotted in skies over north-east Dublin as the plane carrying Mr Zelenskiy landed at Dublin Airport. While the origin of the drones is unkown, they were suspected to be Russian by security experts. Discussing the incident afterwards, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said the drones were "generated for the purpose of putting pressure on EU and Ukrainian interests". In messages, seen by BreakingNews.ie following a Freedom of Information request, people told the Taoiseach that Ireland's security was "embarrassing" and called for more spending on defence. Advertisement One person wrote: "The fact that enemy drones are able to operate freely in Irish airspace is more than a worry, it is embarrassing. As a country, our inability to defend against enemy aggression is frightening." In one email, someone called the incident a "stark, undeniable illustration of the systemic vulnerabilities that have been repeatedly raised by defence and security experts". 'Profound alarm' "I am writing to express my profound alarm at the recent incident in which several drones - reported as advanced, non-hobby-grade platforms - entered the temporary no-fly zone established around President Zelenskys visit and subsequently loitered near an Irish Naval Service vessel off the Dublin coast. Regardless of the origin of these platforms or the intent of the operators, the fact remains that Ireland was unable to detect, prevent, or interdict aerial activity occurring in restricted airspace at a moment of heightened sensitivity and international visibility. "This episode is not an isolated embarrassment; it is a stark, undeniable illustration of the systemic vulnerabilities that have been repeatedly raised by defence and security experts. Ireland currently lacks the radar, the technical infrastructure, the interception capability, and the personnel capacity required to meaningfully enforce its own jurisdictionwhether in the air, at sea, or around critical subsea infrastructure. "We now find ourselves in a geopolitical environment defined by hybrid conflict, strategic coercion, and grey-zone operations. Across Europe, hostile actors have used drones to disrupt airports, threaten civil aviation, surveil sensitive infrastructure, and interfere with undersea cables that underpin the digital economy. These are not theoretical risksthey are documented realities affecting EU partners today." Advertisement They added: "Yet Ireland, situated on Europes Atlantic periphery and hosting vital transatlantic cables and air corridors, remains functionally incapable of monitoring or defending its sovereign space. Our reliance on the goodwill and vigilance of other states is no longer tenable. Neutrality, whether political or military, does not equate to immunity. It has never guaranteed protection from the actions of states or actors willing to exploit gaps in our capabilities." Ireland's lack of radar systems was also raised in several emails. The State agreed to purchase a 500 million military radar system from France at the end of the year, but the deal is yet to be completed. Several people also raised concerns about Ireland's vulnerabilities as a neutral nation. Defence spending Another person wrote: "I feel compelled to email you in light of the recent drone incident off the coast of Ireland. Overall, the Government is wholly out of step with the overwhelming majority of Irish citizens who think our defence forces are a disgrace and an embarrassment from the perspective of Government priority and funding. "Even with supposed increases in funding - they are are still outrageously short of what is required. We need an overwhelming increase in defence budgeting - billions - on sophisticate technology, personnel, more ships and cutting edge jets. Nothing else will do. "Furthermore - everyone in Dail Eireann needs to understand - we can no longer be neutal in the old-fashioned way we were. That nonsense needs to be jettisoned. We're not living in that world any more. Either you are for democracy and a rules based order, or for reckless tyranny - you cannot be neutral on this issue - you are either on one side or the other. Those elected to Dail Eireann need to make up their minds on this. Advertisement "Finally, Ireland's stance on China is a hypocritical contradiction. They are a tyranny, supporting the war in Ukraine. Ireland CANNOT - in conscience - do business with such a country. This is going to become an existential issue soon." In one email, someone suggested purchasing retired A10 Thunderbolt II fighter jets from the United States. Several people also expressed concerns about Ireland being a target for more hostile drone activity during the EU Presidency, which the State will hold from July 1st to December 31st, 2026. A father who sexually abused his daughter during her childhood, telling her that they had a special love her mother would be jealous of, has been jailed for seven years. Gordon McKenna (79), formerly of Marian Grove, Old Moore Street, Mountmellick, Laois, now living in Germany, pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting his daughter at various locations, including the family home in Tallaght, Dublin, on mountain biking trips and at the cinema, on dates between 1977 and 1983. He has no previous convictions. McKenna had previously denied the charges but pleaded guilty before his trial commenced at the Central Criminal Court. Seoirse O Dunlaing SC, prosecuting, told Ms Justice Melanie Greally that Jane Murray (55) wished to waive her right to anonymity to allow her father to be named in reporting the case. She joined the hearing remotely via an audio link. Advertisement The court heard that Ms Murrays mother suspected McKenna was having an affair when Ms Murray was 13 years old. It was at this point that the teenager told her mother that she was the other woman. McKenna left the family home, and the abuse came to an end. Ms Murray was seen by her family doctor and attended counselling. McKenna, Ms Murray and her mother later participated in joint family counselling, but McKenna actively influenced his daughters communications. Her mother later featured in a RTE broadcast regarding child sexual abuse. Germany McKenna continued to have contact with Ms Murray, and he did not allow her to call him Dad. He would tell people that they happened across while out in public that she was his girlfriend. The abuse came to the attention of both gardai and Tusla after Ms Murray applied for records of those counselling sessions as an adult in 2018. She went on to make statements of complaint. At this point, McKenna had remarried and moved to Germany. Through mutual assistance, gardai contacted him, but he denied any wrongdoing. Padraig Dwyer SC, defending, said McKenna had written a letter to the court outlining his sorrow and regret for his actions. He asked the court to take into account his guilty plea, his advanced age and his work history. He said the accused had remarried. His wife is receiving palliative care, and the accused is a carer for her. He outlined that McKenna had a number of medical issues himself. Advertisement Passing sentence on Tuesday, Ms Justice Melanie Greally acknowledged that the harm caused to Ms Murray by her father was unquantifiable and impossible to articulate. She said her victim impact statement, read into the record by Mr O Dunlaing, was poignant and restrained and that Ms Murray is only beginning to process her childhood experience. She acknowledged that the abuse impacted her sense of self, and she has a lack of value and self-worth, which has affected her capacity to form relationships. She eloquently speaks of the love she should have received, Ms Justice Greally said before she said Ms Murray spoke of the lie her father told her about their so-called relationship. Grooming She noted that Ms Murray spoke of her fathers deviousness and how he abused her without any care for her well-being and her future. Her victim impact statement is a simple expression of her immense sadness and sense of loss for what might have been, Ms Justice Greally said. Ms Justice Greally said McKenna was responsible for Ms Murrays care as a child while her mother was working. She said the abuse was a highly specific grooming and manipulation, noting that McKenna thought his daughter to control and switch off her emotions and that he played tricks to scare her and was amused by her fear. Ms Justice Greally said that McKenna told his daughter that they had a special deep relationship that no one could understand and that her mother would be jealous if she knew. Advertisement She noted that Ms Murray said she was abused most days after school. Ms Justice Greally said the abuse represented an extreme abuse of trust by a parent who was also her primary carer. She took into account Ms Murrays extreme youth at the time and her dependency on her father, that the abuse occurred in the family home, its frequency and duration and the immeasurable psychological harm caused to her and its impact on her personal development, emotional and mental wellbeing. Ms Justice Greally noted that a maximum sentence of two years applies to a number of the earlier incidents of abuse due to the legislation which existed at the time, which she said in no way reflects the culpability of the offender or the harm caused. Ireland Hospital apologises for 'egregious errors' in care of woman (25) who was crushed by horse Read more She said in mitigation that she was taking into account the plea of guilty, but noted that it was a late plea and that Ms Murray still had to live with the prospect of a trial and giving evidence. She further acknowledged McKennas lack of previous convictions, his pro-social life since, his remorse for his actions, his medical conditions and his current wife's poor medical condition and the fact that he acts as her carer in Germany. Ms Justice Greally imposed concurrent sentences of 16 months for the earlier offences and a consecutive term of five years and eight months for the later offences. These later offences carry a maximum penalty of 10 years following a change in legislation. The judge said she didnt consider a post-release supervision order necessary in the case. The Government is expected to approve a four-year medicines deal with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA). It follows ongoing talks between the IPHA, which represents research-based companies that make branded medicines, the State, and companies that make generic medicines. The Irish Patients Association welcomed the news, saying it commits the HSE to decision-making within 180 days under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medicines) Act 2013. "This agreement addresses an unconscionable two-tier system where private patients access new cancer treatments up to two years before public patients can access the same medicine through the HSE," said Stephen McMahon, chair of the Irish Patients Association. "For too long, the State has failed to meet its own 180-day legal requirement under the Health Information and Quality Authority Act 2013. The current average of 617 days1.7 yearsmust end." Advertisement In practice, the commitment would reduce average processing times by 437 days relative to the current average. Ireland Targeted youth mental health support must stand apart from wellbeing help Esri Read more For cancer medicines, it would cut delays by 514 days from the current 694-day average. The agreement appropriately balances patients' rights to equitable access and innovation with the State's responsibility to ensure cost-effectiveness within finite health budgets. Approximately 32 new medicines are expected this year, covering treatments for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. "Effective accountability requires regular public reporting on access to new drugs and waiting list performance," "This is a positive step forward for patients," McMahon concluded. "We look forward to seeing regular public reporting that verifies these commitments deliver genuine improvements in patient outcomes and compliance with the 180-day statutory requirement," Mr McMahon said. A judge intends to rule next month on whether Riad Bouchaker, who is charged with assaulting a care worker and attempting to murder three children on Parnell Square in Dublin, is fit to enter a plea and stand trial. Mr Justice Tony Hunt has spent three days at the Central Criminal Court hearing evidence from two psychiatrists who differ on whether Mr Bouchaker (51) has the cognitive ability to instruct his legal team, enter a plea and engage in the trial process. A consultant psychiatrist called by the prosecution said that despite the accused having a serious neurocognitive disorder, he can be accommodated at trial, where questions can be repeated, made simpler or closed questions put to him. He said Mr Bouchaker understands that he is charged with a serious offence, knows the difference between right and wrong, and is capable of entering a plea and instructing his solicitors. Advertisement The psychiatrist said Mr Bouchaker understands the difference between a guilty and a not guilty plea. However, a consultant psychiatrist called by the defence said Mr Bouchaker is "utterly cognitively incapable" of understanding the choice between a guilty or not guilty plea. She said he does not understand that he can engage in the trial process, does not understand the seriousness of the charges and is capable of understanding moral matters only in an "extremely basic way". Having heard the conflicting evidence, Mr Justice Hunt on Tuesday said he wants to view videos of Mr Bouchaker's garda interviews, which formed part of the bases for the psychiatrists' findings. The court will convene again on February 3rd when Mr Justice Hunt said he will have viewed the videos and will hear from counsel for each side. He said he intends to deliver judgment on February 20th. The judge has ordered that legal representatives for the accused and the identities of the doctors giving evidence are not to be named in media reports. Mr Bouchaker, of no fixed abode, is charged with the attempted murder of two girls and one boy, as well as with assault causing serious harm to a care worker. He is also charged with three counts of assault causing harm to two other young children and a passerby, who had intervened to assist, as well as one count of the production of a knife. The incident occurred at Parnell Square East on the afternoon of November 23rd, 2023. Last month, defence lawyers for the accused argued before the Central Criminal Court that their client is suffering from a mental disorder, namely moderate dementia, and is unfit to stand trial. Advertisement Karl Finnegan SC with Carol Doherty BL, prosecuting, previously said there was CCTV footage showing what appeared to be an attack on a line of children who were about to go to their creche. He said when the creche manager became aware of the alleged attack on the children, she had shouted and moved to protect them but suffered a stab wound. Mr Finnegan said four children had suffered stab wounds that day and one of them had life altering injuries. He said the scene was "one of chaos" at the time and emergency services were called. On December 18th last, a consultant forensic psychiatrist for the defence said the accused man, who has a complex medical history, had suffered a brain injury "in the course of members of the public intervening" on the day of the alleged offence on November 23rd. She also said that the accused man had surgery for a benign brain tumour in 2021, while a bone flap was removed some few months later due to infection. Ireland Woman with 165 convictions jailed for robbing the same shop twice Read more The defence expert witness said that, should the accused be deemed unfit to stand trial by the court, he would be reviewed on a six-month basis by the mental health criminal law review board. However, a consultant forensic psychiatrist for the State said he found that Mr Bouchaker was fit to plead and to stand trial. The expert witness said there was nothing in his evidence which should in any way diminish the gravity of the accused's complex medical history, but that this was a different matter to the nature of entering a plea. He said that while Mr Bouchaker does have a serious brain injury which affects his attention and concentration, fitting the clinical features of the disorder, the accused may be kept "on target" and participate in the trial process, where appropriate measures are taken to use closed questions. A retired District Court judge has gone to the High Court in a bid to strike out a personal injuries action against him by a woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by him at a book launch in Kerry. Judge James O'Connor of Glenbeigh, Co Kerry, who retired from the bench in 2018, has denied all allegations. The High Court heard that gardai had investigated the matter and the DPP had decided against a criminal prosecution over the alleged assault. The 49-year-old woman is claiming damages for alleged sexual assault and alleged trespass to the person in what she claims were two alleged incidents at the Gleneagle Hotel, in Killarney, Co Kerry, in October 2017. The former judge is seeking an order striking out the proceedings or an order permanently staying the action. Advertisement In a statement of claim the woman said she had appeared before the judge in relation to family law proceedings and in 2017 she was attending a book launch at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney for the autobiography of Colm The Gooch Cooper. She said after the book signing there was tea and coffee and she claims she and the judge started talking. She claimed the judge allegedly positioned himself to the right side of her body and she claimed she could feel his hand touching her hip and allegedly then moving down towards her private parts. She claims she was shocked and unable to speak. Later she claims she was walking through the hotel when she alleged the judge came directly across her path . She alleged he positioned himself in front of her and she alleged he put his arms around her and he later allegedly slapped her on the buttocks, she claims. She claimed she was extremely distressed and shocked by the alleged assault and her GP diagnosed PTSD. In an affidavit the retired judge James OConnor said he believed that it was a malicious, ill motivated, and entirely unfounded claim and he said he never at any stage inappropriately touched the woman. He contends it is a vexatious claim and this he submits is demonstrated by the alleged delay which he says has occurred and the manner by which the matter has advanced. He said the criminal complaint made by the woman was fully investigated and he was interviewed at length by gardai in April 2018. Advertisement He said in December 2018, his solicitors were informed by gardai confirming that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that no prosecution be instituted. He said in October 2023 he was completely taken aback when he received pleadings in the case. Judge OConnor also claims that if the action proceeded he will be placed in a position where he will have to identify persons who attended the book launch in 2017 and ascertain whether they still remember what occurred six years ago. At the High Court on Tuesday, Elizabeth Murphy BL, for Judge James O'Connor,applied to strike out the action against her client on grounds of delay. Ms Murphy said the central thrust of the case was for "personal injuries" and that her side claimed that the action was statute-barred. She said that the woman had claimed a GP diagnosed her from suffering from PTSD but counsel said a GP cannot diagnose PTSD. Ms Murphy said that because the retired judge was not on notice of a PIAB notification because papers were sent to an address where Mr O'Connor did not live. She said it was not therefore a "bona fide" application and that the woman was seeking to use the court "as she sees fit, as opposed to what is required". Ms Murphy said she was asking the court to strike out the matter on "procedural grounds", not on jurisdictional grounds, and that the case was brought outside of the two-year time-limit. Laurence Masterson BL, for the woman said that no allegation of negligence had been made in the case and that this meant that the limitation period in taking the case was therefore six years. Advertisement Mr Masterson said the woman brought the proceedings within the time allowed, adding that there was nothing in the case to suggest any abuse of process and there was "no delay". He said the case was neither frivolous or vexatious and that nothing in the evidence could have borne that out. Mr Justice Mark Heslin reserved judgement. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. As part of a pilot project BreakingNews.ie has used AI to suggest headline options for this article. The final headline was chosen and edited by BreakingNews.ie journalists. Find out more The Taoiseach should take up an invitation to visit the White House on St Patricks Day if one is extended, the Minister for Social Protection has said. Dara Calleary was asked by reporters if the turmoil caused by US president Donald Trump over Greenland should cause Micheal Martin to reconsider the traditional annual trip. He responded, very few countries get the opportunity of access to the president of the United States of America on an annual basis for a number of hours. Taoiseach Micheal Martin and his wife Mary OShea with US president Donald Trump during the St Patricks Day reception and Shamrock Ceremony in the the East Room of the White House, Washington DC in 2025 (Niall Carson/PA) Its a chance for him, as he did last year, to discuss face to face with the president various issues. Mr Trump has threatened to hit eight European allies with 10 per cent tariffs from February 1 unless they agree to his purchase of Greenland, a semiautonomous Danish territory, and has refused to rule out using military force to seize the island. Mr Calleary said: At whatever point those issues will be, in the middle of March, itll be a chance for a face to face discussion for dialogue, which is always important at any time, particularly in times of pressure. He added it is really important dialogue and communication is kept open. He said he hopes the Taoiseach would take up the opportunity if the invitation arrives. The only way to "deal with Donald Trump is to stand up to him" over his Greenland tariff threats, an Irish MEP has said. Fianna Fail MEP Barry Andrews was recently appointed rapporteur for the EU Parliaments position on EU-Greenland relations. In an interview with BreakingNews.ie, he said: "There is a realisation on the European side that a red line has been crossed in terms of what Trump has said he's going to do. "It had a strangely positive impact on the EU member states in bringing them together in a way that happened with Ukraine. It's a really deep solidarity with the people of Greenland and Denmark. "We need to make sure we exhaust every possible diplomatic pathway before any escalation is considered. There are ways to do that at EU level and individual member state level, including Ireland." Advertisement He said the EU's Anti-Coercion Instrument, or 'bazooka', should be considered "in parallel" with the planned retaliatory tariffs worth 93 billion ($108 billion). "This is an escalation if the threatened tariffs actually go ahead, so it's contingent on that actually happening and diplomatic efforts failing. "If we do get to that point those tariffs have already been identified, 93 billion worth, they should be proceeded with in parallel with an investigation into the anti-coercion instrument. It puts all those levers on the table for the EU and I think it's clear that the only way to deal with Donald Trump is to stand up to him." As if it had been written by a child. Mr Andrews said Mr Trump's letter to Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store, in which he said he would not only think of peace having failed to win the Nobel Peace Prize, was like it had been "written by a child". "It's really extraordinary what's happening. I could never have believed a letter would come out of the White House like the one to the Norwegian prime minister, as if it had been written by a child, and as if he had not been told many times that the Norwegian government does not award the Nobel Peace Prize. "You're dealing with a complete detachment from strategic foresight in terms of US foreign policy, completely narcissitic and transactional and inconsistent." He added: "I think the European Union can only strengthen its hand and close off various pathways that Donald Trump thinks are open to him. "This includes unilateral military action in Greenland or any attempts to undermine the territorial integrity of Greenland and Denmark. That has to be made very clear to him whether through diplomatic channels or through subsequent economic or trade escalation." Advertisement Mr Andrews said Mr Trump's justifications for the US needing Greenland for security were also flawed, as they have weakend their own military presence in the Arctic. "When you look at the US presence in the Arctic in detail, they have completely degraded their own military presence, not just in Greenland but in the polar regions generally. For example there are eight nuclear powered ice-breakers in the Russian fleet, there are no nuclear powered ice-breakers in the American fleet. "They have three ice-breakers, one is in the Antarctic and one is an ancient boat that's used in the Arctic. "They have neglected their presence in the Arctic. Tbe Arctic is not even mentioned in their National Security Strategy published in November. "The idea that the US would imperil the future of Nato, transatlantic trade relations, and the international order to pursue something that is clearly not in their National Security Strategy helps you to realise how crazy this situation is." Barry Andrews was recently appointed rapporteur for the EU Parliaments position on EU-Greenland relations. Mr Andrews said the recently agreed EU-US trade deal was already "imperfect" and should be changed amid Mr Trump's threats of 25 per cent tariffs on certain EU states, along with Britain and Norway. "The trade deal was already imperfect. It accepted 15 per cent tariffs on EU goods going into the US, and zero tariffs on US goods coming into the EU, which was a major concession by the EU in order to achieve transatlantic trade and continue the good relations crucial to the EU and US economies. "However, that concession now is clearly no longer appropriate and should be withdrawn until such time as the Greenland situation and tariff threats are resolved." Advertisement He reiterated the unity of the 27 EU member states in response to Mr Trump's threats to Greenland. "It has pulled the European Union together in a single united position, left and right, east and west of the EU regardless of which of the 27 member states, we're all on the same page and we have gotten to a point where we can't accept the situation coming from the US anymore. "On Gaza we were on our own [Ireland] for a long period with one or two member states aligned with our position, that made it extremely difficult for the Irish government to take the steps it did in supporting UNRWA, recognising the state of Palestine, looking for the suspension of the trade agreement with Israel. Ireland 'Embarrassing': Ireland's defence capabilities questioned over drone incursion during Zelenskiy visit Read more "On this, all 27 member states are acting in a unified way so yes there are massive consequences for the Irish economy if this goes badly, but I think the nature of the current White House is Trump will back down if he sees there are serious consequences. US business, the US public and US Congress are crucial in this, and Ireland has good contacts with all those groupings so we just have to stand up to him." China U-turn Mr Andrews pointed to Mr Trump backing down on tariff threats to China as an example of how the EU can pull him back from the threats over Greenland. "We saw with China when they threatened the supply of critical raw materials to the US that he backed down on Chinese tariffs as well. Tbis is the only way it seems to work with the US, it's unfortunate that this is the case, but that's what our stance needs to be. "We have to make sure the crazy approach of Donald Trump is not tolerated and I think a lot of Americans feel the same way. Recent polling showed just 4 per cent of Americans agreed with the idea of unilateral military action to annex Greenland." TURKU, Finland, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Teleste has been selected by INFRABEL SA, the Belgian railway infrastructure manager, to supply advanced full-color RGB LED passenger information displays for railway stations across Belgium. This collaboration marks an important step in Teleste's ongoing effort to support the digital transformation of public transportation infrastructure. The framework agreement between Teleste and INFRABEL spans four years with options for extension, marking the beginning of a new long-term partnership. The new RGB LED displays will deliver clear, real-time travel information to passengers, improving communication efficiency and overall operational performance. Their dynamic messaging capabilities will allow INFRABEL to respond flexibly to changing operational needs, contributing to smoother and more efficient operations. "We are proud to support INFRABEL with new-generation displays tailored to the demanding environment of major Belgian stations," says Claudio Borrello, Business Director, Display Solutions at Teleste. "Front-access maintainability, pixel-level diagnostics, and our Glue on Board (GOB) protection ensure long-term performance and service continuity. Combined with seamless integration through a dedicated API, we enable INFRABEL to deliver reliable communications and elevate the passenger experience every day." The displays feature automatic brightness control to ensure optimal readability in different lighting conditions while optimizing energy consumption. Built with GOB protective coating, they provide enhanced durability and weather resistance. Pixel-level diagnostics further ensure continuous service quality and simplify maintenance operations. Together, these features deliver a more reliable, efficient, and passenger-friendly information system that enhances the travel experience across Belgium's railway network. For more information about Teleste's solutions and technologies for public transport, please visit our website. Inquiries for more information Linda Kallas SVP, Investor Relations +358 40 596 3012 Email: [email protected] About Teleste Teleste offers an integrated product and service portfolio that makes it possible to build and run a better networked society. Our solutions bring television and broadband services to you, secure your safety in public places and guide your use of public transport. With solid industry experience and drive for innovations, we are a leading international company in broadband, security and information technologies and related services. We connect with our customers through a global network of offices and partners. In 2024, Teleste's net sales reached EUR 132,5 million and it had approximately 670 employees. Teleste is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. For more information, visit www.teleste.com. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com. https://news.cision.com/teleste-corporation/r/teleste-to-deliver-cutting-edge-rgb-led-displays-to-infrabel-for-belgian-railway-stations,c4294793 The Foreign Minister has said Donald Trumps threats of tariffs would rip up an EU-US trade deal struck last year, as political leaders reacted to the US presidents threats to take over Greenland. Mr Trump has said he will hit eight European allies with 10 per cent tariffs from February 1st unless they agree to his purchase of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, and has refused to rule out using military force to seize the island. Speaking on their way into cabinet on Tuesday, Helen McEntee said the was deeply regrettable and Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he hoped common sense will prevail. Their comments came as Mr Trump and other leaders headed to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum. Ms McEntee told reporters it was clear that support for Greenland and Denmark was absolute. Advertisement She said if the threatened tariffs are introduced, 93 billion of counter-measures would be back on the table as the EU needed to respond strongly. She emphasised it was really important for efforts to engage in dialogue with the US to be intensified over coming days, but added it is also important to have a number of possible options to respond if the threats come to fruition. Ms McEntee said: Of course, a threat of tariffs on eight member states is essentially a threat of tariffs on all member states, and it would be hugely regrettable for last years deal between the US and the EU to essentially be ripped up. She said the threat of tariffs would not change the overall resolve of Europe in support for Greenland. It is utterly regrettable that a president of the US would say that theyre not focused on peace, but we need to engage, we need to use our voice, as we always have in Ireland, to try and bring reason and to try and bring calm to the current situation. Asked if the world was in turmoil the Taoiseach said: We had big difficulties last year, I think last year we managed to avoid reacting to every single statement that gets issued, or a statement that doesnt get issued. Speaking outside Government Buildings in Dublin, he said he hoped that common sense will prevail here in the interests of all our people that we represent, both in Europe and in the US. Advertisement He added: A trade war would be very, very damaging indeed to workers across Europe, workers across the United States and indeed the world. Helen McEntee speaking outside Government Buildings (Bairbre Holmes/PA) The next number of days will be crucial for EU-US relations, according to Tanaiste Simon Harris. He was in Brussels attending a Eurogroup meeting and told reporters on Tuesday there was not an hour to spare as efforts continued to de-escalate tensions. The Tanaiste and finance minister said: Its absolutely important that intensive diplomatic efforts are put under way to try and de-escalate an extraordinarily dangerous economic situation. We all know that tariffs are bad for the Irish economy, theyre bad for the European economy, theyre bad for the US economy as well. But this is now deeper than that also. This has the potential to cause a spiral of destabilising actions that could have dire consequences. So cool heads must prevail, and there is not a moment to lose, and the next number of days will be crucial as Europe works to try and stabilise this situation and find a way forward. Because we are always stronger the EU and the US when we co-operate, when we collaborate. A young woman who was strangled to death in a flat in Cork begged the man accused of her murder to seek urgent psychiatric help amid his struggle to cope with the breakdown of their relationship, a court has heard. Miller Pacheco (32) of Formiga in Brazil is on trial at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork. He has denied murdering Bruna Fonseca on New Years Day, 2023, at his flat in Liberty Street in the city. The pair had been a couple for five years. However, they broke up in November 2022 just days after Miller arrived in Ireland to be reunited with Bruna. Bruna (28) had moved to this country from her native Brazil in September 2022 and was working at a hospital. The university graduate, who was a qualified librarian, was also attending English classes in Cork. Advertisement On Tuesday, the jury heard transcripts of recordings Bruna had made on her phone of conversations between her and Miller. Five of the recordings were from December 17th, 2022, whilst the sixth occurred on December 20th, 2022. In one exchange on December 20th, Bruna said that Miller was obsessed with sadness whilst accusing him of always trying to manipulate her. She said he needed to see a doctor because the love he felt for her was sick. She stressed that Miller was 30 years old and needed to grow up. Bruna said that Miller required treatment stating otherwise every relationship you have will be this way. She urged him to realise that there is not only Bruna on earth. I want to be single and you wont let me. What is the other path? Go to a convent? Become a nun? Bruna told him that she would have done things differently if she could whilst pleading with him to go to a doctor, go to a psychiatrist. At one point in the lengthy conversation Bruna pledged to pay for Millers plane ticket home to Brazil. Miller then accused her of despising him and stated that they had been a family and that she had liked it. Bruna said that she made a mistake but that it would also be an error to stay with him as the feelings were not there. She said that that her life wouldnt stop because their relationship hadnt worked out and insisted that she was already moving on. Advertisement Bruna said that it was tiring to listen to Miller as he was complaining but not doing anything to change his circumstances. She insisted it was time for him to face reality and to stop playing the victim. She told Miller that he was a handsome man and that he could make friends in this country. Bruna said that she had walked on egg shells during their previous eight month break up in Brazil. She said that during their previous split she was afraid that if she did not reply to his texts he would kill himself. I cannot live like this. It is wrong. The smallest sign it is not going to work out, you say I am going to kill myself. I have to be perfect 24 days a day. "During the eight months (split) I would only be talking to you because I would believe that if I did not talk to you, you would not wake up the next morning. Bruna stressed that it their roles were reversed she wouldnt be blackmailing the other person. Miller asked her to get with him one last time before he left Ireland to go home to Brazil. She said that when he received treatment he would realise how much he had humiliated himself for crumbs. I am telling you to get treatment. Please let me go, let me go, let me go. Meanwhile, during the five recorded exchanges between the pair on December 17th, Bruna urged her ex boyfriend to take steps to improve his life following their split. She told him that he would recover but that he would have to want it. Advertisement She told Miller that he needed to go to see a psychiatrist, engage in therapy and take his medication. Bruna insisted that they were bad for each other and that there were other people who could assist him. Bruna said that Miller was not absorbing the finality of their split. You (Miller) dont want to accept that it is over. You will find someone else who will value you. She said that Miller had to bounce back in life solely and exclusively for himself and not in the hope that she would take him back. She indicated that Miller seemed to be unable to handle being told no. Miller accused Bruna of promising him that everything would be wonderful in Ireland. Bruna replied that she knew how to be alone whilst Miller struggled with it. She said that if he moved back to Brazil he would have the support of his family. Miller said that she didnt understand what he was going through as no one ever did what you (Bruna) did to me. Bruna said that she would have carry the guilt for the rest of her life for what she had done to Miller. Bruna again stressed that Miller needed a qualified person to assist him on his road to recovery. Miller go look for help. For the love of God. You are whining and playing the victim. I destroyed you but do you want to continue to destroy yourself? She said that they were glued to each other and that what was occurring was not healthy. Advertisement Miller stated that it was easy to sort out the lives of other people. Bruna said that that Miller was making psychological terror because she had cheated on him and didnt want him anymore. Miller admitted that he felt hate because Bruna had a date with a person she wanted to meet. Bruna said that all she wanted was for Miller to be well. Ireland Father who groomed and abused daughter for years finally locked up Read more He insisted that she was being fake and accused her of not thinking of his well being when she cheated on him. Miller asked her not to leave him alone and said that they could be friends. He urged her not to abandon him. She said that she couldnt be friends with someone who was so emotionally attached to her. The jury previously heard evidence from Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster. She stated that Bruna died of injuries consistent with manual strangulation. Bruna also suffered over sixty external and internal injuries to her forehead, scalp, hands, arms and lower limbs. The trial will continue on Wednesday before a jury of seven women and five men. A woman with 165 previous convictions has been jailed for three years and six months for robbing the same shop twice within one month. Megan Gaffey (28) of Marlborough Street, Dublin 1 pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery on May 22nd and June 13th, 2024 at a shop on the quays in Dublin City Centre. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard she has 165 previous convictions, including 109 for theft, one for assault causing harm, three for assault and two drugs offences. The investigating garda told Marc Murphy BL, prosecuting, that Gaffey asked for change from the till. The shop manager said that Gaffey initially appeared friendly. When she opened the till, Gaffey reached into it and the shop manager tried to push her back. During the struggle, the till was damaged, and Gaffey took 100 before leaving the shop. Advertisement Three weeks later, Gaffey returned to the same shop. She threatened another worker by pointing a pair of scissors at her ribs, demanding she open the till, then took 420. Gaffey was identified from CCTV. When interviewed, she made admissions and expressed remorse. The court was told that Gaffey has been in custody since July 2025 and has been serving a sentence, for which her earliest release date is next April. No victim impact statements were provided to the court, which heard that both employees have since left the shop. Gaffey was on bail and serving a suspended sentence at the time, the court was told. The garda agreed with Aidan McCarthy BL, defending, that Gaffey was a drug addict and homeless at the time. Mr McCarthy told the court that Gaffey is originally from Westmeath. Her father is in prison in the UK, and her mother died when she was 10. Gaffey spent most of her childhood in care and has experienced homelessness and drug addiction since leaving foster care at 18. She has three children, one of whom passed away as an infant. The father of her deceased child later died of a drug overdose. While in custody, Gaffey has been working to address her addiction and has completed several courses, Mr McCarthy said. Judge Orla Crowe said the use of a pair of scissors in the second robbery and Gaffey's past convictions were aggravating. She said the robberies must have been very frightening for the staff. She noted that people working in shops who are not necessarily earning a lot of money have to put up with being at risk of these sorts of onslaughts. Advertisement The judge said these were Gaffey's first convictions for robbery and represent an escalation of her offending. Ireland Sister says she tried to tell gardai George Nkencho had mental health issues Read more Judge Crowe said addiction had overwhelmed Gaffey's life and her potential, resulting in others being victims. She noted Gaffey's expressions of remorse and her efforts while in custody. She imposed a sentence of four years and six months backdated to November last, when Gaffey pleaded guilty. Judge Crowe said she would suspend the final 12 months of the sentence and placed Gaffey under probation supervision for one year. The judge said the Probation Services could assist Gaffey with accessing drug treatment and accommodation and support her re-entry into society following her release. Intimate details about Prince Harry's relationship with Chelsy Davy, including their sleeping arrangements and how Harry gave his then-girlfriend a set of keys, were obtained unlawfully by the Mail on Sunday, it has been alleged at the UK High Court. An article published in January 2010 contained granular detail about their plans as a couple, and even Harrys preferences as to where he likes to spend the night, the Harry's barrister David Sherborne said on Tuesday. But Harrys evidence is absolutely firm and he insists only a close friend of his or Ms Davys would have known the private information and would not possibly have betrayed their confidence, Mr Sherborne added. Harry with Chelsy Davy at Wembley Stadium at the concert in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales in 2007 (Stephen Hird/PA) Harry, Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, politician Sir Simon Hughes, and actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley are taking legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over alleged unlawful information gathering. ANL vehemently denies the preposterous allegations. Advertisement The article by Mail on Sunday journalist Katie Nicholl concerned intimate and specific details about Harrys private life, Mr Sherborne said. The story described how Ms Davys friends had said Harry was a regular fixture at her Belgravia home before she left the UK for Christmas. Prince Harry at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday (Jeff Moore/PA) The court heard that Ms Nicholls evidence was that her notebooks indicated she obtained the minute details from a man named Garth Gibbs. Mr Sherborne said that South African-born Mr Gibbs, who died a year after the article was published, was not a member of the royal family nor some young aristocratic socialite, but living alone in semi-retirement on the Isle of Wight, with his cat, called Lord Kismul of Barra, aka Kizzy, as his sole companion. The barrister added that it was utterly implausible that this person would have supplied that level of information about the Duke of Sussex and Ms Chelsy Davy. He suggested Ms Nicholl was applying her familiar unlawful information gathering techniques. Summarising part of Harry's written evidence, Mr Sherborne said that Harry had detailed the distress and paranoia he had been caused. He continued: But given what weve seen, is it any wonder that he feels that way, or as he explains, that he feels he has endured a sustained campaign of attacks against him for having had the temerity to stand up to Associated in the way that he has so publicly done? Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) said disclosures to the press about Harrys private life were a not uncommon occurrence. Chelsy Davy (centre) arriving at Windsor Castle for Harry and Meghans wedding in 2018 (Chris Jackson/PA) The publishers lawyer, Antony White KC, told the court in written submissions: The reality is that the social circles of the celebrity claimants, ie all the claimants bar Baroness (Doreen) Lawrence and Sir Simon Hughes, were leaky and their friends, and friends of friends, or associates, did regularly provide information to the press about the claimants private lives, for obvious reasons on a confidential basis. ANLs written submission said that Ms Nicholl was passed the information from Mr Gibbs from a source in South Africa who was good friends with Ms Davy, as well as being one of her Facebook friends. Advertisement She would also likely have run the story past some of her other confidential sources on the Duke of Sussex and Ms Davy to confirm whether it was true and to pick up any other details, Mr White said. On Tuesday, Mr White told the court that journalists at the organisation provide a compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of articles. At the start of his opening submissions, he said: Associated, the defendant, defends these claims on two main grounds: firstly on the merits and secondly on limitation grounds. Associated has provided an explanation through a long series of witnesses of the sourcing by its journalists of the 50-plus articles alleged by the claimants to be the product of unlawful information gathering. We dont pretend that that account is perfect and covers every detail, and not every journalist can remember every article, but we do say that overall, it provides a compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of articles. Advertisement Zimbabwean-born Ms Davy spent about seven years dating Harry. They had a long-distance relationship while he was training in the British Army and overseas and she was at university in South Africa. They split in early 2009 but, after both reportedly had other flings, they rekindled their relationship, and in May 2010 Ms Davy made a rare public appearance to watch him receive his wings after completing his Army Air Corps helicopter pilot course. They broke up again in about 2011 but remained friends and she attended his wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. English ministers have approved a new Chinese embassy in London despite British intelligence agencies saying they cannot eliminate the risks to national security. Britain's Local Government Secretary Steve Reed approved plans for the building at Royal Mint Court, near the Tower of London, on Tuesday. Security minister Dan Jarvis told MPs he was assured that the UK national security is protected and any risks posed by the new embassy were being appropriately managed. And the heads of MI5 and GCHQ said intelligence agencies had created a package of national security mitigations for the embassy. But, in a letter to the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary, they acknowledged it was not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate national security risks posed by foreign embassies, including the new Chinese mission. Seven Chinese diplomatic premises will be consolidated into a single site at the former Royal Mint, near the Tower of London (Gareth Fuller/PA) The decision came at the end of a long-running campaign against the proposals, which campaigners and British MPs have said would provide a base for Chinese spying and security crackdowns. MPs and peers on the Labour-led Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy had urged ministers to reject the plans, warning the embassy, the biggest in Europe, would create a hub for expanded intelligence-gathering and intimidation operations. Advertisement Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a Conservative MP who has been sanctioned by China, said: At a time when the Chinese Communist Party is intensifying its intimidation of Britain, this decision sends entirely the wrong message. And Christopher Mung, a former Hong Kong district councillor who fled to Britain in 2021, said the decision would enable Chinese efforts to repress Hongkongers and others abroad. Hongkonger and pro-democracy campaigner Christopher Mung said he felt betrayed by the British Government (James Manning/PA) Despite these concerns, the British government said the risks could be managed, and Mr Jarvis told MPs there were national security advantages to the plans, which will consolidate seven Chinese diplomatic buildings into one site. His conclusions were partially supported by Parliaments Intelligence and Security Committee, which said in a statement that security concerns can be satisfactorily mitigated. But the committee, which oversees Britains intelligence agencies, said China continued to target the UK and its interests prolifically and aggressively, and criticised the governments process for evaluating security concerns as it weighed up whether to approve the new embassy. Lord David Alton, a member of the Interparliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), told a press conference in Westminster he was not persuaded that the risks could be managed. A Barcelona commuter train crashed on Tuesday after a retaining wall fell onto the tracks, Spanish regional authorities said, killing one person and injuring 15 others. The crash in Catalonia in north-eastern Spain came two days after a separate deadly train collision killed at least 42 people in the countrys south and injured dozens more. Emergency workers were still searching for more victims in the wreckage from Sundays deadly train accident that took place some 497 miles (800km) away as the nation began three days of mourning. Emergency services in Catalonia said of the 15 people affected in Tuesdays crash, three were seriously injured. Five others were in less serious conditions. Emergency services said 11 ambulances had been sent to the site of the crash. Emergency workers continued to search for victims in the wreckage of Sundays accident in southern Spain (Manu Fernandez/AP) The commuter train crashed near the town of Gelida, located about 35 minutes outside of Barcelona. Spains railway operator ADIF said the containment wall likely collapsed due to heavy rainfall that swept across the north-eastern Spanish region this week. Advertisement Antonio Sanz, the regional health minister of Andalusia, where Sundays accident occurred, told Spanish media that the official toll from the collision had risen after another body was discovered in a severely damaged car. Amid the tragedy, it emerged that a six-year-old girl survived the wreck without major injury, while her parents, brother and cousin all perished. Health authorities said 39 people remained in hospitals on Tuesday morning, while 83 people were treated and discharged. Officials were continuing to investigate the causes of the accident in Andalusia (Manu Fernandez/AP) The crash happened at 7.45pm when the tail end of a train carrying 289 passengers on the route from Malaga to the capital, Madrid, derailed and crashed into an incoming train travelling from Madrid to Huelva, another southern city, according to rail operator Adif. The front of the second train, which was carrying 184 people, took the brunt of the impact, which knocked its first two carriages off the track and down a four-metre (13ft) slope. Some bodies were found hundreds of metres from the crash site, according to Andalusia regional president Juanma Moreno. Associated Press images taken on Tuesday showed the remains of the first two cars of the second train, severed from the rest of the train and lying beside the tracks. Train seats had been ejected onto the rocks that provide packing under the rails. Advertisement Further along the tracks, civil guard officers inspected the interior of the first train with dogs as passengers belongings lay scattered on the floor, according to the video distributed by authorities. The last carriage was lying on its side on the tracks, and the second-to-last carriage was leaning to one side with all its windows shattered. Both of the trains involved in Sundays collision were said to be travelling well under the speed limit (Guardia Civil via AP) Officials are continuing to investigate the causes of the accident that transport minister Oscar Puente has called truly strange since it occurred on a straight line and neither train was speeding. Mr Puente said officials had found a broken section of track that could possibly be related to the accidents origin, while insisting that was just a hypothesis and that it could take weeks to reach any conclusions. Now we have to determine if that is a cause or a consequence (of the derailment), Mr Puente told Spanish radio Cadena Ser. At this time, all hypotheses are open, interior minister Grande Marlaska told a press conference. Accident investigators would analyse the rails at the point where the derailment began and inspect the wheels of the first train in a laboratory, he added. The train that jumped the track belonged to the private company Iryo, while the second train belonged to Spains public train company, Renfe. Spains King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited the scene of the accident in Andalusia on Tuesday (Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via AP) Iryo said in a statement on Monday that its train was manufactured in 2022 and had passed a safety check on January 15. Mr Puente and Renfe president Alvaro Fernandez said that both trains were traveling well under the speed limit of 155mph (250kph) and human error could be ruled out. Advertisement The accident shook a nation that leads Europe in high-speed train mileage and takes pride in a network that is considered at the cutting edge of rail transport. It is undoubtedly a hard blow, and I have to work so it doesnt affect the credibility and strength of the network, Mr Puente told Spanish national radio RNE on Tuesday when asked about the damage to the reputation of the rail system. Spains King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited the scene of the accident, where they greeted emergency workers as well as some local residents who helped in the initial stages of the rescue. Afterwards, they went to hospital in Cordoba where many of the injured remain under care. We are all responsible for not looking away when the debris of a catastrophe is being cleared away, Letizia said to reporters after the visit. Russia has bombarded Ukraine with more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles in its latest night-time attack on the Ukrainian power grid, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The attack knocked out heating to more than 5,600 apartment buildings in the capital. Nearly 80% of the affected buildings had recently had their heating supply restored after a major Russian barrage on January 9 that plunged thousands of people into a days-long blackout, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Ukraine is enduring one of its coldest winters for years, with temperatures in Kyiv falling to -20C. At the same time, Russia has escalated its aerial attacks on the electricity supply, aiming to deny Ukrainians heat and running water and wear down their resistance almost four years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on February 24 2022. Ukraine is facing freezing temperatures (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraines 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP) Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials are trying to keep up the momentum of US-led peace talks. A Ukrainian negotiating team arrived in the United States on Saturday. Their main task was to convey how the relentless Russian strikes are undermining diplomacy, according to Mr Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader said last week that the delegation would also try to finalise with US officials documents for a proposed peace settlement that relate to post-war security guarantees and economic recovery. Advertisement If American officials approve the proposals, the US and Ukraine could sign the documents at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, he said. Ukraines air force command said that 27 missiles and 315 drones were shot down or jammed, while five missiles and 24 drones hit 11 locations. The constant attacks have stretched Ukraines air defences and, according to Mr Zelensky, some systems recently ran out of ammunition before a new shipment arrived. He said that air defences are adopting a new approach, with the appointment of a new deputy air force commander, Pavlo Yelizarov. This system will be transformed, he said, without providing details. Ukraine relies on sophisticated air defence systems produced by Western countries, especially the US, to thwart Russias missile and drone attacks. Emmanuel Macron appeared to be channelling his inner Tom Cruise as he was seen sporting a pair of Top Gun-style aviator sunglasses at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. The French president has been battling an eye condition that he has said is completely harmless, but has made his right eye look red and puffy. Canadian PM Mark Carney meets French president Emmanuel Macron (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP) He first wore sunglasses last week when inspecting members of Frances armed forces and wore them again at Davos, where he mingled with world dignitaries. Simply see an unintentional reference to the Eye Of The Tiger for those who catch the reference, it is a sign of determination, the president joked while inspecting the troops, in an apparent reference to the theme song by American band Survivor from the 1982 Rocky III movie starring Sylvester Stallone. Advertisement Updated BusinessCompaniesMelbourne radio Kyle and Jackie O hit rock bottom in Melbourne Calum Jaspan Updated January 20, 2026 11:14am ,first published January 20, 2026 9:12am Save 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 A A Provocative radio duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson have sunk to their equal worst ratings result since launching their show in Melbourne two years ago, ending 2025 on a low. The shows 5 per cent audience share for the eighth and final ratings survey of 2025, released on Tuesday morning, mirrors the shows result in the final survey of 2024, albeit with 1000 fewer cumulative listeners. 2025 was another year to forget in Melbourne for Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson. It ends an already torrid year for the duo, who are on a pay deal worth $200 million over a decade, their network KIIS and parent company ARN Media. ARN has been forced to employ multiple censors to ensure Sandilands and Henderson do not breach radio broadcasting codes. The pair broke the rules supposed to ensure decency on air a dozen times in 2025 alone. Advertisement As a result of the poor ratings combined with an extensive campaign from activist group Mad F---ing Witches, ARNs advertising share has plummeted over the two years since the show expanded to Melbourne in April 2024. The performance has also prompted a rethink of The Kyle and Jackie O Shows planned national rollout that helped justify the hosts pay packets. In Brisbane, the network has brought back the previously dumped breakfast trio Robin, Kip & Corey for 2026, and it has former Nova and Triple J personalities Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton scheduled to start in Adelaide. Sandilands and Henderson are not broadcast in those markets. Christian OConnells show on Gold ended 2025 on a high, in some respite for station owners ARN. Eddie Jim While KIIS 5.4 per cent total audience share in Melbourne is poor compared to the networks commercial rivals, ARNs other station, Gold, delivered a 13.3 per cent total audience share, making it the top FM station by some distance and only marginally behind perennial market leaders, AM talkback station 3AW, on 13.9 per cent. Advertisement Related Article Updated Media & marketing Kyle and Jackie O owner fails to rein vulgar, offensive content says watchdog SmoothFM ended the year as Sydneys top station with a 13 per cent share of the market, up 1.6 percentage points to beat 3AWs sister station, Nine-owned 2GB, which fell from 13.8 to 11.2 per cent. Nine (the owner of this masthead) fielded offers for its radio division in 2025 but has not yet reached a deal. The ABC also announced one of its senior journalists, Isabella Higgins will replace Sabra Lane as host of its morning current affairs audio program AM in 2026 on Tuesday morning. Isabella Higgins. Advertisement I still recall my joy at getting my very first story on AM as a young reporter and cant quite believe Ill be taking on the role of host, said Higgins, a former national Indigenous affairs and Europe correspondent. Sabra Lane and all the other past hosts leave enormous shoes to fill. ABC Radio Melbourne finished the year on a 6.5 per cent share, marginally up 0.2 percentage points on the previous survey, with breakfast duo Sharnelle Vella and Bob Murphy ending the year on a high of 7.8 per cent. The final survey period for 2025 was held between October 5 and December 13. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Olympio soars as drill bit nails 54g/t gold in Quebec gold hotspot Brought to you by Bulls N Bears Doug Bright January 20, 2026 1:03pm Save 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 A A Olympio Metals has wasted no time showing its hand at its Bousquet gold project in Quebec, delivering a maiden diamond drilling program that has landed more than 100 significant gold intercepts that confirm the company is onto something big along the legendary Cadillac Break. And the market agreed, blasting Olympios shares up as much as 125 per cent in early trade to 13 cents on massive turnover of 64 million shares its busiest day in more than a year. Olympio Metals diamond drill core from hole B0-21-08 at the Paquin East prospect showing visible gold within characteristic blue-grey quartz from 184.5m depth. The one metre interval 184-185m assayed 1m at 129.25g/t gold. The Cadillac Break is a major regional-scale fault structure in North America, more than 300km long. It is famous for hosting a myriad of massive gold deposits, comprising a total historical resource of more than 110 million ounces. The headline numbers from the drilling speak for themselves. Standout hits included 6.4 metres at 6.54 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 183 metres, 7.9m at 6.2g/t from 138 metres and 1.5m running a whopping 54.2g/t from 235.5 metres at the Paquin prospect. Advertisement The Bousquet project provides us with exposure to a quality gold project in a renowned mining area that still has significant regional upside. Olympio Metals managing director Sean Delaney The 32-hole diamond drilling campaign focused on the southern portion of the project and has already defined three main east-west trending gold corridors at the Paquin, Amadee, Decoeur and CB-1 prospects. Together, the results paint a picture of an extensive, fertile gold system with potential for multiple deposits and likely significant depth extensions yet to be tested. Along the east-west trend that hosts the Paquin and the nearby Amadee prospect, drilling has now linked the two areas into a continuous 1.3-kilometre-long zone of gold mineralisation that remains open along strike and at depth. Notably, drilling to date along that trend has only tested to a maximum depth of around 150 metres vertically, while historical drilling at Paquin Deeps has already shown the system extends to at least 430 metres below surface, suggesting that Olympio has barely scratched the surface. Geologically, the company believes gold mineralisation has been concentrated in more open dilation zones along folded shear structures, giving rise to multiple high-grade shoots within broadly mineralised envelopes. Early interpretation points to at least seven distinct gold lodes at Paquin alone, with further sampling of historical core underway to close up gaps in historical drilling carried out decades ago. Advertisement The Decoeur and Decoeur Extension prospects have also delivered a pleasant surprise. Drilling of four holes has extended gold mineralisation along the North Bousquet Fault to a strike length of 1.7 kilometres. One hole intersected 14.5m at 1.96g/t gold from 355.5 metres, showing the system remains mineralised to at least 290 metres vertical depth and is still wide open along strike and down dip. Olympio Metals managing director Sean Delaney said: We are very pleased with the results from our thirty two hole diamond drilling program at Bousquet completed last year. The maiden program at Bousquet South has highlighted three main structural trends through Decoeur, Paquin and CB-1. Each of these structural trends has successfully demonstrated multiple significant gold intercepts, confirming that Bousquet South is a large gold system with multiple deposit potential. Meanwhile, the companys separate CB-1 target, centred about 750m northeast of Paquin, has emerged as a third key structural corridor. Drilling of five holes has identified multiple gold-bearing zones associated with a fold hinge. Best results included a significant high-grade intercept of 1.3m at a respectable 12.2g/t gold from 218.2 metres, putting a solid confirmatory stamp on the historic CB-1 discovery intercept of 2.9m going at 5.70g/t gold from 63.26m. The company now believes at least three fertile structures are present in this area alone. What really adds spice to the companys story is the location. Olympios Bousquet project straddles the Cadillac Break and is just 15 kilometres west of major operating mines, including Agnico Eagles 15.8 million ounce La Ronde complex and Iamgolds 2.4 million ounce Westwood mine. It is also less than 3km east of Hecla Minings 1.8 million ounce Hosco deposit, placing Olympio firmly in world-class gold territory. With around 80 per cent of the Bousquet project area - which covers a 10-kilometre strike of the Cadillac Break and related structures - still unexplored, Olympio has plenty of scope to develop and expand. Advertisement The companys next phase of drilling will focus on firming up the dimensions and grade continuity of the high-grade zones within the main lodes, while continuing to build a robust structural model to guide future exploration. For a company still in the early stages of unlocking Bousquets potential, its maiden drilling has delivered a powerful first impression, suggesting its Cadillac Break address could prove to be very valuable real estate. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Bulls N' Bears Sharemarket Shares China's Wang storms into Australian Open 2nd round Xinhua) 14:04, January 20, 2026 MELBOURNE, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Wang Xinyu underlined her status as China's highest-ranked player at the Australian Open with a straight-set victory over qualifier Anhelina Kalinina on Tuesday. Ranked 46th in the world, Wang hit 10 aces in a 6-3, 6-3 first-round victory in one hour and 33 minutes. Wang will play former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko or Rebecca Sramkova in the second round. The 24-year-old has yet to advance beyond the fourth round at a Grand Slam. Wang arrived in Melbourne after reaching the second final of her career earlier this month, when she lost to Elina Svitolina in Auckland. She controlled the opening set with strong serving and 11 winners. Kalinina, who reached a career-high ranking of 25th in 2023, mounted early resistance in the second set, with Wang wearing strapping on her left forearm. Wang then won five straight games to close out the match. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Relationships Matter MONTGOMERY, Ala., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alabama recently announced the largest single investment in state history. Eli Lilly, the world's most valuable pharmaceutical company, plans to build a $6 billion advanced manufacturing facility in Huntsville. Governor Ivey, Commerce Secretary McNair, Mayor Battle, U.S. Senators Britt and Tuberville, State Senator Givhan worked to make this vision a reality. That vision began during the darkest days of the pandemic in November 2020. As deaths rose and treatments failed, morale among healthcare workers was at an all-time low. During that time, Dr. David Thrasher received a call from an Eli Lilly executive announcing emergency use authorization for a new monoclonal antibody treatment, Bamlanivimab. Thrasher, already a state and national COVID leader, was contacted by Dr. Carl Garner, a senior vice president at Eli Lilly with deep Alabama roots. Garner reached out because his in-lawsmembers of the Poarch Creek Indian Tribewere critically ill with COVID. He flew from Indiana to brief Thrasher on the new therapy. State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris authorized the treatment, and 20 doses were delivered to Baptist Hospital in Montgomery - by Uber. The therapy had been used only a handful of times outside clinical trials. Thrasher infused Garner's in-laws and 18 other patients, and by the next day the results were remarkable. Garner assured Thrasher that Alabama would receive the support and supply it needed. With help from the ADPH, UAB, and the Alabama Medical Association, Thrasher established infusion centers across the state. Patients soon traveled to Montgomery from across the Southeast and as far away as Switzerland. After treating a patient from North Carolina, Thrasher was told by an Lilly executive that he had been "vetted." The patient was the partner of Ken Langone, cofounder of Home Depot, founder of NYU Langone Medical Center, and Lilly's largest private investor. When Langone asked why his partner was sent to Alabama, he was told, "He was sent to the COVID guy." Under Dr. Harris's leadership, Alabama treated more monoclonal antibody patients than any other state, drawing national attention. Throughout the pandemic, Garner supplied thousands of doses and supported Alabama's rollout, driven by a desire to "pay back" the state that shaped him. Raised in Alabama and educated at Auburn University, Garner serves on Auburn's advisory board and Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter's longevity task force. His influence helped foster partnerships with institutions such as the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. Lilly's investment reflects Alabama's advanced manufacturing strength and the relationships forged during the crisisrelationships that positioned the state for a historic economic win. Dr. Thrasher and Dr. Garner have been honored by Auburn University, the Alabama Legislature, and Governor Ivey. Dr. Thrasher has also been inducted into the Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame. Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE The Inner Circle Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears West Wits banks $27.5m as African gold production countdown begins Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS James Pearson January 20, 2026 7:36pm Save 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 A A West Wits Mining has locked in $27.5 million from predominantly institutional investors to fund its transition from gold developer to producer in South Africa. The placement strengthens the balance sheet, eliminates near-term funding risk and sets the company on a clear path to first gold production in March at its Qala Shallows mine, part of its broader Witwatersrand Basin project in South Africa. West Wits Mining has locked in $27.5 million from institutions as the countdown to first gold at its South African Qala Shallows mine begins. Management says the raising was initiated via an unsolicited approach from institutional investors, laying down a strong signal that the market is warming to West Wits strategy and the underlying quality of its assets. Under the terms of the deal, the company will issue 343.75 million new shares at 8 cents each, representing a modest 7 per cent discount to the 15-day VWAP. Every two shares come with one free-attaching unlisted option exercisable at 11 cents over three years. Advertisement The pricing appears to strike a balance between bringing in cornerstone institutions while limiting dilution for existing shareholders. The bulk of the funds, about $18.6 million, will be poured straight into mine development at Qala Shallows, the first cab off the rank within West Wits broader Witwatersrand Basin project. The company says the placement, combined with existing cash and available financing options, fully funds the operation through to sustainable production, allowing construction to progress with confidence. However, the raise is not just about getting Qala Shallows over the line. West Wits has deliberately carved out capital to keep the growth story alive. Around $1 million has been earmarked for a scoping study at Project 200, West Wits longer-term development strategy at Witswatersand, while $2.3 million will fund drilling at its nearby BRC uranium target. Together, they may eventually expand the companys exposure beyond initial production and offer shareholders a shot at meaningful upside. West Wits Mining chief executive officer Rudi Deysel said: This funding places the company in a very strong position, fully funding mine development through to sustainable gold production, with first gold targeted for March 2026. Importantly, it allows us to progress construction with confidence while maintaining balance sheet flexibility as we evaluate senior debt options. Qala Shallows sits within South Africas famous Witwatersrand Basin - the cradle of modern gold mining and the source of more than 1.5 billion ounces historically. In fact, the basin has yielded over 22 per cent of all gold ever mined and for decades was the engine room of the nations mining industry. Advertisement Between 2021 and 2023, West Wits quietly stitched together a monster 5.025-million-ounce gold resource across its South African footprint. However when it came time to pick a starter mine, one deposit leapt off the page and Qala Shallows emerged as the obvious front-runner, hosting 10.7 million tonnes grading 2.98 grams per tonne for just over a million ounces of gold, including a solid 383,000 ounces locked away as bankable reserves. The project already comes with much of the hard work done, including an adit, a decline and an existing shaft, giving West Wits a rare head start in a sector where greenfield builds can chew up years and plenty of cash. As development accelerates, ore output is expected to ramp from about 15,000 to 20,000 tonnes a month by March before charging ahead to around 65,000 tonnes a month by year three. The projects true mic-drop moment came in July, when West Wits delivered a definitive feasibility study that turned heads across the market. The numbers were eye-watering, pushing out a net present value of US$500 (A$750) million and an internal rate of return of 81 per cent. The production outlook stacks up just as well. Qala Shallows is forecast to deliver around 70,000 ounces of gold every year for 12 straight years, generating a hefty US$983 million (A$1.5 billion) in post-tax free cash flow. Those numbers are based on a conservative gold price assumption of just US$2850 per ounce. With the yellow metal now touching all-time highs of US$4690 (A$7012) overnight, its anyones guess what those figures look like now. Advertisement Perhaps the most impressive stat of all, however, sits on the cost side of the ledger. All-in sustaining costs are expected to come in at just US$1289 an ounce, firmly planting Qala Shallows in the low-cost producer camp. With funding in the bag and operations gathering pace, the focus now is on execution. If West Wits can hit its commissioning and production targets on schedule and within budget, it could be a pivotal moment in South African gold mining, where a historic basin that built an industry gets a fresh lease on life and West Wits transitions from explorer-developer to producer with real scale. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Bulls N' Bears Shares Sharemarket Advertisement BusinessConsumer affairsAviation The next cause of airfare price spikes isnt even in your plane yet Chris Zappone January 21, 2026 4:00am Save 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 A A Travellers face paying more for renewable airline fuel than they are willing to as governments overseas push the sector to reduce its emissions. The trend marks a renewed threat to affordability after the pandemic jacked up ticket prices. A peer-reviewed study by researchers at the University of Sydney found that the additional cost to long-haul flight from using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) ranges for $68 to hundreds of dollars per ticket. Materials for sustainable aviation fuel in front of a Cathay Pacific Airways model plane. Bloomberg The average traveller, meanwhile, is willing to contribute a mere $2.60 extra toward sustainable fuel for a long-haul flight. While households baulk at costlier travel, governments in Europe are implementing decarbonisation mandates that will force airlines to adopt sustainable fuels, even though the scarcity of the low-emissions fuel will create an added cost for the industry. Advertisement Sustainable airline fuel, a lower-emission alternative derived from sources like used cooking oil and green waste, is essential for decarbonising air travel but is currently three to six times more expensive than conventional jet fuel. Australian and New Zealand travellers like the idea of sustainability, but they are not willing to foot the bill for [sustainable fuel], said Rico Merkert, professor of transportation at the University of Sydney. Jet fuel produced from biomass has the potential to slash carbon emissions but who pays? Bloomberg If government and industry dont collaborate, I think flying will become more expensive, he warned. The expected price pressure comes as the aviation industry is still recovering from COVID-19 lockdowns, which decimated airline skilled staffing, crippled supply chains and pushed up airfares. Advertisement Consumers dont want to pay: University of Sydneys Rico Merkert. USBS According to an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission report from December 2025, domestic airfares had already reached their highest levels in years due to strong demand which puts upward pressure on airfares. Yet government fuel mandates are advancing, even as the capacity for the industry to produce the fuel remains deeply constrained. The EU requires a mix of sustainable fuel to be blended with traditional fuel, starting at 2 per cent in 2025, rising to 6 per cent in 2030, 34 per cent in 2040, and 70 per cent by 2050, according to Sydney-based NoviqTech, which creates software to track emissions. The UK requires 2 per cent in 2025 and 10 per cent by 2030. Advertisement Australia has no binding sustainable fuel blend mandate and no large-scale production facilities, although it is considering incentives to spur the industry. Industry group Airlines for Australia and New Zealand chief executive Stephen Beckett said the aviation sector wants to lower environmental impact and is aware of the risk for consumers. If you simply jack up the price of jet fuel, on top of all the other fees and charges being levied on airfares, the cost of doing business is going to go up, he said. We need to make sure aviation remains affordable for all Australians. We want to decarbonise and need to get the policy architecture right, so the demand and supply-side policy work together, and not against each other. Advertisement Despite the rapid growth of electric cars, battery or hydrogen-powered aircraft are not likely to make a significant contribution to reducing emissions from planes before 2050, according to industry group A4ANZ, making sustainable fuel crucial despite its cost. Related Article Climate policy Electric-powered planes? Not in my lifetime, says Qantas boss SAF comprised only an estimated 0.6 per cent of total jet fuel consumption in 2025, the International Air Transportation Association said in December. It is on track to rise to 0.8 per cent this year. At current price levels, the cost of SAF translated into an additional US$3.6 billion ($5.4 billion) in global fuel costs for airlines last year. Airlines spent $US236 billion on fuel last year. Advertisement Industry seeks government support: Stephen Beckett CEO of Airlines for Australia & New Zealand. In December, IATAs director general, Willie Walsh, said: If the goal of sustainable fuel mandates was to slow progress and increase prices, policymakers knocked it out of the park [succeeded wildly]. But if the objective is to increase SAF production to further the decarbonisation of aviation, then they need to learn from failure and work with the airline industry to design incentives that will work, he said. The University of Sydney researchers queried 1001 consumers on what they were willing to pay for a more green flight, and found that SAF was a very hard sell. SAF did not resonate with most travellers, the researchers said. Advertisement Many simply dont know what it is. When we described offsets that specifically fund research into or purchase of SAF, the average willingness to pay was small and statistically weak. However, respondents didnt reject paying for voluntary carbon offsets, if not too expensive. They strongly preferred local, tangible projects, University of Sydney researchers said. Offsets linked to domestic projects were significantly more attractive than those in overseas developing countries, they found. People were willing to pay several dollars extra on a long-haul flight. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Eating outFood Johnny Gios brings hand-stretched woodfired pizza to New Farm It was a hit in Sydney during the pandemic, and now its arrived in Brisbane, with major plans for the Queensland capital. Matt Shea January 20, 2026 Save 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 A A With the number of food and beverage openings in Brisbane each month, youd be forgiven for thinking there arent any gaps in the market left. But of course, thats not true. Johnny Gios opened in New Farm on Tuesday. Markus Ravik Take New Farm. This beautiful, bucolic, cashed-up suburb is barely more than five minutes from the CBD, yet its food options have tended to be a bit patchy over the years. You had a few local favourites and destination spots your Gerties, Himalayan Cafes, New Farm Delis and Bar Altos of the world but other operators came and went, and the scene always seemed to struggle to coalesce into a cohesive whole. Thats started to change. Advertisement Related Article How to eat Peking duck pancakes, according to a star chef New Farm Fish Market, Cartel Del Taco and Idle have all arrived on the main strip along Merthyr Road, and Andrew and Amelie Gunn are doing neat things at The Officers Mess. Now comes Johnny Gios. This Sydney import opened on Tuesday in the same Little Lane complex thats home to Idle and the recently arrived Luna Gelato. The gap its here to address? Hand-stretched, woodfired Italian pizza. Johnny Gios brings hand-stretched, woodfired takeaway pizza to New Farm. Markus Ravik There are some great pizza places in Brisbane, but not as many as I wouldve thought, given how strong the food scene is here, says owner Jonathan Faro, who opened his first Johnny Gios in Bondi in 2019. And New Farm really made sense. It has such a strong Italian heritage, yet we couldnt really see many options for pizza in the area. Advertisement Johnny Gios comes with a twist, in that its very much takeaway first. The shop is little more than a supersized hole-in-the-wall designed around its enormous Marana Forni pizza oven. Markus Ravik That was always the idea behind the brand: to create a trusted, premium, authentic takeaway pizza chain, Faro says. When you think about it, youve only got the really mainstream conveyor pizza chains. There are more authentic spots, but they tend to be single operators. So its fair to presume there will eventually be a bunch of these places throughout Brisbane. But first, New Farm. Johnny Gios Sonny Honey pizza. Markus Ravik Advertisement Occupying the corner tenancy at Little Lane, the shop is little more than a striking red-tiled counter, a pizza oven, and a few tables out front. Its just that the pizza oven is a huge woodfired Marana Forni number (the same as the one at Sasso Italiano at the Gabba), with a rotating plate that allows some of the Sydney shops to punch out 400 pizzas a night. The pizza menu is a mix of classics, such as a margherita and an el diablo, and signature toppings, such as the Johnny Vodka (vodka sauce, loaded mozzarella, crispy pepperoni and parmesan), the Sonny Honey (spicy sopressa, red onion, ricotta, basil and hot honey), and the Burrata Queen (cherry tomatoes, garlic confit and basil, finished with a big dollop of burrata). Away from the pizzas, theres a veal ragu lasagne and a vodka mac and cheese, plus a clutch of sides, such as meatballs with ricotta, a rocket and parmesan salad, and a caprese salad. For drinks theres a selection of sodas, Peroni beer and pre-batched Aperol spritzes. Advertisement Johnny Gios is the latest operator to open in New Farms impressive Little Lane complex. Markus Ravik We do really well in Coogee because people come down, grab a pizza and go sit on the beach, Faro says. And its the same in New Farm. Grab a pizza, go sit by the river in New Farm Park, have a spritz, have a beer. Thats what its all about. Open Mon-Fri 4pm-10pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-10pm 5/84 Merthyr Road, New Farm, (07) 2141 7725 johnnygiospizza.com.au/stores/new-farm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Food For subscribers Matt Shea is Food and Culture Editor at Brisbane Times. He is a former editor and editor-at-large at Broadsheet Brisbane, and has written for Escape, Qantas Magazine, the Guardian, Jetstar Magazine and SilverKris, among many others. Advertisement MoneyPlanning & budgetingBudgeting Opinion Want to save for a house deposit? A plane ticket to the US might help Max Yong January 21, 2026 4:01am Save 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 A A Could the best way to break into the notorious Australian housing market be to buy a plane ticket to America? Housing affordability is arguably the most important financial problem facing Australians today. Whereas the average house cost a typical worker four years of wages in the early 2000s, the cost has doubled to more than eight times today. Wages in many US cities, including Boston, are far higher than wages in Australia. In response to this, a good financial adviser would advise you of two things. One, you have good reason to feel sorry for yourself. Second, get on with it, and save as much as you can by maximising your income and minimising your expenses. While this advice is correct, high cost-of-living pressures faced by households are making it difficult to cut expenses. Raising income isnt much easier. Wages grew 3.4 per cent over the last year while house prices grew 8.6 per cent. Advertisement But moving to the US could prove an effective way to increase wages quickly. When I moved to Boston, I was staggered by the wage differences. For an identical job at the same company in the consulting industry, you could get paid almost double for the same amount of work and responsibility. This is the exact sort of wage arbitrage that could make saving for a house deposit significantly easier. Taking advantage of higher wages, favourable exchange rates, and lower taxes could reduce the time taken to save for a house deposit. This isnt only true in professional services. The typical registered nurse in the US earns over $A116,000, whereas in Australia they earn $A88,000, the US salary being more than 32 per cent higher. There are no reliable estimates for tech, but Silicon Valley pay packets are likely to be multiples higher than equivalents in Australia. Of course, not all professions can transfer their skills seamlessly to the US nurses, for example, must go through a registration process to convert their qualifications. Visas can also be tricky to obtain, though the US does offer a wide range of visas for those entering with job offers. Advertisement Beyond the stronger US labour market, the USD-AUD exchange rate is a key driver of wage arbitrage. While the early 2010s mining boom made the Australian dollar more valuable than the US dollar, today an Aussie dollar will buy you only about two-thirds of a US dollar. Editor's pick Financial planning How to set yourself up for money success in 2026 On the flip side, if you were working in the US, this means you could come back with a 1.5x multiplier on your dollar. American tourists in Australia probably feel like we do when we holiday in Bali. However, while this may sound smart today, it is important to remember that exchange rates can change quickly. The Australian dollar dropped 34 per cent compared with the US dollar in just over a year from 2014 to 2015. So, planning a five-to-10-year house-buying strategy based on wage arbitrage alone doesnt come without risks. In addition to exchange rate benefits are differences in the tax system. The top federal tax rate in the US is 37 per cent for incomes greater than $US609,351 compared with Australias 45 per cent at $A190,000. Actual differences in effective tax rates will differ by state (due to some states having income taxes), but they are often lower than in Australia. Advertisement On the cost of living, as in Australia, it can differ significantly between US cities. The difference is that the US is large enough to have strong job markets in many cities that also have a low cost of living. If youre a business professional in Australia, you may find your job prospects largely confined to Melbourne and Sydney. But in the US, there are plentiful business jobs in non-major cities. The largest Fortune 500 company, Walmart, is based in Bentonville, Arkansas, where the cost of living is less than half that of New York. Correctly taking advantage of this combination of higher wages, favourable exchange rates, lower taxes and a lower cost of living could dramatically reduce the time taken to save for a house deposit in Australia. And once in the US, the incentive to remain may become even stronger. Housing is half as expensive compared with Australia on a price-to-income metric. And mortgages are a lot less risky due to the standard 30-year fixed rate mortgage, meaning American home owners dont need to worry about interest changes increasing their mortgage payments. Maybe the Aussie folk advice for buying a house will no longer be merely to stop eating avocado toast, but to instead swap it for American hot dogs. Advertisement Max Yong is a teaching fellow in personal finance at Harvard University. He previously taught personal finance at the University of Melbourne. Advice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers decisions about investing or financial products. They should always seek their own professional advice that takes into account their personal circumstances before making any financial decisions. Expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money delivered to your inbox every Sunday. Sign up for our Real Money newsletter. Burglars return to ransacked Melbourne home to steal car Brazen thieves who ransacked a Melbourne home while the owners were on holiday have returned a second time to steal their car. Canadian teenager found dead on K'gari was on trip of a lifetime A Canadian teenager who was found dead on a Queensland beach was on the trip of a lifetime with her friend. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. The surfer attacked by a shark on the Mid North Coast has recalled paddling for his life after he was knocked off his board and into the water, as he yelled for his nephew and brother-in-law to swim to the shore as they were being circled. Paul Zvirzdinas, 39, was surfing about 10am Tuesday at Point Plomer Beach in Limeburners Creek National Park when he was attacked by what is believed to be a bull shark that took a bite out of his board and his wetsuit. Surfer Paul Zvirzdinas was attacked by a shark which took a bite out of his board and his wetsuit. Nine News I saw it shake the board and then I paddled to shore was just [thinking] get to shore, just paddle as hard as you can, he told Nine News after returning to the campground near the beach north of Port Macquarie. Just get to land, thats all that was in the head what could have been is a pretty scary thought. Advertisement Analysis NationalNSWSharks Why sharks and humans crossed paths so often this week Nick O'Malley Updated January 20, 2026 4:14pm ,first published 1:07pm Save 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 A A By Saturday afternoon, the rain had set in and the Sydney catchment was soaked. Heavy storms dumped 35 millimetres over Parramatta in half an hour, filling the creeks and bays that feed Sydney harbour and coastal beaches with a turbid brown run-off. For shark risk, says Professor Culum Brown, a specialist in fish behaviour at Macquarie University, it was a perfect storm. A man was attacked and critically injured in Manly near the North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club on Monday. Kate Geraghty Sydneys water was now warm enough for bull sharks, which are drawn to the region in the summer months, as were swimmers escaping warm and humid weather. The run-off had stirred up nutrients and bait fish, and it had flushed bull sharks from the rivers and estuaries into the harbour, foreshores and beaches. Bull sharks, explains Marcel Green, who leads the NSW Department of Primary Industries shark program, are opportunistic ambush predators. They do well in rivers and bays and at dusk and dawn when low visibility presents them with an advantage over their prey. Advertisement Related Article Sharks Yes, shark bites are becoming more common, but its complicated By the weekend, these were the conditions that extended up and down the coast, all through the day. At 4.20pm on Sunday, a 12-year-old boy who jumped off rocks at Nielsen Park was attacked and critically injured by what was thought to be a bull shark. The rain and unstable weather continued. Just before midday on Monday, an 11-year-old surfing at Dee Why was battered by a shark that took a chunk out of his surfboard in an attack that matches the opportunistic feeding behaviour of a bull shark. He was uninjured. About six hours later, another strike. A man in his 20s, also surfing, was attacked and critically injured in Manly near the North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club. Again, it is thought a bull shark struck in murky water. Advertisement On Tuesday morning came a fourth strike at 10am at Point Plomer Beach in Limeburners Creek National Park, north of Port Macquarie. A 39-year-old surfer was taken Kempsey Hospital. According to Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty, who is responsible for the state governments shark mitigation program, such a spate of attacks was unprecedented in Sydney. Speaking on ABC radio on Tuesday morning, she urged swimmers to keep out of the water after rain. It will be of little reassurance to those who have been scarred or scared over recent days that shark attacks remain so rare that even this spate of attacks remains a statistical blip, in the words of Brown. It is the nature of the noise in this data set, he said. We also have long spells with no bites and or deaths, but the media and society dont notice those gaps. That might be the case, but the number of people killed by sharks in Australia has been growing over recent years. To November last year, the Australian Shark Incident Database had recorded 56 deaths by shark bite since 2000. At the time, the database was yet to include the deaths of Mercury Psillakis, 57, who was killed by a white shark at Dee Why in Sydney in September last year, and a woman killed at Crowdy Bay in the NSW mid-north coast in November by a bull shark. Advertisement The vast majority of deaths were caused by white sharks. In the decade from 2000 to 2009, 14 people died around Australia from being bitten by a shark, the shark incident database shows. From 2010 to 2019, there were 21 deaths. And in the third decade of the 21st century, the tally has hit 23 after less than five years. Surfers paddle out in memory of shark attack victim Mercury Psillakis in September. Max Mason-Hubers As Brown explained at the time, the increase in attacks is not due to an increase in shark numbers so much as of human populations on the coast. Its not the number of sharks thats going up its environmental changes and increases in the number of people engaging in water sports. With climate change, you can swim off Sydney pretty much all year round now, so there are more people in the water. Everyone has a wetsuit. Advertisement Related Article Sharks Bull shark warnings should be beefed up, says premier Green concurs, pointing out the 305 or so smart drumlines regularly deployed in NSW to catch potentially dangerous sharks white, bulls and tigers have detected no increase in numbers. But climate is having an impact. As Australian waters warm, the range of bull and tiger sharks is extended south, and the period during which bull sharks are active around Sydney is growing longer. Animals that once lingered in waters around Sydney mostly during January and February are now arriving sooner and departing later. Either way, Green says that in his 25 years of shark management, he can recall no other spate of attacks like the one just seen in NSW. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Sharks Analysis Nick O'Malley is National Environment and Climate Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. He is also a senior writer and a former US correspondent. Connect via email 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. A convicted paedophile who was found working at a childrens petting zoo north-west of Brisbane has been charged with 13 offences, including failing to comply with his reporting obligations. Last week, A Current Affair revealed Steven James Harvey, who was sentenced to eight years jail in 2017 for more than a dozen offences, was working at City Chicks Farm and Cafe in Samford Valley. Of Harveys 15 offences, four were against children, as well as nine counts of rape. That Harvey was working at the business described in advertising as a kids play space was initially revealed by Nine News in November last year. Steven Harvey told A Current Affair: Im not doing anything wrong. A Current Affair Harvey started working there shortly after he was released from prison. Advertisement A Canadian teenager whose body was found surrounded by dingoes on a Kgari beach off Queensland was on a months-long trip along the east coast of Australia. Piper James, 19, had been travelling with a friend down the Queensland coast from Cairns when she found work at an accommodation provider on Kgari, formerly known as Fraser Island. Her body was spotted by two men driving along 75 Mile Beach on the east side of the island about 6.30am on Monday near the historic S.S. Maheno shipwreck. Piper James had been travelling down Australias east coast with a friend. James had told friends she was going for a swim about 5am. Advertisement Kgari beaches are not patrolled and have strong ocean currents. James wounds are being investigated, with an autopsy planned for Wednesday to establish whether she drowned or was killed by the dingoes. Loading It was obviously a very traumatic and horrific scene, Inspector Paul Algie said. The womans body had been touched and interfered with by the dingoes, but were not speculating yet as to whether that had anything to do with her cause of death. Advertisement We simply cant confirm whether this young lady drowned or died as a result of being attacked by dingoes. The woman was found north of the Maheno shipwreck on Kgari, formerly known as Fraser Island. Alamy A friend of James told this masthead he met the Canadian and her travelling companion at a backpackers hostel in Cairns late last year. He said he drove the two Canadians to Airlie Beach, stopping along the way, before the pair found work on Kgari. James father Todd said his daughter had planned to earn her pilots licence when she returned, and his family would always admire her strength and determination to go after her dreams. Advertisement She was glad I was on board for her trip to Australia. She said, because Im 18, and you cant stop me, he said. Mostly, I loved hearing about and seeing the bonds and friendships she was developing as she grew into her beautiful self. Piper James (left) and her Canadian travelling companion. In an interview with Canadian public broadcaster CBC, he added that his daughter was only five foot and five inches, but he believed she would have fought if attacked. Police told him an open casket was not going to happen, and he decided against flying to Australia to bring his daughter home himself. Advertisement Its not like Ive got my little girl to go and hold. So Im holding off going there. James father said his family would always admire her strength and determination to go after her dreams. Australian authorities made contact with James family with help from Interpol. James father said he was told by police that his daughter likely died one of three ways: she drowned and dingoes came across her remains, the dingoes attacked her and killed her, or she was chased into the water by the animals and drowned. Hervey Bay Mayor George Seymour said the incident was devastating, and part of a trend showing dingoes on the island were becoming increasingly aggressive. Advertisement What were seeing over the past few years is a change in the behaviour were seeing more attacks in different ways, like dingoes following people into the water and attacking them. Thats something we hadnt seen before. I think there needs to be a review of the approach. A person with knowledge of the investigation said James might have suffered defensive wounds, but the cause of her injuries was still being investigated. Advertisement Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said he would wait for the results of the autopsy before considering a review of dingo management on the island, a potential dingo cull, or imposing stricter visitor caps on the island. I want to see the results of an autopsy first, before we get to that stage ... we have to be open and honest about what that reveals. Its important that be made public and that theres a considered response to that, he said. James was found north of the Maheno shipwreck, a landmark on the island that ran aground in 1935. The management of dingoes on Kgari is contentious, with numerous attacks reported on the World Heritage-listed sand island each year. Advertisement At least four dingo attacks were reported there in 2025, including one on a nine-year-old boy near Yidney Rocks Beachfront Units and another on a woman who was bitten on the hand at the islands Winnam camping area when she was approached by five dingoes. In April 2001, nine-year-old Brisbane boy Clinton Gage was fatally mauled by two dingoes while holidaying on the island with his family. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Funding supports organizations that expand STEM, financial literacy, and education programs for middle and high school students DALLAS, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- UWorld , a global leader in comprehensive academic and professional education, has opened applications for its 2026 UWorld Cares Community Grants. UWorld Cares , the philanthropic arm of UWorld, will provide a total of $250,000 to nonprofits operating in Collin, Dallas, Denton, or Tarrant counties. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) public charities with at least two years of active status and offer programming that supports middle or high school students focused on education, STEM, and financial literacy. Applications for the grant program, in its fifth year, will be accepted through March 31. Grant award notifications will be issued in May. Applicants are encouraged to read the complete list of requirements before applying . "North Texas is our home, and supporting DFW nonprofits allows us to invest where we live and work while partnering with organizations closest to the students and communities they serve," said Chandra Pemmasani, MD, founder and CEO of UWorld. "Their work creates tangible progress for young people, and we are honored to help support them through UWorld Cares." UWorld Cares focuses on expanding educational opportunities through product scholarships, volunteerism, and community partnerships. To date, the philanthropic initiative has contributed $700,000 in grants, supported 143,100 students, and engaged UWorld employees in 3,230 volunteer hours across North Texas. About UWorld UWorld is a global leader in comprehensive academic and professional education. Since its inception in 2003, the company has helped millions of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students prepare for high-stakes accounting, finance, graduate school, high school, legal, medical, nursing, and pharmacy exams, including the CPA, CMA, CFA, CMT, MCAT, SAT, ACT, AP, MBE, LLM, MPRE, JD-Next, UBE, USMLE, UKMLA, COMLEX, ABIM, ABFM, PANCE, PANRE, NCLEX, FNP, NAPLEX, MPJE, and CPJE. UWorld's high-quality courses, test questions, and unrivaled answer explanations in digital and print formats make difficult subjects easy to understand. The company is committed to offering educators the most up-to-date resources that seamlessly integrate into existing curricula, actively engage students, provide real-time performance feedback, and exceed requirements for exam governing bodies. To learn more, visit UWorld.com . Media Contact Elizabeth Gleason [email protected] 469-978-3657 SOURCE UWorld Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Save this article for later Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. A 12-year-old girl was one of three people who died in a fiery crash on a rural Queensland road overnight on Monday. She was travelling in a Ford Ranger utility along the Bunya Highway at the tiny township of Taabinga, west of the Sunshine Coast, on Monday night. The ute crashed with a Dodge Ram near the intersection of Stuart Valley Drive and Toomeys Road just after 10pm. The Dodge caught fire and the man driving died at the scene. A 44-year-old woman travelling in the Ford ute was also killed. Advertisement NationalVictoriaTragedy Men killed in train crash at level crossing west of Melbourne identified as locals Isabel McMillan and Alexander Darling Updated January 20, 2026 8:18pm ,first published 11:17am Save 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 A A Two men killed after their car was struck by a freight train at a level crossing in regional Victoria have been identified as local to the area. Emergency services were called to Reddies Road in Cressy, about 140 kilometres west of Melbourne, after reports of the incident about 10.15am on Tuesday. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal collision in Cressy this morning. Nine News A 35-year-old Beeac man and a 22-year-old Cororooke man died at the scene. The train driver and two other staff onboard the train survived. Police said the circumstances surrounding the crash were yet to be established. Advertisement Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is urged to contact the police. Colac Highway Patrol Sergeant Jake Andrew said in the afternoon that there were no signals or boom gates at the crossing. Our understanding was the vehicle was travelling south and came to a brief stop before entering the train line, and for an unknown reason at this stage, has failed to exit the train line, Andrew said. The Australian Rail Track Corporation the government-owned company that manages the nations interstate rail network said in a statement it was also investigating what had occurred. Advertisement A spokesperson said the train had been travelling from Perth to Melbourne, and belonged to transport logistics service SCT. ARTC extends its deepest condolences to their families, loved ones and communities at this difficult time, the spokesperson said. The level crossing reopened just before 7pm on Tuesday evening. The rail line on which the crash occurred is the main freight line between Melbourne and Adelaide, and also carries the passenger train the Overland twice a week in each direction. This incident marks the first train-related death in Victoria since April 2023, when a truck driver died after being hit by an empty V-Line passenger train at South Geelong. Advertisement There have now been 11 lives lost on Victorian roads this year so far, down from 20 in the first three weeks of 2025. Get alerts on breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert. Audrey Richardson is neither a police officer, a lifeguard nor a paramedic. The 23-year-old photographer cant pinpoint what drives her towards dangerous situations such as immigration rallies in the US where she was peppered by rubber bullets and sprayed with tear gas other than that first responder urge to help. Audrey Richardson shooting a NASCAR race in Chicago in 2025. My whole life, Ive only wanted to help people, The Sydney Morning Heralds new trainee photographer, who starts in January, said. The only way I know how to help is by documenting whats happening and by telling powerful stories. If the history of the people in the community and connections, love and sadness isnt documented, I think you cant know which side of history youre on. Richardson, from Brisbane, moved to Chicago when she was seven, which is where she began her career in photography. As an intern for the Detroit Free Press, Chicago Tribune and The Seattle Times, Richardson covered national events from the 2024 US election and immigration protests to Michigan Lake freezing over as well as capturing celebrities such as Chance the Rapper and Chappell Roan. Advertisement The futures of three Nationals shadow ministers are in doubt after they voted against the Coalitions agreed position on hate crimes legislation, exposing ongoing disunity and disorganisation in the opposition as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese capped off a messy month by passing two bills that respond to last months Bondi attack. Senior Nationals MPs Bridget McKenzie, Ross Cadell and Susan McDonald crossed the floor on Tuesday night, as did backbencher Matt Canavan, to vote against the governments bill that outlaws hate groups and makes it easier to cancel visas. Nationals senators Ross Cadell, Bridget McKenzie, Matt Canavan and Susan McDonald voting against the hate speech bill. Alex Ellinghausen The Coalition shadow cabinet had agreed to support the bill on Sunday, meaning the Nationals shadow ministers broke convention on shadow cabinet solidarity. A Nationals MP, speaking on the condition of anonymity on Tuesday night, said it was now a question for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley as to whether she would enforce the convention and ask the shadow ministers to quit the front bench. Ley had rebuked Nationals leaders who suggested they would oppose the laws banning neo-Nazis and radical Islamist groups during a series of tense meetings between leaders of the two Coalition parties held throughout Monday and Tuesday. Advertisement Ley claimed to have fixed the initial hate crimes bill by narrowing the circumstances that could cause an organisation to be outlawed, and by mandating a review of the post-Bondi laws in two years. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley in parliament on Tuesday. Alex Ellinghausen But Nationals senators walked out of the chamber during a vote on the bills second reading on Tuesday night, and voted against it after none of their amendments were successfully adopted. South Australian Liberal Alex Antic was the only Liberal to vote against the bill, alongside the Greens, One Nation, independent senators David Pocock, Fatima Payman and Tammy Tyrell, and the lone United Australia Party senator Ralph Babet. The hate laws were passed by Labor and Liberal senators after 11pm (AEDT) following a marathon sitting day. Laws setting up a national gun buyback and stopping non-citizens from buying guns also passed earlier in the evening, with the Greens backing. The entire Coalition opposed those laws because, they argued, Albanese was cynically using gun laws to divert attention from extremism. Advertisement The prime minister displayed signs of pressure on Tuesday as he was forced to defend his record in the first question time since the Bondi attack. Albanese turned on the Coalition by claiming former prime minister Scott Morrison had been weak on antisemitism, before Morrison hit back hours later. The Nationals senators, including Bridget McKenzie, Matt Canavan, and Susan McDonald leaving the chamber. Alex Ellinghausen But tensions were also flaring inside the Coalition in a week when polls showed the oppositions support remained low, putting the spotlight back on Leys authority and leadership prospects as the Coalition again split on a key policy issue. While Nationals leader David Littleproud had agreed in principle to pass the hate crimes bill in a Sunday evening shadow cabinet meeting, the junior Coalition partys position shifted on Monday afternoon, when outspoken senator Matt Canavan, in particular, aired concerns that the bill could lead to religious or political groups being outlawed. Canavan also led the Nationals opposition to net zero. At the same time, Coalition MPs were being deluged with questionable information from advocacy groups outside parliament, including false screenshots of sections of the bill that claimed the laws were far more powerful than they actually were. Advertisement In this context, Ley held several conversations with senior Nationals in which she made firm arguments that the Coalition needed to be on the right side of history in supporting reforms to protect Jews after the Bondi massacre. Sources familiar with the talks described them as tense and charged. Ley and Littleprouds relationship has long been fraught, leading in part to a short-lived Coalition break-up earlier this term. The opposition leader separately told colleagues that some of the proposed changes from the Nationals would water down the laws to such an extent that neo-Nazis and extremist Islamists would not be captured, and that the Nationals would be voting with the Greens, frequently accused of antisemitism, if they voted against the bill in the Senate. The Nationals positioning on the bill ultimately did not matter because the Liberals support in the Senate was sufficient for the bills to pass. But the internal drama puts a spotlight on the pressure facing the junior Coalition party, which held several party room meetings on Tuesday in a tortuous internal process to debate the bill. In a statement released to the media less than 20 minutes before the vote, Littleproud said his partys differing stance from the Liberals does not reflect on the relationship within the Coalition, arguing that more time is required to fully examine and test the bill before it is finalised. Nationals leader David Littleproud speaks on gun reform in the House of Representatives. Alex Ellinghausen Advertisement One Nation is surging in the polls and former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce is aiming to steal votes off the party in the bush, creating a risk for the Nationals leadership in voting for the laws if Joyce and Canavan were to campaign against the policies. Right-wing Liberal backbenchers Andrew Hastie and Tony Pasin voted for the amended hate crimes legislation earlier on Tuesday. Ley said in a statement: In the national interest, the Liberal party has today stepped up to fix legislation that the Albanese government badly mishandled. While Albanese ultimately shored up the hate crimes bill by working with the opposition, he worked with the Greens in the Senate to pass stricter gun laws, which were the second component of his legislative response to Bondi. The prime minister was forced to split the laws into two bills when it became clear there was no broad support across the parliament for both. Advertisement The gun laws tighten firearm controls with greater co-operation among security agencies for background checks of licensed gun owners, beef up restrictions on firearm imports and create the powers for the federal government to enact a national buyback scheme. Albanese said the scheme was similar to the buyback enacted by the Howard government after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 and contained import measures to prevent dangerous individuals from owning guns. He rejected arguments from Nationals MPs that the laws unfairly focused on rural residents. This [legislation] is not about targeting farmers, its not about competitive shooters, its not about law-abiding firearm owners, Albanese said. What are the new gun control and hate crime changes? Gun laws Enhanced background checks for people with gun licenses, greater information sharing between security agencies. Tougher fit and proper tests for people applying for a gun licence. Imports of guns to be limited to Australian citizens, and greater restrictions on the type of guns able to be imported. The establishment of a national gun buyback scheme. Hate crime laws Powers to designate organisations as hate groups, which would mean members and donors could be jailed. The government said the law was aimed at targeting neo-Nazi groups and radical Islamist groups. More powers for a minister to cancel or refuse a visa if a person has spread hateful or extremist views. Creating new aggravated offences for religious or spiritual leaders who advocate violence and penalising religious leaders who preach hate to children. Littleproud had argued the restrictions were an unnecessary distraction from tackling antisemitism. Advertisement Advertisement Exclusive PoliticsNSWNSW State Parliament Lockouts and lockdowns cut a generation out of nightclubs. Thats about to end Max Maddison January 20, 2026 6:30pm Save 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 A A After fighting Sydneys lockout laws for years, which included thousands of demonstrators marching down Elizabeth Street, Tyson Koh, the founder of Keep Sydney Open and managing director of FBi Radio, laments a single thing. Its not the end of a beloved music venue, nor the lost years of being unable to drink in a club until the sun rises. Its the narrative that Sydneys nightlife is dead, killed by lockouts, then lockdown. Club 77 owner Dane Gorrel says the lockout laws decimated an entire generations relationship with Sydneys clubbing scene. Sam Mooy How do you change a perception of an entire city? Koh asks. Twelve years after then-Liberal premier Barry OFarrell cracked down on Sydneys venues following drunken violence that led to the deaths of two young men, owners, policymakers and academics say there has been a citywide resurgence. Yet the scars of the six-year policy, coupled with the pandemic, are still evident. Advertisement On Wednesday, NSW Arts Minister John Graham will rescind the last of the lockout laws. Last drinks will no longer be called at 3.30am, and per-person drink limits will be repealed, along with requirements for plastic cups and RSA marshals at designated venues. Violence The lockout laws came into effect in 2014 in response to the one-punch deaths of Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie. Shots, doubles and glass cups were all barred after midnight; patrons were no longer able to enter venues after 1.30am; last drinks were called at 3am. Thomas Kelly was killed in a drunken attack in the city. Analysis by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) found various licensing reforms introduced since 2008 had reduced alcohol-related assaults. The lockout laws lowered assaults by 26 per cent in the CBD and 62 per cent in Kings Cross, becoming the most effective reforms in reducing violence, the bureau said in 2024. Advertisement While the laws were successful in curtailing drunken assaults, City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said they were also the policy equivalent of using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut. They devastated Sydneys nightlife, she said. Kings Cross, once the epicentre of Sydneys nightlife, is geared towards cafes after being devastated by the restrictions. A protest rally against Sydney's lockout laws. Peter Rae Moore argues evidence-based policy relying on transport, planning, licensing and police would have been more effective. University of Sydney criminology professor Murray Lee agrees, but acknowledges the pressure on the OFarrell government to undertake radical reform. Advertisement Related Article Night-time economy The people, the vibe, everything: How two Sydney suburbs plan to supercharge nightlife Scars Night Time Industries Association chief executive Michael Gibb agrees with Koh about the damage to the citys brand. The lockout and lockdown period severed the nexus between young people and the night-time economy, altering consumer behaviours. It decimated an entire generation of people going out and learning about club culture, says Dane Gorrel, the music director of Club 77, one of Sydneys last remaining dedicated club spaces. Gibb adds: Those that went through lockout laws, the offering just wasnt there for them. They couldnt go clubbing, so they inevitably turned to warehouse parties, or they turn to going to a mates place and hogging an auxiliary cord. Advertisement That cultural disconnect deepened during the pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis, which happened alongside the emergence of technologies such as Netflix, says Matt Levinson, who leads culture policy at Committee of Sydney, a think tank. Hip-pocket pressures combined with the impacts of multinational streaming services meant young people are now saving for a couple of music events a year rather than regularly seeing bands play live, says Joe Muller, chief executive of Music NSW, a peak body. There are nearly a thousand fewer licensed venues across Greater Sydney today than there were in June 2014, although suburbs such as Burwood and Bankstown have enjoyed a bounce since the end of the pandemic. Graham, who opposed lockout laws in his inaugural speech in 2015, has attempted to resuscitate Sydneys ailing night-time economy through a series of vibrancy reforms. Thriving venues can no longer be kneecapped by disgruntled neighbours, license fees have been reduced and trading hours extended for live music venues, while al fresco dining has been made easier. Advertisement I would love to stand in the city and hear music coming from different directions, Graham says of what he hopes Sydneys nightlife will be like in a decade. The upshot Levinson has a positive spin on the lockout laws. He does not believe the suite of policies introduced by the Labor government after being elected in 2023 would have been possible if those policies hadnt wiped the slate clean. Arts Minister John Graham has successfully pushed through successive reforms to revive Sydneys nightlife. Louie Douvis You would never ask for a crisis like the lockout laws, Levinson says. But the fact that they were brought in created the space where the kind of policy reform weve seen over the past decade was actually possible, with Sydneys nightlife bubbling up well beyond the inner city. Advertisement Todays after-dark options are considerably more diverse than the homogenous offering of beer barns or nightclubs in the CBD and Kings Cross in the early 2010s, Gibb says. Related Article City life Nightlife is booming in one part of Sydney but theres still a way to go Club 77 has experienced the shifting geography and demographics of the citys night-time economy. Once the club thrived on foot traffic between the CBD and Kings Cross. Now it has become a destination venue, says Gorrel. We are still trying to get the younger generation in. There is a significant decrease in the amount of people around on any given night, he says. Advertisement Sydney was becoming more like Tokyo, with several hives of nightlife activity, Levinson believes, highlighting small bars and restaurants along Enmore Road and diverse food options across Harris Park and Parramatta. Market research commissioned by the NTIA found there was remarkable participation across every demographic in the 13 nightlife precincts surveyed in the City of Sydney and Inner West LGAs, with 35- to 65-years-olds representing more than half of all visitation. Graham rattles off the thriving food scenes in Eastwood, Canley Vale and Burwood, along with breweries celebrating surf culture in Brookvales arts district, as examples of Sydneys diverse nightlife offering. Sydney is on its way to reaching its potential, he says. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsQueenslandQueensland government LNP policy creates conflict of interest in Queensland hospitals, auditor warns Matt Dennien January 20, 2026 9:01pm Save 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 A A The Crisafulli governments move to include frontline workers on public hospital boards has created a potential conflict of interest at the 16 health services across Queensland, the states audit office has warned. Changes to the states health boards legislation last year delivered on a Liberal-National election promise to put doctors and nurses back in charge in a bid to improve the performance of emergency departments and drive down critical care waiting times. All hospital and health service boards are now required to have at least one registered health practitioner currently working at the facility. Health Minister Tim Nicholls and the LNP went to the October 2024 election promising to put doctors and nurses back in charge. Matt Dennien But Auditor-General Rachel Vagg raised concerns about the move in the bodys annual report into the states public hospital system, and called on the government to develop a plan to manage possible conflicts of interest ahead of a looming overhaul. Advertisement This change is aimed at giving frontline staff a voice in how HHSs are run, the report, published on Tuesday, states. Related Article Queensland Health Ambulance ramping rates improve but remain well below Crisafullis election pledge However, when a clinician employed by a HHS is also a member of that HHSs board, there is potential for conflicts for them in both their employee role and board role. The report made one recommendation for each health service to develop a plan to manage the conflicts, preferably in consultation with the Integrity Commissioner. In a response included in the report, Queensland Health director-general Dr David Rosengren said a standard baseline management and reporting plan was slated ahead of a significant appointment round in coming months. Advertisement Establishing baseline management and reporting strategies for clinician members will ensure that conflicts of interest are identified and managed appropriately and consistently, he wrote. Comment has been sought from Health Minister Tim Nicholls, who was accused by Labors assistant health spokesperson, Joe Kelly, of adding more red tape for hospital workers. The Integrity Commissioner warned of this very issue, Kelly said in a statement. The LNP went to the October 2024 election promising to put doctors and nurses back in charge, despite health service boards featuring clinicians from other services or organisations. Parliament passed laws last July to require these clinicians to come from within the same organisation raising questions from some key stakeholders and the Labor opposition. Advertisement While noting the administrative burden of such conflicts was manageable, back in July, Integrity Commissioner Linda Waugh questioned from a policy perspective whether it was the best or only approach. Matters needing management included issues coming before the board relating to a clinicians role as an employee, and the fact that, as a board member, their chief executive must report to them, she said. Waugh, in correspondence with the parliamentary committee considering the laws, also said it was not appropriate for an employee to be appointed as a chair or deputy chair of their board. Nicholls, in his speech addressing feedback on the bill last year, said he was confident any conflicts could be managed, and noted one health service chair appointed by Labor was an employee. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsQueenslandQueensland government Queensland coy on its Bondi response while criticising federal mess Matt Dennien January 20, 2026 3:27pm Save 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 A A The Queensland government has hit out at federal Labors handling of its Bondi massacre response but refused to detail its own much-anticipated approach to gun reform and antisemitism. Opposition Leader Steven Miles has seized on the detail to accuse the Crisafulli government of placating the gun lobby and fringe elements of its party, while undermining national reforms. If Queensland is not part of the scheme, then Queensland will just become a refuge for those dangerous guns and dangerous people, which will make Queensland a more dangerous place, Miles said. Housing Minister Sam OConnor was left to face the media on Tuesday over the states response to the Bondi attack. Matt Dennien The federal Coalition voted against tougher gun controls in Canberra on Tuesday, but the bill passed the lower house with support from independents. Advertisement Labor and the Liberals did agree on amendments to a separate bill on hate crimes and banning some radical groups. Premier David Crisafullis cabinet met on Monday for the first time this year to hash out a state-based response to Bondi with its own promised laws. Loading But after ministers emerged late in the day, all that was said officially was that cabinet was continuing to work through the laws, to be introduced when parliament resumes next month. A government spokesperson said the cabinet would never be distracted from the core issue of antisemitism after the December attack, in which 15 people were killed. Advertisement Related Article Bondi shooting As it happened: Firearm and hate crime laws pass Senate as parliament recalled in response to Bondi attack With no additional detail, media outlets were also told the state would not back the Albanese governments national gun buyback scheme the first jurisdiction to take that position. Neither Crisafulli, Police Minister Dan Purdie nor Attorney-General Deb Frecklington faced the media in Brisbane on Tuesday, with the task falling to Housing Minister Sam OConnor. OConnor repeatedly refused to provide additional detail about the governments plans, deferring such questions to Purdie and Frecklington, and saying more would be announced in due course. Theyve been dealing constructively with their interstate counterparts and with the federal government, he said. Advertisement Related Article Bondi shooting Queensland to ban more hate symbols in fight against antisemitism We are seeing a pretty messy process out of Canberra, and I dont think thats anything any Queenslander would want to see happen here. OConnor said the Crisafulli government was monitoring progress in federal parliament this week, with its reforms to be considered in the states response. Asked if the state would rule out negotiating with the federal government on its proposed gun buyback scheme, OConnor said he was not ruling anything in or out. At a media conference of his own, Miles accused Crisafulli of listening only to the fringe elements of his backbench and the gun lobbyists who have bought him off. Advertisement The fact is, a national gun buyback scheme wont work if Queensland is not part of it. You cannot be tough on crime while you are soft on guns, he said. While touting its planned response for weeks, the state government has been tight-lipped about what it will involve, along with if and how it will address calls for gun reforms by the Wieambilla inquest. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said last month the state had so far only signed on to changing limits on the number of guns a person could possess. Frecklington has previously said the state would also look to expand the number of banned hate symbols as part of the antisemitism element of the governments response. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsWAThe Kimberley Labor members want fracking completely banned in WA. But one project just got a major green tick Hamish Hastie January 20, 2026 5:39pm Save 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 A A Western Australias environmental watchdog has given a controversial fracking plan in the heart of the Kimberley region the green light in a decision that sets the Cook government up for a showdown with Labor faithful who voted to fully ban the gas-extraction method at last years state conference. The Environmental Protection Authority WA recommended the government approve the 20-well Valhalla Project exploration campaign by Bennett Resources, a subsidiary of Texan-owned company Black Mountain, in the Kimberleys Canning Basin, subject to conditions including ensuring groundwater was not polluted. One of Black Mountains proposed wells is two kilometres from Mount Hardman Creek in the Kimberley. Valhalla, 123 kilometres south-east of Derby, has drawn fierce opposition from environmental groups concerned about the impacts of fracking in the Kimberley. It is the first fracking project to be approved in WA since 2019, when the Canning Basin was declared the only area in WA where fracking would be allowed. Advertisement Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn is yet to consider the EPAs recommendations, but now faces approving a fracking project after his own party voted to ban the practice last year. Fracking, known as hydraulic fracturing, involves the use of high-pressure fluids to fracture rocks deep underground to extract hard-to-reach hydrocarbons. EPA chair Darren Walsh said the proposal was an exploration and appraisal plan, and if Black Mountain wanted to extract gas, it would need to submit a separate proposal. He said the EPA consulted extensively during the assessment and considered all 8000 submissions received during the public consultation period. The EPA recognises the critical role of groundwater protection in this proposal to mitigate potential risks in a way that maintains public confidence, he said. Advertisement To this end we have recommended conditions that require a number of peer-reviewed programs to be approved prior to the commencement of drilling to ensure the required environmental outcomes are met. Related Article Updated Environmental protection Labor members vote to ban fracking across WA But Greens WA fossil fuels spokeswoman Sophie McNeill urged Swinbourn to reject the EPAs advice, citing advice from the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Unconventional Gas Development last year raising queries about Black Mountains claims that groundwater would not be impacted by the Valhalla project. This outrageous decision is in total opposition to the evidence about the dangers of fracking and the dangers of new fossil fuel projects and must be rejected, she said. The community is overwhelmingly opposed to fracking a dangerous mining practice that is already banned across 98 per cent of Western Australia and the Cook Government must listen to them. Advertisement Former independent Fremantle candidate Kate Hulett said during last years election, every street in Fremantle was covered in anti-fracking signs and her campaign took a 26 per cent chunk from Labor minister Simone McGurks two-party margin. Labor members subsequently voted for a statewide ban on fracking at their state conference. The government must listen to the community and their own party members and refuse this approval, she said. If Labor still havent learnt what matters to our community, well have to teach them again at the next election. A range of environmental groups came out decrying the EPAs decision, with Environs Kimberley director Martin Pritchard warning it could cost Labor votes. If [Swinbourn and Cook dont reject the proposal], there will be significant electoral consequences with a backlash not just from the Kimberley but also across key Perth electorates. The government nearly lost the seat in March due to a powerful campaign calling for the protection of the Kimberley from fracking. Advertisement If Texan frackers Black Mountain are given the green light for invasive gas fields, rest assured the people of Fremantle will not take this lightly. Cook said the decision wasnt a green-light for fracking, only that Valhallas environmental impacts could be managed. He declined to comment further on the basis that the EPAs advice may be appealed. Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive Aaron Morey welcomed the EPAs decision and said it would allow Black Mountain to assess the size of its resource and may unlock a new energy source in the future. Continuing to tap into WAs abundant gas reserves is vital to shield families and businesses from steep rises in energy costs, he said. Advertisement The $13.5 billion US-Australia critical minerals framework opens the door to thousands of additional jobs in mining and refining but only if WA can compete on energy costs. Walsh said Black Mountains proposal had broad support from traditional owners groups covered in the Yungngora (Noonkanbah) people and Warlangurru people native title areas and there were Indigenous land use agreements in place. At my invitation, representatives from both these Traditional Owner groups came to a recent EPA meeting and addressed all members, Walsh said. Related Article Exclusive Endangered species A dogs breakfast: Environment groups flag inconsistencies in US companys Kimberley fracking plans We also visited the proposal area and the Noonkanbah community last year and acknowledge the broad support for the proposal by the Yungngora and Warlangurru people. Advertisement However, Indigenous support for the project is contested. Bunuba traditional owner Millie Hills said this type of development was a huge risk to the Martuwarra Fitzroy River catchment. People dont come to the Kimberley to see gas fields; they come to see unspoilt nature and experience our ancient culture, she said. The Premier Roger Cook needs to show some leadership here and stop Black Mountains 20-well fracking proposal and ultimately ban fracking in the Kimberley to stop it looking like Texas. The report is now open for appeals until February 10 and Swinbourn will make a final call on the project later in the year. Advertisement Black Mountain Energy has been approached for comment. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Reviews & adviceAir travel The most unusual planes airlines are still flying Chris Moss January 21, 2026 4:00am Save 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 A A Its so rare to be surprised by a passenger plane that, when it does happen, it gets stored forever in the hangar of fond memories like the Aerogaviota twin-prop I was invited to fly on from Havana to Cayo Largo del Sur. With neither a boarding bridge nor a staircase, we walked from the sultry apron up a ramp at the rear, into the gaping un-air-conditioned fuselage. As we climbed, I saw the name Antonov. It was an AN-26, built from 1969-1986 in Kyiv, Ukraine (or UkrSSR, as it was then). The Russian presidential fleet still consists mainly of IL-86 planes. Getty Images The interior looked hardcore 70s, making this a mid-era model. My anecdote dates from 1995, so the 40-seater was not frighteningly old. The chief incongruity aside from the birds and insects boarding with us was the sensation of being taken to a paradise island on a vehicle that looked made for delivering paratroopers or aid drops. Visitors to Cuba can still fly on Russian planes. Ditto North Koreas Air Koryo. Indeed, unusual passenger aircraft tend to be found in those countries that lie politically and economically at the outer edges of the OECD matrix. Here are some of the other quirky aircraft still aloft, for those who want the journey to be as memorable as the holiday. Advertisement Russian Ilyushin Quad-Jet IL96 Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Youll need to fly from Cuba to Belarus to get on board an IL-96. Getty Images In 2010, I flew via Moscow Sheremetyevo to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in the Kamchatka Peninsula. The flight was memorable because of its duration 20 hours from the UK and the number of time zones crossed, which was 12 by the time I landed in the Russian Far East. But I also remember the overhead compartments, which would have comfortably taken a full-size suitcase as well as a big bear-like winter coat and a crate of vodka. I was on an Aeroflot IL-86 and width was very much in evidence. Perhaps the bulkheads were more distant or the passengers were smaller or just happy to be seated, but there was a taiga-like sense of space. The IL-86 the first wide-bodied aircraft manufactured by Russias Ilyushin, which had been established in the USSR in 1933 led to the development of the IL96, another wide-bodied, four-engined beast with a longer range. It has a cutting-edge cockpit, large windows and a very roomy cabin, and features Soviet-style interior design, including fold-forward seats and no overhead bins in the middle. Advertisement Get on board: The planes rollout was stymied by the collapse of the USSR in 1991, though a tiny few are used by the company and as cargo planes. To fly on one, you need to be very dedicated. Cubana still uses one on its Minsk-Havana route. Plane spotters claim a new IL96 project is under way. Fairchild-Dornier 328JET Sun Air used to operate the Fairchild-Dornier in the British Airways livery. Alamy Dornier Flugzeugwerke was a German manufacturer founded in 1914 in Friedrichshafen, on the north shore of Lake Constance. It became famous for big, all-metal flying boats like the Wal (Whale) and the 12-engined Do X. Roald Amundsen used Dornier seaplanes for his unsuccessful North Pole attempt in 1925. In the early 90s, Dorniers newly launched turboprop-powered Dornier 328 garnered negative press for noise and reliability. Financial difficulties led to a buyout by US firm Fairchild. The Fairchild-Dornier 328JET, a re-engined version of the turboprop, had its maiden flight in 1998. The little 32-seater would be the last Dornier-designed aircraft to reach production before the companys collapse during the early 2000s. Advertisement Past operators in the US included Atlantic Coast Airlines, which ran domestic routes for Delta and United, and Skyway Airlines, a feeder for Midwest Express. Chinese carriers Hainan Airlines and Grand China Express Air (now Tianjin) also used 328JETs. Get on board: To ride in one now, youll need to book a flight with companies such as Danish charter airline Sun Air (which has eight of them), Key Lime Air/Denver Air Connection in Colorado, or Sepehran Airlines in Iran. Fokker 70 Brisbane-based Alliance Airlines, which flies to a wide range of remote destinations across the country, still has Fokker 70s in its fleet. Alamy A once famous aircraft maker, Fokker founded in 1912 by Dutch aviator Anthony Fokker played a seminal role in World War One, when the German air force flew Fokker triplanes and biplanes as well as standard monoplanes. Following the war, Fokker managed to shake off the negative perceptions of working with the enemy, providing planes for the Dutch air force, among others. Advertisement In 1923, Anthony Fokker moved to the US, where in 1927 he established an American branch of the company, which merged with General Motors in 1930. During the 1920s, Fokker became the worlds largest aircraft manufacturer, with its Trimotor plane being operated by more than 50 airlines. Alongside Junkers, it had a solid market in Europe. In the following decade the celebrated English author, Nevil Shute, signed a licensing agreement with Fokker and Dutch-operated Fokkers scored significant victories against the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Post-1945, Fokker built successful training aircraft and collaborated on jetliners and fighter planes. Its F series of turboprops, intended to compete with the DC3, began in 1955 with the F27 Friendship, which evolved into the Fokker 50. The F28 Fellowship, a rival to the DC9, became the F100. The smaller F70 was a popular regional jet, flown by Air France Regional, KLM Cityhopper and British Midland. Get on board: Today, unless you are a member of the air forces of Kenya or Myanmar, to experience a Fokker 70 you will have to fly with Brisbanes Alliance Airlines, Air Niugini in Papua New Guinea, Surinames Fly All Ways or Nairobi-based Skyward Express. Fokker declared bankruptcy in 1996. The name survives in Fokker Next Gen NV, which is looking to develop and manufacture a hydrogen-powered plane. Advertisement Boeing 757-300 United Airlines plan to phase out its Boeing 757-300s by next year. Getty Images Most Boeing jets were produced in large numbers. Over its lifetime, from 1981-2004, more than a thousand 757s rolled off the production line. It was a follow-up to the best-selling 727 tri-jet, aimed at short and medium-length routes. The Boeing 757-300, introduced in 1999, was a longer version, with an extra seven metres on the fuselage almost as long as the Boeing 747SP pushing up passenger capacity from 239 to 295 and a whopping 50 per cent increase in cargo space. The stretched 757 was designed for high-density, short-haul leisure routes, but only 55 were delivered before production ended in 2004 due to changing market conditions. Get on board: The flying pencil was developed with United Airlines, which still operates a few, as does Delta. Fly Khiva of Uzbekistan also uses 757-300s. Advertisement DC-9 African Express Airways is the only airline still operating the DC-9. Konstantin von Wedelstaedt/Wikicommons There was a time when the letters DC (for Douglas Commercial) had a prominence in the skies comparable today with Airbus and Boeing (which absorbed the airframe-maker in 1997). The DC-1, launched in 1933, kicked off a series of passenger jets that included the extremely popular DC-3 and the DC-8, an early long-distance jetliner. The DC-9, launched in the mid-60s when the company became McDonnell Douglas is a single-aisle, five abreast, launched as a rival to Boeings 737. The latter came later to market but went on to sell more than 12,000 jets (and counting), as compared with just 976 DC-9s. Get on board: Apart from a few cargo planes, the only way to take off as a passenger is to fly with African Express Airways of Nairobi. Advertisement Saab 2000 The Saab 2000 can carry between 50 and 58 passengers. Alamy Related Article Air travel Airlines lost plane found after 13 years with a huge parking bill Flying in a Saab commercial passenger jet is almost as rare as finding cheap spares for a Saab 900 car. The Swedish airframe maker is best known for its military jets and trainers, and the car firm filed for bankruptcy in 2011. The Saab 2000 evolved out of the popular Saab 340 twin-turboprop. The first models flew in 1992, and from 1994 the plane was introduced for civil and military use. Its one of the fastest turboprop-powered passenger aircraft available, with a top cruise speed of 370 knots (685 km/h). Advertisement Get on board: Demand flagged in the late 90s, and only 63 were made. Fewer than half that number are still flying, but you can enjoy this sporty 50-seater if you book a flight with Alaskas Aleutian Airways or Frost Air of Malmo. The Telegraph, London Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Air travel For subscribers Aviation Advertisement Reviews & adviceUSA Opinion Why I wont be boycotting the US this year Ben Groundwater Travel writer January 21, 2026 4:00am January 21, 2026 4:00am Save 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 A A There are plenty of reasons to want to avoid travel to the United States right now. Trust me, I have thought through many of them. You might not feel safe in the Land of the Free. You might fear, perhaps as someone who is not white and Anglo-Saxon, or even as someone who doesnt have an American accent, that you could be targeted by ICE, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, as many people in the US are right now even those with local citizenship. Regardless of who is in the White House, boycotts by tourists dont work. Getty Images You might be concerned about being detained at the border and held without charge and without access to communications with family and friends. Its already happened to Australians. You might have heard about the proposed changes to the USs ESTA visa-waiver program, and the highly invasive information the country could soon demand in exchange for your entry, and think, nuh-uh. What if Im denied entry, because Ive said something critical of Donald Trump in the last decade? That record sticks with you forever. No one wants that. Advertisement And this is on top of the old fears that exist with travel to the US: the rampant, indiscriminate gun violence, the risk of terrorist attacks in a country that likes to throw its weight as the worlds police, the nagging suspicion that the safety warnings from Smart Traveller for this country green, exercise normal safety precautions are tainted by the political imperative to be nice about big brother. Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Theres another reason, too, that you might be considering avoiding travel to the US, and thats as a form of protest. The world loses when travellers start boycotting countries. Theres very little that we, as regular citizens of the world, can do to voice our disapproval of the current US government (which is unpopular in its home nation, but even more widely disliked abroad). We cant vote in the US, we cant take to the US streets with a placard, we cant manoeuvre quietly in diplomatic circles, we cant make headlines around the world with our pointed opposition. So what is left? What form of protest is available? You can boycott. You can refuse to visit the US while Donald Trump is president. You can vote with your feet, take one small potshot at the countrys economy and its standing as a respected nation and just refuse to go. Advertisement Its this last reason that I have a problem with. I understand it, of course. I share the frustration and the sense of powerlessness. Ive also swung back and forth on the wisdom of travelling to the US right now. First its fine, then its not, then it might change again. Boycotting a destination hurts the wrong people. iStock But theres a guiding factor that I think everyone who travels should consider, and that is that travel boycotts dont work. Unless those boycotts are part of a co-ordinated protest driven at a governmental level and part of an embargo that is both social and economic, I believe that travel boycotts affect the wrong people, quite often those you are hoping to support. Inbound travel to the US is already down, and who do you think is feeling the brunt of that drop in visitors? Its not Donald Trump. Its the people who own tourism businesses, who take tourists hiking and white-water rafting, who put them up in boutique hotels and B&Bs, who run restaurants and cafes in tourist-friendly areas, who hold literally millions of jobs that are affected by tourism. Advertisement Those people are just people, like you and me. They wake up in the morning and try to feed their family and have a good life. They might be part of a struggling minority group. They might have voted for Donald Trump but they probably didnt. The world loses when travellers start boycotting countries. Citizens of those countries lose their ability to earn money and support themselves, in a nation where they might already be struggling under a repressive regime. They lose their chance to mix with the outside world, to swap ideas and gain knowledge. Related Article Tourism Where we went in 2025: The most popular destinations for Australians We as travellers lose our chance to gain knowledge as well. We force ourselves to see the world through lenses decided by someone else, through algorithms and gatekeepers we have no control over. The narrative is in someone elses hands. This stance does raise some thorny issues. If you oppose travel boycotts then you have to be consistent. I have to be consistent. I have to say that yes, I will travel to Russia when the war there is over. I will travel to Iran. I will travel to Saudi Arabia. I will travel to China. I will travel to North Korea. Advertisement And I will. Provided I feel safe, I will, and I want to. That last part is an important caveat though, because right now I dont feel particularly safe travelling to the US, for many of the reasons mentioned above. Im in the privileged position of being a white guy with a public media profile, but still, I feel like there are many other countries in the world where I will feel more comfortable. But this is not a boycott, and I dont think it should be for you either. Youre harming the wrong people. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: USA Opinion Travel tips Trump's America Ben Groundwater is a Sydney-based travel writer, columnist, broadcaster, author and occasional tour guide with more than 25 years experience in media, and a lifetime of experience traversing the globe. He specialises in food and wine writing about it, as well as consuming it and at any given moment in time Ben is probably thinking about either ramen in Tokyo, pintxos in San Sebastian, or carbonara in Rome. Follow him on Instagram @bengroundwater Connect via email VERO BEACH, Fla., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Watercrest Senior Living Group is pleased to announce Paulina Bawa as Memory Care Director of Watercrest Fredericksburg Assisted Living and Memory Care in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Watercrest Fredericksburg is preparing to welcome residents this spring to the stunning 142-unit luxury senior living community as new construction nears completion. Watercrest Senior Living Group proudly welcomes Paulina Bawa as Memory Care Director of Watercrest Fredericksburg Assisted Living and Memory Care. The community will celebrate their grand opening and open doors to new residents this spring. Since immigrating to the United States 15 years ago, Paulina has dedicated her life to the call of nursing. Her healthcare journey began as a nurse aide where she quickly discovered her deep passion for caring for others and led to her nursing career. With her Watercrest core value of Compassion, Paulina dedicates herself to respecting each individual person while inspiring purpose, hope and meaningful quality of life for those that she serves. She is committed to learning and excellence in senior living, particularly in honoring seniors living with Alzheimer's and other dementia-related illnesses. Paulina believes that nursing is not just a profession, but a calling that empowers individuals to truly maximize quality of life each day. "Paulina is a great addition to our Watercrest family as she exudes warmth, approachability and a genuine interest in positively impacting the lives of our seniors," says Diana Marks, Executive Director of Watercrest Fredericksburg. "We are thrilled for Paulina to be part of our team welcoming residents to their beautiful new home here at Watercrest Fredericksburg." Watercrest Fredericksburg will offer 106 assisted living and 36 memory care apartments with resort-style service and world-class care, conveniently located at 4525 Spotsylvania Parkway across from the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center and just a few miles from the newly opened Veterans Health Care Center. The architecture and design boasts a stunning promenade, fireplace lounge, multiple dining options, theater, library, billiards, spacious courtyards with fountains and Watercrest's premier Spa W. The surrounding area provides historical sites, hiking trails, art galleries, plentiful shopping and fitness amenities, and charming chef-owned restaurants and craft breweries. For a virtual tour of this stunning community, visit Watercrest Fredericksburg on YouTube. Watercrest principals, Marc Vorkapich, CEO and Joan Williams, CFO, are setting exceptional standards of quality for seniors and their families in the development of upscale senior living communities from South Florida to Virginia. Watercrest Fredericksburg is a project partnered with Harbert Seniors Housing Fund II, LP and Centric Development, and financed by Carter Bank & Trust. For community information, contact Watercrest Fredericksburg at 540-274-1953 or email [email protected]. About Watercrest Senior Living Group Watercrest Senior Living Group was founded to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities, world-class care, and innovative memory care programming offering unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. An eight-time certified Great Place to Work,Watercrest specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. Visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com. SOURCE Watercrest Senior Living Group Advertisement WorldAsiaChina relations Are you dead? How anxiety pushed a macabre app to top of charts Lisa Visentin January 19, 2026 6:00pm Save 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 A A Singapore: In Chinas sprawling megacities, where millions of people live solitary lives in towering apartment complexes, will anyone notice if they disappear for a few days? What if they get sick or have an accident who will know and call for help? These are the questions many young Chinese people are asking themselves as isolation-driven anxieties have fuelled the rise of a once little-known app called Are You Dead? to the top of the countrys download charts last week. The app, which was called Sileme in Chinese and pitched as a a lightweight safety tool for solo dwellers, requires users to check in each day by tapping a button. If they fail to do so for two consecutive days it alerts a nominated emergency contact. The app Are You Dead?, pictured on a smartphone in Beijing, surged in popularity among young people in China in recent weeks before developers announced a rebrand to a less controversial name. AP First launched in June as a free app, its soaring popularity prompted the crack team of developers to introduce an eight yuan ($1.72) fee and to announce a rebranding to a less confronting name Demumu for its new global version to be released soon. Advertisement In announcing the new Demumu name a combination of death and Labubu, the plush Chinese toys that have taken the world by storm the developers urged more awareness of social isolation. We would like to call on more people to pay attention to those living alone and to give them more care and understanding. They have dreams and strive to live well; they deserve to be seen, respected, and protected, the statement said. For many, the apps sardonic branding is a core part of its appeal, tapping into a dark humour among Chinas Millennial and Z generations and spurring widespread discussions about social isolation and death in a country where more than 125 million people live alone. I sometimes fear, what if Im not noticed by others when I fall down because I faint or from sickness? Or in an extreme case I die, but it goes unnoticed? So this app actually alleviates such fear from loneliness to some degree, Yu Maohuan, 29, a geologist in Beijing, says in an interview. Yu Maohuan, a 28-year-old geologist who lives in Beijing, in front of the Lonely Church at Laolihai Lake in Ulanqab City, in Chinas Inner Mongolia region. Sanghee Liu Advertisement Yu currently lives in dormitory-style accommodation and says she doesnt feel the need to download the app just yet, but can see its appeal in the future. A man cuts a solitary figure at the Canal Business District in east Beijings Tongzhou district. Sanghee Liu When my parents become old and my friends get married, but my choice is not to get married and I dont have a stable partner, I may feel such panic and anxiety at that time, she says. With Chinas domestic economy in the doldrums, many young people have flocked to big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen to chase better paying jobs, only to struggle to get ahead, leaving them more likely to shun the idea of having children, experts say. At the same time, the number of Chinas single-person households is growing, with Chinese firm Beike Research Institute, estimating the number of young people aged 20-39 living alone is expected to increase from 18 million in 2010 to 40-70 million in 2030. Advertisement Another factor is Chinas one-child policy. Though officially abandoned in 2016, its legacy for some Chinese people has been a transition from only child to lonely adult. Related Article Inside China Chinas population keeps falling. This is why People are reluctant to socialise, reluctant to marry and have children, said Dr Fuxian Yi, a demographer at University of Wisconsin-Madison and critic of the one-child policy. It comes as the country faces a demographic crunch of an ageing population combined with declining marriages and births. In figures released on Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics, Chinas population shrank for the fourth consecutive year in 2025, declining by 3.39 million to hit 1.405 billion, while its birthrate fell to its lowest level since the founding of the Peoples Republic in 1949. On Douban, a Chinese social media site similar to Reddit, discussions about loneliness and death has flourished as Are You Dead? has gone viral. Advertisement I often even worry that in my current situation, where I have no partner and my relationship with friends is not very close, if my parents get old, once they get sick, there may not even be anyone to accompany me to the hospital, wrote one user, who identified herself as a 32-year-old woman and an only child living in Beijing. Related Article Retail A new generation of Chinese companies is expanding around the world Another user wrote: Some people also say that Are You Dead? sounds inappropriate and should be changed to Are You Alive? It just goes to show that avoiding mentioning death is still a major theme in our society. The surging popularity of the app has taken even the developers surprise. In a statement released on January 11 on social networking site Weibo, they described themselves as a small, unknown team, founded and independently operated by three people born in the 90s. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Advertisement Updated WorldMiddle EastIran Hackers breach Iran state TV to broadcast message from exiled prince Jon Gambrell Updated January 20, 2026 11:45am ,first published 10:40am Save 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 A A Dubai: Hackers disrupted Iranian state television satellite transmissions to air footage supporting the countrys exiled crown prince and calling on security forces not to point your weapons at the people, online video showed, the latest disruption to follow nationwide protests in the country. The hacking came as the death toll in a crackdown by authorities to smother the demonstrations passed 4000, activists said. They fear the number will grow far higher as information leaks out of a country still gripped by the governments decision to shut down the internet. Loading Meanwhile, tensions remain high between the US and Iran over the crackdown after President Donald Trump drew two red lines for the Islamic Republic the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions after the demonstrations. A US aircraft carrier, which was in the South China Sea days earlier, was on a route that could bring it to the Middle East. The footage aired on Sunday night, Iran time, across multiple channels broadcast by satellite from Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the countrys state broadcaster. Advertisement The video showed two clips of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, then included footage of security forces and others in what appeared to be Iranian police uniforms. It claimed without offering evidence that others had laid down their weapons and swore an oath of allegiance to the people. This is a message to the army and security forces, one graphic read. Dont point your weapons at the people. Join the nation for the freedom of Iran. Irans exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi appeared in the footage broadcast on state TV. Internet The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to the countrys paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, quoted a statement from the state broadcaster acknowledging that the signal in some areas of the country was momentarily disrupted by an unknown source. It did not discuss the contents of what was aired. A statement from Pahlavis office acknowledged the disruption that showed the crown prince. It did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about the hack. Pahlavis level of support inside Iran remains an open question, though there have been pro-shah cries at the demonstrations and at night since the crackdown. Advertisement Related Article Middle East tensions As Iranians risk their lives to protest, an exiled prince emerges as a leader The hack isnt the first to disrupt Iranian airwaves. In 1986, The Washington Post reported that the CIA supplied the princes allies a miniaturised television transmitter for an 11-minute clandestine broadcast to Iran by Pahlavi that pirated the signal of two stations in the Islamic Republic. In 2022, multiple channels aired footage showing leaders from the exiled opposition group Mujahideen-e-Khalq and a graphic calling for the death of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As tensions remain high between Tehran and Washington, ship-tracking data analysed by the AP this week showed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and other American military vessels in the Strait of Malacca after passing Singapore a journey that could take them to the Middle East. The Lincoln had been in the South China Sea with its strike group as a deterrent to China over tensions with Taiwan. Tracking data showed that the USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., the USS Michael Murphy and the USS Spruance all Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers were travelling with the Lincoln. Advertisement Multiple US media reports quoting anonymous officials have said that the Lincoln, which has its home port in San Diego, was on its way to the Middle East. It likely would still need several days of travel before its aircraft would be in range of the region. The Mideast has been without an aircraft carrier group or an amphibious ready group, likely complicating any discussion of a military operation targeting Iran, given Gulf Arab states broad opposition to such an attack. The USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea in 2019. AP Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum withdrew its invitation for Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to speak at Davos. Advertisement Although he was invited last fall, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year, the forum said. Related Article Middle East tensions Trump was poised to hit button on the Iran strikes. Then came the reality check Irans ambassador to Switzerland, Mahmoud Barimani, called the decision an unreasonable act which was no doubt under the pressure and influence of anti-Iranian currents and radical American-Zionists. The Munich Security Conference separately withdrew invitations for Iranian government officials over the crackdown. The death toll from the crackdown on the protests exceeds that of any other round of unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution. Advertisement The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency put the death toll on Tuesday to at least 4029, warning it likely would go higher. It said of the dead, 3786 were demonstrators, 180 were security forces, 28 were children and 35 were people not demonstrating. Related Article Middle East tensions If the world cares, they will act: Shahs son appeals for Iran strikes as protests fade The agency has been accurate throughout the years of demonstrations and unrest in Iran, relying on a network of activists inside the country that confirms all reported fatalities. AP was unable to independently confirm the toll. Iranian officials have not given a clear death toll, although on Saturday, Khamenei said the protests had left several thousand people dead and blamed the US for the deaths. It was the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties from the wave of protests that began on December 28 over Irans ailing economy. The agency also reported that more than 25,700 people had been arrested. Comments from officials have led to fears of some of those detained being put to death in Iran, one of the worlds top executioners. Advertisement While the killers and seditious terrorists will be punished, Islamic mercy and leniency will be applied to those who were deceived and did not have (effective) roles in the terrorist event, a statement on Monday from Irans president, its judiciary chief and parliament speaker said. AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. 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Bartek Waryszak appeared before Carlow District Court where his solicitor Tertius Van Eeden entered a plea of guilty on behalf of his client. The court heard that on 24 August 2025 at 11.45pm at Potato Market, Carlow town, Garda Long was on mobile patrol and carried out a check on Mr Waryszaks vehicle, which returned no active insurance. Garda Long spoke to the driver and asked him to produce a valid insurance certificate, but none was produced. The car was seized at the scene under section 41 of the Road Traffic Act. The defendants solicitor explained to the court that Mr Waryszak collected his impounded vehicle the next day, which, he said, was proof that he must have produced valid insurance as this is required in order to reclaim the vehicle from the gardai. In mitigation, Mr Van Eeden said that his client, who lives at Acorn Lodge, Derreen, Durrow, Laois, is working part-time as a mechanic, has sole custody of his children and that a disqualification would impact upon them. Judge Elizabeth Healy said that given that this was the defendants first road traffic offence, she exercised her discretion not to disqualify him from driving because you have sole custody of your two children and require your vehicle. She convicted and fined Mr Waryszak 400 with four months to pay. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme Sean Ryan A cyber attack on an Irish University cost millions of euros, it has been revealed. South East Technological University (SETU) in Waterford, formerly known as Waterford Institute of Technology, is facing a bill of more than 2.3 million following a major cyber attack that disrupted its Waterford campuses in late 2024. The universitys latest annual report shows that direct costs linked to the attack currently stand at 1.9 million. The college further expects to spend a further 400,000 replacing outdated hardware that is no longer compatible with new security systems. The cyber incident was first detected in November 2024 and left staff and students without internet access or internal email services. The disruption came as the university was preparing for student conferring ceremonies. At the time SETU President, Professor Veronica Campbell emphasised that the situation was nobodys fault, many organisations find themselves facing similar challenges. The report said: Additional investigation is being undertaken by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the university is also working with the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB)." The university is not alone in facing cyber threats. A 2023 cyberattack at Munster Technological University (MTU) in Cork cost that institution 4.2 million. The university has also received Circuit Court legal proceedings from a data subject linked to the attack. As a result of the attack, MTUs Cork campus was temporarily closed following the IT breach and phone outages. A ransom was demanded, but MTU refused to engage. Since the attack, new systems and enhanced controls have been introduced, and KPMG has been engaged by MTU to review and implement measures. Fiona Ferguson and Sonya McLean A father who sexually abused his daughter during her childhood, telling her that they had a special love her mother would be jealous of, has been jailed for seven years. Gordon McKenna (79), formerly of Marian Grove, Old Moore Street, Mountmellick, Laois, now living in Germany, pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting his daughter at various locations, including the family home in Tallaght, Dublin, on mountain biking trips and at the cinema, on dates between 1977 and 1983. He has no previous convictions. McKenna had previously denied the charges but pleaded guilty before his trial commenced at the Central Criminal Court. Seoirse O Dunlaing SC, prosecuting, told Ms Justice Melanie Greally that Jane Murray (55) wished to waive her right to anonymity to allow her father to be named in reporting the case. She joined the hearing remotely via an audio link. The court heard that Ms Murrays mother suspected McKenna was having an affair when Ms Murray was 13 years old. It was at this point that the teenager told her mother that she was the other woman. McKenna left the family home, and the abuse came to an end. Ms Murray was seen by her family doctor and attended counselling. McKenna, Ms Murray and her mother later participated in joint family counselling, but McKenna actively influenced his daughters communications. Her mother later featured in a RTE broadcast regarding child sexual abuse. Germany McKenna continued to have contact with Ms Murray, and he did not allow her to call him Dad. He would tell people that they happened across while out in public that she was his girlfriend. The abuse came to the attention of both gardai and Tusla after Ms Murray applied for records of those counselling sessions as an adult in 2018. She went on to make statements of complaint. At this point, McKenna had remarried and moved to Germany. Through mutual assistance, gardai contacted him, but he denied any wrongdoing. Padraig Dwyer SC, defending, said McKenna had written a letter to the court outlining his sorrow and regret for his actions. He asked the court to take into account his guilty plea, his advanced age and his work history. He said the accused had remarried. His wife is receiving palliative care, and the accused is a carer for her. He outlined that McKenna had a number of medical issues himself. Passing sentence on Tuesday, Ms Justice Melanie Greally acknowledged that the harm caused to Ms Murray by her father was unquantifiable and impossible to articulate. She said her victim impact statement, read into the record by Mr O Dunlaing, was poignant and restrained and that Ms Murray is only beginning to process her childhood experience. She acknowledged that the abuse impacted her sense of self, and she has a lack of value and self-worth, which has affected her capacity to form relationships. She eloquently speaks of the love she should have received, Ms Justice Greally said before she said Ms Murray spoke of the lie her father told her about their so-called relationship. Grooming She noted that Ms Murray spoke of her fathers deviousness and how he abused her without any care for her well-being and her future. Her victim impact statement is a simple expression of her immense sadness and sense of loss for what might have been, Ms Justice Greally said. Ms Justice Greally said McKenna was responsible for Ms Murrays care as a child while her mother was working. She said the abuse was a highly specific grooming and manipulation, noting that McKenna thought his daughter to control and switch off her emotions and that he played tricks to scare her and was amused by her fear. Ms Justice Greally said that McKenna told his daughter that they had a special deep relationship that no one could understand and that her mother would be jealous if she knew. She noted that Ms Murray said she was abused most days after school. Ms Justice Greally said the abuse represented an extreme abuse of trust by a parent who was also her primary carer. She took into account Ms Murrays extreme youth at the time and her dependency on her father, that the abuse occurred in the family home, its frequency and duration and the immeasurable psychological harm caused to her and its impact on her personal development, emotional and mental wellbeing. Ms Justice Greally noted that a maximum sentence of two years applies to a number of the earlier incidents of abuse due to the legislation which existed at the time, which she said in no way reflects the culpability of the offender or the harm caused. She said in mitigation that she was taking into account the plea of guilty, but noted that it was a late plea and that Ms Murray still had to live with the prospect of a trial and giving evidence. She further acknowledged McKennas lack of previous convictions, his pro-social life since, his remorse for his actions, his medical conditions and his current wife's poor medical condition and the fact that he acts as her carer in Germany. Ms Justice Greally imposed concurrent sentences of 16 months for the earlier offences and a consecutive term of five years and eight months for the later offences. These later offences carry a maximum penalty of 10 years following a change in legislation. The judge said she didnt consider a post-release supervision order necessary in the case. Sean McCarthaigh Two gardai who first confronted George Nkencho shortly before he was killed by two armed officers have recalled how they feared for their lives after he pulled out a knife and lunged towards them. Sergeant Peter Nestor told an inquest into the fatal shooting of Mr Nkencho that he was left in no doubt that his life was in danger, while his colleague, Garda Shane Gallagher, admitted he was terrified when the deceased came towards him at speed. George Nkencho (27) died after being shot by members of the Garda Armed Support Unit (ASU) in the incident outside his family home at Manorfields Drive, Clonee, Co Dublin, on December 30th, 2020, shortly after he had been involved in a disturbance at a nearby supermarket. The young man, the eldest of five siblings whose family originally come from Nigeria, was pronounced dead a short time later at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. The inquest previously heard evidence that Mr Nkencho had carried out an unprovoked assault on a manager at the Eurospar store in Hartstown as well as threatening staff with a knife shortly before the fatal incident. The deceaseds family claim the level of force used against him was disproportionate. However, the DPP directed that no prosecution should arise over the circumstances of Mr Nkenchos death following an investigation by Fiosru, (formerly known as the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission). Sgt Nestor told the fifth day of the inquest at Dublin District Coroners Court that he and Garda Gallagher had been alerted to an assault by a male with a knife at the Eurospar store in Hartstown. He outlined how they identified someone matching the suspects description who was walking at a normal pace on Hartstown Road. Sgt Nestor said they pulled up their vehicle on a green area and asked Mr Nkencho to stop. He recalled that Mr Nkencho pulled a knife out of his pocket and seemed very angry and aggressive before lunging towards him. The witness said he had no doubt that Mr Nkencho would stab him if he could. The inquest heard Sgt Nestor told his colleague to let him pass and they followed Mr Nkencho initially in their vehicle and later on foot at a safe distance. He said he and other gardai were shouting at passersby to get out of the way over fears for their safety. Sgt Nestor said members of the ASU took control of the situation once they arrived on the scene at Manorfields Drive but Mr Nkencho failed to comply with their repeated instructions to drop his knife. He outlined how he was shouting to people inside the house to close the front door because he was concerned for their safety. Sgt Nestor said he initially believed ASU members had fired rubber bullets when Mr Nkencho lunged at them as they appeared to have no effect. Sgt Nestor said Mr Nkencho had remained fully upright and was swinging wildly with his knife until the last shot was fired. In reply to questions from coroner Myra Cullinane, Sgt Nestor said he had requested armed assistance after seeing Mr Nkencho had a knife. He said he had not made any judgement about the deceaseds mental health and had not heard any message on a radio channel that Mr Nkencho was known to gardai and had severe mental health problems. Sgt Nestor said he believed he was dealing with Mr Nkencho at the time the message was broadcast. He said he could not make out what people who came to the front door of Mr Nkenchos house were saying as there was a lot of screaming. Sgt Nestor remembered thinking Mr Nkencho had stabbed one ASU officer in the leg as he was getting up off the ground after being tasered. He claimed there was nobody else in the driveway of the house apart from Mr Nkencho and two ASU officers. The witness said he was in no doubt that the deceased was trying to kill the two armed gardai. He told counsel for the Nkencho family, Eanna Molloy SC, that he had drawn his baton when the deceased had produced a knife on the green at the Cherryfield estate because he had an immediate fear my life was in danger. Garda Gallagher provided similar evidence of events and also expressed no doubt that Mr Nkencho intended to stab them when they confronted him. He said he would retain forever the memory of how Mr Nkencho was gripping his knife. The inquest also heard evidence about Mr Nkenchos mental health issues from his two sisters, Gloria and Grateful, including how had contacted gardai in June 2020 because he believed his family were trying to harm him. Grateful Nkencho recalled that her brother was hearing voices at the time and gardai had called to their home. Ms Nkencho said his behaviour had changed in 2015 when he appeared to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder after being involved in a car accident. She told the inquest that she had tried ringing a number of clinics the day before the fatal shooting to get help for her brother. However, she stressed that nothing specific had happened on the day and that she had always been wanting to get help for him because of his mental health issues. Recalling the events surrounding her brothers death, Ms Nkencho said she found the front door to the house wide open when she went downstairs after hearing a commotion outside. She told the inquest that she believed it must have been opened by her brother. When she looked out, she saw him on the ground trying to pull taser wires off his body, while holding what she described as a small knife in his other hand. She also described seeing a female garda pepper spray her brother. Ms Nkencho said her older sister, Gloria, had tried to explain to gardai in a loud voice that their brother was sick but claimed they did not listen to her. The witness, who was aged 18 at the time, said her sister was brushed away. Nobody really paid attention to what she was saying, Ms Nkencho added. A few seconds later after she claimed the front door was closed by a garda, she heard a bang and knew it was from a gun being fired. She claimed gardai who subsequently came into the house refused to answer their questions and were very rude. Ms Nkencho recalled that she had shouted at gardai from an upstairs window: You shot my brother. I hate you, you pigs. She outlined how they had to leave the house after it was declared a crime scene and went to their aunt, Grace who lived a short distance away where they were informed by two senior gardai that George had died. Her sister, Gloria, gave evidence of seeing one gardai come behind her brother and kick him in the back with such force that she could almost hear it. She recalled trying to explain that her brother was sick but was told to stay back before the front door was closed after about three seconds. Ms Nkencho told the coroner that the garda she was speaking to definitely heard what he was saying, although she accepted it was a brief interaction. The two sisters described how their brother was normally a peaceful friendly guy who could get paranoid and upset. Although he was not on medication, they did not think he was on drugs but had been seeking help, although he had not been assessed by any specialist before his death. The inquest before a jury of five women and four men was adjourned and will continue on Wednesday. High Court Reporter A hospital has unreservedly apologised for the failures in care to a 25-year-old woman who was brought there after she was crushed by a horse, but who died five days after the accident. The apology from Midland Regional Hospital was read to the High Court as the family of Bryonny Sainsbury settled five actions against the HSE. Hairdresser Bryonny Sainsbury suffered a serious brain injury in the stable incident on August 26th, 2021, when her horse, which was being attended to by a vet, became spooked and crushed her against a wall. The familys counsel Richard Kean SC with Esther Earley BL told the High Court it was an incredibly distressing case. He said Bryonny suffered massive cerebral injuries when she was crushed against the stable wall when the horse became spooked. Counsel said it was their case that there were at Midland Regional Hospital a series of egregious errors and Bryonny was held there for three days before being transferred to Beaumont Hospital Dublin. Bryonny, he said, was delusional, distressed and vomiting and she and her parents were pleading for help but she was held over and not transferred to the specialist Dublin hospital for three days. Counsel said there was an appalling vista and the girl was not transferred from the Mullingar hospital, and when the transfer was made, it was too late and she had to be put on life support in Beaumont Hospital. Bryonny, of Briskil, Newtownforbes, Co Longford, died from her injuries in Beaumont Hospital on August 31st, 2021. The familys life, Counsel said, had been destroyed and they have been left with unimaginable grief. The family, he said, believed the apology was too little too late". Counsel said liability was admitted in the case by the HSE and five actions brought by Bryonnys parents, Alison and Chris and brothers Gregory and Arron for nervous shock and over Bryonnys death had been settled. It was claimed in the proceedings that Bryonny was allegedly deprived of appropriate care and timely treatment, resulting in her death on August 31st, 2021, and that by the time she was transferred from Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, she was in a critical condition. It was also claimed there was an alleged failure to act upon the concerns of family members who witnessed Bryonnys continuing deterioration and who asked for an urgent transfer to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. An inquest into her death returned a verdict of death by medical misadventure. In the apology from the Hospital manager, Margaret Kelleher, which was read to the court, it said the hospital wished to formally acknowledge the profound and tragic loss of Bryonny. We fully recognise the deep grief and enduring impact her passing has had on you, your wider family and all who cherished her. "On behalf of the hospital I extend a sincere and unreserved apology for the failures in the care provided to Bryonny during her time in our facility. It added that it fully accepted the findings and recommendations outlined in the System Analysis Review. In response a dedicated quality improvement team was convened to ensure the implementation of all the recommendations arising it and I can confirm that this work has now been completed. The hospital also asked the family to accept its heartfelt condolences on the passing of Bryonny. We are profoundly sorry for the distress and devastation you have experienced and we remain committed to ensuring that the lessons learned from this tragedy continue to inform and strengthen the care we provide, it concluded. Mr Justice Coffey extended his sympathy to Bryonnys family on their loss and what he called a heartbreaking tragedy. In a statement outside court, the Sainsburys said the pursuit of the proceedings had never been about money and no amount of compensation could bring Bryonny back. Throughout Bryonnys care, they said family concerns were raised but ignored. "We firmly believe that had those concerns been listened to and had Bryonny been transferred appropriately, she would still be here today. The statement added: What we have sought and continue to seek is acknowledgement, accountability and an apology along with genuine acceptance of responsibility from the HSE, the statement said. It added: "The prolonged legal proceedings which has spanned over four years has only compounded the trauma and grief already borne by our family. "We sincerely hope that the lessons repeatedly stated as having been learned will finally translate into real, lived change and that every person who presents at Midland Regional Hospital in the future receives the safe, compassionate and competent care they deserve. "No other family should have to endure what we have endured. The statement concluded: "Bryonny was and will always be deeply loved. Her legacy must be more than words, it must be action. Kenneth Fox The University of Limerick celebrated a landmark moment by conferring postgraduate degrees on the largest group of Irish Travellers to graduate from an Irish university. History has been made at UL on Tuesday as 13 Irish Travellers/Minceiri were conferred with postgraduate diplomas and masters degrees at ULs Winter Conferring Ceremonies. It is the largest cohort of Irish Travellers/Minceiri to graduate with level 9 postgraduate qualifications from any Irish university at any one time, making this a significant milestone for the Irish Traveller community in Ireland and the University. Of the 13 Travellers to graduate with a Masters or Graduate Diploma in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration), 11 are Traveller women connected with the Limerick Traveller Network. Just 4.7 per cent of Travellers in Ireland have a third-level education in comparison to 47.7 per cent of the general population, and just 2 per cent of Travellers have obtained degrees, signifying the alarmingly low level of participation by Travellers in higher education in Ireland. The UL Minceir/Traveller Programme was created in 2023 to ensure the educational aspirations of Minceir/Travellers were supported. Based on the principle of co-creation, the programme supports are designed and developed based on the needs identified by the Traveller community. In 2024, a collaboration was established between UL and the Limerick Traveller Network (LTN), a community-led network of Traveller representatives from across Limerick. 14 women from eight Traveller sites and two standard housing areas in Limerick have been central to the work of the LTN with education identified early on as a key priority by LTN founders, Olive OReilly and Margaret OBrien, both of whom graduated from UL along with 10 others from the Limerick Traveller Network. Margaret OBrien was conferred with a BA in Psychology, while Olive OReilly is one of 11 Traveller women connected with the LTN to graduate from ULs MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration). Dr Sindy Joyce, a Human Rights Defender (HRD) is the course director of the MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration) at UL and was the first Irish Traveller to graduate with a PhD in Ireland when she was conferred with her doctorate from UL in 2019, the same year that Olive OReilly and Margaret OBrien established the Limerick Traveller Network. Dr Joyce said: As a Traveller, an academic and Course Director of ULs MA in Sociology (Youth, Community and Social Regeneration), I am immensely proud of all my students graduating today. This masters program has existed in UL for 15 years and has successfully trained students to work in a wide variety of settings in the youth and community sectors. With a strong international element, the MA attracts students from all over the world, including recent graduates as well as those already working in the NGO sector. I am particularly proud to have 13 of the students graduating from this years cohort coming from my own community, which shows me how our education system, once harmful to Travellers, can now be a tool of resistance. Historically, for Travellers, the Irish education system was about changing our culture and leaving our identity behind but today highlights that our culture is not in conflict with our education system. Traveller voices and knowledge belong in our university spaces, and our epistemologies bring important methods and frameworks to research. Each Traveller graduating today makes it a little bit easier for our younger generation to engage with a system that was once so harmful to our community. I feel such pride today to celebrate this important milestone for our Traveller students who have shown courage, endurance and determination throughout their time here in UL. Margaret OBrien, co-founder of the Limerick Traveller Network, who graduated with a BA in Psychology from UL, spoke of the significance of this momentous occasion for the Traveller community in Limerick. She said: The Limerick Traveller Network doesnt just open doors, we walk through them together and leave them wide open behind us. Today, the LTN celebrates 12 of our members graduating at UL, the home of firsts that awarded the first PhD to a Traveller. Now the first university in Ireland to award 13 Travellers with postgraduate qualifications, 11 of whom are members of the LTN. This is not just a milestone for the LTN and UL, but one that raises the bar for Travellers nationwide, with 7 more Travellers from the Limerick Traveller Network now studying at postgraduate level in UL following in the footsteps of our members graduating." Eva Osborne Over 30 million people have voted 'yes' in a poll launched by Elon Musk asking if he should buy Ryanair. The tech billionaire is involved in a public spat with Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary, who last week called him a "wealthy idiot". Should I buy Ryan Air and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge? Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026 O'Leary also ruled out offering Musk's Starlink wifi on Ryanair planes, as the antennae would lead to bigger fuel costs and therefore higher fares for passengers. Musk has called for O'Leary to be fired, calling him an "utter idiot". Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026 Speaking on Newstalk, business editor Joe Lynam said Musk has form for conducting online polls before making extravagant purchases, but that he cannot see a situation where he would own the airline. "Three years ago, he asked his followers should he or should he not buy Twitter, as it was then called. And the vast majority of his fans said yes he should, and indeed he did," Lynam said. "And already 30 million people have voted and the vast majority have said that yes, Elon Musk should buy Ryanair and install 'Ryan' again at the company. "I don't know whether this is in reference to the Ryan family that set up the airline many decades ago or a different Ryan, but it is a very interesting joust. "It would be a hostile takeover, i.e. I cannot imagine that he would approach the board of Rynaair with an offer, which would have to be worth more than the value of the company as it currently is, i.e. with a premium." Ronan Smyth with the Irish Examiner has reported that Elon Musk cannot actually buy Ryanair as, under EU regulations, airline ownership and control are tightly restricted as part of licensing requirements. According to the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), which oversees these rules as they apply to Ryanair, member states and/or nationals of member states must own more than 50 per cent of the undertaking and effectively control it. If an airline fails to meet this requirement, it risks losing its licence to operate within Europe. When assessing ownership, airlines must also provide details of the beneficial owners of shares held by nominee or trust companies to the IAA, including passport copies to prove citizenship, Smyth said. Elon Musk is a citizen of South Africa, Canada, and the US. He is not a citizen of any EU member state and, as a result, would not be allowed to take a controlling stake in, or full control of, Ryanair as he did with Twitter. By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association The Taoiseach should take up an invitation to visit the White House on St Patricks Day if one is extended, the Minister for Social Protection has said. Dara Calleary was asked by reporters if the turmoil caused by US president Donald Trump over Greenland should cause Micheal Martin to reconsider the traditional annual trip. He responded, very few countries get the opportunity of access to the president of the United States of America on an annual basis for a number of hours. Taoiseach Micheal Martin and his wife Mary OShea with US president Donald Trump during the St Patricks Day reception and Shamrock Ceremony in the the East Room of the White House, Washington DC in 2025 (Niall Carson/PA) Its a chance for him, as he did last year, to discuss face to face with the president various issues. Mr Trump has threatened to hit eight European allies with 10 per cent tariffs from February 1 unless they agree to his purchase of Greenland, a semiautonomous Danish territory, and has refused to rule out using military force to seize the island. Mr Calleary said: At whatever point those issues will be, in the middle of March, itll be a chance for a face to face discussion for dialogue, which is always important at any time, particularly in times of pressure. He added it is really important dialogue and communication is kept open. He said he hopes the Taoiseach would take up the opportunity if the invitation arrives. Advertisement The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has imposed definitive general safeguard measures on imports of ordinary Portland cement and blended cement, following a finding that rising imports have caused serious injury to the domestic industry. Under Department Administrative Order 25-15, a safeguard duty of PHP14 per 40kg bag, or PHP349 per tonne, will be applied for a period of three years. The measure covers ordinary Portland cement Type 1 and blended cement and follows an investigation by the Tariff Commission, which concluded that imported cement directly competes with locally produced products and surged to the detriment of domestic manufacturers. The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) welcomed the decision, noting that local producers suffered significant declines in market share, sales, production and capacity utilisation during the investigation period. Capacity utilisation fell to 53 per cent in 2024, according to the association. Advertisement Bolivian cement consumption declined 10.2 per cent YoY in November 2025 from 381,689t to 342,566t, according to the national statistics agency, INE. In Santa Cruz, the second-largest market, consumption was up 4.2 per cent to 81,726t from 78,423t. Chuquisaca also saw market growth, of 24.9 per cent YoY, to 27,824t from 22,273t as did the small market of Beni, where consumption was up 33.8 per cent YoY 4798t from 3587t over the same period. However, the overall picture was one of market contraction. In La Paz, the countrys largest market, demand declined by 8.8 per cent YoY to 105,247t in November 2025 from 115,390t in November 2024. Demand in Cochabamba, the third-largest market, contracted by 27.2 per cent to 74,149t from 101,907t, while in Oruro demand was down by 26.3 per cent YoY to 16,854t from 22,866t. In Tarija consumption declined by 13.3 per cent YoY to 16,036t in November 2025 from 18,503t. Demand in Potosi fell 7.3 per cent YoY to 15,394t from 16,609t while in Pando, the countrys smallest market, the drop was 74.7 per cent to 540t from 2132t in November 2024. January-November 2025 In the first 11 months of 2025, the Bolivian cement market contracted by 2.4 per cent YoY to 3.627Mt from 3.715Mt. The six per cent expansion of demand in La Paz to 1.030Mt from 0.971Mt in the 11M24 could not offset declines in other markets. Cement consumption in Santa Cruz slipped by 3.2 per cent YoY to 0.893Mt from 0.923t while in Cochabamba demand fell 13.4 per cent YoY to 0.833Mt in the 11M25 from 0.962Mt. However, Chuquisaca saw a 9.3 per cent increase in demand to 0.268Mt in the 11M25 from 0.245Mt while the Potosi market expanded by 9.2 per cent to 0.176Mt from 0.161Mt over the same period and Beni demand increased by 10.9 per cent YoY to 0.054Mt from 0.048Mt. Meanwhile, in Oruro consumption was down 10.7 per cent YoY to 0.161Mt from 0.180Mt and consumption in Pando fell 16.9 per cent YoY to 0.019Mt from 0.023Mt. Kristin Elaine Tolbert, 26, died doing what she loved, walking outside with her puppy, Walter. Born on Feb. 12, 1999, in Chattanooga, Kristin was the daughter of Karen Romine and Marvin Tolbert. From a young age, Kristin had a keen artistic ability. She was extremely crafty and excited to share her new hobbies by making gifts for family and friends. She was a quiet, sweet soul who loved deeply and fully, and her loyalty to friends and family was unmatched. Kristin graduated from Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences in May 2017. Afterward, she attended Claflin University, an HBCU in Orangeburg, S.C. While there, she pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., an organization dedicated to service and education, and became president of her chapter, Gamma Chi. She graduated in May 2021 with a bachelors degree in biology, making many lasting friendships and memories along the way. Kristin was a wonder with small children; no matter where she went, she was able to connect with the youngest among us. She had a special way with children that was evident from a very early age. She used this God-given talent to teach small children at Sprouts Daycare in Richmond, Va. With her biology background, she also worked at Thermo Fisher as a recently promoted associate scientist. By day, she was wrangling and soothing children; at night, she was running assays and ensuring top-tier scientific execution. In between her jobs, Kristin connected with friends and family, painted, quilted, knitted, collected miniature items, explored her local surroundings, and traveled abroad. She loved learning about new places and soaked in every experience. To add to her full life, in September 2025 she adopted Walter, an eight-week-old maltipoo who would go on to steal the entire familys heart. The two of them together were quite a sight. The bouts of laughter and fun shared as we watched her care for him are priceless. She was Walters world; he was hers, and her nurturing spirit continued to shine all the way to her last breath. Those who knew her best will remember her for her observant and thoughtful presence. She had a way of making people feel seen and heard, leaving a legacy of warmth that will always be remembered. Kristin is survived by her beloved puppy, Walter Black Tolbert; her mother, Karen D. Romine; her father, Marvin L. Tolbert; her two sisters and their spouses, Jessica D. (Maxwell M.) Aladago and Lauren R. (Weveney P.) Tolbert-Barber; her uncles, Warren N. and Shannon E. Romine; her aunts, Amber Z. and Sharon E. Romine, Deardra R. McGee, and Angela Angie Cook-Lykes; and her cousins, Brandon D. and Aisha D. McGee, Courtney D. and Cortez D. Putman, and Rachael N., Nathaniel E., and Madeline G. Romine. She is also survived by her closest friends, Eden J. Wiggins and Alaysha L. Harden, and her bonus family, Janice and Joshua A. Johnson. She was preceded in death by her great-grandmother, Melvin T. Webb; her grandparents, Norris E. and Evelyn W. Romine, Deardra R. Cook, and Max Tolbert; her great-aunts, Emma J. Paris and Vivian Tolbert; and her uncle, William Bill Cook. A public viewing will be held from 2-6 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22, at John P. Franklin Funeral Home. A celebration of Kristins life will be held on Jan. 23, at 12 p.m.at Monumental Baptist Church, 901 Woodmore Lane, Chattanooga. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Kristin E. Tolberts name to Claflin University, her alma mater. HBCUs like Claflin survive on donations made by supporters; please consider giving in her honor. Donations can be made online, by calling (803) 535-5357, or by texting CUGiving to 844-596-3403. Arrangements have been entrusted to John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Avenue, Chattanooga, 423-622-9995. Anthony de El Marquette Tenner, 51, of Ooltewah, Tennessee, passed away on January 17, 2026, at CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was a devoted husband, loving son, and a hard-working, free-spirited man whose life reflected deep love for his family and faith. Born on Aug. 26, 1974, in Natchez, Ms., Anthony was the son of Cornelius and Priscilla Griffin Tenner. He spent 37 years in Natchez, where he graduated from Jefferson County High School in 1992 and later attended Co-Lin Wesson in 1993. Anthony married the love of his life, Cotina Lewis Tenner, and together they shared 14 years of marriage, truly yoked together as one. They made their home in Ooltewah, for the past 15 years and were rarely seen apart, even enjoying coordinating their outfits as an expression of their closeness. They loved cruising and attending Buffalo Bills games, creating joyful memories filled with laughter and togetherness. A diligent and industrious worker, Anthony believed in giving his best in everything he did. His career included two years as a truck driver, followed by work at Grand Gulf Nuclear, Waterford, and three other nuclear power plants over a span of 10 years, and then 20 years with Westinghouse, where he received numerous awards recognizing his dedication and performance. He was known among family, friends, and coworkers for his playful spirit, strong work ethic, and commitment to excellence. Anthonys life was guided by his faith, especially the scripture at Genesis 2:24: That is why a man will leave his father and mother and he will stick to his wife, and they will become one flesh. He lived this scripture in his marriage, cherishing his role as a husband and head of his household. He is survived by his loving wife, Cotina Lewis Tenner of Ooltewah; his parents, Cornelius and Priscilla G. Tenner of Natchez, Ms.; his son, Markevious D. Tenner of Frisco, Tx.; and his daughter, Jakesia T. Tenner of Dallas, Tx,; his grandson, Kree (Uno) Reed. He also leaves his sisters, Angieneil Tenner of Fayetteville, Ga., and Antreinika E. Hunt (Eddie) of Riverdale, Ga.; nieces Andreneisha of Lawrenceville, Ga. and Aayanna of Fayetteville, Ga., Amyia and Avery of Riverdale, Ga.; and his great-nephew, Shia Xavier of Lawrenceville, Ga., along with a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Sandy and Elizabeth Griffin of Natchez, Ms., and O.T. and Mary Louise Tenner of Natchez, Ms.; his father-and mother-in-law, Simon and Rosie Lee Lewis of St. Francisville, La.; his special niece, Aysia Demonaye Tenner of Riverdale, Ga.; and his special uncle, Garfield Griffin of West Palm Beach, Fl. Public viewing will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 21, from 2-6 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 4-6 p.m., at John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave., Chattanooga, 423 622-9995. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, Jan. 25, at 12 p.m. at Marshall Funeral Home, 225 Pilgrim Blvd, Natchez, Ms, 39120. The burial will follow at Tenner Family Cemetery. Floral arrangements may be sent to both funeral home locations. Anthony will be remembered as a free-spirited, loving family man who took joy in working hard, playing hard, and staying close to those he loved most. His presence, laughter, and example of devotion to his wife and family will be deeply missed and forever cherished. DCS Welcome Place Design Concept DCS Welcome Place Design Concept DCS Welcome Place Design Concept DCS Welcome Place Design Concept DCS Welcome Place Design Concept DCS Youth Development Center Design Concept DCS Youth Development Center Design Concept Previous Next The Tennessee Department of Childrens Services has released the first concept images of its future Welcome and Wellness Places. DCS is currently engaged in the design phase of the project, with initial groundbreaking and construction expected to begin this year."This is an important milestone in the Departments $421 million Real Estate Initiative to build trauma responsive, purpose-built spaces for youth entering state care," officials said.Commissioner Margie Quin emphasized the significance of the milestone.When youth enter our care, time matters. These new Welcome and Wellness Places are designed to reduce uncertainty at the front door, strengthen assessments and quickly identify the most appropriate longer-term community-based setting for our young people," Comm. Quin said. "Were proud to share this first look as we move toward breaking ground later this year.Officials said, "The initiative includes Welcome Places, Wellness Places and Youth Development Campuses designed to improve safety, stability and outcomes for youth across the state."The designs of each space reflect intentional choices in materials, colors and architectural features that feel safe, calming and non-institutional. The project represents a significant investment in Tennessees continuum of care."Welcome Place - six locations for youth entering care:Welcome Places will serve youth immediately after they enter care, providing short-term stabilization while permanency plans are created. All six DCS regions will be served by a community-based Welcome Place, each designed for up to 16 youth with space for individual care and family visitation.Wellness Place - three locations for youth assessment:Wellness Places will be able to accommodate 30-day stays for youth with complex needs. These spaces will allow time for trauma-responsive, clinical assessments to better connect young people with longer-term therapeutic environments to meet their needs. Each of Tennessees three grand regions - East, Middle and West - will have a Wellness Place designed to support 20 youth.Youth Development Campuses - two locations:In addition to Welcome and Wellness Places, the DCS Real Estate Initiative includes major investments in Youth Development Campusesmodernized, clinically-focused settings designed to support rehabilitation, vocational opportunities and successful re-entry. Plans include new construction for the John S. Wilder Youth Development Center in Somerville and the former Woodland Hills Youth Development Center in Nashville.Locations of Welcome and Wellness Places by Grand Region:West Tennessee - Memphis (Shelby County) Welcome + Wellness Lexington (Henderson County) WelcomeMiddle Tennessee - Nashville (Davidson County) Welcome + WellnessEast Tennessee - Knoxville (Knox County) Wellness Lenoir City (Loudon County) Welcome Jonesborough (Washington County) Welcome Tullahoma (Coffee County) WelcomeTimeline: 2023: Project approval and design teams selected 2024: Funding updates and continued project development 2025: Major contracting steps and design progress 20262028: Phased construction and openings (planned)Current Project Budget New Woodland Hills + John S. Wilder secure facilities: $333,300,000 New Welcome and Wellness Places: $88,360,000 Two Soddy Daisy Police officers who were fired after going to the District Attorney with concerns about actions of police officials there have received $415,000 in a lawsuit settlement with the city of Soddy Daisy. Lt. Jake Elrod and Capt. Eric Jenkins had filed suit in Federal Court. The action was brought against the city of Soddy Daisy, City Manager Burt Johnson, current Police Chief Billy Petty and former Police Chief Mike Sneed. City Manager Johnson said, "The case was settled by our insurance company by payments totaling $830,000. The fees for the defense of the case were paid by the insurance company, and we do not have those figures. The city had a $5,000 deductible, which was paid." The suit had asked front and back pay with benefits, $1 million each, and treble damages. The suit, filed by the law firm of Davis & Hoss, said the city "terminated the Plaintiffs in retaliation for exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of speech, exercising their duties to enforce the laws of the state of Tennessee, for communicating with elected officials in Hamilton County about public concerns, and for testifying about those concerns in a court of law in Hamilton County Criminal Court after the Soddy-Daisy Police Department covered up and intentionally refused to disclose the untruthfulness of an arresting Soddy-Daisy Police officer during an internal affairs investigation in a criminal proceeding in State of Tennessee v. Justin Whaley.." Attorney Janie Varnell, who has since become county attorney, said at the time of the firing, "Three months ago, two long-time Soddy Daisy police officers, Lt. Elrod and Capt. Jenkins, came forward with evidence that another Soddy Daisy Officer, Jeremy Wright, had lied in a previous internal affairs investigation. "Legal experts explain that such allegations of untruthfulness must be disclosed in criminal proceedings. However, while both Lt. Elrod and Capt. Jenkins testified in Hamilton County Criminal Court that they were threatened with their jobs by Soddy Daisy officials if they came forward and told the truth, the two persisted and brought the evidence to the Hamilton County District Attorneys office who promptly turned it over to defense attorneys. "Hamilton County Judge Boyd Patterson, after a hearing, found both Lt. Elrod and Capt. Jenkins to be credible witnesses in their testimony in the case of State v. Justin Whaley and ordered a new trial for Whaley based upon their testimony of Wrights untruthfulness. "Yesterday, Soddy Daisy terminated Lt. Elrod and Capt. Jenkins in clear retaliation for them bringing forward the evidence about Wright. Shame on Soddy Daisy for terminating these two long-time officers, Lt. Elrod and Captain Jenkins. This is the most blatant act of retaliation I have seen. These officers brought information to our local District Attorney about the truthfulness of an arresting police officer. Even the DA said in open court that this evidence should have been given to the defense before trial. "Soddy Daisy tried to hide it and now they are punishing the officers who morally and legally did the right thing. The message that this sends to our community is that the Soddy Daisy Police Department wants to hide and cover up all of the bad deeds of their officers. Click here to read the suit. A Cleveland, Tn., man has been arrested on charges of making threats against a public defender, judge and police officer - all from Chattanooga. The Sheriff's Office said, "On Saturday, the HCSO was notified that the Chattanooga Police Department was investigating threats made against multiple members of the criminal justice system, including a judge. "Following a review of information obtained during the investigation, arrest warrants were issued for Michael Pearson. "Members of the HCSO Criminal Warrants Unit, working in coordination with the 10th Judicial Drug Task Force, located Pearson in Cleveland, Tn. He was taken into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Jail, where he was booked on one count of harassment and three counts of retaliation for past actions. "The HCSO thanks the 10th Judicial Drug Task Force for their assistance in locating Pearson and the Chattanooga Police Department for their quick response, investigative efforts, and notification." An affidavit says Pearson made multiple threats against a public defender through a series of text messages beginning last Tuesday. In one he said, "I'm going to murder those who raped me and the police who turned a blind eye." He said in another, "You're on my list. I'm coming for you as well." Authorities said Pearson has a history of making violent threats. He was charged with assaulting a man, and he said he would "get a hatchet and finish the job," it was stated. He also said he would "take out" the man and his family, police said. The affidavit said the judge and police officer were notified of threats against them, and both said they wanted to prosecute Pearson. Due to inclement weather warnings issued for Monday, the decision has been made to reschedule the campaign launch of Commissioner Warren Mackeys re-election campaign to next Thursday at 6 p.m. The venue remains the same at the Ultra Club at Finley Stadium. County Commissioner Warren Mackey announced Tuesday that he is seeking re-election to represent District 4, "running on a record of results focused on infrastructure investment, educational opportunity, workforce development, and accountable county government." His campaign said, "Since taking office, Mackey has supported policies that align economic growth with equity and fiscal responsibility. During his tenure, Hamilton County has experienced significant job growth and expanded economic development, while maintaining a focus on core county services that directly impact residents daily lives." District 4 deserves leadership that delivers, said Commissioner Mackey. Im running for re-election to continue investing in safe roads, strong schools, and opportunities that help families and neighborhoods thrive. His campaign said he "voted to approve $5.8 million for county road and safety improvements, strengthening infrastructure critical to public safety and economic growth. He has also supported workforce and employment programs, including more than $1 million for community service and job connection initiatives. Mackey has taken a comprehensive approach to housing and community stability, supporting funding for public health coordination and recovery court programs that address underlying causes of housing insecurity. He has also backed investments in parks and inclusive public spaces that improve neighborhood quality of life. A consistent advocate for education, "Mackey has supported equitable school funding, vocational education opportunities, and future-ready infrastructure, including more than $1.4 million in broadband funding for community facilities. He has also worked to recognize and uplift student achievement across the district. Known for his bipartisan approach, Mackey has collaborated across party lines on schools, roads, and essential services, while maintaining careful oversight of taxpayer dollars." He said, Theres more work to do. I remain committed to listening to District 4 and delivering practical results that strengthen our county. Nearly 25 years ago, Matthew Lowery started his career in public safety with the Dalton Police Department. He's being promoted to the rank of lieutenant this week, after a career that has seen him play many roles in the agency. When he first considered public service, however, the plan was to be across the street."When I was still in high school trying to figure out what to do in life, I was in the fire department's version of the explorer cadet program," Lt. Lowery said. "Initially I thought that was the route that I was gonna go - into the fire department.Then I took a job at the age of 19 with the Whitfield County 911 Center, where I got exposed to the other public safety agencies, and I thought that policing was a lot more interesting. So, I decided to apply for the Dalton PD and here we are."That decision led to an ever-changing career in law enforcement. Lt. Lowery began his career with a decade as a patrol officer, including serving as a field training officer for new recruits. From there, he moved into the police department's now-defunct Situational Response Unit, working on drug interdiction and gang activity. From there, he moved into the Criminal Investigations Division as a detective for seven years. Briefly, he served as the department's training coordinator before his promotion to the rank of sergeant in 2019. He worked for two years as a patrol supervisor before his most recent assignment overseeing the detectives of the department's Drug Enforcement Unit.Through all of his different assignments, Lt.Lowery's focus has been on service, officials said."I wouldn't say any of my assignments are my favorite, but I have learned a lot about the agency by being in each of those positions," Lt. Lowery said. "They all have different aspects of what we all got into the job for. It was fun, but we're also serving a purpose.""Lowery brings a lot to the table because he has served in three out of the department's four divisions," DPD Chief Cliff Cason said. "Having been in Support Services, Patrol and CID, he ties all of those skill sets together, and can answer questions about everything from the budgeting process to career development, and having him as a shift lieutenant, when we have major cases, he's worked those in CID. So he can make sure that we get things right on the front end with these younger officers, and even newer sergeants, to make it a more efficient process where we don't miss things that we should have done on a canvas or other things, because he knows how all that's done. He brings those skill sets back to patrol with him."Through all of Lt. Lowery's various assignments, he's focused on the purpose of making Dalton a better and safer place, officials said."I think we are, for lack of a better term, a guardian of the community. I think we're there to serve a purpose and do what we can for the betterment of our community," Lt. Lowery said. "I think all of us do that to the best of our ability. And we understand that we're part of the community. We're there to work alongside people, get information from the community so that we can do our jobs better and vice versa, give information to them so that they're safer."Lt. Lowery's promotion to the rank of lieutenant was recognized at Tuesday morning's meeting of Dalton's Public Safety Commission. Lt. Lowery says that he's looking forward to taking a "bigger picture" view of leadership for the department."We're still giving direct supervision to the officers, but we have more of that big picture view, so to speak, where we're looking at overall policy and procedure compliance." Lt. Lowery said. "Just making sure that everybody's kind of got their proverbial Is dotted and their Ts crossed when it comes to professionalism for the agency."In his free time, Lt. Lowery says he enjoys scuba diving, hiking and Cross-Fit. He also prizes spending time with his family."Like most everybody else in the community, I'm a parent, so I have some investment in what happens as a byproduct of our society. I want to make sure that my kids are raised up in the safest community that can be," he said. "My passions are making sure that people are safe and that I'm serving a purpose."Lt. Lowery's 25th anniversary with the police department is coming up in July. There have been good days and bad days, he said, but as he climbs to the next stage of his career, he doesn't regret choosing a patrol car instead of a fire truck."I've been fortunate in my career to have a ton of, I feel, positive impact on different situations, whether that be bringing somebody a resolution on a case where I was the main detective, or simply being in the right place at the right time to help save somebody's life," Lt. Lowery said. "I'm happy with what I do, where I'm at and being able to serve in the way that I am." Home News Nigeria officials deny claims over 100 Christians were kidnapped at 3 churches, accused of 'lying' Suspected Fulani militias in Kaduna state, Nigeria, raided three church worship services on Sunday in what local leaders said could be the largest mass kidnapping of Christian farmers in the area. The number of those kidnapped varied from 100 to 177, with facts unclear as state authorities denied the abductions. Sources said the kidnappings took place simultaneously in Kurmin Wali village, Kajuru County, in the southern part of Kaduna state. While Usman Danlami Stingo, who represents the area in the state parliament, told The Associated Press that 177 were kidnapped and 11 escaped, the representative of Kajuru/Chikun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Felix Bagudu, after a briefing with the secretary of the Kajuru Local Government told Truth Nigeria that he doubted the number exceeded 100. The Rev. Joseph John Hayab, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Northern Nigeria Chapter, told media on Monday that 172 Christians were kidnapped from three churches, but that nine of them had escaped. Hayab said he received distress calls from church leaders in the affected community who said, the terrorists invaded the churches while worship services were on. They held the worshippers hostage and marched them out into the bushes. Kurmin Walis Afago ward, where the abductions reportedly took place, is about eight miles south of the town of Maro, and west of Maro are camps that hold hundreds of captives, survivors told Truth Nigeria. Eyewitnesses described the assailants as armed Fulani ethnic militia, reported the outlet, operated by a U.S.-based missions group Equipping the Persecuted. An ECWA member who escaped Sundays attack told Truth Nigeria the gunmen arrived shooting at about 10 a.m., told everyone to lie down and then began marching them out. Some of the assailants wore black robes with black head turbans, and others were outfitted with shabby-looking Nigerian Army camouflage uniforms, the anonymous source told Truth Nigeria, saying he and his 10-year-old son escaped through a window while the assailants were forcing the congregation out. A Kaduna state pastor, Kenneth Ononeze, said the high number of abductions on a single Sunday morning was disturbing. Whats federal and state government doing to rescue them? he said. Are they still living in denial that Christian genocide is not going on? The Rev. Gideon Para-Malam of Kaduna state said the kidnappings targeted a Catholic, Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) church and a Pentecostal church, Cherubim-Seraphim. Large numbers of Muslim Fulani militias surrounded three Christian congregations simultaneously, Pastor Para-Malam told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Only senior citizens and physically handicapped were spared, he said. Police in Kaduna state denied the kidnappings. Kaduna State Police Commissioner Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu said on Monday that officers hadnt received any information about an incident from the area. The story is a mere falsehood, Rabiu told journalists. Anyone who claims people were kidnapped should come forward with names and particulars. Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSW) presented The New York Times a preliminary list of names of people abducted from the churches on Sunday, which CSW representatives said they would release after alerting family members, the newspaper reported. When CSW workers and others went to Kurmin Wali to investigate, military and local government vehicles blocked the road and authorities turned them away, The Times reported. CSW Nigeria spokesman Reuben Buhari said team members were able to phone church members who spoke of the gunmen rounding up congregation members and forcing them into the wilderness, according to The Times. The assailants later freed older women and young children, and another 11 people escaped, Buhari told The Times, which reported on Monday that local authorities and security officials emerged from a meeting at Kaduna state government offices and told media they had found the kidnapping claims to be false. The officials dismissed the reports of kidnappings as fear-mongering, The Times reported. The Associated Press reported the village head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Danazumi, as saying, I am one of the people who escaped from the bandits. We all saw it happen, and anyone who says it didnt happen is lying. An advocacy group, the Chikun/Kajuru Active Citizens Congress (CKACC), published a list of hostages, the AP reported, adding that it could not be independently verified and police did not respond to a request for comment on it. CAN Nigeria also has a list of the hostages, a senior Christian leader in the state told The AP on condition of anonymity. This happened, and our job is to help them, the source reportedly said. These people came, attacked, and picked people from churches. But I think they prefer to play the politics of denying, and I dont think thats what we want. Nigeria has come under pressure from the U.S. government to halt violence against Christians. On Dec. 25, U.S. President Trump ordered airstrikes on what his administration claimed were Islamic State militants in Sokoto state in northwest Nigeria, on the border of neighboring Niger. Several other militant Islamist groups are reported to be active in the area, including Lakurawa, Al-Qaeda, and Boko Haram. A Pentagon official said that the United States worked with the Nigerian government to carry out the strikes. Fulani herdsmen and other bandit terrorists often allied with them killed more civilians in Nigeria over a four-year period than Islamic extremist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), according Aug. 29, 2024, report by the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) on killings from October 2019 to September 2023. Armed Fulani Herdsmen killed 11,948 civilians, while Other Terrorist Groups, commonly called Fulani bandits, killed 12,039 civilians during the period. By contrast, Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) combined killed just 3,079 civilians. The Fulani herdsmen form part of the Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM), and it is believed that part of the Other Terrorist Groups known as Fulani bandits are connected to the FEM, according to the report. It implies that FEM is a much bigger factor in the Nigerian culture of violence than Boko Haram and ISWAP, the ORFA report stated. More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 72 percent were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year. Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdoms All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report. They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity, the APPG report states. Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigerias Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds. In the countrys North-Central zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the countrys northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years. The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jamaa Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali. This article was originally published by Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Home News Understanding Venezuela, Maduro and Trump's big move: Inside the history of US-led regime changes In this episode of "The Inside Story," Billy Hallowell is joined by Michael Gryboski to unpack the explosive U.S. operation targeting former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and the global controversy surrounding it. Plus, they discuss other past U.S.-led regime changes. From power shifts in Iran, Guatemala and Haiti to the issues unfolding in Venezuela today, the conversation explores why these interventions spark celebration for some and outrage for others. The interview tackles issues surrounding power, sovereignty, justice and why history reminds us that no political solution can fully cure the problem of evil. Read more about the topic here and listen to the episode: The Inside Story takes you behind the headlines of the biggest faith, culture and political headlines of the week. In 15 minutes or less, Christian Post staff writers and editors will help you navigate and understand whats driving each story, the issues at play and why it all matters. Listen to more Christian podcasts today on the Edifi app and be sure to subscribe to The Inside Story on your favorite platforms: Home News Alleged victim of CofE clergy abuse claims Sarah Mullaly misled public Quick Summary AI Summary Alleged clergy abuse victim claims incoming Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullaly misled the public about his case. The Bishop of Fulham has initiated a formal investigation into the complaint. Ongoing proceedings contradict Mullaly's assertion that the case was resolved. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary The incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, has been accused of misleading the public over the status of a clergy abuse case. A complainant, known as Survivor N, has said the denominational leader's claim that the case had been fully dealt with is contradicted by ongoing proceedings. The Bishop of Fulham has now decided to proceed with a formal investigation into the priest at the center of a clergy abuse complaint, contradicting earlier claims by Mullally that the case had been fully resolved, The Telegraph reported. The complaint was originally filed in 2020 under the Church of Englands (CofE)Clergy Discipline Measure. Documents show that the CofE's tribunal president directed diocesan lawyer Stuart Jones to handle the case earlier this month. The decision to move forward was made by Bishop Jonathan Baker after N went public, prompting a review. In a letter to N, Jones confirmed that he had been instructed by the president of tribunals to revisit the 2020 complaint. N alleged that Mullallys claim that the matter had been resolved was demonstrably false, citing the ongoing status of the case. Mullally had previously stated that Ns original allegations of sexual misconduct by a priest had been fully investigated and resolved. N said the investigation had never concluded and accused church authorities of attempting to spin the reopening as new rather than acknowledging the original case had been buried. The priest allegedly groped N, asked him to perform a sex act, and spoke of a sexual attraction while partially undressed in his flat. After filing his complaint, N said he learned that Mullally, then Bishop of London, had forwarded his confidential email directly to the priest, violating protocol. N later filed a separate CDM complaint against Mullally, which was never formally addressed by the CofE. The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, concluded that Mullally had committed no misconduct and said no further action would be taken, as reported by Christian Today. In her public statement last month, Mullally acknowledged that N had been failed by the CofE's processes. She maintained that the original allegations were handled by the Diocese of London, but admitted the complaint against her had not been properly managed. N responded that the denomination's handling amounted to a stitch-up. He said it was inappropriate for Bishop Baker, a suffragan bishop under Mullallys oversight, to now oversee the case, and criticized the reappointment of the same diocesan lawyer involved in the original investigation. He said it felt like a sick joke to see Jones once again managing his case after failing to act in 2020. N referred to the situation as Mullallygate and questioned whether Mullallys upcoming confirmation as archbishop should proceed. Andrew Graystone, a campaigner for abuse survivors, said the CofE must restore public trust. He questioned why a case described as resolved was being reinvestigated and criticized the denominations internal procedures. The Diocese of London said the priest was originally investigated in 2014 and 2015, and no safeguarding concerns were found. A restraining order was issued against N in 2017 related to his contact with the priest and remains in place. A spokesperson confirmed that N submitted a CDM complaint in April 2020. It became the subject of legal proceedings before the president of Tribunals. After Ns public comments in December 2025, the president issued new directions for the cases handling. The investigation now proceeds under Bishop Baker despite Joness earlier recommendation to dismiss it. Home News Virginia voters to decide constitutional amendment establishing a right to 'unlimited' abortion Quick Summary AI Summary Virginia voters will decide on a constitutional amendment establishing a right to abortion this fall. The Virginia General Assembly approved the amendment with a 64-34 vote in the House and a 21-18 vote in the Senate. If passed, Virginia would become the 11th state to enshrine a constitutional right to abortion following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 abortion decision. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary The Democrat-controlled Virginia General Assembly has approved a constitutional amendment that would enshrine the right to abortion into the state constitution, which Catholic bishops say will "enshrine virtually unlimited abortion at any stage of pregnancy," paving the way for voters to decide the matter in the fall. The Virginia House of Delegates passed House Joint Resolution 1 in a 64-34 vote on Wednesday, while the Virginia Senate approved it in a 21-18 vote on Friday. The vote fell along party lines, with all support for the proposal coming from Democrats and all opposition coming from Republicans. The measure would add a fundamental right to reproductive freedom to the Bill of Rights of the Virginia Constitution, clarifying that every individual has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including the ability to make and carry out decisions related to ones own prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, miscarriage management, and fertility care. An individuals right to reproductive freedom shall not be, directly or indirectly, denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by a compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive means, the proposed amendment states. Although the proposal would allow the state to regulate the provision of abortion care in the third trimester, it prohibits the regulation of late-term abortions in cases where a physician has determined that they are necessary to protect the life or physical or mental health of a pregnant woman or that the fetus is not viable. Now that Virginia legislators have approved the proposed constitutional amendment in two consecutive legislative sessions, it will go before voters this fall. If passed, Virginia would become the 11th state to establish a constitutional right to abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court determined in its 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organizationdecision that the U.S. Constitution does not contain a right to abortion and overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Other states that have established constitutional rights to abortion via referendum are California, Michigan, and Vermont in 2022, Ohio in 2023, and Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, and New York in 2024. Meanwhile, voters in Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota rejected such amendments last year. The bishops leading Virginias two Roman Catholic dioceses, Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington and Bishop Barry Knestout of the Diocese of Richmond, released a statement Friday condemning the extreme abortion amendment. The Catholic leaders vowed to remain deeply engaged in the work of helping to educate voters on the proposed amendment and fight the extreme abortion amendment with maximum determination. The extreme abortion amendment, which will proceed to a referendum for voters to decide later this year, would go far beyond even what Roe v. Wade previously allowed, they warned. It would enshrine virtually unlimited abortion at any stage of pregnancy, with no age restriction. Among numerous other problems, it would severely jeopardize parental consent law, health and safety standards for women, conscience protections for healthcare providers, and restrictions on taxpayer-funded abortions. Knestout and Burbidge say the amendment "provides no protections whatsoever for preborn children." "Parental rights and the health and well-being of minors must be defended," they wrote. "So too must religious liberty. No one should ever be forced to pay for or participate in an abortion. Health and safety should be enhanced, not diminished. Most importantly, human life is sacred. The lives of vulnerable mothers and their preborn children must always be welcomed, cared for, and protected. Public opinion polling shows that Virginia voters are likely to back a constitutional amendment establishing a right to abortion. A poll of 806 Virginia voters conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University from Dec. 18, 2024, to Jan. 15, 2025, found that 62% of respondents agreed with the resolution passed by the Virginia legislature, while 30% disagreed with it. Meanwhile, a survey of 806 Virginia voters conducted by Christopher Newport University from Jan. 6 to Jan. 13, 2025, found that 61% of respondents supported amending the Virginia Constitution to establish a right to abortion, while 32% opposed it. In addition to Virginia, voters in Nevada are also expected to weigh in on a constitutional amendment establishing a right to abortion this fall. While Nevada voters approved a constitutional amendment establishing a right to abortion last year, it must go before voters a second time before it can take effect. Home News World Relief says 4K resettled refugee families it resettled could be impacted by DHS vetting operation Quick Summary AI Summary World Relief reports 4,400 resettled refugee families it has helped may face detainment amid DHS vetting. DHS has launched Operation PARRIS to conduct extensive background checks on refugees. Federal officials have already made over 10,000 arrests in Minnesota as part of broader immigration enforcement efforts. An artificial intelligence-powered tool created this summary based on the source article. The summary has undergone review and verification by an editor. See Summary The Evangelical humanitarian organization World Relief says refugee families it has helped resettle in Minnesota may be vulnerable to detainment and removal, as thousands of resettled refugee families face renewed immigration scrutiny under a U.S. Department of Homeland Security vetting operation that has led to arrests for alleged fraud. The DHS, through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, has begun implementing Operation Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening (Operation PARRIS) in Minnesota, aimed at verifying refugees resettled during the Biden administration through reinterviews, case reviews and new vetting standards. The operation, which began in mid-December, targets Minnesotas 5,600 refugees who have not yet received green cards. Federal officers are reviewing past approvals, checking for fraud and other violations, and sending cases to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for action. Officials said the initiative is part of a broader federal directive to enforce public safety and immigration integrity under Executive Order 14161 and Presidential Proclamation 10949. As part of its broader immigration crackdown in Minnesota, federal officials have already made more than 10,000 arrests in the state, according to a Monday statement. In a video, Matthew Soerens, vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals that receives funding from the U.S. State Department to facilitate the resettlement of refugees in the U.S., said ICE agents have shown up at the homes of resettled refugees and detained entire families, including children, in some cases. World Relief announced last week that among the families detained were those resettled through its partnership with local affiliate Arrive Ministries. Soerens said ICE appears to be targeting refugees who have not yet received green cards. Refugees are not eligible to apply for a green card until they have been in the United States for at least one year, he said, adding that most families in Minnesota have already submitted their applications. "We got some very troubling news, coming out of Minnesota in particular, where refugees, families that have been lawfully resettled by the United States government because they fled persecution in their countries of origin, had been detained by ICE," he said. "ICE officers had actually shown up at their doors, and if allowed in, had detained in some cases entire families, including children." He said some individuals were arrested while leaving for work, leaving behind spouses and children. The U.S. government had invited these families to settle in the country after fleeing religious persecution, often for their Christian faith or political reasons, he underlined. "[These] refugees are lawfully present from the moment that they arrive, they have been invited by the United States to rebuild their lives in this country because of the persecution that they have already been found to have experienced ... for reasons like their faith in Jesus or their political opinion or their nationality, their ethnicity," he added. "The families that have been detained that we are aware of have already filed for their green cards the way that they are supposed to. But they have not yet received them. Part of that is green cards for refugees resettled under the previous administration have been halted entirely as of last fall." Soerens added that the DHS has indicated the operation will expand to other states. The group estimates that about 4,400 people resettled through its offices, affiliate partners, and churches nationwide could be vulnerable under this initiative. This is a five-alarm fire. These are not the worst of the worst; these are innocent children and families who fled the worst wars and persecution imaginable, who were invited by the American people to become Americans under the terms of American law, World Relief President Myal Greene said in a statement. This shameful and unpatriotic operation preys on our basest fears and manipulates the truth. Enough. ICE must be held accountable, and this operation must cease. Operation PARRIS is being led by USCISs newly established vetting center and builds on a September probe, Operation Twin Shield, which uncovered 275 cases of immigration fraud in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. Officials said the aim is to strengthen post-admission verification and to refer suspected criminal activity to ICE. "USCIS officers focused on more than 1,000 cases that had fraud or ineligibility indicators, conducted over 900 site visits and in-person interviews, and found evidence of fraud, non-compliance, or public safety or national security concerns in 275 cases 44 percent of cases interviewed," the agency stated in September. "USCIS coordinated with our ICE and FBI partners, who provided valuable assistance during the operation. As of today, USCIS issued Notices to Appear (NTAs) or referred aliens to ICE in 42 cases, and 4 aliens were apprehended." USCIS found several cases of marriage fraud, and others were found to be related to suspected terrorists. "In another case, an alien engaged in marriage fraud by taking advantage of an elderly U.S. citizen spouse, including subjecting the spouse to elder abuse and exploitation," the USCIS stated. "This is a small sample of the immigration fraud USCIS officers across the nation combat every single day." USCIS is declaring an all-out war on immigration fraud. We will relentlessly pursue everyone involved in undermining the integrity of our immigration system and laws. ... Immigration fraud undermines the integrity of our lawful immigration system, harms those who follow the law, and poses risks to national security and public safety. Under President Trump, we will leave no stone unturned. ICE Director Todd Lyons said earlier that the agency will continue its enforcement activity in the state regardless of political opposition or public protest. As part of the broader enforcement surge in Minnesota, ICE has arrested dozens of individuals with convictions for violent crimes, including rape and murder. Several of those detained are men from Laos who had previously received final removal orders dating back to the late 1990s and early 2000s. ICE said many of the individuals had been ordered removed for years or decades, but remained in Minnesota. NYC Boosts Staten Island Security, Syria Ceasefire With SDF, Senate Hopeful Declares America Not A Christian Nation link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 06:45 06:45 Top headlines for Tuesday, January 20, 2026 In this episode, we cover New York Citys decision to boost police presence at Staten Island houses of worship after a string of vandalism incidents, Syrias sudden nationwide ceasefire with Kurdish-led forces following weeks of clashes, and a Texas Senate candidates claim that the U.S., though influenced by the radical teachings of Jesus, is not a Christian nation. 00:11 Kathy Hochul says ICE is making people afraid to attend church 00:59 Christian leaders react to activists storming So. Baptist church 01:45 NYC police increasing presence at churches after disruption 02:28 Syria ceasefire raises hopes despite concerns for Christians 03:21 Most Americans back SCOTUS rulings on religious liberty 04:09 James Talarico says 'America is not a Christian nation' 05:02 Trip Lees first worship project shaped by chronic illness January 18, 2026: A year ago, Russia persuaded China to stop selling Ukraine drones or drone components. The Chinese government said it would be done. The Chinese firms that produced drones and drone components were willing to lose one of their largest customers. While the media reported that Ukrainian troops were now short of drones, the shortage was never real and Ukraine had already made plans to deal with the possibility of China helping Russia by cutting off Ukrainian supplies of drones and components. The reality was that dozens of Ukrainian drone manufacturers and thousands of individual Ukrainians continued to make drones by obtaining the needed components from other suppliers. The Chinese suppliers were also not willing to give up selling components, or even drones, to Ukraine. There were trading companies that, for a small fee, would buy goods from Chinese manufacturers and then quietly sell them to a sanctioned customer. The markup was small because there were many of these trading companies and they competed on price as well as service. And then there was the network of drone components suppliers Ukraine organized in European, American and Asian suppliers. The components needed for drones are used in many other commercial products. In short, the Russian sponsored Chinese drone blockade failed and cost Chinese drone and component manufacturers a lot of business. Ukraine could not afford to have their drone supply interrupted. Modern warfare was radically changed by the introduction of drones, particularly the First Person View/FPV drones. These drones are an omnipresent aerial threat to armored vehicles and infantry on foot. Each FPV drone costs less than a thousand dollars. Operators use the video camera on the drone to see what is below and find targets. Armed FPV operators are several kilometers away to decide when their FPV drones will drop explosives on an armored vehicle, which has thinner armor on top, or infantry in the open or in trenches. To do so the drone operators often operate in pairs, with one flying behind the other and concentrating on the big picture while seeking a likely target. When such a target is found by the reconnaissance drone, the armed drone is directed to the target. The two FPV drone operators are usually in the same room or tent and can take control of new drones, which are lined up and brought outside for launch when needed. The reconnaissance drones are often unarmed so they can spend more time in the air to seek a target. The Ukrainians developed the FPV drone in 2022, when only a few FPV drone attacks were recorded. The Ukrainian Army was the first to appreciate the potential of FPV drones. By the summer of 2023, the Russian Army also began to use FPV drones in greater numbers. Since then, the number of FPV drone attacks has grown exponentially on both sides. Only twelve percent of those attacks led to the destruction of the target, which could be a vehicle or group of infantry or even a sniper who was firing through a window from inside a building. In this case, the armed FPV drone would fly through the window and explode in the room the sniper was in. The only defense from this was having a nearby open door the sniper could run to or dive through as the FPV drone approached. Sometimes that isnt possible because the armed FPV drone is coming down from above the window and then in. You dont see those coming until its too late. Ukraine built about five million drones in 2025 and plans to quadruple that in 2026. The current rate of production for defensive drones which intercept enemy drones, is 1500 a day and more than 500,000 annually. The total for 2024 was 1.5 million drones. At least 70 percent of Ukrainian drones are built entirely in Ukraine, and the rest from imported parts or whole assemblies. Some Ukrainian firms have improvised by using plywood and similar materials for their drones. For the FPV First Person View drones, cheaper is better if the drone can hit its first and only target. Most Ukrainian drones are FPV models, which are considered a form of ammunition. Home Opinion Heres why there are more ICE raids in blue states The Left is desperate to make lawful deportation in America a giant, impossible mess to deal with. According to a new media narrative, President Donald Trump and the Department of Homeland Security are behaving irresponsibly by conducting more immigration raids around the country, which in turn have allegedly led to violence against innocent civilians and illegal aliens. And if youve been listening to Democrats, youd think that the reason that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is particularly active in blue states is that the Trump administration is being mean to them for political reasons. Their reasoning goes that Trump wants to occupy and bully their states with ICE terrorists who spend their time murdering innocent American citizens for no reason other than to cruelly own the libs. This is retribution-style politics, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a recent CNN interview. This is drama. This is performance politics at its worst, and its hurting people and its making us less safe. This is projection. Its Frey and friends who are all about performance politics. They desperately want to convey the idea that Trumps immigration enforcement policies are the real problem. But the narrative that aggressive ICE enforcement in blue states is just some kind of political retribution is bunk for many reasons. The biggest one is that Democrats have actively pursued policies that would lead to a confrontation with the federal government over immigration law. This is happening by design. Sanctuary city and state policies aim at blocking the federal government from carrying out federal laws through non-compliance. If the federal government still intends to carry out the law, it doesnt have the same process at its disposal to do that as it does in states that cooperate. The Trump administration has generally prioritized bringing in illegal aliens with a criminal record. This can be done more easily in states that cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security. Generally, local authorities detain individuals for various crimes, and when they discover that the criminal is an illegal alien with a deportation order, they hand them over to federal officers. Not so in blue states, where the federal government must actively pursue illegal aliens if it wishes to detain and deport them. CNN actually covered this issue in August. In states that voted for President Donald Trump, ICE agents are far more likely to arrest immigrants directly from prisons and jails, CNN reported. In Democratic-leaning states, by contrast, ICE is frequently arresting immigrants from worksites, streets and mass roundups that have sparked protests and intense backlash in cities such as Los Angeles. Most of those arrested dont have any criminal record, CNN continued. CNN further found that 59% of arrests in red states took place in prisons and jails, while 70% of arrests in blue states took place in the community. That partisan gap between red and blue states existed before Trumps second term beganbut it has widened since last year. The sanctuary policies are triggering the federal government to engage in aggressive raids. These raids are less efficient, riskier, and more likely to sweep up illegal aliens who dont have an extensive criminal record outside the initial crime of violating U.S. border laws. This is a point my wife, Inez Stepman, and Vice President JD Vance recently made on X. Needless to say, I agree. Democrat politicians and their activist supporters certainly know that sanctuary policies encourage more aggressive ICE enforcement. The Prison Policy Initiative, a left-leaning non-profit organization, highlighted how the data shows sanctuary policies work. Their December paper, titled New ICE arrest data show the power of state and local governments to curtail mass deportations, notes that enforcement strategies differ in blue and red states based on the level of local cooperation. Local jails and police departments are key to the Trump administrations mass deportation agenda because they facilitate ICE arrests of people who are already in police custody, the paper began. It celebrated that the administration was behind on its deportation goals in large part due to state and local efforts to protect immigrant communities and limit cooperation with ICE, Border Patrol, and other federal agencies. Instead of just accepting de facto nullification of federal law, the Department of Homeland Security has stepped up ICE raids to make up for non-cooperation in places like Minnesota. When you combine that with an aggressive, activist street element and irresponsible Democrat politicians like Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, you get situations like the ones that led to the ICE shooting of Rachel Good. The blame for this messy situation doesnt fall on the Trump administration. It falls on those who dont accept the results of the 2024 election, who insist that the results of the open borders insanity of President Joe Biden be locked in forever, and now look to do everything in their power to undermine the law. Originally published at The Daily Signal. Home Opinion The hidden way God opens career doors Many job seekers today are discouraged. They apply for dozens of jobs, hear nothing back, and begin to wonder if something is wrong with them, or with the market. At the same time, employers insist they cant find the right people. What is happening in the job market? Behind the scenes, a major shift is taking place: the rise of quiet hiring and the expansion of the hidden job market. In this article, we will examine how this shift aligns with a biblical understanding of calling and stewardship, and how God typically guides vocational paths. What is quiet hiring? Quiet hiring refers to how organizations meet talent needs without publicly posting jobs. Instead of advertising open roles, employers often expand responsibilities for trusted employees, reassign internal staff into new roles, upskill or reskill workers, use contractors or project-based help, or reach out directly to people in their networks using tools like LinkedIn.com. From a job seekers perspective, it can feel like opportunities have disappeared. In reality, many roles are filled quietly before they are ever posted on job boards. The hidden job market: Where most opportunities actually exist Closely related to quiet hiring is the hidden job market, which comprises jobs filled through relationships and referrals, informal conversations, internal promotions, recruiter outreach, or project work that evolves into a role. Estimates vary, but many studies suggest that 6080% of jobs are filled this way, especially in leadership, professional, ministry, and mission-driven roles. Quiet hiring has dramatically expanded this reality. A biblical reframing of calling Scripture doesnt present calling as a posted position waiting to be applied for. David was tending sheep. Moses was shepherding in Midian. Peter was fishing. Nehemiah was serving as a cupbearer. God calls people while they are faithfully stewarding what is already in their hands. Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much (Luke 16:10). Quiet hiring mirrors this biblical pattern. Increased responsibility follows demonstrated faithfulness, not public announcements. Stewardship Comes Before Expansion In Jesus parable of the talents, the master rewards stewardship, not potential. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things (Matthew 25:21). In todays marketplace, quiet hiring often looks like expanded responsibilities, problem-solving beyond ones formal role, and trust being extended before a title or raise appears. When someone proves faithful, capable, and trustworthy in what theyre given, greater authority naturally follows. Why Gods Work Often Remains Hidden The hidden job market reflects a deeper spiritual reality. God often works quietly before He works publicly. The steps of a person are ordered by the Lord (Proverbs 16:9). Calling is rarely revealed all at once. It unfolds through obedience, experience, reflection, and community. Many roles come into focus only after conversations about your gifts and the needs you can help meet. Gifts are given for service, not self-advancement Scripture consistently teaches that gifts are entrusted for the benefit of others. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of Gods grace (1 Peter 4:10). Quiet hiring favors people who focus on solving real problems, serving the mission, and leading without needing a title. This aligns closely with a Christian view of vocation. Why relationships matter so much God often does His most formative work through relationships. Throughout Scripture, mentors, communities, trusted voices, and seemingly ordinary conversations become the means through which guidance, opportunity, and calling are revealed. Growth and direction rarely happen in isolation. This matters even more in a culture where the average adult now spends four or more hours a day on a smartphone. Despite constant digital connection, many people report feeling more isolated, not less. Online interaction cannot fully replace the depth, trust, and discernment that develop through face-to-face presence and shared life. The hidden job market reflects this same reality. Many meaningful opportunities are not posted publicly; they emerge through conversations, referrals, and shared mission. When approached with humility, curiosity, and a desire to serve, networking becomes something far deeper than self-promotion. It becomes a faithful participation in how God so often works through real people, real relationships, and timely encounters. How your devices can support real relationships While digital tools can never replace face-to-face relationships, they can support discovery when used with intention. In a quiet hiring environment, where opportunities often emerge through trust, shared mission, and informal conversations, your online presence becomes a bridge to real relationships, not a replacement for them. Because quiet hiring relies heavily on recruiter searches and relationship-based discovery, your LinkedIn profile functions less like a traditional resume and more like a calling statement. It helps the right people recognize how you might serve a need they are already trying to solve. Here are three practical ways to strengthen that signal. 1. First, lead with value, not a job title Your headline and summary should communicate the problems you help solve and the strengths you bring, rather than simply listing your current role. For example: Strategic Product Marketing Analyst | B2C Consumer Products Market Assessment, Competitive Positioning, Go-to-Market Strategy Church Leadership & Discipleship Strategist Building volunteer teams, small groups, and sustainable ministry systems Operations & Process Improvement Leader Streamlining workflows, improving efficiency, and scaling growing organizations 2. Second, describe outcomes rather than duties In your experience section, emphasize results, impact, and transferable skills not task lists. Quiet hiring decisions are often driven by a single question: Can this person help us with what we need right now? For example: Instead of: Coordinated weekly staff meetings and managed schedules, try: Improved team coordination and on-time project delivery by streamlining communication and scheduling processes Instead of: Provided pastoral care and oversaw volunteers, try: Strengthened volunteer engagement and retention by developing clear roles, training pathways, and relational leadership practices. 3. Third, make your calling visible Your profile should communicate your gifts, skills, and sense of purpose not just your career history. People are far more likely to reach out when they can clearly see how you might serve a need that hasnt yet been fully defined. For example: Instead of: Open to new opportunities in ministry or nonprofit work, try: Passionate about helping churches and mission-driven organizations develop leaders, build healthy systems, and align people with their God-given gifts and callings How Career Fit Test supports the quiet hiring reality As part of the Career Fit Test Premium Report, users receive a LinkedIn profile checklist designed to help translate their skills, strengths, and calling into a profile that supports genuine discovery and relationship-based opportunity in the hidden job market. In the hidden job market, people who understand their transferable, personal, and content skills and how to communicate those strengths have a distinct advantage. The Career Fit Test helps individuals clarify how they add value beyond job titles, articulate their calling with confidence, and connect their God-given design to real-world needs. This kind of clarity is exactly what quiet hiring rewards. When roles are shaped around people rather than postings, those who can clearly explain how they serve, solve problems, and steward their gifts stand out. Learning to search beyond job boards As we have discussed, only about 20-40% of jobs are advertised on job boards. ChristianCareerCenter.com and ChurchJobsOnline.com are two boards where you can find many ministry and church openings. You will also find many job search articles at these sites that address the hidden job market, faith-based networking, informational interviewing, calling-centered career transitions, and ministry-aligned job searches. We estimate that 95% of job hunters only use job boards when searching for job openings. Thus, 95% of job hunters apply for 20% of advertised jobs. As you can imagine, the competition is intense. While many people are aware of networking and finding jobs through friends and family, most lack strategies for accessing the hidden job market, which accounts for 60-80% of jobs. These strategies include using two cover letters that tap into the hidden job market. One of those cover letters is what we call a personal contact cover letter. The other is a direct employer cover letter. Using these tools can maximize your job search and significantly reduce the time it takes to land the right role. A Kingdom perspective on success Scripture defines success differently from our culture. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much (Luke 16:10). Quiet hiring and the hidden job market remind us that faithfulness comes before visibility, stewardship before expansion, and calling unfolds over time. Gods work often advances quietly. Final encouragement If your job search feels slow or unclear, it may not be a failure. It may be an invitation. An invitation to clarify your calling, steward your gifts well, engage in meaningful conversations, and trust Gods timing. God rarely calls people through announcements alone. He calls them through faithfulness, relationships, and obedient stewardship. That has always been true long before quiet hiring ever had a name. Home Opinion Why are 64% of American churchgoers wrong about Heaven? What are American churchgoers being taught from the pulpit these days about what happens after death? Clearly something is terribly amiss. A 2025 study by Dr. George Barna and Dr. David Closson reveals the dire situation. Only 36% correctly affirm: "You will go to Heaven if you repent of sin and accept Christ." The rest of American churchgoers are completely misguided regarding who goes to Heaven. The Family Research Council released the study a few months ago. And here is what people in the pew actually think: "Everyone goes to Heaven" (14%). "Everyone is purified, then goes to Heaven" (12%). "Don't know" (12%). "You go to Heaven if you did good deeds" (11%). "You cease to exist" (7%). "You are reincarnated" (7%). "You go to Hell" (2%). Why are two-thirds of churchgoers wrong about something so foundational to Christianity? If your pastor is not preaching the Gospel, you should switch to a church where the truth of Scripture is being taught. Half of American churchgoers (49%) either do not know who goes to Heaven, or believe that everyone goes to Heaven, or think that everyone is purified and then goes to Heaven. These statistics are shocking! And remember, these are people who actually attend church! The biggest problem is that many pastors are not firmly rooting believers in the Gospel and the truth of Scripture. How else can you account for this sorry state of affairs among American churchgoers? Southern Baptist professor Dr. Dustin Benge said, "You don't need massive platforms, radical ideas, and revolutionary fervor to accomplish great things for God. Do the ordinary things: Serve in a local church, Stand on the truth, Share the Gospel, Love people. God uses 'ordinary' people to turn the world upside down." The Apostle Paul would have never made an impact if it were not for the power of the Gospel. And the same is true for all of the apostles, as well as anyone who has ever been called by the Holy Spirit to preach God's Word. The preacher must be absolutely convinced about the truth of the Gospel (see John 3:16) as well as the realities of Heaven and Hell. Theologian Richard Baxter (1615-1691) said, "I preach as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men." It is tragic that 64% of American churchgoers seem to lack a basic understanding of the Gospel. Wherever this spiritual disease exists, the train has gone off the rails. If your preacher simply presents lessons about morality, or self-help lectures, you need to get connected to a congregation where God's Word is faithfully taught and where the preacher believes and preaches the Gospel. Where do you land today in the Barna study? Are you among the roughly one-third (34%) who understand that only those who repent of their sin and accept Christ will go to Heaven? Or are you among the two-thirds of American churchgoers who seemingly fail to grasp and believe the Gospel? While some survey responders may have given an answer other than what is actually in their heart, I suspect most of those who responded answered according to what they truly believe. Sadly, many American churchgoers remain lost and confused concerning the biblical message of salvation. You cannot give out what you have not yet received yourself. If your pastor fails to preach the Gospel, then pray for the salvation of your spiritual leaders, and for empowered preaching that is grounded in the Gospel and filled with conviction from the Holy Spirit. Pastor Alistair Begg said, "If people leave worship saying, 'What an amazing preacher!' we have failed. Instead, we must long for them to say, 'What a great God, and what a privilege it is to meet Him in His Word, as we have just done.' A good teacher clears the way, declares the way, and then gets out of the way." Many Christians in America realize that we need a revival in our nation today. The results of the Barna survey reveal the depths to which such a revival is desperately needed, both among the clergy and among everyone sitting in congregations all across the country. Scottish evangelist and teacher Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) said, "We preach to men as if they were conscious they were dying sinners. They are not; they are having a good time." Therefore, we must pray fervently that the Holy Spirit convicts hearers of their sin and reveals to them the only remedy for their separation from God. The new birth is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. And the Gospel message is a spiritual message that can only be understood and believed as the Holy Spirit works in a person's heart. Churchgoers who fail to believe the simple Gospel message fail to know the Lord, in spite of their religious observances. What about you, my friend? Do you know you are a sinner who is lost and condemned apart from God's mercy and grace? Come to the cross today in repentance and faith. Turn away from works righteousness and place all of your confidence in Heaven in the sacrifice Christ completed for you on the cross. At the end of the day, what is the point of attending a church where the Gospel is not taught and celebrated? January 20, 2026: At the end of 2025, the United States revealed a new National Security Strategy/NSS document. This one was different in that it was more precise, political, decisive and differentiated than earlier efforts. This NSS seeks to create a new era of unprecedented achievement for America. This includes using the President's unique deal-making skills to negotiate peace deals in more than a dozen ongoing conflicts around the world. In the first year of the current Presidency, most of these conflicts had been settled or peace efforts were making substantial progress. The new NSS reveals a new diplomacy based on economic and military deal-making rather than American worldwide economic and military domination. Domestically, more emphasis is now placed on eliminating illegal migration. This will reduce migrant related crime, increase employment opportunities for U.S. citizens and lead to more cooperation with nations that supply the illegal migrants to find solutions that convince foreigners to seek legal migration to the United States. There is also a new approach to American reactions to crises in the Western Hemisphere. The United States is more willing to use force to prevent countries in other parts of the world from interfering in our hemisphere. When there is an internal or multinational problem in our hemisphere, the situation will be addressed by the U.S. more quickly and forcefully than in the past. Another new government policy is support for traditional family values where the family consists of a mother, father and children. Families are encouraged to raise children in an atmosphere that supports traditional American values of fairness, hard work and honest dealings with others. Its also important to make Americans aware of how foreign policy problems often depend on different family, social, and political values found in foreign countries. This explains why U.S. and European attitudes towards supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia differ. New American military proposals, like the Golden Dome ballistic missile shield, are also subject to financial and diplomatic issues. Can the U.S. defense budget sustain such a project and does it risk starting another arms race like the one between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the 1948-91 Cold War? Another NSS issue is the extent to which the United States military is used to defend European NATO nations and allies in the Pacific region. NATO Europe nations collectively generate half the global GDP. Pacific allies like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Australia maintain armed forces, in cooperation with U.S. forces assigned to the Western Pacific, are hopefully an effective deterrent to any aggressive Chinese military plans. The United States wants its allies, particularly the ones in Europe, to make more of an effort to defend themselves. That means spending at least 2 percent of GDP on defense and preferably 5 percent. Currently the U.S. spends 3.4 percent, which will come to a trillion dollars a year in 2027. The European average is 1.8 percent, and the growing Russian threat has all European nations increasing their defense spending. The countries closest to Russia, like Poland and the three Baltic States, are headed towards five percent. Poland is already over 4 percent, and the three Baltic States are at about 3.4 percent and rising. The U.S. is also more aggressive in advising its allies to stop Islamic radicals from migrating to their nations and to expel the ones already there. European governments are downplaying the danger, but their constituents are alarmed. European elections over the next five or ten years will create governments that recognize the Islamic threat and deal with it. A growing number of Americans and politicians are backing laws that demand potential and existing voters to present valid photo ID to vote. This would eliminate all the current voting fraud committed by illegal migrants and corrupt politicians. Another needed reform is the state of American industrial capacity. For three decades more manufacturing, and jobs, have been exported to China and other nations. The new policy seeks to bring the manufacturing and the jobs back to the United States. This is all part of a revived America First policy. The Charity Commission has used its powers to merge two disputing charities to run premises as one organisation. Today, the commission announced that it had merged the Muslim Community Centre and Mosque 1977 with the Dudley Central Mosque and Muslim Community Centre, which are both the subjects of statutory inquiries. It is extremely rare for the commission to use this power, which is only used in the most complex of cases. The regulator took action to resolve confusion around which charity is responsible for the mosque and its day-to-day management and tackle years of governance concerns at the Dudley Central Mosque and Muslim Community Centre. To date, the existence of two charities, both with complicated structures, has exacerbated a dispute between involved parties, it said. The regulator continues to encourage parties to mediate, as talks previously hadnt progressed in part due to the complexity of this case. Years of regulatory concerns The regulator opened a statutory inquiry into the Dudley Central Mosque and Muslim Community Centre in July 2022 after the charity had repeatedly failed to meet its accounting requirements, despite previous regulatory engagement. When the regulator opened its inquiry into the charity, it had already been the subject of three regulatory compliance cases, all of which examined issues related to an ongoing dispute between two groups representing the charity. Then, in April 2025, the regulator opened an inquiry into the Muslim Community Centre and Mosque 1977 due to a dispute between the unregistered charity and Dudley Central Mosque and Muslim Community Centre that posed a risk to charity property. The regulator also looked at a lack of clarity around the respective charities roles in managing its shared property in Birmingham Street, Dudley, and how related charitable funds are banked. At the time, it concluded that the Muslim Community Centre and Mosque 1977 was a charity, but failed to identify its current trustees. Unprecedented use of powers The commission has now created a new governing document to enable the newly combined charity to operate effectively, an unprecedented use of its powers which havent been applied in this way for over 20 years. The new governing document includes workable parts from each charitys existing governing documents, sets out rules on how the organisation should run in line with charity law and official guidance. It aims to guide elected trustees on issues such as decision-making, minute-taking, roles and responsibilities and membership at the charity. The commission has also instructed the interim trustees appointed to the Dudley Mosque and Community Centre to hold elections. Trustees have been given a clearer framework to appoint future trustees and admit members to the new charity, offering a transparent way for members of the community to be involved in the charity moving forward, it said. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, The headline figure is stark: volunteering in England has declined by more than a third since 2019. At first glance, this seems like another post-pandemic story of fraying civic life. But the real lesson from recent research is not simply that fewer people are volunteering. It is that our understanding of volunteering how we define it, measure it, and support it has failed to keep pace with societal changes. Volunteering has long been treated as a social bonus: welcome, virtuous, but ultimately peripheral to economic and political decision-making. This complacency is dangerous. According to research commissioned by the Gradel Institute of Charity in 2025, civil society contributes an estimated 119bn to the UK economy, yet it is rarely seen by policymakers as part of the nations growth strategy. We argue that volunteering is not simply a nice to have; it is core social infrastructure. When it weakens, the effects ripple through communities, public services and local economies. Survey evidence does point to a decline in traditional forms of volunteering. Data from the Community Life Survey shows significant falls in both formal volunteering (through clubs and organisations) and informal volunteering (helping non-relatives) over the past decade. Regular, long-term commitments have been particularly hard hit, with emerging research from the Gradel Institute suggesting a generational decline in roles such as charity trusteeship a quiet crisis for governance across the sector. Uncounted participation The Gradel Institutes new report, the Future of Volunteering , came out of a roundtable event and urges caution against a single, simplistic narrative. Volunteering is not a homogenous activity, and treating it as such obscures more than it reveals. Much participation goes uncounted because people do not describe what they do as volunteering. Mutual aid, citizen-led initiatives, skills-based contributions, and crisis-response volunteering often sit awkwardly within survey definitions. If measurement tools lag behind lived reality, decline may be overstated in some areas and misunderstood in others. This matters because how we define volunteering shapes who is recognised, which activities receive support, and how organisations design roles. Narrow definitions risk excluding people; overly broad ones blur the line between volunteering and paid work. The Future of Volunteering makes a compelling case for a more pragmatic approach: acknowledging data limitations without dismissing the clear signal that action is needed. Shifting motivations So why is volunteering becoming harder to sustain? The roundtable discussions point to three interlocking factors: motivation, resources, and opportunity. Motivations appear to be shifting. Many people still want to help, but are less inclined towards formal, institutional roles. Cause-based, identity-aligned, and time-limited participation is increasingly attractive, especially among younger generations. Resources are a growing constraint. Volunteering depends on time, health, financial security and social support all of which are unevenly distributed. Cost-of-living pressures, housing insecurity, poor mental health and caring responsibilities disproportionately affect those who might otherwise volunteer. Ironically, the people most likely to benefit from being a volunteer are often those least able to afford it. Without addressing these structural barriers, change is unlikely to happen. Opportunity is the third, and often overlooked, factor. Many charities lack the capacity to recruit, train and manage volunteers effectively, particularly after years of austerity and post-pandemic strain. Volunteering is not free: it requires investment in coordination, safeguarding and support. When organisations retrench, volunteering opportunities shrink, even if public willingness exists. Overcoming barriers The outcomes of our roundtable discussions mirror the results of a newly released survey, commissioned by Marie Curie, which suggests that almost half of UK adults are likely to volunteer in 2026 an encouraging start of the International Volunteer Year! However, the barriers to converting this energy into actual volunteering remain significant: the most frequently cited constraints are lack of time (50%), concerns about commitment (22%), uncertainty about how to get involved (18%), and limited awareness of nearby opportunities (17%). Encouragingly, the Future of Volunteering highlights forms of volunteering that are thriving and can overcome these barriers. Relational models that prioritise human connection, flexible roles that fit around busy lives, combining volunteering with existing responsibilities, and citizen-led approaches that share power with communities all show promise. Digital platforms such as GoVo and skills-based brokerage models like Reach Volunteering demonstrate how infrastructure can expand access and diversify participation. But flexibility alone is not enough. A central challenge remains: how to sustain volunteering that requires regular, long-term commitment mentoring, befriending, trusteeship without reverting to exclusionary models that rely on a shrinking pool of already-privileged volunteers. Adapting to change The reports answer is not a grand national scheme, but a rebalancing: A move towards an ecosystem approach and an understanding that the responsibility of volunteering is shared between individuals, organisations, and governments. Charities must collaborate more effectively, sharing platforms, data and practice rather than competing for the same volunteers. Government, meanwhile, must move beyond warm words. Supporting volunteering means investing in social infrastructure: community spaces, stable funding, enabling welfare and employment policies, and possibly mechanisms such as paid volunteering leave. It also means recognising that volunteering policy cannot be isolated from housing, health and labour markets. There is realism here too. No one pretends that volunteering levels can be rapidly fixed from the top down. But failing to act carries its own cost. As pressures on public services intensify, the erosion of voluntary capacity risks deepening inequality and hollowing out community life. The real danger is not that volunteering is changing change is inevitable but that policy fails to adapt. If volunteering is to remain a vital force in social and economic life, it must be understood not as unpaid labour to be extracted, but as a relational, resource-dependent practice that needs care, investment and imagination. In short, the decline in volunteering is a warning light. Whether it becomes a turning point depends on whether we are willing to rethink what volunteering is for, and what it needs to flourish. 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, Allstate can move forward in its recovery of $4.7 million it paid to settle fraudulent medical claims with a Houston, Texas medical facility, the Fifth Circuit has ruled. The federal appellate court reversed a lower courts ruling that Allstates RICO claims failed because the insurer didnt sufficiently allege that it relied on fraudulent bills when settling the claims. Rather, the Fifth Circuit said that Allstate adequately showed it was the victim of a RICO scheme involving more than 600 claimants. Beginning in 2018, Dr. Akash Bhagat and defendants enteredinto agreements with personal injury attorneys to refer clients to Memorial Heights Emergency Center under letters of protection guaranteeing payment from future insurance settlements, court proceedings say. Defendants charged car accident patients at emergency billing codes, rates nearly triple those normally charged. Visits to Memorial Heights soon doubled, with some patients driving more than 90 miles and bypassing other medical centers to reach the inconspicuous facility in a modest shopping center far away from any major thoroughfares. Patients received expensive diagnostic tests, including CT scans, only to be discharged without further treatment, court proceedings say. Memorial Heights would then forward bills to the personal injury attorneys, who then presented the bills to Allstate as part of settlement agreements. By November 2022, Allstate had settled with 635 claimants. Allstate discovered the scheme and sued the defendants to recover $4.7 million plus treble damages and attorney fees. A district court dismissed Allstates suit, arguing that Allstate did not adequately allege that it relied on the fraudulent bills when settling the claims, and that the insurer did not adequately plead that the fraudulent bills directly or proximately caused injury. The court held that Allstate was complicit because it knew about the fraud but continued to engage in settlement agreements. On appeal, a three-judge panel from the Fifth Circuit ruled that the district court erred in dismissing Allstates RICO claims. The appellate court ruled that Allstate satisfied federal and Texas common-law fraud claims by sufficiently alleging the Memorial Heights scheme caused it to pay for fraudulently billed services. Significantly, Allstate met the but-for causation burden, in which a plaintiff must show only that the harm would not have occurred absent the defendants conduct. It pled that but for the allegedly fraudulent bills, it would not have paid money to settle the claims for those bills, the court wrote. The Fifth Circuit remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with its opinion. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Bayer AGs appeal taking aim at thousands of lawsuits targeting its top-selling Roundup weedkiller for causing cancer. The high court agreed Friday to hear Bayers challenge to a $1.25 million Missouri jury verdict over Roundup on the grounds some of the claims in the 2023 case were preempted by federal law. Bayer officials hope the justices ruling will help knock out thousands of Roundup cases that include failure-to-warn claims. Roundup litigation has troubled the German conglomerate since it bought Monsanto for $66 billion and inherited a string of suits that have cast a cloud over its shares. The company already has paid more than $10 billion in verdicts and settlements over the herbicide and its active ingredient, glyphosate. Related: Bayer Adds $1.37B to Roundup Litigation Reserves Bayer shares gained about 80% last year as investors bet on a turnaround, although they remain far below their level prior to the Monsanto deal. The Supreme Court took Bayers appeal after seeking the Trump administrations views on whether it should hear the case. Last month, US Solicitor General D. John Sauer recommended the justices review Bayers legal arguments that federal law governing approved pesticides supersedes state law when it comes to juries hearing claims the company failed to properly warn consumers about Roundups cancer risks. Lower appellate courts have ruled differently on the preemption issue over the last several years. The high courts decision is likely to address the split among the courts. Bayer appealed the verdict after jurors in Missouri state court ordered the companys Monsanto unit to pay damages to cancer patient John Durnell in October 2023. After seven years of fighting Roundup cases in the US, Bayer is still facing about 67,000 claims from plaintiffs who allege that long-term exposure to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, caused their cancer. Bayer insists the weedkiller is safe. The litigation has cast such a pall over Bayer that Chief Executive Officer Bill Anderson has said hes weighing whether to stop making glyphosate altogether. The company recently settled a $2.1 billion verdict handed down by a state-court jury in Georgia. Terms of the accord werent disclosed. Bayer argued to the nations highest court that failure-to-warn claims brought in state court must yield to the US Environmental Protection Agencys decision not to force Bayer to put a cancer warning on Roundup. Bayer began replacing its glyphosate-based version of the product for residential users with a different formulation in 2022. Many large verdicts against Bayer and Monsanto have been based, in part, on failure-to-warn allegations. The language of each states laws governing the claim vary, but Bayer contends the preemption issue supplants all of them. The German company has struggled to deal with the current and projected future caseload of Roundup suits. Bayer has said publicly it already has resolved more than 130,000 cases, either by settlement or having judges throw them out. It also has set aside another $6 billion to deal with Roundup cases. The case is Monsanto v. Durnell, 24-1068. Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Mayor Kim Thomas and City Council President Bobby Jordan were sworn into their second four-year terms of office Saturday (Jan. 17). The ceremony at the citys community center at Richmond Heights Community Park was attended by elected officials from across the region. Also taking the oath of office was Councilwoman-at-Large Cherita Shaw, who was elected in November to her first term. Thomas, Jordan and Shaw repeated their oaths as administered by Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court Judge Tonya R. Jones. Mayor Kim Thomas takes the ceremonial oath of office from Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Judge Tonya R. Jones. Thomas, Council President Bobby Jordan and Councilwoman-at-Large Cherita Shaw took their official oaths prior to starting their terms on Jan. 1. City of Richmond Heights The event, held before a capacity crowd that included friends and family of those being sworn in, featured guest speaker U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown, D-11, and words from State Sen. Kent Smith, D-21, of Euclid. Also lending remarks were Cindy Demsey, president of the Cuyahoga Democratic Womens Caucus, and Warrensville Heights City Council President Johnny Williams. Thomas, who ran unopposed for re-election in November, said, This ceremony was more than a tradition; it was a statement of hope, progress and purpose. With fresh energy, bold vision and a deep commitment to service, our new leadership is ready to move Richmond Heights forward. The future is bright, and this is only the beginning. The Richmond Heights Community Center was filled to capacity for Saturday's event. City of Richmond Heights Thomas, Jordan and Shaw released a joint statement to residents prior to the event about their election wins: This victory is not just ours, it belongs to all of us. It belongs to every neighbor who believed in the power of unity, every volunteer who served with heart and every voice that said, We deserve better. Thank you for your incredible support. We could not have done this without you. Your belief in our vision and your commitment to Richmond Heights carried us to this moment. We look forward to working together as we continue building a stronger, brighter tomorrow for our city. Thank you for being here, for believing, and for being part of this journey. Together, we will keep moving Richmond Heights forward. Read more from the Sun Messenger. WASHINGTON - Vice President JD Vance will visit an industrial shipping facility in Toledo on Thursday, his office announced on the one-year anniversary of the Trump administration taking office The Cincinnati Republican is scheduled to deliver remarks highlighting the administrations commitment to lower prices, bigger paychecks, and creating good-paying jobs in Ohio and across the Midwest, according to a press advisory. The Toledo stop continues a pattern of economic messaging tours by Vance, who has been defending the administrations economic record against polling showing most Americans disapprove of its handling of the economy. At a December stop at a Uline packaging company facility near Allentown, Pennsylvania, Vance urged voters to give the White House more time to address high costs. Rome was not built in a day, Vance told the crowd, acknowledging that many Americans are still struggling but blaming affordability challenges on the Biden administration. If you had $3,000 taken out of your pocket by the Biden administration, of course, youre still struggling to get by, said Vance during the Pennsylvania visit. The vice president has also focused on connecting energy policy to grocery prices, arguing that lowering regulation on American energy will reduce costs for consumers. If the truck that takes the groceries to the grocery store is paying out the wazoo for diesel fuel, then that means every American is going to be paying more at the grocery, he explained in Pennsylvania. If the farmers who actually grow our food are paying way too much for fuel and fertilizer, that means American citizens are not going to be able to afford their groceries. Vance has also promoted policies like eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and auto loans for American-made cars, promising voters would see tangible benefits during tax season. When asked about negative polling ahead of midterm elections during the Pennsylvania visit, Vance expressed confidence that voters would reward Republicans for their economic policies. Im not worried about the politics because I believe fundamentally in the wisdom of the American people, he said. Details about the specific Toledo facility and timing of Thursdays visit were not immediately available. CLEVELAND, Ohio The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency wants to change the way it regulates stormwater and wastewater discharge from the states growing number of data centers and that has alarmed two Republican legislators from northern Ohio. The state EPA wants to apply a general discharge permit to all data centers going forward, representing a break from the site-specific method by which the permits have previously been granted. The new general permit would exclude Lake Erie from protections being given to other bodies of water deemed to have exceptional ecological value, a major concern of Ohio Rep. David Thomas, a Republican from Ashtabula County, and Kellie Deeter, a Republican from Huron County. Both have submitted comments to Ohio EPA Director John Logue to express their displeasure with proposed permit changes. Ohio EPA should decline to finalize this general permit, Thomas wrote to Logue. The draft explicitly acknowledges that permit coverage would result in a lowering of water quality and, further, it structurally excludes Lake Erie from protections afforded to other high-quality waters and lakes. Thomas said in an interview with cleveland.com that he believes the Ohio EPA is seeking the changes to accommodate the wishes of President Donald Trump, who has called for regulations surrounding the construction of data centers be streamlined. The Ohio EPA, in response to questions from cleveland.com, acknowledged that is part of the reason for the proposed one-size-fits-all permit. The draft general permit creates more administrative efficiency while continuing to hold companies to the highest standards, the Ohio EPA said. This does not weaken environmental protection, and the draft permit is protective of human health and the environment. Data centers have been popping up all over the country to accommodate the growing demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other online services. The state has 85 data centers that house 179 individual units, according to the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. There are pros and cons to locating data centers in a community. Among the concerns is they consume vast amounts of land, electricity and often water, depending upon their cooling technology, states the website of law firm Bricker Graydon Wyatt, which represents data center developers in the state. Under the proposed permit, the type of discharges allowed into Ohio waterways would include water used by data centers for cooling. Also, low volume wastewater discharges such as cooling tower blowdown, boiler blowdown, and air compressor condensate would be allowed, as would stormwater associated with industrial activities. Among the discharges that would not be allowed under the general permit would be those flowing into combined or sanitary sewer systems or into waters designated as seasonal habitats for salmon-type fish; when unacceptably high levels of certain volatile organic compounds are present; and within 500 yards upstream from a surface water intake serving a public water supply. Discharge into lakes, except Lake Erie, would also be prohibited. Deeter, who has been in office one year, said she has attempted to get answers to questions about the proposed permit from the Ohio EPA over the past three to four weeks but has not received what I would consider an acceptable amount of information. For example, shes not sure why Lake Erie is exempt from certain permit protections, while other bodies of water are not. I couldnt get that information, she said. The Ohio EPA, in response to a similar question from cleveland.com, said Lake Erie is treated differently because of the large volume of water it holds. Because of its size, it can handle certain pollutant loads while still staying healthy, according to the Ohio EPA. Thomas said the greater concern is probably not whats in the water thats discharged as much as the temperature of the outflow. High-temperature water in a stream or river changes the dynamic of a river and the water quality, he said. Thomas said its his impression that discharge from the data centers into Lake Erie would not change the ecology much, but I think we still have to be very careful. The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, which monitors watersheds around Greater Cleveland, has similar concerns about the use of a general permit and believes it should remain site-specific. Depending on the body of water receiving the discharge, warm temperatures and additional flows can be very disruptive to an ecosystem, according to sewer district spokeswoman Jenn Elting. Each water body is distinct and unique and that needs to be taken into consideration, something a general permit would not do, she said. Elting said general permits have fewer compliance points to consider than do site-specific permits. Another aspect of the draft permit that both Thomas and Deeter found disconcerting is that it acknowledges there will be water degradation. It has been determined that a lowering of water quality of various waters of the state (under the proposed permit) is necessary to accommodate important social and economic development in the state of Ohio, the permit reads. The Ohio EPA asserts that while the language sounds like water quality will be degraded, it does not mean the water becomes unsafe or polluted. Even with a new or increased source of discharge, the water still must meet all state and federal guidelines to ensure the water is safe. The proposed permitting change comes at the same time Deeter wants a commission to examine many aspects of data center development. She and another state representative have introduced a bill that calls for having 13 members appointed by the governor, house speaker and senate president study the effects of data centers on the environment, electrical grid, water usage, noise and light pollution, impacts on the local economy, farmland, and contributions to national security and the development of artificial intelligence. Deeter doesnt object to the proliferation of data centers, calling them necessary. But she believes the state needs to be as thoughtful as possible in the process. The people I represent deserve a process that protects water resources first and ensures transparent, locally relevant review, not a blanket permitting structure that anticipates degradation and reduces the practical visibility of individual authorizations, she wrote in her public comments to Logue. Thomas, who also doesnt oppose data centers, wants the same thing. I want more data centers. I dont think they are bad, Thomas said. But they need to be done the right way with full public trust. The public comment period on the proposed change ended on Friday. The Ohio EPA will consider those comments before issuing a final version of the permit. This story was updated to accurately reflect Thomas district, which is near the lake but does not directly border it. January 20, 2026: Last year a ceasefire agreement in Thailands war with Cambodia went into effect on July 28. This conflict was brief with 350 dead and wounded. With all the shooting between soldiers and armed civilians, it is difficult to obtain accurate casualty figures. Thai forces, better trained, organized, and led, experience far fewer casualties. So far Thailand has reported about 300 killed or wounded, mostly military personnel, with approximately fifty civilians killed or injured. Earlier this year the United States sent $58 million to help implement the peace agreement with Thailand. What triggered this years violence was a February incident when Thai soldiers entered Cambodia and ordered Cambodian tourists to stop singing the Cambodian national anthem at the Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple. In late May, Cambodian and Thai soldiers briefly exchanged fire, resulting in the death of one Cambodian soldier. Attempts to halt the fighting failed, and continued tensions led to the closure of border checkpoints. Talks between Thai and Cambodian officers took place on May 29. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet responded to the May 28 incident by seeking a ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), stating that he did not want conflict with Thailand. Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said neither side wanted to escalate the conflict and that it had been resolved. Fourteen years ago, fighting on the Cambodian border continued over a weekend. The action was not intense, mostly involving assault rifle fire. Local villagers reported hearing machine guns, artillery, or mortars. There were approximately twenty casualties. This was a sharp break from recent peace efforts. Three months ago, after two years of armed stalemate, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to reopen border crossings at the site of the ancient Preah Vihear Hindu temple on the border. The two countries have long disputed ownership of parts of the ancient site. In 1962, an international court declared the temple Cambodian, but Thailand continues to claim adjacent areas that Cambodians insist are part of the temple complex. Each side maintains about 3,000 troops near the temple, and there have been a few shooting incidents since 2008, though none were serious. The two countries have been negotiating the withdrawal of soldiers. The most recent fighting damaged portions of the temple, which Cambodians occupied, and caused over 20,000 local civilians to flee the area. This dispute is one of many similar conflicts. The fundamental issue is that the current 730-kilometer-long border, defined in 1907 by the placement of only 73 border markers, leaves the exact border location open to interpretation. Occasionally, these interpretations clash, as is happening now. Neither side wants a full-scale war, even though Thailand has a larger and better-equipped military. In recent years, Cambodia doubled its annual military budget to $500 million. Thailand spends more than six times that amount and has done so for decades. Thailand has 300,000 troops, while Cambodia has only 100,000. However, Thailand faces distractions, including Muslim terrorists in the south, rebellious populists in the north, and unrest across the northwest border with Burma. The Preah Vihear temple is 340 kilometers east of the capital. The government believes that a major war with Cambodia would soon become unpopular and strengthen Thailands anti-army red shirt faction, potentially allowing them to take power. The red shirt populists claim they have proof that the army planned a violent crackdown in 2010. This elicited surprise among military and police planners, who consider it standard to prepare plans for all imaginable contingencies. The attack on the red shirts last year was similar to the 1989 Chinese response to the massive demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. The government has asked the army to be more flexible and effective in the south. Senior officials believe that Islamic radicals and Muslim gangsters are adapting their tactics more innovatively. The generals are being urged to be more creative and quicker to adapt. The military is asked, not ordered, because in Thailand, the generals wield significant political power and are not easily pushed around. The army believes its tactics are effective and that the Islamic terror groups are being gradually defeated. Royalist yellow shirts continue to occupy Ratchadamnoen Road, a historic district in the capital, to pressure the government to take a more aggressive stance against Cambodia. The yellow shirts are also threatening to occupy key locations in the capital. Earlier this year, Thai and Cambodian troops agreed to a ceasefire at the Preah Vihear temple. It lasted less than 24 hours. Elsewhere in the area, three policemen were killed, and five Buddhists were shot dead, apparently by Islamic terrorists seeking to drive all non-Muslim infidels out of the region. China's economy, trade remain resilient amid global headwinds Xinhua) 14:45, January 20, 2026 A drone photo shows a view of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday upgraded its projections for China's growth to 5 percent in 2025 and 4.5 percent in 2026, up by 0.2 and 0.3 percentage points from its October forecast, respectively, according to its latest World Economic Outlook report. BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- China announced on Monday that its economy posted a 5 percent increase in 2025 amid domestic and external challenges, showing a trajectory of resilient and stable growth and remaining a powerhouse of the world economy. Analysts believe the number is impressive given the U.S. tariff war, highlighting the flexibility and resilience of the Chinese market. STABLE GROWTH China's GDP reached a record 140.1879 trillion yuan (about 20.01 trillion U.S. dollars) last year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed. "For a super-large economy like China, achieving such stable development is by no means easy amid intertwined risks and challenges," Kang Yi, head of the NBS, told a press conference. Facing abrupt changes in the external environment and mounting domestic difficulties and challenges, China adopted more proactive and effective macro policies, which helped offset adverse external shocks and stabilize the foundation for development amid headwinds, he added. "The description of China's economic growth performance in 2025, in one word, is resilience," Sandile Swana, a South African governance and political analyst, told Xinhua. John Bryson, expert in economic geography and professor at the University of Birmingham, said: "Some commentators might be surprised with this outcome given that this occurred during (U.S. President) Donald Trump's tariff war. However, this 5 percent demonstrates that Chinese politicians, policymakers and companies were able to adjust." "China has been extremely effective in pivoting rapidly in response to Trump by searching out alternative markets for its products," he told Xinhua. "There were short-term negative impacts, but the search for alternative markets by Chinese firms has led to a positive overall outcome." The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday upgraded its projections for China's growth to 5 percent in 2025 and 4.5 percent in 2026, up by 0.2 and 0.3 percentage points from its October forecast, respectively, according to its latest World Economic Outlook report. "China's economy has shown notable resilience despite facing multiple shocks in recent years," said Sonali Jain-Chandra, who led an IMF team that visited Beijing and Shanghai in December. She said the revised outlook partly reflects recent macroeconomic policy stimulus measures. The IMF recognized China's recent moves to bolster consumption-led growth, including expansionary fiscal policies, monetary easing, and targeted steps to support consumption and the property sector. Costumers shop at the Sanya International Duty Free City in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, on Jan. 10, 2026. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng) RESILIENT TRADE AMID HEADWINDS Last year, China's foreign trade hit a new high despite global headwinds, retaining its position as the world's largest goods trading nation. According to data released by the General Administration of Customs last week, China's foreign trade value hit 45.47 trillion yuan (about 6.48 trillion U.S. dollars), up 3.8 percent year-on-year, marking the ninth consecutive year of growth since 2017. Wang Jun, deputy head of the General Administration of Customs, said that the achievements are "truly remarkable and hard-won" amid global economic challenges. Wang attributed the steady growth of China's foreign trade to three major drivers: the country's pro-trade stabilization policies, the sustained release of import demand from its vast domestic market, and a sophisticated industrial system that continuously adapts to evolving overseas needs. While the external environment facing China's foreign trade this year remains severe and complex, the fundamentals of the country's foreign trade remain solid, which will inject more certainty into global economic and trade development, he said. Liao Wei, senior economist for China at Standard Chartered, attributed the resilience of China's foreign trade to an expanding trade network and the ever-strengthening competitive edge of Chinese goods exports. She said that China's total factor productivity has been rising since 2021 on the back of continued sci-tech breakthroughs, which could lower costs for exports enough to absorb impacts from tariffs. Looking into 2026, Liao believes that trade will continue to shore up China's economic growth while cooperation between emerging markets will maintain steam as global economies diversify trade partners and the country's total factor productivity is still climbing. "External demand is unlikely to add headwinds in 2026 because major economies showed no sign of a significant downturn. The global AI frenzy as well as market expectations of major economies gravitating toward fiscal stimulus will bolster China's export outlook, particularly for tech-intensive products," she said. People take photos of a Unitree's G1 humanoid robot at Zhongguancun International Innovation Center in Beijing, capital of China, March 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao) INNOVATION-DRIVEN GROWTH China will remain an engine of the world economy, driven by innovation that fosters high-quality development and empowers developing countries to achieve sustainable growth. China has entered the top 10 of the Global Innovation Index for the first time, according to the 2025 report released by the World Intellectual Property Organization. "By the end of 2025, China remained a primary engine for the global economy, though the nature of its contribution was shifting from being just the world's factory to a leader in advanced technology and green energy," said Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Cambodia. "By opening its markets at a time when the United States was disrupting access, China has saved many nations from economic disaster," Swana said. He noted that the country is pivoting towards high-tech and more technology-intensive jobs across its production sectors and playing a major role in supporting developing countries in innovation, science and technology. "By prioritizing infrastructure development and technological innovation, China offers developing countries practical means to build sustainable growth and achieve genuine economic autonomy," said Herman Tiu Laurel, president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a Manila-based think tank. "China has helped reframe the global agenda around high-quality development and win-win cooperation," he added. Echoing the view, Ismael Buchanan, senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Rwanda, said, "China's approach emphasizes mutual benefit, respect for national sovereignty, and practical cooperation." "By sharing development experience, expanding South-South cooperation, and supporting multilateral development mechanisms, China has offered additional development options for Global South countries," Buchanan added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Apple was not able to achieve its goals and deliver on its promises with the next-generation Siri that was supposed to be powered by the Apple Intelligence foundational models as it is still late until now. However, a new report considers this as a blessing in disguise, saying that it is a good thing for Apple as it is getting the highly needed assistance from its rival company, Google. Apple's Siri Is Late, But Here's Why It's Good It will be two years since Apple first announced the exciting updates coming to its devices via Apple Intelligence and the next-generation Siri, but these have not come to fruition as of writing. Apple first announced during WWDC 2024 that is joining in on the generative AI revolution with the arrival of Apple Intelligence, its generative AI powered by its foundational models, and the next-generation Siri. According to 9to5Mac's latest report, the company is "very late" in its development of generative AI, and this is because the Cupertino company launched its models later than other tech giants. The report claims that Apple is still lagging in the development of new experiences as Apple was hesitant to spend money on AI tech, and its stance on privacy made it a challenge to train AI models. The same goes for the Apple Intelligence-powered Siri that remains delayed as Apple is still working on the features that will be part of the technology. Despite these setbacks, 9to5Mac said that it is a good thing as it offers users more time to adapt to the technology as only users with the A17 Pro chip (iPhone 15 Pro or later) are given eligibility to access the technology. As of writing, many users already own an iPhone 15 Pro or later device, which means that adoption will no longer be an issue. Google Gemini to Soon Power Apple Intelligence, Siri Fortunately for Apple, help is on the way. It was also recently announced that Google will help Apple in the development of Apple Intelligence and Siri with their latest deal, which will have Gemini powering Apple's foundational models in the future. Allan Rohan Crite. Sometimes Im Up, Sometimes Im Down. Illustration for Three Spirituals from Earth to Heaven (Cambridge, Mass., 1948), 1937. (Photographs of framed prints by Sughra Raza). Back there in the 30s, the concept of Blacks was usually of somebody up in Harlem, or the sharecropper from the Deep South, or what you might call the jazz Negro, Crite said in a 1979 interview for the Smithsonians Archives of American Art. But the ordinary personyou might say middle-classyou just didnt hear about them. So what I did in my drawings was just to try to do the life of people as I saw them round about me. Crites neighborhood paintings, while his most famous works, are just one facet of a long and varied career. A devout Episcopalian, he combined his love of religious art with his affection for his city, creating urban vignettes with Christian themes. More here and here. Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now. This is CNBC's Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox. Happy Tuesday. Breaking news this morning: Netflix submitted an all-cash offer for Warner Bros. Discovery 's assets, the latest twist in the fight for the media giant's studio and streaming businesses. CNBC reported last week that Netflix was likely to adjust its bid. Stock futures are cratering this morning as investors dump U.S. assets. The three major indexes are coming off a losing week. Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day: 1. Hitting the slopes A policeman wearing camouflage clothing stands on the rooftop of a hotel near the Congress Centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, on January 20, 2020. Fabrice Coffrini | Afp | Getty Images While some of us were sleeping in over the holiday weekend, many of the biggest names in business and politics trekked to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum's annual summit that kicked off yesterday. Here's what to know: This year's theme is "The Spirit of Dialogue," but the WEF has warned that the world is entering a new era where "trade, finance and technology are wielded as weapons of influence." Ahead of the meeting, surveyed business leaders said they were most worried about geoeconomic issues and the spread of misinformation in the short-term. CNBC's "Squawk Box" is on the ground in Davos and will have interviews with some of the summit's top attendees, such as Amazon Microsoft Tomorrow, CNBC's Joe Kernen will interview President Donald Trump, who will make his first in-person visit to Davos since 2020. The president is set to address the forum on Wednesday amid fresh tariff threats and heightened international tension over his push to acquire Greenland. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is also in Davos, told CNBC this morning Trump is showing that the U.S. is "back." While the event is seen as a hub for dealmaking and networking, some key figures such as Danish government representatives and Chinese President Xi Jinping are not expected to attend. 2. Tit for tat 14 January 2026, Greenland, Nuuk: The Greenlandic flag on residential buildings in the center of Nuuk. Julia Waschenbach | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Over the weekend, Trump said he would hike tariffs on eight European countries unless Greenland is sold to the U.S. Representatives from the European Union gathered for an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss Trump's threatened levies, which he said would start Feb. 1 at 10% and rise to 25% on June 1. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen shot back at Trump yesterday, saying the island would "not be pressured" and "stand firm on dialogue, on respect and on international law." Members of the EU are reportedly considering implementing counter-tariffs and other retaliatory economic measures on the U.S. European officials said Monday that Trump told Norway's prime minister that his aggressive push for Greenland is due in part to not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize last year. Markets haven't responded well to Trump's call for higher duties: U.S. stock futures tumbled overnight, while precious metals and global bond yields surged. Follow live markets updates here. 3. Day in court US Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in Washington, DC, on Dec. 10, 2025. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images Stateside, we're keeping an eye on the Supreme Court this week. Economists, businesses, U.S. trading partners and the White House are all still waiting for the court's ruling on the legality of many of Trump's tariffs, which could possibly come as soon as today. Over the weekend, Bessent said it would be "very unlikely" for the nation's highest court to strike down a president's "signature economic policy" as it "does not want to create chaos." Meanwhile, a source told CNBC that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell who is currently under federal investigation plans to attend oral arguments at the court tomorrow in the case challenging Trump's firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook. Bessent told CNBC in Davos that Powell's attendance would be a "mistake." Get Morning Squawk directly in your inbox CNBC's Morning Squawk recaps the biggest stories investors should know before the stock market opens, every weekday morning. Subscribe here to get access today. 4. Popped tires A new Jeep Wrangler 4-Door Sahara 4x4 vehicle displayed for sale at a Stellantis NV dealership in Miami, Florida, US, on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Eva Marie Uzcategui | Bloomberg | Getty Images Jeep and Fiat parent Stellantis formed through a merger a half of a decade ago. But as CNBC's Michael Wayland reports, the past five years haven't been good for investors. The U.S.-listed stock has tumbled around 43% since the Jan. 16, 2021 merger, while Italian-listed shares have sunk about 40% in the same period. Stellantis has been in a tough spot since it revealed concerning financial results in 2024, as it cut costs in a bid to juice profit margins and shift into electric vehicles. But new CEO Antonio Filosa is leading a turnaround for the automaker after taking the reigns from Carlos Tavares last year. Filosa is especially focused on winning back U.S. market share for Jeep and Ram after years of declining sales. 5. S(e)oul food SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 17: The Anjum family, on vacation from Pakistan, picks out varieties of the Buldak Samyang instant noodles from the CU "Ramyun Library" convenience store, a popular tourist attraction, on Monday, June 17, 2024, in the Hongdae district of Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Jintak Han/The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images If you thought skincare was the only hot product out of South Korea, think again. Food exports from the country climbed to a record of more than $13 billion last year. The driver: instant noodles, also known as ramyeon. Exports of the category jumped 22% to just over $1.5 billion, making it the first food product to surpass $1 billion in international sales. As CNBC's Lim Hui Jie reports, cheese-flavored spicy noodles noodles and other so-called "K-foods" have found footholds in the U.S. and China, as well as in emerging markets in Central Asia and the Middle East. Analysts tie growing awareness of Korean food to a broader boom of cultural interest in the country's pop music and TV dramas. The Daily Dividend Anthropic on Tuesday announced it has appointed legal and international affairs expert Mariano-Florentino Cuellar to its Long-Term Benefit Trust, the company's independent governance structure that selects Anthropic's board members and advises leadership. Cuellar has served in three U.S. presidential administrations, acted as a Justice of the Supreme Court of California and chairs the board of the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, according to a release. He is also the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, but will step down from that position in July to take on leadership roles at Stanford University. "As AI capabilities advance at an unprecedented pace, the need for governance structures that marry private sector dynamism with civic responsibility has never been more urgent," Cuellar said in a statement. In addition to Cuellar's appointment to the Trust, Anthropic announced Tuesday that two other members, Evidence Action CEO Kanika Bahl and Centre for Effective Altruism CEO Zachary Robinson, have concluded their terms. Bahl and Robinson had been members of the Trust since it was created, Anthropic said. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell shouldn't attend upcoming Supreme Court arguments regarding President Donald Trump's efforts to fire one of the central bank's governors, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday. CNBC reported Monday, citing a person familiar with the matter, that Powell plans to be present for oral arguments in a case that challenges Trump's power to remove governor Lisa Cook. "I actually think that's a mistake," Bessent told CNBC's Joe Kernen in an interview from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "If you're trying not to politicize the Fed, for the Fed chair to be sitting there trying to put his thumb on the scale, that's a mistake." Trump said in August he was firing Cook from the Fed's board on mortgage fraud allegations. Cook, however, remains in her post at the central bank. Trump has also threatened to fire Powell on multiple occasions. Bessent's comments come after Powell issued a rare video statement, disclosing he was under criminal investigation. "This new threat is not about my testimony last June or about the renovation of the Federal Reserve buildings. It is not about Congress's oversight role; the Fed through testimony and other public disclosures made every effort to keep Congress informed about the renovation project. Those are pretexts," Powell said in the Jan. 11 statement. Richard Teng, co-CEO of Binance, during the DC Blockchain Summit in Washington, March 26, 2025. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Ripple's CEO predicted Binance would reenter the U.S., as the cryptocurrency exchange's co-CEO said it would adopt a "wait-and-see" approach. Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, exited the U.S. in 2023 as part of a deal in which then-CEO Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to criminal charges over the failure to prevent money laundering on the exchange as part of a $4.3 billion settlement with the Department of Justice. Zhao was pardoned by President Donald Trump in October. A Bloomberg report in December said the company was mulling reentering the U.S. market. Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, center, departs federal court in Seattle on April 30, 2024. Jason Redmond | AFP | Getty Images In an interview with CNBC in Davos on Tuesday, Binance's co-CEO, Richard Teng, said it was taking a "wait-and-see" approach to reentering the U.S., which he called "a very important marketplace." Shortly after, in a separate interview with CNBC, Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO of blockchain company Ripple, predicted it would happen. "It's a very large market, and ... not that many years ago, they were a material player," he said of Binance. "I think they'll come back because they're a capitalistic, innovative company that wants to solve ... larger markets and continue to grow," Garlinghouse added. Garlinghouse said Binance's reentry would increase competition and bring more people into the market. "I think it will actually have the positive impact of bringing more people into the market, in part because it'll reduce pricing," Garlinghouse said. "Today their [Binance] pricing is lower on a global basis than what we see here in the U.S." Crypto industry clash over new regulation Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, during a news conference outside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. With about 10 months to go before the 2026 elections, one of the hot-button topics in California has become a proposal to tax billionaires. New polling released Tuesday found that supporters of the Billionaire Tax Act face a tough fight in trying to convince voters in reliably liberal California. The proposal, which is currently collecting signatures to be added to the November ballot, calls for a one-time 5% tax on the total wealth of state residents, as of Jan. 1, 2026, with a net worth of a least $1 billion The proposed tax initiative starts out with 48% in support and 38% opposed, with 14% undecided, according to the Mellman Group, which was hired by Republican strategist Mike Murphy of Kensington Avenue Strategies to conduct the poll on behalf of interested parties, including some high net worth individuals. The survey, conducted from Jan. 6-12, included responses from 800 voters representing the likely November 2026 electorate in California. Mellman said the group tested the official title and summary that will appear in voting materials, and noted that ballot initiatives that start below 50% struggle to succeed. After those surveyed were given positive and negative information about the proposal, support dropped to 46% and opposition increased to 44%. Voters expressed concerns that the measure might hurt the state's economy and potentially cost jobs. "There's no love for billionaires," Murphy said during a media briefing Tuesday. "But there are severe doubts among voters about whether or not this measure will deliver what it promises." JPMorgan upgraded Chevron on Tuesday, praising the oil major's integration of Hess Corporation and its implementation of cost-cutting measures. The bank now rates Chevron as overweight and gives its a 12-month price target of $176, suggesting about 6% upside from Friday's close. Chevron has achieved its initial target of $1 billion in synergies from the Hess acquisition, JPMorgan analyst Arun Jayaram told clients. It has also boosted its cost-reduction target to $3 billion to $4 billion in annual run-rate savings by 2026, Jayaram said. Key catalysts for Chevron are its Yellowtail project in Guyana and Tengizchevroil project in Kazakhstan, Jayaram said. Its Guyana assets are world class and the Kazakhstan project is expected to generate $6 billion of free cash flow in 2026 and more than $5 billion in 2027, the analyst said. Chevron is also in exclusive negotiations with a customer to help build a natural gas powered generation facility to support a data center, the analyst said. CVX 1Y mountain Chevron shares over the past year. Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a "Morning Meeting" livestream at 10:20 a.m. ET. Here's a recap of Tuesday's key moments. 1. Stocks are sharply lower on Tuesday as tensions rise over President Donald Trump's efforts to acquire Greenland . Trump on Saturday pledged to impose 10% tariffs on the eight NATO members by Feb. 1; the tariffs will rise to 25% on June 1 if a deal is not made to make Greenland, the self-governing Danish territory, a part of the United States. The 10-year Treasury yield hit a high of 4.299% on Tuesday, its highest level since Sept. 3. Meanwhile, the S & P Short Range Oscillator is still slightly overbought at 5.11%. It was overbought for the majority of last week, which is why we raised a lot of cash. That puts us in a position to be opportunistic in potential buys this week. We bought shares of Alphabet , which traded 1.6% lower amid Tuesday's volatility. Jim Cramer also keyed in on Meta as a stock that's "no longer expensive" after its nearly 17% drop over the last three months. Jim said the company "is in freefall" as it continues to spend on its AI ambitions. 2. A stock bucking Tuesday's market decline is Texas Roadhouse . The stock rose nearly 1% after TD Cowen initiated coverage with a buy rating and a $215 price target. The firm expects continued strong comparable sales growth through 2027 and predicts that beef prices have peaked, citing a 10% drop in USDA Choice from its September high. Last Monday, we trimmed our position in the restaurant chain to hedge against the risk of elevated beef prices. We tend to agree with Cowen that the worst of the beef cycle is over and prices will eventually normalize. 3. Jim is also remains bullish on TJX Companies . The off-price retailer "is the one to buy," Jim noted, because it's set to benefit from the bankruptcy of luxury retailer Saks Global, the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. He predicts that Saks will be dumping huge volumes of inventory into the off-price channel, and "the only company that's ready with the cash is TJX." The stock, which was flat on Tuesday, is "about to make a major move up," Jim said. 4. Stocks covered in Tuesday's rapid fire at the end of the video were: 3M , KeyCorp , DR Horton , Tapestry , and ServiceNow . (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long GOOGL, META, TXRH, TJX . See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. This year will be the most difficult one yet for artificial intelligence, according to Deutsche Bank Research Institute. AI adoption has expanded in recent years, but Wall Street is betting that 2026 will see a reckoning of the technology and the web of trades around the trend as the market demands tangible returns from it. Software stocks have been experiencing some turbulence as of late as investors worry that the group may face a threat from AI. Big-name AI plays also saw sharp declines in Tuesday's market rout after President Donald Trump intensified his push for U.S. control of Greenland. The S & P 500 tech sector slid more than 2%, while AI chip darling Nvidia lost nearly 4% and Google parent Alphabet fell 2%. Broadcom shed almost 5%. NVDA 1Y mountain Nvidia in the past 12 months This year will likely be a tough one for AI as three key themes emerge, according to a Tuesday note co-authored by Adrian Cox, analyst for Deutsche Bank Research Institute. They are disillusionment, dislocation and distrust. First, AI will undergo a period of disillusionment as benefits tied to the technology remain more visible to Silicon Valley and savvy early adopters, as opposed to executives who want to see a sharp pickup in revenue generation, Cox said. Talk of rollouts of agentic AI models often skips over the complication of integrating them into company workflows, he said. "Generative AI will be transformative but not right now," Cox wrote. "As pilots move into production, enterprise users are confronting inherent limitations such as accuracy; the difficulty of applying it in unpredictable real life; and the fact that in many areas it will be a long time, if ever, before it is more economical than human labor." Second, this year will also bring rising dislocation to the AI space, according to the analyst. He referred to a widening gap between demand and capacity due to bottlenecks, energy grid constraints and talent shortages. Private AI players ChatGPT maker OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI could feel pressure as they shore up funding and compete against their hyperscaler rivals, according to the analyst. OpenAI could face the most scrutiny, Cox said, particularly after Apple earlier this month chose Google's Gemini model to power its AI features. "This year may be make or break for standalone AI model makers," the analyst wrote. "OpenAI is particularly extended and may be most at risk as it seems not yet to have found a workable business model to cover its reported cash burn of $9bn last year and likely $17bn this year." He added that while Google and other rivals are producing comparable models financed by in-house data centers, OpenAI's moat is "relatively shallow and its path to success appears to be looking narrower and narrower." Last, Cox anticipates AI will face increasing distrust this year. This will be reflected in anxiety around AI-driven job displacement, copyright and privacy lawsuits, data center investment impacts on power and water supplies and geopolitical competition, the analyst said. Fears of an AI race are growing between the U.S. and China as the technology becomes a tool for countries seeking self-sufficiency, he noted. "Anxiety about AI will go from a low hum to a loud roar this year," Cox wrote. In this article COIN Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Benito Aguilar | Twenty20 Jason Gewirtz is vice president of news at CNBC. What follows is a personal account of his experience with a scammer. Last week my cell phone rang. It was about 1:30 p.m., and the iPhone ID showed the 650 area code, which I recognized as the San Francisco Bay Area. The caller ID listed the number as unknown but labeled it as coming from San Francisco. Given San Francisco's position in the heart of global innovation and technology and that it's the location of one of CNBC's key bureaus, I picked up despite not knowing who was calling, something people rarely do anymore. The voice on the other end introduced himself as Brian Miller from Coinbase's security office. He quickly told me there was "suspicious activity" on my account and wanted to know if I was trying to log in from Frankfurt, Germany, on an iPhone. I told him, "No, I haven't been in Germany in 20 years, and I never use my cell phone to log into my Coinbase account." He told me someone with an address of "Mohamad25@gmail.com" was in my Coinbase account and had tried to make a transfer. The man claiming to be Miller then said, "I haven't seen this one before. He's saying he lost his phone on a conveyor belt at the airport in Frankfurt and needs access." Miller stopped for a second and then said, "He's trying to make another transfer right now." He continued, "I'm trying to figure out how he got access, he has your Social Security number, your phone and your email address. He also gave us a photo that matches your Coinbase face scan. Have you given anyone access to your information lately or have you noticed anything else suspicious on other accounts?" "No," I said. Looking back it's pretty clear, even to me, the attempted scam used classic pressure tactics to get me to feel like I was in danger, so I'd make a fast decision, rather than a smart one. "They try to make you scared by making you feel like you're the victim, and they're calling to help," said Rick Wash, professor of information science at the University of Wisconsin, in a phone interview. Wash is a computer scientist who researched the possibility of electronic breaches two decades ago. He then began mixing his vast technical knowledge to focus on the personal side of the scam. "I began to realize the human factor was often the most critical factor of computer scams," Wash said. watch now While something always seemed out of place, my suspicions grew when Miller mentioned my photo. "I never gave Coinbase my photo," I told him. He said, "In order to get an account you would have had to. You might not remember doing it but we have to have it due to know-your-customer rules." Miller then told me, "He's trying to make another transfer, but I have it on hold so he can't." I asked him to please send me an email so I know that he's really calling from Coinbase. He said, "I just sent you a case number about 10 seconds ago, you should have it." Then he asked if I had something to write with, and he read me a six-digit number. I told him that the email didn't arrive. "Let me send another one," he said. "This will have a new case number." He read a second number and then said, "I'll wait until you get the email. You might not get it in your inbox because he's trying to change your email address. Check your spam." Both messages were in the spam folder from what appeared to be a Coinbase email. The messages had the same confirmation codes as the ones he gave me on the phone. There were no typos, there was a Coinbase logo and a text box with all the key information. The email address appeared to have come from Coinbase, but I thought it was odd it didn't have Miller's name on it. Then I spotted another sign that something wasn't right: The two emails came from slightly different addresses. One said "no-reply@mail-coinbase.com via sportuel.com," and the other said "support@info.coinbase via live-coinbase.com." He asked, "When was your last Coinbase transaction?" I thought for a few seconds and then remembered buying a very small amount of "Monad" which I'd never heard of before a guest mentioned it on "Squawk Box" last month. When he followed by asking, "What are your total assets?" I responded, "Shouldn't you know that?" He said, "Due to confidentiality, I can't say." So, I gave him a wide range, being embarrassed about how little money I had, and starting to realize that something wasn't right. Miller then told me I really needed a "Coinbase Hard Wallet" and asked if I was familiar with that. I said I was not. He offered to help me set it up. I asked, "First should I change my Gmail password?" "Probably a good idea," he said. Then I asked, "Shouldn't I change my Coinbase password?" At that point, he hesitated and said, "We don't recommend that. Right now I have your account on hold. If you change your password, it will freeze it for up to two weeks." I told Miller that I had a meeting in five minutes and asked how long it would take to get the Coinbase Hard Wallet. He told me 20 minutes. I said I had to go, but I asked if we could talk again at 3 p.m. He promised to call me back. Close call When I hung up, I tried to figure out what to do next. It didn't seem right but several details lined up. I checked my account. Nothing seemed out of order. Then I took the email addresses he had sent. I copied them and asked Claude, Anthropic's AI chatbot, if they were legitimate. The response came back, "This is almost certainly a PHISHING scam." Several red flags popped up, including that the messages were coming from the wrong domain. "The real Coinbase sends emails from @coinbase.com, not @live-coinbase.com. That hyphenated domain is a classic phishing tactic," according to the AI program's notes. Claude also flagged the suspicious "via" address: "Legitimate companies don't route emails through third-party domains like this," according to the AI program. I said to myself, "Thanks, Claude," while also thinking, "That was close." I called an old contact in Coinbase's public relations department who told me, "I don't work there anymore, but that's probably a scam. Coinbase doesn't call people." She promised to send details on my situation to the current team at Coinbase who texted and called within a few minutes confirming it was a scam. The caller ID lit up on phone, "Coinbase" and because I expected the call, I was willing to trust it despite being a little nervous at first. I told the Coinbase representative I'd write up the whole 15-minute call for her so they could hopefully use it to warn others then decided, maybe this would be a good article for CNBC.com. Coinbase agreed. A spokesperson who often deals with security issues said the company has ways to prevent people from being scammed, even when the victim falls for it, including watching for large transfers or sudden sales from accounts that don't often transfer or sell crypto. A smartphone with the Coinbase logo and representation of cryptocurrencies are placed on a keyboard in this photo taken June 8, 2023. Dado Ruvic | Reuters "We invest heavily in prevention, detection, and rapid response," the spokesperson said in an email. The rep added that Coinbase would never tell a customer to transfer crypto into a safe wallet. "If someone tells you to move funds to protect them, it's a scam," the spokesperson said. Coinbase also acknowledged that artificial intelligence was a multiplying factor in scam attempts and the quality of scams. "Attackers use a variety of bots and AI automations to make their workflows easier" the company said, noting that AI voice agents are being used "to create more believable automated calls." According to ZeroShadow, a firm that tries to return stolen crypto assets back to their rightful owners, their systems have seen a 1,400% increase in "impersonation scams" in the last year. "The attacks come from inside and outside of the U.S., but the people behind the scams often try to hire young men or teenagers, people who have less inhibition, and train them," said Casey G., ZeroShadow's CEO, who asked that his full last name be withheld because of security threats. "They sell them scripts and sometimes voice modulation devices." The CEO said his firm has recovered about $200 million for victims over the last four years, but he admits it's a difficult process. "Once the crypto is out of your account, we can trace it, but getting it back isn't so easy," he said. "We need help from local authorities. Crypto has less protection than the traditional banking system in the U.S." Casey G. also said AI is being used by scam chiefs to multiply their workforce. One of the most successful techniques the scammer used was creating a sense of urgency. By telling me there was an ongoing attempt while we were on the phone, I was almost tricked into taking action or giving up information. I felt my pulse racing and had an instinct to stop whatever was happening. Anti-scam experts say that's a common tactic that's getting more sophisticated as bad actors buy and sell successful "scam scripts" on the dark web. Coinbase said it advises people to "slow down, take a beat, verify things independently and don't act under pressure." Be careful out there. WATCH: The alarming rise of AI 'nudify' apps NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 19: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY - MANDATORY CREDIT - aPRESS INFORMATION BUREAU/ HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS----) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi, India on January 19, 2026. (Photo by Press Information Bureau (PIB)/Anadolu via Getty Images) India said it plans to double bilateral trade with the UAE to $200 billion by 2032, in a step toward diversifying its partnerships as a deal with the Asian country's biggest trading partner, the U.S., remains elusive. In a whirlwind, three-hour long meeting late Monday between UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, both countries' state-owned companies signed a 10-year liquefied natural gas supply agreement. Under the deal, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, which is owned by the Abu Dhabi government, will supply LNG worth up to $3 billion for a period of 10 years, starting 2028, to India's state-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corporation . With this deal, India is now UAE's largest customer of LNG and will account for 20% of sales by 2029, ADNOC said in a release. Both countries also discussed "a wide range of issues aimed at further strengthening the multifaceted India-UAE friendship," Prime Minister Modi said in a post on X. "It was a productive visit in terms of outcome," said Harsh Pant, vice president for studies and foreign policy at New Delhi-based think tank Observer Research Foundation told CNBC's Inside India. He added that India-UAE ties have evolved to a point where "regular high-level interaction at relatively short notice is going to become more common". Trade between India and UAE touched $100 billion in fiscal year 2025. Both countries signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in 2022. India is the Middle Eastern country's second-largest trading partner, accounting for nearly 9% of its total trade and 14% of non-oil exports as of September 2025, according to India Brand Equity Foundation, an initiative backed by the commerce ministry. UAE was India's third largest trading partner after the U.S. and China in fiscal year 2025, and is home to 3.5 million Indian expatriates. Diversifying allies India's plan to expand its trade with UAE comes at a time when the country's exports to the U.S. are under pressure owing to the 50% tariff imposed by Washington on Indian goods since August last year. "Even with a trade deal [with the U.S.] there is no guarantee that President Trump's "unpredictability would end," said Pant, adding that it is the reason that India has been reaching out to finalise trade deal with other countries. Last year, following the U.S. tariffs, India entered trade pacts with the UK and Oman, and said it will sign a deal with New Zealand in the first half of 2026. Sanae Takaichi, Japan's prime minister, during a news conference the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. Takaichi officially called an early election next month and promised a temporary sales tax cut on food if she wins a fresh mandate for her new coalition. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Less than half a year into office and Japan's new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has called a snap election, dissolving the Lower House on Jan. 23 and sending voters to the polls on Feb. 8. "I am putting my future as prime minister on this election," Takaichi said at a press conference Monday, according to a Google translation of her remarks in Japanese. "I would like the people to make a direct decision on whether they can entrust the management of the nation to Sanae Takaichi." The move comes despite the Lower House's term running until October 2028, raising questions over why Takaichi chose to seek a fresh mandate so early. Analysts say the decision is largely aimed at capitalizing on Takichi's high approval ratings to strengthen the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition hold on parliament. While [Sanae Takaichi] is an extremely popular Prime Minister, her party is less popular and faces a united opposition following a surprise partnership between the main opposition party and the former LDP coalition partner. Sam Jochim Economist at Swiss private bank EFG Takaichi has enjoyed historically high approval ratings since taking office. Her approval rating stood at 62% in a survey published last week by public broadcaster NHK, while other polls have placed her support in the 70% range. A Japan News Network poll showed an approval rating of as high as 78.1%, while Nikkei reported 75%. By contrast, the LDP's approval rating is at 29.7%, highlighting a gap between support for the prime minister and her party. The LDP, along with its junior coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, currently holds a razor-thin majority in the Lower House. Both parties have a combined total of 230 seats in the 456-seat chamber, but 3 independents vote with the LDP, giving the ruling coalition a 1-seat majority. A stronger majority would allow Takaichi to project a firmer political mandate to foreign leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, said Sam Jochim, economist at Swiss private bank EFG. He noted that Takaichi could have a potential meeting with the U.S. president as early as March. Jochim added that Takaichi will be aiming to capitalize on her popularity before escalating tensions with China begin to weigh on public sentiment. Beijing has imposed export controls on dual-use items to Japan and advised its citizens against travel to Japan. Diplomatic relations cooled after Takaichi said in parliament on Nov. 8 that a Chinese attempt to seize Taiwan by force could prompt Japan's Self-Defense Forces to intervene. Calculated or reckless? So much for sub-6% mortgage rates, at least for today. Have you seen what's going on with global bond yields? Don't look. It's not pretty. The epicenter is in Japan, where bond yields are spiraling higher.This has been happening for years now, but lately it's been picking up steam. Five years ago, Japan's benchmark 10-year government debt yielded zero. Today,it's soared to just shy of 2.4%, its highest level in almost thirty years. It gets worse the further out you go. Japan's 30-year bond soared nearly 30 basis points just today, hitting a record high. Its 40-year surged above 4% for the first time. This is all because of the prime minister's call for a snap election and what the market perceives to be an unfunded tax cut on food that could increase Japan's deficit and cause more future bond issuance. Anyhow, because Japan still kind of "anchors" global debt levels, every time their yields move higher, so do everyone else's. So if you wake up this morning and wonder why the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield is at almost 4.3% (!!!), that's a big party of why. As a result, the 30-year mortgage rate is back up to almost 6.2% today. Still, there's a bit more to the story than meets the eye. Let's not forget that U.S. yields were moving higher last night well before this news hit around 1 a.m. ET. So far, the president's threats of taking Greenland seem to have triggered another "flight to gold" move in the markets. Normally, we'd call it a "flight to safety," the safety being U.S. Treasuries, the most risk-free asset in the marketplace. And that would send yields lower. But obviously, the opposite is happening. As has been true since Covid first hit, flight to safety trades are morphing into "flight into gold and out of U.S. Treasuries." That has gold shooting above $4,700 an ounce today for the first time, while silver also hit a record high above $95 an ounce. Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury yield has gone from sub-4% in late October to nearly 4.3% today. That move alone adds billions in interest costs to the deficit, and is one reason Treasury Secretary Bessent seems bent on shifting more issuance to very short-term bills. So far, equity investors are taking all of this in stride. Perhaps because like gold, stocks can be seen as a "real asset" that offer protection and grow in value when the currency slides. For now, the more that global investors pile out of sovereign debt, the more they seem to be piling into everything else. See you at 1 p.m! Kelly Twitter: @KellyCNBC Instagram: @realkellyevans Lowe's CEO Marvin Ellison has a simple piece of career advice: Chase the job nobody wants. "When you don't have an impressive pedigree, when you don't have a resume that will stand out, the way that you get people to notice you is, you take jobs that nobody else wants, and you work really hard to be successful," he said in an interview for an episode of CNBC's "Leaders Playbook," set to air on Wednesday. Taking that job and "turning it around" could result in a better opportunity for you, he said. Ellison, who has helmed the home improvement retailer since July 2018, learned that career lesson through experience, he said. The Tennessee native took on unglamorous roles early in his career, including forklift driver, truck driver, unloader and janitor as a college student. He juggled two jobs at a time while "trying to pay rent, buy books and cover my tuition," he said. As each job led to a new opportunity, he vowed to keep his high levels of effort and dedication consistent, he said. That attitude even when you're in an undesirable job can separate you from the people around you, said Ellison, who later held titles like director at Target, executive vice president of Home Depot stores and chairman and CEO of JCPenney. DON'T MISS: How to build custom GPTs and use AI agents Ellison's advice may apply to both early-career professionals and more experienced workers thinking about taking on a particularly difficult or challenging job. In Ellison's case, he stepped into his Lowe's role after the previous CEO, Rob Niblock, was pushed out of the company. Shares at Lowe's jumped more than 6% after Niblock's departure was announced, following years of underperformance. Leading the company wouldn't be easy, which attracted Ellison to the job, he said. "For the last 25 years, every job that I've taken, I replaced somebody who was fired or forced out," said Ellison, adding: "That requires a degree of self-confidence. It requires a high degree of resilience, but it also forces you to understand the power of people, because none of these assignments were successfully accomplished by myself. It was always a team working with me." Tackling a job that nobody else wants isn't typically easy. Ellison sometimes felt disconnected from his managers and leaders, overlooked for promotions, or rejected for job opportunities throughout his career, he said. "Like the old saying goes, it's not the number of times you get knocked down, it's the number of times you get up," he said. "And also, don't be a victim. Take responsibility and make sure you're focusing on making yourself better." Watch Lowe's CEO Marvin Ellison on CNBC's "Leaders Playbook on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. All new episodes Wednesdays. Want to get ahead at work with AI? Sign up for CNBC's new online course, Beyond the Basics: How to Use AI to Supercharge Your Work. Learn advanced AI skills like building custom GPTs and using AI agents to boost your productivity today. France's President Emmanuel Macron looks on during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 20, 2026. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026. French President Emmanuel Macron has hit out at "bullies" as he called for U.S. tariffs on European countries to be abolished. Macron made the comments in a strongly-worded address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday, which followed U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to put 200% levies on French wines, as punishment for resisting U.S. attempts to annex Greenland. Without mentioning Trump by name, Macron said: "We need more growth. We need more stability in this world, but we do prefer respect to bullies." He added: "We do prefer rule of law to brutality." The French president also confirmed one possible response was using the Anti-Coercion Instrument or ACI. The ACI could see the EU restrict U.S. suppliers' access to the EU market, excluding them from participation in public tenders in the bloc, as well as putting export and import restrictions on goods and services and putting potential limits on foreign direct investment in the region. He called the possibility of being forced to use ACI against the U.S. "crazy." "The crazy thing is that we can be put in a situation to use the anti-coercion mechanism for the very first time," if the U.S. imposes additional tariffs on Europe, Macron said. He called for the "dismantling" of tariffs, adding: "It doesn't make sense to have tariffs and be divided, and even to be threatened now with additional tariffs." Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella gestures as he speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 20, 2026. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images) Energy costs will be key to deciding which country wins the AI race, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has said. As countries race to build AI infrastructure to capitalize on the technology's promise of huge efficiency gains, Nadella told the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday that "GDP growth in any place will be directly correlated" to the cost of energy in using AI. He pointed to a new global commodity in "tokens" basic units of processing that are bought by users of AI models, allowing them to run tasks. "The job of every economy and every firm in the economy is to translate these tokens into economic growth, then if you have a cheaper commodity, it's better." Hyperscalers like Microsoft have been spending billions on building out data centers to power AI. Microsoft said at the start of 2025 that it expected to spend $80 billion on the construction of AI data centers. A total of 50% of the tech giant's spending is outside of the U.S., Nadella said. "I would say we will quickly lose even the social permission to actually take something like energy, which is a scarce resource, and use it to generate these tokens, if these tokens are not improving health outcomes, education outcomes, public sector efficiency, private sector competitiveness across all sectors," Nadella said. Europe has some of the highest energy costs in the world, which rose after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the subsequent sanctions. "It's not just the production side," Nadella said. "If you think about the TCO [total cost of ownership] it's like, are you a cheap producer of energy? Can you build the data centers? What's the cost curve of the silicon in the system?" Tech companies have raced to build out compute capacity to fuel their AI ambitions but are now faced with a new bottleneck: memory capacity. The crunch comes as workloads shift from training models to using AI tools, and it's driven in part by agentic AI, where a system can execute tasks independently. AI agents require greater memory to support context and continuous learning. " Memory sits in a capacity-constrained cycle with unusually long order visibility driven by AI inference. For 2026, the risk is execution and transition, not demand," Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in a note released late Thursday. Analysts at the investment bank see a steeper pricing climb and "favourable conditions" through 2027 as supply attempts to catch up with demand. "Multiples have expanded, but we think stock calls can still work with much higher earnings upside from here," they wrote. "Bottlenecks are the winners buy memory and semicap, especially EUV," they added, referring to the abbreviation for a critical part of AI infrastructure. Here are Morgan Stanley's 10 top stocks to play the memory bottleneck: Dynamic random-access memory Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix Dynamic random-access memory, known as DRAM, is a specific component used in AI data centers. It saw a huge price spike in 2025 and is widely expected to rise again this year. Morgan Stanley analysts named Samsung , Micron and SK Hynix as ones to watch with higher pricing power in the DRAM space. It gave South Korea's Samsung an upside of 18%, as it benefits from a better commodity cycle driven by AI and market share gains in high memory chips. Analysts expect an 12.2% upside from SK Hynix, also headquartered in South Korea, while U.S. company Micron was tipped for a 5% upside. Legacy Memory Winbond "The supply-demand gap for legacy memory is widening further," specifically for the DDR4/3, NOR and SLC/MLC NAND" computer chips, which are manufactured by the likes of Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, the note said. The analysts noted some forecasts expect DDR4 pricing to increase as much as 93-98% quarter-over-quarter in the first quarter of 2026. They named Taiwan's Winbond as a top pick to take advantage of this, though analysts said Nanya Tech , Macronix , Longsys, AP Memory , GigaDevice and PSMC are also "all positioned to benefit from the current setup." Storage Western Digital U.S. company Western Digital could benefit from higher pricing power in HDDs and enterprise NAND two types of memory as greater demand means AI workloads are moved to cheaper memory stores, the note said. "A rising AI tide lifts all boats for both HDD and eSSD," analysts wrote. They see an upside of 6% for Western Digital. Advanced packaging Disco Japan's Disco manufactures processing equipment and tools for the creation of computer chips, specializing in grinding and polishing equipment, which is part of the advanced packaging process. Advanced packaging refers to the actual combination of components to create chips, including high-capacity parts such as high bandwidth memory (HBM), which used in AI. Analysts said that Disco is poised to benefit from rapid growth in HBM products, giving it a 24.4% upside. Semicap Applied Materials U.S. company Applied Materials , which supplies equipment needed to make semiconductors, is "exposed to the most visible growth drivers," the Morgan Stanley analysts wrote. They specifically noted the build-out of DRAM capacity. Dutch chip stock ASM International was also named as a top pick, which the investment bank expects to benefit from the overall memory cycle. EUV ASML Demand for extreme ultraviolet radiation, a niche but critical part of AI infrastructure known as EUV, is set to intensify. EUV is like a powerful laser printer that etches minuscule designs onto silicon wafers, which are then used to make semiconductors. Dutch company ASML has had a monopoly on EUV thus far and is set to benefit from increased EUV layer count, Morgan Stanley analysts said, giving it an upside of 21.80% Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis 's CEO has said its agreement with the U.S. could shield it from tariffs. Speaking at Davos, Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan told CNBC's Karen Tso and Steve Sedgwick that its $23 billion investment in manufacturing, announced last year, was a moat against levies. He was speaking after U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to impose 10% tariffs on the U.K., Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland by Feb. 1, as he ramps up economic pressure as part of a campaign to acquire the self-governing Danish territory of Greenland. The levy will rise to 25% from June 1, Trump said. The continent's pharma sector could be one of its worst hit by the proposals, given that medicines and other related products are one of the EU's largest exports to the U.S.. EU exports of pharma products to the U.S. came in at 84.4 billion euros ($98.1 billion) during the first three quarters of last year. President Donald Trump is showing the world "the U.S. is back," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC, as tensions rise over the president's bid to acquire Greenland. Asked about the president's agenda at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Trump is set to make an address on Wednesday, Bessent said: "The U.S. is back, and this is what U.S. leadership looks like." Tensions are high at the meeting after Trump raised the stakes on his intention to acquire the self-governing Danish territory, which has rattled the NATO military alliance. Overnight, he announced 200% tariffs on French wines and Champagne, and said the U.K. was showing "total weakness" by handing sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Meanwhile, Denmark sent more troops to Greenland for a military exercise. Bessent said U.S. control of Greenland was "important," adding: "That will stop any kind of a kinetic war, so why not pre-empt the problem before it starts?" Bessent told CNBC that European countries should contribute their "fair share" towards defense. "While the Europeans were building schools, having healthcare, we have been defending the world," he said. Trump has repeatedly said taking control of Greenland is vital for U.S. national security, frequently citing concerns about Russia and China's Arctic influence. Danish soldiers walk across the frozen tarmac after arriving at Nuuk airport, Greenland, on January 19, 2026. The Danish Defense will continue the increased presence with exercise activities together with a number of NATO allies in and around Greenland in 2026. U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed the prospect of the European Union resisting his push to annex Greenland "too much," shortly after Denmark sent additional troops to the Arctic island. Speaking ahead of his trip to Davos for the World Economic Forum, Trump repeated his desire to take the self-governing Danish territory. The issue has ratcheted up trans-Atlantic tensions and rattled the NATO military alliance. "I don't think they are going to push back too much," Trump told reporters in Florida on Monday evening, referring to EU opposition over Greenland. "Look, we have to have it," he added. The U.S. president, who has long coveted making Greenland a part of the U.S., reiterated his interest in the sparsely populated territory following an audacious military intervention in Venezuela on Jan. 3. Trump has repeatedly said taking control of Greenland is vital for U.S. national security, frequently citing concerns about Russia and China's Arctic influence. The comments have raised alarm across Europe and prompted demonstrations in Copenhagen and Greenland's capital, Nuuk, over the weekend. Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland's minister for industry, raw materials, mining, energy, law enforcement and equality, addresses MPs at a meeting in the Inter-Parliamentary Union room in the Houses of Parliament, Westminster, England, organized by the All-Party Parliamentary Groups for Greenland following U.S. threats to take over the territory. James Manning - Pa Images | Pa Images | Getty Images Greenlanders are "bewildered" by President Donald Trump's "devastating" bid to annex the Arctic island, its business minister has told CNBC, as the issue turns into a geopolitical firestorm. Speaking to CNBC on Tuesday ahead of Trump addressing the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Naaja Nathanielsen, minister for business and mineral resources, described the international attention as "quite devastating" for many of the roughly 57,000 Greenlanders. Asked how people in Greenland have been feeling amid Trump's pursuit of the island, Nathanielsen said: "People are worried, people are afraid, people are bewildered." "[We have] always considered ourselves as an ally of the U.S. and have tried to accommodate the needs from the U.S. over the years and done so happily," Nathanielsen said via video call. "To all of a sudden find ourselves in the midst of a storm that's about acquiring us like a product or a property, it's really difficult for us not to mention the threats of military action and an actual occupation of our country." watch now Her comments come as the U.S. president stepped up his efforts to acquire the self-governing Danish territory, which he has claimed is "imperative" for U.S. national security. On Monday, he answered "no comment" when asked by NBC if he'd use military force to seize it. "There can be no going back," Trump said of his plans in a social media post on Tuesday. The U.S. president on Saturday pledged to impose a rising wave of tariffs on eight European countries from Feb. 1 for opposing the U.S. acquiring Greenland. To all of a sudden find ourselves in the midst of a storm that's about acquiring us like a product or a property, it's really difficult for us. Naaja Nathanielsen Greenland's minister for business and mineral resources European political leaders have sought to push back and are expected to hold talks over how to respond in the coming days. French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday described Trump's tariff threats as "fundamentally unacceptable," while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the move "completely wrong." Nathanielsen told CNBC she had been "really moved by the strong show of solidarity" from European political leaders. "You cannot go along with a scheme where you have to accept that an ally occupies another ally," she said. 'A threat we have never seen before' Protests have taken place in Greenland's capital, Nuuk, and Denmark's Copenhagen in recent days, with people marching with red and white Greenlandic flags. Opinion polls have shown that Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose U.S. control, while a strong majority support independence from Denmark. People wave Greenlandic flags as they take part in a demonstration that gathered almost a third of the population of the Greenlandic capital of Nuuk to protest against the U.S. president's plans to acquire Greenland, Jan. 17, 2026. Alessandro Rampazzo | AFP | Getty Images Nathanielsen said: "We have always known that our position in the world geographically causes some tensions. We're used to this. We used to be a colony of Denmark. So, we're not we're not unfamiliar with complexity and controversy and conflict but we have always found our ways to adapt to the situation and work with it. "And right now, I think we're facing a threat we have never seen before. So, I am absolutely certain that were we to become occupied, that would mean the destruction of our culture. And I find that quite devastating." Nathanielsen said the island's lawmakers would seek more clarity on how it can accommodate the U.S. "without being swallowed up" by it. "The threat of occupation is devastating to us. It is absolutely not something that we would be able to work with at all," Nathanielsen said. "So, we do not want to be bought. We have made that quite clear. Of course, we don't want to be occupied what country in the world would want that? But we do want dialogue. We do want collaboration. And we do want to lower the temperature," she added. What next for Greenland? In 2009, Greenland was granted greater autonomy over its domestic affairs through the Self-Government Act, which also gave the island the right to hold an independence referendum. Denmark remains responsible for its foreign, defense and security policies. watch now As fresh talk of a U.S.-Europe trade war intensified on Tuesday, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva issued a stark warning to European leaders: "Get your act together." U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that eight European allies would face increasing tariffs, starting at 10% on Feb. 1 and rising to 25% on June 1, if a deal is not reached that allows Washington to "buy" Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory that's part of Denmark. The proposed tariffs would target Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Finland, Trump said. European leaders have hit back against the tariffs and have called for more dialogue with the U.S. On Tuesday, Trump also threatened to slap 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne after France's President Emmanuel Macron was reported to be unwilling to join his "Board of Peace" on Gaza. Speaking to CNBC's Steve Sedgwick and Karen Tso at the World Economic Forum's flagship conference in Davos, Switzerland, Georgieva urged policymakers to take a pragmatic approach to applying country-specific tariffs but conceded that Europe is not using its economic might to win leverage on the global geopolitical stage. watch now "We are on [the] record multiple times appealing to the Europeans to complete the single market, to concentrate on their domestic competitiveness," she said. "Europe has fallen behind in productivity. Europe has fallen behind in getting small companies to grow to giants, and that has to change." She argued that there are four things European leaders must do to fulfil the continent's economic potential: finalize the capital markets union, complete the energy union, make it easier for employers to secure labor from across the EU, and invest in research and innovation. "Make European money work for Europe right now, 300 billion euros ($351.75 billion) of European savings are in the United States," Georgieva told CNBC. "It is [also] impossible to compete with 27 different energy systems, [and] you cross the border from Germany to France, you can't work there." "They know [they need to do] it, but they're kind of slow in the doing," she added of the continent's policymakers. "Europeans, if you're watching, get your act together." 'A new independent Europe' U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hold a press conference following their meeting at Chequers, near Aylesbury, Britain, Sept. 18, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump has taken aim at another NATO ally on the eve of his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, this time lambasting the U.K. The so-called "special relationship" between the U.S. and U.K., and President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, was left looking bruised on Tuesday after Trump posted a tirade against London's decision to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The islands include Diego Garcia where a joint U.K.-U.S. military base is stationed. The deal, which was agreed in May 2025, saw the British government agree to hand sovereignty to Mauritius, but to lease the military base on Diego Garcia for 101 million ($135.7 million) a year. The White House voiced its support for the deal last year but, on Tuesday, Trump said it was "an act of great stupidity." "Shockingly, our "brilliant" NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," Trump posted on social media platform Truth Social early Tuesday. The president said China and Russia would view this act as one of "total weakness," and that they were international powers that only recognized strength. "The U.K. giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired." He added that Denmark and its European allies, who oppose Trump's takeover bid, had to "do the right thing." Responding to Trump's comments, a U.K. government spokesman said Tuesday that "the U.K. will never compromise on our national security." "We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future," he added, according to comments published by BBC News. The number of Chinese visitors to Japan fell by almost half in December, in the clearest sign yet of the economic impact from the rift between the two nations following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichis comments on Taiwan.Compared to December 2024, the number of Chinese who entered Japan last month plunged 45% to about 330,000 people, according to Tourism Minister Yasushi Kaneko.The slide comes as tensions simmer between Japan and China following Takaichi's November assertion that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could form a legal justification for Japan to deploy troops. China subsequently warned its citizens against traveling to Japan, triggering flight cancellations."We will continue to closely monitor the situation regarding the travel advisory from China's authorities," Kaneko said in a news conference held on Tuesday. "We must put in the effort to ensure that Chinese who wish to travel to Japan can do so as early as possible, and we hope to see that day come soon," he added.The number of visitors from China had been growing at a pace of 40.7% in the first 10 months of the year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Chinese travelers are Japan's biggest spenders, accounting for a fifth of the nations 8.1 trillion ($52.4 billion) in tourism revenue in 2024. In an indication of their impact on the retail sector, duty-free sales at Japans department stores fell sharply in December.Despite the decline in Chinese tourists, the number of foreign travellers to Japan topped 40 million for the first time in 2025, according to Kaneko, with an influx of people from other regions making up for the shortfall in Chinese travelers. Overall consumption also hit a record of about 9.5 trillion yen ($60 billion).The number of Chinese travellers for 2025 increased about 30% from a year prior, despite dip from November onward. Still, Beijings advisory discouraging travel to Japan and its directive for airlines to cut flights through March 2026 raises the risk of a prolonged downturn.Japan's leading travel agency forecasts that this year will see the first fall in foreign tourism since the country reopened after the pandemic.Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing flared after Takaichi told parliament on November 7 that a Taiwan crisis might constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan. Such a classification would provide a legal justification for Tokyo to deploy its military alongside other countries.Since then, China travel warnings have hit the economy in western Japan, and China's military have trained fire-control radar on one or more Japanese fighter jets in the East China Sea, according to the Japanese government. Japanese firms are evaluating the effect of trade controls announced earlier this month.Takaichi has repeatedly said that Tokyo's position on Taiwan hasn't changed and is in line with a communique issued in 1972. In that joint statement, Japan said it understands and respects Beijing's view that Taiwan is an "inalienable" part of China's territory without saying it agrees with that view. In a press conference last night, Takaichi reiterated that Japan's door was open for talks with Beijing officials. US President Donald Trump slams UK decision of giving away Diego Garcia island to Mauritius. United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday, January 20, slammed the decision of the United Kindgom to give away the island of Diego Garcia to Mauritius.Trump termed the decision as "great stupidity" and justified the US acquisition plans for Greenland."Shockingly, our "brilliant" NATO ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital US Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social."The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING," he added.The US President further said that under his second term, within one year, the US is being respected in the international community like "never before".He also called the UK action as an act of "total weakness" stating that China and Russia would notice these kinds of acts."There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before," Trump wrote.Trump's remarks come after the UK government tabled the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill 2024-25 in the UK Parliament.The Bill's main purpose is to implement certain provisions of the treaty signed in May 2025 between the UK and Mauritius government under which they agreed on the status and future of the Chagos Archipelago, including the joint USUK military base on Diego Garcia (the archipelagos largest island).UK's House of Commons will consider the House of Lord's amendments to the Bill on January 20.Diego Garcia is the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, and it holds strategic importance for the UK and the US as they have a joint military base for air and naval operations.The UK currently administers the Chagos Archipelago as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), one of the UKs 14 Overseas Territories.The agreement between the UK and Mauritius was signed in May 2025. Among various elements of the agreement, such as sovereignty, defence and security, environment and international law, both countries also agreed on the resettlement of Chagossians."In the exercise of its sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, Mauritius is free to implement a programme of resettlement on the islands of the Chagos Archipelago other than Diego Garcia. Such resettlement shall be implemented in conformity with the terms of this Agreement and the laws of Mauritius," pact read.Historically, the UK had expelled all the native residents of the island to set up the military base.Also, the UK-Mauritius Chagos Archipelago agreement of May 2025 was supported by the Trump administration."The Trump Administration determined that this agreement secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation of the joint US-UK military facility at Diego Garcia. This is a critical asset for regional and global security," said a statement by Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State."President Trump expressed his support for this monumental achievement during his meeting with Prime Minister Starmer at the White House," it added. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland. Along with aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, they will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) January 19, 2026 The United States will deploy military aircraft to Greenland's Pituffik Space Base, as tensions rise over President Donald Trump's push to gain control of the self-governing Danish territory.The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said on Monday (January 19) that its aircraft will soon arrive at the US military base in Greenland as part of "long-planned" activities.NORAD, a joint US-Canada military command responsible for aerospace defence, said the deployment is aimed at strengthening defence cooperation. It did not provide details on the specific nature of the activities.The organisation said the operations have been coordinated with Denmark and that Greenland has been informed.According to NORAD, the aircraft will operate alongside forces from bases in the continental United States and Canada."These aircraft will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defence cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark," the statement said.NORAD added that it routinely conducts sustained and dispersed operations to defend North America.The deployment comes amid heightened tensions following Trump's repeated remarks about taking control of Greenland "one way or the other," raising concerns among US allies in Europe.Over the weekend, Trump also threatened to impose new tariffs on countries opposing his plans for the Arctic island. His comments followed the arrival of small military delegations from several European nations in Greenland for a military exercise, which the United States was also invited to attend.Denmark has proposed that NATO expand surveillance operations in Greenland to address growing security concerns in the region. 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 New Year art draws on town's colorful tradition 14:51, January 20, 2026 By XING WEN ( China Daily Yin Dongxiang (right) and her daughter Xiao Yang print a New Year painting depicting menshen, or door gods, on Dec 24, in Tantou, Shaoyang, Hunan province. CHEN ZHENHAI/XINHUA As the Chinese calendar ushered in layue, the 12th month, on Monday, preparations for the Chinese New Year began in earnest. In Tantou, a quaint town in Hunan province, this season is marked by the creation and display of vibrant nianhua, or New Year paintings, a tradition that breathes life into the community's cultural tapestry. Visitors strolling through Tantou during the festive period are greeted by a spontaneous exhibition of art. Many doors become a canvas showcasing vivid depictions of gods of fortune, tigers with flamboyant stripes, and whimsical scenes such as mice in wedding processions. These artworks, however, are more than mere decorations. They are talismans believed to ward off misfortune and invite prosperity, a custom deeply rooted in Chinese New Year celebrations. Tantou nianhua, with a history of more than three centuries, are renowned across China for their radiant colors and expressive designs. This acclaim has earned Tantou the title of "Hometown of Modern Folk New Year Paintings". The esteemed writer Lu Xun (18811936) nostalgically recounted in Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk, a collection of his essays, how a Tantou nianhuadepicting a "mouse wedding" had adorned his bedside during childhood. The meticulous craft of creating nianhua is beautifully captured in a recent documentary series, Ancient Crafts of Hunan, that was aired on Mango TV, which is based in Changsha, the capital of Hunan. The series employs macro lenses and slow-motion cinematography to delve into the intricate process behind the artworks. What makes Tantou nianhua truly exceptional is the comprehensive, local production process, in which every step, from papermaking to the finished artwork, is completed in the town. This self-contained production cycle is a rarity in the world of nianhua and underscores the deep-rooted cultural and artistic heritage of Tantou. The process begins with the crafting of the paper itself, using locally sourced bamboo. This paper, known for its flexibility and unique texture, forms the perfect base for the vibrant prints. The heart of Tantou nianhua lies in its woodblock carving, a skill that demands precision and artistry, and is particularly renowned for its "steep knife upright line" technique. This method involves carving with a consistent angle and controlled pressure, ensuring that the lines remain steady and precise even at intersections and turns skills that rely on the artisan's intuition and expertise. Artisan Liu Guoli said the delicate art of woodblock carving requires focus and inner calm. "Your personality and temperament shape the carving, making each block unique," said Liu, a national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor of Tantou nianhua. The vibrant palette of each nianhua is achieved through a multistep printing process, by which each color corresponds to a separate woodblock. These blocks are inked and pressed onto paper in layers, culminating in a final block that outlines the image with defining lines. The characters' facial features, such as eyes, cheeks, lips and beard, are then painted by hand, infusing them with lifelike detail. Tantou nianhua, which in 2006 became one of China's first entries inscribed on the national intangible cultural heritage list, are celebrated for their bold and vivid colors. The palette, featuring tangerine reds, brilliant yellows and rose pinks juxtaposed with cool cyan and deep charcoal, creates a dynamic interplay of hues that imbues each piece with fiery vitality. "The motifs and symbols in these nianhua represent a practical aesthetic shaped over centuries by countless families," said Wu Yuqing, a professor at the Fine Arts Academy of Hunan Normal University."The more deeply art is rooted in the lives of ordinary people, the more vibrantly its brilliance can unfold." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) 'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, warned Sir Winston Churchill, hoping it will eat him last. Over the past year, European governments have sought to appease President Donald Trump: they turned a blind eye as he launched a global tariff war, threatened to annex Canada, bombed Iran, seized oil tankers and flaunted international law by kidnapping the Venezuelan president. But now, inevitably and as Churchill warned, the crocodile President has turned its jaws on Europe. It may have sounded like a joke when in 2019 Trump raised the prospect of acquiring Greenland from the Kingdom of Denmark. But seven years on and the rubber has hit the road. With the announcement over the weekend of further tariffs on European countries unless they give way, America has made it plain that this is no rhetorical game. It has genuine intent to seize and annex the autonomous Danish territory. Allegedly, this is to protect the island from falling under Chinese or Russian influence: The world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland, Trump wrote in a letter to the Norwegian prime minister this week. But with a US military base already on the island along with other Nato troops, the lucrative prospect of rare earth metals is likely also to be on Trumps mind. It may have sounded like a joke when US President Donald Trump raised the prospect of acquiring Greenland from Denmark. But seven years on the rubber has hit the road When it comes to this Trump administration, we have to prepare for the worst-case scenario. And, in this instance, to show our intent that means being open to the prospect of European forces fighting a ground war against the US in Greenland. This would, of course, spell the end for Nato, an alliance which has kept us safe for coming on 77 years and an organisation in which I proudly served as deputy supreme allied commander in Europe for three years, after leaving the Army. And so, as Trump continues to threaten and goad, my message to European leaders is this: America is no longer our ally but a predator and a bully. Stick together and prepare for war. Because the only way to deal with bullies is to push back. As early as last February, at the 61st Munich Security Conference, the US made it clear that its support for Nato was far from ironclad. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington will no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship with its defence allies, exposing a rift in the decades-old alliance. At the same time, Hegseth reiterated Trumps demand that Nato allies increase their defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP, up from the then 2 per cent target, and added that Europe must provide the overwhelming majority of funding for Ukraine in its war against Russia. That conference should have sounded alarm bells across Europe. Political leaders should have prepared immediately for a world in which the US was no longer on our side. Danish forces prepare for exercises with Nato allies in and around Greenland as they continue their increased presence on the island The truth is that since Nato was formed in 1949, Britain has allowed its military arsenal to slip towards oblivion. In 1989, the British Army could count on around 156,000 soldiers. By 2010, that number had fallen towards 110,000. Today, it is closer to 70,000. In the 1990s, Britain bought 400 Challenger 2 tanks. Today, we have just over 200 with staggeringly just 25 deemed battle-ready. Similarly, while the Air Force has around 130 fighter jets at its disposal, the US Air Force has closer to 1,800. While other countries such as China, Russia and the US have continued to spend money on defence, fixing the roof while the sun shines, Britain and the rest of Europe have become fat and happy on welfare handouts. We did this assuming that the post-Second World War world order would hold and that America would for ever underwrite security for the West. As Trump has made clear again and again, that is no longer the case, and Europe has been left defenceless. Keir Starmers immediate response to this new dawn has been like most of Europe to try to appease Donald Trump. The President was offered an unprecedented State visit during which he was wined and dined at Windsor Castle; and there was no more telling image of Europes desperation than that of its leaders sitting like schoolchildren in front of Trump in the Oval Office in August last year. Protestors in the Danish capital Copenhagen, Denmark, march in support of Greenland, holding signs including one that reads, 'Yankee go home!' Neville Chamberlains appeasement of Nazi Germany ended in catastrophe. History, I fear, is repeating itself. So, what to do next? If America does invade Greenland, Nato in its current form will cease to exist overnight. The threat is clearly existential. However, that does not mean the alliance of European countries should also fall by the wayside. Europe and Canada have to stick together like limpets. No doubt, Trump will seek to divide and conquer. Indeed, his plan is already afoot. For by announcing fresh tariffs on Europe, Trump will hope each European leader buckles under the pressure and quietly seeks to strike a deal, thus shattering the continents unified front. Sadly, Europe looks anything but united. Frances Emmanuel Macron has called for the continent to unleash its trade bazooka against the US, but Starmer yesterday played down the threat of retaliatory tariffs. Similarly, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni has described the conflict with the US as a mere misunderstanding. Until the whole of Europe appreciates the scale of the threat, there is little hope of serious action. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper with her Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide watch British and Norwegian soldiers take part in a Nato cold weather training exercise last week Second, we must plug the military gap now. That means defence spending must increase today. The Government pledged to increase spending to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035, but that will be too late. The money must be available immediately, and spent not on back-office bureaucracy but on our ability to fight a war. Mark my words, tomorrow will be too late. At the same time, we must forge closer military alliances with European partners. That means war-gaming potential scenarios, running drills and exercises in coordination with France, Germany, Norway and Denmark. Yesterday, Trump wrote an extraordinary letter to the Norwegian PM, first bemoaning that he wasnt awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and then arguing that Nato should do something for the United States. It is worth noting that only one country has invoked Article 5 of the Nato Treaty which demands all members come to anothers defence. And that country was the United States following the 9/11 terror attacks. In the ensuing war in Afghanistan, Britain lost 457 service personnel while Denmark lost 43. Two decades on and Europe is the one under attack, but in a development that has snapped the thread of history it is the US who is the aggressor. General Sir Richard Shirreff is a former deputy supreme allied commander of Nato in Europe Valentino Garavani, who passed away at the age of 93 Monday was, without question, the last surviving great of 20th century couturier. At varying moments in his life he was dubbed 'the last emperor,' and 'the Sheik of chic.' 'In Italy, there is the Pope,' Walter Vetroni told the New Yorker in a 2005 profile, 'and there is Valentino.' A man who dressed queens, princesses, Hollywood stars and First Ladies, Valentino, the man and the brand, emerged as the epitome of Italian high glamour. 'I know what women want, they want to be beautiful,' he told a reporter in 2009. Having built a multi-million dollar brand with his career-long business partner (and, at the start, lover) Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino moved seamlessly into retirement in 2007. A scion of elegant living, he all but disappeared from a runway by then ruled by designers who took their final bows in jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. His jet set lifestyle encompassed five homes including a 19th-century London mansion, a villa on the Appian Way in Rome, a Chalet in Gstaad and the legendary Chateau de Wideville outside Paris, once the home of Louis XIV's mistress, Louise de La Valliere. In later years, his 152-foot yacht - the TM Blue One- played host to the coterie of Hollywood celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Hathaway (and even Princess Diana) who, alongside his bevy of pugs, surrounded the invariably tanned and elegantly coiffed designer as he sailed around the Mediterranean. In later years, his 152-foot yacht - the TM Blue One- played host to a coterie of Hollywood celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow, pictured with the designer in 2019 Like his compatriot Giorgio Armani, who trod a diplomatic line when it came to who he dressed, Valentino found himself the purveyor of clothes to women of all political and social stripes. From Jackie Kennedy to Hollywood stars and, finally, to Melania Trump, his designs defined generations of women who understood elegance as a social key and clothes a marker not only of taste but of message. Elizabeth Taylor, 1960 Rome Premiere of Spartacus One of his earliest and most famous clients was Elizabeth Taylor who, in 1960, appeared at the premiere of Spartacus in white Grecian style maxi-dress trimmed with a lush double row of ostrich feathers. One of Valentino's earliest and most famous clients was Elizabeth Taylor who, in 1960, appeared at the premiere of Spartacus in white Grecian style maxi-dress, trimmed with a lush double row of ostrich feathers When Taylor was photographed in the arms of Kirk Douglas as the two danced into the early hours of the morning, the dress grabbed headlines. Supposedly a Dior outfit had been waiting in the wings in Taylor's hotel dressing room, but the star gave Valentino a chance and, in doing so, initiated what became a lifelong friendship and creative partnership. Ten years earlier, Valentino then 17, had moved to Paris to attend the Ecole des Beaux Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Having trained under the Greek designer, Jean Desses and then Guy Laroche, he returned to Rome where he established himself on the Via Condotti. Jackie Kennedy Wedding Dress to Aristotle Onassis, 1968 Chosen from the designer's Spring/Summer 1968 all-white collection, the two piece high-neck lace top and and pleated skirt was a world away from the crinoline confection by New York society designer Ann Lowe that Jackie wore to her wedding to John F Kennedy in 1953. For her controversial second marriage, which was formalized on Onassis's private Greek island, Skorpios, she chose a haute couture creation that came to represent her leap from Camelot to the Jackie O years, and life as an American style icon. For her marriage to shipping magnate Onassis, Jackie chose a haute couture Valentino creation. It came to represent her leap from Camelot to the Jackie O years The former First Lady had begun to patronize Valentino almost immediately after her husband's assassination. After spotting a Valentino creation worn by Vogue editor and friend, Gloria Schiff, Jackie ordered six dresses that became the staples of her mourning wardrobe, showcasing Valentino's designs and helping to solidify his status as a major European designer. When she married Onassis, Jackie's image appeared on the front of almost every major newspaper, rendering the dress iconic. Diana, Princess of Wales, 1992 Though obliged by precedent to wear primarily British designers, in the early 1990s Diana began to venture further afield. As her marriage broke down, she increasingly found her style footing with couturiers outside the confines of traditional court life. On January 23, 1992, while attending the Hong Kong Gala at the Barbican Center in London, the princess stepped out in an above-the-knee burgundy Valentino cocktail dress. As her marriage broke down, Princess Diana increasingly found her style footing with couturiers outside the confines of traditional court life The velvet corset bodice was an elegant contrast to the translucent lace skirt, creating a sexy look that laid bare not just Diana's toned physique but an increasing public confidence as she moved away from the world of royalty and into that of international celebrity. In 1994 she was photographed by Patrick Demarchalier in striking simplicity wearing a floor-length red halter-neck dress by Valentino. The image eventually graced the cover of British Vogue as a tribute following her tragic death on August 31, 1997. Wedding Dress of Crown Princess Marie Chantal of Greece, 1995 In 1995 Valentino was tasked with creating the wedding dress for the marriage of duty-free heiress Marie Chantal Miller to Pavlos, the Crown Prince of Greece, in a London ceremony that was masterminded by King Constantine of Greece a man eager to demonstrate that even a king in exile has sway. Attended by 450 guests, including Queen Elizabeth II, and a bevy of other European royals, the wedding was beamed via satellite to Hampton Court Palace where a further 805 guests had assembled. The gown and its creative impresario were at the heart of celebrations that lifted the little-covered Greek monarchy in exile onto the front pages of the world's tabloids. In 1995 Valentino was tasked with creating the wedding dress for the marriage of duty-free heiress Marie Chantal Miller (pictured with her father Robert Miller) to Pavlos the Crown Prince of Greece It featured a lace bodice and long sleeves decorated with floral motifs and an ivory skirt, studded with rose appliques. The four-and-a-half meter Chantilly lace veil with scalloped edge and butterfly embroidery was held in place by the antique corsage tiara, borrowed from the bride's soon-to-be mother-in-law Queen Anne Marie of Greece. The selection of Valentino was, in part, an homage to his beginnings in the studio of Greek designer Jean Desses who had been one of the favored designers of the groom's grandmother Queen Frederica. The gown proved Valentino's credentials for royal weddings, and he went on to design the wedding dresses of Queen Maximo of the Netherlands and Princess Madeleine of Sweden (a commission for which he came out of retirement). Yet the collaboration between Valentino and Marie Chantal translated into a genuine friendship between the bride and both Valentino and his partner Giancarlo. In 2001 he appeared alongside Marie-Chantal at the Met Costume Institute Gala who wore a green silk one shouldered evening dress modeled after one first worn by Jackie Kennedy in 1967. Such was their enduring bond that when the Greek princess moved her family to New York in 2017, the designer duo were among the first guests to pay her a visit even attending their first party in the New York brownstone they now called home. Julia Roberts, Oscars 2001 The black and white Valentino couture 1992 dress that Julia Roberts wore to the 2001 Academy Awards where she accepted a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Erin Brockovich not only kick-started a trend amongst Hollywood celebrities for 'vintage,' but reinvigorated the image of a star whose fashion sense had been at best uneven. The black and white Valentino couture 1992 dress that Julia Roberts wore to the 2001 Academy Awards where she accepted a Best Actress Oscar reinvigorated the image of a star whose fashion sense had been at best uneven Chosen by stylist Debbie Mason, the black column gown with white piping had been slightly too small for Roberts when she tried it on at the Valentino boutique in Beverly Hills. With the skills of an in-house tailor, the dress that the actress just thought 'pretty' reminded the world that, despite Valentino struggling through the grunge era that embodied 90s style codes, he had continued to create clothes that felt both modern and timeless. Having been worn on the fashion runway by Christy Turlington when it was presented at the couture collection in 1992, the dress proved so popular that copies began to pop up in American malls and subsequently graced many a high school prom. Melania Trump, Bastille Day in Paris, 2017 Though Valentino retired from his eponymous brand in 2008, his influence continued over the subsequent individuals who took up his creative wand. Melania Trump in 2017 wearing a Valentino dress In 2017 Melania Trump chose a floral jacquard Valentino dress to watch the traditional military parade down the Champs-Elysees. Part of a whirlwind presidential visit to the French capital, the dress, with its floral pattern, was chosen to pay homage to the carnations, poppies and wheat that people carried in May 1947 on the same street to celebrate the liberation of Paris. 'I love Valentino, period,' Melania's stylist Herve Pierre declared. The dress was designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli for the Resort 2017 collection. The brand epitomized a strain of European chic embraced not only by Melania's iconic predecessor Jackie Kennedy, but by the many royal consorts. Melania's choice to opt for it telegraphed very clearly that she saw in those consorts a role analogous to her own, reminding the world that, though often silent, the First Lady knows exactly how to make her message heard. Yesterday, 370 academics, including three Nobel Prize-winners, wrote to Bridget Phillipson urging her to make good on her pledge to defend freedom of expression in our universities. The Education Secretary has been promising to shore up free-speech protections on campus for more than a year but, so far, theres been no sign of action, despite the desperate need. At the Free Speech Union, the organisation I set up in 2020, weve fought more than 5,400 cases in the past five years, with around one in eight involving an attempt to cancel or silence someone at a British university. Indeed, we have compiled a league table of the worst offenders, with the ancient institutions of Durham, Cambridge and Oxford Universities occupying the top three places. Not that you have to take our word for it. According to a prestigious global survey last year, British universities rank 64th in the world when it comes to academic freedom, below Malawi, Sierra Leone and Papua New Guinea. It wont surprise you to hear that the censorship tends to work in one direction only: Left-wing, woke, green, pro-trans and pro-Palestinian voices are welcomed at British universities. Dissenting views less so. Polls of students underline the problem, with half the respondents in a survey carried out by Kings College London reporting that those with conservative views are reluctant to express them for fear of reprisals. Three Nobel Prize-winners wrote to Bridget Phillipson, pictured, urging her to make good on her pledge to defend freedom of expression in our universities Last week, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) surveyed more than 1,000 students to gauge their attitude. The findings were far from encouraging, with 35 per cent saying no one representing Reform UK should be allowed to set foot on campus. In the absence of an effective complaints system, a democratic party which tops the nationwide polls would have nowhere else to turn. The appalling treatment of those, such as Professor Kathleen Stock, who have been brave enough to defy the pro-trans bullies and assert the reality of biological sex needs no further explanation. Yet 12 months on from the Labour Governments firm promise to address this poisonous situation, the planned protections are nowhere to be seen. No wonder academics concerned about open discourse and freedom of expression in our universities are frustrated. Until the complaints scheme is in force, universities can disregard their duties with impunity, says their letter to the Education Secretary. And disregarding their duties is exactly what our institutes of higher learning have been up to. Take, for example, the case of Professor Laura Murphy, head of the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice at Sheffield Hallam University. Last year, her employers forced her to abandon research on the enslavement of hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs in Xinjiang province after coming under pressure from the Chinese government. More recently, Professor Peter Pormann, a language specialist at Manchester University, was suspended for using the N-word in an internal discussion about the changing meaning of words over time. He was using it not as a racial epithet but as part of a serious academic discussion. Nevertheless, in the Orwellian world of academe, Professor Pormann is still under investigation. Yet, until Bridget Phillipson decides to pull her finger out and implement the promised protections and, in particular, a proper complaints procedure, a bad situation is likely to get a good deal worse. The staggering thing is that the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act is already law. It was passed by both Houses of Parliament under the previous Conservative government and received royal assent in 2023. It should be in force by now. That legislation was an attempt by the last government to rescue our universities from the scourge of cancel culture, but Phillipson torpedoed the Act within days of becoming Education Secretary. Defying the will of Parliament, she reversed the commencement orders that would have brought in the Acts most important clauses, and only reluctantly did a U-turn an early sign of this Governments modus operandi thanks to an effective campaign waged by many of the academics who signed this weeks letter, spearheaded by the Free Speech Union. We threatened the minister with legal action. The most important clause in the Act would have created a new statutory scheme under which academics, students and visiting speakers who felt their speech rights had been breached could complain to the Office for Students, the higher education regulator. If their complaint was upheld, they would have been entitled to compensation and the university in question subject to a swingeing fine. Professor Kathleen Stock, who have been brave enough to defy the pro-trans bullies and assert the reality of biological sex Yet Phillipson true to her woke roots and no doubt wishing to curry favour with the out-of-control activists on Labours backbenches has been dragging her feet. As a result, and despite her promises, protections vital to the free exchange of ideas that should be at the heart of academic life have yet to come into force. The consequences go well beyond a few junior common rooms, by the way. Thanks to their mindless group-think, our universities are churning out dogmatic enforcers of progressive orthodoxy who are bringing their intolerant attitude into the workplace, too. Academic free speech is not the only issue that Bridget Phillipson has failed to grip. In her capacity as Women and Equalities Minister, she has been sitting on the advice of the Equality and Human Rights Commission since last September about updating the guidance on access to single sex spaces in the wake of the Supreme Court judgement about the meaning of sex in the Equality Act. That delay has real-life consequences because NHS trusts and other public bodies are still relying on the outdated guidance which, for example, permits biological men to use the female changing rooms. This is only possible because Phillipson has once again dragged her feet and failed to implement the law. Why is she so ineffective? In a crowded field, she must rank as the most useless member of the Cabinet. Phillipsons only achievement to date has been to pull the plug on the Free Schools programme, in spite of its extraordinary track record of educational achievement, with Free Schools outperforming every other type of state school. Surely, even a Prime Minister as hopeless as Keir Starmer can see that the Labour member for Houghton and Sunderland South has, to put it kindly, no place running a large department of state? Its time to replace her with someone who can do the job and restore freedom of debate to pride of place in our universities. Until then, we can be certain that students and academics who dare to go against the herd will be bullied and abused into silence despite gaslighting assurances from university administrators that all is well! If only that were true. A young mother who suffered from shooting pains in her neck when she drank wine was devastated to be told it was a symptom of blood cancer. Hollie Thursby, 28, from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, started experiencing pain behind her ear and down the side of her neck following the birth of her second son in December 2024. She said: 'After I had Jack, I'd have a couple of glasses of wine with a meal. 'I would get pain in my neck and behind my ear on the left side. 'I could have prosecco and sometimes it would hurt and sometimes it wouldn't. 'I could have lager and it wouldn't hurt but with wine it would really, really hurt.' The shooting pains weren't her only complaint. She was also itchy and 'painfully tired' - but put the fatigue down to having a toddler and a newborn baby to look after. Hollie Thursby fears her sons will grow up without a mother Ms Thursby says she first mentioned the symptoms to doctors in January 2025, but they 'blamed it on her hormones'. She said: 'When I went to my GP for the six to eight week check after I'd had my second baby, I complained that I was having really, really itchy skin. 'My legs were unbearable itchy, on a nighttime particularly. 'They just said that it was probably down to hormones, I listened to what the GP said and obviously didn't think anything else of it. 'I just put it down to that [being a busy mum] and then in July I found a lump in the side of my neck so I went back to the GP.' After the appearance of the lump, on the left side of her neck, doctors arranged for Ms Thursby to have a CT scan, which revealed that she had a large cluster of lymph nodes. Ms Thursby had a biopsy taken and on October 23rd 2025, she received the 'heartbreaking' diagnosis of stage two Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. The NHS lists pain in your neck, armpit or groin when drinking alcohol as a symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma. The pain is caused by swelling in the lymph nodes or disease-affected tissue as a result of blood vessel dilation after consuming alcohol. Holle Thursby with her husband Harry and their two sons Oliver, 2, and Jack, 1 Ms Thursby says her oncologist explained to her that the pain in her neck after drinking wine was likely to do with the acidity of the alcohol. She said: 'When I spoke to the blood cancer doctor, she said she's been working for 17 years and has only seen it one other time. 'But pain when you drink alcohol is actually a known side effect of Hodgkin lymphoma. 'It's something about the acidity in the wine and not when you drink other alcohol.' In November, Ms Thursby started her first of round of chemotherapy treatment. Ms Thursby said: 'I'd been shattered for a long time. '[I felt] painfully tired but I had two babies under two so I just put that down to being a busy mum and having a newborn and a toddler. 'I was unbearably tired, I would need to have a nap during the day which is not particularly normal.' Miss Thursby and her two little boys She is now undergoing chemotherapy WHAT IS HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA? Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts in the white blood cells. It affects around 1,950 people each year in the UK. A common early symptom is having a painless swelling in the armpits, neck and groin. Some people also experience heavy night sweating, extreme weight loss, itching, shortness of breath and coughing. Hodgkin's lymphoma is most common between the ages of 20 and 24, and 75 and 79. It has been linked to people with lowered immunity, a family history of the condition, smokers and those who are overweight. Treatment may include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, steroids and stem cell or bone marrow transplants. Source: Cancer Research UK Advertisement Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that affects the white blood cells that help you fight infection. The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless lump, usually in the neck, armpit or groin. Other symptoms include pain in your neck when drinking alcohol, high temperature, night sweats and itchy skin. Treatments include chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The primary school teacher says the hardest part of receiving treatment is not being able to look after her two boys, who she desperately doesn't want to leave to grow up without a mum - like she did. She said: 'My mum died when I was 10 of something called myelodysplasia which is a blood disorder, it's like a form of blood cancer. 'It's too much of a coincidence that my mum had something now I've got this. 'I can't look after the boys which is what is affecting me the most. 'Thankfully they are so young they don't know I'm poorly which is a blessing for them. 'I've got loads of support but for me personally, not being able to look after the boys is the worst thing about it all. 'I'm their mum, it's my job to look after them. I keep telling myself, me getting better is me looking after them. 'I'm worried that I'm dying and that I'm going to leave them. I can't leave them without a mammy. 'I grew up without a mum and it was horrendous, I can't do that to the boys. 'We're all devastated but we all know now and we've got a treatment plan, which is what we need. 'I'm just doing everything I can to get better for them. 'I keep telling myself this is only temporary, I just need to keep going.' Winter is always tough in A&E but nothing has ever been as bad as it is now. On my last shift I handed over a department that looked more like a disaster response to a humanitarian crisis than a modern hospital. Thirty-five patients were lined up in a corridor, some having waited more than two days for a bed, laying cheek by jowl, sharing space and infections. Older patients were stuck on trolleys, some forced to endure the humiliation of soiling themselves in public. In the middle of that chaos were mental health patients in acute crisis, their suffering made worse by the noise, lack of privacy and constant disruption. Staff were in tears, knowing that despite working flat out they could not provide the care their patients deserved. The problem isnt to do with delivering emergency treatment by the end of the shift, there were relatively few patients waiting to be seen by an A&E doctor. Those lining the corridors needed other kinds of care, in other parts of the hospital. When I got home, my wife asked me how the shift had been. Not too bad, I said without thinking. Later, it hit me that my sense of what is acceptable care has shifted. Ive had to adapt to it, adjusting in order to cope psychologically and keep coming back to work. Figures published last week by the NHS showed that last year more than half a million patients in England were left waiting 12 hours or more on a hospital trolley after a decision had been made to admit them the highest number ever recorded. Before Covid, in 2019, that figure was about 8,000. On Dr Rob Galloway's last A&E shift, he 'handed over a department that looked like a disaster response to a humanitarian crisis' Its a shocking increase in just five years, and rightly makes headlines. But it also drastically underestimates the problem. The truth is, the clock on these trolley waits starts only once a patient has been seen by a doctor and a decision to admit has been made (often by a speciality team, such as surgeons not just A&E staff). They say nothing about the hours waiting to get to that point. When you include that hidden time, the picture is far bleaker. The Care Quality Commission estimates that, from April 2024 to March 2025, more than 1.8 million people waited more than 12 hours in A&E from the moment they arrived to the point they were admitted or discharged. What once felt shocking and unthinkable after an isolated bad day has become so familiar that it barely registers and that, in itself, is the most worrying part. Weve all read the newspaper reports of A&Es being like war zones after a string of bad days, but colleagues nationwide say its like this every day and worse than in real war zones such as Ukraine, say those who know. But unless youve been in A&E yourself, outside the hospital, hardly anyone notices. Last week, multiple hospitals across the country declared critical incidents many more should have to signal they are under exceptional pressure. This is meant to be a distress signal, and should trigger actions such as cancelling non-urgent operations, speeding up discharges and trying to free-up beds. The problem is that this level of pressure is no longer exceptional, so the declaration changes little. The consequences are stark. An analysis last year by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine shows that hundreds of patients are dying every week because of long delays in being transferred from A&E to appropriate wards. Weve all read the reports of A&Es being like war zones after a string of bad days, but colleagues say its like this every day Ive seen experienced, resilient clinicians break down at the end of a shift. Not quietly upset, not a bit stressed, but crying because they feel helpless and ashamed to be at a point where they feel they are participating in something unsafe and degrading. This is not just about winter viruses (although, yes, norovirus, flu and other infections are a major factor). And it is not a story about underfunding. In fact, the NHS is receiving more money than it ever has, but it is using it badly, led by politicians and civil servants who are running it the wrong way. And people are sent to hospital when they dont need to be. Were losing experienced GPs who know their patients well, replaced by less experienced doctors working under intense pressure. In such circumstances, too many patients get referred to hospital as a precaution, when they would be better off being cared for in the community. Once someone crosses the hospital threshold, everything becomes harder as patients cant be discharged easily and those blockages ripple backwards until it hits the emergency department, leading to corridor care. So what can be done? Firstly, politicians and managers need to stop fighting over money the NHS is probably as well funded as it is realistically going to be for the foreseeable future. Instead of spending more money in hospitals on more expensive tests and cutting-edge treatments, we should spend it on retaining experienced generalists, particularly GPs. We need to fix community care to free-up hospital beds for patients who need them. This means care packages should be available in hours, not weeks. If patients need to be in corridors, they should be moved to corridors attached to the relevant specialism. For example, those with cardiac chest pain should be on cardiology wards. This would speed up decision-making by the specialist ward doctors as to who needs to be admitted and who can be cared for in other settings. And doctors need to rethink admitting people to hospital in the first place. Much of our guidance was written for a system where an empty bed existed at the end of the decision tree. But as that is no longer the case, with every patient we need to ask ourselves: are they safer tonight in a hospital corridor or at home with a clear plan? And what can you do to avoid going to hospital and ending up in a corridor? Clearly there are harms you cannot actively prevent, but there are steps you can take: Get the flu vaccine. Its not too late, as the flu season usually lasts until March/April. It works, reduces severe illness and keeps people out of hospital. Take basic hygiene seriously. Handwashing, alcohol gel and simple infection-control measures genuinely reduce the spread of illness, particularly in winter. Wash your hands whenever youve been to the loo and before cooking food. Take extra care when preparing raw meat. Clean kitchen surfaces frequently, regularly wash tea towels and cleaning cloths. And clean your bathroom sink more than once a week. A 2024 study showed they had more bacteria on them than hospital sinks. Get the flu vaccine. Its not too late, as the flu season usually lasts until March/April. It keeps people out of hospital Stay on top of long-term conditions. Take your medication as prescribed, make sure you do not run out and have a clear plan from your GP of what to do if your asthma or heart failure flares up. Many winter A&E visits are due to long-term illnesses that have suddenly worsened and theres no plan in place. Prevent falls at home. Simple things such as good lighting on the stairs, non-slip mats in the bathroom, sensible footwear indoors and keeping walkways free of clutter can stop the kind of falls that so often end with a broken hip and a trip to A&E. Go easy on alcohol. A sizeable chunk of weekend A&E visits relate to middle-class drinkers having too much and falling down stairs after a dinner party. Have a simple medicine kit at home paracetamol, oral rehydration powders and dressings can help you manage minor illnesses and injuries safely, without a panicked trip to A&E in the middle of the night. Think carefully before coming to A&E it should be a last resort, not a default. If you cant see your GP, go to the pharmacist. But if you need to come into hospital, do so, as we are still effective at delivering immediate, emergency, life-saving care. Crucially, if a doctor says your relative needs to stay in hospital, it is reasonable to ask why. If the answer is simply that they are waiting for blood tests, scans or a review the next day, its worth asking whether this could be done as an outpatient. Corridor care is a sign of a crisis. The danger now (on top of the obvious patient harm) is that staff are beginning to accept it as normal. Once that happens, it becomes very hard to remember it doesnt have to be this way. SECRETS OF AN A-LIST BODY How to get the enviable physiques of the stars Wearing tailored shorts recently, actress Jennifer Garner, 53, showed off toned legs This week: Jennifer Garners legs Wearing tailored shorts recently, the actress, 53, showed off toned legs. She trains hard to stay in shape for her roles, including Marvel superhero Elektra, and is said to enjoy a variety of workout styles, from dance-cardio classes and yoga to trampolining and strength training. WHAT TO TRY: Walking lunges tone the leg muscles. From a standing position, take a stride forward with one leg, then bend your knees and lower down until your front leg forms a right angle and your back knee brushes the floor. Stand up and step your back leg forward so youre standing up straight again with your feet together. Repeat, taking a stride forward with the other leg. Walk like this, alternating lunges from leg to leg, across your living room, turn around and repeat four times. Do four sets, three times a week. @drrobgalloway Prostate cancer has overtaken breast cancer to become the most common type of the disease in the UK, according to new analysis. Researchers also found a sharp increase in the number of men being diagnosed with the disease in just one year. Some 64,425 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022, the latest year figures are available, compared with 61,640 with breast cancer, the charity Prostate Cancer UK found. That was a 24 per cent rise on the previous year (2021) when 51,823 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, the charity said. The disease officially became the most common cancer in England last January, but new figures from Scotland, with data from Wales and Northern Ireland, have enabled a UK-wide figure. Prostate Cancer UK said a 42 per cent rise in diagnoses in the past decade is thanks to increased awareness of the disease by charities, the NHS and high-profile figures. The Daily Mail has been campaigning for earlier diagnosis of the disease and a full screening programme. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he was surprised by UKNSC's recommendation that prostate cancer screenings should not be made routinely available for all men The charity is calling on the NHS to adopt wider screening using the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. It is also running a major clinical trial, expected to report within two years, into whether combining PSA with other tests, such as rapid MRI scans, could lead to a recommendation for population-wide screening for all men. In December, a draft recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC), which advises the Government, said prostate cancer screening should not be made routinely available for the vast majority of men in the UK. It did not recommend population screening using the PSA test, saying this was because it 'is likely to cause more harm than good'. The Daily Mail has been campaigning for earlier diagnosis of the disease and a full UK-wide screening programme The committee instead put forward only a recommendation to screen men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations, which puts them at far higher risk of prostate cancer, every two years, between the ages of 45 and 61. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he was surprised by that decision and is reviewing the findings. Among those speaking out against the UKNSC recommendation were Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy, former prime minister Lord David Cameron, broadcaster Sir Stephen Fry and Blackadder actor Sir Tony Robinson, who have all been diagnosed with the disease. Prostate Cancer Research is in favour of more screenings, while Cancer Research UK agrees with the screening committee decision. Prostate Cancer UK said it was disappointed by the decision but determined to change it through more research and evidence. Chiara De Biase, director of health services, equity and improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said of the latest data: 'We're hugely proud to have played our part in the growing awareness of prostate cancer, which has led to more men than ever being diagnosed and treated. 'But it's unacceptable that the full weight of responsibility still falls on men to understand their risk and talk to their GP about the pros and cons of a PSA test. 'Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK, but despite this, men are facing deeply unfair inequities across the country, and their experiences vary hugely based on where they live. 'We urgently need an early detection programme that will address these regional inequities. 'My message to men today is, find 30 seconds to do Prostate Cancer UK's online risk checker. It's free, anonymous and in a few quick questions you will understand your risk and your rights like the four million men who have already taken it. Knowing your risk could save your life.' Sir Chris Hoy said: 'Prostate cancer is curable if found early. That's why it's vital we get the message out to men to think about their risk and to talk to their GP about a simple blood test to check. Sir Chris Hoy (pictured at a Prostate Cancer UK event last June) who has been diagnosed with the disease, says that GPs should be discussing the PSA blood test with more high-risk men 'That way we'll get more men with prostate cancer diagnosed earlier, and we'll save thousands more lives. 'What we need now is action to change the system, to enable more men to be diagnosed earlier and stop them getting the news I got. 'We need GPs to be able to proactively speak to men at highest risk, for example men with a family history like me, or black men, and discuss the PSA blood test to check for signs of cancer at an earlier stage. 'It shouldn't be only men's responsibility to make these potentially lifesaving conversations happen.' Men living in areas of higher deprivation are 29 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with disease that has already spread, than men living in more affluent areas, analysis by Prostate Cancer UK shows. And although more men are being diagnosed in Scotland, these men are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer at a later stage (31 per cent) than those in England (21 per cent). The charity said GPs are currently prevented by 'outdated' NHS guidelines from proactively speaking to men who have the highest risk of getting prostate cancer about their risk and offering a PSA. Some experts say the PSA test is not reliable because men with a high PSA level may not have cancer and some men with cancer have a normal PSA result. A positive test result may lead to unnecessary treatment for slow-growing or harmless tumours, leaving men at risk of serious side-effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction. But others say current evidence supports much wider testing. Adding a bit of kimchi to your winter meals could help stave off this season's 'super flu,' experts have revealed. A staple in Korean cooking, kimchi is a mix of salted and fermented vegetables like napa cabbage and radish, often eaten with rice and stews. At about $2 per serving, kimchi has long been lauded for its vitamins and probiotics, healthy bacteria that aid digestion and immunity. Recent research, however, suggests it could prevent viruses like the flu. In a recent study out of South Korea, researchers followed 13 overweight adults for three months as they either ate kimchi powder every day or were given a placebo. Blood tests showed that people consuming the equivalent of one ounce of kimchi per day had higher levels of genes that push antigens, which the immune system recognizes as a threat, to the surface of cells. This allows disease-fighting white blood cells to detect them and activate the rest of the immune system to drive the threat out, which could lower the chance of becoming ill. The findings come as this season's 'super flu' ravages the US. Though infections finally show signs of slowing, with 19 percent of tests coming back positive compared to 25 percent the week before, experts have warned flu season is far from over. The CDC also reported 15 child deaths from the flu last week alone, with parents urging others to get their yearly vaccines to help slow the spread. As the flu rages on in the US, experts have warned an unlikely fermented vegetable may reduce the risk of getting sick (stock image) Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. The study, published in November 2025 in the journal NPJ Science of Food, looked at 13 overweight but otherwise healthy adults. They were randomly assigned either to a placebo or kimchi group. The average age was 48, and the majority of participants were women. People in the kimchi group consumed about 3,000 milligrams of kimchi powder each day, the equivalent of one ounce of kimchi. Using blood tests, researchers found people who ate kimchi had cells that expressed higher amounts of MHC class II genes, which prop antigens, molecules the immune system recognizes as abnormal, up to the surface of cells. This allows white blood cells called helper T cells to detect the antigens and activate other immune cells to fight off infections. This means participants who ate kimchi every day were more likely to have their immune systems recognize viruses, potentially leading to them recovering faster or avoiding illnesses altogether. The team also suggested kimchi kept immune cells from becoming too active, lowering the risk of tissue damage caused by an excessive immune response. Join the debate Should more people swap traditional remedies for fermented foods like kimchi to boost their immunity? Kimchi has long been touted for its gut benefits, but the new study suggests it may lower the risk of viruses (stock image) Your browser does not support iframes. Dr Wooje Lee, lead study author of the World Institute of Kimchi, a government-funded research organization that studies fermentation, said: 'Our research has proven for the first time in the world that kimchi has two different simultaneous effects: activating defense cells and suppressing excessive response.' Experts believe fermented foods such as kimchi introduce healthy probiotics that counteract pathogens, strengthen the lining of the gut and boost overall immune function. In the study, kimchi powder was fermented with the healthy bacteria Leuconostoc mesenteroides, which has been shown to improve digestion, immune support and inflammation. There were several limitations, however, such as the small sample size, so the researchers emphasized larger studies are still needed on the relationship between kimchi and immune health. A new report has revealed where blockbuster weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are most sought after. About one in eight Americans, or 31 million people, have reported taking a weight loss shot like Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound at least once, and as many as one in five women over 50 have turned to them to lose weight, experts estimate. The drugs, which mimic the natural gut hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) to slow digestion, helping people feel fuller longer, have transformed the weight-loss landscape. Obesity rates nationwide have also slowly showed signs of falling. The latest CDC figures show 40 percent of US adults between 2021 and 2023 were obese compared to 42 percent in the previous three-year period. Now, a report from experts at NiceRx has ranked the states where residents searched the most for information on GLP-1 medications within the last year and compared the results to the states' obesity rates. The researchers found South Carolina had the highest rate of searches at 11,101 per 100,000 people, which added up to over 720,000 total in the last 12 months. The latest CDC data also shows 36 percent of adults in South Carolina are obese, the 12th-highest ranking in the US. Alaska and Florida followed closely behind with 10,561 and 10,467 searches per 100,000 people, respectively. In Alaska, 35 percent of adults are obese, while that figure drops to 30 percent for Florida. South Carolina had the most searches for GLP-1 medications in the past 12 months, a new report has revealed. Charleston, South Carolina, is pictured in the above stock image Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Rhode Island and North Carolina rounded out the top five states where weight-loss drugs were most sought after, with 10,210 and 10,156 searches per 100,000 people, respectively. About 32 percent of adults in Rhode Island are obese compared to 34 percent in North Carolina. Among the top 10 states that were ranked, North Dakota had the fewest searches at 9,960 per 100,000 people, though it had the fourth-highest obesity rate in the rankings behind West Virginia, Mississippi and South Carolina. The data looked at searches rather than prescriptions, so the findings do not mean those searchers translate to people taking GLP-1s. The states most interested in GLP-1s were not automatically the ones with the highest obesity rankings. West Virginia, which has been America's most obese state for five years in a row at 41 percent, had the seventh-most searches for GLP-1 medications. Mississippi, which has the country's second-highest obesity rate at 40 percent, had the sixth-most searches. There were 10,143 searches per 100,000 people in Mississippi and 10,105 per 100,000 in West Virginia. South Carolina's weight-loss medication searches totaled to 720,460 in the last 12 months, NiceRx estimates. This adds up to one in nine people in the state. Along with the 12th-highest obesity rate in the US, it also has the 10th-highest physical inactivity rate of 26.3 percent, according to figures from America's Health Rankings. It's unclear why searches for GLP-1s were more prevalent in South Carolina, but it could be due to an increase in diagnoses of diabetes, a disease GLP-1 drugs were originally approved to treat. Data from the US Diabetes Surveillance System, part of the CDC, shows diagnoses are at an all-time high of 12.6 percent in the state as of 2023. This is up from 11 percent in 2022. In 2000, the rate was just seven percent in South Carolina. The findings come as about one in eight US adults, or 31 million, have taken at GLP-1 like Ozempic at least once (stock image) The state's aging population is also increasing. Data from the South Carolina Department of Aging and the US Census Bureau shows the state's population of people over 65 is expected to double, to about 2.7 million, in the next two decades. Older adults are more prone to diabetes and weight gain because their cells become less responsive to insulin, leading to insulin resistance. The pancreas eventually can't keep up and produce enough insulin, causing glucose to build up in the blood, leading to diabetes. Metabolism also slows with age, increasing the risk of weight gain. North Dakota ranked 10th on the list with 9,960 searches per 100,000 people. North Dakota's population of older residents is also growing, though more slowly than South Carolina. About 16 percent of residents are over 65 compared to 20 percent of South Carolinians. In 2025, North Dakota also became the first US state to add GLP-1s for weight loss to its Essential Health Benefits program under the Affordable Care Act, which requires insurance to cover their cost. This may reduce the need for online searches because the drugs are more easily available. A young woman has left millions stunned after revealing the unexpected health discovery she made following what was meant to be a carefree tropical holiday. Tiahnee Raquel, 23, travelled to the Whitsundays in May 2024 with her partner for a cruise getaway, but returned home to Adelaide with more than just memories when a mysterious red patch on her forehead began to change colour. In a video that has racked up a staggering 5.6 million views, Tiahnee opened up about the moment she realised something wasn't right. 'What happened to my eye?' she began, before recounting how the spot appeared after a day in the sun, despite her being meticulous about sunscreen. 'I'm very sun safe, and if there's any bit of sun, I will put sunscreen on, especially on my face,' she told Daily Mail. 'I work in beauty and skincare, so I know how important sunscreen is, especially in Australia.' But one day while swimming and snorkelling in the crystal Queensland waters for three to four hours, she said 'the sun kicked my butt'. The result was a small red patch on her forehead but nowhere else, prompting her to think she may have missed a spot of SPF, leading to what she thought was sunburn. Tiahnee Raquel (pictured), 23 from Adelaide, has left millions stunned after revealing the unexpected change in her appearance following what was meant to be a carefree tropical holiday In a video that has racked up a staggering 5.6 million views, Tiahnee has opened up about developing vitiligo - an auto immune condition that affects skin and hair pigment in some However, weeks passed, and the redness didn't fade. Instead, she recalled it scabbed daily for almost a month. Eventually, the redness subsided, but what replaced it was even more puzzling in the form of a white patch of skin much lighter than her usual colour. 'I honestly didn't think anything of it. I thought it was just peeling, like when you tan and then the skin underneath is lighter.' Months later, in September 2024, things took a dramatic turn for Tiahnee while having her eyebrows threaded, when her beautician noticed a scattering of pure white hairs in her brows. At first, Tiahnee assumed stress was to blame, but within just two months, the change was impossible to ignore. 'By November, my entire eyebrow was pretty much white and it spread so fast it was insane.' Rather than seek medical advice, Tiahnee began dyeing her brows and lashes black to conceal it, but it wasn't until November 2025 that she finally saw a dermatologist. They confirmed what she already suspected: vitiligo - an autoimmune condition that causes loss of pigment in the skin and hair. After travelling to the Whitsundays in May 2024 with her partner for a cruise getaway, she returned home with a mysterious red patch on her forehead (left photo) which began to change colour. Pictured right: Tiahnee's right eyebrow shortly after, sprouting mysterious white hairs She initially thought the red patch was from sunburn on holiday, and when it progressed and got lighter, Tiahnee assumed stress was to blame. But within just two months half her eyebrow was white. 'It spread so fast it was insane,' she told Daily Mail 'I wanted to know if there was a way to stop it spreading or reverse it. There isn't, at least not at the moment.' Since then, the vitiligo has continued to progress, affecting her eyebrow, eyelashes, hairline and forehead, leaving striking white patches through one side of her face. 'I do have white mascara on here - it's actually Dior's white primer, which I love,' she added in the clip, embracing the contrast rather than hiding it. After sharing her story online, Tiahnee has been overwhelmed by the response, not just the sheer scale of attention, but the kindness of strangers. 'The most gorgeous woman - and even more stunning with your vitiligo,' one follower wrote. 'I think the way your vitiligo appeared is absolutely gorgeous,' another said. Tiahnee initially concealed the change by dyeing her brows and lashes, delaying medical advice until November 2025, when a dermatologist confirmed she had vitiligo While the sunburn didnt cause her vitiligo, Tiahnee said it likely triggered the condition, which runs in her family. Her video has since surged past 5.6 million views 'Girl, get into modelling! You have such a beautiful, unique look! Plus, maybe a cautionary tale,' another urged. 'I truly think vitiligo is the most beautiful thing. What a unique beauty feature.' Many also shared their own experiences, creating an unexpected support network. 'I have vitiligo and so did my dad,' one person wrote. 'Ninety per cent of my dad's filled back in. Seventy per cent of my old spots filled back in too, but I randomly get new ones after injuries.' Another suggested a rather counterintuitive treatment option, stating that UV therapy from the sun itself helped them personally bring pigment back to their skin. Tiahnee has also addressed speculation about whether her look is intentional. 'I've never had anyone ask if it's fake, but people do ask if I dyed it white myself, and the answer is no.' She explained that while sunburn didn't directly cause her condition, it likely acted as the trigger. 'Vitiligo runs in my family. I only recently found out two people on my mum's side have it, but just not as noticeable as mine.' Now, instead of hiding, Tiahnee is choosing visibility and helping millions better understand a condition that's often misunderstood. A woman who was born without the ability to blink has laid bare the incessant bullying she faced for years over the condition. Sabrina Burlando, 19, from Surprise, Arizona, was born without the muscle that allows her to close her eyelid - a genetic condition known as congenital ptosis, which she inherited from her dad. While she had the function restored through surgery at age three - after doctors gave her the ability to blink but through her eyebrow muscle instead - what came next was years of uncomfortable stares from strangers and cruel comments from her peers, which left her fiercely insecure. Burlando explained during an exclusive chat with the Daily Mail that despite her eyes working completely normal following the surgery, they still 'appeared smaller than average,' which led to her being picked on from a young age. 'I first realized I was different from others in kindergarten. That's the first time I remember getting made fun of for my eyes,' she explained. 'None of my classmates understood why my eyes are smaller, and they picked on me for it. 'I remember my teacher had to give my entire class a talk about how there's nothing wrong with me, and they shouldn't comment on my eyes. That was the moment I realized that I looked different from my peers.' It got even worse during her teenage years. And when she landed her first job in high school she said she faced more bullying at her workplace. Sabrina Burlando, 19, from Surprise Arizona, was born without the muscle that allows her to close her eyelid - a genetic condition known as congenital ptosis She had the function restored through surgery at age three - doctors gave her the ability to blink but through her eyebrow muscle instead. She's seen as a baby 'My manager and co-worker made inappropriate comments about my eyes behind my back,' she shared. It completely shattered her confidence and left her constantly feeling like she wasn't 'good enough.' 'I felt so unusual and alone,' she said. 'I began to feel scared at the thought of meeting new people. 'I had a fear that when strangers looked at me, all they saw was my eyes, and nothing else about me as a person. '[Plus], social media beauty standards made it impossible to feel like I was good enough. 'Picture-perfect girls who are the highlight of beauty distorted the way I viewed myself. 'I craved to be the type of pretty I was exposed to online. I didn't want to be unique.' But eventually, Burlando learned to not only accept her differences, but to embrace them. Burlando explained that despite her eyes working completely normal following the surgery, they still 'appeared smaller than average,' which led to her being picked on from a young age 'None of my classmates understood why my eyes are smaller, and they picked on me for it,' said Burlando (seen as a kid) 'The thing that helped me most with my confidence and sense of self was realizing that there is so much more to a person than the way they look,' she shared. 'I realized that the only opinion that mattered regarding the way that I look was my own. 'I can't control the way that I look, but I can control the type of person I am. And to me, that is far more important. 'Confidence is still a struggle for me, but I realized that if I were born with two fully functioning eyes, I wouldn't be who I am.' She now believes that the condition 'taught her kindness in a way she never would have understood without it.' And it was that realization that helped her accept that being unique is 'something to be celebrated.' According to the National Library of Medicine, only 107 children were diagnosed with ptosis from January 1965 through December 2004. Burlando recently started posting about her condition on TikTok, where her videos have gone viral. She believes that the condition 'taught her kindness in a way she never would have understood without it.' And that helped her accept that being unique is 'something to be celebrated' She explained to the Daily Mail that she decided to start speaking about her journey online because she had 'never met someone outside of her family who has the same condition.' 'I also have never seen any videos online talking about it. I wanted to openly share my experience so that others could feel less alone,' she explained. 'I realized I could be the person I wished I saw online when I was younger, and that meant everything to me.' And while she hoped to reach others who may have congenital ptosis so they could 'build a community and support each other,' she never expected that millions would be watching her videos. The response has been empowering to say the least, and has made Burlando feel more accepted and 'less alone' in the last few weeks than she has 'her whole life.' She said she's now gotten 'countless DMs and comments' from people who shared their own story with ptosis or didn't fit in for another reason. 'I was so excited when I realized that so many people resonated with my videos,' she dished. 'I was so happy to know that even one person was able to relate [let alone millions]. 'It is the coolest experience to be able to connect with so many people that I would never have reached without posting that video. 'When I posted my video, I initially prepared myself for a ton of hate comments. However, the number of positive remarks had me blown away.' In the end, she said she hopes that everyone learns to 'embrace their uniqueness' and 'be kind' to others, even those who are different than you. A landlord has sparked outrage for keeping a tenant's $825 bond over a bizarre list of charges - including $80 for limescale in a kettle and $44 for dust behind a fridge. The renter was furious after receiving a detailed breakdown from the landlord, itemising why almost half of the bond was being withheld at the end of the lease. In a heated text exchange, the British tenant demanded to know what the 412 ($A825) actually covered. 'I'm looking at it now and I genuinely cannot believe what I'm reading,' the tenant said, to which the landlord replied: 'It is standard end of tenancy deductions. Very normal.' Struggling to wrap their head around it, the renter responded: '85 ($A170) for "flattened carpet fibres." I lived there two years. Of course the carpet looks lived on. That is what carpets are for.' However, the property owner was adamant that 'wear has a cost'. Refusing to back down, the tenant pointed out the exorbitant charges. 'You've charged me 60 ($A120) for a loose light switch, 40 ($A80) for limescale in the kettle, 55 ($A110) to repaint a scuffed wall, and 22 ($A44) for dust behind the fridge. That is not cleaning, that is daylight robbery,' the tenant said. A landlord has sparked outrage for keeping a tenant's $825 bond over a bizarre list of charges - including $80 for limescale in a kettle and $44 for dust behind a fridge The landlord explained that 'under the condition of return, the property must be returned as close to original as possible'. The tenant replied: 'The wall was already marked when I moved in. I sent you photos. You even replied "noted". I still have that message.' The owner suggested the condition of the property now 'appears worse'. Standing their ground, the renter responded: 'Because time exists. Because paint ages. Because human beings live in homes. That is not damage.' The landlord said the tenant had signed an inventory at check-in so they were required to adhere to the 'legal record'. 'Yes and I have it right in front of me. It literally says "carpet already worn". And you still charged me for carpet wear,' the tenant fired back. The landlord replied: 'It is more worn now than before.' Furious, the tenant responded: 'No s*** I lived on it. That is how time works.' The renter was furious after receiving a detailed breakdown from the landlord, with everything itemised to explain why he was taking almost half of their bond at the end of the lease The property owner then said the tenant was acting 'rude'. However, the renter replied: 'I am becoming angry because you have just helped yourself to hundreds of pounds for things that already existed before I even moved in.' The landlord then suggested the tenant was 'free to raise a dispute through the deposit scheme.' 'I already am. And I am uploading every photo, every check-in note, and every message you ever sent acknowledging existing damage,' the renter replied. 'It's funny how calm you are when it's my money being held and not yours.' The landlord said he was 'calm' because he was 'following procedure', to which the tenant responded: 'No, you are hiding behind procedure.' The bitter exchange escalated - with the tenant furious with the landlord's decision According to the NSW Government, the tenant is responsible for leaving the property as close as possible to the same condition as when they started living in it. The tenant is responsible for negligent, irresponsible or intentional actions that cause damage to the property. However, the tenant is not responsible for 'fair wear and tear'. The text exchange was re-shared via a video on social media by British property strategist Jack Rooke. 'Yeah, he can't charge for that. It's scary how many people do this,' Jack said. His video prompted a discussion, with many sharing their own experiences after their landlords tried to charge them for unreasonable things. 'Mine once tried charging me 200 ($A400) for a broken shelf in my own fridge/freezer that I bought for 90 ($A180),' one shared. 'They tried to charge me 30 ($A60) for cobwebs... when they inspected the house three weeks after I left,' another revealed. 'My previous landlord wanted to keep all my deposit because of condensation trapped between the double glazing (old windows, sealing knackered). Needless to say it took three months of dispute but I got the full amount back. The report clearly stated it was bad time the flat I rented needed new windows,' one added. He was one of the true fashion greats, who dressed the world's most beautiful women including Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and Jacqueline Kennedy. Valentino Garavani, the Italian couturier whose name became synonymous with timeless elegance, unapologetic romance and a very specific shade of red, has passed away peacefully at his home in Rome. He was 93. For more than half a century, Valentino dressed queens and movie stars, socialites and first ladies, shaping a version of glamour that has arguably never been surpassed. In an industry addicted to novelty, Valentino was that rare thing a designer who had a clear signature and never faltered from his vision. 'I know what women want. They want to be beautiful,' he once said. For Valentino, it was as simple and as difficult as that. Born in 1932 in Voghera, a small town in northern Italy, with a name like Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani he was destined to be a designer. He set his sights on the lofty world of fashion at a fairly young age. By 17, he had precociously moved to Paris to train at the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale, where he absorbed the rigours of French haute couture before returning to Rome in the late 1950s to establish his own atelier. Together with his business partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, he founded the house of Valentino in 1960. Valentino Garavani (pictured, centre), the Italian couturier whose name became synonymous with timeless elegance, unapologetic romance and a very specific shade of red, has passed away peacefully at his home in Rome Julia Roberts (pictured) wearing Valentino at the Oscars award ceremony in March 2001 From the beginning, his work had both an Italian warmth and sensuality as well as perfect French construction and precision. That synthesis would define his career. His breakthrough came in the early 1960s, when his designs began to attract international attention for their precise tailoring. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Valentino believed in a refined femininity. Trends didn't interest him of far more interest was perfection. It's why he spent his career searching for the perfect 'Valentino red', a vibrant, sophisticated hue that became his calling card, the name of one of his scents and a recurring presence on runways and the red carpet. His rise coincided with the ascent of celebrity culture. Jacqueline Kennedy, later Onassis, became one of his most influential clients, wearing his designs both in public life and in private. After discovering Valentino in 1964, she bought six couture dresses, wearing them throughout her mourning period for John F Kennedy. When she married her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, in 1968, she wore a white Chantilly lace dress with a pleated skirt from the designer's well-received 'white' collection of 1967. Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor were equally enamoured of Valentino's elegant designs. Valentino appeared as himself in 2006's The Devil Wears Prada (pictured with Meryl Streep in the movie) Valentino founded the Valentino label in 1960 and sold the brand in 1998 for $300million and designed his last collection in 2008 (pictured 1995) Iconic Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani died aged of 93 'surrounded by his loved ones' at his home in Rome on Monday (pictured with Kim Kardashian in 2014) After Taylor first wore a white feather-trimmed Valentino gown to the premiere of Spartacus in 1961, she returned to him time and time again, knowing his dresses would always become talking points. He understood the theatre of clothes and had a keen understanding of how the right gown on the right woman could make an unforgettable impact. It's no surprise that Valentino features prominently in every Academy Awards 'best dressed' list. Julia Roberts' black and white vintage Valentino gown, worn in 2001, is still seen as one of the most memorable red carpet moments in the ceremony's 96-year history. Over the years, stars including Loren, Jessica Lange, Reese Witherspoon, Cate Blanchett, and Jennifer Lopez have chosen to wear Valentino on Oscar night, confident that his mastery of colour and form would always make them look their best. Many of the women he dressed became friends, most notably Princess Diana who wore him often and became so close to him that she would holiday on his private yacht throughout the 1990s. It provided a safe haven when paparazzi interest was at its peak. Valentino also developed a strong friendship with actress Anne Hathaway: the two bonded after he made a cameo appearance in 2006's The Devil Wears Prada. The actress frequently wore Valentino on the red carpet and asked him to design her wedding dress in 2012. The designer with models like Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista after a fashion show on October 20, 1991 in Paris He was renowned for his impeccable tailoring, glam gowns as well as the use signature shade of red, now universally known as 'Valentino red' (pictured 2007) In 2008 Valentino retired, ending his 45-year reign with a swansong show held at Paris's storied Musee Rodin. Models and longtime muses including Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and Gisele Bundchen were invited, and the models in the show donned identical red dresses for the stunning finale, bathing the room in his signature hue. He received a standing ovation, but as the audience dried its tears, Valentino himself remained impressively dry-eyed, ever the professional. After Valentino handed over the reins, the role of creative director was given to Italian female fashion designer Alessandra Facchinetti, who was replaced by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli after just two seasons. Piccioli remained at the helm until March 2024, with former Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele stepping in on Piccioli's departure. Consummate professional as he was, Valentino didn't shy from offering the world a 360-degree view of his lavish lifestyle. Long before reality television was a genre of its own, he was more than happy to share the minutiae of his life with his fans, most notably in the 2008 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor. In it viewers had a glimpse of both his stubbornness as well as his genius. 'He's the only designer who lived the life that people think designers should live,' said Philip Treacy, the British milliner who worked closely with Valentino for many years. Valentino dressed everyone from Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham to Elizabeth Taylor (pictured with Princess Diana 1990) His foundation took to Instagram to confirm the tragic news following his passing at his home in Rome (Pictured with Victoria Beckham in 2018) Much of this was due to Giancarlo Giammetti's influence. He and Valentino were life partners for over 50 years and didn't shirk from enjoying the spoils of their wealth, including lavish villas, luxury yachts and decadent dining. While they bickered, they were fiendishly close, two elegant men with matching perma-tans, living life to the full, like true Italians. The world is a dimmer and less well-dressed place without Valentino in it. One of most astounding elements of Brooklyn's tirade against his family was the accusation that his mother Victoria had 'hijacked' his first dance with wife Nicola with an inappropriate dance move. His vivid description of the former Spice Girl dancing 'on' him caused jaws to drop - but if Brooklyn's account is true, Posh is far from the first mother-in-law to turn heads at her son's wedding for all the wrong reasons. One woman thought to be from the US sent the internet into meltdown in 2019, with her 'creepy' mother and son dance with the groom, latching on to him in an awkward hug in front of his bride. To make matters worse, she committed the cardinal sin of turning up for the big day in a sheer white lace dress. While Victoria stands accused of reneging on her promise to make Nicola's wedding gown 'at the eleventh hour' at least she didn't turn up in a quasi bridal dress herself - unlike some other mothers. While some might argue that it's impossible to outshine or be mistaken for the bride, one mother from the States, in 2023, did her absolute best by wearing a near-white full-length dress to walk her son down the aisle. Meanwhile, Amy Pennza, an author from Kirtland, Ohio, revealed how she arrived at her wedding to find her mother-in-law wearing a near-identical ivory frock. However, she later explained how the mother-in-law's difficult childhood was behind the outfit choice. Growing up in a home where money was tight made her so frugal that she 'couldn't walk away from any bargain - even if that meant wearing a cheap wedding gown to her son's ceremony'. 'I'm happy to report the wedding unfolded without bloodshed, or anyone being shoved into the champagne fountain,' Amy concluded, admitting that her husband's mother now 'feels terrible' about the faux pas. One woman made her son kiss her on the lips in front of his future wife, according to a series of now-deleted photos from influencer @lanealexisxo In one case, a woman donned a sheer white lace dress to enjoy a 'creepy' dance with her son, 'latching' onto him in an awkward hug in front of his bride Another time, a woman was left red-faced after her groom's mother decided to berate her at the altar - after she joked out her husband-to-be's 'flaws' during a speech. A TikTok video, which has since been deleted, was originally posted in 2023 by the bride's sister, Sarah Ragsdale, from San Jose, California, in 2020. She had captioned the footage, 'My sisters wedding a few years ago. Her MIL has always hated her. She's just ones of those MIL's that feel my sister is taking her son away,' according The Scottish Sun. In the 31-second footage, the bride and groom could be seen standing opposite one another at the altar, midway through exchanging vows as the bride read from a sheet of paper. Suddenly, the unnamed mother-in-law interrupted, exclaiming: 'You do not have to say my son has flaws.' As the groom chuckled nervously and tells his mother to 'be quiet,' the bride intervened and told her that she 'can leave'. Resorting to raising her voice, the mother-in-law quipped: 'No. I don't have to leave. The dress you're wearing - we paid for it!' As fellow guests attempted to calm the woman down, the bride hit back, saying, 'You're not gonna ruin my wedding,' to which the mother-in-law responded, 'You're not gonna say my son has flaws!' In yet more wince-worthy moments, one bride, Karolina Ceremon shared in a TikTok how her mother-in-law dumped her 'save-the-dates' into a bucket of dirty water Another time, a woman was left red-faced after her groom's mother decided to berate her at the altar - after she joked out her husband-to-be's 'flaws' during a speech The bride argued that 'everybody has flaws' and that it was part of the reason she loved and wanted to still marry her fiance. In yet more wince-worthy moments, one bride, Karolina Ceremon shared in a TikTok how her mother-in-law dumped her 'save-the-dates' into a bucket of dirty water, while another woman made her son kiss her on the lips in front of his future wife. The latter was unveiled in now-deleted photos from influencer @lanealexisxo, who shared a series of bizarre revelations from her wedding. 'I don't hate her, but the way she told everyone she didn't want to be at my wedding but had to be, and made sure I was told before walking down the aisle will forever be implanted in my brain,' she wrote, among other grievances; including that her mother-in-law 'purposefully kissed her son when he went to kiss her cheek'. Speaking to the Daily Mail, a psychologist revealed that the tensions which arise between in-laws are common, and rooted in fear of change. 'When stories like the Beckhams and Peltzs come to light, it can feel uniquely "celebrity", but the emotional pattern underneath is very ordinary,' Dr Ahmar Ferguson, an Educational Psychologist, shared. 'Research on in-law relationships suggests this tension often isn't about one dramatic incident so much as a role change that nobody is properly taught how to do. 'A parent who has been central to a son's emotional world (and family identity) has to renegotiate closeness, influence, traditions, and access, while a new partner is trying to build a marriage that feels protected, respected, and "primary."' Another time, tweets from Amy Pennza, an author from Kirtland, Ohio, revealed how she arrived at her wedding to find her mother-in-law wearing a near-identical ivory frock Once, as shared in a Reddit post, the mother-of-the-groom chose to wear a near-white champagne-coloured floor length floral dress to walk her son down the aisle, leaving thousands divided over how appropriate it was That 'handover', he explained, can 'stir up grief, status anxiety, and a fear of being replaced, even in otherwise loving families'. He explained that it feels that the tensions can often arise with mother-in-laws in particular - but it's not always as straightforward a discussion. 'When people talk about "mothers of sons", what they're usually describing is a moment of emotional shift rather than anything intentional or malicious,' Dr Ferguson said. 'A son growing up, choosing a partner, and building his own family naturally changes who he turns to first, who he shares things with, and whose opinion carries the most weight. 'For some mothers, that change can feel like a quiet loss, not of love, but of closeness and role, especially if much of their identity has been tied up in being needed. 'At the same time, a son's partner is often trying to establish a sense of security and priority in the relationship. 'If neither side names what they're feeling, it's easy for misunderstandings to grow, with each person interpreting the other's behaviour as criticism or exclusion rather than uncertainty or fear of being edged out.' Dr Ferguson added that when it comes to the Beckhams and Peltzs, 'what makes it feel so difficult is that weddings and public milestones are symbolic boundary moments'. The expert continued: 'They're not just parties, they're statements about belonging, identity, and hierarchy. 'If either party feels sidelined, criticised, or overridden, it can land as "I'm not safe/I'm not valued" rather than "we had a misunderstanding". 'And in a high-profile family, there's an extra layer: public image, media narratives, and the sense that private pain is being played out on a stage. 'From a psychological perspective, that combination can turn normal family growing pains into something that feels like a threat to dignity and attachment.' She might present herself as one of the classiest 'poshfluencers' online, but Lydia Millen is not exempt from getting a little messy on social media. The British lifestyle star, 37, who has built a lucrative brand around her rustic aesthetic, has been accused of blocking a horse influencer who criticised her 'countryside cosplay' content. Horse trainer Bex Foster, who runs the successful social media account Bunkers Hill Farm Horses, boasting 133,000 followers on TikTok, has claimed that Millen blocked her after she branded her polished content unrealistic and 'out of touch'. Tweed-loving Millen, originally from Watford, has indeed built up an impressive four-million-strong following on social media by sharing pristine content from her picture-perfect 2million Cotswolds home. It's not the first time that Millen has be accused of blocking. Back in December, she was revealed to be systematically blocking any creator with even a hint of 'working-class energy' from viewing her TikToks. Foster took to the Facebook page Basingstoke Horses to share her update. She wrote: 'So, I've been blocked by Lydia Millen. 'Interesting. Not exactly shocking, given I once made a video about countryside influencers and - let's say - it wasn't a glowing tribute.' She continued: 'Because let's be honest, Lydia Millen and her ilk were never really for actual country folk. Lydia Millen, pictured, has been accused of blocking horse trainer Bex Foster, who runs the successful social media account Bunkers Hill Farm Horses 'The only time most rural people see creators like that is when someone's sharing a video to have a laugh. 'You know, the kind of laugh you do when someone is swanning around muddy fields in January wearing cream trousers and suede boots, as if that's remotely compatible with livestock, weather, or reality. 'That content isn't aimed at people who live and work in the countryside. It's aimed at town dwellers who like the idea of the countryside. 'The ones who think a rural Sunday is a cute pub walk followed by a roast by the fire, not getting up before 6am in the pitch dark to feed animals wearing three jumpers and a head torch.' Foster added: 'It's not countryside living. It's countryside cosplay for the wealthy. 'Instagram, for years, made this easy. Perfectly curated feeds, spotless boots, champagne at the races, golden retrievers in matching tweed. Aspirational. Untouchable. Highly monetisable.' The Daily Mail has reached out to Lydia Millen for comment. Foster isn't the only content creator to accuse Millen of blocking her, with at least three others claiming that the same had happened to them in recent months. Foster, pictured, claimed that Millen's content is unrealistic and 'out of touch' with the reality of living in the countryside The horse influencer shared a lengthy post, pictured, to the Basingstoke Horses Facebook page, explaining the ordeal Pictured: 'Poshfluencer' Lydia Millen at the fourth day of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in 2024 Despite the brewing controversy, Millen has developed an impressive social media presence, landing her the cover of Country Homes magazine, a profile in Harper's Bazaar, and even an introduction to King Charles at Highgrove at a 2024 Christmas event. Millen's blocking spree isn't the first time she's created a less-than-appealing buzz, though, and in 2023, she was forced to defend herself after using an 'ignorant' slur for disabled people. The influencer spoke about her inexperience publishing her first book and referred to herself as a 'm*ng'. After receiving backlash for her use of the word, the influencer defended her use of the word, insisting she did not mean it in the context it had been taken. She instead claimed she had used the word 'in regards to a mongrel mixed breed dog' while referring to her own 'scruffy appearance'. However, many of her followers didn't buy the explanation and instead urged her to take accountability for her 'ignorance' and edit the video. It has since been edited to remove the slur. It's not the first time the influencer has been embroiled in controversy, as she was slammed in 2022 for booking into the exclusive Savoy Hotel after complaining about the broken heating in her Buckinghamshire home. Lydia shared a video with her TikTok followers showing her getting ready to check into the exclusive five-star establishment, which charges up to 1,000 per night. In the one-minute clip, Lydia was seen picking out a 2,000 outfit from the dressing room. Explaining why she was making the last-minute trip, Lydia said: 'The heating is currently broken in my house, so I'm heading down to London. 'I'm checking into The Savoy and I'm going to make full use of their wonderful hot water. So let's get ready for the day!' The clip amassed more than one million views and sparked fierce debate in the comments - with critics labelling it 'tone-deaf' amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. It might cost a small fortune, but Victoria Beckham's new foundation has sold out in most shades. The Foundation Drops, which launched in September and is priced at 104, has flown off the shelves, with most of its 19 colourways currently unavailable at online UK retailers, including Space NK. The product boasts a light, serum-like consistency, creating a natural, glowing finish and breathable feel. Its secret weapon, though? The inclusion of Augustinus Bader's Trigger Factor Complex (TFC8), which stimulates skin cell renewal and promises a nourishing glow with consistent use. German-born biologist Augustinus Bader, previously the director of cell techniques and applied stem biology at the University of Leipzig, developed his eponymous skincare brand in 2018, disrupting the market with his science-backed products. The brand's TFC8 supports the body's natural self-healing process, and its results quickly formed a cult-like following, which includes Demi Moore, Kim Kardashian, and Hailey Bieber. Victoria Beckham's Foundation Drops, which launched in September and is priced at 104, has sold out in multiple shades online Bader's cream can cost up to 450 a pop, though, meaning Beckham's two-in-one foundation, which rides the wave of skincare-focused makeup, could be considered a steal. It might come as little surprise that the foundation has made such a fuss then, with celebrities including Dani Dyer and Jack Grealish's girlfriend Sasha Atwood among those raving about the product online. Just this week her pal Tana Ramsay also revealed it was her favourite, as she spoke about the importance of protecting her skin after years of sun damage in The Times. The hype comes as a silver lining for Victoria - who has become embroiled in a public feud with her eldest son, after Brooklyn Beckham, 26, took to Instagram to share a six-page statement, where he said he has no wishes to reconcile with his family and is standing up for himself 'for the first time in my life'. In it, he claimed his parents had 'endlessly tried' to ruin his relationship with the billionaire heiress as the ex Spice Girl cancelled making the bridal gown at the 'eleventh hour' before 'hijacking' their first dance. Dyer, who found fame on Love Island, told her followers she 'caved and got it', given all the positive reviews. She quickly added to them in her video, saying she 'loves' the results. 51-year-old Beckham herself has also taken to TikTok to show her followers how she uses the product. 'We created The Foundation Drops for minimalists like me,' said the website product description written by Victoria, now known as Lady Beckham, following her husband David's knighthood last year. Former Love Island star Dani Dyer (pictured) said she 'caved' and purchased the foundation after seeing all the hype on TikTok Beckham has previously opened up about her long-term struggles with her skin, saying she has struggled with bad acne, leaving her 'feeling self-conscious'. In the video tutorial posted to her official TikTok, she explained how she doesn't like a foundation that is 'too heavy', instead preferring 'something that isn't going to sink into my skin'. 'There's nothing worse than when a foundation is really thick and you can literally see it sitting in these creases. I hate that,' she added. The foundation's success appears to be following a similar trajectory to the brand's Satin Kajal Liner. Beckham's fashion label had been in the red since launching in 2008, but in 2023 fortunes turned around thanks to her 30 eyeliner. This product flew off the shelves so quickly that her team at the time reportedly struggled to keep up with the demand. Beckham's Satin Kajal Liner, which comes in 22 colours, has been hailed as 'the perfect piece of make-up' by not only women in the UK, but also across Europe and in America since it launched. Its popularity has been boosted by the former Spice Girl offering tutorials on social media platforms TikTok and Instagram and friends of the star say that she, too, uses it every day. The foundation includes Augustinus Bader's Trigger Factor Complex (TFC8), which stimulates skin cell renewal Sasha Atwood (pictured, showed the results of Victoria Beckham's product against a cheaper product A fashion insider told The Mail on Sunday at the time: 'This has been an absolute gem of a product for Victoria. 'It has become so popular, Team VB says that they can't get it made and out there quickly enough. While it might seem expensive compared to high-street ranges, ordinary women are buying it and then learning how to use it by watching Victoria's tutorials. 'There are other products being launched and the fashion is becoming more popular but the eyeliner is the stand out. It has been a triumph.' Those close to Beckham say that she is 'immensely proud' of the eyeliner, while its tens of thousands of fans say that it is easy to use, stays in place, and are impressed with the range of colours. Beckham extended her fashion brand in 2019 when she launched her beauty range, inspired by her signature 'smokey eye' for which she has become known. Speaking to Vogue France in October 2023, Beckham said: 'It's such an exciting time. This year, we made a profit. This takes time, especially for an independent brand. 'This is just the beginning. I have lots of ambitions and I work hard to achieve my goals. I never wait for things to fall into my lap. Now that I have laid down the groundwork, the real work can begin.' There is a particularly telling moment during the official trailer for Melania, the documentary about the First Lady of the United States that lands exclusively in cinemas next week, which I think explains why she is one of the 21st centurys most fascinating human beings. The film is about the days leading up to her husbands second inauguration, exactly a year ago today. So we see the 55-year-old preparing to wear The Hat the millinery equivalent of a barbed-wire fence or a chastity belt the brim so large it allowed her to repel her husbands lips when he tried to kiss her after being sworn in. We see her discussing security with an aide, and embracing her son Barron, now 19, who at 6ft 9in towers over everyone he encounters. (One hopes the documentary will reveal if he still has a Slavic lilt, and if its true that his first language is his mothers Slovenian, as opposed to his fathers American-English.) We even see the former model (shock, horror) smiling. But the bit that shows just why this woman is worth spending $40million (30million) on for that is the eye-watering amount of money Amazon is said to have paid the First Lady, beating off rival bids from Disney and Paramount comes right at the end of the 67 second-long clip. She is in her office, looking over the Manhattan skyline at night. It is a room decorated in 50 shades of gold. There are walls covered in marble, a statue the size of a small London flat. There is a Louis XIV desk upon which sits a single white rose, which Melania must surely know is the symbol of President Snow, the murderous dictator from the dystopian young adult novels The Hunger Games. There is also a priceless Renoir painting, which viewers might reasonably mistake as the rooms single concession to taste. Alas, it is a mere copy, the actual masterpiece from 1874 hanging 3,500 miles away in The Courtauld in London But most of all, there is Melania, on the phone to her husband. Hi Mr President, congratulations, she purrs patronisingly, doing her very best impression of Marilyn Monroe. Did you watch it? he replies, referring to an unknown event. His tone is unusually lovestruck and needy. Melania Trump wearing The Hat the millinery equivalent of a barbed-wire fence the brim so large it allowed her to repel Donalds lips when he tried to kiss her I did not, she responds curtly, more than a little dismissive. I will see it on the news. And there, in one short shocking exchange, we see why so many women admire Melania Trump. Its not because we like her to do that, wed have to know her, and shes hardly the most forthcoming of First Ladies. And its most certainly not because we want to be her. (I cant be the only one who felt queasy when US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr revealed in a podcast recently that the Presidents doctor said Trump had the highest testosterone level of anyone over 70 hes ever seen.) No. Its because, in one short phone call, Melania can do what many of the worlds most powerful can only dream of: and that is to put her big bully of a husband in his place. Its no mean feat, to be able to deflate the puffed-up chest of this self-styled strong man. And yet so often, Melania is dismissed as pneumatic, robotic, the real-life iteration of a Stepford Wife. Many paint her as a kind of prisoner in a loveless marriage, one for whom, during Trumps first term in the White House, concerned supporters on the internet came together to create the hashtag #freemelania. But increasingly, it is becoming clear that this is to misunderstand the power of the woman. After all, she used the dramas that surfaced during his first election campaign the infamous grab em by the p***y comments, not to mention his affair with the porn star Stormy Daniels to renegotiate her pre-nuptial agreement so it had better terms for her and Barron. Pitying her as a trapped wife misses a valuable opportunity to try and work out the psychology of a woman able to tame the otherwise irascible President. So, yes, Melania may be the only First Lady to have posed nude for a mens magazine on her husbands private jet (GQ, in 2000). And, yes, she may also be the only First Lady to have visited a centre for displaced children wearing a jacket which featured the statement I really dont care, do u?. But what we also know about Melania is that she is the only person to hold power and influence over Donald Trump. And as 2026 kicks off in the most bombastic fashion, that surely makes this girl from small-town Slovenia the most powerful person on the planet. In an attempt to unpick the psychology of Melania, I spent an afternoon being turned into the First Lady by a crack-team of stylists, hair and make-up artists Indeed, while Sir Keir Starmer and other European leaders fear squaring up to the President over Greenland at Davos this week, Melania has sauntered into 2026 with the kind of main character energy we all wish they could summon. Like her or not, what we all want to know is: how does she do it? Perhaps more importantly, why does she do it? In an attempt to unpick the psychology of Melania, I spent an afternoon being turned into the First Lady by a crack-team of stylists, hair and make-up artists. It involved an awful lot of fake eyelashes, not to mention a perfectly coiffed wig in Melanias signature bronde tone. There was also an impressively convincing Donald Trump lookalike, who caused a commotion wherever he went; whether it was the loo or the office canteen, everyone, young and old, wanted a selfie. Hold his hand, requested the photographer back on set, and as my stomach turned a bit, I imagined that this is what it must be like to be Melania (give or take a few hundred million dollars in the bank). The most important thing, when posing as Melania, is not The Hat or The Hair Extensions but The Scowl. Her face always seems to say what were all thinking, at least when it comes to her husband. No matter the event, no matter the fabulous designer frock, she always has the look of someone who, at best, barely tolerates him. Spending an entire afternoon frowning had an interesting effect on my mood, causing me to dismiss everyone around me in the same derisive way as Melania. Squinting scornfully at the camera, I wondered just how high your Botox bill would be if this was your day job I, too, might disappear for weeks on end to the relative privacy of Florida if it meant not having to spend all day with my face puckered in anger. The floor-length Burberry trench made me feel slightly better. With one swoosh of my luxury coat tails I could let my husband know what I thought of him without ever saying a word, my designer wardrobe creating an expensive wall around me. With one swoosh of my luxury Burberry trench coat tails I could let my husband - an impressively convincing Donald Trump lookalike - know what I thought of him without ever saying a word The contemptuous half-smiles, coupled with her love of a wide-brimmed, husband-repelling hat (she wore one again during the state visit to the UK last September), all combine to create the perfect physical embodiment of what so many women think about Donald Trump, and that is: not much, really. Theres a great anecdote relayed by Mary Jordan in her meticulously researched unauthorised biography, The Art Of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump. When asked whether she would have married her husband had he not been rich, Melania apparently shot back: If I werent beautiful, do you think hed be with me? The Trump camp naturally called Jordans book a fiction, but this titbit nicely sums up the dispassionate disdain Melania seems to feel for her husband. Her infinitely meme-able icy cold stares have always been especially delicious and fascinating because we only get them if she bothers to show up by her husbands side at all. We havent seen such a low-profile First Lady since Bess Truman, and thats going way back in living human memory, nearly 80 years ago, said Katherine Jellison, a historian and expert in First Ladies who spoke to the New York Times for a piece last May with the headline A Most Sensitive Subject In The White House: Where is Melania? At that point in Trumps second term, she had been seen in Washington on fewer than 14 days, with sources claiming she disappears for weeks at a time, preferring to be alone in their New York penthouse or at Mar-a-Lago. But Melanias behaviour in the last couple of months suggests were about to see a lot more of her. Note the megawatt silver dress she wore to the annual New Years Eve party that the couple hold at Mar-a-Lago. Between her fantastic cleavage, the 1,300 gown made by Turkish designer Ilkyaz Ozel and the matching sequinned Christian Louboutins, it was hard to know where to look. Certainly, it wasnt at her husband, who, when you finally noticed him, appeared every one of his almost 80 years. This was not the look of a woman hoping to go quietly into the new year. Indeed, 2026 may well be the year of Melania. At least if that bombastic trailer for the documentary is anything to go by. As you might expect of a teaser promoting a film due to have its world premiere in the renamed Trump-Kennedy Center in Washington next Thursday, understated it is not. Which is understandable given its directed by Brett Ratner, known for blockbusters including X-Men: The Last Stand, and the Rush Hour series. (Hes also known as a man against whom a number of actresses alleged sexual assault at the height of #MeToo, not that theres any sign Melanias worried about that.) Mr Trump and Melania, in her Burberry trench coat, land at Heathrow for their state visit last September One hopes the film will be more revealing than her self-titled 2024 memoir. Aside from small insights about the couple dancing at home to Elvis Presley and Elton John (whenever he had music playing at home, hed crank up the volume and pull me into a spontaneous dance his taste was eclectic, just like mine), and her husband regularly calling her doctor to check on her health (he isnt flashy or dramatic, just genuine and caring), the book read as if it had been produced using ChatGPT. You have to be careful what you say about Melania shes embroiled in a big lawsuit with the American author Michael Wolff, and has threatened to sue Joe Bidens son Hunter for claims he made about her and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein but she did confirm the audiobook was narrated by an AI version of her voice. And when she does make one of her rare public visits to the White House, its usually to talk about technology and how it will shape childrens futures. The robots are here, she told an audience last year, apparently without irony. As leaders and parents, we must manage AIs growth responsibly. Proving she is truly a digital first lady, she launched her own meme coin (a type of cryptocurrency) called $MELANIA last year. And while her critics might suggest she has all the charisma and personality of a digital avatar, sources claim this is mostly because she has spent the last two decades dedicating her life to bringing up her only child, Barron. Now the 19-year-old is safely ensconced at New Yorks Stern School of Business, like many mothers, Melania may well be feeling its time to step back into the spotlight and what better way than with this documentary showing us just how she manages to control the petulant President. No more wide-brim hats. No more hiding in Mar-a-Lago. I dont know about you, but I cant wait. Melania (MGM Amazon) is out on January 30. Donald Trump cosigned a call for former CNN anchor Don Lemon to be imprisoned for 40 years for livestreaming an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church on Sunday. Taking to Truth Social, Trump, 79, reshared an error-ridden X post from an account called 'MoniFunGirl' demanding the strict sentence. The poster pointed to an unspecified instance where a 'small group of elderly ladies were protesting at an abortion clinic and were given 40 years in prison for violating the FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act.' While it was unclear what incident the poster was referring to, Trump last year pardoned a number of anti-abortion activists convicted under the FACE Act, which prohibits interference with those seeking reproductive care or religious services. Multiple women in their 70s received sentences of two to nearly five years after being convicted of forcefully blocking the entry of a Washington, DC, abortion clinic in the 2020 incident. The poster said 'I would like to see the same kind of sentence of Don Lemon,' before later acknowledging they meant 'months' and not 'years', Trump, however, reposted the message without comment. Lemon, 59, livestreamed from Minneapolis Sunday as he followed anti-ICE protesters who stormed a church in St. Paul. Don Lemon is facing calls to be imprisoned for livestreaming an anti-ICE protest at a Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota on Sunday. Prosecutors say the protest violated the FACE Act, which prohibits interference with those seeking reproductive care or religious services Taking to Truth Social, Trump, 79, reshared an error-ridden X post from an account called 'MoniFunGirl' demanding the strict sentence. It appeared to reference how Trump last year pardoned a number of anti-abortion activists convicted under the FACE Act The Justice Department said it would pursue charges against all who participated, with Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon singling out Lemon specifically. 'Well, look, we have a presumption of innocence in this country, so I want to preserve my ethical duties here,' Dhillon told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson on Sunday. 'But let me just say that, you know, hes a journalist - he was a journalist, I dont know he is now, but he - journalism is not a badge or a shield that protects you from criminal consequences when you are part of a crime. And I think the videos show how close he was to these folks,' She continued: 'I think further evidence will show more information about that. But he clearly knew and he stated before going into the facility, its on his own video, what was going to happen there.' Dhillon then cited possible enforcement of a crucial a 1871 federal law known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, which enables the president to use military force and prosecute state officials in certain instances. The act was passed during Reconstruction to deter intimidation tactics from the KKK during elections and government operations. It was enacted at President Ulysees S. Grant's request to combat violence and anti-black conspiracies, and and restore federal authority in the post-Civil War South. Dhillion suggested to Johnson that the law could be used on the grounds that Lemon interfered with parishioners right to worship. The Justice Department said it would pursue charges against all who participated, with Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon singling out Lemon specicifally When contacted by the Daily Mail Monday, Lemon's husband, Tim Malone (seen here in New York on Tuesday), declined to comment on the controversy She later singled out Lemon in a pointed post on X where she wrote that the longtime legacy media journalist is 'on notice' for his involvement in the incident. During an interview with Glen Beck on Monday, she told Lemon to 'lawyer up'. Lemon - who was pushed out of CNN in 2023 after making an off-color remark about women - has since addressed the backlash, telling podcaster Jennifer Welch he is purposely being propped up as a pariah by the current administration. 'I was on with my producers this morning... My producers were saying, I said, "How did I become the face of this?", and my producers said Don, you're a gay, black man in America. 'And you have a platform, and you're the biggest name. Of course you're going to be the person that they single out, and they're gonna make the headline because it plays to their base, and their base is full of racist, bigoted homophobes.' When contacted by the Daily Mail on Monday, Lemon's husband, Tim Malone, declined to comment on the controversy. One of the pastors at Cities Church, where the incident took place, leads the local field office for ICE. Lemon maintains his participation in the protest was as a journalist and is protected by the First Amendment. Trump pardoned all of those convicted in the 2020 abortion clinic incident after he took office early last year. Fox News star Maria Bartiromo channeled her inner 'jet-set' with a head-turning outfit at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Tuesday. Bartiromo, 58, donned a full fur coat and hat combo for the occasion, as well as some eye-catching pearl earrings, rose-gold glasses, and a swanky satin scarf. The over-the-top outfit was demonstrative of the lavish culture made famous by members the global elite who flocked to resort towns like Davos in the Swiss Alps back in the 20th century. Today, Davos plays home to a gathering of the worlds' current upper crust - a who's who of investors, business leaders, and politicians for an event focused on shaping global industries. Figures set to speak this year include Donald Trump, JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, Apple boss Tim Cook, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Bartiromo - with her number - looked ready not just for the cold but to rub shoulders with such a crowd. An ongoing lawsuit launched against Fox News revealed the network has paid her a whopping $70million since she jumped ship from CNBC in 2014. The former CNBC anchor flat-out asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent a question dominating many Americans' minds during the day's coverage - what the administration's 'plans for tariffs on Europe' are. Fox News vet Maria Bartiromo channeled her inner 'jet-set'at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Tuesday, donning a full fur coat and other luxurious items The former CNBC anchor asked US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about Donald Trump's promised tariffs against European countries elsewhere during her coverage Trump announced a retaliatory 10 percent tariff on European goods from several countries over the weekend for pushing back on his plans to seize Greenland from Denmark. 'We're in the midst of completing a very good trade deal for both sides,' Bessent told Bartiromo. 'So the plan is to go ahead with the trade deal.' The chief of the Royal Danish Army, meanwhile, landed in western Greenland with an assortment of troop to protect the far-flung arctic territory Monday. Several speakers who took the stage during day two of the Davos conference on Tuesday spoke out President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen called the planned tariffs 'a mistake'. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused the US of taking part in a 'breaking of the world order.' French President Emmanuel Macron, donning a pair of aviators, said: 'It's... a shift towards a world without rules, where international law is trampled underfoot and where the only law that seems to matter is that of the strongest'. Trump, meanwhile, is set to address the forum on Wednesday. The topic has dominated discussions at the annual event in the resort town of Davos, which welcomes well-heeled investors, business leaders, and politicians each year Pictured, Apple CEO Tim Cook at this year's gathering. Other moguls set to appear include JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Several business leaders, including CEOs in financial services, crypto, and consulting, were invited to a reception after Trumps address, Reuters reported on Monday. As tensions between the US and European countries continue to rise, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev will also travel to Davos and meet with members of the US delegation. The conference is focused on 'improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas,' according to its website. The boss of one of Britain's biggest stockbrokers has warned that Isa reforms, unveiled in the Autumn Budget by Rachel Reeves, are 'doomed to fail' in their aim of getting people to invest. In a letter sent to the Chancellor, Michael Summersgill, chief executive of AJ Bell said: 'It is my strongly held view these unwieldy proposals are doomed to fail in their aim of encouraging more people to invest for the long term. ' In November's Budget, the cash Isa allowance was slashed to 12,000 a year from its current level of 20,000 from April 2027, but only for under 65s. Savers over the age of 65 will still be able to use the full cash Isa allowance to save 20,000 a year tax-free. From 6 April 2027, savers under the age of 65 will only be able to put a maximum of 12,000 into a cash Isa and if they want to use the whole wrapper, the remainder - 8,000 - can go into stocks and shares. Meanwhile, the full 20,000 can still be used for stocks and shares. The boss of stockbroker AJ Bell says cash Isa reforms are doomed to fail in getting people to invest Mr Summersgill's comments come after MPs on the Treasury Select Committee last week said they 'remain to be convinced' the Government's cut to the cash Isa allowance will spark a culture of investing in stocks and shares instead of keeping savings in cash. The Chancellor's decision to cut the cash Isa allowance is part of a plan to divert billions of pounds sitting in savings accounts into investments. But Mr Summersgill argues that cutting the cash Isa allowance is unlikely to cause savers to switch to investing. He says: 'There is no evidence this will materially boost retail investing indeed, a survey conducted by AJ Bell found the vast majority would simply opt for cash alternatives, such as NS&I bonds, or save in a taxable cash account.' In addition to the cash Isa allowance being cut to 12,000, HMRC is considering introducing a charge of up to 22 per cent on an interest earned on cash held in a stocks and shares Isa. Investment platforms allow investors to open stocks and shares Isas with cash that is waiting to be invested, or sell investments and hold money temporarily as cash in their account. This opened up the possibility that cash savers with more than 12,000 to shelter, could have skirted around the cap by opening a stocks and shares Isa with the excess 8,000 and leave their money parked in cash. Investors hold cash in stocks and shares Isas for a variety of reasons, for example to park money in cash for a period of time awaiting investment, or because they are nervous and want to move to cash to weather stock market storms. Mr Summersgill adds: 'The intention to tax uninvested cash held in stocks and shares Isas is worrying as it 'punishes retail investors for using the stocks and shares Isa the way it was designed to be used. 'It could potentially mean stocks and shares Isas which allow people to hold cash can no longer be marketed as "tax-free" weakening the appeal of the most popular investment account in the UK market.' Leading hotel groups including Holiday Inn, Hilton and Butlins have urged the Chancellor to expand the tax relief planned for pubs to the wider hospitality industry. In a letter to Rachel Reeves, more than 130 hotel bosses said soaring business rate bills are the most significant challenge faced by the industry. And they said plans to offer rate relief to pubs - after a fierce backlash that has seen Labour MPs barred from many establishments - must be extended to other firms. The letter was signed by leading executives at Holiday Inn, Hilton and Butlins as well as Travelodge, Premier Inn owner Whitbread, Haven, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Leonardo Hotels, Marriott International and Parkdean Resorts. They warned of closures and job losses if Labour does not act. The average business rates bill for hotels will increase by 115 per cent over the next three years, according to analysis by UK Hospitality. That will add 205,200 to the typical bill - and makes the sector one of the hardest hit by changes. In the letter, bosses said it was critical the Government provides a whole-sector solution. Ms Reeves is now scrambling to put together a relief package for pubs, to be announced in the next few days, sparking fury across the wider industry amid signs they will miss out. Rachel Reeves is expected to offer temporary rates relief to pubs but not hotels The letter, organised by UK Hospitality, added: These changes to business rates present the most significant challenge to accommodation providers in terms of their ongoing viability, and many will face tough decisions in terms of employment and their ability to invest. And firms will not be able to easily absorb the extra costs, meaning higher costs that would further add to the cost-of-living pressures already greatly affecting the British public, it said. We therefore urge you to consider the accommodation sector when considering any support measures to address these crippling changes, the letter added. It follows furious remarks by top bosses last week, with Sir Rocco Forte telling the Mail the situation was a mess of the governments own making. And he said it is frankly embarrassing that the Treasury has been trying to claim it didnt understand the impact of its own policy. Travelodge chief executive Jo Boydell also told the Mail: Hotels cannot be hung out to dry on business rates. And Simon Vincent, president of Hilton in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, told this paper: Looming business rates hikes, coupled with increased national insurance contributions, high energy costs and tourism taxes, are impacting profitability and threatening jobs and growth. And its entirely avoidable. Pubs have been banning Labour MPs from their premises as they say they feel betrayed by the Budget after Labours promises to help the High Street. In the Budget, the Chancellor announced a reduction in the so-called multiplier used to calculate business rates. But she also confirmed that Covid-era discounts for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses would be phased out. Alongside soaring valuations in part due to a rebound in trading following the pandemic it means business rates bills are rising rather than falling The head of the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) Jonathan Russell suggested that ministers were aware before the Budget that rateable values were set to rise undermining claims by Business Secretary Peter Kyle that the Treasury didnt have access to crucial information. The FTSE 100 tumbled back towards the 10,000 mark today as Donald Trump intensified his push to take control of Greenland. In a turbulent session for investors, the blue-chip index fell more than 140 points in early trading to 10,051, having hit a record high of 10,238 last week. The FTSE 100 clawed back some ground later on to close down 68.6 points at 10,126.8 The losses were mirrored across Europe with the main German benchmark the Dax down 1 per cent and France's CAC 40 shedding 0.6 per cent. All eyes were on Wall Street as it opened for the first time since Trumps move on Greenland, having been closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Day. Rattled investors selling up led the S&P 500 to fell 2 per cent today, while the Dow Jones was down 1.8 per cent. With the US President due to hold discussions over Greenland at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, Neil Wilson, UK investor strategist at Saxo, said geopolitical drama in spades is driving markets worldwide. There were further gains for gold and silver as investors worried about the state of the world looked for somewhere safe to park their cash and again chose precious metals. Donald Trump is due to hold meetings over Greenland in Davos this week Gold jumped above $4,700 an ounce for the first time, rising to $4,761, while silver hit a fresh high above $95.50 an ounce. The record-breaking rally in precious metals has left gold within touching distance of $5,000 an ounce and silver $100 for the first time levels that seemed improbable not so long ago. Silver has more than tripled in value since the start of last year making it one of the best performing assets. Trumps plans to seize Greenland have sparked alarm in capital cities around the world and rattled financial markets amid fears of the collapse of NATO, a new front in the global trade wars and even recession. Trump has vowed to impose a 10pc tariff on imports from countries willing to defend Greenland including the UK, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The levy would take effect next month and rise to 25 per cent come June. In response, European leaders are reported to be considering a bazooka of measures, including restrictions on US firms in the EU market. The International Monetary Fund has warned against a spiral of escalation with its chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas declaring: There are no winners in trade wars. The issue is set to dominate this weeks World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Kyle Rodda, senior market analyst at Capital.com, said there's hope that the escalating tensions will be self-limiting 'if the markets send a signal that his actions are bad for investors and the economy'. 'But there's the risk that's not the case and we are heading for a potentially disruptive standoff between the US and EU,' he added. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said the mood on the markets could quickly darken if the political fallout intensifies. Despite a difficult start to the week it feels like the market is still in wait-and-see mode over whether there will be a full-blown trade war between the US and Europe, he said. On the market Richter scale this is little more than a mild tremor for now. However, the stakes feel high as world leaders, including Donald Trump, prepare to meet at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Investors will be hoping for some sort of de-escalation deal on Greenland which removes the risk of a break-up or at least serious rupture in the NATO alliance. If the crisis deepens it is unlikely to spell good news for global equities. DFS shares jumped on Tuesday after reporting a boost in profit for the six months to December, raising the possibility it could restore payouts. The sofa company reported underlying pre-tax profit and brand amortisation is expected to be between 30million and 31million in the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 13-14million. Gross sales increased by 8.7 per cent year-on-year despite an unpredictable macroeconomic and consumer outlook. Higher profits were matched by an increase in cash flow, with net bank debt falling from 107million to 60-61million. Shares in DFS rose by 7.1 per cent and are up 12 per cent year-to-date, as it upgraded its full year profit expectations. Peel Hunt upgraded its target price to 250p hailing 'sector-beating growth'. DFS upgraded its full year profit expectations raising hopes of a dividend payout in 2026 Chief executive Tim Stacey said: 'We have continued to make good progress growing our gross margins and managing our cost base effectively. 'As a result, I am pleased to report an upgrade to our full year profit expectations following a strong first half performance. 'I am confident that the business is well positioned to continue delivering against our strategy and we remain committed to achieving our medium term targets of 1.4billion revenue and 8 per cent PBT margin and delivering attractive return for our shareholders as the market recovers.' Shore Cap analysts said the results show a 'continuation of the positive momentum at DFS' with market share of 39 per cent at year-end. 'The high drop densities offered by the position, combined with the fact that DFS runs its own deliveries through its Sofa Delivery Company subsidiary, allows DFS to keep delivery costs relatively and makes it harder for others to effectively compete'. A strong performance over the first half will galvanise investors looking for DFS to resume dividend payouts, which was last paid in May 2024. AJ Bell's investment director Russ Mould said: 'Many companies hit by the pandemic are still lumbered with onerous borrowings, but DFS is well on way to wiping out its debts and investors may now be looking to the restoration of a dividend'. 'Having navigated its way through tough conditions, DFS will also hope the signs of life in the UK property market seen at the start of 2026 continue. 'A higher number of transactions should stoke demand as people look to spruce up their new homes with a sofa of their choice.' DFS also announced the appointment of a new chief financial officer, Dominique Highfield who joins from Bloom and Wild. Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust (EWIT) has won its second battle against the American hedge fund Saba. In a meeting today, investors voted against Saba's plans to take control of the trust by removing all six directors and replacing them with three of its own nominees. Saba's proposals only needed a simple majority, or more than 50 per cent of votes cast, to pass at the meeting. Of the total votes cast - which represented a record 70 per cent of shareholders - 53.2 per cent voted against Saba's resolutions. Excluding shares held by Saba, which owns approximately 30 per cent of EWIT, 92.7 per cent of the shares voted rejected the proposals. Jonathan Simpson-Dent, chair of EWIT said: 'For the second time in less than a year, Edinburgh Worldwide's shareholders have voted decisively to reject Saba's proposal to install its own nominees to the board and the uncertainty that would have entailed. 'Saba remains our largest shareholder and we will continue to seek constructive engagement with them to develop potential solutions that allow us to move forward.' Rejected: EWIT investors defeated Saba boss Boaz Weinstein's proposals to replace the board It is the second attempt by Boaz Weinstein, who runs the fund, to unseat the board after a previous bid last February was defeated. Weinstein has accused EWIT's board of directors of not taking 'decisive action' to improve returns. In recent months, the activist investor has taken issue with the trust selling its stake in SpaceX 'far below' the current value was 'self-evidently unacceptable' and done 'without consulting shareholders.' In a war of words, EWIT said Weinstein's open letter contained 'numerous inaccurate statements' designed to 'mislead shareholders' as part of an 'aggressive campaign'. Saba has sparked upheaval across the investment company industry, targeting several funds trading at massive discounts to net asset value. James Carthew, head of investment companies, QuotedData said: 'So, a record turnout and almost everyone bar Saba rejecting its proposals. 'Surely the message must get through to Saba that investors don't want it in charge; not of EWI, nor Herald, nor Impax Environmental Markets, nor any other trust for that matter. 'If it wants to run a trust it must IPO one. 'Time for it to admit defeat and accept the generous exit terms that Herald and Impax Environmental have put on the table.' Richard Stone, Chief Executive of the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), added: 'This second win for Edinburgh Worldwide against Saba Capital shows how much ordinary investors value their investment trust. 'Shareholders turned out in force to reject the replacement of the independent board with three new directors nominated by Saba. 'Across the investment trust industry, independent boards continue to work hard to deliver for their shareholders. 'Last year we saw a record number of deals, share buybacks and fee changes and corporate activity is continuing at pace in 2026.' Saba has been contacted for comment. Japanese bond yields have soared to record highs helping push up government borrowing costs around the world. The yield on Japans 40-year bond rose above 4 per cent for the first time since its introduction in 2007. Finance minister Satsuki Katayama said: Id like everyone in the market to calm down. Investors dumped Japanese government bonds after prime minister Sanae Takaichi called a snap election and pledged costly tax cuts on food should she win. That has sent the value of the bonds plunging and the yield soaring. Borrowing costs around the world rose, with the ten-year UK gilt yield heading towards 4.5 per cent. 'As soon as I saw that Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were murdered, I knew exactly who it was.' Wyoming restaurateur Danny Svilar says he shared a room with alleged killer Nick Reiner at a luxury rehab facility in California when they were both 15 years old. The recovering shopping addict told the Daily Mail that they enjoyed a brief friendship as they laid awake at night exchanging stories, and that he met the Reiners on several occasions. Though their brotherhood was short-lived - culminating in an explosive fight at the $60,000-per-month Malibu rehabilitation facility - Svilar said the experience gave him a unique insight into the mind of an accused murderer. Svilar, 32, said he saw how Rob and Michele Reiner did 'everything they could' for Nick, spending millions on his recovery, yet he would rant through the night about 'how much he f***ing hated his parents'. 'He just had really oppressed anger towards the fame,' Svilar told the Mail. 'I don't know how it is having a father with that level of fame, but regardless of that, Nick had no sense of gratitude, no sense of appreciation. 'He was just a f***ing pompous little punk... he just wanted to be out, smoking pot, doing pills, doing whatever, and his family just wanted him to get help.' Nick Reiner's former rehab roommate has given an insight into his psyche at the age of 15 (Pictured: Alleged killer Nick Reiner with his parents Rob and Michele Reiner) Wyoming restauranteur Danny Svilar (pictured) said he shared a room with alleged killer Nick Reiner at a luxury rehab facility in California when they were both 15 years old Though their brotherhood was short-lived - culminating in an explosive fight at the $60,000-per-month Malibu rehabilitation facility - Svilar said the experience gave him a unique insight into the mind of an accused murderer. (Pictured: A general view of the Malibu) Nick Reiner is accused of brutally stabbing his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, at their $13.5 million mansion in Brentwood, Los Angeles, during the early hours of December 14. The Hollywood director and his producer wife were found dead hours after by their horrified daughter, Romy, and Nick was arrested later that day on suspicion of murder. Svilar, a recovered shopping addict, said he met Nick at a California rehab facility in the summer of 2009. 'My mom staged an intervention on me and shipped me off to Malibu after I spent $250,000 on my father's credit card,' Svilar told the Daily Mail. 'Nick was my first roommate.' Nick Reiner has spoken publicly about his heroin use as a teenager, and he was in the rehabilitation center as a teen for drug addiction treatment. 'From the get-go, he was pretty welcoming, pretty funny,' Svilar recalled. 'But at the same time, there was this side of him which could just, like, flip.' Svilar said that he witnessed Nick attack another teen at the facility, and on one occasion, Nick directed his rage towards him, resulting in their separation. Rob Reiner, 78, is known for directing This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally, while Michele, 70, was a photographer, producer, and LGBT rights activist Nick has appeared in court wearing a blue anti-suicide vest, it was his first appearance since the death of his parents. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder The couple was killed inside their mansion in Brentwood, a ritzy neighborhood in Los Angeles 'I compared him to looking like John Travolta's son that died, and that set him off,' Svilar said, referring to the actor's late son, Jett Travolta. 'We had good rapport at first, but then I was like 'oh my god, that's who you remind me of'. 'It kind of turned ugly after that He definitely tried to get aggressive with me. 'He tried to get physical, and then a tech had to step in He was getting into my face and raising a fist.' Jett Travolta, who was autistic, died at the age of 16 after suffering from a seizure in the Bahamas in January 2009, the year that Reiner and Svilar were in the rehabilitation center. Svilar, who did not want to publicly identify the facility due to his relationship with the owners, said it came complete with daily yoga, massages, and private chefs. During his first days at the center, Svilar said he would talk to Nick before they fell asleep each night. 'We would talk at night after lights were out, and some of the things that he would say really threw me the wrong way,' he said. 'Because I'm a 15-year-old boy in the same room as somebody with a crazy addiction. It was very, very chilling, but also, a crazy new experience for me.' Svilar said Nick flew into a rage when he compared him to John Travolta's late son, Jett (pictured second right with his parents and sister) Nick Reiner is accused of brutally stabbing his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, at their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on December 14. (Pictured: Nick and Rob Reiner in May 2016) The Reiner family all shared their support for Romy at her high school graduation Svilar said Nick's attitude enraged him, because unlike many of the teenage addicts in the facility, the director's son had parents who evidently cared about him very much. 'The parents of these children with money, they usually are not truly involved in wanting to help them, or do this or that,' he explained. 'They have a hired hand, basically, being their handler, if you will. Lots of the kids in there had absent parents who relied on nannies. 'But Rob and Michele were there for every single family group. They were there for every therapy session. 'They didn't have to give me the time of day. I played frisbee with Rob. Rob Reiner, for God's sake. They just wanted to get him well.' Referring to Nick, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, Svilar added: 'I would hate to see him try to plead this guilty or not guilty by insanity, when in reality he told me how much he f***ing hated his parents, especially his father. 'He really truly had no cause to hate them except for the fact that they are the reason for a lot of his problems, and that boiled down to the fame.' Nick Reiner had a long history of substance abuse and had spoken about it publicly Svilar said he left the rehab center after two months and did not speak again with Nick - though screenshots he shared with the Daily Mail show that he kept in touch with some other former patients and staff members. 'I definitely lost touch with him, because we didn't end on a good note,' Svilar said. 'But I have stayed in touch with other people from rehab, and that's when I learned that he relapsed, and got sent to another facility in Utah, and was just, like, in a repetitive state.' Though Svilar later heard that Nick was 'doing great' in 2015, when he starred in the addiction drama Being Charlie, a film he co-wrote, he believes he 'started going downhill' again shortly afterwards. 'Whether he relapsed, or whether it was his mental disorder, I don't know,' Svilar said. 'But as soon as I saw that Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were murdered, I knew exactly who it was.' Svilar said he felt 'chilled to the bone' by the murders, and texted some of their old mutual friends from the Malibu facility in the aftermath of the tragedy. 'Everybody knew it was him,' he said. The 32-year-old said he wants people to know that Rob and Michele loved Nick and 'did everything they could for him'. Rob and wife Michele shared three children, Jake, Nick, and Romy; pictured at the premiere of Rumor Has It in 2005 'They just wanted him to be well, and he did not want to be well,' Svilar said. 'The hatred is just one thing that really got to me. All of us in there, we all had our gripes with our parents. 'But at the end of the day, we were grateful for what we had. Him, on the other hand, not so much. 'I'm not normally one to go to the press, but I want to convey to the world how great Rob and Michele Reiner were - and that Nick is not insane.' Rob Reiner, 78, is known for directing This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally, while Michele, 70, was a photographer, producer, and LGBT rights activist. The Hollywood power couple married in 1989 and had three children - Jake, 34, Nick, 32, and 28-year-old Romy, who found their bodies on the day they died. Reiner's defense attorney declined to comment when approached by the Daily Mail. A cruise company chief has sued P&O for almost 10million claiming she will never work again after slipping in an onboard toilet and breaking her neck. Human resources chief Kerry Middleton, 52, cracked a bone in her neck when she slipped while on the company's giant liner, the MV Britannia, for a management meeting while in port in the Spanish city of Cadiz in 2019. The mother went on to be diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder, which she says has left her needing a wheelchair and ended her working life - and is now suing for 9.7million. But she faces accusations she is not as disabled as claimed, having been filmed through her kitchen window walking with 'completely normal mobility and looking pretty chirpy on top of it' while preparing a New Year's Eve meal for her family. Lawyers for P&O's parent company Carnival Plc, which contests the size of her claim, say the secretly shot surveillance footage undermines Mrs Middleton's credibility in the compensation case. The 330-metre Britannia is the flagship of P&O's fleet, featuring almost 2,000 cabins over 15 passenger decks, with multiple bars, theatres, nightclubs and swimming pools. During a hearing at the High Court, Judge Tim Moloney heard that Mrs Middleton had slipped on a wet floor in one of the Britannia's toilets in October 2019. Human resources chief Kerry Middleton, 52, cracked a bone in her neck when she slipped while on P&O's giant liner, the MV Britannia Mrs Middleton sustained a fracture to the spinous process, part of a bone in her neck, leaving her with acute neck pain - which doctors said should have resolved within six months. However, she went on to be diagnosed with functional neurological disorder, a condition which causes problems with how the brain receives and sends information to the rest of the body. Symptoms can include limb weakness and paralysis, tremors, speech problems, seizures, blackouts, fatigue, anxiety and depression. Little is currently known about the causes of the mysterious condition, although it is thought that it can be brought on by injury, trauma or severe stress. Mrs Middleton's barrister Eliot Woolf told the judge her symptoms included the onset of hemiplegia - paralysis to one side of the body - in December 2019, initially thought to be a stroke, as well as seizures from December 2024. He said: 'The severity of her FND symptoms have progressed such that she is now primarily a wheelchair user when mobilising. 'The pain experts are agreed that her complaints of pain are subsumed within the diagnoses of FND. The neurologists are pessimistic over long-term prognosis. 'They anticipate some improvement once she has undergone treatment in a multi-disciplinary unit, but not sufficient for her to return to any form of employment.' The 330m Britannia is the flagship of P&O's fleet, featuring almost 2,000 cabins over 15 passenger decks, with multiple, bars, theatres, nightclubs and swimming pools Judgment has already been entered for Mrs Middleton against the company on liability for the fall, but the firm is now challenging the amount she is claiming. For Carnival Plc, barrister James Todd said the company was liable for the injury she suffered in the toilet accident but her FND had nothing to do with that. They say a more probable cause was the stress of her being told she had received a work performance grading equivalent to 'below standard' - something they would not be liable to pay damages for, the lawyer told the judge. Mr Todd added: 'We say that the triggering episode for this condition of FND was the claimant learning from her manager that she had received a 2.5 performance grading. 'That provides a causative severance between the accident and the FND.' He also said surveillance footage cast doubt on the severity of Mrs Middleton's ongoing disabilities and therefore on her credibility as a witness on other matters. It included footage secretly shot through the window of her home on New Year's Eve 2024 while she prepared food for her family, he told the judge. Mr Todd said: 'We see her moving freely. She is cheerful and happy with her family. 'Towards the end of the clip, we see her walking around the kitchen island, doing so freely, without any sign of disability. 'It shows a woman apparently with completely normal mobility and looking pretty chirpy on top of it.' He said the footage contrasted with the report she made to a doctor four months later when she described being able to stand but not walk. He claimed the video could cast doubt on her credibility in evidence, adding: 'She is making an assertion she is a wheelchair user and she isn't on the film.' The barrister did not accuse Mrs Middleton of fraud but said one expert had noted a tendency in Mrs Middleton to 'catastrophise and to play up her symptoms', although the doctor did not find it dishonest. Mr Todd told the judge: 'I can't say until the experts have seen it that it's a fraud case. 'It may be she honestly believes as part of her FND condition that she is paraplegic, when at times she plainly isn't.' The case, which was due for trial later this month, reached court last week after Carnival Plc lodged an application for the surveillance footage to be included. Mr Todd said it was essential to ensure a fair trial, but Mrs Middleton's barrister Mr Woolf accused the company of an 'ambush' and said it should be excluded. Criticising the surveillance operatives' methods, he said there had been unreported surveillance days, missing footage and selective filming. Mr Woolf said: 'Of greatest concern is that the footage on 24 December 2024 and 31 December 2004 involved the use of a zoom lens to film Mrs Middleton through her kitchen window from beyond the boundary of her property, invading her privacy and that of her children who are captured in the footage.' He also said Mrs Middleton would deny at the trial that her performance grading had anything to do with the onset of her condition, adding: 'The claimant contends that she was not told of the performance grading until January 2020. 'In any event, the performance grading did not cause her distress. Her FND symptoms were already manifesting prior to her first hemiplegic episode and before she was told of her grading even on the defendant's case. 'The performance grading was not a trigger for the first hemiplegic episode in any event.' After a day in court, Judge Moloney granted permission for Carnival Plc to include the surveillance footage in the evidence for the trial. With the new evidence now to be analysed, the trial scheduled for later this month was cancelled and is now set to take place at a later date, yet to be confirmed. A chilling video showed officers fighting to save the life of a disabled six-year-old after his mother allegedly lied to back her abusive boyfriends story. Daniel Eduardo Romero, 34, was arrested on January 12 after police found his girlfriends autistic son, Mason, severely tortured and and without a pulse, per court documents obtained by Daily Mail. Body camera footage showed the harrowing moment police ran into the Florida home on January 9, and found Masons mother, who is unnamed in the report, holding his lifeless body, wrapped in a fleece blanket. Mason had 'turned blue, with no color in his lips,' as an officer is seen shaking his leg to check for a response before beginning CPR. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews arrived and were able to restore his pulse before Mason was taken to the hospital, where he is currently in the ICU. Romero told police that he was teaching the six-year-old to ride a bicycle just the day before, when he fell and was bruised all over, per the report. Officers asked to see the bike, but Romero was quick to change his story, and said they were using a small wagon. When Romero showed police the wagon, it looked rusty and unused. Body camera footage of the North Miami Beach Police officers rushing to save six-year-old Mason's life, who they found pulseless and unresponsive, but were able to regain a pulse after CPR Mason is a six-year-old boy with autism, his grandmother created a GoFundMe to help him heal from his severe injuries Mason suffered a broken arm, leg, and shoulder, along with a brain bleed, and was left unable to respond, according to the GoFundMe The 34-year-old claimed he wasn't outside when Mason fell, and that he didn't seem too hurt, but his injuries worsened the next day, on January 9. He claimed him and his girlfriend attempted to revive the boy by throwing water on him, but called 911 when he didn't wake up. Mason's mother initially corroborated Romero's bicycle story, then later admitted he told her to lie. She told police that the day before Mason was hospitalized he suffered more grave injuries, which Romero claimed were from slipping or falling. But the next day Mason went pulseless, ending up in critical condition on a ventilator at the hospital. The mother also told investigators Romero is not the childs biological father and their relationship has been on and off since 2023. She added that she believed Romero was responsible for Masons injuries, and that he had a 'short temper, anger problems, and previous unreported incidents of domestic violence,' per the report. Medical staff found Mason had severe injuries, including brain and abdominal bleeding, and lacerations to his liver and spleen. According to the report, a doctor Masons injuries didnt match accidental falls and were consistent with blunt force trauma. More body camera footage from the officer taking life-saving measures to resuscitate the six-year-old His grandmother called Mason a 'beautiful, loving little boy with the purest soul,' and their family's miracle as he was one of three triplets, but was the only one who survived The young boy is currently stable in the ICU, but he has a very long and difficult road ahead, his grandmother said Daniel Eduardo Romero, 34, was arrested on January 12 and slapped with a slew of charges, including child abuse, after police found his girlfriends autistic son severely abused The six-year-old is stable and 'has a long road ahead of him', per his GoFundMe created by his grandmother. 'Mason is autistic and a beautiful, loving little boy with the purest soul. From the moment he was born, he has been a fighter,' it read. '[He] was born a triplet, but tragically his brother and sister did not survive. Mason is our miracle the only survivor and he has fought for his life since day one.' Romero was charged with aggravated child abuse, child neglect causing great bodily harm, and providing false information to law enforcement. He was booked into jail without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on January 22. Two Australians accused of killing an underworld figure and seriously injuring another are now desperately fighting to escape the death penalty in Bali. Mevlut Coskun, 22, and Paea I Middlemore Tupou, 27, fronted Denpasar District Court on Monday following the alleged assassination of Zivan Radmanovic and the wounding of Sanar Ghanim on June 14. Prosecutors claimed Ghanim was shot six times while Radmanovic was beaten with a sledgehammer before being fatally shot. Both men have links to Melbourne's underworld. Andi Hakim Lubis, a legal expert from the Medan Area University, acted as a mitigating witness for the two men. Mr Lubis asked the court to consider Tupou and Coskun's claims that they hadn't intended to kill Radmanovic, but only to 'scare' him over an unpaid debt. 'In a premeditated murder case, there should be an intention. An intention to kill the target,' Mr Lubis said. He asked the judge to 'consider the intention and motivation of the suspect' when assessing the case. Defence lawyer Ricky Rajendar Singh claimed the testimony demonstrated the Australians 'should not be charged with premeditated murder'. Tupou (right) and Coskun (left) fronted court on Monday where a law expert who urged the judge to consider whether they allegedly killed with intent The villa where Zivan Radmanovic and Sanar Ghanim were staying in Munggu, Bali Sanar Ghanim is seen wounded at the villa following the alleged attack The three men are tied to the alleged murder of Ivan Radmanovic (pictured with wife Jazmyn) Mevlut Coskun (pictured) and Paea I Middlemore Tupou fronted Denpasar District Court on Monday where they argued why they should avoid the death penalty 'The expert has also said that in modern criminal law, when the crime is not intended to take revenge, the situation is different,' Mr Singh said. The victims had been staying at a villa in Munggu with their partners, where Radmanovic's wife, Jazmyn, was celebrating her 30th birthday. Coskun and Tupou are accused of using a sledgehammer to break into the villa under the cover of darkness and attack Ghanim and Radmanovic, while Jenson allegedly prepared their getaway. Jenson is also accused of organising the trip's logistics in the months prior - including accommodation, car hires and scooter rentals. Previously, it had been reported that he kept watch outside the villa. However, the court has since heard he was waiting kilometres away after being told to take the other two to Jakarta. All three men were arrested in the days after the alleged shooting, as they attempted to flee the country. Prosecutors have argued the shooting was premeditated and well-coordinated, partly through the encrypted messaging app Threema. If convicted, the alleged killers face either life behind bars or the death penalty under Indonesian law. Mr Singh declined to comment on whether his clients would face the death penalty, saying: 'Let's just wait and see how many public prosecutors demand it.' A Denver man was charged with the murder of a two-year-old over the weekend, bringing to light his extensive criminal history for child abuse. Nicolas Stout, 38, was arrested by the Denver Police Department on Sunday and booked into the city's downtown detention center, according Denver Sheriff Department records. He was charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of child abuse resulting in death. The charges make him ineligible for bond. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has compiled Stout's extensive criminal history, which comprises six serious crimes - other than the ones he was recently charged with - dating back to 2005. That year, he was charged with felony theft, third-degree assault and second-degree kidnapping. The bureau of investigation's records do not indicate whether he was found guilty of those crimes. In 2006, he was arrested for sexual assault on a child. Once again, the records do not indicate if he was found guilty. They also do not indicate whether he had to be registered as a sex offender in Colorado. In 2012, Stout was charged with six counts of possession of a weapon by an ex-offender and impersonation of a peace officer. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation's records indicate that all of the weapon possession charges were dismissed by the district attorney, but Stout was found guilty of his charge of impersonating a peace officer and sentenced to one year of probation. Nicolas Stout, 38, was arrested by the Denver Police Department on Sunday and charged with murdering a two-year-old The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has compiled Stout's extensive criminal history, which dates back to 2005. This document and those below detail his charges over the years That would be his last encounter with law enforcement and the courts for 14 years, until he was charged with murdering a two-year-old over the weekend. On Sunday, the Denver Police Department responded to a call about an unresponsive two-year-old on the 100 block of South Vrain Street in the West Barnum neighborhood around 7.30pm. When they arrived, they found the baby already dead, and they arrested Stout soon after. The name and gender of the two-year-old were not made public, and it is unclear whether Stout was related to the baby. Police said the investigation is ongoing. The Daily Mail has reached out to the Denver Police Department for comment and additional details. In Colorado, first-degree murder is a Class 1 felony that carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The state repealed capital punishment in 2020, which means there is no chance Stout will be put to death. The crime occurred on the 100 block of South Vrain Street in Denver's West Barnum neighborhood (pictured) The Denver Police Department arrested Stout after responding to a call about an unresponsive baby around 7.30pm on Sunday (stock image) Stout is being held without Bond at Denver's downtown detention center (pictured). He is charged with first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death The punishment for Stout's other recent charge, child abuse resulting in death, is more complicated. The crime is considered a Class 2 felony if the suspect committed it knowingly or recklessly, which yields a punishment of eight to 24 years in prison and a fine ranging from $5,000 to $1million. If the suspect was in a position of trust to the child, knowingly committed the crime and the victim was under 12 years old, then the charge is equivalent to first-degree murder and carries the same punishment. Miami Beach officials are demanding accountability after disturbing videos surfaced showing a group of white nationalist influencers chanting Nazi slogans and appearing to glorify Adolf Hitler inside a South Beach nightclub. The footage, which spread rapidly across social media over the weekend, appears to show the group partying inside Vendome nightclub while the antisemitic song Heil Hitler, by Kanye West, played in the background during a bottle parade. Social media footage shows influencers including brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, Nick Fuentes, Sneako, Myron Gaines, Justin Waller, and Clavicular arriving at the club while blasting the song. Additional clips also show some men chanting lyrics and some performing a Nazi salute inside a vehicle en route to the club. City leaders reacted with fury, calling the incident 'disgusting,' 'horrifying,' and a clear violation of Miami Beach's values - particularly in a city with one of the largest Jewish communities in the country. 'These are sick, demented people,' Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said while demanding a full investigation into how the influencers gained access to the club and why the song was even played at all. 'I am deeply disturbed and disgusted by these videos of twisted individuals glorifying Hitler and the murder of millions,' Meiner, who is Jewish, continued. 'What I also found disturbing is I spoke to a lot of other club operators today, and they told me they know these influencers try to get into clubs,' Meiner said. The influencers were singing and dance to 'Heil Hitler' by Kanye West in footage widely shared on social media including making Nazi salutes Miami Beach nightclub Vendome has apologized for a 'deeply offensive and unacceptable' video circulating online, which appears to show a group of popular and controversial influencers partying to Kanye West's anti-Semitic song, 'Heil Hitler' Social media footage shows influencers including brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, Nick Fuentes, Sneako, Myron Gaines, Justin Waller, and Clavicular arriving at the club and blasting the offensive song 'They ban them. They do not allow them in their club. How did they get in here and seemingly be welcomed into the club?' On Monday night, Sneako and Nick Fuentes appeared on a short 15 second video where they made no apology for their actions, while the Tate brothers blamed the nightclub for playing the offensive track. 'We're just a couple n****s hanging out,' Sneako said. 'N****s going hard as f***. Society can't handle it,' Fuentes chimed in. Meanwhile, the Tate brothers tried to distance themselves despite being seen partying along to the song both in the club and on their party bus. 'If anyone wants to be angry, that anger belongs with the people who chose to play it and the people who chose to sing it,' the brothers' lawyer Joseph McBride said in a statement to TMZ. The song itself has also drawn widespread condemnation. 'Heil Hitler' has been banned in Germany, and major music platforms in the United States have taken steps to restrict or remove it due to its content. Vendome issued a statement Sunday night acknowledging the videos and apologizing for the incident. The influencers were seen listening to 'Heil Hitler' onboard a minibus ride to the club with some making Nazi salutes Some frames of the footage appeared to show the influencers raising their hands as they went on to perform Nazi salutes Andrew Tate was beaming as the song played over the nightclub's loudspeakers The nightclub released a statement following the shocking footage spreading online 'We are aware of a video circulating online from one of our venues that includes content and imagery that are deeply offensive and unacceptable,' the nightclub said. 'We want to be unequivocally clear: Vendome and our hospitality group do not condone antisemitism, hate speech, or prejudice of any kind.' The club said it is conducting an internal review to determine how the song came to be played during a bottle parade and promised immediate action. 'Our ownership and leadership reflect a diverse group of partners, backgrounds, and faiths including members of the Jewish community, and we are deeply disturbed by the harm caused by this incident and the circulation of this footage,' the statement continued. By Monday afternoon, the business announced concrete disciplinary steps. Brothers Andrew and Tristan was seen alongside other influencers in videos connected to the Miami Beach nightclub incident (file photo) Sneako, an online personality known for his controversial cultural and political commentary was also present Clavicular, left, a livestream personality with a following in fringe online communities was also present alongside White nationalist activist and livestreamer Nick Fuentes, right Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner condemned the nightclub incident as 'disturbing' and called for a full investigation and accountability The controversial influencers partying to Kanye West's antisemitic song, 'Heil Hitler' Vendome said it had fired three employees involved in the incident, implemented updated security procedures, and permanently banned the influencers seen in the videos from the venue. The backlash quickly spread beyond Miami Beach. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava released a statement condemning the incident. 'Hate has no home in Miami-Dade County,' she wrote. 'Reports of Nazi slogans at a Miami Beach club are deeply disturbing and unacceptable. We stand against antisemitism and all hate, and expect swift accountability to keep our community safe and respectful for all.' Mayor Meiner said the incident appeared deliberate rather than accidental. 'It seems to be somewhat orchestrated,' he said. 'They're there. The DJ plays this song that's really banned in most places. 'There's nothing funny about the murder of six million Jews,' Meiner added. 'Hitler tried to exterminate the entire Jewish nation.' Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said the incident appeared deliberate rather than accidental Andrew Tate has now been banned from the nightclub along with his influencer friends Clavicular, left, and Sneako, right, have also been blacklisted by the Miami Beach nightclub As the videos have continued to circulate, city leaders said their message to the influencers involved is unequivocal. 'You're disgusting human beings, and I don't want to see you in Miami Beach,' Miami Beach Commissioner Joe Magazine said. 'You're not welcome,' fellow Commissioner David Suarez agreed. 'It's disgusting, it's shameful, and you're not welcome in Miami Beach,' added Mayor Meiner. On Monday night, Sneako and Nick Fuentes appeared on a short 15 second video making no apology for their actions The club, Vendome, said it had fired three employees involved in the incident, implemented updated security procedures, and permanently banned the influencers seen in the videos from the venue McBride, the Tate's lawyer continued to lay the blame at the hands of the venue. 'What I can say without qualification is this. Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate did neither. If the club is looking for someone to blame, it should start by looking in the mirror. 'Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate condemn antisemitism and any glorification of Adolf Hitler. Free speech is not a license for hate. There is a clear line between expressing views and promoting hatred. Andrew and Tristan reject hatred in all its forms,' McBride insisted. Keir Starmer is scrambling to avert a 'hugely damaging' trade war with the United States, amid warnings it could tip Britain into recession. The Prime Minister played down the prospect of the UK imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on Donald Trump despite his extraordinary bid to grab Greenland. And he urged EU leaders against using a tariff 'bazooka' to retaliate against President Trump, warning that a trade war would cause massive economic damage and risk weakening vital alliances even further. Mr Trump stunned Nato allies at the weekend by vowing to impose a 10 per cent tariff on imports from countries resisting his plan to seize Greenland including the UK, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The tariffs would come in on February 1 and be raised on 25 per cent in June. Economists warned on Monday that the impact could knock tens of billions of pounds off the UK's GDP and plunge Britain into recession. Speaking at an emergency press conference in Downing Street on Monday, the PM said President Trump was 'completely wrong' to threaten allies with tariffs. But the US President later said he was '100 per cent' committed to the plan. And US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent warned the EU it would be 'very unwise' to retaliate. Sir Keir said he did not believe that Mr Trump is planning to use military force to take Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. But Mr Trump yesterday declined to rule out the move. Sir Keir is at loggerheads with Donald Trump over his bid to grab Greenland Danish troops mounted live firing exercises in Greenland at the weekend in a bid to persuade President Trump they could defend the island against aggression from Russia and China A snap YouGov poll showed widespread public support for retaliatory tariffs against the US, with 67 per cent of people in favour compared with just 14 per cent against. But Sir Keir all but ruled out the move, saying: 'This is a serious situation and threatening tariffs on allies is the wrong thing to do and a trade war is not in our interests and therefore my first task is to make sure we don't get to that place which is what I'm focused on at the moment. 'I don't want to lose sight of the central goal here which is avoid the seriousness that a trade war would bring.' He also ruled out asking the King to cancel a planned state visit to the US this year in protest. The PM said there was a real risk that US attempts to seize Greenland could trigger a 'dangerous downward spiral' in the transatlantic alliance with 'the potential for this to cause huge damage to the UK, whether that's in a trade war or the weakening of alliances, and I do not want to see that happen'. But he said the principle that the future of Greenland is for its people and the Kingdom of Denmark to determine 'cannot be set aside because it goes to the heart of how stable and trusted cooperation works'. The crisis in Greenland saw the PM tear up schedule. A planned speech on the cost of living in Yorkshire was abandoned, while Rachel Reeves pulled out of an event in the City to attend the PM's press conference. Sir Keir is now lobbying fellow EU leaders against imposing retaliatory tariffs. Emmanuel Macron is said to be pushing for the EU to deploy plans for a tariff 'bazooka', which was originally designed to punish hostile states. But European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who discussed the crisis with the PM by phone at the weekend, is reported to be in favour of a more cautious approach. The aggressive US approach to Greenland has been condemned across the political spectrum in the UK. Worried Rachel Reeves cancelled her plans to help deal with the looming tariff crisis Kemi Badenoch urged Mr Trump to 'withdraw the threat of tariffs, for the good of US and European security'. Nigel Farage said it was 'difficult to tell' whether Mr Trump was bluffing but said the threat of tariffs against the UK was 'wrong'. 'It's wrong, it's bad, it would be very, very hurtful to us,' he said. The Reform UK leader said he would be 'having some words' with members of the Trump administration about the issue at this week's Davos summit. Capital Economics said President Trump's tariffs could knock up to 0.75 per cent off the UK economy, potentially costing the country more than 20 billion. Highlighting the 'pain' it could cause British carmakers and the pharmaceuticals industry, chief economist Paul Dales said: 'With the UK economy currently growing by 0.2 per cent to 0.3 per cent a quarter, if this hit came all at once it could trigger a recession.' But he added: 'The long-term political and geopolitical consequences would be much greater.' Sir Keir warned that the impact of a wider fall out with the US could be even more damaging, with Britain's security, including the operation of the Trident nuclear deterrent, potentially put at risk. He said public anger towards Mr Trump's tariff threat was 'understandable', but insisted: 'On defence and security and intelligence and nuclear capability (it is) manifestly in our interest to have a strong relationship our nuclear capability is our most important deterrent bar none and that has helped keep us safe for many years.' The PM said the security relationship with the US 'keeps us safe in many ways I can't explain to you it keeps us safe and is absolutely vital to every single person who lives in this country'. The owner of an SUV that struck former Nickelodeon star Kianna Underwood has told authorities he is getting a lawyer and will not be answering any questions about the fatal hit-and-run. New York City police located the owner of the black 2021 Ford Explorer that was caught on surveillance footage hitting Underwood, 33, just before 7am on Friday as she crossed the street in Brooklyn, the New York Daily News reports. Authorities have since seized the vehicle and are reviewing surveillance footage to determine if the unidentified owner was the one driving when Underwood was run over or whether someone else was behind the wheel. No charges have been filed against the owner of the SUV as the investigation now continues. But records obtained by the Daily News show that the vehicle in the past has been ticketed for 41 violations, 25 of which were for speeding. Meanwhile, authorities are continuing to search for the driver of a second vehicle, a sedan, that also struck Underwood and dragged her for more than two blocks before her lifeless body came free. Shocking surveillance footage from the scene obtained by CBS News showed Underwood leaving a doorstep in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn on Friday morning and waiting at the intersection of Pitkin Avenue and Mother Gaston Boulevard. She reportedly did not wait for the walk symbol when she was struck by the SUV driver, who was heading west on Pitkin Avenue and had a green light, but veered across double yellow lines to pass another vehicle, according to the Daily News. Kianna Underwood, pictured above as a child on All That, was identified as the victim of a hit-and-run incident on Friday morning She was seen on surveillance footage leaving a doorstep in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn and waiting at the intersection of Pitkin Avenue and Mother Gaston Boulevard Underwood was then struck by a black 2021 Ford Explorer after it veered across double yellow lines to pass another vehicle The driver could be seen in the surveillance footage going against traffic and striking Underwood before it disappears from the video frame without slowing down. Underwood was then struck moments later by the driver of a black and gray sedan, which dragged her body for more than two blocks before it came loose near the intersection of Pitkin and Osborn Streets. That driver also failed to stop, but several people appeared not to notice the body until a few witnesses reached for their phones. The former child actress 'sustained severe trauma to the head and body,' police said, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. One day later, her devastated father Anthony Underwood shared a heartbreaking Facebook post in which he compared his daughter's death to the time he saw a fox get run over in the Catskills Mountains. 'Another driver pulled over and picked the fox up who was still alive and put it on the side of the road,' he recalled. 'All I can think about is did anyone show my baby that same compassion, as someone ran her over like roadkill.' It now seems that Underwood, who starred in shows like All That and Little Bill, fell on hard times since her time as a child actor. Underwood was then struck moments later by the driver of a black and gray sedan, which dragged her body for more than two blocks before it came loose New York City police are still trying to find the owner of that vehicle Two years ago, Angelique Bates, 45, sounded alarms about Underwood who had been homeless, living in New York City, and took to social media to call out their former crew members for not reaching out to her. In November 2023, she shared an Instagram video and called out Nickelodeon for turning a blind eye. 'She's one of us and she needs help but she's not getting it,' she said in her video before later adding: 'Nobody's speaking on Kianna Underwood.' She said that the cast members acted like a close-knit family while on TV but appeared to not uphold the same behavior when they were off the set. After learning of Underwood's death, Bates shared a clip with the news article headline she read and a throwback clip of the late star on the show. She wrote in her caption: 'Yall have no idea how much this one hurtsSick to my stomach.So many people failed baby girl.' Underwood (far right) appeared on the hit Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That alongside stars including Kenan Thompson (middle) Underwood also dabbled in stage production, touring with the musical Hairspray. She is pictured with Frances Fisher on the opening night of the show in Los Angeles Those who knew Underwood in Brooklyn have described how she would frequently ask for money. 'She would come around and ask for a couple of dollars here and there,' said Andy Sierra, who supervises a store nearby. 'I used to give a couple of dollars and buy her food. I gave her some clothes and some sneakers last Saturday.' Speaking of Underwood's untimely death, Sierra said it was a 'tragedy.' 'No human being deserves to die like that.' Another man in the neighborhood, who refused to give his name, told the Daily News that Underwood's boyfriend informed him of her death. He said that her boyfriend was cooking breakfast for Underwood when she left in the morning, adding, 'He was just talking to her and he was begging her to stay inside the house.' 'Im very devastated, you know, I see her all the time,' he added. 'She always had good spirits, happy, good energy. It was very sad to hear that it was her.' Underwood starred on All That for its tenth and last season in 2004 and 2005. She's pictured above with the cast at Nickelodeon's 18th Annual Kids Choice Awards in 2005 Underwood got her big break on the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That for its tenth and last season in 2004 and 2005, replacing Jamie Lynn Spears. The show produced several stars, including longtime Saturday Night Live cast member Kenan Thompson and Amanda Bynes. Underwood also starred in 23 episodes of Little Bill, and appeared in the film The 24 Hour Woman, starring Patti LuPone. Additionally, she voiced a character in the animated movie Santa Baby! and dabbled in stage production, touring with the musical Hairspray. It took just a split second to shatter an inseparable newlywed couple's happy start to married life - and leave four families grieving. Georgina and Tom Daniels had been going home after a night out with close friends who were about to embark to Australia for 'the journey of a lifetime'. Now, after a horrific crash which left four people dead when a car smashed head-on into their taxi, she has bravely spoken about their life-changing injuries. And after heart-stopping footage emerged of the same car speeding through busy streets at 120mph the night before, Mrs Daniels has issued a warning to a selfish minority who drive for 'attention and status'. While they only got married seven months ago, the 28-year-old NHS manager and her 29-year-old salesman husband have been together for ten years. Along with another couple with whom they were 'best friends' - they had booked a taxi for the short journey home in the early hours of Sunday, January 11. At the wheel of the Citroen C4 Picasso was 54-year-old Masrob Ali, a father-of-four who took pride in his safe driving. Fatefully, however, also out on the streets of Bolton, Greater Manchester, was a high-powered Seat Leon, containing four young men. Georgina Daniels, 28, and husband Tom, 29, were riding home in a taxi with two friends in the early hours of January 11, 2026, when their vehicle had a head-on collision with another car The Citroen Picasso private hire car in which Mr and Mrs Daniels and their friends were travelling sustained catastrophic damage in the crash Masrob Ali, 54, who was tragically killed when his private hire vehicle collided head-on with a Seat, pictured at his 21-year-old daughter's graduation It is understood that it was being driven by 18-year-old mechanic Mohammed Jibrael Mukhtar, whose older brother had warned him that speeding at 180mph would leave him 'dead and in pieces'. The night before, a passenger had filmed as it sped to a horrifying 122mph through a built-up area by night, swerving to avoid slower-moving traffic, with the footage uploaded to social media. CCTV cameras captured the appalling moment the Seat apparently on the wrong side of the 30mph road smashed head-on into Mr Ali's private hire car. He suffered fatal injuries, as did Mr Mukhtar - known as Jibril - plus Farhan Patel, also 18, and Mohammed Danyaal, aged 19, who were all in the Seat. After an agonising delay, the four injured friends were cut out of the unrecognisable wreck of the Citroen, along with one survivor from the Seat. Speaking from her hospital bed as she and her husband come to terms with life-changing injuries, Mrs Daniels said: 'I can't fathom how we're all still alive it should have taken our lives. 'I have no idea how we're all still here after seeing what happened to everyone and the state we are all in.' They are the lucky ones and yet with both needing 24-hour care, they face having rebuild their shattered lives separately. Georgina and Tom have been left in 'unbearable' pain and with life-altering injuries, with both now requiring 24-hour care Taxi driver Masrob Ali, 54, (pictured) was one of four men who died in the crash, along with three teenagers from the other car The point of impact (top right) between the two cars appears to show the red Seat travelling on the wrong side of the road at speed 'All of the recovery, rebuilding, the things we will have to get over,' Mrs Daniels said. 'And we will have to do it apart. 'It's cruel. There are no words to describe it.' The smash has sparked a debate over the appalling driving of a tiny minority as well as complaints from local residents about a lack of speed cameras. While police are still investigating the tragedy, Jibril's older brother has apologised on his behalf. Miraj Mukhtar, 21, shared his chilling final message to his brother, who works at his garage, Narkos High Performance Tuning. It read: '180 mph one mistake tyre blows or car comes in front. Dead & in pieces. Be smarter.' Even as the couple begin their long journey to recovery, Mrs Daniels has a message to anyone who treats public roads as a racetrack. 'This kind of danger can't just be acceptable, where you just say: 'Watch out'. 'When people drive like that, it's done for attention and status. 'It just needs to be that it doesn't happen.' Footage understood to have been uploaded onto Instagram by one of the teenagers killed in Sunday's horrific crash showing a Seat driving through a built-up area at over 120mph the night before is now being examined by police Mohammed Jibrael Mukhtar (pictured), 18, also known as Jibril, was understood to have been driving his souped-up Seat Leon in Bolton, Greater Manchester, in the early hours of January 11 when it collided with a Citroen Picasso taxi Speaking about the Saturday night out together in Bolton, Mrs Daniels said it had been a 'send-off' for friends setting off on an adventure to Australia. 'It should have been such an exciting part of their lives - for the night to end that way it did, it's shocking to say the least. 'It's one extreme to the other.' While her husband remembers 'bits' of the 12.45am smash and the massive emergency response, she recalls 'every single second'. 'The biggest shock of all is that we are all still here. It was just devastation.' While they are newlyweds, they have been a couple for over a decade. 'We've basically always lived together even when we didn't have our own place, we would pack bags and stay at each other's mum's house for three or four days at a time,' Mrs Daniels said, tears flowing as she struggled to come to terms with the sudden transformation of their lives. 'We've never been separate for too long. Passengers Danyaal Asghar Ali (left), 19, and Farhan Patel (right), 18, who both died in the crash. An 18-year-old passenger in the Seat also sustained minor injuries 'Now it's our first year of marriage and we are going to have to live apart with life-changing injuries, with no end date.' Since the smash the couple have been into surgery four times between them. 'My legs are ok but my other injuries are going to need 24-hour care, but Tom now has major mobility issues, especially using stairs. 'We will both need 24-hour care for a long time.' To help fund their needs while they are unable to go back to work, a close friend has set up an online GoFundMe appeal benefiting Mr and Mrs Daniels and their friends, who so far do not want to be named. It has already raised more than 45,000. 'Our injuries are life-changing, we don't know the extent of them yet, and they'll require so much aftercare,' Mrs Daniels said. 'As much pain as we've both been in, the mental side of it is 100 times worse.' For their part, relatives of taxi driver Mr Ali, of Blackburn, are trying to take comfort from the belief that he 'wasn't at fault and didn't do anything wrong'. 'He was just the kindest man,' daughter Humayra Ali, 29, told the Daily Mail. She added that her father was 'such a safe driver' and used to tell his family: 'Don't worry about me.' Amidst her anguish, Mrs Daniels is still able to imagine the 'devastating' impact on Mr Ali's family. 'It was just a short journey and he was nothing but lovely to us,' she said. For his part, Mr Mukhtar, whose brother is understood to have been driving the Seat, has said he 'advised' him to stop driving at 90mph or more, adding he had made 'a huge mistake'. 'You don't know how much I told him to slow down and try to chill, just chill out and calm down,' he said in a TikTok video. 'Be safe. Don't do those speeds, don't do them speeds I said to him multiple times.' Lucie Wilson, who organised the fundraiser for Mr and Mrs Daniels, said 'no one in the community seems to be surprised' by the devastating smash, with friends now fearful of driving through the area. Bolton council has responded to complaints following the crash by pledging to take 'all necessary measures' to prevent a similar tragedy in the future. Greater Manchester Police last week said it was 'in the early stages' of investigating 'this terrible incident'. As for Mr and Mrs Daniels, they are 'just living hour by hour'. Recalling the joyful scenes of their wedding just last year, Mrs Daniels said: 'We are trying to be positive and trying to get back to how we were in those pictures. 'That's the only thing we can look forward to.' You can donate to Tom and Georgina's GoFundMe here. Bondi Beach terror attack hero Ahmed Al Ahmed has slammed questions about the $2.5 million raised in his name as he battles injuries suffered while confronting one of the shooters. The former tobacco store owner was seriously wounded when he was shot multiple times during the December 14 attack on Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi, shortly after he disarmed gunman Sajid Akram. Doctors have since removed a bullet from his shoulder and repaired nerve damage, though it is believed he may suffer permanent injury and require further surgery. Mr Al Ahmed, 43, received praise from around the world for his courage, which likely prevented the death toll rising above 15. While he was recuperating in hospital, he was presented with a $2.5 million cheque from a global fundraiser that attracted more than 43,000 donations. However, in a raw post to social media on Monday night, Mr Al Ahmed lashed out at those who disparaged the fund and accused him of 'miking it' and not being 'humble' enough. 'When I see negative comments and messages, or some media outlets focusing only on the benefits I received in an unprofessional way, I feel deep sadness,' he said. 'They forget that I was shot five times, and two bullets are still in my body. I live with that pain day and night. Ahmed Al Ahmed (pictured) says he has received criticism for the praise and fundraising he received after he confronted one of the Bondi Beach attackers He said two bullets are still in his body after Hanukkah attack at Bondi Beach on December 14 Mr Al Ahmed said he also cannot move his hand or fingers 'What is even harder is that I still cannot move my hand or fingers. Doctors have told me that I may lose movement in my hand forever. 'So what money or honour can ever equal this loss? Is there anyone among these negative people who would be willing to give up their hand for money and give me my hand back the way it was? 'I do not regret what I did, because I acted out of humanity and the values I was raised with. 'But it hurts me to see some weakminded people turn this into a business deal instead of understanding the sacrifice.' Mr Al Ahmed shared a photo of the surgical scars on his shoulder, as well as a shot of him in a hospital room holding his injured hand, eyes closed and seemingly in pain. He is currently in the United States, having travelled to New York earlier in January for the annual Colel Chabad awards gala dinner, alongside Sydney Rabbi Yehoram Ulman. The charity event raises funds for vulnerable families in Israel, with individual tickets priced from $1,000 USD ($1,485 AUD). However, the trip has not been without challenges, as he reportedly suffered a 'sudden swelling' in his hand and severe pain on January 10. Mr Al Ahmed disarmed gunman Sajid Akram during the Hanukkah attack Mr Al Ahmed said he suffered a 'sudden swelling' in his hand while in New York, which he said was a discouraging part of his recovery (pictured, injured just after the Bondi Beach attack) But Mr Al Ahmed meeting newly-minted Mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani Footage shared by Mr Al Ahmed on Instagram showed him lying in a hotel room, his left hand propped up on four pillows to elevate it. 'I was scheduled to attend several meetings, but due to the sudden swelling in my hand and the severe pain, I had to cancel them all,' he said on Instagram. He said he was 'discouraged' when pain medicine wore off but remembered that he protected innocent people and felt hope due to those wishing for his recovery. In the US, he met with notable figures including Hollywood filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, Mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani, and outgoing Australian Ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd. Israeli national Gefen Bitton, 30, who was alongside Mr Al Ahmed in rushing the shooter, was granted permanent residency in Australia last week as reward for his actions. It means that Mr Bitton now has access to Medicare and NDIS support as his extensive and ongoing medical treatment continues. 'We're seeing small improvements daily, as he is now more awake. Every step counts,' a fundraiser update stated. Fifteen people, including 10yearold girl Matilda Bee, were killed in the 14 December attack at Bondi Beach when Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed, 24, allegedly opened fire on a crowd celebrating Hanukkah. Authorities are still investigating the cause of death of a young Canadian woman after her body was found with significant wounds and surrounded by a dozen dingoes. The 19-year-old had gone for an early morning swim at K'gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, near the Maheno Shipwreck at about 5am on Monday. Her body was discovered an hour later on the beach by two passing motorists. It's understood the woman told friends she was going for a swim, but never returned. She and a Canadian friend had been living and working at a resort on the island since arriving there six weeks ago. Authorities spent the day examining the scene and setting up new dingo warning signs on the beach as detectives work to determine if the woman was killed by the wild animals or drowned. Her body has since been transported to Brisbane for a post-mortem examination. 'We're investigating at the moment as to whether she has drowned or whether she has been attacked. We simply don't know,' Police Inspector Paul Algie said. Rangers spent Monday erecting new warning signs after a Canadian backpacker was found dead surrounded by dingoes Authorities are currently keeping an open mind about how the young woman died 'We may not know until a post-mortem as to the actual cause of death. 'We'll obviously throw every resource we can at it to get some resolution for her family.' Locals said the surf conditions were rough at the time. Queensland Police revealed harrowing details about how the woman's body was found. 'Two male persons have been driving south and seen a large pack of dingoes near an object, and upon closer inspection saw that it was in fact a female person,' Inspector Algie said. 'It was obviously a very traumatic and horrific scene for them to uncover.' Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers have ramped up dingo patrols at the tourist hotspot. It's been more than two decades since the last fatal dingo attack. New warning signs were installed along beaches on K'Gari on Monday Eight-year-old Clinton Gage was mauled to death by two native dogs while camping with family on the island in 2001. There have been a spate of non-fatal attacks on K'gari since. Camping zone five has been temporarily closed on the island, with signs raised to warn visitors about dingo safety. 'This is a heartbreaking tragedy that has understandably left many Queenslanders reeling,' Acting Environment and Tourism Minister Deb Frecklington said. 'The Department will work closely with Queensland Police as they continue their investigation.' A school teacher in West Virginia has been arrested and fired from her job after being accused of sexually abusing a child under 16. Emily Joy Wise, 38, was arrested by the West Virginia State Police and booked into the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility on January 14, according to the jail's records. She was charged with sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or other person in a position of trust to a child under 16, which is a felony. Wise was employed by Jackson County Schools, which released a statement the day after she was arrested that said it 'is aware of the recent arrest and serious allegations involving former classroom teacher Emily Wise.' 'As required by the West Virginia Code, any employee subject to a fact-finding investigation involving conduct alleged to jeopardize the health, safety, or welfare of students must be immediately placed on suspension,' the statement went on. 'This mandated action was taken by the school system immediately upon becoming aware of the allegations.' The statement also said that Wise is no longer employed by Jackson County Schools, and the school system has been cooperating with state police and the county sheriff's office. The press release did not directly mention whether Wise was accused of sexually abusing a student at Jackson County Schools. Emily Joy Wise, 38, was arrested on January 14 and charged with sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or other person in a position of trust to a child under 16 Wise was booked into the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility But according to public records, Wise is married with no children. That means her felony charge was likely related to her being a custodian or person in a position of trust to a child. The gender and precise age of the child were also not made public, nor was the exact school where Wise was employed. Jackson County Schools manages elementary, middle and high schools. The Daily Mail reached out to the West Virginia State police for comment and additional details. Wise is being held on a $250,000 bond. If convicted of her felony charge, she faces ten to twenty years in prison and a fine of $500 to $5,000. Wise's case comes after several other female teachers have been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing or engaging in sexual misconduct with children and students over the past few months. In late November, a 22-year-old physical education teacher in Florida was arrested after allegedly sending inappropriate photos and text messages to a 13-year-old student. The student's mother reported the alleged inappropriate contact to police, and the former PE teacher 'admitted to texting and sending a picture to the victim,' according to the local sheriff's office. Earlier that month, a 31-year-old former Missouri middle school teacher was sentenced to ten years in prison after she pleaded guilty to sexually abusing at least one student. If convicted of her felony charge, Wise faces ten to twenty years in prison and a fine of $500 to $5,000. A West Virginia State Police patrol vehicle is pictured here She would offer money, marijuana and alcohol in exchange for sex or to allow her to perform oral sex, according to court documents. In October, a 36-year-old Nebraska teacher and her 41-year-old boyfriend were arrested and charged with grooming and sex trafficking a student. The teacher reportedly led a student upstairs to her bedroom and made a request that the student interpreted as sexual. After the student declined, the teacher apologized and told her not to tell anyone before giving her $100 in $20 increments, according to court documents. A Chinese electric bus brand operating across Australia has been revealed to contain a 'kill switch' that can be remotely activated by the manufacturer. Britain's National Cyber Security Centre, along with the Department of Transport, revealed that Yutong-branded electric buses could be remotely shut down from China, according to a report in The Telegraph. The feature has sparked fears that Chinese security services could intervene via the SIM cards used for software updates, the agency found. While there's no evidence a 'kill switch' has been used in Australia, authorities in Denmark and Norway remain wary of the issue. Norwegian transport operator Ruter found in November that Yutong Group had access to the buses' control systems for software updates and diagnostics. 'In theory, this could be exploited to affect the bus,' the operator said. Yutong said it had sent more than 1,500 vehicles to Australia since 2012. The ACT ordered 90 of the battery-electric buses in 2023, while NSW is operating 26 and Queensland four. South Australia is currently undergoing a trial. CyberCX chief strategy officer Alastair MacGibbon maintains there are security risks that come with Chinese-made electric vehicles in Australia There are fears that Yutong-branded electric buses could be turned off from China Chief strategy officer at cybersecurity company, CyberCX, Alastair MacGibbon, told the Australian Financial Review the Chinese-made buses came with security risks. 'Other countries have stopped their governments from purchasing them and not allowing private use of these things. The Australian government has not,' he said. A spokesperson for the distributor of Yutong buses in Australia, Vehicle Dealers International, told Daily Mail the model tested in Norway was not operating here. 'Vehicles are prepared and supported to Australian requirements, with customerauthorised access and documented change control,' they said. 'Operational changes are carried out in person with operator authorisation. 'We follow agreed processes with each operator and, where required, with the relevant authority. There is no remote control of acceleration, steering or braking. 'Any changes that affect vehicle operation are completed in person with operator authorisation. This is not a software update.' But Mr MacGibbon pointed out that internet-connected vehicles had cameras, microphones and other tools that could still be accessed by the manufacturer, adding 'confidentiality in a Chinese-made vehicle does not exist'. There are hundreds of Yutong-branded electric buses on Aussie roads A spokesman for Transport for NSW said there was no evidence that buses in the NSW fleet could be remotely disabled. 'These reports have been incorporated into our active risk assessments, and Transport continues to work with manufacturers in seeking further information to assess any potential risks,' the spokesman told the AFR. Transport Canberra said over-the-air updates have been disabled on the current fleet and that software updates are performed exclusively by Transport Canberra. In response to the claims, Yutong released a statement saying: 'Yutong vehicle terminal data in Australia is stored at the AWS data centre in Sydney. 'This data is used for vehicle-related maintenance and optimisation to meet customers' after-sales service requirements.' 'All data is protected through storage encryption and access controls. No one is allowed to unlawfully access or view the data without customer authorisation.' A Transport for NSW Spokesperson told Daily Mail: 'Transport is aware of recent international reports regarding potential vulnerabilities in some bus technologies. These reports have been incorporated into our active risk assessments, and Transport continues to work with manufacturers in seeking further information to assess any potential risks.' Daily Mail has contacted the Defence Department and Mr MacGibbon for further comment. An Australian Netflix star has revealed the shocking moment he was stabbed in the throat by his own cellmate while in jail. Anthony Lister, 46, was in custody awaiting court proceedings on sexual assault charges when the attack occurred. The 'Have You Seen the Listers?' star and popular artist said he was stabbed by his cellmate, who he described as a '22-year-old pretty wild boy' from Mount Druitt, in Sydney's west. 'I gave him a pen to entertain himself, hoping that he would get lost in some practice of drawing because I was writing a lot at the time,' Mr Lister told news.com.au. 'But eventually he used that pen to stab me in the throat, with four other guys in the yard. 'He didn't stab me very deeply, because I was able to catch his hand. That was harsh to deal with, especially being back in the same cell again that night. You don't tell anybody these things happen because then worse things happen.' Mr Lister, whose artwork has been collected by the likes of Hugh Jackman, Pink and Pharrell Williams, described his experience in jail as being like 'chimpanzees in a zoo'. He said the 83 days he spent behind bars forever changed him. Anthony Lister said he was stabbed in the throat by his cellmate after he'd gifted him a pen Mr Lister was arrested in 2020 by heavily armed police after he was accused of sexually assaulting four women and indecently assaulting a fifth - he was later found not guilty Mr Lister recalled hearing the sounds of inmates cheering as one inmate raped another in a nearby cell, and the anxiety of taking too long to cook his food in the communal microwave. He also reported experiencing symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after his release. The shock revelations come three months after Mr Lister was found not guilty of sexually assaulting four women and indecently assaulting a fifth woman. Buoyed by the release of two films, Mr Lister was at the pinnacle of his career in 2020 when heavily armed police raided his home and charged him with rape and other offences. At the time, police said they believed "he had engaged these people through social circles and part of the community." His exhibition at the Wollongong Art Gallery was quickly cancelled. In November, he was acquitted on three of the counts of having sexual intercourse without consent, and in December 2024, found not guilty of raping two women and indecently assaulting a third. The alleged offences were said to have occurred between 2015 and 2018 - allegations Mr Lister always vehemently denied. Mr Lister featured in the hit movie 'Have You Seen the Listers?' which premiered in 2017 Not much was reported of the charges laid against Mr Lister, only that a 'high profile Sydney man' had plead guilty to nine charges after a suppression order prohibiting Listers identification was in place. In December 2024, those orders were lifted. Mr Lister said he is now wanting to move on with his life and has continued painting, now in a Darlinghurst studio in Sydney's CBD. Aussies have been left divided over a popular women's activewear outfit, with some claiming it is inappropriate and should be banned in public. 'Scrunch bum' shorts and tights have become a common sight across the country, with women wearing the garment in gyms, cafes and supermarkets. A narrow seam running vertically between the buttocks pulls the fabric together to creates a ruching effect and gives the illusion of a fuller backside. 'Can we please go back to a time where the butt scrunch tights don't exist,' an outraged Aussie wrote on Facebook. 'Throw that trend out the door in 2026, they honestly don't look good on anyone. 'They don't make your bum look bigger or perky, they just look so stupid with a mild case of attention-seeking look at me vibe. 'It looks like your crack ate your pants and gives an everlasting wedgie effect. Stupid invention.' The post sparked more than 2,500 comments from fashion armchair critics of all genders. 'Scrunch bum' shorts and tights have become a gym workout and everyday staple for women Some agreed that it should be illegal for the 'cringe' outfit to be worn in public. 'Nothing to the imagination. They can look like a hippo fell between two couch cushions,' one wrote. Another added: 'OMG, any activewear in public - all tights worn by the wrong person are just gross.' Many others disagreed, saying people should be allowed to choose what they wear. 'You know what else we should leave behind in 2025 - judging people for what they wear,' one woman fumed. Another added: 'They are actually far more comfortable than non-scrunch bum and they make any bum look 100 per cent better. Peachy bum is better than a pancake bum.' A third wrote: 'Shaming isn't cool. Kind of ironic to post so open-minded about anything that suits you, yet happy to throw judgement based on your own projections and feelings.' A man commented: 'I think they look fantastic on absolutely anyone and everyone who wears them. I wish my wife would wear them.' Celebrity fashion stylist Donny Galea had some blunt advice for the haters 'Get a life, your personal insecurities shouldn't be pushed on others.' Celebrity fashion stylist Donny Galea is shocked at the uproar and branded the criticism as an overreaction. 'I'm really surprised about the debate it's caused - it's crazy,' he told Daily Mail. 'At the end of the day, it's just ruching on the bottom. 'It's not as if they are naked. 'Women love them as they make them feel comfortable, enhance the curves and are incredibly flattering on all body types.' Mr Galea issued some blunt advice for critics. 'Let everyone wear whatever they want to wear, and don't put others down,' he said. Brisbane podcaster Jasmine Absolom previously recalled being verbally abused in the street over her outfit choice, with an older woman labelling her a 's***' and a 'wh***'. The woman claimed she could see the podcaster's clitoris and that the outfit would 'cause more women to be sexually assaulted'. 'I'm not gonna say I was innocent, I definitely said things to her I wouldn't normally say to another person, but she had me red with anger,' ,' Ms Absolom told FEMAIL at the time. 'I still can't believe another woman would speak about women in this way.' An alleged narco submarine ferrying more than two tonnes of cocaine to Australia has been thwarted by authorities in Fiji. Police boarded the vessel at Vatia Wharf in Tavua, a rural town in Fijis northwest, on Friday and allegedly seized 130 sacks of drugs. Authorities arrested two local men and four South Americans and it's believed the street value of the drugs would have exceeded $2 billion if sold in Australia. Police believe the drugs - with an estimated street value of over $2billion - arrived in the vessel which had travelled from South America. Four of the men arrested were from Ecuador, according to local Fijian media. Australian police sources confirmed they were aware of the seizure, which they believed was bound for Australia, with some of the cocaine also destined for New Zealand. Fijian authorities released photos over the weekend of four men handcuffed together and sitting by the side of a road. The Australian Federal Police said in a statement they were aware of the drug bust and were working with Fijian Police. Fijian authorities released photos over the weekend of four men handcuffed together and sitting by the side of a road Authorities board a similar narco sub in 2023 'The AFP, through its international network, will continue to work closely with our Pacific partners to combat criminal activity, including drug trafficking,' the statement read. 'The AFP is engaging with the Fiji Police Force regarding this investigation.' Fiji Police released a statement after Friday's arrests confirming that overseas police forces had been involved in the bust. 'Four South American nationals and two locals were arrested in an early morning drug raid in Vatia waters,' Fiji Police said. 'The Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu said more than 100 bags containing parcels believed to be cocaine were seized by officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Serious Organised Crime and Intelligence Department (SOCID) and Western Division Taskforce. 'Commissioner Tudravu said the raid was a result of collaboration between local and foreign law enforcement. Investigations continue.' According to international authorities, Asian, Mexican and South American cartels have been increasingly using the Pacific as a gateway into Australia in recent years. Cartels have invested heavily in narco subs as their latest innovation in their increasingly sophisticated battle with police in recent years. Police board and seize drugs from a narco sub in the Atlantic Ocean The sleek submarines, each painted cobalt blue to match the ocean and make them very difficult to spot, cut through choppy waters at remarkable rates. Each sub is built to maximise cargo, typically accommodating up to three crew who may be trapped inside the cramped vessel for weeks. Powered by twin electric engines, the stealthy boats can glide undetected under the waves, carrying up to six tonnes of drugs. Authorities estimate that each vessel costs around $1million USD to make. They arent armed, relying instead on camouflage to evade detection by authorities whose resources are already stretched thin. The submarines are constructed deep in the jungles of South America, where cartel activities go largely unseen. The first narco sub was spotted in European waters in 2019, revealing just how far ahead trafficking gangs are in the cat-and-mouse game that the war on drugs has become. Victorian taxpayers could be forced to fork out millions to upgrade the state's maximumsecurity prisons, allowing some of the country's worst criminals more comfortable conditions. It comes after drug kingpin George Marrogi won a Supreme Court case granting him more access to 'open air', the Herald Sun reports. Marrogi, who is serving a 38year sentence for murder and drug smuggling, has planned a jailbreak, kicked a police officer, squirted faeces at a guard and twice set fire to his cell while incarcerated. But he also enlisted a team of barristers to argue that his rights had been breached at the Olearia, Acacia and Melaleuca Units of Barwon Prison, along with the Exford Unit at the Metropolitan Remand Centre. Marrogi told the court: 'Given the walls of the management unit exercise yards are concrete (except for the rare window), the lack of open air and unobstructed sunlight, and the fact that I was there by myself, it really just felt like an extension of my cell, so it was depressing and brought me no relief from my situation.' It was argued that he wasn't given access to 'open air', and Justice Claire Harris agreed this week that exercise yards in the Exford Unit, two cells in the Olearia Unit, three yards in the Acacia Unit and two yards in the Melaleuca Unit were illegally built. While in those cells, Marrogi was not able to feel sunlight, wind or rain during his time outside each day, Justice Harris concluded after visiting the prisons herself. 'There is no clear bright line delineating what will constitute a space which enables a prisoner to "be in the open air",' she said. Killer George Marrogi won a case arguing he didn't have access to open air while in prison It was found that parts of Barwon Prison were built illegally and didn't consider the rights of inmates - who claimed they couldn't feel sunlight, wind or rain 'It is to a significant degree an evaluative exercise having regard to factors including whether the space permits access to the sun, rain, wind and other aspects of the prevailing weather; and whether it otherwise provides a sense of being exposed to the weather and in the open air.' While some parts of the prisons in question were fine, Justice Harris said there was 'no sensation of being exposed to the weather' at the Melaleuca Unit at Barwon Prison. 'The construction of the yards, with the double sets of bars at the end, creates a strong feeling of being enclosed,' she said. It was argued that Marrogi was a significant security risk, having run a drug syndicate with a mobile phone, and that keeping maximum-security cells more 'open' could increase the risk of escape. A Victorian Government spokesperson told Daily Mail: 'We are aware of the court's decision and will consider the findings. We make no apology for ensuring the highest risk prisoners in the state are securely kept.' A psychologist who assessed Marrogi found he was 'paranoid' about prison staff and believed the prison was out to harm him. Marrogi, who was born in Iraq and migrated to Australia in 1996, has already spent most of his life behind bars, having been sentenced to a minimum of six years for manslaughter as a youth. He had been charged with murder after becoming involved in a wild brawl in 2005 in which he stabbed and killed a man. Marrogi is serving a 38-year sentence for murder and drug smuggling It was found that parts of Barwon Prison created a strong feeling of being enclosed On release, he continued to offend and was later jailed for arson. Five months later he would be charged with murder for a second time - this time it would stick. Justice Harris also found the way Marrogi was strip-searched on dozens of occasions was a breach of prison regulations. Marrogi's case will return to court at a later date. The court considered only the cells Marrogi was housed in, but the outcome is set to reshape conditions across the state's prisons. Meanwhile, more prisoners have filed cases against the conditions at the Carlton close supervision unit at the Western Plains Prison, arguing they are also unlawful. A woman who cut in line at a popular theme park in California hit a female security guard in the face before the guard tackled her to the ground as onlookers cheered. The confrontation took place on Saturday at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, a small city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, and it was captured on video by a witness. In the video, which was obtained by KTLA, the woman who cut the line can be seen arguing with the security guard while another theme park guest attempts to get between the two. The line-cutter could then be seen hitting the guard in the face, shocking onlookers who loudly exclaimed. The security guard then immediately tackled the woman who hit her to the ground, and the exclamations turned into cheers. The guard seems to have suffered a nosebleed from being struck, as after taking out a pair of handcuffs to restrain the unruly guest, she could be seen wiping her nose with her sleeve. A witness told KTLA that the confrontation began after an employee barred the woman who hit the security guard from entering the attraction she had cut the line for. The confrontation escalated into an argument, drawing security guards over, which then escalated into an assault. The video begins after the argument was already well underway. A woman who cut in line at Knott's Berry Farm in California was captured on video arguing with a security guard The woman then hit the guard in the face. This still from the video shows her blurry right arm mid-swing, while a view of the security guard is obstructed by another guest The guard quickly tackled the unruly woman to the ground, drawing cheers from the crowd The witness told KTLA, 'Knotts staff did an excellent job in deescalating the situation,' adding that they made the situation 'less traumatic,' because despite being assaulted, the guard 'did not use pepper spray or violence. She quickly got her on the floor.' The witness also said that police later arrived and handcuffed the woman who hit the security guard and the woman who tried getting in between the two. In a statement to the Daily Mail, Knott's Berry Farm confirmed that the Buena Park Police Department arrested the two women, though it did not detail what they were charged with. 'The park is committed to providing a safe and orderly environment for all guests and does not tolerate inappropriate behavior,' the statement said. The theme park previously told KTLA that visitors must follow its code of conduct and maintain a family-friendly environment. The code of conduct explicitly prohibits 'offensive behavior' and 'disruptive actions.' Knott's Berry Farm (pictured) confirmed that the woman who hit the guard, as well as the woman who tried getting between them, were arrested A witness said the confrontation began after an employee barred the woman who hit the security guard from entering the attraction she had cut the line for. A long line at the theme park is pictured here Line-cutting is so frequent in the theme park that in 2024, it introduced a system that allows visitors to text security guards to alert them to line jumpers. The theme park has faced similar instances of unruly behavior in recent years. In 2023, the park implemented a policy for minors requiring all guests below the age of 16 to be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old. A year later, a video that went viral on TikTok provided step-by-step instructions on how to sneak into Knott's Berry Farm for free by climbing over the wall. And line-cutting is so frequent in the theme park that in 2024, it introduced a system that allows visitors to text security guards to alert them to line jumpers. Anyone caught cutting lines, the park warned, is subject to being kicked out. A New Hampshire bishop has attracted national attention after he urged his clergy to finalize their wills and get their affairs in order to prepare for a 'new era of martyrdom' in the wake of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent-involved shooting of Renee Nicole Good. Bishop Rob Hirschfield of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire was one of several speakers at a vigil on January 9 honoring Good, who was fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officer Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Trump administration officials have defended Ross's actions, saying he fired in self-defense while standing in front of Good's SUV as it began to move forward. But that explanation has been panned by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz based on footage from the shooting. Reflecting on the shooting at the New Hampshire State House, Hirschfield declared that 'we are now engaged in a horrible battle that is eternal, that has gone on for millennia. 'As soon as the Christian church became linked to the empire by Constantine in the year 325 or so, the church immediately became corrupt. And the message of Jesus's love, compassion and commitment to the poor, the outcast, was immediately compromised,' he continued. 'And we have lost that voice and we are now, I believe, entering a time, a new era of martyrdom. 'Renee Good being the last of note of those martyrs,' Hirschfield said. He then went on to cite several historical clergy members who risked their lives to protect others, including New Hampshire seminary student Jonathan Daniels, who was shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy in Alabama while shielding a young black civil rights activist in 1965. Bishop Rob Hirschfield of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire has attracted national attention after he urged his clergy to finalize their wills and get their affairs in order He also called Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent earlier this month, a 'martyr' At that point, the bishop revealed that he has asked his clergy members to finalize their wills. 'I have told the clergy of the Episcopal diocese of New Hampshire that we may be entering into that same witness,' he explained. 'And I've asked them to get their affairs in order, to make sure they have their wills written, because it may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies, to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable.' Hirschfield then argued in his speech that God demands Christians stand up for others. 'The life that God wants for us is stronger than what we see, the cruelty, the injustice, the horror that we saw unleashed in Minneapolis,' he said. 'And we've seen it so many other times. Also in Minneapolis, lest we forget, George Floyd: say his name,' the bishop said, referring to an unarmed black man who was killed by police officers in 2020. But, Hirschfield said, Christians 'who are ready to build a new world' have to be prepared and 'cannot fear even death itself, my friends. 'If I want to live and live with the fullness that God intends, I have to trust that God will always protect me and raise me, as God, I believe, is bringing Renee Good to glory right now.' Surveillance footage showed Good apparently blocking the road with her SUV for four minutes before she was killed She was fatally shot as she drove her SUV away by ICE Officer Jonathan Ross The bishop then concluded his remarks by praying: 'May the Creator, the Anointed and the Holy Spirit uphold, give you courage and strength and compassion to live these days. 'There is a new day ahead,' Hirschfield said. 'It is coming. We can smell it. It is on its way.' The White House has since hit back at the bishop's remarks as they spread over social media. 'No one should follow advice encouraging them to commit crimes,' spokesperson Abigail Jackson told NBC News. 'Anyone who interferes with federal law enforcement operations is committing a crime and will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,' she warned. But Hirschfield denied he was encouraging or supporting 'criminal behavior, especially acts of violence. 'We are speaking about peaceful, non-violent resistance against those who, without warrant or justification, threaten physical injury or even death,' he said. 'Non-violence and love, as Jesus himself practiced and lived, should be the way for us to settle all differences in a free society.' Hirschfield said he was surprised by the attention his remarks have gotten In remarks to NHPR, Hirschfield even said he was surprised by the attention his speech has gotten, saying the message he delivered was 'nothing new for me.' 'It's a message that I've been delivering ever since I became a priest, which is almost 35 years ago,' he said. 'And my job as a priest, and now bishop, is to direct people to a sense of preparedness and centeredness in the spirit, in their souls, to be ready for whatever may come as they live their lives.' Still, he argued, Good was 'upholding the dignity of every human being.' Witnesses have said Good and her wife, Rebecca, were acting as legal observers as ICE officers carried out raids in Minneapolis on January 7. Surveillance footage showed Good apparently blocking the road with her SUV for four minutes before she was killed. About 20 seconds after Good pulled up to the street, a passenger - believed to be her wife, Rebecca - exited the vehicle and eventually began filming. There is speculation that Rebecca, who admitted to bringing her spouse to the anti-ICE protest, exited the car so she could begin filming any potential clash with federal agents. She was seen wielding her camera during Ross's confrontation with her wife but it is unclear when she first started to record. Witnesses have said Good and her wife, Rebecca, were acting as legal observers as ICE officers carried out raids in Minneapolis on January 7 Other footage from the scene then showed an officer approach Good's stopped SUV and grabbing the handle as he allegedly demanded she open the door last Wednesday. Her Honda Pilot then began to pull forward and Ross pulled his weapon, immediately firing three shots and jumping back as the vehicle moved toward him. It is not clear from the videos if the vehicle made contact with Ross. After the shooting, the SUV slammed into two cars parked on a curb before crashing to a stop. In the weeks since, several religious leaders have called on Christians to protect the vulnerable amid the uptick in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, including Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. 'We keep resisting, advocating, bearing witness and repairing the breach,' Rowe said during a prayer earlier this week. 'We keep sheltering and caring for those among us who are immigrants and refugees because they are beloved by God, and without them, we cannot fully be the church.' Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Rt. Rev. Craig Loya urged people not to meet 'hatred with hatred' but instead focus on love in 'a world obviously not fine.' 'We are going to make like our ancient ancestors, and turn the world upside down by mobilizing for love,' he said. 'We are going to disrupt with Jesus hope. We are going agitate with Jesus love.' The Daily Mail has reached out to Bishop Hirschfield for comment. Stephen Miller claimed that local law enforcement in Minneapolis has been 'ordered to stand down and surrender' amid local protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Miller is the architect of Donald Trump's immigration policy and has strongly backed ICE in the wake of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis woman Renee Good earlier this month. New York Post columnist Miranda Devine claimed that 'local cops have gone AWOL' after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said his city was 'under siege' from ICE agents. Miller wrote in response on social media Monday: 'Only federal officers are upholding the law. Local and state police have been ordered to stand down and surrender.' A spokesperson for the Minneapolis Police Department told The Daily Mail they had not gotten such an order. 'Those claims are untrue,' Sergeant Garrett Parten said. The Daily Mail has also reached out to Mayor Frey and ICE for comment. Miller, Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy and his homeland security adviser, has promised to oversee the 'largest deportation operation in American history' by targeting the country's estimated 11 million undocumented migrants. Stephen Miller claimed that local law enforcement in Minneapolis have been 'ordered to stand down and surrender' amid local protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement Minneapolis Police and Minnesota State Police declare an unlawful assembly at the intersection of Park and Third Street in Downtown Minneapolis He recently told The Charlie Kirk Show that protesters in Minnesota are trying to take down the Trump government. 'Understand that this is clearly an insurgency against the federal government. They are describing a federal government as an occupying force. Just think about that for a second.' Miller added that they would seek charges 'not just against rioters but against government officials who are abetting and encouraging' riots. His latest words come the day after a shocking protest at a St Paul church that saw Sunday services interrupted by left wing agitators. Protesters interrupted Sunday service at Cities Church in St Paul, angrily demanding 'ICE out' and accusing a senior leader of the church of working with the agency. One demonstrator said they were 'demanding justice for' Renee Good, the 37-year-old Minneapolis mother fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross earlier this month. 'This will not stand, they cannot pretend to be a house of God, while harboring someone who is commanding ICE agents to terrorize our communities,' Nekima Levy Armstrong said. The protester was being questioned by Don Lemon, who followed the marchers as they stormed into the service. Miller wrote Monday: 'Only federal officers are upholding the law. Local and state police have been ordered to stand down and surrender' Miller's comments come the day after a left-wing mob stormed a Minnesota church to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stopping services and leaving worshippers furious The protest action disrupted the Sunday services, with many worshippers leaving in disgust after being harassed by the protesters. 'These people have come into our house and they've interrupted our worship. Everybody's gone home, their point has been proven worthless and so, in the end, I think they lose,' said one churchgoer. 'I feel violated, I feel interrupted, I feel angry.' Lemon, who operates as an independent journalist after being fired by CNN, spoke to one of the pastors at Cities Church, who said the protesters refused to have a peaceful dialogue. 'No one is willing to talk. I have to take care of my church and my family,' he said, before asking Lemon to leave. Bondi wrote Sunday that she'd spoken with the pastor and reassured him that any attacks 'are being met with the full force of federal law.' 'If state leaders refuse to act responsibly to prevent lawlessness, this Department of Justice will remain mobilized to prosecute federal crimes and ensure that the rule of law prevails.' Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the protesters will be investigated by the DOJ's Civil Rights Division under the FACE Act, which criminalizes using force or threats at churches. ICE's social media account posted Sunday: 'Agitators arent just targeting our officers. Now theyre targeting churches, too. They're going from hotel to hotel, church to church, hunting for federal law enforcement who are risking their lives to protect Americans.' They blamed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for 'whipping these mobs into a frenzy and then allowing them to run rampant.' 'We wont be deterred. ICE isnt going anywhere.' The protests grabbed the attention of Donald Trump, as Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tweeted: 'President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship. The Department of Justice has launched a full investigation into the despicable incident that took place earlier today at a church in Minnesota.' Lemon may face a federal investigation for joining the mob of protesters. Dhillon warned Lemon on Monday that his antics could land him in hot water, and said the independent journalist is 'on notice.' In another social media post, Dhillon said she was in touch with Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI, and said she would be 'all over' Lemon's actions in Minnesota. 'We are investigating potential criminal violations of federal law,' the prosecutor added. A man has been rushed to hospital after being bitten by a shark on the NSW Mid North Coast, marking the fourth attack in less than 48 hours. Surfers camping at Point Plomer, between Crescent Head and Port Macquarie, reportedly saw four bull sharks in the water before the 39-year-old man was attacked on Tuesday. It's understood the shark bit through the man's wetsuit and took a chunk out of his board. He reportedly drove himself to Kempsey District Hospital. The man has been treated for minor cuts and grazes and is in a stable condition. Beaches from Queens Head to Big Hill have been closed by authorities. Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive, Steve Pearce, told the ABC the man was 'lucky to be alive' after the harrowing ordeal at the unnetted beach. 'The area is known to have some shark activity up there,' he said. '[He's] very fortunate to not have sustained any serious injuries.' The latest attack comes just hours after a 27-year-old man suffered 'life-changing' injuries when he was attacked by a shark at North Steyne Beach at Manly in Sydney's north. A man has been rushed to hospital after being bitten by a shark at Point Plomer, marking the fourth attack in less than 48 hours (bite marks on his surfboard are pictured) The shark allegedly bit through the man's website A 12-year-old boy aged 11 and the man in his 20s were targeted over a 25-hour period on Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday, a fourth man was attacked on NSW's Mid North Coast A police officer holds a surfboard after a 27-year-old man was attached at North Steyne Beach Footage showed the man being dragged from the water by beachgoers who performed first aid until paramedics arrived about 6.20pm on Monday. He was rushed to the Royal North Shore Hospital where he remains in a critical condition after undergoing surgery for severe lower leg injuries. It has now been revealed the man required 13 units of blood both at the beach and on the drive to the hospital, with highway police delivering the ambulance extra supplies. 'They said it was almost like an Formula One pit stop of 10 seconds or less where they just opened the door, blood went in and then they continued on,' NSW Ambulance acting superintendent Christie Marks said, as reported by AAP. 'This is something that doesn't happen a lot... that is going to give him the best chance of surviving.' The 15cm bite mark on the young surfer's board indicates the attack was by a bull shark, according to biologists from the primary industries department. North Steyne Beach is expected to remain closed for the next 48 hours. It marked the third shark attack in 26 hours, with experts saying peak season for bull sharks in the Sydney area is between January and February. The latest attack comes just hours after a 27-year-old man was attacked by a shark at North Steyne Beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches about 6.20pm on Monday Heroic bystanders performed first aid on the man before paramedics arrived First responders treated the man on the sand before he was rushed to hospital An officer is seen at the shore after the young man was mauled by a shark The shark net had been set as normal on Dee Why Beach, which was closed at the time of attack because of large swells and dangerous surf (the beach is pictured) On Monday morning, an 11-year-old boy had been attacked just to the north at Dee Why Point. He was thrown off his surfboard by a large shark, also believed to be a bull shark, which took several bites out of his board. The shark net had been set as normal on Dee Why Beach, which was closed at the time of attack because of large swells and dangerous surf. The attack followed another off Shark Beach at Vaucluse on Sydney Harbour, near the Heads, about 4.20pm on Sunday. A boy, 12, was swimming with his friends at a popular jump rock to the west of the beach and was bitten outside the netted swimming area. His friends helped him to shore. It's believed he was also attacked by a large bull shark. Police on Monday urged people not to swim in murky, low-visibility water after bucketing rain drenched Sydney and its surroundings at the weekend. Extra fresh water in the harbour after recent heavy rain, combined with the splashing effect from people jumping off a rock face, created a 'perfect storm' for Sunday's shark attack, Superintendent Joseph McNulty said. 'I would recommend not swimming in the harbour or our other river systems across NSW at this time,' he told reporters before the Dee Why incident was reported. Heavy swell has also prevented the operation of smart drumlines, which notify authorities of shark activity along most of the NSW coast since Sunday. A man in his 20s has been rushed to hospital after a crocodile attack at a North Queensland creek. Emergency services were called to Ingham Forest Beach Road at Victoria Plantation on Tuesday morning after reports of an animal related incident. Police said their initial information suggested that a man was bitten by a crocodile at 8.36am near Palm Creek. He was taken to Ingham Hospital in a stable condition, with puncture wounds to his hips and legs. The man has since been flown to Townsville Hospital by rescue helicopter. Ingham is part of 'croc country', a strip of Queensland where crocodiles can typically be found. The area begins at the Boyne River, south of Gladstone, and extends north to the Torres Strait and across the Cape York Peninsula and Gulf Country. Hinchinbrook Shire Council Mayor Ramon Jayo said the number of crocodiles in the region is on the rise. Only a few months ago, in September 2025, the local authority Hinchinbrook Shire Council had to issue a public notice after a large crocodile was seen near Ingham. A man in his 20s suffered wounds to his hips and legs after a crocodile attack (stock image) Emergency services were called to Ingham Forest Beach Road near Palm Creek at Victoria Plantation, North Queensland, on Tuesday morning 'We have even seen a sixfoot crocodile walking around Lucinda after making a home in local stormwater drains as recently as Sunday,' Mr Jayo told the Daily Mail. 'It is no secret that crocodile numbers are increasing, with larger, territorial animals pushing smaller ones into new areas. 'This means they are no longer confined to traditional habitats such as mangroves or large river systems, but are increasingly being found in stormwater drains, cane paddocks, on headlands, and even occupying newly dug holes. 'This incident is a timely reminder that we live in croc country and that we should all be Crocwise.' The council advice lists three steps for locals to take precautions: keeping out of the water, staying at least 5 metres back from the waters edge, and maintaining a solid barrier - like a fence or tree - between them and the water. Council is unaware of the circumstances surrounding the man's proximity to the waterway at the time of the attack. The incident is being investigated and managed by the Queensland government's Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation. A back scratching bovine has forced scientists to reassess the intelligence of cattle. Veronika, a brown Swiss cow from the Austrian village of Carinthia, shocked researchers with the first documented case of a cow working out how to scratch itself with a stick. The clever creature also recognises family members' voices and hurries to meet them when called. Witgar Wiegele, an organic farmer and baker who has kept Veronika as a pet for more than ten years, said she began playing with wooden sticks with her mouth before she started to scratch herself. 'I was naturally amazed by her extraordinary intelligence and thought how much we could learn from animals: patience, calmness, contentment and gentleness,' he said. A paper published on January 19 in the journal Current Biology describes what scientists say is the first recorded case of tool use in a pet cow, suggesting that cattle may be more cognitively capable than previously thought. Dr Alice Auersperg, a cognitive biologist at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, said: 'The findings highlight how assumptions about livestock intelligence may reflect gaps in observation rather than genuine cognitive limits.' Veronika, a brown Swiss cow from the Austrian village of Carinthia, shocked researchers with the first documented case of a cow working out how to scratch itself with a stick Researcher Antonio Osuna-Mascaro (left) is pictured with Veronika's owner Witgar Wiegele (right) The behaviour first attracted scientific attention when it was filmed and shared with Dr Auersperg. 'When I saw the footage, it was immediately clear that this was not accidental,' she said. 'This was a meaningful example of tool use in a species that is rarely considered from a cognitive perspective.' Dr Auersperg and her colleague Antonio Osuna-Mascaro, a post-doctoral researcher, travelled to observe Veronika and carry out tests. In a series of controlled trials, they placed a deck brush on the ground in random orientations and recorded which end Veronika chose and which part of her body she targeted. Across repeated sessions, her choices were consistent and suited to the body regions she was scratching. 'We show that a cow can engage in genuinely flexible tool use,' said Mr Osuna-Mascaro. 'Veronika is not just using an object to scratch herself. She uses different parts of the same tool for different purposes, and she applies different techniques depending on the function of the tool and the body region.' The Swiss brown cow from the Austrian village of Carinthia shocked researchers with the first documented case of a cow working out how to scratch themselves with a stick The clever cow also recognises family members' voices and hurries to meet them when called Clever animals known to use tools Chimpanzees use sticks to extract larvae from trees and from bee hives Capuchin monkeys use rocks to smash open hard fruit and nuts New Caledonian crows bend twigs with their beaks to form hooked tools to pull larvae out of tree bark Octopuses carry around coconut shell halves and use them as shelters Bottlenose dolphins use marine sponges to probe the seafloor and dig up prey Advertisement She also changed how she moved the object. Upper-body scratching involved wide, forceful movements, while lower-body scratching was slower, more careful and highly controlled, the researchers say. Tool use is defined as manipulating an external object to achieve a goal through mechanical means. The researchers say Veronika's actions meet this definition and go further. They describe her behaviour as flexible, multi-purpose tool use, meaning different features of the same object are used to achieve different outcomes. Outside humans, such behaviour is documented in relatively few animal species, with great apes like chimpanzees the most sophisticated. 'Because she is using the tool on her own body, this represents an egocentric form of tool use, which is generally considered less complex than tool use directed at external objects,' Mr Osuna-Mascaro said. 'At the same time, she faces clear physical constraints, as she must manipulate tools with her mouth. What is striking is how she compensates for these limitations, anticipating the outcome of her actions and adjusting her grip and movements accordingly.' The study represents the first documented case of tool use in cattle and the first evidence of flexible, multi-purpose tool use in the species. The cow's behaviour first attracted scientific attention when it was filmed and shared with Dr Auersperg The researchers suggest Veronika's unusual life circumstances may have played a key role. Most cows do not live as long, do not experience open and complex environments and are rarely able to interact with a range of objects. Her long lifespan, daily contact with humans and access to a varied physical landscape may have created the conditions needed for exploratory behaviour. The team is keen in hearing from other farmers to learn how widespread such behaviour might be. 'Because we suspect this ability may be more widespread than currently documented,' Mr Osuna-Mascaro said. 'We invite readers who have observed cows or bulls using sticks or other handheld objects for purposeful actions to contact us.' Gary Larson's 1982 Far Side cartoon, Cow Tools, featured a cow standing behind a table of shoddily crafted items. It confused readers, including his mother, forcing him to explain: 'While I have never met a cow who could make tools, I felt sure that if I did, they [the tools] would lack something in sophistication and resemble the sorry specimens shown.' The researchers had a message for Larson. 'Veronika did not fashion tools like the cow in Gary Larson's cartoon, but she selected, adjusted, and used one with notable dexterity and flexibility,' the researchers wrote. 'Perhaps the real absurdity lies not in imagining a tool-using cow, but in assuming such a thing could never exist.' Karen Read is set to speak out about what she endured during the years she was accused of killing her boyfriend in a new podcast with attorney Alan Jackson. Read, 45, had faced years of trials before she was acquitted in June of Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe's murder. She has long maintained her innocence and alleged in court that she was framed by his cop friends. Now, Read and Jackson - her attorney in the case - will reveal what they say is 'the truth' in their new The Read Files podcast. In announcing the project, Jackson said he and Read are 'launching something new, something honest [and] something long overdue.' 'We're going to take you inside the cases, the corruption, the court room battles and the real people whose lives hang in the balance when the system gets it wrong,' the lawyer said. He then vowed that there would be 'no spin, no slogan, just the truth - backed by evidence, experience and a fearless commitment to justice. 'So pull up a chair because the story they told you - it isn't the whole story.' Karen Read, 45, is set to reveal what she said is 'the truth' about her boyfriend's death in a new podcast She is launching the podcast alongside her defense attorney Alan Jackson (pictured together in June) Read was accused of backing her SUV into O'Keefe and then driving off, leaving him to die on the snowy front lawn of Brian Albert, a fellow Boston police officer, on January 29, 2022, while being intoxicated. She originally faced charges of murder and leaving the scene resulting in death in 2024, but after five days of deliberations, Judge Beverly Cannone declared a mistrial as the jurors remained split on whether she intentionally killed her boyfriend. At both trials, prosecutors described Read as a scorned lover who chose to leave O'Keefe dying in the snow, while her defense team claimed O'Keefe was beaten, bitten by a dog, then left outside a home in the Boston suburb of Canton in a conspiracy orchestrated by the police that included planting evidence. They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a 'convenient outsider' who saved them from having to consider law enforcement officers as suspects. But prosecutors noted that O'Keefe and Read had been drinking with a group of friends at the Waterfall Bar and Grill in Canton - about 14 miles south of Boston, when they were invited to an afterparty. Read even admitted to having several alcoholic drinks beforehand, but said she decided to drop her boyfriend at the afterparty before she returned to his house. The couple had been dating for two years at the time of O'Keefe's death. He had been serving on the Boston Police Department for 16 years. According to Read's version of events, she woke up at 4am to find that O'Keefe never returned home, leading her to frantically drive out to try and find him. Join the debate Do YOU trust Karen Reads version of events as she launches her own YouTube channel? Read had been accused of drunkenly ramming her SUV into her boyfriend, former Boston police officer John O'Keefe, and leaving him to die in blizzard conditions on January 29, 2022 Prosecutors portrayed Read as a scorned lover who chose to leave O'Keefe dying in the snow After finding O'Keefe's body outside the home, which party attendees claimed he never entered, first responders on the scene alleged that Read repeatedly told them she hit him while in a panicked state. O'Keefe's cause of death was ultimately listed as blunt force trauma and hypothermia after police say he was left outside in a blizzard. At the center of Read's defense were claims that the investigation was inappropriately handled by dishonorably discharged State Trooper Michael Proctor, who sent vulgar text messages about Read. He was fired over texts that included calling Read a 'whack job' and a 'c***.' In other messages, he joked about rummaging through her phone for nude photos during the investigation, and remarked that she had 'no a**.' In the end, multiple jurors said the 'sloppy investigation' into O'Keefe's death left them with too much reasonable doubt, and she was acquitted of murder and leaving the scene resulting in death. She was, however, found guilty of Operating Under the Influence and sentenced to probation. Read was acquitted in June of murder and leaving the scene resulting in death During the trial, Read said she was constantly thinking 'about my freedom and if I could lose it. 'I do feel I've had this delayed to the persecution,' she told Stephanie Soo, the host of the Rotten Mango podcast, earlier this month. 'Not a delayed reaction to the acquittal. I'm finally reacting to this horrible thing that happened to me, and I had to swallow it and... roll with it.' She said she now realizes how hard life is without O'Keefe. 'John was in my life so much so thickly, and then he wasn't anymore - it was the only relationship I've had, and I've had many, I mean I'm 45, and I've been dating since I was a teenager that ended with such finality,' said Read. 'I can't call him when I'm out in Boston at 1am when the bar closes, like I did when I was in my twenties. I can't miss him in a few weeks and say just thinking of you, or can I drop by and see you?' She told podcaster Stephanie Soo earlier this month about the effect the lengthy criminal justice system had on her life Read now lives with her parents and told Soo that she plans to leave Massachusetts because she doesn't feel safe. But she said she has no money, noting that she used her final asset, her house, to pay for most of the trial. Still, Read faces a civil trial - a $50,000 wrongful death lawsuit filed by O'Keefe's family against her and two local bars. In the meantime, though, Read said she plans to write a book with Jackson. 'I want this to be a story about corruption,' she declared. 'I want to have some impact on the state where I've lived most of my life and where my family's from and where we battled this,' she said. 'I want to make an impact on what people think about politics, about the government, about the dangers of a one-party political system, which is what Massachusetts is.' She added that one-party systems are dangerous and were the reason she ended up in the ordeal, and believes the book will help women in a similar position to hers. A man who helped save a surfer from a deadly shark attack has relived the moment he stood on the beach and heard people in the water screaming 'he's bleeding out', as the waves turned red with blood. Max White, a Radio 2GB news reporter, was planning on surfing at Manly Beach just after 6pm on Monday, but two mates he bumped into on the way warned him against it. Speaking with breakfast host Ben Fordham on Tuesday, he said: 'I saw two of my mates just hanging out on the promenade, and I walked over and said to them, 'I'll go for a surf'.' 'And they looked at me and started shaking their head, and they said, "No, don't go out, you're going to get done by a shark." There had already been two shark attacks at Sydney beaches within 48 hours - Nico Antic, 12, was airlifted to hospital on Sunday afternoon with critical leg injuries after he was mauled by a bull shark while rock jumping with mates at Nielsen Park. Earlier on Monday, an 11-year-old boy had an encounter with another shark which took a large bite out of his surfboard in Dee Why, near Manly in Sydney's northern suburbs. About 20 minutes after Mr White had planned to go surfing, two French tourists ran up to him and his mates, screaming because Andre de Ruyter, 27, had been attacked. 'In the water, in the water, there's a guy, he's bleeding out, he's bleeding out,' the tourists yelled. Pictured: Max White, a news reporter at 2GB, who planned to go surfing on Monday in Manly Pictured: Andre de Ruyter, a musician who was attacked by a shark in Manly Mr White said: 'We sort of looked out and... as he sort of went over a wave, you could just see the pool of blood in the water.' 'No matter how murky the water was, the wave was red.' He recalled two surfers, Eduardo and Ash, paddling Mr de Ruyter, 27, back to the beach. While his mate grabbed a rope from the car and made a tourniquet for Mr de Ruyter's leg, Mr White tried to keep him awake. 'He was still breathing at the time, but he was unconscious,' he said. Emergency services arrived just before 6.30pm and raced Mr de Ruyter to hospital with serious leg injuries, where he remains in a critical condition. Mr White said he never thought there would be a shark attack at Manly, and that he won't be going back into the water for a few weeks. The NSW coast was rocked by a fourth attack on Tuesday, when a 39-year-old man was bitten by a bull shark at Point Plomer, near Port Macquarie. It's understood the shark bit through the man's wetsuit and took a chunk out of his board. He reportedly drove himself to Kempsey District Hospital. Pictured: A crowd of people at Manly Beach after a 27-year-old was attacked by a shark at Manly Beach on Monday evening Pictured: A lifeguard placing a sign at Manly Beach, after a man was attacked by a shark Meanwhile, family friends on Tuesday confirmed Nico Antic's legs were severely injured in the attack at Nielsen Park on Sunday. He survived only because one of his five friends jumped in and dragged him onto a rock platform, while the predator swam nearby. Loved ones have now confirmed that Nico's injuries are catastrophic. On Tuesday, family friend Victor Pineiro set up a fundraiser to help the family cover expenses. 'Nico was attacked by a shark on Sunday in Sydney Harbour and sustained life-threatening injuries,' he said, describing it as the 'worst possible outcome'. Police confirmed he was alive and in hospital, as of Tuesday afternoon. Cops have now urged people not to swim in murky, lowvisibility water after bucketing rain drenched Sydney and its surroundings at the weekend. Extra fresh water in the harbour after recent heavy rain, combined with the splashing effect from people jumping off a rock face, created a 'perfect storm' for Sunday's shark attack, Superintendent Joseph McNulty said. 'I would recommend not swimming in the harbour or our other river systems across NSW at this time,' he told reporters before the Dee Why incident was reported. Heavy swell has also prevented the operation of smart drumlines, which have notified authorities of shark activity along most of the NSW coast since Sunday. A two-year extension to the life of Australia's largest coal-fired power station has been criticised by those concerned about the speed of the renewable energy transition. Origin Energy on Tuesday said extending Eraring's operation to 2029 would reduce risks to system security, as highlighted by the Australian Energy Market Operator in a recent report. The decision would provide more time for renewables, storage and transmission projects to be delivered, Origin chief executive Frank Calabria said in a statement to the ASX. It also reflected uncertainty about the reliability of Australia's ageing coal and gas fleet. But the state coalition and Greens - usual foes - attributed Origin's decision to a stalling of the energy transition, taking aim at the state Labor government. 'We have seen project after project delayed, while regional communities are being ignored and steamrolled by a government that doesn't listen,' coalition environment spokesman James Griffin said. Fossil fuels made up 57 per cent of power consumed in NSW in 2025, lower than Queensland (70 per cent) and Victoria (60 per cent) but well above the renewable-led states of South Australia and Tasmania (each below 25 per cent). Labor had lacked ambition and urgency to transition away from fossil fuels and had been focused on building power-hungry data centres, Greens MP Abigail Boyd said. The Eraring power station (pictured) was due to close in mid-2025, seven years earlier than planned 'Keeping any coal power station open longer is a cost-of-living and human health disaster. Not to mention the devastating climate impacts it will cause,' she said. But the government's key focus was keeping the lights on and putting downward pressure on power prices, Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said. 'Since the election, we have increased the amount of renewable energy capacity in operation by almost 70 per cent,' she said. 'That's equivalent to Eraring's capacity.' The 2880-megawatt plant, Australia's largest by power output, was initially slated to close in 2025. But that was pushed out to August 2027 after the NSW Labor government struck a $450 million risk-sharing deal for the ageing coal-fired facility due to grid reliability concerns. Under the deal, NSW would cover a percentage of losses up to $225 million per year if given advance notice by Origin. Origin has until March to activate the second year of the deal, having not activated it for 2025/26. Opened in 1984, the Eraring operation (pictured) is Australia's biggest coal-fired power station The deal will not be extended beyond 2027, Labor says. Extending the life of Eraring reflected uncertainty about the reliability of Australia's ageing coal and gas fleet, Origin said. 'We've taken the decision to extend Eraring's operations after assessing a range of factors including the needs of our customers, market conditions and the important role the plant plays in the NSW energy system,' Mr Calabria said. It is not expected to impact Origin's 2030 emissions reduction targets, the company said. Origin, which has more than 4.2 million electricity, gas and LPG customers, paid $75 million to take over the power station between Sydney and Newcastle when it was privatised in 2013. The site is being converted to host a 700MW battery, which is expected to provide an average of 4.5 hours of storage capacity by mid-2027. Teal MP Zali Steggall has denounced shark nets as 'ineffective' after a spate of terrifying attacks left Sydneysiders on edge. Steggall said there had been a spike in shark sightings close to shore as she urged authorities to abandon outdated approaches to beach safety. 'Traditional shark nets are not the answer they are outdated, environmentally damaging and not always effective,' she said. 'We need investment in contemporary shark monitoring, detection and early-warning systems, as well as improved public education about ocean conditions.' Former prime minister Tony Abbott - a regular surfer on Sydney's northern beaches and the MP Steggall ousted - hit back, saying human safety must come first. 'This didn't happen because of the weather or the time of day but because there are too many sharks,' he wrote on Facebook. 'It's way past time to reintroduce the shark fishery.' Surfer Mike Psillakis, whose brother Mercury was killed in a shark attack at Dee Why in September 2025, urged Australians to question whether human interference has disrupted marine ecosystems amid the 'unprecedented' spate of attacks. Teal MP Zali Steggall (pictured) has blasted the use of shark nets, denouncing them as 'ineffective' after four terrifying shark attacks left Sydneysiders on edge Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, a regular surfer on the northern beaches, has urged the NSW Government to bring back commercial fishing of sharks in Sydney Harbour A 12-year-old boy aged 11 and the man in his 20s were targeted over a 25-hour period on Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday, a fourth man was attacked on NSW's Mid North Coast 'As we all know, Australians identity and lifestyle revolves around our love for the ocean,' he said. 'If this particular part of our culture is stripped away from us, we are no longer Australian.' Psillakis said surfers had long understood the risks of murky water. Bull sharks in particular often move from estuaries and rivers into the surf zone to feed. 'All surfers and swimmers know this. To be aware of the dangers. But in my experience, most of the surfers I know, including myself always surf in these conditions for the past 46 years without any real issue,' he said. The east coast was rocked again on Tuesday when a man was bitten by a shark on the NSW Mid North Coast - the fourth attack in less than 48 hours. Campers at Point Plomer, between Crescent Head and Port Macquarie, reported seeing four bull sharks in the water before the 39yearold was attacked. The incident followed a horror attack at Manly's North Steyne, where a 27yearold surfer suffered 'life-changing' injuries to his lower leg. Just hours earlier, an 11yearold boy at Dee Why was thrown from his board by what is believed to be a bull shark. Mercury Psillakis' (pictured with his twin brother Mike) said surfers have long understood the risks of murky waters and increased shark activity A 27-year-old man was attacked by a shark at North Steyne Beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches about 6.20pm on Monday (the scene is pictured) North Steyne Beach (pictured) was closed on Tuesday, the day after a surfer was critically injured in a shark attack The shark net at Dee Why had been set as usual, but the beach was closed due to dangerous surf. On Sunday, a 12yearold boy was bitten outside the netted area at Vaucluse's Shark Beach, after jumping off a rock with friends. Steggall said the series of incidents was a sobering reminder of the ocean's unpredictability. 'The ocean is central to life on the Northern Beaches, and North Steyne and Dee Why are extremely popular surf and swimming beaches,' she said. 'But we also know the ocean can be dangerous, particularly following heavy rain, which can change conditions and increase shark activity. 'I urge the community to remain calm, follow the advice of authorities, and respect the closures put in place to keep people safe.' All beaches on the Northern Beaches remain closed. Police on Monday urged people not to swim in murky, low-visibility water after bucketing rain drenched Sydney and its surroundings at the weekend. Police urged people not to swim in murky, low-visibility water after bucketing rain drenched Sydney and its surroundings at the weekend Extra fresh water in the harbour after recent heavy rain, combined with the splashing effect from people jumping off a rock face, created a 'perfect storm' for Sunday's shark attack, Superintendent Joseph McNulty said. 'I would recommend not swimming in the harbour or our other river systems across NSW at this time,' he told reporters before the Dee Why incident was reported. Heavy swell has also prevented the operation of smart drumlines, which notify authorities of shark activity along most of the NSW coast since Sunday. A surfer left fighting for life after a shark attack at a popular beach has been identified as a musician. Andre de Ruyter, 27, remains in Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition after receiving 13 units of blood and undergoing emergency surgery for severe leg injuries. Mr de Ruyter was pulled to the shore after being bitten during the attack at North Steyne Beach in Manly, Sydney's northern suburbs, at about 6.20pm on Monday. First responders treated Mr de Ruyter on the sand before he was rushed to hospital. The Wollongong surfer, who had travelled to Manly for the day, suffered catastrophic injuries to his lower leg and was in cardiac arrest by the time paramedics arrived. A 15cm bite mark on the young surfer's board suggests he was most likely attacked by a bull shark, according to shark biologists from the primary industries department. Northern Beaches Council lifeguards sounded the alarm immediately after the attack, then erected shark warning signs and dispatched a jet ski to patrol the water. Surf Life Saving NSW also launched a drone to assist with locating the shark, but there have been no further sightings. Shark victim Andre de Ruyter remains in Royal North Shore Hospital fighting for his life in critical condition First responders treated Mr de Ruyter on the sand before he was rushed to the Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition 'Council lifeguards will continue to patrol for the remainder of the day and tomorrow,' a Northern Beaches Council spokesman said. NSW Ambulance acting-Superintendent Christie Marks revealed on Tuesday the extraordinary details which gave Mr de Ruyter his best chance of survival. 'We had our inspector liaising with the aero-med team, and what they do is liaise with our hospitals,' she said. 'So there was (blood) that actually came from the northern beaches, and Royal North Shore. 'We had two police highway patrol cars that met at Spit Bridge, and then what they said was almost like an F1 pit stop of ten seconds less and they just opened the door, and they administered 13 units of blood'. Ms Marks said the man had sustained a 'severe lower leg injury' and had lost a significant amount of blood. She said surf lifesavers and members of the public already in the water helped keep Mr de Ruyter alive. 'The patient was treated by a number of people before we got there, which was amazing,' Ms Marks said. Police salvaged the victim's board Emergency services moved quick to treat the victim and rush him to hospital 'The surf lifesavers, the people who were in the water with the patient, applied a tourniquet to the patient before we arrived. The patient received 13 units of blood on the way to hospital. 'We were very lucky to have NSW Police liaise with us on the way.' Ms Marks said Highway Patrol officers delivered additional blood supplies en route. 'The Highway Patrol were able to meet us en route to Royal North Shore Hospital and give us extra blood needed on the way,' she said. 'This is something that doesn't happen a lot and that is going to be something that is going to give him the best chance of surviving.' It was also revealed an off-duty NSW Ambulance doctor was swimming at the beach during the attack and immediately assisted with treatment. 'We also had one of the off-duty New South Wales Ambulance doctors who happened to be at the beach swimming at the time as well, and he was also a part of treating this patient,' Ms Marks said. 'So everything that the people have done together and the agencies that have worked together is the best chance of survival for this patient.' Mr de Ruyter was the third shark attack victim in NSW before a fourth attack occurred on Tuesday Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steven Pearce said lifesavers were undergoing CPR and first-aid training at nearby North Steyne Surf Club when the attack occurred. 'They were able to immediately leave the building, get onto the beach, take the defibrillator and get down there apply a tourniquet and commence CPR,' Mr Pearce said. 'No doubt that quick responding and immediate first aid response has really given this gentleman a true chance of survival,' Mr Pearce said. 'When we look at this particular incident that had occurred last night, it is eerily similar to, unfortunately, the Bondi attack in December, where we had life savers on scene as the immediate first responders.' Mr Pearce said Northern Beaches Council lifesavers quickly evacuated everyone from the beach, while a Surf Life Saving UAV drone was deployed to locate the shark, alongside the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and lifesavers on jet skis. All assets will remain in use today as NSW Police announced all beaches along the northern beaches are closed. On Tuesday, a man was rushed to hospital after being bitten by a shark on the NSW Mid North Coast, marking the fourth attack in less than 48 hours. Surfers camping at Point Plomer, between Crescent Head and Port Macquarie, reportedly saw four bull sharks in the water before a 39-year-old man was attacked. Mr de Ruyter was treated onshore after being dragged from the water On Tuesday, a man rushed to hospital after being bitten by a shark on the NSW Mid North Coast marked the fourth attack in less than 48 hours It's understood the shark bit through the man's wetsuit and took a chunk out of his board. He reportedly drove himself to Kempsey District Hospital. On Monday morning, an 11-year-old boy was attacked at Dee Why Point. He was thrown off his surfboard by a large shark, also believed to be a bull shark, which took several bites out of his board. The shark net had been set as normal on Dee Why Beach, which was closed at the time of the attack because of large swells and dangerous surf. The attack followed another off Shark Beach at Vaucluse on Sydney Harbour, near the Heads, about 4.20pm on Sunday. A boy, 12, was swimming with his friends at a popular jump rock west of the beach and was bitten outside the netted swimming area. His friends helped him to shore. It's believed he was also attacked by a large bull shark. Anthony Albanese has erupted in Parliament after being accused of lying about claims that national security officials advised against a Royal Commission into the Bondi Beach terror attack. During the first Question Time since the December 14 massacre, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley accused the Prime Minister of dragging his feet on calling a Royal Commission despite pleas from grieving families. Ley challenged Albanese over previous comments in which he said unnamed national security experts had supported his decision to launch a closed-door intelligence and law-enforcement review instead of a public inquiry. 'The Prime Minister told Australians that the national security experts advised against a Commonwealth Royal Commission,' Ley said. 'In establishing the Royal Commission, is the Prime Minister defying national security advice or was he just making stuff up?' Albanese hit back, saying he couldn't openly speak about what was discussed in the National Security Council, before questioning Ley about the legislation the Coalition claimed they had prepared in the wake of the tragedy. 'I tell you what, see if you can find a national security expert that does not support the gun laws that went through this parliament with the support of this side but not that side,' he said, while pointing at the Opposition benches. 'Because one of the problems we have had, Mr Speaker, throughout this, is the gap between the rhetoric of those opposite and what they have actually done.' Albanese (pictured) had previously claimed 'experts' advised against a Royal Commission Sussan Ley (pictured) asked if the Prime Minister was 'making stuff up' over the comments Earlier, Labor MPs shouted over Ley as she continued to criticise the government's response to the Bondi Beach attack. 'The families of the Bondi terrorist attack victims had to beg the Prime Minister, through their grief and tears, for a Commonwealth Royal Commission into antisemitism,' she said. 'Can the Prime Minister humble himself once and simply say sorry?' Albanese said he was sorry for what the Jewish community had endured but did not apologise for the delay in announcing the Royal Commission. 'As I have said, I am sorry that this occurred, sorry for the grief and pain the Jewish community in our entire nation has experienced,' he said. Jewish Liberal MP Julian Leeser also confronted the Prime Minister over the timing. 'If a Commonwealth royal commission is such a good idea, why did you spend 25 days arguing against it?' he asked. Albanese said the government had been working with the community on the commission's structure. The government's gun reforms and hate speech bills will be debated in the Senate on Tuesday 'We worked with the community on what a royal commission might look like because we wanted to make sure that we got it right,' he said. 'There are risks with the Royal Commission given that a criminal case will be taking place at the same time and we needed to make sure that was covered.' Albanese also condemned the Opposition's 'character assassination' of former High Court justice Virginia Bell, who has been appointed to lead the commission. 'The character assassination that took place in some sections of the media and was briefed out by some people associated with that side of politics in Virginia Bell shows the problem that would have occurred had we not announced, not just a royal commission but who the commissioner was,' he said. Earlier on Tuesday, two bills covering gun reform and hate-speech laws passed the House of Representatives. They are now set to be debated during a late-night Senate session on Tuesday. If approved, they will return to the lower house for a final vote on Wednesday. Denmark moved to bolster its military presence in Greenland on Monday, dispatching additional troops to the vast Arctic nation as President Donald Trump refused to rule out using force to seize control. Danish officials confirmed that a fresh contingent of soldiers was heading to Greenland as tensions flared following Trump's latest warnings that Denmark had failed to protect the territory from foreign threats. According to Danish broadcaster TV 2, the Danish Armed Forces described the new deployment as 'a substantial contribution.' Troops arrived late on Monday at Greenland's main international airport and a second contingent was expected in western Greenland in the coming days. Maj. Gen. Sren Andersen, head of Denmark's Arctic Command, said roughly 100 Danish soldiers have already arrived in Nuuk, Greenland's capital. The move comes as Trump intensifies pressure on Denmark over Greenland's future, framing the island as essential to US and NATO security - and accusing Copenhagen of negligence. In a defiant post to his Truth Social account late on Monday night, Trump revealed he had spoken directly with NATO leadership and doubled down on his claim that US control of Greenland is non-negotiable. Danish Armed Forces confirmed the arrival of additional troops to Greenland as part of what it described as a 'substantial contribution' to Arctic security Danish soldiers disembark at the harbor in Nuuk, Greenland, on Sunday Trump also revealed that his push on Greenland has prompted private concern from key European allies, sharing what appeared to be direct text message from French President Emmanuel Macron urging caution and diplomacy. In the message, which Trump made public, Macron sought common ground on other global flashpoints while openly questioning Trump's approach to Greenland. 'From President Macron to President Trump My friend, We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland,' Macron stated bluntly. Macron then proposed an urgent diplomatic effort aimed at defusing tensions and broadening discussions beyond the Arctic dispute. 'Let us try to build great things: i can set up a G7 meeting after Davos in Paris on Thursday afternoon,' Macron suggested. 'I can invite the Ukrainians, the Danish, the Syrians and the Russians in the margins let us have a dinner together in Paris together on Thursday before you go back to the US Emmanuel.' The private message offered a rare glimpse into behind-the-scenes diplomacy - and the widening gap between Washingtons position and the concerns of its closest European allies. The president posted AI generated photos of him, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio planting the American flag on Greenland soil. Another AI generated image saw Trump in the Oval Office speaking to European leaders with a reimagined map of the US that showed Canada, Greenland and Venezuela under US control Trump further escalated tensions Monday night with a defiant post on Truth Social In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump warned that Denmark had failed for decades to secure Greenland against Russian influence Alongside the message, the president posted AI generated photos of him, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio planting the American flag on Greenland soil. While another AI generated image saw Trump in the Oval Office speaking to European leaders with a reimagined map of the US that showed Canada, Greenland and Venezuela to be under American control. Earlier Trump posted how he had held a 'very good telephone call' with Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte, focused squarely on Greenland and its role in global security. 'I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland,' Trump wrote, noting how said he made his position clear during the call. 'As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security,' he wrote. 'There can be no going back - on that, everyone agrees!' The president went on to frame US military dominance as the sole guarantor of global stability, crediting his first term with rebuilding American power. 'The United States of America is the most powerful Country anywhere on the Globe, by far,' Trump wrote. 'Much of the reason for this is a rebuilding of our Military during my First Term, which rebuilding continues at even more expedited pace.' A military vessel HDMS Knud Rasmussen of the Royal Danish Navy also docked in Nuuk, Greenland, over the weekend About 100 Danish soldiers have already arrived in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, with more expected to deploy to western Greenland Danish soldiers walk on a street after disembarking at the port in Nuuk, Greenland on Sunday Trump concluded the post by asserting that American strength is synonymous with peace. 'We are the only POWER that can ensure PEACE throughout the World And it is done, quite simply, through STRENGTH!' Just a day earlier on Sunday, Trump warned that Denmark had failed for decades to secure Greenland against Russian influence. 'NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that 'you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland,' Trump wrote. 'Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!' The deployment also follows the release of a text message exchange between Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, in which Trump questioned Denmark's legal claim to Greenland and suggested US control was necessary for global security. 'Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a 'right of ownership' anyway?' Trump wrote. 'There are no written documents; it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also.' Danish soldiers walk across the frozen tarmac after arriving at Nuuk airport, Greenland Danish Army soldiers are seen at a shooting range in Greenland shortly after they arrived in Greenland as part of the Arctic Endurance exercise on Monday The exercise teaches soldiers how to zero in their weapons and get their first lessons on how to handle their weapons in freezing temperatures, wind, and snow Danish soldiers are seen disembarking at the port in Nuuk, Greenland Your browser does not support iframes. Trump went further, explicitly tying Greenland to NATO obligations and American leverage. 'I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States,' he wrote. 'The world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT.' Before the latest escalation, Andersen had said Denmark's troop deployments were driven by long-term Arctic security concerns rather than Trump's remarks. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen similarly said Copenhagen has been increasing its military footprint in and around Greenland in coordination with NATO allies to strengthen Arctic defense, according to Reuters. Danish officials have indicated that forces already stationed in Greenland could remain for a year or longer, with additional rotations planned over the coming years. When Trump was asked in a telephone interview on Monday if he would use military force to take Greenland if a deal could not be reached over the Danish territory, the president gave a simple response: 'No comment.' The situation has been further inflamed by Trump's threat of economic retaliation. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen speaks during a protest against Trump's policy towards Greenland in front of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland The president recently announced a 10% import tax, set to take effect in February, on goods from countries supporting Denmark and Greenland and rise again to 25 percent in June, remaining in place until a deal is reached. Trump suggested in a private text exchange on Sunday with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre that his push to take Greenland is in retaliation for his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He also suggested the tariffs were retaliation for European troop deployments though he also portrayed them as leverage in negotiations with Copenhagen. European officials have pushed back, saying the troop presence was modest and aimed at responding to Trump's own stated concerns about Russia and China in the Arctic. A senior European military official told The Associated Press the deployments involved only a few dozen troops collectively, despite public perceptions that a large force was being sent. The official said the move was intended to address security concerns, not provoke confrontation. People take part in the 'Hands Off Greenland' protest in front of the US Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, chanting slogans such as Hands Off Greenland' Young people with placards reading 'Greenland is not for sale!' take part in a demonstration that gathered almost a third of the city population to protest against the Trump's plans to take Greenland European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, center, walks with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Research of Greenland Vivian Motzfeldt, left, and Denmark's Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, right, prior to a meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels on Monday Trump has refused to rule out using force to acquire Greenland and threatened tariffs against countries backing Denmark Trump posted an image of himself to his Truth Social on Saturday, labelling himself 'the tariff king' Your browser does not support iframes. Norway has also moved to prepare its civilian population for a potential conflict, issuing more than 13,500 formal notices warning residents that the military could sieze private property if war were to break out. The warning letters, sent to homeowners on Monday, notify recipients that vehicles, boats, equipment, and other assets could be temporarily seized for defense purposes under emergency powers. The notices are valid for 12 months and are intended to serve as advance legal notification rather than an immediate action. Norwegian military officials said the step is designed to ensure the armed forces can rapidly mobilize critical resources during a national security crisis. 'The requisitions are intended to ensure that, in a wartime situation, the armed forces have access to the resources necessary for the defence of the country,' the military said in a statement, according to Euro News. Anders Jernberg, head of Norway's military logistics organization, warned that the country now faces its gravest security environment in decades. 'Norway is in the most serious security policy situation since World War Two,' Jernberg said. 'Our society must be prepared for security policy crises and, in the worst case, war.' 'We are undertaking a major build-up of military and civil preparedness,' he added. Danish officials said the deployment is tied to long-term Arctic defense planning and coordination with allies Several European countries have also sent small numbers of troops to Greenland to assess regional security The troop presence could remain in Greenland for a year or longer, with additional rotations planned Your browser does not support iframes. On Sunday, Trump escalated the pressure, threatening tariffs against eight European countries after they announced small troop deployments linked to Arctic security. Greenland prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in an online post that Trump's tariff threats would not change their stance. 'We will not be pressured,' he wrote. On Monday, Trump said the US would again discuss acquiring Greenland at this week's Davos World Economic Forum noting how in his view Denmark cannot protect the country. 'We have to have it. They have to have this done. They can't protect it, Denmark, they're wonderful people,' Trump told reporters in Florida. 'I know the leaders, they're very good people, but they don't even go there.' The rhetoric has reverberated through NATO. In a social media statement, Mark Rutte said he discussed Greenland's importance for 'collective security' during a Monday meeting with the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland. The European Union, meanwhile, signaled resistance to what it views as economic coercion. European Council President Antonio Costa said EU leaders expressed 'readiness to defend ourselves against any form of coercion' and announced an emergency summit scheduled for Thursday evening. Despite the growing military and diplomatic response, the White House signaled that Denmark's actions would not deter Trump's ambitions. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week that European troop deployments would not change the president's calculations. 'I don't think troops from Europe impact the president's decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all,' she told reporters. Donald Trump's renovations to the White House will include a revamped top-secret bunker underneath the new East Wing. The controversial project includes Trump's $300 million Big Beautiful Ballroom and a hi-tech reimagining of the secret bunker. The old bunker has been demolished along with the rest of the East Wing. The facility has been used by presidents dating back to Franklin D Roosevelt. Trump's administration has largely kept quiet on the rebuilding, which will feature new technology to defend against modern threats to the president, CNN reported. White House director of management and administration Joshua Fisher hinted at a recent meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission that the 'top-secret' nature of the bunker was why Trump bypassed getting the commission's approval on the project. 'There are some things regarding this project that are, frankly, of top-secret nature that we are currently working on,' Fisher said. 'That does not preclude us from changing the above-grade structure, but that work needed to be considered when doing this project, which was not part of the NCPC process.' He also has promised the new bunker will 'make necessary security enhancements' and deliver 'resilient, adaptive infrastructure aligned with future mission needs,' improving on infrastructure that was built in the 1940s. Donald Trump's renovations to the White House will include the top-secret bunker underneath the new East Wing The president's controversial project is set to include the bunker, which has been used by presidents dating back to Franklin D Roosevelt. Pictured: George W Bush and his National Security team in the bunker on September 11, 2001 The Trump administration said in a recent court filing in a case that has tried to stop East Wing renovations that putting an end to the revamp would 'endanger national security and therefore impair the public interest.' The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House for comment. The project is at the center of a legal battle with preservation groups after Trump demolished the White House's East Wing without any government oversight. So far, a judge has allowed the project to go on, but the White House was supposed to submit plans to the National Capital Planning Commission by Wednesday. A White House official told the Daily Mail that a formal application for the ballroom was submitted to the NCPC and the Commission of Fine Arts, the two oversight panels, on December 22. Up next are two public meetings in January, with each of the entities, and a final submission of plans will take place on January 30. Final presentations to the CFA and NCPC would happen on February 19 and March 5, respectively. During a court hearing last month, lawyers for the Department of Justice said that the ballroom plans were still in flux, also arguing that construction needed to continue, citing national security concerns. The White House's bunker is underneath where the East Wing stood. Demolition work continues where the East Wing once stood at the White House The project is at the center of a legal battle with preservation groups after Trump demolished the White House's East Wing without any government oversight Officially known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, it was built in the early 1940s by then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. At the time, the United States was involved in World War Two. FDR's successor, Harry Truman, expanded the PEOC as part of a massive renovation of the White House complex that included a complete demolition and expansion of the structures. It was rarely if ever used by subsequent administrations until the events of September 11, 2001, forced senior officials of the George W. Bush administration into the area for fear that a hijacked airplane was headed for the White House. The president was not in Washington, DC, on the day four commercial airliners were hijacked and then flown into the Pentagon, World Trade Center, and a field in Pennsylvania. But Vice President Dick Cheney, First Lady Laura Bush, and other senior aides were quickly whisked to the area that morning. In her 2010 memoir Spoken from the Heart, Laura Bush recalled the experience of being rushed into the bunker. 'I was hustled inside and downstairs through a pair of big steel doors that closed behind me with a loud hiss, forming an airtight seal,' she wrote. In the late 1940s, when Harry Truman was president, the White House underwent a massive renovation that included large-scale demolitions and an overhaul of the complex. The above image shows the ground floor of the White House as it was being demolished in April 1950 The PEOC was first built during the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the early 1940s. At the time, the United States was involved in World War Two 'I was now in one of the unfinished subterranean hallways underneath the White House, heading for the PEOC, the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, built for President Franklin Roosevelt during World War II. 'We walked along old tile floors with pipes hanging from the ceiling and all kinds of mechanical equipment. 'The PEOC is designed to be a command center during emergencies, with televisions, phones, and communications facilities.' She then describes being hauled into a small conference room with a large table. Official White House photographers captured images of Cheney, the first lady, and other top aides like National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice conferring with each other on that day. It is believed that this is the same room that Trump and his family were rushed to on Friday night. Bush administration officials came to the conclusion that the PEOC as it was constituted at that time was not sufficient to allow the president and his aides to function efficiently during an emergency. So the White House began a massive project to build another, larger bunker believed to be five stories high under the North Lawn. The PEOC was expanded as part of the renovation, though photos of the complex are not available. The above images shows the demolition of the ground floor of the White House in April 1950 The bunker was used by then-Vice President Dick Cheney, then-First Lady Laura Bush, and then-Second Lady Lynne Cheney on September 11, 2001 'After that attack, the national security people recognized that that just is not going to cut it,' author Ronald Kessler, who wrote a book in 2018 about the Trump White House, told The Washington Post. 'That's just not sufficient.' Kessler continued: 'The idea was, before that, that if there were a nuclear attack or something - biological, radiological attack - that the White House staff and the president's people could be evacuated to some remote location at West Virginia or Pennsylvania. 'But then they realized after the 9/11 attack that they could never leave Washington, certainly by vehicle, because all the roads were clogged. 'It would take too long. And even by helicopter, it would take - it would be very risky, given that the country was under attack. 'So they came up with this scheme to create a totally separate facility, an underground bunker under the North Lawn.' In 2010, the General Services Administration undertook a massive construction project just outside of the West Wing. The official explanation given by the GSA when reporters asked about the purpose of the construction was that it was done to replace existing infrastructure at the White House. The construction project officially a long overdue upgrade of White House utilities began in September 2010 with the excavation of a huge, multistory pit in front of the West Wing, wrapping around to include West Executive Avenue, the street that separates the White House from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. A tall, green construction fence sprang up that blocked America's most famous office complex from public view. The GSA went to great lengths to keep the work secret, not only putting up the fence around the excavation site but ordering subcontractors not to talk to anyone and to tape over company info on trucks pulling into the White House gates. 'What it consists of is five stories deep into the ground with its own air supply and food supply,' Kessler said, though he added that few details are known. 'It is sealed off from the aboveground area so that if there were, for example, a nuclear attack, the radiation would not penetrate into this bunker, which has very thick concrete walls and that sort of thing.' The facility, which is meant to serve as a command center and living quarters for the president and senior aides, is said to be stocked with enough food to last for months, while its air supply is self-contained. In total, it cost more than $376million to build. Shortly after Trump's arrival at the White House, he and a select few of his aides were given a tour of the facility. If the president ever needed to flee the White House, he could go through at least two tunnels. One of them leads to the Treasury Building and an unmarked entrance on H Street. The other tunnel leads to the South Lawn, where the president can quickly board Marine One. The Home Affairs Minister has been called out for claiming a religious leader who celebrated the October 7 terror attacks had long been deported from Australia - only for a photo of him enjoying a day at Bunnings this month to surface. Tony Burke appeared on Sky News on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Albanese Government's new anti-hate speech laws and how they would affect radical Islamic preachers. As an example, the host asked whether the new laws, had they been applied in 2023, would have resulted in Islamic preacher Sheikh Ibrahim Dadoun getting kicked out of Australia for praising Palestinian militant group Hamas' attack on Israel. Sheikh Dadoun had called the attack, which claimed more than 1,000 lives, a 'day of courage'. 'I'm smiling and I'm happy. I'm elated,' he told a crowd outside Sydney's Lakemba Station shortly after the attack. 'It's a day of courage. It's a day of pride! It's a day of victory! This is the day we've been waiting for!' Burke said of Sheikh Dadoun: 'I'm not in a position to give a legal opinion on everything but, as you know, we got him out of the country within a couple of days. 'Often for people on a visa, the fastest thing to do is boot them and just get them out of Australia.' Immigration Minister Tony Burke (pictured) mistakenly claimed a controversial Islamic preacher had been deported Burke said Sheik Ibrahim Dadoun (pictured) was deported after celebrating the October 7 attack on Israel, despite him having posted a selfie in Bunnings a week ago However, Sheikh Dadoun shared a picture online just last week of himself standing in a store belonging to Australia-based hardware chain Bunnings. 'Sometimes when life gets a bit much, I go to Bunnings to de-stress,' the controversial religious leader wrote. 'Yeah, I like tools and fixing things. Anyone else do the same?' He was never deported. Sky News host Chris Kenny was quick to say the 'minister obviously has no idea' what he was talking about, just hours after the initial interview. A spokeswoman for Burke clarified to the Daily Mail that the minister had misheard the name as Khaled Beydoun, rather than Sheik Ibrahim Dadoun. Beydoun, an American associate professor, had his visitor visa revoked after telling a pro-Palestine rally in western Sydney that October 7 was a day of 'considerable celebration'. Burke's spokeswoman said the minister 'wears a hearing aid' and mixed up the two figures as the names 'sound very similar'. During the same interview on Tuesday, Burke was asked whether hate preachers would be 'locked up' under Albanese's new laws. Burke's media rep clarified the minister had misheard the name Khaled Beydoun (pictured), whose visa was cancelled after he made similar comments in 2023 'If they call for violence, then yes,' Burke said. 'The frustration from the government is, under our original proposal, if you fell short of the violent call, there was something that criminal law could still do.' Daily Mail contacted the Opposition for comment. He was rescuing people from the Bondi shooting Hero policeman Jack Hibbert has been spotted out and about while recovering from being shot in the eye during the Bondi Beach attack. Probationary Constable Hibbert, 22, was one of several officers already at the beach before the shooting broke out, which resulted in 15 innocent people losing their lives. He had been walking with his son near Archer Park on December 14 when the gunmen allegedly opened fire on a Jewish festival celebrating the first night of Hanukkah. Constable Hibbert was pulling members of the public to safety when he was struck by a bullet, the shrapnel tearing into the nerves behind his eye. He was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, with doctors saying there was the prospect he could lose his eye. However, he seems to have recovered well and was seen strolling around Dee Why, in northern Sydney, on Tuesday during the day without sunglasses or a patch. Constable Hibbert is a massive fan of new NRL team the Dolphins and was previously pictured indoors on Christmas Eve when he was presented with a special jersey after finally being released from hospital. NSW Police Legacy had also started a fundraiser following his brave actions on December 14, hoping to raise $25,000, but, in a heartwarming gesture, donors have now smashed the target several times over by raising more than $647,000. Probationary Constable Jack Hibbert (pictured) was spotted in Dee Why on Tuesday Contable Hibbert (pictured) was shot during the Bondi Beach attack Constable Hibbert was injured while saving people from the alleged mass shooting at Bondi Beach on December 14 (pictured, the memorial on December 18) The fundraiser explained the police officer had not been in the job long before he was required to step up. 'Jack is just 22 years old, and has served as a NSW Police Force officer for only four months. Despite this, he responded with courage and selflessness, continuing to help others even after his injuries,' the fundraiser stated. 'His family have given their effusive thanks to the Police Force and hospital staff, and to the wider community for all of their kindness and support at this incredibly difficult time. 'This fundraiser will help Jack move forward with the many challenges he now has ahead of him.' Thousands of donors thanked Constable Hibbert for his courage during the alleged terror attack. 'You are a very brave young man. Wishing you a speedy recovery,' one wrote. 'Get well soon and thank you for your service,' another said. 'I hope this assists you with your medical treatment. You deserve so much more for your outstanding courage and integrity as an NSW Police Officer. Thanks,' another wrote. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised for Contable Hibbert (pictured) to help aid his recovery Constable Hibbert (second left) was given a special Dolphins jersey in honour of his favourite NRL team Constable Hibbert (pictured) was discharged from hospital shortly before Christmas Another $119,000 was also raised on a GoFundMe started by friends of Constable Hibbert's family. 'Jack's colleagues reported that even after he was shot, he was still doing whatever he could to try and shield and protect people around him for as long as he was able,' the Hibbert family said in a statement. 'You could hear the pride and respect in their voices as they gently shared these horrific memories with our family. 'Listening to their words, it is clear that Jack conducted himself as a hero with courage and service to others.' A young Canadian woman's dream trip to Australia ended in tragedy when her body was found on a K'gari beach, surrounded by 12 dingoes. Piper James, 19, had been camping on K'gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, near the Maheno Shipwreck when she decided to go for a swim at 5am on Monday. Less than an hour later, two people found her body on the shoreline with multiple wounds, including possible defensive wounds. Ms James arrived in Australia from Canada in November, the Courier Mail reports. She had travelled with a close friend from Canada. The pair had visited Bondi Beach, surfed at Manly, partied in Cairns and toured the Whitsundays. It's understood Ms James had recently landed a job working with backpackers on K'gari and was camping near Woralie Rd at Seventy Five Mile Beach. Police are still working to determine whether she drowned or was mauled by a pack of dingoes during her early morning swim. Officers were seen searching the crime scene on Tuesday and collecting further statements from witnesses. A young Canadian woman's dream trip to Australia ended in tragedy when her body was found on a K'gari beach, surrounded by dingoes (Piper James is pictured) Ms James' body was surrounded by 12 dingoes Canadian authorities confirmed they are assisting Ms James' family. 'We extend our condolences to the family and loved ones,' a Canadian Global Affairs spokesman said. 'Canadian officials are providing consular assistance to the family.' The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said it is aware of Queensland Police's investigation into the incident. 'We were saddened to hear about the loss of this young person and our hearts go out to the family and all those impacted,' a spokesman said. Wide Bay District Inspector Paul Algie on Monday described the incident as traumatising for police, Ms James' friends and the K'gari community. 'Two male persons have been driving south and seen a large pack of dingoes near an object, and upon closer inspection saw that it was in fact a female person,' Inspector Algie said. 'It was obviously a very traumatic and horrific scene for them to uncover.' Piper James, 19, had been camping on K'gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, near the Maheno Shipwreck when she decided to go for a swim at 5am on Monday Ms James' body was taken off the island on Monday and a post mortem examination is set to be complete in Brisbane on Wednesday. 'At this stage it's too early to speculate on cause of death, we simply can't confirm whether this young lady drowned or died as a result of being attacked by dingoes,' Inspector Algie said. 'We may not know until a post-mortem as to the actual cause of death. 'We'll obviously throw every resource we can at it to get some resolution for her family.' Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers increased patrols on K'gari from Monday following the suspected attack. 'This is a heartbreaking tragedy that has understandably left many Queenslanders reeling,' Acting Environment and Tourism Minister Deb Frecklington said. 'The Department will work closely with Queensland Police as they continue their investigation.' Donald Trump today accused Sir Keir Starmer of 'giving away' Diego Garcia to Mauritius 'for no reason whatsoever' in an 'act of great stupidity' that he believes justifies his demand to seize Greenland. The US president said that 'there is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness' by Britain in the Chagos Islands. He used his anger over Diego Garcia to justify, yet again, why the United States should be handed Greenland, urging Denmark and his European allies to 'do the right thing'. But the UK Government has hit back and insisted that the Chagos deal was supported by its closest allies, including the US. Mauritius attorney general has said the deal is 'negotiated, concluded and signed'. But Mr Trump said in a Truth Social post today: 'Shockingly, our "brilliant" NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. 'The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING.' The US president is travelling to Davos for the World Economic Forum, where he insists he will hold talks with European leaders about acquiring Greenland. Danish officials have decided skip the event in Switzerland this year. Before boarding Air Force One, he trolled European leaders by sharing an AI image of them all in the Oval Office - including Sir Keir and Macron - looking at a map showing Greenland as US territory. Another AI image showed Trump planting the US flag on the Arctic state next to JD Vance and Marco Rubio with a sign saying: 'Greenland. US territory. Est 2026'. His attacks came after Sir Keir held a Downing Street press conference where he branded Donald Trump's trade war threats over Greenland 'completely wrong'. The British Government signed a treaty back in May to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, which will also see Britain lease back the strategically important military base on Diego Garcia for 101million a year. Trump said of the deal: 'There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before. 'Thank you for your attention to this matter. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.' Donald Trump, ahead of boarding Air Force One last night, went nuclear over Labour's 30billion plan to hand the vital archipelago to Mauritius The US president trolled European leaders with an AI image of them looking at a map showing Greenland as American territory before he flew to Davos Another AI image showed him planting the US flag on Greenland next to JD Vance and Marco Rubio with a sign saying: 'Greenland. US territory. Est 2026' As Trump's Chagos dig caused more chaos in Britain, it also emerged today: The White House has previously indicated it is content to let the Chagos deal go through. Marco Rubio welcomed the 'historic agreement' last May. But critics believe Trump has never been given the full picture of the risk it would pose to US operations in the Indian Ocean. And now he has made it clear he disapproves. But Sir Keir's Government today doubled down - and insisted the Chagos deal had US backing. A government spokesman said: 'The UK will never compromise on our national security. We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future. 'This deal secures the operations of the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia for generations, with robust provisions for keeping its unique capabilities intact and our adversaries out. 'It has been publicly welcomed by the US, Australia and all other Five Eyes allies, as well as key international partners including India, Japan and South Korea'. Yesterday Trump admitted his plan to seize control of Greenland is motivated by his Nobel Peace Prize snub. An extraordinary leaked letter to the prime minister of Norway warned that Trump 'no longer feels an obligation to think purely of peace' after he was denied the prize last year. Trump has suggested Britain's decision to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is among the reasons he wants to take over Greenland. The US president made the claim as he ramped up his rhetoric on acquiring the Arctic territory. 'We have to have it. They have to have this done. They can't protect it, Denmark, they're wonderful people,' Trump told reporters in Florida. 'I know the leaders, they're very good people, but they don't even go there.' Trump then fired off a flurry of posts on his Truth Social platform overnight on Tuesday about taking over Greenland, which belongs to America's Nato ally, the Kingdom of Denmark. He said he had a 'very good' telephone call with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte concerning the territory. 'As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back - On that, everyone agrees!' he said in a post. Trump's Chagos blast came after Sir Keir Starmer hit back over the president's desire to have Greenland Diego Garcia is home to a critical UK-US military base that is said to be coveted by China It came days after Chagos islanders made a last-ditch appeal to Trump to veto Labour's 30billion plan to hand the vital archipelago to Mauritius. In a letter to the US president, the islanders' first minister Misley Mandarin warned that the 'very bad deal' would 'put at risk' the strategically important UK-US military base on the island of Diego Garcia. Mr Mandarin said that the deal brokered by Sir Keir's controversial National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, could give China 'leverage' over the base which is seen as a critical military asset in the Indian Ocean. Mauritius, he says 'would hold sovereignty over every inch of the US base'. Mr Mandarin suggests that grateful Chagossians might even be prepared to name an island after Trump to 'mark the moment America chose strength, fairness and long-term security over a short-term fix'. British ministers insist that the deal is needed to secure the future of the base following a long-running sovereignty dispute. They have agreed to hand Mauritius payments totalling around 30billion in return for a 99-year lease on Diego Garcia, which the UK currently has sovereignty over. The deal would also end the prospect of the Chagossian people returning to the islands they were forced to leave in the late 1960s to allow for the construction of the military base. The Government suffered four defeats in the Lords earlier this month on the legislation needed to push through the deal with Mauritius. US President Donald Trump has trolled European leaders with an AI image of them looking at a map showing Greenland and Canada as US territory in the Oval Office. It comes as Trump prepares to travel to Davos, Switzerland to meet global leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF), as tensions run high over his controversial plan to take over the semi-autonomous territory of Nato ally Denmark. The photo, posted on the President's Truth Social platform, shows leaders including Britain's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, France's President Emmanuel Macron and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni gathered around Trump's desk. European leaders have expressed their objection to the US President's demands to take control of Greenland, prompting Trump to threaten the nations with new tariffs if they stand in his way. Amid an increasingly acrimonious trans-Atlantic row, the President announced on his Truth Social platform over the weekend that from February 1, the US would impose a 10 per cent tariff on all exports from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK increasing it to 25 per cent in June. The EU are now weighing up whether to deploy their so-called trade 'bazooka' for the first time in retaliation, an economic tool that would hit the US with 81 billion in tariffs. 'Europe won't be blackmailed,' Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in response to Trump's tariff threats, after EU leaders signed a joint statement warning of a 'dangerous downward spiral' in the event of a trade war between the transatlantic allies. Trump also posted a text exchange he shared with the Secretary General of Nato, Mark Rutte, during which the official wrote: 'I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark.' US President Donald Trump has trolled European leaders with an AI image of them looking at a map showing Greenland and Canada as US territory Trump also posted a text exchange he shared with the Secretary General of Nato, Mark Rutte 'I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark,' the official wrote to the US President The altered image appears to be an edited version of a photograph taken during August 2025, when European leaders visited Washington for the US President's phone call with Vladimir Putin. In the original version of the image, the leaders are gathered near a whiteboard, showing a map depicting the front line of the Ukraine conflict. In the altered one, the presentation board has been edited so that a US flag covers North America, Canada and Greenland. Trump is expected to arrive on Wednesday in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos, where he is due to deliver a special address. Business leaders, including CEOs in financial services, crypto and consulting, were invited to a reception after Trumps address to the WEF's annual meeting, sources told Reuters on Monday. The agenda was unclear. One CEO simply had 'a reception in honour of President Donald J Trump' scheduled in their diary, while another said their understanding was that global CEOs had been invited, not just those from the United States. One of the sources said the invitations had come from the White House. The WEF agenda has to some extent been overtaken by the US President's dramatic policy moves, including his demand in recent days that the US take over Greenland. Certain EU leaders have issued a strong response following Trump's tariff threats to member states, while others have called for calm and diplomatic solutions to the potential trade row. 'We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed,' said Lars Klingbeil, Germany's vice chancellor, at a press conference in Berlin alongside French Economy Minister Roland Lescure. 'Europe will respond with a united, clear response, and we are now preparing countermeasures together with our European partners.' Meanwhile, Starmer said a trade war is in 'no-one's interest' during a speech from Downing Street on Monday, adding that the use of tariffs against allies was 'not the right way to resolve differences'. A text from French President Emmanuel Macron sent to Donald Trump Trump had previously threatened to hit France with a 200 per cent tariff on champagne Trump threatened to hit France with a 200 per cent tariff on champagne and wine Monday night before leaking a text message from President Macron that said: 'I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.' The outburst took place after the college football championship game in Miami, when reporters asked the US President about Macron rejecting Trump's invitation to join his so-called Board of Peace. Macron had said 'at this stage' he was not planning on serving on Trump board, which is intended to create the second phase of the Gaza peace plan. 'Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon,' Trump responded when asked about Macron's rejection. Trump then to escalated his threat of a trade war with Europe. 'What I'll do is, if they feel hostile, I'll put a 200 per cent tariff on his wines and champagnes and he'll join,' Trump said before boarding a flight to Washington. 'But he doesn't have to join.' Later Monday night, Trump revealed a text message he received from Macron where the French leader explained some of his differences and similarities to Trump on policy. 'My friend, we are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran,' Macron wrote. 'I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things.' In the text, Macron promised to assemble a G7 meeting following the WEF in Davos and asked Trump to have dinner with him in Paris on Thursday before he returns to the US. People bear Greenlandic flags and placards that read 'Greenland Is Not For Sale' as they gather in front of the US consulate to protest against President Donald Trump plans for Greenland on January 17, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland During his social media rampage, Trump also criticised Starmer, describing the UK's plan to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as 'an act of GREAT STUPIDITY'. He wrote: 'Shockingly, our "brilliant" NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.' Trump said the deal - in which the UK would lease a military base on the territory, while handing over sovereignty - justifies his demand to seize Greenland on security grounds. Another image posted on Trump's Truth Social is an illustration depicting the US President planting the American flag in Greenland, flanked by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance. In the foreground of the drawing is a sign saying: 'Greenland: US territory, est. 2026.' Danish and Greenlandic governments, together with Nato allies, decided last week to increase military presence and exercise activity in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. Several European countries sent small numbers of troops to Greenland as part of a so-called reconnaissance mission. In response, Trump said on Saturday that the UK will be charged a 10 per cent tariff 'on any and all goods' sent to the US from February 1, increased to 25 per cent from June 1, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark. He said the same would apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, and that they had 'journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown'. In a joint statement on Sunday, the UK and seven other affected European countries said tariff threats over the future of Greenland 'undermine transatlantic relations'. They said: 'As members of Nato, we are committed to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest. 'The pre-coordinated Danish exercise Arctic Endurance conducted with Allies, responds to this necessity. It poses no threat to anyone. 'We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland. 'Building on the process begun last week, we stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind.' Starmer described the US threats as 'completely wrong' and said he would be 'pursuing this directly' with the US administration. Another post on Trump's Truth Social platform The European Union has three major economic tools it could use to pressure Washington: new tariffs, suspension of the US-EU trade deal and a 'trade bazooka'. The unofficial term refers to the bloc's Anti-Coercion Instrument that could sanction individuals or institutions found to be putting undue pressure on the EU. In 2021, the European Commission set up the Anti-Coercion Instrument after Beijing restricted trade to Lithuania, which has built ties with Taiwan, claimed by China as its territory. There is widespread refusal to use the instrument in European capitals out of fears it would escalate matters, but France and Germany, the bloc's two economic juggernauts, have signaled their support. The EU should keep all options on the table with regard to a response to Trump, Denmark's Economy Minister Stephanie Lose told journalists on Tuesday, ahead of a meeting of EU finance and economy ministers. European shares declined on Tuesday, as mounting unease over the US President's tariff threat over Greenland continued into a second session. The pan-European STOXX 600 fell 0.7 per cent by 8.03am, a day after logging its steepest intraday decline in two months. While some analysts remain sceptical, investors are on edge as Trump has shown little signs of softening his rhetoric. Shares of luxury group LVMH and Pernod Ricard dropped 1.4 per cent and 0.3 per cent, respectively, after Trump threatened to slap a 200 per cent tariff on French wines and champagnes to push Macron to join his Board of Peace initiative. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said America's relations with Europe remain strong and urged trading partners to 'take a deep breath' and let tensions driven by the Trump administration's new tariff threats over Greenland 'play out'. 'I think our relations have never been closer,' he said, speaking on the sidelines of the WEF. President Donald Trump steps off Marine One upon arrival to South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in Washington Speaking to reporters after arriving at Palm Beach International Airport, Trump was clear about his stance on Greenland: 'We have to have it.' 'They [Denmark] can't protect it,' the US President said. He also said that Nato allies would not 'push back too much' on his claim over the territory and dismissed EU deployments there as 'not a military'. 'Nato has been warning Denmark for 20 years now...they've been warning Denmark about the Russian threat,' he said. 'It's not only Russia, it's also China.' 'We'll see what happens,' he added. 'Let's put it this way: it's going to be an interesting Davos.' The incoming Archbishop of Canterbury has told MPs there is a 'gospel imperative' for the Church of England to press on with a 100million grant to make amends for its historic support of the slave trade. The Church has faced a backlash over its plans to spend the money, with a group of MPs branding it a 'legally dubious vanity project' in a letter. But the Right Rev Dame Sarah Mullally, who is formally set to become the 106th and first female Archbishop of Canterbury, insists it should go ahead. She wrote: 'The Church of England's historic links to African chattel enslavement are a serious matter, and it is right that they are approached with care, clarity, and respect for the responsibilities entrusted to the Church.' She added that the funds have been set aside as a 'repentance' for its investment in slave-trading companies, but insisted it would not divert cash away from parishes, with 1.6billion already allocated to support local churches over the next three years. 'Our calling to confront historic injustice and our commitment to sustaining parish life therefore both flow from the same Gospel imperative: to love our neighbour as ourselves and to enable all to flourish,' she wrote in the letter to MPs. The Project Spire plan, which was endorsed by former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, was announced after a report found that a fund established by Queen Anne in 1704 to support poor Anglican clergy had invested in African chattel slavery. The project would act as an 'investment fund' to provide 'seed capital' for businesses and community projects that are run by or benefit black communities. The Church of England has faced a growing backlash over its plans to spend 100million to address its historical links to transatlantic slavery, with a group of MPs and peers calling it a 'legally dubious vanity project' in a letter to Right Rev Dame Sarah Mullally (pictured) In a letter to Dame Mullally, MPs alleged that the grant would divert funds from parishes, saying that the church had a duty to spend its money on its local churches and priests. However, in a letter to Dame Mullally, seen by the Times, MPs alleged that the grant would divert funds from parishes, saying that the church had a duty to spend its money on its local churches and priests. They claimed the fund was not in line with the church's core purpose and the money should be sent on 'strengthening parishes'. The Church Commissioners also responded to the MP's calls, saying that the funds invested in parishes and priests over three-yearly periods have increased from 790 million in 2019 to 1.6 billion today. They added that the church's previous investments in slave-trading companies were 'a prerequisite for responsible asset ownership and robust risk management'. 'As a Christian responsible investor, theological considerations are essential. A church that ignores our links with a fundamental historic wrong cannot credibly claim moral leadership in the present or the future,' they wrote. A recent survey to Anglicans has found 61 per cent of churchgoers say they would redirect donations to other charities if the Church Commissioners - the institution's financial arm - earmarked money for reparations. A poll by Merlin Strategy to 500 churchgoing Anglicans found 81 per cent said Church money should be used to support local parishes instead, with only 19 per cent backing reparations as a priority. As it stands, the Church Commissioners are pressing ahead with plans to pay 100million in slavery reparations, spread over nine years. Earlier this month, a spokesman for the Church of England said: 'A record 1.6bn is being distributed over the next three years to support the mission and ministry of the Church of England, prioritising clergy wellbeing, the funding of local parishes in the country's lowest income communities and encouraging the growth of congregations. 'The Church commissioners' commitment to supporting disadvantaged communities affected by the legacy of transatlantic chattel enslavement is the result of forensic research by leading independent experts, which evidences our historic links to this fundamental wrong. 'Recognising this past is consistent with the Church's responsibility for moral leadership.' The Daily Mail has approached the Church of England for further comment. The owner of the Swiss nightclub that caught fire on New Year's Day was allegedly seen in footage filming the waitress who unwittingly sparked the inferno. In a clip taken from the deadly night at Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, a woman can be seen in the foreground holding a champagne bottle topped with a lit sparkler in one hand and a phone in the other. According to the German newspaper Bild, the woman is believed to be the co-owner of the ski resort bar, Jessica Moretti, 40. Another woman, who appears to be waitress Cyane Panine, 24, can be seen on the shoulders of Mateo Lesguer, 23, the in-house DJ. She is wearing a Dom Perignon 'motorcycle crash helmet' that completely covers her face with a black visor, meaning she can hardly see anything as she carries a bottle plugged with a sparkler. The alleged Ms Moretti is seen in the footage filming the celebratory scenes in the cramped bar as the ceiling catches fire. The sparkler is said to have ignited the soundproofing foam in the basement ceiling, leading to 40 deaths and 116 others being horrifically burned. Both Cyane and Mateo lost their lives in the inferno, but Ms Moretti is believed to have been one of the first survivors to escape. In a clip taken from the deadly night at Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, a woman, believed to be bar owner Jessica Moretti, can be seen in the foreground holding a champagne bottle topped with a lit sparkler in one hand and a phone in the other Jacques and Jessica Moretti, the couple who ran the Swiss bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana which burst into flames during a New Year's Eve party, arrive for questioning at the Public Ministry of the Canton of Valais in Sion in southwestern Switzerland, January 9, 2026 Video cameras are said to have caught Ms Moretti getting away from the scene of the fire as quickly as possible, in her car, after quickly escaping with the till containing the night's cash takings under her arm, while hundreds of young customers were trapped inside. Cyane's parents have already alleged that an emergency exit was locked to prevent people from sneaking in and avoiding the table charges equivalent to around 900 each. Investigators have since established that 34 of the 40 who died in the fire perished on the bar's small stairwell, which had been reduced in width by a third by Ms Moretti's husband, Jacques, 49, during renovation work in 2015. It led up from the basement, where the fire was allegedly triggered by sparklers in champagne bottles that ignited foam soundproof cladding in the ceiling. This amounts to 85 per cent of the dead, said one enquiry source. They were trapped on the tiny staircase as everyone fought to get out, but they were unable to escape. Many were forced back into the basement when the stairwell became completely overcrowded and fell apart. It had been significantly reduced in size by the owners. Swiss law enforcement officers found numerous bodies at the bottom of the staircase after the wooden steps and handrails collapsed. They could not withstand the pressure of the fleeing crowd, detached from the wall, and plunged into the basement. Mr Moretti has admitted to reducing the width of the stairwell from three metres to just one metre. He carried out the renovations himself when he took over management of the Constellation in 2015, and it is not known whether he had planning permission or not. According to multiple enquiry sources who have spoken to the media in France and Italy, the modification played a decisive role in the disaster'. When questioned by prosecutors on January 9, Mr Moretti did not discuss the stairwell renovation, but he admitted that a ground-floor service door was locked from the inside when the fire started. He said that he forced it open upon arriving at the scene and found victims dying from suffocation behind it. Cyane Panine, 24, was killed in the blaze after fire broke out at the packed club, with footage showing her sitting on a colleague's shoulders holding two champagne bottles fitted with sparklers High quality photographs show the very first moments of the Swiss Constellation Bar fire in Crans-Montana, where dozens died on New Year's Eve Footage shows flames ripping through the Crans-Montana club as revellers continue singing, dancing and shouting - unaware they are already trapped in extreme danger Mr Moretti said he did not know why the door was locked, and, along with his wife, has denied any civil or criminal wrongdoing. Ms Moretti is now under investigation for multiple alleged crimes, including 'manslaughter by negligence', while Mr Moretti is in pre-trial detention for at least the next three months. Last week, a Swiss court imposed a travel ban on Ms Moretti as an alternative to pre-trial detention due to what prosecutors claim is a 'risk of flight'. She was ordered to surrender her passport and must report to the police every day, authorities say. The Moretti's face up to 20 years in prison if charged and found guilty of manslaughter. It comes after it was revealed that the CCTV from the night of the fire mysteriously 'crashed' three minutes before the fire broke out. According to Bild, detectives only have access to the footage up to 1.23am - three minutes before the fire began. In his January 1 interrogation, Moretti said of the CCTV: 'At that point, the system crashed. I can't reset it.' He reportedly showed investigators screenshots of the latest recordings, with 11 camera angles pointed at the smoking room, the DJ, the bar, and sofas where people were sitting. Pictures and videos of the bar on social media also vanished hours after the tragedy, raising suspicions that evidence was being destroyed, Bild reported. A surfer has been bitten by a shark in the fourth attack to rock Australia's most populous state in just three days. The shark attacked the man's surfboard at Point Plomer, around 290 miles (460 kilometres) north of Sydney, shortly after 9am on Tuesday, officials said. The man was lucky to survive with only minor cuts, according to Kempsey-Crescent Head Surf Life Saving Club captain Matt Worrall. It is understood the shark bit through the man's wetsuit and tore a chunk from his board. He drove himself to Kempsey District Hospital. 'The board seemed to take most of the impact,' Worrall told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 'He made his own way into shore where he was assisted by locals.' Bystanders later drove the 39-year-old man to hospital, where he was treated and discharged. The latest attack came just a day after a 27-year-old surfer suffered 'life-changing' injuries when he was bitten by a shark at North Steyne Beach in Manly, on Sydney's northern beaches. A surfer had minor injuries from being bitten by a shark Tuesday in the fourth attack off the coast of Australia's most populous state in three days. It's understood the shark bit through the man's wetsuit and took a chunk out of his board The shark attacked the man's surfboard at Point Plomer, 460 kilometers (290 miles) north of the New South Wales state capital, around 9am, officials said Your browser does not support iframes. Footage showed the man being dragged from the water by beachgoers who performed first aid until paramedics arrived about 6.20pm on Monday. He was rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition after undergoing surgery for severe lower leg injuries. It has since emerged the man required 13 units of blood both at the beach and during the ambulance transfer, with highway police delivering additional supplies. Earlier on Monday, an 11-year-old boy was knocked from his surfboard by a large shark at Dee Why Beach, with several bites taken out of his board. The boy escaped without injury. The attacks followed another incident on Sunday afternoon at Shark Beach in Vaucluse, where a 12-year-old boy was bitten while swimming with friends near a popular jump rock outside the netted swimming area. Police later credited the boy's friends with saving his life by jumping from the rocks during the attack and dragging him back to shore. 'Those actions were incredibly brave under the circumstances,' Superintendent Joseph McNulty said, describing the injuries as confronting. Footage from the third attack shows a surfer being dragged from the water by other beachgoers who performed first aid until paramedics arrived The third attack at North Steyne Beach in Manly, left a surfer in his 20s in critical condition after he was bitten on the lower leg at about 6.20pm on Monday A 15cm bite mark on the board of the surfer involved in the third attack suggests he was most likely attacked by a bull shark, according to shark biologists from the primary industries department Australian media reported the boy suffered catastrophic leg injuries during the attack. Beaches along New South Wales' northern coast and Sydney's northern beaches were closed on Tuesday, with authorities warning they would remain shut to swimmers and surfers for at least 48 hours. Electronic drumlines, designed to alert authorities when large sharks take bait, were deployed off the Sydney coastline. Authorities warned recent rainfall had left the water murky, increasing the risk of bull shark attacks, which are responsible for most shark incidents in the Sydney region. 'If anyone's thinking of heading into the surf anywhere along the northern beaches, think again,' Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said. 'We have such poor water quality that's really conducive to bull shark activity. At this stage, we're advising that beaches are unsafe.' All three Sydney beaches have some form of shark protection netting. It was not immediately clear where the attacks occurred in relation to that netting. Pearce said the scene of the latest attack was isolated and did not have shark netting. Dee Why Beach is close to the beach where a 57-year-old surfer was killed by a suspected white shark last September. In November, a 25-year-old Swiss tourist was killed and her partner was seriously injured trying to save her as they swam off a national park north of Sydney. A model who says she was left in 'indescribable pain' after getting breast enhancement surgery from a surgeon nicknamed the 'Boob God' is finally free to speak about her ordeal after a legal gag imposed at his behest was lifted. Katy Morgan turned to Dr Riccardo Frati - a self-professed 'surgeon to the stars' - for her plastic surgery after losing confidence in her body following the birth of her second child. He boasts 250,000 Instagram followers and an enviable client list including James Argent, Gemma Collins and Big Brother star Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace, for whom he is said to have fitted some of the largest implants in the UK. But single mother of two Ms Morgan claims the April 2021 surgery led to her being hospitalised with 'traumatic' complications including sepsis and necrosis - the death of living tissue. Ms Morgan, 32, then found herself on the receiving end of Dr Frati's ire when she took to social media to complain about his work in 2023. The surgeon - who denies all of her allegations - claimed she had breached a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that she had signed while in hospital recovering from the infections. The agreement gave her a full refund for her procedure in exchange for a ban on publicly criticising the surgeon or even, it is alleged, providing information on him to regulators such as the General Medical Council. Ms Morgan says she has no memory of signing the contract, had no opportunity to seek legal advice about it and was on strong painkillers at the time. He disputes this. The surgeon succeeded in persuading a court to grant an interim injunction against her in September 2023. Model Katy Morgan (pictured) has succeeded in overturning a gagging order preventing her from criticising a cosmetic surgeon over her breast enhancement Ms Morgan says she signed a non-disclosure agreement while heavily medicated as she recovered in hospital from infections she says were associated with the surgery This required her to comply with the terms of the NDA - effectively banning her from publicly criticising the work of Dr Frati, known for appearing on This Morning. Ms Morgan was unrepresented at that hearing versus the surgeon's barrister - and has been fighting the gagging order since with the support of the Free Speech Union. Last week, she finally achieved her first victory. A judge at Manchester Civil Justice Centre overturned the gag on Thursday after the model's legal team successfully argued she had been the 'only person in the whole world' unable to speak about her own case. While he made no findings of fact in the dispute over the NDA, Judge Ivan Ranson said the arguments that it was unlawful and that Dr Frati took advantage of his position of power were 'compelling', as reported by The Times. Ms Morgan told the newspaper that she felt a 'weight had been lifted', adding: 'My voice has been given back to me, because he took it away. He chose the wrong person to try and shut up.' Frati was ordered to pay 20,548.72 in legal costs; a hearing on February 9 will determine whether Ms Morgan's alleged breach of her settlement and NDA should be thrown out of court or go to trial. Ahead of the next hearing, Dr Frati has categorically denied the allegations made against him. In a statement to The Times, he said: 'I categorically deny the allegations made against me by Ms Morgan. The allegations remain disputed and have not been determined by any court or regulator. 'The hearing was concerned with interim and procedural issues, and no findings were made on the merits of the underlying allegations. I reject the suggestion that I sought to silence Ms Morgan. At no stage did I prevent her from raising concerns with any regulator or authority.' Ill-effects from the surgery continue to have an effect to this day, Ms Morgan said. She added of the surgery: 'I don't really remember most of it because I was on such high painkillers... but it just felt like my chest was going to burst.' Ms Morgan is currently crowdfunding the next stage of her hearing. Ms Morgan said she found the operation and complications 'traumatic', but remembered little of it as she was on strong painkillers Dr Riccardo Frati is a surgeon to stars of reality TV - and has featured on shows such as This Morning (pictured) Bryn Harris, chief legal counsel to the campaign group, said: 'The Free Speech Union is delighted that Katy is now free to speak about her ordeal at the hands of Dr Riccardo Frati. 'Gagging a patient from passing information to regulators is serious wrongdoing, and we hope and expect that the General Medical Council will now take urgent action. 'We further encourage any other women who have been silenced by Dr Frati to come forward and speak to the Free Speech Union.' The GMC has declined to comment on whether Dr Frati is under investigation, but a source stressed that an NDA would not preclude them from looking into claims of misconduct, even if one was in place. In the interim, he has been suspended from practising at First Trust (now Greater Lancashire) Hospital in Preston in June 2025 due to an alleged breakdown of trust and communication with staff. He was then removed from the roster of cosmetic surgery provider MYA, which uses the private hospital as a clinic. His MYA profile - describing him as a 'very experienced and highly qualified cosmetic surgeon' - was removed from the firm's website sometime between May and August 2025, according to Internet Archive records. A spokesperson for MYA told the Daily Mail: 'We can confirm Mr Frati was suspended from the First Trust Hospital, a third-party operating facility we use. 'MYA respected and supported the decision and removed Mr Frati as an operating surgeon with immediate effect in June 2025. 'Here at MYA, patient care and safety is our priority and will always continue to be.' It added that all patients who were scheduled to be treated by Dr Frati were given alternate arrangements, and those recovering from his surgeries had appropriate aftercare. Greater Lancashire Hospital was contacted for comment. The Daily Mail has contacted Dr Frati for further comment. A US flag was burned and American companies targeted for vandalism at an anti-World Economic Forum protest in Zurich ahead of Donald Trump's visit to Davos. On Monday evening, a permitted demonstration against the forum turned violent as protesters smashed shop windows of US companies and spray painted several buildings. Companies affected included luxury car brand Cadillac as well as international corporation Nestle. A casino was also spray painted with the words 'Money Stinks,' according to Swiss newspaper 20minuten. Video footage from the evening shows demonstrators building barricades and causing destruction, with bins set on fire and chairs scattered through the area. Masked protesters were also filmed setting fire to a large US flag in the middle of the street. During the march, which began at town square Burkliplatz, people carried anti-Trump signs with the slogans 'Trump not welcome, 'Trump for prison,' and 'Trump is a criminal' amongst others. 'One Solution Revolution!' was chanted as people set off firecrackers, smoke grenades and fireworks. Masked protesters were filmed setting fire to a large US flag in the middle of the street 'One Solution Revolution!' was chanted as people set off firecrackers, smoke grenades and fireworks People carried anti-Trump signs with the slogans 'Trump not welcome, 'Trump for prison,' and 'Trump is a criminal' amongst others According to 20minuten, slogans against the Israeli government were also heard. As the demonstration turned aggressive, the police got involved and told marchers to clear the area after protesters sat down on the street creating a blockade. When a second request, as well as dialogue with the demonstrators, was unsuccessful, officers deployed water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets. Medics revealed several people were injured. Two police officers were also reportedly hit by stones. The chaos comes as corporate chiefs and government leaders are gathering for the conference in Davos which will see US President Donald Trump dominate proceedings with talks on Greenland and the Russia-Ukraine war. The US leader has been insistent on seizing Greenland and has not ruled out taking it by force. Trump has also warned the US may pull out of NATO if America's allies don't agree to the acquisition of Greenland. The chaos comes as corporate chiefs and government leaders are gathering for the conference in Davos As the demonstration turned aggressive, the police got involved and told marchers to clear the area Officers deployed water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets The protest in Zurich on Monday night Trump's latest threat to take Greenland by any means necessary came as the European Union threatened brutal retaliatory tariffs over the president's promise to punish nations that don't support US control of the arctic nation. On Saturday, Trump announced a 10% tariff starting on Feb 1, rising to 25% in June, unless there's a deal for the 'purchase of Greenland.' The EU is now set to potentially threaten the US with retaliatory tariffs on $107.7billion in goods, or potentially denying America access to the EU market, The Financial Times reported. Trump will make his keynote speech in Davos on Wednesday, where he is set to address European leaders directly. A White House official said the US President will 'emphasise that the United States and Europe must leave behind economic stagnation and the policies that caused it.' Trump's peace-making credentials also will be on the table. An announcement looms about his ' Board of Peace ' for Gaza, and he and his administration are expected to have bilateral meetings in the warren of side rooms at the Congress Center. Trump will make his keynote speech in Davos on Wednesday Washington will attend with its largest-ever delegation in Davos Vladimir Putin has received an invitation to join the board, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban alongside Jordan, Greece, Cyprus, Pakistan, Canada, Turkey, Egypt, Paraguay, Argentina, Albania and India were all apparently invited to join too, with Trump saying it would 'embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict.' European Commission spokesman Olof Gill confirmed that Ursula von der Leyen, president of the commission, had received an invitation and would be speaking to other EU leaders about Gaza. Washington's largest-ever delegation in Davos includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy will appear at the conference in person, hoping to meet Trump and sign new security guarantees for a potential ceasefire deal with Russia. The US delegation will also hold meetings with Russia's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who is travelling to Davos, according to Reuters. Donald Trump today accused Sir Keir Starmer of 'giving away' Diego Garcia to Mauritius 'for no reason whatsoever' in an 'act of great stupidity' that he believes justifies his demand to seize Greenland. The US President said that 'there is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness' by Britain in the Chagos Islands. He used his anger over Diego Garcia to justify yet again why America should be handed Greenland, urging Denmark and his European allies to 'do the right thing'. Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands - a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean - is home to a strategically important military base jointly used by the US and the UK. Britain has paid Mauritius to lease back Diego Garcia and the base for at least 99 years under the terms of the deal. But do you agree with Mr Trump's criticism of the Prime Minister? Vote in the Daily Mail's latest poll here: In today's other poll, Mail readers are being asked: 'Team Beckham versus Team Brooklyn - whose side are you on?' You can vote in that poll by clicking here. At least 1,500 ISIS detainees have escaped from a Syrian prison following clashes between the government and Kurdish-led forces, it has been claimed. The figure was reported by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces after the Syrian military said 'a number' of inmates had broken out of Shaddadi prison. Tensions between the government and the SDF boiled over earlier this month as the Syrian army took almost full control of the country and pushed to dismantle Kurdish forces that had controlled the northeast for over a decade. Shaddadi prison camp is controlled by the SDF, who also oversee several other camps housing more than 9,000 ISIS fighters and around 40,000 women and children. Earlier, the Syrian army had accused the SDF of releasing the prisoners, while the country's Interior Ministry said army units had managed to recapture 81 of the escapees. Efforts to arrest the remaining fugitives are ongoing, the ministry said. Among the facilities being run by the group is the al-Roj prison camp in north-eastern Syria, which is where British-born ISIS bride Shamima Begum is being held. The recent unrest in the country has sparked renewed fears that she could be freed from detention. At least 1,500 ISIS detainees have escaped from a Syrian prison following clashes between government forces and Kurdish-led factions. Pictured: Syrian soldiers are pictured outside a prison in Raqqah amid ongoing fighting on January 19, 2026 Syrian government forces brandish their weapons as they take possession of the SDF military base as they enter the city of Raqqah on January 19, 2026 Recent unrest sparks renewed fears that British jihadi bride Shamima Begum (pictured) could be freed from detention The SDF has been fighting government forces over the control of Raqqa and Deir al-Zor, two Arab-majority provinces they had run for years. The Kurdish-led group has now lost almost all of its territory to forces loyal to Syria's president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Fresh fighting broke out on Monday around three SDF-controlled detention facilities: al-Aqtan prison near Raqqa, a jail in Deir al-Zour and another in the town of al-Shadadi. The SDF said it was trying to transfer ISIS prisoners to 'safe locations', but had currently been unable to do so, while footage appeared to show dozens of detainees escaping from Deir al-Zour. The recent escape of ISIS militants raises fears over the security of prison camps that hold British jihadists such as Ms Begum, 26, who was stripped of her British citizenship after leaving London to join the terror group in 2015. It also follows renewed concerns that Ms Begum could be allowed to return to the UK after European judges came to the ISIS bride's defence. The Londoner was 15 when she and two friends travelled from Bethnal Green to Syria to join the Islamic State. Ms Begum, who married an ISIS fighter and had children, was found in a Syrian refugee camp in 2019, and her citizenship was immediately revoked by then-home secretary Sajid Javid on national security grounds, kickstarting her lengthy legal challenge. But earlier this month, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) formally asked the Home Office whether it broke human rights and anti-trafficking laws after Begum was stripped of her UK citizenship. Ms Begum, 26, was stripped of her British citizenship after leaving London to join ISIS in 2015 Pictured: Syrian government forces are deployed near Al-Aqtan prison on January 19, 2026 in Raqqa, Syria The latest intervention has sparked a major backlash, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood vowing to defend the Government's decision at the time. Conservative MP and Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said he would ask Ms Mahmood for guarantees in the House of Commons that Begum will not be allowed back. He also urged Ms Mahmood to fight the case 'tooth and nail'. Mr Philp called ISIS a 'violent terrorist regime that brutally murdered their opponents and raped thousands of women and girls'. Ms Begum lost an appeal in February 2023 against the decision to revoke her citizenship after the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) ruled this was lawful. She then lost a Court of Appeal bid in February 2024, before she was most recently denied the chance to challenge it at the Supreme Court in August 2024. However, Ms Begum's lawyers warned at the time that they could still take her case to the European Court of Human Rights - which they later did. The Home Office has now been told by the European court to answer four questions about her citizenship. It follows renewed concerns that Ms Begum could be allowed to return to the UK after European judges came to the ISIS bride's defence One asks: 'Has there been a violation of the applicant's rights under Article 4 of the Convention by virtue of the decision to deprive her of her citizenship?' Another says: 'For the purposes of the Article 4 complaints made in the application, was the applicant at all material times within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom, within the meaning of Article 1 of the Convention?' Article 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights relates to 'protection of property', while Article 4 relates to 'freedom from slavery and forced labour'. A further question asks: 'Did the Secretary of State for the Home Department's decision to deprive the applicant of her citizenship engage her rights under Article 4 of the Convention?' A primary school teacher is suing outdoor adventure company Go Ape for 60,000 after shattering her leg on a slide in a playground area 'aimed at children'. Rosemary Mountain, 50, suffered a 'severe' fracture coming down a 10 to 12m long 'Big Bounce' netted fabric tube slide at Go Ape's Black Park adventure site near Slough in February 2019. Her trainer became caught, leaving her leg broken in three places, 'floppy' and 'bent in half at 45 degrees' after the accident in the site's Nets Kingdom area. Mrs Mountain, who teaches year one and two children, is now suing Adventure Forest Ltd, trading as Go Ape, for about 60,000 over her injuries, claiming the slide - which was later replaced - was 'too dangerous' and 'not reasonably safe for operation'. Central London County Court heard the area containing the slide was designed for three to 12-year-olds. But Go Ape are denying all blame and insist there was nothing unsafe about the Nets Kingdom, which was 'installed by industry specialists' and regularly inspected for potential hazards. Lawyers for the company also say that Mrs Mountain signed a disclaimer accepting that she was at risk of injury before she went into the Nets Kingdom. The court heard that Mrs Mountain was on a half term visit to the Black Park Go Ape with her husband and her young children when the accident happened. Rosemary Mountain, 50, suffered a 'severe' fracture and is suing Go Ape for 60,000 The incident occurred on a 10 to 12m long 'Big Bounce' netted fabric tube slide at Go Ape's Black Park adventure site near Slough in February 2019 She told the court they had decided to leave the area and go home, using the slide as the most convenient exit, with her husband and kids going first. 'I went down with my legs together,' she told Judge Luke Ashby. 'It was very fast and the first part is just a freefall. My foot just got snagged in some sort of material at the side of the slide and dragged behind me. I came to a rest and it was twisted right round.' Mrs Mountain described how her leg 'broke horribly', adding: 'My foot and leg were dragged underneath me as I fell and I knew I had badly broken my leg because I could feel intense pain and see that half of my shin was bent at about 45 degrees. 'I could see that it was broken because it was in a flexible curve round behind me. It was just wobbly. When I came to a rest, I just thought "my kids can't see my leg like this".' After the horrific break, she had to be cut out of the netting at the bottom of the slide before being taken to hospital. Mrs Mountain told the court she had previously been an 'outdoorsy adventurous person', but after the leg break had to undergo extensive surgery, remains plagued by chronic pain and is unlikely to ever return to running or her previous 'active lifestyle'. David White, barrister for Go Ape, said Mrs Mountain had signed a disclaimer before entering the course, telling her: 'As with any physical activity, there is a degree of risk...this was an activity which involved the risk of suffering injury and you knew that when you agreed to do it.' The court heard that Mrs Mountain (pictured) was on a half term visit to the Black Park Go Ape with her husband and her young children when the accident happened She replied: 'I've seen Go Ape a lot of times before. We signed to say there's a risk of bumps and scrapes, but not this sort of injury. 'It says on the description that it's suitable for three-year-olds, so I didn't expect to break my leg in the way that I did. 'I know it says it's risky, but it didn't look risky and it said it was for young children.' Mrs Mountain added that she had been down the slide once already before her accident. 'It wasn't slippy, it was unpleasant. You had to crawl out of the bottom, you didn't slide out. I feel the slide was not a safe design. I felt it was a very strange slide. 'I just thought here's a fun activity for my children to do at half term. But looking back afterwards, it just didn't feel like it was safe.' Dave Daborn, co-owner of Go Ape and site manager at the time, confirmed Mrs Mountain's barrister's assertion that 'this was an area which was aimed at children'. 'Our target market was under-12s, but older children and adults were welcome,' he said. Presenting her case, Mrs Mountain's barrister Jonathan Payne argued that the type of extreme injury she suffered should not have occurred 'on a slide which was reasonably safe for operation'. 'If the claimant is doing as she has been instructed and despite this she suffers an entrapment injury which breaks her leg in three places, the piece of equipment is not reasonably safe for operation,' he said. He added that, looking at accident reports relating to the slide, there was a common theme of 'trapping and twisting lower limbs', making the accident Mrs Mountain suffered foreseeable. Mr Payne also asserted that Go Ape had failed to carry out a specific risk assessment of the section of slide where Mrs Mountain suffered her injury. He continued: 'Even if the piece of equipment is reasonably safe for most users, if the injury foreseeable is for serious injury - which it was - and the cost of modification is comparatively low, then she should not have been exposed to that risk of injury. 'The accident statistics showed there was a propensity for users to trap their lower limbs - however this was caused. 'In those circumstances, there was a foreseeable risk of serious injury, which was evidenced by this accident in February 2019.' Go Ape later removed the net slide and substituted a rigid one in its place. However, in denying fault, it insists its engineers had in fact carried out a 'specific risk assessment' and that there was nothing inherently hazardous about the slide. Go Ape barrister, Mr White, described what happened to Mrs Mountain 'an extremely unfortunate accident', but said her evidence about the sequence of what happened was unclear. The safety briefing handed out to her was clear and comprehensive, he told the court, and her core complaint seemed to focus on the overall safety of the slide where she was injured, he argued. 'In reality therefore, the only allegations remaining are generic ones about the overall safety of the slide - or one about the slide being too high or steep. 'Her case is thus, in essence, that the slide was simply too dangerous per se, owing to its height/angle, such that it simply should not have been there at all,' he told the court. He added that this claim was 'not reasonably sustainable'. The hearing continues. China has deployed life-sized AI-powered 'robocops' to police roads and direct traffic around the clock. Wearing reflective vests and white caps, the humanoid officers have been spotted patrolling Wuhu City, in eastern China's Anhui Province, barking orders at civilians. 'For your safety, please ride bicycles in the non-motorized lane,' one robot was heard calling out to a cyclist who veered into traffic. The robots' futuristic appearance has made them local celebrities, with pedestrians frequently pausing to snap photos. Traffic police officer Jiang Zihao described the machines as 'new colleagues' capable of assisting officers on the streets. According to Jiang, the AI-enabled robot - known as Intelligent Police Unit R001 - is linked to the city's traffic signal system and can perform traffic-control gestures in sync with changing lights. Equipped with high-definition cameras and an intelligent voice-broadcasting system, the robot uses advanced algorithms to automatically detect traffic violations by pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles and deliver on-the-spot warnings. Beyond fixed post duties, the robot is fully mobile, able to autonomously travel to designated locations on command. China has deployed life-sized AI-powered 'robocops' to police roads and direct traffic around the clock Wearing reflective vests and white caps, the humanoid officers have been spotted patrolling Wuhu City, in eastern China's Anhui Province, barking orders at civilians The robots' futuristic appearance has made them local celebrities, with pedestrians frequently pausing to snap photos It can also identify illegal parking and conduct real-time road monitoring. 'The robot can work around the clock,' Jiang said, noting that it is expected to ease the workload of the police, especially during peak hours or in extreme weather conditions. This 'RoboCop' is only the latest addition to China's expanding fleet of AI-powered traffic assistants. Last year, several Chinese cities began integrating robotic officers into daily policing. In June, the southwestern city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province deployed a team of robot police officers, including quadruped robots, wheeled robots and humanoid robots, to patrol the streets alongside human counterparts. In December, an AI-powered traffic policing robot was also put on duty in Hangzhou, in east China's Zhejiang Province. The deployment of these robots highlights China's broader effort to integrate embodied intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies into real-world applications. 'For your safety, please ride bicycles in the non-motorized lane,' one robot was heard calling out to a cyclist who veered into traffic Beyond fixed post duties, the robot is fully mobile, able to autonomously travel to designated locations on command A report from the Development Research Center of the State Council projects that the market scale of China's burgeoning embodied intelligence industry will reach 400 billion yuan (about 57.1 billion US dollars) in 2030 and exceed 1 trillion yuan in 2035. 'Only by bringing products into real-life scenarios and collecting real operational data can we achieve rapid iteration,' said Zhang Guibing, general manager of AiMOGA Robotics, the manufacturer of 'Intelligent Police Unit R001.' Zhang added that the company's robots had already been deployed in more than 100 scenarios, including reception, security patrols and public services. A college lecturer whose colleague mocked her disabilities and falsely claimed she made racist remarks about travellers has won 177,000 in damages. Dr Sharon Turton, a psychology lecturer at MidKent college in Kent for over eight years, said the sum 'nowhere near compensates for what I lost in savings, income, and future income' after she took voluntary redundancy in 2022 after being harassed by a fellow members of staff. The 65-year-old, who has Asperger's Syndrome, severe complex post-traumatic stress disorder and ADHD, had her disabilities mocked by a colleague who tapped her head to indicate that Dr Turton had 'mental problems', a tribunal judgement ruled. The same colleague also spread false rumours that Dr Turton made a racism comment about a student's traveller heritage. An employment tribunal ruled previously that three complaints of harassment related to disability and two complaints of direct disability discrimination were well-founded and succeeded. And she has now been awarded 177,157.28 in compensation and 12,465.15 in legal costs. The tribunal, held in London in October and November 2024, heard that Dr Turton had a number of runs in with a fellow member of staff who mocked the mother-of-three's disabilities and spread lies about her. Speaking about her compensation award this week, the lecturer, from Ashford, Kent, said: 'I am satisfied with the reward. I don't think it really reflects what I have lost, but it is not bad either. Dr Sharon Turton (pictured) said the sum 'nowhere near compensates for what I lost in savings, income, and future income' after she took voluntary redundancy in 2022 'This was never entirely about money. The money is important because I have lost so much, but the reason I never took the out of court settlement is because this needs to be exposed. 'I am not unhappy, but I am not happy. I think a lot of it hinges on whether the public are made aware of what has happened. 'The money I got nowhere near compensates for what I lost in savings, income, and future income. What I went through was horrendous. It has been hell, but if things are going to change then this had to happen.' To this day Dr Turton says she is still impacted, having nightmares about the allegations, panic attacks which last hours, and tachycardia- a condition causing a fast heart rate. She added: 'I wanted to stay working, I have worked all my life and I have worked very hard. I am a person who hates not working and even though I am now at retirement age I never intended to give up work. 'It was the most amazing job and sadly it ended. I loved my career. 'I don't know what comes next, all I know is what is not going to happen, I am not going back to lecturing or teaching. I am never going to work for someone else.' Dr Turton said that the ordeal meant she found it 'impossible now to trust people' and that 'the psychological impact has been huge'. Midkent College where Dr Sharon Turton was a psychology lecturer for over eight year. It was during her time at the college that a fellow member of staff mocked her disabilities and spread lies about her The tribunal also awarded aggravated damages of 5,000 because it felt the college was 'simply not taking our findings seriously', as it was yet to 'take any action' against the staff members. Dr Turton added: 'No action or disciplinary has been taken against any of the people in the judgement... This has serious implications for the way the college views race and disability. 'I think it is really concerning because the college have a lot of disabled students, and these people have no idea what is going on behind the scenes. 'When people not only bully and harass people for their disability but they get away with it, it is absolutely shocking. 'I think how the college handled it was just as bad as what the bullies did, and going through the tribunal case was just as bad as either of those. It is like three equally traumatic parts.' The lecturer, who has three daughters and six grandchildren, now hopes to spend time writing a book she started eight years ago. Simon Cook, principal and CEO at MidKent College said: 'We take these findings and the matters they discuss extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring that all staff and students experience an inclusive and respectful working and learning environment. 'The events referenced in the Tribunal's judgment occurred between 2021 and 2022, and a significant period has passed since then. 'Throughout this time, the College has continued to learn and grow, strengthening its policies and practices to foster a more inclusive workplace. 'The well-being of our staff remains a priority, and we are committed to reflecting on this case to ensure we maintain a culture of respect and support for all.' Top performing civil servants could be paid higher bonuses worth tens of thousands of pounds under a plan to revive Whitehall using private sector practices. Sir Keir Starmer's chief secretary and 'enforcer' Darren Jones will promise to reward 'the doers, not the talkers' in a speech today on reforming Britain's civil service. He is expected to unveil a package of reforms to create a state that can 'move fast and fix things' after admitting it has 'fallen unacceptably behind' private companies. But he is likely to face opposition from Whitehall's powerful unions, which have long been accused of obstructing necessary improvements. Mr Jones will announce plans to focus the bonus pot for civil servants more tightly on exceptional performance, with higher payments for a smaller number of the most effective officials. Currently, more than half of senior civil servants receive bonuses, which are typically about 1,000 for good performance, although some directors-general can be paid as much as 12,500. Labour also wants the state to make better use of technology and sack failing staff. Out of 6,700 senior civil servants, just seven were on performance improvement plans last year and only two were dismissed for poor performance. Sir Keir has previously suggested too many civil servants are comfortable in the 'tepid bath of managed decline' before rowing back after a backlash. Conservative shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said there had been 'a lot of bleating about 'delivery'' from the Government 'but absolutely no evidence of it'. Sir Keir Starmer's chief secretary and 'enforcer' Darren Jones (pictured today) will promise to reward 'the doers, not the talkers' He said: 'Under Labour, the Civil Service is growing in size and cost, whilst new quangos are being created by the day. Ministers just don't have a grip on Whitehall.' Mr Jones, promoted to his new role last September, has been tasked with overhauling how the civil operates by introducing more technology, including the Government's controversial digital ID scheme. In his speech, he is expected to say: 'The Prime Minister and I expect Whitehall to focus solely on delivering for you, instead of talking to itself. 'To move from interdepartmental arguments, internal policy papers, processes and discussions to a new digital state that delivers public services directly to you: the customer. A state that can move fast and fix things. He will add: 'The public rightly ask, if you can bank and shop online, in a quick and convenient way, then why can't it be done for public services too?' Previous Conservative governments tried to overhaul bonuses and link pay to performance in the civil service but faced resistance from union leaders. But Mr Jones will say: 'Our civil servants and trade union partners know that things must change. That is what they tell me and I am determined we work with them to renew the state and empower all of us to get on with the job.' As well as changing how civil servants' performance is managed, Mr Jones will pledge to create a series of new taskforces, copying the success of the Covid-19 vaccine taskforce 'in 'peace time' - not just in a crisis'. And he will announce a new 'national school of government and public service' to train civil servants in the skills needed for a more digital approach to their jobs. The new training courses are expected to focus on areas such as artificial intelligence, another key priority for the Government. Mr Jones is expected to unveil a package of reforms to create a state that can 'move fast and fix things' after admitting it has 'fallen unacceptably behind' private companies Higher bonuses are likely to be controversial at a time of tightened budgets. It recently emerged that civil servants in Ministry of Defence pocketed 57million in bonuses last year, despite the department facing billions of pounds of cuts and the escalating threat of war. The figure handed out by the Labour Government to the mostly desk-bound staff is 25million more than the 32million they received in 2019. In total, the bonuses they have been awarded since that year amount to 200million. The revelation comes just weeks after Britain's Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, is said to have warned Sir Keir Starmer about a 28billion military funding black hole. The shortfall raises the prospect of swingeing budget cuts, at the same time as the UK faces the threat of direct conflict with Russia in Ukraine. Figures released by the Ministry of Defence for the year 2024/25 show that 24,215 MoD civil servants received non-consolidated performance-related pay awards worth 23million. The maximum value of the bonus, according to the MoD, was 5,000, but not all civil servants received the highest award. However, several senior MoD civil servants also received six-figure bonuses since 2019, including Mike Green, chief executive of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the department that manages armed forces housing. Donald Trump's plan to have Vladimir Putin as a member of his Gaza 'board of peace' is 'absurd', a senior UK minister said today amid a deepening transatlantic political row. Darren Jones hit out after the Kremlin said the Russian warmonger had been asked by the US president to to join the body intended to supervise the next phase of peace in the Middle East. Moscow said Putin had received the invitation and the Kremlin is 'studying the details' and will seek clarity of 'all the nuances' in contacts with the US. China on Tuesday confirmed that President Xi has been asked to join, as has Belarus's autocratic leader and Russia ally Alexander Lukashenko. But Mr Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, said that the UK would not 'under any circumstances' join a body of which Mr Putin is part. 'President Putin is not a man of peace and it would be absurd for him to sit on a Board of Peace', he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'The idea that PP is a man of peace is clearly not true and for the birds.' It comes amid a deepening rift between the UK and US which was triggered by Trump's heavily criticised demand that America is handed Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory. Darren Jones hit out after the Kremlin said the Russian warmonger had been asked by the US president to to join the body intended to supervise the next phase of peace in the Middle East . Moscowsaid Putin had received the invitation and the Kremlin is 'studying the details' and will seek clarity of 'all the nuances' in contacts with the US. It comes amid a deepening rift between the UK and US which was triggered by Trump's heavily criticised demand that America is handed Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory. After PM Sir Keir Starmer backed Denmark Mr Trump hit Britain with new trade tariffs. And in an overnight rant he criticised Starmer's surrender of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, having personally approved the deal last year. In a move also likely to spark diplomatic concerns, Trump also posted a picture on social media showing Canada as part of the United States. The US president, who is travelling to Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday for the World Economic Forum, ramped up his rhetoric on acquiring the Arctic territory. Mr Trump fired off a flurry of posts on his Truth Social platform overnight on Tuesday. In one post he described the Chagos deal as an 'act of GREAT STUPIDITY', in an about-turn of his previous attitude to the decision, which he supported last year. Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean is home to a strategically important military base jointly used by the US and the UK. Britain has paid Mauritius to lease back Diego Garcia and the base for at least 99 years under the terms of the deal. Mr Trump's sudden public broadside to Sir Keir Starmer comes on the first anniversary of his inauguration as President, January 20. It stands in contrast with the calm approach the PM and other European leaders have attempted to take towards the US president in recent weeks over his ambitions to own Greenland. Writing on Truth Social at an early hour of the morning US time, Mr Trump said: 'Shockingly, our 'brilliant' Nato Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital US Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. 'There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognise STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before. 'The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.' In another post on Truth Social, Mr Trump shared what appeared to be an AI generated image of he and his vice president JD Vance planting a US flag on a snowy landscape with a signpost that reads 'Greenland, US territory, est 2026'. A further post showed a doctored image of the US president meeting European leaders in the White House, with a map that highlighted the US, Canada and Greenland in the colours of the American flag. Ministers are poised to give the go-ahead for China's new 'mega-embassy' in London today despite security fears. The government is expected to sign off the plans for the London site this morning, despite furious opposition from many MPs. The proposals are said to include 208 secret rooms and a hidden chamber. Critics argue that there is a risk from the close proximity to data cables, crucial for the City's operation. The long-awaited announcement is likely to trigger another major legal battle as opponents try to block the embassy project in the courts. But it could also pave the way for Keir Starmer to confirm he will visit Beijing in the coming months, amid accusations that he is 'kowtowing' to the Asian superpower in a bid to boost the economy. Luke de Pulford, head of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said the Government faces an 'embarrassing and potentially catastrophic' legal challenge if the plans are approved. 'Years of campaigning about the obvious and manifold risks posed by this embassy development have not been enough to outweigh the UK Government's desire for Beijing's money,' he said. The government is expected to sign off the plans for the London site this morning, despite furious opposition from many MPs. Pictured protesters including Tibetans, Uyghurs and Hongkongers last week The announcement could pave the way for Keir Starmer to confirm he will visit Beijing in the coming months 'The fight isn't over. The campaign now heads to the courts where the Government is about to become embroiled in an embarrassing and potentially catastrophic judicial review.' MPs - including from within Labour ranks - have warned that the embassy could be used to 'step up intimidation' against dissidents. They have urged Communities Secretary Steve Reed - who oversees the planning system - to block the application. However, the Government has argued that it would consolidate Chinese diplomatic presence from seven buildings to one, which could have security benefits. Ciaran Martin, former chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre, last week dismissed concerns about the proposed embassy's location. In an article for The Times, he said the plans would have been thoroughly scrutinised by the UK's security services, and that 'no Government would override their advice were they to say the risks were too great'. Addressing the Commons on the eve of the decision deadline, Foreign Office minister Seema Malhotra said: 'We've been consistently clear that national security is the first duty of Government, and it has been our core priority throughout the embassy process, with the close involvement of the security and intelligence agencies.' She said a 'range of measures' had been implemented to protect national security and that she had 'full confidence' in the security services to be able to manage potential risks from spies. Join the debate Should construction of China's 'mega-embassy' be halted? Norway has warned thousands of citizens that the army may have to seize their homes and vehicles if war breaks out with Russia. Military officials said around 13,500 letters were issued to Norwegians warning them that certain assets may need to be requisitioned - including properties, vehicles, boats and machinery. 'The requisitions are intended to ensure that, in a wartime situation, the armed forces have access to the resources necessary for the defence of the country,' the Norwegian military said. The requisition policy is valid for a year, and will not have come as a surprise to several Norwegians, who have received similar notices in previous years. Anders Jernberg, the head of the military's logistics organisation, said: 'The importance of being prepared for crisis and war has increased dramatically in recent years.' 'Norway is in the most serious security policy situation since the Second World War. Our society must be prepared for security policy crises and, in the worst case, war... we are undertaking a major build-up of military and civil preparedness,' he added. The Scandinavian country shares a maritime border with Russia, as well as a land border. Russia and China are seeking to expand their presence in the Arctic region, where Norway plays a key role in its surveillance as a member of NATO. Norway has warned thousands of citizens that the army may have to seize their homes and vehicles if war breaks out with Russia. File photo shows Norwegian soldiers running for position during a training exercise in November, 2018 Russia is rushing to build up old Soviet bases in the Arctic region. Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia on January 16, 2026 Anders Jernberg, the head of the military's logistics organisation said it was important to be prepared for crisis and war. File photo shows Norwegian soldiers marching during a military parade in 2023 The melting of ice caps in the Arctic has created a rush to secure new shipping routes, with Russia building up old Soviet bases in the region as well as growing its arsenal of nuclear weapons. Norwegian defence minister Tore O. Sanvik told The Telegraph: 'Russia is building up on the Kola peninsula ... where one of the largest arsenals of nuclear warheads in the world is located. 'They [the nuclear weapons] are not only pointed towards Norway, but towards the UK and over the pole towards Canada and the US.' He added: 'We are the eyes and ears of NATO in this area, and we see that they're testing new weapons, for example, hypersonic missiles, and they are testing nuclear-driven torpedoes and nuclear warheads.' The latest requisition notices in Norway come as US President Donald Trump intensified his push to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark. The dispute threatens to upend the NATO alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades, and which was already under strain over the war in Ukraine and Trump's refusal to protect allies unless they increase defence spending. Trump's threat has rattled European industry and sent shockwaves through financial markets. Investors fear a return to the volatility of 2025's trade war, which only eased when the sides reached tariff deals in the middle of the year. Moreso, the US president has likened his drive to take control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, saying he no longer thought 'purely of Peace' as the row over the island threatened to reignite a trade war with Europe. It comes as US President Donald Trump intensifies his push to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark Danish soldiers pictured during shooting practice at an undisclosed location in Greenland on January 18, 2026 In a text message on Sunday to Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, Trump said: 'Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.' Norway's government released the messages on Monday. Stoere had sent an initial message with Finnish President Alexander Stubb calling for a de-escalation of tensions, eliciting a response from Trump less than half an hour later. The Norwegian Nobel Committee annoyed Trump by awarding the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize not to him but to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. In his message, Trump also repeated his assertion that Denmark cannot protect Greenland from Russia or China. '... And why do they have a 'right of ownership' anyway?' he wrote, adding: 'The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.' Trump vowed on Saturday to implement a wave of increasing tariffs from February 1 on EU members Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, along with Britain and Norway, until the US is allowed to buy Greenland, home to only 57,000 people. 'We are living in 2026, you can trade with people, but you don't trade people,' Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said during a visit to London on Monday. People attend a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's demand that the Arctic island be ceded to the U.S., calling for it to be allowed to determine its own future, in Nuuk, Greenland, January 17, 2026 The dispute over Greenland threatens to upend the NATO alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades In a post on Facebook, Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the territory should be allowed to decide its own fate. 'We will not let ourselves be pressured. We stand firm on dialogue, on respect and on international law,' he said. EU leaders will discuss options at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday. One option is a package of tariffs on 93 billion euros, or 81 billion, of US imports that could automatically kick in on February 6 after a six-month suspension. Another option is the 'Anti-Coercion Instrument' (ACI), which has never been used and which could limit access to public tenders, investments or banking activity or restrict trade in services, in which the U.S. has a surplus with the bloc, including in digital services. The EU said it was continuing to engage 'at all levels' with the US but said the use of its ACI was not off the table. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for calm discussion between the allies, adding he did not believe Trump was considering military action to seize Greenland. A young woman who was jailed for an extraordinary act of revenge on the woman she blamed for almost destroying her parents' marriage has defiantly insisted: 'I'm not sorry and never will be sorry.' Eleanor Brown, 26 - with the help of her mother and sister - posted naked images of her father's mistress on an escort website which saw her receive a three-year jail term. But following her release she has posted a series of statements indicating that she has no regrets over her attack on her father Geoff's former lover. The affair between Geoff Brown, a former police officer, and his mistress was discovered when Eleanor was just 14, but 12 years later the fling came back to haunt them. Geoff's wife Sarah, who still held resentment towards the woman who almost destroyed her marriage, sent sexual images of the woman to her daughter. Eleanor then used the photos to create a profile on a sex-for-sale site offering sexual services for 5 and overnight stays for 10 causing the woman's phone to blow up with messages. In October 2024, Eleanor was jailed for three years with the judge claiming she had shown 'staggering' lack of remorse and exhibited 'vindictive, selfish and vengeful behaviour'. Now having been released from jail after serving half her sentence Eleanor, who said she was 'put in prison for a joke', claims she still has no regrets about sharing the images. Eleanor Brown was jailed for three years in October 2024 after she posted sexual images of her father's former lover on an escort site Eleanor and Sophie Brown, pictured with their mother Sarah, who sent sexual images of the mistress to her 26-year-old daughter. Eleanor then used the photos to create a profile on a sex-for-sale site Eleanor posted the photos after finding out her father Geoff (pictured) had an affair with the woman nearly a decade ago She said: 'If I could turn the clocks back the only thing I'd do differently is put my phone in the bin. I would just bin the phone, that phone has got me in so much trouble. 'But I am not remorseful. I do not hold any remorse in my body. I wouldn't do it again - your nudes are all safe - but I am definitely not remorseful.' Eleanor added in a video on TikTok: 'I think the moral of the story is that I am not sorry, never will be sorry, will never do it again. 'And [now] I've got a job, got a house, got a nice fella, got good friends, got a good family.' The advert Eleanor had put on the so-called Beaver Street website was purportedly offering sexual services and included a picture of the mistress. She included the number of the woman's husband who received 14 texts and eight calls from prospective clients in the space of half an hour of the ad being posted. The drama around the historic affair had been reignited after Eleanor's mother Sarah had seen the mistress's husband had set up a new business, which had become a success. Eleanor, egged on by her sister and mother, then began bombarding the businesses social media pages calling the man's wife a 'home-wrecking s**g and a tramp'. She then WhatsApped the woman's husband a link to the Beaver Street ad along with a link to the Celine Dion song 'It's All Coming Back To Me Now' in reference to his wife's affair. Geoff Brown (left), his wife Sarah (middle) and his other daughter Sophie (right) arriving at Leeds Crown Court Eleanor Brown arriving at Leeds Crown Court where she was jailed for three years after she posted intimate pictures online of her father Geoff's mistress The couple eventually called the police, leading to Eleanor's sentencing and her sister Sophie was sacked from her patrol officer job with West Yorkshire Police. Now released from prison, Eleanor has started sharing videos about why she chose to share the videos at the time as well as the conditions inside HMP New Hall prison for women. Eleanor has made a series of allegations claiming the prison system in the UK is 'absolutely f***ed' and that there are 'men in women's prisons'. In one clip she said: 'The thing that shocked me the most that I will never shut up about is that we have men in women's prisons. 'Men but they just have a wig on and then they are female. So we have that in women's prisons. 'I am already traumatized in prison then I've got a bloke telling me he's a woman.' Telling more stories of her life behind bars she claimed some of the women, who were HIV positive in the prison, would chase other inmates around with their sanitary towels. On other occasions she claims inmates who had been told they could not use the toilet then would defecate on the floor 'in front of 70 women'. Eleanor went on to claim that some of the staff in the prison were 'absolutely vile' recalling one male prison officer who on Christmas Eve walked down the halls of her wing loudly singing It Will Be Lonely This Christmas. 'He was getting a kick out of that, he was buzzing,' she said. 'That's the kind of person working there.' Both families have been shattered by the repercussions of the affair (Pictured: Geoff and Sarah Brown in India) She explained: 'The women in prison were sound, never had a problem with any of them. Obviously there are idiots that you don't get on with or like but I never, ever had a problem. 'It was staff. The prison system is absolutely f***ed. There is no rehabilitation, the staff are absolutely vile. 'Not all of them but some of them. Nobody sticks to any policies, nobody wants to be challenged, it's absolutely mental.' She also claimed that one of the prison's governors and his prison officer wife would bring their own laundry into the prison to wash it there, using the 'public's money' to do so. Eleanor said: 'There is also a governor at Newhall that is married to a prison officer and every day they would come in with bags and bags and bags of washing - bedding, dog clothes, their clothes, whatever you can think of and they sit all day doing their washing. 'So you've got public money being used to do the governor's washing. And these are the people that run these places.' Eleanor was released from prison earlier this year and now has a new job, house and a new relationship. While in jail she had spent the initial weeks of her sentence in HMP New Hall before being moved to a woman's open prison called HMP Ashkam. Eleanor said following the court case she thought she would have only been in jails for a few weeks, rather than a few years. She had originally denied two counts of disclosing private sexual imagery, but changed her plea to guilty halfway through her trial. Ellie and Sophie Brown with their mother Sarah But Judge Alex Menary gave her no credit for her guilty pleas because she indulged in the 'ultimate act of brinkmanship' by forcing her victims to give evidence. He said: 'You maximised their humiliation by forcing them to come to court to give evidence in front of a room full of strangers and the public gallery.' Judge Menary said: 'One of the most egregious and vindictive aspects of this case is that you took the time to draft a lengthy and vitriolic message to their daughter. You sought to drag her into your unhappy existence which was shameful.' Her actions led the couple to disclose the woman's affair for the first time. He jailed her for three years, saying she'd shown a 'staggering' lack of remorse and and exhibited 'vindictive, selfish and vengeful behaviour'. He said: 'You were arrested and interviewed and were utterly unapologetic. The lack of remorse you showed was staggering. Acting in the way you have is totally devoid of any moral compass whatsoever.' The Speaker of the US House of Representatives today insisted Britain and America can overcome the Greenland row 'calmly as friends'. In an address to Parliament, Mike Johnson - a top Republican politician - said he had told Donald Trump he was in London on a 'mission' to 'help calm the waters'. It comes after the US President plunged the so-called 'special relationship' into a fresh crisis by threatening to slap punitive new tariffs on UK firms and households. Mr Trump has warned of a bitter trade war with Britain and other European nations unless a deal is reached for him to purchase Greenland from Denmark. He said he would charge the UK a 10 per cent tariff 'on any and all goods' sent to the US from February 1, increasing to 25 per cent from June 1. The US President said the same would apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland all of whom are NATO members. In his speech to MPs and peers in Westminster on Tuesday morning, Mr Johnson - an ally of Mr Trump - attempted to cool transatlantic tensions. But he also insisted that the world needed a 'strong America', in the wake of Mr Trump's demands for the US to acquire Greenland for its own national security. Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives insisted Britain and America can overcome the Greenland row 'calmly as friends' In an address to Parliament, Mr Johnson- a top Republican politician - said he had told Donald Trump he was in London on a 'mission' to 'help calm the waters' Mr Trump has warned of a bitter trade war with Britain and other European nations unless a deal is reached for him to purchase Greenland from Denmark. Mr Johnson addressed Parliament a day after Sir Keir Starmer held an emergency press conference in Downing Street to respond to Mr Trump's tariff threats. The US Speaker said he agreed with the Prime Minister's approach of trying to find a resolution through dialogue, after Sir Keir signalled Britain would not impose retaliatory tariffs on America. 'When I met with Prime Minister Starmer at Downing Street yesterday, I told him that I thought his national address a few hours earlier was well done,' Mr Johnson said. 'We've always been able to work through our differences calmly as friends. We will continue to do that. I want to assure you this morning that that is still the case. 'I spoke to President Trump at length yesterday, and I told him that I really felt that my mission here that even though we planned this back in the fall we didn't know how the events would develop over the last few days. 'But I told the President that I felt that my mission here today was to encourage our friends and help calm the waters.' Mr Johnson went on to insist that a 'strong America is good for the entire world' as he outlined Mr Trump's efforts to 'usher in a new golden age for our country'. 'President Trump is taking seriously the modern and dynamic threats that China and Russia pose for our global security,' he added. 'We ignore these threats at our peril.' Mr Johnson praised Britain's role in the recent seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the north Atlantic. 'I want to haste to express our gratitude for you today and to all of you for joining us in some of our most recent actions to deter these hostile regimes,' he said. 'Including the recent seizure of a black market vessel seeking to circumvent world sanctions. That was a big help to us. 'That kind of open dialogue and partnership is a great example of how we work together to ensure our collective defence around the world. 'It is an objective and obvious truth that a strong America is good for the entire world, and a strong UK is as well. 'At the same time, it's also obvious that we have to take care of our own houses, so to speak, before we take care of the neighbourhood.' Britain could be ruled by a leftwing coalition featuring the anti-nuclear weapons Green leader if the Right doesnt get its act together, a new poll suggests. YouGov had the top five parties separated by just 10 points after Reform (24 per cent) failed to get a boost from the defection of three high-profile Tories. But crucially a coalition cobbled together by Labour (19 per cent), the Liberal Democrats 14 per cent and and the Green Party (17 per cent) would have the backing of half of the electorate. It could mean Zack Polanski, who yesterday demanded Britain scrap its Trident nuclear deterrent because of Donald Trump's behaviour towards Greenland, could hold the balance of power. Mr Polanski, a self-proclaimed eco-populist, also said the UK should consider kicking out the more than 10,000 US military personnel in Britain and close military bases leased to America. While vote share does not equate directly to a share of seats, the Conservatives and Reform were urged to end their battle with each other and turn their attention to trying to wrestle back control of the nation. Former cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, who last week urged Reform and the Conservatives to join forces electorally, told the Mail: 'There is almost no policy difference between Reform and the Tories, who united would command a winning share of the vote. 'Divided we risk letting a ragtag of the loony left determine the nations future. It is essential that we come together.' Your browser does not support iframes. Nigel Farage's party remains on 24 per cent, having dropped two points last week, having unveiled former Tory MPs Robert Jenrick (pictured last night with Mr Farage), Nadhim Zahawi and Andrew Rosindell A separate poll today by More in Common showed Kemi Badenoch's approval rating has risen above Mr Farage's for the first time in more than a year since she fired Mr Jenrick. And former Tory MP Nick Fletcher added: 'This level of fragmentation is being driven by an unpopular Labour government and constant political manoeuvring on the right. 'When MPs change parties mid-term, it reinforces the feeling that voters are being taken for granted and that their vote doesnt really matter. 'That kind of cynicism is dangerous and its why so many people are switching off from politics altogether or drifting towards parties they would never normally consider. Either way, the UK loses.' In a sign that voters could be beginning to tire of Reform, the party failed to rebound despite high-profile defections designed to boost its credibility. Mr Farage's party remains on 24 per cent, having dropped two points last week, having unveiled former Tory frontbenchers Robert Jenrick, Nadhim Zahawi and Andrew Rosindell. Labour has returned to second place as Kemi Badenoch's Conservatives drop two points (18 per cent). And below them, the Greens, led by 'eco-populist' Zack Polanski, have leapfrogged the Lib Dems into fourth, just a point behind the Tories. A separate poll today by More in Common showed Kemi Badenoch's approval rating has risen above Mr Farage's for the first time in more than a year since she fired Mr Jenrick. Mr Farage last night claimed Robert Jenrick was the 'only significant conservative political figure in Britain' and his defection was the 'coming together' of the centre-right. Met with cheers while large sparklers illuminated the stage, Mr Farage told a Reform rally in Newark: 'Some of the newspapers said 'isn't it terrible Jenrick's gone to Reform, there's a split on the centre line of British politics'. The Greens, led by 'eco-populist' Zack Polanski, have leapfrogged the Lib Dems into fourth, just a point behind the Tories 'Actually, what happened last Thursday was the only significant conservative political figure in Britain, who's got energy, enthusiasm, who works hard, who believes in what he says and what he's doing that last person joined Reform on Thursday. 'And on Thursday what you see was the centre-right of British politics now coming together as one under the banner of Reform.' At the same Time, Mrs Badenoch was telling her party: 'We are THE party of the right and must remain so.' After two shadow ministers defected to Reform Mrs Badenoch sent a punchy letter to MPs warning them not to repeat the mistakes made when the Conservative were last in power. The period up to the 2024 election was marked by factional infighting and Ms Badenoch, in the letter seen by the Mail, said sort of behaviour 'will not be tolerated'. She invited those unhappy at her leadership to follow Mr Jenrick and Mr Rosindell out the door. It comes amid reports that Lib Dem MPs are becoming restless as leader Sir Ed Davey struggles to move the dial after winning 72 seats at the election. The Guardian on Sunday reported that party MPs were restless due to the safety-first approach of his leadership. 'Morale is low,' one told the paper. 'No one is saying get rid of Ed. But what they are saying is that those around him need to move with significant pace towards the development of a national story for the party to tell. We need to be a bit more serious about being the third party.' This morning Lib Dem frontbencher Tim Farron came to his aid, telling Sky News: 'This is the most united Liberal Democrat parliamentary party I have belonged to, and it is by far the biggest. He pointed to polls showing Sir Ed is the most popular party leader, adding: 'In my experience you find that sometimes people feel they are not getting enough limelight.' Serial killer Lucy Letby will not be charged with any more crimes, prosecutors announced today. Detectives have not provided enough evidence to show the former neo-natal nurse murdered or harmed any more babies, the Crown Prosecution Service said. It means the 36-year-old will not face any new allegations and will escape another trial. The news will come as a blow to the families of infants involved in the Cheshire police investigation, who believe their children were harmed by Letby while under her care. But it will also be welcomed by Letby's new defence team and campaigners, who are convinced she has been the victim of a miscarriage of justice and should be freed. Letby is currently serving 15 whole life terms for the murder of seven babies and attempted murder of seven more - one of whom she attacked twice - at the Countess of Chester Hospital, between June 2015 and June 2016. She injected air into their bloodstreams, or into their tummies via their nasal feeding tubes, overfed them milk, poisoned them with insulin and tampered with their breathing tubes in a bid to kill. Following her convictions, over two separate trials at Manchester Crown Court, in 2023 and 2024, detectives pledged to continue investigating the 'footprint' of her four-year nursing career. Lucy Letby, 36, will not face further prosecution, the CPS announced today Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more over two trials but has always maintained her innocence They have examined the medical records of around 4,000 babies Letby nursed at the Countess and Liverpool Women's Hospital, where she trained, and, in July, passed a file of evidence to prosecutors claiming she murdered and harmed more patients. Prosecutors today said they had considered 11 new charges relating to nine babies - two of whom died. The charges included eight offences of attempted murder and one offence of murder at the Countess of Chester Hospital, plus one offence of attempted murder and another of murder, relating to a single infant, at Liverpool Womens Hospital. However, they added that, 'following a thorough review,' the evidence was not strong enough for a 'realistic prospect' of conviction by a jury. Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS's Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: 'We received a file of evidence from Cheshire Constabulary in July 2025 asking us to consider further allegations against Lucy Letby, 36, relating to deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women's Hospital. 'Following a thorough review of that evidence, we have decided that no criminal charges should be brought in respect of those further allegations. 'The Crown Prosecution Service considered offences of murder and attempted murder in respect of two infants who died and attempted murder in respect of seven infants who survived. 'We concluded that the evidential test was not met in any of those cases. 'As always, this decision was made independently, based on the evidence and in line with our legal test. 'The CPS has written to the families involved and will offer meetings to explain our decision-making in further detail. Our thoughts remain with them.' In a strongly-worded statement, a spokesman for Cheshire Police said they disagreed with the CPS's decision, which was 'not the outcome we had anticipated.' 'We were confident that we held enough evidence to take to the CPS,' the spokesman said. 'We submitted files for charging decisions in relation to nine babies for consideration of nine offences of attempted murder and two of murder. 'We believed the evidence submitted met the CPS charging standard. The CPS did not agree and despite our representations we must respect the decision that has been made.' The spokesman added that, while 'there will be some who will feel that this is news worth celebrating,' Cheshire Constabulary did not 'share this view.' He added: '(We) would ask that people respect the privacy and feelings of the families involved. 'We are deeply grateful to the experts and witnesses who have contributed to this investigation. Their input has been invaluable in answering many difficult questions on behalf of the families. Our thoughts remain with the families affected.' Dr Dewi Evans, the former lead prosecution witness at Letby's original trial, previously told the Mail he had concerns over the deaths of at least three children and the collapses of as many as 15 more, including another baby boy potentially poisoned with insulin and others whose breathing tubes were tampered with. It is understood that the bulk of the new allegations related to displacement of breathing tubes, but Dr Evans said: 'Babies can pull out breathing tubes on their own, so this would be very difficult to prove.' A source told the Mail that the 'noise' surrounding the safety of Letby's original convictions 'no doubt' played into the CPS's decision, which is likely to have been taken at the highest level. They said: 'The view now is that Letby is untriable because any new prosecution would just be a complete circus. 'The Crown would have to apply to put her convictions before any new jury and no doubt Letby, via her defence team, would object and seek to call evidence to show why they should not do so. The Women and Children's building, which houses the neo-natal unit, where Letby committed her crimes 'It would turn the trial into a circus before it had even begun, that would play right into her hands. 'While its sad and frustrating for the new families who want justice for their children, Letby is in prison for the rest of her life, it would be a huge risk for the CPS to put her before a jury again.' It is understood that several families are planning to appeal the CPS' decision. All victims of crime have an automatic 'right to review,' which involves a second senior CPS lawyer evaluating the evidence when victims object to the decision not to pursue a prosecution. Today's announcement also does not preclude parents from taking civil action against the NHS if they believe their children have been harmed, as the threshold for seeking damages in the civil courts is lower than in criminal cases. One mother whose son's care was investigated by detectives said she was 'absolutely devastated' that they would not be getting justice. 'We suspect Letby did something to him but the police said the evidence doesn't meet the threshold for prosecution,' she said. 'It's heartbreaking, we are absolutely devastated he won't get justice.' Lucy Letby being interviewed by detectives. She has always denied harming any children in her care Canadian neonatologist Dr Shoo Lee, who, in February 2025, presented reports from a panel of 14 international experts, claiming no murders took place and instead babies collapsed or died because of natural causes or poor care Letby, formerly of Hereford, has always maintained her innocence but two applications for leave to appeal her convictions have already been refused by the Court of Appeal. In February last year her new legal team presented reports from a panel of 14 international experts which, they say, casts doubt on the jury's guilty verdicts. Led by Canadian neonatologist, Dr Shoo Lee, the panel said no murders took place at the Countess and instead babies collapsed or died because of natural causes or poor care. In April, their findings, plus that of another 12 experts, were submitted to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice. It subsequently confirmed it is examining whether her case should be sent to the Court of Appeal for a third time. Following today's announcement, her barrister, Mark McDonald, said: 'Lucy Letby has always maintained her innocence - she has never hurt a child and never would. It is vital that the case is now referred back to the Court of Appeal as a matter of urgency. 'Thirty-one reports have been submitted to the CCRC, compiled by 26 internationally renowned experts, which provide overwhelming evidence that no babies were murdered. The reality is that a young innocent woman is in prison for crimes she has not committed.' Cheshire Police insisted that today's announcement 'does not undermine' the validity of Letby's original convictions or have any impact on Operation Duet their ongoing investigation into corporate manslaughter at the Countess of Chester Hospital. In June, three former bosses were arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter as part of that inquiry. The unnamed managers were quizzed at separate police stations in Cheshire for several hours, before being bailed pending further enquiries. According to an independent report, leaked to the Mail's Trial+ podcast, in March, babies' lives could have been saved if hospital bosses had acted sooner to remove Letby from working. The report, commissioned by the Countess after Letby was first arrested, in July 2018, found managers were 'inexperienced' and missed 14 opportunities to suspend the nurse because they became 'blinkered' to the possibility she was responsible. Although the report did not specifically reveal which babies might have lived, it makes clear that, by February 2016, at least two senior executives at the hospital knew about the link between Letby and the infant deaths. She tried to kill four children and murdered two triplet brothers, before being removed from frontline nursing in July that year. 'Earlier action potentially would have reduced the number of baby deaths,' the report said. 'Had different decisions been made the spike in baby deaths would have been picked up sooner internally and externally, and potentially, lives could have been saved.' The Mail understands that prosecutors have not yet been asked to offer any charging advice in connection with Operation Duet. The parents of Letby's victims also remain 'utterly convinced' of her guilt. In their closing statements to The Thirlwall Inquiry, the public inquiry investigating how she was able to kill for so long in an NHS hospital, the families said: '(We) know the truth about what really happened. 'Letby murdered and attempted to murder babies. The (press) conference and messages that Letby's team are broadcasting, far from bringing comfort and assurance, cause distress. The message is conveyed in a way that shows no respect towards how families might be affected by it.' Their lawyers also debunked much of the evidence presented by the medical panel, saying it was flawed, nothing new and simply a re-hash of evidence already ventilated before the jury. Richard Baker KC said by assessing the medical evidence alone the panel risked ignoring the 'bigger picture' of circumstantial evidence, such as the hoard of confidential handover sheets found at Letby's home, her 'confession' notes, the searches she performed on Facebook for the babies' parents, the doctoring of medical notes and gas lighting of colleagues that led to the guilty verdicts. Police have renewed an investigation into the death of a man whose remains were discovered by shocked motorsport spectators in a woodland used as a dumping ground by a notorious serial killer. Two brothers who had travelled to Clocaenog Forest in north Wales for the excitement of the Wales GB Rally got more than they bargained for when they found part of a human skull in the woods as they made camp. Mark and Andrew Middle's discovery on November 14 2015 sparked a huge forensic police dig, which unearthed the near-complete skeletal remains of the 'Clocaenog Forest Man'. Forensic investigation determined he had suffered a violent death, possibly more than 10 years before he was found - and a 20,000 reward is on offer to anyone with information that leads to his killer or killers. Grimly, he was found close to where serial killer Peter Moore - dubbed 'the man in black' for his all-black outfit in court - left one of his victims more than 30 years ago amidst a spree of sexually motivated murders targeting men. Moore, a well-known cinema owner in north Wales, killed four men in late 1995. These included Edward Carthy, a 28-year-old he met at gay nightclub Paco in Liverpool, whom he stabbed to death before dumping his body. He is serving a whole life tariff. More than a decade on, the Clocaenog Forest Man's true identity remains a mystery. But North Wales Police is refusing to give up. Police on site conducting a forensic dig in Clocaenog Forest after the body of an unidentified man was discovered in 2015 North Wales Police has reissued images of how the man may have looked in his 50s (left) and 70s (right) due to uncertainty over his age when he died It has issued a renewed appeal for information, urging anyone who may have any information to come forward. The death has been treated as murder since the start: a post-mortem examination revealed the man had blunt force injuries to his skull. Police have reissued computer-generated mock-ups of how he may have looked in his 50s, 60s and 70s, spanning how old he may have been at the time of his death sometime between 2004 and 2011. Detectives are confident the man was born before 1950 and was likely of Caucasian descent, standing at between 5ft 8ins and 5ft 10.5ins tall. He was also 'well-built', likely suffered long-term back problems thanks to fused vertebrae, and was missing several teeth prior to his death. Scientists were able to extract a full DNA profile from his bones, but no matches have ever been found on police or missing persons databases. But detectives hope advancements in forensics tech will finally bring them answers, saying even the 'smallest piece of information' may help to bring his killer to justice. Mark Pierce, who leads North Wales Police's major crime review team, said that anyone who knows someone who went missing in the mid-2000s and matches the description should get in touch. 'This man was someone's family member or friend, and we believe there will be people out there who recognise him,' he said. 'We hope that the more comprehensive resources now available will finally allow us to establish this man's identity. This is the first step in finding out who is responsible for the injuries inflicted. 'Advances in DNA analysis give us the opportunity to cross-reference samples taken from the victim against a more comprehensive database, potentially yielding a familial link. 'We are urging anyone who might recognise the man in these images, or who has any information that could assist the investigation, to come forward.' The site was close where the 'man in black' Peter Moore (pictured) dumped one of his victims in late 1995 Peter Moore (pictured in his mugshot) is serving a whole life tariff. He maintains his innocence Anyone with information is urged to contact North Wales Police via 101 or its website, quoting Operation Tractile. The charity Crimestoppers has also offered a 20,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible for the Clocaenog Forest Man's death. 'Someone knows who was responsible for this mans death. His family and friends, wherever they are, deserve answers and justice,' said Hayley Fry, national manager for Wales at Crimestoppers. 'You can tell us what you know whilst staying completely anonymous. We dont want your name, just what you know. Every piece of information could make a difference.' Sir Keir Starmer risked provoking Donald Trump again today as he gave the green light for China's new 'mega-embassy' in London despite security fears. The Government has signed off the plans for the site in the face of furious opposition from many MPs and warnings it will 'amplify' spying. Critics accused the Prime Minister - who could now confirm he will visit China soon - of lacking the 'backbone' to stand up to Beijing and of 'kowtowing' to the Asian superpower. Documents released alongside the decision showed MI5 warned that it is 'not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk'. The decision was announced shortly after Mr Trump had condemned Sir Keir for 'giving away' the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in an 'act of great stupidity'. And a few hours later Chancellor Rachel Reeves used an appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos to say it was in the UK's national interest to do more business with China. Sitting alongside US secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick she said: 'The trade intensity between the UK and China is lower than between the US and China, lower than Germany and China, lower than France and China. 'We want to help British businesses as well to be able to export to those fast-growing markets.' China is reportedly planning to build a secret underground room that could be used to spy on the UK at the site of its controversial 'super embassy' in London. Pictured: Concept plans for the embassy which will be located on the former Royal Mint site Your browser does not support iframes. The Government has signed off the plans for a new Chinese embassy this morning, despite furious opposition from many MPs. Pictured protesters including Tibetans, Uyghurs and Hongkongers last week The announcement could pave the way for Sir Keir Starmer to confirm he will visit Beijing in the coming months Critics accused the Prime Minister of lacking the 'backbone' to stand up to Beijing The Government has signed off the plans for the London site, in the face of furious opposition from many MPs The US President last night said handing the British Indian Ocean Territory, which includes the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, was a sign of 'total weakness'. Critics of the sovereignty handover have fumed at Sir Keir for giving away the territory to Mauritius, a country that is viewed as an ally of China. But ministers have insisted the deal is necessary because international court rulings in favour of Mauritian claims to the islands had threatened the future of the base. The Government has agreed to hand over the islands but will pay billions of pounds to lease back the strategically-important Diego Garcia. In an extraordinary attack on his Truth Social site, Mr Trump said: 'Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. 'There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness.' The US President highlighted the decision as a reason for his continued pursuit of Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark. 'The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired,' he added. The Speaker of the US House of Representatives recently raised concerns about the plans for a Chinese 'mega-embassy' in London. Mike Johnson, a Republican ally of Mr Trump, said the security threats raised 'seem real'. 'We have to let our friends here make their decision. But if it were me, I would be very cautious about that,' he added in an interview with The Times this weekend. Publishing a 240-page assessment on Tuesday following years of delays and wrangling over the 'mega-embassy', Communities Secretary Steve Reed concluded that the project can go ahead. 'The Inspector recommended that the applications be approved and planning permission and listed building consent be granted, subject to conditions,' he said in a letter. 'For the reasons given below, the Secretary of State agrees with the Inspector's conclusions, except where stated, and agrees with her recommendations. 'He has decided to grant planning permission and listed building consent, subject to conditions.' Mr Reed added in a statement to MPs: 'All material considerations were taken into account when making this decision. 'The decision is now final unless it is successfully challenged in court.' The proposals are said to include 208 secret rooms and a hidden chamber. Critics argue that there is a risk from the close proximity to data cables, crucial for the City of London's operation. But no concerns were raised by the Home Office or the Foreign Office about the data cables. And government officials insist that 'consolidating' China's existing seven diplomatic sites into one will bring 'clear security advantages'. Downing Street on Tuesday said risks around secret rooms in the planned new embassy were 'being appropriately managed'. The PM's official spokesman said: 'National security is number one priority. 'The Home Office and Foreign Office both provided views during the planning process on potential security issues around the build and confirmed in writing when these were resolved. 'China is committed, as we've said, to replace seven different sites that make up its current diplomatic footprint in London with the new embassy, which will clearly bring security advantages. 'And regarding so-called secret rooms, classified facilities are a standard part of any significant diplomatic presence, including British embassies. 'And the Government has seen the plans and we're content that any risks are being appropriately managed.' Ministers have seen the unredacted plans for the embassy, the spokesman said. It is understood they are aware what the rooms will be used for and there are safeguards in place to ensure it is not torture. Downing Street also suggested opponents of the new Chinese embassy are 'either naive or recklessly isolationist'. The PM's spokesman added: 'It's of course a normal part of international diplomatic relations for countries to agree to establish embassies in each other's capitals. 'They are the first line of communication between countries. They offer vital help to their nationals when they need it, and above all, they help us to advance our economic, cultural and defence goals abroad to deliver for, and protect, our citizens at home. 'Those who don't accept this basic premise are either naive or recklessly isolationist.' In a joint letter to ministers, MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum and GCHQ's director Anne Keast-Butler wrote: 'MI5 has over 100 years of experience managing national security risks associated with foreign diplomatic premises in London. 'For the Royal Mint Court site, as with any foreign embassy on UK soil, it is not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk. (And even if this were a practicable goal, it would be irrational to drive 'embassy-generated risk' down to zero when numerous other threat vectors are so central to the national security risks we face in the present era.) 'However, the collective work across UK intelligence agencies and HMG departments to formulate a package of national security mitigations for the site has been, in our view, expert, professional and proportionate.' The long-awaited announcement will trigger another major legal battle as opponents try to block the embassy project in the courts. Senior Tory MP Sir James Cleverly, the shadow communities secretary, said: 'This is a disgraceful act of cowardice from a Labour Government and Prime Minister utterly devoid of backbone. 'The first duty of any Government is to keep the country safe. But Keir Starmer has relegated that most critical priority beneath his desperate desire for Beijing's approval. 'Labour's latest sell-out confirms they cannot be trusted to stand up for Britain on the international stage.' Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said: 'Keir Starmer has sold off our national security to the Chinese Communist Party with his shameful super embassy surrender. 'Throughout his dismal premiership to date, the PM has kowtowed to Beijing at every opportunity, including over Chagos. And now, once again, he is giving Xi Jinping what he wants - a colossal spy hub in the heart of our capital.' Shadow home secretary Chris Philp added: 'Labour don't have the backbone to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party. Labour are set to wave through a mega spy hub, packed with unaccounted-for secret rooms, right next to critical national infrastructure. 'The Chinese state is a hostile intelligence power. Approving this site sends the signal that Labour are willing to trade our national security for diplomatic convenience. The Labour Government should grow a backbone and reverse this decision for the sake of our national interest.' The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China said the planning approval was the 'wrong decision for the UK'. Luke de Pulford, a co-founder of the group, said: 'This is the wrong decision for the UK, sending all the wrong signals. Wrong for dissidents, wrong for UK national security. 'Our three Cs China policy is less compete, challenge and cooperate, more cover-up, cave in, and cash out.' MPs - including from within Labour ranks - have warned that the embassy could be used to 'step up intimidation' against dissidents. They had urged Mr Reed - who oversees the planning system - to block the application. Kerry Moscogiuri, Amnesty International UK's chief executive, said: 'Approving China's so-called 'super embassy' risks super-charging the transnational repression we already know is happening in the UK, turning an existing threat into what many will perceive as a centralised command centre for intimidation. 'Chinese and Hong Kong activists, students and refugees are already facing harassment and attempts to silence them, including through bounties placed on the heads of Hong Kong activists living here in exile. 'This decision also risks signalling tolerance for the bullying tactics used by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities against critics overseas.' But Ciaran Martin, former chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre, last week dismissed concerns about the proposed embassy's location. In an article for The Times, he said the plans would have been thoroughly scrutinised by the UK's security services, and that 'no Government would override their advice were they to say the risks were too great'. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. The Mail on Sunday revealed that planning documents for the embassy included 'spy dungeons' (highlighted in red above) - two suites of basement rooms and a tunnel, with their purpose redacted for security reasons Ministers dismissed concerns about the embassy posing a threat to crucial data cables nearby Critics had urged Communities Secretary Steve Reed - who oversees the planning system - to block the application A Government spokesman said: 'This planning decision has been taken independently by the Secretary of State for Housing. 'This follows a process that began in 2018 when the then Foreign Secretary provided formal diplomatic consent for the site. 'More broadly, countries establishing embassies in other countries' capitals is a normal part of international relations. 'National security is our first duty. Intelligence agencies have been involved throughout the process and an extensive range of measures have been developed to manage any risks. 'Following extensive negotiations in recent months, the Chinese Government has agreed to consolidate its seven current sites in London into one site, bringing clear security advantages.' Downing Street insisted the US still supported the deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius despite Mr Trump calling it an 'act of great stupidity'. The PM's official spokesman said: 'Our position hasn't changed on Diego Garcia or the treaty that has been signed. 'The US supports the deal and the President explicitly recognised its strength last year. 'All our Five Eyes allies support it too and they all understand the national security capabilities the base provides.' Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty earlier said the Government will have conversations with the Trump administration in the coming days to 'remind them of the strength' of the Chagos deal. 'The agreement we have struck is vital for protecting our national security and that of our allies in guaranteeing the long-term future of a base that is crucially important for the UK and the US,' he said. 'Our deal secures the operations of the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia for generations. It's got that backing across Five Eyes, as well as other international partners. 'In May, the US secretary of state said: 'The Trump administration determined that this agreement secures the long-term, stable and effective operation of the joint US, UK military facility on Diego Garcia.' 'We will, of course, have discussions with the administration in the coming days to remind them of the strength of this deal and how it secures the base.' Christian private schools have accused Labour of 'religious discrimination' over VAT on fees in a new Court of Appeal bid. A group of Christian schools and families are continuing their legal fight against ministers over the tax, which came into force in January last year. They say the policy interferes with their right to education because equivalent religious provision is not available in the state sector. In many cases, parents wanting a Christian education have no choice but to opt for a private school, they say. In addition, the VAT is 'discriminatory' because it targets private Christian schools but exempts state-funded academies, they are arguing. A group of Orthodox Jewish families who use private Charedi schools are also challenging the tax, on similar grounds. It comes after the claimants, along with a number of other non-religious schools, lost a judicial review claim last year in the High Court. Christian private schools have accused Labour of 'religious discrimination' over VAT on fees in a new Court of Appeal bid (pictured: protesters outside the Royal Courts of Justice this morning) A group of Christian schools and families are continuing their legal fight against ministers over the tax, which came into force in January last year They say the policy interferes with their right to education because equivalent religious provision is not available in the state sector (pictured: Christian claimants Stephen White and son Josiah, who chose not to be anonymous, outside the High Court case last year) In the new case, the claimants are seeking an exemption to the VAT for religious schools. Caroline Santer, headteacher at The Kings School, a small Christian school in Fair Oak, Hampshire, said: Christian schools like ours exist to serve families who want an education rooted in faith and values, often at great personal sacrifice. The VAT policy is already forcing parents into heart-breaking decisions and putting schools on the brink of closure. If this continues, it will dismantle decades of work in building Christian education that meets the needs of children academically and spiritually. We are standing together because the right to choose an education aligned with your convictions must be protected. In court today, the claimants argued the VAT is in breach of the right to education in the European Convention on Human Rights. This says that parents should be able to ensure schooling does not interfere with their religious convictions. However, in many cases, parents cannot have their needs met by their local state schools because they do not provide the same level of religious education that the families say they require. Forcing parents into the state sector, or causing religious schools to close, therefore would be interfering with those families rights under Convention, the claimants argued. Other Christian schools involved in the appeal include Emmanuel School in Derby, The Branch Christian School in Yorkshire and Wyclif Independent Christian School in South Wales. They said their schools are disproportionately affected by the policy because they tend to be smaller, catering for less wealthy people who cannot afford a price hike. Andrea Williams of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting the claimants, said: This is another example of ideological overreach by this Labour government. [It] is deliberately narrowing parental choice and forcing families into decisions they would not otherwise make. This case is about more than tax. It is about the fundamental freedom of parents to educate their children in accordance with their faith and deeply held beliefs. Acting for the Christian schools, barrister Bruno Quintavalle said: The appellant-parents are evangelical Christians and they seek an education for their children which is not available and cannot be available in the state sector. The educational choice which they seek for their children is required by them on account of their religious beliefs. He told the court that Labour was guilty of 'political spin' in characterising the VAT exemption for private schools as a tax break. Prior to this measure, schools have never been subject to VAT, he said. He said tax should be applied in a non-discriminatory manner and pointed out that it does not apply to state schools. Private schools are victims of discrimination as a result of this VAT measure, he added. Its simply an education tax. Both the Christian and Jewish claimants highlighted how their schools often charge low fees to accommodate modest-income families. The High Court previously acknowledged that the VAT policy would disproportionately affect families in the lower half of the income distribution and could immediately displace around 3,000 pupils. Permission for the appeal was granted in October last year. The two-day case is being heard by Sir Geoffrey Vos, Lord Justice Singh and Lady Justice Falk. The VAT policy was in Labours manifesto and is expected to yield up to 1.7 billion a year. In written submissions today, Sir James Eadie KC, representing the Government, said the policy is explicitly and intentionally redistributive and involved 'a decision about political and economic fairness. He added that Parliament was entirely cognisant that some children would have to move schools due to affordability concerns. And he added: The particular position of families with educational preferences arising from their religious beliefs was specifically debated. Parliament judged that the benefits of the measure, particularly in light of the suitability of non-denominational State schools for all children (irrespective of their religious beliefs), justified the enactment. In the previous ruling, Dame Victoria Sharp, Lord Justice Newey and Mr Justice Chamberlain said the exemption would mean the Government would lose out on a very substantial slice of the revenue it hopes to raise, which could be used for SEN provision in state schools. Rejecting the claimants' case, they added: The aim was redistributive and unapologetically so.' First private school full closure announcement of 2026 Palmers Green High School in North London, an all-girls private school, has announced its closure due to falling numbers. It is the first private school to announce a full closure in 2026, and it comes just over a year since Labours VAT on fees was first imposed. It is not involved in the current legal case against the Government. The school said in a statement it will close at the end of this academic year, with deep sadness. The decline in numbers had occurred over many years, and the school does not have the financial capacity to continue, it said. The charitable 4 to 16 school, founded in 1905 by the quaker Alice Hum, has just 208 pupils, with capacity for 287 according to official figures. In December, it was named as Independent 1116 School of the Year for Academic Excellence in the Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has blasted US President Donald Trump for threatening to hit EU allies with tariffs over Greenland. Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, von der Leyen said the new tariffs would risk 'plunging us into a downward spiral' and play into the hands of foreign adversaries, such as China and Russia. She vowed to 'build a new form of European independence' out the geopolitical row - which will come to a head once Trump arrives in Davos to meet his European counterparts. She was responding to Trump's announcement that starting February, a 10 per cent import tax will be imposed goods from eight European nations that have rallied around Denmark in the wake of his stepped up calls for the United States to take over the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland. 'Arctic security can only be achieved together, and this is why the proposed additional tariffs are a mistake, especially between long-standing allies,' von der Leyen said. 'Plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape, so our response will be unflinching, united and proportional.' It comes after Trump trolled European leaders by posting an AI image of them looking at a map showing Greenland and Canada as US territory in the Oval Office. The photo, posted on the President's Truth Social platform, shows leaders including von der Leyen, Britain's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, France's President Emmanuel Macron and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni gathered around Trump's desk. The altered image appears to be an edited version of a photograph taken during August 2025, when European leaders visited Washington for the US President's phone call with Vladimir Putin. In the original version of the image, the leaders are gathered near a whiteboard, showing a map depicting the front line of the Ukraine conflict. In the altered one, the presentation board has been edited so that a US flag covers North America, Canada and Greenland. Von der Leyen's speech arrived as European allies weigh up whether to deploy their so-called trade 'bazooka' for the first time in retaliation to Trump's threats - an economic tool that would hit the US with 81 billion in tariffs. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission speaks at the Congress Hall during the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 20 US President Donald Trump trolled European leaders with an AI image of them looking at a map showing Greenland and Canada as US territory Another image posted on Trump's Truth Social is an illustration depicting the US President planting the American flag in Greenland, flanked by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance Trump has in recent days ramped up pressure on his European allies to accept his plans to seize Greenland, contributing towards an increasingly acrimonious trans-Atlantic row. He wrote on Truth Social on Sunday: 'NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that "you have to get Russian threat away from Greenland". Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!' Addressing business leaders at the Congress Hall during the 56th WEF event, von der Leyen called into question Trump's trustworthiness, saying that he had agreed last year not to impose more tariffs on members of the bloc. 'The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July, and in politics as in business a deal is a deal. 'And when friends shake hands, it must mean something. 'We consider the people of the United States not just our allies, but our friends.' She reiterated that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland is non-negotiable and that work is underway to boost security in the high north. 'We are working on a package to support Arctic security,' she said, adding that the EU is also working on a 'massive European investment surge in Greenland' to support the local economy and infrastructure. The Commission president said the EU will work with the US and other partners on wider Arctic security, adding that the planned surge in defense spending could be used on a 'European icebreaker capability and other equipment vital to the Arctic security'. Denmark's leader said Tuesday that Europe would have no choice but to respond if a trade war started. 'As Europe, if anyone starts a trade war against us - which I really cannot recommend - we must of course respond. We are compelled to do so,' Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Denmark's parliament during a question-and-answer session. 'We have never sought any conflicts,' Frederiksen added. Trump has insisted the US needs the territory for security reasons against possible threats from China and Russia. Earlier Tuesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said America's relations with Europe remain strong and urged trading partners to 'take a deep breath' and let tensions driven the new tariff threats over Greenland 'play out'. 'I think our relations have never been closer,' he said. US President Donald Trump waves as he arrives at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, January 20 Protesters hold a banner reading 'Trump not welcome' during a rally against the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the visit of US President Donald Trump to Switzerland, in Zurich, Switzerland, January 19 A protester holds a placard reading 'Trump for prison' during a rally against the World Economic Forum (WEF) The American leader's threats have sparked outrage and a flurry of diplomatic activity across Europe, as leaders consider possible countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs and the first-ever use of the European Union's anti-coercion instrument. The EU has three major economic tools it could use to pressure Washington: new tariffs, suspension of the US-EU trade deal, and the 'trade bazooka' - the unofficial term for the bloc's Anti-Coercion Instrument, which could sanction individuals or institutions found to be putting undue pressure on the EU. Earlier Tuesday, Trump posted on social media that he had spoken with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. He said he agreed to meet with 'various parties' in Davos concerning his plan to control the semi-autonomous territory. Trump also posted a text exchange he shared with Rutte, during which the official wrote: 'I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark.' He posted a text message from Macron in which the French president suggested a meeting of members of the Group of Seven industrialised democracies in Paris after the Davos gathering. Later, however, the US President published some provocatively doctored images. One showed him planting the US flag next to a sign reading 'Greenland, U.S. Territory, Est. 2026.' The other was the one of Trump in the Oval Office next to a map that showed Greenland and Canada covered with the US Stars and Stripes. In a sign of how tensions have increased in recent days, thousands of Greenlanders marched over the weekend in protest of any effort to take over their island. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a Facebook post Monday that the tariff threats would not change their stance. 'We will not be pressured,' he wrote. Speaking at a press conference in Nuuk, the main city in the Danish autonomous territory, he said that while the use of military force against the Arctic island was 'not likely', it needed to be prepared in light of Trump's threats. 'It's unlikely that military force will be used, but it cannot be ruled out either. The other party has said so clearly,' Nielsen said. 'That's why we must be ready for all possibilities, but let's emphasise this: Greenland is part of NATO and, if there were to be an escalation, it would also have consequences for the rest of the world.' A crowd walks to the US consulate to protest against Trump's policy towards Greenland in Nuuk, Greenland, January 17 Trump also posted a text exchange he shared with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte 'I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark,' the official wrote to the US President In his latest threat of tariffs, Trump indicated that the import taxes would be retaliation for last week's deployment of symbolic numbers of troops from the European countries to Greenland - though he also suggested that he was using the tariffs as leverage to negotiate with Denmark. Denmark's minister for European affairs called Trump's tariff threats 'deeply unfair'. He said that Europe needs to become even stronger and more independent, while stressing there is 'no interest in escalating a trade war'. 'You just have to note that we are on the edge of a new world order, where having power has unfortunately become crucial, and we see a United States with an enormous condescending rhetoric towards Europe,' Marie Bjerre told Danish public broadcaster DK on Tuesday. Speaking on the sidelines of Davos, California Gov. Gavin Newsom slammed Europe's response to Trump's tariff threats as 'pathetic' and 'embarrassing,' and urged European leaders to unite and stand up to the United States. 'It is time to get serious, and stop being complicit,' Newsom told reporters. 'It's time to stand tall and firm, have a backbone.' European markets opened sharply lower on Tuesday and US futures fell further as tensions rose over Greenland. Benchmarks in Germany, France and Britain fell about 1 per cent. The future for the S&P 500 lost 1.5 per cent and the Dow future was down 1.4 per cent. With US trading closed Monday for a holiday, financial markets had a relatively muted response to Trump's threat to put a 10 per cent extra tariff on exports from eight European countries that have opposed his push to exert control over Greenland. Trump said the tariff would increase to 25 per cent in June, unless 'a deal is reached for the purchase of Greenland. Jonas Golterman of Capital Economics described the situation as a lose-lose one for both the US and the targets of Trump's anger. He said: 'It certainly fells like the kind of situation that could get worse before it gets better.' In another sign of tension between allies, the British government on Tuesday defended its decision to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after Trump attacked the plan, which his administration previously supported. Trump said that relinquishing the remote Indian Ocean archipelago, home to a strategically important American naval and bomber base, was an act of stupidity that shows why he needs to take over Greenland. He wrote: 'Shockingly, our "brilliant" NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.' The United Kingdom signed a deal in May to give Mauritius sovereignty over the islands, though the UK will lease back the island of Diego Garcia, where the US base is located, for at least 99 years. Starmer said a trade was was in 'no-one's interest' during a speech from Downing Street on Monday, adding that the use of tariffs against allies was 'not the right way to resolve differences'. But he vowed to take a 'pragmatic' approach to the row, emphasising both the economic and military importance of the UK-US relationship. He added he did not believe Trump was genuinely considering military action to seize Greenland. Shares of luxury group LVMH and Pernod Ricard dropped 1.4 per cent and 0.3 per cent, respectively, after Trump threatened to slap a 200 per cent tariff on French wines and champagnes to push Macron to join his Board of Peace initiative. Macron had said 'at this stage' he was not planning on serving on Trump board, which is intended to create the second phase of the Gaza peace plan. 'Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon,' Trump responded when asked about Macron's rejection. Trump then to escalated his threat of a trade war with Europe. 'What I'll do is, if they feel hostile, I'll put a 200 per cent tariff on his wines and champagnes and he'll join,' Trump said before boarding a flight to Washington. 'But he doesn't have to join.' Later Monday night, Trump revealed a text message he received from Macron where the French leader explained some of his differences and similarities to Trump on policy. 'My friend, we are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran,' Macron wrote. 'I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things.' In the text, Macron promised to assemble a G7 meeting following the WEF in Davos and asked Trump to have dinner with him in Paris on Thursday before he returns to the US. A text from French President Emmanuel Macron sent to Donald Trump Trump had previously threatened to hit France with a 200 per cent tariff on champagne Speaking to reporters after arriving at Palm Beach International Airport, Trump was clear about his stance on Greenland: 'We have to have it.' 'They [Denmark] can't protect it,' the US President said. He also said that NATO allies would not 'push back too much' on his claim over the territory and dismissed EU deployments there as 'not a military'. 'NATO has been warning Denmark for 20 years now...they've been warning Denmark about the Russian threat,' he said. 'It's not only Russia, it's also China.' 'We'll see what happens,' he added. 'Let's put it this way: it's going to be an interesting Davos.' The Chernobyl power plant has lost its external power supply after a series of Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the IAEA has warned. The International Atomic Energy Agency Director General, Rafael Grossi, reported this morning that several Ukrainian power substations had been affected by large-scale military activity. One of these was the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which lost all external power supply, as well as several other power lines to other nuclear plants. 'The IAEA is actively monitoring developments to assess the impact on nuclear safety,' added Director General Grossi. It comes just a day after military intelligence officers in Ukraine warned that Russian missile strikes against the country's power grid could lead to a 'second Chernobyl'. Ukrainian experts say that Vladimir Putin's ongoing bombardment of Ukraine's power grid, cutting electricity and heating in freezing temperatures, could trigger a major disaster. Serhiy Beskrestnov, a Ukrainian expert in electronic warfare, said that the missiles being launched at energy infrastructure are landing in close proximity to nuclear reactors - some just 300 metres away. If a Russian strike against sucha substation were to miss, it could trigger a disaster, he warned. Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant lost all off-site power, the UN nuclear agency said on Tuesday. Pictured: Chernobyl nuclear power plant, a few weeks after the disaster. Chernobyl, Ukraine, May 1986 The New Safe Confinement at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant which cover the number 4 reactor unit on May 29, 2022 Residential area on the left bank of Dnipro River during a power outage in Kyiv on January 13, 2026, following Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure He compared the impact of such an attack to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, when a catastrophic explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant unleashed huge amounts of radiation, forcing hundreds of thousands of evacuations. Taking to his Telegram channel on Monday, he said: 'A miss by an Iskander or a Kinzhal could turn into a second Chernobyl'. He added that the combination of a Russian strike against such substations, in an attempt to cause a nationwide blackout, as well as their track record for missing targets, made for a very dangerous situation. 'Russian weapons have hit residential buildings instead of military or industrial sites including a deadly strike on an apartment building in Ternopil or damage to nearby homes during an attack on Kyiv's Luch Design Bureau,' Beskrestnov wrote. Russia is said to be considering attacks on electricity transmission substations that support the operation of Ukraine's nuclear power plants, according to a warning from Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR). The plan is part of a move to pressure Kyiv into accepting what it has described as unacceptable surrender terms, officials stated. HUR reported that as of mid-January 2026, Russia had already conducted reconnaissance of 10 vital energy sites across nine Ukrainian regions. Ukraine's new energy minister, Denys Shmyha, also said last week that Russia had conducted 612 attacks on energy targets over the last year. A Telegram channel, widely believed to have links to a senior Ukrainian official, added that Russia is currently deciding whether to attack the facilities and how to carry out the hits. Russia is said to be considering attacks on electricity transmission substations that support the operation of Ukraine's nuclear power plants, according to a warning from Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR) A person uses a torch to walk through a non-illuminated street during a power outage in Kyiv on January 19, 2026, following Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine Moscow's goal, it added, was to throw Ukraine into power outages for weeks, or even months, with the strikes. 'The target was never the outage schedules,' the channel said. 'The goal is for there to be no electricity at all.' The bombardment has already intensified in recent months, as nighttime temperatures in the eastern European country plunged to -18C. Throughout the four-year conflict, Russia has hammered Ukraine's power grid particularly hard during the colder months in a strategy that has been dubbed 'weaponising winter'. Ukrainian officials have introduced emergency measures, including temporarily easing curfew restrictions, allowing people to go to public heating centres set up by the authorities, Shmyhal said. However, last month, Russia was thrown into complete darkness due to a power outage after Ukraine launched a series of drone strikes on Moscow. Footage emerged from the Russian capital, showing entire tower blocks without light and dead street lamps due to the widespread blackout. According to the Russian power company PAO Rosseti, over 100,000 residents of Ramensky, Zhukovsky, and Lytkarino were left without electricity in the dead of winter. Russia claimed the power outage occurred due to an automatic shutdown at a high-voltage electricity substation, though it was unclear whether this was the cause or if it resulted from a Ukrainian drone strike. Last month, Russia was thrown into complete darkness due to a power outage after Ukraine launched a series of drone strikes on Moscow Russia claimed the power outage occurred due to an automatic shutdown at a high-voltage electricity substation, though it was unclear whether this was the cause or if it resulted from a Ukrainian drone strike Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's former press secretary, Iuliia Mendel, said at the time: 'Total blackout hits Moscow region is reported on social media. 'Over 600,000 people plunged into darkness for more than four hours no electricity, no mobile signal, total isolation. Drone threat declared across the oblast right now.' The strike came in the dead of winter, with images revealing a thick layer of snow covering the frigid Moscow streets. The reported attacks came just a day after Russia accused Ukraine, without providing evidence, of trying to attack President Vladimir Putins residence. Kyiv dismissed the allegations as baseless and aimed at derailing peace talks in the war that Russia launched against Ukraine nearly four years ago. A nurse who referred to a transgender paedophile patient as 'mister' has been allowed to keep her job in the NHS amid an outpouring of support from colleagues and MPs. Jennifer Melle faced losing her job for speaking out about the incident in May 2024, during which she was subjected to screaming racist abuse and threats of violence from the patient. Protesters including the Darlington nurses, who last week won their case against an NHS hospital that allowed a male-born colleague to use the women's changing rooms, gathered outside the hospital headquarters in Epsom, Surrey, where Jennifer was hauled before a disciplinary panel today. They held placards reading: 'Safe spaces for women' and 'Uphold reality'. After her crunch hearing, from which press and public were excluded, Ms Melle said she was 'deeply relieved and grateful'. 'This has been an incredibly long and painful journey,' she said. 'I want to give thanks, first and foremost, to Jesus, who has sustained me every step of the way. 'I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has stood with me, prayed for me, and supported me through the darkest moments. Your encouragement has meant more than you will ever know. 'The recent legal victory for the Darlington nurses has shown that sanity and common sense are finally beginning to return to the NHS. It marks a turning point. No more nurses should ever have to endure what I have gone through. Nurse Jennifer Melle referred to a paedophile patient who identifies as a women 'mister' Ms Melle faced an NHS disciplinary panel in Epsom today Ms Melle's supporters include (from left): Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, Rebecca Paul MP, Darlington nurse Bethany Hutchison, Jim Shannon MP, Mims Davies MP, Claire Coutinho MP, Darlington nurse Lisa Lockey and Rosie Duffield MP 'None of us should be punished for speaking the truth, for standing by our professional judgement, or for living according to our deeply held beliefs.' More than 18,000 people signed a petition calling for Ms Melle to be cleared of wrongdoing. Among her supporters was shadow equalities minister Claire Coutinho, who described Ms Melle as 'one of the bravest women I have ever met'. 'Her case is proof of how the NHS has been captured by a radical gender ideology that puts women at the bottom of the pile,' she said. 'In being punished for "misgendering" a convicted paedophile, she has been repeatedly failed by her employers and trade unions. 'She is a dedicated nurse with 13 years of faultless service. The NHS should not be punishing hard-working nurses who know biological sex is real.' Others fighting Ms Melle's corner were MPs Rebecca Paul, Jim Shannon, Mims Davies, Rosie Duffield and NHS Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, who was suspended from her job at Kirkcaldy hospital's A&E department after complaining about transgender doctor Beth Upton using a women's changing room. Ms Melle was on an evening shift when she encountered the burly 6ft patient, a convicted paedophile who identifies as a woman, at St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Surrey. During a conversation with a doctor outside the patient's room, Ms Melle referred to the patient as 'mister' and 'he'. Join the debate Should nurses face discipline for cases like these? Ms Melle was dragged before the disciplinary panel after speaking out about her situation in the Mail on Sunday last year The patient, who was being escorted from prison by a pair of guards, overheard the reference and unleashed a tirade of racist abuse and threats at Ms Melle, 40, which left her shaking with fear and distress. Despite her trauma, Ms Melle - who has worked as an NHS nurse for 13 years without a blemish on her record - was hauled before hospital bosses the following day and accused of 'misgendering' the patient. She was handed a final written warning and referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which told her it was investigating concerns about her fitness to practise because she 'referred to a patient in a manner inconsistent with their gender identity'. The NMC has yet to take any action, but Ms Melle could be struck off. While she has no problem with people's sexuality, Ms Melle says her Christian beliefs do not allow her to 'deny biological reality'. However, the NMC code prohibits nurses from expressing 'personal beliefs (including political, religious or moral beliefs) in an inappropriate way'. Feeling totally unsupported by the NHS, Ms Melle revealed her ordeal to the Mail on Sunday last year - prompting Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals Trust to take further disciplinary action against her for 'breaching the patient's confidentiality'. However, Ms Melle did not reveal the patient's name or other personal data, and was cleared of wrongdoing today. The nurse is now taking the NHS to tribunal, claiming it has unlawfully interfered with her right to hold gender-critical views under the European Convention on Human Rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. The case will open in Croydon on April 13. She told the Mail on Sunday last year: 'I am devastated by how I have been treated and believe I am being institutionally abused, harassed, bullied and racially discriminated against. Ever since I have expressed my Christian beliefs under extreme pressure, I have been a marked woman.' Ms Melle was supported by the Christian Legal Centre. Chief executive Andrea Williams said: 'The tide is turning. More people are waking up to the simple, biological reality of how we are made, male and female and they are no longer willing to be intimidated into silence or fear for stating it. 'That is precisely why voices like Jennifers matter, and why they must not be crushed.' A spokesman for Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals Trust said: 'Following an investigation into a breach of patient confidentiality, we are pleased that a member of staff who was previously suspended on full pay is being reinstated to clinical duties. 'Racial abuse of our staff will never be tolerated and we are sorry that she had this experience.' Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Britain should no longer be called Great Britain. 'I think that Britain should be called simply Britain because 'Great Britain' is the only example of a country which calls itself 'Great',' Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday as he spoke about colonialism following comments on Greenland. Lavrov said another example of a country which called itself 'great' was the 'Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya' led by Muammar Gaddafi, which 'no longer exists,' he said. His spokeswoman then gave Ivor Bennett, a correspondent from Britain's Sky News, a question, to whom he said: 'No offence'. As US President Donald Trump seeks to reset ties with Moscow and broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, Britain has been granted the status of Vladimir Putin's public enemy number one. Meanwhile, Britain says Russia is a threat to Europe. Lavrov's remarks come after Trump intensified his push to control Greenland for national security reasons, which saw the US President announce tariffs on imports from European allies that oppose a potential US takeover. He and his aides have argued Denmark, a fellow NATO member, would be unable to defend Greenland should Russia or China ever seek to invade the vast island, a Danish autonomous territory. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Britain should no longer be called Great Britain It comes as US President Donald Trump intensifies his push to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark The dispute over Greenland threatens to upend the NATO alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades Greenland sits under the flight path between the US and Russia, making it a potentially critical outpost for air defences. Without commenting on Trump's claim, Lavrov today said 'Greenland is not a natural part of Denmark, it is a colonial conquest.' Lavrov also gloated about the recent challenges faced by NATO, telling journalists that the alliance was 'being put to the test - what is it really worth?' Russia has been watching with glee as Trump's drive to acquire Greenland widens splits with Europe, even though his moves could have serious security ramifications for Moscow, which covets its own presence in the Arctic. The Kremlin's criticism of Trump over Greenland has been notably absent at a time when Russia wants to keep him onside to ensure any end to the war in Ukraine is on Moscow's terms. Russia has bridled at Trump's suggestion that Moscow poses a threat to Greenland - part of his rationale for wanting US control of the island - while avoiding mentioning his name in its criticism. Last week, the Russian Embassy in Belgium - where NATO is headquartered - accused the alliance of embarking on an 'accelerated militarisation of the North'. Putin has not commented publicly on Trump's intensified push to take over Greenland. Picture: Putin during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Putin had in March 2025 said Trump had 'serious plans regarding Greenland' that had 'long-standing historical roots', after the US President mooted the need for American control of the territory. At the time, Putin said the issue 'concerns two specific nations and has nothing to do with us', but that Russia was 'concerned' about what he called increasing NATO activity in the Arctic. Rishi Sunak's new job with a California-based AI firm is worth 373,000, it has been revealed. The former prime minister is earning the sum as a 'senior adviser' at Anthropic, according to the latest register of MPs' financial interests. Mr Sunak's entry shows he took on the role in September for a 12-month period and he will be devoting just 70 hours work to the San Francisco-headquartered start-up. The ex-Tory leader is donating his earnings to The Richmond Project charity, which he and his wife Akshata Murty founded with the aim of boost numeracy skills across all ages. He is being remunerated with 3,547 shares over the year, which has been calculated at a value of 373,000. Since leaving Downing Street after the 2024 general election, Mr Sunak has also taken on roles with Stanford University, Goldman Sachs, and Microsoft. He also has a newspaper column with the Sunday Times and has earned 750,000 from various speaking engagements in the US, India and South Korea. Mr Sunak was PM between October 2022 and July 2024 and was widely expected to relocate to California, where he and his wife met, after his general election defeat. Rishi Sunak's new job with a California-based AIfirm is worth 373,000, it has been revealed. The former prime minister is earning the sum as a 'senior adviser' at Anthropic, according to the latest register of MPs' financial interests. But, in his final Prime Minister's Questions appearance as Tory leader, Mr Sunak vowed to spend more time 'in the greatest place on Earth' in reference to his Richmond and Northallerton constituency. 'If anyone needs me, I will be in Yorkshire,' Mr Sunak added. Anthropic has developed the Claude AI models and was founded by former members of OpenAI, which developed ChatGPT. During his premiership, Mr Sunak made tech regulation a significant priority and hosted an AI safety summit at Bletchley Park in November 2023. When he announced his roles with Anthropic and Microsoft in October last year, Mr Sunak posted on LinkedIn: 'I have long believed that technology will transform our world and play a key part in determining our future. 'I am excited to help these two companies, as they address the big strategic questions about how to make tech work for our economies, our security and our society. 'We stand on the edge of a technological revolution whose impacts will be as profound as those of the industrial revolution: and felt more quickly. 'In my role as a senior adviser, I want to help these companies ensure that this shift delivers the improvements in all of our lives that it can.' The first female governor of NSW, Dame Marie Bashir, has died aged 95. NSW Premier Chris Minns shared the news of Dame Marie's passing in an emotional tribute late on Tuesday. 'On behalf of the family of Dame Marie Bashir, I am saddened to share the news of her passing,' Minns wrote. 'Married to Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE for 61 years, and a deeply loved mother of three children and six grandchildren, Dame Marie was an extraordinary Australian and one of NSW's most respected public servants. 'On behalf of the people of NSW, I extend my deepest condolences to Dame Marie's family, friends and all those who were inspired by her remarkable life.' Minns acknowledged the long list of accomplishments Dame Marie had, both in and out of government. Dame Marie was born in the small Riverina town of Narrandera and graduated from the University of Sydney in 1956 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. She then went on to teach at the institution and the University of NSW. Dame Marie Bashir, NSW's first female governor, has died aged 95 Dame Marie marching during the 2004 Anzac Day parade in Sydney Dame Marie also worked in children's services, psychiatry, mental health and Indigenous health, during which she became a senior consultant at the Aboriginal Medical Service in both Redfern and Kempsey. 'A psychiatrist and the wife of former Sydney lord mayor Nicholas Shehadie, Dame Marie served as NSW governor from 2001 to 2014,' Minns wrote. 'She was appointed an officer of the Order of Australia in 1988 for her services to child and adolescent health. 'Dame Marie Bashir served our state with distinction as the first female Governor of NSW from 2001 to 2014, bringing to the role immense dignity and compassion. 'She was a distinguished psychiatrist and a long-standing advocate for mental health, education and social inclusion.' Dame Marie didn't extend her tenure as governor so as not to surpass Roden Cutler as the state's longest-serving governor. Minns said the decision 'reflected her humility and deep respect for those who came before her'. 'The people of New South Wales held Dame Marie in great respect and affection, reflecting the trust and goodwill she earned over a lifetime of service,' he said. Dame Marie (pictured with Prince William) was appointed an officer of the Order of Australia in 1988 Crown Prince Willem-Alexander (R) of Orange and Princess Maxima (2nd from left) of the Netherlands walk together with the Governor of New South Wales Marie Bashir (L) and her husband Nicholas Sheadie during their meeting at Government House in Sydney in 2006 Dame Marie (pictured with King Charles III) will be honoured in a state funeral 'In recognition of her extraordinary contribution to our state and nation, a State Funeral will be held in honour of Dame Marie Bashir. 'Details will be provided in due course.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also extended 'heartfelt condolences to all who mourn her passing'. 'Our nation is poorer for the passing of Dame Marie Bashir and Australia is richer for her life,' he said. 'Her lifetime of service to the medical profession, her community and her fellow Australians was defined by her powerful sense of duty and her abiding passion for helping others. 'As the first woman to serve as Governor of New South Wales, she was both a pioneer and an inspiration. 'In all she did, Dame Marie blended dignity with warmth and intellect with empathy.' The owner of a pack of vicious pitbulls that mauled two women to death in separate attacks just one day apart is now facing an extremely-long prison sentence. Brandy Dowdy, 42, was fund guilty of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide after the deaths of Jacqueline Summer Beard, 58, and Michelle Ann Sheeks, 44. Sheeks was attacked by Dowdy's dogs in April 2022 while jogging near her home in Red Bay, Alabama and later died from her injuries. Beard was found dead the following day having also been mauled by the beasts. Prosecutors are pushing for the maximum sentence of 41 years in prison, WHNT19 reported. Dowdy was also found guily of violating Emily's Law - so known as the Dangerous Dog Procedure. It was enacted in 2018 after 24-year-old Emily Colvin was killed by her neighbors' pit bulls at her home in Alabama in 2017. The law allows for dogs that kill or seriously injure someone without justification to be euthanized and holds owners accountable for failing to take control of their dog with known dangerous tendencies. Michelle Ann Sheeks (left), 44, and Jacqueline Summer Beard (right), 58, were killed by the dogs Brandy Dowdy, 42, now faces up to 41 years in prison During the trial, Dowdy's daughter Abriana said she was present when both attacks took place. She said she heard noises the night that Sheeks was mauled and later saw her suffering from her injuries - but claimed she didn't see any dogs near her. Abriana also said that she saw the dogs 'circling' in her yard on the day that Beard was killed but did not witness the attack. Prosecutors are reportedly hoping that Dowdy will face consecutive years rather than concurrent sentences. Court documents cited by WHNT19 said, 'concurrent sentences would improperly collapse these two lost lives into a single accounting, treating Michelle Sheeks'death as an afterthought rather than a distinct loss, which would undermine the purposes of sentencing (deterrence and punishment) and also improperly signal that if one person is killed or maimed that additional victims do not meaningfully increase criminal responsibility.' The guilty woman was expected to be sentenced on January 6, but her attorney never arrived in court that day due to a 'medical emergency.' Dowdy was appointed a new lawyer on January 9 after she made a request, according to the court filing. She is now expected to appear at the Franklin County Courthouse on April 28 for sentencing. Prosecutors have asked that Dowdy not be granted bond over concerns that she is a 'flight risk' and a 'danger to the public,' according to the court documents viewed by the outlet. When Dowdy was found guilty, her attorney, Jessica Bugge, expressed disappointment with the verdict: 'We will not stop until justice is prevailed.' 'Three jurors were crying as this verdict was read. At this time, Brandy Dowdy is in the middle of her treatment for Leukemia and is currently awaiting a transplant. This is a potential death sentence for her. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims. This case is long from over, unfortunately.' Prosecutor Jeff Barksdale was grateful for the work of officials and commended the strength of the victims' families at the time of the verdict. 'What I would like to say is our thoughts remain with the victim's families, the families of Michelle Sheeks and Summer Beard,' said Barksdale. 'Those families have been here every day. Their strength throughout this case has been remarkable. I hope this verdict, these verdicts, rather bring them some measure of peace. I'm also grateful to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, especially Investigator Kyle Palmer, for their outstanding work in this case.' A top lawyer at Goldman Sachs who worked for Barack Obama is facing mounting pressure after her close links to Jeffrey Epstein emerged. Kathryn Ruemmler, previously a White House counsel to the former president, met with Epstein dozens of times and was cited in hundreds of emails between him and his legal team. She faced close scrutiny at the megabank after it was revealed that the convicted sex offender knew her sushi order of avocado rolls, the Wall Street Journal reported. He also visited apartments she was considering buying and asked his assistant to check whether Ruemmler could get a first-class upgrade, per the outlet. Ruemmler, 54, was in the courtroom when Epstein was arraigned on sex trafficking charges in 2019. The disgraced financier also listed the former Obama counsel as a backup executor of his will, which raised further questions inside Goldman Sachs. She said that she regretted 'ever knowing' Epstein. During Ruemmler's hiring, she disclosed her professional ties to Epstein. But the depth of their apparent friendship revealed by emails is said to have taken Goldman Sachs bosses by surprise. The Journal reported that a plan has been devised to remove Ruemmler from the company. 'It was my job to engage with people and companies that had serious legal and public relations problems. Many were under criminal investigation, and many had been convicted of crimes,' Ruemmler told the WSJ. Obama White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, now a top lawyer at Goldman Sachs, is facing pressure over her links to Jeffrey Epstein Epstein knew Ruemmler's sushi order, visited apartments she was thinking of purchasing and was aware of her flight details This echoed what Ruemmler told Goldman Sachs when she was hired in April 2020, as she explained that her links to Epstein were due to her previous job at the Latham & Watkins law firm. Ruemmler said she had not represented Epstein, but that he 'informally reached out to me for advice from time to time just as he did with numerous other prominent lawyers throughout the country.' Epstein also referred clients to her, she added. Ruemmler is unmarried and has no children, according to the Washington Post. Goldman Sachs said she had been 'forthcoming' about her 'prior contact' with the dead pedophile. Ruemmler is its chief legal officer, making her the bank's top female executive. She is also chairman of the firm's conduct committee. 'The executives at Goldman who needed to know about Kathy's prior contact with Epstein knew what they needed to know,' Tony Fratto, a spokesman for the bank, told the outlet. He said: 'Before she accepted the offer to join Goldman Sachs, she proactively disclosed her association with Jeffrey Epstein and other highprofile clients and contacts who might attract media attention, so that the firm would be aware of them.' Fratto added that Goldman Sachs was 'satisfied' after looking into Ruemmler's background. 'Nobody involved in Kathy's hiring had concerns about her prior legal work,' he said. Join the debate What does this scandal say about accountability and trust at the highest levels of big business and politics? Ruemmler served in the Obama administration as White House Counsel from 2011 to 2014 Ruemmler and Epstein have seemingly known each other since around the time she left the Obama administration in 2014. Epstein pleaded guilty to procuring a child for prostitution in 2008. He was released from jail a year later. Emails released by the House Oversight Committee in November showed the nature of the pedophile's relationship with Ruemmler. In a correspondence dated September 19, 2014, he wrote: 'You need to talk to boss.' Ruemmler, who had left the Obama White House about three months earlier, according to her LinkedIn page, replied: 'Agreed, but I need to be prepared to say yes before I talk to him.' 'Understood,' Epstein said. 'It comes down to high risk / reward / low risk / reward. professional, emotional. and fiinancial [sic].' She responded that 'most girls do not have to worry about this crap.' Epstein shot back: 'Girls? Careful i will renew an old habit.' He then listed a group of people he was apparently set to meet with 'this week,' including Peter Thiel, Larry Summers, Bill Burns, former British prime minister Gordon Brown, Leon Black and 'Woody.' 'Also if you think there are interesting people in town, everyone here for climate summit, clinton ,security council,' Epstein added. Epstein's emails with the former Obama counsel go back to at least 2014. In one exchange, he wrote: 'Girls? Careful i will renew an old habit' Messages from February 2017 also showed Ruemmler disparaging US President Donald Trump, calling him 'so gross.' 'Worse in real life and upclose,' he said. Ruemmler's name is also featured hundreds of times in a log of emails between Epstein and his lawyers, which runs to more than 500 pages. That batch of emails remains under seal after Epstein's estate cited attorneyclient privilege. Ruemmler claimed she wasn't involved in the decision. 'I had no knowledge whatsoever of any new or ongoing unlawful activity on his part,' she told the WSJ. The disclosure of Ruemmler's links to Epstein could threaten her position at Goldman Sachs. John Rogers one of the bank's top executives is said to be coming up with a contingency plan that would lead to Ruemmler's exit, per the Wall Street Journal. 'That is completely untrue,' he told the outlet. From left: Ruemmler, then-FBI chief Robert Mueller, then-vice president Joe Biden and Obama Another Goldman Sachs executive, chief executive officer David Solomon, called Ruemmler an 'excellent general counsel.' He added: 'We benefit from her advice every day. Kathy has always had the support of the entire leadership team and the Board and is widely respected and admired at the firm.' Ruemmler's relationship with Epstein has led to internal and external reviews which would continue if more information about her relationship to the dead pedophile comes out. 'As I have said, I regret ever knowing him, and I have enormous sympathy for the victims of Epstein's crimes,' Ruemmler said. In 2019, Epstein floated Ruemmler's name as a boon to his legal defense. He had been accused of trafficking and sexually abusing dozens of underage girls as young as 14, according to his indictment. Some of Epstein's lawyers reportedly talked about the possibility of her crossexamining some of his accusers. Another option was that Ruemmler could draft a letter attesting to Epstein's character. Ruemmler's relationship with Epstein, maintained after he pleaded guilty to procuring a child for prostitution in 2008, has resulted in internal and external reviews at Goldman Sachs Ruemmler said she never drafted a letter and was never asked to question his victims. 'I did not advocate on his behalf to any third party,' she said. 'Not to a court, not to the press, not to the government.' Epstein was found hanging in his New York prison cell on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide. His coconspirator Ghislaine Maxwell is currently the only person serving time in prison related to the dead millionaire's sex crimes. The Daily Mail has contacted Ruemmler and Goldman Sachs for further comment. A Republican running for governor of Rhode Island has revealed the heartbreaking family crises that drove him to become an alcoholic. Aaron Guckian, 49, opened up about his struggles with alcohol and mental health as he announced his campaign on December 1. 'I know how difficult it is to get sober,' he said. 'It's one of the most important things, if you can encourage people. I have friends here that have helped me along the way, and I've helped others. 'It's about time people come out of the shadows and say, first, it's OK, and help is on the way.' The father-of-three told the Boston Globe that his drinking problem started around 10 years ago. At the time he was studying towards an MBA while also working as vice president at a bank, and serving on five volunteer boards. Guckian said he was struggling financially for the first time in his life as his wife had just given birth to their third child, while the family was also dealing with his mother-in-law's battle with Alzheimer's disease. Aaron Guckian (pictured with his wife Debbie) opened up about his struggles with alcoholand mental health as he announced his campaign Guckian said he was struggling financially for the first time in his life as his wife had just given birth to their third child He said working 16-hour days drove him to the bottle when he finally got home. 'You start saying inappropriate things, taking more risks, doing things that are plain dumb. Ultimately, it wasnt working,' he said of his battle with alcoholism. Finally his father confronted him and he decided to get professional help. 'As I approach ten years of sobriety in April and turn 50 in March, Ive reached a point where this isnt theoretical for me anymore,' he said. 'Ive lived the consequences of systems that dont move fast enough.' He said working 16-hour days drove him to the bottle when he finally got home. In 2022, Guckian ran for lieutenant governor but lost to Democrat incumbent Sabina Matos Guckian is the sixth candidate to enter the governor's race, describing himself as a 'middle of the road Republican,' according to the Rhode Island Current. Jon Romano, spokesperson for Democrat rival Helena Buonanno Foulkes, told the Boston Globe: 'As we face an increasingly chaotic and unpredictable Trump administration in Washington, Rhode Island needs a strong Democratic governor now more than ever.' Christina Freundlich, spokesperson for Democratic Governor Daniel J. McKees campaign, also told the outlet: 'Aaron Guckian is back with the same tired Republican playbook that would turn Rhode Island into a testing ground for Donald Trumps agenda.' In 2022, Guckian ran for lieutenant governor but lost to Democrat incumbent Sabina Matos. The Albanese government's gun reform and anti-hate speech bills have passed through Parliament to become law. The anti-hate speech legislation aims to curb the influence of hate preachers and neo-Nazis in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack. Despite a split within the Coalition over the proposal, the government secured the numbers to pass the bill through the Senate late on Tuesday night. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley put forward a series of technical amendments which were accepted by the government, including tightening the definition of a hate preacher and setting up stricter parliamentary oversight. Earlier on Tuesday night, hastily written-up legislation enabling the gun buyback and strengthening background checks and firearms importation rules passed the Senate with the support of the Greens. As he introduced the bill earlier in the day, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the father-and-son gunmen of the December 14 attack had 'hate in their hearts and guns in their hands'. The measures would address the method of the massacre, as well as the motivation, Mr Burke said. 'A critical question I've often been asked during this debate is, if this national reform package had already been in place, how many firearms would the Bondi gunmen have held?,' he said. 'The answer is zero.' Gun reforms and a new anti-hate speech bill put forward by the Albanese government have passed into law Accused Bondi shooter Naveed Akram who allegedly gunned down 15 people in a terror attack Under the reforms, the father would have been ineligible because he was not an Australian citizen, he said. 'And the son who didn't have a firearms licence, in any event, had he tried any intelligence holdings with respect to him, would have formed part of the licensing decisions,' Mr Burke said. ASIO and ACIC intelligence assessments will be incorporated into gun licence background checks, while importation rules around high-rate-of-fire straight-pull rifles and shotguns will be tightened. The changes closed long-standing and dangerous loopholes, gun control advocacy group the Alannah and Madeline Foundation said. But questions remained about how the gun buyback would be put into practice, Greens Senator David Shoebridge said. 'We'd like a commitment from the government that fair value will be paid to ensure that the guns buyback will be as effective as it possibly can,' he said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the anti-hate speech bill wasn't as strong as the government would have liked, but it had to be watered down to win support. 'The Australian covenant is that if people have any prejudice or hate, that's left in the customs hall,' he told parliament. Opposition leader Sussan Ley wanted the anti-hate speech laws tightened so as not to impose on free speech The legislation allows the government to essentially outlaw hardline extremist groups, which will likely apply to neo-Nazi organisation the National Socialist Network and radical Islamist collective Hizb ut-Tahrir. It will also strengthen the home affairs minister's ability to cancel or deny a person's visa for expressing extremist ideology. The Greens said they would not back the anti-hate speech legislation due to the effect it could have on political commentary including protests. 'What we've now seen in the last 24 hours is a dangerous bill being made even more dangerous,' leader Larissa Waters said. 'When you read the bill, even to senior lawyers, it's unintelligible,' barrister Greg Barns, a former president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance, said. Nationals leader David Littleproud called the gun bill a 'cheap political diversion' from religious extremism. He said his party supported a national gun register and the provision enabling firearms background checks, but said the bill went too far. Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie, an avid shooter, was accompanied by several stacks of papers bearing the signatures of 65,000 people opposed to the gun laws as she slammed the 'dirty deal' with the Greens to get them over the line. Bridget McKenzie (left) and David Littleproud (centre) both spoke out against the gun reforms Shadow attorney-general Andrew Wallace lashed the national buyback scheme. 'The 1996 buyback (implemented by John Howard) was properly funded ... this buyback calls on the states and territories to foot half the bill, irrespective of their capacity to pay,' Mr Wallace said. But independent Helen Haines, who represents the regional Victorian seat of Indi, backed the reforms, saying they did not target farmers, sporting shooters or other law-abiding gun owners. A top aide in Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's administration has resigned months after a lawsuit was filed against the city alleging he participated in sexual misconduct that was covered up. Segun Idowu, 37, has announced that his tenure as Wu's Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion will conclude on February 27. He said in a statement to local news that he was stepping down to care for his grandmother. Idowu's time in the administration was plagued by scandal after former city official Marwa Khudaynazar filed a lawsuit alleging that Wu's administration fired her and another employee to protect him during an election year. Khudaynazar was previously the Chief of Staff for the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency. She accused Wu and city officials of 'destroying' her life after she reported Idowu's alleged sexual misconduct. Khudaynazar was in a romantic relationship with another staffer at the time, Chulan Huang, who previously served as a liaison for Chinatown and the Leather District. The controversy unfolded last May, when Khudaynazar and her friend ran into Idowu at a bar, according to a civil complaint filed in Massachusetts Superior Court. Segun Idowu, pictured above speaking in front of Mayor Michelle Wu (far right), announced his resignation from his position as Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Idowu, pictured above speaking at a tourism event with Wu on April 4, 2022, was previously accused of sexual misconduct which he denied Marwa Khudaynazar, 27, alleged that Idowu had kissed her and invited her to his hotel room after she ran into him at a bar last May Idowu allegedly made sexual advances toward Khudaynazar, touching her lower back and showing her his reservation at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, per the lawsuit. He then allegedly invited her to his room and kissed her. Khudaynazar's attorneys wrote that she agreed to drive him to the hotel but didn't go inside. Later in the night, Khudaynazar allegedly went to Huang's home to inform her boyfriend that Idowu, a high-ranking official in the Wu administration, had made advances toward her. Huang became agitated and Khudaynazar called the police. When officers arrived, she said Huang was 'upset because she "went on a date" with his boss and was holding on to her wrists and wouldn't let go', according to the complaint. She allegedly explained that she didn't want to press charges, adding that they were all city officials, so she didn't want to escalate the situation. However, the officers arrested Huang. Khudaynazar was also accused of allegedly assaulting responding Officer Chris Santana. Her attorneys argued that she didn't assault Santana and alleged that Payne arrested her without witnessing the assault. Payne is named as a defendant in the lawsuit. They also claim that body camera footage supports Khudaynazar's story. Huang and Khudaynazar have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. A police report noted that Khudaynazar told officers, 'We both work for the city of Boston, we both work for the Mayors Office.' Khudaynazar's termination letter cited that statement as, 'an improper attempt to invoke your position for favorable treatment.' Khudaynazar allegedly informed her boyfriend, Chulan Huang, pictured above (second from the left), of the incident. Huang reportedly grew agitated and police were called to their home. He is pictured above with Mayor Wu (second from the right) Huang, pictured above in 2023, was previously employed as a liaison to the mayor for Chinatown and the Leather District Wu's administration claimed that the two attempted to use their positions in the mayor's office to evade arrest. At the time, Mayor Wu said in a statement: 'It is never OK to harm a police officer or to harm another member of our community.' Khudaynazar confessed that she had informed the police of her position within the mayor's administration, but argued that the officers took her remarks out of context. Her attorneys wrote in a civil complaint that she didn't intend to use her status as a City employee to avoid arrest and was simply conveying that she understood police procedures. The complaint added that the couple were in their 20s and had no power to wield. Her attorneys stated that it was 'clear' from Huang's apartment that they weren't higher-ups in the administration. She told the Boston Globe in an interview last October that she wasn't allowed to view police body camera footage to clear her name. 'Everyone treated me like I was guilty before I ever got a chance to prove that I wasnt,' she told the Globe. Khudaynazar, pictured above, filed a lawsuit against Mayor Wu and the city, alleging that she was fired to protect Idwou after she accused him of sexual misconduct Idowu, pictured above (far right), was investigated by the mayor's office and cleared of the sexual misconduct claims against him Khudaynazar alleged in a civil complaint that Idowu made inappropriate sexual advances toward her She called her termination 'public service career assassination' and said she believed she was 'punished for telling the truth.' The controversy unfolded during Mayor Wu's re-election year. Josh Kraft had put in a bid to challenge her but dropped out in September, and she ran unopposed. Khudaynazar's attorneys argued in the complaint that Idowu was, 'important to Wu in securing many Black business owners' votes in the upcoming Boston mayoral election'. Idowu's attorney previously told the Boston Globe in a statement that an investigation found 'no finding of any improper, unethical or inappropriate conduct on his part was made, because he engaged in none.' Attorneys for Wu, Officer Payne, and the City of Boston filed a response to the lawsuit on January 9, alleging that Khudaynazar was allowed a hearing prior to her termination and she contradicted herself in the complaint. The defense argued that Khudaynazar was clearly terminated for invoking her position for favorable treatment. Mayor Wu praised Idowu's service in a statement to the Globe, writing: 'His work has helped Boston rebound from the pandemic as a thriving city where companies and their employees want to work and live.' Khudaynazar's lawsuit alleged that she was fired to protect Mayor Wu, pictured above, from scandal during an election year. The mayor's office said she and Huang were terminated after they were criminally charged and allegedly attempted to use their positions to avoid arrest 'Im thankful for his service to the city of Boston and dedication to our community.' The Daily Mail has reached out to Idowu, Mayor Wu's office, Khudaynazar's representation, and the city's attorneys for comment. A Texas man ripped off a cocaine dealer leaving his wife to be brutally murdered in retaliation, police said. Sherry Dawson, 33, died the morning of November 5 after a man her husband scammed allegedly gunned her down in a Houston storage unit, according to court documents obtained by ABC13. Suspect Kip Stitts, 57, was charged with murder on January 16 but is not yet in custody. Police said the Detroit native was a former friend and business partner of Dawson's common-law husband, Matthew Jasso. Jasso told officials he suspected Dawson was killed because of a shady deal he pulled off behind Stitts's back one month prior. Stitts allegedly hatched a plan to rip off a cocaine supplier that Jasso introduced him to. Jasso reported the scheme to the supplier and together they allegedly stole $125,000 from him instead. Working as a middleman, Jasso took the cash under the guise that he would exchange it with the supplier for cocaine according to police. Sherry Lawson (pictured) was killed after her husband allegedly ripped off a drug buyer in northeast Houston, police say Jasso (right) reportedly told police that he believed his wife (left) was killed because of his involvement in the cocaine industry Instead the dealer allegedly paid Jasso a $10,000 setup fee and pocketed the rest, reported My Texas Daily. After pulling off the alleged scam, Jasso got word that an angry Stitts was looking for him. It appeared he found Dawson's wife instead. Unreleased footage of her death reportedly showed Stitts following her in a pickup truck to the storage unit along the Eastex Freeway. In the surveillance video, Dawson fought with the suspect, falling twice before he ran out of frame and shots were fired. Police discovered Dawson with bullet wounds in her arms, head and neck. Cartridge casings nearby suggested she was attacked at a close range. Jasso went to the storage unit to check on his wife and found police investigating her murder. He immediately told officials about his alleged involvement in narcotics, reported Click 2 Houston. Dawson's killer followed her to a storage unit and shot her multiple times according to police Matthew Jasso (pictured) went to police after his wife's death and admitted to business dealings with her alleged killer Jasso divulged Stitt's alleged involvement in drug trafficking, prompting the investigation. Hours later, Houston police stopped a vehicle registered to Stitts, but he was nowhere to be found. According to court documents, the suspect fled to Detroit the next morning. Police believed Stitts had been monitoring Dawson's home before her death. According to her obituary, she was a business owner and mother of five. The Daily Mail contacted Houston Police for comment. A former MAGA lawmaker sentenced for her part in an election fraud scheme was caught on camera brawling with another inmate inside a Colorado prison. Tina Peters, the former Mesa County Clerk, was seen battling with another inmate inside La Vista Correctional Facility on Sunday evening. The 70-year-old, who is serving nine years, was caught on camera wheeling a cart through a doorway inside the facility when another inmate approached her. A door partially obscured what happened next, with Peters emerging with her hands at the other woman's neck, pushing her backwards. Seconds later the two split, with Peters returning to the cart and then leaving the room. Another inmate watched the whole thing but did not interrupt the melee. In a statement shared to her X profile that provides updates from her legal team they claimed that Peters was assaulted and then placed in solitary confinement. It said: 'Tina was inside a maintenance closet to fill up a water unit when an inmate approached her in the closet and began striking her in anger.' A spokesperson for the state Department of Corrections said that Peters and the other inmate were not injured, and that Peters was moved to another unit. Peters, left, appeared to grab the throat of a fellow inmate following a brawl inside a Colorado prison over the weekend Her legal team said in a statement that it was actually Peters who had been assaulted in the short-lived brawl Peters statement continued: 'Tina raised her hands and pushed the inmate away. Per Tina, the camera showed her pushing the inmate away from her out of the closet. 'She was subsequently handcuffed, shackled, and brought to solitary. Tina was told she is being charged with Felony Assault for defending herself against an unprovoked attack. 'She will be locked down completely for 24-72 hours and held in IDO (the hole) for an unknown period of time. 'As far as Tina is aware, the inmate who assaulted her has not been charged, slept in their cell last night, and will face no consequences. 'This incident is clearly a targeted attack against Peters. In all likelihood, it is being used as an opportunity to isolate and harass Tina Peters. 'Tina has been warning officials that something like this would happen eventually. Something is not right at LVCF. Tina has minor injuries but is not seriously injured as of this morning.' The Department of Corrections shot down the claim that she was held in solitary confinement, saying they do not utilize it in La Vista Correctional. An investigation is also being carried out, with the moving of inmates while that is carried out being standard practice, the department said. In 2024 she was sentenced to nine years behind bars for her part in an election tampering case Peters is seen here during her sentencing inside Mesa County District Court in October 2024 In October 2024 Peters was convicted on seven counts of engaging in a security breach through allowing unauthorized access to voting machines. She used someone else's security badge to give an expert affiliated with My Pillow chief executive Mike Lindell access to the Mesa County election system. Lindell is a prominent promoter of claims that voting machines were manipulated to steal the election from Donald Trump. Peters allowed Lindell to take a forensic image of the election system's hard drives after a software update in May 2021. The data shared by Peters was used by groups claiming voter fraud to call into question the integrity of Dominion voting machines after the 2020 election. Former President Donald Trump praised Peters for her efforts after meeting her in 2022 at Mar-a-Lago, describing her as a 'rock star.' Last month he issued a symbolic pardon but Peters remains behind bars because she is in a state prison. Pardon powers apply only to federal prison. The Trump administration has tried to have Peters moved from state to federal prison. Peters' attorneys argued she only wanted to preserve 2020 election data before a system software update was performed to help protect the integrity of the vote. Prosecutor Janet Drake argued that Peters allowed a man posing as a county employee to take images of the election system's hard drive before and after a software upgrade in May 2021. Drake said Peters observed the update so she could become the 'hero' and appear at Lindell's symposium on the 2020 presidential election a few months later. Before her sentencing she addressed the court, rambling for nearly an hour about false claims regarding the election that continue to be propped up by conspiracy theorists. The shameless nanny who had an affair with a married Virginia man posted a steamy selfie of herself naked in the bathtub with him just months before he allegedly stabbed his wife to death. Brazilian au pair Juliana Peres Magalhaes shared the loved-up snap of her and former IRS agent Brendan Banfield in December 2022 as they cuddled in a bubble bath together. 'Oh my God, I'm so incredibly in love, I've been smitten since July of last year,' the caption, written in Portuguese, said. The image was shown to jurors during Banfield's ongoing murder trial last week. Banfield, who is accused of murdering his wife, Christine Banfield, 37, and another man, Joseph Ryan, 39, on February 24, 2023, had his face covered by a large teary-eyed emoji in the photo while his young mistress leaned on his bare chest, smirking. At the time, Magalhaes worked as the couple's live-in nanny who helped take care of their four-year-old daughter. Prosecutors said Banfield, 40, and his lover, who moved into the home with him after his wife died, worked together to lure Ryan to the married couple's home through a BDSM website. As part of the scheme, they made an account under Christine's name and tricked Ryan into thinking he was being invited over to roleplay breaking into the home and raping her at knifepoint, the jury heard. After sneaking into the family's home, Banfield allegedly shot Ryan, then stabbed his wife to death before making it seem like he had found her injured and was trying to save her life, the prosecution said. Juliana Peres Magalhaes, the Brazilian au pair who had an affair with Brendan Banfield, shared a steamy image of them in the bathtub just months before his wife was murdered Banfield, 40, is accused of stabbing his wife, Christine Banfield, 37, to death on February 24, 2023, as part of a twisted plot to be with his young mistress. The couple is seen with their young daughter The bathtub selfie wasn't the only picture shown to the jury, as two other revealing snaps showed them spending time at a gun range and fondling each other under a table. The image, captioned 'The hottie takes a really good photo. HAHAHA,' showed Magalhaes aiming a gun at a target as her highlighted hair was tucked under shooting earmuffs. Another snap showed Banfield's hand on her thigh while they sat at a table on New Year's Eve in 2022. 'My New Year,' she wrote on the image alongside several emojis, including a heart and teary eyes. The splendid life she portrayed in the snaps quickly came to an end after Magalhaes was arrested in October 2023 and charged with murder. She pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter as part of a plea deal in exchange for cooperating in Banfield's prosecution. Meanwhile, Banfield is charged with aggravated murder in the killings of Christine and Ryan. He has pleaded not guilty and could face life in prison if convicted. He is also charged with child abuse and felony child cruelty in connection with the case, as his young daughter was at the house on the morning of the killings. He will face those charges during the trial. The revealing selfies come after jurors heard Banfield moved his mistress into his marital bed shortly after his wife was killed. Another image, displayed in court last week, showed Magalhaes firing a gun at a shooting range. She captioned the image: 'The hottie takes a really good photo. HAHAHA' Another snap showed Banfield's hand on her thigh while they sat at a table on New Year's Eve in 2022. 'My New Year,' she wrote on the image alongside several emojis, including a heart and teary eyes Joseph Ryan, 39, was shot to death that day as well. Prosecutors said Banfield and his lover lured Ryan to the married couple's home through a BDSM website and tricked him into thinking he was being invited over to roleplay breaking into the home and raping Christine at knifepoint, the jury heard Magalhaes was sleeping in the bed Christine had shared with her husband eight months after the murders, Fairfax County Sgt. Kenner Fortner told the court on Thursday. Fortner first entered the residence in February 2023 as part of the investigation into the murders and photographed the home, including both the primary and Magalhaes's bedrooms, Fox News reported. When he visited the home again eight months later, 'red, lingerie-style clothing items' and a yellow t-shirt with green trim that had previously hung in the au pair's closet had been moved to the master bedroom, he testified. They had gotten new flooring, new bedroom furniture,' Fortner said, noting how photographs that once featured the Banfields had been 'taken down and replaced with Brendan and Juliana together.' The lead crime scene detective assigned to the case also told the court Thursday how he found the murder weapons in the master bedroom. 'The knife was found underneath the blankets, between the edge of the blanket in the bed,' Det. Terry Leach said. '[The] only thing we could see when we arrived was the handle. And the knife was on its backside so it's blade up and then the handle is towards the bed.' Investigators also found two handguns in the room, which Leach said he later determined had been moved from their original locations after first responders arrived on scene and tried to save Ryan's life. Fairfax County Sgt. Kenner Fortner told the court that he saw 'red, lingerie-style clothing items' and a yellow t-shirt with green trim, which had previously hung in the au pair's closet, were moved to the master bedroom (pictured) Photographs in the bedroom that once featured the Banfields had been 'taken down and replaced with Brendan and Juliana together,' the investigator testified The bodies of both Ryan and Christine were found in the bedroom. During her testimony last week, Magalhaes, who looked worlds away from her glamorous self, revealed that the pair had planned to be together after Banfield's wife and Ryan were murdered, according to a letter brought up in court. In a letter to her brother, written in August 2024, Magalhaes informed her family that Banfield wanted to move to Brazil with her and build a house. Magalhaes also revealed that she has been in contact with producers while behind bars about buying the rights to her story that might one day be presented on a streaming service. Those producers have acted as her 'support system' as they help fund her prison life by paying for her communications and commissary, she detailed. 'They have become my support system, so they be helping me with money to communicate with my mom, my family in Brazil and whoever I want to communicate with,' the au pair said during cross-examination with her lover's defense attorney. During her testimony last week, Magalhaes revealed that the pair (pictured together) had planned to be together after Banfield's wife and Ryan were murdered, according to a letter brought up in court She added: 'And money to my commissary and that stuff.' When asked during the trial if producers had 'thrown a number out for your story,' Magalhaes said 'Yes' and that she intends on sharing 'the truth.' She said she has not finalized a deal with them yet. Banfield's trial is set to resume on Tuesday. His lover will be sentenced after it ends in about three to four more weeks. A democratic socialist aiming to become Los Angeles Mayor lashed out at a reporter during an interview while claiming that she deserves the job 'because she's a mother.' Rae Huang, 43, lost her cool during a radio interview with KNX News reporter Craig Fiegener as she was probed on numerous issues, including budgeting and policing. Huang declared that she was well-qualified for the job after living and mothering in the area, according to audio obtained by The New York Post. 'I'm a neighbor here in Los Angeles. I'm a mother here in Los Angeles. I'm a community organizer here in Los Angeles. I've been here for over ten years organizing with our community members,' she said. 'That should be resume enough.' Her bold declaration came after Fiegener pressed the mayoral hopeful about solutions for budget difficulties that the city is facing. Huang began by praising the controversial act set to tax billionaires and said funds raised from the tax would be directed toward housing, the outlet reported. 'We will be benefiting off of these CEO taxes,' she said. 'We need to make sure that this money, from our CEOs, our billionaires, goes into housing, which we desperately need here in Los Angeles.' Rae Huang, 43, lost her cool during a radio interview with KNX News reporter Craig Fiegener as she was probed on numerous issues including budgeting and policing Huang, a Democratic Socialists Member, officially announced her campaign in November at the Los Angeles City Hall (pictured, downtown LA) Huang declared that she was well-qualified for the job after living in the area, as well as being a mother and community organizer in the city Fiegener queried how Huang would achieve the costly project and asked where the money is currently being funneled. 'Our money is going into band-aid solutions,' Huang said, before clarifying that one of those included the Los Angeles Police Department, according to the Post. 'One of them is, for example, the police,' she began. 'The LAPD just doubled their staff without the city... approval.' Fiegener, however, told the mayoral hopeful that, in fact, the city's police department had not doubled but was tentatively seeking to add 240 officers. Last May, the City Council voted to allow the LAPD to hire 240 recruits within the fiscal year, instead of the 480 requested by Mayor Karen Bass, The Los Angeles Times reported. Bass sent a letter to council members calling for them to locate funding for the LAPD to hire more officers, as Police Chief Jim McDonnel said at a news conference that having fewer officers would result in a 'public safety crisis.' Huang, however, was unrelenting in the face of correction from Fiegener. She accused the department of going 'rogue,' declaring that there has been 'no accountability' in local government,' the Post reported. Join the debate Should being a parent be considered an important qualification for political leadership? Huang accused the department of going 'rogue,' declaring that there has been 'no accountability' in local government' Huang said the LAPD had doubled their force without approval. Last May, the City Council voted for the LAPD to hire 240 recruits, rather than the 480 suggested by Mayor Karen Bass Police Chief Jim McDonnel said at a news conference that having fewer officers would result in a 'public safety crisis' After then defending her credentials as a mother and longtime resident in Los Angeles, Huang was asked how, with 'half the leadership experience' at 'such a large level,' she would be able to handle the role. 'I'm gonna do it,' Huang replied. 'I'm excited to get started.' The job would require Huang to juggle around a $13 billion city budget and large scale departments that handle substantial amounts of annual funding. Huang, however, remained confident and compared herself to the recently sworn-in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, incorrectly stating that he had no prior experience before taking office. Fiegener corrected Huang, and said Mamdani had served as a state assemblyman, prompting the Los Angeles mother to accuse the reporter of bias. 'This is exactly the kind of pushback that we from media people like yourself,' she bitterly snapped while interrupting the reporter. 'I'm just asking a question,' Fiegener clarified, defending his position as a reporter by pointing out that constituents deserve anyone seeking office to be thoroughly scrutinized. As the tense exchange began to wind down, the mayoral hopeful made a final blunder after stating she was 42 years old before correcting herself. Huang remained confident and compared herself to the recently sworn-in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, incorrectly stating that he had no prior experience before taking office Huang's campaign is running on policies such as Housing for All, fast and free buses, increasing the minimum wage as well as her Real Safety slogan, 'fighting poverty, not the poor' Huang officially launched her campaign in November at the Los Angeles City Hall. Her campaign is running on policies such as Housing for All, fast and free buses, increasing the minimum wage and strengthening worker rights as well as her Real Safety slogan, 'fighting poverty, not the poor.' 'Los Angeles can be a city where people stay, not a city they are priced out of. We can build a Los Angeles where families can put down roots, where we protect workers and small businesses, where buses are fast and free, and where public safety means care and prevention,' her campaign site stated. The Daily Mail reached out to Huang and Fiegener for comment. Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau were among the celebrities and politicians seen arriving at Davos this afternoon as European leaders braced themselves for yet more confrontations with Donald Trump. The pop star, 41, and former Canadian PM, 54, were seen walking hand-in-hand at the annual World Economic Forum in Switzerland - an event which is set to be dominated by the presence of the US President. French leader Emmanuel Macron was amongst those speaking at the forum, and in his speech on Tuesday said we are reaching a time of 'instability and imbalance', adding: 'We're shifting to a world without rules.' He also said that Europe should not hesitate to deploy' tools at its disposal to protect its interests. While Macron did not directly address Donald Trump, he noted that 2025 had been plagued by dozens of wars, saying: 'I hear some of them have been settled. We do prefer respect to bullies'. This comes as earlier today, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen blasted President Trump for threatening to hit EU allies with tariffs over Greenland. Von der Leyen said the new tariffs would risk 'plunging Europe into a downward spiral' and play into the hands of foreign adversaries, such as China and Russia. She vowed to 'build a new form of European independence' out of the geopolitical row - which will come to a head once Trump arrives in Davos to meet his European counterparts. Pop star Katy Perry and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were spotted arriving at the World Economic Forum French leader Emmanuel Macron speaking at WEF in Davos Trump announced that starting February, a 10 per cent import tax will be imposed on goods from eight European nations The pop star looks on with a smile as her Mr Trudeau delivered a speech She was responding to Trump's announcement that starting February, a 10 per cent import tax will be imposed on goods from eight European nations that have rallied around Denmark in the wake of his stepped up calls for the United States to take over the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland. Overnight Trump trolled European leaders with an AI image of them looking at a map showing Greenland and Canada as US territory in the Oval Office. The photo, posted on the President's Truth Social platform, showed leaders including Sir Keir Starmer, France's Macron and Italy's Giorgia Meloni gathered around Trump's desk. Trump also posted a text exchange he shared with the Secretary General of Nato, Mark Rutte, during which the official wrote: 'I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark.' The altered image appears to be an edited version of a photograph taken during August 2025, when European leaders visited Washington for the US President's phone call with Vladimir Putin. In the original version of the image, the leaders are gathered near a whiteboard, showing a map depicting the front line of the Ukraine conflict. In the altered one, the presentation board has been edited so that a US flag covers North America, Canada and Greenland. Join the debate Are Katy & Justin a good match? US President Donald Trump has trolled European leaders with an AI image of them looking at a map showing Greenland and Canada as US territory Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission speaks at the Congress Hall during the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 20 Von der Leyen's speech arrived as European allies weigh up whether to deploy their so-called trade 'bazooka' for the first time in retaliation to Trump's threats - an economic tool that would hit the US with 81billion in tariffs. Trump has in recent days ramped up pressure on his European allies to accept his plans to seize Greenland, contributing towards an increasingly acrimonious trans-Atlantic row. He wrote on Truth Social on Sunday: 'NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that "you have to get Russian threat away from Greenland". Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!' Trump is expected to arrive on Wednesday to the Swiss mountain resort, where he is due to deliver a special address. Last night, anti-Trump protesters rocked Zurich, burning US flags and targeting American-owned stores ahead of his arrival in Davos. Companies affected included luxury car brand Cadillac as well as international corporation Nestle. Masked protesters were filmed setting fire to a large US flag in the middle of the street People carried anti-Trump signs with the slogans 'Trump not welcome, 'Trump for prison,' and 'Trump is a criminal' amongst others. As the demonstration turned aggressive, the police got involved and told marchers to clear the area A casino was also spray painted with the words 'Money Stinks,' according to local media. Video footage from the evening shows demonstrators building barricades and causing destruction, with bins set on fire and chairs scattered through the area. Masked protesters were also filmed setting fire to a large US flag in the middle of the street. During the march, which began at town square Burkliplatz, people carried anti-Trump signs with the slogans 'Trump not welcome, 'Trump for prison,' and 'Trump is a criminal' amongst others. 'One Solution Revolution!' was chanted as people set off firecrackers, smoke grenades and fireworks. As the demonstration turned aggressive, the police got involved and told marchers to clear the area after protesters sat down on the street creating a blockade. Matt Damon, who leads a water access nonprofit, is at the forum to recruit corporate partners David Beckham makes an appearance at WEF When a second request, as well as dialogue with the demonstrators, was unsuccessful, officers deployed water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets. Medics revealed several people were injured. Two police officers were also reportedly hit by stones. Actor Matt Damon and David Beckham were amongst celebrities making an appearance at Davos. Damon, who leads a water access nonprofit, is at the forum to recruit corporate partners. Beckham is at the conference in his capacity as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and as a partner of Authentic Brands Group and co-owner of Inter Miami CF. A Minnesota US citizen with no criminal record was seized from his home by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and paraded in front of his neighbors in his underwear in frigid conditions. ChongLy Thao, 56, was snatched by the federal officers from his home in St Paul on Sunday afternoon, according to his family and videos from witnesses. ICE agents broke down the door of his home, pointed guns at his family, and handcuffed him while his four-year-old grandson cried in horror. He was marched outside in the freezing cold in his underwear and a blanket he quickly grabbed from the couch. Thao told Reuters and the Associated Press that he asked his daughter-in-law to find his identification for the officers, but the agents said they didn't need to see it and detained him anyway. Officers denied him the chance to put on clothes and he was forced outside wearing Crocs on his feet. 'I was shaking,' he told AP. 'They didn't show any warrant; they just broke down the door.' Neighbors captured the horrifying moments on camera and screamed at ICE agents to release Thao. ChongLy Thao, 56, was forcibly removed from his home in St Paul by ICE agents on Sunday, pictured above Thao, pictured above in an interview on Monday, is a legal US citizen and doesn't have a criminal record Thao's family said he asked agents for an opportunity to put clothes on and provide identification, but was denied He recalled that agents drove him to 'the middle of nowhere' and photographed him outside. Thao said he feared they would assault him. When officers ran his fingerprints, they realized Thao was a legal citizen with no criminal record and brought him back to his home a few hours after detaining him. Thao said he didn't receive an apology or an explanation for the alleged inhumane treatment. 'I was praying. I was like, God, please help me, I didn't do anything wrong. Why do they do this to me? Without my clothes on,' he told Reuters. Thao is a Hmong man born in Laos. His adopted mother, Choua Thao, delivered him while she served the American side in the Secret War, a series of covert CIA operations in Laos. Choua had to flee Laos with her children when the communists took over in the 1970s because she treated US soldiers. 'Choua raised her children with deep values of service, dignity, and responsibility, and she ensured all of them became naturalized US citizens,' Thao's family wrote in a GoFundMe description. 'She believed strongly in doing things the right way and in protecting life and family.' Thao, pictured above on Monday in front of his home, is a naturalized citizen from Laos. His mother served as a nurse and treated American soldiers and citizens during the Secret War Thao, pictured above in his home, feared he would be assaulted by officers and has filed complaints with the ACLU Thao's family said his mother treated countless civilians and American soldiers during the war. She died in December. 'To have her son treated this way dragged from his home, weapons pointed at him, in front of his family and a small child while the family is still grieving her loss, is heartbreaking, unjust, and deeply traumatizing,' the family added. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed in a statement that ICE conducted an operation at Thao's address. They said they were searching for two convicted sex offenders facing final orders of removal by an immigration judge. Thao's family denied that registered sex offenders live in the home, although DHS has maintained that they do. They claimed Thao refused to be fingerprinted or to be identified by facial recognition. 'He matched the description of the targets. As with any law enforcement agency, it is standard protocol to hold all individuals in a house of an operation for safety of the public and law enforcement,' the statement continued. "Both of these sexual predators remain AT LARGE in St. Paul. We will be providing the public with photos and descriptors to help us locate and apprehend these public safety threats.' Thao's family said that one of the men wanted by DHS previously lived in the home and was a former spouse of a family member. Thao's son said he was stopped by ICE agents earlier in the day while driving a friend's car. He added that the friend shares the first name of another man on the sex offender registry, but that the two people are not the same, AP reported. ICE agents broke down the door and pointed guns at Thao's family as they detained him and removed him from their home, pictured above Neighbors and community members video taped the horrific moments and screamed for Thao to be released, pictured above St Paul Mayor Kaohly Her told the Minnesota Star Tribune that she was 'livid' over the incident, adding that Thao is a family friend whom she knows personally. 'Its devastating to watch. And I am not outraged because these are people personal to me. This is happening across our city, across our state,' she said. 'The federal government, ICE is not doing what it is that they say theyre doing. Theyre not going after hardened criminals. 'Theyre going after anyone and everyone in their path. It is unacceptable. That is un-American.' Thao's family said that although he wasn't physically injured, the incident had traumatized him and left him with psychological harm. He also lives with severe psoriasis, which is worsened by extreme stress, according to his family. Thao has filed complaints with the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota and the state's attorney general. His family is raising money for his mental health therapy and medical care. Thao, pictured above hugging his sister, has suffered psychological harm from the incident. His family is raising money for his therapy Thao's family is just one of many impacted by the increased ICE raids in Minneapolis. DHS and ICE have been under fire for carrying out violent and unjustified raids in the city. At the beginning of the month, a legal citizen named Renee Good, 37, was fatally shot by officers in her car. Protests have erupted across the state, resulting in violent clashes between citizens and law enforcement. Minnesota Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz have condemned the federal government's actions, frequently demanding that the raids subside. The Daily Mail has reached out to DHS and ICE for additional comment. Nick Reiner has been in a delirious state since the murders of his parents, appearing 'almost childlike' in jail, insiders have said. The 32-year-old is accused of brutally stabbing Rob and Michele Reiner to death at their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on December 14. The Hollywood director and his producer wife were found dead by their horrified daughter, Romy, and Nick was arrested later that day on suspicion of murder. TMZ executive producer Harvey Levin told Fox & Friends on Monday that the alleged killer is 'not competent to stand trial right now'. 'He is almost childlike in jail, we're told,' Levin said. 'He can't process the consequences of what he's done. He knows what he did. 'He just can't understand where he is right now, and I know that sounds crazy, but he is out of his head right now.' Levin added that the killings were 'incredibly brutal'. 'We know people in the medical examiner's office who are traumatized just by the pictures,' he said. The TMZ producer added that the killings had 'all the markings of a meth murder' and that Nick had been using the hard drug at the time. Nick Reiner has been in a delirious state in jail since the murders of his parents, insiders have said (Pictured: Alleged killer Nick Reiner with his parents Rob and Michele Reiner) TMZ executive producer Harvey Levin (pictured) told Fox & Friends on Monday that the alleged killer is 'not competent to stand trial right now' and has been appearing 'almost childlike in jail' 'It has the markings of somebody who was just wild, wildly strong,' Levin said. 'We have not gotten the confirmation of that, but we've talked to people... If he were just Nick Reiner without something additional, the carnage wouldn't have been the way it was.' Reiner, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, is expected to plead not guilty to the murders by reason of insanity. He was arrested on December 14 and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Prosecutors added special circumstances of multiple murders and use of a dangerous weapon, a knife, meaning if convicted, Nick could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or even the death penalty. Rob Reiner, 78, is known for directing This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally, while Michele, 70, was a photographer, producer, and LGBT rights activist. The Hollywood power couple married in 1989 and had three children - Jake, 34, Nick, 32, and Romy, 28, who found their bodies on the day they died. Nick has appeared in court wearing a blue anti-suicide vest. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder over the deaths on December 14, 2025 Rob Reiner, 78, is known for directing This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally, while Michele, 70, was a photographer, producer, and LGBT rights activist The couple was killed inside their mansion in Brentwood, a ritzy neighborhood in Los Angeles Nick's high-profile attorney, Alan Jackson, resigned from the case earlier this month for reasons he could not reveal. He later told reporters that under California law his client is definitely not guilty of murder in the killing of his parents. 'Circumstances beyond our control and more importantly circumstances beyond Nick's control have dictated that, sadly, it's made it impossible to continue our representation,' Jackson said January 7. But, Jackson added, after weeks of investigation, 'what we've learned, and you can take this to the bank, is that pursuant to the laws of this state, pursuant to the law of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder. Print that.' Jackson would not specify what he meant and took no questions at the brief news conference. Romy and Jake also released a heart-wrenching statement on their parents' deaths. Nick Reiner had a long history of substance abuse and had spoken about it publicly Rob and wife Michele shared three children, Jake, Nick, and Romy; pictured in 2005 'Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,' the grieving siblings said. 'The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. 'They weren't just our parents; they were our best friends. We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life.' The pair asked people for 'respect and privacy' and urged the public to treat any speculation with 'compassion and humanity'. Jake and Romy said they wanted their parents to be remembered for the 'incredible lives they lived and the love' they gave. China applies to locate Xiamen City as host of marine biological diversity agreement secretariat: spokesperson Xinhua) 16:11, January 20, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- China has decided to present the candidate of Xiamen City to host the Secretariat of the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, and has informed the United Nations Secretary-General of the relevant decision on Jan. 16, a foreign ministry spokesperson said here on Tuesday. The agreement, with 82 countries including China and the EU as its contracting parties, entered into force on Jan. 17. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) President Donald Trump will descend upon the snowy peaks of Davos, fueled by what two European diplomats call an 'invincible' new sense of power as he prepares to browbeat the global elite. But while the world's leaders gather to discuss policy, the president has his sights set on a far icier prize: a relentless, highstakes quest to secure Greenland for the United States, even as Denmark's leaders have insisted the arctic island is 'not for sale.' For a businessman like Trump, everyone has a price and it looks like the president is set to make Davos pay, at least rhetorically. A U.S. official tells Axios that the elite attendees at the forum should brace themselves to be 'insulted' when Trump takes the stage for his Wednesday speech. 'In the same way that he went to the UN and said, 'You people charge a lot of dues, occupy a bunch of real estate, really don't do anything,' he's going to probably say that about some subset of those at Davos,' the US official explained to the outlet. This all comes after Trump first texted the Norwegian prime minister, menacingly griping that since he did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize, he may not be focused on peace going forward after all. Insiders say the president is riding a wave of invincibility following the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro in just over two hours. In a latenight social media blitz, Trump shared mockup images of the U.S. flag covering parts of Canada, Greenland and Venezuela. France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the press after delivering a speech during the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on January 20 Macron greets Queen Mathilde of Belgium in front of King Philippe Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds hands with Katy Perry as they leave an event during the World Economic Forum in Davos The AlpenGold hotel in Davos pictured during the World Economic Forum This all comes after Trump first texted the Norwegian prime minister, saying that since he did not get the Nobel Peace Prize, his primary focus will not be squarely focused on peace moving forward The president also posted screenshots of messages allegedly from French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, showing the European leaders pleading for a deescalation of his Greenland tariff threats. In one message, Macron said: 'My friend, we are totally in line on Syria, we can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland.' The French president also offered to host a G7 meeting in Paris on Thursday, after the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, and proposed a dinner between the two of them. European officials had to abandon their Ukraine talking points and draft new ones on Greenland, a Ukrainian official told Axios. Trump is raising the stakes with an ultimatum for world leaders: hand over Greenland by February 1 or face crippling U.S. tariffs. In retaliation, EU countries are reportedly considering a massive tariff package. The president's relentless crusade for the Arctic territory has already seen him take aim at Denmark and seven NATO allies, all of whom have sent troops to the island. But his ambitions don't stop at the ice cap. While in Davos, Trump is prepared to transform his 'Board of Peace' into a worldwide powerhouse, effectively creating a rival to the United Nations where he alone would hold the ultimate veto. A senior U.S. official told Axios the Board of Peace won't be limited to Gaza but is intended as a global initiative. This comes as Russia's president Vladimir Putin weighs accepting Trump's invitation to join the Board of Peace. Gavin Newsom tore apart European leaders for embarrassing themselves by rolling over to Donald Trump in the president's pursuit to rip control of Greenland from Denmark. The California Democratic governor, and potential candidate for president in 2028, on Tuesday blasted Europeans looking to negotiate with Trump as 'pathetic.' I can't take this complicity. People rolling over. I should have bought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders, Newsom told reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos.I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage, at least from an American perspective. It's embarrassing. Newsom then likened Trump to a T-Rex that you either 'mate with or he devours you,' while ripping into EU leaders for trying to placate the president by 'playing by an old set of rules.' This guy is a wrecking ball. I hope people are waking up to what we are dealing with. This is code red, he continued. You guys are still playing by an old set of rules, everybody in the globe is, with this guy. He's unmoored. It's the law of the jungle. It's the rule of Don, and I hope it's dawning on the world what we're up against. Over the last few weeks, Trump has ramped up pressure on Denmark, a NATO member, to cede control of Greenland to the US via a combination of economic pressure and military threats. He is set to depart Washington for Davos later Tuesday and will deliver a highly-anticipated speech on his vision for American power on Wednesday, with the dispute over the Danish territory expected to dominate discussions between world leaders and diplomats on the sidelines. Gavin Newsom called out European leaders for 'rolling over' to Donald Trump as tries to take control of Greenland Trump has imposed tariffs on European allies and threaten to use military force to take control of Greenland from Denmark, a NATO member Your browser does not support iframes. This is serious. This guy ishe's not mad, he's very intentional. But he's unmoored and he's unhinged, Newsom concluded. The president over the weekend imposed tariffs on eight European nations over their support for Greenland. The tariffs will start at 10 percent next month and rise again to 25 percent in June, remaining in place until a deal is reached. Trump suggested in a private text exchange on Sunday with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre that his push to take Greenland is in retaliation for his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Denmark on Monday pulled out of the Davos summit as the crisis deepened. The president has threatened to pull out of NATO if the US isn't allowed to take control of Greenland, which he claims is integral to national security. In his remarks to the press, Newsom also claimed that European leaders talk disparagingly about Trump behind his back but never confront him in-person. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Everybody's talking behind his back. They're laughing at him. Meanwhile, they're sucking up to him. It's embarrassing...This is not diplomacy, it's stupidity, Newsom noted. The EU is preparing to threaten the US with retaliatory tariffs on $110 billion in goods, or potentially deny America access to the common market, according to the Financial Times. Newsom is slated to address the World Economic Forum on Thursday, one day after Trump. President Trump delivered an ominous warning when pressed by a reporter on Monday about how far he would go to take over Greenland, replying: 'Youll find out.' The statement comes as Trump is scheduled to leave Washington, DC, on Tuesday evening for Davos, Switzerland, where he'll hold high-stakes talks with European leaders over his plot to acquire Greenland. Meanwhile, Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a separate news conference that the Arctic island's population and authorities need to prepare for a possible military invasion amid pressure from Trump, saying: 'Its not likely there will be a military conflict, but it cant be ruled out.' Earlier in the week, President Donald Trump leaked private texts from world leaders and taunted allies with memes, sharing messages from French President Emmanuel Macron and Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte in a late-night social media blitz against critics of his plan to purchase the Arctic territory. Trump revealed that he leaked the messages because they 'made my point' as he told the New York Post he spent Monday evening halting a Syrian prison break by European terrorists. 'Theyre saying, "Oh gee, lets have dinner, lets do this, lets do that," it just made my point,' he continued. 'European terrorists were in prison. They had a prison break. And working with the government of Syria and the new leader of Syria, they captured all the prisoners, put them back to jail, and these were the worst terrorists in the world, all from Europe.' The prison break happened Monday at Al-Shaddadi prison in Syria after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaas troops advanced against Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces troops, with the Kurdish group agreeing to hand over facilities holding 8,000 Islamic State fighters. Follow along for the latest updates. Emmanuel Macron has hit back at Donald Trump, warning that 'we're shifting to a world without rules' where 'international law is trampled underfoot, and the only law that matters is that of the strongest'. The French President's World Economic Forum address came after Trump published private texts from Macron pleading with him over his plans for Greenland. Sporting a pair of aviator sunglasses to hide an eye condition, Macron told Davos officials today: 'It's... a shift towards a world without rules, where international law is trampled underfoot and where the only law that seems to matter is that of the strongest', adding that what he called 'imperial ambitions' were resurfacing. He also said that Europe should not hesitate to deploy tools at its disposal to protect its interests, amid rising trade threats from Trump in the run-up to the US President's speech on Wednesday. Macron opened his speech by saying: 'It's time of peace, stability and predictability, yet we have approached instability and imbalance,' adding that 'conflict has become normalised'. But while Macron did not directly address the US President, he said he prefers 'respect to bullies' and 'rule of law to brutality' following threats by Trump. Macron also denounced US competition seeking to 'subordinate Europe' and 'unacceptable' tariffs after Trump threatened to impose levies on countries opposing his plans to seize Greenland. The French President described 'competition from the United States of America through trade agreements that undermine our export interests, demand maximum concessions, and openly aim to weaken and subordinate Europe'. France's President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 20, 2026 Sporting a pair of aviator sunglasses due to a current eye condition, the French president told the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday: 'It's... a shift towards a world without rules, where international law is trampled underfoot' President Emmanuel Macron, Senate President Gerard Larcher, and National Assembly President Yael Braun Pivet participate in a meeting on the institutional future of New Caledonia on January 19, 2026, at the Elysee Palace in Paris France's President Emmanuel Macron (2L) greets Queen Mathilde of Belgium (R) in front of King Philippe - Filip of Belgium (C) during the World Economic Forum They were 'combined with an endless accumulation of new tariffs that are fundamentally unacceptable - even more so when they are used as leverage against territorial sovereignty', he said. Following his speech, Macron told reporters that he did not plan to speak with his US counterpart at the forum. Macron's Davos statement comes after Trump published messages showing the French leader's confusion over the US President's plans to take control of Greenland. Trump posted screenshots on his Truth Social platform showing Macron offering to host a meeting with 'Ukrainians, the Danish, the Syrians, and the Russians' and inviting the US president to dinner in Paris. 'My friend, we are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran,' Macron wrote. 'I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things.' It has since been revealed that there is no G7 summit scheduled for this week. 'No meeting is scheduled. The French presidency is willing to hold one,' Macron said after he delivered his speech to the World Economic Forum. The message emerged after Macron declined Trump's invitation to join his so-called Board of Peace initiative, prompting the US leader to threaten 200 per cent tariffs on wine and champagne. Macron had said 'at this stage' he was not planning on serving with Trump's group, which is intended to create the second phase of the Gaza peace plan. 'Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon,' Trump told reporters on Monday. Trump then to escalated his threat of a trade war with Europe. 'What I'll do is, if they feel hostile, I'll put a 200 percent tariff on his wines and champagnes and he'll join,' Trump said before boarding a flight to Washington. 'But he doesn't have to join.' Trump has already suggested imposing tariffs on France and several other European nations for opposing his actions in Greenland. During a press briefing before Macron's speech, the Elysee heavily criticised Trump's tariff strategy, stating that France does not view tariffs as a viable solution to international or economic issues. French government officials described the coercive trade approach as anti-cooperation and a fundamentally flawed method. The French leader's appearance at Davos coincides with the EU summit scheduled for Thursday, the same day Macron proposed hosting Trump in Paris for a dinner and expanded G7 meeting. In the text, Macron promised to assemble a G7 following the World Economic Forum in Davos and asked Trump to have dinner with him in Paris on Thursday before he returns to the US Trump continued to post on Truth Social, with a photoshopped picture of himself, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio 'claiming' Greenland with the US flag Macron has been at the forefront of European pushback, with French officials calling for activation of the EU's anti-coercion instrument, an emergency mechanism that would restrict US companies' ability to operate in European markets. Trump agreed earlier on Monday to a meeting at Davos during a call with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, but insisted there can be no going back on Washington's control over Greenland, as the Arctic island remains vital for US and world security. Just a day prior, Trump sent a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, attributing his Greenland demands to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The message, which Trump shared with other NATO leaders, stated that 'considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped eight wars plus, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace'. The clash over Trump's ambitions for Greenland follows the French President's recent vow to strengthen France's military presence on the Arctic island. Around 15 French soldiers are already deployed in Greenland's capital, Nuuk, for exercises, with additional land, air, and naval assets being reinforced. Speaking to armed forces at Istres Air Base last week, Macron declared 2026 would be a year of challenges for French defence and confirmed plans for 31.3billion in additional military spending from 2026 to 2030. 'To remain free, one must be feared, and to be feared, one must be powerful. To be powerful in this brutal world, we must act faster and stronger,' Macron said. A California airport worker was killed after a cargo pallet he was towing crushed his vehicle. John Brandon Picazo Lacayanga, 28, died on Sunday evening while working at San Francisco International Airport. Emergency responders rushed to the airport and found Lacayanga's vehicle crushed under the pallet, airport officials confirmed to Bay City News. Lacayanga was an employee for the Dubai National Air Travel Agency, which offers ground handling, cargo, travel, catering and retail services. He was carrying cargo between Terminal 3 and the International boarding area G around 7pm when he was killed, according to airport officials. No other vehicles were involved and Lacayanga was alone at the time of the incident. The coroner's office confirmed that Lacayanga was a resident of San Francisco. 'We are deeply saddened to confirm that a dnata team member passed away whilst on duty at San Francisco International Airport on 18 January,' dnata said in a statement. John Lacayanga, pictured above, was killed while transporting cargo at San Francisco International Airport The coroner's office confirmed that Lacayanga was 28-years-old and a resident of San Francsico. He is pictured above in a social media post from June, 2024 Lacayanga was seemingly towing a cargo pallet, pictured above, when his vehicle was crushed and he was killed 'Our heartfelt condolences go out to their family, friends and colleagues. dnata is providing all possible support to the family at this difficult time. 'We are working closely with the relevant authorities to understand the circumstances of the incident.' The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office investigated and determined that Lacayanga's death was an accident. Lacayanga's family has started raising money for funeral expenses through a GoFundMe. 'This tragic loss was unexpected, and we hope to ease the financial burden on his parents during this incredibly difficult time,' the description reads. He is survived by his parents, Hospicio Lacayanga and Mary Jane Lacayanga. The Daily Mail has reached out to San Francisco International Airport and dnata for additional information. European leaders are said to vent privately in a secret text group chat whenever Donald Trump makes a 'wild' move, according to a new report. The informal messaging group, known as the 'Washington Group', brings together senior European figures who have grown accustomed to coordinating without Washington during Trump's second term, particularly on Ukraine. It includes leaders from both EU and non-EU countries, reflecting a broader 'coalition of the willing' that has continued to operate even as relations with the White House have grown more volatile. Figures said to be regularly exchanging messages include UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finland's President Alexander Stubb and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni - often all in the same chat. Sources familiar with the arrangement told Politico the group has developed a well-drilled routine over the past year, springing into action whenever Trump makes a move seen as 'wild and potentially damaging'. One person described the chat as 'really effective' during fast-moving situations, offering a rare glimpse into the personal relationships and how they're shaping Europe's response to the US president as the Ukraine war rages on. The group takes its name from a visit last August when several European leaders travelled to the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and has since become shorthand for the close-knit circle coordinating on Ukraine and US policy. European leaders have been using a secret group text chat to vent about Donald Trump whenever he does 'something wild', according to a new report The informal messaging group, known as the 'Washington Group', brings together senior European figures who have grown accustomed to coordinating without Washington during Trump's second term, particularly on Ukraine Figures said to be regularly exchanging messages include UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finland's President Alexander Stubb and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni While leaders may vent privately, officials said the group has adopted a deliberately restrained public approach, focusing on behind-the-scenes coordination rather than public reaction. Officials familiar with the exchanges said leaders aim to stay calm and respond to concrete policy actions rather than engaging with provocative rhetoric. That approach has coincided with progress on Ukraine, with the coalition of the willing moving closer to a framework for a peace plan backed by European states and signed up to by the United States. The plan includes American security guarantees for Kyiv, despite Trump previously ruling out a US military role. Trumps recent moves over Greenland have shifted the tone of discussions among European leaders, according to officials familiar with the exchanges. Sources said patience has worn thinner in recent weeks, with even Starmer - usually among the most cautious leaders when dealing with Trump - publicly raising concerns. Diplomats said the Greenland dispute has sharpened internal discussions about how Europe could act if US support can no longer be relied upon. 'The coalition of the willing started as being about Ukraine,' one diplomat said. Sources familiar with the arrangement told Politico the group has developed a well-drilled routine over the past year, springing into action whenever Trump makes a move seen as 'wild and potentially damaging' Also included in the Washington Group exchanges is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding another dimension to the coordination 'But it has created very close ties between key people in the capitals. They've built trust and learned how to work together. They know each other by name, and it's easy to reach out and send texts.' Some officials believe the format could eventually form the basis of a new European security arrangement in an era when American backing for NATO and European defence is increasingly uncertain. While any new structure would not rule out cooperation with Washington, it would no longer be assumed, Politico reported. Also included in the Washington Group exchanges is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding another dimension to the coordination. Ukraine is now the most militarised country represented in the group, with a large army, a highly developed drone production industry and extensive experience of frontline warfare. It comes after Sir Keir Starmer on Saturday night condemned Trump after the US President vowed to implement increasing tariffs on the UK and other European allies until the US is allowed to purchase Greenland from Denmark. In a rare public rebuke of the President by the Prime Minister, Sir Keir said the UK Government would be 'pursuing' America over the threat of tariffs and called Trump's plan 'completely wrong'. 'Our position on Greenland is very clear - it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes,' Sir Keir said. 'Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is completely wrong. We will, of course, be pursuing this directly with the US administration.' The tariff will start at 10 per cent and come into effect on February 1, rising to 25 per cent on June 1. The rates will apply to the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, Trump announced in a post on Truth Social. The move was also condemned by several European leaders, including France's President Emmanuel Macron, who called Trump's tariff threats 'unacceptable'. A top staffer for 'America's wokest prosecutor' was part of the anti-ICE mob who stormed a Minnesota church during Sunday service. Jamael Lundy, an aide to Hennepin Countys Soros-backed prosecutor Mary Moriarty, was seen among the mob as ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon streamed from inside the church in St Paul, reports the Daily Wire. According to his campaign website, Lundy is currently running for a seat in the Minnesota state legislature as a Democrat and works as intergovernmental affairs coordinator for Moriarty. The protester is also married to St Paul City Council member Anika Bowie, and his presence at the anti-ICE demonstration has bolstered claims that Minnesota authorities will not investigate the incident. Lundy was interviewed by Lemon as the group descended on the church and he was seen holding an American flag upside down as he justified the action. He also appeared to contradict Lemon in their conversation, as the journalist began by saying that the mob assembled, 'in large part without support from officials, local officials.... There are some people who want to be involved, local officials, but theyre doing this all on their own, this is all grassroots.' Lemon asked: 'Without giving out what the operation is, why are you out here?' Lundy responded: 'Im here to support our community activists. Im currently a candidate for Minnesota State Senate District 65. I feel like its important if youre going to be representing people in office, that youre out here with the people as well. Jamael Lundy, an aide to Hennepin Countys Soros-backed prosecutor Mary Moriarty, was part of the anti-ICE mob who stormed a Minnesota church during Sunday service Lundy, seen with Moriarty who has been dubbed 'America's wokest mayor' for her soft-on-crime stances, works as intergovernmental affairs coordinator for the prosecutor - making him the staffer who would interact with the federal government Despite Lundy saying he was a candidate for office, Lemon doubled down on his depiction of the gathering as unsanctioned, saying: 'The people are organizing on their own, even without representatives or officials, and hoping that everyone gets involved. This is grassroots.' Lundy responded: 'We all we got. Im actually married to an elected official; I work closely with elected officials, but direct action from the community, certainly within the lines of the law, is so important to show that we have one voice.' Inside the church, Lundy was seen raising his fist as the anti-ICE protest interrupted the Sunday church service. At one point, he was seen shouting: 'Who shut this down? We shut this down.' The Daily Mail has contacted Lundy for comment. According to the Daily Wire, Lundy previously worked for Minnesota House Rep. Carlos Mariani, the Democrat House Caucus Campaign, Congresswoman Betty McCullum, and the state teachers union He also founded 'Black Operations Public Relations LLC', and runs a firm called 'Homes for Homies Property Management LLC', which 'provides affordable housing for those struggling with credit and criminal backgrounds'. On Monday, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon announced that her office was looking into opening a federal probe into Lemon and other members of the anti-ICE mob. Inside the church, Lundy was seen raising his fist as the anti-ICE protest interrupted the Sunday church service. At one point, he was seen shouting: 'Who shut this down? We shut this down' Lundy is currently running for a seat in the Minnesota state legislature as a Democrat, and is married to St Paul City Council member Anika Bowie (seen together) Alongside working in Moriarty's office, Lundy also runs a firm called 'Homes for Homies Property Management LLC', which 'provides affordable housing for those struggling with credit and criminal backgrounds' Dhillon said she felt the need to launch the federal probe due to inaction from Minnesota authorities over the incident. The Daily Mail has approached her office for comment. This included in an interview with Lemon following the storming of the church, where Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison insisted that the 'First Amendment' meant that the actions were legal, as he said, 'none of us are immune from the voice of the public.' In his role in Moriarty's office, Lundy would be the staffer that would interact with the federal government. Moriarty - who is under a separate investigation for saying she takes into account a suspect's 'racial identity' when charging them - has become a vocal opponent of ICE in recent times amid the immigration crackdown in her state. As Minnesota was gripped by ICE raids last month, Moriarty branded the offices as 'strike teams' and said they were unfairly targeting Somalis in the state. The Hennepin County Attorney shared a video to her followers after the DOJ charged an alleged serial rapist immigrant who was freed by her office. 'There are no roving gangs of Somali people in this community, harassing, threatening, doing anything to any of our community members. Let me repeat that again because I've heard this often,' she said. 'There are no roving gangs of Somalis targeting or harassing or doing anything inappropriate to any community members. Those are simply lies. It is not true.' Moriarty seemingly insisted that there has been no wrongdoing by gangs Somali immigrants in Minnesota and vowed not to assist ICE. 'Our office at the Hennepin County Attorney's Office here will not assist in any way, shape or form in any of these ICE raids,' she said. 'Our Somali community members are what makes Minneapolis one of the finest places in the world to live.' Her comments come amid intense scrutiny over so-called Somali fraud in Minnesota after a $250 million welfare fraud scandal was uncovered. The vast majority of the more than 57 people so far convicted in the case are part of Minnesota's Somali community, however ringleader Aimee Bock, 44, is not. The head of a primary school who discussed sexually abusing a child with a mother he met on a fetish website has been banned from teaching for life. Paul Brown, the safeguarding lead at Bransgore Church of England school in Christchurch, Hampshire, left in April 2024 due to 'personal reasons'. But it has now emerged that he was arrested in July 2023 as a suspected paedophile - although he was not charged. Brown used a bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism (BDSM) website Fetlife between June and July 2023, sometimes during school hours. On it, he exchanged messages with a woman who said she was a mother of daughters aged five and nine. In these messages, Brown graphically described sexually abusing a child. The teacher asked if she had given her daughters 'special mummy time' and had access to 'her toys'. He also asked if the girls had watched porn and said they could be introduced to him as a 'friend from work'. Paul Brown, the former head of a CofE primary school in Hampshire, has been banned from teaching for life Brown talked about sexually abusing them while the mother would 'watch/support/encourage' them. He told the woman in explicit terms how he was involved previously with another mother and how he had sexually abused her three children. After police arrested him, Brown claimed he thought it was 'all fantasy' and that Person A's children did not exist. But when she started talking about them 'it made him think twice' and he contacted her to say it was a 'mistake' to be in touch. He said he intended to remain friends with her but when he heard 'real children' in the background while talking to her he thought it was 'insane' and blocked her. After his arrest, Brown told police he made up the story of the mother and her three children and that he 'would never consider harming a child'. A search of his devices revealed no evidence of other conversations of a similar nature. The revelations came to light after the former head was found guilty of unacceptable professional misconduct and bringing his profession into disrepute by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) in November. Despite the accusations against him, the misconduct panel heard character witness statements. One person wrote to the panel: 'I agree that he acted unwisely and without rational perspective but I don't believe he has ever, or would ever, harm another human being, including a child.' Another wrote: 'I believe that Paul is safe to work with children,' adding that 'Paul has spent his life helping children' and is a 'good man who has had his life's work taken away by this very sad affair'. Brown left Bransgore Church of England school in April 2024 for 'personal reasons', but it has now emerged that he was arrested in July 2023 as a suspected paedophile - although he was not charged. The abuse has not been connected to the school (pictured) The conduct panel heard how, despite the nature of the conversation Brown had with Person A, he did not report the profile to the website or contact the police despite being aware that children were at 'risk of sexual abuse'. Brown did not attend the hearing. In a letter and a statement to the panel dated October 2025 he admitted to 'large parts of the allegations facing him'. But he claimed to have 'fabricated' parts of his conversations to 'encourage Person A to open up and tell him more about what she was planning to do'. A witness began an internal investigation at the school when police decided in December 2023 not to take any further action against Brown. This involved speaking to police and Person A. Brown claimed at a disciplinary hearing in January 2024 that he had been 'unknowingly speaking to an undercover police officer, and that they spoke about abuse and a shared experience when he was a child'. He said he then messaged the person telling them he did not want to talk anymore - and that he had then been arrested. Brown also claimed that it was Person A who spoke about sexually abusing her children. But he thought 'she was making it up and did not suspect a child was involved'. He told the meeting that the conversations were a 'one-off' and that he had been in a 'bad place mentally'. In his statements to the TRA, Brown claimed he was abused himself as a child and that the conversations with Person A had been a 'response to a dark, morbid and intense fascination' which had been caused by 'unresolved post-trauma and poor state of mental and physical health'. He also said he was under 'personal and professional pressure' at the time. The TRA hearing found that Brown had not 'evidenced any understanding of the fundamental risks his actions posed towards children'. A Bransgore Church of England Primary School spokesperson said: 'The safety and wellbeing of all pupils is our absolute priority. 'Any safeguarding concerns relating to staff would always be treated extremely seriously and, as we have done on this occasion, we would always act to ensure the most appropriate course of action is taken, following all necessary processes and working with relevant agencies as required. 'Following the conclusion of our own response, we referred this matter to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) in line with the standard processes. 'The TRA is responsible for considering an individual's suitability to continue teaching and conducted its own investigation in line with this remit, before publishing its own independent findings. 'We are satisfied to see that the outcome of this investigation reflects the seriousness of the individual's conduct.' A woman in North Carolina was accused of killing a 32yearold by slipping a cyanideforming chemical into her drink - and now investigators believe she may be responsible for another murder from decades ago. Gudrun Linda Jean CasperLeinenkugel, 52, is charged with poisoning Leela Jean Livis in late 2025, as well as attempting to kill Maija Lacey, 28, and Richard Pegg during the same ordeal. Detectives said that while they examined that case, they uncovered evidence linking her to the 2007 homicide of Michael Schmidt, turning the inquiry into a doublemurder probe. Officials have not revealed what the new evidence is or how it ties her to the earlier killing, citing the need to protect the ongoing investigation. CasperLeinenkugel now faces two counts of firstdegree murder, two counts of attempted firstdegree murder, and three counts of distributing a prohibited food or beverage. A judge denied her release, and the former restaurant owner remains in the Henderson County Detention Center. An arrest warrant reviewed by Law & Crime stated that she placed acetonitrile, a solvent used in pharmaceuticals and battery manufacturing, into beverages accessible to the victims. Gudrun CasperLeinenkugel, 52, allegedly poisoned Leela Livis in 2025 and attempted to kill two other people Casper-Leinenkugel opened German-inspired Patton Public House in Asheville in 2016 Acetonitrile is dangerous because the body slowly converts it into hydrogen cyanide, a highly lethal compound, according to the CDC. While the solvent itself has only modest direct toxicity, it acts as a 'protoxin,' releasing cyanide over several hours, which can cause symptoms to appear long after exposure. The CDC also warned that cyanide prevents cells from using oxygen, effectively causing internal suffocation even when oxygen levels in the blood appear normal. Reported symptoms range from headache and dizziness to seizures, irregular heartbeat, and, in severe cases, respiratory failure and death. Suspected exposure is considered a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment. Before her arrest, CasperLeinenkugel was best known locally for opening Patton Public House, a Europeanstyle pub in Asheville featured in a 2016 Mountain Xpress profile. She described it as a familyfriendly gathering place with an extensive beer list, German comfort food, and a dogfriendly patio. CasperLeinenkugel told the outlet her family runs the Leinenkugel Brewing Co. in Wisconsin, said she had opened six restaurants and bars across the country and split her childhood between Germany and the upper Midwest. CasperLeinenkugel now faces two counts of firstdegree murder Leela Jean Livis, 32, (pictured) died after being poisoned with the deadly chemical Acetonitrile Casper-Leinenkugel has also been charged with the attempted murder of Maija Lacey, 28 (pictured) The Asheville pub leaned heavily on German traditions, with a 'Drink the Wall' beersampling program and dishes such as pierogies, schnitzel, and sauerbraten. The investigation has involved multiple agencies, including the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, the NC SBI, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, the North Carolina Department of Insurance, and the District Attorney's Office. Authorities stressed there is no ongoing threat to the public and urged anyone with information to come forward. She will be in court on February 10 for a probable cause hearing, according to WHNS. Daily Mail has reached out to Henderson County Sheriff's Office for comment. A god-fearing elderly couple have been found brutally murdered inside their South Carolina home. Larry, 76, and Sandra Moore, 75, were discovered deceased inside their Westminster property on Thursday. The alarm was raised by a family member who came to check on them after not hearing from them for days, WSPA reported. The coroner said the couple died of traumatic injuries, but further details, including how long the couple had been dead, were kept private to preserve the integrity of the investigation, police said. Authorities do not believe there is a danger to the public and believe it is an isolated incident. Police are encouraging anyone with surveillance footage of the area to come forward. 'If people were driving through that area, maybe people who live in the area, maybe they saw something that was suspicious or something that didnt seem right,' Jimmy Watt, the public information office for the sheriff's office, told the outlet. Larry, 76, and Sandra Moore, 75, were found dead inside their Westminster home on Thursday by a family member who came to check on them after not hearing from them for days The coroner said the couple died of traumatic injuries, but further details were kept private due to the investigation. Their deaths are being investigated as homicides The couple were owners of a local restaurant, Moore & Moore Fish Camp, which they had owned for decades until their retirement in 2016. They were long-time members of the Calvary Church, which announced their deaths on Facebook. 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of two of our longtime and most faithful members,' the church's officials wrote. Sandra's cousin, Terry Addis, called the married couple the 'most godly people'. The couple's son-in-law Kevin jones described the situation as a 'nightmare.' 'Please pray for my wife and her sister. As you can imagine, our whole family is devastated. Why anyone would hurt these two precious people is beyond imagination. 'My mother-in-law and father-in-law were the most precious people God ever created. Absolutely heartbroken.' Larry's former co-worker Layne Carver wrote: 'The[re] could never be a better God-fearing person. They were long-time members of the Calvary Church. The congregation mourned their loss and described them as the 'backbones' of the church The couple owned Moore & Moore Fish Camp for decades before retiring in 2016 'You meant a lot to everyone that knew you. I pray that the both of you rest easy in the hands of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Y'all will be missed.' Other members described the couple as the 'backbones' of the church. The couple shared at least one daughter The Daily Mail has reached out to their family and the sheriff's office for comment. A Canadian man tricked his way into hundreds of free flights and even rode in the cockpit of a plane until he was busted by federal investigators. Dallas Pokornik, 33, was charged with two counts of wire fraud after allegedly faking his identity for four years to get hundreds of free flights. Pokornik is accused of pretending to be a pilot to carry out his scheme, according to the Honolulu StarAdvertiser. 'Over the course of four years, [he] falsely claimed he was an airline pilot and presented a fictitious employee identification card to obtain hundreds of flights at no cost,' Michael Nammar, the assistant US attorney prosecuting the case, wrote. He added that Pokornik 'requested a jump seat in the cockpit of the aircraft' despite not being a pilot or having an airman's certificate. Pokornik was described as a Canadian citizen 'with no ties to the United States that was extradited from Panama.' His trickery allegedly fooled four unnamed airlines between January and October 2024 by using a fake identity card and by exploiting an online booking tool used by airline staff to book free flights. If Pokornik is found guilty on both wire fraud counts, he could face up to 40 years in federal prison. Dallas Pokornik, 33, was charged with two counts of wire fraud after allegedly tricking his way into hundreds of free flights by pretending to be a pilot or flight attendant Pokornik allegedly used a fake employment badge when he was carrying out his plot. When he did this, he asked for travel benefits typically reserved for airline pilots or flight attendants. A Canadian airline mentioned in the suit employed Pokornik as a flight attendant for about two years between July 2017 and October 2019, but he was never a pilot. Federal prosecutors alleged that Pokornik had asked for a jump seat in the cockpit of a plane. It was not immediately known how many times he did this. The jump seat is typically used by pilots, air carrier inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration and evaluators from the Department of Defense or National Transportation Safety Board operators. Other individuals need to request a seat and verify their identity before securing approval to fly there. Pokornik's criminal charges are related to two flights from a Hawaiian airline in August and October 2024. Pokornik allegedly requested a jump seat in the cockpit of the aircraft,' even though he was not a pilot and did not have an airmans certificate He was accused of causing tickets to be issued 'at no cost' through 'false and fraudulent representations' of his identity. Posts on a public social media profile showed Pokornik in Thailand, England and California. In one video, he could be seen posing with a drink inside what appeared to be a private aircraft. 'Many of my friends are married. Many of my friends are having kids,' he wrote in another post. 'I'm over here trying to avoid checking my bag and hoping for a window seat.' A separate publication tagged 'Team no sleep' showed Pokornik flying from London to Manhattan. He bobbed his head and smiled widely while showing off the view from his plane window. Pokornik will appear today in US District Court, District of Hawaii for a hearing overseen by Chief US Magistrate Judge Kenneth J. Mansfield. His attorney was listed as Craig Jerome from the Office of the Hawaii Federal Public Defender. Pokorniks charges are linked to two flights from August and October 2024, which he obtained 'at no cost' Nammar, the assistant US attorney, has moved to deny Pokornik bail by calling him a 'serious risk' to flee. He said there was 'no condition or combination of conditions' that would guarantee Pokornik would not escape if released from federal custody. Pokornik is currently behind bars at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu. Last year, federal prosecutors convicted a Miami man of wire fraud after posing as a flight attendant between 2018 and 2024. Tiron Alexander, 35, booked more than 120 flights for free by lying about his identity. Alexander will be sentenced on January 23, per federal court records. A Good Samaritan has recalled seeing a grandmother 'drop to the floor' before desperately trying to save her after she was stabbed to death a bus stop. Anita Mukhey, 66, was allegedly stabbed 18 times by gory video fanatic Jala Debella, 24, with a hunting knife he had just bought online, the Old Bailey has heard. She had been waiting for the bus on Edgeware Road, north London, when Debella allegedly attacked her at around 11.50am on May 9, 2024. On Tuesday, jurors heard eyewitness accounts of the incident, including that of Stefan Dennis, who had desperately tried to save Ms Mukhey when she was injured. Mr Dennis recalled hearing 'screaming and shouting' and seeing traffic had 'come to a stop' before realising the horror that was unfolding. He described seeing 'a black male' walking away from the scene holding 'something shiny in his hand'. Mr Dennis told police at the time: 'It was like he was vacant and just going about his day. I remember thinking he didn't seem to be of sound mind, as if he was on drugs.' He then saw Ms Mukhey 'drop to the floor' as another woman screamed: 'She's been stabbed.' He raced over to see if he could help then ran to a nearby climbing centre to try to find a first aid kit. Mr Dennis explained how he 'did the best I could do' by giving Ms Mukhey CPR until police and paramedics arrived to take over. She tragically died less than an hour later. Medical secretary Anita Mukhey, 66, was stabbed 18 times while waiting for a bus on the Edgware Road, London Mr Dennis told jurors: 'I'm walking up the (Burnt Oak) Broadway. I can hear screaming, shouting.' He said, a man in a purple blazer was filming something on his mobile phone and pointing across the road saying: 'He's over there.' Mr Dennis told jurors: 'I figured out something happened. There was screaming. Traffic in the road had come to a stop. 'Across the road I saw a black male and I saw what he was wearing and I just remember something shiny in his hand.' Describing how the man appeared, he said: 'It was a nonchalant walk. A lot of things were happening at the time, shouting, screaming and pointing at his direction. 'There was a lot of chaos. He was normal considering people were shouting and screaming and putting a lot of attention in his direction. 'I thought it was unusual considering what was happening.' Mr Dennis explained how he had tried to save Ms Mukhey's life. Despite his efforts and those of medics at the scene, the grandmother died at 12.22pm. Police and forensic teams at the scene shortly after Mrs Mukhey was fatally stabbed on May 9, 2024 Another eyewitness, Nicole Rosa, was in New Image Hair Salon when she heard a scream and saw a man 'pulling and punching' a woman. She told jurors the attacker punched the victim two or three times but by the time she went outside, he had 'calmly' walked off. Ms Rosa said: 'When he turned I saw a knife. Everything stopped when I saw the knife. 'There was a red line on it, it was not dripping. It was not punches - he was actually stabbing her.' She shouted a warning to a man following the attacker who was filming on his mobile phone, the court was told. Ms Rosa wiped away tears when prosecutor Jonathan Polnay KC asked what happened next. She said: 'No-one was going near the lady on the floor so I just wanted to go over and see. Mr Polnay said: 'You then went over and did what you could to help?' Ms Rosa replied: 'Well I couldn't do anything really.' A forensics officer bags up evidence at the scene of the alleged stabbing in Burnt Oak Broadway in May 2024 Marius Cornea was having a coffee with his friend Vlad outside a pizzeria on the Burnt Oak Broadway, about 40-60 metres away from the bus stop. He first became aware of what was going on when Vlad remarked: 'Look at that idiot beating his wife.' He leaned forward and saw a man appear to deliver three or four hard and fast punches to a woman's face and upper body, the court was told. Mr Cornea said he ran towards the bus stop where people were screaming and shouting as the attacker continued to strike the woman's face, neck and upper body. After the woman collapsed, he said: 'I was trying to run between cars to get near the woman lying down on the street. 'I called 999. I noticed a lot of blood underneath the woman on the floor.' He told jurors he saw a large cut on her neck and chin, adding: 'I realised it was not beating, it was stabbing.' Previously, the court has heard that Debella had lived in Colindale, north-west London, in a residential home supporting people with mental health problems. Just three days before the killing, he successfully bought a hunting knife with a sheath from knifewarehouse.co.uk. The knife was delivered at 10.44am, almost exactly an hour before the first 999 call about the attack. Police later recovered an identical blade from a bin where the defendant was seen to throw something away, jurors have heard. DNA analysis linked the knife to Debella and Ms Mukhey. After his arrest, police recovered bloodstained Nike trainers from Debella's room allegedly also with Ms Mukhey's DNA on it. Jurors have been told that Debella, from Colindale, north-west London, is too unwell to attend court. They have been told their task is to determine whether Debella committed the act alleged against him, that he killed Ms Mukhey. The trial of issue continues. The convicted mastermind behind the massive fraud scandal in Minnesota has revealed she regrets what happened with the nonprofit - and claimed she thought she was doing everything by the book. In her first jailhouse interview, Aimee Bock, 45, defended herself while also expressing remorse over the COVID-era scheme, which saw $250 million go toward her lavish lifestyle filled with luxury cars, designer bags, and vacations. Feeding Our Future would provide taxpayer money to restaurants and caterers in the community to help provide meals to children in need during the pandemic. But, according to prosecutors, under Bock's control, the program quickly turned from wholesome to the largest fraud scheme to ever hit the state. Bock, the only non-Somali resident involved in the staggering case, was convicted in March 2025 for her role in the scandal. While awaiting her sentencing hearing at Sherburne County Jail, Bock, a former school teacher and mother-of-two, decided to tell her side of the story. 'I wish I could go back and do things differently, stop things, catch things,' Bock told CBS News while in federal custody. 'I believed we were doing everything in our power to protect the program,' she said before maintaining her innocence. Aimee Bock, the convicted mastermind behind the massive fraud scandal in Minnesota, sat down for her first jailhouse interview after being found guilty of scamming taxpayers out of $250 million for her non-profit Brock next to a black Rolls-Royce with her former boyfriend, Emperor Malcolm Watson Jr. During her trial, federal officials presented evidence that she lived a lavish lifestyle 'I believe in accountability. If I had done this, I would've pled guilty. I wouldn't have gone to trial. I wouldn't have put my children and my family through what we've been through. I've lost everything,' Bock told the outlet, adding that it was 'heartbreaking' when she heard her final verdict. Salim Said, a Minnesota restaurant owner, was tried alongside Bock and convicted of fraud. The scandal has brought on mounting scrutiny for state officials and politicians, including Governor Tim Walz and State Representative Ilhan Omar. Omar, who is Somalian, has denied she knew about people defrauding the program, while Walz recently announced he would not run for a third term after it happened 'on my watch' and admitted 'the buck does stop with me.' Despite the US Attorney's Office releasing images of diamond jewelry, Louis Vuitton bags and a bright green Lamborghini they found during a raid on her home in 2022, Bock said she never lived lavishly. 'They found minimal jewelry. I believe it was like two pairs of earrings, a bracelet, a watch,' she said. 'There was some cash there.' A majority of the millions of dollars seized by federal officials was found in bank accounts for the non-profit. In a preliminary court order, reviewed by the Daily Mail earlier this month, Bock was ordered to forfeit $3,506,066 seized from a Bank of America account in the name of her nonprofit, along with $179,455 in a personal account. Her former boyfriend, Empress Malcolm Watson Jr, was charged with tax crimes in September. He was seen beside her in several snaps, including one next to a black Rolls-Royce. Join the debate Should nonprofit leaders face harsher penalties when funds meant for needy children are stolen? The non-profit would provide taxpayer money to restaurants and caterers in the community to help provide meals to children in need during the pandemic She was also ordered to give up her Porsche Panamera, around 60 laptops, iPads, and iPhones found at three addresses, along with a diamond necklace, bracelet, earrings, and her Louis Vuitton purse and backpack. Meanwhile, Kenneth Udoibok, Bock's attorney, shared a video with the outlet showing large amounts of food at meal sites operated by the organization, suggesting operators were doing what they said they would for the community. Bock said she worked hard to try to eradicate fraud whenever she suspected people were cheating the system. 'I was the only one that stopped a claim and said, this is fraudulent. There are tens of millions of dollars in claims that we did not pay, that we refused,' she revealed. Bock went on to claim that other state officials need to be held accountable for the scheme, not just her. While she was more than ready to fill the need for food in the state, Bock said education officials were hesitant about letting some of the businesses in. 'The Department of Education was sitting on the applications. They were just not processing them,' she said before emphasizing the 'quiet need in Minnesota.' 'Our goal as an organization was to reach the kids that were not being fed. There is kind of this quiet need in Minnesota, these food deserts, where there's just not access to healthy nutritious food for children,' she said. Meanwhile, Kenneth Udoibok, Bock's attorney, shared a video with the outlet showing large amounts of food at meal sites operated by the organization, suggesting operators were doing what they said they would for the community Prosecutors presented picture evidence of the items they seized from Bock after her arrest Her ex-boyfriend, Empress Malcolm Watson Jr, was charged with tax crimes in September Bock added: 'During COVID, for obvious reasons, parents were allowed to come and pick up meals. 'So we suddenly were able to reach more children. We were also able to deliver meals to homes.' She went on to file a lawsuit against state officials, alleging the state was being prejudiced toward the low-income Somali community members applying for the program while they 'desperately needed federal food programs.' The parties reached a settlement that agreed the state's education department would process applications for the meal program 'reasonably promptly.' To this day, Bock said her legal decision was not made as a way to scare or threaten officials. 'The notion that a state government is paralyzed and has to allow this level of fraud because they were afraid of what I might do in a lawsuit is preposterous,' she added. Education officials later told a state watchdog that her lawsuit brought on a 'threat of legal consequences and negative media attention,' and led them to refer Bock to the FBI in 2021. In a letter to the watchdog, the education commissioner wrote: 'Criminals took advantage of the program even though MDE met or exceeded federal regulations. FBI agents are seen raiding non-profit Feeding Our Future in 2022 'At all times, MDE made its best judgments about its authority for oversight in the context of legal requirements and pushback.' Udoibok instead believes that state officials made his client a 'scapegoat.' 'What is a lie is that they were policing this fraudulent activity at any time,' he told the outlet. 'They wanted a scapegoat. She ran the only food program in the state, so they pinned it on her.' More than 78 defendants connected to Feeding Our Future have been charged, and about 60 of them have pleaded guilty. Law enforcement has said only about $75 million of the $250 million has been recovered. Bock faces up to 33 years behind bars for her crimes. The Daily Mail contacted Udoibok for comment. Parliament's spy watchdog condemned the decision to give the green light to the China mega-embassy today. Keir Starmer has risked provoking Donald Trump again after plans for the London site were approved despite fears national security will be in jeopardy. Critics accused the PM - who is expected to confirm he will visit China soon - of lacking the 'backbone' to stand up to Beijing and of 'kowtowing' to the Asian superpower. Documents released alongside the decision showed MI5 warned that it is 'not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk'. But Parliament's powerful cross-party Intelligence and Security Committee warned that the process had been 'piecemeal' and not 'robust'. Chairman Lord Beamish - a Labour former defence minister - said: 'The process within Government was not effectively co-ordinated, nor was it as robust as we would have expected for a matter of such consequence. 'We were surprised both at the lack of clarity as to the role that national security considerations play in planning decisions, and that advice was prepared without some of the key facts at hand. 'Key reports lacked the detail necessary, were dealt with piecemeal, and appeared not to have been kept up to date. 'We will be writing to the Prime Minister with our concerns.' China is reportedly planning to build a secret underground room that could be used to spy on the UK at the site of its controversial 'super embassy' in London. Pictured: Concept plans for the embassy which will be located on the former Royal Mint site Your browser does not support iframes. The Government has signed off the plans for a new Chinese embassy this morning, despite furious opposition from many MPs. Pictured protesters including Tibetans, Uyghurs and Hongkongers last week The announcement could pave the way for Sir Keir Starmer to confirm he will visit Beijing in the coming months Critics accused the Prime Minister of lacking the 'backbone' to stand up to Beijing The Government has signed off the plans for the London site, in the face of furious opposition from many MPs The decision was announced shortly after Mr Trump had condemned Sir Keir for 'giving away' the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in an 'act of great stupidity'. The US President said handing the British Indian Ocean Territory, which includes the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, was a sign of 'total weakness'. Opposition parties have fumed at Sir Keir for giving away the territory to Mauritius, a country that is viewed as an ally of China. But ministers have insisted the deal is necessary because international court rulings in favour of Mauritian claims to the islands had threatened the future of the base. The Government has agreed to hand over the islands but will pay billions of pounds to lease back the strategically-important Diego Garcia. In an extraordinary attack on his Truth Social site, Mr Trump said: 'Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. 'There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness.' The US President highlighted the decision as a reason for his continued pursuit of Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark. 'The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired,' he added. The Speaker of the US House of Representatives recently raised concerns about the plans for a Chinese 'mega-embassy' in London. Mike Johnson, a Republican ally of Mr Trump, said the security threats raised 'seem real'. 'We have to let our friends here make their decision. But if it were me, I would be very cautious about that,' he added in an interview with The Times this weekend. Publishing a 240-page assessment on Tuesday following years of delays and wrangling over the 'mega-embassy', Communities Secretary Steve Reed concluded that the project can go ahead. 'The Inspector recommended that the applications be approved and planning permission and listed building consent be granted, subject to conditions,' he said in a letter. 'For the reasons given below, the Secretary of State agrees with the Inspector's conclusions, except where stated, and agrees with her recommendations. 'He has decided to grant planning permission and listed building consent, subject to conditions.' Mr Reed added in a statement to MPs: 'All material considerations were taken into account when making this decision. 'The decision is now final unless it is successfully challenged in court.' The proposals are said to include 208 secret rooms and a hidden chamber. Critics argue that there is a risk from the close proximity to data cables, crucial for the City of London's operation. But no concerns were raised by the Home Office or the Foreign Office about the data cables. And Government officials insist that 'consolidating' China's existing seven diplomatic sites into one will bring 'clear security advantages'. Downing Street on Tuesday said risks around secret rooms in the planned new embassy were 'being appropriately managed'. The PM's official spokesman said: 'National security is number one priority. 'The Home Office and Foreign Office both provided views during the planning process on potential security issues around the build and confirmed in writing when these were resolved. 'China is committed, as we've said, to replace seven different sites that make up its current diplomatic footprint in London with the new embassy, which will clearly bring security advantages. 'And regarding so-called secret rooms, classified facilities are a standard part of any significant diplomatic presence, including British embassies. 'And the Government has seen the plans and we're content that any risks are being appropriately managed.' Ministers have seen the unredacted plans for the embassy, the spokesman said. It is understood they are aware what the rooms will be used for and there are safeguards in place to ensure it is not torture. Downing Street also suggested opponents of the new Chinese embassy are ''either naive or recklessly isolationist'. The PM's spokesman added: 'It's of course a normal part of international diplomatic relations for countries to agree to establish embassies in each other's capitals. 'They are the first line of communication between countries. They offer vital help to their nationals when they need it, and above all, they help us to advance our economic, cultural and defence goals abroad to deliver for, and protect, our citizens at home. 'Those who don't accept this basic premise are either naive or recklessly isolationist.' In a joint letter to ministers, MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum and GCHQ's director Anne Keast-Butler wrote: 'MI5 has over 100 years of experience managing national security risks associated with foreign diplomatic premises in London. 'For the Royal Mint Court site, as with any foreign embassy on UK soil, it is not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk. (And even if this were a practicable goal, it would be irrational to drive 'embassy-generated risk' down to zero when numerous other threat vectors are so central to the national security risks we face in the present era.) 'However, the collective work across UK intelligence agencies and HMG departments to formulate a package of national security mitigations for the site has been, in our view, expert, professional and proportionate.' The long-awaited announcement will trigger another major legal battle as opponents try to block the embassy project in the courts. Senior Tory MP Sir James Cleverly, the shadow communities secretary, said: 'This is a disgraceful act of cowardice from a Labour Government and Prime Minister utterly devoid of backbone. 'The first duty of any Government is to keep the country safe. But Keir Starmer has relegated that most critical priority beneath his desperate desire for Beijing's approval. 'Labour's latest sell-out confirms they cannot be trusted to stand up for Britain on the international stage.' Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said: 'Keir Starmer has sold off our national security to the Chinese Communist Party with his shameful super embassy surrender. 'Throughout his dismal premiership to date, the PM has kowtowed to Beijing at every opportunity, including over Chagos. And now, once again, he is giving Xi Jinping what he wants - a colossal spy hub in the heart of our capital.' Shadow home secretary Chris Philp added: 'Labour don't have the backbone to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party. Labour are set to wave through a mega spy hub, packed with unaccounted-for secret rooms, right next to critical national infrastructure. 'The Chinese state is a hostile intelligence power. Approving this site sends the signal that Labour are willing to trade our national security for diplomatic convenience. The Labour Government should grow a backbone and reverse this decision for the sake of our national interest.' The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China said the planning approval was the 'wrong decision for the UK'. Luke de Pulford, a co-founder of the group, said: 'This is the wrong decision for the UK, sending all the wrong signals. Wrong for dissidents, wrong for UK national security. 'Our three Cs China policy is less compete, challenge and cooperate, more cover-up, cave in, and cash out.' MPs - including from within Labour ranks - have warned that the embassy could be used to 'step up intimidation' against dissidents. They had urged Mr Reed - who oversees the planning system - to block the application. Kerry Moscogiuri, Amnesty International UK's chief executive, said: 'Approving China's so-called 'super embassy' risks super-charging the transnational repression we already know is happening in the UK, turning an existing threat into what many will perceive as a centralised command centre for intimidation. 'Chinese and Hong Kong activists, students and refugees are already facing harassment and attempts to silence them, including through bounties placed on the heads of Hong Kong activists living here in exile. 'This decision also risks signalling tolerance for the bullying tactics used by Beijing and Hong Kong authorities against critics overseas.' But Ciaran Martin, former chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre, last week dismissed concerns about the proposed embassy's location. In an article for The Times, he said the plans would have been thoroughly scrutinised by the UK's security services, and that 'no Government would override their advice were they to say the risks were too great'. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. The Mail on Sunday revealed that planning documents for the embassy included 'spy dungeons' (highlighted in red above) - two suites of basement rooms and a tunnel, with their purpose redacted for security reasons Ministers dismissed concerns about the embassy posing a threat to crucial data cables nearby Critics had urged Communities Secretary Steve Reed - who oversees the planning system - to block the application A Government spokesman said: 'This planning decision has been taken independently by the Secretary of State for Housing. 'This follows a process that began in 2018 when the then Foreign Secretary provided formal diplomatic consent for the site. 'More broadly, countries establishing embassies in other countries' capitals is a normal part of international relations. 'National security is our first duty. Intelligence agencies have been involved throughout the process and an extensive range of measures have been developed to manage any risks. 'Following extensive negotiations in recent months, the Chinese Government has agreed to consolidate its seven current sites in London into one site, bringing clear security advantages.' Downing Street insisted the US still supported the deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius despite Mr Trump calling it an 'act of great stupidity'. The PM's official spokesman said: 'Our position hasn't changed on Diego Garcia or the treaty that has been signed. 'The US supports the deal and the President explicitly recognised its strength last year. 'All our Five Eyes allies support it too and they all understand the national security capabilities the base provides.' Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty earlier said the Government will have conversations with the Trump administration in the coming days to 'remind them of the strength' of the Chagos deal. 'The agreement we have struck is vital for protecting our national security and that of our allies in guaranteeing the long-term future of a base that is crucially important for the UK and the US,' he said. 'Our deal secures the operations of the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia for generations. It's got that backing across Five Eyes, as well as other international partners. 'In May, the US secretary of state said: 'The Trump administration determined that this agreement secures the long-term, stable and effective operation of the joint US, UK military facility on Diego Garcia.' 'We will, of course, have discussions with the administration in the coming days to remind them of the strength of this deal and how it secures the base.' A notorious gangster who had turned his life around has been mauled to death by his friend's pit bull. Frank Monte, 59, was killed by his friend's dog Bean outside a home on Staten Island on Sunday. He died at the scene, and Bean was taken away by local animal controllers and euthanized, the New York Daily News reported. In May, police raided the home where Monte would later be killed, uncovering pills and drug paraphernalia and arresting 53-year-old Anthony Iovine, according to the Staten Island Advance. Despite his past, Monte's loved ones - including a friend who attended rehab with him - said that he had been committed to sobriety for the past eight months. 'He was getting his life together,' Monte's partner of 25 years, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Daily News. 'What happened to him with this dog is a tragedy.' The attack unfolded just after 4pm when Monte visited a friend's house to pass the hour in between trips to a pharmacy. Several people inside saw the attack and called 911. Frank Monte, 59, was killed by his friend's dog Bean outside a home on Staten Island on Sunday Monte died at the scene (pictured) while the black pit bull Bean was euthanized Authorities subdued the pit bull with a tranquilizer while waiting for crews from the Animal Care Centers of NYC to arrive. A law enforcement source told Silive.com that Monte was playing with the dog when it unexpectedly 'turned on him.' The dog's owner lived in the basement of the home, and neighbors said Monte had often appeared afraid of Bean - especially knowing that the dog had bitten other people before. 'You could tell Frank was nervous around the dog,' an unnamed neighbor told the Daily News. 'Everybody's devastated.' Speaking on the condition of anonymity, another neighbor told Silive.com that the 'big dog' had been left outside in unsafe conditions before and had escaped multiple times in the past. 'The dog did go after some girl one time with a small dog,' the neighbor claimed. 'It's not safe, we're all afraid to walk by.' Montes longtime partner told the Daily News that it remained a mystery why he would ever approach the dog in the first place. 'He would not go up to that dog. I am in total shock,' she said. Despite his past, Monte's loved ones said that he had been committed to sobriety for the past eight months 'I don't know if someone provoked the dog,' she added. 'I don't go near that house. I know of that house that it is a troubled house.' Other local residents shared similar warnings and admitted that they were unsurprised that such an attack happened on the property. 'We knew it's gonna happen. Everyday something happened in that house,' a nearby business owner told Silive.com. Police are still investigating the attack, though no arrests have been made so far. 'Frank was a good man. He loved my daughter, took great care of her,' Monte's partner, who has a 34-year-old disabled daughter, told the Daily News. 'He has traveled with me around the world, taking care of my daughter,' she added. 'I would trust nobody with my daughter, except Frank Monte.' Those close to Monte explained that, despite his checkered past, he was becoming a 'good guy,' regularly visiting his 96-year-old mother with dementia who was living in a nursing home. In 2013, Monte was arrested in Oakwood Beach after prosecutors said he handed 300 small plastic bags of heroin to a buyer on Pelican Circle and Old Mill Road, according to court papers obtained by Silive.com. In exchange, he received $1,320 and was arrested and charged with both felony and misdemeanor counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, as well as a felony charge for criminal drug sales. Although Monte acknowledged felony drug possession, he insisted he had no role in the sale, arguing that his prior drug offenses had led to a 'biased' view from law enforcement, according to the New York Times. Speaking to the newspaper in 2014, Monte said: 'When you go to jail on Staten Island, you're labeled for life with these cops.' In 2014, following a St. Patrick's Day drug bust on the Staten Island Expressway, he was sentenced to five years behind bars, Silive.com reported. Authorities stopped Monte's 2011 Toyota Suburban for failing to signal and uncovered 531 envelopes of heroin in a plastic bag resting on a purse on the front-passenger-side floorboard, court records obtained by the outlet revealed. He pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and, in December, received a concurrent five-year sentence after pleading guilty in an unrelated felony case for attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance. However, Monte was released on a $3,500 bond in the unrelated case and walked free. Before the later arrests, Monte had already served two prison stints - one of which came in 1994 when he was convicted of two burglaries and sentenced to three to nine years in prison. In a separate case years later on the Island, he was convicted of felony drug possession and sentenced to 18 months in prison in January 2009. A British man has died after the car he was in was involved in a Costa Blanca crash with another vehicle driven by a Belfast-born OnlyFans model. The unnamed 54-year-old was one of four British nationals - two men and two women all aged in their fifties - travelling in a Nissan Qashqai which was caught up in the fatal accident with 21-year-old Madison and her husband 28-year-old Johnny Smyth. Madison, at the wheel of a BMW, was read her rights at the scene of the crash but not formally arrested. She was later told she was being investigated on suspicion of manslaughter although it was not immediately clear when she will be summoned to court. Neither she nor Smyth, also from Belfast, were injured in the incident which occurred around 7pm last Friday on the A-70 in the municipality of El Campello near Alicante, Spain. Local reports said the Nissan Qashqai smashed into a central reservation crash barrier after being hit from behind by the vehicle she was allegedly driving. The dead man, who was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt, was flung from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene after emergency responders confirmed they were unable to do anything to save him. It is not known if he was a holidaymaker or lived in the area. Madison (pictured), at the wheel of a BMW, was read her rights at the scene of the crash but not formally arrested This is the third time in four months Madison (pictured) has found herself at the centre of controversy The crash occurred around 7pm last Friday on the A-70 in the municipality of El Campello near Alicante, Spain This is the third time in four months Madison has found herself at the centre of controversy. The glamour model spent ten days behind bars in September following her first arrest of the year after cops pulled over her Audi A5 Cabrio and discovered nearly a kilo of crystal meth and 30 grams of cannabis resin inside, before paying 20,000 euros to get out of jail as part of a conditional release. She was held on September 8 and released from prison on September 19 but remains under investigation. Her second arrest last month occurred after two loaded pistols were found in a car she was driving following a police stop. Three other men were in the vehicle with her but only two were held - a British national and an Irish national- because the third fled. Madison and the other two men arrested with her are continuing to be investigated by a judge on suspicion of unlawful weapons possession. The model (pictured with her partner Johnny Smyth) continues to insist that he had nothing to do with dad-of-one John George's homicide in December 2024 John George (left) pictured with Jonny Smyth (right) This comes as the model continues to insist that her partner had nothing to do with dad-of-one John George's homicide in December 2024. His body was found in an orchard in Rojales near Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca in January last year after anguished appeals by his family following his disappearance the previous month. Two men were arrested and are currently on bail, including Smyth. Despite being held on an international arrest warrant last March at an Airbnb in northern Portugal after fleeing his expat home and being extradited to Spain the following month, Smyth was told he could leave his remand cell last month after paying 100,000 euros in bail. Last April, Spanish Civil Guard officers confirmed John George had been shot dead on December 14 2024 and announced they had completed their investigation into his murder. A Florida nurse caught sexually abusing her 15-year-old stepson by her husband faces yet more humiliation after she was jailed, lost her husband and her job. Alexis Von Yates, 35, was ordered to cough up $1,056 to officials in Marion County last September when she was sentenced to two years in prison for the assault on the then 15-year-old. The Daily Mail can reveal that since then she has paid back a measly $7 to court officials, according to records. Some of the costs included surcharges totally $302 to fund a state child advocacy fund and rape crisis programs that sex offenders are slapped with after being convicted. Others included $93 ordered by the court, a further $157 as a felony fine, and then court costs which racked up to $475, and other fees amounting to $22. It's the latest in a long list of woes for the disgraced nurse who last week had her nursing license revoked, with divorce papers also being filed by her estranged partner Frank Yates, Ocala News reported. With the vast majority of fines still outstanding, no career prospects, and a divorce looming, the mother of two and registered sex offender would appear to be in financial dire straits. It was Frank that walked into his Ocala home that he shared with Von Yates in July 2024 to find his wife sexually assaulting the teenager. Alexis Von Yates, seen here being sentenced last September, was ordered by a Florida court to pay over $1,000 in fines The 35-year-old is seen here with her ex-husband Frank Yates, who has since filed for divorce Von Yates was arrested and charged with sexual battery of a minor in November 2024. She originally pleaded not guilty, before accepting a plea deal last August. She was sentenced to two years in prison on a reduced charge, with two years of community control and ten years of sex offender probation. She must also sign the sex offenders' registry. The boy described in graphic detail to police how he and Von Yates had sex after spending an evening vaping cannabis oil before watching a movie while his father was at work. Von Yates later confessed to Frank that the teenager reminded her of him, a police report said. She also claimed the victim's penis looked like a more youthful version of her husband's. The teenager had been in Ocala spending time with his father, step-mother and younger siblings at the time of the assault. He told investigators that the pair heard the garage door open while they were having sex. But the child said they did not stop, with Frank then walking in and shouting, 'What the f**k' is going on?' Von Yates told the teenager 'how horny' she was after not having sex for two weeks because she had been on her period Von Yates and the boy spent the evening vaping cannabis oil and watching a movie before the assault took place His father was then said to have begun throwing objects, before branding Von Yates a 'c***' and a 'child predator.' The boy, who told police he was a virgin at the time, claimed she made a joke about him watching 'step-mom pornos' and her sexual appetite the week before the attack. On the night of the assault, she started telling the teenager 'how horny' she was after not having sex for two weeks because she had been on her period. The boy described in detail how Von Yates started kissing his neck, saying: 'I wish you were 18, because you're not old enough.' Von Yates then took off her underwear before engaging in oral sex and intercourse without the use of a condom, the teenager said. As his father walked in, the teenager told investigators he ran to the bathroom with his pants around his ankles. The Daily Mail revealed in October that Von Yates and Frank had split. The two wed in November 2017 in Lake Kerr, Marion County, according to a marriage record seen by the Daily Mail, and had two children. At her sentencing, Von Yates appeared in a full face of makeup and remained stony-faced as she refused to make any comment to the court. In a statement to the court, the mother of the boy described what happened to her son as making her 'ill' and derided Von Yates a 'coward' and 'incestuous pedophile'. Hanging in the Oval Office is a hint at Donald Trump's ambition to acquire Greenland. A portrait of James Polk, who oversaw the largest expansion of US territory in history during the 1800s. Trump cut a deal with Speaker Mike Johnson last year to swap a Thomas Jefferson portrait from the White House with the painting of Polk that was inside the Capitol. 'He was sort of a real-estate guy,' Trump told visitors to the Oval Office following his redecoration. 'He got a lot of land.' The portrait, featuring a brooding Polk against a dark backdrop, was painted in 1911 by Rebecca Polk, a distant relative. Polk is a fairly obscure American president, but like William McKinley, architect of an 1890 tariff act that Trump has championed, he represents the swashbuckling conquest the White House wants Americans to remember. Trump on Saturday threatened eight European allies, including the UK, Germany and France, with tariffs unless they agree to let him buy Denmark's territory Greenland. The president perhaps believes this acquisition would be admired by Polk, who was known as the 'Napoleon of the stump' for his imperious style of oratory often delivered atop a tree stump. Hanging in the Oval Office is a hint at Donald Trump's ambition to acquire Greenland. A portrait of James Polk, who oversaw the largest expansion of US territory in history during the 1800s PICTURED: Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu at a meeting on April 7, 2025 General Scott's entrance into Mexico in the Mexican-American War Battle of San Pasqual, a Californio victory led by General Andres Pico against a superior American force led by General Stephen W. Kearny Polk, the son of a wealthy Tennessee farmer, was a close friend of Andrew Jackson, who convinced him to run as the Democratic Party's nominee in the 1844 presidential election. Like Trump, Polk was the first dark horse nominee in American history. During the campaign the Whigs taunted Democrats with the slogan: 'Who is James K. Polk?' But Polk ran an aggressive campaign, stunning the country by demanding the annexation of Texas, which had been independent of Mexico since 1836. The portrait, featuring a brooding Polk against a dark backdrop, was painted in 1911 by Rebecca Polk, a distant relative He also backed the annexation of Oregon, which was jointly occupied by the English. He pushed for seizure of the entire territory which extended as far north as latitude 5440 with the cry: 'Fifty-four forty, or fight.' At age 49, Polk became the youngest president up to that time. The administration was marked by sweeping territorial gains. The annexation of Texas sparked a two-year war with Mexico that resulted in the United States seizing a vast swath of the continent, today's California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming, under the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Polk added roughly 1.2 million square miles of land to the US, more than any other president. The haul eclipsed even Thomas Jefferson, whose Louisiana Purchase doubled the nation's size by acquiring around 800,000 square miles from France in 1803. It also dwarfed William McKinley, whose turn-of-the-century empire-building added overseas islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, while Hawaii was annexed separately in 1898. Polk did all this at breakneck speed in a single four-year term and never ran again. A year into his final term, Trump appears to see Greenland as his own Polk moment, the chance to enlarge the United States in a way not seen for more than a century. Join the debate What would it mean for America and the world if Trump managed to add Greenland to US territory? Mapa de los Estados Unidos de Mejico by John Disturnell, the 1847 map used during the negotiations for the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that officially ended the the MexicanAmerican War Danish soldiers during shooting practice at an undisclosed location in Greenland on January 18 Your browser does not support iframes. The Danish territory is bigger than Mexico and believed to sit atop reserves of oil, gold, graphite, copper, iron and rare-earth minerals. Trump argues the island is vital to US national security, reviving the logic of predecessor Harry Truman, who called Greenland a 'military necessity' and quietly offered to buy it in 1946. That logic has only sharpened as China and Russia pour resources into the Arctic, where melting ice has opened new shipping lanes and exposed vast reserves of natural resources. Where Polk used cannon and cavalry to seize land, Trump is wielding tariffs and brinkmanship, betting he can bend NATO allies before his tenure ends. The president has not ruled out military force. If Trump succeeds he would eclipse every gain since Alaska in 1867 and cement his place at Polk's side in the territorial history books. An Albanian wanted by UK police in connection with a brutal gangland assassination has handed himself to police in his home country, the Mail can reveal. Armando Marku, 26, accompanied by his lawyer, presented himself at a police station in Tirana, Albania's capital, yesterday morning. He told officers that he had recently seen Albanian television news reports stating that he was wanted by UK authorities. 'I am willing to be extradited to the UK,' he said, not giving any further comments. Marku had been sought by Cleveland Police for seven years after being named as a suspect in the murder of cannabis dealer Hemawand Ali Hussain, 30, in 2019. The father was shot at point-blank range with a sawn-off shotgun after arriving at a house for what he thought was a meeting with drug dealers. After the killing, Marku left the UK and travelled across Europe before returning to Albania. Four men have already been jailed over Mr Hussein's death. Armando Marku, 26, accompanied by his lawyer, presented himself at a police station in Tirana, Albania's capital, this morning After the killing, Marku - pictured on CCTV - left the UK and travelled across Europe before returning to Albania Eugert Merizaj was jailed for life with a minimum term of 32 years for murder, while Noza Saffari, 40, Dorian Pirija, 34, and 26-year-old Qazim Marku received prison terms of between 15 and 19 years for manslaughter. Earlier this month, Cleveland Police announced that another man, Sajmir Dodoveci, 40, had been charged with murder after being arrested at a railway station in Brussels two days before Christmas. A 34-year-old man was also arrested in Belgium in February 2024 and arrangements are being made for him to be extradited to stand trial. In the same announcement, police announced they were still seeking Mr Marku in connection with the murder. Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Lyndsey Dale from Cleveland Police said: 'All our thoughts remain with Mr Hussain's family and with his wife and sons who are being kept up to date with developments throughout. 'We'll now be doubling down on our efforts to locate and arrest Armando Marku who is still wanted in connection with this murder. 'We will not stop and we will use all available methods to find him.' Hemawand Ali Hussain was shot at point-blank range with a sawn-off shotgun after arriving at a house for what he thought was a meeting with drug dealers DI Dale urged Mr Marku to come forward. 'I urge anyone who has information about Armando Marku or his current location to come forward. Even the smallest detail could assist our investigation. 'And when Mr Marku sees this update, as I am sure he will, I'd urge him to come forward and hand himself into to local law enforcement since it's only a matter of time before the police come to him and effect his arrest.' A police source in Tirana told the Mail: 'After Armando Marku handed himself in to our police directorate we arrested him and our colleagues from Tirana Interpol have now notified the UK police.' Cleveland Police confirmed it had been informed of Mr Marku's arrest. The Mail recently revealed that the man convicted of murdering Mr Hussain, Eugert Merizaj, is set to be transferred from his British jail to one in Albania as part of an 4million-a-year prisoner transfer scheme. The murderer has been locked up at HMP Manchester, where he regularly livestreams from his cell in breach of prison rules. In one clip posted in August, Merizaj confirmed he had applied to be transferred to Albania as part of a deal struck in 2023. The Mail recently revealed that Eugert Merizaj - who was jailed for Mr Hussain's murder - is set to be transferred from his British jail to an Albanian one Under the agreement, Britain is expected to pay Albania 4million a year to repatriate 200 of its most dangerous criminals, who have been jailed for offences including murder, rape, burglary, and drug dealing. However, the scheme has been dogged by delays, and a source at the Albanian Prison Service told the Mail that only 11 Albanian prisoners have been transferred so far. On November 11, a judge sitting in the southern Albanian city of Fier accepted Merizaj's application and recognised the prison sentence given by the English court. Canada has quietly drawn up an 'insurgency-style' response, including 'hit-and-run' ambushes, to fight back against US forces in the event of an invasion. The Canadian military has developed a model response to an American takeover, after US President Donald Trump once again mused online about gaining control of his northern neighbour, the Globe and Mail revealed on Tuesday. Citing two unnamed senior government officials, the newspaper said the response would rely on insurgency-style warfare - echoing the tactics used by fighters in Afghanistan who resisted Soviet and later US forces. Despite the extraordinary planning, the officials stressed they believe it is unlikely Trump would actually order an invasion of Canada. Following his 2024 election victory and in the early months of his new term, Trump repeatedly referred to Canada as the United States' 51st state, claiming a merger would benefit Canadians. Although his annexation rhetoric has cooled in recent months, concerns were reignited overnight when Trump shared an image on his social media platform showing a map of Canada and Venezuela draped in the US flag. This was a move widely interpreted as implying a full American takeover of both countries. According to the officials, if an invasion were to occur, US forces could overwhelm Canadian positions on land and at sea in as little as two days. US President Donald Trump trolled European leaders with an AI image of them looking at a map showing Greenland and Canada as US territory Following his 2024 election victory and in the early months of his new term, Trump repeatedly referred to Canada as the United States' 51st state, claiming a merger would benefit Canadians The revelations come as Trump and the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (pictured) both attend the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos this week With Canada lacking the military resources to withstand a direct assault from its powerful neighbour, any resistance would take the form of a prolonged insurgency, involving ambushes and 'hit-and-run tactics,' the report said. The Globe was careful to note that the model being developed 'was a conceptual and theoretical framework, not a military plan, which is an actionable and step-by-step directive for executing operations. The paper added that defence planners believe there would be unmistakable warning signs if the US were preparing to invade, including a decision by Washington to end bilateral cooperation under NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defence Command. In such a scenario, Canada would likely appeal to Britain and France for assistance, the report said. The revelations come as Trump and the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney both attend the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos this week. This year's gathering of global political and financial elites has already been overshadowed by Trump's threats to seize Greenland - a move that has strained NATO, the transatlantic military alliance of which Canada is a member. Trumps demand for US control of the Danish territory has tested alliance unity, with Carney reportedly considering sending a small contingent of Canadian troops to Greenland, following other NATO allies, as a symbolic show of support for the island. It comes as European leaders have expressed their objection to the US President's demands to take control of Greenland, prompting Trump to threaten the nations with new tariffs if they stand in his way. Amid an increasingly acrimonious trans-Atlantic row, the President announced on his Truth Social platform over the weekend that from February 1, the US would impose a 10 per cent tariff on all exports from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK increasing it to 25 per cent in June. The EU is now weighing up whether to deploy its so-called trade 'bazooka' for the first time in retaliation, an economic tool that would hit the US with 81 billion in tariffs. 'I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark,' the official wrote to the US President 'Europe won't be blackmailed,' Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in response to Trump's tariff threats, after EU leaders signed a joint statement warning of a 'dangerous downward spiral' in the event of a trade war between the transatlantic allies. The US President also posted a text exchange he shared with the Secretary General of Nato, Mark Rutte, during which the official wrote: 'I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark.' Trump is expected to arrive on Wednesday in Davos, where he is due to deliver a special address at the World Economic Forum (WEF). Business leaders, including CEOs in financial services, crypto, and consulting, were invited to a reception after Trumps address to the WEF's annual meeting, sources told Reuters on Monday. The agenda was unclear. One CEO simply had 'a reception in honour of President Donald J Trump' scheduled in their diary, while another said their understanding was that global CEOs had been invited, not just those from the United States. One of the sources said the invitations had come from the White House. The WEF agenda has, to some extent, been overtaken by the US President's dramatic policy moves, including his demand in recent days that the US take over Greenland. Certain EU leaders have issued a strong response following Trump's tariff threats to member states, while others have called for calm and diplomatic solutions to the potential trade row. 'We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed,' said Lars Klingbeil, Germany's vice chancellor, at a press conference in Berlin alongside French Economy Minister Roland Lescure. 'Europe will respond with a united, clear response, and we are now preparing countermeasures together with our European partners.' Meanwhile, Starmer said a trade war is in 'no-one's interest' during a speech from Downing Street on Monday, adding that the use of tariffs against allies was 'not the right way to resolve differences'. Weather experts are issuing grave warnings to Americans to not make any travel plans over the weekend as a powerful winter storm is set to hit multiple states. As much as 20 inches of heavy snow, sleet, and ice are predicted to sweep across most of the eastern half of America, as Arctic air from Canada is set to travel south. The winter storm, named Fern, is predicted to be one of the biggest in recent memory - with meteorologists urging people to prepare for days without power in their homes. 'This is not good,' Weather Channel meteorologist Jordan Steele wrote on X. ' Plan now! Plan for going day(s) without power this weekend. School cancellations next week.' 'Do not plan a road trip this weekend. This could be a situation where people get stuck on the highway.' The National Weather Service is predicting more than a foot of heavy snow in places that will cause hazardous conditions and reduced visibility over the weekend. Millions of people - from the east of Arizona all the way to southern edge of New Hampshire - are being told to hunker down and avoid travel until the icy storm passes. 'All model guidance shows arctic air making it down to the Gulf and East Coasts, which will clash with southern stream energy to produce a high impact winter storm across the southern tier,' the center wrote on Tuesday morning. Heavy snow, sleet and ice are predicted to sweep across most of the eastern half of America as Arctic air from Canada is set to travel south The center is predicting heavy snow freezing rain and sleet, as well as hazardous conditions and reduced visibility over the upcoming weekend Confidence on 'bad impacts' is high, according to WFMY meteorologist Tim Buckley, who wrote on X that the 'incredible' amounts of moisture and 'tons of durable' cold air at the surface point to a bad storm. 'Models forecasting one to two inches of liquid (usually equals 10-20 inches of snow, or three to six inches of sleet, or up to one inch of ice),' Buckley wrote, adding that the amount remains unclear. Friday On Friday, heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain is expected to lash the Midwest, Southern Rockies, Plains and Mid-South and begin moving toward the East Coast. Northern Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas to the lower-Mississippi Valley will see snow and ice beginning on Friday into the night. Temperatures are expected to reach around 30 degrees below average in parts of Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and northern Illinois, CNN reported. Denver is set to see temperatures in the teens, while Nashville, Oklahoma City and New York City float around 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Chicago's Friday forecast is predicting temperatures reaching negative six degrees. Winds are set to worsen the cold temperatures, with the upper Midwest seeing wind chills between 30 and 50 degrees below zero, according to the outlet. North Texas Weather Center said that the 'very serious' and 'historic' storm is looking 'more likely as we get closer to Friday.' 'Models show either 1in+ of freezing rain or 12in+ of sleet and snow, and that's being conservative,' the center posted on X. '[Precipitation] will stick for days as highs will remain in the 20's for 90hrs+.' The center added that they 'definitely expect' all three forms of precipitation, starting with freezing rain as well as backend snow of around one to four inches. Temperatures are expected to reach around 30 degrees below average in parts of Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and northern Illinois On Friday, heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain is expected to lash the Midwest, Southern Rockies/Plains and Mid-South and begin moving toward the East Coast North Texas Weather Center said that the 'very serious' and 'historic' storm is looking 'more likely as we get closer to Friday' Saturday While the weekend moves on, Saturday will see areas such as northern Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina and Virginia battered by the storm. Dozens of locations are expected to reach their coldest temperatures on record on Saturday, with the Twin Cities expected to see temperatures as low as near negative 20 degrees. Denver is expected to reach ten degrees, Oklahoma City is set for five degrees, Nashville will see 17 degrees and New York City is forecast for eleven degrees, while Chicago will see negative eight. The worst of the cold temperatures are predicted to push toward the South and into the Northeast, with temperatures set to be 15 to 30 degrees lower than average. Meteorologist Jesse Walker said on X that Saturday is looking to be 'a mess' according to radar maps. By Saturday night, the winter chaos may reach the Texas Gulf Coast, southwestern Louisiana, central Mississippi, northern Alabama, northern Georgia and South Carolina, according to The Weather Channel. Snow may intensify in mid-Atlantic states and continue on into the mid-South, including Oklahoma and Texas. Dozens of locations are expected to reached their coldest temperatures on record on Saturday, with the Twin Cities expected to see temperatures as low as near negative 20 degrees Meteorologist Jesse Walker said that Saturday is looking to be 'a mess' according to radar maps Your browser does not support iframes. While heavy snow is possible in the East, precipitation may gradually diminish by Sunday night. Current forecasts remain unclear for the progression of the storm Sunday As Sunday rolls in, snow is expected across the Northeast as wind chills for the Northeast and New England are forecast to reach below zero. Texas is set to see the end of winter precipitation, but will persist for areas of Louisiana, Tennessee Valley, Appalachians and the Carolinas. While heavy snow is possible in the East, precipitation may gradually diminish by Sunday night. Current forecasts remain unclear for the progression of the storm. Snow could last until Monday along the East Coast, CNN reported, depending on how fast moving the storm is. Rachel Reeves today played down the prospect of having to come back for more tax after her brutal Budget raids. Speaking to business chiefs in Davos, the Chancellor tried to reassure them that no more action would be needed to shore up the public finances. 'We will not need to do more on that front,' she told a Bloomberg event. 'We don't plan any tax changes in the spring (statement), and very much hope after the headroom that we have built in through difficult decisions on tax and spending, that that provides the stability that we need every week.' The comment has echoes of Ms Reeves' previous promise not to increase taxes again after her monster first Budget in 2024. Alarm has been raised that the government's books are looking tight once more despite the 22billion 'headroom' Ms Reeves built up in November. That is the leeway she had for hitting her main fiscal target, of revenues covering day-to-day spending within a three-year period. However, some economists have suggested two-thirds of the margin might already have disappeared, due to a combination of U-turns, lower GDP growth prospects and a defence funding shortfall. Donald Trump's trade threats against Nato allies over Greenland have sparked concerns of fresh global turmoil, with warnings the UK faces a big hit. Ms Reeves told Bloomberg TV: 'I would just urge people to keep cool heads. That's what we did all through last year and it actually served us pretty well. Speaking to business chiefs in Davos, the Chancellor tried to reassure them that no more action would be needed to shore up the public finances Your browser does not support iframes. 'And whilst trade barriers are going up around the world at the moment, we can all see that, I think last year barriers to trade with the UK have fallen.' Sitting alongside US secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick in a panel in Davos later, Ms Reeves told him Britain is America's 'strongest ally'. 'You are a much bigger economy, and we can't do everything on our own, nor should we try to, because we'd end up doing nothing well. We do have real strengths in the UK, in our defence sector, in life sciences, in business and financial services, but we do rely on our allies as well,' she said. 'And even a country as big and as strong as America also relies on its allies, and I guess the sort of area where I think that we do need to sort of continue that dialogue between countries that share each others' values, is how we can work together in our mutual interests to advance our values in a very unstable and uncertain world? 'And you know, if you say, 'could you picture the world without the US, and what would the world be like?' Yeah, the world would be a lot poorer, it would be a lot scarier, but you've also got a lot of allies around the world in the United States. 'Britain, I know, I hope, I believe, is your strongest ally.' Ms Reeves has moved to prevent the OBR from officially declaring whether she is meeting her fiscal rules in March - although it will give an assessment and update forecasts. She is adamant there will be no fiscal package in March, with the next changes waiting until the Autumn. Having notoriously broken her 2024 promise that the burden would not increase further from its record high, Ms Reeves said after the last Budget: 'I reserve the right to be able to take action at any point. 'But I believe the headroom that we have and the changes we have made means I won't need to do that in the spring. 'Of course I reserve the right at any time to take action.' Meanwhile, the Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said the central bank has 'to be very alert' of the potential impact from heightened geopolitical tensions. Mr Bailey told MPs at Parliament's Treasury Committee: 'The level of geopolitical uncertainty and geopolitical issues is a big consideration, because they can have financial stability consequences. Sitting alongside US secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick in a panel in Davos later, Ms Reeves told him Britain is America's 'strongest ally' Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey said the central bank has 'to be very alert' of the potential impact from heightened geopolitical tensions 'Let me put that in a bit of context in two respects. One, having said that, growth in the world economy was a lot more stable than we thought it would be. 'The second point is about financial markets and is a fairly similar point, that we worry considerably about how markets react to those things. 'Market reactions have actually been more muted than we would have feared and expected. 'Overriding those points, I take neither of those as a point of assurance. We have to be very alert to these things.' A teenage boy has been crushed to death by a tank that was being exhibited in a Russian display of military equipment seized in Ukraine. The incident unfolded in the Russian city of Yakutsk on Tuesday after the 16-year-old was pinned down by a heavy, movable metal component inside the tank, killing him instantly, Mayor Yevgeny Grigoryev said. The teen and another boy, aged 17, had climbed into the tank through an opening in the engine compartment after a panel had been removed. The 16-year-old is believed to have detached a support holding the tank's gun barrel, which fell and crushed him, local media reports. The incident took place at the 'Russia - My History' museum, where there is a current exhibition of military equipment. The display is described by organisers as trophy equipment captured by Russian troops in Ukraine, including an American-made Bradley armoured vehicle and a Ukrainian armoured personnel carrier. The prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the incident, while the Investigative Committee - Russia's top investigating body - said it had opened a criminal case on suspicion of causing death by negligence. Meanwhile, Mayor Grigoryev urged parents to ensure children do not play unsupervised around 'potentially dangerous objects'. A teenage boy has been crushed to death by a tank in Russia The incident in Russia comes as the Kremlin battered Ukraine with more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles in its latest nighttime attack on the Ukrainian power grid. The attack knocked out heating to more than 5,600 apartment buildings in the capital, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Nearly 80 per cent of the affected buildings had recently had their heating supply restored after a major Russian barrage on January 9 that plunged thousands of people into a days-long blackout, he said. Ukraine is enduring one of its coldest winters in years, with temperatures in Kyiv falling to minus 20 C. At the same time, Russia has escalated its aerial attacks on the electricity supply, aiming to deny Ukrainians heat and running water and wear down their resistance almost four years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials are trying to keep up the momentum of US-led peace talks. A Ukrainian negotiating team arrived in the United States on Saturday. Their main task was to convey how the relentless Russian strikes are undermining diplomacy, according to Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader said last week that the delegation would also try to finalise with US officials documents for a proposed peace settlement that relate to postwar security guarantees and economic recovery. If American officials approve the proposals, the U.S. and Ukraine could sign the documents at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, he said. The incident in Russia comes as the Kremlin battered Ukraine with more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles in its latest nighttime attack on the Ukrainian power grid Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev plans to meet with some American representatives at Davos. He refused to name the officials Dmitriev would meet with, but media reports said they would include U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. A man who was allegedly attacked by a gang of seven children at a Nevada park is now suing the parents and their kids. Adrian Villegas-Solorio had been resting on a bench at the Mountains Edge Regional Park in Clark County when the mob attacked him per a lawsuit viewed by the Daily Mail. He had not engaged with the children prior to the alleged assault on January 18, 2024 which left him with internal and external injuries, he said in a complaint. Villegas-Solorio had to have jaw surgery due to his injuries, according to the lawsuit which was filed on Friday. He listed both the children and their parents as defendants in the lawsuit, as state law allows parents to be held liable for their juvenile's acts of willful misconduct that cause injury. Those named in the lawsuit are: Maddex, Marlena, and Migiel Carrera; Darrell Dumas Jr. and Sr.; Caelen Duren, Allie Hamilton, Alisi Langi, Suliasi Maasi, Victor McDaniel III, Stuward Perez-Brito, Olivia Robinson, Jatiana Smith, Olga Tagtmeier, and Roger and Thomas Wheeler. Clark County was also listed as a defendant, as Villegas-Solorio claimed it failed to keep him and others safe at the park. Villegas-Solorio is seeking $15,000, the lawsuit said. Adrian Villegas-Solorio had been resting on a bench at the Mountains Edge Regional Park in Clark County when seven children allegedly attacked him on January 18, 2024 He listed both the children and their parents as defendants in the lawsuit that he filed in Clark County District Court (pictured), as state law allows parents to be held liable for their juvenile's acts of willful misconduct that cause injury. He is asking for $15,000 The county told the outlet it 'works diligently to maintain the safety of our parks,' but could not comment on the pending lawsuit. The Daily Mail has reached out to Villegas-Solorio's lawyer, the parents, and the police for comment. The park is located near Enterprise, which has had 64 assaults reported so far this year, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Eighteen people have been arrested for the crime so far this year. Overall, assaults are down nearly 30 percent compared to the same time last year. A man accused of blowing up a Ulez camera on a street in east London thought 'Facebook police' had come to arrest him, a court has heard. Kevin Rees was detained by counter-terrorism officers after the 'low-sophistication' device exploded in Willersley Avenue, Sidcup on December 6, 2023. The 63-year-old defendant, who is on trial at Woolwich Crown Court, has insisted he had 'no involvement whatsoever' in the incident. Giving evidence today, he told the jury: 'I assumed it was just the so-called Facebook police. 'People you hear being arrested for making bad or inappropriate comments on Facebook pages - that's well-known, as it's been on the news. 'The thing is, I didn't actually do anything wrong.' Defence counsel Simon Ray asked: 'Are you responsible for that explosion?' Rees replied: 'No, I'm not. Not something I would do.' Kevin Rees was detained by counter-terrorism officers after the 'low-sophistication' device exploded in Willersley Avenue, Sidcup on December 6, 2023. Forensics are pictured examining the site Jurors heard the Ulez camera in Willersley Avenue had already been damaged earlier on December 6, 2023, by a man called Stephen Harwood-Stamper - who later pleaded guilty to criminal damage. Mr Harwood-Stamper cut the camera pole down before a different individual caused the camera to explode later on the same day, when it was already on the ground. Rees, a retired domestic appliance service engineer, told jurors he had never spoken to or heard of Mr Harwood-Stamper and first learned of the explosion on Willersley Avenue through a Facebook group for local news. When he was arrested on December 18, 2023, Rees made reference to the previous explosion and asked officers if his arrest had 'something to do with the anti-Ulez sites'. 'There was only one explosion that was on the news and that was the one in Sidcup,' Rees told jurors. When interviewed by police on his whereabouts on the evening of December 6 2023, Rees told them he was at a friend's house, which he had been visiting regularly as he was fitting in a new kitchen. However, footage from nearby CCTV cameras showed Rees had left his friend's home address mid-afternoon that day and did not return in the evening, jurors heard. 'I was 100 per cent convinced I was at his house - as I still am now, in my head,' Rees told jurors. The 63-year-old defendant, who is on trial at Woolwich Crown Court, has insisted he had 'no involvement whatsoever' in the incident 'But I have seen CCTV of me leaving the property, so, obviously, I was not there.' When asked why he was interested in Ulez cameras and the Facebook groups that opposed them, Rees replied: 'Boredom, and, almost, a community. 'I'm retired, not much else to do - didn't particularly interest me that much.' Rees is charged with one count of causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, and three counts of possessing a prohibited weapons. The latter charges relate to 'stun guns' the prosecution alleges were found at Rees's home address during a police search following his arrest. Rees, however, denied the devices were stun guns and said he made them himself. The defendant, from Harcourt Avenue in Sidcup, Kent, further told jurors he took 'great pleasure' in 'tinkering about with electrical devices' due to his professional background. The trial continues. Strictly Come Dancing star Thomas Skinner has joined Reform, the party has today confirmed. Skinner, who first made a claim to fame on The Apprentice in 2019, was seen posing with leader Nigel Farage in a post to social media today, which carried the caption: 'Bosh!' The 34-year-old businessman replied: 'Good to see ya Nigel. Bosh.' A Reform party spokesperson confirmed Skinner's move to join on Tuesday. Earlier this month, he said Sir Keir Starmer had 'made some terrible decisions', adding that he believed the Labour leader is 'well out of his depth'. Skinner publicly endorsed Farage and said he would vote for his party if there was an election tomorrow. He said in a radio interview: 'The people that are running this country aren't people who know what it's like not to have the rent money at the end of the month. 'They don't know how to run a business. They don't know how to talk to people. StrictlyCome Dancing Star Thomas Skinner (pictured, left) has joined Reform, the party has today confirmed 'These are career politicians and - no disrespect, not all of them are like this - but the majority are.' He also downplayed accusations that Farage is a career politician: 'He's better than Labour, and there is no other choice at the moment, is there? Kemi [Badenoch] and the Conservatives, bless her, she's well out of her depth.' Skinner is the latest high-profile figure to join Reform's ranks. Last week saw Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservatives, suffer major blows after three of her MPs defected to Farage's party. Andrew Rosindell, who has been MP for Romford for almost 25 years and was Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, blamed the Conservatives' stance on Chagos for his decision. He had been a Tory party member since he was 14 and is the third senior figure to cross over to Reform UK in the space of a week, following former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick. His move came just two days after opposition leader Ms Badenoch declared she was '100 per cent confident' that no other members of her Shadow Cabinet would switch sides. Farage said: 'Andrew is a great patriot. The Tories' lies and hypocrisy over the Chagos Islands betrayal has tipped him over the edge, and we are delighted to welcome him to our ranks. 'He will be a great addition to our team ahead of the elections on May 7th.' Skinner publicly endorsed Nigel Farage (pictured) and said he would vote for his party if there was an election tomorrow Join the debate Does celebrity support for political parties influence how YOU vote? Rosindell's defection renewed claims that Reform - which at the weekend set a May deadline for defections - is now home to too many former Tories and so will not be seen as a radical new movement by voters at the next general election. Last week Ms Badenoch claimed her party was stronger and more united after she dramatically sacked her leadership rival, Mr Jenrick, having discovered he was planning to defect, and thanked Mr Farage for doing her 'spring cleaning'. She also insisted she would never do a deal with Reform UK despite growing pleas for the two parties to work together so they can together defeat Labour at the next election. A prison officer who had sexual relationships with two inmates and plotted to smuggle envelopes 'laced with spice' has been jailed for three and a half years. Isabelle Dale, 23, became romantically involved with both Shahid Sharif and Connor Money, swearing her 'undying love' to both, and how she wanted to be with them on the outside, Southwark Crown Court heard. The 'devious' guard was engaged to thief Sharif, 33, with whom she had sex with in the worship area at HMP Coldingley, Surrey, as two other inmates posted as lookouts, it was previously heard. She also had his nickname, Sneaks, tattooed on her neck and would refer to herself as 'Miss Sneaky'. Meanwhile, a framed 'rather garish' picture of the inmate and Dale was hung over her bed. The 23-year-old later plotted with her inmate lover as well as his associate, Lilea Sallis, to smuggle the synthetic cannabinoid, commonly known as spice, into HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. During the trial, it was heard that Sharif, in a phone call, told Dale that there was 'big bread' to be made by selling drugs behind bars, as he warned that the packages could not 'look bait' and had to appear 'diligent'. The 'manipulative' prison officer was arrested on her last visit with Sharif at HMP Swaleside on November 1. After her arrest, police also discovered she had a sexual encounter on at least one occasion with a second inmate, Money, 28. Isabelle Dale, 23, became romantically involved with both Shahid Sharif and Connor Money, swearing her 'undying love' to both Dale arriving at Southwark Crown Court, London, on May 23, 2025. She has been sentenced to three and a half years behind bars Dale first arrived at HMP Coldingley in September 2021 for what would be her first and only posting. By January, she and Sharif had had 'at least some contact' because she mentioned him to a senior colleague, and by May, they were engaged, the court heard. And while it was heard the duo had sex in a chapel area of the prison, Judge Hehir said he could not know if they were intimate at the time. However, he added that text messages indicate they 'clearly had a sexual relationship' while other guards had 'obviously clocked on to what was going on'. Sharif was at the time serving a 12-year and 10-month sentence for an 'extremely violent robbery of a jewellers on the south coast', the judge added. Dale, who has since resigned from her post, planned alongside Sharif and Sallis, 28, to bring envelopes dipped in spice into Swaleside Prison. Sharif had been transferred to jail following their encounter in the chapel, and Dale visited him three times between September and October 2022. But, a postal strike foiled their arrangements, so it was arranged that the guard would travel to Brighton to meet Sallis and collect the envelopes, the court heard. However, due to a conflict about prices with Sharif and the content he was posting about her on social media, Sallis backed out, the judge said. 'I don't think she had a fit of conscience, to put it that way, but I think that's why her enthusiasm cooled,' he added. A 'rather garish' picture of Dale and Sharif was found in the prison officer's home above her bed, the court was told. She plotted with her inmate lover and his associate, Lilea Sallies, to smuggle the synthetic cannabinoid, commonly known as spice, into HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent The images were 'spliced together' with a white heart between them as well as the date May 17, 2022, believed to be when the pair got engaged. The judge said evidence put to the jury showed Dale 'well understood what corruption was and the risks and dangers relating to it'. 'She wanted to do it. I think she's attention seeking, and I think she seeks validation, and I think she did that through relationships with prisoners,' he added. Meanwhile, Dale had also shared sensitive information with Money, with whom she also had an intimate relationship. He was locked up for nine years for killing his best friend in a car crash in a 147mph police chase on a motorway in Kent. And when he was concerned about losing his mobile phone during a cell search, Dale told him 'Don't worry, security aren't too hot on you,' the court was told. Syam Soni, defending Dale, said her offending was influenced by her mental health difficulties, including depression, anxiety, emotionally unstable personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. He alleged she was 'ill-equipped' for the prison environment and more vulnerable than others. Dale, of Portsmouth, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for two counts of misconduct in a public office between September 2021 and December 2022, and one count of conspiring to convey a List A article into prison. Sharif, who is already in custody at HMP Wandsworth, and Sallis, were also jailed for the latter charge. Sharif attended proceedings via video link from prison. He previously admitted conspiring to bring the drug into Swaleside. Pictured left to right: Shahid Sharif and Connor Money - two inmates who Dale had illicit relationship with The two women, who had denied the charge, were convicted by a jury. Sallis was sentenced to two and a half years in jail, and Sharif received 27 months. At Tuesday's sentencing at Southwark Crown Court, the judge told Dale: 'I have concluded that unfortunately, you are a thoroughly devious, untruthful and manipulative young woman. 'I accept you have some vulnerabilities, but, as was apparent in your evidence, you seek to use them as a shield and an excuse for your actions. But they did not provide that.' 'I suspect you actually joined the prison service with a view to becoming involved in criminal activities with prisoners.' The loved ones of a teenage Canadian tourist found dead in Australia said they were 'traumatized' after her body was discovered surrounded by a pack of wild dogs. Piper James, 19, was found dead on a beach north of the Maheno Wreck on Queensland's K'gari island on Monday morning. Her body was found encircled by at least 10 dingoes, with authorities saying it had been 'touched and interfered with' by the native animals and that she had sustained 'defensive wounds,' according to News.com.au. Brianna Falk, a close friend, said her 'heart dropped' upon hearing the gruesome news about the girl she had sat beside in English class just three years ago, according to The Canadian Press. 'We had so many plans and she was so young,' Falk told the outlet, adding that James adored her life and being in nature. 'You never think that it is going to be somebody that you know, let alone one of your closest friends,' she added. Falk revealed that she was working her day job at a car dealership when the early reports began to emerge and she began to fear the worst knowing her friend was in Australia. The nightmare proved true when she spoke with a mutual friend, who confirmed that James's body was the one found near the Maheno Shipwreck after she went for a solo swim at around 5am. Loved ones of Canadian tourist 19-year-old Piper James (pictured), who was found dead on an Australian island on Monday, said they were 'traumatized' by the news James's body was found encircled by at least 10 dingoes on a beach north of the Maheno Wreck on Queensland's K'gari island Authorities said James's body had been 'touched and interfered with' by the native animals and that she had sustained 'defensive wounds' She said her initial reaction was anger, noting that James was one of the easiest people to talk to and did not deserve such a tragic fate. 'She was a good person. She never did wrong by anybody,' Falk told the outlet. 'She was just a good friend.' James's father, Todd James, shared a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook on Tuesday, admitting that the family is 'shattered' by her sudden loss. 'Our hearts are shattered as we share the tragic loss of our beautiful daughter, Piper. We will always remember her infectious laugh and her kind spirit. I admired her strength and determination to go after her dreams,' the father wrote. 'She was glad I was on board for her trip to Australia. Lol, she said, "Because I'm 18, and you can't stop me!"' he added. 'Mostly, I loved hearing about and seeing the bonds and friendships she was developing as she grew into her beautiful self.' He explained that his daughter was proud of her work with the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), a provincial agency responsible for preventing, managing, and responding to wildfires - typically around 1,600 each year. 'Piper would work hard so she could play hard,' he wrote. 'So many are going to miss you, my precious little baby girl.' James's father, Todd James (both pictured), shared a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook on Tuesday, admitting that the family is 'shattered' by her sudden loss Her father explained that James was proud of her work with the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), a provincial agency responsible for preventing, managing, and responding to wildfires The post included dozens of photos of James, many capturing her adventurous spirit His post included dozens of photos of James, many capturing her adventurous spirit at concerts, backpacking with friends, fighting fires, dirt biking or seemingly co-piloting a small plane. 'Maybe gone, but how can we ever forget you?' he concluded the tribute. 'The pain...RIP my baby.' Wide Bay District Inspector Paul Algie said during a Wednesday press conference the teenager had been living and working at a backpacker hostel on the eastern beaches with a friend for the past six weeks. The fellow Canadian traveling with James was also left 'extremely traumatized' according to Algie. The inspector said a post-mortem examination will officially determine Jamess cause of death, as it still remains unclear whether the dogs were responsible. 'At this stage, it's too early to speculate on the cause of death - we simply can't confirm whether this young lady drowned, or died as a result of being attacked by dingoes,' Algie said. Falk revealed that, around six months ago, James made a 'pretty spur-of-the-moment' plan to travel to Australia with her friend Taylor, according to The Canadian Press. 'They mentioned that they didnt really have a plan, and it was very nice and free-spirited,' she told the outlet. 'They were having a blast.' A friend revealed that, around six months ago, James made a 'pretty spur-of-the-moment' plan to travel to Australia with her friend Taylor Wide Bay District Inspector Paul Algie said a post-mortem examination will officially determine Jamess cause of death, as it still remains unclear whether the dogs were responsible Just an hour after she went to the beach, two men driving past spotted more than a dozen dingoes surrounding what they quickly realized was a body, triggering an urgent police response. 'It was obviously a very traumatic and horrific scene for them to uncover,' Algie said. Officers were observed at the crime scene on Tuesday, gathering further witness statements - especially from 'people who knew her movements' and could help piece together what happened during the fatal 75-minute period. 'So there was an hour, to hour and 15 minutes, that police are currently piecing together as a part of their investigations,' the inspector added. If authorities determine her death was caused by native animals, it would be the first fatal dingo attack in the country in 25 years, 9News Australia reported. Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said he was 'not surprised' by the violent discovery, noting an 'escalating number of attacks' in the past five years. Algie said that additionally, swimming and dingo safety advice is 'more the business' of park rangers than of police. Her father Todd James wrote on Facebook about his daughter: 'She was glad I was on board for her trip to Australia. Lol, she said, "Because I'm 18, and you can't stop me!"' If authorities determine James's death was caused by native animals, it would be the first fatal dingo attack in the country in 25 years Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers have since increased patrols on K'gari from Monday following the suspected attack 'But, what I would say, is that Kgari is a wilderness area,' the official told The Guardian. 'Dingoes are wild animals, and whilst they are very culturally significant to the local First Nations people, and to the people that live on the island, they are still wild animals and need to be treated as such,' he added. He said that the scene was traumatic not just for law enforcement and Jamess family, but also for the residents of Kgari who witnessed it. 'As you can imagine, they are absolutely horrified and shocked at whats occurred - this is an incident that impacts everybody heavily,' Algie said. 'It is a very sad set of circumstances, and it does impact particularly an island community - quite harshly.' Falk, along with Jamess other friends back home, said she has not been able to stop crying since hearing the news of her friends death and hopes to connect with others who knew her, according to The Canadian Press. 'I really did love Piper, and Im gonna miss her a lot,' she said. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers have since increased patrols on K'gari from Monday following the suspected attack. A trio of Democratic lawmakers were seen in a ferocious catfight, filled with hair-pulling and arm-swinging. Newly released footage showed the rivals, State Senator Angela Walton Mosley and St. Louis County Councilwoman Shalanda Webb, in a violent scuffle after a town hall meeting on September 25 at Bellefontaine Neighbors Community Center. Mosley's sister, Rochelle Walton Gray, a former county councilwoman, was also involved in the brawl, which lasted about 40 seconds. The sisters are said to have a history of political conflicts with Webb that have been going on for at least five years, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. In the clip, Webb, dressed in a leopard print maxi-dress and glasses, was seen exchanging words with the siblings. Although audio is not attached to the video, the confrontation appeared to get heated quickly as Webb waved a pen around and talked dramatically to Mosley and Gray. Gray, dressed in a bright blue top, then stepped back a bit while her sister, dressed in an all-black outfit, moved directly toward Webb and started to expressively count her fingers. Another woman then stepped in between Mosley and Webb, but the councilwoman pushed her to the side and pointed her pen directly in Mosley's face. Dramatic footage captured the moment Missouri state Sen. Angela Walton Mosley and St. Louis County Councilwoman Shalanda Webb got into a catfight on September 25 After exchanging heated words with each other, Mosley (in all black) and Webb (dressed in leopard) started to swing at each other and pull each other's hair The two enemies continued to bicker as Mosley took her glasses off and passed them to a woman in a green shirt, seemingly getting ready to get into a physical confrontation with Webb. After a few more words were said, Mosley was seen pushing her arm against Webb's neck before chaos ensued. Webb quickly pushed her nemesis back as the pair stumbled back toward the other side of the gymnasium, into a table. Several people attempted to break the catfight up, including security guards who ran in as soon as the physical commotion began. Gray then got involved in an apparent attempt to defend her sister as Webb took several swings at her. Webb then pulled the sisters' hair as multiple people tried to physically pull the trio away from each other. After what looked like much convincing, the three of them broke free. Webb was seen stumbling out of her heels while Mosley was seen fixing her tussled hair as the video ended. Now, nearly a month after the vicious fight, the three women have engaged in a legal battle over the moment. Mosley's sister, Rochelle Walton Gray, a former county councilwoman (in blue shirt), soon jumped in Several people got involved to try to break up the trio after about 40 seconds of fighting. They have all pursued legal action over the violent incident Both Gray and Mosley sued Webb, and the councilwoman filed a lawsuit as well. At the same time, Gray has filed to run for a seat on the city council in Black Jack, about 30 minutes from St. Louis. She is set to face off against Donald Krank, who has held the Ward 1 seat since 1999, on April 7. Gray was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2008 and reelected there three times. In 2016, she was elected to the County Council, but in 2020, she lost that position to Webb, and then again in 2024. Before the city council race, Gray is scheduled to appear in court on January 29 over the brawl. Senator Angela Mosley (left) and Rochelle Walton Gray (right) sued Webb over the fight St. Louis County Councilwoman Shalanda Webb has long had a heated rivalry with the sisters. She has an upcoming hearing that will go over the order of protection that Webb requested against them. Webb also filed a criminal complaint against Mosley and Gray Everyone involved has claimed they acted in self-defense that night, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The upcoming hearing will go over the order of protection that Webb requested against the sisters, who sued her for damages, per the outlet. Webb also filed a criminal complaint against Mosley and Gray. The case is being investigated by the Missouri Attorney General's Office. The Daily Mail contacted Mosley, Webb, Gray, and the Missouri Attorney General's Office for comment. Invasion Day rallies and anti-immigration demonstrations will be allowed to go ahead on Australia Day, despite NSW Police extending its protest ban another fortnight. The Public Assembly Restriction Declaration remains in place for parts of Sydney in the wake of the December 14 terrorist attack at Bondi Beach. Protest bans have been lifted for Hyde Park and others parts of the CBD south of Liverpool Street. Restrictions remain in place for Darling Harbour, the northern CBD and the eastern suburbs command, which includes Bondi. Hundreds are expected at Hyde Park for the annual Invasion Day rally, which opposes the national holiday marking the First Fleets arrival in 1788. 'It's about getting the balance right between community safety and a right to protest,' NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said. 'The protest that is planned by the First Nations community on Australia Day will be managed down through College Street and out of southern Sydney - I'm satisfied that reduces the risk to the community.' He acknowledged that previous Invasion Day protests had been 'incredibly peaceful'. Next Monday's Invasion Day rally has been granted the green light to go ahead A separate March for Australia rally will also held next Monday 'On Australia Day, I expect that we'll have tens of thousands of community members, mums and dads, boys and girls, wanting to come into the CBD,' Commissioner Lanyon added. 'This is about making sure we enable people to protest, enable free speech, but make sure the community remains safe. 'It's really important and I reinforce that this is a time for calm. It's a time for peace. 'We are still less than six weeks from the most serious and devastating terrorist attack ever in NSW.' A separate March for Australia anti-immigration rally from Prince Alfred Park to Moore Park will be held outside the restriction areas. 'It is not about the First Nations protest,' Commissioner Lanyon said. 'This decision today is not protest agnostic. Any person can now lodge a form one (application for protest authorisation).' Some gatherings are still permitted in restricted areas. Join the debate Do YOU support NSW Police allowing Invasion Day rallies to go ahead? NSW Police has lifted protest bans for Sydney's Hyde Park and other parts of the CBD south of Liverpool Street. But the ban remains in place for areas in red Hundreds will converge on Hyde Park next Monday for the annual Invasion Day rally opposing the national public holiday But police may issue move on directions to anyone causing obstructions or behaving in an intimidatory or harassing manner, or people who might cause or be likely to 'cause fear' in another person. The protest ban exemption has sparked a divided response from community and political leaders. 'The number of police required to prevent a peaceful street march on Sunday far exceeded the number of police that would be required to facilitate a peaceful march through the streets, I certainly hope police have woken up to the absurdity of these broken laws,' NSW Greens spokeswoman Sue Higginson said. Others questioned the extension of the restrictions. 'While we welcome the NSW Police saying that it will not mass arrest people for marching in the Invasion Day rally in Sydney, what a very low bar that is for our democratic freedoms in NSW,' NSW Council of Civil Liberties president Timothy Roberts told The Australian Financial Review. Protest restrictions could be extended by another fortnight for a third time on February 3. A husband denied murdering his wife while announcing he was marrying his girlfriend one year after the killing, as the man charged spoke out after fleeing to Asia. Kimberly Hyde, 60, was found murdered inside her Honda Civic in October of 2024 in Vernal, Utah, some 40 miles from her home in Roosevelt where she lived with her husband of 18 years Michael, 69. It was later ruled that she suffered blunt force trauma to her head and face, as well as a number of stab wounds with one fatal wound to her neck. Just over a year after Kimberly was found murdered, Michael married his girlfriend Joy and posted to his social media defending his decision to move on. Michael said by waiting a year he was honoring his late wife's wishes, while also taking aim at people in the small community who had pointed the finger at him for being allegedly involved in her passing. 'I do not wear my emotions on my sleeve, and some criticize me for that and the way I choose to grieve. 'Some have criticized me for wanting to find happiness in marriage again. I am abiding by Kims wishes in that respect (waiting at least a year if I do get remarried).' He added: 'It especially hurts that some of Kims family and friends apparently feel, in spite of all the evidence, that I was somehow involved.' Kimberly Hyde, seen here with her husband of 18 years Michael, died after being found with stab wounds inside her Honda Civic Michael is seen here alongside his new wife Joy in pictures taken on their wedding day just over a year after the death of Kimberly Michael said he had cooperated with the investigation into his wife's killing '110' percent and that he was frustrated justice hadn't be done. He said: 'She was the best wife I couldve ever asked for. My 19 years with her were the best years of my life. 'She served me and she served others. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother as well.' Michael has not been named a suspect or charged in connection with her death, with the couple's neighbor Henry Resuera the main suspect in her death. Resuera had a warrant issued for his arrest on suspicion of aggravated homicide, kidnapping, robbery and burglary. He spoke with East Idaho News this week from the Philippines where he fled to after the death of Kimberly. In a lengthy and emotional interview with the outlet, he said that he received an anonymous call on the day Kimberly was reported missing. According to Resuera the call came from a Facebook account via messenger named Jaz Utah, and when he answered they introduced themselves as Michael. In a post to his Facebook Michael justified his reasoning behind him remarrying so soon after the death of his wife Michael has not been named a suspect or charged in connection with her death Officials ruled that she suffered blunt force trauma to her head and face, as well as a number of stab wounds with one fatal wound to her neck He said that he assumed it was his neighbor Michael, with the caller then asking him go to the Hyde home and open the rear gate as someone was coming to collect a gas stove. According to Resuera, Michael gave him the garage passcode for the home and remembering he had a retirement gift for the couple he went back to his own home to grab it before returning to the Hyde's. Leaving the gift inside he then opened the back fence before going to a gym nearby and then returning to his home when he received another call from the account. He said: 'It was Mike. He asked if I could pick them up at Constitution Park and said I could use Kim's car.' Resuera believed his own wife was with Kimberly, adding: 'When he said "them", I thought I'd pick up Kim and my wife.' After entering the Honda Civic he told the outlet he observed a number of 'things' piled in the back seat. While driving he claims he received another call telling him to drive towards Ashley Hospital in Vernal. When the call ended he said he heard a 'weird' noise from the rear of the vehicle and what he described as a 'person having difficulty breathing'. 'I looked back, and I was shocked because there was a person under the piled boxes and bags, and I recognized it was Kim. Resuera had a warrant issued for his arrest on suspicion of aggravated homicide, kidnapping, robbery and burglary Resuera provided the call logs he had with the Facebook account that called him on the day he found Kimberly's body 'She was blindfolded, her mouth was sealed with tape, and there was a lot of blood', he told the outlet. Resuera claims he then continued to ring the Facebook account which was now not answering before ditching the car. The next day he said he attempted to speak with Michael who informed him that Kimberly was dead which prompted him to book a flight to the Philippines, where he is from. Resuera added that he was on his way to the airport when a friend talked him down from fleeing, saying: 'I realized, why do I need to leave when I know I am not guilty of anything?' He claimed that Michael questioned why he hadn't left the country, to which he said: 'I told him, "I can't leave my family, Mike". 'He said, "If you really love your family, you must leave", I asked him, "Who did it?" he told me two names, Monde and Julia. 'I asked him, "Do I know them?" He said, "You don't know them." I asked, "Where are they now?" 'He replied, "They're still here." I asked him, "Why me, Mike?" He bowed his head. At that moment, I started to cry in front of him.' According to Resuera he has spoken with a police officer since returning to the Philippines who allegedly questioned him about an affair between himself and Kimberly, which he denied. A police affidavit seen by the outlet said that both his wife and son 'admitted that Henry had disclosed to them that he had killed Kimberly Hyde'. He claimed to the outlet that his wife and son have a back story as to why the confessed but didn't elaborate further. Resuera said he didn't trust the police in Utah and instead asked President Donald Trump to pardon him. In a direct appeal to Michael, he said: 'I thought we were friends. I am talking to you, man to man, father to father. 'Tell the truth. It's not too late, Mike. One day, you will face Kimberly in the afterlife. I know you have totally moved on, but please, you are my only hope to clear my name because I know you knew who did this.' The Daily Mail contacted Michael and his wife for comment. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he considered changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the 'Gulf of Trump' - though he immediately told reporters he was joking. Or was he? Trump was the surprise guest at Tuesday's press briefing, taking the podium amid a tussle with European leaders over the future of Greenland. What was billed as a press conference mostly became a venue for the president to read from a list of accomplishments - 365, according to a White House press release - as he marked one year into his second term. On that list was Trump's decision to start referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the 'Gulf of America,' an executive order he signed on day one. 'I was going to call it the Gulf of Trump, but I thought that I would be killed if I did that,' the president said. 'I decided not to do that.' He then assured reporters that he was just being funny. 'I'm joking, you know, when I say that I was going to call it the Gulf of Trump,' he said. But then the president floated the idea, 'maybe we could do that.' 'It's not too late,' he added. President Donald Trump said he considered renaming the Gulf of Mexico the 'Gulf of Trump' - and then immediately told reporters he was joking, during a lengthy session Tuesday in the briefing room as he ticked off year one accomplishments President Donald Trump is photographed in February 2025 with a 'Gulf of America' sign. He changed the name from the Gulf of Mexico on inauguration day, which happened one year ago today The 'Gulf of Trump' quip was among the more lighthearted moments as the briefing room appearance dragged on for more than an hour. The president came to the podium armed with a stack of photos of alleged criminal illegal immigrants found by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minnesota - defending ICE agents at length. He did say that he felt bad about the death of Minnesota mother Renee Good - especially when he found out that she was the daughter of Trump supporters. Reporters were given a pack of 365 'wins' for the year Trump has been back in office. The president brought an even thicker stack of paper - and after a brief battle with a paperclip - started reading from it. 'Oh, I'm glad my finger wasn't in that sucker,' the president remarked. 'That could have done some damage, but you know what? I wouldn't have shown the pain.' 'I would have acted like nothing happened as my finger fell off,' he joked. Trump weaved for an hour and 20 minutes before finally taking questions from the press. President Donald Trump brought props with him to the White House briefing room on Tuesday. Signs that purported to show criminal illegal aliens that ICE arrested in Minnesota and a stack of papers listing his year one accomplishments President Donald Trump (center) was the surprise guest at Tuesday's press briefing. He walks into the briefing room alongside White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt (left). Trump departs for Davos, Switzerland later tonight The briefing room was packed with reporters as President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance to mark the year anniversary of his second swearing-in. Trump spoke for an hour and 20 minutes before opening the floor to questions. And then took questions for 25 minutes He expressed frustration with Norway for not awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize. He lashed out at his political enemies, including 'son of b****' former special counsel, Jack Smith, Representative Ilhan Omar and said if California Governor Gavin Newsom became president, he would turn the United States into Venezuela. He labeled former CNN host Don Lemon, who was at the scene of the Minneapolis church protest, a 'loser' and a 'lightweight.' He told reporters 'you'll find out' when asked how far he would go to acquire Greenland. At the same time, he hinted there could be a diplomatic solution. "I think that we will work something out where NATO is going to be very happy,' he said. His Greenland demands became even more outrageous overnight as he shared an AI image of himself, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio planting an American flag on the Danish territory. Trump also shared a message written to him by French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron had invited Trump to Paris for an emergency G7 meeting to discuss the Greenland matter. Trump told reporters that he wasn't going to take Macron up on his offer - explaining that he doesn't need to negotiate with the French president because he won't be in office for much longer. Macron is expected to leave office in May 2027. 'There's no longevity there,' Trump said. 'I have meetings with the people that are directly involved.' Trump is headed to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, later Tuesday night, where the Greenland issue will be front and center. 'I'm going to this beautiful place called Switzerland,' Trump said. 'Where I'm sure I'm very happily awaited for,' he said sarcastically. An intensive care nurse in Virginia who was accused of abusing newborn babies has pleaded no contest to nine counts of felony child abuse. Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 27, was arrested in January of last year after a number of newborns in Henrico Doctors' Hospital neonatal intensive care unit were left with unexplained fractures. The hospital quickly closed its NICU as police began an investigation, and what followed became a long list of alleged crimes against Strotman. Strotman was eventually accused of abusing nine babies since 2022 and faced 20 charges in total for malicious wounding and child abuse. The former-nurse's plea deal would cause Strotman to be sentenced to no more than three years in prison. Her plea drops charges of malicious wounding, which would have required evidence of intent, The Washington Post reported. As part of the deal, she will also never be able to practice nursing or any healthcare related work again and won't ever be able to work with minors or vulnerable adults, KXII reported. Strotman's defense attorneys made an argument that security footage from the newborn unit did not show any signs of intent to injure the babies. 'I think it's a reasonable and just resolution of the charges,' defense attorney Jeffrey Everhart said according to the Post. Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, 27, was arrested in January of last year after a number of newborns in Henrico Doctors' Hospital neonatal intensive care unit were left with unexplained fractures The hospital quickly closed its NICU as police began an investigation, and what followed became a long list of alleged crimes against Strotman The former-nurse's plea deal would cause Strotman to be sentenced to no more than three years in prison. Her plea drops charges of malicious wounding, which would have required evidence of intent 'We are satisfied that Erin Strotman never intended to hurt any of these children. We also became satisfied that she probably caused some of these injuries, if not all of them.' Video footage was presented to the court, with Strotman appearing to place her full body weight on one infant who was crying out. Documents from the Virginia Board of Nursing claimed that Strotman also squeezed the children with 'excessive force' and moved them carelessly, including falling while holding the children and in some instances lifting the newborns by their heads. Her defense said she was using a technique meant for gas-relief, but it was argued that the technique was not appropriate for newborns in the NICU. Strotman said of footage of her handling the newborns that it 'can be perceived as a little too rough.' 'It looks like I did lean my weight on to him... but in the moment it didn't feel too rough. A little? Yeah. After seeing the video? Yeah,' she added, according to the Post. The first investigation into the abuse began in September 2023 following a report of 'non-accidental trauma,' after four infants in their NICU were found with 'unexplained and concerning fractures,' the outlet reported. Investigators discovered these incidents occurred seven weeks before the hospital notified authorities. Noah Hackey was one of seven babies who suffered inexplicable injuries at Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond, Virginia Social services determined an unknown employee at the hospital caused Noah's fracture An internal investigation put Strotman on leave, but she returned after the hospital failed to identify the abuser. Prosecutors said this internal investigation impeded the official investigation. They further said the hospital had 'virtually no documentation' of who was caring for the infants in the NICU, with no cameras inside the rooms. According to the Post, the hospital has since fixed these issues, including installing cameras as well as offering additional training on identifying and reporting child abuse. Strotman returned to work in September 2024, and two months later Child Protective Services received a report of suspected child abuse after a child was found with a 'constellation of injuries.' According to the Post, investigators saw that during Strotman's year away from the hospital there had been no newborns with unexplainable injuries. The hospital, however, became involved after investigators discovered the suspected abuse went unreported in a timely manner in the case of four infants in 2023. In the following year, three more infants had been injured, the Post reported. 'The facility failed to protect and promote each patients' rights' by failing to report suspected child abuse within the time federally required to do so, the report reviewed by the outlet said. Noah's father Dominique Hackey contacted child services, who found Noah had suffered level 1 physical abuse Noah has fully recovered. He is pictured with his mom Tori Dominique and Tori Hackey were one of the parents affected after they welcomed their twin boys, Noah and Micah, at the hospital in August 2023. Noah was doing well until Dominique noticed his left leg was not moving. 'It was kind of discolored, I told the doctor on staff, got some x-rays, and we determined he had a fracture to his leg, so we are going to splint it for the next two weeks, and then she was like do you want to hold him?' Dominique told WTVR. The couple said they did not want to hold Noah for fears the hospital would blame them for the injury. 'In my mind Im like, I dont want them to turn it around on us and say we broke his leg or anything like that so I was like no, we dont want to hold him, we are just going to process this,' Dominique added. An X-ray showed that Noah's tibia had been fractured, and, according to Dominique, the hospital suggested the injury was accidental. 'Thats what they told us, that it could have been done because an injection was given and maybe they did it too hard and it caused the fracture,' Dominique said. Dominique said it concerned him so he contacted child services. In September he received a review of their investigation, which found there was level 1 physical abuse of Noah - the worst level in Virginia. Henrico hospital closed its neonatal intensive care unit after seven premature babies suffered mysterious injuries The letter from child services stated that 'following a through CPS investigation this agency has determined the disposition of this report to be founded level 1 for physical abuse of Noah by an employee by the Henrico Doctors Hospital NICU.' The hospital was further unable to know all members of staff who had come into contact with NICU patients, the outlet reported. Strotman will be on house arrest while released on bond until her sentencing on June 5. At her sentencing, the families of the abused newborns will speak and the judge will determine Strotman's sentence. One of Anthony Albanese's ministers has been grilled over why it took him 37 days to use the phrase 'radical Islamic extremism' to describe the Bondi Beach attack. The Prime Minister's anti-hate speech bill and changes to the nation's gun laws passed through Parliament on Tuesday night. The legislation allows the government to outlaw hardline extremist groups, such as the National Socialist Network and radical Islamist collective Hizb ut-Tahrir. During the first Question Time since the attack, Albanese used the words 'radical Islamic extremism' for the first time. His words came after criticism from the Coalition that Labor's hate speech laws did not directly address this specific threat. 'I would say that radical Islamic extremism is a major problem. We know that is the case,' Albanese told the parliament. Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth was grilled by Nat Barr over why it took the prime minister so long to use the phrase. 'It is the first time in the 37 days after the attack at Bondi that he used that phrase. Why has it taken so long?' Barr asked. Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth (left) was grilled by Nat Barr (right) on Sunrise about the success of the Labor government's anti-hate speech bill Rishworth avoided directly answering the question, and told Barr the Labor government had been 'incredibly consistent' in addressing hate in Australia. 'The legislation against hate speech in this country looks at how we tackle some of these issues, including cancelling visas or stopping people coming to the country that are seeking to divide us and spread hate,' she said. Rishworth added that she was disappointed Parliament had not been united in passing the laws, but was grateful for their success nonetheless. But Barr doubled down and asked: 'Was there a reason the prime minister and the government weren't using that term "radical Islamic extremism" before now?' Rishworth responded: 'I think the Prime Minister has been quite clear that... Islamic radical extremism is a perversion of Islam. 'I think he has been very clear about that and clear this was an antisemitic terrorist attack. It was an attack on Jewish Australians. 'But, when it's an attack on Jewish Australians, it's an attack on all of us.' However, the explanation was blasted by Nationals Senate Leader Bridget McKenzie who appeared alongside Rishworth. Join the debate Has political caution gone too far when leaders delay naming threats after terror attacks? Barr asked why the Prime Minister had taken so long to use the phrase 'radical Islamic extremism' when describing the events of the Bondi Beach terror attack 'We've seen a gutless prime minister from day one on the actions of radical Islamic extremism, which is now in our suburbs,' she said. 'You [Nat Barr] and I have spoken about this more often than the prime minister has talked about it since October 7th, 2023. They are the facts. 'And to hear Amanda rewrite history in the face of the worst terrorist attack our country has seen galls me. 'This prime Minister has not stood with the Jewish community. He can't say antisemitism without saying Islamophobia.' McKenzie also took aim at the Prime Minister for not offering financial support to Jewish communities forced to hire 'armed guards... standing out front of kindergartens, primary schools, secondary colleges'. Under the new laws passed on Tuesday, the Home Affairs Minister was given new powers to cancel or reject the visas of those who express extremist ideology. A brain-damaged teen intends to plead guilty to all crimes after he allegedly committed a mass shooting in North Carolina that left five people dead, including his own brother. Austin Thompson, 18, indicated that he would plead guilty to all charges on the morning of January 20, in Wake County Court, almost two weeks before his trial was expected to start on February 2. Thompson was only 15 years old when he allegedly was the killer behind a mass shooting in his neighborhood of Raleigh and Hedingham on October 13, 2022, which started with the first victim, his 16-year-old brother, James, before killing four more and harming two others. The suspected teen killer's court proceedings were delayed as he was recovering from a gunshot wound to his brain, according to the Seattle Times. A prosecutor determined that the injury was self-inflicted. The plea filing by Thompson's lawyers cited by the outlet said that while 'the serious brain injury he suffered has made it such that Austin cannot explain why he committed this shooting, he has always accepted that he did this.' Additionally, the document stated the teen's actions were 'especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel' and that he attempted to flee from the authorities. The filing also noted that he recognizes the deep pain he has caused the victims' families as well as his own family. Thompson was charged as an adult with five counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and assault of an officer with a gun. Austin Thompson, 18, indicated that he would plead guilty to all charges on the morning of January 20 Thompson was only 15 years old when he allegedly was the killer behind a mass shooting in his neighborhood of Raleigh and Hedingham on October 13, 2022 However, if he were convicted, Thompson would not be eligible to face the death penalty because he was a minor at the time of the killings, but could still possibly be sentenced to life with or without parole. Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman told WRAL News that the expected guilty plea prompts her agency 'to move forward,' as their 'thoughts are with the families of the victims.' The plea will have to be accepted by the presiding judge before moving to sentencing, where the victim's impact statement will likely be heard. Victims who could give a statement, such as Robert Steele, whose fiancee, Mary Marshall, 35, was allegedly murdered by Thompson. As for now, Steele told the outlet that the guilty plea is giving him some relief: 'Him pleading guilty saves a lot of time and brings closure.' 'We can finally go to sentencing already knowing he was guilty. Him accepting that responsibility on the on the legal side, just makes this process easier.' In the court filing cited by the Times, Thompson's attorneys noted that the teen is hopeful that 'the material presented at the sentencing hearing brings as much peace and closure as possible.' Austin Thompson (pictured right with his brother James) allegedly started his killing spree by murdering his brother first Thompson is also accused of shooting dead Susan Karantz, 49, who regularly ran on the Neuse River Trail and Mary Marshall, 35, a Navy vet who was buried on October 28, 2022 the day before she was due to marry her fiance, 'the love of her life,' Robert Steele The families of his victims have since filed a 162-page lawsuit in October of 2024 against Thompson, his parents, the neighborhood homeowner's association, and its private police force - claiming they all knew Thompson had 'antisocial, racist, aggressive and violent comments and behaviors' before he went on his killing spree, CBS 17 reported. Neighbors allege Thompson frequently had arguments with others and used racial slurs at least twice. He is said to have encountered one of his victims, Nicole Connors, a 52-year-old black woman, just days before the shooting, leading her to make a complaint about his behavior. She was shot 34 times, more than any other victim. Prosecutors said Thompson first killed his brother inside their house on Sahalee Way at around 5.30 pm that devastating night more than two years ago. He then shot dead Connors and her dog Sami, and left Connor's best friend, 60-year-old special education teacher Marcille 'Lynn' Gardner, grievously wounded in the front yard. Other victims include Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres, who was heading out to start his shift A lawsuit says Thompson made racist remarks and notes that he shot black woman Nicole Connors 34 times - more than any other victim From there, Thompson made his way to Osprey Cove Drive, where he gunned down Officer Torres, 29, who was heading out to start his shift. Ducking out of the residential subdivision, Thompson headed to the Neuse River Trail and Greenway where he shot his final two victims Susan Karantz, 49, who regularly ran that trail and Marshall, a Navy vet who was buried on October 28, 2022 the day before she was due to marry her fiance, 'the love of her life,' Steele. Callers who dialed 911 during the shooting rampage described encountering bodies on the streets or front yards in their neighborhood and along a trail popular with runners and bikers, according to recordings released by authorities. Eyewitnesses at the time also said they saw Thompson, who was recently released from hospitalization, dressed in camouflage clothing with a backpack and black boots, crouching down, and said he was 'aged between 13 and 16' and looked extremely young. 'He looked like a baby. I just don't even have the words to explain. This is not OK.' In 2024, his father, pleaded guilty to keeping a loaded gun on his nightstand that was used in the shooting. He was then sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation. John Swinney has been accused of doubling down on his reckless gender self-ID policy after his government claimed that keeping biological males out of female jails would violate their rights. The Scottish Government published its written arguments ahead of a Court of Session battle next month on its guidance on the management of transgender prisoners in custody. It claimed that a blanket ban on biological males who identify as women entering female prisons would violate the rights of some prisoners, and that its existing policy is not unlawful despite the landmark Supreme Court ruling in April last year that sex in the Equality Act relates to biological sex. Lawyers for the SNP government also claim there could be sex discrimination or harassment cases if a blanket ban on trans women is enforced. It comes just days after Mr Swinney told MSPs that the Supreme Court ruling is accepted by the Scottish Government but it needs to ensure its policies comply with legal obligations, including the European Convention on Human Rights. Scottish Conservative equalities spokesman Tess White said: It beggars belief that SNP ministers are still arguing that male-bodied criminals can be housed in womens prisons... John Swinney is continuing to betray women by doubling down on the Nationalists reckless gender self-ID policy. Susan Smith and Marion Calder after the Supreme Court ruling in London last April Torturer and murderer Paris Green, born Peter Laing, is a biological male Killer Melissa Young was born a man, Richard McCabe 'The highest court in the land was clear that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex. 'It is shocking John Swinney is using taxpayers money to effectively oppose this principle in court. Womens rights to single-sex spaces must be protected. No male-bodied criminal should be housed in a female prison. Male-born prisoners currently in the womens estate include Alan Baker, also known as Alex Stewart, who was convicted of murder in 2013. Richard McCabe, also known as Melissa Young, was convicted of murder in 2014. Peter Laing, who now goes by the name Paris Green, was convicted of murder and torture in 2013. Murderer Alan Baker who was born a man but now identifies as a woman called Alex Stewart The government published its note of argument ahead of a Court of Session hearing scheduled for February 3 on For Women Scotlands petition for a judicial review of the Scottish Prison Service policy on managing transgender people in custody. The note states: Examination of the supposed underlying unlawfulness, and questions of competence, necessarily require consideration of the duty of the Respondents under section 57(2) of the Scotland Act 1998 to act compatibly with Convention rights... A blanket rule of the kind advanced by the petitioner that a transgender prisoner can only be placed in the prison according to their biological sex would violate the rights of some prisoners under at least Articles 8 and 14. It says biology is not the sole determining factor and the prisons guidance is not unlawful. In its own note of argument, For Women Scotland, which under the leadership of Susan Smith and Marion Calder defeated Scottish Government at the Supreme Court, said: This is in fact a very simple and straightforward case which admits only of one answer. The Scottish Ministers are obliged... to provide women-only accommodation in a women-only prison estate. The family of a 70-year-old grandmother who died from a brain aneurysm after riding a rollercoaster at Universal Orlando is gearing up to sue the theme park. Ma de La Luz Mejia Rosas's relatives retained renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump to represent them against the Florida theme park. They claim the elderly woman became unresponsive after riding the Revenge of the Mummy rollercoaster on November 25. She was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead on December 9 from a ruptured aneurysm without trauma, the medical examiner said. The family is now demanding the theme park give them a fully transparent view of how the ride operates, what the safety protocols are, maintenance history, and available incident data. 'Mrs. Rosas went to the park to enjoy time with her children and grandchildren, expecting a safe and joyful experience. Instead, her family is now left grieving and searching for answers,' Crump said in a statement. 'They deserve a full understanding of what happened before, during, and after this ride.' The Daily Mail has reached out to Crump and Universal Orlando for comment. Ma de La Luz Mejia Rosas's family retained renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump to represent them against Universal Orlando after she became unresponsive and died on a ride in the park The family is now demanding the theme park give them a fully transparent view of how the ride operates, what the safety protocols are, maintenance history, and available incident data Rosas' death comes just a few months after Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, died on Stardust Racers rollercoaster at a different Universal theme park in Florida. The Zavala family was also represented by Crump, who was able to reach an 'amicable resolution' with the theme park. No details of the settlement were released. The Revenge on the Mummy ride hits peak speeds of 40mph and drops 39 feet. The Egyptian-themed ride first opened in 2004. It is one of the oldest rides in the park. In 2004, a 39-year-old man fell a few feet on the loading platform, injuring his head. He was rushed into surgery and succumbed to his injuries the following day, the Orlando Sentinel said. Another woman injured her arm after getting it stuck in a handrail a few days afterward. In 2007, another woman hurt her spine while enjoying the ride. A total of 16 people have been hurt on the ride since its debut, including one woman who suffered a seizure on the right and another who passed out. The Egyptian-themed ride first opened in 2004. It is one of the oldest rides in the park The theme park advertises the ride as one of its most extreme rollercoasters, billing it on its website as one that will leave riders 'digging their nails into the safety rail' The theme park advertises the ride as one of its most extreme rollercoasters, billing it on its website as one that will leave riders 'digging their nails into the safety rail'. 'Just as it seems you might've escaped, you'll plunge straight down into a pitch-black abyss with no end in sight. Will you ever see daylight again? Or will you remain sealed inside this tomb forever?' the website adds. Riders say the rollercoaster includes abrupt launches, sudden braking, a 39foot plunge, an unexpected backwardmoving section and rapid directional changes. Universal warns guests that the attraction involves darkness, violent motion and dramatic special effects. The coaster underwent a major refurbishment in 2022, remaining closed from January through late August. Upgrades included new 4K projection mapping, modernized ridecontrol technology and fully refurbished animatronics, according to Universal. A former Green minister has announced she will challenge the SNPs Culture Secretary in this years Holyrood elections. Lorna Slater, who served as Circular Economy Minister during the SNP/Green power-sharing alliance, will compete with her former government colleague Angus Robertson in the Edinburgh Central constituency. The Scottish Greens said the seat will become of the most high-profile contests in the country. Mr Robertson has come under fire for being asleep at the wheel during the crisis at the Historic Environment Scotland quango, and has also been branded Air Miles Angus because of the number of overseas trips he undertakes. Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay added: Edinburgh Central deserves an MSP who will challenge complacency and push for faster, fairer change. Lorna will make the case for bolder action on housing, climate and inequality, as the cost-of-living crisis continues to spiral out of control. Scottish Greens MSP Lorna Slater will take on Culture Secretary Angus Robertson in his Edinburgh constituency at the May election Lorna Slater, who was dumped as co-Leader of the Scottish Greens, was blamed for the failure of the bottle return scheme This will be a closely watched contest, and we are confident that people in Edinburgh Central will respond to a positive and principled candidate that offers a real Green alternative and future. Ms Slater has also faced criticism for alleged mismanagement of plans to introduce a deposit return scheme when she was in government. Her decision to stand could damage the prospect of the SNP retaining a seat it won in 2021 because it will split the pro-independence vote. Ms Slater, a former co-leader of the Scottish Greens, said: For too long, politics in our city has been dominated by the same voices, offering continuity rather than the bold change people need and want. At a time of deepening inequality, comfortable-continuity simply is not enough. Our community needs bold action. Edinburgh Central needs an MSP who will focus on practical measures to cut the cost of living. Other candidates for the Edinburgh Central seat include Conservative councillor Jo Mowat, Labour councillor James Dalgleish and former Lib Dem councillor Charles Dundas. Donald Trump has firmly told Sir Keir Starmer to 'straighten out' the UK, claiming London has 'a lot of problems'. At a White House press briefing on Tuesday night, held on the first anniversary of his second inauguration, Trump spoke on a vast range of topics for more than an hour, hyping up his administration's achievements before taking questions from reporters. Asked about his relationship with Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, the US leader said: 'They've got to straighten out their countries - you look at London, it's having a lot of problems and if you look at Paris, got a lot of problems.' He said both Britain and France face problems with immigration and energy, and called on the UK to stop the use of windmills and instead use gas and oil from the North Sea. Trump also issued an ominous warning regarding Greenland, which both the UK and France have a vested interest in, and how far he would go to take it from Denmark, stating: 'You'll find out.' The Republican president admitted that while he hadn't spoken with the British Prime Minister or Macron since his Truth Social posts about them this morning, he said he 'get[s] along very well with them', though added: 'They get a little bit rough when I'm not around. 'You know. I like both of them; they're both liberal.' Trump's post about Starmer on Tuesday morning saw the American leader describe the UK's decision to 'give away the island of Diego Garcia' as 'an act of GREAT STUPIDITY'. Donald Trump (pictured on Tuesday) has told Sir Keir Starmer to 'straighten out' the UK, claiming London has 'a lot of problems' Asked about his relationship with Keir Starmer (pictured) and French president Emmanuel Macron, he said: 'They've got to straighten out their countries' This is despite having previously signed off on a 3.4billion deal to lease the island back to Mauritius. Asked whether he thought the deal should now not go ahead, the US president told a White House press conference: 'I think that they, you know, when they originally were going to do it, they were talking about doing some concept of ownership but now they're looking to essentially just do a lease and sell it. 'And I'm against that. It's a reasonably - nothing like Greenland - but it's a reasonably important part of area of the globe. Not anywhere near Greenland, but I think they should keep it. 'I don't know why they're doing (it), do they need money?' He added that he has 'lot of meetings scheduled on Greenland, and I think things are going to work out pretty well', referencing his imminent appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, for which he will be leaving on Tuesday evening from Washington. Ahead of Trump's White House briefing, Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a separate news conference that the Arctic island's population. He added that authorities need to prepare for a possible military invasion amid pressure from Trump, saying: 'It's not likely there will be a military conflict, but it can't be ruled out.' France's President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 20, 2026 U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House, on the one-year mark into his second term in office, in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 20 Trump also spoke of the US' relationship with NATO, claiming: 'I think something's gonna happen that's gonna be very good for everybody. 'Nobody's done more for NATO than I have, as I said before, in every way. Getting them to go up to 5 per cent of GDP... at 2 per cent they weren't paying, at 5% they are paying. They're buying a lot of stuff from us, and they're giving it to Ukraine. 'I think we will work something out where NATO's gonna be very happy, and we're gonna be very happy. But we need it for security purposes, we need it for national security and even world security.' It followed Starmer pressing ahead with his controversial 30billion giveaway of the Chagos Islands on Tuesday night. The Prime Minister ordered Labour MPs to push through legislation on the deal, saying that the United States continued to support a plan which President Trump said demonstrated 'total weakness'. Trump, who nodded through the deal last year, stunned ministers by savaging Labour's decision to hand the islands to China ally Mauritius. In a furious post on his Truth Social platform, he wrote: 'Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital US Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. It followed Keir Starmer pressing ahead with his controversial 30billion giveaway of the Chagos Islands today, despite Trump branding it an 'act of great stupidity'. An aerial view of Diego Garcia is pictured Reform UK sources suggested that Nigel Farage's lobbying may also have contributed to the President's change of mind (file image) Pat McFadden, a close ally of the PM, said he didn't believe the row was about Chagos; rather, it was about Greenland, he said 'There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness.' Downing Street on Tuesday night played down the row, pointing to comments by work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden, who said Mr Trump was venting 'frustration' at opposition to his bid to seize Greenland. Mr McFadden, a close ally of the PM, said: 'I think what we saw on Tuesday night was a series of posts criticising a number of world leaders. That may tell us that the President is frustrated right now. 'I don't really believe this is about Chagos, I think it's about Greenland, and the best way to resolve that is through dialogue with the Danish government, and that's what we've said all along.' Under the terms of the agreement, the UK will lease back Diego Garcia for 99 years at a cost that could top 30billion. But critics of the deal lined up to urge the PM to think again. Kemi Badenoch said President Trump was 'right on the issue'. The Tory leader told the BBC: 'There is no reason whatsoever that we should be surrendering British territory with a strategic military base on it, and paying 35billion in reparations to say sorry to Mauritius. It's crazy. 'The only people who benefit are Russia and China. It is a stupid idea, and Keir Starmer on this is completely wrong.' Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel urged ministers to heed Mr Trump's advice and abandon legislation to cement the deal. She said the US President had offered Labour a 'last chance' to avoid an 'act of self-harm'. Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said hostile states like Russia, China and Iran were 'laughing at us'. The US administration approved the deal last year, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying it 'secures the long-term, stable and effective operation of the joint US-UK military facility at Diego Garcia, which is critical to regional and global security'. But critics believe the risks were never properly explained to Mr Trump. The Mail revealed this month that exiled Chagos Islanders had made a last-ditch plea to Mr Trump to intervene and even offered to name an island after him if he blocked the plan. In a letter to the US President, the islanders' First Minister Misley Mandarin warned that the 'very bad deal' would 'put at risk' the joint military base. He warned that the deal, brokered by Sir Keir's national security adviser Jonathan Powell, could give China 'leverage' over the base, which is seen as a military asset. Mauritius, he said, 'would hold sovereignty over every inch of the US base'. Reform UK sources suggested that Nigel Farage's lobbying may also have contributed to the President's change of mind. Mr Farage said: 'The Americans have woken up to the fact that they were lied to. They were told that the UK had no choice but to surrender the Chagos Islands. This was simply not true, and now they are angry with us.' Britain's then foreign secretary David Lammy last year said Mr Trump had a veto on the deal, adding: 'If President Trump doesn't like the deal, the deal will not go forward. And the reason for that is because we have a shared military and intelligence interest with the United States.' Mr Farage said the US President had now 'vetoed the surrender' of the islands. But Downing Street said the deal would go ahead and ordered Labour MPs to vote down amendments to the legislation put in place by the Lords. Government sources said they expect the legislation to go through in a matter of weeks. Health chiefs at the centre of an infection scandal yesterday issued a hollow apology after years of denials and cover-ups. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde finally admitted this week that dirty water at Glasgows Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) was the probable cause of serious infections in young cancer patients. The board yesterday followed up with a full and unreserved apology whilst claiming the 1billion superhospital was not ready when it opened. But last night critics branded the apology as hollow and meaningless after it emerged the board still does not accept the blame for individual deaths. Two children died and at least 84 fell ill after contracting bugs the board now accepts were probably linked to the buildings water system. The children died shortly after the hospital opened, but health board officials denied for years that the building was to blame. Victims included ten-year-old Milly Main who contracted an unusual bacterial infection while being treated for leukaemia in 2017. A public inquiry has been running since 2020. In a U-turn, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) has now accepted a link between dirty water and the killer bugs. Prosecutors instructed police to launch the criminal investigation in 2021 and it looked at four deaths - Millys, two other children and Gail Armstrong, 73. Kimberly Darroch with her daughter Milly Main, 10, who died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in 2017 having contracted an infection after being in remission from leukaemia The health board was named as a suspect in 2023. Now pressure is mounting for the investigation to include politicians. In a final statement to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, which has looked into the design and building of the QEUH, the boards counsel Peter Gray KC said: NHSGGC is the largest health board in Scotland, providing a vital public service to in excess of 1 million people. It has been clear from the evidence led that there have been significant failures on the part of NHSGGC. These failings are acknowledged and accepted. It is a matter of profound regret that those NHSGGC cared for have experienced distress, anguish and suffering. NHSGGC offers a full and unreserved apology for the distress and trauma experienced by patients and families during this time. But Mr Gray went on to tell the hearing that the health board still did not accept blame in any individual cases. He said: No evidence was led to demonstrate any link between the hospital environment and any individual patient. Louise Slorance who husband Andrew, 49, contracted a fungal infection at scandal hit hospital during cancer treatment at the QEHT in 2020 and died, said: These are hollow words. This was an apology retracted in minutes. It is meaningless when they do not accept the failures that led to so many deaths. The Scottish Government and Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board need to answer to the families. The board spent 15,000 of public cash to spy on the mums social media when she discovered Andrew had aspergillus after reviewing his medical notes after his death. She concluded they had deliberately concealed this information from her. The QEUH admitted its first patients just 10 days before voters went to the polls. Nicola Sturgeon was the health secretary who signed-off the project and first minister when it opened. Then health secretary Shona Robison boasted the state-of-the-art facilities would transform the care patients receive from their NHS. Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: A hollow apology from a lawyer is too little too late when the health board spent years trying to cover up this huge scandal. The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow But ultimately the buck stops with SNP ministers who cannot escape responsibility for their part in this shocking saga. In a written submission, NHSGCC claimed design and construction failures led to the board not receiving the building it asked for or paid for, with numerous issues at handover and more than 200 contractors still on site when it opened. It said: Pressure was applied to open the hospital on time and on budget, and it is now clear that the hospital opened too early. It was not ready. It said an obvious example was faulty air filters being installed in a ward where vulnerable children with blood problems and cancers were treated. Management, and the project board, failed to anticipate the challenges. They did not resource or manage the project properly. They ought to have done. At Holyrood, Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: When the Queen Elizabeth university hospital opened in 2015, Nicola Sturgeon was the First Minister, Shona Robison was the health secretary and John Swinney was the finance minister. Their fingerprints are all over this. We need to know what they knew, when they knew it and exactly who pressured the health board to open the hospital before it was safe, causing the death of children. But health Secretary Neil Gray said it would be completely inappropriate to comment on matters subject to a live public inquiry and a live Crown Office investigation. Prosecutors launched a corporate homicide probe into four deaths at the QEUH in 2021 which is still ongoing and has named NHSGCC as a suspect. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: The scale of failings at the health board are truly appalling, and for many this apology will come as too little, too late. There are still so many questions. Families deserve answers. John Swinney needs to be clear with parliament and the public about why these failings were allowed to go unchecked for so long. At the Inquiry, Mr Gray KC insisted no member of NHSGGC staff put personal or board interests before patient safety, that there was no cover-up and that the QEUH was now safe. Chair Lord Brodie said he would have to be satisfied the culture as well as the building were safe before he could conclude that. Health secretary Neil Gray repeatedly declined to discuss the health board's admission at Holyrood Senior counsel to the Inquiry Craig Connal KC said cover-up was not a phrase he had used, but he did suggest statements were made which were not accurate and known to be not accurate. He also said NHSGGC was unwilling to criticise specific individuals, maintaining people were just doing their best in good faith and nobody can be blamed for anything. He submitted that position was close to being untenable. Mr Connal branded SNP ministers unrealistic for claiming guidelines on good governance were enough to prevent future tragedies. In a written submission, ministers said 10 principles for NHS boards to follow were a solid foundation for the adequate and effective oversight of large-scale infrastructure projects. Mr Connal said: Frankly, we disagree. The creation of principles of a general, non-obligatory nature of this kind, we suggest will not do what is being suggested to ensure effective oversight in an adequate fashion of major infrastructure projects. That is an unrealistic submission. Understandable, but in our submission, unrealistic. He also said ministers appeared quite keen to stay hands off when dealing with NHS boards, despite being seen as ultimately responsible by voters. A train has derailed near Barcelona - killing at least one and injuring 37 in a horrifying crash just days after a high-speed smash left at least 42 dead. The R4 commuter train, which was between Sant Sadurni d'Anoia and Gelida stations, collided with the wall at 9pm local time on Tuesday. The first carriage, which was carrying most of those who were injured, reportedly bore the brunt of the damage. Local media reported that the wall had apparently fallen due to heavy rains in the region. Local police said that the person who died was the train driver. Of the 37 who were injured, five were seriously hurt. Catalan emergency services said their teams were treating injured people still at the scene in the hours after the carriage came off the track. The authorities did not provide further details about the condition of those hurt in the crash. Dozens of ambulances and fire engines were sent to the scene of the incident to help victims of the crash and clear the rail. Local firefighters said they had established a 'safety zone' and have 'shored up the retaining wall and the train to stabilise them', adding that they are working to get those injured in the crash out as soon as possible. The nearby Moises Broggi, Bellvitge, and Vilafranca Hospitals are making preparations to receive the injured. Emergency crews respond after a commuter train derailed when a retaining wall collapsed onto the tracks in Gelida, near Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesaday Firemen work at the crash site One person - the train driver - has died after the smash Local media reported that heavy rainfall hit the Catalonia region in recent days, which came from a powerful easterly storm that peaked yesterday. Silvia Paneque, Spain's minister of territory, said the whole Rodalies commuter rail service would be suspended until engineers can confirm its safety. She added that the section affected by the crash would remain suspended for longer so investigators can carry out a 'thorough analysis'. It comes just days after the deadly high-speed rail crash that killed 42, which occurred in Adamuz, near the city of Cordoba, at around 6.40pm local time on Sunday. Sunday's tragedy saw one train derail and cross over onto another track, with a second ploughing into the wreckage. The tail end of a train carrying some 300 passengers on the route from Malaga to the capital, Madrid, went off the rails at 7.45pm. An incoming train, which was travelling from Madrid to Huelva and carrying nearly 200 passengers, slammed into the derailed vehicle. The second train took the brunt of the impact after the collision knocked its first two carriages off the track and sent them plummeting down a 13ft slope. Officials said that it appeared the largest number of the deaths occurred in those carriages. At the moment of the collisions, both trains were travelling at over 120mph, according to the Spanish Transport Ministry. Local firefighters said they had established a 'safety zone' and have 'shored up the retaining wall and the train to stabilise them' At least 42 people are confirmed dead following a high-speed train collision in southern Spain on Sunday Officials said some passengers were catapulted through windows, their bodies found hundreds of yards from the crash site Your browser does not support iframes. Both trains were travelling well under the speed limit of 155mph with one going at 127mph and the other at 130mph, according to the president of Spain's national state-owned railway company Alvaro Fernandez. He also said that 'human error could be ruled out.' A source told Reuters on Monday night that a broken joint had been found on the track but officials are yet to confirm this. The accident shook a nation that leads Europe in high-speed train mileage and takes pride in a network that is considered at the cutting edge of rail transport. Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited the scene of the accident, where they greeted emergency workers as well as some local residents who helped in the initial stages of the rescue. Afterwards, they went to hospital in Cordoba where many of the injured remain under care. 'We are all responsible for not looking away when the debris of a catastrophe is being cleared away,' said Letizia to reporters after the visit. In a major escalation of the White House's 'maximum pressure' campaign against the Venezuelan regime, U.S. military forces have boarded and seized yet another oil tanker in the Caribbean. The takeover of the Motor Vessel Sagitta on Tuesday marks the seventh vessel to be intercepted by American forces as the Trump administration tightens its grip on South American oil exports. U.S. Southern Command confirmed the highseas operation on social media, revealing that the vessel was apprehended 'without incident' and that the tanker was caught redhanded, 'operating in defiance of President Trump's established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.' SOUTHCOM did not confirm whether the U.S. Coast Guard led the boarding party, as it has in previous highseas busts. Video posted on X last week showed troops rappelling from a helicopter onto the deck of The Veronica in a predawn seizure in the Caribbean. Marines and sailors captured the vessel without incident, the military command responsible for Central, South America and the Caribbean said on X. 'The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully,' it said. The tanker is the sixth seized in recent weeks. Trump has enlisted Rodriguez to help secure US control over Venezuela's oil sales despite sanctioning her for human rights violations during his firstterm. The tanker Bertha, one of several that appear to have attempted to evade the US naval blockade of Venezuela The U.S. military and Coast Guard have seized seven vessels in recent weeks in international waters that were either carrying Venezuelan oil or have done so in the past Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez waves next to National Assembly president Jorge Rodriguez (left) and Minister of Interior Diosdado Cabello during a press conference regarding the release of prisoners in Venezuela at Miraflores Palace on January 14 To ensure she does his bidding, earlier this month, Trump threatened Rodriguez with a 'situation probably worse than Maduro,' who is being held in a Brooklyn jail. On December 16, US President Trump imposed a 'complete blockade' on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, in a move Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said was one of the largest 'quarantines' in modern history. He added that it was successfully 'paralysing' the regime's ability to generate revenue. Following the capture of Nicolas Maduro by U.S. Special Forces, Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that while the U.S. does not intend to govern Venezuela, the Trump administration will maintain its 'oil quarantine' on all vessels entering or exiting the country. A fleet on Iranian tankers was also recently apprehended as reported exclusively by the Daily Mail. Despite a long history of brazenly transporting sanctioned Iranian oil, the Iranian 'shadow fleet' of Iranianlinked vessels have been seen sailing just miles from the American coastline as President Trump continues his unrelenting bombardment of alleged drug boats. A bombshell report obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail exposes a deep, clandestine network of 20 illicit tankers currently lurking in Caribbean waters, serving as a lifeline for the regimes of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Iran and Russia. Some 11 ships have been directly linked to Iran's oil trade, including the 'Skipper' and 'Star Twinkle 6', alongside nine others tied to Russian and Venezuelan operations, according to United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which has spent more than 12 years tracking these elusive vessels. The stakes could not be higher. The Skipper's revenues reportedly fund terrorist activity by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah, prop up hostile regimes and provide cutprice oil to China. Jemima Shelley, Senior Research Analyst at UANI, has warned that this reality could lure Trump into a dangerous provocation with Iran, pointing to the strong ideological alliance forged between Maduro and the Ayatollah. 'Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism and its illicit oil sales are the main source of funding for its global terrorist activities,' Shelley told the Daily Mail. This is a breaking story and will be updated. A seven-year-old boy lost a tooth and was dragged several metres down a footpath after he was struck by an e-scooter rider near a playground. Archie was left seriously injured and wearing a neck brace after the collision near the Byford train station in southeast Perth on Sunday. The collision was caught on camera, with the rider fleeing the scene. Archie's parents, who witnessed the collision, said it happened 'so fast'. 'There was just blood everywhere,' mother Laura Drewett told 7NEWS. 'That was just the first thing I saw. I could not believe there was so much blood.' The couple are calling on the state government to crack down on e-bike and e-scooter riders driving dangerously on roads and footpaths. So far this year, more than 24 youths have been charged with riding recklessly in Perth's CBD, as authorities issue a stark warning. Seven-year-old Archie (pictured) lost a tooth and was dragged several metres down a footpath after he was struck by an e-scooter rider near a playground WA Police have confiscated 36 bikes and scooters from kids aged 11 to 16, warning parents they could face hefty fines if the chaos continues 'We're still getting kids under 16 riding them, being reckless, speeding, not wearing a helmet,' Police Minister Reece Whitby said. WA Police last week shared footage of seized e-bikes and e-scooters being crushed amid a crackdown on anti-social behaviour. The operation was triggered by public complaints about children tearing through suburban streets on electric scooters and off-road bikes, intimidating pedestrians, flouting traffic laws, and sparking near-misses with cars. Police have confiscated 36 bikes and scooters from kids aged 11 to 16, warning parents they could face hefty fines if the chaos continues. In some cases, teens on e-bikes hurled objects at other vehicles and posted videos of their pranks on social media. In December, a British backpacker was jailed for four years after killing a father-of-two while riding an e-scooter under the influence of alcohol. Alicia Kemp smashed into the back of 51-year-old Thanh Phan while riding through Perth's city centre on May 31. The 25-year-old was three times over the legal limit and riding at around 20km/hour when she hit Mr Phan, who suffered a brain bleed and died several days later. The 25-year-old was three times over the legal limit and riding at around 20km/hour when she hit 51-year-old Thanh Phan, who suffered a brain bleed and died several days later Alicia Kemp (pictured) smashed into the back of Phan (pictured) in Perth's CBD In her sentencing remarks, Judge Hughes said Kemp continued drinking at several venues across Perth after a bottomless brunch before getting on the e-scooter. 'E-scooters are not toys,' Judge Hughes said. 'As a result of the force from being struck, the victim spun around and fell backwards on to the road at the intersection, hitting his head on the ground with significant force. 'It was not an accident. You are responsible for the death of a good man, and I accept that you understand that today.' WA Police are hunting for the rider responsible for the incident on Sunday. It all began on a fetish website. A 39-year-old man was sought out and recruited to pay a visit to a home in the affluent Herndon neighborhood of Virginia and fulfill what was described as a violent sexual fantasy. Who exactly lured him in, and what played out next is at the heart of an explosive trial now taking place inside Fairfax County Circuit Court. Brendan Banfield, 40, is accused of masterminding a bizarre double murder plot to kill his wife Christine Banfield, 37, and a complete stranger Joseph Ryan on February 24, 2023 because he was having an affair with his four-year-old daughters Brazilian au pair Juliana Peres Magalhaes. Prosecutors allege that the former IRS agent lured Ryan through the BDSM website Fetlife so that he could frame him for Christines murder. Brendan Banfield, 40, is accused of masterminding a bizarre double murder plot to kill his wife Christine Banfield, 37, and a complete stranger Joseph Ryan on February 24, 2023 Magalhaes, 25, testified to this version of events during the first week of the trial after she flipped on her former lover in exchange for lesser charges. Banfield, who has pleaded not guilty, meanwhile claims he found Ryan stabbing Christine to death inside their home and shot him dead. He is facing life in prison on four counts of aggravated murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. He is also charged with child abuse and felony child cruelty. In this week's edition of The Crime Desk newsletter, attorney Neama Rahmani speaks to Daily Mail's Crime Correspondent Rachel Sharp about the high-profile trial. Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and president and co-founder of West Coast Trial Lawyers, reveals his expert opinion on the strength of the case so far - and the star witness who could seal Banfields fate. Brendan Banfield was having an affair with his Brazilian au pair Juliana Peres Magalhaes. She moved into the master bedroom with him not long after Christine's death, with a photo of them placed in a frame next to the bed To get the full interview - and more - sign up here to The Crime Desk, the newsletter from the Daily Mail delivered to your inbox on Wednesdays. Each week, our team of investigative journalists takes you inside the cases shocking the world, from the crime scene to the courtroom and everywhere in between. Delivered straight to your inbox, we bring you exclusive interviews with those close to the case, so you can hear firsthand from victims, investigators and experts. Youll also learn about intriguing cold cases, get access to expert Q&As and all the latest Daily Mail podcasts and shows - and have the chance to ask the team questions and send in clues. Sign up here for free - and join The Crime Desk on the case. Meghan Markle's heavily promoted Netflix show will not be returning for a third series, sources have claimed. The Duchess of Sussex debuted With Love, Meghan in March, offering lifestyle tips from inside a rented 5million mansion near her Montecito home. But insiders have now told Page Six that the 44-year-old's pet project won't be up for renewal - after the Duchess called it 'a lot of work'. One insider claimed: 'It is not returning as a series. There have been conversations about holiday specials, but there's nothing in the works yet.' Another source said: 'People will see similar cooking and crafting on Meghan's socials for the brand, but more bite-sized.' Insiders explained Meghan would be concentrating on building her lifestyle brand, As Ever. Following its launch, With Love, Meghan quickly came under attack from reviewers who described it as 'gormless lifestyle filler' with a 'tangible desperation'. The show ranked number 383 among all of Netflix's productions, with 5.3 million global views in the first half of 2025, according to the streamer's official engagement report. The Duchess of Sussex in her Netflix series With Love, Meghan which came out in March Meghan Markle was rumoured to be releasing a cookbook in 2026 The Duchess of Sussex promotes her jam and locks lips with Prince Harry as she talks about 'embracing traditions' in a previous glitzy trailer for her festive Netflix show On the review-aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, it received an overall 23 per cent approval rating. The show has seen Meghan joined by top chefs including Jose Andres, Roy Choi and Alice Waters, as well as some of her closest friends such as Chrissy Teigen, Mindy Kaling - and her mother, Doria Ragland. The Duchess opened up about her love story with Prince Harry during series two, which was released last August, and also talked about her family with the celebrity guests on the show. She revealed that it was Harry who said the 'L word' first and added that she really understood that she was falling in love with Harry, who she calls 'H', on their third date, which was a safari trip to Botswana. The Netflix show was filmed in a rented home in Montecito, close to the Sussex's own mansion. Although Prince Harry and their children Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, came along to watch filming on a number of days, none of them features in the show in person. Prince Harry did appear fleetingly in the final episode of series one. Meghan previously said in an interview with People in March that she opted not to film in their Montecito home to 'protect [her family's] safe haven'. Sage is among Markle's 'favorite' flavors, according to a newsletter for As Ever As Ever's Sage Honey with Honeycomb is pictured, which retails for $32.00 for a 9 oz. jar on the official website Netflix said Harry & Meghan, which came out in December 2022, was a huge success with a total of 23.4 million 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 failed to break into Netflix's top 10 programmes - or even the top 300. However, the Duchess said at the time: 'We're proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the As Ever brand. 'My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally, and celebrates our shared vision.' Although a series renewal does not appear to be forthcoming, this has not dampened the Duchess's spirits as it was claimed earlier this month Meghan would release her first cookbook for adults in 2026. The Daily Mail revealed 'Tips and tricks' about hosting at home were expected to form part of the product. An insider said: 'Meghan is looking at a cookbook for early 2026 and there will be more lifestyle products coming in the spring.' The Duchess of Sussex will widen the As Ever range she sells, especially in candles and homeware, the insider predicted. Prince Harry and Meghan at the ESPY Awards at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood in July, 2024 Her wine offering is also expected to expand beyond her bottles of white, rose and sparkling. Meghan is known for her love of a full-bodied red wine - her former blog The Tig was named after one - with a California cabernet sauvignon rumoured to be in the pipeline. But she will move away from her crepe and biscuit kits, which were among the first products she produced when her business launched in March 2025, the Daily Mail's source claimed. Meghan's cookbook, likely to include recipes from her With Love, Meghan series plus other favourites she has devised at home, would be her first for adults. When she moved to the UK after falling in love with Harry, she wrote the foreword for Together: Our Community Cookbook in the wake of the Grenfell fire disaster in London in 2018. She has also written a children's book, The Bench. '2026 is looking like another big year for her. There will be more wine and definitely more homeware too', the Daily Mail's insider said. 'But she will ease off selling her biscuit and crepe kits.' A representative of the Sussexes was contacted for comment. Last December, police revoked Andrew Mountbatten-Windsors firearms licence and made sure his large collection of guns were kept under lock and key. He was still allowed to shoot with friends he just couldnt be trusted alone. My immediate reaction was to think that someone close to the disgraced ex-duke must have called the police to warn them that Andrew was contemplating suicide. Its tragic, really. I will put my head above the parapet and say that I dont think its fair that Andrew has been so villainised. In fact, I say shame on everyone who has made his life such a misery in recent times. Why, you might ask? Andrew and I were born in the same year 1960. I lived nearby and we had friends in common. I was always eager to meet him, but on the only occasion I did at a picnic on Ascot Racecourse he was so shy and grim he couldnt even meet my eye. Yet from that brief meeting, I learnt this about him: he loathed being a prince. He hated the fact that every time he so much as blinked it was in the newspapers, and as next in line to the throne after Charles, he had nightmares of his big brother dying in an aeroplane crash and him having to be king. At the time, the Press regularly referred to him as Randy Andy due to his reputation as a womaniser and playboy and I could see how miserable it made him. 'Andrew and I were born in the same year, 1960,' writes Olivia Fane. 'I lived nearby and we had friends in common. I was always eager to meet him, but on the only occasion I did at a picnic on Ascot racecourse he was so shy and grim he couldnt even meet my eye' Andrew grew up in a hedonistic age where older men frequently took much younger women to bed without anyone batting an eyelid, writes Olivia In my girlish, romantic way, I even dreamt of rescuing the wretched prince. Even now, I am writing this, half a century later, in the hope that I can raise a smidgeon of sympathy for the poor blighter. Yes, the allegations made by the late Virginia Giuffre against the former prince are deeply troubling. If, as she claimed, she was forced, aged 17, into sex with a 41-year-old stranger, it is a terrible tragedy. But, time and time again, Andrew has proclaimed his innocence. Im sure he feels he has done nothing wrong, even if he did sleep with her. In her memoir, Giuffre described Andrew as friendly enough but entitled as if he believed having sex with [her] was his birthright. Thats because he did believe it was his birthright: while the modern royals have done all they can to involve themselves in the traumas and cares of everyday folk, Andrew has remained steadfastly in the royal bubble. He grew up in a hedonistic age where older men frequently took much younger women to bed without anyone batting an eyelid. He therefore remains utterly oblivious to modern mores. It would not have occurred to him that he shouldnt be cavorting with inappropriately aged girls (although never underaged as we would so love to think). In fact, once upon a time, that was the prerogative of princes. Young royals frequently behaved badly and, whats more, society gave them permission to do so. This was the world my own grandparents inhabited: enjoying long seasons in friends country houses, accompanied by their own servants, and, according to my father, enjoying a good deal of bed-hopping. After the first few years of a marriage once the legitimate heirs and spares of a title had been safely born husbands and wives were offered separate bedrooms. My father derided Downton Abbey for ignoring these unpalatable truths. The important thing, he told me, was never to get caught. If you did, you became a social pariah. Hypocrisy, in other words, was built into the script. The mistresses of Edward VII are legendary. Andrew and I would both have been gripped by the TV drama series Edward The Seventh in the 1970s, which dramatised his affair with Lillie Langtry when he was the Prince of Wales which he enjoyed with impunity. In fact, so normal did I think it for princes to be sexually promiscuous, that when Princess Diana complained about there being three in her marriage, I seriously wondered what she had expected. Did nobody warn her? My father was very much on Charless side. Andrew obviously felt the same about this mega-perk of being a prince. His sexual appetite is indeed legendary. So is his extravagance, his sense of entitlement, his obtuseness. But Andrew is a human being, he is not evil. Ive often wondered about Andrews friends. Does he actually have any? Why did they not know and love him enough to persuade him not to be interviewed by Emily Maitlis ahead of that doomed 2019 Newsnight interview. I still havent been able to bring myself to watch it. I cringed when I subsequently heard that, in the interview, he kept referring to Jeffrey Epstein as his friend. Its so sad to imagine that this odious paedophile had tricked Andrew into thinking they were somehow buddies. Perhaps Andrew was bored of the deference shown to him by everyone else. Perhaps he did eventually get sick of all that curtseying and palaver. Perhaps Epstein was the only one to meet him eye-to-eye with charm and flattery and even called him bro. But I doubt they were ever friends, not even for a day, it seems to me. Andrew was as much Epsteins victim as every other sucker. Epstein was only interested in his credentials as a prince predicting that a friend in the British royal family might come in useful one day. All they had in common was a penchant for young girls. Epsteins list of party guests is notorious; who else will be brought low before the decade is out? I can imagine a time that inclusion on such a list for the rich and powerful held almost as much cache as owning a superyacht. Yet its always Andrew that everyone points its fingers at and stick pins into. Hey, why didnt Andrew check the age of the girls he was making out with? Did he forget to ask for their identity cards at the party? Im sure, at that time, no one else was doing so. The allegations made by the late Virginia Giuffre [pictured with Andrew and his friend Ghislaine Maxwell] against the former prince are deeply troubling. If, as she claimed, she was forced, aged 17, into sex with a 41-year-old stranger, it is a terrible tragedy, writes Olivia So normal did I think it for princes to be sexually promiscuous, that when Princess Diana complained about there being three in her marriage [in her Panorama interview in 1995], I seriously wondered what she had expected, writes Olivia Then again, Andrew always claims the girls he consorted with were willing. And why wouldnt he have thought that? It is a truth universally acknowledged that, while men are transfixed by a beautiful body, women go weak at the knees before power and wealth. Andrew has lived the saddest life, a cartoon of a life. He was right to be miserable as a teenager: the princes role was thrust upon him, whether he liked it or not. Never for a moment has he been allowed to live a genuine existence. For that privilege which is surely the one true privilege in this life one has to remain private and unobserved. Yet we continue to pick on this weak, pathetic man, whose every photo shows him crumbling under the pressure of losing everything even his home at Royal Lodge and every person who has ever mattered to him. What kind of people are we to delight in hounding him? We can spend millions of pounds and hundreds of hours in Parliament to make sure we dont treat foxes as though they were wild, savage animals. But princes and ex-princes? Tally-ho! Tally-ho! Were on your trail. A small Florida beach town is using a rather novel way to take on developers who want to build on their land - and has been successful at keeping them at bay so far. Locals on Southern Brevard County's barrier island have united in a grassroots revolt to stop overdevelopment, using native sea turtles to keep big business out. The sleepy 25-mile stretch of pristine Atlantic shoreline is miles from the glitz of Miami but has been under threat by deep-pocketed developers looking to build luxury hotels, gas stations and giant grocery stores on the land. Life on the island has been mostly untouched, as residents stroll on windswept beaches lined with nesting sea turtles and bungalow-style beach homes. There are no high-rise hotels or sprawling vacation resorts. But developers keep poking around, looking for any opportunity to build a beachfront property that would essentially destroy life - and the famous home of tens of thousands of nesting sea turtles - as the islanders know it. This all started back in October 2022, when county commissioners quietly voted to approve four new homes to be built on a humble parcel of natural land that would wipe out a turtle hatching area. Residents fought back, knowing it would only lead to more and more construction and the death of the natural environment they love. At a town hall held at the time, Mark Shantzis, a local and the former executive director of the Barrier Islands Preservation and Protection Association (BIPPA), said that if the homes were built, the area would soon look like Miami Beach. He told local news station WLRN: 'We could fight back.' A small Florida beach town is taking on developers who want to build on their land, and have been successful at keeping them at bay as of now Southern Brevard County's barrier island locals have united in a grassroots revolt to stop overdevelopment, using native sea turtles, which nest here, to keep big business out In 2022, county commissioners quietly voted to approve four new homes to be built on a humble parcel of natural land that would wipe out the turtles' hatching area So he helped bring the community together to preserve the island using BIPPA and its grassroots efforts. The group was so successful at lobbying against developers by distributing flyers, offering workshops on the turtles, and speaking at town halls that they got the state's attention. It quickly secured one of the strongest protections placed on a Florida barrier island in four decades, ensuring that area construction is extremely limited going forward. The battle is a textbook case of what critics call NIMBYism short for Not In My Backyard. The term is often used to describe residents who oppose new housing or infrastructure near their homes, sometimes accused of protecting property values at the expense of growth. Islanders reject that label, arguing their fight is not about blocking people, but about preserving a fragile ecosystem that cannot be replaced once it is lost. Beth Glover, president of BIPPA, told local news: 'It was up to us to make sure nothing gets passed that destroys our barrier island.' Shantzis, Glover and a crew of neighbors are still fighting daily to defend the area, the goal being to limit development and protect the natural world that makes their home unique. It's a local drama unfolding with small-town winners in a state where developers usually get what they want - and where reptiles really did become the unlikely savior. The Brevard shoreline is said to be among the most important loggerhead and green sea turtle nesting sites in the country, where tens of thousands of endangered hatchlings emerge each year. Residents take the nesting season very seriously and consider it crucial to preserving the environment. It's a local drama unfolding with small-town winners in a state where developers usually get what they want - and where sea turtles really did become the unlikely savior The area now has one of the strongest protections placed on a Florida barrier island in four decades, ensuring that area construction is extremely limited going forward and the area maintains its beauty State legislators introduced a plan to designate this strip of land an area of critical state concern, a rare and powerful protection reserved for Florida's most endangered landscapes According to the local Loggerhead Marinelife Center: 'Every year, Florida's coastline becomes a sanctuary for one of the ocean's most beloved creaturesthe sea turtle. 'These gentle navigators return to familiar shores during nesting season, quietly continuing a rhythm that has played out for millions of years. But in today's world, the nearshore waters that once protected them have become dangerous spaces.' Locals laid out what would have likely happened. Their beach shacks would be in the shadows of brand new condos and high-rise hotels, their beaches packed with tourists, the dark sky polluted by bright lights that would disorient the nesting turtles and drive them to their deaths. They knew their one shot was pushing for the safety of the turtles. In 2022, state legislators introduced a plan to designate the strip of land an area of critical state concern, a rare and powerful protection reserved for Florida's most endangered landscapes. It passed unanimously. In June 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the measure into law, which locals considered a triumph. But the battle wasn't over. Developers are still poking around, leaving residents on guard and ready to fight yet again. With sea turtles still nesting and dunes still shifting with every tide, locals are on high alert for their patterns. Developers are still poking around the pristine beaches, leaving residents on guard and ready to fight yet again The Barrier Island Sanctuary Management and Education Center, located in the heart of the Archie Carr Refuge, a major nesting site for sea turtles, teaches classes and offers tours to help people understand the reptiles and their hatching season With sea turtles still nesting and dunes still shifting with every tide, residents are on high alert to their patterns and strive to preserve the natural beauty of the island As the human population on Brevard Countys coast continues to grow the Barrier Island Center will play an increasingly important role in protecting the fragile barrier island from developers hoping to use all the land They have asked the state to review an updated plan of specific requirements for the Brevard Barrier Island area of critical state concern to make sure it stays up to date to protect the land from uncontrolled development. They have also asked to include feedback from locals. Stacey Gallagher, development and policy coordinator for the Sea Turtle Conservancy, said, per NPR: 'Numerous changes need to be made to this draft, to account for the expertise that you've been given, the hundreds of comments made by the public. They need to be incorporated. 'The whole intention of an area of critical [state] concern is to stop upzoning an area that is a very critical environment.' For now, the Barrier Island Sanctuary Management and Education Center, located in the heart of the Archie Carr Refuge, a major nesting site for sea turtles, teaches classes and offers tours to help people understand the reptiles and their hatching season. The group said: 'As the human population on Brevard Countys coast continues to grow, the Barrier Island Center will play an increasingly important role in protecting the fragile barrier island and its globally important sea turtle nesting beaches.' The state of Maine is already one of the most affordable in the US. With a typical home price of $395,931 per Zillow, it sits just above the national average of $360,000. But there are still plenty of bargains up for grabs for those unafraid of a little elbow grease. The Pine Tree state has several options for as low as just $19,000 located in its stunning countryside. Among them is a 1936 home in Madawaska, a border town along the St. John River, selling for a measly $19,000. The four-bed, one-bath home offers a 'blank canvas for a creative mind with the necessary skills' to flip the shabby blue property into something new and unique, the listing read. The catch is that the home is currently uninhabitable 'due to the lack of running water and plumbing.' While it boasts a wood-burning oven, there are no staircases as the previous owner ripped them out mid-renovation and neve had them removed. Five fixer-uppers are on the market in the gorgeous countryside of Maine for those not afraid of a little elbow grease A 1936 home in Madawaska, a border town along the St. John River, is selling for a measly $19,000. The four-bed, one-bath home offers a 'blank canvas for a creative mind with the necessary skills,' the listing said Another home just down the river in Grand Isle is going for just $600 more, but is even more bare-bones. '[It's] a clean slate for you to finish,' the listing read. 'This home has been stripped to the studs and awaits your vision.' The dilapidated property's shingled roof falling apart, its siding partly missing and contains cracks in the concrete. The Grand Isle home was originally put on the market for $22,000, has been dropped to $19,600 in attempt to offload it. Realtor Fred Dobbs told the Bangor Daily News that if the current homeowner will more than likely keep the crumbling property and continue renovations if it's not sold by Spring. However, unlike the Madawaska property, this one does have a working septic system and a well on the property. 'It has good bones, it just needs someone to go in and do the work,' Dobbs told the outlet. Further down the river in Bridgewater lies another home in desperate of some TLC. The three-bedroom, one-bath property is on the market for $24,900 and sits on a picturesque plot of land surrounded by trees which is the perfect place to set up a hunting camp, Realtor Andrew Mooers told the Bangor Daily News. Another home just down the river in Grand Isle is going for just $600 more, and is even more bare-boned than than the other one. However, unlike the Madawaska property, this one does have a working septic system Further down the river in Bridgewater lies another home in desperate need of some TLC. It sits on a nice piece of land and is going for $24,900 Despite the property needing an intensive overhaul, Moorers justified the price of the home simply because of the ground it sits on. 'The land alone is worth that,' he told the outlet. The home is currently vacant but the basement is insulated and the property has a newer 'mudded sheetrock' in place. For those willing and able to fix it up the property boasts large bedrooms and a detached garage. 'Its like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, it just takes the right buyer,' the agent told the Bangor Daily News. A little more inland and not fair from the border, stands a Caribou home going for $27,400. The 1,200 square foot property comes with a two-car detached garage but requires repairs to its foundation. A Caribou home going for $27,400. However, like the other property, it needs a lot of repairs, including foundation work A $29,900 Oxbow property is a great place to start fresh on a private piece of land, as the existing structures will need to be torn down The home has an outdated kitchen, but plenty of country space and a cozy feel. A unique feature of the home includes a pink inlaid bathtub. A $29,900 Oxbow property is also much cheaper than the norm in the Northern Maine town. The property sits on less than an acre, but is surrounded by trees, giving the new homeowner a, 'peaceful treat' the listing said. It is the perfect oasis for hunters and nature lovers who love to spot a deer or a wild turkey. The caveat is the lack of a septic system and water, meanwhile the existing structures on the property have been deemed condemned and will need to be torn down. As four shark attacks devastate Australia in just 48 hours, a scientist has revealed what could be behind the spate of incidents. Swimmers in Sydney have been warned to avoid the water after a surfer, 39, was mauled off the coast of Port Macquarie, following three earlier attacks. Reports suggest that bull sharks a notoriously aggressive and common species might be responsible for all four attacks. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Professor Shokoofeh Shamsi of Charles Sturt University has revealed the likely reasons for the attacks and says the sharks are not entirely to blame. From floods of raw sewage and toxic pesticides to rising noise pollution, human activity has disrupted the waters where sharks live, breed, and hunt. Some of these changes might result in sharks becoming more stressed, more aggressive, bolder, and more likely to bite a human, according to the expert. 'There is increasing research showing that our environment has changed a lot, including the ocean,' she told the Daily Mail. 'Because of this, they are extremely stressed, and of course, you get this aggressive behaviour.' As four shark attacks devastate Australia in just 48 hours, a scientist has revealed what could be behind the spate of incidents. Pictured: Pedestrians walk by North Steyne Beach following a shark attack On Sunday afternoon, a 12yearold boy was attacked by a shark while jumping off rocks near East Sydney's Nielsen Park. Then, on Monday morning, an 11yearold boy was knocked into the water by a shark that bit a chunk out of his board. Later that evening, a male surfer suffered lifechanging injuries after being bitten on the leg by a shark at North Steyne. With the latest attack off Port Macquarie bringing the total to four, this is now one of Sydney's worst spates of shark attacks on record. Professor Shamsi claims the increased risk of shark attacks should have been predictable. The four attacks came shortly after a period of heavy rainfall, which washed a large amount of runoff into the sea. As the city's sewage washes into the sea, it attracts schools of bait fish that lure freshwaterresistant bull sharks closer to the shore. At the same time, sediment reduces visibility to the point where humans can't see the approaching threat, and sharks can't see what they are biting. Experts say that heavy rain created perfect conditions for shark attacks. As the city's sewage overflows into the sea, it attracts bait fish that lure bull sharks into shore, where they mistakenly attack humans What could be behind the increase in shark attacks? Sewage runoff: City sewage enters the water and attracts baitfish that lure sharks close to the shore. Low visibility: Sediment washed into the water after rain makes it more likely for sharks to mistakenly attack humans. Chemical pollutants: Pesticides and pharmaceutical chemicals might interfere with sharks' nervous systems, making them more aggressive. Parasites: Parasite infections could affect marine animal behaviour to change threat responses, making attacks more likely. Noise pollution: Industrial activity, shipping, and sonar increase sharks' stress, which could lead to biting. Advertisement The fact that shark attacks increase after heavy rainfall is extremely well known, but Professor Shamsi says something else might be going on. A rainstorm doesn't just change the water's visibility; it massively alters the entire chemical makeup of the area. She explained: 'Just imagine it: You're walking down the street, and the clean air suddenly changes to become very smoky. 'It smells different, you don't have the visibility, you cannot do your daily activities, you get restricted in the places you can go, and the food you can eat. 'That happens in the ocean when all this fresh water enters, and just like we would get stressed and become a bit jumpy, why shouldn't the same thing happen to sharks?' Although sharks don't normally attack humans intentionally without provocation, increased stress could mean that accidental attacks and aggressive behaviour become more likely. On top of that, there is increasing evidence to suggest that chemicals in runoff from the land might make sharks even more likely to attack. Heavy rainfall carries pharmaceutical products from sewage, pesticides from farmland, and even industrial chemicals from factories into the water. Scientists now suggest that chemical pollutants might be affecting sharks' nervous systems, increasing stress and aggressive behaviour. Pictured: A surfboard recovered from a man attacked by a shark on North Steyne beach These chemicals are absorbed into the bodies of marine animals, disrupting the healthy function of their nervous systems. For example, studies have shown that rats display significant longterm increases in depression, anxiety, and aggressive traits after being exposed to a common chemical used in pesticides. Likewise, there is growing evidence that pollutants and pharmaceutical contaminants can affect aggression, memory, and stress in freshwater fish such as Nile tilapia. Professor Shamsi says: 'Based on research on terrestrial animals, and also on humans, we know that a lot of these environmental pollutants can be involved in a lot of neurological symptoms and diseases. 'Marine animals are basically the same cells and same systems as terrestrial animals and humans, so why shouldn't it happen in them?' Additionally, alongside these harmful chemicals, heavy rainfall also carries parasites and infections from human settlements into the water. Some of these can have profound effects on the behaviour of the animals they infect. The parasite Toxoplasma gondii, for example, has been shown to reduce fear responses, increase risktaking, and change how the brain processes threats. Human activity, pollution, and parasites could be making sharks more stressed and increasing the risk of deadly attacks. Pictured: A surfer is removed from North Steyne beach after a shark attack While researchers haven't started looking for these infections in sharks, the parasite has been found in species ranging from fish and dolphins to sea otters. 'These parasites have evolved over millions of years to manipulate the host's behaviour to get what they want,' says Professor Shamsi. 'Together, all of these things, parasites, microorganisms, environmental pollutions, everything together, add to the stress of these creatures. 'When they are stressed, they do things that distressed animals do; and that includes biting.' Professor Shamsi says that this idea is currently a hypothesis in need of concerted further research, but adds that scientists should be paying more attention to this potential issue. If this theory is true, the solution is to avoid the water shortly after heavy rainfall when sharks are most likely to attack. However, it might not just be the rain that is making sharks more stressed and potentially dangerous. There is increasing evidence to show that noise pollution from shipping, industrial activity, and military sonar has a profound effect on marine wildlife. Other factors, such as noise pollution and military sonar, could also be contributing to the increased aggressive behaviour of marine animals, but more evidence will be needed to prove this is the case Water conducts sound about four times more effectively than air, meaning a noise which is quiet above the water can be deafening beneath the waves. Sharks, like most fish, are extraordinarily sensitive to sound and changes in water pressure, using this ability to detect prey over long distances. Studies have shown that the noise of military sonar, pile driving and seismic explorations produces an acute effect on normal behaviours like hunting. Likewise, a 2025 study found that sharks exposed to recordings of human noises showed significantly increased stress responses. Professor Shamsi says that this could 'absolutely' add to the risk of shark attacks, but cautions that more research is needed to be certain. Australia's space weather forecasting agency has advised that a 'severe' geomagnetic storm will affect the country tonight. The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre, which is part of the Bureau of Meteorology, said a coronial mass ejection, otherwise known as a solar flare, has caused the conditions. The agency said radio frequencies and satellite signals could be affected due to the strong solar wind, however, a more noticeable effect will be that the aurora australis will likely be visible across southern parts of the country. Locals and tourists in Tasmania, Victoria, SA and the southern part of WA have the best spots to view the southern lights, though they have previously been able to be viewed as far north as NSW and southern Queensland. The solar flares disrupt Earth's magnetic field, causing the colourful lights in the atmosphere. The global geomagnetic activity is measured on a scale from minor (G1) to extreme (G5). In 2024 a huge aurora australis event reached G5 and could be seen as far north as the central Queensland coast. Tuesday's activity is at the G4 level. The uptick in aurora activity is attributed to the sun being in solar maximum, the peak of its 11-year cycle. That cycle is expected to reach its minimum in 2030. Those looking to capture the aurora australis on camera are advised to use a stable tripod and set a low shutter speed. The aurora australis is forecast to return on Tuesday night (pictured, a recent aurora over New Zealand) The G4 level 'severe' geomagnetic storm will cause the southern lights (pictured, the aurora at Werribee in Victoria in November) While standalone cameras will likely have more chance of picking up the vibrant colours, modern phone cameras can also be used. The colours of the aurora can vary between greens, reds, whites, pinks, purples and blues depending on the altitude and the amount of oxygen versus nitrogen in the atmosphere. Americans have vowed to ditch Domino's after learning the pizza chain's marinara sauce tested positive overseas for a carcinogen linked to pesticide use. Social media posts circulating this week have revived a 2024 incident in Taiwan, where the country's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detected ethylene oxide, a chemical classified as a human carcinogen, in Domino's pizza sauce concentrate imported from the US. Ethylene oxide is an EPA-registered antimicrobial pesticide commonly used to sterilize heat-sensitive medical equipment and, in some countries, certain food ingredients such as spices. Ingesting this chemical can trigger nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, while long-term exposure has been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Taiwan's FDA reported finding the chemical in 41,888 pounds of Domino's pizza sauce concentrate, at levels roughly equivalent to a tiny grain of salt spread across about 2.2 pounds of sauce. The FDA Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu stated at the time that the agency suspected the substance could be linked to the spices used in the pizza sauce. The tainted sauce was intercepted before it was used on pizza and never reached consumers. Although the testing occurred two years ago, viral posts this week reignited backlash against the brand. On X, one user wrote: 'Well, guess I am never eating Domino's again,' while another added: 'I'm done with Domino's Pizza! Boycott Domino's.' Americans have shared their outrage on social media, vowing to ditch Domino's after learning the company's sauce tested positive for a carcinogen linked to pesticide use The testing was done in 2024 by Taiwan's FDA. Pictured is an image released by the agency, showing the intercepted pizza sauce The US does not regulate or test for ethylene oxide in food using the same standards as Taiwan. Daily Mail has contacted Domino's and Taiwan's FDA for comment. Domino's released a statement in 2024, saying: 'This is the first time such a substance has been detected in products we use, and we ensure it will be the last time.' Taiwan enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy for ethylene oxide in food products. This stems from the chemical's classification as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), meaning it is considered a known cancer-causing substance with no permitted residues allowed. In contrast, the US permits the use of ethylene oxide as a postharvest fumigant and antimicrobial agent for certain dried foods, primarily spices, herbs and similar commodities, with established maximum residue limits rather than zero tolerance. Under US federal regulations, ethylene oxide residues are permitted at levels of up to 7 parts per million on most foods such as dried herbs and spices, licorice root, sesame seeds and dried vegetables, with a higher limit of 50 parts per million for walnuts. Parts per million (ppm) means the number of units of a chemical found in one million units of food by weight. For example, 7 ppm equals about 7 milligrams of a substance in 2.2 pounds of food. Domino's released a statement in 2024, saying: 'This is the first time such a substance has been detected in products we use, and we ensure it will be the last time' According to Taiwans FDA, the figure of 447 batches refers to the total number of reported batches inspected during the specified period. Pesticide residues such as flunimine and sub-quinone were detected, Taiwan News reported. Flunimine refers to flunixin meglumine, a potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used in veterinary medicine for pain, fever and inflammation in horses, cattle, and pigs. Sub-quinone is a chemical compound that can form as a breakdown product of certain pesticides or from processing ingredients, and is not typically added intentionally. However, it can appear in food through contamination, ingredient breakdown, or chemical reactions during production. Because some sub-quinone compounds can be toxic, their detection is treated as a safety concern, which is why the batches were flagged as unqualified. Yen Tzung-hai, a toxicology researcher at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, told Taiwan News that ethylene oxide is recognized as a human carcinogen by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer. He noted that only a small number of countries, including the US and Canada, still permit its use to sterilize products such as spices and sesame. Taiwan's FDA shifted inspections for similar products from random sampling to enhanced, targeted checks to prevent future issues. Domino's promptly suspended the use of the affected sauce, though the batch never entered the market, and replaced it with locally produced Taiwanese alternatives across all its stores in Taiwan. Domino's emphasized its commitment to food safety and ongoing collaboration with suppliers. A person's facial reactions may reveal if they have autism, as scientists have found that those with the condition 'speak a different language' with their expressions. Researchers in the UK compared how autistic and non-autistic people expressed various emotions and discovered noticeable differences in how anger, happiness, and sadness were shown in the faces of those with autism. When showing anger, those with autism tended to move their mouths more and their eyebrows less than their peers. Autistic smiles were less exaggerated when showing happiness. They didn't move their eyes as much, and their cheeks didn't raise, making the smile look like it didn't fully reach the upper half of their faces. When expressing sadness, autistic participants raised their upper lip more to create a downturned mouth, which was significantly different from those without the condition. The team from the University of Birmingham suggested that these differences could explain why people with autism struggle to recognize the emotional reactions of others, and vice versa. Autism spectrum disorder is a condition that affects how a person communicates, interacts, and experiences the world, typically appearing in early childhood. Common signs include having difficulty interacting with others socially, struggling with speech, and developing various sensory sensitivities, such as being overwhelmed by loud noises or textures. A new study has found key differences in the facial reactions of autistic people, which scientists compared to speaking a different language Autism has been called a 'spectrum' disorder because the symptoms can vary widely in type and severity. In the new study, published in Autism Research, it was found that autistic facial expressions were more unique and varied from person to person compared to those of the other participants. A condition called alexithymia, meaning someone has trouble identifying their own emotions, was found to be more common among those with autism. Researchers explained that this made angry and happy expressions harder to tell apart; however, autism itself was not the direct cause of alexithymia cases. For those without autism, making precise and consistent facial expressions while speaking helped them recognize emotions better in others. However, autistic participants appeared to rely more on their general intelligence (IQ) to recognize facial expressions since their own reactions were a 'mismatch' for everyone else in the study. One specific test designed to evaluate IQ revealed evidence that autistic participants had a strong ability to recognize emotions in computer-generated images mimicking smiles and frowns, but still struggled with their own facial expressions and those of other real people. Study author Dr Connor Keating, now at the University of Oxford, said in a statement: 'Our findings suggest autistic and non-autistic people differ not only in the appearance of facial expressions, but also in how smoothly these expressions are formed.' The study found autistic participants had distinct facial reactions when expressing anger, happiness, and sadness which were harder for non-autistic people to recognize Professor Jennifer Cook, the senior author of the paper, added: 'What has sometimes been interpreted as difficulties for autistic people might instead reflect a two-way challenge in understanding each other's expressions.' The study included 25 autistic adults and 26 non-autistic adults, who were similar in age, gender, and IQ scores to create an even comparison. All of the participants with autism had previously received an official diagnosis. Each person filled out online surveys to measure autism traits, alexithymia, and their ability to recognize emotions in faces. For the emotional recognition part of the study, they watched simple dot-based animations of faces and rated how angry, happy, or sad the computer-generated images looked. In a lab, participants made about 5,000 facial expressions, posing as angry, happy, or sad in two distinct ways. The participants were either 'cued,' meaning they just made the face in response to a command, or they made a 'spoken' reaction, making an emotional face while saying a neutral sentence such as 'I saw a movie last night.' Special cameras and software tracked tiny movements on their faces, recording things like how much their eyes, mouth, and eyebrows moved and how smooth their facial changes were. Autistic individuals were less exaggerated when showing a happy smile. They didn't move their eyes and their cheeks didn't raise (Stock Image) Keating and Cook noted that their research only studied posed expressions, which could differ from natural, spontaneous responses that happen in real life. Posed faces might exaggerate emotions and widen the difference between autistic and non-autistic individuals. They also didn't check how these expression differences directly affected how others perceived them during real person-to-person interactions. Approximately one in 31 children in the US, more than three percent, have been diagnosed with ASD, according to the CDC's latest review in 2025. A recent study also determined that autistic individuals were more likely to have a distinct walking style, commonly referred to as a 'duck butt.' According to observations of young children with autism spectrum disorder, they often exhibited a more forward-tilted pelvis while walking, about five degrees more on average, compared to children without the condition. Bill Maher bashed the body that oversees the Golden Globes for not giving its inaugural Best Podcast award to Joe Rogan. Former Saturday Night Live star Amy Poehler's Good Hang With Amy Poehler received the honor instead, leading Maher to lament the state of Hollywood on his Club Random Podcast Monday Maher asked guests David Spade and Dana Carvey: 'Did you see that there's a podcast category at the Globes?' Both seemed unaware that the award existed. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Carvey jokingly asked: 'Did we get nominated?' - a reference to his Fly On The Wall podcast with fellow host Spade. Maher said: 'They only nominated like the super woke stuff.' Other podcasts on the ticket included Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard, NPR's Up First, and SmartLess with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes. He added: 'Yeah, Im sure there were good shows, but it was glaring that Joe Rogan was not nominated.' He added of the Joe Rogan Experience: 'I mean, it is kind of popular.' Carvey, 70, agreed, saying of Rogan: 'He's absolutely brilliant at what he does.' Listen up: Bill Marher accused bigwigs who run the Golden Globes of being 'out-of-touch' on his Club Random podcast on Monday Big fan: Maher was irate that Joe Rogan was not even nominated for the Golden Globes's first 'Best Podcast' award last week Maher, an outspoken progressive, said: 'Maybe, it just speaks to living in the Bluesky bubble', in reference to the liberal-leaning X alternative. He urged members of The Golden Globe Foundation and other Hollywood bigwigs to 'get out of your f*cking bubble.' Maher continued: 'I want to be one of you, I am one of you, but youre just so hard to defend because youre just such... f***ing smug a**holes.' He went on to call Los Angeles 'the epicenter of the problem.' Carvey and Spade both seemed to agree. Like his guests, Maher's podcast was also not nominated but unlike Carvey and Spade, he attended the awards evening. Other nominees included The Mel Robbins Podcast and Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy, leaving Rogan's long-form interview program in the lurch. Started in 2009, the show covers topics including science, comedy, current affairs, and philosophy. The winner: Amy Poehler's Good Hang With Amy Poehler received the honor instead News ot me: Maher made the remarks to guests David Spade and David Carvey, who appeared unaware the award even existed Rogan's podcast draws in an estimated eight million viewers on Apple and even more on Spotify each month. Exact counts for Good Hang aren't public. The show started early last year. Poehler told onlookers while accepting her award: 'I have great respect for this form.' Maher, meanwhile, has ramped up his criticism of the Democratic Party over the past year after Joe Biden's disastrous single term and the election debacle that followed. Maher referenced this during his conversation with Carvey and Spade, 61, saying: 'I always say to my woke friends, we voted for the same person. You're just why she lost,' referring to replacement Kamala Harris. Carvey said: 'You can't have movie stars and politicians that have hundreds of millions of dollars lecturing you. It's just the elitist thing that came out of all that.' Rogan, conversely, has soured on the current administration in recent months, after endorsing Donald Trump in October. He has slammed the administration's tariffs on Canada as 'ridiculous' and called its deportation policies 'horrific.' The clashes began in March, when Rogan used his podcast to rant about Trump imposing tariffs on Canada and his desire to make Canada the 51st state. A Kindle is a travel essential for many holidaymakers trying to save space in their case and avoid taking the heavy weight of physical books abroad with them. You can store several books on the slim, lightweight device at once, and use it on the go, making it an ideal travel accessory. On the plane, the flight attendants will ask you to switch your device to airplane mode. And, while most people will do this before flicking their Kindle back to its regular setting after the flight is over, journalist Anthony Marcusa advises against doing so. Instead, he urges people to keep their device in airplane mode, even when they're not flying, for a range of reasons. The main reason, he writes in Pocket-lint, is the mode limits Amazon from tracking your usage and promoting its services. Kindles are operated by Amazon, which links a users Amazon account to the device and allows them to purchase books. When using the device online, the company will have insight into your reading habits and interests. Once on the plane, the flight attendants might ask you to switch your devices to airplane mode and most people will flick their Kindle back to its regular settings after the flight is over Being connected to the internet also allows Amazon to recommend products and advertise services to you, to try and get you to spend money. Simply switching to offline should help to limit this. Thankfully, nothing much changes on a Kindle when it is switched to offline, airplane mode. Much of its services still work, and your reading progress in a book can still be tracked when not connected to Wi-fi. What's more, Anthony outlines how a better experience overall can be found by disconnecting. Reading without distractions from your phone being online, as well as other devices, can be much more fulfilling than when you're still being bothered by the rest of the world. It comes after a pilot revealed exactly why passengers are required to put their devices on airplane mode during flights. Savina Paul, an A330 pilot, explained that plane systems are sensitive to electrical impulses of external interference. But journalist Anthony Marcusa advises against this, and instead urges people to keep their device in airplane mode, even when not flying, for a range of reasons Speaking on the podcast Supersonic Anonymous, the pilot said that using flight mode is a genuine safety measure. She said if multiple devices are active at the same time, particularly during high-precision approaches - also known as category 3 or autoland - they can interfere at critical times. The pilot, from Barcelona, said the interference can affect the plane's instruments. She said: 'One mobile phone switched on does nothing, but 300 mobile phones at once, especially during a high-precision approach, can cause interference.' In the Jura Mountains, right on the border between France and Switzerland, there is a village divided between two countries. Some 15 miles northwest of Lake Geneva, La Cure has a unique border split due to the 1862 Treaty of Dappes, where France and Switzerland swapped territory to give France control of a strategic road. The international border bisects at least four buildings, notably the Hotel Arbez, in which the dining hall and other rooms are separated by the invisible divide. The history of the hotel is as follows: Before the Treaty of the Dappers came into effect, a local businessman, Alphonse Ponthus, decided to build a property that was on both sides of the new border. He opened a bar on the French side and a shop on the Swiss side. In 1921, Jules Joseph Arbez purchased the property and transformed it into the hotel. The result is that roughly half the hotel is in France and the other half in Switzerland, with the international border bisecting the restaurant and several of the rooms. This means it has both a French and a Swiss address. On the French side, the Arbez is on the Rue de la Frontera in La Cure, while on the Swiss side, it's on the Route de France in Cure. A room in the Hotel Arbez Franco-Suisse is pictured. The unique hotel that straddles the international border between France and Switzerland in the village of La Cure The border runs through the middle of the building, allowing guests to sleep with their head in one country and their feet in another The Hotel Arbez (also Hotel Arbez Franco-Suisse) remains family-run today. The hotel's restaurant also takes advantage of its borderline location by serving both French and Swiss fare. The invisible international boundary runs directly through the building, meaning you can sleep with your head in one country and your feet in the other. During WWII, the second floor of the hotel was even used as a refuge for those fleeing the German soldiers as the staircase crossed the Swiss border. A double room costs around 145 per night, based on a three-night stay. The hotel has an overall rating of 4.3 stars based on nearly 700 Google reviews. One recent reviewer jested: 'Nice place with character and history. Only complaint is road noise on the Swiss side - get a room on the French side if you can!' And it's not the only spot nearby where you can straddle multiple counties. Located in the north-eastern French region of Alsace, Basel Mulhouse Freiburg Airport serves the nearby cities of Basel, Switzerland, Mulhouse, France and Freiburg, Germany. The hotel's restaurant also takes advantage of its borderline location by serving both French and Swiss fare. The dining area of the Logis hotel Arbez Franco Suisse is pictured The interior of the Hotel Arbez Franco-Suisse, a unique hotel that straddles the international border between France and Switzerland, is pictured Set in the hub of the trinational Eurodistrict, the three countries overlap into one zone, with the airport split into both a French customs border and a Swiss customs border. Operated by both France and Switzerland, the unique airports board includes eight members from each, alongside two German advisers. Described as a symbol for international cooperation that became absolutely vital following the Second World War, there is even a border crossing within the terminal which allows passengers to access France and Switzerland at ease, without requiring immigration checks. Handling more than 9million passengers a year, travellers landing at the distinctive airport can reach the neighbouring cities of Basel, Switzerland, at five miles away, while Mulhouse, in France, is 15.5 miles south. With drizzly weather, dark mornings and short days, many Brits dream of long summers in far-flung destinations. January is the busiest month for holiday bookings, with millions of trips planned and a predicted 4billion spent on UK package holidays. And with that in mind, global travel app Skyscanner has announced the launch of its package holidays search on desktop, mobile and app. The new feature aims to make it easier and faster for travellers to compare and find deals from top providers all in one place. Skyscanner data shows demand for package holidays has increased by 113 per cent since the start of the year. New consumer research reveals more than half of UK travellers are considering booking a package holiday this year, with cost savings top of mind for many. The research also revealed a surprising generational trend emerging, with a third of Gen Z and over a quarter of Millennials more likely than older travellers to favour a package holiday in 2026. The main reasons for this, according to Skyscanner, are cost, reduced complexity and convenience of having one booking as opposed to separate flights and accommodation. Skyscanner has announced the launch of its package holidays search on desktop, mobile and app Skyscanner claims its new package holidays search will work by searching 25million packages across the biggest UK package holiday providers and finding the 'best deals', including all-inclusive and top beach and city breaks. Like other package holiday sites, travellers can search by location and date, narrowing their choices down by filters such as star ratings and board type. Once a traveller finds the right option, they're redirected to the provider's site to complete their booking. All packages on Skyscanner are ATOL protected. According to Skyscanner, travellers can save 30 per cent on average when comparing package holidays using the new search. Some destinations stand out for the best potential savings with long-haul destinations including Mexico, Barbados, Mauritius and Marrakech. For example, travellers can stay in Mexico (Cancun) for seven nights at the four-star Tukan Hotel Playa del Carmen in June from 808. Holidaymakers searching for a trip to Marrakech, Morocco, can find deals for four nights at the five-star Grand Mogador Agdal & Spa in September from just 353. There is also a range of package deals for short city breaks, including five nights at the four-star Hotel Imperatori in Rome, Italy, in June from 316. Skyscanner data shows demand for package holidays has increased by 113 per cent since the start of the year A Skyscanner spokesperson said: 'January is the busiest month of the year for travel planning, and who isn't dreaming of palm trees and sun-soaked beaches with the wintry weather! 'But our research shows that for many, finding that perfect holiday can feel overwhelming, with value for money top of mind. 'We're excited to bring our industry-leading price comparison tech (which travellers already trust us for with flights, hotels, and car hire) to packages. 'With more and more choice in how package holidays are constructed, travellers need an easier way to compare all of the options in one place, to find great deals without the hassle.' Next time you fly through California, take a moment to admire your surroundings - as one major airport has officially been crowned the most beautiful on the planet. Every year, the Prix Versailles, an architectural competition, has awarded 24 prizes across eight categories, including airports and passenger stations. For the second year in a row, San Francisco International Airport (SFO)'s Harvey Milk Terminal 1 earned the top prize, beating other major airports globally for its stunning architectural and design achievements. The Californian hub is home to four terminals, the first of which was rolled out in four phases from July 2019 to June 2024. The airport itself serves over 50 millions passengers annually. The jury, which presents the award in association with UNESCO, recognised the terminal for a number of key achievements: sustainability and innovation, cultural significance, passenger experience and architectural excellence. Following its multi-billion dollar renovation in 2024, SFO's Harvey Milk Terminal 1 achieved a 79 per cent reduction in carbon footprint and a 59 per cent decrease in energy usage. It is also the world's first airport terminal named after an LGBTQ+ leader, honouring civil rights pioneer Harvey Milk with a permanent exhibition, along with 30 pieces of artwork that reflect the Bay Area's heritage. At this year's Prix Versailles awards, San Francisco International Airport (SFO)'s Harvey Milk Terminal 1 (pictured) was named the most beautiful on the planet Harvey Milk Terminal 1 was celebrated for its architectural excellence The Californian hub is the world's first airport terminal named for an LGBTQ+ leader, and is home to gender-neutral toilets, 'quiet terminal' features, a yoga room and self-serve baggage checking As for its design, it incorporates natural light on every level, houses gender-neutral bathrooms and creates a calm environment by introducing 'quiet terminal' features that replace overhead announcements. The terminal also features mezzanine-level security checkpoint, a yoga room, self-serve baggage checking, several hot and cold water-filling stations, local concessionaire and over 24 departure gates, as reported by San Francisco Chronicle. Designed by a team led by Gensler, the terminal was praised as an 'ambitious transformation' that sets a global benchmark for passengers' airport experience. In a press release, Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet said: 'We are truly honoured to be named the top airport in the world by Prix Versailles. 'Being the first airport terminal in the world named for an LGBTQ+ leader only enhances the significance of this recognition, and my thanks go out to the entire project team for this milestone achievement.' While SFO took the top global honour, six other notable airports made the 2026 list. Elsewhere in the United States, Portland International's Main Terminal was commended for exterior design. In France, Marseille Provence Terminal 1 was hailed for its interior design, while Roland Garros Airport Arrivals Terminal was noted as the world's first tropical bioclimatic airport structure. Designed by a team led by Gensler, the multi-billion dollar Harvey Milk Terminal 1 was praised as an 'ambitious transformation' Two French airports were also commended for its interior design and bioclimatic structure: Marseille Provence Terminal 1 (pictured) and Roland Garros Airport Arrivals Terminal Japan's Kansai International Airport Terminal , meanwhile, made the top six in Prix Versailles' list, celebrated for its architectural excellence Across east Asia, China's Yantai Penglai International Airport Terminal 2 was praised for its unique coastal design and its natural light, while Japan's Kansai International Airport Terminal 1 was celebrated for its architectural excellence. Meanwhile, the world's best airport and airline was revealed by Forbes Travel Guide in October 2025. For the second year running, Emirates won best international airline. It's no surprise, given the popularity of the airline and its reputation for luxury, elegance and high-quality service. Emirates Airlines is regularly handed the title of World's Best Airline. Nightclubs, bars, pubs and restaurants together make up a city's night life offering. But not all cities are created equally, and some provide a far better ambience than others. Now, the UK's best city for a night out has been revealed - and it's not London. The winner? Brighton has taken the top spot in the ranking. The seaside city has a huge number and range of nightclubs and bars, beating even popular spots such as Manchester. The study by Ireland Prestige Tours has revealed the southern city comes out on top. It analysed the number of nightclubs, bars, and pubs per 100,000 people, and the average cost of a hotel for two nights based on two adults sharing. It also examined the average cost of a pint to help conclude the best option. The seaside city of Britain wins the ranking of spots for the best night out in the UK Brighton comes to life at night with lights and many establishments open Brighton's only downfall was the cost of a pint - at 6, it's almost on par with London. The city's nightlife is famed for its LGBT+ clubs. The popular club Revenge, based across three floors, is renowned as a party destination. PRYZM Brighton is another popular spot for clubbing on the south coast. With student events, themed nights, special guests, competitions and giveaways, there's plenty to appeal to a range of visitors. One of the best-known options, Volks Club, is situated under Brightons promenade - providing exquisite beach views. The club, located on the Brighton Seafront, has provided underground club nights in Brighton for more than 25 years. During the summer, outdoor seating gets full quickly due to huge numbers flocking to the establishment. Night life in Brighton is full of Illuminated streets with bars, clubs and street art Bars, hotels and restaurants on offer increase the coastal hotspot's appeal too, with options ranging from cosy B&Bs to larger hotels, local dining spots and cocktail bars. Other cities were at the top of the list too, following Brighton. Coming in at second and third were Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Manchester. Belfast came in fourth, and in fifth place was Aberdeen which has the advantage of an average pint price of 4. A travel expert has issued a warning after a pair of holidaymakers were refused boarding for their connecting flight at Heathrow. Siblings Katie and Richard were set to attend a family wedding in Thailand and booked flights with holiday agent TravelUp. Their journey would see them head from Glasgow to Chiang Mai, connecting at Heathrow and Beijing along the way. They were flying with British Airways and Air China. However, things took a turn when they attempted to head from Terminal 5 to Terminal 2 in Heathrow, parent Kevin Duffy told The Times. TravelUp's itinerary left 90 minutes for the connection, but when the pair got to their gate they were refused boarding by Air China and notified it had closed. As a result, they were seen as a "no-show" and 'the remainder of the itinerary was cancelled,' Kevin explained. Katie and Richard had to cough up more than 4,000 for new flights after being unable to contact TravelUp. To complicate things further, their baggage was left at Heathrow. Siblings Katie and Richard were set to attend a family wedding in Thailand and booked flights with holiday agent TravelUp. In the end, Air China revealed the time given to transfer to the connecting flight by TravelUp wasn't enough and that two hours minimum should be accounted for. Kevin also added TravelUp hasn't responded to their attempts to contact. Julia Brookes, Travel Doctor at The Times, responded to Kevin and urged travellers changing at Heathrow to allow at least two hours for the connection to go smoothly. She issued this warning, making sure to add passengers should leave the additional time even if the airlines say different. Thankfully, the travel expert was able to secure a refund for Katie and Richard, revealing how TravelUp apologised for the situation. The agency explained that the intinerary featuring both BA and Air China with no codeshare 'may have contributed to how the connection was handled'. What's more, TravelUp believes the route should have worked out as it only sells journeys that airlines offer themselves. A spokesperson told The Times: 'We have been in close contact with the airline and they have confirmed that the minimum connection time at London Heathrow is 90 minutes. Their journey would see them head from Glasgow to Chiang Mai, connecting at Heathrow and Beijing along the way. They were flying with British Airways and Air China 'As a gesture of goodwill, the airline has agreed to refund both tickets in full, despite the tickets originally being non-refundable. 'Once the refund has been settled back into our account by the airline, we will process the full refund to the passengers without delay.' As for the additional flights Katie and Richard booked to resolve the issue at the time, Julia says they have to approach Air China for the refund. The Daily Mail approached TravelUp for comment. Elon Musk has suggested he could buy budget airline Ryanair after demanding its CEO Michael O'Leary be fired amid a dispute over installing Starlink. This is the latest in an online feud between the two bosses, which began with a spat over in-flight Wi-Fi. Both Musk and O'Leary are known for their outspoken and controversial opinions. O'Leary, the low-cost airline boss, often targets critics, politicians and even his own passengers with provocative statements. And now, in a series of posts on X replying to an official post by the airline, Musk declared his belief that the Ryanair boss 'needs to be fired'. The Tesla boss later drew up a poll where he asked his 232.5million followers whether he should 'Buy Ryan Air and restore Ryan as their rightful ruler'. So far, the poll has received almost 900,000 responses, with 76.6 per cent responding that he should. The online spat began on January 14 when O'Leary dismissed the idea of installing in-flight Wi-Fi across Ryanair's fleet, expressing concerns over increased fuel consumption. Elon Musk (pictured in 2023) suggested he could buy budget airline Ryanair in his latest jab towards the airline's CEO Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary is pictured in 2023 In a series of posts on X replying to an official airline post, the world's richest man Elon Musk said Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary 'needs to be fired' His comments prompted an immediate response from Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Musk. Speaking to Reuters, O'Leary said fitting an antenna to the aircraft fuselage would add both weight and drag, resulting in what he described as a 'two per cent fuel penalty'. He added that Ryanair's passengers would be unlikely to pay extra for Wi-Fi on short, one-hour flights. 'I would pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk,' O'Leary said on Newstalk, an Irish radio station. 'He's an idiot. Very wealthy, but he's still an idiot. What Elon Musk knows about flights and drag would be zero,' he added. 'We have to put an aerial antenna on top of the aircraft. It would cost us about $200-250 million dollars a year, in other words, an extra dollar for every passenger we fly. 'And the reality for us is we can't afford those costs, passengers won't pay for internet usage. 'If it's free, they'll use it, but they won't pay 1 each to use the internet. So we're not putting it on board.' O'Leary said Ryanair's passengers would be unlikely to pay extra for Wi-Fi on one-hour flights The Ryanair boss (pictured) also hit back at Musk directly, calling him an 'utter idiot' He then called X a 'cesspit'. Musk responded to the video clip to say: 'Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him'. The official Ryanair account replied to one post, asking, 'What is a propaganda you're not falling for?', with 'Wi-Fi on planes', which led Musk to claim O'Leary needs to be fired. Tensions rose further after a widespread outage on X left users in the US unable to load feeds or post content. Ryanair's social media team seized the moment to mock Musk, posting: 'Perhaps you need Wi-Fi, @elonmusk?' While his own posts are widely taken to be provocative rather than serious bids, Musk's takeover of X, formerly Twitter, began with a surprise offer to buy it after he built up a stake. Ryanair is listed on the Euronext index in Dublin and its shares have a market capitalisation of about 26.5billion - valuing the firm at 8billion less than the 34.5billion Musk paid for what was then called Twitter in 2022. The low-cost airline is expecting to fly 207 million passengers over the current financial year. Ryanair operates thousands of short- and medium-haul services across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and currently offers no on-board Wi-Fi to customers. Starlink, developed by SpaceX, delivers high-speed internet through a vast network of low-Earth orbit satellites. Ryanair has been approached for comment. Another airline Emirates recently announced it was upgrading its entire fleet with ultra-fast Starlink Wi-Fi - making it the world's largest international airline to offer the service across its network. Passengers on select Emirates aircraft have been able since last November to stream, video call, game, work and browse social media in real time - free of charge - at 40,000ft with simple one-click access. The first of Emirates' 232 Boeing 777 aircraft equipped with Starlink internet was scheduled to enter commercial service, with plans to accelerate installations across the carrier's fleet at 14 aircraft per month. Death in Paradise have revealed the first look at the show's sassy new sergeant as she arrives on sun-soaked Saint Marie for the fifteenth season. New Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson, played by Don Gilet, 58, has only just settled in to life on island and will now be joined by Mattie Fletcher (played by Catherine Garton). In the snaps the island's new recruit looks ready to take on the tropical location's numerous murders as she posed in her uniform on the golden sands. Last week Daily Mail's Katie Hind exclusively reveal that BBC bosses had cast up-and-coming actress Catherine, 27, in the role. Speaking ahead of the new series, the actress opened up about her new role and shared how much she loved Guadeloupe, the filming location for the fictional Saint Marie. 'I didn't quite know what to anticipate, then it exceeded any expectations I could have had. I love the island. Guadeloupe is like a postcard. It's quite unreal'. Death in Paradise have revealed the first look at the show's sassy new sergeant as she arrives on sun-soaked Saint Marie for the show's fifteenth season New Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson, played by Don Gilet, 58, has only just settled in to life on island and will now be joined by new recruit Mattie Fletcher (Catherine Garton) 'Every time I walked out I was like this exists, wow! Its absolutely stunning. Everyone's nice. I love the culture. The food's great'. Gushing over her character, Catherine branded her 'tenacious': She's really fun to play. She's sassy, but she's like your big sister who will tell you what's what, but you can also come to her if you need to'. The latest series sees DI Wilson continue to adjust to life in Saint Marie, he and the police team must face a myriad of baffling cases. Whilst attempting to connect with his recently discovered half-brother Solomon (Daniel Ward), Mervins newfound familial happiness soon turns to frustration as he discovers the pair are not quite as similar as he hoped they might be. Returning Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) confronts the impact of his recent period of absence, and after some tough love from old friend, Catherine Bordey (Elizabeth Bourgine), hes determined to win back the trust of the island. Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) and Officer Sebastian Rose (Shaquille Ali-Yebuah). The line-up of special gusts include Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley), Hermione Norris (Spooks), Steffan Rhodri (Gavin & Stacey)and Gary Wilmot (Midsomer Murders). The actress and musician Catherine impressed bosses while appearing in the Dr Who spin-off series The War Between the Land and Sea. The five-part mini-series, broadcast last month on BBC One, saw Catherine play Corporal Jane Hart, which she filmed at the end of 2024. The island's new recruit looks ready to take on the tropical location's numerous murders as she posed in her uniform on the golden sands (with co-star Shaquille Ali-Yebuah) Last week Daily Mail's Katie Hind exclusively reveal that BBC bosses had cast up-and-coming actress Catherine, 27, in the role Speaking ahead of the new series, the actress opened up about her new role and shared how much she loved Guadeloupe, the filming location for the fictional Saint Marie The latest series sees DI Wilson (pictured) continue to adjust to life in Saint Marie, he and the police team must face a myriad of baffling cases So when she auditioned to become the newest recruit to join the Honore Police Station, bosses already knew what she was capable of and offered her the part. During series 14, which was Don Gillets first full series in the new role, Naomi Thomas, played by Jamaican actress Shantou Jackson, was promoted to the role of DS after joining in series 11 as an officer. Sara Martins, 48, who played DS Camille Bordey, and Josephine Jobert, 40, who played DS Florence Cassell, had previously brought the glamour to the island. During the Christmas special officer Darlene Curtis, played by Ginny Holder, appeared via video link, but she is expected to feature in series 15. The actress had a filming clash with gritty BBC drama The Capture, where she plays DI Nadia Latif, alongside Holiday Grainger. Both shows started filming last April. Death in Paradise was first aired in 2011 with Ben Miller in the main role until series 3 when Kris Marshall took over. When he left in series 6, Irish actor Ardal OHanlon took over and stayed until series 9 when Ralf Little took on the role. He left at the end of series 13 and Don Gilet was unveiled as the new detective when he arrived in the 2024 Christmas special. The popular show has spawned spin-offs Beyond Paradise, which follows Kris Marshall's Humprey Goodman in the fictional town of Shipton Abbott in Devon, and Return to Paradise which is set in Australia. Death In Paradise returns to BBC1 and BBC Iplayer January 30 at 9pm. A Clarkson's Farm star has bagged a brand new Channel 4 show away from the hit reality show. The popular documentary series, which follows Jeremy Clarkson run Diddly Squat Farm in the Cotswolds, hit Amazon Prime in 2021 and has gone on to air five series. It stars the likes of Jeremy, Kaleb Cooper, Lisa Hogan, Charlie Ireland and Gerald Cooper. Nurse and farmer Harriet Cowan, 24, joined the cast for the fourth series last year while Kaleb was away. But now she's landed a new role in another programme - a presenting role on Channel 4's Tiny Farmers. The official press release states: 'Tiny Farmers sees Harriet and Jessica joined by hen experts Avril and Michael who are sharing how to spot a happy hen and giving insight into an eggs journey from farm to table. Clarkson's Farmstar Harriet Cowan has bagged a brand new Channel 4 show away from the hit reality show The popular documentary series, which follows Jeremy Clarksonrun Diddly Squat Farm in the Cotswolds, hit Amazon Prime in 2021 and has gone on to air five series But now she's landed a new role in another programme - a presenting role on Channel 4's Tiny Farmers 'Meanwhile four children are challenged to become egg farmers of the future -from taking on a challenge about looking after the hens to showcasing their cooking skills, this digital content will see how the tiny farmers get on. 'Will they thrive or scramble under pressure?' The star will be joined by comedian Jessica Knappett on the show, which launched on the TV channel's YouTube channel on January 19 2026. Stephen Parnell, Digital Commissioning Executive at Channel 4, said of the new programme: 'Harriet and Jessicas infectious enthusiasm brings to life, connecting brilliantly with our young contestants as they compete to impress both hens and hosts. 'Working alongside Interstellar TV and The Happy Egg Co. has been a joy, and I cant wait to share this hilarious - yet heartwarming - show with viewers.' Managing Director at Interstellar TV, David Williams, added: 'Who knew that chickens, children and cooking would be the perfect recipe for a show full of warm-hearted competition and fun! 'Harriet, Jessica and our fantastic four Tiny Farmers of the future were on cracking form delighting not just hundreds of happy hens, but everyone watching too.' Last year Harriet revealed she quit her nursing job now that her new career has taken off. The glam farmhand stole the show in series four as she arrived on screens to assist at Diddly Squat Farm while Jeremy Clarkson's usual helper, Kaleb, was away. And now, Harriet has revealed she's got the 'bug' for agriculture, making it her sole career. In new Instagram snaps Harriet looked glamorous in a yellow minidress before heading back to work on the farm and getting her hands dirty. For the past few years Harriet has been balancing two jobs, and revealed she was working long hours as a nurse before switching into her farm gear to tend to the land and animals at her family's spot. Now the farmhand, who temporarily took Caleb Kooper's space at Diddly Squat Farm, is focusing her time on agriculture. Clarkson's Farm star Harriet Cowan has revealed she has quit her nursing job now that her new career has taken off The glam farmhand, 24, stole the show in series four as she arrived on screens to assist at Diddly Squat Farm while Jeremy Clarkson's usual helper, Kaleb Cooper, was away Harriet, from Belper, Derbyshire, also confirmed that she will be using her time to start a career on YouTube with her channel 'Harriet On The Farm'. Harriet explained: 'The cat's somewhat out of the bag. It's true, I am no longer nursing because it appears I got the bug. 'You definitely know what the bug is right, yeah I got the farming bug. And I've always had it but before, you know, I didn't really have any other income. 'The waits over, Harriet on the farm is coming your way on the 31st of August. I'm going to do bank shifts and I'm still going to be working in the NHS, but yeah just not daily.' Since leaving the show, Harriet has returned to her family farm and shared a powerful message to the public and the government this week about the 'dying industry', asking them to 'put British farming on the map'. Harriet has been leading a campaign called Farm24, which sees farmers across the country showcase the best of British farming by sharing content on social media for 24 hours from 5am to 5am. In a video filmed on her family farm, Harriet said: 'Going forward I hope that the next generation of farms would be recognised more by the public and the government especially to put British farming on the map. 'People should be aware that we are here and the government should invest more time and money into farming because we need it. And now, Harriet has revealed she's got the 'bug' for agriculture, making it her sole career as she gives up nursing full time 'I think it's a bit of a dying industry otherwise.' In another clip, she said: 'Being out on my family farm, it's so special to me because this is what my grandad bought it for. He wanted me and my sister and generations to come to own and farm this land. 'Now that there's so many farms being turned into housing and different things like factories and agricultural land isn't being used for agricultural purposes anymore, I think it's so important to just farm what my grandad bought.' She added: 'This is my happy place, being out in the fields and tractoring and contracting out to me and my sister. 'We never want to lose this farm and it's important to us that generations to come will farm this land.' Harriet is heavily involved with her rural community which her grandparents joined in the 1950s when they bought the land which her father still farms. When she's not trying to keep Jeremy in line Harriet works at a cattle farm with her boyfriend, James, just a short distance from the family farm. Prior to becoming Jeremy's side-kick, Harriet had already been building her profile as a farmer on TikTok and had around 40,000 followers before joining the Diddly Squat team. She told The Times recently that she now gets approached all the time, saying : 'Mums have reached out to say my daughter's wanting to go into farming. 'Or I hear about four-year-old girls who want a toy tractor for Christmas, so that's really nice.' It was through her TikTok that Harriet was approached by the show, she said: 'Charlie [Ireland, Clarkson's land agent] let me know they were looking for someone to come and help. 'I think they were keen for it to be a woman who could do that role and show they could do it well.' The farmhand stepped in to assist Jeremy Clarkson for the fourth season of the series after Kaleb Cooper took some time off for his tour Despite saying he's not a natural born farmer, Harriet has praised Jeremy for his work at Diddly Squat saying he is, 'very much like every other farmer Ive ever met' and 'very much willing to learn. He wanted to do well by the farm.' Poking fun, Harriet added that 'hes got the physique of a farmer' too. The glam farmhand added that other young farmers in her area couldn't believe that she would be on Clarkson's Farm. She said: 'They thought, "Ah, you'll be in the back of the pub and they'll have filmed the pub and the back of your head will be in it." So when it came out they were, like, "Oh s***, she is actually in it a bit more than I thought she was!"' Harriet's fans have raved about her not letting go of her girlie style and look despite being a farmer but in conversation with The Times she opened up about the 'challenges' of being a young woman in the industry. She said that her father told her and her sister that without a male heir, they would be stepping up to help. Harriet added that she has loved showcasing that women can farm too and now has plans to start documenting life on her family farm on YouTube. The fourth season of Clarkson's Farm, in which Harriet was introduced to viewers, released to Prime Video in May. Mia Fevola has emotionally shared how her father left the family homeless as he drowned under gambling debts. AFL legend Brendan, who has been open about losing millions of dollars due to his betting habit, ended up bankrupt in 2013 - and took his wife and children with him. 'The whole gambling situation, I honestly blocked so much of it out,' Mia, 26, told her campmates during Tuesday's episode of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! 'I think just as a defence mechanism. But I know he gambled $363,000 in a day. But to be honest, my mum tried very, very hard to protect us from all of these things,' the model continued. 'I didn't really know what was going on unless people at school told me. That's how I found out. We just bought a house and didn't settle so we got sued. 'And then we were homeless because he gambled every cent ever that we had.' Mia Fevola (pictured) has emotionally shared how her father left the family homeless as he drowned under gambling debts AFL legend Brendan (left), who has been open about losing millions of dollars due to his betting habit, ended up bankrupt - and took his wife and children with him Mia explained how the family were forced to move in with her grandparents and her mother, Alex, turned to reality television to make money. 'We moved back in with my nana in Melbourne,' Mia said. 'You know, my mum did Dancing with the Stars, and that's how we sort of got back on our feet. Dad went to rehab.' In 2023, Brendan revealed how living like a 'bogan' saw him end up on reality TV as he opened up on losing millions of dollars. The footy great has struggled with gambling addiction in the past and once famously admitted to selling his Coleman Medal - the prize awarded to the AFL's leading goalkicker - to fund his habit. Brendan, 45, declared bankruptcy in 2013 and had a stint in rehab following a rapid downward spiral towards the end of his footy career. Speaking on Fox 101.9's Fifi, Fev & Nick, the Carlton cult hero explained how his lucrative earnings 'ruined' his life. 'I did it. I earned millions. Millions. And I lost it all because I was a bogan,' he said. 'I pretty much wasted it all. We had seven houses throughout my footy career. Lost it all because I punted. 'I didn't really know what was going on unless people at school told me. That's how I found out. We just bought a house and didn't settle so we got sued,' Mia said. Pictured with her father on the footy field in 2005 Mia explained how the family were forced to move in with her grandparents and her mother, Alex (right), turned to reality television to make money 'Bang. Stupid. Because I had money from the age of 17. Big money. Everyone else was working hard for their money. 'I didn't have to work hard. I just played footy. I just thought money would come easy. Winning the lotto easy money. Let's spend it.' In 2016, Brendan ended up taking part in the same reality series that Mia is now starring in a bid to change his public image. 'You get into money you lose it all and then you end up on a stupid show like I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! That's what happens,' he said. Fevola's wife, Alex, 48, recently opened up on the devastating effect of his gambling addiction on their marriage, and how she discovered that they had no money left. 'The pay hadn't gone into the account,' she said via Fox Sports. 'I thought, "That's so strange. What's going on?" And I couldn't get onto anybody, no one was answering my calls. 'Eventually, someone answered my call and told me that, "yeah, there was no pay" and it was that entire year's worth of pay.' Fevola and his wife have had a rollercoaster relationship. They split briefly in 2010 after she discovered his affair with Australian model Lara Worthington, formerly known as Lara Bingle. They divorced in 2014 due to his gambling problems but got back together shortly after their separation. The pair have four children - stepdaughter, Mia, as well as sharing daughters Leni, 19, Lulu, 15, and Tobi, seven. Hollyoaks star Hollie-Jay Bowes is reportedly set to return as Michaela McQueen as part of James Sutton's exit storyline, 16 years after quitting the soap. The actress, 37, joined the Channel 4 show in 2006 as the youngest child of the fiery McQueen family, and left the soap for good in 2012, two years after previously being sacked from the role. Now, it has been reported that Hollie-Jay will reprise her role once more as part of on-screen brother John Paul McQueen's emotional farewell. A source told The Sun: 'Its all water under the bridge now and Michaelas return to the village will be a treat for fans. 'James' exit as John Paul deserves something special and bosses know that bringing back some more of the iconic soap family was the perfect way to say goodbye to him.' Daily Mail has contacted Channel 4 for comment. Hollyoaks star Hollie-Jay Bowes is reportedly set to return as Michaela McQueen as part of James Sutton's exit storyline, 16 years after quitting the soap The actress, 37, joined the Channel 4 show in 2006 as the youngest child of the fiery McQueen family, and left the soap for good in 2012, two years after previously being sacked from the role It comes after Hollie-Jay stunned fans with a dramatic transformation on social media. In previous social media snaps, the actress looked worlds away from the punk looks of her character, Michaela McQueen, instead sporting sleek blonde curls and a plump pout. Back in her soap days, the Manchester native was famous for her fuchsia pink highlights, voluminous blonde bob and lashings of black eyeliner, playing budding journalist Michaela. The character was no stranger to an explosive confrontation thanks to her McQueen roots, with the family going on to be a staple of the village. Sadly, Hollie-Jay was sacked from Hollyoaks in 2010 after a furious argument with show bosses, filming her final scenes that year, and seeing Michaela abruptly move to London following her split from Zak Ramsey (Kent Riley). But after landing a role in spin-off series Hollyoaks Later in 2011, Hollie-Jay was invited back to the main soap. In 2012, Hollie-Jay confirmed to fans that she was quitting the soap, telling Inside Soap: 'I'm leaving Hollyoaks. I love Michaela and she's absolutely my baby. 'But I'm 23 years old now, and it's time to explore things.' Now, it has been reported that Hollie-Jay will reprise her role once more as part of on-screen brother John Paul McQueen's emotional farewell (James Sutton pictured 2014) A source told The Sun: 'Its all water under the bridge now and Michaelas return to the village will be a treat for fans' Michaela's second departure from the village came after she was offered the chance to tour with a band, having recently helped Amy Barnes (Ashley Slanina-Davies) through her split from Lee Hunter (Alex Carter). Then, in 2018, she went on to appear in the third series of the police procedural drama No Offence, while she also narrated the ITN show Supersize Me. In 2023, she starred on the BBC drama Waterloo Road, playing suffering mother Debs Rafferty. That same year, she announced that she had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to ADHD UK, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a disorder that is defined through analysis of behaviour. People with ADHD show a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity - impulsivity that interferes with day-to-day functioning and/or development. Blake Livelys catty texts with Taylor Swift have been revealed as part of the lawsuit over the movie It Ends With Us. The pair traded unflattering remarks about Justin Baldoni, the director and Lively's co-star in the movie, whom she is suing for sexual harassment. According to court papers, Lively called Baldoni the doofus director of my movie while Swift agreed to help her, saying: Ill do anything for you! After a meeting about changing the script, Lively called Swift the absolute greatest friend ever. In other texts, Swift gave Lively advice about using one of her songs in the film and suggested that Baldoni was not 'strategic'. Just before a bombshell article in the New York Times outlining Livelys claims was due to come out in December 2024, Swift told her friend: I think this b**** [Baldoni] knows something is coming because hes gotten out his tiny violin. The court papers also reveal that Lively bad-mouthed Baldoni to her other famous friends, including Matt Damon and his wife Lucy, and she allegedly told Ben Affleck that Baldoni was a chaotic clown. According to court documents, Blake Lively persuaded Taylor Swift to meet with Justin Baldoni to get her way with the It Ends with Us script. Lively described him as a 'doofus' and a 'clown who thinks he's a writer' Baldoni is seeking to have Lively's lawsuit tossed out after filing a summary motion that sets out why Lively's claims of sexual harassment have no merit One of the biggest bombshells - in a lawsuit packed full of them - is the claim that Baldoni sexually harassed Lively while filming a dance scene by dragging his lips down her neck and telling her 'it smells so good' The texts were revealed in a lengthy court document filed in the federal court in New York in which Lively responded to dozens of claims made by Baldoni. In the file, Baldonis lawyers wrote: On April 12, 2023, Lively asked her friend, the world-famous musician Taylor Swift, for help. Referring to Baldoni as "this doofus director of my movie," she went on to describe him as "a clown" who "thinks hes a writer now." She asked Swift to endorse the revised script she was proposing even without having read it.' One text to the singer from Lively read: You dont have to read of course. Livelys side disputed that she asked Swift to endorse the script without reading it, only that she hoped she would. Swift and Lively were spotted leaving Bradley Cooper's home in 2023. The duo seemed at ease as they exited, fueling curiosity about what the gathering might have been about Baldoni's team claim that Lively described him as a chaotic clown' to her friend Ben Affleck In another part, the court document states: Swift agreed to do Livelys bidding, texting Lively: "Ill do anything for you !!" Lively and Taylor Swift met with Baldoni at Livelys apartment, where Swift endorsed the revised draft. Afterward, Lively wrote to Swift: You were so epically heroic today. I recapped every moment to Ryan [Reynolds, Livelys husband]. I kept remembering stuff. You making s*** up about me and lenses. And referring to yourself as my doll. This clown', an apparent reference to Baldoni, 'falling for all of it. But also resisting it. You are the world's absolute greatest friend ever.' In their response, Livelys side disputed that Swift agreed to do Livelys bidding.' Baldonis lawyers also alleged that Lively told famous friends, including Matt Damon, Lucy Damon, and Ben Affleck that she "rewrote the script. I directed every actor."' Baldoni has claimed that Lively took over the film and rewrote entire scenes with the help of Reynolds. Lively said she recapped everything Swift had done for her to her husband Ryan Reynolds According to Baldonis lawyers, she [Lively] also did not hesitate to disparage Baldoni among her Hollywood crowd, describing him to Ben Affleck, for example, as a chaotic clown. The text to Affleck reads: I ended up rewriting and restructuring the entire script, I also ended up having to direct the movie via the chaotic clown director/actor/producer/ financier/studio head at the center. Livelys lawyers did not dispute the contents of the message but said that it should be taken in context. According to Baldonis lawyers, Lively also urged her famous friends and Colleen Hoover, who wrote the book It Ends With Us, which the film was based on, to support her version of the film over Baldonis. Those A-list friends included Matt Damon and his wife Lucy, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, and Swift. While Baldoni had bought the rights to the book, Sony eventually released Livelys version of the film amid the furor over the allegations about his on-set behavior. Baldonis lawyers wrote: For instance, in April 26, 2024 messages, Lively and Swift discussed a plan to use Swifts song in the films trailer. Swift wrote: "If Justin was strategic He would be like no Taylor swift in the trailer. Because that gives you more power over the film, thats your ally not his." Lively responded: "You are so right He shouldve run from your music How stupid. This was his only shot at having the appearance of an upper hand."' In texts on December 4 and 5, 2024, Lively and Swift discussed the forthcoming New York Times article, which detailed in depth Livelys claims against Baldoni. According to the court papers, Swift wrote: I think this b**** [Baldoni] knows something is coming because hes gotten out his tiny violin.' Lawyers for Lively said that they were not discussing the New York Times article but did not dispute that the texts were correct. Among other texts in the filing is one that Reynolds sent to his and Livelys celebrity friends. The court filing states: On May 17, 2024, Lively and Reynolds pressed Matt and Lucy Damon to support Livelys cut of the film. Reynolds told them that Baldoni was a malignantly vein [sic], sociopathic FAUXminist with almost no sense of boundaries or shame. I cannot believe he hasnt gone to jail. The filing continued: Seeking a broader audience, Lively conveyed her negative views of the production to Anna Wintour, Vogues world-famous editor. In one message Wintour appeared sympathetic, saying how hard a situation it was for you to make the film Matt Zukowski has described his marriage to Tammy Hembrow as 'scary'. The 30-year-old model and Love Island Australia star split with the high-profile fitness influencer, 31, last June, just months after tying the knot. Matt was heard discussing his marriage in a teaser for Channel 10's I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Australia. 'I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about going [into the jungle],' the reality star says in the voice-over. 'But I've just got out of a pretty scary marriage, so how scary can this actually be?' The trailer showed a blurred image of Matt walking through the jungle. Matt Zukowski has described his marriage to Tammy Hembrowas 'scary' Matt was heard discussing his marriage in a teaser for Channel 10's I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Australia Elsewhere in the teaser, Matt admitted: 'I have probably done nothing in my life to prepare me for the jungle. 'I think that people think that I'm just a dumb, pretty face. But there is a lot more to me. I'm here to discover more about myself and leave my comfort zone.' Matt was revealed as the newest cast member on Tuesday night alongside former Married at First Sight bride Cyrell Paule. Meanwhile, fans can look forward to Matt discussing his marriage during Wednesday's episode of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here. And a new trailer has revealed that Matt's revelations left his fellow cast mates stunned. At point in the teaser the reality star confessed that the marriage lasted a mere three months - a fact that appeared to shock Deni Hines. Former child star Barry Williams, 71, responded to Matt' confession with a joke: 'By Hollywood standards, Buddy, good go.' He recently admitted that single life is better than ever since his split with Tammy. Join the debate What do you think drives celebrity marriages to fall apart so quickly despite public fairy-tale romances? Matt and Tammy got engaged in December 2023 after just three months of dating Speaking on his podcast Where's Your Head At? with co-host Anna McEvoy, Matt insisted he has been having fun going on casual dates. 'I've definitely never been happier being single. I'm enjoying that,' he said. 'I'm open to a lot of things, been on a couple of movie dates. That's all I'm going to say,' he added. Matt and Tammy got engaged in December 2023 after just three months of dating. They tied the knot almost a year later, in November 2024, but split rumours began to circulate last year. In June, the pair announced they were divorcing after seven months of marriage. Tammy was later rumoured to be dating AFL star Bailey Smith, but last week the 25-year-old Geelong player insisted they were 'just friends'. Matt has since said he felt 'hurt' watching Tammy move on so quickly after their break-up. He also hinted that he was the one to end things between them, despite some speculating it was Tammy who took the lead. Earlier this month, there was speculation that Tammy was rekindling her relationship with ex-fiance Reece Hawkins. Insiders are saying that the 31-year-old fitness influencer has been spending time with Hawkins at Tammy's Gold Coast property. The pair enjoyed a high-profile romance for four years before splitting in 2018 and share two children - a son, Wolf, 10, and an eight-year-old daughter, Saskia. KIIS FM presenter Robin Bailey has admitted she was 'furious' after a shock backflip decision to reinstate her axed show, leading to her confronting her boss live on-air. In December, it was announced Robin and co-hosts Kip Wightman and Corey Oates had been re-hired for KIIS FM Brisbane Breakfast after their radio show was axed in October. The veteran presenter admitted she was confused about the backflip and asked CEO Michael 'Stepho' Stephenson on Monday about what had led to the indecisiveness and whether their rehiring was a 'stunt'. 'It absolutely was not a joke. There's no stunt about this. Obviously, we made a decision at the end of last year, and quite clearly, it wasn't the right decision,' Stepho told the presenters. He then revealed the very surprising reason as to why ARN reconsidered their decision and brought back the popular presenters for 2026. 'Every person that I spoke to when I started in my new role said, "We love Robin, Kip and Corey. When are they coming back?" And I said to the guys in Sydney, "Can we change our decision?" And they said, "No one's ever done that before,"' he said. Robin Bailey (pictured) has admitted she was 'furious' after a shock backflip decision to reinstate her axed show, leading to her confronting her boss live on-air. However, Robin was having none of it and bluntly asked Stephenson if he realised he had made a 'dumb' decision by letting them go. 'It sounds like youve been rehearsing that. But in that process, because for us, from the sign off to the call was almost two weeks. At what point did you realise that this was a really dumb a**e decision?' Robin asked. Stephenson admitted the network had initially made the wrong decision in axing the show and decided to reinstate it after receiving strong positive feedback from the community. 'What I've realised is that just radio generally has this incredible connection to communities and cities. And the feedback was overwhelming,' he said. 'Every single person I spoke to said, "We love this breakfast team and we want them back." We made a decision and it is awesome for Brisbane. I can speak for everybody, we are pumped to have you guys back.' ARN announced in October that Robin, Kip & Corey Oates would leave the airwaves by the end of 2025. In December, ARN rehired the trio in an extraordinary backflip. The veteran presenter admitted she was confused and asked CEO Michael 'Stepho' Stephenson (left) live on-air about what had led to the indecisiveness ARN announced in October that Robin, Kip Wightman and Corey Oates would leave the airwaves by the end of 2025 'ARN's priority remains delivering the shows audiences love, and today's announcement reflects that commitment to Brisbane listeners,' a spokesperson said at the time. 'Robin, Kip & Corey are known for their warmth and relatable humour. 'Their on-air chemistry is matched by a strong commitment to the local community, supporting Brisbane causes and sharing stories that resonate with everyday listeners across the city. 'In 2026, audiences can expect even more, with new segments, special guests and interactive moments designed to celebrate Brisbane's unique spirit and keep mornings fresh, fun and engaging.' Robin, 55, has since thanked Brisbane listeners for convincing ARN to keep her show on the air. 'Brissy, you did it! Thank you so much,' she began. 'We are coming back because of you and I can't tell you how grateful I am to be back behind the mic with Kip and Corey again on KIIS973. A reversal like this is a first.' Derek 'DB' Bargwanna, Head of KIIS Network, said the 'Brisbane listeners were clear about what they wanted'. 'Robin, Kip & Corey have a strong connection with this city, and the way things wrapped up meant the door was always open for us to reunite,' he added. It's become something of a cliche for Hollywood's leading men to parade a slew of beautiful young women around. These men - affectionately dubbed bachelors while their female counterparts are 'spinsters' - are revered in their social circles as they choose to remain unmarried. Now, however, there seems to be a trend in which male midlife celebrities are choosing to settle down and escape the 'golden bachelor' phase, which describes unmarried men over 60. This week, it emerged James Martin is the latest quinquagenarian to give up his single days - despite having vowed to never to get married. The TV chef, 53, is going back on his word to make things official with Kim Johnson, 39, two years after they started dating. While it's not clear what exactly prompted this U-turn, James is far from the only midlife celebrity who has chosen to settle down with a younger woman - as Daily Mail reveals. James Martin, 53, is the latest quinquagenarian to give up his single days - getting engaged to Kim Johnson, 39 - despite having vowed to never to get married (pictured in September) George Clooney It appears 53 is the magic number when it turns to turning one's back on bachelorhood. In 2014, Hollywood's most eligible bachelor George Clooney officially removed himself from the dating pool when he tied the knot with human rights barrister Amal Alamuddin, who was then 36. The pair first met in July 2013 after being introduced by a mutual friend, with sparks flying instantly as the pair 'stayed up all night talking'. After a whirlwind romance, George popped the question nine months later - despite having vowed to never marry again after his short-lived marriage to Talia Balsam fell apart in the Nineties. Explaining that Amal simply 'swept him off his feet', he said on the Smartless podcast: 'We got engaged after a few months and got married within the first year that we met. 'It surprised me more than probably anybody else in the world and everybody else was pretty surprised!' George, 64, went on to surprise himself again when he unearthed a paternal instict and started a family with Amal, 47. The couple are parents to eight-year-old twins Ella and Alexander. Join the debate What's YOUR take on the 'golden bachelor' club? In 2014, Hollywood's most eligible bachelor George Clooney officially removed himself from the dating pool at the age of 53 when he tied the knot with human rights barrister Amal Alamuddin, who was then 36 (pictured in 2016) George was first married to Talia Balsam but their union was short-lived, with George confessing he 'definitely wasn't someone who should have been married at that point' (pictured in 1990) Speaking about his decision U-turn, George told GQ: 'I was like, "Im never getting married. Im not gonna have kids. Im gonna work, Ive got great friends, my life is full, Im doing well." 'And I didnt know how un-full it was until I met Amal. And then everything changed. I was like, "Oh, actually, this has been a huge empty space". Id never been in the position where someone elses life was infinitely more important to me than my own. You know? And then tack on two more individuals, who are small and have to be fed.' Prior to marrying Amal, George had earned himself bachelor status after being linked to a string of women, including Lisa Snowdon, Krista Allen, Sarah Larson, Elisabetta Canalis, and Stacy Keibler. He married actress Talia, 66, in 1989 but their union was short-lived, with George filing for divorce three years later. Reflecting on the union years later, he confessed: 'I probably definitely wasn't someone who should have been married at that point. 'I just don't feel like I gave Talia a fair shot. I was responsible for the failure of that marriage.' Justin Theroux Last year, at the age of 53, Justin Theroux secretly tied the knot with actress Nicole Brydon Bloom, then 30, and the couple are now expecting their first child (pictured in December) He famously dated Jennifer Aniston for four years before they wed in 2015, but their marriage was short-lasting, with the couple separating two years later (pictured in 2015) Another celebrity who decided to settle down and start a family at 53 is Justin Theroux. Last year he secretly tied the knot with actress Nicole Brydon Bloom, then 30, during an intimate beach ceremony in Tulum, Mexico. Nine months later, it was revealed they were expecting their first child. Not much is known about Justin's dating history as he famously likes to keep his personal life to himself. However, he famously dated Jennifer Aniston for four years before they wed in 2015. Their marriage was short-lasting, with the couple separating two years later. Jennifer, 56, has since spoken about her secret 20-year struggle to conceive, admitting she tried IVF and herbal remedies in a mission to get pregnant. She said of her struggles, 'I would've given anything if someone had said to me, "Freeze your eggs. Do yourself a favour." You just don't think it. So here I am today.' On accepting that she won't conceive, she concluded: 'The ship has sailed.' Responding to Jennifer's candid claims, Justin showed his support at the time by commenting on her Instagram with a fist bump and heart emoji. Hugh Grant King of British rom-coms Hugh Grant was 58 when he tied the knot with Anna Eberstein, who was then 39. The couple have three children together (pictured in January 2025) Prior to marrying Anna, Hugh enjoyed a 13-year romance with actress and model Elizabeth Hurley as well as relationships with Jemima Khan (pictured in 2007) and Tinglan Hong King of British rom-coms Hugh Grant was 58 when he tied the knot with Anna Eberstein, who was then 39. While the couple had been dating for six years and had three children together at this point, many believed that Hugh wouldn't tie the knot. A source told The Sun on his wedding day: 'This is a day none of Hughs friends ever thought would come. He will soon be a pensioner and has finally become a family man.' Even Hugh, who met Anna in 2012 was surprised, having told People magazine in 2015: 'I'm not really a believer in marriage. 'I've seen very few good examples, maybe five, in my life, but I think otherwise it's a recipe for mutual misery.' Prior to marrying Anna, Hugh enjoyed a 13-year romance with actress and model Elizabeth Hurley, as well as relationships with Jemima Khan and Tinglan Hong - with whom he shares two children. Speaking after he tied the knot with Anna, Hugh admitted he was 'wrong' with his previous views on marriage and children. 'Well, I was just plain wrong. I was wrong,' he admitted. 'And children, you know. I used to roll my eyes. People would say, "Oh Hugh you dont understand it", but they were right.' Hugh added: 'It was very nice getting married. It was another thing I put off too many decades. Very nice. Very nice being married.' Chris Noth He famously played a bachelor in Sex And The City. And in a case of life imitating art, Chris Noth waited until he was 57 until he married his longtime girlfriend, Tara Wilson, then 30, in 2012 (pictured in 2021) Chris' character Mr Big was reluctant to settle down on Sex And The City before finally being won over by Carrie Bradshaw (pictured with Sarah Jessica Parker in the series) He famously played the bachelor Mr Big who was reluctant to settle down on Sex And The City before finally being won over by Carrie Bradshaw. And in a case of life imitating art, Chris Noth waited until he was 57 until he married his longtime girlfriend, Tara Wilson, then 30, in 2012. The couple had been together for 10 years and this point, welcoming son Orion in 2008. They welcomed second son, Keats, in February 2020. Chris and Tara's marriage hasn't always been smooth sailing, however, with Chris admitting in 2023 that he had cheated on Tara. Addressing allegations from multiple women that her had sexually assaulted them - claims he strongly denied - Chris confessed: 'I strayed on my wife, and it's devastating to her and not a very pretty picture. What it isn't is a crime.' Chris was dropped from And Just Like That... after the allegations but previously commented on his years-long relationship arc on the show. He said the Sex And The City movie - where Big and Carrie tie the knot - was 'a great look into Carrie and Big's relationship and what marriage means to them.' Chris added: 'No matter how long you've know someone, marriage changes some things in unexpected ways. And it's a learning process for Carrie and Big.' Will Forte Funnyman Will Forte was 51 years old when he married Olivia Modling, then 30, in 2021 during a surprise wedding ceremony. The couple have two children (pictured in 2021) Little is known about Will's prior dating history but the SNL star was linked to Mad Men star January Jones in 2015 (pictured) Funnyman Will Forte was 51 years old when he married Olivia Modling, then 30, in 2021. The couple tied the knot three years after meeting but Will admitted he was 'in no rush' to get married. They welcomed daughter Zoe in February 2021 and ultimately decided to make things official between them 10 weeks later during a surprise wedding ceremony. Reflecting on their decision to wed, Will explained: 'COVID goes by and we're quarantining for a long time. And then the baby is this wonderful news. We find out we're having a kid. 'And so we were in no rush, but every once in a while we would think about, "Let's just do it."' On the ceremony itself, Will added: 'My parents were totally surprised. It was so stressful, the two weeks where we were planning. I can't imagine having a year or more to stew over wedding plans. 'It already felt like we were married before. It doesn't feel a lot different, but it's still fun and exciting to say, "Wife." She's great. 'I needed to find somebody who was a very patient person and she's the most patient, understanding woman in the world. I'm feeling very happy and very lucky these days.' Will and Olivia welcomed second daughter Cecilia in 2022 and admitted in a chat with People that he's 'kind of an old man dad.' He revealed that Olivia pokes fun at his age, having bought him a sweatshirt emblazoned with 'Dad or Grandpa?' Little is known about Will's prior dating history but the SNL star was linked to Mad Men star January Jones in 2015. Warren Beatty Warren Beatty surprised his fans when he decided to tie the knot with Annette Bening in 1992. He was 54 at the time, while Annette was 33 (pictured in 2019) He was once one of Hollywood's most famous bachelors, enjoying flings with the likes of Madonna (pictured together in 1990's Dick Tracy) Cher, and Diane Keaton He was once one of Hollywood's most famous bachelors, enjoying flings with the likes of Madonna, Cher, and Diane Keaton. So Warren Beatty surprised his fans when he decided to tie the knot with Annette Bening in 1992. Aged 54 at the time, while Annette was 33, Warren said he knew he'd found 'The One' when they met on the set of the 1991 crime thriller, Bugsy. So sure he was of his decision, that he called director Barry Levinson moments after their first meeting to declare: 'I love her, and I'm going to marry her.' Yet while he was sure of his feelings, he admitted he did feel a pang of sadness thinking about passing up his playboy lifestyle. He recalled: 'It took about 10 minutes [to fall in love with her]. Maybe five. I was so elated to meet her, and yet at the same time, I began to mourn the passing of a way of life.' Warren, 88, added in a chat with Today: 'I had no doubt when I met Annette that it was time to get married,' noting that he 'wasnt trying to avoid marriage' but divorce. He continued: 'When you're older and you meet somebody, the decision-making process is a lot shorter... And that happened here and I listened to it. 'And by listening to it, it enabled me not to question it too much... and I never did.' Warren and Annette, 67, went on to welcome four children and are now considered to be one of Hollywood's greatest success stories owing to their three-decade marriage. James Martin Saturday Kitchen star James rounds off the list of stars who have settled down at 53, who last month the chef was said to have popped the question to Kim (pictured in April 2025) His engagement to Kim came exactly two years after he split from long-term girlfriend Louise Davies, 48, after 12 years together (pictured in 2015) Saturday Kitchen star James rounds off the list of stars who have settled down at 53. Last month the chef was said to have popped the question to Kim before gifting his bride-to-be a 150,000 Land Rover, which was said to have been an engagement present. While reports of an engagement swirled last month, but the claims were cemented this week when personal trainer Kim commented on one of his Instagram snaps: 'So proud of my fiance'. The proposal marks a sharp U-turn for James, after he previously insisted that he had no desire to ever tie the knot. Speaking to the Sunday People in 2019, he said: 'Marriage doesnt interest me in the slightest, mainly because Ive catered for so many weddings, really. 'I admire people who do it, thats fine, but Im quite happy. I dont need to spend 60 grand on a day, no, Im more than happy thanks.' His engagement to Kim came exactly two years after he split from long-term girlfriend Louise Davies, 48, after 12 years together. The chef and the TV producer first began dating in 2011 after they met on the set of Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and lived together at his Hampshire pad. In December 2023, a spokesperson for James confirmed that he and Louise had parted ways, but that they remain good friends. James and Kim's romance was first revealed when they were spotted shopping for jewellery at Tiffany's in Mayfair back in April last year. The couple appeared to take the next step in their relationship in October, when she moved into his country home in Hampshire. Zoe Ball's mystery boyfriend of over a year has been revealed after months of teasing from the star about her 'sexy' new man. A smiling Zoe, 55, was spotted snuggling up to BAFTA-winning production designer Mathieu Weekes, 49, during a coastal stroll near the Brighton home the TV presenter moved her beau into last year. Bundled up in a beanie hat and animal-print scarf, Zoe beamed as she walked arm in arm with Mathieu in her home town. The Daily Mail can reveal that Mathieu is an award-winning production designer who has worked on hit shows including The Traitors, I'm A Celeb, for which he won a 2021 BAFTA, Love Island and Squid Game: The Challenge. It was whilst designing the set for 2023 talent show Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream that Mathieu met Zoe, who presented the series filmed in Greece. Zoe's last public relationship with construction worker Michael Reed ended in 2023. The couple were first seen together at Glastonbury last June, a week after she first referred to 'my fella' while on Radio 2. He previously lived in Richmond and still owns a home there. Last month, Zoe opened up on her 'lover' and revealed what she finds 'sexy' about her partner - just weeks after confirming he had moved into her seaside home. Zoe Ball's mystery boyfriend has been revealed after months of teasing from the star about her 'sexy' new man Zoe, 55, was spotted snuggling up to BAFTA-winning production designer Mathieu Weekes, 49, during a low-key stroll near the Brighton home the TV star moved her beau into last year The star, who dramatically quit her Radio 2 show in December to spend more time with her loved ones, previously referred to Mathieu as 'The Lodger' during chats about him on her Dig It podcast which she co-hosts with pal Jo Whiley, where she hinted he can spend months away from the UK at a time. 'Sniffing pits is sexy though,' she confessed on a recent episode, 'I've often had this thing, when I've been sort of dating someone, I love smelling their armpits.' 'I know it sounds weird, but if you love someone, you've got to love all their smells, not necessarily their bathroom smells. I draw a line at that. But there's something about armpit smells that I think are really sexy.' She continued: 'My favourite thing to often do is sometimes, especially if I've not seen my lover for a while, is when they've got their arms around you, I'm like sniffing in the armpits, and I get a right old look. I'm like, I like that smell. It's a good smell. 'Do you remember doing that thing when you were dating someone, you were young, borrowing their clothes? I know my kids borrow their partner's clothes to keep them because they smell of them, which is really lovely. 'I have a thing that if my partner goes away, I don't like to wash the bed until they get back. A, because I'm worried they might not come back, and B, I love the smell. I love the smell of them on the pillows. 'I really love that. I remember also being a teenager and spraying Kuros or whatever it was, Paco Rabanne. I love the smells. That is always a sign. Bundled up in a beanie hat and animal-print scarf, Zoe beamed as she walked arm in arm with Mathieu in her home town The Daily Mail can reveal that Mathieu is an award-winning production designer who has worked on hit shows including The Traitors and I'm A Celeb, for which he won a 2021 BAFTA The star, who dramatically quit her Radio 2 show in December to spend more time with her loved ones, previously referred to Mathieu as 'The Lodger' during chats about him on her podcast 'If you go off someone, you know you've gone off them if they suddenly, the smells you used to love about them starts to smell a bit funky. You're like, nah, it's gone. 'It's gone because you got to love all their smells.' After graduating from The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Zoe's boyfriend Mathieu began his career as a scenic carpenter before founding his company Bizibot in 2012, and going on to work on some of the biggest shows in British telly. He earned a BAFTA Craft Award for the 2021 series of I'm A Celeb and has also earned Emmy nominations. Zoe previously revealed that her mystery boyfriend had 'more awards than her' during another conversation on Dig It. Last month Zoe opened up on her 'lover' and revealed what she finds 'sexy' about her partner - just weeks after confirming he had moved into her seaside home 'Sniffing pits is sexy though,' she confessed on a recent podcast episode, 'I've often had this thing, when I've been sort of dating someone, I love smelling their armpits' She continued: 'My favourite thing to often do is sometimes, especially if I've not seen my lover for a while, is when they've got their arms around you, I'm like sniffing in the armpits' After graduating, Zoe's boyfriend Mathieu began his career as a scenic carpenter before founding his company Bizibot in 2012, and going on to work on some of the biggest shows in British telly 'He's still around. He's still in your life?' Jo asked her on a recent episode. 'He's still here at the moment. He's still lodging,' replied Zoe. While the presenter did not reveal the name of her lodger, she explained how he has more awards than her. Speaking about her awards stash at home, she said: 'I think I got a Sony for turning up, which is very nice. 'No, I did get a Sony and it was given to me by Marianne Faithfull. I was well chuffed, really chuffed. And I think Caner of the Year for something I can't remember. 'We won a BAFTA for the last ever Live And Kicking, which was amazing. But I don't even have a copy of it. He earned a BAFTA Craft Awards for the 2021 series of I'm A Celeb and has also earned Emmy nominations Zoe previously revealed that her mystery boyfriend had 'more awards than her' during another conversation on Dig It It was whilst working on the set design for 2023 talent show Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream that Mathieu met Zoe, who presented the series filmed in Greece Mathieu previously shared this picture of his Bizbot team on Instagram (pictured fourth from left) 'I need to get one and put it on the... Yeah, the lodger has won loads of awards. I need to up my...' Jo added: 'Well, you need to get these awards (lodger) and put them on behind you now on the mantelpieces around you. Steal them. That's fine.' Zoe joked: 'Yeah. Maybe I'll just stop making myself some.' During an interview with The Sunday Times last weekend Zoe confirmed she had a new boyfriend whilst gushing about the success of her enduring relationship with ex husband Norman Cook. Zoe and Norman, also known as Fatboy Slim, split in 2018 after 18 years of marriage. The pair are parents to son Woody, 25, and daughter Nelly, 16. Despite their split, they have remained close friends with Norman even calling Zoe his 'soulmate'. During an interview with The Sunday Times last weekend Zoe confirmed she had a new boyfriend whilst gushing about the success of her enduring relationship with ex husband Norman Cook (pictured with their son Woody, their daughter Nelly and Woody's girlfriend) Zoe shared that even after their marriage has ended, she and Norman have stayed close and managed to juggle co-parenting alongside their busy careers 'We've been really lucky with our relationship,' she said. 'When he has wanted to do things, I've been able to say, "I'll be here for that bit." Just for this next six months, I need to be here.' In December Zoe stepped away her Radio 2 weekend show after just seven months, after previously quitting the coveted Breakfast Show slot in late 2024. She has explained that the move away from radio was in part due to the grief of losing her beloved mother Julia Peckham in April 2024 after a short battle with cancer with the star calling the months after her death 'a crazy, awful, hideous nightmare'. Her grief caused her to reassess her career path and hone in on her family relationships. 'The aftermath was really tough,' she told The Times, 'and for a lot of people that's when the wheels come off. I did just think, "what are you doing, kid? Where are we going with everything?"' Zoe's last public relationship was with former construction worker Michael Reed (pictured together in 2021) Before Michael, she began dating cameraman and technician Billy Yates, who tragically died by suicide in May 2017 after a long battle with depression (Zoe and Billy pictured together) Zoe's last public relationship was with former construction worker Michael Reed. The pair were together for five years before their split in 2023, as sources told The Sun the relationship began to break down after Michael became 'a bit demanding'. Before Michael, she began dating cameraman and technician Billy Yates, who tragically died by suicide in May 2017 after a long battle with depression. Channel Nine presenter Jonathan Kearsley is leaving the network after 14 years to accept a position with Sky News Australia. Kearsley joined the network in 2011 and has been their US correspondent since August 2022. Fiona Dear, Nine's executive director of news and current affairs, confirmed he was embarking on a career change on Monday. 'While we're sad to see him go, we respect his decision and wish him and his family all the best,' Dear told Mumbrella. To make room for Kearsley, Sky News has moved its US-based reporter, Annelise Nielsen, into the newly created role of Washington analyst. A network spokesperson said they were looking forward to working with Kearsley. Channel Nine presenter Jonathan Kearsley (pictured) is leaving the network after 14 years to accept a position with Sky News Australia '[This] strengthen Sky News' coverage of what promises to be a pivotal year in American politics ahead of the upcoming 2026 Midterm Elections,' they said. Kearsley has almost two decades of experience in the media, and has also worked for BBC News and WIN Television. In November, Channel Nine also lost another veteran reporter, who revealed she was leaving the network to embark on a surprising new career. Livinia Nixon first joined the network in 1997 and held the position of 9News Melbourne weather presenter since 2004. The TV presenter announced her shocking departure, saying she had decided to focus on her family while her sons enter their senior schooling years. 'After 20 years presenting weather on 9News, I've decided to step back from this role,' she said. 'My sons will both be in high school and I want to be there to support them. Join the debate What do high-profile TV departures say about loyalty and ambition in todays media industry? Kearsley joined the network in 2011 and has been their US correspondent since August 2022 'It's been a privilege to be welcomed into viewers' homes for so long, but this is the right time for my family. 'Presenting the weather has shaped my life and career. I owe this role everything but this is the right decision for me.' But while Livinia may be leaving her long-held role as the weeknight weather presenter, the media personality will not be exiting the Nine Network. Livinia will continue in her current presenting roles on Getaway and Postcards. 'I'm thrilled to be staying with Nine and will be continuing my roles on Getaway and Postcards,' she assured. 'I am incredibly grateful to the 9News team and our loyal audience for their support over so many years.' Nine's National News Director Hugh Nailon commended Livinia's vast career in the newsroom, calling her a 'shining star' of the industry. Elijah Wood recently revealed a little known fact about the Lord of the Rings trilogy. While speaking at a fan Q&A at Fan Expo Portland, he told the live audience that a particular line from the franchise was filmed during a pickup shoot in which extra bits are shot after the main production wraps. Frodo Baggins' well-known line, 'All right then, keep your secrets,' was 'actually shot during pickups,' the 44-year-old actor said, according to Collider. 'It was not shot during principal photography. Im pretty sure that sequence was from pickups,' he said of the The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring moment. The piece of dialogue is delivered by Wood's Baggins while speaking with Gandalf, played by Ian McKellen. Wood detailed how exhausting pickup shoots were as they required early call times and hours of prosthetic application. Elijah Wood, 44, has revealed a little known fact about The Lord of the Rings trilogy; pictured January 10 'Obviously, the folks who had a lot of makeup had the earliest pickup times. I think Lurtz, the Uruk-hai, was picked up just around midnight to then be put in makeup for five or six hours,' he recalled. 'My earliest pickup was during the first pickups in Osgiliath and I think it was 3:30 in the morning. It was brutal.' Last year at the 2025 Texas Film Awards, Wood hinted at how little he was paid for the three movies directed by Peter Jackson. He shared that the trio of films were shot under a single contract meaning there was no opportunity to renegotiate pay after the massive success of the initial feature film. 'Because we werent making one movie and then renegotiating a contract for the next, it wasnt the sort of lucrative scenario that you could sort of rest easy for the rest of your life,' he said per Business Insider. He added that Jackson took 'a real gamble' with the decision to film the movies at once rather than break up the process. The trilogy with a budget of $281 million went on to earn a staggering $2.9 billion worldwide, making it one of the most lucrative cinematic successes ever. Wood noted that regardless of the 'not massive salaries, the benefit of that was that we were also signing up for something that was going to be a part of our lives forever.' Frodo Baggins' well-known line, 'All right then, keep your secrets,' was 'actually shot during pickups,' the actor said; Seen in a still from The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers The trilogy with a budget of $281 million went on to earn a staggering $2.9 billion worldwide, making it one of the most lucrative cinematic successes ever His costars Sean Astin and Orlando Bloom previously divulged that they earned around $250,000 and $175,000 respectively for all three movies. Asked by Business Insider what exactly he was compensated for his part, Elijah said the sum was not accurate and 'doesnt matter.' He gushed, 'Its such an honor to have been a part of those films and they represent some of the best experiences of my life.' In 2024 it was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter that a new installment in the franchise titled Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is in the works. The Bachelorette star Katie Thurston revealed on Monday that both she and her mother are now battling breast cancer. The 35-year-old former reality TV star shared the news that her mother had been diagnosed with the disease on Instagram with a throwback photo of the two from her childhood. 'My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks ago. But it wasn't her doctors who discovered it,' Thurston began a series of captions on the same photo. Thurston who pushed back on a hoax claiming she had died last year went on to reveal that doctors had initially declined to do further testing on her mother after an inconclusive mammogram result, and it was only by advocating herself that her mother was properly diagnosed. The Daily Mail has reached out to Thurston for additional comment. 'Life update: my mom has #breastcancer. I flew to Seattle this weekend to be with her at her first appointment,' Thurston captioned the post. 'I want to make sure she is getting proper care and information. I hate that we have to be our biggest advocate but also, its what will save our life.' The Bachelorette star Katie Thurston revealed on Monday that her mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer nearly a year after her own diagnosis for the same disease Thurston, 35, said it was her mother's own advocacy which she urged on that helped her get the necessary tests to confirm that she had cancer; pictured in May in NYC Thurston went on to explain that 'Dense breasts need more than a mammogram to screen for cancer and yet somehow my mom had never been referred for further imaging. She noted that her mother would be 'getting more answers today,' but Thurston declared, 'I believe our own advocacy allowed us to catch this early.' The social media star continued in the comment section, adding, 'If you have [a] family history of breast cancer or dense breasts please request further imaging such as a breast ultrasound or breast MRI.' In her individual photo captions, Thurston explained that her mother's mammogram from December came back with results that 'said "negative" and "probably benign." However, her mother's doctors 'also notated [sic] her dense breasts but didn't recommend further imaging.' Despite the potential to have failed to detect cancer due to her dense breast tissue, Thurston said her mother's doctors 'told her to come back in a year for her annual mammogram.' 'They never suggested a breast ultrasound,' she added. Thurston said she urged her mother to ask for a breast ultrasound, explaining that 'Ultrasounds can find cancer hidden within dense breasts.' Thurston said her mother's mammogram was 'normal,' but doctors didn't recommend further scans despite her having dense breast tissue. But when her mother asked for additional testing despite her doctors' recommendations, her cancer was discovered Thurston starred on season 17 of The Bachelorette in 2021, which ended with her getting engaged to Blake Moynes, though they broke up just two months later in October 2021 Thurston's concern turned out to be completely warranted, as the breast ultrasound 'found suspicious masses,' so biopsies were performed on her mother's breast tissue and she was scheduled for a breast MRI. Thurston then summed up just how quickly her mother's world was turned upside down. 'Within two weeks of her "normal" mammogram and her advocating for herself, she was diagnosed with cancer,' she concluded her post. Thurston who starred on season 17 of The Bachelorette in 2021 previously revealed in February of last year that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. 'I had a small lump in my breast around the 10oclock spot,' she shared on Instagram. 'I discovered it myself. Thought maybe it was my period [or] maybe it was muscle soreness from working out. But, eventually, this lump never went away.' Just a month later, Thurston got married to the comedian Jeff Arcuri amid her cancer battle. The two had an intimate backyard ceremony shortly after she had moved from Los Angeles to New York to pursue fertility treatments. Thurston said she was trying to freeze her eggs in order to still be able to have her own children after her cancer treatments. Thurston revealed her breast cancer diagnosis in February 2025, and a month later she got married to the comedian Jeff Arcuri (pictured). Amid fertility treatments to freeze her eggs before beginning cancer treatments, Thurston revealed her cancer had progressed to stage IV after spreading to her liver But earlier this month, Thurston revealed that her 'liver MRI continued to show no evidence of disease,' though she won't have her breasts scanned until February Following the fertility treatments, she would be embarking on a round of chemotherapy, followed by surgery. But less than a week after Thurston and Arcuri tied the knot, she revealed that her cancer which had originally been diagnosed as stage III had progressed to stage IV after it metastasized and spread to her liver. However, just before she was set to begin chemotherapy, Thurston revealed to her fans that a new test indicated that she had HER2-negative cancer, contradicting an earlier test that suggested it was HER2-positive cancer. The negative variant, which is less common, also has a better prognosis, as it tends to be less aggressive, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Because of the new results, chemotherapy was put on hold in favor of less aggressive treatments. Earlier this month, Thurston shared some good news on social media, revealing that her 'liver MRI continued to show no evidence of disease.' She added that she won't know how the treatments are working on her breast cancer, as she won't be scanned until February. Hugh Bonneville put on a cosy display with girlfriend Heidi Kadlecova as they attended the London premiere of Is This Thing On? on Monday evening. The Downton Abbey actor, 62, cuddled up to the vegan influencer, 53, after revealing he felt 'blessed to start a new chapter' following a string of family tragedies and his split from wife of 25-years Lulu Williams. Hugh wrapped up warm in a double-breasted coat which he layered over a smart shirt and tie, while completing the look with a flat cap. Meanwhile Heidi looked looked chic in a long cream coat that was teamed with a velvet green maxi dress complete with key dole detailing. Is This Thing On? is a story about marriage and self-discovery, loosely inspired by the life of British comedian John Bishop and is directed by and stars Hollywood's Bradley Cooper. Hugh separated from his former wife in 2023 after losing his mother, brother and father in the space of six years. Hugh Bonneville put on a cosy display with girlfriend Heidi Kadlecova as they attended the London premiere of Is This Thing On? on Monday evening The Downton Abbey actor, 62, cuddled up to the vegan in fluencer, 53, after revealing he felt 'blessed to start a new chapter' following a string of family tragedies and his split from wife Now his relationship with Heid has gone from strength-to-strength, with Heidi accompanying him on the red carpet of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale in New York last September. The TV star admitted: 'I do feel very blessed and very content to have started a new chapter. 'I am more accepting of the wheel of life and how fortunate I have been to have, on the whole, good health and to do something I love.' In the February issue of Saga Magazine, Hugh reflected on the overwhelming grief he faced after his mother Patricia died. Patricia - whom he only learned later in life worked for MI6 - died aged 85 in 2014. It marked the beginning of a prolonged period of family loss that would deeply affect the actor. He said: 'The admin of the funeral and everything numbed the grief for a while. I didnt read any of the letters of commiseration or condolence we received until a year later, when I took them all with me to India. 'I was doing a film but had one weekend off, so I went on my own to this incredibly peaceful, quiet hotel in the middle of nowhere and read all the letters and absolutely let it all out. All the emotion. That was a very cathartic thing.' Hugh wrapped up warm in a double-breasted coat which he layered over a smart shirt and tie, while completing the look with a flat cap The actor his wife of 25 years, Lulu Williams (pictured), in 2023 after losing his mother, brother and father in the space of six years Is This Thing On? is a story about marriage and self-discovery, loosely inspired by the life of British comedian John Bishop (Will Arnett pictured in the movie) Hugh's brother Nigel died unexpectedly in his sleep two years later followed by his father John, a surgeon, in 2020 at the age of 93 after a battle with dementia. 'In terms of my outlook on life, having lost three significant members of my family, its made me more fatalistic,' he added. Hugh, who has a 22-year-old son, Felix, with his ex-wife is set to appear on stage at the Aldwych Theatre next month. He will portray CS Lewis in the West End production of Shadowlands. When asked if he would ever reprise his role as Lord Grantham following The Grand Finale of Downton Abbey, Hugh said he wouldn't be surprised if a spin-off show was created, but 'our company has left the building'. Julia Morris has stunned fans with her noticeably slimmed-down figure in promotional pictures from this season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia. The veteran presenter, 57, looked sensational as she posed alongside co-host Robert Irwin, showcasing her slender frame in a vibrant hot pink one-shoulder gown paired with white sneakers. She struck a confident pose on a raised wooden walkway surrounded by lush jungle greenery. Meanwhile, she looked just as glamorous in a bold chartreuse off-the-shoulder dress, again styled with sneakers. Julia beamed as she smiled broadly alongside the Wildlife Warrior, 22, who was dapper in a relaxed cream short-sleeve shirt and trousers. The latest series of the Channel Ten reality TV series features The Brady Bunch star Barry Williams, New Zealand supermodel Rachel Hunter, actor Gary Sweet and reality TV veteran Matt Zukowski. Julia Morris has stunned fans with her noticeably slimmed-down figure in promotional pictures from this season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia The veteran presenter, 57, looked sensational as she posed alongside co-host Robert Irwin, showcasing her slender frame in a vibrant hot pink one-shoulder gown paired with white sneakers Julia had been hosting I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Australia since 2015. In 2024, it was claimed Julia feels she is being 'overshadowed' by new co-host Robert on the popular reality series, who replaced her former co-star Dr Chris Brown. A TV insider told Daily Mail that Julia has been feeling pressure to 'keep up' with 22-year-old Robert's natural banter. 'While the viewers have celebrated the arrival of Robert Irwin as host, Julia is feeling fatigued by the pressure to match his natural energy,' an on-set source said. 'It is like when you agree to babysit your friend's kid and you pretend you love it... until you don't. You tell their parents you love their child like it's your own but secretly you would love a wine and to put the kid to bed.' 'That is where Julia is at and there are executives trying to avoid this coming across on camera.' The insider claimed producers made Julia and Robert spend two weeks together prior to filming to build their chemistry but admitted it was a challenge for her. Meanwhile, she looked just as glamorous in a bold chartreuse off-the-shoulder dress, again styled with sneakers Julia had been hosting I'm A Celebrity...Get Mer Out Of Here! Australia since 2015. Pictured with former co-star Dr Chris Brown in 2020 The source said Julia has had her 'fair share of experience in comedy' but not as much as Robert who 'performs all day at Australia Zoo'. Robert is reportedly paving his own way with his role on I'm A Celebrity and 'couldn't be more popular at the moment.' Kim Kardashian showcased substantial cleavage in a racy new slideshow she titled 'Lately' for the viewing pleasure of her captive, combined 494.8million social media following. The 45-year-old reality star nearly spilled out of the perilously low-cut brown halter dress selected by her stylist Dani Levi, which could have been leather or pleather. Hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos gave Kardashian a 'hot girl blowout' and fastened her waist-length extensions for a mystery night out. Make-up artist Ash K. Holm - who fully contoured The Kardashians producer-star's complexion - previously shared snaps of her in the same dress on January 10. Kardashian's slideshow also included a photo posing with her longtime best friends Sarah Meyer Michaelson, Ashley Kassan, Allison Statter, Simone Harouche and Zoe Winkler Reinis. The Skims CCO/founding partner included a Polaroid of her four children - son Saint, 10; daughter Chicago, 8; son Psalm, 6; and daughter North, 12 - before they celebrated Christmas with herself and third ex-husband Kanye 'Ye' West. Kim Kardashian showcased substantial cleavage in a racy new slideshow she titled 'Lately' for the viewing pleasure of her captive, combined 494.8million social media following The 45-year-old reality star nearly spilled out of the perilously low-cut brown halter dress selected by her stylist Dani Levi, which could have been leather or pleather The former couple 'were cordial with each other' and the disgraced 47-year-old rapper 'has been really working on himself' after backlash over various scandals - according to TMZ. Ye reportedly pays Kardashian $200,000/month in child support as part of their 20/80 custody arrangement after ending their six-year marriage in 2021. The Calabasas socialite appears to be doing everything but studying for the State Bar of California exam, which she failed on November 7 over not scoring the minimal 1,390 out of 2,000 points. It's unclear if Kardashian has registered to retake the rigorous two-day test in person again on February 24-25. Last time, the aspiring attorney studied for four months straight and 'obsessively' devoted the two weeks before the test to tackling 'one subject per day' with her professors. 'It was disappointing, but it wasn't the end,' Kardashian wrote of failing. 'This dream means too much to me to walk away from, so I'm going to keep studying, keep learning and keep showing up for myself until I get there.' The half-Armenian billionaire always dreamed of following the footsteps of her late father Robert Kardashian, who was part of the late OJ Simpson's 'dream team' of defense attorneys at his 1995 murder trial. Hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos gave Kardashian a 'hot girl blowout' and fastened her waist-length extensions for a mystery night out Make-up artist Ash K. Holm - who fully contoured The Kardashians producer-star's complexion - previously shared snaps of her in the same dress on January 10 Kardashian's slideshow also included a photo posing with her longtime best friends (from L-R) Sarah Meyer Michaelson, Ashley Kassan, Allison Statter, Simone Harouche and Zoe Winkler Reinis The Skims CCO/founding partner included a Polaroid of her four children - son Saint, 10; daughter Chicago, 8; son Psalm, 6; and daughter North, 12 - before they celebrated Christmas with herself and third ex-husband Kanye 'Ye' West Kardashian appears to be doing everything but studying for the State Bar of California exam, which she failed November 7 over not scoring the minimal 1,390 out of 2,000 points Last time, Kardashian studied for four months straight and 'obsessively' devoted the two weeks before the test to tackling 'one subject per day' with her professors The aspiring attorney wrote of failing: 'It was disappointing, but it wasn't the end. This dream means too much to me to walk away from, so I'm going to keep studying, keep learning and keep showing up for myself until I get there' Kardashian always dreamed of following the footsteps of her late father Robert Kardashian (M, pictured in 1995), who was part of the late OJ Simpson's (R) 'dream team' of defense attorneys at his murder trial This spring, Kardashian will executive produce and reprise her role as divorce attorney Allura Grant leading an all-female law firm in the second season of Ryan Murphy's legal drama All's Fair despite absolutely dismal reviews. The criminal justice reform advocate's other upcoming projects include producing and starring in season eight of The Kardashians and Amazon's live-action Bratz film for Amazon MGM Studios. Kardashian is starring in Eva Longoria's Netflix comedy The Fifth Wheel and an Amazon thriller penned by Natalie Krinsky, as well as producing Hulu pilot Group Chat starring La La Anthony. Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst has died at the age of 70 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The sad news was announced on Tuesday, less than a year after Hirst first revealed he was was diagnosed with the disease. The musician is survived by his wife Lesley Holland and his daughters, Gabriella, Lex and Jay. 'We are shattered and grieving the loss of our brother Rob,' the band shared on their official Facebook page on Tuesday. 'For now there are no words but there will always be songs. Love Always from Jim, Martin & Pete.' Hirst, who had first learned he had cancer three years ago, went public with his illness last April in a bid to raise awareness. Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst (pictured) has died at the age of 70 after a battle with pancreatic cancer The veteran drummer has been performing alongside frontman Peter Garrett in Midnight Oil since 1972. Pictured with Peter and the band in their heyday in 1988 'I wanted to get the story of pancreatic cancer out there, because it's one of those cancers that most people don't really register,' Hirst previously told The Australian. 'It hasn't really attracted the attention, for example, of skin cancers or breast cancers or others but it's really on the rise.' The Sydney-born star was receiving ongoing treatment at the time. 'It's ongoing. I've had pretty much every treatment known to man every scan, ultrasound, MRI. I've kind of had "the works". Today I'm feeling really good,' he said. Pancreatic cancer is particularly deadly due to aggressive growth and limited effective treatment options. The survival rate is very low compared to other cancers, with only about 10 per cent of patients surviving five years or more after diagnosis. Hirst said the shock diagnosis had put things into perspective and he urged people to get tested if they felt unwell. 'Coming up to two years, I thought I just need to get this, literally, off my chest,' he said last April. 'If you do have any of that kind of symptom, where there's something you feel is wrong, just go and get a simple blood test. 'It could be life-changing and life-extending.' He co-wrote some of their most beloved songs, including Beds are Burning, Blue Sky Mine and Power and the Passion, with its famous drum solo. Pictured in 1988 'We are shattered and grieving the loss of our brother Rob,' the band shared on their official Facebook page on Tuesday. Pictured in 2017 Hirst, who had been diagnosed with cancer three years ago, went public with his illness last April in a bid to raise awareness The veteran drummer has been performing alongside frontman Peter Garrett in Midnight Oil since 1972. He co-wrote some of their most beloved songs, including Beds are Burning, Blue Sky Mine and Power and the Passion, with its famous drum solo. Hirst has two daughters, Lex and Gabriella, from his marriage to his wife Lesley Holland. In 2010, he discovered he had a third daughter - a secret love child - Australian country music star Jay O'Shea. The pair forged a relationship with each other when Jay, 51, was an adult. Jay was adopted as a baby and has always longed to find out who her biological parents were. After 15 years of searching for answers, she was finally united with Hirst in 2010 at Bronte Beach, thanks to her biological mother. Rafe Spall was supported by his Trying co-star girlfriend Esther Smith on Monday at a screening for his new series, Under Salt Marsh, in London. The couple went public with their romance back in November 2022, after their screen romance on the set of Apple+ comedy Trying, turned to real-life love. Posing for photos on the red carpet at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, Rafe, 42, sweetly kissed Esther, 40, on the forehead. The actor looked smart in a green, double breasted blazer, which he paired with a polka dot tie. Meanwhile, Esther opted for a black jumper dress, layered over a sheer sequinned skirt and teamed with heeled boots. They were joined at the screening by Rafe's co-star Kelly Reilly, 48, who looked glamorous in a plunging lace top and flares trousers. Rafe Spall was supported by his Trying co-star girlfriend Esther Smith on Monday at a screening for his new series, Under Salt Marsh, in London The couple went public with their romance back in November 2022, after their screen romance on the set of Apple+ comedy Trying, turned to real-life love Miniseries Under Salt Marsh, which is set for release on January 30, sees Rafe take on the role of Detective Eric Bull. Set in a tight-knit community in Wales it follows teacher and former detective Jackie Ellis (played by Kelly) as she discovers the body of her 8-year-old pupil, Cefin, who has seemingly drowned. A plot synopsis reads: 'The discovery sends shockwaves through the community, reviving the ghost of an unsolved cold case that rocked the town three years prior - the disappearance of Jackies niece, Nessa, which cost her career.' In Trying, Rafe and Esther portray couple Jason Ross and Nikki Newman who want to become parents, but struggle to conceive a child. The real-life couple went public with their romance in November 2022, after it was revealed Rafe and former Hollyoaks star Elize du Toit - who have three children together - had split after 12 years. In November 2024 Rafe and his partner Esther were pictured with their new baby for the first time as they enjoyed a family day out in London. They had announced the pregnancy during an appearance on Lorraine in May 2024, though they didn't reveal when the tot was due or the sex. In July 2022, Rafe told Filmhounds of his relationship with Esther: 'I get to hang out with Esther all day. We really get on. She's my favourite person I've ever done acting with.' The actor looked smart in a green, double breasted blazer, which he paired with a polka dot tie They were joined at the screening by Rafe's co-star Kelly Reilly, 48, who looked glamorous in a plunging lace top and flares trousers In another interview, he told Nerds That Geek: 'People often comment on the chemistry that we have with each other. 'And I'm really pleased that people enjoy it, but they won't enjoy it as much as we do.' Trying has been renewed for a fifth series on Apple TV+ although a release date is yet to be revealed. The fourth season saw the couple's life fast-forwarded six years with Nikki (Smith) and Jason (Spall) being experienced adopters having built a lovely little nuclear family, enriched by an extraordinary support network. However, as their teenage daughter, Princess (Rayner), starts to yearn for a connection with her birth mother, Nikki and Jason find themselves confronted with the ultimate test of their parenting skills. Spice Girls fans have begged Victoria Beckham for a reunion tour announcement to distract from Brooklyn's astonishing attack on his parents. The 26-year-old, who is the eldest child of Victoria and David Beckham, took to social media on Monday to finally break his silence on their long-running feud. While attention is now firmly on the Beckham clan and their estranged son's wife Nicola Peltz, fans of the Spice Girls have seen this controversy as a way to announce a reunion tour. Flooding social media with comments, they speculated how Posh Spice reuniting with her former bandmates would be the perfect way to distract from the noise of her nuclear fallout with Brooklyn. One posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'I think its time to reunite with the Spice Girls. That might be the only way Victoria Beckham can come out of this.' More fans of the 90s girl group also shared the same sentiment: 'Oh Victoria Beckham is definitely going to need to set up THE SPICE GIRLS reunion and go on tour to rehabilitate her image now. Watch her bring back Posh Spice & the girls'; Spice Girls fans have begged for a reunion tour announcement to distract from Brooklyn Beckham's astonishing attack on his parents While attention is firmly on the Beckham clan and their estranged son's wife Nicola Peltz, fans of the Spice Girls have seen this controversy as a way to announce a reunion tour Brooklyn released his six page statement about his parents on Monday night, where he said he has no wishes to reconcile with his family and he was standing up for himself 'for the first time in my life' 'Perfect time for queen Victoria to put that pr to good use and do the spice girls reunion tour'; 'Victoria Beckhams PR team can only do one thing to make people stop talking about this Brooklyn mess. And thats announce a Wembley run of Spice Girls shows with all five girls. Sharpish'; 'Theres only one way the Beckham brand can bury these Brooklyn revelations. They are in need of some great PR. Its time for Victoria to announce that shes agreeing to a Spice Girls reunion in time for the 30th anniversary'; 'We need that Spice Girls announcement.. right about now'; 'Brooklyn Beckham might have just gotten us the full Spice Girls reunion'. The Spice Girls last performed together during the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, and without fashion designer Victoria in 2019 because she wanted to focus on her family and her business. Just last week Mel C said she is 'always optimistic' about a reunion as the Spice Girls head towards their 30th anniversary. Brooklyn released his six page statement about his parents on Monday night, where he said he has no wishes to reconcile with his family and he was standing up for himself 'for the first time in my life'. Not holding back, the chef went as far as to say he has been 'controlled by a family that values public promotion above all else' and that since being with Nicola, he has found 'peace and relief' after battling crippling anxiety. The Spice Girls last performed together during the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, and without fashion designer Victoria in 2019 (pictured in 1997) Spice Girls fans have publicly said Posh Spice announcing a reunion with her bandmates would distract from the noise of the fallout The chef said fractures within the family began during their wedding in April 2022 as he claimed his mother Victoria, 51, and dad David 'endlessly tried' to ruin their relationship. Brooklyn also claimed Victoria, who has her own fashion brand, cancelled making Nicola's wedding dress at the 'eleventh hour' and hijacked their first dance which left him so 'embarrassed' they decided to renew their vows without his family last year. He also hit out at his father, as he said he was in the UK to attend David's 50th celebrations, but claimed repeated requests to see him beforehand were ignored and 'when he finally agreed to see me, it was under the condition that Nicola wasn't invited'. In an impassioned statement, Brooklyn wrote: 'I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. 'Unfortunately my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed. 'I do not want to reconcile with my family. I'm not being controlled, I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life. 'For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. 'The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into. Brooklyn and Nicola last pictured with the Beckham family in December 2024 (L-R Cruz, Romeo, Brooklyn, Harper, David, Victoria and Nicola) Brooklyn said fractures within the family began during their wedding in 2022 as he claimed his mother Victoria, 51, and dad David 'endlessly tried' to ruin their relationship (pictured in 2024) 'Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they'll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always come out.' Brooklyn went on to address his wedding to Nicola, claiming there had been repeated attempts to ruin their relationship. He wrote: 'My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn't stopped. 'My mum cancelled making Nicola's dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress.' 'Weeks before our big day, my parents repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children. 'They were adamant on me signing before my wedding date because then the terms of the deal would be initiated.' The Daily Mail revealed that relations between the Beckhams broke down so completely last summer that at one point, Brooklyn asked his parents to contact him only via their respective lawyers, Schillings and Harbottle & Lewis. One source told the Mail: 'David was told to speak to them via Schillings. That was the only way for them to communicate.' John Bishop and his wife Melanie looked more besotted than ever on Monday night, as the couple arrived at the star-studded gala screening of Is This Thing On? in London. The comedian, 59, and his writer wife of over three decades, served as the real life inspiration for the Bradley Cooper-helmed film, which is loosely based on John's start in stand-up comedy and how it saved their marriage. Walking the red carpet hand-in-hand, the couple put on a smitten display as they dressed to the nines in coordinating suits. John cut a dapper figure in a charcoal double-breasted blazer and a grey turtleneck underneath, while Melanie looked radiant in a bright purple jacket and trousers, teamed with a trio of silver necklaces and strappy heels. The Liverpudlian comic was also seen being warmly greeted by the leads of the film, Will Arnett and Laura Dern - who play a couple based on John and Melanie. Is This Thing On? is directed by Oscar-nominee Bradley, with Will playing newbie comic Alex Novak and Laura as his soon to be ex-wife Tess. John Bishop and his wife Melanie looked more besotted than ever on Monday night, as the couple arrived at the star-studded gala screening of Is This Thing On? in London The comedian, 59, and his writer wife of over three decades, served as the real life inspiration for the Bradley Cooper-helmed film, which is loosely based on John's start in stand-up comedy and how it saved their marriage Walking the red carpet hand-in-hand, the couple put on a smitten display as they dressed to the nines in coordinating suits Bradley also stars in the Hollywood movie as deluded actor and best friend of Alex, Balls, while Andra Day plays his wife Christine. The flick follows sees Alex seek a new purpose in the New York comedy scene as his marriage quietly unravels, while Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family. Their decisions force them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form. And plot is inspired by the actual story of how John and Melanie got their relationship back on track, following an 18-month period of separation in 2000 and 2001. The couple met at college in Manchester and tied the knot in 1993, going on to welcome three sons, Joe, 31, Luke, 29, and Daniel, 27. However, John has candidly branded himself in the early days of his marriage, as a blunt, unemotional Northerner who was unable to express his feelings to his wife. The marriage eventually crumbled, with the pair beginning divorce proceedings and to cheer himself up in the dark time, he decided to sign up to an open-mic night at a comedy club - marking his first foray into comedy. Despite not knowing what he had volunteered for, which he only did to avoid paying a 4 entry fee, he was a roaring success, in front of a modest crowd of seven. John cut a dapper figure in a charcoal double-breasted blazer and a grey turtleneck underneath, while Melanie looked radiant in a bright purple jacket and trousers, teamed with a trio of silver necklaces and strappy heels The Liverpudlian comic was also seen being warmly greeted by the leads of the film, Will Arnett and Laura Dern - who play a couple based on John and Melanie (L-R Bradley, Laura, Will and John) Is This Thing On? is directed by Oscar-nominee Bradley, with Will playing newbie comic Alex Novak and Laura as his soon to be ex-wife Tess (Laura seen leaving afterparty with Jaya Harper) Bradley also stars in the Hollywood movie as deluded actor and best friend of Alex, Balls, while Andra Day plays his wife Christine John was encouraged to return every week, which became therapeutic for him, as he made jokes about his ongoing divorce and became the start of his incredible comedy career. And a year later, an unaware Melanie happened to attend the comedy club and see John's routine for the first time, which reminded her of the man she had first met and fallen for. Approaching him at the bar after his set, the pair talked and ended up rekindling their relationship and calling off their divorce. They have stayed together ever since. The heartwarming story of reconciliation was brought to the big screen after John relayed the story to Will, who decided to use it as the basis for a screenplay, which he wrote with Bradley and Mark Chappell. Recalling how his real life became a Hollywood film, John told Empire: 'In the first conversations with Will and Mark, it was like, "It shouldnt be a biopic of us. It should be the essence of the story taken somewhere else". 'I love the idea that it was taken to North America. I thought it would open the story up to more people.' He admitted seeing his real love story played out on the screen was deeply personal, saying: 'When me and Melanie watched it in a small screening room for the first time, it was like watching a memory'. While Melanie also praised the movie, despite it depicting a difficult time in her life, telling The Times: 'Actually I am really pleased. Its a beautiful film. The flick follows sees Alex seek a new purpose in the New York comedy scene as his marriage quietly unravels, while Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family And plot is inspired by the actual story of how John and Melanie got their relationship back on track, following an 18-month period of separation in 2000 and 2001 Approaching him at the bar after his set, the pair talked and ended up rekindling their relationship and calling off their divorce. They have stayed together ever since 'I read the script and its how I would have imagined it to be filmed. Its quite grainy. They did it with two cameras, so its really up close. Youre right in it.' John previously described how his marriage simply 'wasn't working' as he reflected on how he got his start in comedy. He told the Irish Times back in 2013: 'What killed me was only seeing the children at weekends. 'When they went back to their mother on a Sunday night I used to go out for a drink. That's really why the stand-up started.' With momentum built in the weeks and months after that first fateful evening, and his marriage back on track, he left a high-flying job in marketing in his late thirties to pursue his career as a funny man. 'I was married with children, had a great job, a mortgage, a pension plan, BUPA health insurance,' he explained. 'There was a company car, credit cards, the lot but I walked away from it all, and foolishly so, because I had this mad idea that I could make strangers laugh. The heartwarming story of reconciliation was brought to the big screen after John relayed the story to Will, who decided to use it as the basis for a screenplay, which he wrote with Bradley and Mark Chappell John previously described how his marriage simply 'wasn't working' as he reflected on how he got his start in comedy 'Yes, my mates in the pub had told me I was funny but that wasn't good enough for me and I had to give up my life and start on the bottom rung of the comedy ladder to prove it to myself.' John quickly began to win awards, including BBC Radio Merseyside's best newcomer in 2004 and the North West Comedy Award for best stand-up in 2004. An appearance on Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow in 2009 came next, before a turn at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. And he soon made his way into TV, including British comedy classics like 8 Out Of 10 Cats, BBC's Live At The Apollo and Have I Got News For You. Brooklyn Beckham's feud with his family took an explosive turn on Monday as he released an astonishing statement accusing his parents of 'controlling' his life. And while there had been rumours swirling for years that tensions were brewing behind-the-scenes, clips have shown that things weren't always so frosty. Following their wedding, Brooklyn and Nicola made a series of carefully-planned public appearances with the Beckham family, in most cases to promote one of their many business ventures. For many months these dispelled any speculation of drama, with beaming smiles presenting the image of a picture-perfect family. While these certainly show how Nicola's relationship with the Beckhams has evolved, some hint that tensions were brewing as a 2023 video showed Nicola appearing visibly uncomfortable at the Beckham premiere. Here's a look at the public appearances displaying Nicola's relationship with the Beckham family, before her and Brooklyn's fallout went nuclear... While Brooklyn Beckham's feud with his family went nuclear on Monday, Nicola Peltz's public appearance with the Beckham family have shown things weren't always so frosty Nicola and Brooklyn were alongside Victoria and the Beckham family when she unveiled her latest collection at Paris Fashion Week in 2024 The following year, Brooklyn's growing distance from his parents meant him and Nicola were noticeably absent from Victoria's show (pictured at the 2024 show) Victoria's Paris Fashion Week Show Nicola and Brooklyn were alongside Victoria and the Beckham family when she unveiled her latest collection at Paris Fashion Week in 2024. The couple opted for matching ensembles as they sat beside Cruz, his girlfriend Jackie Apostel and Victoria's best friend Eva Longoria. However, while the Beckham all departed their hotel together, Brooklyn and Nicola left separately to go and support Victoria, perhaps hinting at the growing feud. At the time David posed for a snap with sons Romeo and Cruz and daughter Harper, and joked getting the image was 'a little challenging' as they all needed to give their 'approval' before he could post it. The following year, Brooklyn's growing distance from his parents meant him and Nicola were noticeably absent from Victoria's show. While the Beckham family had put on multiple shows of unity, tensions had clearly been brewing for some time, footage showed the actress looking visibly uncomfortable A clip of a stony-faced Nicola Peltzbeing pulled into a Beckham family picture has resurfaced from the premiere of David's Netflix docuseries Nicola's stony expression While the Beckham family had put on multiple shows of unity, tensions had clearly been brewing for some time, as back in 2023, a year after Brooklyn and Nicola married, footage showed the actress looking visibly uncomfortable at the Beckham Netflix premiere in London. Footage shows David and Victoria posing for cameras with Brooklyn next to them. Brooklyn then reaches out of shot to encourage Nicola to join the group picture before she reluctantly moves in and then appears to shoot Victoria and David a tense glance. Comments under the clip on Monday read: 'Could Victoria's shoulder be more cold?', 'They look so uncomfortable here. Sad.', 'You can cut the atmosphere with a knife.', 'Well they all look happy...'. The Beckham, minus David, came out in force to support Nicola at the premiere of her film Lola back in 2024, with the actress draping her arm around the designer Display of unity at Nicola's film premiere The Beckham, minus David, came out in force to support Nicola at the premiere of her film Lola back in 2024. The appearance came in the wake of speculation that a feud between the actress and mother-in-law Victoria had been brewing, when the designer pulled out of making her Nicola's wedding dress. At the time, the pair attempted to put an end to claims of tension with a united display at the premiere, with Nicola even wearing one of Victoria's designs. The budding star affectionately draped her right arm over her mother-in-law's shoulder, and Victoria was seen grabbing hold of her hand with her own. Victoria also wrote a sweet message on Instagram: 'we could not be more proud of you! Congratulations on your incredible film, Lola. officially in theatres February 9th! Kisses xx' Victoria and Nicola seemed to be on much happier terms in 2024 when they showed off their dancing moves together in a fun Instagram video Victoria, Brooklyn and Nicola were filmed smiling and singing along to famous Spice Girlsdebut single Wannabe during a night out in Los Angeles Dancing the night away Victoria and Nicola seemed to be on much happier terms in 2024 when they showed off their dancing moves together in a fun Instagram video. Victoria, Brooklyn and Nicola were filmed smiling and singing along to famous Spice Girls debut single Wannabe during a night out in Los Angeles. Victoria had been on hand to help her daughter-in-law celebrate the release of new film Lola - her directorial debut - at the city's Regency Bruin Theatre. Just two years ago Victoria had raved about her 'loving daughter-in-law' Nicola and their shared love of a dance floor in a gushing post The clip has gained new attention in the wake of Brooklyn's statement, after he accused his mother of hijacking his first dance with Nicola at their 2022 wedding Birthday tribute on the beach Just two years ago Victoria had raved about her 'loving daughter-in-law' Nicola and their shared love of a dance floor in a gushing post. To celebrate Nicola's 29th birthday in January 2024, Victoria shared a video of herself and the actress holding hands and dancing on a beach, and raved about their 'loving' relationship in the caption. 'Happy birthday @NicolaAnnePeltzBeckham We love you so much!! Your love, kindness, talent and your ability to dance on sand in a major wedge!! 'The best dance partner and loving daughter in law. We love you, have an amazing day!!!!! Xxxxxx'. Victoria shared the same video a year later to mark Nicola's 30th. The clip has gained new attention in the wake of Brooklyn's statement, after he accused his mother of hijacking his first dance with Nicola at their 2022 wedding, leaving him so 'embarrassed' they decided to renew their vows without his family last year. Martin Scorsese's daughter Francesca delighted fans on Monday, as she took to her TikTok to share a hilarious new video featuring her famous father giving his opinions on what she should look for in a potential partner. The 26-year-old nepo baby has amassed a whopping 433.7k followers on TikTok thanks to her entertaining posts featuring the acclaimed director, 83, which often see the film legend roped in to take part in the latest Gen Z trend. And her latest clip was met with praise and laughter online, after she asked her dad to decide if the qualities in a boy she was speaking to qualified as 'red flags' or 'green flags'. In dating, a 'red flag' is a warning sign in a person that usually is a harbinger of relationship doom, while a 'green flag' is a positive trait that indicates somebody is worth dating long-term. However, Francesca tricked Marty into branding 'complaining a lot', 'being very private' and working in 'anything to do with film', as red flags, without the Goodfellas star realising that she was describing his own qualities. Captioning the video: 'Asking my dad if these are red or green flags, but actually just describing him', the TikToker began by checking that Martin understood the terminology. Martin Scorsese's daughter Francesca delighted fans on Monday, as she took to her TikTok to share a hilarious new video featuring her famous father giving his opinions on what she should look for in a potential partner The 26-year-old nepo baby has amassed a whopping 433.7k followers on TikTok thanks to her entertaining posts featuring the acclaimed director, 83, which often see the film legend roped in to take part in the latest Gen Z trend And her latest clip was met with praise and laughter online, after she asked her dad to decide if the qualities in a boy she was speaking to qualified as 'red flags' or 'green flags' The filmmaker said: 'Yeah, [red flag] means danger, stay away... Green means go. Like red light means stop, green light means go. Or so they tell me.' Francesca then pretended to be asking what he thought about someone she was interested in dating, saying: 'So I'm talking to this guy and I need you to tell me if these things about him are either red flags or green flags.' Marty quickly insisted that being 'very private' was a negative and that being 'obsessed with his dog' and 'reading a lot' as definite green flags. While he took his own dig at his daughter after deeming 'he spoils me' to be a red flag, shooting back: 'No, you're already spoiled! You want to be even more spoiled?' as a laughing Francesca insisted: 'There's never too much!' When asked if he approved of someone that 'complains a lot', the self-aware star replied: 'Ah red flag. You don't want somebody who complains like me all the time.' But when his youngest child poked fun at the rambling and detailed answers he gave, he ironically went into a long explanation about why it was a green flag, to a point. Francesca said: 'When I ask him a question it takes him like 10 minutes to respond and to get to the point, he just goes on so many tangents.' 'But I think that might be good for you, because attention span has now gotten so short. So I'd say green on that,' replied Martin. However, Francesca tricked Marty into branding 'complaining a lot', 'being very private' and working in 'anything to do with film', as red flags, without the Goodfellas star realising that she was describing his own qualities Hilariously, he also claimed that working in the very industry he'd had a career in spanning over 60 years, was also a definite turn-off (pictured with his Oscar in 2007) He then clarified: 'Depending if it becomes babble and the man doesn't know what he's talking about. Like come on, pull it back to the point! 'I mean you can go off on tangents but you its how they support the primary thought process, yeah...' He was also quick to shoot down the idea of Francesca dating older, saying: 'Oh red flag, red flag, just in general', and when she suggested a 50 year old, he declared: 'That's too old. Very different life experiences, you'll see.' Hilariously, he also claimed that working in the very industry he'd had a career in spanning over 60 years, was also a definite turn-off. In response to Francesca saying: 'I already know what you're going to say to this - he's in film', the Taxi Driver star quickly said: 'Oh, it's a red flag. Anything to do with film!', replying to her suggestion of a director with: 'Oh no, no no!' However, the Oscar winner then backtracked, conceding: 'Well depends what you want in your life. You act, you direct, you write, so you could probably have a relationship with someone who does the same.' But at the end of the video, when Francesca asked whether he approved of her dating this guy, Martin vehemently interrupted to declare: 'No, he doesn't seem good. There were so many red flags! Seriously... There were so many negative things!' His daughter collapsed into hysterics as she gently held his hands to reveal: 'Dad, it's you!' causing the filmmaker's jaw to drop. She collapsed into hysterics as she revealed: 'Dad, it's you!' causing the filmmaker's jaw to drop, as he said: 'It's me?! Well look what's happened! Red flags, no please you should stay away from people like me! The TikTok video immediately racked up thousands of views and likes on the social media platform, as fans praised the father and daughter's heartwarming dynamic and poked fun at Martin's unintentionally ironic answers While Francesca replied to one comment saying: 'him going on a tangent about the tangent question' with: ''No and I literally cut half of it out. HALF.' Chuckling, he said in faux-outrage: 'It's me?! Well look what's happened! Red flags, no please you should stay away from people like me! 'What's the matter with this kid, didn't I teach you anything? Oh God.' The TikTok video immediately racked up thousands of views and likes on the social media platform, as fans praised the father and daughter's heartwarming dynamic and poked fun at Martin's unintentionally ironic answers. They wrote: 'I didnt know I needed Dad Scorsese content but now thats all I want'; 'hes in film oh its a red flag i love him'; 'hes such a Girl Dad'. 'The way he went on a tangent to describe tangents'; 'Her videos of them bring me happiness. Its so refreshing and cute.'; '"someone who complains like me" he's so self aware'; 'God this is so adorable'; 'Truly the greatest nepo baby ever'; 'Hes the sweetest man alive!' 'their dynamic is just too good. genuinely, so glad it seems like she has a good relationship with her dad. that seems like a rarity in this business but every clip I see from francesca is a delight!' 'Shutter Island's plot twist is nothing compared to this video'; 'Such a wonderful dad and daughter relationship'; 'always love their content together so much'. While Francesca replied to one comment saying: 'him going on a tangent about the tangent question' with: 'No and I literally cut half of it out. HALF.' Francesca is the youngest of Marty's three daughters and the only child he shares with his fifth and current wife Helen Morris, who has been battling Parkinson's for 35 years (seen in 2023) After building a sizable social media, Francesca previously reflected on why fans were so enamoured by the funny videos she made with her dad Francesca is the youngest of Marty's three daughters and the only child he shares with his fifth and current wife Helen Morris, who has been battling Parkinson's for 35 years. He also shares daughter Cathy, 59, with his first wife, Laraine Marie Brennan, and daughter Domenica, 49, with his second wife, journalist Julia Cameron. After building a sizable social media, Francesca previously reflected on why fans were so enamoured by the funny videos she made with her dad. 'I realized those videos got a lot of likes and I was like, that's kind of crazy,' she told PEOPLE in 2024. 'But also people really enjoyed seeing them. 'People love seeing him doing these things and the more normal side of him. People see this big, big star and incredibly talented person, which he is, but also [they see] the dad.' While Marty himself told the Los Angeles Times that he had initially been 'tricked' into starring in some of Francesca's TikTok clips, getting him to unwittingly participate in trends without knowing she'd be posting them. 'That was a trick,' he insisted. 'I didnt know those things go viral. They say "viral." I didnt know ... that I didnt know was going to go up. I was just doing it in the other room with her. I dont know what theyre going to do. 'They always have those iPhone cameras in their hands. Youre not aware. I honestly did not know she was going to post it they use the words "post it," right?' Nicola Peltz raised $59,000 for dogs displaced by the Los Angeles wildfires, after her mother-in-law Victoria Beckham declined to contribute to her charity efforts. The actress's husband Brooklyn Beckham released a bombshell statement on Monday where he addressed his long-running feud with his family. In the post, Brooklyn claimed that Victoria snubbed Nicola's request to support her attempts to help dogs during the LA fires, despite it being 'the only time they had ever asked for anything'. Rather than focus on supporting residents affected by the tragedy, the couple raised the money through the actress's charity Yogi's House to rescue animals affected by the blaze. He said: 'We've gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show "our perfect family". 'But the one time my wife asked for my mum's support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused.' Nicola Peltz raised $59,000 for dogs displaced by the Los Angeles fires, as her husband Brooklyn Beckham claimed his mother Victoria declined to contribute to their charity efforts In his bombshell statement on Monday, Brooklyn claimed that Victoria snubbed Nicola's request to support her attempts to help dogs during the LA fires LA was hit by devastating wildfires in January 2025, which claimed the lives of 31 people, forced over 200,000 people to evacuate and destroyed over 18,000 structures. At the time, Nicola had shared on social media that she was working with her charity to organise an event to raise money for displaced animals during the fires. The charity helps to save dogs from overcrowded LA shelters and euthanasia. A GoFundMe was also set up to rescue pets in wildlife-affected areas and transport them to safe foster homes, and raised $59,444. Despite his famous heritage and Nicola being the daughter of billionaire Nelson Peltz, the chef donated just $5,000 to the cause. Nicola and Brooklyn shared snaps and posted live to Instagram from the Pendry Hotel in West Hollywood where brands donated items for those in need. Victoria had previously shared her heartbreak over the blazes in a post on Instagram. She wrote: 'Seeing the devastation and loss caused by these wildfires is truly heartbreaking. At the time, Nicola had shared on social media that she was working with her charity to organise an event to raise money for displaced animals during the fires A GoFundMe was set up to rescue pets in wildlife-affected areas and transport them to safe foster homes, and raised $59,444 On Monday, the eldest Beckham son, 26, launched an extraordinary online attack on his parents, accusing David, 50, and Victoria, 51, of trying to 'ruin' his marriage 'Los Angeles holds such a special place in our family's hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, especially those who have lost their homes or loved ones.' 'We are immensely grateful to the brave firefighters and first responders who are risking their lives to protect others. Please stay safe and look after each other during this devastating time. Victoria x.' Brooklyn's dad David also shared an Instagram post about the fires, writing: 'LA is such a special place for my family.' 'I'm heartbroken to wake up to more horrific stories and pictures and I'm thinking of everyone there including many friends and colleagues who are facing these devastating fires. 'My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected, their loved ones and sending gratitude to the first responders and emergency services for their courage in such a challenging situation. 'Sending all my love and please support organisations helping on the ground.' Brooklyn took to Instagram on Monday night to share a six-page statement where he said he has no wish to reconcile with his family. Brooklyn and his wife Nicola have been at the heart of the acrimonious divide that has resulted in them snubbing all significant family celebrations over recent months, including his father David's milestone 50th birthday and knighthood. The chef went as far as to say he has been 'controlled by a family that values public promotion above all else' and that since being with his wife Nicola, he has found 'peace and relief' after battling crippling anxiety. Brooklyn also claimed Victoria, who has her own fashion brand, cancelled making Nicola's wedding dress at the 'eleventh hour' and hijacked their first dance which left him so 'embarrassed' they decided to renew their vows without his family last year. Rumours of tension first emerged after the actress sported a stunning couture Valentino bridal dress, after previous reports she would wear a design from Victoria. The Daily Mail has contacted the Beckhams for comment. Stellan Skarsgard has said he struggles with memory loss and is 'less funny' after his stroke, as he revealed he wears an earpiece to learn lines. The Mamma Mia star, 74, whose career spans five decades, recently won the Best Supporting Actor award at the Golden Globes for Norwegian film Sentimental Value. It comes after Stellan revealed last year that he suffered a stroke back in 2022, causing lasting damage to his short-term memory and focus. It has changed the way he prepares for films and functions on set, with the actor now admitting he can forget his forget so needs an earpiece and a prompter. In a candid admission, Stellan also said he feels he is not as funny as he once was. Stellan told CBS Sunday Morning: 'I had a stroke that makes me forget my language, forget my words, makes more stupid, less funny and everything. Stellan Skarsgard has said he struggles with memory loss and is 'less funny' after his stroke, as he revealed he wears an earpiece to learn lines The Mamma Mia star, 74, whose career spans five decades, recently won the Best Supporting Actor award at the Golden Globes for Norwegian film Sentimental Value (Pictured) 'I felt so funny before [laughs].' Asked if it's tough dealing with the side effects of his stoke, Stellan replied: 'Yeah well I'm 74 years old and I'm alive.' Discussing the ear piece he now wears to help with lines, he added: 'It's actually more complicated than learning the lines because the prompter has to say their line while the other actor is talking.' It comes months after Stellan joked that he's a 'nepo daddy' six of his eight children have followed him into acting but he admits the 'nepo baby' tag isnt all fun and games. The 74-year-old Swedish star revealed that his youngest, 13-year-old son Kolbjorn, is feeling the sting of the label. Kolbjorn recently landed a role in the horror series Blood Cruise, stepping into the family business alongside famous older brothers, True Blood star Alexander Skarsgard and Pennywise the Clown himself, Bill Skarsgard. On Wednesday, Stellan told Vulture he doesn't consider his kids 'nepo babies' a term for someone whose success is tied to family connections but added, 'I consider myself a nepo daddy because I get so much goodwill.' Yet the actor admits theres a darker side to the nickname. Stellan told CBS Sunday Morning: 'I had a stroke that makes me forget my language, forget my words, makes more stupid, less funny and everything' 'But my 13-year-old, Kolbjorn, the youngest, suffers from that,' he said. 'When his pals at school call him nepo baby, he gets so sad. He doesnt have any friends at school. He gets isolated. Cruel kids or cruel and ignorant. 'They love it on the internet. But it is such a bullshit thing. Because nobody would hire you, at least not for anything good, if youre not good enough.' Stellan's sprawling family tree is almost as famous as the actor himself. In April 1975, he married Swedish doctor My, and together they had six children: Alexander (1976), Gustaf (1980), Sam (1982), Bill (1990), Eija (1992), and Valter (1995). Alexander, Gustaf, Bill, and Valter all followed in their fathers footsteps as actors, while Eija spent a few years modelling. Sam took a different path and became a doctor. After divorcing My in 2007, Stellan tied the knot with Irish screenwriter and producer Megan Everett in January 2009. The couple share sons, Ossian, 15, and Kolbjorn. Asked how he keeps such a close bond with his large brood, Stellan, who welcomed his first grandchild in 2022, told Vulture that it comes down to being respected for who he is, not just for being their dad. 'They have no respect for me just because Im their father. Because thats bulls***. You shouldnt be respected for five minutes of joy,' he explained. 'No, I dont demand respect for being a father. I demand respect for a good idea or if I do something well or if I create something for them.' 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 legendary. The Blue (Bondi) Bondi's coolest new crash pad is fast carving out a name among Sydney's most in-the-know crowd. Just steps from the sand, The Blue is a sleek 33-room boutique stay that has been drawing Love Island and Married At First Sight stars who want prime beachfront access without the stiff five-star fuss. Love Island alumni Claudia Bonifazio, Tay Reid and Tommy Armour have all been spotted checking in, alongside a rotating roster of visiting MAFS stars making Bondi their temporary base. Sitting somewhere between a high-end Airbnb and a boutique hotel, The Blue ditches white-glove formalities in favour of stylish, no-nonsense comfort. Think plush king beds, oversized TVs, superfast fibre internet and chic Chesterfield lounges built for late-night debriefs, content creation and post-beach wind-downs. Bondi's coolest new crash pad, The Blue Hotel, is fast carving out a name among Sydney's most in-the-know crowd Love Island's Tay Reid (pictured) took to Instagram to document his trip at The Blue Hotel There is no concierge desk, no awkward check-ins and no unnecessary fluff. Instead, guests get smart design, better value and a relaxed home-away-from-home vibe that has clearly struck a chord with reality stars and influencers. If you are after bellhops and silver service, this probably is not your scene. But if you want ease, style and prime Bondi energy without the pretence, THE BLUE is fast becoming the place to be. Mimi's (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. Bill & Toni's, Darlinghurst 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 (both pictured) have been spotted at mimi's This old-school Italian joint has quietly become one of Sydney's most reliable celebrity dining rooms. Tucked away in Darlinghurst, Bill & Toni's is known for its dim lighting, red-checkered tablecloths and no-nonsense menu of pasta, veal schnitzels and martinis poured strong. Wicked star Jonathan Bailey, Margot Robbie and husband Tom Ackerley have been spotted dining here, while musicians, actors and reality stars regularly slip in for low-key late dinners away from the flashier hotspots. The appeal is simple - no scene-chasing, no influencer theatrics, just classic food, discreet service and an atmosphere that lets famous faces fly under the radar. Barber Brothers (Green Square and Cronulla) Even Sydney's biggest stars and footballers need a fresh cut - and these days they're all heading to Barber Brothers. The brand-new flagship store at One Global Resorts in Green Square, along with the original Cronulla location, has become the go-to spot for athletes and reality stars looking sharp. Founded by established barber Mohamad Srour, the shop has quickly become an institution, boasting more than 11,500 followers on Instagram and a client list that reads like a sporting hall of fame. Bill & Toni's, Darlinghurst: This old-school Italian joint has quietly become one of Sydney's most reliable celebrity dining rooms. (Pictured: Claude Tropea with MAFS' Carina Mirabile) Tucked away in Darlinghurst, Bill & Toni's is known for its dim lighting, red-checkered tablecloths and no-nonsense menu of pasta, veal schnitzels and martinis poured strong Everyone from Sonny Bill Williams, Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan, David Fifita, Quade Cooper, Nicho Hynes, Damien Cook, Shaun Johnson and Reece Walsh have sat in the chair. The slick interiors, combined with Srour's reputation for precision fades and immaculate grooming, make Barber Brothers not just a barbershop, but a social hub for Sydney's sporting elite. Pelicano (Potts Point) 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. The Gidley (Sydney CBD) Even Sydney's biggest stars need a fresh cut - and these days they're all heading to Barber Brothers 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, Bistecca (Sydney CBD), 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. Swift is pictured You'll need to join the waitlist - or know someone - to get in Even before that, the chic trattoria had become a go-to for Melissa Leong, Sam Armytage, Abbie Chatfield and Sylvia Jeffreys 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 (Sydney CBD) 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 has also become a hotspot for stylists and publicists entertaining international talent. 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. 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. When it comes to A-list stays, the Park Hyatt still reigns supreme. Renee Zellweger (pictured), Lady Gaga, Elton John, Nicole Kidman 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. 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. After years of suffering the slings and arrows of inherited fame, accused of being a bad and ungrateful son and vilified on social media by those close to his distraught and ever-loving parents, David and Victoria, the first-born Beckham has finally spoken out. Less spoken, and more roared with righteous indignation like a wounded animal. The pain expressed in Brooklyns first post, addressing the breakdown of his relationship with his family, is so raw that it is impossible to dismiss and, quite frankly, difficult to read for many of us who were all firmly on Team Beckham. Over the past year, we have happily swallowed the narrative that Brooklyn was the rotten prodigal son, swept up and seduced by his wife Nicola and her billionaire family. Brooklyn broke cover in a six-part Instagram bombshell, railing against the injustices he feels he and his wife, Nicola, have suffered at the hands of his publicity-hungry, self-aggrandising, picture-perfect parents. He began by writing: I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. Unfortunately, my parents and their [media] team have continued to go to the Press, leaving me with no choice but to speak up for myself and tell the truth about some of the lies. Blimey, he sure had a lot of truths to tell. First, that for his entire life, his parents carefully and calculatedly controlled the familys image with performative social media posts when, in reality, Brooklyn was growing up with overwhelming anxiety. Then, Brooklyn claims that his parents tried to sabotage his relationship with Nicola - revealing that it was his fashion designer mum who cancelled making his wife-to-bes wedding dress at the eleventh hour. We had all been led to believe by the Beckham media juggernaut that it was snobbish Nicola who refused a VB gown in favour of the couture Valentino number she ended up wearing. Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz, far right, look glum at David's Netflix premiere in 2023 David Beckham poses at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos this week Astonishingly, Brooklyn claims that his parents attempted to bribe him into signing away the rights to his name. After refusing to relinquish his name despite intense pressure, he wrote: My holdout affected the payday and, chillingly, they have never treated me the same since. The truth bombs just kept coming. Brooklyn writes that the night before their wedding, members of my family told me that Nicola was not blood and not family. He added that his mum Victoria had repeatedly invited women from my past into our lives in ways that were clearly intended to make us both uncomfortable. Brooklyn also says his mother ruined his wedding by hijacking my first dance with my wife, which had been planned weeks in advance to a romantic love song. She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. Ive never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my life. He explains that this is why he and Nicola renewed their wedding vows at her fathers mansion without the Beckhams present, with Nicola even wearing her own mothers original wedding dress, to create their own memories of their marriage. But perhaps most shocking is the allegation that, despite the narrative spun by Team Beckham that Brooklyn refused to attend any of Davids 50th birthday celebrations, both he and Nicola travelled purposefully to London from LA to see him. The pain expressed in Brooklyns Instagram posts, addressing the breakdown of his relationship with his family, is so raw that it is impossible to dismiss, writes Amanda Platell Brooklyn broke cover in a six-part Instagram bombshell, railing against the injustices he feels he and his wife, Nicola, have suffered at the hands of his publicity-hungry, self-aggrandising, picture-perfect parents, writes Amanda Platell The story at the time was that Brooklyn and Nicola were miles away and, through their obstinacy and disrespect for the Beckhams, never joined the celebrations. Brooklyns version is that he and Nicola lingered in a nearby hotel room, waiting for David to contact them, in the hopes of some quality dad and son and daughter-in-law time, away from the hundreds of guests and army of photographers. Brooklyn says that when his father finally extracted himself from his multiple birthday celebrations - time spent in Miami, a week in Scotland, celebrations at a French vineyard and a Cotswolds dinner near his home with his mate Tom Cruise - the condition for meeting his son was that his wife Nicola wasnt invited. Even more staggering, their son wrote that when my family travelled to LA, they refused to see me at all'. Then he stuck the final knife in: My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. Family love is decided by how much you post on social media, to show our perfect family. So what to make of this extraordinary outburst? There will be many who read Brooklyns posts as the protestations of a spoilt, ungrateful child, lashing out because things havent gone his way and in thrall to his seemingly vacuous and capricious wife Nicola and her billionaire father. And yet, dont Brooklyns plaintive posts have a ring of truth to them? Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz sent Christmas greetings last year One thing Brooklyns posts do reveal is that there are indeed two sides to every story. Which makes me wonder: have all of us on Team Beckham been conned by Victoria and Davids massive PR operation? Weve all been led to believe Brooklyn is a work-shy numpty - launching venture after failed venture, first as a failed photographer, then as a hot-sauce entrepreneur and now as an Instagram chef. But what if hes not? Personally, Im doing a pause and rewind about all those terrible accusations I have swallowed unquestioningly about the evil Mr and Mrs Peltz Beckham. It was the conclusion to Brooklyns post which tugged at my heartstrings: I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life that anxiety has disappeared. My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, Press or manipulation. All we want is peace and privacy and happiness for us and our future family. Amen to that. And I dont think Im the only one who will now be reconsidering my alliance with Team Beckham. But with his parents formidable PR team primed to hit back, I fear Brooklyn doesnt know what hes let himself in for. Brooklyn Beckham's claims that his mother Victoria 'hijacked' his first dance at his wedding are at odds with Vogue's official account of the nuptials. Nicola Peltz and Brooklyn's April 2022 wedding was covered by US Vogue, which went into lavish detail about how the wedding party followed American traditions of a mother and son and father and daughter dance. Vogue say the newlyweds' first dance was to South African singer Lloyiso's rendition of Elvis Presleys Cant Help Falling in Love. The publication then states that Marc Anthony, a close friend of David and Victoria, took to the stage much later into the reception at 11pm to perform his track I Need To Know. It was at this point 'Brooklyn invited his mother on stage for a dance and they were joined by David and their 10-year-old daughter, Harper.' The claim that Brooklyn 'invited' his mother to dance is in direct contrast to his statement that 'Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead.' Brooklyn wrote in his explosive take down of his parents on Monday night that 'my mum hijacked my first dance with my wife, which had been planned weeks in advance to a romantic love song.' Brooklyn Beckham's claims that his mother Victoria 'hijacked' his first dance at his wedding are at odds with Vogue's official account of the nupitals, (Brooklyn pictured with wife Nicola) Vogue say the newlyweds' first dance was to South African singer Lloyiso's rendition of Elvis Presleys Cant Help Falling in Love Vogue states that Marc, a close friend of David and Victoria, took to the stage much later into the reception at 11pm to perform his track I Need To Know Nicola and Brooklyn's April 2022 wedding was covered by US Vogue, which went into lavish detail about how the wedding party followed American traditions of a mother and son and father and daughter dance (Victoria pictured with Brooklyn in 2023) Vogue's account of the first dance song being Elvis' Cant Help Falling in Love was proved correct by the couple themselves in a video posted from their honeymoon. In April 2022 Brooklyn shared a clip of an emotional Nicola listening to a singer performing the love song, writing: I love you baby. We heard our wedding song on the first day of our honeymoon.' Brooklyn went onto claim in his bombshell statement that he was left 'humilated' when Victoria 'danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone.' He even stated that his and Nicola's decision to renew their vows last year without his family present was 'so we could create new memories of our wedding day that bring us joy and happiness, not anxiety and embarrassment.' At the time of the wedding it was claimed Nicola became offended when David and Victoria's close friend Marc Anthony gave a gushing speech all about Victoria. 'It was totally just an ode to Victoria and how awesome she is. Nicola loves to be the center of attention, especially on her wedding day. So this really, really p***ed her off,' the source said. 'She stormed off in the middle of her wedding reception with [sister] Brittany and her mom, and was crying her eyes out.' Brooklyn and his wife have been at the heart of the acrimonious divide that has resulted in them snubbing all significant family celebrations over recent months, including his father David's milestone 50th birthday and knighthood. The chef went as far as to say he has been 'controlled by a family that values public promotion above all else' and that since being with his wife Nicola, he has found 'peace and relief' after battling crippling anxiety. Brooklyn also claimed Victoria, who has her own fashion brand, cancelled making Nicola's wedding dress at the 'eleventh hour'. 'I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. 'Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed. Brooklyn wrote in his explosive take down of his parents on Monday night that 'my mum hijacked my first dance with my wife, which had been planned weeks in advance to a romantic love song' (Nicola and Brooklyn pictured the day after their wedding) The claim that Brooklyn 'invited' his mother to dance is in direct contast to his statement that 'Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife' 'I do not want to reconcile with my family. I'm not being controlled, I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life. 'For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. 'The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into. 'Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they'll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always comes out.' He continued: 'My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn't stopped. 'My mum cancelled making Nicola's dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress. 'Weeks before our big day, my parents repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children. Brooklyn concluded: 'My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. 'Family "love" is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo op even if it's at the expense of our professional obligations. Brooklyn claimed his wedding day was tarnished by the family feud (Pictured Brooklyn's brother Cruz at the wedding) The lavish 2022 nuptials took place at the bride's family estate in Palm Beach with a star-studded guest list including Beckham family friend Gordon Ramsay and his children Victoria's best friend Eva Lonbgoria was among the guests of honour The bride's father, billionaire Nelson Peltz helped organise the big day Brooklyn said that his and Nicola's decision to renew their vows last year without his family present was 'so we could create new memories of our wedding day that bring us joy' 'We've gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show "our perfect family!" But the one time my wife asked for my mum's support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused. 'The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. 'I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. 'My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.' The Daily Mail has contacted the Beckhams for comment. Brooklyn's claim that his mother pulled out of designing Nicola's wedding dress at the 'eleventh hour' is also seemingly at odds with an account given by the bride's stylist at the time. He claimed that Victoria 'cancelled' plans to make Nicola's gown at the last minute, 'forcing her to urgently find a new dress'. But in an article published in Vogue four weeks after their April 2022 nuptials Nicola's stylist Leslie Fremar said the dress was a year in the making. Nicola also addressed the controversy in a Grazia interview in which she said that after Victoria said her atelier couldnt make the gown in time, she travelled to Valentino's headquarters to start the design process. On Monday, the eldest Beckham son, 26, launched an extraordinary online attack on his parents, accusing David, 50, and Victoria, 51, of trying to 'ruin' his marriage Brooklyn's claim that his mother pulled out of designing Nicola's wedding dress at the 'eleventh hour' is also seemingly at odds with an account given by the bride's stylist at the time The actress, 31, sported a stunning couture Valentino bridal dress on the big day. Hollywood stylist Leslie, who is behind the wardrobes of Demi Moore, Julianne Moore and Charlize Theron, took two trips to Valentino's headquarters in Rome to see the design come to life with the brand's creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli and his team. I have inside knowledge on the Beckhams that you do NOT want to miss! Hi! I'm Katie Hind, Consultant Editor Showbusiness, and I have all the exclusive insight into the Beckham drama. There is a reason Brooklyn has decided to act now - and let me tell you, I don't believe these are his words. Sign up now to find out why! Advertisement There was then two US fittings with Nicola, with the head seamstresses even journeying to Miami to ensure it was tailored perfectly. Leslie said: 'It was the ultimate couture experience. The simplicity of it was magnificent. We didnt have to overly detail the dress to accomplish the magnitude of it, so we ended up eliminating the embroidery.' Now, making claims about what he says actually happened with the dress, Brooklyn wrote in his scathing post on Monday: 'My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn't stopped. 'My mum cancelled making Nicola's dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress.' Tensions of a brewing feud began over Nicola's choice of wedding dress, with rumours at the time claiming it was the actress who refused to wear one of Victoria's eponymous designs. She instead opted for various designs from Valentino, Christian Dior and Versace. While she denied there was a 'feud', she explained that Victoria's atelier simply hadn't had time to make the dress, as she insisted: 'No family is perfect.' She told the Sunday Times in 2022: 'I think it all started, and Ive said this before, because I didnt end up wearing Victorias wedding dress. But the real truth is I really, really wanted to wear it and I thought it was so beautiful that Brooklyns mum got to make that for me.' But in a different interview that same year, Nicola seemingly hinted at tensions claiming that her mother-in-law blanked her for days after offering to design her wedding dress - before blowing the bride's plans out of the water and saying her studio couldn't make the gown. 'We connected to start designing the dress, and then a few days went by and I didnt hear anything. Victoria called my mum and said her atelier couldnt make it,' Nicola told Grazia USA. This is the very awkward moment David Beckham was asked about son Brooklyn's explosive broadside at his family at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday 'I was planning on wearing Victorias wedding dress and I was truly so excited to be able to wear a design that my future mother-in-law created. I thought that was so beautiful and such a beautiful story.' Following the revelations from Victoria that she couldn't make her daughter-in-law's dress, Nicola recalled: 'So, I spoke to my mum and Leslie, and I was like, "Well, unfortunately, this cant happen, so whats the next step?" 'Ive been a fan of Valentino and their couture for so long. I was really lucky to be able to travel to [the atelier] to try on the dress. Thats really what happened.' Moreover, Brooklyn has said the couple opted to have his Nanny Sandra, his dad David's mum, and Nicola's 'naunni' sit with them at the top table because both women didn't have husbands. David's dad Ted attended the wedding with his new wife Hilary while Nicola's grandfather had passed away. David had forced out a smile as he recorded podcast about 'regret and disappointment' hours after Brooklyn's post which has caused shockwaves among fans Brooklyn said his family and Nicola's family were placed on their own tables 'equally adjacent' to the top table. This is a diversion from tradition as usually top table etiquette places the couple in the centre, with their parents on either side. David awkwardly ignored questions about son Brooklyn's explosive broadside at his family was shared on Tuesday, shortly after the sportsman recorded a podcast about 'regret'. David, 50, was seen for the first time just hours since his eldest son, 26, posted a six-page statement about the Beckham family feud, when he attended the World Economic Forum in Davos and struggled to smile for photos. A reporter from Sky News shouted: 'David, do you have a message for Brooklyn this morning?' as David posed for selfies, causing the red-faced sportsman to quickly turn on his heel and make an exit. As he walked away, he was asked again: 'David, are you disappointed family business is being aired in public?' but he refused to answer the question. It appears David and Victoria were in different placed in the hours after their son's statement was published, with David away with work (stock image) David was seen recorded the podcast during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) David had looked weary-eyed minutes before, as he took part in a podcast interview for Radio Davos's latest episode called Re-thinking with science author, Adam Grant. The annual meeting in Davos opens with a stated motto of 'improving the state of the world,' and this year's theme is 'A spirit of dialogue.' David's awkwardly-timed interview will focus on 'resilience, failure, regret and disappointment' amid his family woes is expected to be released on Wednesday. Rebecca Loos had her say on Brooklyn's astonishing attack on his parents soon after it happened. David's former PA, 48, who claimed to have had an affair with the married footballer, responded to online comments on Monday night directing her toward Brooklyn's Instagram statement. Replying to one fan who suggested she may 'feel a source of extra validation' at reading Brooklyn's words, Rebecca wrote: 'So happy he is standing up for himself and speaking publicly finally!!!! I have felt so bad for his poor wife, knowing too well what they can be like!' Rebecca Loos has also had her say on Brooklyn's astonishing attack on his parents Victoria and David Replying to one fan who suggested she may 'feel a source of extra validation' at reading Brooklyn's words, Rebecca wrote: 'So happy he is standing up for himself' She added in another comment 'the truth always comes out ', mirroring Brooklyn's own words in his explosive statement in which he wrote: ' I believe the truth always come out.' She added in another comment 'the truth always comes out ', mirroring Brooklyn's own words in his explosive statement in which he wrote: 'I believe the truth always come out.' Rebecca, who now lives in Norway with her husband and children, shot to global notoriety in 2004 when she claimed to have had an affair with her then-boss David. David has always denied the affair allegations, and famously talked about the reports in his Netflix show, released in October 2023. Rebecca insisted the show was David 'trying to portray an image of perfection that was nothing like reality.' On a sligjhtly more light-hearted note, Victoria has caused the internet to explode with memes amid claims she danced 'inappropriately' on son Brooklyn - while a 2024 tweet also saw the star profess that she's 'never met a dancefloor she doesn't like'. Victoria's 'never met a dancefloor she doesn't like' tweet has resurfaced as the internet EXPLODED with hilarious memes over Brooklyns claim his mother danced on him appropriately Victoria's dancing is not limited to her tweet, as her dance moves went viral when the 2023 Netflix documentary Beckham aired and saw David and Victoria dance playfully in their Cotswolds kitchen, to Dolly Parton& Kenny Rogers' Islands in the Stream' Jaws dropped to the floor when his statement included claims that Victoria had 'hijacked his first dance' and 'danced very inappropriately on me', leaving the nepo-baby 'uncomfortable or humiliated'. In the wake of the statement, a throwback tweet from Victoria, with images showing her dancing with David with the caption: 'Never met a dance floor I didnt like' resurfaced. In the face of such controversy, the internet naturally exploded with memes, jokes and speculation over what Victoria's 'inappropriate' dancing would have entailed, leaving fans in stitches about the situation. Estranged son Brooklyns bombshell reckoning with Brand Beckham last night was made inevitable, Im told, by an unhappy Christmas filled with briefings against him and his wife by his own family. Thats the view of the Peltz-Beckham camp, who say that David and Victoria made a series of idiotic miscalculations after privately going to war with their sons wife, Nicola, after the couple wed three years ago. They just didnt stop. They just kept pushing and pushing it. Brooklyn didnt want to do this, but in the end he thought screw it, says a source. In worse news for Sir David and Lady Beckham, Im told the problems go deeper even than those revealed last night, and that this may not be the end of it. The biggest problem for the other side, says my source, is that there is so much more that Brooklyn can say if he wants to The Beckhams kept on gambling that Brooklyn would never dare to speak. They just misplayed it because, one day, it was going to be time. That time was up last night when, over six Instagram posts, Brooklyn accused his parents of trying to ruin his marriage and telling countless lies about him to preserve their image. To them, he said, image was more important than authentic relationships. He had been controlled, manipulated and demeaned in public by his parents in a way that had left him suffering anxiety. Many will wonder whether having helped their son, Brooklyn, in the past excuses the Beckhams nasty behaviour towards his wife, Nicola, writes Alison Boshoff. The couple pictured earlier this month at a farmers' market The briefings referred to by the Peltz-Beckham camp must surely include the story that he had cruelly cut off his devastated grandparents, to whom he was once close. A number of articles were published before Christmas bemoaning his estrangement from Davids parents, Ted and Sandra, and Victorias parents, Tony and Jackie. In truth, as the Beckhams side admitted after Christmas, he is in touch with both sets of grandparents. Though the contact is limited to texts and occasional calls since everyone in the family is naturally upset by the feud it was not true to say that he had cut them off completely, as briefed. I have a role in this story, since the feud was originally revealed by me in July 2022. Back then, a number of sources who had been at the wedding in April, held at the Peltz family home in Palm Beach, said tensions had risen around the event and Nicola and Victoria were no longer liking each others posts on social media. There was then a period of denial when the Beckhams insisted that things were fine. Nicola and Brooklyn attended a number of Victoria Beckham fashion shows and other family events, like the launch of Davids Netflix documentary in October 2023 (though both looked miserable, it has to be said). David and Victoria, and their other children, Romeo, Cruz and Harper, were likewise supportive of Nicolas 2024 debut film, Lola which she wrote, directed and starred in and Brooklyns cookery shows and hot sauce business. But the difficulties behind the scenes couldnt be hidden. Come spring last year, when Brooklyn didnt show up at his fathers 50th birthday parties, the schism became well and truly public. Over six Instagram posts, Brooklyn accused his parents of trying to ruin his marriage and telling countless lies about him to preserve their image Nicola and Brooklyn attended a number of Victoria Beckham fashion shows and other family events, like the launch of Davids Netflix documentary in October 2023 David Beckham at his 50th birthday party in the Cotswolds, with his parents, Ted and Sandra (far right) Brooklyn said last night that he had not wanted to come to the London party, which was full of cameras, but had wanted to meet privately with his dad. Yet he says he was told that was only an option if he left his wife behind. If this is true, it was surely a blow to him and a devastating indictment of his relationship with his father. Family issues came into focus over the festive season, with posts by Victorias mother Jackie of a Brooklyn stocking on the fireplace, and an additional post by David over the New Year of a picture of a young Brooklyn and the rest of the family, captioned I love you all. Perhaps oddly, both were perceived as digs by Brooklyn, who blocked his parents on social media. And the briefings continued. When I revealed that Brooklyn had requested his parents only contact him via his lawyers last summer, one family source apparently described him as an ungrateful sod and observed that his parents had tried to help him professionally when he was a young adult. Many will wonder whether having helped their son in the past excuses the Beckhams nasty behaviour towards Nicola, for whom Victoria has an unprintable nickname. Their nickname for Brooklyn meanwhile is the hostage. And what about the video posted on December 26, of David, 50, and Victoria, 51, dancing to Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb's Guilty, while singing Weve got nothing to be guilty of right after Brooklyn blocked them? That sent a message which was far from subtle. As a friend of Brooklyn and Nicola says: I believe that David and Victoria care about him, but this is not the way you try to win someone back. Brooklyn had been hoping for an apology. None came. Indeed, Brooklyn said yesterday that he doesnt want to reconnect with his parents a stunning blow. However, it can be revealed that what finally tipped Brooklyn over the edge was a recent article which said not only that he wanted to reconcile with them, but had made tone deaf overtures and sacked his crisis PR. The Peltz-Beckhams say that none of that is true. Matthew Hiltzik, a high-profile crisis communications specialist in New York, remains engaged by the young couple. This is what Brooklyn was referring to when he wrote: Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that theyll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. Today, those close friends of David and Victoria who have previously briefed about the rift are now saying absolutely nothing. That seems wise. It can be revealed that even before Brooklyns surprise six pages of revelations on Instagram, his mother, the former Spice Girl turned fashion designer, had tweaked her social media settings so that only people she approves of can link with her. The upshot is that she cannot be tagged on stories about her estranged son. Victoria's mother and father, Tony and Jackie, joined the family for a group snap at Davids 50th. The only people missing from the photo are Brooklyn and Nicola On December 26, David and Victoria posted a video of them dancing to Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb's Guilty, while singing Weve got nothing to be guilty of right after Brooklyn blocked them Brooklyn and Nicola with her father, American billionaire Nelson Peltz She was on a war footing, says a Beckham source, who adds: The Beckhams have a much bigger and better image than the Peltz family and this has not been a fair war. The Beckhams have been famous for so long and they know how to turn the narrative. This though is a major bomb Im sure Victoria will have been screaming. That friend hears that Victoria invited some of Brooklyns ex-girlfriends to her fashion shows and even offered to dress them. If true, its peculiar behaviour, and only guaranteed to make her son feel even more uncomfortable. This week, invitations went out to his brother Cruzs 21st birthday, which will be a big event. It can be revealed that there was no invitation for Brooklyn. It seems that the family has given up on him by this point. A Peltz-Beckham source says that, after the rift became so public last spring, he and Nicola were desperate to get the truth about their wedding out there. The PR advice to the couple was to make no noise and not react to briefings. And when stories were written about their absence from celebrations for Davids knighthood and Victorias Netflix documentary, they did indeed maintain their silence. But in the end, it seems, a reaction was inevitable. As a friend puts it: 'He and Nicola got extremely fed up of being goaded.' As Brooklyn wrote: I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. 'Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the Press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed. I do not want to reconcile with my family. 'Im not being controlled, Im standing up for myself for the first time in my life.' Victoria Beckham has cheered herself up amid her family feud with son Brooklyn by treating herself to a brand new 225,000 Ferrari. The wife of sportsman David was pictured driving off in the supercar last week as the disagreement rumbled on, before coming to a head on Monday night. Brooklyn, 31, released an extraordinary six-page statement, accusing parents David, 50, and Victoria, 51, of 'controlling' him and trying to 'ruin' his marriage to Nicola Peltz. Victoria's outing came just after it was revealed Brooklyn had told his parents they could only contact him through lawyers. So it perhaps comes as little surprise that Victoria appeared downcast when she went for a solo spin in west London. Victoria Beckham cheered herself up amid her feud with son Brooklyn by treating herself to a brand new 225,000 Ferrari, which she was seen driving last week Around this time, Brooklyn had told his parents to only contact him through lawyers but ramped things up on Monday when he launched an extraordinary attack on David and Victoria, accusing them of 'controlling' him in a lengthy statement (pictured with wife Nicola) On Tuesday morning, David ignored questions about son Brooklyn's post as he made an appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos Victoria's car is the latest big addition to Brand Beckham's latest portfolio While she is yet to comment on all the allegations Brooklyn has made about his famous family, David has had to face the public while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos. While there, David recorded a podcast about 'resilience, failure, regret and disappointment', which is expected to be released on Wednesday. The annual meeting in Davos opens with a stated motto of 'improving the state of the world,' and this year's theme is 'A spirit of dialogue.' And as he posed for selfies with fans, a reporter from Sky News shouted: 'David, do you have a message for Brooklyn this morning?' causing the red-faced sportsman to quickly turn on his heel and make an exit. As David walked away, he was asked again: 'David, are you disappointed family business is being aired in public?' but he refused to answer. David had looked weary-eyed and struggled to smile minutes before, no doubt full of concern over his son's very public broadside to his family. Brooklyn had written: 'I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. 'Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed.' 'I do not want to reconcile with my family. I'm not being controlled, I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life. 'For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. 'The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into. It perhaps comes as little surprise that Victoria appeared downcast when she went for a solo spin in west London Meanwhile, David spoke about 'resilience, failure, regret and disappointment' in a podcast episode called Re-thinking with American science author Adam Grant recording on Tuesday It appears David and Victoria were in different placed in the hours after their son's statement was published, with David away in Davos (stock image) 'Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they'll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always comes out.' 'My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn't stopped. 'My mum cancelled making Nicola's dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress. 'Weeks before our big day, my parents repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children. 'They were adamant on me signing before my wedding date because then the terms of the deal would be initiated. 'My holdout affected the payday, and they have never treated me the same since. 'During the wedding planning, my mum went so far as to call me ''evil'' because Nicola and I chose to include my Nanny Sandra, and Nicola's Naunni at our table, because they both didn't have their husbands. 'Both of our parents had their own tables equally adjacent to ours. 'The night before our wedding, members of my family told me that Nicola was ''not blood'' and ''not family.''' Brooklyn wrote in his statement: 'I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private' He went on to address his wedding to Nicola, claiming there had been repeated attempts to ruin their relationship Brooklyn claimed: 'The night before our wedding, members of my family told me that Nicola was "not blood" and "not family" 'My wife has been consistently disrespected by my family, no matter how hard we've tried to come together as one,' he continued 'The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life,' he went on 'Since the moment I started standing up for myself with my family, I've received endless attacks from my parents, both privately and publicly, that were sent to the press on their orders. 'Even my brothers were sent to attack me on social media, before they ultimately blocked me out of nowhere this last summer. 'My mum hijacked my first dance with my wife, which had been planned weeks in advance to a romantic love song. 'In front of our 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead. 'She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone.I've never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life. 'We wanted to renew our vows so we could create new memories of our wedding day that bring us joy and happiness, not anxiety and embarrassment.' 'My wife has been consistently disrespected by my family, no matter how hard we've tried to come together as one. 'My mum has repeatedly invited women from my past into our lives in ways that were clearly intended to make us both uncomfortable. 'Despite this, we still travelled to London for my dad's birthday and were rejected for a week as we waited in our hotel room trying to plan quality time with him. 'He refused all of our attempts, unless it was at his big birthday party with a hundred guests and cameras at every corner. Brooklyn has said he has no wishes to reconcile with his famous family at this point Brooklyn and Nicola seen with David and Nicola in much happier times 'When he finally agreed to see me, it was under the condition that Nicola wasn't invited. It was a slap in the face. Later, when my family travelled to LA, they refused to see me at all. 'My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. 'Family ''love'' is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo opp, even if it's at the expense of our professional obligations. 'We've gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show 'our perfect family. 'But the one time my wife asked for my mum's support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused.' 'The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. 'I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. 'I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. 'My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.' Lewis Hamilton was seen packing aid in Jordan for Gaza victims as he shared an impassioned statement about 'ending the suffering'. The F1 driver, 41, travelled to Jordan to visit a hospital and aid packaging facility helping people in Gaza. In a collection of pictures, Lewis was seen visiting hospital wards where infant victims were being cared for. 'We must keep lending our voices and our attention to this crisis,' Lewis said of his visit. 'We must continue to speak up for what is right.' In his post, Lewis also wrote: 'The time I spent in Jordan visiting a hospital and aid packaging facility dedicated to helping people in Gaza was life changing. When you see what's happening on the ground, it can be so easy to feel hopeless and like there's nothing we can do to help. 'I thought that feeling of hopelessness would've been what I took away from my visit, but it wasn't.' Lewis Hamilton was seen packing aid in Jordan for Gaza victims as he shared an impassioned statement about 'ending the suffering' The F1 driver, 41, travelled to Jordan to visit a hospital and aid packaging facility helping people in Gaza 'What resonated the most was the spirit of resilience and humanity. The spirit of the families fighting for their survival. The spirit of doctors working tirelessly to save them. The spirit of the teams from the British Red Cross, Jordan Red Crescent and the Palestine Red Crescent Societies doing everything they can to deliver aid. 'We would all benefit from their spirit of resilience and their determination to help those who need it.' He continued: 'Help is possible, ending this suffering is possible, but the trickle of aid currently reaching Gaza is nowhere near enough. 'Humanitarian organisations must be allowed to reach the places where help is needed, and they desperately need us to use our voices, and our donations, to help them do so. 'If you can, join me in donating to the British Red Cross or any of the incredible charities continuing to deliver care, dignity and hope to the people in Gaza and please, do not stop talking about this.' Sharing a video of Lewis's visit, the Red Cross wrote: 'Witnessing the human cost of this crisis is impossible to forget. 'Lewis Hamilton travelled to Jordan last month to meet teams from the Jordan Red Crescent and the Palestine Red Crescent Societies, hearing directly from those working tirelessly to support people in Gaza. 'From doctors treating injuries, to teams supporting people through harsh winter conditions, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement continues delivering care, dignity and hope. In a collection of pictures, Lewis was seen visiting hospital wards where infant victims were being cared for 'We must keep lending our voices and our attention to this crisis,' Lewis said of his visit. 'We must continue to speak up for what is right' In his post, Lewis also wrote: 'The time I spent in Jordan visiting a hospital and aid packaging facility dedicated to helping people in Gaza was life changing' 'But the trickle of aid reaching Gaza is nowhere near enough, and winter has only deepened the suffering. People need a sustained, unimpeded flow of lifesaving support to withstand these conditions. 'We must not stop talking about this continued and devastating crisis.' Lewis's visit comes after the UN World Food Programme on Monday said it had 'significantly expanded' operations across Gaza 100 days into the ceasefire, reaching more than a million people each month with hot meals, bread bundles and food parcels, but it warned the situation remains 'extremely fragile'. It noted that malnutrition has been prevented for 200,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as children under five, while school snacks are reaching 235,000 children in 250 temporary schools. The most recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis in December indicated that 77 per cent of the population was facing crisis level food insecurity with more than 100,000 people experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger. Meanwhile, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian teenager in southern Gaza, hospital authorities said on Monday. Lewis said: 'Help is possible, ending this suffering is possible, but the trickle of aid currently reaching Gaza is nowhere near enough' Sharing a video of Lewis's visit, the Red Cross wrote: 'Witnessing the human cost of this crisis is impossible to forget' Hussein Tawfiq Abu Sabalah, 17, was shot in the Muwasi area of Rafah on Monday morning, according to Nasser Hospital. It was not immediately clear whether he crossed into or came close to an Israeli-controlled area. More than 460 people have been killed by Israeli fire and their bodies taken to hospitals since the ceasefire came into effect, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, which is part of Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. British film star Charlotte Kirk has given birth to her first child - a healthy boy - but suffered a 'terrifying' labour ordeal that left her in tears. The Ocean's 8 and How To Be Single actress, 33, welcomed son Hunter at the weekend with her fiance, Colombian-born film producer Karlos Ways, 39, at Queen Marys Hospital in London. Announcing the birth of her son, Charlotte told the Daily Mail: 'It started out great because I had a lot of gas and air, and it felt amazing. But then things suddenly got very real. 'I tried the [strong painkiller] pethidine, which didnt really do anything. I finally ended up begging for the epidural - and it absolutely saved my life.' The situation then escalated dramatically when Hunters heart rate suddenly dropped. 'It was absolutely terrifying,' Charlotte added. 'The moment they saw his heart rate drop, more than ten people rushed into the room and said, "This baby needs to come out now." British film star Charlotte Kirk has given birth to her first child - a healthy boy - but suffered a 'terrifying' labour ordeal that left her in tears Charlotte welcomed son Hunter at the weekend with her her fiance, Colombian-born film producer Karlos Ways, 39, at Queen Marys Hospital in London 'I just burst into tears because I felt so helpless and overwhelmed. It was this flood of emotions - I didnt know how to protect my baby in that moment.' She continued: 'I felt the fears that mothers talk about, and only when you become a mother do you really know what that means.' The Kent-born actress, who filmed upcoming action-thriller The Night Driver with Josh Lucas and David Arquette while four-and-a-half months pregnant, added: I had to push very, very quickly. 'They did use a vacuum to help get him out, but hes absolutely perfect - happy and healthy.' Charlotte shared an exclusive photo with the Daily Mail showing herself cuddled up to her newborn son shortly after the birth. The actress said they named their son Hunter because it symbolises bravery, explaining: 'We wanted something that would grow with him.' Charlotte and Karlos met through mutual friends over three years ago, with the star describing their chemistry as 'instant'. Reflecting on her difficult labour experience and taking on the new role of being a mother, Charlotte says it has completely transformed her. Charlotte and Karlos met through mutual friends over three years ago, with the star describing their chemistry as 'instant' Charlotte told the Daily Mail of Hunter's birth: 'I tried the [strong painkiller] pethidine, which didnt really do anything. I finally ended up begging for the epidural' She explained: 'Its a whole new chapter thats both grounding and expansive in a feeling of overwhelming love. 'Its challenging, humbling, and incredibly joyful. It changes how I see everything, including my work. 'I see the world in a completely different way now. Now I understand when people say motherhood changes your life.' She also addressed the intense pressure on actresses to bounce back physically after giving birth. That pressure is always there, she said. But honestly, for the first time, my shape isnt my priority at all. My baby is. Charlotte, who was previously engaged to British director Neil Marshall, 55 - best known for The Descent and Game of Thrones - filmed three projects while expecting Hunter. She said of shooting The Night Driver with Josh Lucas, 54: 'I was slightly concerned because I had to wear a very slender costume. But I just about managed to get away with it. Filmed in New Mexico, the film follows a travelling pharmaceutical salesman - played by Josh - who survives a run-in with a psychotic killer, only to be stalked relentlessly across the country. Charlotte plays Max, a struggling single mother and bartender with a dark past whose brief encounter with the salesman changes her life forever. She also shot Dont Forget Me Tomorrow while was four months pregnant - a film she both starred in and wrote through her own production company. I was wearing a lot of hats on that one, she admitted. 'Toward the end of the shoot, the director came up to me and said, "How many months are you?" 'Even though I tried to hide it, he said he noticed me rubbing my belly a few times - in a way only a mother does.' Charlotte made international headlines in 2020 when a secret affair with married NBCUniversal vice-chairman Ron Meyer came to light, triggering his abrupt resignation. Charlotte made international headlines in 2020 when a secret affair with married NBCUniversal vice-chairman Ron Meyer came to light, triggering his abrupt resignation The saga left her at the centre of an unwanted global firestorm involving studio powerbrokers and high-stakes corporate fallout. Refusing to let the scandal hinder her career, Charlotte continued to land major roles while also establishing herself as a writer and producer. Charlotte will star in the upcoming comedy slasher Jackie the Stripper - due to be released later this year - playing the lead, Jackie, alongside Patsy Kensit and Harry Potter star James Phelps. While she is 'proud' that she worked through her pregnancy, she is now 'taking time to be with my baby' before returning to business as usual. She added that she's cocerned by challenges facing working mothers in the industry. Charlotte said: 'Theres definitely more that can be done. 'On-set childcare would be a huge step forward. It would encourage mothers to go back to work sooner and feel a lot more comfortable balancing both roles. It shouldnt be an either-or choice.' Marco Pierre Whites eldest son Luciano is engaged to long-term fashion designer girlfriend Stephanie Beard. The Daily Mail's Richard Eden revealed the exciting news on Tuesday as Luciano, 31, got down on one knee to propose to the clothing brand Silked London founder, 35. The newly-engaged couple looked happier than ever as they cosied up for a sweet selfie as Stephanie showed off her huge diamond engagement ring. Luciano and Stephanie, whose designs have been worn by stars including Eva Longoria and Cat Deeley, beamed for an Instagram photo while watching the sunset at a restaurant overlooking the ocean. The loved-up couple were congratulated by a number of friends and family including Luciano's TV chef father Marco. They wrote: 'Congratulations L&S; What exciting news! Congratulations to you both; Such lovely news congratulations; 'Yay congrats Stephy. Love to you both; Oh my goodness, congratulations darling! So happy for you; So over the moon for you beauties !!! Such Happy news'. Marco Pierre Whites eldest son Luciano is engaged to long-term fashion designer girlfriend Stephanie Beard The Daily Mail's Richard Eden revealed the exciting newson Tuesday as Luciano, 31, got down on one knee to propose to the clothing brand Silked London founder, 35 The happy news comes after Luciano's Surrey restaurant was shut down in September after he had been plagued with bad reviews and criticism of his 'aggressive' nature. The nepo-baby, whose brother Marco Jr has suffered a slew of legal issues, opened his Italian restaurant, Lucianos, in Woking in early 2022, but the establishment failed, and was formally dissolved on 5 September with just 31.94 in the bank. When the troubled chef's latest restaurant collapsed, Luciano's owed 100k to HM Revenue and Customs, while Companies House documents show he also owes more than 150k to 26 creditors. Luciano had already opened two restaurants - one in Dorchester, Dorset, which opened in 2020 before folding, and another in Exeter which opened in 2021 and went under in May. He has been hit with repeated criticism by online reviewers. Away from his three restaurants, Luciano runs the Rudloe Arms, a hotel and restaurant in Wiltshire near Bath, renovated and opened by his father. It was revealed in May, Luciano, whose father was the youngest Briton to be awarded three Michelin stars aged just 33, was accused of being rude, arrogant and 'bordering on aggressive' in reviews of the restaurant his father helped him launch. Marco's eldest son faced claims of giving 'terrible customer service' as well as making strict demands on what his guests eat at the Rudloe Arms venue. He has also been accused of occasionally giving a fake name to bemused customers at the restaurant which was refurbished by Marco ahead of its 2012 opening. The loved-up couple were congratulated by a number of friends and family including Lucaiano's TV chef father Marco The happy news comes after Luciano's Surrey restaurant (pictured) was shut down in September after he had been plagued with bad reviews and criticism of his 'aggressive' nature Luciano has been running Rudloe Arms, a hotel and restaurant in Wiltshire near Bath in recent years - amid the collapse of three restaurants he set up post-pandemic. A continuing spate of negative feedback on consumer review website TripAdvisor comes as questions are posed over the future of his registered businesses. Luciano declined to comment - and staff at his flagship Rudloe Arms insisted to the Daily Mail he was 'away on a trip' and there would be no response to the criticisms made against him nor questions about his firm's finances. Far from just his eldest child being in trouble, Marco Pierre White's namesake son and Big Brother star Marco Pierre White Jr has suffered a slew of legal woes. Earlier in September, the troubled son of the chef was remanded in custody as he awaits his sentencing for stealing 1,500 worth of Jellycat toys. The 30-year-old faced jail after he admitted carrying out a number a burglaries in a crime spree across west London. Marco Pierre White's namesake son and Big Brother star Marco Pierre White Jr (pictured in 2016) has suffered a slew of legal woes over the years He broke into an Italian Deli store in Kensington called La Piccola, stealing a laptop, a tablet, an iPod and a till tray on June 12. Then three days later he smashed his way into Venusrox, a store in Notting Hill, and stole two natural rock crystal formations. On July 21, he broke into another store on Barnes High Street to steal 1,500 worth of Jellycat toys. He also admitted taking two green fluorite crystal lamp towers from Dale Rogers Ammonite on Pimlico Road on June 19. He disputes, however, causing an alleged 43,000 worth of damage to the store by wrecking 'four mounted crystals' and the front door. Nicola Peltz has been branded 'not a good person' by her ex hair stylist who has doubled down on his past comments about her behaving like 'a monster'. Justin Anderson has waded into the Beckham feud to give his thoughts on Brooklyn's bombshell statement on Monday night. The celebrity hair stylist has always made his feelings clear about Nicola, calling her 'the worst of the worst' in 2019 after an alleged altercation between the pair in which she claimed he 'burnt her hair off'. Posting on Instagram on Monday, Justin admitted Brooklyn's public attack on his parents David and Victoria made him 'sad', as he pointed out: 'You can't take that back, the whole world is watching.' 'Why do it?' he questioned. 'I know why I think it was done. It seems like someone is putting him up to it and being like, "you better publicly say something and make them look bad because I don't want to be the evil one".' Justin went on to acknowledge that it's not his first time speaking ill of Nicola but he doubled down on his past comments and called her 'not nice. I can say with my full chest, not good energy'. Nicola Peltz has been branded 'not a good person' by the hair stylist who called her 'a monster' in a fiery feud before she married Brooklyn Beckham Justin Anderson has waded into the Beckham feud to give his thoughts on Brooklyn's bombshell statement on Monday night. 'Based on how many wedding planners she went through I think she's the issue,' he continued. Nicola's father Nelson filed a lawsuit against two of the couple's wedding planners, Plan Design's Nicole Eichenwald Braghin and Arianna Grijalba, who were hired six weeks before the wedding and let go nine days later. Of his past relationship with Nicola, hair stylist Justin explained how he 'perked up when I saw they were getting married. I'm like, "oh gosh this is not going to be good for that family". Spooky energy.' 'I don't even feel bad saying that. When someone is not nice it always comes out. You can't hide that.' In 2019 Justin went on a shock rant about Nicola on a podcast with Jackie Schimmel, branding the actress a 'diva' and vowing he would 'never work with her again'. The hairdresser, who has worked with the likes of Miley Cyrus, Kelly Osbourne, Jennifer Aniston and Katy Perry, was Nicola's colourist when she was on the 2014 press tour for Michael Bays Transformers: Age Of Extinction, in which she starred aged 18 as Mark Wahlbergs on-screen daughter Tessa Yeager. But there is some mystery surrounding what really happened between the duo, as sources close to Nicola allege Justin 'burnt her hair off' during the process of bleaching it for the Transformers press tour. Five years after he was 'fired' - and three years before Nicola married Brooklyn - Justin had plenty of things to say about his interactions with the actress. Join the debate Do YOU think where theres smoke, theres fire applies here? Nicola was branded a 'monster' and 'the worst of the worst' by her ex celebrity hair colourist Justin (pictured) in 2019 after an alleged altercation between the pair Posting on Instagram, Justin admitted Brooklyn's public attack on his parents David and Victoria made him 'sad,' as he pointed out: 'You can't take that back, the world is watching' Speaking on the 2019 podcast about the celebrities he has worked with he said: 'Ive lucked out that I have had amazing people to work with but the ones that were ever bad were the ones that ended up not going anywhere, so I can talk about them. 'I remember this one time the worst of the worst of the worst, there was this one little diva girl, f*** yeh, Im just going to get in trouble. 'But she was the new Transformer girl, her name was Nicola Peltz, turns out shes from a really wealthy family and it was like she was supposed to be the new IT girl but she has disappeared now. She is actually a monster.' 'I put my foot in my mouth years ago when I talked about her,' he has admitted in new comments. 'I thought she wasn't a thing anymore when I talked about her, but then she married into a very famous family.' 'She was supposed to be the new IT girl. Girls who aren't nice kind of disappear. Hollywood doesn't put up with it. I said her name and then didn't think about it for years.' Justin claimed that Nicola then 'tried to spin' the story of him being fired, adding 'she's good with PR'. Brooklyn and his wife have been at the heart of the acrimonious divide that has resulted in them snubbing all significant family celebrations over recent months, including his father Sir David's milestone 50th birthday and knighthood. Justin previously went on a shock rant about Nicola, branding the actress a 'diva' and vowing he would 'never work with her again' Brooklyn claimed in his statement that he has been 'controlled by a family that values public promotion above all else' and that since being with Nicola, he has found 'peace and relief' after battling crippling anxiety. Brooklyn concluded: 'My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. 'Family "love" is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo op even if it's at the expense of our professional obligations. 'The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. 'I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. 'My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.' The Daily Mail has contacted the Beckhams for comment. Shannen Doherty's ex-husband Kurt Iswarienko surfaced this week in Los Angeles, marking his first public sighting since he challenged his divorce from the late actress. In new court documents filed last week on January 14, Iswarienkos lawyer claims the signed divorce agreement was brought to the wrong court, thereby challenging the jurisdiction of the case, as reported by Us Weekly. The Beverly Hills, 90210 star died on July 13, 2024, at age 53 following a nearly decade-long battle with cancer. The divorce agreement was signed by Doherty on July 12, 2024, followed by Iswarienkos signature on July 13, 2024, and the deal was approved by a judge on July 15, 2024. Now, in the new court papers, Iswarienko, a photographer, claims the divorce case should never have gone through the court system because Dohertys death on July 13 terminated the marriage. Therefore, he argues that the court lacks the legal power to enforce the terms of the agreement. Iswarienko, 51, was glimpsed on Monday five days after filing the documents, dressed down in a transparent white tank top and a pair of sweats. Shannen Doherty's ex-husband Kurt Iswarienko surfaced this week in Los Angeles, marking his first public sighting since he challenged his divorce from the late actress Iswarienko, 51, was glimpsed on Monday five days after filing the documents, dressed down in a transparent white tank top and a pair of sweats Doherty and Iswarienko were pictured in 2012 in West Hollywood In legal documents obtained by The Daily Mail, the estate has accused Iswarienko of failing to follow through on various agreements he made as part of their divorce judgement, including a failure to list the $1.5M Dripping Springs, Texas home they shared by a particular date. They also accuse Iswarienko of withholding more than $50,000 he allegedly owes the estate and failing to return Doherty's personal property. The allegations were made in a filing done by Chris Cortazzo, the trustee of the Shannen Doherty Family Trust, as he sought to become the Successor in Interest to Decedent in order to enforce the judgement between Doherty and Iswarienko. It was filed on November 24 and includes their divorce judgement as an exhibit. The judgment says that Iswarienko agreed to put their Texas home on the market by April 1, 2025 and 'equally divide the net proceeds' of any sale with Doherty's estate. However, 'as of the date of this Declaration, Respondent has refused to list the Texas Residence for sale. Respondent has similarly refused to return Decedent's items of personal property,' the filing claims. The former couple also agreed that Iswarienko would buy out Doherty's interest in her Mooney-20 Airplane for $100,000 following the sale of an airplane hangar. However, the filing alleges Iswarienko withheld $50,274 from his ex's estate. 'Upon the sale of the Hangar in August 2024, one month after Decedent's death, Respondent unilaterally withheld $50,274 from his payment to Decedent's estate,' it says. Iswarienko claims the divorce case should never have gone through the court system because Dohertys death on July 13 terminated the marriage Doherty's estate has accused Iswarienko of failing to follow through on various agreements he made as part of their divorce judgement; the actress was pictured in February 2024 in Florida The late actress was a dedicated advocate and champion in the fight against cancer; pictured in September 2016 'Respondent's payment to Decedent's estate was due within five (5) business days of the sale of the hangar, or on August 21, 2024. Respondent's payment is now 15 months delinquent.' They also claim Iswarienko has not fulfilled an agreement to produce a list of works he produced during their marriage, in addition to copies of his work published during their union. Their agreement stated that Doherty would receive one half of all licensing and syndication fees that her ex received from any works he created during their marriage, with some exceptions. They also agreed that Iswarienko would remove all pictures of Doherty from his website. He was to create the lists by September 1, 2024, however the estate claims he has failed to do so. Doherty passed away in 2024, four years after she was diagnosed with stage four cancer. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 then went into remission in 2017. She was surrounded by her loved ones and beloved dog, Bowie, upon her death, her publicist Leslie Sloane shared. Doherty was surrounded by her loved ones and beloved dog, Bowie, upon her death She told People: 'It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease. 'The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.' Doherty is best known for her roles in Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed. Before she wed Iswarienko, she was briefly married to Rick Salomon between 2002-2003 and Ashley Hamilton between 1993-1994. Lauren Silverman revealed she has finally passed her theory test after driving without a valid UK licence for over a decade. The American socialite, 48, has a valid US licence and also a provisional UK licence but previously admitted she had no idea that only permitted her to drive for 12 months as a UK resident before she had to get a UK licence. Sharing an update to Instagram on Tuesday, Lauren celebrated as she uploaded a photo which confirmed she was well on her way to getting her full licence. The letter read: 'Congratulations! You've passed your theory test.' Lauren and her fiance Simon Cowell reside in the UK having moved from London to an 8 million farmhouse in the Cotswolds in 2021, though they still maintain properties in the US and Cowell has ties to both countries. Lauren, who was born in New York and raised in Miami, first began her relationship with the media mogul in 2013. Lauren Silverman revealed she has finally passed her theory test after driving without a valid UK licence for over a decade The American socialite, 48, has a valid US licence and also a provisional UK licence but previously admitted she had no idea that only permitted her to drive for 12 months Last week, Lauren revealed she had been unwittingly driving without a valid UK licence and was horrified to discover the truth. She said she was 'bummed' that she now can't drive until she passes her test in Britain, feeling she has 'lost her freedom and independence.' Lauren wrote: 'I have to take and pass my UK driving theory and practical test as I was driving on a provisional licence over here and with a US one. 'I didn't realise there was a limit on how long you're allowed to do that. (Answer is 12 months. I've been here for 12 years. Oops!) 'So until I can pass this bad boy, no more driving for me which means no more freedom or independence. 'I am so bummed about this but it's got to be done! Anyone able to help me and offer me some tips, advice on how to pass and fast? Thank you so much.' The GOV.UK website confirms this and writes: 'You can drive in Great Britain on your full and valid licence for 12 months from when you became resident 'After 12 months, youll need to apply for a GB provisional licence and pass the theory driving test and practical driving test to drive in Great Britain.' Sharing an update to Instagram on Tuesday, Lauren celebrated as she uploaded a photo which confirmed she was well on her way to getting her full licence Last week, Lauren revealed she had been unwittingly driving without a valid UK licence and was horrified to discover the truth Lauren later thanked her followers for their advice and said she now has her theory test booked in for next Tuesday Failure to do so means you are effectively 'driving without a valid licence' which can lead to a fine of up to 1000 or can put you at risk of a car seizure or up to six points on your licence. Driving without a valid licence means your car insurance is likely invalid. Lauren and Simon first met in Barbados in 2004 but didnt start dating until around 2012. They welcomed their son Eric in 2014 and got engaged in 2021. Despite previously insisting that he 'didn't believe' in marriage, the father-of-one reassessed his views after falling in love with Lauren - who was left 'stunned' by the shock proposal. The met when she was still married to millionaire property developer Andrew Silverman. Their affair became public and Simon's life changed at the end of July 2013 when news broke of Lauren's pregnancy. In 2015, Simon told Mail on Sunday Event magazine: 'I'm not proud of the circumstances, I can't hold my head up about it.' Victoria Beckham and Nicola Peltz's relationship has evolved from 'playful besties' to 'frosty and fraught,' before relations were severed for good by Brooklyn's bombshell statement. The once-close pair are now no longer speaking after a feud between Brooklyn and his family, which began last year, turned nuclear overnight. While much has been made of Brooklyn's claims about his family, the fall-out also shed fresh light on Nicola's bond with her mother-in-law Victoria. At first it seemed that things haven't always been frosty between them, as clips showed the pair's 'playful and affectionate' displays before the family fall-out. However, body language expert Judi James has picked apart how relations deteriorated between them, noting how Brooklyn haplessly tried to please 'both Queen Bees in his life,' to no avail. Reflecting on Brooklyn's statement itself, she told Daily Mail: 'Brooklyn's statement includes several clues to a rather passive/aggressive behavioural coping style, best defined as 'store it up, save it and let it stew before serving it'. Victoria Beckhamand Nicola Peltz's relationship evolved from 'playful besties' to 'frosty and fraught,' beofre relations were severed were good by Brooklyn's bombshell statement 'His gripes start early with his ''For my entire life'' opener and his ''storing it'' trait comes from his 'I have been silent for years'. He states that, like the Truman Show, he was ''Born into a life of inauthentic relationships.'' 'So, was that what the fans were being served in the earlier body language poses between Nicola and Victoria, when things were looking frosty, fraught and a little less than idyllic, or was the playful joy of their more recent poses the actual fake news? 'Because the body language narrative we've been shown of this relationship appears to define waves of growing closeness, warmth and even strong friendship after earlier signals of awkwardness, division and perma-frost.' In the wake of Brooklyn's statement, a 2023 clip emerged that showed a stony-faced Nicola posing with Brooklyn's family at the premiere of David Beckham's Netflix docuseries. The video offered a hint at tensions brewing behind the scenes, with Judy echoing this point by noting how the actress looked 'uncomfortable' and was attempting to 'cold-shoulder' the family . She said: 'An air of frost appeared to have descended early, as this family line-up grouping of the new, extended Beckham family appeared rather off-brand in terms of emotional unity and closeness. 'Victoria, David et al were posing up a red-carpet storm here and Brooklyn and Nicola went to join them. 'Nicola glanced at Victoria as though questioning how to pose or how she was going to be included but there was no place at the bosom of the family, instead she was placed down at the end of the line-up. The once-close pair are now no longer speaking after a feud between Brooklyn and his family, which began last year, turned nuclear overnight Body language expert Judi James has picked apart how relations deteriorated between Victoria and Nicola, noting that Brooklyn attempted to please 'the Queen Bees in his life' In the wake of Brooklyn's statement, a 2023 clip emerged that showed a stony-faced Nicola posing with Brooklyn's family at the premiere of David Beckham's Netflix docuseries 'The following rituals seemed to show a sandwich-filling Brooklyn trying to please both the Queen Bees in his life, leaning in behind his mother with the signature fixed social smile for the cameras while throwing out gestural bread-crumbs to lure Nicola in to pose close beside him. 'You can hear the photographers calling out for a move to the middle here but Nicola appeared reluctant and its Brooklyn placing a hand round her waist to gently coax her into a nice cosy huddle. 'Nicola's unsmiling facial expression made her appear reluctant and uncomfortable. She pushed her chin into the air but only seemed to manage a lifting of the upper lip to hint at a weak smile. 'Brooklyn was even walking backwards into the lineup at one point, to apparently lure her in gently, but his hand on his waistband suggested some inner awkwardness or anxiety here. 'Victoria's chosen pose didn't slip and, with her torso turning slightly inward towards her husband, the look (unfairly) was suggested to be one of cold-shouldering the couple here.' By the time Victoria and Nicola posed together again at the premiere of the actress' film Lola, it seems they were trying to dispel rumours of a feud. At the time, rumours were rife that all was not well in the Beckham clan, with claims Victoria and Nicola had fallen out after the former pulled out of designer her daughter-in-law's wedding dress. The pair's attempts to maintain that relations were friendly were evident, with Judi noting: 'The two women gave a red-carpet performance of playful affection here. Nicola looked excited to be with Victoria and her gestures and body language suggested no ounce of reservation about being anything but relaxed in her company. 'Her poses give off vibes of being a non-verbal 'disruptor' here, throwing one arm around Victoria's neck and letting it dangle there as though she was hanging with one of her besties. 'The arm looked proprietorial and she appeared to be gently flaunting their relationship as though happy to boast to the press about her pride in her fabulous trophy mother-in-law. The video offered a hint at tensions brewing behind the scenes, with Judy echoing this point by noting how the actress looked 'uncomfortable' By the time Victoria and Nicola posed together again at the premiere of the actress' film Lola, it seems they were trying to dispel rumours of a feud Reacting to a clip of Victoria and Nicola dancing together to a Spice Girls hit, Judi said this only helped to 'drive' the narrative that they were still close after rumours of a family feud The clip has gained new attention in the wake of Brooklyn's statement, after he accused his mother of hijacking his first dance with Nicola at their 2022 wedding 'Nicola's wide, teeth-baring grin came with her chin pushed out towards the cameras to register that pride in Victoria, but it might need to go on record that Victoria was not matching the energy or the playfulness of Nicola. 'Victoria's poses are legendary and very much part of the brand. Her response to the casualness of Nicole was to adhere to her chosen pose, coping with the hanging arm disruption by gently clutching Nicole's fingers. 'Nicole looked here like the wave of playful energy blasting through the Beckham brand and maybe melting Victoria's constant desire for pose perfection.' Victoria and Nicola's public displays of family continued when the pair danced along to the Spice Girls hit Wannabe at the Lola premiere party in 2024. Judi noted that this only helped to drive the 'narrative' that Victoria and Nicola were close, saying: 'Poses of the two women partying together seemed to plug the ''besties'' narrative. 'Nicole and Victoria were burning up the dancefloor together, throwing their arms in the air and enjoying each other's company. 'Only one photo gave possible clues to a more territorial approach when Nicole stood talking to Brooklyn and his mother and Victoria appeared to have an arm of ownership around her son's neck as he stood laughing.' In happier times, Victoria also shared a video of Nicola dancing with her on the beach to celebrate her 29th birthday in 2024. 'Happy birthday @NicolaAnnePeltzBeckham We love you so much!! Your love, kindness, talent and your ability to dance on sand in a major wedge!! 'The best dance partner and loving daughter in law. We love you, have an amazing day!!!!! Xxxxxx,' the designer wrote. Judi noted that at this time it seemed the pair were displaying the 'ultimate act of friendship and closeness.' She said: 'These video clips showed us two women in what might be the ultimate act of friendship and closeness. 'As the sun is going down and apparently alone on an idyllic beach, they dance together like besties on a hen night in Brighton. 'There is no filter and no inhibitions, they both look infused with the joy of being alive and having fun while the camera appears to monitor them from a furtive distance. The signals here are of trust and uninhibited shared fun. 'For fans of the Victoria Beckham granite poses it was good to see her letting her hair down and relaxing.' While this final clip seemed to show Nicola and Victoria's relationship in far happier times, relations have signficantly broken down since then. Brooklyn took to Instagram on Monday night to share a six-page statement where he said he has no wish to reconcile with his family. Brooklyn and his wife Nicola have been at the heart of the acrimonious divide that has resulted in them snubbing all significant family celebrations over recent months, including his father David's milestone 50th birthday and knighthood. The chef went as far as to say he has been 'controlled by a family that values public promotion above all else' and that since being with his wife Nicola, he has found 'peace and relief' after battling crippling anxiety. Brooklyn also claimed Victoria, who has her own fashion brand, cancelled making Nicola's wedding dress at the 'eleventh hour' and hijacked their first dance which left him so 'embarrassed' they decided to renew their vows without his family last year. Rumours of tension first emerged after the actress sported a stunning couture Valentino bridal dress, after previous reports she would wear a design from Victoria. While Victoria is yet to comment on all the allegations Brooklyn has made about his famous family, David has had to face the public while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos. While there, David recorded a podcast about 'resilience, failure, regret and disappointment', which is expected to be released on Wednesday. David had looked weary-eyed and struggled to smile minutes before, no doubt full of concern over his son's very public broadside to his family. A senior producer on It Ends With Us called Blake Lively a 'f***ing terrorist' over her 17-point list of demands to return to the set of the movie. Andrea Giannetti used the harsh description of the actress in court documents seen by the Daily Mail after she unveiled her requirements in November 2023 - potentially sabotaging the entire project. Giannetti said that the production of the film was a 's*** show' and that Lively thought that the film's director Justin Baldoni, who also co-starred, was 'unprepared, indecisive and inexperienced,' according to the court papers. According to Lively, Baldoni was 'too sensitive' and took criticism to heart too easily. Giannetti made her comments in a deposition released ahead of a major court hearing in New York on Thursday where Baldoni is seeking to have Lively's claims of sexual harassment and defamation dismissed. The case is due to go to trial in May, and the judge has already dismissed Baldoni's $400million defamation lawsuit he filed against Lively. Blake Lively was called a 'f***ing terrorist' by an It Ends With Us senior film producer over her 17-point list of demands to return to the set of the movie Film producer Andrea Giannetti said Blake Lively believed Justin Baldoni - who is due to go to trial in May over her claims of sexual harassment and defamation - was 'unprepared, indecisive and inexperienced' on set The slew of new documents gives fresh insight into what occurred on the set of It Ends With Us, the movie based on the Colleen Hover novel of the same name which became an unexpected hit because of the controversy surrounding the cast. The 17-point list of demands came after Lively claims she was harassed on set by Baldoni's inappropriate comments to her and other actresses. He allegedly told her while in a car that he had not always asked for consent in sexual relationships and that he had not always listened if a partner said no. 'Prior to sharing this disturbing admission, Baldoni grabbed my female assistants arm long and slow and said this "stays in the car",' she claimed. Among Lively's demands was that there would be 'no spontaneous improvising of any scenes involving physical touching, simulated sex, or nudity'. Baldoni and Jamey Heath, one of the producers, have said they signed the list under duress for fear they would lose the movie. During the deposition, Giannetti, Executive Vice President Production at Columbia Pictures, was asked if she ever told Heath that Lively was a 'f***ing terrorist' over her list of demands. She replied: 'Yes'. The judge overseeing the upcoming case has already dismissed Baldon's $400million defamation lawsuit he filed against Lively Lively's 17-point list of demands followed claims that Baldoni harassed her on set and made inappropriate comments to her and other actresses Baldoni and producer Jamey Heath have said they signed Lively's 17-point list under duress, fearing they would lose the movie Lively says she felt extremely uncomfortable with the degree to which she was exposed during the movie's birth scene. She said it felt 'violative and humiliating'. She said had just a small, thin and flat piece of black fabric' to cover her genitalia during the shoot, which lasted several hours. In the dance scene when she claims Baldoni improvised kissing, Lively said she felt trapped and tried to create physical distance from him. 'I attempted to evade his touch while staying visibly in character and attempting to maintain my performance leaning and spinning away from him,' she said. She said she suggested that the characters talk rather than kiss or nuzzle while also trying not to disrupt or further draw out the scene so she could get it over with. 'I tried to use levity and choreography in character to keep Baldoni at bay and to avoid his unwanted touching. In a separate scene, Baldoni covertly bit and sucked my lip without consent. Giannetti said that Lively told her that, in her view, Baldoni 'fell into the category of unprepared, indecisive, and inexperienced'. In addition, she said he was 'too sensitive'. She said: 'She (Lively) would have a criticism, and he wouldn't take it well. He'd be hurt by it, and then she felt like she had to, like, go in and buck him up'. The documents filed at the federal court in New York include a withering assessment by Isabela Ferrer, the actress who played a young version of Lively's character, Lily Bloom. After filming a scene when her character lost her virginity with Alex Neustaedter, who played a young Atlas Corrigan, Ferrer said that Baldoni made an 'inappropriate' comment. Baldoni allegedly said: 'I know I'm not supposed to say this but that was hot.' Ferrer, 25, said in a deposition that Neustaedter, 27, told her that early in the production Baldoni pulled him aside and said: 'I really want you to get to know Isabela well.' Documents filed in federal court in New York include a scathing assessment by Isabela Ferrer, who played a young version of Lively's character, Lily Bloom After filming a scene in which her character lost her virginity to Alex Neustaedter, who played a young Atlas Corrigan, Ferrer said Baldoni allegedly made an 'inappropriate' comment, telling her the scene was 'hot' After that he 'winked at him', Ferrer said. Lively also said she had concerns over the scene in which Ferrer lost her virginity, supposedly at 15 or 16 years old even though both she and Neustaedter wsere in their 20s at the time. During another scene Baldoni tried to get Ferrer to lick cookie dough off a spoon, something she thought was not right as it had a 'sexual undertone' and the character was just 16 at the time. 'The graphic on-screen representation of a minor being penetrated, especially in the context of what was to be an innocent relationship, felt exploitive and dangerous in any circumstance, but given the nature of the book and film, it was doubling alarming Ferrer called Baldoni the 'best con artist I have ever witnessed' because he was adept at turning the narrative to make him look like a victim. She said that she hopes he feels 'morally responsible' for all the 'bullying' the female cast members felt while promoting the movie. Jenny Slate, who played Lively's friend Allysa in the movie, described how Baldoni called her 'hot' and 'sexy' during yet another awkward moment on set. In a deposition she said: 'He said something like: 'I can say this because my wife is here, but you look sexy in what you're wearing'. Slate gave a dim assessment of Baldoni and said she didn't understand how he had become a high profile feminist who hosted a TED talk and wrote books about being a better man. Slate says in the deposition: 'I really don't get how he did a TED Talk. He is worse than most of the bros I've encountered, not because he's predatory but because of his general fragility and misogyny, like not seeming to be aware of any of the obvious no-no'. Jenny Slate, who played Lively's friend Allysa, described another awkward moment on set in which Baldoni allegedly called her 'hot' and 'sexy' The documents include text messages Slate sent to her agent in which she said: 'I'm not kidding when I tell you that Justin and Jamey me freak me out. Like they tell really weird lies and Justin is astoundingly wrongheaded.' In a text at 3.28am one morning, Lively told Slate: 'What you said though is very self-aware. Neither of us are people who can't take a joke or who can't work or understand blue. We're not that fragile 'You just can't record people without asking. You can't speak to people sexually while not in character or while talking about the character, and if you overstep, you move on. It's the weirdness after that makes it feel bad. Like if we speak up, the vibes on set get funky and the work suffers'. At one point Slate was asked if Lively ever told her 'that any of the defendants questioned her about her sexual fantasies or sexual performance?' But after an objection the line of questioning was shut down. Claire Foy looked chic in a long oversized black coat as she stepped out in New York on Tuesday. Accessorising the all black ensemble, the actress, 41, wore a scarf, a handbag with gold hardware and sunglasses. She completed the look with dark brown square toe heeled boots as she wore her hair in a low bun. The British actress has taken the lead role as Helen Macdonald in H Is For Hawk as the film is set to hit cinemas on Friday. Promoting the film while speaking to Radio Times magazine, she also reflected on her role in The Crown as 'the biggest promotion you can imagine'. Claire, who played Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix drama which won her two Emmy awards and a Golden Globe, said it took a decade of acting before she landed her big break and he life was changed. Claire Foy looked chic in a long oversized black coat as she stepped out in New York on Tuesday The actress admitted her life-changing role as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown was like the 'biggest promotion' (pictured in the Netflix series) She said: 'I'd been working for almost 10 years when I made [The Crown], but nobody knew who I was. It was like being in a blockbuster film.' 'Afterwards, I got opportunities I'd never had before. It's like the biggest promotion you can imagine.' Claire went on to say she didn't think her iconic role would limit how she is known as she has continued to work on other projects. 'I don't think it's a double-edged sword. I doubt Olivia Newton-John hated being known for Grease - I bet she loved it! If I had just done The Crown and never worked again, that would be one thing. But I don't feel any pressure to be anything for anyone else, really,' the actress explained. Now, her new film follows Cambridge academic Helen, who's grief sends her spiralling into an abyss after her father dies. In an effort to process her loss, she retreats from the human world to train a fearsome Northern goshawk. At the end of last year, Claire filmed project H Is For Hawk which caused 'chaos' in a quiet residential street where it was shot. Security guards brought in by the production company of the film have been accused of being 'rude and aggressive'. Accessorising the all black ensemble, the actress, 41, wore a scarf, a handbag with gold hardware and sunglasses Claire completed the look with dark brown square toe heeled boots as she wore her hair in a low bun The British actress has taken the lead role as Helen Macdonald in H Is For Hawk as the film is set to hit cinemas on Friday One security officer admitted 'things got crazy' between the film crew and local residents in the battle for parking spots. Residents have lost their parking spaces outside their front doors and are being forced to use a Pay and Display car park paid for by the film company. The production crew had been preparing the location in Plasturton Avenue, in the leafy Cardiff suburb of Pontcanna for almost a month. Claire was apparently unaware of the bitter dispute going on in the street where the movie is being shot over the next two weeks. Goldie Hawn has been with fellow movie star Kurt Russell for an impressive 42 years. Though the 80-year-old blonde bombshell and the 74-year-old Hollywood stalwart - who can next be seen in The Madison from Yellowstone creator Tyler Sheridan - have never married, they continue to thrive. Now Oscar-winner Hawn has talked to The Dan Buettner Podcast about what makes the dynamic duo of Tinseltown click. The content was shared with People. Hawn said she is 'very sexually attracted to him.' She added, 'And that's important. If you have a long-term sexual relationship, that's actually really healthy. He's my sexual object.' The Butterflies Are Free actress also said: 'I find him incredibly handsome to this day.' Goldie Hawn has been with fellow movie star Kurt Russell for an impressive 42 years. Though the 80-year-old blonde bombshell and the 74-year-old bad boy of action movies have never married, they continue to thrive. Seen in 2004 Now Oscar winner Hawn has talked to The Dan Buettner Podcast about what makes the dynamic duo of Tinseltown click. Seen in December And she looked up to the Escape From New York actor: 'I have respect for him because I think he's an amazing person.' It does not hurt that he is great with their combined children. 'Kids love him. We're an unbelievably happy family most of the time. There's a cohesiveness. Why would I want anybody who is perfect? There is no such thing.' And she stays with him because of the sense of freedom. 'I have a relationship with birds,' said Hawn. 'I'm a bird. And you leave the cage door open, I may never fly out. But if you close that door, for my freedom and my independence, I would probably take all my feathers off.' And knowing the cage door is open is what makes her stick close to Russell. 'It's a freedom of basically not melding into somebody else, when you're copacetic on certain areas and you have freedom,' said the Snatched actress. The marriage question gets asked a lot, the mother to Kate Hudson said. Turns out it is the sense of freedom. 'I have a relationship with birds,' said Hawn. 'I'm a bird. And you leave the cage door open, I may never fly out. But if you close that door, for my freedom and my independence, I would probably take all my feathers off'; Russell and Hawn with her children Oliver and Kate in 2003 And knowing the cage door is open is what makes her stick close to Russell. 'It's a freedom of basically not melding into somebody else, when you're copacetic on certain areas and you have freedom,' said the Snatched actress; pictured in 2004 Then there is the general attraction to the Escape From New York actor: 'I have respect for him because I think he's an amazing person.' And she is 'also very sexually attracted to him. And that's important. If you have a long-term sexual relationship, that's actually really healthy. He's my sexual object'; pictured 2008 'Even if we did get married, it wouldn't make any difference because it's 42 years now,' noted the Foul Play actress. In 2015 Hawn shared more secrets. Speaking to Porter magazine, she said that marriage is not the magic ingredient to an enduring love, but rather, intention. Hawn and ex Bill Hudson are pictured at 1975 Oscars 'A lasting relationship isn't about marriage. It's about compatibility and communication,' said the Hollywood Squares veteran. 'And you both need to want it to work. If one person does not want it to work, it isn't going to work. Intention is the key. 'It's also about not losing yourself in each other. Being together, two pillars holding up the house and the roof, and being different, not having to agree on everything, learning how to deal with not agreeing. Everything's a choice.' She also said caring about family is important. 'Kurt came from three sisters and a very strong family unit. I came from one sister and two parents and a big family unit. That's what we care about,' she added. 'We talked about relationships and commonality early on. We had nannies, there's no doubt about it. We've both been working. But we were very present with our children. 'It's the same way we grew up. I had a working mother, Kurt did not. My mother was right there.' Hawn and Kate Hudson seen at a Special Screening and Q&A For Focus Features' Song Sung Blue at AMC The Grove 14 in Los Angeles on January 13 The popular pair first met on-set in 1968. They were introduced on Walt Disney's The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, but it took fifteen years before they became romantically involved during the production of Swing Shift in 1983. Three years earlier Hawn had divorced Bill Hudson, with whom she had two children - Kate and Oliver - while, around the same time, Kurt was married and divorced from actress Season Hubley. Shortly after Russell became Kate and Oliver's step-father, while Goldie became step-mother to his son with Season, Boston. Together, they have their own son, Wyatt, who was born in 1986. Gypsy Rose Blanchard sent fans into a frenzy on Tuesday with a bold new look on social media. The 34-year-old, who served eight years of a 10-year prison sentence for assisting in the murder of her mother, ditched her usual long wigs to reveal a chic brunette bob. Dressed in a simple dark tank top with a heart graphic, she struck a pose straight out of a fashion shoot, letting her natural beauty shine. Gone were the blond extensions and flowing dark wigs - replaced by a confident, fresh new look that had fans swooning. She captioned the post, No wig today just me, and the comment section immediately erupted with praise. A hot new bombshell has entered the villa, one fan gushed, perfectly summing up the reaction. On Tuesday, Gypsy Rose Blanchard wowed fans by ditching her wigs and showing off her natural hair (above) At 34, the ex-con left her long wigs behind to reveal a stylish brunette bob Another fan simply wrote, Wow wow wowww, while someone else chimed in, I love your hair like this, dare I say iconic??? You look amazing! One admirer added, Personally, I think you should grow your hair out. Its beautiful and looks so healthy. Fans kept the praise coming, showering her pixie cut with words like amazing, cute, and so beautiful. Back in November, Blanchard shared an Instagram Stories post showing off her short hair, adding the text, Why do you wear wigs? She explained at the bottom, This is my real natural hair. I had to cut it really short because nearly two years of bleaching completely fried it. Blanchard added, I dont feel comfortable with short hair, so I normally wear a high-quality wig while my real hair grows back healthy. Im giving my hair a fresh start so it can grow long again. The reveal comes after she stunned fans in May with an entirely new look following a 25lb weight loss, proving shes not afraid of bold transformations. The TV personality shared a snap showing her slimmed-down frame while posing cheerfully with partner Ken Urker. She captioned the post, No wig today just me, and the comment section immediately erupted with praise Her previous style (above) was replaced by a confident, fresh new look that had fans swooning She dressed for the warmer weather in denim shorts and a black leather top with a plunging neckline, celebrating her post-baby glow after welcoming daughter Aurora last December. A follow-up mirror selfie showed her toned figure in a sleeveless white vest, jeans, and black booties. Blanchard, who previously denied using weight-loss medications like Ozempic or Mounjaro, captioned her post: 'My 25lbs weight loss.' In January, the Munchausen by proxy survivor insisted her figure was the result of her focus on 'getting fit by doing yoga and other exercises to help tone' her stomach. 'I bought small gym equipment for my home to start getting healthy,' she revealed on Instagram. 'I never have used weight loss drugs to lose weight. I was blessed with a healthy pregnancy and gained very little during my pregnancy.' Blanchard welcomed her daughter with Ken Urker on December 28 - exactly one year after she was released from prison. She spent her childhood posing as a wheelchair-bound invalid after mom Claudine 'Dee Dee' Blanchard shaved her head, pumped her full of drugs, and convinced the world she was suffering from leukemia and muscular dystrophy. Their 'inseparable' bond ended when Gypsy burst free of her warped mom's control in 2015 by letting her besotted internet boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, creep into their Springfield, Missouri, home to stab 48-year-old Dee Dee to death. The reveal comes after she stunned fans in May with an entirely new look following a 25lb weight loss, proving shes not afraid of bold transformations She ultimately plead guilty to second-degree murder and spent nearly a decade locked up before she was granted early parole and released in December 2023. While in prison, she bonded with Ken after he sent her a letter; they started corresponding and things soon turned romantic, with him proposing in 2018. But after the Hulu show The Act - which starred Joey King as Gypsy and Patricia Arquette as her mother - premiered a few months later and put an intense spotlight on Gypsy's story, she admitted in her memoir that Ken couldn't handle all the sudden attention. They ultimately split and she moved on with Ryan Scott Anderson, and they wed in July 2022. Ryan was by her side when she was freed - but just three months later, news hit the web that they had split. Soon after, it was reported that Gypsy had reconciled with her ex, Ken; she then revealed that they were expecting in July. In a YouTube video at the time, Gypsy spoke about how her horrific upbringing would affect her outlook on motherhood. 'All the things that I wanted in a mother, I want to give to this baby,' she stated. 'I just want to be a good mother to my child, I want to be everything my mother wasn't.' Blanchard welcomed her daughter with Ken Urker on December 28 - exactly one year after she was released from prison Gypsy previously revealed the 'backstory' behind her baby's name during an interview with People last year. 'Ken came up with that. There's a whole backstory to it,' she dished. 'Some people think that it's because of the Disney Princess. 'Some people think that it's because Kristy's dog is named Aurora Grace,' she said of her step-mother, adding: 'It's not because of that.' Instead, Aurora was selected because of the couple's shared love of the Northern Lights. 'Back whenever Ken and I were together seven years ago, both of us have a fascination with the Northern Lights, and the proper term is the Aurora Borealis,' she said recalling her time dating Urker while imprisoned. 'I think it was maybe in 2018, we wrote each other's future kid's name on pieces of paper and Aurora is what we both picked without even knowing each other was picking it.' Gypsy talked to A&E True Crime in March and opened up about how motherhood has changed her. 'It's made me a lot more mature. It's made me really have to analyze my priorities,' she explained. While in prison, she bonded with Ken after he sent her a letter; they started corresponding and things soon turned romantic, with him proposing in 2018 'Coming out of prison, I wanted to do this and go there and have this experience and that experience and be very carefree. I was to the wind, acting on emotion and impulse.' She added, 'But I have a child now. And so, I'm a lot more mindful about my decisions in life because they affect her as well.' In regards to becoming a parent, Blanchard said it has made her look back at her own upbringing - some of it being 'negative.' The TV personality expressed, 'I wish I could say that I can relate to my mom. I wish I could give you that answer, that I see her point of view now. 'But that's just not it. It just isn't. If anything, I see that I'm more lost in the questions that I have. I just dont have the mindset that my mom did, to relate to her.' Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was every inch the supportive fiancee as she joined her actor partner Jason Statham at the premiere of his new film Shelter on Tuesday. The model, 38, flashed her washboard abs in a black sequin crop top and low-waist trousers as she stole the spotlight from her dashing fiance, 58. Enjoying a child-free night out, the loved-up pair looked smitten as they posed arm-in-arm on the red carpet in London's Leicester Square. The couple are parents to their two young children, son Jack, eight, and daughter Isabella, three. Jason stars in the upcoming action thriller film, directed by Ric Roman Waugh and written by Ward Parry. The movie, which hits cinemas January 30, also stars Bodhi Rae Breathnach and Bill Nighy. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 38, was every inch the supportive fiancee as she joined her actor partner Jason Statham, 58, at the premiere of his new film Shelter on Tuesday The model flashed her washboard abs in a black sequin crop top and low-waist trousers as she stole the spotlight from her dashing fiance A synopsis for the film reads: 'A recluse on a remote Scottish island rescues a girl from the sea, unleashing a perilous sequence of events that culminate in an attack on his home, compelling him to face his turbulent history.' Rosie and Jason recently went to the Cotswolds on another family holiday with their children. The couple splashed out on a festive family break at the Estelle Manor, where they enjoyed country walks, archery and target shooting. The couple looked in good spirits as they enjoyed a sunny winter walk around the 85-acre estate and beamed for selfies together. The low-key British couple, who live in Los Angeles, first began dating in 2010 after meeting at a party in London and experiencing what Rosie called 'instant chemistry'. They got engaged in 2016, with the model revealing they had taken their relationship to the next level. She first flashed her impressive diamond ring at the Golden Globes but have not confirmed any plans of when they will officially walk down the alter. Speaking about their plans to marry after Jack was born, Rosie said: 'I think the time will come. It's also not a huge priority for us.' Enjoying a child-free night out, the loved-up pair looked smitten as they posed arm-in-arm on the red carpet in London's Leicester Square Jason stars in the upcoming action thriller film, directed by Ric Roman Waugh and written by Ward Parry Rosie wowed in the cropped top and low-waist faux leather trousers The mother-of-two posed up a storm at the premiere Man of the moment Jason couldn't wipe the smile off his face Rosie looked incredible as she walked out of the premiere The model protected herself from the rain with a huge umbrella Jason was all smiles after his successful London premiere The movie, which hits cinemas January 30, also stars Bodhi Rae Breathnach (pictured) and Bill Nighy Richard E. Grant was all smiles as he arrived at the star-studded premiere Strictly's Nadiya Bychkova flashed her lace bra in a plunging oversized blazer Made In Chelsea star Tabitha Willett showcased her blossoming baby bump in a cut-out black gown The pregnant reality star cradled her growing bump as she enjoyed a night out at the premiere Love Island star Cally Beech was joined by her fiance DJ O'Neal TV presenter Dan Walker sweetly smiled at the screening Michelle Heaton put on a risque display in a LBD Love Island stars Sanam Harrinanan and Kai Fagan enjoyed a date night together Hollyoaks actor Richard Blackwood put on an animated display as he smiled for pictures The couple are parents to their two young children, son Jack, eight, and daughter Isabella, three She has also addressed the couple's 20-year age gap, saying: 'His knowledge and strength are really inspiring and attractive, and that can come with a man who's had a bit of time.' It comes as Rosie showed off her incredible physique as she braved the snow for her latest photoshoot with Alo last week. She displayed the results of her hard work in the gym as she flashed her washboard abs in a white bikini. Rosie teamed her outfit with a cropped fur coat and matching hat while striking a pose in front of the snow covered mountains. Taking to her Instagram, she captioned the update: 'Baby, its cold outside.' Earlier in the day, Rosie shared another collaboration with the yoga wear brand Alo and its fitness and wellness programme, Alo Wellness Club. She modelled a skimpy white triangle Alo Splendor Bra (58) and rolled-down grey marl Accolade Sweatpants, costing 128. CPC congratulates Vietnamese party on 14th National Congress Xinhua) 16:19, January 20, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message on the convening of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). The CPV is the strong leadership core of the Vietnamese people and the cause of socialism in Vietnam. Since the 13th National Congress of the CPV, the Central Committee of the CPV has united and led the Vietnamese people in making remarkable achievements in advancing socialist construction and reform, read the message. Amid complex international situations, Vietnam has maintained political and social stability, experienced rapid and sustainable economic development, and seen its international status rise steadily. These accomplishments have demonstrated the advantages of the communist party leadership and the socialist system, and have made positive contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world, it said. The 14th National Congress of the CPV is being held at a key moment when the CPV and the Vietnamese people proceed toward the goals of the 100th anniversary of the CPV's founding. The congress will formulate the major policies for the development of the party and the country in five years and beyond, opening a new era for the development of the Vietnamese nation. The event is of profound historical significance, it said. The CPC Central Committee expressed the belief that the congress will be a unifying and victorious one, and that under the strong leadership of the CPV, the Vietnamese people will successfully achieve the goals set for the development and construction of the party and the country. It emphasized that the CPC and the government of China attach great importance to developing the relations between the two parties and countries, and are willing to work together with the Vietnamese side to adhere to the principles of "long-term stability, future orientation, good-neighborly friendship and all-round cooperation," and the spirit of "good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, good partners," to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries. Following the overarching goals characterized by "six mores," the CPC and the government of China will join Vietnam to promote the continuous development and achieve fruitful results of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, to better benefit both nations and peoples, and jointly contribute to regional stability, development, and the cause of peace and progress for humanity, it added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Queer Eye star Karamo Brown dramatically canceled multiple morning show appearances while saying he was scared of being bullied. Brown, 45, pulled out of a planned appearance on CBS Mornings Tuesday. His four co-stars were filmed looking somber and clutching at one another as host Gayle King quizzed them about what had happened. But they would only reply in tense, cryptic statements, sparking speculation about who Brown's alleged bully or bullies were. 'We call it a "Fab Five" but one of the Fab Five is not here,' an uncharacteristically somber King began as she chatted with the other stars on CBS Mornings Tuesday. 'We received word just - less than an hour ago that Karamo Brown is not going to be joining us today.' The CBS Mornings host went on to read a portion of Brown's statement, saying that the reality star 'apologized for not attending' and thanked the show's audience 'I want to rip the Band-Aid off and just get it out of the way so we can really talk about the show,' King assured a seated Antoni Porowski, Jeremiah Brent, Jonathan Van Ness, and Tan France. Queer Eye star Karamo Brown chose not to join his fellow co-stars on CBS Mornings on Tuesday for a prescheduled spot, citing 'bullying' Brown - a cast member since the reboot's launch in 2018 - sent in a video statement to NBC's Today before bowing out there as well. He said he has been 'mentally and emotionally abused for years' but did not say by whom Queer Eyes Karamo abruptly pulled out of a cast interview with CBS Mornings just one hour before airtime, citing fears of being bullied. The Queer Eye cast reacted to the move live on the air as Gayle King read his statement. pic.twitter.com/66QUwradsC Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 20, 2026 'I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and to protect their mental health and peace from people or a world who seek to destroy it; which is why I cant be there today,' Brown wrote in the portion read by King. 'His assistant also says he's worried about being bullied,' King added. 'I'm very sorry to hear this - that he apparently feels this way. What do you have to say?' she asked Brown's costars, who are promoting the show's final season. King quickly clarified that the cast were 'as surprised as we are' by the cancellation. Porowski, with his hand on France's lap, replied: 'Yeah - surprised is a fair understatement.' Not offering much detail, Porowski added: 'I will say, our "Queer Eye" family - we've been doing this for almost a decade, which is pretty wild to believe. And families are complicated. And we're definitely not excluded from that.' 'And while that is definitely true, we're also here to showcase these incredible heroes that we have and really honor the legacy of this past decade of our lives,' he added, as France sat silent with a slight smirk. Brent, audibly emotional, chimed in to insist that his 'experience with this group has been transformative.' He maintained the show - rebooted from the 2000's Queer Eye For the Straight Guy - is about 'highlighting the best of humanity.' The depleted cast put on a united front during both appearances. They did not offer any details on why Brown felt he has been bullied Brown - seen here with costar Jonathan Van Newss - rose to fame on MTV's The Real World: Philadelphia in the 2000s, when the initial Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was still on the air 'And nobody needs that more than us - this country right now.' King - after disclaiming that she 'did not want to negate how Karamo feels' - went on to ask if the cast had anything to say directly to their costar. Hair stylist Jonathan Van Ness, who was previously accused of having 'rage issues', began: 'I think one thing that I was so honored to learn from Kamaro during my time - just like he said in that package - we have to meet people where they're at. And he has taught people to center what they need. 'And I'm actually really proud of him. Center what you need, do the things you need to do to take care of you - I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel like that sometimes. So, I think it's really beautiful. I think we do need to center what's best for us sometimes, and my hat off to him for doing that. The situation caused a similar stir when the group joined Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, where Brown added new accusations to his statement while sending in a video as well. Brown said he 'has felt mentally and emotionally abused for years', but did not say by whom. He made the decision to not appear on the program 'to protect himself and his peace', Jones read. The show was rebooted for Netlix eight years ago with a new 'Fab Five' - Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, Brown, and Jeremiah Brent Pictured, the forced Fab Four during their Tuesday appearance on NBC's Today with Jenna & Sheinelle The cast member added in the video: 'Just like the themes of this season, Im modeling what I believe is most important, which I want to remind you all, love yourselves and protect yourselves. 'Thats why Im here at home and not there. But continue to watch the show,' he said, before thanking the crew and Netflix executives. Noticeably absent from the hat tip were his four cohosts. The show's tenth and final season starts streaming this month. The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for both Brown and Netflix for comment. Anais Gallagher cut a sporty figure as she joined her cousin, Gene Gallagher, at the New Era x Atlassian Williams F1 Team's Teamwear launch at One Marylebone in London on Tuesday. The daughter of musician Noel Gallagher, 25, rocked an F1 team blue polo shirt teamed with light-blue slim-fit denim jeans as she posed up a storm with her cousin, 24, at the event. To complete her look, Anais sported a pair of yellow trainers, flashing a smile for the cameras. Meanwhile, Gene, the son of Liam Gallagher, 24, cut a trendy figure in a black leather biker jacket and matching black jeans. He finished his look with a pair of black-and-white trainers as he posed for a sweet snap alongside his cousin. Their outing comes after Anais set pulses racing in a skimpy red bikini as she jetted off to the Maldives with her boyfriend Callum Scott Howells. Anais Gallagher cut a sporty figure as she attended the New Era x Atlassian Williams F1 Team's Teamwear launch at One Marylebone in London on Tuesday The daughter of musician Noel Gallagher, 25, rocked an F1 team blue polo shirt teamed with light-blue slim-fit denim jeans as she posed up a storm with her cousin Gene Gallagher, 24, at the event The model was also joined on the trip by her brothers Sonny and Donovan and their friend Zion. Taking to Instagram earlier this month, Anais shared a glimpse into the lavish trip, from daring watersports and luxury yachts to spotting tropical fish. She displayed her sensational figure in a bikini snap as she slipped into a red halterneck two-piece with a backdrop of crystal clear blue waters. Elsewhere she was seen in a strappy triangle number as she snapped a selfie in the mirror with her middle finger up. Anais also shared some of her evening outfits, including a multicoloured satin mini-dress as well as a stunning lilac chiffon cape dress. She was seen putting on a cosy display with her boyfriend Callum in one snap as they danced together at night. The couple have reportedly been seeing each other romantically since the autumn of 2023. Noel and Liam's children followed the band around the world since Oasis' first reunion gig in Manchester back in July. Meanwhile, Gene, the son of Liam Gallagher, cut a trendy figure in a black leather biker jacket and matching black jeans He finished his look with a pair of black-and-white trainers as he posed for a sweet snap alongside his cousin Louis Ashbourne Serkis also cut a smart casual figure in a grey checked jacket as he attended the event Pixie Geldof cut a chic figure in a black leather pencil skirt paired with a black turtleneck jumper, posing up a storm at the event Meg Bellamy exuded class in a black strapless dress with burgundy Mary Jane flats Matilda Broadbridge cut a stylish figure in a brown pinstripe suit, posing up a storm for the cameras Ahead of that first gig, the kids reunited for the 'pic of the century' at Heaton Park where Anais and her half brothers Donovan, 17, and Sonny, 14, were joined by Liam's sons Gene and Lennon, 26. Liam shares Gene with Nicole Appleton and Lennon with Patsy Kensit. Noel shares Anais with Meg Mathews, and Sonny and Donovan with Sara MacDonald. Almost immediately, speculation began over what Noel and Liam might do next now the tour has wrapped. But last month Liam insisted Oasis won't be 'doing anything' in 2026, days after fuelling Knebworth rumours. Liam was urged by a fan on X to, 'announce the 2026 dates mate'. But he replied: 'We're not doing anything in 2026 sorry', before adding to another fan, 'None we're having a year off, Happy Christmas'. Firmly shutting down rumours once and for all, Liam reshared an odds on Oasis performing at Knebworth, he wrote: 'ITS NOT HAPPENING'. For almost 20 years, Facebook was part of daily life for Aliza Rosen. She joined back in 2007, and her account was filled with decades of photos, friends, and connections from her work in podcasting and television production in Los Angeles. But then one day in March this year, Rosen received a cold, automated message from Meta informing her that her account had been suspended for creating a fake profile on Instagram. Rosen searched for the account, but it did not exist. And when she looked to get in touch with someone at the company about the error, she discovered that it was not possible to speak to a human being without paying for a verified account. 'That was the beginning of my descent into Meta's customer service nightmare,' Rosen said. She is one of tens of thousands of users worldwide who claim to have been unceremoniously locked out of their personal or business accounts, to then find it virtually impossible to contact customer support for help. Some have even taken the drastic measure of paying thousands of dollars to independent contractors in a desperate attempt to unlock their crucial business contacts and treasured memories trapped in their accounts. In March this year Aliza Rosen suddenly lost access to her Facebook account Rosen discovered that in order to appeal the suspension, she would have to pay $11.99 a month for a verified account. In desperation she forked over the cash, only to end up in a loop of messages which kept repeating the same thing. 'I went through two or three different bots to have them send me the same link to report a hacked account. You have to fill out the information and it just sends you in a loop of nothing,' she told the Daily Mail. Rosen tried to explain that her blocked account was linked to an email address which she no longer had access to, but she was told there was nothing that could be done. She spent months trying to gain access, offering up IDs and screenshots to try and prove who she was, but getting nowhere. 'I really needed it for work. A lot of my work, including researching people and background stuff is all on Facebook. That was very frustrating,' she said. Then Rosen was recommended to a consultant who had helped an old coworker get his account back but it would cost between $3,000 and $5,000. She said she was told by the consultant that the fee was so high as in order to get to a human being at Meta, you have to 'pay them under the table.' Join the debate Do YOU trust Meta to protect your digital memories after hearing this story? Meta has over 3 billion users on its platforms worldwide (Pictured: Founder Mark Zuckerberg) In 2022, Meta fired or disciplined more than two dozen employees and contractors who it accused of improperly taking over user accounts, in some cases allegedly for bribes, The Wall Street Journal reported. In some cases workers accepted thousands of dollars in bribes to access locked accounts, according to people familiar with the matter and documents viewed by the outlet. 'It felt like my account was being held hostage, and now I have to pay a consultant to get an account back that a scammer took from me and Meta is not going to fix,' Rosen told the Daily Mail. A quick internet search reveals a slew of companies offering to recover lost or locked Facebook accounts. Rosen was not willing to pay the sum, and has accepted that she will likely never gain access to her account again. She is furious that almost 20 years of memories are gone for a security breach which she had nothing to do with. 'It's just disgusting to me that one of the biggest companies in the world is doing this to people when it's completely counterintuitive to the whole point of Facebook,' she said. The problem has become so widespread that an online petition, entitled 'Meta wrongfully disabling accounts with no human customer support,' has over 51,000 signatures. Worldwide, Meta has over 3 billion users across its platforms. Rosen discovered that in order to appeal the suspension, she would have to pay $11.99 a month for a verified Facebook account 'Across the globe, ordinary users are being silenced by broken systems at platforms like Meta,' the petition reads. 'Journalists, creators, educators, parents, nonprofits and students have lost access to their accounts, communities, and data. Often without warning, without explanation, and without meaningful appeal processes. 'It's a widespread, systemic failure that has erased businesses, destroyed livelihoods, and cut people off from years of memories, relationships, and vital communications.' For some, the loss is particularly painful. 'We have heard from thousands of people: panic attacks, sleepless nights, depression and grief after digital lifelines have been cut,' it says. As Meta leaves people hanging, Will Jennings is trying to fill the void. He runs a consulting company which helps people recover lost or disabled accounts. 'Most of what I do is hopping on Zoom calls with people and giving them a diagnosis. Because a lot of people don't know exactly what is wrong, they just know it hurts. I tell them exactly what is wrong and let them know what their options are,' he said. For most people the first option is to get their account verified, he said, but even then you are in a 'line of a million other people.' Another option is filing legal action and contacting your state Attorney General, but that is also likely to be a long and drawn out process. Zuckerberg with President Donald Trump at a White House dinner in September The main way that Jennings is able to help people, he said, is because he has a Meta business partner account from a marketing agency he used to own. 'This means I have a better or at least more direct customer support line,' he said. Jennings offers a free 15 minute consultation, and then charges $350 an hour for his services. Most of his clients are businesses, whose livelihoods are directly impacted if they are locked out of their accounts, and he admits it is much more difficult to retrieve personal profiles. Jennings believes the problem is that Meta is not sending enough resources to its customer support, which means people are being left in the dark. 'If you look at Meta's stock price, it goes up quarter for quarter every year, and the volume of support cases continues to rise,' he said. 'Unless you're a billion dollar advertiser coming in with an issue, it's not going to affect their bottom line.' A surge in scams has also made an impact, he claimed, and hsd meant that more people are having their accounts shut down unnecessarily. 'It seems like Meta enforces these blanket policies where it's kind of utilitarian, where they're perfectly fine with not helping or shutting down nine good people if it stops the one bad actor.' Thousands of users have complained about being unfairly locked out of their Facebook accounts and being unable to get in touch with Meta customer support Jennings claimed there is a 'whole black market for Meta,' which would not exist if the company was properly supporting its customers. 'There's a gross underbelly of Meta, and it's the same situation as any other black market. If you want to make a black market go away, you don't go arrest the drug dealers, you stop the demand. 'If you wanted to stop the demand for people getting their accounts back, you would not take them away in the first place and also give them a proper support channel.' Jennings said that he never intended to do what he is doing. 'I had a marketing agency and it was kind of a side hustle helping people get in touch with Facebook support to fix their issues. 'Nobody should have to pay, but we're moving into a point where the problem is getting so bad that somebody needs to fix it,' he said. Meta did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. Shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (NYSE:FMS Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of Reduce by the six research firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and three have given a hold rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $28.00. A number of brokerages have recently commented on FMS. Weiss Ratings cut Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c+) rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Zacks Research cut shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 4th. Truist Financial set a $28.00 target price on shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Bank of America lowered Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a neutral rating to an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Saturday, December 20th. Get Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on FMS Institutional Trading of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA Stock Performance Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Hennessy Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA during the second quarter valued at $11,479,000. Bank of America Corp DE grew its position in shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA by 279.7% in the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 337,316 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,637,000 after purchasing an additional 248,477 shares in the last quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA by 1.0% during the third quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 14,816,852 shares of the companys stock worth $390,128,000 after purchasing an additional 153,870 shares during the period. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd raised its position in Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA by 175.3% in the second quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd now owns 199,563 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,702,000 after purchasing an additional 127,073 shares during the period. Finally, Arlington Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA in the second quarter valued at about $2,569,000. 8.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Shares of NYSE:FMS opened at $22.00 on Friday. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA has a 52 week low of $21.02 and a 52 week high of $30.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.36. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $23.39 and a 200 day simple moving average of $25.01. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (NYSE:FMS Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $5.73 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.72 billion. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA had a return on equity of 7.42% and a net margin of 3.72%. Research analysts forecast that Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA will post 1.51 EPS for the current fiscal year. About Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (Get Free Report) Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co KGaA is the worlds largest integrated provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases. The companys primary business activities encompass the operation of dialysis clinics and the manufacture and distribution of dialysis equipment, dialysis machines, dialyzers, consumables and related therapies. Through its global network of clinics, Fresenius Medical Care delivers comprehensive kidney care, including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis treatments, patient education and support services. In its products segment, the company designs and produces dialysis machines, water treatment systems and disposables such as highflux dialyzers and bloodlines. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. APi Group Corporation (NYSE:APG Get Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 7,725,362 shares, a decline of 21.8% from the December 15th total of 9,876,621 shares. Approximately 2.2% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 1,721,615 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.5 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,721,615 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.5 days. Approximately 2.2% of the companys shares are sold short. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating on shares of APi Group in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. Citigroup reissued a buy rating and issued a $49.00 price target (up from $45.00) on shares of APi Group in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of APi Group from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. CJS Securities upgraded shares of APi Group to a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of APi Group in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $41.24. Get APi Group alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on APi Group Insider Activity at APi Group Institutional Inflows and Outflows In other news, Director Anthony E. Malkin purchased 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $39.58 per share, for a total transaction of $118,740.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 7,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $277,060. This represents a 75.00% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, Director Martin E. Franklin sold 340,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.09, for a total value of $12,270,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 18,968,790 shares in the company, valued at $684,583,631.10. This represents a 1.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure . In the last three months, insiders bought 7,000 shares of company stock valued at $275,720 and sold 900,000 shares valued at $32,342,000. Corporate insiders own 17.00% of the companys stock. Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AQR Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of APi Group during the first quarter worth approximately $650,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its stake in APi Group by 73.6% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 178,117 shares of the companys stock worth $6,369,000 after purchasing an additional 75,490 shares during the period. Voya Investment Management LLC grew its position in APi Group by 4.6% during the 1st quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 28,883 shares of the companys stock worth $1,033,000 after purchasing an additional 1,261 shares during the last quarter. Financiere des Professionnels Fonds d investissement inc. acquired a new position in APi Group in the second quarter valued at $98,000. Finally, Wedmont Private Capital acquired a new stake in shares of APi Group during the second quarter worth about $368,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.62% of the companys stock. APi Group Stock Up 0.7% NYSE:APG traded up $0.29 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $42.83. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,370,292 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,935,106. The stock has a market capitalization of $17.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 116.81 and a beta of 1.70. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $39.34 and a 200-day moving average of $36.52. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84. APi Group has a 52-week low of $20.50 and a 52-week high of $43.26. APi Group (NYSE:APG Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $0.41 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $2.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.01 billion. APi Group had a net margin of 3.44% and a return on equity of 21.86%. APi Groups revenue for the quarter was up 14.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.51 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that APi Group will post 1.83 earnings per share for the current year. About APi Group (Get Free Report) APi Group Corp. is a global specialty contractor that provides fire protection, security, mechanical insulation and energy services to commercial, industrial and institutional clients. Headquartered in New Brighton, Minnesota, the company designs, installs, inspects, tests, maintains and repairs a wide range of safety and infrastructure systems. Through its network of operating subsidiaries, APi Group delivers end-to-end solutions for new construction, facility renovations and ongoing maintenance requirements. Its service portfolio spans life safety and industrial servicessuch as fire suppression systems, fire alarms and emergency lightingand specialized offerings including technical insulation, access solutions, passive fire protection and energy efficiency upgrades. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for APi Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for APi Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp. (CVE:LIT Get Free Report) fell 17% during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as low as C$0.19 and last traded at C$0.20. 264,381 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 12% from the average session volume of 299,652 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.24. Argentina Lithium & Energy Trading Down 17.0% The firm has a 50 day moving average of C$0.13 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$0.11. The stock has a market capitalization of C$26.83 million, a PE ratio of -2.17 and a beta of 0.06. Argentina Lithium & Energy Company Profile (Get Free Report) Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp., a junior mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of natural resource properties in the Americas and Argentina. It primarily explores for lithium. The company was formerly known as Iron South Mining Corp. and changed its name to Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp. in September 2016. Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp. was incorporated in 2000 and is based in Vancouver, Canada. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Argentina Lithium & Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Argentina Lithium & Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Banco Santander Chile (NYSE:BSAC Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 501,644 shares, an increase of 22.7% from the December 15th total of 408,701 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 254,946 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.0 days. Currently, 0.1% of the shares of the company are short sold. Currently, 0.1% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 254,946 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.0 days. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Banco Santander Chile Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of BSAC. Simplex Trading LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Banco Santander Chile in the second quarter valued at $25,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new stake in Banco Santander Chile during the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Banco Santander Chile by 577.8% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,559 shares of the banks stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 1,329 shares in the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in Banco Santander Chile by 380.5% in the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 3,532 shares of the banks stock valued at $89,000 after purchasing an additional 2,797 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC purchased a new position in Banco Santander Chile in the 3rd quarter valued at about $152,000. 6.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Banco Santander Chile alerts: Banco Santander Chile Price Performance Shares of NYSE BSAC traded up $1.08 during trading on Monday, hitting $33.34. 457,544 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 246,242. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.51, a current ratio of 1.84 and a quick ratio of 1.84. Banco Santander Chile has a 1 year low of $19.04 and a 1 year high of $33.49. The company has a market cap of $15.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.37, a PEG ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 0.56. The firms fifty day moving average price is $30.85 and its 200 day moving average price is $27.41. Analysts Set New Price Targets Banco Santander Chile ( NYSE:BSAC Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 17th. The bank reported $0.99 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $740.10 million during the quarter. Banco Santander Chile had a net margin of 24.74% and a return on equity of 22.18%. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Banco Santander Chile will post 2.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. BSAC has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. UBS Group increased their price objective on Banco Santander Chile from $24.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Citigroup lowered shares of Banco Santander Chile from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, November 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of Banco Santander Chile from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Banco Santander Chile from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Banco Santander Chile from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, October 16th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $27.67. View Our Latest Stock Report on BSAC Banco Santander Chile Company Profile (Get Free Report) Banco Santander Chile (NYSE:BSAC) is one of the leading financial institutions in Chile and a key component of the global Santander Group. The bank offers a comprehensive range of banking and financial services, including retail and commercial lending, deposit accounts, credit cards, wealth management, insurance products and corporate banking solutions. Headquartered in Santiago, it operates an extensive network of branches, ATMs and digital platforms to serve individual customers, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations across the country. Originally founded as Banco de Santiago in the late 1970s, the institution became part of the Santander Group following the privatization wave in Chile during the late 1980s. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Banco Santander Chile Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco Santander Chile and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF Get Free Report) is projected to release its Q4 2025 results after the market closes on Thursday, January 22nd. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $4.07 per share and revenue of $15.4870 billion for the quarter. Interested persons may visit the the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning results page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 3rd. The financial services provider reported $5.95 EPS for the quarter. Capital One Financial had a net margin of 2.24% and a return on equity of 10.94%. The company had revenue of $15.46 billion for the quarter. On average, analysts expect Capital One Financial to post $16 EPS for the current fiscal year and $18 EPS for the next fiscal year. Get Capital One Financial alerts: Capital One Financial Trading Up 0.9% Shares of Capital One Financial stock opened at $239.15 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. Capital One Financial has a 52-week low of $143.22 and a 52-week high of $259.64. The firm has a market cap of $152.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 100.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.55 and a beta of 1.13. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $232.39 and its 200-day simple moving average is $223.14. Capital One Financial Increases Dividend Insiders Place Their Bets The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 17th were paid a $0.80 dividend. This represents a $3.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 17th. This is an increase from Capital One Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.60. Capital One Financials dividend payout ratio is presently 135.02%. In related news, insider Frank G. LapradeIii sold 17,840 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $222.03, for a total transaction of $3,961,015.20. Following the sale, the insider owned 48,315 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,727,379.45. This represents a 26.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Ravi Raghu sold 13,450 shares of Capital One Financial stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $3,362,500.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 30,337 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,584,250. The trade was a 30.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 298,895 shares of company stock valued at $67,111,541 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 1.26% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Capital One Financial Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in Capital One Financial by 330.1% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 13,587 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,423,000 after buying an additional 10,428 shares in the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Capital One Financial by 44.3% during the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 8,968 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,608,000 after acquiring an additional 2,753 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Capital One Financial by 118.3% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,300 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $702,000 after purchasing an additional 1,788 shares during the period. Flow Traders U.S. LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Capital One Financial during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $218,000. Finally, Jump Financial LLC bought a new stake in Capital One Financial in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,086,000. 89.84% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts recently weighed in on COF shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Capital One Financial in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and issued a $275.00 price objective on shares of Capital One Financial in a report on Monday, January 12th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price target on Capital One Financial from $260.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating and issued a $280.00 target price on shares of Capital One Financial in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on shares of Capital One Financial from $245.00 to $270.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $279.40. View Our Latest Analysis on Capital One Financial Capital One Financial Company Profile (Get Free Report) Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF) is a diversified bank holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia. The companys core businesses include credit card lending, consumer and commercial banking, and auto finance. Capital One issues a wide range of credit card products for consumers and small businesses, and it operates deposit and digital banking services aimed at retail customers and small to midsize enterprises. Products and services include credit and charge cards, checking and savings accounts (including the online-focused Capital One 360 platform), auto loans, and commercial lending solutions. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Capital One Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Capital One Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CION Investment Corporation (NYSE:CION Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 270,218 shares, a decline of 29.2% from the December 15th total of 381,877 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 465,739 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.6 days. Approximately 0.5% of the companys stock are short sold. Approximately 0.5% of the companys stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 465,739 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.6 days. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth CION has been the subject of a number of research reports. Zacks Research lowered shares of CION Investment from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of CION Investment in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded CION Investment from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Saturday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus price target of $8.50. Get CION Investment alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on CION Investment Institutional Trading of CION Investment CION Investment Price Performance Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. AE Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in CION Investment by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 33,123 shares of the companys stock worth $317,000 after acquiring an additional 1,044 shares during the period. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC grew its position in shares of CION Investment by 5.0% in the third quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC now owns 23,324 shares of the companys stock valued at $221,000 after purchasing an additional 1,111 shares during the last quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of CION Investment by 7.2% in the third quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 20,219 shares of the companys stock valued at $192,000 after purchasing an additional 1,363 shares during the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. increased its stake in shares of CION Investment by 2.9% in the third quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 50,424 shares of the companys stock worth $478,000 after purchasing an additional 1,406 shares during the period. Finally, Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC lifted its position in shares of CION Investment by 8.1% during the 3rd quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC now owns 19,269 shares of the companys stock worth $183,000 after purchasing an additional 1,438 shares during the last quarter. 32.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. NYSE:CION traded down $0.18 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $9.47. The companys stock had a trading volume of 465,400 shares, compared to its average volume of 386,802. The company has a market cap of $493.29 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.57 and a beta of 1.07. CION Investment has a one year low of $8.51 and a one year high of $12.71. The businesss 50-day moving average is $9.80 and its 200-day moving average is $9.85. CION Investment (NYSE:CION Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.35 by $0.39. The company had revenue of $78.71 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $52.41 million. CION Investment had a return on equity of 12.02% and a net margin of 10.59%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that CION Investment will post 1.78 EPS for the current fiscal year. CION Investment Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.10 per share. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 12.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 13th. CION Investments dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 235.29%. CION Investment Company Profile (Get Free Report) CION Investment Corporation is a closedend, nondiversified management investment company organized as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Externally managed by CION Investment Management, LLC, the firm specializes in providing flexible capital solutions to U.S. and Canadian middlemarket companies. By combining debt and equity financing, CION seeks to support growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations and other strategic initiatives for its portfolio companies. The companys investment strategy centers on senior secured loans, subordinated debt and private equity interests. Read More Receive News & Ratings for CION Investment Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CION Investment and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Saturday. A number of other research firms have also weighed in on DELL. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Dell Technologies from $110.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Susquehanna increased their price objective on Dell Technologies from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Citigroup reissued a buy rating on shares of Dell Technologies in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Argus upped their target price on Dell Technologies from $150.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Dell Technologies from $165.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, November 17th. Eighteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Dell Technologies currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $161.79. Get Dell Technologies alerts: View Our Latest Stock Report on DELL Dell Technologies Price Performance Shares of Dell Technologies stock opened at $120.50 on Friday. Dell Technologies has a one year low of $66.25 and a one year high of $168.08. The stock has a market capitalization of $79.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 1.03. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $128.28 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $134.05. Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, November 25th. The technology company reported $2.59 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.47 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $27.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $27.26 billion. Dell Technologies had a net margin of 5.01% and a negative return on equity of 234.84%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 10.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.15 earnings per share. Dell Technologies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.920-9.920 EPS and its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.500-3.500 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Dell Technologies will post 6.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Dell Technologies Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 20th will be given a dividend of $0.525 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 20th. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.7%. Dell Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.00%. Insider Buying and Selling at Dell Technologies In other Dell Technologies news, Director Egon Durban sold 71,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.12, for a total value of $9,806,520.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 1,172,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $161,935,755.36. This trade represents a 5.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 42.00% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of DELL. Winnow Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Dell Technologies during the second quarter worth $25,000. Westside Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Dell Technologies by 84.7% in the second quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 218 shares of the technology companys stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Dell Technologies during the second quarter valued at $28,000. Johnson Financial Group Inc. raised its position in Dell Technologies by 66.2% during the second quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 251 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, WealthCollab LLC lifted its stake in shares of Dell Technologies by 82.0% in the 2nd quarter. WealthCollab LLC now owns 253 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 114 shares during the period. 76.37% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Dell Technologies (Get Free Report) Dell Technologies Inc is a multinational technology company that designs, manufactures and sells a broad range of information technology products, solutions and services. Its offerings span client computing devices (consumer and commercial laptops and desktops), enterprise infrastructure (servers, storage systems and networking equipment), software and cloud infrastructure, and a variety of professional services such as IT consulting, deployment, managed services and financing solutions. The company serves organizations of all sizes as well as individual consumers, with products and services aimed at enabling digital transformation and modern IT environments. Founded by Michael Dell in 1984, the company grew from a direct-to-consumer PC business into a diversified IT provider through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Dell Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dell Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Haverty Furniture Companies (NYSE:HVT Free Report) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Saturday. Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on HVT. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Haverty Furniture Companies in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Haverty Furniture Companies from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Haverty Furniture Companies has an average rating of Reduce. Get Haverty Furniture Companies alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Haverty Furniture Companies Haverty Furniture Companies Trading Down 0.3% HVT opened at $26.35 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $428.63 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.11, a PEG ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.28. Haverty Furniture Companies has a 12-month low of $17.01 and a 12-month high of $26.93. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $24.18 and its 200-day simple moving average is $22.66. Haverty Furniture Companies (NYSE:HVT Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The company reported $0.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.24 by $0.04. Haverty Furniture Companies had a net margin of 2.62% and a return on equity of 6.34%. The company had revenue of $194.48 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $183.12 million. On average, equities research analysts predict that Haverty Furniture Companies will post 0.88 EPS for the current year. Haverty Furniture Companies Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 11th. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 25th were given a dividend of $0.33 per share. This is a boost from Haverty Furniture Companiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.32. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 25th. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.0%. Haverty Furniture Companiess payout ratio is currently 115.79%. Insider Transactions at Haverty Furniture Companies In other Haverty Furniture Companies news, Director Rawson Haverty, Jr. sold 7,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.86, for a total transaction of $186,450.00. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 14,354 shares of company stock valued at $345,898. Insiders own 8.63% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Haverty Furniture Companies A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in HVT. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in Haverty Furniture Companies in the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. State of Wyoming purchased a new stake in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies during the second quarter worth $58,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies by 7.9% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 8,898 shares of the companys stock worth $175,000 after buying an additional 651 shares in the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies by 146.3% in the second quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 9,201 shares of the companys stock valued at $187,000 after buying an additional 5,465 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Truist Financial Corp purchased a new position in shares of Haverty Furniture Companies in the second quarter worth about $204,000. 80.57% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Haverty Furniture Companies (Get Free Report) Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc operates as a specialty retailer of residential furniture and home decor in the United States. Founded in 1885 by J.J. Haverty and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company offers a broad assortment of upholstered furniture, case goods, mattresses, area rugs and decorative accessories. Customers can shop through a network of company-owned showrooms as well as an e-commerce platform, supported by in-house design services, delivery options and consumer financing programs. Over more than a century of operation, Havertys has expanded its presence primarily across the Southeast and select markets beyond. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Haverty Furniture Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Haverty Furniture Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CoastalSouth Bancshares (NYSE:COSO Get Free Report) is one of 20 publicly-traded companies in the State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its competitors? We will compare CoastalSouth Bancshares to similar businesses based on the strength of its institutional ownership, dividends, analyst recommendations, valuation, risk, profitability and earnings. Insider and Institutional Ownership 72.2% of shares of all State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies are held by institutional investors. 6.7% of shares of all State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth. Get CoastalSouth Bancshares alerts: Profitability This table compares CoastalSouth Bancshares and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets CoastalSouth Bancshares N/A N/A N/A CoastalSouth Bancshares Competitors 7.23% 6.94% 0.79% Analyst Ratings Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score CoastalSouth Bancshares 0 1 1 0 2.50 CoastalSouth Bancshares Competitors 31 173 217 26 2.53 This is a breakdown of recent recommendations for CoastalSouth Bancshares and its competitors, as reported by MarketBeat.com. As a group, State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies have a potential upside of 3.04%. Given CoastalSouth Bancshares competitors stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe CoastalSouth Bancshares has less favorable growth aspects than its competitors. Earnings and Valuation This table compares CoastalSouth Bancshares and its competitors revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio CoastalSouth Bancshares N/A N/A 21.50 CoastalSouth Bancshares Competitors $723.51 million $95.99 million 40.24 CoastalSouth Bancshares competitors have higher revenue and earnings than CoastalSouth Bancshares. CoastalSouth Bancshares is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Summary CoastalSouth Bancshares competitors beat CoastalSouth Bancshares on 10 of the 11 factors compared. About CoastalSouth Bancshares (Get Free Report) CoastalSouth Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Through our wholly owned subsidiary, Coastal States Bank, a South Carolina state-chartered commercial bank, we offer a full range of banking products and services designed for businesses, real estate professionals, and consumers looking for a deep and meaningful relationship with their bank. Today, we have a community banking presence in some of the fastest growing and most business-friendly markets in the U.S., namely the Lowcountry of South Carolina (Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, and Beaufort), nearby Savannah, Georgia, and the Atlanta, Georgia market. In addition to our traditional community banking operations, we operate four specialty lines of business that provide scalability and diversification: Senior Housing Lending focuses on lending to operators across the spectrum of senior care, with an emphasis on assisted living; Marine Lending focuses on consumer loans primarily to high-net-worth borrowers secured by yachts and high-end sport fishing vessels; Government Guaranteed Lending focuses on origination of small business and other loans guaranteed by the SBA and USDA; and Mortgage Banker Finance focuses on mortgage warehouse lending to mortgage originators. By combining the relationship-based focus of a community bank with our specialty lines of business, we believe we can capitalize on the substantial growth opportunities available in our markets, particularly given the scarcity of community banks between $1.5 billion and $5.0 billion in total assets. Our principal executive offices are located in Atlanta, Georgia. Receive News & Ratings for CoastalSouth Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CoastalSouth Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust (NYSE:IQI Get Free Report) saw a large drop in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 105,143 shares, a drop of 22.8% from the December 15th total of 136,164 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 173,561 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.6 days. Currently, 0.2% of the shares of the company are sold short. Currently, 0.2% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 173,561 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.6 days. Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust Stock Down 0.1% Shares of NYSE IQI traded down $0.01 during trading on Monday, hitting $10.09. The company had a trading volume of 85,355 shares, compared to its average volume of 131,135. Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust has a 12 month low of $8.86 and a 12 month high of $10.16. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $10.00 and a 200 day simple moving average of $9.77. Get Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust alerts: Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.0631 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 7.5%. Insiders Place Their Bets Institutional Trading of Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust In other Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust news, Portfolio Manager Jack Connelly sold 3,900 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $10.02, for a total transaction of $39,078.00. Following the completion of the sale, the portfolio manager owned 5,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $55,110. The trade was a 41.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of IQI. Advisors Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust in the second quarter valued at about $1,098,000. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust by 46.6% during the third quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 845,114 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $8,324,000 after purchasing an additional 268,480 shares in the last quarter. Riverbridge Partners LLC raised its stake in Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust by 4.5% during the 2nd quarter. Riverbridge Partners LLC now owns 44,873 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $421,000 after purchasing an additional 1,921 shares during the period. Centaurus Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust by 126.4% in the 2nd quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 98,412 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $923,000 after purchasing an additional 54,950 shares in the last quarter. Finally, River Street Advisors LLC bought a new position in Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $143,000. About Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust (Get Free Report) Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust (NYSE: IQI) is a closed-end management investment company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc, the funds primary objective is to provide investors with a high level of current income that is exempt from federal income taxes. To achieve this, the trust invests predominantly in investment-grade municipal securities issued by U.S. states, municipalities, and their agencies. The portfolio holds a diversified blend of municipal bonds, including general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, and other tax-exempt obligations. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Quality Municipal Income Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Saturday morning. A number of other analysts have also weighed in on LEVI. Citigroup raised their target price on Levi Strauss & Co. from $22.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, September 29th. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Needham & Company LLC assumed coverage on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Thursday, September 25th. They issued a buy rating and a $28.00 price target on the stock. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an outperform rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $26.46. Get Levi Strauss & Co. alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Levi Strauss & Co. Levi Strauss & Co. Stock Down 0.0% Institutional Investors Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co. LEVI opened at $21.74 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $8.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 1.52 and a quick ratio of 0.87. Levi Strauss & Co. has a fifty-two week low of $12.17 and a fifty-two week high of $24.82. The firms fifty day moving average price is $21.45 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $21.45. A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in LEVI. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. during the third quarter worth about $2,540,000. Paragon Capital Management Ltd acquired a new position in Levi Strauss & Co. in the 2nd quarter valued at $257,000. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. by 2.1% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,210,669 shares of the blue-jean makers stock worth $22,391,000 after acquiring an additional 24,728 shares during the last quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management increased its stake in Levi Strauss & Co. by 37.7% during the second quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management now owns 1,420,596 shares of the blue-jean makers stock worth $26,267,000 after acquiring an additional 389,176 shares during the last quarter. Finally, KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS raised its position in Levi Strauss & Co. by 49.9% in the second quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS now owns 61,000 shares of the blue-jean makers stock valued at $1,128,000 after purchasing an additional 20,300 shares during the period. 69.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Levi Strauss & Co. Company Profile (Get Free Report) Levi Strauss & Co is a global apparel company best known for its denim jeans and casual wear. Founded in 1853 in San Francisco by Bavarian immigrant Levi Strauss, the company pioneered the modern blue jean with the introduction of rivet-reinforced work pants. Over its more than 160-year history, Levi Strauss has evolved into a lifestyle brand, offering a broad portfolio that includes denim for men, women and children, as well as tops, outerwear, footwear and accessories. The companys flagship label, Levis, is recognized worldwide for its iconic styles such as the 501 Original Fit Jeans, while additional brands, including Dockers, Target core metric, and Denizen by Levis, cater to diverse price points and consumer segments. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Levi Strauss & Co. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Levi Strauss & Co. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. LG Display Co., Ltd. (NYSE:LPL Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 674,776 shares, an increase of 21.7% from the December 15th total of 554,429 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 315,100 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.1 days. Approximately 0.1% of the companys stock are sold short. Approximately 0.1% of the companys stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 315,100 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.1 days. Institutional Trading of LG Display Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in LPL. Jane Street Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of LG Display by 52.9% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 58,648 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $182,000 after acquiring an additional 20,285 shares during the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers grew its holdings in LG Display by 2.3% during the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 363,341 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $1,130,000 after purchasing an additional 8,144 shares during the last quarter. Diversified Trust Co acquired a new stake in shares of LG Display in the second quarter worth $56,000. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in shares of LG Display by 198.3% during the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 65,635 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $224,000 after buying an additional 43,634 shares during the period. Finally, Avior Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in LG Display in the 2nd quarter valued at $67,000. Get LG Display alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on LPL shares. UBS Group upgraded LG Display from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, September 23rd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d-) rating on shares of LG Display in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of LG Display from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, November 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, LG Display presently has an average rating of Reduce. LG Display Stock Up 1.9% LPL traded up $0.08 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $4.34. 976,194 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 417,345. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 0.62 and a quick ratio of 0.37. The company has a market cap of $4.34 billion, a PE ratio of -25.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 1.50. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $4.29 and its 200-day simple moving average is $4.41. LG Display has a one year low of $2.43 and a one year high of $5.67. LG Display (NYSE:LPL Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, November 14th. The electronics maker reported ($0.01) EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of $4.95 billion during the quarter. LG Display had a negative return on equity of 3.22% and a negative net margin of 0.94%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that LG Display will post 0.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. LG Display Company Profile (Get Free Report) LG Display Co, Ltd., headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, is a global manufacturer of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels. The company designs and produces display solutions for a wide range of applications, including televisions, desktop monitors, notebook computers, tablets, smartphones, signage and automotive screens. Its product offerings span large-screen television modules, ultra-high definition monitors, flexible and transparent OLED displays, and specialized industrial panels. LG Display operates a network of production facilities and research centers across Asia, including major manufacturing sites in Paju and Gumi, South Korea, as well as Wuhan, China. Read More Receive News & Ratings for LG Display Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for LG Display and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE:NRK Get Free Report) saw a large growth in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 117,803 shares, a growth of 29.3% from the December 15th total of 91,136 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 656,753 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.2 days. Based on an average daily volume of 656,753 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.2 days. Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund Trading Down 0.2% Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund stock traded down $0.03 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $10.21. 139,765 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 253,924. The firms fifty day moving average is $10.12 and its two-hundred day moving average is $9.91. Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund has a fifty-two week low of $9.30 and a fifty-two week high of $10.78. Get Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund alerts: Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, January 15th will be paid a $0.069 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.1%. Institutional Trading of Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund About Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised its stake in shares of Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund by 2.3% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 252,520 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,601,000 after purchasing an additional 5,734 shares during the last quarter. Stockman Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $297,000. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC increased its holdings in Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund by 14.4% in the 2nd quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 28,468 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $282,000 after buying an additional 3,581 shares during the period. PFG Investments LLC raised its position in Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 260,163 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,578,000 after buying an additional 2,564 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ashton Thomas Securities LLC lifted its stake in Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund by 15.6% during the 2nd quarter. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC now owns 44,500 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $441,000 after acquiring an additional 6,000 shares during the period. (Get Free Report) Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund (NYSE: NRK) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide shareholders with a high level of current income exempt from federal and New York State personal income taxes, including the alternative minimum tax. The fund primarily invests in investment-grade municipal securities issued by or on behalf of public authorities and municipalities located in New York. Its portfolio is broadly diversified across metropolitan areas, local school districts, transportation authorities and other state and local entities. Managed by Nuveen Asset Management LLC, a subsidiary of TIAA that specializes in municipal bond investing, NRK employs a disciplined, quality-focused approach to security selection. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Nuveen New York AMT-Free Quality Municipal Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund (NYSE:PDO Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 798,128 shares, a decline of 25.8% from the December 15th total of 1,076,042 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 782,113 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.0 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 782,113 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.0 days. Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund Trading Down 0.0% Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund stock traded down $0.01 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $13.98. The company had a trading volume of 364,263 shares, compared to its average volume of 638,278. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $13.89 and its 200-day simple moving average is $13.83. Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund has a 1 year low of $11.81 and a 1 year high of $14.25. Get Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund alerts: Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.1279 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 13th. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a yield of 11.0%. Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Funds payout ratio is currently -7,650.00%. Institutional Trading of Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of PDO. NWF Advisory Services Inc. raised its stake in shares of Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. NWF Advisory Services Inc. now owns 24,253 shares of the companys stock worth $342,000 after buying an additional 818 shares during the last quarter. Maridea Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund by 2.4% during the second quarter. Maridea Wealth Management LLC now owns 35,574 shares of the companys stock worth $480,000 after acquiring an additional 829 shares during the last quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund by 6.5% during the third quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 14,221 shares of the companys stock worth $201,000 after acquiring an additional 874 shares during the last quarter. Tectonic Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund by 2.8% in the second quarter. Tectonic Advisors LLC now owns 33,206 shares of the companys stock valued at $448,000 after purchasing an additional 915 shares in the last quarter. Finally, PFG Investments LLC grew its position in shares of Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund by 3.6% in the third quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 28,812 shares of the companys stock valued at $407,000 after purchasing an additional 994 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 9.43% of the companys stock. PIMCO Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund (NYSE: PDO) is an actively managed closed-end fund sponsored by Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (PIMCO), a global investment manager specializing in fixed income. PDO seeks to provide investors with a high level of current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. The fund trades on the New York Stock Exchange and follows a dynamic, multi-sector approach to income generation. The funds portfolio is diversified across a broad range of fixed-income asset classes. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pimco Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Remy Cointreau (OTCMKTS:REMYY Get Free Report) have received a consensus recommendation of Hold from the seven research firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have issued a hold recommendation, one has issued a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. Several brokerages have commented on REMYY. UBS Group downgraded Remy Cointreau from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered Remy Cointreau to a neutral rating in a report on Friday, October 31st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a sell rating on shares of Remy Cointreau in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Get Remy Cointreau alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Remy Cointreau Remy Cointreau Stock Down 1.6% Remy Cointreau Company Profile OTCMKTS REMYY opened at $4.68 on Friday. Remy Cointreau has a 12-month low of $4.05 and a 12-month high of $7.23. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $4.46 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $5.33. The company has a current ratio of 2.79, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. (Get Free Report) Remy Cointreau is a French spirits group specializing in the production and distribution of premium and super-premium alcoholic beverages. The companys core activities center on cognacs, liqueurs, single malt Scotch whiskies and innovative craft spirits. Through its integrated production network and dedicated cellar masters, Remy Cointreau maintains rigorous quality standards from distillation and aging to bottling and distribution. The groups flagship brands include Remy Martin and Louis XIII cognacs, recognized worldwide for their heritage and craftsmanship, as well as Cointreau, a leading triple-sec liqueur. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Remy Cointreau Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Remy Cointreau and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 948,692 shares, a decline of 25.7% from the December 15th total of 1,277,061 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 412,203 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.3 days. Currently, 2.2% of the companys shares are short sold. Currently, 2.2% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 412,203 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.3 days. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have recently commented on AGO. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Assured Guaranty from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Assured Guaranty from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, November 17th. Zacks Research raised Assured Guaranty from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 7th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on Assured Guaranty from $105.00 to $108.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of Assured Guaranty in a report on Monday, December 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $101.00. Get Assured Guaranty alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on AGO Insider Transactions at Assured Guaranty Institutional Investors Weigh In On Assured Guaranty In other Assured Guaranty news, major shareholder Guaranty Ltd Assured sold 3,782 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $14.72, for a total value of $55,671.04. Following the sale, the insider owned 5,276,372 shares in the company, valued at approximately $77,668,195.84. The trade was a 0.07% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 8,437 shares of company stock valued at $129,237. Corporate insiders own 5.10% of the companys stock. A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of AGO. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new position in shares of Assured Guaranty in the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. bought a new stake in Assured Guaranty in the second quarter worth about $30,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. raised its position in Assured Guaranty by 3,391.7% in the third quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 419 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 407 shares during the period. Quarry LP purchased a new position in Assured Guaranty in the third quarter valued at about $44,000. Finally, Bayforest Capital Ltd bought a new position in shares of Assured Guaranty during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $47,000. 92.22% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Assured Guaranty Stock Down 0.7% Shares of AGO traded down $0.61 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $84.95. The stock had a trading volume of 286,817 shares, compared to its average volume of 322,840. Assured Guaranty has a 12 month low of $74.09 and a 12 month high of $96.50. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $89.23 and a 200 day simple moving average of $85.03. The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The company has a market capitalization of $3.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.54 and a beta of 0.91. Assured Guaranty (NYSE:AGO Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The financial services provider reported $2.57 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.54 by $1.03. The business had revenue of $207.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $196.76 million. Assured Guaranty had a net margin of 40.65% and a return on equity of 7.09%. Assured Guarantys quarterly revenue was down 23.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.42 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Assured Guaranty will post 7.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Assured Guaranty Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 3rd. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 19th were given a dividend of $0.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, November 19th. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.6%. Assured Guarantys payout ratio is presently 16.87%. Assured Guaranty Company Profile (Get Free Report) Assured Guaranty Ltd is a Bermuda-domiciled provider of financial guaranty insurance and reinsurance products serving public finance, infrastructure and structured finance markets. The companys primary business activity is credit enhancement, whereby it guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest on debt obligations issued by municipal and infrastructure entities. By combining rigorous risk assessment with active portfolio management, Assured Guaranty helps issuers access capital at more attractive rates while protecting investors against credit events. In its public finance segment, the company underwrites municipal bond insurance for state and local governments, public-private partnerships and essential infrastructure projects. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Assured Guaranty Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Assured Guaranty and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WESCO International, Inc. (NYSE:WCC Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 2,049,346 shares, a drop of 21.4% from the December 15th total of 2,608,467 shares. Approximately 4.3% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 450,889 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 4.5 days. Based on an average trading volume of 450,889 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 4.5 days. Approximately 4.3% of the companys shares are sold short. Insider Activity In related news, CAO Matthew S. Kulasa sold 790 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $253.18, for a total value of $200,012.20. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 3,320 shares of the companys stock, valued at $840,557.60. The trade was a 19.22% 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, EVP Diane Lazzaris sold 7,522 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $256.00, for a total value of $1,925,632.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 45,401 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,622,656. This represents a 14.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 17,036 shares of company stock valued at $4,385,254. Insiders own 3.10% of the companys stock. Get WESCO International alerts: Institutional Trading of WESCO International Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in WCC. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its position in shares of WESCO International by 166.0% during the 3rd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 133 shares of the technology companys stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC lifted its holdings in WESCO International by 788.2% during the third quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC now owns 151 shares of the technology companys stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 134 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in WESCO International in the third quarter worth $37,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. grew its stake in WESCO International by 129.7% in the 2nd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 232 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 131 shares during the period. Finally, Rossby Financial LCC increased its position in shares of WESCO International by 117.4% during the 3rd quarter. Rossby Financial LCC now owns 200 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.75% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets WCC has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada raised WESCO International from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $262.00 to $302.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of WESCO International from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday. KeyCorp increased their price objective on shares of WESCO International from $258.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of WESCO International in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Barclays increased their price target on WESCO International from $274.00 to $302.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, WESCO International has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $265.50. View Our Latest Research Report on WESCO International WESCO International Stock Down 0.8% WCC traded down $2.14 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $281.77. The company had a trading volume of 523,023 shares, compared to its average volume of 370,264. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $261.74 and its 200 day moving average price is $232.48. WESCO International has a 52 week low of $125.21 and a 52 week high of $285.20. The company has a market capitalization of $13.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.10, a PEG ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.45. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 2.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18. WESCO International (NYSE:WCC Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The technology company reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.75 by $0.17. WESCO International had a return on equity of 13.12% and a net margin of 2.81%.The company had revenue of $6.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.91 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.58 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 12.9% compared to the same quarter last year. WESCO International has set its FY 2025 guidance at 13.100-13.600 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that WESCO International will post 13.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. WESCO International Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 12th were paid a $0.4538 dividend. This represents a $1.82 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 12th. WESCO Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 14.27%. About WESCO International (Get Free Report) WESCO International, Inc is a leading global distributor of electrical, industrial, communications and utility products, serving a diverse customer base across maintenance, repair and operations (MRO), original equipment manufacturing (OEM) and construction markets. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products ranging from power distribution and automation solutions to data communications, security systems and lighting controls. Through an extensive branch network, WESCO provides critical components and valueadded services that help organizations streamline operations and improve reliability in their facilities and infrastructure. In addition to its broad product offering, WESCO delivers advanced supply chain management and logistics solutions designed to optimize inventory levels, reduce downtime and lower overall procurement costs. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for WESCO International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for WESCO International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. (NYSE:SPH Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $18.63 and traded as high as $19.20. Suburban Propane Partners shares last traded at $19.16, with a volume of 101,589 shares trading hands. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Suburban Propane Partners in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, Suburban Propane Partners has a consensus rating of Hold. Get Suburban Propane Partners alerts: Read Our Latest Report on Suburban Propane Partners Suburban Propane Partners Price Performance The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.02. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $18.88 and a 200-day simple moving average of $18.63. The stock has a market cap of $1.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.68 and a beta of 0.41. Suburban Propane Partners (NYSE:SPH Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 13th. The energy company reported ($0.62) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.51) by ($0.11). The firm had revenue of $211.38 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $227.00 million. Suburban Propane Partners had a net margin of 7.44% and a return on equity of 16.31%. Suburban Propane Partners Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, November 11th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 4th were issued a dividend of $0.325 per share. This represents a $1.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 4th. Suburban Propane Partnerss dividend payout ratio is 79.27%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Suburban Propane Partners Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of SPH. Alps Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in Suburban Propane Partners by 3.1% in the third quarter. Alps Advisors Inc. now owns 14,327,026 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $267,199,000 after acquiring an additional 433,748 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Suburban Propane Partners by 4.8% in the 3rd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 4,177,601 shares of the energy companys stock worth $77,912,000 after purchasing an additional 192,154 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Suburban Propane Partners by 11.6% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,370,534 shares of the energy companys stock worth $28,795,000 after purchasing an additional 142,547 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its position in Suburban Propane Partners by 18.7% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,266,303 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $23,465,000 after purchasing an additional 199,693 shares during the period. Finally, Bowen Hanes & Co. Inc. grew its stake in Suburban Propane Partners by 24.5% during the 3rd quarter. Bowen Hanes & Co. Inc. now owns 1,016,000 shares of the energy companys stock worth $18,948,000 after buying an additional 200,000 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 30.94% of the companys stock. About Suburban Propane Partners (Get Free Report) Suburban Propane Partners L.P. (NYSE: SPH) is a publicly traded master limited partnership headquartered in Whippany, New Jersey, that provides propane and related energy services to residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural customers. As one of the largest propane retailers in the United States, the company delivers propane gas, heating oil, diesel fuel and natural gas throughout its service territories. In addition to fuel distribution, Suburban Propane offers HVAC installation, maintenance and repair services, as well as safety inspections and equipment leasing to support customers energy needs. The companys core business centers on the delivery of propane for space and water heating, cooking and agricultural applications. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Suburban Propane Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Suburban Propane Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Synovus Financial (NYSE:SNV Get Free Report) is projected to release its Q4 2025 results after the market closes on Wednesday, January 21st. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $1.39 per share and revenue of $614.9820 million for the quarter. Parties are encouraged to explore the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning overview page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 8:30 AM ET. Synovus Financial Trading Down 1.6% SNV stock opened at $50.51 on Tuesday. Synovus Financial has a 52 week low of $35.94 and a 52 week high of $61.06. The company has a market capitalization of $7.01 billion, a PE ratio of 9.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 1.21. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $50.00 and its 200 day simple moving average is $49.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.91. Get Synovus Financial alerts: Synovus Financial Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 24th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 18th were given a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 18th. Synovus Financials payout ratio is presently 29.10%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have commented on the company. Barclays raised their price objective on Synovus Financial from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Stephens dropped their price target on Synovus Financial from $54.00 to $51.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 17th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Synovus Financial from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c+) rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. DA Davidson restated a buy rating and issued a $63.00 target price on shares of Synovus Financial in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Synovus Financial from $58.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $58.08. Get Our Latest Stock Report on SNV Institutional Investors Weigh In On Synovus Financial Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in Synovus Financial by 7.1% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,059,102 shares of the banks stock valued at $158,309,000 after purchasing an additional 201,880 shares during the last quarter. Nomura Holdings Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Synovus Financial in the third quarter valued at approximately $147,271,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its holdings in Synovus Financial by 1,004.5% in the 3rd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 970,663 shares of the banks stock valued at $47,640,000 after buying an additional 882,780 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in Synovus Financial by 6.0% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 870,081 shares of the banks stock worth $45,027,000 after buying an additional 49,299 shares during the period. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd grew its holdings in Synovus Financial by 158.4% during the 3rd quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd now owns 566,428 shares of the banks stock worth $27,800,000 after acquiring an additional 347,264 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.85% of the companys stock. About Synovus Financial (Get Free Report) Synovus Financial Corp (NYSE: SNV) is a regional financial services company headquartered in Columbus, Georgia. The company offers a comprehensive range of banking and financial products to individual consumers, small businesses, and large corporations. Synovus operates through various business segments, including commercial and retail banking, mortgage lending, treasury and payment solutions, and wealth management services. In its commercial banking division, Synovus provides loans, lines of credit, and treasury management services tailored to the needs of businesses across multiple industries. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Synovus Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Synovus Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Truist Financial (NYSE:TFC Get Free Report) will likely be issuing its Q4 2025 results before the market opens on Wednesday, January 21st. Analysts expect Truist Financial to post earnings of $1.09 per share and revenue of $5.3187 billion for the quarter. Parties can find conference call details on the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning report page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 8:00 AM ET. Truist Financial (NYSE:TFC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 17th. The insurance provider reported $1.04 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.99 by $0.05. Truist Financial had a return on equity of 8.73% and a net margin of 16.84%.The business had revenue of $5.24 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.20 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.97 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect Truist Financial to post $4 EPS for the current fiscal year and $5 EPS for the next fiscal year. Get Truist Financial alerts: Truist Financial Trading Down 0.5% NYSE:TFC opened at $50.01 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $63.98 billion, a PE ratio of 13.44, a P/E/G ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 0.89. The businesss 50 day moving average is $48.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $46.06. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. Truist Financial has a 52 week low of $33.56 and a 52 week high of $51.51. Truist Financial Dividend Announcement Truist Financial announced that its board has initiated a share repurchase plan on Tuesday, December 16th that authorizes the company to repurchase $10.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the insurance provider to repurchase up to 15.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically a sign that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 14th were paid a $0.52 dividend. This represents a $2.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 14th. Truist Financials payout ratio is presently 55.91%. Insider Activity In other news, Director K. David Jr. Boyer sold 5,160 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.45, for a total transaction of $239,682.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 10,153 shares in the company, valued at approximately $471,606.85. This trade represents a 33.70% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Truist Financial A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in Truist Financial by 13,511.7% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 10,386,831 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $474,886,000 after buying an additional 10,310,523 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Truist Financial by 71.9% during the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,165,033 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $136,065,000 after acquiring an additional 1,323,866 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its position in shares of Truist Financial by 64.0% during the 3rd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 3,310,824 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $151,371,000 after acquiring an additional 1,292,367 shares in the last quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP increased its stake in Truist Financial by 93.9% in the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 2,330,419 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $106,547,000 after acquiring an additional 1,128,319 shares during the period. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its position in Truist Financial by 469.0% in the third quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,337,200 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $61,137,000 after purchasing an additional 1,102,192 shares in the last quarter. 71.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have recently weighed in on TFC. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Truist Financial from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Saturday, November 8th. Raymond James Financial lifted their price target on shares of Truist Financial from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $58.00 price target on shares of Truist Financial in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Piper Sandler set a $48.00 price objective on Truist Financial in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their target price on Truist Financial from $60.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 31st. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $52.80. Read Our Latest Research Report on TFC About Truist Financial (Get Free Report) Truist Financial Corporation is an American bank holding company that provides a broad range of financial services through its primary subsidiary, Truist Bank, and other operating units. The company offers traditional retail banking products and services such as deposit accounts, consumer and residential mortgage lending, and credit and debit card services. Truist also serves commercial clients with middle-market and corporate lending, treasury and payment solutions, and specialty finance products. Beyond core banking, Truist operates wealth management, asset management, insurance and capital markets businesses. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Truist Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Truist Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 3M (NYSE:MMM Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 8.50-8.700 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 8.610. The company issued revenue guidance of $25.3 billion-$25.3 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $25.0 billion. Analyst Ratings Changes Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b-) rating on shares of 3M in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Barclays raised their target price on 3M from $180.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an underperform rating and set a $131.00 price target on shares of 3M in a report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a neutral rating and set a $182.00 price objective on shares of 3M in a research report on Friday. Finally, Wolfe Research decreased their target price on shares of 3M from $197.00 to $196.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $175.80. Get 3M alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on MMM 3M Stock Down 7.6% Shares of MMM stock traded down $12.83 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $154.98. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,608,678 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,219,429. 3M has a 1-year low of $121.98 and a 1-year high of $174.69. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $166.12 and its 200 day moving average price is $159.62. The company has a market capitalization of $82.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.79, a P/E/G ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.54, a current ratio of 1.84 and a quick ratio of 1.40. 3M (NYSE:MMM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 20th. The conglomerate reported $1.83 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.83. 3M had a net margin of 13.70% and a return on equity of 98.47%. The company had revenue of $6 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.03 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.68 EPS. The firms revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. 3M has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.50-8.700 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that 3M will post 7.8 EPS for the current year. 3M Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 14th were issued a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 14th. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. 3Ms dividend payout ratio is 46.65%. Insider Transactions at 3M In related news, EVP Zoe L. Dickson sold 13,826 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.78, for a total value of $2,347,378.28. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,162 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,046,184.36. This trade represents a 69.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Mark W. Murphy sold 19,061 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $166.55, for a total transaction of $3,174,609.55. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,594 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,098,230.70. This trade represents a 74.30% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 46,516 shares of company stock worth $7,836,465 in the last ninety days. 0.48% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. 3M News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting 3M this week: Hedge Funds Weigh In On 3M Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of MMM. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in 3M in the second quarter valued at $61,000. Triumph Capital Management increased its position in 3M by 6.8% in the 3rd quarter. Triumph Capital Management now owns 1,565 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $243,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the period. American Trust raised its stake in 3M by 28.4% during the 3rd quarter. American Trust now owns 1,743 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $270,000 after acquiring an additional 385 shares during the last quarter. FWL Investment Management LLC lifted its position in 3M by 1,705.0% during the 3rd quarter. FWL Investment Management LLC now owns 1,805 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $280,000 after acquiring an additional 1,705 shares during the period. Finally, Bison Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of 3M by 10.2% in the 4th quarter. Bison Wealth LLC now owns 2,751 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $355,000 after purchasing an additional 255 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.25% of the companys stock. About 3M (Get Free Report) 3M Company, originally founded in 1902 as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is a diversified global technology and manufacturing firm headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota. Over its history the company has expanded from mineral mining into a broad portfolio of industrial, safety, healthcare and consumer products, building a reputation for applied science and product innovation across many end markets. 3Ms businesses span a wide range of product categories including adhesives and tapes, abrasives, filtration and separation technologies, personal protective equipment such as respirators, medical and dental products, industrial and automotive solutions, and a suite of consumer brands (for example, well-known office and home products). Read More Receive News & Ratings for 3M Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for 3M and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Amcor (NYSE:AMCR Get Free Report) had its target price increased by investment analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $9.00 to $48.00 in a report released on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an overweight rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price objective suggests a potential upside of 15.18% from the stocks current price. A number of other analysts have also issued reports on AMCR. Royal Bank Of Canada started coverage on Amcor in a report on Monday, September 22nd. They issued a sector perform rating on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of Amcor in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of Amcor from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $57.50 price objective on shares of Amcor in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Finally, Baird R W upgraded Amcor from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $53.79. Get Amcor alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on Amcor Amcor Stock Up 1.8% Shares of NYSE AMCR traded up $0.74 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $41.68. The stock had a trading volume of 2,620,692 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,314,621. The firms 50-day moving average price is $42.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $42.93. Amcor has a 52 week low of $38.33 and a 52 week high of $52.25. The company has a market capitalization of $19.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.51, a P/E/G ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 1.04. Amcor (NYSE:AMCR Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.96 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.95 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $5.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.77 billion. Amcor had a return on equity of 17.35% and a net margin of 3.34%.The businesss revenue was up 71.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.80 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Amcor will post 0.74 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of Amcor by 7.2% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 139,077,241 shares of the companys stock worth $1,137,652,000 after buying an additional 9,375,255 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Amcor by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 111,490,330 shares of the companys stock worth $911,991,000 after purchasing an additional 1,262,294 shares during the last quarter. M&G PLC lifted its stake in Amcor by 26.6% in the third quarter. M&G PLC now owns 108,333,984 shares of the companys stock valued at $866,672,000 after buying an additional 22,737,979 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Amcor by 62.1% in the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 80,770,303 shares of the companys stock valued at $742,279,000 after acquiring an additional 30,938,660 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Amcor by 55.3% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 58,845,923 shares of the companys stock valued at $538,551,000 after acquiring an additional 20,946,520 shares during the period. 45.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Amcor (Get Free Report) Amcor (NYSE: AMCR) is a global packaging company specializing in the design, development and production of flexible and rigid packaging solutions for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home and personal care, and other consumer and industrial products. The companys product portfolio encompasses flexible films, pouches, specialty cartons, rigid containers, metal closures and dispensing systems. Amcors packaging solutions are engineered to preserve product quality, extend shelf life and meet the specific requirements of a wide range of end markets. Founded in its current form in 2005 following a spin-off from a mining conglomerate, Amcor expanded its capabilities and geographic footprint through organic investments and strategic acquisitions. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Amcor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amcor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Robert Half Inc. (NYSE:RHI Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Reduce from the ten brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have issued a hold recommendation and one has assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $32.2222. RHI has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of Robert Half from $30.00 to $27.00 and set a sell rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on shares of Robert Half from $31.00 to $27.00 and set a sell rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Robert Half from $45.00 to $36.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Robert W. Baird set a $22.00 price objective on shares of Robert Half in a report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on shares of Robert Half from $36.00 to $31.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Get Robert Half alerts: Get Our Latest Report on RHI Robert Half Stock Down 2.3% NYSE:RHI opened at $28.35 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.87 billion, a PE ratio of 18.41 and a beta of 0.85. Robert Half has a twelve month low of $25.22 and a twelve month high of $72.10. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $27.49 and its 200 day simple moving average is $32.39. Robert Half (NYSE:RHI Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The business services provider reported $0.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.43. The firm had revenue of $1.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.36 billion. Robert Half had a net margin of 2.85% and a return on equity of 11.76%. The companys revenue was down 7.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.64 EPS. Robert Half has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.250-0.350 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Robert Half will post 2.48 EPS for the current fiscal year. Robert Half Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 25th were given a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.3%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 25th. Robert Halfs dividend payout ratio is currently 153.25%. Insider Transactions at Robert Half In related news, Director Dirk A. Kempthorne sold 6,505 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.87, for a total transaction of $187,799.35. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 11,712 shares in the company, valued at approximately $338,125.44. The trade was a 35.71% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 3.10% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Robert Half Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. acquired a new position in Robert Half in the second quarter valued at $34,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd increased its position in shares of Robert Half by 927.7% in the second quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 853 shares of the business services providers stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 770 shares in the last quarter. Danske Bank A S acquired a new stake in Robert Half during the 3rd quarter valued at $37,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Robert Half by 952.4% in the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,105 shares of the business services providers stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC raised its stake in Robert Half by 393.8% during the second quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 963 shares of the business services providers stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 768 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.41% of the companys stock. Robert Half Company Profile (Get Free Report) Robert Half International Inc, founded in 1948 by Robert Half, is a global professional staffing and consulting firm headquartered in Menlo Park, California. As a pioneer in specialized staffing, the company has built a reputation for matching skilled professionals with leading organizations across a range of industries. Robert Halfs shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker RHI, reflecting its position as one of the longeststanding and bestknown firms in the staffing sector. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services, including temporary staffing, permanent placement, and consulting solutions. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Robert Half Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Robert Half and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Live Oak Bancshares (NYSE:LOB Get Free Report) is one of 20 publicly-traded companies in the State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its peers? We will compare Live Oak Bancshares to similar companies based on the strength of its risk, institutional ownership, valuation, analyst recommendations, dividends, profitability and earnings. Earnings & Valuation This table compares Live Oak Bancshares and its peers gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Get Live Oak Bancshares alerts: Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Live Oak Bancshares $936.15 million $77.47 million 25.15 Live Oak Bancshares Competitors $723.51 million $95.99 million 40.24 Live Oak Bancshares has higher revenue, but lower earnings than its peers. Live Oak Bancshares is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Institutional and Insider Ownership Analyst Ratings 64.0% of Live Oak Bancshares shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 72.2% of shares of all State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies are held by institutional investors. 23.4% of Live Oak Bancshares shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 6.7% of shares of all State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth. This is a summary of recent ratings for Live Oak Bancshares and its peers, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Live Oak Bancshares 0 2 0 1 2.67 Live Oak Bancshares Competitors 31 173 217 26 2.53 As a group, State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies have a potential upside of 3.04%. Given Live Oak Bancshares peers higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Live Oak Bancshares has less favorable growth aspects than its peers. Profitability This table compares Live Oak Bancshares and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Live Oak Bancshares 6.94% 6.61% 0.51% Live Oak Bancshares Competitors 7.23% 6.94% 0.79% Dividends Live Oak Bancshares pays an annual dividend of $0.12 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.3%. Live Oak Bancshares pays out 8.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies pay a dividend yield of 2.2% and pay out 67.3% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Risk and Volatility Live Oak Bancshares has a beta of 2.02, indicating that its stock price is 102% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Live Oak Bancshares peers have a beta of 1.01, indicating that their average stock price is 1% more volatile than the S&P 500. Summary Live Oak Bancshares peers beat Live Oak Bancshares on 9 of the 15 factors compared. About Live Oak Bancshares (Get Free Report) Live Oak Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Live Oak Banking Company that provides various commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, and professionals in North Carolina, the United States. The company accepts various deposit products, including noninterest-bearing demand, as well as interest-bearing checking, money market, savings, and time deposits. It also offers commercial and industrial loans; construction and development loans; owner occupied and non-owner occupied collateral commercial real estate loans; and commercial land loans. In addition, the company provides settlement, accounting, and securitization services for government guaranteed loans; wealth and investment management services to high-net-worth individuals and families; investment advisory services to a series of funds focused on providing venture capital to new and emerging financial technology companies; and an on-site restaurant location to company employees and business visitors. Live Oak Bancshares, Inc. was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina. Receive News & Ratings for Live Oak Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Live Oak Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Andritz (OTCMKTS:ADRZY Get Free Report) saw strong trading volume on Tuesday . 2,504 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 310% from the previous sessions volume of 611 shares.The stock last traded at $17.11 and had previously closed at $17.2035. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Zacks Research raised Andritz from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, September 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Get Andritz alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on ADRZY Andritz Price Performance The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.47 billion, a PE ratio of 15.81 and a beta of 0.93. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $15.45 and a 200 day moving average price of $14.98. Andritz (OTCMKTS:ADRZY Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $0.27 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.27. Andritz had a return on equity of 20.50% and a net margin of 5.84%.The company had revenue of $2.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.24 billion. Research analysts anticipate that Andritz will post 1.1 earnings per share for the current year. Andritz Company Profile (Get Free Report) Andritz AG is a global technology group based in Graz, Austria, with a history dating back to its founding in 1852. The company specializes in providing equipment, systems, and services for industrial processes across four key business areas: Hydropower, Pulp & Paper, Metals, and Separation. Through a combination of engineering expertise and in-house manufacturing, Andritz develops tailored solutions that meet the demands of energy efficiency, resource optimization, and environmental sustainability. In its Hydropower division, Andritz designs and installs turbines, generators, and automation systems for run-of-river, reservoir and pumped storage plants. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Andritz Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Andritz and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BigBear.ai, Tempus AI, Hut 8, SoundHound AI, SentinelOne, Fluence Energy, and Rezolve AI are the seven Artificial Intelligence stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Artificial intelligence stocks are shares of companies whose primary businesses, products, or competitive advantages depend on developing, providing, or widely using AI technologies such as chipmakers, AI software developers, cloud platforms, and firms embedding AI into services. Investors buy these stocks to gain exposure to growth from AI adoption, but performance and risk vary widely depending on whether a company focuses on hardware, algorithms, data, or application-specific services. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Artificial Intelligence stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: BigBear.ai (BBAI) BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. provides artificial intelligence-powered decision intelligence solutions. It offers national security, supply chain management, and digital identity and biometrics solutions. The company also provides data ingestion, data enrichment, data processing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, predictive analytics, and predictive visualization solutions and services. Tempus AI (TEM) Tempus AI Inc. is a technology company advancing precision medicine through the practical application of artificial intelligence principally in healthcare. The company provides AI-enabled precision medicine solutions to physicians to deliver personalized patient care and in parallel facilitates discovery, development and delivery of optimal therapeutics. Read Our Latest Research Report on TEM Hut 8 (HUT) Hut 8 Corp., together with its subsidiaries, acquires, builds, manages, and operates data centers for digital assets mining, computing, and artificial intelligence in the United States. It operates in four segments: Digital Assets Mining, Managed Services, High Performance Computing Colocation and Cloud, and Other. Read Our Latest Research Report on HUT SoundHound AI (SOUN) SoundHound AI, Inc. develops independent voice artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that enables businesses across automotive, TV, and IoT, and to customer service industries to deliver high-quality conversational experiences to their customers. Its products include Houndify platform that offers a suite of Houndify tools to help brands build conversational voice assistants, such as Application Programming Interfaces (API) for text and voice queries, support for custom commands, extensive library of content domains, inclusive software development kit platforms, collaboration capabilities, diagnostic tools, and built-in analytics; SoundHound Chat AI that integrates with knowledge domains, pulling real-time data like weather, sports, stocks, flight status, and restaurants; and SoundHound Smart Answering is built to offer customer establishments custom AI-powered voice assistant. Read Our Latest Research Report on SOUN SentinelOne (S) SentinelOne, Inc. operates as a cybersecurity provider in the United States and internationally. Its Singularity Platform delivers an artificial intelligence-powered autonomous threat prevention, detection, and response capabilities across an organization's endpoints, cloud workloads, and identify credentials, which enables seamless and autonomous protection against a spectrum of cyber threats. Read Our Latest Research Report on S Fluence Energy (FLNC) Fluence Energy, Inc., through its subsidiaries, offers energy storage products and solution, services, and artificial intelligence enabled software-as-a-service products for renewables and storage applications in the Americas, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The company sells energy storage products with integrated hardware, software, and digital intelligence. Read Our Latest Research Report on FLNC Rezolve AI (RZLV) Rezolve AI Plc operates in the mobile commerce industry with its cutting-edge engagement platform powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. It develops AI-based mobile commerce and engagement solutions, simplifying the purchasing process by providing relevant information and facilitating seamless transactions with a single tap. Read Our Latest Research Report on RZLV Featured Stories CoastalSouth Bancshares (NYSE:COSO Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The company reported $0.58 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.62 by ($0.04), Zacks reports. CoastalSouth Bancshares Stock Down 0.7% Shares of COSO stock traded down $0.17 on Tuesday, reaching $23.73. The companys stock had a trading volume of 44,237 shares, compared to its average volume of 66,361. The firm has a market cap of $284.29 million and a P/E ratio of 21.38. CoastalSouth Bancshares has a 12-month low of $19.24 and a 12-month high of $25.56. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $23.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.80. Get CoastalSouth Bancshares alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages recently issued reports on COSO. Weiss Ratings initiated coverage on CoastalSouth Bancshares in a report on Saturday, October 25th. They issued a buy (b) rating on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded CoastalSouth Bancshares from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, January 10th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded CoastalSouth Bancshares from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Patriot Financial Partners GP II L.P. purchased a new position in shares of CoastalSouth Bancshares during the third quarter worth approximately $24,256,000. Alliancebernstein L.P. bought a new stake in shares of CoastalSouth Bancshares during the 3rd quarter valued at about $10,972,000. Mendon Capital Advisors Corp purchased a new position in shares of CoastalSouth Bancshares in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $7,243,000. Vanguard Group Inc. purchased a new position in CoastalSouth Bancshares during the 3rd quarter valued at about $3,212,000. Finally, Kennedy Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of CoastalSouth Bancshares in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $874,000. CoastalSouth Bancshares Company Profile (Get Free Report) CoastalSouth Bancshares, Inc is a bank holding company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Through our wholly owned subsidiary, Coastal States Bank, a South Carolina state-chartered commercial bank, we offer a full range of banking products and services designed for businesses, real estate professionals, and consumers looking for a deep and meaningful relationship with their bank. Today, we have a community banking presence in some of the fastest growing and most business-friendly markets in the U.S., namely the Lowcountry of South Carolina (Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, and Beaufort), nearby Savannah, Georgia, and the Atlanta, Georgia market. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for CoastalSouth Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CoastalSouth Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $2.60 and last traded at $37.9830, with a volume of 1370306 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $38.88. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth DB has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen raised Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, December 20th. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Barclays upgraded shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a research report on Monday, October 20th. They issued a hold rating for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold. Get Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on DB Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Price Performance The company has a market cap of $77.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.84, a PEG ratio of 0.36 and a beta of 0.96. The companys 50 day moving average price is $37.48 and its 200-day moving average price is $35.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 0.78. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The bank reported $0.97 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.81 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $9.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.75 billion. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft had a net margin of 7.99% and a return on equity of 5.97%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft will post 2.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft during the third quarter valued at about $27,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 2,807.4% in the third quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 785 shares of the banks stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 758 shares during the period. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in the third quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its holdings in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 61.8% during the third quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 1,081 shares of the banks stock valued at $38,000 after acquiring an additional 413 shares during the period. 27.90% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Company Profile (Get Free Report) Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany. Founded in 1870 to support German foreign trade, the firm has grown into a full-service bank offering a wide range of banking, advisory and transaction services to corporate, institutional, and private clients. Over its history the bank has expanded internationally and developed capabilities across capital markets, investment banking, retail and commercial banking, and wealth management. The banks core business activities include corporate and investment bankingcovering financing, advisory, sales and trading, and capital markets servicesalong with private & commercial banking for individual and small-to-medium enterprise clients. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DRDGOLD Limited (NYSE:DRD Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 493,968 shares, a drop of 20.9% from the December 15th total of 624,355 shares. Approximately 0.6% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 424,648 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.2 days. Based on an average trading volume of 424,648 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.2 days. Approximately 0.6% of the companys shares are short sold. Institutional Investors Weigh In On DRDGOLD A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Savant Capital LLC acquired a new position in DRDGOLD in the 2nd quarter valued at about $182,000. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in shares of DRDGOLD by 29.7% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 6,422 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $86,000 after purchasing an additional 1,469 shares in the last quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. purchased a new position in shares of DRDGOLD in the second quarter valued at approximately $2,505,000. Kiker Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of DRDGOLD in the second quarter valued at approximately $142,000. Finally, Stonehage Fleming Financial Services Holdings Ltd acquired a new position in shares of DRDGOLD in the second quarter valued at approximately $291,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 14.70% of the companys stock. Get DRDGOLD alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have issued reports on DRD. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of DRDGOLD in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. HC Wainwright lifted their price objective on DRDGOLD to $36.25 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, October 17th. Wall Street Zen lowered DRDGOLD from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, January 3rd. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of DRDGOLD from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, November 24th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, DRDGOLD has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $36.25. DRDGOLD Price Performance Shares of DRD stock traded up $1.40 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $37.64. 413,617 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 322,059. DRDGOLD has a 1 year low of $9.51 and a 1 year high of $38.20. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $30.75 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.36. DRDGOLD Company Profile (Get Free Report) DRDGOLD (NYSE: DRD) is a South African gold producer focused on the retreatment of surface tailings from historic mining operations on the Witwatersrand Basin. The company recovers fine gold particles from lowgrade tailings using an integrated, carboninleach (CIL) processing circuit that is designed to maximize yield and minimize environmental impact. DRDGOLDs operations are centered on sustainable resource utilization, transforming previously discarded material into saleable gold dore bars. The company operates two primary tailings retreatment facilities on the West Rand and East Rand of Gauteng Province. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for DRDGOLD Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DRDGOLD and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of DRDGOLD Limited (NYSE:DRD Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $38.20 and last traded at $37.77, with a volume of 79705 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $36.24. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages have weighed in on DRD. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of DRDGOLD in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Zacks Research raised shares of DRDGOLD from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, November 24th. HC Wainwright raised their target price on DRDGOLD to $36.25 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 17th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered DRDGOLD from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, January 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $36.25. Get DRDGOLD alerts: Get Our Latest Research Report on DRDGOLD DRDGOLD Trading Up 3.7% Hedge Funds Weigh In On DRDGOLD The stocks 50-day moving average is $30.75 and its two-hundred day moving average is $24.36. Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its holdings in DRDGOLD by 239.6% during the third quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 989,089 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $27,299,000 after buying an additional 697,840 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. grew its position in shares of DRDGOLD by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 945,945 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $12,609,000 after acquiring an additional 4,030 shares during the period. Amundi bought a new position in DRDGOLD in the 3rd quarter worth $17,467,000. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. lifted its position in DRDGOLD by 1.2% during the third quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 570,807 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $15,754,000 after purchasing an additional 6,740 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC grew its holdings in DRDGOLD by 91.9% during the third quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 397,000 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $10,957,000 after purchasing an additional 190,152 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 14.70% of the companys stock. DRDGOLD Company Profile (Get Free Report) DRDGOLD (NYSE: DRD) is a South African gold producer focused on the retreatment of surface tailings from historic mining operations on the Witwatersrand Basin. The company recovers fine gold particles from lowgrade tailings using an integrated, carboninleach (CIL) processing circuit that is designed to maximize yield and minimize environmental impact. DRDGOLDs operations are centered on sustainable resource utilization, transforming previously discarded material into saleable gold dore bars. The company operates two primary tailings retreatment facilities on the West Rand and East Rand of Gauteng Province. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for DRDGOLD Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DRDGOLD and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Eldorado Gold Co. (TSE:ELD Get Free Report) (NYSE:EGO) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as C$58.53 and last traded at C$58.42, with a volume of 51704 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$57.62. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In ELD has been the topic of several recent research reports. Canaccord Genuity Group raised shares of Eldorado Gold from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the stock from C$42.00 to C$54.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Eldorado Gold from C$50.00 to C$53.00 in a research report on Thursday, November 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and two have assigned a Buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of C$40.08. Get Eldorado Gold alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on Eldorado Gold Eldorado Gold Stock Performance The stock has a market cap of C$11.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.41, a P/E/G ratio of 56.20 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a quick ratio of 2.28, a current ratio of 3.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 23.28. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of C$46.96 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$38.82. Eldorado Gold (TSE:ELD Get Free Report) (NYSE:EGO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported C$0.27 EPS for the quarter. Eldorado Gold had a net margin of 23.32% and a return on equity of 7.60%. The business had revenue of C$605.32 million during the quarter. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Eldorado Gold Co. will post 2.1505174 EPS for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, insider Christian Milau bought 2,700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$36.99 per share, with a total value of C$99,873.00. Following the acquisition, the insider directly owned 11,290 shares in the company, valued at approximately C$417,617.10. This trade represents a 31.43% increase in their ownership of the stock. 0.58% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Eldorado Gold Company Profile (Get Free Report) Eldorado Gold Corp is a gold and base metals producer with mining, development and exploration operations in Turkey, Canada, Greece and Romania. It has a portfolio of high-quality assets and long-term partnerships with local communities. Some of its projects include Kisladag, Efemcukuru, Skouries; Perama Hill and Certej projects. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Eldorado Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eldorado Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Enel Chile S.A. (NYSE:ENIC Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 419,265 shares, a decrease of 17.6% from the December 15th total of 508,593 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 417,320 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.0 days. Based on an average trading volume of 417,320 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.0 days. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the company are sold short. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on ENIC shares. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating and set a $4.30 price target on shares of Enel Chile in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Enel Chile in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Enel Chile from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday, November 30th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Enel Chile to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Enel Chile currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $4.30. Get Enel Chile alerts: View Our Latest Stock Report on Enel Chile Enel Chile Trading Up 0.3% ENIC stock traded up $0.02 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $4.32. The companys stock had a trading volume of 378,265 shares, compared to its average volume of 590,502. The companys fifty day moving average is $3.97 and its 200-day moving average is $3.73. Enel Chile has a 1 year low of $2.85 and a 1 year high of $4.41. Enel Chile (NYSE:ENIC Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The utilities provider reported $0.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.11 by ($0.03). Enel Chile had a return on equity of 1.23% and a net margin of 1.75%.The business had revenue of $1.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.16 billion. On average, analysts predict that Enel Chile will post 0.45 EPS for the current fiscal year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Enel Chile Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Savant Capital LLC bought a new position in Enel Chile during the second quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Foster Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Enel Chile during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Caprock Group LLC bought a new stake in Enel Chile in the third quarter worth $48,000. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. purchased a new stake in Enel Chile during the third quarter valued at $55,000. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in Enel Chile during the second quarter valued at $59,000. 3.20% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Enel Chile (Get Free Report) Enel Chile SA, traded as ENIC on the NYSE, is one of Chiles leading integrated electric utilities, with core businesses spanning electricity generation, transmission and distribution. The company serves a diverse customer base that includes residential, commercial and industrial users, striving to deliver reliable power across both urban and rural regions. In its generation segment, Enel Chile operates a balanced portfolio of assets, including hydroelectric plants, thermal power stations and an expanding suite of renewable energy facilities such as wind and solar farms. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Enel Chile Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Enel Chile and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Forestar Group Inc (NYSE:FOR Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $27.40, but opened at $25.50. Forestar Group shares last traded at $25.89, with a volume of 17,840 shares. More Forestar Group News Here are the key news stories impacting Forestar Group this week: Get Forestar Group alerts: Positive Sentiment: Forestar reported fiscal Q1 net income of $15.4 million, or $0.30 diluted EPS, and revenue of $273.0 million revenue rose ~9% year-over-year and the company reported revenue and (by some measures) EPS above consensus. These top-line gains support demand in Forestars core homebuilding/land business. Business Wire: Forestar Reports Fiscal 2026 First Quarter Results Forestar reported fiscal Q1 net income of $15.4 million, or $0.30 diluted EPS, and revenue of $273.0 million revenue rose ~9% year-over-year and the company reported revenue and (by some measures) EPS above consensus. These top-line gains support demand in Forestars core homebuilding/land business. Positive Sentiment: The company issued FY2026 revenue guidance in a $1.6B$1.7B range roughly in-line with consensus signaling management expects continued sales activity for the year. (Note: the company did not provide a clear EPS figure in the brief guidance note provided to the filings feed.) Press Release / Slide Deck The company issued FY2026 revenue guidance in a $1.6B$1.7B range roughly in-line with consensus signaling management expects continued sales activity for the year. (Note: the company did not provide a clear EPS figure in the brief guidance note provided to the filings feed.) Neutral Sentiment: Investors and analysts can review the full quarterly commentary the companys press release, slide deck and the earnings call transcript are available for details on segment performance, land sales timing, and backlog. Earnings Call Transcript Investors and analysts can review the full quarterly commentary the companys press release, slide deck and the earnings call transcript are available for details on segment performance, land sales timing, and backlog. Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and analyst summaries (Houston Chronicle, Benzinga, Investing) provide useful recaps and color on results and market expectations; review if you follow sell-side reactions. Houston Chronicle: Q1 Snapshot Coverage and analyst summaries (Houston Chronicle, Benzinga, Investing) provide useful recaps and color on results and market expectations; review if you follow sell-side reactions. Negative Sentiment: Market reaction is negative: several outlets note shares fell after the report. Reasons cited include a slight decline in EPS versus the same quarter last year (Q1 prior-year EPS was $0.32 vs $0.30 this year) and headlines saying EPS trailed forecasts indicating some investors/analysts expected higher profitability or clearer guidance. Yahoo: Why Forestar Stock Is Falling Market reaction is negative: several outlets note shares fell after the report. Reasons cited include a slight decline in EPS versus the same quarter last year (Q1 prior-year EPS was $0.32 vs $0.30 this year) and headlines saying EPS trailed forecasts indicating some investors/analysts expected higher profitability or clearer guidance. Negative Sentiment: Some outlets and MarketWatch framed the quarter as showing lower 1Q profit and an EPS that disappointed certain expectations combined with the lack of an explicit EPS guidance number, this created uncertainty and put near-term pressure on the share price. MarketWatch: Shares Down After Posting Lower 1Q Profit Wall Street Analyst Weigh In FOR has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Zacks Research upgraded Forestar Group from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, September 26th. Citizens Jmp increased their price objective on shares of Forestar Group from $30.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Forestar Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, November 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Forestar Group from $23.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Finally, JMP Securities set a $35.00 target price on shares of Forestar Group in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $32.00. Forestar Group Trading Down 4.4% The firm has a 50 day moving average of $25.46 and a 200 day moving average of $25.71. The firm has a market cap of $1.33 billion, a PE ratio of 7.97 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a quick ratio of 1.33, a current ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. Forestar Group (NYSE:FOR Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 20th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.30 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.21 by $0.09. Forestar Group had a return on equity of 10.08% and a net margin of 10.11%.The company had revenue of $273.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $265.48 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.32 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Forestar Group Inc will post 3.44 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of FOR. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its stake in Forestar Group by 1,206.6% in the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 993 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 917 shares in the last quarter. Comerica Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Forestar Group by 76.5% in the 3rd quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 1,269 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 550 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP grew its holdings in shares of Forestar Group by 3,273.8% during the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,417 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 1,375 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its holdings in Forestar Group by 201.1% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,105 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $42,000 after buying an additional 1,406 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Signaturefd LLC increased its position in Forestar Group by 43.1% during the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 2,166 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 652 shares during the period. 35.50% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Forestar Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) Forestar Group Inc, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is a residential lot development and management company focused on delivering finished home sites to homebuilders across the United States. The company acquires, entitles and develops land for single-family and multi-family housing, managing zoning, infrastructure and environmental approvals to prepare lots for construction. Forestars integrated approach to land development spans from initial site acquisition through final lot delivery, providing homebuilders with ready-to-build parcels in a variety of markets. In addition to lot development, Forestar operates a retail homebuilding segment through joint ventures and strategic partnerships with national and regional homebuilders. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Forestar Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Forestar Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fortune Minerals Limited (TSE:FT Get Free Report)s stock price traded down 4.5% on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as C$0.10 and last traded at C$0.11. 1,172,370 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 24% from the average session volume of 946,487 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.11. Fortune Minerals Stock Performance The company has a quick ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of -111.61. The firm has a market capitalization of C$61.42 million, a P/E ratio of -5.25 and a beta of -1.75. The companys 50 day moving average is C$0.09 and its 200-day moving average is C$0.09. Get Fortune Minerals alerts: Fortune Minerals (TSE:FT Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 14th. The company reported C$0.00 earnings per share for the quarter. Fortune Minerals had a negative net margin of 13,690.93% and a positive return on equity of 30.09%. About Fortune Minerals Fortune Minerals Ltd is a Canadian mining and mine development company focused on developing the NICO Cobalt-Gold-Bismuth Copper Project in the Northwest Territories. The company plans to build a hydrometallurgical plant in southern Canada to process NICO metal concentrates. It also owns the satellite Sue-Dianne Copper-Silver-Gold Deposit located 25 km north of the NICO Project, which is a potential future source of incremental mill feed to extend the life. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Fortune Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fortune Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Galway Metals Inc. (CVE:GWM Get Free Report) traded up 13.4% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as C$0.95 and last traded at C$0.93. 428,678 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 14% from the average session volume of 497,386 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.82. Galway Metals Price Performance The business has a fifty day moving average of C$0.70 and a 200-day moving average of C$0.59. The company has a current ratio of 3.16, a quick ratio of 4.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08. The firm has a market cap of C$108.67 million, a PE ratio of -8.70 and a beta of 2.71. About Galway Metals (Get Free Report) Galway Metals Inc engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral resource properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold, zinc, copper, silver, and lead deposits. It holds a 100% interest in the Clarence Stream project located in southwest New Brunswick, Canada; and Estrades mine, related Newiska concessions, and adjacent Casa Berardi claims located in western Quebec, Canada. Galway Metals Inc was incorporated in 2012 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Galway Metals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Galway Metals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. UnitedHealth Group, Johnson & Johnson, Intuitive Surgical, Medtronic, HCA Healthcare, McKesson, and GE HealthCare Technologies are the seven Healthcare stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Healthcare stocks are shares of publicly traded companies that operate in the healthcare industryincluding pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical-device makers, hospitals, diagnostics, and managed-care firms. Investors buy them for exposure to medical innovation and generally steady demand from aging populations, though performance can be highly sensitive to regulatory approvals, clinical-trial outcomes, patent lifecycles, and reimbursement policies. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Healthcare stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: UnitedHealth Group (UNH) UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Johnson & Johnson is a holding company, which engages in the research, development, manufacture, and sale of products in the healthcare field. It operates through the Innovative Medicine and MedTech segments. The Innovative Medicine segment focuses on immunology, infectious diseases, neuroscience, oncology, cardiovascular and metabolism, and pulmonary hypertension. Read Our Latest Research Report on JNJ Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) Intuitive Surgical, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets products that enable physicians and healthcare providers to enhance the quality of and access to minimally invasive care in the United States and internationally. The company offers the da Vinci Surgical System that enables complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach; and Ion endoluminal system, which extends its commercial offerings beyond surgery into diagnostic procedures enabling minimally invasive biopsies in the lung. Read Our Latest Research Report on ISRG Medtronic (MDT) Medtronic plc develops, manufactures, and sells device-based medical therapies to healthcare systems, physicians, clinicians, and patients worldwide. Its Cardiovascular Portfolio segment offers implantable cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices; cardiac ablation products; insertable cardiac monitor systems; TYRX products; and remote monitoring and patient-centered software. Read Our Latest Research Report on MDT HCA Healthcare (HCA) HCA Healthcare, Inc., through its subsidiaries, owns and operates hospitals and related healthcare entities in the United States. It operates general and acute care hospitals that offers medical and surgical services, including inpatient care, intensive care, cardiac care, diagnostic, and emergency services; and outpatient services, such as outpatient surgery, laboratory, radiology, respiratory therapy, cardiology, and physical therapy. Read Our Latest Research Report on HCA McKesson (MCK) 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. Read Our Latest Research Report on MCK GE HealthCare Technologies (GEHC) GE HealthCare Technologies Inc. engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of products, services, and complementary digital solutions used in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of patients in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Imaging, Ultrasound, Patient Care Solutions, and Pharmaceutical Diagnostics. Read Our Latest Research Report on GEHC Further Reading Heineken NV (OTCMKTS:HEINY Get Free Report) saw strong trading volume on Tuesday . 148,154 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 8% from the previous sessions volume of 137,482 shares.The stock last traded at $39.02 and had previously closed at $39.31. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating on shares of Heineken in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. BNP Paribas downgraded shares of Heineken from an outperform rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded shares of Heineken to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Buy. Get Heineken alerts: Get Our Latest Research Report on Heineken Heineken Stock Performance About Heineken The company has a current ratio of 0.75, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The stocks 50-day moving average is $40.26 and its two-hundred day moving average is $40.45. (Get Free Report) Heineken N.V. is a global brewing company best known for its flagship Heineken lager and a diversified portfolio of international and local beer brands. The companys activities span brewing, marketing and distribution of beer and cider products, serving ontrade and offtrade channels as well as ecommerce. Heineken combines global brand management with local production through a network of owned breweries, joint ventures and licensed partners to reach consumers across different markets. Founded in Amsterdam in 1864 by Gerard Adriaan Heineken, the company has grown into one of the worlds largest brewers. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Heineken Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Heineken and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. decreased its position in Iamgold Corporation (NYSE:IAG Free Report) (TSE:IMG) by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 694,050 shares of the mining companys stock after selling 65,138 shares during the period. Iamgold comprises approximately 1.4% of Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 19th biggest holding. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. owned 0.12% of Iamgold worth $8,969,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Mackenzie Financial Corp increased its holdings in Iamgold by 183.5% during the 2nd quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 7,614,294 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $56,118,000 after acquiring an additional 4,928,077 shares in the last quarter. Bornite Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Iamgold in the second quarter valued at approximately $34,089,000. Ninety One UK Ltd increased its stake in shares of Iamgold by 127.7% during the 2nd quarter. Ninety One UK Ltd now owns 5,347,405 shares of the mining companys stock worth $39,303,000 after purchasing an additional 2,998,882 shares in the last quarter. Candriam S.C.A. acquired a new position in shares of Iamgold during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $18,354,000. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its position in shares of Iamgold by 12.4% during the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 20,917,319 shares of the mining companys stock worth $154,046,000 after purchasing an additional 2,302,527 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 47.08% of the companys stock. Get Iamgold alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have commented on IAG. CIBC increased their target price on Iamgold from $10.40 to $19.00 and gave the company an outperformer rating in a report on Friday, October 10th. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Iamgold in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Zacks Research raised Iamgold from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Scotiabank lifted their price target on Iamgold from $8.50 to $15.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, Stifel Canada upgraded shares of Iamgold from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, October 20th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $15.25. Iamgold Stock Performance Iamgold stock opened at $19.16 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $11.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 1.38. Iamgold Corporation has a 12 month low of $5.02 and a 12 month high of $18.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 1.68 and a quick ratio of 0.95. The stocks 50-day moving average is $15.80 and its 200-day moving average is $12.06. Iamgold (NYSE:IAG Get Free Report) (TSE:IMG) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The mining company reported $0.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.21 by $0.09. Iamgold had a return on equity of 10.39% and a net margin of 15.39%.The business had revenue of $714.61 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $759.45 million. Equities analysts anticipate that Iamgold Corporation will post 0.67 earnings per share for the current year. Iamgold Profile (Free Report) IAMGOLD Corporation, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Toronto, is a mid-tier gold producer engaged in the exploration, development and operation of gold mining assets. The companys primary focus is on the discovery and extraction of gold, with a portfolio that spans both operating mines and advanced development projects. IAMGOLD combines in-house technical expertise with strategic partnerships to advance projects from exploration through to production. The companys principal producing assets include the Essakane gold mine in Burkina Faso, which began commercial production in 2010, and the Westwood underground gold mine in Quebecs Abitibi region. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IAG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Iamgold Corporation (NYSE:IAG Free Report) (TSE:IMG). Receive News & Ratings for Iamgold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Iamgold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Figma, Inc. (NYSE:FIG Get Free Report) General Counsel Brendan Mulligan sold 5,666 shares of Figma stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.02, for a total value of $181,425.32. Following the transaction, the general counsel owned 863,387 shares in the company, valued at $27,645,651.74. This trade represents a 0.65% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Brendan Mulligan also recently made the following trade(s): Get Figma alerts: On Monday, January 5th, Brendan Mulligan sold 5,666 shares of Figma stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.25, for a total transaction of $211,058.50. On Friday, January 2nd, Brendan Mulligan sold 6,793 shares of Figma stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.21, for a total transaction of $252,767.53. On Monday, December 15th, Brendan Mulligan sold 4,392 shares of Figma stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.65, for a total value of $152,182.80. On Wednesday, December 3rd, Brendan Mulligan sold 4,392 shares of Figma stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.68, for a total transaction of $161,098.56. On Monday, December 1st, Brendan Mulligan sold 9,343 shares of Figma stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.45, for a total value of $331,209.35. On Monday, November 17th, Brendan Mulligan sold 4,299 shares of Figma stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.29, for a total value of $160,309.71. On Wednesday, November 12th, Brendan Mulligan sold 10,000 shares of Figma stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.00, for a total transaction of $450,000.00. On Monday, November 10th, Brendan Mulligan sold 80,934 shares of Figma stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.47, for a total transaction of $3,518,200.98. On Monday, November 3rd, Brendan Mulligan sold 9,526 shares of Figma stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.17, for a total transaction of $458,867.42. Figma Stock Down 6.2% NYSE FIG traded down $1.84 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $27.73. 14,509,472 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,858,308. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $36.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.53 billion and a PE ratio of -10.35. Figma, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $27.48 and a fifty-two week high of $142.92. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Figma ( NYSE:FIG Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($1.56) by $1.66. The company had revenue of $274.17 million during the quarter. Figma had a negative return on equity of 84.34% and a negative net margin of 99.32%.The businesss quarterly revenue was up 38.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.04 earnings per share. A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on FIG shares. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on Figma in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. They set a hold rating and a $40.00 price objective for the company. Barclays upgraded Figma to a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of Figma in a research report on Monday, January 12th. They issued a neutral rating and a $40.00 target price for the company. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on shares of Figma from $85.00 to $70.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their target price on shares of Figma from $65.00 to $38.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $52.13. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on FIG Institutional Trading of Figma A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in FIG. SC US Ttgp LTD. acquired a new position in Figma during the third quarter valued at approximately $1,310,305,000. ICONIQ Capital LLC bought a new position in Figma in the third quarter valued at about $1,108,879,000. a16z Capital Management L.L.C. acquired a new position in Figma during the third quarter worth about $842,687,000. Durable Capital Partners LP acquired a new stake in shares of Figma in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $278,510,000. Finally, Thrive Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Figma in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $228,034,000. Figma Company Profile (Get Free Report) Figma is a San Franciscobased software company that offers a web-based platform for interface design, prototyping and collaboration. Its flagship product, Figma, enables teams to create and refine user interfaces, vector graphics and design systems directly in a browser, eliminating the need for local installations. The platforms real-time collaboration features allow multiple stakeholdersdesigners, developers and product managersto edit and comment simultaneously, streamlining workflows and reducing version control issues. In addition to its core design tool, Figma provides FigJam, a digital whiteboarding solution that facilitates brainstorming sessions, wireframing and diagramming. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Figma Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Figma and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. iShares MSCI Singapore ETF (NYSEARCA:EWS Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 293,114 shares, an increase of 23.5% from the December 15th total of 237,418 shares. Approximately 1.1% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 767,557 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.4 days. Based on an average daily volume of 767,557 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.4 days. Approximately 1.1% of the shares of the company are sold short. Institutional Trading of iShares MSCI Singapore ETF Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of EWS. Barry Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Singapore ETF by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Barry Investment Advisors LLC now owns 86,403 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,245,000 after acquiring an additional 374 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC lifted its position in iShares MSCI Singapore ETF by 2.8% during the second quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 14,656 shares of the companys stock valued at $388,000 after purchasing an additional 394 shares during the period. Gould Asset Management LLC CA boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI Singapore ETF by 1.7% in the third quarter. Gould Asset Management LLC CA now owns 27,934 shares of the companys stock valued at $792,000 after purchasing an additional 475 shares during the last quarter. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC grew its position in iShares MSCI Singapore ETF by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC now owns 13,535 shares of the companys stock worth $372,000 after purchasing an additional 481 shares during the period. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Singapore ETF by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 18,243 shares of the companys stock valued at $474,000 after buying an additional 624 shares during the last quarter. 52.30% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get iShares MSCI Singapore ETF alerts: iShares MSCI Singapore ETF Stock Down 0.0% Shares of NYSEARCA:EWS opened at $28.04 on Tuesday. iShares MSCI Singapore ETF has a 52-week low of $20.08 and a 52-week high of $29.65. The stock has a market cap of $748.67 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.28 and a beta of 0.69. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $27.91 and a 200-day moving average price of $27.93. About iShares MSCI Singapore ETF iShares MSCI Singapore ETF, formerly iShares MSCI Singapore Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange traded fund (ETF). The Funds seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the MSCI Singapore Index (the Underlying Index). The Underlying Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Singapore Stock Exchange. The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Funds investment advisor is BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA). Read More Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI Singapore ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI Singapore ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. JinkoSolar Holding Company Limited (NYSE:JKS Get Free Report) shares dropped 8.2% on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $26.52 and last traded at $27.0740. Approximately 229,231 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 72% from the average daily volume of 814,158 shares. The stock had previously closed at $29.50. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised shares of JinkoSolar from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on JinkoSolar from $18.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of JinkoSolar from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. UBS Group reiterated a neutral rating on shares of JinkoSolar in a report on Friday, November 28th. Finally, Roth Capital raised their price target on shares of JinkoSolar from $17.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, November 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $19.49. Get JinkoSolar alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on JKS JinkoSolar Stock Performance The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07. The stock has a market cap of $1.29 billion, a PE ratio of -2.73 and a beta of 0.52. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $26.98 and a 200 day moving average price of $24.94. JinkoSolar (NYSE:JKS Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, November 17th. The semiconductor company reported ($2.30) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($2.56) by $0.26. JinkoSolar had a negative return on equity of 8.96% and a negative net margin of 4.98%.The firm had revenue of $2.27 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.72 billion. As a group, research analysts forecast that JinkoSolar Holding Company Limited will post -0.24 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Trading of JinkoSolar Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in JKS. SG Americas Securities LLC grew its position in JinkoSolar by 189.9% in the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 194,231 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $5,013,000 after acquiring an additional 127,234 shares in the last quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of JinkoSolar during the third quarter worth about $225,000. Progeny 3 Inc. purchased a new position in shares of JinkoSolar during the third quarter worth approximately $2,341,000. Millennium Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of JinkoSolar during the third quarter worth about $1,765,000. Finally, Man Group plc acquired a new position in shares of JinkoSolar in the third quarter valued at approximately $329,000. 35.82% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. JinkoSolar Company Profile (Get Free Report) JinkoSolar Holding Co, Ltd. (NYSE: JKS) is a vertically integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer headquartered in Shanghai, China. The company specializes in the design, development and production of high-performance solar modules, silicon wafers, solar cells and related components. Since its founding in 2006, JinkoSolar has become one of the worlds largest solar module suppliers, known for delivering reliable products to utility, commercial and residential customers. JinkoSolars product portfolio encompasses a broad range of monocrystalline and polycrystalline PV modules, including half-cell, bifacial and high-efficiency Tiger module series. See Also Receive News & Ratings for JinkoSolar Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for JinkoSolar and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL Get Free Report) EVP Joseph Laplume sold 400 shares of Charles River Laboratories International stock in a transaction on Friday, August 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $163.72, for a total transaction of $65,488.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 23,716 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,882,783.52. This trade represents a 1.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Charles River Laboratories International Price Performance Shares of CRL traded up $0.49 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $220.19. The companys stock had a trading volume of 42,146 shares, compared to its average volume of 765,870. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $192.82 and a 200 day simple moving average of $174.70. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.84 billion, a P/E ratio of -140.90, a P/E/G ratio of 6.57 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. has a 1-year low of $91.86 and a 1-year high of $228.88. Get Charles River Laboratories International alerts: Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE:CRL Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The medical research company reported $2.43 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.32 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $1 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $990.43 million. Charles River Laboratories International had a negative net margin of 2.07% and a positive return on equity of 15.78%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.59 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. will post 9.36 EPS for the current fiscal year. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts recently issued reports on CRL shares. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Charles River Laboratories International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Sunday, December 21st. Argus set a $200.00 price objective on shares of Charles River Laboratories International in a research report on Monday, November 17th. William Blair raised shares of Charles River Laboratories International from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, October 6th. Morgan Stanley set a $185.00 price target on shares of Charles River Laboratories International in a research report on Monday, December 1st. Finally, Mizuho set a $215.00 price objective on Charles River Laboratories International in a research report on Friday, January 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $209.46. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Charles River Laboratories International Institutional Investors Weigh In On Charles River Laboratories International A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Charles River Laboratories International by 0.5% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,839,743 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $913,686,000 after acquiring an additional 27,989 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its holdings in shares of Charles River Laboratories International by 29.1% during the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 2,291,126 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $353,750,000 after acquiring an additional 516,521 shares in the last quarter. Ariel Investments LLC increased its holdings in Charles River Laboratories International by 28.6% in the second quarter. Ariel Investments LLC now owns 1,415,348 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $214,751,000 after buying an additional 314,572 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Charles River Laboratories International by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,249,178 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $195,446,000 after purchasing an additional 12,035 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in shares of Charles River Laboratories International by 13.4% in the third quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,163,348 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $182,017,000 after buying an additional 137,335 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 98.91% of the companys stock. Charles River Laboratories International Company Profile (Get Free Report) Charles River Laboratories International, Inc is a leading provider of research models and preclinical and clinical support services for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. The companys core offerings include discovery, safety assessment, toxicology, and pathology services, as well as supply of laboratory animals and related diagnostics. Services extend across in vivo and in vitro testing, biologics testing, and support for advanced therapies, helping clients accelerate drug development from early discovery through regulatory submission. Founded in 1947 in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Charles River has grown through strategic investments and acquisitions to establish a broad portfolio of capabilities. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Charles River Laboratories International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles River Laboratories International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Marshalls plc (LON:MSLH Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Tuesday after Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price target on the stock from GBX 240 to GBX 195. Royal Bank Of Canada currently has a sector perform rating on the stock. Marshalls traded as low as GBX 159.20 and last traded at GBX 159.40, with a volume of 2257822 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 167.20. Insider Buying and Selling at Marshalls In other news, insider Simon Bourne bought 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 8th. The stock was purchased at an average price of GBX 172 per share, for a total transaction of 68,800. Corporate insiders own 1.05% of the companys stock. Get Marshalls alerts: Marshalls Price Performance The company has a current ratio of 1.86, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 33.19. The stock has a market capitalization of 403.05 million, a P/E ratio of 16.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.17 and a beta of 1.26. The stock has a 50 day moving average of GBX 176.15 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 187.52. Marshalls Company Profile Established in the late 1880s, Marshalls plc is a leading UK manufacturer of sustainable solutions for the built environment. It operates through three trading divisions: Landscape Products; Roofing Products; and Building Products. At a Group, divisional and brand level, Marshalls strategy centres around its customers who value its unique set of capabilities, namely leading brands, best in class technical and design support and carbon leadership. This is underpinned by business wide enterprise excellence, leadership in ESG governance and standards and its people, organisation, and culture. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Marshalls Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Marshalls and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its position in shares of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE:BC Free Report) by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,494,664 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 11,777 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA owned 0.05% of Brunswick worth $221,003,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Global Alpha Capital Management Ltd. boosted its stake in Brunswick by 26.6% during the 2nd quarter. Global Alpha Capital Management Ltd. now owns 272,028 shares of the companys stock worth $15,027,000 after purchasing an additional 57,100 shares during the period. Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Brunswick in the second quarter valued at about $224,000. Garner Asset Management Corp boosted its stake in shares of Brunswick by 33.4% during the second quarter. Garner Asset Management Corp now owns 29,732 shares of the companys stock worth $1,642,000 after buying an additional 7,444 shares during the period. New York State Common Retirement Fund grew its holdings in shares of Brunswick by 33.1% during the second quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 399,962 shares of the companys stock worth $22,094,000 after buying an additional 99,391 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Creative Planning increased its position in Brunswick by 95.5% in the 2nd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 21,070 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,164,000 after acquiring an additional 10,292 shares during the period. 99.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Brunswick alerts: Brunswick Trading Down 0.1% Shares of BC stock opened at $88.63 on Tuesday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $73.71 and its 200 day moving average price is $66.84. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.76 billion, a PE ratio of -24.35 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.78 and a quick ratio of 0.73. Brunswick Corporation has a 1-year low of $41.00 and a 1-year high of $89.61. Analysts Set New Price Targets Brunswick ( NYSE:BC Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The company reported $0.97 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.84 by $0.13. Brunswick had a positive return on equity of 10.55% and a negative net margin of 4.60%.The company had revenue of $1.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.26 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.17 earnings per share. Brunswicks quarterly revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Brunswick has set its FY 2025 guidance at 3.250-3.25 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Brunswick Corporation will post 4.19 EPS for the current fiscal year. A number of analysts have weighed in on BC shares. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Brunswick from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 15th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a sell (d+) rating on shares of Brunswick in a report on Monday, December 29th. Wolfe Research set a $90.00 price objective on shares of Brunswick in a research report on Monday, January 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Brunswick from $63.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 23rd. Finally, Loop Capital began coverage on shares of Brunswick in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. They issued a hold rating and a $74.00 target price for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Brunswick has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $79.36. Get Our Latest Report on Brunswick Brunswick Profile (Free Report) Founded in 1845 by John Moses Brunswick, Brunswick Corporation is a global leader in recreation products. Headquartered in Mettawa, Illinois, the company has evolved from its origins as a billiard table manufacturer into a diversified supplier of leisure equipment, serving both consumer and commercial markets around the world. Brunswick operates through two primary segments: Marine and Bowling & Billiards. In its Marine segment, the company designs, manufactures and distributes recreational boats, outboard engines and aftermarket parts under recognized brands such as Sea Ray, Bayliner and Mercury Marine. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Brunswick Corporation (NYSE:BC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Brunswick Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brunswick and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Get Free Report) have received a consensus rating of Buy from the twenty-nine brokerages that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, twenty-two have issued a buy recommendation and five have issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $662.08. A number of brokerages recently issued reports on MA. Compass Point upgraded shares of Mastercard from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the company from $620.00 to $735.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of Mastercard from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a buy rating and issued a $713.00 price objective on shares of Mastercard in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Macquarie upped their price target on Mastercard from $655.00 to $660.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Get Mastercard alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on MA Mastercard Trading Down 0.5% NYSE MA opened at $539.82 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $484.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.86. Mastercard has a twelve month low of $465.59 and a twelve month high of $601.77. The company has a quick ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.40. The businesss fifty day moving average is $556.89 and its 200 day moving average is $566.36. Mastercard (NYSE:MA Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The credit services provider reported $4.38 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.31 by $0.07. Mastercard had a return on equity of 202.03% and a net margin of 45.28%.The firm had revenue of $8.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.53 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $3.89 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 16.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Mastercard will post 15.91 EPS for the current fiscal year. Mastercard Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 9th. Investors of record on Friday, January 9th will be issued a $0.87 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 9th. This is a boost from Mastercards previous quarterly dividend of $0.76. This represents a $3.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Mastercards dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 22.25%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of MA. Kingstone Capital Partners Texas LLC bought a new stake in Mastercard during the second quarter valued at $11,421,213,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Mastercard by 55,868.1% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 13,421,148 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $7,541,880,000 after purchasing an additional 13,397,168 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Mastercard during the 2nd quarter valued at about $6,725,317,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its position in shares of Mastercard by 25.6% during the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 6,372,404 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $3,580,909,000 after purchasing an additional 1,299,977 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp grew its stake in Mastercard by 2.8% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 36,580,374 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $20,807,283,000 after purchasing an additional 997,536 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.28% of the companys stock. About Mastercard (Get Free Report) Mastercard Incorporated is a global payments technology company that operates a network connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 200 countries and territories. The company facilitates electronic payments and transaction processing for credit, debit and prepaid card products carrying the Mastercard brand, while also providing a range of payment-related services to issuers, acquirers and merchants. Its technology and network enable authorization, clearing and settlement of payments and support a broad set of use cases including point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile payments. Beyond core transaction processing, Mastercard offers a suite of value-added services such as fraud and risk management, identity and authentication tools, tokenization and digital wallet support, cross-border and commercial payment solutions, and data analytics and consulting services for merchants and financial partners. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Mastercard Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mastercard and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. McGraw Hill, Inc. (NYSE:MH Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 2,833,403 shares, an increase of 26.2% from the December 15th total of 2,245,705 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 637,256 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.4 days. Currently, 1.5% of the shares of the company are sold short. Currently, 1.5% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 637,256 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.4 days. McGraw Hill Trading Down 1.4% MH stock traded down $0.21 on Tuesday, hitting $14.30. The companys stock had a trading volume of 8,484 shares, compared to its average volume of 715,311. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.73 billion and a PE ratio of 10.24. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $16.31. The company has a current ratio of 1.01, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.52. McGraw Hill has a 1 year low of $10.69 and a 1 year high of $18.00. Get McGraw Hill alerts: McGraw Hill (NYSE:MH Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $1.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.35 by $1.05. The business had revenue of $669.19 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $638.76 million. McGraw Hills quarterly revenue was down 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. Insider Buying and Selling Institutional Trading of McGraw Hill In other news, Director Steven Reinemund acquired 15,710 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, November 14th. The stock was bought at an average price of $15.03 per share, with a total value of $236,121.30. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 15,710 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $236,121.30. This represents a increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. acquired a new stake in McGraw Hill during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in shares of McGraw Hill during the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. Strs Ohio acquired a new stake in shares of McGraw Hill during the third quarter worth $54,000. BNP Paribas Financial Markets purchased a new position in McGraw Hill in the 3rd quarter valued at $83,000. Finally, Greenland Capital Management LP purchased a new position in McGraw Hill in the 3rd quarter valued at $131,000. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have commented on MH. Zacks Research lowered McGraw Hill from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on McGraw Hill from $25.00 to $21.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. UBS Group upped their price objective on McGraw Hill from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of McGraw Hill from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, BTIG Research boosted their target price on McGraw Hill from $19.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $20.63. Read Our Latest Report on McGraw Hill About McGraw Hill (Get Free Report) McGraw Hill (NYSE:MH) is a global learning science company specializing in educational content, digital learning platforms, and assessment solutions. The company offers textbooks and course materials for K-12 and higher education, along with professional development resources for corporate and workforce training. Its digital solutionsincluding adaptive learning platforms and analytics-driven toolssupport personalized instruction, progress tracking, and interactive engagement in both classroom and remote environments. Founded in 1888 in New York City, McGraw Hill has evolved from a technical periodical publisher into one of the worlds leading providers of educational content and technology. Read More Receive News & Ratings for McGraw Hill Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for McGraw Hill and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mitsubishi Electric Co. (OTCMKTS:MIELY Get Free Report)s share price gapped down prior to trading on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $63.94, but opened at $60.00. Mitsubishi Electric shares last traded at $61.11, with a volume of 15,430 shares trading hands. Mitsubishi Electric Stock Performance The stock has a market cap of $65.26 billion, a PE ratio of 58.26 and a beta of 0.54. The companys 50-day moving average price is $58.33 and its 200 day moving average price is $52.60. Get Mitsubishi Electric alerts: Mitsubishi Electric Company Profile (Get Free Report) Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (OTCMKTS: MIELY) is a Tokyo-based multinational manufacturer of electrical and electronic equipment. Founded in 1921, the company is part of the broader Mitsubishi Group and has grown into a diversified industrial enterprise serving commercial, industrial and consumer markets. Mitsubishi Electric develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of products and systems used in building systems, factory automation, power generation and distribution, transportation, and information and communication infrastructure. The companys product and service portfolio includes air-conditioning and heating systems, elevators and escalators, factory automation and control equipment, power and electric systems, transportation systems and signaling for railways, and semiconductors and electronic devices. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Mitsubishi Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mitsubishi Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pacific Heights Asset Management LLC increased its position in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Free Report) by 14.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 240,000 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 30,000 shares during the quarter. Morgan Stanley comprises about 1.7% of Pacific Heights Asset Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest position. Pacific Heights Asset Management LLCs holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $38,150,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its stake in shares of Morgan Stanley by 10.2% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 12,782 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,607,000 after purchasing an additional 1,185 shares in the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its holdings in Morgan Stanley by 2.5% in the second quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 60,767 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $8,560,000 after buying an additional 1,468 shares during the period. CX Institutional lifted its position in Morgan Stanley by 3.6% during the second quarter. CX Institutional now owns 7,835 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,104,000 after buying an additional 274 shares in the last quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated grew its stake in Morgan Stanley by 9.3% during the second quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 1,355 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $191,000 after buying an additional 115 shares during the period. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 42.7% in the second quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 17,002 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,395,000 after acquiring an additional 5,090 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.19% of the companys stock. Get Morgan Stanley alerts: Morgan Stanley Price Performance Shares of MS opened at $189.17 on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley has a 52 week low of $94.33 and a 52 week high of $192.68. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.27. The firm has a market cap of $300.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.53, a PEG ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.20. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $175.70 and a 200-day moving average of $160.22. Morgan Stanley Dividend Announcement Morgan Stanley ( NYSE:MS Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 15th. The financial services provider reported $2.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.28 by $0.40. Morgan Stanley had a net margin of 14.09% and a return on equity of 16.92%. The company had revenue of $17.90 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.69 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.22 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 10.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Morgan Stanley will post 8.56 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a $1.00 dividend. This represents a $4.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Morgan Stanleys dividend payout ratio is 39.18%. Morgan Stanley News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Morgan Stanley this week: Insider Buying and Selling In other news, CEO Edward Pick sold 100,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, October 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $164.34, for a total value of $16,434,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 574,986 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $94,493,199.24. This represents a 14.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.19% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms recently weighed in on MS. Wolfe Research restated an outperform rating and set a $211.00 target price on shares of Morgan Stanley in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Barclays boosted their price objective on Morgan Stanley from $183.00 to $219.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $207.00 target price on shares of Morgan Stanley in a research note on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a neutral rating on shares of Morgan Stanley in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their price objective on shares of Morgan Stanley from $165.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $185.93. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on MS Morgan Stanley Profile (Free Report) Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1935 by Henry S. Morgan and Harold Stanley, the company provides a broad range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services to corporations, governments, institutions and individual investors. Leadership has been guided by a senior executive team and board of directors; James P. Gorman has served as the companys chief executive and chairman in recent years. The firms primary business activities are organized around three principal businesses: Institutional Securities, Wealth Management and Investment Management. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Morgan Stanley Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Morgan Stanley and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nordwand Advisors LLC increased its stake in Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX Free Report) by 10.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 56,702 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after purchasing an additional 5,190 shares during the period. Chevron makes up 1.4% of Nordwand Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 20th largest position. Nordwand Advisors LLCs holdings in Chevron were worth $8,805,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Berkshire Hathaway Inc raised its position in Chevron by 2.9% in the 2nd quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc now owns 122,064,792 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $17,478,458,000 after buying an additional 3,454,258 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Chevron by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 34,772,753 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $4,979,255,000 after acquiring an additional 1,342,723 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Chevron by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 20,826,805 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $2,982,190,000 after acquiring an additional 378,936 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Chevron in the second quarter valued at approximately $2,721,477,000. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Chevron by 2.1% in the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 17,764,589 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $2,543,712,000 after purchasing an additional 370,287 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 72.42% of the companys stock. Get Chevron alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Chevron from $190.00 to $196.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, November 14th. UBS Group restated a buy rating on shares of Chevron in a research note on Monday, December 1st. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on Chevron from $178.00 to $174.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Chevron from $174.00 to $189.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Chevron from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $168.27. Chevron Stock Up 0.1% Shares of CVX stock opened at $166.27 on Tuesday. Chevron Corporation has a 52-week low of $132.04 and a 52-week high of $169.37. The stock has a market cap of $334.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.39, a PEG ratio of 10.29 and a beta of 0.70. The firms 50-day moving average is $153.67 and its 200-day moving average is $154.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 1.15. Chevron (NYSE:CVX Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The oil and gas company reported $1.85 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $48.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $46.99 billion. Chevron had a return on equity of 8.74% and a net margin of 6.57%.Chevrons quarterly revenue was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.48 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Chevron Corporation will post 10.79 EPS for the current year. Chevron Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 18th were issued a dividend of $1.71 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 18th. This represents a $6.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.1%. Chevrons payout ratio is presently 96.20%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Chevron news, insider Alana K. Knowles sold 3,200 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.00, for a total transaction of $537,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 1,207 shares of the companys stock, valued at $202,776. This trade represents a 72.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Eimear P. Bonner sold 28,334 shares of Chevron stock in a transaction on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $165.05, for a total transaction of $4,676,526.70. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 4,366 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $720,608.30. This trade represents a 86.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 635,190 shares of company stock worth $100,254,408 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock. About Chevron (Free Report) Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) is an American multinational energy company engaged in virtually all aspects of the oil and gas industry. As an integrated energy firm, Chevrons core activities include upstream oil and natural gas exploration and production, midstream transportation and storage, downstream refining and marketing of fuels and lubricants, and petrochemical manufacturing through joint ventures and subsidiaries. The company markets fuels under brands such as Chevron, Texaco and Caltex and supplies a range of products and services to retail customers, industrial users and commercial fleets worldwide. Chevron traces its corporate lineage to the early petroleum companies that eventually became Standard Oil of California and has evolved through significant mergers and restructurings, including the acquisitions of Gulf Oil and Texaco. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Chevron Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chevron and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Northpointe Bancshares (NYSE:NPB Get Free Report) issued its earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.60 by ($0.08), Zacks reports. Northpointe Bancshares had a return on equity of 12.43% and a net margin of 16.09%. Northpointe Bancshares Stock Down 3.9% Shares of Northpointe Bancshares stock traded down $0.74 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $18.05. 709,148 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 618,629. The firm has a market cap of $620.25 million and a PE ratio of 11.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.24, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a current ratio of 1.39. Northpointe Bancshares has a 1 year low of $11.43 and a 1 year high of $19.22. The stocks fifty day moving average is $17.25 and its 200 day moving average is $16.76. Get Northpointe Bancshares alerts: Northpointe Bancshares Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be given a dividend of $0.025 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a $0.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Northpointe Bancsharess dividend payout ratio is currently 6.37%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Northpointe Bancshares Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in NPB. BNP Paribas Financial Markets acquired a new stake in Northpointe Bancshares during the 2nd quarter worth $370,000. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its stake in Northpointe Bancshares by 51.4% in the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 38,543 shares of the companys stock valued at $528,000 after buying an additional 13,093 shares during the last quarter. Mendon Capital Advisors Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Northpointe Bancshares by 5.2% in the second quarter. Mendon Capital Advisors Corp now owns 224,050 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,072,000 after acquiring an additional 10,980 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. acquired a new position in shares of Northpointe Bancshares in the 2nd quarter valued at $356,000. Finally, Jump Financial LLC acquired a new position in Northpointe Bancshares in the second quarter valued at $317,000. A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Piper Sandler raised their price target on shares of Northpointe Bancshares from $19.50 to $20.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d-) rating on shares of Northpointe Bancshares in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $19.08. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Northpointe Bancshares About Northpointe Bancshares (Get Free Report) Northpointe Bancshares, Inc is the bank holding company for Northpointe Bank, an FDIC-insured community bank based in Michigan. The company offers a full range of commercial and consumer banking solutions, serving retail, small business and corporate clients through both a physical branch network and digital platforms. Northpointe Banks product suite includes interest-bearing checking and savings accounts, money market and certificate of deposit offerings, as well as residential mortgage lending, home equity financing and unsecured consumer loans. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Northpointe Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northpointe Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI increased its position in shares of Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF (NYSEARCA:GSY Free Report) by 213.3% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 65,440 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 44,552 shares during the period. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RIs holdings in Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF were worth $3,287,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of GSY. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in shares of Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF by 28.8% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 57,917 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,903,000 after purchasing an additional 12,962 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF by 75.6% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 9,249 shares of the companys stock valued at $464,000 after buying an additional 3,982 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF by 5.4% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 19,587 shares of the companys stock worth $982,000 after buying an additional 1,006 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC bought a new position in Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF in the 1st quarter worth about $355,000. Finally, Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF by 1,422.4% in the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,238 shares of the companys stock valued at $112,000 after acquiring an additional 2,091 shares in the last quarter. Get Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, Royal Bank Of Canada raised Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, October 1st. Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF Price Performance Shares of NYSEARCA GSY opened at $50.35 on Tuesday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $50.28 and its 200 day moving average is $50.25. Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF has a 1-year low of $49.98 and a 1-year high of $50.38. Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 23rd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, January 20th will be issued a $0.1872 dividend. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.5%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, January 20th. This is a positive change from Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETFs previous monthly dividend of $0.18. About Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF (Free Report) The Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF (GSY) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund seeks to outperform the Barclays Capital 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index by investing in a diverse portfolio of investment-grade securities. GSY was launched on Feb 12, 2008 and is managed by Invesco. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GSY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF (NYSEARCA:GSY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Ultra Short Duration ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its position in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) by 7.2% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 3,309,180 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after acquiring an additional 223,460 shares during the quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $86,923,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Curio Wealth LLC boosted its position in Pfizer by 36,600.0% during the second quarter. Curio Wealth LLC now owns 1,101 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 1,098 shares during the last quarter. Harbor Asset Planning Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Pfizer during the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Howard Hughes Medical Institute purchased a new stake in Pfizer in the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Pfizer in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Evelyn Partners Asset Management Ltd acquired a new position in Pfizer in the second quarter valued at $33,000. 68.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Pfizer alerts: Pfizer Stock Down 1.0% NYSE PFE traded down $0.26 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $25.39. 10,015,089 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 45,020,793. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $25.38 and its 200-day simple moving average is $24.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $144.38 billion, a PE ratio of 14.78 and a beta of 0.47. Pfizer Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $20.92 and a fifty-two week high of $27.69. Pfizer Dividend Announcement Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.79 by $0.08. Pfizer had a return on equity of 20.17% and a net margin of 15.65%.The business had revenue of $16.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.94 billion. Pfizer has set its FY 2025 guidance at 3.000-3.150 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 EPS for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 6th. Investors of record on Friday, January 23rd will be paid a $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 23rd. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 100.00%. Key Stories Impacting Pfizer Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week: Analysts Set New Price Targets PFE has been the subject of a number of research reports. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Pfizer from $32.00 to $28.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Cowen reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, December 30th. HSBC restated a buy rating and set a $29.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Scotiabank started coverage on Pfizer in a report on Thursday, November 13th. They issued a sector outperform rating and a $30.00 price objective for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $27.88. View Our Latest Stock Report on Pfizer Pfizer Profile (Free Report) Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) is a multinational biopharmaceutical company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1849 by Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart, the company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and vaccines for human health. Its activities span discovery research, clinical development, regulatory affairs, manufacturing and global commercial distribution across multiple therapeutic areas. Pfizers portfolio and pipeline cover oncology, immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, rare diseases, hospital acute care and anti-infectives, along with a substantial vaccine business. 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. Shares of Portland General Electric Company (NYSE:POR Get Free Report) have earned an average recommendation of Hold from the twelve analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, eight have issued a hold recommendation and three have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $47.5833. Several research firms have commented on POR. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH reiterated a sell rating and set a $43.00 price target on shares of Portland General Electric in a report on Thursday, December 4th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Portland General Electric in a research report on Tuesday, December 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Portland General Electric from $47.00 to $49.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Portland General Electric in a research note on Monday, October 27th. They issued an equal weight rating and a $45.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of Portland General Electric in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Get Portland General Electric alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on POR Institutional Trading of Portland General Electric Portland General Electric Stock Performance Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Portland General Electric by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 8,309 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $366,000 after buying an additional 248 shares during the last quarter. Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Portland General Electric by 0.8% during the second quarter. Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 38,261 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,555,000 after purchasing an additional 301 shares during the last quarter. Connable Office Inc. increased its position in shares of Portland General Electric by 5.1% during the second quarter. Connable Office Inc. now owns 6,564 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $267,000 after purchasing an additional 318 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Portland General Electric by 35.1% in the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,243 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 323 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State of Wyoming boosted its position in shares of Portland General Electric by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 15,210 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $669,000 after purchasing an additional 345 shares during the period. Shares of POR stock opened at $49.64 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 1.08. The firm has a market cap of $5.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.05, a P/E/G ratio of 4.35 and a beta of 0.67. The firms 50 day moving average price is $48.92 and its 200-day moving average price is $45.10. Portland General Electric has a one year low of $39.54 and a one year high of $51.14. Portland General Electric (NYSE:POR Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The utilities provider reported $1.00 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $952.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $975.64 million. Portland General Electric had a return on equity of 8.32% and a net margin of 8.63%.Portland General Electrics revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.90 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Portland General Electric will post 3.21 EPS for the current year. Portland General Electric Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 22nd were paid a $0.525 dividend. This represents a $2.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.2%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 22nd. Portland General Electrics dividend payout ratio is currently 76.36%. About Portland General Electric (Get Free Report) Portland General Electric (NYSE:POR) is an investor-owned electric utility headquartered in Tigard, Oregon, with roots tracing back to the late 19th century. The company generates, transmits and distributes electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers across a broad territory in Oregon, primarily encompassing the Portland metropolitan area and surrounding regions. As one of Oregons largest electric utilities, Portland General Electric operates a diverse portfolio of generation assets, including hydroelectric facilities, natural gasfired plants and renewable energy sources. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Portland General Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Portland General Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of ReposiTrak (NYSE:TRAK Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Saturday. Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c+) rating on shares of ReposiTrak in a research report on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold. Get ReposiTrak alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on ReposiTrak ReposiTrak Trading Down 1.9% Shares of TRAK opened at $10.81 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $197.71 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.03 and a beta of 0.41. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $12.99 and its 200-day simple moving average is $15.30. ReposiTrak has a twelve month low of $10.75 and a twelve month high of $23.72. ReposiTrak (NYSE:TRAK Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 13th. The company reported $0.09 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $5.97 million for the quarter. ReposiTrak had a return on equity of 14.37% and a net margin of 30.52%. Insider Activity In other ReposiTrak news, Director Ronald C. Hodge sold 18,906 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.16, for a total transaction of $248,802.96. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 561,869 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,394,196.04. This represents a 3.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Randall K. Fields sold 2,900 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $10.85, for a total value of $31,465.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 145,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,573,250. This trade represents a 1.96% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 103,047 shares of company stock valued at $1,368,242 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 41.00% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of ReposiTrak A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in TRAK. R Squared Ltd purchased a new position in ReposiTrak in the 2nd quarter valued at about $235,000. Ingalls & Snyder LLC raised its holdings in ReposiTrak by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. Ingalls & Snyder LLC now owns 198,714 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,905,000 after acquiring an additional 2,554 shares during the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of ReposiTrak during the 2nd quarter worth $818,000. Prescott Group Capital Management L.L.C. boosted its holdings in shares of ReposiTrak by 47.2% during the second quarter. Prescott Group Capital Management L.L.C. now owns 26,284 shares of the companys stock worth $516,000 after purchasing an additional 8,428 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Handelsbanken Fonder AB increased its stake in ReposiTrak by 7.1% in the second quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 1,654,348 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,508,000 after purchasing an additional 110,000 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 27.35% of the companys stock. ReposiTrak Company Profile (Get Free Report) ReposiTrak, trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TRAK, is a provider of cloud-based supply chain compliance and transparency solutions. The companys platform enables retailers, suppliers and manufacturers to manage, share and validate product data throughout the supply chain. Through its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering, ReposiTrak helps organizations ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, industry standards and retailer-specific guidelines for food safety, sustainability, labeling and quality assurance. At the core of ReposiTraks offerings is its DataHub, a centralized repository that captures critical information such as product specifications, certifications, catch-weight data, temperature logs and recall notifications. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for ReposiTrak Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ReposiTrak and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Walmart, Amazon.com, and Costco Wholesale are the three Retail stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Retail stocks most commonly refers to shares of companies that sell goods directly to consumers (brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce retailers). The term is also used to describe stocks that are primarily bought and traded by individual (retail) investors rather than large institutional investors. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Retail stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Walmart (WMT) Walmart Inc. engages in the operation of retail, wholesale, other units, and eCommerce worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. It operates supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, cash and carry stores, and discount stores under Walmart and Walmart Neighborhood Market brands; membership-only warehouse clubs; ecommerce websites, such as walmart.com.mx, walmart.ca, flipkart.com, PhonePe and other sites; and mobile commerce applications. Amazon.com (AMZN) Amazon.com, Inc. engages in the retail sale of consumer products, advertising, and subscriptions service through online and physical stores in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo, Ring, Blink, and eero; and develops and produces media content. Read Our Latest Research Report on AMZN Costco Wholesale (COST) Costco Wholesale Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of membership warehouses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Iceland, New Zealand, and Sweden. The company offers branded and private-label products in a range of merchandise categories. Read Our Latest Research Report on COST Read More Northern Oil and Gas (NYSE:NOG Get Free Report) had its target price lowered by equities researchers at Royal Bank Of Canada from $33.00 to $30.00 in a report released on Tuesday, MarketBeat reports. The brokerage presently has a sector perform rating on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canadas target price suggests a potential upside of 34.80% from the stocks current price. A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c-) rating on shares of Northern Oil and Gas in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley reissued an underweight rating and set a $26.00 price objective (down from $27.00) on shares of Northern Oil and Gas in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Citigroup cut their price objective on Northern Oil and Gas from $32.00 to $28.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 20th. Finally, Mizuho increased their target price on Northern Oil and Gas from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $29.71. Get Northern Oil and Gas alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on Northern Oil and Gas Northern Oil and Gas Price Performance Shares of NYSE NOG traded up $0.02 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $22.26. The company had a trading volume of 408,468 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,022,640. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.57 and a beta of 0.98. Northern Oil and Gas has a twelve month low of $19.88 and a twelve month high of $41.74. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $22.25 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $24.14. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. Northern Oil and Gas (NYSE:NOG Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $1.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.82 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $556.64 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $528.36 million. Northern Oil and Gas had a net margin of 7.61% and a return on equity of 20.61%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 26.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.40 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Northern Oil and Gas will post 5.18 earnings per share for the current year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Northern Oil and Gas Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in Northern Oil and Gas by 200.3% in the 2nd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 955 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 637 shares during the period. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Northern Oil and Gas by 2,736.1% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,021 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 985 shares during the period. First Horizon Corp acquired a new position in shares of Northern Oil and Gas in the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp grew its stake in shares of Northern Oil and Gas by 181.0% during the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 1,107 shares of the companys stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 713 shares during the period. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc increased its holdings in shares of Northern Oil and Gas by 315.7% during the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,351 shares of the companys stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 1,026 shares during the last quarter. 98.80% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Northern Oil and Gas (Get Free Report) Northern Oil and Gas, Inc is a publicly traded independent energy company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of oil and natural gas resources in the United States. The companys primary operations are concentrated in the Williston Basin, where it secures acreage positions and partners with drilling operators to advance upstream projects. Through strategic leasehold acquisitions and joint ventures, Northern Oil and Gas seeks to expand its footprint in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. Northern Oil and Gas employs horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies to develop unconventional resource plays, particularly in the Bakken, Three Forks and Red River formations of North Dakota and Montana. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Northern Oil and Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northern Oil and Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG Get Free Report) and Sampo (OTCMKTS:SAXPY Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, risk, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and valuation. Profitability This table compares The Hanover Insurance Group and Sampos net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get The Hanover Insurance Group alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets The Hanover Insurance Group 9.71% 21.73% 4.30% Sampo N/A 19.32% 5.57% Dividends The Hanover Insurance Group pays an annual dividend of $3.80 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.2%. Sampo pays an annual dividend of $0.32 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.4%. The Hanover Insurance Group pays out 22.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Sampo pays out 23.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. The Hanover Insurance Group has increased its dividend for 20 consecutive years. The Hanover Insurance Group is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth. Institutional & Insider Ownership Valuation and Earnings 86.6% of The Hanover Insurance Group shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.0% of Sampo shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.5% of The Hanover Insurance Group shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. This table compares The Hanover Insurance Group and Sampos gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio The Hanover Insurance Group $6.24 billion 0.97 $426.00 million $17.29 9.82 Sampo $2.47 billion 49.99 $1.25 billion $1.39 16.63 Sampo has lower revenue, but higher earnings than The Hanover Insurance Group. The Hanover Insurance Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Sampo, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Volatility and Risk The Hanover Insurance Group has a beta of 0.33, suggesting that its share price is 67% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Sampo has a beta of 0.45, suggesting that its share price is 55% less volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for The Hanover Insurance Group and Sampo, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score The Hanover Insurance Group 0 3 5 0 2.63 Sampo 0 3 0 1 2.50 The Hanover Insurance Group presently has a consensus price target of $199.00, suggesting a potential upside of 17.22%. Given The Hanover Insurance Groups stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts plainly believe The Hanover Insurance Group is more favorable than Sampo. Summary The Hanover Insurance Group beats Sampo on 12 of the 18 factors compared between the two stocks. About The Hanover Insurance Group (Get Free Report) The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various property and casualty insurance products and services in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Core Commercial, Specialty, Personal Lines, and Other. The Commercial Lines segment offers commercial multiple peril, commercial automobile, workers' compensation, and other commercial lines coverage. The Specialty segment provides professional and executive Lines, marine, and surety and other, as well as specialty property and casualty, such as program business, specialty industrial business, excess and surplus business, and specialty general liability coverage. The Personal Lines segment offers personal automobile and homeowner's coverages, as well as other personal coverages, such as personal umbrella, inland marine, fire, personal watercraft, personal cyber, and other miscellaneous coverages. The Other segment markets investment advisory services to institutions, insurance companies, pension funds, and other organizations. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. markets its products and services through independent agents and brokers. The company was formerly known as Allmerica Financial Corp. and changed its name to The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. in December 2005. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts. About Sampo (Get Free Report) Sampo Oyj, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of non-life insurance products and services in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and the United Kingdom. The company operates through If, Topdanmark, Hastings, Mandatum, and Holding segments. It offers property, casualty, liability, accident, sickness, household, homeowner, motor, travel, marine, aviation, transport, forest, livestock, health, workers compensation, car, van, and bike insurance services, as well as reinsurance services. The company was founded in 1909 and is based in Helsinki, Finland. Receive News & Ratings for The Hanover Insurance Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Hanover Insurance Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SAP SE (NYSE:SAP Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 1,841,263 shares, an increase of 25.8% from the December 15th total of 1,463,098 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 983,266 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.9 days. Based on an average trading volume of 983,266 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.9 days. Approximately 0.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Hedge Funds Weigh In On SAP Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Sage Rhino Capital LLC grew its position in SAP by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Sage Rhino Capital LLC now owns 3,438 shares of the software makers stock valued at $1,045,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. CX Institutional lifted its holdings in shares of SAP by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. CX Institutional now owns 1,961 shares of the software makers stock valued at $524,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the period. Kathmere Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of SAP by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Kathmere Capital Management LLC now owns 4,019 shares of the software makers stock worth $1,074,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Binnacle Investments Inc grew its holdings in shares of SAP by 14.2% in the third quarter. Binnacle Investments Inc now owns 338 shares of the software makers stock worth $90,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the period. Finally, Certuity LLC increased its position in SAP by 2.4% during the second quarter. Certuity LLC now owns 1,866 shares of the software makers stock valued at $568,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Get SAP alerts: SAP Stock Down 2.8% NYSE:SAP traded down $6.46 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $227.13. 672,742 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,581,597. The company has a market cap of $286.97 billion, a PE ratio of 33.88, a P/E/G ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 1.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 1.10. SAP has a one year low of $224.77 and a one year high of $313.28. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $242.81 and a 200 day moving average price of $264.72. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In SAP ( NYSE:SAP Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The software maker reported $1.86 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.69 by $0.17. SAP had a net margin of 19.50% and a return on equity of 15.69%. The business had revenue of $10.65 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.10 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.23 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 7.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that SAP will post 6.55 EPS for the current year. SAP has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Arete Research raised SAP to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Barclays lifted their price objective on SAP from $322.00 to $348.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, October 24th. Citigroup restated a buy rating on shares of SAP in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating on shares of SAP in a report on Friday, October 31st. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of SAP from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, October 3rd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $280.20. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on SAP About SAP (Get Free Report) SAP SE is a global enterprise software company headquartered in Walldorf, Germany. Founded in 1972 by five former IBM engineers, the companys name is an acronym for Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung (Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing). SAP develops and sells software and services that help organizations manage business processes across finance, human resources, procurement, manufacturing, supply chain and customer relationships. SAPs product portfolio spans onpremises and cloud offerings, anchored by its enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions such as SAP S/4HANA and the SAP HANA inmemory database and platform. Read More Receive News & Ratings for SAP Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SAP and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Seabridge Gold, Inc. (NYSE:SA Get Free Report) (TSE:SEA) reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $32.54 and last traded at $32.4490, with a volume of 236363 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $30.86. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages recently weighed in on SA. Zacks Research upgraded Seabridge Gold from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, January 1st. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Seabridge Gold from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, November 22nd. B. Riley increased their target price on shares of Seabridge Gold from $50.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a sell (d-) rating on shares of Seabridge Gold in a report on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Seabridge Gold has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $65.00. Get Seabridge Gold alerts: View Our Latest Stock Report on SA Seabridge Gold Trading Up 5.5% The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $28.73 and a 200-day simple moving average of $22.81. The company has a quick ratio of 2.99, a current ratio of 2.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The stock has a market cap of $3.47 billion, a PE ratio of -85.45 and a beta of 0.82. Seabridge Gold (NYSE:SA Get Free Report) (TSE:SEA) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The basic materials company reported ($0.23) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.03) by ($0.20). Hedge Funds Weigh In On Seabridge Gold Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in SA. Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its position in shares of Seabridge Gold by 210.3% in the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 8,178,662 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $197,514,000 after purchasing an additional 5,543,170 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Seabridge Gold by 1,867.5% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,296,919 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $31,284,000 after acquiring an additional 1,231,002 shares during the last quarter. Tidal Investments LLC boosted its position in shares of Seabridge Gold by 12.4% during the third quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 3,071,781 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $74,184,000 after buying an additional 339,913 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. grew its stake in shares of Seabridge Gold by 16.5% in the third quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 2,131,185 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $51,396,000 after acquiring an additional 302,476 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in Seabridge Gold by 65.8% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 513,534 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $12,402,000 after buying an additional 203,885 shares during the last quarter. 34.85% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Seabridge Gold Company Profile (Get Free Report) Seabridge Gold Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition and exploration of gold properties in North America. The company also explores for gold, copper, silver, and molybdenum deposits. The company was formerly known as Seabridge Resources Inc and changed its name to Seabridge Gold Inc in June 2002. Seabridge Gold Inc was incorporated in 1979 and is based in Toronto, Canada. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Seabridge Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Seabridge Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Seizert Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Sensata Technologies Holding N.V. (NYSE:ST Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 61,052 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock, valued at approximately $1,865,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Sensata Technologies by 107.8% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 419,137 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $10,172,000 after purchasing an additional 217,418 shares during the period. United Services Automobile Association bought a new stake in shares of Sensata Technologies in the 1st quarter worth approximately $246,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its stake in shares of Sensata Technologies by 12.2% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 505,957 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $12,280,000 after buying an additional 55,045 shares during the period. Voya Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Sensata Technologies by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 18,675 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $453,000 after purchasing an additional 527 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in Sensata Technologies by 32.2% in the second quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 49,434 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $1,593,000 after buying an additional 12,039 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 99.42% of the companys stock. Get Sensata Technologies alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have recently commented on ST shares. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of Sensata Technologies from $40.00 to $44.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, September 29th. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $43.00 price objective on shares of Sensata Technologies in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Sensata Technologies from $34.00 to $37.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Barclays cut their target price on Sensata Technologies from $43.00 to $40.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d) rating on shares of Sensata Technologies in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $36.10. Sensata Technologies Stock Performance Shares of ST opened at $34.39 on Tuesday. Sensata Technologies Holding N.V. has a one year low of $17.32 and a one year high of $36.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.01 billion, a P/E ratio of -172.92, a PEG ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18, a current ratio of 2.91 and a quick ratio of 2.10. The business has a fifty day moving average of $33.15 and a 200 day moving average of $32.10. Sensata Technologies (NYSE:ST Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.89 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.85 by $0.04. Sensata Technologies had a negative net margin of 0.71% and a positive return on equity of 17.22%. The company had revenue of $931.98 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $918.83 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.86 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 5.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Sensata Technologies has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.830-0.870 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Sensata Technologies Holding N.V. will post 3.21 EPS for the current year. Sensata Technologies Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 26th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 12th were paid a $0.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, November 12th. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.4%. Sensata Technologiess dividend payout ratio is -240.00%. Insider Activity at Sensata Technologies In related news, Director Ali John Mirshekari sold 125,939 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.83, for a total transaction of $3,630,821.37. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 142,371 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,104,555.93. This trade represents a 46.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Lynne J. Caljouw sold 3,207 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.45, for a total value of $104,067.15. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 66,536 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,159,093.20. This represents a 4.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 272,356 shares of company stock worth $7,880,364. 0.89% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Sensata Technologies Profile (Free Report) Sensata Technologies Holdings N.V. is a global industrial technology company specializing in the design, development and manufacture of sensors and electrical protection solutions. The companys product portfolio includes pressure, temperature, position, speed, current and magnetic sensors, as well as circuit breakers and other protection devices. Sensatas offerings serve a wide array of end markets, with a particularly strong presence in automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), industrial automation, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), commercial aerospace and renewable energy sectors. Headquartered in Attleboro, Massachusetts, Sensata operates a network of manufacturing and engineering facilities across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Sensata Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sensata Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE:WBS Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 3,358,203 shares, a decline of 20.3% from the December 15th total of 4,212,263 shares. Currently, 2.1% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 1,177,110 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.9 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,177,110 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.9 days. Currently, 2.1% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Citigroup restated a buy rating on shares of Webster Financial in a research report on Tuesday, December 30th. UBS Group reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Webster Financial in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Webster Financial from $64.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a report on Monday, September 29th. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on Webster Financial from $78.00 to $77.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Raymond James Financial boosted their target price on Webster Financial from $65.00 to $73.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Webster Financial presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $72.77. Get Webster Financial alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Webster Financial Webster Financial Trading Down 1.9% Webster Financial stock traded down $1.22 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $63.32. The company had a trading volume of 544,483 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,315,477. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.85. Webster Financial has a 12-month low of $39.43 and a 12-month high of $66.54. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $61.97 and a 200 day moving average price of $60.00. The firm has a market cap of $10.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.80, a P/E/G ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 1.05. Webster Financial (NYSE:WBS Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, October 17th. The financial services provider reported $1.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.52 by $0.02. Webster Financial had a net margin of 21.32% and a return on equity of 11.07%. The firm had revenue of $756.06 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $725.22 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.34 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Webster Financial will post 5.88 earnings per share for the current year. Webster Financial Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 20th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 10th were paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 10th. Webster Financials dividend payout ratio is 29.80%. Insider Activity In other Webster Financial news, CEO John R. Ciulla sold 8,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.45, for a total value of $443,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 231,872 shares in the company, valued at $12,857,302.40. This represents a 3.34% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Pallas Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Webster Financial during the second quarter valued at about $474,000. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its holdings in shares of Webster Financial by 959.3% in the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 358,294 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $21,297,000 after buying an additional 324,471 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Webster Financial during the 2nd quarter valued at about $131,780,000. Pzena Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Webster Financial by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 1,612,758 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $88,057,000 after acquiring an additional 23,605 shares during the last quarter. Finally, M&T Bank Corp increased its stake in Webster Financial by 550.7% during the second quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 44,295 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,418,000 after acquiring an additional 37,488 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.58% of the companys stock. About Webster Financial (Get Free Report) Webster Financial Corporation is a bank holding company headquartered in Waterbury, Connecticut. Through its principal subsidiary, Webster Bank, N.A., the company offers a broad range of banking products and financial services to individuals, small businesses, and middle-market commercial clients. Key offerings include deposit accounts, residential and commercial real estate lending, equipment finance, treasury management, and payment processing solutions. In addition to traditional banking services, Webster Financial provides wealth management and insurance products designed to help clients plan for retirement, preserve assets, and manage risk. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Webster Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Webster Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Smith Douglas Homes Corp. (NYSE:SDHC Get Free Report) gapped down prior to trading on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $22.05, but opened at $20.35. Smith Douglas Homes shares last traded at $20.8290, with a volume of 3,018 shares. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings reiterated a sell (d+) rating on shares of Smith Douglas Homes in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. UBS Group reiterated a positive rating on shares of Smith Douglas Homes in a report on Monday, December 1st. BTIG Research began coverage on Smith Douglas Homes in a research note on Monday, December 1st. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Zacks Research lowered Smith Douglas Homes from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a neutral rating and set a $17.00 price target on shares of Smith Douglas Homes in a research note on Friday, November 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Reduce and an average price target of $16.60. Get Smith Douglas Homes alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on SDHC Smith Douglas Homes Stock Performance The stock has a market cap of $1.10 billion, a PE ratio of 17.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 17.26 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a 50 day moving average of $18.98 and a two-hundred day moving average of $18.83. Smith Douglas Homes (NYSE:SDHC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported ($0.12) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.26 by ($0.38). Smith Douglas Homes had a net margin of 1.13% and a return on equity of 0.12%. The business had revenue of $262.04 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $251.41 million. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Smith Douglas Homes Corp. will post 1.73 EPS for the current year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Smith Douglas Homes A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. First Eagle Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of Smith Douglas Homes by 38.0% during the 3rd quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 331,674 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,857,000 after buying an additional 91,292 shares during the period. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky increased its stake in Smith Douglas Homes by 26.8% during the third quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 33,251 shares of the companys stock worth $587,000 after acquiring an additional 7,025 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Smith Douglas Homes in the third quarter valued at $346,000. GSA Capital Partners LLP acquired a new position in shares of Smith Douglas Homes in the 3rd quarter valued at $188,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Smith Douglas Homes by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 450,993 shares of the companys stock worth $7,965,000 after purchasing an additional 3,884 shares during the period. Smith Douglas Homes Company Profile (Get Free Report) Smith Douglas Homes Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, construction, and sale of single-family homes in the southeastern United States. It also provides closing, escrow, and title insurance services. The company sells its products to entry-level and empty-nest homebuyers. Smith Douglas Homes Corp. was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Woodstock, Georgia. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Smith Douglas Homes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Smith Douglas Homes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF (NYSEARCA:NANR Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $75.69 and last traded at $75.2990, with a volume of 6376 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $74.47. SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF Trading Up 1.5% The firm has a market capitalization of $848.88 million, a P/E ratio of 18.42 and a beta of 0.75. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $68.07 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $63.79. Get SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in NANR. CoreCap Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF by 62.8% in the third quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 451 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF during the third quarter valued at about $71,000. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp purchased a new position in shares of SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $195,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $204,000. Finally, Horizon Investments LLC grew its position in SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF by 46.3% during the 3rd quarter. Horizon Investments LLC now owns 7,152 shares of the companys stock worth $462,000 after purchasing an additional 2,265 shares during the last quarter. SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF Company Profile The SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF (NANR) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in stocks based on a particular theme. The fund tracks an index of US & Canadian firms involved in natural resources and commodities businesses. NANR was launched on Dec 15, 2015 and is managed by State Street. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SPDR S&P North American Natural Resources ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSE:SLF Get Free Report) (NYSE:SLF) have been given an average recommendation of Hold by the eleven ratings firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$92.11. A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on SLF. Cibc Captl Mkts downgraded Sun Life Financial from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. BMO Capital Markets cut their target price on shares of Sun Life Financial from C$99.00 to C$95.00 in a research report on Monday, November 10th. National Bankshares reduced their price objective on Sun Life Financial from C$94.00 to C$93.00 in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a C$84.00 price objective on shares of Sun Life Financial and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, Barclays lowered their price objective on Sun Life Financial from C$84.00 to C$83.00 in a report on Friday, January 9th. Get Sun Life Financial alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Sun Life Financial Sun Life Financial Stock Performance Shares of SLF opened at C$87.56 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of C$48.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.58, a P/E/G ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.77. Sun Life Financial has a 12-month low of C$74.56 and a 12-month high of C$91.11. The firms 50 day moving average is C$84.17 and its 200-day moving average is C$83.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 26.00, a current ratio of 92.19 and a quick ratio of 84,866.00. Sun Life Financial (TSE:SLF Get Free Report) (NYSE:SLF) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The financial services provider reported C$1.86 EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$9.07 billion during the quarter. Sun Life Financial had a return on equity of 15.69% and a net margin of 7.58%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Sun Life Financial will post 6.9230769 EPS for the current fiscal year. Sun Life Financial Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were paid a $0.92 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, November 26th. This is a positive change from Sun Life Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.88. This represents a $3.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.2%. Sun Life Financials dividend payout ratio is 65.15%. About Sun Life Financial (Get Free Report) Sun Life Financial is one of Canadas Big Three life insurance companies along with Great-West Lifeco and Manulife. Sun Life provides insurance, retirement, and wealth-management services to individual and corporate customers in Canada, the United States, and Asia. It also owns MFS Investment Management, a Boston-based asset-management firm. Sun Life generates about a third of its profit from asset-management operations. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Sun Life Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sun Life Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA decreased its holdings in shares of Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF Free Report) by 0.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,917,966 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 23,281 shares during the quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MAs holdings in Synchrony Financial were worth $207,321,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Synchrony Financial during the 2nd quarter valued at about $299,360,000. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in shares of Synchrony Financial by 34.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 13,595,381 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $907,356,000 after purchasing an additional 3,494,741 shares during the last quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Synchrony Financial by 149.4% during the 3rd quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 1,803,690 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $127,844,000 after purchasing an additional 1,080,389 shares during the last quarter. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al purchased a new stake in shares of Synchrony Financial in the second quarter valued at approximately $64,429,000. Finally, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. increased its holdings in shares of Synchrony Financial by 42.8% in the second quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 3,159,748 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $210,882,000 after purchasing an additional 946,278 shares during the last quarter. 96.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Synchrony Financial alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms have weighed in on SYF. BTIG Research reissued a buy rating and set a $100.00 price objective on shares of Synchrony Financial in a research note on Thursday, October 16th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on shares of Synchrony Financial from $95.00 to $98.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Evercore ISI upped their price objective on shares of Synchrony Financial from $83.00 to $84.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, September 30th. HSBC upgraded shares of Synchrony Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $73.00 to $81.00 in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Finally, Barclays increased their price target on shares of Synchrony Financial from $86.00 to $101.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $86.47. Insider Activity at Synchrony Financial In other news, insider Darrell Owens sold 2,989 shares of Synchrony Financial stock in a transaction on Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.02, for a total value of $221,245.78. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 16,096 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,191,425.92. The trade was a 15.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Curtis Howse sold 12,086 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.02, for a total value of $894,605.72. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 108,271 shares in the company, valued at $8,014,219.42. This represents a 10.04% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 55,075 shares of company stock worth $4,036,892. Company insiders own 0.33% of the companys stock. Synchrony Financial Stock Up 3.3% Shares of SYF opened at $80.25 on Tuesday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $80.57 and its 200 day moving average price is $75.40. Synchrony Financial has a 12-month low of $40.54 and a 12-month high of $88.77. The company has a current ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91. The firm has a market cap of $28.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.55 and a beta of 1.43. Synchrony Financial Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, November 17th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 5th were issued a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.5%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, November 5th. Synchrony Financials dividend payout ratio is currently 13.10%. Synchrony Financial announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Wednesday, October 15th that allows the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to repurchase up to 3.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued. About Synchrony Financial (Free Report) Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF) is a consumer financial services company that specializes in providing point-of-sale financing and private-label, co-branded and branded credit card programs. The company serves as a payments and lending partner to retailers, digital merchants and service providers, offering consumer financing solutions designed to drive customer engagement and sales. Synchrony also operates a direct bank that offers deposit products, including savings accounts and certificates of deposit, which support its funding and customer-facing product suite. Its core product set includes private-label and co-branded credit cards, general-purpose credit cards, installment loan programs and promotional financing options that are integrated into merchants checkout experiences. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SYF? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Synchrony Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Synchrony Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. increased its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (NYSE:TSM Free Report) by 29.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 28,634 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after purchasing an additional 6,545 shares during the period. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing makes up 1.2% of Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s holdings, making the stock its 24th largest position. Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $7,997,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its holdings in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 3.6% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 15,759,419 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $4,401,448,000 after buying an additional 541,047 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 14,805,720 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $3,353,348,000 after acquiring an additional 115,158 shares in the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC raised its holdings in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 26.7% in the second quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 12,046,792 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $2,728,478,000 after purchasing an additional 2,537,760 shares during the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 18.0% in the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 10,457,800 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $2,368,587,000 after purchasing an additional 1,593,786 shares in the last quarter. Finally, WCM Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 3.3% in the second quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 10,058,659 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $2,299,108,000 after purchasing an additional 324,615 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 16.51% of the companys stock. Get Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing alerts: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Stock Down 0.4% TSM opened at $341.15 on Tuesday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $300.62 and its 200 day simple moving average is $274.95. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. has a 1-year low of $134.25 and a 1-year high of $351.33. The stock has a market cap of $1.77 trillion, a PE ratio of 31.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a current ratio of 2.69, a quick ratio of 2.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Increases Dividend Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( NYSE:TSM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 14th. The semiconductor company reported $14.32 earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of $32.50 billion for the quarter. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a net margin of 45.13% and a return on equity of 36.18%. As a group, research analysts expect that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. will post 9.2 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 9th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th will be given a $0.9678 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 17th. This is a positive change from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings previous quarterly dividend of $0.83. This represents a $3.87 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 23.57%. Key Stories Impacting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Here are the key news stories impacting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing this week: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth TSM has been the topic of several analyst reports. Susquehanna boosted their price target on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $300.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Itau BBA Securities began coverage on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a research report on Tuesday, October 7th. They set an outperform rating for the company. Citigroup reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a research report on Friday, January 9th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a buy rating on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $325.00 to $370.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Friday. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $381.67. View Our Latest Analysis on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Profile (Free Report) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is a leading pure-play semiconductor foundry that provides wafer fabrication and related services to the global semiconductor industry. Founded in 1987 by Morris Chang and headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, TSMC manufactures integrated circuits on behalf of fabless and integrated device manufacturers, offering contract chip production across a broad set of technologies and products. TSMCs service offering covers logic and mixed-signal process technologies, specialty processes for radio-frequency, power management and embedded memory, and advanced nodes used in mobile, high-performance computing and AI applications. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. raised its position in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Free Report) by 206.4% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,460 shares of the credit services providers stock after buying an additional 1,657 shares during the quarter. Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s holdings in Mastercard were worth $1,399,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. LGT Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Mastercard during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in Mastercard in the second quarter worth about $29,000. Robbins Farley increased its stake in shares of Mastercard by 50.0% in the third quarter. Robbins Farley now owns 54 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Mastercard in the second quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC grew its holdings in shares of Mastercard by 45.2% during the second quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 61 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 97.28% of the companys stock. Get Mastercard alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on MA shares. Citigroup raised shares of Mastercard to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Morgan Stanley set a $665.00 target price on shares of Mastercard and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $645.00 to $654.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Evercore ISI set a $610.00 price objective on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $713.00 target price on shares of Mastercard in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $662.08. Mastercard Stock Performance NYSE:MA opened at $533.88 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.40. The companys 50-day moving average price is $556.89 and its 200-day moving average price is $566.36. The company has a market cap of $479.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.14, a P/E/G ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.86. Mastercard Incorporated has a twelve month low of $465.59 and a twelve month high of $601.77. Mastercard (NYSE:MA Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The credit services provider reported $4.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $4.31 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $8.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.53 billion. Mastercard had a return on equity of 202.03% and a net margin of 45.28%.The firms quarterly revenue was up 16.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.89 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Mastercard Incorporated will post 15.91 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Mastercard Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 9th. Investors of record on Friday, January 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.87 per share. This is an increase from Mastercards previous quarterly dividend of $0.76. This represents a $3.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 9th. Mastercards payout ratio is presently 22.25%. Mastercard Profile (Free Report) Mastercard Incorporated is a global payments technology company that operates a network connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 200 countries and territories. The company facilitates electronic payments and transaction processing for credit, debit and prepaid card products carrying the Mastercard brand, while also providing a range of payment-related services to issuers, acquirers and merchants. Its technology and network enable authorization, clearing and settlement of payments and support a broad set of use cases including point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile payments. Beyond core transaction processing, Mastercard offers a suite of value-added services such as fraud and risk management, identity and authentication tools, tokenization and digital wallet support, cross-border and commercial payment solutions, and data analytics and consulting services for merchants and financial partners. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Mastercard Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mastercard and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. raised its holdings in shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM Free Report) (TSE:CM) by 18.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 228,062 shares of the banks stock after purchasing an additional 35,976 shares during the quarter. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce accounts for approximately 2.8% of Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest position. Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s holdings in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce were worth $18,228,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce during the 2nd quarter worth $730,245,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company raised its holdings in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by 130.2% during the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 7,354,644 shares of the banks stock valued at $519,312,000 after buying an additional 4,160,060 shares during the last quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board grew its position in shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by 51.8% in the 2nd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 7,106,008 shares of the banks stock worth $503,383,000 after buying an additional 2,425,000 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 41,410,285 shares of the banks stock worth $2,939,385,000 after acquiring an additional 1,382,123 shares during the period. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce during the 2nd quarter valued at $88,610,000. 49.88% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Research raised Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, December 31st. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen raised Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Raymond James Financial assumed coverage on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. They issued a market perform rating for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $107.50. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Stock Down 0.4% Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce stock opened at $91.68 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a 52 week low of $53.62 and a 52 week high of $94.16. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $89.72 and its 200 day moving average price is $81.77. The firm has a market cap of $85.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.02. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM Get Free Report) (TSE:CM) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The bank reported $1.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.08. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had a net margin of 13.57% and a return on equity of 14.93%. The firm had revenue of $5.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.23 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.91 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 14.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce will post 5.5 earnings per share for the current year. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 28th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 29th will be given a $1.07 dividend. This represents a $4.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.7%. This is a positive change from Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces previous quarterly dividend of $0.97. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 29th. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 50.25%. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Company Profile (Free Report) Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE: CM), commonly known as CIBC, is a major Canadian financial institution headquartered in Toronto. Formed in 1961 through the merger of the Canadian Bank of Commerce and the Imperial Bank of Canada, CIBC is one of Canadas largest banks and provides a broad range of banking and financial services to retail, small business, commercial and institutional clients. CIBCs activities span personal and business banking, wealth management, capital markets and corporate banking. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM Free Report) (TSE:CM). 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. AvalonBay Communities (NYSE:AVB Get Free Report) had its price objective cut by Truist Financial from $205.00 to $203.00 in a report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a buy rating on the real estate investment trusts stock. Truist Financials target price indicates a potential upside of 11.25% from the companys current price. Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on AvalonBay Communities from $213.00 to $193.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on shares of AvalonBay Communities from $202.00 to $197.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 4th. BNP Paribas lowered shares of AvalonBay Communities from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, September 29th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of AvalonBay Communities from $192.00 to $191.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Mizuho cut their target price on shares of AvalonBay Communities from $199.00 to $191.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 24th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $205.75. Get AvalonBay Communities alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on AVB AvalonBay Communities Trading Up 0.9% NYSE AVB opened at $182.47 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $25.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.67 and a quick ratio of 0.67. AvalonBay Communities has a 12 month low of $166.73 and a 12 month high of $230.21. The companys fifty day moving average price is $180.05 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $187.24. AvalonBay Communities (NYSE:AVB Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $2.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.81 by ($0.06). AvalonBay Communities had a net margin of 38.78% and a return on equity of 9.72%. The company had revenue of $766.80 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $766.22 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.74 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that AvalonBay Communities will post 11.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of AVB. Mather Group LLC. bought a new stake in shares of AvalonBay Communities during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. BOKF NA acquired a new stake in AvalonBay Communities in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Clearstead Trust LLC raised its stake in AvalonBay Communities by 62.0% during the 2nd quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC now owns 162 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC acquired a new position in AvalonBay Communities during the 3rd quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in AvalonBay Communities during the 2nd quarter worth $36,000. Institutional investors own 92.61% of the companys stock. AvalonBay Communities Company Profile (Get Free Report) AvalonBay Communities, Inc (NYSE: AVB) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns, develops, redevelops and manages multifamily residential properties. The company focuses on professionally managed apartment communities, offering a range of rental housing options and related resident services. As a REIT, AvalonBays core activities center on the acquisition and development of apartment assets and the ongoing operations and leasing of those communities. AvalonBays operating activities include ground-up development, strategic redevelopment of existing properties, property and asset management, and on-site leasing and resident services. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for AvalonBay Communities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AvalonBay Communities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT Free Report) by 54.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,223 shares of the aerospace companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,205 shares during the period. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $3,107,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Tableaux LLC increased its holdings in Lockheed Martin by 34,231.4% during the 2nd quarter. Tableaux LLC now owns 623,115 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $288,589,000 after purchasing an additional 621,300 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Lockheed Martin by 169.3% during the second quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 572,272 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $265,030,000 after buying an additional 359,748 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Lockheed Martin by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 21,697,527 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $10,048,993,000 after buying an additional 214,565 shares during the last quarter. Holocene Advisors LP acquired a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $92,628,000. Finally, VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al bought a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $89,850,000. 74.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Lockheed Martin alerts: Insider Transactions at Lockheed Martin In other Lockheed Martin news, COO John Frank A. St sold 7,792 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $491.04, for a total value of $3,826,183.68. Following the sale, the chief operating officer owned 1 shares in the company, valued at $491.04. This represents a 99.99% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.14% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Lockheed Martin Stock Performance Shares of LMT stock opened at $581.62 on Tuesday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $485.76 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $472.71. Lockheed Martin Corporation has a one year low of $410.11 and a one year high of $582.93. The stock has a market cap of $134.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.47, a P/E/G ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.32, a current ratio of 1.13 and a quick ratio of 0.97. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 21st. The aerospace company reported $6.95 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.33 by $0.62. Lockheed Martin had a net margin of 5.73% and a return on equity of 111.84%. The company had revenue of $18.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.45 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $6.84 EPS. Lockheed Martins revenue for the quarter was up 8.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Lockheed Martin Corporation will post 27.15 EPS for the current year. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages have recently weighed in on LMT. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Lockheed Martin in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Robert W. Baird increased their target price on shares of Lockheed Martin from $550.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday. BNP Paribas raised shares of Lockheed Martin to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. Susquehanna reissued a positive rating and set a $660.00 price target on shares of Lockheed Martin in a research report on Thursday. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane raised their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $550.00 to $570.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $543.82. Read Our Latest Report on Lockheed Martin About Lockheed Martin (Free Report) Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) is a global aerospace and defense company that designs, develops and manufactures advanced technology systems for government and commercial customers. Formed through the 1995 merger of Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta, the company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, and focuses on providing integrated solutions across air, space, land and sea domains. Its primary customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and allied governments around the world. Lockheed Martins product and service portfolio spans military aircraft, missile and fire-control systems, missile defense, space systems and satellite technologies, sensors and precision weapons. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LMT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Lockheed Martin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lockheed Martin and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vaughan David Investments LLC IL lowered its holdings in shares of Deere & Company (NYSE:DE Free Report) by 2.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 153,590 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 3,873 shares during the quarter. Deere & Company accounts for 1.5% of Vaughan David Investments LLC ILs portfolio, making the stock its 8th biggest holding. Vaughan David Investments LLC ILs holdings in Deere & Company were worth $70,231,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of DE. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 30.6% in the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 364,103 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $185,143,000 after purchasing an additional 85,351 shares during the period. OLD National Bancorp IN raised its position in Deere & Company by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. OLD National Bancorp IN now owns 24,000 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $12,204,000 after purchasing an additional 610 shares in the last quarter. Csenge Advisory Group lifted its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 84.9% in the 3rd quarter. Csenge Advisory Group now owns 7,440 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $3,402,000 after buying an additional 3,416 shares during the period. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,678 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,379,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the period. Finally, MASTERINVEST Kapitalanlage GmbH bought a new position in shares of Deere & Company during the 2nd quarter worth $3,615,000. Institutional investors own 68.58% of the companys stock. Get Deere & Company alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, CEO John C. May II sold 41,472 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.49, for a total transaction of $20,797,793.28. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 117,970 shares in the company, valued at $59,160,775.30. The trade was a 26.01% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Cory J. Reed sold 12,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $510.00, for a total value of $6,120,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 20,792 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $10,603,920. This trade represents a 36.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 64,578 shares of company stock worth $32,471,682. Insiders own 0.29% of the companys stock. Deere & Company Stock Performance DE stock opened at $514.62 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $139.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.80, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 1.00. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $479.23 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $481.47. Deere & Company has a one year low of $404.42 and a one year high of $533.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 2.01 and a current ratio of 2.22. Deere & Company (NYSE:DE Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 26th. The industrial products company reported $3.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.96 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $12.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.77 billion. Deere & Company had a return on equity of 20.54% and a net margin of 11.00%.The firms quarterly revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.55 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Deere & Company will post 19.32 EPS for the current fiscal year. Deere & Company Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 9th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be issued a $1.62 dividend. This represents a $6.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 31st. Deere & Companys payout ratio is currently 35.01%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth DE has been the subject of several recent research reports. Daiwa Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Deere & Company from $530.00 to $520.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Zacks Research raised shares of Deere & Company from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a market perform rating and issued a $460.00 price target on shares of Deere & Company in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating and set a $560.00 price objective on shares of Deere & Company in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, Wolfe Research lifted their price objective on shares of Deere & Company from $520.00 to $550.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, January 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $524.20. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on DE About Deere & Company (Free Report) Deere & Company, commonly known by its brand John Deere, is a global manufacturer of agricultural, construction and forestry machinery, as well as turf care equipment and power systems. Founded in 1837 by blacksmith John Deerewho developed a polished steel plow to improve tillage in tough prairie soilsthe company is headquartered in Moline, Illinois, and has grown into one of the largest and most recognizable names in equipment manufacturing worldwide. The companys principal businesses include a broad portfolio of agricultural equipment such as tractors, combines, planters, sprayers, harvesters and tillage implements, complemented by precision agriculture technologies and telematics that support farm management, yield optimization and equipment connectivity. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Deere & Company (NYSE:DE Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Deere & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deere & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vizsla Silver Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:VZLA Get Free Report) shares gapped up prior to trading on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $6.16, but opened at $6.56. Vizsla Silver shares last traded at $6.3650, with a volume of 2,166,131 shares changing hands. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts recently weighed in on the company. Roth Capital lifted their price target on Vizsla Silver from $6.00 to $7.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. Raymond James Financial reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Vizsla Silver in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on shares of Vizsla Silver in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. They issued a buy rating and a $7.00 price objective for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Vizsla Silver has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $7.00. Get Vizsla Silver alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Vizsla Silver Vizsla Silver Stock Performance Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vizsla Silver The stock has a market capitalization of $2.26 billion, a PE ratio of -164.38 and a beta of 0.94. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $5.22 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $4.27. A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of VZLA. K.J. Harrison & Partners Inc purchased a new position in shares of Vizsla Silver in the 2nd quarter worth about $2,460,000. Verde Servicos Internacionais S.A. purchased a new position in shares of Vizsla Silver in the 2nd quarter valued at $323,000. Fourth Sail Capital LP purchased a new stake in Vizsla Silver during the 2nd quarter worth $12,736,000. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. acquired a new stake in Vizsla Silver in the 2nd quarter valued at $1,546,000. Finally, XTX Topco Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Vizsla Silver in the second quarter worth about $935,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 22.46% of the companys stock. About Vizsla Silver (Get Free Report) Vizsla Silver Corp. is a Canada-based mineral exploration and development company focused on high-grade silver projects in Mexico. The company holds a portfolio of properties in the Panuco District of Sinaloa, where it is advancing its flagship Panuco Project, among several other exploration targets. These assets cover prolific epithermal vein systems that have historically produced significant silver and base metals. The Panuco Project encompasses multiple mineralized zones over a 17,000-hectare land package, where ongoing drilling campaigns have reported consistent high-grade silver intercepts. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Vizsla Silver Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vizsla Silver and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC trimmed its position in Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII Free Report) by 16.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 209,282 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 42,428 shares during the quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Huntington Ingalls Industries were worth $59,725,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of HII. Rovin Capital UT ADV boosted its stake in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 15.3% during the 3rd quarter. Rovin Capital UT ADV now owns 2,471 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $712,000 after acquiring an additional 328 shares during the period. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 17.8% in the third quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. now owns 5,998 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,727,000 after purchasing an additional 908 shares during the last quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System raised its position in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 15.3% in the third quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 2,102 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $605,000 after purchasing an additional 279 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 174.2% during the 3rd quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 6,871 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,978,000 after buying an additional 4,365 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Evergreen Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 3.9% during the 3rd quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 1,011 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $291,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 90.46% of the companys stock. Get Huntington Ingalls Industries alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research analysts have weighed in on HII shares. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries from $320.00 to $350.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, October 31st. Citigroup lifted their price target on Huntington Ingalls Industries from $376.00 to $450.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Huntington Ingalls Industries from $287.00 to $342.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Melius upgraded shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Five 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 data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $335.00. Insider Transactions at Huntington Ingalls Industries In related news, CAO Nicolas G. Schuck sold 466 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $314.36, for a total transaction of $146,491.76. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 2,418 shares in the company, valued at $760,122.48. This represents a 16.16% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Christopher D. Kastner sold 15,000 shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $321.06, for a total value of $4,815,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 68,139 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $21,876,707.34. The trade was a 18.04% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 17,103 shares of company stock worth $5,477,768 in the last 90 days. 0.86% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Huntington Ingalls Industries Price Performance NYSE:HII traded down $2.25 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $423.65. The companys stock had a trading volume of 127,559 shares, compared to its average volume of 664,617. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. has a twelve month low of $158.88 and a twelve month high of $432.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 1.06. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $340.10 and a 200-day simple moving average of $298.59. The company has a market capitalization of $16.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.14, a PEG ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 0.36. Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The aerospace company reported $3.68 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.29 by $0.39. Huntington Ingalls Industries had a net margin of 4.74% and a return on equity of 11.79%. The firm had revenue of $3.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.95 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.56 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 16.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. will post 13.99 EPS for the current fiscal year. About Huntington Ingalls Industries (Free Report) Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) is Americas largest military shipbuilding company and a leading provider of professional services to the U.S. government. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII designs, constructs and maintains nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, submarines and other complex vessels for the U.S. Navy. The companys products include nuclear aircraft carriers, Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines, as well as amphibious assault ships, destroyers and cutters. Established in 2011 as a spin-off from Northrop Grummans shipbuilding operations, HII traces its heritage to two historic builders: Newport News Shipbuilding, founded in the 19th century, and Ingalls Shipbuilding, founded in 1938. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HII? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (NYSE:HII Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Huntington Ingalls Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Huntington Ingalls Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund (NYSEARCA:DEM Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $48.36 and last traded at $48.2950, with a volume of 125052 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $48.05. WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund Stock Up 0.2% The company has a market cap of $3.38 billion, a PE ratio of 9.40 and a beta of 0.62. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $46.90 and a 200-day simple moving average of $46.39. Get WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund alerts: WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a special dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 5th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were given a $0.072 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. Institutional Investors Weigh In On WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund About WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of DEM. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC increased its position in shares of WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund by 173.5% in the 3rd quarter. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 547 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 347 shares during the period. Creekmur Asset Management LLC grew its stake in WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund by 172.3% during the 2nd quarter. Creekmur Asset Management LLC now owns 580 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 367 shares during the last quarter. Advantage Trust Co purchased a new stake in WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund during the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Trust Co. of Vermont purchased a new position in shares of WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund in the third quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, AE Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund by 54.8% during the second quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 709 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 251 shares during the period. 58.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. (Get Free Report) WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that closely correspond to the price and yield performance of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income Index (the Index). The Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of the highest dividend yielding stocks selected from the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index. At the index measurement date, companies within the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index are ranked by dividend yield. See Also Receive News & Ratings for WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dont worry folks, Greenland is safe from Donald Trump, the big orange bully. Britain and Europes hollowed out underfunded LGBTQP armies are on the way to save the day. British PM Kier Starmer is set to send multiple LGBTQP regiments of 12 soldiers to dance around and wave flags to iconic pop stars like Lady Ga Ga, Pet Shop Boys and Erasure. UK Army Cadets wave transgender and rainbow flags while marching during London Pride. pic.twitter.com/35ILiiV2Uk Oli London (@OliLondonTV) July 6, 2025 Along with the LGBQTP regiments of trans and gay soldiers, we have also put together a few bicycles, multiple butt plugs, a horse, and cart and one World War II rifle. The Europeans will send 14 troops that they can muster together all wearing leather LGBTQP bondage gear, cock rings, and large floppy dildos. According to the Europeans and the UK, floppy dildos can be very effective in combat. | Soldados britanicos en muy mala forma fisica, desfilan en la fiesta anual del lobby politico LGTB en Londres. pic.twitter.com/nANThUc8d9 Qs (@herqles_es) July 6, 2025 Lets face it, with a strong USA, led by a strong president, and a strong military, there is zero respect towards a weak Europe and UK with pathetically ineffectual underfunded militaries. If Europe and the EU want to be treated with respect, and as equals, to the USA, they better get their fucking military in order. Russia and China could go through Europe in less than a week at the state of things currently. Trump is right to put the weak UK and EU in the crosshairs with Greenland. They better dump woke soviet shit, they better reinstate free speech, they better stop pussying around like fucking roadkill caught in the headlights. Trump, of course, would be treating a non-socialist non-soviet non-woke entity with a lot more respect, but instead hes dealing with you fucking soviet woke pinko whackos. This is a lesson they still dont fucking get. Starmer is a useless, feeble, ineffectual, woke bureaucratic piss stain. Decades of woke LGTQP indoctrination has left the UK and European continent defenceless and demoralised. The brutal, ruthless forces waiting to invade, will have no mercy, they will have no compassion, they will have no pity or weakness as they destroy everything in their path and leave Europe and the UK in ruins, begging for surrender. America will watch that from afar and say: I told you so! London is now stabby and gay the capital of England, everyone. pic.twitter.com/PFwGzChR9r Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) November 22, 2024 Thanks to Keir Starmer, U.S. data will now be mined and collected en masse by the Super Spy China Embassy, which he okayed today. Starmer, who is flying to China soon, okayed the building of the Super Spy Chinese Hub because he wants to make some deals with the CCP. Labour are trading off the national security of the UK and US for piffling economic pennies from China. The site of the Chinese Super Spy Embassy goes directly over major data cables that daily transmits top secret tactical security details as well as most of the financial data that links the City of London Financial District. Sensitive U.S. data will be siphoned off and sent to Beijing where CCP, and PLA analysts will collate and parse the lucrative information to benefit Chinese communist interests. Britains spy chiefs have warned the anti-democratic Labour government that they cannot wholly eliminate the national security risks around Chinas new London embassy after Labour stupidly granted permission for it to go ahead. In a joint letter, the heads of MI5 and GCHQ warned that it was not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk associated with the development, on the former Royal Mint site in east London. In other words, what goes on in the Super Spy China Embassy stays there before stolen and hacked data is transferred to Beijing. The Chinese will have Diplomatic Immunity, and will not allow any form of inspection. With deep underground rooms, and vast antenna arrays on the roof planned, the Chinese agents will also utilise sweeping techniques to hack all calls in London, including the U.S. Embassy and crucial supposedly clandestine staff in-country. PM Keir Starmer congratulated himself today on ensuring Britains security and national interests by okaying a massive Chinese spy hub, bang in the middle of London. Squash Montego Bay native Andrae Squash Whittaker could soon be feeling the Big Breeze of freedom. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Dancehall star is provisionally scheduled for release from the Federal Detention Center in Miami on January 25, 2027. The scheduled date reflects time credits for federal inmates who qualify for early release based on good behavior. However, his freedom in the United States will likely be short-lived; upon release, he is expected to face deportation proceedings, setting up a swift return to his old stomping grounds in Jamaica. Squash was sentenced in November 2025 to two years and three months in federal prison. The sentence followed his guilty plea in a Miami court to a charge of possessing a firearm. The charges stemmed from a February 2025 traffic stop where police recovered a modified Glock 19 from a vehicle in which the artist was a passenger. During the proceedings, prosecutors stated that Squashs spouse, an American citizen, purchased the weapon found in his possession. They also cited the weapons illegal modification as a significant aggravating factor, while his legal team pushed back against claims that the artist was involved in any organized criminal activity. Court documents also alleged that Squash entered the U.S. illegally. Squash His legal troubles in the U.S. mirror previous scrutiny he faced in Jamaica. In 2018, Squash was detained during a State of Emergency (SOE) sweep in St. James, launched in response to escalating crime in the parish. He spent five months in custody without charge before being released in January 2019just one day before the SOE expired. He left Jamaica to perform in the United States for the first time in September 2019. In a 2022 interview, Squash opened up about the pressures that drove him away from the island, citing corruption within his circle and discomfort with the system. Mi cyah tek the hold down in Jamaica and corruption in my little circle, Jamaica small bad enuh, the world big and Jamaica have too much corruption in one little environment and mi cyah deal wid it, he explained. Despite the gritty persona reflected in his street anthems like Big Breeze, Know Bout That , and Rate Who Rate You, Squash insisted he is misunderstood. You see me now, me is not a violent man, people out there might see 6ixx boss and have me as violent, but I am a jovial person, me loving and kind, fun, mi like happiness, me nuh like sadness, he said at the time. The artist, who boasts over 260,000 followers on Spotify and has released projects such as F.A.M.E (Faith Always Move Everything) and Hate Being Famous. China mourns victims in Kabul blast Xinhua) 16:28, January 20, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- China expresses deep condolences over the lives lost and extends sincere sympathies to the injured in a blast in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday. At least 20 people, including women and children, were transported to EMERGENCY's Surgical Center in Kabul following an explosion in the downtown area on Monday afternoon, with seven declared dead on arrival, the humanitarian organization said. According to media reports, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the incident. Guo said at a regular news briefing that one Chinese citizen was killed and five were injured in the explosion, adding that the Chinese side has made emergency representations to the Afghan side, urging it to make every effort to treat the injured. China has asked the Afghan side to take further effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions in Afghanistan, conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice, Guo said. China strongly condemns and firmly opposes terrorism in all forms, and supports Afghanistan and regional countries in their joint efforts to combat terrorists and violent activities, he added. Given the current security situation in Afghanistan, the Chinese foreign ministry again reminds Chinese citizens to refrain from traveling to the country in the near future, Guo said. He also advised the Chinese citizens and enterprises already in Afghanistan to enhance their security awareness, strengthen precautionary measures, and evacuate from high-risk areas as soon as possible. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Kronos Worldwide (NYSE:KRO Get Free Report) and Enlightify (NYSE:ENFY Get Free Report) are both small-cap basic materials companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, profitability and risk. Get Kronos Worldwide alerts: Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Kronos Worldwide and Enlightify, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Kronos Worldwide 4 0 0 0 1.00 Enlightify 1 0 0 0 1.00 Kronos Worldwide presently has a consensus price target of $6.00, suggesting a potential upside of 9.45%. Given Kronos Worldwides higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Kronos Worldwide is more favorable than Enlightify. Valuation and Earnings Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Kronos Worldwide $1.89 billion 0.33 $86.20 million ($0.36) -15.23 Enlightify $79.21 million 0.01 -$28.41 million ($0.86) -0.05 This table compares Kronos Worldwide and Enlightifys revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Kronos Worldwide has higher revenue and earnings than Enlightify. Kronos Worldwide is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Enlightify, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Profitability This table compares Kronos Worldwide and Enlightifys net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Kronos Worldwide -2.22% -3.09% -1.33% Enlightify -22.98% -18.78% -11.03% Risk & Volatility Kronos Worldwide has a beta of 1.14, indicating that its stock price is 14% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Enlightify has a beta of 0.99, indicating that its stock price is 1% less volatile than the S&P 500. Insider and Institutional Ownership 15.1% of Kronos Worldwide shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.1% of Enlightify shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.1% of Kronos Worldwide shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 14.2% of Enlightify shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Summary Kronos Worldwide beats Enlightify on 10 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks. About Kronos Worldwide (Get Free Report) Kronos Worldwide, Inc. produces and markets titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2) in Europe, North America, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company produces TiO2 in two crystalline forms, rutile and anatase to impart whiteness, brightness, opacity, and durability for various products, including paints, coatings, plastics, paper, fibers, and ceramics, as well as for various specialty products, such as inks, foods, and cosmetics. It also produces ilmenite, a raw material used directly as a feedstock by sulfate-process TiO2 plants; iron-based chemicals, which are used as treatment and conditioning agents for industrial effluents and municipal wastewater, as well as in the manufacture of iron pigments, cement, and agricultural products; specialty chemicals for use in the formulation of pearlescent pigments, and production of electroceramic capacitors for cell phones and other electronic devices, as well as for use in natural gas pipe, and other specialty applications. In addition, the company provides technical services for its products. It sells its products under the KRONOS brand through agents and distributors to paint, plastics, decorative laminate, and paper manufacturers. The company was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Kronos Worldwide, Inc. is a subsidiary of Valhi, Inc. About Enlightify (Get Free Report) Enlightify, Inc. engages in the research, development, production, and sale of various types of fertilizers and agricultural products. It operates through the following segments: Jinong, Gufeng, and Yuxing. The Jinong segment includes fertilizer products, with focus on humic acid-based compound fertilizer. The Gufeng segment refers to the compound fertilizer, blended fertilizer, organic compound fertilizer, slow-release fertilizers, highly concentrated water-soluble fertilizers, and mixed organic-inorganic compound fertilizer. The Yuxing segment develops and produces agricultural products, such as top-grade fruits, vegetables, flowers, and colored seedlings. The company was founded by Tao Li on February 6, 1987 and is headquartered in Xian, China. Receive News & Ratings for Kronos Worldwide Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kronos Worldwide and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA cut its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM Free Report) by 1.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 19,541,574 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 206,039 shares during the quarter. Exxon Mobil comprises about 0.7% of Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MAs investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest position. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA owned approximately 0.46% of Exxon Mobil worth $2,203,312,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Get Exxon Mobil alerts: Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in XOM. Clayton Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Exxon Mobil in the third quarter valued at about $40,000. TruNorth Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 1,595.2% during the 3rd quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC now owns 356 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 335 shares in the last quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc grew its holdings in shares of Exxon Mobil by 121.8% in the 2nd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 366 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 201 shares during the period. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC increased its stake in Exxon Mobil by 95.8% in the 3rd quarter. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC now owns 370 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Investment Research & Advisory Group Inc. acquired a new position in Exxon Mobil during the second quarter worth $42,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 61.80% of the companys stock. Exxon Mobil Stock Up 0.5% XOM stock opened at $129.78 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $119.60 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $114.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 1.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $547.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.86, a PEG ratio of 8.05 and a beta of 0.37. Exxon Mobil Corporation has a one year low of $97.80 and a one year high of $131.72. Exxon Mobil Increases Dividend Exxon Mobil ( NYSE:XOM Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 31st. The oil and gas company reported $1.88 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.72 by $0.16. The business had revenue of $83.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $83.09 billion. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 11.22% and a net margin of 8.99%.The businesss revenue was down 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.92 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 14th were issued a $1.03 dividend. This is a positive change from Exxon Mobils previous quarterly dividend of $0.99. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 14th. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.2%. Exxon Mobils dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 59.88%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth XOM has been the topic of several research reports. Citigroup upped their target price on Exxon Mobil from $115.00 to $118.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. UBS Group restated a buy rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Friday, January 9th. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Exxon Mobil from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $129.00 to $132.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Cowen restated a buy rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research report on Friday, December 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Exxon Mobil has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $130.25. Read Our Latest Research Report on Exxon Mobil Key Stories Impacting Exxon Mobil Here are the key news stories impacting Exxon Mobil this week: Insider Activity at Exxon Mobil In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.19, for a total transaction of $351,570.00. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 28,584 shares in the company, valued at $3,349,758.96. This represents a 9.50% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. About Exxon Mobil (Free Report) Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) is an integrated oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, production, refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products and the manufacture and sale of petrochemicals. Its operations span the full energy value chain, including upstream exploration and development of crude oil and natural gas; midstream transportation and storage; and downstream refining, product distribution and retail. The company also produces a broad range of chemical products for industrial and consumer applications. ExxonMobil markets fuels and lubricants under well-known brands such as Exxon, Mobil and Esso, and its Mobil 1 motor oil is a prominent consumer product. Featured Articles 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. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System lifted its position in shares of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM Free Report) by 2.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 215,892 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after buying an additional 5,573 shares during the period. Maryland State Retirement & Pension Systems holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $24,342,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Get Exxon Mobil alerts: A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in XOM. Nexus Investment Management ULC lifted its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter. Nexus Investment Management ULC now owns 5,794 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $653,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares in the last quarter. Axis Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 1.8% in the second quarter. Axis Wealth Partners LLC now owns 5,056 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $545,000 after buying an additional 90 shares during the period. Sagace Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Exxon Mobil by 2.7% during the third quarter. Sagace Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,445 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $388,000 after buying an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. Willow Creek Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in Exxon Mobil by 3.6% during the second quarter. Willow Creek Wealth Management Inc. now owns 2,640 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $285,000 after buying an additional 91 shares during the period. Finally, Creative Capital Management Investments LLC increased its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 2.5% in the third quarter. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC now owns 3,701 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $417,000 after acquiring an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 61.80% of the companys stock. Exxon Mobil Stock Up 0.5% Shares of Exxon Mobil stock opened at $129.78 on Tuesday. Exxon Mobil Corporation has a 1-year low of $97.80 and a 1-year high of $131.72. The company has a market capitalization of $547.30 billion, a PE ratio of 18.86, a P/E/G ratio of 8.05 and a beta of 0.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 0.79. The business has a 50-day moving average of $119.60 and a 200-day moving average of $114.72. Exxon Mobil Increases Dividend Exxon Mobil ( NYSE:XOM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The oil and gas company reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.72 by $0.16. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 11.22% and a net margin of 8.99%.The firm had revenue of $83.33 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $83.09 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.92 earnings per share. Exxon Mobils revenue for the quarter was down 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 14th were given a dividend of $1.03 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 14th. This is an increase from Exxon Mobils previous quarterly dividend of $0.99. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.2%. Exxon Mobils dividend payout ratio is 59.88%. Insider Activity In related news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 3,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.19, for a total value of $351,570.00. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 28,584 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,349,758.96. This represents a 9.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.03% of the companys stock. Exxon Mobil News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Exxon Mobil this week: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Monday, December 29th. Piper Sandler cut their price objective on Exxon Mobil from $144.00 to $142.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Exxon Mobil from $146.00 to $148.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Mizuho raised their target price on Exxon Mobil from $129.00 to $132.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on Exxon Mobil from $142.00 to $137.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Exxon Mobil presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $130.25. Read Our Latest Analysis on XOM Exxon Mobil Profile (Free Report) Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) is an integrated oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, production, refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products and the manufacture and sale of petrochemicals. Its operations span the full energy value chain, including upstream exploration and development of crude oil and natural gas; midstream transportation and storage; and downstream refining, product distribution and retail. The company also produces a broad range of chemical products for industrial and consumer applications. ExxonMobil markets fuels and lubricants under well-known brands such as Exxon, Mobil and Esso, and its Mobil 1 motor oil is a prominent consumer product. Featured Stories 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. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA decreased its position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG Free Report) by 2.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,265,574 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 28,953 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA owned approximately 3.54% of The Hanover Insurance Group worth $229,866,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Get The Hanover Insurance Group alerts: Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its holdings in The Hanover Insurance Group by 56.6% during the 2nd quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 224 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Quent Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $69,000. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in shares of The Hanover Insurance Group by 20.3% in the second quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 468 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $79,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allworth Financial LP increased its position in The Hanover Insurance Group by 22.8% in the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 705 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $120,000 after purchasing an additional 131 shares during the last quarter. 86.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Insider Activity In other news, EVP Denise Lowsley sold 1,619 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $181.47, for a total transaction of $293,799.93. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 3,511 shares in the company, valued at approximately $637,141.17. This trade represents a 31.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 2.50% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have commented on THG. Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a research report on Monday, November 24th. They set a sector perform rating and a $200.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of The Hanover Insurance Group in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price target on The Hanover Insurance Group from $198.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on The Hanover Insurance Group from $185.00 to $190.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 7th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $199.00. View Our Latest Research Report on THG The Hanover Insurance Group Trading Down 0.2% Shares of NYSE THG opened at $169.76 on Tuesday. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $147.76 and a fifty-two week high of $188.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.42. The company has a market cap of $6.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.82 and a beta of 0.33. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $180.81 and its 200-day moving average price is $175.77. The Hanover Insurance Group (NYSE:THG Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The insurance provider reported $5.09 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.79 by $1.30. The company had revenue of $1.67 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.72 billion. The Hanover Insurance Group had a return on equity of 21.73% and a net margin of 9.71%.The Hanover Insurance Groups quarterly revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $3.05 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. will post 14.37 earnings per share for the current year. The Hanover Insurance Group Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 26th. Investors of record on Friday, December 12th were paid a $0.95 dividend. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. This is an increase from The Hanover Insurance Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.90. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 12th. The Hanover Insurance Groups payout ratio is currently 21.98%. The Hanover Insurance Group Company Profile (Free Report) The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc (NYSE: THG) is a property and casualty insurance company that provides a range of commercial and personal insurance products. Through its subsidiary companies, Hanover offers coverage for businesses of all sizes, including workers compensation, general liability, commercial auto, and professional liability. On the personal lines side, the company underwrites homeowners, personal auto, flood, and umbrella policies designed to meet the needs of individuals and families. In addition to its core commercial and personal insurance offerings, Hanover maintains a specialty arm that focuses on niche markets through tailored product solutions. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding THG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:THG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for The Hanover Insurance Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Hanover Insurance Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA reduced its position in shares of Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF Free Report) by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 8,142,046 shares of the banks stock after selling 103,133 shares during the quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA owned about 0.91% of Regions Financial worth $214,706,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Get Regions Financial alerts: A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. American National Bank & Trust grew its position in shares of Regions Financial by 2,433.3% during the 2nd quarter. American National Bank & Trust now owns 1,064 shares of the banks stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 1,022 shares in the last quarter. CVA Family Office LLC raised its holdings in shares of Regions Financial by 163.2% in the second quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 1,058 shares of the banks stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 656 shares in the last quarter. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Regions Financial in the second quarter worth about $25,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC bought a new position in Regions Financial during the 2nd quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in Regions Financial during the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. 79.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Regions Financial Stock Performance RF opened at $27.77 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. Regions Financial Corporation has a 52-week low of $17.74 and a 52-week high of $29.25. The company has a market cap of $24.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.03. The firms 50-day moving average price is $26.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $26.01. Regions Financial ( NYSE:RF Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 16th. The bank reported $0.57 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.61 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $1.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.94 billion. Regions Financial had a return on equity of 12.55% and a net margin of 22.44%.The companys quarterly revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.56 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Regions Financial Corporation will post 2.26 EPS for the current fiscal year. Regions Financial declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback plan on Wednesday, December 10th that authorizes the company to repurchase $3.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the bank to purchase up to 12.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Regions Financial from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Saturday, December 13th. Stephens reissued an equal weight rating and issued a $27.00 price objective (down previously from $30.00) on shares of Regions Financial in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Regions Financial from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and set a $30.00 target price for the company. in a report on Friday. Evercore ISI cut Regions Financial from an in-line rating to an underperform rating and increased their target price for the company from $27.00 to $29.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price target on Regions Financial from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, September 23rd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Regions Financial currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $29.14. View Our Latest Analysis on RF Regions Financial Company Profile (Free Report) Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE: RF) is a U.S. bank holding company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, that provides a broad range of banking and financial services. Its primary banking subsidiary, Regions Bank, serves retail and commercial customers through a combination of branch and ATM networks, digital channels and relationship-based delivery. The company offers deposit accounts, consumer and commercial loans, mortgage origination and servicing, and payment and treasury services. In addition to core banking, Regions offers wealth management, trust and brokerage services, insurance solutions, and capital markets capabilities to corporate and institutional clients. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Regions Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Regions Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE:PKG Get Free Report) will likely be announcing its Q4 2025 results after the market closes on Tuesday, January 27th. Analysts expect Packaging Corporation of America to post earnings of $2.41 per share and revenue of $2.4297 billion for the quarter. Packaging Corporation of America has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 2.400-2.400 EPS. Investors may review the information on the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning report for the latest details on the call scheduled for Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 9:00 AM ET. Get Packaging Corporation of America alerts: Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE:PKG Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The industrial products company reported $2.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.83 by ($0.10). Packaging Corporation of America had a return on equity of 19.72% and a net margin of 10.18%.The business had revenue of $2.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.29 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $2.65 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 6.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect Packaging Corporation of America to post $10 EPS for the current fiscal year and $11 EPS for the next fiscal year. Packaging Corporation of America Stock Performance Shares of PKG opened at $221.75 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $205.15 and a 200-day moving average of $205.94. The company has a market cap of $19.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 2.00 and a current ratio of 3.16. Packaging Corporation of America has a 1 year low of $172.71 and a 1 year high of $242.68. Packaging Corporation of America Dividend Announcement Institutional Trading of Packaging Corporation of America The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 14th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 15th were given a dividend of $1.25 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Packaging Corporation of Americas payout ratio is currently 50.56%. Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PKG. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Packaging Corporation of America by 40.4% in the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 198 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in shares of Packaging Corporation of America during the 3rd quarter worth about $61,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its holdings in shares of Packaging Corporation of America by 61.5% during the 3rd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 893 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $195,000 after acquiring an additional 340 shares during the last quarter. Certuity LLC bought a new position in shares of Packaging Corporation of America in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $201,000. Finally, Safeguard Investment Advisory Group LLC acquired a new stake in Packaging Corporation of America in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $218,000. 89.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts have weighed in on PKG shares. Zacks Research raised Packaging Corporation of America from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Packaging Corporation of America from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $222.00 to $233.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b-) rating on shares of Packaging Corporation of America in a report on Monday, December 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Packaging Corporation of America from $238.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Packaging Corporation of America from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, January 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $236.17. View Our Latest Stock Report on PKG About Packaging Corporation of America (Get Free Report) Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE: PKG) is a leading North American manufacturer of containerboard and corrugated packaging products. The company produces a range of paper-based packaging solutions including linerboard, corrugating medium, corrugated shipping containers, retail-ready packaging and point-of-purchase displays. In addition to core packaging products, Packaging Corporation of America offers packaging design, testing and supply-chain services intended to optimize protection, cost and sustainability for customers. Headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, the company operates an integrated network of mills and corrugated manufacturing facilities across the United States and serves customers throughout North America in industries such as e-commerce, grocery and food & beverage, consumer packaged goods and industrial markets. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Packaging Corporation of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Packaging Corporation of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A Free Report) by 10.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 42,568 shares of the medical research companys stock after purchasing an additional 4,156 shares during the quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLCs holdings in Agilent Technologies were worth $5,464,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Get Agilent Technologies alerts: A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Agilent Technologies during the second quarter worth $395,088,000. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Agilent Technologies by 424.1% in the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,041,826 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $240,956,000 after buying an additional 1,652,244 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 132.2% during the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 2,354,111 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $277,807,000 after purchasing an additional 1,340,161 shares during the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its stake in Agilent Technologies by 10.7% in the second quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 13,227,387 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,560,964,000 after acquiring an additional 1,273,994 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Troy Asset Management Ltd increased its holdings in Agilent Technologies by 74.3% in the second quarter. Troy Asset Management Ltd now owns 2,397,820 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $282,967,000 after purchasing an additional 1,021,865 shares during the last quarter. Agilent Technologies Stock Down 3.6% Shares of NYSE A opened at $139.68 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $144.27 and a 200 day simple moving average of $133.67. The firm has a market cap of $39.60 billion, a PE ratio of 30.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.05 and a beta of 1.29. Agilent Technologies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $96.43 and a 1 year high of $160.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 1.96 and a quick ratio of 1.52. Agilent Technologies Increases Dividend Agilent Technologies ( NYSE:A Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 24th. The medical research company reported $1.59 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.58 by $0.01. Agilent Technologies had a return on equity of 25.20% and a net margin of 18.75%.The company had revenue of $1.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.83 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.46 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. Agilent Technologies has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.350-1.380 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.860-6.000 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Agilent Technologies, Inc. will post 5.58 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 28th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 6th will be paid a $0.255 dividend. This represents a $1.02 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. This is a boost from Agilent Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 6th. Agilent Technologiess payout ratio is 22.32%. Insider Buying and Selling at Agilent Technologies In other Agilent Technologies news, VP Rodney Gonsalves sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $154.99, for a total transaction of $464,970.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 31,846 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,935,811.54. The trade was a 8.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Padraig Mcdonnell sold 911 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $143.24, for a total transaction of $130,491.64. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 32,058 shares in the company, valued at $4,591,987.92. This represents a 2.76% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders sold 16,401 shares of company stock valued at $2,468,962. Analysts Set New Price Targets A has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Rothschild Redb upgraded Agilent Technologies to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. UBS Group upped their target price on Agilent Technologies from $170.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c+) rating on shares of Agilent Technologies in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Rothschild & Co Redburn assumed coverage on Agilent Technologies in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. They issued a buy rating and a $165.00 price target on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Agilent Technologies in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. They set a buy rating and a $170.00 price objective for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $163.31. Get Our Latest Analysis on Agilent Technologies Agilent Technologies Profile (Free Report) Agilent Technologies is a global provider of scientific instrumentation, consumables, software and services for laboratories across the life sciences, diagnostics and applied chemical markets. The companys product portfolio includes analytical instruments such as liquid and gas chromatographs, mass spectrometers, spectroscopy systems, and laboratory automation solutions, together with reagents, supplies and informatics tools that support measurement, testing and data analysis workflows. Agilent also offers instrument maintenance, qualification and laboratory services designed to help customers improve productivity and comply with regulatory requirements. Founded as a corporate spin-off from HewlettPackard in 1999, Agilent has evolved through a combination of strategic restructuring and acquisitions to concentrate on life sciences, diagnostics and applied laboratories. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Agilent Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Agilent Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT Free Report) by 10.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 64,721 shares of the aerospace companys stock after buying an additional 6,154 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLCs holdings in Textron were worth $5,468,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Get Textron alerts: Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Textron by 144.1% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,664,612 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $213,942,000 after purchasing an additional 1,573,206 shares in the last quarter. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al purchased a new stake in Textron during the 2nd quarter worth $66,446,000. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. lifted its holdings in Textron by 270.7% in the 2nd quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. now owns 1,005,843 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $80,759,000 after buying an additional 734,478 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its holdings in Textron by 62.0% in the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 1,231,492 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $98,876,000 after buying an additional 471,274 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brandes Investment Partners LP boosted its position in Textron by 19.9% in the 2nd quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 2,714,466 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $217,945,000 after buying an additional 451,017 shares during the last quarter. 86.03% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Textron Price Performance TXT stock opened at $94.38 on Tuesday. Textron Inc. has a one year low of $57.70 and a one year high of $94.88. The company has a current ratio of 1.84, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.63 billion, a PE ratio of 20.74, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.00. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $86.63 and a two-hundred day moving average of $83.44. Textron Dividend Announcement Textron ( NYSE:TXT Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The aerospace company reported $1.55 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.47 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $3.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.70 billion. Textron had a return on equity of 14.16% and a net margin of 5.81%.The firms quarterly revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.40 EPS. Textron has set its FY 2025 guidance at 6.000-6.200 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Textron Inc. will post 6.12 earnings per share for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 1st. Investors of record on Friday, December 12th were issued a dividend of $0.02 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 12th. This represents a $0.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.1%. Textrons payout ratio is currently 1.76%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts recently commented on TXT shares. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $115.00 price target on shares of Textron in a research note on Thursday. Citigroup increased their target price on Textron from $91.00 to $107.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Susquehanna restated a positive rating and issued a $110.00 price target on shares of Textron in a research note on Thursday. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Textron from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Textron from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b-) rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $96.33. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Textron Textron Profile (Free Report) Textron Inc is a global, multi-industry manufacturing company headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. The company designs, manufactures and services a diverse range of products for the aerospace, defense and industrial markets. Textron operates through four primary business segmentsTextron Aviation, Bell, Textron Systems and Industrialeach of which serves customers around the world. Textron Aviation is known for its Cessna and Beechcraft branded business jets and turboprop aircraft, offering models that range from light jets and turboprops to larger cabin aircraft designed for corporate and charter use. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Textron Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Textron and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. An additional levy on rates would represent a form of water charging, the Infrastructure Minister has said. Liz Kimmins told MLAs she will not shirk her responsibility to make difficult decisions or increase the financial burden to households that are already struggling. A report was published in summer of 2025 with the support of a number of housing bodies warning that Northern Irelands wastewater infrastructure is facing a critical funding crisis. The publication undertaken by Turley and Grant Thornton and commissioned by NI Chamber, suggested a progressive and modest rates-based levy could be introduced, allowing NI Water to access private capital and minimise pressure on the Stormont Executives budget. Ms Kimmins told the assembly chamber she had not discussed an infrastructure levy with Finance Minister John ODowd, but any changes to rates bill would be a cross-executive matter. I have met with the NI Chamber of Commerce, the Construction Employers Federation and the NI Federation of Housing Associations to consider their report that proposed increasing rate spendings of hypothecated infrastructure levy to fund wastewater infrastructure. For me, that still represents a form of water charging which I have said clearly I will not introduce, and for the avoidance of doubt I will not add to the financial burden being faced by people here by imposing any form of water charges. I do recognise the constrained financial situation we all do, and were facing that collectively with difficult decisions required and well continue to look at innovative new ways that we can maximise the delivery of vital infrastructure. She added: So whilst that may be a solution and its been put forward, it is one that I think will lead to water charges. However the idea of the levy I think is one for, if its being considered in rates, its not one I can take a decision on. Alliance MLA John Blair asked the minister what changes her department had considered for revenue-raising to meet budget shortfall particularly in relation to the investment required to provide flood risk management and mitigation. In her reply, Ms Kimmins said: Ill never shirk my responsibility in terms of what we have to consider in terms of difficult decisions that have to be taken, however adding a financial burden to households that are already struggling, for me is not the answer, because it just further challenges for people that we all represent. Sinn Fein MLA Declan McAleer asked for further assurance on water charges. READ NEXT: 'If legislation had been put in place years ago, my daughter would still be here today' Ms Kimmins replied: Ive said on a number of occasions in this house, and it isnt for the sake of it, it isnt to just say, well, Im not doing it. I think we all recognise that we have to look at things and see how we can maximise the budget and do what we can to get proper investment in our services, but the reality is why should the people across the north here pay the price for years upon years of under investment by successive British governments? People have said that thats a soundbite or its an excuse. Its absolutely not an excuse. Its a reality. And I will not stop reminding people of that because I think its important, we cant give cover for a failure to deliver a budget that meets the needs of people here. People here are taxpayers. They are as much entitled to good services and good investment as anyone else across these islands. So we continue to make that case to the British Treasury to ensure that they understand the impact of decisions that have been taken for many years. Five For Palestine activists are taking their campaign for the release of Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouthi to Magilligan Strand in County Derry. Five For Palestine co-founder Tommy McKearney, a former H Block prisoner and 1980 Hunger Striker, describes Marwan Barghouti as the Nelson Mandela of Palestine. He has been in prison in Israel for the past 23 years. Five For Palestine is calling for a global observatory for Palestinians in Israeli prisons; Israeli authorities to be made answerable for crimes against Palestinian prisoners; international human rights organisations to secure protection for Palestinian prisoners; EU and international organisations implement the BDS programme; and movements worldwide support the Palestinian cause and the release of all its prisoners. On Saturday, January 24, the group is holding a vigil on Magilligan Strand at 1pm to call for the release of Marwan Barghouthi and all Palestinian prisoners held hostage in Israeli torture dungeons. Speaking to The County Derry Post, Five For Palestine spokesperson Patricia Campbell, said Saturdays event was taking place on the 54th anniversary of the anti-internment march on Magilligan Strand (January 22, 1972) attacked by the British Armys Parachute Regiment. Rubber bullets and baton charges were used to break up that demonstration, with participants receiving severe beatings. I think it is very appropriate to raise the issue of Palestinian hostages, prisoners held hostage in Israeli jails, she said. But also, Magilligan is an active training area, she added, and to be honest, that is where we should be going because we can march in our cities, and that is all very effective but I think we need to bring it to British bases because as far as we are concerned, they are complicit in this ongoing genocide. And, I am sure it would be interesting to know if they're actually training Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers there. Essentially we want to raise awareness about the Free Marwan Barghouthi campaign that is being re-ignited. We will be wearing our red ribbons in support of the Palestinian-led campaign calling for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons. We want to bring the message to the British State that it still occupies this part of our country and it is complicit in this genocide. It is about bringing awareness. As far as we are concerned, being silent about the fact we have a British base in the north east of our country that is still active, especially at this time in our history, is disgraceful, said Ms Campbell. Tommy McKearney will be the main speaker at Saturdays vigil. Other speakers will include Sara Duffy, Derry Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign activist, and Paul McGoldrick, a Fermanagh-based political activist and member of the Peadar ODonnell Socialist Republican Forum steering committee. A fifty-six year old man who admitted preventing the lawful burial of his eighty-six year old father who died in his family home in July 2024, has been jailed for three years at Derry Crown Court. John Garrett O'Sullivan pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful burial of his father, retired orthodontist Noel O'Sullivan, between July 1 and July 18, 2024. O'Sullivan, who lived in a garage in the grounds of the family home at Culmore Road in Derry, wrapped his father's body in a duvet and in a clear plastic tarpaulin sheet. He also placed a nappy on his dead father's head and hands and wrapped him in drynite bedding and placed a wet wipe cloth into his father's mouth. He then placed the upper part of his father's body into a fridge and surrounded the rest of the intact body with the open door of a second fridge. His body was found by police officers who forced entry into the family home following concerns for her father's safety expressed by his daughter Noelle-Anne O'Sullivan. Several hours after his father's body was found O'Sullivan was stopped by police officers as he walked near his family home. In a recorded interview he told the police his father had developed symptoms of raving and paralysis, that he had then recovered but died a few days later. "He described his father as being very aggressive, he was on the floor ranting and raving, having difficulties breathing and at times unable to move", a prosecutor told Judge Roseanne McCormick KC. "The defendant stated he was trying to help him but as his father was telling him to get lost he left the room and went to bed. The defendant spoke about trying to feed him and tried to get him to drink a bit on the Saturday evening. READ NEXT: Bloody Sunday mural vandalised "The defendant states he returned to the living room in late afternoon the next day, July 7, where he located his father and believed he was dead as he was pale and stiff", the barrister said. The prosecutor said the defendant felt there was no need to call a GP as his father was dead and that after the death O'Sullivan started researching what the procedure was in place in the event of a sudden death. That research included contacting staff at the parochial house in Buncrana, Co. Donegal and staff at his GP Practice. The barrister said after his arrest O'Sullivan spoke to a nurse while in police custody. "He informed the nurse his father had died on July 8th following a collapse episode. He stated that he wanted to keep his father in the house to preserve his privacy and dignity and he felt if he rang for an ambulance his father would have been put into a fridge in Atnagelvin Hospital. He decided to preserve his father's body using two fridges. "He told the nurse he would exercise his father's limbs as he had heard from other people that undertakers have to break their bones to get them into the coffin", he said. The prosecutor said the deceased was identified using DNA samples from his toothbrush. Following his arrest the defendant was interviewed four times and on each occasion he replied no comment. "The defendant purchased the tarpaulin on July 1 and July 3 and the drynite bed mats on July 8. Therefore when the defendant was going about his daily life he chose not to and failed to alert the police or others to the fact of his father's death and the location of the body despite going about his daily routine", the barrister added. Defence solicitor Gareth McFadden said it was a tragic and distressing case and that O'Sullivan acknowledged that a custodial sentence was inevitable. "It was not a crime committed with the intention of preventing an investigation into the cause of death. It did not involve the deliberate obstruction of the course of justice. He has now been completely isolated from the other members of his family and has been assessed by the probation service as posing a medium risk of re-offending", he said. Mr. McFadden said O'Sullivan, who had been in custody since his arrest in July 2024, had served the equivalent of a three year determinate sentence and was continuing to engage with the community mental health team. Jailng O'Sullivan for three years Judge McCormick said by his actions after his father's death "he prioritised his own to do list by not alerting anyone about his father's death. He pursued his own agenda after his father's death". She said when two social workers called at the family home on July 11 O'Sullivan refused them access "when his father was dead inside" and said he had treated his father's body with indignity and degradation. By his egocentric actions, she said, he had denied the family the process of a wake and left them with a lot of unanswered questions about their father's last days. That, she said, caused significant psychological harm and injury to his two sisters. Judge McCormick said O'Sullivan's actions were prompted by self motivation and that he had prioritised his own needs over the needs of other family members. She said she took into consideration that O'Sullivan had suffered significant mental health issues following his PhD graduation from a university in Dublin in 1997 but added that his behaviour was highly culpable. Northern Irelands Justice Minister Naomi Long has accused SDLP Stormont leader Matthew OToole of attempting to impugn her character and integrity as she answered questions over an ongoing strike by criminal barristers. The exchange in the Assembly occurred after Mr OToole drew attention to an error made by the minister during a live broadcast interview, accusing her of attempting to win an argument rather than solve a problem. Criminal barristers started the strike action this month in a long-running dispute over the fees paid for legal aid work. The escalated action has effectively halted Crown Court cases involving people who required legal aid. The barristers have argued it is a last resort, and that legal aid fees are worth less than half what they were worth in 2005 when they were set. But Ms Long has said a recent 16% uplift will amount to an annual increase of 11.5 million in legal aid fees. The Department of Justice issued a clarification last week after Ms Long said on air that a barrister earned more than 3 million in legal aid in a single year. The department clarified that one barrister did earn 3.98 million, but it was over a three-and-a-half year period which ended in September. Raising the issue at ministerial question time, Mr OToole said the error would have set back relations that have already been frayed between you and the Criminal Bar. He added: The people who are suffering are victims and witnesses of crime awaiting the criminal justice process. It speaks to a deeper tendency people have observed in you, which is a desire to win an argument rather than solve a problem. Will you commit now to entering into a process of mediation with the Criminal Bar, as suggested by the Lady Chief Justice? Ms Long responded: I note that every time the member asks a question, he always tries to in some way impugn my character or my integrity as part of his questioning. It can never simply be a case that there is a disagreement and that I am actually trying to resolve that disagreement, he always has to have a dig at me personally when he asks this question. I have already put on the record my error in that quote. Lets be absolutely clear then for the avoidance of doubt, one barrister received three 3.98 million over a three-and-a-half year period, which ended in September 2025. That was just over the cumulative total paid to 53% of their colleagues involved in criminal legal aid work. That is the fact of the matter and people can make of those facts what they wish. The minister said the fact that some young barristers are not able to earn a living is not down to the rates of pay, but down to the poor distribution of cases amongst the bar and the concentration of large numbers of cases with a small number of barristers. She added: Im happy to correct the record where I have been wrong, despite what some people say. And I am not about winning an argument here, but I am about protecting public money, and I have to be. Were I to come to this chamber in the context of the budgetary constraints that we face, and be profligate in my spending of public money, Im sure the leader of the opposition would be the first to his feet to suggest its a character trait of mine. Ms Long went on to tell MLAs that she was hopeful the strike could be brought to an end sooner rather than later. She was then asked what options her department is considering to deliver services if the strike does not conclude quickly. Ms Long said short-term mitigations were being considered in some cases. She added: A number of cases have been assessed, 13 in total, by people who are experts in supporting victims and witnesses and who understand the cases. And those have been identified for a derogation from the strike, what were asking is the bar to proceed with those 13 cases. Those are cases that are already progressing, and therefore it would make sense that they would be able to progress the conclusion and they involve high risk and vulnerable victims. So far, only one of those has been agreed, but I understand the conversations are ongoing between PPS and the bar about some further cases of those 13. Ms Long said it was not the first time criminal barristers had gone on strike, adding we cannot have the justice system essentially held hostage like this periodically in relation to disputes. There are things I think we can do better in terms of regular reviews of fee levels and regular engagement, and Ive undertaken to do that. There are also things we need to look at in terms of alternative delivery of service which will be for the longer finger, but will still need to be done nevertheless. Police have urged young people not to throw debris at vehicles around a major Belfast junction. The PSNI said it was addressing ongoing concerns about recent anti-social behaviour at the Broadway Roundabout, which encircles the Rise sculpture over the Westlink dual carriageway and also links to Donegall Road. Neighbourhood policing Inspector Sean Dalton said: We have received a number of reports over the last few days of anti-social behaviour involving young people at Broadway Roundabout. On occasions, a number of passing vehicles have also been struck by flying debris. We have responded to the area and will continue to do so in an effort to keep people safe Unfortunately, this is a recurring issue in this area that significantly impacts the quality of life of residents, and presents a serious risk to road users. Inspector Dalton said those involved could end up with a criminal record which may ultimately affect travel, education and employment opportunities. We are asking young people intent on anti-social behaviour to stay away from this area, and consider the impact their irresponsible actions could have on future possibilities. We will continue to work alongside partner agencies, local representatives and the community to find collaborative and proactive solutions to address the problem. Our officers continue to provide a visible policing presence throughout this area, and will be actively patrolling the area. We all have a responsibility to help make our community safer for everyone. Reporting crimes or incidents that impact on your quality of life helps focus our patrols where they are needed and take positive action. Ring us on 101, report online at www.psni.police.uk/makeareport or speak directly to your Neighbourhood Team. Cyprus-based independent subsea infrastructure provider Datawave Networks said on Monday it has secured a deal with affiliates of investment firm Cerberus Capital Management to fund its long-planned Singapore-India-Gulf (SING) Cable System. The SING cable system aims to create a high-capacity, low-latency route linking key digital hubs across the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Landing points are currently planned for Muscat (Oman), Kalba (UAE), Mumbai and Chennai (India), Kedah (Malaysia) and Singapore. Datawave said the SING cable will comprise 16 fibre pairs with a minimum design capacity of 18 Tbps per pair, which it said will provide scalable, future-proofed capacity to meet accelerating regional connectivity requirements. Under the deal with Cerberus, the investment firm will take a majority stake in Datawave and provide project financing to support the construction and deployment of the SING cable system. No financial details were disclosed. Datawave CEO Mark Wickham said the investment will enable the company to advance the project into full execution. This investment will allow us to move forward decisively and deliver SING as quickly as possible to secure the regions long-term growth, especially as a number of existing cables are set to retire. Cerberus representative Gabriel Schulze said in a statement the SING project which has been in development for over five years is worth investing in due to its unique positioning in terms of connecting centres of substantial current and future growth, as well as its ability to provide critical route diversity along the eastwest corridor. With anchor customer commitments already in place, we anticipate strong market adoption, Schulze said. The Datawave team had advanced the project over several years, and we saw a clear opportunity where our strategic and financial capabilities could accelerate SING into reality. Datawave also announced it has secured a supplier to design, manufacture, and deploy the cable system, although it didnt identify the company, saying only that it is based in the US. In 2020, Datawave contracted Global Marine to do a desk top study for the project. The SING system is now scheduled to be ready for service in 2030. Artificial intelligence has become the most ubiquitous term in an industry obsessed with buzzwords, with the astronomical levels of hype matched only by the investment being poured into the technology. However, while companies and particularly telecoms operators are scrambling to demonstrate that they are investing in AI, many are doing so without a clear strategy. And while many are implementing AI systems, they have no obvious metrics for qualifying their value indeed, there is a growing sense that telecom operators are not seeing a return on their investments into AI, which has fuelled speculation over the AI investment bubble. Pressure to Invest Cole Brodman, CEO of AI & machine learning software firm Opanga, concedes that across the industry, every business and telecoms operator feels a pressure to do something with AI from their boards and leadership. He notes that currently much of the investment seems to be fairly exploratory, with proofs of concept, dashboards and generic tools that have not yet delivered measurable operational outcomes, and argues that AI must be connected to the right data set to deliver real value in terms of network or customer experience improvements. Areas like spectral efficiency, congestion reduction, energy savingscould and should be different, says Brodman. AI operations [can] help pinpoint network issues - those are real problems that AI can solve. While many operators today may not be seeing returns, that's not because AI lacks value. It's just that they're not applying it to what we feel is the right parts of the network where ROI is quantifiable and real, where customer experience can be impacted positively and where energy consumption can be reduced. We're using AI to essentially drive what we think is missing in the in the operator networks, which is true visibility to the right type of experiences and the right types of returns. Cliff de Wit, CIO at ADG, argues that the initial assumption that companies jumped on the AI bandwagon in order to claim that they are doing something in the field is very real. He notes that this is particularly common among larger firms that have the resources to set up new teams focused on AI they tend to hire data scientists then leave them to their own devices and hope for the best. This approach has largely failed because no matter how transformative as AI is, it still needs to follow some basic principles there needs to be a clear problem for it to solve, and there must be clear criteria for measuring the return on investment. Smaller companies who haven't actually gone headlong into it, throwing a bunch of stuff against the wall hoping it would stick, are being much more pragmatic now, explains de Wit. This is the lesson from the mature markets that's bleeding into the emerging markets: that you should approach this the same way you approach any other transformative project. That you should understand the problem you're trying to solve, define the measures and the outcomes and measure that, and then the results are quite pleasing in many cases. While there's hype, I think sanity may be coming back into the equation as we move through the hype cycle. Bursting the Bubble However, Matt Walker of MTN Consulting is less convinced that the hype will calm down before its too late, and seems sceptical of a quick fix to the chronic lack of returns on AI investment. The problem is probably understated, or at least too much of public discourse ignores it. When webscalers [i.e. the likes of Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta, also known as hyperscalers] were focused on building out a data centre footprint to support cloud services, the right metaphor may have been land grab: they spent loads of money, but they at least got land (or footprint) in exchange. The current mania is more like a gold rush. Nobody knows if theyll stumble upon something useful, or reach it faster than the next guy. Walker explains that in his view, investment by webscalers has been in bubble territory for several quarters, partly driven by inflated expectations about the near-term benefits of AI to growing company revenues and profits. The key problem is that there is a "winner take all" belief held by management teams and investors, says Walker. At this point, most people realize that true AGI [artificial general intelligence] is far into the future, so it's not really a race to AGI. It's a race to develop models good enough to secure support from a wide range of user groups, especially enterprise verticals. They are hoping to lock in users as early as possible. Walker notes that the key webscalers in the US driving capex skyward have all faced - and crushed - numerous rivals along their way to their current dominant positions, and they dont wish to have the same fate befall them in the AI race. Bubbles are driven by mass psychology - the fear of missing out is real. The current AI bubble began before Trump got into office, but his arrival and willingness to mix politics and business have made it several times worse - and the pop of the bubble will be worse because of it. So are we really shifting from boom to bust? According to Walker, there are several signs already flashing red: off-balance sheet financing to hide the impact of spending; circular financing arrangements; lack of profitability metrics, or at least failure to report any convincing data to show the investments are worthwhile; companies getting funded without business plans. The explosion in capex would require a significant uptick in revenue growth which is not yet apparent anywhere; additionally, very little public discourse on AI mentions China, but models such as DeepSeek and Alibaba Qwen are showing strong results with far lower levels of investment. Emerging markets have a strong incentive to work with the Chinese model developers. Avoid excessive reliance on individual companies at this point, take your time and dont believe the hype, cautions Walker. Many people are burying their heads in the sand and just hoping that they arent stuck holding the bag. Cutting Through the Hype De Wit counters that the bubble is not as clear-cut as the dotcom bubble, although he concedes that were at the top of the hype cycle for AI, heading from a peak of inflated expectations into a trough of disillusionment. Emerging technologies always feel like they can do everything, but this needs to manifest in reality. De Wit argues that there are tangible results of AI achieving strong results, but that customers need to be pragmatic about their expectations, particularly in the context of emerging markets such as Africa, where technical engagements need to define the what before the how. He notes that slightly less mature customers, particularly at C-suite level, will openly state that they know they need to be doing something with AI, but they dont know how to do it. ADG works with them to identify whether there are AI use cases that can address their core problems, which can then be converted into projects with measurable ROI. Brodman concurs that every operator in the world feels like they have to do something with AI, so a lot of them are investigating it but notes that in emerging markets, the cost of investment and the cost of failure is very high because the economic stress is more acute than in other places, from both a network perspective and a business model perspective. That's where AI really has to pay off. The hype train has certainly been fuelled by a lot of these higher income markets chasing a lot of use cases, but network AI [is] practical, inexpensive to deploy, [and] immediately cost reducing. Its exactly the type of AI and automation that emerging markets should invest in because your returns are going to be orders of magnitude greater than the cost. There are valid concerns across the industry that AI investment isnt delivering returns, and operators in emerging markets should pay heed to these by tempering their expectations and focusing their investments on AI use cases that will actually impact their operations. AI is beginning to face criticism for being a solution in search of a problem amidst the hype and fear of missing out, operators must selectively identify issues that can be effectively addressed by AI implementation, rather than simply pumping more money into the technology and keeping their fingers crossed. Network International, a leading fintech company in the Middle East and Africa, has signed a strategic processing agreement with Saudi Sudanese Bank, one of Sudans prominent financial institutions. Under the agreement, Network International will provide Saudi Sudanese Bank with a full suite of end-to-end digital payment processing services, including Mastercard Sponsorship, prepaid issuing and a range of value-added services designed to support the banks digital ambitions. Network points out that Saudi Sudanese Bank has created a strong foundation for cross-border economic activity. Building on this progress, the strategic partnership with Network will introduce advanced fintech solutions to modernise the local financial ecosystem, improve trade settlement efficiency, and create new investment channels. Network says the deal also strengthens Saudi Sudanese Banks mission to transform its digital capabilities, elevate customer experience, and contribute to the continued development of Sudans financial ecosystem Osama Ali Ibrahim, CEO of Saudi Sudanese Bank, explains: Partnering with Network International, an industry leader with a proven track record across Africa and beyond, is a major step in our journey to modernise Sudans banking landscape. Networks expertise and comprehensive digital payments platform will allow us to introduce faster, safer, and more accessible financial products to our customers. This agreement empowers us to build a more inclusive, digitally enabled banking environment that supports Sudans long-term economic development. The collaboration was formalised during Cairo ICT 2025 in mid-November, an international technology fair and forum for the Middle East and Africa. Network says the partnership marks an important milestone in its expansion in Sudan. Military-owned telco Viettel Group announced on Friday it has kicked off construction of Vietnams first semiconductor chip manufacturing plant to support the governments ambition to develop a fully-fledged semiconductor ecosystem. According to a LinkedIn post from Viettel, the plant is being built in Hoa Lac High-Tech Park in Hanoi on an area of 27 hectares. Viettel said the project is scheduled for completion in 2030, including facility construction, technology transfer, process completion, and operational efficiency enhancements. Viettel chairman and CEO Lieutenant General Tao Duc Thang said trial production is expected to begin by the end of 2027, according to a government statement. The semiconductor plant will supply chips for electronics sectors such as aerospace, telecoms, IoT, automotive, medical equipment and automation. The project is being implemented by Viettel in accordance with a mandate from the Ministry of National Defense and based on a government resolution to create its own semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. "This is a crucial step toward materializing our national semiconductor industry development strategy," said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday. It creates a foundation for Viet Nam to integrate more deeply into the global value chain through science, technology and innovation. According to a government statement, the country has domestic semiconductor production capabilities for product definition, system design, detailed design, packaging and testing, and integration and verification, but not chip fabrication. The plant will supply that last missing piece of Vietnams semiconductor ecosystem, the statement said. The Vietnamese government has been pushing a national strategy to boost its semiconductor sector for the last couple of years. In 2024, PM Pham urged the countrys four main state-owned telcos Viettel, VNPT, MobiFone, and Gtel Mobile to take the lead on semiconductor chip R&D and production as part of that strategy. In March 2025, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (under the Ministry of Information and Communications) reportedly announced that Vietnam would invest about VND12.8 trillion (US$501.2 million) to build a small-scale chip manufacturing plant for research, design, production, packaging and testing. Last month, Viettel revealed it had held high-level bilateral working sessions with Japanese companies Nikon Corporation and Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) as part of its preparation to help build the plant. The Republic of Congo has announced plans to connect the country to a, so far unidentified, new undersea cable following a number of reports regarding faults in the long-established WACS cable on which the country heavily relies. The West Africa Cable System (WACS) is an ultra-high-capacity fibre optic submarine cable system and, at the moment, one of Africas main undersea fibre optic links. It connects a number of countries in the west and south of Africa to Europe, via Portugal, and terminates in the United Kingdom. Its landing points include Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo. It began operation in 2012. However, there have been a number of disruptions to internet access via WACS in recent weeks and reports say that service quality has sharply deteriorated, with repeated outages and very slow speeds mentioned, prompting Congo to announce technical studies into alternatives. These apparently began late last week and should be completed within two weeks. Indeed, according to the Ecofin news agency, Benjamin Mouandza, Director of Networks and Electronic Communications Services at the Posts and Electronic Communications Regulatory Authority (ARPCE), has said that the new link could be operational within three weeks if work stays on schedule. That, however, appears to be all we know about these plans; no costs or technical specifications have been offered. The apparently much-delayed Dow Africa cable, about which little information is available, has also been suggested as an option for strengthening national connectivity once it enters service, though its not clear when that might be. Congo has also been connected to the 2Africa cable since August 2023, but the system does not yet appear to be operational in the country. Ecofin cites official sources that estimate that more than 3.5 million people use the internet daily in Congo, out of a population of nearly 6 million. Taiwanese vendor Asus has reportedly shelved plans to develop new smartphones in 2026 as it pivots resources towards emerging Physical AI projects spanning smart glasses and robotics. Asus chairman Jonny Shih said the company would continue to monitor the smartphone market, but confirmed its handset unit will be redirected to support these newer initiatives. Economic Times reported Asus AI server division doubled revenue in 2025 and now contributes around a fifth of the companys total earnings, underlining where its growth priorities lie. Asus has built a reputation for niche smartphones, most notably its ROG Phone range aimed at mobile gamers, featuring shoulder trigger buttons and enhanced audio capabilities. However, its smartphone business is also facing headwinds from rising memory chip costs, which analysts have flagged as a key challenge for handset vendors this year. Set against the dark, restless underbelly of Mumbai, Daldal follows Rita Ferreira, the newly appointed DCP of the Mumbai Crime Branchbrilliant yet burdened by guilt, selfdoubt, and unresolved trauma. When a brutal murder eerily mirrors a violent thought she had hours earlier, Rita is pulled into a terrifying investigation that quickly becomes personal. As she hunts a sadistic killer who leaves behind gruesome, symbolic crime scenes, Rita battles a patriarchal system, resistance from her own colleagues, and the collapsing structure of her personal life. The investigation entangles her with Anita Acharya, a young reporter whose contrasting world adds tension, mystery, and psychological depth to the chase. Their conflict, however, is not with each other but with the ghosts of their pasts. What unfolds is a gripping catandmouse psychological thriller, where survival, identity, guilt, and buried trauma collide. Daldal blends crime, emotion, and psychological horror to explore why violence occurs, not just who commits it, ultimately shaping a haunting story of women forged in pain and pushed toward redemption. 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. The Taoiseach should take up an invitation to visit the White House on St Patricks Day if one is extended, Irelands Minister for Social Protection has said. Dara Calleary was asked by reporters if the turmoil caused by US President Donald Trump over Greenland should cause Micheal Martin to reconsider the traditional annual trip. He responded very few countries get the opportunity of access to the president of the United States of America on an annual basis for a number of hours. Its a chance for him, as he did last year, to discuss face to face with the president various issues. Mr Trump has threatened to hit eight European allies with 10% tariffs from February 1 unless they agree to his purchase of Greenland, a semiautonomous Danish territory, and has refused to rule out using military force to seize the island. Mr Calleary said: At whatever point those issues will be, in the middle of March, itll be a chance for a face to face discussion for dialogue, which is always important at any time, particularly in times of pressure. He added it is really important dialogue and communication is kept open. He said he hopes the Taoiseach would take up the opportunity if the invitation arrives. Mr Martin was asked whether he would proceed with the White House visit by opposition politician Richard Boyd Barrett on Tuesday. In the Dail parliament, the People Before Profit TD said Mr Trump had armed a genocide in Gaza, had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to join the Board of Peace for the region, and kidnapped the President of Venezuela. He criticised the US administrations use of immigration and customs enforcement (Ice) agents and said the president had also made threats against Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, Canada and Iran. Mr Boyd Barrett asked: Surely youre not going to go off to the White House and celebrate our national day and hand them shamrock? While the Taoiseachs reply did not directly confirm his intention to go to Washington DC, he said: We are in a very serious situation and our national interest, quite frankly, is to protect Irish workers. And we would behave accordingly to do that and to achieve that, and to make sure that we can get a reasonable international legal framework through the UN, through getting countries to adhere to the international rule of law. Mr Martin added: Weve always had a very strong relationship with the US, irrespective of who the president happens to be or whos in power on the Hill at any given time and that has underpinned a very significant economic relationship which puts bread on the table of Irish workers. A Louth company that began life harvesting sea salt from the pristine waters off Clogherhead is scaling the production of its world-first pure liquid magnesium with support from the Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) Northeast programme. Oriel Sea Salt operates in the international wellbeing and skincare sectors, producing free-ion liquid magnesium sustainably extracted from deep seawater. The company has received a 26,000 grant to upgrade its production plant through the Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) Northeast scheme, part of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) which supports the Irish seafood sector. The investment will allow Oriel Sea Salt to increase production capacity, meet growing international demand and continue creating skilled employment in a coastal community, illustrating BIMs role in enabling marine-based enterprises to grow beyond traditional seafood markets. Welcoming the investment, interim BIM CEO Richard Donnelly said: Oriel Sea Salt is a strong example of how innovation rooted in our coastal communities can deliver real economic impact. With BIM and FLAG support, the company has transformed a natural marine resource into a globally competitive product that is creating jobs, opening new markets and showcasing the strength of Irelands blue economy. He added: This is exactly the type of diversification BIM supports - helping coastal enterprises add value, scale sustainably and build resilience for the future. Founded in 2013, Oriel Sea Salt began as a sea salt producer before uncovering the commercial potential of the mineral-rich liquid found in deep seawater, according to co-founder and managing director Brian Fitzpatrick. Oriel sustainably extracts sea salt using an energy-efficient, sealed and pressurised system, he said. Early on, we realised the real opportunity lay in the extraordinary concentrations of magnesium and trace elements present in the seawater. Developing a way to extract and commercialise those minerals led to our patented technology. Following a decade of research, the company developed a patented process to extract free-ion magnesium, a form that is immediately bioavailable and not currently available anywhere else in the world. In 2024, the company entered the US market and has since secured a distribution agreement in Asia. Its magnesium drops are now stocked in more than 180 independent health stores across Ireland. Read Next: Candlelit Brigid procession returns to Louth with bigger and better celebration Were proud to be harvesting one of Irelands greatest natural resources - the ocean - in a sustainable way using Irish-developed technology, Fitzpatrick said. With continued investment in research and production, we see enormous potential to grow further while remaining rooted in our coastal community. The closing date for applications to the FLAG Coastal Communities Development Scheme is 29 January 2026. Further details are available at bim.ie. Mulready -Woods, whose dismembered body parts were scattered across two counties by a criminal gang, has told a The mother of Keane-Woods, whose dismembered body parts were scattered across two counties by a criminal gang, has told a court that the cruelty and inhumanity of his murder is something no parent should ever have to face. Elizabeth Mulready said nothing could ever prepare a parent for losing a child, but the way her 17-year-old son had been taken and what was done to him after his death had left a level of trauma that she will carry for the rest of her life. Her statement was read out by prosecuting counsel at a sentencing hearing for Stephen Carberry (48), who admits transporting and disposing of the teenagers body parts while on bail for serious drug offences. Ms Mulready asked the three-judge court to consider the lifelong impact the offence has had on her and her family when deciding on a sentence. Ms Mulready said instead of being allowed dignity in death, her sons body was cut up, scattered, and treated as if he was nothing. She added: As if he was not someones son. As if he did not matter. The cruelty and inhumanity of disposing of my childs body in pieces is something no parent should ever have to face. The Special Criminal Court heard yesterday (Monday), that Carberry, a father of six, collected two sports bags containing the teenagers body parts from a house in Rathmullan Park in Drogheda, before dumping one of these at a location in Moatview in North Dublin. Carberry, who has 77 previous convictions, was on bail for possessing drugs worth in excess 13,000 for the purpose of sale or supply at the time. He is currently serving an eight-year sentence in relation to this offence, the court heard. In her statement, Ms Mulready said knowing that parts of her son were left in different places around the country was a constant and unbearable torment. Ms Mulready said not a day goes by that she isnt haunted by images and thoughts of what was done to Keane. I relive it when I wake up, and it follows me when I try to sleep, she said. This is not grief that fades with time. It is trauma that lives inside me. She said her family has been destroyed by what happened and Keanes siblings lost their brother in the most brutal way imaginable. What hurts even more was that after her son was killed, choices were made, to further disrespect him and to further harm us, Ms Mulready added. She said Keane deserved dignity and respect and deserved to be treated like a human being, not as something to be discarded. I speak today for my son because he no longer has a voice, Ms Mulready said, asking the court to consider the lifelong impact this has had on her and her family and the unimaginable cruelty of what was done when deciding on a sentence. Addressing Ms Mulready after the statement was delivered, Ms Justice Karen OConnor, presiding at the Special Criminal Court yesterday, said the panel could not imagine the depth of her pain but understood that this is something which will live with her for every day of her life. She said Ms Mulready had referred to her sons dignity being denied, however the judge said Keanes mother had demonstrated great dignity today on behalf of your son and the way in which you have given him a voice. FATHER In his Victim Impact Statement, which was also read to the court yesterday (Monday), Keanes father, Barry Woods questioned why fully grown men with families of their own would take a 17-year-old boy and dump his body parts as they did. We had to have his funeral with only half his body parts in his coffin. Horrible, he said. Mr Woods said he was still haunted by this savage murder and still has nightmares about what happened. He said his son never got to see his 18th or 21st birthday. Keane Mulready -Woods was last seen alive in Drogheda on January 12th, 2020. The following day some of the teenager's body parts were found in a sports bag in the Moatview area of Coolock in Dublin. Two days later, remains were found in a burning car in a laneway in the Drumcondra area. His torso was discovered on March 11th, 2020, hidden in an overgrown ravine during a search of waste-ground at Rathmullan Park. EVIDENCE At the Special Criminal Court yesterday (MON), Detective Sergeant Enda OSullivan confirmed to prosecuting counsel, Tony McGillicuddy SC, that the chief suspect for the murder was Robbie Lawlor, a criminal of significant notoriety who had been linked to several murders. Lawlor was shot dead in Belfast in April 2020. He agreed that at the time of the killing, Lawlor was known to be heavily involved in a feud involving criminals in the Drogheda area among others. Stephen Carberrys brother, Richie who was murdered in 2019 - had been married to Robbie Lawlors sister, the court heard. The Det Sgt said a black puma bag was discovered on a roadway at Moatview Gardens in Dublin at 10pm on January 13. Dismembered limbs, including arms and legs, were found in the bag and were subsequently confirmed as those of Keane Mulready -Woods. The following day, a search warrant was executed at the home of Gerard Ged McKenna in Rathmullan Park. Det Sgt OSullivan confirmed McKenna was subsequently sentenced to four years in prison for the offence of assisting an offender for his role in attempting to clean up the crime scene following the murder. On January 15, Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene of a navy Volvo V40 on fire at Trinity Terrace in Dublin. During a search of the vehicle, human remains consisting of a head and feet were found in the car and were later identified as those of the missing teenager. Det Sgt OSullivan said this car was the same vehicle used to leave the sports bag at the Moatview location two days earlier. On March 11, a bag was found containing skeletal remains which were also confirmed as those of Keane Mulready -Woods. CCTV footage showed Keane meeting Paul Crosby at a shop shortly after 6pm before the pair were seen walking in the direction of the house in Rathmullan Park. The court heard that the teenagers remains were initially placed in a red van parked at the rear of the property, but this vehicle broke down and couldnt be moved. At this point Carberry and another man were contacted and tasked with using a Volvo V40 to transport the youngsters remains. The car had been stolen the previous November and had been fitted with false number plates. Phone records showed Carberry was in frequent contact with Robbie Lawlor between January 12 and 16. CCTV showed a person gardai believe to be Carberry parking adjacent to a laneway leading to the rear of the house in Rathmullen Park. The person returns to the vehicle shortly before 9pm carrying two bags, which were then placed in the boot of the car. The car makes its way to Moatview Gardens where the driver dumps one of the bags. DNA samples taken from the strap of the sports bag were found to be a match with a sample taken from Carberry. Carberry exited the vehicle in the Artane area and it was subsequently burned out at Trinity Terrace. Over the course of 16 garda interviews, Carberry claimed that his DNA could have ended up on the sports bag after Lawlor bought the bag in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre and handed it to him. However, gardai subsequently established that the puma bag was not stocked by any retail outlets in the centre. The court heard that Carberry grew up in Laytown in Co Meath but has an address in Dublin. A motion calling for a feasibility study to be carried out for a dedicated bus service for Monksland NS in Carlingford has gone before Louth County Council. The motion was put forward by Fine Gael councillor for Dundalk/Carlingford John Reilly. Cllr Reilly said Bus Eireann currently operates several school bus services to Bush Post Primary School, locates approximately 700 metres from Monksland NS, which has 139 students and 11 staff. He told the January meeting of Louth County Council that the school has a "distinct issue with parking" and introducing a new school transport route could help reduce congestion and improve safety. He said the school doesn't have any additional land to create new parking spaces. The Fine Gael councillor said Bus Eireann indicated there is a portal for parents to apply for school transport. This portal is expected to open in early March 2026. He said the correspondence he had with Bus Eireann indicated it would look "quite favourably" on the issue. Bus Eireann also stated that the School Transport Scheme is determined by the Department of Education, which requires pupils to live at least 3.2 kilometres from their nearest national school. Read Next: Mother of Louth teen told court of 'cruelty and inhumanity' of his murder The motion was supported by Sinn Fein councillor Antoin Watters, however, Cllr Watters noted that there are 11 schools on the peninsula called for Louth County Council to invite Bus Eireann's Regional School Transport Manager to come before the chamber to discuss "school transport as a whole". Cllr Reilly acknowledged there are other schools on the peninsula but said Monksland NS could be viewed as a "test case" that could then be rolled out to other places. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Two Dundalk hotels have been recognised for excellence in people management after being honoured at the Irish Hotels Federations inaugural Quality Employer Awards, held earlier this week in Athlone. The Fairways Hotel and The Gateway Hotel were among more than 70 hotels from across the country celebrated for their commitment to best practice in HR, staff development and workplace culture. The top accolade - the Exceptional People Management Award - was jointly awarded to Cork International Hotel and The Metropole Hotel in recognition of their exceptional employment practices, demonstrating exemplary practical and personal care for their employees wellbeing and development. Chair of the awards judging panel Dr Donagh Davern, Munster Technological University (MTU), said: The judging panel were delighted to see evidence of a people-centric approach and the progress made in elevating the employer brand of the hotel profession. All of the finalists showed an outstanding commitment to employee onboarding, engagement, performance management, learning, career development, community involvement, flexibility, diversity, inclusion and the cultivation of a positive people culture in their organisations. The increase in supports for both the physical and mental health and wellbeing of employees was particularly noteworthy, as was the array of benefits now on offer to Irish hotel employees. Congratulating the over 70 hotels that recently certified as IHF Quality Employers, Mr Magner added: It is an honour to be among so many inspiring HR leaders to celebrate the very best of people development across our hotels and guesthouse sector. Each and every property that participates in our Quality Employer Programme is striving for the same goal - to make their hotel a wonderful place to work and build a career. The importance of this cannot be overstated; our people are the beating heart of our industry. And what an amazing profession we have with over 67,000 livelihoods directly supported by hotels and guesthouses and over 270,000 supported by our wider tourism industry. As we can all attest, empowered and supported people make such a vital contribution to our sector they are the defining characteristic of any successful hotel. Majella Gorman and Gaurav Joshi from The Gateway Hotel, Dundalk pictured with Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) President Michael Magner at the inaugural Quality Employer Awards where they were awarded Quality Employer Expert Level Certification in recognition of achievements in HR best practices and people management The IHFs Quality Employer Programme provides member hotels and guesthouses with the tools and resources to enhance their HR practices and excel in people development. Read Next: Gardai investigate burglary at Dundalk business QEP Certification recognises workplaces that demonstrate excellence in their employment practices, promoting their commitment to operating as a Quality Employer. www.qualityemployer.ie Louth TD and Labours Finance Spokesperson, Deputy Ged Nash, has called for the immediate introduction of a targeted net wealth tax in Ireland. He made the call following a new Oxfam report which found that Irelands 11 billionaires now hold more wealth than 66 percent of the population. He called on the Minister for Finance to finally cost and bring forward a credible, discrete net wealth tax proposal to fund public services and support poverty reduction." Deputy Ged Nash said: We are very poor in Ireland at taxing non-productive assets, where the real wealth lies. The carefully crafted Oxfam proposals on a net wealth tax for Ireland is as much a call to protect our democracy as it is an economic imperative. "Growing wealth inequality is leading to the breaking of the social contract, disenfranchisement and the rise of populism and extremism. While the political left is persuaded of the merits of net wealth taxes, it is time that the centre-right and all of us who say we believe in liberal democracy, to demand a greater share from those who have the most." Read also: 4.6 million for Louth for Carlingford Greenway and Active Travel The Louth TD continued: While a lot of the focus will inevitably be on Irelands small number of billionaires, it is the call for a modest recurring net wealth tax including on land, and with few exemptions on those with cash and assets in the millions is the feature if the report that ought to attract the most attention. "This is eminently achievable, it will not see a flight of capital if exit taxes are attached, and such a measure makes economic and political sense. The Oxfam report exposes a reality that so many families already know. Ireland has become a country of extremes, where obscene levels of wealth sit alongside poverty, insecure work and families struggling to get by. When 11 individuals can hold more wealth than two thirds of the population, the case for additional and targeted wealth taxes is not just clear, it is overwhelming. This is a moral and ethical issue as much as it is an economic one. Workers in retail, healthcare and childcare keep our society functioning, yet too many of them do not earn a living wage, while a small group at the top continue to amass enormous fortunes, with sizeable portions inherited. Choices not taken by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have protected excessive wealth while squeezing those who work hardest. That imbalance must end. There is a clear case for introducing a series of discrete and carefully designed wealth taxes that focus on those with the most. Property, land and inheritance represent the primary and most significant forms of wealth in this country, and they must attract a fairer and more proportionate share of the tax take. Anyone who claims to be serious about equality and democracy needs to accept that reality and stop pretending we can fix inequality without touching concentrated wealth. Labour has consistently brought forward growth-friendly proposals that target excessive wealth and wasteful tax breaks in our alternative budgets. We have shown that it is possible to raise additional revenue fairly while supporting economic activity and protecting ordinary workers. In our 2024 election manifesto, we indicated our support for a net wealth tax introduced by our Spanish Socialist colleagues, in government. Despite the evidence and the authoritative research available, consecutive Ministers for Finance have repeatedly batted away requests to even cost a discrete Irish wealth tax proposal, telling us that CAT and CGT are our wealth taxes. It is time for Government to broaden the tax base, take the focus away from work and towards wealth, to fast track public housing, to reshape childcare, education and transport, and to properly invest in meeting our climate targets. Ministers must act now and bring forward a credible wealth tax that finally starts to close the gap between the haves and the have nots and make our country fit for an uncertain future. Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, has welcomed a rise in the number of children benefiting from the National Childcare Scheme, with over 5,800 children in County Louth now receiving subsidies aimed at helping to reduce the cost of early learning and childcare. In County Louth, the National Childcare Scheme has seen a notable increase, with the number of children benefiting rising from 5,287 in 2024 to 5,820 in 2025, marking a 10% growth. Nationally, new data shows that a total of around 245,000 children benefitted from the scheme in 2025 a 12% increase on around 218,000 children who benefited from the scheme in 2024. There were significant increases in the number of children benefitting from NCS subsidies in Clare (18% increase), Offaly (18% increase) and Roscommon (16% increase). Meanwhile, the number of subsidised children has increased by 9% in Dublin city and an average of 13% in other areas of County Dublin. Minister Foley said: This increase in the number of children benefitting from the National Childcare Scheme is a positive development. The National Childcare Scheme has undergone a significant number of enhancements in recent years and we will continue to build on that progress. New, lower maximum fee changes for families paying the highest prices and higher subsidies for lower income families are on the way in September. I am committed to ensuring families across the country have access to more affordable early learning and childcare. The recently published Shaping the Future: The Early Years Action Plan contains details of changes to the income-assessed National Childcare Scheme subsidies which the government say will improve affordability for up to 47,000 children from low-income families. Read Next: One million stars project comes to Dundalk IT These changes, which will be introduced in September 2026, will increase the lower income threshold from 26,000 to 34,000 and the upper threshold from 60,000 to 68,000. The multiple child discount will also be increased, which reduces parents reckonable income for the Income Assessed subsidy. There will also be reductions in the highest fees charged to parents across the country from September 2026, with the lowering of the maximum fees that Core Funding Partner Services can charge. These new, lower maximum fee levels will be announced in the coming months when full financial returns from providers have been analysed. Despite the wet weather, spirits remained high on Saturday last, 17 January, as Dromiskin Tidy Towns volunteers were joined by invited guests for a series of community events in the village. Proceedings began at Centra with the official launch of a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS) project. This important project was made possible through funding from the Louth County Council Climate Action Fund 2024, with the support of James Hallinan from Hallinans Centra who provided the site on his property, demonstrating real collaboration in improving the sustainability of the community. Another highlight of the morning was the raising of Dromiskin Heritage Parks fifth Community Green Flag, performed by Cllr Sean Kelly, Chairman of Louth County Council, ably assisted by members of the Green School Committee of St Peters N.S. and Dromiskin Tidy Towns volunteers. The morning was further marked by the raising of a second Community Green Flag for Ginnetys Pond Nature Park. Read also: 4.6 million for Louth for Carlingford Greenway and Active Travel These achievements once again, makes Dromiskin the only community in Ireland to fly two Community Green Flags simultaneously, recognising excellence in the volunteer management of public parks. Below: Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr Sean Kelly, unveiling the Dromiskin Sustainable Urban Drainage System, with Martin King, contractor; Kevin Halpenny, Liam Reilly, Dromiskin Tidy Towns; Fiona Lennon, Louth County Council Community Climate Action Officer; Cllr Maeve Yore; and Patrick Mulligan, Chairman Dromiskin Tidy Towns Addressing those in attendance, Cllr Kelly remarked that he felt like an honorary citizen of Dromiskin, having visited the village on numerous occasions in his official capacity to celebrate the extensive and ongoing community work being undertaken. Cllr Kelly noted that Dromiskin Tidy Towns was the only community group in the country to secure funding for a SuDS project under this phase of the Climate Action Fund, praising the exceptional community spirit evident throughout the village. Fiona Lennon, Community Climate Action Officer with Louth County Council, also offered her congratulations on the successful completion of Dromiskins second SuDS project, noting that the first had been funded under the LEADER programme. She advised that Louth County Council had been allocated 604,000 in the first phase of the Climate Action Fund, which supported 22 projects across the county, including the one being celebrated in Dromiskin. Below: Raising the Dromiskin Heritage Parks fifth Community Green Flag: Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr Sean Kelly; Fiona Lennon, Community Action Climate Officer; Patrick Mulligan, Chairman Dromiskin Tidy Towns; Aoibheann Duffy, School Principal; Cllr Maeve Yore; and local schoolchildren Ms Lennon emphasised that the Climate Action Fund relies on community groups coming forward to manage and deliver eligible projects and expressed her enthusiasm for continued collaboration with Tidy Towns groups throughout the county. Kevin Halpenny, a volunteer with Dromiskin Tidy Towns who designed and managed the project, highlighted that effective water management is a fundamental element of climate action. He noted that poor water management can lead to flooding, erosion, and pollution, all of which can be effectively addressed through well designed projects such as those implemented in the village. The event concluded on a fitting and uplifting note, reflecting the strong partnership between Dromiskin Tidy Towns and St. Peters National School. Members of the Green Schools Committee recited a poem written to mark what has been an outstanding year for the community in all aspects of the Tidy Towns programme. After 200 years of service in Cork, looking after the poor and educating them, the Religious Sisters of Charity (RSC) are withdrawing from the city as the order is dying out. But the Friends of the founder of the order, Cork-born Mary Aikenhead, are determined to keep alive the history of this pioneering woman who was born into a wealthy family in Daunt Square off Grand Parade. She was deeply affected by the poverty she witnessed and determined to do something about it. Mary Aikenhead (1787-1858) was the daughter of a Protestant doctor, David Aikenhead, of Scottish origin, and Mary Stacpole, a Catholic from a well-off background. At the time, in a mixed marriage, the children had to be reared in the Protestant faith. A plaque dedicated to Mary Aikenhead, foundress of the Religious Sisters of Charity, in Daunt's Square, Cork. Picture: Denis Scannell Frail and possibly asthmatic, it was recommended that Mary be fostered by a nanny, Mary Rourke, living on higher ground on Easons Hill, Shandon. The nanny was a devout Catholic, and it is thought that young Mary was secretly baptised as a Catholic by her. When Mary was about nine, she began to spend a lot of time with her maternal grandmother, where she was exposed to Catholic beliefs and practices. Her father had a deathbed conversion to Catholicism, and Mary was formally baptised a Catholic in 1802. While staying with a friend, Anna Maria Ball in Dublin, Mary witnessed widespread unemployment and poverty and began to accompany her friend, visiting the poor and sick in their homes. Portrait of Mary Aikenhead, on the altar a the eucharistic celebration in thanksgiving for the presence of the Religious Sisters of Charity in Cork 1826-2026, at St. Finbarr's South Church, Dunbar Street, Cork. Mary, while active as a charity worker, failed to find a religious institute devoted to charitable work. With the help of Archbishop Daniel Murray of Dublin, who was a friend of Anna Maria, she set up the RSC, having been a novice from 1812 to 1815, at a convent in York. On September 1, 1815, the first members of the new institute took their vows. Added to the three traditional vows of poverty, chastity and obedience was a fourth vow; the members would devote their lives to the service of the poor. The first RSC convent opened in North William Street in Dublin. Mary opened a school in Gardiner Street. (She would go on to establish St Vincents Hospital in Dublin in 1834 with Archbishop Murray). In November 1826, members of the order came to minister in Cork, where typhus fever and cholera were rampant. Two hundred years later, there are just two retired sisters left in St Anthonys on St Marys Road on the northside, which replaced St Vincents. Marion Healy is one of four women in Cork who are Friends of Mary Aikenhead Marion Healy was principal of St Vincents Primary School in Cork for 14 years, having worked in the school for 20 years before that. She retired in 2014. There are no religious sisters involved in St Vincents primary and secondary school anymore and there hasnt been for many years, says Marion. I was the first lay principal. At that stage, the sisters had decided they couldnt keep going in the schools. She is one of four women in Cork that are Friends of Mary Aikenhead. We will continue to meet, and we go to Dublin occasionally to liaise with the sisters there. Marion says Mary was influenced by the parable of Dives and Lazarus, which is about a rich man who wont give anything to poor Lazarus begging at his gate. This seals the rich mans ultimate terrible fate. Mary Aikenhead had ideas far ahead of her time. She really believed in being trained and went to a convent in York for that. She could have joined the Presentation Sisters or the Ursulines, but she didnt want to because they were enclosed orders. Her vision was to go out onto the streets to help people. And the only alternative was to start an order with the help of Archbishop Murray. A group of visiting Australians in Cork on the Mary Aikenhead trail. Another Friend of Mary Aikenhead is Breda Galvin, who taught business studies and later, religion, at St Vincents Secondary School. I was very impressed from the outset with the pastoral care by the sisters of the students, says Breda. It was uppermost in the ethos of the school. Some students who may not have had all they needed would be looked after quietly. People wouldnt be aware they were getting help. Ita Duggan and Marion Healy, both Friends of Mary Aikenhead at the eucharistic celebration in thanksgiving for the presence of the Religious Sisters of Charity in Cork 1826-2026, at St. Finbarr's South Church, Dunbar Street, Cork. Breda became a Friend of Mary Aikenhead when the sisters were becoming fewer in number and there were fewer sisters coming to teach in the school. Breda Gavin became a Friend of Mary Aikenhead when the sisters were becoming fewer in number and there were fewer sisters coming to teach in the school. She added: "I suppose the writing was on the wall for a lot of religious sisters. I was aware of a very active Friends of Mary Aikenhead group in Harolds Cross in Dublin where the hospice is. They said it would be nice to have a group in Cork. A small group of us became Friends. Today, visitors come to Cork to do the Mary Aikenhead trail. Its actually quite humbling when you meet a group of 20 people coming over from Australia to walk in the footsteps of Mary Aikenhead when she lived in Cork. Breda is saddened by the closure of the RSC, but says its inevitable. Theyre very practical about it. A lot of the services the order provided are now provided by the government. Its important that Mary Aikenheads story is kept alive. I hope that well be taking local people on the Mary Aikenhead trail, which takes in Easons Hill, Daunt Square (where her home was in what is now Morleys), Christchurch (now part of Triskel) where her parents were married, and Rutland Street (where the Aikenhead family moved to.) Ita Duggan, a Friend of Mary Aikenhead, was the home/school liaison co-ordinator at St Vincents for 17 years. She is saddened by the cessation of the RSC in Cork. Its the end of an era, says Ita. People on the northside of Cork are particularly proud of Mary Aikenhead. Her motto was: The love of Christ inspires us. The Blackwater Valley Opera Festival will return to Cork and Waterford this summer for a week of opera, concerts, and culture. The festival, now in its 16th year, takes place across the two counties and will feature more than 24 events and 100 performers with shows in Castlemartyr, Lismore, Youghal, and Dungarvan. Performances in Cork include two free open-air recitals at Green Park in Youghal on May 30 from 12pm, and at the Castlemartyr Resort on May 31 from 12pm. Eamonn Carroll, Blackwater Valley Opera Festival director, said this years edition of the week-long event will bring a uniquely vibrant festival atmosphere. Mr Carroll said: As we celebrate our 16th festival, we are pleased to present a programme that reflects what Blackwater Valley Opera Festival does best; ambitious productions, exceptional performances, and artists of the highest calibre from Ireland and beyond. Whether youre a long-time opera lover or discovering the festival for the first time, there is something truly special to experience. At its core, the festival is about shared moments: Extraordinary music in historic settings, along carefully considered food and hospitality. This summer, the Blackwater Valley will once again be alive with music, culture, and a uniquely vibrant festival atmosphere. Mr Carroll added that organisers expect to welcome more than 5,000 visitors to the festival this year, with some performances already sold out, including the festivals inaugural recital at Ballynatray House featuring Irish mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught. A range of events are set to take place during the festival, including candlelight concerts and bespoke dining experiences. However, opera remains central to the festival, with four performances of Mozarts Don Giovanni set to take place at Lismore Castle. The production, with a predominantly Irish cast and featuring the Irish Baroque Orchestra, will be conducted by composer Peter Whelan and directed by Tom Creed. This years concert programme will conclude with the return of Cork-born mezzo-soprano Niamh OSullivan, whose international career has brought her to major concert halls worldwide, alongside pianist Gary Beecher. The festival will take place from May 26 to June 1, with more information on the full line-up of performances and ticket prices available at www.blackwatervalleyopera.ie. The director of adult education in Bishopstown Community School has been appointed chairperson of Adult Education Ireland. Rebecca Milner, who had been in her current position at Bishopstown for the past year, took on the national role at the start of the year. It means I will be in charge of adult education that is taught in community schools across Ireland, and representing those adult education officers who are double jobbing in their school as best they can, Ms Milner said. If they have any queries, or if there are difficulties going on in their school, they will come to me. We will be doing a lot of applications for funding and grants to Solas and different government bodies as well, and we would have different conferences throughout the year that I will be hoping to host and organise. There are 18 schools nationwide that offer adult education in the evenings from community schools and Ms Milners role will be to represent those schools. A secondary schoolteacher at Bishopstown Community School for the past 17 years, teaching English and history, Ms Milner decided three years ago to do a postgraduate course in French, so that she could teach all three subjects to Leaving Cert. Lectures I had to go back as a day student and do it part-time. I would cycle into UCC from Bishopstown on my lunch breaks to make tutorials, and then go back there after school and make my lectures in the evening. A hectic schedule of juggling work and education gave her the confidence to last year take up the position of director of adult education in Bishopstown. A native of Ballincarriga in Dunmanway parish, she was elected three weeks ago to the role of chairperson of Adult Education Ireland, which has responsibility for schools offering adult education in Connaught, Leinster, and Munster. Ms Milner said she has received a lot of support from Adult Education Ireland members, who share her passion for adult learning. Whats very important for adult education is that its not just about the academic aspect. Its about personal growth. Its about social interactions, and we offer all of that as well with the evening school, she said. We dont just focus on courses that will bridge the gap academically, its about being able to get people out, being able to meet, being able to exercise their creativity, their talents, their interests, and we really focus on that in adult education. Its something that [then education minister] Norma Foley actually raised last year, that schools should be open to the community after 4pm, and that is something that were proud that were doing in Bishopstown Community Schools with adult education, Ms Milner added. Any new legislation to regulate the short-term letting market should exempt popular rural tourist areas like West Cork, says a local councillor. The issue was raised by Schull-based Fine Gael councillor Caroline Cronin at a meeting of Cork County Councils West Cork Municipal District. Ms Cronin said the housing minister should grant a clear exemption or region-specific rule for popular holiday regions, so holiday rentals, such as Airbnb, could continue while the policy was being reviewed. In West Cork, and indeed many other parts of the county, we rely on tourism to support local businesses and jobs. Hotel capacity is extremely limited and we certainly dont have hotels 10-a-penny," she said. "Particularly on our three peninsulas, there are many properties that are second homes, used for personal holidays and then rented out when not in use by owners. A blanket rule would really hurt rural communities and the local economy. A region-specific exemption and clear transition guidance are needed. Ms Cronin called on the council to write to the minister requesting an exemption for holiday regions, particularly West Cork. The Government is planning to clamp down on short-term lettings by introducing new regulations that would largely ban long-term tourist rentals in big towns and cities. Read More Cork City regional park dependent on completion of new road Under the stricter rules, homeowners in areas with more than 10,000 people would not be allowed to rent out their properties for more than 90 days a year, making it impossible for people to run short-term lets as a full-time business in these areas. The new rules are expected to require anyone renting out their home for more than 21 days a year to register with Failte Ireland and display a valid registration number, with booking websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com monitored to make sure the rules are followed. This article is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme You need a doctor, Miller, this love you feel is sick and I dont want that, the woman who was killed on New Years Day 2023 in Cork told her former boyfriend 12 days before her death. A recording of this conversation from December 20, 2022, was retrieved from Bruna Fonsecas phone by gardai carrying out an investigation into her death. Transcripts of the conversation in Portuguese translated into English were read to the seven women and five men of the jury hearing the case before Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork on Tuesday by prosecution barrister Imelda Kelly and Detective Sergeant Michael OHalloran, with Ms Kelly reading Brunas words and the detective reading Millers. 32-year-old Miller Pacheco denies the murder of his former girlfriend, 28-year-old Bruna Fonseca, at his apartment at Liberty Street in Cork on January 1, 2023. Miller Pacheco. File picture: Dan Linehan Reference is made to them being in a relationship at home in Brazil for five years, being separated for eight months, getting back together shortly before Bruna came to Cork and her getting together with an Argentinian student called Gian in the language school in Cork and then Bruna breaking up with Miller days after he arrived in Cork, earlier that December. Miller said: F***ing Argentinian, f***ing bastard you dont care about me. Bruna said: After all this, you have to get treatment. Otherwise every relationship you have will be this way. Dont you want to get better?... When you said you wanted to forgive yourself were you thinking about me, were you thinking about the wellbeing of your family?... This is just a show to try go get me to stay I will have to live with my mistake for the rest of my life. That does not mean I dont remember every day what I did. I should have done it in a different wayI thought you had learned there is not only Bruna on Earth. Miller said at different stages: You dont care if I am well or unwell You are not going to have sex with me, even knowing all the pain you caused me What I have to say will make no difference I asked you Bruna not to abandon me but you are going to abandon me. Bruna said: I want to be single and you wont let me. What is the other path? Go to a convent? Become a nun? I cannot live like this, it is wrong. Any slip, you say, Ah, I am going to kill myself I spent eight months walking on eggshells, that you would do something. "I lived every day thinking about it The smallest sign it is not going to work out, you say, I am going to kill myself. I have to be perfect 24 hours a day. During the eight months I would only be talking to you because I would believe that if I did not talk to you, you would not wake up the next morning. Miller said as he cried on the phone: I am leaving. Going to Brazil. I lost. I am leaving. Be very happy. It is going to be a long time before you see me. It might be a long time before you see me Because I might not want to see you. Miller asked Bruna to get together with him one last time and she said: No, no, it will f*** you up even more. He said: I promise it wont f*** my head up Why do you want it with someone else and not with me? Bruna said: You deserve someone who truly loves you. Dont humiliate yourself for crumbs. He said: I am not going to humiliate myself. Just one last time. Bruna said: No is no. It has no other meaning. No, no, no, no, no, no When you get treatment you will realise how much you have humiliated yourself here. I am telling you to get treatment. Please let me leave let me go, let me go, let me go. The trial continues. Of the 16 men (no woman as yet) who have held the office of Taoiseach since the foundation of the State in 1922, who would rate as the best? Or - to put it another way - how should one classify them as (a) the good, (b) the bad, and (c) the indifferent? A new book, simply called The Taoiseach, provides ample material on which to base an overall assessment. It gives us profiles of the 16 office-holders - and some evaluations. The contributors are a mixture of journalists and academics, all involved in either reporting or teaching politics. And the standard throughout - in terms of background and insight - is quite high. After surveying the field of 16, only two things can be said with certainty: (1) Ireland never had a left-wing Taoiseach, and (b) none of the 16 could be convincingly described as a visionary. It is true that Bertie Ahern once claimed to be a socialist, but as Mick Clifford (of the Irish Examiner) who wrote the chapter on Ahern, said, this was a positioning that was greeted with a mixture of mirth and ridicule. That said, and despite the damaging revelations about his finances from the tribunals, he deserves the nations gratitude for his part in bringing about the Good Friday Agreement - finally (we hope) taking the gun out of Irish politics. As for the vision thing, it is the great tragedy of Irish politics that none of the men who ended up in the top job ever came to it with anything approximating to a blueprint for the Ireland they wanted to see. Jack Lynch and John A Costello didnt want the job, and didnt make a very good fist of it. Yes, during the Arms Crisis of 1970, Lynch held his head and a possible coup detat was averted - but he messed up the economy. And Costello, a distinguished lawyer, will forever be associated with the Mother-and-Child controversy of 1951. Albert Reynolds believed in realpolitik, and his good personal relationship with John Major helped to broker the Downing Street Declaration of 1993, prefiguring the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Enda Kenny was the most underrated of recent Taoisigh. His attempt to abolish the Seanad (an institution greatly in need of reform) might have succeeded if he had promised to bring back a reconstituted upper chamber within a specified period of time. And his brave and outspoken criticism of the Vatican after the publication of the Cloyne report will go down as one of the great Dail speeches. Leo Varadkar barely registered on the nations political barometer, fitting neatly into the indifferent category, along with John Bruton and Simon Harris. They all, to a greater or lesser extent, made things up as they went along. If one sought exceptions, one might point to Sean Lemass or Garret Fitzgerald. But even they were just reacting to circumstances. Lemass recognised that protectionism, which he had once championed, was unsustainable. A policy of economic development was needed. And Fitzgerald saw that the way forward to a new agreed Ireland would involve painful changes, constitutional and otherwise, to cleanse the Republic of some of its more sectarian characteristics. But the promised just society turned out to be a chimera. And what of Dev? He is dealt with here by RTEs David McCullagh (author of a well-received two-volume biography of Eamon de Valera) who tells us that Dev extended Irish sovereignty, introduced a new constitution and kept Ireland out of the Second World War. All very true. Then McCullagh adds: While he gave his name to an era, the term de Valeras Irelands is now a shorthand for a despised conservative backwater. His infamous wade through Irish blood speech in Thurles in 1922 helped to spark the civil war. The first holder of the office, WT Cosgrave, had to face down an armed rebellion in the form of a tragic and unnecessary civil war, and like him, his son Liam Cosgrave, during the 1973-77 period, was unflinching in his opposition to the Provos. But he voted against his own governments Bill aimed at liberalising the law on contraception. The story of Charles Haughey, told in this book by his biographer Gary Murphy, remains one of the great What ifs of Irish politics. Described by Murphy as a decisive, charismatic and naturally dominant personality, Haughey had all the talents required to be a great Taoiseach. But, like Shakespeares Richard III, his character was also deeply flawed. Murphys verdict stands: Despite his achievements in office, Haugheys legacy is that of a tarnished politician whose name has become a byword for corruption, venality and profligacy. History will not be kind to Micheal Martin. The government he heads is increasingly seen as a do nothing unit, especially in such key areas as health and housing. Along with Brian Cowan and John A Costello, he will feature in the bad category. His leadership, if it can be called that, has been plagued by indecisiveness. And who was the best? Lemass, indubitably. The pity is that Dev didnt make way for him sooner: wed all have benefited. Incisive and decisive, he was no ideologue, but he knew what he wanted. While hospitalised once, Dev told him to brush up on his Irish - Lemass ignored him and asked for books on economics. The Taoiseach (edited by Iain Dale) is published by Swift Press (19.99). James Cox The only way to "deal with Donald Trump is to stand up to him" over his Greenland tariff threats, an Irish MEP has said. Fianna Fail MEP Barry Andrews was recently appointed rapporteur for the EU Parliaments position on EU-Greenland relations. In an interview with BreakingNews.ie, he said: "There is a realisation on the European side that a red line has been crossed in terms of what Trump has said he's going to do. "It had a strangely positive impact on the EU member states in bringing them together in a way that happened with Ukraine. It's a really deep solidarity with the people of Greenland and Denmark. "We need to make sure we exhaust every possible diplomatic pathway before any escalation is considered. There are ways to do that at EU level and individual member state level, including Ireland." He said the EU's Anti-Coercion Instrument, or 'bazooka', should be considered "in parallel" with the planned retaliatory tariffs worth 93 billion ($108 billion). "This is an escalation if the threatened tariffs actually go ahead, so it's contingent on that actually happening and diplomatic efforts failing. "If we do get to that point those tariffs have already been identified, 93 billion worth, they should be proceeded with in parallel with an investigation into the anti-coercion instrument. It puts all those levers on the table for the EU and I think it's clear that the only way to deal with Donald Trump is to stand up to him." As if it had been written by a child. Mr Andrews said Mr Trump's letter to Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store, in which he said he would not only think of peace having failed to win the Nobel Peace Prize, was like it had been "written by a child". "It's really extraordinary what's happening. I could never have believed a letter would come out of the White House like the one to the Norwegian prime minister, as if it had been written by a child, and as if he had not been told many times that the Norwegian government does not award the Nobel Peace Prize. "You're dealing with a complete detachment from strategic foresight in terms of US foreign policy, completely narcissitic and transactional and inconsistent." He added: "I think the European Union can only strengthen its hand and close off various pathways that Donald Trump thinks are open to him. "This includes unilateral military action in Greenland or any attempts to undermine the territorial integrity of Greenland and Denmark. That has to be made very clear to him whether through diplomatic channels or through subsequent economic or trade escalation." Mr Andrews said Mr Trump's justifications for the US needing Greenland for security were also flawed, as they have weakend their own military presence in the Arctic. "When you look at the US presence in the Arctic in detail, they have completely degraded their own military presence, not just in Greenland but in the polar regions generally. For example there are eight nuclear powered ice-breakers in the Russian fleet, there are no nuclear powered ice-breakers in the American fleet. "They have three ice-breakers, one is in the Antarctic and one is an ancient boat that's used in the Arctic. "They have neglected their presence in the Arctic. Tbe Arctic is not even mentioned in their National Security Strategy published in November. "The idea that the US would imperil the future of Nato, transatlantic trade relations, and the international order to pursue something that is clearly not in their National Security Strategy helps you to realise how crazy this situation is." Barry Andrews was recently appointed rapporteur for the EU Parliaments position on EU-Greenland relations. Mr Andrews said the recently agreed EU-US trade deal was already "imperfect" and should be changed amid Mr Trump's threats of 25 per cent tariffs on certain EU states, along with Britain and Norway. "The trade deal was already imperfect. It accepted 15 per cent tariffs on EU goods going into the US, and zero tariffs on US goods coming into the EU, which was a major concession by the EU in order to achieve transatlantic trade and continue the good relations crucial to the EU and US economies. "However, that concession now is clearly no longer appropriate and should be withdrawn until such time as the Greenland situation and tariff threats are resolved." He reiterated the unity of the 27 EU member states in response to Mr Trump's threats to Greenland. "It has pulled the European Union together in a single united position, left and right, east and west of the EU regardless of which of the 27 member states, we're all on the same page and we have gotten to a point where we can't accept the situation coming from the US anymore. "On Gaza we were on our own [Ireland] for a long period with one or two member states aligned with our position, that made it extremely difficult for the Irish government to take the steps it did in supporting UNRWA, recognising the state of Palestine, looking for the suspension of the trade agreement with Israel. "On this, all 27 member states are acting in a unified way so yes there are massive consequences for the Irish economy if this goes badly, but I think the nature of the current White House is Trump will back down if he sees there are serious consequences. US business, the US public and US Congress are crucial in this, and Ireland has good contacts with all those groupings so we just have to stand up to him." China U-turn Mr Andrews pointed to Mr Trump backing down on tariff threats to China as an example of how the EU can pull him back from the threats over Greenland. "We saw with China when they threatened the supply of critical raw materials to the US that he backed down on Chinese tariffs as well. Tbis is the only way it seems to work with the US, it's unfortunate that this is the case, but that's what our stance needs to be. "We have to make sure the crazy approach of Donald Trump is not tolerated and I think a lot of Americans feel the same way. Recent polling showed just 4 per cent of Americans agreed with the idea of unilateral military action to annex Greenland." US President Donald Trump speaks with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg as he hosts a dinner for tech leaders in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on September 4, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) US President Donald Trump speaks with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg as he hosts a dinner for tech leaders in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on September 4, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) (SAUL LOEB via Getty Images) The Federal Trade Commission lost its antitrust case against Meta last year, but the regulator hasn't given up on its attempts to punish the social media company for its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram. The FTC is appealing a ruling last year in which a federal judge found that the government hadn't proven that Meta is currently operating as a monopoly. "Meta has maintained its dominant position and record profits for well over a decade not through legitimate competition, but by buying its most significant competitive threats," the FTC's Bureau of Competition Director Daniel Guarnera said in a statement. "The Trump-Vance FTC will continue fighting its historic case against Meta to ensure that competition can thrive across the country to the benefit of all Americans and U.S. businesses. The FTC originally filed antitrust charges against Facebook in 2020 during President Donald Trump's first term in office. The government argued that by acquiring apps it once competed with, Instagram and WhatsApp, the company had depressed competition in the space and ultimately hurt consumers. A trial last year saw testimony from several current and former executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg and former COO Sheryl Sandberg, who spoke at length about the pressure to compete with TikTok. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US District Judge James Boasberg was ultimately persuaded by Metas arguments, writing that the success of YouTube and TikTok prevented Meta from currently "holding a monopoly" even if the company had acted monopolistically in the past. If the FTC had won, it could have tried to force Meta to undo its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram. Should it be successful in its appeal, that remedy could once again be on the table. News of the FTC's plan to appeal is also a blow to Zuckerberg, who has spent the last year courting Trump and hyping Meta's plans to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on AI infrastructure in the United States. In a statement, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said that the original ruling was "correct," and that "Meta will remain focused on innovating and investing in America." Pioneering mathematician Dr. Gladys West has passed away at the age of 95. Her name may not be familiar to you, but her contributions certainly are; West's work laid the foundation for the global positioning system. As you likely know from experience, GPS is now an essential component of industries ranging from aviation and emergency response, as well as ensuring that you get to that dinner date or job interview on time. West was born in 1930 in Virginia. Despite the oppression of Jim Crow laws in the south, she was able to pursue higher education at Virginia State College (now named Virginia State University), obtaining bachelor's and master's degrees in mathematics. In 1956, West was hired at what is now called the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, VA. Her focus during the 1970s and 1980s was creating accurate models of the Earth's shape based on satellite data, a complex task requiring the type of mathematical gymnastics that would make the average person dizzy. Those models later became the backbone for GPS. West worked at the Dahlgren center for 42 years, retiring in 1998. As has been the case with so many of the women, particularly those of color, behind tech and science breakthroughs in the US, West's work went largely uncelebrated for decades. After submitting a short biography of her accomplishments to a sorority function in 2018, members of Alpha Kappa Alpha helped West to receive belated recognition for her contributions. She was inducted into the US Air Force Space and Missiles Pioneers Hall of Fame and honored as Female Alumna of the Year by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Awards in that same year. The Guardian published an interview with West in 2020 that shared some insights on her journey, including a note that when West was out and about, she favored paper maps over the technology she indirectly helped create. The UK government has announced a consultation, asking people for their feedback on whether to introduce a social media ban for children under 16 years old. It would also explore how to enforce that limit, how to limit tech companies from being able to access childrens data and how to limit infinite scrolling, as well as access to addictive online tools. In addition to seeking feedback from parents and young people themselves, the countrys ministers are going to visit Australia to see the effects of the countrys social media ban for kids, according to Financial Times. Australia's minimum age social media ban went into effect on December 10. Its the first of its kind and covers several social media platforms, including Facebook, X, TikTok, Twitch, Snapchat, YouTube and Reddit. Just recently, Meta shut down nearly 550,00 accounts, most of which were on Instagram, to comply with the new law. The UK passed the Online Safety Act in 2023 and has been enforcing its rules since. Last year, for instance, it started requiring websites that publish pornography to conduct age checks for users. But British politician Liz Kendall said parents still have serious concerns about the content their children can consume online. As The Guardian notes, the announcement for a consultation comes just before the House of Lords votes on an amendment to the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill. The amendment is seeking a social media ban on children under 16, which will be enacted within a year if and when the bill passes. NFU Cymru has unanimously elected Cardiff dairy farmer Abi Reader as its new president, as the union prepares for major policy change and a key political year for Welsh agriculture. Ms Reader will be supported by livestock farmer Paul Williams, from Nebo in Clwyd, who was elected deputy president. Both appointments were confirmed at a meeting of the NFU Cymru Council in Cardiff Bay on Tuesday 20 January. Ms Reader is a third-generation farmer, running a mixed dairy, sheep and arable business at Goldsland Farm near Wenvoe, alongside her parents and uncle. She is widely known for her work promoting food and farming to the public and to young people, including as a co-founder of the Cows on Tour initiative and through regular engagement with schools. A former NFU Cymru Wales Woman Farmer of the Year, she was awarded an MBE in 2019 for services to agriculture. Ms Reader has been involved with NFU Cymru since 2012 and has held a number of senior roles within the union, including county chair and chair of the Dairy Board. For the past four years, she has served as deputy president. She takes over from outgoing president Aled Jones, who chose not to stand for re-election after a long and distinguished period of service. Speaking following her election, Ms Reader said she was conscious of the challenges facing the sector. I am honoured to have been elected as the new President of NFU Cymru by my farming peers, she said. It is a huge responsibility leading our industry in a period of considerable change, but I am ambitious about the opportunities for Welsh agriculture in the years ahead. She said a key priority would be navigating new policy frameworks. This year sees the implementation of the long-awaited Sustainable Farming Scheme, she said. NFU Cymru has been at the forefront of the scheme design process in recent years and although the scheme has transformed considerably since its early iterations, we still think there is work to do. Ms Reader said she was committed to working with the Welsh government and industry partners to refine the scheme where necessary. She also highlighted the wider political context. In addition to the changing policy landscape, we also have considerable political change on the horizon with elections for the new look Senedd fast approaching, she said. New deputy president Paul Williams farms beef and sheep at Cae Haidd near Llanrwst, alongside his wife Dwynwen and their three children. He has been an NFU Cymru member for more than 20 years and previously served as Clwyd county chairman, experience which the union says will be important as it continues to lobby on behalf of farmers. Mr Williams was closely involved in organising the display of 5,500 pairs of wellington boots outside the Senedd in 2023, highlighting farmers concerns over the Welsh governments Sustainable Farming Scheme framework at the time. Following his election, Mr Williams said representing members interests would be his focus. It is an honour to have been elected to this role within this great organisation, he said. I cant wait to work with Abi, the wider membership and NFU Cymrus professional staff to deliver on the issues that matter most to farmers in Wales. He said the future of farming for the next generation was a key motivation. As a father with children who are eager to pursue a career in farming themselves, Im driven to ensure that the next generation is able to push this industry further forward, he said. Mr Williams also pointed to ongoing challenges. Ongoing issues such as bovine TB, the legislative burden of Welsh governments water quality regulations and concerns over milk price continue to trouble farmers across the country, he said. He added that effective representation would be essential. As farmers its so important that we speak with one strong, collective voice on these issues to deliver change, he said. With major policy reforms under way and Senedd elections approaching, the new NFU Cymru leadership team will play a central role in representing Welsh farmers in discussions with government in Cardiff Bay, Westminster and beyond. Farmfoods has come under renewed pressure after four animal welfare charities wrote to the retailer over its continued sourcing of eggs from caged hens, as the government moves closer to a national ban on cages. The joint letter, sent on 19 January, urges Farmfoods to reconsider its position after missing the industrys 2025 cage-free deadline. It is signed by The Humane League UK, Compassion in World Farming, Open Cages and the RSPCA, and is addressed to Farmfoods managing director George Herd. Farmfoods is currently the only major UK retailer without a stated commitment to phase out eggs from caged laying hens. Other supermarkets, including Aldi, Co-op, Sainsburys, Morrisons, M&S and Waitrose, are already sourcing 100% cage-free shell eggs. The issue has taken on greater significance following the governments stated, intention to ban cages for laying hens a move which would have implications across the egg supply chain. Sean Gifford, managing director at The Humane League UK, said the retailers position left it behind much of the sector. It is shocking that were in a new year and Farmfoods are clinging to the same viciously cruel cages that most of the country has abandoned, he said. It has now been a decade since they promised to ditch cages, so together with our fellow animal charities we are highlighting just how far behind Farmfoods has fallen failing to move with the times, with the industry, the government, and its own customers. The letter follows a renewed round of campaigning activity, including demonstrations outside a Farmfoods store in Bristol and the use of mobile advertising in Birmingham. Pressure on the retailer has been ongoing since 2016, when Farmfoods made a commitment to move away from cages following engagement with campaign groups, before later withdrawing that pledge. The Humane League UK has since launched a petition calling for a return to cage-free sourcing, which has attracted more than 50,000 signatures. Campaigners argue that caged systems restrict natural behaviours such as dust-bathing, roosting and wing-flapping, and say continued sourcing from these systems risks prolonging their use. Farmfoods has previously said it withdrew its commitment because it was unwilling to deny customers access to the good value, nutritious food provided by eggs laid by caged hens. The charities dispute this position, arguing that affordability should not be a barrier to higher welfare standards, particularly as budget retailers have already transitioned to cage-free eggs. They also reject claims that supply is a limiting factor, pointing out that 83% of the UK egg industry is now cage-free. Public opinion appears firmly against cages. Polling indicates that 94% of the UK public oppose the use of cages for laying hens, while research from Compassion in World Farming suggests 67% of consumers are willing to pay more for cage-free eggs. Farmfoods generates around 1bn in annual revenue, and campaigners argue that scale provides scope to support a transition away from cages ahead of future legislation. For egg producers, the debate highlights ongoing uncertainty around retail demand, investment confidence and the pace of change as the industry prepares for further regulatory reform. Women in farming who feel excluded from decision-making are significantly more likely to feel lonely and experience poorer mental well-being, according to new research. The findings come from a major study by the University of Exeters Centre for Rural Policy Research and The Farming Community Network, based on a survey of more than 2,000 women involved in farming across England and Wales. The survey, carried out in summer 2025, received 2,058 responses from women aged between 18 and 95, living or working on farms of different sizes and systems. Across every age group, women in farming reported lower average mental well-being than the national population. More than a third of respondents recorded scores indicating low well-being, while just 4% recorded scores classed as high. Women in farming also reported higher levels of perceived stress, poorer sleep quality and worse anxiety than the general population. Respondents pointed to a range of farm-related pressures, with isolation and loneliness, workload and work-life balance, and relationships with others emerging as the most significant stressors linked to poorer mental health. However, the research found a clear association between involvement, recognition and improved well-being. Women who felt valued for their contribution, had a say in decision-making, were satisfied with their social connections and felt more balanced between farm and non-farm life reported higher well-being, lower stress and reduced loneliness. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they had decision-making responsibility on the farm, either on their own or jointly. Among those excluded from decision-making, dissatisfaction was common, with 39% saying they wanted more responsibility. The researchers found that having little or no say in farm decisions was strongly associated with higher levels of loneliness, suggesting that involvement brings a sense of agency, recognition and belonging. Despite the pressures, many women highlighted positive aspects of farming life. Being outdoors, connection to nature, working with animals and raising children in a farm environment were all cited as benefits by the majority of respondents. Dr Rebecca Wheeler, project lead and senior research fellow at the Centre for Rural Policy Research, said the study addressed a major gap in understanding. This research is the first of its kind to focus specifically on the experiences of women in farming and many women told us they appreciated the opportunity to have their voices heard, she said. She said the survey had provided valuable evidence about an under-researched group and how loneliness, mental well-being and everyday farming life are closely connected. We will be exploring these findings in more depth during the next stages of the research and are grateful to all the women who are taking part, she added. Linda Jones, national manager for Wales at The Farming Community Network, said the findings were both revealing and concerning. It is cause for concern that many women in farming experience poor sleep quality, often feel lonely, and suffer with high levels of stress and anxiety compared to the general population, she said. She said the link between inclusion and well-being was particularly striking. We can see through these survey findings a link for many women in farming between decision-making responsibilities and reduced loneliness, she said, adding that feeling valued showed the strongest association with better mental health. Ms Jones said FCN has been working to address isolation through its FarmWell community events, bringing farming communities together across England and Wales. Further phases of the research, running until 2027, will include in-depth interviews and aim to develop targeted recommendations to improve support for women in farming. The research team is currently seeking additional participants from Wales, encouraging women to share their experiences so future support reflects the specific needs of farming communities there. As the research develops, the findings are expected to inform future approaches to farm support, community initiatives and cultural change around recognising and valuing the role of women in agriculture. Police disrupted more than 50 suspected poachers and hare coursers in a major weekend operation that saw drones, air support and roadblocks deployed across Cambridgeshire. Officers were called out on Saturday 17 January after reports of men and children trespassing and poaching with dogs on farmland near Haddon Road in Haddon. The group were causing damage to fields and vehicles, raising concerns for both landowners and road users in the area. Rural crime officers tracked their movements through woodland close to the A1(M), using air support to monitor the group as they attempted to evade police. Surrounding roads were blocked to contain them, allowing officers to detain and identify those involved using fingerprint recognition technology. Several vehicles were seized, along with equipment believed to be linked to poaching activity. In total, 40 people were dispersed from the area. They will now be investigated for a range of rural and wildlife offences, including the possible issuing of Community Protection Warnings and Notices, which can restrict behaviour and lead to further enforcement if breached. Police action continued the following day, Sunday 18 January, after fresh reports of hare coursers driving across fields on Main Drove in Little Downham. When officers arrived, the men abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot in an attempt to escape. They were located and detained with the help of police drones and air support, bringing the incident to a swift conclusion. Four men were interviewed, issued with Community Protection Warnings and Notices, and dispersed from the county. Four lurcher-type dogs were also seized as part of the operation. Sergeant Tom Nuttall, from the Rural Crime Action Team, said officers were determined to send a clear message to those involved in countryside crime. Tackling poaching and hare coursing remains a priority for us as a force and we are committed to working closely with our partners and local communities to address these issues, he said. Hare coursing and associated criminality including threats, criminal damage and even violence, can have a real impact on our rural communities. These activities not only harm wildlife and the environment but also cause distress to landowners and residents. We will continue to take action against those involved, utilising available resources and protecting Cambridgeshires countryside. With Taskaree, director Raghav Jairath has introduced the world of customs officers at the Mumbai airport to the forefront. In an exclusive chat with Filmfare, Raghav talks about the research that fuelled the series, his relationship with his mentor Neeraj Pandey, and what makes Emraan Hashmi a director's delight. The idea for Taskaree didn't come from a single incident, but from hours of research. Raghav shares that the team at Friday Film Works often meets with real-life bureaucrats and intelligence officers. He explained, "We cross the airport all the time and feel relaxed, not knowing what is happening to our bags or what is being scanned. During his research, he found a surprising motive for smuggling. He said, "A lot of people do it for the thrill. I remember one person from a very wealthy family who didn't need the money, but he loved the adrenaline of walking through the green channel without getting caught." Raghav credits much of his success to his mentor, Neeraj Pandey. Having worked together since the film Baby, Raghav describes their bond as a "Guru-shishya" relationship. One of the biggest lessons he learned was the power of silence in a scene. He shared, "Hes a brilliant teacher. He allows you to think freely and make mistakes. Even if a mistake happens, hell just say well figure it out in the next one. That discipline and prep are what make our sets so efficient. A major reason for the show's success is Emraan Hashmis performance as Arjun Meena. Raghav describes the actor as a directors delight. He said, He prepares a lot, but he does it quietly. Every take he gives is different, yet he remembers exactly what he did in the previous one. The most beautiful thing is that you dont see Emraan on screen, you only see the character. He wouldnt even go back to his van between shots, hed stay on set just to keep the feel of the scene. The chemistry between the leads, Emraan, Amruta Khanvilkar, and Nandish Sandhu was so strong that the crew called them the Trimurti. Raghav mentions that their real-life friendship made the scenes feel authentic. On the other hand, casting Sharad Kelkar as the villain, Baba Choudhury, was an easy choice. He mentioned, Sharads presence is so strong. He doesn't need to be loud to be terrifying. His voice and his body language do all the work. You haven't seen him like this before. With the show's success, fans are already asking for a second season or a cinematic universe. While Raghav says there are lots of secrets still hidden in airport corridors, he is currently focused on exploring new genres like fantasy and drama. He concluded saying, Until I have that voice inside me about why I am telling a story, Ill never be true to it. I want the audience to feel the same emotion I felt while making it. Also Read: Emraan Hashmi Talks About Why OTT Viewing Is Gaining Momentum The global fashion industry is mourning the loss of Valentino Garavani, the Italian designer who reshaped modern couture and built one of the most recognisable luxury houses in the world. Valentino passed away at the age of 93 in Rome, marking the end of an era defined by discipline, craftsmanship and understated glamour. Born in 1932 in Voghera, Italy, Valentino showed an early passion for fashion that took him to Paris as a teenager, where he trained at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. He honed his skills under masters such as Jacques Fath, Balenciaga, Jean Desses and Guy Laroche, learning that couture was not about spectacle, but about structure, detail and respect for the body. He returned to Italy in 1959 to launch Valentino in Rome, and gradually built a global name synonymous with sophistication. His breakthrough came with the colour that would become legendary, Valentino red, a rich scarlet shade that became his signature and a symbol of strength and sensuality. The colour dressed first ladies, movie stars and royalty, long before fashion became a social-media battleground. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Valentino (@maisonvalentino) Valentinos client list read like a history book of style: Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, Julia Roberts, Sharon Stone, Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer. Royal families trusted him for their most important moments, including Princess Madeleine of Sweden, who wore Valentino on her wedding day. Unlike many designers who chased trends, Valentino stayed loyal to timeless silhouettes and classical beauty. His belief was simple: fashion should make women feel powerful, confident and beautiful, not exposed or uncomfortable. That philosophy earned him respect across generations. He retired in 2008 with an emotional final show in Paris, where every model walked in red, a quiet farewell to a career that defined elegance. Even in his later years, the industry continued to honour him, most recently with the Outstanding Achievement Award at the British Fashion Awards. Valentino will lie in state at Romes Piazza Mignanelli, with his funeral to be held at the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs. Valentino Garavani leaves behind more than a fashion house, he leaves a standard of beauty, discipline and grace that will continue to shape couture for decades to come. Also Read: The Best-Dressed Men Of MET Gala 2025 Ajith Kumars passion for car racing is well known! While the superstar has a cult following in cinema too, his passion for motorsport also has earned him a growing fanbase in the racing world and beyond. The actor off late seems to be dedicating more time to his racing endeavours. Ajiths racing team often competes at various prestigious global events. A couple of days ago, Ajith Kumar made his way to the Dubai 24H Series endurance race. And his racing skills continue to entice celebrity visitors. It is known that Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan are currently in Dubai; no surprises then when they dropped in on the circuit to cheer for the superstar. Ajith personally welcomed the couple, introduced them to his team members, and exchanged pleasantries. The heartwarming video went viral on social media, but the pictures that emerged on social media later on have caught everyones attention. Interestingly, Nayanthara and Vigneshs visit has also put to rest the lingering rumours of their past differences between Ajith and Vignesh Shivan (Ajith reportedly turned down Vigneshs script after which the film was shelved due to contrasting perceptions). But looking at the latest pics, fans on social media commented, beautiful reunion and OG fanboy moment for Vignesh. Fans of Ajith love the way he balances film career, while still pursuing his love for speed. His off-screen endeavours continue to inspire the fans. Ajiths racing journey is set to be documented in an upcoming docu-film under director AL Vijay. GV Prakash who also attended the Dubai racing and cheered for Ajith is composing the music. The documentary is expected to release in theatres during summer of 2027. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 19, 2026) - Green Canada Corporation ("GCC" or the "Company"), a 50.73% owned subsidiary of PTX Metals Inc. (TSXV: PTX) ("PTX"), announces the closing of the first tranche of its previously announced $500,000 private placement (the "Private Placement"). GCC closed a total of 2,369,230 common shares at a price of $0.13 per share for proceeds of $308,000. The common shares issued pursuant to the Private Placement are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day after the later of (a) January 16, 2026, the closing date for the first tranche of the Private Placement, and (b) the date the Company became a reporting issuer in any province or territory. The net proceeds of the Private Placement are expected to be used for general working capital and corporate purposes. PTX granted 7,725,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company. Each Option permits an optionee to acquire one common share (an "Option Share") in the capital of the Company at any time at a price of $0.14 per Option Share up to the end of business on the January 19, 2031, anniversary of the date of the grant. Each Option is subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day. The Options are subject to certain vesting conditions. The Company further notes that during the year ending December 31, 2025 and in January 2026, 3,750,000 Options expired. About Green Canada Corporation GCC has assembled a diverse set of Canadian based uranium mineral properties focused on unconformity-style uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan, the Baker and Amer Basins in Nunavut and the Otish Basin in Quebec. The flagship Marshall Project to be acquired by GCC from Basin Energy Limited in connection with the Proposed RTO and the adjacent North Millennium project areas are situated 11 km west of Cameco's 69.9% owned Millennium deposit and 20 km southwest of CanAlaska's Pike zone discovery on the West McArthur project in the Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan the second largest production centre for uranium globally. The Key Lake-McArthur Road is 23 km to the South-East with winter access to the property either by winter road from the Millennium deposit to Friesen Lake, 4 km east of the property, or by a winter road from Key Lake to McIntyre Lake, 4 km south of the property. About PTX Metals Inc. PTX is a minerals exploration Company focused on high-quality critical mineral projects, including two flagship projects situated in northern Ontario, a mining jurisdiction renowned for its abundance of mineral resources and investment opportunities. The corporate objective is to advance the exploration programs towards proving the potential of each asset, which includes the W2 Copper Nickel PGE Project and South Timmins Gold Joint Venture Project. PTX's portfolio of assets offers investors exposure to some of the world's most valuable metals including gold, as well as essential critical minerals for the clean energy transition: copper, PGE, nickel, uranium and rare metals. PTX's portfolio of assts was strategically acquired for their geologically favorable attributes, and proximity to established mining companies. PTX mineral exploration programs are designed by a team of expert geologists with extensive career knowledge gained from their tenure working for global mining companies in northern Ontario and around the world. PTX is based in Toronto, Canada, with a primary listing on the TSXV under the symbol PTX. The Company is also listed in Frankfurt under the symbol 9PX and on the OTCQB in the United States as PANXF. For additional information on PTX, please visit the Company's website at https://ptxmetals.com/. Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Press release. Disclosure regarding forward-looking statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including the anticipated use of proceeds from the Private Placement. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will ", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Company will use the proceeds of the Private Placement as anticipated. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's plans or expectations include the risk that the Company will not use the proceeds of the Offering as anticipated, risks relating to availability of capital and financing, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes, timeliness of government or regulatory approvals and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. 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 otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280859 Source: PTX Metals Inc. Your vote is important - vote today. The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that Securityholders vote FOR the Arrangement with Highlander Securityholder questions or need voting assistance? Please contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group by email at assistance@laurelhill.com, or by texting "INFO" to, or calling, 1-877-452-7184 (North American toll-free) or 1-416-304-0211 (outside North America). Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 19, 2026) - Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) (OTCQX: BCEKF) (BVL: BCM) ("Bear Creek" or the "Company") announces today that it has filed its notice of meeting, management information circular (the "Circular") and related documents (collectively, the "Meeting Materials") with securities regulators in connection with the special meeting (the "Meeting") of holders ("Bear Creek Shareholders") of common shares ("Bear Creek Shares"), holders of stock options, holders of restricted share units, and holders of deferred share units of Bear Creek (together with the Bear Creek Shareholders, the "Securityholders") to approve: (1) the proposed plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") with Highlander Silver Corp ("Highlander"), and (2) the interest deferral agreements (the "Interest Deferral Agreements") entered into between the Company and each of Royal Gold, Inc. ("Royal Gold") and Equinox Gold Corp. ("Equinox"). An interim order of the British Columbia Supreme Court providing for the calling and holding of the Meeting was entered on January 15, 2026 (the "Interim Order"). The Meeting Materials have also been mailed to Securityholders and can be accessed online on Bear Creek's website at www.bearcreekmining.com or under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Meeting Details The Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. (Vancouver time) in person at the offices of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP at 1200 Waterfront Centre, 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V7X 1T2. Pursuant to the Interim Order, Securityholders of record at the close of business on January 13, 2026, will be entitled to receive notice of, attend and vote at the Meeting. The Bear Creek Board of Directors unanimously recommends that Securityholders vote FOR the proposed Arrangement with Highlander and FOR the Interest Deferral Agreements with each of Royal Gold and Equinox. Details of the Arrangement The Consideration On December 18, 2025, Bear Creek and Highlander entered into an arrangement agreement, as amended and restated on January 9, 2026, pursuant to which Highlander will acquire all of the issued and outstanding Bear Creek Shares (that it does not already own). Upon completion of the Arrangement, each Bear Creek Shareholder will receive 0.1175 of a common share of Highlander in exchange for each Bear Creek Share. Support for the Arrangement All directors and officers of Bear Creek, as well as Bear Creek's largest shareholders, Royal Gold and Equinox, cumulatively representing approximately 30% of the outstanding Bear Creek Shares, have signed voting support agreements, pursuant to which they have agreed to vote their Bear Creek Shares in favour of the Arrangement and any matter related thereto at the Meeting. Demonstrative of Highlander's confidence in the Arrangement, and in accordance with its covenants thereunder, on January 8, 2026, Highlander acquired 50,000,000 Bear Creek Shares in a non-brokered private placement for proceeds to Bear Creek of $18,000,000, providing the Company with immediate liquidity. Highlander has also covenanted under the terms of the Arrangement, to vote its Bear Creek Shares, which represent approximately 15% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares, in favour of the Arrangement and any matter related thereto at the Meeting. Benefits of the Arrangement Some of the benefits of the Arrangement include, but are not limited to, the following: Continued Exposure to the Corani Project: The Arrangement is expected to create a near-term and executable pathway to construction and operation of Bear Creek's Corani Project in Puno, Peru, unlocking long-underappreciated value for Bear Creek Shareholders. Debt Restructuring: In connection with the Arrangement, Highlander is expected to complete debt restructuring transactions with each of the Company's largest creditors, Royal Gold, Inc. and Equinox Gold Corp., resulting in a financially robust pro-forma company with a strong cash position, no debt, and a strong group of supportive shareholders including the Augusta Group, the Lundin family and Eric Sprott. Complementary Assets: Combines the Corani Project's substantial silver mineral reserves with Highlander's rapidly-advancing San Luis gold-silver development property to establish a top tier precious and base metal inventory and an organic pipeline of projects in Peru which are expected to provide near and long-term growth. Enhanced Capital Markets Profile: Participation in a growth-oriented company with increased critical mass, having a combined equity market capitalization of approximately C$625 million, which will benefit from increased liquidity and the potential to amplify market exposure and normalize price to net asset value ratios. Securityholders are encouraged to read the Circular for detailed information on the Arrangement and the rights and entitlements of Securityholders thereunder. Vote Today The proxy voting deadline is February 17, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. (Vancouver Time). Securityholders are encouraged to vote well in advance of the proxy voting deadline to ensure their vote is submitted in a timely manner. Voting is easy. Securityholders may vote online, by telephone or by any other methods provided in the form of proxy or voting instruction form which have been included as part of the mailing. If you wish to vote your securities but have not received a form of proxy or voting instruction form, please reach out to Laurel Hill at the contacts below. Securityholder Questions & Voting Assistance Securityholders with questions or who require voting assistance may contact Bear Creek's proxy solicitation agent: Subscribe to Bear Creek Mining news releases Forward-looking statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, statements regarding: the proposed acquisition by Highlander of all of the Bear Creek Shares pursuant to the Arrangement and the terms thereof; the timing of the Meeting the anticipated benefits of the Arrangement; the cash position of the combined entity resulting from the Arrangement; and the anticipated filing of materials on SEDAR+. These forward-looking statements are no guarantees of future results and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the potential results discussed in the forward-looking statements. In respect of these forward-looking statements, the Company has relied on certain assumptions that it believes are reasonable at this time, including: assumptions as to the ability of the parties to receive, in a timely manner and on satisfactory terms, the necessary regulatory approvals including but not limited to court, shareholder, stock exchange and other third party approvals; and the ability of the parties to satisfy, in a timely manner, the conditions to the completion of the Arrangement. This timeline may change for a number of reasons, including an inability to secure necessary regulatory, court, shareholder, stock exchange or other third-party approvals in the time assumed or the need for additional time to satisfy the other conditions to the completion of the Arrangement. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these times. Risks and uncertainties that may cause such differences include but are not limited to: the risk that the Arrangement may not be completed on a timely basis, if at all; the conditions to the consummation of the Arrangement may not be satisfied; the risk that the Arrangement may involve unexpected costs, liabilities or delays; the possibility that legal proceedings may be instituted against Highlander, Bear Creek, and/or others relating to the Arrangement and the outcome of such proceedings; the possible occurrence of an event, change or other circumstance that could result in termination of the Arrangement; risks relating to the failure to obtain necessary shareholder, court and stock exchange or other approvals; and other risks inherent in the mining industry. Failure to obtain the requisite approvals, or the failure of the parties to otherwise satisfy the conditions to or complete the Arrangement may result in the Arrangement not being completed on the proposed terms, or at all. In addition, if the Arrangement is not completed, the dedication of substantial resources of the Company to complete the Arrangement could have a material adverse impact on Bear Creek's share price, its current business relationships and on its current and future operations, financial condition, and prospects. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280860 Source: Bear Creek Mining Corporation Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 19, 2026) - Syntheia Corp. (CSE: SYAI) ("Syntheia" or the "Company") (syntheia.ai), a leading provider of conversational AI solutions for inbound telephone call management, is pleased to announce that it has arranged a non-brokered private placement of up to 17,500,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.12 per unit (the "Offering Price") for gross proceeds up to $2,100,000 (the "Offering"). The Company will use the gross proceeds of the Offering for general working capital purposes. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Common Share") and one-half of a transferable common share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable into one Common Share at a price of $0.20 for a period of thirty-six (36) months from the closing date of the Offering. In the event that the closing price of the Common Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") (or such other Canadian stock exchange on which the Common Shares are then listed) for twenty (20) consecutive trading days exceeds $0.40, the Company may, within 10 business days of the occurrence of such event, deliver a notice (including by way of a news release) to the holders of Warrants accelerating the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is 30 days following the date of such notice. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the Units will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in each of the provinces of Canada, except Quebec, 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 of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). As the Offering is being completed pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, the Units issued pursuant to the Offering will not be subject to a statutory hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The Units may also be offered in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, by way of private placement pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States on a private placement or equivalent basis, in each case in accordance with all applicable laws, provided that no prospectus, registration statement or other similar document is required to be filed in such jurisdiction. There is an offering document related to the 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.syntheia.ai. Prospective investors should read the offering document before making an investment decision. The Offering is scheduled to close on or about February 20, 2026 (the "Closing Date") and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals including the approval of the CSE. A cash commission equal to 8.0% on the gross proceeds of the Offering and finder warrants (the "Finder Warrants") equal to up to 8.0% of the number of Units of the Company sold under the Offering shall be paid to certain eligible finders, subject to the policies of the CSE and applicable securities laws. Each Finder Warrant entitles the holder to acquire a common share of the Company at a price equal to the Offering Price for a period of 24 months from the date of issue thereof. About Syntheia Syntheia is an artificial intelligence technology company which is developing and commercializing proprietary algorithms to deliver human-like conversations. Syntheia is now acquiring call centers and deploying our technology to enhance customer satisfaction while dramatically reducing turnover and traditional staffing issues. For further information, please contact: Cautionary Statement Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. 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", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects the Company's management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning the business of the Company's future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements. Please refer to the Company's listing statement available on SEDAR+ for a list of risks and key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The securities of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280848 Source: Syntheia Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 19, 2026) - Entheon Biomedical Corp. (CSE: ENBI) (OTCQB: ENTBF) (FSE: 1XU) ("Entheon" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive business combination agreement (the "Business Combination Agreement") with Nutravisor Inc. ("Nutravisor"), dated January 19, 2026, pursuant to which the parties have agreed to complete a business combination involving a "three-cornered" amalgamation of Nutravisor with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Entheon ("Subco") that will have the effect of Entheon acquiring all of the issued and outstanding common shares (the "Nutravisor Shares") and other securities of Nutravisor in exchange for securities of Entheon, and resulting in the reverse takeover of Entheon by Nutravisor (the "Proposed Transaction"). A copy of the Business Combination Agreement will be made available on Entheon's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Nutravisor is a company creating a portfolio of nutraceutical and Nixodine pouches alongside on-demand products that support health, performance, and longevity. Upon closing of the Proposed Transaction ("Closing"), Entheon will adopt the business of Nutravisor and change its name to "STRYK Brands Inc." or such other name as determined by Nutravisor. The Proposed Transaction will constitute a "Fundamental Change" of the Company as defined by the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"). It is a condition to Closing that the resulting issuer (the "Resulting Issuer") obtain conditional approval to list its common shares (the "Resulting Issuer Shares") on the CSE. In connection therewith, Entheon expects to file a Form 2A Listing Statement (the "Listing Statement") with the CSE, in accordance with the policies of the CSE. THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION The execution of the Business Combination Agreement follows the execution by the parties of a binding letter of intent as previously announced in Entheon's news release dated December 22, 2025. In accordance with the terms of the Business Combination Agreement, the Proposed Transaction will be structured as a "three-cornered amalgamation" pursuant to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) involving Entheon, Subco and Nutravisor. In connection with Closing, it is expected that, among other things: Entheon will consolidate its issued and outstanding common shares (the "Consolidation") on the basis of one (1) post-Consolidation common share (each, an "Entheon Share") for every 6.93 pre-Consolidation Entheon Shares, or such other consolidation ratio as agreed to between Entheon and Nutravisor to preserve the respective valuation of the parties; Nutravisor intends to complete one or more equity financings (collectively, the "Nutravisor Financings") for aggregate gross proceeds of not less than $4,000,000 and up to $10,000,000, comprised of a combination of a non-brokered private placement of Nutravisor Shares and a concurrent financing of subscription receipts (or other securities) to be completed in connection with the Proposed Transaction and priced in accordance with the policies of the CSE; The Proposed Transaction values Nutravisor at a deemed value of $40,000,000, resulting in the issuance of approximately 53,333,333 post-Consolidation Entheon Shares to the shareholders of Nutravisor (each, a "Nutravisor Shareholder"), assuming a consolidation ratio of 6.93:1 and excluding the issuance of Entheon Shares in exchange for Nutravisor Shares issued pursuant to the Nutravisor Financings; Nutravisor and Subco will be amalgamated under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the "Amalgamation") and the resulting amalgamated entity ("Amalco") will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Entheon; each Nutravisor Shareholder will receive 4.2395 post-Consolidation Entheon Shares for each Nutravisor Share held (the "Exchange Ratio") immediately prior to Closing, and all of the holders of convertible securities in Nutravisor will receive post-Consolidation Entheon Shares, calculated in accordance with the Exchange Ratio, in lieu of Nutravisor Shares that such holder is entitled to receive upon conversion of such Nutravisor convertible security; in addition to any escrow requirements of the CSE, the Entheon Shares issued to former Nutravisor Shareholders will be subject to a voluntary lock-up agreement, pursuant to which 25% of the shares will be released 6 months following the Closing, with an additional 25% released every 6 months thereafter; and the Resulting Issuer will be renamed to "STRYK Inc.", "STRYK Brands Inc.", or such other name as agreed by Entheon and Nutravisor (the "Name Change"). Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions including, but not limited to, completion of the Consolidation, completion of the Nutravisor Financings, applicable shareholder approvals and regulatory approvals, including approval of the CSE. There can be no assurance that the proposed transactions described in this news release will be completed as proposed, or at all. The Business Combination Agreement contains customary deal protection provisions, including a mutual break fee in the amount of $100,000 payable if the Proposed Transaction is terminated by either party under certain specific circumstances. In connection with the Proposed Transaction, a finder's fee of $500,000 is payable to ALOE Finance Inc., an arm's length finder, to be satisfied through the issuance of Resulting Issuer Shares (or as otherwise agreed by the parties) at a deemed price of $0.75 on Closing, subject to applicable securities laws and the policies of the CSE. Further details of the Proposed Transaction, the Company and Nutravisor will be included in the Listing Statement, the Entheon Circular (defined below) and in subsequent news releases and other public filings. ENTHEON MEETING In connection with the Proposed Transaction, Entheon will hold an annual general and special meeting of its shareholders (the "Entheon Shareholder Meeting"), and shall prepare a circular in connection therewith (the "Entheon Circular") to approve, among other things, the Proposed Transaction the appointment of the directors to be appointed to the board of the Resulting Issuer upon Closing, the Consolidation and the Name Change, applicable. Entheon anticipates holding the Entheon Shareholder Meeting in March, 2026. The Entheon Circular will contain further information with respect to the matters that will be put before the Entheon shareholders at the Entheon Shareholder Meeting and will be made available under Entheon's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. PROPOSED MANAGEMENT OF THE RESULTING ISSUER: Upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, it is anticipated that the board of directors and executive team of the Resulting Issuer will be comprised of a minimum of three directors, led by Max Krangle as Chief Executive Officer and Director, alongside other nominees to be determined by Nutravisor. Further information regarding these individuals, including their bios, will be included in the Entheon Circular and the Listing Statement. LISTING STATEMENT, CIRCULAR AND CAUTION Investors are cautioned that, except as will be disclosed in the Entheon Circular and as will be disclosed in the Listing Statement, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Transaction or the Entheon Shareholder Meeting may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. TRADING IN COMPANY SHARES Trading in the common shares of the Company is currently halted and will remain halted until such time as all required documentation in connection with the Transaction has been filed with and accepted by the CSE and permission to resume trading has been obtained from the CSE. ABOUT ENTHEON BIOMEDICAL CORP. Entheon is a biotechnology research and development company interested in treating addiction and substance use disorders. ABOUT NUTRAVISOR INC. Nutravisor is creating a portfolio of nutraceutical and Nixodine pouches alongside on-demand products that support health, performance, and longevity. Timothy Ko, CEO, President and Director This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities under the Nutravisor Financings 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 Information and Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the failure to satisfy all conditions precedent to the Proposed Transaction; failure to achieve satisfaction or waiver of all conditions to the Business Combination Transaction; failure to obtain all regulatory approvals, including CSE approval, for the Proposed Transaction; failure to receive necessary Entheon Shareholder approval for the Proposed Transaction; failure to complete the Name Change; failure to complete the Nutravisor Financings; the anticipated costs to complete the Proposed Transaction may exceed current expectations; Nutravisor (and therefore, the Resulting Issuer) may be unable to successfully execute its business strategy such that future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities of Nutravisor (and therefore, the Resulting Issuer) may not be as currently anticipated; and new laws or regulations could adversely affect the Resulting Issuer's business and results of operations. There are numerous other factors, many of which are out of Nutravisor's and Entheon's control, that could cause Nutravisor's and Entheon's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others, currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets or the economy generally; results of operation activities and development of projects; unanticipated costs and expenses; and general market and industry conditions. These factors and fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Resulting Issuer's securities, regardless of its operating performance. The parties undertake no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of their securities or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable). Entheon and Nutravisor caution that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on these forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The parties have assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of factors is not exhaustive and subject to change. There can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent Entheon's and Nutravisor's expectations as of the date of this press release and are subject to change after such date. Entheon and Nutravisor have no intention, and undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280858 Source: Entheon Biomedical Corp. Datawave Networks Ltd ("Datawave"), a Cyprus-based independent subsea infrastructure provider, today announced that it has entered into a binding investment and financing agreement with affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. ("Cerberus"), a global alternative investment firm, relating to the development of the Singapore-India-Gulf (SING) Cable System, a next-generation subsea fibre optic network connecting the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Upon closing of the transactions contemplated by the agreement, Cerberus will make a significant equity investment in Datawave, securing a majority ownership position, and will also provide project financing to support the construction and deployment of the SING cable system. The investment will enable Datawave to advance the project into full execution and positions SING to address rapidly growing demand for international bandwidth across one of the world's most strategically important digital corridors. In parallel, Datawave has entered into an agreement with a leading U.S.-based supplier of subsea cable systems, regarding the design, manufacture, and deployment of the SING cable system. The system is targeting Ready for Service (RFS) in 2030. The SING cable system is planned to land in Muscat, Oman; Kalba, United Arab Emirates; Mumbai and Chennai, India; Kedah, Malaysia; and Singapore, creating a high-capacity, low-latency route linking key digital hubs across the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Once completed, the system will comprise 16 fiber pairs, each designed to deliver a minimum of 18 terabits per second, providing scalable, future-proofed capacity to meet accelerating regional connectivity requirements. SING is designed to offer customers flexible and resilient connectivity solutions, which upon deployment will enable onward connectivity from Oman and the UAE to Europe, as well as enhanced regional interconnection within the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. The system is expected to play a critical role as a high-performance interconnector supporting the rapid expansion of AI, cloud, and hyperscale data center infrastructure across India, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Gulf region. Commenting on the transaction, Mark Wickham, CEO of Datawave, said: "We are truly excited to partner with Cerberus in taking the next step towards bringing the SING cable system into fruition in one of the world's most dynamic and fastest-growing digital regions. SING is exceptionally well positioned to meet future connectivity demand driven by significant investments in AI and cloud infrastructure. This investment will allow us to move forward decisively and deliver SING as quickly as possible to secure the region's long-term growth, especially as a number of existing cables are set to retire." Gabriel Schulze representing Cerberus added: "We are proud to announce this agreement with Datawave. What attracted us to the SING project is its unique positioning connecting centers of substantial current and future growth. SING also delivers critical route diversity along the globally important east-west corridor. With anchor customer commitments already in place, we anticipate strong market adoption. The Datawave team had advanced the project over several years, and we saw a clear opportunity where our strategic and financial capabilities could accelerate SING into reality." About Datawave The Datawave Group is an independent digital infrastructure provider focused on subsea fibre optic cable connectivity. Datawave Networks Private Ltd, the Group's Indian subsidiary, secured its International Long Distance (ILD) license in March 2022 and will act as the Landing Party for SING in India. Datawave's Singapore subsidiary is expected to serve as the Landing Party in Singapore, with all remaining landing party arrangements already established. Visit www.datawavenetworks.com About Cerberus Founded in 1992, Cerberus is a global alternative investment firm with approximately $70 billion in assets across complementary credit, real estate, and private equity strategies. Cerberus invests across the capital structure where it believes its integrated investment platforms and proprietary operating capabilities can help improve performance and drive long-term value. Cerberus' tenured teams have experience working collaboratively across asset classes, sectors, and geographies as they seek to achieve strong risk-adjusted returns for investors. For more information, visit www.cerberus.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119465926/en/ Contacts: Datawave pr@imillerpr.com Cerberus media@cerberus.com 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, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 19, 2026 / KALO GOLD CORP. (TSXV:KALO) ("Kalo", "Kalo Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases dated December 2, 2025 and December 23, 2025, the Company has closed the final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (as defined herein) of 1,480,275 units (the "Unit") at $0.32 per Unit (the "Offering Price") for gross proceeds of $473,688 (the "LIFE Offering"). Concurrently, the Company has also closed the second tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement of Units of 4,680,625 Units at the Offering Price for gross proceeds of $1,497,800 (the "Concurrent Offering", and together with the LIFE Offering, the "Offerings") for total aggregate proceeds of $ 1,971,488. Including the first tranche, the Company issued an aggrege of 38,920,275 Units for total gross proceeds of $12,454,488 in connection with the offering. "I would like to thank both our new and existing shareholders for their strong support in this financing," said Terry L. Tucker, P.Geo., President and CEO of Kalo Gold Corp. "With this financing now completed, we look forward to continuing exploration at the Vatu Aurum Project and will provide a comprehensive update on our 2026 exploration plans shortly." Each Unit consists of one common share (each, a "Share") in the capital of the Company and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable for one Share at the exercise price of $0.50 for a period of thirty-six months from the date of issue. In addition, the expiry date of the Warrants is subject to acceleration if the volume weighted average trading price of the Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") (or such other stock exchange where the Shares are then listed or quoted) is greater than $0.75 for a period of twenty (20) consecutive trading days, in which case the expiry date of the Warrants may be accelerated to a date that is thirty (30) days following the date the Company provides notice to the Warrant holders, by way of a news release, that the expiry date has been accelerated. The LIFE Offering is being conducted under the listed issuer financing exemption as per Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption(the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). As a result, the securities acquired under the LIFE Offering by investors resident in Canada will not be subject to a hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. Provided, however, that any Warrants issued pursuant to the LIFE Offering are not exercisable within 60 days. All securities acquired pursuant to the Concurrent Offering will be subject to a hold period of four (4) months pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offerings for drilling and exploration on the Vatu Aurum Project and working capital, marketing and general corporate purposes. In connection with the first, second and final tranche of the Offerings, the Company paid finder's fees in the amount of $209,046 and issued 1,260,261 finder's warrants. Each finder's warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Share at an exercise price of $0.50 per share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance, under the same terms as the Warrants issued pursuant to the Concurrent Offering. One insider of the Company participated in the Concurrent Offering for approximately C$32,000. The issuance of Units to such insider is considered a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.5(a) and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.7(1)(a) in respect of such insider participation as the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves interested parties, does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The securities issued pursuant to the Offerings 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 in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, "U.S. persons" (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Kalo Gold Corp. Kalo Gold Corp., a gold exploration company, focused on epithermal gold deposits on the Company's Vatu Aurum Project, located on Vanua Levu (North Island). Kalo holds 100% of two Special Prospecting Licenses covering 367 km, encompassing a regional back-arc basin with volcanic calderas. Historical and ongoing exploration has identified numerous priority epithermal gold targets. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Kalo Gold Corp. Terry L. Tucker, P.Geo. President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Ma, CPA, CA Executive Vice President, Capital Markets and Director For more information, please write to info@kalogoldcorp.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 press release. Forward Looking Statements Disclaimer This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") related to the closing of the Offerings, use of proceeds and other such future events and Kalo'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 Kalo'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 Kalo. 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 Kalo 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 management's discussion and analysis. They are otherwise disclosed in its filings with securities regulatory authorities available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. SOURCE: Kalo Gold Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/kalo-gold-announces-closing-of-second-and-final-tranche-of-life-offering-and-conc-1129173 Waddell, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - January 19, 2026) - AZ Junk Removal & Dumpsters, a family-owned business serving the Phoenix metropolitan area, has once again demonstrated its commitment to community support by donating four large dumpster bins to the residents of Clearwater Farms, Unit 2. This recent contribution is part of an ongoing quarterly initiative established in 2024 to address the lack of affordable municipal bulk trash services in the area. AZ Junk Removal & Dumpsters Continues Quarterly Community Support with Donation to Waddell Neighborhood To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/280871_figure1.jpg For many residents in this Waddell, Arizona community, disposing of large items and accumulated junk presents a significant challenge. AZ Junk Removal & Dumpsters recognized this need and has consistently stepped in to provide a free and convenient solution. The donation allows residents to clear out unwanted clutter, bulk trash, and other large items, helping to maintain a cleaner and more pleasant neighborhood environment. This initiative has been a regular occurrence, with similar donations made in July and December of 2025. The program has been met with widespread appreciation from the community. By providing these essential dumpster rentals, the company offers a practical solution for a persistent local issue. The service helps residents manage everything from old furniture and appliances to general property cleanup, fostering a sense of community pride and well-being. This effort is a core part of the company's mission to make life better without junk, extending beyond its regular junk removal services. AZ Junk Removal & Dumpsters has once again demonstrated its commitment to community support To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/280871_figure2.jpg Brad Thomason, owner of AZ Junk Removal & Dumpsters, shared his perspective on the initiative. "Living and working in the West Valley, we see firsthand how frustrating it can be when there aren't easy options for getting rid of bulk trash. Our quarterly dumpster donation is a simple way for us to give back to our neighbors," said Thomason. "The feedback has been incredible. People tell us how much they appreciate having a way to finally clear out their garages or yards without worrying about the cost or logistics. It feels good to know we're making a tangible difference right here in our own backyard." The company's commitment to the West Valley extends beyond these quarterly donations. AZ Junk Removal & Dumpsters is actively involved in various community efforts, including cleaning up illegal dumping sites and partnering with local donation centers to ensure usable items are repurposed rather than sent to a landfill. This focus on environmental responsibility and community service is central to its business philosophy. The company continues to be a reliable partner for both residential and commercial junk removal and compact bin rentals throughout the region. About AZ Junk Removal & Dumpsters Founded in 2001, AZ Junk Removal & Dumpsters is a family-owned and operated company based in Waddell, Arizona. Specializing in junk removal, dumpster rentals, and light demolition services, the company serves residential and commercial clients across the Phoenix West Valley. With a focus on customer satisfaction, transparent pricing, and environmentally friendly practices, AZ Junk Removal & Dumpsters provides reliable solutions for creating clutter-free spaces. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280871 Source: GetFeatured Highlights Phase 1 construction at Hombre Muerto West (HMW) on track for first production in H1 2026, well timed to take advantage of a lithium market recovery Strategic expansion of Greenbushes South tenure Early completion of the second tranche of the Clean Elements leading to a strong financial position with cash of $15 M. (as at 31 December 2025), no debt and an undrawn US$ 6 M. prepayment facility PERTH, AU / ACCESS Newswire / January 19, 2026 / Galan Lithium Limited ( Galan or the Company ) presents its Quarterly Activities Report for the quarter ended 31 December 2025, along with activities up to the date of this release. During the quarter, Galan continued to focus on the construction of Phase 1 at its 100% owned HMW lithium brine project in Argentina. Galan delivered a series of material advancements at HMW that firmly position it to transition from developer to producer in H1 2026. In addition, Galan strategically expanded its footprint in the highly prospective Greenbushes region of Western Australia providing the opportunity to test the geological continuity between the Greenbushes Mine and Galan's tenure at Greenbushes South, 2 kilometres along strike. Figure 1. HMW site looking north Speaking on the progress achieved this quarter, Managing Director Juan Pablo ("JP") Vargas de la Vega said: " This was a strong quarter for Galan, marked by meaningful progress in construction activities at Hombre Muerto West. With construction funding for Phase 1 secured and workstreams well advanced, we remain firmly on track for first production in H1 2026. Importantly, we continue to assess the opportunity to expand Phase 1 capacity from 4,000 tpa LCE to a capacity above 5,000 tpa LCE by leveraging existing infrastructure and improving project scale. 2026 will be a transformative year for Galan and its shareholders, as we move toward production and cash flow at a time of vastly improved sentiment and market conditions for the lithium sector." Project Execution - Hombre Muerto West Execution of Phase 1 at HMW advanced materially during the quarter, with construction progressing in line with schedule toward first production in H1 2026. The Phase 1 nano-filtration plant was assembled and tested in Sydney, confirming performance in accordance with design parameters. Following testing, the plant was containerised and dispatched for shipment to site, with delivery expected in early 2026 and commissioning to follow. Figure 2. Load out of nano-filtration plant On site, substantial progress was made across evaporation ponds and plant infrastructure. Ponds 4 and 5 were redesigned and constructed to support the 4,000 tpa LCE Phase 1 production rate. Earthworks for the process plant were completed and the concrete foundation slab poured. Engineering and procurement activities remained focused on integrating the nano-filtration facility with the pond system. The majority of long-lead items are now on site or in transit. Figure 3. Completed earthworks and concrete foundations at HMW plant site The Company maintained a strong safety and environmental record during the quarter, with no lost time injuries and continued compliance with regulatory approvals and community engagement commitments. Overall, Phase 1 execution at HMW continues to progress as planned, supported by strong coordination between Galan, its contractors and strategic partners. Figure 4: Location of Galan's 100% owned HMW and Candelas Projects in Argentina Greenbushes South (WA) Strategic tenure expansion In October 2025, Galan was granted exploration licence E70/4889 and prospecting licences P70/1702, P70/1703 and P70/1704 by the Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. The new tenure is located approximately two kilometres south of, and along strike from, the Tier 1 Greenbushes lithium mine. Figure 5. Drone photo showing new tenements relative to the Greenbushes Mine Importantly, the licences cover the interpreted continuation of the primary mineralising structure associated with Greenbushes, including the Donnybrook-Bridgetown Shear Zone. This significantly enhances Galan's strategic landholding in one of the world's most prospective lithium districts and increases exposure to the structural corridor believed to control pegmatite emplacement. The licences provide an opportunity to test geological continuity between the Greenbushes system and Galan's existing tenure. Exploration planning is underway, building on previous airborne geophysical surveys, with initial work expected to commence in the second half of FY2026, subject to permitting and conditions. Further details will be provided once programs and budgets are finalised. Early completion of Clean Elements Placement In November 2025 Galan announced it had received the second and final A$10 million tranche of the A$20 million placement from the Clean Elements Fund. The accelerated completion of the placement reflected Clean Elements' confidence in HMW and provided the final equity piece required to fund Phase 1 construction. Completion of the placement followed a significant period of due diligence by the Clean Elements Fund which further validated HMW's world-class status. Financial Position Cash outflows during the quarter were primarily directed to construction activities at HMW (evaporation ponds, nano-filtration plant fabrication, site works) and corporate overheads. Net cash used in investing activities reflected capital expenditures on plant equipment and infrastructure. Payments to related parties during the quarter totalled approximately $0.32 million for director and consulting fees. The Galan Board has authorised the release of this December 2025 Quarterly Activities Report. For further information contact: COMPANY MEDIA Juan Pablo ("JP") Vargas de la Vega Matt Worner Managing Director Vector Advisors jp@galanlithium.com.au mworner@vectoradvisors.au + 61 8 9214 2150 +61 429 522 924 About Galan Galan Lithium Limited (ASX:GLN) is an ASX-listed lithium exploration and development business. Galan's flagship assets comprise two world-class lithium brine projects, HMW and Candelas, located on the Hombre Muerto Salar in Argentina, within South America's 'lithium triangle'. Galan is distinguished by: The size of its mineral resource. HMW is placed within the top 10 producing or development lithium projects globally, 1 The purity of its mineral resource. The HMW mineral resource has the lowest impurity profile of any published lithium brine resource in Argentina, Positioning on the cost curve. When in production, HMW is profiled to be in the first quartile of the industry cost curve, 2 Near term production with permitted expansion. Galan is on track for first lithium chloride production in 2026 and has the construction permits to expand HMW to 21 ktpa LCE, The RIGI. The RIGI is a large scale investment framework in Argentina which provides income tax benefits, 30 years of fiscal stability and a range of other financial benefits. Galan and Rio Tinto are the only recipients of the RIGI within the lithium industry in Argentina, and Exploration licences at Greenbushes South in Western Australia, close to and just south of the Tier 1 Greenbushes Lithium Mine. 1 S&P Global Metals & Mining. 2 Wood Mackenzie, iLi Markets SOURCE: Galan Lithium Limited View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/quarterly-activities-report-december-2025-1129170 SINGAPORE, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Osome , the Singapore-headquartered AI-enabled business management platform, recently announced the appointment of Eugenio Ferranteas its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This leadership transition comes at a defining moment for the company. Osome enters 2026 with back-to-back record months for revenue from new customers in November 2025 (100% YoY) and December 2025 (85% YoY). Other key metrics like Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) are also up by 22% and 25% YoY respectively showing a positive trend. The appointment marks the formalization of a transition that began 16 months ago when Ferrante joined the company in an advisory capacity. Focus on Reigniting Growth Osome rebuilt its commercial strategy from the ground up, focusing on predictable revenue quality over vanity metrics. The team transformed its sales and marketing functions, improved service delivery and customer satisfaction, resulting in 24 points higher satisfaction than traditional firm clients (according to insights from independent research firm ADNA ). "We stopped trying to be everything to everyone," says Ferrante. "We asked ourselves: what do global founders coming to Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates actually need? The answer was simple-remove the administrative chaos so they can focus on building their businesses." What Founders Actually Care About Osome's customers aren't looking for flashy features. They're looking for one thing: time. Time to build products, close deals, and grow their businesses without drowning in paperwork. Nadia Zueva and Andrei Rychkov, co-founders of AI fashion-tech startup Aesty, experienced this firsthand when incorporating from Dubai into Singapore. "Other companies took days or even weeks to respond," says Andrei. "With Osome, you always knew you'd get an answer within a day. It's just less stressful thinking about documents and taxes. We know the back end is covered, so we can focus on the product." Building Momentum Under Ferrante's leadership, Osome plans to make targeted investments in what it describes as "high-potential growth opportunities" while maintaining operational discipline. The company will focus on multiple segments, adapting its service offerings to meet specific needs in each market. Osome currently serves almost 10% of all tech startups in Singapore. The business administration services sector has seen significant growth as regulatory complexity increases and more entrepreneurs establish companies across multiple jurisdictions. Osome's multi-market presence positions it to serve the growing population of globally mobile founders establishing businesses in regional financial hubs. Osome's evolution rides on a broader platform strategy built around three priorities: giving founders clearer, real-time visibility into their financial position, reducing operational friction through more predictable month-end processes and automation, and strengthening decision support with continuously updated insights. Together, these efforts mark a shift from compliance-forward accounting toward a more integrated operating platform that combines AI-driven systems with expert human support. Passing on the Baton After establishing Osome's vision and leading the company from its inception to 30,000+ customers, Founder Victor Lysenko stepped down in 2025. The company extends its gratitude to Victor for making Osome what it is today. Looking ahead, Eugenio Ferrante will lead Osome's evolution, focusing on AI enablement, operational maturity, and profitability, bringing Osome's ambitious vision to reality. Until recently, Ferrante led Casa Mia Coliving (an all-inclusive community-focused co-living provider) to a successful exit. He brings a track record of building and scaling founder-led businesses with operational discipline in complex, regulated markets. He also founded ColivHQ, a SaaS platform for co-living and rental housing operators. Earlier in his career, Eugenio served as Chief of Staff at Acronis and has held senior regional and operational leadership roles at Parallels and Bain & Company. About Osome Osome is an AI-enabled business management platform founded in 2017, and has supported over 40,000 global startups & small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). With presence across Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates the company provides incorporation, accounting, bookkeeping, tax filing, and corporate secretarial services through proprietary technology that blends automation with human expertise. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2864258/Eugenio_Ferrante__CEO__Osome_Ltd.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/osome-achieves-record-growth-and-names-eugenio-ferrante-as-ceo-302664414.html London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - January 19, 2026) - FiNext Conference has officially announced Alona Shevtsova as one of the featured speakers at FiNext Conference Dubai 2026, one of the leading international events dedicated to financial innovation, fintech, and the future of the global financial industry. Alona Shevtsova To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10281/280844_25048d9544bf9aad_001full.jpg The conference, which will take place on February 11, 2026, in Dubai, will bring together executives, regulators, investors, and technology leaders to discuss key trends shaping finance, including digital payments, financial infrastructure, compliance, and innovation-driven growth. "FiNext Conference is an important platform for meaningful dialogue between fintech leaders, regulators, and innovators. I am honored to take part in this event and to share practical perspectives on how regulated financial institutions can drive innovation while maintaining trust, security, and compliance. Dubai has become a global hub for financial technology, and these discussions are more relevant than ever," Alona Shevtsova told UA.NEWS. At FiNext Conference Dubai 2026, Alona Shevtsova is expected to share insights on the transformation of digital finance, the role of regulated EMIs in global markets, and the challenges and opportunities facing fintech companies in 2026 and beyond. FiNext Conference Dubai 2026 is organized by InternetShine Technologies and is expected to attract thousands of participants from across the global financial and technology sectors. About Alona Shevtsova Alona Shevtsova is a recognized fintech executive and the CEO of Sends, a UK-based electronic money institution (EMI) operating under British regulatory standards. At Sends, Shevtsova plays a central role in developing secure payment solutions, cross-border financial services, and modern digital infrastructure for businesses operating in global markets. Under her leadership, Sends has focused on compliance-driven innovation, transparency, and scalability-key factors in the evolving fintech ecosystem. Her professional expertise spans electronic payments, financial regulation, risk management, and international financial operations. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280844 Source: Sends LOS ANGELES, Calif., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hozpitality Group Inc., a global professional networking and hiring platform dedicated to the hospitality industry, today announced the launch of Free Corporate Accounts, enabling hospitality businesses to create verified profiles and actively engage on the platform at no cost. The initiative removes traditional entry barriers for employers while reinforcing Hozpitality's mission to connect hospitality brands, talent, and industry stakeholders on a single, purpose-built platform. With a Free Corporate Account, companies can receive Blue Tick verification, build a branded presence on Hozpitality, post unlimited job openings, manage applications through a centralized dashboard, publish articles and announcements, promote products and offers, and gain visibility across Hozpitality's SEO-optimized web pages - all with no obligations and no credit card required. "Hospitality is fundamentally a people-driven industry, yet access to hiring tools and visibility has often been limited by cost," said Raj Bhatt, Founder & CEO of Hozpitality Group Inc. "By opening our platform for free, we're ensuring that every hospitality business - regardless of size - has the opportunity to be seen, to hire, and to grow. This is about empowering the industry, not replacing premium solutions." Free Access with Clear Growth Pathways While core access to the platform is now free, Hozpitality continues to offer Starter, Growth, and Enterprise plans designed for companies seeking expanded reach, faster hiring cycles, and enhanced brand exposure. "Free access removes friction, but scale requires strategy," Bhatt added. "Our premium plans are built for businesses that want to move faster - with direct candidate outreach, higher exposure beyond followers, featured placements, media visibility, integrations, and priority support. The free tier opens the door; our paid plans help organizations accelerate." Details of all available plans are available at:-https://www.hozpitality.com/packages Strengthening the Hospitality Ecosystem Hozpitality was created to serve as more than a recruitment platform. It functions as a professional ecosystem where employers, talent, suppliers, educators, and industry leaders can connect, share knowledge, and build long-term value. "The hospitality industry thrives on relationships, reputation, and visibility," Bhatt said. "Our vision is to become the digital backbone of hospitality - where hiring, branding, content, and community coexist. Making the platform free to use is a natural step toward building a stronger, more inclusive global hospitality network." About Hozpitality Group Inc. Hozpitality Group Inc. is a hospitality-focused professional platform designed to connect employers, talent, and industry stakeholders worldwide. The platform offers recruitment solutions, employer branding tools, content publishing, marketplace access, events, media exposure, and enterprise services tailored specifically for the hospitality sector. For more information or to create a Free Corporate Account, visit: www.hozpitality.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2684265/5669269/Hozpitality_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hozpitality-opens-platform-with-free-corporate-accounts-to-expand-access-and-accelerate-hiring-across-the-hospitality-industry-302664979.html Elovate, a Modaxo company, was selected via Virginia's RFP process and to support VSP's mission of reducing speed-related incidents in high-risk work zones. RICHMOND, VIRGINIA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Elovate is proud to announce that it has been awarded a new contract with the Virginia State Police (VSP) to deploy and manage a comprehensive, turnkey Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program in highway work zones across Virginia. The contract begins with an initial Proof of Concept (POC) period of six to nine months, followed by a five-year base contract with the option of five additional one-year extensions, subject to mutual agreement. During the POC phase, the program will be deployed in up to five work zone locations across the state. With VSP's oversight, Elovate will manage the process, including equipment provisioning and maintenance, violation review, citation, and correspondence management. VSP will validate all citations generated by the photo speed-monitoring devices. All fees collected for ASE summonses issued by VSP under current law will revert to the Virginia Literary Fund, which provides low-interest loans for school construction, supports Virginia Public School Authority technology, and provides grant funding for school security equipment, among other things. Elovate, a Modaxo company, was selected via Virginia's RFP process and to support VSP's mission of reducing speed-related incidents in high-risk work zones. Why this matters in Virginia Speeding in work zones in Virginia remains a serious threat to worker and motorist safety. In 2024 there were 1,143 speeding-related crashes in work zones - including seven fatalities - and speeding contributes to 31% of crashes and 42% of fatalities/serious injuries in Virginia work zones. Under Virginia law (Va. Code 46.2?882.1), photo speed-monitoring devices may be operated in highway work zones (and school crossing zones) when workers are present. The law further requires signage notifying motorists that photo enforcement is in use. ASE has been designated a "Proven Safety Countermeasure" by the Federal Highway Administration. Localities across Virginia are now including ASE as part of their safety toolkit. For example: In the City of Richmond, since the launch of a school-zone camera pilot in November 2023, over 14,000 citations have been issued around two schools alone. The City of Richmond has since approved expansion to additional school zones and integration of the enforcement tool into its Vision Zero strategy. In Prince William County, data from an ASE pilot program show a decrease of 3 to 6 mph in the 85th percentile speed in active school zones with photo enforcement - a statistically significant driver-behavior change. These examples help illustrate the readiness of Virginia agencies to deploy ASE technologies, and the measurable benefits in driver behavior and safety. Looking Ahead During the initial POC period, Elovate will monitor performance, document speed reduction and compliance improvements, coordinate closely with VSP and partner agencies, and prepare for scaling to the long-term contract. As the program expands, Elovate and VSP anticipate significant improvements in work zone safety outcomes: fewer speed related crashes, fewer near misses, and safer conditions for road workers and motorists alike. "Highway work zones are some of the most dangerous environments for both road workers and drivers," said Lieutenant Colonel Todd M. Taylor, Virginia State Police Bureau of Field Operations Director. "We look forward to working closely with our partners to make work zones across the Commonwealth safer for everyone." Scott Winks, Modaxo Group Leader and Elovate General Manager, added, "We've seen meaningful success and measurable safety improvements through our existing automated enforcement programs in Virginia communities like Fairfax, Prince William County, and Richmond. Our new partnership with the Virginia State Police marks the next step in that journey. We're proud to help expand these efforts statewide and support safer roads for all Virginians." About Elovate Elovate provides advanced automated traffic enforcement solutions designed to improve road safety and community well-being. With a focus on innovation and transparency, Elovate's technologies support municipalities in enforcing traffic laws effectively and equitably. Contact Information Anna Buchner Marketing Director anna.buchner@elovate.com +1888-3568-283 SOURCE: Elovate View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/electronics-and-engineering/elovate-signs-turn-key-automated-speed-enforcement-contract-with-virgin-1128698 GURUGRAM, India, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on more than 450 years of academic excellence in the UK, Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet, in partnership with GEDU Global Education, has announced its first branch campus in India, to be located in Gurugram, opening in August 2026. With a legacy rooted in academic distinction, Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet stands among the most prestigious institutions in the world. Founded in 1573 by a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I, the school has consistently set global benchmarks in academic excellence, character building and leadership development. The Gurugram campus represents the next chapter in this journey, bringing the same heritage, ethos and academic rigour to India. The India campus will reflect the educational philosophy that has made Queen Elizabeth's School one of the most respected names in global K12 education. It will deliver a curriculum grounded in academic depth, intellectual discipline and holistic development, designed to prepare students for leadership in an increasingly interconnected world. The school will offer an exceptional, vibrant campus life that is focused on academic excellence and co-curricular activities, providing students with a learning environment drawing inspiration from both the founding school and the wider local context in Gurugram. It will include world-class sport facilities, a swimming pool and specialist creative and performing arts facilities. Speaking on the occasion, Caroline Pendleton-Nash, Chief Executive Officer of Queen Elizabeth's Global Schools, said, "The opening of Queen Elizabeth's School in Gurugram is another landmark moment for our organisation." "Children born in India now will be graduating in 2047, entering the workforce of an economic, political and cultural superpower. "A world-class K12 education will be critical to ensure these individuals seize the opportunities that are presented to them, and support the aspirations of Viksit Bharat 2047. "We're honoured to bring the heritage, values and exacting standards of Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet to Indian students and families. With GEDU Global Education's long-term commitment to India, we are building a school that will nurture confident, capable and principled young people who are prepared to lead with purpose in a rapidly changing and competitive world." With a second Queen Elizabeth's School campus planned for 2027-28, GEDU has also committed to investing an additional 150-200 million over the next three years across India's K12 and higher education landscape. GEDU's investments and partnerships in the country reflect its long-term vision of building a network of exceptional K12 and higher education institutions. Through these efforts, GEDU aims to significantly elevate access, quality, and opportunity across India's education sector. Neil Enright, Headmaster of Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet, said "We are delighted to have this opportunity to offer a rounded and enriching QE education to children in India, spreading opportunity and supporting students to become the leaders of their generation. Our school in Barnet is built upon the high levels of aspiration, dedication and active engagement of our Elizabethan community, and these are values that we think will resonate strongly in Gurugram." "We are excited by the potential for international collaboration, which, in time, will build a global network of Elizabethans for the benefit of our new students as well as those within the state sector in Barnet." Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet was recently named The Sunday Times State secondary School of the Year, also winning national recognition as State School of the Year for Academic Excellence and for A-levels. The school ranked first in the sector nationally for GCSE and A-level results. "The QE experience is so much more than what goes on within the classroom" added Mr Enright. "The breadth and depth of our co-curricular activities (from sport to the arts, debating to robotics), bespoke pastoral care and expert guidance, means that we succeed in our enduring mission to produce fully rounded young people who are confident, able and responsible." Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India. British Council said: "I congratulate Queen Elizabeth's School on opening its first campus in India, in Gurugram, which will strengthen connections and create greater opportunities for young people in both India and the UK. This Initiative complements the UK-India Vision 2035, to internationalise education and help young people gain a deeper understanding of each other's countries - especially modern UK and India - while building trust and equipping them with the skills to succeed anywhere in the world." Alba Smeriglio, Deputy High Commissioner, British Deputy High Commission Chandigarh said: "Education is one of the strongest bridges between the UK and India. The opening of Queen Elizabeth's School in Gurugram is an exciting milestone for UK-India ties and will help nurture skills, promote exchange of best practice, and expand opportunities for young people in Haryana to engage with world-class British education". The leadership for the school will be announced in the coming weeks, comprising an expert international team with decades of experience across global education. For more information, visit www.qegurugram.com About GEDU GEDU Global Education (GEDU) is changing lives through education and making a fundamental difference to living standards and access to learning globally. We have operations in 16 countries, including the USA, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Malta, UAE, India, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Ireland and Canada. We offer a range of educational opportunities- from K-12 through Bachelor's , Master's degrees and Ph.D./DBA, plus apprenticeships and language schools. Our portfolio has over 85,000 students, covers a wide range of subjects and is characterised by a keen focus on both employability and student experience to maximise return on investment for students. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/queen-elizabeths-global-schools-to-open-branch-campus-in-gurugram-302664512.html MISURATA, Libya, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Misurata Free Zone (MFZ) signs a landmark public-private partnership to modernize, manage, develop, and expand the Misurata Free Zone Port, Libya's main container gateway and the country's most commercially active maritime hub. This agreement marks the first major Public-Private-Partnership infrastructure project outside Libya's energy sector, signalling a new phase in the country's economic recovery and ability to attract reputable global operators and investors. Under the terms of the partnership, MFZ will collaborate with Maha Capital Partners (MCP), an international infrastructure investor headquartered in Doha, and Terminal Investment Limited (TIL), the port operator of MSC, the world's largest container shipping line. Together, the partners aim to transform Misurata Port into a modern, efficient, high-capacity facility that strengthens Libya's role in regional and global trade. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Abdulhamid Aldabiba Prime Minister of Libya stated: "This partnership represents an important milestone in Libya's economic recovery and infrastructure modernisation. It demonstrates our commitment to rebuilding strategic assets through structured public-private cooperation and to creating the conditions for sustainable growth, investment, and international confidence." MFZ Chairman Muhsin M. Sigutri added: "This partnership reflects Misurata's determination to build modern, internationally competitive infrastructure that can unlock new industries, support local employment, and strengthen Libya's position within regional and global supply chains. MFZ was created to be a gateway for investment and growth, today we take a decisive step toward realising that vision." Established in 2000 as Libya's first and largest free zone, MFZ oversees a 2,576-hectare economic area, with plans to reach 20,000 hectares, and manages the port that handles around 60-65% of all of Libya's container trade. The partnership includes: Expansion of container-handling capacity to accommodate larger vessels and support complex logistics chains. Integration with MFZ's industrial ecosystem, boosting opportunities for SMEs, manufacturing, and value-added services. Deployment of state-of-the-art terminal equipment and digital systems. Enhanced safety, performance, and environmental standards, aligning operations with world-class benchmarks. Long-term job creation. The partnership also establishes the foundation for Misurata's evolution into a deep-sea port, a central ambition for Libya's competitiveness in the Mediterranean. This future development forms part of a broader investment programme to be deployed in phases. These upgrades reinforce Misurata's historic role as one of Libya's most dynamic commercial centres and a symbol of resilience since 2011. Image Sept: Leslie Jung / Marie-Luce Skraburski MFZ@image7.fr Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2864652/Misurata_Free_Zone.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2864651/5724341/Misurata_Free_Zone_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/misurata-free-zone-authority-signs-2-7-billion-landmark-ppp-to-transform-misurata-free-zone-port-into-a-leading-mediterranean-gateway-and-transhipment-hub-302664742.html Progress on share buyback programme ING announced today that, as part of our 1.1 billion share buyback programme announced on 30 October 2025, in total 1,822,110 shares were repurchased during the week of 12 January up to and including 16 January 2026. The shares were repurchased at an average price of 24.87 for a total amount of 45,309,463.19. For detailed information on the daily repurchased shares, individual share purchase transactions and weekly reports, see the updates on the share buyback programmeon our website. In line with the purpose of the programme to reduce the share capital of ING, the total number of shares repurchased under this programme to date is 21,006,882 at an average price of 22.94 for a total consideration of 481,949,417.84. To date approximately 43.81% of the maximum total value of the share buyback programme has been completed. Note for editors For further information on ING, please visit www.ing.com. Frequent news updates can be found in the Newsroom. Photos of ING operations, buildings and its executives are available for download at Flickr. Press enquiries Investor enquiries ING Group Media Relations ING Group Investor Relations +31 20 576 5000 +31 20 576 6396 media.relations@ing.com (mailto:media.relations@ing.com) Investor.Relations@ing.com (mailto:Investor.Relations@ing.com) ING PROFILE ING is a global financial institution with a strong European base, offering banking services through its operating company ING Bank. The purpose of ING Bank is: empowering people to stay a step ahead in life and in business. ING Bank's more than 60,000 employees offer retail and wholesale banking services to customers in over 100 countries. ING Group shares are listed on the exchanges of Amsterdam (INGA NA, INGA.AS), Brussels and on the New York Stock Exchange (ADRs: ING US, ING.N). ING aims to put sustainability at the heart of what we do. Our policies and actions are assessed by independent research and ratings providers, which give updates on them annually. ING's ESG rating by MSCI has been upgraded from 'AA' to 'AAA' in October 2025. As of June 2025, in Sustainalytics' view, ING's management of ESG material risk is 'Strong' with an ESG risk rating of 18.0 (low risk). ING Group shares are also included in major sustainability and ESG index products of leading providers. Here are some examples: Euronext, STOXX, Morningstar and FTSE Russell. Society is transitioning to a low-carbon economy. So are our clients, and so is ING. We finance a lot of sustainable activities, but we still finance more that's not. Follow our progress on ing.com/climate. IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION Elements of this press release contain or may contain information about ING Groep N.V. and/ or ING Bank N.V. within the meaning of Article 7(1) to (4) of EU Regulation No 596/2014 ('Market Abuse Regulation'). ING Group's annual accounts are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union ('IFRS- EU'). In preparing the financial information in this document, except as described otherwise, the same accounting principles are applied as in the 2024 ING Group consolidated annual accounts. All figures in this document are unaudited. Small differences are possible in the tables due to rounding. Certain of the statements contained herein are not historical facts, including, without limitation, certain statements made of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to di?er materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Actual results, performance or events may di?er materially from those in such statements due to a number of factors, including, without limitation: This document may contain ESG-related material that has been prepared by ING on the basis of publicly available information, internally developed data and other third-party sources believed to be reliable. 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This document does not constitute an o?er to sell, or a solicitation of an o?er to purchase, any securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Attachment 2026 startet mit einem Paukenschlag: Der DAX outperformt den US-Markt, Nachzugler holen auf. Ein erstes Signal, dass der Bullenmarkt an Breite gewinnt. Wahrend viele Anleger weiter auf die groen Tech-Namen setzen, hat sich im Hintergrund langst ein Umschwung vollzogen. Der Fokus verschiebt sich weg von uberteuerten KI-Highflyern hin zu soliden Qualitatswerten aus der zweiten Reihe. Anleger, die jetzt clever agieren, setzen nicht auf das, was war, sondern auf das, was kommt. Unternehmen mit gesunder Bilanz, unterschatztem Potenzial und begrenztem Abwartsrisiko konnten 2026 zu den groen Gewinnern zahlen. Die Gefahr einer scharferen Korrektur bleibt real, gerade fur passiv aufgestellte Investoren. In unserem neuen Spezialreport stellen wir funf Aktien vor, die genau jetzt das Potenzial fur uberdurchschnittliche Renditen bieten. Stark, gunstig und bislang kaum im Fokus. Jetzt kostenlosen Report herunterladen bevor es andere tun! Dieses exklusive PDF ist nur fur kurze Zeit gratis verfugbar. HIAB CORPORATION, INSIDE INFORMATION, 20 JANUARY 2026 AT 10.00 AM (EET) INSIDE INFORMATION: Hiab plans to evolve operating model to drive scalability and customer focus and provides update on programme targeting lower cost level Hiab is planning to evolve its operating model as a crucial step to drive long-term scalability and customer focus. The company would realign its structure of six divisions into three business areas. The planned change would strengthen Hiab's position as the technological leader in on-road load handling and ensure resilience of the company. The proposed new structure is planned to be effective during the second quarter of 2026, at which point the strategic realignment into three business areas would be fully operational subject to work council negotiations in relevant jurisdictions. In addition to three business areas, Hiab would continue to have five functions with leaders reporting to President and CEO, Scott Phillips. Changes in Hiab Leadership Team: Due to the plans, as of 1 April 2026, Hiab Leadership Team will consist of: Scott Phillips, President and CEO, Mikko Puolakka, Executive Vice President, CFO Michael Bruninx, President, Services Hermanni Lyyski, President, Delivery Solutions Magdalena Wojtowicz-Tokarz, President, Lifting Solutions Kimberly Allan, Executive Vice President, Business Excellence Ghita Jansson-Kiuru, Executive Vice President, People & Culture Birgitte Skade, Executive Vice President, Marketing & Communications Taina Tirkkonen, Executive Vice President, General Counsel The current Hiab Leadership Team will continue to lead the organization through the transition period. Barry McGrane, Jenny McGeough, and Martin Saint will be proposed to continue in their roles as Division Presidents, reporting into the three planned new business areas. The new operating model would not impact Hiab's external reporting. The company would continue to have two reporting segments, Equipment and Services. "We are shaping Hiab for its next phase of growth. To succeed in a world that is evolving faster than ever, we need an operating model that is simpler, more scalable, and designed to grow with us. This evolution is about creating clarity, speed, and ownership-so we can focus our energy where it matters most: our customers, creating the innovations that matter most for our customers, and our people that make it all possible. I would like to thank Barry, Jenny and Martin for their contribution to the Leadership Team in the past years, as they are proposed to continue in their roles as Division Presidents, " says Scott Phillips, Hiab's President and CEO. Update on programme targeting lower cost level In connection with the third quarter 2025 interim report, Hiab announced the initiation of planning of a programme targeting to reach approximately EUR 20 million lower cost levels in 2026 compared to 2025. With the programme, Hiab aims to proactively adjust to continued uncertainty in the market environment. Initial estimates indicate that subject to works council negotiations in relevant jurisdictions, the planned measures could result in the reduction of approximately 480 roles globally, of which approximately 60 is expected to impact on operations in Finland. The detailed consequences of these planned changes will be communicated and, where necessary, negotiated locally as the plans progress. Costs related to the programme would be booked as items affecting comparability mainly in 2026. For further information, please contact: Birgitte Skade, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Communications Email: birgitte.skade@hiab.com tel. +358 20 777 4000 Further information for investors: Aki Vesikallio, Vice President, Investor Relations, tel. +358 40 729 1670 Hiab Chicago, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - MOOvers Chicago today released its 2025 Chicago Moving Market Intelligence Report, offering fresh insights into Chicago real estate and relocation trends based on a proprietary analysis of 2,599 residential moves totaling $3.74 million in revenue across 18 neighbourhoods. MOOvers Chicago Releases 2025 Moving Market Intelligence Report: Costs Up 15-25% To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/280777_81cdd7d64410fa03_002full.jpg The report reveals stark geographic imbalances in Chicago's residential moving market: the North Side dominated 42% of all relocations, led by high-demand neighborhoods Lake View (8.6%), Lincoln Park (7.5%), and Albany Park (6.8%) together capturing 22.1% of total volume. In sharp contrast, the South Side accounted for only 3.6%, pointing to significant untapped growth opportunities. Average move costs reached $1,441, with premium-tier relocations (31% of moves) averaging $1,500-$1,750+ due to high-rise complexity, certificate of insurance (COI) requirements, and parking constraints. "The data paints a clear picture: Chicago's moving market is heavily concentrated in premium North Side corridors where logistics drive up costs dramatically - yet vast opportunities remain underserved on the South Side," said Daniel Iordan, CEO of MOOvers Chicago. "This intelligence helps real estate agents better advise clients on hidden relocation expenses, enables property managers to optimize vendor selection, and guides moving companies toward smarter resource allocation in a competitive landscape." Key insights include: Premium Pricing Drivers: North Side and Downtown moves command 15-25% higher rates due to multi-story walk-ups, insurance processing, and the need for specialized crews Cost-Saving Opportunities: Off-season moves (October-April) can save clients 15-25%; weekday scheduling reduces expenses by 10-20% Market Segmentation: Standard-tier moves (47%) deliver volume-driven efficiency at $1,200-$1,500, while budget options serve price-sensitive segments As remote work flexibility and housing affordability continue to shape urban migration patterns in 2026, these findings provide timely, actionable guidance for Chicago's real estate and relocation ecosystem. The full interactive report - including detailed neighborhood breakdowns, seasonal trends, and visualizations - is now publicly available at www.mooverschicago.com/chicago-moving-trends. The case study is available at https://mooverschicago.com/chicago-moving-trends. About MOOvers Chicago Inc Since 2014, MOOvers Chicago has provided professional and dependable moving services throughout the metropolitan area, with a strong focus on transparency and operational excellence. The company continues to stand out through its proprietary industry intelligence and commitment to quality. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280777 Source: Plentisoft Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Programme is pleased to announce that its Executive Chairman, His Excellency Calvin St. Juste, has been invited to serve on the Board of Governance of the Asian Institute of Artificial Intelligence (AIAI). The invitation, extended to H.E. St. Juste in his personal capacity, reflects international recognition of his leadership in public-sector modernisation, governance, and technology-enabled reform. This appointment also underscores the global relevance of the digital transformation agenda being advanced under his chairmanship. The Asian Institute of Artificial Intelligence is a newly established research and academic institution dedicated to the advancement of responsible, ethical, and inclusive artificial intelligence in Nepal and across the wider Asian region. Commenting on the appointment, H.E. St. Juste said the invitation represents an important professional milestone, while also reinforcing the strategic direction being pursued at the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Programme. "I am deeply honoured by this invitation from the Asian Institute of Artificial Intelligence," said His Excellency Calvin St. Juste. "While this appointment is a personal one, it reflects the values and forward-looking reforms that we are embedding within the Citizenship Programme of St. Kitts and Nevis." The appointment aligns closely with the Programme's six core principles, particularly its focus on digital transformation, transparency, efficiency, global leadership, and good governance. Under H.E. St. Juste's leadership, the Programme has undertaken a comprehensive modernisation strategy aimed at strengthening institutional resilience and international confidence. Key initiatives include the integration of blockchain-verified certificates within the due diligence process, enhancing data integrity, traceability, and security. Also planned is the rollout of advanced biometric systems, further reinforcing identity verification, compliance, and programme integrity. "These reforms demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that St. Kitts and Nevis remains at the forefront of innovation and responsible governance within the global investment migration industry," H.E. St. Juste said. "AI, when applied thoughtfully, is a powerful tool for strengthening public trust and national competitiveness." H.E. St. Juste's participation on the AIAI Board of Governance creates opportunities for broader international engagement between emerging technology institutions and global policy and financial ecosystems. "Responsible artificial intelligence, much like responsible investment governance, depends on leadership, sound policy frameworks, and cross-border collaboration," H.E. St. Juste added. "I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the global dialogue on how AI-driven innovation can be harnessed ethically and inclusively, in full alignment with international compliance standards and the shared vision of AI for Good." The latest development reaffirms the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Programme's commitment to continuous improvement, international cooperation, and the adoption of best-in-class technologies. More information on the Asian Institute of Artificial Intelligence is available at: https://www.aiai.edu.np/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280804 Source: St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit Amentum (NYSE: AMTM), a global leader in advanced engineering and technology solutions, has been selected as the program delivery partner for the first deployments of the Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor (SMR). In the UK, Rolls-Royce SMR will deliver up to 1.5GW of low-carbon energy to the grid, supporting the UK's net zero goals and creating more than 8,000 quality long-term British jobs. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260120029004/en/ Amentum and Rolls Royce SMR will define what's possible in nuclear energy and small, scalable reactors. (Image courtesy of Rolls-Royce SMR Ltd.) Rolls-Royce SMR and Amentum have signed a collaborative agreement giving Amentum the program delivery role responsible for integration, oversight and governance, construction management and execution of SMR deployment. Amentum will immediately work on ensuring successful delivery of the first Rolls-Royce SMRs in the UK and Czech Republic. In partnership with Rolls-Royce SMR, the company will deploy its full nuclear life cycle experience to oversee multi-functional program execution and integrated planning to support the on-time and on-budget delivery of SMR-generated power. "The Amentum Rolls-Royce SMR collaboration advances the deployment of this transformational technology, a critical enabler in strengthening energy security in the UK and continental Europe," said John Heller, chief executive officer of Amentum. "Amentum brings its industry-leading expertise as a project delivery partner for complex energy infrastructure to the forefront of small modular reactor deployment, ushering in the next generation of clean, reliable energy." "Amentum will support the deployment of a fleet of Rolls-Royce SMRs, contributing to our growth and our plan to create new jobs in the UK over the next four years," said Loren Jones, senior vice president and head of Amentum's Energy and Environment-International business. "Amentum's deep nuclear expertise and robust supplier network are ideal to support growing energy requirements and drive long-term industrial growth." "By working with Amentum, an established and experienced global nuclear leader, we are combining our skills to build a powerful team that will enable successful delivery on our order commitments in multiple markets," said Rolls-Royce SMR chief executive Chris Cholerton. "We have secured a world-leading partner that is fully invested in our success. This partnership plays directly to our strengths ours in advanced manufacturing and engineering, and theirs in program and construction excellence. It is a truly synergistic relationship that strengthens our overall offering." "Partnering with Amentum to successfully deliver the Rolls-Royce SMR program is an important moment for us," said Ruth Todd CBE, Rolls-Royce SMR's operations and supply chain director. "This partnership supplements our existing capabilities with specialist expertise, geographical reach and provides access to the breadth of Amentum's wider supply chain. It ensures we are equipped to deliver our programs in the UK, Czech Republic, in Sweden and globally with confidence, scale and robust delivery assurance. The Amentum Rolls-Royce SMR collaboration advances our deployment plans significantly." With global electricity demand expected to double in the coming decades, Rolls-Royce SMR offers a radically different approach to new nuclear: smaller, scalable factory-built nuclear power plants that can be deployed, using a modular approach, for a range of applications. Amentum was part of a consortium of supply chain companies that began working with Rolls-Royce in 2016 to develop a new kind of modular power station to meet the growing need for nuclear generated electricity. Amentum is supported in this role by supply chain partners Turner Townsend, Hochtief, Mace Consult and Unipart. About Amentum Amentum is a global leader in advanced engineering and innovative technology solutions, trusted by the United States and its allies to address their most significant and complex challenges in science, security and sustainability. Our people apply undaunted curiosity, relentless ambition and boundless imagination to challenge convention and drive progress. Our commitments are underpinned by the belief that safety, collaboration and well-being are integral to success. Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, we have approximately 50,000 employees in more than 70 countries across all 7 continents. About Amentum in the United Kingdom With more than 6,000 people in the UK, Amentum is the delivery partner for program, project and construction management services at Hinkley Point C; sole program and project management delivery partner at Sizewell C; and also supports the UK's existing nuclear power stations under a Lifetime Enterprise Agreement with EDF. It is a major supplier of engineering design, safety case and project management at Sellafield and other UK nuclear decommissioning sites and operates the country's largest private sector complex of nuclear laboratories and engineering test facilities in Warrington. In the defence sector, Amentum has an essential role in the UK's continuous at-sea deterrent by providing safety advice and technology services for the Royal Navy's nuclear submarines and program management and engineering support for AWE. Amentum's specialist teams also assist procurement and operational delivery of goods and services across the whole of the UK Ministry of Defence. Visit us at www.amentum.com to learn how we advance the future together. Follow @Amentum_corp on X Follow Amentum on LinkedIn Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains or incorporates by reference statements by Amentum Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") that relate to future events and expectations and, as such, constitute "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements may be characterized by terminology such as "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "forecast," "outlook," "target," "endeavor," "seek," "predict," "intend," "strategy," "plan," "may," "could," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements, other than historical facts, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the anticipated work and revenue under the awarded contract, and the Company's objectives, expectations and intentions, applicable legal, economic and regulatory conditions, and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing, are forward-looking statements. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in or implied by these forward-looking statements, including those factors discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including, among others: the occurrence of an accident or safety incident; the ability of the Company to control costs, meet performance requirements or contractual schedules; and other factors set forth under Item 1A, Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2024, which can be found at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or the Investor Relations portion of our website at www.amentum.com. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260120029004/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Stephen Brauner +44.7875.877120 stephen.brauner@global.amentum.com Investor Contact: Nathan Rutledge IR@amentum.com Thoughtworks' agentic development platform developed to support both technology modernization and greenfield development. CHICAGO, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Thoughtworks, a global technology consultancy that integrates design, engineering and AI to drive digital innovation, today announced the launch of AI/works, a new agentic development platform that sets the standard for modernizing legacy systems and building new industrial-grade technology products and platforms in the AI era. We believe the platform allows us to build higher quality technology while fundamentally improving the economics of the building, maintaining, and operating enterprise-grade technologies. For decades, Thoughtworks has shaped many of the practices that define modern software delivery, including Agile, microservices and continuous delivery. AI/works extends that lineage into the AI era by unifying legacy system understanding, requirements enhancement, dynamic automated specifications generation, and agentic code generation and testing in one platform built for complex enterprise environments. AI adoption is accelerating across industries, yet many organizations remain limited by the gap between AI ambition and legacy system reality. While emerging agentic platforms often assume clean-slate architectures or narrow productivity enhancements, AI/works is engineered for the hybrid conditions in which enterprises operate. AI/works brings these worlds into one continuous flow. Our first set of clients building on AI/works show modernization cycles that once took years can now be completed in months, with significant cost reductions and dramatic time-to-market improvements, all while generating higher quality code. The platform enables Thoughtworks' 3-3-3 delivery model, providing a path from idea to production in 90 days, and plays well with leading ecosystems including AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Databricks and Snowflake. Through a collaboration with Mechanical Orchard, AI/works also supports deep mainframe renewal. "Every CEO and CIO I meet is trying to unlock AI value inside the reality of their existing systems, not in idealized greenfield environments," said Mike Sutcliff, CEO of Thoughtworks. "AI/works is built for those conditions. It understands the systems organizations have, accelerates the systems they need next and keeps everything current as the landscape shifts. The magic comes from the combination of the platform and our deeply talented technologists. Together they deliver results with speed and confidence." AI/works uses AI-enabled reverse engineering to interpret legacy applications and convert them into structured specifications enriched with regulatory, security and industry context. These specifications guide agentic workflows that generate production-grade code, automated tests and deployment pipelines. Once deployed, the platform continuously regenerates affected components as requirements evolve, reducing reliance on manual patching and avoiding large-scale rebuilds. Agentic engineering is emerging quickly as a competitive category. Several major firms are entering the space, yet most tools focus on accelerating new code rather than solving the structural challenges enterprises face. "AI/works stands out because it addresses the entire lifecycle, from understanding and renewing legacy systems to building what comes next," said R "Ray" Wang, CEOat Constellation Research. "This sets a new bar for the category." AI/works is available now through a co-innovation program. Broader availability will expand through Thoughtworks' AI that works initiative and Q1 launch activities. Organizations can request a demo at https://www.thoughtworks.com/ai/works Supporting resources Learn more about the Thoughtworks AI/works. AI/works. Keep up with Thoughtworks news by visiting the company's website. Follow Thoughtworks on X, LinkedIn and YouTube. About Thoughtworks Thoughtworks is a global technology consultancy that integrates design, engineering and AI to drive digital innovation. The company has more than 10,000 employees across 47 offices in 18 countries. For more than 30 years, Thoughtworks has delivered impact with its clients by solving complex business challenges with technology as the differentiator. Media contacts Justine Manche VP, Brand and Communications Email: justine.manche@thoughtworks.com Kathrin Jansing Head of Public Relations for Europe and interim for Americas Email: kathrin.jansing@thoughtworks.com Michelle Surendran Head of Public Relations for APAC and India Email: michels@thoughtworks.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2864254/ai_works.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1554341/ThoughtWorks_v1_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/aiworks-heralds-a-new-era-of-agile-and-next-generation-software-development-302664467.html LONDON, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In a world of rapid technological change, countries that combine innovation and labour market flexibility are best placed to adapt and thrive in a changing economic landscape. A new global report from Hays reveals where businesses can find this dual advantage and why it matters. The Hays Global Talent Tracker, developed with Oxford Economics, offers a comprehensive view of labour market dynamics across 35 countries, assessing hundreds of indicators from workforce participation and skills development to legislative flexibility and tech talent availability. The analysis shows that flexibility without innovation creates companies that are quick to respond to market changes, but struggle to create truly cutting-edge products and services, whereas innovation without flexibility slows progress, making the combination essential for future-ready economies. In the UK, innovation remains a core strength, underpinned by world-class research institutions, a thriving tech sector and strong investment in AI and digital services. However, labour market rigidity and persistent skills shortages, particularly in STEM and digital roles, pose challenges when it comes to agility. To stay competitive, UK businesses must balance their innovation advantage with greater flexibility, such as targeted upskilling and flexible work patterns, ensuring they can adapt quickly to disruption and harness emerging technologies. Talent Market Flexibility measures how quickly labour markets can respond to evolving business needs, enabling rapid hiring, workforce mobility and flexible work models. Markets with employer-friendly regulations and strong redeployment capabilities rank higher. China and Thailand lead with streamlined hiring processes and a strong supply of temporary talent, allowing businesses to scale quickly. The UAE stands out for efficient visa processes and flexible contract structures, though protections vary. Mature markets such as the Netherlands, UK, and Switzerland score lower due to rigid frameworks that support stability but limit agility. Talent Innovation evaluates a country's innovation ecosystem, including R&D investment, tech adoption, digital skills and collaboration between academia and industry. Leaders invest in AI, automation and digital literacy, to drive long-term transformation. The US, Singapore, UK, and Ireland exemplify innovation readiness. The US leads with world-class research institutions and deep investment in frontier technologies. Singapore combines robust digital infrastructure with government-backed initiatives, while Ireland's STEM talent and business-friendly policies position it as a European hub for digital services. Cost-competitive markets such as Chile, Romania and Brazil lag behind. Chile offers affordability but lacks the R&D investment; Romania faces systemic challenges like brain drain and low innovation funding; and Brazil struggles with uneven digital fluency and infrastructure gaps. Singapore stands out for balancing innovation with flexibility, acting as a strategic hub for tech-driven growth and an ideal "sandbox" for testing new ideas at scale. Japan tops the overall index but faces ageing demographics and rigid labour frameworks. Nordic countries remain innovative powerhouses thanks to education and R&D, however, high costs in hiring talent and strict labour laws limit agility. Emerging markets like Brazil and India hold untapped potential but are still developing, while mature economies must overcome structural barriers to stay adaptive. To seize opportunities in today's ever evolving market, business leaders must recognise the dual imperative: investing in technology and digital skills while maintaining the ability to adapt to rapid change. Dirk Hahn, Chief Executive Officer at Hays comments: "Innovation and flexibility are the twin engines of growth in an era of continuous change. Markets that combine both give businesses the power to scale rapidly, adapt to disruption and seize opportunities as they emerge. "With generative AI and digital platforms accelerating change, organisations need ecosystems built for speed and resilience. The Hays Global Talent Tracker helps you identify the optimal location and skills development strategies for your critical talent." The Hays Global Talent Tracker reveals which markets offer this dual advantage, providing guidance for organisations seeking to build resilient, future-ready workforce strategies. About Hays Hays plc (the "Group") is the world's leading specialist in recruitment and workforce solutions. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional, and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK, Germany, and Australia and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As of 30 June 2025, the Group employed over 9,500 staff operating from 207 offices in 31 countries. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2864488/Hays_Ten_best_performing_Countries_Final.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hays-future-ready-nations-where-talent-can-pivot-and-progress-302664624.html NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Totec Resources Ltd. ("Totec" or the "Company") (TSXV:TOTC.P), a capital pool company, and Usha Resources Ltd. ("Usha") (TSXV:USHA)(OTCQB:USHAF)(FSE:JO0), are pleased to announce the closing of the sale (the "Transaction") of 1540359 B.C. Ltd. ("Subco") to Totec and, indirectly, Totec's acquisition of the 489 mineral claims constituting the White Willow Property (the "Property"), which covers approximately 10,220 hectares in the Thunder Bay Mining Division, approximately 170 kilometres west of Thunder Bay. The Transaction was completed pursuant to a share purchase agreement dated October 22, 2025, as amended December 10, 2025, among Totec, Usha and Subco (the "Definitive Agreement"). The purchase price paid by Totec for the Transaction was an aggregate of 35,500,000 Common Shares (defined herein) issued to the shareholders of Subco (5,500,000 of which were issued to Usha and 30,000,000 of which were issued to the Investors (defined herein)) and $50,000 in cash paid to Usha. The Transaction constitutes the qualifying transaction of Totec (the "Qualifying Transaction"), as such term is defined in the rules and policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). The name of the resulting issuer (the "Resulting Issuer") is "Totec Resources Ltd." No finder's fees were paid in connection with the Transaction. The Property is now indirectly owned by the Company through Subco and is subject to the following net smelter return royalties ("NSRs"): (i) a 1.5% NSR in favour of 2758145 Ontario Ltd., two-thirds of which can be repurchased for $1,000,000, and (ii) a 1.5% NSR in favour of Grid Metals Corp., two-thirds of which can be repurchased for $1,250,000. Immediately prior to the closing of the Qualifying Transaction, the Company consolidated its issued and outstanding common shares on a two (2) to one (1) basis (each post-consolidation common share, a "Common Share"). The new ISIN and CUSIP of the Common Shares following are CA89157M2040 and 89157M204, respectively. Final acceptance of the Qualifying Transaction will occur upon the issuance of the Final Exchange Bulletin by the Exchange. Subject to final acceptance by the Exchange, the Company will be classified as a Tier 2 Mining Issuer pursuant to Exchange policies. The Common Shares are expected to commence trading on the Exchange under the symbol "TOTC" at the opening of the markets on January 21, 2026. Following completion of the Qualifying Transaction, the officers and directors of the Resulting Issuer are as follows: (i) Deepak Varshney (CEO, Corporate Secretary and director); (ii) Khalid Naeem (CFO); (iii) James Walker (director); (iv) Zachary Kotowych (director); and (v) Rishi Kwatra (director). In connection with the Transaction, on January 19, 2026, Subco completed a private placement (the "Concurrent Financing"), through the issuance of 30,000,000 units of Subco (each, a "Unit") to arm's length investors (the "Investors") at a price of $0.15 per Unit for gross proceeds of $4,500,000. Each Unit was comprised of one (1) common share of Subco (a "Subco Share") and one (1) common share purchase warrant of Subco (a "Subco Warrant") entitling the holder thereof to acquire one (1) additional Subco Share at an exercise price of $0.25 for a period of two (2) years from the date of issuance. Subco paid the following cash finder's fees and issued the following non-transferable finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") to eligible finders in connection with the Concurrent Financing: (i) $143,423 cash and 956,153 Finder's Warrants to Research Capital Corporation; (ii) $999 cash and 6,660 Finder's Warrants to Ventum Financial Corp.; and (iii) $1,700 cash and 11,330 Finder's Warrants to Haywood Securities Inc. Each Finder's Warrant was exercisable into one (1) Subco Share at $0.25 for a period of three (3) years from the date of issuance. As a result of the Transaction, (i) the Investors exchanged each Subco Share held for one (1) Common Share (ii) each Subco Warrant became automatically exercisable into one (1) Common Share at an exercise price of $0.25 for a period of two (2) years from the date of issuance, and (iii) each Finder's Warrant became automatically exercisable into one (1) Common Share at an exercise price of $0.25 for a period of three (3) years from the date of issuance. Deepak Varshney, CEO and a director of Totec, currently serves as the CEO and as a director of the Company and beneficially owns a total of 2,169,500 common shares of Usha, representing 2.4% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Usha. Also, Khalid Naeem, CFO of Totec, currently serves as CFO of Usha and holds no common shares of Usha. In this regard: (i) the Transaction involved "Non-Arm's Length Parties" (as such term is defined in the rules and policies of the Exchange); (ii) the Transaction was not a "related party transaction" (as such term is defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions) or subject to TSXV Policy 5.9 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions as neither Mr. Varshney nor Mr. Naeem, nor their Associates nor Affiliates, are Control Persons (as such terms are defined in the Exchange's policies) of both Totec and in relation to Subco or the Property; (iii) the Transaction was not considered a "Non-Arm's Length Qualifying Transaction" for Totec as neither Mr. Varshney nor Mr. Naeem, nor their Associates nor Affiliates, are Control Persons in both Totec and in relation to Subco or the Property; and (iv) the Transaction was not subject to disinterested shareholder approval of Usha or Totec. Full details of the Qualifying Transaction and related matters are set out in the filing statement of the Company dated January 12, 2026, which can be found under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company also announces that it has not yet held its 2025 annual general meeting as required under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and intends to remedy this by holding an annual general meeting of shareholders on March 5, 2026 (the "2026 AGM"). The Company's last annual general meeting of shareholders was held on January 17, 2024. The record date for determining shareholders entitled to receive notice of and vote at the 2026 AGM will be January 29, 2026. Matters to be considered at the 2026 AGM are expected to include, among other things, the election of directors, the appointment of the auditor, and the approval of the Company's equity incentive plana. Meeting materials, including the management information circular and form of proxy, will be mailed to shareholders and filed on SEDAR+ in accordance with applicable securities laws and will be available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca once distributed. Trading in the Common Shares has been halted, and will remain halted, pending the satisfaction of all applicable requirements of Policy 2.4 of the Exchange. There can be no assurance that trading of the Common Shares will resume prior to the completion of the Qualifying Transaction. About Totec Resources Ltd. Totec Resources Ltd. is a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential. Totec's flagship asset is the White Willow Lithium-Tantalum-REE Project, located approximately 170 kilometres west of Thunder Bay. For further information, please contact: Deepak Varshney, CEO and Director Telephone: 778-899-1780 Usha Resources Ltd. Usha was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) on February 26, 2018. Usha is a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company that focuses on the development of battery and precious metal properties. Deepak Varshney, CEO and Director Telephone: 778-899-1780 Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information The information provided in this press release regarding Usha has been provided to Totec by Usha and has not been independently verified by Totec. The information provided in this press release regarding Totec has been provided to Usha and has not been independently verified by Totec. This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this press release only, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to Exchange approvals, the commencement of trading of the Common Shares and the respective timing thereof, the 2026 AGM and other statements that are not historical facts. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including, but not limited to, the risk that the Common Shares do not commence trading on the timing anticipated and that the 2026 AGM is not held as anticipated. 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. 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. Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Usha Resources Ltd. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/totec-resources-announces-closing-of-qualifying-transaction-and-anticipated-tradi-1129443 Global Trade Observatory Annual Outlook: 94% expect 2026 growth to match or exceed 2025 despite tariffs, costs and policy uncertainty DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The global trade outlook looks fragile. Business confidence does not. That's the core finding of DP World's new Global Trade Observatory (GTO) Annual Outlook Report 2026, showing 94% of respondents expect 2026 trade growth to match or exceed the pace of 2025, despite rising frictions and volatility. The findings are based on a survey of 3,500 senior supply chain and logistics executives across eight industries and 19 countries, conducted ahead of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. In total, 54% expect trade growth to be faster than 2025 and 40% expect it to be equal. This is despite 53% anticipating high or very high policy uncertainty, 90% expecting trade barriers to rise or remain unchanged. Only 25% expect a negative impact on their business, with 49% expecting no effect and 26% even seeing a positive impact. This frontline sentiment contrasts with some macro projections, with the IMF forecasting trade growth (by volume) could slow to 2.3% in 2026, down from an estimated 3.6% in 2025. Asked where trade growth potential is greatest in 2026, executives most frequently pointed to Europe (22%) and China (17%), followed by Asia Pacific (14%) and North America (13%). Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said: "Global trade is becoming increasingly complex, not less so. Our role is clear: to keep trade moving by understanding where friction exists, anticipating where it may emerge next, and investing in the infrastructure, capabilities and partnerships that help our customers operate more efficiently and reliably." The GTO Annual Outlook was developed with Geneva-based insights agency, Horizon Group. Margareta Drzeniek, Managing Partner, Horizon Group, said: "What we're seeing is confidence with contingency plans. Executives are embedding resilience into strategy by diversifying suppliers, reassessing routes and adding options, because volatility is now the baseline. Those best positioned will be the ones who can turn those resilience plans into measurable performance." What companies are doing differently in 2026 The survey indicates companies are responding to volatility by actively redesigning supply chains and trade routes. This includes: Resilience as strategy: Supplier diversification (51%), higher inventories (44%), and friend-shoring (36%) are cited among the most common strategic shifts planned for 2026. Supplier diversification (51%), higher inventories (44%), and friend-shoring (36%) are cited among the most common strategic shifts planned for 2026. Route agility increases: 26% intend to use new routes, while 23% are evaluating them. Decisions are driven by cost savings (38%), improved connectivity/inland infrastructure (36%), and faster customs procedures/clearance times (35%). 26% intend to use new routes, while 23% are evaluating them. Decisions are driven by cost savings (38%), improved connectivity/inland infrastructure (36%), and faster customs procedures/clearance times (35%). Border friction remains a choke point: 60% cite customs clearance as a leading cause of delays and disruption. Executives also prioritise investment in warehousing and logistics hubs (39%), road networks (36%), and border/customs processing infrastructure (36%). The DP World Global Trade Observatory (GTO) is a data- and insights-led platform designed to provide decision-makers with actionable intelligence on the forces reshaping global trade, grounded in research including a proprietary survey of 3,500 supply chain and logistics executives across eight industries and 19 countries. Research was conducted in November 2025 with Geneva-based insights agency Horizon Group. For media enquiries, please contact: Adal Mirza Group Vice President Adal.mirza@dpworld.com +971 50 628 7856 Hakam Kherallah Group Senior Manager Hakam.Kherallah@dpworld.com +971 50 552 2610 Follow DP World on: X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/DP_World LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dp-world About DP World DP World is reshaping the future of global trade to improve lives everywhere. Operating across six continents with a team of over 125,000 employees, we combine global infrastructure and local expertise to deliver seamless supply chain solutions. From Ports and Terminals to Marine Services, Logistics and Technology, we leverage innovation to create better ways to trade, minimizing disruptions from the factory floor to the customer's door. WE MAKE TRADE FLOW Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2865149/DP_World_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2865150/DP_World_2.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2865151/DP_World_3.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/dp-world-survey-trade-leaders-upbeat-on-2026-despite-rising-barriers-302665243.html Kelowna, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - F3 Uranium Corp (TSXV: FUU) (OTCQB: FUUFF) ("F3" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has filed on SEDAR+ an independent technical report (the "Report") prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects supporting the initial indicated mineral resource estimate for its JR Zone Uranium Deposit on its 100% owned PLN Property in Northern Saskatchewan (see NR December 22, 2025). The JR Zone Uranium deposit is located approximately 25km northwest of Paladin's Triple R Deposit and NexGen's Arrow Deposit in the southwest Athabasca Basin and is accessible via Provincial Highway 955. The Mineral Resources have been classified in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards (2014, adopted 2019), as incorporated by reference in NI 43-101, which are consistent with definitions in S-K 1300. The Report incorporates the results of drilling at the project completed between 2022 and 2025. There are no material differences in the Report from the results disclosed in the Company's news release dated December 22, 2025. The Report, dated January 20, 2025, and with an effective date of October 15, 2025, is titled, "NI 43-101 Technical Report, Patterson lake North Project, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada". The Report was prepared for F3 by SLR International Corporation and can be found under the Company's issuer profile at www.sedarplus.ca. About the Patterson Lake North Project: The Company's 44,613-hectare 100% owned Patterson Lake North Project (PLN) is located just within the south-western edge of the Athabasca Basin in proximity to Paladin's Triple R and NexGen Energy's Arrow high-grade uranium deposits, an area poised to become the next major area of development for new uranium operations in northern Saskatchewan. The PLN Project consists of the 4,074-hectare Patterson Lake North Property hosting the JR Zone uranium deposit approximately 23km northwest of Paladin's Triple R deposit, the 20,675-hectare Minto Property, and the 19,022-hectare Broach Property hosting the Tetra Zone, F3's newest discovery 13km south of the JR Zone deposit. All three properties comprising the PLN Project are accessed by Provincial Highway 955. Qualified Person: The Report is authored by Mark Mathisen, C.P.G, an employee of SLR International Corporation and independent of F3. Mr. Mathisen is a Qualified Person in accordance with NI 43-101 and S-K 1300. The scientific and technical information in this news release other than the resource estimate has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and approved on behalf of the company by Raymond Ashley, P.Geo., President & COO of F3 Uranium Corp, a Qualified Person. Mr. Ashley has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information disclosed in this news release and verified the data disclosed. This news release may refer to neighboring properties in which F3 Uranium has no interest, and the Qualified Person has been unable to verify the information from those properties. Mineralization on those neighboring properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the PLN Project. About F3 Uranium Corp.: F3 is a uranium exploration company, focusing on the high-grade JR Zone deposit and new Tetra Zone discovery 13km to the south in the PW area on its Patterson Lake North (PLN) Project in the Western Athabasca Basin. F3 currently has 3 properties in the Athabasca Basin: Patterson Lake North, Minto, and Broach. The western side of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, is home to some of the world's largest high grade uranium deposits including Paladin's Triple R project and NexGen's Arrow project. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain 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 of future performance, including statements regarding the pursuit of additional targets, expected drilling programs and other exploration plans and prospects for the Athabasca Basin and the Company's projects, are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this press release, and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280909 Source: F3 Uranium Corp. Mexico joins FITUR 2026 as Partner Country in an edition bringing together 967 main exhibitors and marking an 11% rise in international participation. The Knowledge Hub, FITUR Experience and the first International Summit on Communication and Tourism introduce the main innovations of a 46th edition boosting FITUR's position as the world's leading tourism fair. MADRID, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Madrid once again becomes the focal point of global tourism as it hosts the International Tourism Fair (FITUR), organised by IFEMA MADRID from 21-25 January 2026. In its 46th edition, FITUR strengthens its position as the sector's leading platform, highlighting both its international reach and its commitment to knowledge as a driver of industry transformation. The figures unveiled at the press conference underscore FITUR's leadership: nine halls, more than 10,000 companies from 161 countries, 111 of them counting on official representation, (10% up on the 2025 edition) and 967 main exhibitors. Overall, FITUR has recorded an 11% rise in international participation. FITUR also welcomes 18 new nations, largely from Africa and the Asia-Pacific, where participation has risen by 34% and 22% respectively. Standing out newcomers include Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Zanzibar, alongside regions from Germany and the United Kingdom. FITUR 2026's figures reflect the strong global momentum across the tourism industry. According to UN Tourism, between January and September 2025 the sector welcomed more than 1.1 billion international travellers, surpassing pre-pandemic records set in 2019. The Knowledge Hub and Fitur's latest projects In this context, FITUR 2026 strengthens its role as a key forum for industry debate with several major additions. The most relevant is the new Knowledge Hub, located in Hall 12 and open throughout the fair. Conceived as the strategic hub for tourism insight, it features eight auditoriums, ten conference programmes, more than 200 sessions and over 250 high-level speakers. The Knowledge Hub will also host further highlights, including FITUR Experience, focused on experiential tourism as one of the sector's most dynamic drivers of change, and the first International Summit on Communication and Tourism, which analyses the challenges facing tourism communication alongside experts and representatives from both the public and private sectors. In addition, the Travel Technology Area has doubled in size and will bring together more than 190 leading innovation companies. Economic impact and visitor outlook Strong participation points to a significant turnout, with forecasts exceeding 150,000 professionals and close to 100,000 public visitors over the weekend. FITUR remains a major economic engine for Madrid, generating 487 million in its previous edition. Mexico, FITUR 2026 Partner Country Mexico will be the Partner Country of FITUR 2026, with a prominent presence at the Fair at a time when its tourism sector grew by 13.9% between January and September 2025, according to SECTUR, and with the aim of securing its position as the world's fifth most visited destination. Sustainability, accessibility and an open weekend FITUR 2026 expects to connect the tourism industry with other sectors while addressing key challenges across its 11 specialised sections. (Full programme here): FITUR will introduce a fast-track entrance at the South-East access to facilitate professional entry and is encouraging the use of public transport, supported by increased services on Metro Line 8. Over the weekend, FITUR will open its doors to travellers with a full programme of activities, workshops and experiences, reinforcing its status as the sector's major public celebration. More information at https://www.ifema.es/en/fitur About FITUR FITUR, the International Tourism Trade Fair, is one of the leading global events in the tourism industry and has been held in Madrid since 1981. Each year, it brings together industry professionals, companies, destinations, and international organizations to showcase trends, innovations, and business opportunities. Organized by IFEMA MADRID, FITUR has established itself as a global benchmark for driving and promoting tourism. Press contacts: Alejandra Elorza Press Chief FITUR aelorza@ifema.es Elena Valera evalera@ifema.es Lucas Farioli lfarioli@ifema.es Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2862852/FITUR_2026.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2829704/5720382/FITUR_Mexico_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fitur-2026-brings-together-global-tourism-with-more-than-160-countries-and-10-000-companies-302663288.html Trump posts image of himself with U.S. flag on Greenland Xinhua) 16:30, January 20, 2026 WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump posted an image of himself placing the U.S. flag on the territory of Greenland on Tuesday on his social media platform Truth Social. In the image, Trump is accompanied by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with a sign nearby reading "GREENLAND - US TERRITORY EST. 2026." On the same day, Trump released another image: He met with European leaders in the Oval Office, with a map displayed behind him showing the United States, Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela under the American flag. Trump said on Truth Social on Tuesday that he had a telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. "As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" he wrote. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) New program to enable approved community partners to introduce users to the Tokenwell app through structured access and guided onboarding TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Tokenwell Platforms Inc. (CSE:TWEL)(OTCQB:TWELF)(FWB:Y920) ("Tokenwell" or the "Company") announced today the launch of its Community Access Program, a new initiative designed to work with approved communities, creators, and partners to introduce users to the Tokenwell app through structured access and guided onboarding. This launch follows Tokenwell's January 2026 app update, which introduced a major redesign, decentralized wallet tracking, customizable price alerts, and enhanced notification features. Community Access Program The Tokenwell Community Access Program is designed to collaborate with approved content creators, crypto communities, and ecosystem partners who wish to introduce their audiences to professional-grade crypto basket investing through the Tokenwell app. Certain Community Access Program partnerships may involve commercial or paid arrangements, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and disclosed separately in accordance with applicable disclosure requirements. Approved community partners will receive referral codes that allow the Tokenwell app to attribute and monitor onboarding activity associated with each community. This framework is designed to support measured distribution and quality control as Tokenwell continues to expand access to its platform. How to Participate Community Access Program participation is available by application only. Interested parties, including content creators, financial educators, crypto community managers, and strategic partners, are invited to apply by contacting the Tokenwell marketing team. To apply, applicants should email marketing@tokenwell.com with: A brief introduction Details about their community, audience, or platform An overview of how they plan to support onboarding to the Tokenwell app Qualified applicants will be contacted with additional program details and access terms. Community Access Dashboard Approved community partners will gain access to a dedicated in-app dashboard that provides visibility into onboarding activity associated with their community. The dashboard enables tracking of engagement and participation metrics, supporting data-driven optimization and engagement insights. Community partners may also direct users to the Tokenwell - Community & Support Telegram channel or Tokenwell's email support (support@tokenwell.com) for guided onboarding and one-to-one assistance. Program Highlights Application-based participation to ensure quality participation Unique referral codes for approved community partners Structured access supported by guided onboarding and one-to-one assistance Community-level onboarding attribution and activity tracking Dedicated in-app dashboard providing onboarding and engagement visibility Opportunity for early access to select features and future loyalty perks Designed for creators, educators, and crypto community leaders Tokenwell remains focused on building trusted, long-term partnerships with communities and creators who align with its mission of making professional crypto investing more accessible. As part of this initiative, Tokenwell has begun engaging its first approved community partner, Zach Humphries, associated with the referral code "ZH", during its initial Community Access Program rollout. The Tokenwell app is available now on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Roadmap in Progress In late January 2026, Tokenwell plans to expand the Tokenwell app's functionality with direct asset trading capabilities and additional centralized exchange integrations, providing users with greater flexibility to execute individual trades alongside existing basket-based portfolio management. Looking ahead to early February 2026, Tokenwell expects to release advanced trading features designed for more experienced users, including enhanced order types and professional-grade execution tools that build upon the app's direct trading functionality. Additional product updates are expected to be rolled out incrementally as Tokenwell continues to build out its platform roadmap. Engagement of WendellWeb3 LLC The Company also announces that it will engage WendellWeb3 LLC (address: 350 West M Street, Benicia, CA 94510, USA) to provide Tokenwell-approved marketing activities, including marketing services budget distribution, campaign coordination, and administrative services, in connection with approved third-party key opinion leader ("KOL") campaigns supporting Tokenwell's brand awareness and user growth initiatives (the "Services"). The engagement will commence on or about January 20th, 2026, for an initial tranche, with up to USD $15,000 authorized for deployment during Q1 2026, subject to Company approval. WendellWeb3 LLC will coordinate and administer Tokenwell-approved marketing campaigns overseen by the Company. The Services are limited to campaign coordination and administration and do not include direct content creation services, which are provided by Tokenwell approved third-party KOLs engaged for individual campaign executions, with overall campaign strategy and deployment managed by the Company. The Company will pay an initial cash amount of USD $2,000, with no securities issued as compensation. WendellWeb3 LLC and its principals are considered to be at arm's length and do not hold any securities of the Company. On Behalf of the Company ~Timothy Burgess~ Timothy J. Burgess CEO and Director About Tokenwell Platforms Inc. (CSE:TWEL)(OTCQB:TWELF)(FWB:Y920) Tokenwell is a publicly listed cutting-edge cryptocurrency platform dedicated to making digital assets accessible, secure, and efficient for users worldwide. With a focus on innovation and user-centric design, Tokenwell empowers individuals and businesses to engage with the crypto economy confidently. For more information about Tokenwell, its upcoming launches, product benefits and features, Crypto users should visit www.tokenwell.io and download the Tokenwell app on iOS or Android . Potential investors are invited to visit www.tokenwell.com and everyone should follow us on LinkedIn , X & Telegram, and also subscribe to our News Alert opportunity for free and timely notifications from the Company. For further information Tokenwell Platforms Inc. Email: info@tokenwell.com Web: https://tokenwell.com (Investors) Web: https://tokenwell.io (Products & Services) Tokenwell Disclaimer - Tokenwell Platforms Inc. is not an investment adviser or commodity trading advisor. Tokenwell makes no representation regarding the advisability of investments linked to its products. Assets remain on users' own exchanges. Terms and conditions available at tokenwell.com . Forward-Looking Statements- This press release contains "forward-looking statements". Sentences containing words such as "believe," "aim", "intend," "plan," "may," "expect," "should," "could," "anticipate," "estimate," "predict," "project," or their negatives, or other similar expressions of a future or forward-looking nature generally should be considered forward-looking statements and include, without limitation, statements relating to the development of the new community access program, future events or operating performance, business strategy, and potential market opportunities. Such forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently uncertain and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause results to differ from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited, our ability to continue with our development efforts, our efforts to grow our business and operations, the costs or expenditures associated therewith, competition in our industry, and the evolving rules and regulations applicable to digital assets and our industry. You should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no duty to update these forward-looking statements. Neither the CSE nor its Regulatory Services Provider 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. SOURCE: Tokenwell Platforms Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/blockchain-and-cryptocurrency/tokenwell-launches-community-access-program-1129214 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Capitan Silver Corp. (TSXV: CAPT) ("Capitan" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has commenced a 60,000-metre drilling campaign for 2026 at its Cruz de Plata silver-gold project, located in Durango, Mexico. 2026 Exploration Program & Highlights: Capitan is pleased to announce that it has commenced a robust 60,000-metre drill program at its Cruz de Plata Project. This represents a 400% increase in drilling compared to the announced program in 2025 The drill program will consist of both Reverse circulation ("RC") and core drilling The 2026 exploration program will ramp up from one (1) RC drill rig (currently on site) to a total of four (4) rigs - three (3) core rigs and one (1) RC rig Drilling in 2026 will focus on testing many high-priority targets (see Figure 1), including: Expanding advanced silver-mineralized zones on the 3.7-km Jesus Maria Silver Trend, including both the Gully Fault and Penoles Fault targets: Core drilling to be focused on extending mineralization down-dip, along strike, and further defining and expanding high-grade silver zones along the Jesus Maria Silver Trend Testing new high-grade silver targets at Casco Norte, La Purisima and Jesus Maria Northwest: RC drilling program planned: shallow, first pass drilling at new and early-stage high-grade silver targets across the Property Additional drilling to be allocated towards further definition drilling at Capitan Hill and testing new gold opportunities on the Property: Capitan Hill Gold Deposit: Infill core drilling to enhance the resource by converting inferred resources to measured and indicated First pass, shallow RC drilling at La Providencia (gold) and El Tubo (gold) Additional exploration activities planned in 2026: Prospecting and mapping the consolidated land package at Cruz de Plata Mechanical trenching on new prospecting targets Results from a property-wide airborne geophysical survey expected H1 2026 Capitan Silver Corp. is well funded for 2026. The Company successfully closed two (2) recent financings for a total of C$29M from quality institutional investors Catalysts: Results for 53 drillholes from the 2025 drilling program are pending final assays Alberto Orozco, CEO of Capitan Silver, commented: "Capitan's 2026 drilling campaign represents a significant step forward for the Company's exploration at the Cruz de Plata silver-gold project. The 60,000 planned metres for this year's program is expected to more than double the entirety of the drilling completed at the Property to date. "We are greatly encouraged by the success of our 2025 program - which identified multiple high-grade mineralized zones - and the Company is even more excited to build on those successes in 2026. "We have big aspirations for Capitan Silver. With the combined C$29 million in funding we raised in December 2025, the Company has never been in a better position to expand what is already a very compelling, rich silver system. We look forward to following up on several high-priority targets and advancing Cruz de Plata toward a maiden silver resource for the Property." Figure 1: Simplified geological map and mineral system model, including identified advanced and early-stage drill targets. 1. Jesus Maria silver trend (Containing the Jesus Maria , Santa Teresa and San Rafael veins), 2. Gully Fault zone, 3. Jesus Maria East trend, 4. San Rafael West, 5. Jesus Maria Northwest, 6. Casco Norte, 7. La Providencia, 8. Jesus Maria silver trend north, 9. La Purisima, 10. Capitan Hill gold deposit, 11. El Tubo Hill gold target, 12. Penoles Fault zone. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7373/280913_capitan%20silver%20figure%201.jpg 2025 Year in Review: "The Great Awakening" 2025 was a transformational year for Capitan. The Company had previously made the decision to halt drilling in 2023 as the cost of capital for junior mining explorers was prohibitively high. 2025 commenced with a strategic financing led by Jupiter Silver and Gold Fund, which was priced at a 30% premium to market. This transaction was of critical importance, as it allowed Capitan to raise meaningful capital on acceptable terms and restart its dormant drilling activities. Overall, 2025 was characterized by solid execution that aimed at maximizing Capitan's value proposition as a high-quality silver investment vehicle. The Company consolidated its land package, completed a buyback on the main royalty on its flagship project, commenced drilling, which demonstrated good continuity and growth of the silver mineralized system, and ended the year by raising C$29M through two transactions: a C$23M bought deal backed by high-quality investors and a C$6M private placement to Schroder Investment Management Limited ("Schroders"). Highlights of the Company's achievements in 2025: New Strategic Investor in Jupiter Silver and Gold Fund - Capitan raised C$5.3 million by way of a private placement at a 30% premium led by Jupiter Silver and Gold Fund. This was a major catalyst allowing the Company to re-emerge from dormancy and restart drilling operations while guarding against excessive share dilution Restarted Drilling at Cruz de Plata - Capitan restarted drilling at the Cruz de Plata silver-gold project, initially drilling 10,000m of RC, which was subsequently increased to 15,000m in late 2025 Continued Drill Success (1) - 2025 drilling at Cruz de Plata extended the known mineralized strike by 250m, for 1.7 km of continuous drilled strike and identified numerous new targets and structures. Highlights of the 2025 drill program include: Drillhole 25-ERRC-12 , which returned one of the highest-grade intervals to date at Cruz de Plata, intersecting: 2,636 g/t Ag over 1.5m , within a wider interval of 1,400 g/t Ag over 4.6m , occurring within a broader zone of 370.2 g/t Ag over 19.8m ( See Capitan news release dated September 2, 2025) Drillhole 25-ERRC-20 , which intersected: 1,541 g/t AgEq over 1.5m , within a broader interval of 201.65 g/t AgEq over 18.3m (See Capitan news release dated October 14, 2025) Drillhole 25-ERRC-26 , which intersected: Lower zone: 1,767.4 g/t AgEq over 1.5m , within a broader zone of 1,222.1 g/t AgEq over 3m , which is part of a wider interval of 234.2 g/t AgEq over 25.9m Upper zone: 612.9 g/t AgEq over 1.5m , within a broader zone of 155.9 g/t AgEq over 6.1m (See Capitan news release dated November 11, 2025) Drillhole JMRC-33 , which intersected: 803.6 g/t AgEq over 1.5m , within a broader interval of 129.2 g/t AgEq over 22.9m (See Capitan news release dated October 14, 2025) Drillhole JMRC-26 , which intersected: 502.0 g/t AgEq over 1.5m, and 328.6 g/t AgEq over 1.5m, within a broader interval of 238.4 g/t AgEq over 10.7m (See Capitan news release dated October 14, 2025) (1)Note: All drillholes presented above have been previously released by the Company between September 2 and November 11, 2025. Drillhole intervals are presented as drilled widths, with true widths estimated to be between 70-90% of the drilled width. AgEq grades are reported using the following assumption: Metal Recovery: Ag 94%, Au 86%, Pb 93.5%, Zn 92%. AgEq considers Ag, Au, Pb and Zn and calculated as follows: AgEq = Ag g/t + (80x Au g/t) + (0.003 x Pb g/t) + (0.0037 x Zn g/t). High grades have not been capped. Capitan Silver field samples are sent to the Bureau Veritas Lab in Durango, Mexico for prep, and to Hermosillo, Mexico and Vancouver BC, Canada for analysis. QAQC: Capitan Silver maintains a rigorous QAQC program and inserts multiple standards, blanks and duplicates into the sample stream at regular intervals. Check Assays are performed at SGS laboratories in Durango, Mexico. Removal of Main Royalty on Cruz de Plata - Completed the purchase of the Altiplano royalty (" NSR ") at the Cruz de Plata project from Exploraciones del Altiplano under favourable terms for a series of cash and share payments totalling US$1M, eliminating the main royalty on the project to maximize shareholder returns Successful Completion of Land Consolidation Transaction with Fresnillo (Minera Fresnillo S.A. de C.V.) - Acquired 100% interest in seven (7) mineral concessions adjacent to, and surrounding Cruz de Plata, increasing Capitan's total land position by 85% and expanding the surface expression of the 2.5 km silver-gold trend to 3.7 km Also completed final payment on the 2022 option agreement to own a 100% interest in a key property at Cruz de Plata ( See Capitan news release dated December 6, 2022 ), the acquisition of this property was key as it connected and consolidated the Jesus Maria Silver Trend Strengthened Management and Board with Key Hires - Bolstered the Capitan team through key personnel hires to drive and support the Company's next phase of growth, bringing on skilled professionals in exploration, technical services, project evaluation, and investor relations. Added experienced geologist and mining lawyer Graham Scott to the Board of Directors Increased Inferred Mineral Resources at the Capitan Hill Gold Deposit by 115% - Updated Mineral Resource estimate was completed on a pit-constrained resource of 525,000 contained gold ounces ( See Capitan news release dated December 5, 2025 ) Successfully Raised C$29M in December 2025 - Strong support from high-quality institutional investors, including continued support from Jupiter Silver and Gold Fund, Michael Gentile, CFA and a strategic investment by Schroders, one of Europe's oldest and largest mining investment companies Engagement of Market Maker Capitan Silver Corp. is pleased to announce that, subject to regulatory approval, it will retain Generation IACP Inc. ("GIACP") to provide services as a market maker effective February 1, 2026, in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable legislation. Specifically, GIACP will be appointed to trade the common shares of the Company with the objective of contributing to market liquidity. Under the agreement, GIACP will receive a fee of C$8,500 plus applicable taxes per month. The initial term of the agreement is six months from the effective date, being February 1, 2026, and the agreement will automatically renew for additional three-month periods unless Capitan provides written notice of termination to GIACP at least 30 days prior to the end of the term or a renewal term. Commencing on the first anniversary of the agreement, the fee payable to GIACP will automatically increase annually by 3.0%. No stock options are being granted and no compensation other than as stated above is payable in connection with the engagement. GIACP will be responsible for the costs it incurs in buying and selling the Company's shares, and no third party will be providing funds or securities for the market making activities. GIACP and the Company are unrelated and unaffiliated entities and at the time of the agreement, neither GIACP nor its principals have an interest, directly or indirectly, in the securities of the Company. GIACP and its clients may acquire and hold a direct or indirect interest in the securities of Capitan from time to time. GIACP, established in 1998, is a Toronto-based, independently owned, investment dealer providing innovative solutions for institutional, corporate and individual clients in Canada and abroad. GIACP is a registered broker and member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization, the TSX Venture Exchange, the Canadian Securities Exchange, and Cboe Canada, and is a Participating Organization as such term is defined in the rules and policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange. Filing of NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Capitan Hill Oxide Gold Deposit On January 19, 2026, Capitan filed a technical report titled, "Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate for the Cruz de Plata Property, Durango, Mexico" (the "MRE"), with an effective date of October 14, 2025. The MRE was completed by APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, Alberta, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The results of the MRE were previously announced in the Company's news release dated December 5, 2025. The full report can be accessed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+. Qualified Person The scientific and technical data contained in this news release pertaining to the Cruz de Plata project was reviewed and approved by Marc Idziszek, P.Geo, a non-independent qualified person to Capitan Silver, who is responsible for ensuring that the technical information provided in this news release is accurate and who acts as a "qualified person" under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Capitan Silver Corp. Capitan Silver is defining a new high-grade silver system at its Cruz de Plata project, located in the heart of Mexico's primary silver belt. The Company is led by a proven and accomplished management team that has previously advanced three projects into production, on time and on budget. The Company has been diligent in maintaining a tight share structure and has one of the tightest share structures among its peer group, with the top three shareholders owning over 38% of the Company's share capital. Capitan Silver is fully funded and actively drilling at its Cruz de Plata silver project. ON BEHALF OF CAPITAN SILVER CORP. "Alberto Orozco" Alberto Orozco, CEO DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking information. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology (e.g., "expect", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "plans"). Such information involves known and unknown risks - including the availability of funds, the results of financing and exploration activities, the interpretation of exploration results and other geological data, or unanticipated costs and expenses and other risks identified by Capitan in its public securities filings that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280913 Source: Capitan Silver Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Dryden Gold Corp. (TSXV: DRY) (OTCQB: DRYGF) (FSE: X7W) ("Dryden Gold" or the "Company") reports drill results from second pass drilling at its Sherridon gold discovery (Figure 1). This includes a broad interval of near surface gold mineralization in hole DSH-004 which returned 1.10 g/t gold over 15.50 metres, including 0.50 metres grading 25.20 g/t gold. Hole DSH-004 was drilled 150.00 meters east and expands the mineralization that was intersected by hole DSH-25-001 released Oct 14, 2025. The 2026 follow up program at Sherridon consisted of three holes testing large step outs. Drill hole DH-004 was 150 meters east on strike from hole DSH-25-001 while DSH-005 was 300 meters to the southeast. The last hole of the program was approximately one kilometer west-northwest of the initial drill program designed to test the high-mag anomaly and the shear zone's regional potential. Preliminary review of the multi-element geochemical data from the 2025 drill program indicates a single fluid signature for the gold mineralization at Sherridon that shows distinct mineralogical, alteration and geochemically attributes which differ from those associated with gold mineralization in the Gold Rock camp to the northwest. The 2025 Sherridon property-wide till substrate sampling program totaled 1,226 samples which were collected at a 200m by 500m spacing across the property. This data, together with drill hole geochemistry and the ongoing 3-D geophysical inversion studies at Sherridon, are guiding follow-up exploration planning and broader regional targeting across the Sherridon land package. Initial interpretations suggest the potential for an intrusion related source for the Sherridon mineralization opening the potential for vectoring toward the source intrusion in future testing. Maura Kolb, President of Dryden Gold, stated, "The mineralization at Sherridon is very different from anything we have encountered in the Dryden Gold District. From our initial logging, the geology team noticed different textures and fabrics to the mineralized zones. Initial geochemistry from the 2025 drill program is supporting a very different deposit model. Our team believes that what we have encountered, to date on the Sherridon Property, represents alteration and halo mineralization to a much larger system. The newly received till substrate results and ongoing 3-D geophysical inversion studies will be used to target the source or the major trap for mineralization at Sherridon. Mapping and Prospecting this summer will focus on outlining the true potential at Sherridon." To learn more, please click here for a video explanation. Exploration Update Based on the increased 2026 funding from the recent warrant exercises and a top-off investment from our strategic partner, Centerra Gold (TSE: CG) (NYSE: CGAU) the Company plans to expand the 2026 drill program, across its district scale land package, from 23,000 meters to a minimum of 32,000 meters. The Company will continue its two-pronged approach to exploration; expanding known mineralization at Gold Rock while exploring regionally for a new discovery. Drilling will continue to primarily focus on the growth and expansion of the high-grade gold zones in the Gold Rock Target Area and proving periodicity throughout the Gold Rock Camp with further drilling planned at the new Mud Lake discovery. Drilling is ongoing at Gold Rock and results from the Pearl Zone are in the lab. Pearl represents the extension of the Jubilee Zone on the Elora Gold System at Gold Rock. Drilling at the Hyndman discovery is also underway testing the results from 2025 channel sampling. Figure 1: Dryden Gold Property Regional Geology Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9776/280877_a96ae2fe440bdb94_001full.jpg Table 1: Sherridon Drill Results Highlights table Target Area Drillhole From To Length (m)* Grade (g/t Au) Zone 4 DSH-25-004 68.8 115 46.2 0.18 including 77 84.4 7.4 0.40 including 79.5 79.8 0.3 9.79 including 96.5 114 17.5 0.22 Zone 3 DSH-25-004 128.5 144 15.5 1.10 including 140 140.5 0.5 25.20 *Reported intervals are drilled core lengths; assay values are uncut. True thickness/widths of the mineralization are unknown. All drill hole location details and drill results can be found on our website with additional technical information and hole descriptions. Qualified Person The technical disclosure in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Maura J. Kolb, M.Sc., P. Geo., President of Dryden Gold and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. Analytical Laboratory and QA/QC Procedures The Company is drilling NQ size core. Samples are cut in half, with half going to the lab for analysis and half kept as a record. True thickness/widths of the mineralization is unknown; result intervals are reported as the drilled core lengths unless otherwise stated. All sampling completed by Dryden Gold Corp. within its exploration programs is subject to a Company standard of internal quality control and quality assurance (QA/QC) programs which include the insertion of certified reference materials, blank materials, and a level of duplicate analysis. Drill samples from the 2024, 2025 and 2026 programs were sent to Activation Laboratories, with sample preparation and analysis in Dryden, where they were processed for gold analysis by 50-gram fire assay with an atomic absorption finish and over limits determined by Fire Assay with a gravimetric finish. Select samples were analyzed using metallic screens. Activation Laboratories systems conform to requirements of ISO/IEC Standard 17025 guidelines and meets assay requirements outlined for NI 43-101. ABOUT DRYDEN GOLD CORP. Dryden Gold Corp. is an exploration company focused on the discovery of high-grade gold mineralization listed on the TSX Venture Exchange ("DRY"), on the OTCQB marketplace ("DRYGF") and on the FSE ("X7W"). The Company has a strong management team and Board of Directors comprised of experienced individuals with a track record of building shareholder value through property acquisition and consolidation, exploration success, and mergers and acquisitions. Dryden Gold controls a 100% interest in a dominant strategic land position in the Dryden District of Northwestern Ontario. Dryden Gold's property package includes historic gold mines but has seen limited modern exploration. The property hosts high-grade gold mineralization over 50km of potential strike length along the Manitou-Dinorwic deformation zone. The property has excellent infrastructure, enjoys collaborative relationships with First Nations communities and benefits from proximity to an experienced mining workforce. For more information, go to our website www.drydengold.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: receipt of corporate and regulatory approvals, issuance of common shares; future development plans; and the business and operations of Dryden Gold. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable which include the number of metres of drilling the company may complete in 2026 and the timing of certain exploration programs during the coming year. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings including receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval for the offering; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in Dryden Gold's and the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and Dryden Gold and the Company do not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from Dryden Gold's and the Company's expectations or projections. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280877 Source: Dryden Gold Corp. Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Canamera Energy Metals Corp. (CSE: EMET) (OTCQB: EMETF) (FSE: 4LF0) ("Canamera" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an exploration update on the Schryburt Lake Rare Earths Project ("Schryburt Lake" or the "Project") in northwestern Ontario, Canada, and to announce the engagement of Andrew Best as Manager of Indigenous Relations, to support the Company's Indigenous community engagement initiatives. Schryburt Lake presents indications of a multi-centre, carbonatite-hosted rare earth element ("REE") and niobium ("Nb") system with four priority targets-Blue Jay, Goldfinch, Blackbird and Starling-each defined by the coincidence of kilometre-scale thorium radiometric anomalies and deep three-dimensional magnetic bodies, supported by historical and recent exploration. Collectively, these prospects outline the potential for a vertically extensive REE-Nb system developed in multiple centres around the carbonatite complex. "Schryburt Lake represents a compelling exploration opportunity in a well-established mining jurisdiction, with multiple untested targets defined by coincident geophysical and geochemical anomalies," stated Brad Brodeur, CEO of Canamera. "We are committed to advancing this project responsibly and look forward to building meaningful relationships with local First Nations communities as we work toward permitting a maiden drill program." "I'm proud to join the Canamera Energy Metals team at such a historic juncture, because we are exploring for the REE's our world so desperately needs, while having eye to setting high environmental standards and building constructive relationships with local First Nations," commented Andrew Best, Manager of Indigenous Relations for Canamera. SCHRYBURT LAKE PROJECT OVERVIEW The Schryburt Lake Project comprises 255 mineral claims covering approximately 4,948 hectares in northwestern Ontario, Canada. The Project is located 52 km east of Orla Mining's Musselwhite Mine and approximately 136 km north-northeast of Pickle Lake, with road access to within 30 km of the property. Canamera holds an option to earn up to a 90% interest in the Project from Bindi Metals Limited ("Bindi"), subject to an underlying 1% net smelter returns royalty (see news release dated November 14, 2025). The Project is underlain by a carbonatite-alkaline intrusive complex interpreted as a small plug emplaced in an extensional continental rift setting. It exhibits a multi-phase carbonatite body principally prospective for phosphorus, niobium and rare earth elements, with potential for iron, zirconium and copper. The Project exhibits potential for REE-Nb-P mineralization hosted in carbonatite and associated pink alteration veins, with rare earths occurring in minerals such as ancylite and related carbonate phases. The Project has been the subject of multiple exploration programs dating back to the 1960s, including line cutting, ground magnetics, 22 pits, 6 trenches, 6 reverse-circulation drill holes and approximately 60 historical soil and rock samples. More recent programs have significantly advanced the technical database, comprising 50 rock grab samples, 130 biogeochemical tree-bark samples, digitization of 1,791 legacy ground magnetic stations, a 500 line-km helicopter-borne magnetic and radiometric survey (50 m line spacing), and approximately 62 km of satellite radar and multispectral coverage. Collectively, this work has informed the Company's defining of four high-priority REE-Nb targets within the carbonatite complex, each characterized by coincident geophysical and geochemical anomalies (Figure 1): Blue Jay: Flagship REE-Nb target. Three-dimensional magnetic inversion modelling indicates the potential for a coherent body extending to approximately 1,000 m depth over 650 m width (Figure 2). Goldfinch: Niobium-rich system defined by surface REE-Nb anomalies and historical trenching, supported by a broad thorium radiometric anomaly measuring approximately 1,000 m x 800 m. Three-dimensional magnetic modelling indicates the potential for a substantial body extending to approximately 850 m depth over 1,000 m width. Blackbird: Newly identified REE-Nb prospect characterized by a surface anomaly of approximately 230 m x 190 m and a coincident thorium radiometric anomaly measuring approximately 400 m x 350 m. Three-dimensional magnetic inversion suggests the potential for a vertically extensive body extending to approximately 800 m depth over 400 m width, representing a fully untested discovery target. Starling: Largely covered target defined by a geochemical anomaly of approximately 300 m x 200 m. A thorium radiometric anomaly measuring approximately 750 m x 550 m and three-dimensional magnetic inversion modelling indicate the potential for a concealed body extending to approximately 600 m depth over 750 m width point to a sizeable, blind REE target beneath limited surface exposure. Collectively, these four prospects outline the potential for a coherent, multi-kilometre system where kilometre-scale thorium radiometric anomalies and deep, laterally extensive three-dimensional magnetic bodies define potential vertically continuous targets. Figure 1: Project claim map showing geology, radiometric survey results and priority target locations To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11828/280857_5e20314cb43ff8db_001full.jpg Figure 2: Cross-section of the 3D magnetic model of the Schryburt Lake carbonatite intrusive To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11828/280857_canamerafigure2.jpg First Nations Engagement The Company has engaged Andrew Best, a First Nations consultant, as Manager of Indigenous Relations for Canamera. Andrew Best is a proud Metis with over 30 years of experience bridging cultural and technical divides to advance economic reconciliation and capacity building for Indigenous communities. His career spans journalism, public broadcasting, and strategic communications across the energy, mining, forestry, and aerospace sectors. As Manager of Northern Native Broadcasting, Yukon, Andrew oversaw documentary and program production for APTN, Discovery Channel, CBC, and international networks. In 1998, he founded his own firm, developing marketing and engagement strategies for industry and government clients including the BC Treaty Commission, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and Council of Yukon First Nations. Most recently, he has led Indigenous engagement initiatives for mining companies operating in Canada's Ring of Fire. Andrew is driven by a vision inherited from his grandfather-one of Canada's first Indigenous pilots to fly combat missions in World War II-that meaningful change comes from fighting for what you believe in. The Company looks to re-engage in dialogue with the relevant First Nations groups and stakeholders as it works to advance the Project through permitting for a maiden drill program. Canamera is committed to conducting its exploration activities in a manner that respects Indigenous rights, fosters open communication, and creates opportunities for meaningful participation by local communities. The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Warren Robb, P.Geo. (British Columbia), Vice-President, Exploration of the Company and a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Canamera Metals Corp. Canamera Energy Metals Corp. is a critical minerals exploration company building a diversified portfolio of interests in energy metals and rare earth element projects across the Americas. This includes options in the Great Divide Basin uranium project in Wyoming, The Iron Hills Rare Earths project in Colorado, and the Turvolandia and Sao Sepe rare earth element projects in Brazil. In Canada, the Company's portfolio includes the options to purchase 90% of Schryburt Lake and 100% of the Garrow rare earth and niobium projects in Ontario and the Mantle project in British Columbia. Across this portfolio, Canamera targets underexplored regions with strong geological signatures and supportive jurisdictions, applying geochemical, geophysical, and geological datasets to generate and advance high-conviction, first-mover exploration targets. For more information, visit www.canamerametals.com. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "will," "plans," "expects," "could," "potential," "objective," and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will," "may," "could," or "should" occur or be achieved. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's intentions to advance the Schryburt Lake Project through permitting and towards a maiden drill program; the Company's ability to advance any of its mineral projects; the Company's ability to re-engage in dialogue with relevant First Nations groups and stakeholders; the Company's ability to exercise its options under the Joint Venture Option Agreement, or any other option agreement, and to conduct further exploration work; the exploration potential and scale of the Schryburt Lake Project; interpretations of geophysical data including three-dimensional magnetic inversion modelling; and the Company's exploration strategies generally. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, estimates, and opinions of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected. These risks include, but are not limited to: the ability to obtain necessary permits and regulatory approvals; the ability of the Company to maintain positive relationships with First Nations and other stakeholders; the Company's inability to exercise any of the options under the Joint Venture Option Agreement or other option agreements; uncertainties related to the interpretation of geophysical and geochemical data and the geology of the Company's mineral project; the possibility that further exploration does not result in the delineation of any mineral resources; changes in commodity prices for rare earth elements and niobium; availability of financing for continued exploration; and general risks associated with mineral exploration. Additional risk factors affecting the Company can be found in the Company's continuous disclosure documents available at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any 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 securities laws. 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/280857 Source: Canamera Energy Metals Corp. Updated Press Release: An earlier version of this announcement was inadvertently distributed in error. This release supersedes all prior versions and reflects the Company's accurate and complete disclosure. VitaSmart Commercial Launch Expected 1Q26 FDA-cleared labeling supports broad clinical applicability, including Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) donors, and positions VitaSmart as a scalable and economically compelling platform for U.S. transplant centers DULUTH, Ga., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridge to Life Ltd., a global innovator in organ preservation and perfusion technologies, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted De Novo clearance for the VitaSmart Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion (HOPE) System, establishing a new regulatory classification for hypothermic oxygenated perfusion in liver transplantation in the United States. The FDA clearance enables the commercial use of VitaSmart for hypothermic oxygenated perfusion of donor livers following static cold storage and prior to transplantation, providing a clear, regulated pathway for U.S. transplant centers to incorporate HOPE protocols into clinical practice. "This clearance represents a transformational milestone for Bridge to Life and an important advancement for liver transplantation in the United States," said Don Webber, CEO and President of Bridge to Life Ltd. "VitaSmart is the first FDA-cleared hypothermic oxygenated perfusion system for liver transplantation, and the labeling reflects FDA's determination of safety and effectiveness, aligned with real-world transplant practice. We believe this will support adoption, contribute to improved organ utilization, and offer meaningful clinical and significant economic value to transplant programs." Expanding the Opportunity for DCD Liver Utilization Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) grafts represent an important donor category in contemporary liver transplantation. Inclusion of DCD grafts within the FDA-cleared labeling reflects clinical interest in preservation strategies intended to support graft management prior to implantation. "Having an FDA-cleared hypothermic oxygenated perfusion system commercially available represents an important development for transplant programs," said Kristopher Croome, MD, Professor of Surgery and Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgeon at Mayo Clinic Florida. "The availability of VitaSmart's HOPE technology under FDA-cleared labeling, supports ongoing efforts to optimize preservation strategies, particularly with DCD liver grafts. Without a fixed perfusion duration limitation this represents an important advancement and underscores the FDA's recognition of hypothermic oxygenated perfusion as a safe and clinically meaningful approach to liver preservation, empowering transplant teams with greater flexibility to deliver the best possible care to patients in need," Dr. Croome further commented. Labeling Designed to Support Real-World Clinical Practice The FDA-cleared labeling for VitaSmart supports hypothermic oxygenated perfusion of donor livers prior to transplantation in both Donation after Brain Death (DBD) and Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) donors, within defined donor criteria. Importantly, the cleared indication does not specify a maximum machine perfusion duration, allowing clinicians to apply hypothermic oxygenated perfusion within the scope of the indication using clinical judgment and established protocols. Extended HOPE duration provides operational and patient safety advantages, including improved coordination of transplantation logistics, avoidance of rushed implantation, and reduced risk of re-exposure to static cold ischemia. These factors directly impact intraoperative stability and post-transplant outcomes. Clinical Evidence Supporting De Novo Clearance FDA clearance was supported by data from the Bridge to HOPE pivotal clinical trial, a multicenter, randomized controlled study conducted in the United States evaluating end-ischemic portal venous hypothermic oxygenated perfusion in adult liver transplantation. The study enrolled 219 recipients across 15 U.S. transplant centers, including extended-criteria donor populations in both DBD and DCD grafts. The statistically significant clinical results of the trial formed the basis for FDA's De Novo determination and demonstrated improvements in early graft function with a strong safety profile. Economic and Operational Considerations for Transplant Centers Within the scope of its cleared use, VitaSmart is designed to support: Improved organ utilization Reduced downstream resource utilization Simplified workflow integration without the need for transport-based perfusion A capital-efficient, scalable approach to advanced organ preservation These considerations are increasingly important as transplant programs balance clinical outcomes, operational complexity, and resource constraints. Potential economic and operational benefits may vary by center and clinical practice. Launch Plans As previously announced, Bridge to Life has appointed David Castiglioni as Chief Commercial Officer to lead the U.S. commercialization of VitaSmart and support continued growth across the company's proprietary solutions portfolio. Mr. Castiglioni brings extensive experience in the transplantation sector and in working with healthcare providers to implement clinically integrated solutions. Bridge to Life plans to initiate the U.S. commercial launch of VitaSmart during the first quarter of 2026. The launch will build on the company's existing commercial infrastructure and longstanding relationships across the transplantation community. Purpose-Built HOPE Technology for U.S. Adoption VitaSmart delivers hypothermic oxygenated perfusion by cooling donor livers to controlled hypothermic temperatures while providing oxygenated perfusate prior to transplantation. The system is engineered for reliability, simplicity, and ease of use, supporting adoption across a wide range of transplant center environments under its FDA-cleared indication. Acknowledgment of Investigators and Team "I want to personally thank the investigators, transplant teams, and clinical staff at the 15 transplant centers in the US who participated in the Bridge to HOPE study, as well as the Bridge to Life team whose dedication and scientific rigor made this milestone possible," added Webber. "This clearance reflects years of disciplined clinical execution and collaboration, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed." About Bridge to Life Ltd. Bridge to Life Ltd. is a global leader in organ preservation solutions, offering a comprehensive portfolio that includes Belzer UW, EasiSlush, and the VitaSmart Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion System. Bridge to Life partners with transplant centers and organ procurement organizations worldwide to advance preservation science and support life-saving transplantation. For more information, visit www.bridgetolife.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2863691/VitaSmart_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bridge-to-life-secures-fda-de-novo-clearance-for-vitasmart-hypothermic-oxygenated-perfusion-hope-system-the-first-ever-us-approval-for-cold-machine-perfusion-in-liver-transplant-preservation-302665915.html VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Trans Canada Gold Corp. (TSX-V:TTG)(OTCQB:TTGXF) ("Trans Canada" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that the Company has appointed Michael Magrum P. Eng. as Vice-President, Mining Operations, and as its key technical advisor (as a Qualified Person under National Instrument NI #43-101), for the Company effective immediately. Mr. Magrum will be responsible overseeing the technical management of all Trans Canada Gold's gold and mineral properties, and will be carrying out all requisite due diligence for all new gold and mineral property acquisitions. Mr. Magrum is a seasoned geological engineer, who has 40 years of gold exploration experience, and has worked extensively in gold and mineral exploration and mining since 1971, starting his career in the Yellowknife gold mining camp. Mr. Magrum is a graduate of the Haileybury School of Mines, and a graduate of the University of Alaska and has worked extensively in Canadian and international gold exploration. His worldwide experience in identifying gold exploration and mining opportunities, has exposed him to most gold and silver deposit types. He was a former director of Seabridge Gold Inc., which acquired a world class gold property portfolio containing multi-million-ounce gold resources. He is presently a director of RochesterResources Ltd., a silver/gold producer currently operating in Mexico. Mr. Magrum has also served as a director, of the Prospector and Developers Association of Canada, and was then former President of the Northwest Territories Chamber of Mines, a Mining Industry Association and lobby group. Commented President & CEO Tim Coupland, "We are very excited to have Mr. Magrum P. Eng join our exploration management team, and utilizing his gold exploration and mining expertise, and to oversee the Company's Technical Management of our upcoming gold acquisition and oversee upcoming drilling exploration. Mr. Magrum is experienced in targeted gold exploration, drilling, discovering, and by assembling gold projects, and has delivered multi-million-ounce gold portfolio's and has added gold and silver producers to the Canadian mining markets. Mr. Magrum is joining our company at a time when we are entering a long -term precious metals supercycle especially when gold and silver prices are substantially above historical norms driven by powerful, structural economic forces." Trans Canada Gold's geological team are finalizing its due diligence, on a gold mineral exploration project, with all mine and drill permits in place, a historical gold resource with a NI 43-101 Property Report pending completion, with significant near-term growth and exploration drilling potential, situated in a safe mining friendly Canadian Province. The Company is currently completing its rigorous due diligence, claim verifications, permit confirmations, required due diligence, with gold property owners and vendors, as required in making a strategic gold property acquisition early in the new year. The Company intends to utilize its experienced gold mineral exploration team, to drill, expand and advance the large-scale gold property and capitalize on the current prevailing gold price and soaring precious metal market conditions. ABOUT TRANS CANADA GOLD CORP. - OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION/REVENUE PRODUCING OIL WELLS/GOLD & MINERAL EXPLORATION The Company is a Canadian discovery focused Oil & Gas Resource Development and Gold Mineral Exploration Company that is currently focused on developing and drilling its' production of conventional heavy oil exploration properties, increasing production capabilities, and increasing future oil production revenues through responsible exploration, and discovering and acquiring advanced gold and silver mineral assets. The Company identifies, acquires and finances with its working interest partners, the ongoing development of oil and gas assets, primarily situated in Alberta Canada. The Company has qualified Senior exploration mining management and oil & gas Geological teams of professionals, seasoned in exploration production, field exploration and drilling. The Company currently works with Croverro Energy Ltd., who has demonstrated proficiency, expected of an experienced oil and gas technical team that has proven oil production, and revenue success with large multi-lateral wells currently under their supervision. The Company has the necessary manpower in place to develop its natural resource properties and manage its production properties. The Company is committed to minimizing risk through selective property acquisitions, and responsible exploration drilling, and maximizing long term petroleum and natural gas resource assets. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Tim Coupland, President and CEO Trans Canada Gold Corp. Tel: (604) 681-3131 astar@telus.net www.transcanadagold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider, (as the term is defined in the Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Trans Canada Gold Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/trans-canada-gold-corp.-appoints-michael-magrum-p.-eng-vice-president-of-explorat-1128703 Highlights: Meridian announces Measured and Indicated ("M&I") resources for Cabacal as part of initial workstream towards its definitive feasibility study; Cabacal mine's Au-Cu-Ag open-pittable resource expanded; - M&I: 70.1Mt @ 0.6g/t Au, 0.3% Cu, 1.3g/t Ag; - Metal increases of 39.2% for Au, 14.2% for Cu and 19.3% for Ag; - Mineralization remains open down dip; Meridian reports M&I resources for the Santa Helena Central deposit; Santa Helena Central's maiden open-pittable Au-Cu-Ag-Zn-Pb resource declared; - M&I: 5.3Mt @ 0.6g/t Au, 0.4% Cu, 15.5g/t Ag, 1.9% Zn & 0.4% Pb; - Resource remains open in all directions; The Cabacal VMS Belt's M&I resources total 1.4Moz Au, 0.6Blbs Cu, 5.6Moz Ag, 217.4Mlbs Zn and 49.9Mlbs Pb; and Cabacal DFS metallurgical studies have optimised recoveries of Au, Cu & Ag. London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Meridian Mining plc (TSX: MNO) (FSE: N2E0) (OTCQX: MRRDF) ("Meridian" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of separate Mineral Resource Estimates ("MRE") for the Cabacal deposit and the Santa Helena Central deposit, concluded by its consultant, GE21 Consultoria Mineral. The Cabacal Au-Cu-Ag project ("Cabacal") is at an advanced permitting stage1 and is currently advancing to a Definitive Feasibility Study2 ("DFS"), expected in Q4 2026. The completion of the updated resource is one of the initial workstreams to be completed for the DFS, and the updated resource will be used for further studies in connection with the DFS. The Company has not applied any economic analysis to the updated resource beyond that required to state a resource estimate and does not consider the updated resource to be material to Cabacal or the Company. It does not supersede the results of the Company's prefeasibility study ("PFS") dated March 31, 2025 and the Mineral Reserve Estimate set out in the PFS is considered to remain current3. The Company is reporting an updated resource for Cabacal. Cabacal's M&I resource is reported at 70.1Mt grading 0.6g/t Au, 0.3% Cu, 1.3g/t Ag for 1.3Moz of Au, 0.5Blbs of Cu and 3.0Moz of Ag. Meridian is also reporting the maiden open-pittable resource for the Santa Helena Central Au-Cu-Ag-Zn-Pb project ("Santa Helena Central"). Santa Helena Central's M&I resource is reported at 5.3Mt grading 0.6g/t Au, 0.4% Cu, 15.5g/t Ag, 1.9% Zn & 0.4% Pb for 95.8Koz of Au, 50.4Mlbs of Cu, 2.6Moz of Ag, 217.4Mlbs of Zn and 49.9Mlbs of Pb. The Company has not applied any economic analysis to the Santa Helena Central resource beyond that required to state a resource estimate and does not consider the resource to be material. The Company is also reporting an increase in granted mineral rights across the Cabacal, Jauru and Araputanga Greenstone Belts to Rio Cabacal Mineracao ("RCM"). This follows mineral applications being approved for exploration by the National Mining Agency - "Agencia Nacional de Mineracao" ("ANM"). The Company's granted exploration portfolio has now more than doubled with these titles. Subject to access agreements and licensing, Meridian will initiate exploration activities across the Jauru and Araputanga Belts during 2026, while continuing to expand multiple exploration programs along the Cabacal Belt. In this press release, Cabacal's MRE is compared to that of March 20254. The September 2025 MRE is based on CIBC Analyst Consensus Commodity prices of November 2025: Au USD 3,103/oz, Ag USD 35.34/oz & Cu USD 4.39 /lb to determine cut-off grades (see Note 14 associated with Table 1) as compared to March 2025's MRE that used CIBC Analyst Consensus Commodity prices of November 2024: Au USD 2,119/oz, Ag USD 26.89/oz, Cu USD 4.16, refer to page 6, in the Company's March 31, 2025 MD&A. Mr. Gilbert Clark, CEO, comments: "A tremendous start to 2026 with Cabacal's resource update and Santa Helena Central's maiden resource estimate. This confirms the tremendous potential of the Cabacal Belt that now hosts over one point three million ounces of gold, more than half a billion pounds of copper and over five million ounces of silver all within open pit depths. Santa Helena Central's resource is solely focused on the central part of an open and prospective system with its stand-alone PL application submitted. We can now look to further near-term growth from additional resource and exploration drilling knowing that we are already well on our way to developing these two resource hubs. The near-term development of a modern and sustainable mining operation in the state of Mato Grosso has been greatly advanced with Meridian's growing Au-Cu-Ag resources, the advancement of the DFS and its expanding exploration programs." Figure 1: Cabacal and Santa Helena Central resource locations To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7354/280861_e10f0e39b4763aca_002full.jpg Resource Development Studies - Cabacal The mineral resource for Cabacal (Table 1) was classified and prepared in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council on May 10, 2014, as amended (the "CIM Standards"), and the CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines, adopted by CIM Council on November 29, 2019, as amended (the "CIM Guidelines") by Mr. Leonardo Moraes Soares, MAIG. Mr. Soares is an independent Qualified Person as such term is defined under NI 43-101. Mineral resource estimates defined within this 2025 MRE for Cabacal will feed into the pending DFS, on track for filing in Q4 2026. Classification Weathering Average Value Material Content Mass Au Ag Cu Au Ag Cu Mt g/t g/t % koz koz kt Measured Saprolite 0.33 0.44 0.69 0.12 4.56 7.22 0.38 Transition 1.83 0.55 0.63 0.21 32.60 37.25 3.81 Fresh Rock 62.53 0.57 1.36 0.35 1,138.52 2,743.29 217.43 Total 64.69 0.57 1.34 0.34 1,175.68 2,787.77 221.61 Indicated Saprolite 0.01 0.30 0.99 0.16 0.14 0.46 0.02 Transition 0.07 0.13 0.59 0.22 0.31 1.37 0.16 Fresh Rock 5.32 0.49 1.00 0.22 83.09 170.77 11.69 Total 5.41 0.48 0.99 0.22 83.54 172.59 11.87 Total Saprolite 0.34 0.43 0.70 0.12 4.70 7.68 0.40 Transition 1.90 0.54 0.63 0.21 32.91 38.62 3.96 Fresh Rock 67.85 0.56 1.34 0.34 1,221.61 2,914.06 229.12 Total 70.10 0.56 1.31 0.33 1,259.22 2,960.36 233.48 Table 1: Cabacal deposit mineral resource table. Notes related to the Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE"): Measured and Indicated Resource estimate reported inside open pit constraints. Inferred category was not classified inside open pit constraints. The Mineral Resource Estimates were prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards, and the CIM Guidelines, using geostatistical and/or classical methods, plus economic and mining parameters appropriate to the deposit Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and are not demonstrably economically recoverable. Grades reported using dry density. The effective date of the MRE was December 31, 2025. The QP responsible for the Mineral Resources is geologist Leonardo Soares (MAIG #5180). The MRE numbers provided have been rounded to the estimate relative precision. Values cannot be added due to rounding. The MRE is delimited by Mining tenement areas. The MRE was estimated using ordinary kriging in 5m x 5m x 2.5m blocks with sub-blocks of 2.5m x 1.25m x 0.625m. The MRE report table was produced in Leapfrog Edge software. The MRE was restricted by a pit shell defined using metal prices of USD 3,103/oz Au, USD 35.34/oz Ag, USD2 4.39/lb Cu, Mining cost of USD 9.11/t mined, processing cost of USD 7.82/t processed, metallurgical recovery calculated block by block based on metallurgical tests, G&A costs of USD 2.19/t processed, and USD 2.36/t processed logistics. Equivalent Gold grade ("AuEq") was calculated with the following general formula: AuEq = (Au_grade * %Au_Recovery) + (1.346*(Cu_grade * %Cu_Recovery)) + (0.013*(Ag _grade * %Ag_Recovery)). The QP is not aware of political, environmental, or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of the Mineral Resources other than those typical for mining projects at this stage of development. The resource cut-off grade applied for Measured and Indicated resources was 0.117 g/t AuEq. The underground mining void model has been used to deplete the resource. The mineral exploration data was applied to define the 3D geological model and resource estimate. It was compiled into Leapfrog software for the audit and validation of the organization, integrity and security of the data. The database is considered suitable for the purposes of mineral resource estimation. The Cabacal deposit mineral resource database consists of 1,290 drillholes, 34 trenches, 83 channels, 25 auger drilling, 15 mixed drilling, 13 percussion drilling and 12 rotary percussion drilling (Meridian + historic drilling), totalling 139,956.78 metres. This database includes 96,900.22 metres of assayed intervals. All historic data used for the MRE has been validated statistically to show no significant bias, either by twinned drillholes, extensive re-sampling and assaying of historic drill core, statistical comparison of historical data with Meridian drilling, and by field validation of collar locations. The 3D geological model was prepared by the QP using Leapfrog Geo software, to define and interpolate geological domains. The nominal sample length of 1 m was selected to be used in sample compositing based on the analysis of composite support for the Cabacal deposit. The variograms prepared for each domain were used in Ordinary Kriging for Au (g/t), Cu (%) and Ag (g/t) estimates, using Leapfrog Edge software. The block model for the Cabacal Project was built using Leapfrog software. The dimensions of the blocks are 5m x 5m x 2.5m blocks with sub-blocks of 2.5m x 1.25m x 0.625m. Density data was supplied by Meridian inside the drillhole database with selected intervals of 10-15 cm in length for weathered samples and 1 meter for fresh material. A total of 70,976 density test results are present in the database. The QP assumed a fixed value of 2.16 t/m by average density on Saprolite and 2.54 t/m for the Saprock horizon based on statistical analysis. Density on Fresh Rock Zone was estimated by inverse weighting distance using a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 15 density sample values. The Ordinary Kriging (OK) estimation method was applied to estimate the Au (ppm), Cu (%) and Ag (ppm) grades for mineralized domains. The estimates were separated for each domain, respecting the composites of each of the mineralized horizons. Grades were estimated considering Soft Boundary domains. The classification of mineral resources for the Cabacal deposit was determined by the QP's using the definitions of the Resources established by the CIM. This process involved assessing data quality and quantity, and resource classification was also based on search pass numbers used in grade interpolation. The Mineral Resource value was quantified inside a resource pit based on the current cost and assumed commodity price, represented for the Reasonable Prospect for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE), considering as effective date December 31, 2025. Mineral Resources were classified based on the estimation search radius, in conjunction with geological continuity, data spacing, and confidence in the grade estimates. Distances of up to 55 metres were assigned to Measured Mineral Resources, up to 80 metres to Indicated Mineral Resources. There were no blocks classified as inferred within the open-pit shell. The resource cut-off grade applied for low- and high-grade domains in Measured and Indicated resources was 0.117 g/t AuEq. Figure 2 presents the equivalent gold grade within the block model and the RPEEE pit shell, while Figure 3 shows the mineral resource classification. Figure 2: Gold Equivalent grade within the block model for Cabacal and the pit optimized for Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction ("RPEEE"). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7354/280861_e10f0e39b4763aca_003full.jpg Figure 3: Mineral Resource Classification for Cabacal To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7354/280861_e10f0e39b4763aca_004full.jpg Whilst the resource has grown, the Company notes that the Preliminary Licence for the development footprint of Cabacal is approved for the volumes of material aligned with those established in the PEA5 and PFS. An increase in the volumes of mined material would require amending the Preliminary Licence, thus extending the Cabacal development timeline. As a result, the Company will continue to base its Cabacal DFS and initial development plans on the footprint defined by the Preliminary Licence pit and waste dump areas. Future possibilities may include an expansion of the open pit, implementing backfilling within the approved pit footprint, or potential underground exploitation. The Company will continue to assess near-mine exploration opportunities. The down-dip and down-plunge extensions of the Cabacal mineral system remain lightly drilled. The Company's focus to date has been restricted to a small number of holes at Cabacal West. It may be that local flexures or structural intersections, or periodicity in the original VMS architecture, create favourable positions for the copper-gold mineralization event, with scope to test for underground targets. The Company has recently drilled a number of holes to the south-east of Cabacal with results pending and will progressively test for vectors to potential underground resource extension targets. Geochemical and geophysical programs remain active in the mine corridor and the Company is purchasing drone-based geophysical sensors to add further to our in-house capabilities for better mapping the structure and stratigraphy for exploration targeting, with equipment expected to be delivered over the course of the first quarter. Resource Development Studies - Santa Helena Central The maiden mineral resource for Santa Helena Central (Table 2) was classified and prepared in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council on May 10, 2014, as amended (the "CIM Standards"), and the CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines, adopted by CIM Council on November 29, 2019, as amended (the "CIM Guidelines") by Mr. Leonardo Moraes Soares, MAIG. Mr. Soares is an independent Qualified Person as such term is defined under NI 43-101. Average Value Material Content Classification Weathering Mass Mt Au Ag Cu Zn Pb Au Ag Cu Zn Pb g/t g/t % % % koz koz kt kt Kt Measured Saprolite 0.50 0.69 11.07 0.39 0.84 0.49 11.02 177.65 1.96 4.21 2.45 Saprock 0.55 0.53 13.47 0.57 1.27 0.34 9.38 238.45 3.17 7.00 1.87 Fresh_Rock 3.70 0.58 17.07 0.45 2.20 0.45 69.03 2 027.86 16.50 81.14 16.75 Total 4.75 0.59 16.02 0.46 1.95 0.44 89.43 2,443.96 21.63 92.36 21.07 Indicated Saprolite 0.08 0.43 11.10 0.21 0.78 0.29 1.06 27.60 0.16 0.60 0.23 Saprock 0.03 0.35 7.27 0.55 0.78 0.24 0.37 7.88 0.18 0.26 0.08 Fresh_Rock 0.44 0.35 10.67 0.20 1.24 0.29 4.93 149.84 0.86 5.40 1.25 Total 0.55 0.36 10.52 0.22 1.15 0.28 6.36 185.32 1.21 6.27 1.56 Meas + Ind Saprolite 0.58 0.65 11.07 0.37 0.83 0.46 12.08 205.25 2.12 4.81 2.67 Saprock 0.58 0.52 13.12 0.57 1.24 0.33 9.76 246.33 3.35 7.27 1.95 Fresh_Rock 4.13 0.56 16.39 0.42 2.09 0.44 73.95 2,177.70 17.37 86.55 18.01 Total 5.29 0.56 15.45 0.43 1.86 0.43 95.79 2,629.28 22.84 98.63 22.62 Inferred Saprolite 0.00 0.43 11.20 0.19 1.25 0.34 0.06 1.45 0.01 0.05 0.01 Saprock 0.00 0.20 6.78 0.49 0.66 0.25 0.01 0.32 0.01 0.01 0.00 Fresh_Rock 0.03 0.31 11.67 0.18 1.50 0.30 0.29 11.11 0.05 0.45 0.09 Total 0.04 0.32 11.41 0.19 1.44 0.30 0.36 12.88 0.07 0.51 0.11 Table 2: Santa Helena Central deposit mineral resource table. Notes related to the Mineral Resource Estimate: Measured and Indicated Resource estimate reported inside open pit constraints. The Mineral Resource Estimates were prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards, and the CIM Guidelines, using geostatistical and/or classical methods, plus economic and mining parameters appropriate to the deposit Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and are not demonstrably economically recoverable. Grades reported using dry density. The effective date of the MRE was December 31, 2025. The QP responsible for Mineral Resources is geologist Leonardo Soares (MAIG #5180). The MRE numbers provided have been rounded to the estimated relative precision. Values cannot be added due to rounding. The MRE is delimited by Mining tenement areas. The MRE was estimated using ordinary kriging in 5m x 5m x 2.5m blocks with sub-blocks of 1.25m x 1.25m x 1.25m. The MRE report table was produced in Leapfrog Geo software. The Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) was constrained by an optimized pit shell generated using the following parameters: metal prices of USD3,103/oz gold, USD35.34/oz silver, USD4.39/lb copper, USD1.22/lb zinc, and USD0.92/lb lead; mining costs of USD2.98/t for oxidized ROM and waste material, USD10.44/t for transitional and fresh ROM material, and USD2.98/t for waste; a processing cost of USD7.82/t processed; general and administrative (G&A) costs of USD2.19/t processed; and logistics costs of USD2.36/t processed. Equivalent Gold grade ("AuEq") was calculated with the following formula: Fresh Rock Gold Equivalent: AuEq(g/t) = (Au_ppm * 57.0%Rec) + (0.970 * Cu_pct * 76.9%Rec) + (0.270 * Zn_pct * 90.6%Rec) + (0.203 * Pb_pct * 78.3%Rec.) + (0.011 * Ag _ppm * 83.7%Rec.). Transition Zone Gold Equivalent: AuEq(g/t) = (Au_ppm * 83.1%Rec) + (0.970 * Cu_pct * 75.3%Rec) + (0.270 * Zn_pct * 77.4%Rec) + (0.203 * Pb_pct * 51.4%Rec) + (0.011 * Ag _ppm * 80.1%Rec). Oxide Zone Gold Equivalent: AuEq(g/t) = (Au_ppm * 78.1%Rec.) + (0.011 * Ag _ppm * 62.3%Rec.). The resource cut-off grade applied for Measured and Indicated resources was 0.125 g/t AuEq. The underground mining void model has been used to deplete the resource. The mineral exploration data was applied to define the 3D geological model and resource estimate. It was compiled into Leapfrog software for the audit and validation of the organization, integrity and security of the data. The database is considered suitable for the purposes of mineral resource estimation. The Santa Helena Central deposit's mineral resource database consists of 327 drillholes, 22 trenches, 104 channels and 47 auger drill holes, and 245 grade control holes (Meridian + historic drilling), with 27,533.96 metres (Table 3). This database includes 18,655.35 metres of assayed intervals. Type Number Meterage Auger 47 329.89 Channel 104 188.69 Diamond 327 25145.38 Grade Control 245 770.77 Trench 22 1099.23 Total 745 27533.96 Table 3: Santa Helena database drill types. All historic data used for Santa Helena Central's MRE has been validated statistically to show no significant bias, either by twinned drillholes, extensive re-sampling and assaying of historic drill core, statistical comparison of historical data with Meridian's drilling, and by field validation of collar locations, to validate them. A change of support was performed to guarantee the use of historical data including channel, trench, grade control and auger drilling, by comparing values with the original diamond drill hole (DDH) data. The 3D geological model was prepared by the QP using Leapfrog Geo software, to define and interpolate geological domains. The nominal sample length of 1 m was selected to be used in sample compositing based on the analysis of composite support for the Santa Helena Central deposit. The variograms prepared for each domain were used in Ordinary Kriging for Au (g/t), Cu (%), Ag (g/t), Zn (%) and Pb (%) estimates, using Leapfrog Edge software. The block model for Santa Helena Central was built using Leapfrog software. The dimensions of the blocks are 5m x 5m x 2.5m blocks with sub-blocks of 1.25m x 1.25m x 1.25m. Density data was supplied by Meridian inside the drillhole database with selected intervals of 10-15 cm in length for weathered samples and 1 meter for fresh material. A total of 11,702 density test results are present in the database. The QP assumed a fixed value of 1.70 t/m by average density on Saprolite and 2.33 t/m for the Saprock horizon based on statistical analysis. Density on Fresh Rock Zone was estimated by inverse weighting distance using a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 15 density sample values. The Ordinary Kriging (OK) estimation method was applied to estimate the Au (ppm), Cu (%), Ag (ppm) Zn (%) and Pb (%) grade for mineralized domains. The estimates were separated for each domain, respecting the composites of each of the mineralized horizons. Grades were estimated considering Soft Boundary domains. The classification of mineral resources for the Santa Helena Central deposit was determined by the QP's using the definitions of the Resources established by the CIM. This process involved assessing data quality and quantity, and resource classification was also based on search pass numbers used in grade interpolation. The Mineral Resource value was quantified inside a resource pit based on the current cost and assumed commodity price, represented for the Reasonable Prospect for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE), considering as effective date December 31, 2025. Mineral Resources were classified based on the estimation search radius, in conjunction with geological continuity, data spacing, and confidence in the grade estimates. Distances of up to 55 metres were assigned to Measured Mineral Resources, up to 80 metres to Indicated Mineral Resources, and up to 120 metres to Inferred Mineral Resources. CIBC Analyst Consensus Commodity prices of November 2025 have been used for Santa Helena Central's Mineral Resource Estimates: Au USD 3,103/oz, Ag USD 35.34/oz, Cu USD 4.39 /lb, Zn USD 1.22/lb and Pb USD 0.92/lb. The resource cut-off grade applied for low- and high-grade domains in Measured and Indicated resources was 0.125 g/t AuEq. Figure 4 presents the equivalent gold grade within the block model and the RPEEE pit shell, while Figure 5 shows the mineral resource classification. Figure 4: Gold Equivalent grade within the block model for Santa Helena Central and the pit optimized for Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction ("RPEEE"). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7354/280861_e10f0e39b4763aca_005full.jpg Figure 5: Mineral Resource Classification for Santa Helena Central To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7354/280861_e10f0e39b4763aca_006full.jpg The Santa Helena Central deposit remains open particularly to the west, where results have included CD-605's 75.6m @ 3.0g/t Au, 1.0% Cu, 30.2 g/t Ag & 2.5% Zn from 32.4m6. Meridian's drilling to the west has been limited to the reach of low-angled holes and the open mineralization trends towards the Sucuri VTEM conductor. This western extension is in a forest regrowth area where the Company is continuing to engage with agencies to assess options for permitting for low-impact activities. A limited amount of historical drilling had been undertaken by historical operators in this corridor, before changes in the environmental permitting system were implemented. Highlighted historical results from Sucuri, included a peak grade of 1.0 m at 140.0 g/t Au from 53.0 m in JUCHD-011. Induced polarization surveys and reconnaissance drilling also suggests that the VMS position is structurally repeated along chargeability corridors detected to the northeast of Santa Helena Central, which will be subject to further evaluation (Santa Helena North; Santa Helena Far North7). There is also limited drilling at depth beneath the deposit and testing for the possibility of stacked lenses for underground resource potential will be an objective. VMS Camps such as La Ronde - Penna host mineralization stacked at different stratigraphic intervals. With the Cabacal Belt being characterised by gentle dips, there is a significant footprint of unexplored stratigraphy between the sub-volcanic intrusive system and the known VMS deposit horizon. With potential for gold mineralization associated with the syn-volcanic event and subsequent introduction/remobilization in the subsequent deformational history, a range of conceivable targets exist. The tonnage and grades of the Santa Helena Central's resource differ from historical exploration targets and resource estimates, being influenced by: Increased gold price, which in the metal equivalence formulas has the effect of subduing base metal grades; GE21's assessment that some of the historical grade control data analysed at the site laboratory required levelling impacting historical drill hole metal grades; Differing metallurgical properties between the historically mined higher-grade massive sulphide mineralization and the lower-grade stringer to disseminated mineralization; Mineralization extending out of open pit constraints; and Infill drilling resulted in a more defined geological model of the higher-grading massive sulphide zones. Cabacal Definitive Feasibility Study Update The DFS's metallurgical test work phase is complete with new metallurgical recovery formulae calculated. Further increases in the already high recoveries for gold and silver have been achieved. This was also achieved for the Cabacal's copper mineralization grading above 0.5% Cu. For the DFS's metallurgical program, the samples supplied to SGS for testing were selected from the planned first five years of mill feed[8] to test the process flowsheet over the mine payback period and beyond. An updated process flowsheet was tested based on this program's metallurgical results. The main enhancements being a slightly finer primary grind of 150 micron compared to the PFS's 200 micron as well as a marginally increased dosage of collector in the copper cleaner stage. New metal recovery formulae have been calculated for use in the pending DFS. The metal recovery formulae are provided in the Technical Notes. Based on the average metal grades of the DFS's resource estimate outlined in this release, the improvements in metal recoveries compared to the PFS can be seen in Table 4: Au g/t Cu % Ag g/t Cabacal updated M&I resource grade 0.56 0.33 1.31 DFS metal recovery % 88.35 90.97 72.51 PFS metal recovery % 85.52 90.97 51.97 DFS metal recovery difference 2.83% * 20.54% Table 4: Comparative DFS and PFS metal recoveries. * As the DFS's metallurgical program used samples grading +0.5% Cu, for grades below 0.5% Cu the PFS's metal recoveries were applied. Therefore, with the Cabacal resource update's average copper grade of 0.33% the average copper metal recoveries are the same for both the DFS and the PFS. Landbank Developments - Mato Grosso The Company is pleased to report that an additional ten of its exploration mineral title applications have been recently approved for exploration by the ANM (Figure 6) to RCM. The newly granted licences cover 64,490 ha. Combined with previous granted tenure and titles covered by the Cabacal purchase agreement9, this brings the footprint of tenure available to exploration to a total 104,932 ha (granted exploration licences, combined with the Cabacal mining title application, and Santa Helena mining licence). One licence remains under application spanning 2,336 ha. The ten newly approved mineral titles expand the footprint of granted licences in each of the three greenstone belts. Newly granted tenure in the Cabacal Belt includes two licences: Licence 866752/2022 (9,466 ha) and Licence 866597/2024 (7,561 ha) are located on the southern extension of the Cabacal Belt, southeast and east of the Santa Fe target region. Regional geological maps show the belt projecting into this region, and magnetic data coupled with drilling in the Santa Fe area indicates that the greenstone projects under the younger Proterozoic Aguapei sedimentary formation (with this formation itself being prospective for gold)10. Newly granted tenure in the Araputanga Belt includes two licences: Within the Araputanga Belt, the newly granted licences 866752/2021 (4,911 ha) and 866754/2021 (4,917 ha) adjoin the previously granted licence 866751/2021. These two licences consolidate the Company's footprint over the BP Minerals ("BPM") "A1" target area, a position where BP Minerals ("BPM") previously conducted soil geochemistry and ground geophysical follow up of aerial INPUT anomalies. Two holes were drilled by BPM (but complete results are lost). The A1 soil geochemical results have been recently recovered through georeferencing of historical maps. BP applied an empirical but effective method of panning a set volume (5L) soil sample to derive gold counts. At a 10-count threshold, there are at least 12 anomalies varying from 150 to 850m in strike length. Copper values reach over 250ppm in the grid. A number of gold and base metal stream anomalies are present outside of the limits of the soil grid, along with INPUT geophysical targets, still leaving first principals exploration programs to be executed. Newly granted tenure in the Jauru Belt includes six licences: Licence 866262/2024 (2,116 ha) lies to the north and covers the J9 exploration target, which again hosts a series of clustered gold, copper and polymetallic stream anomalies. A strong gold-in-soil anomaly is registered in this area, although the map is less well located and some field validation is required to confirm the east-west spatial positioning of the response. There are seven BPM INPUT geophysical anomalies present on this licence. Licence 866757/2021 (7,400 ha) projects over a more southern extension of the belt and hosts the projection of the J7 target (a northern extension of the off-licence J6 target trend, held by River Gold Mineracao Ltda under mining licence application). Gold in this region is associated with shearing close to the margin of the granite-greenstone contact. Licence 866757/2021 hosts four BP INPUT geophysical anomalies requiring further evaluation. Licences 866744/2021 (9,767 ha) and 866749/2021 (7,544 ha) host the Jauru copper-in-stream target[11]. This target corridor is associated with an exhalative unit extending over a strike length of 9km, contained wholly within the Company's licence package. A strong copper-in-stream anomaly is evident over at least a 7km strike extent over this exhalative unit. Basaltic metavolcanics are developed in the footwall of the exhalative unit to the east, and a metasedimentary unit is present to the west in the hangingwall. The copper-in-stream response increases rapidly from background values over the metavolcanic-sedimentary package, to form a coherent strike-extensive anomaly over the exhalative unit, increasing to peak values of up to 240ppm Cu. For context, peak copper values for the stream anomaly that led to definition of the Cabacal target were in the order of 34 - 56ppm Cu, and for Santa Helena, 20 - 36ppm Cu. Within licence 866744/2021, there are 19 BPM INPUT geophysical anomalies, some aligning with the stream anomaly and some detached associated with footwall lead-zinc anomalies or hangingwall positions requiring further evaluation. Jauru licence 866750/2021 (8,917 ha) does not span a specifically defined BPM target position but is structurally along strike and down plunge from the copper-in- stream anomaly of licences 866744/2021 - 866749/2021. It hosts four INPUT geophysical anomalies from the BPM aerial survey, and various lead-zinc stream anomalies not surveyed in more detail with follow up soil programs. Such responses could be indicative of broader zoned systems and in time will be evaluated in more detail. Licence 866261/2024 (1,890) lies east of the Jauru copper-in-stream target, hosts some lead-in-stream anomalies, and provides continuity with the Araputanga licence package. The Company's community relations and permitting teams are now focussed on securing expanded access agreements and environmental licensing to facilitate exploration programs and have commenced making contact with the farming community in this district. The Company has in total 104 written agreements and is building on a base of new contacts to expand our strong community relations. Environmental permitting for exploration also required landholders to have a registered "CAR" (Cadastro Ambiental Rural; land use document). Not all properties yet have this, which may limit access to some regions until they can be obtained. There is a program of work still in progress to vectorize the prospect-scale historical soil, geology and geophysical datasets which will continue whilst the land-access and permitting programs continue. The Company will recommence full field activities in late January. Figure 6: Mineral Title status map of the Cabacal, Araputanga and Jauru Belts. Newly approved licences are 866752/2022, 866752/2021, 866262/2024, 866757/2021, 866744/2021, 866750/2021, 866597/2024, 866261/2024, 866754/2021, 866749/2021. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7354/280861_e10f0e39b4763aca_007full.jpg Landbank Developments - Rondonia With the increasing focus on copper-gold exploration in Mato Grosso, the Company has decided to relinquish certain non-core licences in Rondonia (within the Mirante da Serra and Ariquemes districts), whilst maintaining the Espigao d'Oeste licence package. The Company's objective is to continue to build a strong pipeline of copper-gold exploration and development opportunities. Technical Notes The CIBC Analyst Consensus Commodity prices (USD) of November 2025 have been used for the Mineral Resource Estimates: Gold USD 3,103/oz, Silver USD 35.34/oz, Copper USD 4.39 /lb, Zinc USD 1.22/lb and Lead USD 0.92/lb. Metallurgical recoveries have been based on testwork programs undertaken on drill core at SGS Lakefield in Canada, determining the following parameters: Cabacal Fresh Rock Gold Recovery: Recovery for grades less than 0.5g/t Au = 5.4022 Ln(Grade) +88.66 +88.66 Recovery for grades equal to or higher than 0.5g/t Au = 5.807 (Grade) +85.11 +85.11 Recovery for grades higher than 1.65g/t Au is capped at 94.69% Cabacal Fresh Rock Copper Recovery: Recovery for grades less than 0.5% Cu = 3.9067 Ln(Grade) +95.269 +95.269 Recovery for grades equal to or higher than 0.5% Cu = 1.3393 Ln(Grade) +97.83 +97.83 Recovery for grades higher than 1.03% Cu is capped at 98.1% Cabacal Fresh Rock Silver Recovery: Recovery for grades less than 0.5g/t Ag = 30.354 Ln(Grade) +43.691 +43.691 Recovery for grades equal to or higher than 0.5g/t Ag = 3.8821 (Grade) +67.406 +67.406 Recovery for grades higher than 5.0g/t Ag is capped at 86.81% Cabacal (Saprock) Transition Zone: For all blocks that contain more than 0.1% sulphur, the fresh rock recovery formula would apply For all blocks containing less than 0.01% sulphur the oxide recovery would apply Between 0.01 and 0.1% sulphur, a pro rata of the fresh rock recovery formula was applied for copper Between 0.01 and 0.1% sulphur, a recovery of 77.3% was applied to gold, and a recovery of 40% was applied to silver Cabacal Saprolite (Oxide) Zone: Gold: 62.1% recovery Copper: 1.2% recovery Silver: 17.9% recovery Cabacal Metal Equivalent Formulas: AuEq_ppm = (Au_ppm * %Rec.) + (0.970*Cu_pct * %Rec.) + (0.011*Ag _ppm * %Rec.) For Santa Helena Central, fixed recoveries were used from the initial metallurgical testwork program: Santa Helena Central Fresh Rock Recovery: Zinc 90.6%, Copper 76.9%, Lead 78.3%, Gold 57.0% and Silver 83.7% Santa Helena Central Saprock (Transition) Zone Recovery: Zinc 77.4%, Copper 75.3%, Lead 51.4%, Gold 83.1% and Silver 80.1% Santa Helena Central Saprolite (Oxide) Zone Recovery: Gold 78.1% and Silver 62.3% Santa Helena Metal Central Equivalent Formulas: Fresh Rock: AuEq_ppm = (0.57*Au_ppm) + (0.746*Cu_pct) + (0.244*Zn_pct) + (0.159*Pb_pct) + (0.010*Ag _ppm) Saprock (Transition) Zone: AuEq_ppm = (0. 831*Au_ppm.) + (0.731*Cu_pct) + (0.209*Zn_pct) + (0.104*Pb_pct) + (0.009*Ag _ppm) Saprolite (Oxide) Zone: AuEq_ppm = (0.781*Au_ppm.) + (0.007*Ag _ppm) Qualified Person Statement Mr. Erich Marques, B.Sc., FAIG, Chief Geologist of Meridian Mining and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, verified and approved the technical information in this news release. Dr. Norman Lotter, P.Eng., C.Eng., FIMMM, FSAIMM and Consulting Engineer of Flowsheets Metallurgical Consulting Inc., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, and has reviewed, verified and approved the metallurgical information in this news release. Leonardo Soares (Bsc Geo, MAIG), Senior Geological Consultant of GE21 Consultoria Mineral, is responsible for the geological setting, deposit type, exploration, drilling, sample preparation and Mineral Resource estimation, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed, verified and approved the mineral resource information in this news release. About Meridian Meridian Mining plc is focused on: The development and exploration of the advanced stage Cabacal VMS gold-copper project; Expanding the initial resource inventory at in the Santa Helena area through extension of Santa Helena Central, and new discoveries; Regional scale exploration of the Cabacal VMS Belt to expand the Cabacal Hub strategy; and Exploration in the Jauru & Araputanga Greenstone Belts (the above all located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil). The Pre-feasibility Study technical report (the "PFS Technical Report") dated March 31, 2025, entitled: "Cabacal Gold-Copper Project NI 43-101 Technical Report and Pre-feasibility Study" outlines a base case after-tax NPV5 of USD 984 million and 61.2% IRR from a pre-production capital cost of USD 248 million, leading to capital repayment in 17 months (assuming metals price scenario of USD 2,119 per ounces of gold, USD 4.16 per pound of copper, and USD 26.89 per ounce of silver). Cabacal has a low All-in-Sustaining-Cost of USD 742 per ounce gold equivalent & production profile of 141,000-ounce gold equivalent life of mine, driven by high metallurgical recovery, a low life-of-mine strip ratio of 2.3:1, and the low operating cost environment of Brazil. The Cabacal Mineral Reserve estimate consists of Proven and Probable reserves of 41.7 million tonnes at 0.63g/t gold, 0.44% copper and 1.64g/t silver (at a 0.25 g/t gold equivalent cut-off grade). Readers are encouraged to read the PFS Technical Report in its entirety. The PFS Technical Report may be found under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.meridianmining.co The PFS Technical Report was prepared for the Company by Tommaso Roberto Raponi (P. Eng), Principal Metallurgist with Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC; Scott Elfen (P. E.), Global Lead Geotechnical and Civil Services with Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC; John Anthony McCartney, C.Geol., Ausenco Chile Ltda.; Porfirio Cabaleiro Rodriguez (Engineer Geologist FAIG), of GE21 Consultoria Mineral; Leonardo Soares (Bsc Geo, MAIG), Senior Geological Consultant of GE21 Consultoria Mineral; Norman Lotter (Mineral Processing Engineer; P.Eng.), of Flowsheets Metallurgical Consulting Inc.; and, Juliano Felix de Lima (Engineer Geologist MAIG), of GE21 Consultoria Mineral. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Meridian Mining plc Mr. Gilbert Clark - CEO and Director Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information or forward-looking statements for the purposes of applicable securities laws. These statements address future events and conditions and so involve inherent risks and uncertainties, as disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Meridian's most recent Annual Information Form filed on www.sedarplus.ca. While these factors and assumptions are considered reasonable by Meridian, in light of management's experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, Meridian can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Meridian disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. 1 Meridian Mining news release of November 03, 2025 2 Meridian Mining news release of May 08, 2025 3 Meridian Mining news release of March10,2025 4 Meridian Mining news releases of March 10, 2025 5 Meridian Mining news releases of March 06, 2023 6 Meridian Mining news releases of November 20, 2024 7 Meridian Mining news releases of July 9, 2025 and September 9, 2025 8 See Cabacal Gold-Copper Project NI 43-101 Technical Report and Pre-feasibility Study" - 10th March 2025 9 Meridian Mining news release of November 9, 2020 10 Meridian Mining news release of September 9, 2025 11 Meridian Mining News release of May 14, 2024 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280861 Source: Meridian Mining Plc DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to MarketsandMarkets, "Electronic Hydrofluoric Acid Marketby Grade (EL Grade, UP Grade, UP-S, UP-SS, UP-SSS), Type (Fluorosilicic Acid Based, Fluorite Based), Application (Semiconductor Wafers, Solar Cells, Flat Panel Display, Leds and Compound Semiconductor, Electronic Components, Mems, Optical Fibers), & Region - Global Forecast to 2030", Electronic hydrofluoric acid market is projected to grow from USD 1.39 billion in 2025 and to reach USD 1.87 billion by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.0% during the forecast period. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=101506987 Electronic Hydrofluoric Acid Market Size & Forecast: Market Size Available for Years: 2025-2030 2025 Market Size: USD 1.39 billion 2030 Projected Market Size: USD 1.87 billion CAGR (2025-2030): 6.0% Electronic Hydrofluoric Acid Market Trends & Insights: The electronic hydrofluoric acid market is expanding at a steady CAGR of 6.0%, supported by ongoing growth in the semiconductor, electronics, and photovoltaic sectors, which are the main consumers of high-purity hydrofluoric acid. Market growth remains stable rather than explosive, as semiconductor capacity increases are carefully planned and aligned with fab expansion schedules, providing predictable and consistent demand for electronic hydrofluoric acid. Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing region in the electronic hydrofluoric acid market, with a CAGR of 6.3%. By grade, the UP-SSS grade is the largest and fastest-growing segment during the forecast period. In 2024, the segment accounted for a market share of 33.4%. By type, the fluorite-based segment accounted for the largest share of 70.0% of the electronic hydrofluoric acid market in 2024. By application, semiconductor wafers accounted for the largest share of 59.2% of the electronic hydrofluoric acid market in 2024. Honeywell International Inc. (US), Solvay (Belgium), LANXESS (Germany), and Stella Chemifa Corporation (Japan) are identified as star players in the electronic hydrofluoric acid market, given their strong market share and product footprint. Companies like Halopolymer and Sinochem Lantian Co., Ltd., among others, have distinguished themselves among startups and SMEs by securing strong footholds in specialized niche areas, underscoring their potential as progressive companies. Browse in-depth TOC on "Electronic Hydrofluoric Acid Market" 250 - Tables 67 - Figures 150 - Pages Request Sample Pages : https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=101506987 The steady growth of electronic hydrofluoric acid is supported by strong demand across the semiconductor, display, and solar industries. The expansion of wafer fabrication capacity and the growing demand for advanced chips used in AI, electric vehicles, and 5G infrastructure continue to drive the consumption of high-purity hydrofluoric acid for critical etching and cleaning processes. At the same time, the surge in high-resolution LCD/OLED production and the rapid build-out of solar PV capacity, where hydrofluoric acid plays a key role in wafer texturing and surface preparation, further contribute to sustained demand. Growth is particularly strong in the Asia Pacific region, driven by large-scale expansions in foundries and memory manufacturing in China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. This growth is accompanied by the ongoing miniaturization of technology nodes, which necessitates the use of increasingly pure wet chemicals. Additionally, the tightening of environmental and quality standards is encouraging manufacturers to adopt higher-purity formulations of hydrofluoric acid. Significant investments are also being made in new semiconductor fabrication plants across the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia. These efforts, combined with a focus on localizing chemical supply chains for increased resilience, are contributing to long-term market stability. By application, the semiconductor wafers segment is anticipated to account for the largest share during the forecast period. Semiconductor wafers represent the largest application segment in the electronic hydrofluoric acid market, accounting for the majority of global value due to their intensive and continuous use of high-purity hydrofluoric acid in etching, cleaning, and surface preparation steps. As chip manufacturers advance toward smaller technology nodes and more complex architectures, the number of hydrofluoric acid-based wet-process steps per wafer continues to increase, resulting in significantly higher consumption compared to other applications. The rapid ramp-up of chips used in AI, high-performance computing, 5G infrastructure, and electric vehicles is further expanding wafer production volumes, thereby reinforcing demand for hydrofluoric acid across both logic and memory segments. In addition, ongoing global investments in new foundries and capacity expansions, particularly in the Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe, ensure sustained and long-term requirements for ultra-pure hydrofluoric acid in leading-edge fabrication lines. As a result, semiconductor wafers remain the dominant and fastest-expanding segment in the electronic hydrofluoric acid industry. By type, the fluorite-based segment is projected to be the fastest-growing and largest segment of the electronic hydrofluoric acid market in terms of value. Fluorite-based electronic hydrofluoric acid is expanding more rapidly than fluorosilicic-acid-derived hydrofluoric acid because fluorite (CaF2) remains the only reliable raw material that can consistently achieve the ultra-high purity levels required for advanced semiconductor processes. The fluorspar route enables tighter control over metallic, particulate, and silicate impurities, ensuring hydrofluoric acid purity that meets the stringent contamination limits needed in leading-edge wafer fabrication, where even trace-level impurities can impact device yield and long-term reliability. Hydrofluoric acid derived from fluorosilicic acid-a by-product of the phosphate fertilizer industry-contains higher levels of metals, phosphates, and silica, making its purification to electronic grade more challenging. As semiconductor manufacturing becomes increasingly complex, driven by the adoption of EUV, 3D device architectures, and an increasing number of wet-etch and cleaning steps per wafer, demand has shifted decisively toward hydrofluoric acid, which offers the highest purity and stability, a characteristic that fluorite-based production is uniquely positioned to supply. Additionally, growing investments in fluorspar mining and hydrofluoric acid production capacity have strengthened the supply chain for fluorite-derived hydrofluoric acid, while FSA-based hydrofluoric acid remains constrained by fluctuations in fertilizer production. As a result, fluorite-based electronic hydrofluoric acid demand is growing faster than its FSA-based counterpart. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing and largest region for the electronic hydrofluoric acid market during the forecast period. The Asia Pacific is the largest and fastest-growing region in the electronic hydrofluoric acid market, as it is the global center of semiconductor manufacturing, advanced packaging, display production, and solar cell fabrication-industries that collectively consume the highest volumes of high-purity hydrofluoric acid. Countries such as China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan host the world's largest foundries, memory fabs, and panel manufacturing facilities, creating sustained demand for ultra-pure etching and cleaning chemicals. The region is also witnessing massive expansions in 2 nm-class logic, next-generation DRAM, and high-layer-count 3D NAND, all of which require increasingly stringent hydrofluoric acid purity levels. In parallel, the Asia Pacific region dominates solar PV manufacturing, with the rapid scale-up of TOPCon, HJT, and large-format wafer lines, which further increases hydrofluoric acid consumption. Strong government incentives, robust supply-chain integration for both fluorspar and hydrofluoric acid processing, and continuous investments in new fabs position the region as the primary growth engine for electronic hydrofluoric acid globally. Request Customization: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=101506987 Kay Players To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the electronic hydrofluoric acid market Honeywell International Inc. (US) , Solvay (Belgium) , LANXESS (Germany) , Stella Chemifa Corporation (Japan) , DONGYUE GROUP (China) , Soulbrain Co., Ltd. (South Korea) , JUHUA Technology Inc. (China) , Gulf Flour (UAE) , Formosa Daikin Advanced Chemicals Co., Ltd. (Japan) , and MORITA CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES CO., LTD (Japan). Get access to the latest updates on Electronic Hydrofluoric Acid Companies andElectronic Hydrofluoric Acid Market Size Browse Adjacent Market: Specialty Chemicals Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Solvents Market - Global Forecast to 2029 Matting Agents Market - Global Forecast to 2028 Refinery Catalyst Market - Global Forecast to 2029 Hydrochloric Acid Market - Global Forecast to 2029 Refrigerants Market - Global Forecast to 2029 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. 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To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook . Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/electronic-hydrofluoric-acid-market-worth-1-87-billion-by-2030---exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-302665174.html Armis Centrix identified that 10-15% of connected assets across the organization's network were previously unaccounted for, introducing cyber risk Armis, the cyber exposure management security company, today announced that Multicedi, one of the leading grocery retail groups in Central and Southern Italy, is using Armis Centrix, Armis' Cyber Exposure Management Platform, to strengthen its cybersecurity posture. "Before introducing Armis, critical issues were addressed only when malfunctions or abnormal events had already occurred," said Livio De Prisco, Director of Information Systems at Multicedi. "With Armis Centrix, the approach has completely changed: rather than responding reactively, the company now has a real-time view of its entire device fleet and can manage it proactively. We can detect devices that have been added to the network, prioritize risks based on their criticality, and define action plans and budgets consistent with our operational and regulatory requirements." In recent years, Multicedi launched a comprehensive digital transformation program to modernize its application landscape and infrastructure backbone. This process transformed the accounting, logistics, and commercial management systems, requiring a thorough overhaul of the company's IT architecture with a gradual shift of workloads to cloud environments. As Multicedi manages a complex network of over 2,500 physical and virtual assets across central environments, secondary sites, and remote warehouses, the security team recognized cybersecurity as essential to supporting this transformation. Within the first month of deploying Armis Centrix across Multicedi's main network hub, the platform identified that 10-15% of devices active on the network were previously unregistered or unknown. The ability to detect unauthorized or unsupervised devices on the network, which is common in complex organizations such as Multicedi that have multiple logistics sites and autonomous operating units, enabled IT teams to take timely action, preventing unknown vulnerabilities from compromising overall security. Armis also enabled the IT team to identify the precise physical location of connected assets, mapping switches, and network ports, allowing faster response in the event of anomalies, disconnections, or replacements. "Cybersecurity is essential to business continuity, especially in critical infrastructure sectors such as retail, as we've seen global cyberattacks earlier this year leave grocery store shelves empty," said Nicola Altavilla, Regional Director, Mediterranean at Armis. "Staying a step ahead of attackers is more important than ever, given the advancements of AI-powered bad actors looking to cause disruption. Armis is proud to support global retailers like Multicedi to enhance their cybersecurity and to take a more proactive approach to protecting their environment from cybercriminals." Following the success of the initial deployment, Multicedi plans to extend Armis Centrix to its entire network of over 600 direct and affiliated stores. The goal is to establish shared cybersecurity standards across more than 250 partner organizations, adapting the platform to suit different operating contexts in terms of the number of devices, type of environment, and investment capacity. Armis Centrix will serve as a foundational pillar supporting Multicedi's long-term digital evolution, enabling secure growth, improved governance, compliance with national and EU directives, and a strengthened security culture across the entire organization. Read the full case study with additional details on the collaboration between Multicedi and Armis here. Find additional details on how Armis is supporting global customers across industries here. About Armis Armis, the cyber exposure management security company, protects the entire attack surface and manages an organization's cyber risk exposure in real time. In a rapidly evolving, perimeter-less world, Armis ensures that organizations continuously see, protect, and manage all critical assets-from the ground to the cloud. Armis secures Fortune 100, 200, and 500 companies as well as national governments, state and local entities, and critical infrastructure operators to help keep economies and societies safe and secure 24/7. Armis is a privately held company headquartered in California. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260120440952/en/ Contacts: Media: Rebecca Cradick Vice President, Global Communications Armis pr@armis.com PEMBROKE, Bermuda, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AXIS Capital Holdings Limited ("AXIS Capital" or "AXIS" or the "Company") (NYSE: AXS) today released research on how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the risk landscape through the lens of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs). The survey of 500 CEOs and CISOs across the U.S. and U.K. reveals striking differences in how executive leaders view AI's risks, rewards, and impact on cyber readiness. "AI is clearly a transformative force for data analytics, innovation, and operational efficiency, and it is also undeniable that AI is quickly propelling us toward an entirely new risk landscape," said Vince Tizzio, AXIS President and CEO. "The findings in this report underscore our new environment, where a technology that promises untold productivity gains is also creating unprecedented risk." AI is transforming industries and improving cyber defense technologies, but it is also equipping cybercriminals with sophisticated tools and creating new risks associated with its development, deployment, and potential for improper usage. AI-driven threats - spanning shadow AI, model manipulation, and deep fakes/social engineering to data leakage and advanced ransomware attacks - are often faster, more adaptive, and harder to detect. Other key findings include: AI-driven attacks are viewed as the greatest emerging cyber threat to organizations across both regions (29.6% U.S.; 20.8% U.K.). Only 23.1% of executives aged 55+ said they believe AI will improve their company's cyber defenses compared to 77.4% of leaders aged 35-44. Nearly 82% of respondents plan to increase their cybersecurity budgets over the next 12 months. Three-quarters of respondents (75.2%) said they are likely to reduce cybersecurity headcount because of greater productivity resulting from investment in AI cybersecurity tools. The Transatlantic Trust Gap: U.S. Optimism vs. U.K. Prudence AI is generally viewed positively among both U.S. and U.K. respondents, though confidence in cybersecurity and preparedness vary as U.K. leaders expressed more caution than their U.S. counterparts: U.S. leaders (85%) feel prepared for AI threats whereas U.K. leaders are less certain (44%). 88.4% of U.S. CEOs were confident AI would better their company's safeguards vs. 55% of U.K. CEOs. 82% of U.S. CEOs personally trust AI tools to help make cybersecurity decisions vs. 47% of U.K. CEOs. While respondents across both regions believed AI delivered return on investment for cybersecurity, Americans were more enthusiastic than U.K. counterparts. In the U.S., 93.5% of CEOs and 87.5% of CISOs said they believed AI delivered ROI. In the U.K., that belief came in at 69.1% among CEOs and 74% for CISOs. The survey also revealed notable differences in hedging against risk as U.S. respondents (94%) are more likely to carry cyber insurance compared to U.K. respondents (68.4%). CEOs and CISOs Hold Different Viewpoints on AI and Cyber Defense CEOs tend to view AI as a driver of productivity and competitive advantage. CISOs, however, approach AI as a source of increased exposure. By a margin of 29.7% to 19.5%, CISOs are less optimistic than CEOs that AI will strengthen their company's cyber defenses. CEOs (67.1%) were also more assured than CISOs (58.6%) that AI tools would help them make cybersecurity decisions. CEOs tend to be more confident than CISOs when it comes to cyber readiness: 60.2% of CEOs believe their company was more prepared than their peers to respond to AI-threats, compared to 50.6% of CISOs. Risk perception follows a similar pattern: CISOs ranked Shadow AI (unauthorized use) as their number one risk (27.2%), highlighting fears over unmonitored and unregulated tools. CEOs, however, identified data leakage (28.7%) as their greatest AI-related threat, compared to 17.2% of CISOs. AI provokes slightly more apprehension in CEOs than it does in CISOs: Looking regionally, nearly a third (31.2%) of U.S. CEOs and 27.7% of U.S. CISOs identified AI-driven attacks as their greatest worry. In the U.K., 22% of CEOs and 19.7% of CISOs felt the same. Nearly half of U.K. CEOs (49.6%) said they trust AI tools to make cybersecurity decisions versus 37.4% that do not. "Our survey findings indicate the impact of AI in transforming corporate defense strategies while exposing differing views between CEO's strategic optimism and CISO's security prudence," commented Lori Bailey, Head of Global Cyber and Technology at AXIS. "While it is now commonplace for CEOs to champion AI as a catalyst for innovation and efficiency, CISOs tend to see it as a new frontier of exposure and control." Methodology Findings were derived from a 23-question online survey among a total of 500 CEOs and CISOs across the U.K. and U.S. In the U.S., the respondent pool consisted of 138 CEOs and 112 CISOs, whereas in the U.K. it consisted of 123 CEOs and 127 CISOs. Respondents represented companies with at least 250 employees. Fielding for this study was conducted by an independent company from October 22-29, 2025. About AXIS AXIS Capital, through its operating subsidiaries, is a global specialty underwriter and provider of insurance and reinsurance solutions. The Company has shareholders' equity of $6.4 billion at September 30, 2025, and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore and Canada. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a financial strength rating of "A+". Follow AXIS Capital on LinkedInand X. Media Contact: Mairi MacDonald AXIS Capital Holdings Limited mairi.macdonald@axiscapital.com +44 20 7877 3809 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Safe Supply Streaming Co Ltd. (CSE: SPLY) (OTCQB: SSPLF) (FSE: QM4) ("Safe Supply" or the "Company"), a pioneer in health, safety and rapid response technologies, today announced the sale of a NIRLAB SA ("NIRLAB") NIRLIGHT spectroscopy drug analysis device to Far North Resources Inc., representing the first transaction completed under Safe Supply's exclusive Canadian distribution agreement with NIRLAB, and reinforcing its commitment to supporting Indigenous-led initiatives focused on community health, safety, and evidence-based decision-making. The transaction marks an important step in expanding access to advanced, non-destructive drug identification technology within Indigenous communities, while also highlighting the broader public-safety applications of rapid, high-confidence substance analysis. "This transaction reflects our belief that effective health and safety begins with access to credible, real-time information," said Shane Diakunchak, Chief Executive Officer of Far North Resources Inc. "By integrating advanced analytical tools like the NIRLAB device into Indigenous-led initiatives, communities can respond faster, act with greater confidence, and maintain control over how safety solutions are implemented locally." Supporting Indigenous Communities Through Technology-Enabled Health & Safety Indigenous communities across Canada continue to face disproportionate risks related to the unpredictable and increasingly complex illicit drug supply. The deployment of the NIRLAB device through Far North Resources Inc. reflects a community-first approach, placing advanced analytical tools directly in the hands of organizations that are trusted, locally embedded, and best positioned to respond quickly to emerging risks. The NIRLAB system enables rapid, non-contact analysis of drug samples, providing immediate insight into substance composition and relative purity without destroying the sample. This capability supports a wide range of community-level objectives, including: Early risk identification when new or unusually potent substances emerge Timely, informed decision-making for community safety initiatives Improved situational awareness for frontline and support organizations Education and prevention efforts grounded in real-time data rather than delayed laboratory results By enabling faster understanding of what substances are present, and in what relative concentrations, the technology helps reduce uncertainty in environments where uncertainty can carry serious consequences. "Safe Supply's mission has always been to support practical, scalable technologies that improve real-world safety outcomes," said Geoff Benic, Chief Executive Officer of Safe Supply. "This sale underscores both the analytical credibility of the NIRLAB platform and the importance of working alongside Indigenous partners who are leading meaningful, community-driven responses." Demonstrated Speed, Accuracy, and Analytical Reliability The NIRLAB device has demonstrated a high degree of analytical reliability in operational settings. In validation use cases, samples previously characterized through conventional laboratory workflows were independently analyzed using the NIRLAB system. The device successfully identified the same chemical composition and relative percentage profile reflected in the corresponding certificate of analysis as a regular process, delivering results in approximately six seconds. Unlike traditional analytical processes, which can require days or weeks to return results, the NIRLAB system is capable of providing near-instant insight while maintaining analytical consistency. This combination of speed and accuracy is particularly relevant in time-sensitive contexts, where delayed information can materially affect outcomes. Relevance to Public Safety and Investigative Environments Beyond community-based health and safety, the rapid, non-destructive nature of near-infrared spectroscopy offers meaningful advantages in broader public-safety and investigative applications. Immediate analysis allows for: Rapid screening and triage of unknown substances Preservation of samples for follow-up or evidentiary use Reduced handling and exposure risk Greater operational efficiency when time and clarity are critical "Speed and accuracy are not abstract concepts in safety-critical environments, they are decisive factors," said Raf Souccar, Chairman of the Board of Safe Supply. "Technologies that deliver reliable analytical insight in seconds, rather than weeks, can materially enhance decision-making and operational effectiveness across a wide range of public-safety contexts." Building a Responsible, Scalable Technology Ecosystem The sale further strengthens Safe Supply's collaboration with NIRLAB and Far North Resources Inc. as part of a broader effort to responsibly expand access to validated, field-deployable drug identification technologies. The Company believes that deploying such tools through trusted, community-based partners is essential to improving safety outcomes for Indigenous communities and the general population alike. Abour Far North Resources Inc. Far North Resources Inc. is an advisory firm focused on advancing sustainable development and socio-economic opportunity in First Nation and Northern communities. As part of the Far North Development Group, the firm brings over 30 years of experience working with Indigenous communities, governments, and private sector partners, providing strategic advisory services in areas including resource development, infrastructure and essential services, joint venture structuring, and community-focused negotiation, with all initiatives grounded in trust, cultural understanding, and long-term shared value. About NIRLAB SA NIRLAB SA is a Swiss spin-off from the Forensic Institute of the University of Lausanne that develops handheld near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy solutions for on-site identification and quantification of substances. Its NIRLIGHT analyzer, paired with a cloud-based mobile and web app, brings high precision labs to the field and enables rapid decision making based on trustable data in drug checking and law-enforcement contexts internationally. About Safe Supply Streaming Co Ltd. Safe Supply Streaming Co Ltd. (CSE: SPLY) (OTCQB: SSPLF) (FSE: QM4) is a publicly traded company building and backing innovations in healthcare, wellness, and emerging technologies. Through acquisitions, partnerships, and growth capital, the Company assembles a diversified portfolio that leverages data, science, and digital platforms to improve access and outcomes at scale. Operating at the intersection of public health and technology, Safe Supply supports evidence-informed solutions to urgent societal needs. Its wholly owned subsidiaries, including Safety Strips Tech Corp. and Drug Lab 118 Ltd., develop proprietary rapid-testing technologies-such as single-use presumptive fentanyl and drink-spiking detection products. For more information, please visit www.safesupply.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Safe Supply Streaming Co Ltd., "Geoff Benic" Geoff Benic, CEO The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release and has neither approved nor disapproved its contents. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements that may constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the anticipated benefits, effectiveness, adoption, and potential applications of the NIRLAB technology; the expected impact of the Company's partnerships with Far North Resources Inc. and NIRLAB SA; and the role of advanced analytical technologies in improving community health, safety, and public-safety outcomes. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, assumptions, and beliefs as of the date hereof and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, changes in regulatory environments, operational or technological limitations, market acceptance, reliance on third-party partners, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosure filings. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events, or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280887 Source: Safe Supply Streaming Co Ltd. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Roxmore Resources Inc. (formerly, Axcap Ventures Inc.) (CSE:RM)(OTCQX:GARLF) ("Roxmore" or the"Company") is pleased to report results from its ongoing drill campaign at its flagship Converse Gold Project ("Converse" or "the Project"), located on the Battle Mountain - Eureka Trend in Nevada, USA. Results include a significant intercept of 194.5m grading 0.71 g/t gold from 190.2m depth, including 12.5m grading 1.14 g/t Au from 208.5m, and 24.1m grading 1.77 g/t Au from 281m. The drill hole was completed as part of the Company's ongoing Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") studies and continues to validate both the scale and continuity of gold mineralization at Converse. Key Highlights 194.5m grading 0.71 g/t Au from 190.2m in CV25-007C, including: 12.5m grading 1.14 g/t Au from 208.5m; and 24.1m grading 1.77 g/t Au from 281m. CV25-007C was designed to twin an historic reverse circulation ("RC") hole, with the results demonstrating an excellent comparison between core and RC drilling. The historic RC hole ended in mineralization, with CV25-007C extending mineralization a further 89.6m downhole, highlighting the potential for future mineral resource expansion. Gold Continuity and Robust Mineralization A thick, continuous interval of gold mineralization was intersected in core hole CV25-007C, demonstrating the robust nature of mineralization at Converse. High-grade, variable oxidized intersection (downhole thickness): 194.5m grading 0.71 g/t Au from 190.2 m, including: 12.5m grading 1.14 g/t Au from 208.5m; and 24.1m grading 1.77 g/t Au from 281m. Nearby historic RC hole NK-087 intersected 118.3m at 0.63 g/t Au (74.3 g*m). Through its twinned interval, CV25-007C returned 104.6m at 0.73 g/t Au (76.3 g*m), demonstrating an excellent correlation between RC and core drilling results at Converse. As RC hole NK-087 ended in mineralization, CV25-007C was extended to depth, successfully extending gold mineralization an additional 89.6 m below the historic hole. The true thickness of mineralization in CV25-007C is estimated to be approximately 150m, based upon modelled controlling sedimentary bedding dips and grade shell models. The highest individual gold assay returned 5.39 g/t Au, determined by fire assay with gravimetric finish. The continuity and grade of mineralization intersected in CV25-007C support previous drilling results and strengthen confidence in the reliability of the existing database as the Project advances through economic studies. These results further demonstrate the potential for new mineralized zones within the current pit-shell constrained mineral resource. John Dorward, Executive Chairman of Roxmore commented: "Drilling continues to reinforce the robust nature of the Converse deposit. Our geology team has undertaken a significant relogging and modelling exercise in recent months and it is very encouraging to see this work reflected in today's strong result. We continue to advance project studies and look forward to delivering what we believe will be a compelling PEA next quarter." Geology and Mineralization The Company believes the gold system at Converse has similarities to the giant Phoenix deposit currently being mined by Nevada Gold Mines, located a short distance to the east. The geology intersected in CV25-007C was predicted by Roxmore's updated geological model, including stratigraphy, faulting and alteration styles. This predictable three-dimensional model will further support the updated gold mineral resource estimate currently being completed by SLR Consulting as part of the PEA. CV25-007C targeted skarn related gold mineralization in Converse's North Redline Zone. The drill hole intersected gold mineralization hosted within the well-defined portion of the gold skarn system that remains open for expansion. Mineralization is controlled by calcareous Havallah Formation sedimentary beds crosscut by high-angle deposit-scale fluid-feeding structures. Alteration intensity increases toward these structures and is characterized by a transition from proximal garnet-pyroxene-dominated prograde skarn that grades outward to pyroxene-dominant prograde skarn, overprinted by epidote-chlorite-carbonate that grade outward into chlorite-carbonate dominant retrograde assemblages. Retrograde alteration is the dominant predictor of better gold grades within skarn related gold mineralization. The oxidation state of the mineralized intercept is variable between oxidized, transitional and sulphide zones. Metallurgical testwork conducted at Converse indicates that gold is recoverable by cyanidation from all three oxidation states, to varying degrees. Results from this drilling program will be incorporated into the updated geological model and ongoing PEA studies. Roxmore continues to advance the Converse Gold Project with a focus on scale, continuity, and technical rigor. Drilling at the Project is ongoing. Upcoming Catalysts Q1 2026 - Further drill results from current drilling program Q2 2026 - Release of the Converse PEA About Roxmore Resources Inc. Roxmore is focused on developing its flagship, Converse Gold Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits not owned by a major mining company in Nevada, USA. The Converse Gold Project is located within the prolific Battle Mountain trend containing 5.57Moz Au of Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources and 0.42Moz Au Inferred Mineral Resources (238mt at 0.539g/t Au for 4.13Moz Measured Mineral Resources; 92mt at 0.487g/t Au for 1.44Moz Indicated, 25mt at 0.528g/t Au for 0.42Moz Inferred Mineral Resources). With decades of expertise in Nevada and globally, our Board and management are focused on unlocking the potential of this project. For further details please refer to our technical report entitled "Amended and Restated NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Update, Converse Property, Humboldt County, Nevada, USA" dated effective February 13, 2025 which is available on our website at www.roxmoreresources.com and on our SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Vance Spalding, CPG, Executive VP Exploration for Roxmore, who is a "qualified person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Quality Control & Assurance Drill core is generally extracted from the core tube and split tubes by the drill contractor and placed in core boxes with appropriate depth markers noting recovery. Full core boxes are then sealed before being transported by Roxmore's personnel to a facility in Carlin, Nevada where it is processed, geologically and geotechnically logged by Roxmore geologists: checked for recovery, photographed, and marked for assays. The core is cut in half and placed in plastic bags, zip-tied and grouped in burlap sacks and sealed for transport to the Paragon Geochemical's laboratory in Sparks Nevada. Sample preparation is done according to Paragon codes PREP-PKGB [plate pulverize] and HOMO-ROL. The primary assay methods used are Paragon codes Au-FA30 and 33MA-OES. The gold overlimit methods are Au-GR023 and Au-SCR1k (overlimit triggers are 3 ppm and 10 ppm Au respectively). Paragon Geochemical is an independent, ISO-accredited laboratory with no affiliation to Roxmore Resources beyond its role as a third-party analytical service provider. The retained half-core is transported to the company's warehouse in Lovelock, Nevada. QA/QC is performed as each certificate is imported into Roxmore's GeoSequel database. Performance charts are prepared for coarse blanks, certified reference materials and duplicates used. Roxmore uses OREAS standards for the Converse project. The insertion frequencies of blanks is 3.33%, of CRMs is 3.33%, and of full half-core duplicates is 3.33%. Coarse blank above 10x over the lower detection limit (LDL) of the Au-FA30 method are re-run. For certified reference materials, the certified mean is considered the target. The certified standard deviation is used to calculate the acceptable range. The acceptable range is defined as within 3 standard deviations from the certified mean. For further information please contact: John Dorward Roxmore Resources Inc. Contact@roxmoreresources.com Tel: 905-961-4727 Cautionary Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward- looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends" "expects" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Converse Gold Project, the Preliminary Economic Assessment and the timing therefore, the results of exploration being indicative of further mineralization at the Converse Gold Project, the timing for the release of results from the remaining deep drill holes, and mineral resource estimates. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including expectations and assumptions concerning general economic and industry conditions, applicable laws and regulations, commodity prices, the use of proceeds, and the future business and operational needs of the Company. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements 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, including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, currency fluctuations, dependency upon regulatory approvals, the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing and exploration risk. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as such information, although considered reasonable by the respective management of Roxmore at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The forward looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statement. Except as expressly required by securities law, Roxmore does not undertake any 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. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Table 1: Drill collar table Hole ID Coordinate System Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth (m) CV25-007C NAD 83 UTM Zone 11N 477456 4507033 1530 239 -87 385 Table 2: Table of full assays Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (gpt) Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (gpt) CV25-007C 190.2 191.7 1.5 0.28 CV25-007C 289.9 291.4 1.5 1.93 CV25-007C 191.7 193.2 1.5 0.06 CV25-007C 291.4 292.9 1.5 0.47 CV25-007C 193.2 194.8 1.5 0.06 CV25-007C 292.9 294.1 1.2 0.21 CV25-007C 194.8 196.3 1.5 0.04 CV25-007C 294.1 294.7 0.6 1.22 CV25-007C 196.3 197.8 1.5 1.57 CV25-007C 294.7 296.0 1.2 1.16 CV25-007C 197.8 199.3 1.5 0.90 CV25-007C 296.0 297.5 1.5 1.34 CV25-007C 199.3 200.9 1.5 0.59 CV25-007C 297.5 299.0 1.5 2.30 CV25-007C 200.9 202.4 1.5 0.29 CV25-007C 299.0 300.5 1.5 1.35 CV25-007C 202.4 203.9 1.5 1.22 CV25-007C 300.5 302.1 1.5 3.22 CV25-007C 203.9 205.4 1.5 0.24 CV25-007C 302.1 303.6 1.5 0.64 CV25-007C 205.4 207.0 1.5 0.07 CV25-007C 303.6 305.1 1.5 1.36 CV25-007C 207.0 208.5 1.5 0.32 CV25-007C 305.1 306.6 1.5 0.95 CV25-007C 208.5 210.0 1.5 1.02 CV25-007C 306.6 308.2 1.5 0.79 CV25-007C 210.0 211.5 1.5 0.62 CV25-007C 308.2 309.7 1.5 0.61 CV25-007C 211.5 212.4 0.9 0.65 CV25-007C 309.7 310.9 1.2 0.29 CV25-007C 212.4 214.0 1.5 2.38 CV25-007C 310.9 311.2 0.3 1.97 CV25-007C 214.0 215.5 1.5 0.81 CV25-007C 311.2 312.7 1.5 0.29 CV25-007C 215.5 217.0 1.5 0.55 CV25-007C 312.7 313.3 0.6 0.24 CV25-007C 217.0 218.5 1.5 0.98 CV25-007C 313.3 314.2 0.9 1.63 CV25-007C 218.5 219.8 1.2 1.19 CV25-007C 314.2 315.8 1.5 0.30 CV25-007C 219.8 220.4 0.6 1.29 CV25-007C 315.8 316.7 0.9 1.40 CV25-007C 220.4 221.0 0.6 2.86 CV25-007C 316.7 318.2 1.5 1.76 CV25-007C 221.0 222.5 1.5 0.60 CV25-007C 318.2 319.4 1.2 1.03 CV25-007C 222.5 223.7 1.2 0.40 CV25-007C 319.4 321.0 1.5 1.77 CV25-007C 223.7 224.3 0.6 0.45 CV25-007C 321.0 322.5 1.5 0.12 CV25-007C 224.3 225.6 1.2 0.38 CV25-007C 322.5 324.0 1.5 0.06 CV25-007C 225.6 227.1 1.5 0.10 CV25-007C 324.0 325.5 1.5 0.66 CV25-007C 227.1 228.6 1.5 0.48 CV25-007C 325.5 327.1 1.5 0.16 CV25-007C 228.6 229.5 0.9 0.12 CV25-007C 327.1 328.6 1.5 0.28 CV25-007C 229.5 230.7 1.2 0.61 CV25-007C 328.6 330.1 1.5 0.70 CV25-007C 230.7 232.3 1.5 0.55 CV25-007C 330.1 331.6 1.5 0.27 CV25-007C 232.3 233.8 1.5 0.04 CV25-007C 331.6 332.8 1.2 0.65 CV25-007C 233.8 235.3 1.5 0.36 CV25-007C 332.8 333.5 0.6 3.95 CV25-007C 235.3 236.8 1.5 0.31 CV25-007C 333.5 335.0 1.5 1.07 CV25-007C 236.8 238.4 1.5 0.06 CV25-007C 335.0 336.5 1.5 0.48 CV25-007C 238.4 239.9 1.5 0.88 CV25-007C 336.5 336.8 0.3 0.12 CV25-007C 239.9 241.4 1.5 0.60 CV25-007C 336.8 337.1 0.3 0.13 CV25-007C 241.4 242.9 1.5 0.22 CV25-007C 337.1 338.6 1.5 0.21 CV25-007C 242.9 244.5 1.5 0.36 CV25-007C 338.6 340.2 1.5 0.67 CV25-007C 244.5 246.0 1.5 0.24 CV25-007C 340.2 341.7 1.5 0.11 CV25-007C 246.0 247.5 1.5 0.74 CV25-007C 341.7 343.2 1.5 0.27 CV25-007C 247.5 248.1 0.6 0.50 CV25-007C 343.2 344.7 1.5 0.02 CV25-007C 248.1 249.6 1.5 0.25 CV25-007C 344.7 346.3 1.5 1.01 CV25-007C 249.6 250.9 1.2 0.53 CV25-007C 346.3 346.9 0.6 0.16 CV25-007C 250.9 252.4 1.5 0.30 CV25-007C 346.9 347.2 0.3 1.57 CV25-007C 252.4 253.3 0.9 1.15 CV25-007C 347.2 348.1 0.9 2.52 CV25-007C 253.3 254.2 0.9 1.47 CV25-007C 348.1 349.6 1.5 0.36 CV25-007C 254.2 255.7 1.5 0.81 CV25-007C 349.6 351.1 1.5 0.05 CV25-007C 255.7 257.3 1.5 0.34 CV25-007C 351.1 352.7 1.5 0.83 CV25-007C 257.3 258.8 1.5 0.45 CV25-007C 352.7 353.6 0.9 0.66 CV25-007C 258.8 260.3 1.5 0.34 CV25-007C 353.6 354.5 0.9 2.08 CV25-007C 260.3 261.8 1.5 0.24 CV25-007C 354.5 355.1 0.6 0.20 CV25-007C 261.8 263.3 1.5 0.27 CV25-007C 355.1 356.3 1.2 0.11 CV25-007C 263.3 264.9 1.5 0.12 CV25-007C 356.3 357.8 1.5 0.56 CV25-007C 264.9 266.4 1.5 0.11 CV25-007C 357.8 358.4 0.6 0.27 CV25-007C 266.4 267.9 1.5 0.43 CV25-007C 358.4 359.4 0.9 0.05 CV25-007C 267.9 268.5 0.6 0.08 CV25-007C 359.4 360.6 1.2 0.27 CV25-007C 268.5 269.4 0.9 0.06 CV25-007C 360.6 362.1 1.5 0.32 CV25-007C 269.4 271.0 1.5 0.73 CV25-007C 362.1 363.6 1.5 0.32 CV25-007C 271.0 272.5 1.5 0.20 CV25-007C 363.6 365.2 1.5 0.42 CV25-007C 272.5 274.0 1.5 0.62 CV25-007C 365.2 366.7 1.5 0.60 CV25-007C 274.0 275.2 1.2 2.47 CV25-007C 366.7 367.6 0.9 0.23 CV25-007C 275.2 276.5 1.2 0.38 CV25-007C 367.6 368.5 0.9 0.24 CV25-007C 276.5 278.0 1.5 0.36 CV25-007C 368.5 369.1 0.6 0.02 CV25-007C 278.0 278.9 0.9 0.50 CV25-007C 369.1 370.3 1.2 0.08 CV25-007C 278.9 279.5 0.6 0.30 CV25-007C 370.3 371.9 1.5 0.33 CV25-007C 279.5 281.0 1.5 0.82 CV25-007C 371.9 373.4 1.5 0.17 CV25-007C 281.0 282.2 1.2 1.38 CV25-007C 373.4 374.9 1.5 0.44 CV25-007C 282.2 283.8 1.5 1.43 CV25-007C 374.9 375.8 0.9 0.41 CV25-007C 283.8 285.0 1.2 4.42 CV25-007C 375.8 377.0 1.2 0.31 CV25-007C 285.0 286.5 1.5 1.84 CV25-007C 377.0 378.6 1.5 0.28 CV25-007C 286.5 288.0 1.5 0.24 CV25-007C 378.6 379.2 0.6 0.23 CV25-007C 288.0 289.6 1.5 5.39 CV25-007C 379.2 380.7 1.5 0.12 CV25-007C 289.6 289.9 0.3 0.97 CV25-007C 380.7 382.2 1.5 0.12 CV25-007C 382.2 383.7 1.5 0.48 CV25-007C 383.7 384.7 0.9 0.71 SOURCE: Roxmore Resources Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/roxmore-resources-reports-drill-results-from-drill-program-at-the-converse-projec-1129254 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Lodestar Metals Corp. (TSXV: LSTR) (OTC Pink: SVTNF) ("Lodestar" or the "Company"), a junior exploration company focused on unlocking world class gold potential in Nevada, is pleased to report the commencement of a Dipole-Dipole-Induced-Polarisation ("DDIP") geophysics program at its Goldrun Property in Nevada designed to detect chargeability anomalies typical of disseminated sulfide associated with gold deposits. "The commencement of this expanded DDIP program is a pivotal step in our systematic approach to unlocking the full scale of the Goldrun Property," stated Lowell Kamim, CEO of Lodestar Metals. "Our team is confident that the increased depth penetration and resolution of these modern geophysics will refine our existing targets while potentially uncovering new high-priority zones at Robbers Knob and Grindstone Flats. This work aligns perfectly with our 2026 strategy: moving rapidly from target generation to discovery-focused drilling. We look forward to a steady flow of catalysts as we advance toward our maiden drill campaign this spring." Lodestar's Technical Director, Leo Horn, commented: "We are very pleased to launch our exciting 2026 exploration campaign at Goldrun commencing with this DDIP survey which we are confident will reveal other new hidden targets, given the historical DDIP has already highlighted at least 4 quality drill targets coincident with known gold and silver mineralisation close to surface. We look forward to our maiden drilling campaign at Goldrun with preparations currently well in progress." Key Highlights DDIP program underway at Goldrun, targeting chargeability anomalies linked to gold-silver mineralization. Four new DDIP lines planned to expand coverage into high-priority areas with no prior geophysics, including Robbers Knob and Grindstone Flats. Modern geophysics expected to improve depth penetration and target definition, enhancing discovery potential. Results expected in the coming weeks, with interpreted highlights anticipated in February 2026. Maiden drill program advancing, with permits submitted and drilling targeted for March-April 2026, subject to approvals and conditions. Figure 1: Photographs of the Zonges DDIP equipment and personnel currently operating on the Goldrun Property To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3029/280856_figure1.jpg Historical DDIP Targeting Work: As noted in a previous news release (See News release on Dec 2, 2025), three untested chargeability targets were identified at the Independence Trend (Figure 2) and one untested chargeability target was identified at the Gomes target (Figure 3) all strongly supported by previous drilling and high-grade rock assays and recent soil results by Lodestar (See News release on Oct 28, 2025). These import targets form an important part of the drill program formulated as Lodestar's maiden drill campaign scheduled to commence after the DDIP program. Figure 2: 3D view looking northwest showing three chargeability sections from historical DDIP surveys at the eastern Independence Trend in relation to significant drilling intersections and 2024 rock sampling (stars) during the due diligence phase when acquiring the property. Three drill targets defined in dash-black circles. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3029/280856_3f83368214e8291d_003full.jpg Figure 3: 3D view (looking north and down) of two chargeability sections from historical DDIP surveys at the Gomes Prospect that occur north and south of Drillholes GAD-02 & 04. Drill Target defined in dash-black circle. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3029/280856_3f83368214e8291d_004full.jpg New DDIP Work In Progress: This targeting work by Lodestar strongly supports the effectiveness of the geophysical technique to identify disseminated sulphide often associated with gold and silver deposits in this jurisdiction. Lodestar believes utilising modern equipment that are designed to search for chargeability targets at a much broader depth range than historical surveys is likely to prove even more highly effective. Lodestar has planned 4 new strategic DDIP lines across the project with additional focus on other high priority prospects that currently have no DDIP data for example Robbers Knob where historical drilling intersected 18m at 4.3 g/t Au incl. 1.5m at 37.8 g/t Au* and Grindstone Flats where historical drilling intersected 13.7m at 1.5 g/t Au incl. 1.5m at 32.5 g/t Au* (Figure 3). The aim of this work is to detect completely new targets in addition to refining the high-quality targets already defined by Lodestar. Any new targets defined are anticipated to form the second phase of drilling after the maiden drilling program. Figure 4: Interpreted bedrock geology map by Cambior in 1997 showing maximum assay from historical drilling, highlight drill intersections at each of the main prospect areas and the location of the new DDIP lines currently in progress (dark blue lines) and historical DDIP lines illustrated in Figure 2 and Figure 3. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3029/280856_3f83368214e8291d_005full.jpg Lodestar secured the DDIP contract with reputable contractor Zonge International and the work is currently in progress (Figure 1). The results of this work are expected in the coming weeks and results will be processed and interpreted by experienced consultants at Resource Potentials. Highlight results are expected to be released in February. Maiden Drill Campaign Preparations: The drill permit application for Lodestar's maiden drill campaign was lodged late December and currently estimated to be granted mid-February pending any unforeseen delays. Lodestar is currently engaging local RC contractors as part of the drill tender process and hopes to commence drilling in March or April 2026 pending permits, drill contractor availability and weather conditions. Qualified Person Ty Magee, P. Geo., a Qualified Person, as defined by NI 43-101, and a consultant to the Company, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. ABOUT LODESTAR METALS Lodestar Metals Corp. is a Canadian gold exploration company focused on advancing the drill-ready Goldrun Project in Nevada, strategically located on a major Carlin-style gold trend and adjacent to some of the largest gold deposits in North America. With decades of combined geological and capital markets expertise, Lodestar follows a disciplined, step-by-step approach to discovery. The Company's strategy is clear: focus capital on high-value targets, move quickly on known mineralization, and build a compliant gold resource that delivers lasting shareholder value. For more information, please visit www.lodestarmetals.ca. Notes: The drill results disclosed are of a historical nature. While this historical data provides valuable context, the Company has not conducted a detailed validation or verification process and, therefore, cannot ensure their accuracy or completeness. The Company intends to undertake further exploration, including additional drilling, to verify these results in accordance with NI 43-101 regulatory standards Forward-Looking Statements The information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Lodestar cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by several material factors, many of which are beyond Lodestar's control. Such factors include, among other things, risks and uncertainties relating to Lodestar's limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280856 Source: Lodestar Metals Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - TenX Protocols Inc. (TSXV: TNX) ("TenX" or the "Company"), a blockchain infrastructure company building staking solutions for the next-generation of blockchain networks, announced today that it has acquired Tez (XTZ), the native token of the Tezos blockchain, as part of a strategic staking partnership with the Tezos Foundation. The acquisition of XTZ supports TenX's ongoing validator operations on the Tezos network and forms part of the Company's broader strategy, which emphasizes active participation, revenue generation through staking, and long-term alignment with blockchain ecosystems where TenX operates infrastructure. In alignment with this strategy, and as of January 19, 2026, TenX has acquired approximately 5,542,935.08 XTZ tokens, with an average cost of approximately US$0.5868 per XTZ token, through a combination of open-market and over-the-counter purchases completed between January 2 and January 19, 2026. The acquisition of XTZ was funded using cash on hand from the Company's previously completed financing, which closed on August 18, 2025. TenX selected the Tezos network as part of its validator-first operating model, where the Company focuses on deploying staking infrastructure on networks with high-throughput and long-term protocol stability. "As we scale our validator operations, Tezos stands out for its governance model, technical maturity, and reliability," said Mat Cybula, CEO of TenX. As part of the strategic partnership between TenX and the Tezos Foundation, the Tezos Foundation has indicated its intention, subject to completion of customary due diligence and internal approvals, to delegate a portion of its XTZ holdings to TenX-operated validators on the Tezos network. Any such delegation would support TenX's validator operations and further align the Company's infrastructure activities with the long-term health and decentralization of the Tezos ecosystem. Arthur Breitman, co-founder of Tezos, said, "TenX sees what others have missed: Tezos combines battle-tested governance with the scaling and performance the industry has been chasing. Validators who think long-term are a natural fit." Tezos is recognized for its self-amending architecture, which enables upgrades through on-chain governance and avoids disruptive hard forks. To date, the network has completed 19 successful upgrades, with recent updates delivering improved functionality for institutions, enhanced network performance, and streamlined staking operations. The network continues to gain traction across DeFi (including via its Etherlink EVM-compatibility layer), gaming, and digital art, reinforcing its position as a durable, institution-friendly Layer 1 protocol. The acquisition of XTZ is driven by two core objectives of the Company, the first being revenue generation, as staking XTZ through TenX's own validators converts crypto assets into reliable income, supported by attractive yields and a stable economic model. Second, by running validators, TenX contributes directly to the Tezos network's security and decentralization, aligning the Company's operations with the long-term success of the network. "This is a long-term value decision, not a short-term trade," added Mat Cybula, CEO of TenX. "Tezos is built for sustainability and upgradability, and we want TenX to be aligned with ecosystems that reflect that." About TenX TenX Protocols Inc. is a technology company focused on generating recurring revenue from the crypto asset economy. The Company operates institutional-grade staking infrastructure, earns cash flow from its inventory of crypto assets, and provides infrastructure, advisory, and development services across high-throughput blockchain networks. Through proprietary staking, hosted solutions, and strategic protocol partnerships, TenX gives public market investors exposure to the growth of next-generation blockchains and the broader Web3 ecosystem. To learn more about TenX visit www.tenx.inc. Stay up to date on our latest developments and follow us on Linkedin and X. About Tezos Tezos is an open-source and energy-efficient blockchain designed to empower institutions, developers, and businesses and facilitate value transfer in a digital environment. It is designed for the scalable deployment of decentralized applications. As one of the first Proof of Stake blockchains, Tezos is globally supported and valued for its strong governance, long-term upgradability, and smart contract capabilities. For more information about Tezos, visit http://www.tezos.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. Forward looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, as described in more detail in our securities filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280830 Source: TenX Protocols Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQB: APAAF) (FSE: A0I0) (MUN: A0I0) (BER: A0I0) (the "Company" or "Appia") is pleased to announce that it has engaged Quantec Geoscience Ltd. ("Quantec") to complete a SPARTAN Magnetotelluric ("MT") survey in Q1 2026 on the Company's 100%-owned Otherside Uranium Property (Figure 1) in Saskatchewan's renowned Athabasca Basin. The 10,422-hectare property is located approximately 28 km south of Fond-du-Lac, Saskatchewan. Appia has identified a 49 km long, faulted EM conductor trend that is potentially prospective for Athabasca-style uranium mineralization and comparable to features associated with NexGen Energy's Arrow deposit, one of the world's largest high-grade uranium discoveries. The MT survey (Figure 1) will be integrated with Appia's 2024 airborne gravity and magnetic data and several other datasets to confirm drill-ready targets by: Mapping subsurface resistivity to identify key faults and conductive zones to identify key faults and conductive zones Highlighting density contrasts indicative of alteration and structure indicative of alteration and structure Outlining lithological variations and basement trends Tom Drivas, President of Appia, commented: "The MT survey will provide the final major dataset needed to define high-confidence drill targets along this extensive 49 km long conductor, advancing our planning toward the next phase of drilling." Survey Details: 84 MT stations spaced 200 metres apart, ~17 days fieldwork, with daily progress reports, including preliminary 2D inversion sections. Figure 1 - Location map of survey lines for the Magnetotellurics (MT) Survey at Appia's Otherside Uranium Property. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/280826_81c1933bf48af9c9_001full.jpg About Appia's Otherside Uranium Property Appia's Otherside Uranium Property is strategically located within the prolific, uranium-bearing Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan, Canada. This area is renowned for its significant uranium deposits, its surrounding rare earth element plays, and favorable geological conditions that have historically led to major high-grade uranium discoveries. The Otherside Uranium Property shares similar geological and geophysical signatures to known high-grade, large-tonnage uranium deposits in the western and eastern Athabasca Basin, including Uranium Energy Corp.'s "Shea Creek" and Cameco's "Millenium" deposits. Such signatures include long structural corridors hosting multiple, discrete conductors associated with the Athabasca Basin's unconformity. Otherside's property area is 10,441.88 hectares and is 100% owned by Appia. The technical content in this news release was reviewed and approved by Dr. Irvine R. Annesley, P.Geo., Senior Exploration Consultant and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. Appia is a publicly traded Canadian company in the rare earth element and uranium sectors. The Company holds a 25% interest in the Ultra Hardrock and Ultra IAC Projects, which is 42,932.24 ha. in size and located within the Goias State of Brazil. The Company is also focusing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements and gallium on the Alces Lake property, and exploring for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Otherside, Loranger, North Wollaston, and Eastside properties. The Company holds the surface rights to exploration for 94,982.39 hectares (234,706.59 acres) in Saskatchewan. The Company also has a 100% interest in 13,008 hectares (32,143 acres), with rare earth elements and uranium deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario. Appia has 194.9 million common shares outstanding, 206.6 million shares fully diluted. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For more information, visit www.appiareu.com. As part of our ongoing effort to keep investors, interested parties and stakeholders updated, we have several communication portals. If you have any questions online (X, Facebook, LinkedIn) please feel free to send direct messages. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280826 Source: Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Despite a downward trend in the use of the death penalty globally, 2025 saw an alarming increase in the number of executions in a small number of countries, the UN human rights office warned on Monday. The UN advocates for the universal abolition of death penalty. The international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by 175 countries, protects the right to life and stipulates that, for countries that have not abolished capital punishment, it be imposed only for the 'most serious crimes' in exceptional cases. OHCHR said that the sharp increase in capital punishment last year was driven by executions for drug-related violations, for crimes people committed as children and for offences not meeting the 'most serious crimes'. 'The death penalty is not an effective crime-control tool, and it can lead to the execution of innocent people,' said Volker Turk, UN Commissioner for Human Rights. 'In practice, the death penalty is also often applied arbitrarily and discriminatorily, in violation of fundamental principles of equality before the law.' OHCHR's monitoring reveals that in Iran, at least 1,500 people were reportedly executed in 2025, with at least 47 per cent relating to drug offences. In Israel, a series of legislative proposals is seeking to expand the use of the death penalty by introducing mandatory capital punishment provisions that would apply exclusively to Palestinians. In Saudi Arabia, the reported number of executions exceeded the previous record of 2024, mounting to at least 356 people, where 78 per cent of cases were for drug-related offences. In Afghanistan, public executions continued, in breach of international law. The United States saw the highest number of executions in 16 years - some 47 inmates who had been on death row. However, OHCHR noted that several countries took encouraging steps last year to limit capital punishment. Vietnam reduced the number of offences punishable by death. Pakistan also removed two non-lethal capital offences. Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes, while Kenya initiated a legislative review of capital punishment. Malaysia's resentencing process reduced the number of people at risk of execution by more than 1,000 and in Kyrgyzstan, the Constitutional Court reaffirmed the prohibition of the death penalty. So far, 170 countries have abolished or introduced a moratorium on the death penalty either in law or in practice, according to the UN human rights arm. Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 2026 AFX News Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - American Tungsten Corp. (CSE: TUNG) (OTCQB: TUNGF) (FSE: RK90) ("American Tungsten" or the "Company) is pleased to report high-grade tungsten-silver assay results from underground channel sampling at the IMA Mine. Additional surface sampling results confirm extension and continuation of tungsten mineralized quartz veins beyond primary mine area, and significant mineralization in historical tailings. Exploration Sampling Highlights: Underground samples from the No.5 vein average 1.04% WO3 and 2.70 oz/t Ag, over an average width of 5.0 ft.; Surficial rock chip sampling identified tungsten-silver mineralization in quartz veins exposed at surface over significant widths; and Preliminary samples of historical tailings average 0.25% WO3 and 0.48 oz/t Ag. "American Tungsten is nearing completion of our current drilling program, and the initial assay results emerging from our broader exploration work continue to reinforce the strength of the IMA Mine project. Recent high-grade tungsten-silver assay results from underground channel sampling, combined with encouraging surface and tailings samples, highlight the scale and continuity of mineralization across the property," said Ali Haji, CEO of American Tungsten Corp. "This phase represents an important milestone for the Company as we continue to advance our understanding of the project's potential and expansion. As we finalize interpretation of our drilling data, these complementary sampling results provide strong geological support for the system's continuity and scale." Sampling Methodology and Results Fifteen underground channel samples were collected on the D level from the No. 5 vein drift and new crosscut to first drill station. Samples were collected primarily to validate historical sampling by Inspiration Development company conducted in 1979, and to sub-sample different vein phases across the No. 5 vein. Tungsten bearing quartz veins are variably mineralized with hubnerite, scheelite, tetrahedrite, galena, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite, plus fluorite and rhodochrosite. Samples were generally collected as continuous chip or saw cut channels across the full width of the vein, but some samples are less than true width. Samples were submitted for assay to ALS Global in Twin Falls, Idaho, in November 2025. Individual sample results and full width weighted averages are provided in Table 1. Samples from the No. 5 vein are elevated in tungsten, silver, copper, zinc and lead. Samples from the crosscut are elevated in molybdenum and silver. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11701/280872_c5b89c152408ca9a_001full.jpg Figure 1: Sample location map showing tungsten assay results and D level development. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11701/280872_c5b89c152408ca9a_002full.jpg Surficial rock chip sampling of weathered, vuggy quartz vein exposures on both the north and south sides of Patterson Creek returned significant tungsten results including 0.256 % WO3 and 0.64 oz/t Ag over 10 ft from a location 1000 ft east of the D level portal, and 0.164 % WO3 and 1.28 oz/t Ag over 6.7 ft from a 8 ft wide weathered quartz vein exposure and small adit located 500 ft south of Patterson Creek. Identification of mineralization south of Patterson Creek is significant in that it supports continuity of the vein system into areas with minimal historical mining activity. Historical tailings from past mining activities are present over an area of approximately 30 acres on the Ima land package within the Pahsimeroi valley, known as the Lower Tailings Impoundment. Historical operators estimated the Lower Tailings Impoundment to contain 222,000 cubic yards of tailings. Preliminary sampling of tailings materials in 5 shallow test pits averaging 3.5 ft deep spaced approximately 500 ft apart average 0.235 % WO3 and 0.45 oz/t Ag. Additional sampling and preliminary metallurgical testwork is planned on the basis of these results. Table 2: Surface sampling results1,2 Sample ID Location Type Length (ft) WO3_% MoS2_% Ag opt Cu % Pb % Zn % 1103816 Access Road Minor Vein 1 0.004 0.016 0.13 0.09 0.00 0.00 1103817 Access Road Full width channel 10 0.256 0.042 0.64 0.07 0.08 0.04 1103818 Access Road Sub-sample 1 0.327 0.051 1.04 0.02 0.07 0.01 1103819 Access Road Sub-sample 1.5 0.433 0.048 0.39 0.01 0.04 0.00 1103829-1103831 NE D Level Portal Composite 5.1 0.101 0.247 1.387 0.015 0.047 0.013 1103829 NE D Level Portal Sub-sample 1.5 0.078 0.137 0.76 0.01 0.03 0.00 1103830 NE D Level Portal Sub-sample 1.6 0.081 0.260 1.38 0.01 0.04 0.01 1103831 NE D Level Portal Sub-sample 2 0.135 0.319 1.87 0.02 0.07 0.02 1103836-1103838 S Patterson Creek Composite 6.7 0.164 0.029 1.288 0.024 0.206 0.007 1103836 S Patterson Creek Sub-sample 2.3 0.084 0.015 0.68 0.01 0.08 0.00 1103837 S Patterson Creek Sub-sample 1.9 0.217 0.030 0.99 0.05 0.26 0.01 1103838 S Patterson Creek Sub-sample 2.5 0.197 0.040 2.07 0.02 0.28 0.01 1103820-1103824 Lower Tailings Composite 0.253 0.019 0.476 0.033 0.082 0.087 1103820 Lower Tailings Test Pit 1.5 0.158 0.011 0.19 0.02 0.03 0.04 1103821 Lower Tailings Test Pit 3.5 0.414 0.014 0.93 0.05 0.20 0.09 1103822 Lower Tailings Test Pit 3.5 0.187 0.019 0.41 0.03 0.05 0.05 1103823 Lower Tailings Test Pit 3.5 0.112 0.016 0.25 0.02 0.03 0.02 1103824 Lower Tailings Test Pit 6 0.303 0.027 0.46 0.04 0.07 0.16 1) Composite values are length weighted average values of sub-samples collected from continuous channel transects and represent true widths 2) WO3 and MoS2 % values are calculated from ppm analyses based on stoichiometry factors of 1.2611 and 1.668 About the IMA Mine The IMA Mine is a past producing underground tungsten mine situated on 22 patented claims located in East Central Idaho. Between 1945 and 1957, the property produced approximately 199,449 MTUs of WO3 and was subsequently explored for molybdenum and tungsten by various operators between 1960-2010. American Tungsten Corp is currently conducting an exploration drill program and assessing potential for re-start of underground tungsten mining operations at the IMA Mine. QA/QC and Sample Analysis American Tungsten Corp's Quality Assurance and Quality Control QA/QC program applies industry standard best practices to ensure data quality and integrity for the IMA Mine project, including maintaining chain of custody, secure sample transport and storage, adherence to data collection protocols and inclusion of certified reference, blank and duplicate quality assurance samples in laboratory submissions. Samples were collected by professional geologists and efforts were made to ensure geological representativity of samples. Samples were submitted to ALS Global laboratory in Twin Falls, Idaho, for preparation. Samples were crushed to 70% passing 2 mm screen, rotary splitting 250g and pulverized to 85% passing a 75 m screen. Samples were analyzed by ALS Minerals in the Vancouver, BC, Canada. Samples were analyzed by four acid digest with ICP-MS finish. Samples exceeding 200 ppm W were analyzed by XRF with lithium borate fusion preparation. Samples exceeding 50ppm Ag were analyzed by fire assay with gravimetric finish. Qualified Person Technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI-43-101"). Austin Zinsser, P.G., SME-RM, Vice President, Exploration for the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI-43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. About American Tungsten American Tungsten is a Canadian exploration company focused on high-potential tungsten and magnetite assets in North America. The Company is advancing the IMA Mine Project in Idaho to commercial production, addressing critical metal scarcity in North America. The Company's IMA Mine Project is a historic and high-quality underground tungsten past-producing property on private-patented land well above the water table with significant infrastructure. The Company holds an exclusive option to acquire full ownership (subject to a 2% royalty) and has expanded its land position with 113 additional federal claims covering nearly 2,000 acres. (CSE: TUNG) (OTCQB: TUNGF) (FSE: RK90) The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. This news release includes "forward-looking information" that is subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to, statements relating to anticipated results of pending analyses, future work plans, additional sampling and preliminary metallurgical test work to be carried out on the Lower Tailings Impoundment, and all the risks and uncertainties normally incident to such events. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future events and that actual events or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Company undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law. Statements concerning historical mineral resources, production, and exploration results on the property have been obtained through both public and private sources, and are believed to be substantially factual and relevant in that they demonstrate the tenor of exploration targets on the property. Historical resource estimates pre-date the implementation of NI 43-101 and do not use categories stipulated by CIM. Prior operators assigned confidence categories which differ from those stipulated by CIM, as they may not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimates should not be relied upon until they have been verified. Neither American Tungsten Corp., or its Qualified Person, has done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources or to verify historical information regarding past production, sampling or drilling. American Tungsten Corp. is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Exploration Targets discussed are conceptual in nature; it is uncertain whether a mineral resource will be delineated based on potential exploration. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280872 Source: American Tungsten Corp. Kailas FUGA grows with race partnerships and athlete community Jose Angel Jimenez Canales during his win at the 2025 Penyagolosa Trails. GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 20, 2026, a long-term strategic partnership with the renowned Penyagolosa Trails. Leveraging its experience in managing international races, the investment and resources from Kailas FUGA will support this iconic Spanish race to gain a truly global audience. The race adds to Kailas FUGA's growing footprint in Spain following the establishment of retail distribution in 2024. In 2023 Kailas FUGA Team signed its first Spanish elite athlete then signed rising stars Jose Angel CANALES and Maria FUENTES (2nd place ETC - UTMB, 2025) cementing its reputation in the country. 2026 sees the formal launch of FUGA's sponsored community FUGA Mountain Club in Spain, led by Alvaro Gonzales del Salto. Combining high quality gear, elite athletes, and community runners with prestigious races this positions Kailas FUGA competitively in Spain's trail running market. The winner of the 2025 edition and Kailas FUGA athlete Jose Angel CANALES commented "The beautiful Penyagolosa trail is not only among my favorite races, but also one of the best in Spain. I look forward to seeing them grow together in the future." Kailas FUGA Brand Director Nina SUN said "With passionate athletes and some of the region's most technically demanding and stunning terrain it is an ideal proving ground for Kailas FUGA's high-performance gear." Commenting on the partnership, Penyagolosa Trails Race Director Tico CERVERA explained, "For Penyagolosa Trails, it is essential that our partners respect the environment, sporting excellence and the runner's experience. Kailas FUGA shares this vision and we believe this partnership brings real value." The 2026 FUGA Penyagolosa Trails has attracted registrations from over 40 nationalities. Kailas FUGA Head of International Race Partnerships Jacky YAO added, "Penyagolosa Trails stands among Spain's premier trail races, aligning perfectly with our commitment to elite-level trail experiences. FUGA athletes and FUGA Mountain Club team members have competed, and podiumed at Penyagolosa Trails, consistently praising the race. We're proud to deepen this connection and embrace Penyagolosa Trails as a true "home race" for the FUGA family in Southern Europe." FUGA Penyagolosa Trails (www.penyagolosatrails.com) is one of over 40 international trail races that Kailas FUGA sponsors. For media enquiries, please contact: pippaebel@kailas.com.cn A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/98bd9bde-505e-481c-b888-2579257afeed SEPHORA, the global leader in prestige beauty retail, and CJ OLIVE YOUNG, Korea's leading beauty and health retailer, announced today a new strategic partnership to bring the best curation of cutting-edge and sought-after Korean beauty to SEPHORA consumers around the world. The partnership will debut this fall as a visionary omnichannel partnership in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong SAR and Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand), with expansion into additional regions including the Middle East, the UK and Australia in 2027. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260120395650/en/ The partnership will provide SEPHORA customers with a dedicated zone curated by OLIVE YOUNG online and in stores, allowing them to discover a unique assortment of the most popular Korean beauty brands, and the newest trend-driven Korean health and beauty products, all carefully curated by OLIVE YOUNG. The partnership also combines SEPHORA's innovative customer experience, including guidance and assistance from its expertly trained Beauty Advisors available in all stores, its deep knowledge of ecommerce, and highly engaged customer base with OLIVE YOUNG's unparalleled curation capabilities. Present in 35 countries with 3,400 points of sale, SEPHORA is the world's best-known innovator in prestige beauty connecting the most desirable beauty brands with more than 80M loyal beauty fans globally. OLIVE YOUNG has quickly grown into a global retailer at the forefront of the globalization of K-Beauty, providing a wide assortment across more than 1,390 stores in South Korea. Together, SEPHORA and OLIVE YOUNG are creating access to the best of K-beauty brands for millions of SEPHORA customers and allow them to the latest Korean beauty and health trends. Priya Venkatesh, Global Chief Merchandising Officer, SEPHORA said: "Korean beauty is one of the most innovative, fastest-growing, and desirable categories in beauty right now. Sephora was the first major retailer to debut K-beauty brands to North American consumers in 2010, and our portfolio has grown into a global business. We are thrilled to partner with leading Korean beauty retailer OLIVE YOUNG, bringing their expertly curated assortment of Korean beauty brands to our beauty fans globally. Their differentiated assortment, coupled with SEPHORA's unique point of view on the beauty shopping experience, will bring an unrivalled and inspiring offer for all beauty lovers who are keen to explore the most sought-after Korean beauty products." Youngah Lee, Chief Strategy Officer at CJ OLIVE YOUNG said: "We are pleased to enter this partnership with SEPHORA as we continue to advance our global expansion strategy. As global interest in K-beauty continues to accelerate, we see this collaboration as a meaningful opportunity to work together in expanding the reach of Korean brands in key international markets." About SEPHORA SEPHORA is the world's leading global prestige beauty retail brand. With 50,000 passionate employees operating in 35 markets, SEPHORA connects customers and beauty brands within the world's most trusted and dynamic beauty community. We serve a highly engaged community of hundreds of millions of beauty followers across our global omnichannel network of more than 3,4000 stores and iconic flagships, and our e-commerce and digital platforms, offering personalized and immersive seamless experiences across every touchpoint. With our curation of close to 500 brands and our own label, SEPHORA Collection, we offer the most unique and diverse range of prestige beauty products, tailored to our customers' needs from fragrance to make-up, haircare, skincare and beyond, as we constantly reimagine the world of prestige beauty. Since our inception in 1969 in Limoges, France, and as part of the LVMH Group since 1997, we have been disrupting the prestige beauty retail industry. Today, we continue to break with convention to drive our purpose: to champion a world of inspiration and inclusion where everyone can celebrate their beauty. About CJ OLIVE YOUNG CJ OLIVE YOUNG, established in 1999, is South Korea's leading beauty and health retailer. Our brand name, "OLIVE YOUNG," embodies the philosophy of "All Live Young," reflecting our vision for everyone to live a healthy and beautiful life at all times. Through its flagship store, "OLIVE YOUNG," it offers trendy and radiant K-beauty products to customers worldwide. With over 1,390 stores, more than 20 years of expertise, data-driven insights, and strong partnerships, OLIVE YOUNG curates a distinguished selection of K-beauty and wellness products. As a subsidiary of CJ Group, a global lifestyle company, OLIVE YOUNG continues to lead the industry by delivering the value of healthy beauty to customers worldwide. For more information, visit linkedin.com/cj-olive-young-usa. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260120395650/en/ Contacts: Press contact ExternalComms@sephora.com https://newsroom.sephora.com Combination to add key functional service provider capabilities, deliver immediate uplift in oncology, strengthen global site reach, and accelerate technology integration enhancing speed, transparency, and value for customers Worldwide Clinical Trials, ("Worldwide" or the "Company"), a global contract research organization (CRO), has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Catalyst Clinical Research, LLC ("Catalyst"), a specialized oncology CRO, known for its expertise in early phase oncology trials and a strong biometrics and Functional Service Provider (FSP) model. Following the close of the transaction, Nick Dyer, Chairman of the Board of Catalyst, will join Worldwide's Board of Directors, and Nik Morton, President and CEO of Catalyst, will join Worldwide's executive leadership team. This strategic combination creates immediate value for customers by establishing Worldwide as a leading oncology-focused CRO, while maintaining depth across multiple therapeutic areas and strengthening its footprint and scale to deliver larger global trials. The integration of Catalyst's two established solutions Catalyst Oncology and Catalyst Flex will strengthen Worldwide's portfolio, offering customers proven expertise and new services for full-service, FSP resourcing, and hybrid solutions. Additionally, the integration of complementary technology platforms and best-in-class operational practices will enable enhanced data visibility and improved efficiency throughout the development lifecycle helping customers bring life-changing therapies to patients more quickly. "Bringing Worldwide and Catalyst together elevates our capabilities in oncology and provides a new solution for our collective customers," said Alistair Macdonald, Chief Executive Officer of Worldwide. "We are excited to add Catalyst's deep operational expertise and oncology credibility to our own well-known CNS specialist CRO capabilities to create a differentiated biotech-oriented oncology solution. Our combined customers seek focused senior executive connection and attention, predictability, speed, flexibility, and scientific rigor. They will benefit from the addition of a scalable FSP model with integrated onshore/offshore service lines, while we leverage advanced business management tools and AI to drive operational excellence. Beyond the science, this is about people bringing together talented teams, expanding opportunities, and working together to deliver more agile trials for our customers." Matt Jennings, Executive Chairman of Worldwide and Senior Operating Partner of Kohlberg, the majority owner of the Company, commented: "Integrating Catalyst will accelerate Worldwide's growth in oncology and expand both its customer base and global reach simultaneously. Their specialized expertise, innovative platforms, and strong relationships with emerging biotech sponsors align perfectly with our vision for building a differentiated, technology-enabled CRO. This is a strategic step toward creating a more agile and competitive organization that can meet the evolving needs of clinical research globally." "This marks an exciting new chapter for both Catalyst and Worldwide. By joining forces, Catalyst brings our specialized early phase oncology expertise together with Worldwide's strength in late phase development, expanding our global footprint and delivering differentiated oncology solutions globally," said Nik Morton, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst. "Together, our expanded global footprint will allow us to deliver our FSP solutions to a broader set of customers. Our shared commitment to scientific excellence and patient-centric solutions will allow us to scale our impact and bring greater value to our customers and the patients they serve. Most importantly, Catalyst and Worldwide share a steadfast commitment to a people-first culture a strategic differentiator that empowers employees to do their best work and deliver exceptional value to customers and patients." Under the terms of the agreement, Worldwide will acquire Catalyst for an undisclosed amount, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2026. Both companies remain committed to ensuring a seamless transition for employees, customers, and partners. Worldwide is a portfolio company of Kohlberg. Kohlberg is based in Mount Kisco, N.Y., and invests in healthcare and services companies. Catalyst is a portfolio company of QHP Capital, L.P. ("QHP Capital"). QHP Capital is based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., and invests in life sciences and pharma services companies. BofA Securities served as exclusive advisor and Smith Anderson served as legal counsel to Catalyst. Greenberg Traurig, LLP served as legal counsel to Worldwide. About Worldwide Clinical Trials: Worldwide Clinical Trials (Worldwide) is a full-service global contract research organization (CRO) that works in partnership with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to create customized solutions that advance new medications. Worldwide's capabilities include bioanalytical laboratory services, Phase I-IV clinical trials, and post-approval and real-world evidence studies all powered by an accessible team of clinicians, scientists, and researchers who bring first-hand expertise and a collaborative, personalized approach to each clinical program. Worldwide is therapeutically focused on neuroscience, oncology, rare disease, and cardiometabolic and inflammatory disease. Its global footprint spans over 60 countries with more than 3,500 team members. For more information, visit www.worldwide.com. About Catalyst Clinical Research: Catalyst Clinical Research, a contract research organization (CRO), provides highly customizable solutions to the global biopharmaceutical and biotechnology industries through two established, branded solutions: Catalyst Oncology and Catalyst Flex. The company provides full-service oncology CRO offerings with Catalyst Oncology and multi-therapeutic customer- or Catalyst-managed functional services through Catalyst Flex. With more than 1,000 staff and several offices in the United States, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, Catalyst's flexible service model is built from more than a decade of listening to customers, devising customer-centric solutions, and helping customers advance their clinical studies by leveraging expert teams and innovative technologies. For more information, visit CatalystCR.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260120916893/en/ Contacts: Media Contacts: Worldwide Clinical Trials: Jill Shahravar Jill.Shahravar@worldwide.com 919-389-9253 Catalyst Clinical Research: Elizabeth Humphrey Elizabeth.Humphrey@catalystcr.com 984-459-2090 Coverage unlocks reimbursable AI plaque quantification, advancing coronary risk assessment in everyday cardiology practice Highlights New permanent Category I CPT code 75577 for AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis took effect January 1, 2026 Major payers, including Aetna, alongside UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Humana, and others, now cover AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis, extending access to tens of millions of commercially insured patients Circle's FDA-cleared, on-premise cvi42|Plaque solution integrates directly into CCTA workflows, giving physicians hands-on control of AI plaque analysis and retains more of the plaque analysis reimbursement CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 20, 2026solution are well positioned to benefit from newly activated reimbursement for AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis under permanent Category I CPT code 75577, effective January 1, 2026. Major insurance companies have also announced that they are also reimbursing the costs of this analysis. New Category I CPT Codes Now in Effect Beginning January 1, 2026, AI-driven quantification and characterizationof coronary atherosclerotic plaque derived from coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is reimbursed under a permanent Category I CPT code, 75577, replacing prior Category III codes. This transition enables nationally valued payment for quantitative plaque assessment across hospital outpatient departments, imaging centers, and physician offices. Growing Payer Support for AI Plaque Analysis Major commercial payers, including Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Humana, and others, now cover AI-based quantitative coronary plaque analysis, extending access to tens of millions of commercially insured patients and building on prior Medicare coverage decisions. This expanding reimbursement is expected to accelerate adoption of CCTA-based plaque assessment. AMA/ACC Guidance on When to Use Plaque Analysis In December 2025, a major scientific statement published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Imaging provided consensus recommendations on how and when to use quantitative coronary plaque analysis (QCPA) in practice. Their recommendations stated that among patients who have visual evidence of plaque on coronary CTA, adding QCPA may be useful for enhancing risk assessment and guiding the initiation or intensification of preventive therapies. CCTA's Emerging Role as a Primary CAD Modality Recent analyses from cardiovascular imaging experts highlight how CCTA, augmented by AI-enabled plaque analysis, is poised to become the foundational imaging modalityfor the diagnosis and management of coronary artery disease. As reimbursement stabilizes and technology matures, CCTA is increasingly viewed as the frontline test that can characterize both stenosis and atherosclerotic burden, informing preventive strategies long before invasive procedures are required. cvi42|Plaque: FDA-cleared, On-premise AI for Coronary Plaque cvi42|Plaque, cleared by the U.S. FDA in late 2025, is an on-premise, AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis module that integrates directly into existing cvi42 and CCTA workflows. The software automatically segments the coronary lumen and vessel wall, quantifies plaque burden and composition, and generates structured lesion- and vessel-level metrics to support risk stratification, preventive therapy decisions, and revascularization planning. Because the solution runs locally, image data, AI processing, and reporting remain within the institution's environment, giving physicians interactive control over contouring and final interpretation while allowing programs to retain a larger share of reimbursement compared with outsourced, cloud only services. Localized AI and Circle's Elevate Pricing Advantage "With the new Category I CPT code for coronary plaque analysis now in effect, and the major insurance players reimbursing plaque analysis, the economics and clinical evidence are finally aligned," said Chris Bazinet, Chief Commercial Officer at Circle CVI. "cvi42|Plaque gives practices an on-premise, FDA-cleared AI solution that fits directly into their existing CCTA workflows, enabling guideline consistent plaque reporting, improved risk stratification, and better capture of the reimbursement now available for quantitative coronary plaque analysis." cvi42|Plaque is available as part of the broader cvi42 platform for cardiac CT and MR. Clinical sites interested in implementing AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis can contact Circle to assess readiness, workflow integration, and revenue potential. About Circle Cardiovascular Imaging Circle Cardiovascular Imaging Inc. (Circle CVI) is a Canadian-based company founded in 2007 with a mission to develop innovative software solutions that enhance cardiovascular and cerebrovascular imaging analysis and ultimately improve patient care. Circle's flagship platform, cvi42, delivers best-in-class image reading and reporting tools for quantitative and qualitative assessment of cardiac MR, cardiac CT, vascular CT, and neuro CT. At the core of Circle's work is a relentless commitment to empowering healthcare providers with advanced, intuitive tools that lead to better healthcare outcomes. This passion for innovation, rooted in both medicine and technology, drives Circle's global impact and fuels a culture of excellence. Today, millions of medical imaging exams each year-across 1,700+ hospitals in over 90 countries-are interpreted using Circle's cvi42 platform.? For media inquiries, please contact: marketing@circlecvi.com SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Zoned Properties, Inc. ("Zoned Properties" or the "Company") (OTCQB:ZDPY), a technology-driven property investment company for emerging and highly regulated industries, including legalized cannabis, today announced that the Company has entered into multiple definitive agreements for the sale and liquidation of 100% of Zoned Properties' assets and operations. Transaction Highlights: The Company has formed a Special Transactions Committee consisting of its three independent directors that has negotiated and overseen the transactions on behalf of shareholders. The definitive agreements include (i) a short-term exclusive option for the sale of the Chino Valley, Green Valley, and Kingman properties in Arizona (the "CGK Properties Option") for $9 million; and (ii) an asset purchase agreement with Zoned Properties' management team for a management buyout of all remaining assets and operations (the "MBO APA") for $7 million. The definitive agreements contemplate the sale and liquidation of 100% of the Company's assets and operations for a gross sale price of $16 million. Additionally, if the CGK Properties Option is not exercised by the optionee, then Zoned Properties' management team has agreed to include those properties in the MBO APA at the same valuation. The Special Transactions Committee plans to engage a third party expert to complete a fairness opinion related to the MBO APA. The MBO APA is subject to shareholder approval. The Company expects to hold a shareholder meeting to approve the MBO APA in the coming months. Assuming that the MBO APA is approved by shareholders, the sale and liquidation of the Company's assets and operations is expected to take place by the end of the calendar year. Assuming that the MBO APA is approved by shareholders and the Company can successfully sell and liquidate 100% of the Company's assets and operations, the Company expects to pay off any remaining debt, settle any remaining accounts and agreements, liquidate the Company's outstanding preferred shares, and then distribute the net available balance of cash to shareholders as a return of capital through a special dividend. Assuming that the MBO APA is approved by shareholders and the Company can successfully sell and liquidate 100% of the Company's assets and operations, the Board of Directors intends to subsequently complete a reverse merger or other transaction involving the public company. Management Commentary: "Over the past decade, Zoned Properties has worked to pioneer real estate services and development in the emerging and regulated cannabis industry," said Bryan McLaren, Chief Executive Officer of Zoned Properties. "While we have built a strong organization that has surpassed many milestones, the challenges of operating as a public company in the cannabis space have limited our ability to deliver direct value to our shareholders. We believe that liquidating the Company's assets and operations and returning substantial capital to shareholders through a special dividend represents the optimal path forward to reward our loyal investors." "Following an exhaustive review of the Company's strategic alternatives in a challenging industry environment, the Special Transactions Committee has concluded that the planned liquidation of the Company's assets and operations is in the best interests of the Company's shareholders and will maximize shareholder value," said Cole Stevens, Independent Director and Chair of the Special Transactions Committee of Zoned Properties. "We are confident that these transactions will deliver the greatest possible value to shareholders, compared to any other available option." About Zoned Properties, Inc. (OTCQB:ZDPY): Zoned Properties Inc. ("Zoned Properties" or the "Company") (OTCQB:ZDPY) is a technology-driven property investment company focused on acquiring value-add real estate within the regulated cannabis industry in the United States. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Zoned Properties is redefining the approach to commercial real estate investment through its standardized investment process backed by its proprietary property technology. Zoned Properties has developed a national ecosystem of real estate services to support its real estate development model, including a commercial real estate brokerage and a real estate advisory practice. With a decade of national experience and a team of experts devoted to the emerging cannabis industry, Zoned Properties addresses the specific needs of a modern market in highly regulated industries. The Company targets commercial properties that face unique zoning or development challenges, identifies solutions that can potentially have a major impact on their commercial value, and then works to acquire the properties while securing long-term, absolute-net leases. Zoned Properties targets commercial properties that can be acquired and rezoned for specific purposes, including the regulated and legalized cannabis industry. It does not grow, harvest, sell or distribute cannabis or any substances regulated under United States law such as the Controlled Substance Act of 1970, as amended. For more information, call 877-360-8839 or visit www.ZonedProperties.com. X: @ZonedProperties LinkedIn: @ZonedProperties Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "potential," "continue" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, and there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors, risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects the Company's current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Investor Relations Zoned Properties, Inc. Bryan McLaren Tel (877) 360-8839 Investors@zonedproperties.com www.zonedproperties.com SOURCE: Zoned Properties, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/real-estate/zoned-properties-announces-entry-into-definitive-agreements-for-sale-of-100-of-company-1128864 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Homerun Resources Inc. (TSXV: HMR) (OTCQB: HMRFF) ("Homerun" or the "Company") is pleased to provide details of the monthly settlements received from the previously announced CDN$6,000,000 financing with Sorbie Bornholm LP (see News Release dated December 8, 2025). The first settlement under the Sharing Agreement, was dated December 15th, 2025 for total gross proceeds of $206,784.86 representing a $0.9603 Sharing Arrangement Transaction Final Price making the "Sorbie Effective Price" $0.7682 per share. 269,167 shares were released from escrow agent. 206,667 warrants were issued from the Company's treasury at an exercise price of $1.28, with expiry on December 19, 2028. The second settlement was dated January 15th, 2026 for total gross proceeds of $223,645.48 representing a $1.0386 Sharing Agreement Transaction Final Price making the "Sorbie Effective Price" $0.8309 per share. 269,167 shares were released from escrow agent. 186,667 warrants were issued from the Company's treasury at an exercise price of $1.25, with expiry on January 12, 2029. As a further item, Homerun Resources Inc. has also agreed to the terms of a media services contract (the "Market One Contract") with Market One Media Group Inc. ("Market One") pursuant to which Market One will create tailored marketing programs for the Company. Homerun will pay Market One $202,000 plus applicable taxes for these services and the Market One Contract will have a term of 12 months. Market One provides on camera interviews for broadcast on BNN Bloomberg, lead generation services, editorial content, and online video services to its extensive roster of publicly listed companies. The Company does not propose to issue any securities to Market One in consideration for the services to be provided to the Company. Market One currently holds no securities in Homerun. About Homerun (www.homerunresources.com / www.homerunenergy.com) Homerun is building the silica-powered backbone of the energy transition across four focused verticals: Silica, Solar, Energy Storage, and Energy Solutions. Anchored by a unique high-purity low-iron silica resource in Bahia, Brazil, Homerun transforms raw silica into essential products and technologies that accelerate clean power adoption and deliver durable shareholder value. Silica: Secure supply and processing of high-purity low-iron silica for mission-critical applications, enabling premium solar glass and advanced energy materials. Solar: Development of Latin America's first dedicated 1,000 tonne per day high-efficiency solar glass plant and the commercialization of antimony-free solar glass designed for next-generation photovoltaic performance. Energy Storage: Advancement of long-duration, silica-based thermal storage systems and related technologies to decarbonize industrial heat and unlock grid flexibility. Energy Solutions: AI-enabled energy management, control systems, and turnkey electrification solutions that reduce costs and optimize renewable generation for commercial and industrial customers. With disciplined execution, strategic partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to best-in-class ESG practices, Homerun is focused on converting milestones into markets-creating a scalable, vertically integrated platform for clean energy manufacturing in the Americas. FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements". 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280924 Source: Homerun Resources Inc. BROSSARD, Quebec, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- G Mining Ventures Corp. ("GMIN" or the "Corporation") (TSX:GMIN, OTCQX:GMINF) is pleased to provide its operational guidance for 2026 and 2027 regarding its 100%-owned Tocantinzinho Gold Mine ("Tocantinzinho" or "TZ") in the State of Para, Brazil, together with a project update on its 100%-owned Oko West Gold Project ("Oko West") in Guyana. Unless otherwise stated, all amounts are in U.S. dollars. 2026 & 2027 Guidance Highlights Gold production in 2026 is expected to range between 160,000 and 190,000 ounces (" oz "), representing a modest increase over 2025 at the midpoint of guidance. Production is expected to be weighted toward the second half of the year, with approximately 62% of total output forecast to occur in H2 as higher-grade mineralization becomes available in accordance with the mine plan. "), representing a modest increase over 2025 at the midpoint of guidance. Production is expected to be weighted toward the second half of the year, with approximately 62% of total output forecast to occur in H2 as higher-grade mineralization becomes available in accordance with the mine plan. The Corporation expects to maintain a competitive cost structure in 2026, with cash operating costs 1 projected to range between $736 to $865 per ounce of gold (" Au ") sold and all-in sustaining cost (" AISC ") 1,2 at $1,230 to $1,444 per ounce of gold sold 2 , respectively, based on a realized gold price assumption of $4,000 an ounce. projected to range between $736 to $865 per ounce of gold (" ") sold and all-in sustaining cost (" ") at $1,230 to $1,444 per ounce of gold sold , respectively, based on a realized gold price assumption of $4,000 an ounce. Gold production in 2027 is expected to range between 200,000 and 235,000 ounces, representing an increase of approximately 25% over 2026 production at the midpoint of guidance, driven by a full-year contribution of higher-grade Phase 2 ore at TZ. Total cash costs 1 and AISC 1 are expected to improve materially in 2027, with cash costs and AISC projected to decline by approximately 14% and 20%, respectively, compared to 2026 at the midpoint of guidance. and AISC are expected to improve materially in 2027, with cash costs and AISC projected to decline by approximately 14% and 20%, respectively, compared to 2026 at the midpoint of guidance. Sustaining capital expenditures for 2026 are estimated to range between $69 million and $81 million, including $31 million to $36 million of capitalized waste stripping, and are expected to support the long-term performance and reliability of the TZ operation. Growth capital expenditures of $514 and $568 million are planned for 2026 to advance Oko West, which remains on track to achieve first gold production in the second half of 2027. The 2026 exploration program is expected to be the largest in the Corporation's history, with a total budget ranging between $42 million and $50 million, including approximately $21 million at Gurupi, $16 million at Oko West, and $9 million at TZ. 1. Cash costs per ounce sold, mine-site AISC per ounce sold and AISC per ounce sold are non-IFRS measures. See Non-IFRS Measures and Cautionary Notes. 2. 2026 and 2027 guidance assumes a realized gold price of $4,000 per oz, Brazilian Real ("BRL")/USD exchange rate of 5.55 and CAD/USD exchange rate of 1.40. "Our 2026 and 2027 guidance reflects the continued execution of our operating and growth strategy," said Louis-Pierre Gignac, President and Chief Executive Officer. "At TZ, we expect steady production while maintaining a competitive cost structure. At Oko West, project development is advancing in line with plan, supporting our objective of achieving first gold production in the second half of 2027. With a strong balance sheet and ongoing free cash flow generation, GMIN remains well positioned to fund its growth initiatives." 2026 & 2027 Operational Guidance The Corporation's detailed guidance for 2026 and 2027 is set out in the following table: Operational & Cost Guidance 2026 Guidance 2027 Guidance $ millions, unless otherwise indicated Gold Production k oz 160 - 190 200 - 2353 Total Cash Costs1,2 $/oz Au sold 736 - 865 633 - 743 Mine-Site AISC1,2 $/oz Au sold 1,133 - 1,330 898 - 1,054 All-in Sustaining Costs1,2 $/oz Au sold 1,230 - 1,444 977 - 1,146 Sustaining Capital Expenditures TZ Sustaining Capital Expenditures M$ 38- 45 19 - 23 Capitalized Waste Stripping M$ 31- 36 43 - 51 Total Sustaining Capital Expenditures M$ 69 - 81 62- 74 Non-Sustaining Capital Expenditures TZ Regional Exploration M$ 8 - 10 8 - 10 Oko West Exploration M$ 15 - 17 14- 18 Gurupi Project M$ 19 - 23 18 - 22 Total Exploration 42 - 50 40 - 50 Oko West Project Development M$ 514 - 568 217 - 240 Total Non-Sustaining Capital Expenditures M$ 556 - 618 257 - 290 1. Cash costs per ounce sold, mine-site AISC per ounce sold and AISC per ounce sold are non-IFRS measures. See Non-IFRS Measures and Cautionary Notes. 2. 2026 and 2027 guidance assumes a realized gold price of $4,000 per oz, BRL/USD of 5.55 and CAD/USD of 1.40. 3. 2027 production guidance excludes production from Oko West. Tocantinzinho Gold Mine Gold production at TZ for 2026 is estimated to be between 160,000 to 190,000 ounces. Production is expected to strengthen in the second half of the year, with approximately 62% of annual output as higher-grade mineralization in Phase 2 becomes available according to the mine plan. The grade segregation and low-grade stockpiling will remain in place in 2026 and 2027 to manage excess ore mined. Average mill recovery for the year is estimated at 91.7% for 2026, reflecting recovery improvements achieved in the second half of 2025. Total sustaining capital for 2026 is estimated to range between $69 million and $81 million, including $31 million to $36 million of capitalized waste stripping. These expenditures will support several key initiatives aimed at sustaining the long-term performance of the operation. Sustaining capital expenditures excluding capitalized waste stripping are expected to total between $38 million and $46 million, comprising approximately $15 million for the process plant, $12 million for mining equipment, $12 million for major mobile fleet components, and $3 million for tailings management and other capital items. Gold production in 2027 is expected to range between 200,000 and 235,000 ounces, representing an approximate 25% increase over 2026 levels (based on the midpoint of guidance), driven by a full-year contribution of higher-grade ore from Phase 2. Total cash costs and AISC are expected to improve significantly in 2027, decreasing 22% and 19%, respectively, from 2026 (from the midpoint of guidance). Oko West Project The Corporation continues to rapidly advance its large-scale, long-life Oko West project in Guyana, which remains on-budget and on-schedule for first gold pour in the second half of 2027. To date, approximately $423 million in capital has been committed, representing approximately 44% of the total upfront capital expenditure, with pricing generally in line with expectations. Detailed engineering progress has advanced to 60%. Total capital expenditures for 2026 are projected to range between $514 million and $568 million as project activity ramps up, including the commencement of major construction at the process plant, supporting infrastructure, and the initiation of mine pre-production activities. Substantially all major equipment is expected to be delivered during 2026. Capital expenditures in 2027 represent the remaining balance and include commissioning activities and pre-production revenue. The Oko West project ranks among the largest gold project currently under construction globally and is expected to produce an average of 350,0001 ounces of gold per year at mine-site AISC of $1,123/oz1. At current spot gold prices of approximately $4,500 per ounce, this translates into an estimated AISC margin of over $3,300 per ounce of gold sold. Oko West is expected to drive consolidated production to approximately 500,000 ounces in 2028 up from 175,000 ounces in 2026. 1. Project metrics are derived from the independent technical report entitled "Feasibility Study NI 43-101 Technical Report, Oko West Gold Project", effective April 28, 2025, prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, and available on SEDAR+ under the Corporation's profile. 2026 Exploration Programs 2026 is set to be the largest exploration program in the Corporation's history with a budget between $42 million and $50 million, including approximately $21 million at Gurupi, $16 million at Oko West, and $9 million at TZ. A comparable level of investment is planned for 2027. Tocantinzinho: approximately $9 million is expected to be allocated to regional exploration, including manual auger drilling, soil geochemistry, and initial drilling on priority targets, with the objective of generating new drill-ready prospects for subsequent programs. Oko West: approximately $16 million is earmarked for drilling in 2026. The majority of the budget is expected to be directed to follow-up drilling on regional targets as well as infill drilling the high-grade ore shoot discovery at the Oko West deposit. Gurupi: approximately $21 million of exploration and study works are anticipated at Gurupi in 2026 with the focus on expanding the resources ahead of a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") expected to be released in the second half of 2026. About G Mining Ventures Corp. G Mining Ventures Corp. is a mining company engaged in the development, operation and exploration of precious metal projects to capitalize on the value uplift from successful mine development. GMIN is well-positioned to grow into the next mid-tier precious metals producer by leveraging strong access to capital and proven development expertise. GMIN is currently anchored in mining-friendly jurisdictions: Brazil, with the Tocantinzinho Gold Mine and the Gurupi Project as well as Guyana, with the Oko West Project. GMIN trades on the TSX under the symbol "GMIN". Additional Information For further information on GMIN, please visit the website at www.gmin.gold or contact: Jean-Francois Lemonde Vice President, Investor Relations 514.299.4926 Jflemonde@gmin.gold Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of certain securities laws and are based on expectations and projections as of the date of this press release. Beforehand, it must be noted that this press release's subject matter is forward-looking in its essence and nature. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, those related to (i) the construction of Oko West will remain on track to achieve first gold production in H2-2027; (ii) the TZ average mill recovery in 2026, reflecting improvements achieved in 2025; (iii) the TZ sustaining capital for 2026, which will support key initiatives to sustain long-term performance of operations; (iv) Oko West being expected to produce an average of 350,000 ounces of gold per year at mine-site AISC of $1,123/oz, making it the largest gold project currently under construction; (v) GMIN's consolidated production being expected to reach approximately 500,000 ounces in 2028; (vi) the Gurupi mineral resources being anticipated to expand in 2026 and lead to a preliminary economic assessment in H2-2026; and (vii) in general, the whole contents of the sections entitled "2026 & 2027 Guidance Highlights" and "2026 Exploration Programs", all figures set out in the table featured in the section "2026 & 2027 Operational Guidance"; and, as usual, the section entitled "About G Mining Ventures Corp.", as well as the quoted comments of GMIN's President & Chief Executive Officer. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Corporation as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Such assumptions include, without limitation, those relating to the TZ mine plan, the Oko West construction plan, the price of gold (namely the anticipated price of $4,000 per ounce), the currency exchange rates, and those underlying the items listed in the above section entitled "About G Mining Ventures Corp.". Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that, notably but without limitation, (i) gold production at TZ will increase in H2-2026 due to availability of higher-grade mineralization, in accordance with mine plan, and such availability will continue throughout the whole 2027; (ii) the Corporation will maintain a competitive cost structure in 2026 and improve same in 2027; (iii) the Corporation will effectively carry out its ambitious exploration program (expected to be its most important) during 2026 and perform a comparable one in 2027; (iv) free cash flow from TZ will remain strong and will continue to fund Oko West construction; (v) Oko West will continue to advance in line with plan; (vi) Oko West will remain on-schedule and on-budget to achieve first gold pour in H2-2027, and to become a large-scale and long-life mining operation; (vii) the current gold price of $4,500 per ounce will be at least maintained at the time Oko West will commence production; or (viii) TZ and Oko West will grow GMIN into the next mid-tier precious metals producer, as future events could differ materially from what is currently anticipated by the Corporation. In addition, there can be no assurance that Brazil and/or Guyana will remain mining-friendly jurisdictions. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important risk factors and future events could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in the Corporation's other filings with the securities regulators of Canada including, but not limited to, the cautionary statements made in the relevant sections of the Corporation's (i) Annual Information Form dated March 27, 2025, for the financial year ended December 31, 2024, and (ii) Management Discussion & Analysis. The Corporation cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive, and new, unforeseeable risks may arise from time to time. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. Total passenger traffic up 8.5% YoY in December, up 9.8% YoY in 2025 International passenger traffic up 12.1% YoY in December; up 11.0% YoY in 2025 All-time annual PAX records in Argentina, Italy, Uruguay and Armenia Corporacion America Airports S.A. (NYSE: CAAP), ("CAAP" or the "Company"), one of the world's leading private airport operators, reported today an 8.5% year-on-year (YoY) increase in passenger traffic in December 2025 and a 9.8% YoY increase for full-year 2025. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119267874/en/ Monthly Passenger Traffic Performance (In million PAX) Passenger Traffic, Cargo Volume and Aircraft Movements Highlights (2025 vs. 2024) Statistics Dec'25 Dec'24 % Var. 2025 2024 % Var. Domestic Passengers (thousands) 3,995 3,772 5.9% 44,507 40,996 8.6% International Passengers (thousands) 2,864 2,554 12.1% 34,147 30,758 11.0% Transit Passengers (thousands) 700 639 9.6% 8,042 7,227 11.3% Total Passengers (thousands)1 7,560 6,965 8.5% 86,696 78,981 9.8% Cargo Volume (thousand tons) 37.9 39.5 -4.0% 403.5 398.0 1.4% Total Aircraft Movements (thousands) 76.8 73.3 4.8% 876.4 823.7 6.4% 1 Following the friendly termination process concluded in February 2024, CAAP no longer operates Natal airport. Statistics for Natal are available up to February 18, 2024. Excluding Natal for comparison purposes, total passenger traffic in 2025 was up 10.3%. Passenger Traffic Overview Total passenger traffic increased by 8.5% in December compared to the same month in 2024. Domestic passenger traffic rose by 5.9% YoY, largely driven by Argentina and Brazil. Meanwhile, international traffic grew by 12.1%, with all operating countries contributing positively on a YoY basis, including double-digit growth in Argentina, Italy, and Brazil. Notably, Argentina accounted for over 50% of the total YoY traffic growth in December. In Argentina, total passenger traffic increased by 7.4% YoY in December, marking an all-time annual record in 2025. This result was driven by strong performance across both the international and domestic segments. Domestic traffic grew 4.3% YoY, supported by higher load factors, which exceeded 90% on most key domestic routes. In December, Flybondi began operating the Cordoba-El Calafate, Cordoba-Ushuaia, and Cordoba-Iguazu routes for the summer season. International traffic also remained solid, rising 15.9% YoY, supported by several developments, including China Eastern's new Buenos Aires-Shanghai route, with two weekly frequencies. Arajet and GOL inaugurated the Cordoba-Punta Cana and Aeroparque-Punta del Este routes, respectively, while Flybondi launched the Cordoba-Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires-Salvador de Bahia, and Buenos Aires-Maceio routes for the summer season. Also in December, LATAM resumed its Buenos Aires-Miami route, while ITA Airways increased its frequencies for the summer season. In Italy, passenger traffic grew by 7.7% compared to the same month in 2024, marking an all-time annual record in 2025. International passenger traffic, which accounted for nearly 80% of total traffic, increased by 12.0% YoY, driven by double-digit growth at both Florence and Pisa airports. Domestic passenger traffic declined by 4.3% YoY, reflecting a decrease in aircraft movements, partly due to Airbus A320 technical issues that led to flight cancellations at some airlines. In Brazil, total passenger traffic increased by a strong 15.7% YoY, reflecting improved traffic trends despite ongoing challenges in the aviation environment. Domestic traffic, which accounted for almost 60% of total traffic, rose 15.3% YoY, while transit passengers increased 16.2% YoY. International traffic, although representing a small share of total traffic (5%), grew 17.1% YoY. In December, GOL operated additional seasonal frequencies on its Brasilia-Miami and Brasilia-Orlando routes, among other developments. In Uruguay, total passenger traffic, predominantly international, increased 1.2% YoY, marking an all-time annual record in 2025. Among other developments, GOL introduced a new route between Montevideo and Fortaleza and resumed its Sao Paulo-Punta del Este and Buenos Aires-Punta del Este routes for the summer season. Also for the summer season, Aerolineas Argentinas increased frequencies on its Buenos Aires-Punta del Este route and introduced a new route between Cordoba and Punta del Este. Finally, on the domestic front, Paranair began operating the Montevideo-Rivera route. In Ecuador, where security concerns persist, passenger traffic decreased slightly by 0.6% YoY. International traffic increased by 1.2% YoY, while domestic traffic declined by 1.2% YoY. High airfares continued to weigh on travel demand. In Armenia, passenger traffic increased by 10.1% YoY, marking an all-time annual record in 2025. This result was supported by the introduction of new airlines and routes, as well as increased flight frequencies. In October, Wizz Air launched a new base at Yerevan's Zvartnots Airport, deploying two aircraft and adding eight new direct routes to Europe. Cargo Volume and Aircraft Movements Cargo volume decreased by 4.0% YoY, with negative YoY contributions from all countries of operations, except for Uruguay. Performance by country was as follows: Uruguay (+6.7%), Italy (-19.6%), Armenia (-7.7%), Argentina (-5.1%), Ecuador (-2.1%), and Brazil (-0.1%). Argentina, Brazil, and Armenia accounted for 80% of total cargo volume in December. Aircraft movements increased by 4.8% YoY, with positive contributions from all countries of operation: Brazil (+9.5%), Uruguay (+8.8%), Ecuador (+7.3%), Italy (+6.4%), Argentina (+3.0%), and Armenia (+0.2%). Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador accounted for more than 80% of total aircraft movements in December. Summary Passenger Traffic, Cargo Volume and Aircraft Movements (2025 vs. 2024) Dec'25 Dec'24 % Var. 2025 2024 % Var. Passenger Traffic (thousands) Argentina 4,392 4,089 7.4% 47,432 42,140 12.6% Italy 609 565 7.7% 9,799 9,038 8.4% Brazil (1) 1,526 1,319 15.7% 16,713 15,529 7.6% Uruguay 202 200 1.2% 2,296 2,241 2.5% Ecuador 385 387 -0.6% 4,702 4,682 0.4% Armenia 446 405 10.1% 5,754 5,351 7.5% TOTAL 7,560 6,965 8.5% 86,696 78,981 9.8% (1) Following the friendly termination process concluded in February 2024, CAAP no longer operates Natal airport. Statistics for Natal are available up to February 18, 2024. Excluding Natal for comparison purposes, total passenger traffic for full year 2025 was up 10.3% for CAAP and 10.2% for Brazil. Cargo Volume (tons) Argentina 20,156 21,248 -5.1% 214,587 207,535 3.4% Italy 916 1,140 -19.6% 12,555 13,036 -3.7% Brazil 5,663 5,667 -0.1% 62,318 65,629 -5.0% Uruguay 3,231 3,027 6.7% 35,479 32,268 10.0% Ecuador 3,250 3,320 -2.1% 35,820 37,344 -4.1% Armenia 4,659 5,050 -7.7% 42,761 42,235 1.2% TOTAL 37,876 39,451 -4.0% 403,519 398,047 1.4% Aircraft Movements Argentina 43,949 42,674 3.0% 481,673 449,699 7.1% Italy 5,484 5,153 6.4% 88,687 82,227 7.9% Brazil 13,010 11,876 9.5% 150,778 143,202 5.3% Uruguay 3,979 3,658 8.8% 34,002 32,536 4.5% Ecuador 6,991 6,518 7.3% 78,431 76,145 3.0% Armenia 3,422 3,416 0.2% 42,857 39,862 7.5% TOTAL 76,835 73,295 4.8% 876,428 823,671 6.4% About Corporacion America Airports Corporacion America Airports acquires, develops and operates airport concessions. Currently, the Company operates 52 airports in 6 countries across Latin America and Europe (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Armenia and Italy). In 2025, Corporacion America Airports served 86.7 million passengers, 9.8% above the 79.0 million passengers served in 2024. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange where it trades under the ticker "CAAP". For more information, visit http://investors.corporacionamericaairports.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119267874/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations Contact Patricio Inaki Esnaola Email: patricio.esnaola@caairports.com Phone: +5411 4899-6716 Toronto-based company has deployed IoT monitoring on 3,000+ projects in 20+ countries, with 150% year-over-year revenue growth TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Brickeye, a Toronto-based construction technology company, today announced a $10 million Series B financing round to expand its IoT monitoring and risk mitigation services platform across North America and into international markets. The round was led by GreenSky Ventures, Brightspark Ventures, Graphite Ventures, Export Development Canada (EDC), Beauchamp Construction, and one of the largest building materials suppliers in North America. Construction remains one of the largest and least digitized industries in the world. When problems go undetected-a water line bursts overnight, concrete cures improperly-the costs are measured in millions of dollars and weeks of delays. Brickeye's risk mitigation services platform catches these issues before they escalate, and in many cases, intervenes automatically. The company has deployed its technology on more than 3,000 construction projects across 20+ countries, reported 150% year-over-year revenue growth, and was recently named to Deloitte's 2025 Technology Fast 50 list of Canada's fastest-growing technology companies. Avoiding Damage Before It Happens On a 40-story condo tower project in Florida, Brickeye's sensors detected a temporary water line breach and automatically triggered a shut-off valve, avoiding an estimated 1,650 gallons of water from flooding the site. "That would have cost us hundreds of thousands in damage and delays," said Blaik Ross, Executive Vice President at Beauchamp Construction. "The system caught it and stopped it before anyone even knew there was a problem." This kind of automated intervention is core to Brickeye's approach. Rather than simply monitoring job sites and sending alerts, the platform integrates with building systems to take action - shutting off water, flagging concrete curing anomalies, and documenting everything for insurance purposes. Data That Lowers Premiums Earlier this year, Brickeye launched BuildersRiskIQ, a preconstruction dashboard that shows insurers exactly where IoT controls will be deployed on a project. Risk managers and brokers use the platform's project plans and Certificate of Protection as part of their insurance submissions, giving underwriters visibility into the scope of protection before ground is even broken. The results are measurable: customers using the platform have reduced water loss deductibles and buy-downs by up to 50%. "Brickeye demonstrates how IoT solutions, paired with innovations like BuildersRiskIQ, can meaningfully de-risk projects and mitigate losses," said Mike List, Founder and Managing Partner at GreenSky Ventures. "We're proud to support their next stage of growth." What's Next Brickeye will use the financing to accelerate product development in IoT-enabled software and AI services, expand its engineering and field operations teams, and grow sales across North America and international markets including the Middle East, South America, and Europe. The company is also expanding beyond high-rise and multi-family construction into healthcare and data center facilities. "We're scaling a platform that delivers measurable results for contractors, developers, and insurers," said Tim Angus, CEO of Brickeye. "This investment accelerates our ability to help customers reduce risk and improve profitability across all stages of construction." About Brickeye Brickeye is a construction IoT and risk mitigation services company trusted by contractors, developers, owners, and insurers across 20+ countries. Its platform delivers real-time monitoring, automated risk controls, and actionable insights for construction stakeholders. Learn more at brickeye.com. Media Contact Justin Mauldin Salient PR 737.234.0936 achievemore@salientpr.com SOURCE: Brickeye View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/electronics-and-engineering/brickeye-raises-10m-series-b-to-scale-construction-risk-mitigation-tech-1129129 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Blackrock Silver Corp. (TSXV: BRC) (OTCQX: BKRRF) (FSE: AHZ0) (the "Company" or "Blackrock") announces that it has granted an aggregate total of 824,380 stock options ("Stock Options"), 344,766 performance share units ("PSUs") and 86,538 deferred share units ("DSUs") to certain directors, management and consultants of the Company and its Nevada subsidiary pursuant to the Company's Omnibus Equity Incentive Compensation Plan (the "Plan"). Each Stock Option entitles the recipient to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a "Common Share") at an exercise price per Common Share of $1.57 and will vest as to one-third on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant and will expire on January 19, 2031. Each PSU entitles the recipient to receive one Common Share, or a cash payment equal to the Fair Market Value (as defined in the Plan) of the Common Shares on the vesting date, or a combination of Common Shares and cash, as determined in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company. The PSUs awarded will vest as to one-third on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant, subject to the achievement of certain corporate and individual performance criteria. Each DSU entitles the recipient to receive one Common Share upon settlement of the DSU. The DSUs awarded will fully vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant date, being January 19, 2027, and will settle on the DSU holder's termination of service with the Company. For further information regarding the Plan, readers are encouraged to review the management information circular (the "Circular") prepared for the Company's annual general meeting of shareholders held on November 21, 2025, which includes a summary of the material terms of the Plan. The Circular is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and by visiting the Company's website (www.blackrocksilver.com). About Blackrock Silver Corp. Backed by gold and silver ounces in the ground, Blackrock is a junior precious metal focused exploration and development company driven to add shareholder value. Anchored by a seasoned Board of Directors, the Company is focused on its 100% controlled Nevada portfolio of properties consisting of low-sulphidation, epithermal gold and silver mineralization located along the established Northern Nevada Rift in north-central Nevada and the Walker Lane trend in western Nevada. Additional information on Blackrock Silver Corp. can be found on its website at www.blackrocksilver.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280911 Source: Blackrock Silver Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Regency Silver Corp. (TSXV: RSMX) (OTCQB: RSMXF) ("Regency Silver" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to option a 100% undivided interest in the La India mineral concession located only 10 km north of the Company's Dios Padre property. The La India concession covers an area of approximately 4,823 hectares in the district of Yecora, Sonora, Mexico. The Vendors are well known local prospectors and are at arm's length to the Company. They have previously sold the Mulatos and La India mine concessions in the district. The La India claim overlies similar geology to the rocks which host Dios Padre. Early cretaceous andesitic volcanic rocks are proximal to late cretaceous plutonic rocks that are associated with Laramide age porphyries in the district. The property exhibits localized zones of argillic, advanced argillic and pervasive silicification that are typically markers of hydrothermal alteration associated with Au-Ag mineralized systems such as the nearby La India and Mulatos gold mines. "This transaction is a strategic step for Regency. The La India option meaningfully expands our land package in the district and confirms our commitment to the Dios Padre area. The success of our drilling at Dios Padre strengthens our hypothesis that we are operating within a large porphyry system in the Dios Padre district," stated Bruce Bragagnolo, CEO. In order to exercise the option, Regency Silver must make an initial payment of US$60,000 and make further payments of US$580,000 over five years as well as pay taxes estimated at US$145,000. The Company will also pay the Vendors a one-time cash payment of US$1,000,000 upon the publication of a NI 43-101 resource, which estimates that the area within the concession boundaries of La India contains a minimum of one million ounces of gold or its silver equivalent in the measured or indicated categories. This payment will be less any amounts paid for taxes or as option payments. The Vendors will be entitled to a 2% Net Smelter Return Royalty which the Company has the right to purchase half of by paying US$1,000,000. ABOUT REGENCY SILVER CORP. Regency Silver Corp. is a Canadian resource company exploring for gold, copper, and silver in Mexico. Regency Silver is led by a team of experienced professionals with expertise in both exploration and production. Regency's flagship project is the Dios Padre project in Sonora, Mexico where Regency made a gold-copper-silver discovery which appears to be a magmatic-hydrothermal system which widens at depth. Drill results have included 38 metres of 7.36 g/t gold in hole REG 23-21, 36 metres of 6.84 g/t gold, 0.88% copper and 21.8 g/t silver in hole REG 22-01, and 29.4 m of 6.32 g/t gold in hole REG 23-14. For further details about Regency Silver please visit www.regency-silver.com. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect Regency Silver's current expectations. When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause Regency Silver's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the Company; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, fluctuations in commodity prices, and general market and industry conditions. Regency Silver cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Regency Silver has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF REGENCY SILVER AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE REGENCY SILVER MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280904 Source: Regency Silver Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Integrated Cyber Solutions Inc. (CSE: ICS) (OTCQB: IGCRF) (FSE: Y4G), dba Integrated Quantum Technologies ("Integrated Quantum," or the "Company"), a developer of quantum-ready AI infrastructure for global organizations that handle highly sensitive data, today announced the appointment of Jeremy Samuelson as EVP, Artificial Intelligence and Innovation. Highlights: Integrated Quantum Technologies appoints VEIL Inventor Jeremy Samuelson as EVP, Artificial Intelligence and Innovation, strengthening leadership across AI and post-quantum technology development The Company plans to accelerate development of AIQu and VEIL, addressing critical enterprise challenges in AI adoption including privacy, regulatory compliance, and emerging quantum-era risks Mr. Samuelson's appointment positions Integrated Quantum for scalable, enterprise-grade AI growth, supported by deep experience across regulated industries, capital markets, and real-world AI deployment Mr. Samuelson will lead the Company's AI strategy and innovation roadmap. His primary responsibility will be the continued development and commercialization of AIQu, the Company's post-quantum AI infrastructure platform, and VEIL, our patent pending privacy-preserving AI and data protection technology. Additionally, he will oversee forward-looking research initiatives that align with industry demand and enterprise adoption requirements. Samuelson is an accomplished AI and data science leader with nearly 20 years of experience designing, implementing, and scaling large-scale machine learning and analytics solutions across enterprise and regulated environments. Recently, he served as the Principal Data and AI Scientist for Digital Identity Engineering at Equifax, where he worked on advanced analytics and AI systems for detecting identity fraud. Prior to Equifax, he held senior AI leadership roles at organizations including MasterCard, Promontory Financial Group, and VICI Capital Partners, leading advanced optimization and predictive analytics platforms for a major North American supply chain and distribution company. Samuelson's work spans a broad range of AI applications, including fraud detection, predictive modeling, optimization systems, and generative AI. He has extensive experience navigating AI deployments in highly regulated sectors such as finance and healthcare, where data privacy, compliance, and risk management are critical to adoption at scale. He has also led research initiatives in privacy-preserving machine learning, directly addressing the challenges enterprises face as AI capabilities expand faster than existing security and governance frameworks. "In our view, AI adoption is accelerating, but enterprises remain constrained by real concerns around privacy, regulation, and long-term security, particularly as quantum computing advances," said Alan Guibord, CEO and Chairman of Integrated Quantum Technologies. "Jeremy brings a rare combination of deep technical expertise, enterprise-scale deployment experience, and practical understanding of regulated environments. His leadership will be instrumental as we continue advancing AIQu and VEIL to meet real market demand." Mr. Samuelson added, "There is a widening gap between what AI is capable of and what organizations feel confident deploying. VEIL and AIQu are designed to close that gap by enabling AI systems that are secure by design, privacy-preserving, and aligned with regulatory and future-risk realities. I'm excited to lead the next phase of innovation at Integrated Quantum." In addition to his industry experience, Samuelson is involved in AI education, research, and leadership development. He teaches graduate-level and executive programs in AI and management at leading institutions, including Johns Hopkins University and the University of Texas, with coursework focused on driving AI innovation within organizations, aligning AI strategy with business outcomes, understanding ML and generative AI applications, managing AI initiatives at scale, addressing bias and ethical considerations, and leading high-performing AI teams. He has also served on the Data Science & AI Advisory Board at Hofstra University, contributing to academic and applied research at the intersection of AI, security, and emerging technologies. Samuelson was previously announced as a Strategic Advisor to the Company and is the inventor of the technology behind the patent-pending VEIL infrastructure layer, which underpins Integrated Quantum's approach to privacy-preserving AI. About Integrated Quantum Technologies Integrated Quantum Technologies is building quantum-ready infrastructure to help secure and scale artificial intelligence. The Company's AIQu platform underpins its product strategy for privacy-preserving and resilient AI systems and VEIL is its first product, designed to protect sensitive AI data and workflows in enterprise environments. IQT's proprietary technologies address the threats of emerging post-quantum security risks, increasing compute demands, and the complexity of deploying AI at scale. To learn more information, visit: www.integratedquantum.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors: Alan Guibord, Director & Chief Executive Officer Integrated Cyber Solutions Inc. dba Integrated Quantum Technologies Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward looking information or statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, the technical, financial, and business prospects of the Company, its assets and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward looking information or statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking information or 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 information or statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, the ability to achieve its goals, expected costs and timelines to achieve the Company's goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, and that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward looking information or statements reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties included in documents filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, and regulatory uncertainties and risks. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking information or statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, failure to compete effectively with competitors, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to comply with applicable laws, including environmental laws, risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties. The Company does not undertake to update forward looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280893 Source: Integrated Cyber Solutions Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Sitka Gold Corp. (TSXV: SIG) (FSE: 1RF) (OTCQB: SITKF) ("Sitka" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has intersected high-grade mineralization in exploratory drilling in three zones including the Company's first drill hole into the Bear Paw Breccia Zone. Drilling also tested the Contact Zone and Pukelman Intrusion on its 100% owned, road accessible RC Gold Project ("RC Gold" or the "Project") within the Yukon's prolific Tombstone Gold Belt. Exploration drilling in these targets was successful in intersecting high-grade mineralization within broad zones of reduced intrusion-related gold style (RIRGS) mineralization in each of the three areas consisting of sheeted veins within the metasediments (Contact Zone), quartz monzonite intrusion (Pukelman Intrusion), and breccia zones (Bear Paw Breccia). Selected highlights demonstrate the potential of these zones that are proximal to the Blackjack, Eiger and the newly discovered Rhosgobel deposits within the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC). At the Bear Paw Breccia Zone Drillhole DDRCCC-25-117 returned 21.0 m of 1.05 g/t Au , including 10.0 m of 1.64 g/t Au and including 3.5 m of 2.29 g/t Au At the Contact Zone Drillhole DDRCCC-25-115 returned 37.0 m of 1.10 g/t Au , including 4.5 m of 6.10 g/t Au and including 1.1 m of 22.1 g/t Au Drillhole DDRCCC-25-118 returned 23.6 m of 1.00 g/t Au , including 2.0 m of 5.0 g/t Au at the Pukelman Intrusion Assay results are pending from an additional 15 diamond drillholes completed at the Rhosgobel intrusion. These exploration targets are part of the larger Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC) which includes the Blackjack and Eiger deposits and the recently discovered Rhosgobel deposit within the Rhosgobel intrusion. Large scale zones of reduced intrusion-related gold style mineralization across these targets show the district-scale of the mineralizing system at the CCIC. Exploration drilling has been successful in vectoring into zones of higher grade mineralized structures and the knowledge gained from these drill holes will be used in future exploration programs. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_e4e4cdd1a47fd970_002full.jpg "We are very encouraged with the strong results for the initial drilling at these exploration targets", stated Cor Coe, CEO and Director of Sitka Gold. "The consistency of these broad gold intervals, combined with the higher-grade structures we continue to encounter, highlights the potential for multiple new deposits to emerge alongside Blackjack, Eiger and the recently discovered Rhosgobel deposit. These zones will all receive additional drilling in 2026 as we execute the planned 60,000 metre drill program that will focus on expanding our known deposits and advancing newly discovered zones into potential additional resource areas. We look forward to receiving the remaining assays from Rhosgobel as we advance our understanding of this large and highly prospective gold system." Figure 1. Examples of visible gold (VG) observed in the drill core from drillhole DDRCCC-25-115 in the Contact Zone (scale bar in bottom left of images). Click HERE for additional images of visible gold from the Contact Zone. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_e4e4cdd1a47fd970_003full.jpg Figure 2. Examples of visible gold (VG) observed in drill core from drillhole DDRCCC-25-118 in the Pukelman Intrusion (scale bar in bottom left of images). Click HERE for additional images of VG from the Pukelman Intrusion. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_sitka_figure2.jpg Figure 3. A plan map of the Bear Paw Breccia Zone showing the location of the 2025 drilling. Click HERE to view cross sections for holes in this news release. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_e4e4cdd1a47fd970_005full.jpg BEAR PAW BRECCIA ZONE In 2025, Sitka completed one diamond drill hole totalling 400.8 metres at the Bear Paw Breccia Zone (See Figure 1) targeting a 500 x 200 m mineralized breccia zone defined by soil sampling and previous drilling. The breccia zone consists of an irregularly shaped body of monzonitic dykes, sills, and intrusive breccias cutting Hyland Group metasediments, and formed a favourable host for intrusion related-gold style mineralization including stockwork and sheeted quartz veins and hydrothermal breccias. Historic drilling at Bear Paw from 1999 to 2011 included 1,975 m of core drilling in 13 holes and 3,555 m of reverse circulation drilling in 26 holes. Significant results of this drilling are summarized in Table 2. Sitka's 2025 drilling at Bear Paw confirmed the historic results and provided structural detail to guide further drilling in 2026 (see Tables 1 and 2). *While visible gold observations are very encouraging and confirm the presence of gold mineralization, they are not intended to imply potential gold grades. Gold assays will be published after they are received from the lab for mineralized intervals in which visible gold particles were noted. CONTACT-PUKELMAN TARGET In 2025, Sitka completed six diamond drill holes totalling 2,172 metres at Contact and three diamond drill holes totalling 1,876 metres at Pukelman (see Figure 2). The Contact-Pukelman zone was previously drilled in 2010 and 2011 with 1,660 metres in 12 holes of reverse circulation drilling and 254 metres in 2 holes of diamond drilling and encountered significant mineralization in quartz veining within metasedimentary rocks up to 450 metres south of the Pukelman intrusion, including hole CC10-022 which intersected 1.5 m of 137.5 g/t Aub and hole CC11-044 which intersected 74.3 m of 1.01 g/t Auc. Sitka's 2025 drill program was designed to expand the mineralized footprint of the Contact zone, test the zone with oriented diamond drill core to better understand controls on the mineralization and test the linkage between the metasedimentary and intrusion hosted mineralization of the Contact and Pukelman zones. Drilling intersected broad intervals of strongly altered metasediments cut by several quartz monzonite, and biotite-feldspar porphyritic dykes, along with abundant, cm scale, sheeted quartz veins. Visible gold was observed in the sheeted quartz veins and was often associated with arsenopyrite, bismuthinite, and minor scheelite (see Figures 3 and 4 and Tables 1 and 2). Current drilling to date has traced gold mineralization across a lateral extent of approximately 900 metres x 650 metres and from surface to a depth of approximately 430 metres. Figure 4. A plan map of the Pukelman Intrusion/Contact zone showing the location of the 2025 drilling. Click HERE for cross sections of drill holes in this release. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_e4e4cdd1a47fd970_006full.jpg Figure 5. Core from DDRCCC-25-118 showing the sheeted veins cutting the mineralized, feldspar megacrystic, quartz monzonite of the Pukelman Intrusion. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_e4e4cdd1a47fd970_007full.jpg To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_e4e4cdd1a47fd970_008full.jpg To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_e4e4cdd1a47fd970_009full.jpg Figure 6: A plan map showing the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC) location within the district-scale RC Gold Project showing the updated resource areas at Blackjack and Eiger along with the newly discovered Rhosgobel zone and several other high-priority drill targets and multiple exploration targets. The map highlights the numerous drill targets that Sitka has outlined within the CCIC which all are connected by the existing road network on the project and occur in an area measuring approximately five (5) km north-south and twelve (12) km east-west. Several regional exploration and drill targets are also highlighted across the project area (yellow and orange stars). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_e4e4cdd1a47fd970_010full.jpg Figure 7*: A plan map of the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC) showing the updated resource areas at Blackjack and Eiger, and the six additional areas that have drill targets indicated by the mauve hatched areas. The map highlights the numerous drill targets that Sitka has outlined within the CCIC which all are connected by the road network on the project and occur in an area measuring five (5) km north-south and twelve (12) km east-west. Additional areas highlighted by strong gold in soil anomalies are being advanced to the drill ready stage with additional geological work planned in 2026. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_e4e4cdd1a47fd970_011full.jpg *References for Figure 7 drilling intervals: Rhosgobel Intervals: Sitka Gold News Release dated November 25, 2024 Pukelman Intervals: Sitka Gold News Release dated January 7, 2025 Contact Intervals: O'Brien, 2010; Assessment Report, 2010 Diamond Drilling Program, Clear Creek Property (Assessment report 095539) Shutty, 2011; Assessment Report, 2011 Exploration Program, Clear Creek Property (Assessment Report 095984) Bear Paw Intervals: Shutty, 2011; Assessment Report, 2011 Exploration Program, Clear Creek Property (Assessment Report 095984) Figure 8: Regional map of the RC Gold Project located in the western portion of Yukon's prolific Tombstone Gold Belt. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6144/280847_e4e4cdd1a47fd970_012full.jpg About Sitka's Flagship RC Gold Project Sitka's 100% owned RC Gold Project consists of a 431 square kilometre contiguous district-scale land package located in the heart of Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt. The project is located approximately 100 kilometres east of Dawson City, which has a 5,000 foot paved runway, and is accessed via a secondary gravel road from the Klondike Highway which is usable year-round and is an approximate 2 hour drive from Dawson City. It is one of the largest consolidated land packages strategically positioned mid-way between the Eagle Gold Mine and the past producing Brewery Creek Gold Mine. The RC Gold Project now has pit-constrained mineral resources that are contained in two zones: the Blackjack and Eiger gold deposits with 1,291,000 ounces of gold in 39,962,000 tonnes grading 1.01 g/t gold in an indicated category and 1,044,000 ounces of gold in 34,603,000 tonnes grading 0.94 g/t in an inferred category at Blackjack and 440,000 ounces of gold in 27,362,000 tonnes grading 0.50 g/t gold in an inferred category at Eiger. These resource estimate numbers are supported by the recently updated technical report for RC Gold, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 standards, entitled "Clear Creek Property, RC Gold Project NI 43-101 Technical Report Dawson Mining District, Yukon Territory", prepared by Ronald G. Simpson, P. Geo., of GeoSim Services Inc. with an effective date of January 21, 2025. This report is available on SEDAR+ (http://www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company's website (www.sitkagoldcorp.com). Both of these deposits begin at surface, are potentially open pit minable and Initial bottle roll metallurgical testing confirmed the non-refractory characteristics of the gold mineralization and returned gold extraction rates averaging around 85%. Further metallurgical testwork in 2024 returned recoveries ranging from 77.6 to 93% for gravity followed by cyanidation. For the purposes of the current resource model, it is assumed that a likely mill flowsheet would consist of a gravimetric, flotation, and cyanidation circuit. The company has now completed 165 diamond drill holes for a total of 59,770 metres across the Clear Creek Intrusive Complex (CCIC), and an additional 3 holes for 858 metres in the May-Qu Intrusion. Drilling continues to outline higher grade mineralization at all zones including hole DDRCCC-24-068 at Blackjack which intersected 678.1 metres of 1.04 g/t gold starting from surface (see news release dated October 21, 2024), and hole DDRCCC-25-075 which intersected 352.8 metres of 1.55 g/t gold including 108.9 metres of 3.27 g/t gold and 45.0 metres of 4.52 g/t gold (see news release dated April 22, 2025). Drilling in 2024/2025 has resulted in the discovery of a new higher grade zone at Rhosggobel including hole DDRCRG-25-010 at Rhosgobel which intersected 235.9 metres of 1.11 g/t gold, including 40.0 m of 2.01 g/t gold and 10.0 m of 5.29 g/t gold, from surface (see news release dated September 18, 2025). RC Gold Deposit Model Exploration on the Property has mainly focused on identifying an intrusion-related gold system ("IRGS"). The property is within the Tombstone Gold Belt which is the prominent host to IRGS deposits within the Tintina Gold Province in Yukon and Alaska. Notable deposits from the belt include: Fort Knox Mine in Alaska with current Proven and Probable Reserves of 230 million tonnes at 0.3 g/t Au (2.471 million ounces; Sims 2018)(1); Eagle Gold Mine with current Measured and Indicated Resources of 233 million tonnes at a grade of 0.57 g/t Au at the Eagle Main Zone (4.303 million ounces; Harvey et al, 2022)(2); the Brewery Creek deposit with current Indicated Mineral Resource of 22.2 million tonnes at a gold grade of 1.11 g/t (0.789 million ounces; Hulse et al. 2020)(3); the AurMac Project with an Indicated Mineral Resource of 112.5 million tonnes grading 0.63 gram per tonne gold (2.274 million ounces)(4) plus an Inferred resource of 280.6 million tonnes grading 0.60 g/t gold (5.454 million ounces)(4), the Valley Deposit, with a current Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 7.94 million oz gold at 1.21 g/t and an additional Inferred Mineral Resource of 0.89 million oz at 0.62 g/t gold(5), and the Raven deposit with an inferred mineral resource of 1.1 million oz (19.96 million tonnes at 1.67 g/t gold)(6). The QP has been unable to verify the information regarding the above resource estimations and the information is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on the property that is the subject of the disclosure. (1) Sims J. Fort Knox Mine Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, USA National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report. June 11, 2018. https://s2.q4cdn.com/496390694/files/doc_downloads/2018/Fort-Knox-June-2018-Technical-Report.pdf (2) Harvey N., Gray P., Winterton J., Jutras M., Levy M.,Technical Report for the Eagle Gold Mine, Yukon Territory, Canada. Victoria Gold Corp. December 31, 2022. https://vgcx.com/site/assets/files/6534/vgcx_-_2023_eagle_mine_technical_report_final.pdf (3) Hulse D, Emanuel C, Cook C. NI 43-101 Technical Report on Mineral Resources. Gustavson Associates. May 31, 2020. https://minedocs.com/22/Brewery-Creek-PEA-01182022.pdf (4) July 8, 2025,Banyan Gold Corp., News Release. https://banyangold.com/news-releases/2025/banyan-announces-first-indicated-mineral-resources-and-identifies-high-grade-continuous-zones-at-its-aurmac-project-yukon-canada/ (5) https://snowlinegold.com/2025/05/15/snowline-gold-expands-measured-and-indicated-gold-ounces-by-96-in-updated-mineral-resource-estimate-at-its-valley-gold-deposit-yukon/ (6) Jutras, M. 2022. Technical Report on the Raven Mineral Deposit, Mayo Mining District Yukon Territory, Canada, prepared for Victoria Gold Corp and filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) with an effective date of September 15, 2022 Quality Assurance/Quality Control On receipt from the drill site, the HTW/NTW-sized drill core was systematically logged for geological attributes, photographed and sampled at Sitka's core logging facility. Sample lengths as small as 0.3 m were used to isolate features of interest, otherwise a default 2 m downhole sample length was used. Each sample is identified by a unique sample tag number which is placed in the bag containing the core to be assayed. Core was cut in half lengthwise along a predetermined line, with one-half (same half, consistently) collected for analysis and one-half stored as a record. Standard reference materials, blanks and duplicate samples were inserted by Sitka personnel at regular intervals into the sample stream. Bagged samples were placed in secure bins to ensure integrity during transport. They were delivered by Sitka personnel or a contract expeditor to ALS Laboratories' preparatory facility in Whitehorse, Yukon, with analyses completed in North Vancouver. ALS is accredited to ISO 17025:2005 UKAS ref. 4028 for its laboratory analysis. Samples were crushed by ALS to over 70 per cent passing below two millimetres and split using a riffle splitter. One-thousand-gram splits were pulverized to over 85 per cent passing below 75 microns. Gold determinations are by fire assay with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-AES) finish on 50 g subsamples of the prepared pulp (ALS code: Au-ICP-22). Any sample returning over 10 g/t gold was re-analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish on a 50 g subsample (ALS code: Au-GRA21). In addition, a 51-element analysis was performed on a 0.5 g subsample of the prepared pulps by an aqua regia digestion followed by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) finish (ALS code: ME-MS41). About Sitka Gold Corp. Sitka Gold Corp. is a well-funded mineral exploration company headquartered in Canada with over $45 million in its treasury and no debt. The Company is managed by a team of experienced industry professionals and is focused on exploring for economically viable mineral deposits with its primary emphasis on gold, silver and copper mineral properties of merit. Sitka is currently advancing its 100% owned, 431 square kilometre flagship RC Gold Project located within the Tombstone Gold Belt in the Yukon Territory. The Company is also advancing the Alpha Gold Project in Nevada and currently has drill permits for its Burro Creek Gold and Silver Project in Arizona and the Coppermine River Project in Nunavut, all of which are 100% owned by Sitka. *For more detailed information on the Company's properties, please visit our website at www.sitkagoldcorp.com Upcoming Events Sitka Gold will be attending and/or presenting at the following events*: 3 rd Annual Canadian Critical Minerals Opportunity Forum: New York, New York, January 21, 2026 Metals Investor Forum (MIF): Vancouver, BC : January 23 - 24, 2026 Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC): Vancouver, BC: January 25 - 26, 2026 AME Roundup: Vancouver, BC: January 26 - 29, 2026 *All events are subject to change. The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Gilles Dessureau, P.Geo., V.P. Exploration of the Company, and a Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF, SITKA GOLD CORP. "Donald Penner" President and Director Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions and the Company's anticipated work programs. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market uncertainty and the results of the Company's anticipated work programs. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280847 Source: Sitka Gold Corp. BERWYN, PA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Chilean Cobalt Corp. (OTCQB:COBA) ("Chilean Cobalt" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Corfo has awarded funding to a consortium that includes Chilean Cobalt for a research and development project to sustainably recover cobalt from tailings and mining waste, supporting the Company's focus on innovation, circular economy practices, and responsible critical minerals development in Chile. The project forms part of Corfo's program, "R&D Challenges for Sustainable Productive Development," a national initiative designed to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies that improve environmental performance, generate new opportunities, and strengthen Chile's position in strategic critical minerals supply chains. Through this program, Corfo recently awarded funding to three R&D projects focused on sustainable recovery of cobalt, rare earth elements, and lithium. Chilean Cobalt is a member of the consortium selected to develop the cobalt-focused initiative, alongside Universidad Andres Bello (UNAB), Universidad de Chile (through UNTEC), Pucobre (SSE: PUCOBRE), and Empresa Nacional de Mineria (ENAMI). The project, titled "Sustainable Cobalt: a semi-industrial validation of the green cobalt biotechnological process integrated into an extractive metallurgical strategy with a focus on tailings and circular mining," incorporates the "Green Cobalt" process, based on optimized bacterial bioleaching technology to extract cobalt from residual materials. "We are honored to be a key project team member in the Sustainable Cobalt project," said Duncan T. Blount, Chairman and CEO of Chilean Cobalt. "This represents a considerable opportunity to develop new sustainable supply chains by using cutting-edge technologies for the recovery of cobalt and other critical minerals from mine waste at La Cobaltera and other areas around Chile. This complements our mineral exploration work and provides a strategic opportunity for deeper cooperation and investment between the United States and Chile." A central component of the project is the validation of the Green Cobalt bioleach technology at Pucobre's Biocobre plant in the Atacama Region (Copiapo), allowing for testing and optimization under real industrial operating conditions. Over a three-year execution period, the initiative aims to define technically and economically viable recovery processes for cobalt recovery, assess competitiveness relative to conventional extraction methods, and evaluate environmental feasibility through comprehensive remediation and monitoring protocols. Corfo's contribution to the project totals approximately USD $3 million, complemented by nearly $1 million in counterpart funding from the participating entities. The funding for these awards is derived from Corfo's contract with Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) related to lithium mining concessions in the Salar de Atacama, reflecting a policy approach that reinvests revenue from strategic resources into innovation and sustainable development. Chile holds significant potential in mining waste, with more than 795 deposits containing over one billion tonnes of waste, including cobalt, rare earth elements, germanium, indium, and other critical minerals. By transforming these mining liabilities into productive assets, the project seeks to move beyond the traditional linear mining model and advance a more circular and resilient mining industry. About the Participating Institutions Universidad Andres Bello (UNAB) is one of Chile's leading research-driven universities, recognized for its excellence in scientific and technological innovation. Through its Center for Systems Biotechnology (CSB), UNAB provides technical leadership and R&D expertise for this initiative, leveraging advanced biometallurgy and biotechnological solutions to transform mineral waste into strategic resources while fostering the development of high-level human capital for the sustainable mining industry. Corfo (the Chilean Economic Development Agency) is the public agency responsible for promoting, innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic growth in Chile, with a strategic focus on high-impact sectors such as mining, energy, and advanced technologies. Pucobre is a Chilean copper mining company listed on the Santiago Stock Exchange (SSE: PUCOBRE) with operations in the Atacama Region and recognized expertise in hydrometallurgy and bioleaching, including the operation of the Biocobre plant used for industrial-scale validation. ENAMI is Chile's state-owned mining company, whose mission is to support small- and medium-sized miners while fostering value creation across the national mining sector through processing, commercialization, and technological development. Chilean Cobalt's participation in this initiative reinforces its role as a technology-driven company committed to developing scalable, environmentally responsible solutions for critical minerals production and recovery, contributing to Chile's long-term sustainability and competitiveness in global markets. This press release does not constitute an offer or sale of, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, securities of the Company nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Chilean Cobalt Corp. Chilean Cobalt Corp. is a US-based critical minerals exploration and development company focused on the La Cobaltera and El Cofre projects in northern Chile, one of the world's few primary cobalt districts. Chilean Cobalt is committed to creating ecological and social value for all stakeholders; economic value for Chile and the Chilean communities in which it operates; and financial value for its shareholders. Safe Harbor Statement This news release contains statements that involve expectations, plans or intentions (such as those relating to future business or financial results) and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These statements are forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties, so actual results may vary materially. You can identify these forward-looking statements by words such as "may," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan" and other similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements, include, among others, statements the Company makes regarding the ability of the Sustainable Cobalt Project to develop and successfully scale a process to sustainably and economically produce marketable quantities of secondary minerals from bioleaching of tailings and to navigate the inherent risks of development, and processing operations that may negatively impact the business. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors not within the control of the Company. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company disclaims any obligation subsequently to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. CONTACTS: Chilean Cobalt Corp. Duncan T. Blount Chairman & CEO Duncan.Blount@chileancobaltcorp.com SOURCE: Chilean Cobalt Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/chilean-cobalt-corp.-consortium-awarded-corfo-randd-project-funding-to-advance-su-1129176 Certification advances training support and builds on FlightSafety's decades-long partnership with Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. FlightSafety International Inc. (FSI), a global leader in aviation training and simulation technology, announced today it has received European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) certification for its Gulfstream G700 Full Flight Simulator (FFS), located at the company's Farnborough Learning Centre. The certification of the simulator, which was engineered and manufactured by FSI, validates the advanced technology, accuracy, and fidelity of the flight training device, confirming it meets the highest European and UK regulatory standards. The FFS will be leveraged for initial, recurrent, and advanced pilot training to support G700 and Gulfstream G800 aircraft, further expanding global access to high-fidelity training. "The G700 simulator certification in Farnborough reinforces FSI's long-standing commitment to supporting Gulfstream operators across Europe," said David Mann, Farnborough Centre Manager, FlightSafety International. "It expands access to advanced training in the region, giving pilots more access to realistic, world-class training that meets the highest regulatory standards." FSI has operated in Europe for nearly 50 years, with Farnborough serving as one of its flagship learning centres in the region. The Farnborough facility supports a broad range of business aviation customers and continues to expand its capabilities to meet growing demand from European and international operators. The new certification follows FSI's announcement of its planned expansion at the Farnborough Learning Centre, further strengthening the company's long-term investment in training reach in the region. About FlightSafety International Inc. FlightSafety International Inc. is the world's preeminent professional aviation training company and supplier of flight simulators, visual systems, and displays to educational, commercial, government, and military organisations. The company elevates safety standards across the aviation industry through rigorous training for pilots, technicians, and other professionals from 170+ countries. In business for more than 70 years, FlightSafety currently operates the world's largest fleet of advanced full-flight simulators at learning centres and training locations on six continents. For more information, please visit flightsafety.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260116803673/en/ Contacts: Media Contact FSI Press Fsipress@apcoworldwide.com The strategic alliance strengthens Atento's capabilities in conversation-centric artificial intelligence solutions, enhancing its portfolio with advanced AI-first Conversational AI capabilities The agreement will drive intelligent virtual agent solutions and activate joint market initiatives across key regions, including the U.S., EMEA and Latin America Omilia, the global leader in Self-Learning Agentic CX, and Atento, one of the world's largest providers of customer experience management and business transformation outsourcing services (CXM/BTO), today announced a strategic alliance to deliver transformative conversational experiences at scale. The partnership supports the evolution of Atento's portfolio, structured around three strategic pillars: AI Advance Insights, AI Agent Assist and AI Agent. The alliance with Omilia specifically deepens and accelerates Atento's AI Agent pillar by incorporating advanced Agentic AI capabilities that enable virtual agents to reason, act and learn autonomously throughout every interaction. Omilia contributes advanced conversational and agentic AI technologies designed to automate complex customer interactions across voice and digital channels. Through advanced natural language understanding with intelligent orchestration across workflows and enterprise systems, the collaboration expands Atento's portfolio of intelligent bots and virtual agents, enhancing customer experiences while driving greater operational efficiency for the businesses it serves. As part of the agreement, Atento Omilia will collaborate across strategic markets including the United States, EMEA and Latin America, with initiatives focused on accelerating the adoption of next-generation Conversational AI solutions and demonstrating their tangible impact on business outcomes. "This alliance reinforces our vision of delivering customer experiences powered by advanced AI, integrating market-leading Agentic AI capabilities into our AI Agent pillar," said Dimitrius Oliveira, CEO of Atento. "Omilia's technology enables us to scale more autonomous, intelligent and outcome-driven virtual agents for our clients." "Atento brings deep CX and BTO expertise together with a strong ambition for innovation," said Dimitris Vassos, CEO and co-founder of Omilia. "Together, we support Atento's ambition to bring the power of Agentic AI to organizations around the world, helping them transform customer interactions in a measurable and sustainable way." Through this collaboration, Atento further strengthens its position as a strategic partner in Business Transformation Outsourcing within the Customer Experience sector, integrating cutting-edge technologies that enable automation at scale while preserving natural, efficient and customer-centric interactions. About Atento Atento is the largest provider of customer experience management and business process outsourcing services ("CXM BTO") in Latin America and one of the leading providers worldwide. Atento is also one of the leading providers of nearshoring CXM BTO services for companies operating in the United States. Since 1999, the Company has developed its business model across 17 countries, employing more than 90,000 people. Serving more than 400 clients, Atento offers a wide range of CRM BTO services across multiple channels. The majority of Atento's clients are leading multinational companies in the telecommunications, banking and financial services, healthcare, retail and public administration sectors. In recent years, the Company has been recognized for its excellence by several global industry analysts, including Everest, Gartner, Frost Sullivan and ISG. Forbes recognized Atento as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in Spain in 2023, while Great Place to Work has consistently ranked us among the 25 Best Workplaces worldwide. Atento has also been recognized as the first company in the sector globally to achieve the ISO 56002 Innovation Management Certification, which it has maintained for four consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.atento.com. About Omilia Omilia is the global standard for AI-driven customer service transformation. Our native Agentic CX platform revolutionizes how enterprises engage with customers automating interactions with precision, empowering agents in real time, and delivering seamless, personalized experiences across all channels. Powered by deep expertise in developing proprietary Agentic AI technology, and multi-layered anti-fraud capabilities, we enable enterprises to move decisively and safely into the era of AI-first contact centers. Omilia's Self-Learning Agentic AI learns from across the entire customer journey from self-service to live agent interactions unlocking continuous improvement and breaking the "glass ceiling" of containment that legacy siloed models can't achieve. Omilia is trusted by the world's most demanding enterprises including Capital One, Discover Financial Services, TacoBell, RBC, DWP, First Financial Bank, Purolator, and PSEG. Built on over two decades of AI innovation, Omilia delivers measurable outcomes: lower costs, higher efficiency, and unmatched customer satisfaction all while preserving the human touch where it matters most. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260120103916/en/ Contacts: For media inquiries, please contact: Lisa Grantham Chief Marketing Officer, Omilia lgrantham@omilia.com Brands2Life OmiliaUS@brands2life.com TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advantage Group International (AGI), today announces the 2026 launch of Advantage LiveLens, a new continuous client insight environment that will transform how supplier-retailer partnerships are measured, understood, and improved. Designed for today's rapidly evolving marketplace, Advantage LiveLens delivers continuous, always-on intelligence, moving the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industries beyond annual reporting and toward a new standard of dynamic, continuous partnership insight. As supplier-retailer relationships grow more complex and business conditions shift faster than annual cycles can capture, organizations need insight that keeps pace. Advantage LiveLens provides a continuously updated view of partnership performance, replacing static, point-in-time assessments with ongoing signals, richer context, and clearer pathways to action. Clients will now understand how relationships change as business conditions evolve. "Advantage LiveLens represents a fundamental shift in how business partners listen, learn, and act," said Peter Harris, CEO of AGI. "For the first time, companies can continuously monitor the strength of their partnerships and respond with greater speed, precision, and confidence. By delivering ongoing insights, LiveLens empowers our clients to anticipate market changes, strengthen collaboration, and drive sustained growth. As the leading advisor in B2B engagement, Advantage is committed to helping organizations unlock new opportunities and shape the future of partnership excellence." As part of the company's broader Always-On evolution, Advantage LiveLens brings together continuous feedback, AI-powered intelligence, and modern research design into a single, intuitive environment. The platform helps organizations identify what matters most to their partners, track progress continuously, and take action when it counts. "Advantage LiveLens transforms business partner insight into a living, dynamic asset," said Adam Aronson, Vice President, Product. "By combining continuous measurement with intuitive design, clients gain a clearer, more current view of partnership performance." Advantage LiveLens introduces a modernized insight experience featuring: Richer, context-driven dashboards that strengthen interpretation and decision-making Alignment tools that help teams collaborate around a shared, current view of performance Clearer pathways to action, enabling smarter, faster decisions across markets Press Resources: Advantage LiveLens - First Look for Suppliers Advantage LiveLens: Benchmarking Made Personal About Advantage Group International Advantage Group International (AGI) is the leading advisor in business-to-business engagement solutions globally. Trusted by many of the world's leading brands, Advantage ReportTM has become the gold standard for improving performance between suppliers and retailers in over 40 countries. Established in 1988 and headquartered in Canada, AGI acts as an integral link between supplier and retail partners, using data, feedback and strategy consulting to illuminate opportunities for mutual growth, strengthen relationships and provide invaluable insight. Advantage Group helps people and organizations work better together. For more information, visit advantagegroup.comor contact marketing@advantagegroup.com. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/22403c0a-69b7-4c07-ad3c-046c60542e7d Orlando, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - The LGL Group, Inc. (NYSE American: LGL) ("LGL Group" or the "Company") announced Marc Gabelli, Executive Chairman, and Jason Lamb, Chief Executive Officer, will present and host one-on-one meetings with investors at Sidoti's Micro-Cap Virtual Investor Conference, taking place on Wednesday and Thursday January 21 - 22, 2026. During the presentation, Mr. Gabelli and Mr. Lamb will discuss LGL Group's strategy to expand its role in the development and deployment of critical technologies supporting national security, defense, and resilient infrastructure, with a particular focus on the Company's precision time and frequency capabilities and disciplined merchant investment approach. "This is an unprecedented time for national defense growth, with small entrepreneurial new entrants having the ability to take share and redefine the historic market. Our strength in radio frequency designs sets the foundation for opportunities to come. Furthermore, our Merchant Investment template should prove fruitful for shareholders," said Mr. Lamb. The presentation will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, January 22, 2026 and can be accessed live here: https://sidoti.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__TUed6EFTcSmHdOy-UKpgA. LGL Group will also host virtual one-on-ones with investors on Wednesday and Thursday, January 21 - 22, 2026. To register for the presentation or one-on-ones, visit www.sidoti.com/events. Registration is free and you don't need to be a Sidoti client. About Sidoti Events, LLC ("Events") and Sidoti & Company, LLC ("Sidoti") In 2023, Sidoti & Company, LLC , Sidoti & Company, LLC formed an affiliate company, Sidoti Events, LLC in order to focus exclusively on its rapidly growing conference business and to more directly serve the needs of presenters and attendees. The relationship allows Events to draw on the over 25 years of experience Sidoti has as a premier provider of independent securities research focused specifically on small and microcap companies and the institutions that invest in their securities, with most of its coverage in the $200 million-$5 billion market cap range. Sidoti's coverage universe comprises approximately 150 equities, of which almost 70 percent participate in the firm's rapidly growing Company Sponsored Research ("CSR") and Sidoti Lighthouse Equity Research ("Lighthouse") programs. Events is a leading provider of corporate access through the many investor conferences it hosts each year. By virtue of its direct ties to Sidoti, Events benefits from Sidoti's small- and microcap-focused nationwide sales force, which has connections with over 2,500 institutional relationships in North America. This enables Events to provide multiple forums for meaningful interaction for small and microcap issuers and investors specifically interested in companies in the sector. About The LGL Group, Inc. The LGL Group, Inc. ("LGL," "LGL Group," or the "Company") is a holding company engaged in services, merchant investment and manufacturing business activities. Precise Time and Frequency, LLC ("PTF") is a globally positioned producer of industrial Electronic Instruments and commercial products and services. Founded in 2002, PTF operates from our design and manufacturing facility in Wakefield, Massachusetts. Lynch Capital International LLC is focused on the development of value through investments. LGL Group was incorporated in 1928 under the laws of the State of Indiana, and in 2007, the Company was reincorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware as The LGL Group, Inc. We maintain our executive offices at 2525 Shader Road, Orlando, Florida 32804. Our telephone number is (407) 298-2000. Our Internet address is www.lglgroup.com. LGL Group common stock is traded on the NYSE American under the symbol "LGL." LGL Group's business strategy is primarily focused on growth through expanding new and existing operations across diversified industries. The Company's engineering and design origins date back to the early 1900s. In 1917, Lynch Glass Machinery Company ("Lynch Glass"), the predecessor of LGL Group, was formed and emerged in the late 1920s as a successful manufacturer of glass-forming machinery. Lynch Glass was then renamed Lynch Corporation ("Lynch") and was incorporated in 1928 under the laws of the State of Indiana. In 1946, Lynch was listed on the "New York Curb Exchange," the predecessor to the NYSE American. The Company has a had a long history of owning and operating various businesses in the precision engineering, manufacturing, and services sectors. ### To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280930 Source: The LGL Group Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) (OTCQX: LSANF) ("Los Andes" or the "Company") advises that Santiago Montt has been appointed as Minister of Mines for the incoming government of President Jose Antonio Kast and has submitted his resignation from the position of Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of the Company. Mr. Montt will remain with the Company to support an orderly transition until February 19, 2026. Antony Amberg, Chief Geologist at Los Andes, has been appointed as interim CEO of the Company, and the Board has begun the search for a new CEO. Eduardo Covarrubias, Chairman of Los Andes, commented: "I would like to congratulate Santiago on his recent appointment as Minister of Mines. Santiago brings his decades of experience and track record in the mining sector to support the incoming government of President Jose Antonio Kast. We would also like to thank Santiago for his invaluable contribution to Los Andes Copper. Santiago has been instrumental in leading the Vizcachitas project to make it the largest greenfield copper project in Chile not controlled by the majors. Under his leadership, Vizcachitas has been designed to be an example of how sustainable mining operations should be undertaken. He has brought his years of experience with majors to the development and reinforcement of relationships with the communities as well as with authorities at local, regional and national levels. We wish him the very best on his responsibilities with Chile going forward." Santiago Montt, outgoing CEO of Los Andes, commented: "I have been honoured to have been asked to serve my country as Minister of Mines in the incoming government of President Jose Antonio Kast. It has been a privilege working with Los Andes advancing the Vizcachitas project, one of the largest undeveloped greenfield copper projects in Chile, ensuring it is a sustainable mining project that will benefit all stakeholders. During my tenure as CEO, I have had the privilege of working alongside an exceptional Board, Chairman and Leadership Team. Together, we have achieved material progress across multiple strategic fronts. I am deeply grateful for the invaluable knowledge I have gained regarding the development of greenfield mining projects, encompassing the full business cycle from geological exploration through to stakeholder engagement. I leave with immense pride in what we have accomplished and full confidence in the leadership team's ability to carry this important project forward." About Los Andes Copper Ltd. Los Andes Copper Ltd. is an exploration and development company with an 100% interest in the Vizcachitas Project in Chile. The Company is focused on progressing the Project, which is located along Chile's most prolific copper belt, into production. Vizcachitas is one of the largest copper deposits in the Americas not controlled by the majors and the Company believes it will be Chile's next major copper mine. The Project is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit, located 150 kilometers north of Santiago, in an area of very good infrastructure. An independent technical report for the PFS, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, is available on the Company's SEDAR profile. Los Andes Copper Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: LA. Qualified Persons Antony Amberg CGeol FGS, the Company's Interim CEO, is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. E-Mail: info@losandescopper.com or visit our website at: www.losandescopper.com Follow us on twitter @LosAndesCopper Follow us on LinkedIn Los Andes Copper Ltd Certain of the information and statements contained herein that are not historical facts, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Securities Act (British Columbia), Securities Act (Ontario) and the Securities Act (Alberta) ("Forward-Looking Information"). Forward-Looking Information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend"; statements that an event or result is "due" on or "may", "will", "should", "could", or might" occur or be achieved; and, other similar expressions. More specifically, Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Information. Such Forward-Looking Information includes, without limitation, the timing of and ability to obtain TSX-V and other regulatory approvals and the prospects, details related to and timing of the Vizcachitas Project. Such Forward-Looking Information is based upon the Company's assumptions regarding global and Chilean economic, political and market conditions and the price of metals and energy and the Company's production. Among the factors that have a direct bearing on the Company's future results of operations and financial conditions are changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, a change in government policies, competition, currency fluctuations and restrictions and technological changes, among other things. Should one or more of any of the aforementioned risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from any conclusions, forecasts or projections described in the Forward-Looking Information. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise Forward-Looking Information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in 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/280926 Source: Los Andes Copper Ltd. Expanded group publisher role reflects how HVAC, plumbing, and mechanical systems professionals operate today. BIRMINGHAM, MI / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / BNP Media announced today an expansion of leadership across its mechanical industry portfolio, appointing Sarah Harding as Group Publisher of Plumbing & Mechanical and Supply House Times, in addition to her current role as Publisher of The ACHR NEWS. The ACHR NEWS portfolio includes SNIPS NEWS, Engineered Systems NEWS, and Distribution Trends. This leadership alignment reflects both the way the mechanical systems industry already operates and BNP Media's mission to drive industries forward through authentic content, engaged communities, and meaningful connections. HVAC, plumbing, and mechanical systems professionals often serve overlapping roles, audiences, and markets. Bringing these brands together under unified leadership strengthens BNP Media's ability to serve those professionals with greater clarity, consistency, and industry relevance. Harding brings more than 25 years of experience in B2B media and publishing, with deep expertise in mechanical systems and multi-brand portfolio leadership. Since taking on leadership of The ACHR NEWS in 2022, she has overseen sustained audience growth, expanded digital offerings, and continued investment in content that supports contractors, engineers, and industry decision-makers. In 2026, The ACHR NEWS is also marking its 100th anniversary, underscoring the brand's long-standing role within the HVAC community. "HVAC, plumbing, and mechanical systems professionals do not work in silos, and the media that supports them should not either," Harding said. "This allows us to better reflect how the industry actually functions and to create stronger connections across the communities we serve. My focus is on ensuring these brands continue to deliver practical, credible, and forward-looking content that helps our audiences succeed." "This leadership alignment reflects our commitment to serve industries the way they actually operate," said Tagg Henderson, Co-CEO of BNP Media. "By bringing related mechanical systems communities together under experienced leadership, we strengthen our ability to deliver credible content, foster meaningful connections, and support long-term growth across the industry." BNP Media's mechanical systems industry brands will continue to operate as distinct publications, while benefiting from shared leadership, strategy, and collaboration. This approach supports advertisers, readers, and partners by providing more integrated access to the HVAC, plumbing, and mechanical markets. For advertising inquiries related to Plumbing & Mechanical and/or Supply House Times, please contact Jim McLaughlin at mclaughlinj@bnpmedia.com. About BNP Media BNP Media is a fourth-generation, family-owned media company serving B2B industries through trusted brands including The ACHR NEWS, Plumbing & Mechanical, and Supply House Times, events, research, and digital marketing services. Founded in 1926, BNP Media is committed to supporting professional communities with credible information, strong connections, and solutions that help businesses move forward. For more information about this announcement, please contact Sarah Harding, Group Publisher at BNP Media, at hardings@bnpmedia.com. SOURCE: BNP Media View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/publishing-and-media/bnp-media-strengthens-mechanical-systems-industry-portfolio-through-leadership-1129181 Crayola Creativity Week Jan. 26 - Feb.1 set to engage millions of students, educators and parents around the world in the transformative power of creativity EASTON, Pa., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Crayola announced today its inaugural group of Creativity Week Global Ambassadors, 31 schools from around the world selected to showcase how creativity fuels learning and builds positive school culture. The schools were chosen from more than 1,200 applicants in 11 countries, including the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Italy, Ireland, United Kingdom, Mexico, Hong Kong, Philippines, and Malaysia. The brand synonymous with color, self-expression, and creativity introduced the Global Ambassador Program to mark the fifth year of Crayola Creativity Week taking place Jan. 26 through Feb. 1. The schools will represent more than 127,000 schools from over 70% of the world's countries that have already signed up to participate in the free, virtual event that provides educators and parents with resources to nurture children's creativity and gives children the tools to bring their ideas to life. Crayola developed the school ambassador program to amplify the voices of educators and schools that prioritize creativity as an essential part of student development. These schools will share their unique Creativity Week experiences, offering practical tips and inspiration for integrating creative experiences into learning. Crayola will also collaborate closely with ambassador schools to gather insights that help improve future resources and understand the impact creativity is making on classrooms, families, and students. "Creativity is an essential skill for childhood development and lifelong success," said Cheri Sterman, senior director of education, Crayola. "Our Global Ambassadors exemplify how schools can make creativity a cornerstone of teaching and learning across all subject areas. We're thrilled to celebrate their leadership during Creativity Week and beyond." One ambassador representative noted, "Creativity helps our students think deeply, express themselves, and find joy in their learning. Crayola Creativity Week is a fun and meaningful way to celebrate imagination and show how creative thinking can brighten every part of our school." During the last week in January, classrooms, libraries and homes in more than 140 countries will come alive with daily themed, standards-aligned activities that integrate hands-on experiences with literacy, STEAM, and social-emotional learning. Crayola Creativity Week participants will have free access to inspiring and interactive content delivered by world-renowned creative talent, as well as resources available in eight languages and daily prizes. The program concludes with a livestreamed school assembly that allows children and educators around the world to connect and celebrate creativity together. Educators and parents can register now for Creativity Week at Crayola.com/CreativityWeek. Crayola Creativity Week is a signature activation of Campaign for Creativity, Crayola's global advocacy initiative focused on elevating creativity as a critical skill for childhood development and lifelong success. Global Ambassador Schools Australia : Gunnedah High School (Gunnedah, New South Wales); St Kieran's Catholic School, (Pioneer, Queensland) : Gunnedah High School (Gunnedah, New South Wales); St Kieran's Catholic School, (Pioneer, Queensland) Canada : Emily Carr Public School (Oakville, Ontario); Wapanohk Community School (Thompson, Manitoba) : Emily Carr Public School (Oakville, Ontario); Wapanohk Community School (Thompson, Manitoba) Hong Kong : Alliance Primary School Whampoa (Hung Hom, Kowloon); Joyful World International Nursery and Kindergarten (Tsuen Wan): and TWGHs Tsoi Wing Sing Primary School (Sha Tin) : Alliance Primary School Whampoa (Hung Hom, Kowloon); Joyful World International Nursery and Kindergarten (Tsuen Wan): and TWGHs Tsoi Wing Sing Primary School (Sha Tin) Ireland : Rathdown Junior School (Glenageary, Dublin) : Rathdown Junior School (Glenageary, Dublin) Italy : Gioacchino Gesmundo (Rome); Istituto Comprensivo Basile De Filippo (Campania) : Gioacchino Gesmundo (Rome); Istituto Comprensivo Basile De Filippo (Campania) Malaysia : Dwi Emas International School (Selangor) : Dwi Emas International School (Selangor) Mexico : Instituto Acatitlan (Tlalnepantla) : Instituto Acatitlan (Tlalnepantla) New Zealand : Pigeon Mountain Primary School (Auckland) : Pigeon Mountain Primary School (Auckland) Philippines : Valenzuela National High School (Valenzuela City) : Valenzuela National High School (Valenzuela City) United Kingdom : Ceres Primary School (Ceres, Scotland); Llwyncrwn Primary School (Beddau, Wales) : Ceres Primary School (Ceres, Scotland); Llwyncrwn Primary School (Beddau, Wales) United States: Alton Darby Elementary School (Hilliard, Ohio); Cane Bay Elementary School (Summerville, S.C.); DeWitt Clinton Elementary School (Chicago, Ill.); Frank R. Conwell Middle School #4 (Jersey City, N.J.); George J. Ryan Middle School 216Q (Fresh Meadows, N.Y.); Sylvio Gilbert School (Augusta, Maine); Glenwood Elementary School (Kentwood, Mich.); Haleyville Elementary School (Haleyville, Ala.); John Tyson Elementary School of Innovation (Springdale, Ark.); Meadowview Elementary School (Bossier City, La.); Midway Middle School (Hewitt, Texas); Paso Verde School (Sacramento, Calif.); Peachcrest Elementary School (Decatur, Ga.); Pinewood Elementary School (Monticello, Minn.); and Tazewell Primary/Intermediate School (Tazewell, Va.) Crayola Creativity Week 2026 is made possible by official sponsors Horace Mann and MFS Investment Management and the support of many other creative partners from around the globe. Media Contact: Constance Walker cwalker@crayola.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2389234/5724898/CrayolaLogo_R_RGB_no_shadow_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/crayola-announces-first-class-of-global-ambassadors-ahead-of-annual-celebration-of-creativity-in-schools-302665484.html TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Retained executive search firm Caldwell (TSX:CWL)(OTCQX:CWLPF) Caldwell today announced a three-year sponsorship with Deloitte Canada on Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year Award Program. Deloitte Canada will become the presenting sponsor of the program, with Fatima Laher, Deputy Chair of the Board of Deloitte Canada and Chile, assuming the role of the CEO of the Year Advisory Board Chair. "Deloitte Canada's commitment to delivering measurable results and supporting leaders in building better futures aligns directly with the values that have shaped this program for more than three decades," said John Wallace, Chair of the Board at Caldwell, the program's Founding Partner. "As we enter the 36th year of Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year, we are delighted to work with Deloitte Canada, as our presenting sponsor, a firm that shares our belief in the importance of strong, principled leadership and real, measurable impact." "This award remains the preeminent recognition for Canadian chief executives, and with Deloitte Canada as our presenting sponsor, we look forward to further advancing both the CEO of the Year and Futures Fund Scholarship programs. We also extend our congratulations to Fatima Laher on her appointment as Chair of the Advisory Board. Fatima's depth of experience and focus on impact will bring valuable perspective to the selection process. We look forward to working with Fatima and with the Deloitte Canada team to continue celebrating and advancing exceptional Canadian leadership." "It's a privilege for Deloitte Canada to support a program that so closely mirrors our own commitment to impactful leadership," said Fatima Laher, Deputy Chair of the Board of Deloitte Canada and Chile. "This sponsorship is about more than just an award; it's a commitment to championing the leaders who are building a more prosperous, innovative, and equitable future for Canada. I'm thrilled to step into the role of Chair and look forward to celebrating the leaders who inspire us all to lead with purpose." The Advisory Board meets annually to select the CEO of the Year Honouree. The independent board comprises more than 20 respected and experienced individuals from across Canada, including past honourees, who are leaders in their industries, professions, and communities. Also joining the Board this year is Alexandre L'Heureux, President and CEO of WSP Global and the 2024 CEO of the Year Recipient. The board met last Fall to select the 2025 honouree, who will be announced in the Financial Post in February, 2026. For the full list of members and profiles, please visit: https://ceoaward.ca/advisoryboard.php Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year is the preeminent recognition for Canadian CEOs. Founded in 1990, this prestigious award honours a CEO in Canadian business who exemplifies integrity, excellence, vision, and leadership in building a globally competitive organization. The program is supported by several prominent organizations: presenting sponsor Deloitte Canada, media partner National Post and founding partner Caldwell. Canada's CEO of the Year features the Futures Fund Scholarship which provides ten scholarship grants annually to exceptional and deserving university students in business to further their educational ambitions." ??About Caldwell Caldwell is a leading retained executive search firm connecting clients with transformational talent. Together with IQTalent, we are a technology-powered talent acquisition firm specializing in recruitment at all levels. Through the two distinct brands - Caldwell and IQTalent- the firm leverages the latest innovations in AI to offer an integrated spectrum of services delivered by teams with deep knowledge in their respective areas. Services include candidate research and sourcing through to full recruitment at the professional, executive and board levels, as well as a suite of talent strategy and assessment tools that can help clients hire the right people, then manage and inspire them to achieve maximum business results. Caldwell's common shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CWL) and trade on the OTCQX Market (OTCQX: CWLPF). Please visit our website at www.caldwell.com for further information. For further information, please contact: Michelle Jursa, Director, Programs Caldwell mjursa@caldwell.com +1 416 934 2226 SOURCE: Caldwell Partners International, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/caldwell-announces-new-sponsorship-on-canadas-outstanding-ceo-of-1129267 Brooklyn Park, MN senior care community recognized for exceptional partnership, leadership, and commitment to resident-centered care ST LOUIS PARK, MN / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Senior living community Saint Therese of Oxbow Lake in Brooklyn Park has been named the 2025 Client of the Year by the Zellner Group, recognizing the community's outstanding partnership, leadership, and unwavering focus on resident-centered care. The Zellner Group is a senior health consulting firm that works with senior care organizations across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. The annual award honors one client organization that exemplifies excellence in collaboration, engagement, and outcomes across clinical and operational settings. Saint Therese of Oxbow Lake was selected from multiple nominations statewide for its strong partnership with Zellner Senior Health Consulting and its demonstrated commitment to doing what is right for residents, even in challenging circumstances. "This recognition reflects the heart of our team and their dedication to always putting residents first," said Christine DeLander, Executive Director of Saint Therese of Oxbow Lake. "I am incredibly proud of our staff and grateful for the partnership we share with the Zellner Group. Working together allows us to continually learn, improve, and provide the highest level of care for the people who call our community home." According to the Zellner Group, Saint Therese of Oxbow Lake stood out for its leadership, culture, and willingness to collaborate closely during periods of transition and growth. The award specifically highlights the community's consistent prioritization of resident well-being, thoughtful decision-making, and inclusive leadership approach across skilled care, assisted living, and memory care settings. Mary Nell Zellner, founder of Zellner Senior Health Consulting, praised the Oxbow Lake team for its leadership and culture. "This is a special setting in the Minnesota health care landscape," she said. "The collaboration and outcomes were truly remarkable, and the culture and kindness extended by the team were deeply appreciated. Christine DeLander is a true stand-out leader who leads with both intelligence and heart, and the entire team consistently shows up to be a top-of-class community for the elders they serve." The Zellner Group works with senior care organizations across Minnesota and western Wisconsin, providing clinical consulting, leadership support, and strategic guidance. The Client of the Year award is presented annually based on staff nominations and recognizes organizations that demonstrate excellence in partnership and resident-focused outcomes. Saint Therese of Oxbow Lake is part of Saint Therese, a nonprofit senior care organization with communities and services in Minnesota, Michigan, and Ohio. About Saint Therese: Minnesota-based Saint Therese was founded in 1964 and prides itself on its rich tradition of providing exceptional care for seniors. It has locations and services in Brooklyn Park, Woodbury, Corcoran, Shoreview (all Minnesota), IHM Senior Living Community in Monroe, Mich., St. Mary of the Woods in Avon, Ohio, and Saint Therese of Westlake in Westlake, Ohio. Most communities provide the full continuum of care from independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and transitional care. Saint Therese at St. Odilia in Shoreview specializes in hospice and palliative care. Ascend Rehabilitation provides rehabilitation therapy, health and wellness services. Saint Therese is a nonprofit, 501 (c)(3) senior care organization. Media Contact: Barb Hemberger, 612-669-0381 barbarah@sainttherese.org SOURCE: Saint Therese View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/saint-therese-of-oxbow-lake-earns-2025-zellner-group-client-of-the-ye-1129283 ESCONDIDO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / I want to take this moment to speak to our shareholders as we enter a new era as Dalrada Technology Group, Inc. (OTC:DHTI). It is important to reflect on events and lessons we have learned from this past year, whilst continuing our efforts and focus as we streamline the business and drive with vigor, on key deliverables for this year and beyond. First, I would like to address our shareholders, thank you for your continued patience and support. 2025 was a significant and transformative year for Dalrada in which Dalrada experienced unforeseen events that had a direct effect on our public market. As a result, I want to assure every one of our shareholders that we have worked diligently and effortlessly to correct and shore up our practices and procedures to avoid any similar future events, making some key operational and organizational appointments to strengthen our operation going forward. As you can ascertain from our Annual Report for the year ended June 30, 2025 our team continued to dig deep, never stopped working, and in some areas we saw operational growth. I was always confident we would, and were successful in, bringing our public market back into current and compliant status, while continuing to grow company operations and we believe these efforts position the Company well for 2026. Dalrada has spent the last five years acquiring, developing and perfecting several technologies in the renewable energy and semiconductor markets on a global scale. Through 2025, our leadership team carried out intensive market research on our product and service offerings in an effort to align these technologies to current and emerging market growth and develop an intentional and focused strategic plan for 2026 and beyond. The result, a refocused, energized business which is already gaining traction as Dalrada evaluates and executes on numerous and real opportunities, to realize the full potential of all our verticals and maximize our operations and shareholder value. Dalrada Technology Group's UK facility has made progress and gained traction with our 9kW and 11kW residential heat pumps. In the previous quarter, a targeted sales campaign delivered numerous relationships with local installation company's who have subsequently and enthusiastically engaged with the opportunity to offer Dalrada's line of heat pumps. These efforts are already bearing fruit with initial orders being placed, as are sales of commercial and residential white label heat pumps whilst our production teams have worked to refine processes, procedures, and ramp up inventory of our flagship DCT-1 heat pump. At home in the United States, we continue to build upon our relationship with Oak Ridge National Lab, a federally funded research and development center with expertise in heat pumps. Last November Dalrada's engineers and Oak Ridge National Lab co-authored a peer reviewed scientific study that was published in the Journal of Building Engineering. We anticipate a growing relationship with Oak Ridge Nation Lab as we continue developing and perfecting our climate technologies. Our Las Vegas facility has commissioned several of our DCT-1 heat pumps that are scheduled to be delivered to our East Coast distributor. With the continued growth of state and municipal laws and mandates requiring the electrification of climate control, we believe Dalrada is positioned to pursue opportunities to supply and service this demand. Our European location in Spain successfully installed and commissioned an initial four 50kW heat pumps order for a regional nursing facility. We are enthusiastic on entering the $14.2 Billion European heat pump market as Global Market Insights forecasts that market to grow to $82.6 Billion by 2034. This development is the beginning of a larger cooperative effort that establishes our expertise with European contractors, with the goal of pursuing the sale and installation of our technology in other nursing facilities, commercial size laundries and food processing facilities. Dalrada Spain has commenced a targeted marketing campaign for its residential products and the response has been positive. As a result, we have realized sales and installations for our 9kW and 11kW heat pumps. Dalrada, in collaboration with a French technology firm, has been working for a number of years now to develop a solution to meet the increasing worldwide demand for clean water. In Q1 of 2025, Dalrada Spain was commissioned in the manufacturing of Atmospheric Water generators (AWG's), which is currently a $3.3 Billion global market and expected to reach $12.7 Billion by 2034 according to Market.us. With the first order of six water containers at a sale price of 720,000 we believe we are positioned to address this humanitarian need, We are optimistic about the potential in this area, subject to the risks noted above. 2025 saw our Deposition & Semiconductor Solutions subsidiary restructured from the ground up including the addition of new personnel with the experience and expertise to drive market and opportunities, utilizing the abilities of some of Dalrada's other subsidiary companies to add to its product offerings. Dalrada's Deposition & Semiconductor Solutions will provide not only deposition manufacturing equipment, but also offer tooling, modernization upgrades, service and parts that will be manufactured by Dalrada's Precision Parts manufacturing. Our transformation and restructuring has already resulted in the successful installation of our deposition technology tools in two countries and the completion of our Novellus C1 Controller Upgrade. This is now available to customers following an extensive test, simulation and demonstration period including at a client test site. In the spirit of continued advancement of our technologies Dalrada has made an investment in building a research and development deposition technology tool at our Livingston facility to continue to push the boundaries and offer our customers additional products. Looking forward to 2026 Dalrada is already in the process of reducing costs in concert with restructuring operations to be more efficient and profitable as we enter the new year. I anticipate these efforts may contribute to improved operational efficiency and potential value creation, although actual results will depend on numerous factors and are subject to the risks and uncertainties outlined in the forward-looking statements cautionary notice below. Best Regards, Brian Bonar Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors About Dalrada Technology Group Dalrada Technology Group, Inc. (formerly known as Dalrada Financial Corporation, Ticker: DHTI) is a publicly traded, multinational technology company that develops, manufactures, and markets a diverse portfolio of innovative products and services across the Clean Energy and Semiconductor & Electronics sectors. Dalrada's core segments include Climate Technology, which delivers advanced heat pump systems for industrial, commercial, and residential applications; Semiconductor & Electronics, providing next-generation PVD and CVD deposition systems, modernization for legacy tools, real-time plasma diagnostics, and integrated services and components that support semiconductor manufacturing environments. By integrating these core segments under one unified group, Dalrada Technology Group accelerates innovation, advances sustainability, and delivers long-term value for its shareholders. Follow Dalrada on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter, and YouTube Channel. Contact: investors@dalrada.com FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CAUTIONARY NOTICE This letter contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections about the Company's business and the industries in which it operates, and include, without limitation, statements regarding future growth, operational improvements, market opportunities, product traction, sales, installations, partnerships, cost reductions, profitability, shareholder value, and positioning in renewable energy, heat pumps, atmospheric water generators, and semiconductor markets. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. These risks include, but are not limited to: delays or failures in product development, manufacturing, or commercialization; regulatory changes or delays (including those related to electrification mandates or environmental standards); competition in our various markets including, but not limited to, heat pump and semiconductor markets; supply chain disruptions; customer adoption rates; execution risks in restructuring and cost-reduction efforts; ability to secure additional orders or scale operations; dependence on key partners; liquidity and capital constraints typical of micro-cap OTC companies; potential need for additional financing; compliance with OTC Markets disclosure requirements; general economic conditions; and other risks detailed in the Company's public filings with the SEC and OTC Markets, including the Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2025, and subsequent reports. 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 required by law. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Dalrada Technology Group, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/clean-technology/correction-from-source-dalrada-technology-group-inc.-shareholder-letter-from-the-c-1129458 NEWARK, Del., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The global beverage dispenser market is estimated to be valued at USD 16.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 30.1 billion by 2035, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.0% over the forecast period, according to a recent analysis by Future Market Insights (FMI). Beverage dispensers are increasingly deployed across commercial foodservice, institutional catering, and residential settings to enable organized, hygienic, and efficient beverage serving. Beverage dispenser market growth is being observed across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, supported by rising urbanization, expansion of foodservice infrastructure, and increasing preference for automated and standardized beverage delivery systems. Electric beverage dispensers, which provide temperature control and automated dispensing, account for a significant share of new installations, particularly in high-footfall environments such as restaurants, cafes, hotels, corporate offices, and event venues. From 2025 to 2030, demand growth is expected to be supported by technology upgrades, hygiene compliance requirements, and seasonal consumption across hospitality and outdoor events. Between 2030 and 2035, market expansion is projected to continue steadily, driven by automation, sensor integration, and multi-beverage configurations that support operational efficiency and cost control for foodservice operators. Beverage Dispenser Market Size and Key Metrics Market value (2025): USD 16.8 billion USD 16.8 billion Forecast value (2035): USD 30.1 billion USD 30.1 billion CAGR (2025-2035): 6.0% 6.0% Leading type segment (2025): Electric dispensers (67.1% share) Electric dispensers (67.1% share) Key growth regions: North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe Electric dispensers lead adoption due to their ability to maintain consistent beverage temperatures, integrate automation features, and meet hygiene standards in commercial and institutional settings. Business and Operational Impact For foodservice operators, hospitality chains, procurement heads, and facility managers, beverage dispensers represent an operational investment focused on throughput efficiency, hygiene compliance, and cost optimization per serving. Automated and sensor-enabled models reduce manual handling, support portion control, and provide data visibility on usage and refills, which is increasingly relevant for large venues and multi-location chains. Manufacturers and buyers are aligning strategies around: Automation and touchless dispensing to meet hygiene protocols to meet hygiene protocols Energy-efficient and space-saving designs to reduce operating costs to reduce operating costs Modular and multi-beverage systems to limit equipment footprint These factors position beverage dispensers as integral equipment within modern foodservice and institutional catering operations. Segment Insights By Type The electric segment, accounting for 67.1% of market share in 2025, dominates due to its advanced functionality, temperature regulation, and suitability for continuous operation in commercial environments. Integration of digital controls, auto-cleaning cycles, and energy-saving modes continues to support adoption. By Capacity Dispensers with 5 to 10 liters capacity represent 41.3% of demand, balancing volume requirements with manageable size. This capacity range is widely used in mid-scale hotels, corporate offices, catering services, and household events. By Material Type Plastic beverage dispensers hold 36.9% of the market, driven by affordability, lightweight construction, and improved material standards such as BPA-free, food-grade plastics. These units are widely used in dynamic environments including outdoor events, canteens, and quick-service outlets. Regional and Country-Level Outlook The beverage dispenser market demonstrates varied growth momentum across regions, supported by foodservice expansion and infrastructure investment: China: 8.1% CAGR 8.1% CAGR India: 7.5% CAGR 7.5% CAGR Germany: 6.9% CAGR 6.9% CAGR France: 6.3% CAGR 6.3% CAGR United Kingdom: 5.7% CAGR 5.7% CAGR United States: 5.1% CAGR 5.1% CAGR Brazil: 4.5% CAGR China leads global growth due to widespread adoption of automated dispensers across quick-service restaurants, convenience chains, and public venues. India follows, supported by rapid expansion of institutional catering, multiplexes, and highway food courts. Germany shows strong demand for energy-efficient and precision-engineered systems, while the United States and United Kingdom represent mature markets where demand is shaped by hygiene standards, sustainability goals, and multi-beverage functionality. Competitive Landscape The beverage dispenser market includes global equipment manufacturers focused on dispensing accuracy, durability, automation, and hygiene compliance. Key companies profiled include: Cornelius, Inc. Lancer Corporation Grindmaster-Cecilware, Inc. Cambro Manufacturing Co. Manitowoc Foodservice, Inc. FBD Frozen Beverage Dispensers Follett LLC BUNN-O-Matic Corporation Hoshizaki America, Inc. Multiplex Beverage Others Competitive activity centers on product innovation, modular system design, sensor integration, and compliance with food-contact and sanitation standards across regions. Scope of the Report The report analyzes the beverage dispenser market by type, capacity, material type, application, distribution channel, and region, covering North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. It includes country-level forecasts, demand drivers, regulatory considerations, technology trends, and competitive analysis relevant to B2B buyers, investors, and strategy leaders.Access Request Access Request for Full Beverage Dispenser Market Report - https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-22832 Related Beverage Dispenser Reports: Frozen Beverage Dispenser Market - https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/frozen-beverage-dispenser-market Commercial Beverage Dispenser Market - https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/commercial-beverage-dispenser-market Beverage Packaging Equipment Market - https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/beverage-packaging-equipment-market Beverage Packaging Machine Market - https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/beverage-packaging-machine-market About Future Market Insights (FMI) Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. Headquartered in Delaware, USA, with a global delivery center in India and offices in the UK and UAE, FMI delivers actionable insights to businesses across industries including automotive, technology, consumer products, manufacturing, energy, and chemicals. An ESOMAR-certified research organization, FMI provides custom and syndicated market reports and consulting services, supporting both Fortune 1,000 companies and SMEs. Its team of 300+ experienced analysts ensures credible, data-driven insights to help clients navigate global markets and identify growth opportunities. For Press & Corporate Inquiries Rahul Singh AVP - Marketing and Growth Strategy Future Market Insights, Inc. +91 8600020075 For Sales - sales@futuremarketinsights.com For Media - Rahul.singh@futuremarketinsights.com For web - https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1197648/3531122/FMI_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-beverage-dispenser-market-projected-to-reach-usd-30-1-billion-by-2035--driven-by-foodservice-expansion-and-automation-adoption-302665526.html NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Beyond Benign's Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) has been awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry's 2025 Horizon Prize for Education, recognizing its innovative approach to advancing green chemistry in higher education. The prize celebrates the GCC's success in fostering a global community of practice that empowers educators to embed green chemistry into teaching, research, and institutional culture-preparing future scientists with the skills needed to address today's sustainability challenges. This award recognizes groundbreaking, high-impact initiatives that are making a meaningful contribution to the advancement of chemistry education. MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, began its relationship with Beyond Benign in 2013 with the aim to advance green chemistry education. In 2023, MilliporeSigma announced a multi-million-dollar, multi-year expanded partnership to transform chemistry in higher education, better preparing the next generation of scientists to address sustainability through chemistry by developing and implementing green chemistry and sustainable education resources. Together, the organizations have delivered measurable global impact. The GCC has surpassed its original goal of 250 signers by the end of 2025, with more than 260 higher education institutions committed to embedding green chemistry across their programs. MilliporeSigma has also helped strengthen Beyond Benign's Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) online platform. The GCTLC now provides 3,250+ users with 415 open-access curriculum resources that accelerate the integration of sustainability principles into chemistry education. To date, the partnership has reached 1.9 million students through the GCC network -surpassing the 2025 target of 1.4 million. Progress also continues toward 2030 goals, including engaging 10,000 faculty and reaching 15.5 million students globally. By supporting the expansion of green chemistry in higher education, MilliporeSigma is helping Beyond Benign shape a generation of scientists who view sustainability as foundational to innovation. MilliporeSigma is a long-standing supporter of this work. The company embeds sustainability across its operations-from offering 4,500+ greener alternative products to supporting global access to science education-and its partnership with Beyond Benign further reinforces this commitment by accelerating the integration of green chemistry into higher education. Beyond Benign's Horizon Prize winner profile can be viewed on the Royal Society of Chemistry's website. Educators interested in signing the GCC can do so on Beyond Benign's website and register for the GCTLC platform to access its community and resources. Beyond Benign's Green Chemistry Commitment Earns 2025 RSC Horizon Prize for Education for Advancing Green Chemistry in Higher Education View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from MilliporeSigma on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: MilliporeSigma Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/milliporesigma Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: MilliporeSigma View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/beyond-benign%e2%80%99s-green-chemistry-commitment-earns-2025-rsc-horizon-pri-1129362 RAMAT GAN, Israel, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Global wealth recovery firm PayBack has published data regarding its success in 2025, assisting 1,903 clients in recovering a combined 41,073,743 USD from fraud-related losses. The figures reflect completed cases across several scam categories, including investment fraud, digital asset scams, romance scams, and impersonation cases. Amir Geva, CEO of PayBack, commented on the results and the scope of activity behind the figures. "Over the course of 2025, we worked through a steady volume of cases and saw many of them reach a conclusion," he said. "Each case involved different circumstances, different jurisdictions, and different constraints. What matters to us is staying consistent in how cases are handled and seeing them through to a clear point, even when the timeline or outcome varies." A Consistent Recovery Process Across Cases Throughout 2025, PayBack continued to operate through its established investigation-led model. Every case starts with an initial review conducted by the company, followed by evidence collection and the preparation of a detailed investigation report. That report includes findings related to the scam, identified entities, transaction flows, and a structured action plan outlining possible recovery routes. The firm provides guidance and documentation intended to support clients as they pursue restitution through appropriate channels. Cases handled during the year spanned a broad range of scam types. These included binary options schemes, digital currency fraud, forex and stock trading scams, credit card phishing, property-related scams, and romance-based fraud. "Our role is to provide structure in situations that are often chaotic for the people involved," Geva added. "That starts with investigating how the loss occurred, tracing transactions where possible, and documenting everything clearly. The goal is always recovery, and we take each case as far as it reasonably can go. Clients receive a clear picture of their situation and the steps available, so they can move forward with proper information." Alongside individual recovery cases, PayBack maintains a range of related services that support its investigation work. The site navigation includes tools and sections for fraud prevention, whistleblowing, and scam verification, which clients and visitors can access for insight into potential risks. There are also listed categories for professional consulting and cyber-related services, such as KYC and cyber investigation , which align with the company's broader focus on tracing fraud activity and helping clients understand their situation. These services operate alongside the core investigation and reporting work and use similar methods of evidence and analysis. About PayBack PayBack provides investigation and restitution support to individuals and businesses affected by online fraud and scams. The company produces detailed investigation reports and structured action plans designed to assist clients in pursuing the recovery of funds lost to fraudulent activity. Services cover a wide range of scam categories, including investment fraud, digital currency scams, romance scams, and impersonation cases. PayBack also operates verification tools, educational resources, and professional consulting services related to fraud prevention and cyber investigation. The company's work is centered on investigation, documentation, and guidance, with an emphasis on transparency and process continuity. https://payback.com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/payback-outlines-successful-recovery-figures-achieved-in-2025-302665581.html NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Tier II Reporting (Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Section 311/312) for Reporting Year 2025 began January 1, 2026. For most states, reporting is due by March 1st to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), and local fire department. Tier II reports are used by fire departments in case of an emergency, so the responding authorities know the potential chemicals and hazards that could be present onsite. Tier II Reporting (Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Section 311/312) for Reporting Year 2025 began January 1, 2026.?For most states, reporting is due by March 1st?to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), and local fire department. Tier II reports are used by fire departments in case of an emergency, so the responding authorities know the potential chemicals and hazards that could be present onsite. Tier II reports detail materials stored onsite over a certain quantity threshold that city, state, and/or federal regulations have determined. These reports typically include facility contact information, chemical name, storage information, and the hazards associated with the chemical. For companies with facilities in multiple locations, how you report the information can vary greatly depending on your local regulating authorities (states, local emergency planning committees (LEPC), and fire departments). Some have their own state-specific electronic database, others use E-Plan, and still others require you to email the information using the Tier2Submit software. The?EPA's State Tier II Reporting Requirements webpage?is a valuable tool that outlines state-specific requirements.? Tier II reports are required when facilities trigger their state's reporting thresholds for materials which have a physical or health hazard. The federal reporting thresholds are 10,000 pounds for hazardous chemicals and 500 pounds or the Threshold Planning Quantity (TPQ), whichever is less,?for extremely hazardous substances. However, many states or even local agencies have lower reporting thresholds, so you should check with your state reporting requirements. Some agencies (e.g. New York City) have reporting thresholds as low as "greater than 0 pounds" for certain chemicals. If you aren't sure whether your material contains an extremely hazardous substance, check the ingredient list against the?List?of Lists,?Section 302.? Even if your facility doesn't maintain the traditional chemical storage, Tier II reporting may still apply. If you have lead-acid batteries or emergency generators onsite, you can quickly exceed the reporting thresholds. For example, if you have approximately 1,400 gallons of diesel onsite, you would exceed the 10,000-pound threshold and would therefore need to report. ? Lithium-ion batteries can be subject to Tier II reporting thresholds as well. However, some batteries may be exempt from reporting under the Consumer Product Exemption and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). These are the batteries that are used for personal, family, or household purposes, or are present in the same form and concentration as a product packaged for distribution and use for the general public. End-of-life lithium batteries may be exempt from Tier II reporting if the batteries meet the definition of RCRA hazardous waste and are subject to RCRA regulations.? If the facility stores chemicals above the Threshold Planning Quantity (SARA Section 302), additional requirements may apply. This includes designating a facility representative to participate in the local emergency planning process as a facility emergency coordinator, and notifying the LEPC of relevant changes within 30 days after the changes have occurred.? Hazardous Materials Business Plan - California's Tier II?? Rather than a traditional Tier II Report, California has more comprehensive reporting requirements. As part of the Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP), an electronic hazardous materials inventory must be submitted using the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS). This is used to meet the federal requirements of a Tier II Report. Facilities are required to prepare and submit HMBPs if they handle a hazardous material, a mixture containing a hazardous material (including hazardous waste), or an extremely hazardous substance at reportable quantities. The general reportable quantities of hazardous materials are: ? equal to or greater than 55 gallons of a liquid,?? 200 cubic feet of a gas, and?? 500 pounds of a solid?? The HMBP must include the following information:? Hazardous Materials Inventory? Emergency Response Plan and Procedure in the event of a reportable release? Training Plan? Site Map that details north orientation, loading areas, internal roads, adjacent streets, storm and sewer drains, access and exit points, emergency shut offs, evacuation staging areas, hazardous material handling and storage areas, and emergency response equipment Here are a few helpful tips for completing your Tier II Report / HMBP this year:? Get a jump start on reporting-don't wait until the last week of February to start.? Review your state's reporting requirements to determine if anything has changed. Determine which chemicals will need to be reported, then review those specific safety data sheets (SDS) to determine the hazards (See Section 2.0 of the SDS). Since Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reporting uses some of the same information, complete your TRI evaluation at the same time. If you determine that you do not exceed the reporting thresholds, maintain the documentation that shows you do not need to report. Remember to include all lead-acid batteries in your reporting including fork trucks, UPS Systems, emergency generators and/or fire pumps in your evaluation and reporting. Maintain a copy of the report and paid invoice (if applicable) as proof of your submission. Materials that are present in the same form and concentration as a product packaged for distribution and use for the general public may be exempt from Tier II Reporting. Even if the material was only present over the reporting threshold for a day, a Tier II report must be filed. If the facility shut down during the course of 2025, don't forget that a Tier II report must still be filed if chemicals in amounts over the reporting threshold were stored onsite.? Contact?our waste and materials management team?today to help with?your Tier II reporting.? View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Antea Group on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Antea Group Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/antea-group Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Antea Group View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/tier-ii-reporting-for-reporting-year-2025-is-here-1129405 BOSTON, Jan. 20, 2026) ("Tiziana"), a biotechnology company developing its lead candidate, intranasal foralumab, a fully human, anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, announces the peer-reviewed publication of its open-label study in patients with non-active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (na-SPMS) in Neurology Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, a prestigious journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The publication, titled "Nasal Foralumab for the Treatment of Progression Independent of Relapses in Patients with Non-active Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis," details the comprehensive positive results previously announced by the Company on May 6, 2025. This marks the first study to integrate TSPO-PET imaging, proteomics, and clinical assessments in na-SPMS, highlighting nasal foralumab's novel mechanism in addressing progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA)-a critical unmet need in multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment. Key Study Highlights: Ten patients with na-SPMS, progressing despite prior B-cell therapies, received nasal foralumab for at least six months. No serious or severe treatment-related adverse events occurred. All patients showed stabilization of Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores; three of four treated for 12 months demonstrated improvement. Fatigue improved in six out of ten patients, as measured by the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS)-a vital quality-of-life measure for MS patients. No new T2 lesions appeared on MRI. TSPO-PET imaging revealed significant reductions in microglial activation at three and six months (p<0.05). Single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated sustained increases in regulatory T cells (Tregs) and TGF expression, supporting induction of regulatory immunity. "This peer-reviewed publication in a leading neurology journal represents a major milestone and external validation of intranasal foralumab's therapeutic potential in secondary progressive MS," said Tanuja Chitnis, M.D., Principal Investigator and Senior neurologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a founding member of Mass General Brigham healthcare system. "The integration of advanced imaging, immune profiling, and clinical outcomes underscores how nasal foralumab uniquely targets CNS inflammation through mucosal tolerance, offering hope for patients with limited options." Dr. Howard L. Weiner, M.D., Chairman of Tiziana's Scientific Advisory Board, co-director of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital, a founding member of Mass General Brigham healthcare system, noted: "The observed clinical stabilization and microglial PET findings are supported by these new biomarker discoveries, providing compelling evidence of nasal foralumab's biological effects in addressing PIRA in na-SPMS." Nasal foralumab's innovative intranasal delivery modulates the immune system to suppress microglial-driven neuroinflammation without broad systemic immunosuppression, distinguishing it from existing MS therapies. Tiziana is advancing intranasal foralumab in an ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial in na-SPMS, with top-line data expected in 1H of 2026. "We are thrilled that these groundbreaking results have now been peer-reviewed and published, reinforcing our confidence in intranasal foralumab as a potential paradigm-shifting therapy for progressive MS and beyond," said Ivor Elrifi, Chief Executive Officer of Tiziana Life Sciences. The full publication can be found here: https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/NXI.0000000000200543 About Foralumab Foralumab, a fully human anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, is a biologic candidate that has been shown to stimulate T regulatory cells when dosed intranasally. Currently, 14 patients with Non-Active Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis) with either an improvement or stability of disease seen within 6 months in all patients. In addition, intranasal foralumab is currently being studied in a Phase 2a, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, dose-ranging trial in patients with non-active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis). Foralumab is the only fully human anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) currently in clinical development. Immunomodulation by intranasal foralumab represents a novel avenue for the treatment of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative human diseases.[1],[2] About Tiziana Life Sciences Tiziana is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing breakthrough therapies using transformational drug delivery technologies to enable alternative routes of immunotherapy. Tiziana's innovative nasal approach has the potential to provide an improvement in efficacy as well as safety and tolerability compared to intravenous (IV) delivery. Tiziana's lead candidate, intranasal foralumab, which is the only fully human anti-CD3 mAb currently in clinical development, has demonstrated a favorable safety profile and clinical response in patients in studies to date. Tiziana's technology for alternative routes of immunotherapy has been patented with several applications pending and is expected to allow for broad pipeline applications. For more information about Tiziana and its innovative pipeline of therapies, please visit www.tizianalifesciences.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements made in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but rather are based on the Tiziana's current expectations, estimates, and projections about its industry, its beliefs, and assumptions. Words such as 'anticipates,' 'expects,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'believes,' 'seeks,' 'estimates,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond the Tiziana's control, are difficult to predict, and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. Tiziana cautions security holders and prospective security holders not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the view of Tiziana only as of the date of this announcement. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: the uncertainties related to market conditions and other factors described more fully in the section entitled 'Risk Factors' in Tiziana's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024, and other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements made in this announcement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. Tiziana will not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions or updates to these forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances, or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this announcement except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory authority. For further inquiries: Tiziana Life Sciences Ltd Paul Spencer, Business Development, and Investor Relations +44 [1] https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2220272120 [2] https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2309221120 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / CACI recently welcomed 17 Secretary of War Executive Fellows to its Reston, Virginia headquarters for its annual Company Day. This CACI-sponsored event brings together the company's senior leadership team and senior military officers from across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, Coast Guard, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve. The fellows are military officers assigned to a variety of sponsoring corporations for professional development and industry immersion. Each year hosting, CACI is paired with one of the executive fellows for a year-long fellowship in the company. This year, CACI's fellow is Air National Guard Colonel Karen Bogdan, whose fellowship year began in August. This one-year career development program is designed to improve the fellow's understanding of business and enhance their professional and management competencies. This is accomplished by partnering fellows with top tier public and private sector companies. Following the fellowship year, each fellow returns to their parent service with a deeper understanding of government contracting informed by their industry experience. CACI is honored to serve as a longtime corporate sponsor of the Department of War Executive Fellowship Program. This year's company day program featured opening remarks from CACI President and CEO John Mengucci, followed by senior leader panel discussions and a series of technology briefings and hands-on demonstrations highlighting CACI's advancements across counter-UxS, artificial intelligence, spectrum superiority, network modernization, photonics, and other critical capabilities. "Discovering CACI's mission, meeting its leaders, and experiencing its culture on Executive Fellows Company Day was not only informative and engaging, but also a lot of fun," said Karen Bogdan. "My fellowship with CACI has been an incredible experience that has really opened my eyes to the importance of partnership between government and industry, and how we can work together to make a positive impact on national security." About CACI CACI International Inc (NYSE:CACI) is a national security company with 25,000 talented employees who are Ever Vigilant in expanding the limits of national security. We ensure our customers' success by delivering differentiated technology and distinctive expertise to accelerate innovation, drive speed and efficiency, and rapidly anticipate and eliminate threats. Our culture drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. We are members of the Fortune 500, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information, visit us at caci.com. # # # Corporate Communications and Media: Lauren Presti Executive Director, Strategic Communications (703) 434-5037, lauren.presti@caci.com View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from CACI on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: CACI Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/caci Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: CACI View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/caci-hosts-secretary-of-war-executive-fellows-for-2025-company-da-1129415 Outstanding commercial momentum driving backlog to above 100bn Order intake of 9.6 billion in Q3 and 20.0 billion in the first 9 months Book-to-bill ratio 1 of 1.4 for the Group and 1.8 for Rolling Stock over the first 9 months Sales growth trending towards full-year outlook Group sales at 4,792 million in Q3, up 2.6%, of which 5.9% on an organic 1 basis Group sales at 13,851 million in the first 9 months, up 3.0%, of which 7.2% on an organic 1 basis FY 2025/26 outlook and mid-term ambitions confirmed 20 January 2026 - Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, reports commercial and financial performance for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025/26 (from 1 October to 31 December 2025), with orders more than doubling to 9.6 billion compared to the same period last fiscal year and sales increasing by 2.6% to 4.8 billion. Adjusting for the adverse currency effects, organic sales were up 5.9% over the third quarter. This brings the 9-month order intake and sales to 20.0 billion and 13.9 billion respectively. The backlog, as of 31 December 2025, reached 100.3 billion. - Alstom's continued success in securing landmark contracts underscores our leadership in delivering innovative, sustainable, and integrated rail solutions at scale. Major projects are progressing, with the launch of the new Paris metro in October, metros and signalling system in India, as well as the Avelia Horizon very high-speed solution entering the final stage of its approval process. Together, these achievements reflect our ability to deliver complex projects across regions and keeps Alstom on track to meeting full-year guidance" stated Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Chief Executive Officer of Alstom. *** Key figures21 Reported figures (in million) 2024/25 Q3 2025/26 Q3 % Change Reported % Change Organic Orders received2 4,260 9,580 124.9% 131.1% Sales2 4,672 4,792 2.6% 5.9% Reported figures (in million) 2024/25 9 months 2025/26 9 months % Change Reported % Change Organic Orders received2 15,210 20,050 31.8% 34.2% Sales2 13,448 13,851 3.0% 7.2% Detailed review 1.Orders During the third quarter of fiscal year 2025/26, Alstom recorded 9,580 million in orders, compared to 4,260 million over the same period last fiscal year. Rolling Stock represented 63% of total order intake in the third quarter, stable compared to the 9-month period, underscoring the Group's strong competitive positioning in markets with robust tendering activity. Recent orders not only highlight the commercial success of both established and developing platforms within Alstom's Rolling Stock portfolio but also solid demand for bundled solutions combining Rolling Stock and Services. Alongside Rolling Stock, we continue to see strong momentum in Signalling and Services, with customers opting for bundled solutions that combine trains with signalling technologies and lifecycle support. In France, the Group has been awarded two optional tranches under the framework agreement between SNCF Voyageurs and Alstom for its very high-speed Avelia Horizon solution. The first tranche, valued at approximately 1.4 billion, covers the supply of 30 Avelia Horizon trainsets to Eurostar. These would be the first very high-speed double-deck trains to operate through the Channel Tunnel, with initial deliveries scheduled for 2031. The second tranche, worth around 600 million, involves the supply of 15 Avelia Horizon trainsets to SNCF Voyageurs for commercial operations notably across France and Belgium. In Europe, the Coradia Max double-deck electric multiple unit (EMU) solution continues to achieve notable success. First, Poland's national long-distance rail operator, PKP Intercity, awarded Alstom a contract worth approximately 1.6 billion for the delivery of 42 Coradia Max trains, along with 30 years of maintenance. Second, Landesanstalt Schienenfahrzeuge Baden-Wurttemberg (SFBW) exercised an option worth approximately 500 million under its 2022 agreement for the purchase of additional Coradia Max regional trains, together with a maintenance contract running until 2055. In Mexico, the Group signed a contract worth approximately 920 million for the supply of 47 short- and long-haul trains and five years of maintenance to the Mexican Railway Transport Regulatory Agency. This project will draw on Alstom's strong industrial base in Mexico and will leverage the solutions already developed and successfully deployed for the Tren?Maya project. In Australia, Alstom has been awarded a 1.0 billion share of the Suburban Rail Loop East Line contract in Melbourne. Under this Systems contract, the Group will deliver 13 automated Metropolis metro trains with 15 years of maintenance, alongside the Urbalis Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system. The scope also includes cybersecurity solutions, wired and wireless communications, station platform screen doors, and overall system integration. In Greece, Alstom has signed a 393 million contract with Greek operator Hellenic Train for the supply of 23 Coradia Stream EMUs and 10 years of maintenance. These trains will be produced at the Savigliano site in Italy, leveraging Alstom's expertise in the Coradia Stream platform, which has already been deployed for several customers across Europe. In Canada, Alstom has signed a 1.4?billion contract with the Toronto Transit Commission to supply 70 metro trains, supporting both the replacement and expansion of the current fleet operating on Toronto's Line?2. This contract will benefit from Alstom's unique engineering and manufacturing footprint in Canada. The total value of base orders (less than 200 million contract value) stood at 1.8 billion in the third quarter of fiscal year 2025/26. 2.Sales Over the first 9 months of fiscal year 2025/26, sales amounted to 13,851 million, representing 3.0% growth on a reported basis. After adjusting for a 3.3ppt adverse currency impact as well as a 0.8ppt negative scope effect from the disposal of the North American conventional signalling activities in the first half of fiscal year 2024/25, organic sales grew by 7.2% over the period. Rolling Stock sales reached 7,204 million, representing an increase of 3% on a reported basis and 6% on an organic basis, driven by consistent execution in France, Germany, the US and Italy. Rolling Stock production output totaled 3,078 cars for the first 9 months of fiscal year 2025/26, broadly stable compared to the same period of the last fiscal year. Services reported 3,414 million of sales over the first 9 months of fiscal year 2025/26, up 5% on a reported basis and 9% on an organic basis, benefiting from projects ramping up in the UK, the US and Germany. Signalling sales stood at 1,951 million over the first 9 months of fiscal year 2025/26, up 4% on a reported basis and 13% on an organic basis, led by solid execution across all regions and especially France, Italy, Germany, Australia and the UK. In Systems, Alstom reported 1,282 million sales for the 9 months, down (4)% on a reported basis and flat on an organic basis, led by strong execution in France, Italy and Canada. The ramp-down in Mexico was only partly compensated by ramp-ups in Brazil and Taiwan. 3.Operational milestones In France, Alstom's MF19 new-generation metro entered service on Line 10 of the Paris Metro in October 2025, marking a major milestone in the modernisation of the Ile-de-France Mobilites network. MF19 will replace three generations of rolling stock across eight lines. Alstom's latest CBTC-based on-board speed control system, developed in partnership with RATP and meeting its Octys standards, has been successfully launched on Line 10. In India, Alstom's metro trains entered commercial service in Bhopal, marking a major step in the country's urban transport modernisation. Delivered in record time, moving from contract award to operations in just over three years, the project was 100% made in India. The system also integrates the latest generation of CBTC signalling technology to ensure enhanced safety, reliability, and operational efficiency. In Canada, Alstom's Citadis light rail vehicles entered passenger service on Toronto's Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) line. Built at Alstom's facility in Brampton, Ontario, the Citadis vehicles offer improved accessibility, energy efficiency, and passenger comfort, supporting the city's vision for greener, more connected public transport. In the UK, Alstom has completed a major upgrade of the Cambridge rail network, delivered over the festive period and bringing a more modern, dependable railway to the region. The project enhances safety and reliability for passengers, road users and the wider community, while also preparing the network for future digital technologies such as the European Train Control System (ETCS). Following an extensive testing programme, the submission of the TGV M authorisation for placing on the market to the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) marks the start of the final phase of the approval process and a key milestone for the development of the Avelia Horizon platform. In Fez, Morocco, Alstom announced plans to establish the world's first dedicated, multi-platform production line for train driver desks, alongside an investment to double transformer production capacity in the Kingdom. The initiative also includes creating a development and engineering office to strengthen local expertise. FY 2025/26 outlook and medium-term ambitions Assumptions for FY 2025/26 The outlook for FY 2025/26 is based on the following main assumptions: Supportive market demand Number of cars produced stable vs FY 2024/25 R&D / sales around 3% Mitigating US tariffs impact Outlook for FY 2025/26 Group and Rolling Stock book-to-bill ratio above 1 Sales organic growth above 5% aEBIT margin around 7% Free Cash Flow generation to be within the 200 to 400 million range Over the three years from FY 2024/25 to FY 2026/27, the Group expects to deliver at least 1.5 billion in free cash-flow, despite Contract Working Capital being a headwind over that period. Medium-term ambitions Medium-term ambitions are confirmed as per the May 14, 2025, full year announcement Financial calendar 13 May 2026 FY 2025/26 Full-Year results 9 July 2026 General assembly of shareholders 22 July 2026 FY 2026/27 First Quarter Orders and Sales Conference Call Alstom is pleased to invite the analysts to a conference call presenting its third quarter orders and sales for the fiscal year 2025/26 on Tuesday 20 January at 6:30 pm (Paris local time), hosted by Bernard Delpit, EVP and CFO. A live audiocast will also be available on Alstom's website: Alstom's third quarter 2025/26 orders and sales. To participate in the Q&A session (audio only), please use the dial-in numbers below: France: +33 (0) 1 7037 7166 UK: +44 (0) 33 0551 0200 USA: +1 786 697 3501 Canada: 1 866 378 3566 (toll free) Quote ALSTOM to the operator to be transferred to the appropriate conference. *** ALSTOM, Avelia, Avelia Horizon, Coradia, Coradia Max, Coradia Stream, Metropolis, Citadis, Movia and Urbalis are protected trademarks of the Alstom Group. Alstom Alstom commits to contribute to a low carbon future by developing and promoting innovative and sustainable transportation solutions that people enjoy riding. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, Alstom offers its diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. With its presence in 63 countries and a talent base of over 86,000 people from 184 nationalities, the company focuses its design, innovation, and project management skills to where mobility solutions are needed most. Listed in France, Alstom generated sales of 18.5 billion for the fiscal year ending on 31 March 2025. For more information, please visit www.alstom.com. Contacts Press: Philippe MOLITOR - Tel.: +33 (0) 7 76 00 97 79 philippe.molitor@alstomgroup.com Coralie COLLET - Tel.: +33 (0) 7 63 63 09 62 coralie.collet@alstomgroup.com Investor Relations Cyril GUERIN - Tel.: +33 (0)6 07 89 36 16 cyril.guerin@alstomgroup.com Guillaume GAUVILLE - Tel: +44 (0)7 588 022 744 guillaume.gauville@alstomgroup.com Jalal DAHMANE - Tel: +33 (0)6 98 19 96 62 jalal.dahmane@alstomgroup.com This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current plans and forecasts of Alstom's management. Such forward-looking statements are relevant to the current scope of activity and are by their nature subject to a number of important risks and uncertainty factors (such as those described in the documents filed by Alstom with the French AMF) that could cause reported results to differ from the plans, objectives and expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and Alstom undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release does not constitute or form part of a prospectus or any offer or invitation for the sale or issue of, or any offer or inducement to purchase or subscribe for, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for any shares or other securities in the Company in France, the United Kingdom, the United States or any other jurisdiction. Any offer of the Company's securities may only be made in France pursuant to a prospectus having received the approval from the AMF or, outside France, pursuant to an offering document prepared for such purpose. The information does not constitute any form of commitment on the part of the Company or any other person. Neither the information nor any other written or oral information made available to any recipient, or its advisers will form the basis of any contract or commitment whatsoever. In particular, in furnishing the information, the Company, the Joint Global Coordinators, their affiliates, shareholders, and their respective directors, officers, advisers, employees or representatives undertake no obligation to provide the recipient with access to any additional information. APPENDIX 1A - GEOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN Reported figures 2024/25 - 2025/26 - (in million) 9 months Contrib. 9 months Contrib. Europe 11,249 74% 11,167 56% Americas 1,970 13% 6,022 30% Asia/Pacific 1,247 8% 2,586 13% Middle East/Africa/Central Asia 744 5% 275 1% Orders by destination 15,210 100% 20,050 100% Reported figures 2024/25 - 2025/26 - (in million) 9 months Contrib. 9 months Contrib. Europe 7,544 56% 8,294 60% Americas 2,773 21% 2,411 17% Asia/Pacific 1,992 15% 1,936 14% Middle East/Africa/Central Asia 1,139 8% 1,210 9% Sales by destination 13,448 100% 13,851 100% APPENDIX 1B - PRODUCT BREAKDOWN Reported figures 2024/25 - 2025/26 - (in million) 9 months Contrib. 9 months Contrib. Rolling stock 5,719 38% 12,666 63% Services 6,261 41% 3,925 20% Systems 636 4% 1,142 6% Signalling 2,594 17% 2,318 12% Orders by product line 15,210 100% 20,050 100% Reported figures 2024/25 - 2025/26 - (in million) 9 months Contrib. 9 months Contrib. Rolling stock 6,969 52% 7,204 52% Services 3,257 24% 3,414 25% Systems 1,342 10% 1,282 9% Signalling 1,880 14% 1,951 14% Sales by product line 13,448 100% 13,851 100% APPENDIX 2 - NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INDICATORS DEFINITIONS This section presents financial indicators used by the Group that are not defined by accounting standard setters. Orders received A new order is recognised as an order received only when the contract creates enforceable obligations between the Group and its customer. When this condition is met, the order is recognised at the contract value. If the contract is denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the reporting unit, the Group requires the immediate elimination of currency exposure using forward currency sales. Orders are then measured using the spot rate at inception of hedging instruments. Book-to-Bill The book-to-bill ratio is the ratio of orders received to the amount of sales traded for a specific period. Gross margin % on backlog Gross Margin % on backlog is a KPI that presents the expected performance level of firm contracts in backlog. It represents the difference between the sales not yet recognized and the cost of sales not yet incurred from the contracts in backlog. This % is an average of the portfolio of contracts in backlog and is meaningful to project mid- and long-term profitability. Adjusted Gross Margin before PPA Adjusted Gross Margin before PPA is a KPI that presents the level of recurring operational performance. It represents the sales minus the cost of sales, adjusted to exclude the impact of amortisation of assets exclusively valued when determining the PPA in the context of business combination as well as significant, non-recurring "one off" items that are not expected to occur again in subsequent years. EBIT before PPA Following the Bombardier Transportation acquisition and with effect from the fiscal year 2021/22 condensed consolidated financial statements, Alstom decided to introduce the "EBIT before PPA" KPI aimed at restating its Earnings Before Interest and Taxes ("EBIT") to exclude the impact of amortisation of assets exclusively valued when determining the PPA in the context of business combination. This KPI is also aligned with market practice. Adjusted EBIT Adjusted EBIT ("aEBIT") is a KPI that presents the level of recurring operational performance. This KPI is also aligned with market practice and comparable to the Group's direct competitors. Since September 2019, Alstom has opted for the inclusion of the share in net income of the equity-accounted investments into the aEBIT even though this component is part of the operating activities of the Group (because there are significant operational flows and/or common project execution associated with these entities). This mainly includes Chinese joint ventures, namely CASCO joint venture for Alstom as well as, following the integration of Bombardier Transportation, Alstom Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation Ltd., Jiangsu Alstom NUG Propulsion System Co. Ltd. aEBIT corresponds to Earning Before Interests and Tax adjusted for the following elements: Net restructuring expenses (including rationalisation costs); Tangibles and intangibles impairment; Capital gains or loss/revaluation on investments disposals or controls changes of an entity; Any other non-recurring items, such as some costs incurred to realise business combinations and amortisation of an asset exclusively valued in the context of business combination, as well as litigation costs that have arisen outside the ordinary course of business; And including the share in net income of the operational equity-accounted investments. A non-recurring item is a significant, "one-off" exceptional item that is not expected to occur again in subsequent years. Adjusted EBIT margin corresponds to Adjusted EBIT expressed as a percentage of sales. EBITDA + JV dividends EBITDA before PPA plus dividends from joint ventures is the EBIT before PPA, before depreciation and amortisation, with the addition of the dividends received from joint ventures. Adjusted net profit The "Adjusted Net Profit" KPI restates Alstom's net profit from continued operations (Group share) to exclude the impact of amortisation of assets exclusively valued when determining the PPA in the context of business combination, net of the corresponding tax effect. This indicator is also aligned with market practice. Free cash flow Free Cash Flow is de?ned as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures including capitalised development costs, net of proceeds from disposals of tangible and intangible assets. Free Cash Flow does not include any proceeds from disposals of activity. The most directly comparable financial measure to Free Cash Flow calculated and presented in accordance with IFRS is net cash provided by operating activities. Funds from Operations Funds from Operations "FFO" in the EBIT to FCF statement refers to the Free Cash Flow generated by Operations, before Working Capital variations. Contract and Trade Working Capital Contract Working Capital is the sum of: Contract Assets & Liabilities, which includes the Customer Down-Payments Current provisions, which includes Risks on contracts and Warranties Trade Working Capital is the Working Capital that is not strictly contractual, hence not included in Project Working Capital. It includes: Inventories Trade Receivables Trade Payables Other elements of Working Capital defined as the sum of Other Current Assets/Liabilities and Non-Current provisions Net cash/(debt) The net cash/(debt) is defined as cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities and other current financial asset, less borrowings. Pay-out ratio The pay-out ratio is calculated by dividing the amount of the overall dividend with the "Adjusted Net profit from continuing operations attributable to equity holders of the parent, Group share" as presented in the management report in the consolidated financial statements. Organic basis This press release includes performance indicators presented on a reported basis and on an organic basis. Figures given on an organic basis eliminate the impact of changes in scope of consolidation and changes resulting from the translation of the accounts into Euro following the variation of foreign currencies against the Euro. The Group uses figures prepared on an organic basis both for internal analysis and for external communication, as it believes they provide means to analyse and explain variations from one period to another. However, these figures are not measurements of performance under IFRS. Q3 2024/25 Q3 2025/26 (in million) Reported figures Exchange rate and scope impact Comparable Figures Reported figures % Var Reported. % Var Org. Orders 4,260 (114) 4,146 9,580 124.9% 131.1% Sales 4,672 (147) 4,525 4,792 2.6% 5.9% 9 months 2024/25 9 months 2025/26 (in million) Reported figures Exchange rate and scope impact Comparable Figures Reported figures % Var Reported. % Var Org. Orders 15,210 (274) 14,936 20,050 31.8% 34.2% Sales 13,448 (528) 12,919 13,851 3.0% 7.2% 1 Non - GAAP. See definition in the appendix. 2 Geographic and product breakdowns of reported orders and sales are provided in Appendix 1 Chassieu (France), 20 January 2026 - 6:00 pm - Amoeba (FR0011051598 - ALMIB), industrial greentech specialised in the development of natural microbiological solutions based on the patented use of amoebae, recaps its recent participation in SIVAL (International Exhibition of Plant Production Techniques) in Angers (France). During this leading European and global event for the crop industry, Amoeba won the gold medal in the SIVAL Innovation 2026 Competition for its biocontrol solution and announced, together with its partner Koppert, the commercial launch in 2026 of its biocontrol solution for treating vineyards and vegetable crops as soon as market authorisations are obtained in the targeted European countries. AXPERA recognised as the innovative solution of the year by professionals For the 2026 edition of SIVAL, the jury selected and evaluated 34 innovations, nominated in seven different categories. Amoeba and its AXPERA solution, presented in the category 'plant health, soil and growing media', stood out for their pioneering scientific approach, opening up new perspectives for sustainable protection against fungal diseases, and were awarded the gold medal in the SIVAL Innovation 2026 competition. The awards were officially presented during a special evening event held on 14 January. Receiving the award, Jean-Francois Doucet, CEO of Amoeba, said: "Receiving the SIVAL d'Or in Angers a few months after receiving the Bernard Blum Award in Basel is a source of great pride for the Amoeba teams, who work tirelessly to put biology at the service of concrete solutions for agriculture. We must make these effective alternatives available to farmers." SIVAL 2026 also featured several highlights for Amoeba and its partners. On 13 January, Koppert held a press conference at the event to announce the international launch of the TIAGAN brand, which will replace AXPERA as the commercial brand for viticultural uses. This major milestone is the result of several months of collaboration between Amoeba and Koppert. Lastly, the three days of the exhibition provided an opportunity to pursue and deepen numerous contacts with the arboriculture, vegetable growing and wine-growing sectors. Following intense regulatory activity, major alliances in 2025 and recognition by future customers... This prestigious award received at SIVAL, marks an exceptional year for Amoeba's biocontrol solution, which has impressed both major industry players and professionals in the field with its potential. June 2025 Approval of the active substance lysate of Willaertia magna C2c Maky by the 27 Member States of the European Union as a low-risk substance. Signing of a strategic commercial agreement with Koppert, world leader in biocontrol. This agreement grants it exclusive distribution rights for a period of five years for its product designed for vines and vegetable crops in greenhouses and open fields in 18 European countries and the United States. October 2025 Market authorisation in the United States for AXPERA. Amoeba receives the Bernard Blum Gold Medal, the highest distinction for innovation in biocontrol. This award positions AXPERA as the most promising biocontrol solution of the year. November 2025 Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Syngenta, global leader in crop protection and biocontrol, to develop and market innovative biocontrol solutions for the European Union and United Kingdom markets, with a focus on cereals and field crops. These crucial steps were very well received by biocontrol professionals. Among winegrowers, the AXPERA solution has proven particularly effective in combating grapevine downy mildew, enabling them to reduce their use of copper in line with current regulatory guidelines, while improving the effectiveness of plant protection programmes. Lastly, Amoeba was featured in early 2026 by the American television network CNN in its series Innovate, which showcases companies behind innovative and sustainable solutions[1]. This major international media selected Amoeba for its ability to develop disruptive, environmentally friendly innovation, described as one of "the breakthroughs reshaping our world.[2]". the biocontrol solution will be on the market by 2026 for vines and vegetable crops Amoeba is now waiting for marketing authorisations for the TIAGAN solution (formerly AXPERA) in the nine European countries targeted[3], with a decision expected in the first half of 2026. Pending these authorisations, Amoeba is continuing to work closely with Koppert to implement the optimal strategy for marketing TIAGAN in the first European target countries, particularly France and Italy, where expectations are high (regulatory context unfavourable to the use of copper, phytotoxicity of sulphur, etc.), during 2026. Vines and vegetable crops will therefore be targeted as a priority. At the same time, Amoeba is continuing to invest in its CDMOs (subcontractors) in order to prepare for the ramp-up in production. The year 2026 will therefore enable the establishment of a robust supply chain to ensure the upcoming commercial ramp-up. Amoeba, alongside its main partner Koppert, is therefore approaching 2026 with the ambition of meeting the expectations of professionals in the agricultural and wine-growing sectors with an effective and environmentally friendly biofungicide solution. Jean-Francois DOUCET, CEO of Amoeba, states: "We are particularly satisfied with our presence at SIVAL, where we received another prestigious award for our biocontrol solution and had many fruitful discussions with professionals in the sector. The exhibition was an opportunity to showcase the growing recognition of our solution and its value among many farmers, manufacturers and distributors. While awaiting marketing authorisations, we are working closely with our partner Koppert and our subcontractors to prepare for the ramp-up in production." About Amoeba: Founded in 2010, Amoeba is a greentech company based in Chassieu (Lyon, France) whose ambition is to become a major player in the treatment of microbiological risk based on the patented use of amoebae in the plant protection and cosmetics sectors. With know-how that is unique in the world and protected by numerous patents, Amoeba is currently the only company capable of exploiting the full potential of the Willaertia amoeba on an industrial scale and cultivating it in sufficient volumes to offer biological solutions that constitute a viable alternative to the chemical products widely used today. Amoeba is currently focusing on the global biocontrol market for plant protection and on the cosmetics market. As the marketing of plant protection products is subject to obtaining local regulatory authorisations, the Company has carried out the necessary regulatory procedures and filed registration dossiers in Europe and the United States. The active substance has obtained approval in 2022 in the USA and in 2025 in Europe. Product approvals have been granted in the USA and are expected in the coming months in Europe. The cosmetic application does not require prior approval from a competent authority in Europe or the United States. The cosmetic ingredient is already registered on the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) list, paving the way for it to be marketed worldwide except in China, where local approval is required. Amoeba is listed on Euronext Growth (ALMIB). The company is a member of the Bpifrance Excellence network and is eligible for the PEA-PME scheme. For more information, visit www.amoeba-nature.com. Contacts: Amoeba ACTUS finance & communication Droit Devant Agency Chief Executive Officer Jean-Francois DOUCET +33 (0)4 26 69 16 00 jf.doucet@amoeba-nature.com Investor relations Pierre JACQUEMIN-GUILLAUME +33 (0)1 53 67 36 79 amoeba@actus.fr Financial press relations Serena BONI +33 (0)4 72 18 04 92 sboni@actus.fr Business and general public press relations Laetitia PINTO +33 (0)7 64 83 39 85 pinto@droitdevant.fr Disclaimer This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Amoeba which are based on its own assumptions and estimates and on information that is currently available to us. However, Amoeba gives no assurance that the estimates contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, with these estimates subject to numerous risks, including the risks set forth in Amoeba's universal registration document filed with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers) on April 17, 2025 under number D.25-0281 and available on the Amoeba website (www.amoeba-nature.com). The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Amoeba or not currently considered material by Amoeba . The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause Amoeba's actual results, financial conditions, performance, or achievements to be materially different from such forward-looking statements. [1] Click on this link to watch CNN's report on Amoeba. [2] See the press release issued by CNN on 9 January 2026. [3] France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal. ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: m2psaJpraZiXlm9yk5xpbpdrmptilGSWaGaXm2aek8nJmWtglmeXl5eWZnJnlW5m - 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-0-96090-amoeba-cp-sival-et-biocontrole-vdef-eng.pdf Key Take-Aways New full-scale sample prep facility to be co-branded "Scout Analytical, Powered by Paragon" with funding and operations handled by Paragon. Local prep, faster assays at scale: this facility bolsters Scout's current sample preparation capabilities in Coeur d'Alene, further removing shipping and long queue bottlenecks. Preferred rates + priority lanes: The facility is open to all third parties, Paragon will provide preferred rates and Tier-1 priority processing for Scout and its partners. Scout Analytical paired with Paragon's PhotonAssay capabilities will enable assay turnaround in days instead of weeks, a paradigm shift in exploration speed. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Paragon Advanced Labs Inc. (TSXV: PALS) ("Paragon" or the "Company"), through Paragon Geochemical Laboratories Inc., has executed a strategic partnership with Scout Discoveries Corp. ("Scout") to establish a sample preparation facility at Scout's northern operations hub in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, co-branded "Scout Analytical, Powered by Paragon." The facility integrates local sample preparation with Paragon's ISO-certified analytical capabilities including a Chrysos PhotonAssay network to compress assay turnaround time and materially improve efficiency across Scout's exploration programs. A New Standard for Exploration Speed The partnership integrates Scout's exploration team, robust drilling fleet, and Idaho-based infrastructure with Paragon's industry-leading geochemical expertise, fire assay and network of Chrysos PhotonAssay technology. By establishing localized sample preparation at Scout's northern operations hub, this partnership removes the logistical bottlenecks that have traditionally hindered exploration progress in the emerging Idaho Copper Belt and adjacent Silver Valley, enabling faster and more efficient project advancement. With Paragon's ISO-certified analytics now built into Scout, the entire exploration process - including targeting, drilling, logging, core imaging, processing, and assaying - is available to Scout and its partners in a single package. Key Highlights of the Partnership Fully Vertically Integrated: Adding another crucial element to Scout's vertically integrated model, enabling Scout and its partners to benefit from a seamless workflow, from drilling through to high-precision, independently validated assay results. Priority Processing: Samples from Scout's exploration projects, along with its partner's projects, will receive Tier-1 priority at the Coeur d'Alene facility, along with access to Scout's core processing ensuring rapid data-driven drilling adjustments. Technology-First Approach: The facility will feature advanced Orbis crushing and pulverizing systems, with specialized workflows optimized for PhotonAssay - the fastest, most sustainable gold analysis method in the industry. Assay Credits: Scout will receive assay credits equal to the sale amount of its currently operated Orbis OM50WM crusher and pulverizer being transferred to Paragon for use in the new prep facility. Expansion into Nevada: The agreement includes provisions for Scout to assist Paragon in establishing a reciprocal core-processing facility in Sparks, NV, further expanding the partnership's geographic footprint and expanding the Paragon facility in Sparks to include core-cutting services. "This partnership is exactly the kind of strategic move that defines Scout's approach to vertical integration of the discovery process," said Dr. Curtis Johnson, President & CEO of Scout. "By bringing Paragon's world-class lab capabilities and standards directly into our operations, we are not just improving efficiency, we are fundamentally changing the pace of exploration for our own projects and for our partners, by cutting weeks off the assay turnaround time. In a competitive market, speed is our greatest asset." Peter Shippen, CEO of Paragon added: "Paragon is committed to being where the discovery action is. Coeur d'Alene is a premier mining jurisdiction, and partnering with Scout-a leader in US exploration-allows us to deploy our 'Powered by Paragon' model in a way that benefits the entire regional mining community." The Coeur d'Alene facility is expected to be fully operational by Q1 2026 for Scout and its partners, Paragon, customers, and all third parties - coinciding with the launch of the spring drilling season. About Scout Scout Discoveries Corp., headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, is a private U.S. mineral exploration company with a 100% ownership of five precious and base metals projects in Idaho, and a right to acquire 100% of seven additional projects, comprising one of the largest unpatented claim holdings in the state. Scout is focused on rapidly advancing its project portfolio through discovery with five internal core drill rigs and experienced technical and drilling teams. More information on Scout Discoveries Corp. can be found at: www.scoutdiscoveries.com. About Paragon Advanced Labs Inc. Paragon Advanced Labs Inc. provides innovative analytical technologies to the global mining industry. By embracing new technology, the Company is addressing critical capacity bottlenecks in mineral assaying through the deployment of PhotonAssay technology and complementary analytical solutions. The Company delivers faster, more accurate, and cost-effective mineral analysis for mining operators worldwide. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF PARAGON ADVANCED LABS INC. Peter Shippen Chief Executive Officer and Director Paragon Advanced Labs Inc. Forward-looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans, business objectives, strategy, financial or operational performance, exploration or development programs, future market conditions, and other future events or conditions. Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "should," "will," and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's public filings available under its profile on SEDAR+. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly, are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280928 Source: Paragon Advanced Labs Inc. IMMUNOLIFE, a Phase 2 randomized exploratory study, will evaluate the potential of MaaT033 in combination with Cemiplimab versus Best Investigator Choice (i.e.: second line) in enhancing disease control rate in patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) who have received antibiotics The IMMUNOLIFE trial is sponsored by Gustave Roussy, a world-renowned center in cancer treatment and conducted within the IMMUNOLIFE consortium, which brings together leading experts in immuno-oncology including Lisa Derosa, MD, PhD This exploratory trial assesses the rationale for combining a full-ecosystem microbiotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients presenting antibiotic-induced dysbiosis and improve clinical outcomes This collaboration will generate additional data to advance MaaT034 program in immuno-oncology and the Company's microbiome-informed AI platform Regulatory News: MaaT Pharma (EURONEXT: MAAT the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company and a leader in the development of Microbiome Ecosystem TherapiesTM (MET) dedicated to enhancing survival for patients with cancer through immune modulation, announced that the first patient has been randomized in the IMMUNOLIFE Phase 2 clinical trial, a randomized multicenter study evaluating the potential of an oral pooled fecal microbiotherapy (MaaT033) in combination with Regeneron's Cemiplimab (CB) in enhancing disease control rate versus best investigator's choice (BIC) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have developed resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade following antibiotic (ATB) exposure and who present ATB-induced gut dysbiosis. The IMMUNOLIFE trial is evaluating MaaT033 in combination with CB vs BIC in 162 patients with advanced NSCLC who are refractory to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and have received antibiotics. Patients are randomized (1:1) to receive either MaaT033 orally for one week prior to each cycle of CB (administered every 3 weeks for 6 months), followed by CB alone, or BIC. The primary objective is to assess whether the combination is associated with an improved disease control rate at 12 weeks compared to BIC. The study includes 14 centres in France, with patient enrolment of approximately 2 years and total CB treatment duration of 2 years. Primary results after 1-year follow-up post-treatment could be expected in late 2030. An interim futility analysis around H1 2027, after the 81st randomized patient. "Gut dysbiosis is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for immunoresistance to immunotherapy. MaaT033 is designed to restore microbiome balance and may help improve patients' response to treatment," said Lisa Derosa, MD, PhD at Gustave Roussy and coordinating investigator of the IMMUNOLIFE trial. "We have built substantial evidence in our hemato-oncology programs that complex donor-derived products restore immune homeostasis in the context of pre-existing dysbiosis. This study represents an opportunity to further explore these findings in immuno-oncology in a well-defined patient population expected to show antibiotic-mediated dysbiosis," said Herve Affagard, CEO and co-founder of MaaT Pharma. This trial, sponsored by Gustave Roussy, is part of MaaT Pharma's exploratory strategy launched in 2022, which also includes the PICASSO trial, a Phase 2a randomized controlled trial sponsored by AP-HP in Paris evaluating Xervyteg (MaaT013) in combination with ICIs, ipilimumab (Yervoy) and nivolumab (Opdivo) for patients with metastatic melanoma. The Company has been informed by PICASSO's academic sponsor that topline results could not be available in Q4 2025 (as previously announced) and could now be expected in H1 2026. Overall, IMMUNOLIFE and PICASSO studies aim to contribute to the ongoing assessment of the Company's research strategy, including indication, treatment line, and patient population. This will also inform on the clinical development of MaaT034, a co-cultured microbiome-based therapy and the Company's next-generation drug candidate, designed to target large indications in solid tumors. In parallel, data already generated and to be generated during the IMMUNOLIFE consortium will also fuel the Company's AI platform and support the development of all the Company's microbiome-based drug candidates. The IMMUNOLIFE consortium includes leading academic institutions such as Gustave Roussy, INSERM, Paris Saclay University, INRAe, Hospital-University Institute (IHU) Mediterranee Infection and biotech companies. The consortium aims to address the challenge of primary resistance to ICI observed in advanced NSCLC patients following antibiotic exposure. The IMMUNOLIFE consortium receives funding from the French National Research Agency ("ANR-21-5 RHUS-0017 IMMUNOLIFE"). For more information on the IMMUNOLIFE (IMMUNOLIFE2) study: NCT07001618 About MaaT033 MaaT033, a standardized, donor-derived, high-richness, high-diversity oral Microbiome Ecosystem TherapyTM containing anti-inflammatory ButycoreTM species, is currently being developed as an adjunctive therapy to improve overall survival in patients receiving HSCT and other cellular therapies. It aims to ensure optimal microbiota function and to address a larger patient population in a chronic setting. MaaT033 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). About MaaT034 MaaT034, currently in preclinical development, is a next-generation donor-independent full ecosystem synthetic microbiome therapy, dedicated to improving patient responses to immunotherapy in combination with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Developed using the Company's co-culturing proprietary MET-C platform, MaaT034 is optimized for large-scale production in oncology. Previous presented preclinical data showed that MaaT034 produced key metabolites, recognized as promoting gut barrier restoration and modulating immune responses, such as Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA), secondary bile acids, and tryptophan derivatives. These data support the role of MaaT034 in gut barrier repair and in T cell reactivation either in combination with anti-PD1 or with anti-PD-L1. By enhancing gut barrier repair and modulating immune responses, MaaT034 is expected to complement the action of these immunotherapeutic agents, potentially improving their efficacy in treating solid tumors cancer. About MaaT Pharma MaaT Pharma is a leading, late-stage clinical company focused on developing innovative gut microbiome-driven therapies to modulate the immune system and enhance cancer patient survival. Supported by a talented team committed to making a difference for patients worldwide, the Company was founded in 2014 and is based in Lyon, France. As a pioneer, MaaT Pharma is leading the way in bringing the first microbiome-driven immunomodulator in oncology. Using its proprietary pooling and co-cultivation technologies, MaaT Pharma develops high diversity, standardized drug candidates, aiming at extending life of cancer patients. MaaT Pharma has been listed on Euronext Paris (ticker: MAAT) since 2021. Forward-looking Statements All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release about future events are subject to (i) change without notice and (ii) factors beyond the Company's control. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by, or including words such as "target," "believe," "expect," "aim", "intend," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "will," "can have," "likely," "should," "would," "could" and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control that could cause the Company's actual results or performance to be materially different from the expected results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260120896543/en/ Contacts: MaaT Pharma Investor Relations Eric Soyer Chief Financial Officer +33 4 28 29 14 00 invest@maat-pharma.com MaaT Pharma Media Relations Pauline Richaud Senior PR Corporate Communications Manager +33 6 14 06 45 92 media@maat-pharma.com Catalytic Agency U.S. Media Relations Heather Shea Media relations for MaaT Pharma +1 617-286-2013 heather.shea@catalyticagency.com BENGALURU, India, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Syngene International, a global contract research, development, and manufacturing organization (CRDMO), today announced the extension of its long-standing strategic collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb through 2035. The expanded agreement broadens the scope of integrated services across the drug development lifecycle spanning discovery (chemistry, biology, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics), translational sciences, pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, clinical trials, data and information technology services to enable seamless progression from research to commercialization. The expansion of this collaboration marks the next phase of growth, reinforcing Syngene's position as a strategic partner delivering integrated, end-to-end scientific and manufacturing solutions. Peter Bains, Managing Director and CEO, Syngene International Ltd., said, "Our collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, which now spans more than 25 years, is anchored in scientific excellence, operational reliability, and a shared commitment to advancing innovative therapies. The agreement to extend this partnership through 2035 enables us to plan together for the future in terms of building new capabilities and infrastructure with a decade long horizon. Taking a long-term perspective is a key feature of our partnership which adds strategic value to both companies. We look forward to supporting BMS with their next wave of discovery, development, and manufacturing programs that have the potential to improve patient outcomes worldwide." Payal Sheth, Senior Vice President, Therapeutic Discovery Sciences, Bristol Myers Squibb, said, "At Bristol Myers Squibb, everything we do begins with patients. We greatly value our long-standing partnership with Syngene, which has been instrumental in advancing our scientific ambitions. This expanded collaboration reflects our commitment to advancing innovative science by effective integration of our research, development, and manufacturing capabilities to accelerate the delivery of transformative medicines and bring hope to patients around the world who are waiting for new treatment options." The collaboration between Syngene and Bristol Myers Squibb began in 1998, culminating in the establishment of the Biocon Bristol Myers Squibb Research and Development Center (BBRC), Syngene's first dedicated R&D Center, which was fully commissioned in 2009. Over the years, the BBRC has evolved into a major strategic R&D site for Bristol Myers Squibb, supporting integrated capabilities across target identification, lead discovery, lead optimization, pharmaceutical development, molecular and cell biology, protein sciences, assay biology and clinical biomarkers. The center, which today houses around 700 Syngene scientists working as an extension of Bristol Myers Squibb's global research organization, contributes to discovery, preclinical development, and patent filings across therapeutic areas including cardiovascular, fibrosis, immunology, and oncology. Since its inception, BBRC has played a pivotal role in accelerating the progression of novel compounds from early discovery to first-in-human studies, thereby helping reduce development timelines and overall costs for Bristol Myers Squibb. About Syngene Syngene International Ltd. (BSE: 539268, NSE: SYNGENE, ISIN: INE 398R01022) is an integrated research, development, and manufacturing services company serving the global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, nutrition, animal health, consumer goods, and specialty chemical sectors. Syngene's team of over 8,200 employees including 5,600 scientists, brings both deep expertise and the capacity to deliver scientific excellence, robust data security, and world class manufacturing, at speed, to improve time-to-market and lower the cost of innovation. With over 2.5 mn sq. ft of specialized discovery, development, and manufacturing facilities across India and the U.S., Syngene works with 400 global customers across industry segments, including biotech companies pursuing leading-edge science and multinationals such as BMS, GSK, Zoetis, and Merck KGaA. For more details, visit www.syngeneintl.com. For the Company's latest Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report, visit Syngene ESG Report. Media Contacts: Vijay Jeevanandham Syngene International Limited M: +91 8310914552 E: Vijay.Jeevanandham@syngeneintl.com Alex Heeley / Abdul Khalifeh De Facto Communications T: +44 (0) 203 735 8165 / +44 (0) 7834784764 E: a.khalifeh@defacto.co.uk E: a.heeley@defacto.co.uk Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2637918/5725919/Syngene_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/syngene-international-extends-long-term-research-collaboration-with-bristol-myers-squibb-until-2035-302665704.html Chassieu, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chassieu (France), 20 January 2026 - 6:00 pm -Amoeba (FR0011051598 - ALMIB), industrial greentech specialised in the development of natural microbiological solutions based on the patented use of amoebae, recaps its recent participation in SIVAL (International Exhibition of Plant Production Techniques) in Angers (France). During this leading European and global event for the crop industry, Amoeba won the gold medal in the SIVAL Innovation 2026 Competition for its biocontrol solution and announced, together with its partner Koppert, the commercial launch in 2026 of its biocontrol solution for treating vineyards and vegetable crops as soon as market authorisations are obtained in the targeted European countries. AXPERA recognised as the innovative solution of the year by professionals For the 2026 edition of SIVAL, the jury selected and evaluated 34 innovations, nominated in seven different categories. Amoeba and its AXPERA solution, presented in the category 'plant health, soil and growing media', stood out for their pioneering scientific approach, opening up new perspectives for sustainable protection against fungal diseases, and were awarded the gold medal in the SIVAL Innovation 2026 competition. The awards were officially presented during a special evening event held on 14 January. Receiving the award, Jean-Francois Doucet, CEO of Amoeba, said: "Receiving the SIVAL d'Or in Angers a few months after receiving the Bernard Blum Award in Basel is a source of great pride for the Amoeba teams, who work tirelessly to put biology at the service of concrete solutions for agriculture. We must make these effective alternatives available to farmers." SIVAL 2026 also featured several highlights for Amoeba and its partners. On 13 January, Koppert held a press conference at the event to announce the international launch of the TIAGAN brand, which will replace AXPERA as the commercial brand for viticultural uses. This major milestone is the result of several months of collaboration between Amoeba and Koppert. Lastly, the three days of the exhibition provided an opportunity to pursue and deepen numerous contacts with the arboriculture, vegetable growing and wine-growing sectors. Following intense regulatory activity, major alliances in 2025 and recognition by future customers... This prestigious award received at SIVAL, marks an exceptional year for Amoeba's biocontrol solution, which has impressed both major industry players and professionals in the field with its potential. June 2025 Approval of the active substance lysate of Willaertia magna C2c Maky by the 27 Member States of the European Union as a low-risk substance. Signing of a strategic commercial agreement with Koppert, world leader in biocontrol. This agreement grants it exclusive distribution rights for a period of five years for its product designed for vines and vegetable crops in greenhouses and open fields in 18 European countries and the United States. October 2025 Market authorisation in the United States for AXPERA. Amoeba receives the Bernard Blum Gold Medal, the highest distinction for innovation in biocontrol. This award positions AXPERA as the most promising biocontrol solution of the year. November 2025 Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Syngenta, global leader in crop protection and biocontrol, to develop and market innovative biocontrol solutions for the European Union and United Kingdom markets, with a focus on cereals and field crops. These crucial steps were very well received by biocontrol professionals. Among winegrowers, the AXPERA solution has proven particularly effective in combating grapevine downy mildew, enabling them to reduce their use of copper in line with current regulatory guidelines, while improving the effectiveness of plant protection programmes. Lastly, Amoeba was featured in early 2026 by the American television network CNN in its series Innovate, which showcases companies behind innovative and sustainable solutions1. This major international media selected Amoeba for its ability to develop disruptive, environmentally friendly innovation, described as one of "the breakthroughs reshaping our world.2". the biocontrol solution will be on the market by 2026 for vines and vegetable crops Amoeba is now waiting for marketing authorisations for the TIAGAN solution (formerly AXPERA) in the nine European countries targeted3, with a decision expected in the first half of 2026. Pending these authorisations, Amoeba is continuing to work closely with Koppert to implement the optimal strategy for marketing TIAGAN in the first European target countries, particularly France and Italy, where expectations are high (regulatory context unfavourable to the use of copper, phytotoxicity of sulphur, etc.), during 2026. Vines and vegetable crops will therefore be targeted as a priority. At the same time, Amoeba is continuing to invest in its CDMOs (subcontractors) in order to prepare for the ramp-up in production. The year 2026 will therefore enable the establishment of a robust supply chain to ensure the upcoming commercial ramp-up. Amoeba, alongside its main partner Koppert, is therefore approaching 2026 with the ambition of meeting the expectations of professionals in the agricultural and wine-growing sectors with an effective and environmentally friendly biofungicide solution. Jean-Francois DOUCET, CEO of Amoeba, states: "We are particularly satisfied with our presence at SIVAL, where we received another prestigious award for our biocontrol solution and had many fruitful discussions with professionals in the sector. The exhibition was an opportunity to showcase the growing recognition of our solution and its value among many farmers, manufacturers and distributors. While awaiting marketing authorisations, we are working closely with our partner Koppert and our subcontractors to prepare for the ramp-up in production." About Amoeba : Founded in 2010, Amoeba is a greentech company based in Chassieu (Lyon, France) whose ambition is to become a major player in the treatment of microbiological risk based on the patented use of amoebae in the plant protection and cosmetics sectors. With know-how that is unique in the world and protected by numerous patents, Amoeba is currently the only company capable of exploiting the full potential of the Willaertia amoeba on an industrial scale and cultivating it in sufficient volumes to offer biological solutions that constitute a viable alternative to the chemical products widely used today. Amoeba is currently focusing on the global biocontrol market for plant protection and on the cosmetics market. As the marketing of plant protection products is subject to obtaining local regulatory authorisations, the Company has carried out the necessary regulatory procedures and filed registration dossiers in Europe and the United States. The active substance has obtained approval in 2022 in the USA and in 2025 in Europe. Product approvals have been granted in the USA and are expected in the coming months in Europe. The cosmetic application does not require prior approval from a competent authority in Europe or the United States. The cosmetic ingredient is already registered on the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) list, paving the way for it to be marketed worldwide except in China, where local approval is required. Amoeba is listed on Euronext Growth. Disclaimer This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Amoeba which are based on its own assumptions and estimates and on information that is currently available to us. However, Amoeba gives no assurance that the estimates contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, with these estimates subject to numerous risks, including the risks set forth in Amoeba's universal registration document filed with the French Financial Markets Authority). The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Amoeba or not currently considered material by Amoeba. The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause Amoeba's actual results, financial conditions, performance, or achievements to be materially different from such forward-looking statements. 1Click on this link to watch CNN's report on Amoeba. 2See the press release issued by CNN on 9 January 2026. 3 France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal. Attachment amoeba_200126_VEN (https://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/ba57afd7-e475-427e-b8c5-4f5dfe48fb8c) Contacts: Amoeba Chief Executive Officer Jean-Francois DOUCET +33 (0)4 26 69 16 00 jf.doucet@amoeba-nature.com ACTUS finance & communication Investor relations Pierre JACQUEMIN-GUILLAUME +33 (0)1 53 67 36 79 amoeba@actus.fr Financial press relations Serena BONI +33 (0)4 72 18 04 92 sboni@actus.fr Droit Devant Agency Business and general public press relations Laetitia PINTO +33 (0)7 64 83 39 85 pinto@droitdevant.fr WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gold prices catapulted to unprecedented levels on Tuesday as U.S. President Donald Trump's continued push to take over Greenland drove safe-haven demand. Front Month Comex Gold for January delivery zoomed by $171.20 (or 3.73%) to $4,759.60 per troy ounce. Notably, this is a new record high for gold prices. Front Month Comex Silver for January delivery also skyrocketed by $6.1150 (or 6.94%) to $94.206 per troy ounce. Notably, this is also a new record high for silver prices. Despite opposition from European nations and criticism from Russia and China, citing future Russian threats, Trump stepped up efforts to bring the Denmark-owned territory of Greenland in the Arctic under U.S. control. Committed to push the issue at the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland, Trump also shared an image depicting Greenland as a part of 'U.S. territory.' Further, in a supposedly AI-generated map shared by Trump, Canada and Venezuela are shown as U.S. territories. Reportedly, U.S.-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft is heading to Greenland to land at Pituffik Space Base. The main session of the WEF began on Monday. The annual meeting is set to wrap up on January 23. Trump is expected to deliver a keynote address on Wednesday. Earlier, Trump threatened to impose 10% tariffs from February 1 (with the chances of increasing to 25% by June) on eight European countries that refuse to align with the U.S. on the Greenland issue. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that Trump's remarks are risking pushing U.S.-EU relations into a 'downward spiral.' At the same time, she assured that the EU will deliver an 'unflinching' response to his threats. The EU chief announced that the EU bloc is readying a package to consolidate the Arctic security. Earlier this month, Trump successfully directed U.S. forces to capture the president of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro and now has 'virtually' taken control of its oil industry. Experts are concerned that Trump may adventure something similar in Greenland. In the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Russia launched ballistic missiles targeting Ukraine's capital Kyiv and a barrage of drone attacks on key energy infrastructure installations. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he is expecting to sign documents with the U.S. on post-war security guarantees on the U.S. peace proposal to end the war, while Ukraine's top military commander announced that Russia is not indicating any visible sign of interest in peace talks. In the Middle East, a U.S.-based Human Rights agency reported that over 4,000 have been killed in the recent protests that began on December 28 against the clerical regime in Iran. Earlier, Trump warned Iran of military strikes if the government unleashed violence against demonstrators but later retreated, stating that he had confirmed reports that the 'killings have stopped.' Reports are indicating that the U.S. is consolidating forces at Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean, keeping U.S.-Iran conflict tensions alive. In the U.S., data released by the Automatic Data Processing today revealed that private employers added an average of 8,000 jobs per week for the four weeks ending December 27, down from an average gain of 11,250 in the previous period. The U.S. dollar index was last seen trading at 98.49, down by (0.91%) today. Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 2026 AFX News TACOMA, WA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation, a leading roofing, gutters, and insulation contractor in the Pacific Northwest, is proud to announce a new partnership with Owens Corning and Habitat for Humanity as part of the national Roof Deployment Project. Through this collaboration, Guardian Roofing installed a complete new roof this October for Nancy, the deserving owner of a home located in Tacoma, WA-- at no cost to her. The Roof Deployment Project is a long-standing initiative by Owens Corning and Habitat for Humanity designed to honor and support U.S. military veterans and their families. Eligible homeowners receive new roofs donated by Owens Corning, installed by certified contractors volunteering their labor through the program. Since its inception in 2016, this national effort has delivered hundreds of safe, durable roofs for honorably discharged veterans and their families across the country. "We are honored to partner with Owens Corning and Habitat for Humanity 2on this meaningful project," said Mat Rzucidlo, President of Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation. "Building a roof may be our trade - but helping a veteran feel safe, secure, and proud in their home is something far more important. This project embodies what we stand for: quality, community, respect, and giving back." About the Project Roof materials - Donated by Owens Corning, ensuring top-quality shingles, underlayment, and roofing systems recognized for durability and performance. Installation - Performed by Guardian Roofing's certified crews as part of the Roof Deployment Project volunteer effort. Eligibility - The program supports honorably discharged veterans or their surviving spouses whose existing roof is in need of replacement and whose household meets income eligibility guidelines. Habitat for Humanity affiliates coordinate applications, screening, and eligibility verification. Cost to homeowner - None. Owens Corning supplies materials, and Guardian Roofing provides labor. For Nancy, the new roof will not only restore safety and comfort to her home but also provides peace of mind - a secure shelter for her family and a tribute to her service. For Guardian Roofing, this project reinforces the company's commitment to community, veteran support, and high craftsmanship. "We believe every veteran deserves a roof over their head that's strong, safe, and built to last," said Rzucidlo. For the broader Tacoma and Pacific Northwest community, this partnership demonstrates how thoughtful collaboration among industry leaders - manufacturer, nonprofit, and contractor - can deliver real impact and strengthen neighborhoods. About Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation Founded in 2005, Guardian Roofing, LLC is an award-winning professional roofing contractor in the Portland and Seattle markets serving Washington state counties of King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, Clark, and Thurston; and Oregon counties of Marion, Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas and Yamhill, as well. Founders Lori and Matt Swanson have more than 60 years of combined roofing experience and employ a team of more than 100 skilled and professionally certified craftsmen who assist customers with their roof, gutter, attic, masonry, and skylight needs. In 2024, Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation, an A+-rated company by the Better Business Bureau, was named as a top 100 Roofing Contractor in the U.S. by Roofing Contractors Magazine. The family-owned company was also recognized in 2022 as one of the fastest-growing private companies by the Puget Sound Business Journal. For more information, visit www.GuardianHome.com. Licenses: WA UBI 604-059-205 | FEIN #81-4469822 Media Contact: Dana Cobb The Barber Shop Marketing dana@thebarbershopmarketing.com 972.955.9747 SOURCE: Guardian Roofing View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/industrial-and-manufacturing/guardian-roofing-partners-with-owens-corning-and-habitat-for-humanity-1129463 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil surged on Tuesday as traders assessed the renewed tariff threats by U.S. President Donald Trump against European nations over his increasing interest in acquiring Greenland and the consequent slide in dollar index. In addition, the growth forecast from International Monetary Fund supported business sentiments. WTI Crude Oil for February delivery was last seen trading up by $0.96 (or 1.62%) at $60.40 per barrel. Trump doubled down on his ambition to seize Greenland, defending his intention by stating that the acquisition will prevent future Russian threat in the region. Trump threatened Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden that the U.S. would impose a 10% levy from February 1 if they refuse to support the U.S. and an additional 25% by June 1 if the standoff continues. The U.S. is the largest export market for the European Union, which comprises 27 nations. Remarking in a social post that Denmark should 'give back' what it owes to the U.S., Trump posted an image depicting Greenland as a part of the U.S. since 2026. EU leaders, who met and agreed to respond 'unflinchingly' to the U.S. threats on Sunday, considered retaliating with a 'trade bazooka,' an Anti-Coercion Instrument to shield EU's interests in times of economic pressure. Earlier this month, Trump took control of the Venezuelan oil industry by forcefully ousting its President Nicolas Maduro from power. Trump is continuing to persuade oil majors to invest billions in Venezuela to first rebuild the deprecated energy infrastructures so that the U.S. can monetize the rich oil wealth. Traders are concerned that Trump may replicate the moves in Greenland too. The U.S. Dollar Index today was last seen trading at 98.51, down by 0.89%. In its World Economic Outlook for 2026, the IMF has forecast that global GDP would grow 3.30%, up 0.2 percentage points from its previous estimate in October 2025. The group has estimated growth at 3.20% for 2027, which remains unchanged from the previous prediction. According to the IMF Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, global growth is shaking off the trade disruptions and showing resilience amid the tariff war started by Trump in his second term. Gourinchas stated that businesses adapted by rerouting the supply chains and signing favorable agreements with the Trump administration. The global lender group also estimated U.S. growth for 2026 at 2.40%, up by 0.3 percentage points from October's report. Yesterday's data from China showed that its economy grew 5.0% last year. As growth in global economy would consequently increase the demand for crude oil, oil markets reacted positively to these reports. Iran is now under 'virtual' martial law with heavy military and police personnel deployed on the streets with no internet connectivity. Earlier Trump threatened Iran that the U.S. would intervene to bring peace. However, he retreated, stating that he had reports to believe the 'killings have stopped.' Reportedly, the U.S. is increasing its forces - aircraft carrier in the Strait of Malacca, fighter aircrafts in Jordan, and cargo planes in Diego Garcia military base in the Indian ocean suggesting that the the danger of a U.S.-Iran military confrontation is still looming. In Europe, the peace proposal scripted by Trump is still to reach the next stage despite several mediations by the U.S. with officials of both the nations. Trump accused Ukraine is not ready for a deal but Ukraine and its European allies blamed Russia of being uninterested in a peace plan. Reports indicate that after shutting down on Sunday, oil production at Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield could be halted for another 7-10 days, cutting crude exports via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. Last week, in its first projection for 2027, the OPEC group stated that oil demand for 2027 would rise by 1.34 million barrels per day as it gauged for 2026 (at 1.38 million bpd) due to estimated fair balance in supply and demand. Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX 2026 AFX News MADISON, WISCONSIN / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Bank CMG, a leading financial institution with assets totaling approximately $900 million, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Farmers Savings Bank, a well-respected bank with assets totaling $450 million. This strategic move aims to bolster Bank CMG's market presence in Wisconsin and enhance its service and product offerings to its growing customer base. The acquisition, which is subject to shareholder and customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close by mid-2026. By combining resources with Farmers Savings Bank, Bank CMG intends to leverage its expanded portfolio to provide an even broader range of financial solutions and innovations to consumers and businesses throughout Wisconsin. "Today is an exciting day for our bank as we welcome Farmers Savings Bank into the Bank CMG family," said Christopher M. George, Chairman of the Board of Greenwoods Financial Group, Inc., the bank holding company of Bank CMG. "This acquisition reflects our commitment to growth and innovation within the state of Wisconsin. Together, we will deliver exceptional value to our clients through enhanced product offerings and excellent customer service." "Farmers Savings Bank has always been about people - our customers, our employees, and the communities that trust us with their financial futures," said Matthew Staver, President and CEO of Farmers Savings Bank. "We are proud of the legacy we have built and grateful to everyone who has helped shape our story. We believe Bank CMG shares our commitment to community banking and to investing in the people and relationships that make local economies thrive. This partnership is about preserving what makes Farmers special while creating new opportunities for the next generation of customers and employees." The acquisition will bring together two teams of experienced professionals dedicated to fostering strong relationships with clients and communities. As part of the acquisition, Bank CMG plans to integrate Farmers Savings Bank into its operations, focusing on maintaining customer service excellence throughout the transition. Customers of both banks can expect to receive timely updates and information about any changes that may affect their accounts. What Farmers Savings Bank Customers Can Expect During the Regulatory Review Period Customers do not need to take any action at this time. Farmers Savings Bank will continue business as usual while the transaction is under review. Customers can expect: The same branch teams and local service Continued FDIC deposit insurance coverage No immediate changes to account access, loans, or day-to-day banking If any changes are planned in the future, customers will receive clear information well in advance. Customers with questions are encouraged to contact their local Farmers Savings Bank office or visit www.farmerssavings.com for updates as they become available. For more information about the acquisition or to learn more about Bank CMG and its services, please visit www.bankcmg.com or contact us at 920-945-2099. About Bank CMG Founded in 1893, Bank CMG (formerly Greenwoods State Bank) is a Wisconsin state-chartered community bank. For more than a century, we have served families and businesses across the state, earning trust through local decision making, reinvesting deposits in our neighborhoods, and building the personal relationships only a hometown bank can offer. At Bank CMG, our story is one of consistency and care. We honor the history that shaped us while embracing the future with confidence. Our mission is simple: deliver a broader range of financial solutions and cutting-edge service, grounded in transparency, speed, and care, while staying true to the principles that have guided us for more than 130 years. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS ID# 491916 (www.bankcmg.com) About Farmers Savings Bank Founded in 1917, Farmers Savings Bank is a community bank headquartered in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, serving customers across Southwest Wisconsin through its offices in Mineral Point, Dodgeville, Mount Horeb, Hollandale, and Edmund. Farmers Savings Bank is committed to reinvesting in the communities it serves and building long-term strength for customers, employees, and local businesses. Media Contact Dave Panagrossi dpanagrossi@bankcmg.com SOURCE: Bank CMG View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/bank-cmg-announces-agreement-to-acquire-farmers-savings-bank-1129473 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - CDN Maverick Capital Corp. (CSE: CDN) (OTCQB: AXVEF) (FSE: 338B) ("Maverick" or the "Company") wishes to clarify and amend its disclosure that, notwithstanding its news release dated Jan. 16, 2026, regarding the implementation of its normal course issuer bid (the "NCIB"), purchases under the NCIB will not commence until Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. All other terms of the NCIB, as previously disclosed, remain unchanged. Additionally, the Company announces that its board of directors has approved the grant of stock options to certain directors of the Company under its existing equity incentive plan. Under the terms of the grant, a total of 600,000 stock options (the "Options") have been granted to eligible directors. Each Option entitles the holder to acquire one common share of the Company at an exercise price of CAD $0.295 per share. The Options have a term of five years from the date of grant and are exercisable in accordance with the terms of the Company's equity incentive plan and applicable securities legislation. The Options vest immediately, subject to the participant's continued service with the Company. "We are pleased to grant these options to members of our board in recognition of their continued commitment and strategic guidance as we advance our portfolio of critical mineral and exploration projects," said Simon D. Studer, Interim President and CEO of CDN Maverick Capital Corp. All securities issued pursuant to the stock option grant are subject to a four-month hold period from the date of grant in accordance with applicable securities laws and Canadian Securities Exchange policies. About CDN Maverick Capital Corp. CDN Maverick Capital Corp. (CSE: CDN) is a project generator and critical minerals exploration company focused on identifying and developing high-value assets using data-driven exploration strategies. The Company is advancing a portfolio of lithium and battery metals projects across tier-one mining jurisdictions in North America. 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/280981 Source: CDN Maverick Capital Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - LevelJump Healthcare Corp. (TSXV: JUMP) (OTC Pink: JMPHF) ("LevelJump" or the "Company"), a leading provider of teleradiology and diagnostic imaging services, today announced that it has entered into a cooperation agreement (the "Agreement") with Frank Teti. Under the terms of the Agreement, LevelJump has agreed to a reconstitution of its Board of Directors (the "Board") to include new independent perspectives. Effective immediately, Dr. Sheldon Levy, Rob Saltsman, and Sean Aylward have been appointed to the Board of Directors with Mr. Aylward serving as Chair of the Board. In conjunction with these appointments, Gary Prihar, Richard Jagodnik, and Jackie Glazer have resigned from the Board. "LevelJump is pleased to have entered into this cooperation agreement with Mr. Teti," said Mitchell Geisler, CEO of LevelJump. "The addition of these new directors, combined with the skills of our existing team, should position the Board with a fresh perspective to drive growth and enhance shareholder value. We would like to thank our outgoing directors for their service and commitment." "I am pleased with the outcome of our discussions and the appointment of these three highly qualified individuals," said Frank Teti. "This agreement aligns the Board behind the common goal of maximizing value for all shareholders. I look forward to supporting this refreshed Board as they execute on the Company's strategic plan." In light of the Agreement, Mr. Teti has withdrawn his previous requisition for a special meeting of shareholders and has agreed to support the Company's updated director slate at the next annual meeting of shareholders. About the New Directors Dr. Sheldon Levy Dr. Levy is an experienced medical professional and healthcare executive. He previously served as the President and Medical Director of Riverfront Medical Services, one of Canada's largest privately owned medical assessment companies, and currently serves as President of ADARA Management Inc., a boutique family office with diverse holdings. Rob Saltsman Mr. Saltsman brings over 25 years of experience in venture capital and public investments. He is the Founder, President and CEO of First Lithium Minerals Corp. and currently serves as Managing Director of Paige Capital Inc. Sean Aylward Mr. Aylward is a seasoned corporate professional with extensive experience in capital markets and advisory roles, providing deep expertise in corporate structure and strategic growth for Canadian reporting issuers. About LevelJump Healthcare LevelJump Healthcare Corp. (TSXV: JUMP) provides telehealth solutions to client hospitals and imaging centers through its Teleradiology division, as well as in person radiology services through its Diagnostic Centres. JUMP focuses primarily on critical care for urgent and emergency patients, establishing integral relationships in the communities we serve. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company's business plans and the outlook of the Company's industry. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them 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. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release, and the Company assumes no responsibility to update them or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances other than as required by applicable securities laws. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, Canadian Teleradiology Services, Inc., their securities, or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable). Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The securities being offered 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 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 an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280985 Source: LevelJump Healthcare Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Tincorp Metals Inc. (TSXV: TIN) (OTC Pink: TINFF) ("Tincorp" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the Company has granted, subject to regulatory approval, an aggregate of 1,055,000 stock options to directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company, pursuant to the terms of the Company's Omnibus Plan. The options are exercisable for a period of 5 years from the date of grant at the price of $0.44 per share, being the closing price of the common shares on the TSXV on January 19, 2026. The options vest in six equal tranches over a period of three years, and are subject to the provisions of the Omnibus Plan and the policies of the TSXV. About Tincorp Tincorp Metals Inc. is a mineral exploration company focused on tin projects in Bolivia. The Company owns 100% of its Porvenir Project and has signed an agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the nearby SF Project, both located 70 km southeast of Oruro, Bolivia.. On Behalf of Tincorp Metals Inc. Victor Feng, Interim 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. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collective, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategies", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "budgets", "schedules", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, assumptions, factors and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. Additional information in relation to the Company, including the Company's most recent annual information form, can be obtained under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.tincorp.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280986 Source: Tincorp Metals Inc. ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Dynamic Aerospace Systems ("DAS") (OTCQB:BRQL), a leading innovator in unmanned drones and aerospace technologies highlights 2025 operational milestones and outlines 2026 strategic initiatives in a shareholder letter from the Founders. Dear Shareholders, At Dynamic Aerospace Systems (DAS), we're driven by a mission to redefine how the world moves goods and protects lives through autonomous aerial systems. On February 25, 2025, when Aerospace Capital Partners acquired majority ownership of BrooQLy, Inc., we embarked on a journey to build not just a company, but a force for innovation in unmanned flight, logistics, and public safety. Our goal is bold: to create a world where UAVs autonomously deliver goods, transform last-mile logistics to deliver medicine and critical supplies to urban and remote regions, and provide real-time solutions for first responders, government agencies, and militaries. Today, we're excited to share our progress over the past 11 months and our vision for the future. Purpose in Practice We founded DAS to solve big problems with cutting-edge technology. The global UAV market, projected to surpass $90 billion by 2030, is ripe for disruption, and we're seizing this opportunity with a focus on innovation, execution, and impact. On March 12, 2025, we secured the "DAS" ticker symbol with the NYSE for two years, signaling our intent to up-list to a national exchange and strengthen shareholder value. Further solidifying our identity on December 11th, 2025, and in conjunction with our annual shareholder meeting, we officially changed our name to Dynamic Aerospace Systems aligning our legal identity with our mission and market presence. Finally, on December 19th, 2025, our S1 for a $15 Million Equity Line went effective, formally establishing our institutional investors into our capital access structure, helping the company propel its financial capabilities as it prepares for its planned listing on the NYSE. Seizing Opportunities We are proud to have earned the trust of the USAF Global Strike Command (AFGSC), which has recognized our potential to deliver innovative UAV solutions for defense applications. This trust culminated in a pivotal live demonstration of our advanced military-grade drones on September 25, 2025, at Strother Field in Kansas. The event showcased our flagship platforms in operational scenarios tailored to AFGSC's mission-critical needs: G1-MkII/Overwatch : A long-range, multi-role VTOL drone with up to 11 hours of endurance, excelling in surveillance, reconnaissance, and complex missions in challenging environments. US-1-MkII/Sentinel : A versatile electric multicopter with 90+ minutes of flight time and advanced payload options for tactical operations, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring. Mitigator/Breacher: A compact, crash-resistant tactical drone designed for high-risk ISR, building clearance, SWAT support, and less-than-lethal payload deployment in urban settings. In parallel with these efforts, DAS is actively pursuing near-term government opportunities. In November, the Company completed a successful demonstration for the Gilbert Arizona Fire Department at the Gilbert Public Safety Training Facility with our Mitigator and US-1 drone platforms. Plans for a much larger demonstration for late Q1 / Q2 with various police and fire departments from the Southwest are underway. Finally, just last week, the Company submitted a proposal to the Drone Dominance Rapid Solution Program (RSP), a highly competitive Department of War backed initiative designed to accelerate the fielding of advanced unmanned systems. Of the hundreds of companies expected to apply, only 25 qualifying companies will ultimately be selected for the first of four phases. Our submission leverages the Fortis Class architecture and builds upon the operational credibility of the US-1-MkII/Sentinel. If selected, DAS intends to incorporate U.S.-manufactured components supplied by Unusual Machines (NYSE: UMAC) to further strengthen supply-chain resilience, NDAA compliance, and domestic manufacturing alignment. Building a World-Class Team Great companies embody great leadership. In March 2025, we welcomed Ron Rich, former Honeywell Aerospace VP, and in April 2025, Jorge Torres, VP of FedEx Mexico, to our board of independent directors. Their deep expertise in aerospace and logistics is shaping our strategy, allowing ideas to be bold, while staying grounded through proper vetting. The company has also hired consultants to advise the company on several new fronts ranging from; pharmaceutical and medical delivery, to financial prep work for the NYSE, to flight operations under EASA European Union Aviation Safety Agency with plans to return to Dubai for further flight testing. Partnerships That Push Boundaries On May 6, 2025, we signed an MOU with Drops Smart Hubs, a Greece-based innovator in autonomous smart hub infrastructure. This collaboration makes Drops the exclusive supplier and distributor of our UAVs in Greece, with DAS providing training and support. Together, we're integrating Dynamic Deliveries with Drops' hubs to enable last-mile drone delivery, starting with a pilot program in Greece to test scalability. This MOU includes a revenue-sharing model, joint marketing, and compliance with aviation and data privacy laws. (SEC Form 8-K: https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001854526/000147793225003405/brql_8k.htm) On June 24, 2025, DAS under its division Dynamic Deliveries executed an updated Memorandum of Understanding with Noon Fulfillment, a UAE-based e-commerce leader serving millions of customers across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The revised agreement reflects Dynamic Deliveries' recent rebranding and continues to advance the parties' collaboration. Through this partnership, the companies are exploring the integration of drone-enabled logistics in Dubai, aligned with our strategic objective to pioneer Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations in the UAE. (SEC Form 8-K: https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001854526/000147793225004814/brql_8k.htm ) Beyond commercial logistics, DAS is expanding strategic partnerships across the U.S. defense and advanced manufacturing ecosystem. In December 2025, DAS announced a strategic collaboration with Unusual Machines (NYSE: UMAC), a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of drone components and defense-oriented subsystems. This partnership is focused on strengthening domestic supply chains, accelerating rapid prototyping, and supporting government and defense programs with NDAA-compliant components. Subsequently, DAS publicly outlined its broader transformation into a defense- and government-focused aerospace platform, emphasizing military demonstrations, interceptor-class development, and rapid deployment capabilities across ISR, counter-UAS, and public safety missions. In addition, DAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Potomac River Group, LLC (PRG), a GSA Advantage listed vendor, to expand DAS's presence within the U.S. Government procurement channels and support integration of advanced sensor technologies into DAS aircraft. Under the framework of this MOU, PRG is expected to act as an authorized reseller of DAS's Fortis Series Systems including Sentinel, Overwatch, and Breacher to U.S. Government customers, while also spearheading efforts to list DAS products on GSA Advantage to streamline government purchasing. The collaboration also includes plans for joint testing, certification, and alignment with Blue UAS and NDAA compliance requirements in support of defense, homeland security, and public safety applications. Our Technology: Built for Impact Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, DAS is an OEM UAV manufacturer with a portfolio designed to meet real-world needs. Our core platforms form the backbone of versatile, mission-ready solutions: US-1 Electric Multicopter (US-1-MkII/Sentinel) : With 90+ minutes of flight time (without payload) and a 3 kg payload, its patented battery-integrated airframe (Patent No: US20210197978, published July 1, 2021) powers surveillance, search and rescue, and urban logistics, rivaling traditional helicopters at a fraction of the cost. G1-VTOL Long-Range Hybrid (G1 MkII/Overwatch) : Offering up to 11 hours of endurance, this platform excels in logistics, ISR, and humanitarian missions. It completed phases 1 and 2 of the Validation Test Campaign (VTC) under Dubai's ESSA regulations (DCAA-E-Cert-011-2023-023). Mitigator-Class Tactical Drone (Mitigator/Breacher): Compact and crash-resistant, it's built for law enforcement, delivering ISR in high-risk environments. Building on this foundation, on August 28, 2025, we launched the Fortis Class, a dedicated series of government-grade UAVs derived from our core platforms and engineered for defense, security, and humanitarian operations. Named after the Latin word for "strong," the Fortis Class embodies reliability and vigilance in contested environments. Manufactured in Ann Arbor with testing at Strother Field, Kansas, it includes global field service, secure firmware updates, and certified operator training. The series features: Overwatch (G1 MkIII Hybrid VTOL) : For extended-endurance ISR, vigilance, assessment, and autonomous delivery. Sentinel (US-1 MkII Multi-Copter) : For agile convoy escort, perimeter security, and rapid tactical response. Breacher (Mitigator CQB Multi-Copter): For close-quarters battle, SWAT integration, and less-than-lethal interventions. Key capabilities include all-domain versatility, robust autonomy with mesh networking for GPS-denied operations, modular payloads for mission-specific sensors and deterrents, cyber-secure and NDAA-compliant designs with NATO interoperability, rugged IP-ratings deployability, and seamless C4ISR integration. As our management team stated: "The Fortis Class reflects our commitment to those who protect. These systems are built to serve as trusted partners in defense, security, and humanitarian operations, where strength, vigilance, and reliability are not optional, but essential." This launch directly supports our military demonstrations and positions DAS for rapid commercialization in government sectors. (Source: https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/dynamic-aerospace-systems-das-aka-brooqly-inc.-trading-symbol-brq-1066499) Growing Patent IP: In addition to our battery patent the company filed for 7 new patents in 2025: Mesh-Based Autonomous Delivery System (Provisional Patent: US 63/810,973) Modular Autonomous Delivery System (Provisional Patent filed June 24, 2025) Interceptor Drone with Low-Collateral Defeat Mechanism and Swarm Coordination (Provisional Patent filed August 11, 2025) Sealed, Single-Use, Electronically Activated Less-Than-Lethal Cartridge for Mounted UAS Deployment ( Provisional Patent filed Dec 2025) Integrated Tactical Entry Unmanned Aerial System with On-Board, Electronically Activated Less-Than-Lethal Effect Cartridges and Multi-Mode EO/IR Gimbal ( Provisional Patent filed Dec 2025) Autonomous Drone Package Delivery System with Dynamic Landing on a Mobile Robotic Platform (Provisional Patent filed Dec 2025) Autonomous Vehicle Delivery System with Robotic Drone Capture for Continuous Package Replenishment ( Provisional Patent filed Dec 2025) Our Philosophy: Don't Be Ordinary We're not interested in incremental change; we're here to solve real-world problems with meaningful technology. Every decision, from acquiring strategic assets to forming global partnerships and navigating regulatory pathways, is grounded in our long-term mission: to make autonomous flight accessible, reliable, and effective for logistics and public safety. We're committed to transparency and accountability. As we prepare for our NYSE listing and finalize our name change to Dynamic Aerospace Systems, Inc., we'll continue to prioritize clear, consistent communication with you, our shareholders, while avoiding the pitfalls of bureaucracy that can slow innovation. Our team is lean, our focus is sharp, and our ambition is limitless. Looking Ahead DAS envisions a world where drones deliver life-saving medicine, empower first responders, and streamline global supply chains. Our recent achievements, strategic acquisitions, regulatory progress, partnerships with Noon Fulfillment and Drops Smart Hubs, the NYSE "DAS" ticker reservation, the SEC filing for our name change, the successful AFGSC demonstration at Strother Field, the Fortis Class launch, recognition from the USAF Global Strike Command, and a growing patent portfolio are just the beginning. As we march toward our NYSE listing and global expansion, we're committed to delivering value to you and building a future where autonomous aerial systems solve the world's toughest challenges. Thank you for joining us on this journey. We're just getting started, and we can't wait to show you what's next. Dynamic Aerospace Systems Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans, initiatives and objectives for 2026; anticipated uplisting to the New York Stock Exchange or another national securities exchange (including continued reservation or use of any ticker symbol); expected benefits of the Company's equity line of credit and access to capital; anticipated timing, scope, and results of demonstrations, pilot programs, and regulatory efforts (including BVLOS-related initiatives); expected outcomes of proposals and submissions to government programs (including the Drone Dominance Rapid Solution Program) and the Company's ability to be selected for, participate in, or win awards under such programs; anticipated performance, capabilities, manufacturing plans, supply-chain strategy, NDAA and other compliance efforts (including the intended use of U.S.-manufactured components from third parties such as Unusual Machines); expectations regarding partnerships, MOUs, distribution arrangements, reseller channels, and customer adoption; commercialization and revenue opportunities; and the Company's intellectual property strategy and patent filings. These statements are based on current expectations, assumptions, and estimates and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, without limitation, changes in market conditions; the Company's ability to execute its business plan; availability of capital; regulatory approvals and operating restrictions; technical, manufacturing, and supply-chain challenges; cybersecurity and data/privacy requirements; the non-binding nature of certain MOUs and preliminary arrangements; competitive factors; and changes in government requirements, budgets, procurement timelines, and selection decisions. Additional risks are described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release, except as required by law. About Dynamic Aerospace Systems (DAS): Dynamic Aerospace Systems is a Nevada-incorporated business dedicated to developing innovative aerospace technologies, with a focus on advanced drones (UAVs) for military defense and commercial applications. Committed to engineering excellence and strategic partnerships, DAS delivers reliable, high-performance solutions to meet the evolving needs of the aerospace industry. The Company's common stock is traded on the OTCQB Market under the ticker symbol "BRQL." For more information about DAS, visit: https://www.dynamicaerosystems.com/investor-relations/why-dynamic Contact Information: Dynamic Aerospace Systems (DAS) 3753 Plaza Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Investor Relations: ir@dynamicaerosystems.com Media Inquiries: media@dynamicaerosystems.com Follow DAS news and updates: X: https://x.com/DynamicAeroSys LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamic-aerospace-systems/ BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/dynamicaerosys.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572730386312 StockTwits: https://stocktwits.com/symbol/BRQL SOURCE: Dynamic Aerospace Systems View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/dynamic-aerospace-systems-highlights-2025-operational-milestones-1129450 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - The Organization of American and Canadian Women in Public Relations (Women in PR North America) announces that registration is now open for its 2026 WorkWell Publicity Calendar, a strategic planning resource designed to help entrepreneurs, PR professionals, and communications leaders plan timely, effective publicity campaigns throughout the year. The annual calendar provides month-by-month guidance, including key awareness dates, editorial opportunities, pitch angles, and content themes aligned with media cycles. Participants will receive immediate access to the 2026 calendar, allowing them to begin planning for the year ahead. "Consistent visibility starts with proactive planning," said Talia Beckett Davis, Founder of Women in PR North America. "The 2026 WorkWell Publicity Calendar removes the guesswork from PR strategy and helps professionals stay ahead of deadlines, pitch with confidence, and align their stories with what media outlets are already planning to cover." The 2026 calendar is designed for a wide range of users, including PR agency owners, freelancers, in-house communications teams, and entrepreneurs seeking to build credibility through earned media. Each month includes strategic themes, pitch prompts, and planning guidance to support long-term visibility and brand growth. Women in PR North America is also inviting companies to partner on the 2026 WorkWell Conference, a premier gathering for PR, investor relations, and business professionals. This milestone event will take place at Hart House in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on May 8, 2026, during Women's Health Month. About Women in PR North America Canadian Women in Public Relations Ltd. (Women in PR Canada) and American Women in Public Relations (Women in PR USA) is a leading organization dedicated to supporting women in public relations, investor relations, and communications. Together, the organizations form Women in PR North America, with a mission to elevate women leaders and amplify their impact across the U.S. and Canada through events, education, advocacy, and community. Talia Beckett Davis is the Founder of Women in PR North America and the Owner of Pink Pearl PR, an agency specializing in the baby and kids' industry. She is also the creator of the Public Relations Academy, a global PR platform that helps professionals grow their careers and businesses. Learn more about membership here: https://womeninpr.com/collective-club To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280982 Source: The Organization of Canadian Women in Public Relations Ltd. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Kayden Hudda, Founder and Chairman, Diversity in Finance Network ("DIFN" or the "Network"), Argho Nandi, Board Member, Diversity in Finance Network, Rebecca Leaper, CIBC Capital Markets, along with students and industry professionals, joined Dani Cohen, Head of Talent and Organizational Development, TMX Group, to close the market to celebrate the 5th Annual Diversity in Finance Conference ("DIF Conference"). Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-HrIZOaw4M For the fourth consecutive year, CIBC Capital Markets has hosted the DIF Conference at CIBC Square and continues to support the Network's vision towards high quality education and talent development. Founded in 2020, the Diversity in Finance Conference uniquely brings together over 150 professionals and students across Canada to create better access within Capital Markets and support students in their career aspirations. With the help of a number of firms and professionals, the DIF Conference has been able to impact over 400 students in such a short time. CIBC Capital Markets is a founding and title sponsor for this phenomenal event and champions diversity alongside students and several other financial institutions. The DIF Conference brings together students from all backgrounds, with the goal to create better access to opportunities in the field. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280996 Source: Toronto Stock Exchange Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - American Pacific Mining Corp. (CSE: USGD) (OTCQX: USGDF) (FSE: 1QC1) ("American Pacific" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement offering (the "Private Placement" or "Offering") of up to 34,090,909 units at a price of $0.22 per unit, for aggregate proceeds of up to $7,500,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Share") and one-half of one Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one additional Share (a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.32 per Warrant Share for a period of three years from closing. The Units will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in certain provincial jurisdictions of Canada (the "Canadian Offering Jurisdictions") 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 Exemption (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The securities issuable from the sale of Units under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption will not be subject to a resale hold period. The offering document (the "Offering Document") related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.americanpacificmining.com. Prospective investors should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Units may also be offered in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements provided for under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and the regulations thereunder, and in jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States on a private placement or equivalent basis, in each case in accordance with all applicable laws, provided that no prospectus, registration statement or other similar document is required to be filed in such jurisdiction. All securities not issued pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption will be subject to a hold period of four months under applicable securities laws in Canada, in addition to any resale restrictions applicable in the purchaser's jurisdiction. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for exploration and development on the Company's Madison Project, and other mineral exploration and development projects as well as for general corporate purposes. Closing of the Offering is expected to occur as soon as practicable. The Company expects to pay finders' fees in connection with the Offering to eligible arm's length finders in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. Eventus Capital Corp. has been appointed as a Finder in connection with the Offering. Completion of the Offering is subject to certain customary closing conditions including, but not limited to, receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including any applicable approval of the CSE. The securities referred to in this news release have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, unless an exemption from such registration is available. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities for sale, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the Company and management, as well as financial statements. "United States" and "U.S. person" have the respective meanings assigned in Regulation S under the U.S Securities Act. About American Pacific Mining Corp. American Pacific Mining Corp. is a precious and base metals explorer focused on opportunities in the Western United States. The Company's flagship asset is the 100%-owned past-producing Madison Copper-Gold Project in Montana. For the acquisition of Madison, American Pacific was selected as a finalist in both 2021 and 2022 for 'Deal of the Year' at the S&P Global Platts Metals Awards, an annual program that recognizes exemplary accomplishments in 16 performance categories. Through a 2025 transaction with Vizsla Copper, American Pacific has established a major equity position and secured $15M in aggregate milestone upside exposure to the advanced exploration stage Palmer Copper-Zinc VMS Project in Alaska. Also, in American Pacific's portfolio are several high-grade, precious metals projects located in key mining districts in Nevada, on which the Company intends to transact. The Company's mission is to provide shareholders discovery and exploration upside exposure across its portfolio through partnerships, spin-outs and direct exploration. The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information (collectively referred to as "forward-looking information". Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in forward-looking information in this press release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking information in this press release include, amongst others: the terms of the Offering, the anticipated closing of the Offering, the ability of the Company to complete the Offering, the approval of the Offering by the CSE, and the intended use of proceeds of the Offering. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking information. By their nature, forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history; disruptions or changes in security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; and general development, market and industry conditions. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of their securities or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking information contained in this press release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280999 Source: American Pacific Mining Corp. Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2026) - Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE: QIMC) (OTCQB: QIMCF) (FSE: 7FJ) ("QIMC" or the "Company") announces that its Board of Directors has approved the adoption of a Shareholder Rights Plan (the "Shareholder Rights Plan") pursuant to an agreement entered into with Endeavor Trust Corporation, as rights agent, dated January 14, 2026 (the "Effective Date"). The purpose of the Shareholder Rights Plan is to ensure that all shareholders are treated fairly in connection with any offer to acquire the outstanding common shares of the Company and that the Board of Directors of the Company has the opportunity to identify, solicit, develop and negotiate value-enhancing alternatives to any unsolicited, opportunistic, or coercive take-over bid, while preserving the Company's ability to execute its long-term strategic objectives. The Shareholder Rights Plan is subject to ratification by the Company's shareholders at the next meeting of shareholders which is expected to be held within the next 90 days. If ratified by shareholders, the Shareholder Rights Plan will have an initial term of three years. If the Shareholder Rights Plan is not ratified by the Company's shareholders within six months of the Effective Date, the Shareholder Rights Plan and all rights issued thereunder will terminate and cease to be effective at that time. The Shareholder Rights Plan is similar to rights plans adopted by other Canadian companies and ratified by their shareholders. The Shareholder Rights Plan has not been adopted in response to, or in anticipation of, any known or anticipated take-over bid, however the Board of Directors has become aware that increased trading volume on the Company's stock exchange listings, including in Canada, the USA and Germany, has given an opportunity for any parties to acquire and accumulate shares in connection with so-called 'creeping bids', which has the potential to impact the value delivered to shareholders in connection with any such bid. A summary of the principal terms and conditions of the Shareholder Rights Plan will be set out in the Company's Management Information Circular to be mailed to shareholders prior to the next shareholders meeting. A copy of the Shareholder Rights Plan will also be filed under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and with the CSE. John Karagiannidis, President and Chief Executive Officer of QIMC, commented: "As QIMC continues to develop its advanced natural geological hydrogen portfolio across multiple jurisdictions, the Board believes it is essential to adopt governance measures that enhance shareholder protection and protect long-term value. The Shareholder Rights Plan helps ensure that any attempt to acquire control of the Company occurs in a manner that treats all shareholders fairly and provides equal value, while preserving the strategic flexibility needed to execute our long-term growth strategy." About Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. (QIMC) Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE: QIMC) (OTCQB: QIMCF) (FSE: 7FJ) is a mining exploration and development company dedicated to unlocking the potential of North America's abundant natural resources. With properties in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Minnesota (USA), QIMC specializes in the exploration of white (natural) hydrogen and high-grade silica deposits. QIMC is committed to sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and innovation, with the objective of supporting clean energy solutions for the AI-driven and carbon-neutral economy. For More Information, Please Contact: Regulatory Disclaimer Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange 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 press release and has neither approved nor disapproved its contents. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as of the date of this press release and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by words such as "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential," and similar expressions, or by statements that events or conditions "will," "may," "could," or "should" occur. Although the Company believes that the forward-looking information contained herein is reasonable as of the date of this press release, such information is subject to change and no assurance can be given that future results will be achieved. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280471 Source: Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. BEDFORD, NS / ACCESS Newswire / January 16, 2026 / (TSXV:SSE) - Silver Spruce Resources Inc. ("Silver Spruce" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has closed today its previously announced non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $976,000 (the "Offering"). Pursuant to the Offering, the Corporation issued an aggregate of 9,760,000 units of the Corporation ("Units") at an issue price of $0.10 per Unit. Each Unit is comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Corporation (each, a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.15 per Warrant Share for a period of 3 years from the closing of the Offering. The Common Shares and Warrants issued under the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring on May 17, 2026. In connection with the Offering, the Corporation has paid a total of $22,440 in finder fees and issued a total of 224,400 finder warrants (each, a "Finder Warrant") to eligible arm's length finders ("Finders"). Each Finder Warrant will entitle the Finder to purchase one common share of the Corporation for $0.15 for a period of three years following the closing of the Offering. The Finder Warrants will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring on May 17, 2026. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used for exploration of the Corporation's mineral projects and general working capital purposes. The Offering is subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. 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. About Silver Spruce Resources Silver Spruce Resources Inc. is a Canadian junior exploration company. The Corporation's diversified exploration portfolio now includes: Jackie Au-Ag Project - Early-stage epithermal project with high-grade surface sampling and strong structural targets located <10 kilometres northwest from Minera Alamos' Nicho deposit in eastern Sonora, Mexico Pino de Plata Ag Project - High-grade silver property with historic artisanal mining located 15 kilometres west of Coeur Mining's Palmarejo Mine in western Chihuahua, Mexico Melchett Lake VMS Zn-Ag-Au-Cu Project - Polymetallic project with historical drilling in the Thunder Bay Mining District of Ontario Silver Spruce continues to investigate opportunities that Management has identified or that have been presented to the Corporation for consideration. Contact: Kevin O'Connor, Director (312) 509-5972 info@silverspruceresouces.com www.silverspruceresources.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 release. Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future, including but not limited to, statements regarding the Offering. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with mineral exploration and difficulties associated with obtaining financing on acceptable terms. We are not in control of metals prices and these could vary to make development uneconomic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. SOURCE: Silver Spruce Resources, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/silver-spruce-resources-inc.-announces-closing-of-976-000-non-brokered-private-pl-1128874 Sanober Shaikh, daughter of Mumbai gangster Hussain Ustara, says the upcoming Shahid Kapoor film ORomeo distorts her fathers life and legacy, and has issued a legal notice to the makers seeking clarity and accuracy. The daughter of Hussain Ustara has criticised the makers of the upcoming Shahid Kapoor film ORomeo, saying the portrayal of her father in the narrative is incorrect and unfair to his legacy. Sanober Shaikh, Ustaras daughter, has taken legal steps by issuing a notice to the filmmakers, claiming they have distorted facts in a way that paints her father in a negative light. _ORomeo_, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, stars Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri and is scheduled to be released on February 13, 2026. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Allegations of Misrepresentation Shaikh has been vocal about her concerns, insisting that the films teaser and promotional material appear to depict elements of her fathers life that she says are inaccurate or misleading. They are claiming and showing wrong things about my father, she said, explaining that the familys objection centres on how Ustara is being characterised. Shaikh added that her father was not a gangster, but instead took on crime figures in ways that she believes have been misrepresented. She added, O Romeo is based on baba. The teaser states that the film is based on a true story. I want to ask them, whos the person the film is based on. My father wasnt a gangster. Hussain Ustara helped a lot of people. He wanted to cleanse the city and remove gangsters. He wasnt a criminal. You wont find any criminal record. The problem is how is image is portrayed in the film." She pointed out that the film appears to show a romantic angle between her fathers character and a woman depicted on screen. a relationship she says did not exist in real life. My father had trained Sapna didi. She was like a sister to him but as per the film, they are showing a romantic angle, which is absolutely wrong, Shaikh said, emphasising that the pairs real-life bond was one of mentorship and closeness, not romance. Games View All She also claimed, Sapna didi had no one. She was alone when her husband was killed. She has no children. She went everywhere asking for help, to cleanse the city off crime, but it was only my baba who helped her. Both of them worked against criminals. Unka tareeka galat tha but this also happened 28 years ago. As his family, our concern is ki unki image kharab ho rahi hai. This isnt a matter of money. In my first notice, theres no mention of it at all. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Legal Notice and Family Response Sanober Shaikh has confirmed that she has sent a legal notice but refuted claims of demanding Rs. 2 crore. They are claiming and showing wrong things about my father. They are saying that we threatened them and asked for Rs. 2 crore. Thats wrong. They are making such claims for publicity of the film. We have sent them a legal notice, Sanober told Hindustan Times. She also denied claims that her family issued threats to the filmmakers, clarifying that the notice was a formal legal step, not intimidation. We have never been in the public space and are not doing this for money or fame. Ever since the news of a film based on him went public, our family has been harassed, she told Hindustan Times in an interview. Who Was Hussain Ustara? Hussain Ustara was a Mumbai-based underworld figure known for his clashes with organised crime syndicates, including rivalries with the network led by Dawood Ibrahim. Although ORomeos makers have not officially confirmed that the film is a biographical account, its earlier working title (Arjun Ustara) and promotional references have fuelled speculation that it draws inspiration from real underworld events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As of now, there has been no official statement from producer Sajid Nadiadwala, director Vishal Bhardwaj or Shahid Kapoor addressing the specific claims of misrepresentation. The films production team has indicated that ORomeo is not a biopic or documentary but a work of fiction inspired by broader themes, distancing it from direct factual retelling. Tamil film Jana Nayagan, starring Vijay, is still awaiting a censor certificate after the Madras High Court reserved its order in a legal battle with the Central Board of Film Certification. The much-anticipated Tamil film Jana Nayagan, starring Vijay and directed by H. Vinoth, has been caught in a legal and administrative tussle over its censor certificate, leaving its scheduled release in uncertainty. The makers moved the Madras High Court once again after appealing to the Supreme Court, and the court reserved order on the appeal filed by CBFC challenging an order of single judge directing it to give UA certificate for Jana Nayagan movie STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Normally, a feature film must get clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) before it can be released in theatres. But Jana Nayagans certification process, which began in December 2025, has become unusually complicated. What Happened With the Censor Board The producers submitted Jana Nayagan to the CBFC on 18 December 2025. After a screening, the CBFCs examining committee unanimously recommended a U/A (parental guidance) certificate on 22 December, subject to certain cuts and changes, which the filmmakers complied with. By 29 December, the boards regional office in Chennai verified those modifications and communicated that the certification would be granted. The producers believed the process was effectively complete, and assumed the film would be cleared for its planned Pongal festival release on 9 January 2026. However, on 5 January, the CBFCs chairman referred the film back to a Revising Committee under the certification rules. This was reportedly triggered by a complaint about religious sentiments and portrayal of the armed forces, complaints that some in the industry say were raised after the examining committee had already made its recommendation. Games View All Why the Court Is Involved Unhappy with this reversal, the producers approached the Madras High Court in early January, arguing that once the examining committee had approved the film and the cuts were verified, the board should not be allowed to reopen the process. They also said that the complaint used to justify the Revising Committee review should have been disclosed earlier. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A single-judge bench initially ruled in favour of the producers, saying the chairman lacked jurisdiction to send the film for review after endorsing the committees decision. But the CBFC appealed, and the division bench of the Madras High Court has now reserved its order after hearing arguments from both sides. What This Means for the Release Because _Jana Nayagan_ does not yet have an official censor certificate, cinemas cannot legally screen it in India, and even advance ticket bookings have been paused in several cities. The Supreme Court of India earlier refused to intervene, meaning the matter must be resolved by the High Court before the film can be cleared. Why This Is Unusual What has added to the controversy is that: -the film had already undergone cuts and compliance with the CBFCs initial objections -the referral to a Revising Committee came after that process was complete -and the producers say they were not given notice of the complaint prompting the review, which they argue is unfair under the rules. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Industry observers say this delay has sparked broader debate over certification procedures in India and the need for clearer timelines, especially for big-budget films like Jana Nayagan, which reportedly had a planned release tied to a major festival. What Happens Next The Madras High Court has reserved its final order on the appeal by the CBFC. Once that decision is delivered, it should clarify whether the censor certificate must be issued, whether additional conditions may apply, or whether further legal steps are possible. Until then, the fate of Jana Nayagans release, which was supposed to be Vijays last film before a full-time political entry, remains uncertain. Jana Nayagan row summed up 1. Jana Nayagan has not yet received a final censor certificate, and as a result the film cannot be released in India yet. Advance ticket bookings have been paused in several major cities because of this. 2. The producers first submitted the film to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in December 2025, and a committee recommended a U/A-16 category with cuts and modifications that were made and resubmitted. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 3. Despite that, the film was referred back for further review by the CBFC under a rule that allows review if new objections arise, reportedly related to religious sentiments and use of defence emblems. 4. The producers challenged the delay in the Madras High Court, and the High Court reserved its order after hearing arguments from both sides; no final judgement has been delivered yet. 5. The Supreme Court of India declined an earlier plea for immediate clearance and sent the matter back to the High Court for resolution. 6. The uncertainty over certification has led to the films originally planned release being postponed. 7. The CBFC maintains that the 14 proposed cuts are an intermediate step in the certification process, meaning no final certificate has been issued yet. 8. Overseas boards (e.g., UKs BBFC) have cleared the film for their markets, but that does not impact the Indian certification requirement. Ellen DeGeneres spoke out about the fatal Minneapolis ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good, expressing sorrow, support for peaceful protesters and personal ties to the city where she filmed her last stand-up special. Former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has issued a rare political statement in response to the fatal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, expressing sorrow, solidarity with peaceful demonstrators and a personal connection to the city where she recently worked. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, during a confrontation that erupted amid a large federal immigration enforcement operation known as Operation Metro Surge. The shooting has sparked ongoing protests and national debate about immigration enforcement and use of force by federal agents. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD DeGeneres message on ICE Shooting and Renee Good On January 18, DeGeneres shared a video message to Instagram in which she addressed the violence and unrest in Minneapolis. She said she was deeply affected by what has happened in the city, noting that she filmed her 2024 Netflix stand-up special, For Your Approval, in Minneapolis, a place she described as the happiest city in America. I am so sorry for what is happening in Minneapolis and our country, really, but specifically Minneapolis right now, DeGeneres said, adding that her thoughts and prayers were with peaceful protesters and anyone hurt just for protesting, which she viewed as a basic right. Im proud of everyone whos protesting peacefully, and I am sorry for anyone who has been hurt just for protesting, for doing what you should be doing, she continued. Games View All DeGeneres also reposted a tribute photo of Good shared by author Marianne Williamson, along with a heartfelt letter from Goods wife, Becca Good. In the reposted caption, DeGeneres wrote Im so sad, and so angry, and so worried, echoing emotions expressed by Goods loved ones. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Public reaction DeGeneres comments have generated a mixed public response. Supporters applauded her for using her platform to draw attention to the violence in Minneapolis and to encourage peaceful protest. Others criticised her for focusing on this incident while responding to broader political debates about law enforcement, immigration enforcement and protest rights. Some online critics accused her of selective advocacy or of being out of touch with the nuances of the incident. What happened to Renee Good The shooting of Renee Good has become a flashpoint in national discussions about federal immigration policy and the use of force by ICE agents. Good was killed after an encounter with ICE agent Jonathan Ross while she was in her vehicle with her wife and dog shortly after dropping her child at school. Footage from the scene has been widely shared, and protests have taken place in Minneapolis and nationwide since the incident. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Civil rights advocates and Goods family have called for accountability and transparency in the handling of the shooting, and demonstrations continue as supporters highlight concerns about law enforcement practices and immigrant community safety. Several celebs have already spoken up against ICE. In fact, at the Golden Globe Award, celebs wore pins to remember Good. Mark Ruffalo, in fact, spoke at length and even condemned Donald Trump. Donald Trump on Tuesday posted a map of America showing Canada, Venezuela and Greenland as part of the United States. The White House previously said that the US president wants to restore American pre-eminence in the western hemisphere. Lets take a closer look at how he has attempted to make this a reality since his return US President Donald Trump has sought to redraw maps across the world in his first year back in power. Reuters Its been a year since Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office. Trump, who had previously served as the 45th president of the United States, took office as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025. Since his return to power, Trump has upended global trade and left the US friends and allies wondering what comes next. Above all, Trump has tried to redraw the world map over the past 365 days and increase Americas influence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump on Tuesday posted a map of America showing Canada, Venezuela and Greenland as part of the United States. The White House previously said Trump wants to restore American pre-eminence in the western hemisphere. Lets take a closer look Gulf of Mexico Just a month after returning to office, Trump announced he would be renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Trump passed an executive order 14172., entitled Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness, that declared February 9 as Gulf of America Day. According to Trumps executive order, the Gulf of America comprises the US Continental Shelf area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the State of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba. I took this action in part because, as stated in that order, the area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America, Trumps proclamation read. As my administration restores American pride in the history of American greatness, it is fitting and appropriate for our great Nation to come together and commemorate this momentous occasion and the renaming of the Gulf of America, Trump added. While some US agencies including the Coast Guard have already started using the name Gulf of America, the rest of the world has not. This is because Trump executive orders carry no weight outside the borders of his country. Experts say this is more of a political play rather than an international legal strategy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum previously joked that North America,, which includes the United States, ought to be renamed Mexican America Reuters File Matthew Zierler, a political science professor at Michigan State University who studies foreign policy and international law, told Business Insider, Internationally, there have always been differences among countries about what to name specific bodies of water, islands, etc. Names reflect culture, history, and identity, so the disagreements between countries on what to refer to a place are real, but the core of the issue, he said, is political rather than legal. The Gulf of Mexico name has been used internationally since the 16th century. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum previously joked that North America, which includes the United States, ought to be renamed Mexican America an historic name used on an early map of the region. Trump has also claimed that the drug cartels are running Mexico and threatened to conduct strikes in the neighbouring country. Sheinbaum has also said that the US must address its drug culture. The other side also has to do its part. This consumption crisis they have over there also has to be addressed from a public health perspective, through education campaigns, Sheinbaum was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Panama Canal When it comes to global trade, the Panama Canal is one of the most important chokepoints. The canal, which was completed in August 1914, witnesses 5 per cent of all global traffic and a whopping 40 per cent of US trade traffic. Little wonder than that Trump has been looking to reassert American influence over the canal, which was built and controlled by the US for decades. Trump has claimed that Panama charges excessive tolls for US ships to pass through the canal, calling them ridiculous and very unfair. Trump has also asserted that the US needs to take back the canal because China controls it and could use the waterway to undermine American interests. A ship sails the Panama Canal as a rainbow appears in the sky in Arraijan, Panama. Reuters According to CFR, China comprises around 21 percent of the canals trade. Beijing owns two of its five major ports and Chinese firms run logistic hubs at the Canal. Chinese companies have made significant investments in Panama that some U.S. lawmakers and maritime experts say could give Beijing leverage over the canals operation. While Panamas President Jose Raul Mulino Has made some concessions to the US, experts say it has left him in a tough spot. Will Freeman, fellow for Latin America studies at the Council for Foreign Relations, was quoted as saying, This all-stick, no-carrot approach is not going to work in South America, which is much more economically dependent on China. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Venezuela In Venezuela, Trump has tried to increase the United States sway by taking out Nicolas Maduro. Trump sent the US elite Delta forces to Caracas and captured Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The two have now been to the United States, where they are set to stand trial. The president in his newly-unveiled Donroe Doctrine, a play on the Monroe Doctrine, has claimed that the United States now owns Venezuelas oil. This is in line by Trumps previous statements about Iraq in which he said the United States should have simply taken the countrys oil to pay for the war. Though Trump has invited a number of oil companies to do business in Venezuela and even invited some oil honchos to the White House, the companies seem reluctant. This is because Venezuela has nationalised its oil decades ago, which means that the country would first have to change its laws. Also, Venezuelas oil infrastructure has so degraded over the past decade that experts estimate it could take years before the oil starts flowing. Venezuelas interim leader Delcy Rodriguez has taken over as acting president. Trump has also claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Haggis would be running Venezuela. However, the United States has no troops on the ground and no way of enforcing its diktats. Meanwhile, Venezuelan vice president Delcy Rodriguez, who has taken over as interim president after an order from the countrys Supreme Court, is treading a fine line. Most of the rest of Maduros inner circle have simply taken over from where he left off. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In practice, the presidents policies smack of neo-imperialism, not neo-isolationism," Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a professor at Georgetown University, wrote. Greenland Trumps interest in Greenland isnt anything new. In fact, During Trumps first term he floated purchasing the semi- autonomous territory from Denmark, but was roundly mocked by the media and politicians from both countries. However, no one is laughing now. Trump has repeatedly said Washington must own Greenland, an autonomous part of the kingdom of Denmark that houses a US airbase, to prevent Russia or China from occupying the strategically located and minerals-rich Arctic territory. He says a US military presence there is not enough. Greenland and Denmark have said that Greenland is not for sale, but Trump has not ruled out taking it by force. Denmark and the US are NATO members. In opting out of this consensus, the US risks assuming the position of a rogue state within the international system," Marc Weller, the director of the International Law Programme at the Chatham House think-tank, said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Greenland is an important location. It sits astride key Arctic shipping lanes that are becoming more viable as ice melts due to climate change, and it hosts the US-operated Pituffik Space Base, a critical component of Americas missile warning and space surveillance systems. The island is also rich in rare earth minerals, uranium, and other critical resources essential for advanced technologies and defence systems, all resources that Washington fears could otherwise fall under Chinese influence. Protesters outside the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland. AP While Denmark retains formal control over Greenlands foreign and defence policy, Trump has increasingly framed the island as vital to US national security, unsettling both Copenhagen and Nuuk. Greenland is growing in importance as we find ourselves in a global competition with China and in a new technological revolution with regards to warfare, Rebecca Pincus, director of the Wilson Centers Polar Institute, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. So, Greenland is important from a missile-defense perspective, from a space perspective, and from a global competition perspective. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Greenlands Prime Minister Mute B Egede has insisted that the people of Greenland want independence. We dont want to be Danish, we dont want to be American, we want to be Greenlandic, he said in January 2025. Brent Sadler, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told GBH that Greenland could become increasingly important if shipping becomes viable through that route as Arctic weather gets warmer and ice caps shrink. Geography really matters, and Greenlands geography is extremely strategic, Sadler, a retired US Navy captain, added. We dont want a Chinese economic or military presence right there at a very critical pathway for an attack against the United States. Any policy made in Washington is made through the lens of the competition with China, said Frangeul-Alves, who focuses on US politics for the German Marshall Fund. Canada Canada, Americas closest ally and largest trading partner, has also felt the strain of Trumps return. While Trump has not made any formal territorial claims, his rhetoric toward Ottawa becoming Americas 51st state has left many Canadian officials upset. Trump has accused Canada of exploiting the United States through what he calls unfair trade practices, particularly in the dair I y, lumber, and energy sectors. He has threatened fresh tariffs and suggested that Canada relies excessively on US security guarantees. Canadas Prime Minister Mike Carney has avoided confronting Donald Trump directly. (AP) In late 2025, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada is ready to resume trade talks with the United States, but the Trump administration halted certain negotiations over political disagreements. Experts say Trumps posture reflects his broader belief that North America should fall firmly within a US-dominated sphere of influence. However, making Canada the 51st state seems to have completely fallen off Trumps radar at least for now. Ukraine Trumps return has also altered Washingtons approach to the war in Ukraine. The president has repeatedly questioned the value of continued US military and financial aid to Kyiv, arguing that Europe should shoulder a greater share of the burden. Trump, who had vowed to end the Gaza war very quickly after taking office, has not been able to follow adhieve this. Trump last year seemingly grew frustrated with Russias Vladimir Putin. Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine as Kyiv and its allies try to finalise a US-brokered plan The Trump White House has been pushing a peace plan that many contend is in line with what Moscow wants and offers up far too much to Russia. The new Strategy is weak on Russia it calls for a cession of hostilities in Ukraine that leaves Ukraine a viable state and terms this a core interest of the United States, Daniel Fried, Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council, was quoted as saying. Gaza In West Asia, Trump has taken an unapologetically pro-Israel position on Gaza. He had backed Israeli military operations and framed them as part of a broader struggle against terrorism and Iranian influence. Trump has said Gazas temporary governance will be overseen by a so-called Board of Peace of which Trump himself will be the chair. A man walks through a waterlogged alley in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on December 11, 2025. AFP But many experts say this resembles a colonial structure with Trump chairing a board to oversee a foreign territorys governance. UN special adviser on sustainability Jeffrey Sachs called it imperialism masquerading as a peace process while multiple UN experts cast it as regrettably reminiscent of colonial practices. The strategys ideological hostility toward Europe combines with its implied disdain for the conventional freeworld order while elsewhere it recognises that the United States will need its friends to contend with its adversaries, Torrey Taussig, Director of Transatlantic Security Initiative, Atlantic Council, was quoted as saying. What do experts say? Some experts say Trump has simply torn off the mask of colonialism. The idea that this is new is ridiculous, said Kehinde Andrews, a professor of black studies at Birmingham City University in the UK and the author of The New Age of Empire: How Racism and Colonialism Still Rule the World, told The Guardian. The US has been doing this all along, but the only difference here is its just brazen. Theres nothing new about this at all. This is what the west does; Trumps just honest about it. I actually find it refreshing to be honest. Others contend the US has never been shy about being an empire. Daniel Immerwahr, a historian and humanities professor at Northwestern University in Illinois, and the author of How to Hide an Empire, said that America keeps five permanently inhabited territories: Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa. Not to mention the hundreds of military bases around the world. Others disagree. As Dan Hamilton, a foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution, told GBH after Trumps inauguration last year, A lot of this is bombast and bluster, Hamilton says. Its also a tried and true tactic of Donald Trump to sort of disorient your negotiating partner, put them on the back foot because you want to get a better deal for the real goals that you have. It remains to be seen how Trump 2.0 plays out. With inputs from agencies Italian designer Valentino Garavani has passed away in Rome. The 93-year-old, who dressed celebrities and royalty, built an empire worth billions through his couture, ready-to-wear line, accessories, fragrances and licensing deals. He also owned several luxury properties. But who shall get all of it? Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani walks the catwalk with his models after a fashion show in 1991 in Paris, France. At the age of 93, the designer passed away, leaving a $1.5-billion fortune behind. File image/AP The world of fashion is in mourning. Valentino Garavani, Italys legendary couturier who has dressed everyone from Hollywood stars to European royals and American First Ladies, has passed away at the age of 93 at his home in Rome. Following the announcement of his demise, friends, fashion industry insiders and celebrities grieved the loss of the designer with Donatella Versace writing on Instagram: Today, we lost a true maestro who will forever be remembered for his art. My thoughts go to Giancarlo who never left his side for all these years. He will never be forgotten. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But even as the world mourns the loss of the fashion great, it has ignited a question who inherits his empire? Valentinos life in fashion Named after the star of silent cinema Rudolph Valentino, the fashion emperor Valentino Garavani was born on May 11, 1932 in Voghera, a small town south of Milan. His father owned an electric cables business. As a boy, he asked for made-to-measure shoes and was passionate about fashion. I have had this illness since childhood, he told the Italian edition of Elle magazine in 2007. I only like beautiful things. Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani poses at an exhibition of his best creations at the Ara Pacis museum in Rome. File image/AP At the age of 17, with a love for fashion, Valentino left home to study at the prestigious arts and fashion schools in Paris. By 1952, he was hired by designer Jean Desses, who dressed wealthy clients including royalty, and five years later he went to work for Guy Laroche. It was around 1959 that Valentino opened his own fashion house in Rome with the assistance of his lover, Giancarlo Giammetti, who had a strong business acumen. Valentino first earned the fashion worlds respect with his opening collection which featured what came to be known as his signature colour Valentino Red. In the years to follow, Valentino quickly rose to the top of the fashion world with his designs being seen on all those who mattered. In 1960, Hollywood actor Elizabeth Taylor donned a Valentino gown to the premiere of Spartacus in Rome. Jacqueline Kennedy also chose Valentino designs during her year of mourning following John F Kennedys November 1963 assassination. He also made the cream lace dress Jacqueline Kennedy wore for her marriage to Aristotle Onassis in 1968 and the sable-collared suit Farah Diba wore to flee Iran when her husband, the shah, was deposed in 1979. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In subsequent years, Valentinos gowns have been closely associated to culturally historic moments. Remember Julia Roberts in the black and white gown she wore when she won the Oscar for her portrayal in Erin Brockovich or Cate Blanchett in the one-shouldered yellow silk taffeta when she won the Oscar in 2005. Actress Julia Roberts in a Valentino gown as she holds the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Erin Brokovich in 2001. File image/AFP Valentinos billion-dollar empire With the help of Giammetti, Valentino extended his fashion empire beyond couture; ready to wear, accessories, fragrances and licensing deals turned the Valentino fashion house into a global luxury machine. In 1998, the Valentino fashion brand sold for $300 million to Holding di Partecipazioni Industriali, with Valentino still designing until his retirement in 2007. At the time, Valentino sold to increase the size of his brand: he knew without the support of a larger corporation surviving alone would be impossible. A view of Valentinos stunning chalet in Gstaad. This is among the many properties Valentino owned during his lifetime. Image Courtesy: @realmrvalentino/Instagram Subsequent sales to Marzotto and later Qatari investors further increased the brands valuation, cementing Valentinos billionaire status even after he stepped back from daily operations. It is reported that at the time of his demise, his net worth was a whopping $1.5 billion. But his fortune didnt just come from fashion. Valentino invested in high-value real estate, owning a Roman villa near the Spanish Steps, a London mansion, a Manhattan penthouse, a French chateau, and a Swiss chalet. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also enjoyed many luxuries, including the TM Blue One, a 152-foot superyacht worth about $15 million. It was designed by Perini Navi with the interiors personally styled by himself. The designer also owned a remarkable art collection worth hundreds of millions of dollars. His residences displayed works by Picasso, Rothko, Bacon, Warhol, Basquiat, Hockney and others. Valentino also founded the Accademia Valentino, a cultural space in Rome designed to host exhibitions and philanthropic events in 1990. While it wasnt a profit-making avenue, it reinforced his brand value. A worker cleans the window of a Valentino boutique, following the death of the fashion designer Valentino Garavani at the age of 93 on Monday, in Rome, Italy. Reuter Inheriting Valentinos fortune So, the question that is on many peoples minds following Valentinos demise is who shall inherit it all? Valentino had no children of his own, though he was known to be passionate about his pugs. At one time, he even owned six of them: Milton, Monty, Maude, Margot, Maggie and Molly. In fact, in his documentary, titled Valentino: The Last Emperor, he said: I dont care about the collection. My dogs are more important. Italian designer Valentino in Tuscany with one of his six beloved pugs. Image Courtesy: @realmrvalentino/Instagram According to CEO Today Magazine, Valentinos estate is widely understood to be structured through private trusts, with Giancarlo Giammetti playing a central role in stewardship. Moreover, Italian inheritance law, combined with cross-border asset planning, suggests a carefully designed framework intended to preserve both wealth and cultural legacy, rather than liquidate assets quickly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Around 40 beaches have been closed along the coast of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia after four shark attacks were reported in 48 hours. One surfer was left with life-changing injuries after the incident that came after heavy rains were reported in Sydney over the weekend. Bull sharks are believed to be behind most of these recent attacks Beachgoers at Queenscliff Beach walk past warning signs, with beaches closed after recent shark attacks in Sydney, Australia, January 20, 2026. Reuters Australia has been rocked by four shark attacks in two days. Dozens of beaches along the countrys east coast, including in Sydney, have been closed following the unprecedented attacks. Bull sharks are believed to be behind the recent attacks that have resulted in the closure of around 40 beaches along the coast of New South Wales (NSW). This comes after days of heavy rain that washed into the harbour and nearby beaches, forming ideal conditions for these species. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lets take a closer look. 4 shark attacks in 2 days On Tuesday (January 20) morning, a surfer was bitten by a shark that knocked him off his board near Point Plomer Beach on the NSW Mid North Coast. The surfer was knocked off his board, his board has been bitten, there were multiple sharks in the water according to reports from other surfers in the water, Steven Pearce, the head of Surf Live Saving NSW, the peak body for water safety in the state, told Sydneys 2GB radio. The 39-year-old man sustained a wound to his chest after a shark bit his board, the police said, according to BBC. He was treated for minor injuries and released from the hospital. This was the fourth such attack off the coastline of Sydney, Australias largest city. A 27-year-old man was left in critical condition on Monday evening after his leg was bitten by a shark at North Steyne Beach in Manly in Sydneys Northern Beaches. An eyewitness said another surfer had kept the man alive using his boards leg rope as a makeshift tourniquet to stem the bleeding. He was breathing, but he was unconscious, and we just tried to keep him awake, as well as all the other people around us. Everyone was involved, the eyewitness told Australian broadcaster ABC. Police described the young surfer as having been left with life-changing injuries. People stand next to warning signs in place, and beaches are closed after a surfer suffered a shark attack today at Dee Why Beach in Sydney, Australia, January 19, 2026. Reuters The same day, an 11-year-old boy escaped unharmed after a shark took a 15-centimetre (6-inch) bite out of his surfboard at Dee Why Point beach, which is near Manly. Shark biologists at the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development said that preliminary photo analysis of the bite mark indicated it was likely from a bull shark, the Manly Observer reported. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was critically injured after a shark bit his legs while he was swimming near Shark Beach in Sydney Harbour. Authorities suspect bull sharks were involved in most of these recent attacks. More than a dozen beaches in northern Sydney, including Manly and Palm Beach, will remain closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. If youre thinking about going for a swim, think of going to a local pool because at this stage, were advising that beaches are unsafe, Steven Pearce, the chief executive of Surf Life Saving New South Wales, told reporters. Police on Monday urged the public to avoid waterways in NSW due to recent weather, which has reduced water quality and visibility. I would recommend not swimming in the harbour or our other river systems across NSW at this time, Superintendent Joseph McNulty said. Why Australia is seeing so many shark attacks Shark attacks are rare in Australia. The spate of such attacks comes after heavy rains were reported around Sydney over the weekend. Experts say this has created a perfect mix of conditions for bull sharks, the species considered among the most dangerous. The runoff from rainfall has brought prey into the ocean water for sharks to feast on, Leonardo Guida, a shark scientist with the Australian Marine Conservation Society, told New York Times (NYT). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The significant rain made the water murky, and likely led to raw sewage running straight into Sydneys harbour and coastline. The nutrients in the sewage draw bait fish and brings sharks toward the bait fish, University of Sydney associate professor of public policy Chris Pepin-Neff told the ABC. Bull sharks usually inhabit warmer waters up the coast but move down the coastline towards Sydneys most popular beaches in summer. They can live in both fresh and marine water. These sharks thrive in brackish water. We do get a lot of shark sightings, or people being bumped by sharks, but to have four incidents where all the victims have been actually attacked by sharks is really uncommon, Pearce, the CEO of NSW Surf Life Saving, was quoted as saying by CNN. While Australia is a global shark attack hotspot, Pearce said the number of recent attacks was unprecedented. This series of bites from bull sharks in such a short period of time is highly unusual, Dr Daryl McPhee, associate professor of environmental science at Bond University, told the BBC. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rain can lead to concentration of fish that bull sharks prey on downstream in rivers and beaches, McPhee said, adding that bull sharks are well adapted to feeding in murky water after rain. Where you find the fish, you find the bull sharks. Unfortunately, that sometimes occurs at popular beach locations. Bull sharks thrive in brackish water. File Photo/AFP Sharks do not normally attack humans, but the murky water reduces their visibility, increasing their chances of bumping into something, due to which they defensively or curiously bite and then bite again, Pepin-Neff, an expert on shark behaviour, wrote in a column in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. Last November, a woman was killed and a man was seriously injured after being attacked by a bull shark on a remote beach in Australia. ALSO READ: Killer whale eats great white shark: Why scientists are worried Why Australian beaches are packed Beaches across Australia are usually crowded with locals and tourists at this time, as January and February are the summer months in the country. Temperatures are predicted to increase over the weekend just ahead of the Australia Day public holiday, when many people will visit parks and beaches. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We know this weekend is forecast for a really extreme hot temperature. So, we know were going to have tens of thousands of people flocking down to the coastline, Pearce told CNN. We know that they will go into the water regardless of whether theyre closed or not. The attacks have, however, not spooked everyone from the beaches. Rob West told CNN on Tuesday he had been surfing at Bondi Beach, which remains open, that morning. Ive been surfing since Ive been 13 and Ive never even seen one out there. Theyve probably seen me plenty of times and just realised what I was. I dont look enough like a seal to be attacked, he said. According to Vincent Raoult, a senior lecturer in marine ecology at Griffith University, it can take up to a week after heavy rain for the water to clear and for the threat of bull sharks to recede. In the conditions where bull sharks do encounter people, its in those really brackish, murky waters, so theyre not relying on their eyesight, Raoult was quoted as saying by CNN. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Raoult said research does not indicate that the bull shark population has surged around Sydney. But said he believes the rise in interactions can be attributed to more people using beaches and waterways while development encroaches on the sharks habitat. With inputs from agencies Veronika, a pet cow in Austria, has shocked scientists by using a broom to scratch her back. While chimps, crows, dolphins and octopuses all use tools, this is the first time a cow has been documented doing so A new study describes the first documented case of tool use by a cow: Image courtesy: @Mechanical_Dodo/X Using a tool is often considered a sign of intelligence. Chimpanzees use sticks to extract insects and honey, while crows do so to reach food. Dolphins and octopuses have also been documented doing so. However, now, for the first time, a cow can be added to that short list. Veronika, a pet cow from Austria, shocked observers by grabbing sticks with her mouth and using them to scratch her body. A team at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, in Austria have documented Veronikas use of sticks in a study published in Current Biology on Monday (January 19). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meet Veronika Veronika is a 13-year-old Swiss Brown cow that is not used for meat or milk production. Witgar Wiegele, an organic farmer and baker from a small town in Carinthia, keeps Veronika as a pet, according to BBC Science Focus. Wiegele noticed that Veronika would occasionally grab sticks and use them to scratch her body. Veronika, a Swiss Brown cow in the Austrian Alps, has long been seen picking up sticks and brushes to deliberately scratch an itch This is not quirky behaviour its the first documented case of a cow using a tool pic.twitter.com/B8baL7gnjK Science girl (@sciencegirl) January 20, 2026 According to Wiegele, Veronika started playing with pieces of wood several years ago. She then figured out how to scratch herself using sticks. He also pointed out that Veronika recognised the family members voices and rushed over when they called her. I was naturally amazed by her extraordinary intelligence and thought how much we could learn from animals: patience, calmness, contentment, and gentleness, he was quoted as saying by The Guardian. A long video of Veronika reportedly shared by Wiegele caught the eye of scientists in Vienna. Testing Veronikas skills Scientists were stunned by the video. It was a cow using an actual tool, Dr Antonio Osuna Mascaro at the citys University of Veterinary Medicine said after seeing it. Mascaro and his colleague, Dr Alice Auersperg, then led the study into Veronikas use of tools. Both reached the Austrian Alps, which they said was the most idyllic place imaginable for an Austrian cow. The team initially offered her a broom brush, assuming she would use only the bristled side. Instead, Veronika changed how she handled the tool based on where she needed to scratch. For larger areas like her back that required a firm scratch, she used the bristles. But when tending to more sensitive spots, such as her underbelly, she turned the brush around and used the smooth handle for a gentler touch, according to the study. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A pet cow named Veronika uses tools in a surprisingly sophisticated way. Image courtesy: @JungereCato/X We thought at the beginning that perhaps Veronika was not careful enough when choosing which end to use against her body, Mascaro told the Washington Post. Adding, However, after a while, we started to observe a pattern. Veronika indeed had a preference for using the broom end" She was using a far more careful approach. It wasnt an error. It was a meaningful use of the handle end of the tool, Mascaro added. Mascaro also told BBC Science Focus, The only well-documented case of something comparable comes from chimpanzees, on those also rare occasions when they fish for termites by combining the functions of the two opposite ends of the same stick." Not Einstein of cows The study says that Veronika may not be special. Rather, it is the circumstances that have been in her favour. Veronika has been granted access to large, open spaces, daily human interaction, and the freedom to explore and experiment in her surroundings. The findings also indicate that perceptions of livestock and animal intelligence may depend less on the animals abilities and more on whether they are given the chance to explore their intelligence. Researchers also note that most cows do not live as long as 13 years, and they do not even live in such a stimulating environment. Therefore, their intelligence is rarely witnessed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Veronika and her ground-breaking scratching are detailed in a study published today in Current Biology. Image courtesy: @SciVigil/X Other clever cows have come to light. We dont believe that Veronika is the Einstein of cows, Mascaro told The Guardian. What this tells us is that cows have the potential to innovate tool use, and we have ignored this fact for thousands of years, he added. With inputs from agencies Donald Trump has now taken aim at the UK over the Chagos Islands deal, calling it an act of great stupidity. Trump has now claimed that the decision to hand over the territory to Mauritius is one of the reasons why he wants Greenland. In May, the US administration backed the pact Chagos Archipelago is a group of six atolls with more than 600 islands in the Indian Ocean, Reuters US President Donald Trump is nothing if not consistently inconsistent. Trump has now taken aim at the United Kingdom over the Chagos deal, calling it an act of great stupidity. Trump has now claimed that the United Kingdom handing over Chagos to Mauritius is one of the reasons why he wants Greenland. Trump has insisted that it is important for the United States to acquire the Arctic territory for its national security. He has threatened fellow European allies, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) members, with tariffs if they do not allow the United States to purchase the territory from Denmark. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what has happened thus far? What is the Chagos deal? How did Trump change tack? Lets take a closer look. What has happened thus far? The Chagos Archipelago is a group of six atolls with more than 600 islands in the Indian Ocean, 500 kilometres south of the Maldives and halfway between Africa and Indonesia. Around 4,000 people are currently stationed on the islands. No indigenous inhabitants, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, have lived there since Britain forcibly displaced up to 2,000 people, mostly former agricultural workers, from the islands in the late 1960s and early 1970s to establish the Diego Garcia base. The islands were administered together with Mauritius by the UK. However, before Mauritius gained independence in 1965, Britain decreed that the Chagos Islands were a separate territory. Mauritius later claimed it was coerced to agree with Britain under the threat of its independence being delayed. Britain forcibly removed about 1,5002,000 Chagossians from their homes in the late 1960s and early 1970s to make way for the base. They were dumped in Mauritius and Seychelles, where many fell into poverty. They have never been allowed to return. Mauritius has for years been demanding the base back, pointing to the fact that Chagos was part of it prior to independence. It also noted that Britain broke up a colony, which is illegal under UN rules. The international courts sided with Mauritius. This includes the 2015 Arbitration Court, which found that the UK violated Mauritiuss rights, and the 2019 International Court of Justice, which found that Britains control of Chagos is illegal and that it must return the islands as rapidly as possible. The UN General Assembly also voted that Britain should give the islands back. India too had supported Mauritiuss stance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, Britain had refused to do so for years. It noted that the ICJ opinion is merely advisory and not binding. However, the new UK government under Keir Starmer has reversed course. The UK and Mauritius then engaged in nearly a dozen rounds of talks. What is the Chagos deal? The UK in May 2025 agreed to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The two countries signed a $4 billion (Rs. 363.84 billion) agreement to do so. However, under the terms of the agreement, Britain has retained control of the joint base it has with the US military on Diego Garcia. The UK agreed to lease the island, the largest in the region, for $118 million per year (about Rs. 10.74 billion per year) from Mauritius for 99 years. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in the aftermath of the deal, described it as a monumental achievement. Rubio said that this is a critical asset for regional and global security and that President Trump expressed his support for this monumental achievement during his meeting with Prime Minister Starmer at the White House. This milestone reflects the enduring strength of the US-UK relationship. Theyre talking about a very long-term, powerful lease, a very strong lease, about 140 years actually, Trump said back then. Thats a long time, and I think well be inclined to go along with your country. US President Donald Trump previously backed the Chagos deal. Reuters The UK had called the deal a legal necessity and noted that it was supported by the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The deal is also important for the US and UK because Diego Garcia is located near international trade routes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Recent operations launched from Diego Garcia include bombing strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in 2024 and 2025, humanitarian aid deployments to Gaza and attacks against Taliban and al Qaeda targets in Afghanistan in 2001. How did Trump change tack? Trump, unsurprisingly, has changed his mind on Chagos because he likely is trying to find any excuse for the US to take Greenland. Shockingly, our brilliant Nato ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital US military base, to Mauritius, Trump wrote on social media. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are international powers who only recognise STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of national security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired, Trump concluded. Starmer has tried to ease tensions between the United States and the European Union. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD UK Prime Minister Keir Starmers government called the deal a legal necessity and noted that it was supported by the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. On Greenland, the right way to approach an issue of this seriousness is through calm discussion between allies, Starmer said. But there is a principle here that cannot be set aside, because it goes to the heart of how stable and trusted international cooperation works, so any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone, he added. The United Kingdom has insisted Trumps statement would make no difference to the deal. Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, told Sky News, Weve done a deal with the Mauritian government, weve legislated for the process, weve agreed the terms of the treaty, which has been signed. This is the way in which to secure that military base for the next 100 years. We disagree with President Trump on Greenland, and the Prime Minister has been very clear about that. In the past the Prime Minister has shown that private, proper British diplomacy can work he has a good track record of this, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Its noisy, I understand that. Its challenging. Its not normal for geopolitical discussion to be handled in this way. But British diplomacy is working. Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition in Britain, said on Tuesday on X that the deal was complete self-sabotage that made us and our Nato allies weaker. Ive been clear, and unfortunately on this issue President Trump is right. Keir Starmers plan to give away the Chagos Islands is a terrible policy that weakens UK security and hands away our sovereign territory. And to top it off, it makes us and our Nato allies weaker in the face of our enemies, Badenoch wrote. Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey says Trumps Chagos comments show Starmers approach to the US President has failed. The Chagos deal was sold as proof the government could work with him. Now its falling apart, Davey wrote on X. Its time for the government to stand up to Trump; appeasing a bully never works. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has proposed introducing optional joint taxation for married couples in the Union Budget 2026. As part of its pre-Budget recommendations, it said such a system would align India with countries like the US that allow spouses to file combined tax returns Married couples may have something to look forward to in the Union Budget 2026. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has proposed introducing optional joint taxation for spouses. If the Ministry of Finance adopts the demand, it could bring a remarkable change in personal income tax. Such a move will be a huge relief for married taxpayers and will help them save more money. We take a look. What has ICAI proposed? Under the current Indian tax system, every individual, irrespective of their marital status or household income structure, is taxed separately. Everyone has to file their own income tax return (ITR), even if they have shared income or joint expenses. Each spouse gets separate exemptions, slabs, and deductions on their income. ICAI has proposed reforms in the current tax system. It suggests allowing married couples to combine their incomes and file a single income tax return, as per a Times of India (TOI) report. The institute has recommended introducing this in the Union Budget 2026 as an optional system, which will give spouses the flexibility to choose their preferred method to file ITR. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The proposal is part of ICAIs pre-Budget recommendations to simplify tax compliance. How will joint taxation work? A married couple can file a single consolidated income tax return under the joint-filing option. ICAI has proposed restructuring tax slabs. For example, no tax up to Rs 6 lakh and 5 per cent between Rs 614 lakh. The joint taxation, as per ICAIs proposal, could look as follows: Income range (Rs) Tax rate Up to 8,00,000 Nil 8,00,001 to 16,00,000 5% 16,00,001 to 24,00,000 10% 24,00,001 to 32,00,000 15% 32,00,001 to 40,00,000 20% 40,00,001 to 48,00,000 25% Above 48,00,000 30% There could be adjustments to standard deductions (for salaried earners), exemptions and surcharge thresholds. It has proposed a hiked surcharge threshold and separate standard deductions for both spouses if salaried. ICAI has suggested increasing the threshold for levy of surcharge from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 75 lakh for single earners and to Rs 1.5 crore under joint taxation for married couples. As per reports, it recommended revising surcharge rates based on the joint income of married couples: When total income is greater than Rs 1.50 crore but less than Rs 3 crore, surcharge could be 10 per cent of tax. For those who have a total income of more than Rs 3 crore but less than Rs 5 crore, surcharge may be 15 per cent of tax. When total income exceeds Rs 5 crore, surcharge could be 25 per cent of the tax on the total income. Why is joint taxation needed? If India adopts joint taxation, it would join the list of countries such as the United States and Germany that allow married couples to file joint tax returns. Joint taxation can reduce the overall tax liability, especially for families relying on a single earner. Under joint taxation, the exemption thresholds and effective liability are expected to be more favourable, as per TOI. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ICAI says this will dissuade single earners from splitting income with other family members to take advantage of individual exemption limits. For example, under the Income-tax Act, every member in a family is individually entitled to basic exemption limit of Rs 4 lakh separately under default regime/2.50 lakh under the optional regime. However, in India, even today many of the families are supported by a single individual, with no separate earnings for the spouse and children. Consequently, the individual adopts ways and means to transfer income in the hands of other family members, ICAI reportedly said. Joint taxation will help couples to better adjust exemptions for home loan interest and medical insurance. Joint taxation can reduce the overall tax liability. Representational Image/Pixabay Dual-earner couples with modest incomes could benefit from higher basic exemptions and standard deductions. Dual-earner couples with high income can get limited benefits, as their combined income may put them in a higher tax bracket. The proposal also simplifies tax compliance and household filing. Joint filing could lead to less paperwork, making it easier for couples to manage their taxes together. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ALSO READ: Indias Budget 2026 in focus as industry seeks stronger Make in India push Challenges of ICAIs proposal While ICAIs joint taxation will be good news for married couples, there are many challenges in implementation. There may be a need for a system overhaul as the current tax filing is designed for individuals. The policy has to be designed carefully, tax experts say. As per TOI, there is a higher risk of tax avoidance if exemption limits and deductions are doubled or significantly increased for married couples. Dealing with categories like house-property income, home-loan interest, investments under 80C, medical insurance deduction, etc., for two individuals in a single return will need to be addressed through clear guidelines. The joint taxation option may not be very attractive for spouses if both have high incomes. This could push them into higher income slabs. While ICAIs proposal has brought attention to joint filing, whether India will recognise married couples as economic units for tax purposes remains to be seen. It had recommended the idea before Budget 2025, but it was not accepted. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026 on February 1, 2026. With inputs from agencies At least seven people, including a Chinese national, were killed when a blast hit a Chinese-run restaurant in Kabuls Shahr-e-Naw district. The Islamic State claimed responsibility, saying Chinese citizens were targeted. The attack has raised fresh concerns over security for foreigners in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan The Afghan branch of ISIL (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for Mondays attack in Kabul. Image/X An explosion tore through a Chinese-run restaurant in the heart of Kabul on Monday, January 19, killing at least seven people and injuring several others, including women and a child. The attack occurred in Shahr-e-Naw, a commercial district long considered one of the Afghan capitals safest areas. The Afghan branch of the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the incident, which appears to be part of a broader pattern of assaults targeting Chinese interests in Afghanistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Authorities have confirmed the deaths of one Chinese national and six Afghan citizens. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, while nearby hospitals treated dozens of wounded victims. Investigations are ongoing to determine how the blast was carried out and whether additional suspects were involved. What do we know about the blast in Kabuls Shahr-e-Naw? The explosion took place inside a Chinese noodle restaurant located within a hotel in Kabuls Shahr-e-Naw neighbourhood. This part of the city is known for its embassies, office buildings, shopping complexes, foreign-owned restaurants, and antique shops. Because of the concentration of diplomatic and commercial establishments, Shahr-e-Naw has long been viewed as one of the most secure zones in the Afghan capital. According to police spokesman Khalid Zadran, the restaurant was situated on Gulforoshha Street and was frequented by members of the Chinese Muslim community living and working in Kabul. The blast occurred near the restaurants kitchen, causing extensive damage to the front of the building and sending debris across the street. Footage shared on social media showed smoke rising from the structure, shattered glass, and rubble scattered across the roadway. Videos also captured crowds running away from the area as emergency services arrived. The explosion today in a Chinese restaurant in Kabul was horrific, killing and injuring civilians. If it is confirmed as a terrorist attack, we all know who is behind it and why. Team 93k cannot tolerate Afghanistans progress or its independent relationships with other pic.twitter.com/9CgXacMCKt Fazal Afghan (@fhzadran) January 19, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Firefighters were seen clearing debris, while ambulances transported the injured to nearby hospitals. Police officers sealed off the surrounding streets, and flower sellers who typically work in the area were forced to evacuate. Who ran the restaurant and who did it serve? The targeted restaurant was jointly operated by a Chinese Muslim man named Abdul Majid, his wife, and an Afghan business partner, Abdul Jabbar Mahmood. According to police, the establishment mainly served Chinese Muslims living in Kabul, as well as visiting Chinese nationals. The eatery was located inside a hotel that catered to foreign visitors and business travellers. Its presence in Shahr-e-Naw reflected the growing footprint of Chinese commercial activity in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. What do we know about the victims? Authorities have confirmed that at least seven people were killed in the blast. Among the deceased was a Chinese national identified as Ayub, along with six Afghan citizens. Several others were wounded, including four women and a child. The humanitarian organisation EMERGENCY, which operates a surgical centre close to the blast site, said it received 20 casualties following the explosion. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Its Afghanistan country director, Dejan Panic, said in a statement, So far, we have received 20 people at our hospital. Among the wounded are four women and a child Unfortunately, seven people were already dead on arrival. He also described the injuries suffered by survivors, adding, The wounded, some of whom are being assessed for surgery, have suffered lacerations and bruises. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that two Chinese nationals were seriously injured in the blast. It also said that a security guard was killed. Taliban officials confirmed that multiple people had died and others were hurt, but said it was initially difficult to provide precise casualty figures due to the condition of the victims and the ongoing investigation. One Taliban official told The Telegraph, The number of casualties is not yet clear since several bodies are shattered and the investigation is going on I can tell you the target was Chinese workers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Interior ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani also commented on the incident, saying, According to preliminary reports, several people were killed and injured, but declined to release further details while inquiries continued. What can we understand from the scene? Videos and images from the site showed a large hole in the front of the restaurant building, with smoke billowing into the street. Pieces of concrete, glass, and metal were scattered across the road, while emergency responders worked to clear the wreckage. Deadly blast rocks Kabul. An explosion ripped through a hotel in Shahr-e-Naw, killing several and injuring many, Taliban officials confirm. Local reports say the blast struck outside a Chinese restaurant, plunging the area into chaos.#Afghanistan #Kabul pic.twitter.com/jv0NPfTxjG Rizwan Shah (@rizwan_media) January 19, 2026 Footage aired by local broadcaster Tolo News, filmed through a car windshield, showed people walking and running through clouds of dust as sirens sounded in the background. At least one person was seen lying motionless on the ground. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Social media clips also captured panicked crowds fleeing the area, highlighting the scale of disruption caused by the blast in what is usually a busy commercial district. Who has claimed responsibility for the blast? The Afghan branch of the Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS, later claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the group said the explosion had been carried out by a suicide bomber. Its media outlet, Amaq news agency, stated that Chinese citizens had been placed on the groups list of targets, citing growing crimes by the Chinese government against Uighurs. Rights groups have long accused Beijing of serious human rights abuses against Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic minority of about 10 million people living in Chinas Xinjiang region. China has consistently denied these allegations, accusing Western nations of spreading false information and interfering in its internal affairs. While Afghan authorities did not immediately confirm the method used in the attack, Pakistans President Asif Ali Zardari described the incident as a bomb blast when condemning the violence. The Taliban government has repeatedly stated that it does not allow Afghan territory to be used as a base by terrorist groups. However, attacks claimed by Islamic State have continued since the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How has Pakistan reacted? Zardari strongly condemned the bomb blast at a Chinese restaurant in Kabul, according to his office. He accused Afghanistans Taliban government of failing to honour ceasefire agreements, particularly the obligation to prevent the use of Afghan soil for the export of terrorism, adding that no terrorist groups should be allowed safe havens in Afghanistan. Zardari also said that terrorists operating out of Afghan soil had affected other neighbouring countries, including Tajikistan. His comments followed an incident in which Tajik border guards killed four gunmen who crossed into the country from Afghanistan overnight. Tajik authorities said the men were armed militants, while Afghan officials claimed they were drug smugglers. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained in recent months. In October, the two sides came close to a wider conflict after cross-border clashes left dozens of people dead. The fighting ended only after Qatar helped broker a ceasefire. What does this mean for China? The Kabul restaurant blast is the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting Chinese citizens and businesses in Afghanistan and along its borders. Over the past few months, multiple Chinese nationals have been killed and several others injured in armed attacks carried out inside Afghanistan or launched from Afghan territory. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In 2022, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a deadly assault on a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese guests. That incident had already raised alarms about the safety of Chinese nationals in the country. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, China has emerged as one of the groups most important international partners. Beijing was the first country to restore ambassador-level diplomatic relations with the Taliban. China has also signed several economic agreements with Afghanistan, particularly in the mining sector. The country is seeking access to Afghanistans vast mineral resources, estimated to be worth around $1 trillion. These include lithium, copper, iron, and cobalt materials considered crucial for modern technology and renewable energy industries. Hundreds of Chinese nationals now work in Afghanistan as traders, investors, engineers, technical experts, and advisers. Chinese business visitors have increasingly travelled to the country since 2021, despite ongoing security concerns. Beijing has also provided economic assistance to the Taliban government and included Afghanistan on its list of nations eligible for tariff exemptions on commercial goods. China shares a rugged 76-kilometre border with Afghanistan and has close ties with the Taliban authorities. What do we still not know? Despite the Islamic States claim of responsibility, several key questions remain unanswered: How did the attacker access a supposedly secure district? Was the explosion caused solely by a suicide bomber? Were additional suspects involved? Were specific Chinese individuals being targeted? Afghan authorities have said investigations are continuing, but no further details have been released. With inputs from agencies Nitin Nabin is the new Bharatiya Janata Party president, succeeding JP Nadda for the top post. Describing the 45-year-old leader as a millennial, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Nabin is his boss in party matters. A five-time MLA from Bihar, his rise reflects a generational shift in the saffron party Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitates newly elected BJP National President Nitin Nabin as the latter takes charge at party headquarters, in New Delhi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is also seen. @NarendraModi/YT via PTI Photo The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a new chief. Nitin Nabin took charge as the saffron partys national president on Tuesday (January 20) after being elected unopposed a day before. He is said to be the youngest ever to occupy the top post. Nabin has succeeded Jagat Prakash Nadda for the high-profile post that the veteran leader held since January 2020. But who is Nitin Nabin? We explain. Nitin Nabin is BJPs new president Nitin Nabin was formally declared the BJPs president at the party headquarters in New Delhi. Senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, were present at the event. Congratulating the new BJP chief, PM Modi said Nabin will be his boss in matters related to the party. Addressing a gathering at the party headquarters, he described 45-year-old Nabin as a millennial. When it comes to party matters, Mananiya (honourable) Nitin Nabin ji I am a worker, and you are my boss, Modi said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Now, honourable Nitin Nabin ji is the president of all of us, and his responsibility is not just to manage the BJP, but also to ensure coordination among all NDA allies, the PM said. #WATCH | At BJP headquarters in Delhi, PM Modi says, "When it is about the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and I am a party worker..." pic.twitter.com/h3OFajNeJY ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 Modi said Nabin belongs to an era where people listened to the news on the radio in childhood and are now well-versed in using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Nitin ji has both youthful energy and a great deal of experience, the prime minister added. Nabin has become the 12th president of the BJP, which was founded in 1980 the year he was born. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He was elected unopposed as he was the sole candidate to file his nomination on Monday. Modi and other senior BJP leaders also filed nomination papers in his support, meeting the required numbers. In December, Nabin was appointed as the BJPs national working president. At the time, PM Modi had congratulated Nabin, calling him a hardworking Karyakarta (worker). The rise of Nitin Nabin Nitin Nabin is a five-time MLA from Bihar. A low-profile figure, he resigned as minister for law and justice, urban development and housing in the Bihar government following his appointment as the BJPs national working president last month. Nabin comes from a political family. He took the political plunge in 2006 after the demise of his father, the late BJP MLA Nabin Kishore Sinha. Born on May 23, 1980, in Jharkhands Ranchi, Nabin belongs to the upper caste Kayastha community, which makes up less than one per cent of the population in Bihar. Nabin is married to Deepmala Shrivastava. The couple have two children a son and a daughter. He was a part of RSS student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). While he is young, Nabin has vast experience in governance and working for the people and the organisation, a BJP leader told PTI. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nabin won a by-election from Patna West in 2006. After constituency delimitation, he shifted to the Bankipur Assembly seat, which he retained in the last four Bihar elections. In the 2025 Assembly polls, Nabin defeated Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Rekha Kumari by a margin of over 51,000 votes. The BJP leader served as Minister of Road Construction from February 2021 to August 2022 in the Nitish Kumarled Bihar government. He held the same portfolio from February 2025 until December 2025, along with the Urban Development and Housing department and the Law and Justice ministry. Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin being greeted by supporters after he was appointed BJPs working national president, in Patna, December 14, 2025. PTI Nabin has risen in the BJPs ranks to reach the top post. He was the National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and BJYMs Bihar state president. During this time, he was deeply engaged in youth mobilisation campaigns, including the National Unity Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir and a march from Guwahati to Tawang to honour martyrs of the 1965 war, reported Indian Express. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nabin has also held various organisational responsibilities in the BJP, including as the partys in-charge for Sikkim and co-in-charge for Chhattisgarh. As per the newspaper_,_ Nabin left a lasting impression on the BJP top brass as the partys co-incharge during the November 2023 Chhattisgarh Assembly elections. The saffron party registered a surprising victory in the state by defeating the incumbent Congress, led by Bhupesh Baghel. In 2024, Nabin was made the BJP in-charge of the Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh. The party swept the polls in the state. In July 2024, he was appointed as the party in charge of the state. A Chhattisgarh BJP leader told Indian Express, Nabin played a leading role in strategising and campaigning for these polls, which helped the party to win them smoothly. Nabins elevation signals a generational shift in the BJP. The central leadership has also likely set its eyes on Bihar through the move. Nitin Nabins elevation catapults him to the top position. He would instantly find himself ahead of all senior Bihar BJP leaders. Once he proves his organisational skills in the upcoming Assembly elections in some key states next year, he will further cement his position as a national party leader. And as and when there is a power transfer between the BJP and the JD (U), Nitin Nabin could even emerge as the partys face, a senior BJP leader was quoted as saying by Indian Express. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Challenges before BJPs new chief Nabin has taken over as the BJPs president at a crucial juncture. Several states are going to the polls soon. Assembly elections are due in West Bengal, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and Assam, of which the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is in power in only two. The saffron party is the main opposition party in West Bengal, while it has a smaller presence in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Nabin will be at the helm as these states go to the polls this year and also during the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Three years later, Indian politics would have undergone significant reforms, such as delimitation and the implementation of a 33 per cent womens reservation in Parliament and state Assemblies. Nabin realises the task at hand as he has already made tours of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Assam to familiarise himself with the terrain after being appointed the BJPs national working president in December, noted The Hindu. While the outcome of these elections is likely to be mixed, Nabin also has to face internal challenges. He is one of the BJPs youngest presidents, but will need a mix of experienced hands and youth as office-bearers for the BJP to steer the party. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With Nabins rise, the BJP is sending a message that it is ready for a generational shift without compromising with the partys core ideology. With inputs from agencies Noida techie, Yuvraj Mehta, who drowned in a ditch late on Friday (January 16), suffocated to death under water and also suffered a cardiac arrest, the postmortem report revealed. Eyewitnesses claimed police and firefighters hesitated to enter the ditch. The disaster response teams arrived four hours after the first call was made to the police Yuvraj Mehta was on his way home from his Gurugram office when tragedy struck. Image courtesy: X Papa, help me. I dont want to die." These were Yuvraj Mehtas final words before he drowned in the early hours of Saturday (January 17) in Noida. The 27-year-old software engineer was returning home from work when his vehicle plunged into a deep excavation pit filled with water in an empty plot in Sector 150. He reportedly stood atop his car for two hours, crying for help and later drowned. Police and firefighters hesitated to enter the ditch due to the presence of dangerous iron rods and debris, eyewitnesses claimed. Calls were made to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) between 1.02 am and 1.10 am on that fateful day. Both teams, stationed in Ghaziabad, reached hours later. However, it was too late. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How did the mishap unfold In dense fog, Yuvtaj Mehta, a resident of Tata Eureka Park society in Noidas Sector 150, reportedly lost control of his vehicle while returning home from his office in Gurugram around 12:20 am on Saturday (January 17). His Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara broke through a damaged wall and fell into the pit. Despite the dire situation, Mehta climbed onto the roof of his partially submerged car and called his father for help. He also kept screaming for help in the dark for nearly 90 minutes. However, the vehicle slipped slowly into the swamp. His father, Rajkumar Mehta, rushed to the site. Police personnel and fire department officials also gathered soon. Eyewitnesses claimed that while authorities argued over whether to start a rescue, the young Mehta remained standing on top of his sinking car for almost two hours, pleading repeatedly. Standing at the edge of the pit, the helpless father was unable to do anything. Locals noted that the water-filled ditch had no barriers, turning it into a death trap for drivers at a time when visibility was hampered by fog. By the time Mehta was pulled out, he had died. The postmortem report revealed that the cause of his death was asphyxia due to antemortem drowning, followed by cardiac arrest. From first call to a lost letter: Series of lapses According to officials, the first call was made to the Police Response Vehicle (PRV) at 12.06 am on Saturday (January 17) by Mehtas father. A team of nine police officials, including personnel from the nearby police chowki, arrived at the spot by 12:30 am. The Gautam Budh Nagar Fire Station received the first call at the same time, officials said, according to an Indian Express report. The Station House Officer (SHO) of the Knowledge Park Police Station in Greater Noida was informed of the incident at 12:40 am and arrived at the scene by 1 am, accompanied by four other officers. Fire services also arrived at nearly the same time, the report noted, citing officials. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) received the call at 1:02 am and 1:10 am, respectively. The SDRF arrived at 3:45 am, and the NDRF arrived at 4.15 am, according to authorities. However, Mehta had drowned around 2.30 am, they added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, locals have revealed something alarming. They alleged that cops were afraid to go into the water themselves. Police and firefighters hesitated to enter the ditch due to the dangerous iron rods and debris inside, reported NDTV. Police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel conduct a search operation after Yuvraj Mehta, the 27-year-old software engineer, died after his car went out of control and fell into a deep water-filled pit that was dug for the basement of an under-construction building, in Noida. PTI A delivery agent, named Moninder, decided to save Mehta. However, his attempt was unsuccessful. When I reached the spot at around 1.45 am, I saw personnel sitting on a ladder. They were saying the water was too cold and that there were iron rods inside, so they wouldnt enter, he told India Today. He also stated that the police team did not have any emergency equipment to rescue the techie. Thats not all. While this deadly pit was on the radar of authorities, little was done to act on it. According to the official records, the trench remained waterlogged because there was no proper outlet to drain rainwater into the Hindon River. The 2015 stormwater management plan drawn up by the irrigation department remained unimplemented despite several surveys and site inspections. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD TOI accessed documents that revealed that the department had proposed a head regulator in 2015 to divert runoff into the Hindon. In 2016, it received Rs 13.5 lakh from the Noida Authority to conduct a survey and prepare a design. However, after a joint site inspection on October 4, 2023, Noida Authority officials noted that stormwater from nearby sectors was connected to the existing drain, potentially increasing discharge, and recommended using hydraulic gates instead of mechanical ones. The irrigation department had also requested an additional Rs 30 lakh for a new survey, but no action was taken. The consequences of the delay were clear during the 2023 monsoon, when Sector 150 and the surrounding areas experienced severe waterlogging. Without a regulator, rainwater could not be discharged into the Hindon River. Residents also accused the Noida Authority of inaction. The Irrigation Departments letter noted that funds had been allocated for the proposed project, but it was lost in the files, and the project was never carried out, reports NDTV. A Noida Authority official told the news agency PTI that he was not aware of any such letter. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What did the techies father say? Mehtas father alleged that despite the polices presence, no immediate rescue attempt was made. He also claimed that rescuers refused to enter the water, citing extremely cold conditions and the risk of hidden iron rods. The grieving father asserted that if the required equipment had been used in time, his son might have survived. He also said that most people at the scene watched my son drown and made videos. My son was struggling to save himself. Every time we spoke on the phone, he kept saying, Papa bachao, papa bachao. He was also shouting help, help so that people nearby could hear him, but most of the crowd was only watching. Some were even making videos, the father told ANI. #WATCH | Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh: Father of the deceased, Rajkumar Mehta, says, "My son was struggling to save himself... My son was crying out for help, asking people to help him, but most of the crowd was just watching. Some people were making videos... My son struggled https://t.co/rsVsq1BaZa pic.twitter.com/vpfJ80ijGF ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2026 Alleging negligence by the administration, the heartbroken father told News18, The SDRF team came around 3 am. It took two hours to prepare the boat to go inside. They came late. The boat that was supposed to help my son reached only after two hours to fetch his body,, adding, They only had ropes which couldnt reach Yuvraj. What action has been taken? Amid public outrage, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government on Monday (January 19) removed Lokesh M from his post as the CEO of the Noida Authority. The state government set up a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mehtas death. A statement from the chief ministers office said the SIT will be led by Additional Director General (Meerut zone) Bhanu Bhaskar, with Meerut Divisional Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami and Public Works Department (Meerut) Chief Engineer Ajay Verma as members. The panel has been instructed to submit its report to the Chief Minister within five days. The entire matter is being investigated, and action will be taken against those responsible. Previous complaints by local residents are also being looked into. Satish Pal Singh, the Additional CEO of Noida, told NDTV. With inputs from agencies When Donald Trump won the US presidential elections, India-US ties were stronger than ever. But in the first year of his second term, things have changed drastically. India faces steep tariffs, and the immigration crackdown is affecting H1-B visa holders and more Despite calling PM Narendra Modi a good friend, the bilateral relationship between India and the US has witnessed a severe dip in Trump's first year of his second term as US president. File image/AFP In early 2025 when Donald Trump won the US presidential elections and returned to the White House, many Indians were enthusiastic, expressing hopes that it would be a continuation of Trump 1.0. The Indian establishment expected that with Narendra Modis good friend Trump being in the seat of power, it would be a cakewalk for India-US ties. But, as the saying goes, politics is unpredictable. Just a few months after the real estate mogul-turned-president took over the White House, something unexpected and unprecedented happened. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India, which enjoyed close ties with the US over the past decade be it from defence to trade and more saw Trump placing one roadblock after another, making it seem like New Delhi was no longer a partner, no longer a friend, but, in fact a foe. We take a closer look at the many twists and turns that the India-US ties have seen in the first year of Trump 2.0 on January 20. Beginning of India-US downward spiral When Trump came to office last January, Indian policymakers were excited. And the early days of the US presidents seemed promising. Within the first few hours of coming to power, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio convened a meeting of the foreign ministers of Quad which consists of Australia, India, Japan and the US in Washington, where they jointly committed to defending the rule of law, democratic values, and sovereignty and strengthening maritime, economic, and technology security in the Indo-Pacific. US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a joint press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 13, 2025. File image/AFP Later, in February, Trump hosted Modi at the White House. In fact, the PM was among the first few foreign leaders to meet the US president and during their first meet, they announced a raft of defence, technology, and trade initiatives and reaffirmed their strategic partnership one that was, according to a joint statement, anchored in mutual trust, shared interests, [and] goodwill. But it seemed the goodwill didnt last long. And by April it spiralled downwards. Trumps tariff troubles for India Guided by his America First policy, in April, Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on almost all of Americas trading partners as part of his "Liberation Day tariffs. For those who thought India would be spared, it came as a total shocker when Trump levied these import taxes on goods from India. But the 25 per cent tariff wasnt the end of it, but just the iceberg. Last August, he imposed another 25 per cent tariff on India this time, for purchasing Russian oil and financing Russias war against Ukraine. The steep tariffs put India at a significant disadvantage compared to other peers, such as China (around 32 per cent), Vietnam (20 per cent), and Bangladesh (20 per cent). A man reads a newspaper with the lead story on US tariffs on most Indian goods, in New Delhi, India. File image/Reuters Along with the tariffs also came some pretty sharp remarks from Trump and his aides. The US president in late July declared the Indian economy to be dead. His deputy chief of staff at the White House, Stephen Miller, accused India of imposing massive tariffs on American goods and cheating the US immigration system, in addition to purchasing the Russian oil thats financing Russias war in Ukraine. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Even US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slammed India, accusing it of profiteering from cheap Russian oil imports during the war in Ukraine, describing the practice as arbitrage and condemning it as unacceptable. But it seems that India has shown resilience despite Trumps tariffs. In September-December, exports to the US saw only a marginal decline of one per cent to $25.57 billion. However, the sectoral impact has been significant. Many labour-intensive sectors recorded a sharp year-on-year fall in the September-November period, such as gems and jewellery (60 per cent), plastic and linoleum (44.3 per cent), glassware (44 per cent) and fertilisers (33.3 per cent), suggesting that the tariffs are biting smaller Indian exporters. Trumps overtures to Pakistan The shift in ties between good friends Modi and Trump became even more pronounced in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor the military conflict between India and Pakistan last May. When India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire following five days of fighting, Trump quickly boasted of his role in bringing peace to the region, stating that he had used tariffs to coerce both sides to give up the fighting. India firmly rejected this claim, as well as his offer to mediate a permanent resolution to the conflict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army chief and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir pose with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC. File image/AFP The episode angered Trump and contributed to worsening relations. From Indias perspective, matters were compounded by Pakistans steadily improving ties with the United States, helped in part by Pakistans willingness to give Trump the credit he sought. In their efforts to cosy up to the US president, Islamabad led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir showered lavish praise on Trump and even nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Deportation and visa drama One of the other areas where India-US ties have seen a definite dip is in immigration. Within hours of taking office in January last year, Trump signed an executive order fast-tracking deportations of illegal immigrants in the US. This move affected Indians as well. The deportation of over 200 illegal Indian immigrants in handcuffs last February stirred quite a row. Many more Indians residing in the US illegally have been deported from the US since then. Data shows that a total of 3,250 Indians have been deported until November 28, 2025. This far exceeds the deportations in previous years, including those in Trumps first year. Security personnel escort an Indian immigrant deported from the US as they leave the airport in Ahmedabad, India. File image/Reuters Apart from the deportations, the Trump administration delivered a significant blow to Indians when it announced a steep one-time fee of $100,000 for H-1B visas, sharply raising the cost for employers to hire foreign workers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Trump administration has also okayed the removal of the lottery system, replacing it with a wage-based system, which will prioritise applicants with higher salaries. Indians, who receive the lions share of H-1B visas around 74 per cent have been hit hard, as they face delays in visa processing as well as heightened uncertainty. Indias countermoves to Trump Trumps many not-so friendly moves aimed at India has resulted in New Delhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi diversifying. In the first year of Trump 2.0, India has made more public overtures to China and Russia. Modi made his first visit to China in seven years and appeared clasping hands with Chinas and Russias leaders. This prompted Trump to conclude that the United States had lost India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in Tianjin, China. File image/Reuters In December 2025, Russias Vladimir Putin arrived in India on a state visit and the two sides announced a slew of agreements. Moreover, Indian public opinion, which was once pro-Trump, has turned against the US president. As Foreign Affairs notes in one report, Indian social media commentary, once effusive about the Trump administration, has turned acerbic. Posts repeatedly mock and condemn the United States. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A new year with new possibilities However, as Trump 2.0 enters a second year, all is not lost between the US and India. New Delhi recently signed a one-year agreement to increase imports of liquefied petroleum gas from the United States. The two governments have also completed a deal for India to purchase $93 million worth of Javelin antitank missile systems and precision-guided artillery and signed a nearly $1 billion contract for the maintenance of the Indian Navys US-made MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopters. Moreover, on January 12, the new United States Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, took charge with a rather conciliatory note, calling the partnership between the two countries the most consequential global partnership of this century and insisting that real friends always resolve their differences in the end. He was quoted as saying, Real friends can disagree, but always resolve their differences in the end. The United States and India are bound not just by shared interests, but by a relationship anchored at the highest level. He further confirmed that New Delhi and Washington would resume trade discussions, seeking to revive talks that collapsed last year. Theres hope that Trumps second year in his second term will be kinder to India. But as we said earlier, politics is unpredictable and the US president is even more unpredictable. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced a ceasefire deal with the countrys Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The fighters once ruled over nearly a quarter of Syria. Following Sundays defeat, the group lost wide areas in the countrys northeast and now controls only Hassakeh, a large Kurdish community Over the past decade, the religiously and ethnically mixed Syrian Democratic Forces had been the most effective force in the battle against the Islamic State group in Syria. The Kurdish-led force is now set to merge into the Syrian army after suffering major setbacks over the past weeks. The SDF suffered a major defeat over the weekend when Syrian government forces captured wide areas in a territory under the groups control in the countrys northeast following deadly clashes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With SDF fighters cornered in the province of Hassakeh, the latest victory by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa could mark the end of Syrias Kurdish ambitions to set up an autonomous region in northeast Syria that they call Rojava, or Western Kurdistan. The fighters once ruled over nearly a quarter of Syria. Kurds made up about 10 per cent of Syrias population of 23 million before the countrys civil war began in 2011. When it was founded in 2015 with US backing, the SDF included ethnic Arab, Kurdish, and Turkmen fighters in addition to the main Christian militia in northeast Syria known as the Syriac Military Council, which includes Assyrians. However, the SDF was led by the main Kurdish fighting force in Syria, the Peoples Protection Units, known as the YPG. The dominant role of Kurdish fighters in the alliance remained a concern for the majority Sunni Arab factions and their regional backers, and internal clashes broke out on several occasions. Post-Assad era Many of the Syrian rebel factions that were fighting former President Bashar Assads forces from 2011 until his ouster in December 2024 have always been opposed to the SDF, seeing them as a secessionist force that aims to break away from Syria. Additionally, while Ankara has been a main backer of Syrian rebels during Assads rule, it views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdish PKK, which has waged a long insurgency in Turkey. A soldier waves a Syrian flag amid celebrations a day after Syrian government troops took control of Raqqa from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), at Al-Naeem roundabout in central Raqqa, northeastern Syria. AP After Assads fall in December 2024, relations between the countrys new rulers, led by al-Sharaa and the SDF, remained cold, but a surprise came in March when SDF chief Mazloum Abdi arrived in Damascus and signed a deal with al-Sharaa. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The deal listed, among other things, that the SDF would merge into the Syrian army by the end of 2025. However, significant disagreements remained on how it would happen. In October, Abdi told The Associated Press that the SDF had agreed in principle with the government on a plan to merge its fighters as a cohesive group into the national army. Abdi visited Damascus in early January to discuss the merger. State media reported at the time that no tangible results had been achieved. Shortly afterward, deadly clashes broke out between government forces in the northern city of Aleppo, leading the SDF to evacuate three neighbourhoods that it had controlled for years. Soon after, the government launched an offensive to capture two towns east of Aleppo that later snowballed into a full-blown offensive that ended Sunday with the government in control of much of the critical northern province of Raqqa along the border with Turkey and the eastern oil-rich province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A new ceasefire On Sunday night, Syrias government announced a ceasefire, marking the end of the latest round of fighting with the SDF. The group now only controls Hassakeh, which has a large Kurdish community. Later on Sunday, state-run news agency Sana showed al-Sharaa signing and holding the agreement. Abdi, who was scheduled to meet with the president in Damascus, was not seen, though his signature appeared on the document. Al-Sharaa told journalists that Abdi could not travel due to bad weather and was expected in the Syrian capital on Monday. Residents topple a statue of a female Kurdish fighter after the takeover of the town by Syrian government forces from US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Tabqa, eastern Syria. AP According to the new agreement, SDF fighters will merge into the national army and police forces as individuals rather than as a whole force, which is a blow to Abdis earlier plans. The Kurdish-led force will also hand over the names of commanders who will be given high military and managerial posts within the Syrian army and government. The SDF as a part of Syria Al-Sharaa issued a decree making Kurdish an official language in the country, along with Arabic, and adopting the Kurdish new year as a national holiday, a step viewed as an attempt to appease the Kurdish minority. The new ceasefire was announced two days later. The SDF, which was once estimated to have about 40,000 fighters and had played a major role in the victory against IS in March 2019 when they captured the last sliver of land the extremists held, will most likely dissolve in the near future as al-Sharaa boosts his authority in Syria after taming Assads Alawite minority sect in deadly sectarian clashes in March. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A major mission that SDF continues to have is the control of prisons where some 9,000 IS members have been held for years without trial. The SDF also controls al-Hol and Roj camps in Hassakeh that are home to tens of thousands, mostly women and children linked to IS. The group said in a statement Monday that gunmen were attacking the Shaddadeh prison, which holds thousands of IS members. It later said that its fighters repelled several attacks, adding that the prison was out of the control of its fighters. Under the 14-point ceasefire, the authorities and protection forces that run the prisons and camps will merge into the government that will become fully in charge of the legal and security affairs of jails and camps. No deadline was set. The Syrian government, the deal says, is committed to the fight against IS as Syria is now a member of the US-led coalition fighting against the extremists. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Elon Musks public feud with Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary over Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi has escalated into takeover talk. OLeary rejected Starlink Wi-Fi, citing a 2% fuel penalty and an annual cost of $200-$250 million. Musk responded by calling OLeary an utter idiot and suggested buying Ryanair Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary speaks during a press conference, after the airline's annual general meeting, in Dublin, Ireland, September 11, 2025. File Image/Reuters Elon Musks public clash with Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary over in-flight Wi-Fi has evolved into a viral spectacle and possibly more. What began as a disagreement about installing Starlink internet systems on Ryanair aircraft has turned into a social-media feud, complete with insults, polls, and Musk openly flirting with the idea of buying Europes biggest low-cost airline. What sparked the feud? The controversy began when OLeary ruled out installing SpaceXs Starlink satellite internet on Ryanairs fleet of over 600 aircraft. His reasoning focused on fuel efficiency and operating costs, particularly for short-haul budget flights. You need to put antenna on fuselage it comes with a 2 per cent fuel penalty because of the weight and drag. We dont think our passengers are willing to pay for WiFi for an average 1-hour flight, Ryanair CEO told news agency Reuters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD OLeary later expanded on the financial impact, estimating that Starlink would cost the airline between $200 million and $250 million annually roughly an extra dollar per passenger. More from Explainers Musk vs OpenAI: Trial scheduled to begin on April 27 What Elon Musk knows about flights and drag would be zero. We have to put an aerial antenna on top of the aircraft. It would cost us about $200-$250 million a year. In other words, an extra dollar for every passenger we fly. And the reality for us is we cant afford those costs. Passengers wont pay for internet or internet usage. If its free, theyll use it. But they wont pay one euro each to use the internet. So, were not putting it on board. And I frankly wouldnt pay any attention to anything that Elon Musk puts on that cesspit of his called X. He was the guy who advocated getting Donald Trump elected, OLeary said. Ryanair, which carried 206 million passengers last year, primarily serves short-distance, budget-conscious travellers, with fares starting as low as 15. How did Musk react? Musk, whose company SpaceX operates Starlink, strongly disagreed with OLearys stance. After OLearys quote was shared online by Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt, Musk responded, They [Ryanair] will lose customers to airlines that do have Internet. He later accused OLeary of being misinformed about how Starlink affects fuel consumption and insisted that airlines need to adapt to changing passenger expectations. Starlink has already been adopted by more than two dozen carriers, including United Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Lufthansa. While pricing details remain undisclosed, analysts believe the service is better suited to long-haul, full-service airlines rather than ultra-low-cost carriers like Ryanair. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The war of words escalated when OLeary, speaking to Irish radio station Newstalk, said Musk knew zero about aviation and drag, called him an idiot, and described X as a cesspit. Musk responded sharply on X, writing, Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him. Ryanair CEO is an utter idiot. Fire him. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026 When another follower suggested that Musk should simply buy the airline and remove OLeary himself, Musk replied, Good idea. The exchange continued to spiral. In another post, Musk asked Ryanair, How much would it cost to buy you? He then added, I really want to put a Ryan in charge of Ryan Air. It is your destiny. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Should I buy Ryan Air and put someone whose actual name is Ryan in charge? Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2026 Musk later pinned a poll to his X profile asking users whether he should buy Ryanair. By around 3:30 pm EST, the poll had attracted over 300,000 votes, with 79 per cent responding yes. The situation also gained traction after a brief X outage on Friday, when Ryanairs famously sarcastic account mocked Musk by asking, Perhaps you need Wi-Fi. Buy Ryan Air and restore Ryan as their rightful ruler Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 19, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That prompted Musks Ryan in charge comment, which generated 9.5 million impressions by Monday afternoon. Can Musk actually buy Ryanair? Ryanair Holdings plc is a publicly listed company, meaning Musk cannot simply take control without making a formal acquisition offer or launching a hostile takeover. Based on the most recent available data for the fiscal year ending March 2025 (FY25), the total operating costs for the whole of Ryanair Holdings plc were approximately 12.39 billion. With inputs from agencies Donald Trump has extended an invitation to India to join the Board of Peace, the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled. New Delhi is still weighing its options on joining this collective, which will work to rebuild Gaza Tariffs, trade and tricks: Trump 2.0 sees India find new markets, more friends to do business with. File image/Reuters The US-brokered Gaza ceasefire is entering phase two and last Friday (January 16), a committee set to govern post-war Gaza began work in Cairo. And on Sunday (January 18), US President Donald Trump extended an invite to India to join the Board of Peace as it is being called, the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled as described by the American leader. But New Delhi is still weighing its options on joining this group, as it poses several complications. Heres what we know about them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD About Trumps Board of Peace The Board of Peace forms part of the second phase of the Gaza Peace Plan that US President Donald Trump first proposed in September 2025. The peace plan came into effect in October 2025, as phase 1 involved observing a ceasefire in Gaza. In return, Hamas released all Israeli hostages who were captured in the October 7, 2023 attack. Then late last year, the United Nations Security Council approved the Board. Donald Trump will be the chairman of the Board of Peace. He also tapped US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as founding members of the Gaza board of peace. According to a White House statement, the US president also named his special envoy Steve Witkoff, son-in-law Jared Kushner and World Bank President Ajay Banga among those on the seven-member founding executive board. Speaking on the board, Trump said it was the greatest and most prestigious board ever assembled at any time, any place. According to the charter of the Board of Peace, countries can become permanent members by paying the hefty price of $1 billion. Each Member State shall serve a term of no more than three years from this Charters entry into force, subject to renewal by the Chairman. The three-year membership term shall not apply to Member States that contribute more than $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charters entry into force, the draft charter states. What is even more interesting is that the charter makes no mention of the Boards role being specific to the Gaza Strip. Moreover, it appoints Trump as the inaugural chairman with no term limits, essentially ensuring his control even after his presidential term ends. The Times of Israel has reported that the US is planning to hold a signing ceremony for President Donald Trumps Board of Peace on Thursday (January 22) on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. However, its unclear as to how many countries will join Trump in the signing as well as the group. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trumps invite to India to join Board of Peace Once announced, Trump extended invites to several countries to join the Board of Peace, including to countries like Pakistan and Russia. And on Sunday (January 18), the US president invited India to be part of the Board through a letter he addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his invite to Modi, the US president said it was his great honour to invite the prime minister to join him in a critically historic and magnificent effort to solidify peace in West Asia and, at the same time, to embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict. In the invite, Trump wrote: On September 29th, 2025, I announced the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict, an extraordinary 20-point roadmap quickly embraced by all world leaders, including major heads of state across the Arab world, Israel, and Europe Now it is time to turn all of these dreams into reality. At the heart of the plan is the Board of Peace, the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled, which will be established as a new international organisation and transitional governing administration. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He further added that the effort is to bring together a distinguished group of nations ready to shoulder the noble responsibility of building lasting peace an honour reserved for those prepared to lead by example and brilliantly invest in a secure and prosperous future for generations to come. Honored to convey @POTUS invitation to Prime Minister @narendramodi to participate in the Board of Peace which will bring lasting peace to Gaza. The Board will support effective governance to achieve stability and prosperity! pic.twitter.com/HikLnXFFMp Ambassador Sergio Gor (@USAmbIndia) January 18, 2026 An invite or a dilemma for India While India has been sent an invite to join Trumps Board of Peace, New Delhi is yet to accept or decline it; as of now, they are mulling their options with authorities adding that they are looking into the issue as it involves several sensitive aspects. But there are many reasons for India to be wary of joining Trumps Board of Peace. Firstly, the charter for the Board of Peace states that it is, the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled, will be established as a new international organisation and transitional governing administration, and that the effort is not just to solidify peace in the Middle East, but also to embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict! STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Many experts note that the charter doesnt mention Gaza at all but talks of the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed, and emphasises the need for a more nimble and effective international peace-building body. The lack of clarity on the purpose, agenda and contours of the Board of Peace formed by Donald Trump may make India wary about joining it. File image/Reuters This could indicate that the Board of Peace could intervene in future global conflicts not something that India would like to be a part of. As Khinvraj Jangid, professor and director at the Jindal Centre for Israel Studies, O P Jindal Global University, noted: This Board of Peace has a much more ambitious scheme of things that Trump is right now after. In fact, the document doesnt say the word Gaza as such. This Board of Peace is under the guidance of Donald Trump that will advise and make all the interventions in many global conflicts, he told PTI. Many experts have pointed out that the Board of Peace could be Trumps effort to sideline the United Nations. Already, Trump has cut funds to the UN and withdrawn the US from many related bodies. This puts India in a tough spot, as New Delhi has defended the importance of an agency such as the UN in the past. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also, India has been a champion of multilateralism and joining a US-dominated forum could weaken its credibility as a champion of a multilateral order. Theres also the factor of leadership. The Boards chairman will permanently be Donald Trump. The charter reads, Donald J Trump shall serve as inaugural Chairman of the Board of Peace, and he shall separately serve as inaugural representative of the United States of America. Also, the charter notes that the chairman can be removed only if he voluntarily resigns, or is voted incapable unanimously by the Executive Board full of his appointees, in which case a successor designated by him shall take over. This means that if India joins the Board, they will be answerable in some ways to Trump even when he is no longer the US president. Some even point out that the cost of joining the Board could be an issue. To become a permanent member of the Board of Peace, a country has to pay at least $1 billion to a reconstruction fund. Analysts note that this would make the process selective and fragmented, unlike the UN system where all stakeholders have a voice. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Theres also the issue of where India stands with the US presently. In the one year since Trump has returned to power, US-India ties have been on a downward spiral thanks to the tariffs the US president has levied as well as the deportations and changes to the H-1B visa programme. Another reason why the Board of Peace invite is problematic for India is the fact that Pakistan has also been invited for the same. If India accepts the invite from Trump, it will be sharing a platform with Islamabad that could invite criticism, considering India currently holds a no-talk position with its neighbouring nation. As former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal noted on X, India should not be part of an arrangement that is arbitrarily set up, without UN approval, full of potential difficulties, with business interests of private parties built into the structure. Let the Arab countries principally handle this highly complex Arab issue. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But not accepting Trumps invite to the Board of Peace is also problematic. A refusal could be seen by Trump as an affront and India will be wary of how the US president could respond to what he would perceive as a slight. With inputs from agencies After Chinas birth rate hit record lows last year, some are now wondering whether its one-child policy was necessary. In 2016, the government began allowing two children per couple and raised the limit to three children in 2021. But it has proven more difficult to reverse the mentality of people Was Chinas one-child policy necessary? Thats what some are wondering after the countrys birth rate hit record lows last year. Official data show that Chinas population has fallen for four straight years. Authorities in China got rid of the one-child law in 2015. But some fear its too little, too late. Its hard to escape the fact that China demographically shot itself in the foot, said Mei Fong, the author of the 2016 book, One Child: The Story of Chinas Most Radical Experiment. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lets take a closer look Population control attempt The one-child law was one of the worlds severest attempts at population control. Women were forced to abort, sterilisation was widespread and baby daughters were killed or sold all in pursuit of the male child. Chinas leaders saw its growing population growth as a potential threat in 1980 to both economic development and its ability to feed what had grown into a nation of 1 billion people. They werent alone. Population control was a subject of concern around the world. Many thought that rapid growth in China, India and elsewhere could result in the Earths resources being severely depleted. In China, the birth rate had begun to fall in the 1970s after the government began encouraging people to have fewer children. Its unclear how much its fall since then resulted from the one-child policy and to what degree it would have happened anyway because of the tremendous economic and societal changes over the last four decades. Two women and their babies pose for photographs in front of the giant portrait of late Chinese chairman Mao Zedong on the Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, Reuters But the leadership at the time decided to curb population growth more directly, launching the one-child policy and enforcing it with stiff financial penalties for parents who had more than one child, as well as abortions and sterilization campaigns. It lasted for 35 years. Yi Fuxian, a senior scientist in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, notes that the number of people getting sterilized plunged from 1.4 million women and 180,000 men in 2014, two years before the policy was eased, to 190,000 women and 2,600 men in 2020. In 2016, the government began allowing two children per couple and raised the limit to three children in 2021. But it has proven more difficult to reverse the mentality of people than the policy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China is far from the only country dealing with the challenges of an aging population. Around the world, as people get wealthier, they tend to want fewer, or no, children. But the one-child policy, leading to a preference for sons, has also created a gender imbalance in the one-child generation. Little Emperor becomes slave Now, some from that generation, once dubbed little emperors because they were so fussed over, face the pressure of meeting the expectations, including financial, of being the only child. As they reach their 30s and 40s, there is only one child to support two parents, and in some cases, up to four grandparents. For some, this can lead to anxiety and depression, Fong said. The little emperor at some point becomes the slave, she added. China is an aging society that will likely face a major shortfall in the coming decades: not enough people of working age to support a growing population of retirees. That could burden government finances and pension systems. The government has launched a slew of polices to try to boost the birth rate, from eliminating a tax exemption for condoms to giving cash subsidies to couples who have children. But the experience of other countries shows that its difficult to turn around a declining birth rate. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was in India for all of three hours on Monday (January 20). While his talks with PM Modi focused on trade and defence, the duration of his meeting created quite a buzz. The visit comes amid multiple flashpoints and changing equations in the West Asia region The President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was in India for a visit that lasted just around three hours. Image Courtesy: @narendramodi/X When world leaders visit India, they typically do it over an extended period of time. For instance, last December, when Russias Vladimir Putin travelled to India, he came for two days. However, that wasnt the case for UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The UAE leader visited India on Monday (January 19) and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the nations capital for a brief period the entire visit lasted about three hours. But it was a significant visit with the two leaders announcing their intention to conclude a framework agreement for a strategic defence partnership. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But why did the UAEs MBZ, as he is popularly known, visit India for such a short duration? We tell you why. UAEs MBZ visits India for just 3 hours The UAE leaders visit to India has become quite a talking point because of its timing and duration. Firstly, the visit this is MBZs fifth travel to India in the last 10 years and his third official visit as the president of the UAE came as quite a surprise. The Ministry of External Affairs only announced it a day prior to the UAE presidents arrival, on January 18. Moreover, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spent just three hours in India. He arrived at New Delhis Air Force Station (AFS) Palam at 4.20 pm, where he was welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. From there, the two leaders rode together in a car and attended a meeting that was officially slated for 4.45 pm. And at 6.05 pm, the UAE leader departed for his country after his meeting with PM Modi. Whats even more notable is that MBZ travelled for more time than the meeting with PM Modi a flight from Abu Dhabi to New Delhi takes a little more than three hours. This means that MBZ flew for more than six hours for a three-hour meeting. PM Modi welcomed the UAEs President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Delhi on Monday, and travelled together in the same car from the airport. Image Courtesy: @narendramodi/X Modi-MBZs short but significant meeting So, what came out of the meeting between Modi and MBZ? The two leaders reviewed the full scope of bilateral cooperation between the two countries and agreed on a range of bilateral agreements and outcomes from defence to space and LNG. Of most significance was the letter of intent that India and the UAE signed to conclude negotiations for the framework of a strategic defence partnership. The Print reports that the agreement could include co-manufacturing along with the research and development of defence platforms. The defence pact with the UAE comes months after Saudi Arabia signed a strategic mutual defence agreement with Pakistan. Our involvement in the defence and security front with a country from the region does not then necessarily lead to the conclusion that we will get involved in particular ways in the conflicts of the region. There is already a great deal of content in defence cooperation and engagement in the defence front between India and the UAE, said Misri at a special briefing on the visit, highlighting that the framework does not indicate New Delhis change in posture in West Asia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD After arriving at Delhi, the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and PM Modi held discussions at the latters residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. Image Courtesy: @narendramodi/X Besides the defence deal, India and the UAE also signed a 10-year LNG Supply Agreement between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and ADNOC Gas for the delivery of 0.5 million tonnes per year of liquefied natural gas, beginning in 2028. The agreement makes the UAE Indias second-largest LNG supplier. UAE also signed a letter of intent to participate in the development of Dholera, the special investment region in Gujarat. Emirati businesses will be allowed to bid for and construct infrastructure in the region, including energy, airport, pilot training facilities, railway connectivity and ports. Moreover, the two leaders announced the establishment of a House of India in Abu Dhabi; setting up offices and operations of UAE companies First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and DP World at GIFT City in Gujarat. During the course of their interaction, Modi and MBZ agreed to deepen cooperation in the space sector through a joint initiative aimed at commercialising space science and technology, including launch facilities and satellite fabrication. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said that the two decided cooperation in advanced nuclear technologies, welcoming the enactment of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) law, noting that it creates new opportunities for enhanced civil nuclear cooperation. The two sides agreed to explore partnership in advanced nuclear technologies, including development and deployment of large nuclear reactors and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), as well as cooperation in advanced reactor systems, nuclear power plant operations and maintenance and nuclear safety, the statement said. The two leaders also reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and emphasised that no country should provide safe haven to those who finance, plan, support or commit terrorist acts. They agreed to continue cooperation within the framework of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to counter terror financing and strengthen anti-money laundering efforts. Modi also presented the UAE leader with traditional gifts. One of the gifts was a beautifully carved wooden swing from Gujarat. In Gujarati culture, the swing, called jhula, symbolises togetherness, conversation and bonding across generations. The gift also resonates deeply with the UAEs declaration of 2026 as the Year of Family. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Modi also gifted Al Nahyan a Pashmina shawl from Kashmir in an ornate silver box made in Telangana, representing Indias rich tradition of handloom and handicraft. Moreover, PM Modi gifted a Pashmina shawl in an ornate silver box to Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, Al Nahyans mother. She was also gifted Kashmiri saffron in an ornate silver box. Grown in the Kashmir Valley, saffron is revered for its deep crimson strands and intense aroma, officials said. PM Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues. Discussions focused on imparting further strength in areas across trade, investment, defense, technology and people-to-people ties, shaping a brighter future for both nations. Image Courtesy: @narendramodi/X Timing really matters Despite the positive outcomes of MBZs visit, many are still wondering what led to the UAE leaders surprise travel to India. And if one looks closer, the existing geopolitical conditions explain it all. Firstly, it comes in the backdrop of the sharp escalation in tensions between the UAE and Saudi Arabia over Yemen. Late last December, simmering tensions exploded into the open when Saudi officials accused the UAE of backing separatist groups in Yemen and carried out an airstrike in the southern Yemeni city of Mukalla targeting an alleged shipment of weapons from the UAE to the Southern Transitional Council, one such separatist group. The UAE backed off, saying it would withdraw troops from Yemen. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The speculation of a new Islamic Nato comprising Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, along with Turkey, is also of great concern to the UAE. This has left the UAE scrambling to look for an independent security partner in India. According to a News18 report, Indian security cooperation because India provides a professional military framework without the complications of army ideology. Another factor behind MBZs succinct visit to India is the tensions in Iran. While US President Donald Trump hasnt attacked Iran so far, despite his many threats, a military action cant be ruled out completely. So far, Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and Oman have been able to persuade the US president from launching strikes. The UAE hopes that Indias goodwill with Trump will stop any possibility of a strike in Iran, which could imperil the entire region, including the Arab Emirates. Last but not least, is Trumps invitation to India to join the Board of Peace, the body formed and led by the US to oversee peace and reconstruction in Gaza. On Monday, came the news that Trump had sent a letter to PM Modi inviting him to join the administration. It is my great honour to invite you, as Prime Minister of the Republic of India, to join me in a critically historic and magnificent effort to solidify peace in the Middle East and, at the same time, to embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict, wrote Trump. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The UAE has already found its place on Trumps Board of Peace. And many see MBZs visit as a way to convince New Delhi to join suit. Notably, India has yet to accept the invite. Overall, it seemed that MBZs visit to India was full of intent short on time, but high on impact. With inputs from agencies According to Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, the government intends to shift the parade away from traditional, static displays to offer a more interactive and meaningful experience that demonstrates how modern battles are actually conducted Indias 2026 Republic Day Parade on Kartavya Path is set to showcase the countrys tactical military capabilities and operational preparedness, with the narrative of Operation Sindoor serving as the central storyline. According to Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, the government intends to shift the parade away from traditional, static displays to offer a more interactive and meaningful experience that demonstrates how modern battles are actually conducted. The earlier Republic Day parades tend to be quite stereotyped. The intent is to make it more interactive and interesting for the viewer," Singh stated. He explained that the 90-minute procession would weave a story of how a battle progresses from the recce and logistics phase to the use of long-range systems, followed by backup logistics and the integration of air power." STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Operation Sindoor, a high-precision tri-services military campaign launched in May 2025 following a major terror attack in Pahalgam, remains a focal point of national interest. Singh noted that the decision to feature it in the national celebrations stems from this public attention. Given the general excitement about Operation Sindoor, the intent is to show the operational elements behind the parade, Singh said. He added that the idea is to weave a story of how all this equipment and manpower actually get used in a battle. Indias defence prowess on display A primary feature of the event will be the Indian Armys phased Battle Array, which will be presented alongside live commentary to explain the roles of various units in real-time. This will be accompanied by an aerial battle array and specialised animal contingents, including Zanskar ponies and Bactrian camels, which represent the Armys unique logistical capabilities in high-altitude terrain. The grand finale will consist of a flypast featuring a diverse fleet of frontline aircraft. Formations will include Rafale, Su-30, and MiG-29 fighter jets, alongside Apache and Light Combat Helicopters (LCH). Transport and maritime assets such as the C-130, C-295, and P-8I will also be on display. Additionally, 30 tableaux will be featured17 from States and Union Territories and 13 from various ministries, centred on the themes of Swatantrata ka Mantra (Mantra of Freedom) and Samriddhi ka Mantra (Mantra of Prosperity). Other key things The 2026 celebrations also mark the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, which has been designated as the overarching theme for the tableaux and cultural performances. Approximately 2,500 artists from across the country are scheduled to participate in a mega cultural show, celebrating the anthem through a variety of classical, folk, and tribal dance forms. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will attend the parade as chief guests. Their presence coincides with a scheduled India-EU Summit. The military segment of the parade will include 18 marching contingents and 13 military bands, featuring units such as the Ladakh Scouts and the Bhairav contingent. India has dispatched around 30 tonnes of relief material to the Philippines following devastation caused by Super Typhoon Fung-wong. An Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft departed for Clark Air Base, carrying around 30 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including NDRF relief supplies and essential medicines. (X) India on Monday sent humanitarian assistance to the Philippines after a powerful super typhoon caused widespread destruction across parts of the country. The aid was dispatched by air to support relief and recovery efforts. In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, India stands with the Philippines. He said an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft departed for Clark Air Base on Monday morning. An @IAF_MCC C-17 aircraft departed for Clark Air Base this morning, carrying ~30 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, including NDRF relief material, essential medicines & BHISHM Cube, to assist in the relief & recovery efforts of Philippines Government after the recent Super Typhoon, Jaiswal said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India stands with the Philippines An @IAF_MCC C-17 aircraft departed for Clark Air Base this morning, carrying ~30 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, including NDRF relief material, essential medicines & BHISHM Cube, to assist in the relief & recovery efforts of pic.twitter.com/HPy8M4bE3h Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) January 19, 2026 Typhoon Fung-wongs path and intensity The assistance follows the impact of Typhoon Fung-wong, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Uwan. The storm struck the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japans Ryukyu Islands in early November 2025. Fung-wong was the twenty-sixth named system and the twelfth typhoon of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season. It developed from a broad low-pressure area northeast of Chuuk on November 3 and became more organised over the following days. Under increasingly favourable atmospheric conditions, the system intensified rapidly on November 8. The Japan Meteorological Agency classified it as a typhoon on November 7. Early the next day, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration upgraded it to a super typhoon. Soon after, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center assessed Fung-wong as a Category 4-equivalent typhoon. Landfalls across the region The typhoon made landfall in Dinalungan, Aurora, on the evening of November 9. After crossing Luzon, it weakened and re-emerged over the West Philippine Sea before recurving towards Taiwan. It later made landfall in Hengchun Township, Pingtung County, as a tropical storm on November 12. The system weakened further and dissipated on November 13. Fung-wong was the first storm to make landfall in Taiwan in November since Typhoon Gilda in 1967. It was also the second storm to strike Taiwans western plains in 2025, following Typhoon Danas in July. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Impact and casualties The typhoon hit the Philippines just five days after Typhoon Kalmaegi battered central parts of the country, complicating recovery efforts. Fung-wong triggered widespread flooding and strong winds, particularly in the Bicol Region and Northern Luzon. At least 33 deaths and 52 injuries were reported in the Philippines, mostly caused by floods and landslides. In Taiwan, one death and 95 injuries were recorded. India took another step in its defence export push as Rajnath Singh flagged off the first batch of guided Pinaka rockets for Armenia India has dispatched the first batch of Pinaka guided rockets to Armenia. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the export. (X) India has taken a big step in its defence export journey after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the first consignment of guided Pinaka rockets bound for Armenia on Sunday. The ceremony was held at a manufacturing facility in Nagpur. #India has shipped the first batch of Pinaka guided rockets to #Armenia, Indian media report. The export was launched by Rajnath Singh. Armenia previously signed a deal for four Pinaka batteries; total Indian arms purchases reportedly reached $600m. pic.twitter.com/qLRVXiCjKa Sputnik Armenia (@SputnikArm) January 19, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The export of the guided Pinaka systemsthe latest variant of Indias indigenous multi-barrel rocket launcheris part of a larger deal between India and Armenia. Signed in September 2022, the agreement, worth around Rs 2,000 crore, covers four Pinaka batteries along with anti-tank rockets, ammunition and other military gear. What the Pinaka System offers The Pinaka system, developed with support from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (Drdo) and multiple industry partners, is renowned for its accuracy and extended range, with some variants capable of striking targets up to 75 km away and newer tests reaching even 120 km. India began exporting unguided versions of Pinaka last year, but this latest batch introduces the guided variant designed for enhanced precision. Rajnath Singh used the occasion to highlight how far Indias defence industry has come. India is no longer just an importer but is rapidly moving towards becoming an exporter, he said, underlining both the achievement and the broader growth in defence exports. The minister also pointed to the increasing role of the private sector in manufacturing and exporting defence equipment, a trend that has helped drive Indias export figures from under Rs 1,000 crore a decade ago to a record Rs 24,000 crore today. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also read | Why Armenia has emerged as India's leading defence export destination Export and production growth Rajnath Singh also discussed domestic production, noting it has expanded sharply, rising from Rs 46,425 crore in 2014 to a record Rs 1.51 lakh crore now as Indian industry scales up to meet both home and overseas demand. Armenia is the first confirmed international buyer of the Pinaka guided systems, though several other countries in Southeast Asia and Europeincluding Francehave shown strong interest in acquiring the weapon. India fares very poorly in global democracy rankings not because the problems are worse in the country, but because Indians can discuss their problems without fear, says author Salvatore Babones In this exclusive interview with Firstpost, sociologist and author Salvatore Babones, who has just come out with a new book, Democracy with Dharma: The Successful Indian Experiment, offers a stimulating reassessment of Indian democracy and its uneasy relationship with Western liberal norms. Challenging dominant narratives in global academia and think tanks, Babones argues that India can be best described as a dharma democracy institutionally liberal, yet culturally rooted in a deeply religious and civilisational ethos. He also questions global democracy indices and their methodological biases, and explains why India is often judged more harshly than other postcolonial states. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The following is an edited extract from the interview: Q. In your book, you describe India as a dharma democracy. What do you mean by this concept, and how does it differ from Western liberal democracy? A. India is very much a Western liberal democracy but one with a thoroughly traditional, highly religious electorate. The main distinction between Western democracies and Indian democracy lies not in the state institutions, but in the character of the nation. The Indian nation is a dharmic nation, Hindu in thought and personality. I use the shorthand dharma democracy for India because the main determinant of democratic success, especially in developing countries, is the level of national unity. Indias national unity was built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Hindu intellectuals and reformers. Meanwhile, most Indians of other religions largely kept to themselves, and did not actively participate in the formation of the modern Indian nation. As a result, the Indian nation today is centred on the majority Hindu community. This is both the greatest strength of Indian democracy, and its greatest challenge, since it has left many (particularly Muslim) Indians outside the national mainstream. Muslim Indians are full citizens of the Indian state, but often they do not participate fully in the life of the Indian nation. Democracy with Dharma: The Successful Indian Experiment by Salvatore Babones (Author). (Hardcover 22 December 2025) Q. India has been a democracy, in some form, since Independence in 1947. Yet many Western scholars label it an electoral autocracy or an authoritarian vigilante state. Why is Indian democracy so frequently derided, especially in Western think tanks and academia? A. Westerners did not know that Indian democracy fell short of Western liberal democratic standards until 2016, when Swedens Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-Dem) published its first annual evaluation of the worlds democracies. Until then, Western evaluations of Indian democracy were largely positive. But V-Dem introduced a new methodology, relying on in-country experts to evaluate each countrys democracy. For India, that meant asking Indian political scientists to rate Indias institutions. And it was these Indian intellectuals who rated India so low. Western scholars have since accepted this appraisal, but ironically it actually originated in India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Q. V-Dem data suggests Indian democracy peaked in 1998 a period marked by political instability and weak coalition governments. Many observers argue Indian democracy has strengthened since then. Do such indices reflect methodological or ideological biases? A. The (mostly) Indian political scientists who populate V-Dems expert panel for India seem to have romanticised the Nehru era (which most of them know only from history books) and preferred living in the coalition era. The latter should come as no surprise: political scientists, in general, seem to prefer weak coalition governments to strong majority governments. But that is more a reflection of the subjective preferences of intellectuals than the objective quality of democracy. On objective indicators, Indian democracy is as healthy now as it has ever been, with the entire period 19992026 showing similar levels of institutional strength. The 1990s represented a different configuration of Indias party system, but comparable levels of democracy. The entire period since 1991 represents a consolidation of Indian democracy after the turbulent (and violent) 1970s and 1980s. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Q. When countries like the Maldives rank above India in democracy indices, or when institutions predict India as highly prone to mass killings, does this point to systemic flaws in global democracy rankings? A. There are systematic flaws in the rankings, and most of these flaws affect India more than any other major country. This is because, unlike almost every other poor, postcolonial country, India actually is a well-consolidated democracy. As a result, Indians are free to criticise their own countrys institutions in ways that intellectuals in other countries are often prevented from doing. What a political scientist from Nepal or Sri Lanka (or indeed the Maldives) might whisper quietly in closed circles, an Indian political scientist can proclaim openly in a daily English-language newspaper. In rankings that are based on exactly these kinds of open criticisms, India fares very poorly not because the problems are worse in India, but because Indians can discuss their problems without fear. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Q. In the book, you appear relatively charitable towards the RSS, BJP, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Is Western criticism of Indian democracy largely driven by a bias against these actors? A. Western criticism of Indian democracy has been pinned on the BJP because the party has been in government since the publication of the first V-Dem report, but I always warn Congress supporters that if they win office, they will face all the same criticisms. In 2013, when the UPA was in government, the World Press Freedom Index already ranked India 140th in the world (compared to 151st today), and the Pew Research Center placed India in the worst ten countries for social hostility to religion (in the same range as today). The indices are an Indian problem, not a BJP problem. I strongly caution supporters of the INC or any other party against using the indices to vilify the BJP. It will only come back to bite them when they someday regain government. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Q. You argue that the BJP is not Westernising India but modernising it and in doing so, making it more liberal. What evidence or trends led you to this conclusion? A. The BJP has introduced modern methods into Indian politics in multiple ways, from meritocratic organisation to leveraging IT. But the most fascinating aspect of the BJP for a Western observer is its tendency to advocate liberal reforms. The best example of this is the BJPs focus on implementing a uniform civil code, which even some of its bitterest enemies admit is necessary (they just do not want the BJP to be the one to do it). Other liberal reforms include the implementation of electronic benefit transfers, the 2016 reform of bankruptcy laws, and the 2020 attempt to introduce new flexibilities for farmers (though this was withdrawn). Looking forward, the single most important liberal reform required to improve Indian democracy is to rebalance the Lok Sabha to reflect current state population levels. The government seems committed to letting the 84th Amendment expire, which will prompt this very basic return to the fundamental principle of equal representation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Q. You describe Yogi Adityanath as a uniquely Indian phenomenon. What makes him distinct in Indias political landscape? A. The Yogi is somewhat distinct in Indian politics (he is, after all, an actual yogi), but he is extraordinarily exceptional in the international context. Other bona fide democracies simply do not elect priests or clerics to high political office. The fact that Indians have, by and large, grown accustomed to seeing the Yogi as a major national politician speaks volumes about the difference between the Indian electorate and Western electorates. The Yogi may be an unlikely chief minister in India, but he would be an inconceivable head of government in any Western democracy. Q. In discussing the legacies of Partition, you engage with Hinduism, Hindutva, and the idea of a future Hindu rashtra. How do you respond to liberal critiques that see the notions of Hindutva and Hindu rashtra as inherently divisive or anti-Muslim? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A. The idea of a Hindu rashtra is inherently anti-Muslim, but that does not make it anti-democratic. For good and for bad, India today is a fundamentally Hindu nation (rashtra), just as most Western countries are Christian nations. India is not, however, a Hindu state (rajya) in the way that Israel is a Jewish state. From a liberal perspective, the greatest challenge facing Indian democracy is the challenge of finding an inclusive role for Muslim Indians to play in the life of the Indian nation. Sikh Indians already play meaningful roles in the Indian nation, and in some states Christian Indians do as well. But Muslim Indians remain largely outside Indias political community, connecting with it from the outside only as Muslims, not as Indians. When Muslim Indians come to be represented mainly by secular Muslim intellectuals, and not by Muslim clerics, we will know that they have become part of the Indian mainstream. For now, Muslim Indians enjoy full political rights, but suffer serious social exclusion. (The views expressed in this interview are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of Firstpost.) The India-EU trade deal, likely to be inked in the coming days, would be a gamechanger and could counter Trumps attempts to pressurise Europe into towing his line whether on trade matters, Ukraine war or Greenland After success in Venezuela, failure in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and stalling strikes in Iran, US President Donald Trump is turning his attention to annexing Greenland. His belief is that Greenland, which controls routes to the Arctic, is now in the crosshairs of Russia and China and could be taken over by them if the US does not act first, a claim which is difficult to believe. Both Russia and China have countered by mentioning they have no interest in Greenland. An added reason for Trumps interest could be resources which the region possesses, which would benefit them and reduce their global dependency. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump is backed in his views by his close advisors as well as members of his party in both houses. Post his demand for annexation of Greenland, the US Secretary of State, Marc Rubio, held a discussion with his counterparts from Denmark and Greenland. This was inconclusive, after which Trump toughened his stand. Trump considered purchasing Greenland from Denmark, but this does not appear to be working out. Both Denmark and the government of Greenland have turned down any offer of making it the USs fifty-first state. Denmark has also warned that any US action to militarily annex Greenland would mean the end of Nato. The reality is that Greenland has become a bone of contention between the US and his European allies in Nato. To push his plan, Trump threatened tariffs on European nations which stand in his way of annexing Greenland. He tweeted that he would be imposing an additional 10 per cent tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland commencing on February 1. These would be increased to 25 per cent from June 1 in case no deal is concluded. Europe had reluctantly accepted 15 per cent tariffs from the US while charging zero per cent to many US products, solely to maintain the transatlantic alliance. It is unlikely to accept an additional 10 per cent. It would prefer negotiations but is also willing to counter. How the US would also implement tariffs on select nations within the EU is unknown, especially as the continent is one entity and there are nations, part of the EU, maintaining silence on Greenland. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It is not that the US has no military access to Greenland. As per a 1951 agreement, the US had bases in Greenland but over the years reduced troop deployment in the region. In the early fifties, the US held 17 bases with thousands of troops, which has shrunk to one base currently. Its base is at Pituffik in the northwestern part of the island, hosting about 200 troops. It has missile warning, missile defence and space surveillance systems. It has been the US which has reduced its force levels in Greenland voluntarily, not under pressure. If the US already has an agreement on bases on Greenland, why does it desire its annexation? This remains unanswered. It could ideally discuss redeployment of troops and not annexation. The US interest is more towards minerals found on the island. As per a 2023 survey, 25 out of 34 minerals discovered in Greenland are critical raw materials. For the indigenous Greenlandic Inuit, the extraction of minerals is unacceptable, a reason why they have not been touched. The US may not adhere to their customs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In response to the US threat of annexation, European nations symbolically participated in exercises with Denmark in Greenland. France sent 15 soldiers, and Germany 13, while Norway and Sweden also participated. The nations termed these troops as reconnaissance elements, but they were more a sign of solidarity. It was this solidarity against the US which added to Trumps anger. Europe, for once, is displaying spine and standing tall to US threats. French President Emmanuel Macron stated, Tariff threats are unacceptable in this context We will not be swayed by any intimidation. He added that Europe must activate its powerful anti-coercion instrument, implying curbing imports of goods and services from the US. Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson mentioned, We wont let ourselves be blackmailed. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted, Territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law. Whether Europe will continue to display this unity is to be seen. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Russia is adding to the confusion by playing one side versus the other in its game of narratives. Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev warned Europe that it should not provoke their daddy, hinting at Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte addressing Trump as daddy during a Nato summit last year, where Trump chastised both Iran and Israel for violating a US-brokered ceasefire. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev posted on X, What (will they) do?! Nuke the US? Theyll just s*** their pants and give up Greenland. Europe cannot be seen as bending to Trump based on Russian comments despite it weakening Nato. No wonder Kaja Kallas, the EUs foreign affairs chief, stated on X, China and Russia must be having a field day. If Trump uses military force to take over Greenland, he legalises hostile takeover of territories. This will justify Russian annexation of Crimea as well as of lands it controls in Ukraine and China in its future attempt to take over Taiwan, all on grounds of national security. Simultaneously, it is fracturing the one institution which has stood together since the Second World War, Nato. There is also no doubt that a weak Nato, as well as a fractured relationship between Europe and the US, would benefit Russia, especially as the Ukraine war continues. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has played the tariff card once too often. Some nations have bent, while a few, like India and China, have stood their ground. They have retaliated to the tariffs in their own silent way. India hit back by imposing 30 per cent tariffs on US pulse crops from November 1 last year, forcing senators to write to Trump on this. China has yet to import US agricultural products. Europe has now begun displaying its intent. Unless it stands firm, it will continue being bullied by Trump, who only understands strength. It could also be that Trump is pressurising Europe because of Ukraine. It is Europe which is standing alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy against US pressures, forcing Trump to comment, I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal. Greenland is just an excuse, while the target is to get Europe to back down from supporting Ukraine by imposing tariffs. Trump is aware that Europe does not possess the ability to defend itself and needs US backing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has also begun believing he is God and can take what he wants and also punish whomever he wants with tariffs, especially after his success in Venezuela. If he has to be stopped, then Europe must stand together and not bend like they have been doing. India and China are two nations they need to emulate. The India-EU trade deal, likely to be inked in the coming days, following the EU-Mercosur (comprising Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) trade agreement, would be a gamechanger and could counter Trumps attempts to pressurise Europe into towing his line based on increased tariffs. (The author is a former Indian Army officer, strategic analyst and columnist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) Apple has updated its homepage honouring Dr Martin Luther King Jr. highlighting his impactful quotes and work. Apples CEO Tim Cook also paid tribute to him in his X post. Apple has updated its homepage to honour and give tribute to Dr Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday. The entire page highlighted Kings impactful quotes, and invited most of the people to explore his legacy further through the Apple books and Apple podcasts. The youngest to receive the Nobel peace prize, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an American activist. The Apple shows photos of Dr. King visiting a church in Miami, Florida, holding a news conference in Birmingham, Alabama, and speaking in a crowd in Jackson, Mississippi. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Apple has run a full-page Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. homepage tribute for more than a decade. We honor Dr. King and reflect upon his life and legacy, says Apple. Apple has staged what it calls a Homepage Takeover for MLK Day each year since 2015, a designation typically reserved for major product launches or programming announcements. Apple CEO Tim Cook also paid tribute to Dr. King. He wrote on X, Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s legacy of service, his commitment to justice, and his belief that every one of us has the power to make a difference, because as he reminded us, everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s legacy of service, his commitment to justice, and his belief that every one of us has the power to make a difference, because as he reminded us, everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. pic.twitter.com/DzF70FIGg9 Tim Cook (@tim_cook) January 19, 2026 US President Donald Trump on Monday also issued a proclamation honoring the life and legacy of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., praising his commitment to justice, equality, and the founding principles of the US. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday in the United States in 1986, observed on the third Monday of January. Previous Apple homepage takeovers have marked significant events including former President Jimmy Carters death at age 100 and the 10th anniversary of Steve Jobs passing in 2021. The MLK tribute represents one of the companys most consistent annual digital commemorations. Uganda's dried chili peppers make first export to China Xinhua) 16:32, January 20, 2026 SHANGHAI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A batch of dried chili peppers from Uganda has recently passed customs in Shanghai, marking the first export of Ugandan dried chili peppers to China after gaining market access in the country. The 11 tonnes of dried chili peppers entered China via sea transport through the Waigaoqiao port area in Shanghai, the municipal customs authorities said on Monday. Customs officials collected samples for inspection and confirmed that the agricultural products were free from pests, mold and impurities. According to Shanghai Customs, in 2025, the value of agricultural products imported through Shanghai ports from Africa reached 10.03 billion yuan (about 1.43 billion U.S. dollars), marking a 25.3 percent increase compared to 2024. From 2021 to 2025, Shanghai ports cumulatively imported African agricultural products valued at 39.21 billion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 10.9 percent. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Metas Threads has surpassed Elon Musks X platform with over 141.5 million daily active iOS and Android global app users, compared to 125 million users for X After getting launched about three years ago, Metas Threads is now witnessing more daily mobile users as compared to Elon Musks X according to a report by market intelligence firm Similarweb. The report shows that Thread has about 141.5 million daily active iOS and Android global app users as of January 7th, compared to 125 million users for X. Thread followed a steady growth from the time it was invented and now the results show long-term usage. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD X has recently seen a troubling controversy where its Grok AI showed some explicitly sexual images which were non-consensual. The controversy grappled with Elon Musk and brewed some tensions for him. Concerns over the images have led Californias attorney general to open an investigation into Grok, following similar probes in regions including the UK, the European Union, India and Brazil. Threads growth on mobile may be driven by other factors, including promotion across Metas larger apps such as Facebook and Instagram, a focus on creators and the rollout of new features. X still has more mobile users than Threads in the US, according to Similarweb, but notes that Threads is catching up, and that X has half as many daily active mobile users in the US now as it did last year. Web traffic remains another story as of January 13th, X was attracting 145.4 million daily web visitors, compared to just 8.5 million on Threads. X continues to top the web table, but we spend our time on mobile phones and Threads is winning the social battle according to the new estimates. Meta may have won the mobile battle, according to these new estimates, but with only 150 million daily users combined, it has an uphill struggle to catch up with Xs more than 270 million. Nato chief Mark Rutte, who held a meeting with Denmarks defence minister, has said he had discussed how important the Arctic including Greenland is to our collective security People attend a protest against US President Donald Trump's demand that the Arctic island be ceded to the US, calling for it to be allowed to determine its own future. Reuters As US President Donald Trump pushes his Greenland dream, Denmark on Tuesday proposed Nato surveillance on the island country. We have proposed it, the secretary general has taken note of that, and I think we can now we hope define a framework on how that can be concretised, Troels Lund Poulsen told Danish television. Meanwhile, Nato chief Mark Rutte, who held a meeting with Poulsen, has said he had discussed how important the Arctic including Greenland is to our collective security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Well continue to work together as Allies on these important issues, he wrote. Swedens defence minister Pal Jonson suggested a NATO mission could be a way forward as Trump insists more must be done to ward off the threat of China and Russia to Greenland. We are seeing what is the most constructive way that we could contribute to this endeavour of strengthening the alliance footprint in the High North, he said after a meeting of Nordic ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels. US to deploy aircraft The United States is set to deploy military aircraft to Greenland as diplomatic and military tensions increase over President Donald Trumps push to acquire the self-governing Danish territory. The aircraft will arrive at Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland. The move is linked to planned defence activities. It comes amid heightened scrutiny of US intentions in the Arctic. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) said on Monday local time that its aircraft would soon arrive at the base, formerly known as Thule Air Force Base. The deployment is part of long-planned activities designed to support routine operations to defend North America. Norad said the move builds on existing defence cooperation between the United States, Canada and Denmark. It added that the plans were coordinated with Copenhagen, with Greenland informed in advance. Trump to hold Greenland meeting in Davos Meanwhile, Trump has announced that he will hold a meeting with various parties about his attempt to take over Greenland at the Davos gathering of global elites this week. I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland, Trump posted on his TruthSocial platform. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. I dont think theyre gonna push back too much. We have to have it. They have to have this done, he told a reporter in Florida who asked what Trump planned to say to European leaders who opposed his plans. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies The US Supreme Court is expected to issue key rulings on January 20, with several major cases still pending. Among them is a closely watched legal challenge to President Donald Trumps use of emergency powers to impose sweeping global tariffs, a decision that could have wide implications for global trade. US President Donald Trump's tariffs are likely to be decided upon by the Supreme Court today (Friday). File image/Reuters The US Supreme Court is set to release its next batch of rulings on January 20 at 10 am ET, with several high-profile cases still pending, including a closely watched challenge to President Donald Trumps sweeping global tariffs. The court said on its website on Friday, January 16, that it may issue opinions in argued cases when the justices meet for a scheduled sitting next Tuesday. As is standard practice, the Supreme Court did not specify which cases will be decided. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trumps tariff powers under judicial scrutiny Among the most consequential matters before the court is the legal challenge to Trumps tariffs, a case that tests both the limits of presidential authority and the courts willingness to rein in the Republican presidents expansive claims of executive power since his return to office in January 2025. The ruling could have far-reaching consequences for global trade and the international economy. Justices sceptical of emergency law argument During oral arguments on November 5, both conservative and liberal justices appeared sceptical of the administrations reliance on a 1977 law designed for use during national emergencies to justify the tariffs. Trump invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose so-called reciprocal tariffs on imports from nearly all US trading partners, citing a national emergency linked to persistent trade deficits. His administration is appealing lower court rulings that found he exceeded his authority. Treasury secretary downplays chances of reversal Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday said it was very unlikely that the Supreme Court would overturn President Donald Trumps use of emergency powers to impose tariffs, with a potential decision looming as early as this week. I believe that it is very unlikely that the Supreme Court will overrule a presidents signature economic policy, Bessent said on NBCs Meet the Press. They did not overrule Obamacare, I believe that the Supreme Court does not want to create chaos. In June, the Supreme Court upheld a key Affordable Care Act provision that established a panel to recommend preventive care services that insurers must provide at no cost to patients. Fresh tariff threat linked to Greenland demand Bessents remarks came a day after Trump said he would impose a new round of tariffs on goods from Europe until a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland. Trump did not specify in his Truth Social post which statute he was invoking, though the move appears to mirror the liberation day duties imposed on dozens of nations under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Tariff rates and timeline announced Trump said tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland will begin at 10 percent on February 1 and rise to 25 percent on June 1. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on Trumps use of the IEEPA to impose tariffs before the end of its term, though a decision could come as soon as this week. The law grants the president broad authority to deploy economic tools in response to an unusual and extraordinary threat. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Armed gangs stormed multiple churches in Nigerias Kaduna State and kidnapped over 160 worshippers during Sunday services, even as local leaders and authorities dispute the scale and confirmation of the attack Sunday's attacks are the latest in a wave of kidnappings targeting both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. (Reuters) Armed gangs kidnapped at least 163 Christian worshippers after storming two churches in Nigerias northern Kaduna State on Sunday, a member of the clergy told AFP. Gangs known in Nigeria as bandits frequently carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and loot villages, mainly in the northern and central parts of Africas most populous country. Sundays attacks are the latest in a wave of kidnappings targeting both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The attackers came in numbers and blocked the entrance of the churches and forced the worshippers out into the bush, Reverend Joseph Hayab, head of the Christian Association of Nigeria for the countrys north, said on Monday. The actual number they took was 172 but nine escaped, so 163 are with them, added Hayab. Ishaku Danazumi, a traditional chief of Kurmin Wali said 166 people were seized from three churches in the village during Sunday service. A security report prepared for the United Nations said armed bandits attacked multiple churches in the area on Sunday, abducting over 100 worshippers. Kaduna state police did not confirm the attack. But its chief told reporters after in Kaduna city that officers responded and went to the alleged scene of crime on Sunday. Till now there is no information about any attack or any kidnapping, police commissioner Muhammad Rabiu said in remarks broadcast on a local tv channel. State commissioner for internal security Sule Shauibu dismissed the narrative about the kidnapping as totally false, we do not have any evidence of such. Local chief Wali told AFP that It is only politicians that are denying the kidnapping of our people. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They took away 177 people from three churches but 11 managed to escape. We now have 166 people in the hands of the kidnappers, he said. He said his village has lived under threat from gunmen who kidnap our people. This has affected our farming activities as we grow less food than we used to. We have never complained to the authorities over kidnappings in our area as we have been the ones contributing to pay for the freedom of those kidnapped. Sometimes up to 20 are abducted and we have never complained, we have been dealing with the problem on our own. This time we complained to the authorities because the number of those kidnapped is beyond our capacity to deal with, he said. Roughly evenly split between a mostly Christian south and Muslim-majority north, Nigeria is home to myriad conflicts, which experts say kill both Christians and Muslims, often without distinction. In November, armed gangs seized more than 300 students and teachers from a Catholic school in Niger state, with 50 escaping and the rest being released in two batches weeks later. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US President Donald Trump has latched onto the insecurity in Nigeria, focusing on the killing of Christians and putting Abuja under diplomatic pressure. In late December, the United States launched strikes on what it and the Nigerian government said were militants linked to the Islamic State group in the northwestern Sokoto state. Nigeria said it approved the strikes. More attacks likely Kaduna is one of several states in northwest and central Nigeria that have for years been terrorised by criminal gangs who raid villages, abduct residents and burn homes after looting them. Kajuru district is a hotspot for bandit attacks in Kaduna State, which has witnessed clashes between Christian farmers and Fulani Muslim herders. The violence centres around competition for land and dwindling resources, although on the surface it falls along ethnic and religious lines. Nigerias kidnappings are predominantly for ransom and the crisis has consolidated into a structured, profit-seeking industry that raised some $1.66 million between July 2024 and June 2025, according to a recent report by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based consultancy. (Except for the headline, this story has not beed edited by Firstpost staff.) Syria says about 120 Islamic State detainees escaped from Shaddadi prison after days of clashes with Kurdish-led forces, as Damascus and the SDF accuse each other and struggle to contain the breakout amid wider political and military tensions. Kurds fleeing a government advance through Kurdish-controlled areas arrive in the Kurdish Syrian city of Qamishli on January 19, 2026. (AFP) Around 120 Islamic State detainees escaped from Shaddadi prison, Syrias Interior Ministry said, countering an earlier report from Kurdish outlet Rudaw that quoted an SDF spokesperson claiming roughly 1,500 militants had broken out. According to the ministry, Syrian army units and special forces moved into Shaddadi after the breakout. Security forces recaptured 81 escapees following search and sweep operations in the town and nearby areas, while efforts were ongoing to arrest those still at large. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier, the Syrian army said a number of Islamic State militants had escaped from a prison under SDF control in Shaddadi, accusing the SDF of releasing them. Kurdish withdrawal after days of clashes The escape came after days of fighting between government forces and the SDF, which agreed on Sunday to withdraw from Raqqa and Deir al-Zor. The two Arab-majority provinces had been under Kurdish-led control for years and contain Syrias main oil fields. On Monday, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and US President Donald Trump discussed guaranteeing Kurdish rights during a phone call, Syrias presidency said. The conversation took place a day after Damascus reached a deal with Kurdish forces that included a truce. Sharaa also met Mazloum Abdi, head of the Kurdish-led SDF, to discuss the agreement, which provides for integrating the Kurdish administration into the Syrian state. A Kurdish source with knowledge of the talks told AFP the discussions were not positive. Autonomy ambitions under pressure Analysts said the deal, which followed swift government advances in Kurdish-controlled areas after Kurdish fighters were driven out of Aleppo city earlier this month, dealt a blow to Kurdish ambitions of maintaining de facto autonomy across parts of northern and northeastern Syria for more than a decade. During the phone call, Sharaa and Trump emphasised the need to guarantee the Kurdish peoples rights and protection within the framework of the Syrian state, according to the presidency. They also affirmed the importance of preserving the unity and independence of Syrian territory and discussed cooperation on combating the Islamic State group. The Kurdish source said differences in the SharaaAbdi talks focused on the mechanism for implementing the terms of the agreement. Clashes despite a ceasefire Despite the ceasefire, brief clashes broke out on Monday evening in Raqqa city, with an AFP correspondent reporting heavy bombardment. Using another name for the Islamic State group, the SDF said government forces shelled the Al-Aqtan prison, which holds ISIS members and leaders, in an attempt to storm it. Raqqa was once the jihadist groups de facto capital in Syria. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A defence ministry source later told AFP that the clashes had stopped, without giving further details. Chinas Vice Premier He Lifeng on Tuesday projected his country as a champion of the rules-based international order during a speech at the World Economic Forum, delivering a veiled critique of the Trump administration Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng speaks during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. Reuters Chinas Vice Premier He Lifeng on Tuesday projected his country as a champion of the rules-based international order during a speech at the World Economic Forum, delivering a veiled critique of the Trump administration. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at Davos: China never seeks a trade surplus. On top of being the worlds factory, China hopes to become the worlds market. pic.twitter.com/G37LZYRYpK Clash Report (@clashreport) January 20, 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The unilateral acts and trade deals of certain countries clearly violate the fundamental principles and rules of the (World Trade Organization), and severely impact the global economic and trade order, said He, adding that the world should not slide back into the law of the jungle, where the strong bully the weak. His remarks come amid rising tensions between the European Union and the United States over Washingtons threats to annex Greenland by force. The dispute has prompted President Donald Trump to warn several European countries of potential new duties after they sent troops to the North Atlantic island. Meanwhile, Canada, also affected by US trade measures, has moved closer to China in response. Last week, Ottawa signed an agreement with Beijing to liberalise trade in agricultural goods and electric vehicles, signaling a shift in its economic partnerships despite being a longtime US ally. Tariffs and trade war have no winners, said He, praising the benefits of free trade and economic globalisation. He said that the global trade system was facing its biggest challenge in years. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He urged countries not to turn their backs on globalisation and trade liberalisation, which he said had helped many countries, including China achieve fast development. He acknowledged that globalisation wasnt perfect but warned it would be wrong for nations to retreat into self-imposed isolation. Chinas vice premier defends economic model He also addressed criticisms of Chinas economic model, which produced a record trade surplus of nearly $1.2 trillion in 2025. In Europe, such high levels of exports have raised concerns that Chinese goods could undercut European businesses across industries including automotive. The vice premier emphasised that Chinas goals extend beyond exporting goods, asserting that the country wants to be the worlds market. He added, however: When China wants to buy, other countries dont want to sell, referencing US restrictions on the sale of advanced microchips used in AI technology. Beijing is prioritising domestic demand, He said, even as household consumption has lagged for decades, accounting for less than 40 per cent of GDP last year well below the global average of over 60 per cent, according to World Bank data. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Economists argue that boosting household income could help China absorb its manufacturing surplus, reducing pressure on exports, while also increasing demand for foreign goods, including European luxury products. We encourage businesses from around the world to seize the opportunities presented by our expanding domestic demand, provide more and better products and services, and further explore Chinas consumer market, He said. China will open its door still wider to the world. With inputs from agencies Australian lawmakers have passed tougher gun and hate crime laws following last months mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydneys Bondi Beach. Addressing the nation, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he felt a deep sense of responsibility for the attack. (File/AP) Australian lawmakers have passed tougher laws on hate crimes and gun violence following last months mass shooting at a Jewish festival at Sydneys Bondi Beach. On Tuesday, the House of Representatives approved legislation introducing a national gun buyback scheme, stricter gun licence checks and stronger measures to curb hate crimes. Lawmakers in both houses backed the reforms in response to the December 14 attack at one of Sydneys most iconic beaches. Deadly attack at Hanukkah celebration Fifteen people, most of them Jewish, were killed when two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration. The attackers were later disarmed by Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Muslim man widely hailed as a hero. Australian authorities have said the suspected attackers, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed, were inspired by the ISIL (ISIS) group. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Government calls for comprehensive response Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the attack was carried out by individuals with hate in their hearts and guns in their hands, adding that it demanded a comprehensive response from government. As a government, we must do everything we can to counter both the motivation and the method, Burke said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament that the government was acting on both fronts. The terrorists had hate in their hearts, but they also had high-powered rifles in their hands, Albanese said. We are taking action on both tackling antisemitism and hate, and getting dangerous guns off our streets. National reckoning over antisemitism The shooting has sparked a period of national soul-searching, anger over failures to protect Jewish Australians, and renewed calls for tougher legislation to prevent similar attacks. The reforms on guns and hate speech were voted on separately and must still be approved by the Senate, which was expected to take up the legislation later in the day. Tougher hate speech provisions The hate speech legislation increases penalties for spreading hatred, radicalisation or promoting violence. It introduces aggravated offences for preachers, community leaders or adults seeking to radicalise children, and establishes a framework for designating organisations as prohibited hate groups. The law also makes it easier to reject or cancel visas for individuals suspected of terrorism or of promoting hatred based on race, colour or origin. National gun buyback and tighter checks On firearms, the government plans to introduce a national gun buyback scheme, tighten controls on gun imports and expand background checks for gun licences, including allowing input from intelligence agencies. The statement came from Canadas Taiwanese Envoy Harry Ho-jen Tseng following a meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week. Under the agreement, both countries have agreed to lower trade barriers and rebuild ties Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the start of a meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2025. AP Taiwan has expressed some reservations about the Canada-China trade deal, saying that while Ottawa is reeling with economic issues due to the US, Beijing is not a trustworthy partner. The statement came from Canadas Taiwanese Envoy Harry Ho-jen Tseng following a meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week. Under the agreement, both countries have agreed to lower trade barriers and rebuild ties. If this trip to China is genuinely looking for an economic remedy for Canada, I dont think you can find an answer in China. If this trip to China is trying to create political leverage of some sort, domestically or internationally, I dont know its another matter, Tseng said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Tseng, who was the deputy foreign minister for Taiwan, added that a free trade deal is unachievable between Canada and China, simply because China is not a market economy. Landmark deal The Canadian leader hailed a landmark deal under a new strategic partnership with China, marking a turning point in years of diplomatic spats, tit-for-tat arrests, and tariff disputes. Carney has sought to reduce his countrys reliance on the United States, its key economic partner and traditional ally, as President Donald Trump has aggressively raised tariffs on Canadian products. Canada and China have reached a preliminary but landmark trade agreement to remove trade barriers and reduce tariffs, Carney told a news conference after meeting with Xi. Under the deal, China, which was previously Canadas largest market for canola seed, is expected to reduce tariffs on canola products to around 15 per cent by March 1, down from the current 84 per cent. China will also allow Canadian visitors to enter the country visafree. In turn, Canada will import 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) under new, preferential tariffs of 6.1 per cent. This is a return to the levels that existed prior to recent trade frictions, Carney said of the EV deal. With inputs from agencies Canada is weighing whether to send troops to Greenland for upcoming Nato exercises, as Prime Minister Mark Carney faces added pressure from Donald Trumps latest remarks and works to align with European allies. Canada is assessing the possibility of deploying troops to Greenland as part of upcoming Nato exercises, with discussions taking place at senior levels and a decision still pending. Military officials have presented operational plans to the government and are awaiting a decision from Prime Minister Mark Carney, according to the sources, reported Reuters. Trump remarks add pressure on Canada President Donald Trumps threats to take control of Greenland have created a delicate challenge for Carney. He is seeking to demonstrate solidarity with European allies while also maintaining a workable relationship with Trump. The US president has previously threatened to annex Canada. Were concerned about this escalation, to be absolutely clear we always will support sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries, wherever their geographic location is, Carney told reporters in Doha on Sunday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Several European countries sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland last week. Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands said they are dispatching military staff to prepare for larger drills planned later this year. US deploys military aircraft to Greenland The United States is set to deploy military aircraft to Greenland amid diplomatic and military tensions over President Trumps push to acquire the self-governing Danish territory. The aircraft will arrive at Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland. The move is linked to planned defence activities. It comes amid heightened scrutiny of US intentions in the Arctic. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) said on Monday local time that its aircraft would soon arrive at the base, formerly known as Thule Air Force Base. The deployment is part of long-planned activities designed to support routine operations to defend North America. Norad said the move builds on existing defence cooperation between the United States, Canada and Denmark. It added that the plans were coordinated with Copenhagen, with Greenland informed in advance. All supporting forces are operating with the requisite diplomatic clearances, Norad said. The command added that the aircraft would support sustained and dispersed operations across its three regions Alaska, Canada and the continental United States. Carney on Tuesday warned that the erosion of the international rules-based order means middle-sized countries must stick together, delivering a thinly veiled critique of the US administrations foreign policy and its use of punitive trade measures Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. Reuters Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday warned that the erosion of the international rules-based order means middle-sized countries must stick together, delivering a thinly veiled critique of the US administrations foreign policy and its use of punitive trade measures. It seems that every day were reminded that we live in an era of great power rivalry. That the rules-based order is fading that the strong can do what they can, and the weak must suffer what they must, CNN quoted Carney as saying in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Carney cautioned against the temptation for smaller and mid-sized countries to accommodate dominant powers in the hope of avoiding conflict. Faced with this logic, there is a strong tendency for countries to go along to get along to accommodate, to avoid trouble, to hope that compliance will buy safety. Well, it wont, he said. Without naming US President Donald Trump, the Canadian leader criticised major powers for turning economic tools into instruments of pressure, saying they have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, and supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited. Carney opposes Greenland tariffs He singled out Washingtons stance on Greenland, saying, Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland, and calls for focused talks to achieve our shared objectives of security and prosperity in the Arctic. Trump on Saturday announced tariffs on imports from European allies that have opposed his push for the United States to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Carney backed Denmarks sovereignty over Greenland and reiterated Canadas intent to build closer ties with like-minded partners as it manages a fraught relationship with the Trump administration in Washington. Trump has previously floated the idea of annexing Canada and, earlier on Tuesday, shared an AI-generated image depicting a map that showed both Canada and Greenland as part of the United States. If great powers abandon even the pretense of rules and values for the unhindered pursuit of their power and interests, the gains from transactionalism will become harder to replicate, Reuters quoted Carney as saying, without mentioning Trump or the US. Carney, a former head of both the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada who struck a deal with China last week, said it was important for Canada to have a web of connections. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There are very clear guard rails in that relationship, Carney said of Canadas deal with China. But within those clear guard rails are huge opportunities in energy, both clean and conventional in agriculture, in financial services, all of which is mutually beneficial. Carney also warned that dominant states risk overreaching in their dealings with allies and global institutions. Hegemons cannot continually monetize their relationships, he said. Calling for greater coordination among middle powers, Carney said, The middle powers must act together, because if were not at the table, were on the menu. We shouldnt allow the rise of hard power to blind us to the fact that the power of legitimacy, integrity, and rules will remain strong, if we choose to wield them together. With inputs from agencies China says it has received an invitation to join Donald Trumps proposed Board of Peace, but has not decided whether to accept US President Donald Trump (left) and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands as they leave after their talks at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport, in Busan, South Korea, on October 30, 2025. (Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP) China on Tuesday confirmed that it has received an invitation from the United States to join US President Donald Trumps proposed Board of Peace, though Beijing stopped short of saying whether it would take up the offer. China has received the United States invitation, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing, declining to clarify if China plans to accept. The Board of Peace was initially envisioned as a body to oversee the reconstruction of war-ravaged Gaza, but its mandate appears broader, with no clear restriction limiting its scope to the occupied Palestinian territory. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Washington has reportedly reached out to several global leaders to serve on the panel, which would be chaired by Trump. Those invited include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Guo also addressed the broader state of ties between Beijing and Washington, saying relations had remained largely steady over the past year despite tensions triggered by a trade war and reciprocal tariffs. Over the past year, China-US relations have experienced ups and downs, but have maintained overall dynamic stability, Guo told reporters. He added that engagement, rather than rivalry, serves the interests of both countries. Cooperation between China and the US benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both, Guo said. The invitation comes at a time when Washington and Beijing continue to balance strategic competition with selective cooperation, even as disputes over trade, security and geopolitics persist. Also read | France 'does not intend' to accept Trump's invitation to join Board of Peace for Gaza: Report What is Trumps Board of Peace? Trumps proposed Board of Peace is the centerpiece of his broader ceasefire plan for Gaza. The initiative forms part of a 20-point Comprehensive Plan announced last September, which Trump says has received backing from leaders across the Arab world, Israel, and Europe. The United Nations Security Council formally endorsed the framework through Resolution 2803 in November. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a letter shared by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, Trump described the project as the moment when earlier diplomatic ambitions would finally be put into action. He wrote, Now it is time to turn all of these Dreams into reality. At the heart of the Plan is The Board of Peace, the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled, which will be established as a new International Organization and Transitional Governing Administration. The Board is intended to function both as an international organisation and transitional governing authority for Gaza, overseeing civil institution rebuilding, governance restoration, economic recovery, and investment mobilisation. Trump will chair the board and retain veto power over decisions, giving the US significant influence. Also read | Why joining Trumps Board of Peace could be tricky for India The initiative is linked to phase two of the US-brokered ceasefire, dealing with Gazas reconstruction, Hamas disarmament, and deployment of an international security force. The White House has outlined a three-tier governance structure, with the Board of Peace at the top, followed by the Gaza Executive Board, and finally the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (Ncag), which is the only Palestinian-led body. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As per Bloomberg, countries contributing $1 billion would become permanent members, while non-permanent members would have no fee. A draft charter reportedly gives Trump authority over membership decisions, renewals, and final approvals, centralising control of the board under his leadership. Trump has, not once, but on several occasions, shifted his rhetoric towards India. His tariffs became a point of contention in the India-US relationship. However, tariffs were not the only loggerheads that took their relationship downhill US President Donald Trump has completed a year in office today (January 20) since his inauguration in 2025. Trumps second term as the president paved the way for a new age of decisive policies that have tested Americas relationship with allies across the world. India is one of such allies. The Republican leader has, not once, but on several occasions, shifted his rhetoric towards India. Trumps tariffs became a point of contention in the India-US relationship. However, tariffs were not the only loggerheads that took their relationship downhill. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here are five things that Trump got wrong about India: Tariff would force India surrender to his demands Trumps favourite word tariff became almost synonymous with the president in his second term. Like most countries in the world, India was also subjected to reciprocal and punitive levies. Citing India as the tariff king, President Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on various Indian goods in mid-2025. The administration has repeatedly targeted India for its continued purchase of Russian crude oil. Trump recently asserted that Prime Minister Modi was making him happy by cutting some Russian oil imports to avoid even steeper tariffs, while simultaneously threatening to raise duties very quickly if India does not comply fully. But none of these assertions forced India to deter or surrender to his demands. The Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been able to offset the effects of Trump tariffs by accelerating policy reforms, like GST restructuring, to bolster economic confidence and growth. In addition to this, PM Modi has repeatedly been pushing for self-reliance by encouraging citizens to exclusively purchase and promote Made in India products to achieve national self-reliance and development. Trump couldnt push India to buy F-35s Just a month after his inauguration in January, Trump met PM Modi at the Oval Office, making the prime minister one of the first leaders to meet the president. At a joint press conference, Trump offered India F-35 fighter jets, which were later rejected by New Delhi. In fact, at the time of Trumps announcement, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that there was a process to be followed for military procurements and that the formal process in this regard hadnt started as yet. In August 2025, India reportedly rejected Trumps offer to buy more F-35s over his tariff threats. Despite a persistent push from Washington, defence acquisitions remained off the table, effectively declining a primary American objective. Wrong about Apache helicopters Trumps hyperbolic self made an appearance earlier this month when he said that India has ordered 68 Apache attack helicopters from the United States. The president went a step ahead to claim that PM Modi sought a meeting with him to discuss the slow delivery of the choppers. However, an examination of official contracts, delivery logs, deployment information, and consultations with military and diplomatic sources shows the claim to be inaccurate. India ordered only 28 Apache helicopters, and all were delivered by December 2025. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India signed its first Apache deal in September 2015, in the final months of the Obama administration, agreeing to acquire 22 helicopters for the Indian Air Force in a contract worth about $2.2 billion. All aircraft were delivered on schedule, with the last arriving in 2020 during the first Trump administration, and were inducted into two frontline squadrons. Never right about India-Pak conflict The US president has been relentlessly claiming that he stopped India and Pakistan from escalating the conflict in May, during Indias Operation Sindoor, launched after the Pahalgam attack. Trump has not once, not twice, not thrice, but more than 200 times, said that he stopped the India-Pakistan conflict, a claim that has been vehemently rejected by New Delhi. Pakistan, on the other hand, has thanked the president for its support during Operation Sindoor that crippled Islamabads defences. Indias dead economy Trump has shifted from praising India to using more abrasive language regarding its economic status. In late 2025, he described India as a dead economy that does very little business with the US during a social media rant. Despite recent external rhetoric, India remains the fastest-growing major economy in the world, with a real GDP growth rate of 8.2 per cent recorded in the second quarter of the 202526 fiscal year. Far from being a dead or stagnant economy, India has officially surpassed Japan to become the worlds fourth-largest economy in 2025, with a nominal GDP exceeding $4.1 trillion. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD France does not intend to answer favourably to the invitation, as the charter which conceived the board does not limit its role to the Palestinian territory France's President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he delivers a speech to French ambassadors during the Ambassadors' Conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris on January 8, 2026. AFP France is unlikely to accept US President Donald Trumps invitation to join the Board of Peace, created to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza after the Israel-Hamas war ends. According to a report by Le Monde, France does not intend to answer favourably to the invitation, as the charter which conceived the board does not limit its role to the Palestinian territory. The source told the news outlet that the charter goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza. They added, It raises major questions, particularly regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which under no circumstances can be called into question. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier Monday, its foreign ministry issued a statement reiterating Frances commitment to the UN. This remains the keystone of effective multilateralism, where international law, the sovereign equality of states, and the peaceful settlement of disputes prevail over arbitrariness, power politics and war, it said. The ministry added it was reviewing the proposed legal framework of the board with its partners, raising concern that the project extends beyond the situation in Gaza. Pay $1 bn to stay a member Meanwhile, Trump has put a price of $1 billion on the permanent membership of the Board of Peace. The White House has asked various world leaders to sit on the board, chaired by Trump himself, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The boards charter says that member countries will serve no longer than three years, subject to renewal by the chairman. That is, unless they contribute more than $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charters entry into force. Trump to formalise board at Davos event Trump is expected to formalise the Gaza peace board at a signing ceremony this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The charter appears to take a swipe at the United Nations, saying that the new board should have the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed. Trump has regularly criticised the United Nations and announced this month that his country will withdraw from 66 global organisations and treaties roughly half affiliated with the UN. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies India on Tuesday advised the families of Indian officials posted in Bangladesh to return home as a precautionary measure, citing security concerns ahead of the countrys parliamentary elections Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. A pro-Pakistan Bangladesh is a concern for New Delhi. File image/PTI India on Tuesday advised the families of Indian officials posted in Bangladesh to return home as a precautionary measure, citing security concerns ahead of the countrys parliamentary elections, according to a PTI report, citing government sources. Given the security situation, as a precautionary measure, we have advised the dependents of mission and post officials to return to India, the sources said. The decision does not affect the functioning of Indian diplomatic missions in Bangladesh. The Indian High Commission in Dhaka and other Indian posts across the country remain fully operational, with diplomatic work and services continuing as normal, added the report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has yet to release an official statement on the matter. Bangladesh is scheduled to hold elections on February 12, the first since a 2024 uprising toppled Sheikh Hasinas government. The country has remained politically unstable since a student-led revolt ousted Hasina in August 2024, ending her 15-year rule. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, 85, who returned from exile at the request of protesters to lead a caretaker administration as chief adviser, will step down after the general elections. India-Bangladesh tensions Relations between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated following major political shifts in Dhaka and a series of diplomatic disputes. Tensions escalated after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted amid widespread protests and civil unrest. Hasina later traveled to India seeking refuge, while Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed to lead a caretaker government. Yunuss administration soon requested Hasinas extradition over her conviction in Bangladeshi courts. India acknowledged receiving the request but offered no commitment, emphasising close monitoring and hopes for stability. Bilateral strains deepened after remarks by some Bangladeshi leaders about Indias northeastern states drew sharp reactions from New Delhi. Rising attacks on minority communities in Bangladesh also alarmed India, which urged Dhaka to protect vulnerable groups. Relations were further tested following the killing of Bangladeshi political figure Osman Hadi during an election campaign; Bangladeshi officials claimed the perpetrators fled to India, a charge New Delhi rejected. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Targeted violence against Hindus A series of violent attacks against minority communities has sparked concern domestically and internationally. In January alone, Ripon Saha was run over in Rajbari after confronting a customer, Birendra Kumar Deys house was torched in Sylhet, and Samir Das was found dead in Feni. Earlier in the month, Sarat Mani Chakraborty, Rana Pratap, and a Hindu businessman in Gazipur were killed in separate incidents. December saw similar brutality. Factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was lynched over a false blasphemy claim, reportedly hanged and set on fire. Violence following a student leaders death also targeted media outlets, including Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, alongside assaults on Hindu homes and cultural institutions. With inputs from agencies In a sharp reversal, US President Donald Trump has slammed the UK-Mauritius Chagos Islands deal as great stupidity and cited it as a reason to occupy Denmarks Greenland island. He had last year endorsed the deal and called it commendable. US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer shake hands as they hold a press conference at Chequers at the conclusion of a state visit on September 18, 2025 in Aylesbury, Britain. (Photo: Leon Neal/Pool via Reuters) In a sharp reversal, US President Donald Trump has slammed the agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius for the handover of the Chagos Islands as great stupidity and cited it as a reason to occupy Denmarks Greenland island. Last year, Trump had endorsed the UK-Mauritius deal for Chagos Islands. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called it commendable. In a post on Truth Social, Trump on Tuesday falsely claimed that the UK was giving away the Diego Garcia island to Mauritius where the UK and the United States jointly operate a military base. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Under the deal with Mauritius, the UK will hold the Diego Garcia island on an extendable lease for 99 years, allowing military operations to run seamlessly. From commendable to great stupidity: Trumps reversal on Chagos Islands deal Last year, Trump had not just endorsed the US-Mauritius deal but had praised it. Rubio had welcomed the historic agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Mauritius. We commend both the United Kingdom and Mauritius for their leadership, vision, and commitment to ensure that Diego Garcia remains fully operational for the duration of this agreement, Rubio had said. Rubio had said that the Trump administration had determined that the US-UK agreement secured long-term operational capabilities. Following a comprehensive interagency review, the Trump Administration determined that this agreement secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation of the joint U.S.-UK military facility at Diego Garcia. This is a critical asset for regional and global security. President Trump expressed his support for this monumental achievement during his meeting with Prime Minister Starmer at the White House, Rubio had said. Irrespective of facts or his own administrations past assessment, Trump said on Truth Social: Shockingly, our brilliant Nato Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital US military base, to Mauritius and to do so for no reason whatsoever. Trump further went on to say that the UK giving away extremely important land is an act of great stupidity and is another in a very long line of national security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. This is the latest justification that Trump has conjured for his desire to occupy Greenland. Previously, he had said that the denial of Nobel Peace Prize meant he did not have any obligation to pursue peace and that was why he would occupy Greenland. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While Trump has maintained he would occupy Greenland since winning the 2024 election, he and his allies have ramped up the rhetoric and aggressive posturing in recent weeks. The White House has formally said that the administration was open to invading Greenland to occupy it. As part of a coercive campaign, he slapped a 10 per cent tariff on Denmark and seven other European nations that are opposed to the American occupation of Greenland. He said he would raise the tariff to 25 per cent if Greenland would not be handed over to the United States by June. Israeli authorities have begun demolishing UNRWAs headquarters in East Jerusalem after passing a law banning the agencys operations. The move has drawn sharp criticism from the UN, which calls it a violation of international law and diplomatic norms. Israel seizes UNRWA compound in Jerusalems Maalot Dafna following new law banning the agency. (X) Israeli crews on Tuesday began bulldozing the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, escalating a long-running dispute between Israel and the United Nations agency that provides critical services to Palestinians across the region. The demolition follows recent Israeli legislation that bans Unrwa from operating in what the government defines as Israeli territory, including East Jerusalem. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the action a historic day as crews moved in with heavy machinery to begin razing parts of the compound. Israeli forces also evicted remaining staff and confiscated their devices from the site. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD UNRWAwhich runs schools, health clinics and provides food and other aid to millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, and neighbouring countriescondemned the bulldozing as a serious breach of international norms. In a statement posted on X, the agency said, This is an unprecedented attack not only against UNRWA and its premises. It constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations. Israels justification and UNRWAs response The Israeli government has long accused UNRWA of bias and alleged links to militant groups, including Hamasclaims the agency has strongly denied. Jerusalem authorities maintain the demolition is legal under the new law that banned UNRWA operations and assert that the site no longer enjoys international immunity. Israel also argues that its actions comply with both domestic and international law. UNRWA, established in 1949 to assist Palestinian refugees, continues to provide essential services even as political tensions have made its work more difficult. The compound in East Jerusalem had already ceased regular operations after staff were ordered to leave last year. Nevertheless, UN officials and international observers have warned that demolishing its headquarters sets a troubling precedent for humanitarian work in conflict zones. The demolition has sparked concern beyond Israel and the Palestinian territories. UN agencies and diplomatic missions have reiterated the importance of upholding the protections typically afforded to United Nations property and personnelprotections that have been enshrined in international law for decades. Critics argue that targeting such facilities risks undermining humanitarian efforts at a time when millions of Palestinians continue to depend on aid for basic needs like food, education and healthcare. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israeli forces drop leaflets ordering Palestinian families from Bani Suhaila tents in southern Gaza, first compulsory evacuation since October ceasefire. Israeli military issues first compulsory evacuation orders to Palestinian families in southern Gaza since October ceasefire, targeting tent dwellers in Bani Suhaila near Khan Younis. Residents report expansion of controlled zones, displacing thousands amid stalled truce negotiations. Evacuation directives Leaflets in Arabic, Hebrew and English descended over Al Reqeb neighbourhood on Monday, declaring the zone under IDF authority and demanding immediate departure. Families in tents and damaged structures, numbering at least 70, complied by shifting westward. Local accounts describe this as the fourth or fifth boundary adjustment since last month, each advancing 120 to 150 metres into Palestinian held areas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Post ceasefire dynamics This marks the initial forced relocation since the US mediated truce halted major combat two months ago. Prior to October, similar warnings preceded raids and strikes, prompting repeated displacements across Gaza. Over 2 million residents crowd into roughly one third of the territory, relying on makeshift shelters under Hamas administration, with Israel occupying the remainder. Hamas perspective Gaza government media director Ismail Al Thawabta reported five territorial expansions in eastern Khan Younis post ceasefire, affecting 9000 displaced persons. Monday orders impacted 3000 individuals, exacerbating shelter shortages and internal migration pressures. He characterised the actions as deliberate civilian intimidation tactics. Truce phase stagnation Initial ceasefire terms suspended hostilities, saw partial Israeli withdrawal, and exchanged hostages for detainees. Subsequent phases remain unresolved, with mutual accusations of violations. Future steps envisage Hamas demilitarisation, full Israeli exit, and international oversight for reconstruction, per President Donald Trumps framework. Military justifications Israel attributes boundary enforcements to threats from militants breaching the yellow line, prompting shootings where troops face imminent danger. Air operations and precision strikes persist across Gaza to counter regrouping fighters. The IDF views attacks on its positions with utmost gravity, sustaining vigilance despite the lull. Conflict toll Since ceasefire activation, 460 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers lost lives. The broader campaign followed Hamas October 2023 assault killing 1200 Israelis, triggering operations that Gaza health officials tally at 71000 deaths. Over 460 additional Palestinian fatalities and minimal Israeli losses underscore ongoing frictions within the truce framework. Negotiation gaps Israel and Hamas diverge sharply on progression, with Jerusalem demanding disarmament guarantees and Gaza insisting on complete withdrawal first. Ceasefire architects, including Washington, press for advancement to avert renewed escalation. Bani Suhaila incident signals fragile containment, testing commitments as displaced families strain limited safe zones further. Boundary creep raises fears of creeping reoccupation, complicating humanitarian flows and reconstruction prospects in the enclave. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Socialist leader Olivier Faure said on Tuesday this party would not join no-confidence motions backed by the far-left France Unbowed or the far-right National Rally, following concessions offered by Lecornu last week French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is likely to survive upcoming no-confidence votes over his budget plans after the Socialist Party said it would not support efforts to bring down the government. According to a Politico report, Socialist leader Olivier Faure said on Tuesday that his party would not join no-confidence motions backed by the far-left France Unbowed or the far-right National Rally, following concessions offered by Lecornu last week, including 1 lunches for university students and increased spending on social housing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Our conditions for not censuring (the government) have been fulfilled, Politico quoted Faure as saying on French radio. Without Socialist backing, Frances political extremes lack the numbers needed to topple the government, as they require support from more centrist opposition lawmakers to pass a no-confidence vote. Lecornu said Monday he would expose his government to possible no-confidence motions by invoking Article 49.3 of the French constitution to push through Frances long-delayed budget after months of parliamentary deadlock. France began the year without an approved budget after lawmakers failed to adopt one in December, though a shutdown was avoided by rolling over last years budget into 2026. Article 49.3 allows the government to pass legislation without a parliamentary vote but enables opposition lawmakers to respond with no-confidence motions. Lecornu is set to trigger the provision on Tuesday to pass the revenue portion of the budget. If the government survives the expected votes, likely on Friday, it will invoke Article 49.3 again to pass the spending section, according to Lecornus office. A parliamentary adviser said the government aims to complete the process by January 30. While the full budget text has yet to be published, Budget Minister Amelie de Montchalin said Monday the plan would reduce Frances budget deficit to at least 5 per cent of gross domestic product this year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD She said the target would be achieved through 2 billion in unspecified savings by state agencies and by extending a temporary 2025 tax on 300 large companies. With inputs from agencies Since 2020, China and Russia have massively expanded their air power, with China tripling fifthgeneration fighter production and Russia fielding more battle-tested pilots integrated with advanced air defences, according to a report from the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi). Shenyang J-16, Chengdu J-20, and Shenyang J-35 fighter planes fly in a formation past a Chinese national flag during a flyover rehearsal ahead of a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, on August 24, 2025. (Photo: Tingshu Wang/Reuters) Since 2020, Russia and China have significantly improved their air power to the extent that China has tripled the annual production of fifthgeneration J20 fighter planes and Russia now has more combathardened pilots, according to a report from the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi). While the United States remains the most formidable military power globally, President Donald Trumps retreat from European and IndoPacific theatres means that Chinese and Russian militaries now hold a stronger hand in these regions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The improvement in Russian and Chinese air power has coincided with Russias intense aerial war on Ukraine since 2022 and China ramping up aggression across the IndoPacific. The US intelligence community has assessed that President Xi Jinping has asked the military to prepare to invade and occupy Taiwan by 2027. Interestingly, even as Ukraine has dealt several blows to Russian air power destroying bombers as well as airdefence systems like the S400 Russia has not only replenished its fleet but expanded it as well, according to the report. Russia has expanded air power amid Ukraine war The Russian air force (VKS) is a significantly more capable threat for Western militaries than it was in 2022 despite all the losses incurred in the war with Ukraine, the report by Justin Bronk noted. Bronk compiled data and found that while Russia has lost around 130 fixedwing aircraft in the war, it has added at least 150 aircraft to its fleet. The bulk of the planes Russia lost were Sukhoi Su25SMs and Su24M/MR Fencers. He noted that while the Su25 would in any case have little practical utility in any direct conflict between Russian and Nato forces, the loss of the Su24 does not constitute a meaningful reduction in threats for Nato forces. In theory, the loss of the Su34, Russias primary tactical strike aircraft, would have hurt Russia, but Bronk highlighted that new production of the Su34 for the VKS has exceeded its losses during the four years of the war so far. Any losses have, therefore, been offset by new induction. Late-2020 Losses New Deliveries Late-2025 Russian Fighters Su-35S 90 810 5560 135140 Su-30M2/SM/SM2 150 1516 410 140145 Su-57 1 01 ~20 ~20 Su-34(M) 115 ~40 4850 ~125 MiG-31BM/BSM/K 110 4 2025 125130 Russian Bombers Tu-95MSM 50 710 0 4043 Tu-22M3 60 89 0 5052 Tu-160M(2) 16 0 4 20 At the same time, Bronk noted that Russia has lost far fewer pilots than planes. Furthermore, a significant proportion of Russian aircraft losses occurred on the ground during Ukrainian drone and missile strikes on airbases, as per the report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In such cases, aircrew casualties were probably minimal, the report said. Where experienced crews have been lost, the impact on the overall capability of the VKS to pose a threat in a direct conflict with Nato nations has been more than offset by the huge growth in flying hours and combat experience across the VKS aircrew cadre, the report noted. The improvement among Russian pilots and aircrew began with the intervention in Syria but accelerated after the fullscale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Since 2022, Russian pilots and other personnel have built up four years of regular combat flying against a significant integrated airdefence system (IADS) and the Ukrainian Air Force, involving regular live weapon employment against air and ground targets. The report said, They have also gained hugely valuable experience in cooperating closely with VKS and Russian Ground Forces GBAD [groundbased air defence] systems, and Ukrainian sources routinely report noticeably improved fighterGBAD integration, especially since early 2024. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China dominates 5thgeneration battlespace in IndoPacific As Trump has sought to withdraw from other theatres like Europe and the IndoPacific to be a hemispheric power, China has emerged as the dominant force in the fifthgeneration aerialwarfare battlespace in the region. Since 2020, China has massively expanded its fleet and improved the technological capabilities of its air force. For comparison, whereas China had around 50 J20 fifthgeneration fighters in 2020, it now has at least around 320, according to Bronk. China has increased annual J20 production from around 20 per year in 2020 to 120 per year in 2025, the report noted. The trend suggests that around 1,000 J20s and 900 J16s will be in service by 2030. In Service Late-2020 Annual Production 2020 In Service Late-2025 Annual Production 2025 Chinese Fighters J-10A/B/C 410420 ~40 550 040 J-16/D 90100 ~40 ~450 80100 J-15/T/DH/DT 2530 510 80100 2030 J-20 A/S 4050 ~20 320350 120 China has also challenged the United States in the domain of electronic warfare. As a challenger to the EA18G Growler, China has developed landbased J16D and naval J15DT/DH airborne electronicwarfare aircraft. Both aircraft are equipped with specialised internal sensors, wiring and missionspecific cockpits, as well as two to four external pods per aircraft, and are indicative of how sophisticated the Chinese military has become in the last five years, the report noted. Additionally, China has taken steps towards stealth and sixthgeneration fighter planes. Western analysts have dubbed an aircraft China demonstrated in 2025 as the J36 and another of the size of the F22 as the J50. Bronk noted that both are designed to incorporate advanced broadband stealth characteristics and are optimised for airtoair missions at high altitudes and speeds. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The report said that the J36 in particular will probably have an extremely impressive range on internal fuel and a huge internal weapons bay capable of holding not only significant numbers of PL15 and PL16 longrange airtoair missiles, but also probably the larger PL17 missile, which is currently carried only externally by the J16 Flanker. Even though these advanced aircraft are almost certainly still developmental prototypes rather than frontline assets, Chinese production and operational capability timelines are likely to be faster than their Western equivalents. And that means the clock is ticking. In conclusion, Bronk noted that while Western militaries may still manage to win in any confrontation with China in the IndoPacific, such a victory would no longer be assured. USled Western forces may still be able to win localised conflicts by leveraging greater operational experience; careful use of fifthgeneration F22s and F35s alongside legacy assets; highend training and exercise programmes; and rapid development and fielding of suitable combatcontrol areas, but current Chinese capability growth is sufficiently impressive and rapid that the traditional Western airpower edge is no longer guaranteed in the IndoPacific, the report said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India and the European Union are close to finalising a historic free trade agreement that would create a market of 2 billion people and cover nearly a quarter of the worlds GDP, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday European Union (EU) chief Ursula von der Leyen and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrive for a photo opportunity ahead of their meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on February 28, 2025. (Photo: Altaf Hussain/Reuters) India and the European Union are on the verge of a historic trade agreement that would create a market of 2 billion people, accounting for nearly a quarter of global GDP, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday. Her remarks came at the World Economic Forum in Davos, just days before her trip to Delhi. I will travel to India. There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals, von der Leyen said, highlighting the scale and significance of the pact. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The announcement comes amid US President Donald Trumps recent use of tariffs against India and European nations to influence trade positions. Strategic timing and EU ambition It is time to seize this opportunity and build a new independent Europe, von der Leyen added, referring to current geopolitical shocks and the EUs efforts to diversify and de-risk its trade partnerships. Von der Leyen will visit India alongside European Council President Antonio Costa from 25 to 27 January as chief guests for Republic Day and hold summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Negotiators are expected to announce the conclusion of the long-awaited Free Trade Agreement at the India-EU summit on 27 January. Why the deal matters The proposed pact would link one of the worlds fastest-growing major economies with a bloc central to global trade, potentially reshaping supply chains at a time when nations are reassessing economic dependencies. For the EU, India represents a crucial partner in reducing reliance on China. For India, closer access to the 27-nation blocits second-largest trading partnerwould enhance export competitiveness and support ambitions to move up the manufacturing value chain. A decade-long journey Talks on an IndiaEU free trade agreement began in 2007 but stalled for nearly a decade before resuming in 2022 with renewed political will. Since then, negotiations have run alongside the IndiaEU Trade and Technology Council, a platform fostering cooperation on critical technologies, digital governance, and supply-chain resilience. This parallel track has helped narrow regulatory gaps and modernise discussions beyond tariffs. Economic and geopolitical urgency Rising geopolitical pressures have accelerated the timeline on both sides. Brussels seeks to diversify away from single-country dependencies, while India aims to establish itself as a central hub in restructured global supply chains. Bilateral trade has already reached record levels: goods trade hit 124 billion in 2023, while servicesled by digital and ITtotalled around 60 billion. Observers say a formal agreement could unlock significant additional potential, particularly in sectors such as clean energy, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and digital services. Looking ahead Von der Leyen emphasised the strategic advantage for Europe: This would provide a first-mover advantage with one of the worlds fastest-growing and most dynamic markets. From Latin America to the Indo-Pacific and far beyond, Europe will always choose the world. And the world is ready to choose Europe. At the World Economic Forum, Macron urged Europe to protect its interests, criticised US trade threats, and called for cooperation over bullies and brutality, amid the Greenland dispute and Trumps tariffs on French wine French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called on Europe to not hesitate to deploy tools to protect its interests and mocked the Trump administration in a pointed address at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, amid escalating trade threats and diplomatic fallout over private messages made public. According to a Euro News report, speaking to a packed audience, Macron, wearing aviator glasses, denounced US competition, saying it seeks to subordinate Europe. He pushed for greater innovation and private investment, stressing that Europe clearly has to fix its key issues. While he did not name Trump directly, the French leader took several veiled swipes at the US president throughout his speech, added the report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Opening with humor, Macron said, Its time of peace, stability and predictability, prompting laughter. Yet he warned that the world has drifted toward instability and imbalance and that conflict has become normalised. Highlighting the dozens of wars that plagued 2025, he added, I hear some of them have been settled. Later, he stressed, Its not a time for new imperialism or new colonialism. This is a time of cooperation in order to fix these three global challenges for our fellow citizens. Macron concluded with a pointed message: We do prefer respect to bullies. And we do prefer rule of law to brutality. Trump tensions escalate His remarks follow Trump posting private messages between the two leaders regarding Greenland and a proposed G7 meeting in Paris that would include Russian representatives. Macron had written to Trump, My friend I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things. The spat comes after France declined to join Trumps Board of Peace initiative, prompting threats of 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne. Trump told reporters, Well, nobody wants him because hes going to be out of office very soon. Ill put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and hell join. Ahead of his Davos speech, the Elysee criticised the tariff strategy, calling it anti-cooperation and a fundamentally flawed method, while noting it reinforces Macrons long-standing advocacy for European strategic autonomy. French officials have proposed activating the EUs anti-coercion instrument, a mechanism that could restrict US companies operations in Europe. The clash over Greenland comes as Macron strengthens Frances military presence in the Arctic, with around 15 soldiers already deployed in Nuuk and additional assets being reinforced. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Speaking at Istres Air Base, he said, To remain free, one must be feared, and to be feared, one must be powerful. To be powerful in this brutal world, we must act faster and stronger, outlining 36 billion in additional military spending through 2030. Macrons address sets the stage for Trumps special speech on Wednesday, expected to dominate the five-day forum. Whether Macron will meet Trump in Davos remains unclear, though sources did not rule out discussions on Ukraine. Washington has sent its largest-ever delegation to the Swiss Alps, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. With inputs from agencies Clashes broke out on Turkeys border with Syria as police confronted pro-Kurdish protesters angered by a Syrian military offensive against Kurdish forces, with tear gas and water cannon used to disperse the crowd Turkish riot police officers use tear gas to disperse protesters during a demonstration against the attacks by the Syrian government forces in Diyarbalir, on January 19, 2026. (AFP) Clashes erupted on Turkeys border with Syria Tuesday between police and pro-Kurdish protesters angered by a Syrian military offensive targeting Kurds, an AFP correspondent said. The violence broke out in the border town of Nusaybin, just across from the northern Syrian town of Qamishli, at a protest called by the pro-Kurdish DEM, Turkeys third-largest party. More than 1,000 demonstrators marched through the town towards the border, ending in a confrontation with police, who fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse them. The clashes come after Syrian forces launched an offensive nearly two weeks ago that pushed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) out of Aleppo, then advanced deep into the northeastern area held by Kurdish forces. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The move has angered Kurds across the region, including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group in Turkey. An AFP correspondent said some people at the Turkish border protest hurled stones at police, while others tried to cross into Syria. Footage from the scene showed some trying to scale the wire fences, while protesters could also be seen gathering on the Syrian side. Earlier, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya warned that Turkey would not tolerate provocations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the Syrian army for its careful offensive to take over Kurdish-held areas, but the move has triggered fury among Turkeys Kurds, who make up a fifth of the countrys 86 million residents. Mr President (Erdogan), you are congratulating HTS, which is killing our Kurdish brothers. There is a war going on! DEM co-chair Tulay Hatimogullari said at the protest, referring to the Islamist-led rebels now ruling Syria. Earlier, talks between the SDF and the Syrian government collapsed, a Kurdish official told AFP, leaving the situation in the northeast on a knife-edge. In Ankara, Turkeys top diplomat, Hakan Fidan, huddled for talks with US Syria envoy Tom Barrack, later expressing Turkish support for a weekend ceasefire deal announced by Syrias President Ahmed al-Sharaa. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite all the difficulties, implementation of the January 18 agreement will play an extremely important role in the unity and integrity of Syria, Fidan said. Whatever is necessary The violence has also raised serious doubts about Turkeys peace process with the PKK, which last year said it was ending its four-decade insurgency in favour of democratic means to advance the Kurdish struggle. That process largely stalled amid the stand-off in Syria over plans to integrate the SDF into the central state. On Tuesday, the PKK vowed it would never abandon the Kurds of Syria whatever the cost. We, the entire Kurdish people and the movement, will do whatever is necessary, senior PKK leader Murat Karayilan told pro-Kurdish news agency Firat. DEM, which has been mediating between Ankara and jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, has been enraged over Turkeys support for the Syrian offensive. You cannot treat those you call citizens on this side of the border as enemies on the other, it said on Sunday, accusing Ankara of pure hypocrisy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Police in Turkey broke up two pro-Kurdish protests on Monday one in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir and another outside a DEM office in Istanbul at which 10 people were arrested, including a French journalist. Wladimir van Wilgenburg, an author and expert on Syrian Kurdish affairs, said the unrest risked collapsing Turkeys efforts to end the PKK conflict. Theres a risk it could blow up with cross-border protests, he told AFP. Kurdish groups in Syria have called on the Kurds, both in Iraqi Kurdistan and in southeastern Turkey, to come and cross the border and join them in solidarity, he added. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.) Russia reports no dedicated negotiations with United States prior to New START treatys February expiry. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted Moscow awaits formal response to President Putins proposal for one year voluntary extension, amid US calls to involve China. Russia confirms no focused talks with US ahead of New START expiry on 5 February; Putin offers one year extension. Russia declares no specialised consultations with United States before New START accord reaches its February endpoint. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov outlined Moscows preparedness to prolong limits despite stalled progress and American prerequisites. Treaty background New START stands as the only remaining pact curbing deployed nuclear warheads for Russia and the United States, leading nuclear powers. Established to restrict strategic stockpiles, it approaches conclusion on 5 February following prolonged disputes over adherence. Verification processes persist for both sides, yet reciprocal pauses since 2022 obscure mutual oversight. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lavrovs statement During a Moscow media session, Lavrov revealed absence of firm dialogues on the agreements future. He restated that dedicated lines remain inactive notwithstanding open proposals. Lavrov expressed comprehension of Chinas viewpoint, considering its limited holdings compared to Russian and US reserves, against suggestions for three way involvement. Putins extension proposal President Vladimir Putin suggested reciprocal observance of New START caps for 12 months beyond termination, maintaining ceilings on land based missiles, sea launched ordnance and heavy aircraft. The Kremlin publicised this initiative earlier, pending official US acknowledgment. Spokesmen present it as a step towards reduced tensions within wider frictions. US demands President Donald Trump requires Chinas participation in fresh arrangements, where its capabilities trail those of the giants. Beijing rebuffs such overtures, pointing to disparities and independent policy. Lavrov recognised this position, noting smaller scale affords grounds to avoid parity with vast forces. Implications ahead Non renewal threatens unchecked growth in deployable arms, risking renewed rivalry. Moscow halted site visits in 2023, echoing Washington exit signals, while upholding verifiable bounds. Observers caution lapse undermines worldwide atomic order, hindering curbs on proliferation globally. Broader context New START built upon predecessors including START I and SORT, securing observable restraints post Cold War thaw. Present deadlock stems from Ukraine crisis effects, penalties and bloc realignments. Lavrov called for practical exchanges detached from extraneous issues to protect shared defence priorities. At the World Economic Forum, discussions meant to focus on finance, technology, and development are increasingly dominated by the widening Saudi-UAE rivalry and its impact on regional crises across West Asia Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, bids farewell to Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on September 3, 2025. Reuters File Finance, economic development and technology dominate the official agenda at the World Economic Forum, but discussions in the Swiss Alps are repeatedly circling back to geopolitics as crises across West Asia deepen and overlap. From Gaza and Iran to Sudan, Syria and Yemen, the regions conflicts remain unresolved and increasingly interconnected. Underpinning many of these flashpoints is a widening rift between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, now difficult to ignore and increasingly on public display. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Gulfs two largest economies are openly at odds following the collapse of their coalition in Yemen, with public sparring between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi reaching its sharpest point since the Qatar embargo ended in 2021. According to Semafor, Saudi officials and commentators argue the kingdom is defending state sovereignty and regional order, accusing the UAE of empowering secessionist movements to preserve influence in fragile states. Emirati sympathisers counter that Saudi Arabia has drifted toward an Islamist axis linked to Ankara, Doha and Islamabad, casting the UAE alongside Israel as a frontline bulwark against political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood. Despite the tensions, both countries remain close US allies. US President Donald Trump has not intervened to mediate, and Davos is widely seen as unlikely to deliver any breakthrough, even as global attention is pulled toward other disputes, from Greenland to NATO tensions. One thing is certain, participants say: the dialogue will be intense, and the stakes unmistakable. Allies to rivals The dispute is striking given how much Saudi Arabia and the UAE share. According to Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) report, both seek to transform their economies beyond oil, position themselves as global hubs for technology, finance, aviation and tourism, and reduce the regions long association with extremism and instability. Both view Iran and jihadi groups such as al Qaeda and ISIS as existential threats, and both ultimately see Israel as a regional partner, albeit on different timelines and conditions, added the report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Those shared ambitions, however, have also fueled rivalry. The fallout became public when the Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council seized territory in Yemen near Saudi Arabias southern border, prompting sharp exchanges and Saudi airstrikes before the group withdrew. While the immediate crisis has eased with the UAE reportedly pulling its forces out of Yemen the underlying antagonism remains. Beyond Yemen, economic competition is a major driver. The UAE has long been the Gulfs commercial powerhouse, but Saudi Arabia is racing to catch up, competing aggressively for investment, corporate headquarters, airlines and tourism. Personal dynamics also play a role. The relationship between Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, once close, has evolved into rivalry, reflecting clashing visions of leadership and regional order. Policy differences Policy differences further widen the gap. Saudi Arabia has prioritised de-escalation and containment of regional conflicts, while the UAE has sought to project influence through local allies and proxies. Riyadh has occasionally worked with Islamist actors where alternatives are limited; Abu Dhabi has pursued their elimination, even at the cost of aligning with controversial partners. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to CSIS, citing analysts, the depth of the Saudi-UAE split now rivals and may exceed the 2017 rupture with Qatar, which took years to resolve. If the current divide proves bridgeable, it is unlikely to close quickly. Western officials argue that prolonged Gulf divisions risk becoming strategic own-goals, creating openings for Iran and other adversaries. For now, as Davos discussions continue, the Saudi-UAE rivalry looms large over a region already stretched by overlapping crises. With inputs from agencies A high-speed train collision near Adamuz in southern Spain killed at least 40 people and injured more than 120, prompting national mourning and an investigation into the countrys worst rail disaster in over a decade. At least 40 people were killed and more than 120 injured when two high-speed trains collided near Adamuz in southern Spain on Sunday evening. The government declared three days of national mourning and launched an investigation into the cause of the disaster. Rail network operator Adif said the crash occurred at 19:45 local time (18:45 GMT), around an hour after one of the trains left Malaga heading north to Madrid. The Madrid-bound train derailed on a straight stretch of track near the city of Cordoba and crossed onto the opposite line, where it collided with an oncoming train. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The incident is the worst rail crash Spain has experienced in more than a decade. Impact and casualties Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the force of the collision pushed the carriages of the second train into an embankment. He added that most of those killed and injured were travelling in the front carriages of the southbound train, which was heading from Madrid to Huelva. Rail authorities said 400 passengers and staff were on board the two trains. Emergency services treated 122 people, while 41, including children, remained in hospital. Of those, 12 are in intensive care. Puente said the death toll is not yet final, as efforts continue to identify those who died. Rescue efforts at the scene Rescue teams said twisted wreckage made it difficult to reach people trapped inside the carriages. Footage from the scene appeared to show several carriages tipped onto their sides, with emergency workers climbing over the damaged trains to pull survivors through doors and windows. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the crash site with senior officials on Monday afternoon. This is a day of sorrow for all of Spain, for our entire country, he told reporters. We are going to get to the truth, we are going to find the answer, and when that answer about the origin and cause of this tragedy is known, as it could not be otherwise, with absolute transparency and absolute clarity, we will make it public. Puente said the investigation could take at least a month, describing the incident as extremely strange. Early investigation findings Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed source briefed on initial investigations as saying experts had identified a faulty joint on the rails. The source said the joint caused a gap between rail sections to widen as trains passed over it and was key to identifying the cause of the accident. Spains El Paii newspaper reported that it was unclear whether the fault caused the crash or resulted from it. Salvador Jimenez, a journalist with RTVE who was on one of the trains, said the impact felt like an earthquake. I was in the first carriage. There was a moment when it felt like an earthquake and the train had indeed derailed, Jimenez said. A Madrid-bound passenger, Jose, told public broadcaster Canal Sur: There were people and screaming, calling for doctors. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD All high-speed services between Madrid and the southern cities of Malaga, Cordoba, Sevilla and Huelva have been suspended until Friday. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia said they were following developments with great concern and offered their most heartfelt condolences. The emergency agency in Andalusia urged survivors to contact relatives or post on social media to confirm they are alive. The Spanish Red Cross deployed emergency support services to the scene and provided counselling to families. Talks between Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and General Mazloum Abdi, the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) leader, have collapsed in Damascus, a Kurdish official has told AFP. Military members gather near Raqqa prison where the Syrian army is besieging SDF members after the army took control of the city of Raqqa, Syria, on January 19, 2026. (Representational Image, Credit: Mahmoud Hassano/Reuters) Talks between Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and General Mazloum Abdi, the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) leader, have collapsed in Damascus, a Kurdish official told AFP on Tuesday. The negotiations held yesterday in Damascus between General Mazloum and Mr AlSharaa have collapsed entirely, the official said, blaming Sharaas government for the failure of talks. A firm and decisive stance from the international community is urgently required, the official further said. The development has occurred at a time when clashes had been reported between Sharaas forces and SDF despite the ceasefire being reached on Sunday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Under the ceasefire, the SDF withdrew from the provinces of Raqqa and Deir al-Zor, Arab-majority provinces that they had held for many years. The terms mandated Kurdish forces integration into state institutions. But fresh clashes were reported on Monday and both blamed each other for starting the fighting. In the wake of renewed clashes and failure of talks, the fate of the semiautonomous Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria is uncertain. Turkey, which supports Sharaa, is opposed to Kurds and considers SDF a terrorist organisation. Since launching the offensive that ousted the Assad dynasty in 2024, Sharaas forces and armed groups aligned with them have repeatedly attacked the SDF. Kurds are an ethnic group in West Asia that span across Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. In northeastern Syria, they formed a semiautonomous administration in 2012 during the Syrian civil war thats currently known as Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). While the United States supported them for years as they took a leading role in fighting the Islamic State (Isis) in the region, the Donald Trump administration has now withdrawn that support. As a result, Sharaas forces are emboldened and the hard-won autonomy of Kurds is at risk of being eroded. Wildfires fuelled by extreme heat and strong winds have torn through southern Chile, killing at least 19 people, destroying towns, and forcing thousands to flee as authorities deploy firefighters and soldiers to contain the rapidly spreading blazes. Firefighters stand in front of a burning building in the aftermath of a forest fire in the Biobio region where multiple wildfires prompted emergency evacuations in Concepcion. Reuters Wildfires continue to ravage southern Chile, killing at least 19 people and destroying entire towns. Fire crews and soldiers have been deployed as the rapidly advancing flames, fuelled by extreme heat and strong winds, overwhelm large areas. The fires broke out on Saturday in the Nuble and Biobio regions, about 500 kilometres south of Santiago, and have since burned through an area roughly equivalent to the size of the US city of Detroit. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Officials said around 1,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged. The fires have been intensified by warm temperatures and strong winds during the peak of the southern hemisphere summer. President Gabriel Boric said on Monday that firefighters had managed to contain some of the fires. However, he warned that several remained very active. He added that new fires had also broken out in the Araucania region, which borders Biobio. Both Nuble and Biobio were declared disaster areas. The designation allowed for the deployment of soldiers, who patrolled areas marked by melted cars, twisted metal and homes reduced to rubble. Residents return to scenes of destruction In the small port town of Lirquen, one of the worst affected areas, residents began returning on Monday to search through ash and debris for anything salvageable. It was horrible. I tried to wet the house as much as possible, but I saw the flames coming toward my neighborhood. I grabbed my son, my brother got my dog out, and we fled, resident Yagora Vasquez told AFP. Vasquez said she had chosen to live in Lirquen, on a hill far from the sea, after witnessing the destruction caused by the 2010 tsunami. That disaster killed more than 500 people in the same region of Chile. This time, she said, the danger came not from the ocean, but from the surrounding forest. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A wave of fire Mareli Torres similarly moved away from the coast after the tsunami, only for her home to be destroyed this weekend in a wave of fire, not water. This is much worse, much more devastating. In the earthquake the sea surged; there was destruction, but compared to this its nothing, said Torres, 53. Of the two-storey house she lived in with her family for nearly two decades, only blackened walls and a haze of smoke remained. More than 3,500 firefighters were fighting the fires in Nuble and Biobio on Monday. Temperatures in the area hit around 25C (77F) on Monday, slightly lower than at the weekend. Wildfires have severely impacted south-central Chile in recent years, especially in its warmest and driest months of January and February. A 2024 study led by researchers at the Santiago-based Center for Climate and Resilience Research, found climate change had conditioned the occurrence of extreme fire seasons in south-central Chile by contributing to a long-term drying and warming trend. In February 2024, several fires broke out simultaneously near the city of Vina del Mar, northwest of Santiago, resulting in 138 deaths, according to the public prosecutors office. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Unprecedentedly large areas of the country burnt during the 2016-17 and 2022-23 fire seasons. Elsewhere in southern South America, wildfires have burnt more than 15,000 hectares in recent days in Argentine Patagonia. (With agency inputs) Trump has stirred fresh controversy with European allies after sharing an image on Truth Social showing Canada and Greenland coloured in US flag hues, reviving tensions over his push to acquire the Arctic island. 'We have to have it': Trump escalates tensions with image showing Greenland, Canada in new map of USA US President Donald Trump on Tuesday escalated tensions with key European allies by sharing an image on his official Truth Social account showing Canada and Greenland coloured in the red, white and blue of the American flag. The post, which carried no caption, depicted a map of North America in US colours and appeared amid Trumps renewed push to acquire Greenland, a territory he has repeatedly described as vital to both American and global security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD We have to have it: Trump questions Denmarks role We have to have it. They have to have this done. They cant protect it, Denmark, theyre wonderful people, Trump told reporters in Florida. I know the leaders, theyre very good people, but they dont even go there, he added, before saying: I dont think theyre going to push back too much. Greenland shown as US territory in separate post Trump later shared another image on Truth Social depicting Greenland as part of US territory. The image shows Trump alongside JD Vance and Marco Rubio planting a US flag on the Arctic island. The inclusion of Canada alongside Greenland in the earlier imagery drew particular attention, as Trump has made no formal policy announcement regarding Canada. Allies alarmed by symbolism The symbolism of visually folding both territories into US colours has fuelled concern among allies over Washingtons increasingly confrontational posture, particularly as Trump continues to frame Greenland as a strategic necessity. Trump shares alleged private Macron message Adding to the row, Trump also shared what he described as a private text message from French President Emmanuel Macron, in which the French leader appeared to question Trumps focus on Greenland. My friend, we are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things in Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland, the message read. While Macrons office has not issued an official statement, a source close to the French president told AFP that the message shared by Trump was authentic. Greenland issue to be raised at Davos The public disclosure of the private exchange comes as Trump prepares to raise the Greenland issue at the Davos Economic Forum. He has argued that Denmark is unable to secure the island and that the United States must act decisively. Europe rejects US takeover rhetoric France, along with several other European countries, has firmly rejected US statements suggesting a takeover of Greenland. Paris has also taken part in NATO-led military exercises in the region, signalling preparedness amid growing concerns over Arctic security and intensifying geopolitical competition involving Russia and China. Online backlash over territorial imagery The Truth Social posts triggered sharp reactions online, with many users interpreting the depiction of Canada and Greenland in US flag colours as more than symbolic. Posts on X, Reddit and other platforms suggested the visuals could be read as signalling territorial intent, particularly when viewed alongside Trumps repeated assertions that Greenland is imperative for US security and that there can be no going back. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Others warned that such imagery risks normalising the idea of territorial expansion among Trumps supporters, even in the absence of any formal announcement of military or diplomatic action. Trump has shared what he says is a private message from French President Emmanuel Macron, adding to growing tensions between Washington and Paris over Greenland and Gaza-related diplomacy. The move comes as France resists US plans on Greenland. US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 24, 2025. (File/AFP) Escalating tensions with France, US President Donald Trump has shared what he claims is a private text message from French President Emmanuel Macron, posting it on Truth Social amid his renewed push for Greenland. The alleged message surfaced as relations between the two leaders remain strained, following Macrons decision to decline Trumps invitation to join a proposed Board of Peace for Gaza. Macron text shared on Truth Social While an official response from Macrons office is still awaited, a source close to the French president told AFP that the text shared by Trump is authentic. According to Trumps post, the message attributed to Macron reads: My friend, we are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things in Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The text chain also appears to suggest holding a G7 meeting after the Davos summit, followed by a dinner in Paris to discuss matters further. European opposition to US Greenland plans France, along with several other European countries, has openly rejected US statements on Greenland and Washingtons plans to take over the territory. The rift deepened after Macron declined to join Trumps Gaza initiative, citing concerns over its structure and mandate. France mocks US justification for Greenland Tensions escalated further after Frances foreign ministry mocked comments made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said the Trump administration wanted Greenland for national security reasons and to counter potential threats from Russia and China. Bessent argued that safeguarding Greenland required making it part of the US now. Better burn the house now: Frances sharp response In response, Frances foreign ministry posted a series of sarcastic messages on X, stating: If there were a fire someday, firefighters would intervene so better burn the house now. It added: If a shark might attack someday, intervention would follow so better eat the lifeguard now. If there were a crash someday, damage would occur so better ram the car now. Gaza Board of Peace faces French pushback Trumps proposed Board of Peace for Gaza forms part of what he has described as the second phase of the ceasefire in the conflict. According to reports, France declined to participate after raising concerns about the boards legal foundation and structure. A statement cited by Politico said Macrons office believes the charter of the board goes beyond Gaza and raises serious questions, in particular with respect to the principles and structure of the United Nations, which cannot be called into question. French ministers question Trumps role French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot echoed those concerns, saying the initiative was very, very far from the Charter of the United Nations. Speaking at an event in Paris, Barrot warned that Trumps proposed role as chairman would allow him to approve participation, choose his own successor and veto decisions adopted by a majority. Trump threatens 200% tariffs Following Frances refusal, Trump threatened fresh tariffs on French wine and champagne. Speaking to reporters before departing for the Davos summit, he said he would impose 200 per cent tariffs on French products. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When asked about Macrons decision, Trump said: Did he say that? Nobody wants him because hes going to be out of office very soon. If they feel hostile, Ill put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and hell join. After a very good call with Nato chief Mark Rutte, Donald Trump doubled down on his Greenland push, calling it imperative for global security and insisting there can be no going back, a stance that continues to rattle allies ahead of Davos Nearly 10 per cent of Greenlands population marched across the island, waving flags and chanting Greenland is not for sale in protest against renewed threats by US President Donald Trump. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Greenland is vital for both national and global security, reiterating his controversial push to bring the Arctic territory under stronger American influence after speaking with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), Mark Rutte. Speaking about the conversation, Trump described it as very good, and made it clear that there can be no going back on the issue. Trump shared details of the call on his social media platform, Truth Social, and underlined that he plans to continue high-level discussions about Greenlands future at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He offered few details about who else would attend those talks, but framed Greenland as a centerpiece of US strategic thinking. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Greenland is imperative In his social media statement, Trump said plainly: Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees! The president has long argued that Greenlands location in the Arctic is critical to keeping rivals like Russia and China at bay, asserting that the Danish territory cant be adequately protected by Denmark alone. He also told reporters in Washington that We have to have it. They have to have this done, referring to Denmarks ability to defend the island. Trump said Denmarks leaders are wonderful people, but added that they dont even go there, indicating his belief that the US must play a bigger role. Tensions with allies escalate Trumps Greenland push has drawn pushback from European leaders and Nato allies. Denmarks government and Greenlands leadership have repeatedly rejected the idea that the island could or should become part of the United States, saying it is not for sale and affirming its ties to the Kingdom of Denmark. Theres also been a broader diplomatic response. Some Nato members have warned that pressuring a fellow member over territorial control could strain the alliance, and European capitals have voiced concern over Trumps tariff threats aimed at countries opposing his Greenland stance. With international attention on the Arctic and Greenlands strategic importance rising, Trump is expected to use the Davos forum to advocate his position further. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Often referred to as a mega-embassy, the project will be located at Royal Mint Court, close to Tower Bridge and major financial areas. Acquired by China in 2018, it is planned to serve as the countrys biggest European diplomatic site The Royal Mint Court, the proposed site of the new Chinese embassy, in London. (AP) The UK government has given the green light to plans for a sprawling new Chinese embassy at Royal Mint Court in east London, a project that has been the subject of fierce debate and political pushback for years. The decision marks a defining moment in UKChina relations and could shape diplomatic ties as Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares for an upcoming visit to Beijing. Whats been approved? The massive embassy projectsometimes called a mega-embassywould be built at the historic Royal Mint Court, close to Tower Bridge and near central financial hubs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The site, purchased by China for around $343.42 million in 2018, is intended to house Beijings largest diplomatic presence in Europe. The UK governments approval ends a long eight-year struggle over whether to allow construction on the 20,000-square-metre site. Officials say that extensive security assessments were carried out before granting permission. Despite concerns from critics about espionage risks, UK intelligence services reportedly judged that such threats can be managed and do not outweigh the diplomatic benefits. Supporters of the plan argue it will consolidate Chinas multiple UK diplomatic posts into a single, secure location. Strong opposition and legal challenges ahead The decision has caused immediate backlash. Local residents and campaign groups have vowed to challenge the approval in court, saying the governments support is predetermined and lacking in transparency. One residents association has already raised tens of thousands of pounds to fund a judicial review of the planning decision, arguing the process ignored local concerns and potential impacts on the community, as reported by the Guardian. Critics also raised national concerns: MPs from across parties questioned whether a mega-embassy so close to key infrastructure could be used for espionage, although security agencies have maintained the risks are manageable. Some lawmakers and campaigners say the project could become a launchpad for economic warfare or pose unacceptable security vulnerabilities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Beijing has made the embassy a priority issue in diplomatic talks, and approval may smooth the way for the first UK prime ministerial visit to China in years. However, activists and legal experts warn the fight is far from over; they plan to pursue legal action that could delay the project by months or even years. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has cancelled his appearance at this weeks World Economic Forum in Davos after falling ill. The UN said the decision was taken after the secretary-general developed a bad cold and will leave Switzerland UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends the 15th ASEAN - United Nations (UN) Summit, as part of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 27, 2025. Reuters File United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has pulled out of this weeks World Economic Forum in Davos, citing illness, the UN confirmed on Tuesday. Guterres was scheduled to address world leaders and business executives at the annual gathering in Switzerland, but those plans have now been shelved. A spokesperson said the UN chief had developed a bad cold and would no longer be able to take part in the summit. The Secretary-General has unfortunately had to cancel his participation at the World Economic Forums annual meeting in Davos, UN spokesman Rolando Gomez told reporters in Geneva. He added that Guterres, who was due to speak on Wednesday, is suffering from a bad cold and will be leaving Switzerland. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The decision means Guterres will miss a key global forum where issues ranging from geopolitical tensions and climate change to economic uncertainty were expected to dominate discussions. His absence comes as the UN continues to play a central role in multiple international crises, including conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as ongoing climate negotiations. More from World No further details were provided about the severity of his condition, but the UN indicated that the cancellation was precautionary. Officials did not say whether Guterres would participate virtually or reschedule his appearance at a later date. The World Economic Forums annual meeting in Davos draws heads of state, ministers, CEOs and civil society leaders from across the world, making it one of the most high-profile stops on the global diplomatic calendar. EU chief says India-EU trade deal could be historic mother of all deals Separately, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union and India are close to finalising a long-awaited free trade agreement, calling it potentially transformative for both economies at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Negotiators are still working out final details, but von der Leyen suggested the proposed pact could be one of the most significant trade deals in recent history. There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals. One that would create a market of 2 billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP, she said during her address. Also read | What to expect from Indias largest-ever delegation at Davos 2026 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The agreement under discussion would cover trade in goods, services and investment between India and the 27-member EU, creating a massive trading bloc and deepening economic ties that have been in negotiation for years. Both sides see it as key to diversifying trade partnerships and reducing reliance on individual markets, especially as global trade faces uncertainty and shifting geopolitical pressures. Von der Leyen said she plans to travel to India soon after the Davos forum to advance discussions and reinforce the commitment of both parties to concluding the deal. If finalised, the agreement is expected to reshape trade dynamics, expanding opportunities for Indian exports and opening European markets further, while also aligning standards and regulatory cooperation across key sectors. UK Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump, calling him an international gangster and a bully over his Greenland tariff threats, warning that the historic US-UK relationship is now at risk. In a blistering critique of American foreign policy, UK Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey labelled US President Donald Trump an international gangster, a bully, and the most corrupt president the United States has ever seen during a speech in the House of Commons. Daveys comments came in response to Trumps recent threats of trade tariffs against the United Kingdom and other European allies over their opposition to his plan to buy or annex Greenland from Denmark. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Special relationship under strain Describing the current diplomatic climate as an incredibly grave moment, Davey warned that the historic special relationship between the UK and the US once celebrated at Windsor Castle is now nearly in tatters. Trump is acting like an international gangster. The Prime Minister has tried appeasing him for 12 months and has failed. It's time we finally stood up to him and united with our European allies to make him back down. pic.twitter.com/9T4y5uQhhm Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) January 19, 2026 President Trump is acting like an international gangster, Davey said, accusing him of threatening the sovereignty of allies and even the end of NATO altogether. He added that Trump behaves like a bully who thinks he can grab whatever he wants using force if necessary, arguing that such discord primarily benefits Russia and China. The only people cheering him on are Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, he said. Criticism of UK governments Davey also took aim at previous UK administrations, accusing them of appeasing Trump, flattering him, fawning over him. He said the country now faces a choice: stand up to him or risk resorting to bribery via a few billion in his crypto account. Tariffs and tensions over Greenland The tensions escalated after Trump announced 1025 percent import tariffs on goods from eight European nations, including the UK, in retaliation against countries supporting Denmarks refusal to negotiate Greenlands sale. Trump insists the US needs Greenland for strategic security against potential threats from China and Russia. Further inflaming relations, Trump shared doctored images on social media depicting the US flag planted on Greenland and maps showing both Greenland and Canada as part of the United States. Clash with France Trump also clashed with French President Emmanuel Macron over US expansionist policies, Gaza, and his so-called Board of Peace initiative, even threatening 200 percent tariffs on French wine and champagne to force Macrons compliance. The row deepened when Trump published a private message from Macron expressing confusion over US actions regarding Greenland. French minister Annie Genevard denounced the tactics as brutal and a tool for blackmail, warning that Europe cannot allow such escalation. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged global partners to take a deep breath, insisting that relations have never been closer. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US is deploying military aircraft to Greenland amid rising Arctic tensions following Trumps renewed push to acquire the territory, prompting coordinated allied activity and strong European reactions over sovereignty and security concerns Two US Air Force pilots move their F-16 fighter jets along the flight line at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland. (Image: NORAD archives, representative) The United States is set to deploy military aircraft to Greenland as diplomatic and military tensions increase over President Donald Trumps push to acquire the self-governing Danish territory. The aircraft will arrive at Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland. The move is linked to planned defence activities. It comes amid heightened scrutiny of US intentions in the Arctic. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) said on Monday local time that its aircraft would soon arrive at the base, formerly known as Thule Air Force Base. The deployment is part of long-planned activities designed to support routine operations to defend North America. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Norad said the move builds on existing defence cooperation between the United States, Canada and Denmark. It added that the plans were coordinated with Copenhagen, with Greenland informed in advance. All supporting forces are operating with the requisite diplomatic clearances, Norad said. The command added that the aircraft would support sustained and dispersed operations across its three regions Alaska, Canada and the continental United States. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland. Along with aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, they will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) January 19, 2026 Strategic importance of Pituffik Space Base Pituffik Space Base is a key US military installation and communications hub. It hosts a missile warning system that is critical to North American defence. Its location in the High Arctic gives it strategic significance amid growing global interest in the region. The US move comes as Denmark has stepped up its own military presence in Greenland. According to the Financial Times, several aircraft carrying Danish troops and military equipment landed on the island on Monday. This added to the more than 200 soldiers already stationed there. Danish defence forces said a substantial contingent of troops, along with the head of the countrys army, were deployed to Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq. The deployment followed a multinational military exercise led by Danish forces over the weekend. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump remarks trigger wider European reaction The heightened military activity follows renewed tensions after Trump declined to rule out using force to take control of Greenland. The US President has argued that the territory is vital for American security, citing strategic concerns linked to Russia and China. His stance has prompted strong reactions across Europe. Germany and France have called for a clear European response to Washingtons threats to impose tariffs on countries opposing US plans for Greenland. They have also urged de-escalation. European Union officials warned that retaliatory measures could follow if the US proceeds with trade penalties. NATO and Denmarks position on sovereignty NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he discussed the importance of the Arctic and Greenlands role in collective security during a meeting with Denmarks defence minister. He noted Copenhagens efforts to invest in key defence capabilities in the region. Denmark has said it is open to discussions on an increased US military presence in Greenland. However, it has firmly rejected any transfer of sovereignty over the territory. The US Supreme Court on Tuesday postponed a decision on a legal challenge to President Donald Trumps global tariffs, keeping the future of the policy uncertain. President Donald Trump announces new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House, on April 2. Trump has used tariffs and the threat of tariffs this year to renegotiate trade deals with countries all over the world. AP The US Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred ruling on a legal challenge to the Trump administrations use of emergency powers to impose sweeping global tariffs, leaving the issue unresolved for now. The court did not indicate when it would take up the matter again. As per its usual practice, the Supreme Court does not announce in advance which rulings it will deliver on a given day, nor did it set a fresh hearing date. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Legal challenge under emergency powers law At the centre of the case is whether President Donald Trump exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by declaring a national emergency to impose country-specific import tariffs. The challenge has been filed by importers, who argue that the tariffs were imposed without clear congressional authorisation. No ruling despite multiple decisions While the court issued three rulings on Tuesday, it did not decide on the closely watched tariff case, Reuters reported. The court had similarly held back a decision on the matter last week. Justices earlier expressed scepticism Arguments heard during the November 5, 2025 hearing indicated that the justices were sceptical about Trumps authority to impose tariffs under the 1977 law, which grants the president special powers during national emergencies. Delay likely to stretch into February The deferral means it will be at least another month before the legality of Trumps signature economic policy is resolved. Bloomberg reported that the Supreme Court is preparing to enter a four-week recess, and based on its usual procedures, the next potential date for a ruling could be February 20. High stakes for Trump administration The courts expedited handling of the case earlier had raised expectations of an imminent decision. A ruling against Trump would represent his biggest legal setback since returning to the White House, according to Bloomberg. What are the Liberation Day tariffs? The case involves Trumps April 2 Liberation Day tariffs, which imposed duties ranging from 10 to 50 percent on most imports. Additional levies were placed on Canada, Mexico and China, with Trump citing fentanyl trafficking as the justification. Potential financial and geopolitical impact A decision striking down the tariffs could result in more than $130 billion in refunds and may also weaken Trumps ongoing threat to impose further tariffs on European countries if they oppose US plans related to Greenland, Bloomberg reported. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus clarified that Chinese envoy Yao Wens recent visit focused on a technical assessment for the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project As tensions between India and Bangladesh soar, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus government took the Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka to a Teesta project area located close to Indias Siliguri corridor or Chickens Neck. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus clarified that Chinese envoy Yao Wens recent visit focused on a technical assessment for the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project. This comes amid heightened regional scrutiny following Yunuss controversial suggestions regarding the extension of the Chinese economy and his framing of Indias Northeast as landlocked. These remarks gained significant traction during Decembers anti-India demonstrations, which saw protestors targeting Indian diplomatic missions across Dhaka and other major cities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bangladeshs water resources advisor, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, accompanied Wen to the project area in Rangpurs Tepamadhupur Taluk Shahbazpur and said that China is keen to start implementing the Teesta Master Plan (TMP) as soon as possible. The Chinese ambassador also held a meeting with Bangladeshs national security adviser, Khalilur Rahman, over the weekend, following which Yunus press wing wrote, Both sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, reaffirming longstanding friendship and development cooperation between Bangladesh and China. Discussions included Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project and proposed BangladeshChina Friendship Hospital. In this context, Chinese ambassador informed that he would visit Teesta project area, and reiterated Chinas commitment to completing the ongoing technical assessment expeditiously, it added. Last year, Yunus sparked a row after he called the Northeastern region landlocked and drew criticism for calling on China to expand its control over Indian regions during his state visit to the country. However, this was not the only time he raked up the region in one of his statements. In a post on X, the interim government elaborated on Yunus meeting with Indira Rana, Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives of Nepal Parliament, saying, Yunus has called for an integrated economic strategy between Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Seven North Eastern States of India, emphasising the potential of cross-border collaboration in hydropower, healthcare, and road connectivity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD motorola is gearing up to expand the edge 70 series of smartphones with the edge 70 fusion soon, and the specifications of the phone have surfaced, thanks to @evleaks. This reveals a familiar screen and camera, but the Dimensity 7400 SoC has been replaced by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC, and the battery has been upgraded from 5500mAh to 7000mAh, reveals the leak. motorola edge 70 fusion rumored specifications 6.78-inch 1.5K OLED quad curved display, HDR10+, 144Hz refresh rate, up to 5200 nits peak brightness, Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection Up to 2.5GHz Octa Core Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 4nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 720 GPU 8GB / 12GB RAM, 256GB storage Android 16 (3 OS + 4 Years SMR) Dual SIM 50MP rear camera with Sony LYTIA sensor 32MP front camera USB Type-C Audio, Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos In-display fingerprint sensor Military Grade Protection Certification (MIL STD-810H), Dust and Water resistant (IP68 + IP69) 5G SA/NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.4, GPS, USB Type-C 7000mAh battery with 68W fast charging The motorola edge 70 fusion is expected to come in Orient Blue, Sporting Green, Blue Surf, Country Air, Silhouette colours with nylon & linen-inspired back. Since the edge 60 fusion was launched in April last year, we can expect the edge 70 fusion around the same time this year. There are also rumours of edge 70 Fusion+ with the model number XT2605-1. Source ASUS has confirmed that it will not introduce any new smartphone models in 2026 while continuing to provide warranty coverage, software updates, and after-sales services for existing devices. The clarification follows recent industry reports and statements from company leadership regarding the future direction of its smartphone business. No New Smartphone Models Planned According to DIGITIMES Asia, smartphone distributors in Taiwan recently stated that ASUS handsets were no longer available through local agents and claimed that the companys smartphone unit would operate only until December 31, 2025. In response, ASUS said it has clearly communicated with telecom channels that its smartphone operations will continue, but it currently has no plans to launch new smartphone models in 2026. The company confirmed that: Warranty services for existing smartphones will continue Software updates will remain available After-sales support will not be affected Chairman Confirms Strategic Direction Separately, INSIDE (inside.com.tw) reported that ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih confirmed the company will no longer add new smartphone models. Speaking ahead of a company event held on January 16 in Taipei, Shih stated that ASUS will reallocate smartphone research and development resources toward: Commercial PC products Physical AI development This includes hardware categories such as: Robotics AI smart glasses Shih noted that ASUS will continue to support existing smartphone users, while related measures are still being evaluated. Impact on Zenfone and ROG Phone INSIDE reported that the chairmans remarks have been interpreted as ASUSs smartphone business entering a phase of practical suspension or indefinite observation. As a result, the future of the Zenfone and ROG Phone product lines remains uncertain, with no new models planned beyond 2025. Rationale Behind the Shift According to INSIDE, ASUS described the move as a response to an ongoing industry paradigm shift driven by artificial intelligence. The company plans to redirect smartphone development teams particularly those with Qualcomm platform experience toward: Snapdragon Xbased commercial PCs Physical AI devices built on Dragonwing platforms This approach allows technical continuity while shifting investment to areas identified as having stronger growth potential. Supply Chain and Pricing Pressure INSIDE also reported that ASUS acknowledged memory shortages and rising component prices, which are creating pressure on non-AI product categories. Jonney Shih stated that: Price adjustments are one possible response ASUS will rely on design optimisation and supply chain coordination to manage costs Regarding the recently finalised TaiwanUS tariff rate of 15% without stacking, Shih said the outcome was favourable but emphasised that supply chain resilience remains the companys priority. Industry Context DIGITIMES Asia noted that ASUS entered the smartphone market in the early 2000s and undertook a major restructuring of its handset business in 2018, recording a one-time charge exceeding NT$62 billion. Rather than exiting the segment entirely, ASUS later narrowed its focus to: Premium Zenfone models Gaming-focused ROG Phone devices The report also highlighted broader challenges faced by PC-centric brands in the global smartphone market, referencing similar exits and restructurings by other Taiwanese manufacturers. Outlook ASUSs decision to pause new smartphone launches in 2026 places its mobile business in a holding phase rather than a confirmed exit. While support for existing users continues, the absence of new models leaves the long-term direction of the smartphone segment unresolved. Source 1, 2 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. Latvia hands over command of SNMCMG1 to Poland in Riga ceremony NATO Allied Maritime Command Jan 8 2026 Riga, Latvia -- Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) held a Change of Command Ceremony in Riga, marking the transition of leadership from Latvia to Poland. During the event, Latvian Navy Commander Janis Auce formally transferred authority to incoming Polish Navy Commander Kacper Sterne, underscoring NATO's ongoing rotation of leadership roles and the Alliance's collective dedication to maritime security. Under the leadership of Commander Auce, SNMCMG1 carried out extensive mine countermeasure and maritime security operations throughout the Baltic Sea region. In total, the group detected 57 historical sea mines and four pieces of unexploded explosive ordnance (UXO), including five Danish MK25 mines. They successfully neutralised and destroyed 40 of the historical mines, all five MK25 mines, and all four UXO, significantly enhancing navigational safety and supporting maritime freedom. During Baltic Sentry - a coordinated NATO effort focused on safeguarding vital undersea infrastructure and enhancing maritime situational awareness - the group's persistent and proactive presence played a crucial role in deterring potential threats. Their continuous patrols, surveillance activities, and rapid-response readiness ensured that no critical maritime infrastructure was compromised, strengthening NATO's commitment to vigilance, deterrence, and the protection of key sea lines of communication across the Baltic region. SNMCMG1 actively participated in a series of multinational exercises - including Sea Breeze 25, Sandy Coasts 25, Northern Coasts 25, Estonian Historical Ordnance Disposal Operations (HODOPS) 25, Finnish HODOPS 25, and Freezing Winds 25 - further enhancing interoperability and operational readiness among Allied naval forces. "The past six months have been one of the most demanding and professionally rewarding periods of my career," said Commander Auce. "The outcomes clearly demonstrate our contribution to strengthening NATO's collective defence and deterrence posture. Over this time, we have effectively conducted combat-sustainment training, achieved full integration, and executed all assigned missions as a cohesive Task Group. Our presence and readiness have delivered a clear and credible deterrence message, demonstrating Allied resolve and the ability to respond decisively to any threat. With our actions we confirm - SNMCMG1 is ready to fight for every inch of NATO territory." Throughout the deployment, 11 ships operated within the Task Group, representing 11 NATO Allies: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal. Together, the group sailed more than 12,760 nautical miles, conducting continuous operations at sea. The Change of Command ceremony highlights NATO's enduring presence in the Baltic Sea and the vital role of SNMCMG1 in maintaining maritime security, freedom of navigation, and regional stability. SNMCMG1 remains ready to respond at short notice and continues contributing to NATO's collective defence and deterrence posture. SNMCMG1 is one of four standing NATO maritime groups providing continuous maritime presence and readiness in peacetime, crisis and conflict. Deployments like this contribute to Allied assurance measures, enhance interoperability and demonstrate NATO's ability to operate across the entire North Atlantic, in the Baltic sea and the Arctic approaches. Story by Public Affairs Office at MARCOM NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Italy marks change of command for Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two in Taranto NATO Allied Maritime Command Jan 8 2026 Taranto, Italy -- The Italian Navy marked a Change of Command for Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) during an official ceremony held at the Taranto Naval Base, highlighting NATO's continued commitment to maritime security and collective defence in the Mediterranean region. During the ceremony, Italian Navy Captain Fortunato Genovese formally handed over command of SNMCMG2 to Hellenic Navy Captain Dimitrios Karamoutzogiannis. The event was attended by senior military leaders, including US Navy Rear Admiral Bret Grabbe, Commander Submarines NATO at MARCOM, and underscored the seamless continuity of leadership within one of NATO's key standing naval forces. Throughout their six-month deployment, the units of SNMCMG2 demonstrated a consistently high level of operational excellence, professionalism, and readiness while operating in a complex and demanding maritime environment. Command of the task group was exercised from two Italian Navy flagships. The initial flagship, ITS Foscari, was later succeeded by ITS Thaon di Revel. The multinational group comprised the Hellenic Navy ship Evropi; Italian minehunters Rimini and Crotone; the Spanish Navy vessel Sella; and the Turkish Navy ship Akcakoca. Together, these units operated seamlessly to deliver effective mine countermeasures and maritime security operations. Handing over command, Captain Genovese said SNMCMG2 had operated at a consistently high tempo. "I want to express my heartfelt thanks to MARCOM and the Italian Navy for their trust in me and my Staff. Over these six months, we have shown what Allied navies can accomplish when we operate as one team", he said. "Our success is the result of shared values, professionalism, determination and unwavering commitment." SNMCMG2 successfully executed mine countermeasures operations and maritime security patrols, contributing directly to NATO's deterrence posture and the preservation of freedom of navigation in the Mediterranean. These efforts underscored the enduring threat posed by sea mines and unexploded ordnance to maritime safety and highlighted the group's vital role in mitigating those risks. These efforts reinforced the strategic importance of the group within NATO's southern maritime domain, where ensuring safe sea lines of communication and protecting critical maritime infrastructure remain essential tasks. "It is an honour to take command of SNMCMG2", said Captain Dimitrios Karamoutzogiannis. "We will continue to operate with professionalism, unity and determination, in full support of Allied Maritime command and the NATO Alliance." Throughout the deployment, SNMCMG2 participated in a wide range of multinational exercises designed to enhance interoperability and tactical proficiency. These included Dynamic Move 25, Neptune Strike 25, Dynamic Messenger 25, and Nusret 25. Through these activities, the group achieved significant advances in operational cohesion, joint tactics, and collective readiness. In addition to its operational commitments, SNMCMG2 conducted a notable port visit to La Valletta, Malta, strengthening diplomatic engagement and reinforcing regional partnerships beyond the Alliance. Throughout the deployment, the group also worked closely with Allied and Partner naval units, including assets from the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, further enhancing mutual trust and collective operational effectiveness. As SNMCMG2 continues to operate in a dynamic and evolving security environment, the group remains ready to respond to crises, conduct mine countermeasures operations, and support NATO objectives. Guided by vigilance, adaptability, and unity, SNMCMG2 stands prepared to carry out its mission during the next operational rotation. SNMCMG2 is one of four standing NATO maritime groups providing continuous maritime presence and readiness in peacetime, crisis and conflict. Deployments like this contribute to Allied assurance measures, enhance interoperability and demonstrate NATO's ability to operate across the Mediterranean Region. Story by Public Affairs Office at MARCOM NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Croatian Rafales take over airspace protection under NATO's IAMD after MiG-21 transition NATO Allied Air Command Jan 14 2026 RAMSTEIN, Germany -- Croatia began policing its own airspace on Jan. 1, 2026, employing recently procured Rafale multirole fighters, as part of NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) framework. The shift follows a transition programme in which Croatian pilots converted from MiG-21 aircraft to the French-built Rafale. The transition programme also included intensive training for technicians and support personnel to meet NATO readiness requirements. During the training period, NATO Allies temporarily provided peacetime airspace surveillance and protection for Croatia from neighbouring member states Italy and Hungary under technical agreements between the respective defence ministries. Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons and Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighters carried out the interim task, ensuring continuous coverage while Croatia generated trained crews and operational procedures. Starting in the new year, Croatia will conduct the Air Policing mission continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Under NATO Air Policing, Allied fighter jets are on duty around the clock, ready to scramble in case of suspicious or unannounced flights near NATO Airspace. Air Policing is an important way in which NATO provides security for Allied members. The handover also strengthens NATO's IAMD by adding a modern, interoperable national capability to the wider Allied network that supports timely detection, identification and response to air threats using shared procedures and Command and Control (C2). "Since joining the Alliance in 2009, Croatia has been a valued member of NATO. It contributes significantly to our collective security - not only on our eastern flank and in the Western Balkans, but across the entire Alliance," said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who discussed Croatia's modernisation with national leaders during a recent working visit on Jan. 12, 2026. "I also welcome that, as of the 1st of January this year, the Croatian Air Force officially assumed full responsibility for protecting Croatian airspace" Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Netherlands hands over SNMG1 to Spain after a year in command NATO Allied Maritime Command Jan 15 2026 Den Helder, The Netherlands -- The Royal Netherlands Navy marked the completion of its year-long command of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) with an official handover ceremony aboard the Dutch landing platform HNLMS Johan de Witt at the Den Helder Naval Base on 15 January 26. Royal Netherlands Navy Commodore Arjen Warnaar handed over the command to his Spanish successor, Rear Admiral Joaquin Ruiz Escagedo, who assumes leadership of SNMG1 for the second time in his career. The ceremony was presided over by Deputy Commander MARCOM, French Navy Vice Admiral Ludovic Poitou. Throughout 2025, Commodore Warnaar led SNMG1 during a demanding operational schedule across the Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, North Sea, and the High North. Under his command, the task group delivered persistent maritime presence, conducted maritime security operations, and contributed directly to NATO's deterrence and defence posture in strategically vital waters. SNMG1 played a key role in Baltic Sentry, enhancing situational awareness in the Baltic Sea and offering reassurance across the Baltic region. The task group also participated in a series of major multinational exercises such as BALTOPS, Joint Warrior, Dynamic Mongoose, and Formidable Shield. These activities enhanced interoperability, readiness, and Allied integration across a broad range of maritime warfighting disciplines; demonstrating the Alliance's ability to operate cohesively at sea and respond rapidly to evolving security challenges. In his speech, Commodore Warnaar highlighted the vital role of SNMG1 in bolstering NATO's maritime presence and security. "This year, SNMG1 played a key role in ensuring stability and maritime security across some of NATO's most strategically important regions. We not only improved operational readiness but also reinforced NATO's commitment to peace and stability at sea." The Spanish frigate ESPS Almirante Juan de Borbon will serve as the new SNMG1 flagship in the coming months. Rear Admiral Escagedo, who previously commanded SNMG1 in 2024, emphasised the importance of continued cooperation. "It is an honor to take command of SNMG1 for the second time. The cooperation between NATO Allies is critical for ensuring regional stability and maritime security." Under Spanish command, SNMG1 remains poised to continue its crucial role in maintaining NATO's maritime security, enhancing member state cooperation, and promoting stability in key maritime regions worldwide. SNMG1 is one of four standing NATO maritime groups providing continuous maritime presence and readiness in peacetime, crisis and conflict. Deployments like this contribute to Allied assurance measures, enhance interoperability and demonstrate NATO's ability to operate across the entire North Atlantic, in the Baltic sea and the Arctic approaches. Story by Public Affairs Office at MARCOM NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Task Group conducts port visit to Riga following change of command NATO Allied Maritime Command Jan 18 2026 Riga, Latvia -- Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) has arrived in Riga, Latvia, marking the task group's first port visit since Spain assumed command of the force. The visit underscores NATO's enduring commitment to collective defence and maritime security in the Baltic Sea region. The flagship, ESPS Almirante Juan de Borbon, arrived in the port on 18 January for a short visit to the Baltic state. The port call provides an opportunity to strengthen cooperation with Latvia, a key Ally on NATO's eastern flank, and to demonstrate Alliance solidarity through visible maritime presence. During the visit, ships of SNMG1 will host the Prime Minister of Latvia, Evika Silina, welcomed on board by the Commander of the Task Group, Spanish Navy Rear Admiral Joaquin Ruiz Escagedo. He said this visit highlights the close relationship between NATO's maritime forces and national leadership, as well as Latvia's continued support to Allied operations. "We are grateful to Latvia for the warm welcome to Riga and for the strong support shown to Standing NATO Maritime Group One. Port visits like this are an important opportunity to strengthen our ties with Allies and to demonstrate NATO's enduring commitment to maritime security and collective defence in the Baltic region." The port visit also allows the crews of SNMG1 to engage with local authorities and communities, reinforcing mutual understanding and the strong bonds between NATO forces and the nations they protect. As SNMG1 continues its deployment under Spanish leadership, the task group remains focused on safeguarding maritime security and supporting stability throughout the Baltic Sea and beyond. SNMG1 is one of four standing NATO maritime groups providing continuous maritime presence and readiness in peacetime, crisis and conflict. Deployments like this contribute to Allied assurance measures, enhance interoperability and demonstrate NATO's ability to operate across the entire North Atlantic, in the Baltic sea and the Arctic approaches. Story by Public Affairs Office at MARCOM NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Tsahkna to EU counterparts: Estonia stands firmly for Denmark's territorial integrity and sovereignty Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 19.01.2026 | 18:48 In a phone call today, 19 January, with his European Union counterparts and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that Estonia stands firmly for Denmark's territorial integrity and sovereignty and is committed to developing further joint steps by the EU. "Estonia stands firmly for Denmark's territorial integrity and sovereignty and maintains that matters concerning Greenland are for the Greenlanders and the Danes alone to decide," the foreign minister emphasised during the phone call. "The United States and the Kingdom of Denmark, of which Greenland is an integral part, are both members of NATO, and this provides a strong framework for addressing, jointly and in a coordinated manner, the challenges related to the security of Greenland and the entire Arctic region," Tsahkna said. "The joint exercise Arctic Endurance, organised last week by NATO's European Allies, served precisely this purpose - to demonstrate Allies' commitment to Arctic security and their readiness to contribute in practical terms to strengthening it." "The possible intention of the United States to impose tariffs on several European countries is therefore surprising and regrettable. As a result of the common trade policy, such tariffs would affect all EU member states, and thorough discussions are therefore needed before any further steps are taken," Tsahkna said, adding that the extraordinary meeting of the European Council at the end of the week will be of key importance. "The European Union is the largest trading partner of the United States, and people on both sides of the Atlantic would lose out from a possible trade war and a deterioration in relations. At the same time, it must be remembered that Europe has its own levers that can be used if necessary," Tsahkna said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Maria Malmer Stenergard in talks with Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Government Offices of Sweden Press release from Ministry for Foreign Affairs Published 19 January 2026 On 19 January, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard spoke on the phone with Nasser Bourita, Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates. The talks focused on bilateral cooperation and the Western Sahara issue. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the situation in Gaza were also discussed. There was an expression of appreciation for the two countries' bilateral cooperation in a number of areas, including trade, migration and efforts to counter organised crime. Ms Malmer Stenergard emphasised the importance of a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution to the Western Sahara issue, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the UN Charter. She expressed full support for the UN Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, and his work. During the talks, Ms Malmer Stenergard expressed her support for Morocco's autonomy plan, in light of UN Security Council Resolution 2797, as a credible foundation for negotiations with a view to achieving a mutually acceptable, lasting and just political solution in accordance with the UN Charter, that provides for the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. She further emphasised that she was looking forward to seeing Morocco's updated proposal for the autonomy plan, and other constructive contributions from the parties. Statement from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on the UN process on Western Sahara The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to international law, including the UN Charter as an essential tool for achieving a peaceful solution to conflicts. They expressed their support for initiatives that respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and lead to a just and lasting peace. Gaza was also discussed, including the continued commitment to the implementation of the peace plan in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles, and to tangible steps being taken towards achieving a two-state solution. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on the UN process on Western Sahara Government Offices of Sweden Press release from Ministry for Foreign Affairs Published 19 January 2026 Sweden has repeatedly pointed to the importance of a just, lasting and mutually agreed solution to the Western Sahara issue, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the Charter of the United Nations. Sweden fully supports the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara and his efforts to bring about a political solution as part of the UN-led process. Sweden expresses its support for Morrocco's Autonomy Plan, in light of the recently adopted Security Council resolution 2797, as a credible basis for negotiations to achieve a mutually acceptable, lasting and just political solution in accordance with the UN Charter that satisfies the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination. In line with Security Council resolution 2797, Sweden calls upon the parties to engage in negotiations, and welcomes any updates to Morocco's proposals and other constructive contributions from the parties. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Government receives Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani Government Offices of Sweden Article from Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Defence, Ministry for Foreign Affairs Published 19 January 2026 On Monday 19 January, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and Minister for Defence Pal Jonson received Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for bilateral meetings in Stockholm. In connection with Sheikh Al Thani's visit, Mr Kristersson hosted a lunch that Ms Malmer Stenergard and Mr Jonson also attended. Discussions focused on flourishing trade cooperation and opportunities to develop cooperation in conflict mediation, an area in which Qatar plays a key role internationally. The Qatari delegation also visited the Riksdag, where it was received by the Speaker and members of the Riksdag from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Defence and the Committee on Industry and Trade. Sweden and Qatar have a strong and growing relationship with an intensive exchange of visits in recent years. In 2024, HH the Amir of Qatar made a historic visit to Sweden, during which a number of cooperation agreements were signed. In September 2025, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa visited Qatar, when the Qatar-Sweden Business Council was established as part of efforts to strengthen trade cooperation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Memorandum signed on Latvian-Canadian cooperation for military industry development Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Defence 2026/01/19 In Latvia International cooperation Industrija Information prepared by Media Relations Section On Monday, January 19, at the Ministry of Defence of Latvia, State Secretary Aivars Purins and the Canadian Commercial Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation between Latvia and Canada in the field of procurement. The ceremony was also attended by Minister of Defence Andris Spruds. The memorandum of understanding provides for cooperation in military equipment, infrastructure, and services, establishing a foundation for the development of joint projects in the future. Minister of Defence Andris Spruds emphasizes that such agreements strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of defence: "This Memorandum of Understanding establishes a structured framework for closer cooperation with Canadian partners in the military industry. It allows for the purposeful development of cooperation, while maintaining flexibility and prioritizing national interests in the evaluation of each specific project." The Canadian Commercial Corporation is Canada's government to government contracting agency, which supports foreign governments in procuring Canadian-made military equipment and defence-related solutions, thereby strengthening overall cooperation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HM the King Responds Positively to President Donald Trump's Invitation to Join Peace Board as Founding Member - Foreign Ministry Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday 19 January 2026 His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, has received an invitation from His Excellency Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, to join, as a Founding Member, the Peace Board that he intends to launch. The initiative aims at "contributing to peace efforts in the Middle East and adopting a new approach to resolving conflicts worldwide," The Board is reserved for a restricted group of internationally recognized leaders committed to a secure and prosperous future for coming generations. This invitation, reflects the recognition of the enlightened leadership of His Majesty the King, may God assist Him, and His stature as a key peace actor, and demonstrates the trust that the Sovereign enjoys with both the President of the United States and the international community. Welcoming the commitment and vision of President Donald Trump for promoting peace, His Majesty the King has accepted this invitation. In this context, Morocco will ratify the founding charter of this Board. The Peace Board will take the legal form of an international organization with the aim of promoting stability, restoring governance, and ensuring lasting peace in areas affected by or threatened with conflict. Its mandate will be based on practical cooperation, effective action, and result-oriented partnerships. Participation in this Board is strictly by invitation from the President of the United States of America. Furthermore, Morocco welcomes the announcement of the launch of the second phase of President Trump's comprehensive peace plan, as well as the official formation of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza as a temporary transitional body. Under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty the King, Morocco reiterates its steadfast commitment to a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the Middle East, enabling the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side in peace with Israel. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Most visible' NATO exercise in 2026, STEADFAST DART, begins NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) Jan 19 2026 MONS, Belgium -- Allied Command Operations (ACO) officially launched NATO exercise Steadfast Dart 2026 across Central Europe, Jan. 15. Steadfast Dart 2026 marks the second overall deployment of the Allied Reaction Force (ARF), but its first within the area of responsibility of Joint Force Command Brunssum, who will lead the exercise. The exercise will demonstrate the operational and strategic capabilities of the NATO force and other participating units, integrating land, air, space, cyber, maritime, and special operations forces. "Last year, Steadfast Dart incorporated the first deployment of NATO's new Allied Reaction Force, demonstrating Allied Command Operations' ability to respond at a moment's notice to an emergent threat to our Alliance," said U.S. Air Force General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe. "This year's exercise builds upon that success and will again demonstrate NATO's responsiveness, as well as its strength, in what will arguably be one of NATO's most visible exercises this year, with forces on the land, at sea, and in the air, who will operate in all domains." The exercise consists of two major phases, a deployment phase and a training phase. The deployment phase began earlier this month, and the training phase begins next month. Both phases will occur during a simulated conflict scenario involving a near-peer adversary and will show that the ARF and other participating forces can conduct and sustain complex operations across multiple locations in Central Europe, particularly in Germany. There, the NATO exercise will flow directly into Quadriga, a German employment exercise. Joint Force Command Brunssum has planned the exercise in close coordination with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) over the last two years. "Steadfast Dart 2026, NATO's largest exercise of 2026, shows that the Alliance can act swiftly, stand united, and respond decisively under the leadership of Joint Force Command Brunssumexactly when it matters most," said the Commander of JFC Brunssum, General Ingo Gerhartz. "With Exercise Steadfast Dart, we are demonstrating that NATO's Allied Reaction Force toolbox contains every capability needed to react to any threat." Approximately 10,000 service personnel from 11 nations, including ARF units from Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Spain, and Turkiye, as well as Belgium, France and the United Kingdom, who are linking national exercise activities with Steadfast Dart, will participate in the exercise. SHAPE is the military headquarters of ACO. For more information, visit https://jfcbs.nato.int/stdt26, https://shape.nato.int/, or www.nato.int. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Secretary General hosts Denmark's Defence Minister and Greenland's Foreign Minister at NATO HQ NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 19 January 2026 On Monday 19 January 2026, the Defence Minister of the Kingdom of Denmark, Troels Lund Poulsen, and the Foreign Minister of Greenland, Vivian Motzfeldt, visited NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, for a bilateral meeting with Secretary General Mark Rutte. They discussed the importance of the Arctic, including Greenland, to the Alliance's collective security. NATO has been increasing its ability to deter and defend in the High North and already maintains a persistent presence to support peace and stability and to safeguard the Alliance's shared interests in the region. Allies have been increasing their investments in key capabilities, with Denmark providing an important example including through the purchase of more air-to-air refuelling, long-range drones, maritime patrol aircraft, and F-35 fighter jets. Allies will continue to work together to ensure that we have what it takes to address any challenges to our security in every part of the Alliance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Several killed as explosion rips through Kabul's high-security district Iran Press TV Monday, 19 January 2026 2:17 PM A powerful explosion rocked a heavily fortified district of Kabul on Monday, leaving several people dead and injured, according to a Taliban Interior Ministry spokesperson. "An explosion occurred in a hotel on Gulfaroshi Street in Shahr-e-Naw, the fourth district of Kabul city, causing casualties," Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said without detailing the cause. "According to preliminary reports, a number of people have been killed and injured," Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, stated. One Afghan security guard was killed, and two Chinese nationals were injured in the blast, Chinese state media reported. The wounded have been rushed to the hospital for emergency care. Initial reports suggest that a hotel and an adjacent restaurant near the blast site were severely damaged. The Taliban, which had waged a lengthy insurgency, regained control of Afghanistan in 2021 and vowed to restore security to the war-torn nation. While attacks in Kabul and across Afghanistan have become less frequent since the Taliban's return to power following the US withdrawal, the threat remains. The affiliates of the Daesh (ISIS) takfiri group continue to operate in the country, carrying out sporadic attacks. Several neighboring countries have expressed ongoing concerns over the presence of Daesh-linked factions and armed criminal groups taking refuge within Afghanistan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump says 'feels no obligation' to pursue peace after Nobel Prize snub Iran Press TV Monday, 19 January 2026 11:11 AM US President Donald Trump has told Norway's prime minister that he no longer feels obliged to focus on world peace after failing to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. In a letter addressed to Gar Store and published by a PBS correspondent on the social media platform X on Monday, Trump stated, "Considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped eight wars plus, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace." The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado, who later handed the prize to Trump on Thursday in what she described as gratitude for the US invasion of Venezuela and the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3, 2026. Trump's letter was circulated by staff at the US National Security Council to several European ambassadors based in Washington, extending the message well beyond Oslo. In the same letter, Trump turned his attention to Greenland, questioning Denmark's sovereignty over the territory. "Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a 'right of ownership' anyway?" he wrote. He went on to say that he had "done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States." He concludes, "The world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland." Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland should be absorbed into the United States. During his first term, he openly floated the idea of purchasing the island, treating the territory as a strategic asset. Since the abduction of Maduro and Flores, references to occupying Greenland have become increasingly prominent in White House language. Trump has framed Greenland as essential to US security due to its strategic position and mineral wealth. He has left open the possibility of using force to take control of the semi-autonomous territory. In a social media post on Saturday, Trump openly stated that the United States "needed" Greenland to counter what he described as Chinese and Russian threats in the Arctic. He also indicated a readiness to use force, military and economic, to pressure European allies, particularly Denmark, into compliance. Store responded by pointing to the consensus within NATO on Arctic security. "Threats have no place among allies. Norway's position is firm: Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark," he said. As Trump intensifies his rhetoric on Greenland, European Union leaders are weighing possible responses to Washington. One option under discussion involves freezing planned tariff reductions on US goods and activating the bloc's most powerful trade mechanism. The EU's so-called Anti-Coercion Instrument, often referred to as the "bazooka," would permit the imposition of tariffs and restrictions on US investment. Even so, analysts note that European leaders have historically held back from direct retaliation against Washington, even during periods of severe strain. The overriding concern, they say, has been the risk that the US could withdraw from NATO; an outcome European capitals have long treated as more dangerous than any damaging trade confrontation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas blasts 'torture and brutality' against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails Iran Press TV Monday, 19 January 2026 10:27 AM Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has issued a scathing denunciation of the Israeli regime over the treatment of Palestinian prisoners, describing their conditions as "inhumane" and warning that the world could not remain silent while such brutality continued. In a statement on Monday, the resistance movement condemned the regime for systematic abuse and torture, including the arbitrary detention of thousands under "administrative detention" without charge or trial. "Our prisoners face physical and psychological repression, deliberate medical neglect, denial of family visits, starvation, and life-threatening restrictions," the statement read. The movement condemned the international community's silence, noting that over 9,300 Palestinians were currently languishing in Israeli jails. The group demanded that the United Nations, international rights organizations, and humanitarian bodies inspect prisons without restriction, hold Israeli authorities accountable, and enforce the Geneva Conventions concerning the inmates' rights. The statement called on Arab, Islamic, and global groups to launch sweeping solidarity campaigns for the prisoners, emphasizing, "Our prisoners are not numbers, but human beings with rights, lives, and dignity." These denunciations followed grim reports from Palestinian prisoner rights groups, which have documented a campaign of systematic genocide. According to the Palestinian Commission of Detainees' Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoners' Society, and Addameer, 32 Palestinians, including a child, were killed in Israeli custody in 2025 alone. Since October 2023, the death toll in detention has reached 100. Rights groups report that 94 bodies remain withheld by Israeli authorities, while dozens of detainees from the Gaza Strip remain forcibly disappeared. Testimonies from recently released prisoners describe deliberate torture, starvation, medical neglect, sexual abuse, prolonged solitary confinement, and methods designed to break prisoners physically and mentally. Large-scale arrests, meanwhile, continue unabated. Over 21,000 Palestinians have been detained since October 2023, including 1,655 children and 650 women. In 2025 alone, some 7,000 arrests were recorded, including 600 children and 200 women. Families of detainees from Gaza have been denied any information about their loved ones' whereabouts. The United Nations has also reported severe abuses, citing the targeting of journalists, medical personnel, and civilians. Rights groups say these arrests are accompanied by beatings, home demolitions, confiscation of property, use of human shields, and organized terror against detainees' families. Many prisoners suffer from chronic illnesses, with a significant number dying in custody or shortly after release due to deliberate medical neglect. According to Palestinian organizations, systematic impunity in Israeli prisons reflects a judicial system that covers up crimes and enforces policies of apartheid and persecution. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SACEUR's visit to Romania Romania - Ministry of National Defence Press release No. 8 19.01.2026 General Gheorghita Vlad, the Chief of Defence Staff, and General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and Commander of the US European Command (USEUCOM), will pay a working visit to the "Getica" Joint National Training Center in Cincu and to Headquarters Multinational Corps Southeast (HQ MNC-SE) in Sibiu, on Tuesday, January 20th. The two military leaders' visit highlight the firm commitment of Romania and NATO to consolidating regional security and to strengthening the deterrence and defence posture on the Alliance's southeastern flank. In Sibiu, General Gheorghita Vlad and General Alexus G. Grynkewich will hold press statements at HQ MNC-SE, at 11:00, followed by a Q&A session. Journalists interested in the activity are requested to send the data necessary for accreditation (name, series and number of the identity document, series and number of the press badge, telephone number and the media institution represented) by Monday, January 19th, 7:00 p.m., to e-mail address: relatiipublice.smap@mapn.ro. Accredited media representatives will be expected on Tuesday, January 20th, between 09:30 and 10:00, at the entrance of the Headquarters South-East Multinational Corps (28-32 Calea Dumbravii, Sibiu). The access will be given based on the identity document and the press badge. Point of contact for additional details: Major Roxana Davidovits, cell phone +40728291518. The Press Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Drone strike against the Ukrainian Ports on the Danube Romania - Ministry of National Defence Press release No. 7 19.01.2026 On Sunday, January 18th, at around 01:15, the Ministry of National Defence radar surveillance system identified a group of aerial drones of the Russian Federation operating in the Ukrainian airspace, approximately 10 km north of the border with Romania. Two F-16 fighter jets from the 86th Air Base in Fetesti were given order to prepare for an aerial monitoring mission. As a result of the targets disappearance from radar, the mission was canceled after approximately 10 minutes, the aircraft remaining on the ground. The population in northern Tulcea County was warned via RO-Alert message at 01:21. The alert state ended at 01:40. No unauthorized intrusions into the national airspace were observed. Since the beginning of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine, over 70 drone attacks have been reported near the Romanian border. The Press Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address State Secretary Moldovan's visit to Chisinau: joint commitment to security and European integration of the Republic of Moldova Romania - Ministry of National Defence Press release No. 6 19.01.2026 State Secretary for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations, Sorin-Dan Moldovan, paid an official visit to the Republic of Moldova, at the invitation of his Moldovan counterpart, Ghenadie Cojocaru, between January 14 and 16, 2026. The visit's agenda also included meetings with the Minister of Defence, Anatolie Nosatii, the Governor of the National Bank of the Republic of Moldova, Anca Dragu, the Presidential Advisor on National Security and Defence Issues, Stanislav Secrieru, the Chair of the Parliamentary Security Committee, Lilian Carp, and the Head of the NATO Liaison Office in Chisinau, Michaela Guerard-Simak. The discussions aimed at enhancing the political-military dialogue, bilateral cooperation in the field of defence and security, coordination on the European and Euro-Atlantic agenda, as well as security developments in the region. At the same time, topics regarding institutional resilience, economic security and support for the European accession of the Republic of Moldova were addressed. The Romanian delegation also stressed the importance of security for the economic development of the Republic of Moldova during the discussions held at the National Bank of Moldova. Beyond the official formats and institutional agenda, the Romania-Republic of Moldova relationship remains one built on trust, commitment and a natural dialogue between partners who share not only strategic interests, but also a common responsibility for the future of the region. Bilateral cooperation is active, practical and results-oriented, where support is translated into concrete actions. The visit reconfirms the Romanian party's commitment to the strategic partnership with the Republic of Moldova, in the spirit of common values and close cooperation for regional stability and security. The Press Office NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Says Not Commenting on Readiness to Resort to Use of Force to Seize Greenland Sputnik News 20260119 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is not commenting on his readiness to resort to the use of force to seize Greenland. "No comment," Trump told NBC News, when asked if he would resort to use of force to seize Greenland. Europe should focus on the conflict in Ukraine and not on Greenland, Trump said, adding that he is 100% determined to impose tariffs on European countries, if Greenland deal is not reached. US President Donald Trump cannot initiate a large-scale military incursion in Greenland without the approval of Congress, House Speaker Mike Johnson said in an interview with Sky News. "Under our constitutional system, the Congress has to declare war. I don't foresee any scenario where we're declaring war on Greenland," he said on Sunday when asked about the possibility of the US using military force without lawmakers' consent. The US president, as commander-in-chief of the army and navy, holds broad authority under Article II of the Constitution to act in the nation's interests. Nevertheless, in the case of a large-scale military invasion, congressional involvement would be mandatory, Johnson said. "If it comes to a large-scale military incursion, I mean, you would have to involve Congress in that," he said. Johnson argued that the situation surrounding Greenland was fundamentally different from the US intervention in Venezuela. "I would dispute that we've had any kind of long-term incursion in Venezuela. We did not occupy Venezuela. We didn't declare war," he said. Trump announced on Saturday that he would impose additional 10% tariffs on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland starting February 1 and raise them to 25% in June unless the United States acquired Greenland. Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland should become part of the United States, citing its strategic importance for national security. Denmark's and Greenland's authorities have warned the US against seizing the island, stressing that they expect respect for their shared territorial integrity. The island was a Danish colony until 1953. It has remained a part of the Kingdom of Denmark after gaining autonomy in 2009, with the ability to self-govern and determine its own domestic policy. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minsk Says Trump Proposes Belarus Become Founder of Gaza Board of Peace Sputnik News 20260119 MINSK (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump sent Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko an appeal proposing that Belarus become a founder of the Gaza Board of Peace, Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ruslan Varankov said on Monday. "The Belarusian side has received a personal message from US President Donald Trump, addressed to the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko. In the context of the settlement of the situation in Gaza, Belarus is invited to become a founder of the Gaza Board of Peace, a new international organization," the statement said. This proposal is highly appreciated in Minsk, the spokesman said. "The proposal was reported to the President of the Republic of Belarus and received positively by him. Our position is as follows we are ready to participate in the activities of the Board of Peace, considering and hoping that this organization will expand its scope and powers far beyond the mandate proposed in the initiative. This will allow it to actively participate in global processes to resolve any international conflicts, which will ultimately contribute to building a new security architecture, which has been actively promoted by Belarus in recent years," Varankov concluded. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Seeks to 'Engage, Not Escalate' With US Over Greenland, Avoid New Tariffs Sputnik News 20260119 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union is seeking to "engage, not escalate" with the United States when it comes to Washington's desire to control Greenland in order to avoid new US trade tariffs, European Commission spokesman Olof Gill said on Monday. The Financial Times newspaper reported on Sunday, citing sources, that EU countries were considering imposing tariffs on the US worth $108 billion in response to US President Donald Trump's threat to introduce additional 10% tariffs against eight European countries over Greenland starting on February 1. "Intensive consolations are ongoing among EU leaders. President [Antonio] Costa has indicated the likelihood of an extraordinary European Council this week to tackle this very subject. It is clear from the consultations among EU leaders, including [European Commission] President von der Leyen, that the priority here is to engage, not escalate, and avoid the imposition of tariffs, because this will ultimately harm consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic," Gill told a midday briefing. Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland should become part of the US, citing its strategic importance for national security. Denmark and Greenland's authorities have warned the US against seizing the island, stressing that they expect respect for their shared territorial integrity. The island was a Danish colony until 1953. It has remained a part of the Kingdom of Denmark after gaining autonomy in 2009, with the ability to self-govern and determine its own domestic policy. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Reveals Real Reason for Greenland Grab: Payback for Nobel Prize Snub Sputnik News 20260119 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump has confirmed in a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store that his demand for control of Greenland stems from the Norwegian Nobel Committee's refusal to award him the Nobel Peace Prize, PBS journalist Nick Schifrin said on Monday, citing the letter. Schifrin said he had obtained the text, which is being circulated by the US National Security Council among European ambassadors in Washington, from multiple officials. "Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America," the letter read, as quoted by Schifrin on X. In the letter, Trump once again repeated that Denmark cannot protect Greenland from Russia or China and questioned Denmark's right to sovereignty over the world's largest island. "I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland," Trump wrote. Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland should become part of the US, citing its strategic importance for national security. Denmark and Greenland's authorities have warned the US against seizing the island, stressing that they expect respect for their shared territorial integrity. The island was a Danish colony until 1953. It has remained a part of the Kingdom of Denmark after gaining autonomy in 2009, with the ability to self-govern and determine its own domestic policy. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Special Presidential Envoy Dmitriev Says EU's Quick 'Surrender' to US Goes as Expected Sputnik News 20260119 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and special presidential envoy, said on Monday that the European Union had quickly conceded to the United States following reports that the EU does not yet plan to introduce countermeasures against the US over the situation with Greenland. "Quick surrender as predicted," Dmitriev said on X, citing the lash Report news outlet, which reported that the EU had no plans to take countermeasures against the US over Greenland at this time. On Saturday, Reuters reported, citing EU diplomats, that EU ambassadors were being called to an emergency meeting in Brussels on Sunday amid threats by US President Donald Trump to impose a 10% tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland in February, which would later increase to 25% and remain in effect until the United States signs a deal on the purchase of Greenland. Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland should become part of the United States, citing its strategic importance for national security. Denmark's and Greenland's authorities have warned the US against seizing the island, stressing that they expect respect for their shared territorial integrity. The island was a Danish colony until 1953. It has remained a part of the Kingdom of Denmark after gaining autonomy in 2009, with the ability to self-govern and determine its own domestic policy. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kremlin Says Putin Received Invitation to Join Board of Peace for Gaza Sputnik News 20260119 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has received an invitation to join the Board of Peace for Gaza, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. "Yes, indeed, president Putin has also received an invitation through diplomatic channels to join the Board of Peace," Peskov told reporters. Russia is studying all details on the Board of Peace for Gaza proposal and hopes to establish contacts with the US to clarify all nuances, the official added. The Kremlin is closely monitoring developments around Greenland, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said, adding that a great deal of disturbing information has been coming in about it in recent days. "Overall, a lot of alarming information has been coming in in recent days. Of course, we are monitoring everything that is happening very closely and analyzing it," Peskov told reporters, declining to comment on Russia's plans regarding Denmark and Greenland. It is hard to disagree with the opinion of a number of experts who believe that US President Donald Trump, having resolved the issue of acquiring Greenland, will go down in world history, the spokesman added. Moscow is in constant contacts with Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, through diplomatic channels, Peskov said. "We are in constant contact with the acting president through diplomatic channels," Peskov told reporters. A conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the acting president of Venezuela can be organized promptly, if necessary, but there are no such plans yet, the official added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Canada Considering Sending Troops to Greenland - Reports Sputnik News 20260119 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Amid US President Donald Trump's claims to Greenland, Canadian authorities have developed plans to send a small contingent of troops to the island for exercises with other NATO members, The Globe and Mail reported citing two senior Canadian government officials. Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, France, the UK, Germany, and Finland have already announced plans to send troops to Greenland. On Wednesday, the Danish Armed Forces announced they would strengthen their military presence in Greenland in close cooperation with NATO allies and intensify training activities on the island. A small number of Canadian troops could travel to Greenland this week as part of a Danish-led NATO military exercise if Prime Minister Mark Carney signs the plan, the publication said. Sources said they had no information on when Carney might make such a decision. However, they believe the move is inevitable. On Saturday, Trump announced the imposition of a 10% tariff in February on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland, which would subsequently increase to 25% and remain in effect until the United States concludes a deal to purchase Greenland. Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Trump has repeatedly stated that the island should become part of the United States. Danish and Greenlandic authorities have warned Washington against seizing the island, noting that they expect their territorial integrity to be respected. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Rubio's Call with Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Bayramov US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 19, 2026 The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott: Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. Secretary Rubio commended the Azerbaijani government's shipments of fuel to Armenia, an important gesture that demonstrates Azerbaijan's continued commitment to the historic peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan advanced by President Trump at the White House summit on August 8, 2025. The Secretary and Foreign Minister touched on other confidence-building measures to further advance peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus region and lauded positive developments in U.S.-Azerbaijani relations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China steps up efforts to advance AI-assisted manufacturing 10:47, January 20, 2026 By Liu Wenxin ( People's Daily An automated delivery machine runs in an intelligent workshop of Jiangxi Intelligent Electronics Technology in Fuzhou, east China's Jiangxi province. (Photo/Guo Hao) The deep integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with the real economy is profoundly reshaping models of manufacturing and economic structures, accelerating industrial upgrading. On January 7, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with seven other departments, released a work plan to deepen the integration of the manufacturing sector and artificial intelligence (AI). The document outlines seven priority areasinnovation foundation, intelligent upgrading, product breakthrough, market player, ecosystem expansion, security assurance, and international cooperation. It also details 21 specific measures to speed up the intelligent, sustainable, and integrated development of the manufacturing sector. According to the document, China will achieve secure and reliable supply of key AI technologies by 2027, with its industrial scale and empowerment capacity remaining among the world's leading ranks. The document calls for promoting the in-depth application of three to five general-purpose large AI models in manufacturing, launching 1,000 high-level industrial intelligent agents, building 100 high-quality industrial data sets, and promoting 500 typical application scenarios. It aims to foster two to three ecosystem-leading enterprises with global influence, nurture a group of specialized small and medium-sized businesses that produce novel and unique products, cultivate a number of application service providers proficient in both AI and industrial development, and establish 1,000 benchmark firms. A 5G-enabled digital production line for photovoltaic panels runs at full capacity in a workshop of a new energy technology company in Suqian, east China's Jiangsu province. (Photo/Liu Ye) A globally leading open-source and open ecosystem will be established, with comprehensive improvements in security governance, contributing Chinese solutions to global AI development. In textile workshops, air-conditioning fans are needed to regulate temperature and humidity, purify the air, and ensure ventilation. Traditional products rely heavily on manual adjustment, resulting in low precision and difficulty in predicting equipment failures. "By using Inspur Yunzhou Industrial Internet Platform, we installed multiple types of sensors on traditional fans to collect and train data, and developed digital-intelligent fans," said Wu Zicai, chairman of Shandong Jinxin Air Conditioning Group. According to Wu, these digital-intelligent fans can optimize parameters such as air volume in real time based on operating conditions, precisely control workshop temperature and humidity, and reduce equipment maintenance cycles by 40 percent. "Enterprises need to accelerate full-process transformation and upgrading by deeply embedding large-model technologies into all stagesfrom research and development (R&D) and pilot testing to production, marketing, services, and operations managementso as to enhance capabilities in assisted design, simulation modeling, production scheduling, and predictive maintenance," an expert said. In the R&D and design phase, efforts should focus on promoting intelligent design assistance, software code generation, and pharmaceutical research, creating new R&D models that are more personalized, lower in cost, and higher in efficiency. In production and manufacturing, industrial quality inspection technologies such as machine vision and unmanned intelligent inspections should be expanded. This will enhance real-time monitoring of production lines, predictive maintenance, and the precision of equipment fault identification, while enabling early warnings for potential safety risks and incidents in production operations. In operations and management, the analytical and generative capabilities of large AI models should be used to enhance enterprises' management of strategy, human resources, finance, and risks. To support enterprises using AI in R&D, production, operations, and value-added services, the document provides additional guidance for AI application in manufacturing. This application guide provides detailed, step-by-step guidance on conducting intelligent assessments and planning, strengthening foundational digital capabilities, building high-quality data sets, reasonably planning computing power resources, selecting and optimizing models, deploying and integrating models, and ensuring AI application securityoffering hands-on pathways and methods for intelligent transformation and upgrading. From experience-based mining to smart exploration, and from craftsmanship-driven smelting to AI-enabled precision control, China's non-ferrous metals industry is also advancing rapidly. Recently, the industry's large model Kun'an 2.0 was released, further exploring the deep integration of AI technologies across the entire non-ferrous metals industrial chain. "Over the past year, we have applied AI to key industrial processes and promoted the development of more than 100 application scenarios. From these, we selected and released 52 scenarios and built eight high-quality industry data sets," said Duan Xiangdong, chairman of Aluminum Corporation of China. Ge Honglin, president of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, noted that the industry features a wide range of products, complex resources, and highly intricate process flows, and faces challenges in digital and intelligent development in areas such as technology adaptation, data governance, coordination, and talent development. To address such industry-wide challenges, the document clearly calls for the development of high-level industry models and the acceleration of AI-enabled applications in key sectors. "AI applications in manufacturing should be advanced through differentiated approaches, taking into account each industry's characteristics, technological maturity, and level of digitalization," said an official with the Department of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The official added that the document also provides tailored guidance for sectors including raw materials, equipment manufacturing, consumer goods, electronic information, and software and information technology services, supporting industry-specific transformation efforts. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Foreign Secretary Statement to the House on Greenland and wider Arctic security Oral statement to Parliament Foreign Secretary Statement to the House regarding Greenland and wider Arctic security. From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP Published 19 January 2026 Location: House of Commons, London Delivered on: 19 January 2026 Thank you, Madame Deputy Speaker. Can I begin by expressing my condolences to all those affected by the terrible train crash near Cordoba last night. Thank you to the Spanish emergency services who responded overnight and throughout today. I am sure the House will join me in thinking of the people of Spain at this distressing time. With permission Madame Deputy Speaker I will make a statement on Greenland and wider Arctic security. On the evening of Saturday 17 January, President Trump announced the intention to impose 10% tariffs on goods from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK over the future of Greenland. This is a serious moment for our transatlantic discussions and partnerships so let me outline to the House the UK's response which rests on three key principles. First, Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes, and them alone. This reflects the fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity to which this whole House is committed. Second, the use, or the threat, of tariffs against allies in this way is completely wrong. It is unwarranted and it is counterproductive. Third, Arctic security is a shared concern - and a shared responsibility - for both sides of the Atlantic. It can only be effectively addressed and maintained through cooperation between transatlantic allies, and crucially through NATO. So instead of divisions that only aid our adversaries, we now need a serious and constructive dialogue about our Arctic security, which is built on respect for sovereignty and collective security and the rules which underpin our alliance. As the Prime Minister set out this morning the north star for the Government's foreign policy is to stand up for the UK's national interest, to defend and advance Britain's security, Britain's prosperity and Britain's values. And we do so through the alliances and partnerships that we build abroad that make us stronger here at home - including alliances where that transatlantic cooperation between Europe and North America has long been vital. As the Prime Minister has made clear, our close and deep- rooted partnership with the United States is a hugely important part of our security and our prosperity. The depth of our cooperation on intelligence sharing and defence helps keeps us safe. And our trading relationship and the new agreements we have reached in the last twelve months are driving billions of pounds of investment in the UK, supporting jobs across the country. But the Prime Minister has also made clear that we will be very direct about our differences - as he was in speaking to President Trump yesterday. Because standing up for the UK national interest means defending the principles that underpin stable and enduring international cooperation. That means respect for sovereignty and it means respect for long standing allies. Denmark is a close ally of the United Kingdom and the United States. Indeed, Demark has long been one of the US's closest allies. A proud NATO member that has stood shoulder to shoulder with the UK and with the US including at real human cost in recent decades. Rooted in that partnership, the US already has in place a 1951 Treaty with Denmark which already provides for an extensive US security presence in Greenland. And alliances endure because they are built on respect and partnership, not pressure. Tariff threats like this are no way to treat allies. Madame Deputy Speaker, the tariff threat has come following the pre-coordinated preparations for the annual Danish programme of activities under the framework "Arctic Endurance," which is focused on addressing Russian security threats in the Arctic. And last week, at the request of the Danish Government, one UK military officer currently based in Denmark joined a planning group visit, in an observational capacity. These sorts of visits are a regular part of military planning ahead of exercises and operations. Work amongst allies to strengthen Greenland's security that should be recognised for its importance, not used as a reason to impose economic pressure. A trade war would hurt workers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. It would be in no one's interest. Both sides of the Atlantic should be working together on Arctic security, not moving apart. And that is why the Prime Minister and this Government are working intensively in the UK national interest to prevent this happening and to reach a resolution. Yesterday the Prime Minister spoke directly with President Trump, with the Danish Prime Minister and other close allies and international leaders. Today I welcomed the Danish Foreign Minister Lars Rasmussen here in London for valuable discussions and the Europe Minister has been in touch with the Greenland Foreign Minister. I have also been direct contact with the US, Canada, France, Germany and other European colleagues. And on Wednesday, my Right Honourable Friend the Defence Secretary will visit Denmark. We will continue with this urgent diplomacy, in pursuit of the principles that I have set out. And we will also argue for the strengthening of our multilateral cooperation around Arctic security. Because the Arctic is the gateway for Russia's northern fleet to threaten Britain, Western Europe and North America- threats to undersea cables, threats to critical national infrastructure. We have seen greater presence of Russian ships and submarines making their way to the North Atlantic. We have seen Russian aircraft testing our air defence. As Shadow Fleet vessels pass through our waters, trying to evade our sanctions and continuing to fund the war in Ukraine. Northern Norway, Finland, sea routes through Greenland-Iceland-UK gaps have long been strategically significant when considering Russian threats. And we know that the strategic significance of the Arctic is likely to grow as the melting of Arctic ice stands to open new routes through the Arctic Ocean and with newfound geo-economic competition for critical minerals and rare earths. So Arctic security is crucial not just to the UK but to the entire NATO Alliance. Of the eight countries north of the Arctic Circle, seven are NATO Allies. So across our alliance, working together we can and should do more. So that is why last week I travelled to Finland and Norway to discuss the threats they currently face. My Right Honourable Friend the Defence Secretary was also in Sweden. In Helsinki, I met with the Finnish Foreign Minister and was briefed on their border force activities to tackle a Russian ship that had damaged undersea cables between Finland and Estonia. In Northern Norway, I met with the Norwegian Foreign Minister. We signed a new agreement to strengthen our cooperation to tackle Russia's shadow fleet. And we travelled together to Camp Viking to see the work of the Royal Marines and their Norwegian partners. In the bitter cold of this unforgiving landscape, our Commando forces are training and exercising- preparing for contingencies. For more than 50 years, the Royal Marines have trained in the Norwegian Arctic. But we are increasing that commitment, doubling the number of marines there from 1,000 to 2,000 in the space of three years. And I pay tribute to the phenomenal work that they do. Alongside the landmark Lunna House Defence Agreement that will see the UK and Norway jointly operate a new fleet of Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigates to hunt Russian submarines and protect our critical undersea infrastructure. And in the Autumn, the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force saw thousands of troops, including over 1,700 British personnel, dozens of ships, vehicles and aircraft deployed from the Baltics to Iceland. The UK plans to contribute to a range of exercises in the North Atlantic and High North throughout 2026. Because this is how we believe we best strengthen our Arctic security for the sake of both Western Europe and North America- together- through alliances and partnerships, not through threats on tariffs or sovereignty that simply undermine our collective security. So Madame Deputy Speaker, I welcome the messages of cross-Party unity and the shared conviction that the future of Greenland must be determined by the Greenlanders and the Danes. And whether it be on Greenland, on tariffs, or on wider Arctic security, we are clear in our views, firm in our principles and steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding UK interests. The UK will continue to pursue constructive ways forward, collaborating intensively with partners and allies. And pursuing our security, our prosperity and our values every step of the way. I commend this Statement to the House. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Sudanese people deserve justice, and we welcome the ongoing role of the ICC in achieving that goal: UK statement at the UN Security Council Speech Statement by Legal Adviser Colin McIntyre at the UN Security Council meeting on the ICC's work in Sudan. From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Colin McIntyre, Legal Adviser Published 19 January 2026 Location: United Nations, New York Delivered on: 19 January 2026 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) I will make three points today. First, we note the landmark conviction of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman for war crimes and crimes against humanity. This first conviction from a Security Council referral, and the first addressing Darfur crimes in 2003-2004, sends a clear message that perpetrators of international crimes will be held accountable, no matter how long it takes. We further note the Office's engagement with victims and affected communities, and the significance of this judgment as the first ICC conviction for gender persecution. Second, and turning to recent events. As my Foreign Secretary has said, 9 January marked a grim milestone of 1,000 days of devastating violent conflict in Sudan. This has pushed millions into famine. The UK has repeatedly condemned the violence perpetrated by both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces. We support efforts to combat impunity and hold perpetrators of alleged international crimes to account. We therefore welcome the Office's investigations into atrocity crimes in Al Geneina and are deeply concerned by the Office's findings in relation to El Fasher. The RSF's October takeover has brought horrific reports of alleged mass killings, targeting of specific ethnic groups, and the use of rape as a weapon of war. The displacement of over 107,000 people only serves to underline the catastrophic humanitarian impact of these developments. We urge all parties to cease hostilities, protect civilians as demanded by this Council in resolution 2736, and allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access. Third, cooperation remains critical. We welcome steps by the Sudanese authorities, including recent engagements in The Hague, as well as the enhanced cooperation referenced in the Office of the Prosecutor's report. It is important that these welcome commitments lead to action. This includes the arrest and surrender of ICC suspects: Omar Al Bashir, Abdel Raheem Hussein, and Ahmad Harun. We deeply regret the RSF's failure to engage with the Office. We encourage States and regional bodies to assist the ICC by sharing satellite imagery, enabling witness interviews, and providing evidence via the OTP Link platform. Lastly, we welcome enhanced cooperation between the Office and the AU Fact Finding Mission and recognise the vital role played by civil society organisations in supporting investigations and advancing accountability. President, impunity risks fueling cycles of violence. Accountability must go hand in hand with efforts to end the conflict and deliver peace. We reaffirm our strong support for the ICC and its independence; we do not support sanctioning individuals or organisations associated with the Court. Mr President, the Sudanese people deserve justice, and we welcome the ongoing role of the ICC in achieving that goal. 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 January 2026 The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General. ** Secretary-General's Travel Good afternoon, everyone. The Secretary-General is currently near Geneva, Switzerland, where he is meeting with his Special and Personal Representatives and Envoys. Following these meetings, he will return to New York and has cancelled his planned trip to Davos due to a bad cold. On Saturday, the Secretary-General was in London, where he addressed a special commemoration of the eightieth anniversary of the first meeting of the General Assembly. The event, organized by the UN Association of the UK, took place in Methodist Central Hall, the very place where the first meeting was held. In his remarks, he said that we must ensure full respect for international law and defend multilateralism and strengthen it for our times. Mr. [Antonio] Guterres pushed for reform of the UN system to reflect the world of 2026 and not 1946. He said: "As global centres of power shift, we have the potential to build a future that is either more fair or more unstable." He added that it is manifestly in the interests of those who hold the most power to be on the frontlines of reform. He warned that those trying to cling to privileges today risk paying the price tomorrow. As we move forward in a moment when the values of multilateralism are being chipped away, he said, it is up to us, in our capacity as professionals, as voters, and as members of civil society, to take a stand. Later that day, the Secretary-General was hosted by the UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, for a working lunch, during which they discussed a wide range of issues, including Ukraine, Sudan and UN reform. ** Occupied Palestinian Territory Turning to the Gaza Strip, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that the ceasefire agreement which has crossed the 100-day mark must hold so that more civilian lives can be saved. As we have been telling you, the scale-up of humanitarian work continues to be held back by restrictions and impediments, with recent harsh weather also setting back some of the progress. In a statement issued today, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned of how fragile the situation remains, even as the agency reaches more than 1 million people every month through food parcels, bread bundles, hot meals and school meals making real progress in pushing back famine. WFP called for additional safe humanitarian corridors from Egypt and Jordan, and along the Salah Ad Din Road inside Gaza, to increase volumes and reduce insecurity. Yesterday, our colleagues from the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) launched the second round of a routine immunization catch-up campaign, together with our partners and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. This round will run until next Thursday and aims to further protect children under three from vaccine-preventable diseases. The campaign is being delivered by 170 teams at nearly 130 health facilities, with seven mobile teams deployed to hard-to-reach areas. A third and final round is planned for April. Turning to the West Bank, OCHA says Israeli forces have placed an estimated 25,000 Palestinians under curfew in parts of the Israeli-controlled H2 area of Hebron City, as they launched a large-scale operation today. Initial reports point to a heavy deployment of military vehicles and snipers on rooftops, as well as the closure of six internal roads. As a result, four bakeries have been forced to suspend their operations, and two shops where about 4,000 people regularly obtain essential supplies through UN-issued vouchers remain closed. Education in more than a dozen schools has also been suspended, affecting thousands of students. OCHA adds that the area has been affected by a major electricity cut since the weekend, following damage to a local power station. With a curfew now in place, efforts are under way to allow technicians into the area to restore electricity. Steps are also being taken to facilitate emergency medical evacuations and for students to attend school online where possible. Meanwhile, families are confined to their homes, making it difficult for them to obtain food, medicine and other essential supplies. ** Syria From Syria, OCHA is telling us that we and our partners continue to provide humanitarian aid, following recent clashes in Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and Al Hassakeh Governorates. In Deir ez-Zor City, public services have been suspended and key transport routes temporarily closed, cutting civilians off from education and healthcare. In Raqqa, damage to critical infrastructure has curtailed access between neighbourhoods and disrupted the main water supply. People continue to flee the cities of Raqqa and Tabqa, as well as Thawra, towards Al-Hasakeh and Qamishli Governorates. Hundreds of families remain unable to leave Tabqa and are sheltering in public facilities. Newly displaced families are facing harsh winter conditions, as well as acute shortages of food, shelter, tents and heating fuel. We and our partners continue to respond where we have access and are providing trauma care, water and hygiene support, as well as psychosocial support. Humanitarians are also conducting assessments, and continuing to call for sustained, safe humanitarian access. ** Ukraine From Ukraine, OCHA tells us that over the weekend, attacks on energy infrastructure continued amid freezing temperatures. Between 16 January and today, authorities reported at least nine civilians were killed and more than 50 injured across multiple regions. Strikes further damaged energy infrastructure, leading to widespread power outages, including in Russian-occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Nationwide scheduled power outages continue as temperatures have dropped to around -20C. In front-line areas, attacks have also driven more people from their homes. More than 1,300 people including 170 children were evacuated from the Donetsk region in the past four days. Across Ukraine, we and our partners continue providing support including hot meals, winter clothing, psychological help and other assistance at warm up tents. ** South Sudan In South Sudan, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is deeply concerned by reports of significant military confrontations between armed forces aligned with the main parties to the peace agreement in Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria. This surge in conflict, which includes aerial bombardments of civilian areas, comes in the aftermath of efforts to diverge from the peace framework established by the Revitalized Peace Agreement. The Mission urges South Sudan's leaders to immediately cease hostilities, de-escalate tensions, and to advance reconciliation and peace through inclusive dialogue under the framework of the peace agreement. Strong leadership and decisive, consensus-based action is needed now, more than ever, to prevent the current crisis from deepening and to ensure that the peace and prosperity so deserved by the people of South Sudan is finally delivered, the Mission added. And on the humanitarian side, our colleagues at OCHA warn that an already dire humanitarian crisis, marked by food insecurity, disease outbreaks and the impact of catastrophic floods, is worsening following renewed fighting in Jonglei State over the past week. Since late last month, more than 180,000 people, mostly women, children and older people, have been forced to flee their homes in Jonglei, according to the Government. Many have sought refuge in remote areas, while others have fled to neighbouring states. As humanitarian needs continue to rise, already overstretched operations are under increasing strain. At least four health facilities have been looted, leaving more than 100,000 people without access to essential services. Restrictions on movement by air, river and road in several areas have obstructed the delivery of life saving assistance. While several humanitarian organizations have temporarily relocated staff, around 15 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) continue to be present in the area. We and our partners are engaging with local authorities to ensure the protection of civilians and aid workers, as well as to secure safe, unhindered humanitarian access to people in need. ** Mozambique From Mozambique, our OCHA colleagues tell us that more than half a million people have been affected by recent floods in southern and central provinces. Heavy rains since mid-December have caused widespread flooding in the provinces of Gaza, Maputo and Sofala. Authorities report that more than 510,000 people have been affected so far, with major damage to health facilities and roads. Nearly 5,000 kilometres of roads have sustained damage across nine provinces of Mozambique, with the main road connecting the capital, Maputo, to the rest of the country now inaccessible. Supply chain lines are significantly disrupted, and authorities report the loss of more than 27,000 heads of livestock. The Government is leading the response. On Saturday, it formally requested UN support for search-and-rescue operations, preventative evacuations, damage assessment and the provision of temporary shelters. Evacuations continue and 50 temporary accommodation centres nationwide are hosting more than 50,000 people. We and our partners are scaling up life-saving assistance, focusing on easing overcrowding in accommodation centres, particularly in Gaza Province, as assessments continue in hard-to-reach areas. Additional funding is urgently needed to sustain the humanitarian response. Meanwhile, OCHA is engaging with countries across Southern Africa including Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini which are also experiencing severe flooding. ** Capital Punishment Our human rights colleagues say that while the overall global trend continues to move towards universal abolition of the death penalty, last year, the world has witnessed a sharp increase in the number of executions. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says the global increase is driven in particular by a growing number of executions for drug-related offences not involving intentional killing. Our colleagues also point out that several States took encouraging steps in 2025, including by reducing the number of offences punishable by death. In a statement, the High Commissioner, Volker Turk, reiterated his call for all States that retain the death penalty to establish an immediate moratorium on executions, commute all existing death sentences, and move towards full abolition. ** Contingent-Owned Equipment I wanted to flag that starting today and until 30 January, we are hosting the Contingent-Owned Equipment Working Group, here at UN Headquarters. This meeting of Member States reviews policies on equipment and services in support of uniformed personnel deployed to peacekeeping missions. And as you can imagine, the goal is to ensure that operations remain effective, safe, and cost-efficient. The working group is chaired by Major General Silver Moses Kayemba of Uganda, and their discussions will address innovative proposals, from counter-drone systems and modular hospitals to advanced monitoring technologies. All of this with the aim of enhancing safety, transparency, and cost-effectiveness, including rates of reimbursement for equipment based on utilization indicators. The proposals recommended from this meeting will shape peacekeeping capabilities for the next three years, when the next Contingent-Owned Working Group meeting is scheduled. ** Guest Tomorrow, our guest will be Kaveh Madani, Director of the UN University's Institute for Water, Environment and Health and lead author of the report entitled "Global Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era". He will be here to speak to you about that report. ** Honour Roll And last, we would like to say thank you to our friends in Bridgetown and Amsterdam for their full payment to the Regular Budget. The payments from Barbados and the Netherlands brings the number of Member States on the Honour Roll to 17. Yes, Dezhi? ** Questions and Answers Question : Several questions on the Board of Peace. First, has the Secretary-General received any invitation to be on that board? Deputy Spokesman : I'm not aware of any communication that we've received on any of this. Question : Secondly, what's the reaction from the Secretary-General that, if you want to maintain a permanent member in that board, you have to pay up to... not up to, but actually $1 billion in the first year of the membership? Deputy Spokesman : We've seen these reports. We can't confirm this. Obviously, the United Nation has no... Correspondent : This is charter of the Board of Peace. Deputy Spokesman : Obviously, different groupings have their own rules, their own bylaws, and so forth. We don't comment on other groups and their rules. Obviously, that's something for anyone participating in those groupings to consider. Question : Is that the right approach here? This is the Board of Peace that has been welcomed by the Secretary-General, right, if I remember correctly? Deputy Spokesman : The Board of Peace has been authorized by the Security Council for its work on Gaza strictly for that. We're not talking about the wider operations or any of the aspects that have been in the media for the last several days. What we're talking about is the work on Gaza. As you know, we have welcomed the ceasefire in Gaza and measures to support it, including the Board of Peace, and we'll continue to work with all parties on the ground to make sure that the ceasefire is upheld. That is about Gaza. The larger aspects are things for anyone wanting to participate in this grouping to consider. Obviously, the UN has its own Charter, its own rules, and you can do your own compare-and-contrast between the respective organizations. Question : Since you mentioned about the assertion lately in the media, is this Board of Peace can be a substitute or replacement of the Security Council or UN itself? How would you define the relationship between the UN body and this Board of Peace now? Deputy Spokesman : As you're well aware, the UN has coexisted alongside any number of organizations. There are regional organizations, subregional organizations, various defence alliances around the world. Some of them, we have relationship agreements with. Some of them, we don't. We would have to see in terms of details what the Board of Peace becomes as it actually is established to know what sort of relationship we would have with it. Question : Does the Secretary-General intend to work with the Board of Peace on the particular issue of Gaza? Deputy Spokesman : You've seen what the Security Council resolution has been, and obviously we work in line with that resolution. Yes, Pam and then Sinan. Question : Thank you, Farhan. Since the Secretary-General's speech in Davos, the speech on the eightieth anniversary talked about the... and his interview talked about, and you mentioned it, the inefficiency of the Security Council. Is there a plan that he favours? I know it's up to the Security Council itself, but is there a plan that he feels would be more efficient in terms of membership in the Security Council? Has he stated any preference? Deputy Spokesman : Well, you've heard him state several times the need for greater inclusiveness of the Security Council. But, there are... Question : But, there are a lot of plans out there. Is it permanent members, non-voting? Deputy Spokesman : It's not the role of the Secretary-General to advocate for one Member State plan over another Member State plan. Obviously, under the Charter, the Member States themselves have to agree on any amendments to the Charter, which would include any changes in the composition of the Security Council. They've... Correspondent : And I... Deputy Spokesman : Excuse me. Please. Let me continue. Correspondent : Sorry. Deputy Spokesman : They've done that in the past. The Security Council started with 11 members, when the UN was created. It went up to 15. That entailed one set of reforms. It's clear and indeed overdue that there's time for another set of reforms. It's been discussed for many years, but the Secretary-General wants there to be a broader representation so the more countries can feel that they are included in the Security Council. The specifics [are] left to the Member States. Question : And since he did go ahead and call it inefficient, is there any sense of what he considers that they would do that would make it more efficient to certain countries? No specifics? Deputy Spokesman : Well, just go over what he's been saying. He's made many different speeches and remarks about the Security Council about the ways that its small representation, the heritage in terms of the World War II era composition of the Council has created and the need to adapt to the changing times. He's also talked, as you're well aware, of the difficulties that occur when the vetoes have been used and have created disunity in the council. From there, you can see that there are ways to deal with those issues, and Member States have proposed different ways, and we leave the matter in their hands. Okay, Sinan? Question : Thank you, Farhan, from Spot Press Corp. I have a few questions. First thing, as you know, there was a ceasefire agreement was signed between SDF [Syrian Democratic Forces] and Damascus yesterday, but the Syrian Democratic Forces say that they were forced to sign this agreement because of the war imposed on them by regional powers and actors in Syria, which disregards them and eliminates their rights. What does Secretary-General think about the agreement signed at the gunpoint in Syria? Deputy Spokesman : Well, obviously, we are thankful for the leaders both of the Syrian Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces for working together to reach an agreement. From our standpoint, the Secretary-General calls for all violence to cease, for civilians to be protected, for a focus on ensuring security and countering Da'esh, and for the parties to move forward in good faith with a determination to ensuring the full implementation of the agreement. I do expect that we may have a statement later today with more on this. Question : Just a follow-up. Basically, the Kurds in Syria says what we see is like a jungle laws in Syria happening. What does the Secretary-General think about that? Deputy Spokesman : Anytime we can get parties to come to the negotiating table together and work out agreements, that is a step away from the laws of the jungle. And so, we encourage those sorts of negotiations. Correspondent : One more and then I'm done. Deputy Spokesman : But your colleague would also like a question, I think. Let's go to him first. Namo? Question : Thank you. He has some very good questions that I had, as well. So, I'm going to ask two questions that he didn't ask. SDF says it's lost control of a major prison in Syria, which houses thousands of ISIS prisoners or suspected ISIS members. Does the United Nations know anything about this? And how concerned are you is the Secretary-General? Deputy Spokesman : Well, I mean, we want to make sure that nothing that's happened in last weeks of fighting impedes the unified effort to deal with Da'esh. And so, we don't want to see any sort of outcome which would allow Da'esh fighters to escape or to reorganize in different parts of Syria. We don't have any firsthand information about any escapes. Question : Just like a broader kind of question. What's the Secretary-General's view of the role that Kurdish fighters played in the fight against the Islamic State? And how does he feel now seeing them, that these same men and women being attacked by forces, Islamist forces really affiliated with the Damascus Government, the interim Damascus Government? Deputy Spokesman : We've stated again and again that we wanted the fighting to stop between the Syrian Armed Forces and the SDF. And, obviously, if this measure holds and can be implemented fully, we hope that that would lead to an end to that sort of fighting. Yes? Question : Thanks, Farhan. What is the Secretary-General doing to mediate the growing crisis between the United States and Europe? Deputy Spokesman : This is not some situation in which the Secretary-General has been given a role to play. Obviously, it's very clear from his standpoint what he believes needs to happen. You know that the UN Charter enshrines the sovereignty of Member States and the territorial integrity of Member States, and it also speaks about the right of self-determination, and those are important things to preserve and protect as we move forward. Before we go to you, we'll go to the screens. Abdelhamid? Question : Yes. Thank you, Farhan. In Lebanon, the geography book of sixth grade that run by UNRWA, they discovered that the word Palestine has been completely removed, and they replaced it with the West Bank and Gaza. There is riots in Lebanon. They started burning the book. How could that happen under the eyes of the Secretary-General and he let it go? And if not, why not? Why he didn't follow such a major development that attacks the Palestinian with their culture and history? Deputy Spokesman : These books are worked out by educators on the ground who work with the UN Relief and Works Agency. So that's really a question to ask for UNRWA on the ground, and they can provide you with some details about how they interact. But, those are decisions being made by the educators and by the people who write those textbooks. Question : My second question, Farhan, although your answer is not satisfactory because the SG has to say something about this development, I don't accept that's UNRWA alone should give me the answer, but the SG himself. And the second is every single day, Israel attacks Libya. Every single day. And it's becoming normal. Are the UN living with this development that it's okay if Israel attacks Lebanon the way they attack Gaza, every single day? Deputy Spokesman : It's clearly not okay. We have mentioned repeatedly the violations of the Blue Line. We have urged the parties to adhere to the ceasefire agreement and respect the Blue Line, and we'll continue to monitor the situation, including through the special coordinator in Lebanon as well as through our peacekeeping force, UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon]. Yes. Sinan, and then Linda. Question : Thank you, Farhan. Civilians says, I mean, some civilians yesterday since yesterday, they say they've been displaced fifth time since the war has started in Syria. What is Secretary-General's message to civilians in Syria? Deputy Spokesman : Our message to them is, we are working to alleviate the humanitarian conditions on the ground, and we are hoping that this ceasefire agreement, that this agreement will be respected, will be implemented, and that they can all return to their homes. Linda? Question : Thank you, Farhan. Regarding the SG, I gather he's not feeling great at the moment. But, are there any plans whatsoever for him to travel to Washington to perhaps meet, try again to meet with top US officials or Congress? Deputy Spokesman : He always visits Washington, D.C., each year and meets with officials there and we expect that to happen. I don't have announcement to make at this point. Yes? Question : Does the Secretary-General have anything to say on the high-speed train crash in Spain? Deputy Spokesman : Our hearts go out to the families of those who have lost loved ones in this crash, and our thoughts and prayers go to them and to the Government and people of Spain. Have a good afternoon, everyone. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Despite funding cuts, UNHCR responded to multiple complex emergencies last year UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Press releases 19 January 2026 GENEVA - Even as severe funding cuts put further pressure on humanitarian resources, UNHCR responded last year to a range of highly complex new emergencies as well as intensifying protracted crises that forced millions of people from their homes, according to UNHCR's 2025 Impact Report: Response to New Emergencies and Protracted Crises, released today. The report notes that continued attention to solutions will be important, as ongoing conflicts and instability may contribute to additional displacement and affect the conditions faced by people already displaced. Throughout 2025, UNHCR teams delivered life-saving protection and assistance across some of the world's most challenging crises. From supporting people fleeing renewed violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo into neighbouring Burundi and Uganda, to assisting those escaping fresh hostilities within and beyond South Sudan; from protecting millions of Afghans who have returned or been forced to return from the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan, UNHCR remained present where needs were most acute. At the same time, long-running crises deepened. Ongoing conflict in Sudan, intensified attacks on Ukraine, and escalating armed confrontations in Colombia continued to drive repeated and secondary displacement, compounding vulnerabilities for millions of already displaced people. "In 2025, displacement occurred amid protracted conflict, recurrent disasters, and new outbreaks of violence and other emerging crises," said Ayaki Ito, UNHCR's Director of Emergency and Programme Support. "In this environment, UNHCR teams continued to respond to the needs of people forced to flee, even as severe resource constraints limited our capacity." UNHCR's emergency assistance included supplying clean water to half a million people in Sudan, financial assistance to half a million Afghan returnees and 120,000 Syrian returnees, and over a million services for those displaced inside Ukraine and in refugee-hosting countries. During the year, UNHCR managed or responded to 24 active emergency declarations across 16 countries, including 10 new emergencies. Of the new declarations, seven were among the most severe, complex and large-scale emergencies UNHCR addressed last year, requiring extensive responses in highly challenging environments, such as Sudan and neighbouring South Sudan and Chad. Emergency preparedness and response rely heavily on adequate funding, and reduced resources significantly constrained the speed, scale and reach of life-saving assistance in 2025. Turning to 2026, ongoing conflict and instability in countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Ukraine and Venezuela are expected to drive new displacement or further strain already vulnerable populations. These situations together affect nearly 52 million forcibly displaced people and represent one third of UNHCR's global funding requirements for 2026. Humanitarian needs are expected to grow significantly this year. "The risks ahead are clear," Ito said. "Conflicts are intensifying, driving new displacement and deepening the suffering of millions of people who are already displaced and have lost everything. The international community must remain engaged and address the root causes of displacement, and in the meantime, UNHCR will continue offering its expertise, networks and tools to prepare for crises, respond with life-saving interventions and build pathways to self-reliance and solutions." Through its Emergency Response Mechanism (ERM), UNHCR leverages flexible funding to strengthen global preparedness and act immediately in the first critical hours of an emergency. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen: Children are dying and it's going to get worse, warns aid veteran By Daniel Johnson in Geneva 19 January 2026 - In Yemen, renewed political instability and economic woes linked to the war threaten to complicate the already difficult task of helping vulnerable people suffering from deepening hunger, illness and displacement, the UN's top aid official there said on Monday. "The simple narrative is, children are dying and it's going to get worse," said Julien Harneis, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen. "My fear is that we won't hear about it until the mortality and the morbidity significantly increases in this next year." The alert follows an attempt by forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to expand their presence in the resource-rich and strategically important eastern governorates of Hadramout and Al Mahra, a move reportedly reversed earlier this month by Government-aligned forces backed by Saudi Arabia. The latest crisis comes after well over a decade of fighting between Houthi-led forces - who control the capital, Sana'a - and the internationally recognized government in Aden, backed by a Saudi-led military coalition. Complex operating environment "It's an extraordinarily complicated situation," Mr. Harneis told journalists in Geneva. "Just in the last month in Aden, we went through a situation where you have the Government of Yemen in charge, then over 48 hours, the Southern Transitional [Council] situation took over the whole of the Government of Yemen areas, including areas they've never been in." Just four weeks later, however, a delegation from the STC released a statement while in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, announcing that they had in fact "dissolved" their movement, allowing the Government in Yemen to retake the recently captured areas. "But at the same time, we've got demonstrations in Aden saying that, 'No, we're not [disbanded], we're still there,'" Mr. Harneis explained. Last week, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg told the Security Council that this latest political and security upheaval underscored how quickly stability could unravel without a credible, inclusive political process to bring a negotiated end to the debilitating war. Securing a peaceful future for the people of Yemen and providing lifesaving help has also been complicated by the ongoing detention of UN staff and diplomatic workers, among others, by Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran and control Sana'a. Mr. Harneis described the torment for the families of the 69 staff members still being held: "It's terrible for them; some families haven't seen their loved ones in five years. They don't know the conditions of their detention, they don't know where they are, they don't know if they're going to be sentenced to death in the coming days." Millions going hungry Latest UN data shows that more than 20 million Yemenis - about half the population - will face acute food insecurity next month, while tens of thousands could face famine-like conditions. "We are expecting things to be much worse in 2026," Mr. Harneis said. The country's health system is also collapsing. More than 450 facilities have already closed and thousands more are at risk of losing funding. Vaccination programmes are also under threat and only two-thirds of Yemen's children are fully immunised, largely owing to a lack of access in the north. "The way that economic and political decisions are playing out...food insecurity is only getting worse across all parts of the country", the UN aid official maintained. "We're going to see a major change where the health system is not going to be supported in the way it has been in the past." Despite access restrictions, UN partners reached 3.4 million people with food assistance last year, along with emergency support during floods and disease outbreaks. The UN has been working in Yemen since the 1960s, helping to make development gains and protect the country's most vulnerable people. "And then suddenly in the last couple of years this breakdown...inexplicably," Mr. Harneis said. "That has a terrifying effect on the humanitarian workers." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World News in Brief: Food insecurity in Lebanon, Libya migrants freed, UNHCR tackles multiple emergencies - despite cuts 19 January 2026 - Since 2026, nearly 17 percent of Lebanon's population has been living in a state of major food insecurity - a situation that is likely to worsen in the coming year. According to the latest UN-backed IPC Food Security Phase Classification report, around 874,000 people are facing crisis or emergency levels of acute food insecurity between November 2025 and March 2026. Certain districts and areas have been more severely affected, particularly parts of Baalbek and El Hermel, Akkar, Baabda, Zahle, Saida, Bint Jbeil, Marjayoun, El Nabatieh, Tyre, and refugee communities. This is the first assessment to include people who arrived from Syria after December 2024, recognising shifting displacement patterns and new vulnerabilities. Assistance is essential Looking ahead, the situation is expected to worsen rapidly due to a combination of factors, including reduced food assistance, economic pressures, and rising living costs. Between April and July 2026, food insecurity will rise to 961,000 people, nearly 18 per cent of the population, according to the IPC report. "People's needs remain high, and predictable assistance will be essential to help people meet basic food needs and prevent further deterioration." said Anne Valand, WFP representative and country director in Lebanon. Migrants freed from abusive detention sites in eastern Libya The UN migration agency (IOM) has deployed emergency teams to eastern Libya to assist hundreds of migrants released from illegal detention sites where they were held in appalling conditions. Libyan authorities last week closed an unlawful detention facility in Ajdabiya, leading to the release of 195 migrants and the recovery of 21 bodies from a nearby burial site. Initial investigations indicate the victims had been held captive and subjected to torture to extort ransom payments from their families. Buried underground In a separate operation in Kufra, security forces uncovered an underground detention site three metres below ground. A total of 221 migrants and refugees were freed, including women and children, among them a one-month-old baby. At least ten people were transferred to hospital for urgent treatment after being held for prolonged periods in grossly inhumane conditions. "These shocking cases highlight the severe risks faced by migrants who fall prey to criminal networks operating along migration routes," said Nicoletta Giordano, IOM's Chief of Mission in Libya. IOM teams are providing medical screenings, referring urgent cases to hospitals and distributing warm clothing to survivors. The agency welcomed efforts by Libyan authorities to rescue victims and launch investigations, while stressing the need to strengthen protection systems, dismantle trafficking networks and ensure accountability for perpetrators. UNHCR responds to mounting crises despite funding shortfalls Despite severe funding shortfalls, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, responded to a surge of complex emergencies and deepening long-running crises last year, according to its newly released 2025 Impact Report: Response to New Emergencies and Protracted Crises. Throughout 2025, agency teams provided protection and assistance in some of the world's most volatile settings. They supported people fleeing renewed violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo into Burundi and Uganda, assisted those escaping fresh fighting in and beyond South Sudan, and helped millions of Afghans returning or being forced back from Iran and Pakistan. Protracted crises also worsened. Ongoing conflict in Sudan, intensified attacks on Ukraine and escalating violence in Colombia triggered repeated displacement, further eroding already fragile living conditions. Positive response "In 2025, displacement occurred amid protracted conflict, recurrent disasters, and new outbreaks of violence," said Ayaki Ito, UNHCR's Director of Emergency and Programme Support. "In this environment, UNHCR teams continued to respond to the needs of people forced to flee, even as severe resource constraints limited our capacity." Emergency support included clean water for half a million people in Sudan, cash assistance for Afghan and Syrian returnees, and more than a million services for displaced people inside Ukraine and in neighbouring host countries. UNHCR warned that humanitarian needs are set to rise further in 2026 as conflicts continue to drive displacement affecting nearly 52 million people. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Mozambique, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Occupied Palestinian Territory Ceasefire reaches 100-day mark, but aid still struggles to reach civilians OCHA reports that the ceasefire agreement - which has crossed the 100-day mark - must hold so that more civilian lives can be saved. The scale-up of humanitarian work continues to be held back by restrictions and impediments, with recent harsh weather also setting back some of the progress. In a statement issued today, the World Food Programme warned of how fragile the situation remains, even as the agency reaches more than one million people every month through food parcels, bread bundles, hot meals and school meals - making real progress in pushing back famine. WFP called for additional safe humanitarian corridors from Egypt and Jordan, and along the Salah Ad Din road inside Gaza, to increase volumes and reduce insecurity. Yesterday, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and UNRWA launched the second round of a routine immunization catch-up campaign, together with humanitarian partners and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. This round will run until next Thursday and aims to further protect children under three from vaccine-preventable diseases. The campaign is being delivered by 170 teams at nearly 130 health facilities, with seven mobile teams deployed to hard-to-reach areas. A third and final round is planned for April 2026. In the West Bank, OCHA says Israeli forces have placed an estimated 25,000 Palestinians under curfew in parts of the Israeli-controlled H2 area of Hebron city, as they launched a large-scale operation today. Initial reports point to a heavy deployment of military vehicles and snipers on rooftops, as well as the closure of six internal roads. As a result, four bakeries have been forced to suspend their operations, and two shops where about 4,000 people regularly obtain essential supplies through UN-issued vouchers remain closed. Education in more than a dozen schools has also been suspended, affecting thousands of students. OCHA adds that the area has been affected by a major electricity cut since the weekend, following damage to a local power station. With the curfew now in place, efforts are underway to allow technicians into the area to restore electricity. Steps are also being taken to facilitate emergency medical evacuations and for students to attend school online where possible. Meanwhile, families are confined to their homes, making it difficult for them to access food, medicine and other essential supplies. *Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza with urgent support. Mozambique More than 500,000 people affected as floods batter Mozambique OCHA reports that more than half a million people have been impacted by recent floods in southern and central provinces. Heavy rains since mid-December have caused widespread flooding in the provinces of Gaza, Maputo and Sofala. Authorities report that more than 510,000 people have been affected so far, with major damage to health facilities and roads. Nearly 5,000 kilometres of roads have sustained damage across nine provinces of Mozambique, with the main road connecting the capital Maputo to the rest of the country now inaccessible. Supply chains are significantly disrupted and authorities report the loss of more than 27,000 heads of livestock. The Government is leading the response. On 17January, it formally requested UN support for search-and-rescue operations, preventative evacuations, damage assessment and the provision of temporary shelters. Evacuations continue, and 50 temporary accommodation centres nationwide are hosting more than 50,000 people. The UN and its partners are scaling up life-saving assistance, focusing on easing overcrowding in accommodation centres, particularly in Gaza Province, as assessments continue in hard-to-reach areas. Additional funding is urgently needed to sustain the humanitarian response. Meanwhile, OCHA is engaging with countries across Southern Africa - including Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini - which are also experiencing severe flooding. South Sudan UN warns of deepening humanitarian crisis as renewed fighting hits Jonglei OCHA warns that an already dire humanitarian crisis - marked by food insecurity, disease outbreaks and the impact of catastrophic floods - is worsening following renewed fighting in Jonglei State over the past week. Since late last month, more than 180,000 people - mostly women, children and older people - have been forced to flee their homes in Jonglei, according to the Government. Many have sought refuge in remote areas, while others have fled to neighbouring states. As humanitarian needs continue to rise, already overstretched operations are under increasing strain. At least four health facilities have been looted, leaving more than 100,000 people without access to essential services. Restrictions on movement by air, river and road in several areas have obstructed the delivery of life-saving assistance. While several humanitarian organizations have temporarily relocated staff, around 15 NGOs continue to be present. The UN and our partners are engaging with local authorities to ensure the protection of civilians and aid workers, as well as to secure safe, unhindered humanitarian access to people in need. In a statement issued over the weekend, the Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, Anita Kiki Gbeho, called for immediate protection of civilians and unhindered humanitarian access amid escalating violence in Jonglei State. *Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in South Sudan with urgent support. Syria UN supports civilians as families continue to flee clashes, services disrupted across northern Syria OCHA indicates that the UN and its partners continue to provide humanitarian aid following recent clashes in Aleppo, Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor and Al Hassakeh governorates. In Deir-ez-Zor city, public services have been suspended and key transport routes temporarily closed, cutting civilians off from education and healthcare. In Ar-Raqqa city, damage to critical infrastructure has curtailed access between neighborhoods and disrupted the main water supply. People continue to flee the cities of Ar-Raqqa and Tabqa, as well as Thawra town, towards Al-Hasakeh and Qamishli governorates. Hundreds of families remain unable to leave Tabqa and are sheltering in public facilities. Newly displaced families are facing harsh winter conditions, as well as acute shortages of food, shelter, tents and heating fuel. The UN and its partners continue to respond where access permits and are providing trauma care, water and hygiene support, and psychosocial support. Humanitarians are also conducting assessments to understand what people need and are continuing to call for sustained, safe humanitarian access. Ukraine Energy facilities hit again amid sub-zero temperatures OCHA reports that over the weekend, attacks on energy infrastructure continued amid freezing temperatures. Between 16 and 19 January, authorities reported at least nine civilians were killed and more than 50 injured across multiple regions, including Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernihiv, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy. Strikes further damaged energy infrastructure, leading to widespread power outages, including in Russian-occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Nationwide scheduled power outages continue as temperatures have dropped to around -20C. In front-line areas, attacks have also drive more people from their homes. Between 16 and 19 January, more than 1,300 people - including 170 children - were evacuated from the Donetsk region. The UN and its partners continue providing support - including hot meals, winter clothing, psychological help and other assistance at warm-up tents - across Ukraine. *Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Ukraine with urgent support. Posted on 19 January 2026 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rapid Support Forces Abuses Repeated "Town after Town" in Darfur, International Criminal Court Deputy Prosecutor Tells Security Council, Citing Mass Crimes Meetings Coverage Security Council 10092nd Meeting (AM) SC/16277 19 January 2026 The gruesome crisis in Sudan has "darkened even further" in the last six months, the Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said today, citing a pattern of large-scale crimes against humanity that is being repeated "in town after town" across the country's Darfur region. "Darfuris, as we speak, are being subjected to collective torture [...] including rape, arbitrary detention, executions and mass graves, all perpetrated on a mass scale," said Nazhat Shameem Khan, the Court's second-in-command. "The picture that is emerging is appalling." Describing her Office's ongoing collection of evidence and intensifying investigations into alleged crimes committed in West Darfur and in the city of El Fasher which was seized by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters in October 2025 she cited video, audio and satellite data clearly indicating that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed. In some footage, she said, RSF fighters are seen celebrating executions of non-Arabs and desecrating corpses. Her Office is also analysing evidence of mass crimes committed in 2023 in the West Darfur town of El Geneina, which are now being mirrored in El Fasher. "This criminality is being repeated in town after town in Darfur," she said, warning that it will continue until the conflict, and the sense of impunity that fuels it, come to an end. Among several landmark strides made by the Court in its Darfur case, she noted the first conviction resulting from a referral by the Security Council and its first conviction on grounds of gender-based persecution. In late 2025, the Court unanimously indicted Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman also known as Ali Kushayb, a senior commander of the notorious Janjaweed militia for crimes against humanity and subsequently sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Noting that she would have preferred to brief the Council in person but had been denied a visa by the host country, she urged States not to frustrate the Court's work and to support its investigations. Council members also took the floor to outline their positions. Justice "Must Be Served to the Sudanese People" "The humanitarian disaster in Darfur is catastrophic and unprecedented," said Greece's representative. He joined other speakers in welcoming the indictment and sentencing of Mr. Al-Rahman, adding: "It sends therefore a powerful message [...] to the affected communities and to the international community on what can be achieved on the basis of the referrals and the common action between the Security Council and the [Court]." The representatives of Denmark and Latvia were among those speakers who underlined the importance of accountability to a peaceful future in Sudan. While welcoming the Sudanese Government's increased cooperation and engagement, the former called for renewed efforts to arrest other fugitives sought by the Court. The representative of France agreed, describing the extreme suffering of civilians in Sudan as "the fruit of absolute scorn for international law" by the warring parties. "Justice must be served to the Sudanese people," he said, adding that is exactly what the International Criminal Court is working to do. Visa Denial Preventing Deputy Prosecutor's Attendance Draws Criticism Turning to the sanctioning of the Court's senior officials, he reminded the United States of its responsibilities as host country of the United Nations, joining others including the representatives of the United Kingdom, Panama and Colombia in voicing regret that the Deputy Prosecutor was prevented from attending the Council meeting in person. "Accountability for serious crimes committed against civilians is indispensable in order to break cycles of violence and deter future atrocities," agreed the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,alsospeaking on behalf of Liberia and Somalia. In addition, he stressed: "We must scrutinize the role of external actors in fuelling the conflict and monitor these destructive roles with transparency." Pakistan's delegate commended Sudan's cooperation with the Court, declaring: "The brotherly people of Sudan deserve peace, justice and dignity." Moreover, the Court's credibility and moral authority rests on its objectivity, impartiality and non-discrimination. "Selectivity and double standards erode trust and credibility," he warned. Judicial Sovereignty of Sudan Should Be Respected Several other speakers also underlined the need for the Court to fully respect Sudan's legal prerogatives, as well as those of other nations. "The judicial sovereignty of Sudan should be respected," said Bahrain's delegate. The Court must also respect the Rome Statute's complementarity principle, which defines the key role of national judicial authorities. China's representative said his country's position on the Court's work remains unchanged. "When dealing with international and regional hotspot issues, the Court should maintain an independent, objective and impartial stance at all times [...] and avoid politicization and double standards." The Court should fully respect Sudan's sovereignty and avoid inappropriate interventions that could exacerbate tensions. Other speakers took an even harder line. The Russian Federation's delegate said that, 20 years after the Council referred the situation in Darfur to the Court, the handing down of a single judgment against one defendant is now being presented as a "supposedly great victory". She went on to reject the Court's "inflated" budget and its Deputy Prosecutor's briefing as a waste of the Council's time. The representative of the United States said that while the crisis in Sudan merits the Council's attention, "it is unfortunate that the [Court's] Deputy Prosecutor, whom the United States has sanctioned for supporting illegitimate ICC actions, was invited to brief today." "We will not tolerate a Court that seeks to undermine United States sovereignty," he said. However, his country remains committed to ending the conflict and tackling external military support to the warring parties. Crimes by Rapid Support Forces Fuelled by External Sponsors Sudan's delegate vowed that achieving justice and combating impunity remain central objectives for his Government. Detailing atrocities committed by RSF, which has made bloodshed and terror its "modus operandi", he said these crimes would not have occurred without the sponsorship, support and encouragement provided by "a certain State known to you". In that vein, he urged the Court to extend its investigations to all those who have supported or colluded with RSF, and to media organizations including the United Arab Emirates' Sky News Arabia which contribute to "whitewashing the militia's crimes". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Food insecurity in Lebanon remains fragile despite signs of easing as the country enters the new year, new analysis shows World Food Programme 19 January 2026 Around 17 percent of the population remains acutely food insecure amid fragile conditions and risks of deterioration in 2026. BEIRUT -- The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), has launched the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis covering the period from November 2025 to July 2026, with technical support from the IPC Global Support Unit (GSU). As Lebanon enters the new year, the analysis shows that food insecurity remains fragile and highly sensitive to shocks, despite some easing observed under current conditions. According to the report, around 874,000 people - approximately 17 percent of the population analysed - are facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or Emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels of acute food insecurity between November 2025 and March 2026. While this reflects a relative stabilisation compared to previous periods, the situation does not indicate a sustained recovery. Many households remain close to critical thresholds and highly vulnerable to economic, political, and security shocks. Food insecurity continues to affect certain districts and vulnerable population groups more severely. Persistent pressure is observed in parts of Baalbek and El Hermel, Akkar, Baabda, Zahle, Saida, Bent Jbeil, Marjayoun, El Nabatieh, and Tyre, as well as among refugee communities. For the first time, the assessment also includes people arriving from Syria after December 2024, reflecting evolving displacement dynamics and the need to better capture emerging vulnerabilities. These areas continue to experience compounded pressures from conflict impacts, displacement, limited livelihood recovery, and constrained access to essential services. Looking ahead, IPC projections for April to July 2026 indicate that the number of people facing acute food insecurity is expected to increase to around 961,000 people - approximately 18 percent of the population analysed. This projected deterioration is driven primarily by anticipated reductions in humanitarian food assistance, alongside persistent economic pressures, high living costs, slow recovery of livelihoods, ongoing displacement, and delayed reconstruction of damaged infrastructure. The analysis highlights the slow and uneven recovery of agricultural livelihoods. Damage to irrigation systems, roads, and storage facilities, rising input costs, and recurrent drought continue to constrain production, particularly in the Bekaa and southern regions. These challenges were further exacerbated by an exceptionally dry 2024-2025 season, which reduced water availability for key crops. In this context, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Nizar Hani, affirmed that the findings "clearly demonstrate the scale of the remaining challenges facing food security in Lebanon, despite the positive indicators recorded over the past year." He added: "The continued fragility of food security calls on us to work at a faster pace and in a more integrated manner to support the resilience of Lebanese households and strengthen farmers' capacities to withstand climate and economic shocks. Food security cannot be achieved through assistance alone, but rather through strategic investment in local agricultural production, the protection of natural resources, and the empowerment of rural communities to contribute to a more resilient and sustainable national economy. The Ministry of Agriculture is working in coordination with our partners at FAO and WFP to develop effective programmes to rehabilitate agricultural infrastructure, improve production, and enhance access to markets, ensuring a gradual transition from reliance on assistance to sustainable food stability." The Minister concluded by reiterating the Ministry's commitment to strengthening national and international partnerships "to protect the most vulnerable people and to safeguard the agricultural sector as a fundamental pillar of food security and national stability." "Behind these numbers are families who remain one shock away from slipping back into acute food insecurity," said Anne Valand, WFP Representative and Country Director a.i. in Lebanon. "People's needs remain high, and predictable assistance will be essential to help people meet basic food needs and prevent further deterioration." According to Nora Ourabah Haddad, FAO Representative in Lebanon: "While food insecurity trends show a slight 4 percent improvement from the previous IPC round, 17,000 agricultural households are still facing food insecurity. Small-scale farmers remain among the most affected, with around half reporting a decline in their main source of income due to conflict impacts and a prolonged dry spell. Therefore, FAO is prioritizing support to restore agricultural livelihoods and protect farmlands, as sustained investment in agriculture is essential to safeguard recent gains in food security and prevent the projected deterioration in 2026." More than a year after the November 2024 ceasefire, the analysis highlights that Lebanon's food security situation remains highly sensitive to changes in the security and economic context. Economic fragility, delayed reconstruction, ongoing displacement pressures, and shrinking humanitarian resources continue to shape vulnerability across the country. As Lebanon enters 2026, the findings reinforce the need for sustained humanitarian assistance, close monitoring of evolving risks, and coordinated action to protect the most vulnerable people across the country. --ENDs # # # About the World Food Programme (WFP) 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. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media About the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 members, 194 countries and the European Union, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu expresses opposition to Rubio on Qatar, Turkey's inclusion to US 'board of peace': report Global Times By Wang Qi Published: Jan 20, 2026 10:22 AM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday spoked with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressing opposition to Qatar and Turkey's inclusion to the Gaza "board of peace," media reported on Tuesday. The reinforced opposition came "only hours" after Israeli Prime Minister office issued an announcement that Netanyahu had instructed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to express Israel's opposition, the Times of Israel reported. Previously on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister office also criticized over Trump administration's announcement on the composition of a Gaza executive board, claiming it was not coordinated with Israel and ran counter to government policy, media reported. The White House and other sources announced a flurry of appointments and invitations to the organization over the last week, including Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Egyptian president Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, former UK prime minister Tony Blair and the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, the Guardian said. According to a draft charter for the proposed group seen by Bloomberg, US President Donald Trump would serve as its inaugural chairman and would decide on who is invited to be members. Decisions would be taken by a majority, with each member state present getting one vote, but all would be subject to the chairman's approval, per the report. Following US announcement, a small group of senior Israeli cabinet ministers on Sunday decided against reopening the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, bucking US demands that the gate resume operating as envisioned by President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for ending the Gaza war, the Ynet news site reports. The US-launched "board of peace" has also drawn skepticism and controversies beyond Israel. According to the Politico.eu, French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected US' offer to join the "board of peace," as the board's charter "goes beyond the framework of Gaza and raises serious questions, in particular with respect to the principles and structure of the United Nations. Daniel Forti, head of UN affairs at the International Crisis Group, has described the "board of peace" as "a US shortcut in an attempt to wield its veto power on world affairs." Another controversy faced by "board of peace" developing over the $1 billion fee member countries are expected to pay if they want to remain as permanent members beyond three years. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will join but won't pay for the permanent seat, Politico.eu reported. Residents of the Gaza Strip voiced concern and skepticism, warning the initiative could impose external oversight without ensuring civilian protection or a lasting ceasefire, Xinhua reported. Citing a copy of the invitation circulating online, the Times of Israel reported that the signing ceremony of "board of peace" is scheduled for Thursday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times that Turkey and Qatar are the primary representatives in Middle Eastern supporting Islamist forces. On the Palestinian issue, they oppose Israel's Gaza war and have long-standing tensions with Israel. Regarding the 'board of peace,' Liu described it as a mechanism initiated by the US that bypasses the United Nations, carrying a strong personal imprint of the US president as well as an openly commercial, pay-to-play character. "It lacks international authority and legitimacy," Liu said. "It is not centered on the Palestinian issue itself in essence, thus making it difficult to ensure fairness and long-lasting effectiveness." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 2 Chinese nationals injured in deadly Kabul explosion: Xinhua; Chinese embassy issues safety alert Global Times By Global Times Published: Jan 20, 2026 12:00 AM The Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan issued a notice on Monday, once again urging Chinese citizens to refrain from traveling to Afghanistan. The notice came as an explosion struck central Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday, killing at least seven people and injuring 13. Two Chinese nationals were severely injured and rushed to the hospital, Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday. The embassy's notice said that the current security situation in Afghanistan remains complex and severe. In light of the explosion, the embassy reiterated its reminder that Chinese citizens should temporarily avoid traveling to Afghanistan. Chinese nationals and enterprises already in the country are advised to abide by Afghan laws and regulations, respect local religious customs, closely monitor the security situation, and strengthen their safety awareness. They should enhance security measures at their residences and during travel, and minimize visits to crowded places such as restaurants, religious venues, large shopping malls, and markets. Earlier, Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, confirmed to Xinhua that the blast at a restaurant in Kabul Monday afternoon had resulted in casualties. However, Reuters reported that the explosion tore through a hotel in a heavily guarded part of central Kabul on Monday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Explainer: What is Trump's "Board of Peace" People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:02, January 20, 2026 "It's a 'Trump United Nations' that ignores the fundamentals of the U.N. charter," media quoted one diplomat as saying. WASHINGTON/GAZA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced the creation of the Board of Peace for Gaza as the Gaza peace deal reached in October enters its second phase, which focuses on full demilitarization and reconstruction. Over the past few days, a number of world leaders have reportedly received invitations to join the Trump-proposed board. However, a charter of the board -- reportedly attached to the invitation letters and obtained by multiple media outlets -- makes no reference to Gaza. Instead, it outlines a broader vision for the body as a U.S.-controlled organization aimed to help resolve conflicts and wars worldwide, a role the United Nations has played for decades. IS THE BOARD LIMITED TO GAZA? Trump previously proposed the establishment of the Board of Peace as part of a 20-point peace plan to end the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip. Under the ceasefire deal reached in October, the board is meant to support stability, governance, demilitarization and reconstruction in Gaza during the plan's second phase. The newly released charter makes no mention of Gaza. Instead, it describes the board as "an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict." According to The Times of Israel, a mandate of the board was approved by the UN Security Council in November and is limited to Gaza and only until the end of 2027. The newspaper published and verified the full text of the board's chapter over the weekend. WHAT ROLE WOULD TRUMP PLAY? The charter grants sweeping authority to Trump, who would serve as the inaugural chairman of the Board of Peace and also act as the U.S. representative. Membership would be by invitation of the chairman, who would hold key authority over terms, renewals and removals. While decisions would be made by a majority vote of member states, all outcomes would require the chairman's approval. The chairman may cast a tie-breaking vote and has exclusive authority to create, modify or dissolve subsidiary entities, designate a successor, and serve as the final authority regarding the meaning, interpretation and application of the charter. The Board of Peace will have an official seal, subject to the chairman's approval. To carry out the board's vision, an executive committee has been formed, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, among others, the White House said Friday in a statement. Each member will oversee a portfolio covering governance, diplomacy and reconstruction, the statement added. However, Israel on Saturday objected that the committee "was not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy," without specifying the points of disagreement. HOW WOULD MEMBERSHIP BE STRUCTURED? The charter would enter into force upon expression of consent to be bound by three states, according to the published text of the charter. Member states shall serve terms of no more than three years, though countries contributing more than 1 billion U.S. dollars within the first year of the charter's entry into force would secure permanent membership. Each member state would have one vote, but all decisions would still require the chairman's approval. States may withdraw at any time and can be removed by the chairman unless two-thirds of the members veto the move. The charter does not clearly specify how the funds would be used. It merely states that financing will come from "voluntary funding." Hungary and Vietnam have accepted invitations to join the board, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing their respective foreign ministries. Invitations have been addressed to some 60 nations, Reuters reported, citing diplomats. GLOBAL RESPONSE TO THE BOARD Trump's Board of Peace is taking shape with ambitions to have a far broader mandate of global crises, potentially rivaling the United Nations in what would be a major upheaval to the post-World War II international order, an AP report commented on Saturday. "It's a 'Trump United Nations' that ignores the fundamentals of the U.N. charter," Reuters quoted one diplomat as saying. Three other Western diplomats said it appeared likely to undermine the United Nations if it went ahead. A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Guterres "believes Member States are free to associate in different groups" in response to a question about the draft U.S. charter for a Board of Peace. "The United Nations will continue with its mandated work," deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said. The Islamic Jihad Movement said on Saturday it opposed the "Board of Peace," arguing it aligns with Israeli interests and threatens the implementation of a ceasefire. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the "Board of Peace," along with a Palestinian technocratic committee announced earlier last week in Cairo by Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, is part of a U.S. plan to end the conflict. He said Palestinian internal affairs must remain "in the hands of an independent Palestinian body" and reiterated Hamas's commitment to preventing renewed fighting and facilitating reconstruction. "The Board of Peace is emerging within an international framework focused on crisis management rather than addressing core issues such as ending the occupation and guaranteeing Palestinian rights," Gaza-based political analyst Ahed Ferwana said. He added that the absence of guarantees for a permanent ceasefire continues to fuel Palestinian mistrust and cast doubt on the council's ability to gain public confidence. Questions have also been raised about funding and transparency. Analysts note that the charter offers few details on how funds would be used. A commentary by The Atlantic suggested this lack of clarity could leave interested world leaders wondering where, exactly, their money would go. Finally, the cost and structure of membership have drawn scrutiny. Media reports noted that, beyond hefty financial contributions for permanent membership, the charter grants the chairman broad discretion over invitations and renewals, reinforcing critics' concerns over concentrated authority and limited oversight. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 19 January 2026 - Day 1426 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 135 combat clashes. Ukrainian defenders are decisively intercepting the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression. Today, Russian troops launched two missiles and 70 aviation strikes, using two missiles and dropping 70 controlled air bombs. In addition, 4786 kamikaze drones were involved in strikes and carried out 3088 shelling of positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. In the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, since the beginning of the day, the Russian enemy launched one air strike, dropping four controlled bombs, carrying out 74 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements, four of which were from reactive systems of arson fire. In the South Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces 11 times stormed the positions of Ukrainian units near Starica, Prylipka, Vovchanskih Hutoriv, Round, Nesternoy, Degtiarnoy and towards Izbitsky, four clashes are still ongoing. In the Kupans komu direction, the Russian aggressor carried out offensive actions three times in the area of Stepovoi Novoselivka and towards the settlement of Golubivka. In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders nine times attacked the positions of the Defense Forces in the areas of settlements Novoyegorivka, Novoselivka, Shandrigolove, Kolodyazi and Zarichne. Five Russian assaults were repelled by Ukrainian defenders in the Slavic direction - the occupiers tried to advance in the Dronivka area and towards Platonivka. In the Kramators komu direction, Ukrainian units repelled two Russian attacks, towards Privillya and Bondarnoy. In the Konstantinivsky direction, 15 times the Russians went into offensive on the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of the settlements of Kleban-Bik, Yablunivka, Rusin Yar and towards Konstantinovka and Novopavlivka. In the Pokrovsky direction since the beginning of the day, the Russian occupiers tried 34 times to advance on the position of Ukrainian units. The enemy attacked in the areas of settlements Nikanorivka, Rodinske, Mirnograd, Pokrovsk, Kotline, Udacne, Molodetske, Gorihove and towards Phili. In four locations, the fights have not subsided so far. Today in this direction, according to preliminary data, 93 Russian occupiers were defecated, of which 37 - irrevocably. In addition, Ukrainian soldiers destroyed 13 units of automobile equipment, 62 unmanned aircraft, a ground drone, three antennas and a Russian satellite terminal. Also Ukrainian defenders hit four control points of BPLA and eight cover ups for the Russian opponent's personnel. In the Oleksandrivsky direction, the Russian occupiers tried five times to break through the defense of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of the settlements Verbove, Yegorivka and Krasnogirsk. In the Gulyaipil direction, the Russian enemy attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders 20 times in the areas of Gulyaipol, Solodky, and in the direction of Dobropil, Varvarivka and Svyatopetrivka, currently one battle is ongoing. In the orihivs komu direction at the moment boezitknen is not recorded. In the Pridniprovsky direction, Russian forces once tried to improve their position unsuccessfully. In the rest of the directions, there were no special changes. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. Units of the Sever Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Russian troops inflicted losses on the formations of one mechanised brigade, one motorised infantry brigade, one jaeger brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade near Novaya Sech and Miropolye (Sumy region). In Kharkov direction, units of one mechanised brigade of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade have been hit near Okhrimovka, Volchanskiye Khutora, and Neskuchnoye of Kharkov region. The enemy lost more than 170 troops, an armoured fighting vehicle, 16 motor vehicles, one electronic warfare station, and five ammunition and materiel depots. Units of the Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Russian units engaged personnel and hardware of one mechanised brigade, one assault brigade, one airmobile brigade of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade near Kovsharovka, Novoosinovo, Novoplatonovka, Boguslavka, Blagodatovka (Kharkov region), Sosnovoye, Yarovaya, and Krasny Liman in the Donetsk People's Republic. The enemy losses amounted to more than 200 troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, 16 motor vehicles, two field artillery guns, and four ammunition depots. Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Units of two mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, and one mountain assault brigade of the AFU have been hit near Konstantinovka, Krasnotorka, Stepanovka, Reznikovka, and Berestok (Donetsk People's Republic). Up to 225 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, 13 motor vehicles, two artillery guns, and one Grad MLRS vehicle of the AFU have been neutralised. One electronic warfare station, two ammunition and POL depots were neutralised. As a result of resolute actions, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Novopavlovka in the Donetsk People's Republic. Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, one jaeger brigade, one airmobile brigade, one air assault brigade, two assault regiments of the AFU, one marine brigade, and two national guard brigades close to the settlements of Dobropolye, Sergeyevka, Grishino, Novy Donbass, Belitskoye, Sukhetskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Novopodgorodnoye and Demurino (Dnepropetrovsk region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 400 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, and five motor vehicles. The Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of enemy defence. Manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade, two assault brigades, and two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hit near Tsvetkovoye, Komsomolskoye, Vozdvizhevka, Verkhnaya Tersa, and Ternovatoye (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses amounted to more than 270 troops, one tank, four armoured fighting vehicles, 21 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. One ammunition depot was destroyed. As a result of intensive actions, units of the Dnepr Group of Forces liberated Pavlovka in Zaporozhye region. Russian units engaged one mechanised brigade, one mountain assault brigade and one coastal defence brigade of the AFU near Antonovka, Nikolskoye (Kherson region), Orekhov, and Novoyakovlevka (Zaporozhye region). Up to 40 troops, three motor vehicles, two electronic warfare stations, and one materiel depot of the AFU were neutralised. Operational-tactical aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged long-range UAV launching sites, energy and transport infrastructure used in the interests of the AFU, as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed groups and foreign mercenaries in 152 areas. Air defence systems shot down 12 guided aerial bombs, two Neptune long-range guided missiles, and 122 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 670 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 109,900 unmanned aerial vehicles, 646 anti-aircraft missile systems, 27,207 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,643 MLRS fighting vehicles, 32,681 field artillery guns and mortars, and 52,258 units of special military hardware have been neutralised. Poland Stops Cyberattacks on Energy Infrastructure Republic of Poland - The Chancellery of the Prime Minister 15.01.2026 Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with ministers, the heads of security services, and institutions responsible for Poland's energy security. The briefing was related to a cyberattack that occurred at the end of last year. Poland successfully defended itself, and there was no blackout or other negative consequences. The incident was nevertheless treated very seriously. "I have mobilized my ministers and special services to work at full capacity. We must be prepared for any eventuality," the Prime Minister said after the meeting. He also announced additional safeguards, including, among other measures, the Act on the National Cybersecurity System. Cyberattack on CHP Plants and Renewable Energy Sources At the end of 2025, on 29 and 30 December, cyberattacks targeted Poland's energy infrastructure. Certain locations were attacked in a targeted manner, including two combined heat and power (CHP) plants. The attacks also targeted a system enabling the management of electricity generated from renewables (RES), i.e., renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and photovoltaic farms. "Everything indicates that these attacks were prepared by groups directly linked to the Russian services," the Prime Minister said at a press conference following the meeting. He noted that not only energy security, electricity and heat in our homes, was at risk, but also the security of the state. Effective Defense Thanks to Polish Systems Poland successfully defended itself against the cyberattack. There were no negative consequences such as destabilization of the national energy system or a blackout. "The systems we have in Poland today proved effective. At no point was critical infrastructure threatened, meaning the transmission networks and everything that determines the safety of the entire system," the Prime Minister emphasized. The head of government expressed confidence that although Poland's energy system is safe and resilient to this type of interference or attack, it still requires further strengthening. The Government Is Preparing Additional Safeguards The Prime Minister stressed that the cyberattack on energy infrastructure was treated very seriously, and the government is preparing additional protections. Work is nearing completion on the Act on the National Cybersecurity System, which will introduce more stringent requirements for risk management, protection of IT and OT systems (operational technologies), and incident response. "I hope to implement this act as soon as possible. We will be equipping Polish institutions with tools to protect the market against systems and devices that would make it easier for foreign states to interfere and obtain information. We are striving for the autonomy and Polonization of security systems," the Prime Minister emphasized. He expressed hope that the President will sign the act without unnecessary delay. "I have mobilized my ministers and special services to work at full capacity. We must be prepared for any eventuality," the head of government added. The Prime Minister underlined that despite attempts at interference by people most likely linked to a foreign power, yesterday (14 January) Poland reached a record level of energy production in its history: 30 GW. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's Shenzhou-20 return capsule touches down on Earth People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:22, January 19, 2026 JIUQUAN, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The return capsule of the Shenzhou-20 spaceship, carrying no astronauts, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 9:34 a.m. (Beijing Time) on Monday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). An on-site inspection confirmed that the exterior of the Shenzhou-20 return capsule was generally intact and the items inside were in good condition, the CMSA said, noting that the Shenzhou-20 spaceship's return mission was a complete success. The Shenzhou-23 spaceship, which will take over the rolling backup task, has arrived at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the CMSA added. China launched the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship on April 24, 2025, sending three astronauts to its orbiting space station for a six-month mission. However, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, originally scheduled to return the three astronauts to Earth on Nov. 5, failed to meet the requirements for their safe return, according to the CMSA. Tiny cracks have been found in the Shenzhou-20 return capsule's viewport window, which are most probably caused by external impact from space debris, the CMSA said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Department of National Defence begins construction of the Land-Based Test Facility at Hartlen Point in Eastern Passage National Defence News release January 19, 2026 - Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces Providing Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members with the facilities and tools they need to support operations is critical to preparing personnel for the challenges of tomorrow. To help bring the Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) new River-class destroyer (the River-class) into service and support them throughout their lifecycle, the Department of National Defence (DND) is building a Land-Based Test Facility (LBTF) on DND property at Hartlen Point in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia. Construction began in November 2025 and is expected to be completed in early 2028. Construction will be completed by PCL Construction of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and is expected to sustain approximately 200 jobs over the duration of the project. The LBTF design progressed in parallel with the River-class design, as the facility required detailed ship specifications to support combat systems integration. To maintain project timelines while designs advanced, site preparation work began in 2023. Work completed to date includes roadway access, grading, extension of municipal services, culvert installation, a civil package (excavation and backfilling ahead of foundation work), and a concrete package (footings, foundations, retaining walls, and elevator/stair shafts). This phased approach allowed for a seamless transition into full construction and supports the timely delivery of this complex facility. Canada is a maritime nation with the longest coastline of any nation on earth. The new River-class will allow the CAF to continue protecting Canadian waters, contributing to international naval operations, and addressing evolving maritime security challenges on behalf of Canadians. The construction of the LBTF contributes to Canada's commitment to meeting North Atlantic Treaty Organization defence spending targets, supporting economic growth, protecting Canadian sovereignty, and strengthening our ability to work with Allies. Quotes "Having the right infrastructure in place to support a modern naval fleet is mission critical. This facility represents an important step in the River-class destroyer project. Once completed, it will play a vital role in bringing the new ships into service and preparing our personnel to work with the incoming ship systems. Beginning construction on this testing facility is another step forward in providing our Canadian Armed Forces with the capabilities required to protect Canada's sovereignty. The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence Quick facts The Government of Canada is procuring 15 new River-class destroyers for the RCN. This new fleet will upgrade and replace the capabilities of the current Halifax-class frigates and retired Iroquois-class destroyers. Due to the complex nature of the River-class d estroyers' combat systems, they must be integrated and commissioned before being installed on the ships. The LBTF is critical in testing those systems. Of note, this is not a weapons testing facility. The LBTF project footprint is approximately 10 hectares and includes the future LBTF site, access roadway, required security clearances beyond the fence line, and a stormwater outfall control trench. The main building will be 12,567 m2 across two floors and a topside (approximately 9,100 m2 footprint), alongside a 32 m2 gate house and a 271 m2 guard house. Hartlen Point was selected because it is DND-owned, meets security requirements, provides adequate space for all systems in a single location, and is directly on the coastline. The site supports a 130-degree live transmission arc out over the ocean, which is essential for the River-class destroyer combat systems testing requirements. While the Land-Based Test Facility is the first infrastructure project to support the River-class destroyers, additional infrastructure will be required, including jetties, warehouses, training facilities, and more. Defence Construction Canada is the contracting authority for DND infrastructure. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister Sidhu concludes productive trip to Gulf region in United Arab Emirates Global Affairs Canada News release January 19, 2026 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, concluded, on January 13, 2026, his trip to the Gulf region with a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Minister was accompanied on the trip by a high-level Canadian business delegation. Building on the momentum of Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent engagement in the UAE, Minister Sidhu visited the Gulf region to advance Canada's trade diversification, strengthen market access and expand Canada's global competitiveness as Canada works toward doubling non-U.S. exports over the next decade. During the visit, Minister Sidhu and Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Envoy to Canada of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE and Chairman of Dubai Chambers, were present for the signing of a contract between Canadian company Alexa Translations and Al Tamimi & Company. The contract will provide artificial intelligence (AI)-powered legal translation solutions. Other announcements made during the visit to further strengthen commercial cooperation between the two countries include the following: The National Bank of Canada announced it is opening an office in the Dubai International Financial Centre Novisto announced it is establishing a new office in Dubai Silicon Oasis Superheat announced it is registering its Middle East manufacturing entity in the UAE The Minister met with senior government officials and industry leaders to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties while highlighting opportunities for Canadian and UAE companies. He held a series of strategic engagements in the UAE, including meetings with: Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DP World Khaled Al Shamlan Al Marri, Chief Executive Officer of Real Assets at Mubadala Investment Company Minister Sidhu also met with Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the UAE, to discuss the growing Canada-UAE economic relationship, including a planned visit by a UAEbusiness delegation to Canada this year, the signing of the Canada-UAE Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement during Prime Minister Carney's visit to the Gulf region in November 2025 and the launch of negotiations toward a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) that would cut tariffs, eliminate red tape and expand market access for Canadian exporters of goods and services. The Minister engaged directly with partners, including with the Canada-UAE Business Council and the business community in Dubai. These sessions provided platforms for promoting Canada's strengths in AI, advanced manufacturing and aerospace, energy, financial services, infrastructure and mining while supporting Canadian companies looking to expand into the region. The Canadian business delegation that accompanied Minister Sidhu to the Gulf region included representatives of companies working in information and communications technology and AI, clean technology and energy, and infrastructure. The Prime Minister's and Minister's recent trips to the UAE both underscored Canada's commitment to expanding economic partnerships and to ensuring that Canadian businesses are well positioned to compete and succeed globally. Quotes "From advancing trade agreement negotiations to engaging directly with industry leaders across key sectors, we're taking concrete steps to create new commercial opportunities for Canadian businesses and industries. Canada's partnership with the UAE and the wider Gulf region grows stronger every year, reflecting our shared goal of deeper economic collaboration. I look forward to building on this momentum and to continuing to showcase the innovation, talent and expertise Canada brings to the world." - Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade Quick facts The UAE is Canada's top Middle East market and a global investment hub. In 2024, Canada-UAE merchandise trade was valued at $3.4 billion, comprising $2.6 billion in exports from Canada and $801.8 million in imports to Canada. In November 2025, Canada welcomed the UAE's historic decision to invest $70 billion in Canada. Canada is conducting public consultations until January 27, 2026, on a potential Canada-UAE CEPA, seeking the views of Canadian businesses, industry associations, provinces and territories and the general public. In November 2025, Canada expanded its bilateral Air Transport Agreement with the UAE to allow an additional 14 weekly passenger-combination flights and unlimited all-cargo flights. This increased air connectivity will help facilitate access to the UAE market by Canadian businesses, further diversifying Canada's trade. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun's Regular Press Conference on January 19, 2026 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: January 19, 2026 19:50 Beijing Daily: We noted that last year, the trade volume between China and five Central Asian countries exceeded US$100 billion for the first time. What's your comment? Guo Jiakun: According to the statistics released by the General Administration of Customs, China's trade with five Central Asian countries in 2025 topped US$100 billion, setting a record high. The trade structure has been improved, and more and more high-quality products from Central Asia entered the Chinese market. As global economic growth remains sluggish and the international trading system faces serious challenges, the economic and trade cooperation between China and Central Asian countries has withstood external headwinds, and the trade volume surpassed US$100 billion. This demonstrates the robust momentum of China-Central Asia cooperation and the leading role of the China-Central Asia mechanism, and has become a new milestone in China-Central Asia cooperation. Over the past year, the relations between China and Central Asian countries have enjoyed fast growth, the China-Central Asia mechanism has been strengthened, Belt and Road cooperation has made steady progress, and friendly exchanges have brought people closer. In particular, the success of the Second China-Central Asia Summit ushered in a new phase of high-quality cooperation between the two sides. At the new historic starting point, China stands ready to work with Central Asian countries to build on the momentum, continue carrying forward the China-Central Asia spirit, strengthen the China-Central Asia mechanism, promote innovation-led, high-quality and results-oriented cooperation in various fields, and jointly build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future. CCTV: It's reported that according to the survey report recently released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China, the proportion of responding U.S. companies in China who are optimistic of the growth in China's market is on the rise, and more than half expect to be profitable or very profitable in 2025. Over 70 percent report no plans to relocate operations, and nearly 60 percent plan to increase investment in China. According to latest statistics, China's GDP in 2025 exceeds RMB140 trillion, up by five percent compared with last year. Multiple international financial organizations have recently said that China's mega-size market and innovative production have been a magnet to foreign investment. What's your comment? Guo Jiakun: The report you mentioned once again shows that China's mega-size market offers enormous opportunities to the world, and investing in China means staying ahead of the curve and becoming profitable. The success of American companies in China demonstrates that China and the U.S. benefit from cooperation and a steady, sound and sustainable relationship is in the interest of both sides. This year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan. China's economy is gathering momentum and growth drivers are on the upgrade. China will remain a source of stability, growth and innovation for the world economy. We welcome U.S. and other foreign companies to seize the opportunities of China's high-quality development and greatly benefit from China's multi-trillion-yuan market. AFP: A couple of questions on Cambodia and scam compounds. Firstly, the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia said at the weekend that the disappearance of Chinese nationals into scam compounds was a serious obstacle to relations. Can you tell us more about how relations are threatened by this and what China hopes that Cambodia will do? And then the second part of the question is about recent reports that there are many Chinese nationals queuing outside the embassy in Cambodia after leaving scam compounds there. Can you confirm this? Can you tell us who these people are? How many of them have shown up at the embassy? And also are these queued people related to the recent arrest of Chen Zhi? Guo Jiakun: The Chinese government attaches high importance to keeping overseas Chinese nationals safe. China has been actively cooperating with Cambodia in combating cross-border telecom and internet fraud, and has achieved notable progress. The Chinese Embassy in Cambodia is in communication and coordination with Cambodia, and relevant work is underway. Polish Press Agency: Polish media reported that Poland's military is considering restrictions that would ban the entry of Chinese-made electric vehicles into military facilities. The move is driven by risks over sensitive data collected by the cars. What's China's comment? Guo Jiakun: We noted the reports. National security should not be overstretched. Bloomberg: About Greenland. Donald Trump has proposed levies on eight countries that have opposed his plan to acquire Greenland. He said on Saturday and he announced a 10 percent tariff on goods from eight European countries starting February 1 that will go up to 25 percent in June unless there's a deal for "the purchase of Greenland." We're wondering if the Foreign Ministry has any comment? Guo Jiakun: China has stated its position on multiple occasions on Greenland. The international law underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter is the foundation of the current international order and must be upheld. We urge the U.S. to stop using the so-called "China threat" as a pretext for itself to seek selfish gains. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's Diplomatic Pressure Looms Over Case Against Xinjiang Activists In Kazakhstan By Maqpal Mukankyzy, Merhat Sharipzhan and Reid Standish January 19, 2026 Summary China appears to have pressured Kazakhstan to prosecute 19 activists who protested Beijing's mass detention of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. Kazakh authorities used a Chinese diplomatic note as key evidence to charge the activists with "inciting ethnic discord," a crime carrying up to 10 years in prison. Rights groups call the case politically motivated and say it shows Kazakhstan's growing crackdown on dissent and Beijing's influence in the country. ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Documents seen by RFE/RL highlight Chinese government pressure behind the prosecution of 19 activists in Kazakhstan who organized demonstrations against China's mass internment camps for Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. RFE/RL obtained a diplomatic note sent by the Chinese Consulate General in Almaty to the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, which describes a November 13 protest organized by the activists as "an open provocation against the dignity of the People's Republic of China and an insult to the image of the Communist Party of China and China's leader," and calls for Kazakh authorities "to seriously investigate [the incident.]" RFE/RL reviewed court materials brought against the activists -- who are part of Naghyz Atazhurt, an unregistered advocacy group that works with families who have relatives missing in Xinjiang -- that show that Kazakh government investigatorscited the diplomatic note as a key justification for opening a criminal case under Article 174(2) of Kazakhstan's Criminal Code, which criminalizes "inciting national, ethnic, or other social discord" when committed by a group. The protest"negatively impacted the two nations' friendship," an Kazakh indictment seen by RFE/RL said. "The Chinese side has expressed serious concerns regarding the incident. [China's] Consulate General expressed hope that the action will be properly investigated." The provision, widely criticizedby rights groups as vague and prone to abuse, carries up to 10 years' imprisonment. The severe sentencing ahead of a January 21 trial at a court in the southeastern city of Taldyqorghan that has seen the prosecution escalate into one of the country's most sweeping cases against activism on China's policies in Xinjiang, highlighting Beijing's growing influence in Kazakhstan and a sharp squeeze on dissent in the Central Asian country. Erlan Zhetibaev confirmed to RFE/RL that "the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan held a regular meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan" in November, but did not comment on the note sent by China's consulate. "During the meeting, in addition to bilateral issues, the incident that occurred in the Uyghur district of the Almaty region on November 13, 2025, was discussed, and the Chinese side was informed of the measures taken by law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan in connection with this incident." Currently, 13 activists remain in pretrial detention, while six others are under house arrest, including Nazigul Maqsutkhan, a pregnant activist whose welfare, and that of her unborn child, has become a focus for rights groups in the country following the prosecution. The Government Case Against Atazhurt The case brought against the 19 activists centers on a November 13 demonstration in the village of Qalzhat in eastern Kazakhstan, just a few kilometers from the Chinese border. The group gathered to protest China's treatment of ethnic Kazakhs and Uyghurs in Xinjiang and to demand the release of Alimnur Turghanbai, a naturalized Kazakh citizen originally from Xinjiang, who has been detained in China since July. Relatives say Turghanbai was detained while in China for work, and that his whereabouts have remained unknown ever since. According to the indictment, the activists "premeditatively gathered" and used social media and other media to disseminate materials allegedly aimed at inciting interethnic hostility and insulting the "national dignity and honor" of Chinese nationals. State-ordered forensic experts reportedly concluded that videos of the protest posted online showed "signs of incitement to interethnic discord or national enmity," including "disrespect toward national symbols." In those videos of the protests, participants can be seen burning three small Chinese flags and a portrait of Chinese leader Xi Jinping while chanting, "Stop the pressure and injustice against Kazakh and Uyghur peoples," and "Down with the Communist Party! Down with Xi Jinping!" Police detained most protesters at the scene, and a local administrative court later convicted several of "petty hooliganism," issuing fines or up to 15 days' detention. But following the Chinese diplomatic note sent to Kazakh authorities, the case against them escalated. "Kazakh authorities should withdraw the criminal charges against the Atajurt activists and release those in detention immediately," said Maya Wang, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Instead of aiding China's repression, the Kazakh government should press the Chinese government to stop its crimes against humanity in Xinjiang." Since Beijing's crackdown accelerated in 2017 in its northwestern Xinjiang province, more than 1 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslim minorities have been put into mass detention camps. Tens of thousands of Kazakh citizens have family or cultural ties to Xinjiang -- where many have relatives missing, detained, or under tight surveillance. Those connections across the border at one point made Kazakhstan an unlikely hotbed for anti-Chinese activismin Central Asia, but Astana, which shares a long border and deep economic interdependence with Beijing, has gone after activists and groups raising awareness about abuses in Xinjiangand calling for the release of their relatives. The activists awaiting trial are nearly all that's left of what was once a small but influentialadvocacy movement inside the country. Rights Groups Call The Case 'Politically Motivated' Human rights lawyers and several prominent government critics have taken note of the case and said that it lacks any legal basis. One of the activists' lawyers, Shynquat Baizhanov, told RFE/RL that his clients targeted Chinese government policies, not the Chinese people as an ethnic group. He says the group denounced the detention of a Kazakh citizen, called for an end to pressure on ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang, and demanded the cancelation of a visa-free regime they fear could increase Chinese migration -- positions he describes as political, not xenophobic. According to Baizhanov, nothing in the protest meets the threshold for "inciting ethnic discord" under international standards because the slogans and actions were directed at state authorities and policies. He said that treating the protest as a criminal offense effectively equates harsh criticism of a foreign government with hate speech, opening the door to further prosecutions of dissenting voices. Almaty-based human rights defender Bakhytzhan Toreghozhina told RFE/RL that the move from administrative penalties to criminal prosecution as "another example" of Kazakhstan's tightening clampdown on dissent, in a political environment where opposition has largely been removed from the public sphere. Ermurat Bapi, an independent Kazakh lawmaker,called the charges against the group "too harsh." "Such actions have nothing to do with state-related ties or policies, they are just examples of civic activities, social protests," Bapi said to RFE/RL, adding that the maximum punishment for the action could be just administrative fines, not criminal charges. In a joint statement, the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR) also condemned the case as "politically motivated" and incompatible with Kazakhstan's international human rights commitments. The groups also highlighted broader concerns about Article 174, which carries the charge for "inciting ethnic discord." That charge was also brought against Atazhurt founder Serikzhan Bilash in a 2019 case. In 2020, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention foundthat Kazakhstan unlawfully targeted Bilash. The activist has since left Kazakhstan under what he called government pressure and now lives in the United States. Bilash told RFE/RL that he sees the current case brought forward as China's attempt to "turn Kazakhstan into a second Xinjiang" and that they are an example of Chinese "transnational repression" to shut down the movement and silence witnesses to abuses in Xinjiang. Government Pressure Against Xinjiang Activism Atazhurt, which for years has documented abuses in Xinjaing, has been under growing pressure in recent years. The movement has repeatedly struggled to obtain official registration as a public association, and its members have faced fines, detention, and surveillance over their activism. On January 15, a court in Kazakhstan's southern Turkistan region sentenced Atazhurt activist Baghdat Toghyspaev to five days in jail after he refused to pay a fine imposed for a protest demanding the release of the 19 defendants. In recent months, several other activists tied to Atazhurt have been detained or fined for participating in demonstrations or sharing footage of the November 13 protest on social media. Activists told RFE/RL that they have faced increased police monitoring and claimed growing pressure on people providing financial support to the group. Kazakh authorities have also restricted access for foreign researchers focusing on Xinjiang-related issues. In 2025, Danish anthropologist Rune Steenberg, who studies Uyghur communities, was denied entry to Kazakhstan and Russian-American scholar Gene Bunin, the founder of the Xinjiang Victims Database, was barredfrom entering the country for several years in 2021. China has been accused of systemic human rights violations in Xinjiang, and in 2022, a UN report found China was committing " serious human rights violations" in Xinjiang that may amount to crimes against humanity. A growing body of evidence-- including firsthand testimony and leaked official Chinese government documents -- support the accusations, which range from forced labor to sexual abuse, forced sterilization, and erasing Uyghur cultural and religious identity, including the tearing down of mosques and other religious sites. China has denied any human rights abuses in the region and says that its policies in Xinjiang are designed to counter extremism and terrorism. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-china-xinjiang-activism-uyghur-xi-atazhurt-rights/33654001.html Copyright (c) 2026. 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 INDIAN NAVY SIGNS CONTRACT FOR THREE 'BOTTOM OPENING NON-PROPELLED BARGES' WITH M/s SURYADIPTA PROJECTS PRIVATE LIMITED, THANE India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 19 JAN 2026 6:24PM by PIB Delhi A contract for construction and delivery of 03 x 200T Bottom Opening Non-Propelled Barges has been concluded with M/s Suryadipta Projects Private Limited, Thane (MSME Shipyard) on 16 Jan 2026. These Barges are the proud flag bearers of Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative of Govt. of India and will be built under the Classification Rules of Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). With this Contract, Indian Navy has exhibited its strong commitment to encourage and bolster the growth of MSME Shipyards thereby contributing immensely towards the domestic shipbuilding Eco-system in lines of Maritime India Vision - 2030. ***** VM/SPS (Release ID: 2216216) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Foreign Ministry condemns Argentina's unfounded accusations against IRGC Iran Press TV Monday, 19 January 2026 11:44 PM The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran has condemned Argentina's recent decision to accuse a section of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), calling it unjustified and harmful to national security. In a statement released on Monday, the Foreign Ministry denounced Argentina's actions as illegal and driven by external pressures, particularly from the Zionist regime, after Argentina's government designated the IRGC's Quds Force and 13 individuals as terrorists on Saturday. The Foreign Ministry emphasized that this decision not only jeopardizes bilateral relations but also sets a troubling precedent in international diplomacy, with legal ramifications for Argentina. "The decision by the Argentine government, which is contrary to custom and international law, and which was taken under the influence of the inducements and pressures of the genocidal and occupying Zionist regime, not only seriously damages the bilateral relations between Argentina and Iran, but also sets a dangerous precedent in interstate relations, the legal and political consequences of which will rest with the Argentine government," the statement said. The Foreign Ministry further criticized the persistent allegations surrounding the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Jewish Center (AMIA), attributing the failure to resolve the case to political motivations and corruption within the Argentine judicial system. It contended that these actions are aimed at distorting the facts and obscuring the true perpetrators of the incident. Back in July 1994, the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish center in Buenos Aires was targeted by a bomb attack, in which 85 people were reportedly killed and some 300 others wounded. The bombing remains unclaimed and unresolved, though Israel has consistently blamed Iran for the attack. Tehran has repeatedly rejected the allegation over the past three decades. Argentina has cultivated strong ties with Israel under President Javier Milei, who has emerged as a fervent supporter of the regime. Milei has backed the Israeli regime's continued genocidal actions against Gaza, in contrast to most other Latin American leaders who have either cut ties with the regime or withdrawn their envoys from Tel Aviv. Milei also recently declared that Argentina would join the few countries that have relocated their embassy in the Israeli-occupied territories from Tel Aviv to Al-Quds. In its statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry reaffirmed the legitimacy of the IRGC, asserting that it operates in defense of Iran's sovereignty and national security. "The glorious Islamic Revolution Guard Corps of Iran is a sovereign institution that stems from the spirit of the Iranian nation, which derives its legitimacy from the constitution and the will of the Iranian people, and will, along with other armed forces, fulfill the duty of safeguarding the independence, territorial integrity, and national security of the country with authority and dignity," the statement said. It condemned the US and Israeli campaign to undermine the IRGC, stating that such efforts will not deter Iran's resolve to protect its interests. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pezeshkian calls recent violent events in Iran part of 'failed' US-Israeli war Iran Press TV Monday, 19 January 2026 9:40 PM President Masoud Pezeshkian referred to the recent violent events in Iran as "the continuation of the failed and unsuccessful" campaign by the United States and the Zionist regime in the 12-day war against the Islamic Republic. On Monday, Pezeshkian noted the "historic presence" of millions of Iranians who rallied to condemn the unrest, describing the unity of the Iranian people as a significant setback for adversaries of the nation. He emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran will pursue its path with renewed vigor, striving to enhance cooperation with neighboring and Islamic countries. These remarks were made during a phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, where they discussed ongoing regional developments and the recent foreign-backed riots in Iran. Praising Pakistan's commitment to fostering peace in the region, Pezeshkian expressed confidence in the collective strength of Muslim nations to counter threats to regional security. He acknowledged Pakistan's steadfast support for Iran's legitimate positions. "We are confident that the presence and effective role of you, brothers of faith in Pakistan, and other Muslim brothers from Iraq and Qatar to Turkey and Saudi Arabia, will neutralize the efforts of the enemies of the Islamic nation to threaten and disrupt the security of the region," Pezeshkian stated. The Iranian president explained that "since the beginning of accepting responsibility, all our efforts have been to create convergence, empathy, and unity among all groups, parties, ethnic groups, and religions within the country, and to strengthen cooperation, friendship, and brotherly ties, and to develop relations at the best level with neighboring and Islamic countries." "In parallel with these efforts, we have also witnessed malice, hostility, and intensified pressure from the United States and the Zionist regime to disrupt this path," he noted. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sharif reiterated Pakistan's solidarity with Iran, emphasizing its significance as a neighbor and a pivotal nation in the region. "We have been closely monitoring the recent developments in Iran because the Islamic Republic of Iran is of great importance to us not only as a neighbor but also as an important and influential country in the region and the world," he stated. Sharif expressed Pakistan's readiness to aid in reducing tensions and resolving conflicts, affirming that Iran, under the leadership of its prudent leaders, would triumph over its challenges with determination and pride. Late last month, Iran witnessed street protests triggered by a sharp fall in the rial, the Iranian currency, and economic hardship in the capital, Tehran, and other cities. The peaceful protests across Iran turned violent after US President Donald Trump and other American officials alleged that the United States would resort to fresh military aggression against Iran in the event of what they called Tehran's "suppression" of the foreign-backed terrorist riots. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly stressed that it would exert due effort to address economic protests, but stands firm in the face of attempts at derailing protests towards disorder. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World Economic Forum revokes Iran FM's Davos invitation 'under US-Israeli pressure' Iran Press TV Monday, 19 January 2026 3:48 PM The World Economic Forum (WEF) has rescinded its invitation to Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, to attend the Davos summit in Switzerland, following Tehran's response to US- and Israeli-backed riots which erupted in the country earlier this month. The Forum's sudden reversal, announced Monday, directly cites security measures Iran took to restore order in the country following violent riots instigated by foreign-backed elements. "The Iranian Foreign Minister will not be attending Davos," the World Economic Forum said in a post on X on Monday. Araghchi had been scheduled to speak on Tuesday during the summit at the Swiss ski resort town. "Although he was invited last fall, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year," it claimed. Iran's ambassador to Switzerland, Mahmoud Barimani, decried the "unjustified" move, stressing that it was "undoubtedly taken under the pressure and obvious influence of anti-Iranian and radical American-Zionist factions." The Iranian diplomat added that it "reflects their fear of Iran's voice reaching international audiences." "This action has no justification and is completely contrary to international norms and decorum, and undermines the credibility of the World Economic Forum. It also casts doubt on Switzerland's reputation as a country with a history of neutrality and efforts for diplomacy," Barimani noted. The WEF's decision comes as stability has been restored across Iran following a period of foreign-instigated unrest. What began as peaceful protests late last month gradually turned violent, as rioters rampaged through cities across the country, killing security forces and attacking public infrastructure. The US and Israel have acknowledged their direct involvement on the ground, with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeting, "Happy New Year to every Iranian in the streets. Also, to every Mossad agent walking beside them." In a Farsi-language social media post, Israel's spy agency Mossad encouraged rioters to "Go out together into the streets. The time has come," adding that Mossad operatives are with the rioters "not only from a distance and verbally. We are with [them] in the field." Germany, one of the United States' closest and strongest allies in Europe, also stated its opposition to extending an invitation to Iranian officials. The Munich Security Conference on Friday said it was also withdrawing an invitation to Araqchi. "Several weeks ago, invitations were extended to individual government representatives from Iran. In light of current events, the Munich Security Conference will not be maintaining these invitations," it said in an emailed statement. Iranian officials say that the recent foreign-backed riots within the country mark the second phase of the Israeli regime's war against Iran, following its 12-day military aggression in June. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Recent terrorist war on Iran similar to Israel's pager attack on Lebanon: Qalibaf Iran Press TV Monday, 19 January 2026 10:48 AM Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf says the recent "Daesh-style terrorist war" against the country had similar objectives to Israel's terrorist pager attack on Lebanon in September 2024. On September 17, 2024, thousands of wireless communication devices belonging to members of the resistance movement Hezbollah exploded in unison in different locations across Lebanon and Syria, killing at least 12 people and injuring around 3,000 others, mostly ordinary citizens. The Israeli regime officially claimed responsibility for the attacks. The indiscriminate pager bombings, first reported in the southern suburbs of Beirut, were followed by the detonation of walkie-talkies the next day, which also resulted in hundreds of casualties. Speaking at a Parliament session on Monday, Qalibaf said the predetermined plan consisted of "naked and organized violence, terrorist and armed attacks, extremely violent civil commotion, and the brutal killing of several thousand civilians, members of Basij (voluntary forces) and police and security forces." The plan aimed to cause fear among the Iranian people, make them lose the capacity to analyze issues and stop supporting the country, thereby paving the way for the United States and its mercenaries to carry out an attack against Iran and disintegrate it, he added. He noted that there are few countries in the world that are able to swiftly restore security and protect their peoples after being suddenly confronted with such "organized and brutal terrorism", which was openly and officially supported by the US president. The top parliamentarian emphasized that the recent plot was a continuation of the 12-day war waged by the US and the Israeli regime against Iran in mid-June. As stated by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the sedition was ignited through the interference of the US president, who "exhausted all of his nonexistent credibility in perpetuating unrest, insecurity, and bloodshed in Iran," he added. Late last month, Iran witnessed street protests triggered by a sharp fall in the rial, the Iranian currency, and economic hardship in the capital, Tehran, and other cities. The peaceful protests across Iran turned violent after US President Donald Trump and other American officials alleged that the United States would resort to fresh military aggression against Iran in the event of what they called Tehran's "suppression" of the foreign-backed terrorist riots. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly stressed that it would exert due effort to address economic protests, but stands firm in the face of attempts at derailing protests towards disorder. Iran most insecure place for terrorists, traitors: Parl. speaker Qalibaf further said the enemy's defeat in the recent American-Israeli sedition once again showed that Iran, under the courageous and wise leadership of Ayatollah Khamenei and with its insightful people, is "the most insecure place in the world for terrorists and traitors." "This is the very issue that has left the US president desperate and provoked his contradictory, anger-driven reactions," he added. He noted that all freedom-seeking nations in the world regard Ayatollah Khamenei as a powerful voice and the leader of the oppressed people's resistance against corrupt, arrogant powers such as the US president and the Israeli officials. The Parliament speaker pledged his full support for Iran, the Iranian nation and Ayatollah Khamenei. In October 2025, Trump said that Israel's terrorist pager attacks against Lebanon took place with his greenlight. In an interview with Time in the Oval Office, Trump shed light on his involvement in the act of aggression against Lebanon, saying he supported the pager attacks carried out by the Israeli regime. "All of those attacks were done under my auspices, you know, with Israel doing the attackswith the pagers and all that stuff," Donald Trump said, adding, "They let me know everything." "And sometimes I'd say noand they'd be respectful of that." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranians Living Under Virtual Lockdown After Deadly Protests By RFE/RL's Radio Farda January 19, 2026 The usually bustling streets of Iran's capital are largely empty as security forces reassert their control after crushing unprecedented protests against the country's clerical rulers. Residents of Tehran describe a city under virtual martial law, with security personnel deployed on the streets and residents largely staying indoors. Many shops and restaurants close in the evening. "The feeling of martial law is completely in place at night," a man in his 70s who left Iran on January 17 told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "One of the reasons for that," he added, "is that the armed forces randomly stop cars. They check the entire car and also mobile phones. They ask people to unlock their phones." A heavy military and police presence -- as well as an Internet and communications blackout -- has been imposed across Iran since the authorities launched a bloody crackdown on antiestablishment protests that had erupted on December 28. Several thousand protesters have been killed and over 20,000 detained over the past three weeks, according to human rights groups, although the actual death toll is believed to be significantly higher. The man who spoke to Radio Farda said security forces were "checking citizens' activities on social media as well as their phone photo galleries looking for evidence of the individual's presence at the protests." The man said he was stopped in an area north of Tehran and had heard the same thing from others. "That's why people are telling each other to stay home after 8 p.m.," he said. Tehran residents said Iranian soldiers, plainclothes agents, and members of the Basij paramilitary force had been deployed not just in the city center but also in neighborhoods. Militarization In The Provinces Similar security deployments have been witnessed in other parts of Iran, including Kurdish-majority areas. "The presence of military and security forces across these cities is so conspicuous that people are talking about a kind of military rule," Kaveh Kermanshahi, who's on the board of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, told Radio Farda, describing the situation in western cities like Kermanshah after protests peaked last week. "Not that ordinary people are banned from moving around, but all movement happens under their heavy surveillance and control," he added. Footage verified by Radio Farda shows military vehicles and troops carrying what appear to be army-issued assault rifles in the streets of the western city of Borujerd in Lorestan Province. The footage, said to be filmed on January 17, shows military hardware stationed at key intersections in the city. Human rights organizations say security forces and even armored units have been deployed across multiple provinces, especially in areas that witnessed large protests or attacks on government buildings. In a January 14 report, the US-based Institute for the Study of War said, "the widespread deployment of security patrols is likely contributing to the decrease in recorded protest activity because these patrols are likely deterring some Iranians from participating in protests." The report added, however, that keeping such numbers of heavily armed personnel on the streets for weeks risks both fatigue among security forces and further radicalizing public anger in areas already hit hard by the crackdown. Pursuit Inside Residential Spaces Security operations have pushed deep into residential buildings, blurring the line between public protest and private life. CCTV footage from an apartment block in Tehran, first released by the activist-run Telegram channel Vahid Online, shows plainclothes agents storming into the complex on January 7, chasing protesters up stairwells while wielding batons, machetes, and firearms. The footage suggests a methodical pursuit of demonstrators taking refuge in private spaces, and echo testimonies from residents who describe door-to-door raids and arrests far from protest sites. Written by Kian Sharifi based on original reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-martial-law-protests-security/33653877.html Copyright (c) 2026. 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 Alex Vatanka: Khamenei's Iran Is A 'Sinking Ship' That Must Compromise To Survive By Vazha Tavberidze January 19, 2026 Iran's clerical rulers resorted to unprecedented brute force to put down weekslong antiestablishment protests that posed the biggest threat to their rule in decades. Even though the clerical establishment appears to have survived the latest round of mass protests, many observers say its days are numbered. US President Donald Trump, who has threatened military action against Iran over the deadly crackdown on protesters, has called for new leadership in the Islamic republic. RFE/RL interviewed Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute in Washington, about possible US action against Tehran and the likelihood of change in Iran. RFE/RL: For the first time in nearly four decades, it feels like things might finally change in Iran. It increasingly looks like a make-or-break moment. Protests have happened before. How is this one different? Alex Vatanka: Obviously, Iran has experienced a number of protests in the last decade, and even before. What has happened during the last decade is the frequency of the protests. They happen more often, and they have become more radical. Ten years ago, protesters would ask for policy change, and they would chant slogans about how miserable life is. Today, they are shouting for the toppling of the regime. They are shouting for the death of the dictator, by which they mean Supreme Leader [Ayatollah] Ali Khamenei. Previously, they would be in the streets and maybe burn some garbage cans in the city of Tehran. Now what we are seeing is attacks on mosques. Some of the protesters have been willing to fight the security forces. We have seen thousands of people killed. The fact is this is on a different scale, and each time we have seen the trend continue, the protesters are becoming angrier. Their demands are more fundamental. They want fundamental change, and the security forces are acting more ruthlessly. The external context matters here because the regime genuinely seems to believe that even if these protesters are homegrown, external powers are going to try to exploit the moment for their benefit. They accuse the United States and Israel of somehow being involved. That just makes this cocktail much more dangerous than what we have seen in previous rounds of protests. RFE/RL: Speaking of external powers, let's talk about possible US intervention. Based on Trump's initial tweets -- "help is on its way" -- it seemed likely. But now the threat appears to have petered out. So how likely is it, and have the Iranian authorities at least received a reprieve? Vatanka: President Trump does not seem to have a clear strategy in mind. He stepped in and talked about being on the side of the protesters when the protests were gaining momentum. For a moment, it looked like the regime was on the brink. But as soon as the protests died down, the president backtracked, saying they are not killing people and they are not executing people. Therefore, he does not see a need for the United States to intervene. That takes us to his basic philosophy. He intervenes when he thinks he is going to be on the winning side. He is certainly not interested in getting the United States involved in another open-ended conflict in the Middle East that looks like nation building, which is exactly what he has always argued against. He is not a man who is interested in building other people's nations for them. He wants to, as he says, Make America Great Again. In that sense, he was never going to intellectually commit himself to a long campaign to help the protesters, to help them organize, or to give them whatever they need to empower them in a prolonged struggle against the regime. That was never on the cards. For a second, he thought maybe they were going to win in Iran and that he should side with them. When it turned out they were not that close to victory, he stepped out. RFE/RL: Could Trump be tempted into doing something akin to what he did in Venezuela, where US forces captured President Nicolas Maduro and flew him out of the country, as opposed to a protracted involvement? Vatanka: The Maduro scenario requires a couple of things. The most important one is whether there are people inside the Iranian regime that US intelligence agencies are in touch with, people who are willing to accept a change of power. You cannot have the Islamic republic under Ali Khamenei and call it change. He has to go. The question is whether the US has that kind of influence, sway, and access to people in the regime to bring about a transition to a post Ali Khamenei Iran. If that can happen, a lot of people will be happy if it actually means things are going to be different going forward. If you just take Ali Khamenei out and everything stays the same, for example if the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) become more open, that is not a change that is going to please people in Iran. That is certainly not going to please the opposition. Change has to be meaningful. You can see a scenario where people in the regime come to the realization that things cannot continue like this anymore, that time is up, and that this is an opportunity to jump ship, particularly if the United States can give them an off-ramp, an alternative, a way to get off this sinking ship. If it does not sink tomorrow or next week, it is bound to sink in the near future. RFE/RL: How long are we talking about? The authorities seem to have received a temporary reprieve. How long can they last Vatanka: There is no sign to suggest that the regime can last another 10 to 15 years, because for the first time we are seeing that the economy has really exhausted itself after more than a decade of sanctions. Previously, the authorities were able to maneuver, coming up with flexible policies to deal with sanctions, but now they are running out of options. On top of that, there is the corruption issue and the governance issue where the ruling elite have lost their way. They do not appeal to or inspire the youth. All sorts of things are coming together to create conditions that are very unique. The idea that the regime could last much longer is questionable. Killing your way out of a problem can solve the issue once or twice, but it is not guaranteed to work every time. RFE/RL: Can the clerical establishment make concessions or promise reform, or would that show weakness that could invigorate the protests? Vatanka: Ali Khamenei has been shaped by two events more than anything else in his determination not to give in to protesters when they are angry in the streets and challenging him. One was how the shah [of Iran] tackled the protests and the revolution he faced in 1978 and 1979. Khamenei was there. He saw the shah come on national television and say, "I have heard the voice of your revolution." That was the end of him. Khamenei is not going to do that. He is not going to say anything like that. In fact, he is doing the opposite. He has green-lighted the crackdown because he thinks intimidation and fear are the way forward. The second event that shaped him was what [the last Soviet leader] Mikhail Gorbachev did. RFE/RL: Could we see an Iranian glasnost or openness policy Vatanka: Khamenei was a young supreme leader when he saw the Soviet Union collapse from within. He does not want to do anything major in terms of reform. What he has to do instead, without publicly accepting change or agreeing to major reform, is take certain steps that suggest some willingness to change. For example, for months now, the authorities have stopped enforcing the mandatory hijab [Islamic head scarf]. It is a policy of the regime, but they realized it was making people angry. Another thing is that they are talking to the Americans. Even after being attacked by the Americans, they are still saying they talked. There are also reports that they are willing to sit down for talks of sorts with the Israelis through the Russians, with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin mediating between [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and the Iranian leadership. All of this suggests a regime in a very awkward place that knows it has to compromise. It has to bend and be flexible for the sake of survival. It does not announce this loudly or say it is capitulating, but in practice it is taking steps that suggest it knows there is no other way out than compromise at this point. The regime is stubborn, and that stubbornness is embodied in its supreme leader, but it is not suicidal. It is more flexible when it comes to the outside world than the inside. It gives small concessions because it is scared of the slippery slope that reform could trigger, but there has been some willingness to change, not enough to please the public, but enough to suggest flexibility. RFE/RL: Speaking of stubbornness or inflexibility, how strong is Islamic ideology in Iran right now compared to the 1980s? Vatanka: Forty-seven years into this regime, whatever ideology once drove it is largely gone. It mattered in the 1980s, but today the vast majority of people in the system are there because that is where they get their salaries. They do not have alternatives, and nobody has shown them a different political system in which they could still have a role. They fear that major change would mean losing their jobs, their money, or potentially their lives. That is why so many people are hanging on to what is essentially a sinking ship. RFE/RL: Let's explore the issue of leadership. With Khamenei being 86 years old, who can succeed him without the legitimacy of the Islamic system being questioned? Vatanka: This is the big question. He has never pointed to a successor, which would be against his nature. He does not want to share the limelight with anyone, so he has never had a deputy. Constitutionally, it is up to the Assembly of Experts to choose his successor. But there could be a situation where there is no supreme leader after him. Since 1979, this role has been held by only two men, [the founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah] Khomeini and Khamenei. There is no deeper precedent for it in Iranian history. Getting rid of the Office of the Supreme Leader and restructuring political power is not as far-fetched as it might seem. RFE/RL: Could that mean the IRGC reinventing itself? Vatanka: This is a theocracy, and by nature a theocracy is meant to be run by senior religious authority, not uniformed men. One scenario is a token cleric as supreme leader with little real power, while the Revolutionary Guards run the country. In many ways, the IRGC already runs the show. Khamenei is much more powerful than anyone who could replace him. After 37 years in power, no one can really fill his shoes. But for at least the last two decades, the IRGC has been the state machinery people associate with Iran. RFE/RL: Could we see Iran's theocracy transformed into a military junta? Vatanka: It could happen. That is one scenario people speculate about. But Iran has no history of military rulers. This is not Latin America in the 1970s. Historically, Iran was ruled by kings and then, from 1979, by clerics. An openly ruling IRGC would be a new reality. Even then, the regime's problems would not go away. The IRGC has effectively been running Iran for decades, both domestically and abroad. Simply moving from Khamenei to open IRGC rule does not solve anything. RFE/RL: Would that give society a false sense of reprieve -- the feeling that Khamenei is gone, and now everything is for the greater glory of the nation? Vatanka: No. The IRGC are not seen as nationalist heroes. They may have been viewed that way in the 1980s during the war with Iraq, but for decades they have mostly fought Iranians at home or pursued adventurous policies in places like Lebanon or Gaza. Very few Iranians see the IRGC as nationalist heroes. In that sense, Khamenei and the IRGC are indistinguishable. Their takeover would make no real difference to the fate of the regime. RFE/RL: Much like Putin in Russia, entire generations in Iran have grown up seeing this man as the sole leader of the nation. What does that do to the national psyche, and how does that complicate things for whoever comes after him? Vatanka: The end of Ali Khamenei would be an opportunity for the nation to return to where it left off. For decades, Iran has been frozen in the ideological bubble he is committed to. His departure opens space. Yes, there are followers of Khamenei in society, but we are talking about maybe 5-10 percent. He is not the hero of a nation of 90 million. He is seen as the problem. He is not the father figure he claims to be. When you order mass killings of the country's youth, including children, you cannot credibly claim that role. RFE/RL: If the protests succeed now or in the near future, what will happen to religion as an institution? Vatanka: We see mosques being openly attacked, which shows religion is under massive pressure. Many Iranians are giving up on Islam, particularly the version represented by Khamenei. Iran is arguably the most secular country in the broader Middle East, more secular than Turkey or the Gulf states. This is not because Islam itself has done something wrong, but because of how it has been practiced by the regime. RFE/RL: How does one explain the shah's popularity among some of the protesters? Is it simply because he was not as bad as the regime that replaced him, or are people looking for a strongman without a turban? Vatanka: This goes back to the question of who inspires. monarchists who look up to [exiled former Crown Prince] Reza Pahlavi, his father the shah, and his grandfather Reza Khan argue that those leaders achieved a great deal during their time in power. They developed Iran. In contrast, the Islamic republic has brought isolation, sanctions, and dependence on Russia and China. Many Iranians judge leadership by who made the country stronger and more respected. RFE/RL: Make Iran Great Again? Vatanka: Yes. There is a lot of nostalgia, but that nostalgia is not born out of a vacuum. It exists because the regime has done such a poor job of connecting with and inspiring people. RFE/RL: If a strongman were to emerge, who could make the country matter again, are people looking for their own Putin Vatanka: To some extent, yes. Anyone who can save them from Khamenei gains appeal. Reza Pahlavi has history, name recognition, and some access to foreign powers. But this is a deeply contested issue inside Iran and in the diaspora. The idea that Iranians can only be ruled by a strongman is simplistic. There is hope that the opposition can organize itself and move toward a democratic, pluralistic system similar to Europe. Concentrating too much power in one individual always carries risks. RFE/RL: China and Russia are clearly paying attention. What realistic options do they have and what would it cost them if Iran's clerical rulers were to fall? Vatanka: China has very limited appetite for defending the Islamic republic. Beijing treats Iran as a transactional partner, useful mainly as a source of discounted oil, and did very little during the protests or during the 12-day [war with] Israel [last year]. China will not confront Washington or invest political capital to save Tehran. If the regime were to fall, China's main cost would be losing a cheap, sanctions-hit energy source, not a true strategic ally. Russia, meanwhile, sees Iran as a strategic buffer and a useful partner in regional confrontations, but not an ideological ally. Moscow's support is real and important but bound by pragmatism. A collapse of the regime would cost Russia a regional partner that helps absorb Western pressure, but Moscow does not stake its own security on Iran's internal survival. *This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-khamenei-sinking- ship-vatanka-revolutionary-guards/33653946.html Copyright (c) 2026. 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 Netanyahu Urges Trump Not to Attack Iran Due to Israel's Lack of Defense Ability - Reports Sputnik News 20260119 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump's decision not to strike Iran this week may have been influenced by a warning from his ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who pointed out Israel's lack of preparedness to defend itself in the event of a retaliatory strike from Tehran, Axios reported citing US and Israeli officials. According to the report, Netanyahu told Trump that Israel was not prepared to defend itself against a possible retaliatory strike from Iran, especially since the US did not have sufficient forces in the region to help Israel intercept Iranian missiles and drones. Furthermore, Netanyahu believes that the current US plan is not effective enough and will not produce the desired results, the report said citing one of the prime minister's advisers. The phone call between the leaders took place on Wednesday, January 14, when Trump was expected to launch airstrikes against Iran. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Salman also spoke out against the strikes in a phone call with Trump, citing concerns about regional security, Axios noted. However, due to insufficient military equipment in the region, warnings from allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia, concerns from senior advisers about the consequences and effectiveness of possible strike options, and secret backchannel talks with the Iranians, Trump decided not to order the attack, Axios said. Amid protests in Iran, Trump canceled all contacts with Iranian officials, supported the protesters, and allowed for all possible actions against Iran, including airstrikes. Tehran, for its part, warned that Trump's statements threatened the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US delivers more F-35 jets to Israeli regime despite repeated Gaza ceasefire violations Iran Press TV Monday, 19 January 2026 6:54 AM The United States has delivered a new shipment of F-35 stealth fighter jets to the Israeli regime despite its repeated Gaza ceasefire violations, according to the Israeli military, bringing Israel's total operational fleet of the advanced fifth-generation fighters to 48. This delivery fulfills part of Israel's original contract for 50 F-35 jets. A subsequent order for an additional 25 aircraft, placed in 2024, is scheduled for delivery starting in 2028. US military assistance to Israel is formalized under a long-term agreement, providing approximately $3.8 billion annually for military funding. This mechanism allows Israel to purchase US-made military systems. Since late 2023, congressional records and external analyses have indicated that authorized military aid and sales packages are valued in the tens of billions of dollars, encompassing a range of equipment and munitions. The current US administration has continued this policy. In 2025, officials notified Congress of potential arms sales worth nearly $7 billion, including advanced attack helicopters and armored vehicles, following a review of pending transfers. Israel, as the largest recipient of US foreign aid, has utilized these funds to carry out wars of aggression in the West Asia region, acquiring advanced systems such as F-35 jets and precision-guided munitions. Since the start of the Gaza genocide, carried out with extensive US taxpayer support, the Israeli regime has killed more than 71,500 Palestinians and wounded over 171,000 others, the majority of them women and children. The Gaza ceasefire agreement, put forward by the US, went into effect on October 10, 2025, between the occupying entity and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas. Phase one aimed to halt the Israeli aggression immediately, facilitate the exchange of captives, set boundaries for Israeli withdrawal in Gaza, allow humanitarian aid to enter fully, and open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, but the Israeli regime has so far violated all these terms. Human rights groups say the US government is complicit in Israel's grave violations and has the blood of Palestinians on its hands. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan-EU Foreign Ministers' Telephone Meeting Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan January 19, 2026 On January 19, commencing at 4:30 p.m. for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a telephone meeting, at the request of the EU side, with H.E. Ms. Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission. The overview of the meeting is as follows: High Representative Kallas explained the current situation, including developments in the Middle East and in Greenland. In response, Minister MOTEGI explained Japan's position and, with respect to Greenland, stated that the stability of relations between the United States and Europe is important. They also exchanged views on international situations including the Indo-Pacific and confirmed that Japan and the EU will continue to work closely together. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on entry into force of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on the Mutual Cancellation of Visa Requirements for Citizens of the Russian Federation and Citizens of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar 19 January 2026 11:00 44-19-01-2026 On January 27, 2026, the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on the Mutual Cancellation of Visa Requirements for Citizens of the Russian Federation and Citizens of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, signed in Minsk on October 28, 2025, will come into force. Under the Agreement, citizens of the Russian Federation may enter Myanmar and stay for up to 30 days per visit without a visa, provided that the purpose of their visit is not permanent residence, education or engagement in any activity requiring a work permit. Moreover, the total duration of their stay must not exceed 90 days in a calendar year. Citizens of Myanmar are granted similar rights when visiting the Russian Federation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council Vladimir Putin chaired, via videoconference, a briefing session with permanent members of the Security Council. January 19, 2026 13:50 The Kremlin, Moscow Taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu, Presidential Aide Nikolai Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov. * * * President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues, We have two items on the agenda today. The first one deals with current issues in the security sphere, and the second concerns our role in building a multipolar world and our actions in this regard. Let us begin with the second item and invite Sergei Lavrov to share his thoughts on this point. You have the floor. <...> NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Father Ill, Son Injured: Car Crash Further Clouds Chechnya's Future By Steve Gutterman January 19, 2026 Summary Sources say a high-speed crash in Grozny, Chechnya's capital, injured Adam Kadyrov, the 18-year-old son of regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Authorities and state media in Chechnya and Russia have remained silent, with reports of attempts to suppress information about the incident. The accident fuels uncertainty over Chechnya's future leadership amid ongoing speculation about Ramzan Kadyrov's health and succession plans. A deadly, multiple-car accident on the streets of Chechnya's capital has added to uncertainty about the future in the southern Russian region, the volatile site of two wars and an Islamist insurgency since the Soviet collapse. Amid persistent speculation about the health of Kremlin-backed regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov, sources say his 18-year-old son Adam, seen as a possible successor despite his age, was injured and flown to a Moscow hospital after the crash in Grozny on January 16. In Chechnya and in Russia as a whole, authorities and state media are silent. Here's what we know and why it matters. What Happened? Accounts from multiple sources who spoke to RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service; Telegram channels including that of the Chechen opposition movement NIYSO; and media outlets such as Novaya Gazeta Europe, an exiled Russian newspaper that closely covers Chechnya, say that at least one of the vehicles in a convoy hit a car that was not part of the convoy. According to Novaya Gazeta Europe, the crash occurred because the driver of the lead car in the convoy ran a red light. Sources and reports differ on whether Adam Kadyrov was driving a vehicle in the convoy, possibly the lead vehicle, or was a passenger. The 18-year-old and members of his circle were celebrating the 29th birthday of Khamzat Kadyrov, a nephew of Ramzan Kadyrov, and their convoy was moving at a high speed on a major thoroughfare when the initial crash occurred. "As a result, the cars began crashing into one another, which is why we are receiving information that there are many injured," NIYSO wrote on Telegram at the time. One person was killed - according to some reports, the driver of the car that was hit by the convoy. Adam Kadyrov and three bodyguards were first taken to a Grozny hospital and then flown to Moscow, sources and reports said, while about 18-20 other people - mostly from the convoy -- were hospitalized in Grozny and later released. Several sources and reports said that Adam Kadyrov's condition was serious, but NIYSO said on January 17 that his life was not in danger. One RFE/RL source said he was unconscious and in intensive care after the crash, while another said he regained consciousness before the flight to Moscow. What Are Officials Saying? Nothing. Senior authorities in Moscow and Grozny have made no public comments on the matter, and state media - both regional and national - have not reported on the crash. Moreover, in what may have been an attempt to cover up the matter, Ramzan Kadyrov's Telegram channel and several state-linked media outlets published footage showing Adam Kadyrov meeting with commanders of police and security forces and bestowing state awards on medal recipients. But evidence indicates that footage was filmed on January 15 -- a day before the accident. While it's unclear how often this is done in Chechnya, showing older footage and saying or suggesting that is fresh is a common practice for the Kremlin when it comes to Putin, Systema, RFE/RL's Russian investigative unit, has found. At the same time, Chechen authorities may be moving to punish anyone deemed to have leaked information about the crash: On January 17, security forces checked the mobile phones of doctors and other personnel - and some patients - at the Grozny hospital where Adam Kadyrov was initially taken along with others who were injured, sources said. A source close to the regional Health Ministry said a senior doctor at the hospital warned personnel there would be consequences for themselves and their families if they were found to have linked sensitive information. Who Is Adam Kadyrov? Ramzan Kadyrov reportedly has at least 12 children, some of them with women other than his wife of 30 years, Medni. Adam, the youngest of the six who are best known -- three brothers and three sisters -- is sometimes described as the favorite. Long before he turned 18 in November, his father began handing Adam prominent roles in the region. The head of Ramzan's security service since November 2023, he was named secretary of Chechnya's Security Council last April and has oversight of the security and law enforcement agencies, charitable affairs, and tax collection. As a minor, he was also awarded medals including Hero of the Republic of Chechnya, the region's highest honor. Adam Kadyrov received that medal and other awards after an incident that increased his prominence and underscored the violence and lawlessness that critics say encapsulates the rule of his father, who is given wide leeway by Putin and the Kremlin in exchange for keeping the region under control. A video circulated online showed Adam, then 15, beating a prisoner who had been arrested and accused of burning a copy of the Koran. The awards, attention, and roles bestowed upon Adam Kadyrov have coincided with growing indications that Ramzan Kadyrov may be seriously ill, stoking speculation that the teenager could be his father's first choice as a successor - perhaps to hold power though a regent at first, if necessary, as Chechnya's constitution says its leader must be at least 30 years old. How Will This Affect An Eventual Succession? That's not yet clear, as it depends on numerous factors including whether the crash has any longstanding effect on Adam Kadyrov's health. At this point, an even bigger factor is the condition and the intentions of his father. For the moment, the developments add to uncertainty about who may hold power in Chechnya in the near and distant future. It's a question that is of intense interest in Grozny of course, but also in Moscow, given Putin's reliance on Kadyrov. Putin appointed Ramzan Kadyrov as president of Chechnya in 2007, who is now 49, when he reached the minimum age for the office in 2007. He is frequently accused by Russian and international human rights groups of overseeing grave human rights abuses including abductions, torture, extrajudicial killings, and targeting the LGBT community. At the same time, he has vocally supported Putin and has sent Chechen men to fight alongside Kremlin forces in the invasion of Ukraine. Critics say the Kremlin has turned a blind eye to rights abuses and violations of the Russian Constitution by Kadyrov and those under his control because Putin relies on the former rebel commander to control separatist sentiment and violence in Chechnya, which was devastated by two post-Soviet wars pitting Moscow against rebels and an Islamist insurgency that spread to other mostly Muslim regions in the North Caucasus. As for Ramzan Kadyrov's plans, while a lot of attention has been focused on Adam Kadyrov, he has also handed high-level jobs and honors to several of his other children as well. Earlier this month, he named Akhmat Kadyrov, 20, as a deputy prime minister. He has also installed some of his sons and daughters in influential financial and commercial roles, and analysts say he may be more intent on ensuring his family retains control of the region after his death or retirement than on putting any particular successor in place. What's Happening With Ramzan Kadyrov? Speculation about Ramzan Kadyrov's health has swirled for years. Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that in 2024 that he suffered from pancreatic necrosis, and his bloated appearance and slurred speech was notable in social media videos. Last May, Novaya Gazeta Europe said that Kadyrov's health had worsened, and in late December, it reported that he had been urgently hospitalized in Moscow ahead of a major meeting overseen by Putin. He has appeared visibly ill or uncomfortable in a number of videos circulated online in 2025. A somber video published in May shows a dark-hooded Kadyrov walking slowly forward while a voice attributed to him does not directly deny what it calls "rumors of my sickness." The voice states that "illness and death is the path of every person: nobody who has lived has ever avoided this road." With reporting by RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ramzan-kadyrov-son- adam-car-crash-chechnya/33653937.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Welcomes the Ceasefire Agreement in Syria Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) 19-01-2026 The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, welcomed the ceasefire agreement and the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces, including all their civil and military institutions, into the Syrian state, announced on Sunday, 18 January 2026. The Secretary-General of the Organization expressed his hope that this agreement would contribute to strengthening efforts to achieve civil peace and establish security and stability. He reaffirmed the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's position in support of Syria's security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. 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 2026.01.18 Issuing AuthorityPolitical Warfare Bureau PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1.Date: 6 a.m. Jan. 17 (Sat.) to 6 a.m. Jan. 18 (Sun.) (UTC+8) 2.PLA activities: 9 sorties of PLA aircraft and 9 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 3 out of 9 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. 1150118_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan 1150118_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM call with Prime Minister Meloni of Italy and Prime Minister Carney of Canada: 19 January 2026 Press release The Prime Minister had further calls with leaders this evening. He spoke to Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni and Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney. From: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP Published 19 January 2026 The Prime Minister had further calls with leaders this evening. He spoke to Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni and Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney. Reiterating his position, the Prime Minister was clear that the future of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone. He said that it was in everybody's interests to go further to deliver on Arctic security and that the UK stands ready to contribute fully alongside our allies through NATO. He was clear as well that the use of tariffs against allies for pursuing collective security is completely wrong. The Prime Minister continued to underline the need to continue the good progress with allies to end the war in Ukraine, and to maintain steadfast support in the face of continued Russian aggression. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Continues Targeting Ukraine's Energy As Kyiv Looks To Shift Electricity Eastward By RFE/RL January 19, 2026 Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy sector continued overnight as Kyiv scrambles to accelerate work on rerouting electricity supplies from its western nuclear plants to hard-hit areas in the east. This winter, Russia has made no secret that its strategy is to target Ukraine's already-battered electricity grid and power plant facilities, along with municipal heating plants, which supply heat and hot water to many, if not most, buildings in Kyiv and other Ukrainian towns and cities. Russian strikes hit the Odesa region early on January 19, damaging energy and gas infrastructure, with at least one person being injured, regional authorities reported. The head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Oleh Kiper, added that a drone struck a multistory residential building in Odesa. "The blast wave was so strong. I live on the 12th floor, and the windows were blown out so it felt like it was raining glass," Volodymyr, an Odesa resident who asked for his last name to be withheld, told RFE/RL. DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, said a power facility in the southern city of Odesa was "substantially" damaged in the attack, leaving almost 40,000 households without electricity. In Ukraine's second-biggest city of Kharkiv, Russia attacked a critical infrastructure facility with four missiles, causing significant damage, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on January 19. In Kyiv, utility workers continue working to restore heat to buildings that were left without heating after the January 9 attack on the capital. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said the situation remains challenging as severe frost persists, with temperatures reaching minus 20 degrees Celsius. Emergency power outages continue, and the Ukrainian capital is operating under a state of emergency, he added. Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal stated on January 19 that Ukraine will work on improving electricity transmission from the western part of the country to its power-hungry eastern regions amid the ongoing Russian attack on its energy infrastructure. "This involves both repairs and network expansion. The tasks set will reduce the duration of power cuts in areas where the situation is currently most difficult," Shmyhal wrote on Telegram. Andriy Herus, head of Ukrainian parliament's Energy, Housing, and Communal Services Committee, admits that the coming weeks will be tough for all unless the deep freeze breaks and longer days and clear skies help generate more solar power. "The next 30 days will be difficult for us. I sometimes hear that from that point on or from a week after that point it will get better, but then at the end of such statements they add in small letters: 'provided that there is no new shelling.' But with a high probability there will be new Russian shelling," Herus told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on January 19. Ukraine's three operational nuclear power plants, which provide most of the country's electricity, are located in the west, while eastern Ukraine, formerly reliant on thermal power plants, has seen those facilities almost completely destroyed. The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has warned that Russian forces are reportedly preparing to conduct long-range strikes against substations powering Ukraine's nuclear power plants. "If the Russians seriously wanted to end the war, they'd focus on diplomacy -- not on missile strikes, blackouts, and even attempts to damage our nuclear power plants," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. "We have information about the sites Russia reconnoitered in preparation for strikes. Everything clearly shows that diplomacy is not a priority for Russia," Zelenskyy warned. Russia's Defense Ministry says it's targeting energy infrastructure it claims is used by Ukraine's military. Data shows Russian forces intensified strikes on Ukraine's energy and gas infrastructure at the beginning of fall 2025, disrupting supplies during the heating season. With reporting from Ukrainian Service and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-target-ukraine-energy- amid-cold-weather/33653692.html Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Forces Liberate Novopavlovka Settlement in DPR Sputnik News 20260119 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Tsentr battlegroup took control of the settlement of Novopavlovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday. "As a result of decisive actions, units of the Tsentr group of forces liberated the settlement of Novopavlovka in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said in a statement. Russia's Dnepr battlegroup took control of the settlement of Pavlovka in the Zaporozhye region took control of the settlement of Pavlovka in the Zaporozhye region Russia's Tsentr battlegroup has eliminated up to 400 Ukrainian military personnel has eliminated up to 400 Ukrainian military personnel Ukraine has also lost over 200 soldiers in battles with the Zapad battlegroup , up to 225 soldiers in battles with the Yug battlegroup , and over 270 soldiers in battles with the Vostok battlegroup , up to 225 soldiers in battles with the , and over 270 soldiers in battles with the Russian armed forces attacked energy and transport infrastructure facilities used in the interests of the Ukrainian armed forces Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Oana Toiu Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 19 January 2026 19:44 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "It was good to catch up with my Romanian colleague Oana Toiu at World Economic Forum 2026. I informed about the situation in Ukraine and Russia's damage to our energy system. I shared the list of most urgent needs to bring back light and warmth to Ukrainians' homes. We rely on our neighbors in providing additional energy and humanitarian assistance. We also shared thoughts on the recent geopolitical dynamic and developments. I stressed that peace for Ukraine is essential for European and global security. We agreed to strengthen our bilateral and regional cooperation this year." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha held a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 19 January 2026 18:39 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "My first meeting upon arrival at World Economic Forum in Davos was with my Swiss colleague and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ignazio Cassis. I informed about the frontline situation and Russia's terror against our energy system, including nuclear, as well as Ukraine's most urgent energy needs. I am grateful to my colleague for affirming that Switzerland will make every effort to support Ukrainian people and energy system now, during freezing wintertime. I also briefed my colleague on peace efforts, most recent Ukrainian-American talks, the next steps, and the need to increase pressure on the aggressor. Grateful for Switzerland's contribution to peace efforts, as well as its role in advancing accountability and justice for Ukraine. We agreed to coordinate future steps at bilateral and multilateral levels. We discussed our full bilateral agenda. Switzerland is among leaders in humanitarian support for Ukraine. I thanked the Swiss side for joining and actively participating in the Civil Protection Shelter Coalition, as well as the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. We agreed to maintain close cooperation during the Swiss OSCE Chairpersonship this year to advance peace for Ukraine and the rest of Europe. I am looking forward to hosting Ignazio and his team in Kyiv next month." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha called on global partners to support the Ukrainian people Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 19 January 2026 13:48 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "Warmth for Ukraine from the World. We are reaching out to all Ukrainian communities abroad, partners, friends, and benefactors worldwide with a call to support the Ukrainian people during this time of extreme winter frosts and brutal Russian terror. Today, I instructed all our foreign diplomatic missions to initiate urgent fundraising campaigns similar to the one recently conducted by our Polish friends. As a reminder, our neighbors demonstrated true Polish leadership, already raising approximately $1 million through the "Warmth for Kyiv" initiative. I want to thank each of the nearly 24,000 donors. We will always remember your solidarity during this difficult time. Currently, our heroes-energy workers are performing real miracles, saving lives under extreme conditions. Our government, including the teams of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal, is working 24/7 to strengthen energy security. For its part, MFA of Ukraine is bolstering these efforts through international supportat the level of governments, international organizations, and everyday people, communities, activists, and philanthropists. I regularly brief President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on decisions made by partners to support Ukraine's energy sector: Norway, the UK, Germany, Italy, Austria, and others. We are now scaling the Polish initiative to other countries around the world. I call upon all compassionate people worldwideall our friends, communities, civil society, parliaments, regional and local politicians, opinion leaders, the media, and other groupsto respond to this appeal. This assistance is urgently needed. It will go toward purchasing equipment, electricity, power supplies, and all forms of energy directly for Ukrainians and the communities in need. A small piece of your warmth will save Ukrainian families and children. This is about more than just donationsit is about the feeling that we are not alone. It is about the conviction that Russia will not succeed in breaking us with its winter terror. It is about proving that the only response to their cruelty will be an even greater strength and global unity in support of Ukraineboth at the macro level and between people. I thank all the benefactors worldwide who show solidarity with the Ukrainian people." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andrii Sybiha held phone talks with Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Theresa P. Lazaro Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 19 January 2026 11:14 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "I had a productive phone call with Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Theresa P. Lazaro and congratulated the Philippines on the successful national launch of its 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship. Ukraine welcomes the Philippine Chair's priorities and stands ready to work together to advance them. We are interested in deepening engagement in a variety of areas, as well as becoming ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner. We also spoke about our mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation, including in food security, humanitarian efforts, defense, digitalization, and political dialogue. We synchronized future contacts between our countries to strengthen our bilateral ties. I informed my colleague about Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy system, current battlefield situation, and the dynamic of our peace efforts. I thanked the Philippines for its consistent support for our sovereignty and territorial integrity, in particular within the UN. We discussed our cooperation and mutual support within international organizations. I also invited my Philippine colleague to visit Kyiv and thanked for her kind invitation to Manila, as well as for Ukraine to take part in this year's major ASEAN meetings." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Minister of Defence Sergiy Boyev and Speaker of the Latvian Saeima Daiga Mierina discuss bilateral military cooperation in 2026 Ministry of Defence of Ukraine 19 January, 2026, 10:14 AM EET Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Sergiy Boyev, and Speaker of the Latvian Saeima, Daiga Mierina, discussed Latvia's military assistance to Ukraine in 2026 and cooperation in the defence industry. Sergiy Boyev thanked the leadership and people of Latvia for their steadfast support throughout the entire russian-Ukrainian war, in particular for allocating 0.25% of Latvia's GDP to support Ukraine. "We are grateful for your assistance and for the continuation of this support in 2026. This year will be particularly challenging. Ukraine will not forget those who stand with us in difficult times," Sergiy Boyev said. He also expressed gratitude to Latvia for the transfer of Patria armoured personnel carriers currently in service on the front line and highlighted the importance of the PURL initiative, which Latvia has joined. For her part, Speaker of the Latvian Saeima, Daiga Mierina, underscored the importance of sanctions policy against the aggressor and of expanding cooperation in the defence industry. She stated that Latvian companies are ready to engage in joint projects. In addition, the parties discussed priorities for military assistance to Ukraine in 2026, as well as preparations for the upcoming meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address There Will Be a New Approach to the Use of Air Defense by the Air Force - Address by the President President of Ukraine 19 January 2026 - 20:48 I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians! Briefly about this day. Air defense: there will be a new approach to the use of air defense by the Air Force, specifically regarding mobile fire groups, interceptor drones, and other means of short-range air defense. This system will be transformed. I approved the appointment of a new Deputy Commander of the Air Force - Pavlo Yelizarov. In the army, he is known for Lazar, a special unit that operates - and operates effectively. Together with Ukraine's Minister of Defense and the military command, a new organization for the entire component of this particular type of air defense must - and will - be developed. We had a detailed discussion during the energy coordination call on recovery efforts in the regions after Russian strikes. The situation is extremely difficult in all border and frontline regions. First and foremost in Kharkiv and the region, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro region, Chernihiv, and Sumy region. Work continues in Odesa - there are tasks to be done. Special attention is being paid to Kyiv and the region - the situation is currently the most difficult there, and additional repair crews have been brought in for Kyiv, including from Ukrzaliznytsia and other state-owned companies. We agreed with Prime Minister of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko that the Government must adopt the necessary decisions for energy workers this week. There must be additional monthly payments, in light of this emergency situation - for each month - for those of our people who work directly on the ground after the strikes, at the accident sites, in repair crews. The state must be grateful to everyone who ensures that Ukraine restores what the Russians destroy. In the coming days, we must remain extremely vigilant. Russia has prepared for a strike - a massive strike - and is waiting for the moment to carry it out. Please pay close attention to all air raid alerts, and every region must be ready to respond as quickly as possible and support people. Today, representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine provided reports. Major General Yevhenii Khmara reported on combat operations and further personnel restructuring of the Service. I approved operations that will strengthen us. Major General Oleksandr Poklad reported on countering Russian subversive activities. The Russians are constantly trying to influence Ukraine from within - in particular through attacks on well-known Ukrainians. We are defending Ukraine. There is an important result from the Security Service in combat operations on the frontline - they captured a Russian who killed Ukrainians who had been taken prisoner. This happened in October of last year in the Kursk region - nine of our warriors were killed. May their memory be eternal! We will find every Russian murderer. Every single one will be held accountable. I instructed Oleksandr Poklad to provide the public with all the necessary details. Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk delivered a report - there will be active asymmetric operations against Russia, and there are resources for this. And one more point. A report by our delegation: they held meetings with envoys of the U.S. President. It is important that Ukraine is constructive. It is important that Ukraine is genuinely working toward a diplomatic solution. It is important that support for Ukraine must be sufficient. We are doing everything for this. Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address High-grade in shallow intercepts returned from expansive resource drilling at Target 1 ahead of the Target 1 mineral resource estimation (MRE) update Target 1 drilling highlights include 1.55 m @ 2.11 g/t gold, 5.5 g/t silver from 24.65 m (MTH-RE25-54), plus Melbourne - Mithril Silver and Gold Ltd. ("Mithril" or the "Company") (TSXV: MSG) (ASX: MTH) (OTCQB: MTIRF) is pleased to provide exploration success at Mithril's district scale Copalquin property, Durango State, Mexico. 1.35 m @ 21.9 g/t gold, 357 g/t silver from 142.75 m, including 0.50 m @ 57.7 g/t gold, 924 g/t silver from 143.6 m 3.05 m @ 1.68 g/t gold, 107 g/t silver from 52.0 m (MTH-LS25-53), including 0.50 m @ 9.60 g/t gold, 612 g/t silver from 52.0 m, plus 2.80 m @ 2.29 g/t gold, 60.3 g/t silver from 65.25 m, including 0.50 m @ 10.6 g/t gold, 298 g/t silver from 67.55 m, plus 4.40 m @ 2.18 g/t gold, 14.6 g/t silver from 77.2 m 0.50 m @ 15.5 g/t gold, 66.1 g/t silver from 81.1 m Drilling on the western side of Target 1 (150 metre anomalous silver zone intercept in MTH-RE25-58 extends the District east-west mineralised structure 300 metres west plus extensive hydrothermal alteration. This large alteration zone indicates significant hydrothermal fluid flow which possibly represents a major feeder zone in this part of the District. This is further supported by our recent petrographic work (see discussion below). The east-west structure likely extends a further 600 metres west to the El Gallo workings where high-grade gold and silver was intercepted in previous drilling (see ASX announcement date 5 May 2022)1 providing significant scale upside. 300 metre down dip extension of the Refugio 1 structure, also on the western side of Target 1 (MTH-RE25-47 and 56), are the deepest intercepts in this area to date which (with the intercept in MTH-RE25-058) provide vectors for continued expansion of the Copalquin District model. "The recent drilling at Target 1 has successfully expanded the resource potential for the upcoming Target 1 MRE update and provided important success in the development of the larger District scale model", said John Skeet, Managing Director & CEO. "The drilling on the western side of Target 1 intersected a broad anomalous silver zone with pervasive hydrothermal alteration associated with the district-scale east-west structure. In low-sulphidation systems, this style of alteration and silver enrichment is indicative of a well-developed hydrothermal conduit or feeder zone and supports further potential for mineralisation along strike and at depth as well as the District bigger picture. The 300-metre down-dip extension of the Refugio 1 structure confirms vertical continuity of the system and provides clear scope to expand the Target 1 resource beyond the current model." Copalquin District - 2026 Mithril is undertaking an aggressive exploration program in 2026, with 25,000 metres of drilling planned during the first half of the year across the Copalquin District. Upcoming work will focus on expanding known mineralized zones, testing new high-priority targets, integrating district-wide geophysical data, and continuing to advance the Company's district-scale exploration thesis. The district features over 100 historic underground workings including several notable producing multi-level mines and 200 surface workings. Mapping and sampling across the lower half of the 70 km2 mining concession area demonstrates and a large epithermal silver-gold system with multiple target areas for potential resource growth plus the conduit system responsible for the widespread silver and gold mineralisation. The nearby 20 km2 La Dura property has recently been added to the portfolio providing where a LiDAR survey has been flown (interpretation anticipated in February 2026) and will undergo and aerial magnetic survey upon completion of the aerial magnetic survey at Copalquin commencing in January 2026. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 1 Mithril's Copalquin and La Dura property locations in Durango State, Mexico Click Image To View Full Size Figure 2 LiDAR identified historic workings across the 70km2 district. Current drilling locations at Target 1 west and Target 5 (El Apomal), and recent drilling at Zaragoza mine in Target 1 south, high priority drill target area of La Constancia-El Jabali (Target 3). Several new areas highlighted across the district for follow-up work including recently sampled Target 6 Target 1 Drilling Discussion Drilling continued throughout 2025 at the Target 1 area aiming to expand the maiden resource. The results throughout the year and reported in this announcement have continued to successfully expand the footprint and fill in areas with the objective to bring more tonnes into classification for a mineral resource estimate (MRE) update. Approximately 3,000 metres of drilling is to be completed in Q1 2026 to finalise the drilling for the MRE update. 3D modelling of the updated geology including the post mineral intrusive unit has created a robust and predictable model for the upcoming MRE. Recently received drill results have intersected very high-grade gold and silver and provided supportive geological control data for the Target 1 model. Assay highlights include 1.55 m @ 2.11 g/t gold, 5.5 g/t silver from 24.65 m (MTH-RE25-54), plus 1.35 m @ 21.9 g/t gold, 357 g/t silver from 142.75 m, including 0.50 m @ 57.7 g/t gold, 924 g/t silver from 143.6 m 3.05 m @ 1.68 g/t gold, 107 g/t silver from 52.0 m (MTH-LS25-53), including 0.50 m @ 9.60 g/t gold, 612 g/t silver from 52.0 m, plus 2.80 m @ 2.29 g/t gold, 60.3 g/t silver from 65.25 m, including 0.50 m @ 10.6 g/t gold, 298 g/t silver from 67.55 m, plus 4.40 m @ 2.18 g/t gold, 14.6 g/t silver from 77.2 m 0.50 m @ 15.5 g/t gold, 66.1 g/t silver from 81.1 m Table 1 Interval for results received for Target 1 drilling reported. Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au g/t Ag g/t AuEq g/t MTH-RE25-46 59.5 61.2 1.7 0.59 11.1 0.75 MTH-RE25-46 65.25 69.2 3.95 1.37 22.2 1.69 MTH-RE25-47 442.3 444.65 2.35 1.18 24.2 1.52 MTH-LS25-52 72.7 73.2 0.5 1.11 4.4 1.17 MTH-LS25-52 264.5 266 1.5 0.39 63.6 1.30 MTH-LS25-53 44.7 45.2 0.5 2.64 42.3 3.24 MTH-LS25-53 52 55.05 3.05 1.68 107 3.20 including 52 52.5 0.5 9.60 612 18.34 MTH-LS25-53 65.25 68.05 2.80 2.29 60.3 3.15 including 67.55 68.05 0.5 10.55 298 14.81 MTH-LS25-53 77.2 81.6 4.40 2.18 14.6 2.39 including 81.1 81.6 0.5 15.50 66.1 16.44 MTH-LS25-53 91.7 93 1.3 0.44 0.7 0.45 MTH-LS25-53 226 226.5 0.5 1.07 2.7 1.11 MTH-RE25-54 5.50 8.30 2.80 0.27 19.7 0.56 MTH-RE25-54 12 12.65 0.65 0.60 19.1 0.87 MTH-RE25-54 18.85 20 1.15 0.31 11.0 0.47 MTH-RE25-54 24.65 26.20 1.55 2.11 5.50 2.19 MTH-RE25-54 28.70 29.60 0.90 0.524 23.1 0.85 MTH-RE25-54 32.25 34.85 2.60 0.30 2.40 0.33 MTH-RE25-54 133.7 135 1.30 0.72 54.7 1.50 MTH-RE25-54 142.75 144.1 1.35 21.94 357 27.04 including 143.6 144.1 0.50 57.65 924 70.85 MTH-RE25-55 No reportable intercepts MTH-RE25-56 441.75 447.2 5.45 0.78 35.9 1.29 including 441.75 442.7 0.95 1.08 39.5 1.64 including 444.7 447.2 2.50 1.26 62.1 2.15 MTH-RE25-57 189.15 189.65 0.50 1.43 128 3.25 MTH-RE25-58 165.85 166.35 0.50 1.09 82.2 2.26 MTH-RE25-59 No reportable intercepts Click Image To View Full Size Figure 3 Plan map for the Target 1 drilling reported and section lines for the following cross sections Figure 4 Section C - high-grade intercepts on the eastern side of the Target 1 resource successfully in-filling an area with previously insufficient data in this relatively shallow area. Figure 5 Section D with multiple intercepts including those highlighted on the above section. Figure 6 Section E successfully intercepting the Refugio 1 structure on the eastern side over 300 metres down dip Further Evidence of the Large Hydrothermal System Drilling on the western end of the resource area at Target 1 has continued to provide further evidence of continuation of the east-west mineralised structure plus extensive hydrothermal alteration. In a low sulphidation epithermal deposit, the presence of a wide alteration halo combined with silver-rich mineralization is a strong indicator of a robust, long-lived hydrothermal system and has important implications for both scale and exploration potential. A broad alteration halo reflects extensive circulation of neutral to weakly alkaline hydrothermal fluids through permeable structures and surrounding wall rocks. Alteration assemblages commonly include quartz, adularia, sericite, with variable carbonate, chlorite and locally developed clay alteration. The breadth of alteration indicates that fluid flow was not restricted to narrow vein conduits, but instead affected a large volume of rock, increasing the likelihood of multiple mineralized structures, stacked veins, or locally disseminated mineralization. From an exploration standpoint, wide alteration halos provide large, mappable footprints that can be detected through mapping, geochemistry, and remote sensing, allowing effective vectoring toward higher grade zones. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 7 Drill hole MTH-RE25-58 intercepted a thick anonymously silver rich alteration halo on the western side of Target 1 Silver mineralization is a characteristic feature of low sulphidation epithermal systems and commonly occurs as electrum, acanthite, native silver, silver sulfosalts, or Ag-bearing base metal sulphides. Elevated silver grades often reflect boiling, fluid mixing, or rapid pressure changes within the epithermal environment, processes that are also efficient at precipitating gold. Silver rich zones may be laterally or vertically offset from gold dominant zones, commonly occupying higher or more distal portions of the system, and therefore provide valuable vectors toward potentially gold rich feeder structures at depth or along strike. Together, a wide alteration halo and significant silver mineralization suggest a well-developed epithermal system with favourable permeability architecture and strong hydrothermal flux. This combination increases the probability of discovering additional veins, higher grade shoots, or vertically zoned precious metal mineralization, and supports the potential for a district scale mineralized system rather than isolated, narrow veins. Table 2 Drill hole collar details reported in this announcement Hole ID Easting (m) Northing (m) Elevation (m) Azimuth (degrees) Inclination (degrees) Depth (m) MTH-RE25-46 289355 2823700 1246.14 188 -50 249 MTH-RE25-47 288996.3 2824042 1188.21 210 -75 516 MTH-RE25-48 288547 2823911 1133.83 205 -65 351 MTH-LS25-49 289869 2824152 1065.27 200 -45 342 MTH-LS25-50 289729 2824339 1057.79 195 -73 402 MTH-LS25-51 289956 2824182 1081.41 195 -65 132 MTH-LS25-52 289943 2824082 1094.17 210 -45 450 MTH-LS25-53 289601 2824056 1141.2 180 -55 339 MTH-RE25-54 289519 2823757 1192.72 165 -55 417 MTH-RE25-55 288759 2823832 1189.26 250 -50 351 MTH-RE25-56 289004 2824047 1189.1 210 -69 516 MTH-RE25-57 288757 2823827 1190.94 210 -45 351 MTH-RE25-58 288757 2823827 1190.94 185 -45 300 MTH-RE25-59 288748 2823965 1232.44 180 -77 501 ABOUT THE COPALQUIN GOLD SILVER PROJECT The Copalquin mining district is located in Durango State, Mexico and covers an entire mining district of 70km2 containing several dozen historic gold and silver mines and workings, ten of which had notable production. The district is within the Sierra Madre Gold Silver Trend which extends north-south along the western side of Mexico and hosts many gold and silver districts. Multiple mineralisation events, young intrusives thought to be system-driving heat sources, widespread alteration together with extensive surface vein exposures and dozens of historic mine workings, identify the Copalquin mining district as a major epithermal centre for Gold and Silver. Within 15 months of drilling in the Copalquin District, Mithril delivered a maiden JORC mineral resource estimate at the first of several target areas (Target 1), demonstrating the high-grade gold and silver resource potential for the district. This maiden resource is detailed below (see ASX release 17 November 2021)^ and a NI 43-101 Technical Report filed on SEDAR+ Target 1 Maiden Resource: Indicated 691 kt @5.43 g/t gold, 114 g/t silver for 121,000 oz gold plus 2,538,000 oz silver Inferred 1,725 kt @4.55 g/t gold, 152 g/t silver for 252,000 oz gold plus 8,414,000 oz silver (using a cut-off grade of 2.0 g/t AuEq*) 28.6% of the resource tonnage is classified as indicated Table 3 Mineral resource estimate at Target 1 El Refugio - La Soledad using a cut-off grade of 2.0 g/t AuEq* Tonnes (kt) Tonnes (kt) Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Gold Eq.* (g/t) Gold (koz) Silver (koz) Gold Eq.* (koz) El Refugio Indicated 691 5.43 114.2 7.06 121 2,538 157 Inferred 1,447 4.63 137.1 6.59 215 6,377 307 La Soledad Indicated - - - - - - - Inferred 278 4.12 228.2 7.38 37 2,037 66 Total Indicated 691 5.43 114.2 7.06 121 2,538 157 Inferred 1,725 4.55 151.7 6.72 252 8,414 372 * In determining the gold equivalent (AuEq.) grade for reporting, a gold:silver price ratio of 70:1 was determined, using the formula: AuEq grade = Au grade + ((Ag grade/70) x (Ag recovery/Au recovery)). The metal prices used to determine the 70:1 ratio are the cumulative average prices for 2021: gold USD1,798.34 and silver: USD25.32 (actual is 71:1) from kitco.com. For silver equivalent (AgEq.) grade reporting, the same factors as above are used with the formula AgEq grade = Ag grade + ((Au grade x 70) x (Au recovery/Ag recovery)) At this early stage, the metallurgical recoveries were assumed to be equal (93%). Subsequent preliminary metallurgical test work produced recoveries of 91% for silver and 96% for gold (ASX Announcement 25 February 2022) and these will be used when the resource is updated in the future. In the Company's opinion there is reasonable potential for both gold and silver to be extracted and sold. ^ The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves is based on information provided in the following ASX announcement: 17 Nov 2021 - MAIDEN JORC RESOURCE 529,000 OUNCES @ 6.81G/T (AuEq*), which includes the full JORC MRE report, also available on the Mithril Resources Limited Website. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original market announcement and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the relevant market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. The company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Person's findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcement. Mining study (conceptual) and metallurgical test work supports the development of the El Refugio-La Soledad resource with conventional underground mining methods indicated as being appropriate and with high gold-silver recovery to produce metal on-site with conventional processing. The average vein width is approximately 4.5 metres. Mithril is currently exploring in the Copalquin District to expand the resource footprint, demonstrating its multi-million-ounce gold and silver potential. Mithril has an exclusive option to purchase 100% interest in the Copalquin mining concessions by paying US$10M on or any time before 7 August 2028. -ENDS- Released with the authority of the Board. For further information contact: John Skeet Managing Director and CEO [email protected] +61 435 766 809 NIKLI COMMUNICATIONS Corporate Communications [email protected] [email protected] The Australian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. 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. Competent Persons Statement - JORC The information in this announcement that relates to metallurgical test results, mineral processing and project development and study work has been compiled by Mr John Skeet who is Mithril's CEO and Managing Director. Mr Skeet is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. This is a Recognised Professional Organisation (RPO) under the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Code. Mr Skeet has sufficient experience of relevance to the styles of mineralisation and the types of deposits under consideration, and to the activities undertaken, to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Mr Skeet consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on information in the form and context in which it appears. The Australian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. The information in this announcement that relates to sampling techniques and data, exploration results and geological interpretation for Mithril's Mexican project, has been compiled by Mr Darren LeFort who is Mithril's Exploration Manager. Mr LeFort is a member of the Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia and a Certified Professional Geologist (P.Geo). This is a Recognised Professional Organisation (RPO) under the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Code. Mr LeFort has sufficient experience of relevance to the styles of mineralisation and the types of deposits under consideration, and to the activities undertaken, to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Mr LeFort consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on information in the form and context in which it appears. The information in this announcement that relates to Mineral Resources is reported by Mr Rodney Webster, former Principal Geologist at AMC Consultants Pty Ltd (AMC), who is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. The report was peer reviewed by Andrew Proudman, Principal Consultant at AMC. Mr Webster is acting as the Competent Person, as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves, for the reporting of the Mineral Resource estimate. A site visit was carried out by Jose Olmedo a geological consultant with AMC, in September 2021 to observe the drilling, logging, sampling and assay database. Mr Webster consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on information in the form and context in which it appears Qualified Persons - NI 43-101 Scientific and technical information in this Report has been reviewed and approved by Mr John Skeet (FAUSIMM, CP) Mithril's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Mr John Skeet is a qualified person within the meaning of NI 43-101. Samples are sent to ALS Global with sample preparation performed in Chihuahua City, Mexico and assaying of sample pulps performed in North Vancouver, BC, Canada Table 4 All drill results reported greater than or equal to 0.1 g/t AuEq Drillhole ID Sample ID From (m) To (m) Au g/t Ag g/t AuEq g/t Cu g/t Pb g/t Zn g/t MTH-RE25-46 821441 59.5 60.6 0.451 10.8 0.61 55 7 89 MTH-RE25-46 821442 60.6 61.2 0.858 11.7 1.03 56 7 90 MTH-RE25-46 821446 64.55 65.25 0.073 5.6 0.15 47 75 122 MTH-RE25-46 821447 65.25 65.8 1.925 46.5 2.59 46 25 84 MTH-RE25-46 821448 65.8 66.45 0.45 8.8 0.58 34 9 49 MTH-RE25-46 821449 66.45 67 3.65 45.3 4.30 44 26 65 MTH-RE25-46 821451 67 67.8 1.31 20.8 1.61 34 31 108 MTH-RE25-46 821452 67.8 68.4 1.285 16.9 1.53 32 21 77 MTH-RE25-46 821453 68.4 69.2 0.313 6 0.40 27 17 77 MTH-RE25-47 821494 436 436.7 0.08 10.4 0.23 60 73 305 MTH-RE25-47 821495 436.7 438 0.192 30.8 0.63 26 78 139 MTH-RE25-47 821499 440 441 0.351 32.2 0.81 98 279 343 MTH-RE25-47 821501 441 441.6 0.232 5.9 0.32 39 101 112 MTH-RE25-47 821503 441.6 442.3 0.378 7.3 0.48 124 696 700 MTH-RE25-47 821504 442.3 442.9 1.605 57.4 2.43 150 1005 2260 MTH-RE25-47 821505 442.9 443.5 0.836 14.8 1.05 241 1050 3380 MTH-RE25-47 821506 443.5 444 0.576 10.2 0.72 228 1060 4430 MTH-RE25-47 821507 444 444.65 1.555 12.9 1.74 297 282 1585 MTH-RE25-48 821559 341 343 0.042 5.5 0.12 390 244 232 MTH-RE25-48 821563 345.8 347 0.165 1.4 0.19 39 44 82 MTH-LS25-49 821570 101.05 101.95 0.63 18.6 0.90 24 365 18 MTH-LS25-49 821606 163 163.65 0.067 3.2 0.11 7 6 12 MTH-LS25-49 821624 178.4 178.9 0.704 1.4 0.72 35 698 1190 MTH-LS25-49 821626 178.9 179.5 0.379 1.9 0.41 13 66 73 MTH-LS25-49 821627 179.5 180 0.143 2.9 0.18 57 457 1745 MTH-LS25-49 821628 180 180.5 0.203 3.6 0.25 168 1515 439 MTH-LS25-49 821629 180.5 181.25 0.475 4 0.53 100 648 725 MTH-LS25-49 821632 182.75 183.7 0.817 3.2 0.86 5 11 55 MTH-LS25-49 821641 191.45 192 0.091 2 0.12 5 52 96 MTH-LS25-50 821713 267.25 267.85 0.091 7.4 0.20 31 29 55 MTH-LS25-50 821726 280.25 280.95 0.07 12 0.24 13 44 75 MTH-LS25-50 821727 280.95 282.05 0.112 24.4 0.46 51 38 93 MTH-LS25-51 821756 91.5 92 0.185 1.5 0.21 26 21 63 MTH-LS25-52 821783 14.3 14.95 0.031 5.2 0.11 31 27 53 MTH-LS25-52 821790 72.7 73.2 1.105 4.4 1.17 22 19 63 MTH-LS25-52 821794 125.2 125.95 0.089 0.8 0.10 15 12 53 MTH-LS25-52 821829 193 193.5 0.087 11 0.24 15 37 32 MTH-LS25-52 821838 203.4 204.3 0.089 4.3 0.15 15 16 68 MTH-LS25-52 821847 216 217.1 0.044 5.1 0.12 5 7 27 MTH-LS25-52 821882 253.15 254.05 0.052 3.7 0.10 25 16 124 MTH-LS25-52 821887 258.4 259.4 0.097 2.3 0.13 111 162 267 MTH-LS25-52 821893 264.5 266 0.389 63.6 1.30 79 146 105 MTH-LS25-53 821961 14 15 0.08 5.1 0.15 27 5 90 MTH-LS25-53 821967 20 21 0.029 5.2 0.10 46 53 103 MTH-LS25-53 821972 25.85 26.35 0.069 8.7 0.19 54 53 108 MTH-LS25-53 821974 27 28 0.045 5.8 0.13 58 39 136 MTH-LS25-53 821989 42 43 0.061 7.8 0.17 56 26 124 MTH-LS25-53 821992 44.7 45.2 2.64 42.3 3.24 65 27 85 MTH-LS25-53 822001 52 52.5 9.6 612 18.34 134 181 295 MTH-LS25-53 822002 52.5 53.45 0.038 7.8 0.15 15 38 134 MTH-LS25-53 822004 54.55 55.05 0.527 14.1 0.73 9 30 133 MTH-LS25-53 822015 65.25 66.4 0.49 0.6 0.50 40 7 99 MTH-LS25-53 822016 66.4 67.05 0.334 8.6 0.46 11 68 93 MTH-LS25-53 822017 67.05 67.55 0.69 27 1.08 9 17 14 MTH-LS25-53 822018 67.55 68.05 10.55 298 14.81 23 113 159 MTH-LS25-53 822030 77.2 77.75 1.305 25.9 1.68 34 73 180 MTH-LS25-53 822031 77.75 78.8 0.566 3.1 0.61 32 28 176 MTH-LS25-53 822032 78.8 79.8 0.169 3.4 0.22 31 31 127 MTH-LS25-53 822034 80.35 81.1 0.437 11.2 0.60 15 18 42 MTH-LS25-53 822035 81.1 81.6 15.5 66.1 16.44 33 109 135 MTH-LS25-53 822038 82.85 83.95 0.059 3.7 0.11 15 15 103 MTH-LS25-53 822048 91.7 93 0.443 0.7 0.45 24 38 109 MTH-LS25-53 822059 102.3 102.85 0.366 3.1 0.41 40 26 27 MTH-LS25-53 822069 112.5 113.1 0.229 3 0.27 16 17 54 MTH-LS25-53 822083 131.4 132.8 0.093 2.6 0.13 8 21 127 MTH-LS25-53 822087 137.1 138.5 0.099 1.3 0.12 6 27 97 MTH-LS25-53 840036 226 226.5 1.07 2.7 1.11 59 99 137 MTH-LS25-53 840069 250.75 251.35 0.125 1.1 0.14 25 11 69 MTH-LS25-53 840101 284.75 286 0.042 7.7 0.15 14 52 15 MTH-LS25-53 840103 286.75 287.25 0.103 7.5 0.21 6 21 157 MTH-LS25-53 840115 296 296.6 0.095 1.4 0.12 3 12 18 MTH-LS25-53 840119 298.55 299.7 0.08 12.1 0.25 787 588 301 MTH-LS25-53 840121 299.7 300.85 0.06 4.5 0.12 176 121 129 MTH-LS25-53 840124 301.65 302.35 0.114 0.8 0.13 2 9 25 MTH-LS25-53 840130 305 305.8 0.228 3.9 0.28 27 39 78 MTH-LS25-53 840131 305.8 306.3 0.705 2.2 0.74 19 21 57 MTH-LS25-53 840132 306.3 307.15 0.296 2.6 0.33 24 46 82 MTH-LS25-53 840133 307.15 307.8 0.07 5.5 0.15 78 523 363 MTH-LS25-53 840134 307.8 308.95 0.068 5.7 0.15 19 66 64 MTH-LS25-53 840139 312.05 312.75 0.168 1.8 0.19 16 72 89 MTH-LS25-53 840153 336.25 337.3 0.088 0.9 0.10 44 54 194 MTH-LS25-53 840154 337.3 338.35 0.095 0.8 0.11 54 47 191 MTH-RE25-54 840156 1 3.95 0.093 3.1 0.14 14 16 25 MTH-RE25-54 840157 3.95 5.5 0.113 10.4 0.26 24 21 20 MTH-RE25-54 840158 5.5 6.4 0.205 13 0.39 28 21 15 MTH-RE25-54 840159 6.4 7.45 0.311 24.5 0.66 15 21 19 MTH-RE25-54 840161 7.45 8.3 0.303 21 0.60 17 33 23 MTH-RE25-54 840163 9.25 9.8 0.098 6.6 0.19 25 26 120 MTH-RE25-54 840165 10.3 11.1 0.051 4 0.11 20 19 52 MTH-RE25-54 840166 11.1 12 0.075 4.6 0.14 24 13 108 MTH-RE25-54 840167 12 12.65 0.598 19.1 0.87 33 75 140 MTH-RE25-54 840171 15.1 16.35 0.113 7.4 0.22 22 21 95 MTH-RE25-54 840172 16.35 17.6 0.115 6.4 0.21 23 40 96 MTH-RE25-54 840174 18.2 18.85 0.053 4.4 0.12 29 19 98 MTH-RE25-54 840176 18.85 20 0.31 11 0.47 29 12 91 MTH-RE25-54 840181 23 24 0.087 4 0.14 31 12 82 MTH-RE25-54 840183 24.65 25.4 0.319 4 0.38 43 12 85 MTH-RE25-54 840184 25.4 26.2 3.79 6.9 3.89 53 19 109 MTH-RE25-54 840185 26.2 27 0.119 4.4 0.18 52 26 137 MTH-RE25-54 840187 27.75 28.7 0.123 5.2 0.20 50 28 132 MTH-RE25-54 840188 28.7 29.6 0.524 23.1 0.85 16 75 111 MTH-RE25-54 840189 29.6 30.1 0.146 3.7 0.20 28 20 101 MTH-RE25-54 840190 30.1 31.3 0.069 2.6 0.11 8 10 46 MTH-RE25-54 840192 32.25 33.6 0.221 2.3 0.25 7 13 62 MTH-RE25-54 840193 33.6 34.85 0.377 2.5 0.41 18 13 127 MTH-RE25-54 840194 34.85 36.05 0.172 2 0.20 12 12 110 MTH-RE25-54 840257 131.65 132.4 0.075 3.6 0.13 10 28 35 MTH-RE25-54 840258 132.4 133.2 0.097 10.3 0.24 3 36 27 MTH-RE25-54 840259 133.2 133.7 0.137 10.6 0.29 4 16 93 MTH-RE25-54 840260 133.7 134.35 0.86 78 1.97 8 19 42 MTH-RE25-54 840261 134.35 135 0.574 31.4 1.02 4 8 37 MTH-RE25-54 840262 135 135.55 0.117 2.6 0.15 5 29 63 MTH-RE25-54 840263 135.55 137 0.091 2.9 0.13 4 23 54 MTH-RE25-54 840264 137 139 0.086 3.7 0.14 5 26 57 MTH-RE25-54 840265 139 140.3 0.115 3.5 0.17 7 26 60 MTH-RE25-54 840266 140.3 141.55 0.106 3.3 0.15 97 12 128 MTH-RE25-54 840267 141.55 142.75 0.073 4.6 0.14 59 10 87 MTH-RE25-54 840268 142.75 143.6 0.933 23.9 1.27 4 14 68 MTH-RE25-54 840269 143.6 144.1 58.4 947 71.93 41 70 148 MTH-RE25-54 840271 144.1 144.6 0.362 10.7 0.51 3 18 96 MTH-RE25-54 840272 144.6 146 0.099 1.7 0.12 2 16 78 MTH-RE25-54 840273 146 148 0.24 2.4 0.27 2 16 61 MTH-RE25-54 840274 148 149.4 0.071 3.4 0.12 2 16 96 MTH-RE25-54 840276 149.4 150.25 0.316 19.7 0.60 3 14 45 MTH-RE25-54 840277 150.25 150.9 0.085 5.1 0.16 3 17 43 MTH-RE25-54 840281 152 152.8 0.079 2 0.11 4 15 73 MTH-RE25-54 840298 175.25 175.75 0.19 1.2 0.21 8 29 59 MTH-RE25-54 840309 182 182.85 0.022 7.4 0.13 10 92 176 MTH-RE25-54 840311 183.75 184.35 0.056 3.4 0.10 3 31 91 MTH-RE25-54 840336 230.45 231.35 0.113 6.2 0.20 83 45 49 MTH-RE25-54 840369 328.75 329.65 0.091 36.3 0.61 44 220 221 MTH-RE25-54 840370 329.65 330.65 0.031 11.9 0.20 29 714 336 MTH-RE25-54 840378 335.15 335.7 0.011 6.6 0.11 31 155 335 MTH-RE25-54 840393 346.5 347.55 0.026 22.4 0.35 26 234 132 MTH-RE25-54 840394 347.55 348.35 0.025 7 0.13 40 257 132 MTH-RE25-56 840528 441.75 442.7 1.08 39.5 1.64 36 32 69 MTH-RE25-56 840531 444.7 445.7 1.11 9.6 1.25 253 843 1010 MTH-RE25-56 840532 445.7 446.2 1.305 110 2.88 1130 3490 3880 MTH-RE25-56 840533 446.2 446.7 1.2 90.4 2.49 174 1360 1570 MTH-RE25-56 840534 446.7 447.2 1.59 91 2.89 215 1045 1755 MTH-RE25-56 840546 456.5 457.5 0.084 2.3 0.12 21 16 118 MTH-RE25-57 840577 177.7 179 0.031 10.1 0.18 5 15 52 MTH-RE25-57 840578 179 180 0.044 5.1 0.12 4 20 46 MTH-RE25-57 840590 189.15 189.65 1.425 128 3.25 45 25 112 MTH-RE25-57 840593 247.85 249 0.055 5.2 0.13 4 13 43 MTH-RE25-57 840597 252.3 253.05 0.188 2.9 0.23 12 116 302 MTH-RE25-57 840605 259 261 0.021 7.8 0.13 9 50 98 MTH-RE25-57 840613 334.9 335.95 0.574 1.6 0.60 3 10 68 MTH-RE25-58 840626 158.2 158.75 0.287 13.4 0.48 12 21 93 MTH-RE25-58 840627 158.75 159.55 0.104 4.3 0.17 12 20 62 MTH-RE25-58 840628 159.55 160.3 0.351 19 0.62 13 12 90 MTH-RE25-58 840629 160.3 161.45 0.082 9.6 0.22 2 9 105 MTH-RE25-58 840632 162 162.5 0.044 6.6 0.14 41 23 87 MTH-RE25-58 840634 163.3 164.15 0.094 2.7 0.13 6 12 120 MTH-RE25-58 840635 164.15 164.95 0.089 6.2 0.18 4 11 125 MTH-RE25-58 840636 164.95 165.85 0.069 2.3 0.10 7 11 103 MTH-RE25-58 840637 165.85 166.35 1.085 82.2 2.26 16 23 101 MTH-RE25-58 840638 166.35 167 0.044 5.3 0.12 3 10 99 MTH-RE25-58 840639 167 168 0.093 8.8 0.22 24 19 98 MTH-RE25-58 840642 169.55 171 0.062 3.5 0.11 3 16 122 MTH-RE25-58 840645 174.85 176 0.224 7.3 0.33 49 30 160 MTH-RE25-58 840651 184 186 0.152 5.3 0.23 1 14 83 MTH-RE25-58 840652 186 188 0.478 15.1 0.69 13 24 92 MTH-RE25-58 840655 192 194 0.178 4.2 0.24 5 12 77 MTH-RE25-58 840657 196 197.5 0.085 1.2 0.10 26 9 49 MTH-RE25-58 840671 224.3 225.1 0.084 5 0.16 148 47 69 MTH-RE25-58 840689 243.4 244.05 0.102 13.5 0.29 21 31 70 MTH-RE25-58 840697 250.5 251.35 0.07 5.8 0.15 50 19 124 MTH-RE25-58 840710 262.1 262.9 0.038 10.1 0.18 36 45 99 MTH-RE25-58 840711 262.9 263.7 0.051 14.8 0.26 21 43 40 MTH-RE25-58 840712 263.7 264.9 0.03 10.3 0.18 10 32 25 MTH-RE25-58 840716 268.5 269.2 0.206 7.6 0.31 27 39 106 MTH-RE25-58 840717 269.2 270.25 0.2 15.8 0.43 62 187 408 MTH-RE25-58 840727 280.7 282.1 0.073 3 0.12 24 19 148 MTH-RE25-58 840729 283.55 285.1 0.093 5.4 0.17 79 108 227 MTH-RE25-58 840730 285.1 285.6 0.059 3.3 0.11 6 21 69 MTH-RE25-58 840731 285.6 286.35 0.084 3.3 0.13 4 21 23 MTH-RE25-58 840732 286.35 287.55 0.181 5 0.25 41 58 240 MTH-RE25-59 840796 417.9 418.85 0.031 5.7 0.11 9 7 7 MTH-RE25-59 840797 418.85 419.8 0.031 6.7 0.13 7 7 20 MTH-RE25-59 840842 455 457.6 0.013 14.6 0.22 68 14 14 JORC Code, 2012 Edition - Table 1 Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (eg cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling. Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representativity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used. Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report. In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this would be relatively simple (eg 'reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay'). In other cases more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (eg submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. Drill core samples are cut lengthwise with a diamond saw. Intervals are nominally 1 m but may vary between 0.5 m to 1.5 m based on geologic criteria. The same side of the core is always sent to sample (left side of saw). Reported intercepts are calculated as either potentially underground mineable (100m down hole) or as potentially open-pit mineable (near surface). Potentially underground mineable intercepts are calculated as length weighted averages of material greater than or equal to 1 g/t AuEQ_70 allowing up to 2m of internal dilution. Potentially open-pit mineable intercepts are calculated as length weighted averages of material greater than or equal to 0.25 g/t AuEQ_70 allowing for up to 2m of internal dilution. Rock Sawn Channel samples underground and surface are collected with the assistance of a handheld portable saw. The channels are 2.5 to 3cm deep and 6-8 cm wide along continuous lines oriented perpendicular to the mineralized structure. The samples are as representative as possible Rock Sawn Channel surface samples were surveyed with a Handheld GPS then permanently mark with an aluminium tag and red colour spray across the strike of the outcrop over 1 metre. Samples are as representative as possible Rock Sawn Channel underground samples were located after a compass and tape with the mine working having a surveyed control point at the portal, then permanently marked with an aluminium tag and red colour spray oriented perpendicular to the mineralized structure. Samples are as representative as possible Soil sampling has been carried out by locating pre-planned points by handheld GPS and digging to below the first colour-change in the soil (or a maximum of 50 cm). In the arid environment there is a 1 - 10 cm organic horizon and a 10 - 30 cm B horizon above the regolith. Samples are sieved to -80 mesh in the field. Samples are collected on a 20 m x 50 m grid or every 20 m on N-S lines 50 m apart. These samples are considered representative of the medium being sampled and lines are appropriately oriented to the nearly E-W structural trend. Drilling techniques Drill type (eg core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc) and details (eg core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc). Drilling is done with MP500 man-portable core rigs capable of drilling HQ size core to depths of 350-400m (depending on ground conditions), reducing to NQ size core for greater depths. Core is recovered in a standard tube. Drill sample recovery Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed. Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples. Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. Drill recovery is measured based on measured length of core divided by length of drill run. Recovery in holes CDH-001 through CDH-025 and holes CDH-032 through CDH-077 was always above 90% in the mineralized zones. Detailed core recovery data are maintained in the project database. Holes CDH-026 through CDH-031 had problems with core recovery in highly fractured, clay rich breccia zones. There is no adverse relationship between recovery and grade identified to date. Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies. Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc) photography. The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. Geotechnical and geological logging of the drill core takes place on racks in the company core shed. Core samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies. Core logging is both qualitative or quantitative in nature. Photos are taken of each box of core before samples are cut. Photos of cut core intervals are taken after sampling. Core is wetted to improve visibility of features in the photos. All core has been logged and photographed. Rock sawn channel samples are marked, measured and photographed at location Soil samples are recorded at location, logged and described Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken. If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc and whether sampled wet or dry. For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique. Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representativity of samples. Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling. Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. Core is sawn and half core is taken for sample. Samples are prepared using ALS Minerals Prep-31 crushing, splitting and pulverizing. This is appropriate for the type of deposit being explored. Visual review to assure that the cut core is of the core is performed to assure representativity of samples. Crushed core duplicates are split/collected by the laboratory and submitted for assay (1 in 30 samples) Sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. Rock sawn channel samples and soil samples are prepared using ALS Minerals Prep-31 crushing, splitting and pulverizing. This is appropriate for the type of deposit being explored. Quality of assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total. For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc, the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc. Nature of quality control procedures adopted (eg standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (ie lack of bias) and precision have been established. Samples are assayed for gold using ALS Minerals Au-AA25 method a 30 g fire assay with an AA finish. This is considered a total assay technique. Samples are assayed for silver using ALS Minerals ME-ICP61 method. Over limits are assayed by silverOG63 and silverGRAV21. These are considered a total assay technique. Standards and blanks are inserted at a rate of one per every 25 samples and one per every 40 samples, respectively. Pulp duplicate sampling is undertaken for 3% of all samples (see above). External laboratory checks will be conducted as sufficient samples are collected. Levels of accuracy (ie lack of bias) and precision have not yet been established. Certified Reference Materials - Rock Labs and CDN CRMs have been used throughout the project including, low (~2 g/t Au), medium (~9 g/t Au) and high (~18g/t Au and ~40 g/t Au). Results are automatically checked on data import into the BEDROCK database to fall within 2 standard deviations of the expected value. Samples with significant amounts of observed visible gold are also assayed by AuSCR21, a screen assay that analyses gold in both the milled pulp and in the residual oversize from pulverization. This has been done for holes CDH-075 and CDH-077. Verification of sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel. The use of twinned holes. Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols. Discuss any adjustment to assay data. The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel has not been conducted. A re-assay program of pulp duplicates is currently in progress. MTH has drilled one twin hole. Hole CDH-072, reported in the 15/6/2021 announcement, is a twin of holes EC-002 and UC-03. Results are comparable. Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols are maintained in the company's core facility. Assay data have not been adjusted other than applying length weighted averages to reported intercepts. Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation. Specification of the grid system used. Quality and adequacy of topographic control. Drill collar coordinates are currently located by handheld GPS. Precise survey of hole locations is planned. Downhole surveys of hole deviation are recorded using a Reflex Multishot tool for all holes. A survey measurement is first collected at 15 meters downhole, and then every 50 meters until the end of the hole. Locations for holes have been surveyed with differential GPS to a sub 10 cm precision. UTM/UPS WGS 84 zone 13 N High quality topographic control from LiDAR imagery and orthophotos covers the entire project area. Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results. Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied. Whether sample compositing has been applied. Data spacing is appropriate for the reporting of Exploration Results. The Resource estimation re-printed in this announcement was originally released on 17 Nov 2021 No sample compositing has been applied. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type. If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. Cut lines are marked on the core by the geologists to assure that the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures. This is reasonably well observed in the core and is appropriate to the deposit type. The relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is not considered to have introduced a sampling bias. Rock sawn channel samples are cut perpendicular to the observed vein orientation wherever possible Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. Samples are stored in a secure core storage facility until they are shipped off site by small aircraft and delivered directly to ALS Global sample preparation facility in Chihuahua, Mexico. ALS airfreights the sample pulps to their assaying facility in North Vancouver, BC, Canada Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. A review with spot checks was conducted by AMC in conjunction with the resource estimate published 17 Nov 2021. Results were satisfactory to AMC. Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings. The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area. Concessions at Copalquin No. Concession Concession Title number Area (Ha) Location 1 LA SOLEDAD 52033 6 Tamazula, Durango, Mexico 2 EL COMETA 164869 36 Tamazula, Durango, Mexico 3 SAN MANUEL 165451 36 Tamazula, Durango, Mexico 4 COPALQUIN 178014 20 Tamazula, Durango, Mexico 5 EL SOL 236130 6,000 Tamazula, Durango and Badiraguato, Sinaloa, Mexico 6 EL CORRAL 236131 907.3243 Tamazula, Durango and Badiraguato, Sinaloa, Mexico Exploration done by other parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. Previous exploration by Bell Coast Capital Corp. and UC Resources was done in the late 1990's and in 2005 - 2007. Work done by these companies is historic and non-JORC compliant. Mithril uses these historic data only as a general guide and will not incorporate work done by these companies in resource modelling. Work done by the Mexican government and by IMMSA and will be used for modelling of historic mine workings which are now inaccessible (void model) Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation. Copalquin is a low sulfidation epithermal gold-silver deposit hosted in andesite. This deposit type is common in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico and is characterized by quartz veins and stockworks surrounded by haloes of argillic (illite/smectite) alteration. Veins have formed as both low-angle semi-continuous lenses parallel to the contact between granodiorite and andesite and as tabular veins in high-angle normal faults. Vein and breccia thickness has been observed up to 30 meters wide with average widths on the order of 3 to 5 meters. The overall strike length of the semi-continuous mineralized zone from El Gallo to Refugio, Cometa, Los Pinos, Los Reyes, La Montura to Constancia and Santa Cruz is almost 7 kilometres. The southern area from south west of Apomal to San Manuel and to Las Brujas-El Peru provides additional exploration potential up to 6km. Drill hole Information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes: easting and northing of the drill hole collar elevation or RL (Reduced Level - elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar dip and azimuth of the hole down hole length and interception depth hole length. If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. See Table 2 in the announcement. Data aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (eg cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated. Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high grade results and longer lengths of low grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail. The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. Potentially underground mineable intercepts are calculated as length weighted averages of material greater than or equal to 1 g/t AuEQ_70 allowing up to 2m of internal dilution. Potentially open-pit mineable intercepts are calculated as length weighted averages of material greater than or equal to 0.25 g/t AuEQ_70 allowing for up to 2m of internal dilution. No upper cut-off is applied to reporting intercepts. Length weighted averaging is used to report intercepts. The example of CDH-002 is shown. The line of zero assays is a standard which was removed from reporting. Au Raw silver raw Length (m) Au *length silver *length 7.51 678 0.5 3.755 339 11.85 425 0.55 6.5175 233.75 0 0 0 0 0 0.306 16 1 0.306 16 0.364 31.7 1 0.364 31.7 3.15 241 0.5 1.575 120.5 10.7 709 0.5 5.35 354.5 15.6 773 0.5 7.8 386.5 From To Length Au gpt silver gpt 4.55 25.667 1481.9 91.95 96.5 4.55 5.64 325.7 In determining the gold equivalent (AuEq.) grade for reporting, a gold:silver price ratio of 70:1 was determined, using the formula: AuEq grade = Au grade + ((silver grade/70) x (silver recovery/Au recovery)). The metal prices used to determine the 70:1 ratio are the cumulative average prices for 2021: gold USD1,798.34 and silver: USD25.32 (actual is 71:1) from kitco.com At this early stage, the metallurgical recoveries are assumed to be equal (93%), Subsequent preliminary metallurgical test work produced recoveries of 91% for silver and 96% for gold (ASX Announcement 25 February 2022). For Rock Saw Channel Sampling and soil sampling in the Copalquin District, silver equivalent (AgEq) is determined using the formula: AgEq grade = silver grade + ((Au grade x 70) x (Au recovery/silver recovery)). The metal prices used to determine the 70:1 ratio are the cumulative average prices for 2021: gold USD1,798.34 and silver: USD25.32 (actual is 71:1) fromkitco.com At this early stage, the metallurgical recoveries for Au and silver are assumed to be equal (93%) in the absence of metallurgical test work for Targets 2, 3, 4 and 5 material. In the Company's opinion there is reasonable potential for both gold and silver to be extracted and sold. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results. If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported. If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (eg 'down hole length, true width not known'). True widths at Refugio between sections 120 and 1,000 vary according to the hole's dip. Holes drilled at -50 degrees may be considered to have intercept lengths equal to true-widths, Holes drilled at -70 degrees had true widths approximately 92% of the reported intercept lengths and holes drilled at -90 degrees had true widths of 77% of the reported intercept lengths. True widths at La Soledad are not fully understood and downhole intercepts to date, are reported. At Las Brujas in Target 2, true widths are not yet known since we are still in the early stages of target definition. Rock sawn channel samples are cut perpendicular to the observed vein orientation wherever possible Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported. These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. See figures in announcement Balanced reporting Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results. All exploration results are reported for intercepts greater than or equal to 0.1 g/t gold equivalent (gold plus silver at 70:1 price ratio for gold:silver). Other substantive exploration data Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples - size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances. No additional exploration data are substantive at this time. Metallurgical test work on drill core composite made of crushed drill core from the El Refugio drill hole samples has been conducted. The samples used for the test work are representative of the material that makes up the majority of the Maiden Resource Estimate for El Refugio release on 17th November 2021. The test work was conducted by SGS laboratory Mexico using standard reagents and test equipment. Further work The nature and scale of planned further work (eg tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling). Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. The Company drilled 148 diamond core holes from July 2020 to July 2022 for 32,712 m. The Company has stated its target to drill up to 45,000m from July 2025 until the second half of 2026 Diagrams are included in the announcements and presentations showing the drill target areas within the Copalquin District 1 ASX announcement EXPLORATION CONTINUES TO EXPAND, COPALQUIN DISTRICT, MEXICO, 5 May 2022 Copyright (c) 2026 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. Vancouver, January 20, 2026 - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) (OTCQX: LSANF) ("Los Andes" or the "Company") advises that Santiago Montt has been appointed as Minister of Mines for the incoming government of President Jose Antonio Kast and has submitted his resignation from the position of Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of the Company. Mr. Montt will remain with the Company to support an orderly transition until February 19, 2026. Antony Amberg, Chief Geologist at Los Andes, has been appointed as interim CEO of the Company, and the Board has begun the search for a new CEO. Eduardo Covarrubias, Chairman of Los Andes, commented: "I would like to congratulate Santiago on his recent appointment as Minister of Mines. Santiago brings his decades of experience and track record in the mining sector to support the incoming government of President Jose Antonio Kast. We would also like to thank Santiago for his invaluable contribution to Los Andes Copper. Santiago has been instrumental in leading the Vizcachitas project to make it the largest greenfield copper project in Chile not controlled by the majors. Under his leadership, Vizcachitas has been designed to be an example of how sustainable mining operations should be undertaken. He has brought his years of experience with majors to the development and reinforcement of relationships with the communities as well as with authorities at local, regional and national levels. We wish him the very best on his responsibilities with Chile going forward." Santiago Montt, outgoing CEO of Los Andes, commented: "I have been honoured to have been asked to serve my country as Minister of Mines in the incoming government of President Jose Antonio Kast. It has been a privilege working with Los Andes advancing the Vizcachitas project, one of the largest undeveloped greenfield copper projects in Chile, ensuring it is a sustainable mining project that will benefit all stakeholders. During my tenure as CEO, I have had the privilege of working alongside an exceptional Board, Chairman and Leadership Team. Together, we have achieved material progress across multiple strategic fronts. I am deeply grateful for the invaluable knowledge I have gained regarding the development of greenfield mining projects, encompassing the full business cycle from geological exploration through to stakeholder engagement. I leave with immense pride in what we have accomplished and full confidence in the leadership team's ability to carry this important project forward." About Los Andes Copper Ltd. Los Andes Copper Ltd. is an exploration and development company with an 100% interest in the Vizcachitas Project in Chile. The Company is focused on progressing the Project, which is located along Chile's most prolific copper belt, into production. Vizcachitas is one of the largest copper deposits in the Americas not controlled by the majors and the Company believes it will be Chile's next major copper mine. The Project is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit, located 150 kilometers north of Santiago, in an area of very good infrastructure. An independent technical report for the PFS, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, is available on the Company's SEDAR profile. Los Andes Copper Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: LA. Qualified Persons Antony Amberg CGeol FGS, the Company's Interim CEO, is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. E-Mail: [email protected] or visit our website at: www.losandescopper.com Follow us on twitter @LosAndesCopper Follow us on LinkedIn Los Andes Copper Ltd Certain of the information and statements contained herein that are not historical facts, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Securities Act (British Columbia), Securities Act (Ontario) and the Securities Act (Alberta) ("Forward-Looking Information"). Forward-Looking Information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend"; statements that an event or result is "due" on or "may", "will", "should", "could", or might" occur or be achieved; and, other similar expressions. More specifically, Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Information. Such Forward-Looking Information includes, without limitation, the timing of and ability to obtain TSX-V and other regulatory approvals and the prospects, details related to and timing of the Vizcachitas Project. Such Forward-Looking Information is based upon the Company's assumptions regarding global and Chilean economic, political and market conditions and the price of metals and energy and the Company's production. Among the factors that have a direct bearing on the Company's future results of operations and financial conditions are changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, a change in government policies, competition, currency fluctuations and restrictions and technological changes, among other things. Should one or more of any of the aforementioned risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from any conclusions, forecasts or projections described in the Forward-Looking Information. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise Forward-Looking Information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in 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/280926 Calgary, January 20, 2026 - - CMX Gold and Silver Corp. ("CMX" or the "Company") (CSE: CXC; OTC: CXXMF) has expanded its marketing investor awareness program to inform potential investors about CMX and its Clayton Silver Project in Idaho, USA. The Company signed a one-year Corporate Communications Agreement with IBN, which was executed on December 31, 2025. The duration of the agreement may be extended by mutual agreement at the end of term. IBN will operate as an independent contractor to CMX. IBN's base fee under the agreement is $3,000 USD per month for a one-year total of $36,000 USD. Depending on the scope and type of solutions provided by IBN, additional fees may be adjusted for supplementary bolt on solutions. IBN's office address is 1108 Lavaca Street, Suite 110-IBN, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 354-7000. The Clayton Silver Property The Clayton Silver Project is CMX's 100%-owned flagship asset, located in the Bayhorse Mining District of central Idaho, approximately 30-40 kilometers south-southwest of Challis. The property comprises a 1,028-acre land package, including 29 patented mining claims and two patented mill sites (approximately 562 acres) and 20 unpatented claims (approximately 466 acres). The patented claims provide surface ownership rights, carry no government royalties, and do not require drilling permits. Beginning in spring 2026, CMX plans to conduct a comprehensive geophysical program over the historic mine and surrounding structures, including a 3-D Direct Current Induced Polarization (DCIP) survey and a Magnetotelluric (MT) survey. These surveys are intended to delineate known structures, identify extensions of partially mined ore bodies, and evaluate deeper sources of mineralization, with follow-up diamond drilling planned to test priority targets. The Clayton Silver Mine operated from 1935 to 1986 and was one of the most active underground mines in the district. Recorded production totaled approximately 7.0 million ounces of silver, along with lead, zinc, copper, and minor gold, from an estimated 2.15 million tonnes of ore. Underground development reached eight levels to 1,100 feet, with nearly 19,700 feet of workings, and partially mined two tabular ore bodies known as the South and North Ore Bodies. (Hillman, Bob, M.S. Thesis, June 26, 1986, Eastern Washington University). Mine records and historical drilling indicate that mineralization remains open to depth and along strike. Notably, drill hole 1501-A intersected 22 feet of high-grade polymetallic mineralization at approximately 1,425 feet, confirming continuity below the deepest historic workings. CMX has determined that little modern geophysical work or systematic exploration drilling was conducted during the mine's operating life. Technical and scientific information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Richard Walker, M.Sc. (Geology), P.Geo., recognized as a Qualified Person under the guidelines of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Walker is an independent consulting geologist. Readers are cautioned that historical information referenced in this news release is not NI 43-101 compliant but has been obtained from sources that the Company believes are reliable. The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. For further information contact: Robert d'Artois, Investor Relations at (604) 329-0845 [email protected] or Jan M. Alston, President & C.E.O. at (403) 457-2697 [email protected]. You can also visit the Company's Website: www.cmxgoldandsilver.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain information contained in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Without limiting the foregoing, such forward-looking information includes statements regarding the process and completion of the Offering, the use of proceeds of the Offering and any statements regarding the Company's business plans, expectations and objectives. In this news release, words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "estimate" and similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking information. Forward looking information should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or by which, such future performance will be achieved. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time and/or the Company management's good faith belief with respect to future events and is subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking information made in this news release, see the Company's most recent Management's Discussion and Analysis and financial statements and other documents filed by the Company with the Canadian securities commissions and the discussion of risk factors set out therein. Such documents are available at www.sedarplus.ca under the Company's profile and on the Company's website, https://cmxgoldandsilver.com/home. The forward-looking information set forth herein reflects the Company's expectations as at the date of this news release 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, other than as required by law. Copyright (c) 2026 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. (TNS) Ubers electric scooter company Jump will soon test a new pricing model in Dallas to try to accelerate use of its two-wheelers, company officials said.Starting next week, scooter riders will pay higher or lower prices based on historical demand in different parts of the city. The price will range from 15 cents to 45 cents per minute. It will be higher in places where the scooters are typically used and lower where theyre often parked.Uber is doing the approximately two-month test in two markets: Dallas and Tampa, Fla. Uber spokesman Matt Wing said the company chose the two cities because they have warmer climates where customers continue to use scooters during the fall.By varying prices, Uber wants to increase use of rental scooters that cost money to maintain and recharge but can languish unused for hours. Ubers Jump has more than 1,000 scooters in Dallas. It also competes with similar scooter-share companies, including Lime and Bird. Uber pulled its electric bikes out of the Dallas market this summer.We spend a lot of time researching and bringing them [scooters] into the markets," Wing said. If you are going to put in investment to bring them into a city and put them on the streets, thats only going to work if theyre constantly in use."The San Francisco-based company wants Jumps electric bikes and scooters to become a mainstay of city transportation, he said.Uber began as a ride-hailing company but now wants to help customers navigate all kinds of trips across cities. Scooters, urban air taxis and public transit are all part of that vision. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said at a conference this summer that Uber wants not just to be the Amazon of transportation but also the Google of transportation.But since its disappointing initial public offering in May, Uber has been under pressure to prove that it can become a profitable business. It has had three significant rounds of layoffs, including a cut of 350 people this week in its food delivery, autonomous vehicles, safety, insurance and other teams.Uber has been trying to make its bikes and scooters profitable, too. It has raised prices in several markets, including Denver, Los Angeles and Seattle.In Dallas, Wing said scooter users will get an email about the variable pricing. They will be notified in the app, before they book a scooter, too. He would not identify Dallas neighborhoods where customers will see the higher or lower prices.Uber already varies prices for ride-hailing, but only in one direction. When there are more ride requests than Uber drivers, such as after a crowded concert, it uses surge pricing." The higher prices encourage more drivers to go to that area to pick up customers. Customers get a notice about the increased prices in the app.Unlike surge pricing, variable scooter prices will not be instantaneous, Wing said.Dallas is a major market for Uber. The company is opening an office in Deep Ellum thats expected to grow to 3,000 employees and become its second-largest office outside of its San Francisco headquarters. It also plans to pilot its urban air taxi service, Uber Air, in Dallas.Starting in November, Uber will map streets in downtown Dallas with plans to test its self-driving cars in the city. Next article: I have had only one good relationship Tiwa Savage Featured Agradaa apologises and pays GH100,000 to Empress Gifty for mutual settlement of defamation case Joselyn Kafui Nyadzi Showbiz News Jan - 20 - 2026 , 17:16 2 minutes read Patricia Asiedua, the self-acclaimed evangelist, who is popularly known as Agradaa, has apologised and paid GH100,000 to gospel musician, Empress Gifty Oppong Adorye, following which the two have amicably resolved and mutually agreed on a settlement in the defamation suit filed by Empress Gifty against Agradaa. The consent settlement has since been filed and adopted as a consent judgment by the High Court in Tema, where the defamation case was being heard. Agradaa rendered a public apology in accordance with the settlement to bring an end to two related lawsuits filed on May 20, 2025, and June 26, 2025, by Empress Gifty against her in what Gifty considered as damaging to her reputation. A press statement dated January 20, 2026, issued by lawyers for Agradaa, Agyaa Asamani Law Consult, explained that the settlement followed a constructive dialogue by the parties where the issues were settled privately, with the terms now entered as a binding court order. Empress Gifty in her writ was claiming GH40 million in damages for alleged slander and libel, a perpetual injunction restraining further defamatory publications, the removal of related content from social media platforms, as well as full coverage of legal costs and professional fees. As part of the settlement, the GH100,000 paid by Agradaa is to cover legal fees and expenses related to the cases, retract the statements publicly, and issue a public apology. With the entry of the consent judgment, Empress Gifty Oppong Adorye has therefore agreed to relinquish all the claims and demand in connection with the subject matter of the suit against Agradaa. Edem Mensah-Tsotorme, the manager for Empress Gifty confirming the amicable settlement to Graphic Online said Agradaa has already apologised and paid the GH100,000 covering legal fees and expenses related to the cases. Next article: Beyond the chaos of urban public transport Featured Name airport after Kwame Nkrumah not Kotoka - Renewed advocacy Steven Odarteifio Opinion Jan - 20 - 2026 , 12:57 7 minutes read Some things are bigger than politics. Some things sit deeper than policy. Some things live in the spirit of a nation. And when the spirit of a nation is unsettled, no amount of development, no number of roads, no new jobs, no new buildings can fully quiet the unease. February 24, 1966, to February 24, 2026, will mark 60 years since the overthrow of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the Founder of our Republic and African of the Millennium. In April 1967, during the failed counter-coup known as Operation Guitar Boy, Lt Gen. E. K. Kotoka was shot and killed at the Accra International Airport. His friends/co-conspirators who helped overthrow President Nkrumah a year earlier decided that the best way to remember him was to place his name on the nations front door. Hence, Accra International Airport became Kotoka International Airport. Ghanas gateway to the world ended up carrying the name of a coup-era figure - rather than the name that represents Ghanas founding story. And so, we are here, in humility but with firmness and ask: How can we, as a people, continue to honour the memory of the overthrow at the very door of the Republic? My brothers and sisters, an airport is not just an airport. It is the nations handshake. It is the first greeting. It is the first sentence Ghana speaks to the world. Every year, millions pass through that gateway about 3.4 million passengers in 2024 alone. In seasons like Christmas, thousands in the diaspora come home to trace their heritage and experience Ghana firsthand - many drawn by the very independence story of Dr Nkrumah that made Ghana famous across the world. Yet, the first word on the front door points them, not to the spirit of independence, but to the memory of overthrow. Before they even leave their home country, they book a flight and the destination stares back at them: Kotoka International Airport. Their e-ticket says it; their itinerary and boarding pass say it. The airlines email confirmations repeat it. The airport screens in London, New York, Toronto and Dubai display it. They arrive at the departure gate and hear it again: Passengers travelling to Accra, Kotoka International Airport And as the plane begins its descent, the pilot announces it, before they learn our story and taste our hospitality. They have already heard one Ghanaian name over and over again. Is that the story we want to export - millions of times, year after year? The name Kotoka is arguably the most repeated Ghanaian name across the world: not Kofi Annan - a global symbol of diplomacy; Dr J. B. Danquah, a founding father of our great republic; President Rawlings, who birthed the Fourth Republic and helped engineer the democratic order we enjoy today; President Kufuor, who advanced Ghanas democratic consolidation, President Akufo-Addo, who made significant contributions to our educational sector or President Atta Mills, who died honourably while serving Ghana, and whose name still softens divisions rather than deepens them. We can teach the story of Kotoka and the National Liberation Council (NLC) in schools; preserve that memory in our museums; debate that past in books and documentaries, but the sign at our front door must represent what unites us, what uplifts us, what we are proud to project. Kotoka International Airport is not a name we should be proud to project. Beyond a successful military career, Kotoka is not widely linked in public records to major national development projects. In the final months of President Rawlings tenure, on October 6, 2000, Lt Gen. Kotokas statue was removed from the forecourt of the airport. It was not reinstated under President Kufuor, nor later under Presidents Mills and Akufo-Addo. If that memorial could be removed and left unreinstated across administrations, then the airports name itself can also be reconsidered. The coup introduced a costly political instability that Ghana was only able to recover from over 30 years later. Most countries name their main airports after the city/region or after figures whose legacy unites and elevates national pride, not figures chiefly associated with unconstitutional seizure of power. a. Kenya Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (named after Kenyas first president). b. Tanzania Julius Nyerere International Airport (named after Tanzanias first president). c. Nigeria (Abuja) Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (named after Nigerias first president). d. Cote dIvoire Felix-Houphouet-Boigny International Airport (named after Cote dIvoires first president). Nkrumah is Ghana and Africas most globally recognised independence symbol. A beacon of selflessness, epitomised in the BBCs Africa of the Millennium Award. So today we rally a call to the conscience of our beloved nation. To Parliament: We say, heed our call. In the coming days, we will submit a formal request to the Honourable Speaker, the Majority Leader, the Chair of the Transport Committee, the Minister of Transport, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. To the Judiciary: Provide constitutional clarity and timely direction, responding to the petition of the Democracy Hub and the daughter of our First President. To chiefs, traditional rulers and religious leaders: Lend your moral voice, because what we are correcting is not only a name - it is the spirit of our national story. I am inspired by, and respectfully acknowledge and commend, the lawful and courageous steps taken by citizens and groups such as Democracy Hub, Samia Nkrumah, Kweku Sintim-Misa (KSM), and Kwesi Pratt, to bring this matter into national focus. We honour the countless Ghanaians - here and in the diaspora - who have quietly expressed their convictions on this issue. And today, my colleagues and I choose to continue that responsibility - with law, dignity and persuasion. And to the people of Ghana: Let us move as one - in spirit, in truth and with one voice. Mr President and my fellow Ghanaians, the scriptures instruct and remind us to Honour your father, that your days may be long. Kwame Nkrumah is the founding father, the seed and root of our Republic. On Friday, July 7, 1972, Dr Nkrumahs body returned home. The aircraft touched down. The doors opened. The air was heavy - Ghana was on standstill to receive its son. The glass casket is brought out, slowly, carefully, in full view of the nation and the world. Accompanying the casket, Madam Fathia and to her imaginary side, the Spirit of our founder, and as Osagyefos spirit looked up, he was forced to confront a painful irony: the very gateway receiving him boldly carried the name of a man responsible for his overthrow. How does a country claim to honour its father, yet welcome him at a front door bearing the name of betrayal? How do we reconcile that with ourselves? Especially when we remember that, on the day he boarded that flight, he left believing the country was in good hands - with men who, behind the assurances, were already part of the conspiracy to remove him. So yes - his body came home. His name is in our books. His monuments exist. But his spirit has never fully returned. We have kept his memory, but we have not completed his honour. And until that contradiction is corrected, his spirit will continue to wander in other lands and hover over the seas as it has for the past 54 years. Your Excellency, the President, RESET this name of our national gateway to ease the troubled conscience of our motherland. A divided national conscience cannot build a united national destiny. Mr President, this is your moment of legacy. Sixty years on, every constitutional leader has inherited this unresolved national question. You have the rare opportunity to be the one who finally answers it. Let Ghanas international gateway speak one clear sentence to the world: Kwame Nkrumah International Airport!!! For Whose spirit would we rather have resting in peace, Gen. Kotoka or Kwame Nkrumah? These are excerpts of a speech delivered yesterday by a concerned citizen at the launch of an advocacy to rename the Kotoka International Airport (KIA). Addressed primarily to the President of the Republic, Parliament and the Judiciary, the launch was attended by Samia Nkrumah, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Kwaku Sintim-Misa, traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society, among others. Bobi Wine tells the BBC from hiding he will not contest Uganda election results in court Next article: Bobi Wine tells the BBC from hiding he will not contest Uganda election results in court Featured Trump says he will '100%' carry out Greenland tariffs threat, as EU vows to protect its interests BBC International News Jan - 20 - 2026 , 11:18 4 minutes read Donald Trump has vowed to "100%" follow through on his threat to impose tariffs on European countries who oppose his demand to take control of Greenland. European allies have rallied around Greenland's sovereignty. Denmark's foreign minister emphasised the US president cannot threaten his way to ownership of the semi-autonomous Danish territory. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper reiterated the UK's position that the future of Greenland is for "Greenlanders and for the Danes alone" to decide. On Monday, Trump declined to rule out the use of force and insisted he would press ahead with the threatened tariffs on goods arriving in the US from the UK and seven other Nato-allied countries. In a post to Truth Social in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the US president said he had a "very good telephone call" with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, and agreed to a meeting "of various parties" in Switzerland this week. He went on: "Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees!" Trump has said he will charge a 10% tariff "on any and all goods" sent from the UK to the US from 1 February, increasing to 25% from 1 June, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark. He said the same would apply to goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland - all of whom are members of the defence alliance Nato which was founded in 1949. Asked if he would follow through on the tariff threat, Trump told NBC News: "I will, 100%." When the outlet asked whether he would use force to seize the territory, the president replied "no comment". Trump added: "Europe ought to focus on the war with Russia and Ukraine because, frankly, you see what that's gotten them... That's what Europe should focus on - not Greenland." Denmark has warned that US military action in Greenland would spell the end of Nato. In recent days, Greenland has received support from European members of the alliance - some even sent a handful of troops to Greenland last week in a move seen as symbolic. However, Trump followed that deployment with an announcement to impose tariffs on the eight Nato allies. Danish foreign minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen said that Europe had to show President Trump tariff threats were "not the way forward". "We have red lines that can't be crossed," he told Sky News. "You can't threaten your way to ownership of Greenland. I have no intention of escalating this situation." Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the tariffs did not benefit anyone, and he hoped to meet with the US president during his trip to Davos for the World Economic Forum. He said: "We do not want this escalation. We do not want a trade dispute with the United States of America." He also added that the Trump administration would not have been surprised by Nato's so-called reconnaissance mission over the weekend, as it had been announced and agreed upon beforehand. "It was never a military action," the German chancellor said. The European Union is to hold an emergency summit in Brussels for its leaders on Thursday where they will discuss how to respond to Trump's latest threat to take over Greenland. Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, said the bloc has "no interest to pick a fight, but we will hold our ground". "But trades threats are not the way to go about this," Kallas added. "Sovereignty is not for trade." It comes as text exchanges between Trump and the Norwegian prime minister were released - showing that on Sunday the US president blamed Norway for the fact he didn't get the Nobel Peace Prize. In his reply - seen by the BBC - Jonas Gahr Stre explained that an independent committee, not the government of Norway, awards the prize which last October went to Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. "Norway's position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter," Stre added. Trump also addressed the text message exchange in Monday's interview and said: "Norway totally controls it [the Nobel Prize] despite what they say. "They like to say they have nothing to do with it, but they have everything to do with it." Meanwhile, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) on Monday announced that multiple aircraft are on their way to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland. The joint US-Canada military defence organisation stressed they are part of a routine operation "to support various long-planned Norad activities", and said they had been coordinated with Denmark and that the government of Greenland had been informed. Similar Norad operations at the base took place in 2022, 2023, and last year. Featured Legon UTAG threatens industrial action as it calls for exit of GTEC Boss and Deputy Graphic Online Education Jan - 20 - 2026 , 07:29 4 minutes read The University Teachers Association of Ghana, University of Ghana Branch, has called for the resignation of the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, and his Deputy, Prof. Augustine Ocloo, accusing them of persistent administrative overreach and actions that it says are undermining Ghanas tertiary education system. In a statement issued on January 19, 2026, UTAG-UG said it had taken note of what it described as various actions by the leadership of GTEC that continue to negatively affect public tertiary education institutions, contrary to the mandate of the Commission under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023). The association recalled that GTEC is mandated to ensure quality standards in teaching, learning and research, promote equitable access, strengthen transparent governance, and foster a culture of lifelong learning and inquiry. However, UTAG-UG argued that the Commission had veered off these mandates and failed to uphold its statutory responsibilities. According to the statement, instead of addressing systemic challenges such as inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, and lecturer remuneration, GTEC has focused on what UTAG-UG described as tangential and sometimes frivolous actions, including pursuing individuals over alleged fake degrees, while remaining indifferent to issues that pose existential threats to tertiary education in Ghana. The association questioned the Commissions performance on core regulatory benchmarks, asking about prescribed student-to-teacher ratios, infrastructure standards, and the mechanisms GTEC has put in place to ensure compliance across public tertiary institutions. UTAG-UG further accused the leadership of GTEC of overstepping its legal authority and undermining institutional governance, citing the removal of the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast as an example. It asked under what specific provision of Act 1023 the Commission exercised such power. The statement also raised concerns about what it described as confusion between GTECs advisory and regulatory roles, alleging that governing councils of public universities have been rendered useless and powerless and that decisions lawfully taken by councils are being overturned by the Commission without clear legal basis. UTAG-UG highlighted the impact of a three-year freeze on recruitment clearance, noting that it has increased lecturers workload, affected staff well-being, and reduced the quality of education, while procurement bottlenecks continue to hamper teaching and research. It said GTEC has failed to act as an advocate for public tertiary education in the face of these challenges. A major point of contention, according to the association, was a directive issued by GTEC in October 2025 requiring lecturers to retire immediately upon attaining the age of 60, rather than at the end of the academic year. UTAG-UG described this as an administrative overreach that could disrupt academic programmes and supervision, and questioned the legal basis for subsequent requests for post-retirement contracts. The association stressed that post-retirement contracts are conditions of service negotiated and approved by government and cabinet, insisting that they are entitlements, not privileges to be decided at the whims of any individual. UTAG-UG also criticised what it described as an adversarial leadership style by Prof. Jinapor and Prof. Ocloo, saying it has negatively affected staff morale across public tertiary institutions. It cited an incident involving a false media report on fee increments at the University of Ghana, which it said GTEC acted upon without verification, thereby misleading the public. These recurring mishaps are not accidental they represent a pattern of incompetent administration, the statement said, warning that unchecked actions could have dire consequences for academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and national development. UTAG-UG said it had engaged GTEC leadership on several occasions to propose collaborative approaches to improving tertiary education governance, but noted that these engagements had yielded little result. As a result, the association demanded that Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai and Prof. Augustine Ocloo resign honourably by 31st of January 2026, warning that failure to do so would lead to a petition to the Chief of Staff for their removal and possible industrial action. It also called for the immediate enactment of a Legislative Instrument to guide the implementation of Act 1023 to prevent future abuse of power. The statement urged other UTAG branches and sister institutions to join what it described as a fight to restore sanity and hope in Ghanas public education institutions. Harness gold reserves to unlock liquidity for devt - Prof. Alagidede to the State Previous article: Harness gold reserves to unlock liquidity for devt - Prof. Alagidede to the State Featured 3 more suspects in 2024 Adabraka gold jewellery shop robbery incident grabbed Emmanuel Bonney Jan - 20 - 2026 , 08:56 2 minutes read The police have arrested three additional suspects in connection with the 2024 Adabraka gold jewellery shop robbery incident. They are said to be the key gang leaders believed to be behind the Adabraka robbery, following months of sustained surveillance and intelligence-led operations. The arrests were effected on Monday afternoon at Ashaiman in Greater Accra. The Inspector-General of Police Special Operations Unit, which led the arrest, has identified the suspects as Nashiru Abubakari, also known as Soldier, Fatao Mohammed, popularly called Motorway, and a third suspect known as 50Cent. Police sources have told Graphic Online that the operation is the culmination of a meticulous intelligence gathering, monitoring, and targeted tactical action, aimed at dismantling the criminal network responsible for the violent robbery. Investigations are ongoing to trace and apprehend other accomplices, while efforts are also underway to recover exhibits linked to the crime. The suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to be processed for court. Featured Court grants bail to student accused of GH24,849 ATM fraud GNA Jan - 20 - 2026 , 06:56 2 minutes read A student has appeared before the Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly using a bank's automated teller machine card to withdraw GH24,849 from the accounts of two customers in separate incidents in Accra. The accused, Regan Kwesi Egbe Addo, also known as Morgan Addo, is facing two counts of stealing in two separate cases. He pleaded not guilty to the charges when he was arraigned before the court. In the first case, the prosecution alleged that on September 17, 2025, Addo posed as a staff member of GCB Bank at the Ministries ATM in Accra and deceived a customer into accompanying him to the Societe Generale Ghana Bank Premier Towers branch. Leading the prosecution, Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder told the court that Addo stood behind the complainant while he entered his personal identification number and later requested to clean the ATM card chip, during which he allegedly swapped the card. The court heard that Addo subsequently withdrew GH14,949 from the complainants account at various locations in Accra, including the Kempinski Hotel and the Airport City Shell Fuel Station, without the complainants consent. According to the prosecution, police at Ministries retrieved closed-circuit television footage from GCB Bank to trace the movements of both the complainant and the accused in the course of investigations. In the second case, Addo is alleged to have employed a similar modus operandi on December 23, 2025, at about 1640 hours, to withdraw GH9,900 from the account of a female GCB Bank customer who is also a staff member of the Ministry of Fisheries. Chief Inspector Wonder said the complainant reported the matter to the police at Ministries after learning of Addos arrest, following his placement on a police wanted list for alleged ATM card thefts within the Accra Central Division. The court admitted Addo to bail and directed him to appear, together with his lawyer if any, for a case management conference on March 11, 2026. The prosecution was also ordered to file its witness statements and disclosures ahead of the next hearing. Featured 98% of lands cant be registered in Ghana - Owners at risk in disputes Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Jan - 20 - 2026 , 11:58 4 minutes read Over 98 per cent of land in the country cannot be registered with a title. The situation makes it extremely difficult for purchasers to properly secure such lands, leaving them vulnerable in land disputes. A Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Alexander Osei -Tutu, who made the assertion, explained that only the Greater Accra Region, some parts of Kumasi, Kasoa and its environs had been declared as registration districts, with the rest of the country not having that status. He described the situation as unfair and a major factor in the incessant land disputes across the country. Context Land title registration provides an indefeasible title as it ensures a state-guaranteed title, but under the current legal regime, only lands that fall within areas designated by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources as registration districts can be registered for title. Those outside such districts rely on deed registration. Criticism The Justice of the Court of Appeal criticised the fact that although land title registration was introduced 40 years ago through the Land Title Registration Law, 1986 (PNDCL 152), which had been further inculcated in the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), more than 13 regions are yet to be declared registration districts. A prolonged delay for title registration throughout the country progressively widens the gate of land disputes as deeds registration under the law has the latitude of registering multiple instruments relating to the same parcel of land, he pointed out in a yet to be published article exclusively sighted by the Daily Graphic. He therefore called for the expansion of the registration districts to other parts of the country to provide people with a more robust mechanism of protection in the acquisition of land. Ghana needs to expand the registration districts, increase access to formal land registration, and promote awareness about the importance of title registration. This will help ensure that all Ghanaians are able to secure their land rights and build a more stable future, he added. Statistics Giving statistics, Justice Osei-Tutu said the Greater Accra Region had an approximate area of 3,245 kilometre square, constituting 1.4 per cent of the countrys 238,533 kilometre square land size, while about 309 kilometre square made up the parts of Kumasi under the registration district, representing 0.13 per cent of the countrys land size, with Kasoa and its environs under the registration district making up of 56.732 kilometre square, representing 0.0238 per cent. In percentage terms, the land falling within the registration districts of the three regions is less than two per cent of Ghanas entire land size. It is worth stating that not a single registration district has been created in the remaining 13 regions of Ghana, so they all operate deeds registration. In effect, over 98 per cent of the entire land of Ghana falls outside registration districts, he said. Registration systems The article titled Land Registration in Ghana: A Tale of Multiple Registration Regimes traces the historical background to land registration since the colonial period to the current dispensation under the new Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), explaining their weaknesses, as well as legal critique on case laws regarding the various systems. Justice Osei Tutu explained that under Act 1036, three forms of land registration were recognised - title registration, deed registration and customary law registration. He, however, explained that title registration offered the best protection as it gave an indefeasible title or state-guaranteed title, and did not generally allow for double or multiple registration of the same land or interest in land. Despite the guarantee that title registration in registration districts receives from the State, fraud and other vitiating factors, such as mistake and misrepresentation, tend to weaken the potency of title registration, thereby leading to their cancellation by the courts, as discernible from a plethora of cases, he said. Justice Osei-Tutu said title registration should be the bedrock of land registration in the country, as the law, backed by decisions of the Supreme Court, such as the case of Suberu vs Davidson & 13 Others had made it clear that, except there was evidence of fraud or misrepresentation, title in a property could not be defeated, cancelled or voided. With regard to deed registration, which pertains to almost 98 per cent of lands in the country, Justice Osei-Tutu was of the view that it did not give such state guarantee, but rather gave notice of the registration to third parties, and could be registered multiple times; just that priority was given to who registered it first. Title registration may loosely be compared to a marriage contracted under the Ordinance (the Marriage Ordinance, Cap. 127), which is purely monogamous and secures the marriage from future intruders/suitors, while Deeds registration is synonymous with customary marriage, which is potentially polygamous, notwithstanding its registration under the law, he said. Writers email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Attached below is a full article on land registration regimes in Ghana by Justice Alexander Osei Tutu Cenpower hosts Japanese delegation Daily Graphic Jan - 20 - 2026 , 09:57 3 minutes read Cenpower Generation Ltd, owner of the Kpone Independent Power Plant (KIPP), has hosted a high-level Japanese delegation led by the Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ayano Kunimitsu, and the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Hiroshi Yoshimoto, at the KIPP site. The visit underscored growing bilateral cooperation between Ghana and Japan in the energy and infrastructure sectors. The visit included a guided tour of the KIPP facility, during which the delegation observed the plant operations and received briefings on the projects contribution to Ghanas power generation capacity and national energy security. Members of the Japanese delegation expressed strong admiration for the scale, technical excellence, and strategic importance of the KIPP project, describing it as a compelling example of sustainable private-sector investment supporting national development. Reception The delegation was received by the Board Chairman of Cenpower Generation Ltd, Sam Nana Brew-Butler, together with members of Cenpower management. Welcoming the delegation, Mr Brew-Butler expressed appreciation for Japans longstanding partnership with Ghana. We are honoured to host this distinguished delegation and to showcase the KIPP project, which reflects our commitment to reliable power generation, operational excellence, and long-term national development. The confidence expressed by the Japanese government reinforces Ghanas position as an attractive destination for strategic energy investments, he said. The Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs commended Cenpower for its role in strengthening Ghanas power supply. The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana indicated that Japan remained committed to supporting projects that promoted sustainable growth, private sector participation, and energy resilience across Africa, adding that the KIPP project aligned strongly with Japans development cooperation priorities. On his part, the Plant Manager of the KIPP, Darlington A. Ahuble, highlighted the technical and operational standards of the facility. The KIPP project was designed and operated to meet the highest international standards of safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. We are pleased to demonstrate firsthand how the project continues to deliver reliable power to support Ghanas industrial and economic growth, he said. On behalf of Cenpower Generation Ltd, he reaffirmed the companys commitment to working closely with the government of Ghana and international partners to support the countrys energy transition, promote sustainable development, and deliver long-term value to the Ghanaian economy. Special project Cenpower Generation Ltd was established as a special purpose vehicle to develop the Kpone Independent Power Project in the Tema Industrial Zone. Over the past decade, it has played a key role in strengthening Ghanas energy security, contributing approximately 10 per cent of the nations total installed power generation capacity and about 15 per cent of its thermal generation capacity. As one of the largest independent power producers in the country, the KIPP facility serves as a critical base-load power plant, supporting the countrys growing electricity demand while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Featured Chief Justice lauds GTEC for sanitising tertiary education space Severious Kale-Dery Jan - 20 - 2026 , 08:21 3 minutes read The Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, last Friday threw his weight behind the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Professor Ahmed Jinapor, and his team for sanitising the tertiary education space. This sanitisation exercise that is going on is good. If you have not got public support for it, you should know that silently, there are lots and lots of people who may not be able to come out, but we all support you. So, continue with it, he said. Courtesy call Speaking during a courtesy visit to Prof. Jinapor and his team at the GTEC office in Accra, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said, Our first aim is to congratulate you on the good work you are doing. The visit was also to officially introduce himself, along with his key team members, to the Director-General and his management, as well as to discuss issues relating to legal education in the country. The Chief Justice was accompanied by the Judicial Secretary, Musah Ahmed; the acting Director of the Ghana Law School, Professor Raymond A. Atuguba, and other support staff from the Chief Justices Secretariat. Unearned titles Recalling his early days as a young man growing up at Goaso, the understanding was that professors were a very rare breed of people. But now, everybody is a professor, everybody is a doctor, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie remarked and encouraged Prof. Jinapor to continue with the sanitation exercise. Recalling his days in Nigeria, the Chief Justice said that at the time, almost everyone in the country was either a Chief or a Dr, adding that they had thought Ghana was not like that. But what we are seeing in the public space these days has gone beyond even what we saw in Nigeria. Everybody is a doctor, everybody is a professor, he remarked. Response Responding, Prof. Jinapor was excited that, ever since the coming into being of our institution that predates GTEC the National Accreditation Board (NAB) and the National Council of Tertiary Education (NCTE), we have never had a Chief Justice here. This is the first time. He thanked the Chief Justice and his entourage for making time to visit the commission and assured him that GTEC was ready to work with his outfit, to see how this whole revolution relative to legal education in Ghana can be one that is done, and done right. Fake PhD On fake PhD holders, Prof. Jinapor said it was not only fake doctors, we are now having fake professors and if we are not careful, we will also get a fake Chief Justice. We honestly think the tertiary environment should be sanitised, he said, stating that the commission was not limiting its exercise to academia. He hinted that the commission had uncovered information within the legal profession indicating that some individuals lacked the foundational qualifications required even to sit for the law examination, yet had been called to the Bar as lawyers. We are conducting our investigation. Once we are sure about what we have, we will bring it to the General Legal Counsel for you to conduct further investigation for those people to be reprimanded. At the end of the day, we want the environment to be clean. We cannot have a corrupted legal system, he stated, adding that the essence of legal education was to fight most of the things that were not right in society. He assured the Chief Justice that GTEC would always do what was best to protect the integrity of the tertiary educational space. GIS intensifies surveillance against child trafficking, smuggling in Ho West District Alberto Mario Noretti Jan - 20 - 2026 , 09:57 2 minutes read The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has disclosed that the large presence of armed personnel in some border towns in the Ho West District is to enhance surveillance against child and narcotics trafficking, as well as cocoa smuggling along the border. The aim is not to intimidate or harass the people in the communities, the Volta Regional Commander of the GIS, Deputy Commissioner of Immigration (DCOI) Peter Yao Nkrumah, explained, and gave an assurance that the surveillance exercise would be sustained. Incidents Reacting to growing public concerns over the presence of armed immigration officers in the border communities recently, DCOI Nkrumah an interview with the Daily Graphic at Honuta, near Kpedze, last Friday, explained that the smuggling of goods, including cocoa, and trafficking of illicit drugs and children had been on the ascendency around Honuta, Shia, Nyive, Hodzokope, Atikpui and other communities since last year. The sack of dried leaves suspected to be marijuana impounded by GIS personnel along the Ghana-Togo border in July last year For instance, he said that on July 21 last year, GIS personnel intercepted an Opel Astra with registration number GW 3306 T along the HonutaShiaNyiveHodzokope stretch, carrying six heavy sacks of dried leaves suspected to be marijuana en route to Togo. He said the driver fled the scene in the dawn operation, leaving behind the car and the contraband. Similarly, in June last year, another vehicle carrying 18 slabs of a substance suspected to be cocaine was intercepted along the border. The items were seized, and the vehicle, which was heading to Togo, was impounded, DCOI Nkrumah revealed. He said a similar interception was made at Ashanti-Kpoeta in May last year. The regional GIS commander said at Ashanti-Kpoeta, in particular, the GIS had no post there and, therefore, had to intensify surveillance in the area. He said the service had adequate personnel for the surveillance exercise. DCOI appealed to the public to support the exercise to enforce law and order along the border by promptly volunteering information to the GIS on any strange or suspicious persons. Meanwhile, some residents at Kpedze have suggested the armed GIS personnel should be trained properly on how to handle their duty weapons. They cited a recent incident in which one immigration officers duty weapon fell onto the ground, separating the magazine from the gun and causing fear and alarm among civilians. Burst 42-inch transmission line disrupts water supply across Tema and Eastern Accra: See the affected areas Next article: Burst 42-inch transmission line disrupts water supply across Tema and Eastern Accra: See the affected areas Featured Immigration Council unveils new project for border protection Joshua Bediako Koomson Jan - 20 - 2026 , 12:58 4 minutes read The Ghana Immigration Service Council Board has proposed an initiative to mobilise public and private sector resources to strengthen the countrys border security and enhance the operational capacity of the service. Dubbed, Project Secure Our Borders (SECOBOR), the initiative seeks to complement government efforts by leveraging partnerships with the private sector to address critical challenges confronting the GIS, including inadequate logistics, infrastructure deficits and evolving border security threats. The Chairman of the Council, Rev. Stephen Yenusom Wengam, announced the initiative when he led the council to pay a courtesy call on the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, in Accra yesterday. The visit was to brief him on key reforms within the service and to seek his guidance and support for the initiative. As part of the meeting, the council also presented an award to the minister for his commitment to transforming the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to become a world-class institution. The project Rev. Wengam said Project SECOBOR was designed as a proactive response to persistent gaps in border control, surveillance, officer welfare and technological capacity, adding that the government alone could not shoulder the full burden of resourcing the service. He explained that the initiative would focus on strengthening land, sea and air border security through improved logistics, modern surveillance systems, infrastructure development and enhanced officer safety, while promoting efficiency and professionalism in migration governance. The GIS Council Chairman drew attention to security risks arising from weak border controls, including smuggling, human trafficking and illicit trade, which he said, threatened national security, public safety and government revenue. He stressed the need to strengthen the service to safeguard the economy and promote lawful trade. Rev. Dr Wengam said the GIS was ready to lead the rollout of electronic visas and to work with key ministries to integrate electronic gates, advanced passenger information and passenger name record systems. He stated, however, that challenges remained in technology upgrades, personnel training and data protection. He also called for the deployment of immigration officers to selected Ghanaian diplomatic missions abroad to enable the service to fully assume its statutory mandate in visa and permit issuance, citing earlier clearance granted for postings to London, Washington DC, New York and Berlin. Other concerns raised included gaps in the services establishment structure, delays and inconsistencies in promotions, incidents of indiscipline and corruption and infrastructure deficits at several commands. Rev. Dr Wengam said recent working visits by the council had revealed acute shortages in office space, accommodation, vehicles, surveillance equipment and essential tools for effective border management as well as welfare and safety challenges facing officers. He reaffirmed the councils commitment to working closely with the ministry to reset the service into a resilient, professional and world-class institution capable of safeguarding the countrys borders and contributing to national development. Rev. Dr Wengam further commended the minister for what he described as visionary and transformational leadership, citing reforms such as the inauguration of the Governing Council, recruitment and modernisation reforms, infrastructure expansion and improved welfare measures, including amendments to the Immigration Service Regulations on pensions. Encouragement For his part, Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak encouraged the council to pursue innovative funding and support mechanisms, particularly in the light of fiscal constraints imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. He stated that government resources alone would not be sufficient to meet all needs within a four-year term. We are seeing clearly that you are up to the task and we can assure you of our full support, you can always count on us and well always support you, Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak said. Govt interventions Touching on infrastructure, the Minister for the Interior said the government had taken a strategic decision to reallocate accrued funds initially meant for the GIS headquarters to address urgent infrastructure needs across the country. He also acknowledged challenges relating to logistics, accommodation and mobility, describing the recent donation of 20 pick-up vehicles as only the tip of the iceberg, as he pledged continued support to equip officers adequately. Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak highlighted the need for the country to develop a nationally owned border management system capable of monitoring movements not only at official entry points but also at numerous unapproved crossing routes. He further disclosed that the Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems were already operational and expected to be fully enforced from next month as part of efforts to modernise border control. On visa issuance, Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak confirmed plans to deploy immigration officers to selected Ghanaian diplomatic missions, beginning with missions in Europe, North America and Africa, to enable the service to fully discharge its statutory mandate. Labour Minister says public employment centres now in all 16 regions as new national system lists all vacancies Next article: Labour Minister says public employment centres now in all 16 regions as new national system lists all vacancies Featured NPA CEO lauds TOR management and staff for rapid revival Nana Konadu Agyemang Jan - 20 - 2026 , 05:57 2 minutes read The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, has lauded the leadership and workforce of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) for working around the clock to revive and improve the operational efficiency at the refinery. He said the unwavering commitment they had demonstrated had helped to bring to life a critical infrastructure to secure energy security in the country. Mr Tameklo made the commendation when he led a delegation from the NPA to pay a working visit to TOR yesterday. The team toured key operational facilities to assess progress and verify compliance following the authoritys approval for the refinery to resume full operations. The visit allowed the delegation to assess TORs readiness to undertake operations and be fully compliant with regulatory requirements. Commitment In a statement issued and signed by the Public Affairs Manager of TOR, Godwin Mahama, after the tour, Mr Tameklo reaffirmed his commitment to championing the refinerys restoration. I will be the number one champion for the need to support TOR because if TOR is working, it makes my work easier, he said. Drawing on insights from his recent visit to the Dangote Refinery, Mr Tameklo highlighted the imperative for scale, efficiency and modernisation. He underscored the importance of automation, noting that no one should be sent to go and turn a valve. Safeguarding plant He further stressed the shared responsibility of the NPA and TOR to safeguard plant integrity, cautioning that approvals must be grounded in safety and operational readiness. We must be mindful of our responsibility to ensure that we do not say proceed when what is required is stop work because the integrity of the plant must not be compromised, he said. The NPA CEO also emphasised the broader impact of TORs revival on Ghanas downstream petroleum sector, including enhanced price stability and significant foreign exchange savings through reduced reliance on imported petroleum products. Appreciation The Managing Director of TOR, Edmond Kombat, expressed appreciation to the CEO and management of the NPA for their continued instrumental support in the refinerys revival. He said as Ghanas premier refinery, TORs return to full operations was expected to deliver substantial national benefits and strengthen energy security, stabilising fuel prices, creating jobs and improving foreign exchange management. The MD said effective management had resulted in fully stocked tanks, a clear evidence of improved operational efficiency. Featured Ofori Atta case: Arthur Kennedy urges voluntary return; Ayikoi Otoo backs trial in absentia Samuel Duodu & Nana Konadu Agyeman Jan - 20 - 2026 , 08:20 5 minutes read Two stalwarts of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have advanced contrasting views on the states pursuit of former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, over matters of accountability during his stewardship. One-time presidential candidate hopeful, Dr Arthur Kobina Kennedy, says Mr Ofori-Atta must voluntarily return to Ghana to face the alleged corruption and related offences levelled against him by the state, while a former Attorney-General (A-G), Nii Ayikoi Otoo, has insisted that the state should go ahead with a trial in absentia if authorities believe the former minister has issues to answer. In separate interviews with the Daily Graphic, the two discussed their opinions on the basis of principle, law and humanity. Context Mr Ofori-Atta is currently facing extradition from the US, where he remains in detention since officials of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested him on January 6, this year. In Ghana, authorities have declared him wanted over charges bordering on alleged corruption and procurement breaches. Meanwhile, his American visa has been revoked since July, 2025 after Ghana applied for his extradition to face corruption-related charges back home. Voluntary return US-based Dr Kennedy stated: I think he needs to go to Ghana and answer questions. And my prediction is that he will voluntarily go back to Ghana. He said Mr Ofori-Atta's lawyers should advise him to return to Ghana, where he could be charged and released on bail. If he went to Ghana, they would just charge him and release him on bail. So, I think that he and his lawyers, sooner or later, will come to the conclusion that he's better off going to Ghana as soon as possible, he said. Dr Kennedy said the visa-related issue faced by Mr Ofori-Atta in the US was not going to end now, and could leave him in detention for long, stressing that he would, therefore, be better off if he returned to Ghana as soon as possible since it looked as though he could stay in detention as long as the case remained in litigation. The former A-G, however, said while the Ghanaian system was still carrying out investigations on Mr Ofori-Atta, there was no need requesting for his extradition to Ghana to face trial. He pointed out that it was only after a court in Ghana, based on strong evidence, had succeeded in trying, convicting and sentencing Mr Ofori-Atta in absentia that the A-G could request for his extradition to Ghana for him to serve his sentence. I do not know if he has succeeded in getting the American authorities to bring him down; otherwise, where he (Ofori-Atta) stays will not affect his trial, he said. Use video link In Ghana now, you can give evidence through a video link since we have tried people using video links. So, Mr Ofori-Atta can give his evidence through video link, and if he is properly arrested and convicted, you can now ask that he should be brought down for punishment, the former A-G said. Mr Ofori-Atta is due to be heard in a US court today on matters related to his revoked visa and expiration of his stay in the US along with the prospect of extradition. The former A-G challenged the moral high grounds of some people who were demanding that Mr Ofori-Atta should make himself available in Ghana if he had not done anything wrong. Such demands, he said, were not in good faith since Mr Ofori-Atta had been suffering from prostate cancer and was undergoing treatment in the US. So, it is not like Ofori-Atta has run away from the country and is only living in the US, he said. Nii Otoo recalled that when the Office of the Special Prosecutor asked Mr Ofori-Atta to personally come back to Ghana to answer questions or assist in investigation, he disagreed on the grounds that the OSP was going about it in the wrong way. He cited how former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) boss, Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, was tried, convicted and sentenced in absentia because she did not make herself available. So, what is the big deal when you are doing an investigation and you say that until the suspect appears, you will not continue? That is wrong because there is a constitutional provision of protection given to a suspect to refuse to speak, even if he appears before you, the former A-G said. He added that: If I speak and it can be used against me in court, and, therefore, I refuse to speak, which is my right, should you compel me to come and appear before you can go and do you investigation? He compared the case of Mr Ofori-Atta with that of former WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, who was indicted but decided to fight against his extradition when he fled to the Ecuadorian embassy in London, and said everybody had the right to fight his extradition. There is nothing wrong with Mr Ofori-Atta fighting his extradition to Ghana as he is only taking his legal rights seriously, and that cannot be taken away from him, he said. Featured Trade Minister meets cement manufacturers over pricing, standards Juliet Akyaa Safo Jan - 20 - 2026 , 06:57 3 minutes read The Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has met with cement manufacturers to discuss ways to ensure fair pricing, transparency and strict adherence to quality standards. The meeting formed part of the ministrys continuous engagement with industry players to understand their challenges and provide the needed support, while also ensuring that consumers were treated fairly. Held behind closed doors, the meeting took place yesterday in Accra with representatives of the major manufacturers in attendance. The minister explained that the engagement was focused on the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2491, known as the Ghana Standards Authority (Pricing of Cement) Regulation, 2024 which regulates the cement industry and guides the pricing of cement in the country. Legislative Instrument In 2024, the Cement Manufacturing Development Committee and manufacturers reached an agreement for the full implementation of the L.I requiring manufacturers to disclose their ex-factory prices to the committee at the beginning of every month. The declaration of ex-factory prices is essential for the committee, which is mandated by law to look into the price build-up of manufacturers to ensure there were no hidden costs or unjustified tariffs. This follows public frustration over static cement prices despite the recent appreciation of the Ghana Cedi against the US dollar, which many expected to lead to commensurate price reductions. Stable prices Briefing journalists after a closed door meeting with the manufacturers, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said prices had been stable following the stabilisation of the exchange rate and improved macroeconomic conditions. She said currently the price for cement grade 42.5R was sold at an average of GH107 instead of the previous price of GH118, while the 32.5R sold between GH80 and GH85 instead of GH113. The exchange rate has come down. We have a very stable macroeconomic situation in this country, and so the price of cement has been very stable, she said. The minister acknowledged challenges faced by manufacturers, including electricity costs, but said the government had urged them to keep prices affordable while ensuring profitability. Public education Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said the ministry would work closely with manufacturers to educate the public on cement pricing to ensure transparency and fairness. We have decided, as a ministry working closely with the cement manufacturers, to explain pricing to the populace because it is not fair that we have a law that consumers dont know about. In 2026, the ministry is going to take leadership and explain how prices are done so that we know that what we get is fair, she said. She added that any future price adjustments would be discussed with the ministry, with manufacturers required to provide justification in line with the law. Quality standards On product quality, the minister said the ministry would continue to work with the GSA to enforce standards to ensure that consumers received exactly what they paid for. She thanked the manufacturers for their openness and willingness to provide quality cement at fair prices, and assured the public that the ministry would continue to provide authentic information on industry developments. No increment For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers, Bishop Dr George Dawson-Amoah, stated that manufacturers had not increased cement prices. However, he said pricing was influenced by several factors beyond the exchange rate, including electricity tariffs, staff salaries and other operational costs. Dr Dawson-Amoah expressed gratitude to the ministry for its guidance on compliance with legal requirements, and said manufacturers had also put in place self-regulatory measures to ensure internal discipline. He pledged the chambers continued cooperation to ensure a thriving cement industry in the country, and expressed their commitment to maintaining stable prices. Featured GPHA staff remanded over alleged US$500,000 tugboat theft GNA Jan - 20 - 2026 , 07:07 3 minutes read An Adenta Circuit Court has remanded a staff member of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority into police custody over the alleged theft of a tugboat valued at US$500,000. The accused, Prince Edwin Brem, 47, who is also a businessman, has been charged with defrauding by false pretences and forgery of stamps. The court is expected to take his plea on the next adjourned date. When the case was called last Thursday, Brem was absent, prompting the court to issue a bench warrant for his arrest. He later appeared before the court and was remanded into lawful custody by the presiding judge, Ms Angela Attachie. Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo is leading the prosecution. The prosecution told the court that the complainant, Mr Kofi Kuwada, a resident of Aflao in the Volta Region, is the owner of the tugboat, MV Ebenezer, while Brem resides at Tema Community Two. According to the prosecution, on September 1, 2025, at about 0840 hours, Kuwada reported the matter to the Tema Fishing Harbour Police Station and presented a ship charter agreement. He alleged that Brem, on November 14, 2024, presented himself as a director of a company known as Clearsail Shipping International Management Limited. The court heard that Brem entered into an agreement to charter the tugboat, valued at US$500,000, for a period of three months. However, the charter period expired on February 24, 2025, and the vessel was not returned to its owner. The prosecution said Brem signed the charter agreement and stamped it with what he claimed was the official company stamp, thereby creating the impression that he had lawful authority to act on behalf of the company. All efforts by Kuwada to retrieve the tugboat proved unsuccessful, leading to a formal complaint to the police. Investigations, according to the prosecution, led police to engage Mr Boniface Acheampong, a director of Clearsail Shipping International Management Limited, who stated that neither he nor the other director had authorised Brem to sign the agreement. Mr Acheampong further indicated that the stamp used by Brem was neither sanctioned nor recognised by the company. On September 5, 2025, Brem reported to the Tema Police, where he was arrested. During investigations, the prosecution said Brem admitted chartering the tugboat and promised to return it but failed to do so. Police intelligence later revealed that the tugboat was in Guinea-Bissau. While arrangements were being made for its return to Ghana, Brem allegedly ordered the vessel, without the complainants consent and contrary to police directives, to sail to The Gambia and subsequently to North American waters. It has become clear that the accused has no intention of returning the boat to the owner, the facts before the court stated. Featured Land registration regimes in Ghana by Justice Alexander Osei Tutu Graphic Online Jan - 20 - 2026 , 18:05 2 minutes read Over 98 per cent of land in the country cannot be registered with a title. The situation makes it extremely difficult for purchasers to properly secure such lands, leaving them vulnerable in land disputes. A Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Alexander Osei -Tutu, who made the assertion, explained that only the Greater Accra Region, some parts of Kumasi, Kasoa and its environs had been declared as registration districts, with the rest of the country not having that status. He described the situation as unfair and a major factor in the incessant land disputes across the country. Context Land title registration provides an indefeasible title as it ensures a state-guaranteed title, but under the current legal regime, only lands that fall within areas designated by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources as registration districts can be registered for title. Those outside such districts rely on deed registration. Criticism The Justice of the Court of Appeal criticised the fact that although land title registration was introduced 40 years ago through the Land Title Registration Law, 1986 (PNDCL 152), which had been further inculcated in the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), more than 13 regions are yet to be declared registration districts. A prolonged delay for title registration throughout the country progressively widens the gate of land disputes as deeds registration under the law has the latitude of registering multiple instruments relating to the same parcel of land, he pointed out in a yet to be published article exclusively sighted by the Daily Graphic. He therefore called for the expansion of the registration districts to other parts of the country to provide people with a more robust mechanism of protection in the acquisition of land. 98% of lands cant be registered in Ghana - Owners at risk in disputes Next article: ChatGPT to carry adverts for some users Featured UK consulting on bringing in social media ban for under 16s BBC Technology Jan - 20 - 2026 , 10:54 5 minutes read The government has launched a consultation on banning social media for under 16s in the UK as a part of a series of measures which it says are intended to "protect young people's wellbeing." The package will also see England's education inspectorate, Ofsted, given the power to check policies on phone use when it goes into schools, with ministers saying they expect schools to be "phone-free by default" as a result. The world's first social media ban for young people took effect in Australia in December 2025, prompting other countries, including the UK, to consider following suit. Some experts and children's charities have cautioned against the idea - but it has strong backing elsewhere. On Sunday, more than 60 Labour MPs wrote to the prime minister saying the backed a ban with the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey also calling on the government to act. "Some argue that vulnerable children need access to social media to find their community," Brianna's mother Esther Ghey wrote in a letter seen by the BBC. "As the parent of an extremely vulnerable and trans child, I strongly disagree. "In Brianna's case, social media limited her ability to engage in real-world social interactions. She had real friends, but she chose to live online instead." The former school standards minister Catherine McKinnell, who is one of the MPs who signed the open letter to Sir Keir Starmer, told BBC News parents currently "felt unprepared to deal with the pace at which social media has changed." Speaking on Breakfast, on BBC 5Live, she added that while children should still be able to be "connected in an online world", she didn't believe that meant "being bombarded with information sent to you by algorithms devised to create money by tech companies." According to The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, the consultation will "seek views from parents, young people and civil society" to determine the effectiveness of a ban. It would also look at whether more robust age checks could be implemented by social media firms, which could be forced to remove or limit features "which drive compulsive use of social media". And Ofsted will give tougher guidance to schools to reduce phone use - including telling staff not to use their devices for personal reasons in front of pupils. The government will respond to the consultation in the summer. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the laws in the Online Safety Act were "never meant to be the end point" and said she understood "parents still have serious concerns". "We are determined to ensure technology enriches children's lives, not harms them - and to give every child the childhood they deserve," she said. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has already said her party would introduce a social media ban for under-16s if it was in power. She said the consultation was "more dither and delay" from Labour. "The prime minister is trying to copy an announcement that the Conservatives made a week ago, and still not getting it right," she said. Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson said there was "no time to waste in protecting our children from social media giants" and "this consultation risks kicking the can down the road yet again". National Education Union (NEU) general secretary Daniel Kebede called the move a "welcome shift". "Every day, parents and teachers see how social media shapes children's identities and attention long before they sit their GCSEs, pulling them into isolating, endless loops of content," he said. The Association of School and College Leaders also welcomed the consultation on social media, but said the government had been "sluggish" in responding to the online risks posed to children. The union's general secretary Pepe Di'Iasio said there was "clearly a much wider problem of children and young people spending far too much time on screens and being exposed to inappropriate content". And Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, also welcomed the plans to consult on a potential social media ban. But he said the suggestion that Ofsted should "police" phones in schools was "deeply unhelpful and misguided". "School leaders need support from government, not the threat of heavy-handed inspection," he added. 'Not strong evidence' It comes as the government faces additional pressure from the House of Lords, which is expected to vote on a proposed ban on Wednesday. The amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill has backing from several prominent figures such as former children's TV presenter Baroness Benjamin and former education minister Lord Nash. There is also a separate amendment calling for the introduction of film-style age ratings which could limit the social media apps children can access. Professor Amy Orben, who leads the Digital Mental Health programme at the University of Cambridge's MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, told the BBC there was "broad agreement" more needed to be done to keep children safe online. However, she said there was still "not strong evidence" that age-based social media bans were effective. Dr Holly Bear from Oxford University, whose work focuses on developing, evaluating, and implementing mental health interventions for young people, agreed the evidence for the effects of a social media ban was "still unfolding". "A balanced approach might be trying to reduce algorithm-driven exposure to harmful content, improving safeguards, supporting digital literacy and carefully evaluating any major policy interventions," she said. The NSPCC, Childnet, and suicide prevention charity the Molly Rose Foundation were among 42 individuals and bodies to argue a ban would be the "wrong solution" on Saturday. "It would create a false sense of safety that would see children - but also the threats to them - migrate to other areas online," the organisations wrote. "Though well-intentioned, blanket bans on social media would fail to deliver the improvement in children's safety and wellbeing that they so urgently need." Guam Community Colleges Board of Trustees on Tuesday voted to appoint GCC Vice President Virginia Gina Tudela, PhD, as interim president effective immediately as Mary Okada begins retirement after 18 years of leading the college. Okada worked at the college for a total of more than 30 years. This comes as Okada is set to make her political plan official Tuesday afternoon as a Republican lieutenant governor candidate alongside Speaker Frank Blas Jr., who is running for governor. Tudela has been instrumental in advancing GCCs academic programs and ensuring the school operates at the highest levels of quality and effectiveness, the college said in a media release hours after the board meeting. Throughout her 23 year tenure at GCC, Tudela has held numerous administration positions, most notably serving as vice president of academic affairs, where she played a key role in accreditation efforts. Okada sa GCC president emeritus The board also approved extending Okadas current contract through June 15 while granting her the honorary title of GCC president emeritus. This allows her to continue advising the college during the leadership transition. As Dr. Okada is transitioning, we have her own contract at the moment to extend her contract to June 15, GCC Board Chairman Carlo Leon Guerrero said. By the meantime, that may end sooner than later. With the transition underway, trustees moved to install interim leadership. Before the vote, the board asked Tudela whether shes willing to accept the role. Tudela responded affirmatively. A motion was then made to appoint Tudela as interim president. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously after a call for votes. The board later approved making Tudelas interim presidency effective Tuesday. Trustees then approved granting Okada the honorary title of president emeritus, a non-salaried role that allows her to advise the college and provide institutional guidance after retirement at the discretion of the board. Basically, shes not employed by the college but shes able to lend her expertise and support to the community college even after retirement, Leon Guerrero said. Okada explained the flexibility of the role and how long she may serve in that capacity. She said it allows for continuity and succession as the board continues its search for the next permanent president. One of the things I talked to the chairman about when this was proposed was potentially serving as a mentor, Okada said. Ive been here for a long time, and sometimes the history, as noted during the last public hearing we had, the history of the institution, is critical in some of the thinking, making some of the decisions on moving forward. Okada also outlined several initiatives still in progress. The continuation of securing of the [Department of] Public Health and Social Services building in the fiscal year 27 budget, which has been updated and is ready for your review at the next board meeting, the Wellness Center and, of course, the establishment and the application for the charter school, she said. Board members said Okadas long tenure makes her continued involvement valuable. You dont stay as president for 18 years and expect someone to carry the helm without having that resource at your fingertips, one trustee said. The board approved the president emeritus nomination without opposition and then went into a brief executive session. Upon returning, trustees also accepted the presidents evaluation dated June 16, 2025. Thank you Dr. Okada for your outstanding work, not only this past year, not only 18 years, but even the years prior where she was at this community college, Kenneth Bautista, support staff advisory member representative said. She continues to be a valuable influence on our campus. Thank you After the votes, Okada addressed the board and college community, formally closing her presidency. I just want to thank the board of trustees and thank the college community for allowing me to serve as your president for the last 18 years and with the college for over 30 years, she said. Today, this concludes my employment at the Guam Community College, effective now that you have an interim president. She said she plans to remain engaged through her new role. I look forward to working with you in different capacities, Okada said. Even as president emeritus and continuing to advance the mission of the college and most especially to support our students. Guams tourism industry continues to experience both encouraging momentum and real challenges. We see positive signs in demand, renewed interest from key markets, and ongoing efforts by many individuals and organizations to rebuild the visitor economy. At the same time, we are navigating workforce shortages, rising operating costs, infrastructure concerns, public safety perceptions, environmental pressures, and growing competition from other destinations. In the middle of these ups and downs, it may be worth asking a simple question: What kind of tourism future does Guam want to build, not just for the next season, but for the next generation? One idea Guam could seriously consider adopting more broadly for the new year is the sustainable development goals, SDGs. The SDGs are often discussed in global conversations, but the core idea is practical: development should improve economic opportunity while also protecting the environment, strengthening communities, and improving quality of life. For Guam, this concept fits tourism especially well because tourism is not a standalone industry. It connects directly to public safety, education, workforce development, transportation, infrastructure, clean water, sanitation, environmental protection, and cultural preservation. In other words, tourism is not only about marketing. It is about the full visitor experience, shaped by the same systems residents rely on every day. That is why I believe Guams tourism industry, together with our broader community and government partners, may benefit from adopting SDG-based thinking as part of our islands long-term planning. Not as a slogan, and not as a one-time project, but as a shared framework that helps us organize priorities, measure results, and move forward with coordination. Guam already has strong efforts underway in many areas. What the SDG concept can provide is alignment: a clearer way to connect the dots between what tourism needs, what residents deserve, and what the island must improve to remain competitive. Consider what visitors notice the moment they arrive. They feel the condition of our roads. They see whether public spaces are clean. They experience how easy or difficult it is to get around. They decide whether they feel safe. They judge our service standards, our hospitality, and our ability to deliver what we promise. These are tourism issues, but they are also community issues. If Guam chooses to build SDGs into its future plans, we can make progress on both at the same time. For example, an SDG-focused tourism roadmap could support real improvements such as: Workforce development and career growth. Guams tourism economy depends on people. A stronger focus on training, certifications, and career pathways can help residents build long-term careers in hospitality, transportation, tours, and management, not just short-term jobs. When our workforce improves, service quality improves, visitor satisfaction increases, and businesses become more stable. Community-focused infrastructure improvements. Sidewalks, street lighting, signage, public restrooms, and public safety presence matter. These improvements benefit residents and visitors equally. They are the basics that create comfort, confidence, and repeat business. Cleanliness, waste management, and public area maintenance. Few things damage a destinations reputation faster than visible litter and poorly maintained areas. A cleaner Guam is not only better for tourism marketing but also better for island pride. Visitors remember cleanliness because it reflects how a destination values itself. Environmental protection that supports the natural product. Guams beaches, reefs, and landscapes are part of our tourism identity. Protecting them is not just an environmental goal; it is economic protection. A destination that safeguards its natural assets protects the foundation of its visitor economy. Better transportation and visitor mobility. Tourists want convenience and clarity. Residents want reliability and access. Transportation improvements, whether through better route information, improved coordination, and stronger systems, support both visitor satisfaction and daily community needs. Support for culture and authentic experiences. Guams cultural identity is one of our strongest differentiators in the tourism market. A sustainable tourism plan should strengthen cultural preservation and support the responsible growth of local experiences, ensuring that tourism reflects Guams identity rather than eroding it. The point is not that Guam must do everything at once. The value of adopting SDG principles is that they encourage a balanced approach: economic growth, community wellbeing, and environmental responsibility working together rather than competing with one another. For tourism specifically, this approach has a major advantage. It shifts the conversation away from short-term gains and toward long-term resilience. Guam will always face external disruptions, airline capacity changes, global economic shifts, fuel costs, and evolving traveler expectations. A tourism industry that is rooted in sustainability can adapt faster and recover more strongly. It is also important to note that tourism cannot achieve these goals alone. Even the best marketing campaign cannot overcome weak fundamentals. Marketing brings visitors in, but the visitor experience determines whether Guam earns repeat business and positive word of mouth. That is why a stronger islandwide plan matters. If Guam adopts SDG-based planning, it should not be limited to a single organization or program. Ideally, the entire islands long-term development strategy, including tourism marketing and product development, could use the SDGs as a common direction. And when government agencies adopt their own measurable SDG-aligned priorities, progress becomes faster and more realistic, because it becomes coordinated. Ultimately, this is not about creating more paperwork. It is about creating a shared roadmap. Guam has the talent, the hospitality, and the natural beauty to remain a strong destination. But to secure that future, we should consider building tourism on a foundation that improves the island for everyone, not only during strong years or when tourism is trending upward. If Guams tourism industry and community choose to adopt the SDG concept and build it into our future planning, we can create a visitor economy that is stronger, cleaner, safer, and more sustainable, one that residents are proud of and visitors are eager to return to. That is a future worth planning for. Haiti - FLASH : 30 weapons and a large quantity of ammunition seized in the stronghold of Barbecue Monday, January 19, 2026. A large-scale police operation by the Haitian National Police (PNH), involving several special units, was conducted in Delmas 2, considered the stronghold of Jimmy Cherisier, alias "Barbecue," the leader of the "Viv Ansanm" terrorist coalition. During this operation, a residence belonging to "Barbecue" was completely destroyed, along with heavy equipment, a fact confirmed by Frantz Lerebours, spokesperson for the PNH. Furthermore, at least six terrorists were fatally wounded, while several others, wounded in the exchange of fire with law enforcement, managed to escape. Several vehicles were also destroyed. This operation resulted in the seizure of a significant cache of weapons and ammunition, including : 5 drones; 8 pistols; 18 12-gauge shotguns; 3 AR-15 rifles; 1 .22 caliber rifle; A considerable quantity of ammunition in 5.56, 12, 7.62, .38, and 9 mm calibers was also seized. In addition, cream and blue UDMO uniforms bearing the rank insignia of Police Inspector were recovered, along with several bulletproof vests, tear gas grenades, and a plastic bag containing small denominations of 2, 10, and 25 gourdes. SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : Demolition on Boulevard du Cap-Haitien, reactions from the Chamber of Commerce As a reminder, on January 9, 2026, the authorities in the North launched a demolition operation called "Sidewalk Reclamation" on the Boulevard du Cap-Haitien, a strategic and tourist area, under the authority of Marc Merzius Presume, Departmental Delegate of the North, in the presence of the city's Mayor, Angie Bell. At least 17 buildings and commercial structures encroaching on public land were completely demolished on the Boulevard du Cap-Haitien, a strategic and tourist area. In a statement, Steve A. MATHIEU, President of the North Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Nord), expressed "his deep concern regarding the way in which the so-called 'Sidewalk Reclamation' operation in Cap-Haitien" was carried out. Note from CCI Nord : "[...] The Board of the North Chamber of Commerce and Industry wishes, first and foremost, to clarify that it is not commenting on the legal basis of the said operation, nor on the institutional responsibilities related to the occupation of public space. These matters fall under the specific jurisdiction of the legally authorized authorities and other relevant institutions under the direction of the supervisory ministries, in strict compliance with applicable laws and regulations. However, the Board deems it necessary to publicly express its deep concern regarding the manner in which this operation was conducted. Indeed, several businesses and economic actors have been affected by demolitions carried out without reasonable notice, without prior communication of a clear and structured plan, without an official implementation schedule, and without specific consultation meetings with the directly affected contractors. Previous meetings generally addressed the concerning state of the city of Cap-Haitien, without any operation of this nature being clearly announced, explained, or discussed. The Board of the North Chamber of Commerce wishes to affirm that it has never endorsed or validated a hasty, haphazard, and unilateral approach, especially when it entails major economic, social, and human consequences for the city, its businesses, and its families. It strongly reiterates that any large-scale public action, particularly when it affects economic activity, employment, and the survival of small and medium-sized enterprises, must absolutely be conducted within a framework of dialogue, consultation, predictability, and respect for democratic principles. The Board condemns the abuses of power and violence perpetrated during these activities, particularly against individuals, including women, who were attempting to exercise their legitimate right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest. The Chamber expresses its solidarity and sympathy to the victims affected by these events. The Board of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the North remains convinced that urban development, heritage protection, public order, and the modernization of the city of Cap-Haitien can only be sustainable if they are based on consensus, transparency, mutual respect, and responsible governance. It reiterates its willingness to participate in any constructive dialogue aimed at reconciling the public interest, heritage preservation, and the protection of the local economy." HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Former Senator F. De La Cruz Arrested in the Dominican Republic On Monday, January 19, 2026, Dominican authorities handed over former Senator Francisco De La Cruz to the Haitian National Police (PNH) at the northern Haitian-Dominican border. Chief Commissioner Leonard Antenor, head of the Border Police (PoliFRONT) in the Northeast, confirmed this information. Armored Vehicle Attacked with Molotov Cocktails On Monday, January 19, 2026, an armored vehicle belonging to the Departmental Unit for Maintaining Order (UDMO) was attacked with Molotov cocktails. The fire was quickly extinguished, and no one was injured. Recapture of the Capital Reportedly Underway Patrick Pelissier, Minister of Justice and Public Security, stated that the recapture of the capital is already underway. He emphasized that "The support of private companies (mercenaries) has made the offensives of law enforcement more effective. After the airport intersection, Delmas 19, and Nazon, the Haitian National Police are now clearing Magloire Ambroise Street. A large part of the administrative center of Port-au-Prince has gone from a red zone to an orange zone, and this will not stop there because we are now operating in the strongholds of the bandits." Legal shortcomings in the biometric identity reform On Monday, January 19, 2026, the Citizens' Organization for a New Haiti (OCNH) published a report denouncing the legal shortcomings surrounding the biometric identity reform in Haiti. The organization criticizes the decree of December 19, 2025, which mandates the National Unique Identification Number (NINU) and the National Identification Card (CIN) without a strengthened legislative and legal framework or sufficient guarantees for the protection of personal data. CPT 2nd Day of Dialogue On Monday, January 19, 2026, the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) concluded its second day of national dialogue with COPPOS-Haiti, KOREPAD, and representatives of the Montana Agreement, aimed at ensuring institutional stability after February 7, 2026. Consultations will continue this Tuesday with other representatives of political parties and civil society, with the goal of strengthening the dialogue and fostering a national consensus on governance mechanisms. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-46670-haiti-news-zapping.html However, it should be noted that several influential political parties, including Nouvelle Orientation, Fanmi Lavalas, UNIR, RDNP, and PHTK, grouped within a new coalition called "Group 10" boycotted the CPT dialogue. DR : Haitian Embassy Closed The Haitian Embassy in the Dominican Republic reminds the Haitian community in particular, and the public in general, that on the occasion of the "Feast of Our Lady of Altagracia" the Mission will be closed on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. Activities will resume according to the regular schedule on Thursday, January 22, 2026. HL/ HaitiLibre China calls for int'l efforts to prevent Japan from reverting to path of militarism Xinhua) 08:19, January 20, 2026 UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Monday called on the international community to jointly prevent Japan from reverting to "the old and pernicious path of militarism." Sun Lei, charge d'affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, made the appeal at the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity. Crimes against humanity constitute grave offenses that threaten international peace and security. This charge first appeared in the Charter of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and the Charter of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, embodying the conscience of humankind, he said. During World War II, Japanese militarism inflicted profound atrocities on the people of China, other Asian nations, and the world. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the work of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East ("Tokyo trials"), he noted. "The Tribunal systematically adjudicated and exposed the crimes of Japanese militarism in planning, preparing for, and invading China and other Asian nations, as well as in launching the Pacific War. It sentenced relevant war criminals for crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity," said Sun. The Tokyo trials stand as irrefutable historical evidence of Japan's crimes of aggression, pioneered the development of international criminal law, and sounded a clarion call for peace to correct Japan's expansionist policies, he said. "The international community should jointly safeguard the victorious outcomes of the Second World War, including the Tokyo trials, uphold the international order based on international law, and prevent Japan from reverting to the old and pernicious path of militarism," he said. Against the current international situation marked by intertwined changes and turmoil and regional conflicts arising one after another, strengthening the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity is both timely and of great significance, said Sun. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) (HedgeCo.Net) In what is shaping up to be the defining narrative of 2026, the cryptocurrency sector is experiencing both heightened market volatility and fundamental structural shifts that mark a transition from speculative trading toward mainstream financial integration. Four major Global developments highlight how Market Stress is in conflict with Regulatory Inflection in 2026: The collapse of support for the U.S. CLARITY Act, intensifying uncertainty about American regulatory pathways. The New York Stock Exchanges announcement of a 24/7 blockchain-based trading platform for tokenized securities. Indias central bank proposal to link BRICS CBDCs, signaling cross-border digital currency cooperation. Ripples elevated presence at WEF 2026, positioning crypto firms within global finance dialogues. Together, these developments highlight an inflection point where regulation, institutional infrastructure, and macro policy trends intersect shaping the path forward for digital assets. The CLARITY Act Reversal: A Wake-Up Call for U.S. Crypto Regulation Late yesterday, the crypto world was rocked when Coinbase withdrew support for the CLARITY Act, a high-profile piece of U.S. legislation initially championed by industry advocates as a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets. The CLARITY Act was designed to clarify digital asset oversight, defining roles for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and other regulators. It also sought to address stablecoin regulation, decentralized finance (DeFi), and tokenized assets. However, once Senate revisions were introduced, including provisions crypto firms viewed as overly restrictive or ill-defined, key supporters notably Coinbase publicly withdrew backing. What This Means Regulatory uncertainty has increased. The Acts derailing leaves the U.S. without a clear, bipartisan crypto market framework, at least in the near term. Enforcement ambiguity between the SEC and CFTC remains unresolved. The Acts derailing leaves the U.S. without a clear, bipartisan crypto market framework, at least in the near term. Enforcement ambiguity between the SEC and CFTC remains unresolved. Market interpretation: near-term volatility. Without legislative clarity, institutional investors may hesitate to commit large capital to regulated crypto products in the U.S., slowing adoption and investment flows. Without legislative clarity, institutional investors may hesitate to commit large capital to regulated crypto products in the U.S., slowing adoption and investment flows. Industry division surfaces. The retreat by a leading exchange underscores growing tensions between crypto proponents and regulators raising questions about industry self-governance and political strategy. The immediate effect was felt in markets and equities: Coinbase stock experienced a notable decline following the withdrawal and legislative delay, reflecting investor nervousness about stalled regulation. NYSEs 24/7 Blockchain Securities Platform A Game-Changer for Tokenization In stark contrast to the regulatory lull in Washington, traditional finance is accelerating blockchain adoption overseas. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) announced development of a new 24/7 trading platform for blockchain-based securities, a potential watershed for tokenized financial markets. Under this initiative, asset issuers could use blockchain tokens to represent ownership in stocks, bonds, or structured products with round-the-clock trading and instant settlement that deviates sharply from hybrid trading models anchored in T+1 or T+2 settlement conventions. Why It Matters Integration of digital asset rails into regulated securities markets if approved, this platform could blur the lines between traditional equities and digital tokens, attracting institutional liquidity normally reserved for regulated exchanges. if approved, this platform could blur the lines between traditional equities and digital tokens, attracting institutional liquidity normally reserved for regulated exchanges. Stablecoins may serve as funding instruments , potentially linking fiat and digital asset corridors in ways unseen before. , potentially linking fiat and digital asset corridors in ways unseen before. Global competitiveness with regulators in Europe and Asia already advancing tokenization pilots, the NYSE move signals U.S. markets are still keen to innovate despite legislative grappling. However, industry observers caution that regulatory alignment will be critical to realizing the platforms potential reinforcing how infrastructure progresses fastest when policy frameworks follow suit. BRICS CBDC Linkage Proposal Signals Multi-Polar Digital Currency Future Beyond Western markets, Indias central bank has proposed linking the central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) of BRICS nations Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa to facilitate cross-border payments and reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar. The move, which could be formally pitched at the 2026 BRICS summit, illustrates how nations are exploring digital currencies not solely as domestic tools but as regional economic instruments. Key Implications Reduced friction in cross-border commerce. Linked CBDCs could streamline settlement, reducing costs and time delays traditionally associated with correspondent banking. Linked CBDCs could streamline settlement, reducing costs and time delays traditionally associated with correspondent banking. Strategic autonomy. BRICS linkage potentially counters Western dominance in global payment infrastructure, especially amid geopolitical tensions. BRICS linkage potentially counters Western dominance in global payment infrastructure, especially amid geopolitical tensions. Stablecoin competition. CBDC interoperability may provide a regulated alternative to privately issued stablecoins, reshaping how digital payments ecosystems evolve internationally. This development amplifies a broader narrative: digital currencies are no longer fringe tech experiments but national economic tools with strategic implications. Ripples Strategic Presence at WEF 2026 Highlights Industrys Institutional Pivot In Davos this week, Ripple secured official sponsorship of USA HOUSE Davos 2026, signaling its intention to play a central role in discussions at the intersection of policy, finance, and innovation. Being featured alongside corporate giants underscores Ripples evolution from a blockchain payment startup to a serious player in global financial conversations, especially around liquidity, stablecoins, and cross-border payments. Ripples Strategic Implications Institutional validation: Sponsorship provides access to policymakers and financial leaders who influence capital allocation and regulatory direction. Sponsorship provides access to policymakers and financial leaders who influence capital allocation and regulatory direction. Market positioning: Ripples technology particularly its focus on cross-border settlement aligns with broader industry shifts away from isolated token markets toward integrated financial networks. Ripples technology particularly its focus on cross-border settlement aligns with broader industry shifts away from isolated token markets toward integrated financial networks. Narrative reframe: Crypto firms increasingly position themselves as partners to the financial system rather than disruptors. Market Signals: Price Volatility Reflects Policy Uncertainty Against the backdrop of regulatory shakeups and institutional developments, crypto markets have shown renewed volatility. On January 19, Bitcoin dipped to approximately $92,000 and Ethereum near $3,200 as broader risk sentiment retreated amid geopolitical and policy uncertainty. Altcoins have reflected similar pressure, with liquidity flows ebbing and volatility spiking across several major chains. According to live market data, Bitcoins 24-hour price drift underscores a wider pause in momentum although analysts suggest this is less structural and more driven by short-term sentiment. This price action suggests markets are pricing regulatory risk and macro headwinds concurrently an environment that often characterizes transitional phases in emerging asset classes. Regulation: From Burden to Catalyst? Despite the CLARITY Acts collapse, global regulatory momentum continues albeit unevenly. The World Economic Forum described 2026 as a pivotal year for digital assets, where clearer global regulation and stablecoin adoption are bridging traditional and digital finance. Recent comprehensive regulatory analysis finds that 2025 saw dramatic regulatory shifts in the U.S., including reduced enforcement-centric approaches and interpretations that broaden digital asset participation by banks and brokers. Investment firms and analysts highlight two converging regulatory themes: Clarity for institutional participants frameworks that define property rights, custody standards, and standardized compliance protocols. Infrastructure enablement rules that support innovation while protecting investors and systemic stability. In this context, regulation is both a source of short-term uncertainty and a long-term enabler of mainstream adoption especially if legislative and regulatory actions evolve in tandem. The Road Ahead: From Volatility to Structural Growth Todays intersection of market stress, policy change, institutional infrastructure expansion, and geopolitical digital currency initiatives suggests that crypto is evolving into a multi-layered financial asset category. Key themes for the near future include: Regulatory resolution: Whether the U.S. can produce a coherent digital asset framework remains critical for institutional capital allocation. Whether the U.S. can produce a coherent digital asset framework remains critical for institutional capital allocation. Tokenization adoption: Infrastructure moves by the NYSE and other exchanges may catalyze a new asset class of digitally native securities. Infrastructure moves by the NYSE and other exchanges may catalyze a new asset class of digitally native securities. Cross-border digital currency frameworks: CBDC linkage initiatives may redefine international payment systems. CBDC linkage initiatives may redefine international payment systems. Institutional legitimization: Participation by entities like Ripple and others in global forums signals growing integration with established financial systems. Conclusion Cryptos Inflection in 2026 The crypto sector stands at a strategic inflection point: near-term volatility fueled by regulatory uncertainty coexists with long-term structural adoption trends. What was once predominantly a speculative market is now grappling with its evolving role as digital financial infrastructure, facing challenges and opportunities that parallel those of traditional finance. (HedgeCo.Net) Two headline trends dominate hedge fund news today: historic profit milestones for a marquee activist hedge fund and aggressive strategic repositioning notably talent recruitment at major multi-strategy firms. Collectively, these signal a sector entering a new growth and competition phase after a strong 2025 performance year. In a stunning industry milestone, TCI Fund Management led by Sir Christopher Hohn delivered an estimated $18.9 billion in net profits in 2025, making it the most profitable single hedge fund year on record. This result surpasses Citadels 2022 record of $16 billion and eclipses most top fund performance marks in the last two decades, according to industry reporting. Unlike many hedge funds relying on diversified pods or systematic machines, TCIs approach remains concentrated, activist-driven, and opportunistic, especially in sectors like aerospace, defense, and industrials. With major positions in Airbus, Safran, and GE Aerospace, the fund capitalized on sector rotation tied to geopolitical demand shifts and elevated infrastructure spending. Key takeaways from TCIs record year: 27 %+ net return for investors in 2025. for investors in 2025. Historic leadership position among global hedge funds in profitability. among global hedge funds in profitability. Deep emphasis on company-specific activism tied to real economic shifts (defense, capex-linked sectors). This performance doesnt just reflect skill it demonstrates how certain hedge fund strategies still outpace broader trend dynamics when markets are dispersion-rich and macro uncertainty is high. Talent Wars: Balyasnys Major Strategic Expansion While performance headlines impact sentiment, actual industry repositioning is happening on the ground particularly in talent acquisition at top multi-manager firms. News broke today that Balyasny Asset Management undertook a significant hiring drive, bringing an ex-Eisler Capital portfolio manager a specialist in interest-rate options into its London team. The move is part of a much broader recruitment push that includes macro specialists from Goldman Sachs and other boutiques, reflecting a strategic emphasis on global macro and rate-sensitive trading. Key implications: Multi-strategy diversification: By augmenting macro and options expertise, Balyasny is positioning itself to capture market volatility across rate regimes rather than depending purely on equities or credit. By augmenting macro and options expertise, Balyasny is positioning itself to capture market volatility across rate regimes rather than depending purely on equities or credit. Geographic repositioning: A strengthened London presence aligns with trends of hedge funds expanding beyond U.S. centers to tap European and Asia allocators. A strengthened London presence aligns with trends of hedge funds expanding beyond U.S. centers to tap European and Asia allocators. Talent as strategic capital: In an industry where alpha sources are ever harder to replicate, human capital especially specialized traders is now a competitive edge. Allocators Increasing Capital to Multi-Strat Leaders Institutional demand is now catching up with performance. A recent Bank of America survey finds that allocators plan to increase hedge fund allocations in 2026, with a pronounced tilt toward multi-strategy funds that delivered strong performance and capacity discipline in 2025. The average hedge fund allocation per portfolio has risen, as investors concentrated capital with fewer but higher-performing managers. Capacity rights negotiations surged , signaling that top managers now control inflows and can effectively choose their investor base. , signaling that top managers now control inflows and can effectively choose their investor base. Multi-strategy funds saw inflows as allocators seek stability and diversified alpha in an uncertain macro context. This capital shift reinforces that hedge fund investors are not abandoning active management they are refining it, favoring larger, more established players with proven risk frameworks across market cycles. What This Means for Hedge Fund Investors Performance leadership and strategic expansion at major hedge funds signal a renewed era of both specialization and consolidation: Record returns at TCI affirm that activist, concentrated strategies can still deliver outsized gains in the right regime. Multi-strat managers are capitalizing on scale and diversification to attract institutional flows. Talent acquisition and globalization are now central elements of strategic positioning across the biggest firms. Allocators continue reappraising hedge funds not as niche diversifiers, but as core components of advanced risk-managed portfolios. Looking ahead, the duel between concentrated alpha engines and diversified multi-strategy platforms will likely shape hedge funds influence on global markets from capital formation to sector rotations and liquidity provisioning. Continue after ad This week, virtual reality was caught up by reality. The full extent of Meta's strategic U-turn is not yet known. What is certain is that this represents the biggest turning point for the young industry to date. The VR industry has always been an artificial construct, largely sustained by Meta's investments. After ten years and billions in losses, the company made it unmistakably clear this week for the first time that these expenditures are not unconditional and can come to an abrupt end. The latest events mean neither the end for Meta's VR division nor for virtual reality itself. But for an industry heavily reliant on Mark Zuckerberg's goodwill, the new signals could trigger a dangerous chain reaction. If developers lose faith in the platform's future, their willingness to invest further resources in the marketplace will also decrease. Consequently, if new applications and content are lacking, the hardware loses its most important selling point with serious consequences for the entire ecosystem. An Unprecedented Shrinkage After drastic cost-cutting measures in Meta's VR division had already become apparent at the end of last year, they hit with full force on Tuesday. Continue after ad The company laid off around 1,500 employees from Reality Labs, responsible for future technologies, and closed the majority of its VR game studios. Confirmed are Armature Studio ("Resident Evil 4"), Sanzaru Games ("Asgard's Wrath 2"), and Twisted Pixel ("Marvel's Deadpool VR"). Camouflaj, the team behind the award-winning "Batman: Arkham Shadow," has been reduced to a skeleton crew and will no longer develop new VR games. Furthermore, Meta has discontinued the development of the fitness app "Supernatural," raising questions about the future of the responsible studio Within. Meta had already closed Ready at Dawn ("Lone Echo") and Downpour Interactive ("Onward") in 2024 and 2025. This leaves barely more than a small remnant of Meta's nine VR studios. Titles in development, including a sequel to "Batman: Arkham Shadow," have been scrapped. The funding and incubator programs for external studios, an important lifeline of the ecosystem, have also reportedly been cut. This makes it clear that Meta is withdrawing from VR game development. Meta's often-mocked metaverse platform "Horizon Worlds" will primarily focus on mobile devices rather than VR headsets in the future, in the hope of capturing market share from "Roblox" and "Fortnite." A venture that seems doomed to fail given the overwhelming competition. The cost-cutting measures also affected other areas of the VR division: Meta has discontinued its in-house VR meeting app and the enterprise business with Quest devices. As reports of new cuts have been circulating almost daily since Tuesday, it would not be surprising if further projects and programs that have fallen victim to the budget cuts become known in the coming days. Meta's VR Subsidies: Blessing and Curse A few years ago, the situation looked very different. Meta Quest 2 sold millions of units. Many developers and studios were able to build an economic existence on the Quest platform and invest in projects for the next generation of hardware. However, since the end of the pandemic, interest in VR headsets has continuously declined. Playstation VR2, Meta Quest 3, and even Apple Vision Pro have been unable to counteract this trend. A large part of the industry still relies on the Quest platform and game sales. But this sector in particular has undergone a profound transformation in recent years. Many VR users who contributed to the success of Meta Quest 2 have migrated away from the platform. They have been replaced by children and teenagers who prefer new types of games with free-to-play business models. Declining interest, changing consumer habits, and Meta's own platform policies have led the VR industry into a crisis, which has resulted in layoffs and studio closures by independent studios. The piracy tacitly tolerated by Meta has likely also contributed to this creeping misery. At the same time, many VR studios were only able to stay afloat for so long thanks to Meta's years of support: the company contributed to the financing of new projects and guaranteed studios regular income through their participation in the "Horizon+" game subscription service. This precarious situation points to a deeper problem: Meta's unbridled VR subsidization, which affects other areas besides developer support. With bargain prices for Quest devices, Meta quickly gained a leading position in the VR market, but also accustomed consumers to unrealistically low prices and distorted actual demand. Competitors who could have ensured healthy competition were pushed out of the market. At the same time, Meta invested billions in acquiring VR studios to accelerate hardware sales with exclusive VR games. However, even high-quality licensed titles produced with great effort, such as "Batman: Arkham Shadow (2024) and "Marvels Deadpool VR (2025), could not change the declining sales in 2025. It was therefore only a matter of time before Meta would pull the plug. "This year will likely decide whether all our work will go down in history as a visionary breakthrough or a legendary mishap," wrote Reality Labs head Andrew Bosworth to his employees at the end of 2024. A year later, the preliminary verdict has been delivered. A Look into the Future Among VR developers, Meta is notorious for frequent strategy changes and a tendency to chase trends. In light of the recent cutbacks, the question arises whether the company is not prematurely and definitively burning bridges here. More moderate support and more realistic expectations from Meta could have cushioned the impact of this week, which will now lead to an irrecoverable loss of trust, knowledge, and talent. However, the current development also has positive aspects: the VR industry has bid farewell to the metaverse hype fueled by Meta itself during the pandemic years. It is intended to develop more slowly and organically in the future, but with more grounding and sustainability. At Meta, the valuable insight has now grown that hardware and software are simply not yet mature enough to significantly expand the VR market. In any case, it would be premature to speak of a complete abandonment of virtual reality by Meta. More than 10,000 employees still work for Reality Labs, many of them on VR hardware. According to reports, a new type of VR headset with the telling codename "Phoenix" is also in development. After neither wireless VR and affordable devices nor high-quality content have been able to open up a broader market for VR headsets, Meta is tackling another hurdle: the form factor and weight. The new device is said to be many times more compact and lighter than current VR headsets. In line with Meta's goal of establishing a more sustainable VR business, subsidies will be forgone in the future, and the device will likely be significantly more expensive than previous Quest models. Marketing is likely to shift away from gaming towards work and media consumption. The target release date is 2027. Should this attempt also fall short of Meta's expectations, things could get tight for the company's VR ambitions. An reallocation of investments into the smart glasses business is already underway. An area in which Meta sees significantly greater market potential. (nie) 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. Ericsson has sent a notification to the Swedish Public Employment Service. According to this, around 1600 jobs in Sweden could be affected by layoffs. The company has entered into negotiations with the responsible Swedish trade unions. "The planned headcount reduction is part of global initiatives to improve the cost structure," the company writes as a justification. Continue after ad Initiatives to increase operational efficiency will continue group-wide, but will not be announced separately, the statement continues. This means nothing other than that further layoffs or at least headcount reductions will follow at other locations. According to the public service broadcaster SVT Nyheter, Ericsson employs around 12,600 people in Sweden. This means that more than one in ten employees in Sweden will have to leave the company. A spokesperson for the Swedish Union of Engineers told SVT that the measures were a "mockery of the employees". She suspects that employees in the Stockholm-Kista plant will be primarily affected. Ericsson primarily operates as a supplier in the mobile communications market and is one of the most important industrial employers in Sweden. In Germany, the group employs around 2400 people at 12 locations. It cannot be ruled out that headcount reductions will also take place here. (jes) 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. Police in eastern Finland are searching for a 53-year-old man who went missing from Niuvanniemi Hospital in Kuopio and is considered dangerous. The man left the hospital with permission on Friday afternoon but failed to return as agreed. Police were notified of his disappearance later the same day. Authorities have warned the public not to approach him under any circumstances. Radev confirmed his decision during a televised address on Monday evening, declaring, Today, I am addressing you for the last time as president of Bulgaria. He said he would submit his resignation to the Constitutional Court the following day. Vice President Iliana Iotova is expected to assume the role of acting president once the court approves the move. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has announced his resignation ahead of expected snap parliamentary elections, triggering widespread speculation that he intends to form a new political party and contest the vote. The resignation is unprecedented in post-communist Bulgaria and comes during a prolonged political stalemate that has seen seven parliamentary elections since 2021. The eighth vote will be held later this year after the previous government collapsed in December following anti-corruption protests. Radev, a former air force general, has long been viewed as a potential political alternative to the established parties. He has repeatedly criticised Bulgarias political elite, whom he accuses of compromising with oligarchic interests. The political class has betrayed the hopes of the people, Radev said. A battle for the future of the fatherland lies ahead. He did not confirm whether he would run in the upcoming elections, but has previously hinted at the need for a new political force to unite both left- and right-leaning voters dissatisfied with existing options. Radev has spoken out against sending military aid to Ukraine and has voiced doubt over Bulgarias decision to adopt the euro, which came into effect on 1 January. He has also expressed support for the mediation efforts of US President Donald Trump in Ukraine, which many European leaders view with suspicion. In his farewell speech, Radev said Bulgaria needed a new public contract to end the cycle of protest, poverty, and institutional mistrust. He accused previous governments of causing long-term harm to Bulgarias democracy and economy. Poverty, protest and suspicion are the results of harmful governance, he said. HT The US president declared there was no going back on the plan, stating Greenland was imperative for national and world security and claiming the territory must be acquired by money or force. His comments were followed by social media posts showing digitally generated images of him planting an American flag on Greenland, and screenshots of alleged private messages from world leaders. European leaders have delivered a warning to the United States after Donald Trump reaffirmed his intentions to pursue control of Greenland, threatening economic retaliation against eight European countries during the World Economic Forum in Davos. The eight nations targeted by Trumps tariff threat include Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Trump has proposed tariffs of up to 25 percent on goods from those countries unless a deal over Greenland is reached. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, speaking in Davos, said the EU would stand hand in hand with Denmark and Greenland. The sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark is not negotiable, she said. The proposed tariffs are a mistake. Our response will be unflinching, united and proportional. Von der Leyen announced the EU was preparing a surge in Arctic investment, citing recent agreements including the sale of Finnish icebreakers to the United States as evidence of transatlantic cooperation. Arctic security can only be achieved together, she said. Finnish President Alexander Stubb also opposed the US approach, saying Finland was working to de-escalate tensions. Threatening allies with tariffs is not acceptable, he said. Finland confirmed it had sent two military officers to assess the Arctic exercise but would not send more personnel. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen ruled out any negotiations over Greenlands sovereignty. We will not discuss our democracy, our identity, or our borders, she told parliament. If a trade war begins, we will respond. Markets reflected the uncertainty. European indices fell between 1.2 and 1.5 percent, while gold reached a new high of $4,731.34 per ounce. The US dollar fell against both the pound and the euro. American markets were expected to open down by up to 2 percent. Former Trump adviser Anthony Scaramucci dismissed the strategy as attention seeking. He said Europe needed to respond more forcefully. This is not about negotiation, he told reporters in Davos. Its humiliation. They need to get tougher with him. French President Emmanuel Macron, whose private message to Trump was published by the president online, offered to host a G7 meeting in Paris following the Davos summit. In the message, Macron wrote, I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. A spokesperson for Macron confirmed the messages authenticity and said the tariff threats were unacceptable. The French government is reportedly considering whether to activate the EUs anti-coercion instrument, which allows the bloc to restrict access to its markets in retaliation. Trump is scheduled to address the Davos forum on Wednesday. An emergency EU summit on Greenland will take place the following day. HT Hilton today announced the appointment of Matthew Mullan as Resort General Manager, overseeing the newly rebranded hotels DoubleTree by Hilton Muscat Al Waha, Hilton Muscat Al Bandar, and Al Husn Hotel Muscat three iconic properties that together form one of Muscat's most established and celebrated resort destinations. Located along Oman's picturesque coastline, Barr Al Jissah Resorts has been a landmark address in Muscat for more than 20 years, welcoming generations of international and regional travelers. Renowned for its expansive beachfront, world-class leisure facilities and diverse dining offerings, the destination continues its legacy under Hilton, entering a new chapter since 1 January 2026, while preserving the essence that has made it one of Oman's most recognizable hospitality destinations. In his role, Mullan will shape the strategic direction, guest engagement initiatives, and operational excellence of the three properties which comprise a total 680 keys. He will lead all aspects of resort operations - from brand alignment and guest experience to commercial performance and team development - across a destination that caters to families, leisure travelers and luxury seekers. Mullan brings more than 30 years of international hospitality experience with Hilton, having held senior leadership and executive roles across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. Most recently, he served as General Manager of London Hilton on Park Lane, one of Hilton's flagship hotels globally. His career also includes leadership roles at Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, Hilton Barbados Resort, Hilton Malta, and Hilton Sharm El Sheikh, with a strong track record in hotel openings, resort transformations, and multi-property operations. Brussels The AICR (Amicale Internationale des Chefs de Reception) is proud to announce the winners of the 30th edition of the prestigious Worlds Best Receptionist by Bucherer 2026 competition, celebrating excellence in front office hospitality. The leading retailer of luxury watches and fine jewellery since 1888 (Bucherer) is a titular sponsor of the event. After an intense and inspiring competition (15th January 2026, Thursday), Mateja Simic from The St. Regis Doha, representing AICR Qatar, has been crowned this years Worlds Best Receptionist. Demonstrating exceptional professionalism, warm hospitality, and a deep understanding of guest experience, Mateja stood out among the worlds most talented hoteliers. The competition, held annually, showcases the highest standards of service, highlighting the skills, dedication, and expertise of young hospitality leaders. The winner receptionists are: Worlds Best Receptionist 2026: Mateja Simic (AICR Qatar - The St. Regis Doha) 1st Runner-Up: Alicja Panek (AICR Poland - Sheraton Sopot Hotel) 2nd Runner-Up: Andrea Garcia Santamaria (AICR United Kingdom - Rosewood London) The distinguished receptionists are: Future Leader Award: Elina Gleiser ( AICR Switzerland - Widder Hotel) ( Amicalists Choice Award by SRate: Camille Philippe ( AICR France - Disney Newport Bay Club) ( Spirit of Amicale Award: Jaswin Mann (AICR Singapore - Marina Bay Sands) This event constitutes an exceptional platform for the exchange of experience. The careers of ambitious industry enthusiasts are supported through a partnership with AICR International of highly respected brands such as Bucherer, Forbes Travel Guide, EHL Hospitality Business School, and many others. The competition reflects the highest standards of service; its rigorous and transparent evaluation system ensures an objective selection of both the most evident and the remarkably hidden talents. This competition, and the path toward it, is an outstanding mentoring, development, and education program. Leading thirty editions of The David Campbell Trophy is the result of the strong commitment of nearly thirty members of the Competition Committee, which I had the honor to lead. Twenty outstanding receptionists. Twenty countries. Always worth it. Krzysztof Studzinski, WBRC Chief Judge at AICR The competition is a full-day, comprehensive, multi-stage arena for the most outstanding hospitality talents. Each participant is assessed across two distinct Front Office evaluation areas (scenario-based role plays) and two Back Office evaluations (activities essential to the operational performance of the property). The most distinguished arena for the enhancement of professional experience is the so-called Family Room. Participation in this space is not subject to evaluation; instead, it fosters the development of lasting relationships. Our finalists will be delighted to share more about this unique environment. The Worlds Best Receptionist by Bucherer competition continues to inspire young professionals to elevate service standards and celebrate the art of hospitality. Congratulations to all participants, finalists, and winners for their remarkable achievements! About AICR International Today, AICR International associates more than 1,400 members from almost 30 countries. This year's congress was held in hospitable Brussels, the capital of European Union. The event took place at the the remarkably distinctive and market-leading The Hotel. Krzysztof Studzinski AICR (International Association for Front Office Managers and Assistant Hotel Managers) Simone Puorto has been featured on Tasto9, the Italian podcast by Bee Family dedicated to the stories of professionals connected to the hospitality world. Hosted by Emilio Zorini, the episode moves through Puortos personal and professional trajectory, deliberately avoiding a narrow, purely operational definition of hospitality. The conversation frames hospitality as a field defined by decisions, mistakes, people, metrics, and trade-offs, rather than a single discipline or a fixed set of best practices. One of the opening themes is intellectual mobility as a professional duty, especially in an industry shaped by technology and accelerated change. Puortos message is explicit and repeated throughout the conversation: Never fall in love with ideas. Learn to unlearn. He also defines his approach to teaching in similarly disruptive terms: My job as an educator isnt to teach anything. Its to unteach. From there, the conversation traces formative influences that sit outside hospitality. Puorto discusses childhood, music, and the development of an obsessive listening practice, alongside early philosophical curiosity and a parallel attraction to horror literature, described as a gateway into words and, eventually, into academic philosophy. He also offers a self-portrait built on plurality rather than consistency, suggesting there are so many versions of Simone, and framing his identity as evolving across different eras rather than a linear career path. A major section of the interview focuses on the limits of expertise and the risks of consensus. Puorto describes himself as an antenna that picks up and amplifies possibilities, then expands the idea into a working method: staying attentive, seeking rooms where he is not the smartest person, and exposing himself to viewpoints that contradict his own. In his words, the long-term goal is to avoid ideological rigidity, reaching the final stage of enlightenment, which is having no point of view at all. The practical implication for consulting is direct: when clients ask for an opinion, Puorto resists the premise and redirects toward evidence, hypotheses, and measurable outcomes, repeating that the real anchor is data, not personal authority. The episode also includes a concrete origin story that connects philosophy, work, and early hotel technology. While supporting himself at university, Puorto worked night shifts at a hotel managed by Trappist monks, which was far from digitized, relying on paper-based room planning. Faced with an operational workload that competed with study time, he describes writing a rudimentary proto PMS in 1999 as a survival tactic to reclaim hours for learning, an example that anticipates his later focus on systems, workflows, and operational leverage. Later, the conversation shifts into management and the ethics of consulting. Puorto recounts his time as a General Manager and the tension between being effective in product, brand, and data, while finding the human side of operations more difficult, a turning point that eventually led him away from the operational path. In the consulting section, the ethical critique becomes explicit, including a hard rejection of business models where many clients receive only minutes of attention while paying premium retainers. That experience is presented as a personal threshold, the moment when he couldnt look at himself in the mirror anymore, and the rationale for building a boutique approach based on fewer clients, higher involvement, and transparency. A final theme speaks to education, technology literacy, and what Puorto calls cognitive pollution among children. The argument is not generational stereotyping, but interface design as the real variable. He suggests that simplified graphical interfaces can create a dangerous illusion of competence, as users can trigger outputs without understanding the inputs, causality, or the underlying systems. In one provocative passage, he says that if you give a tablet to an orangutan, it will be able to use it after a while, then uses the image to challenge common assumptions about youth and technological fluency. The advice that follows returns to the opening principle, aimed at students and professionals alike: Never fall in love with your ideas. Learn to unlearn. because the moment an idea becomes identity, objectivity collapses. The interview is available in 2 versions: AI translated version (via HeyGen) Original Italian version About Travel Singularity Travel Singularity is a consultancy firm for hotels and travel technology providers whose vision is to solve the growing need for connecting the dots between digital disruption and existing technology. Founded in 2017 as a partnership of educational consultants, the firm actively supports cooperation between biological and artificial staff and advocates for an open, collaborative, hyper-connected industry where humans can flourish and innovate, free from the repetitive tasks they are now obliged to perform daily. Its founder, Simone Puorto, is a journalist specializing in tech, keynote speaker, podcaster, consultant, published author of four best sellers on marketing, writer for the main industry blogs, Metaverse Ambassador, co-organizer of the first-ever travel and hospitality event in the metaverse (#HNmetameetup), crypto evangelist, MBA lecturer and CMO for TelltheHotel and E23 Delivery. He often refers to himself as a "Renaissance Futurist," supporting post-human, anti-speciesists, and transhumanist values. Over his career, spanning over 20 years, he consulted for hundreds of international hotel groups, travel tech vendors, and startups. For more information visit: www.travelsingularity.com Simone Puorto Travel Singularity Melia Hotels International, one of the world's leading hospitality groups, has announced an ambitious expansion into Malta and Gozo with nine new hotels set to open across the islands over the next three years. Developed in partnership with Agius Group through its hospitality arm, Blue Clay Collection, the project will significantly strengthen Malta's tourism offering - a destination with a fast-growing reputation for luxury travel in Europe. Every property is designed to reflect the identity of its local community, from the restoration of a historic residence in the capital Valletta to the transformation of an antique townhouse in Victoria, the main town on Gozo. Malta's quieter and greener sister island, Gozo is a Mediterranean gem celebrated for its slow pace of life, striking landscapes, and deep cultural roots. The portfolio will be a mix of properties: The Melia Collection, INNSiDE by Melia, Affiliated by Melia, and Melia Hotels and Resorts. The announcement comes after the opening of Hotel Ben Marsalforn Affiliated by Melia, in November 2025. This Gozo property is just a short stroll from the promenade, the beach and restaurants, and features a heated pool and a rooftop sun terrace with panoramic views of Marsalforn Bay. The Melia Collection offers boutique properties designed to capture the true spirit of a destination through their own distinct narrative, and new locations include Malta's UNESCO World Heritage capital, Valletta. On Gozo, the brand is set to open 2 hotels in the main town of Victoria, as well as in the traditional village of San Lawrenz onthe north-western edge. These hotels will fortify the island's growing status as a vibrant hub of culture and curated luxury. The Affiliated by Melia brand allows unique independent hotels in characterful towns and villages on Gozo - such as Garb, Qala, and Ghajnsielem - to join the network. Each of the Gozo openings offers an intimate stay, immersing guests in the island's vibrant village life, year-round festivals, hiking trails and world-class diving. INNSiDE by Melia hotels are designed with modern travellers blending business and leisure in mind, offering social spaces, a creative energy and minimalist interiors. In spring 2026, INNSiDE is set to arrive in Buggiba, a lively area on the shores of St. Paul's Bay in northern Malta. A 300-room Melia Hotels & Resorts property will open in St. Julian's - a bustling town on Malta's eastern coast and another popular tourist destination. As the group's flagship brand, these hotels represent the heart of Melia: exceptional service and warm Spanish hospitality. Malta and Gozo are destinations with extraordinary qualities that align perfectly with our brand values. This expansion underscores our ambition to consolidate our position as the leading resort company in the Mediterranean and exemplifies our commitment to growth through strategic local partnerships. As well as the islands' Mediterranean culture, natural beauty and deep heritage, we are particularly drawn to the authenticity of these towns and villages, where travellers can experience a slower, more meaningful style of travel. Through our partnership with Agius Group, we look forward to creating character-rich hotels that celebrate local identity while delivering the elevated guest experience Melia is known for globally. Gabriel Escarrer, Chairman & CEO of Melia Hotels International A spokesperson for Agius Group said: Our vision is to give new life to Malta's town and village centres by investing in high-quality boutique hotels that respect their heritage while bringing international standards. Partnering with Melia, a brand synonymous with excellence, allows us to align Malta with one of the most prestigious names in global hospitality. Several properties will also incorporate dedicated conference and events facilities, supporting the islands' expanding MICE sector. About Melia Hotels International Rooted in Mallorca (Spain), with a global footprint, Melia Hotels International has evolved over seven decades into one of the world's leading hospitality groups. Today, we are proud to be recognized as Europe's most sustainable hotel company by S&P Global, and as a Top Employer Large Enterprise 2025, reflecting our unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation and responsible tourism.With a portfolio of over 400 hotels across key destinations worldwide, we deliver differentiated guest experiences through our nine distinct brands: Gran Melia Hotels & Resorts, ME by Melia, The Melia Collection, Paradisus by Melia, Melia Hotels & Resorts, ZEL, INNSiDE by Melia, Sol by Melia, and Affiliated by Melia. Each brand is designed to meet the evolving expectations of our guests, while staying true to our Mediterranean roots and values.Our strategic focus on sustainability, talent development, and digital transformation continues to position Melia as a benchmark in the global hospitality industry, driving long-term value for our stakeholders and creating meaningful experiences for millions of travelers around the world. . For more information, please visit www.meliahotelsinternational.com Minor Hotels will pursue a focused approach to growth in 2026, building on a year of record development momentum to prioritise market depth, portfolio diversification and capital-efficient expansion. The group signed 40 new hotel contracts and master agreements in 2025 its highest annual total to date and expects to secure a further 25 signings in the first quarter of 2026, highlighting sustained owner demand and signalling another record growth year ahead. With its strongest pipeline to date and a portfolio of more than 640 properties globally, the year ahead marks the beginning of a new phase of growth for the hotel owner and operator, marked by targeted asset-light expansion and supported by the addition of four new hotel brands and a strengthened global platform under the Minor Hotels master brand. The pace of recent signings reflects strong owner confidence in our brands and platform. Driving growth through a higher mix of HMAs and franchising allows us to scale with discipline, while our continued role as owners keeps us closely aligned to hotel performance and brand standards. As we add depth to our brand portfolio in 2026, this combination of global reach and an owners mindset gives us the insight needed to really tailor solutions to different assets and owner ambitions. Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International (SET:MINT), the parent company of Minor Hotels Deepening presence in priority markets Minor Hotels will focus investment and development in 2026 on markets where it sees the strongest long-term demand signal, combining deeper positions in established regions with selective, focused entry into new destinations. Of the 25 new deals that Minor expects in Q1, more than 60% will be in Middle East and Asia, signalling the groups intent to drive a higher contribution from those regions to balance its strong presence in Europe, which currently accounts for more than half of the groups portfolio. In 2026, the group is set to debut multiple brands in North America, including in the key strategic cities of New York and Miami, plus in the Caribbean, with a selection of its brands including within the luxury segment. This marks a significant step in strengthening its presence in the high-priority North America market. This luxury portfolio expansion will also extend into Australia, where the group already operates more than 60 properties, mostly under the Oaks and Avani brands. It will also focus on growing its presence in the London market, leveraging the established awareness and operational footprint of The Wolseley Hospitality Group, which it acquired in 2022. In North Africa, expansion is being shaped by the strength of Minors brands and its long-standing presence in Europe, one of the regions most important source markets. This positions the group to pursue a demand-led approach to growth across the region, including in Egypt where it recently formed a joint venture with SUNRISE Resorts & Cruises to develop 50 properties over the next decade and Morocco. Pipeline growth will continue across Asia, with a focus on Japan following a recent joint venture with Royal Holdings to develop 21 properties across the country. India also remains a priority market, supported by the strong performance of Anantara Jewel Bagh Jaipur and a growing pipeline of more than a dozen projects. In Europe, the group will continue to broaden its focus beyond city hotels, increasing its exposure to resort destinations across the Mediterranean as part of a more diversified regional mix. Franchising to fuel asset-light growth Franchising will play a central role in Minor Hotels next phase of growth, following significant investment over the past year to strengthen systems, brand standards and owner support capabilities. This approach forms a core part of Minor Hotels asset-right strategy, which seeks to balance an optimal mix of owned, managed and franchised properties to enhance capital efficiency while maintaining operational control and brand integrity. Of the groups extended pipeline opportunities, 87% are asset light, up from 70% last year. The franchise model will be deployed primarily across mature markets, particularly Europe and the US, where brands including NH Hotels & Resorts and iStay Hotels are well positioned for conversion-led growth. Franchising will also be a key lever in Africa, where demand from owners for strong distribution, loyalty and brand infrastructure continues to rise. New brands unlock freedom for owners and guests Minor Hotels will use 2026 to bring its newest brands to market, with a series of carefully selected openings and signings across multiple segments. Central to this strategy are the groups new collection brands Minor Reserve Collection and Colbert Collection which are designed to support conversion-led growth in mature markets, particularly Europe and the Middle East. These brands offer independent owners the flexibility to retain their individuality while gaining access to Minor Hotels global distribution, loyalty, marketing and operational platforms, opening development opportunities for high-quality properties that may not fit traditional brand frameworks. The Wolseley Hotels is positioned as a deliberately rare luxury proposition, with 2026 focused on establishing the brands presence through a small number of carefully selected projects, reinforcing its long-term positioning in first-tier global gateway cities. At the more accessible end of the spectrum, iStay Hotels is expected to play a key role in supporting franchise-led growth, particularly in the Select segment, where demand for high-quality, value-driven accommodation continues to grow across urban and gateway markets. The addition of these new brands reflects Minor Hotels positioning as a group that combines global scale with a highly personal approach large enough to deliver the distribution, loyalty and operational strength owners need, yet nimble enough to offer tailored solutions that respect the individuality of each property and market. Branded residences as a key growth pillar Branded residences remain a core growth pillar for Minor Hotels as the segment continues to evolve from a niche luxury offering into a mainstream lifestyle proposition. Minor Hotels was an early pioneer in the space, and around 20% of its total hotel pipeline now incorporates a residential component. In 2026, the group will mark a milestone with the launch of its first standalone branded residence project, reinforcing brand maturity and the strategic role of residential-led development within its portfolio. Upcoming projects are primarily anchored by luxury brands such as Anantara and Tivoli where 50% of the pipeline includes residences while Avani and NH Collection increasingly target premium buyers seeking lifestyle, flexibility and long-term value. Recent announcements include mixed-use developments in the UAE, Spain and India. Capital optimisation through planned REIT listing To help fuel this growth agenda, Minor International, the parent company of Minor Hotels, is forging ahead with plans to launch a hotel real estate investment trust (REIT), expected to list in mid-2026. The proposed REIT is set to include a selection of European and Asian hotel assets, enabling Minor to recycle capital from mature properties while retaining long-term brand and operating relationships. By separating asset ownership from hotel operations where appropriate, the REIT is expected to play a key role in accelerating Minor Hotels shift toward a more asset-right model, providing greater flexibility to invest in new markets and brand development. Driving resilient growth Minor Hotels 2026 strategy reflects a deliberate focus on building depth, resilience and long-term value across its global portfolio. By prioritising the right markets, brands and partnerships, the group is strengthening its position as a diversified hospitality platform designed to perform across cycles. As global travel demand continues to evolve, Minor Hotels remains confident in the strength of its model and its ability to grow with intent. About Minor Hotels Minor Hotels is a global leader in the hospitality industry with over 560 hotels, resorts and branded residences across 57 countries. The group crafts innovative and insightful experiences through its hotel brands including Anantara, Elewana Collection, The Wolseley Hotels, Tivoli, Minor Reserve Collection, NH Collection, nhow, Avani, Colbert Collection, NH, Oaks, and iStay, as well as a diverse portfolio of restaurants and bars, travel experiences, and spa and wellness brands. With over four decades of expertise, Minor Hotels builds stronger brands, fosters lasting partnerships, and drives business success by always focusing on what matters most to our guests, team members and partners. Minor Hotels is a proud member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) and recognises its guests through one unified loyalty programme, Minor DISCOVERY, part of GHA DISCOVERY. Discover our world at minorhotels.com and connect with Minor Hotels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. San Diego, CA Cloudbeds, the leading hospitality technology platform, today announced a new partnership with Agora POS, a leading point-of-sale solution in Spain, trusted by hotels and hospitality businesses to streamline operations, ensure fiscal compliance, and deliver unified guest experiences across F&B and accommodation services. The partnership delivers tighter integration between hotel operations and on-property POS systems, enabling hotels to simplify financial workflows, improve guest experience, and maintain accurate, real-time operational data across departments. The integration unlocks several transformative benefits, including: Centralized revenue & single-check experience: Charge to Room functionality ensures food & beverage charges can be posted directly to guest rooms, enabling guests to settle accommodation and dining in a single checkout. Unified financials ensure restaurant and accommodation revenue is centralized within Cloudbeds, eliminating the need to reconcile separate systems at days end. Charge to Room functionality ensures food & beverage charges can be posted directly to guest rooms, enabling guests to settle accommodation and dining in a single checkout. Unified financials ensure restaurant and accommodation revenue is centralized within Cloudbeds, eliminating the need to reconcile separate systems at days end. Automated daily operations and regulatory compliance: Real-time sync ensures income and consumption data are synchronized instantly between Agora and Cloudbeds, keeping reporting accurate and reducing manual errors, while Agoras compliance capabilities including TicketBAI and VeriFactu readiness , help ensure transactions meet Spanish tax authority requirements. Real-time sync ensures income and consumption data are synchronized instantly between Agora and Cloudbeds, keeping reporting accurate and reducing manual errors, while Agoras compliance capabilities including TicketBAI and VeriFactu readiness , help ensure transactions meet Spanish tax authority requirements. Reliable operations and seamless control: Hotels can modify reservation structures and manage properties directly through the connected systems, with all payments, cancellations, and refunds also processed in-system. Offline Mode ensures POS operations continue even during internet outages, preventing lost sales in areas with unstable connectivity. Hotels are increasingly looking to unify front-of-house and back-of-house operations without adding complexity. Our partnership with Agora makes it easier for properties to connect POS activity directly to the guest journey, ensuring financial accuracy, operational visibility, and a more seamless experience for both staff and guests. Sebastian Leitner, VP of Partnerships at Cloudbeds This partnership with Cloudbeds allows us to extend the value of our POS platform into the core hotel operation. By connecting POS data directly with hotel systems, properties gain better control over revenue tracking, financial reporting, and guest service across every touchpoint. Luis Miguel Manzano, Commercial Director at Agora For hotel executives, the collaboration addresses a common operational challenge: disconnected systems between property management and POS platforms. The integration supports more accurate reporting, faster financial close processes, and improved transparency across departments, while giving guests the convenience of consolidated billing and fewer friction points during their stay. About Cloudbeds Cloudbeds is hospitalitys only intelligent growth engine a unified platform trusted by the worlds most ambitious hoteliers across 150 countries. Built to challenge the limits of outdated tech stacks, Cloudbeds connects operations, revenue, distribution, and guest experience in one powerful, intuitive system. The platform is enhanced with Signals, a hospitality AI model giving hoteliers the power to anticipate demand, run smarter operations, and craft more personal, profitable guest journeys at scale. Founded in 2012, Cloudbeds has earned top honors from Hotel Tech Report (Top PMS, Hotel Management System, and Channel Manager, 20212026), the World Travel Awards (Worlds Best Hotel PMS Solutions Provider, 2022), and Deloittes Technology Fast 500 (2024). About Agora Agora, developed by IGT Microelectronics, is an integrated technological POS management solution for the hospitality, retail, and food sectors, designed to digitalize operations, simplify daily management, and enhance the customer experience. With over 40 years of experience, IGT maintains a strong commitment to developing a platform that is constantly evolving to adapt to a dynamic digital environment and to the real needs of businesses. Agora connects point-of-sale activity with a companys core systems, providing greater financial control, operational visibility, and more efficient, profitable management. Beyond being a POS software, Agora incorporates real, agile, and practical improvements, together with proprietary hardware solutions and payment systems, ensuring smoother, more secure processes fully tailored to each establishment. Today, thousands of businesses across Spain rely on Agora to manage their operations efficiently. Waitstaff, managers, owners, chefs, and kitchen teams use the platform every day to work in a more agile, reliable, and profitable way, thanks to Agoras flexibility and ability to adapt to different sectors and business sizes. View source SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts is a leading Canadian hotel operations and asset management company, managing a diverse portfolio of full-service, select-service, and extended-stay hotels. With owned and managed properties across Canada, SilverBirch is a trusted name in Canadian hospitality. Several of its managed properties use FairPlanner and FairPayroll by Fairmas to streamline financial planning and management, reflecting a strong and evolving partnership. Facing the Challenge: Manual, Error-Prone Planning Tools Before implementing FairPlanner and FairPayroll, SilverBirch relied heavily on Excel-based planning tools. According to Hao Li, Director of Operations Finance: These spreadsheets often contained complex formulas that could be overwritten, which led to errors that were difficult to trace and correct. This not only increased the risk of inaccuracies but also required additional time to verify and validate the data. Manual uploads and error-prone processes impacted efficiency and data accuracy. FairPlanner and FairPayroll offered a structured, reliable software solution that resolved these pain points. The Solution: FairPlanner and FairPayroll With Fairmas tools, SilverBirch transformed its financial planning into a dynamic, data-driven process. Hao explains: Forecasting: Used monthly to incorporate real-time business trends into rolling forecasts. Used monthly to incorporate real-time business trends into rolling forecasts. Budgeting: Structured framework for collaborative, organization-wide budgeting. Structured framework for collaborative, organization-wide budgeting. What-If Scenarios: Built-in drivers to simulate operational changes and financial impact. FairPayroll added precise labour cost planning, enabling calculations based on payroll tax rates and employee profiles. Why Fairmas? Tangible Benefits for SilverBirch SilverBirch chose Fairmas for its affordability, flexibility, and functionality. Rob Fontaine, Director of Financial Systems & Data Analytics, highlights: We chose Fairmas primarily due to the lower cost compared to other platforms, the modular licensing model, and features like detailed labour planning. Key improvements included: Increased forecast and budget accuracy Faster scenario comparison with in-tool analytics Improved transparency through account-level drilldowns Enhanced agility with quick what-if modeling A Growing Partnership and Future Outlook SilverBirchs success with Fairmas reflects the softwares adaptability to North American markets. Hao Li confirms: Yes, I would recommend Fairmas to other hotel groups. It reduces manual errors, increases efficiency, and supports more accurate and informed decision-making. This partnership underscores Fairmas commitment to meeting regional business needs, marking a milestone in expanding its footprint beyond Europe. About Fairmas Fairmas is a software development company, with a global presence, offering financial planning, management reporting and controlling solutions including Hotel Asset Reporting, connecting hotel owners and investors. Since our foundation in 2003, our focus has been on the development of innovative, tailor-made hotel software. With our continuous growth and steady expansion of our product range, more than 5,500+ hotels worldwide are satisfied with Fairmas software solutions. (www.fairmas.com). Kinza Raheel International Marketing & Communications Manager Fairmas GmbH View source Mercure Rockhampton Hotel - Image Credit Accor The Mercure Rockhampton has been sold to Felix Capital, marking one of the first major hotel transactions completed in Australia in 2026. Felix Capital, a Sydney-based investment and development firm, has acquired the Mercure Rockhampton from Fifty Group. CBRE Hotels Hayley Manvell, Wayne Bunz and Taylor Morris exclusively managed the sale via an on-market Expression of Interest campaign. The sale is among the first major hotel transactions in Australia to be completed in 2026. The Mercure Rockhampton is located on a 4,657 square metre freehold riverfront site on Victoria Parade, overlooking the Fitzroy River. The hotel features 74 guest rooms, each ranging from approximately 24 to 47 square metres and including private balconies. Facilities at the property include a 443 square metre conference and meeting centre, a restaurant and bar, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, on-site parking, and a detached two-bedroom managers residence. In recent years, the property has undergone a multi-million-dollar refurbishment program covering guest rooms, bathrooms, exterior works, and common areas. The hotel sits adjacent to an additional 1,447 square metre parcel of land, which has been integrated with the property via the parking area. This adjoining land offers development potential for accommodation expansion or mixed-use projects. The Mercure Rockhampton will continue to operate under the Mercure brand, with Accor as franchisor and La Vie Hotels and Resorts retained as the operator. According to Felix Capital, the acquisition is part of the firms ongoing strategy to invest in regional hotel assets. Felix Capital has also announced plans for a $150 million Crowne Plaza development in Maroochydore, which will include 180 guest rooms, a 30-metre swimming pool, and a 160-seat restaurant, with completion targeted for 2028. CBRE Hotels reported strong buyer interest in the Mercure Rockhampton sale, citing high levels of enquiry and multiple offers during the campaign. The transaction reflects ongoing demand for regional Queensland hotel assets and limited availability of similar properties in the market. No changes to the Mercure Rockhamptons brand or management structure were announced as part of the sale. UK Hospitality Employment Declines by 8,784 Positions Following Budget - Image Credit Unsplash The UK hospitality sector recorded a decrease of 8,784 jobs in December 2025 compared to the previous month, based on figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The data also show that employment in the sector was down by 20,014 positions in December 2025 compared to September 2025. The decline in employment occurred during a period when hospitality businesses typically increase staffing levels to prepare for the festive season. The figures follow the Autumn Budget and coincide with ongoing concerns about increased employment costs, including changes to employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs). The sector faces additional cost pressures, with business rates scheduled to rise in April. Industry group UKHospitality has called for government intervention to address the planned increases. The group is advocating for an increase in the business rates discount for hospitality properties to the maximum level permitted by law, which is 20p. Successive government budgets have increased the cost and tax burden on hospitality businesses, according to UKHospitality. The group notes that the sector experienced 3.4 billion in additional annual costs less than a year ago, and further increases are expected with the upcoming changes to business rates. The latest ONS data highlight ongoing employment challenges in the sector, with job losses accelerating in the months following the Budget. UKHospitality has stated that further increases in business rates could result in additional job losses and business closures if no action is taken. The government has not announced any changes to the scheduled business rates increase as of the latest reporting period. UKHospitality continues to call for a sector-wide solution to address rising costs and employment challenges. 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. Wendy Penner holds the certificate for the Peacemaker Award on Monday, which was presented at the NBCC annual Day of Service. Volunteers make Valentine's Day cards for Hillcrest residents. Shirley Edgerton calls to build community in Pittsfield. The annual NBCC Day of Service luncheon is held at MCLA. State Rep. John Barrett III, left, James Mahon and state Sen. Paul Mark. Lunch is served up. Volunteers came from Williams College, MCLA and the community. PreviousNext North Adams, Pittsfield Mark King Day With Calls for Activism Alycia Bacon, community engagement officer for the Berkshire Taconic Foundation, speaks at the MLK service held Price Memorial AME Church in Pittsfield. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Wendy Penner can be found pretty much everywhere: leading local initiatives to address climate change and sustainability, championing public health approaches for substance abuse, and motivating citizens to defend their rights and the rights of others. That's all when she's not working her day job in public health, or being co-president of Congregation Beth Israel, or chairing the Williamstown COOL Committee, or volunteering on a local board. "Wendy is deeply committed to the Northern Berkshire community and to the idea of think globally, act locally," said Gabrielle Glasier, master of ceremonies for Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's annual Day of Service. Her community recognized her efforts with the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peacemaker Award, which is presented to individuals and organizations who have substantially contributed to the Northern Berkshires. The award has been presented by the MLK Committee for 30 years, several times a year at first and at the MLK Day of Service over the past 20 years. "This event is at heart a celebration of our national and local striving to live up to the ideals of Dr. King and his committed work for racial equality, economic justice, nonviolence and anti-militarism," said Penner. "There is so much I want to say about this community that I love, about how we show up for each other, how we demonstrate community care for those who are struggling, how we support and and celebrate the natural environment that we love and how we understand how important it is that every community member feels deserves to feel valued, seen and uplifted." King's legacy is in peril "as I never could have imagined," she said, noting the accumulation of vast wealth at the top while the bottom 50 percent share only 2.5 percent the country's assets. Even in "safe" Massachusetts, there are people struggling with food and housing, others afraid to leave their homes. In response, the community has risen to organize and make themselves visible and vocal through groups such as Greylock Together, supporting mutual aid networks, calling representatives, writing cards and letters, and using their privilege to protect vulnerable community members. "This is more than a moment of political divide. There are structural issues in our society that have given rise to this moment," Penner said. "We stand at a pivotal moment that requires all hands on deck. What can we do? Let's use the tools that we have to find courage and community. I look around this room and I feel an abundance of hope." The annual luncheon was held first this year in Venable Hall, with fare provided by Berkshire Food Project, Bigg Daddy's Philly Steak House and MCLA, before volunteers headed out to sites such as Sweetwood, Roots Teen Center and Louison House. President James Birge welcomed the community, noting that "Martin Luther King among many important statements, said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. And so today, we have to step forward and stand up for justice." State Sen. Paul Mark, co-chair of the Mass 250 committee, said the principles of freedom and democracy the nation was founded upon 250 years ago are just as important today. "As we continue to stay as a community and work together and support each other, nobody will ever take that from us, and Massachusetts will always lead the way into light and into service of others," he said. In Pittsfield, song echoed through Price Memorial AME Church as community members honored King and his teachings. Attendees pulled up the lyrics to "Lift Every Voice and Sing" on their phones so they could join in, and after the impromptu performance, separated into volunteer sites around Pittsfield. Monday's event was held by Berkshire Community College in partnership with the Berkshire branch of the NAACP. It began with a welcome breakfast and keynote address from Alycia Bacon, community engagement officer for the Berkshire Taconic Foundation, and volunteers were treated to a lunch catered by BB's Hot Spot afterwards. Service activities included crafting Valentine's Day cards for residents at Hillcrest Commons, organizing essential needs at the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center, cleaning houses with Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, an info session at the Christian Center, and bringing a baked good to a veteran at Soldier On. "We continue to commit every, every day, every minute of our lives, to the things that brought about a period of social change that was also social unrest, which is obviously a sad moment that it would be like that, but it was," said BCC President Ellen Kennedy. "Today we will be out and about in the community in so many different ways, continuing to reflect the mission, vision, and values of Martin Luther King. The vision that he had for bringing us together." Bacon, a published writer, poet, and artist, was honored to give the address in such an "unprecedented, urgent and tumultuous time." This year makes 250 years of the American experiment, she said, and just over half of century since the assassination of King. She explained that growing up in Arizona, largely surrounded by communities of European descent, deepened her fascination with her family history. Archival research has allowed Bacon to trace her ancestry back to the early 1700s. "I have ancestors who participated in every American war, from the Revolution to Vietnam. Enslaved ancestors from West Africa, free African Americans, and some Europeans as well," she said. "So perhaps this is ironic that, in spite of history, I have never felt less American lately." Violence and inequity are not a part of American history, she said, they are part of the foundation. "But what we do not say often enough is this: that overcoming of these atrocities should be among our greatest sources of pride, not because the nation was righteous, but because the people were relentless," Bacon added. "Africans in America freed themselves. They forced this country, step by painful step, to move closer to the ideals they claim to believe in. Therefore, emancipation was not a gift. It was a victory earned through courage, organizing, and refusal. I am the descendant of these freedom fighters." Shirley Edgerton of NAACP Berkshires pointed out that King said the ultimate tragedy is not oppression and cruelty by bad people, but the silence of good people. "Let your voices be heard in these perilous times and continue to demand equal opportunity for all. The mission is possible," she said. "Let us build community and unite a nation the non-violent way. When our days become dreary with low, hovering clouds of despair, Dr. King said let us remember that there is a creative force in this universe, a power that is able to make a way out of nowhere and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows." The former Express Mart at the corner of Simonds Road (Route 7) and Sand Springs Road in Williamstown has sat vacant for years. Part of the development plan submitted to the Planning Board. The dark gray box is the addition that will house the offices of Jack Miller Contractors. PreviousNext Williamstown Planners Green Light Initiatives at Both Ends of Route 7 WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. Jack Miller Contractors has received the town's approval to renovate and expand the abandoned gas station and convenience store property at the corner of Sand Springs Road and Simonds Road (Route 7) to serve as its new headquarters. Last Tuesday, the Planning Board voted, 5-0, to approve a development plan for 824 Simonds Road that will incorporate the existing 1,300-square-foot building and add an approximately 2,100-square-foot addition. "We look forward to turning what is now an eyesore into a beautiful property and hope it will be a great asset to the neighborhood and to Williamstown," Miller said on Friday. Charlie LaBatt of Guntlow and Associates told the Planning Board that the new addition will be office space while the existing structure will be converted to storage for the contractor. The former gas station, most recently an Express Mart, was built in 1954 and, as of Friday morning, was listed with an asking price of $300,000 by G. Fuls Real Estate on 0.39 acres of land in the town's Planned Business zoning district. "The proposed project is to renovate the existing structure and create a new addition of office space," LaBatt told the planners. "So it's both office and, as I've described in the [application], we have a couple of them in town: a storage/shop type space, more industrial as opposed to traditional storage." He explained that while some developments can be reviewed by Town Hall staff for compliance with the bylaw, there are three potential triggers that send that development plan to the Planning Board: an addition or new building 2,500 square feet or more, the disturbance of 20,000 square feet of vegetation or the creation or alteration of 10 or more parking spots. Only the third trigger, the 10 spaces proposed for the Simonds Road site, put the project on the Planning Board's agenda. He added that the project also would not require a review of its stormwater management plan. "This thing is all at grade," he said. "We're not disturbing 10,000 square feet of vegetation [the trigger for stormwater management review], because there's not 10,000 square of vegetation on the lot." In fact, while the redevelopment calls for a building addition and the creation of those 10 parking spots, it actually reduces the amount of impervious area on the lot by about 2,700 square feet, LaBatt said. The members of the Planning Board asked for a few clarifications on aspects of the plan, including how it will incorporate both vegetative screening and fences to comply with the bylaw and whether the proposed exterior lighting will spill over onto adjoining properties or the state highway. The panel spent some time looking at the distance between the proposed project's curb cuts on Simonds Road, ultimately agreeing that the spacing was appropriate under the bylaw. LaBatt noted that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation also must OK those cuts, and early indications are the state agency will be amenable. Before giving their signoff, members of the Planning Board took time to praise the proposed redevelopment of the blighted property. "It's a great adaptive reuse of an existing building that's an eyesore now," Roger Lawrence said. "It's going to greatly beautify that intersection. You're reducing the amount of impervious surface, you're including green shielding, so you're checking off a lot of good boxes here that reflect our community values." Also on Tuesday, the Planning Board approved a request from the town to subdivide a South Williamstown property owned by the Hart family. A portion of the 8.25-acre parcel on New Ashford Road (Route 7) was used as a town landfill in the 20th century, and the town is seeking to acquire part of the lot in order to maintain the degraded portion. "It's our responsibility to stabilize and maintain [the landfill site] long term," Community Development Director Andrew Groff told the board. "So we are transferring property from the Hart family. They're going to maintain the home that's on New Ashford Road. The town is going to maintain the landfill on the back lot. So it is a building lot, but nothing will ever be built there." Public Works Director Craig Clough told the board about how the town plans to maintain the former landfill in order to protect the Green River, which runs behind the property. "Because this landfill is up against a river bank, we do have to stabilize the bank, because we do have some of the old trash that gets into the river," Clough said. "What it's going to be in the future is a lot of bioengineering, probably a lot of tree cribbing and stuff like that to actually build up the bank that is on the west side of the river. We'll stabilize all that so we no longer have the intrusion of rubbish into the river." The Planning Board's 5-0 approval of the subdivision is one step in the town's process to acquire a portion of the property. Ultimately, the acquisition will require the approval of town meeting. 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 appears to be making a concerted effort to prevent European lawmakers from engaging with Taiwanese politicians, as it seeks to isolate the island from potential political backers. According to the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a grouping of MPs from around the world focused on issues related to Chinas ascendancy, ambassadors from the country in a number of European nations have been calling lawmakers for meetings and urging them not to host Taiwanese officials or speak to them during visits to the island. The flurry of activity appears to have started when Taiwanese vice-president Hsiao Bi-khim addressed an IPAC summit in Brussels last November, drawing a sharp response from Beijing. At the conference held in the European parliament building, Bi-khim urged European MPs to boost trade and security ties with Taiwan. Though Taiwan has its own democratically-elected government, China claims sovereignty over the island and has threatened to reunite it with the mainland by force if necessary. Beijing has for decades forced its trade partners to sign up to some form of One China policy, which recognises Chinas claim to Taiwan and accepts that the administration in Beijing is the only legal Chinese government. open image in gallery China considers Taiwan to be its territory and its president Xi Jinping has vowed to reunite the island with the mainland by force if necessary ( AFP via Getty Images ) Bi-khims speech was a significant moment for Taiwan, as the first address delivered by a senior member of the Taiwanese government in a foreign parliament. Beijing responded by accusing European lawmakers of hosting Taiwan independence figures to conduct separatist activities in its buildings. In November and December last year, Chinese officials began pushing legal advice on EU nations, either through officials posted in various European missions or through local embassies, telling them their own border laws required banning entry to politicians from Taiwan. The advice appeared to relate to the Schengen Borders Code the law which lists conditions for entry of non-EU nationals into border-free areas in Europe that allow free movement between 29 participating countries. It states that entrants must not [be] considered to be a threat to the public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of any of the member states. Chinese officials reportedly implied that allowing the entry of Taiwanese politicians to EU nations would violate that clause and create rifts between those countries and Beijing. Taiwans only formal diplomatic ties in Europe are with the Vatican, but countries from Britain and France to Lithuania and Poland have disregarded Beijings complaints to allow visits by acting or former senior Taiwan officials. Recent years have seen a shift where several Western nations have come together to advocate for Taiwans democratic values. Romanian lawmaker Cristian Ghinea tells The Independent that a political storm erupted in Bucharest after he visited Taiwan last year and then Brussels in November. The senator says he has been facing targeted attacks from Chinese officials over his calls for Romania to resume bilateral ties with Taiwan and open an office representing Romanian interests in Taipei. Ghinea, who was part of the six-member parliamentary delegation to Taipei in August last year, says the Chinese embassy in Bucharest went on a full PR offensive both online and in-person, including criticism of both him personally and the current Romanian leadership. He says this included propaganda articles published in Romania claiming that China will rule the world and that the One China policy should be respected. open image in gallery Taiwans president Lai Ching-te giving his New Years address ( Taiwan Presidential Office via AP ) Ghinea says that if anything, the campaign made me more willing to be involved in the issue. Im a true believer in democratic values and I care about Taiwan as a democracy, he says. I wrote some articles reminding Romanians that we lived under dictatorship [with the Ceausescu regime], and now we are asking 23 million Taiwanese to live under the dictatorship of the Communist Party. Luke de Pulford, one of the co-founders of IPAC, says the pressure campaign from China reached new heights after the Brussels summit. There have been a number of requests for meetings between IPAC co-chairs and the respective ambassadors (of China) in their countries, and I was briefed on one of those meetings, he tells The Independent, without disclosing which European nations were facing immediate pressure. IPACs co-chairs include MPs from the EU, the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and Japan. What they said was that every time they tried to raise some other matter in the meeting, all the ambassador wanted to talk about was that they were free to visit Taiwan Island if they wanted, but they should not meet with senior politicians while they were there, and they certainly shouldnt invite them over here (to European soil), Pulford says. open image in gallery A Taiwan national flag flutters in the capital of Taipei ( AP ) So its very clear to me that this is a message which has been given to different Chinese diplomatic missions that they have to get out to lawmakers. China now routinely objects to visits by foreign politicians to Taiwan for meetings or summits, including those led by IPAC. China last year also strongly objected to a delegation from the European parliament visiting Taiwan. African nations like Malawi and the Gambia were forced to drop out of IPACs 2024 summit due to alleged diplomatic coercion. In November last year, several African lawmakers were not able to attend the Taiwanese vice-presidents address at the European parliament, Pulford says. Certainly in one case they were not able to attend because their foreign ministry would not clear them for travel under pressure from China, he says. China has also pressed European countries to follow the UNs example and bar all Taiwanese people from government buildings, The Guardian reported. Taiwan is not a member of the UN and its citizens are unable to attend UN events as representatives of Taiwan. Ghinea says that while China goes to great lengths to isolate Taiwan, it should be seen as an issue that concerns all countries in Asia and beyond. He compares it to the Ukraine war, both as a conflict that might embolden Xi Jinpings own territorial ambitions and as an example of a crisis that also has huge impacts on neighbouring countries like Romania itself. If (Russian president Vladimir) Putin gets a free hand in Ukraine, that would encourage Xi to do the same in Taiwan and then even beyond Taiwan, because China has conflicts with the Philippines, with Vietnam, he says. The Independent has reached out to Chinas foreign ministry for a comment. 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 Korean dictator Kim Jong Un reportedly fired on the spot a top cabinet official overseeing economic policy over what he described as chronic incompetence during a visit to an industrial facility. According to the state news agency KCNA, the summary dismissal took place as Mr Kim was inspecting the first phase of renovations at the Ryongsong Machine Complex, a major industrial facility in Hamgyong. Mr Kim criticised officials responsible for the projects delayed completion, accusing them of mismanagement and defeatism. Owing to the irresponsible, rude and incompetent economic guidance officials, the first-stage modernisation project of the Ryongsong Machine Complex encountered difficulties, he was quoted as saying by the agency, adding they had for too long been accustomed to defeatism, irresponsibility and passiveness. Mr Kim proceeded to dismiss vice premier Yang Sung Ho on the spot, declaring him unfit to be entrusted with heavy duties. Put simply, it was like hitching a cart to a goat, an accidental mistake in our cadre appointment process, he said, referring to Mr Yang. After all, it is an ox that pulls a cart, not a goat. Images released by Pyongyang showed rows of factory workers dressed in matching green uniforms and grey hats standing before the North Korean dictator as he delivered a speech on economic governance. open image in gallery Kim Jong Un attends the completion ceremony for the first phase of renovations and modernisation of the Ryongsong Machine Complex in Hamgyong ( AFP via Getty ) Mr Kim warned that incumbent economic planners could hardly guide the work of readjusting the countrys industry as a whole and upgrading it technologically. North Koreas economy is struggling under heavy international sanctions imposed over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, compounded by decades of centralised mismanagement, poor infrastructure, and recurring natural disasters such as floods and droughts. Severe food shortages remain a persistent problem while resources continue to be prioritised for defence and weapons development. open image in gallery Kim Jong Un inspects the Ryongsong Machine Complex in Hamgyong ( AFP via Getty ) The Ryongsong Machine Complex is part of a larger industrial corridor stretching from the northeast to the coastal city of Wonsan. The corridor accounts for almost 16 per cent of North Koreas total machinery output, Prof Yang Moo Jin of the University of North Korean Studies said. Analysts caution that the vice premiers public dismissal should not be interpreted as evidence of genuine systemic reform. Prof Yang argued the North Korean dictator was using public accountability as a shock tactic to warn party officials rather than addressing deeper policy shortcomings. The development comes as Pyongyang prepares for its first ruling Workers Party congress in five years, expected to take place in the coming weeks. Observers say economic strategy, alongside defence and military policy, is likely to dominate the agenda. open image in gallery Kim Jong Un visits the Ryongsong Machine Complex ( REUTERS ) Mr Kims handling of the episode echoes previous purges used to reinforce discipline and deflect responsibility, Prof Yang told AFP, pointing to cases such as the execution of Jang Song Thaek, the leaders uncle, in 2013. State media portrayed Jang as a traitor who confessed to seeking power, amassing illicit wealth, sabotaging economic projects, and pursuing a decadent capitalist lifestyle. He was labelled worse than a dog and a despicable human scum. In 2010, North Korea executed senior finance official Pak Nam Gi after blaming him for a failed currency reform that damaged the economy, according to the Guardian. South Korean intelligence claimed in 2015 that North Korea had executed its defence minister, Hyon Yong Chol, after accusing him of treason and showing disrespect to Mr Kim, including by allegedly falling asleep during a military event, Sky News reported at the time. In 2016, South Koreas state news agency Yonhap said Pyongyang had executed army chief Ri Yong Gil after accusing him of corruption and forming a political faction. 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 woman in her 30s was in taken into custody over a knife attack on a man she had met through a dating application, police in South Korea said. According to the Cheonan Seobuk police station in South Chungcheong province, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault. The incident, according to investigators, occurred at around 12.40am inside a multiplex-style residential building, The Korea Herald reported. Police said the woman was accused of stabbing the man, who is in his 40s, several times during their first face-to-face meeting after connecting online. The victim reportedly suffered injuries to his arm and face and was transported to a nearby hospital by emergency responders. His condition is not believed to be life-threatening. The suspect then fled the scene, police said. They tracked her movements using closed-circuit television footage and apprehended her roughly five hours later at a location in neighbouring Gyeonggi province, police said in a statement. Investigators are preparing to apply for a formal arrest warrant, local media said. Police are also continuing to investigate the motive behind the stabbing and the circumstances surrounding the assault. South Korea reported 1,565 cases of romance scams between January and September last year involving miscreants building fake romantic relationships online to exploit victims. It marked an increase from 1,265 cases during the same period the previous year, according to The Korea Times report in October 2025. As per the data released by lawmaker Han Byung Do of the Democratic Party of Korea, the total financial losses from these scams reached 100 billion won ($7m), surpassing 2024s 68 billion won. Dating apps in South Korea are losing popularity among young adults, particularly those in their 20s and 30s, due to low match quality, fake accounts, and user fatigue, a report in South Koreas Chosun Biz reported last year. According to a 2023 report published in the Korea Herald, roughly 80 per cent of dating app users in South Korea were men. Despite this, according to the local consumer data analysis service Wise App, the women spent more time on the apps, averaging 3 hours 56 minutes per month, compared with 2 hours for men. According to Chinas state-owned Global Times report, Shanghai police busted a datingapp fraud syndicate last week, arresting 77 suspects and seizing over 10 million yuan ($1.4m). Active since November 2024, the gang reportedly used AI-generated profiles and paid chat systems to scam victims, with single agents earning over 10,000 yuan per month, the outlet 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 South Korean president Lee Jae Myung warned his countrymen against flying drones north of the border, comparing it to starting a war. Announcing an investigation into reports of South Koreans sending drones into the neighbouring country, the president said at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that such actions raised serious security and legal concerns and increased regional tensions. Police in Seoul said they were questioning a civilian as a suspect after North Korea reported a drone arriving into its airspace from the south earlier this month. North Korean officials released photos of the drones debris and aerial pictures of buildings it had allegedly captured on the way in. In the aftermath, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un, urged Seoul to investigate the recent drone incidents and warned that any provocations would end in a terrible situation. open image in gallery Kim Yo Jong attends a reception in the Great Hall of People in Beijing ( AFP via Getty ) Addressing the neighbours concerns around drone activity, Mr Lee said that it should not happen for a civilian to send a drone to North Korea for an illegal purpose. Such action was akin to starting a war, Mr Lee warned, and creating unnecessary confrontation with North Korea could negatively impact his country. The president said the unauthorised flights into the North could trigger a military clash. He criticised defence minister Ahn Gyu Baek for the failure to detect the drone activity and asked for strengthening surveillance to prevent further incidents. How did we fail to check that a drone had been flown to the North? Mr Lee asked. He warned that any South Korean found guilty of flying a drone north of the border, they could be criminally charged for provoking Pyongyang. Police, meanwhile, identified the suspect they were questioning as a graduate student in his thirties surnamed Oh, reported the South China Morning Post. He reportedly told the police he had flown drones into North Korea three times since September 2025. The student claimed he had worked in impeached president Yoon Suk Yeols office and allegedly received financial support from the countrys defence intelligence command, local media reported. The Independent could not verify the claims. open image in gallery Photo of a crashed drone released by North Koreas KCNS news agency ( REUTERS ) Mr Lee said officials were looking into claims that the military intelligence command likely supported the student in his act. A defence ministry spokesperson said a joint task force had been formed with police for a swift and thorough investigation, the SCMP reported. The latest drone incursion puts a fresh obstacle in Mr Lees attempt to mend ties with the neighbouring country. Pyongyang has not responded to any calls for dialogue with the South since Mr Kim defined the two Koreas as "hostile" nations at the end of 2023. 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 Polish deputy prime minister Radoslaw Sikorski ended a tense visit to India on Tuesday, with Pakistan and Russia dominating the bilateral engagement. Mr Sikorski, who is also the foreign minister, was visiting for the first time since Poland and India elevated their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership in 2024 during prime minister Narendra Modis visit to Warsaw. The three-day visit, aimed at strengthening that partnership, was dominated by Indian foreign minister S Jaishankars objection to Warsaws ties with Pakistan and by Poland voicing concerns about Delhis oil imports from Russia. At a televised meeting with his counterpart on Monday, Mr Jaishankar conveyed Indias frustration at being singled out for criticism and punitive action for buying Russian oil and expressed concerns about Polands renewed ties with Islamabad. The Indian minister said he wanted to discuss some of Mr Sikorskis recent travels to the region, referring to his visit to Pakistan in October last year. The visit took place a few months after the rival South Asian neighbours fought a limited four-day war that pushed the region to the brink of a nuclear conflict. Poland should display zero tolerance for terrorism and not help fuel the terrorist infrastructure in our neighbourhood, Mr Jaishankar said. He reminded Mr Sikorski, a former journalist who covered the Afghanistan war in the 1980s and spent time in Pakistan, that he was no stranger to the region and was certainly familiar with the longstanding challenge of cross-border terrorism, the Hindu reported. Mr Jaishankar also chided the visiting diplomat over previous criticism of India buying Russian oil. In the recent past, both in New York last September and in Paris this January, I have candidly shared with you our views on the Ukraine conflict and its implications, he said. While doing so, I have also repeatedly underlined that the selective targeting of India is both unfair and unjustified. I do so again today. Mr Sikorski responded that he agreed the selective targeting is not limited to tariffs and that there have been other forms of selective targeting. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Sikorski said his conversation with Mr Jaishankar was frank. His side also had concerns, however. India took part in the Zapad exercises in Russia that we find threatening, he said. Zapad 2025, the joint Russian-Belarusian strategic military exercises, took place in Belarus from 12 to 16 September last year. The Polish minister, however, appeared disgruntled when a reporter asked him about cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. Mr Sikorski was speaking with local broadcaster NDTV about the Ukraine war but the conversation turned awkward when he was asked about Pakistan. He abruptly ended the interview. Indias unusually blunt remarks and the tense exchange between the foreign ministers comes as Warsaw continues to voice disappointment over Delhis purchase of Russian oil, which it views as financing Vladimir Putins war machine. The South Asian country is reeling from a 50 per cent US import tariff a 25 per cent reciprocal levy and a further 25 per cent linked to Russian oil purchases while facing additional challenges from Donald Trumps administration as it negotiates a trade deal. In spite of the friction that came to surface during Mr Sikorskis visit, India and Poland enjoy relatively stable relations, with bilateral trade rising 200 per cent over the past decade and the two sides planning to increase direct flights as well as cooperation in trade and technology. The Polish foreign ministers visit is one of many high-level European engagements with Delhi this month. Germanys chancellor and Frances national security adviser already visited and the EUs top leadership was expected to arrive for the Republic Day parade and the EU-India Summit next week. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A 27-year-old man drowned in a deep construction pit near Delhi, with an eye-witness alleging that emergency responders refused to enter the water as it was too cold, despite the victim crying for help for hours. The victim, identified as software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, died late on Friday night after his car plunged into a flooded excavation site in Noida, a satellite city east of Indias capital. According to police and eyewitness accounts, Yuvraj was driving home through Sector 150 of Noida in Uttar Pradesh state shortly after midnight amid dense winter fog when his vehicle struck a low boundary wall and fell into a waterlogged pit around 70ft deep. The site had been excavated a few years ago for a stalled construction project. Indian media reported that Yuvraj managed to escape his vehicle and stand on its roof as it slowly submerged. As he struggled to stay afloat, he called his father, Raj Kumar Mehta, on his cellphone, pleading for help. My son called me and said, Papa, the car has fallen into a drain. I am stuck, Mr Mehta told Indian media. By the time I reached the spot, he was still alive, but no one was able to reach him. A passer-by, identified by his first name Moninder, tried to rescue Yuvraj by tying a rope around his own waist and entering the pit after 1am, but said he was unable to locate either the victim or the car in the darkness. Emergency responders, including the police, arrived at the scene but Moninder alleged they did not enter the water. They were saying, The water is too cold. There are iron rods inside. We will not go, the Hindustan Times quoted him as saying. He said Yuvraj could be heard crying for help for nearly two hours before falling silent. Police officials confirmed that multiple agencies were alerted shortly after midnight, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), though specialist divers arrived several hours later. The man is believed to have drowned around 2.30am. His body was recovered after daybreak, nearly five hours after the crash. Hemant Upadhyay, assistant commissioner of police for Greater Noida, said officers were concerned about further casualties if untrained personnel entered the pit. The water was very deep, visibility was poor and there were concerns about submerged debris, he said. We were afraid that more lives could be lost, he said. The Independent has reached out to Noida Police for comment. The incident has triggered anger among local residents, some of whom staged protests at the site, accusing authorities of negligence and delayed action. Yuvrajs family alleged that repeated warnings about the unprotected pit and lack of reflective signage along the road had been ignored by authorities. The drains were left uncovered and there were no reflectors despite heavy fog, Mr Mehta said. This could have been prevented. Police have since registered a criminal case against two local real estate developers, following a complaint from the family. Officials said any negligence found would be investigated. Shortly after the incident, the pit was filled with debris and rubbish, drawing further criticism from residents who accused authorities of attempting to erase evidence. The death has also prompted political fallout. Senior officials from the townships governing authority have been removed, and the Uttar Pradesh government ordered a special investigation into the circumstances surrounding the rescue operation and site safety. 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 Vietnamese leader To Lam vowed to tackle corruption and boost economic growth as the Communist Party congress convened to decide his political future. The week-long 14th congress began in Hanoi on Monday to select the next party chief, the most powerful position in the single-party country. Decisions about leadership are made by top party officials behind closed doors. Citizens who arent members of the party are barred from publicly discussing or endorsing candidates for the top posts. Delegates to the congress are subjected to stringent security protocols: they cant access the mobile phone network or the internet and must stay in their designated accommodation. The communist government is also accused of intensifying the arrests of its critics ahead of the congress. To Lam, 68, is likely to retain his role as the partys general secretary and also seek the state presidency like his ally Xi Jinping of China. The announcement is expected by the end of the week. In a 40-minute speech, To Lam said the congress was taking place in a time of many overlapping difficulties and challenges, from natural disasters, storms and floods to epidemics, security risks, fierce strategic competition, and major disruptions in the energy and food supply chains". open image in gallery Communist Party of Vietnam general secretary To Lam ( Getty ) The general secretary told the 1,600-strong delegation that all wrongdoing must be addressed, and urged party officials to press ahead with administrative reforms and confront "waste and negativity in government". He promised to continue the fight against corruption, although during his tenure the anti-graft drive launched by predecessor Nguyen Phu Trong abated as To Lam sought to speed up project approvals to boost growth. "Infrastructure must be developed to adapt to climate change and ensure strong regional, inter-regional, and global connectivity," he said. He said Vietnam needed to cut red tape and expand trade to protect its independence and national interests. The 20 per cent import levy imposed by Donald Trump last year didnt restrain the growth of Vietnamese exports to the US, leading to a record surplus with Washington. But Vietnam is seeking to increase trade with other partners as the impact of the US tariffs will likely be felt in the coming months. A party document submitted to the congress set Vietnam's annual growth goal at no less than 10 per cent until 2030, far above the missed target of 6.5-7 per cent for the first half of the decade. To Lam is widely seen as a risk-taker. Since taking power in 2024, he has eliminated whole layers of government, abolished eight ministries, and pushed ambitious power and rail projects, putting thousands of civil servants out of their jobs, drawing sharp criticism. He has also moved to tighten state security, expanding police powers to vet laws and regulate businesses, while intensifying rivalry with the army which controls a web of economic interests. At the same time, the government has intensified its crackdown on dissent by arresting activists, journalists, lawyers, and critics. open image in gallery A security officer guards the venue of the Communist Party congress in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 19 January 2026 ( AP ) Hanoi police arrested blogger Hoang Thi Hong Thai on 7 January allegedly for making social media comments critical of the government which garnered thousands of views. She was barred from leaving Vietnam last April and interrogated by police about her writing. She was also threatened with arrest, forcing her to announce that she had no choice but to stop writing. She was later arrested for making, storing, disseminating, or propagating information, documents, or items aimed at opposing the state". On December 31, a Hanoi court sentenced in absentia human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai, 56, to 17 years in jail for criticising the Communist Partys leaders on social media. Another Hanoi court sentenced in absentia the Berlin-based journalist Le Trung Khoa to 17 years in prison. The 54-year-old is the founder and editor of Thoibao, an online media outlet that publishes political news and commentary about Vietnams leaders. Three of his alleged accomplices Do Van Nga Huynh Bao Duc, and Pham Quang Thien were sentenced to seven, six-and-a-half and five-and-a-half years to prison, respectively. On 27 December, an appeals court in Da Nang upheld the 11-year prison sentence of rights activist Trinh Ba Phuong for allegedly keeping a sign critical of the Communist Party in his prison cell. Its that time again for escalating arrests and jailing prominent critics ahead of Vietnams Communist Party congress, Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said. Not only does the government block citizens from choosing their own leaders, but the authorities gag those they think might complain about the process. Reporters Without Borders, which calls Vietnam one of the worlds biggest prisons for journalists, ranks the Southeast Asian country 173rd in its press freedom index of 180 countries. 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 Global stock markets experienced significant declines as tensions escalated following Donald Trump's renewed threats to acquire Greenland. The FTSE 100 Index plunged over 120 points, shedding 1.3 per cent to reach 10068.4 shortly after opening on Tuesday, compounding a 0.4 per cent decline from Monday. Across Europe, major indices also registered substantial losses, with Germany's Dax down 1 per cent and France's Cac 40 off 0.9 per cent in early trading, mirroring sharp overnight declines in Asia. The controversy began on Saturday when Mr Trump threatened to impose tariffs of up to 25 per cent on nations, including the UK, that do not back his Greenland acquisition plans. Mr Trump, who is en route to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum, intensified his rhetoric concerning the acquisition of the Arctic territory. Through a series of posts on his Truth Social platform overnight on Tuesday, he further articulated his desire to take over Greenland, a territory belonging to America's Nato ally, Denmark. US financial markets were closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr Day, but futures trading pointed to steep falls when equity trading reopens on Tuesday. The FTSE 100 Index dropped more than 120 points soon after opening on Tuesday, down 1.3 per cent at 10068.4, after a 0.4 per cent fall on Monday ( PA Wire ) Gold prices soared to another new record as investors sought out the safe haven asset, hitting $4,728 (3,507) per ounce during morning trading on Tuesday. Kathleen Brooks, a research director at XTB, said: What happens next for financial markets will ultimately depend on President Trumps actions in the coming days. The president posted a picture of himself holding a US flag on Greenland, suggesting that the territory will be owned by the US this year. However, he also said that he will hold a Greenland meeting at Davos, after a good conversation with the Nato secretary general and former Dutch PM Mark Rutte. For now, Trump is sticking to his guns and said that there is no going back on his Greenland pledge. Thus, the meeting in Davos later this week will be critical. Yields on UK Government bonds, also known as gilts, edged higher amid a wider sell-off as Japans government bonds plunged, triggered by news of a snap election to be held on 8 February. The pound continued to rise against a weak US dollar, up 0.4 per cent at $1.348, but was 0.3 per cent lower at 1.15. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Chinese archaeologists have successfully preserved the only surviving golden armour, rumoured to have been worn in battle by soldiers of the Tang Dynasty around 1,200 years ago. It took nearly four years of work to reconstruct the gilded bronze armour, unearthed in fragments from a Xuewei site tomb in Qinghai province, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said. The Tang period from 618 to 907AD saw China undergo rapid political, economic, military and cultural advancements. Its now regarded as one of the golden eras in Chinese history. The Tang Dynasty military attire is widely known from artefacts like murals, burial goods, inscriptions, and poetry. The gold armour, however, was known only from poetry until the first fragments were discovered in 2018. Preservation and reconstruction of the fragments into full attire presented substantial challenges as they were decayed and incomplete, the archaeologists said. The conservation project relied on advanced 3D scanning and microscopy technology as well as virtual and augmented reality techniques to reconstruct the fragments into the full attire. Tang Dynasty gold armour ( CASS ) These technologies have provided solutions to the challenges of artefact degradation, allowing for more accurate restoration, interactive displays and global accessibility to cultural heritage, the archaeologists involved in the conservation project explained in a study published last year. The project also restored other severely damaged artefacts such as a lacquered horse armour with gold-edged decoration as well as a large bronze cauldron. We adopted a strategy of disassembling the whole into parts and reassembling the parts into a whole, conducting layered cleaning, extraction and protection while meticulously cataloguing each armour plate, Guo Zhengchen, a conservationist involved with the project, told a press conference, according to the South China Morning Post. The archaeologists said this research contributes to heritage conservation discourse by highlighting digital methods as vital to preserving and understanding world history in contemporary society. The conservation project also highlighted the potential of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies to allow for interactive museum exhibitions. VR provides a 360-degree experience of the Tang military context, allowing users to virtually experience the environment in which these garments were worn, the study said, while AR enhances physical exhibitions by overlaying historical data and visual elements. 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 Ben Wallace has said he would not have backed the use of a secret gagging order to cover up the catastrophic Afghan data breach that potentially put thousands of Afghans who helped UK forces at risk from the Taliban. The former defence secretary told MPs on Tuesday that he had directed that a time-limited injunction be used to protect the news of the data leak while the Ministry of Defence (MoD) scrambled to understand what had gone wrong. But Sir Ben said he was clear from the start that the government should not entirely cover up the breach, which occurred after an official emailed a spreadsheet of contact details outside of the MoD. The leak, which was discovered in August 2023 and led to thousands of Afghans being secretly relocated to the UK, was only revealed to the public when a High Court judge lifted the unprecedented gagging order, known as a superinjunction, in July. It came after The Independent and other media organisations successfully fought to lift it 22 months after it was first imposed. Sir Ben said he told officials: We are not covering up our mistakes. The priority is to protect the people in Afghanistan and then open it up to the public. We need to say a certain amount are out of danger. Speaking about an indefinite injunction, Sir Ben said: I didnt think it was the right thing to do. I didnt think it was necessary. He told MPs that the injunction should only be in place for as long as it would take the MoD to quantify the number of people whose data had been breached. When asked about whether he would have used a superinjunction, he added: I said were not doing that. The only thing were going to do is we need to basically hold off in public until we get to the bottom of the threat these people are under. I said we wont cover up our mistakes, well talk about them. open image in gallery Sir Ben Wallace speaks to MPs at the defence select committee ( Parliament TV ) A superinjunction is so strict that even mentioning its existence is forbidden. He added: You can have an injunction, I think, without reporting the contents... A superinjunction, my understanding is you cant even say theres an injunction. I think I would never have been in that space. Public bodies are accountable. If necessary, you could even ring up the journalist and say please hold off, people are at risk. Most journalists dont want to put people at risk. The MoD applied to the High Court for an injunction on the day that Sir Ben left government, with a judge proactively granting them a superinjunction. Grant Shapps then became defence secretary, maintaining the gagging order until the 2024 general election when Labour took power. Labour kept the injunction in place while they reviewed the risk assessments that the order relied on. A review commissioned by defence secretary John Healey found that, while killings and other reprisals against former Afghan officials do occur, being identified on the dataset was unlikely to constitute sole grounds for targeting. The Taliban already had access to significant volumes of data to help identify targets, it said. It added that knowledge of a data breach had spread, but that the actual database had not been shared as widely as initially feared. Speaking about the moment of the breach in 2022, Sir Ben said it came about because someone didnt do their job. He said that he had put in place new checking procedures in the MoD after another Afghan data breach, but that that clearly didnt happen on this occasion, someone clearly didnt do their job. open image in gallery James Heappey said he pushed when he was a minister for MPs to have more access to information about armed forces readiness ( Parly TV ) He added that the public were kept in the dark about the general threat to the UK from bad actors to justify low spending on defence. Sir Ben told MPs: Its all secret and if its all secret theres not going to be a competing public pressure on the exchequer for money. He said that defence is lower on the list of voters priorities, but thats partly because they dont know the threat they are under. Former armed forces minister James Heappey told the committee that he was increasingly uncomfortable with the amount of information withheld from MPs when he was part of the last Tory government. Speaking about the previous committees investigation into armed forces readiness, he said: It is clear that during the Cold War, your predecessor committees were shown things like stockpiles and held fleets, and that the committee then redacted that before publication. Both [MoDs senior civil servant] David Williams and I were very concerned that the dial had moved too much in terms of what was not exposed to the committee. I would argue that one if the armed forces arent as ready as they should be then parliament should know that... and if armed forces are as ready as they should be then there is a deterrent effect. 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 Britain has finally approved the construction of a new Chinese embassy in London, a decision stalled for seven years by planning disputes and a diplomatic standoff that has further complicated efforts to repair damaged relations between the two nations. Here is a timeline of why the planning application has taken so long to resolve: May 2018 China announced plans to build a new embassy in London on the former site of the Royal Mint - the maker of British coins - after purchasing land on the site for about 250 million pounds ($337 million). The new embassy would replace China's main diplomatic premises in Portland Place in the Marylebone district of central London. This has been the site of China's embassy since 1877 when it was opened as the country's first permanent overseas diplomatic mission. Chinese diplomats say they need a new embassy because the current space is too small and they use several buildings across London to host the work of officials who work on science, defence, culture and visa services. open image in gallery The Royal Mint Court where China is planning a new London embassy. ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) When the Chinese government bought the land, Britain's then Conservative government gave its approval. The then foreign minister, Boris Johnson, welcomed what he said at the time was China's "largest overseas diplomatic investment". China's then ambassador, Liu Xiaoming, expressed hopes that the deal would "write a new chapter for a China-UK golden era". June 2021 China submitted its plans to redevelop the site to the Tower Hamlets council in east London. Under British law, local governments handle most planning decisions. The plan set out how China planned to build an embassy with a footprint of about 55,000 square metres (600,000 square feet) which would be China's biggest mission in Europe. The new embassy would include enough space for offices, housing for diplomats and staff, as well as commerce, consular services, educational and cultural centres. December 2022 The problems began when Tower Hamlets council unexpectedly refused to grant permission for the project saying it would impact on the lives of residents. While unelected planning officers in Tower Hamlets council accepted the plans, local elected councillors overruled them at a meeting. open image in gallery Uyghurs during a demonstration in Parliament Square, London. ( PA ) The councillors sided with local residents who said they could be swept up in protests at the site and complained about China's treatment of Uyghurs, a sensitive issue for residents in an area of east London that has a large Muslim population. August 2023 China paused plans to build a new embassy when it missed a deadline to appeal against the local council's decision. China would only resubmit its application if it received a promise from the British government to intervene, sources told Reuters at the time. Around this time, British officials said London's plans to rebuild its embassy in Beijing could be impacted in a tit-for-tat response unless China was allowed to relocate its embassy. July 2024 Two weeks after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party won one of the largest parliamentary majorities in recent history, China resubmitted its planning application to the local government. August 2024 Chinese President Xi Jinping raised his concerns about the failure to approve the embassy decision with Starmer in their first call. open image in gallery Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit. ( PA Archive ) October 2024 The British government took control of the stalled planning decision under powers that allow it to do so if an application is controversial, or nationally significant. This triggered a planning inquiry with the final decision then made by the government. November 2024 Starmer told Xi in televised comments at the G20 summit in Brazil that his government would make the final decision on whether to approve the embassy after Xi raised the matter with him. January 2025 After the planning inquiry requested evidence, the then British foreign and interior ministers indicated their support for the plans. open image in gallery Demonstrators hold placards and flags as they attend a protest against the opening of the new Chinese embassy, in London. ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) August 2025 The government first delayed its decision after saying parts of China's planning application were blacked out. Over the following months, it pushed back the ruling twice more, citing slow responses from the British interior and foreign ministries delays that came as ministers faced criticism over the collapse of a trial of men accused of spying for Beijing. January 2026 The British government approved the embassy plan, saying national security was its "first duty" and intelligence agencies had been involved throughout the process. 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 UK has granted approval for a vast new Chinese embassy in London, a decision made despite significant national security warnings from intelligence bodies. MI5 acknowledged the inherent challenges, stating that while "it is not realistic to expect to be able, wholly, to eliminate each and every potential risk," a "package of mitigations deals acceptably with a wide range of sensitive national security issues". Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) concurred that national security concerns "can be satisfactorily mitigated," yet highlighted Beijing's "prolifically and aggressively" targeting of the UK. Here are some of the concerns that have been raised and how the government has responded. Cables The site of China's proposed mega-embassy is the old Royal Mint Court near the Tower of London, which is in close proximity to fibre-optic cables transmitting sensitive financial data to the City of London. This has prompted warnings that Beijing could be seeking to spy on the information passing through the network. The plans include 208 secret rooms and a hidden chamber, which would sit directly alongside the critical internet cables, according to The Telegraph. The newspaper reported the chamber would include hot-air extraction systems, suggesting the potential use of advanced computers for espionage, and that proposals included the demolition and rebuilding of a wall between data cables. open image in gallery Aerial photograph of the former site of the UK's Royal Mint, now owned by China to be the site of its new embassy in London ( Getty/iStock ) Opposition politicians, campaigners and even Labour MPs have sounded the alarm, with Tory shadow minister Alicia Kearns warning the embassy would give China a "launch pad for economic warfare" against the UK. Sarah Champion, the Labour chairwoman of the International Development Committee, who had been targeted with Chinese spyware on her parliamentary computer, this week noted the US had confirmed three major infrastructure hacks in the past 18 months, while the UK had faced hacks on the Electoral Commission, Foreign Office and parliamentarians. Updating MPs on the decision on Tuesday, security minister Dan Jarvis said: "An extensive range of measures have been developed to protect national security. "We have acted to increase the resilience of cables in the area through an extensive series of measures to protect sensitive data." MI5 and GCHQ said in a letter to the home secretary and foreign secretary that the package of security mitigations, which was formulated by intelligence agencies and government departments and will be reviewed regularly, "deals acceptably with a wide range of sensitive national security issues, including cabling". MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum and GCHQ director Anne Keast-Butler also wrote: "MI5 has over 100 years of experience managing national security risks associated with foreign diplomatic premises in London. "For the Royal Mint Court site, as with any foreign embassy on UK soil, it is not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk." Spies Opponents have issues warnings that the expected 200-strong workforce of Chinese nationals could harbour undeclared officers from its ministry of state security and military intelligence. Tory shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel accused Sir Keir Starmer of "giving Xi Jinping what he wants - a colossal spy hub in the heart of our capital," while Luke de Pulford, head of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, argued that more state employees equals more Chinese interference. But Mr Jarvis argued that replacing the seven different sites that make up China's current diplomatic footprint in London with a single site "brings security advantages". open image in gallery Britain's opposition leader Kemi Badenoch speaks during a protest against the proposed Chinese embassy ( AP ) With plans for all Chinese diplomats to live on the premises, UK security services will be able to more easily monitor their activities. "Following deep scrutiny by security officials, the government has been able to conclude that we can manage the security concerns related to the embassy," Mr Jarvis told MPs. Oppression There are worries that the new embassy could enhance China's ability to conduct transnational repression against political dissidents on UK soil. Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who fled to the UK after Beijing cracked down on dissent have expressed fears they could be at risk when it is built. Chloe Cheung, 20, said in 2024, that Hong Kong authorities placed a one million Hong Kong dollar (more than 95,760) bounty on her head because of the work she did with the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation. She said if the embassy is approved, it could be easier for them to "facilitate any surveillance" and she would be concerned about her safety. The concerns are not without precedent; a Hong Kong pro-democracy protester was dragged into the grounds of China's consulate in Manchester in 2022 and beaten up, but was rescued by British police who crossed the boundary. open image in gallery Demonstrators hold placards and flags as they attend a protest against the proposed Chinese embassy, in London, on Saturday ( AP ) Mr Jarvis said the government has agreed with Beijing that the publicly-accessible forecourt on the new embassy's grounds "will not have diplomatic immunity", allowing it to be policed and preventing the dragging-in of people from the street. The minister also said it is "completely unacceptable for China or anyone to persecute people in this country" and that he had reaffirmed to Chinese authorities "that the extra-territorial application of Hong Kong's national security law is unacceptable and will not be tolerated here in the UK". Torture Dissidents have also aired concerns around being held in the new mega-embassy and what might happen to them in rooms with no identified use on the public plans. Ministers have seen the unredacted plans for the site and are content that any risks around the secret rooms "are being appropriately managed", Downing Street said amid suggestions they could be used for torture. They are aware what the rooms will be used for and there are safeguards in place to ensure it is not torture, it is understood. Local residents Residents living close to the location have vowed to continue to challenge the government's approval of the plans over privacy concerns and the security risk to them. They say this includes potential attacks on the embassy and large demonstrations that have already been staged there. The government, in its decision letter, noted there was a "lack of evidence of a specific identified terrorist threat" to the site, and that any large-scale protests "are able to be policed safely". 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 Donald Trump has lashed out at Sir Keir Starmer over the act of great stupidity in giving up sovereignty over the Chagos Islands which include the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. The US president said handing the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius was a sign of total weakness by the UK. The UK Government has agreed to hand over the islands but will pay billions of pounds to lease back the strategically important Diego Garcia base. Ministers have claimed the deal is necessary because international court rulings in favour of Mauritian claims to sovereignty had threatened the future of the base. In an extraordinary attack on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said: Shockingly, our brilliant NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. He highlighted the decision as a reason for his continued pursuit of Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Mr Trumps strident criticism of the Chagos deal came as legislation to finalise the agreement is caught in a wrangle between the Lords and the Commons. It caught No 10 off guard as Mr Trump had previously welcomed the agreement with Mauritius as a monumental achievement which the US viewed as securing the long-term future of the Diego Garcia facility. Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told MPs on Tuesday: We will, of course, have discussions with the administration in the coming days to remind them of the strength of this deal and how it secures the base. Exactly a year after his inauguration, Mr Trumps strident criticism of the UKs policy comes after Sir Keir has sought to build a close relationship with the US president. Opponents of the Chagos deal welcomed Mr Trumps intervention, which they claimed could derail the agreement between the UK and Mauritius. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who over the weekend gave her backing to the Prime Ministers Greenland stance, told broadcasters: Unfortunately for the Prime Minister, Donald Trump is right on the Chagos deal. This is surrendering British territory with a strategic military base on it for no reason whatsoever. It weakens our country. It is not in the national interest. It is a good deal for China and Russia, and the worst part is were paying 35 billion of reparations to give away territory which we bought in the 1960s. That is wrong. She added: President Trump has made some decisions which I agree with and others which I disagree with. What matters is what is in the British national interest. If President Trump does something that is great for us in the UK, I will agree. If he does things which are not good for the UK, I will disagree. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Mr Trump had vetoed the surrender of the Chagos islands. The Government signed a treaty in May 2025 to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, following long-running negotiations started under the previous Tory administration after a 2019 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice said the UK should cede control. As well as establishing a 40 million fund for Chagossians expelled from the islands, the UK has agreed to pay Mauritius at least 120 million annually during the 99-year agreement, with the total cost in nominal terms set to reach around 35 billion over the period. Legislation to implement the treaty has been approved by MPs but has faced a bruising ride in the House of Lords as peers extensively rewrote it. The Commons will consider the changes made by the peers on Tuesday but Mr Trumps intervention will cast a shadow over Parliaments discussions. A Government spokesman said: The UK will never compromise on our national security. We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future. This deal secures the operations of the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia for generations, with robust provisions for keeping its unique capabilities intact and our adversaries out. It has been publicly welcomed by the US, Australia and all other Five Eyes allies, as well as key international partners including India, Japan and South Korea. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, who is known to be close to Sir Keir, said be believed Mr Trumps outburst was about Greenland, not the Chagos deal. He told broadcasters: I think what we saw last night was a series of posts criticising a number of world leaders. That may tell us that the President is frustrated right now. I dont really believe this is about Chagos, I think its about Greenland, and the best way to resolve that is through dialogue with the Danish government, and thats what weve said all along. 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 Intimate details about Prince Harrys relationship with his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy, including their sleeping arrangements, were obtained unlawfully by the Mail on Sunday, the High Court has heard. An article published in January 2010 contained granular detail about their plans as a couple, and even Harrys preferences as to where he likes to spend the night, the dukes barrister David Sherborne said on Tuesday. Other details published in the newspaper included how the Duke of Sussex had given his then on-and-off partner a set of keys while they navigated their long-distance relationship. But Harrys evidence is absolutely firm, and he insisted that only a close friend of his or Ms Davys would have known the private information and would not possibly have betrayed their confidence, Mr Sherborne added. Harry, Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, campaigner Doreen Lawrence, the former Lib Dem MP Sir Simon Hughes, and actors Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley, are taking legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over alleged unlawful information gathering. open image in gallery The Mail on Sunday published details of Prince Harry and Chelsy Davys sleeping arrangements during their relationship ( PA ) ANL vehemently denies the preposterous allegations. The article by Mail on Sunday journalist Katie Nicholl detailed intimate and specific details about Harrys private life, Mr Sherborne said. The story described how Ms Davys friends had said Harry was a regular fixture at her Belgravia home before she left the UK for Christmas. The court heard that Ms Nicholls evidence was that her notebooks indicated she obtained the minute details from a man named Garth Gibbs. Mr Sherborne said that South African-born Gibbs, who died a year after the article was published, was not a member of the royal family nor some young aristocratic socialite. Instead, he was living alone in semi-retirement on the Isle of Wight, with his cat, called Lord Kismul of Barra, aka Kizzy, as his sole companion. The barrister added that it was utterly implausible that this person would have supplied that level of information about the Duke of Sussex and Ms Chelsy Davy. He suggested Ms Nicholl was applying her familiar unlawful information gathering techniques. Summarising part of the dukes written evidence, Mr Sherborne said that Harry had detailed the distress and paranoia he had been caused. open image in gallery Harry arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday ( Getty Images ) He continued: But given what weve seen, is it any wonder that he feels that way, or as he explains, that he feels he has endured a sustained campaign of attacks against him for having had the temerity to stand up to Associated in the way that he has so publicly done? ANL said disclosures to the press about Harrys private life were a not uncommon occurrence. The publishers lawyer, Antony White KC, told the court in written submissions: The reality is that the social circles of the celebrity claimants, ie all the claimants bar Baroness [Doreen] Lawrence and Sir Simon Hughes, were leaky and their friends, and friends of friends, or associates, did regularly provide information to the press about the claimants private lives, for obvious reasons on a confidential basis. ANLs written submission claims that Ms Nicholl was passed the information from Mr Gibbs from a source in South Africa who was good friends with Ms Davy, as well as being one of her Facebook friends. She would also likely have run the story past some of her other confidential sources on the Duke of Sussex and Ms Davy to confirm whether it was true and to pick up any other details, Mr White said. On Tuesday, Mr White told the court that journalists at the organisation provide a compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of articles. At the start of his opening submissions, he said: Associated, the defendant, defends these claims on two main grounds: firstly, on the merits and secondly on limitation grounds. open image in gallery Harry with Chelsy Davy at Wembley Stadium at the concert in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales in 2007 ( PA ) Associated has provided an explanation through a long series of witnesses of the sourcing by its journalists of the 50-plus articles alleged by the claimants to be the product of unlawful information gathering. We dont pretend that that account is perfect and covers every detail, and not every journalist can remember every article, but we do say that overall, it provides a compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of articles. Zimbabwean-born Ms Davy dated Prince Harry for about seven years, with their relationship continuing while he was training in the army and overseas, and while she was at university in South Africa. They split in early 2009 after both reportedly had other flings, they rekindled their relationship, and in May 2010, Ms Davy made a rare public appearance to watch him receive his wings after completing his Army Air Corps helicopter pilot course. They broke up again in about 2011 but remained friends and she attended his wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. The trial continues. 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 Duke of Sussex is among seven prominent individuals initiating legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail, with a nine-week trial commencing on Monday. The group, which includes Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, and campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, alleges that Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) engaged in or commissioned unlawful activities. These reportedly include hiring private investigators to install listening devices in cars, "blagging" private records, and accessing private phone conversations. Politician Sir Simon Hughes, actress Sadie Frost, and Liz Hurley are also pursuing legal claims against the publisher, which has "vehemently" dismissed the "preposterous" allegations. open image in gallery Baroness Doreen Lawrence - the mother of the late Stephen Lawrence - is part of the claim ( PA Wire ) Here is a timeline of the groups claim against ANL: 2022 October 6 Lawyers acting for the group issued legal claims against ANL. In a statement, the lawyers claimed there was compelling and highly distressing evidence that the group had been the victims of abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy. ANL denied the allegations, describing them as preposterous smears and a pre-planned and orchestrated attempt to drag the Mail titles into the phone-hacking scandal. 2023 March 27 The duke, Ms Frost and Sir Elton attended a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, where ANL sought to have the cases against it thrown out without a trial. Harrys appearance was believed to be the first time back in the UK since the late Queens funeral in September 2022. In written submissions for the hearing, Adrian Beltrami KC said on behalf of ANL that the legal actions had been brought too late and were stale, with the publisher denying that unlawful information gathering took place at its newspapers. He continued that the individuals had to prove they did not know earlier, or could not have discovered earlier, that they might have had a claim against ANL for alleged misuse of their private information. Barrister David Sherborne, for the group, told the hearing that the unlawful acts in the claim include illegally intercepting voicemail messages, listening to live landline calls and obtaining medical records. In written submissions, he said: They range through a period from 1993 to 2011, even continuing beyond until 2018. Mr Sherborne also told the four-day hearing that Sir Elton and Mr Furnish were outraged and mortified over allegations that the landline of their Windsor home was tapped. The barrister continued that Lady Lawrence believed the racist murder of her son, Stephen Lawrence, was exploited by the publisher. Lady Lawrence alleged that her bank accounts and phone bills were monitored, that she was subject to covert electronic surveillance and that corrupt payments were made to serving police officers for confidential information, including to those investigating her sons killing. Mr Sherborne also said that the duke was troubled that, through Associateds unlawful acts, he was largely deprived of important aspects of his teenage years. open image in gallery Sir Elton John leaving the Royal Courts Of Justice after a preliminary hearing in his claim against ANL in 2023 ( PA Archive ) It also emerged at the hearing that an alleged confession and denial by private investigator Gavin Burrows over his role in the alleged unlawful information gathering were at the centre of the claims. In one statement, signed in August 2021, Mr Burrows claimed to have targeted hundreds, possibly thousands of people through voicemail hacking, landline tapping and accessing financial and medical information for a journalist at the Mail on Sunday. But in a later statement signed in March 2023, Mr Burrows said he wished to make clear that I was never instructed or commissioned by (a journalist) or anyone at the Mail on Sunday or the Daily Mail to conduct unlawful information gathering on their behalf. In the more recent statement, he said he was not commissioned to gather information unlawfully on Harry, Sir Elton, Mr Furnish, Ms Frost, or Ms Hurley. November 10 Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed ANLs bid to have the claims thrown out without a trial, stating in a 95-page judgment that the publisher had not been able to deliver a knockout blow to the claims of any of these claimants. He concluded that each of the seven people in the claim had a real prospect of demonstrating that ANL concealed relevant facts that would have allowed them to bring a claim against the publisher earlier. The duke, Lady Lawrence and Sir Elton said they were delighted by the ruling. ANL said they look forward to establishing in court that the group had made lurid claims. The publisher also welcomed the judges decision that unpublished ledgers given to the Leveson Inquiry into the practices and ethics of the British press could not be used without Governmental permission, calling it a significant victory. November 21 Lawyers for the group said they planned to ask ministers for permission to use the confidential Leveson Inquiry documents, with Mr Sherborne telling a hearing that there was no rationale for ANL refusing to provide the plainly relevant documents. Mr Beltrami said that ANL had rejected a request to hand over the ledgers and opposed a bid to ask a minister for access to them. 2024 March 1 The then-Conservative government announced it would vary the Leveson Inquirys restriction on providing the documents, allowing them to be disclosed for the purpose of the legal proceedings. In a statement, then-Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer and then-Home Secretary James Cleverly said the documents were Daily Mail ledger cards recording payments to private investigators and The Mail on Sunday ledger cards recording payments to private investigators. They continued that it was not necessary in the public interest to withhold these documents from any disclosure or publication. May 8 Dozens of journalists, including some national newspaper editors, were named in documents setting out the dukes claim. They included about 70 current or former journalists, including the editor-in-chief of The Sun, Victoria Newton, the editor of The Times, Tony Gallagher, and the editor of the Mail on Sunday, David Dillon, who were named in relation to their time at ANL titles. Barristers for ANL said the dukes case was without foundation and an affront to the hard-working professional journalists whose reputations and integrity, as well as that of Associated itself, are wrongly traduced. November 26 The High Court heard that Lady Lawrence was alerted to a potential legal claim by a text from Harry. In written submissions for a preliminary hearing, Catrin Evans KC, for ANL, said: Litigation appears to have been contemplated by Baroness Lawrence almost immediately after the text was received by her. 2025 July 11 Mr Justice Nicklin rules that Harrys lawyers must hand over documents related to alleged payments made for evidence in his claim. Lawyers for ANL had asked the court at a hearing in May to order the groups legal team to search for and disclose any documents that relate to payments, royalties or inducements paid, provided or offered, or any demands or threats made, in order to obtain documents, information or other co-operation. The judge ruled that documents that could support a case that a witness has been paid or offered other inducement for their evidence, whether directly or indirectly should be disclosed. He added: In this case, the stance adopted by the claimants has been undermined by their inconsistent and incoherent approach to disclosure of documents relating to payments to potential witnesses and/or other inducements. October 1 The High Court is told that details of the Prince of Waless 21st birthday party could have been blagged by a private investigator. Mr Sherborne told a hearing that an invoice dated from August 2003 was linked to a Daily Mail story from June that year, with extensive details of the event. He also claimed that a record from a private investigator allegedly shows a journalist commissioning him to provide a mobile phone conversion related to the Princess of Wales, as well as phone numbers from a family and friends list. Antony White KC, for ANL, said in written submissions that lawyers for the group of high-profile individuals had made wholly unparticularised allegations of unlawful information gathering that should not proceed to trial. October 10 Mr Justice Nicklin refused a bid to have the allegation related to Kate added to the case, but allowed the group to use previous incidents of unlawful information gathering involving an ANL journalist while they were at a different paper in their claims. He also ruled that allegations that the publisher commissioned burglaries to order could not go to trial, as they cannot assist in the fair resolution of the claimants claims. November 11 Mr Burrows claimed his signature on a witness statement from August 2021 was a forgery, and that in September 2025, he told ANL that the contents of the earlier document were substantially untrue. He added that he had never carried out work for the Mail on Sunday or the Daily Mail, apart from one job relating to Sir Richard Branson that did not involve any illegal activity. November 26 Mr Justice Nicklin refuses a bid by the groups lawyers to anonymise a witness known as Berlin, who was reportedly to give evidence in relation to Mr Burrows. Mr Sherborne had told the court that Berlin feared threats and violence if his identity was revealed, but the judge found there was not clear and cogent evidence that an anonymity order is necessary. The groups lawyers said they planned to appeal against the ruling. 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 Hold on tight, warns Stephen Bath as he slowly notches up the throttle on his blue and white speedboat to send us gliding across the calm waters of Christchurch Harbour. Its a cold, misty January morning, but quickly into view comes the postcard image of dozens of colourful wooden beach huts perched on the beachy headland. Such a high-speed marine arrival for a news job may seem unorthodox. However, at Mudeford Sandbank, where huts sized from just 150 sq ft go on the market for up to 575,000, nothing is quite ordinary. Unlike other UK coastal spots with beach huts, here, on the Dorset coast, at the edge of the sprawling Bournemouth Bay, the isolation and surrounding water views create a remote village-like community. open image in gallery 344 beach huts line the stretch of sand at Mudeford Sands, which is at the opening to Christchurch Harbour, with Mudeford Quay at the other side of the entrance ( Stephen Bath ) The huts do vary widely in appearance. Some are discoloured, with wood clearly rotting, while others are luxury in comparison, kitted out with solar panels, new felt roofs and modern interiors to match a Chelsea penthouse. And their appeal, thanks in part to a Covid-wave of city-living sunseekers looking for a slice of seaside life, has seen prices balloon, from just a few thousand pounds in the 1980s to more than half a million pounds today. But all is not well. open image in gallery Beach huts on Mudeford Sands have ballooned in price over the past decade, with the record price being listed for one at 575,000 ( Alex Ross/The Independent ) Its so unjust we are being targeted, says Mr Bath, on news that the cash-strapped local council has pushed ahead with plans to charge beach hut owners full second-home council tax. For years, the professional photographer, whose family has owned beach huts since 1964, has had a 50 per cent discount on the tax along with his fellow 343 hutters, but with Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch Council under financial pressure, bosses decided to act. Based on 2025/26 charges, it will mean council tax for the huts will increase from 752 to 1,503 a year. Councillor Mike Cox said: This change delivers fairness and consistency for all owners of second homes in the area. But the beach hut owners, who have no connection to mainline electricity or water supply and cannot stay in their properties for the four months from November to February, are calling the move a step too far. open image in gallery Stephen Bath bought his shed for 3,000 in 1982, before spending 8,500 on a rebuild. Today, he thinks it's worth around 500,000. He says applying a full second home council tax is unfair ( Alex Ross/The Independent ) They already claim to be victims of rising license fees that the council charges for renting the ground the huts sit on, which is currently 3,400 a year, but set to rise next year. Mr Bath, standing in the doorway of his 500,000-valued hut, says: Its very disappointing, since 1997 weve paid half the [second home] council tax because there is no power or toilets. Its just a hut on the beach. And that seemed fair enough for the past 30 years, but now the council have put it up to the same value as for a one-bedroom house. This is just an unjustified money grab by a desperate council. Mr Baths hut cost him 3,000 in 1982, before he rebuilt at the cost of 8,500. Inside, there is a small kitchen with a sink and taps connected to a water tank and a kettle powered by a solar panel. The kitchen opens out into a living room with old family pictures on the beach on the walls. Up a wooden stairwell is a tiny second floor with two mattresses, enough to sleep six people. For many of us, we have stayed here for generations in the family, and this is our second home, Mr Bath says. Plain and simple, this is a cash grab by the council and it will impact those like us who wont be able to afford the 100-a-week cost of fees and council tax. I think its clear were going to see more people selling up. open image in gallery Mr Bath says the council's decision to target beach hut owners was sheer desperation - and its impact will see some looking to sell ( Alex Ross/The Independent ) Most of the 344 huts are laid out on the beachhead in orderly lines, but some appear placed in a higgledy-piggledy fashion, with almost every spot possible taken up by the 15ft by 10ft buildings. Yet despite concentration, it doesnt feel crammed. Not on a January off-peak day, anyway. The huts are broken up by a number of communal brick toilet blocks and tap facilities. At the heart of the community is a cafe, that despite partly burning down six years ago, still retains its sheltered viewing area. Serving up is a catering van selling cans of beer from 5 and scampi and chips for 13. Access to the strip of sand is a 20-minute walk from the nearest car park, or a ferry from Mudeford on the other side of Mudeford Quays. Nine huts are showing for sale signs in their windows. Hayley Reynolds is selling one a sea-facing hut with solar panels and a tank for running water for 430,000. Her family bought it for 4,000 in 1986, but a life-changing crash involving her brother left them needing cash to pay for a home conversion. open image in gallery A picture from the 1950s showing Hayley Reynolds' family and friends at a beach hut rented before her mother was able to buy one in the 1980s ( Hayley Reynolds ) However, with the hut already having been on the market for more than a year, the 55-year-old, who lives in Oxfordshire, fears the council tax increase will only push back interest. And while the hut remains unsold, her family will be faced with paying the bills. The council have realised there is wealth they can get at, she says. But not everyone is in the same position; some of us are just lucky to have a hut in our possession, and would never be able to afford one now. The extra tax will only make it harder to sell, and were looking to let it out to pay the extra bills. In opposing the council tax rise, members of the Mudeford Sandbanks Beach Hut Association have also pointed out the condition of the toilets. They say they also spend money on maintaining the huts, which enhances the beauty spot for visitors. open image in gallery Hayley Reynolds (left) with her mother outside the beach hut they own after a rebuild in 2022. It is now up for sale priced at 430,000 ( Hayley Reynolds ) However, the local council, which claims around a third of the huts are owned by its residents, points out that they sell for more than the 313,000 average house price for a home in the local authority. Councillor Cox said: We understand this change may be disappointing for some owners, but it is important to apply council tax policy consistently and fairly across the council area. He added: The council, like all local authorities across England, faces an unprecedented, ongoing financial crisis and the latest government settlement does not address this. As a result of this severe financial pressure, the council must use all levers at its disposal to raise funds to protect essential services important to our residents. 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 Every day, Karen Burke says she is constantly checking her phone, anxious about her 13-year-old daughters movements online. The 55-year-old from Tunbridge Wells has turned to monitoring apps in a bid to track and limit her childs smartphone usage, admitting that she believes her daughter is one of many teens who have become addicted to their devices. She said she is forced to be vigilant all the time after catching her daughter trying to find ways around the restrictions including by using her mums phone to change the settings on the supervision app when she isnt looking. open image in gallery Karen Burke, 55, supports a blanket social media ban ( Karen Burke ) Ms Burke is one of several parents who told The Independent they would welcome a blanket ban on social media for under-16s, after Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK government launched a consultation over social media restrictions amid growing concerns over its impact on children and young people. I would love to hold off until she is 18, but its hard if her friends all have it, she said. Its the pressure of being different from everyone else they just want to be like their friends. At school, her daughter doesnt have access to social media, and Ms Burke said she believes she would be able to get used to life without it if all her friends were the same. The government consultation comes after a group of more than 60 Labour MPs sent the prime minister an open letter urging him to back a blanket ban on social media for under-16s. In the letter, they said constituents were telling them children are unhappy and anxious and urged the government to do more to protect them. Sir Keir previously said no options are off the table when it comes to changes for the use of social media for young people, leaving the door open for the UK to emulate a blanket ban that came into force in Australia in December. open image in gallery The government said it will consult on whether to introduce a social media ban (Jane Barlow/PA) ( PA Wire ) But while many parents like Ms Burke support a ban, public opinion on whether the measures would actually keep under-16s from coming to harm is mixed. Some feel it is the only solution to a problem that has been allowed to go on too long with too little regulation. But others feel a blanket ban is a blunt instrument that will fail to get to the root of the problem, potentially pushing children towards less regulated corners of the internet. This has gone on too long with too little regulation Nicola, 47, lives in the New Forest with her two children, aged six and nine. She said she supports a blanket social media ban, but believes it should be extended until children turn 18. She told The Independent she believes that a ban would shift the onus away from parents and onto the government and social media companies to protect the infrastructure of childhood. open image in gallery Nicola said she cant see any positives of social media for children ( Getty ) I think its really important that they stick up for children, she said. Social media companies have gone on too long with too little regulation. While her children are still young, she feels that unless something is done now, her children will be exposed to a huge host of negatives including reducing self-confidence, and reducing social skills. She added that children should be free to be children and discover themselves away from the pressures of social media. Its an adult environment, she said. I do not see the purpose of it; its completely unnecessary for children. I can see all the negatives, but I cant see any positives. Id rather work with my children Jodie Lopez, 47, is a former primary school teacher who now works in educational technology and has two sons, aged nine and 12. While she said she is not all for social media for children, she worries about the consequences of a blanket ban. open image in gallery Jodie Lopez, 47, doesn't believe a social media ban is the right approach ( Jodie Lopez ) She told The Independent an outright ban could push the problem back until after children turn 16 without solving the core of the issue. I think suddenly giving children full access at 16 takes the onus off social media companies to deal with the kind of content that causes issues on the platforms, she said. Instead, she believes teachers and parents should work alongside childrens social media use to train them to use platforms sensibly and responsibly. If you hide it from children before 16, you can hide all the discussion away from them as well. She added that she believed that social media can be used for good and for bad, and that it can provide a real benefit to expand the networks of children who are isolated at school. I would much rather work with my children to teach them about social media when they are young enough to still need to listen to me, rather than seeing 16-year-olds suddenly get full access without any prior experience at an age when they are most likely going to try and keep it all well away from parents, she said. A ban is a start - but it cant be in isolation David Paton, 48, is a father of three and headteacher at Radnor House school in Sevenoaks. He supports an Australia-style social media ban in the first instance, but believes more needs to be done to teach children about how to prepare for a life where technology plays a central role. I think we need to have a much broader discussion between legislators, educators, and parents about how we are bringing children up today, he said. Where does technology fit into that? How are we equipping them for the future? I think this ban is a step towards that, but I think its the first step of many. He said as a parent, he has tried to equip them [children] with the skillset to be able to make good decisions when parents arent looking, rather than banning things outright. But he also said he has seen the positive impacts straightforward bans can have after his school barred children from using smartphones ten years ago. The rule has hugely increased the amount of social interaction children have during the day, he believes. I think you need to educate, rather than come up with hard and fast rules, he said. But I think the ban is the right thing to do. 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 nest of invasive Asian hornets has been found for the first time in Wales. The Asian hornet or yellow-legged hornet, a voracious invasive, is native to South East Asia and arrived in France in a cargo of pottery from China about 20 years ago, spreading rapidly across the continent. Its main prey is honeybees, and it can kill 50 bees a day, devastating colonies in France and Italy. It was first seen in the UK in 2016, and there have been regular sightings since, including 44 confirmed in 2024 largely in Kent and East Sussex, although a rapid response approach to destroy hornets and nests has stopped its spread in Britain. The dead nest was found near Wrexham and has resulted in calls from the Welsh Government for people to be vigilant in the coming months and report any suspected sightings. The species is a predator of pollinators like honeybees and not generally aggressive, but it may sting if provoked. It is the first confirmed discovery of the insect in Wales. open image in gallery The Asian or yellow-legged hornet is a non-native predator that feeds on honeybees (Alamy/PA) ( Alamy/PA ) Huw Irranca-Davies, deputy first minister of Wales, said: The National Bee Unit has years of experience tracking and locating yellow-legged hornets so their expertise will be invaluable in helping us take action against the insect in Wales. Id like to thank beekeepers and members of the public who I know remain alert and continue to report suspected sightings We need everyone to become familiar with what yellow-legged hornets look like. As the weather warms up in the spring and especially on into the summer, please continue to be vigilant. Last year researchers from the University of Exeter carried out genetic analysis in a method called deep sequencing to identify prey species in the guts of more than 1,500 hornet larvae from 103 nests in Jersey, France, Spain, and the UK. They identified 1,449 different prey which had been fed by adult hornets to their larvae in the nests, more than half of which (55%) could be identified as a specific species. Prey included a wide range of flies, wasps, bees, butterflies, moths and spiders, with honeybees, common wasps and blow flies most commonly found. While the hornets have a preference for honeybees, which were found in all nests and almost all samples, a wide range of other species were also recorded, showing they are opportunistic and prey on any creatures that are abundant in the areas near their nests. Europes top three crop pollinators the honeybee, buff-tailed bumblebee and the red-tailed bumblebee were all found among the top 50 prey species identified. 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 Plans for a controversial Chinese super-embassy in London have been approved by the government, despite warnings from MI5 that it cannot eliminate every potential risk posed by the new site. Local government secretary Steve Reed gave the green light to a planning application on Tuesday, undeterred by fears it could become a colossal spy hub for Beijing, and warnings from international allies. MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum and GCHQ director Anne Keast-Butler, warned the home secretary and foreign secretary that national security risks linked to the new embassy, at the former Royal Mint near the Tower of London, cannot be wholly eliminated. In a joint letter to Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, and Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, they said: MI5 has over 100 years of experience managing national security risks associated with foreign diplomatic premises in London. open image in gallery An aerial photograph of the former site of the UK's Royal Mint, now owned by China and set to be the site of its new embassy in London ( Sky News ) For the Royal Mint Court site, as with any foreign embassy on UK soil, it is not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk. (And even if this were a practicable goal, it would be irrational to drive 'embassy-generated risk' down to zero when numerous other threat vectors are so central to the national security risks we face in the present era. However, they added that efforts to mitigate national security risks had been expert, professional and proportionate. Beijings proposals for the building are reported to include 208 secret rooms and a hidden chamber in the basement. Those opposed to the plans fear the hidden chamber would be located in close proximity to data cables used by Britains financial industry for communications between the City of London and Canary Wharf. There are also concerns that the secret rooms could be used for the detention of dissidents who have fled China for safety in Britain. Luke de Pulford, head of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, told the Press Association: Years of campaigning about the obvious and manifold risks posed by this embassy development have not been enough to outweigh the UK governments desire for Beijings money. The government has hit back at opponents of the new embassy, branding them either naive or recklessly isolationist. open image in gallery Protesters outside Royal Mint Court last week ( PA ) Sir Keir Starmers spokesperson told reporters: Its of course a normal part of international diplomatic relations for countries to agree to establish embassies in each others capitals. They are the first line of communication between countries. They offer vital help to their nationals when they need it, and above all, they help us to advance our economic, cultural and defence goals abroad to deliver for, and protect, our citizens at home. Those who dont accept this basic premise are either naive or recklessly isolationist. It comes after Labour MPs revealed on Monday that several UK allies have raised fears about the plans. Sarah Champion, chair of the international development select committee, said in an urgent Commons debate: Weve now had interventions from the Dutch government, Swiss parliament, Swedish parliament and two interventions from the White House about the risks posed to UK infrastructure by the cabling that runs along the Royal Mint Court. Parliaments Intelligence and Security Committee criticised the governments process of approving the new embassy, but said security concerns can be satisfactorily mitigated. Christopher Mung, a former Hong Kong district councillor who fled to Britain in 2021 said he felt betrayed by the governments decision, which would encourage repression by the Chinese Communist Party regime. open image in gallery The decision removes a diplomatic hurdle in the relationship with Xi Jinpings government, clearing the way for Keir Starmer to make a widely-expected visit to China possibly within weeks ( PA ) Ministers have argued the new site would consolidate Chinese diplomatic presence in London from seven buildings to one, which could have security benefits. Security minister Dan Jarvis said that, while China continues to pose a threat to UK national security, Britain is protected. The decision which is final unless challenged in the courts also removes a diplomatic hurdle in the relationship with Xi Jinpings government, clearing the way for Sir Keir to make a widely-expected visit to China possibly within weeks. Mark Nygate, the treasurer of the Royal Mint Residents Association, said he believes there is enough opposition to seek a judicial review. open image in gallery A government spokesperson said the planning decision has been taken independently by Reed ( House of Commons/UK Parliament ) He said: The documents have just turned up from the Ministry of Housing and we will be passing those over to a barrister to do an independent review to give us some feedback. At that point we will move forward with the judicial review, based on legal opinions that have already been given in 2025. A government spokesperson said: National security is our first duty. Intelligence agencies have been involved throughout the process and an extensive range of measures have been developed to manage any risks. open image in gallery The decision has sparked criticism from across the political spectrum, with the Liberal Democrats branding it Labours biggest mistake yet ( AP ) Liberal Democrats said the decision was Labours biggest mistake yet, while Labour peer and top barrister Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws called it a dangerous concession. Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said the government is giving Xi Jinping what he wants a colossal spy hub in the heart of our capital. 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 One of Sir Keir Starmers closest allies has said Donald Trumps approach to geopolitics is not normal after the US president launched a scathing attack on Britains Chagos Islands deal. Mr Trumps latest social media rant, on Tuesday morning, saw him describe the plan to cede the islands to Mauritius as one of great stupidity. His criticism came just one day after Sir Keir called for calm amid increasingly tense relationships between Nato allies and the US over the presidents threats to Greenland. Following Mr Trumps comments, chief secretary to the prime minister, Darren Jones, insisted Sir Keirs approach to Mr Trump was yielding results, but admitted: It's not normal for geopolitical discussions to be handled in this way. open image in gallery President Trumps latest social media rant saw him describe the plan as one of great stupidity ( PA Wire ) The prime minister has shown that private, proper British diplomacy can work, he told the Today programme, referencing US-UK trade deals. It's noisy. I understand that. It's challenging. It's not normal for geopolitical discussions to be handled in this way. But British diplomacy is working. It comes after the US president launched a scathing attack on the move as he ramped up his rhetoric on acquiring the Arctic territory of Greenland. Lashing out in an online rant, the US president wrote: Shockingly, our brilliant NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. open image in gallery The Chagos Islands, which the UK plans to cede to Mauritius ( CPA Media Pte Ltd/Alamy/PA ) He added: The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. The UK government hit back following Trumps flurry of social media posts, saying the deal had already been publicly welcomed by the US. We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future, a government spokesperson said. It has been publicly welcomed by the US, Australia and all other Five Eyes allies, as well as key international partners including India, Japan and South Korea. open image in gallery In another post on Truth Social, Mr Trump shared what appeared to be an AI-generated image of him and his vice president, JD Vance, planting a US flag on a snowy landscape with a signpost that reads Greenland, US territory, est 2026 ( Truth Social ) Mr Trump told Sir Keir during his visit to the White House in February last year that he was inclined to go with your country and that he had a feeling its going to work out very well. In another post on Truth Social, Mr Trump shared what appeared to be an AI-generated image of him and his vice president, JD Vance, planting a US flag on a snowy landscape with a signpost that reads Greenland, US territory, est 2026. A further post showed a doctored image of the US president meeting European leaders in the White House, with a map that highlighted the US, Canada and Greenland in the colours of the American flag. open image in gallery The comments appear to mark a U-turn in Mr Trumps position on the deal after he appeared to indicate his support for it last year ( PA Wire ) Labour MP Emily Thornberry said the UK must hold its ground amid what she called presidential trolling. The chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee calls this an "example of presidential trolling," telling Radio 4's Today programme that the UK should not take Trump "literally" but must take him "seriously". Meanwhile, the US president is travelling to Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday for the World Economic Forum. However, Sir Keir will not travel to the meeting because there are lots of challenges on his time, one of his senior ministers has said. Mr Trumps plans for a Board of Peace to examine issues such as Gaza have also come under scrutiny. When asked if the British government would join any body called a board of peace with Putin on it, Mr Jones told BBC Radio 4: We would not join anything under any circumstances, no, and its right that officials are having those conversations with their counterparts to understand what that might look like. I agree President Putin is not a man of peace and it would be absurd for him to be on a board of peace. Asked if as a result of the dispute between Britain and other Western nations with Mr Trump over issues Greenland meant Nato was dying if not dead, Jones said: We are not giving up on Nato. 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 US president Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on Britain, calling Sir Keir Starmers plan to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius one of great stupidity. Writing on his Truth Social platform, the US president said the deal is another in a very long line of national security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. The criticism comes just one day after Sir Keir Starmer called for calm among the US and Nato allies as tensions mount over Trumps threats to Greenland. Lashing out in an online rant, the US president wrote: Shockingly, our brilliant NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. The government hit back at the presidents comments, saying the deal had already been publicly welcomed by the US. We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future, a government spokesperson said. open image in gallery Donald Trump took to social media to criticise the deal ( Truth Social ) It has been publicly welcomed by the US, Australia and all other Five Eyes allies, as well as key international partners including India, Japan and South Korea. Last year, Sir Keir agreed a controversial deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while retaining control of the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. The UK has agreed to pay Mauritius at least 120m annually during the 99-year agreement to lease back the site, a total cost in cash terms of at least 13bn. Trump appeared to indicate his support for the deal last year, telling Sir Keir during his visit to the White House in February that he was inclined to go with your country and that he had a feeling its going to work out very well. open image in gallery Donald Trump appeared to indicate his support for the deal last year ( PA Archive ) But early on Tuesday morning, the US president launched a scathing attack on the move as he ramped up his rhetoric on acquiring the Arctic territory of Greenland. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness, he wrote. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. In another post on Truth Social, Mr Trump shared what appeared to be an AI-generated image of him and his vice president JD Vance planting a US flag on a snowy landscape with a signpost that reads Greenland, US territory, est 2026. open image in gallery An AI-generated picture of Donald Trump, vice president JD Vance and secretary of state, Marco Rubio, with an American flag on Greenland ( Donald Trump/Truth Social ) A further post showed a doctored image of the US president meeting European leaders in the White House, with a map that highlighted the US, Canada and Greenland in the colours of the American flag. When asked whether Trumps criticism could change the deal, government minister Darren Jones insisted Britain cant reverse the clock. The chief secretary to the prime minister told Times Radio it's fine that Donald Trump doesnt agree on the plan and said: The treaty has been signed with the Mauritian government. So I cant reverse the clock on that. The treaty has been signed. He insisted that Britain shouldnt be embarrassed or humiliated at all by the deal and told the BBC: Quite frankly, Diego Garcia which is a small island that was part of the British Empire was having its sovereignty challenged by the Russian government. open image in gallery The agreed Chagos Island deal is set to cost the UK a total of 13bn ( CPA Media Pte Ltd/Alamy/PA ) Weve secured that island as a military base for the next 100 years, because it is an important military base for the UK and for our Nato allies, including the United States. The US president is travelling to Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday for the World Economic Forum on Tuesday. However, Sir Keir will not travel to the meeting because there are lots of challenges on his time, one of his senior ministers has said. Some UK opposition parties welcomed Trumps intervention, with Conservative shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel saying the US president has said what weve said all along. She said: Weve opposed it from day one and its time Starmer put the security of our country first and scrap his rotten deal. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also added: Thank goodness Trump has vetoed the surrender of the Chagos islands. 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 Ministers are consulting on implementing an Australian-style social media ban for under-16s in the UK. The consultation will look at options including raising the digital age of consent and restricting potentially addictive app design features such as streaks and infinite scrolling. There have been growing calls for the Prime Minister to raise the minimum age for social media platforms, and No 10 has signalled it is open to the idea. Later this week, the Lords will vote on an amendment to the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would require social media platforms to stop children under 16 from using their platforms within a year of the Bill passing. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said it will also be taking immediate action on childrens social media use, including directing Ofsted to examine schools mobile phone policies and how effectively they are implemented during inspections. The Government will also produce screen time guidance for parents of children aged five to 16. Guidance for parents of under-fives will be published in April, it said. Ministers will visit Australia as part of the consultation, where a social media ban for under-16s came into force in December. The Government will seek views from parents and young people and will respond in the summer, DSIT said. But Lord Nash, former schools minister, said the consultation represented only more delay. This announcement offers nothing for the hundreds of thousands of parents, teachers, medical professionals, senior police officers, national security experts and parliamentarians of all parties who have been calling for a raising of the age limit for social media, the Conservative peer, who is tabling the Lords amendment, said. The Prime Minister must be in no doubt about the strength of feeling on this. The longer we delay, the more children we fail. I continue to urge all peers to back my amendment on Wednesday which would begin to end the catastrophic harm being done to a generation. Lord Nashs amendment has already secured the support of the National Education Union (NEU) and 61 Labour MPs, who have written to the Prime Minister calling for urgent action. Kemi Badenoch has already said the Conservative Party would introduce a ban for under-16s if it was in power. Esther Ghey, whose 16-year-old daughter Brianna was murdered by two other teenagers in 2023, said on Monday that a ban would be a vital step in protecting children online. In a letter to party leaders Sir Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Sir Ed Davey, Ms Ghey said her daughter had had a social media addiction and desperately wanted to be TikTok famous, putting her in constant fear about who Brianna might be speaking to online. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: Technology has huge potential to create jobs, transform public services, and improve lives. But we will only seize on that potential if people know they and their children are safe online. We are determined to ensure technology enriches childrens lives, not harms them and to give every child the childhood they deserve. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: We have been clear that mobile phones have no place in our schools but now were going further through tougher guidance and stronger enforcement. Mobile phones have no place in schools. No ifs, no buts. Tory leader Mrs Badenoch said the consultation was more dither and delay from Labour. The Prime Minister is trying to copy an announcement that the Conservatives made a week ago, and still not getting it right, she said. The harm social media is doing to children is undeniable, and the Conservatives would get children off these adult platforms altogether. By contrast, this is yet more dither and delay from Starmer and a Labour Party that have entirely run out of ideas. Labour MP for Lowestoft Jess Asato said the consultation was a good first step, adding: Parents and carers across the country are calling for bold action now and its crucial the consultation does not simply kick this issue into the long grass. Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson said there was no time to waste in protecting our children from social media giants and this consultation risks kicking the can down the road yet again. She said the party was calling for film-style age ratings to protect children from toxic algorithms and harmful content while giving them some of the benefits of being online. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders union the NAHT, said: We welcome the news that the Government will take its time to properly consider a ban on social media for under-16s. Its important that we learn from other countries and consider the unintended consequences as well as the advantages of such an approach. The vast majority of schools already have restrictions on the use of mobile phones on school sites. The Governments suggestion that Ofsted should be policing school policies is deeply unhelpful and misguided. School leaders need support from Government, not the threat of heavy-handed inspection. Pepe DiIasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: Ofsteds involvement in policing these bans is all well and good but it would be more helpful for the Government to provide schools with resources to support the safe and secure storage of mobile phones. Most schools operate a policy in which students are asked to keep their phones in bags and out of sight but this, of course, means that teachers constantly have to be alert to pupils breaking the rules. There are products on the market which can be used to safely store mobile phones so that they cannot be used. However, this costs money and many schools are, frankly, completely cash-strapped. Ian Russell, who set up the Molly Rose Foundation after his 14-year-old daughter Molly took her own life, having viewed harmful content on social media, said: In the last few days, parents have been presented with a false choice between a toxic status quo and a social media ban that risks unintended consequences and a false sense of security for parents. The Prime Minister must now commit to strengthening the Online Safety Act to address the harmful and addictive design choices that are blighting a generation of children, and to make clear in law that protecting digital wellbeing is now the price of admission to the UK market. Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardos, said: Making the internet safer for children must be the Governments priority so we welcome this consultation into possible measures and the impact they will have. We also welcome the announcement that young people will be part of the consultation as its vital their voices are heard on an issue that affects them so profoundly. 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 A Welsh Conservative politician has been dismissed from his role amid allegations he was planning to defect to the Reform party. James Evans, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire, has been stripped of the Conservative whip and removed from the shadow cabinet. Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar confirmed the move in a social media statement, alleging Mr Evans was "continuing to engage" with Reform representatives regarding a potential defection. Mr Evans previously served as the shadow cabinet secretary for health and social care in the Senedd. Mr Millar said in his statement: This morning, I took the decision to remove James Evans from the Welsh Conservative shadow cabinet and withdraw the Conservative whip. I did so after being informed by James that he was continuing to engage with Reform representatives about the possibility of defecting to the party, in spite of his personal assurances on Friday that he had rejected an approach they initiated last week. Understandably, I expect all Welsh Conservative MSs and candidates to be 100 per cent committed to our party and our plan to fix Wales. Regrettably, James was unable to give me that commitment. James Evans, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire, was reportedly continuing to engage with Reform representatives regarding a potential defection ( Senedd Cymru ) Reform has one Member of the Senedd after former Conservative Laura Anne Jones defected to join the party in July. Mr Evans removal comes after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch pre-emptively sacked her former shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick last week, hours before he became the most high-profile Tory figure to switch allegiance to Reform UK. He was closely followed by Romford MP and ex-shadow foreign affairs minister Andrew Rosindell, who announced on Monday that he was also defecting to Nigel Farages party. Former Tory cabinet minister Michael Gove warned Mr Jenricks reputation will be scarred by his treachery and said his scathing attack on his former party would inflict lasting damage on his reputation. Ms Badenoch has insisted his departure would bring stability to the party, but those close to her are concerned that Nigel Farages call to action for anyone considering a move to do so in time for the 7 May local elections or risk being rejected by the party could trigger other departures. 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 Kemi Badenochs approval rating has surpassed Nigel Farage for the first time in over a year after she dramatically sacked Robert Jenrick for planning to defect to Reform UK, according to a new poll. The Conservative leader kicked her former shadow justice secretary out of her party as she accused him of plotting to leave in a way designed to be as damaging as possible to the Tories. Hours later, he joined Reform, taking a swipe at his former party as he was unveiled by Mr Farage as the latest Tory defector. But a new More In Common poll, carried out from the day after Mr Jenrick was sacked until Monday, shows half of Britons support Ms Badenochs decisive action with even 45 per cent of Reform voters saying she handled the defection well. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has become more popular since she kicked Robert Jenrick out of her party ( Getty/PA ) The survey found her net approval rating has risen to -11, the highest since December 2024, just a month after she first became leader. It has also overtaken Mr Farage, who is on -13, for the first time since the same month. The public is also three times more likely to say that Mr Jenricks sacking reflected well on Ms Badenoch than badly (34 to 11 per cent). By contrast, just 14 per cent of those questioned say the row reflected well on Mr Jenrick, while 37 per cent say it reflects poorly on him. Pollsters also identified what they described as the potential cost of defections. More than half (56 per cent) said Tory politicians were defecting out of self-interest rather than principle, while a staggering seven in ten Conservative voters said they would not vote for their MP if they switched to Reform. Earlier this month, polling guru Sir John Curtice wrote for the Independent about Ms Badenochs improving popularity following her well-regarded party conference speech and her response in the Budget. This is a key reason why the average level of support for Reform itself has slipped below the 30 per cent mark, for the first time since the partys success in gaining control of 20 county councils last May, he wrote. However, despite the good news for Ms Badenoch, there was bad news for her party, with Reform UK winning the battle to be seen to represent the Right of British politics, on 35 per cent ahead of the Tories on 29 per cent. Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Overnight curfews and doomscrolling breaks will be considered as part of a swift government consultation on social media for children, Liz Kendall has announced as the government opens the door to an Australia-style ban for under-16s. The technology secretarytold MPs that a three-month consultation into a social media ban for under-16s would start imminently amid pressure from charities, the Tories and terrorism experts to crack down on "acute and chronic online harms. It also follows growing concerns about the toxicity of social media following a clash between Sir Keir Starmer and X owner Elon Musk earlier this month over the platforms Grok AI tool being used to sexualise women and children. In a statement in the Commons, Ms Kendall said: I can tell the House we will bring forward a swift three-month consultation on further measures to keep children safe online. "This will include the option of banning social media for children under-16, and raising the digital age of consent to stop companies using children's data without their or their parents' consent. open image in gallery Liz Kendall announces a consultation on a social media ban for children ( Parliament TV ) "The consultation will include a range of other options too, such as whether there should be curfews overnight, breaks to stop excessive use or doom-scrolling, how we ensure more rigorous enforcement of existing laws around age verification and action to address concerns about the use of VPNs to get around important protections." If confirmed in the next three months, a ban would be the latest in a series of U-turns by Sir Keir Starmer, whose allies initially said they wanted to wait for more evidence from Australia before deciding whether to follow suit. Ms Kendall acknowledged that a ban would carry risks but warned there were risks in not taking robust action. The minister said: Many people, including in this House, are strongly in favour of a ban on social media for under 16s as the best and clearest way forward for protecting children and stopping both acute and chronic online harms. They want action now. open image in gallery Government research has found that children aged two with the highest screen use about five hours a day could say significantly fewer words than those with screen use of about 44 minutes a day (Alamy/PA) ( Alamy/PA ) "But others take a different view, saying they worry about letting online platforms off the hook, that a ban would simply push harms further underground, and above all, that it could stop children from using the positives of social media, like connecting with like-minded people, finding those who love in the same way and love the same things, and getting peer support and trusted advice. "There are clearly risks in all these different approaches, which is why I believe a proper consultation and promoting a national conversation, especially with the public, is the right and responsible way forward. "But I want to make one thing crystal clear - the question is not whether the government will take further action. We will act robustly." Education watchdog Ofsted will be asked to look at how schools are adopting new government guidance on screen time, Liz Kendall has said. The Technology Secretary told the Commons: "I can confirm that we will also be developing evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged five to 16. "And while we have already been clear that mobile phones have no place in our schools, the Government will take further action as part of our determination to safeguard children and support their wellbeing. "Today, we have published updated guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools and we've asked Ofsted to include this in its inspections because we want there to be no doubt in the minds of school staff, parents and young people that phones should not be used in schools." Ministers will visit Australia as part of the consultation, where a social media ban for under-16s came into force in December. The government will seek views from parents and young people and will respond in the summer, Ms Kendall said. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who has been campaigning for a ban, accused Sir Keir of another U-turn. She said: This announcement perfectly sums up the impotency of Keir Starmer. It's not even a real U-turn, its yet another consultation. The Prime Minister is trying to copy an announcement that the Conservatives made a week ago, and still not getting it right. The harm social media is doing to children is undeniable, and the Conservatives would get children off these adult platforms altogether. 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 Labour government came into office promising to use realist means to pursue progressive ends. US president Donald Trumps recent actions over Venezuela and Greenland have tested Keir Starmers ability to deliver on that promise. When the prime minister said he had been a lifelong advocate of international law there was a reasonable expectation that he would condemn the US action in Venezuela. Some feared that his ambiguity on that issue was a betrayal of progressive values. However, US action in Venezuela came at a sensitive moment in the UKs efforts to achieve a progressive end to the war in Ukraine. US cooperation is vital if Russia is to be forced to negotiate a peace that respects the Ukrainian right to self-determination. That means persuading the US to put pressure on Russia something that would be impossible if Starmer had alienated Trump by condemning his illegal action in Venezuela. Starmer has shown that he is able to handle Trumps unpredictable personality. His ambiguity on Venezuela immediately prior to the Paris meeting that agreed security guarantees for Ukraine can be interpreted in these terms. He knew that the progressive strategy on Ukraine was reliant on a delicate alignment of US power. When it emerged that British forces had helped the US seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela the stakes were raised. Trumps actions were certainly a grab for Venezuelas oil but the consequences could work toward progressive ends if Russian investments in Venezuelas oil industry are written off and Russias ability to avoid sanctions by operating a shadow fleet are weakened. For the progressive realist then, Starmers ambiguity on Trumps illegal action in Venezuela could be a worthwhile, if regrettable, trade-off. open image in gallery Starmer has shown that he is able to handle Trumps unpredictable personality ( PA ) The word regret shouldnt be lightly passed over. Progressive realists need not be theological in the application of international law, and Starmer knows that good legal prosecutors exercise political judgment. But there is a danger. The risk of not properly condemning Trump on Venezuela was that it could set the world on a slippery slope. It could simply encourage Trumps imperialist ambitions. That seems to have happened very quickly and Starmers speech on Greenland was designed to stop the slide. Starmer reminded us that Britain is a pragmatic country. It will, in other words, compromise with the US to find solutions to problems like Russia. But as Starmer said, being pragmatic does not mean being passive. And partnership does not mean abandoning principle. The principle at stake in Greenland is the same as Venezuela: national self-determination. So why is he drawing the line now? As a realist, Starmer has shown his willingness to compromise on Venezuela. He has listened to Trumps concerns on Ukraine and has made the case for greater defence spending across Europe. But as a progressive he has also shown there is a limit to how far he can compromise with the US, and he has drawn a line on Greenland. About the author Jason Ralph is a Professor of International Relations, University of Leeds. Jamie Gaskarth is Professor of Foreign Policy and International Relations, The Open University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This is because the argument that the US needs to annex Greenland to pressure Russia makes no sense. Greenland is already part of an anti-Russian alliance: Nato. No positive outcome can emerge from US pressure on Greenland. European governments made that clear in Paris and Starmers speech reinforced the point. The pettiness of Trumps statement linking the Greenland issue to Norways decision not to grant him the Nobel prize adds to the sense that US policy is now based on the personal ambitions of an imperial president. Against this backdrop, progressive realism means no longer compromising with the US. open image in gallery The risk of not properly condemning Trump on Venezuela was that it could set the world on a slippery slope ( PA Wire ) A breach of trust Another principle at stake in Greenland is multilateral cooperation based on respect. International relations academics have longed called the transatlantic region a security community because it goes beyond transactional deals. It is based on trust that comes from a sense of we-ness. Starmer is trying to maintain that community by speaking over Trump and appealing to the narrative of transatlantic solidarity that existed through the second world war, the cold war and the war on terror. The question, though, is whether that narrative still has power in the US. Trump is intent on putting America first and is not concerned about niceties like respect, trust and gratitude. It might seem hard to imagine that the rest of his country will follow him, but recall that Americas founding father, Alexander Hamilton, famously dismissed Thomas Jeffersons argument that the US owed France a debt of gratitude for its support during the revolutionary wars. When it came to matters of war and peace, Hamilton argued, former allies were on their own. The UK has aligned itself with the US for decades because it shared values and could leverage US power in the service of its moral as well as material interests. If the Trump administration and the wider Maga movement in Congress continues to undermine the transatlantic security community, and international society more generally, then this relationship may no longer serve Britains interests. Progressive realism may have justified strategic ambiguity on Venezuela, but the opposite now appears to be true when it comes to US imperialism towards Greenland. 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 Watch live as Mike Johnson, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, addresses Parliament on Tuesday, 20 January. Mr Johnson will address members of both Houses during an official visit to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. It comes after Donald Trump launched an online rant criticising Sir Keir Starmer's plan to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as one of great stupidity." The US president said the deal is another in a very long line of national security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. The prime minister has called for calm among the US and Nato allies as tensions mount over the Republican's threats to the territory. Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," Trump wrote. Mr Johnson has said he aims to calm the situation over Trumps threats to acquire Greenland during his trip. Tensions between the US, Greenland and Europe have reached a boiling point as the president threatens to impose tariffs on eight European countries and has refused to rule out military force in his pursuit to gain control of Denmarks self-governing territory. Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Rachel Reeves will use her appearance at the summit of the worlds most influential politicians and investors to turn Donald Trumps global turmoil into an opportunity for the UK. The chancellor and business secretary Peter Kyle will both attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos with a message to investors that in a time of uncertainty, the UK offers the stability that businesses need. With President Trump once again threatening to disrupt world trade with a series of tariffs linked to his demands over the US taking ownership of Greenland from Denmark, Ms Reeves will make a series of pointed remarks as she arrives at the gathering in Davos, Switzerland. In a volatile world, Britain stands out, she will say. This government is making sure Britain is home to the stability, talent and capital that businesses and investors want and that drive greater growth. open image in gallery Chancellor Rachel Reeves is using her attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos to pitch the UK as the best place in the world to invest ( PA ) Some countries give you a platform, but Britain gives you momentum. My message at Davos this week is clear: choose Britain it's the best place in the world to invest. Meanwhile, Mr Kyle used an interview with the Press Association to underline that the normalisation of disruption which Mr Trump represents could be an opportunity for the UK. While he said that tariffs are a lose-lose policy and the stakes are always very high, he added that there are also opportunities in adversity for British exporters. He continued: The risks are very, very clear, but our country in adversity has benefited more than others, and I want to now adversity is being normalised in a global economy I want us to really look deeply into that and see where the opportunity is for British businesses, exporters, innovators, but also how we as a country can be more entrepreneurial, fleet of foot, bolder when it comes to seeing global opportunities amidst the uncertainty and upheaval. The comments came amid warnings that the new export levy could wipe 0.1 per cent off Britains GDP increasing to as much as 0.3 per cent if the tariff is increased to 25 per cent as Mr Trump has threatened a hit that could tip the UKs ailing economy into recession. One land of opportunity for British businesses could be China, where the prime minister is expected to visit early this year to boost trade links. Asked if China was now a better trading partner than the US, Mr Kyle said: Every country that we have relationships with is unique, unique opportunities, as well as issues that need to be handled. In China, because of the scale of the opportunity and the nature of the issues that need handling, it is a more extreme example. That means we need to be careful, clear-sighted, but also not lose sight of the fact it is the second biggest economy in the world, it is the largest manufacturer in the world and its products will find their way into our economy. open image in gallery Business Secretary Peter Kyle said there are opportunities in adversity ( PA ) The same interview saw him admit that the UKs relationship with Mr Trumps US administration is being tested by the Greenland crisis. While Mr Kyle said UK ministers have good, strong relationships with their US counterparts, noting that the government is in regular contact with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and US trade representative Jamieson Greer, he admitted: At moments like this, relationships are tested. And yes, of course, were having frank conversations. But in my experience, all of the key protagonists in the administration thrive on frank conversations and wouldnt have it any other way. Mr Trump has said he will impose 10 per cent tariffs on imports from the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland from February 1, rising to 25 per cent from June, unless a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland. In an emergency address from Downing Street on Monday morning, Sir Keir Starmer described the crisis as a moment for the whole country to pull together, and insisted the right way to approach an issue of this seriousness is through calm discussion between allies. But in a sign of the seriousness with which the government appeared to be taking the threats from the US, Ms Reeves was among the senior Cabinet ministers sat in the audience at the prime ministers announcement, having pulled out of a Monday morning event at the London Stock Exchange. Sir Keir also abandoned plans for a Monday cost-of-living related visit at the 11th hour to make the announcement, with the PM promising to speak with the US president about Greenland again in the coming days after the two spoke on the phone on Sunday night. 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 Donald Trumps plan to slap 10 per cent tariffs on the UK would leave Britons facing higher prices and less choice on supermarket shelves, a supply chain expert has warned. Oisin Hanrahan, the co-founder and chief executive of Keychain, which works with major supermarkets to identify high costs in the supply chain, told The Independent that the tariffs wouldnt stay confined to trade statistics, it would start showing up in the weekly shop. It came amid warnings that the export levy could wipe 0.1 per cent off Britains GDP increasing to as much as 0.3 per cent if the tariff is increased to 25 per cent as Mr Trump has threatened a hit that could tip the UKs ailing economy into recession. On Saturday, the US president said he would charge Britain a 10 per cent tariff on any and all goods sent to the US from 1 February, increasing to 25 per cent from 1 June, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark. Mr Trump said the same would apply to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland all of whom are members of Nato. Speaking about the US presidents latest threats, Mr Hanrahan told The Independent: A 10 per cent US tariff on UK exports wouldnt stay confined to trade statistics, it would start showing up in the weekly shop. The US is one of Britains most important export markets, and making that market more expensive to serve has knock-on effects that ripple through food supply chains. For many British food producers, exports are what keep factories running at scale. When tariffs squeeze margins in the US, firms respond by cutting volumes, delaying investment or trying to recover costs elsewhere. He added: Lose scale, and unit costs rise, increasing the risk of higher prices, fewer discounts and less choice on UK supermarket shelves, particularly in processed and branded foods where volume matters most. open image in gallery US President Donald Trump is threatening new tariffs over his Greenland bid ( PA Wire ) So far, Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out retaliation, saying a tariff war isnt in anybodys interest and that he is making sure we don't get to that stage despite Germany and France weighing up hitting the US with retaliatory tariffs. What I want to do is to avoid a tariff war, because it will be businesses, workers and families across the country that will be hit by a trade war, the PM said in a press conference on Monday morning. But Mr Hanrahan warned that if the UK did decide to retaliate, the impact on consumers would be more immediate. Tariffs on US imports would raise costs on products and inputs such as nuts, peanut butter, corn-based ingredients and food packaging materials, with those increases passing quickly through manufacturers and retailers into prices, he said. Meanwhile, John Wyn-Evans, head of market analysis at asset management group Rathbones, warned that 10 per cent tariffs could knock 0.1 per cent off Britains fragile economic growth. The economic impacts are not to be underestimated, he said. A 10 per cent tariff could shave around 0.1 per cent off GDP for the most exposed economies, notably the UK and Germany, while a 25 per cent rate could hit output by 0.2-0.3 per cent. open image in gallery Oisin Hanrahan said the tariffs would start showing up in the weekly shop ( PA Wire ) Ultimately, this episode reinforces the shift away from ever-increasing global integration and toward a world defined by sharper spheres of influence a reality businesses and investors must increasingly plan for and deal with, he added. Meanwhile, Paul Dales of Capital Economics estimated that the impact could be even worse than this, estimating that Britains GDP would shrink by 0.3 to 0.75 per cent if the new levies threatened by the US president are imposed on top of the 10 per cent import tax already applied to UK goods. With the UK economy currently growing by 0.2 - 0.3 per cent a quarter, if this hit came all at once it could trigger a recession, he said. In a sign of the seriousness with which the government appeared to be taking the threats from the US, chancellor Rachel Reeves was among the senior Cabinet ministers sitting in the audience at the prime ministers announcement, having pulled out of a Monday morning event at the London Stock Exchange. Sir Keir also abandoned plans for a Monday cost-of-living-related visit at the 11th hour to make the announcement, with the PM promising to speak with the US president about Greenland again in the coming days after the two spoke on the phone on Sunday night. 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 Botswana's diamond stockpile is nearly double its target inventory levels amid persistent low prices, severely limiting the country's ability to increase gem production and boost its economy, the finance ministry has stated. The nation's economy is projected to shrink by almost 1 per cent in 2025, after a 3 per cent contraction the previous year. This decline stems from collapsing diamond prices, driven by lab-grown gems and weak global demand. The price slump forced Debswana, the joint venture with De Beers responsible for 90 per cent of Botswana's diamond sales, to temporarily suspend production at some mines last year. Botswana produced 18 million carats in 2024, second only to Russia, according to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. However, a finance ministry paper seen by Reuters revealed a 12 million carat stockpile by December 2025 nearly double the government's 6.5 million carat allowable inventory. Botswana's economy was expected to shrink by almost 1 per cent in 2025 following a 3 per cent contraction the year before, largely due to the collapse of diamond prices under pressure from lab-grown gems and weak global demand ( Associated Press ) "This suggests that, over the short term, production is expected to remain broadly unchanged, until the level of inventories is drawn down closer to minimum allowable levels, creating room for additional production," the ministry said in the budget document. Limited scope for increased output will constrain the economy, unless the non-mining sector performs strongly, it added. Diamonds normally contribute around one-third of Botswana's national revenues and three-quarters of its foreign exchange receipts. Botswana's exports to the US, including diamonds, now face a 15 per cent tariff. Higher tariffs imposed on major diamond consuming markets such as India could prolong lower gem prices and squeeze profit margins, the ministry added. "This may ripple through to mining operations. A slowdown in mining activity would reduce government's fiscal revenues from the sector," it said. Botswana's mineral revenues are estimated to reach 10.3 billion pula ($729.24 million) in 2025/26, compared to a historical annual average of 25.3 billion pula, reflecting lower diamond sales. 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 Animal rights activists in a Washington, D.C., suburb are fighting back against officials efforts to reduce the local deer population using sharpshooters. Arlington County plans to use sharpshooters, professionals hired to kill deer in areas where they cannot be hunted, starting in February but the decision has drawn sharp criticism from some locals. It is inhumane, it is ineffective because it leads to a never-ending cycle of violence, animal rights activist Jeannette Louise Smith told WUSA 9. The activist created a No Killing Deer in Arlington blog in November 2024 after the Arlington County Board voted to hire sharpshooters to control the population. She also started an online petition that has gained over 800 signatures in support of the cause. open image in gallery Animal rights activists in Arlington, Virginia, are fighting back against local officials plans to use sharpshooters to reduce the countys deer population, according to a report ( AFP via Getty Images ) The petition notes that the upcoming efforts will disrupt the balance of our ecosystem and lead to an endless, needless, and expensive cycle of attempted eradication. Instead of lethal approaches, Louise Smith is advocating for surgical sterilization, which the petition notes has been proven successful in other American cities. Louise Smith noted in her blog that the local deer population has declined naturally in recent years. In 2021, researchers found 290 deer countywide, while a March 2025 study found fewer deer, albeit still three to six times more than recommended levels. Arlington County is approximately 26 square miles, but a 2024 Deer Management Project FAQ sheet notes that most of the deer are not evenly distributed across the county, but highly concentrated in county-owned parks. Louise Smith also claims on her blog that local officials did not reconsider and reevaluate the cost and effectiveness of a humane, science-based, effective, non-lethal solution to peacefully coexist with Arlington deer. open image in gallery A local animal rights advocate is urging officials to consider surgical sterilization instead of shooting the animals ( AFP via Getty Images ) However, local leaders say they did consider deer sterilization, but say there is no evidence it would adequately reduce the population. It also costs more than using a sharpshooter. Louise Smith told WUSA 9 she would speak with the Arlington County Board at its Open Door Monday meeting, and encouraged others to join. Its a critical time for people to speak up because the Arlington County Board has ignored all of our pleas, she said. Sharpshooters will only be deployed in winter and the parks will be closed while they are operating, Arlington County wrote online. Professional sharpshooting for deer population management has been carried out nationally for decades with no documented injury to bystanders, the county noted on its website. 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 annual meeting of The World Economic Forum attracts corporate executives, academics, philanthropists and media to the Swiss Alps town of Davos for dialogue, debate and deal-making. The Geneva-based think tank first hosted the event in 1971 with the goal to improve European management. Beginning Tuesday, 850 CEOs and chairs of the worlds top companies are expected to be among 3,000 participants from 130 countries in the Alpine resort through Friday. U.S. President Donald Trumps third visit to Davos as president comes as U.S. allies worry about his ambition to take over Greenland, Latin America grapples with his efforts to reap Venezuelas oil and business leaders and lawmakers at home express concerns about his hardball tactics toward Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Here is the latest: WEF opens without founder This years edition of the World Economic Forum will be the first not headed by forum founder Klaus Schwab. The board gave its unanimous support in 2025 for an independent investigation of Schwab following a report by The Wall Street Journal. The report cited a whistleblower letter alleging financial and ethical misconduct by Schwab and his wife, Hilde. The allegations emerged two days after the WEF announced Schwab had retired as chairman with immediate effect. He was succeeded by interim co-chairs Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of New York-based investment management company BlackRock, and Andre Hoffmann, the vice chairman of Swiss pharmaceuticals company Roche Holdings. ___ AP World Economic Forum: https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum 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 Federal immigration agents forced their way into a US citizen's Minnesota home, detaining him at gunpoint without a warrant and leading him outside in his underwear in subfreezing temperatures. The incident, which occurred Sunday in St. Paul, involved agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ChongLy "Scott" Thao, the man detained, recounted the terrifying ordeal to The Associated Press, with his family and videos corroborating the account. Thao said his daughter-in-law woke him from a nap, alerting him to agents "banging at the door of his residence." He instructed her not to open it, but "masked agents then forced their way in and pointed guns at the family, yelling at them," he recalled. I was shaking," he said. They didn't show any warrant; they just broke down the door." open image in gallery This photo provided by Hmong Story Legacy shows Choua Thao, the late mother of Chongly "Scott" Thao, during a graduation ceremony for a class of nurses at a Hmong nursing program in Ban Xon, Laos, 1971 ( HmongStory Legacy via AP ) Amid a massive surge of federal agents into the Twin Cities, immigration authorities are facing backlash from residents and the local leaders for warrantless arrests, aggressive clashes with protestors and the fatal shooting of mother of three Renee Good. ICE is not doing what they say theyre doing, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, a Hmong American, said in a statement about Thao's arrest. Theyre not going after hardened criminals. Theyre going after anyone and everyone in their path. It is unacceptable and un-American. Thao, who has been a U.S. citizen for decades, said that as he was being detained, he asked his daughter-in-law to find his identification but the agents told him they didnt want to see it. Instead, as his 4-year-old grandson watched and cried, Thao was led out in handcuffs wearing only sandals and underwear with just a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Videos captured the scene, which included people blowing whistles and horns and neighbors screaming at the more than a dozen gun-toting agents to leave Thao's family alone. Thao said agents drove him to the middle of nowhere" and made him get out of the car in the frigid weather so they could photograph him. He said he feared they would beat him. He was asked for his ID, which agents earlier prevented him from retrieving. Agents eventually realized that he was a U.S. citizen with no criminal record, Thao said, and an hour or two later, they brought him back to his house. There they made him show his ID and then left without apologizing for detaining him or breaking his door, Thao said. open image in gallery Chongly "Scott" Thao, a U.S. citizen, sits for a photo at his home Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn., the day after federal agents broke open his door and detained him without a warrant ( ap ) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security described the ICE operation at Thao's home as a targeted operation" seeking two convicted sex offenders. The US citizen lives with these two convicted sex offenders at the site of the operation, DHS said. The individual refused to be fingerprinted or facially IDd. He matched the description of the targets. Thao's family said in a statement that it categorically disputes the DHS account and strongly objects to DHSs attempt to publicly justify this conduct with false and misleading claims. Thao told the AP that only he, his son and daughter-in-law and his grandson live at the rental home. Neither they nor the property's owner are listed in the Minnesota sex offender registry. The nearest sex offender listed as living in the zip code is more than two blocks away. DHS did not respond to a request from The Associated Press seeking the identities of the two convicted sex offenders or why the agency believed they were present in Thao's home. Thao's son, Chris Thao, said ICE agents stopped him while he was driving to work before they went to detain his father. He said he was driving a car he borrowed from his cousin's boyfriend. Court records show that the boyfriend shares the first name of another Asian man who has been convicted of a sex offense. Chris Thao said the two people are not the same. open image in gallery This photo provided by Roger Warner Monday, Jan. 19, 2025, shows Choua Thao, the late mother of Chongly "Scott" Thao, a U.S. citizen detained by federal agents without a warrant at his home in St. Paul, Minn., sitting for a photo in Milpitas, Calif. ( Roger Warner via AP ) The family said they are particularly upset by ChongLy Thaos treatment at the hands of the U.S. government because his mother had to flee to the U.S. from Laos when communists took over in the 1970s since she had supported American covert operations in the country and her life was in danger. Thao's adopted mother, Choua Thao, was a nurse who treated CIA-backed Hmong soldiers in the U.S. government's Secret War from 1961 to 1975 against the communists, according to the Hmong Nurses Association website. Choua Thao, who passed away in late December, "treated countless civilians and American soldiers, working closely with U.S. personnel," her daughter-in-law Louansee Moua wrote on a GoFundMe page for the family. ChongLy Thao says he's planning to file a civil rights lawsuit against DHS and no longer feels secure to sleep in his home. I don't feel safe at all, Thao said. What did I do wrong? I didn't do anything. 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 Iran has issued a stark warning to Donald Trump, cautioning against any aggressive action towards its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The warning follows Trump's recent call for an end to Ayatollah Khamenei's nearly four-decade rule. General Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesperson for Iran's armed forces, delivered a severe threat: "Trump knows that if any hand of aggression is extended toward our leader, we not only cut that hand but also we will set fire to their world." The comments came after Trump described Ayatollah Khamenei in a Saturday interview with Politico as "a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people," adding "it's time to look for new leadership in Iran." Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated significantly since a brutal crackdown by authorities on protests that erupted over Iran's struggling economy on 28 December. Trump has previously outlined two critical "red lines" for the Islamic Republic: the killing of peaceful protesters and mass executions of demonstrators. Amidst these heightened diplomatic exchanges, ship-tracking data on Tuesday revealed the USS Abraham Lincoln, an American aircraft carrier, had traversed the Strait of Malacca, a vital maritime passage. A US Navy official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the carrier and its three accompanying destroyers were proceeding west. Iran have warned the US against any aggressive action towards its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (pictured) ( Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP ) While defence officials refrained from explicitly stating the strike group's destination as the Middle East, its current trajectory suggests it is merely days away from entering the region. This would not be the first instance of a Pacific-deployed carrier group being redirected to the Middle East; the Abraham Lincoln was rerouted in 2024, and the USS Nimitz group last June. The death toll from the protests has reached at least 4,484 people, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said Tuesday. The agency has been accurate throughout the years of demonstrations and unrest in Iran, relying on a network of activists inside the country that confirms all reported fatalities. The Associated Press has been unable to independently confirm the figure. The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution that brought the Islamic Republic into being. Although there have been no protests for days, there are fears the number could increase significantly as information gradually emerges from a country still under a government-imposed shutdown of the internet since Jan. 8. Khamenei said on Saturday that the protests had left "several thousand" people dead and blamed the United States. It was the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties. A further 26,127 people have been arrested, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Comments from officials have led to fears of some of those detained being put to death in Iran, one of the world's top executioners. National police chief Gen. Ahmad Reza Radan has said those turning themselves in would receive more lenient treatment than those who don't. "Those who were deceived by foreign intelligence services, and became their soldiers in practice, have a chance to turn themselves in," Radan said in an interview carried by Iran's state television on Monday. "In case of surrender, definitely there will be a reduction in punishment. They have three days to turn themselves in." He did not elaborate on what would happen after the three days. 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 publicly signalled that he wanted to grab Greenland for the US before he was formally installed as the 47th President. Now, a year into his administration, the future of the ice-clad mega-island lies at the centre of a clash between Western civilisations and a potential trade war. But here, understanding the jumble of global contradictions that Mr Trumps latest fetish for another countrys land can reveal, theres method, as well as outright madness, in his relations with the outside world. Trump has undone almost every branch of American democracy. In doing so, he has served the interests of Americas greatest rival, Russia, in ways that apparently make no sense and are hard to fathom. Outside the US, he has backed Russia over Ukraine, undermining the scaffolding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. His national security strategy has adopted outright nonsense from the darker corners of social media, saying that Europe is on the verge of civilisation erasure as fact. open image in gallery President Trump has undone almost every branch of American democracy, and, in doing so, has served the interests of Americas greatest rival, Russia ( AFP/Getty ) In doing so he has behaved as only a former KGB officer, like Vladimir Putin, could have dreamed enfeebling Europe and undermining the military alliance the Kremlin sees as most threatening. Trumps America First policy has veered from a promise to focus on domestic issues, and forsake foreign interventions, to the use of force to remove Venezuelas president, kill un-tried, alleged smugglers, on the high seas, and bomb Iran all arguably illegal under international law. He has even now said that Venezuela will be run by him and that hell keep its oil revenues to spend as he sees fit. And if Caracas doesnt like that, hell attack Venezuela again. This might-is-right attitude echoes Putins approach to his neighbours, notably Georgia and Ukraine both of which the Russian president has invaded and ultimately wants to re-colonise. So all very pro-Russian so far. But then we come back to Greenland which, Trump and his administration insist, must be brought under US sovereignty to protect it against Russian, and Chinese, threats and depredations. They also point out that control of Greenland would help in protecting the sea passages of the Arctic north which Russia is aggressively opening with a fleet of new icebreakers. The North Atlantic is also the key route used by Russias shadow fleet of oil tankers to bust sanctions, flog oil around the world, and fund its war with Ukraine. Its home to Russias fleet of nuclear submarines where Russia, and to a lesser extent, China, is perceived as the Big Threats by the Trump administration just as it has been by every past president since WW2. The US had at least 17 bases and around 15,000 military personnel in Greenland at the height of the Cold War - part of Natos early warning systems for the US. America still has the right to almost unlimited military investment there if needed. That is not enough for Trump he wants his country to own the vast landscape which is slowly going to give up its mineral wealth to mining giants as ice gives way to climate change. Europe, including the UK, is on the verge of a trade and tariffs war with the US now as ministers prepare an economic counter strike against Trump that could cost both sides dearly and has already caused share prices to tumble and gold to climb. This is where Trump reveals some method or strategic intent. He has been plain speaking about how he wants to re-establish American dominance over the western hemisphere of the globe. He does not care about the economic chaos his threats to Greenland and the existence of Nato have brought. Under our new national security strategy, American dominance in the western hemisphere will never be questioned again, he said this year. open image in gallery US Vice President JD Vance tours the US military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on March 28, 2025 ( AFP/Getty ) That same strategy sees Europe as fading and failing and is consistent with Trumps long-term view of the world divided into three spheres of interest: Americas the west, Russia gets its chunk, and the rest goes to China. It is now clear that Trump no longer sees Europe as a natural part of the western hemisphere he wants to continue to control. He may have been convinced by Putin, or he may have simply reached his own conclusion that the European nations, especially of the east, are not strategic assets for America. And that the Europeans should pay for their own defence, against Russia, themselves. In that context, Trump wants to establish a Golden Dome of missile defences defending America with its outer edge in Greenland. So it makes sense, from his perspective, to own the island, own its resources, and leave Europe to handle its own squabbles with Putin. The key here is not just the location of Greenland, it is Trumps conclusion that, in terms of protecting and dominating US access to essential minerals and rare earths, Americans have been asleep at the wheel while China has raced ahead. open image in gallery Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, on October 30, 2025 ( AP ) Brazil, Chile, Peru and Venezuela all count China as a main trading partner, according to Chatham Houses David Lubin. Much, or most, of that trade is in Chinese investments in mining and the extraction of critical ores. Between them, Chile and Argentina hold about half the worlds lithium reserves. Peru and Chile hold about 30 per cent of the worlds copper. Venezuela has what is believed to be the biggest reserve of oil on earth as well as gold, bauxite and iron ore. Bolivia has the biggest lithium deposits 20-25 per cent Brazils got lots of iron ore, nickel and manganese. Small wonder that as Trump retreats from the global, into a western sphere run by the US, he will want his country to wrestle control of these resources, vital for defence and energy, from China. Beijing already controls up to 40 per cent of the worlds rare earths and up to 90 per cent of its rare earth processing capacity. Greenland has some special minerals known as heavy rare earths. They are the most scarce and defence critical and have Star Trek type names: dysprosium, terbium, yttrium, neodymium, praseodymium. The island in the high north holds up to 12 per cent of the worlds reserves of these rare earths which are essential in missile guidance systems, radar, jet engines and magnets. Greenland has one of the biggest deposits of these special minerals outside of Chinas control. Not content to leave it at Greenland, Trump helped Argentina out of a tight spot with a currency swap facility. He abducted Venezuelas president, threatened Colombia and will, no doubt, continue to flex Americas economic and military muscles in the south. open image in gallery Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is escorted to a US court to face charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking and money laundering on January 5, 2026 ( Reuters ) Trump is also eyeing mineral deals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where civil war, invasion, ethnic strife and general chaos has driven many investors away, but not China which has state backing for strategic investment. The DRC produces about 70 per cent of the worlds mined cobalt, and most of that is controlled by Chinese companies. It also produces at least 30 per cent of the worlds coltan, which is essential for the production of all computers. Trump claims to have brought peace to the east of the DRC where Rwandan-backed rebels run a vast network of mines. But he has also considered backing the central governments efforts to recapture the mineral-rich region in return for minerals. open image in gallery Cassiterite miners in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo ( Phil Moore/Global Witness ) Over the last year his only pro-Ukrainian engagement has been in forging a minerals deal with Kyiv which gives the US ownership of up to 50 per cent of future profits from new investments in mineral extraction in return for not abandoning Ukraine altogether. Its a good deal for the US, but not one he is strategically wedded to. Ukraine is, in Trumps view, firmly in Russias sphere. He has signed up to the Russia lie that President Volodymyr Zelensky is illegitimate (he was elected in 2019) and has backed the Kremlins land grab of at least 20 per cent of the country. Americas Nato allies are rushing to reassure him that they, too, are part of the defence of Greenland. Sending a small naval flotilla to its waters is a gesture of support of the very idea of a North Atlantic alliance with the US and to offset his threats to smash that alliance by trying to take over the island itself. This is where his strategic method begins to break down. He doesnt realise that the security of the United States eastern seaboard is guaranteed by Nato. The US cant possibly defend it all and cant police the high north either without Natos help. Nato need the US but he has not seen that it cuts both ways. The US needs Nato. His staff realize that and his military certainly do, a senior Nato general told The Independent. But he seems to hold Europe, which provides the bulk of Natos forces which are, added up, about double the size of the US and have more tanks, artillery, personnel and aircraft than the US, in very low esteem. So much so that he appears indifferent to whether Putin grabs more of Europe or not. This is part of his madness. And driven, according to a former White House adviser on Russia from his first term, his relationship with Putin. open image in gallery Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk during a meeting at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, on August 15, 2025 ( AP ) It is a man crush. Its because Putins the badass. Hes what Trump would like to be, Fiona Hill told The Independent podcast World of Trouble. Trump looks at people who are frankly in charge of everything, who have the kind of, basically, the bling. You know, theyre emblazoned in gold. And thats what he wants to be. And he believes that he is elevated in everybodys minds, by their association, by being in their company. And thats what Putins got on him. Putins got his number. Putin realises he is a man with a very fragile ego, and that hes somebody that can be manipulated. So Trump is trying to build a world around three men. Chinas Xi Jinping, Putin, and himself. Trump himself is wanting to be recognised by absolutely everybody who matters, Ms Hill adds. And he only gets that (if) he has the approval of people like President Xi of China, President Putin of Russia, the royal families of here, there and everywhere. For Trump, thats what really matters, thats the coin of the realm for him. Today was not the day any right-minded publicist would have advised Donald Trump to make a public appearance. He was visibly struggling. But today is the first anniversary of his second presidency, and so there he was, with an A4 stack of hundreds of clipped-together papers marked ACHIEVEMENTS and some color printouts of Minnesota criminals that he could barely summon up the energy to hate. Wow, he said, as he wandered slowly out in front of the White House press corps. Thats a lot of people. Its difficult to describe exactly how strange this press conference was, because it requires a strong sense of what Trump Normal is, and Trump Normal is obviously not normal. But at least with Trump Normal, you know what youre getting. RANDOM SHOUTING! Gesticulations. A bit of rambling punctuated with VERY BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS. Aggressive rhetorical questions. Someone is an idiot or a piggy and needs to be quiet! This is the best. ever. press. conference. anyones. ever. seen and anyway, who asked YOU?! Truth be told, Ive come to rely on this format; to expect it. Ive almost become fond of it, in a Stockholm Syndrome kind of way. But what happened today was very much not Trump Normal. open image in gallery A very low-energy President Donald Trump presented reporters in the White House briefing room with hundreds of pages of Year 1 ACHIEVEMENTS and some color printouts of Minnesota criminals that he could barely summon up the energy to hate. ( AFP/Getty ) In a baffling, rambling session, the president reached the podium and after awkwardly saying, These are achievements, about the ACHIEVEMENTS binder, lest we cant read 32-inch font began a scenic tour of MINNESOTA: WORST OF THE WORST (as it literally said on the papers underneath.) It was supposed to be a hard-hitting show of strength, with visuals to prove that everyone protesting in Minnesota is really a murderer and a drug dealer and perhaps even involved in genocide. But despite the fact that he was talking about vicious, mentally insane killers as well as paid agitators and insurrectionists, apparently mainly Somalians with low IQs who give their money to Democrat protesters who go out and buy Mercedes Benzes with it Trump just couldnt summon the rage. It was all very much, Grandpa after too many slices of turkey, five hours into Thanksgiving and twenty minutes before he talks himself into a nap. Among the claims: Ilhan Omar is corrupt and has never had a job and also Somalia isnt a country but if it was, itd be the worst country in the world. Insane asylums across South America are empty because of a vast conspiracy to send people across the border in order to show disrespect to Biden. California is falling apart and if Gavin Newsom was president, the country would instantly turn into Venezuela. Its hard to describe how weird it is to hear somebody say all of this with as much energy as a hungover uncle. open image in gallery As he held up picture after picture, Trump would occasionally mutter, Look he killed somebody, or, Weapons. This one was very bad. ( AP ) As he held up picture after picture, Trump would occasionally mutter, Look he killed somebody, or, Weapons. This one was very bad. When he came to the end of the gathered pages, he simply let them all fall to the ground. And then the usual spiel began: the border, the tariffs, the economy, unemployment numbers shouldnt be called that because that makes it sound bad. The Democrats artificially inflated their own employment numbers by putting millions on the federal payroll. Trump has delighted in firing millions, but actually its OK because they all got higher paid jobs in the private sector, in factories. I dont like to do this, to be honest with you, the president said at one point, and for once we could actually believe him. Leaning on the podium, he was a distinctly paler shade of orange than he has been in months. He had to occasionally pause for a breath in between normal sentences. And the sentences spiraled, not in the usual rage bait weave that he delights in putting together, but in a way that made it clear he couldnt quite remember exactly what hed said five minutes earlier, or couldnt quite remember what the parameters were any longer. I like the Hells Angels, they voted for me. They protected me, he claimed, seconds after seemingly accidentally insulting the group. Then, on dangerous criminals who supposedly need immediate deporting from the United States: They came from the Congo. I know the Congo because I ended the war with the Congo and Rwanda. Tough group. The people who come into the country over the border with Mexico are Democrat long pause ...sort of aligned. It eventually petered out in a very un-Trump-esque way. In other words, todays Very Special Episode wasnt a rally, or a policy speech, or even a coherent attempt at either. It was a tired man doing the thing hes always done shouting into the void, throwing paper at a room full of people except the engine has started to misfire. The rage was there in theory, but the delivery was exhausted. The conviction was gone. It was all very last days of Biden. Happy anniversary, Mr. President. We didnt think wed ever get here, but youve now truly achieved the impossible: youve kept this act going long enough to become boring. One full year into Donald Trumps second presidency, the defining feature of American politics is not any single decision, scandal or abuse of power, but how little any of it seems to matter. The outrage economy that once sustained Trumps critics has collapsed under its own weight. There is simply too much to be outraged by, arriving too quickly, layered so thickly that even events that would once have dominated public life now pass with barely a ripple. Teflon Don a moniker once applied to a NYC Mafia boss is now a governing strategy. In the same way that we now look back on once-reviled George W Bush with a rose-tinted nostalgia (whats lying a lot as compared to treating the Constitution as if its optional, after all?!), The Donalds first go at the presidency feels comparatively quaint. The Access Hollywood tape and its inability to sink his candidacy, the false claims about crowd sizes and the shouting about fake news were all unpresidential, sure. They were, however, miles away from opening a criminal investigation against the chief of the Fed, cutting the pension of a veteran for criticizing the president, or referring to a mother shot by a federal agent as a domestic terrorist within hours of her death. Trump fully internalized the lessons of his first term and the years that followed it: accountability can be neutralized not by persuasion or restraint, but by saturation. In other words: Flood the zone. Overwhelm the system. Make the cost of paying attention higher than the cost of letting go. open image in gallery President Donald Trump shared a spoof Wikipedia page in which he is referred to as 'Acting President of Venezuela' on Truth Social on January 11, 2026 ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) In 2026, Truth Social functions as a command center. Statements appear there before they are filtered through advisers, lawyers or basic plausibility. Claims contradict one another openly. Corrections are unnecessary. The sheer volume does the work. By the time a falsehood is examined, two new ones have arrived, each demanding its own rebuttal, each diluting the last. The availability of AI image generators turned what was an occasional grenade into a full-scale bombardment: a fake Wikipedia page declaring Trump the acting president of Venezuela; a video of the president, dressed as a king and flying a plane emblazoned with the words KING TRUMP, dropping bombs of excrement on protesters; a bizarre vision of Gaza as a Trump-owned golden beach resort. The result is viewer fatigue. The rights delight in trolling makes any critical response difficult: if you took it seriously, thats your problem. Time and time again, when called upon to explain Trumps use of his personal Truth Social account or even the official White House Twitter account, his supporters in Congress have simply replied with the equivalent of: Its just a joke!, the universal defense of people who very much want their barbed asides to be taken seriously. When everything and nothing is a joke, its hard to tell whether youre really going to invade Greenland and destroy NATO or nuke Denmark or bomb Iran or go to war with Russia or just post about all that stuff at 3a.m. and see what happens. Will the midterms be conducted fairly? Are those Trump 2028 hats a serious threat to democracy, or simply a tasteless in-joke with (whatevers left of) the base? Will the president really invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy the military against Minnesotans? In an environment where up is down and down is up, it becomes genuinely difficult to address these questions. Instead, theres an overwhelming urge to simply shrug. The same dynamic played out around the Epstein files, an issue Trump himself repeatedly raised on the campaign trail, promising transparency and accountability. In late 2025, the Justice Department released tens of thousands of pages of Epstein-related documents under pressure from Congress and the courts. Coverage briefly flared, particularly around references to Trumps past social proximity to Epstein. For a brief moment, it seemed like this would be the issue that stuck then the fog descended again. The administration dismissed further scrutiny as partisan obsession. Trump waved the matter away as a hoax and a witch hunt, sometimes within the same week, he accused others of hiding information. He chose Christmas Day, no less a day traditionally reserved for goodwill, cheer and governmental accusations of international sex trafficking cover-ups to post a long rant claiming it was actually the Democrats who had close ties with Epstein and who would be presently held accountable for them, in a message that started with sleazebags and ended with enjoy what may be your last Merry Christmas! Needless to say, as far as Epstein is concerned, the documents exist. They are public. They are also, in practical terms, inert. The act of disclosure was absorbed into the noise, stripped of consequence by denial so casual it barely rose to the level of defense. From ending forever wars to kidnapping autocrats Abroad, Trump has wielded American power with the same indifference to precedent. In early 2026, the United States launched a unilateral operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and their transport to New York on narcoterrorism charges. It was an extraordinary escalation that bypassed multilateral diplomacy and triggered immediate questions about international law. Once, such an action would have produced congressional hearings or emergency summits. Instead, it landed, detonated briefly, and vanished into the churn. Iran has been handled in a similar register. A week ago, Trump imposed a punitive tariff penalty on any country trading with Tehran, effectively daring allies to choose. He openly entertained further military action as unrest spread inside the country, brushing aside questions about congressional authorization or long-term strategy. Polling shows that a large majority of Americans oppose military action against Iran and think that Trump has gone too far abroad, but the administration has shown little interest in restraint. One wonders what the Trump supporters who cast their votes because of a promise to end forever wars are thinking right now. open image in gallery A photograph that President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social account shows what he describes as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship, currently in the Caribbean Sea January 3, 2026. ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) At home, federal authority has been deployed with comparable disregard for convention. Its barely been a few months since the president declared a crime emergency in Washington D.C. and filled the city with federal troops, but memory has faded fast. Now protesters across the country are subject to the same language that justified action in D.C.: chaos, lawlessness, restoration of order. Federal force has become an instrument rather than a last resort. Combined with the big military parade Trump demanded for his birthday at a cost of around $30 billion to Americas taxpayers this looks like what everyone with a passing knowledge of history says it looks like: fascism. What is striking is not just the scope of the actions taken by the second Trump administration over the past year, but the absence of sustained resistance. Universities threatened with the dissolution of funds have disciplined or suspended pro-Palestine protesters. Lawsuits have been filed but almost instantly forgotten by the public, as the president continues to write on social media that he wants to throw Democrats in jail or punish them by DEATH for telling troops they can refuse to carry out illegal orders. Although strong words have been said by Democratic leadership in Minneapolis, they were almost immediately tempered with public pleading for protesters not to be violent or to take the bait. We cannot counter chaos with chaos, Mayor Jacob Frey said earlier this month, a statement that leaves everybody wondering exactly what chaos can be countered with instead. Are we divided, or are we just seriously confused? Despite the fact that he is hemorrhaging key voters he likely needs Latinos and independents chief among them the president has clearly decided he does not need consensus or even loyalty. Instead, he needs momentum. Scandals have become fuel for the fire, rather than something to wait out. Critics exhaust themselves assembling timelines and fact-checks that feel instantly outdated. The sheer effort required to maintain moral clarity becomes its own deterrent. After Trump 1.0, the country was polarized. A year into Trump 2.0, its probably more accurate to say the country is disoriented. What was once an isolationist, flag-hugging, populist presidency has descended into flipping factory workers off during a meet-and-greet in the morning and destabilizing foreign regimes over dinner. Meanwhile, grocery prices are high. Gas is expensive. Every now and again, someone remembers that oh yeah, Trump was shot once, and oh yeah, there was that double-tap bombing where the Pentagon targeted and killed some people on a boat in the Caribbean, and oh yeah, the Charlie Kirk murder and the strange and sudden, glittery rise to power of his wife Erika, and oh yeah, the Trump-packed Supreme Court ended the federal right to abortion and oh yeah, that time when the president said hed end birthright citizenship entirely. The true legacy of Trumps second term so far is not a single policy or a standout moment but the normalization of unreality as a governing condition. In such an environment, anything can happen. And even worse, people forget what authenticity even looks like, and forget to expect it. In other words: How are we supposed to know how to vote when we cant even trust that the presidents Wikipedia screenshot actually came from Wikipedia? 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 Donald Trump is pushing to have his "Board of Peace" proposal ratified by world leaders in a special ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, according to reports. In an invitation posted on social media by Axios reporter Barak Ravid, the President asked various countries' heads of state or government to join him in signing the Board's charter at 10:30am on Thursday. The short deadline left politicians across the world scrambling to decide how they should respond to what appears nothing less than an attempt to build a Trump-dominated replacement for the United Nations, a body Trump has long criticized. Chief among their concerns was the enormous control granted by the charter to Trump himself plus the eye-popping membership fee of $1bn. "This Board will be one of a kind, there has never been anything like it!" Trump wrote in letters sent to around 60 nations on Friday. open image in gallery Some European nations were alarmed that Russia was also invited, despite its ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine ( Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images ) "Our effort will bring together a distinguished group of nations ready to shoulder the noble responsibility of building LASTING PEACE, an Honor reserved for those prepared to lead by example, and brilliantly invest in a secure and prosperous future for generations to come." And while stalwart Trump allies such as Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban and Argentinia president Javier Milei enthusiastically accepted the proposal, other nations were more cautious. "France was invited to join the Board of Peace and is examining the proposed legal framework with its partners. At this stage, it does not intend to give a favorable response," a senior French official was reported as saying. "The Charter goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza. It raises major questions, in particular regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which cannot under any circumstances be called into question." open image in gallery Page 1 of the invitation letter, posted online by both Orban and Milei ( Hungarian government via Facebook ) Israel too objected that the proposal "was not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy", even though the Board was originally developed as part of a peace plan for Gaza. Canada said it was open "in principle" but would not pay any fee. The UK said it needed to consider the idea, while Poland expressed skepticism about the fact that Russia which is still waging a war of aggression in Ukraine had also been invited. open image in gallery It was not immediately clear what the billions collected in membership fees would actually be used for ( Hungarian government via Facebook ) "Poland's accession to an international organization requires the consent of the Council of Ministers and ratification by the Sejm," said Polish president Donald Tusk, referring to the lower house of Polands national legislature. "The government will be guided solely by the interest and security of the Polish state. And we will not let anyone play us." Trump's 'Peace Board' grew out of a resolution by the UN Security Council in November that authorized an international stabilization force to manage Gaza in the wake of its devastation by Israel. Yet according to a leaked draft published by The Times of Israel on Sunday, the current charter contains zero mentions of Gaza and gives the Board a far wider mission, while also taking veiled digs at the UN. open image in gallery Belarus, a key Russian ally ruled by an authoritarian government, was also invited as shown off here by a Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman ( Belarus Foreign Ministry via REUTERS ) "The Board of Peace is an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict," the charter reads. It claims that "too many approaches to peace-building foster perpetual dependency, and institutionalize crisis rather than leading people beyond it," and that "a more nimble and effective international peace-building body" is needed. Structurally, it gives the Peace Board's chairman in this case, one Donald J. Trump near complete control over the body, including the right to invite and expel member states at will, veto power over all decisions, and "final authority" on how the charter should be interpreted. The body's subsidiary "executive board", which would implement decisions, is also stuffed with familiar figures such as Trump's secretary of state Marco Rubio, his longtime ally Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former British prime minister Tony Blair. European officials told Bloomberg that they are requesting changes to these terms, and that they had lobbied Arab nations to do the same. Among the other countries reportedly invited are Australia, Belarus, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Jordan, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, and Ukraine. 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 Charlie Kirks widow has requested a speedy trial for the man accused of killing her husband, amid claims that his defense team is using delaying tactics. Her attorney, Jeffrey Neiman, gave notice of the move in a court filing and said Erika Kirk was invoking her rights as a victim under Utah law. [A]lthough the United States Constitution guarantees criminal defendants many rights, it does not guarantee them the right to cause undue delay in the criminal justice process, Neiman wrote in his submission to Utahs Fourth District Court. He accused Tyler Robinsons defense team of causing "undue" and "unwarranted" delay, over their claims that prosecutors have a conflict of interest because a deputy in the county attorneys office had an adult child who was in the crowd when Kirk was shot on September 10, 2025. The claim has delayed proceedings, with a second hearing day now scheduled on a defense motion to have the local prosecutor removed from the case. open image in gallery Erika Kirks attorney says she is invoking her rights as a victim under Utah law. ( Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP ) Robinson is accused of shooting the outspoken provocateur in the neck at Utah Valley University while he was speaking at a Turning Point USA event. Charlie Kirk rose to prominence as a right-wing social media personality, and his killing sent shockwaves of blame and vitriol across the country. President Donald Trump attended his memorial in Arizona and described him as a martyr. Robinson was taken into custody the day after the shooting and has yet to enter a plea. The Constitutions Sixth Amendment guarantees defendants the right to a speedy trial to avoid unreasonable delays; Utah law goes further, specifying that victims are also entitled to a speedy trial. The Defendant in this case is entitled to a fair trial, and he must be given one, but he is not entitled to cause undue delay to the criminal justice process, Neiman wrote in his submission. open image in gallery Tyler Robinson, centre, speaks with his attorneys during a hearing in Fourth District Court on December 11, 2025 in Provo, Utah. ( Rick Egan/Getty Images ) This Court is tasked with the critically important function of ensuring the Defendant has a fair trial, but this Court must also do so while balancing Mrs. Kirks right to a speedy trial and therefore this Notice invokes Mrs. Kirks rights under applicable Utah Code. Such filings are relatively common in Utah, and local attorney Nathan Evershed, who is not involved in proceedings, told news channel KUTV that it would likely cause some urgency in the case. "It's just a nice subtle reminder," he said. "They recognize it's very early in the case, but they are also now asserting themselves." Evershed highlighted that it was the first time the court had heard directly from Erika Kirk in a public filing, and he expected her to remain in court as the case progressed. "You will see a persistent and consistent voice saying, 'We want finality. We want this to go to trial. We don't want all these potential delays,'" he said. Robinson is due back in court on February 3. 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 Gavin Newsom delivered a sharp jab at world leaders rolling over for Donald Trump at Davos, joking that he should have brought a bunch of knee pads. The California Governor is well-known for sending knee pads to politicians he believes have bowed down to Trump and even sells them on his website. Now, he says that both European and American leaders look pathetic for failing to challenge the president at the World Economic Forum 2026, as he openly brags about the possibility of a takeover of Greenland. open image in gallery Gavin Newsom has torn into world leaders for rolling over for Donald Trump at this years World Economic Forum ( Sky News ) "I can't take this complicity of people rolling over, Newsom raged to Sky News. I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders. I mean, handing out crowns, the Nobel prizes that are being given away. It's just pathetic. And I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage." Newsoms jab after Nobel Peace Prize winner, Maria Machado, handed the award to Trump in the wake of the arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Shortly after Trump accepted the award, Newsom shared a meme of the U.S. president shouting at a child clutching a trophy, while Trump stands beside a donation box for awards. However, Newsoms Davos rant went beyond the stunning donation of the Nobel Prize. He went on to urge European leaders to change their approach to negotiations with Trump, describing the president as a T. rex. You mate with him or he devours you, one or the other, and you need to stand up to it, he said. They need to stand tall, stand firm, stand united." open image in gallery The meeting in Davos is fraught with political tensions, caused by Trumps desire to take over Greenland ( AP ) Newsom, once a Davos regular, has returned to the World Economic Forum to put pressure on the president, according to Sally Susman, a former democratic fundraiser. "Newsom's arrival at Davos confirms his desire to be seen as the Democratic Party leader and go-to guy for world leaders wanting an alternative to President Trump," she told Business Insider. The California Governor has often criticized the president and recently took aim at Trump for accepting Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Machados Nobel Peace Prize. Machado won the prize late last year but handed the award to the U.S. President after he abducted Venezuelas former president, Nicolas Maduro. open image in gallery ( The White House/Getty ) Despite Trump accepting an award dedicated to creating peace in the world, this years event in Davos has been fraught with political tensions, as Europes relationship with the United States comes under increased strain due to the presidents aggression towards Greenland. In the last 24 hours, Trump has posted an A.I image of himself lecturing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen. He has also said that he will slap tariffs of 200 percent on French wine and cheese, as he raged about European condemnation of his plans to take control of Greenland. On Truth Social, Trump tore into Prime Minister Starmer over the UKs decision to give up the Chagos Islands, despite previously giving his approval for the deal. He is now claiming that the move is an act of total weakness. open image in gallery Newsom says that European leaders (pictured) need to stand up to Trump as he continues to make threats against Greenlands sovereignty ( AP ) Meanwhile, President Von der Leyen threatened an unflinching, united and proportional response to Trump slapping tariffs on European countries opposed to his Greenland plan, in a barbed speech at the Davos event. As the gathering of world leaders continues, Trump is reportedly pushing to have his controversial Board of Peace ratified in a special ceremony. In an invitation published on social media by an Axios reporter, Trump asked heads of state to sign the boards charter at 10.30 am on Thursday. The U.S. president is set to deliver his own Davos speech a day earlier. The presidents board has divided world leaders, with some accusing him of trying to circumvent the United Nations with his own organization. Membership of his board costs $1 billion. One senior French official even suggested that France could turn down an offer to join the board. "France was invited to join the Board of Peace and is examining the proposed legal framework with its partners. At this stage, it does not intend to give a favorable response," the official said, according to an Axios reporter. "The Charter goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza. It raises major questions, in particular regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which cannot under any circumstances be called into question." The board has also become controversial because Donald Trump reportedly invited Russia to become a member, despite its ongoing war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, several Trump allies, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Argentine President Javier Milei, have expressed interest in joining the board. 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 Danish petition to buy California has flown past 280,000 signatures, as fury in Europe grows over Donald Trumps plan to annex Greenland. The satirical petition includes a plan to rename Disneyland to Hans Christian Andersenland and would even rename the Golden State itself. If the poll is successful, California would be rebranded as New Denmark. The appeal is currently live on a website named Denmarkification.com. The ironic page includes a huge list of reasons for buying California and even uses Trumps own justification for taking Greenland, a Danish territory, against him. It is in the national interest to promote the extraordinary heritage of our Nation, so California will become New Denmark, the website reads, in Trumps familiar manner of speaking. Los Angeles? More like Ls Angeles. Another section says that a purchase of California is necessary to protect the free world. Most people say we have the best freedom, the Danish website adds. Colossal freedom. open image in gallery A Danish petition to buy California from the US has reached over 280,000 signatures ( Denmarkification.com ) Trump has long claimed that taking control of Greenland is in the United States national interest, citing the island's rich reserves of rare earth minerals. He has also claimed that he would protect the islands freedom, making allegations of a massive build-up of Russian and Chinese forces in the region. As Europe grows increasingly angry at his demands, he piled pressure onto the continent by slapping tariffs on countries that openly condemn his plans. However, over 286,000 people have signed the Denmarkification petition, which promises to bring hygge, a Danish concept of cozy contentment, to Hollywood. According to the website, a purchase of California would only cost $1 trillion (give or take a few billion). open image in gallery Greenlands Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen (right) says that he wants the island to remain as part of Denmark ( Ritzau Scanpix ) Accounting for the will of the Californian people seemingly would not matter, either, with the petition hoping to appeal to Trumps authoritarian streak. As for the will of the citizens? Well, lets face it when has that ever stopped him? the website reads. If Trump wants to sell California, hell sell California. Donating to the petition comes with the satirical promise of a letter from the Danish Royal Family, a lifetime supply of Californian avocados, and a private beach in Malibu. The sarcastic poll comes as Donald Trump continues to levy very real threats against Greenland. The U.S. president has long claimed that the move is necessary to ensure national security, suggesting that Russia and China have their own plans to take control of the region. open image in gallery Massive protests against the US have broken out across Greenland ( AP ) However, Denmark has been insistent that it is committed to protecting the island, as have the U.K., the E.U., and Canada. Greenlands Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, has also been firm in saying that the self-governing territory wants to remain within the Danish Kingdom. If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark, he said at a recent press conference, joined by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Protests have erupted on the island in recent weeks, as residents hit back at the concept of a U.S. takeover. A new trend parodying MAGA iconography has become popular among protesters, too, as many wear red hats with Make America Great Again replaced by Make America Go Away. Shouts of Greenland is not for sale can be heard at marches, where demonstrators have been waving both the islands flags and those of the Danish Kingdom. The team behind the Denmarkification website say that they hope the campaign has brought more attention to the ongoing dispute over Greenland. What has really touched us the most so far though has been the hilarious (and often thoughtful) debate that Denmarkification sparked online, from Reddit threads to X/Twitter to TikTok comment sections, a spokesperson for the website said. Weve been especially touched by lots of warm and enthusiastic support from Californians - and laughed when folks from other parts of the US raised their hand asking to have their state purchased by Denmark! It seems that a lot of people needed this little bit of fun and levity, at a time when much of the public discourse is increasingly tense and worrying, the spokesperson continued. It seems that even though the petition was intended as a joke, the very idea of injecting some hygge, rule of law, facts-based politics and Danish pastries seems to appeal to a lot of Americans. The spokesperson says that the team has plans to create more satirical pages, although brainstorming sessions often turn into concerned discussions over the future of NATO and world peace. For now, though, the team are managing the huge surge in interest generated by the petition. We are truly blown away and humbled by the amazing response from all over the world, the spokesperson said. Weve received messages, requests for comments and interviews from so many leading media outlets, including TV broadcasters, radio stations and paper press. Its been a little overwhelming - believe it or not, were not in the spotlight trying to buy a US State everyday! 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 spending deal to keep the government open until the end of September will continue funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but not at the levels that Republicans would want. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees released the so-called mini-bus legislation to fund the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. Democrats have pushed to limit money for ICE amid thousands of officials from the agency descending upon Minneapolis and ICE official Jonathan Ross shooting and killing Renee Good. As part of the bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which houses ICE, the bill includes $10 billion for the agency. But according to a one-pager from Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the legislation would only allow ICE to spend $3.8 billion of that money on detention. Republicans massive tax cut package known as the One Big, Beautiful Bill included major increases for ICE. Chief among them included $45 billion for detention capacity and $29.85 billion for ICE enforcement operations and hiring up to 10,000 new agents. The money is also mandatory, meaning that it is not set by the current appropriations process. open image in gallery Democrats have sought to rein in ICE after the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis ( Reuters ) Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement, said a continuing resolution would allow for ICE to continue unabated without any guardrails. ICE must be reined in, and unfortunately, neither a CR nor a shutdown would do anything to restrain it, because, thanks to Republicans, ICE is now sitting on a massive slush fund it can tap whether or not we pass a funding bill, Murray said. The spending bill now requires the $12.8 million in new money for an inspector generals office to oversee money from the One Big, Beautiful Bill. It also restricts the departments ability to move money out of various other accounts including from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noems office, ICE, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other agencies. It also allocates $20 million for body cameras for ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers that have to be worn during enforcement operations. ICE and CBP officers will also have to undergo de-escalation training and will be trained on Americans right to record interactions. open image in gallery Appropriations Vice Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) warned that allowing spending to lapse would not change ICEs enforcement tactics. ( AFP via Getty Images ) An additional $20 million will go toward mandated independent oversight of detention facilities. Some Democrats have broached the idea of abolishing or removing ICE once they obtain power again. A YouGov poll from earlier this month after the killing of Good showed that 46 percent of Americans support abolishing ICE compared to 43 percent who oppose abolishing the agency. But Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement that Democrats do not have much power to rein in ICE. I understand that many of my Democratic colleagues may be dissatisfied with any bill that funds ICE, she said. I share their frustration with the out-of-control agency. I encourage my colleagues to review the bill and determine what is best for their constituents and communities. She also echoed Murrays remarks that a shutdown would not prevent ICE from receiving funding since the money it received from the 2025 bill was mandatory and cautioned against a continuing resolution, which would simply keep spending at current levels. A continuing resolution will jettison the guardrails we have secured while ceding authority to President Trump, Stephen Miller, and Secretary Noem, she said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Scott Jennings, CNNs resident MAGA pundit, has told Americans not to get our knickers in a twist over files related to Jeffrey Epsteins child sex crimes. Jennings, a former staffer in the George W Bush administration, smirked as he made the remarks, sending author Leigh McGowan into a rage. Their bitter clash unfolded on CNNs Newsnight program, when the topic of conversation turned to the botched release of the Epstein files. Only a fraction of the Department of Justices trove of documents related to Epstein has been released, although the tranche of papers now made public has lifted the lid on some of the convicted pedophiles web of crime. However, Jennings played down the significance of the files during an appearance on Newsnight. open image in gallery Scott Jennings said that people shouldn't get their 'knickers in a twist' over the Epstein files, sparking fury from Leigh McGowan ( CNN ) They should follow the law, but lets not get our knickers in a twist here, he said, referring to the DOJs handling of the files release. Lets not get our knickers in a twist over child rape McGowan replied, speaking in a sarcastic, haughty accent before breaking out into a false laugh. Why are you talking like that? Its insane, like its insane. The Epstein files are a multinational, multi-generational child and woman sex trafficking ring, she added. So your attitude right now, your sort of, shucks, devil be gone, its just horrifying to me. The tense conversation turned to the slow release of the files, with many key documents still withheld by the Department of Justice. The deadline for their release has long since passed, and the Epstein Files Transparency Act requires all the files to be released by December 19, 2025. Jennings said the DOJ should follow the law, but McGowan fired back, claiming the Justice Departments failure to release the files on time constitutes a breach of the law. open image in gallery Jeffrey Epstein was convicted of a slew of child sex crimes and had connections to some of the most powerful people in the nation ( DOJ ) They are hiding it; It is not the behaviour of innocent people. Everything that is in these files, it could bring an entire house down, she said. And, if it has to, it has to. If it brings down Democrats, bring them down. If it brings down Republicans, bring them down, she added. If it brings down princes, world leaders, Hollywood people, bring them down. The road to releasing the Epstein files was a long one, with the president resisting any pressure to make the documents public. Donald Trump, who is photographed and named in the files many times but has not been accused of wrongdoing, often swatted away questions about the convicted pedophile whenever he was mentioned. Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guys been talked about for years, Trump said, before describing a question about the disgraced financier as a waste of time. When it became clear that Republicans on Capitol Hill would vote to release the files, Trump reversed his position and signed off on their release. open image in gallery Trump was regularly photographed with the sex offender, but has not yet been accused of wrongdoing himself ( House Oversight Committee ) The Epstein chaos shattered his formerly rock-solid MAGA base, with loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene turning on Trump for his failure to act quickly in releasing the files. He has since tried to use the scandal against his political enemies, regularly pointing out that former President Bill Clinton is named and photographed with Epstein in the files. However, Clinton has insisted that he has nothing to hide and has urged the DOJ to release the files further. His spokesperson, Angel Urena, claimed that the Justice Departments handling of the files makes it clear that someone or something is being protected. "We do not know whom, what or why," Urena wrote. "But we do know this: We need no such protection. "Accordingly, we call on President Trump to direct Attorney General Bondi to immediately release any remaining materials referring to, mentioning, or containing a photograph of Bill Clinton," the spokesperson added. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Katie Miller, the conservative podcast host and wife of Stephen Miller, faced mockery on social media after criticizing California Governor Gavin Newsom for attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Of course Gavin Newsom is going to Davos, Miller complained in an X post Monday, accusing the Democratic governor of not being focused on the United States. Nothing quite says America First like commiserating to the crowd of the Worlds Elites. You either stand up for America or you should sit down, she added. Miller, who hosts the Katie Miller Podcast, is a staunch ally of President Donald Trump. She often criticizes Democrats who oppose the president, such as Newsom, and defends the president and his allies. But people online were quick to point out Millers mistake in criticizing Newsom Trump is also attending the World Economic Forum. open image in gallery Katie Miller, the wife of Stephen Miller, uses her social media platform to defend Trump and his allies while criticizing Democrats ( Getty ) The president is expected to give a speech to world leaders Wednesday at the annual event where world leaders convene to discuss the state of the global economy, politics, academics and more. Trump said he would discuss affordability and housing. Trump is also going to Davos this week but whatever, Democratic strategist Mike Nellis replied to Miller. Another X user named Gabe mocked Miller by repeating her statement but replacing Newsoms name with Trumps. Of course Donald Trump is going to Davos. Nothing quite says America First like commiserating to the crowd of the Worlds Elites. You either stand up for America or you should sit down, Gabe wrote. Your day leader is going too you clown, another wrote. Got anything to say about the other guy going to Davis? a third wrote. Newsom has a long history of attending Davos, but hes chosen to return to the international event to serve as an opposing force to Trumps economic agenda, he said in a statement obtained by Politico. open image in gallery Newsom pushed back on Trumps economic policies at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos ( AFP via Getty Images ) Trumps economic agenda betrays our nation: it is not America First but Trump First rewarding the favored, punishing the dissenters, and burdening the rest, Newsom said. The California governor is expected to address Trumps abuses and highlight Californias economic strength. Other U.S. business leaders are expected to attend the annual meetingin Davos, including J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon and Plantair CEO Alex Karp. As part of Trumps delegation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are also attending. 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 Lindsey Halligan, who unsuccessfully brought politically charged indictments against Donald Trumps adversaries, has stepped down from her role as a top federal prosecutor in Virginia. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced her exit hours after a federal judge slammed into Halligans vitriolic defense of her continued use of the U.S. Attorney title, despite a court ruling that found she was unlawfully serving in the role. Her defense contains a level of vitriol more appropriate for a cable news talk show and falls far beneath the level of advocacy expected from litigants in this Court, particularly the Department of Justice, according to Tuesdays order from Virginia District Judge David Novak. The judge ruled that her claim to the title of U.S Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia ignores a binding court order and could result in disciplinary action. She has no legal basis to continue the charade, the judge wrote. open image in gallery Former Trump attorney Lindsey Halligan has no legal basis to continue using the title of US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, according to a judges ruling January 20 ( AFP/Getty ) In a statement Tuesday night, Halligan said her 120-day appointment in the interim role concluded January 20. Earlier, Judge Novak said that any further use of the title of U.S. attorney could be seen as a false statement made in direct defiance of valid court orders. This charade of Ms. Halligan masquerading as the United States Attorney for this District in direct defiance of binding court orders must come to an end, he added. Novak had previously asked the Justice Department to explain why she is still representing herself as the top federal prosecutor in the district despite Novembers order from District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie. A hostile response accused the judge of making rudimentary legal errors and flouting elementary legal principles in a gross abuse of power for daring to suggest that Halligan could be misleading the courts. The document was signed by Halligan and submitted by Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, among others. Trump nominated his one-time personal lawyer as interim U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia after the president boasted of firing her predecessor, who had resisted pressure from the administration to prosecute former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. But Halligan brought indictments against them days after taking office. A federal judge dismissed both cases and determined that Halligan was serving unlawfully in the role. Because Halligan remained in office past the 120-period for interim U.S. attorney, all actions flowing from Ms. Halligans defective appointment, including the cases against Comey and James, were unlawful exercises of executive power and are hereby set aside, according to Curries order. Novak demanded to know the basis for her title and to further explain why her identification does not constitute a false or misleading statement. But according to the Justice Department, Ms. Halligan is the United States Attorney, and Judge Curries ruling did not and could not require the United States to acquiesce to her contrary (and erroneous) legal reasoning outside of those cases. The bottom line is that Ms. Halligan has not misrepresented anything and the Court is flat wrong to suggest that any change to the Governments signature block is warranted in this or any other case, officials wrote last week. open image in gallery Halligan and former Trump attorney Alina Habba (pictured right) are among at least five top federal prosecutors appointed by the president who were found to be serving unlawfully after exceeding a time limit for their temporary roles ( Getty Images ) Trump formally nominated Halligan for U.S. attorney this month. Late last year, she submitted her answers to a questionnaire from the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will consider her nomination before a full Senate vote. Shes the Presidents nominee, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to The Independent last month. It is our hope that she is confirmed and submitting her questionnaire is part of that process. Judges in the Virginia district, meanwhile, are soliciting for their own temporary U.S. attorney until the role is filled. Several other judges have similarly questioned why Halligan has continued to represent herself as the top prosecutor in the Eastern District despite Curries ruling. Earlier this month, Virginia District Judge Leonie M. Brinkeman struck Halligans name from a case, saying that she should resign from the position at this point. Halligan is among at least five U.S. attorneys who were determined to be serving unlawfully after they were appointed by the president. Alina Habba, another former Trump attorney, stepped down from her role as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey after several judges similarly determined she was unlawfully serving as the states top federal prosecutor. Habba, who represented Trump during a blockbuster fraud case in New York and against defamation and sexual abuse claims from E. Jean Carroll, said she is now serving as a senior adviser to Bondi. A federal judge this month also determined that John Sarcone, the top federal prosecutor in the Northern District of New York, was similarly serving unlawfully after the Trump administration tried to outmaneuver a 120-day limit on prosecutors whose nominations had not been confirmed by the Senate. Judges reached similar decisions in cases challenging the appointments of Trump-backed U.S. attorneys in Nevada and Los Angeles. 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 House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he aims to calm the situation over President Donald Trumps threats to acquire Greenland during his current trip to the United Kingdom. Tensions between the US, Greenland and Europe have reached a boiling point as the president threatens to impose tariffs on eight European countries and has refused to rule out military force in his pursuit to gain control of Denmarks self-governing territory. During an interview on British politician Nigel Farages GB News show Monday, Johnson said his role in this global fissure is to keep everyone calm. Farage, a longstanding ally of Trump, warned that the presidents actions threaten the North American-European military alliance of NATO, of which the U.S. and Denmark are members. This is serious and youre here about to speak before Parliament. Is there nothing that can be done here? Farage, leader of the Reform Party, asked Johnson. open image in gallery House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he aims to 'calm the situation' over President Donald Trumps threats to acquire Greenland during his trip to the United Kingdom ( Leon Neal/Getty Images ) Johnson replied: I'm here to encourage our friends and calm the situation. Maybe it's providential that I happen to be here right now. This was not planned, adding, I think we're gonna get beyond this little rift. The Louisiana Republican said he doesnt think NATO is threatened and said Trump greatly values the alliance. Johnson will be the first sitting house speaker to address the Parliament in London on Tuesday. His address is in honor of Americas 250th anniversary and was announced earlier this month. open image in gallery Nigel Farage said Trump's actions, including waging a potential trade war, threaten the NATO military alliance, which Johnson denied ( Dan Kitwood/Getty Images ) The U.S. and the UK have stood together as pillars of peace and security across generations, Johnson said when announcing the trip. We forged this important friendship in the great wars of the 20th century, but the true source of our strength comes from our shared commitment to individual freedom, human dignity, and the rule of law, which together form the exceptional, joint heritage of the English-speaking world. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also called to calm the tensions between the U.S. and the U.K., saying that a trade war is in no ones interests. open image in gallery British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also called to calm the tensions between the U.S. and the U.K., saying that 'a trade war is in no ones interests' ( Jordan Pettitt/POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) The use of tariffs against allies is completely wrong, Starmer said during an emergency press conference Monday. Any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone. Starmer added that the right way to approach an issue of this seriousness is through calm discussion between allies. 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 Aircraft from the North American Aerospace Defense Command are scheduled to arrive in Greenland amidst a period of heightened tensions and a bolstered NATO presence triggered by President Donald Trump's bid to acquire the Danish territory. But, NORAD a bi-national military organization jointly operated by the U.S. and Canada emphasized that these are long-planned operations that were coordinated with Denmark. The aircraft will land at the Pituffik Space Base, located on the northwest coast of Greenland. It is the United States only active base on the Arctic island and was visited by Vice President JD Vance in March. They will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defense cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark, NORAD said in a statement on Monday afternoon. This activity has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark, and all supporting forces operate with the requisite diplomatic clearances, NORAD added. The Government of Greenland is also informed of planned activities. The military organization further noted that such activities are routine. open image in gallery NORAD aircraft will soon fly to Greenland's Pituffik Space Base for long-planned activities that were coordinated with Danish officials ( Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima ) open image in gallery The Pituffik Space Base, located on the northwest coast of the island, is operated by the US Space Force ( Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima ) The influx of military assets and personnel comes after Trump repeatedly expressed his desire to acquire Greenland which has a population of roughly 57,000 people for the U.S. The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security, Trump recently wrote on Truth Social, claiming that Russia and China will take over absent American action. Anything less than that is unacceptable. The White House has said it has several options at its disposal, including purchasing the island or even annexing it by force. Trump's overtures have sparked widespread alarm among NATO allies, who warn that his actions threaten to unravel the long-standing alliance. Some have likened them to Russian President Vladimir Putin's conquest in Ukraine. In response to their opposition, Trump said over the weekend that he was slapping a 10 percent tariff on eight European nations, which he said will be payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland. The leaders of these nations, which include the U.K., France and Denmark, released a joint statement condemning the presidents latest levies, claiming they undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Earlier this week, the 79-year-old Republican president sent a letter to the prime minister of Norway, in which he said he no longer feels an obligation to think purely of peace after he was snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize last year. The same day, when asked whether he would use military force to take Greenland, Trump said: No comment. On Tuesday morning, he posted a fake photo of himself planting an American flag on Greenland. Following Trumps threats, troops from several European nations, including France, Germany and Norway, have been deployed to Greenland to boost the islands security. open image in gallery Vice President JD Vance visited the Greenland base in March, during which he discussed beefing up Greenland's security ( Getty Images ) open image in gallery People protest against Trump's policy towards Greenland in front of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland. Trump has long expressed desire to take Greenland, despite objections at home and abroad ( AP ) Trumps overtures have sparked a rare rebuke from a number of his Republican allies in Congress and from Mike Pence, his former vice president. I have concerns about using what I think is a questionable constitutional authority, imposing unilateral tariffs on NATO allies to achieve this objective, as much as I had concerns about the threat of a military invasion, which apparently is no longer being talked about, Pence told CNNs Jake Tapper Sunday. Theres certainly not an appetite here for some of the options that have been talked about or considered, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said last week. Senator Mitch McConnell, Thunes predecessor, said that military action against the territory would be an unprecedented act of strategic self-harm, which would risk incinerating NATO alliances. Meanwhile, Congressman Don Bacon predicted such an action which he called the dumbest thing Ive ever heard would result in Trumps impeachment. A number of congressional Republicans, though, have offered Trump their full-throated support. When it comes to Greenland, I want to commend President Trump for being single-mindedly focused on America first, Texas Senator Ted Cruz told Fox News Sunday. I believe it is overwhelmingly in Americas national interest to acquire Greenland ... The whole history of America has been a history of acquiring new lands and new territories. Polls show that there is little public appetite for taking over Greenland, with a recent Ipsos survey revealing that just 17 percent of Americans support Trumps plan. In Greenland, where anti-Trump protests have erupted in recent days, even fewer residents back Trumps move to acquire the island which would rival the Louisiana Purchase. A poll commissioned by Danish newspaper Berlingske last January found just 6 percent of Greenlanders would support joining 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 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said there was no connection between Donald Trumps quest for a Nobel Prize and his campaign to take over Greenland, even though the president himself linked the two in a message to his Norwegian counterpart. I think its a complete canard that theres any kind of equivalence with the Nobel Prize, Bessent told CNBCs Squawk Box from the World Economic Forum in Davos. This has been on the presidents mind since his first term. Its been on the presidential mind for 150 years, 160 years [that] the U.S. has been trying to acquire Greenland. This is not something new. Instead, the Treasury Secretary continued, the U.S. pursuit of Greenland is because it is strategically important in defense terms to counter Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic and beyond. The comments from Bessent, who often serves as a more moderate messenger for the administrations plans, contrasted with those from Trump himself. In a messaged leaked this week, Trump reportedly told Norways prime minister Jonas Gahr Stre the quest for Greenland was tied directly to the presidents long-running claim he deserves a Nobel. open image in gallery Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday there was no relation between President Trumps quest to take over Greenland and his campaign for a Nobel Prize, despite reports of a leaked letter from Trump saying the opposite ( AP ) Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America, Trump reportedly wrote. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland, he reportedly added. An independent committee awards the prize, and it was won in October by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who gave the prize to Trump during a White House visit this month. The Nobel Committee has reiterated that the gesture did not alter who should be considered the 2025 honoree. The presidents quest for the island territory, which is opposed by both local officials and Greenlands parent country, Denmark, has rattled the NATO bloc. open image in gallery President Trumps push for the U.S. to take over Greenland, and his threats to tariff European allies who oppose it, has rattled the NATO alliance ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) Tensions have only increased given Trumps repeated suggestions military force could be on the table to take Greenland, as well as recent U.S. threats to tariff the UK, Denmark, and other European countries if they oppose his bid for the island. During his CNBC interview, Bessent sought to tamp down on larger speculation that Trump is harming the U.S. reputation as a reliable financial and diplomatic partner to the point that Europeans might sell their U.S. assets. Bessent said such suggestions were media hysterics and called on peer countries to take a deep breath and not to escalate. 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 issued criminal grand jury subpoenas to at least five top Democratic officials in Minnesota who are accused of obstructing a surge of federal law enforcement officers supporting Donald Trumps mass deportation campaign. Federal investigators are targeting Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Mayor Kaohly Her of St. Paul, among others, marking a dramatic escalation of the Trump administrations clash with Democratic officials who have criticized operations as a violent assault on the state and its residents. The subpoenas also target top Minnesota prosecutors, including state Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. The Justice Department appears to be investigating whether state and local officials conspired to impede federal officers from immigration enforcement. Homeland Security has deployed hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officers into the state, making more than 10,000 arrests in recent weeks, according to the agency. The surge is Homeland Securitys largest immigration enforcement operation yet, with officers accused of violently targeting immigrants and citizens alike and facing off against protesters in clashes throughout the Minneapolis area. open image in gallery Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is among top Democratic officials in the state subpoenaed by Trumps Department of Justice on allegations that they obstructed federal officers supporting the presidents mass deportation agenda ( Getty Images ) The president has repeatedly suggested he could deploy active-duty military against Americans after demonstrations against his agenda escalated in the wake of the killing of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer earlier this month. The president has labeled protesters professional agitators and insurrectionists in a state run by corrupt politicians who are now accused of conspiring against the federal government. Minnesota officials, meanwhile, have sued the administration to stop the surge, alleging the operation is a politically motivated and unconstitutional attack on the state. Tuesdays subpoenas appear related to the work in their offices, not in their personal capacity. The subpoenas command officials to testify before a federal grand jury and provide extensive documents to prosecutors, including all records and communications regarding immigration enforcement and instructions about cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The subpoenas also ask for all documents relating to hindering, doxxing, identifying, or surveilling immigration officers. open image in gallery Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey were among officials subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury ( REUTERS ) Walz said his state will not be drawn into political theater. This Justice Department investigation, sparked by calls for accountability in the face of violence, chaos, and the killing of Renee Good, does not seek justice, he said in a statement on Tuesday. It is a partisan distraction. Minnesotans are more concerned with safety and peace rather than with baseless legal tactics aimed at intimidating public servants standing shoulder to shoulder with their community. When the federal government weaponizes its power to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned, Mayor Frey said in a statement. We shouldnt live in a country where federal law enforcement is used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with, he added. In Minneapolis, we won't be afraid. We know the difference between right and wrong and, as mayor, I'll continue doing the job I was elected to do: keeping our community safe and standing up for our values. Ellison said Trump is weaponizing the justice system against him and other officials, instead of seriously investigating the killing of Renee Good. Everything about this is highly irregular, especially the fact that this comes shortly after my office sued the Trump Administration to challenge their illegal actions within Minnesota, Ellison said in a statement. Let's be clear about why this is happening: Donald Trump is coming after the people of Minnesota and I'm standing in his way. I will not be intimidated, and I will not stop working to protect Minnesotans from Trump's campaign of retaliation and revenge. The Twin Cities are home to roughly 80,000 people of Somali ancestry, the vast majority of whom are legal residents or American citizens. But the president seizing on a series of fraud cases involving government programs where most of the defendants have roots in Somalia is surging federal law enforcement officers and Justice Department resources into the state as part of his nationwide efforts to deport millions of people. The Pentagon has prepared nearly 1,500 troops for possible deployment to the state as the president threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act to suppress protests against an aggressive immigration enforcement operation that has targeted immigrants and citizens alike. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says 10,000 people have been arrested. 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 Donald Trump has shared an AI generated image showing him planting the American flag on Greenland as tensions over his bid to take the territory grow. The president continues to insist that the U.S. take ownership of Greenland from Denmark, arguing it is needed for security reasons and to prevent either Russia or China taking the island. Trump took to Truth Social in the early hours of Tuesday to share the image of himself, vice president JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio posing with the Stars and Stripes. A sign in the foreground reads: GREENLAND - US TERRITORY EST. 2026. open image in gallery Donald Trump shared the AI generated flag image on Truth Social ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) A second AI-generated photo on Truth Social saw Trump in the Oval Office with European leaders, presenting them with a map showing Greenland, Canada and Venezuela covered in the U.S. flag. British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, French president Emmanuel Macron and president of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen are among those looking on in the faked picture. Trump isnt the only U.S. figure who has shared pictures of Greenland with the stars and stripes of late. Earlier this month Katie Miller, conservative podcast host and wife of White House advisor Stephen Miller, shared a picture of the territory with an American flag on it, with the caption: SOON. open image in gallery Trump shared another AI-generated image on Truth Social with fellow world leaders ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) Trump has threatened the U.K., Denmark and other European countries with 10 percent tariffs on any and all goods sent to the U.S. from 1 February, increased to 25 per cent from 1 June until a deal is reached for Washington to take Greenland from Denmark. As part of his crackdown on the European alliance, Trump went on to launch a blistering attack on Britain in which he called Starmers plan to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius one of great stupidity, declaring it another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. He then shared purported screenshots of messages sent to him by Macron and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte. Rutte, as per the screenshots, told Trump that what the U.S. president accomplished in Syria was incredible, adding: I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. On Monday, Norways prime minister confirmed he had received a letter about Greenlands future from Trump in which the president took issue his failure to win the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The letter read: Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a right of ownership anyway? There are no written documents, it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT". Seconds. Thats how long it took for Donald Trumps carefully choreographed visit to the Ford Motor Company factory in Dearborn, Michigan, to unfold into mechanical failure. After speaking to the press in front of whirring, clanging machinery, the president was exiting via an elevated walkway when an auto worker shouted, Paedophile protector! from the factory floor a reference to the still-to-be-released Epstein files. Trumps reaction was instantaneous: he raised his middle finger at the worker or flipped him the bird, to use the American vernacular a gesture the White House later described as an appropriate and unambiguous response. But at least one person there, inconspicuous among the men flanking the president in their peacock blue suits, may have shaken her head and thought: here we go again. Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff and Trumps former campaign manager, responsible for securing his second term, had for so long been a study in tactical silence. To some, Wiles is the only person capable of tethering Trump to reality; to others, she is the master enabler, standing by in the shadows as the norms of the presidency are dismantled one hand gesture at a time. open image in gallery Trump whisperer: Susie Wiles is seen as someone who has the presidents ear ( Reuters ) But the quiet discipline that has defined Wiless career was recently fractured by an explosive story in Vanity Fair at the end of last year, for which she gave a series of interviews to journalist Chris Whipple that offered a level of candour Whipple described as astonishing. In the profile, the woman who usually shuns the limelight was suddenly on the record, characterising vice-president JD Vance as a conspiracy theorist, labelling Elon Musk an avowed ketamine user, and, most provocatively, suggesting that Trump, despite his teetotalism, possesses an alcoholics personality. Wiles attempted to walk back the damage, claiming the context of her remarks had been disregarded. Whipple, however, insisted everything was on the record and likened the administrations reaction to a Watergate-style non-denial denial, noting that not a single factual assertion had been formally challenged. Perhaps most revealing was Trumps own reaction. Rather than the customary Youre fired for such a breach of loyalty, he rushed to Wiless defence, telling the New York Post, Shes done a fantastic job. It was a moment that underscored Wiless unique standing: she is perhaps the only person in Trumps orbit who can speak the unvarnished truth about the big personalities in the room and remain indispensable. The Vanity Fair story could have unceremoniously ended her tenure. But it didnt. I wrote about Wiles for The Independent before she became headline news herself. At the time she was seen, as The Hill put it, the most powerful Republican you dont know. And to really understand the machine operating within the West Wing for Trumps second term, you can arguably look no further than the Golden Girl of Jacksonville. At 68, this cake-baking, bird-watching grandmother has seen it all. She has navigated the high-stakes egos of Ronald Reagan and New York congressman and conservative icon Jack Kemp, but it was her role as the saviour of Trumps Florida operation the data-driven machine she built to turn the USAs most volatile swing state into a red fortress that cemented her reputation as a political savant and Trumps most-trusted matriarch. open image in gallery The enforcer: Wiles is at the heart of the White House operation ( Reuters ) Those who have known her for decades describe a woman who operates with a velvet glove. Peter Schorsch, publisher of Florida Politics, told me that while she possesses a Southern grandmotherly kindness, her professional boundaries are iron-clad. Susie does not f*** around, Schorsch said. There is no other way to say it. Its not that shes hard, its not that shes mean, but if you try to promote yourself, flimflam, or youre not honest about something, Susie will knife you herself. Yet the central mystery remains: how does a practising Episcopalian, described by former Jacksonville mayor John Delaney as a really nice person who would bring over a casserole if you were sick, reconcile her personal moderation with the chaotic firebrand she now serves? Delaney, who hired Wiles as his own chief of staff in the 1990s, suggested that Wiles is the ultimate pragmatist, able to overlook a candidates delivery for the sake of the broader conservative agenda an absolutely brilliant political savant with incredible instincts about what the public thinks. But after the latest wildcard moves and flare-ups from Trump, which are threatening the very foundation of Nato, has the time come for her to stand up to the boss? Psychiatrist Bandy X Lee, who has long warned of Trumps volatility, sees Wiles as more than just a gatekeeper; she views her as a figure with the unique capacity to lead, activate, or encourage any path toward reining in a dangerous person. Lee is a global authority on violence prevention, taught at Yale, and edited the New York Times 2017 bestseller The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, in which more than two dozen mental health experts argue that the presidents state of mind poses a clear and present danger. While it was controversial at the time, as none of the medical professions had had any direct access to their subject, Lee says that psychiatrists have an obligation to improve society and to better public health. [And] this includes protecting its safety and acting, as we always do, if anyone is a danger to society. In this case, she says, theyre not treating the person as a patient but fulfilling their duty to society at large. Lee emphasises that in addition to diagnosing private patients, mental health professionals also have a responsibility to keep society safe, and its on that basis that she has been speaking out about Trump. So, who, if anyone is equipped to rein in his worst traits? open image in gallery Wherever Trump goes, Wiles is never far behind ( AP ) At this point, it is better [for Wiles] to be low-key because Donald Trump has been immensely emboldened and also has become highly aggressive, as we basically allowed him to balloon in his expectations by giving him unlimited power. That is always very dangerous because reality never meets expectations, and he will always be angrier, more enraged, and more paranoid and vengeful against the world. This is why mental health experts felt it was so urgent to come out and warn the public back in early 2017 when I held my conference and published the book. Lee notes the CIA has a whole division that analyses the psychology of foreign leaders, but we ourselves are not doing it regarding our own erratic leader. Shes referring to the Center for the Analysis of Personality and Political Behaviour, a division of the agency founded in the late 1960s. In this department, the FBI uses at-a-distance profiling, scrutinising speech patterns, dissecting childhood influences, and reading the tells in body language. Their most famous proof of concept came during the 1978 Camp David Accords to navigate the clashing egos of Israels Menachem Begin and Egypts Anwar El-Sadat. President Jimmy Carter managed to broker a peace that many thought impossible, and he later noted that the CIAs assessments were so uncannily accurate, he wouldnt have altered a single word. I believe Trump is developmentally wounded in a way that he seeks out parental figures, which is why hes drawn to strong men and why he disparages women Jerrold Post, founder of Center for the Analysis of Personality and Political Behavior Jerrold Post, founder of the division, contributed a chapter to Lees 2017 book on the president. I believe Trump is developmentally wounded in a way that he seeks out parental figures, which is why hes drawn to strong men, why he disparages women, [why he] continues to replace those around him with those who will either echo or buttress his own psychological defects, [but] at the same time is looking for a mother figure, Lee says. When it comes to his relationship with his own mother, Mary Anne, Trump often portrays her as the counterbalance to his father, Fred Trump, who was known to be tough, disciplinarian and transactional. But that is not to say his mother didnt have a strong personality of her own. A Scottish immigrant, she wasnt passive; she was proud and capable of standing her ground, and Trump has said she adored him and encouraged his ambition. Wiles, too, is a senior woman, highly experienced, adept at quietly exerting her authority in a male-dominated room. Could that explain their relationship and inform how Trump responds to her? She would have to have robust psychological health in order to resist the kinds of temptations, manipulations, and exploitation that these individuals engage in, Lee says. But she would also have to take steps to insulate herself from what Ive called Trump contagion, because when youre continually exposed to an individual with severe mental pathologies, its not the healthy individuals who make the impaired person well. Its that the severe symptoms tend to spread. His way of viewing the world will have spread and resonated with people who have now been conditioned into his way of thinking. And thats what were seeing. So, as those around Trump for his second term seem to do his bidding with blind loyalty, could Susie Wiles, the first woman in history to hold the position of White House chief of staff, be the one person to calm the chaos? If so, she will be able to succeed where those ahead of her failed. A former chief of staff, John Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, was brought in to impose discipline on a chaotic first-term White House. While Trump initially praised him as a stabilising, authoritative figure, the pair fell out spectacularly when Kelly tried to enforce procedures and curb impulsive decision-making. Trump resented what he saw as control and obstruction and fired him after 17 months, whereas Kelly said he resigned and went on to become one of the presidents most outspoken critics, saying his former boss met the definition of a fascist. He warned that Trump was unfit to serve again a rare and striking statement from a former chief of staff. Susie Wiles could buttress her efforts by consulting with mental health experts, Lee says today, so she could know more about how to apply these techniques. John Kelly apparently used the book as a guide in his attempts to deal with Trumps irrational behaviour, though it didnt necessarily play out as he might have wished. With Wiless Vanity Fair observations about Trumps personality hanging in the air, it suggests she is as knowing as she is loyal. But as she disappeared into the shadows and drove away from the Ford plant last week, maybe she also knew that, realistically, she couldnt change the nature of the man only manage the fallout. 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 European Unions top official has called into question President Donald Trump's trustworthiness while labeling new tariffs over Greenland a mistake between long-standing allies. The tension over Trumps threats to take over Greenland has reached a new high as the situation could push the EU to deploy one of the its most powerful tools of retaliation. While the furor over Trump's desire for control of the vast Arctic island was a focus of an elite annual meeting in Switzerland, Greenland's leader insisted on respect for its territorial integrity and said that respect for international law is not a game. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed back against Trump's announcement that starting February, a 10% import tax will be imposed on goods from eight European nations that have rallied around Denmark in the wake of his escalating calls for the United States to take over Greenland. The Arctic island is a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July, von der Leyen said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. And in politics as in business a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen vowed that the EUs response to Trumps threats will be unflinching, united and proportional ( AFP/Getty ) We consider the people of the United States not just our allies, but our friends. And plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape, she added. She vowed that the EUs response will be unflinching, united and proportional. Trump, who will speak in Davos on Wednesday and said on social media that he had agreed to a meeting of the various parties there, has insisted the U.S. needs the territory for security reasons against possible threats from China and Russia. Earlier Tuesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Americas relations with Europe remain strong and urged trading partners to take a deep breath and let tensions driven the new tariff threats over Greenland play out. I think our relations have never been closer, he said. But Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, speaking in the Danish parliament, said that the worst may still be ahead of us. She said that we have never sought conflict. We have consistently sought cooperation. Not a game Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen insisted at a news conference in the island's capital, Nuuk, that we need to have respect for international law and territorial integrity. He said those principles should unite Western democratic countries, and said he was grateful for support from EU allies. International law, it's not a game, he said. We have been a close and loyal ally to the United States, to NATO, through many, many, many years. We can do lots more in that framework. We are willing to cooperate much more, but of course in mutual respect, and if we cannot see that, it will be very difficult to have a good and reliable partnership. The American leaders threats have sparked outrage and a flurry of diplomatic activity across Europe, as leaders consider possible countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs and the first-ever use of the European Unions anti-coercion instrument. Unofficially known as the trade bazooka, the anti-coercion instrument could sanction individuals or institutions found to be putting undue pressure on the EU. In addition, the EU has two other major economic tools it could use to pressure Washington: new tariffs, or a suspension of the U.S.-EU trade deal. Macron warned in Davos that the additional tariffs could force the EU to use its anti-coercion mechanism for the very first time against the United States. Can you imagine that? he said, arguing that allied countries should be focusing on bringing peace to Ukraine. This is crazy. In general, he said, the mechanism is a powerful instrument and we should not hesitate to deploy it in todays tough environment. Trump earlier posted a text message from Macron in which the French president suggested a meeting of members of the Group of Seven industrialized democracies in Paris after the Davos gathering. An official close to Macron, who spoke anonymously in line with the French presidency's customary practices, confirmed the message shared by Trump is genuine. In his latest threat of tariffs, Trump indicated that the import taxes would be retaliation for last weeks deployment of symbolic numbers of troops from the European countries to Greenland though he also suggested that he was using the tariffs as leverage to negotiate with Denmark. Newsom urges Europe to show backbone Speaking on the sidelines of Davos, California Gov. Gavin Newsom slammed Europes response to Trump's tariff threats as pathetic and embarrassing, and urged European leaders to unite and stand up to the United States. It is time to get serious, and stop being complicit, Newsom told reporters. Its time to stand tall and firm, have a backbone. Monday night, Greenlands European backers looked at establishing a more permanent military presence in the High North to help guarantee security in the Arctic region, a key demand of the United States, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said. Jonson said after talks with his counterparts from Denmark, Greenland and Norway that European members of NATO are currently doing whats called a reconnaissance tour in order to identify what kind of needs there are when it comes to infrastructure and exercises and so forth. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov strongly denied any intention by Russia and China to threaten Greenland, while also describing Greenland as a colonial gain for Denmark. At a news conference, he said that in principle, Greenland isnt a natural part of Denmark. US-UK tensions over Chagos Islands In another sign of tension between allies, the British government on Tuesday defended its decision to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after Trump attacked the plan, which his administration previously supported. Trump said that relinquishing the remote Indian Ocean archipelago, home to a strategically important American naval and bomber base, was an act of stupidity that shows why he needs to take over Greenland. In a speech to lawmakers at Britain's Parliament Tuesday, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said he hoped to calm the waters as Trump roils the trans-Atlantic relationship with his desire to take over Greenland. Johnson said the U.S. and the U.K. have always been able to work through our differences calmly, as friends. We will continue to do that. 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 Fox News host Sean Hannity has thrown his support behind the idea of the U.S. paying Greenlands 56,000 residents $100,000 each as part of a deal to take over the territory, calling the idea a no-brainer. Reuters reported earlier this month that Trump administration officials had discussed paying Greenlanders directly as one way to take control of the Arctic island from Denmark, with Secretary of State Marco Rubiodownplaying the possibility of seizing it by force. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt subsequently admitted that President Donald Trumps top aides were looking at what a potential purchase would look like without making a definite commitment. Discussing the $5.6 billion plan on Mondays episode of Hannity, the presenter told his guest, Missouri Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt, that he was entirely behind the proposal. Donald Trumps forever in a state of negotiation, Hannity told Schmitt. Everythings negotiable. A $100,000 for every person in Greenland on average making 60 grand a year Denmarks not exactly been generous to them. open image in gallery Sean Hannity discusses the prospect of the U.S. paying out $100,000 per citizen of Greenland to acquire their country from Denmark on his Fox News show on Monday in the company of Missouri Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt ( Fox News ) They dont have the ability to help them take their natural resources to the next level and enrich every person in Greenland. We do I dont know. Seems like a no-brainer to me. This is very top of mind for him, Schmitt said in reply. This is something that hes very serious about, and I am glad he is. The senator went on to advise Europeans to pivot away from this pride theyre exhibiting and understand the United States of America is the only country on the planet that can protect Greenland and the NATO alliance by acquiring Greenland. Trump has ramped up his rhetoric about acquiring the territory in recent days, threatening Americas European allies with higher tariffs if they refuse to support his dream and insisting the U.S. needs to assume control of Greenland to safeguard its own national security interests amid renewed threats from China and Russia. Denmark has responded by increasing its military presence on the island. open image in gallery A meme posted by President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Monday showing himself planting an American flag in Greenlands soil, observed by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) Meanwhile, in a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store released Monday, the president complained about Stores country not giving him the Nobel Peace Prize last year and said that, in light of that disappointment: I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a right of ownership anyway? There are no written documents, its only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. He has since posted provocative AI images on Truth Social of himself planting the Stars-and-Stripes in Greenlands soil and showing off a map to his European counterparts in the Oval Office marking the territory, as well as Canada and Venezuela, as American land. As for Hannity, his enthusiasm for the payment scheme marks a sharp change in attitude, given that, as recently as January 9, he interviewed the president and asked how his focus on foreign policy concerns over the New Year could be squared with his America First agenda. Noting that Trump had dedicated a lot of time, energy, and resources to overseas matters, particularly compared to his first term, Hannity asked him: How is that in America Firsts interest, because thats what you stand for? open image in gallery Greenlanders protest against Trumps colonial rhetoric in front of the U.S. consulate in Nuuk on Saturday ( AP ) The president responded with a rambling answer about the importance of stability in the Middle East, but the question was arguably of greater significance. In asking it, Hannity was inviting Trump to allay concerns raised by the likes of former GOP congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who argued he had lost sight of the domestic priorities about which his base cared most. The president did not take him up on it. A keen exponent of America First, Hannity previously hailed the end of Joe Bidens tenure in the White House by saying, Thankfully, this very sad, pathetic chapter in American history is now coming to an end. America First is back in a big way. He subsequently applauded Trump last April when he announced his controversial reciprocal tariffs program, seeking to reset the terms of international trade, by declaring emphatically: This is what it means to be America First. 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 Justice Department is considering weakening federal gun regulations in order to curry favor with Second Amendment activists, according to reports. Unnamed insiders told The Washington Post that the Trump administration is mulling whether to loosen limits on private firearm sales, imports, and shipping by mail. The changes are reportedly still being debated, with officials weighing the need to please the gun rights lobby while maintaining the power of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). But in at least one way, the proposed changes would tighten the rules: requiring gun buyers to list their birth sex on the purchase paperwork, even if they have legally or medically changed it. That would force transgender people who have changed their names to effectively out themselves as trans or else lie on a government form. Trump-supporting gun owners pose outside the Utah State Capitol during a Second Amendment rally in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 2020 ( George Frey / AFP via Getty Images ) The Biden Administration waged war against the Second Amendment, but that era has come to an end under Attorney General [Pam] Bondi, who has led the Justice Departments effort to protect the Second Amendment through litigation, civil rights enforcement, regulatory reform, and by ending abusive enforcement practices," a DoJ spokesperson told the Post. Whenever law-abiding gun owners constitutional rights are violated, the Trump Administration will fight back in defense of freedom and the Constitution." The Trump administration has often sought to roll back gun laws, such as by suing the District of Columbia over its restrictions on semi-automatic weapons and asking the Supreme Court to review a law against people who use illegal drugs possessing firearms. Meanwhile, federal gun seizures have dropped dramatically as the administration reassigns ATF agents to its sweeping crackdown against immigrants. The notable exception has been trans people. Last year the DoJ reportedly considered whether it could ban trans people from gun ownership entirely, on the basis that being trans makes you mentally ill. Gun rights groups spoke out against that idea, with the National Rifle Association saying it "does not, and will not, support any policy proposals that implement sweeping gun bans that arbitrarily strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights without due process." The Independent has asked the ATF 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 leading doctor who treated the late Vice President Dick Cheney has called for an investigation into President Donald Trumps mental fitness. Dr. Jonathan Reiner, Cheneys longtime cardiologist, claimed that Trump's extraordinary letter to Norways prime minister should trigger a bipartisan congressional inquiry. In Trumps aggressive pursuit of the Danish territory of Greenland, he wrote to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere in a letter leaked Monday, where Trump warned he no longer feels an obligation to think purely of peace after being snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize. This letter, and the fact that the president directed that it be distributed to other European countries, should trigger a bipartisan congressional inquiry into presidential fitness, Reiner reacted in a post on X. Trump has repeatedly boasted about acing cognitive exams and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously claimed the president has nothing to hide when it comes to his health. open image in gallery A leading doctor who treated the late Vice President Dick Cheney has called for an investigation into President Donald Trumps mental fitness ( AP ) Reiner was not the only prominent voice questioning the presidents mental fitness. The president of the United States is extremely mentally ill and its putting all of our lives at risk, said Democratic Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona. The 25th Amendment exists for a reasonwe need to invoke it immediately. Fellow Democrats Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Rep. Eric Swalwell of California also called to invoke the 25th Amendment in the wake of the letter. The amendment allows the presidents cabinet to remove them from office if enough members vote to do so. Eliot A. Cohen, professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins and a former State Department counselor, said there was only one possible explanation of Trump's note to the Norwegian prime minister: mental illness. Swedish economist Anders Aslund, chairman of the International Advisory Council at the Center for Social and Economic Research, asked, Isn't the U.S. able to provide Trump with the necessary mental treatment? in a social media post on X. open image in gallery One of the AI images Trump posted on Truth Social, as critics claimed for an investigation into his mental fitness ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) How can the republicans in the U.S. Congress accept that an obviously mentally ill person remains U.S. president? Aslund added. Responding previously to speculation over the presidents health, Leavitt said Trump has nothing to hide, unlike his predecessor Joe Biden, who hid from the press and lied about his clear physical and mental decline. While some question Trumps mental fitness, the president unleashed on European leaders in a series of Truth Social posts early Tuesday. The president posted AI images of himself in the White House lecturing European leaders next to a map showing Greenland and Canada as American territory. Another showed him planting a U.S. flag in Greenlands soil alongside Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump also threatened to slap France with 200 percent tariffs on French wine and cheese after he shared a private text message he received from President Emmanuel Macron, saying he did not understand what the president was doing when it came to Greenland. 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 Trump has lashed out against Minneapolis protesters who interrupted a church service, claiming they were paid professionals who should be imprisoned or deported. No person acts the way they act. They are highly trained to scream, rant, and rave, like lunatics, in a certain manner, just like they are doing, he wrote in a post on Truth Social, in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Trump described the protesters as agitators and insurrectionists after watching footage of the incident at a Minnesota church on Sunday, January 18, in which demonstrators interrupted its services to oppose ICEs presence in their state. The group stormed into Cities Church in St Paul to demand that federal immigration forces leave the state and to call for justice for Renee Nicole Good, the 37-year-old mother-of-three shot dead by agent Jonathan Ross on the streets of Minneapolis earlier this month. open image in gallery Protesters chanted ICE out as they stormed a Minnesota church on Sunday, January 18. ( AP ) The church in question was targeted by protesters because one of its pastors, David Easterwood, is the acting director of ICEs St. Paul field office. Former CNN broadcaster turned independent journalist Don Lemon shared a livestream of interviews and footage from the event, following the group inside as they chanted ICE out. This will not stand, they cannot pretend to be a house of God, while harboring someone who is commanding ICE agents to terrorize our communities, protester Nekima Levy Armstrong told Lemon. Worshippers were angered by the interruption, with one churchgoer saying: These people have come into our house and theyve interrupted our worship. Everybodys gone home, their point has been proven worthless and so, in the end, I think they lose. I feel violated, I feel interrupted, I feel angry. Clips of the event caused outrage among MAGA conservatives, with calls for Lemon to be investigated by the Department of Justice and FBI, and influencer Benny Johnson claiming that the journalists actions amounted to not just an obscene violation of the FACE Act its likely a hate crime. The FACE Act of 1994, Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances, created legal protections for reproductive health clinics and places of worship, making it a crime to use force, obstruct, or attempt to intimidate anyone operating in such venues. open image in gallery Rapper Nicki Minaj lashed out at independent journalist Don Lemon, with Lemon responding that she was unhinged and homophobic. ( Getty Images ) Rapper Nicki Minaj, who has become a full-throated MAGA supporter in recent months, was among those calling for Lemons arrest. Lemon fired back, saying in a statement to TMZ that Minaj does not understand journalism, later describing her on social media as unhinged and homophobic. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon has announced the DOJs Civil Rights Division is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers. In turn, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned: President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship. In his post on Truth Social, Trump accused those involved of being troublemakers who should be thrown in jail, or thrown out of the Country, directing particular ire at Democratic lawmakers who have opposed his immigration crackdown in the state. The first to go should be [Minnesota Governor Tim] Walz, and Fake Sleazebag, [Representative] Ilhan Omar, who is supposedly worth over $30 Million Dollars, even though shes never had anything but a Government job. Investigate these Corrupt Politicians, and do it now! The White House was approached for additional clarification on his 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 At the beginning of the 119th Congress, the House of Representatives looked like it would repeat the debacle of the 15 rounds of voting it took to make Kevin McCarthy speaker of the House before he would be torpedoed 10 months later for Mike Johnson. A handful of the loudest rabble rousers in the conservative House Freedom Caucus had abstained in the first roll call for votes. But in the end, after some regrouping and whipping, Mike Johnson would get enough votes to become speaker of the House once again. Only one Republican voted against making Johnson speaker: Rep. Thomas Massie, the idiosyncratic libertarian from Kentucky who would go on to be a thorn in Trumps side. This would begin a similar pattern throughout President Donald Trumps first year back in the White House: a handful of Republicans in Congress would voice their criticisms of any initiative Trump wanted, theyd hem and haw to the press, Johnson would call the president to lobby and eventually, almost all Republicans but Massie and maybe one other would get on board. It represented a fundamental shift within the GOP: When Trump first became president in 2017, many of its elder statesmen remained uneasy about him. open image in gallery Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rand Paul, Brian Fitzpatrick and Thom Tillis all decided to stand up to Trump in his first year despite the high political cost ( Getty ) His predecessor for the Republican nomination for president, Mitt Romney, would become his loudest critic in the Senate. Romneys 2012 running mate Paul Ryan, who preceded Johnson as speaker of the House, tried to ignore Trump despite their significant differences on everything from trade to immigration. The 2008 Republican nominee for president, John McCain, teamed up with Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins to kill his attempt to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act. But now, McCain is dead, Romney and Ryan left Congress and many of the other statesmen in the GOP no longer occupy the halls of power. After initially, showing some nerve breaking with Trump on the nomination of Pete Hegseth to become secretary of Defense, Murkowski and Collins would greenlight most of his other nominees. This means that open dissent within the GOP does not exist as much anymore. Stories that would have felled cabinet secretaries of yore become two-day stories at best. And few Republicans dare to criticize Trump lest they get an angry post on Truth Social. That makes the ones left stand in starker contrast. While many of them still vote with Trump, others have decided to ultimately call it a day. Heres a list of the unlikely rebels in the first year of Trumps presidency. open image in gallery Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) led the charge to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein and has regularly clashed with Trump about deficits and government spending. ( Getty ) Rep. Thomas Massie No Republican has broken with Trump more than Massie. Not only would he oppose Johnson becoming speaker, he also opposed the passage of the One, Big Beautiful Bill on the grounds that it blows up the deficit. Massie regularly wears a pin that shows the U.S. debt ticking up gradually. And when the Justice Department and the FBI released a two-page memo saying the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein did not keep a client list, he and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) gathered enough signatures for the discharge petition to force a release of the files. Since then, hes hounded the Justice Department for not releasing the files. This has led to Trump supporting a primary challenge to Massie. Do my constituents want another rubber stamp up here, or do they want somebody who forms their opinions? Massie said. But Massie said he thinks Republicans will soon start to find their nerve. And so I think once we get past these primaries, a lot of my Republican colleagues will find their voice, but they're afraid of getting primary by somebody supported by the President. open image in gallery Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has criticized Trump on a number of fronts ranging from government spending to tariffs to military action. ( REUTERS ) Sen. Rand Paul Like Massie, Paul, another libertarian has specifically criticized Trump running roughshod over executive authority and running up the budget deficit. While hes supported even Trumps most controversial nominees, he opposed the One Big, Beautiful Bill. Hes joined with Democrats to oppose Trumps tariffs and last week, he held the line and did not flip his vote on a War Powers Act resolution to prevent Trump from taking further military action in Venezuela. Paul specifically called out the hypocrisy of his Republican colleagues afterward. I think the biggest contrast was, you know, that when Republicans, a little over a year brought up that Biden putting troops in to build that pier just of Gaza, that was a war powers resolution, Democrats brought up a point of order saying it wasn't a war because there were no troops, every Republican, including me, voted that it was war powers, he said. So every Republican voted that Gaza was a war, he said. But now every Republicans on record voted that invading, bombing capital of Venezuela, taking the president and blockading an entire country is not a war. Paul has been a gadfly for both parties on everything from executive power to spending to military action, and Trump has antagonized him as well ever since they ran against each other for president. These two competing versions of conservatism will likely not find a way to reconcile. open image in gallery Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.) has one calling card that allows him to avoid Trumps scrutiny: he keeps winning in a blue district. ( Getty Images ) Brian Fitzpatrick The Pennsylvania Republican has perhaps the perfect rebuttal to conservatives who derisively label him a RINO (Republican in Name Only): he wins his district that encompasses the suburbs of Philadelphia that voted for Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Fitzpatrick joined Massie in his opposition to the One Big, Beautiful Bill. Hes also a major supporter of Ukraine. He attempted to broker a bipartisan deal to temporarily extend the expanded tax credits for the Affordable Care Acts health insurance marketplace. But when Johnson put the kibosh on allowing an amendment to the larger Republican health care bill, Fitzpatrick and a few other Republicans joined House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries discharge petition to force a vote on the legislation. In addition, Fitzpatrick voted to override Trumps veto of Rep. Lauren Boeberts legislation on water rights when many of his colleagues refused to do so. Hes also led the charge to ban members of Congress and their spouses from owning stocks, teaming up with conservatives like Anna Paulina Luna of Florida and progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. open image in gallery Marjorie Taylor Greene started out as a steadfast Trump supporter. But she increasingly broke with Trump on foreign policy, health care and finally, Jeffrey Epstein. ( Getty ) Marjorie Taylor Greene No defection shocked Washington more than Trumps breakup with Marjorie Taylor Greene. The Georgia Republican had come to Congress as one of the main proponents of the QAnon conspiracy theory and wore a Covid mask saying Trump won, repeating the lie that the 2020 election was stolen. She regularly antagonized her Democratic colleagues and even some Republicans. She began to break with Trump after the initial House passage of the One Big Beautiful Bills provision banning states from regulating AI. She spoke out after Trump conducted strikes on Irans nuclear facilities. But the big break would come when she would join a discharge petition with Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Around this same time, she criticized Republican leadership for not coming up with a solution for the Affordable Care Acts expanded tax credits. Trump would un-endorse her. Greene would continue her push, ultimately leading to the passage of the legislation, but only a few days later, she would announce her resignation from Congress. But while it might have been seen as a surrender by some, Greene threw one more wrench in Johnsons plans by depriving him of one additional vote in his slim majority. She also said she would offer to help Massie. Thom Tillis Trumps clash with Greene only causes temporary pain since her district is will replace her with a Trump loyalist. But Trumps decision to criticize Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, became a self-inflicted wound. Initially, it looked like Tillis would go along with Trump. He voted to confirm Hegseth and shepherded Kash Patels nomination to become FBI director through the Senate Judiciary Committee. But his break came when he opposed the One Big, Beautiful Bill. After Trump criticized Tillis on social media, he finally had enough and said he would not seek re-election in the Tar Heel state. That gives Democrats an opportunity to flip a seat in a battleground state. Since then, Tillis has placed a hold on Homeland Security nominees through the Judiciary Committee. He delivered a blistering speech against White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller for talking about military action in Greenland, saying Im sick of stupid. And after Jerome Powell said that the Justice Department was planning to file criminal charges, he said he would oppose nominees through the Senate Banking Committee. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Last week, two Republican senators Todd Young of Indiana and Josh Hawley of Missouri changed their votes on a War Powers Act resolution seeking to restrict President Donald Trump from conducting further military actions in Venezuela. This came after Trump had unloaded on the five Republicans who joined Democrats, saying they should never be elected to office again. It was just the latest example of how Republicans in Congress rolled over to Trump and how even Trumps strongest allies like Hawley, who once pumped his fist and led the charge to object to the 2020 presidential election results, are not safe from the presidents wrath. When Trump returned to the White House last year, may people thought he would have a more difficult time passing legislation than he did the first time. While Republicans flipped the Senate by winning four seats to give them a 53-seat majority, that would not be enough to overcome the 60-vote threshold for the filibuster. In the more cantankerous House of Representatives, Republicans would have only 220 seats, two more than the requisite 218 votes to get a majority. And infighting plagued the previous Congress to the point that a band of conservatives ejected Kevin McCarthy as speaker and elevated the relatively unknown archconservative backbencher Mike Johnson to replace him. open image in gallery House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump have worked hand in glove throughout his first year. ( Getty ) But in his first year in office, Trump bulldozed through previously held norms as Republicans in Congress acquiesced to the president at almost every turn. I thought I'd have some other people occasionally when he deviated from his promises, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), one of the rare Republican critics of Trump, told The Independent. I mean, my colleagues here are increasingly being forced to choose between President Trump and President Trump's promises, and so far, they've chose President Trump but not his promises. After initially pulling Matt Gaetzs nomination to be attorney general amid scandalous allegations, almost all of Trumps major Cabinet nominees passed through the Senate. Even seeming holdout Joni Ernst, an Army Reserve veteran, voted to make Pete Hegseth who had previously said women should not serve in combat Defense Secretary. Bill Cassidy, a gastroentrologist who had voted to convict Trump for his actions on January 6, meanwhile voted to make anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. secretary of Health and Human Services. Its also a break from Trumps first tenure. Back then, a handful of Republicans, from Mitt Romney to Justin Amash to Liz Cheney, would vote to impeach or convict him. The late John McCains thumbs-down Senate vote killed his efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Not so much this time. Despite her objections to the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, Sen. Lisa Murkowski would vote to pass it on the hopes that the House would tweak it. When it came to the House, the Freedom Caucus frequently a thorn in the side of Republican leadership complied. open image in gallery Reps. Thomas Massie, center, and Rep. Ro Khanna and Marjorie Taylor Greene forced the passage of legislation to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein. But it came at a major cost and now Greene has resigned and Massie faces a primary challenge. ( Getty ) At one point, as the vote for the rule to begin debate on the legislation began, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C) told reporters that the Freedom Caucus had leverage. The reason we have credibility, they know we'll vote 'no,' Norman said. Norman and the rest of the Freedom Caucus would roll over and vote yes for the rule and the final passage of the bill. Massie criticized the way conservatives on the Rules Committee, which authorizes which bills go to the floor, like Norman and Chip Roy (R-Texas) rolled over for Trump. I'm kind of disappointed with what's going on there, he said. There's three conservatives who were supposed to make things happen, and they've seemed to given up on that effort and the rules committee that's totally gone. And one of the few who opposed the One Big, Beautiful Bill, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced he would run for re-election in 2026. At the same time, Tillis said he did not think Congress had surrendered its power and compared it to how Democrats acted when Barack Obama and Joe Bidens presidency. open image in gallery Throughout the debate about the One Big, Beautiful Bill, Hawley expressed reservations about Medicaid cuts. He ultimately voted for the bill despite his objections to Medicaid cuts. ( Getty Images ) I mean, the reason why I really push back on that is, tell me when, in the Biden administration, Democrats push back good point on their agenda, he told The Independent in December. If anything, Republicans are proven to be more independent and pushing back than anything I saw in the four years that Biden was here, the two years that Obama was here. Indeed, despite Tillis butting heads earlier this month with Trump on invading Greenland, hes largely voted in line with the president, voting to confirm Hegseth and shepherding the confirmation of Kash Patel to become the director of the FBI. But that would not be the last time that Trump imposed his will on Congress. In September, Democrats planned to oppose a continuing resolution to keep the government open if Republicans did not extend expanded tax credits for the Affordable Care Acts insurance marketplace. In response, Johnson kept the House closed, which infuriated some members. Rep. Kevin Kiley, a Republican from California, loudly criticized Johnson for the fact that the speaker also blocked efforts to vote on the presidents tariffs. The speaker canceled session for six straight weeks, which has caused us to be far behind on a lot of issues, including addressing this health care issue, he told The Independent. The House has ceded some of its legislative authority on issues like tariffs. In response, many members of Congress resorted to a lesser-known procedure known as discharge petitions wherein a member can force a vote on any legislation as long as they receive 218 signatures. Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) proposed one in response to Johnson and Trump stonewalling files related to Jeffrey Epstein. But Johnson kept the House closed and refused to swear in Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) when she won a special election. And in the same token, when then-Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a major supporter of Trumps, joined the effort, Trump lashed out at her, prompting her ultimate resignation. It's always exponentially easier when you have at least one person with you, Massie told The Independent. And a few weeks after the passage of the Epstein legislation, Trump vetoed legislation supported by Rep. Lauren Boebert that passed unanimously for clean drinking water rights for tribal areas. When it came back to Congress, Republicans refused to override the veto. Earlier this month, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries figured out a way to outfox Johnson by getting enough Republicans to join them to extend the tax credits for three more years. That passed the House. But the Senate left last week for recess. And no deal is in sight. 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 Will JD Vance be ready to take over the MAGA movement when it is forced to move on from Donald Trump? Voters have made it clear: the presidents base of right-wing support would probably vote for him a third time, if he gave them the option. But with Trump already the oldest president to ever serve in office and approaching his 80th birthday in June, the new core base of support for the Republican Party will need to find another champion to rally behind. At CPAC 2025, there was one candidate favored by the MAGA-happy crowd. JD Vance was the overwhelming winner of the straw poll and was dubbed Trumps obvious successor as the presidents second term got off to a blisteringly fast start. Nearly a year later, Vance is still talked about alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio as one of the administrations key power players and as a figure of prominence on the GOPs bench of future candidates. And theres concern that his time could come before 2028. With Trumps age increasingly showing during the first 365 days of his second presidency, especially in moments where he wanders away from Cabinet meetings to peer at the foundations of his yet-to-be-built presidential ballroom or falls asleep, many have wondered if it is now the Republican president whose own health-related concerns could sideline him before the end of his four years in office. Trump is only done with one of four years in a seat that famously ages its occupant, and could be spending two more battling Democratic majorities in either the House, Senate or both beginning in 2027. open image in gallery MAGA voters say JD Vance is the top pick to take over the Trump agenda in 2028 ( Getty ) While the White House continues to bat away rumors or insinuations about Trumps ability to perform as president with a wave of a strangely discolored hand, Vance appears to be taking it into account as he discharges the duties of the vice presidency, of which there are relatively few. The vice president has remained a very public figure, often spotted with Trump or taking the lead as the White Houses chief defender in the media, both in interviews and on social media, where he relentlessly battles with left-leaning pundits and journalists. In recent days, that trend continued as he led the defense of an ICE agent who was seen on camera repeatedly shooting a woman in her car, killing her. Federal authorities and the White House have claimed the Minnesota woman was trying to ram officers with her vehicle. He has also operated as one of the White Houses point men on Greenland, where he has used his word-twisting abilities to try to soothe hurt feelings caused by the presidents threats of taking the territory by any means necessary while still maintaining the administrations line. And unlike former Vice President Kamala Harris, who was pushed into the background on a mission to address the root causes of illegal immigration to the U.S., Vance hasnt shied away from issues of controversy, including the administrations efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. He visited Israel in the fall as the White House pushed Hamas and Israel towards the second phase of the peace agreement. open image in gallery Vance has been at the heart of some of the administrations biggest political battles, including territorial ambitions around Greenland ( AFP/Getty ) This isnt to say that Vance has everything trending his way. Axios reported last week that Steve Bannon, the former first-term Trump White House chief strategist and War Room podcast host, is prepping his own bid for the top job in 2028. According to the news outlet, he isnt even serious about winning: his only aim is to halt anyone who doesnt support a non-interventionist foreign policy, economic populism and opposition to Big Tech, according to the outlet. That almost assuredly refers to Vance, whom Bannon has sporadically attacked on social media and his podcast as an ally of Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley, which Bannon and his allies view as threats to civil liberties as well as other areas of the MAGA agenda, including immigration and visa reform. It also refers to Rubio, who is floated as another likely 2028 candidate but one who hails from a more traditional hawkish conservative background. open image in gallery Steve Bannon routinely criticizes Trumps top two chosen acolytes, Vance and Rubio, as he sees them both as threats to his ideological grip on the right ( Getty ) J.D., Marco...if youre not blowing the tech bro, right now theyre owned by the tech bros. Theyre owned by the broligarchs and theyre owned by David Sacks and his crowd, Bannon said of the pair in November. Bannon doesnt speak for all of MAGA, however, and its very possible that Vance (or Rubio!) will still have a lock on the Republican base without his support, especially without any other serious candidates in the field. The question may ultimately come down to the vice presidents charisma and how seriously he is able to be taken on issues like immigration, where fewer MAGA voters eye him with confidence than his boss. If Vance continues to raise his profile and be seen at the heart of the action over the next three years, he will be extremely well-positioned in a Republican primary, far moreso than it is conventionally believed Kamala Harris would have been in a hypothetical 2024 primary to replace Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket. Thats due simply to the relationship he and Trump have, with Trump unafraid of being overshadowed by the obviously meeker Vance while giving the vice president and Rubio both a four-year stage to audition for his job a sort of MAGAfied version of The Apprentice, which could decide the outcome of the 2028 primary before it even takes place. 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 Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday hailed parliament's passing of tougher anti-hate speech and gun laws in response to the deadly Bondi beach shooting last month. Both bills were passed in the House of Representatives (lower house) and the Senate (upper house) late on Tuesday at the end of a special two-day sitting. The gun law was passed to create new restrictions on the ownership of guns and to ensure people who were forced to hand in their firearms were compensated under the new government-funded buyback programme. The anti-hate speech law was passed to outlaw groups that don't fit Australia's definition of a terrorist organisation, such as the Islamist Hizb ut-Tahrir, and introduce tougher penalties for preachers who advocate for violence. Mr Albanese said the country acted with urgency and with unity. "At Bondi, the terrorists had hate in their hearts, but they had guns in their hands," Mr Albanese told reporters, referring to the gunmen accused of attacking Jewish worshippers during Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi Beach on 14 December. "We said we wanted to deal with that with urgency and with unity and we acted to deliver both," Mr Albanese added. The government had initially planned a single bill but split the hate speech and gun laws into two legislations and introduced them to the House of Representatives on Tuesday. Both the Liberal-National opposition coalition and the left-wing Greens said they would vote against the bills. Fifteen people were killed and dozens wounded on 14 December after two gunmen opened fire at a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach in Sydney. The two gunmen, Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, were identified as a father-son duo who were inspired by Islamic-state group. While the father was shot dead by police during the attack his son was wounded and has been charged with dozens of offences, including 15 counts of murder and one of committing a terrorist act over the attack. The buyback scheme was intended to target surplus and newly restricted firearms, home affairs minister Tony Burke said earlier on Tuesday. He claimed the Bondi attackers wouldnt have been able to legally buy guns if such a law had been in place before the shooting. A critical question Ive often been asked during this debate is, if this national reform package had already been in place, how many firearms would the Bondi gunmen have held? Would it be six? Would it be five? Would it be four? The answer is zero, Mr Burke said. open image in gallery The legislation was passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday ( Getty ) The new gun buyback scheme is the largest since a similar programme was instituted following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, where a lone gunman killed 35 people. The legislation passed by a vote of 96 to 45 in the House of Representatives, the lower house. It was opposed by the conservative opposition coalition of Liberal and National parties. This bill reveals the contempt the government has for the million gun owners of Australia, said shadow attorney general Andrew Wallace. The prime minister has failed to recognise that guns are tools of trade for so many Australians. The Albanese government revealed on Sunday that there were a record 4.1 million firearms in Australia last year. Some 1.1 million were registered in New South Wales, the most populous state and the site of the Bondi attack. The Bondi attackers held a firearm licence and owned six guns. open image in gallery Gunmen Sajid and Naveed Akram during the Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney ( NSW Courts ) The new scheme allows the government to purchase surplus, newly banned and illegal firearms, with costs shared equally with states. The government expects that hundreds of thousands of weapons will be collected and destroyed. The cabinet has also agreed to a series of new controls, including limits on the number of firearms an individual can own, tighter restrictions on open-ended firearms licences, clearer limits on the types of guns that are legal, and a requirement that licence holders be Australian citizens. The hate speech laws divided the coalition, with the opposition National Party breaking away from the Liberal Party partners to oppose it, arguing it could impinge on free speech. "The legislation needs amendments to guarantee greater protections against unintended consequences that limit the rights and freedom of speech of everyday Australians and the Jewish community," Nationals leader David Littleproud said late Tuesday. The bill was later passed with 38 votes to 22. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, or ASIO, will decide which hate groups should be outlawed. Neo-Nazi group National Socialist Network has announced plans to disband rather than have its members targeted under the laws. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Australia has closed dozens of beaches and urged people to stay out of the ocean after a fourth shark attack was reported within 48 hours. The latest incident took place on Tuesday morning near Point Plomer, in New South Waless (NSW) mid-north coast, where a 39-year-old surfer was bitten by a shark while surfing near a national park campground. The man was taken to a hospital in a stable condition with minor injuries, according to the local health district. The latest attack followed a series of shark incidents across Sydney and its surrounding coastline since Sunday, prompting police, lifeguards, and marine authorities to warn that ocean conditions remain dangerous after days of heavy rain. Steven Pearce, the chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, an organisation that promotes safe coastal enjoyment in NSW and the Australian Capital Territory, said the water quality along much of the coast was currently unsafe and urged people to avoid swimming altogether. If anyones thinking of heading into the surf this morning, anywhere along the northern beaches, think again, Pearce told the ABC. We have such poor water quality. Thats conducive to bull shark activity. We have two people critically injured in hospital this morning. Just go to a local pool, because at this stage, were advising that the beaches are unsafe. open image in gallery Map shows locations of recent shark attacks in New South Wales ( The Independent ) NSW SharkSmart, the government's comprehensive programme to reduce shark bite risks, confirmed a shark incident at Point Plomer shortly after 10am on Tuesday, while lifeguard teams and drone surveillance were deployed in the area. Beaches between Town Beach and Crescent Head were closed as a precaution. The latest attack comes after a 12-year-old boy was critically injured on Sunday afternoon after being bitten by a shark near Nielsen Park in Sydney Harbour. The boy, who was swimming with friends near a popular rock ledge, remains in hospital with serious injuries to both legs. Police said the boy had jumped from a popular six-metre rock ledge into Sydney Harbour when he was bitten, as heavy rain had turned the water brackish and reduced visibility. Shark attacks in Sydney: how rare are they? Just four shark attacks have been recorded in Sydney Harbour in the past 50 years, according to data from the Australian SharkIncident Database and NSW authorities. The most recent harbour incident, before this week, was in 2024, when a woman was bitten on the leg at Elizabeth Bay. Bull sharks are the species most often linked to harbour and estuary incidents because they can tolerate brackish and freshwater. Across Australia, an average of around 20 shark bites are recorded each year, with fewer than three fatalities annually, conservation data show. Authorities say clusters of attacks are rare and are usually linked to specific conditions such as heavy rainfall, murky water and increased bait fish activity. Officers said the boys friends pulled him from the water and attempted first aid before emergency services arrived. Supt Joseph McNulty of NSW Police said the combination of storm runoff, murky water and splashing may have made that perfect storm environment for the shark encounter. At Dee Why beach, an 11-year-old surfer escaped uninjured after a shark bit through the middle of his board several times, tearing away a chunk of foam, before he was helped out of the water by other surfers. open image in gallery Beachgoers at Queenscliff Beach walk past a shark sighting sign as beaches are closed after recent shark attacks, in Sydney, Australia ( REUTERS ) Shark biologists later said the bite pattern suggested a bull shark, while Surf Life Saving NSW deployed drones and jetskis to search the area. The beach was closed for at least 24 hours. Later the same day, a 27-year-old man was bitten by a shark while surfing at Manly beach and was taken to hospital in a critical condition. All beaches across Sydneys northern beaches council area were subsequently closed until at least Thursday. Authorities and marine scientists said bull sharks were suspected in several of the recent incidents, noting the species ability to tolerate freshwater and brackish conditions and its tendency to move closer to shore after heavy rainfall. open image in gallery Bull sharks are especially comfortable moving in and out of river mouths and turbid coastal waters after heavy rain ( AFP via Getty Images ) Bull sharks are commonly found in estuaries and river mouths and are known to follow bait fish into murky coastal waters after storms, increasing the likelihood of accidental encounters with swimmers and surfers. Professor Jodie Rummer, a marine biologist at James Cook University, said heavy rainfall and warm waters draw fish into coastal areas, attracting predators. Storms and river outflows create flood plumes that carry nutrients and fish into coastal waters, which can attract prey species and, in turn, predators like sharks, she said. Bull sharks are especially comfortable moving in and out of river mouths and turbid coastal waters after heavy rain. open image in gallery File image: Bull sharks circle a bait box, getting very close to divers, during a shark dive off the coast of Jupiter, Florida ( AFP via Getty Images ) Dr Victoria Camilieri-Asch, a shark behaviour expert at Queensland University of Technology, said climate-driven warming was also extending the time sharks spend in coastal areas. Increasing water temperatures are causing sharks to spend more time in higher latitudes and remain longer on their summering grounds, she said, adding that this extended overlap with human activity increases the chance of encounters. According to conservation data, Australia records around 20 shark attacks a year, with fewer than three fatalities on average. However, authorities urged people to follow beach closures and avoid swimming in murky water, particularly after heavy rainfall. 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 Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the site of the world's worst civil nuclear disaster, experienced a complete loss of off-site power on Tuesday morning following extensive military activity, the UN atomic watchdog has confirmed. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that several Ukrainian electrical substations, vital for maintaining nuclear safety, were impacted by the ongoing hostilities. Power lines supplying other nuclear facilities across the country were also affected. The IAEA is actively following developments in order to assess impact on nuclear safety, Rafael Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) added. This incident occurred as Russia launched a significant drone and missile assault on Ukraine early on Tuesday. Ukrainian officials stated that the attacks knocked out power and heating supplies to thousands of homes in Kyiv, leaving residents in freezing temperatures. The power loss comes after the UNs nuclear watchdog previously warned the protective shield at the Chernobyl power plant can no longer contain radioactive material due to damage caused by a drone strike in Feburary 2025. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that several Ukrainian electrical substations vital for nuclear safety were affected by the military activity, while power lines to some other nuclear power plants were also impacted. ( AFP via Getty Images ) The plant was damaged by a drone armed with a warhead, which pierced the outer shell, helping prevent radiation leaks from Chernobyls reactor Number Four. Ukraine said Russia was behind the attack, but the Kremlin denied responsibility. Mr Grossi said an inspection in December 2025 found that the structure had lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability. No permanent damage has been done to the load-bearing structures or monitoring systems. Although repairs have been carried out, the site requires a comprehensive restoration in order to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety, Mr Grossi said. The shield was built in 2016 to prevent the release of radioactive material into the atmosphere due to the Chernobyl disaster. The plants last working reactor was closed in 2000. Chernobyl was destroyed in 1986 when the plant exploded and sent radiation across Europe. It remains the worlds worst nuclear accident, killing 31 people. 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 Please tell me where to go? A 14-year-old teenager has been possessed by a demon we tried healers, but they couldnt help has anyone encountered this? Moscow region. This is one of many similar pleas that have been circulating in Russias online communities in recent years. According to reports in Russian media outlets such as Gazeta.ru, thousands of people in Russia are actively discussing exorcisms on social media. This is a spiritual ritual performed by a handful of Russian priests to expel spirits or demons from a person who is believed to be possessed. Some people are travelling to well-known exorcism destinations such as Oryol Oblast about 400km south of Moscow. A priest there called Father Igor, the official exorcist of the local diocese, performs a ritual called otchitka. The ritual involves the priest reciting a set of prayers to help those deemed to be under the influence of spirits. Other people are turning to the informal exorcism economy, which is offered by local mediums. Some have reported paying between 10,000 rubles (98) and 20,000 rubles (196) just for an initial consultation to determine whether they are truly possessed. Russias Orthodox Church warns that exorcism attempts should be left to members of the clergy. Exorcism is embedded in the Orthodox tradition, with exorcism prayers first brought into Russian religious practice in the 17th century by Archbishop Peter Mogila. However, exorcisms remained rare until the late Soviet period. open image in gallery Russias Orthodox Church warns that exorcism attempts should be left to members of the clergy ( Russian Orthodox Church Press Service ) The most influential modern exorcist in Russia was Father German, a priest who began practising near Moscow in the 1980s. His reputation spread through word of mouth. Igumen Philaret, a man who knew Father German, described witnessing the following scene at one of his exorcisms: One little boy was screaming terribly. He ripped away all his clothes and was rolling naked on the floor Mama, mama! Pull the tail out of my mouth! Father sprinkled him with holy water Then it became clear as is often the cause of demonic possession in children his mother had not repented of her abortions. But what happened in the 1980s to spur the interest in exorcisms in Russia? According to some researchers, such as Pavel Nosachev of HSE University in Moscow, the emotional strain caused by the gradual collapse of the Soviet Union led people to search for spirituality. As communist ideology waned, underground religious groups flourished and the Orthodox Church revived after decades of repression. Hypnotists and self-proclaimed psychic healers, such as Anatoly Kashpirovsky, also became prominent on television. A crisis in shared meaning produced a boom both in religious ritual and occult experimentation. This included exorcism. Media reporting suggests that the business of banishing demons seen in present-day Russia is also reflective of a society under strain but, in this case, one grappling with the effects of the war in Ukraine. About the author Santa Kravcenko is a Lecturer in Management at the University of Lancashire. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. According to research on how humans cope with awareness of their death, religion works as a shield against existential anxieties. This can intensify during times of crisis, such as war. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, for example, church attendance increased worldwide and Bible sales soared. The Russian Orthodox Churchs appointment of Vladimir Putin as chief exorcist in 2022 could also help explain why some Russians have been drawn into a fight with their inner demons. The Russian presidents appointment came after the Kremlin called for Ukraine to be desatanised. Exorcism tourism The renewed interest in exorcism within Russia may represent a broader cultural response to political and personal instability echoing the turbulence of the 1980s. But the country has also long nurtured an appetite for the paranormal. Russian audiences have spent nearly two decades watching the popular television show, Battle of the Psychics. This show showcases the supposed paranormal abilities of self-proclaimed healers, witches and mediums in various competitive challenges. A recent episode even featured a live exorcism. Just as Battle of Psychics spawned a multimillion-ruble industry of celebrity healers, Russias wartime exorcism surge reveals a similar monetisation of fear and uncertainty. What was once a localised ritual appears to be evolving into a structured commercial service a phenomenon I call exorcism tourism. As Nosachev observed in 2023: Largely due to the connection with business tours for otchitkas or donations for an exorcism session this practice is now perceived as a commodity in a spiritual supermarket, which is characteristic of the consumer culture that has become a basis of the New Age. This commercialisation is visible in organised trips. Among the many adverts I have seen in recent years, a tour encouraging people facing difficult life circumstances or physical and spiritual illnesses to travel from Belarus to Russia for exorcism stands out. The itinerary includes a consultation and private conversation with well-known media exorcist Father Gusev, as well as an application for an exorcism. Father Gusev fronts a rock band called The Exorcist, with the tours website claiming he has performed more than 15,000 exorcisms in 26 years. In a country unsettled by war, uncertainty and spiritual volatility, Russias exorcism economy looks to be advancing. For some Russians, it seems that exorcisms offer not just a ritual but a sense of control amid everyday chaos. 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 Emmanuel Macron gave his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, sporting a pair of striking aviator sunglasses. The French president, who spoke at the forum Tuesday, has been battling an eye condition that he said is completely harmless but made his right eye red and puffy. He addressed the condition days earlier, after appearing at the military base in Istres, southern France. Mr Macron, who had been seen wearing sunglasses during an outdoor troop inspection, began his new year address to Frances armed forces by acknowledging his appearance. Please pardon the unsightly appearance of my eye. It is, of course, something completely harmless, he said. open image in gallery Emmanuel Macron greets Queen Mathilde of Belgium in front of King Philippe ( AFP/Getty ) Simply see an unintentional reference to the Eye of the Tiger ... For those who catch the reference, it is a sign of determination, he joked. This was an apparent nod to the hit theme song by Survivor from the 1982 film Rocky III. Despite the lighthearted interlude, Mr Macrons address focused on critical challenges for the French military in 2026. These included Frances accelerated rearmament, continued support for Ukraine, and the decision to send troops to Greenland in a show of support for Denmark. open image in gallery Macron delivers his new year address to the armed forces in southern France ( AFP/Getty ) Earlier Tuesday, US president Donald Trump shared a message from Mr Macron, in which the French leader expressed concern about the presidents ongoing threats to take Greenland. The message read: My friend, We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things: 1) i can set up a g7 meeting after Davos in Paris on thursday afternoon. I can invite the ukrainians, the danish, the syrians and the russians in the margins 2) let us have a dinner together in Paris together on thursday before you go back to the us. Emmanuel. Mr Macron told reporters he does not plan to speak with his US counterpart in Davos. open image in gallery France has called for the European Union to use wide-ranging anti-coercion measures targeting US services if Trump follows through on tariffs ( AFP/Getty ) In his remarks at Davos, Mr Macron said the European Union should not bend to the law of the strongest and that it was staggering that the bloc was having to contemplate using its anti-coercion instrument against the United States. We do believe that we need more growth, we need more stability in this world, but we do prefer respect to bullies, he told the World Economic Forum. We do prefer science to (conspiracies), and we do prefer rule of law to brutality. He added that the EU should not hesitate in using anti-coercion mechanisms in the face of Mr Trumps Greenland tariff threats. Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Emmanuel Macron has called out Donald Trumps bullying as European leaders united to prepare for a showdown with the US president over his demands for Greenland. As Donald Trump doubled down on his demands for the Danish sovereign territory and exacerbated his threat of tariffs on allies who oppose the move with the shocking reveal of private texts he had received from Mr Macron and other world leaders, the French president said the EU should not bend to the law of the strongest, and should resist what he called the new colonial approach. Just hours before Mr Trump is expected to arrive at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos to face international leaders, Mr Macron warned: We prefer respect to bullies, we prefer science to conspiracies, and we prefer the rule of law to brutality. In a press conference on Tuesday, the US president was asked how far he would go in order to obtain Greenland, to which he ominously replied: Youll find out. The unprecedented breakdown of relations between the US and its Western European allies comes as Mr Trump launched a blistering attack on the UKs plans to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as one of great stupidity despite publicly welcoming the deal last year. open image in gallery Macron told audiences at the World Economic Forum that we prefer respect to bullies ( AFP/Getty ) In the long-winded conference, in which he discussed the administrations achievements in its first year, Trump also cast doubt over whether Washingtons allies in the Nato military alliance would come to its defence. I did more for Nato than any other person alive or dead, I think you could ask the secretary general [Mark Rutte] about that, he said it, I've done more for Nato than anybody, he said. But Nato has to treat us fairly too. The big fear I have with Nato is [that] we spend these amounts of money with Nato, and I know we'll come to their rescue, but I just really do question whether or not they'll come to ours, he added. Trump added that he believed the US and Nato would come to an agreement over Greenland which would make all parties very happy. Former Nato secretary general Anders Rasmussen, an ex-prime minister of Denmark, warned that the Nato alliance, which has underpinned Western security since the end of the Second World War, is now on the brink of collapse because of Mr Trumps behaviour. He told Times Radio: Its extremely serious. Actually, if that threat [taking over Greenland] comes to fruition, it will be the end of Nato. It doesnt make sense to have a collective defence organisation where the major ally attacks another ally with the aim to take territory. So it would be the end of Nato. open image in gallery Trump arrived at the press conference with a large booklet of his achievements during his first year in office ( Getty ) Sir Keir Starmers hopes that the UK could act as a bridge between the US and Europe appeared to have evaporated after Mr Trump lashed out at the prime ministers stupid deal to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The prime ministers closest lieutenant, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones, insisted Sir Keirs approach to Mr Trump was yielding results, but admitted: Its not normal for geopolitical discussions to be handled in this way. The crisis has proven to be the biggest strain on the special relationship between the UK and the US since Harold Wilson refused to send British troops to Vietnam in the 1960s. But Sir Keir risked igniting Mr Trumps rage further by agreeing to the new Chinese super embassy to be built in Royal Mint Court, near the Tower of London, despite MI5 warning that security risks could not be ruled out. With anger growing in Switzerland ahead of President Trump touching down in the Alpine resort, EU leaders made it clear that they will deploy the toughest economic response possible to the US presidents threat of tariffs. Mr Macron called for EU leaders to use the blocs big bazooka of economic countermeasures. The anti-coercion mechanism is a powerful instrument, and we should not hesitate to deploy it in todays tough environment, he said. Meanwhile, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen used her WEF speech to warn Mr Trump that the EUs response will be unflinching, united and proportional. open image in gallery An incensed Donald Trump called Starmers Chagos Island deal stupid, despite having supported it last year ( AP ) She said that when friends shake on a deal, we expect them to honour the deal. But members of the Trump administration already in Davos were unapologetic about their tearing up of international rules and norms. In a frosty moment on a panel with UK chancellor Rachel Reeves, Mr Trumps commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said he was at the event to make the point that globalisation has failed the West. He said: When America shines, the world shines, but added that a world without the US gets dark pretty quickly. Mr Lutnick later tried to reassure Ms Reeves that the US still loves its allies in the wake of the Greenland threat, saying: We love you, we do, to which Ms Reeves responded: Thank you very much, the feeling is mutual. The awkward exchange came after the chancellor had urged the US to think of how your allies can also help you achieve your objectives as well as helping all of the Western world to thrive. But Democratic California governor Gavin Newsom urged Europes leaders to stop the bull**** and stand up to Trump. French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, meanwhile, told his parliament that France supports the suspension of a trade deal between the EU and the United States, given Washingtons ongoing threat of tariffs. open image in gallery US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and Rachel Reeves had a frosty encounter at Davos ( Reuters ) The threat of customs duties [is] being used as blackmail to obtain unjustifiable concessions, Mr Barrot said, adding the European Commission has very powerful instruments to respond to Mr Trumps threats. European Unions foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc would hold its ground on Greenland despite growing US pressure. She stressed that the tariffs threatened by Mr Trump on goods from Europe would undermine the prosperity of both the EU and the US. Addressing the European parliament, Ms Kallas said Greenlands geostrategic importance had increased recently, stressing the Nato alliance was well suited to deal with the security of the island. Meanwhile, senior Republicans have sought to try to mend relationships with their allies. Mike Johnson, speaker of the US House of Representatives and an ally of Mr Trump, who is visiting London, said his mission was to help calm the waters. In a speech to MPs and peers in Westminster on Tuesday, he said he agreed with Sir Keirs approach of finding a resolution. Weve always been able to work through our differences calmly as friends. We will continue to do that. I want to assure you this morning that that is still the case, Mr Johnson said. I spoke to President Trump at length yesterday, and I told him that I really felt that my mission here that even though we planned this back in the fall we didnt know how the events would develop over the last few days. But I told the president that I felt that my mission here today was to encourage our friends and help calm the waters. 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 Norways government has shared the prime ministers full exchange with Donald Trump after the US president suggested he was taking a more aggressive foreign policy stance with allies over Greenland after being overlooked for last years Nobel Peace Prize. Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Stre wrote to Trump on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, referred to as Alex, according to the messages retrieved under the countrys freedom of information act on Monday. He called on the US leader to de-escalate after threatening allies with tariffs for supporting Denmark amid a growing spat over the ownership of its territory, Greenland. Trump responded sharply, telling the prime minister on Sunday that he no longer feels an obligation to think purely of peace after his country decided not to give him the Nobel Peace Prize. He claimed the world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland. Unexpectedly caught in the middle of the burgeoning crisis between Washington and Copenhagen, Norways prime minister insisted on Monday that he had repeatedly explained to Trump that an independent committee awards the prize, and not Norway itself. Trump doubled down, telling NBC that Norway totally controls it despite what they say, vowing to follow through on plans to hit European nations with tariffs if a deal on Greenland cannot be reached. He refused to comment when asked whether he would use force to seize the allied territory. Donald Trump has threatened allies over their support of Denmark ( Getty ) Stres text in full, January 18 at 3:48 p.m. Oslo time (1448 GMT): "Dear Mr President, dear Donald - on the contact across the Atlantic - on Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine - and your tariff announcement yesterday. You know our position on these issues. But we believe we all should work to take this down and de-escalate - so much is happening around us where we need to stand together. We are proposing a call with you later today - with both of us or separately - give us a hint of what you prefer! Best - Alex and Jonas" Trumps reply in full, January 18 at 4:15 p.m. Oslo time (1515 GMT): "Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a right of ownership anyway? There are no written documents, it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT" 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 Portuguese police arrested 37 people suspected of belonging to an ultra-right group responsible for hate crimes, with links to similar international groups, in a large operation that involved around 300 officers. "Those detained ... promoted Nazi ideology, inherent to the national-socialist culture and the radical and violent extreme right, acting out of racist and xenophobic motives with the aim of intimidating, persecuting and assaulting ethnic minorities, namely immigrants," a spokesperson for the Judicial Police said in a statement. Searches on Tuesday found weapons of different kinds and neo-Nazi propaganda materials. Police sources said the group in question was "1143", named after the year Portugal became a kingdom. The group's leader, Mario Machado, is serving a prison sentence after being convicted of racial discrimination, hate speech and related violence. In June, police arrested several suspected neo-Nazis believed to be seeking to create an illegal armed militia, and seized firearms and explosives. 1143 leader, Mario Machado, is serving a prison sentence after being convicted of racial discrimination, hate speech and related violence ( REUTERS ) Human rights groups have long raised concerns about increasing hate speech and attacks against immigrants in Portugal, where the far-right, anti-immigration party Chega last year became the second-largest parliamentary group - 50 years after the country overthrew its fascist dictatorship. On Sunday, Chega leader Andre Ventura came in second in the first round of a presidential election, proceeding to a runoff against Socialist candidate Antonio Jose Seguro. 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 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Britain should drop the "Great" from its official name, arguing it is the only nation to formally give itself such a title. Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Mr Lavrov asserted: "I think that Britain should be called simply Britain because 'Great Britain' is the only example of a country which calls itself 'Great'." His remarks, made during a discussion on colonialism following earlier comments regarding Greenland, were delivered to reporters. Mr Lavrov's spokeswoman then offered a question to Ivor Bennett, a correspondent from Britain's Sky News, with the minister adding, "No offence." He cited the "Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya," led by Muammar Gaddafi, as another historical instance of a country adopting the "great" moniker. "But it no longer exists." The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is usually called "Velikobritaniya", or Great Britain, in Russian. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov delivers his annual end-of-year press conference at the Russian Foreign Ministry headquarters in Moscow. ( AFP via Getty Images ) As the U.S. under Donald Trump seeks to reset ties with Moscow and broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, Britain has been granted the status of Russia's public enemy number one. On Russian state television, "Perfidious Albion", a term used frequently by news anchors, is cast as a scheming global intelligence power that is meddling behind the scenes from Washington to Iran in a duplicitous bid to undermine Russian interests across the world. Britain says Russia is a threat to Europe. Amid the war in Ukraine, Russia and the West have repeatedly accused each other of unfurling espionage campaigns of an intensity not seen since the depths of the Cold War. At the same news conference, Lavrov said that Greenland was not "a natural part" of Denmark and that the problem of former colonial territories was becoming more acute. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he wants full U.S. control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, for national security reasons. On Saturday he announced tariffs on imports from European allies that oppose a potential U.S. takeover. Russia has reacted gleefully to the growing U.S.-Europe divide over Greenland, but has bristled at Trump's suggestion that Moscow is also seeking control over the island. Lavrov said Russia had no interest in interfering in Greenland's affairs and that Washington knew that Moscow itself had no plans to take control of the island. "In principle, Greenland is not a natural part of Denmark, is it?" Lavrov said. "It was neither a natural part of Norway nor a natural part of Denmark. It is a colonial conquest. The fact that the inhabitants are now accustomed to it and feel comfortable is another matter." Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice At least 41 people were killed and dozens more injured after two high-speed trains collided in southern Spain on Sunday evening. The crash happened at 7.45pm local time near Adamuz, a town of about 5,000 people in the province of Cordoba, according to Spains interior ministry. The tail end of a train run by private high-speed rail operator Iryo, travelling from Malaga to Madrid, was derailed and jumped onto an adjacent track, where it smashed into an oncoming Renfe service travelling from Madrid to Huelva, a municipality in Spain. Renfe is Spain's national state-owned railway company. Follow the latest updates about the crash here open image in gallery Broken windows of a crashed train are photographed at the site of a train collision in Adamuz, southern Spain, Monday, 19 January 2026 ( AP ) Spanish state-owned rail operator Adif said the Iryo train derailed first and crashed into the second train, pushing it off the tracks and down a railway embankment. The death toll has climbed to 41 after another body was recovered overnight. Juan Manuel Moreno, head of the regional government of Andalusia, said that it could take another 48 hours to know with certainty how many deaths have resulted from this terrible accident. Twelve remain in intensive care after the accident near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, about 360km south of Madrid, according to emergency services. A total of 43 missing-person reports have been filed so far at police headquarters in Huelva, Madrid, Malaga, Cordoba, and Seville, officials said. It makes it one of the worst railway accidents in Europe in 80 years. open image in gallery Cranes are being used to continue rescue efforts as another body was discovered overnight ( Reuters ) Spains transport minister Oscar Puente said the incident was really strange, noting that it occurred on a straight stretch of track that had been renewed in May. The high-speed Frecciarossa 1000 train operated by Iryo was carrying around 300 passengers, according to officials. The Renfe-operated Madrid-Huelva Alvia train had between 100 and 200 passengers on board, with authorities later saying the worst damage occurred in its first two carriages. open image in gallery Mapped: Two trains collide and derail in south of Spain ( Independent ) The Renfe train was travelling at around 200kmph at the time of impact, El Pais reported. It was unclear how fast the Iryo train was moving when the accident happened. Mr Puente said the rear section of the Iryo train derailed, while the front section of the Renfe one took the full impact of the collision and plunged several metres down the embankment. Experts on site identified wear on the joint between sections of the rail, known as a fishplate, which they said showed the fault had been there for some time, a source briefed on the preliminary probe told Reuters. They found that the faulty joint created a gap between the rail sections that widened as trains continued to travel on the track, but an official reason is yet to be confirmed. The source, who declined to be identified, said technicians believe the faulty joint and the creation of the ensuing gap is key to identifying the precise cause of the deadly incident. open image in gallery At least 41 people have been killed in the incident ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) It has also emerged that train drivers union SEMAF had written to rail operator ADIF in August to warn about severe wear and tear on high-speed rail tracks, claiming their concerns had been overlooked. The union had cautioned ADIF about potholes, bumps and imbalances in overhead power lines that it said were causing frequent breakdowns and damaging trains. Juanma Moreno, regional president of Andalusia, said at least 75 people were hospitalised, including 15 in serious condition. Mr Moreno warned early on that the death toll could rise as daylight allowed rescuers to fully access the wreckage. El Pais reported that the 27-year-old driver of the MadridHuelva train was among those killed. open image in gallery Footage shows emergency workers at the scene in Adamuz ( @eleanorinthesky/AFP ) Emergency services worked through the night under floodlights in cold conditions, with temperatures dropping to around 6C. Mr Moreno said on Tuesday that emergency crews had faced difficulties bringing in the heavy equipment needed to lift the wreckage and reach those still lying beneath it. The train collision on Sunday occurred in a hilly, olive-growing region accessible only by a single-track road, making it difficult for ambulances to reach the area, the national emergency director at the Spanish Red Cross told Reuters. Earlier, video footage shared on social media showed rescuers pulling passengers from twisted carriages, while others escaped by climbing through smashed windows or were wheeled away on stretchers. Cordoba fire chief Paco Carmona said the Renfe train carriages were mangled, with twisted metal and seats making access difficult. open image in gallery People wait behind a police cordon at the scene of the crash ( Reuters ) Journalist Salvador Jimenez, who was travelling on the Iryo train, said the moment of impact felt like an earthquake, adding that passengers used emergency hammers to break windows and escape. Mr Puente said the cause of the derailment is not yet known, adding that an inquiry could take up to a month. He described the crash as unusual because it occurred on flat track, not a curve, and involved a train less than four years old. Ignacio Barron, head of Spain's Commission of Investigation of Rail Accidents, says investigators are looking into the interaction between the train and the stretch of track in question as they narrow down on the cause of the deadly crash. open image in gallery A survivor being taken away to receive treatment ( Reuters ) Speaking to RTVE, Barron said: "What always plays a part in a derailment is the interaction between the track and the vehicle, and that is what the commission is currently (looking into)." The president of Renfe ruled out the possibility of human error or excessive speed as the cause. The speed limit on the track is 250kmph while the trains were travelling at 110kmph and 200kmph when they collided. Renfe said the derailment was caused by the Iryo train entering its path, while Iryo said it deeply regretted the incident and was cooperating fully with authorities. Rail services between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended, with Adif saying they would not resume until safety checks were completed. Prime minister Pedro Sanchez said: Tonight is one of deep sadness for our country. Spain has the largest high-speed rail network in Europe, with more than 3,100km of track, and the system is widely regarded as safe. The country;s worst rail disaster this century occurred in 2013, when 80 people were killed after a train derailed in Galicia while travelling at excessive speed. 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 teacher, student, police officer and journalist are among the victims of a deadly train crash that killed 41 people in Spain. Among the dead are the Zamorano-Alvarez family, who are reported to have lost four members including a husband and wife, their 12-year-old son and a nephew, according to relatives on Facebook. The sole survivor of the family was a six-year-old girl who has been taken into the care of her grandmother, mayor Jose Carlos Hernandez Hernandez told reporters on Tuesday. open image in gallery At least 41 people have been confirmed dead following the crash ( Guardia Civil ) Authorities said bodies still remained under the wreckage after a high-speed train operated by Iryo derailed and crashed into an oncoming train run by Alvia, pushing it off the tracks near Cordoba. Around 300 passengers were on both trains in total. The death toll rose overnight as another body was recovered and at least 12 people remain in intensive care. Spain deployed heavy machinery to recover the bodies of missing people amid the wreckage, with emergency services using cranes to gain access to the worst-hit carriages on Tuesday. At least three bodies had been seen still trapped in the wreckage two days on from the crash, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told state broadcaster TVE late on Monday. open image in gallery Guardia Civil officers collect evidence next to the wreckage of train cars involved in the collision in Adamuz, ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Oscar Puente, the countrys transport minister, emphasised that the death toll "is not yet final". Married couple Oscar Toro, a journalist who had a history of university teaching, and his wife Maria Clauss, a photojournalist, were on board the Alvia train. Their deaths were confirmed by their journalists union. Spanish National Police confirmed that an officer with the service was also among the dead. Local media reported that the man had become a father just 18 months before his death. The 27-year-old driver of one the Alvia train was also killed in the crash. Emergency services used heavy machinery overnight and in the early hours of Tuesday to level the ground around the front carriages of the Alvia train, which had plunged down a 4-metre (13.1 ft) embankment, and the rear carriages of the Iryo train, the Andalusian regional government said in a statement. open image in gallery Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Technicians investigating the cause of the deadly Spanish train disaster identified a faulty joint on the rails, a source briefed on the preliminary probe said. Experts on site highlighted wear on the joint between sections of the rail, known as a fishplate, which they said showed the fault had been there for some time, the source told Reuters. The faulty joint created a gap between the rail sections that widened as trains continued to travel on the track, but an official reason is yet to be confirmed. King Charles released a statement about incident in a post on his social media account on Tuesday. open image in gallery A faulty joint in the rail may have led to the deadly derailment ( Guardia Civil ) My wife and I have been profoundly shocked and saddened to learn of the appalling train accident in Southern Spain and of the many lives so tragically lost in such a disaster, he said. We offer our deepest possible sympathy to all those who have suffered the heartbreaking loss of their loved ones and our special thoughts remain with those who have been terribly injured in this dreadful accident. Spain began three days of national mourning on Tuesday, after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez vowed to uncover the truth of the incident. King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited the site and met with emergency services undergoing work among the wreckage. 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 Amidst the horrific aftermath of a train derailment in southern Spain, where twisted metal and bodies lay scattered, a six-year-old girl miraculously emerged virtually unscathed. The train car had hurtled off the tracks, sliding down a steep slope and ripping open its frame, creating a scene of devastation marked by the cries of the injured and the silence of the dead. According to La Vanguardia, a Civil Guard officer discovered the child barefoot on the tracks, having escaped through a broken window. Her relative, Juan Barroso, confirmed the six-year-old is "in good health" after receiving three stitches to her head at a hospital. The mayor of her family's village, situated near the ill-fated rail line, expressed finding "a measure of solace" in the child's safety. There are many people who are very sad for the victims of this terrible accident, but there were also many who survived, like the miracle of the girl who is safe, Punta Umbria's Mayor Jose Carlos Hernandez told reporters Tuesday after leading a minute of silence for the victims. Among them were the girl's parents, brother and a cousin. At least 41 people were killed in the brutal accident that has shaken the nation and left the 6-year-old child an orphan. Punta Umbria has declared three days of mourning for victims including the family. They were seated in the front carriages that bore the brunt of the impact when a train coming the opposite direction suddenly jumped its track for reasons still unknown. Mayor Hernandez said that the girl is now with her grandparents in a hotel in Cordoba, the nearest city to the crash. She has a tremendous family who will do what it takes for her to have a happy life, the mayor said. open image in gallery In this grab taken from video provided by Guardia Civil, rescue workers at the scene after a high speed train collision, in Adamuz, Spain, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Guardia Civil via AP) ( Guardia Civil ) Meanwhile, rescuers used cranes and heavy machinery on Tuesday to gain access to the worst-hit carriages in one of Europe's deadliest train crashes as they sought to recover the remains of people still missing in a disaster that left at least 41 dead. Spaniards are reeling following the first-ever deadly accident on the country's extensive high-speed rail network, which occurred on Sunday evening near Adamuz in Cordoba province, about 360 km (223 miles) south of Madrid. Experts say a faulty rail joint might be key to determining the cause of the derailment that led to the collision between two trains. Emergency services used heavy machinery overnight and in the early hours of Tuesday to level the ground around the front carriages of the train belonging to the state-run Alvia service, which had plunged down a 4-metre (13.1 ft) embankment after the crash, and the rear carriages of the train operated by private consortium Iryo, the Andalusian regional government said in a statement. Two cranes were added to the rescue operation, the government said. The collision occurred in rolling, olive-growing countryside in the foothills of a mountain range in a site only reachable by a single-track road that made it difficult for rescuers to access it with heavy machinery. 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 Syria's interior ministry announced on Tuesday that 120 Islamic State members escaped from a prison in the northeast a day earlier, amidst escalating clashes between government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who guard the facility. Security forces have since recaptured 81 of the escapees, with "intensive security efforts" ongoing to pursue the remaining fugitives. The SDF and the government have traded blame over the Shaddadeh prison escape, which occurred amid the breakdown of a ceasefire deal. Separately, the SDF accused "Damascus-affiliated factions" on Tuesday of cutting water supplies to the al-Aqtan prison near Raqqa, labelling it a "blatant violation of humanitarian standards". open image in gallery Tribal fighters pose for photographs taken by onlookers after Syrian government troops. ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The SDF, the main U.S.-backed force that fought IS in Syria, controls more than a dozen prisons in the northeast where some 9,000 IS members have been held for years without trial. Many of the detained extremists are believed to have carried out atrocities in Syria and Iraq after IS declared a caliphate in June 2014 over large parts of Syria and Iraq. IS was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria two years later, but the groups sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both countries. Under a deal announced Sunday, government forces were to take over control of the prisons from the SDF, but the transfer did not go smoothly. open image in gallery A Syrian government fighter stands guard outside Al-Aqtan prison on the outskirts of Raqqa, northeastern Syria. ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) On Monday, Syrian government forces and SDF fighters clashed around two prisons housing members of the Islamic State group in Syrias northeast. The clashes came as SDF chief commander Mazloum Abdi was said to be in Damascus to attempt to solidify a ceasefire deal reached Sunday that ended days of deadly fighting during which government forces captured wide areas of northeast Syria from the SDF. Abdi issued no statement after the meeting and the SDF later issued a statement calling for all of our youth to join the ranks of the resistance," appearing to signal that the deal had fallen apart. open image in gallery Soldiers of the Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) deploy with armoured military vehicles to secure roads leading to Gweiran Prison which houses men accused of being an Islamic State (ISIS) fighters in Hassakeh. ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa postponed a planned trip to Germany Tuesday amid the ongoing tensions in northeast Syria. Since toppling Bashar Assad in December 2024, Syrias new leaders have struggled to assert their full authority over the war-torn country. An agreement was reached in March that would merge the SDF with Damascus, but it didnt gain traction. Earlier this month, clashes broke out in the city of Aleppo, followed by the government offensive that seized control of Deir el-Zour and Raqqa provinces, critical areas under the SDF that include oil and gas fields, river dams along the Euphrates and border crossings. 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 Protesters have burned American flags in the streets of Switzerland, sending a clear message to US president Donald Trump: You are not welcome. Trump is set to arrive in Davos on Wednesday to attend the World Economic Forum, but his trip comes amid growing anger over his threats to takeover Greenland. Put the Trumpster in the dumpster was just one of the many signs at a demonstration in Zurich overnight as thousands gathered to show their opposition to the American leader. Violent clashes are reported to have took place between protesters and police after windows were smashed and properties damaged, according to Swissinfo. Pictures shared on social media also showed people in masks burning a US flag. open image in gallery Protesters hold a banner reading "Trump not welcome" during a rally against the World Economic Forum in Davos ( AP ) Officers in riot gear used water cannon to quell the unrest and break up the demonstration shortly after 9:30pm, according to local media. Police used chemical irritants and rubber bullets to shut the protest down after they said they were pelted with stones and fireworks. No injuries were reported. Elsewhere, activists from the Swiss NGO Campax projected a cartoon image of Trump onto a ski slope during a protest against his attendance with the words: Spirit of plutocracy. Over 3,000 participants including CEOs and at least 60 world leaders are expected to gather in the town of Davos in the Swiss Alps this week. open image in gallery Riot police clash with protesters during demonstrations against the WEF and Trump ( AP ) Trump is due to deliver a speech on Wednesday, following days of public spats with European leaders over his plans for Greenland. The president says the US needs the territory for security reasons and has yet to rule out military action to take it. On Tuesday morning, Trump doubled down on his threats, writing on social media: There can be no going back, as the summit got underway. He has threatened to impose tariffs on countries trading with Greenland, prompting a retaliatory threat by Europe of tariffs estimated to be worth 93bn. open image in gallery Activists from the Swiss NGO Campax projected a cartoon image of Trump onto a ski slope during a protest against his attendance ( REUTERS ) Trade tensions are expected to dominate discussions in Davos, although Ukrainian officials said that negotiations on a peace deal with Russia will also continue alongside the conference. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, emphasised the continents capabilities to police the Arctic and criticised Trumps tariffs threats in a speech at Davos on Tuesday. Protests have taken place in Greenland in recent days with 5,000 people attending, including the territorys prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. It marked the largest demonstration in its history, with 25 per cent of the capital of Nuuk attending. Similar protests have taken place across Denmark with several thousand attending across Aarhus, Aalborg and Odense. open image in gallery People protest against Trump's policy towards Greenland in front of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland ( AP ) California governor and potential presidential hopeful Gavin Newsom called European and American leaders pathetic for failing to challenge Trumps rhetoric. I can't take this complicity of people rolling over, Newsom said to Sky News after he arrived in Davos. I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders. I mean handing out crowns, the Nobel prizes that are being given away. It's just pathetic. And I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage. Likening Trump to a T-rex, he added: You mate with him or he devours you, one or the other, and you need to stand up to it. They need to stand tall, stand firm, stand united. 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 U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 200% tariff on French wines and champagnes. He claimed the move would compel French President Emmanuel Macron to join his 'Board of Peace' initiative, which aims to resolve global conflicts. When asked by a reporter about Macron saying he will not join the board, Trump said, "Did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he will be out of office very soon." "I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join, but he doesn't have to join," Trump said. France intends to decline the invitation to join the initiative, at this stage, a source close to Macron said on Monday. Trump originally proposed establishing the Board of Peace when he announced last September his plan to end the war in Gaza. But an invitation sent to world leaders last week outlines a broad role ending conflicts globally. open image in gallery US President Donald Trump has committed to hitting the UK and European allies with tariffs (Leon Neal/PA) ( PA Wire ) A draft charter sent to about 60 countries by the U.S. administration calls for members to contribute $1 billion in cash if they want their membership to last more than three years, according to the document seen by Reuters. On Tuesday French President Emmanuel Macron told U.S President Donald Trump that he could set up a meeting after Davos in Paris on Thursday afternoon, according to screenshots of messages sent by Macron to Trump that were posted by the U.S. president on Truth Social. Macron also invited Trump to have dinner in Paris on Thursday, according to the screenshots. Trump's reply, if any, was not part of the screenshot. The White House did not respond to a request for comment Governments reacted cautiously on Sunday to Trump's invitation, a plan that diplomats said could harm the work of the United Nations. On Monday, Trump also said he has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to be a member of the peace board. "He's been invited," Trump 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 Donald Trump claims to have hashed out the framework of a future deal on Greenland following weeks of threats to annex the Danish territory. The US president emerged from talks with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on Wednesday confident that a deal was in sight and that all parties were happy with it. Denmark said it was open to dialogue so long as its borders are respected but have notably not endorsed any aspects of the agreement briefed to the media or discussed publicly by Mr Rutte. The shape of the arrangement was a little bit complex, Mr Trump said, and would have to be explained down the line. However, he waived his previous threat of tariffs against European allies in an apparent attempt to defuse tensions. Mr Rutte said that Denmark would retain its sovereignty and stressed that Nato allies would have to step up on Arctic security within months under the framework deal currently being discussed. Officials close to the negotiations briefed media outlets that a deal could see greater US freedom to build on the island, modelled on Britains overseas arrangements. But concrete details of what could form part of the deal remain scarce and there is no guarantee that Mr Trumps demands will be accepted by Europe. The Independent looks at how the US may look to strike an agreement with Denmark and Nato. open image in gallery Mark Rutte said he had held a very good discussion with Donald Trump on how to ensure Arctic security ( AP ) US sovereignty over military bases In the hours before Mr Trumps announcement, Nato officials were discussing the possibility of the US obtaining sovereignty over land for military bases, according to three senior officials familiar with the talks. Such a deal could resemble the agreement Britain has with Cyprus to run its own bases on land regarded as UK territory. Akrotiri, Episkopi, Dhekelia and Ayios Nikolaos are termed British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs), which stayed under British control when the independent Republic of Cyprus emerged in 1960. They function as British overseas territories, with a civilian administration responsible for many civil government duties, like law and justice and immigration. They also have a police force and a mixed demographic with military and UK-based personnel and their dependents working alongside Cypriots. open image in gallery Britain has a longstanding agreement with Cyprus to treat its bases on the island as British territory ( Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA ) An official briefed on the Nato-US discussions told The New York Times that the plan for Greenland would be modelled after the British arrangement in Cyprus although the exact dimensions were unclear. Sources also told The Telegraph the proposals resembled Britains agreement with Cyprus. They said the deal under discussion did not involve selling Greenland. Rare earth mining The US military maintains a permanent presence at the Pituffik airbase in northwest Greenland under a 1951 agreement that also allows it to build bases provided it notifies Denmark and Greenland. A new arrangement could allow it to build without planning permission and expand into mineral-rich areas, according to The Telegraph. Its a long-term deal, Mr Trump told reporters. Its the ultimate long-term deal. It puts everybody in a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and to minerals. A 2023 survey showed that 25 of 34 minerals deemed critical raw materials by the European Commission were found in Greenland. The extraction of oil and gas is banned in Greenland for environmental regions, and investment in the mining sector currently faces challenges. Graphite, copper, nickel, zinc, gold, diamonds, iron ore, titanium-vanadium, tungsten and uranium are all found in Greenland. open image in gallery Greenland's Pituffik Space Base, where the US have a permanent military presence ( Ritzau Scanpix ) How Greenland has reacted Denmark has said it is open to discussions that do not compromise territorial integrity. But the issue will also need approval within Greenland. The island is organised as a semi-autonomous territory with its own prime minister, who has strongly opposed American threats in recent weeks. Prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has, notably, not yet commented on Mr Ruttes talks with Mr Trump. Aaja Chemnitz Larsen, a Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, said she feared that Nato was bartering over Greenlands future without the islands involvement. What we are witnessing these days in statements from Trump is completely insane. Nato has absolutely no mandate to negotiate anything whatsoever without us in Greenland, she wrote on social media. And the fact that Nato should have anything to say about our country and minerals is completely in the hemp. open image in gallery The people of Greenland remain strongly opposed to the US controlling the island, protesting in large numbers last week ( AP ) Mr Rutte said on Thursday that specific negotiations would involve the US, Denmark and Greenland. It would be up to Nato commanders to work through the details of extra security requirements, which could see Nato allies doing more in the region. "I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026," he said. What is the deal missing? The framework remains informal and lacks specifics. If the main challenges are, as Nato says, combatting Russian and Chinese investment and interference, the US already has the right to build bases and Denmark has countered Chinese investment in the past. With Nato allies already moving to the region to boost security, it is not clear what a new deal would add. The development of the islands mining sector is also wrapped up in red tape and opposition from indigenous people, and it is unclear how Greenland would be compensated if the US tries to extract rare minerals. The extraction of oil and gas is banned for environmental reasons. A deal modelled on the British bases in Cyprus will need further clarity, as the arrangement has evolved greatly since 1960. Even if land becomes de facto American, negotiators will have to agree on remits for development and independence. Crucially, the Nato alliance has been shaken by the repeated threats from the US, and allies will have to rebuild relationships to work together on security. 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 posted private messages from the leaders of Nato and France just a day after his leaked correspondence over Greenland with the prime minister of Norway caused a major diplomatic stir in Europe. The US president shared a fawning message from Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on his Truth Social platform, in which he said he would use his platform at the World Economic Forum to champion Trumps work in Gaza and Ukraine. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark, he said. Trump also shared a message from French president Emmanuel Macron calling for a meeting and dinner in Paris, as the US leader threatened France with 200 per cent tariffs on French wine over Macrons refusal to join his so-called Board of Peace. open image in gallery Nato secretary general Mark Rutte (left) has been careful to shower Trump with praise ( AP ) Trump's reply, if any, was not part of the screenshot. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. The messages come after Trump linked his drive to take control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, saying he no longer thought "purely of Peace" as the row over the island threatened to reignite a trade war with Europe. The leaked message from Mr Rutte praised the president for his work in Syria, after a ceasefire was agreed with Kurdish-led militia. It read: Mr. President, dear Donald - what you accomplished in Syria today is incredible. I will use my media engagements in Davos to highlight your work there, in Gaza, and in Ukraine. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark Last summer, Mr Ruttes fulsome praise of Mr Trump drew attention, when he commended his handling of the Israel-Iran conflict. Daddy has to sometimes use strong language to get them to stop, he said, defending the US presidents use of an expletive. open image in gallery A Truth Social post by Trump continued his trolling over Greenland ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) In the message from president Macron to Mr Trump, the French leader expressed concern about the presidents ongoing threats to take Greenland. The message read: My friend, We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things: 1) i can set up a g7 meeting after Davos in Paris on thursday afternoon. I can invite the ukrainians, the danish, the syrians and the russians in the margins 2) let us have a dinner together in Paris together on thursday before you go back to the us. Emmanuel. Mr Trump has shared a series of inflammatory AI images as tensions over Greenlands future continue. One showed him talking to European leaders in The White House with the American Flag over Greenland and Canada. Amid growing concerns over how far Trump will go to annex the territory, the president declined to tell NBC News whether he would use force. He did reiterate his threat to hit European nations with tariffs if a deal is not reached. open image in gallery Trump also released messages he received from French president Emmanuel Macron ( AP ) Denmark's military told Reuters that Danish soldiers would land in Kangerlussuaq, western Greenland, on Monday, as part of the Arctic Endurance military exercise. But Mr Trump dismissed the arrival of Nato allies in Greenland. That wasn't a military," Trump told reporters on Monday in Florida before he boarded a flight back to Washington, DC. They sent a few people, and they say they sent them not for me, but to guard against Russia. But you know, Nato has been warning Denmark for about 20 years now, longer than that, 25 years, they've been warning Denmark about the Russian threat, and it's not only Russia, it's also China." Mr Trump has intensified his push to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow Nato member Denmark, prompting the European Union to weigh hitting back with its own measures. The dispute threatens to upend the Nato alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades and which was already under strain over the war in Ukraine and Trump's refusal to protect allies unless they increase defence spending. open image in gallery People march during a demonstration in support of Greenland, in Copenhagen, Denmark ( Ritzau Scanpix ) On Saturday, the president vowed to implement a wave of increasing tariffs from February 1 on EU members Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, along with Britain and Norway, until the U.S. is allowed to buy Greenland, home to some 57,000 people. EU leaders will discuss options to respond at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday. One is a package of tariffs on 93 billion euros ($108 billion) of U.S. imports that could automatically kick in on February 6 after a six-month suspension. Another is the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), which has never yet been used and which could limit access to public tenders, investments or banking activity or restrict trade in services, in which the U.S. has a surplus with the bloc, including in digital services. Norway's prime minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said he would change his schedule to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday and Thursday, overlapping with Mr Trump's planned appearance at the annual gathering of the global political and business elite. However, the country will not change its stance on Greenland, the country's foreign minister Espen Barth Eide stressed. open image in gallery The HDMS Vaedderen frigate of the Danish Navy patrols near Nuuk, Greenland ( Getty ) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he too would try to meet president Trump on Wednesday, adding that a trade dispute was not wanted. But if we are confronted with tariffs that we consider unreasonable, then we are capable of responding, he added. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned it would be very unwise for European governments to retaliate. I think its a complete canard that the president will be doing this because of the Nobel prize. The president is looking at Greenland as a strategic asset for the United States, he told reporters in Davos. In a post on Facebook, Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the territory should be allowed to decide its own fate. We will not let ourselves be pressured. We stand firm on dialogue, on respect and on international law, he said. Close 'Evil must stop: Zelenskyy mourns latest Russian attack on miners as he confirms next diplomatic talks in UAE 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 Foreign troops in Ukraine will be regarded as legitimate targets by Russia, the Kremlins foreign minister has said in the latest threat against Kyivs allies. Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would regard the deployment of any foreign military forces or infrastructure in Ukraine as foreign intervention and treat them as legitimate targets. "The deployment of military units, facilities, warehouses, and other infrastructure of Western countries in Ukraine is unacceptable to us and will be regarded as foreign intervention posing a direct threat to Russia's security," the ministry said on its website. Britain and France have both pledged to put troops in Ukraine in the event of a peace deal - a key security guarantee for Kyiv. Lavrov also heaped praise on Donald Trump for his "purposeful efforts to end the conflict following the first trilateral talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine. Both the Kremlin and Volodymyr Zelensky have confirmed the second round of talks will begin on Wednesday. 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 Ukraine is poised to establish a system enabling its allies to train their artificial intelligence models using Kyiv's invaluable combat data, meticulously gathered throughout the nearly four-year conflict with Russia. This significant development was announced by the newly appointed Defence Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. Mr Fedorov, who recently transitioned from his role as digitalisation minister to spearhead reforms across Ukraine's vast defence ministry and armed forces, has described Kyiv's wartime data trove as a crucial "card" in its ongoing negotiations with other nations. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has amassed extensive battlefield intelligence, including systematically logged combat statistics and millions of hours of drone footage captured from above. Such real-world information is critically important for the development and refinement of AI models. These advanced systems require substantial volumes of authentic data to effectively identify complex patterns and accurately predict how individuals or objects might behave in diverse operational scenarios. Fedorov - a former digitalisation minister who last week took up the post to drive reforms across Ukraine's vast defence ministry and armed forces - has described Kyiv's wartime data trove as one of its cards in negotiations with other nations ( Ukrainian Armed Forces ) "Today, frontline data has extraordinary value," Fedorov told reporters in comments cleared for release on Tuesday, adding that there was demand for this data from allies. "We will build a system on which they can train their software products using our data." Fedorov has previously said Ukraine was using AI technology from US data analytics firm Palantir for both military and civilian applications. Outlining his plans for the wartime defence ministry after his appointment, he said he wanted to "more actively" integrate allies into projects. He said his team was receiving advice from the Center for Strategic and International Studies and RAND in the US, as well as Britain's Royal United Services Institute. Fedorov also said Ukraine would test its homegrown replacement for China's DJI Mavic drone this month, which is widely used for aerial reconnaissance on the front lines by both sides. He did not disclose the manufacturer. Ukraine has previously raised concerns about reliance on Beijing for drones and components, given China's deepening diplomatic ties with Russia. "We will have our own Mavic analogue: the same camera, but with a longer flight range," Fedorov said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Theres nothing new about calling George Orwells most influential novel prescient. But the focus has usually been on his portrayal of the oppressive aspects of life in Oceania, the superstate in which Nineteen Eighty-Four is set. Today, however, a different feature which as recently as 2019, some critics dismissed as obsolete is getting more attention: its vision of a world divided into three spheres, controlled by autocratic governments that constantly form and then break alliances. In 2022, Vladimir Putin initiated Russias full-on invasion of Ukraine. This year began with the US mounting a raid on Venezuela and snatching its president, while Donald Trump speculated about US actions against various other countries in Latin America and Greenland. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping regularly repeats Chinas intention to reunify with Taiwan by force if necessary. Orwell-as-prophet commentators began showing more interest in the superstate idea early in the decade, often leading with references to Putins imperial ambitions. This trend became more pronounced when Trumps second term began. open image in gallery Author George Orwell ( PA ) Last year, American historian Alfred McCoy led with a tripolar reference in his Foreign Policy essay: Is 2025 the New 1984? A Bloomberg report on the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska last August was headlined: It Looks Like a Trump-Putin-Xi World, But Its Really Orwells. The article described Nineteen Eighty-Fours fictional model of global affairs as prophetic. Many observers now see Big Brother-like leaders wielding power in Washington, as well as in Moscow and Beijing. In her first essay of 2026, Anne Applebaum wrote in The Atlantic that: Orwells world is fiction, but some want it to become reality. The American journalist and historian noted a dangerous desire of some for an Asia dominated by China, a Europe dominated by Russia, and a Western Hemisphere dominated by the United States. Social media is awash with comments and maps in the same vein. Orwells influences Analysts have claimed that elements of Orwells portrayal of politics inside Oceania paralleled various parts of dystopian novels written before Nineteen Eighty-Four. They cite, in particular, the potential influence of Jack Londons The Iron Heel (1908) and Aldous Huxleys Brave New World (1932) works Orwell discussed in a 1940 essay. Then theres Yevgeny Zamyatins novel We (1921), which Orwell wrote about in 1946, and Arthur Koestlers Darkness at Noon (1940), which he wrote about in 1941. Both inspired him with their criticism of the real Soviet Union. About the authors Emrah Atasoy is an Associate Fellow of English and Comparative Literary Studies & Honorary Research Fellow of IAS, the University of Warwick and Upcoming IASH Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the University of Edinburgh, University of Warwick, England. Jeffrey Wasserstrom is a Professor of Chinese and World History, University of California, Irvine, USA. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article Could these or other utopian and dystopian texts such as Ayn Rands Anthem (1938), Sinclair Lewiss It Cant Happen Here (1935), and Noel Cowards play Peace in Our Time (1946) have given him ideas about future geopolitics? In fact, most of the works mentioned downplay or ignore international issues. Koestler focuses on one unnamed totalitarian country, Zamyatin and Huxley on a single world-state, London and Lewis on an America transformed by a domestic tyrannical movement, and Coward a Britain conquered by Hitler. Two other novels provide partial precedents. The first is The War in the Air (1908) by H.G. Wells, an author Orwell read throughout his life. It has a tripolar side, depicting a war between Germany, the US and Britain, and a Chinese and Japanese force. The second is Swastika Night by Katharine Burdekin (writing as Murray Constantine). Orwell never referred to Swastika Night in any publication, and his most prominent biographer, D.J. Taylor, has claimed there is no definitive evidence that he read it. However, as it was a Left Book Club selection and he was a Left Book Club author, Orwell would at least have known about it. The novel describes a world divided into two rival camps, not three, but portrays allies becoming rivals. The competing superstates are Nazi Germany and imperial Japan, who were on the same side when the book was written. In his own words The most satisfying place to look for inspiration for Nineteen Eighty-Fours geopolitical vision, though, is in Orwells own experiences and non-fiction reading. Before the 1940s, Orwell spent a lot of time learning and writing critically about three oppressive systems: capitalism, fascism and Soviet communism. In terms of capitalism, working as a colonial police officer in Burma in the 1920s left him disgusted with what he called the dirty work of empire. Living in England later led him to write works on class injustices such as The Road to Wigan Pier (1937). open image in gallery Trump is determined to acquire Greenland ( PA Wire ) In terms of fascism, he wrote scathingly about Hitler and Franco. Orwell was also appalled by accounts of repression under Stalin. His time fighting in Spain reinforced his dark view of Moscow and he saw erstwhile allies become arch-enemies as the anti-Franco coalition broke down, and the Soviets began treating groups that had been part of it as villains. Second world war news stories had an impact as well. In 1939 and 1941 respectively, newspapers were full of reports of Moscow and Berlin signing a non-aggression pact, and then of Moscow switching sides to join the Allies. And in a 1945 essay, Orwell mocked news of many people on the left embracing the fervently anti-Communist Chinese Nationalist Party leader, Chiang Kai-shek, once he was with the Allies seemingly having forgetten their earlier disdain for Chiangs brutal effort to exterminate the Chinese Communist Party. But perhaps the most notable 1940s news story of all relating to Nineteen Eighty-Fours geopolitics has been flagged by Taylor as one that broke in 1943. He notes that Orwell sometimes claimed a key inspiration for his final novel were the reports of Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill talking at the 1943 Tehran conference about carving up the post-war world into three spheres. Nineteen Eighty-Four has had extraordinary longevity as a go-to text for political commentary. There are many explanations for its staying power, but right now a key feature of it may be its relevance to thinking about both repression of dissent and Newspeak-style propaganda in many individual countries and the unsettling geopolitical tensions in the world at large. 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 Palestinian baby died from hypothermia on Tuesday in the Gaza Strip, underscoring the grim humanitarian conditions in the territory as world leaders were gathering at a Swiss resort where President Donald Trumps Gaza ceasefire plan is high on the agenda. Shaza Abu Jarads family found the 3-month-old on Tuesday morning in their tent in the Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City. She was freezing, and dead, the babys father, Mohamed Abu Jarad, told The Associated Press by phone after a funeral. She died from cold. The man, who worked in Israel before the war, lives with his wife and their seven other children in a makeshift tent after their house was destroyed during the war. The family took the girl to the Al-Ahly hospital where a doctor pronounced her dead from hypothermia, said her uncle, Khalid Abu Jarad. The Health Ministry confirmed that the baby died from hypothermia. The family is among hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in tent camps and war-battered buildings in Gaza which experiences cold, wet winters, with temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) at night. As Palestinians in the war-ravaged enclave languish in displacement camps, Trump hopes to establish his new Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos. But the initiative, initially conceived to oversee the Gaza ceasefire, faces many questions over its membership and scope. open image in gallery A photograph shows machinery demolishing a structure inside the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem on January 20, 2026 ( AFP/Getty ) Israel on Tuesday began demolishing the Jerusalem headquarters of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, pressing ahead with its crackdown against a body it has long accused of anti-Israel bias. Shaza Abu Jarad was the ninth child to die from severe cold this winter in Gaza, according to the strips health ministry, part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own. More than 100 children who have died since the start of the ceasefire in October a figure that includes a 27-day-old girl who died from hypothermia over the weekend. The ceasefire paused two years of war between Israel and Hamas militants and allowed a surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza, mainly food. But residents say shortages of blankets and warm clothes remain, and there is little wood for fires. Theres been no central electricity in Gaza since the first few days of the war in 2023, and fuel for generators is scarce. The International Committee of the Red Cross said recent biting cold and rainfall in Gaza were ultimately a threat to survival. Trumps Board of Peace was initially seen as a mechanism focused on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. But recent invitations sent to dozens of world leaders show that the body could have a far broader mandate of other global crises, potentially rivaling the U.N. Security Council. Trump says the body would embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict, an indication that the body may not confine its work to Gaza. The panel was part of Trumps 20-point ceasefire plan that stopped the war in Gaza in October. Many countries, including Russia, said they received Trumps invitation and were studying the proposal. France said it does not plan to join the board at this stage. 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 mother of a man stripped of his British citizenship and held in an Islamic State prison in Syria said he had been left to die" by the UK after prisons in northeast Syria were caught up in violent clashes between government and Kurdish-led forces. Sally Lane, 63, said her son Jack Letts, 30, and dozens of others with ties to Britain, are sitting ducks who have been left to fend for themselves as the detention centres for those accused of affiliations with Isis have become the frontline in ferocious fighting. The Independent understands that as many as 60 people, including 35 children, with connections to the UK are currently being held in these camps and prisons, despite desperate calls over the years from their families to repatriate them. The human rights organisation Reprieve warned that British children were now in mortal danger as a direct result of the UK governments negligent policy to strip their parents of citizenship and to refuse to repatriate them. Mr Letts, who has Canadian citizenship, has been held without formal charge or trial for a decade by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a suspected Isis militant. open image in gallery Jack Letts had his UK citizenship stripped in 2019 ( ITV News ) A convert to Islam, he had travelled to the Middle East in 2014, eventually ending up in Isis-controlled territory in Syria, where he was arrested by the SDF two years later when trying to flee. Nicknamed by parts of the media jihadi Jack, he has denied being an Isis fighter. In 2019 his UK citizenship was stripped. He is currently believed to be in a prison in Raqqa, where Kurdish forces accused government forces of using suicide drones and heavy gunfire against the facility on Tuesday night. Keir Starmer has failed British citizens, former British citizens ... he's abandoned them to their deaths. We've been screaming about this for years, Ms Lane said, accusing the UK and Canadian governments of negligence and moral abdication. She has long campaigned to have her son repatriated, citing concerns about his welfare and believed torture in mention . In 2019 she and her former husband John Letts were handed a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, for funding terrorism after they tried to send money to their son in Syria in 2015 via an intermediary. They vehemently denied the charges and told The Independent they had police permission to send money to their son, who never even received the 223. open image in gallery John Letts and Sally Lane outside the Old Bailey in 2023 ( PA ) [The government has] blood on their hands, and now it's just a free-for-all. The detainees will just have to fend for themselves. It beggars belief that nothing has been done for 10 years, that it's just been allowed to happen. Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former Islamist rebel who led the uprising against Bashar al-Assad, has sought to bring the fractured country under centralised authority after over a decade of civil war and sectarian violence. But talks with Kurdish-led authorities, who seek autonomy in the northeast, have failed. This week Damascus forces swept swathes of northern and eastern Syria long held by the SDF. Amid the chaos, sides traded accusations about the escaped Isis suspects from different prisons with reports that as many as 200 had initially escaped, although most have now been recaptured. An official with the US military's Central Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "We are aware of the reports and are closely monitoring the situation." Tom Barrack, the US special envoy to Syria, meanwhile urged the SDF to integrate with the government. As the violence escalated on Tuesday, the office of Mr Al-Sharaa said it had renewed a truce with the SDF, which gave it four days to develop a detailed plan of how to integrate Kurdish areas and its forces into defence and interior ministries. The SDF said they were fully committed to the ceasefire agreement and were open to political tracks, negotiated solutions and dialogue. But Kurdish-led forces also reported that fighting was still raging around SDF-run prisons and camps holding tens of thousands of people either accused of being part of Isis or who lived under the caliphate. The Syrian defence ministry has pledged to take over the camps and prisons, and accused the SDF of using them as "bargaining chips" to sow chaos and destabilise the region. There are believed to be around 9,000 men accused of being Isis militants in the prisons, including 10 men like Letts linked to the UK. open image in gallery Al Hol camp in northeastern Syria ( AP ) Meanwhile 42,000 others, primarily women and children linked to male Isis suspects are being held in two camps al Hol and Roj. The most high-profile detainee is Shamima Begum. In 2015, at just 15 years old, Begum was groomed and probably trafficked by Isis to the so-called caliphate in Syria. Her citizenship, like Letts, was stripped in 2019, leaving her stateless. The Independent travelled to the camps this summer where former British citizens warned their lives were in danger amid concerns about the security breakdown in Syria. On Tuesday, reports from within the camps that were shared with The Independent, said there was heavy gunfire heard, particularly around Roj, where most of the foreigners are being held. Maya Foa, chief executive of Reprieve, called on the UK government to urgently intervene and repatriate all British nationals at the earliest opportunity warning British children were caught in the crossfire. For family members back home in the UK, the fragments of information coming out of Camp Roj and al Hol are terrifying, she said. The government should make urgent arrangements to repatriate all British nationals at the earliest opportunity, while emphasising to all diplomatic partners the need to respect and protect the rights of prisoners in these facilities. Security experts have been warning about the collapse of these detention facilities for years. The Kurdish authorities themselves described them as a ticking time bomb. open image in gallery Shamima Begum has been stuck in a refugee camp in Syria for years ( Getty ) Ms Lane, like several of the families, has spent years campaigning to have her son repatriated to the UK, even if he were to face investigation and trial, telling The Independent she fears he had been tortured by his guards in prison. After his citizenship was stripped, and after Canada declined to intervene, in recent weeks Ms Lane has launched a campaign to have him repatriated by the UK, fearing the security situation in Syria was deteriorating and he could become trapped. The families [of those held in Syria] have agreed to everything in the past decade from the government including that their relatives can be put on trial. Even that wasn't good enough. They have still been abandoned. Middle East minister Hamish Falconer said: "The situation in north east Syria is deeply concerning, including reports of escaped Daesh fighters. We call for urgent de-escalation, the protection of civilians and a return to negotiations. The UK continues to provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the violence. 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 Israeli forces have demolished buildings within the United Nations Palestinian refugee agencys (UNRWA) East Jerusalem compound, in a move UN officials have denounced as a breach of international law. Bulldozers, accompanied by Israeli forces, were seen razing several large and smaller structures inside the compound in Sheikh Jarrah, occupied East Jerusalem, which was seized last year. It previously served as a workplace for dozens of UNRWA staff members, who have not had access to the premises since early last year after an Israeli directive forced the agency to vacate all its sites and cease operations. open image in gallery Bulldozers destroy part of the UNRWA headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem ( AFP/Getty ) Israeli forces entered the compound around 7am local time and forced out the compounds security guards before bringing in bulldozers to begin demolishing buildings inside. Jerusalem deputy mayor Aryeh King vowed to kick out, kill and destroy all of UNRWAs people, God willing, in a now-deleted video from outside the compound where a yellow bulldozer could be seen demolishing buildings. Jonathan Fowler, a spokesperson for UNRWA, told The Independent that Israel was taking the open and deliberate defiance of international law to a new level. This is an incredible breach of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations to which all UN member states sign up. But this is unfortunately part of a pattern that weve seen which has been cranking up for some time, he added. open image in gallery UNRWA staff were forced to evacuate the premises last year ( AP ) On 12 December, Israeli forces stormed into our health centre in East Jerusalem and they ordered it to close, Mr Fowler continued. We are facing the risk of water and power supplies to our education and health facilities being cut in the coming weeks. These are things which are a direct result of legislation that was passed by the Israeli parliament in December, and this basically cranked up existing anti-UNRWA laws that were adopted by the Israeli parliament in October 2024 and have been in force now for a year. They came into force in January 2025. We saw arson attacks at the compound in East Jerusalem. I was there personally when that was happening. We had regular stone throwing by people outside the compound. Israels parliament passed a law in October 2024 banning the agency from operating in the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with the agency. open image in gallery Offices of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, in the Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem ( AP ) Israels far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on social media where he stood in front of the UNRWA compound as a bulldozer began to tear it down. This is a historic day, its a holiday, he announced. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini wrote in a statement: A new level of open & deliberate defiance of international law, including of the privileges & immunities of the United Nations, by the State of Israel. This constitutes an unprecedented attack against a United Nations agency & its premises. This must be a wake-up call. What happens today to UNRWA will happen tomorrow to any other international organisation or diplomatic mission, whether in the Occupied Palestinian Territory or anywhere around the world. Israel has alleged that some UNRWA staff were members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas and took part in the attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 Israelis. open image in gallery Sheikh Radwan al-Taba UNRWA clinic following an Israeli army bombardment in Gaza City last August ( AP ) UNRWA fired several staff members but said Israel had not provided evidence for all the allegations against its staff. In his statement, Mr Lazzarini said that Israel had conducted a large-scale disinformation campaign against UNRWA. Israels foreign ministry insisted the seizure of the compound was carried out in accordance with Israeli and international law. The State of Israel owns the Jerusalem compound in which the Israel Land Authority is operating today, the statement read. Even prior to the passage of legislation in January 2025, UNRWA-Hamas had already ceased its operations at this site and no longer had any UN personnel or UN activity there. The compound does not enjoy any immunity and the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law. UNRWA-Hamas has long ceased to be a humanitarian aid organization, serving instead as a greenhouse for terrorism. A spokesperson for UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, strongly condemned the actions to demolish the Sheikh Jarrah compound. The Sheikh Jarrah compound remains United Nations premises, and is inviolable and immune from any form of interference, they said in a statement. The Secretary-General views as wholly unacceptable the continued escalatory actions against UNRWA, which are inconsistent with Israels clear obligations under international law, including under the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations. The secretary-general urged Israel to immediately cease the demolition of the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound, and to return and restore the compound and other UNRWA premises to the United Nations without delay. open image in gallery A drone view of the remains of the Jerusalem headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency ( Reuters ) Israels Jerusalem municipality raided the compound last year, claiming UNRWA had failed to pay property taxes after multiple warnings. UNRWA said the agency had no debts to the municipality. The agency operates in East Jerusalem, which the UN and most countries consider territory occupied by Israel. Israel considers all of Jerusalem to be part of the country. UNRWA also operates in Gaza, the West Bank and elsewhere in the Middle East, providing schooling, healthcare, social services and shelter to millions of Palestinians. 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 When US president Donald Trump began his second term in office, it was on the promise of putting America first. For many of his MAGA supporters, that meant rejecting interventionist policies that had overextended the countrys military commitments across the globe. His National Security Strategy, published last year, promised that the affairs of other countries are our concern only if their activities directly threaten our interests. But since his return last January, the US commander-in-chief has pursued an aggressive foreign policy, greenlighting military strikes on multiple countries, seizing oil tankers and overseeing the shock overnight capture of Nicolas Maduro that led to the decapitation of the Venezuelan government. open image in gallery Like many US presidents before him, Donald Trump has launched multiple strikes in Africa and the Middle East - but now he is turning his attention elsewhere ( The Independent ) Other targets have included Iran, Iraq and Somalia, among others. Trump is far from the only US president to launch military action in the Middle East - Biden, Obama, Clinton, both Bushes, and Reagan have all done so over the last 50 years. The US also has a long-running history of intervention in Latin American countries. However, it is Trumps ongoing threats to take Greenland, a Nato territory, that is causing particular concern across Europe now. The larger picture of Trumps foreign policy is one of transactional disruption rather than strategic leadership, Aurelien Colson, academic director at the ESSEC Business School Institute for Geopolitics & Business, told The Independent. Colson says that Trumps National Security Strategy exposed his intent to undermine the EU as a political and strategic actor. The document claimed that the continent was facing civilisational erasure. The so-called Donroe Doctrine openly revives a logic of spheres of influence, he explains. Trump joked that the Monroe Doctrine associated with exerting control over the Western hemisphere and warning about a Europeanisation of America could now be dubbed the Donroe Doctrine, a clear indication of his intentions. open image in gallery US President Donald Trump had promised that the affairs of other countries are our concern only if their activities directly threaten our interests ( PA Wire ) But, while Trump has made some historic statements and carried out unprecedented military action, Colson says that much of his behaviour can be interpreted as bluster. Trumps moves are driven less by coherent geopolitical objectives than by a mix of narcissistic posturing (which even his own administration finds difficulties to cope with), domestic political signalling, and personal financial interests: from his admiration for strongmen to policies that align with opaque business networks, including crypto-financial channels, he says. What he appears to seek is not a stable international order, but a world in which power is personalised, deals are opaque, and loyalty matters more than rules. The consequences are deeply negative, of course, for the world order, and for specific states such as Ukraine, but also for the USA: alliances are weakened, American credibility eroded, and strategic rivals emboldened. Colson explains: Far from America First, the outcome is increasingly America Isolated: mistrusted by partners and progressively less able to shape the rules of the international system it once led - to its own benefit. Below The Independent looks at the countries where Trump has taken military action in the last 12 months, and where he could strike next. Somalia: Targeting Isis and al-Shabab open image in gallery The US says its strikes on Somalia are against Isis - but Trump has also verbally attacked the countrys citizens In February last year, 10 days after his inauguration, Trump launched a series of military strikes against Isis key figures in Somalia. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians. Our Military has targeted this Isis Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldnt act quickly enough to get the job done. I did! Trump said. The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU! Further attacks on Isis, and the Islamist paramilitary group al-Shabab, were launched in January this year. According to think tank, New America, Trump has so far launched 135 strikes in the country in his second term, more than the entire Bush Jr, Obama and Biden presidencies combined. Meanwhile, Somalia has become a lightning rod for MAGA Republicans, with Trump calling the country a hell hole and repeatedly attacking Somali immigrants in the US as garbage who contribute nothing, comments that have sparked widespread backlash. Iraq: Hunting down Isis figureheads open image in gallery Trump greets troops at the Al-Udeid air base southwest of Doha in May ( AFP/Getty ) The US conducted several counterterrorism operations against Isis in Iraq in March 2025. Trump praised the operation as an example of peace through strength. According to the US CENTCOM, the precision airstrike killed Isiss second-in-command, Abdallah Abu Khadijah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Posting the update on X with a portrait picture of himself, Trump wrote at the time: Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed. He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters. His miserable life was terminated, along with another member of ISIS, in coordination with the Iraqi Government and the Kurdish Regional Government. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH! The operations were a continuation of an ongoing campaign of targeting ISIS in Iraq, begun during President Barack Obamas tenure in 2014, and dubbed Operation Inherent Resolve. Yemen: Retaliation for Red Sea ship attacks open image in gallery Houthi supporters protest against the US and Israel in Sana'a, Yemen, in March 2025 ( AP ) Trump launched bombings against Yemens Houthi rebels in March 2025 after a wave of attacks by the group against ships in the Red Sea that were in response to Israels war in Gaza. The United States is reported to have carried out more than 1,100 strikes, killed hundreds of Houthi fighters, and spent more than $1 billion over the 52-day campaign, officials told the New York Times. Despite the bombardment, rebels began attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea again in July. The Iran-backed group captured and sank a Greek-owned bulk carrier named Magic Seas using drones, missiles, and rocket-propelled grenades, forcing its 22 crew members to abandon ship. The next day, the Houthis sank another Greek-operated vessel called Eternity C, leaving at least four dead and 15 missing. Iran: Strikes on nuclear facilities open image in gallery Iranians burn a US flag as they take part in a funeral ceremony for Iranian army generals, nuclear scientists and their family members who were killed in Israeli strikes in Tehran ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) In June last year, the International Atomic Energy Agency warned Iran was violating its non-proliferation commitments and had enough enriched uranium to potentially develop nine nuclear bombs. Within days, Israel launched airstrikes on Irans nuclear facilities and the so-called Twelve Day War began. Iran launched a wave of missile and drone strikes in response. On June 22, the US intervened and launched a series of bombing raids on Irans nuclear sites. We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, the president wrote on Truth Social. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. A ceasefire was agreed the next day, but tensions between the US and Iran resumed in January this year after widespread protests across the country that prompted a ruthless government crackdown, with human rights groups warning of thousands dead. Trump, backing the anti-regime protesters, warned repeatedly he would take action against Iran if the killings continued. However, after considering multiple options to respond to the crisis including sanctions and cyber attacks, Trump has yet to launch further military strikes on Tehran. Venezuela: Drug trade, regime change and oil open image in gallery Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at a heliport in midtown Manhattan ( Reuters ) The US began attacking alleged narco-terrorist boats off the Caribbean coast of Venezuela in September 2025, which later expanded to the Pacific Ocean. The administration claimed it was taking action to stem the flow of drugs into the United States, with Trump accusing Venezuelas then president of being a top-level member of drug cartel, Cartel de los Soles. At least 123 people are reported to have been killed in the operations, which UN and legal experts criticised for being extrajudicial killings. Between 10,000 and 15,000 American troops were stationed near the country as Trump reportedly gave Maduro an ultimatum to surrender. Then, on 3 January, US special forces raided Maduros residence in Caracas in Operation Absolute Resolve. Maduro was removed from office and extradited to the US to appear in a New York court to face criminal charges. Trump officials have said the US is not at war with Venezuela and that it is not planning any further military action, though the president also said, we're not afraid of boots on the ground. In the days after the raid, Trump announced the US would be taking over sales of Venezuelan crude oil across the globe and said the government in Caracas was providing Washington with between 30 and 50 million barrels of formerly sanctioned oil to sell. Syria: Retaliation for US deaths open image in gallery A US airman preparing an A-10 Thunderbolt II in support of Operation Hawkeye Strike in Syria US Central Command (CENTCOM) launched Operation Hawkeye Strike against Isis in Syria, in coordination with Jordan, on 19 December 2025. The most recent attacks took place earlier this month. The operation was a direct response to the killing of two US soldiers and a civilian US interpreter. Three additional US military personnel and two members of Syrias security services were injured in the attacks. Trump blamed Isis for the attacks, but Syrian officials said the attacker was a disgruntled member of the security services facing dismissal over allegations of holding extremist views. An unnamed US official told CNN that the January operation had launched 90 precision munitions at more than 35 targets, using over two dozen aircraft. Earlier operations took place in November, with the US military joining the Syrian armed forces to destroy 15 Isis weapons caches in southern Syria. Nigeria: Protecting Christians open image in gallery Residents inspect the damage after US forces launched a strike against Islamic State militants in Nigeria ( REUTERS ) On Christmas Day 2025, Trump ordered strikes against Isis targets in Nigeria after he accused the group of targeting Christians. The US military confirmed multiple fatalities after camps in Sokoto state near the border with Niger were hit during the strikes. US secretary of defense Pete Hegseth said of the attacks: The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end. The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight on Christmas. He added: Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas! He then warned: "More to come" Trump said that the attacks were powerful and deadly and at levels not seen for many years, even centuries! A defense department official told The Independent that the strikes had been carried out with the knowledge and cooperation of the Nigerian government. Could Cuba, Colombia or Mexico follow Venezuela? open image in gallery Trump has been at odds with Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum ( AFP/Getty ) Mexico has long been a target of Trumps anger with the president blaming their government for failing to deal with drug cartels and preventing the flow of migrants across the border. He warned the country, which has been led by left-wing president Claudia Sheinbaum since October 2024, has to get their act together or were going to have to do something. US secretary of state Marco Rubio said in January that he believes Cuba is in a lot of trouble following the capture of Maduro, a key ally. Im not going to talk to you about what our future steps are going to be and our policies are going to be right now in this regard, Rubio told NBC. But I dont think its any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime, who, by the way, are the ones that were propping up Maduro. Trump also warned Colombian president Gustavo Petro one of his fiercest critics on the international stage that the South American country could be his next target. Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man, who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and hes not going to be doing it very long, he told reporters while on board Air Force One. Greenland and brewing tensions with Nato open image in gallery People protest against Trump's policy towards Greenland in front of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, on January 17 ( AP ) Trump has had his sights set on purchasing the semi-autonomous territory of Greenland since 2019, but has ramped up his rhetoric in recent weeks and refused to rule out military action. The president argues it is vital to ensure the national security of the United States and to prevent the island falling into the hands of Russia or China. However, his threats have sparked backlash from Nato allies and European leaders amid fears Trump could fracture the long-standing alliance and play right into Vladimir Putins hands. Denmark and the US have agreed to set up a working group to discuss ways to resolve their differences, but Trump remains adamant that anything less than US control is unacceptable. Tensions have continued to mount throughout January, with European troops from Germany, France and Sweden deployed to the region, and Trump threatening tariffs against any country that stands in his way. Canada: No military threats yet for Trumps 51st state open image in gallery President Trump is reportedly taking aim at Canada and expressing concern about its 'vulnerability' to adversaries ( Getty Images ) In December 2024, Trump began to tease that some of his supporters had expressed support for Canada to be annexed into the United States. He had threatened to impose tariffs on Canada unless it increased its military spending and fortified its border security. The president ruled out the use of military force to annex Canada, but said he would use economic force instead. He has continued to reiterate his desire to annex the country throughout his second term in office, claiming it should become the the 51st state of the US. Nevertheless, his comments on Canada have sparked a furious backlash in the country and even sparked a boycott of American products. A poll conducted by Angus Reid poll last October suggested nearly half of Canadians (46 per cent) want their government to approach the US as an "enemy or potential threat". A Holocaust survivor has warned of history repeating itself as she reflected on violence around the world. Joanna Millan, born Bela Rosenthal, was deported with her mother to the Theresienstadt ghetto in northern Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic) in 1943. Mrs Millans dad was sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp where he was murdered on arrival. Speaking on the current state of the world at a Holocaust memorial service in north London on Tuesday, Millan said it is mayhem. I think history is repeating itself, she said, stressing that appeasement isn't the answer. We have to stand up to the bullying, she said. In Burundi's financial capital, the homes of its 1.2m residents are being swallowed by flooding. The city sits on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, Africa's largest lake. Its water levels have risen four metres in just 20 years. There are fears it could rise another two metres over the next decade. Last year 100,000 people were displaced. Now, with thousands living in refugee camps, Burundi is struggling to cope. Sam Kiley traveled to Bujumbura to meet the people who have been washed away. Deal could value mobile operator at 1.5bn Virgin Media owner Liberty Global is on the cusp of buying mobile operator Three Ireland in a potential 1.5bn deal that would mark a major shake-up of Irelands telecoms market. Three Ireland is the countrys second largest mobile operator, with almost a 28pc share of the mobile voice market, according to the latest data from telecoms watchdog Comreg. Vodafone is the biggest, with 32.5pc, while Eir is third, with 24.4pc. Dear Vicki: Should the boss have their own office or sit out in the open with the rest of the staff? Pre-tax profits at the Irish arm of Swedish furnishing giant Ikea tumbled by 70.5pc to 6.91m in 2024 due to higher costs and lower revenues, new accounts show. Accounts filed at the Companies Office show that pre-tax profits at Ikea Ireland Ltd decreased sharply as revenues dipped by 2.4pc from 252.4m to 246.46m in the 12 months to the end of August 2024 against the background of a slowing home-furnishing market. Revenue to meet with restaurant lobby group over tax row Request to extend the deadline for businesses to correct errors on their payroll systems has been turned down Companies have until January 30 to make disclosures about payroll John Burns Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Revenue has turned down a request from the Restaurants Association of Ireland to extend a deadline of January 30 for businesses to correct errors on their payroll system that arose from bogus self-employment. Global economy at risk of potentially large shocks that could build up International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva said it is too early to gauge the economic impact of tensions over Greenland, though it could be a headwind for growth. We have run all kinds of simulations of what may happen, and what we do see in these simulations is that we deviate from keeping trade more or less on the right track, that could hold growth down, Ms Georgieva told Bloomberg Television, in Davos, Switzerland. I said Id write for six months: Andrea Mara on her road to becoming a bestselling author Irish author Andrea Mara on how she went from being out of work to selling a million copies of her books including the multiple pinch me moments surrounding the awards success of her major hit All Her Fault Andrea Mara attends Peacock's 'All Her Fault' New York premiere last year. Photo: Getty Tanya Sweeney Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 06:30 When asking the writer Andrea Mara about the banner year she has just had, its hard to know where to begin. Among the highlights of Maras year was getting a phone call from her publishers to tell her that she had sold a monumental one million copies of her eight crime novels (its estimated that around 0.02pc of authors ever reach this milestone). The Thin White Duke is 10 years dead this month, and a superfan reflects on his fallen hero My mother remembers the death of JFK being announced during a screening of Alfred Hitchcocks The Birds. She says she left the cinema on OConnell Street in shock at the loss of the American president who had visited Ireland just a few months earlier. Life after cancer: You become a cancer patient and that can strip you of your identity. Its a nice feeling to be back at work Minister says he wants to find new pot of money to support Nature Restoration obligations In relation to Nature Restoration, let me be really clear: state-owned land and any interventions voluntarily incentivised I would like to see a situation where farmers who want to farm and lower management intensity have the opportunity to do so and be incentivised to do so. Where that money would come from is a moot point, but one place its not coming from is CAP, said Mr Heydon at the IFA AGM last week in Dublin. Cavan farmer loses legal battle for neighbours land due to strict time limits Farmer had provided extensive assistance to neighbour for over 15 years, but estate was not left to him Stock image Ciaran Moran Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 06:30 A farmer from Arva, Co Cavan, has lost his claim to a neighbours estate. Carers feel frightened by tax letters from Revenue as Taoiseach says 90pc of carers would not be liable Tens of thousands of carers left shocked after they are hit with tax bills by Revenue Darragh Nolan and Senan Molony Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 18:37 Carers have said tax information sent out to them by Revenue has left them frightened and added more pressure on an already stretched cohort. A former British soldier played a logistical role in a large-scale cocaine smuggling operation into Ireland but was not among the top figures directing the criminal enterprise, the Special Criminal Court has heard. Gary Monks was part of a structured and organised cell under the control of others that conspired to import cocaine with an estimated value of up to 42m into Ireland. Severe difficulties in recruiting staff means 11 special care beds for at risk children are empty, Tusla chief tells court Of the 26 beds in the States three secure care units, only 15 are operational because of severe recruitment and retention problems Stock image Tim Healy Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 21:58 Efforts over the past 18 months to recruit social workers for the States three secure care units for highly vulnerable children have yielded enough staff to man just one additional bed, Tuslas chief executive told the High Court. Michael Murphy, the career criminal known as The Vet, is now believed to be largely off the hook with The Family gang after pleading guilty to possessing 10.6 million worth of cocaine. It is understood his decision to accept responsibility has eased the threat against him, avoiding the scrutiny a full trial could have brought on those behind the shipment. Majella ODonnell has described the extent of her struggle with clinical depression in a new interview, revealing that she felt dead inside during a 10-week stint in a psychiatric hospital. An Irish man in his 50s has died following an avalanche in the Swiss Alps. Swiss police said three skiers had been caught up in the avalanche in an area near Ovronnaz in the Valais part of Switzerland on January 13. Micheal Martin still set for White House visit despite pressure to stand up to Donald Trump Labour leader Ivana Bacik says Taoiseach should not attend St Patricks Day meeting 'Ireland doesn't tend to play hardball', says Donal ODonovan Mary Regan Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Taoiseach Micheal Martin will not alter plans to visit the White House for a meeting with Donald Trump in March, despite the growing hostilities of the US president towards Europe. Three people have been discharged from hospital following a chemical spill at Trinity College Dublin, with the affected building set to reopen on Tuesday evening. A spokesperson for the university confirmed the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute (TBSI) will reopen and three people who were taken to St James Hospital have since been discharged. Two men and a woman have been arrested after gardai intercepted two vehicles in the Navan area and seized cannabis and cocaine worth more than 120,000 and 13,000 in cash. With branches already thriving up and down the Dart line, Daata has opened a fab new city centre venue in Dylan McGraths former Brasserie 66, writes our critic My better half was quite used to me waking up on a Sunday morning and saying, I think well go to Cork today, or London. Indeed, on one occasion it was France, as the BBC weather forecast informed me that it was calm down around the Lizard, and so would be a perfectly calm sailing from Rosslare to Cherbourg. Ringing Irish Ferries to make a booking, the somewhat startled chap had said Do you realise, missus, its now 11am and the boat sails at 4pm? No, problem. says I, blithely. If we miss it, well go to Kerry. It was one of the best things we ever did, rolling off the boat at Cherbourg with no reservations anywhere its the way I like to travel, constantly curious as to whats around the corner. Anything more than two nights in one place, no matter how gorgeous, is my idea of a nightmare. Madam The Late Late Show Trad Special was presented as a celebration of Irish traditional music. Instead, it revealed a persistent colonial mentality in how that tradition is framed. The musicians involved were undoubtedly professional, highly skilled and deserving of a place on the countrys biggest television stage. The issue was the narrative imposed around them. Irish traditional music was subtly portrayed as something that cannot stand on its own. This was especially evident in the interview with Lisa Canny. As always, she was professional and articulate. However, the central focus of the interview was not her work within the tradition, but her recent collaboration with Ed Sheeran. The underlying message was clear: traditional music gains legitimacy when associated with global pop success. When Donal Lunny was presented with a lifetime achievement award, the video tributes mostly featured international artists. Although undoubtedly respected, their prominence again reinforced the idea that recognition is most meaningful when it comes from globally famous, non-traditional voices. The inclusion of the English actor Ricky Tomlinson singing The Leaving of Liverpool further highlighted this need for external validation, as did Peggy Seegers appearance, this time from the US. The need for stage directions to prompt clapping was patronising. Such treatment would be unthinkable in an operatic or classical setting. A similar dynamic played out in the musical selections. Some of the finest musicians working in the tradition, such as Gerry OConnor, Tara Breen and Louise Mulcahy, were given material of such simplicity that it could be performed by any capable young player at a Fleadh Cheoil. These are masters of their instruments, yet the programme offered them no opportunity to demonstrate the richness of their artistry. Visually, the programme was equally problematic. The introductory montage featured stock footage of a man dancing in an exaggerated, almost caricatured, manner, with little evidence of training or skill. Rather than showcasing the discipline and complexity of Irish dance, the imagery bordered on mockery. n requiring the music to be simplified, contextualised by celebrity, or validated by external voices, the shows producers devalued the tradition they claimed to celebrate. What other art is asked to dilute itself for legitimacy? I would urge those responsible for cultural programming to reflect on these patterns and to consider how trad music might be represented with the same confidence, seriousness and respect afforded to other professional disciplines. Nigel Grufferty, Cork Aligning with China is calculated diplomacy Madam The red carpet rolled out for Micheal Martin in Beijing tells us less about Irelands moral standing and more about the changing geometry of global power (Martin is no gadfly thats why China rolled out the red carpet, David Quinn, January 11). We now live in a world of three serious powers: the US, Russia and China. Russias sphere of influence has been badly damaged by its disastrous war in Ukraine. The US, meanwhile, has been busy eroding its own soft power through erratic bombing campaigns abroad and a barely credible flirtation with annexing Greenland. Allies notice these things, even when Washington prefers they do not. China has taken a different route. It talks softly, builds relentlessly and works patiently, country by country. While Brussels and Beijing glare at one another across summit tables, China courts smaller EU states individually, offering access rather than lectures. Ireland, with its reputation for pragmatism and discretion, fits neatly into that strategy. This is not naivety on either side. Ireland knows Chinas human rights record. China knows Ireland is unlikely to grandstand about it. The result is mutual convenience, dressed up as diplomacy. As US unpredictability grows and Russian influence shrinks, more medium and small states will hedge quietly towards Beijing, not out of love, but out of calculation. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran, Co Armagh Irish eyes are fixed firmly on finances Madam David Quinn is right to point out that Irelands foreign policy is not rights-led but trade-led. Micheal Martin, Im sure, is not unaware of or insensitive to the plight of the Uyghur Muslims under Xi Jinpings regime. Had he asked for a tour of what the Chinese refer to as vocational and training schools the concentration camps where these unfortunates are detained the red carpet would have been pulled. Last week we read that China has reopened its markets to Irish beef imports. Its about economics. Individuals and groups can protest or, like me, write the odd letter, but realpolitik comes into play at government level, both with China and the Trump administration. It reminds me of the response given by Alfred Doolittle in Shaws Pygmalion when Pickering challenges him: Have you no morals, man? Cant afford them, governor. Jim OConnell, Ashtown, Dublin 7 Government broke Palestine promise Madam Visiting Egypt and Jordan last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee referred to her ambition for the realisation of the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. It is difficult to square with the Governments continuing breach of its pre-election promises to enact the Occupied Territories Bill. What hope is there for such a resolution when Israels strategic fragmentation of the Occupied West Bank is allowed to continue with impunity? The Palestinian people deserve our active support in their time of need, and Irish voters deserve a Government that keeps its promises. Brian O Eigeartaigh, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 Reform of human rights laws is crucial Madam Keire Murphys claim that human rights laws were created for migrants, not citizens (Comment, January 11) inadvertently illustrates the legitimacy problem faced by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). If large numbers of EU citizens believe their own security, democratic choices and social obligations are permanently subordinated to ever-expanding ECHR interpretations of migrants rights, the ECHR will not endure. Concerns about the convention are now being voiced by EU leaders across the political spectrum, not just by populists. The issue is not whether migrants should have rights of course they should but whether the court has gradually expanded its role from protecting fundamental rights to, in effect, setting policy, including decisions about deportation and the operation of national immigration systems. In a democracy, such choices should be made by elected legislators, not by judges. Human rights require public consent to transform moral imperatives into workable law. If citizens no longer perceive a fair balance of rights and responsibilities, the entire system is put at risk. In an era of mass migration, reforming the convention is not a betrayal, but possibly the only way to save it. Sandra Adams, Baldoyle, Dublin 13 Public needs deeper debate on migrants Madam The thrust of Keire Murphys column is that any modification to the European Convention on Human Rights would disregard the lessons of history. She provides no analysis of the areas of the convention about which the 27 countries want an open and constructive discussion. Instead, we are given a sweeping historical defence of the convention, especially as it relates to people who didnt fit into nation states. It is somewhat ironic that Ms Murphy points out that many who defend them [human rights] are unable to explain why they are so important. She appears unable to explain why we should give, for example, Article 8 (on family life) rights to dangerous foreign criminals. As the 27 member states note, they have a duty to guarantee our populations fundamental freedoms, including the right to live in peace, freedom and security. Andy Hales, Kenmare, Co Kerry Cinemagoers wept at Hamnet screening Madam As the credits rolled, the young man in front turned around to those of us directly behind him and said: I need to go home and hug my children after that. He was referring to Hamnet, Chloe Zhaos mesmerising take on Maggie OFarrells book about Shakespeare and his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley). Your critic Chris Wasser asks: How many hearts can one film break? (Buckley and Mescal shoot for the stars, January 11). I have never seen so many people weeping during a film, so the answer must be a lot. Tom McElligott, Tournageehy, Co Kerry Actors have a stage to address issues Madam Eilis OHanlon praises Jessie Buckleys speech at the Critics Choice Awards (Stick to praising Paul, Jessie its better than pontificating on politics, January 11). Yet I find it refreshing when actors and artists speak out about real issues, such as war, injustice, famine and climate change. They have the audience and the people, even presidents, listening. Their pronouncements dont have to be pontification, they just have to be honest. Aidan Roddy, Cabinteely, Dublin 18 Lets stand together to stop Trumps greed Madam As we rightly feel sorry for the 57,000 people who live in Greenland, let us be aware that Donald Trump may decide some morning to ruffle some Irish and European feathers and say: Lets have that little Emerald Isle too. Dont say it could never occur. Similar things have happened during slightly less belligerent times: for example, when the US invaded Iraq, with disastrous consequences. A demagogue, whose behaviour is both erratic and threatening, stalks the world stage. It may be that no country, particularly no small country, is safe from a man so bent on engendering fear. It is time for the European Union to act with that unity of purpose implicit in its name and support the people of Greenland and all other possible places that have or may become the focus of a dangerous mans greed. Stand together now before it is too late. Michael Gleeson, Clasheen, Co Kerry Things fall apart and we cannot trust US Madam The words the US used in its National Security Strategy to describe Europe are not the words one ally uses to another in public. The tone was one of disdain, which, coupled with the words used by JD Vance in his Munich speech last year, speaks of a fundamental rift between the US and Europe. European states must accept they can no longer trust the US as in the past, and EU foreign policy must adapt accordingly. This must be conveyed to the US in polite, but firm, terms. Donald Trumps ambivalent attitude to the Russian invasion of Ukraine serves to confirm this position. Ireland must stand with Denmark and the EU on Greenland.David Walsh, Maynooth, Co Kildare Turn on, tune in and stop sniping at RTE Madam Could you please tell Wayne OConnor to stop highlighting declining TV licence fee sales since 2023 (TV licence revenue down by 29m, January 11). Could you also please stop reporting on the scandal that hit RTE, causing the director- general to resign and multiple executives to exit Montrose. That is all in the past, and we dont want to look back. I think RTE is wonderful, and its time to move on from all the existential problems it had in the past. We need more articles like that on Roger Childs (Two people sitting and talking about God? Gay had little faith in it working, January 11), which show how thrifty RTEs producers have been. Lets congratulate RTE for making it to 100 years and just forget the last decade. Honestly, I dont think we need to question every decision RTE makes save for the Angelus. That is always open for debate. Eamonn Geoghegan, Co Westmeath Email laments death of the love letter Madam So, the price of postage stamps has gone up again. Are we getting closer to the last post? Already, songs like Return to Sender and Love Letters seem like relics of another age. And we will miss our friendly postmen. Now we rely on emails and text messages, which do not have the same personal touch. Whoops, Im sending this by email, but the sentiment stands. Terry Healy Riordan, Kill, Co Kildare Alas, we cant take our stuff with us Madam It is always a pleasure to read Liam Collinss articles, and last Sundays piece was no exception (My lifetime collection of stuff might look like junk but every piece has meaning, January 11). I, like Liam, have some memorabilia, only my stash is kept in old potato sacks. My treasures are not as worldly as his, but include programmes for stock car racing from 1956 and an Inkblots v Crackpots Charity Match at Dalymount in 1958. There is also the Evening Herald of November 23, 1963, which announced SHOCKED WORLD MOURNS JFK. I often wonder what will happen to my stuff on my departure from this world. Matt Leonard, Tallaght, Co Dublin It makes sense to set rules for technology Madam I agree with Grace Boland (Ending nameless online hate is far from censorship, January 11). When the printing press was invented, there were no rules or regulations. When the car took to the public roads, there were no rules of the road. With time, it was proved that rules and regulations were needed and applied. The same must happen with social media. Kay Boland, via email Who is rising and falling in the US tech world? What events will shape 2026? And will Elon weather the Grok scandal? Blake Montgomery, the Guardians US Tech editor, joins Adrian on this weeks episode of The Big Tech Show. The conversation began by Adrian asking the Guardians US tech editor about the reaction in America to the Grok AI scandal. The US-based journalist explained that the reaction to Xs Grok AI tool in the US has been muted and heated than Europe. According to Montgomery, a couple of US lawmakers have voiced their concerns and called for a Grok ban but because the reaction to the AI tool globally, Musk has begun to dial back the AIs capabilities. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. On Monday evening, WhatsApp groups across the globe were alight, sending links and screen shots of one mans profile. Brooklyn Beckham didnt just post, he detonated. After weeks of whispers, the 26-year-old decided to go nuclear on his parents, with seemingly no room for reconciliation. Rumours of division at the heart of the Beckham family have swirled since Brooklyns wedding to the daughter of American billionaire Nelson Peltz in 2022. Breaking his silence on the matter for the first time, the aspiring chef and photographer said: My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasnt stopped. He claimed that his mother hijacked his first dance with Nicola and danced inappropriately on me in front of their guests, adding that he had never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in his life. So, what does it all mean for Posh and Becks, and the Beckham clans once squeaky-clean brand? Today on this Indo Daily Extra, Kevin Doyle is joined again by Evening Standard features writer Maddie Mussen, to examine how one Instagram moment may have changed the Beckham family forever. A free employment support workshop to help people enter long-term employment will take place in Macroom on Wednesday, January 21. Delivered by SECAD Partnership through its SICAP Employment Support Services, the workshop is designed for people in rural Cork communities who face challenges in entering or returning to employment due to a range of life circumstances. During the workshops, participants will learn how to set achievable career goals for the year ahead, explore potential employment, education and training opportunities by identifying induvial skill sets. Participants can also avail of CV structure assistance and learn how to prepare for interviews. The supports are delivered under SICAP (Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme), administered by Pobal and co-funded by the Government. The services support disadvantaged individuals in rural Cork who are unemployed for over one year, low-income or underemployed, from a low-income household, single parents and carers. Other eligibility criteria consist of people out of work through illness or limited abilities, refugees and people seeking international protection. SECAD Employment Support Officers Cora ODonnell and Magdalena McLeod, will deliver the workshop, which takes place from 10am at the Macroom E-Entreprise Centre on the Bowl Road. Ms ODonnell told The Corkman that the workshops provide support for people who want to enter the workforce. The workshops are usually topical, and because this is the first one of 2026, we are going with the New Year, New Career, theme. It is very much bespoke to the group who turns up. They might want help with CVs or find out why they are not hearing back from jobs, and we will try to answer those questions, she said. Places are free but limited to 1520 participants, and walk-ins are accepted. However, where demand exceeds capacity, participants may be offered a place at a future workshop. Advance registration is required at secad.ie. Free monthly workshops and one-to-one sessions across six key hubs in Cork - Youghal, Midleton, Cobh, Millstreet, Carrigaline, and Macroom. Ms ODonnell said the experience can be felt as holistic to the participants. The workshops are very holistic to the person because everything is confidential and focused on the individual and their path. We are not trying to push anything on anybody, we just want to listen to people and give them advice, she concluded. National planners back County Council decision and cite importance of protecting vernacular buildings The site on the corner of Harrison's Place and New Line in Charleville. Photo: Google Maps A planned housing development in Charleville, which proposed the demolition of semi-detached cottages dating back to the early 20th century and the construction of 14 new apartments, has been refused by An Coimisiun Pleanala. The proposed housing scheme included the construction of a two-storey apartment block, comprising six one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom apartments, on a site at the corner of New Line and Harrison Place on the western side of Charleville. The comments were made by Cork TD Eoghan Kenny following a detailed meeting with CUH CEO Ms Jennifer Kearney on Monday, January 19. The Labour Party TD for Cork North Central met Ms Kearney along with several party colleagues including Deputy Marie Sherlock who represents the Dublin Central constituency and Senator Laura Harmon. Deputy Kenny said the meeting focused on several critical infrastructure and service needs at the hospital, including the requirement for additional inpatient beds, the expansion and development of endoscopy services and increased High Dependency Unit (HDU) capacity. The Cork TD said the meeting also focused on the establishment of dedicated neuro-rehabilitation facilities in Cork, and the ongoing monitoring and strengthening of hospital quality metrics. Deputy Kenny said the scale of pressures outlined demonstrates the need for immediate engagement at ministerial level. Ms Kearney outlined the importance of working constructively across the region and making full use of all available healthcare resources to alleviate pressure on CUH. However, she was very clear in highlighting serious concerns around capacity, service demand, and the need for strategic investment. The Mallow based TD paid tribute to frontline staff working under sustained pressure at the hospital. I want to sincerely acknowledge and thank the staff at CUH. They continue to work exceptionally hard in very challenging circumstances to deliver care to patients across Cork and beyond. Their commitment and professionalism deserve enormous credit. The issue of the day ward at Mallow General Hospital was also raised during the meeting by Mr Kenny who emphasised the need to maximise its use as part of a wider regional approach to reduce strain on CUH. I highlighted the vital role Mallow General Hospital can play, particularly through the use of its day ward facilities. It is essential that work and services continue to be delivered in Mallow without disruption and that the hospital is fully utilised as part of the broader Cork and Kerry hospital network, he added. Deputy Kenny also confirmed that a number of matters arising from the meeting will now be formally raised with the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill as part of ongoing efforts to secure additional resources and service capacity for the region. The project team for the proposed Mallow Relief Road intend to submit a planning application for this project in 2026 subject to continued government support and funding. The information was provided by a senior official with Cork County Council at a recent Northern Committee meeting. Director of Services with Cork County Council Padraig Barrett said the local authority will bring the planning application forward as quickly as possible. Mr Barrett told the councillors that Cork County Council will do its damnedest to have it submitted within quarter two or quarter three in 2026. In March 2025 the long-awaited Mallow Relief Road was allocated 700,000 from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Various Mallow based councillors at the recent meeting sought an update on the relief road. Fine Gael councillor Tony OShea urged the local authority to move with great urgency on the project in order to ease the huge increase in traffic congestion. I know that we had some small delay on the Mallow Relief Road with a small realignment due to a gas main. This time last year we were hoping to have it at planning with An Bord Pleanala by the end of 2025. Now this could be at some stage in 2026. Cllr OShea said the traffic congestion in Mallow has ensured the town is currently at a standstill. We need to move as quickly as possible because we have a town that is at a standstill. We have businesses and commuters that live within the town and outside the town that are avoiding the town because of the traffic delays. I would urge anyone involved in this project to do what they can to get it to planning stage as soon as possible. Cllr Liam Madden echoed the sentiments of his political colleague. When I came in here first, we were talking about the relief road in Mallow. When I see that it is subject to continued government support and funding, I accept some of that. Are we going to go to planning in 2026? We are looking at a development plan and probably more housing for Mallow. There are so many plans for Mallow and we are still talking about our relief road. It beggars belief. Even if we get to planning, we are talking about five or six years. I dont know what is going to happen. The relief road has been a huge disappointment. We really want to get it to planning. If it doesnt get to planning this year, we really want to know why? It has gone on too long, he added. Director of Services, Roads and Transportation with Cork County Council Padraig Barrett informed the councillors that he fully shared their frustration on the delays with Mallow Relief Road. Mr Barrett then provided the councillors with an update on the relief road. The period that we lost when funding disappeared was difficult for all of us. We are back on funding for the last number of years and it is very welcome. When we changed the route, when we moved north of the hospital cross, that section needs to be fully assessed and fully proven before we bring it to An Coimisiun Pleanala. We are working with the consultant on that. The senior official with Cork County Council continued: I can assure you that we are going to bring that forward as quickly as we possibly can. It will be during this calendar year. I will come back to you with a timeline on when that will be done. We are going to do our damnedest to have it within quarter two or quarter three. Mr Barrett said preparation of a planning application and associated documentation including Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) is currently ongoing together with an interrogation of the design for the preferred route option against recent changes to government policy. The project team intend to submit the planning application for this project in 2026 subject to continued government support and funding. Separately Mallow Relief Road Alliance have made a renewed appeal for funding to be made available to Cork County Council to enable the Mallow Relief Road progress to planning and subsequent stages. The group said that traffic congestion in Mallow town is increasing almost on a daily basis, causing great hardship to business, community and shoppers alike, which requires immediate action. It is crucial therefore that funding is made available to Cork County Council in the first quarter of 2026 to ensure the road progresses to planning and subsequent stages, enabling construction to commence within the next couple of years. The relief road is a vital piece of infrastructure for north Cork, stated concerned members of Mallow Relief Road Alliance. It will take heavy traffic off the narrow streets of Mallow town, significantly improving air quality and supporting business, but can also assist Mallow and its surrounding area as an important and growing tourism destination. It will improve access to iconic sites like Doneraile Park which again broke visitor records in 2025 and Mallow Castle. It will better connect Mallow Train Station as a gateway for national and international visitors exploring the region, the group added. DUBLIN, IRELAND - SEPTEMBER 20, 2018: City street along the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, with traffic, pedestrians, and a bridge on a cloudy day. Dublin City Council (DCC) is hoping to arrest the decline in the River Liffeys water quality by resurfacing and redesigning primarily residential streets in the suburb of Portobello. In a new project called the Integrated Mobility, Ecology, and Natural Drainage (Imend) scheme, the authority is set to introduce interventions to slow the flow of rainfall water through the sewer network, thereby reducing the level of pollution making its way into the Liffey. Headed up by the councils Protection of Water Bodies Office, the scheme aims to redesign certain elements of the streetscape to slow the flow of rainwater into the overcapacity, aged drainage system. The area where the interventions will take place is outlined in red Suggested changes include the introduction of permeable materials to replace existing tarmac and concrete, redesigning junctions to attenuate water better, and replacing hard filtered permeability structures with planting that absorbs rainfall. The specific issue here is water quality, Roy OConnor, a senior engineer at DCC told councillors last week. He said that between Dublins canals and the North and South Circular Roads, much of the drainage system is combined. "That means the foul [water] from private property and commercial property all enters the same drainage system as our rain water does, he said. When this system is overwhelmed, such as in major rainfall events, the additional waste water and sewage flows directly into the River Liffey via a network of overflow pipes. Alternative materials are suggested for Portobello junctions The largest of these pipes passes directly under the Dublin City Council civic offices at Wood Quay, discharging effluent directly into the river. Sewage and rainfall from the residential areas of Portobello, in large part, feed this outflow at Wood Quay, explaining the councils choice of location for the project. "One of the greater challenges in the Dublin city area is the quantity of area that is impermeable, predominantly concrete and tarmacadam, said Mr OConnor, adding that upwards of 85pc of the city centre does not absorb rainfall. "That all contributes towards pollution in our water bodies, he said. Existing filtered permeability bollards could be replaced with planted areas Climate change and the increasing severity of weather events is also making these projects more urgent, he said. Were seeing the wettest summers on record, the warmest months, and that all facilitates more rainfall and more frequent and intense rainfall events. DCC said the project is currently in the initiation phase, and a lead consultant to progress designs would be appointed by March. If it all goes to plan, Mr OConnor said the council would hope to expand the street redesign to more areas of the city, with interest also expressed by Cork City Council and Uisce Eireann in its findings. Independent councillor Mannix Flynn welcomed the initiative, saying that the water in the Liffey was pretty manky. "Im very pleased that the issue in relation to Wood Quay and the sewage that emanates from this pipe under Wood Quay are going to be dealt with, because Ive often walked by the [River] Liffey, and literally it is like a lavatory, he said. The latest water quality report from the Environmental Protection Agency found that barring a few exceptions, our nations rivers, including the Liffey, have been in a state of decline for decades. The main reason for our dwindling water quality is agricultural runoff, however, wastewater pollution remains a significant contributor. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme The existing Plot of the Angels, which has provided a resting place for babies who died before birth or in infancy, has now reached capacity and will no longer be used for burials. From February 1, interments will take place in a newly developed lawn plot, Leaba na Leanai (Babies/Childrens bed), within Bohermore Cemetery. Galway City Council and Galway University Hospitals explained fresh flowers may be placed at the time of burial, however, they will be removed for lawn maintenance. As individual headstones are not permitted, families who wish to have their babys name included on a shared headstone will be very welcome to do so. Also, Galway University Hospitals will be undertaking a refurbishment of the existing Plot of the Angels to ensure it remains a peaceful and dignified place of remembrance. The planned works include cleaning and replacing the kerbing, along with cleaning the naming stones. As part of this work, it will be necessary to remove a tree and shrubs, as their roots are now impacting the grave. We deeply regret having to take this step, but it is essential to protect the resting place of the babies laid to rest here and to preserve the plot with the care and respect it deserves, the hospital explained. To allow for the completion of these enhancement works, all individual plaques, naming stones, statues, and personal items currently located on the Plot of the Angels will need to be removed. The existing limestone name plaques will be returned once the works are complete, and parents can continue to add their babies names to the plaques. Galway University Hospitals and Galway City Council are inviting parents and families to collect personal items such as individual plaques, stones, statues and toys currently placed at the plot. Families are asked to remove these items by Sunday February 15. Any items remaining after this date will be removed by Galway City Council and securely stored for a three-month period, until May 15. Parents and families who would like more information about the proposed works or the shared headstone can contact Helen Byrnes, Bereavement Support Midwife, at 087 7712329, or Anne McKeown, End of Life Care Coordinator, at 087 4418574, Monday to Friday. Pictured, front (LR): Kerry Hospice chairperson Jenny Tarrant; representatives of the Kerry Hospice Foundation, which received a cheque for 165,329; Ross Kelly of the One4Humanity charity, which received 40,000; and Louise Quill, founder of the Tir na n-Og Childrens Foundation, who received 40,000. Back (LR): Stephen Stack and Sean Ryan of The Humanity Ball. Photo by Domnick Walsh Eye Focus LTD. A total of 245,329 was raised for three charities following The Humanity Ball, a prestigious black-tie New Years Eve charity gala held at Tralees Ballygarry Estate Hotel & Spa. The event, which was attended by more than 300 guests, exceeded its original fundraising target of 200,000 and drew strong support from the Kerry business and corporate community. The Kerry Hospice Foundation was the primary beneficiary and received a cheque for 165,329 at a presentation held on on Monday at the Ballygarry Estate Hotel & Spa, hosted by hotel owner Padraig McGillicuddy. Also receiving funding on the day were The Tir na n-Og Childrens Foundation and One4Humanity, each of which was presented with a cheque for 40,000. Stephen Stack, chairman of The Humanity Ball, said: We are truly humbled by the generosity shown at the New Years Eve Humanity Ball. Raising 245,000 in a single evening for our three worthy charities is a powerful testament that what can be achieved when a community comes together with purpose, compassion and celebration. A huge thank you to everyone involved including our lead sponsors, table sponsors, purchasers of tables, private donors, providers of the unique auction prizes, to Padraig and the staff at the Ballygarry and, of course, to our outstanding committee. It was a powerful team effort by everyone. Jack Shanahan of the Kerry Hospice Foundation said the funds will support the delivery of continued palliative care services, as well as the development of a new wing at the facility. Kerry Hospice Foundation is delighted and humbled by the enormous and generous support shown at the Humanity Ball. It was a unique event that showcased how the businesses of Kerry support the community in important and varied ways. We are truly grateful to be major beneficiaries and can guarantee that every euro raised will be invested in local Palliative care services. A huge thank you to all that made it such a success, he said. Louise Quill, founder of The Tir na n-Og Childrens Foundation, which works to transform the lives of vulnerable children in Tanzania, said, On behalf of everyone at Tir na nOg Childrens Foundation, I want to extend our deepest thanks for being chosen as a beneficiary of the Humanity Ball. Our motto is to change one childs life at a time, and the generosity shown by the organisers and contributors does exactly that. Your kindness doesnt just support our work it brings hope, opportunity, and real change to the children we serve. We are profoundly grateful for your belief in our mission and for helping us turn compassion into action. Shane Leahy of One4Humanity, an organisation providing medicine and mobile surgical units to people in Gaza and Ukraine, added; Thank you, we are incredibly grateful to the Humanity Ball for a magical New Years Eve and for the remarkable generosity shown throughout the night. Thanks to the dedication of the organizing committee, the compassion of the sponsors & everyone who attended, 3 charities will benefit in a meaningful way. It was a night that perfectly captured the spirit of humanity. The Humanity Ball was spearheaded by AIB Tralee Branch Manager Stephen Stack, supported by a committee drawn from the Kerry business community. Pictured, front (LR): Kerry Hospice chairperson Jenny Tarrant; representatives of the Kerry Hospice Foundation, which received a cheque for 165,329; Ross Kelly of the One4Humanity charity, which received 40,000; and Louise Quill, founder of the Tir na n-Og Childrens Foundation, who received 40,000. Back (LR): Stephen Stack and Sean Ryan of The Humanity Ball. Photo by Domnick Walsh Eye Focus LTD. Kildare chilling company fined 225,000 after employee killed when lid of vacuum packing machine closed on him This is the second time Kildare Chilling Company has come before the courts in relation to a death of an employee Stock image. Aisling Bolton-Dowling Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 12:40 A company in Co Kildare has been fined 225,000 following the death of an employee in 2020. You can come to a person in their darkest moments and see them come out the other side of it The CAST pilot was launched in 2024 to deal with increasing mental health crisis calls to An Garda Siochana in Limerick By the time gardai step out onto the streets of Limerick each morning, they know there will be challenges. You never know what's going to happen, Garda Joe Costello says. Mental health has become a major issue for policing in Limerick, reflecting a national trend. Gardai now find themselves on the front line of crises once handled by specialist services and as a result, mental health-related calls to An Garda Siochana have risen by 60pc in the past two years. We're not counsellors, we're not psychiatric professionals, he says. When it's a mental health call, you have to factor in a lot more dimensions that you don't normally think about when it's a regular call. The pressures are intensified by drugs and alcohol, which gardai say are a constant backdrop to incidents in the city. The drugs in the city is a massive challenge. It's only ever really dealing with criminals and high-end criminals and people who don't want to engage with us, Garda Costello adds. In a recent episode of On The Beat, before 11am on a weekday, two uniformed gardai were dispatched to a situation on Parnell Street where a heavily intoxicated woman was reported to be armed with a knife across from Colbert train station. It was an unusual enough one at that hour...to be that intoxicated, Garda Costello says. She was quite abusive as well. But at the end of the day, you just never know who's going to have a knife. When they arrive, the knife is embedded in a bench. She picked the knife up and kind of swung it across her body, the garda recalls. You don't know if she's going to harm herself, if she's going to come against us, and the public is still walking on the footpath. It is this intersection of policing mental illness that led to the creation of CAST. CAST, the Community Access Support Team, is a pilot initiative launched in Limerick city by An Garda Siochana in partnership with the HSE. The first of its kind in Ireland, it pairs trained gardai with mental health clinicians to respond jointly to 999 calls involving mental health crises. You have myself, a clinical nurse specialist, with two gardai in a bespoke squad car, CAST clinician George Glynn says. We respond to any mental health 999 calls in the whole division. The aim is to provide immediate specialist care to people in crisis, and to reduce the strain on gardai who are increasingly tasked with managing such complex mental health emergencies. On an early evening call-out, the CAST team is dispatched to a serious incident near Ardnacrusha, the hydroelectric power station on the River Shannon. A family member has contacted emergency services, fearing a man intends to take his own life. There was a level of history of suicidal intent. He was going to harm himself. He was going to enter the water. Its a very hazardous environment, so theres a huge level of concern, says garda John OSullivan. After a distance of 10km, and no search-and-rescue equipment, the location of the man was found and Mr Glynn approached. We approach them in a therapeutic manner and bring the person to a place of safety, he says. He addressed the man calmly. Well get you a bit of help, right? Youve nothing to be sorry about, he states. The man is later brought to hospital for detoxification and further treatment. Unlike traditional emergency responses, CASTs work continues after the immediate crisis. Follow-up calls and next-day visits are a huge part of the project, particularly for people struggling with addiction. The beauty of CAST is that after there's a crisis call, there's a call back the next day, the clinician says. The call back really is where a lot of the work happens, especially in addiction cases. In another incident, CAST is called to assist paramedics dealing with a volatile man who has collapsed multiple times, is self-harming and threatening medical personnel. Known to the team, he has a history of addiction and repeated emergency call-outs. When you're mixing drugs, and when there's that level of intoxication, there's a level of concern, Garda OSullivan says. The frustrated paramedic on scene noted that the man had been attended to three days in a row: Last time I was here I was 40 minutes late to a cardiac arrest because of him. Sympathetic to the situation Mr Glynn encourages the man to accept the rehabilitation support the following day: I've never spoken to you sober, and I really want to do that. Its incredibly difficult for the ambulance services, Mr Glynn says. I have enormous respect for them. A collaboration like [CAST] can help bridge those gaps. You can come to a person in their darkest moments and possibly see them come out the other side of it. The defendant was convicted following a trial at the CCJ in Dublin Dilzar Hamad who has been jailed for eight years A Leitrim barber has been jailed for eight years for the rape of a woman in a downstairs toilet at his home. Dilzar Hamad (40) of Oaklands, Carrick-on-Shannon was convicted by a jury last year of rape of the woman on a date in January or February 2021. The woman told the court in her victim impact statement that following the rape she no longer feels safe. She said the offence and its aftermath has changed her life and the person she is forever. She vividly described the damaging effects the offence had and continues to have on her life. Hamad claimed it was a consensual sexual encounter and not rape. He does not accept the verdict of the jury and gave evidence in his defence during his Central Criminal Court trial. Passing sentence on Monday, Mr Justice David Keane said there had been an abuse of trust in this case and an element of cynical planning as evidenced by prior text messages to the victim. He said the offence itself was an opportunistic one in the circumstance which arose on the day in question. He said there was an element of intimidation in Hamads threats that he would say she was the one who approached him and a subsequent message that she should not reveal what happened. Dilzar Hamad who has been jailed for eight years News in 90 seconds Wednesday 21 January Mr Justice Keane set a headline sentence of nine years imprisonment. He noted that Hamad does not accept the verdict and continues to deny the offence. He said consequently he has not demonstrated any remorse, made any apology, attempted to make any amends or embarked on any rehabilitation. He said Hamad was entitled to credit for his good character prior to and since the rape, as well as limited credit for his co-operation with gardai and complying with his bail conditions. He noted his good behaviour as a prisoner where he works as barber and is undertaking educational courses. The judge noted that a probation report places Hamad at low risk of re-offending in the long term, but dynamic risk factors place him at high risk of re-offending in the next 12 months if he were in the community. The risk factors identified include his significant social influences, his hostility towards women, negative emotionality and a high sex drive and sexual preoccupation. Mr Justice Keane imposed an eight-year sentence, taking into account the mitigating factors. He said Hamad had an absolute entitlement to protest his innocence and pursue an appeal but it followed from that stance that there was no reality to promoting rehabilitation and no logical basis to suspend any portion of the sentence. He ordered two years post-release supervision with strict conditions in order to protect the public, limit the risk of him committing a further sexual offence and rehabilitate if possible. Mr Justice Keane wished the injured party well in what he hoped was her continued recovery. Detective Garda Lydia Cawley told Dominic McGinn SC, prosecuting, that prior to the rape the woman had received a number of inappropriate texts from Hamad indicating a sexual interest in her. She responded to say that she did not want this and was warned by him not to tell anyone. The woman was subsequently raped by Hamad in a downstairs toilet during a visit to his home. She had been attempting to leave the bathroom when Hamad appeared and pushed her back inside. He covered her mouth and told her not to scream. The injured party was initially too afraid to say anything but the matter came to light following further messages sent to her by Hamad. He had threatened her not to disclose what had happened. Gardai became aware of the allegations and Hamad was arrested in August 2021. Hamad initially went on trial in March 2024 but the jury failed to reach a verdict. He was re-tried the following year and convicted in March 2025. In her victim impact statement the woman said she had been frightened, shocked and upset following the rape. She said she had wanted to hide somewhere no one could see her as she felt so ashamed. She described how that time was very hard for her. She said after the attack Hamad threatened her and said he would say it was all her fault. She outlined to the court how she is not the same person that she was prior to the rape. She said Hamad has taken everything from her including the life she had and her confidence. She said she does not feel safe anymore and feels so alone as she cannot talk about what happened. The woman said that she feels she will never trust anyone ever again and is always afraid. She said the offences have changed her life and the person she is forever. Mr McGinn told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions view is that the case falls into the more serious band of cases with a headline sentence of 10 to 15 years. He said factors included an element of pre-meditation with prior text messages to the injured party, that she was a guest in his home and that he continued contact after the offence. The defence said the case falls into the standard sentence band with a starting point of seven years. Mr Colman Fitzgerald SC, defending, said Hamad does not accept the verdict of the jury. He is married with five children and his wife was in court to support him at the sentence hearing. Counsel submitted Hamad had led a pro-social life prior to this offending and was a good husband and father. His wife wrote a letter to the court in which she outlined the difficulties she is facing due to him being in custody and how good he was to his family. Hamad came to Ireland with his family from the Kurdish part of Iraq and set up a barber shop in Carrick-on-Shannon where he employed four people. He no longer owns the barber shop as a result of going into custody in March 2025. There is no secret agenda and no plans to pedestrianise a busy street in Tipperary as part of efforts to revitalise the historic town centre. At the January meeting of the Thurles Municipal District, Fianna Fail councillor Michael Smith said that there were no plans to pedestrianise Castle Street in Roscrea under the revitalisation efforts. "Certain things have happened over the last week to 10 days that this council needs to be very clear on, and Im very clear on my views, and thats in relation to what our plans are for Castle Street, Cllr Smith said. "Something that I want to bat away on behalf of the council is that theres some secret agenda that theyre looking to pedestrianise Castle Street. There is no secret agenda and theres no commitment to pedestrianise Castle Street, he added. A public consultation is currently ongoing to hear from locals about what they would like to see happen to the historic area of Roscrea. An event called Revitalising Castle Street community consultation event will take place at the The Black Mills museum in Church Street, Townparks, Roscrea on Thursday, January 22, from 4pm to 7.30pm, where people can go and have their say. At the district meeting, Cllr Smith said that of the plans that are currently up for discussion, he would prefer to see a one-way traffic flow through the street, but that no decisions had been made for definite yet. "Im not in favour of pedestrianising Castle Street, Ive seen the three different options, my preference is actually a one-way system, but I think its something that we can work on, and I think it is something that the businesses would look to, and would give very positive feedback to. "I think the misinformation thats out there is not helpful because theres no secret agenda on my behalf, or on behalf of the council, theres not even a whisper about pedestrianising Castle Street, and that needs to be made very clear, the Fianna Fail councillor added. In response, a representative from the districts engineering team said that there was absolutely no talks of removing cars from the street completely. "I can confirm that without a shadow, there is no pedestrianisation plans that are being presented to the councillors or to the general public, that is not on the agenda or not for consideration by any party, he said. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme From working three jobs to Irelands Best Dog Groomer Meet the young Wexford entrepreneur eyeing international honours Jade Dunphy, owner of Wipe Your Paws in New Ross, will compete in Poland next weekend after a standout year that saw her crowned Irelands Best Individual Groomer From working three jobs to Irelands Best Dog Groomer Jessica O'Connor New Ross Standard Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Twenty-four-year-old Jade Dunphy has been immersed in the world of dog grooming for as long as she can remember. Now, as the owner of Wipe Your Paws in New Ross and recently crowned Best Dog Groomer in Ireland, she is preparing to take the biggest step of her career so far: travelling to Poland next weekend to compete in a prestigious international grooming competition against some of the best practitioners in the world. A former Mayor of Wexford has blasted calls to abandon the reinstatement of the Rosslare to Waterford rail line entirely in favour of a previously mooted greenway plan. The restoration of the Rosslare to Waterford rail line was strongly recommended in an All-Island Strategic Rail Review in 2023, however, in December it emerged that the line had been completely omitted from the governments rail prioritisation strategy. This led to Cathaoirleach of the Rosslare Municipal District Ger Carthy seeking to resurrect plans for a greenway along the rail line, which hasnt carried passengers since 2010, saying there had been enough delays and tyre kicking. However, former Labour councillor Joe Ryan, who is also a member of rail advocacy group South East on Track, has accused Cllr Carthy and others of lacking vision. He stated it was a stark contrast with the west of Ireland, where he says local authorities refuse to be told no by the government and fight their regions corner. Its clear that while the report recommending the restoration of the railway was ignored when it comes to funding before 2030, the line remains under a care and protection order by the NTA which means it must be maintained, Mr Ryan said. "I was involved in the fight to guarantee that this line can be retained and restored to use by Irish Rail when the time comes. The plan to rip it up and replace it with a greenway was rejected by Irish Rail, the NTA and the consultants who compiled the report. It has very little to do with the politics of any particular minister no matter what anyone thinks. It is clear that this line can be considered for funding again. Mr Ryan remains confident that funding can still be provided to restore the Rosslare to Waterford line if local authorities across the region put pressure on central government and that Rosslare Europort could become a strategic national freight hub. "The Western Rail Corridor was shut almost 50 years ago and is only now being restored, he concluded. There is a need for local authorities in the region to band together and make the case for funding this. To connect Rosslare and Wexford to Waterford, Kilkenny and Carlow but also to Limerick, Cork and Galway is the prize for us in Co. Wexford. Local Authority members in South Wexford need to see the bigger picture and get on board A west Wicklow audience heard warnings about the fragile state of Irelands natural habitats at a public talk in Valleymount by broadcaster, writer and podcaster Anja Murray. The event, hosted by the West Wicklow Environmental Network (WWEN), drew around 30 members and guests to hear Ms Murray presenter of Nature File on RTE Lyric FM, co-host of the podcasts Feather & Flock and Root & Branch, and author of Wild Embrace and Frog Routes, Polka-Dot Newt speak about woodlands, hedgerows, grasslands, waterways, boglands and oceans. Originally from Valleymount, Ms Murray said she was delighted to be back in the area and described how growing up locally helped foster her interest in nature. Speaking about Wicklows remaining woodlands, she said that while there are some beautiful woods, real native woodland is wet, marshy, muddy and often inaccessible, adding that very little of it now survives. From a post-ice age high of around 80pc tree cover, Ireland fell to about 1pc by 1925. While overall tree cover is now estimated at between 6pc and 11pc, Ms Murray said native woodland accounts for only a very small fraction of that total. Our woodlands are ecologically not in a good state, she said, pointing to overgrazing by deer, goats and sheep, and the impact of invasive species such as rhododendron and cherry laurel. With no natural top predator, she said, we need to be the wolf. We need to cull and to control the deer population. Anja Murray, Helen Lawless, Jeanette O'Toole, Rory Adams, Aideen Klauer and Emma Smith at a recent West Wicklow Environmental Network (WWEN) talk. Ms Murray also highlighted the collapse of several bird species, noting that lapwing numbers have fallen by 96pc in the past 20 years, while curlew breeding pairs are now down to around 100 nationally. These species depend on marginal wet fields, but that land has often been lost to drainage and forestry, she said. On waterways, Ms Murray described salmon as a keystone species, migrating more than 30,000km back to their spawning grounds, but facing mounting pressure from poor water quality. She said Ireland should not seek a derogation from the Nitrates Directive, warning that further pressure on rivers would have serious ecological consequences. During a discussion on eco-anxiety, Ms Murray encouraged people to reconnect with nature and to act within their own strengths, whether through communication, community action or political engagement. A WWEN spokesperson said the evening showed how local talks can help turn concern into action, and that environmental protection was a societal issue that required engagement at community and political level. An example of an ice house at Killakee, Co Dublin. The first local historical talk of the New Year taking place at the library in Wicklow town will be delivered by Peadar Curran and will focus on the history of ice houses, with some Wicklow examples provided. Before the advent of modern refrigeration, icehouses played an essential role in preserving food, drink, and even medicines, forming a vital part of the domestic economy on large estates. The sunken-structures, often brick-lined, were built into hillsides by landed estates, such as Russborough House in Blessington, or for commercial use to store natural winter ice for months, preserving food and cooling drinks before refrigeration In his upcoming talk, historian Peadar Curran will explore the fascinating history of icehouses, with particular attention to examples found on historic estates in Wicklow and south Dublin. The talk will examine how these structures were built, how they were used, and the reasons for their eventual decline. This talk takes place in Wicklow Town Library on Thursday, January 29, starting from 7pm. All are welcome. This event is free, however spaces are limited. To book your place contact the library on 0404 67025 or email Wicklib@wicklowcoco.ie. Met Eireann has issued a status yellow wind warning for three counties this morning as much of the country experiences persistent downpours. The wind warning for Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow came into effect for the three counties this morning and will last until 2pm today. Britains Prince Harry faced sustained campaign of attacks for standing up to Daily Mail publisher, court told Britains Prince Harry arrives in court for case over "sustained campaign of attacks" by Daily Mail in UK Press Association Press Association Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 12:55 Prince Harry feels like he has faced a "sustained campaign of attacks" because he "had the temerity to stand up to" the Daily Mail's publisher, the High Court has been told. Prince Harry and ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davys sleeping arrangements obtained unlawfully by Daily Mail publisher The Duke of Sussex has insisted that Ms Davy and their closest friends would not possibly have betrayed their confidence to reveal the intimate details Prince Harry. Photo: PA Holly Evans UK Independent Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 17:52 Intimate details about Prince Harrys relationship with his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy, including their sleeping arrangements were obtained unlawfully by the Mail on Sunday, the British High Court has heard. US President Donald Trump threatened to hit French wines and champagnes with 200pc tariffs in an apparent effort to cajole French President Emmanuel Macron into joining his Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts. Trump's initiative, which would start by addressing Gaza and then expand to deal with other conflicts, raises questions about the role of the United Nations and a source close to Macron said the French president intended to decline the invitation to join. Incident happened in strange conditions as human error virtually ruled out Part of a wrecked train is photographed at the site of a collision in Adamuz, southern Spain. Photo: AP A violent jolt, followed by screams, flying objects, blood and then darkness is how survivors of the train crash in southern Spain on Sunday night described the moment of impact in the high-speed collision that killed at least 40 people. Spain begins three days of mourning after deadly train crash Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the accident site near the town of Adamuz on Monday Part of a wrecked train is photographed at the site of a train collision in Adamuz, southern Spain, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Iain Sullivan and Joseph Wilson Press Association Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 09:39 People in Spain have begun three days of mourning for the victims of the deadly train accident in the countrys south while emergency crews continue searching for possible bodies. Trump and Putin envoys say Davos meeting on Ukraine was 'very positive' and 'constructive' Trump and Putin envoys meet in Davos Meeting lasted for about two hours, source says Talks were constructive Dmitriev Meeting was very positive Witkoff European leaders (from left) Friedrich Merz, Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer with the US's Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Coalition of the Willing meeting for Ukraine this month. Photo: Getty Dmitry Zhdannikov Reuters Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 20:35 Envoys for US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that their meeting in Davos on a possible future peace deal to end the Ukraine war had been "very positive" and "constructive". Hackers take over Iran state TV to show exiled prince calling for revolution Join the people as soon as possible, Reza Pahlavi told the military in the broadcast People in Los Angeles march in support of nationwide protests in Iran on Sunday. Photo: Reuters AP Reporters Associated Press Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Hackers have disrupted Iranian state television to air footage supporting the countrys exiled crown prince and calling on security forces not to point your weapons at the people, an online video has revealed. SDF accused of freeing a number of militants from Shaddadi prison but group denies claims People welcome the Syrian army following the withdrawal of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Tabqa, Syria. Photo: Reuters Syrian government troops tightened their grip yesterday across a swathe of northern and eastern territory after it was abruptly abandoned by Kurdish forces in a dramatic shift that has consolidated president Ahmed al-Sharaas rule. A day after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), once the main US ally in Syria, agreed to quit large areas under a ceasefire, the Syrian army said a number of Islamic State militants had escaped a prison that had been under SDF control in the eastern city of Shaddadi, accusing the SDF of releasing them. MAGA activists are calling for the arrest of journalist Don Lemon over his part in a protest at a Minnesota church on Sunday in which demonstrators interrupted its services to oppose ICEs presence in their state. Trump invites Putin to join Board of Peace that will oversee Gazas reconstruction Countries will be asked to pay a $1bn permanent membership fee The concern is that Donald Trump may turn to a far more pro-Russian stance on Vladimir Putin's war. Photo: Reuters Antonia Langford Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd Tue 20 Jan 2026 at 06:30 Donald Trump invited Vladimir Putin to the Board of Peace that will oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, the Kremlin has said. What Indias Tech Sector Wants from the Union Budget 2026: Fintech, SaaS & AI Priorities As India approaches the Union Budget 2026, capital expenditure, digital transformation, and the mobilization of private investment are expected to remain central to the governments economic strategy. Policymakers are likely to focus on sustaining reform momentum while navigating global economic headwinds and addressing domestic priorities such as employment generation and productivity enhancement. Early signals from industry associations, startups, and international investors suggest that Budget 2026 will emphasize policy continuity over structural overhaul given the scale of reforms launched across 2025, with calibrated regulatory adjustments and targeted interventions. Meanwhile, technology-driven sectors, particularly fintech, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and artificial intelligence (AI), have assumed a strategic position within Indias growth framework. Beyond their contribution to exports and high-skilled employment, these sectors increasingly support national priorities such as financial inclusion, MSME formalization, productivity gains, and data-driven governance. Their growing integration with public digital platforms and enterprise systems underscores a shift from standalone innovation to technology as a core enabler of economic and administrative infrastructure. CLICK HERE: Indias Services Sector Performance and Contribution to GDP in 2025: An Overview Key policy themes likely to shape the Union Budget 2026 Indias digital public infrastructure: A foundational growth enabler Indias digital public infrastructure (DPI) has evolved into a core pillar of the countrys economic and governance architecture. Built around interoperable platforms such as Aadhaar, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), DigiLocker, Account Aggregator, ONDC, and a growing ecosystem of open APIs, DPI underpins financial inclusion, service delivery, enterprise formalization, and data-driven policymaking. According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Indias digital economy contributed 11.74 percent of GDP in FY 202223 (INR 31.64 trillion / US$ 347.6 billion) and supported 14.67 million jobs, with productivity levels significantly higher than traditional sectors. The digital economys share is projected to reach 20 percent of GVA by FY 202930, driven by AI adoption, cloud computing, and platform-led digital systems. UPI has become the worlds largest real-time payments platform by transaction volume, while Aadhaar-enabled authentication and e-KYC have reduced onboarding costs across banking, fintech, telecom, and government services. Digital public platforms such as GeM, DigiLocker, CoWIN, and the National Health Stack have also strengthened transparency, service access, and administrative efficiency. Crucially, DPI is no longer confined to financial services. It increasingly supports healthcare delivery, logistics coordination, education access, MSME digitization, and cross-border payments, positioning technology as an essential layer of national infrastructure rather than a standalone innovation vertical. Sustained public investment, regulatory clarity, and publicprivate collaboration have enabled DPI to scale rapidly while remaining interoperable and inclusive. For businesses, DPI reduces transaction friction, accelerates compliance processes, expands market reach, and supports data-driven operations. For policymakers, it enhances fiscal targeting, service monitoring, and economic formalization. As India approaches Union Budget 2026, digital public infrastructure is expected to remain a strategic policy assetsupporting productivity growth, platform-led innovation, and the integration of technology into every major sector of the economy. Budget 2026: DPI policy direction and expectations The Union Budget 2026 is expected to reinforce DPI as a foundational policy asset rather than introduce major structural shifts. Industry expectations point to: Continued capital allocations for payments, connectivity, identity, and e-governance platforms Deeper integration of DPI across healthcare, logistics, education, and public service delivery Expanded roles for fintech, SaaS, and AI startups in extending DPI capabilities, particularly in digital payments, credit access, interoperable data systems, and multilingual services An emphasis on policy continuity and regulatory certainty, strengthening investor confidence in platform-based business models ALSO READ: Indias AI Infrastructure and Emerging Market Leadership: An Outlook Innovation, productivity, and export competitiveness With services exports and high-value manufacturing gaining policy emphasis, technology firms are positioned as key drivers of productivity and global competitiveness. Policy support is expected to favor innovation-led growth, intellectual property creation, and scalable digital solutions rather than volume-based incentives. SaaS and deep-tech startups, many of which are export-oriented, are likely to benefit from measures supporting global market access, R&D investment, and enterprise adoption. Skilling, employment, and a future-ready workforce Talent development remains a structural priority for sustaining growth in technology-intensive sectors. Budget 2026 is expected to continue emphasizing digital skilling, AI readiness, and industry-aligned training programs to support both domestic employment and export-oriented services. Collaboration between startups, academic institutions, and incubators is likely to remain central to building a future-ready workforce. Ease of doing business and regulatory certainty Industry expectations center on regulatory stability, predictable tax treatment, and simplified compliance frameworks, particularly for companies operating across borders or scaling rapidly. For fintech and SaaS companies, clarity around data governance, cross-border taxation, and regulatory harmonization will be critical to maintaining investor confidence. Technology and public policy in India: Where attention is likely to converge Artificial intelligence and deeptech AI-led startups have emerged as a strategic growth engine within Indias innovation ecosystem. Backed by central government initiatives such as Atal Tinkering Labs, the Deeptech Reactor under Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) 2.0, Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups (GENESIS), TIDE 2.0, and the MeitY Startup Hub, these ventures span enterprise AI, data analytics, language technologies, healthcare diagnostics, and industrial automation. The ecosystem is gradually shifting from application-layer solutions to foundational and sector-specific models, supported by stronger linkages with academia, Centers of Excellence, and public digital infrastructure. Fintech and digital financial services Indias fintech ecosystem remains among the worlds largest and most mature, driven by DPI frameworks such as UPI, Aadhaar, and account aggregators. Fintech startups play a central role in advancing financial inclusion, expanding MSME credit access, and integrating digital finance with formal banking and regulatory systems. Government-backed credit guarantee schemes, seed funding mechanisms, and regulatory sandboxes have enabled responsible scaling while supporting innovation across payments, lending, wealth tech, insurtech, and embedded finance. Indias fintech sector underwent a decisive phase of recalibration in 2025, shifting from rapid expansion to more disciplined, sustainable growth. The year was defined by tighter regulatory oversight, constrained funding conditions, and a clear pivot toward profitability, stronger governance, and partnership-led scale. Rather than pursuing volume at any cost, fintech firms increasingly focused on compliance-led restructuring and diversified product strategies to strengthen long-term resilience. Cross-border payments emerged as a critical growth vector. Indian fintechs intensified their focus on international remittances, trade-linked flows, travel payments, and B2B transactions, positioning themselves within global payment corridors. Regulatory approvals played a central role in this expansion. Notably, Indias fintech company Razorpays receipt of the RBIs Payment AggregatorCross Border license enabled the platform to support international collections from over 130 currencies, underpinning its entry into markets such as the UAE, Europe, and Southeast Asia. SaaS and enterprise technology India has consolidated its position as a global hub for SaaS, particularly in B2B software, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, HR tech, CRM, and vertical-specific enterprise solutions. These startups benefit from Indias engineering talent pool, cost efficiencies, and early exposure to global customers. Notably, a growing number of SaaS ventures originate from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, reinforcing broader trends of entrepreneurial decentralization and export-led growth. Strategic implications for businesses and foreign investors Collectively, the growth of AI, fintech, and SaaS startups illustrate Indias transition from scale-driven expansion to technology-led value creation. Their growing prominence aligns with Indias goal of positioning startups not only as job creators but also as builders of core digital, financial, and economic infrastructure. For businesses and investors, Union Budget 2026 is expected to reinforce this trajectory through policy continuity, targeted innovation support, and deeper integration of technology across the economy, making execution quality and regulatory predictability as important as headline fiscal announcements. (US$1 = INR 91.02) Dancing With the Stars Image credit : Robert Irwin/ X | Robert Irwin has found himself in the spotlight for more than just his dancing skills A Special DWTS Win for the Irwin Family Robert Irwin Confirms He Is Currently Single Image credit : Robert Irwin IG | Robert Irwin and Witney Carson won season 35 of DWTS Navigating Dating in the Public Eye Fan Speculation and Rumours Addressed Image credit : DWTS | Robert Irwin, 22, won DWTS Season 34 alongside professional dancer Witney Carson Focused on Career and Conservation Following his memorable victory on, Robert Irwin has found himself in the spotlight for more than just his dancing skills. The Australian conservationist and television personality has recently addressed growing curiosity around his love life, offering a candid take on relationships after his big win.Robert Irwin, 22, won DWTS Season 34 alongside professional dancer Witney Carson, securing the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. The moment was particularly meaningful for the Irwin family, as it mirrored sister Bindi Irwins own DWTS victory years earlier. The win boosted Roberts popularity, introducing him to a wider global audience.In recent interviews, Irwin confirmed that he is not in a relationship at the moment. Addressing fan speculation that followed his DWTS journey, he shared that dating is not a priority right now. Instead, he believes in allowing relationships to develop naturally rather than forcing them amid a busy schedule.Robert acknowledged that being in the public spotlight has made dating more complicated. With social media amplifying even small interactions, privacy can be difficult to maintain. Despite this, he stressed that he remains authentic and grounded, choosing not to change who he is because of public attention.Throughout the DWTS season, fans speculated about Roberts chemistry with fellow contestants and cast members. However, he has consistently downplayed the rumours, stating there is not much to report romantically. While he remains open to love in the future, he made it clear that hes in no rush.Beyond romance, Irwins post-DWTS life has been filled with professional commitments. He has returned to hosting duties, including Im a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, and continues to dedicate himself to Australia Zoo and wildlife conservation efforts, work that remains central to his identity and family legacy. Image credit : X| Fans clash as Charlie Kirk Show continues under his name Fans push back on persistent branding and notifications BREAKING: The Charlie Kirk Show DECIMATED in the comments as listeners complain of repeated creepy "Charlie Kirk is Live" notifications and demand TPUSA stop "posting from a dead mans account" and "grifting" see the comments https://t.co/P3fbKZyaxR pic.twitter.com/sxhdO7Fu6Q Sword Truth (@SwordTruth) January 20, 2026 Image credit : X| Online clash as Charlie Kirk Show stays under his name Where respect meets legacy in digital media Image credit : X| Fans divided as Charlie Kirk Show continues under name A heated debate has broken out online as, months after the assassination of its founder, continues to post regular content under his name. Fans and critics alike have taken to social media to express their discomfort with notifications that proclaim Charlie Kirk is Live, even though the conservative commentator was killed during a campus event in Utah in September 2025.Supporters of the late Kirk initially accepted the continuation of the podcast, viewing the decision as a way to honour his influence. But as new episodes roll out under the same title and his official X account remains active, many followers are voicing sharp criticism. These users argue that using Kirks name and likeness without altering the branding feels increasingly inappropriate and, in some cases, exploitative.Comments on posts linked to the show reveal a sense of frustration and even revulsion. Some have labelled the notifications as creepy and demanded that Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the organisation Kirk helped to establish, stop posting from what they call a dead mans account. Others have urged a complete rebrand, saying that those now running the show bear little resemblance to Kirks original voice or values.While the conflict has predominantly played out online, it highlights a deeper tension over legacy, respect and commercial interests in the digital age.The sharpness of the online backlash underscores how sensitive followers are about Kirks memory and how his brand continues to be used. Many expressed that receiving Charlie Kirk is Live alerts feels jarring or disrespectful, particularly given the violent circumstances of his death at the age of 31.Some critics have taken their grievances as far as publicly reporting the account, questioning whether it should be labelled differently now that its namesake has passed away. There are also calls from sections of the community for TPUSA to re-examine how it honours Kirks legacy without continuing to profit from his persona.Supporters of the show have countered that continuing the podcast in his name preserves the conservative message he championed and keeps his work alive. Others point to the practicalities of running a successful media platform, noting that a sudden rebrand might harm engagement and financial support for the organisation.Despite both sides making forceful points, there has been no official indication that TPUSA plans to change the shows title or social media practices.The debate oversits at the intersection of respect for the deceased and the realities of running a modern media enterprise. What began as a popular political podcast has now become a lightning rod for broader questions about how public figures are remembered and represented online. As digital platforms continue to evolve, so too will the conversations about what constitutes appropriate tribute versus exploitative branding. DOJ issues public warning after church protest video goes viral Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | President Donald Trump Federal laws cited: FACE act and Ku Klux Klan act Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | Donald Trump reshared a post calling for Don Lemon to serve 40 years in prison Trump reposts call for 40-year prison sentence Image credit : X/Maga_Trigger | Donald John Trump is the 47th president of the United States Lemon pushes back, citing journalism and online threats Independent journalist Don Lemon has found himself at the center of escalating political and legal scrutiny after covering a protest at a Minnesota church a situation that intensified when President Donald Trump reshared a post calling for Lemon to be sent to prison for 40 years.The controversy began after Lemon livestreamed a protest at Cities Church in Minneapolis, where demonstrators interrupted a Sunday service to protest the presence of David Easterwood, a pastor who also serves as a local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. What followed was a rapid escalation involving the Department of Justice, public legal warnings, and direct amplification by the president himself.On Sunday, January 18, Lemon shared video footage from inside Cities Church during the protest. Speaking to viewers during the livestream, Lemon described the demonstration as an exercise of constitutional rights.This is what the First Amendment is about, the freedom to protest, Lemon said. Im sure people here dont like it, but protests are not comfortable.The video quickly spread online, with critics accusing Lemon of helping organize or incite the protest rather than merely documenting it. Those accusations prompted a response from Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon.Posting on X, Dhillon stated that houses of worship are not public forums for protest and are protected under federal criminal and civil laws. She also warned Lemon directly, writing that the First Amendment does not protect pseudo-journalism that disrupts religious services and concluded with, You are on notice!Dhillon expanded on the warning during an appearance on The Benny Johnson Show on Monday, January 19. She said the DOJ could pursue charges under multiple federal statutes against Lemon and other demonstrators.One law cited was the FACE Act, which protects individuals lawfully exercising religious freedom at places of worship from intimidation or obstruction. Dhillon also referenced the Ku Klux Klan Act, formally known as the Enforcement Act of 1871, which criminalizes conspiracies to deprive individuals or groups of constitutional rights.Describing the law, Dhillon said it makes it illegal to terrorize citizens or violate their civil rights and emphasized that it grants the president broad enforcement authority.Whenever people conspire, this, the Klan Act can be used, she said.She added that members of the protest community should expect strong federal intervention, stating that the full force of the federal government would be used to stop such actions and impose lengthy penalties.Hours after the DOJ comments, President Trump reshared a post on Truth Social from an account named MoniFunGirl. The post called for Lemon to be sentenced to 40 years in prison for appearing at the protest outside Cities Church in St. Paul.The post claimed that elderly women had previously received 40-year sentences under the FACE Act for protesting at an abortion clinic and suggested Lemon should face the same punishment. Trump added no commentary of his own, but the repost was widely interpreted as endorsement.The repost came amid confirmation from Dhillon that every demonstrator who disrupted the service was under federal investigation, with potential charges under both the FACE Act and the KKK Act.Lemon denied wrongdoing and said he was present solely in his capacity as a journalist. In a statement to Fox News Digital, he said he was being unfairly portrayed as the face of the protest despite other reporters being present.He also pointed to a wave of online abuse, saying he had received violent threats, along with homophobic and racist slurs from MAGA supporters, which he said were amplified by segments of the right-wing media.Lemon added that attention would be better spent investigating the death of Renee Nicole Good, which he said was the issue that initially brought protesters into the streets. He concluded by standing by his reporting.As investigations continue, the clash between press freedom, protest law, and federal authority remains unresolved, with potential legal consequences still looming. Buy Ryan Air and restore Ryan as their rightful ruler Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 19, 2026 Social media exchange rekindles Starlink dispute Image credit : X/ElonGoat_Musk | Elon Musk once again sparked debate Ryanairs cost-cutting model shapes its decisions Image credit : X/ElonGoat_Musk | Elon Musk has once again reignited speculation Market impact and financial context Image credit : X/ElonMuskPD | Elon Musk, businessman and former senior advisor to the President of the United States Elon Musk has once again reignited speculation and online chatter around a potential Ryanair acquisition, using humor and pointed remarks to respond to the airlines leadership amid an ongoing dispute over Starlink internet services.The Tesla Inc. CEO took to X on Monday to reply directly to Ryanairs official account, asking, How much would it cost to buy you? The comment came after the airline dismissed the idea of in-flight Wi-Fi as something it was not interested in pursuing, a remark widely interpreted as a subtle swipe at Musks Starlink satellite internet business.Musk followed up by suggesting that, if he were to acquire the airline, he would put a Ryan in charge of Ryan Air, adding, It is your destiny.The latest comments arrive just days after Musk and Ryanair CEO Michael OLeary engaged in a heated online exchange regarding the possibility of installing Starlink internet equipment across Ryanairs fleet.OLeary rejected the proposal, arguing that the additional weight and drag caused by the equipment would increase fuel consumption. He estimated that these changes could add approximately $250 million per year in costs for the airline.In response, Musk sharply criticized OLeary, calling him an utter idiot and suggesting that the CEO should be fired. Musk also floated the idea of acquiring the airline as a way to implement such changes himself.Ryanair is widely known for its ultra-low-cost business model, focusing on short-haul flights while charging extra for nearly every added convenience. Fees apply for services such as priority boarding and seating arrangements for families or groups traveling together.OLeary has repeatedly proposed controversial cost-saving ideas over the years. He previously suggested charging passengers to use onboard toilets, arguing that removing one lavatory could create space for six additional seats.The Ryanair CEO has also promoted the concept of a standing cabin for short flights. During a 2012 interview on The Late Late Show, OLeary described the idea as very safe, reinforcing his reputation for unconventional approaches to reducing operating costs.Ryanair transported approximately 200 million passengers during the 20242025 period, making it one of the worlds largest airlines and a potentially significant customer base for Starlinks internet services. However, given Ryanairs strict focus on minimizing costs, such a partnership appears unlikely.The airline currently has a market capitalization of $35.84 billion, a figure that represents only a fraction of Musks estimated $640 billion net worth. While Musks comments were widely interpreted as joking rather than a serious takeover attempt, Ryanairs shares rose 4.45% overnight following his post.The stock also scores strongly on Momentum and Value in Benzingas Edge Stock Rankings, showing favorable trends across short-, medium-, and long-term performance metrics.Musks remarks appear playful, but they spotlight real tensions over cost, technology, and leadership that continue to ripple through Ryanairs market performance. Fact check: Was Gucci Mane really kidnapped by Pooh Shiesty? Image credit : X | @trapsntrunks | Examining the Truth Behind the Pooh Shiesty Kidnapping Claims Viral rumours about Gucci Mane and Pooh Shiesty spark reactions on social media Wow if true, this is wild Allegedly kidnapping over a contract release? Cant wait to hear the full story Monday #__ (@CaptainGhazi) January 19, 2026 A quick look at how a former music label relationship became the centre of rumours After the viral claims circulating around the American rapper Gucci Mane being shot at an Atlanta gas station, another rumour has taken over social media, including rapper Pooh Shiesty. On Monday, multiple rumours have been circulating on social media alleging that 45-year-old Gucci Mane was abducted at gunpoint by a fellow 26-year-old rapper, Pooh Shiesty. The claims immediately went viral and gained traction after an Instagram story was posted by comedian Tasha K, who suggested that Shiesty held Mane until he was released from their record deal. But are these claims really true? Let's find out.The alleged kidnapping claims come on the heels of an earlier viral rumour suggesting Gucci Mane was shot at an Atlanta gas station while shooting a music video. However, as of now, there are no credible news outlets that have confirmed the statements from Mane's family or close ones; hence, the story seems to be false.Meanwhile, now some fresh allegations have surfaced involving an alleged kidnapping, intensifying speculation across social media. Tasha K fuelled the discussion with a post on X (formerly called Twitter), asserting that Gucci Mane was supposedly held at gunpoint by Shiesty until the paperwork was signed releasing Shiesty from his Death Row Records 2.0 contract.She also claimed that the information came from a source who is closely associated with the situation, focusing on there being no confirmed robbery involved, only an alleged contract dispute that would allow Pooh Shiesty to move forward with signing to Yo Gotti."On Monday, Ill drop the rest of the deets. This is allegedly the real reason Pooh was arrested, and theyre allegedly trying to cover it up... if what Im being told is true. Everything is ALLEGEDLY. Even my name is allegedly!!" Tasha wrote on her X.As soon as the rumours surfaced on social media, they quickly grabbed the attention of netizens. One X user wrote, "Wow if true, this is wild. Allegedly kidnapping over a contract release? Cant wait to hear the full story Monday."While another said, "So Gucci snitched. Allegedly."One quipped, "So Pooh Shiesty is the only one not begging Hov for a contract release ."While some said, "Man, I don't believe this.""This is coming from Govan and Ceddy; they both swore he was robbed for his ring and necklace. Now they're changing it. The whole situation sounds like cap. That contract wouldn't be valid anyways if this was true. "Gucci Mane and Pooh Shiesty's relationship has largely been defined by their collaboration within the music industry. Initially marked by a mentor-mentee dynamic, their connection has recently shifted into a phase marked by public scrutiny and widespread speculation about possible tension between the two as of early 2026.Pooh Shiesty gained recognition after signing with Gucci Mane's 2017 Records label, which operates in partnership with Atlantic Records, and quickly rose to prominence with breakout releases.While under the 1017 banner, Pooh Shiesty achieved major success with his hit single Back in Blood featuring Lil Durk, which performed strongly on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut mixtape, Shiesty Season, was also released through 1017 and Atlantic Records, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart.Following the legal troubles, Pooh Shiesty was granted early release from federal prison on October 6, 2025, after serving a portion of his five-year sentence. He is currently on home confinement and supervised release, which is scheduled to continue through April 2026. Image credit : Instagram| Niu Nana with her husband, at the centre of the controversy The apology that changed everything Image credit : Instagram| The husband and colleague linked to the defamation dispute When public opinion outpaces the law Image credit : Instagram| Niu Nana during one of her daily apology videos What began as a private betrayal has now become one of the most talked-about examples of how legal victories can unravel in the court of public opinion. At first, it looked like a straightforward case of win the battle, lose the war. A husband cheated, a wife spoke out, and a judge ruled in favour of the man. But what followed turned a routine defamation case into a viral spectacle that rattled social media, corporate boardrooms and public trust all at once.Meet Niu Nana, a woman from Chinas Henan province whose life was turned upside down after discovering that her husband had allegedly maintained a long-term affair with a colleague. According to Nana, the relationship spanned nearly five years and involved more than emotional betrayal. She claimed that shared marital funds were used to finance luxury gifts for the other woman. Furious and hurt, Nana did what many people would hesitate to do. She went public, calling out both her husband and his alleged partner on social media.That decision came at a cost.Her husband sued her for defamation and won. The court ruled that Nanas posts had harmed his reputation. However, instead of ordering financial compensation, the judge issued a different directive. Nana was required to publish a public apology for 15 consecutive days.It should have ended there. Instead, it was only the beginning.Niu Nana complied with the court order, but not quietly. Each day, she uploaded an apology video that followed the ruling to the letter while questioning it in spirit. Calmly and methodically, she apologised while also laying out details of the affair. She referenced timelines, shared receipts and openly asked who, exactly, she was meant to apologise to.Was it her husband? The colleague? Or the public that had been watching her story unfold?Chinese social media was riveted. Viewers demanded clarity and accountability. Each apology video drew millions of views, turning a legal punishment into a daily event. Nanas account surged to around 800,000 followers in a matter of days, with audiences returning every day to catch the latest update.What made the situation more explosive was its ripple effect beyond social media. Nanas husband was employed by a publicly traded, state-owned enterprise. As her videos gained traction, the companys stock reportedly dropped by 22 percent during the same period. Whether directly linked or not, the timing raised serious questions. In response, the company announced a formal internal investigation into his conduct in an effort to stem the damage.Legally, Nana lost her case. Socially, she shifted the narrative entirely. By adhering strictly to the courts order, she exposed how narrow legal rulings can clash with broader public sentiment. Her apology was compliant, but it was also devastatingly effective. This episode underscores a growing reality in modern China. Courts may deliver judgments, but social media now shapes reputations at a scale that law alone cannot control. Silence is no longer guaranteed by a verdict, and compliance does not always equal submission.So how should Niu Nanas apology be judged? As obedience to a legal order, or as a sharp, calculated response to being silenced? Either way, her story serves as a reminder that in the digital age, winning in court does not always mean winning the war. Altered imagery draws diplomatic rebukes Image credit : Wikipedia official page| Trumps AI map sparks criticism from Denmark and Canada over sovereignty Arctic security and U.S. deployments Image credit : Wikipedia official page| Trumps map comes as NORAD deploys aircraft to Greenland, highlighting its strategic importance Focus on Venezuela Image credit : IMDb official page| Trumps map highlights US focus on Venezuela and broader Americas strategy U.S. President Donald Trump sparked international controversy by posting AI-generated images on his Truth Social platform showing Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela as part of the United States. One image depicts Trump in the Oval Office with a map shading the three countries in U.S. flag colors. Another shows him with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio planting a U.S. flag in Greenland beside a sign reading Greenland, U.S. territory, Est. 2026. The posts immediately drew reactions from allied governments and NATO partners, highlighting tensions over symbolic territorial imagery.The visuals triggered sharp responses from Copenhagen and Ottawa. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, and Canadian officials reiterated that Canada remains a sovereign nation. European leaders criticized the posts as provocative, noting that portraying allied territories as U.S. possessions risks straining diplomatic relations. The imagery comes amid Trumps repeated emphasis on Greenlands strategic importance and his public insistence on negotiating with Denmark over its status.The timing of the posts coincides with reports that the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is deploying aircraft to the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland to support planned activities. U.S. officials said the deployment is coordinated with Danish and Greenland authorities. The images also underline Trumps message that Greenland is essential to U.S. and global security, and follow his conversation with the NATO Secretary General on the Arctics strategic role.Alongside the Arctic imagery, the map includes Venezuela, reflecting the United States continued engagement in the country following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. The images highlight Trumps focus on U.S. territorial and strategic interests across the Americas, connecting North American, Arctic, and South American regions in a single visual statement. While the images do not represent any legal change in borders, they have drawn attention from international governments and sparked discussion about U.S. foreign policy priorities in the hemisphere. Protesting farmers have secured all possible concessions from the government, requiring them now to end highway blockades that have paralyzed parts of the country for weeks, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said. Speaking at a public forum hours after a high-stakes meeting with protest leaders, Mr.was blunt about the utility of continued disruption. They have nothing more to gain by staying at the roadblocks, Mr. Mitsotakis said. I think they realize that themselves. The comments followed a session at the Maximos Mansion earlier in the day with roughly 30 representatives from the movements hardline faction. The prime minister described the talks as long, interesting, frank, but relatively unorganized, a jab at the sheer volume of attendees crowding the negotiation table. Mondays meeting was the second in a week aimed at defusing the crisis over rising production costs and energy prices. While the government has offered tax relief on diesel and discounted electricity, Mr. Mitsotakis signaled that fiscal realities prevent further financial aid. The ball is now in the farmers court as they return to their local assemblies to decide whether to escalate or retreat. iefimerida.gr Greece hesitates to join the U.S. presidents proposed international forum , raising diplomatic eyebrows across Europe The final decisions on the future of the farmers roadblocks have been postponed until today, according to representatives of the farmers, following the conclusion of their meeting with the prime minister. Former OPEC president Diezani Alison-Madueke appeared in a London court on Monday, ahead of her full trial on bribery charges relating to her time as Nigerias oil minister. Preliminary proceedings, including technical matters and jury selection, began this week, with Alison-Madueke in attendance. Alison-Madueke, who was in office from 2010 to 2015, was the first woman oil minister in Nigeria and the first female president of the global oil cartel OPEC. Advertisement The 65-year-old has been on bail since she was first arrested in London in October 2015. She has denied six charges against her. She was formally charged in 2023 by the UKs National Crime Agency with offences of accepting bribes between 2011 to 2015. We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts, the NCA said at the time. According to the indictment, Alison-Madueke benefitted from at least 100,000 ($134,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets and the use of multiple London properties. The charges also detailed financial rewards including furniture, renovation work and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees and gifts from top designer shops such as Louis Vuitton. The trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 26 and is expected to last 10 to 12 weeks. Two others are also being prosecuted on bribery charges linked to the case: Doye Agama, who appeared in court via video link on Monday, and Olatimbo Ayinde, who was present in the dock. Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, is currently at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, for a meeting with President Bola Tinubu. The governor, dressed in his signature flowing white babanriga and a red Kwankwasiyya cap, was spotted by our correspondent making his way to the Presidents office at 4:13pm local time. The meeting comes amid heightened speculation over Yusufs planned defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress, a move that has been postponed multiple times since early January. Advertisement The governors visit to the Villa is his first known audience with President Tinubu since returning from Abu Dhabi, where the President attended the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Sources familiar with the negotiations had earlier told The PUNCH that the defection stalled because the APC leadership refused to grant Yusufs demand for a documented assurance of an automatic gubernatorial ticket for the 2027 elections. The governor is also reportedly seeking the right to nominate a minister to represent Kano State in the Federal Executive Council and the authority to replace Kano-based federal appointees with his loyalists. According to reports, Yusufs demands have placed him on a collision course with powerful figures within the party, including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who is believed to be harbouring governorship ambitions for 2027. A video posted on his official Facebook account days earlier showed the governor presiding over the first State Executive Council meeting of 2026 in the Kano State Governors Lodge, Abuja, on Friday. Yusufs political godfather, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has publicly described the planned defection as an act of betrayal and warned that the governor would face consequences in 2027 if he proceeds with the move. The NNPP national leaders son, Hon. Mustapha Kwankwaso, and other cabinet members loyal to Kwankwaso have reportedly vowed to resign immediately if the governor officially joins the APC. A lawmaker and APC chieftain in Kano, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, claimed in a viral video that President Tinubu had directed that the APCs ongoing e-registration exercise be suspended in Kano until Governor Yusuf formally joins the party. According to Doguwa, the President wants the governor to be the first to e-register in the state. In a birthday statement on January 5 to mark Yusufs 63rd birthday, Tinubu lavished praise on the Kano governor, highlighting his infrastructural achievements and commitment to grassroots development. Governor Yusufs leadership experience, particularly his years as commissioner managing strategic portfolios in Kano State, may have prepared him for the kind of infrastructural changes now witnessed in the state, the President said. He has embarked on urban renewal programmes, building bridges and road networks, including five-kilometre roads in each local government in the state, he added. Tinubu also noted improvements in Kanos education sector, stating, I also understood that his declaration of emergency in education has engendered a marked improvement in the performance of Kano students in NECO exams. The President described Kano as the bastion of progressive politics in the North, adding that Yusufs regime re-echoes the commitment to grassroots development and ameliorating the plight of the Talakawas as championed by the late Mallam Aminu Kano. Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic V!olence Court on Monday, convicted and sentenced a man identified as Olumuyiwa Adjoto to double life imprisonment for def!ling his wifes six-year-old niece. The Lagos State Government had dragged the convict before the court on charges bothering on deflement1, sexual assault by penetration, and indecent treatment of a child. During the trial, the State Counsel, Bukola Okeowo, called four witnesses: the survivor, her mother, a medical officer, and an investigative police officer while the convict testified in his own defence as the sole defence witness. The prosecutor, Bukola Okeowo, while testifying before the court, stated that Adjoto committed the offences on April 22, 2022, around 1:00pm, opposite Erubami House along Primary School Road, Mowo, Badagry, Lagos. She said he assaulted sexually through the honeypot and the anus after his wife left home for the market and left the girl in his care. She further stated that the offences committed contravened Sections 137 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Advertisement The judge found Adjoto guilty of def!lement and sexual assault by penetration but discharged him on the third count of indecent treatment of a child. In his judgement, the judge described the offences as grave, noting that the injuries inflicted on the child might never fully heal. The evidence before this court has established that you defiled and segxwally assaulted a six-year-old child who was entrusted to your care. You penetrated her honeypot and anus, causing her immense physical and psychological trauma, Oshodi said. The judge referenced the testimony of Olatunji, who explained the severe impact of the abuse on the child. According to the medical expert, the immediate effects include fear, difficulty trusting people, social withdrawal, possible urinary incontinence, and declining academic performance. She added that the long-term psychological consequences could include depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and difficulty maintaining relationships, including marital relationships. The judge thereafter sentenced the convict to life imprisonment on each of the two counts and ordered that both sentences run concurrently. The judge also ordered that Adjotos name be entered into the Sex Offenders Register in line with Sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual V!olence Agency Law, 2021. Having been convicted of defilement and seguwal assault by penetration, you are hereby sentenced to life imprisonment on counts one and two. These sentences reflect societys condemnation of such heinous acts against children Oshodi held A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Biodun Ajiboye, has said that President Bola Tinubu did not remove fuel subsidy. Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television monitored by DAILY POST on Monday, Ajiboye said the president only announced the removal of subsidy. He said, Right as we speak Today, in May 2023 whether we like it or not there was no possibility of continuing with subsidy. Advertisement Tinubu did not remove, he only announced the removal. And some people are saying why would he announce subsidy removal without preparing for it? How was it possible to continue with as at the time he came to power? What we have done is trying to reverse the negative tide of the economy. The Unemployment rate has dropped drastically from 33% to about 4% now reason being that there are other sectors of the economy that absorb people not the major sector of the economy. Payment of civil servants salaries have not failed one day. State governments no longer borrow money to pay salaries as they were doing before. Almost a decade after a 37-year-old New Jersey man was killed by home invaders, two men have been charged with his murder, the Burlington County Prosecutors Office announced Monday. Norman Mosley was fatally shot in September 2016 when intruders wearing masks broke into the trailer he shared with his girlfriend in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township. Advertisement The investigation went on for years without arrests until detectives found DNA evidence on gloves located near the crime scene. Kevin DCosta, 45, of Irvington, and Daemen Hodge, 32, of Brown Mills, were charged with first degree felony murder, first degree robbery, and unlawful possession of a weapon, among other charges, after their DNA matched what was found at the scene, according to the prosecutors office. Both men had already been named as suspects in the case. DCosta was in custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark for unrelated charges when he was served last month with his warrant. Hodge was arrested at his girlfriends home in Bordentown Township on Friday and subsequently held at Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly. The next step in the case will be presenting it to a grand jury for potential indictment. A detail of a police officer's badge on Oct. 13, 2023 after the fatal shooting of a Philadelphia Police officer the night before. Read more A Philadelphia police officer opened fire on a man Monday night after the man critically injured another person in Hunting Park, police said. The man, police said, was not hit. Officers were called about 8:30 p.m. to a Sunoco gas station in the 4100 block of North Broad Street for a report of a man with a gun, according to police Tuesday. Advertisement When they arrived, police said, the officers saw multiple men arguing. The men quickly left the gas station and walked toward the intersection of Broad and Jerome Streets, where the fight turned physical, police said. A 29-year-old man drew a handgun and shot another man in the chest and groin. One of the officers fired at the alleged shooter, police said, but did not strike him. The alleged shooter ran away, but the officer caught and arrested him in the 1300 block of Jerome Street, police said. Nearby, beneath a parked vehicle, officers found a 9mm handgun. Paramedics took the victim to Temple University Hospital, where police said he was in critical condition Tuesday. His name was not released. Police did not release the name of the alleged shooter, who had not yet been formally charged, they said. The officer, a 36-year-old man with nine years on the police force, was not injured in the incident, police said. He has been placed on administrative duty pending an internal investigation, as per department policy when an officer discharges his gun. File: An example of a students cursive writing at the Lawnside School, in New Jersey, December 17, 2019. Read more Beginning in September, New Jersey public schools must begin teaching cursive writing to students in grades three to five. A bill signed by Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday makes cursive instruction mandatory for some elementary students. The requirements take effect immediately and apply to the 2026-27 school year. Advertisement New Jersey joins Delaware and at least two dozen other states that require cursive writing. Similar legislation proposed in Pennsylvania did not advance. In pushing the mandate, New Jersey State Sens. Angela McKnight (D., Hudson) and Shirley Turner (D., Mercer), the bills sponsors, have said students should be able to write in cursive to sign legal documents and read personal keepsake letters and historic documents. Murphy, who signed the bill on his last full day in office, also cited Americas 250th anniversary this year. Students should also be able to sign a check, he said. We owe it to our students to give them a well-rounded education that ensures they have the tools to fully understand our rich history and become competent leaders, Murphy said in a statement. Experts say cursive writing improves fine motor skill development and eye-hand coordination. It is also believed to boost spelling and writing skills and overall learning and to encourage discipline and patience. However, in 2010, cursive writing was eliminated from the states common core standards and many districts stopped teaching it. Many Catholic schools in the region have kept the tradition to promote good penmanship. Critics believe cursive writing is antiquated and learning should focus more on technology such as AI. They believe incorporating cursive lessons would take valuable time from other subjects. READ MORE: Can cursive writing make a comeback? A teacher and grammarian debate. | Pro/Con Some South Jersey districts like Shamong, Cherry Hill and Winslow never stopped teaching cursive writing. . Handwriting is something that has always been important, said Nicole Moore, principal of the Indian Mills School in Shamong. We never got rid of it. Moore said students in her school in Burlington County learn cursive in third and fourth grades. She believes it will be easy to extend the instruction to fifth graders in the middle school. The biggest challenge facing schools implementing the new mandate will be funding and finding time in the school day to add another subject, Moore said. You need resources to teach handwriting, Moore said Tuesday. Thats just one more thing as schools we have to figure out how to pay for it. Moore said teachers must find creative ways to make learning cursive writing engaging and not simply have students write the same passage several times. At Indian Mills School, the school year begins with cursive writing instruction twice a week and then shifts to independent learning later in the year. A program called Handwriting Without Tears is used to teach students basic strokes and how to connect letters. McKnight has said cursive could be incorporated during writing or spelling lessons. She first introduced the bill several years ago, but it didnt get traction. READ MORE: A generation of Americans never learned cursive. So Philly historians are teaching AI to transcribe it. The University of Pennsylvania in a legal filing Tuesday pushed back against a federal commissions demand that in effect would require it to turn over lists of Jewish faculty, staff, and students, calling the request unconstitutional, disconcerting, and unnecessary. The filing comes in response to a lawsuit filed against the university in November by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, asserting that Penn failed to comply with its subpoena. The commission is seeking employees names, home addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses to further an investigation it began in 2023 over the schools treatment of Jewish faculty and other employees regarding antisemitism complaints that emerged following Hamas attack on Israel. Advertisement In its quest to find people potentially affected, the commission demanded a list of employees in Penns Jewish Studies Program, a list of all clubs, groups, organizations, and recreation groups related to the Jewish religion including points of contact and a roster of members and names of employees who lodged antisemitism complaints. It also sought names of participants in confidential listening sessions held by the schools task force on antisemitism. READ MORE: Jewish students and faculty at Penn ask that their names not be turned over in federal antisemitism investigation The request has spurred a backlash from some student and faculty groups, including Penns chapter of the American Association of University Professors, arguing that the names and personal information should not be turned over to the government. Penn has refused to provide the information, and the school doubled down on that position in Tuesdays legal filing. The EEOC insists that Penn produce this information without the consent and indeed, over the objections of the employees impacted while entirely disregarding the frightening and well-documented history of governmental entities that undertook efforts to identify and assemble information regarding persons of Jewish ancestry," the university wrote in its filing. The governments demand implicates Penns substantial interest in protecting its employees privacy, safety, and First Amendment rights. READ MORE: EEOC sues Penn for failing to release information related to antisemitism investigation Also on Tuesday, the Penn Faculty Alliance to Combat Antisemitism, a group of more than 150 primarily Jewish professors, filed a brief in support of the universitys decision not to comply with the commissions demand. While the Alliance supports the EEOCs efforts to combat antisemitism at Penn, its members are gravely concerned that the scope of the EEOC subpoena invokes the troubling historical persecution of Jews and threatens the personal security of the Alliances members, the group wrote in the brief. The alliance includes members who have had concerns about antisemitism at Penn, including faculty who were harassed online after attending a trip to Israel following Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the country, said Claire Finkelstein, a professor at Penn Carey Law School, member of the alliance, and faculty director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law. Among its members are faculty who have been really on the side of remediating antisemitism, do not believe that concerns about antisemitism are pretextual, do not think that it is a sham issue, and think there are real issues to address at universities in general. Finkelstein said the alliance has not taken a position on whether the EEOCs investigation is warranted or needed. But the group is adamantly opposed to the subpoena and believes it could discourage membership in Jewish groups at Penn. In its brief, the group notes the dark historical legacy associated with government lists of Jews, including how Nazis frequently demanded that others identify the Jews among them. Penn said in its filing that it had complied with the subpoena except for the list of names and contacts, noting it had provided over 900 pages of materials to the commission. The school noted that it even offered to send notices to all employees about the EEOCs request to hear about antisemitism concerns with the commissions contact information. The university also asserted that the commissions demand is a particularly unjustified use of enforcement authority given the weakness of the underlying charge. The commission, the university argued, has not identified a single allegedly unlawful employment practice or incident involving employees. The charge does not refer to any employee complaint the agency has received, any allegation made by or concerning employees, or any specific workplace incident(s) contemplated by the EEOC, nor does it even identify any employment practice(s) the EEOC alleges to be unlawful or potentially harmful to Jewish employees, Penn said in its response. The original complaint was launched by EEOC Commissioner Andrea Lucas, now chair of the body, on Dec. 8, 2023, two months after Hamas attack on Israel that led to unrest on college campuses, including Penns, and charges of antisemitism. It was also just three days after Penns then-president, Liz Magill, had testified before a Republican-led congressional committee on the schools handling of antisemitism complaints; the testimony drew a bipartisan backlash and led to Magills resignation days later. Lucas, whom President Donald Trump appointed chair last year, also brought similar antisemitism charges against Columbia University that resulted in the school paying $21 million for a class settlement fund. EEOC complaints typically come from those who allege they were aggrieved. Lucas, according to its complaint, made the charge in Penns case because of the probable reluctance of Jewish faculty and staff to complain of harassing environment due to fear of hostility and potential violence directed against them. The commissions investigation followed Lucas complaint to the commissions Philadelphia office that alleged Penn was subjecting Jewish faculty, staff, and other employees, including students, to an unlawful hostile work environment based on national origin, religion, and/or race. The allegation, the complaint said, is based on news reports, public statements made by the university and its leadership, letters from university donors, board members, alumni, and others. It also cited complaints filed against Penn and testimony before a congressional committee. In its brief, the faculty alliance also asserted that the commission could have used other voluntary and informal methods to obtain contact information for Penn faculty and staff, such as setting up a website where people could report concerns. Finkelstein, the Penn law professor, said she understands that the commission generally guarantees anonymity to witnesses or complainants, but leaks can occur. When state force extracts sensitive, personal details, those details could (and often do) become public, turning group members into targets for their enemies, the group states in its filing. READ MORE: Penn is creating an office of religious and ethnic inclusion, following concerns about antisemitism on campus Penn has done a lot to address antisemitism concerns, said Brian Englander, president of the alliance and a professor of clinical radiology who has been at Penn for 22 years. In its brief, the alliance listed antisemitic incidents that occurred on Penns campus in 2023, including a swastika left on a Penn building and messages that Penn called antisemitic that were light-projected onto several Penn buildings. Penn is a very different place than what we were experiencing in the fall of 2023, he said. Finkelstein agreed. Penn is not Columbia or Harvard or UCLA, she said. The problems that have appeared on those campuses have been much more extreme than what happened on Penns campus. I also think there may be a limit to what university leadership can do in the face of widespread antisemitism that has really affected university campuses all over the country. But there is always room for improvement, she said. To the extent that there is an atmosphere that has made Jewish students and faculty feel unwelcome, or not heard, or vilified, that is something the university has to continue to address and I believe they will continue to address it, she said. Finkelstein was among about 40 faculty who took a four-day, personal trip to Israel in January 2024 and said hey felt attacked for supporting academics there and trying to learn more about the Oct. 7 attacks. An Instagram account by Penn Students Against the Occupation was critical of the trip and accused faculty of scholasticide. The EEOC referred to that incident in its complaint. My dean got hundreds of letters, she said, protesting faculty going on the trip. Englander said there probably are members of the alliance who would be interested in talking to the commission. But they would want to do it voluntarily, he said. The alliance, he said, is straddling this middle line in that it supports Penns refusal to turn over the names, but also recognizes that antisemitism is a massive problem in the United States right now. So having government support, whatever the motivation for that, is meaningful, he said. A Philadelphia charter school is building its own college. Students at the Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School, a K-12 facility of about 2,500 with campuses in South Philadelphia and Center City, should soon be able to graduate with high school diplomas and 60 college credits for free. Advertisement PPACS is not the only early college in the city the Philadelphia School District has Parkway Center City Middle College, and other schools allow students to take college courses while in high school. Some schools offer dual enrollment, and a new early college charter will open in the city in the fall. But instead of partnering with existing colleges, String Theory, the education management organization that runs PPACS, is in the process of opening its own degree-granting institution. String Theory College will focus on design, technology, and entrepreneurship, offering PPACS students more flexibility than prior dual-enrollment partners had, said Jason Corosanite, the college president. Students wont have to leave the schools Vine Street campus to attend classes, either. The whole goal is to get all kids prepared for college, with as many college credits as possible, Corosanite said. The college already has Pennsylvania Department of Education approval, and its Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation vote is scheduled for March, commission officials said. Once schools are candidates for accreditation, that opens up college transferability, student loans, and Pell grant opportunities, though PPACS students pay no tuition because the school is a publicly funded charter. Corosanite said he is confident the school will gain Middle States approval and ultimately be able to offer students associates degrees. With Philadelphias crowded higher education market and a looming college enrollment cliff, its fair to question whether the city needs more degree-granting institutions, said Shaun Harper, a professor of education, public policy, and business at the University of Southern California. Some would say it does not. But, Harper said, if this new creation is going to expand access and make higher ed more affordable, I think that is a spectacular thing. We need more innovative models in education that create more seamless pipelines from high school to college. Harpers research once centered on the experiences of high-achieving Black and Latino boys in New York schools who, once in college, suddenly they realized that they were not as prepared for college as they had been led to believe by their high school teachers and by the grades they received in high school. That makes Harper consider whether String Theory students are really going to be pushed to do college-level work, and perform like college students would otherwise be able to perform? I think that is a thing to be concerned about. Ultimately, Harper said, he is intrigued by the model. Theres a real opportunity for [String Theory] to ensure that they are providing the right kinds of professional learning and professional development experiences for these educators, so they amass the skills that will be able to make the curriculum much more complex, much more college-level, Harper said. They may have a real shot here at teaching the rest of the nation something that ultimately becomes replicable. High school and college in one stop The seeds of the idea trace back to PPACS first high school graduates the Class of 2017. When Corosanite and other String Theory officials tracked those students, some of our best and brightest kids were dropping out of college because of cost, he said. It wasnt because they couldnt do it. They were looking at the value proposition of these schools and dropping out. I felt the burden of, Were telling all these kids, yeah, you have to go to college, and then they graduate and cant afford life. How do we solve for that? Enter String Theory College. The program is already underway about 40 students who participated in a pilot program are on track to graduate with college credits in June, and about 40 more are in 11th grade now. The college will initially be open only to students enrolled in PPACS. Going forward, every 11th- and 12th-grade honors and Advanced Placement course at the school will be a college-level course, and the PPACS faculty who teach the courses are college faculty. Course offerings include multivariable calculus, linear algebra, biotechnology, entrepreneurship, and design. Students still have access to the trappings of high school: All non-honors classes are still within the PPACS confines. And students must still meet state requirements for their high school diplomas they are learning math, but it might be a design-focused math class, for instance. Kids still have their high school experience they still come to school on time, they still go to the lunchroom with everybody they go to school with, Corosanite said. They still see their friends, they still have prom, but they also have college. It makes it a lot easier. There is no budget impact for PPACS, Corosanite said. The school, which as a charter is independently run and publicly funded, pays the college a per-credit hour rate that is roughly equivalent to community college, and that money covers teachers salaries and benefits. Were trying to be as efficient as possible with the classes the teachers have, and the college is in our building, he said. Weve designed it to be cost-neutral. This is not a moneymaker its mission-driven. Going forward, Corosanite dreams of a graduate school of education String Theory already offers continuing education for teachers and offering college courses to other schools and districts. This is a good opportunity Hasim Smith, a PPACS senior, was pitched on the idea of taking college classes in high school when he was a 10th grader. Smiths dad had heard about the pilot program and urged his son to go for it. He said, This is a good opportunity. I dont want you to miss out on it, Smith said. I like to challenge myself and do things that other people see as hard. And I like that its free it helps with college costs. Smith was game and now, at age 18, hes looking forward to collecting his high school diploma and transferring dozens of credits to another college. (Hes already been accepted to 10 and is awaiting more decisions.) The courses are challenging, he said, but manageable, especially with his teachers support. Hes enjoyed the design challenges in particular, Smith said. We had to learn a lot it gets really deep. We have to learn about design, and different theories, and entrepreneurship, Smith said. He had always thought he might want to pursue nursing as a career, but his String Theory college experience has him also considering architecture, he said. How to apply The college-in-a-high-school program has a limited number of slots for students who will be in 10th through 12th grade for the 2026-27 school year, and is accepting applications for those seats and for its incoming ninth-grade class. The schools application deadline is Jan. 30. Pat's King of Steaks owner Frank E. Olivieri (right) and his father, Frank P. Olivieri, outside the stand on Sept. 21, 2020. Read more Frank P. Olivieri, 87 whose uncle and father invented the steak sandwich and who ran the landmark Pats King of Steaks for nearly four decades died Sunday, Jan. 18. He had been under care for dementia, said his son, Frank E. Olivieri, who has run the shop since his fathers 1996 retirement. Though the Olivieri name spread through Philadelphia over the years through various shops, Mr. Olivieri spent his entire working life at the intersection of Ninth, Wharton, and Passyunk in South Philadelphia. Im on my own little island, he told The Inquirer in 1982. The legend began in 1930 (in some accounts 1932) when Mr. Olivieris father, Harry, and his uncle, Pasquale Pat Olivieri, started selling hot dogs for a nickel at that corner. (Pat, the elder, got the naming rights.) One day, as the story goes, they got tired of eating hot dogs and bought a loaf of Italian bread and some steaks, sliced them up, and put them on the grill. (Cheesesteaks came along in 1951.) Curious cabdrivers begged for the sandwiches. Pretty soon, they forgot all about the hot dogs and did nothing but steaks, Mr. Olivieri told The Inquirer in 1982. Advertisement Mr. Olivieri told The Inquirer that he started working at the stand at age 11, selling watermelon and corn on the cob out front. He turned down the opportunity to go to the University of Pennsylvania to become an attorney, and chose to go into the family business, his son said. Pat Olivieri moved to California in the 1960s; he died in 1970. In 1967, father and son Harry and Frank Olivieri bought the original stand, while Pats son Herb obtained licensing and franchising rights to the name. Herb Olivieri opened Olivieris Prince of Steaks in Reading Terminal Market in 1982 and later ran a Pats location in Northeast Philadelphia (unaffiliated with the original). Herbs son Rick owned sandwich shops, including the reflagged Ricks Steaks at Reading Terminal, as well as stands at the Bellevue and Liberty Place food courts. Pats, meanwhile, had become a 24-hour destination. Limos and tour buses, then as now, roll up at all hours. When Sylvester Stallone filmed part of Rocky outside of Pats in 1976, he invited Mr. Olivieri to a private party afterward. I had to tell him I cant go, Mr. Olivieri recalled. We didnt get to be No. 1 by letting the business run itself. Back then, Mr. Olivieri lived in Packer Park, kept a summer home in Brigantine, and was rarely more than an hour away. I can be here any time, he said. And I am here lots and lots of the time. In 1966, a competitor arrived across the street: Genos Steaks, owned by Joey Vento, a former Pats employee. The Pats-Genos rivalry buzzing neon, dueling lines, endless debates over quality is, in fact, wildly overblown. Current owners Frank E. Olivieri, popularly known as Frankie, and Geno Vento, Joeys son, are good friends. Mr. Olivieri, who served for many years on the board of directors of Provident Bank, was a whiz with numbers, his son said. He also was an avid fisherman and yachtsman who had his captains license. He also taught me everything I know about electrical work, plumbing, woodworking, and how to fix just about anything, his son said. The reason I know how to do all of that is because if he couldnt do something himself, I had to learn how to do it. Without his guidance, I wouldnt know how to do any of it. Mr. Olivieris son recalls his fathers burgundy 1974 Corvette. One of the happiest moments of my week was sitting in the passenger seat with him on Saturdays and Sundays, he said. When they turned from Broad onto Wharton Street, by the time we hit around 10th Street, I could already smell the onions cooking. He always had the T-tops off for me in the summer. That was my first introduction to being at the store. Besides his son, Mr. Olivieri is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ritamarie; daughters Danielle Olivieri and Leah Tartaglia; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Viewing will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at Baldi Funeral Home, 1327-29 S. Broad St. A prayer service and memorial tributes will begin at 11 a.m. The family requests donations to St. Maron Church, 1010 Ellsworth St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147. A rendering of the second-floor dining room of the Ruxton at Rittenhouse Hotel. Read more Major changes are coming to the Rittenhouse Hotel on Rittenhouse Square, as the Italian restaurant Scarpetta will leave the bilevel space next weekend after nearly a decade to set the stage for a posh new steakhouse called the Ruxton, from Baltimore-based Atlas Restaurant Group. Alex Smith, Atlas president and chief executive, told The Inquirer that the Ruxton, a sibling of the location in Baltimores Harbor East, would open in spring 2027. This will be the second Philadelphia restaurant for Atlas, which opened the high-end Loch Bar at Broad and Spruce Streets in fall 2023. But before renovations for the Ruxton begin, the Rittenhouse space will host a residency from up-and-coming chef RJ Smith, 21, who launched Ocho Supper Club last year in his Drexel University apartment to showcase Afro-Caribbean cuisine through a fine-dining lens. Advertisement RJ Smith, no relation to Atlas president, said he has scheduled the first seating for his eight-course tasting menus for Feb. 1 and plans to offer them through July 26; the schedule has not been formally set but includes Valentines Day. Scarpetta, owned by LDV Hospitality, has set its final service for Jan. 31. Scarpetta opened in 2016, filling the space previously occupied by Smith & Wollensky, also a steakhouse. Lacroix, the Rittenhouse Hotels signature restaurant, is unaffected by the changes. Construction is expected to start in late summer for the Ruxton, whose deal has been in the works for nearly a year. Alex Smith said the Ruxton will occupy more space at the Rittenhouse allowing for a total of 220 seats, vs. Scarpettas 120. The Ruxton, offering Rittenhouse Square views from its second floor, will have three private dining rooms and a 50-seat outdoor space on the deck. The restaurants entrance will be moved next to the hotel lobby, and there will also be an interior entrance through the hotel lobby. Designer Patrick Sutton is channeling inspiration from the Jazz Age, with highlights including velvet upholstery, walnut wood millwork, and custom Murano-style glass chandeliers. Corporate chef Aaron Taylor will oversee the steak and seafood menu. The Philadelphia location will be Atlas third Ruxton location; the second is due to open this fall in National Harbor in Maryland, outside of Washington, D.C. We love Philly, Smith told The Inquirer, adding that Loch Bars numbers are strong. Its a great town. In some ways, it reminds me of Baltimore just much bigger. And were planning on doing more in Philadelphia. He said developer Carl Dranoff, his partner at Loch Bar, would be involved in the Ruxton. Cole Hernandez, a Rittenhouse Hotel spokesperson, said that the Scarpetta space, in the short term, would also be used by Lacroix chef Eric Leveillee to host groups, do cooking and mixology classes, and other programming. In addition, the hotels Library Bar continues to rework its cocktails in collaboration with James Beard Award winner Danny Childs. A fresh drinks menu will launch in February. Where were ultimately heading is a broader shift across the property, Hernandez said. The Philadelphia dining scene is changing its more vibrant, more interesting, and less formal and stuffy. Were evolving our concepts to be more relevant to todays diner. At Lacroix, service standards have been modified to allow for more approachable, 90-minute dinners and more dynamic and social brunches that include a la carte options. Linear Beauty founder Tasha Gear helps attendees mix oils and scents at a DIY body oil workshop at Moon and Arrow, a boutique in Queen Village. Read more On a recent wintry evening at Queen Villages Moon and Arrow, a group of 10 women poured essential oils into beakers, mixing them with carrier oils. Theyd gathered for a workshop led by Tasha Gear, founder of local brand Linear Beauty, who instructed as they created a formula for body oils. Advertisement The 10 women took a whiff of each others potions, commented on their notes, and took in the smells. Here was a perfect picture of Philadelphias beauty scene, which is having a moment not the glossy, influencer-backed boom of coastal cities, but something scrappier, smarter, and deeply local. Across the city, indie founders are hand-batching serums, mixing skincare in one-kilogram beakers, and designing products meant to withstand SEPTA, summer humidity, and long work shifts. They are united by a commitment to science, transparency, and community, At the center of this shift is Indie Shelf in Grays Ferry and Malvern, where cosmetic scientist Sabeen Zia helps customers navigate an often confusing clean-beauty landscape. Clean beauty goes beyond ingredient lists, the Main Line resident said. Its how a product is developed, packaged, and the values behind it. Zia doesnt draw up fear-based toxic ingredient lists. Instead, she relies on science-backed safety standards and direct conversations with product founders. People come in because they want to support small businesses, but they stay because theyre stunned by the changes in their skin, she said. Before opening the shop in 2019, Zia ran her own makeup line, Muskaan Beauty, which was cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free, and halal. It struggled to get visibility a challenge she realized many indie founders shared. Philly didnt have many clean beauty shops at the time, she said. It felt like a real gap in the market. A gap that Indie Shelf aims to fill. Other local founders, too, swear by that community-first ethos. A former professor of English at Stockton University, Adeline Koh of Sabbatical Beauty, hand-batches high-concentration, K-beautyinspired products, often using ingredients from neighborhood businesses, like Caphe Roasters and Babas Brew. I wanted formulas that actually deliver what they promise, she said. Philly has so much pride in Philly-owned businesses. That made me feel this would be a really good market to build in. People here show up for their community. Shes based in the Bok building. As for what feels uniquely Philly in Sabbatical Beautys identity, she doesnt hesitate when asked. Were unapologetic about who we are, and that shows up in our emphasis on diversity: skin tones, body sizes, age. We want to expand what beauty means, not narrow it. The brand is sold at local shops and spas. Sabbatical Beauty also pours back into the citys maker ecosystem donating masks and sanitizer during COVID, hosting holiday toy drives, running small-business markets, and partnering with the Equitable Skincare Project to fund donation facials for the trans community. Its a similar story with brow artist Tara Giorgio. When the Lancaster native grew frustrated by the discontinuation of her favored brow beauty products, she created Brow Gang her line of high-pigment brow mousse and powders that are, as she says, made for real life. Her products are sold in her two salons in West Chester and Northern Liberties and online. Phillys beauty customers, she said, are unique because this city is a true melting pot all cultures, all backgrounds, all brow textures, all lifestyles. We dont like fluff in Philly and we want things that work and are priced reasonably. People here are busy and they want products that make their lives easier fast routines, long-lasting wear, and formulas that hold up through humidity, work shifts, SEPTA, the gym, real everyday life. Cosmetic chemist Tina D. Williams feels theres still a real lack of handmade, natural skincare in the local market to feed that need. Her Center City-based DVINITI Skincare crafts small-batch, food-grade blends of natural oils like argan, jojoba, and almond, which are designed for customization. Her philosophy, too, is rooted in the city: The first ingredient in every DVINITI product is love and this City of Brotherly Love is the perfect home for a brand built on self-care." Williams, who grew up in the Olney area and graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls, is all too familiar with the citys cold winters and hot summers. I grew up here, so I understand the kind of skincare [Philly] people need, she said. She also sees the citys scientific backbone as a natural fit for a chemistry-driven brand. Philly is a tech hub and a leader in research and development. DVINITI is positioned well to scale and grow with the local resources here to support our clients needs. Another brand shaping the citys beauty identity is Haiama Beauty, a Black womanowned haircare line built in Philadelphia because I love this city wholeheartedly, said founder Allison Shimamoto. Haiamas Grow & Strengthen Elixir takes four months to make and uses premium, organic argan oil not because its the most profitable, but because its the right way to make it. Small-batch production allows the brand to source intentionally from BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and women-owned suppliers and to design products that work across all curl patterns from the Leona red-light scalp stimulator to the multipurpose Everything Cream. What resonates with her Philly consumers, Shimamoto said, is connection. People here want to know whos behind the brand. Markets like Made@Bok and Art Star have helped Haiama meet customers face-to-face, build community, and grow within the citys tight-knit maker ecosystem. Philadelphias indie founders agree that the citys beauty identity is defined by three traits: creative, authentic, community driven. The passion for high-quality products and supporting small business truly sets Philly brands apart, said Zia. Even small details easy drop-offs, quick restocks, face-to-face conversations with founder-formulators become part of the citys distinctive customer experience. Local customers meet founders in person, pick up their products, return for refills, and show up at pop-ups and farmers markets. Despite challenges like tariffs, supply-chain delays, and seasonal slowdowns, Zia remains hopeful. Her dream? For Philly to be known as the city for indie beauty a place where founders can scale without losing their authenticity. Gear, who moved to Philadelphia in 2019 after spending a decade working in New York Citys Package Free Shop, agrees. Philly is a pretty no-B.S. city, she said. That shows up in everything I make. June Rodriguez, 54, was a beloved Philly house DJ and well-known ally and presence in the LGBTQ community. He was killed in a hit-and-run. Read more A 17-year-old Philadelphian turned himself in on Monday in connection with the fatal hit and run of June Rodriguez, a beloved and decades-long presence at Bob & Barbaras Lounge. Philadelphia police said they had already obtained a warrant for the teens arrest when he turned himself in, accompanied by his mother and attorney. Advertisement The teen, whose name is not being released because he is a minor, was charged with multiple felonies, including homicide by vehicle, as well as involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, driving without a license, and related offenses. But for the victims son, Skye Rodriguez, the arrest brings little solace. I feel relieved, but Im still angry, he said in between sobs. I know Im called to forgive because thats my faith, I just dont know how to. Itd be different if this kid hit my dad and went straight to the police station. But the teen didnt. The younger Rodriguez said his father did everything right as he rode his bike home after a shift at Bob & Barbaras on Dec. 20. My father was very cautious he even had reflectors on his boots, said Skye Rodriguez, who learned of the added precaution when the morgue gave him his fathers things. June Rodriguez, 54, was turning onto North 56th Street from Lancaster Avenue in Overbrook around 3:45 a.m. when the driver of a red SUV swerved into him and drove away, according to Philadelphia police. Rodriguezs death devastated Philadelphias queer community, where he was a known DJ, and the citys house music scene. Friends remembered Diaz as a warm, welcoming individual, and a strong ally and presence in the LGBTQ+ community, though he was straight himself. One remembrance feature on a GoFundMe page for Rodriguez funeral expenses said the DJ created a sanctuary on the dance floor. His death also mobilized safe-streets advocates, who noted that stretch of Lancaster Avenue is one of the citys most dangerous, part of the 12% of city streets that account for 80% of traffic deaths and serious injuries. Rodriguezs son said he had yet to watch the surveillance video procured by investigators. Police have told him that his father had his reflectors on and was in the bike lane. Still, Rodriguez doesnt know if he wants to see the moment of impact. His fathers belongings were covered with blood, he said. He doesnt want to see the severity of the impact play out. For now, he is grateful to have a break in the case. If it wasnt detectives or police making it a big deal, what if it had been swept under the rug? he said. Israeli soldiers take up positions during an army raid in the West Bank city of Hebron Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. Read more Israel has been asked to join U.S. President Donald Trumps new Board of Peace that will supervise the next phase of the Gaza peace plan, an Israeli official said Monday, while France is holding off accepting for now. Its not known whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the offer, said the Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a behind-the-scenes diplomatic matter. Advertisement Russia, Belarus, Slovenia, Thailand, and the European Unions executive arm also were among the latest to receive invitations. Its unclear how many leaders have been asked to join the board, and the large number of invitations being sent out, including to countries that dont get along, has raised questions about the boards mandate and decision-making processes. Also unknown is Israels potential role on a board in charge of implementing the ceasefire agreement that directly involves them. A Trump reference in the invitation letters saying that the body would embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict suggested it could act as a rival to the U.N. Security Council, the most powerful body of the global organization created in the wake of World War II. France, though, does not plan to join the Board of Peace at this stage despite receiving an invitation, a French official close to President Emmanuel Macron said Monday. The issue is raising questions, particularly with regard to respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, said the official, speaking anonymously in line with the French presidencys customary practices. Moroccos King Mohammed VI accepted a spot Monday, becoming the first Arab leader and at least the fifth world leader to join. Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary, and Argentina also have signed on. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin received the invitation and that the Kremlin is now studying the details and would seek clarity all the nuances in contacts with the U.S. European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill confirmed that Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the commission, received an invitation and would be speaking to other EU leaders about Gaza. Gill didnt say whether the invitation had been accepted, but that the commission wants to contribute to a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict. According to the World Banks Gaza and West Bank Interim Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment report released last year, itll take $53 billion to rebuild the strip. Israels objections to the board Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday dismissed the Board of Peace as a raw deal for Israel and called for its dissolution. It is time to explain to the president that his plan is bad for the State of Israel and to cancel it, Smotrich said. Gaza is ours, its future will affect our future more than anyone elses. We will take responsibility for what happens there, impose military administration, and complete the mission. Smotrich, a hard-liner who opposed the Gaza ceasefire, even suggested that Israel renew a full-scale offensive on the territory to destroy Hamas if it doesnt abide by a short ultimatum for real disarmament and exile. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said later on Monday that while there are differences with the U.S. about the composition of the advisory committee accompanying the next phase in Gaza, it would not harm his relationship with Trump. There will not be Turkish soldiers and Qatari soldiers in the (Gaza) Strip, he said. Netanyahus office earlier said the formation of an executive board that will work to carry out the vision of the Board of Peace wasnt coordinated with the Israeli government and is contrary to its policy without clarifying its objections. Israel hasnt been invited to join the committee, unlike Turkey, a key regional rival. The final list The U.S. is expected to announce its official list of members in the coming days, likely during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Board members will oversee an executive committee that will be in charge of implementing the tough second phase of the Gaza peace plan that includes the deployment of an international security force, disarmament of Hamas, and reconstruction of the war-devastated territory. A $1 billion contribution secures permanent membership on the board, with the money going to rebuild Gaza, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity about the charter as he wasnt permitted to speak publicly about details of the board, which hasnt been made public. A three-year appointment has no contribution requirement. Details of how this will also work remain murky. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday the United Kingdom is talking to allies about the Board of Peace. Although the U.K. hasnt said whether Starmer has been formally invited to join, he said its necessary to proceed with the Gaza peace plans second phase and that his country has indicated willingness to play our part, and we will. Running Gaza Egypts top diplomat on Monday met with the leader of the newly appointed committee of Palestinian technocrats who will be running Gazas day-to-day affairs during the second phase of the peace plan. Foreign Minister Bader Abdelatty met with Ali Shaath, a Palestinian engineer and former official with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, who was named last week as chief commissioner of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. Abdelatty expressed the Egyptian governments complete support of the committee and affirmed its role in running Gazas daily affairs until the Palestinian Authority takes over the territory, said a statement from the Egyptian ministry. He also underscored the importance of preserving the unity of the Palestinian territories, ensuring geographical and administrative continuity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Gaza humanitarian situation still fragile The U.N. World Food Program on Monday said it has significantly expanded its operations across Gaza 100 days into the ceasefire, reaching more than a million people each month with hot meals and food parcels. But it warned the situation remains extremely fragile. It noted that malnutrition has been prevented for 200,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as children under 5. Still, the most recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis in December indicated that 77% the population is facing crisis-level food insecurity. Israeli forces move into Hebron Israeli military and security forces launched what they called a large-scale counterterrorism operation in the West Bank city of Hebron to dismantle terrorist infrastructure, eliminating illegal weapons possession and strengthening security. The Israeli military said Monday the operation is expected to continue for several days. Israeli armored vehicles and soldiers patrolled city streets and put up barriers where operations were being conducted. Hebron Mayor Khaled Dudin said Israeli forces targeted the area thats home to 80,000 people because it obstructs the construction of additional Israeli settlements. The West Bank has seen a surge in Israeli military activity since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack into Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. Three Palestinians killed Israeli forces on Monday killed three Palestinians, including a teenager, in southern Gaza, hospital authorities said. Two men crossed into Israeli-controlled areas east of Khan Younis before being shot dead, while 17-year-old Hussein Tawfiq Abu Sabalah was shot and killed in the Muwasi area of Rafah, according to the Nasser hospital. It wasnt immediately clear whether the teen had crossed into or came close to the Israeli-controlled area. More than 460 people were killed by Israeli fire and their bodies brought to hospitals since the ceasefire went into effect just over three months ago, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. A new protest art installation referencing the Epstein files and President Donald Trump was installed on Third Street SW along the National Mall. Read more A massive replica of a birthday note and crude drawing signed with the typed name Donald J. Trump and a Donald signature that was part of a 2003 book of birthday wishes for the deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was placed on the National Mall early Monday morning, the latest installation of artwork critical of the president by a group that identifies itself as The Secret Handshake. The group, whose members are anonymous, has previously placed installations at the same location, including a statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands and skipping, a mock tribute to Trump from the worlds authoritarian leaders, and a replica of the desk of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) with a pile of fake excrement on it that ridiculed the Jan. 6, 2021, rioters who sought to overturn the 2020 election. Advertisement The new installation, located on the Mall on Third Street NW between Jefferson and Madison drives, stands 10 feet high by 12 feet wide. A National Park Service permit will allow the work to remain at that location through Friday. Trump has denied writing the note and has told reporters that the signature is not his. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new installation. In front of the replica card is a stack of marble blocks made to resemble a filing cabinet, with each drawer labeled The Files and overflowing with hundreds of strips of paper. Atop the files is a box of Sharpies and an invitation for visitors to sign the card with a message to the administration. It notes, Please refrain from any promotional, violent or hateful speech or it will be removed. The towering placard replicates the message found in a birthday book given to Epstein for his 50th birthday by friends and acquaintances. It was one of a tranche of documents released in September by the House Oversight Committee that it had received from Epsteins estate. The sketch is of a womans nude form and includes a dialogue between Donald and Epstein, ending with a handwritten signature and the typed words Donald J. Trump above it. The exchange between Donald and Jeffrey appears inside the contours of a womans body. We have certain things in common, Jeffrey, Donald says. Enigmas never age, have you noticed that? Happy birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret, Donald ends the note. Last year, Trump sued the Wall Street Journal and others at the news organization, alleging defamation after the newspaper published its story revealing the letter. The case is pending in federal court in Miami. On its permit application, the artists wrote that the purpose of the work was to use creative and artistic free speech about one of the most relevant political issues of this moment, and to highlight the conversation about President Donald Trumps friendship and relationship with Jeffrey Epstein using his own reported language and correspondence. As well, to highlight the heavily redacted files that have been released and those that havent. The Mall was quiet Monday morning as the nation took a day off to honor Martin Luther King Jr. By midmorning, there were just a few messages written on the giant card, all with negative sentiments toward the president. Looking forward to your jail sentence, DJT! The people will rise. We already are. D.C. resident Susan Fritz, 61, stopped to take a look during her morning run. What I really like about it is that they didnt have to make anything up. They just had to blow it up and put it out here. But she was pretty sure the installations message would not be received well by the administration. Ill be surprised if it stays up, she said. I think everyone should see it, said Anders Williams, 45, who stopped in front of card on his way to the Air and Space Museum with his wife and young child. It shows that someone lived in a very different world from the rest of us at some point. Its just weird. Ying Yong, 33, also from the District, said he spotted the card from a distance and came over to check it out. Its great, its hilarious, he said. Nothing more to be said. A woman bundled up against the morning cold said she was a federal worker and declined to provide her name. But she wanted to comment on the new installation, so she picked up a Sharpie and approached the card. On it she quoted King. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. People march during a pro-Greenlanders demonstration, in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Saturday. Read more If youre starting to absorb the headlines, or embarking on your early-week doomscroll, youre probably seeing a lot about Greenland. President Donald Trumps longtime interest in the Arctic island seems to be louder and bolder than ever, sparking a major geopolitical standoff. Advertisement But how did it all start? And where do things stand? Here are all your questions answered, so youre prepared the next time someone asks you about Greenland. How did Denmark acquire Greenland? Greenland has been home to native peoples who crossed the Arctic from what is now Canada, Norse settlers, Lutheran missionaries, and U.S. military personnel who used it as a base to protect the United States from Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. As for when Denmark stepped in, the short answer is that Denmarks control started with a colonial settlement, was formalized in 1953, and the agreement has since evolved into a self-governing structure with the Danish. Advertisement In the 1700s, a Danish missionary arrived in Greenland and started lining up settlements and establishing Danish colonization. Through most of the 18th and 19th centuries, Greenland was controlled by the Danish. The relationship was formally recognized by Denmark after World War II. In 1953, the island was fully incorporated as a Danish territory, giving Greenlanders Danish citizenship. Things changed in the late 1970s. In 1979, Greenlanders voted in favor of home rule, establishing a local government. In 2009, Greenland earned even more autonomy, achieving self-government status. This stands today, with Greenland remaining part of Denmark but overseeing its own internal affairs. Denmark oversees defense and diplomacy issues, unless the regions opt to partner on an issue. Is Greenland bigger than the United States? Greenland is pretty big, but not bigger than the United States It is considered one of the biggest places in the world by geography and is about 20 times the size of Denmark, according to the territorys tourism website. The island stretches about 836,000 square miles. Map of Greenland, the U.S., and Denmark. Read more John Duchneskie It is the worlds largest island that isnt a continent and is larger than France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom combined. It is also larger than the state of Alaska. But, no, its smaller than the contiguous United States. All in all, the United States is about 4.5 times larger than Greenland. Advertisement Still, a lot of people ask this question (its a top Google result surrounding Greenland) because map distortions make it appear a lot bigger than it is. The island has a population of roughly 56,480, according to the CIA. It is among the least densely populated countries in the world. What natural resources does Greenland have? Greenland is home to a bounty of natural resources, including oil, gas, and rare earth minerals. Those minerals are used for making batteries, electric vehicles, and other high-tech items, according to the New York Times. Currently, China dominates the global market for those minerals, meaning there is a reliance on China to source them. Vice President JD Vance has touted Greenlands incredible natural resources in the past. Last year, Republican senators held a hearing focused on Greenlands importance and its rare earths. Advertisement But Greenland has only a few roads and ports, and environmentalists are opposed to developing on the island. That means mining and oil extraction in Greenland may not be productive. Does the U.S. military have a base in Greenland? Yep. Formerly known as the Thule Air Base, the Pituffik (pronounced bee-doo-FEEK) Space Base was renamed in 2023 during the Biden administration to honor the native Greenlandic community and history. Advertisement It is the northernmost U.S. military installation and serves as an early warning missile detection site for North America. It is currently undergoing major upgrades. How long has Trump talked about wanting Greenland? Its been awhile. Trump first floated the idea of buying Greenland during his first term, comparing it to a real estate deal. When Danish leaders rejected his idea, he canceled a scheduled visit to Denmark in 2019. When Trump began his second term, he spoke increasingly about his interest in the United States controlling Greenland, citing national security reasons. But critics say his real intentions stem from personal feelings. Is this really about Trump not winning the Nobel Prize? Trump linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to last years decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norways prime minister that he no longer felt an obligation to think purely of Peace, in a text message released Monday and verified by the White House. Trumps text to Jonas Gahr Stre, which he sent on Sunday, came a day after the president announced a 10% import tax on goods from the eight nations that have rallied around Denmark and Greenland, including Norway. The text exchange, which was released by the Norwegian government, said in part: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace. He concluded, The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. The Norwegian leader said Trumps message was a reply to an earlier missive sent on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in which they conveyed their opposition to the tariff announcement, pointed to a need to de-escalate, and proposed a telephone conversation among the three leaders. White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said of the text exchange that Trump is confident Greenlanders would be better served if protected by the United States from modern threats in the Arctic region. Norway has since reaffirmed its support for Denmark and Greenland. Also, for what its worth, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not the Norwegian government. Trump has openly coveted the peace prize, which the committee awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado last year. Last week, Machado presented her Nobel medal to Trump, who said he planned to keep it, though the committee said the prize cannot be revoked, transferred, or shared with others. Speaking Monday night to reporters before boarding Air Force One on his way back from Florida to Washington, Trump backtracked and said he didnt care about the Nobel Prize. What is Trump saying about Greenland now? Hes doubling down. Monday night, Trump took to his Truth Social platform and made a series of posts about how there was no going back when it comes to his push to take control of the island. He also posted private text messages he received from French President Emmanuel Macron and the head of NATO, and an AI-generated image of the American flag over Greenland and Canada. Following Macrons questioning of Trumps approach, Trump suggested he could impose a 200% tariff on French wines. Trump also announced he would meet with various parties to discuss Greenland during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week. On Tuesday, Trump held a nearly two-hour news conference, but largely did not acknowledge his stance on Greenland until asked by reporters. He repeated his position that the U.S. needs to take control of the territory for the sake of national security. I think that we will work something out where NATO is going to be very happy and where were going to be very happy, Trump said toward the end of the news conference. Macron this week called for an emergency meeting in Paris with European leaders to address tensions with the U.S. over Trumps pursuit to acquire Greenland in addition to increasing tariffs. Trump told reporters he did not plan to attend the meeting and mentioned that Macron would not be leading France for much longer. Macrons term ends in May 2027. Do other politicians agree with Trump? There is widespread disagreement over how Trump wants to handle Greenland. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the president wants to buy it, while top aide Stephen Miller suggested the U.S. could seize it by force. Vice President Vances discussion with Danish leaders last week ended in fundamental disagreement. Several lawmakers across party lines have criticized Trumps approach. GOP members, including Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, say the raised tariff threats could harm NATO and U.S. interests. Rep. Don Bacon (R., Neb.) said last week that he would consider impeaching Trump if the U.S. invaded Greenland, describing the idea as utter buffoonery. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) called Trumps coercive threats dangerous for alliances and bad for America. She and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D., N.H.) introduced bipartisan legislation that would prohibit the use of U.S. Defense or State Department funds to take control of Greenland or the sovereign territory of any NATO member state without that allys consent or authorization from the North Atlantic Council. How are Greenland residents responding? Copenhagen store owner Jesper Rabe Tonnesen wears a red cap for sale that he created with the slogans "Make America go away," on the side, and on the front: "Nu det NUUK!," a twist on the Danish phrase Nu det nok, meaning Now its enough." Read more James Brooks / AP Unsurprisingly, theyre not happy! Over the weekend, hundreds of people in Greenlands capital, Nuuk, braved near-freezing temperatures, rain, and icy streets to march in a rally in support of their own self-governance. Thousands of people also marched through Copenhagen, many of them carrying Greenlands flag. Some held signs with slogans such as Make America Smart Again and Hands Off. A spoof Make America Go Away red cap in the style of Trumps original MAGA campaign hat is surging in popularity in Denmark and has become a symbol of Danish and Greenlandic resistance. This is important for the whole world, Danish protester Elise Riechie told the Associated Press as she held Danish and Greenlandic flags. There are many small countries. None of them are for sale. The rallies occurred hours after a bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers, while visiting Copenhagen, sought to reassure Denmark and Greenland of their support. This article contains information from the Associated Press. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen talks during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. Read more WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps pledge to provoke a sweeping tariff fight with Europe to get his way in taking control of Greenland has left many of Americas closest allies warning of a rupture with Washington capable of shattering the NATO alliance that had once seemed unshakable. The European Unions top official on Tuesday called Trumps planned new tariffs over Greenland a mistake and questioned Trumps trustworthiness. French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU could retaliate by deploying one of its most powerful economic tools, known colloquially as a trade bazooka. Advertisement The rising tensions concerning Greenland, and threats of a deepening trade war between the U.S. and Europe, caused global investors to shudder Tuesday, as stocks on Wall Street slumped. Trump prides himself on ratcheting up pressure to try to negotiate through a position of strength. He was leaving Tuesday the anniversary of his inauguration for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a venue that offers Trump the chance to defuse tensions as quickly as he stirred them up. READ MORE: Trump tied his stance on Greenland to not getting the Nobel Peace Prize, European officials said But European leaders digging in and vowing to defend Denmark and its control over semiautonomous Greenland may be seeking just as hard to meet an extraordinary moment with a show of their fierce resolve. That could hurt the chances of Trump finding a quick way to turn around the crisis. Greenlands leader insisted on respect for its territorial integrity and said recognition of international law is not a game. READ MORE: The view from Greenland: Trumps yen to take over makes no economic or security sense | Trudy Rubin We will work something out Trump made an unusual appearance in the White House briefing room and spoke at length while stocks fell. Asked how far hed be willing to go to acquire Greenland, Trump said only, Youll find out. He also mistakenly referred to Greenland as Iceland at one point. Still, the president predicted there could be a deal in the making with allies. I think that we will work something out where NATO is going to be very happy, and where were going to be very happy, he said, without providing specifics. Trump said hed been encouraged that NATO had increased military spending, but he also belittled the alliance, saying other members may not protect Washingtons interests. The president suggested NATO members expect the U.S. to come to their rescue but I just really do question whether or not theyll come to ours. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed back against Trumps announcement that, starting February, a 10% import tax will be imposed on goods from eight European nations that have rallied around Denmark. Greenland is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO member. The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July, von der Leyen said in Davos. And in politics as in business a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something. We consider the people of the United States not just our allies, but our friends. And plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape, she added. She vowed that the EUs response will be unflinching, united and proportional. Taking firmer stances defied the approach that many European leaders have offered since Trump returned to office. It had mostly entailed saying nice things about the president to try to stay in his good graces, while working furiously through other avenues to find compromise. Trump says the U.S. needs Greenland to deter possible threats from China and Russia. But his continued insistence in recent weeks that anything short of the U.S. owning Greenland is unacceptable is testing the limits of the softer strategy. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the worst may still be ahead of us. Speaking to parliament, she said we have never sought conflict. We have consistently sought cooperation. Not a game Greenlands Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said at a news conference in the islands capital, Nuuk, that we need to have respect for international law and territorial integrity. He said those principles should unite Western democratic countries, and said he was grateful for support from EU allies. International law, its not a game, he said. We have been a close and loyal ally to the United States, to NATO, through many, many, many years. We can do lots more in that framework. We are willing to cooperate much more, but of course in mutual respect, and if we cannot see that, it will be very difficult to have a good and reliable partnership. Trumps threats have sparked outrage and a flurry of diplomatic activity across Europe, as leaders consider possible countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs and the first-ever use of the European Unions anti-coercion instrument. Unofficially known as the trade bazooka, the anti-coercion instrument could sanction individuals or institutions found to be putting undue pressure on the EU. The EU has two other major economic tools it could use to pressure Washington: new tariffs, or a suspension of the U.S.-EU trade deal. Macron warned in Davos that the additional tariffs could force the EU to use its anti-coercion mechanism for the first time against the United States. Can you imagine that? he said, arguing that allied countries should be focusing instead on bringing peace to Ukraine. This is crazy. In general, he said, the mechanism is a powerful instrument and we should not hesitate to deploy it in todays tough environment. Trump earlier posted a text message from Macron in which the French president suggested a meeting of members of the Group of Seven industrialized democracies in Paris after the Davos gathering. An official close to Macron, who spoke anonymously in line with the French presidencys customary practices, confirmed the message shared by Trump is genuine. In his latest threat of tariffs, Trump indicated that the import taxes would be retaliation for last weeks deployment of symbolic numbers of troops from the European countries to Greenland though he also suggested that he was using the tariffs as leverage to negotiate with Denmark. In the midst of a rupture Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country is a founding NATO member, warned of global fissures beyond Greenland, suggesting it was an illusion and fiction that there remains a rules-based international order. Let me be direct: We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition, Carney said during a speech in Davos. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said at Davos that Europe cannot be a miserable slave to Trump. Others encouraged NATO leaders to stand up to Trump. Speaking on the sidelines of Davos, California Gov. Gavin Newsom slammed Europes response to Trumps tariff threats as pathetic and embarrassing, and urged continental leaders to unite and stand up to the United States. Its time to stand tall and firm, have a backbone, Newsom, a Democrat, told reporters. Greenlands European backers have also looked at establishing a more permanent military presence to help guarantee security in the Arctic region, a key demand of the United States, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said. In Moscow, meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov strongly denied any intention by Russia and China to threaten Greenland, while also describing Greenland as a colonial gain for Denmark. Trump was asked Tuesday what would happen to his tariff threats related to Greenland if the Supreme Court rules against his ability to impose import tariffs as part of a case it is considering. Well, Ill have to use something else, Trump said. We have other alternatives. He didnt respond when asked about using force. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is in the wings at Mikie Sherrill election night party in East Brunswick Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. Read more The governors pardon was issued Tuesday even before a jury convicted Harris Jacobs, 28, for a hit-and-run in Atlantic City that killed a pedestrian. The pardon was one of 97 issued by former Gov. Phil Murphy in his final hours in office. Jacobs attorney, Lou Barbone, told the news site BreakingAC that his client was notified even before the jury came back with its verdict on Tuesday. Advertisement Gov. Mikie Sherrill was sworn in at noon Tuesday to be New Jerseys 57th Governor. Jacobs is the son of attorney and Atlantic City power broker and Democratic fundraiser Joe Jacobs, who has longstanding ties to Murphy and his wife, Tammy. Harris Jacobs was involved in a fatal hit and run at 3:30 a.m.on Sept. 4, 2022 outside the Dunkin Donuts at Atlantic and Indiana in Atlantic City, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor. Jacobs spoke to his father 10 times after the crash, but never called police, according to testimony reported by BreakingAC. The pedestrian, Orlando Fraga, 76, was pronounced dead at the scene. Both Fraga and Jacobs were from Atlantic City. Seven hours after the accident, Jacobs was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident. He was initially jailed is in the Atlantic County Justice Facility, but later released pending his trial. Surveillance video showed Harris stopping at the Dunkin Donuts and rushing to the injured man. He told his roommate what happened, according to BreakingACs account of the trial, and repeatedly called his father, but did not call police. A first trial in May ended without a verdict. But the retrial ended in conviction on Tuesday, which was immediately nullified by the governors pardon. Barbone did not immediately return a request for comment. The governors office also did not respond to a request. The second-degree conviction would have carried a sentence of five to 10 years under New Jersey law. From left, Ciara, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, and Lala Anthony at a 2024 Skims Body party. Read more The clothing company founded by Kim Kardashian will pay $200,000 to end an investigation accusing it of charging New Jersey customers sales tax for a period of five years, even though clothing is exempt under state law. The New Jersey Office of Attorney General accused Skims Body of improperly collecting sales tax between 2019 and 2024. The 6.625% levy applies to most consumer goods, but clothing and footwear for human use including Skims underwear and shapewear are largely exempt. Advertisement The attorney generals office said that Skims engaged in unconscionable business practices. But the company said it mistakenly collected the taxes for half a decade, according to the consent order. As prices on everything from clothing to groceries soar, our office is committed to protecting our residents from unlawful practices that drive up the prices they pay at the register, said New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin in a statement. The tax collection was due to a technical error, a Skims spokesperson said in a statement. The company fixed the error and said it is proactively reaching out to all affected customers to provide refunds. We remain deeply committed to the highest standards of compliance and have implemented enhanced safeguards to prevent any recurrence of similar issues, the spokesperson said. Skims agreed to pay $200,000 to close the investigation, according to a consent order dated Jan. 16. The agreement also requires the company to use best efforts for the next four years to refund customers. The sales tax collected by Skims has already been remitted to the New Jersey Division of Taxes, the attorney generals office said. The company had been issuing refunds to New Jersey customers who complained about the sales tax charge even prior to the agreement, according to social media posts. The apparel brand is valued at $5 billion, according to Fortune, and serves mainly Gen Zers and millennials. Anti-ICE demonstrators end their protest Rev. Jay Bergen, a leader of No ICE Philly, said the group had accomplished its goal - and that the brutal cold had become too much for older demonstrators, some of whom have medical conditions. In his closing prayer, Bergen hoped the nearly 2 hour stretch was enough for ICE's target to be somewhere else. "All of us here have proven in our song and our prayer that we can slow down the machine of authoritarianism, of fascism, that we can delay the operations that will detain and kidnap and destroy our neighbors, our families, our community," Bergen said. Jeff Gammage, Ximena Conde Traffic signal on Route 100 at the U.S. 30 bypass on Feb. 6, 2014. Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation will make upgrades to the 7.5 mile stretch of U.S. 30 that runs through Chester County. (CLEM MURRAY / Staff Photographer) Read more Changes are coming to several interchanges in Chester County that could affect commuters in roughly a decade, under projects aimed at improving a 7.5-mile stretch of U.S. Route 30. Pennsylvanias Department of Transportation is nearing the end of the conceptual design period for proposed changes to interchanges affecting Caln, East Brandywine, Easttown, West Brandywine, Uwchlan, and Downingtown in a project that seeks to reduce traffic congestion and collisions. Advertisement PennDot presented the alternatives for the eastern section of the bypass during an online session last week. An in-person poster session is scheduled for Tuesday evening at Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic Elementary School in West Brandywine. But breaking ground remains years out: Construction is expected to start in spring 2034, costing roughly $874 million. The federal government is slated to pick up the bulk of the cost, with the state taking a sliver, officials said last week. The purpose is to provide a safe and efficient transportation system by improving safety, reducing future congestion, accommodating planned growth, and improving deficiencies, said Bruce Masi, consultant project manager with GFT, an engineering consulting firm. The eastern section of the Coatesville-Downingtown bypass corridor runs from just west of the Reeceville Road interchange, east to the Quarry Road interchange, where it becomes the Exton Bypass, heading toward U.S. Route 202. Changes to U.S. 30 Under the plan, PennDot would widen the road by up to 35 feet. It would also introduce flexible-use lanes on the left sides to function as needed during high traffic volume. A regional transportation center, based in King of Prussia, would monitor the flexible lane through cameras along the route. The flexible lane would likely be used eastbound during the morning commutes, and westbound in the evenings. But it could also be used to facilitate traffic flow after crashes or incidents, Masi said. Heading west, the flexible lane would begin around the Quarry Road interchange and taper back to a median as you approach State Route 82. Heading east, it would return to a median around the Exton Bypass. Changes to access points When it comes to actually getting on U.S. 30, changes are coming at different junction points: Reeceville Road, Pennsylvania Routes 340, 322, and 133, and Norwood Road. Masi presented a slew of options for Norwood Road and Route 113s interchange, which PennDot is accepting public comment on. One alternative would leave the existing location for westbound and eastbound on- and off-ramps, updated to meet current standards. It would also create two new movements that do not currently exist: Drivers headed west would exit onto a bridge that crosses over U.S. 30, and then tie back in with State Route 113; another ramp would run drivers eastbound. This model has the fewest predicted crashes, and wiggle room for cars to weave, but would potentially have a higher environmental impact. What that does is creates a full interchange all movements at 113, but in this alternative, we retain the Norwood Road ramps as well, Masi said. Other alternatives would remove the existing ramps at Norwood Road for the public, and traffic using those ramps would redistribute through the region, Masi said. Removing the ramps on Norwood Road would also go against the wishes of the public, emergency services, and the municipalities. PennDot was looking to mitigate those effects, Masi said. In another alternative, Norwood House Road would be relocated north of an existing apartment complex, into the side of a hill. The last alternative would tweak the configuration of Norwood House Road to use it as a direct connection between Norwood Road and State Route 113. While PennDot awaits public review and input on Norwood Road, its selected alternatives would affect several other interchanges. Near Caln, at Reeceville Road, PennDot would replace the current structure and add traffic lights for westbound and eastbound drivers on Reeceville Road. Fisherville Road would be relocated north, to sit between the CVS and Wawa, but a remnant of the road would connect to the existing properties. On State Route 340 between Caln and Downingtown, PennDot would scale up the current interchange for longer ramps, and add a single-lane roundabout to eliminate the traffic signal at the U.S. 30 westbound intersection. West Bondsville Road would be moved north to maintain access to residences. Continuing east, State Route 322 around Downingtown would create a new traffic flow with traffic lights at either end of the interchange, to prevent left-turning cars from crossing paths with approaching vehicles. The change would affect drivers stopping for coffee or gas at the Royal Farms or heading to PennDots park-and-ride, however. It would become a right-turn-in and right-turn-out only traffic flow. Lloyd Avenue would also be relocated. What comes next Electronic comments are being taken through Feb. 6. Paper comment forms are available at Tuesdays open house. Property impacts are not yet known, officials said. If a property is needed for the project, PennDot will reach out. Once PennDot closes out its conceptual design, it will start preliminary engineering and environmental evaluation. The public will be able to weigh in again between that period and the final design period, before the plans go out for construction bids. This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirers high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters. A full 95% of voters polled by the Alliance for Breast Cancer Policy said insurers should cover the full cost of all recommended breast imaging, not just the standard screening mammogram. Read more Pennsylvania is leading the way on breast cancer screening policy. Thanks to Senate Bill 88, a decisive move from the commonwealth, patients with state-regulated health plans will no longer face high out-of-pocket costs when an abnormal screening requires follow-up breast imaging. Many Americans assume this is already the case, given the Affordable Care Acts promise of no-cost preventive services. With breast cancer, however, thats not always true. Advertisement Patients whose routine screening mammogram reveals an abnormality require additional imaging for a more detailed look. Those who are at high risk due to family history, dense breast tissue, or a genetic abnormality may need an MRI or ultrasound for their routine screening, rather than a standard mammogram. Neither meets most health plans technical definition of preventive care. And, in many parts of the country, both can cost hundreds, even thousands, of dollars out of pocket. By eliminating out-of-pocket costs for patients, Pennsylvania is establishing itself as a national leader in breast cancer treatment. But this state legislation can only go so far, and many people still face major gaps in coverage when they need breast imaging beyond a screening mammogram. As it turns out, that lack of coverage doesnt sit well with voters. Support for treatment In a national poll of 1,000 Republican primary voters commissioned by the Alliance for Breast Cancer Policy, sentiment on the topic was clear: If a patient needs breast imaging, they should get it with the full cost covered by their health plan. A full 95% of polled voters said insurers should cover the full cost of all recommended breast imaging, not just the standard screening mammogram. After all, preventive care means preventive care. Voters recognize that. When health plans split hairs and argue technicalities, they do so at the patients risk. A bill before Congress would help, covering many in Pennsylvania who will still fall through the cracks even after the passage of SB 88. Known as the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act (S 1500/HR 3037), the federal legislation would eliminate out-of-pocket costs for patients necessary breast imaging. And 85% of polled voters responded to the legislations primary goal: ensuring women get the answers they need before its too late. When breast cancer is caught early, treatment is more effective, less invasive, and far more likely to lead to positive outcomes with five-year survival rates as high as 98%. Early detection saves both lives and dollars. Respondents expressed support for the ABCD Act, especially given the impact the bill would have on those who often cant get the help they need: rural, lower-income, Black, Hispanic, and younger women. Outdated insurance rules still force patients to choose between life-saving breast imaging and paying their bills. With costs for healthcare so high, many, especially younger women who make up 10% of all new breast cancer cases in the U.S., are looking toward high-deductible health plans to lower their monthly costs. But this often comes with less comprehensive coverage before a deductible. Two-thirds of polled voters say the full cost of necessary breast imaging should still be covered for those with high-deductible health plans. Pennsylvania is proving that bold, patient-centered policy can save lives and reduce costs. Yet, in more than half the country and still for some in the Keystone State outdated insurance rules still force patients to choose between lifesaving breast imaging and paying their bills. Its time for Congress to follow Pennsylvanias lead and make comprehensive breast cancer imaging a priority. Breast cancer doesnt wait. In 2025, an estimated 43,000 women and men in the U.S. lost their lives to the disease, including 1,800 in Pennsylvania alone. Access to early diagnosis should never hinge on the state you reside in. Congress should take note of Pennsylvanias recent legislation and ensure lifesaving screenings are within reach for everyone. Molly Guthrie is vice president for policy and advocacy at Susan G. Komen and leads the Alliance for Breast Cancer Policy. Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill, shown here at a press confere as volunteers gather prior to shovelling snow at Fairview Village on Martin Luther King Day during a day of service, in Camden, New Jersey, January 19, 2026. Read more A day before taking the oath as New Jersey governor, Mikie Sherrill said in a visit to Camden on Monday that she will steer resources to the city to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sherrill visited Camden on Monday morning to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day by joining a community effort to shovel snow. In a short speech, she emphasized Kings historical connection to Camden and an incident hes said to have cited as sparking his interest in becoming a civil rights leader. Advertisement Im going to work with the city of Camden to make sure we can better bring this history to light, that we bring resources to commemorate the real birth of this movement here in Camden, New Jersey, she said. Sherrills team told local officials last week that she would be announcing plans to commission a statue of King for Camden, but they backtracked minutes before her announcement to instead make a broader promise. Her transition team later told The Inquirer that Sherrill is excited about the chance to elevate the history of Martin Luther King Jr. in Camden, and will work with the community on different possibilities to do this, including with a statue. Sherrills decision to come to Camden on MLK Day the eve of her swearing-in and also her 54th birthday was significant to local officials. It showed that the diverse South Jersey city is at the top of her mind after it resoundingly voted for her in November and improved turnout compared to the last gubernatorial election. Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen said in an interview on Saturday anticipating a statue announcement that he would want King to be honored in a spot in Farnham Park that has sat empty since a statue of Christopher Columbus was removed in June 2020 amid a nationwide reckoning on racism after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd. Camden released a statement at the time saying the statues removal was long overdue. Carstarphen said the city has been wanting to replace that statue with one thats more fitting for the community at some point. He said it only makes just great sense for Kings honor to be put there. State Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez, a Democrat who represents Camden, said in an interview on Friday that residents were surprised that Sherrill chose to come back to Camden so soon after being elected. Its a good message for the South Jersey region that she is going to be available for South Jersey, that shes someone whos going to pay attention, Cruz-Perez said. City Council member Nohemi Soria-Perez, who works as the chief of staff for Cruz-Perez and two local assembly members, said Sherrills attention to Camden, and the possibility of a King statue, is just such a positive step forward into what we see in the future. The (debated) significance of MLK to Camden Sherrill said in her speech that she loves learning so many neat things about our state that otherwise you just wouldnt realize, even places you pass by every single day. And I have to tell you, one of the coolest was hearing about Martin Luther Kings history in Camden, the fact that many scholars say he had his very first act of civil disobedience here in Camden, she added. She was referencing an incident in 1950 in which King and his friends reported that they were refused service at Marys Cafe, a tavern in Maple Shade Township in nearby Burlington County not Camden while attending Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvanias Delaware County. King often recounted the incident as an example that sparked his interest in the civil rights movement, according to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and reported in a 1976 Inquirer obituary of the tavern owner. Widespread accounts of the incident indicate that the tavern owner shot his gun in the air, but Sherrill said in her speech that King had a gun pointed at him. I didnt realize that he lived in Camden during his years as a student at Crozer Theological Seminary from 1948 to 1951, she also said. That may be because historians have argued there is no evidence King actually lived in the house, but rather stayed there during visits. The state denied an application to designate the house as a historical landmark in early 2020 after it commissioned an unprecedented $20,000 study by Stockton University, which made the case that the home wasnt Kings residence. The belief that King lived in the home stems in part from the buildings then-owner and his daughter saying the civil rights leader lived there on and off for two years. Regardless of the disputed details, King is widely understood to have a connection to Camden. David Garrow, a historian and the author of the King biography Bearing the Cross, has previously said he believes King spent time in Camden and likely occasionally stayed at the Walnut Street house where he visited his friend. The state-commissioned study noted that King almost certainly stayed there the night of the Marys Place incident described by Sherrill. John Lewis, a civil rights leader and member of Congress who died in 2020, visited the building in 2016 and called it a piece of historic real estate that must be saved for generations yet unborn. Local advocates have sought to rehabilitate the Walnut Street home which sustained a fire in 2023. A 2017 grant of $229,000 was earmarked to renovate the building which sat vacant and in disrepair even before the fire but the money was diverted to the citys fire department in 2018 without explanation. Voter turnout in Camden increased 63% from the last gubernatorial election in 2021 to 2025, and the city voted for Sherrill with 92% of the vote. Sherrill and running mate Dale Caldwell visited the city repeatedly in the weeks leading up to Election Day, and Caldwell was in Camden on Saturday. The citys population is nearly 38% Black and more than 54% Latino, and Sherrills campaign had outreach teams specifically catered toward both groups. Carstarphen said a statue of King would be a daily reminder to Camdens residents that our city matters. It sends a powerful message to us that were not an afterthought, he said ahead of Sherrills visit. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill takes the oath of office during an inauguration ceremony, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Read more NEWARK, N.J. Mikie Sherrill was sworn in as New Jersey governor Tuesday, becoming the second woman to govern the state and the first from the Democratic Party. Sherrill, who is also the first female veteran from either party to be elected to the office, broke tradition by opting to be inaugurated in her home county of Essex, in northern New Jersey, instead of the states capital city, Trenton. Advertisement She took the oath at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark in the morning. Joined onstage by her family and high-profile Democrats, Sherrill spoke about her love for New Jersey and denounced President Donald Trump in a speech on Tuesday. She also gave two shout-outs to South Jersey, noting that she learned on the campaign trail that South Jerseyans say pork roll instead of Taylor Ham. I have heard you in South Jersey, where you want jobs, transportation investments, innovative businesses, and not to be forgotten or left behind, she also said. She even referenced Philadelphia while talking about the founding of the United States in a very Jersey way. In fact, not too far away, in the greater Camden metropolitan region, in a place called Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson wrote a declaration of our independence, marking the birth of this great nation, she said. This entirely unique and revolutionary declaration claims human beings had universal rights to life, to liberty, to the pursuit of happiness, not because of who their parents were, but because every human being is endowed with these rights by their creator, not by a king, she added, and was met by applause. She drew parallels between Englands king at the founding of the United States and Trump, whom Democrats have criticized through no kings protests. Sherrill said Trump is illegally usurping power, unconstitutionally enacting a tariff regime to make billions for himself and his family while everyone else sees their costs go higher. Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot, former federal prosecutor, and mother of four, was elected to Congress in 2018 and stepped down in November after winning the election, defeating Jack Ciattarelli, who had won the endorsement of Trump. Sherrill, whose closely watched candidacy drew significant national support, promised during her campaign that she would make New Jersey more affordable and would stand up to Trump. She told voters she would declare a state of emergency on utility rates on her first day in office, a promise she executed while still onstage for her inauguration speech right after being sworn in. She signed two bills: one freezing utility rates and the other encouraging more energy production in the state. White flowers lined the front of the stage, and large American and New Jersey flags served as a backdrop. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Sherrills friend and former congressional colleague, was in attendance. Spanberger became Virginias first female governor on Saturday in a ceremony attended by Sherrill and other high-profile Democrats. New Jersey and Virginia were the only states to hold gubernatorial races last year, and the Democratic victories were viewed as a positive sign for the party heading into the midterms with Trump in the White House. Sherrill, who turned 54 on Monday, succeeds Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat who served two terms. Its the first time the same party has held the governors mansion for three consecutive terms since 1970. After the ceremony, Sherrill was slated to head to Trenton to sign more executive orders before going back north for an inaugural ball Tuesday evening at the American Dream in East Rutherford. Sherrills lieutenant governor, Dale Caldwell, 65, was also sworn in Tuesday. Caldwell, a Middlesex County-based Methodist pastor, most recently worked as the first Black president of Centenary University. He has worked for state government, started nonprofits, and led charter schools. In his speech Tuesday, Caldwell said his father marched with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whom he and Sherrill both mentioned in their speeches. My father taught me that faith must be active, not passive. He taught me that justice is not an idea, it is a responsibility, Caldwell said. And he taught me that service is not optional, especially for those who have been blessed with opportunity. Sherrill defied expectations on both sides of the aisle by winning what had been viewed as a competitive race by 14 points. Republicans had felt optimistic in part because the state shifted red in 2024, but those gains bounced back in November. The resident of Montclair similarly won a crowded primary by more than 100,000 votes in June. During her campaign, Sherrill repeatedly reminded voters of Ciattarellis ties to Trump and leaned into the presidents unpopularity in the state. Sherrills campaign repeatedly held events in Newark leading up to her election with the support of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a progressive who placed second in the Democratic primary. Her decision to be inaugurated up north was celebrated by Newark officials, but Trenton City Council member Jennifer Williams, a Republican, argued in an op-ed that it was an insult to Trenton. The governor-elect visited Camden on Monday to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and announced that she will divert resources to the city to honor the civil rights leader. Christine Todd Whitman, the first woman to serve as New Jersey governor, used the same venue as Sherrill when she was sworn in for her second term in 1998 while the war memorial in Trenton, the traditional site, was undergoing renovations. Whitman served as a Republican from 1994 to 2001 before joining the Bush administration and has since left the Republican Party for the Forward Party. She endorsed Sherrills candidacy. Hey, Josh, its Donald Trump. It was the start of a voicemail from the president to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, received one week after a man firebombed the governors residence in Harrisburg in an attempt to kill Shapiro while his family slept inside on the first night of Passover. Advertisement Shapiro hadnt recognized the number Trump was calling from, and at first didnt answer. When Shapiro called back, Trump offered well wishes to the governors family, his usual braggadocio, and some advice: he shouldnt want to be president, Shapiro recalls in his new memoir, set to be released later this month. The book, Where We Keep the Light, which comes out on Jan. 27, has attracted a flood of attention as it signals Shapiros potential presidential aspirations and also serves as a retort to the unflattering portrayal of the governor in former Vice President Kamala Harris recent memoir. READ MORE: Josh Shapiros reelection campaign in Pennsylvania starts now but 2028 looms large In the 257-page book, Shapiro details his early life in Montgomery County, his two decades in elected office, his connection to his faith, and his pragmatic leadership approach. And for the political observers who have watched Shapiros rise: He delves into his brief consideration of whether he should run for president after Joe Biden dropped out of the race in 2024, the whirlwind experience of being vetted to be Harris running mate, and the unfair scrutiny he felt he faced during that process. Here are six takeaways from Shapiros forthcoming memoir, obtained by The Inquirer. Trump to Shapiro: He cautioned that I shouldnt want to be president When Shapiro, 52, returned Trumps call in April 2025, he received the presidents support and some unprompted compliments from Trump, he writes. [Trump] said he liked the way I talked to people and approached problems, Shapiro retells, as Trump went through the list of potential 2028 Democratic Party presidential candidates. He cautioned that I shouldnt want to be president, given how dangerous it had become to hold the office now. (It is unclear whether Shapiro tried to call Trump after he experienced his own assassination attempt in Butler, Pa., the previous summer, though Shapiro publicly vehemently denounced the violence.) Throughout the book, Shapiro details his approach to Trump. He picks his battles to be ones he is sure he will win, he writes, and is sympathetic to the struggles that led some voters to support Trump. Hes proud of his disagreements with fellow Dems Shapiro sells himself as a pragmatist and writes proudly of the times in which he has disagreed with his party or changed his positions. For example, he recalls being asked by Harris vetting team about his past comments criticizing Democrats in federal, state, and local offices for how they handled COVID-19 closures. He stood by his criticism of former Gov. Tom Wolf at the time over business and school closures, and of the mask and vaccine mandates implemented by the Biden administration, he writes. I respectfully pushed back, asking if they believed that we had gotten everything right, to which they generally agreed that we had not, Shapiro writes about his conversation with Harris vetting team. I just had been willing to say the quiet part out loud, even if it wasnt easy or popular or toeing the line to do so. He also writes about his journey to change his position on the death penalty over the years. In the days after the Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, in which 11 Jewish people were killed while worshipping, he had initially supported the death penalty for the suspect. Since then, his views have evolved and he no longer supports capital punishment and called on the legislature to end the practice. Lori Shapiro is behind most of her husbands good ideas Lori Shapiro, 53, mostly avoids her husbands frequent appearances in the limelight. The former Clinton administration official works mostly behind the scenes, except on a few issues important to her, including those relating to people with intellectual disabilities and ensuring girls have access to menstrual products in schools. But in his book, Shapiro writes that his wife has challenged him as she has supported his political rise, pushing him to question what he really wants, do the right thing, or even help him shape his messaging to voters. She discouraged him from running for U.S. Senate in 2016 after top Democrats approached him, which led him to run for attorney general instead. She was also his first call when Biden dropped out and he briefly considered whether he should run for president, and his voice of reason during the veepstakes. The couple started dating in high school, before breaking up during college when they went to different universities in New York he attended the University of Rochester, while she went to Colgate University. Shapiro writes that he quickly realized he missed her, and wrote her a letter in an effort to win her back. So I cracked my knuckles, and wrote my heart out. I was Shakespeare composing a sonnet. I was Taylor Swift before Taylor Swift. I was Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything, in a trench coat with the boom box over my head, Shapiro writes. I was getting the girl back. This earned Shapiro the title of Mr. Lori from her hall mates at Colgate. He did not win her back until years later, when the two reconnected in Washington after college, and quickly became engaged. The two married and had four children together, who each make frequent appearances throughout the book. Shapiro grapples with an early career move that kicked off his reputation as disloyal Shapiro is not without regret for how some of his career moves and ambitions affected the people who helped him get where he is today, he writes. Shapiro got his start in politics on the Hill under then-U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel, a Montgomery County Democrat. He quickly worked his way up to be Hoeffels chief of staff before returning to Abington Township to run for state representative. But when Shapiro was done with frequent trips to Harrisburg and ready for his next rung on the ladder, Hoeffel was in the way. Shapiro had a plan to run for county commissioner and flip the board for the first time in more than 150 years making Montco the first Philadelphia collar county to swing into Democratic control. Now all of the Philly suburban counties are controlled by Democrats, and Shapiro is credited for starting the trend. But Hoeffel was not a part of that calculation. Shapiro writes that Hoeffel was struggling politically. He says he told him he would not run against him, but he also would not run with him. I knew that I couldnt win with him, and I knew that it wasnt the right thing for the party or the county, even if we could somehow eke out the victory, Shapiro writes. Hoeffel eventually decided not to run, and was quoted in The Inquirer in 2017 as saying that loyalty is not Shapiros strong suit, comments he has since stood by, in addition to praising Shapiro for his successes ever since. Id hear about [Hoeffel] talking to the press or to people behind my back about how he thought I lacked loyalty, that I was someone who needed to be watched, Shapiro writes. It felt terrible, and of course, I never intended to hurt him in any way and I would never have run against him. I wanted the Democrats to have a shot, and I knew that I could get it done. Shapiro initially said antisemitism didnt play into Kamala Harris running mate decision. Now he has more to say In the days after Harris passed over Shapiro to be her running mate in favor of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Shapiro said antisemitism had no impact on her decision. Now, Shapiro questions whether he was unfairly scrutinized by Harris vetting team as the only Jewish person being considered as a finalist, including a moment when a top member of Harris camp asked him if he had ever been an agent of the Israeli government. I wondered whether these questions were being posed to just me the only Jewish guy in the running or if everyone who had not held a federal office was being grilled about Israel in the same way, he writes. He details his broader concerns with how he was treated during the process, including some perceived insults about his familys lack of wealth or Lori Shapiros appearance. Since Shapiros book was leaked to the media over the weekend, sources close to Walz confirmed to ABC News that the Minnesota governor was also asked whether he was an agent of a foreign government, due to his multiple trips to China. Shapiro, for his part, has written about his time in Israel, including a high school program in which he completed service projects on a farm, on a fishery at a kibbutz, and at an Israeli army base. He once described himself in his college student newspaper as a past volunteer in the Israeli army a characterization that circulated widely after it was reported by The Inquirer during the veepstakes. The missing character: Mike Vereb There is one person who had been influential during Shapiros many years of public service who is not mentioned once in the book: Mike Vereb. Vereb, a former top aide to Shapiro, left the governors office shortly into his term after he was accused of sexual harassment of a female employee. The state paid the female employee $295,000 in a settlement over the claim. Vereb had been along for the ride for Shapiros time in the state House as a fellow state representative from Montgomery County (though he was a Republican), as a top liaison to him in the attorney generals office, and eventually a member of his cabinet in the governors office until his resignation in 2023. A Pedestrian walks on the snow and ice in Manayunk Monday. More snow is possible this weekend. Read more Computer models continue to insist with a rather uncharacteristic certainty that the Philadelphia region and much of the Mid-Atlantic can expect a significant snowstorm during the weekend. Now, when have they ever been wrong? Advertisement On Wednesday, models were in general agreement that Philly had a high likelihood of a snowfall of at least 6 inches, the National Weather Service said, with the potential for substantially more. It listed Sundays snow probability at 80%, unusually high for an event at least four days away. Whatever does or does not happen from here, the likes of Acme, Giant, Wegmans, Whole Foods, and Trader Joes thank you. All the tools we have are starting to point toward something is going to happen, said Mike Lee, a lead meteorologist at the weather service office in Mount Holly. We know its going to get more people uneasy, but we want people to be aware. Its too early to make a guess on snow totals, his colleague, Alex Staarmann said. Were definitely going to get some snow. It could be a significant storm for most of the region. Thats all we can say at this point. He added that it wouldnt melt quickly with temperatures remaining below freezing for several days. Wind chills Monday night could fall below zero, he said. As for the chances that snow will snub the region this weekend (its been known to happen), Bob Oravec, lead forecaster with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Weather Prediction Center, said thats highly unlikely. Given the very good agreement in the numerical models, this has a very low chance of being a bust overall. Early estimates for snow amounts vary from the prodigious to the prosaic. The big commercial services, AccuWeather Inc. and the Weather Channel, also are on board. In fact, although the storm remains a virtual concept, the Weather Channel already has affixed a name to it. When might snow arrive in the Philly area? Forecasters said the snow could begin as early as late Saturday, and continue into Monday. The snow would spread south to north. In the early going, it was uncertain which areas would receive the very heftiest amounts. The snow machine would be set off by dry polar air interacting with copious moisture to the south, which is likely to encounter resistance to the north. The big snows would occur between that dry wall to the north and a wall of ice and rain to the south, said Matt Benz, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. Whatever does fall in Philly likely would all snow, but its possible sleet could mix in south of the city. After temperatures moderate the next two days and climb into the mid-40s Thursday, the cold air is expected to pour into the region Friday. High temperatures Saturday through Monday may struggle to get past 20, with or without a snow cover. Is it possible that Philly will be flakeless? Of course. Snow forecast busts are part of the cost of doing winter business in the Philly region. Some of the key west-to-east moving features that will power the system have not yet made landfall, and thus have not been observed by land-based instruments. One piece of energy is over the Pacific, and another somewhere over Siberia, Benz said. The pieces just arent moving that quickly, he said. They may not make landfall over North America until Thursday, he added, and that could be present real issues for the machines and their human interpreters. Said Oravec: Historically, when these features can better be identified by the weather balloon network across North America, the models forecasts improve and converge on a common solution. Benz said it may take until Friday for computers to sort it all out with newly ingested data. Recall that the snow forecasts last weekend bedeviled forecasters on both Saturday and Sunday. Oravec said computer models are marvels and do a great job at identifying large-scale patterns that are conducive for major winter storms. But some of the smaller details that can enhance the impacts are harder to model. Perhaps the most important data point to consider: The prospective first flakes may not be in evidence until the very beginning of next week. New York City said its suing a food-delivery technology provider for withholding pay from workers, signaling Mayor Zohran Mamdanis get-tough approach to regulating app-based work. Motoclick violated delivery worker laws by failing to pay the required minimum rate and by deducting canceled and refunded orders directly from workers paychecks, the city said in a statement Thursday. The practices allegedly left some couriers owing money to the company, which says it works with platforms such as Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub. Motoclick and its CEO tricked New Yorkers into working for their platform with false promises and then stole their tips and earnings, sometimes even driving workers into debt, said Samuel A.A. Levine, the citys consumer and worker protection commissioner. He said other delivery apps should be on notice. The lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court against Motoclick and its head, Juan Pablo Salinas Salek adds to a broader compliance push aimed at New Yorks booming app-based delivery industry. City officials said Motoclick and Salinas Salek owe workers millions of dollars in unpaid wages and damages. Motoclick and its attorneys didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Levine said his agency had also sent notices to major food-delivery platforms including Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub and Instacart, warning them to comply with new worker protections taking effect later this month. The safeguards include rules on tipping, pay transparency, minimum pay eligibility and timely weekly payments. In a report earlier this week, the city accused DoorDash and Uber Eats of depriving delivery workers of more than $550 million in tips after changing the interfaces on their apps. DoorDash called the report flat-out wrong. Read More: DoorDash, Uber Cost Drivers $550 Million in Tips, NYC Says City officials said theyre seeking to shut down Motoclick entirely, an unusually severe step that underscored the administrations commitment to stricter enforcement. City Hall does not desire to have an adversarial relationship with any business operating in our city, Mamdani told reporters. To those, however, who think they can make a profit while stealing from their workers while breaking the law, make no mistake: We will have those workers backs each and every time. Mamdani announced the lawsuit with Levine and Julie Su, the deputy mayor for labor and workforce development, as well as with labor advocates. Su previously served as acting US labor secretary in the Biden administration, while Levine led enforcement at the Federal Trade Commission. Their appointments reflect a broader governing philosophy Mamdani has embraced since taking office, one shaped in part by the advice of Lina Khan, the former chair of the FTC. Khan has argued that cities often possess dormant or underused legal authority that can be deployed quickly to regulate powerful companies, particularly in sectors where technology and pricing systems shape workers pay. Khan has said that food delivery companies warrant scrutiny not only for wage levels but for the design of the systems that govern how work is assigned, tracked and compensated, an approach that city officials said informed their decision to move aggressively against Motoclick. The case is City of New York v Patio Delivery Inc., New York State Supreme Court, New York County. Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits A homeowners insurer was right to deny a grandmother coverage for a claim against her grandson because he did not qualify as a member of her household. The Massachusetts Appeals Court agreed with Arbella Mutual Insurance Co. that the grandson, Steven, was not a member of his grandmothers household for insurance purposes just because she provided him with financial support. The appeals court rejected the argument that financial support was by itself enough to prove the grandson was a resident and therefore covered under the homeowners policy. The appeals court also noted that financial support counts less as a factor in determining who is a resident in situations where there is no legal requirement to provide it. With its ruling, the appeals court reversed a Norfolk County trial court that ruled that Arbella had to pay $300,000 to cover a personal injury judgment against the grandson Steven for injuring a police detective. Because Steven was unable to satisfy the $300,000 judgment, the detective brought an action against Arbella to indemnify the grandson even though Steven did not himself have an insurance policy with Arbella. Instead, the detectives suit alleged that Steven was covered by an Arbella insurance policy purchased by his grandmother for her East Longmeadow home. After a trial, a Superior Court judge found that Steven, at the time he injured the detective, was a resident of his grandmothers household because she owned and paid a lot of the costs on a house in Ludlow where Steven and his parents lived. Although the grandmother asked Stevens parents for rent, she would frequently excuse their missed rent payments. The grandmother also paid the mortgage, the taxes, and the water and sewer bills. That was the nature and extent of the financial support Steven received from his grandmother. The grandmother had policies for both properties she owned. The Ludlow policy was a dwelling policy that covered liability for insured members for injuries which accrue or arise on the property covered. The East Longmeadow policy was a homeowners policy that covered liability for insured members under the policy, regardless of where the alleged injury occurred. The injury to the detective did not occur on or arise on the Ludlow property. Thus, the Ludlow policy could not be used to indemnify Steven. Therefore, the only policy at issue was the Longmeadow homeowners policy since it covered liability for insured members regardless of where the alleged injury occurred. Steven was not a named insured. The policy defined those covered by the policy as the named insured and residents of [their] household. The plaintiff and the appeals court looked to a 1991 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court opinion (Vaiarella v. Hanover Insurance Co.) for guidance on whether Steven could be considered a resident of [the] household. In Vaiarella, the state Supreme Judicial Court set forth several factors to consider when deciding whether someone is an insured under an insurance policy, where the definition of insured is ambiguous. Those factors include: (1) whether the individual has an established connection to the named insureds household; (2) whether the individual uses the same address as the named insured for matters such as receiving mail, registering a car, or applying for a drivers license; (3) in the case of an accident, whether the individual went to the named insureds household after the accident; (4) whether the individual has a financially dependent relationship with the named insured; and (5) the subjective intent of the individual to become a member of the insureds household. The plaintiff detective conceded that the only Vaiarella factor present in Stevens case was financial dependency. The plaintiff successfully argued at trial that it alone was enough to qualify the grandson as a household member under the policy. The appeals court agreed that the financial support was the only factor in Stevens case but found that single factor was not by itself enough for him to be considered a household member under the policy. The appeals court noted that it had previously found that weight given to financial dependency is lessened in the case of relatives for whom there is no legal responsibility to provide financial support. Stevens grandmother had no legal responsibility to provide for him. Also, contrary to the detectives claim, financial dependency was not the sole basis for the courts holding in another case where an adult son was found to be a member of his fathers household. Rather, that opinion weighed several factors including that the son lived at the relevant address, received mail there, kept his belongings there, and his father remained actively involved with the family at that address. The appeals court noted that there was little to no established connection between Steven and his grandmother. He spoke to or saw her just once in the years surrounding 2016, when the injury to the plaintiff occurred. The grandmother also did not claim Steven as a dependent on her taxes. Additionally, Steven did not receive mail at the East Longmeadow address, nor did he have a car registered to the East Longmeadow address or a drivers license with the East Longmeadow address. Furthermore, the appeals court stressed, had the Supreme Judicial Court in Vaiarella thought that financial dependency outweighed other factors, the high court would have said as much. But it did not. Instead, in Vaiarella, the court addressed five nonexclusive factors and did not state, nor even suggest, that economic dependence is a trump card over the other factors, the appeals court explained. The appeals court concluded that Steven, as a matter of law, was not a member of his grandmothers household and not insured under the East Longmeadow policy. Topics Homeowners A former Massachusetts county employee pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to embezzling from a Barnstable County employee labor union. Kenneth Mattoon, of West Yarmouth, pleaded guilty to embezzlement of labor union assets. According to prosecutors, Mattoon admitted that he stole $21,155 and that this amount is subject to forfeiture. According to prosecutors, between May 2020 and May 2025, Mattoon embezzled funds from the Barnstable Massachusetts Department of Public Works Employees Local Number 3003 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO. Mattoon was an officer of the labor union at the time. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2026. The charge of embezzlement from a labor union provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release; and a $250,000 fine. Source: U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Barnstable Police Department. Zurich Insurance Group AG has gone public with a 7.67 billion ($10.3 billion) bid to buy Beazley Plc, increasing pressure on the UK-listed company its been wooing for more than 12 months. The Swiss insurer offered to buy London-based Beazley at 1,280 pence a share in cash, according to a statement Monday, a 56% premium to the companys closing price Friday. A deal would create a global leader in specialty insurance with about $15 billion of gross written premiums, Zurich said. The proposal is the fifth made by Zurich over more than a year, according to Chief Executive Officer Mario Greco. While his firm has undertaken a series of deals in recent years, the Beazley approach is the companys biggest bid since he took over in 2016 and its first major strategic move in a decade. I made an offer, its distant from being accepted, and now the shareholders have to speak about it, Greco said in a phone interview. Beazley is a very complementary business to ours, there is nothing we dont need or dont like. The fit is very strong. Beazleys board has not yet had the chance to consider Zurichs latest bid and will update shareholders in due course, it said in a separate statement Monday. A top 20 Beazley shareholder, who asked not to be named, told Bloomberg News they believe Zurichs improved proposal still undervalues the company and that Beazleys peak-cycle earnings would demand a higher bid. Shares in Beazley soared as much as 46% to their highest since the companys debut in 2002 after the announcement, the biggest jump on record. Zurich slipped as much as 1.9%. The Swiss insurer said the proposed transaction would be in line with the strategic priorities indicated at its Nov. 18 investor day. The acquisition would be funded through existing cash, new debt facilities and an equity placing, according to the statement. Beazley, whose specialist insurance businesses has operations in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia, reported net insurance written premiums of $5.2 billion in 2024 and $2.6 billion in the first six months of 2025. Risks grouped under the property and specialty banners made up around a third each of its premium income in the first half of 2025. Cyber and digital insurance represented about a fifth with areas like marine, aviation and political risks making up the balance. Achilles Heel The companys share price more than doubled in the five years from 2021 to the end of 2025, as increasing cyber attacks lifted demand for insurance. But the company fell as much as 13% following third quarter earnings in November as sales came in below analysts expectations. Such swings reflects its concentration on more volatile lines of business like cyber and other specialty areas, a focus that is likely to be its Achilles heel as a standalone company, Bloomberg Intelligence said in December. Read more: Beazleys Pricing Leverage Weakens as Zurich Circles A deal would be accretive to Zurichs 2027 financial targets, the company said. Zurich now has until Feb. 16 to announce its intention to make a firm offer for Beazley, under UK takeover rules. The size of the premium reflects Zurichs desire to proceed at pace, according to the statement. In November, Chief Financial Officer Claudia Cordioli said Zurich was very focused on organic growth, as we always said, but were always looking at opportunities, commenting on a call with analysts after the insurer reported third quarter earnings. They just need to be attractive and accretive. Last year Zurich bought the Canadian cyber risk management firm BOXX Insurance Inc. Other recent acquisitions include a minority stake in Icen Risk, a UK company specializing in insuring mergers and acquisitions, American International Groups global travel insurance business, as well as a majority stake in Indias Kotak General Insurance Company Ltd. Read More: Zurich Insurance Says Its on Track to Exceed Targets This Year Investment bankers at UBS Group AG, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Lazard Inc. are advising Zurich on its Beazley approach. Beazleys advisers are JPMorgan Cazenove and Barclays Plc. Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Topics Carriers Excess Surplus BHP was on Monday refused permission to appeal against a ruling that it is liable for the 2015 collapse of a dam in southeastern Brazil, in a London lawsuit potentially worth tens of billions of pounds. In November, Londons High Court ruled BHP was legally responsible for the collapse of the Fundao dam in Mariana, southeastern Brazil, which was owned and operated by BHP and Vales Samarco joint venture. BHPs application for permission to appeal that ruling was denied by the High Court, though BHP said it will apply directly to the Court of Appeal. We will take our appeal to the Court of Appeal, a BHP spokesperson said in a statement. BHP will continue to robustly defend the remaining phases of this action in parallel. Brazil is the most appropriate avenue to provide full and fair remediation to those impacted. The claimants lawyers have previously valued the lawsuit, one of the largest in English legal history, at up to 36 billion pounds ($48.26 billion) and were seeking nearly 200 million pounds in legal fees after their initial victory. The initial stage of the case was to determine whether BHP was liable to the claimants, with a further trial to decide on damages to be paid due to begin in October, with a ruling likely at some point in mid-2027. Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians, dozens of local governments and around 2,000 businesses sued BHP over the collapse of the Fundao dam, which was Brazils worst environmental disaster. The collapse unleashed a wave of toxic sludge that killed 19 people, left thousands homeless, flooded forests and polluted the length of the Doce River. Judge Finola OFarrell ruled last year that BHP should not have continued to raise the height of the dam, which ultimately caused its collapse. ($1 = 0.7459 pounds) (Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by William James) Photograph: In this Nov. 6, 2015 photo, homes lay in ruins after two dams burst the previous day, flooding the small town of Bento Rodrigues in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Searchers used small airplanes and a drone to look for missing people after dams broke inside an iron ore mine. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) Related: Britains financial watchdogs are not doing enough to stop AI from harming consumers or destabilizing markets, a group of lawmakers said on Tuesday, urging regulators to move away from a wait and see approach as the technology is deployed widely. The Financial Conduct Authority and the Bank of England should start running AIspecific stress tests to help firms prepare for market shocks triggered by automated systems, the Treasury Committee said in a report on AI in financial services. The committee urged the FCA to publish guidance by the end of 2026 on how consumer protection rules apply to AI and how much senior managers need to understand the systems they oversee. Based on the evidence Ive seen, I do not feel confident that our financial system is prepared if there was a major AI-related incident and that is worrying, committee chair Meg Hillier said in a statement. Technology Carries Significant Risks A race among banks to adopt agentic AI, which, unlike generative AI can make decisions and take autonomous action, adds new risks for retail customers, the FCA told Reuters late last year. About threequarters of British financial firms now use AI across core functions from processing insurance claims to credit assessments. While AI brought benefits, the report warned of significant risks as well. These included opaque credit decisions, the potential exclusion of vulnerable consumers through algorithmic tailoring, fraud, and dissemination of unregulated financial advice through AI chatbots. Risks to Financial Stability Experts who gave evidence to the committee also highlighted threats to financial stability, due to reliance on a small group of U.S. tech giants for AI and cloud services. Some noted that AIdriven trading systems may amplify herding behavior, or imitative trading decisions, in markets, raising the risks of a financial crisis. A spokesperson said the FCA would review the report. The regulator has previously indicated it does not favor AIspecific rules due to the pace of technological change. AI Already Influencing Decisions, Hillier Says A BoE spokesperson said the central bank had taken steps to assess AIrelated risks and bolster the financial system. The bank would consider the committees recommendations and respond in due course, the person added. Hillier told Reuters that increasingly sophisticated forms of generative AI were influencing financial decisions. If something has gone wrong in the system, that could have a very big impact on the consumer, she said. Separately, Britains finance ministry appointed Starling Bank CIO Harriet Rees and Lloyds Banking Groups Rohit Dhawan to help steer AI adoption in financial services. (Reporting by Phoebe Seers; editing by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes and Bernadette Baum) More than three dozen people died in Spain after a high-speed train derailed and hit another coming from the opposite direction. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez canceled his trip to Davos and declared three days of mourning. The last two carriages of the train traveling between Madrid and the coastal city of Malaga jumped the track, leading to the collision, according to a statement from Renfe, Spains publicly owned train company. At least 39 people died, Transport Minister Oscar Puente said in a post on X on Monday. The accident took place around 7:45 p.m. local time on Sunday. The high-speed train, carrying about 300 passengers, belonged to Intermodalidad de Levante SA, which operates under the Iryo brand and is majority-owned by Italian state train operator Trenitalia SpA. The other service was run by Renfe. Sanchez canceled his planned trip to Davos for the World Economic Forum because of the accident, one of the largest in Spain in recent decades. He had been scheduled to offer a keynote speech and hold a number of bilateral meetings. The mourning period will start at midnight and run through Thursday, Sanchez told reporters Monday at the crash site at Adamuz in Cordoba region. He called for a united response to the tragedy. Today is a day of pain for all of Spain, Sanchez said. Finding the reasons for the accident will take time and the work of technicians. Spain has one of the worlds largest high-speed train networks and services have come under pressure in recent years with a surge in demand. Usage also increased after other players where allowed to start operating in 2018. The train was a relatively new train, that I think isnt even four years old, and the rail network has been totally renovated, Spains Puente said at a press conference early Monday. It is a tremendously strange accident that happened on a straight stretch of railway. Italys transport minister, Matteo Salvini, told RTL 102.5 radio that the cause of the accident is still unclear. La ultima informacion que llega es muy grave. Las ultimas unidades del tren Iryo que iba direccion Madrid han descarrilado, invadiendo esos coches la via contraria por la que en ese momento circulaba un tren de Renfe en direccion Huelva. El impacto ha sido terrible provocando que https://t.co/mqewlNBmDf Oscar Puente (@oscar_puente_) January 18, 2026 Surviving passengers were evacuated, authorities said. Services between Madrid, Malaga and several other cities were suspended for all of Monday. Iryo lines began service in late 2022 and became one of the largest high-speed train operations to emerge since Spain opened up the market for competition. The operator is is 51% owned by Trenitalia, with partners Air Nostrum and infrastructure investor Globalvia, and is among Trenitalias largest high-speed operations outside of Italy. Another major high-speed service is offered by Ouigo, controlled by Frances state-run SNCF and operating in Spain since 2021. Trenitalia parent Ferrovie dello Stato SpA said in a statement that it expresses its condolences for the victims and their families. The Spanish government controls maintenance of railways through a company called Adif and operates regular trains and high-speed trains through Renfe. Other companies are allowed to offer high-speed services using existing networks. In the past, Puente has said that Renfes competitors were offering services below market costs. The chief executive officer of Ferrovie dello Stato told Bloomberg News in June that the company planned to sell minority stakes in its high-speed network to help finance further expansion. Photograph: A derailed train on the tracks after a train collision in Adamuz, Spain, on Jan. 19, 2025. Photo credit: Jorge Guerrero/AFP/Getty Images Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. A federal court has ordered a Cincinnati, Ohio civil engineering firm and its owner to pay $45,699.63 to employee accounts in the companys 401(k) plan after the U.S. Department of Labor found the company violated federal employee benefits law. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Western Division, entered a consent order and judgment resolving a complaint filed by the department. The complaint alleged that between Feb. 10, 2017, and Aug. 19, 2022, Infrastructure & Development Engineering Inc. and its owner James Hahn failed to remit employees retirement contributions to the companys 401(k) plan and failed to prudently manage the plan, in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Under the court order, Hahn and the company must pay $45,699.63 to the accounts of affected employees and former employees. This employer violated federal law by withholding employee 401(k) plan contributions and failing to deposit them into the companys retirement plan, said Employee Benefits Security Administration Regional Director Joe Rivers in Cincinnati. The Department of Labor will enforce the law, hold employers accountable, and make sure that employees receive their hard-earned retirement benefits. After restoring the retirement assets, Hahn must take steps to terminate the Infrastructure & Development Engineering Inc. 401(k) Plan and be removed as a fiduciary to the plan. Hahn and the company were assessed a $9,139.93 civil penalty for fiduciary breaches. Source: Department of Justice Topics Ohio The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Friday to hear Bayers bid to sharply limit lawsuits claiming that the companys Roundup weedkiller causes cancer and potentially avert billions of dollars in damages. The justices took up Bayers appeal of a lower courts ruling in a case brought by a man who said he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma after years of exposure to Roundup. The Missouri Court of Appeals upheld a $1.25 million verdict that a St. Louis jury awarded the plaintiff, John Durnell, over his cancer diagnosis. Bayer shares jumped almost 5% on the news that the court would hear the case. The court has yet to announce when it will hear arguments in the dispute. In a statement, Bayer CEO Bill Anderson said the courts decision was an important step in our multi-pronged strategy to significantly contain this litigation. It is time for the U.S. legal system to establish that companies should not be punished under state laws for complying with federal warning label requirements, Anderson said. An attorney for the plaintiff did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Missouri Court of Appeals rejected the German pharmaceutical and biotechnology companys contention that federal law governing pesticides bars lawsuits making claims over pesticides under state laws. Bayer is facing similar claims from approximately 65,000 plaintiffs in U.S. state and federal courts. Roundup is among the most widely used weedkillers in the United States. President Donald Trumps administration in December urged the Supreme Court to take up Bayers appeal. In a brief filed at the court, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer offered the administrations view that Bayer is correct in its reading of the law at issue. Bayer is arguing that consumers should not be able to sue it under state law for failing to warn that Roundup increases cancer risk because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found no such risk and requires no such warning. Bayer argued that federal law does not allow it to add any warning to the product beyond the EPA-approved label. The company has made the U.S. Supreme Court a key part of its strategy to manage the claims, as a ruling that federal law preempts claims brought under state law would shut down the vast majority of the lawsuits. Lawyers for Durnell had asked the Supreme Court to turn away Bayers appeal. They said Durnell relied on Bayers advertising and not just the label when he chose to use Roundup, and the companys marketing failed to warn consumers of the products risks. The company has paid about $10 billion to settle most of the Roundup lawsuits that were pending as of 2020, but failed to get a settlement covering future cases. New lawsuits have continued to pour in since then. Plaintiffs have said they developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma and other forms of cancer due to using Roundup, either at home or on the job. Bayer, which acquired Roundup as part of its $63 billion purchase of agrochemical company Monsanto in 2018, has said that decades of studies have shown Roundup and its active ingredient, glyphosate, are safe for human use. EPA has repeatedly determined that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic in humans, and the agency has repeatedly approved Roundup labels that did not contain cancer warnings, Sauer said in the administrations brief to the Supreme Court. The company has had a mixed record at trial in the Roundup lawsuits. Bayer has prevailed in a series of Roundup trials, but it was also hit with large jury awards in the past few years, including a $2.1 billion verdict in a case in the U.S. state of Georgia in 2025. Bayer has asked the Supreme Court to consider the Roundup litigation before, but was rebuffed in 2022. Since then, one federal appeals court agreed with the company in a split from other appeals courts. Bayer has threatened to withdraw Roundup from the U.S. market as it fights the litigation. The company replaced glyphosate in U.S. consumer products with different weed-killing substances. American International Group (AIG) announced a strategic partnership with global private markets firm CVC. The partnership, announced Jan. 19, includes the establishment of large-scale separately managed accounts (SMAs) across CVCs credit strategies, for which AIG will allocate up to $2 billion. An initial $1 billion will be deployed this year, AIG said. The partnership also includes the launch of CVCs private equity secondaries evergreen platform with AIG as a cornerstone investor, contributing up to $1.5 billion from its existing private equity portfolio to provide scale and a seed portfolio for the strategy. It also enables AIG to efficiently manage and transition its legacy private equity exposures. AIG said the companies expect to explore additional areas of collaboration over time. AIG chief executive Peter Zaffino, who the insurer said is stepping down at midyear, said CVC is a highly respected, world-class global investment manager and that the partnership is AIGs first with an European headquartered asset manager. CVC is headquartered in Luxembourg. We look forward to leveraging CVCs investment expertise and to the long-term value we will create through our strategic partnership. Zaffino said. Rob Lucas, CEO of CVC, said the SMA component of the deal demonstrates the depth of our credit platform and our capability to deliver bespoke, capital-efficient solutions for insurers worldwide. Related: Topics AIG The nations insurance commissioners and industry trade associations are looking to support efforts to put the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) back on the chopping block. Late last week, Rep. Troy Downing, R-Mont., introduced the McCarran-Ferguson Restoration Act to eliminate the FIO. Of course, the McCarran-Ferguson Act was passed in 1945 to solidify states regulatory authority over the insurance industry In 2010, the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act created the FIO as a subsidiary of the Treasury. Scott A. White, Virginia insurance commissioner and president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), said regulators strongly support the measure because it restores the proper balance between the states and the federal government. Insurance regulation has always been, and should always remain, a state responsibility, added White. This legislation eliminates a federal office that conflicted with that framework, while preserving a focused, non-regulatory role for Treasury to engage internationally and defend the U.S. sector and system of state-based supervision. Downings legislation also proposes the creation of a U.S. Insurance Representative, to be appointed by the Treasury Secretary, to assist in the administration of the federal terrorism insurance program, coordinate federal efforts on policy for international matters, and consult with state regulators on national insurance matters. The act also grants voting status to the state-based systems representative on the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). State insurance regulators currently have no vote on FSOC. The McCarran-Ferguson Restoration Act is a critical measure to preserve the strength of our state-based system of insurance regulationa framework that has protected consumers and ensured market stability for decades, said Sam Whitfield, senior vice president of federal government relations and political engagement for the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA). Congress created FIO with explicit language that it is not a regulatory agency, but the years since have seen repeated efforts by the office to test those limits and expand its power. Through needless data calls and reports, FIO has duplicated, or worse intruded on and undermined, the work being done by the states, and at a cost ultimately borne by consumers, Jimi Grande, senior vice president of federal and political affairs for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC). One of the more recent FIO reports was one on the the affordability and availability of insurance. FIO called it the most comprehensive data on homeowners insurance in history. Predictably, the opinion was not shared by the insurance industry. Related: Treasurys FIO Releases Flawed Homeowners Insurance Report David A. Sampson, CEO of APCIA, at the time said the FIO report provides an incomplete explanation about the affordability and availability of insurance. NAMICs Grande, said FIOs report was a frustration to anyone who understands the basic insurance principle of matching rate to risk. Downing, a former insurance regulator, last year introduced the Federal Insurance Office Elimination Act, which was additionally supported by the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big I). Also, in 2023, GOP members of the House of Representatives introduced a bill to ditch FIO. Bona fide expertise in Florida property insurance law is inching closer to reality, with new rules and new education initiatives. The Florida Bars Board of Governors in September approved proposed rules for a certification in insurance coverage law, and a comment period on the rules closed last week. The next step is review by the state Supreme Court. A certification, as outlined in the proposed rules, would require a number of measures that show experience in insurance litigation. These include at least five years of legal practice with at least 40% of that in insurance coverage law (down from seven years initially planned), and proof that the lawyer has performed at least 30 insurance-related services, such as drafting insurance provisions in contracts and representing policyholders or insurers in court, administrative, regulatory or arbitration proceedings. Applicants also would have to pass an examination that tests skills and proficiency. The idea, in the works since 2018, will help distinguish between attorneys plaintiffs or defense side who specialize in insurance matters and those who only dabble in that area, promoters have said. If finalized, it will be one of 28 certifications offered by the Florida Bar. To help educate Florida attorneys in the wide-ranging and still-evolving area of insurance law, a group of lawyers also is offering a Florida Insurance Coverage College seminar March 5 in Orlando. The inaugural event, with continuing education credits, is held in conjunction with the Florida Construction Law Institute. It will cover recent legislative changes, landmark appellate court decisions, bad-faith issues and emerging trends in technology and coverage disputes. This is an advanced course, not a beginners course. Its for judges, too, said Debbie Crockett, a policyholder attorney with the Cheffy Passidomo law firm. Crockett is co-chair of the event, along with attorney Michael Cassel. More information is available by emailing them at their addresses shown on the Florida Bar website. Read More About Insurance Law Certification Plan in Florida Topics Florida Education Universities With takeouts continuing at a steady pace and more carriers working the Florida property insurance market, state regulators saw fit to more than triple the size of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. recent rate decrease request. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation last week approved an 8.7% average decrease in rates for personal lines across most of the state. The move, touted by the Florida governor and the states chief financial officer, came a month after Citizens, the state-created insurer of last resort, asked for a 2.7% average decrease. That initial filing surprised some after four years of Citizens and primary market insurers urging OIR to raise Citizens rates to the maximum allowed. Going beyond a filings numbers is rare but not unheard of for OIR. Citizens CEO Tim Cerio, in fact, seemed to invite regulators to make deeper cuts. As the market continues to get better, OIR may grant even greater relief, Cerio said at the Dec. 10 Citizens Board of Governors meeting. Any decrease for Citizens is seen as a major reversal of the trend seen in recent years. In early 2022, Citizens indicated rate increase was 91% for homeowner policies. And in mid-2025, the Citizens board voted to request a 15% average personal lines rate increase, the maximum allowed by the statutory glidepath, for the first half of 2026. The idea was that higher, more market-based rates for Citizens would drive consumers to private insurance carriers, strengthening the market. Now, after the 2022 and 2023 legislative reforms that effectively limited claims litigation costs for insurers, Citizens 8.7% rate decrease approval is a politically appealing move, helping to assuage the pain of the big premium spikes most Florida property owners felt from 2016 to 2024. Florida officials hailed the cut, despite some concerns that it could reverse the trend toward primary-market carriers. We are seeing nothing but good news across all data points for Floridas auto and home insurance markets. These positive results are entirely related to our historic tort reforms, driven largely by Governor DeSantis leadership, Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky said in a statement last week. Some 330,000 Citizens policyholders should see some relief from the new rate level. The insurer, which had grown to be the largest in the state with more than 1.3 million policies in force in 2023, now holds about 395,000 policies, making it the third-largest in the state behind Universal Property & Casualty and State Farm Florida. Topics Trends Florida Pricing Trends Edison International sued Los Angeles County and other public agencies for allegedly failing to ensure timely evacuation alerts that the company says could have saved most of the 19 people who died in a massive wildfire last year. If the lawsuits the company filed jointly Friday with its Southern California Edison unit succeed, they would spread blame for the death toll in last Januarys Eaton wildfire, one of the most destructive in the states history. The utility already faces suits by hundreds of homeowners and businesses and billions of dollars in potential damages. Related: The Return Period for An LA Wildfire-Scale Event May Be Shorter Than You Think How the lawsuits play out over the Eaton Fire and a separate fire that decimated the coastal Pacific Palisades area loom large as the second-largest US metropolis seeks to recover from the twin disasters. Together, the Eaton and Palisades fires killed more than 30 people, charred almost 40,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures. Insured losses from the January 2025 blazes totaled $40 billion making them the worlds priciest catastrophe last year, according to insurer Swiss Re AG. The conflagrations also rank among the costliest individual wildfire events in the insurance-industrys history, according to insurer Gallagher Re. Related: LA Fire Survivors Got a Rude Surprise That Could Hit More Americans Residents and business owners have argued in lawsuits that Edison is responsible for catastrophic property destruction by leaving some power lines turned on during a windstorm prior to ignition of the Eaton Fire in the brush-covered foothills near Pasadena. Edison Chief Executive Officer Pedro Pizarro has acknowledged the companys equipment will likely be found to have triggered the blaze. An ongoing investigation of the Eaton Fire is being conducted by the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Edison said in the main case it filed Friday that while numerous lawsuits blame the company for sparking the fire, many factors and causes contributed to the severity of the fire and the resulting damage caused by it, including actions and failures by about a dozen government entities some of which previously sued Edison. The defendants named by Edison include LA Countys fire, sheriffs and emergency preparedness departments that allegedly fumbled the evacuation warnings; the local water companies that allegedly failed to supply enough water for firefighting; and county fire officials who allegedly failed to maintain overgrown vegetation that fed the fire. Edison also took aim at officials who allegedly failed to provide enough paratransit services for elderly residents; the local natural gas supplier, Southern California Gas Company, that allegedly didnt shut off flammable gas lines; and the contractor hired by the county to provide emergency communications. That contractor, San Diego-based Genasys Inc., already has been sued by families of people killed in the Eaton Fire, accused of digital redlining for not sending timely warnings to residents of a moderate-income, historically African American neighborhood in Altadena where 18 fatalities occurred during the wind-whipped blaze that started on Jan. 7. Genasys, a software maker that provides mobile-phone alert technology, denied wrongdoing in that case. Chris Gilbride, a spokesperson for SoCalGas, said the company is reviewing the lawsuit and will respond in court. Since January 7, 2025, SoCalGas has worked diligently, in close coordination with local and state officials, to assess the impacts of the fires on SoCalGas infrastructure, make necessary repairs, and safely restore service to thousands of customers, he said in a statement. The LA County agencies declined to comment. Genasys didnt respond to a request for comment. Among the specific allegations in the lawsuits: The first evacuation notices that went out to the western Altadena neighborhood arrived more than nine hours after the start of the Eaton Fire. SoCalGas took four days to commence natural gas shutoffs after the start of the Eaton Fire, in contrast to the Palisades Fire, where the company started shutoffs within one day. The water systems servicing the areas impacted by the Eaton Fire failed as the fire spread, leaving firefighters and residents with no water to fight the fire. The county had not designated Altadena as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, where the abundance of brush and vegetation allowed the fire to spread rapidly. The wealthier enclave of Pacific Palisades is served by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. That utility is fighting a mountain of litigation over claims that it didnt have enough water on hand for firefighters to douse wind-whipped flames before the Palisades Fire consumed neighborhoods filled with multimillion-dollar homes. In July, Edison launched a private compensation program for victims of the Eaton Fire. Almost 2,000 victims have filed claims through the program as of this month, according to a company spokesman. The goal is to provide quicker payouts to victims, but the program has been criticized by plaintiffs lawyers as an attempt to get victims to accept less compensation for their losses. For victims whove filed lawsuits, an initial trial is set for January 2027 in Los Angeles Superior Court. In addition to claims by property owners, Edison also faces suits by Los Angeles County, some local cities and the federal government over hundreds of millions of dollars in costs to respond to the blaze and repair damaged infrastructure and property. The cases are likely to implicate Californias $21 billion wildfire insurance fund set up by state policymakers to ensure Californias utilities stay solvent. The fund was created in the wake of wildfires over a 10-year period that forced PG&E Corp., the states largest utility, to file for bankruptcy protection in 2019 to deal with a tidal wave of fire suits. Top photo: Firefighters battle the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. Copyright 2026 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits Louisiana A Portland, Oregon, boy is struggling to recover from infant botulism after drinking contaminated ByHeart baby formula donated through a program that aims to help poor and homeless families. Ashaan Carter, now 10 months old, was hospitalized twice and remains on a feeding tube after contracting the dangerous infection that has sickened more than 50 babies across the U.S. His mother, Angel Carter, said she received a can of ByHeart formula from a case worker with the Oregon Department of Human Services in early November, days before a nationwide recall of the product. Related: Nestle Recalls Infant Formula Batches in 25 Countries Over Toxin Risk Carter, who receives state food and housing assistance, said she had been exclusively breastfeeding her son, but her milk supply was waning. The case worker told the 27-year-old that the ByHeart formula was closest to breast milk and could help, she said. I accepted it thinking, OK, Im hoping my baby can get on a bottle,' Carter said. Its been all downhill since then. State officials wouldnt comment on Carters case, but they acknowledged that the agency received ByHeart formula from PDX Diaper Bank. That was one of nearly two dozen nonprofit groups nationwide who are part of ByHearts OpenHearted Initiative that donated formula to families in need, according to the companys website. Since June 2022, nearly 24,000 cans of formula have been distributed to groups that aid homeless and other vulnerable families, the company said. All the companys products have been recalled since production began in March 2022 because of potential contamination. Related: Target, Walmart, Whole Foods Targeted in Botulism Suits Soon after consuming the ByHeart formula, Ashaan developed severe constipation and muscle weakness, becoming so limp that he couldnt move his head, Carter said. After a trip to an emergency room, he was sent to Randall Childrens Hospital in Portland. Doctors there diagnosed him with presumed infant botulism tied to the ByHeart formula, according to Dr. Sylvia Peterson-Perry, a family medicine doctor who delivered Ashaan and cares for him and his mother. He was treated with BabyBIG, an IV medication that provides antibodies to the infection to stop the progress of the disease. Ashaan was hospitalized for nearly two weeks in November and discharged without a feeding tube. His health rapidly declined, including dramatic weight loss, and he was hospitalized again in December. He got so sick that his mother was afraid he would die. He was just withering away, Carter said. The Oregon caseworker texted Carter after the recall, she said, warning her to stop using the formula. But it was too late for Ashaan, who had to have the feeding tube down his throat replaced because his muscles remain weak, his doctor said. Its not clear how long it will remain. He is having to relearn how to crawl and to talk. Its devastating, especially for our vulnerable families who are trusting this product to nourish their child and trusting our social services to provide safe food for their babies, Peterson-Perry said. ByHeart had partnered with Baby2Baby, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that includes high-profile celebrities among its supporters. The news outlet Healthbeat was first to report that recalled formula went to groups serving at-risk families. PDX Diaper Bank received about 400 cans of donated ByHeart formula through Baby2Baby and distributed more than 300 of them before they were recalled, Rachel Alston, the groups executive director, said in an email. All of our partners confirmed that they took immediate action to inform families, and we offered support where we could along the way, she said in an email. Baby2Baby officials did not respond to email requests for comment. ByHeart officials said the company worked with Baby2Baby and other groups that received formula to ensure that the products were pulled and families were notified. No new cases of infant botulism tied to the outbreak have been reported since Dec. 17, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has conducted inspections at ByHeart plants, but has released no information about the source of the outbreak. Production remains shut down. Seattle food safety lawyer Bill Marler said Carter is one of more than 30 families he represents whose babies were sickened by ByHeart products. At least 18 lawsuits have been filed against ByHeart and stores that sold the contaminated formula. This week, Marler asked a federal panel to consolidate the cases in a U.S. district court in New York. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Oregon A call for an EU-wide voluntary milk supply reduction scheme has been made by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA). ICMSA president Denis Drennan has called for the scheme in the hopes it will reduce supply coming into the markets in a way that has been proven to put a floor under the falling farmer milk price. Mr Drennan said such a voluntary scheme was a "tried and tested" method that had previously worked in very similar circumstances and would provide badly needed support for farmers in Ireland and right across the EU as they face into the critical late-spring or early summer peak production period. Global supplies are currently up 2.3% between January-November 2025 compared to a deficit of 0.1% within the same period in 2024, highlighting the current oversupply on the global market. Mr Drennan said: The market has probably over-corrected, but as usual the only person paying the price for this market turbulence is the dairy farmer. "No one else in the dairy sector, whether personally or as a business, is taking the kind of financial hit that results from a milk price falling from over 50 cents per litre to below 33 cents per litre in some cases. "No-one or no other part of the sector is losing so much as a cent; its the farmer whos taking the hit for the whole sector, with everyone else using the farmers wipeout as the equivalent of a reset button for the whole sector. "Everyone along the supply chain benefits from a market upturn, but only the farmer suffers from a market downturn. Its so obvious, and it must be addressed. Mr Drennan said the EU Commission and the Irish Government were never done preaching about the need for sustainability at the farm level. To deliver sustainable prices, global milk supplies need to come down, and the EU had the mechanism to ensure that that happened. The over-supply is global, but the EU can and should be fixing whats within its own power to fix; it should be doing what it can do inside its own gate. "In 2016, the EU introduced an EU-wide Voluntary Reduction Scheme, which provided a payment to individual farmers to voluntarily cut their milk supplies for a specified period. "The scheme worked almost immediately by changing market sentiment and, critically, it provided dairy farmers with an option of either producing more, the same, or less milk in a market downturn, said Mr Drennan. The ICMSA president said the proposal would doubtless be opposed by some elements. But those objecting were obliged to propose their own solutions, and just waiting around for the market to turn up of its own accord was going to inflict massive and possibly irreversible damage on the most valuable sector of Irish agri-exports. The EMB (European Milk Board) is strongly advocating this solution to what is rapidly becoming a market collapse and the Irish Government should throw its full weight behind an easy and affordable solution that will restore market balance in a speedy and transparent way, concluded Mr Drennan. Amble, CMAT, and Dove Ellis are among the artists shortlisted for the RTE Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2025. The annual RTE Choice Music Prize, which has become one of the music industry's highlights of the year since its inception in 2005, celebrates the best in Irish recorded music. The shortlist includes: Amble Reverie Bricknasty Blacks Law Joshua Burnside Teeth of Time CMAT EURO-COUNTRY Dove Ellis Blizzard Junior Brother The End Just Mustard WE WERE JUST HERE pot-pot - Warsaw 480km Maria Somerville - Luster SPRINTS All That Is Over Chosen from the shortlist of 10 albums by a panel of 11 Irish music media professionals and industry experts, the Irish Album of the Year 2025, in association with The Irish Music Rights Organization (IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA), will be announced live from Vicar St on RTE 2FM in a special show on Thursday, March 5. Hosted by Beta Da Silva, the show will feature live performances from some of the shortlisted acts, with further details on the line-up to be announced soon. Speaking about how he looks forward to honouring and celebrating the best in Irish music, Choice Music Prize co-founder, Dave Reid, said: The breadth and diversity of Irish music right now is astounding, typified by recent Choice Music Prize winners Fontaines D.C., CMAT and more doing so well on the world stage. We look forward to honouring and celebrating the best in Irish music in partnership with RTE through our week of shortlist announcements on the Tracy Clifford show beginning on January 19 and ending with the 21st edition of the RTE Choice Music Prize Live event on Thursday, March 5 at Vicar St. Willie Kavanagh of IRMA also acknowledged the unparalleled success of Irish music sales in 2025. Tickets for the Vicar St special show are on sale via Ticketmaster. The winning Album of the Year act will receive 10,000, a prize fund which has been provided by IMRO and IRMA, and all shortlisted acts will receive a specially commissioned award. WHEN KPop Demon Hunters landed on Netflix in June 2025, it became a global phenomenon. By August, it had become the streaming giants most-watched movie, topping the Netflix global charts in 93 countries. By January 2026, the Korean animated film had half-a-billion views (522.8 million). An associated show, KPop Forever, is already booked out for its February and May run at Cork Opera House. In a world where we are bombarded by content, KPop Demon Hunters is a unicorn that rare thing with universal appeal. The characters are not only hugely popular with viewers, but the movie is praised by critics for its themes of friendship and resilience. Rumi, Mira, and Zoey are a KPop girl group called Huntr/x (pronounced Huntrix). On the side, the trio are also demon hunters, tasked with protecting the world from a group of demons disguised as a rival KPop boy band, the Saja Boys. What follows is a showdown between the Saja Boys and Huntr/x, where the fate of the world is at stake. The girls are trained in martial arts and the fight sequences showcase their skills, but humorously for a younger audience. With their tight friendship, singing and performing chops, and physical abilities, its little wonder the trio have proven such a hit with young girls. Psychotherapist Bethan ORiordan says children can learn from the KPop Demon Hunters characters. Child psychotherapist Bethan ORiordan says KPop Demon Hunters has given children inspiring characters and empowering scenarios to experiment with in real-life play. Playing, for a lot of children, has gone online through the likes of iPads or gaming with their friends, ORiordan says. KPop Demon Hunters has given children, maybe more so girls, something new that they can play in real life. Play is the language of children. Its how they figure out friendship, how they act things out, how they try to become something else. With Demon Hunters, they can play characters like Rumi, Mira, or Zoey actual characters they can become. And become them they have, in their droves. At my seven-year-old daughters Halloween school disco last year, I lost track of the number of Rumis (the lead character) who strode into the hall. And when the DJ played 'Golden', the runaway hit from the movie, the scenes were glorious: Dozens of young girls, arms around each other, jumping up and down, screaming the lyrics, Were goin up, up, up, its our moment. You know together were glowin. Gonna be, gonna be golden. The soundtrack is a key part of the movies success, with anthems like 'Golden' and girl-power battle cries like 'How Its Done' topping charts around the world. 'Golden' also took home the best song award at the Golden Globes and has been nominated for song of the year at the Grammys this year. Girl power empowers For Cork-based primary school teacher Roisin Normoyle, her seven-year-old daughter Cara's love of the movie is primarily about the music and the different singing styles. She loves the rap bits but also belting out 'Golden'. She also loves the girl power theme in the movie. For my young daughter, Daisy, the characters physical strength is highly appealing. Theyre so strong, and theyre so good at fighting the demons, she says when I ask her what she likes best about the movie. As well as being literal, the demons in the movie represent negative emotions, like shame, fear, and self-doubt. As a Korean movie, the demons also portray creatures from the countrys folklore that symbolise inner darkness and societal pressures. What we see in Rumis internal struggle is that real freedom comes from accepting our demons. In therapy, we talk about the different parts of a person. And, for me, this movie is a really good representation of that idea, says ORiordan. So, weve got the part that wants to hide, weve got the part that wants to fight the demons, weve got the part that can be an idol, and what the movie shows is that you can be a bit of everything. "Having self-doubt doesnt stop you from having a great life. Its just one part of your life. And this is something thats great for kids to see and great for them to know, that if you have a problem in one part of your life, you can still enjoy other bits of your life. What KPop Demon Hunters does well, says ORiordan, is emphasise friendship and a support system. We all have ups and downs, we all struggle. Whats helpful about this movie is its compassionate approach to those struggles: Rumis friends are there to help her get through. If we teach kids to fight their emotions, then it tells them they have to be tough or to just get over it. But what we want to teach kids is that its all right to fall down, because your friends or family help you get back up again. Normoyle says she is conscious of trying to build her daughters resilience by praising her for taking on a challenge or for persisting with something. Shell often then make the connection back to the characters she admires doing similar things. Movies a way to bond Psychotherapist and author Stella OMalley says movies can play an important role, particularly in helping parents connect with their children and start conversations about difficulties they might be having. Psychotherapist and author Stella OMalley says movies can play an important role, particularly in helping parents connect with their children and start conversations about difficulties they might be having. Films like KPop Demon Hunters, Frozen, and Inside Out are ideal for parents who are worried about their children. They can offer them a way in, she says. Often, if you kneel in front of your child and ask whats wrong, they might not respond to that. Theyll either go blank or feel scared that their mother or father thinks things arent OK. And so a film like [ KPop Demon Hunters] opens the door. It allows you to sit beside them and chat as the movie is playing, or, afterwards, you might say something like, That kind of reminds me of x or y. Its the way in. OMalley says she will often suggest specific content or films for her clients to watch if they are concerned about their child. I would say, watch this piece of content or this movie first on your own and then watch it with them dont let them know youre watching it a second time. By doing this, youre ready, youll know what you want to say and when you want to say it. For example, with KPop Demon Hunters and its theme of friendships, you could easily pause it and say, Do you ever think that maybe some of the friendships youre experiencing, theyre not as loyal as were seeing here? In this way, says OMalley, youre not necessarily pointing something out and saying, Isnt this great?; youre pointing to this group of loyal friends and suggesting that this is something your child may not be experiencing in their own friend group. Exploring emotions and enabling conversations about their storylines make movies a valuable tool in any parents arsenal. Having emotions in the movie is really great, and I think it can be a nice way for parents to talk about scenarios and feelings, says OMalley. But its really the in-the-moment stuff of how the parent responds to the child when theyre struggling that has the most impact. KPop Demon Hunters normalises emotional struggles, but the role of the parent is to keep that normalisation at home. Theres a lot for everybody to learn. Campaigners have branded a move to launch accredited courses in collaboration with Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI) as a cynical attempt to distract from serious animal welfare issues. The Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) has signed a memorandum of understanding with GRI which will see them work together to launch two new programmes. The development forms part of GRIs five-year strategy, published last summer, which committed to introducing education and outreach programmes. The greyhound racing industry has faced increased scrutiny in recent years after a series of documented animal welfare issues. Nuala Donlon of Greyhound Action Ireland described the launch of the new courses at TUS as a cynical attempt by the greyhound board to pretend it cares about welfare in the industry. She called on TUS to clarify why it has aligned itself with such a toxic activity. Its so out of step with how the public opinion on greyhound racing is going, she said. Once again taxpayer money will be used to try and paper over the cracks of an industry that has cruelty and mass killing endemic to it. The technological university said the courses have been designed to advance education, professional standards and animal welfare across Irelands greyhound industry. Fees for the 15-week Certificate in Greyhound Welfare & Husbandry Level 6 course total 1,000, with GRI to cover 75% of applicants fees. The course, aimed at people already working in the greyhound industry, is designed to build welfare and husbandry knowledge. TUS has also launched a special purpose award in greyhound health, injuries & drug analysis, with further information on the course expected soon. Ms Donlon said an analysis of Greyhound Racing Irelands traceability system shows that of the 12,483 dogs born in 2021, 5,118 are dead or unaccounted for. She added that in 2024, 5% of all dogs put out to race on greyhound tracks were dead before the end of the race, or soon after. The figures for the first eight months of 2025 show a similar trend, she added. However, these figures were not acknowledged by the GRI when queried by the Irish Examiner. It cited a recent letter to the editor sent by its chief executive Tim Lucey in which he said verified figures, from January to June last year, showed more than 1,000 track and kennel inspections conducted, with a compliance rate of 95.2% fully compliant. In terms of testing and sample compliance, 3,827 samples were taken, with a rate of 99.3% compliance with regulatory standards. A spokeswoman for GRI said the course forms part of its five-year strategy, which has been fully signed off by the Department of Agriculture. This educational initiative demonstrates a shared commitment to education, professional development, and the ongoing improvement of standards within the industry, she said. By offering fully accredited courses through TUS, we are creating pathways for skills development, innovation, and career opportunities for individuals working within the sector. A surgeon has been found guilty of professional misconduct and poor professional performance by the Medical Council over delays in seeking help for a teenager who died after suffering massive blood loss during surgery. University Hospital Limericks Dr Ashish Lal admitted to the fitness-to-practise committee he did not ask for help during the complex surgery, which he admitted performing without having adequate experience or surgical support. On Tuesday, during a short hearing at the inquiry, the committee found Dr Lal guilty on three counts of professional misconduct and 10 counts of poor professional performance in relation to the death of 18-year-old Jessica Sheedy. During the hearing, which began on Monday, the committee heard Dr Lal who was present for the inquiry did not seek assistance from a vascular surgeon in a sufficiently timely manner after Ms Sheedy suffered major blood loss during the procedure he performed on her on May 8, 2018. The beauty therapist from Bruff, Co Limerick, suffered multiple organ failure and died three days later following complications that arose during surgery for the removal of a tumour in her abdomen. Dr Lal made full admissions to three allegations of professional misconduct and 10 allegations of poor professional performance between November 2017 and May 2018. Members of Ms Sheedy's family were present at the two-day hearing. 'Serious failings' On Tuesday, the fitness-to-practise committee said there were serious failings in relation to Dr Lal's performance that fell below the standards expected of doctors. The inquiry found Dr Lal presented the case before an oncology multidisciplinary team meeting on January 19, 2018, in circumstances where he knew or ought to have known this was not the appropriate forum to discuss the treatment plan and/or consideration of surgery in relation to the patient. Under commencement of the intra-operative hemorrhage, he: Failed to take appropriate steps by stopping/pausing the procedure and failing to await vascular surgical assistance; Did not seek vascular surgical assistance in a sufficiently timely manner; Misleadingly stated and /or documented to his colleagues and/or the patients family that he had obtained a second opinion on proceeding with a biopsy. An expert witness for the Medical Council, Anant Desai, claimed it was a deliberate act by Dr Lal so his decision to carry out the surgery would not be challenged, which had profound consequences". Jessica Sheedy. Ms Sheedy, 18, a beauty therapist from Bruff, Co Limerick, died three days after suffering multiple-organ failure from complications which arose during surgery to remove a tumour from her abdomen. The committee said all factual allegations against Dr Lal which he admitted had been proven beyond all reasonable doubt. The inquiry heard a rare but benign form of tumour measuring 14cm had been detected in Ms Sheedy's abdomen after she had presented at UHL in October 2017. The committee heard Dr Lal had underestimated the complexity of the surgery and had failed to plan adequately for the potential risks and adverse outcomes associated with the procedure. The Medical Councils barrister Neasa Bird said Dr Lal also failed to review CT images of the tumour with a radiologist before the operation. Ms Bird said Ms Sheedy had to be brought back to theatre for further emergency surgery due to an inadequate blood flow to her legs, and she also had to have her entire large intestine removed. After her death three days later, Ms Sheedys parents, James and Ann Sheedy, made a formal complaint to the Medical Council. University Hospital Limerick has since apologised to the Sheedy family. In a statement, HSE Mid West said Ms Sheedy lost her life because of a series of significant and avoidable clinical errors in the lead-up to and during her surgery. It said its investigations concluded that adequate safeguards were not in place to prevent this high-risk operation. There is no doubt that we failed Jessica and her family. The failure was one of significant proportions, with clear catastrophic consequences. It is with a profound sense of remorse and regret that Jessica lost her life owing to our failures, said Sandra Broderick, HSE Mid West regional executive officer. 'Beautiful young girl' The family described their daughter as a beautiful young girl loved beyond words by her family and friends". She would have had her whole life ahead of her but unfortunately it was taken in such a cruel way, the parents said. They said Dr Lal gave them the impression a large team of doctors would be assisting him in the theatre instead two junior doctors were in attendance. University Hospital Limericks Dr Ashish Lal admitted to the fitness-to-practise committee he did not ask for help during the complex surgery. Picture: Liam Burke/Press 22 A clinical nurse said she rang vascular surgeon Eamonn Kavanagh during the operation when the complications arose, but Dr Lal declined his help. Prof Kavanagh expressed surprise Dr Lal had not contacted him about Ms Sheedys case or even mentioned it when he had seen him briefly prior to the operation. In his statement, he said there was a long-standing practice of having two consultants in theatre for complex surgery. The inquiry heard Dr Lal had continued to work on removing Ms Sheedys tumour after she had suffered major hemorrhaging to see the source of the bleeding more clearly. The consultant claimed not a day goes by that he does think of the teenager and the tragedy which occurred, and also acknowledged there were lessons learnt". Proposal for sanctions will be heard on Wednesday. A retired District Court judge has gone to the High Court in a bid to strike out a personal injuries action against him by a woman who alleges he sexually assaulted her at a book launch in Kerry. Judge James O'Connor of Glenbeigh, Co Kerry, who retired from the bench in 2018, has denied all allegations. The High Court heard that gardai had investigated the matter and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had decided against a criminal prosecution over the alleged assault. Jill St John Harrington, aged 49, from Tralee, is claiming damages for alleged sexual assault and alleged trespass to the person in what she claims were two alleged incidents at the Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney, in October 2017. The former judge is seeking an order striking out the proceedings or an order permanently staying the action. In a statement of claim, Ms St John Harrington said she had previously appeared before the judge in relation to civil law proceedings, and in 2017 she was attending a book launch at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney for the autobiography of Colm The Gooch Cooper. She said after the book signing, there was tea and coffee, and she claims she and the judge started talking. She claimed the judge allegedly positioned himself to the right side of her body, and she claimed she could feel his hand touching her hip and then allegedly moving down towards her private parts. She claims she was shocked and unable to speak. Later, she claims she was walking through the hotel when she alleged the judge came directly across her path. She alleged he positioned himself in front of her, and that he put his arms around her, and he later slapped her on the buttocks. Ms St John Harrington claimed she was extremely distressed and shocked by the alleged assault, and her GP diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder. In an affidavit, the retired judge said he believed that it was a malicious, ill-motivated and entirely unfounded claim, and he said he never at any stage inappropriately touched Ms St John Harrington. He contends it is a vexatious claim, and this, he submits, is demonstrated by the alleged delay which he says has occurred and the manner by which the matter has advanced. No criminal prosecution He said the criminal complaint made was fully investigated, and he was interviewed at length by gardai in April 2018. He said in December 2018, his solicitors were informed by gardai, confirming that the Office of the DPP had directed no prosecution be instituted. He said in October 2023, he was completely taken aback when he received pleadings in the case. Mr OConnor also claims that if the action proceeds, he will be placed in a position where he will have to identify persons who attended the book launch in 2017 and ascertain whether they still remember what occurred six years ago. Grounds for strike out At the High Court, Elizabeth Murphy BL, for Mr O'Connor, applied to strike out the action against her client on grounds of delay. Ms Murphy said the central thrust of the case was for "personal injuries" and that her side claimed that the action was statute-barred. She said the woman had claimed a GP diagnosed her with PTSD, but counsel said a GP cannot diagnose PTSD. Ms Murphy said the retired judge was not on notice of a Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) notification because papers were sent to an address where Mr O'Connor did not live. She said it was not, therefore, a "bona fide" application and that the woman was seeking to use the court "as she sees fit, as opposed to what is required". Ms Murphy said she was asking the court to strike out the matter on "procedural grounds", not on jurisdictional grounds, and that the case was brought outside of the two-year time limit. Grounds against strike out Laurence Masterson BL, for Ms St John Harrington, said that no allegation of negligence had been made in the case and that this meant that the limitation period in taking the case was therefore six years. Mr Masterson said the woman brought the proceedings within the time allowed, adding that there was nothing in the case to suggest any abuse of process and there was "no delay". He said the case was neither frivolous nor vexatious and that nothing in the evidence could have borne that out. Mr Justice Mark Heslin reserved judgment. There will be significant changes made to the Arts Council in the wake of its failed 6.7m IT project, ministers will hear on Tuesday. Arts minister Patrick ODonovan will update Government on the independent review into the Arts Council, with the report outlining 149 recommendations and including legislative proposals to improve the body. The report by Niamh Brennan says there are several key factors which lead to the failed Arts Council IT project. These include how the Arts Councils business case understated the costs of the IT project, a lack of ICT and project management expertise, and an over-reliance on third-party suppliers. It also found the scope of the project regularly changed, while systems of governance within the organisation failed. It describes the risk culture within the Arts Council as being immature, while also raising concerns about limited board oversight. The report adds departmental oversight was too informal, and issues with the IT project were not escalated to the appropriate levels. It is expected that Mr ODonovan will tell ministers there will be significant change at the Arts Council over the failed project, with engagement to take place between his department and its interim director. Infrastructure bottlenecks Separately, public expenditure minister Jack Chambers will update Cabinet on the Joint Utilities and Transport Clearing House infrastructure group, which aims to reduce bottlenecks and deal with issues slowing down project delivery. Mr Chambers will tell ministers about the work of the clearing house, which focuses on utilities and transport projects. Agencies will be asked to present the key issues blocking project delivery, which are then escalated and resolved. It is expected agencies will work proactively and in co-operation and inter-agency disputes arent allowed to delay projects for weeks and months, he said at the meeting before Christmas. Agencies involved include the ESB, Eirgrid, the NTA, TII, Irish Water and the Land Development Agency. It is expected the group will meet every six to eight weeks. 1bn housing infrastructure fund Meanwhile, housing minister James Browne is to tell ministers about the launch of the first funding call for a new 1bn fund for housing infrastructure. The fund will be managed by the Housing Activation Office, and it is aimed at supporting the development of infrastructure to unlock houses on sites across the country. Childrens Minister Norma Foley will update Cabinet on progress on the development of State-led childcare facilities. Ms Foley will seek approval for a preliminary business case for such facilities, with it expected to cover around 800 places in 2026. Ireland will use its presidency of the EU later this year to include the AI generation of non-consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material in the EUs AI Act. Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris met with a number of ministers to discuss the laws relating to the generation and sharing of sexual abuse images on social media in the wake of the scandal around Xs Grok tool and other AI apps which have been used to create nude photographs of adults and children. The Grok tool has been used to generate explicit images of women and children through what has been described as a nudification function. Ministers heard from Coimisiun na Mean on its work on these issues to date. It said it remains in regular contact with the European Commission on this work. Ministers agreed to accept all of the recommendations of the AI Advisory council, which include: Using our EU presidency to expand the list of prohibited practices under the AI Act which is EU law to include the generation of non-consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material; Supporting victim reporting with simple guidance for the public on reporting prohibited material; An information campaign; Standardising classification of online harms and creating a common framework to enable effective responses to AI-generated and automated abuse. Further legal measures are to be considered by the Attorney General and the minister for justice amid fears there are loopholes in the Irish laws governing non-consensual generation of images. Gaps in Irish law One source said the key motive behind the meeting was to ensure a similar situation around the generation of child sexual abuse material and non-consensual explicit images does not happen again. They added that, at present, there are no laws in place that ban the generation of non-consensual explicit images, and it only breaks the law once it is shared. The source said this was something the Government would need to look at down the road and address. The meeting included the Taoiseach, Tanaiste, AI minister of state Niamh Smyth, justice minister Jim OCallaghan, and communications minister Patrick ODonovan. On Monday, chairperson of the Oireachtas arts, media, communications, culture and sport committee Alan Kelly urged ministers to bring forward a clear and definitive plan to address platforms and AI tools. It is extremely important that all of Government is on the one page about this issue to ensure that Ireland is ready and able to enforce our own laws to protect children and all people against the horrific use of AI tools like Grok as has been seen in recent weeks. "I have already called on the Government to ensure that app stores like Apple and Google prevent access to Grok, a stop-gap measure but one which can at the very least stem widespread access to their tool. We know that Grok is only one of a myriad of these tools available unfortunately and any AI plan produced by Government must be extendable to any AI tool that has done or can produce sexual abuse materials. From kidnapping the Venezuelan president to unleashing a masked paramilitary force on his own people, and from threatening to invade Greenland to sulking over the Nobel Peace Prize in an unhinged letter to the Norwegian prime minister, Donald Trump has rarely appeared so volatile or so dangerous. He believes in the second term that nobody can stop him. In the first term, he didn't really know his way around the White House. He didn't know his way around the political machines. Please tell me where to go? A 14-year-old teenager has been possessed by a demon we tried healers, but they couldnt help has anyone encountered this? Moscow region. This is one of many similar pleas that have been circulating in Russias online communities in recent years. According to reports in Russian media outlets such as Gazeta.ru, thousands of people in Russia are actively discussing exorcisms on social media. This is a spiritual ritual performed by a handful of Russian priests to expel spirits or demons from a person who is believed to be possessed. Some people are travelling to well-known exorcism destinations such as Oryol Oblast, about 400km south of Moscow. A priest there called Father Igor, the official exorcist of the local diocese, performs a ritual called otchitka. The ritual involves the priest reciting a set of prayers to help those deemed to be under the influence of spirits. Other people are turning to the informal exorcism economy, which is offered by local mediums. Some have reported paying between 10,000 rubles (110) and 20,000 rubles (221) just for an initial consultation to determine whether they are truly possessed. Russias Orthodox Church warns exorcism attempts should be left to members of the clergy. Exorcism is embedded in the Orthodox tradition, with exorcism prayers first brought into Russian religious practice in the 17th century by Archbishop Peter Mogila. However, exorcisms remained rare until the late Soviet period. The most influential modern exorcist in Russia was Father German, a priest who began practising near Moscow in the 1980s. His reputation spread through word of mouth. Igumen Philaret, a man who knew Father German, described witnessing the following scene at one of his exorcisms: "One little boy was screaming terribly. He ripped away all his clothes and was rolling naked on the floor Mama, mama! Pull the tail out of my mouth! Father sprinkled him with holy water Then it became clear as is often the cause of demonic possession in children his mother had not repented of her abortions." But what happened in the 1980s to spur the interest in exorcisms in Russia? According to some researchers, such as Pavel Nosachev of HSE University in Moscow, the emotional strain caused by the gradual collapse of the Soviet Union led people to search for spirituality. As communist ideology waned, underground religious groups flourished and the Orthodox Church revived after decades of repression. Hypnotists and self-proclaimed psychic healers, such as Anatoly Kashpirovsky, also became prominent on television. A crisis in shared meaning produced a boom both in religious ritual and occult experimentation. This included exorcism. Media reporting suggests the business of banishing demons seen in present-day Russia is also reflective of a society under strain but, in this case, one grappling with the effects of the war in Ukraine. According to research on how humans cope with awareness of their death, religion works as a shield against existential anxieties. This can intensify during times of crisis, such as war. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, for example, church attendance increased worldwide, and Bible sales soared. The Russian Orthodox Churchs appointment of Vladimir Putin as chief exorcist in 2022 could also help explain why some Russians have been drawn into a fight with their inner demons. The Russian presidents appointment came after the Kremlin called for Ukraine to be desatanised. Exorcism tourism The renewed interest in exorcism within Russia may represent a broader cultural response to political and personal instability echoing the turbulence of the 1980s. But the country has also long nurtured an appetite for the paranormal. Russian audiences have spent nearly two decades watching the popular television show, Battle of the Psychics. This show showcases the supposed paranormal abilities of self-proclaimed healers, witches and mediums in various competitive challenges. A recent episode even featured a live exorcism. Just as Battle of the Psychics spawned a multimillion-ruble industry of celebrity healers, Russias wartime exorcism surge reveals a similar monetisation of fear and uncertainty. What was once a localised ritual appears to be evolving into a structured commercial service a phenomenon I call exorcism tourism. As Nosachev observed in 2023: Largely due to the connection with business tours for otchitkas or donations for an exorcism session this practice is now perceived as a commodity in a spiritual supermarket, which is characteristic of the consumer culture that has become a basis of the New Age. This commercialisation is visible in organised trips. Among the many adverts I have seen in recent years, a tour encouraging people facing difficult life circumstances or physical and spiritual illnesses to travel from Belarus to Russia for exorcism stands out. The itinerary includes a consultation and private conversation with well-known media exorcist Father Gusev, as well as an application for an exorcism. Father Gusev fronts a rock band called 'The Exorcist', with the tours website claiming he has performed more than 15,000 exorcisms in 26 years. In a country unsettled by war, uncertainty and spiritual volatility, Russias exorcism economy looks to be advancing. For some Russians, it seems exorcisms offer not just a ritual but a sense of control amid everyday chaos. Santa Kravcenko is a lecturer in management at the University of Lancashire. This article appeared in The Conversation Hind Rajabs voice stayed with me long after the credits rolled on The Voice of Hind Rajab. The terrified six-year-old girls pleas over the phone to the Palestine Red Crescent Society are harrowing to hear, particularly when we know the horrific outcome. On January 29, 2024, Hind was fleeing Gaza City with her aunt, uncle and four cousins when their car was attacked. Everyone in the car, bar Hind, were killed, and she was left alone, surrounded by her dead relatives, pleading for help. The Palestine Red Crescent Society spoke on the phone with Hind for more than three hours while they did everything they could to coordinate with the authorities to safely send an ambulance to her rescue. After a painstaking wait, they finally received the green light and sent two paramedics, Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun, to rescue Hind. They made it to within 50m of her location before contact was lost. Twelve days later, Hind and both paramedics, Yusuf and Ahmed, were found dead. The Voice of Hind Rajab is a film made in close cooperation with our colleagues in Palestine Red Crescent Society. It is a disturbing, deeply moving film. Through a simple phone call, the film lays bare the horror of war for children and ordinary families. Hind Rajab, 6, who was found dead in Gaza almost two weeks after calling for help It also captures the immense risk faced by humanitarian workers trying to help children like Hind and the horrific outcome for some of those brave and selfless first responders. How could Hind, a six-year-old little girl be killed in such horrific circumstances? A six-year-old in the Butterfly class in Happy Childhood preschool, who loved playing on the beach with her baby brother? Less than a year later, in March 2025, the final words of another Red Crescent colleague, Rifat Radwan, were recorded on his phone just before he, and 14 other paramedics, were killed. Forgive me mother, I chose this path to help people. Since 2022, (according to UN Human Rights Count), there has been a steady increase in the number of children, civilians and humanitarian workers targeted and killed in conflicts around the globe. We cannot allow this erosion of our humanitarian values to continue. What happened to Hind, Yusuf and Ahmed should never have happened. Under international humanitarian law, civilians, humanitarian and medical personnel can never be targets. We must demand accountability for Hinds death and the tens of thousands of children like her who have been killed in the occupied Palestinian territory, and in other conflicts around the world. A still from 'The Voice of Hind Rajab'. We must demand first responders like Yusuf and Ahmed can help civilians safely, without fear of being targeted. We must demand that states, and those fighting in armed conflict, adhere to international humanitarian law, and hold to account those who do not abide by the law. We might ask does the law ever work? How can we have faith in international humanitarian law when it did not protect Hind and her rescuers? While we cannot quantify it, we know it can and does work; every time an ambulance in a war zone safely reaches someone in need, every time an aid truck successfully passes through a checkpoint, and every time a hospital or school is spared from attack. But this should be the norm, from which there should not be any deviation. Nisreen Qawas, director of the Mental Health Department at Palestine Red Crescent Society was one of the primary responders who spoke on the phone with Hind, trying to calm and comfort her. As Nisreen put it, Hind Rajab is the heard voice of all the unheard voices of the 20,000 children killed in Gaza in the last two years. We must heed Hinds voice and we must not be silent in the face of inhumanity. Deirdre Garvey is secretary general of the Irish Red Cross Light House cinema, Dublin, will screen The Voice of Hind Rajab today, Tuesday January 20, at 6pm, after which the Irish Red Cross will host a live, expert panel discussion and Q&A about international humanitarian law and what people in Ireland can do to demand its respect around the world. To join this important conversation and book tickets visit The Voice of Hind Rajab: Film Screening and Panel Discussion Irish Red Cross Comedian and actor Russell Brand has been granted bail at Westminster Magistrates Court after being accused of two further sex offences, including rape. Brand previously denied two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault in relation to alleged offences between 1999 and 2005, involving four women. On Tuesday, the 50-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court via video link from the US accused of one further count of rape and one of sexual assault, which are both alleged to have taken place in 2009. Wearing a denim shirt with a number of buttons undone, Brand spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth during the six-minute hearing. He was granted bail to appear at Southwark Crown Court on February 17. The two latest alleged offences took place in London, according to court documents. A trial is scheduled to begin at Southwark Crown Court later this year in relation to the five original charges. Brand, of Oxfordshire, is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room while she attended a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, and grabbing a TV workers breasts and orally raping her after dragging her into a male toilet, the court heard in May last year. He is also alleged to have grabbed a radio station workers face, pushing her against a wall and kissing her before groping her breasts and buttocks. The other charge of the original five alleges that the actor indecently assaulted another woman after grabbing her forearm and attempting to drag her into a male toilet. He was charged following an investigation by Channel 4 and The Sunday Times in which several women made allegations against him. Brand presented on Big Brother spin-off shows Big Brothers Big Mouth and Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack in the Noughties. He was married to US pop singer Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012 but is now married to Laura Gallacher, the sister of presenter Kirsty, and the pair have two children, Mabel and Peggy. The US president, Donald Trump, has suggested Britains decision to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is among the reasons he wants to take over Greenland. In a Truth Social post, he said the UKs plan to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is an an act of GREAT STUPIDITY. He said: "Shockingly, our brilliant NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. "There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. "Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. Thank you for your attention to this matter. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP." The text message from Emmanuel Macron that Mr Trump shared on his Truth Social platform as a screenshot was authentic, a source close to the French president said on Tuesday morning. It demonstrates that the French president defends the same line in public as in private, the source said, quoted by Reuters. Mr Macron told Mr Trump that he could set up a meeting after Davos in Paris on Thursday afternoon, the message showed. Mr Trumps reply, if any, was not part of the screenshot. This comes as Mr Trump has said he had a very good telephone call with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte concerning Greenland. The US president also said he had agreed to a meeting of various parties in Davos at the World Economic Forum (WEF), while not specifying who the parties were, Reuters reports. Israeli crews have begun bulldozing a United Nations headquarters in east Jerusalem as the government tightens restrictions on humanitarian groups that provide aid to Palestinians. UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, said on X that Israeli forces had confiscated staff devices and forced them out of their headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. This is an unprecedented attack not only against UNRWA and its premises. It constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, it said. A new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law, including of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, by the State of Israel. Early this morning, Israeli forces stormed the UNRWA Headquarters, a United Nations site, in East Jerusalem. Bulldozers pic.twitter.com/mKHg30KG7p UNRWA (@UNRWA) January 20, 2026 Israel has long decried UNRWA for what it said is pro-Palestinian leanings and accused the group of ties to Hamas which the UN agency has strongly denied. Israels Foreign Ministry said the demolition was following through on a new law that banned the organisation, accusing it of ties to militant groups and Hamas. National security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a statement that he had accompanied crews to the headquarters and called it a historic day. UNRWA maintains infrastructure in Palestinian refugee camps and also runs schools and provides healthcare to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as well as in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Palestinians say it is critical to ensuring people receive basic services but the group has for decades been a target of Israel. The UNRWA compound belongs to the UN agency that assists Palestinian refugees (Mahmoud Illean/AP) The Trump administration cut funding for the group in 2018. Israels Knesset last year passed legislation banning it from functioning in what it defines as Israel including east Jerusalem, where the organisation is headquartered. The ban dovetailed with broader efforts to deregister aid groups operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Israel has passed laws requiring non-governmental organisations not to hire staff involved in activities that delegitimise Israel or support boycotts, demanding they register lists of names as a condition of being allowed to work. Israeli authorities told dozens of groups that their licences would expire at the end of 2025. Russia has bombarded Ukraine with more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles in its latest night-time attack on the Ukrainian power grid, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The attack knocked out heating to more than 5,600 apartment buildings in the capital. Nearly 80% of the affected buildings had recently had their heating supply restored after a major Russian barrage on January 9 that plunged thousands of people into a days-long blackout, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Ukraine is enduring one of its coldest winters for years, with temperatures in Kyiv falling to -20C. At the same time, Russia has escalated its aerial attacks on the electricity supply, aiming to deny Ukrainians heat and running water and wear down their resistance almost four years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on February 24 2022. Ukraine is facing freezing temperatures (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraines 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP) Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials are trying to keep up the momentum of US-led peace talks. A Ukrainian negotiating team arrived in the United States on Saturday. Their main task was to convey how the relentless Russian strikes are undermining diplomacy, according to Mr Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader said last week that the delegation would also try to finalise with US officials documents for a proposed peace settlement that relate to post-war security guarantees and economic recovery. If American officials approve the proposals, the US and Ukraine could sign the documents at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, he said. Ukraines air force command said that 27 missiles and 315 drones were shot down or jammed, while five missiles and 24 drones hit 11 locations. The constant attacks have stretched Ukraines air defences and, according to Mr Zelensky, some systems recently ran out of ammunition before a new shipment arrived. He said that air defences are adopting a new approach, with the appointment of a new deputy air force commander, Pavlo Yelizarov. This system will be transformed, he said, without providing details. Ukraine relies on sophisticated air defence systems produced by Western countries, especially the US, to thwart Russias missile and drone attacks. US president Donald Trump on Tuesday vowed there was "no going back" on his goal to control Greenland, refusing to rule out taking the Arctic island by force and rounding on allies as European leaders struggled to respond. Trump's ambition - spelled out in social media posts and mock-up AI images - to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark has threatened to blow apart the alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades. It has also threatened to reignite a trade war with Europe that rattled markets and companies for months last year, though Trump's treasury secretary Scott Bessent pushed back against what he called "hysteria" over Greenland. "As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees!" Trump said after speaking to Nato secretary general Mark Rutte. To drive home the message, Trump posted an AI image of himself in Greenland, holding a US flag. Another showed him speaking to leaders next to a map showing Canada and Greenland as part of the United States. Separately, he leaked messages including from French president Emmanuel Macron, who questioned what Trump was "doing on Greenland". Trump, who has vowed to impose tariffs on countries who stood in his way, had earlier threatened to hammer French wines and champagnes with a 200% tariff. Harris warns Trump tariffs risk destabilising spiral for EU and Ireland Tanaiste Simon Harris warned the introduction of further tariffs by Mr Trump could cause a spiral of destabilising actions that could have dire consequences. The Tanaiste is in Brussels for a meeting of European finance ministers Speaking in Brussels, the Tanaiste warned that further tariffs could severely impact the Irish and European economies. The next number of days are really crucial when it comes to the EU-US relationship, and there is not an hour to spare, Mr Harris said. Its absolutely important that intensive diplomatic efforts are put under way to try and de-escalate an extraordinarily dangerous economic situation. We all know that tariffs are bad for the Irish economy. They're bad for the European economy. They're bad for the US economy as well, but this now goes deeper than that. This has the potential to cause a spiral of destabilising actions that could have dire consequences. Cool heads must prevail. There is not a moment to lose, and the next number of days will be crucial as Europe works to try and stabilise this situation and find a way forward. Mr Harris said the EU and the US are always stronger when they cooperate. The Tanaiste is in Brussels for a meeting of European finance ministers, and he said the EU could not lose sight of Ukraine at this time. BESSENT PUSHES BACK AGAINST 'HYSTERIA' The European Union has threatened to hit back with trade measures. One option is a package of tariffs on 93 billion euros ($109 billion) of US imports that could automatically kick in on February 6 after a six-month suspension. Another option is the "Anti-Coercion Instrument" (ACI), which has never yet been used. It could limit access to public tenders, investments or banking activity, or restrict trade in services, the sector in which the US has a surplus with the bloc, including the lucrative digital services provided by US tech giants. Protesters hold a banner reading "Trump not welcome" during a rally against the World Economic Forum in Davos and the visit of US President Donald Trump, in Zurich, Switzerland, on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP) "This is not a question about the Kingdom of Denmark, it is about the entire transatlantic relationship," Denmark's Economy Minister Stephanie Lose told journalists ahead of an EU meeting of economy and finance ministers in Brussels. "At this point in time, we do not believe that anything should be ruled out. This is a serious situation that, although we would like to de-escalate, there are others who are contributing to escalating it right now, and therefore we will have to keep all options on the table as we move forward." Bessent, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, said a solution would be found that ensures national security for the United States and Europe. "It's been 48 hours. As I said, sit back, relax," he said. "I am confident that the leaders will not escalate and that this will work out in a manner that ends up in a very good place for all." Asked about the prospect of a prolonged trade war between the United States and Europe, Bessent replied: "Why are we jumping there? Why are you taking it to the worst case?... Calm down the hysteria. Take a deep breath." However, in her own speech in Davos, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the series of recent geopolitical shocks will force the EU to build a new independent Europe. A person walks through a snow covered street in Nuuk, Greenland, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) "We will only be able to capitalise on this opportunity if we recognise that this change is permanent," she said. RUSSIA QUESTIONS DANISH SOVEREIGNTY OVER GREENLAND Trump will also this week attend the Davos gathering of the global political and business elite. Swiss newspaper NZZ reported that protesters marched in Zurich, Switzerland, late on Monday, carrying a giant banner saying: "TRUMP NOT WELCOME. NO WEF! NO OLIGARCHY! NO IMPERIALIST WARS!" The foreign minister of Russia, which has been watching with glee as Trump's drive to acquire Greenland widens splits with Europe, said on Tuesday that Greenland was not "a natural part" of Denmark. Trump's renewed tariff threats against European allies have revived talk of the 'Sell America' trade that emerged in the aftermath of his sweeping levies last April. Stock markets bore the brunt on Monday of fears that the trade war could re-escalate, with European equities dropping over 1% and US stock futures taking a similar hit that points to weakness following Monday's US public holiday. The dollar was on the back foot too, a sign that the world's No.1 reserve currency was also in the crosshairs of Trump's threat on Saturday to increase tariffs on Europe. - Reuters Vladimir Putin does not belong on the so-called Board of Peace for Gaza, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said, after Donald Trump confirmed he had invited the Russian president to join. Speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Ms Cooper said: Putin is not a man of peace, and I dont think he belongs in any organisation with peace in the name. She added that the most important organisation for the future of the territory is the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, which is made up of Palestinians. Gaza should be run by Palestinians. That is crucial, and that is what we should now be supporting to take forward, Ms Cooper said. Her comments came after Green Party Westminster leader Ellie Chowns branded Mr Trumps decision to invite Mr Putin and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu frankly utterly extraordinary. Noting that the Board of Peace doesnt include any Palestinians and almost no women, Dr Chowns said: It is clear that the Board of Peace is utterly unfit to contribute to the task of peace-building. She added that it would be inappropriate for Britain or Britons to participate in it. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair has been announced by the White House as part of the Board of Peace, alongside Mr Trump as chairman, US secretary of state Marco Rubio, and Mr Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner. The Board of Peace is part of the US presidents 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza, intended to oversee the transition and manage reconstruction efforts. On Monday, the Kremlin said the Russian president had received an offer to sit on the board, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying Moscow was studying all details of this offer. Asked on Monday if he had invited Mr Putin to join the Board of Peace, Mr Trump told reporters in Florida: The answer is yes, I did. He also invited French President Emmanuel Macron and threatened him with tariffs when he declined. The US president said: Ill put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes. And hell join. But he doesnt have to join. ( Waging Nonviolence ) The European climate movement is faltering. State repression has escalated. Authoritarianism is on the rise. And even though most people around the world support climate action, they consistently underestimate how much others care giving people the sense their concern is not shared. Groups like Just Stop Oil and Climate Defiance deserve credit for keeping climate in the headlines. But any movement whose only visible face is civil disobedience will struggle to expand beyond its core. So what could create renewed momentum? Every day, extreme weather events are creating a new wave of climate activists, many of whom have never attended a protest or signed a petition. These are people whose homes have flooded or whose communities have been destroyed by storms or wildfires. For them, climate change isnt abstract. Their houses are literally on fire. These communities are facing immediate crisis, and theyre in the headlines with increasing regularity. From these tragedies, theres a window of possibility for political change. Between 2000 and 2019, floods alone affected over 1.65 billion people globally, killing more than 100,000. Rising temperatures made last years Valencia floods twice as likely and 12 percent more intense. Super Typhoon Odette in the Philippines caused $800 million in damages. Vermonts 2023 flooding resulted in $1 billion in damage claims. For climate organizers, these events do something that years of advocacy often cant: They make the connection between fossil fuels and real harms immediate and visceral. Recent research published in Nature found that while exposure to extreme weather alone doesnt automatically increase support for climate policy, subjective attribution does. When people understand that a specific disaster was worsened by climate change and can connect it to specific corporate actors, their opinions shift. Climate attribution science has become sophisticated enough to quantify how much a companys emissions contributed to making a specific storm deadlier. Shell, for instance, is historically responsible for 41 billion tons of CO2 more than 2 percent of global fossil fuel emissions. This isnt abstract anymore. Its evidence that can be used in courtrooms, legislative hearings and public campaigns. This also creates a powerful economic pressure point. Climate disasters already cost insurers roughly $600 billion in losses from 2002 to 2022, yet many continue underwriting new fossil fuel projects. When disasters strike, this contradiction becomes politically untenable. Weve looked at three places where communities organized around extreme weather and won concrete victories not just raising awareness or getting media traction, but tangible policy change and corporate accountability. Vermont: Bipartisan coalition after consecutive floods When Vermont experienced catastrophic flooding in July 2023, causing over $1 billion in damage, it came 12 years after Tropical Storm Irene, which had also caused devastation. Two such major floods galvanized an unusual coalition, which deliberately crossed party lines. The coalitions strategy was pragmatic and studiedly nonpartisan. Environmental groups like Vermont Natural Resources Council and the Sierra Club joined forces with farmers whose fields had been destroyed and small business owners whose livelihoods were underwater. State Sen. Dick Sears framed the Climate Superfund Act around a principle everyone could understand: The polluter pays those responsible for damage should pay for it. Being bipartisan in these times is noteworthy in itself. Extreme weather events might be that rare thing that can overcome the paralyzing power of polarization and change the political arithmetic. The bill passed the Vermont Senate 21-5 and became law in May 2024 the first of its kind in the U.S. It requires fossil fuel companies that have produced more than 1 billion metric tons of CO2 to pay their share of Vermonts climate damages. What made this work? Organizers centered affected communities, used climate attribution science to make connections concrete, framed the campaign around a morally-uniting principle polluters pay rather than partisan climate politics, and moved quickly while memories of flooded homes were still fresh in everyones minds. Philippines: Innovative legal strategies and international solidarity When Super Typhoon Haiyan hit in 2013, killing over 6,000 people, survivors didnt just mourn, they organized. The disaster exposed deep failures: aid arrived slowly, reconstruction stalled amid corruption, and billions in promised assistance never materialized. Protests erupted demanding accountability. In 2015, Haiyan survivors partnered with Greenpeace Philippines to petition the Commission on Human Rights to investigate 47 fossil fuel companies for human rights violations related to climate change. This launched the worlds first investigation into corporate responsibility for climate impacts. In 2022, the commission found that fossil fuel companies could be held morally and legally responsible. A few years later, following severe flooding in Manila, Greenpeace highlighted government failures and pointed to up to $19 billion lost to corruption since 2023. Public anger intensified, culminating in powerful protests that forced corruption and climate accountability to the top of the agenda. This surge of public pressure gave the CLIMA Bill establishing frameworks for climate loss and damage, corporate accountability and reparations the momentum it needed. The decade of activism and organizing is now entering a new phase. In October 2025, 67 survivors of Super Typhoon Odette filed the first civil lawsuit directly linking a fossil fuel company to deaths in the Global South. The survivors are suing Shell in U.K. courts using attribution science showing climate change more than doubled the likelihood of the extreme event. Survivors and NGOs need public momentum to give them the political power for legal strategies to have teeth. Crucially, over decades organizers had built the infrastructure to act when the next disaster hit. Spain: From floods to a National Climate Emergency Pact The Valencia floods of October 2024 killed 237 people and displaced thousands. Images of cars floating down European streets better known for their cafes shocked people worldwide. The local reaction was mass mobilization: More than 130,000 marched in Valencia, demanding accountability from officials who had delayed emergency warnings. Organizers didnt stop at demanding resignations; they wanted systemic change. In August 2025, following the floods and devastating summer wildfires, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a Climate Emergency Pact, which includes concrete measures such as a new State Agency for Civil Protection and Emergencies, year-round firefighting staff, and mandatory corporate carbon reporting. Billions in funding for climate adaptation infrastructure, probably the key element of any future resilience, are still potential and will require more grassroots pressure. Photo by Aldward Castillo on Unsplash As with Vermont, organizers used the disaster to build a coalition transcending political divisions, bringing together administrations, civil society, science, business and trade unions. What organizers can learn 1. Act fast. When extreme weather strikes, both the media and climate skeptics move swiftly to influence the narrative. Its crucial to be prepared. Offer direct assistance and help local community campaigns broadcast their demands. 2. Center affected communities. The most powerful voices in these stories were those of farmers who lost crops, business owners whose storefronts flooded, parents who lost children not climate activists. These voices cut across political lines. Climate activists must step back to let authentic local voices lead. 3. Use attribution science strategically. Climate attribution research has become sophisticated enough to quantify corporate responsibility and its getting better and faster every year. Vermont used it to calculate damages. The Philippines case relies on it to prove Shells contribution. This transforms abstract climate change into concrete accountability. 4. Use real stories as well as facts. Stories of real people, particularly first responders, cut through most effectively. When firefighters say extreme weather events are growing more frequent, people believe them. 5. Build unusual coalitions. Vermont united environmentalists with Republican farmers. Spain brought together unions and businesses. The Philippines connected survivors across multiple disasters. Diverse partnerships are stronger. 6. Make concrete demands. These campaigns identified specific villains fossil fuel companies and specific responses: climate superfund laws, corporate liability, emergency infrastructure. People rally around clear targets. The path forward Extreme weather events will keep happening, affecting more people and causing more damage and heartbreak. Theyre moments of crisis and clarity when the worlds ears are more open. But theyre not without risk in Valencia, the far-right Vox party was first on the scene, attempting to deflect the narrative away from climate. The climate movement must step in to seize the narrative. Via Waging Nonviolence Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) The China Daily reported in late December that the 1 gigawatt offshore photovoltaic project in Kenli district of Dongying, Shandong province, achieved full-capacity grid connection . . . marking a breakthrough in Chinas development of clean energy. Not only does China now have a major floating solar panel array, but it doubles as an aquaculture project or fish farm. And the solar farm has a megabattery attached so that some of the electricity it generates from sunlight can be stored for release at times of peak usage or at night. I love Americans, but we are a big, insular island and typically dont know much about the rest of the world, and only about half of us have a passport. Despite its vast size and economic prominence, China remains a mystery to most of us. You know how people sometimes say that California, population 39 million, would be a major country if it were independent, the worlds fifth largest economy? What would you say about Shandong Province just southeast of Beijing, with a population of 100 million and a GDP the size of Mexicos or Spains at $1.3 trillion? If independent, it would be the worlds 15th largest economy. Some beer afficionados may know the Tsingtao brand. That is named for the old spelling of the city of Qingdao in Shandong Province, which was ruled by Germany from 1898 until 1914, when, with the outbreak of WW I, Japan took it. Germany left behind a pretty good brewery, which uses pure spring water from Mount Lao. And you probably have heard of Confucianism, Chinas classical philosophical system. It comes from Shandong Province, where there were also important Buddhist temples. The massive Yellow River, the 6th largest in the world, flows west through Shandong Province, emptying into the Bohai Sea. And there at the mouth of the Yellow River on that sea is a kind of Chinese New Orleans, the city of Dongying, population 260,000. And five miles off Dongying is where China Energy Investment Corp. (CHN Energy) has located its $1.2 billion fixed-pile offshore solar panel array, the largest in the world. It is connected via high density transmission wires to a substation on land. It is made up of nearly 3,000 photovoltaic platforms and will generate enough electricity to cover the needs of 2.67 million urban residents. Qingdao, where they make the beer, has about 6.2 million people, so this one floating solar farm would supply 43% of the citys electricity. Maybe they will be making the beer with sunshine. Moreover, it turns out that fish like floating solar arrays, because they are like coral reefs, offering places to hide from predators. Their vicinity is therefore ideal for aquaculture. The project in the Kenli District of the Dongying metropolitan area is important not only for China but also for other countries, many of which lack the terrain on which bulky solar panels can be sited. Floating Solar Array, Kenli District, Dongying, courtesy CHN Energy Because of my specialization in the modern Middle East, I was led to an interest in energy markets and they way they work. While initially I concentrated on petroleum and its impact on modern social history, when renewables began burgeoning in this century I could see their relevance for the fossil fuels on which the Middle East ran. So I tried to get up to speed on them, too, from a social science point of view. When I became a prominent commenter on the Iraq Wars (1990-2018) and their implications for energy markets, I sometimes was asked to consult on the subject by governments. One time the Japanese Institute for Middle East Economies kindly had me over to speak, and they sent me over to the Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry (METI) to talk to some young government economists about the future of energy. This was after the Fukushima disaster when many of Japans nuclear plants had been closed and they were importing Liquefied Natural Gas from the Gulf Arab states. They were worried about Gulf security, since oil tankers had sometimes been attacked. So I told them they should go big into solar. I pointed out that Japan had made early breakthroughs in solar technology, and that Japanese scientists and engineers are world-class, but then they had departed the field. The young bureaucrats were not convinced. They pointed out that solar panels are bulky and that Japan is a set of small islands, and they didnt see where you could put a lot of solar farms. It is not like they are California, with its San Bernardino County and its Mojave desert. They also said that Japan is cloudy a lot of the time. They made good points, but I still think that they were overly pessimistic. Rooftop solar and balcony solar could flourish in Japan, just as they do in Germany. In fact, Japan has more hours of sunshine annually (1,935 hrs) than Germany (1,716 hrs.). Yet solar provides 18% of German electricity. But floating solar panels are as practical for Japan as for China. In fact, the Japanese government points out that Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd. already has a small floating array in Tokyo Bay. The U.S., by the way, is backward in this technology, as it is increasingly in so much else under Trump. It only has little dinky floating solar arrays on lakes, like 4-9 megawatts. Floatovoltaics are only one of the renewables solutions the planet needs to slash its carbon emissions and avoid ever larger climate disasters, but China has demonstrated that they are one powerful arrow in our quiver. Click here to donate via PayPal. Personal checks should be made out to Juan Cole and sent to me at: Juan ColeP. O. Box 4218,Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548USA(Remember, make the checks out to Juan Cole or they cant be cashed) VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canterra Minerals Corporation (TSXV: CTM) (OTCQB: CTMCF) (FSE: DXZB) ("Canterra" or the "Company") is pleased to report results of high-grade gold mineralization, including 31.5 metres (core length) averaging 10.89 g/t Au, from its fall 2025 diamond drilling at its 100%-owned Wilding Gold Project adjoining Equinox Golds Valentine Mine in central Newfoundland. These results demonstrate that Wilding has the potential to host a high-grade, district-scale gold system in one of Canadas most attractive mining jurisdictions, said Chris Pennimpede, President and CEO of Canterra. As global uncertainty continues to drive interest in secure North American gold assets, we believe Canterra is well positioned to create long-term value through disciplined exploration next door to Atlantic Canadas largest gold producer. Drilling Highlights A total of 1,243 metres (m) of large diameter (HQ) core drilling were completed across 18 drill holes in fall 2025 at the Elm and Alder Zones as well as at Aspen, a new target: Exceptional high-grade intercept of 10.89 g/t Au over 31.5 metres core length, including 41.0 g/t Au over 5.4 m, from 59.0 metres depth in hole WL-25-100 (Elm Zone). Shallow high-grade intercepts including 6.16 g/t Au over 4.1 metres from 5.1 metres depth, including 20.96 g/t Au over 1 metre, highlighting near-surface gold mineralization in hole WL-25-95 (Alder Zone). Elm Zone prospect now interpreted as an approximately 300 metres along-strike by 100 metres down-dip mineralized gold corridor, demonstrating meaningful scale and resource potential. Drilling confirms continuity of high-grade quartz-sulphide gold veins, with alteration halos suggesting a larger hydrothermal system. Successful first-pass drill test at new Aspen Target returned anomalous gold values up to 0.57 g/t Au in hole WL-25-99, expanding the known extent of mineralized veining. Wilding Gold Project Fall 2025 Drill Highlights* (Table 1) Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m)* Au (g/t) WL-25-100 59.0 90.5 31.5 10.89 including 61.35 66.75 5.4 41.00 including 75.9 87.95 12.05 5.66 WL-25-101 14.2 20.8 6.6 8.22 Including 15.35 17.5 2.15 24.74 WL-25-95 5.1 9.2 4.1 6.16 including 6.2 7.2 1 20.96 WL-25-90 58.3 60.3 2 8.41 including 59.3 60.3 1 13.74 WL-25-93 7.4 11.65 4.25 2.59 *All reported intervals are downhole lengths. True widths have not yet been determined. Based on current structural interpretations, mineralized intervals in holes WL-25-90, WL-25-100, and WL-25-101 are interpreted to represent shallow-angle intersections of quartz-sulphide veins. As a result, reported downhole lengths may be significantly greater than true vein widths, however, additional drilling is required to make an accurate interpretation of true widths. Drill Result Analysis The fall 2025 drill program was designed to test for stacked extensional quartz-gold-tourmaline-pyrite vein packages along the known shear zones, testing geometries not previously drilled and new targets stemming from 2025 fieldwork and prospecting results (see September 8 and November 3, 2025 news releases). A key objective of the program was to test the extensional vein set concept and evaluate whether multiple vein orientations and stacked vein packages contribute to grade and continuity within the Wilding system. A total of 1,243.5 m of HQ core drilling was completed across 18 drill holes at the Elm and Alder zones and at a new target, Aspen. In addition to confirming high-grade gold mineralization, the Fall 2025 drill program substantially expanded the interpreted alteration footprint at both the Elm and Alder zones. Widespread quartz-tourmaline-pyrite alteration was intersected beyond previously defined vein corridors, indicating a larger and more continuous hydrothermal system than previously recognized. At Elm, alteration envelopes extend laterally and vertically beyond high-grade intercepts in WL-25-100 and WL-25-101, while at Alder, multiple holes intersected consistent alteration even where vein thickness or grade was reduced. These results suggest that alteration mapping provides an effective vector toward mineralized structures and materially increases the prospective footprint of both systems. Figure 1. Quartz-Tourmaline-Sulphide Vein with sheared altered Rogerson Lake conglomerate at Elm Zone in hole WL-25-101. Hole WL-25-100 was designed to test the extensional veins in the immediate hanging wall of the known Elm vein system; however, the hole intersected the vein. The 31.5 m downhole interval (10.89 g/t Au) is interpreted to represent a low-angle intersection of the Elm vein system, which can result in an apparent thickness significantly greater than true vein width. True widths will be refined with additional drilling and structural measurements. Hole WL-25-99 tested a new geophysical IP target area interpreted to be the potential northeast extension of the Alder Zone named the Aspen Target. This hole intersected vein material and associated hydrothermal alteration consistent with that observed at the established Elm and Alder Zones, further supporting the interpretation that alteration halos may extend beyond currently defined gold intercepts. Initial results reported anomalous gold grades up to 0.57 g/t Au and represent a successful first test of Aspen. Results from WL-25-100 and WL-25-101 provide additional support for continuity of the Elm Zone vein system, as gold grades are consistently elevated where quartz-sulphide vein material and associated alteration are present. Together, these holes demonstrate repeatability of mineralization style and grade association within the Elm corridor and will be used to refine targeting for follow-up drilling. Figure 2. Plan view of Wilding Project 2025 Drill Program Figure 3. Cross Section of Elm Zone. Table 2. Drill Collar details from this press release. Coordinates are given in UTM NAD 83 Zone 21 N. Hole number Azimuth () Dip () Length (m) Northing Easting Prospect WL-25-102 325 -45 41 5367977 517368 Alder WL-25-101 180 -61 38 5368220 518353 Elm WL-25-100 180 -44 96.5 5368220 518353 Elm WL-25-99 136 -45 107 5368460 518225 Aspen WL-25-98 164.5 -45 53 5368001 517356 Alder WL-25-97 308 -45 47 5368033 517376 Alder WL-25-96 42 -45 83 5367970 517338 Alder WL-25-95 343 -45 53 5367963 517352 Alder WL-25-94 329 -60 59 5368011 517378 Alder WL-25-93 300 -44 74 5367991 517366 Alder WL-25-92 190 -45 71 5367991 517358 Alder WL-25-91 10 -45 86 5367991 517358 Alder WL-25-90 188 -45 107 5368212 518341 Elm WL-25-89 191 -43 71 5368226 518344 Elm WL-25-88 188 -45 65 5368259 518418 Elm WL-25-87 122 -44 50 5368268 518437 Elm WL-25-86 202 -44 62 5368267 518436 Elm WL-25-85 188 -43.5 80 5368223 518335 Elm Table 3. Summary Gold Assay Results Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m)* Au (g/t) Prospect WL-25-86 No Significant Values Elm WL-25-87 No Significant Values Elm WL-25-88 No Significant Values Elm WL-25-89 48.4 49.6 1.2 3.09 Elm WL-25-90 52.7 53.7 1 2.54 Elm and 58.3 60.3 2 8.41 Elm including 59.3 60.3 1 13.74 Elm WL-25-91 16.7 17.7 1 1.90 Alder WL-25-92 No Significant Values Alder WL-25-93 7.4 11.65 4.25 2.59 Alder and 19.2 20.2 1 1.23 Alder WL-25-94 14.9 15.9 1 1.11 Alder WL-25-95 5.1 9.2 4.1 6.16 Alder including 6.2 7.2 1 20.96 Alder and 18.4 20.85 2.45 1.90 Alder WL-25-96 18.8 20.8 2 1.48 Alder WL-25-97 14.4 15.5 1.1 0.98 Alder WL-25-98 No Significant Values Alder WL-25-99 95.4 96.9 1.5 0.57 Aspen WL-25-100 59. 0 90.5 31.5 10.89 Elm including 61.35 66.75 5.4 41.00 Elm including 62.35 65.7 3.35 46.50 Elm including 75.9 87.95 12.05 5.66 Elm WL-25-101 14.2 20.8 6.6 8.22 Elm Including 15.35 17.5 2.15 24.74 Elm WL-25-102 10.85 15.2 4.35 1.18 Alder including 11.95 12.95 1 3.75 Alder * All reported intersections are downhole lengths. True widths have not yet been determined. At the Elm Prospect, mineralized intervals are interpreted to represent low-angle intersections of the primary vein system, with multiple secondary vein orientations locally observed in drill core. This geometry may result in apparent interval thicknesses that exceed true vein widths. Structural interpretations suggest that reported intervals in holes WL-25-90, WL-25-100, and WL-25-101 reflect shallow-angle intersections of high-grade veins, supporting vertical continuity and the potential for stacked mineralized structures. Estimated true widths are interpreted to be approximately 530% (WL-25-90, WL-25-100) and 2045% (WL-25-101) of the reported downhole lengths. Next Steps Based on the encouraging results, the Company is planning follow-up drilling; both diamond drilling top of bedrock/base of till drilling to better constrain vein orientation, true width, and continuity. Follow-up holes are expected to: map the potential extent of this hydrothermal system between Alder, Elm and Aspen zones and beyond Intersect the interpreted vein(s) at a higher angle to better define true thickness. Test down-plunge and along-strike continuity suggested by the low-angle intersection. Test new vein concepts and follow up of the encouraging Aspen Zone discovery Systematically vectoring follow-up drilling using the expanded alteration footprint at Elm, Alder, and Aspen to test for higher-grade vein development within a larger mineralized system. This planned follow-up drilling program is designed to rapidly advance the Wilding by improving confidence in vein geometry, continuity, and scale. These efforts are expected to support future resource delineation and enhance the projects strategic value within the central Newfoundland gold district. Figure 4. Map of Canterra Newfoundland Central Mining District Projects Sampling and Analytical Methods HQ drill core (63.5 mm diameter) was logged, photographed, and sampled at the Companys secure core facility in Newfoundland. Core for sampling was selected by Canterra geologists with respect to lithological boundaries and mineralization and sawn in half, with one half retained for reference. Samples were delivered by Canterra personnel to Eastern Analytical Ltd. laboratory in Springdale, Newfoundland for preparation and analysis. Eastern Analytical is an independent accredited assay lab that conforms to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. Samples were analyzed using Eastern's gold fire assay (Au-FAA30) method with atomic absorption finish. Samples returning elevated gold values >1g/t were re-analyzed with gravimetric finish. All reported assays are uncut. The Company maintains a quality assurance/quality control program that includes the insertion of certified reference materials, blanks, and duplicates. QAQC samples account for a minimum of 5% of the samples in addition to the laboratorys internal quality assurance programs. Qualified Person The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Christopher Pennimpede, P.Geo., President and CEO of Canterra Minerals Corporation, who is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Newfoundland and Labrador Junior Exploration Assistance & 2025 Exploration Program Canterra would like to acknowledge the financial support it may receive from the Junior Exploration Assistance Program from the government of Newfoundland and Labrador related to the completion of its 2025 exploration programs. About Canterra Minerals Canterra is a diversified minerals exploration company focused on critical minerals and gold in central Newfoundland. The Companys projects include six mineral deposits located in close proximity to the world-renowned, past producing Buchans Mine and Teck Resources Duck Pond Mine, which collectively produced copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold. Several of Canterras deposits support current and historical Mineral Resource Estimates prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. Canterras gold projects are located on-trend of Equinox Golds producing Valentine Mine and cover a ~55 km extension of the same interpreted structural corridor that hosts mineralization within Equinox Golds mine project. Drilling within the Wilding gold projects intersected multiple occurrences of orogenic-style gold mineralization within a large land position that remains underexplored. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF CANTERRA MINERALS CORPORATION Chris Pennimpede President & CEO Additional information about the Company is available at www.canterraminerals.com For further information, please contact: +1 (604) 687-6644 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements with respect to estimated mineral resources, the opening of avenues for substantial discoveries within the belt, the Buchans Project being ripe for a modern approach with significant exploration potential for high grade VMS mineralization, the Company anticipating being strongly positioned to unveil the next mineral discovery in central Newfoundland. 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 discusses 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. 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 managements 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 risks associated possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Companys exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Companys business and prospects.; as well as those risks and uncertainties identified and reported in the Company's public filings under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. Kelowna, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - F3 Uranium Corp (TSXV: FUU) (OTCQB: FUUFF) ("F3" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has filed on SEDAR+ an independent technical report (the "Report") prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects supporting the initial indicated mineral resource estimate for its JR Zone Uranium Deposit on its 100% owned PLN Property in Northern Saskatchewan (see NR December 22, 2025). The JR Zone Uranium deposit is located approximately 25km northwest of Paladin's Triple R Deposit and NexGen's Arrow Deposit in the southwest Athabasca Basin and is accessible via Provincial Highway 955. The Mineral Resources have been classified in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards (2014, adopted 2019), as incorporated by reference in NI 43-101, which are consistent with definitions in S-K 1300. The Report incorporates the results of drilling at the project completed between 2022 and 2025. There are no material differences in the Report from the results disclosed in the Company's news release dated December 22, 2025. The Report, dated January 20, 2025, and with an effective date of October 15, 2025, is titled, "NI 43-101 Technical Report, Patterson lake North Project, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada". The Report was prepared for F3 by SLR International Corporation and can be found under the Company's issuer profile at www.sedarplus.ca. About the Patterson Lake North Project The Company's 44,613-hectare 100% owned Patterson Lake North Project (PLN) is located just within the south-western edge of the Athabasca Basin in proximity to Paladin's Triple R and NexGen Energy's Arrow high-grade uranium deposits, an area poised to become the next major area of development for new uranium operations in northern Saskatchewan. The PLN Project consists of the 4,074-hectare Patterson Lake North Property hosting the JR Zone uranium deposit approximately 23km northwest of Paladin's Triple R deposit, the 20,675-hectare Minto Property, and the 19,022-hectare Broach Property hosting the Tetra Zone, F3's newest discovery 13km south of the JR Zone deposit. All three properties comprising the PLN Project are accessed by Provincial Highway 955. Qualified Person The Report is authored by Mark Mathisen, C.P.G, an employee of SLR International Corporation and independent of F3. Mr. Mathisen is a Qualified Person in accordance with NI 43-101 and S-K 1300. The scientific and technical information in this news release other than the resource estimate has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and approved on behalf of the company by Raymond Ashley, P.Geo., President & COO of F3 Uranium Corp, a Qualified Person. Mr. Ashley has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information disclosed in this news release and verified the data disclosed. This news release may refer to neighboring properties in which F3 Uranium has no interest, and the Qualified Person has been unable to verify the information from those properties. Mineralization on those neighboring properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the PLN Project. About F3 Uranium Corp. F3 is a uranium exploration company, focusing on the high-grade JR Zone deposit and new Tetra Zone discovery 13km to the south in the PW area on its Patterson Lake North (PLN) Project in the Western Athabasca Basin. F3 currently has 3 properties in the Athabasca Basin: Patterson Lake North, Minto, and Broach. The western side of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, is home to some of the world's largest high grade uranium deposits including Paladin's Triple R project and NexGen's Arrow project. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain 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 of future performance, including statements regarding the pursuit of additional targets, expected drilling programs and other exploration plans and prospects for the Athabasca Basin and the Company's projects, are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this press release, and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Taranis Has One of the Best Silver Projects in British Columbia! ESTES PARK, CO / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Taranis Resources Inc. ("Taranis" or the "Company") (TSX.V:TRO) (OTCQB:TNREF) is pleased to announce a major expansion of its flagship project in the historic Silver Cup Mining District located in southeast British Columbia. With the acquisition of new Mineral Tenures south and east of the "Thor" silver, gold, base metals, and critical minerals deposit, Taranis now controls upwards of 6,000 hectares in one of British Columbia's premier past producing silver districts. This expansion unites the five historical, past-producing mines of "Thor" into a continuous mineralized body and has now added at least five more historic mines, including four past producers, under Taranis' stewardship. Taranis' Core Exploration Philosophy In British Columbia's shifting legal landscape where the meaning and legitimacy of mineral ownership is now actively up for debate, Taranis' commitment to productive stewardship, labour, and value creation offers a compelling model for responsible and equitable land use. In today's rapidly evolving theatre of mineral exploration, it is important to define Management's perspective on not just technical, management and financial matters, but also on land use, and the many interactions with government that are required to conduct meaningful exploration in British Columbia. The Silver Cup District, known since the 1890's for its high-grade silver and gold, is once again poised for resurgence. Taranis' systematic exploration and diamond drilling at the Thor Project have established a robust Mineral Resource, with recent drilling in 2025 identifying the Borr Zone - interpreted as the down-dip extension of the main deposit at Thor. The initial drill hole in this new zone intersected 5.25 meters of 26.2 g/t silver, 0.163 g/t gold, and 3.55% combined lead and zinc, underscoring exploration potential outside of known mineral deposits. (see Taranis News Release, October 27, 2025). Taranis is now allocating more resources to its newly acquired clusters of historic mines, each with similar historical underground workings, and the potential to host additional Mineral Resources. These areas, untouched by modern exploration for a century, are strategic areas of growth for Taranis to generate value for its shareholders and for the broader community as formerly underutilized and idle lands are worked once more. Taranis' Commitment to Productive Stewardship Taranis holds Mineral Tenures solely to discover and define new Mineral Resources, not to extract rent, displace others, or speculate on future metal price increases. Management and our shareholders understand that while mining is by its nature an extractive activity, it is necessary for today's standard of living. Exploration and mining can be done responsibly. For two decades, Taranis has focused all of our available capital on exploration and resource growth, seeking objective facts about the Silver Cup district's mineral endowment that could eventually lead to developing a mine. We have successfully permitted a 10,000 tonne Bulk Sample that will help better define the quality of the Mineral Resource at Thor, and better define the economics of commercial development of the expanding Mineral Resource. The Value of Labour and Stewardship in Property Rights Taranis' approach to exploration and development is grounded in the principle that property rights of any kind should only be earned and kept through labour, investment, and responsible stewardship. By transforming idle ground into productive assets, Taranis creates tangible value for shareholders and the wider community. The company's pioneering work in the Silver Cup District - being the first to drill, explore, and develop these lands in almost 100 years - embodies the idea that ownership is not just a matter of legal title, but of active engagement and improvement. Theories of property rights based on labour and improvement have been both foundational and controversial. Regardless, many of these concepts have historically been entrenched in the Mineral Tenure system in British Columbia, including the idea that registration of physical work on Mineral tenures should be available in lieu of payment to maintain mining claims. While some critiques highlight the risk of justifying dispossession or exploitation, Taranis believes that legitimate ownership arises from productive stewardship and the creation of value through work. We affirm that all people deserve the fruits of their labour, and are skeptical to claims of property based solely on first possession or inherited privilege - principles that can disadvantage communities, those that seek to grow the economy, and which overlook or actively undermine contributions of those who develop and work on the land. In the current climate of shifting property paradigms in British Columbia, Taranis' model - rooted in active labour, stewardship, community benefit and participation - stands as a practical and ethical framework for resource development. Administrative and Reconciliation Challenges to Mineral Exploration The uncertainties associated with mineral exploration in British Columbia are vast. The historic domains of geological and financial risk are now overshadowed by regulatory uncertainty, and this has led to dramatic drops in exploration investment in the province in the past six years. As an example, Taranis acquired additional claims to the south and east of the new mine clusters on July 1, 2025. These Mineral Tenures were sent out for First Nations Consultation on August 28, 2025, under the newly created Mineral Claims Consultation Framework ("MCCF"). The Ministry of Critical Minerals indicated that Mineral Tenure consultations should last 90-120 days. However, as of 120+ days, Taranis has not received any comments as outlined under the MCCF. On December 26, 2025, the company contacted the Chief Gold Commissioner's Office for an explanation, but no response has been received from any level of government. Taranis recognizes the importance of reconciliation with First Nations and supports British Columbia's efforts to address the complicated issues involved. At the same time, the company has a duty to its shareholders and the business community to disclose when critical regulatory benchmarks are missed. The lack of timely administrative clarity threatens to undermine both reconciliation and economic progress in the province, and Taranis calls for transparent, predictable processes that honour tradition while enabling responsible mineral resource development. Brownfield Exploration - Integrating Modern Exploration Science with History The Silver Cup Mining District is one of British Columbia's oldest silver mining areas. Historic mines such as Silver Cup, True Fissure, Great Northern and Blue Bell (Thor), Meridian/Eva, Spider, Triune, Nettie L, have operated in the district producing primarily silver. The lack of access and transportation in the area and the rugged terrain still makes exploration of the area extremely challenging. The many past producing mines are surrounded by areas of overburden and rockslide cover making exploration challenging - but at the same time offering exploration opportunities to make substantive virgin discoveries. Exploration diamond drilling technology did not even exist when most of these mines were developed. In the Company's Management opinion, integrating modern exploration methods with the certainty of historical information, provides a robust base to enable discovery. 2025 Ajax Mine Dump Sampling A new Mineral Tenure acquired during a prior expansion of the Thor Property (See Taranis News Release dated 01/20/2025) serves to demonstrate the exploration potential outside of the Thor deposit. The Ajax Mine was accessed by helicopter in the fall of 2025 and cursory evaluation showed that it has remained idle and unworked since shortly after World War II. Historic reports throughout the Silver Cup district often ignored gold content, focusing on silver and avoiding zinc due to a price penalty at the smelter for zinc-heavy ores. Taranis sampled dump material from two adits and found anomalous gold content in all samples. Silver and base metals were not analyzed, but strong tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite mineralization was observed. In the table below, we have outlined some of the gold values that are found in the previously mined material, and the reader is reminded that grab samples are selective and not representative of average grade or true metal content. 2025 Ajax Mine Dump Sampling Table Sample Number Au (g/t) Grab Sample Description Location (UTM Zone 11N, WGS84) 379751 1.14 Massive pyrite heavily oxidized on outside (hematite) Middle Adit Portal Dump (468447E, 5614845N) 379752 0.02 Vuggy quartz-carbonate (siderite?) with iron oxide Middle Adit Portal Dump (468447E, 5614845N) 379753 0.65 Quartz-sulfide breccia with tetrahedrite and carbonate clasts. Middle Adit Portal Dump (468447E, 5614845N) 379754 0.15 Quartz-Carbonate rocks with quartz veins and balance of groundmass carbonate, minor pyrite. Middle Adit Portal Dump (468447E, 5614845N) 379755 0.93 Heavily weathered quartz carbonate rocks (hematite). Pitted and vuggy due to weathering. Middle Adit Portal Dump (468447E, 5614845N) 379756 0.01 Massive pyrite with fragments of white quartz Middle Adit Portal Dump (468447E, 5614845N) 379757 0.23 Quartz sulfide breccia with abundant sphalerite and tetrahedrite. Abundant quartz fragments. Middle Adit Portal Dump (468447E, 5614845N) 379758 19.90 Quartz-pyrite vein with pyrite). Extensive vugging similar to SIF at Thor. Upper Adit Portal Dump (468469E, 5614828N) 379759 0.39 Massive sphalerite var. marmatite Upper Adit Portal Dump (468469E, 5614828N) 379760 1.62 Vuggy quartz-sulfide breccia. Minor pyrite, similar to SIF material at Thor. Upper Adit Portal Dump (468469E, 5614828N) Comments Most significant mineral deposits occur in clusters, and the Silver Cup Mining District contains many old groups of mines exploited in the early 1900's. Taranis continues to consolidate land in the district, transforming the area into a district-scale opportunity now totaling over 6,000 hectares. Despite the rugged terrain, Taranis has developed an exploration toolbox that makes it uniquely qualified to add valuable Mineral Resources throughout the re-emerging area. Responsible and meaningful exploration in British Columbia by 'junior exploration companies' is a complicated process that historically has been driven by technical and financial decisions. A third aspect, Mineral Tenure procurement and subsequent use, and access to those lands, has now taken a front row seat. Much the same as exploration companies report drilling results, resource companies now need to publicly address regulatory and ownership issues stemming from countervailing claims and titles. An individual company's perspective on these issues is arguably more important than reporting on exploration programs, because without a path forward to develop those mineral lands - exploration results are meaningless and work programs in general are stalled by a regulatory system that is paralyzed by competing interests. Taranis' unique position as the only major explorer systematically advancing the Silver Cup Mining District is not just a strategic advantage - it is an important philosophical one. In a time when the foundations of property rights are being reconsidered, Taranis has chosen to be a living example of how active labor, stewardship, and community benefit can and should define legitimate ownership and responsible resource development in British Columbia. Qualified Person Exploration activities at Thor were overseen by John Gardiner (P. Geo.), President and CEO of Taranis Resources Inc., and a Qualified Person under Canadian National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Gardiner is the principal of John J. Gardiner & Associates, LLC, operating in British Columbia under Firm Permit Number 1002256. Mr. Gardiner has reviewed and approved the comments contained within this News Release. Quality Control and Laboratory Methods All samples for the Thor project were securely delivered to Actlabs in Kamloops, British Columbia. Analytical work was completed at both the Kamloops and Ancaster, Ontario locations. Actlabs is ISO 17025 accredited. Grab samples were sawed in half and analyzed for gold by 30g Fire Assay / Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry ("AAS"). Overlimit gold values were quantified using gravimetric methods. Taranis currently has 102,421,487 shares issued and outstanding (119,972,613 shares on a fully-diluted basis). TARANIS RESOURCES INC. Per: John J. Gardiner (P. Geo.), President and CEO For further information contact: John J. Gardiner 681 Conifer Lane Estes Park, Colorado 80517 Cell: (720) 209-3049 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. This News Release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from expected results. Vancouver, British Columbia - January 20, 2026 TheNewswire Vault Strategic Mining Corp. (TSXV:KNOX) (OTC:KNXFF) (FSE:M85) ("VAULT" or the "Company") announces it has entered into an Option Agreement with two arms length vendors who granted the Company an exclusive option (the Option) to acquire an undivided 100% interest in a portfolio of four (4) mineral exploration projects consisting of Historical Mines across the Western United States with a strategic focus on Silver, Gold and Tungsten-Beryllium. Included in the Option are historical data for each of the projects for the basis of creating the Companys 2025 and beyond exploration plans. The Portfolio Historical Mining Assets (and Datasets) are as follows: Mia Silver Project Idaho, USA Historical Data: Historical US Bureau of Mines Report, various reports Mount Wheeler Historical Tungsten Mine Nevada, USA Historical Data: Historical Mining Data, Historical Resource, Historical Feasibility Study, various reports Robinson Dyke Historical Gold Mine - Idaho USA Historical Data: Historical Mining Data, Historical Resource, various reports. Golden Dome Historical Gold Mine California, USA Historical Data: Historical Resource, various reports R. Nick Horsley, Chief Executive Officer of Vault states "The acquisition of these four projects benefits from extensive historic exploration, including sampling, drilling, mapping, feasibility studies, and resource estimations that document established mineralization across the properties. The depth of this work provides immediate value and establishes a strong foundation for rediscovery. Mia Silver Project Idaho, USA Mineralization was first discovered in the Seafoam district in the 1880s, with early work confined to small-scale high grading. The current property was consolidated and held by Northwest Minerals Development Corporation in the early 1980s with the intent to conduct modern, systematic exploration. As reported by Northwest Mineral Development1: Reported in the U.S. Bureau of Mines report (1983)2 and the report of Michael R. Free, Consulting Geologist, (1984) were assays as high as: 1.10 ounces/ton Gold and 92.30 ounces/ton silver3 Other assays have been taken as high as: 178.00-ounces/ton silver In 1982, the U.S. Bureau of Mines examined the claims in conjunction with regional studies, and their sampling confirmed the areas mineral potential. Subsequently, in 1983, consulting geologist Michael R. Free conducted a detailed property examination and sampling program which identified several anomalous targets. Highlights from this historical work include: Longshot No. 34 The Longshot No. 3 claim is developed by several trenches along a shear zone. Samples 1102 and 1111 are taken from a trench cut in a fissure zone approximately 8 feet thick trending N 15 W 82 NE. The central four feet in the fissure zone was covered with rubble and not sampled. Samples were cut from iron stained, silicified granodiorite along the sides of the trench. An unidentified greenish-yellow mineral, probably cerargyrite, was present in 1102. The results are as follows: Sample No. Width, Feet Au oz/t Ag oz/ton 1102 6 .087 1.16 1111 6 .034 .14 Longshot No. 15 Samples 1103 through 1110 are from surface and underground workings on the Longshot No. 1 claim. Sample 1103, which includes a shear trending N 61 E 90, and 1104 are from a trench in the lower workings above a probably caved Adit. The samples were cut from a highly fractured, silicified, porous zone with strong limonite staining and a greenish-yellow alteration mineral, probably cerargyrite. Approximately 130 feet up the hill from the lower working is the middle Adit, from which samples 1105 and 1106 were collected. Sample 1105 was cut from a three-foot quartz vein trending N 40 W 80 NE. This vein fault contacts decomposed granodiorite, sample 1106. Samples 1107 through 1110 are from iron stained silicified zones on the surface in the vicinity of the middle Adit portal. Sample 1108 was cut from a shear containing limonite and cerargyrite(?). The results are as follows: Sample No. Width, Feet Au oz/t Ag oz/ton 1103 3 .432 14.8 1104 Grab .775 6.65 1105 3 .359 3.97 1106 Grab .008 .27 1107 2.2 .047 .37 1108 .5 .079 11.82 1109 20 .132 2.71 1110 8 .206 5.10 Canary Yellow6 The Canary Yellow claim is developed by two possible caved adits covered by talus adjacent to granodiorite host rock. Small masses of schist, sample 1115, occur within the granodiorite. Sample 1112 is a grab of talus fines from above the lower caved Adit. Samples 1113 and 1114 are grab samples from the upper Adit dump and 1116 is a selective grab of a greenish yellow mineral (cerargyrite ?) and mimetite from the lower dump. Dump rocks consist of silicified, limonite stained, brecciated granodiorite and quartz vein with minor pyrite and traces of chalcopyrite and galena (?). Mimetite, identified by ' x-ray detraction, was common in much of the dump rocks. Results of these samples are as follows: Sample No. Width, Feet Au oz/t Ag oz/ton 1112 Grab .010 1.75 1113 Grab .035 7.44 1114 Grab .116 56.2 1115 10 .005 .21 1116 Grab .153 .37 Betty Ruth No. 17 The Betty Ruth No. 1 claim is developed by several adits and pits Samples 1117 and 1118 are from the fissure vein trending N 45 W 65 NE above the portal of the upper Adit 1118 is a quartz vein within 1117. Sample 1119 is a select grab of dump float from the upper Adit. The structure is strongly silicified and carries limonite, pyrite, and minor amounts of sphalerite(?), chalcopyrite and galena(?). Sample 1120 is from the silicified quartz fissure vein at the lower Adit portal. Sample 1121 is from a pit 100 feet south of the lower Adit, and consists of silicified, brecciated granodiorite with pyrite blebs and copper oxides. Sample results are as follows: Sample No. Width, Feet Au oz/t Ag oz/ton 1117 6 .139 32.90 1118 2.5 .173 9.43 1119 Select Grab .149 42.95 1120 5 .021 .39 1121 Grab .074 .37 Golden Promise8 The Golden Promise claims developed by a series of three pits and/or trenches that trend in a westerly direction up the hill slope. The upper pit consists of several trenches and pits running about 60 feet along the hillside contour. The middle pit is about-200 feet down slope from the upper pit and 400 feet up slope from the lower pit. There are no outcrop exposures on the hillside except in the pits. Pit dumps all contain quite similar rocks and are likely along the same fissure system. Mineralization includes massive quartz vein with disseminated fine grain sulfides and brecciated, spongy (frothy) siliceous quartz vein with strong iron and copper(?) oxides. Sample 1122 is from the lower pit, lla3 from the middle pit and samples 1124 and 1125 from the upper pit. Sample 1124 is a "quartz vein" that crops out in the pit . Sample 1124 is a "quartz vein" that crops out in the pit . Sample results are as follows: Sample No. Width, Feet Au oz/t Ag oz/ton 1122 Grab .008 .06 1123 Grab .104 .95 1124 2.5 .219 1.8 1125 Grab .174 2.20 Figure 1. Historical Mia Silver Claims and Sampling Locations9 Based on these results, a comprehensive, two-stage exploration program including geophysics, diamond drilling and road construction were planned for 1984. The exploration program from available data appears to not have been conducted. Mount Wheeler Historical Tungsten Mine Nevada, USA The main period of activity began with the discovery of tungsten in 1950. Between 1952 and 1955, Mt. Wheeler Mines, Inc., under a Defence Minerals Exploration Administration (DMEA) contract. Between 1952 and 1954, 1,800 tons of rock averaging 1.3% WO3 was extracted and milled at Minerva, Nevada, with 75% DMEA sponsorship10. The average grade of all rock mined from the Pole adit zone is about .5% WO3 as shown by the production figures.11 A feasibility study titled Feasibility Study Mt. Wheeler Mine Beryllium project was commissioned in 1972 by W.S. Moore Co. which states that Milling was successfully piloted by the Colorado School of Mines12 From 1959 to 1962, largely through the efforts of the Anaconda Company, an additional 4,475 feet of laterals and sub drifts were driven. Approximately 1,000 samples were taken.13 An indicated Tungsten-Beryllium resource was prepared. The access roads to the mine are all blacktopped except for the last five-mile stretch which is gravel. Robinson Dyke Historical Gold Mine - Idaho USA According to the report: Mineral Resources of the Jersey Jack Study Area, Idaho County, Idaho dated 1991 by Terry R. Neumann and Terry J. Close commissioned by the United States Department of the Interior15 reported the history of the Robinson Dike and Gold Leaf Claims are as follows: The Robinson Dike mine is located near the headwaters of Comstock Creek, 3.4 mi (Forest Service Road 211) south of Dixie. The property was originally located in 1904 by Louis Larsen, who staked the Gold Hill group of claims. Larsen sold the claims in 1907 to Brown and Cox, who sold the claims in 1934 to the Robinson Mining & Milling Company. At this time the property was increased to ten claims, and a 50-ton/day, steam-powered ball mill, flotation units, and cyanide leach tanks were built. The mill operated during the mining seasons of 1935 and 1936, treating 35 to 40 tons of rock per day; a recovery of 95% assaying $2.40/ton was reported (Capps and Roberts, 1939). Historical records indicate that underground development consisted of five adits totaling about 1,600 ft; most of the workings were caved and inaccessible by 1934 (Livingston, 1934). An open pit was excavated in 1935, and in 1937 an 80-ft crosscut was driven from the open pit diagonally across the deposit. USBM records report 2,839 tons of material processed in the years 1935-36 yielded 66.8 oz of gold and 16 oz of silver. Figure 3. Aerial view of the Robinson Dike Mine, looking west16 An open pit was excavated in 1935, and in 1937 an 80-ft crosscut was driven from the open pit diagonally across the body. USBM records report 2,839 tons processed in the years 1935-36 yielded 66.8 oz of gold and 16 oz of silver. Golden Dome Historical Gold Mine California, USA The Golden Dome prospect was explored extensively by Hecla Mining, Amselco Minerals, and subsequently Tenneco Minerals during the 1980s and early 1990s. Drilling by Hecla successfully defined a historical resource17. Tenneco Minerals later acquired the project and planned an open-pit operation targeting 30,000 40,000 ounces of gold per year18, though the project did not advance to production. The project was reportedly sold by Hecla for $2 million. Figure 4. Photo taken during site visit at Golden Dome Historical Gold Deposit, California Geology19 The project targets a high-sulfidation epithermal gold deposit hosted within a northwest-trending, vuggy silica-alunite-pyrite vein system in the Antelope Valley Volcanic Center. This geologic setting is associated with the Southern Ancestral Cascade arc. Gold mineralization is associated with the vuggy silica alteration zone. Historical Information and Exploration Context The mineral properties comprising the portfolio have been the subject of extensive historical exploration, development work, and, in several cases, past commercial production or advanced-stage evaluations with the intent to commence mining. The historical exploration results, sampling, drilling, resource estimates, feasibility studies, and other technical information referenced herein were completed prior to the adoption of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and do not comply with current NI 43-101 requirements. As a result, such historical information and any historical resource estimates should not be relied upon as current mineral resources or reserves. In particular, the Mount Wheeler Tungsten-Beryllium Project is supported by historical feasibility-level study and substantial historical underground exploration; however, these studies were completed under historical standards and assumptions and are considered non-compliant under NI 43-101. All projects within the portfolio have a documented history of either mining, advanced development, or demonstrated intent to advance toward production, which provides valuable geological context and technical insight. The Company has been provided with a compilation of historical technical data, including non-NI 43-101 compliant resource estimates, drilling records, sampling results, mine plans, metallurgical representations, and feasibility-level evaluations. While this historical information is non-compliant, it is considered highly relevant for exploration targeting, geological interpretation, and the design of modern exploration and evaluation programs. Management believes that the existence of extensive historical work, past production, and prior feasibility-level evaluations creates a compelling foundation for modern exploration, particularly when reassessed using contemporary geological models, exploration technologies, metallurgical processes, and prevailing commodity prices. However, readers are cautioned that historical results, resources, or economic conclusions cannot be verified or confirmed at this time. In order to define current mineral resources, assess metallurgy, and evaluate economic viability, the Company will be required to complete confirmation drilling, modern metallurgical studies, updated technical evaluations, and NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimates and feasibility or economic studies. There is no assurance that historical results will be confirmed or that any project will advance to economic viability. Option Summary The Company has entered into an option agreement with two arms length vendors where it was granted the Option to acquire a 100% interest in four mineral properties, Robinson Dyke, Golden Dome, Wheeler, and Mia, subject to underlying net smelter return royalties and the maintenance of the associated mineral claims. The Option is considered non-material for the Company, does not involve the issuance of the Companies securities, and does not constitute a Fundamental Acquisition under TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) Policy 5.3 - Acquisitions and Dispositions of Non-Cash Assets (Policy 5.3). As such, the Option meets the criteria of an Exempt Transaction under Policy 5.3. Robinson Dyke Historical Gold Mine - Idaho USA The Company may earn a 100% interest by making monthly cash payments of $500 over 30 months, totaling $15,500, and by maintaining the claims in good standing. Upon exercise, a 2.5% net smelter return (NSR) royalty will apply, which may be reduced to 1.0% through a $1,000,000 buy-down payment. The Property consists of four (4) unpatented lode mining claims in Idaho County, Idaho. Golden Dome Historical Gold Mine California, USA The Company may earn a 100% interest by making an initial $5,000 payment, followed by quarterly payments of $5,000, for total aggregate payments of $55,000, and maintaining the claims in good standing. Upon exercise, a 1.5% NSR royalty will apply. The Property consists of seven (7) unpatented lode mining claims in Sierra County, California. Mount Wheeler Historical Tungsten Mine Nevada, USA The Company may earn a 100% interest by making an initial $10,500 payment, followed by quarterly payments of $10,500, for total aggregate payments of $42,000, and maintaining the claims in good standing. Upon exercise, a 1.5% NSR royalty will apply. The Property consists of sixteen (16) unpatented lode mining claims in White Pine County, Nevada. Mia Silver Project Idaho, USA The Company may earn a 100% interest by making an initial $5,000 payment, followed by quarterly payments of $7,500, for total aggregate payments of $80,000, and maintaining the claims in good standing. Upon exercise, a 1.5% NSR royalty will apply. The Property consists of sixteen (33) unpatented lode mining claims in the Seafoam Mining District of Custer County, Idaho. Each option is independent, and the Company may elect to proceed with any one or more properties without obligation to exercise the remaining options. Failure to meet the terms of any individual option results in no interest being earned in that specific property, without affecting the status of the other options. Data Verification Historical information referenced in this release has been reviewed against available reports; however, such data cannot be independently verified to current NI 43-101 standards and quality control procedures and are therefore considered supportive for exploration guidance only. The Company cautions that past results or production from properties in proximity to The Company may not necessarily be indicative of mineralization on the Companys properties. Qualified Person Mr. William Feyerabend, CPG, an independent Consulting Geologist and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the disclosure in this news release for consistency with NI 43-101 reporting requirements. On behalf of the Board: Vault Strategic Mining Corp. "R. Nick Horsley" President, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman Tel: 604-343-4338| Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ANY SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (THE "1933 ACT") AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO A U.S. PERSON IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE 1933 ACT. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAW. 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. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Vault, and the Companys exploration Projects, which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the completion of the acquisition of the exploration Projects, and the ability to obtain regulatory approvals, and other factors. Often, but not always, Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "is expected", "expects", "scheduled", "intends", "contemplates", "anticipates", "believes", "proposes", "estimates" or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the management of each entity. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release, including completion of the acquisition of the Letain Project, may not occur by certain specified dates or at all and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the Company, including the risk that VAULT may not obtain all requisite approvals for the acquisition, including the approval of the TSXV, risks of the resource industry, failure to obtain any other required regulatory approvals, economic factors, any estimated amounts, timing of the acquisition and requited payments, the equity markets generally and risks associated with growth, exploration and development. Although VAULT has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made VAULT undertaked no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. 1 https://www.idahogeology.org/Uploads/Data/MineDocs/CH0234_002.pdf (Page 1) 2 https://www.idahogeology.org/Uploads/Data/USBM-Publications/MLA_87-83.pdf (Page 24-25 3 https://www.idahogeology.org/Uploads/Data/MineDocs/CH0234_002.pdf (Page 1) 4https://www.idahogeology.org/Uploads/Data/MineDocs/CH0234_003.pdf (Page 7) 5 https://www.idahogeology.org/Uploads/Data/MineDocs/CH0234_003.pdf (Page 7 and 8) 6 https://www.idahogeology.org/Uploads/Data/MineDocs/CH0234_003.pdf (Page 8 and 9) 7 https://www.idahogeology.org/Uploads/Data/MineDocs/CH0234_003.pdf (Page 9) 8 https://www.idahogeology.org/Uploads/Data/MineDocs/CH0234_003.pdf (Page 9-10) 9 https://www.idahogeology.org/Uploads/Data/MineDocs/CH0234_001.pdf 10 Mount Wheeler Mine, Mount Washington, Mount Washington Mining District (Lincoln Mining District), Snake Range, White Pine County, Nevada, USA 11 Mount Wheeler Mine, Mount Washington, Mount Washington Mining District (Lincoln Mining District), Snake Range, White Pine County, Nevada, USA (Page 7) 12 download.php (Page 5) 13 download.php (Page 8) 14mla_56-83.pdf (Page 29) 15 report (Page 31-34) 16 See Report (Page 34) 17 file regdev86- (Page 17) MINERALS MINING AND ENERGY IN IDAHO, 1986 - Idaho Geological 18 Tenneco opens Fondaway mine - The Northern Miner - February 5, 1990 19 Golden-Dome.pdf Exploration of a High-Sulfidation Epithermal Deposit within the Antelope Valley Volcanic Center, Sierra County California by Sommer M. Cassidy & Hanna M. Aird (7 Pages) Highlights: Meridian announces Measured and Indicated (M&I) resources for Cabacal as part of initial workstream towards its definitive feasibility study; Cabacal mines Au-Cu-Ag open-pittable resource expanded; M&I: 70.1Mt @ 0.6g/t Au, 0.3% Cu, 1.3g/t Ag; Metal increases of 39.2% for Au, 14.2% for Cu and 19.3% for Ag; Mineralization remains open down dip; Meridian reports M&I resources for the Santa Helena Central deposit; Santa Helena Centrals maiden open-pittable Au-Cu-Ag-Zn-Pb resource declared; M&I: 5.3Mt @ 0.6g/t Au, 0.4% Cu, 15.5g/t Ag, 1.9% Zn & 0.4% Pb; Resource remains open in all directions; The Cabacal VMS Belts M&I resources total 1.4Moz Au, 0.6Blbs Cu, 5.6Moz Ag, 217.4Mlbs Zn and 49.9Mlbs Pb; and Cabacal DFS metallurgical studies have optimised recoveries of Au, Cu & Ag. London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Meridian Mining plc (TSX: MNO) (FSE: N2E0) (OTCQX: MRRDF) ("Meridian" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of separate Mineral Resource Estimates ("MRE") for the Cabacal deposit and the Santa Helena Central deposit, concluded by its consultant, GE21 Consultoria Mineral. The Cabacal Au-Cu-Ag project ("Cabacal") is at an advanced permitting stage1 and is currently advancing to a Definitive Feasibility Study2 ("DFS"), expected in Q4 2026. The completion of the updated resource is one of the initial workstreams to be completed for the DFS, and the updated resource will be used for further studies in connection with the DFS. The Company has not applied any economic analysis to the updated resource beyond that required to state a resource estimate and does not consider the updated resource to be material to Cabacal or the Company. It does not supersede the results of the Company's prefeasibility study ("PFS") dated March 31, 2025 and the Mineral Reserve Estimate set out in the PFS is considered to remain current3. The Company is reporting an updated resource for Cabacal. Cabacal's M&I resource is reported at 70.1Mt grading 0.6g/t Au, 0.3% Cu, 1.3g/t Ag for 1.3Moz of Au, 0.5Blbs of Cu and 3.0Moz of Ag. Meridian is also reporting the maiden open-pittable resource for the Santa Helena Central Au-Cu-Ag-Zn-Pb project ("Santa Helena Central"). Santa Helena Central's M&I resource is reported at 5.3Mt grading 0.6g/t Au, 0.4% Cu, 15.5g/t Ag, 1.9% Zn & 0.4% Pb for 95.8Koz of Au, 50.4Mlbs of Cu, 2.6Moz of Ag, 217.4Mlbs of Zn and 49.9Mlbs of Pb. The Company has not applied any economic analysis to the Santa Helena Central resource beyond that required to state a resource estimate and does not consider the resource to be material. The Company is also reporting an increase in granted mineral rights across the Cabacal, Jauru and Araputanga Greenstone Belts to Rio Cabacal Mineracao ("RCM"). This follows mineral applications being approved for exploration by the National Mining Agency - "Agencia Nacional de Mineracao" ("ANM"). The Company's granted exploration portfolio has now more than doubled with these titles. Subject to access agreements and licensing, Meridian will initiate exploration activities across the Jauru and Araputanga Belts during 2026, while continuing to expand multiple exploration programs along the Cabacal Belt. In this press release, Cabacal's MRE is compared to that of March 20254. The September 2025 MRE is based on CIBC Analyst Consensus Commodity prices of November 2025: Au USD 3,103/oz, Ag USD 35.34/oz & Cu USD 4.39 /lb to determine cut-off grades (see Note 14 associated with Table 1) as compared to March 2025's MRE that used CIBC Analyst Consensus Commodity prices of November 2024: Au USD 2,119/oz, Ag USD 26.89/oz, Cu USD 4.16, refer to page 6, in the Company's March 31, 2025 MD&A. Mr. Gilbert Clark, CEO, comments: "A tremendous start to 2026 with Cabacal's resource update and Santa Helena Central's maiden resource estimate. This confirms the tremendous potential of the Cabacal Belt that now hosts over one point three million ounces of gold, more than half a billion pounds of copper and over five million ounces of silver all within open pit depths. Santa Helena Central's resource is solely focused on the central part of an open and prospective system with its stand-alone PL application submitted. We can now look to further near-term growth from additional resource and exploration drilling knowing that we are already well on our way to developing these two resource hubs. The near-term development of a modern and sustainable mining operation in the state of Mato Grosso has been greatly advanced with Meridian's growing Au-Cu-Ag resources, the advancement of the DFS and its expanding exploration programs." Figure 1: Cabacal and Santa Helena Central resource locations Resource Development Studies - Cabacal The mineral resource for Cabacal (Table 1) was classified and prepared in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council on May 10, 2014, as amended (the "CIM Standards"), and the CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines, adopted by CIM Council on November 29, 2019, as amended (the "CIM Guidelines") by Mr. Leonardo Moraes Soares, MAIG. Mr. Soares is an independent Qualified Person as such term is defined under NI 43-101. Mineral resource estimates defined within this 2025 MRE for Cabacal will feed into the pending DFS, on track for filing in Q4 2026. Classification Weathering Average Value Material Content Mass Au Ag Cu Au Ag Cu Mt g/t g/t % koz koz kt Measured Saprolite 0.33 0.44 0.69 0.12 4.56 7.22 0.38 Transition 1.83 0.55 0.63 0.21 32.60 37.25 3.81 Fresh Rock 62.53 0.57 1.36 0.35 1,138.52 2,743.29 217.43 Total 64.69 0.57 1.34 0.34 1,175.68 2,787.77 221.61 Indicated Saprolite 0.01 0.30 0.99 0.16 0.14 0.46 0.02 Transition 0.07 0.13 0.59 0.22 0.31 1.37 0.16 Fresh Rock 5.32 0.49 1.00 0.22 83.09 170.77 11.69 Total 5.41 0.48 0.99 0.22 83.54 172.59 11.87 Total Saprolite 0.34 0.43 0.70 0.12 4.70 7.68 0.40 Transition 1.90 0.54 0.63 0.21 32.91 38.62 3.96 Fresh Rock 67.85 0.56 1.34 0.34 1,221.61 2,914.06 229.12 Total 70.10 0.56 1.31 0.33 1,259.22 2,960.36 233.48 Table 1: Cabacal deposit mineral resource table. Notes related to the Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE"): Measured and Indicated Resource estimate reported inside open pit constraints. Inferred category was not classified inside open pit constraints. The Mineral Resource Estimates were prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards, and the CIM Guidelines, using geostatistical and/or classical methods, plus economic and mining parameters appropriate to the deposit Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and are not demonstrably economically recoverable. Grades reported using dry density. The effective date of the MRE was December 31, 2025. The QP responsible for the Mineral Resources is geologist Leonardo Soares (MAIG #5180). The MRE numbers provided have been rounded to the estimate relative precision. Values cannot be added due to rounding. The MRE is delimited by Mining tenement areas. The MRE was estimated using ordinary kriging in 5m x 5m x 2.5m blocks with sub-blocks of 2.5m x 1.25m x 0.625m. The MRE report table was produced in Leapfrog Edge software. The MRE was restricted by a pit shell defined using metal prices of USD 3,103/oz Au, USD 35.34/oz Ag, USD2 4.39/lb Cu, Mining cost of USD 9.11/t mined, processing cost of USD 7.82/t processed, metallurgical recovery calculated block by block based on metallurgical tests, G&A costs of USD 2.19/t processed, and USD 2.36/t processed logistics. Equivalent Gold grade ("AuEq") was calculated with the following general formula: AuEq = (Au_grade * %Au_Recovery) + (1.346*(Cu_grade * %Cu_Recovery)) + (0.013*(Ag _grade * %Ag_Recovery)). The QP is not aware of political, environmental, or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of the Mineral Resources other than those typical for mining projects at this stage of development. The resource cut-off grade applied for Measured and Indicated resources was 0.117 g/t AuEq. The underground mining void model has been used to deplete the resource. The mineral exploration data was applied to define the 3D geological model and resource estimate. It was compiled into Leapfrog software for the audit and validation of the organization, integrity and security of the data. The database is considered suitable for the purposes of mineral resource estimation. The Cabacal deposit mineral resource database consists of 1,290 drillholes, 34 trenches, 83 channels, 25 auger drilling, 15 mixed drilling, 13 percussion drilling and 12 rotary percussion drilling (Meridian + historic drilling), totalling 139,956.78 metres. This database includes 96,900.22 metres of assayed intervals. All historic data used for the MRE has been validated statistically to show no significant bias, either by twinned drillholes, extensive re-sampling and assaying of historic drill core, statistical comparison of historical data with Meridian drilling, and by field validation of collar locations. The 3D geological model was prepared by the QP using Leapfrog Geo software, to define and interpolate geological domains. The nominal sample length of 1 m was selected to be used in sample compositing based on the analysis of composite support for the Cabacal deposit. The variograms prepared for each domain were used in Ordinary Kriging for Au (g/t), Cu (%) and Ag (g/t) estimates, using Leapfrog Edge software. The block model for the Cabacal Project was built using Leapfrog software. The dimensions of the blocks are 5m x 5m x 2.5m blocks with sub-blocks of 2.5m x 1.25m x 0.625m. Density data was supplied by Meridian inside the drillhole database with selected intervals of 10-15 cm in length for weathered samples and 1 meter for fresh material. A total of 70,976 density test results are present in the database. The QP assumed a fixed value of 2.16 t/m by average density on Saprolite and 2.54 t/m for the Saprock horizon based on statistical analysis. Density on Fresh Rock Zone was estimated by inverse weighting distance using a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 15 density sample values. The Ordinary Kriging (OK) estimation method was applied to estimate the Au (ppm), Cu (%) and Ag (ppm) grades for mineralized domains. The estimates were separated for each domain, respecting the composites of each of the mineralized horizons. Grades were estimated considering Soft Boundary domains. The classification of mineral resources for the Cabacal deposit was determined by the QP's using the definitions of the Resources established by the CIM. This process involved assessing data quality and quantity, and resource classification was also based on search pass numbers used in grade interpolation. The Mineral Resource value was quantified inside a resource pit based on the current cost and assumed commodity price, represented for the Reasonable Prospect for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE), considering as effective date December 31, 2025. Mineral Resources were classified based on the estimation search radius, in conjunction with geological continuity, data spacing, and confidence in the grade estimates. Distances of up to 55 metres were assigned to Measured Mineral Resources, up to 80 metres to Indicated Mineral Resources. There were no blocks classified as inferred within the open-pit shell. The resource cut-off grade applied for low- and high-grade domains in Measured and Indicated resources was 0.117 g/t AuEq. Figure 2 presents the equivalent gold grade within the block model and the RPEEE pit shell, while Figure 3 shows the mineral resource classification. Figure 2: Gold Equivalent grade within the block model for Cabacal and the pit optimized for Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction ("RPEEE"). Figure 3: Mineral Resource Classification for Cabacal Whilst the resource has grown, the Company notes that the Preliminary Licence for the development footprint of Cabacal is approved for the volumes of material aligned with those established in the PEA5 and PFS. An increase in the volumes of mined material would require amending the Preliminary Licence, thus extending the Cabacal development timeline. As a result, the Company will continue to base its Cabacal DFS and initial development plans on the footprint defined by the Preliminary Licence pit and waste dump areas. Future possibilities may include an expansion of the open pit, implementing backfilling within the approved pit footprint, or potential underground exploitation. The Company will continue to assess near-mine exploration opportunities. The down-dip and down-plunge extensions of the Cabacal mineral system remain lightly drilled. The Company's focus to date has been restricted to a small number of holes at Cabacal West. It may be that local flexures or structural intersections, or periodicity in the original VMS architecture, create favourable positions for the copper-gold mineralization event, with scope to test for underground targets. The Company has recently drilled a number of holes to the south-east of Cabacal with results pending and will progressively test for vectors to potential underground resource extension targets. Geochemical and geophysical programs remain active in the mine corridor and the Company is purchasing drone-based geophysical sensors to add further to our in-house capabilities for better mapping the structure and stratigraphy for exploration targeting, with equipment expected to be delivered over the course of the first quarter. Resource Development Studies - Santa Helena Central The maiden mineral resource for Santa Helena Central (Table 2) was classified and prepared in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council on May 10, 2014, as amended (the "CIM Standards"), and the CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines, adopted by CIM Council on November 29, 2019, as amended (the "CIM Guidelines") by Mr. Leonardo Moraes Soares, MAIG. Mr. Soares is an independent Qualified Person as such term is defined under NI 43-101. Average Value Material Content Classification Weathering Mass Mt Au Ag Cu Zn Pb Au Ag Cu Zn Pb g/t g/t % % % koz koz kt kt Kt Measured Saprolite 0.50 0.69 11.07 0.39 0.84 0.49 11.02 177.65 1.96 4.21 2.45 Saprock 0.55 0.53 13.47 0.57 1.27 0.34 9.38 238.45 3.17 7.00 1.87 Fresh_Rock 3.70 0.58 17.07 0.45 2.20 0.45 69.03 2 027.86 16.50 81.14 16.75 Total 4.75 0.59 16.02 0.46 1.95 0.44 89.43 2,443.96 21.63 92.36 21.07 Indicated Saprolite 0.08 0.43 11.10 0.21 0.78 0.29 1.06 27.60 0.16 0.60 0.23 Saprock 0.03 0.35 7.27 0.55 0.78 0.24 0.37 7.88 0.18 0.26 0.08 Fresh_Rock 0.44 0.35 10.67 0.20 1.24 0.29 4.93 149.84 0.86 5.40 1.25 Total 0.55 0.36 10.52 0.22 1.15 0.28 6.36 185.32 1.21 6.27 1.56 Meas + Ind Saprolite 0.58 0.65 11.07 0.37 0.83 0.46 12.08 205.25 2.12 4.81 2.67 Saprock 0.58 0.52 13.12 0.57 1.24 0.33 9.76 246.33 3.35 7.27 1.95 Fresh_Rock 4.13 0.56 16.39 0.42 2.09 0.44 73.95 2,177.70 17.37 86.55 18.01 Total 5.29 0.56 15.45 0.43 1.86 0.43 95.79 2,629.28 22.84 98.63 22.62 Inferred Saprolite 0.00 0.43 11.20 0.19 1.25 0.34 0.06 1.45 0.01 0.05 0.01 Saprock 0.00 0.20 6.78 0.49 0.66 0.25 0.01 0.32 0.01 0.01 0.00 Fresh_Rock 0.03 0.31 11.67 0.18 1.50 0.30 0.29 11.11 0.05 0.45 0.09 Total 0.04 0.32 11.41 0.19 1.44 0.30 0.36 12.88 0.07 0.51 0.11 Table 2: Santa Helena Central deposit mineral resource table. Notes related to the Mineral Resource Estimate: Measured and Indicated Resource estimate reported inside open pit constraints. The Mineral Resource Estimates were prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards, and the CIM Guidelines, using geostatistical and/or classical methods, plus economic and mining parameters appropriate to the deposit Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and are not demonstrably economically recoverable. Grades reported using dry density. The effective date of the MRE was December 31, 2025. The QP responsible for Mineral Resources is geologist Leonardo Soares (MAIG #5180). The MRE numbers provided have been rounded to the estimated relative precision. Values cannot be added due to rounding. The MRE is delimited by Mining tenement areas. The MRE was estimated using ordinary kriging in 5m x 5m x 2.5m blocks with sub-blocks of 1.25m x 1.25m x 1.25m. The MRE report table was produced in Leapfrog Geo software. The Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) was constrained by an optimized pit shell generated using the following parameters: metal prices of USD3,103/oz gold, USD35.34/oz silver, USD4.39/lb copper, USD1.22/lb zinc, and USD0.92/lb lead; mining costs of USD2.98/t for oxidized ROM and waste material, USD10.44/t for transitional and fresh ROM material, and USD2.98/t for waste; a processing cost of USD7.82/t processed; general and administrative (G&A) costs of USD2.19/t processed; and logistics costs of USD2.36/t processed. Equivalent Gold grade ("AuEq") was calculated with the following formula: Fresh Rock Gold Equivalent: AuEq(g/t) = (Au_ppm * 57.0%Rec) + (0.970 * Cu_pct * 76.9%Rec) + (0.270 * Zn_pct * 90.6%Rec) + (0.203 * Pb_pct * 78.3%Rec.) + (0.011 * Ag _ppm * 83.7%Rec.). Transition Zone Gold Equivalent: AuEq(g/t) = (Au_ppm * 83.1%Rec) + (0.970 * Cu_pct * 75.3%Rec) + (0.270 * Zn_pct * 77.4%Rec) + (0.203 * Pb_pct * 51.4%Rec) + (0.011 * Ag _ppm * 80.1%Rec). Oxide Zone Gold Equivalent: AuEq(g/t) = (Au_ppm * 78.1%Rec.) + (0.011 * Ag _ppm * 62.3%Rec.). The resource cut-off grade applied for Measured and Indicated resources was 0.125 g/t AuEq. The underground mining void model has been used to deplete the resource. The mineral exploration data was applied to define the 3D geological model and resource estimate. It was compiled into Leapfrog software for the audit and validation of the organization, integrity and security of the data. The database is considered suitable for the purposes of mineral resource estimation. The Santa Helena Central deposit's mineral resource database consists of 327 drillholes, 22 trenches, 104 channels and 47 auger drill holes, and 245 grade control holes (Meridian + historic drilling), with 27,533.96 metres (Table 3). This database includes 18,655.35 metres of assayed intervals. Type Number Meterage Auger 47 329.89 Channel 104 188.69 Diamond 327 25145.38 Grade Control 245 770.77 Trench 22 1099.23 Total 745 27533.96 Table 3: Santa Helena database drill types. All historic data used for Santa Helena Central's MRE has been validated statistically to show no significant bias, either by twinned drillholes, extensive re-sampling and assaying of historic drill core, statistical comparison of historical data with Meridian's drilling, and by field validation of collar locations, to validate them. A change of support was performed to guarantee the use of historical data including channel, trench, grade control and auger drilling, by comparing values with the original diamond drill hole (DDH) data. The 3D geological model was prepared by the QP using Leapfrog Geo software, to define and interpolate geological domains. The nominal sample length of 1 m was selected to be used in sample compositing based on the analysis of composite support for the Santa Helena Central deposit. The variograms prepared for each domain were used in Ordinary Kriging for Au (g/t), Cu (%), Ag (g/t), Zn (%) and Pb (%) estimates, using Leapfrog Edge software. The block model for Santa Helena Central was built using Leapfrog software. The dimensions of the blocks are 5m x 5m x 2.5m blocks with sub-blocks of 1.25m x 1.25m x 1.25m. Density data was supplied by Meridian inside the drillhole database with selected intervals of 10-15 cm in length for weathered samples and 1 meter for fresh material. A total of 11,702 density test results are present in the database. The QP assumed a fixed value of 1.70 t/m by average density on Saprolite and 2.33 t/m for the Saprock horizon based on statistical analysis. Density on Fresh Rock Zone was estimated by inverse weighting distance using a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 15 density sample values. The Ordinary Kriging (OK) estimation method was applied to estimate the Au (ppm), Cu (%), Ag (ppm) Zn (%) and Pb (%) grade for mineralized domains. The estimates were separated for each domain, respecting the composites of each of the mineralized horizons. Grades were estimated considering Soft Boundary domains. The classification of mineral resources for the Santa Helena Central deposit was determined by the QP's using the definitions of the Resources established by the CIM. This process involved assessing data quality and quantity, and resource classification was also based on search pass numbers used in grade interpolation. The Mineral Resource value was quantified inside a resource pit based on the current cost and assumed commodity price, represented for the Reasonable Prospect for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE), considering as effective date December 31, 2025. Mineral Resources were classified based on the estimation search radius, in conjunction with geological continuity, data spacing, and confidence in the grade estimates. Distances of up to 55 metres were assigned to Measured Mineral Resources, up to 80 metres to Indicated Mineral Resources, and up to 120 metres to Inferred Mineral Resources. CIBC Analyst Consensus Commodity prices of November 2025 have been used for Santa Helena Central's Mineral Resource Estimates: Au USD 3,103/oz, Ag USD 35.34/oz, Cu USD 4.39 /lb, Zn USD 1.22/lb and Pb USD 0.92/lb. The resource cut-off grade applied for low- and high-grade domains in Measured and Indicated resources was 0.125 g/t AuEq. Figure 4 presents the equivalent gold grade within the block model and the RPEEE pit shell, while Figure 5 shows the mineral resource classification. Figure 4: Gold Equivalent grade within the block model for Santa Helena Central and the pit optimized for Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction ("RPEEE"). Figure 5: Mineral Resource Classification for Santa Helena Central The Santa Helena Central deposit remains open particularly to the west, where results have included CD-605's 75.6m @ 3.0g/t Au, 1.0% Cu, 30.2 g/t Ag & 2.5% Zn from 32.4m6. Meridian's drilling to the west has been limited to the reach of low-angled holes and the open mineralization trends towards the Sucuri VTEM conductor. This western extension is in a forest regrowth area where the Company is continuing to engage with agencies to assess options for permitting for low-impact activities. A limited amount of historical drilling had been undertaken by historical operators in this corridor, before changes in the environmental permitting system were implemented. Highlighted historical results from Sucuri, included a peak grade of 1.0 m at 140.0 g/t Au from 53.0 m in JUCHD-011. Induced polarization surveys and reconnaissance drilling also suggests that the VMS position is structurally repeated along chargeability corridors detected to the northeast of Santa Helena Central, which will be subject to further evaluation (Santa Helena North; Santa Helena Far North7). There is also limited drilling at depth beneath the deposit and testing for the possibility of stacked lenses for underground resource potential will be an objective. VMS Camps such as La Ronde Penna host mineralization stacked at different stratigraphic intervals. With the Cabacal Belt being characterised by gentle dips, there is a significant footprint of unexplored stratigraphy between the sub-volcanic intrusive system and the known VMS deposit horizon. With potential for gold mineralization associated with the syn-volcanic event and subsequent introduction/remobilization in the subsequent deformational history, a range of conceivable targets exist. The tonnage and grades of the Santa Helena Central's resource differ from historical exploration targets and resource estimates, being influenced by: Increased gold price, which in the metal equivalence formulas has the effect of subduing base metal grades; GE21's assessment that some of the historical grade control data analysed at the site laboratory required levelling impacting historical drill hole metal grades; Differing metallurgical properties between the historically mined higher-grade massive sulphide mineralization and the lower-grade stringer to disseminated mineralization; Mineralization extending out of open pit constraints; and Infill drilling resulted in a more defined geological model of the higher-grading massive sulphide zones. Cabacal Definitive Feasibility Study Update The DFS's metallurgical test work phase is complete with new metallurgical recovery formulae calculated. Further increases in the already high recoveries for gold and silver have been achieved. This was also achieved for the Cabacal's copper mineralization grading above 0.5% Cu. For the DFS's metallurgical program, the samples supplied to SGS for testing were selected from the planned first five years of mill feed[8] to test the process flowsheet over the mine payback period and beyond. An updated process flowsheet was tested based on this program's metallurgical results. The main enhancements being a slightly finer primary grind of 150 micron compared to the PFS's 200 micron as well as a marginally increased dosage of collector in the copper cleaner stage. New metal recovery formulae have been calculated for use in the pending DFS. The metal recovery formulae are provided in the Technical Notes. Based on the average metal grades of the DFS's resource estimate outlined in this release, the improvements in metal recoveries compared to the PFS can be seen in Table 4: Au g/t Cu % Ag g/t Cabacal updated M&I resource grade 0.56 0.33 1.31 DFS metal recovery % 88.35 90.97 72.51 PFS metal recovery % 85.52 90.97 51.97 DFS metal recovery difference 2.83% * 20.54% Table 4: Comparative DFS and PFS metal recoveries. * As the DFS's metallurgical program used samples grading +0.5% Cu, for grades below 0.5% Cu the PFS's metal recoveries were applied. Therefore, with the Cabacal resource update's average copper grade of 0.33% the average copper metal recoveries are the same for both the DFS and the PFS. Landbank Developments - Mato Grosso The Company is pleased to report that an additional ten of its exploration mineral title applications have been recently approved for exploration by the ANM (Figure 6) to RCM. The newly granted licences cover 64,490 ha. Combined with previous granted tenure and titles covered by the Cabacal purchase agreement9, this brings the footprint of tenure available to exploration to a total 104,932 ha (granted exploration licences, combined with the Cabacal mining title application, and Santa Helena mining licence). One licence remains under application spanning 2,336 ha. The ten newly approved mineral titles expand the footprint of granted licences in each of the three greenstone belts. Newly granted tenure in the Cabacal Belt includes two licences: Licence 866752/2022 (9,466 ha) and Licence 866597/2024 (7,561 ha) are located on the southern extension of the Cabacal Belt, southeast and east of the Santa Fe target region. Regional geological maps show the belt projecting into this region, and magnetic data coupled with drilling in the Santa Fe area indicates that the greenstone projects under the younger Proterozoic Aguapei sedimentary formation (with this formation itself being prospective for gold)10. Newly granted tenure in the Araputanga Belt includes two licences: Within the Araputanga Belt, the newly granted licences 866752/2021 (4,911 ha) and 866754/2021 (4,917 ha) adjoin the previously granted licence 866751/2021. These two licences consolidate the Company's footprint over the BP Minerals ("BPM") "A1" target area, a position where BP Minerals ("BPM") previously conducted soil geochemistry and ground geophysical follow up of aerial INPUT anomalies. Two holes were drilled by BPM (but complete results are lost). The A1 soil geochemical results have been recently recovered through georeferencing of historical maps. BP applied an empirical but effective method of panning a set volume (5L) soil sample to derive gold counts. At a 10-count threshold, there are at least 12 anomalies varying from 150 to 850m in strike length. Copper values reach over 250ppm in the grid. A number of gold and base metal stream anomalies are present outside of the limits of the soil grid, along with INPUT geophysical targets, still leaving first principals exploration programs to be executed. Newly granted tenure in the Jauru Belt includes six licences: Licence 866262/2024 (2,116 ha) lies to the north and covers the J9 exploration target, which again hosts a series of clustered gold, copper and polymetallic stream anomalies. A strong gold-in-soil anomaly is registered in this area, although the map is less well located and some field validation is required to confirm the east-west spatial positioning of the response. There are seven BPM INPUT geophysical anomalies present on this licence. Licence 866757/2021 (7,400 ha) projects over a more southern extension of the belt and hosts the projection of the J7 target (a northern extension of the off-licence J6 target trend, held by River Gold Mineracao Ltda under mining licence application). Gold in this region is associated with shearing close to the margin of the granite-greenstone contact. Licence 866757/2021 hosts four BP INPUT geophysical anomalies requiring further evaluation. Licences 866744/2021 (9,767 ha) and 866749/2021 (7,544 ha) host the Jauru copper-in-stream target[11]. This target corridor is associated with an exhalative unit extending over a strike length of 9km, contained wholly within the Company's licence package. A strong copper-in-stream anomaly is evident over at least a 7km strike extent over this exhalative unit. Basaltic metavolcanics are developed in the footwall of the exhalative unit to the east, and a metasedimentary unit is present to the west in the hangingwall. The copper-in-stream response increases rapidly from background values over the metavolcanic-sedimentary package, to form a coherent strike-extensive anomaly over the exhalative unit, increasing to peak values of up to 240ppm Cu. For context, peak copper values for the stream anomaly that led to definition of the Cabacal target were in the order of 34 - 56ppm Cu, and for Santa Helena, 20 - 36ppm Cu. Within licence 866744/2021, there are 19 BPM INPUT geophysical anomalies, some aligning with the stream anomaly and some detached associated with footwall lead-zinc anomalies or hangingwall positions requiring further evaluation. Jauru licence 866750/2021 (8,917 ha) does not span a specifically defined BPM target position but is structurally along strike and down plunge from the copper-in- stream anomaly of licences 866744/2021 - 866749/2021. It hosts four INPUT geophysical anomalies from the BPM aerial survey, and various lead-zinc stream anomalies not surveyed in more detail with follow up soil programs. Such responses could be indicative of broader zoned systems and in time will be evaluated in more detail. Licence 866261/2024 (1,890) lies east of the Jauru copper-in-stream target, hosts some lead-in-stream anomalies, and provides continuity with the Araputanga licence package. The Company's community relations and permitting teams are now focussed on securing expanded access agreements and environmental licensing to facilitate exploration programs and have commenced making contact with the farming community in this district. The Company has in total 104 written agreements and is building on a base of new contacts to expand our strong community relations. Environmental permitting for exploration also required landholders to have a registered "CAR" (Cadastro Ambiental Rural; land use document). Not all properties yet have this, which may limit access to some regions until they can be obtained. There is a program of work still in progress to vectorize the prospect-scale historical soil, geology and geophysical datasets which will continue whilst the land-access and permitting programs continue. The Company will recommence full field activities in late January. Figure 6: Mineral Title status map of the Cabacal, Araputanga and Jauru Belts. Newly approved licences are 866752/2022, 866752/2021, 866262/2024, 866757/2021, 866744/2021, 866750/2021, 866597/2024, 866261/2024, 866754/2021, 866749/2021. Landbank Developments - Rondonia With the increasing focus on copper-gold exploration in Mato Grosso, the Company has decided to relinquish certain non-core licences in Rondonia (within the Mirante da Serra and Ariquemes districts), whilst maintaining the Espigao d'Oeste licence package. The Company's objective is to continue to build a strong pipeline of copper-gold exploration and development opportunities. Technical Notes The CIBC Analyst Consensus Commodity prices (USD) of November 2025 have been used for the Mineral Resource Estimates: Gold USD 3,103/oz, Silver USD 35.34/oz, Copper USD 4.39 /lb, Zinc USD 1.22/lb and Lead USD 0.92/lb. Metallurgical recoveries have been based on testwork programs undertaken on drill core at SGS Lakefield in Canada, determining the following parameters: Cabacal Fresh Rock Gold Recovery: Recovery for grades less than 0.5g/t Au = 5.4022 Ln(Grade) +88.66 +88.66 Recovery for grades equal to or higher than 0.5g/t Au = 5.807 (Grade) +85.11 +85.11 Recovery for grades higher than 1.65g/t Au is capped at 94.69% Cabacal Fresh Rock Copper Recovery: Recovery for grades less than 0.5% Cu = 3.9067 Ln(Grade) +95.269 +95.269 Recovery for grades equal to or higher than 0.5% Cu = 1.3393 Ln(Grade) +97.83 +97.83 Recovery for grades higher than 1.03% Cu is capped at 98.1% Cabacal Fresh Rock Silver Recovery: Recovery for grades less than 0.5g/t Ag = 30.354 Ln(Grade) +43.691 +43.691 Recovery for grades equal to or higher than 0.5g/t Ag = 3.8821 (Grade) +67.406 +67.406 Recovery for grades higher than 5.0g/t Ag is capped at 86.81% Cabacal (Saprock) Transition Zone: For all blocks that contain more than 0.1% sulphur, the fresh rock recovery formula would apply For all blocks containing less than 0.01% sulphur the oxide recovery would apply Between 0.01 and 0.1% sulphur, a pro rata of the fresh rock recovery formula was applied for copper Between 0.01 and 0.1% sulphur, a recovery of 77.3% was applied to gold, and a recovery of 40% was applied to silver Cabacal Saprolite (Oxide) Zone: Gold: 62.1% recovery Copper: 1.2% recovery Silver: 17.9% recovery Cabacal Metal Equivalent Formulas: AuEq_ppm = (Au_ppm * %Rec.) + (0.970*Cu_pct * %Rec.) + (0.011*Ag _ppm * %Rec.) For Santa Helena Central, fixed recoveries were used from the initial metallurgical testwork program: Santa Helena Central Fresh Rock Recovery: Zinc 90.6%, Copper 76.9%, Lead 78.3%, Gold 57.0% and Silver 83.7% Santa Helena Central Saprock (Transition) Zone Recovery: Zinc 77.4%, Copper 75.3%, Lead 51.4%, Gold 83.1% and Silver 80.1% Santa Helena Central Saprolite (Oxide) Zone Recovery: Gold 78.1% and Silver 62.3% Santa Helena Metal Central Equivalent Formulas: Fresh Rock: AuEq_ppm = (0.57*Au_ppm) + (0.746*Cu_pct) + (0.244*Zn_pct) + (0.159*Pb_pct) + (0.010*Ag _ppm) Saprock (Transition) Zone: AuEq_ppm = (0. 831*Au_ppm.) + (0.731*Cu_pct) + (0.209*Zn_pct) + (0.104*Pb_pct) + (0.009*Ag _ppm) Saprolite (Oxide) Zone: AuEq_ppm = (0.781*Au_ppm.) + (0.007*Ag _ppm) Qualified Person Statement Mr. Erich Marques, B.Sc., FAIG, Chief Geologist of Meridian Mining and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, verified and approved the technical information in this news release. Dr. Norman Lotter, P.Eng., C.Eng., FIMMM, FSAIMM and Consulting Engineer of Flowsheets Metallurgical Consulting Inc., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, and has reviewed, verified and approved the metallurgical information in this news release. Leonardo Soares (Bsc Geo, MAIG), Senior Geological Consultant of GE21 Consultoria Mineral, is responsible for the geological setting, deposit type, exploration, drilling, sample preparation and Mineral Resource estimation, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed, verified and approved the mineral resource information in this news release. About Meridian Meridian Mining plc is focused on: The development and exploration of the advanced stage Cabacal VMS goldcopper project; Expanding the initial resource inventory at in the Santa Helena area through extension of Santa Helena Central, and new discoveries; Regional scale exploration of the Cabacal VMS Belt to expand the Cabacal Hub strategy; and Exploration in the Jauru & Araputanga Greenstone Belts (the above all located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil). The Pre-feasibility Study technical report (the "PFS Technical Report") dated March 31, 2025, entitled: "Cabacal Gold-Copper Project NI 43-101 Technical Report and Pre-feasibility Study" outlines a base case after-tax NPV5 of USD 984 million and 61.2% IRR from a pre-production capital cost of USD 248 million, leading to capital repayment in 17 months (assuming metals price scenario of USD 2,119 per ounces of gold, USD 4.16 per pound of copper, and USD 26.89 per ounce of silver). Cabacal has a low All-in-Sustaining-Cost of USD 742 per ounce gold equivalent & production profile of 141,000-ounce gold equivalent life of mine, driven by high metallurgical recovery, a low life-of-mine strip ratio of 2.3:1, and the low operating cost environment of Brazil. The Cabacal Mineral Reserve estimate consists of Proven and Probable reserves of 41.7 million tonnes at 0.63g/t gold, 0.44% copper and 1.64g/t silver (at a 0.25 g/t gold equivalent cut-off grade). Readers are encouraged to read the PFS Technical Report in its entirety. The PFS Technical Report may be found under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.meridianmining.co The PFS Technical Report was prepared for the Company by Tommaso Roberto Raponi (P. Eng), Principal Metallurgist with Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC; Scott Elfen (P. E.), Global Lead Geotechnical and Civil Services with Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC; John Anthony McCartney, C.Geol., Ausenco Chile Ltda.; Porfirio Cabaleiro Rodriguez (Engineer Geologist FAIG), of GE21 Consultoria Mineral; Leonardo Soares (Bsc Geo, MAIG), Senior Geological Consultant of GE21 Consultoria Mineral; Norman Lotter (Mineral Processing Engineer; P.Eng.), of Flowsheets Metallurgical Consulting Inc.; and, Juliano Felix de Lima (Engineer Geologist MAIG), of GE21 Consultoria Mineral. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Meridian Mining plc Mr. Gilbert Clark - CEO and Director Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information or forward-looking statements for the purposes of applicable securities laws. These statements address future events and conditions and so involve inherent risks and uncertainties, as disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Meridian's most recent Annual Information Form filed on www.sedarplus.ca. While these factors and assumptions are considered reasonable by Meridian, in light of management's experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, Meridian can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Meridian disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. 1 Meridian Mining news release of November 03, 2025 2 Meridian Mining news release of May 08, 2025 3 Meridian Mining news release of March10,2025 4 Meridian Mining news releases of March 10, 2025 5 Meridian Mining news releases of March 06, 2023 6 Meridian Mining news releases of November 20, 2024 7 Meridian Mining news releases of July 9, 2025 and September 9, 2025 8 See Cabacal Gold-Copper Project NI 43-101 Technical Report and Pre-feasibility Study" - 10th March 2025 9 Meridian Mining news release of November 9, 2020 10 Meridian Mining news release of September 9, 2025 11 Meridian Mining News release of May 14, 2024 TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2026 /CNW/ - IsoEnergy Ltd. ("IsoEnergy", or the "Company") (NYSE American: ISOU) (TSX: ISO) is pleased to announce the commencement of its 2026 winter exploration program on the Larocque East project (the "Project"), which hosts the high-grade Hurricane deposit, in the eastern Athabasca Basin, Canada. The program comprises approximately 5,200 m diamond drilling, up to 13 drill holes, targeting resource expansion at the Hurricane deposit as well as greenfield targets extending up to three kilometres east along trend (Figure 1). The Hurricane deposit hosts a current Mineral Resource of 48.6 Mlb UO at 34.5% UO Indicated, and 2.7 Mlb UO at 2.2% UO Inferred. The Project benefits from excellent infrastructure, located approximately 40 km northwest of the McClean Lake mill (Figure 2), and features relatively shallow mineralization at ~325 m, supporting efficient exploration and future development optionality. Highlights Winter drilling has commenced following successful mobilization, targeting Hurricane resource expansion targets and greenfield targets up to three kilometres along strike to the east (Figure 1). Resource Expansion : Targets to be tested include the North Trend where 2025 drill hole LE25-218 intersected 0.312% UO over 0.5 m seven metres below the unconformity, and the South Trend where 2025 drill hole LE25-207 intersected 1.61% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 m in the basal sandstone immediately above the unconformity and a second 0.5 m interval, 4.5 m below the unconformity that returned 1.71% U 3 O 8 (see press release dated December 3, 2025). : Targets to be tested include the North Trend where 2025 drill hole LE25-218 intersected 0.312% UO over 0.5 m seven metres below the unconformity, and the South Trend where 2025 drill hole LE25-207 intersected 1.61% U O over 0.5 m in the basal sandstone immediately above the unconformity and a second 0.5 m interval, 4.5 m below the unconformity that returned 1.71% U O (see press release dated December 3, 2025). Greenfield Targets: Drilling is planned to follow-up on 2025 drill hole LE25-202 that intersected 1.05% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 m about 20 m down hole from the unconformity 2.8 km east of Hurricane. This represents the strongest mineralized intersection encountered on the Project outside the Hurricane deposit area (see press release dated December 3, 2025). Dan Brisbin, Vice President of Exploration, stated, "Our project team has mobilized to the Larocque camp, and we are excited to launch our winter exploration program. Planned drilling is expected to build on positive 2025 results and continue our approach of both testing deposit expansion targets around the margins of the Hurricane deposit and exploring for new deposits along the highly prospective Larocque Trend." Resource Expansion Targets at Hurricane Drilling will focus on resource expansion targets along the North and South trends that flank the Hurricane deposit. These trends are situated within a low seismic velocity anomaly identified by ambient noise tomography (ANT), which is interpreted to map the prospective Hurricane alteration zone. Uranium mineralization was intersected on both trends in 2025 drill holes. Additional drill holes will test targets up to three kilometres along trend to the east of the Hurricane deposit, where drill hole LE25-202 intersected basement-hosted mineralization in 2025. North Trend The North Trend is characterized by discontinuous faults in sandstone and basement, associated with anomalous uranium geochemistry up to 50 metres north of the Hurricane deposit. Drill hole LE25-218 was completed on the North Trend during the summer of 2025 to test the unconformity down-dip of anomalous uranium geochemistry and alteration mineralogy previously intersected in the sandstone column in 2020 drill hole LE20-56. Hole LE25-218 intersected 0.312% UO over 0.5 m located 7 m below the unconformity at 368.6 m (see news release dated December 3, 2025). Elevated uranium mineralization is associated with hematite alteration, flanked by patchy clay and chlorite alteration, within a graphitic cordierite pelite unit. This graphitic basement unit lies approximately 50 m north of the graphitic host rocks and fault structures that underlie the Hurricane deposit. Winter 2026 drilling will continue to test for fertile structure within this area of coincident anomalous uranium geochemistry and ANT low velocity response on the north flank of the Hurricane deposit. South Trend The prospectivity of the South Trend remains strong and remains open to the east of LE25-212A (Figure 1). Winter 2026 drilling will test this trend both close to Hurricane and to the east, where the trend remains open. The potential of the South Trend is highlighted by mineralization intersected near the unconformity in drill holes LE25-207, LE25-210, LE21-101 and LE22-115A. The 2025 drill hole LE25-207 returned 1.61% UO over a 0.5 m interval in the basal sandstone immediately above the unconformity at 323.8 m. A second 0.5 m interval, 4.5 m below the unconformity, returned 1.71% U 3 O 8 . LE25-210, also drilled in 2025, returned 0.486% UO over a 0.5 m interval, located three metres below the unconformity at 320.6 m. Highly anomalous uranium in LE25-210 is not restricted to this interval. Two metres up hole a 2.5 m interval from 1.5 m above the unconformity to 1.0 m below the unconformity returned an average of 0.115% UO (see press release dated December 3, 2025). Clay mineralogy within the sandstone column of the twelve holes drilled in 2025 is dominated by illite, with lesser amounts of kaolinite and chlorite, which is an assemblage consistent with prospective hydrothermal alteration associated with unconformity-related uranium systems. The prospective clay mineralogy extends for 190 m or more up hole from the unconformity in most drill holes. Background dickite is only a component of the lower sandstone spectral mineralogy in LE25-210 and LE25-212. Significant segments of the South trend remain undertested. Target Area D Drill hole LE25-202, completed 2.8 km east of the Hurricane deposit in the winter of 2025, intersected the best mineralized intersection on the project outside of the Hurricane deposit area. The intersection returned 1.05% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 m approximately 20 m down hole from the unconformity at 270.3 m in a broader interval that returned 0.583% U 3 O 8 over 1.5 m (see press release dated December 3, 2025). Follow-up holes were drilled on section and to the southwest, but step-outs could not be completed to the northeast because drilling on a lake is required to test these targets. Qualified Person Statement The scientific and technical information contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Dr. Dan Brisbin, P.Geo., IsoEnergy's Vice President, Exploration, who is a "Qualified Person" (as defined in NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). See the December 3, 2025, press releases information on assurance/quality control procedures, as well as the complete exploration results from the previous programs disclosed herein. For additional information regarding the Company's Larocque East Project, including the current mineral resource estimate for IsoEnergy's Hurricane deposit, please see the technical report entitled "Technical Report on the Larocque East Project, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada" dated August 4, 2022, available on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca About IsoEnergy Ltd. IsoEnergy (NYSE American: ISOU; TSX: ISO) is a leading, globally diversified uranium company with substantial current and historical mineral resources in top uranium mining jurisdictions of Canada, the U.S. and Australia at varying stages of development, providing near-, medium- and long-term leverage to rising uranium prices. IsoEnergy is currently advancing its Larocque East project in Canada's Athabasca basin, which is home to the Hurricane deposit, boasting the world's highest-grade indicated uranium mineral resource. IsoEnergy also holds a portfolio of permitted past-producing, conventional uranium and vanadium mines in Utah with a toll milling arrangement in place with Energy Fuels. These mines are currently on standby, ready for rapid restart as market conditions permit, positioning IsoEnergy as a near-term uranium producer. X: @IsoEnergyLtd www.isoenergy.ca Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively, referred to as "forward-looking information"). Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". These forward-looking statements or information may relate to statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities for 2026 and the anticipated results thereof. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at the time, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such assumptions include, but are not limited to, assumptions that the results of planned exploration activities are as planned and will be reported when anticipated; the anticipated mineralization of IsoEnergy's projects being consistent with expectations and the potential benefits from such projects and any upside from such projects; the price of uranium; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms; that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although IsoEnergy has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Such statements represent the current views of IsoEnergy with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by IsoEnergy, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the following: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing; uncertainty of additional financing; no known mineral reserves; aboriginal title and consultation issues; reliance on key management and other personnel; actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated; changes in exploration programs based upon results; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment and supplies; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena; other environmental risks; changes in laws and regulations; regulatory determinations and delays; stock market conditions generally; demand, supply and pricing for uranium; other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, and general economic and political conditions in Canada, the United States and other jurisdictions where the Company conducts business. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in IsoEnergy's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis and annual information form and IsoEnergy's other filings with the securities regulators which are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. IsoEnergy does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Cautionary Note to United States Investors Regarding Presentation of Mineral Resource Estimates The mineral resource estimates included in this press release have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada and Australia, as applicable, which differ in certain material respects from the disclosure requirements promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Accordingly, information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies reporting pursuant to SEC disclosure requirements. VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 20, 2026 /CNW/ - Vizsla Silver Corp. (TSX: VZLA) (NYSE: VZLA) (Frankfurt: 0G3) ("Vizsla Silver" or the "Company") is pleased to provide a year-end summary of its activities at its flagship Panuco silver-gold property (the "Property" or "Panuco") located in Sinaloa, Mexico and outline the Company's key objectives/milestones for 2026. "2025 was an extraordinary year for Vizsla, the Panuco project and the underlying commodities," commented Michael Konnert, President and CEO. "Throughout the year, Vizsla Silver employed a dual track approach focused on both advancing project development objectives, while maintaining exploration momentum in the hunt for new centers of mineralization. At the project, an updated mineral resource estimate at the start of the year highlighted a 43% increase to measured and indicated resources at a ~5% higher grade profile. This set the stage for an industry leading Feasibility Study published in November, outlining over 20 million ounces of annual silver equivalent production over the first five years and 17.4 million ounces annually over the initial 9.4-year mine life, an after-tax NPV (5%) of US$1.8 billion, 111% IRR and a 7-month payback at US$35.50 per ounce silver and US$3,100 per ounce gold. It's important to remember this is a snapshot in time based on conservative commodity price assumptions, especially given the current metals price environment. The ongoing test mine program advanced considerably in 2025, now down to the 460 level, where we intend to extract the bulk sample. This program has provided invaluable information not only to support detailed engineering and mine development but has allowed access for underground drilling to target over 25 million ounces of inferred mineralization, not currently in the Feasibility Study mine plan. On the exploration side, our geologists focused on expanding, upgrading and converting known resources while simultaneously mapping, sampling and collecting data to support new discoveries. Our most notable discovery was at the Animas target located in the central portion of the district, where we intercepted 897 g/t AgEq over 5.8 meters. This world class interval is planned to be further tested this year as part of a broader 60,000-meter district wide drill program. With a current cash position of over US$450M, the project is now fully financed, and we are ready to build and ready to grow following receipt of our MIA permit expected sometime mid-year. In 2026, we aim to continue derisking and enhancing project value for shareholders. Our recent property acquisitions provide an excellent pipeline of new targets to test, while ongoing optimization work on the project continues to improve efficiency and overall economics. I am extremely proud of our team's performance in 2025 and grateful for the continued support of our community members, shareholders and other stakeholders as we advance toward first silver production in the second half of 2027." Key Objectives for 2026 Advance detailed engineering and select contractors for construction and mining Advance ongoing test mine and bulk sample program Continue underground infill and expansion drilling to support an updated project MRE Advance district-wide surface exploration drilling, including follow up test work at Animas Complete updated district-scale airborne EM and MAG surveys Conduct initial LiDAR, mapping and sampling on the Penoles and La Garra claims 2025 Highlights 2025 represented a step-change for Vizsla Silver as the Company advanced from study-driven validation to construction readiness. Throughout the year Vizsla continued to expand its land package with new acquisitions and delivered on several key de-risking initiatives, including the development of a fully funded and fully permitted test mine, publication of the Project's first Feasibility Study and securing project finance to construct the Panuco Mine, have been transformative for the Company and the asset as it enters the development stage. The year started with an updated mineral resource estimate outlining both growth and conversion of resources into higher confidence categories. This ultimately served as the foundation for a Feasibility Study published in November, highlighting 17.4 Moz AgEq of annual production over an initial 9.4-year mine life (averaging 20.1 Moz AgEq per year for years 1-5), an after-tax NPV (5%) of US$1.8B, 111% IRR and a 7-month payback at US$35.50/oz Ag and US$3,100/oz Au. Vizsla Silver is now fully funded to develop and construct the Panuco project, finishing the year with more than US$450M in cash (almost 2x the initial capital expenditure requirement as stated in the FS). In November, the Company announced a US$300M project financing facility, structured as a five-year, cash-settled capped call convertible notes issuance, which carries a 5% coupon and an effective conversion price of US$10.54 per share. This represented the largest ever financing of this structure completed by a Canadian silver-focused development company. The test mine advanced from surface to over 700 meters down the decline, achieving an average of two blasts and six meters of development per day. Two of three planned underground drill bays were established, closing the year with two underground drill rigs conducting infill drilling at central Copala and Christiano. Drilling throughout the year totaled ~21,000 meters, focused primarily on geotechnical drilling around the Feasibility Study mine plan area. This drilling will support the final phase of detailed engineering slated to commence in early 2026. Additionally, two drill rigs carried out expansion and discovery-based drilling in the west and eastern portions of the district to extend known resources and target select anomalies highlighted in a recently completed HLEM survey. A new discovery at Animas, located in the eastern portion of the district, marked by 897g/t AgEq over 5.85 meters, adds another high-grade center of near-surface mineralisation to continue exploring and defining in 2026. Other notable achievements in 2025: Vizsla Silver's share price increased by 220% from US$1.71 to US$5.47 per share, and liquidity across the TSX and NYSE collectively increased the 3-month average daily trading volume 217% from 2.2 million to 6.8 million. Vizsla Silver raised US$160M in equity including a US$115.5M bought deal at US$3.00 per share in June. Raised net proceeds of US$240M through a cash-settled, capped-call convertible bond issuance to fully fund the construction and development of the Panuco project, carrying a 5% coupon rate an effective conversion price of US$10.51. Completed 50-line km HLEM surveys across Panuco West covering Copala North and Napoleon North, identifying several extensional targets for drilling in 2026. Expanded district-scale geological interpretation by extending 1:1,000-scale mapping beyond the original Project 1 footprint into the central and eastern Panuco district and integrating WorldView-III, ASTER, and Terraspec datasets to refine alteration patterns, structural controls, and target prioritization. Vizsla Silver acquired a total of 14,607 hectares in 2025 along the San Dimas corridor, comprising 12,229 hectares Santa Fe claims in May, and 2,378 hectares Penoles claims in December (see figure 1 below). Completed a fourth round of metallurgical test work to support Feasibility Study flow sheet variability and optimization. Published the third annual Sustainability Report. Organized four health fairs/social programs, servicing approximately 2,000 individuals within the local communities Vizsla Silver's Mexican subsidiary, Minera CANAM, was awarded the Socially Responsible Company Distinction (ESR), for the fourth year in a row. 2026 Outlook 2026 should be another transformative year for Vizsla Silver and the Panuco Project. With several new growth and de-risking initiatives, the Company is focused on further validating and enhancing value beyond the recently published Feasibility Study. Key initiatives include detailed engineering, underground drilling, geophysical surveys, and optimization work required to enter a construction decision in the second half of 2026, once permits are received. Vizsla has budgeted ~60,000 meters of diamond drilling across the Panuco district for 2026. This includes underground drilling at Copala, Christiano and Tajitos, surface exploration drilling in the central and eastern portions of the district, additional Geotech drilling at Napoleon and La Lusia, and initial reconnaissance drilling at Santa Fe and La Garra. In parallel, the engineering team is advancing detailed engineering of the mine and process infrastructure as it transitions into project execution, including the selection of key partners for construction and mining. Contractor selection for bulk earthworks, electrical, piping, and underground mining will continue through competitive processes, supported by equipment-specific test work from the test mine bulk sample material to validate performance guarantees. The planned 10k tonne bulk sample material will support a fifth phase of metallurgical testwork to optimize silver and gold recovery, reagent usage, and further rheological testing to ensure robustness of tailings and paste backfill. Exploration in 2026 will focus on advancing surface drilling around Panuco West to extend resources proximal to the Feasibility Study mine plan, while ongoing technical work will support future drill programs at Santa Fe, follow-up drilling at Animas, and initial testing of other targets in the northeast. Vizsla will also commence initial LiDAR surveys, geological mapping, and surface sampling across the newly acquired Penoles claims, alongside first pass LiDAR, mapping, and prospecting at La Garra, laying the groundwork for future drill targeting across the broader land package. Key Objectives for 2026 Advance detailed engineering and select contractors for construction and mining Advance ongoing test mine and bulk sample program Continue underground infill and expansion drilling to support an updated project MRE Advance district wide surface exploration drilling, including follow up test work at Animas Complete updated district scale airborne EM and MAG surveys Conduct initial LiDAR, mapping and sampling on the Penoles and La Garra claims In accordance with NI 43-101, Jesus Velador, Ph.D. MMSA QP., Chief Geologist, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has reviewed and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release. About Vizsla Silver and the Panuco Project Vizsla Silver is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, focused on advancing its flagship, 100%-owned Panuco silver-gold project located in Sinaloa, Mexico. The Company recently completed a Feasibility Study for Panuco in November 2025 which highlights 17.4 Moz AgEq of annual production over an initial 9.4-year mine life, an after-tax NPV(5%) of US$1.8B, 111% IRR and a 7-month payback at US$35.50/oz Ag and US$3,100/oz Au. Vizsla Silver aims to position itself as a leading silver company by implementing a dual track development approach at Panuco, advancing mine development while continuing district-scale exploration through low-cost means. Website: www.vizslasilvercorp.ca SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or performance and reflect management's expectations or beliefs regarding future events, plans, and objectives. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's 2026 objectives and milestones, including the timing and receipt of environmental and other regulatory permits (including the MIA/EIA); the timing and execution of construction activities, including the commencement of construction, advancement of detailed engineering, and selection of contractors and development partners; the Company's ability to advance the Panuco Project toward production, including expectations regarding first silver production in the second half of 2027; the results, timing and scope of planned drilling programs, including underground infill and expansion drilling, district-wide surface drilling, and follow-up drilling at Animas, Santa Fe, La Garra, Penoles and other targets; the conversion of inferred mineral resources to indicated mineral resources, including targeted conversion of inferred mineralization within the Copala zone; the size, grade, continuity and potential expansion of mineral resources, including the potential to add mine life beyond the current feasibility study mine plan; the completion and outcomes of bulk sampling, metallurgical testing, geotechnical work and optimization studies, and their anticipated impact on project economics and mine design; the economic results of the Panuco Project, including forecast production rates, mine life, capital costs, operating costs, free cash flow, net present value, internal rate of return, and payback period, as derived from the Feasibility Study; the assumptions underlying the Feasibility Study, including commodity prices, metallurgical recoveries, operating and capital cost estimates, permitting timelines, and development schedules; the Company's ability to fund construction and development, including expectations regarding the sufficiency of existing cash balances and access to financing; the anticipated benefits of property acquisitions and exploration programs, including the identification of new mineralized zones and discovery of additional deposits; and the Company's long-term growth strategy, including its ability to enhance shareholder value through continued exploration success, project development and operational execution. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions believed to be reasonable by the Company as of the date of this release, including, without limitation: the accuracy of the Feasibility Study parameters; the availability of financing on acceptable terms; that required permits and approvals will be obtained in the expected timeframe; continued community and government support; stability in market, political and economic conditions; reasonable accuracy of operating and capital cost estimates; and continued favourable metal prices and exchange rates. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. Such risks include, but are not limited to: exploration, development and operating risks; permitting, environmental and regulatory risks; community relations and social licence risks; commodity price and currency fluctuations; inflation and cost escalation; financing and liquidity risks; reliance on contractors and suppliers; title and surface rights risks; changes in project parameters; inaccuracies in technical or economic modelling; the risk that the feasibility study assumptions prove inaccurate; and other risks described in the Company's continuous disclosure filings available under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. There can be no assurance that the Panuco Project will be placed into production or that the results of the Feasibility Study will be realized. The purpose of the forward-looking statements is to provide information about management's current expectations and plans and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein. No Production Decision: The Company has not made a production decision for the Panuco Project. A decision to proceed with construction will only be made following the completion and review of detailed engineering, financing arrangements, and receipt of all required permits and approvals. One of the prospects has a mineral resource and the other has returned high-grade intersections; Drilling to resume at Golden Eye gold-copper deposit this month HIGHLIGHTS: Cygnus has identified two gold prospects with known mineralisation and plans a drilling campaign for Q2 (following standard permitting) as part of its push to continue growth of the Chibougamau Project resource base The Gwillim prospect, located just 12km from the Chibougamau processing facility, has returned several high-grade intersections which require follow up drilling. These intersections include: 7.6m @ 38.1g/t Au from 314.9m (87-KOD-18); 15.2m @ 9.4g/t Au from 155.1m (87-KOD-1); and 16.4m @ 8.3g/t Au from 168.3m (87-KOD-10). The Joe Mann prospect is a historic high-grade gold mine which produced 1.2Moz @ 8.3g/t Au. 1 The project has an Inferred Resource of 0.7Mt at 6.0g/t Au for 143koz but significant regional potential remains near surface with intersections of: 0.7m @ 480.2g/t Au from 92.3m (H-118); 3.8m @ 20.8g/t Au from 287.2m (H-214); and 8.4m @ 6.3g/t Au from 175.6m (H-374). Joe Mann is ideally located in the middle of gold-rich ground that recently led to IAMGOLDs acquisition of Northern Superior Resources for C$267.4M Cygnus believes these drill targets have significant potential to grow the current resource of the Chibougamau Project, which stands at 6.4Mt at 3.0% CuEq for 193kt CuEq (M&I) and 8.5Mt at 3.5% CuEq for 295kt CuEq (Inferred ) At the Golden Eye deposit, drilling will resume later this month to test extensions below the current resource, which stands at 0.5Mt at 5.6g/t AuEq for 91koz AuEq (Indicated) and 1.2Mt at 4.6g/t AuEq for 182koz AuEq (Inferred) Assays are pending from follow up drilling on a new zone of shallow mineralisation at Cedar Bay which previously returned 28.9m at 2.5g/t AuEq (1.0g/t Au, 1.0% Cu & 12.0g/t Ag) (CDR-25-16) Cygnus Executive Chairman David Southam said: These two new prospects clearly have substantial resource potential, with both hosting known gold mineralisation. Resource growth is at the centre of our strategy for 2026 and these targets meet our criteria both in terms of the high-grades and the scope to extend the known mineralisation significantly. Intersections of up to 480g/t (over 0.7m), less than 100m deep, in a gold price environment of US$4,500/oz, next to a historic high-grade gold mine and in an area subject to M&A demonstrates why we are so keen to pursue these opportunities. TORONTO, Jan. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX: CY5; TSXV: CYG; OTCQB: CYGGF) (Cygnus or the Company) is pleased to announce high priority gold drilling targets, with permit applications in progress, at its Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project in Quebec. Cygnus is continuing to aggressively explore the highly prospective Chibougamau Project and grow resources in line with the Companys value creation strategy. Two high priority drill targets have been identified which are both known to have significant high-grade gold mineralisation and little modern exploration. The Gwillim Project (50% JV with Alamos Gold) is located 12km northwest of the Chibougamau processing facility and has several gold rich structures running through the project. The Gwillim mine was in production in the 1970s and 1980s and produced 39koz at a grade of 4.8g/t.1 The main target sits 500m to the south of the historic mine and has a number of wide, high-grade intercepts which require follow up. These intersections include: 7.6m @ 38.1g/t Au from 314.9m (87-KOD-18); 15.2m @ 9.4g/t Au from 155.1m (87-KOD-1); and 16.4m @ 8.3g/t Au from 168.3m (87-KOD-10). Work is ongoing to compile the data and generate drill targets while the drill permit application is in process. The Joe Mann Project is located 46km south of the Chibougamau processing facility and was a past producing mine which closed in 2007. Joe Mann was known for its high-grade, producing 1.2Moz at a grade of 8.3g/t Au.1 The deposit is still open below existing workings and contains an Inferred Resource of 0.7Mt at 6.0g/t Au for 143koz Au. The Joe Mann Project covers 62km2 and hosts a number of near-surface regional drilling targets that require follow up work, some of which with high-grade gold intersections like: 0.7m @ 480.2g/t Au from 92.3m (H-118); 3.8m @ 20.8g/t Au from 287.2m (H-214); and 8.4m @ 6.3g/t Au from 175.6m (H-374). Cygnus recently flew detailed airborne magnetics over the project to assist with targeting. This is being used in conjunction with the existing drilling and planned IP surveys to plan follow-up drilling. The Joe Mann Project is located in the heart of the area owned by Northern Superior Resources which was recently acquired by IAMGOLDs for C$267.4M. This acquisition consolidates a number of significant resources in the area with IAMGOLDs Nelligan gold deposit. Cygnus is continuing its exploration strategy, focussed on resource growth and resource conversion, to drive the Chibougamau Project forward and deliver maximum returns to shareholders. In line with this strategy, drilling is expected to resume later this month at the Golden Eye deposit to test extensions below the current resource as well as converting more resources to the Indicated category. The current resource at Golden Eye includes an Indicated Resource of 0.5Mt at 5.6g/t AuEq for 91koz AuEq and Inferred Resource of 1.2Mt at 4.6g/t AuEq for 182koz AuEq. The Chibougamau area has well-established infrastructure, giving the Project a significant headstart as a copper-gold development opportunity. This infrastructure includes a 900,000tpa processing facility, local mining town, sealed highway, airport, regional rail infrastructure and 25kV hydro power to the processing site. Significantly, the Chibougamau processing facility is the only processing facility within a 250km radius. Figure 1: High priority gold targets at Joe Mann and Gwillim in the heart of IAMGOLDs acquisition of Northern Superior. Cygnus has the only processing infrastructure in the region. This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Directors of Cygnus. David Southam Executive Chair T: +61 8 6118 1627 E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Nicholas Kwong President & CEO T: +1 647 921 0501 E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Media: Paul Armstrong Read Corporate T: +61 8 9388 1474 About Cygnus Metals Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX: CY5, TSXV: CYG, OTCQB: CYGGF) is a diversified critical minerals exploration and development company with projects in Quebec, Canada and Western Australia. The Company is dedicated to advancing its Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project in Quebec with an aggressive exploration program to drive resource growth and develop a hub-and-spoke operation model with its centralised processing facility. In addition, Cygnus has quality lithium assets with significant exploration upside in the world-class James Bay district in Quebec, and REE and base metal projects in Western Australia. The Cygnus team has a proven track record of turning exploration success into production enterprises and creating shareholder value. Forward Looking Statements This release may contain certain forward-looking statements and projections regarding estimates, resources and reserves; planned production and operating costs profiles; planned capital requirements; and planned strategies and corporate objectives. Such forward looking statements/projections are estimates for discussion purposes only and should not be relied upon. They are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond Cygnus control. Cygnus makes no representations and provides no warranties concerning the accuracy of the projections and disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements/projections based on new information, future events or otherwise except to the extent required by applicable laws. While the information contained in this release has been prepared in good faith, neither Cygnus or any of its directors, officers, agents, employees or advisors give any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the fairness, accuracy, completeness or correctness of the information, opinions and conclusions contained in this release. Accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted by law, none of Cygnus, its directors, employees or agents, advisers, nor any other person accepts any liability whether direct or indirect, express or limited, contractual, tortuous, statutory or otherwise, in respect of the accuracy or completeness of the information or for any of the opinions contained in this release or for any errors, omissions or misstatements or for any loss, howsoever arising, from the use of this release. End Notes Historic production statistics for the Chibougamau area are recorded in Leclerc. F, Harris. L. B, Bedard. J. H, Van Breeman. O and Goulet. N. 2012, Structural and Stratigraphic Controls on Magmatic, Volcanogenic, and Shear Zone-Hosted Mineralization in the Chapais-Chibougamau Mining Camp, Northeastern Abitibi, Canada. Society of Economic Geologists, Inc. Economic Geology, v. 107, pp. 963989. Qualified Persons and Compliance Statements The scientific and technical information in this announcement has been reviewed and approved by Mr Louis Beaupre, the Quebec Exploration Manager of Cygnus, a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Exploration Results disclosed in this announcement are also based on and fairly represent information and supporting documentation compiled by Mr Beaupre. Mr Beaupre holds options and performance rights in Cygnus. Mr Beaupre is a member of the Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec (P. Eng.), a Recognised Professional Organisation as recognised by the ASX, and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposits under consideration and to the activity which has been undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Mr Beaupre consents to the inclusion in this release of the matters based on the information in the form and context in which they appear. The information in this release that relates to the Mineral Resource Estimate for the Chibougamau Project reported in accordance with the JORC Code (2012 Edition) and NI 43-101 was released by Cygnus in an announcement titled Major Resource Update released to the ASX on 17 September 2025 and subsequent technical report dated 31 October 2025 titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report Chibougamau Hub and Spoke Complex, Quebec, Canada" prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and the JORC Code (2012 Edition). Details of the Mineral Resource Estimate are included in Appendix B. The information in this announcement that relates to previously reported Exploration Results at the Companys projects has been previously released by Cygnus in ASX Announcements as noted in the text and End Notes. Individual grades for the metals included in the metal equivalents calculations for the Mineral Resource Estimate, as well as the price assumptions, metallurgical recoveries and metal equivalent calculations themselves, are in Appendix B of this release. It is the Companys view that all elements in the copper and gold equivalent calculations have a reasonable potential to be recovered and sold. Cygnus is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information in these announcements, and in the case of estimates of Mineral Resources, that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the relevant market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Persons findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcements. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. APPENDIX A Significant Intersections from Exploration Drilling Coordinates given in UTM NAD83 (Zone 18). Intercept lengths may not add up due to rounding to the appropriate reporting precision. Intersections are estimated to be 70% of true width. Hole ID X Y Z Azi Dip Depth (m) From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) 87-KOD-18 539324.5 5534129 370.6715 175 -65 380 314.9 322.5 7.6 38.1 87-KOD-1 539308.1 5534022 372.958 182 -60 235 155.1 170.4 15.2 9.4 87-KOD-10 539275.2 5534006 374.5273 182 -64 256 168.3 184.7 16.4 8.3 H-118 539682 5482232 391 180 -45 177 92.3 93.0 0.7 480.2 H-214 539897 5481931 390 7 -49 558 287.2 291.1 3.8 20.8 H-374 536624.3 5480813 387.82 180 -44 261 175.6 184.0 8.4 6.3 APPENDIX B Mineral Resource Estimate for the Chibougamau Project as at 17 September 2025 Cu Project Classification COG CuEq Tonnage Average Grade Contained Metal Cu Au Ag CuEq AuEq Cu Au Ag CuEq AuEq % Mt % g/t g/t % g/t kt koz koz kt koz Corner Bay Indicated 1.2 4.9 2.5 0.3 8.4 2.8 4.1 124 43 1,316 137 638 Inferred 5.4 2.7 0.2 8.9 3.0 4.3 146 41 1,543 159 744 Devlin Measured 1.5 0.1 2.7 0.3 0.5 2.9 4.7 4 1 2 4 19 Indicated 0.6 2.0 0.2 0.2 2.1 3.4 13 4 5 13 69 M&I 0.8 2.1 0.2 0.3 2.3 3.6 16 5 7 17 88 Inferred 0.3 2.0 0.2 0.3 2.1 3.4 7 2 3 7 36 Joe Mann Inferred 2.0 0.7 0.2 6.0 - 4.6 6.3 2 143 - 34 151 Cedar Bay Indicated 1.8 0.3 1.6 6.0 9.9 6.4 8.1 4 50 82 16 67 Inferred 0.8 2.0 5.1 11.8 6.1 7.8 17 134 309 50 205 Golden Eye Indicated 0.5 1.0 4.3 9.9 4.4 5.6 5 69 161 22 91 Inferred 1.2 0.9 3.4 7.9 3.6 4.6 11 134 313 45 182 Project Classification Tonnage Average Grade Contained Metal Cu Au Ag CuEq AuEq Cu Au Ag CuEq AuEq Mt % g/t g/t % g/t kt koz koz kt koz Hub and Spoke Measured 0.1 2.7 0.3 0.5 2.9 4.7 4 1 2 4 19 Indicated 6.3 2.3 0.8 7.8 3.0 4.3 146 166 1,563 189 865 M&I 6.4 2.3 0.8 7.6 3.0 4.3 149 167 1,565 193 884 Inferred 8.5 2.1 1.7 7.9 3.5 4.8 182 454 2,168 295 1,318 Notes: Grab Sampling Returns Up To 451 g/t Ag Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - T2 Metals Corp. (TSXV: TWO) (OTCQB: TWOSF) (WKN: A3DVMD) ("T2 Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce high-grade silver and gold results from a recent grab sampling program conducted at the Shanghai mineral project ("Shanghai") in the Mayo Mining District, Yukon. Samples are the first reported by the Company from Shanghai (see Figure 1) and were taken by T2 Metals CEO Mark Saxon as part of the due diligence process for acquisition during Q4 2025 (see Figure 2). Rock grab samples were taken from historical mine dumps that lie at the entrance to the Shanghai Silver Mine, which was developed during the 1960's by Silver Titan Mines Ltd. Close to 800 m of underground development is present, in addition to numerous trenches that lie up dip from the underground workings along more than 1 km of strike. Highlights from the Sampling Program Include: 2255101: 195 g/t Silver (Ag) and 2.71 g/t Gold (Au) 2255103: 451 g/t Silver (Ag) and 1.99 g/t Gold (Au) 2255109: 421 g/t Silver (Ag) and 2.04 g/t Gold (Au) Eleven rock samples were collected from the Shanghai Silver Mine dumps to represent both vein and wall rock material. Gold values ranged from 0.02 to 2.71 g/t and averaged 1.01 g/t; silver values ranged from 0.5 to 451 g/t and averaged 128 g/t; copper values ranged from 2.2 to 1070 ppm and averaged 192 ppm; zinc ranged from 0.052% to 19.13% and averaged 4.91%. Anomalous accessory elements commonly associated with Intrusion-Related Gold Systems (IRGS) including antimony, arsenic and mercury were encountered. Samples were collected over a 200 m x 200 m area, none of which were in-situ. See Table 1 for more information. Mark Saxon, President and CEO of T2 Metals Corp, commented, "Few samples from the Shanghai Silver Mine have ever been reported using modern assay methods, so it is excellent to see these high-grade gold and silver values. It is a key validation of the project's prospectivity, particularly considering the paucity of past exploration. The Shanghai Silver Mine is an excellent Keno Hill style target, with over 1km of veining known from historic trenching. These results, combined with our recent reconnaissance mapping and more widespread sampling, will be integrated into a structural model as we finalize targets for the 2026 summer season." The Shanghai Silver Mine is hosted by the Keno Hill Quartzite immediately below the regionally extensive Robert Service Thrust fault. It lies on the northern limb of the McQuesten Antiform, presenting a mirror image of the Keno Hill camp found on the southern limb of this antiform (see Figure 3). Shanghai lies midway between the Keno Hill silver mine of Hecla Mining and the Haldane silver mineral project of Silver North Resources with a similar geological setting. The samples were collected from dumps historically extracted from the Shanghai Silver Mine, characterized by quartz-carbonate veining with associated galena, sphalerite, and tetrahedrite (Figure 4). The results validate historical reports of high-grade mineralization at Shanghai and underscore the project's potential within the prolific Tombstone Gold Belt. The Shanghai mineral project is situated in a geological setting analogous to several major deposits in the district. The style of mineralization and geochemical fingerprint is consistent with IRGS and associated polymetallic veins. The Shanghai mineral project holds a Class 3 permit that enables drilling, road construction and installation of a camp with no additional permission required. The historical Shanghai Silver Mine had road access from the Eagle Mine Road at the time of production. Despite its proximity to gold and silver deposits and mines, the Shanghai project has never been drilled. Figure 1: Regional Location of the Shanghai Mineral Project, Yukon Territory, Canada. See Table 1 for additional information on resource-stage mineral projects and supporting NI43-101 report references. Figure 2: Shanghai Silver Mine Dumps, Yukon. Figure 3: Geological Map for Shanghai Project, Yukon Territory, Canada. See Table 1 for additional information on resource-stage projects and supporting NI43-101 report references. Figure 4: Siliceous and sulphidic breccia style mineralization from Shanghai Silver Mine Dumps. T2 Metals representatives will attend VRIC (https://cambridgehouse.com/vancouver-resource-investment-conference) and AME RoundUp (https://roundup.amebc.ca/) conferences from the 25th January. Please reach out to CEO Mark Saxon (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) to arrange a meeting. About the Historical Shanghai Silver Mine Shanghai sits within the northwest portion of the Yukon's Tombstone Gold Belt, one of North America's most active and gold-endowed mining districts, and home to the famous Klondike goldfield. Recent exploration of the Tombstone Gold Belt by Snowline Gold Corp. (Valley project), Sitka Gold Corp. (RC Gold project) and Banyan Gold Corp. (AurMac project) have highlighted the potential for major new gold discoveries and value creation. The Shanghai Silver Mine is hosted by the Keno Hill Quartzite immediately below the regionally extensive Robert Service Thrust fault. It lies on the northern limb of the McQuesten Antiform, presenting a mirror image of the Keno Hill camp found on the southern limb of this antiform. During the 1960's the Shanghai Silver Mine was explored by Silver Titan Mines Ltd with close to 800 m of underground development. Assays reported from underground workings that followed veins included 9.1 m @ 1182.8 g/t Ag, 8.2% Pb and 7.2% Zn (average width of 1.5 m) (Yukon Minfile 105M 028) *1. About the Tombstone Gold Belt The Tombstone Gold Belt, a component of the larger Tintina Gold Province, is a highly prospective metallogenic province in the Yukon, with a range of well-known and emerging gold discoveries. The belt is characterized by a suite of mid-Cretaceous, reduced, felsic intrusions known as the Tombstone Plutonic Suite. These intrusive bodies and the surrounding host rocks have created conditions for the formation of numerous Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold Systems (RIRGS). Exploration efforts have identified multiple mineralized corridors with gold hosted in sheeted quartz veins and disseminated mineralization within both the intrusive bodies and the hornfelsed country rocks. Gold mineralization in the Tombstone Gold Belt is typically associated with a distinctive multi-element signature that includes bismuth, tellurium, and tungsten, along with arsenic and antimony. Gold-bearing fluids exsolved from cooling intrusions and preferentially deposited gold in brittle, structurally controlled environments. Both high-grade, structurally-controlled vein systems and lower-grade, bulk-tonnage deposits are known. The region hosts numerous significant deposits and is the site of recent discoveries by companies such as Snowline Gold Corp., Banyan Gold Corp. and Sitka Gold Corp. Table 1: Gold Deposits in the Tombstone Gold Belt with NI43-101 References. Project EFFECTIVE DATE Author Report For Tonnes (M) Au (g/t) Contained Gold Status Brewery Creek 18/01/2022 Cook. C. et al., 2022 Sabre Gold Mines Corp. 34.5 1.03 1.142 M oz Measured & Indicated 36.0 0.88 1.018 M oz Inferred Report Title: Preliminary Economic Assessment. NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Brewery Creek Project Yukon Territory, Canada Eagle (Dublin Gulch) 31/12/2022 Harvey, N., 2022 Victoria Gold Corp. 233.2 0.57 4.303 M oz Measured & Indicated 36.2 0.62 0.724 M oz Inferred Report Title: Technical Report. Eagle Gold Mine. Yukon Territory, Canada Olive (Dublin Gulch) 31/12/2022 Harvey, N., 2022 Victoria Gold Corp. 11.6 0.97 0.361 M oz Measured & Indicated 5.5 1.17 206,479 Inferred Report Title: Technical Report. Eagle Gold Mine. Yukon Territory, Canada Raven (Dublin Gulch) 15/09/2022 Jutras, M., 2022 Victoria Gold Corp. 19.9 1.67 1.071 M oz Inferred Report Title: Technical Report On The Raven Mineral Deposit, Mayo Mining District Yukon Territory, Canada Blackjack (RC Gold) 21/01/2025 Simpson. R., 2025 Sitka Gold Corp. 39.9 1.01 1.298 M oz Indicated 34.6 0.94 1.045 M oz Inferred Report Title: Clear Creek Property, RC Gold Project NI 43-101 Technical Report Dawson Mining District, Yukon Territory Eiger (RC Gold) 19/01/2023 Simpson. R., 2025 Sitka Gold Corp. 27.4 0.5 0.440 M oz Inferred Report Title: Clear Creek Property, RC Gold Project. NI 43-101 Technical Report. Dawson Mining District, Yukon Territory Airstrip (AurMac) 28/06/2025 Jutras, M., 2025 Banyan Gold Corp. 27.7 0.69 0.614 M oz Indicated 10.1 0.75 0.244 M oz Inferred Report Title: Technical Report, Aurmac Property, Yukon Territory, Canada Powerline (AurMac) 28/06/2025 Jutras, M., 2025 Banyan Gold Corp. 84.8 0.61 1.663 M oz Indicated 270.4 0.60 5.216 M oz Inferred Report Title: Technical Report, Aurmac Property, Yukon Territory, Canada Florin 6/04/2025 Simpson. R., 2021 St. James Gold Corp. 170.9 0.45 2.474 M oz Inferred Report Title: Florin Gold Project. NI 43-101 Technical Report. Mayo and Dawson Mining Districts, Yukon Territory Valley (Rouge) 15/05/2025 Burrell. H. et al., 2024 Snowline Gold Corp. 75.8 1.66 4,047 M oz Indicated 81.0 1.25 3.256 M oz Inferred Report Title: Rogue Project. NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate. Yukon Territory, Canada Table 2: Sample Results from Shanghai Silver Mine Dumps, T2 Metals Sample Number TYPE Au (g/t) FA450 Ag (g/t) AQ200, AQ370 (overlimit) Cu (ppm) AQ200 Zn (%) AQ200, AQ370 (overlimit) Pb (%) AQ200, AQ370 (overlimit) Sb (ppm) AQ200 2255101 ROCK (GRAB) 2.707 195.0 1070.3 19.13 0.53 137.1 2255102 ROCK (GRAB) 0.807 59.9 55.6 0.11 0.03 46.0 2255103 ROCK (GRAB) 1.993 451.0 286.2 14.47 >4.00 359.0 2255104 ROCK (GRAB) 0.414 4.5 5.2 0.046 0.02 10.8 2255105 ROCK (GRAB) 0.195 9.3 118.3 2.77 0.04 3.6 2255106 ROCK (GRAB) 0.409 214.0 132.2 1.93 2.29 166.3 2255107 ROCK (GRAB) 0.021 0.5 2.4 0.06 0.01 0.6 2255108 ROCK (GRAB) 1.484 33.1 45.4 0.052 0.06 25.9 2255109 ROCK (GRAB) 2.041 421.0 369.7 15.20 >4.00 325.2 2255110 ROCK (GRAB) 0.246 2.6 11.8 0.08 0.01 19.3 2255111 ROCK (GRAB) 0.811 21.9 24.9 0.11 0.04 15.0 Quality Assurance / Quality Control Grab samples are selective by nature and are not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted on the property. Samples were transported by Company personnel to Bureau Veritas in Vancouver, B.C, who undertook preparation and analysis. Analytical methods were LF202, FA450, and AQ370 (Ag, Zn, Pb overlimits), the details for which can be found at https://group.bureauveritas.com/geoanalytical-services. Disclaimers The qualified person (as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) for the Company's projects, Mr. Mark Saxon, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, has reviewed and approved the contents of this release. Readers are cautioned that the discussion about adjacent or similar properties in this press release is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization or potential of the Shanghai property. The Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any such adjacent properties. *1 Readers are cautioned that the historical sampling results, while sourced from independent reports accessed from the Government of Yukon website should not relied upon and are included for context. The Company will need to conduct further exploration, and there is no guarantee that the results obtained will reflect the historical results. About T2 Metals Corp (TSXV: TWO) (OTCQB: TWOSF) (WKN: A3DVMD) T2 Metals Corp is an emerging copper and precious metal company enhancing shareholder value through exploration and discovery. The Company continues to target under-explored areas, including the Sherridon, Lida, Cora and Copper Eagle mineral projects where post-mineralization cover masks areas of high geological prospectivity in the vicinity of major mines. T2 Metals is committed to engage with rights holders and stakeholders with the highest level of respect, ensuring that our exploration activities contribute positively to the communities in which we operate. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain information set out in this news release constitutes forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based upon the opinions and expectations of management of the Company as at the effective date of such statements and, in certain cases, information provided or disseminated by third parties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, and that information obtained from third party sources is reliable, they can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such risks include uncertainties relating to exploration activities. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Capitan Silver Corp. (TSXV: CAPT) ("Capitan" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has commenced a 60,000-metre drilling campaign for 2026 at its Cruz de Plata silver-gold project, located in Durango, Mexico. 2026 Exploration Program & Highlights: Capitan is pleased to announce that it has commenced a robust 60,000-metre drill program at its Cruz de Plata Project. This represents a 400% increase in drilling compared to the announced program in 2025 The drill program will consist of both Reverse circulation ("RC") and core drilling The 2026 exploration program will ramp up from one (1) RC drill rig (currently on site) to a total of four (4) rigs - three (3) core rigs and one (1) RC rig Drilling in 2026 will focus on testing many high-priority targets (see Figure 1), including: Expanding advanced silver-mineralized zones on the 3.7-km Jesus Maria Silver Trend, including both the Gully Fault and Penoles Fault targets: Core drilling to be focused on extending mineralization down-dip, along strike, and further defining and expanding high-grade silver zones along the Jesus Maria Silver Trend Testing new high-grade silver targets at Casco Norte, La Purisima and Jesus Maria Northwest: RC drilling program planned: shallow, first pass drilling at new and early-stage high-grade silver targets across the Property Additional drilling to be allocated towards further definition drilling at Capitan Hill and testing new gold opportunities on the Property: Capitan Hill Gold Deposit: Infill core drilling to enhance the resource by converting inferred resources to measured and indicated First pass, shallow RC drilling at La Providencia (gold) and El Tubo (gold) Additional exploration activities planned in 2026: Prospecting and mapping the consolidated land package at Cruz de Plata Mechanical trenching on new prospecting targets Results from a property-wide airborne geophysical survey expected H1 2026 Capitan Silver Corp. is well funded for 2026. The Company successfully closed two (2) recent financings for a total of C$29M from quality institutional investors Catalysts: Results for 53 drillholes from the 2025 drilling program are pending final assays Alberto Orozco, CEO of Capitan Silver, commented: "Capitan's 2026 drilling campaign represents a significant step forward for the Company's exploration at the Cruz de Plata silver-gold project. The 60,000 planned metres for this year's program is expected to more than double the entirety of the drilling completed at the Property to date. "We are greatly encouraged by the success of our 2025 program which identified multiple high-grade mineralized zones and the Company is even more excited to build on those successes in 2026. "We have big aspirations for Capitan Silver. With the combined C$29 million in funding we raised in December 2025, the Company has never been in a better position to expand what is already a very compelling, rich silver system. We look forward to following up on several high-priority targets and advancing Cruz de Plata toward a maiden silver resource for the Property." Figure 1: Simplified geological map and mineral system model, including identified advanced and early-stage drill targets. 1. Jesus Maria silver trend (Containing the Jesus Maria , Santa Teresa and San Rafael veins), 2. Gully Fault zone, 3. Jesus Maria East trend, 4. San Rafael West, 5. Jesus Maria Northwest, 6. Casco Norte, 7. La Providencia, 8. Jesus Maria silver trend north, 9. La Purisima, 10. Capitan Hill gold deposit, 11. El Tubo Hill gold target, 12. Penoles Fault zone. 2025 Year in Review: "The Great Awakening" 2025 was a transformational year for Capitan. The Company had previously made the decision to halt drilling in 2023 as the cost of capital for junior mining explorers was prohibitively high. 2025 commenced with a strategic financing led by Jupiter Silver and Gold Fund, which was priced at a 30% premium to market. This transaction was of critical importance, as it allowed Capitan to raise meaningful capital on acceptable terms and restart its dormant drilling activities. Overall, 2025 was characterized by solid execution that aimed at maximizing Capitan's value proposition as a high-quality silver investment vehicle. The Company consolidated its land package, completed a buyback on the main royalty on its flagship project, commenced drilling, which demonstrated good continuity and growth of the silver mineralized system, and ended the year by raising C$29M through two transactions: a C$23M bought deal backed by high-quality investors and a C$6M private placement to Schroder Investment Management Limited ("Schroders"). Highlights of the Company's achievements in 2025: New Strategic Investor in Jupiter Silver and Gold Fund - Capitan raised C$5.3 million by way of a private placement at a 30% premium led by Jupiter Silver and Gold Fund. This was a major catalyst allowing the Company to re-emerge from dormancy and restart drilling operations while guarding against excessive share dilution Restarted Drilling at Cruz de Plata - Capitan restarted drilling at the Cruz de Plata silver-gold project, initially drilling 10,000m of RC, which was subsequently increased to 15,000m in late 2025 Continued Drill Success (1) - 2025 drilling at Cruz de Plata extended the known mineralized strike by 250m, for 1.7 km of continuous drilled strike and identified numerous new targets and structures. Highlights of the 2025 drill program include: Drillhole 25-ERRC-12, which returned one of the highest-grade intervals to date at Cruz de Plata, intersecting: 2,636 g/t Ag over 1.5m , within a wider interval of 1,400 g/t Ag over 4.6m , occurring within a broader zone of 370.2 g/t Ag over 19.8m ( See Capitan news release dated September 2, 2025) Drillhole 25-ERRC-20, which intersected: 1,541 g/t AgEq over 1.5m , within a broader interval of 201.65 g/t AgEq over 18.3m (See Capitan news release dated October 14, 2025) Drillhole 25-ERRC-26, which intersected: Lower zone: 1,767.4 g/t AgEq over 1.5m , within a broader zone of 1,222.1 g/t AgEq over 3m , which is part of a wider interval of 234.2 g/t AgEq over 25.9m Upper zone: 612.9 g/t AgEq over 1.5m , within a broader zone of 155.9 g/t AgEq over 6.1m (See Capitan news release dated November 11, 2025) Drillhole JMRC-33, which intersected: 803.6 g/t AgEq over 1.5m , within a broader interval of 129.2 g/t AgEq over 22.9m (See Capitan news release dated October 14, 2025) Drillhole JMRC-26, which intersected: 502.0 g/t AgEq over 1.5m, and 328.6 g/t AgEq over 1.5m, within a broader interval of 238.4 g/t AgEq over 10.7m (See Capitan news release dated October 14, 2025) (1) Note: All drillholes presented above have been previously released by the Company between September 2 and November 11, 2025. Drillhole intervals are presented as drilled widths, with true widths estimated to be between 70-90% of the drilled width. AgEq grades are reported using the following assumption: Metal Recovery: Ag 94%, Au 86%, Pb 93.5%, Zn 92%. AgEq considers Ag, Au, Pb and Zn and calculated as follows: AgEq = Ag g/t + (80x Au g/t) + (0.003 x Pb g/t) + (0.0037 x Zn g/t). High grades have not been capped. Capitan Silver field samples are sent to the Bureau Veritas Lab in Durango, Mexico for prep, and to Hermosillo, Mexico and Vancouver BC, Canada for analysis. QAQC: Capitan Silver maintains a rigorous QAQC program and inserts multiple standards, blanks and duplicates into the sample stream at regular intervals. Check Assays are performed at SGS laboratories in Durango, Mexico. Removal of Main Royalty on Cruz de Plata - Completed the purchase of the Altiplano royalty (" NSR ") at the Cruz de Plata project from Exploraciones del Altiplano under favourable terms for a series of cash and share payments totalling US$1M, eliminating the main royalty on the project to maximize shareholder returns Successful Completion of Land Consolidation Transaction with Fresnillo (Minera Fresnillo S.A. de C.V.) - Acquired 100% interest in seven (7) mineral concessions adjacent to, and surrounding Cruz de Plata, increasing Capitan's total land position by 85% and expanding the surface expression of the 2.5 km silver-gold trend to 3.7 km Also completed final payment on the 2022 option agreement to own a 100% interest in a key property at Cruz de Plata ( See Capitan news release dated December 6, 2022 ), the acquisition of this property was key as it connected and consolidated the Jesus Maria Silver Trend Strengthened Management and Board with Key Hires - Bolstered the Capitan team through key personnel hires to drive and support the Company's next phase of growth, bringing on skilled professionals in exploration, technical services, project evaluation, and investor relations. Added experienced geologist and mining lawyer Graham Scott to the Board of Directors Increased Inferred Mineral Resources at the Capitan Hill Gold Deposit by 115% - Updated Mineral Resource estimate was completed on a pit-constrained resource of 525,000 contained gold ounces ( See Capitan news release dated December 5, 2025 ) Successfully Raised C$29M in December 2025 - Strong support from high-quality institutional investors, including continued support from Jupiter Silver and Gold Fund, Michael Gentile, CFA and a strategic investment by Schroders, one of Europe's oldest and largest mining investment companies Engagement of Market Maker Capitan Silver Corp. is pleased to announce that, subject to regulatory approval, it will retain Generation IACP Inc. ("GIACP") to provide services as a market maker effective February 1, 2026, in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable legislation. Specifically, GIACP will be appointed to trade the common shares of the Company with the objective of contributing to market liquidity. Under the agreement, GIACP will receive a fee of C$8,500 plus applicable taxes per month. The initial term of the agreement is six months from the effective date, being February 1, 2026, and the agreement will automatically renew for additional three-month periods unless Capitan provides written notice of termination to GIACP at least 30 days prior to the end of the term or a renewal term. Commencing on the first anniversary of the agreement, the fee payable to GIACP will automatically increase annually by 3.0%. No stock options are being granted and no compensation other than as stated above is payable in connection with the engagement. GIACP will be responsible for the costs it incurs in buying and selling the Company's shares, and no third party will be providing funds or securities for the market making activities. GIACP and the Company are unrelated and unaffiliated entities and at the time of the agreement, neither GIACP nor its principals have an interest, directly or indirectly, in the securities of the Company. GIACP and its clients may acquire and hold a direct or indirect interest in the securities of Capitan from time to time. GIACP, established in 1998, is a Toronto-based, independently owned, investment dealer providing innovative solutions for institutional, corporate and individual clients in Canada and abroad. GIACP is a registered broker and member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization, the TSX Venture Exchange, the Canadian Securities Exchange, and Cboe Canada, and is a Participating Organization as such term is defined in the rules and policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange. Filing of NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Capitan Hill Oxide Gold Deposit On January 19, 2026, Capitan filed a technical report titled, "Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate for the Cruz de Plata Property, Durango, Mexico" (the "MRE"), with an effective date of October 14, 2025. The MRE was completed by APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, Alberta, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The results of the MRE were previously announced in the Company's news release dated December 5, 2025. The full report can be accessed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+. Qualified Person The scientific and technical data contained in this news release pertaining to the Cruz de Plata project was reviewed and approved by Marc Idziszek, P.Geo, a non-independent qualified person to Capitan Silver, who is responsible for ensuring that the technical information provided in this news release is accurate and who acts as a "qualified person" under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Capitan Silver Corp. Capitan Silver is defining a new high-grade silver system at its Cruz de Plata project, located in the heart of Mexico's primary silver belt. The Company is led by a proven and accomplished management team that has previously advanced three projects into production, on time and on budget. The Company has been diligent in maintaining a tight share structure and has one of the tightest share structures among its peer group, with the top three shareholders owning over 38% of the Company's share capital. Capitan Silver is fully funded and actively drilling at its Cruz de Plata silver project. ON BEHALF OF CAPITAN SILVER CORP. "Alberto Orozco" Alberto Orozco, CEO DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking information. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology (e.g., "expect", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "plans"). Such information involves known and unknown risks including the availability of funds, the results of financing and exploration activities, the interpretation of exploration results and other geological data, or unanticipated costs and expenses and other risks identified by Capitan in its public securities filings that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. BROSSARD, Quebec, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- G Mining Ventures Corp. (GMIN or the Corporation) (TSX:GMIN, OTCQX:GMINF) is pleased to provide its operational guidance for 2026 and 2027 regarding its 100%-owned Tocantinzinho Gold Mine ( Tocantinzinho or TZ) in the State of Para, Brazil, together with a project update on its 100%-owned Oko West Gold Project (Oko West) in Guyana. Unless otherwise stated, all amounts are in U.S. dollars. 2026 & 2027 Guidance Highlights Gold production in 2026 is expected to range between 160,000 and 190,000 ounces ( oz ), representing a modest increase over 2025 at the midpoint of guidance. Production is expected to be weighted toward the second half of the year, with approximately 62% of total output forecast to occur in H2 as higher-grade mineralization becomes available in accordance with the mine plan. ), representing a modest increase over 2025 at the midpoint of guidance. Production is expected to be weighted toward the second half of the year, with approximately 62% of total output forecast to occur in H2 as higher-grade mineralization becomes available in accordance with the mine plan. The Corporation expects to maintain a competitive cost structure in 2026, with cash operating costs 1 projected to range between $736 to $865 per ounce of gold ( Au ) sold and all-in sustaining cost ( AISC ) 1,2 at $1,230 to $1,444 per ounce of gold sold 2 , respectively, based on a realized gold price assumption of $4,000 an ounce. projected to range between $736 to $865 per ounce of gold ( ) sold and all-in sustaining cost ( ) at $1,230 to $1,444 per ounce of gold sold , respectively, based on a realized gold price assumption of $4,000 an ounce. Gold production in 2027 is expected to range between 200,000 and 235,000 ounces, representing an increase of approximately 25% over 2026 production at the midpoint of guidance, driven by a full-year contribution of higher-grade Phase 2 ore at TZ. Total cash costs 1 and AISC 1 are expected to improve materially in 2027, with cash costs and AISC projected to decline by approximately 14% and 20%, respectively, compared to 2026 at the midpoint of guidance. and AISC are expected to improve materially in 2027, with cash costs and AISC projected to decline by approximately 14% and 20%, respectively, compared to 2026 at the midpoint of guidance. Sustaining capital expenditures for 2026 are estimated to range between $69 million and $81 million, including $31 million to $36 million of capitalized waste stripping, and are expected to support the long-term performance and reliability of the TZ operation. Growth capital expenditures of $514 and $568 million are planned for 2026 to advance Oko West, which remains on track to achieve first gold production in the second half of 2027. The 2026 exploration program is expected to be the largest in the Corporations history, with a total budget ranging between $42 million and $50 million, including approximately $21 million at Gurupi, $16 million at Oko West, and $9 million at TZ. 1. Cash costs per ounce sold, mine-site AISC per ounce sold and AISC per ounce sold are non-IFRS measures. See Non-IFRS Measures and Cautionary Notes. 2. 2026 and 2027 guidance assumes a realized gold price of $4,000 per oz, Brazilian Real (BRL)/USD exchange rate of 5.55 and CAD/USD exchange rate of 1.40. Our 2026 and 2027 guidance reflects the continued execution of our operating and growth strategy, said Louis-Pierre Gignac, President and Chief Executive Officer. At TZ, we expect steady production while maintaining a competitive cost structure. At Oko West, project development is advancing in line with plan, supporting our objective of achieving first gold production in the second half of 2027. With a strong balance sheet and ongoing free cash flow generation, GMIN remains well positioned to fund its growth initiatives. 2026 & 2027 Operational Guidance The Corporations detailed guidance for 2026 and 2027 is set out in the following table: Operational & Cost Guidance 2026 Guidance 2027 Guidance $ millions, unless otherwise indicated Gold Production k oz 160 190 200 2353 Total Cash Costs1,2 $/oz Au sold 736 865 633 743 Mine-Site AISC1,2 $/oz Au sold 1,133 1,330 898 1,054 All-in Sustaining Costs1,2 $/oz Au sold 1,230 1,444 977 1,146 Sustaining Capital Expenditures TZ Sustaining Capital Expenditures M$ 38 45 19 23 Capitalized Waste Stripping M$ 31 36 43 51 Total Sustaining Capital Expenditures M$ 69 81 62 74 Non-Sustaining Capital Expenditures TZ Regional Exploration M$ 8 10 8 10 Oko West Exploration M$ 15 17 14 18 Gurupi Project M$ 19 23 18 22 Total Exploration 42 50 40 50 Oko West Project Development M$ 514 568 217 240 Total Non-Sustaining Capital Expenditures M$ 556 618 257 290 1. Cash costs per ounce sold, mine-site AISC per ounce sold and AISC per ounce sold are non-IFRS measures. See Non-IFRS Measures and Cautionary Notes. 2. 2026 and 2027 guidance assumes a realized gold price of $4,000 per oz, BRL/USD of 5.55 and CAD/USD of 1.40. 3. 2027 production guidance excludes production from Oko West. Tocantinzinho Gold Mine Gold production at TZ for 2026 is estimated to be between 160,000 to 190,000 ounces. Production is expected to strengthen in the second half of the year, with approximately 62% of annual output as higher-grade mineralization in Phase 2 becomes available according to the mine plan. The grade segregation and low-grade stockpiling will remain in place in 2026 and 2027 to manage excess ore mined. Average mill recovery for the year is estimated at 91.7% for 2026, reflecting recovery improvements achieved in the second half of 2025. Total sustaining capital for 2026 is estimated to range between $69 million and $81 million, including $31 million to $36 million of capitalized waste stripping. These expenditures will support several key initiatives aimed at sustaining the long-term performance of the operation. Sustaining capital expenditures excluding capitalized waste stripping are expected to total between $38 million and $46 million, comprising approximately $15 million for the process plant, $12 million for mining equipment, $12 million for major mobile fleet components, and $3 million for tailings management and other capital items. Gold production in 2027 is expected to range between 200,000 and 235,000 ounces, representing an approximate 25% increase over 2026 levels (based on the midpoint of guidance), driven by a full-year contribution of higher-grade ore from Phase 2. Total cash costs and AISC are expected to improve significantly in 2027, decreasing 22% and 19%, respectively, from 2026 (from the midpoint of guidance). Oko West Project The Corporation continues to rapidly advance its large-scale, long-life Oko West project in Guyana, which remains on-budget and on-schedule for first gold pour in the second half of 2027. To date, approximately $423 million in capital has been committed, representing approximately 44% of the total upfront capital expenditure, with pricing generally in line with expectations. Detailed engineering progress has advanced to 60%. Total capital expenditures for 2026 are projected to range between $514 million and $568 million as project activity ramps up, including the commencement of major construction at the process plant, supporting infrastructure, and the initiation of mine pre-production activities. Substantially all major equipment is expected to be delivered during 2026. Capital expenditures in 2027 represent the remaining balance and include commissioning activities and pre-production revenue. The Oko West project ranks among the largest gold project currently under construction globally and is expected to produce an average of 350,0001 ounces of gold per year at mine-site AISC of $1,123/oz1. At current spot gold prices of approximately $4,500 per ounce, this translates into an estimated AISC margin of over $3,300 per ounce of gold sold. Oko West is expected to drive consolidated production to approximately 500,000 ounces in 2028 up from 175,000 ounces in 2026. 1. Project metrics are derived from the independent technical report entitled Feasibility Study NI 43-101 Technical Report, Oko West Gold Project, effective April 28, 2025, prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, and available on SEDAR+ under the Corporations profile. 2026 Exploration Programs 2026 is set to be the largest exploration program in the Corporations history with a budget between $42 million and $50 million, including approximately $21 million at Gurupi, $16 million at Oko West, and $9 million at TZ. A comparable level of investment is planned for 2027. Tocantinzinho: approximately $9 million is expected to be allocated to regional exploration, including manual auger drilling, soil geochemistry, and initial drilling on priority targets, with the objective of generating new drill-ready prospects for subsequent programs. Oko West: approximately $16 million is earmarked for drilling in 2026. The majority of the budget is expected to be directed to follow-up drilling on regional targets as well as infill drilling the high-grade ore shoot discovery at the Oko West deposit. Gurupi: approximately $21 million of exploration and study works are anticipated at Gurupi in 2026 with the focus on expanding the resources ahead of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) expected to be released in the second half of 2026. About G Mining Ventures Corp. G Mining Ventures Corp. is a mining company engaged in the development, operation and exploration of precious metal projects to capitalize on the value uplift from successful mine development. GMIN is well-positioned to grow into the next mid-tier precious metals producer by leveraging strong access to capital and proven development expertise. GMIN is currently anchored in mining-friendly jurisdictions: Brazil, with the Tocantinzinho Gold Mine and the Gurupi Project as well as Guyana, with the Oko West Project. GMIN trades on the TSX under the symbol GMIN. Additional Information For further information on GMIN, please visit the website at www.gmin.gold or contact: Jean-Francois Lemonde Vice President, Investor Relations 514.299.4926 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(13, 104, 104); text-decoration: underline; background-color: transparent; word-break: break-word !important; overflow-wrap: break-word;">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws and are based on expectations and projections as of the date of this press release. Beforehand, it must be noted that this press releases subject matter is forward-looking in its essence and nature. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, those related to (i) the construction of Oko West will remain on track to achieve first gold production in H2-2027; (ii) the TZ average mill recovery in 2026, reflecting improvements achieved in 2025; (iii) the TZ sustaining capital for 2026, which will support key initiatives to sustain long-term performance of operations; (iv) Oko West being expected to produce an average of 350,000 ounces of gold per year at mine-site AISC of $1,123/oz, making it the largest gold project currently under construction; (v) GMINs consolidated production being expected to reach approximately 500,000 ounces in 2028; (vi) the Gurupi mineral resources being anticipated to expand in 2026 and lead to a preliminary economic assessment in H2-2026; and (vii) in general, the whole contents of the sections entitled 2026 & 2027 Guidance Highlights and 2026 Exploration Programs, all figures set out in the table featured in the section 2026 & 2027 Operational Guidance; and, as usual, the section entitled About G Mining Ventures Corp., as well as the quoted comments of GMINs President & Chief Executive Officer. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Corporation as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Such assumptions include, without limitation, those relating to the TZ mine plan, the Oko West construction plan, the price of gold (namely the anticipated price of $4,000 per ounce), the currency exchange rates, and those underlying the items listed in the above section entitled About G Mining Ventures Corp.. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that, notably but without limitation, (i) gold production at TZ will increase in H2-2026 due to availability of higher-grade mineralization, in accordance with mine plan, and such availability will continue throughout the whole 2027; (ii) the Corporation will maintain a competitive cost structure in 2026 and improve same in 2027; (iii) the Corporation will effectively carry out its ambitious exploration program (expected to be its most important) during 2026 and perform a comparable one in 2027; (iv) free cash flow from TZ will remain strong and will continue to fund Oko West construction; (v) Oko West will continue to advance in line with plan; (vi) Oko West will remain on-schedule and on-budget to achieve first gold pour in H2-2027, and to become a large-scale and long-life mining operation; (vii) the current gold price of $4,500 per ounce will be at least maintained at the time Oko West will commence production; or (viii) TZ and Oko West will grow GMIN into the next mid-tier precious metals producer, as future events could differ materially from what is currently anticipated by the Corporation. In addition, there can be no assurance that Brazil and/or Guyana will remain mining-friendly jurisdictions. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important risk factors and future events could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in the Corporations other filings with the securities regulators of Canada including, but not limited to, the cautionary statements made in the relevant sections of the Corporations (i) Annual Information Form dated March 27, 2025, for the financial year ended December 31, 2024, and (ii) Management Discussion & Analysis. The Corporation cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive, and new, unforeseeable risks may arise from time to time. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. January 20th, 2026 TheNewswire - Muskoka - Ontario Steadright Critical Minerals Inc. (CSE: SCM) (Steadright or the Company), a resource exploration company focused on near-term production announces that the technical report (43-101) for TitanBeach One (1) in Morocco has been filed on Sedar. The work was done by Quebec-based firm, ABG Exploration Inc. An NI 43-101 Technical Report is a formal, summary document required by Canadian securities Regulators for public disclosure of scientific and technical information about a mining company's mineral projects. It ensures transparency and protects investors by detailing exploration, development, and production data, all presented in a standardized format. Once the submission made by Steadright has been reviewed it will be released. "The company has filed the NI 43-101 report supporting the results previously announced on September 16th, 2025 and there are no material differences." The Company is also waiting for their Environmental and Mining License in the quite near future on TitanBeach One, where the initial assays resulted in the following: Heavy Mineral beach sand samples reveal the existence of potential ilmenite, titanomagnetite, magnetite, leucoxene and rutile bearing sands with Fe203 values of up to 79.5% and Ti02 as high as 14.9%. (Press release September 16th, 2025) The extended technical report into the sand dunes and on Beach Two did not materialize, as the company is still waiting on results from late November and early December 2025 from the last exploration program. As such, Steadright has decided to move things forward by focusing on TitanBeach One and the application for the mining license, which was applied for at the end of 2025. Steadright CEO, Matt Lewis, states, We are a company that does what we say we will do. When it comes to TitanBeach, thats a promise made and a promise kept. The Canadian and Moroccan team have our noses to the grindstone and will be moving forward on the titanium sands as fast as is doable. ABOUT STEADRIGHT CRITICAL MINERALS INC. Steadright Critical Minerals Inc. is a mineral exploration company established in 2019. Steadright has been focused in 2025 on finding exploration and historical mining projects that can be brought into production within the Moroccan critical mineral space. Steadright currently has exposure through a Moroccan entity known as NSM Capital Sarl, with over 192 sq KMs of mineral exploration claims called the TitanBeach Titanium Project, and found in the Southern Provinces of Morocco. Steadright has also recently signed an MOU for the historic Goundafa Mine within the Kingdom of Morocco. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS For further information, please contact: Matt Lewis CEO & Director Steadright Critical Minerals Inc. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 1-905-410-0587 www.steadright.ca Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the CSE) nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Steadright 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: there is no certainty that the ongoing programs will result in significant or successful exploration and development of Steadrights properties; uncertainty as to the actual results of exploration and development or operational activities; uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing on acceptable terms; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; capital market conditions and market prices for securities, junior market securities and mining exploration company securities; commodity prices; the actual results of current exploration and development or operational activities; competition; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents and other risks inherent in the mining industry; lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation or income tax legislation, affecting Steadright; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals. 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, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, unless an exemption from such registration is available. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Eureka Lithium Corp. (CSE: ERKA) ("Eureka Lithium" or "Eureka" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Cody Simpson as a Director of the Company. Mr. Simpson has over 13 years' experience advising organizations across the mining, construction, manufacturing and software sectors with his role as Enterprise Sales Manager of Vena Solutions. Mr. Simpson holds a Bachelor of Business (BBA) in sales and marketing and brings a strong understanding of the operational, financial, and strategic challenges of resource companies. The Company also announces that Mr. Meissam Hagh Panah has resigned as a Director. The Company thanks Mr. Panah for his services. About Eureka Lithium Corp. Eureka Lithium is the largest lithium-focused landowner in the northern third of Quebec, known as the Nunavik region, with 100% ownership of three projects comprising 2,108 sq. km in the emerging Raglan West, Raglan South and New Leaf Lithium Camps. These claims were acquired from famed prospector Shawn Ryan and are located in a region that hosts two operating nickel mines with deep- sea port access. For more information please contact: Cautionary Statement Certain statements contained in this news release, including statements which may contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", or similar expressions, and statements related to matters which are not historical facts, such as statements regarding the closing of the debt settlement and the hold period of the Shares, are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's expectations and are based on certain factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any future revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as expressly required by law. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release publication, distribution or dissemination directly, or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - Kobrea Exploration Corp. (CSE: KBX) (FSE: F3I) (OTCQB: KBXFF) ("Kobrea" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Phase 1 diamond drilling program is underway at the El Perdido porphyry system within the Company's Western Malargue Copper Projects (the "Property"). Kobrea holds the right to earn a 100% interest in 7 projects totaling 733 km2 in southwestern Mendoza Province, Argentina (see the Company's August 19, 2024 news release for details). "Drilling has begun at the first ever drill program at El Perdido," commented James Hedalen, CEO. "The initial holes are based on geological and alteration mapping, vein density mapping, rock chip sampling, and geophysical data collected by both historical operators and Kobrea. The first 3 drill holes will test the interpreted core of the system under the leached cap into the early quartz diorite porphyry and hydrothermal breccia outlined at surface. The leached cap at surface is anomalous in copper, gold and molybdenum mineralization. This milestone reflects our commitment to unlock the value in this emerging district and marks the first drill test on these claims in history." El Perdido Phase 1 Drilling The initial 3 diamond drill holes at the El Perdido porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum prospect have target depths of 500 metres each. The diamond drill rigs employed by the drilling contractor have the capability to drill to depths of over 1,000 metres, with both HQ and NQ sized drill core. The first drill hole, DD26ELP001, will collar into one of two phases of early quartz diorite porphyry with high density quartz stockwork veining, as evidence by geological studies in the field. The surficial rocks have been subjected to well developed mineral leaching. Drilling beneath the leached cap is necessary to ascertain the grade of copper mineralization. This hole is expected to proceed through one or two early-mineral quartz diorite porphyry phases for several hundred metres before encountering the vertically emplaced hydrothermal breccia that has been outlined at surface. The hydrothermal breccia is interpreted to have intruded into roughly the center of the hydrothermal system (Figures 1 & 2). DD26ELP001 is oriented due east at an inclination of -55 to a target depth of 500 metres. Figure 1 - Photograph from the initial drill pad at the El Perdido porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum prospect looking due east along the planned drill hole azimuth. Figure 2 - Plan maps of the El Perdido porphyry system with planned drill hole traces: A) Geological map showing extents of potassic and phyllic alteration relative to mapped geological units. B) Copper in surface rock chip sampling. C) ASTER data showing extent of sericite-clay alteration as interpreted from May 2025 study. The second and third holes are expected to encounter the same geological units as the first hole with similar degrees of hydrothermal alteration and mineralization. The geological observations and analytical results from the first three holes will aid in planning subsequent drill holes allowing company geologists to vector towards higher temperature alteration and early porphyry phases that are typically host to higher proportions of quartz stockwork veining with associated copper gold molybdenum mineralization. Public Relations Services Agreement The Company is also pleased to announce that it has entered into a public relations services agreement (the "Agreement") dated January 19, 2026 with Think Ink Marketing Data and Email Services ("Think Ink Marketing"), an arm's length party with respect to the Company. Pursuant to the Agreement, Think Ink Marketing has agreed to provide public relations services to the Company for an initial term of six months in exchange for an aggregate amount of USD$120,000. The services will include native/display advertising on platforms such as Google and Taboola, video content distribution on platforms such as YouTube, social media coverage on platforms such as X, TikTok and Meta, and email distribution to subscribers of various newsletters. Think Ink Marketing's contact information is as follows: email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , telephone: 310-760-2616, business address: 3308 W. Warner Ave., Santa Ana, 92704. Claire Stevens is the principal of Think Ink Marketing and will be responsible for all services provided by Think Ink Marketing to the Company. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Rory Ritchie, P.Geo., VP - Exploration and Director of Kobrea and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. About Kobrea Kobrea Exploration Corp. is a mineral exploration and development company focused on the acquisition and exploration of base metal projects. Kobrea holds the right to earn a 100% interest in 7 projects totaling over 733 km2 in southwestern Mendoza Province, Argentina (see the Company's August 19, 2024 news release for details). The properties are considered highly prospective for porphyry copper and porphyry copper-gold deposits. Numerous porphyry copper targets have been outlined to date exhibiting multi-kilometre hydrothermal alteration footprints, anomalous copper gold molybdenum geochemistry, quartz stockwork veining, localized hydrothermal breccias and Miocene aged dacitic to dioritic porphyry intrusions. Kobrea also holds a 100% interest in the Upland Copper Project in British Columbia, Canada. For more information, please consult the Company's filings, available at www.sedarplus.ca. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Per: "James Hedalen" James Hedalen CEO & Director Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws with respect to the Company, including statements respecting: the mobilization and commencement of a phase 1 diamond drill program at the Property; the timing of drilling; the targets for the drill program; and the Agreement and the services to be provided thereunder. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by words such as "believe," "project," "aim," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," and similar expressions. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2026) - American Tungsten Corp. (CSE: TUNG) (OTCQB: TUNGF) (FSE: RK90) ("American Tungsten" or the "Company) is pleased to report high-grade tungsten-silver assay results from underground channel sampling at the IMA Mine. Additional surface sampling results confirm extension and continuation of tungsten mineralized quartz veins beyond primary mine area, and significant mineralization in historical tailings. Exploration Sampling Highlights: Underground samples from the No.5 vein average 1.04% WO 3 and 2.70 oz/t Ag, over an average width of 5.0 ft.; and 2.70 oz/t Ag, over an average width of 5.0 ft.; Surficial rock chip sampling identified tungsten-silver mineralization in quartz veins exposed at surface over significant widths; and Preliminary samples of historical tailings average 0.25% WO 3 and 0.48 oz/t Ag. "American Tungsten is nearing completion of our current drilling program, and the initial assay results emerging from our broader exploration work continue to reinforce the strength of the IMA Mine project. Recent high-grade tungsten-silver assay results from underground channel sampling, combined with encouraging surface and tailings samples, highlight the scale and continuity of mineralization across the property," said Ali Haji, CEO of American Tungsten Corp. "This phase represents an important milestone for the Company as we continue to advance our understanding of the project's potential and expansion. As we finalize interpretation of our drilling data, these complementary sampling results provide strong geological support for the system's continuity and scale." Sampling Methodology and Results Fifteen underground channel samples were collected on the D level from the No. 5 vein drift and new crosscut to first drill station. Samples were collected primarily to validate historical sampling by Inspiration Development company conducted in 1979, and to sub-sample different vein phases across the No. 5 vein. Tungsten bearing quartz veins are variably mineralized with hubnerite, scheelite, tetrahedrite, galena, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite, plus fluorite and rhodochrosite. Samples were generally collected as continuous chip or saw cut channels across the full width of the vein, but some samples are less than true width. Samples were submitted for assay to ALS Global in Twin Falls, Idaho, in November 2025. Individual sample results and full width weighted averages are provided in Table 1. Samples from the No. 5 vein are elevated in tungsten, silver, copper, zinc and lead. Samples from the crosscut are elevated in molybdenum and silver. Figure 1: Sample location map showing tungsten assay results and D level development. Surficial rock chip sampling of weathered, vuggy quartz vein exposures on both the north and south sides of Patterson Creek returned significant tungsten results including 0.256 % WO 3 and 0.64 oz/t Ag over 10 ft from a location 1000 ft east of the D level portal, and 0.164 % WO 3 and 1.28 oz/t Ag over 6.7 ft from a 8 ft wide weathered quartz vein exposure and small adit located 500 ft south of Patterson Creek. Identification of mineralization south of Patterson Creek is significant in that it supports continuity of the vein system into areas with minimal historical mining activity. Historical tailings from past mining activities are present over an area of approximately 30 acres on the Ima land package within the Pahsimeroi valley, known as the Lower Tailings Impoundment. Historical operators estimated the Lower Tailings Impoundment to contain 222,000 cubic yards of tailings. Preliminary sampling of tailings materials in 5 shallow test pits averaging 3.5 ft deep spaced approximately 500 ft apart average 0.235 % WO 3 and 0.45 oz/t Ag. Additional sampling and preliminary metallurgical testwork is planned on the basis of these results. Table 2: Surface sampling results1,2 Sample ID Location Type Length (ft) WO 3 _% MoS 2 _% Ag opt Cu % Pb % Zn % 1103816 Access Road Minor Vein 1 0.004 0.016 0.13 0.09 0.00 0.00 1103817 Access Road Full width channel 10 0.256 0.042 0.64 0.07 0.08 0.04 1103818 Access Road Sub-sample 1 0.327 0.051 1.04 0.02 0.07 0.01 1103819 Access Road Sub-sample 1.5 0.433 0.048 0.39 0.01 0.04 0.00 1103829-1103831 NE D Level Portal Composite 5.1 0.101 0.247 1.387 0.015 0.047 0.013 1103829 NE D Level Portal Sub-sample 1.5 0.078 0.137 0.76 0.01 0.03 0.00 1103830 NE D Level Portal Sub-sample 1.6 0.081 0.260 1.38 0.01 0.04 0.01 1103831 NE D Level Portal Sub-sample 2 0.135 0.319 1.87 0.02 0.07 0.02 1103836-1103838 S Patterson Creek Composite 6.7 0.164 0.029 1.288 0.024 0.206 0.007 1103836 S Patterson Creek Sub-sample 2.3 0.084 0.015 0.68 0.01 0.08 0.00 1103837 S Patterson Creek Sub-sample 1.9 0.217 0.030 0.99 0.05 0.26 0.01 1103838 S Patterson Creek Sub-sample 2.5 0.197 0.040 2.07 0.02 0.28 0.01 1103820-1103824 Lower Tailings Composite 0.253 0.019 0.476 0.033 0.082 0.087 1103820 Lower Tailings Test Pit 1.5 0.158 0.011 0.19 0.02 0.03 0.04 1103821 Lower Tailings Test Pit 3.5 0.414 0.014 0.93 0.05 0.20 0.09 1103822 Lower Tailings Test Pit 3.5 0.187 0.019 0.41 0.03 0.05 0.05 1103823 Lower Tailings Test Pit 3.5 0.112 0.016 0.25 0.02 0.03 0.02 1103824 Lower Tailings Test Pit 6 0.303 0.027 0.46 0.04 0.07 0.16 1) Composite values are length weighted average values of sub-samples collected from continuous channel transects and represent true widths 2) WO 3 and MoS 2 % values are calculated from ppm analyses based on stoichiometry factors of 1.2611 and 1.668 About the IMA Mine The IMA Mine is a past producing underground tungsten mine situated on 22 patented claims located in East Central Idaho. Between 1945 and 1957, the property produced approximately 199,449 MTUs of WO3 and was subsequently explored for molybdenum and tungsten by various operators between 1960-2010. American Tungsten Corp is currently conducting an exploration drill program and assessing potential for re-start of underground tungsten mining operations at the IMA Mine. QA/QC and Sample Analysis American Tungsten Corp's Quality Assurance and Quality Control QA/QC program applies industry standard best practices to ensure data quality and integrity for the IMA Mine project, including maintaining chain of custody, secure sample transport and storage, adherence to data collection protocols and inclusion of certified reference, blank and duplicate quality assurance samples in laboratory submissions. Samples were collected by professional geologists and efforts were made to ensure geological representativity of samples. Samples were submitted to ALS Global laboratory in Twin Falls, Idaho, for preparation. Samples were crushed to 70% passing 2 mm screen, rotary splitting 250g and pulverized to 85% passing a 75 m screen. Samples were analyzed by ALS Minerals in the Vancouver, BC, Canada. Samples were analyzed by four acid digest with ICP-MS finish. Samples exceeding 200 ppm W were analyzed by XRF with lithium borate fusion preparation. Samples exceeding 50ppm Ag were analyzed by fire assay with gravimetric finish. Qualified Person Technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI-43-101"). Austin Zinsser, P.G., SME-RM, Vice President, Exploration for the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI-43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. About American Tungsten American Tungsten is a Canadian exploration company focused on high-potential tungsten and magnetite assets in North America. The Company is advancing the IMA Mine Project in Idaho to commercial production, addressing critical metal scarcity in North America. The Company's IMA Mine Project is a historic and high-quality underground tungsten past-producing property on private-patented land well above the water table with significant infrastructure. The Company holds an exclusive option to acquire full ownership (subject to a 2% royalty) and has expanded its land position with 113 additional federal claims covering nearly 2,000 acres. (CSE: TUNG) (OTCQB: TUNGF) (FSE: RK90) The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. This news release includes "forward-looking information" that is subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to, statements relating to anticipated results of pending analyses, future work plans, additional sampling and preliminary metallurgical test work to be carried out on the Lower Tailings Impoundment, and all the risks and uncertainties normally incident to such events. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future events and that actual events or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Company undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law. Statements concerning historical mineral resources, production, and exploration results on the property have been obtained through both public and private sources, and are believed to be substantially factual and relevant in that they demonstrate the tenor of exploration targets on the property. Historical resource estimates pre-date the implementation of NI 43-101 and do not use categories stipulated by CIM. Prior operators assigned confidence categories which differ from those stipulated by CIM, as they may not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimates should not be relied upon until they have been verified. Neither American Tungsten Corp., or its Qualified Person, has done sufficient work to classify the historical estimates as current mineral resources or to verify historical information regarding past production, sampling or drilling. American Tungsten Corp. is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Exploration Targets discussed are conceptual in nature; it is uncertain whether a mineral resource will be delineated based on potential exploration. Maiden Indicated Resource of 2.33 Mt at 1.41% Cu VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midnight Sun Mining Corp. (TSXV: MMA / OTCQX: MDNGF) (Midnight Sun or the Company) is pleased to announce the completion of a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for the near-surface Kazhiba Main Oxide Copper Deposit, located in Solwezi, Zambia. The maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) consists of 2.33 million tonnes of Indicated mineral resources grading 1.41% copper (Cu) at a selected base case cut-off of 0.10 % Cu over all rock type categories. The initial MRE was prepared for the Company by DMT Kai Batla PTY Ltd. and has an effective date of January 20, 2026. Midnight Sun CEO Al Fabbro states: The delivery of this resource estimate for Kazhiba Main represents a significant milestone for Midnight Sun. Kazhiba Main hosts a meaningful inventory of near-surface, acid-soluble copper within a compact footprint, extending to an average maximum depth of only about 30 metres and grading 1.41%, well above typical economic thresholds for oxide copper. Our goal is to convert this deposit into a non-dilutive funding source to advance our flagship Dumbwa Project. This opportunity is incredibly rare in the mineral exploration sector, and Midnight Sun is well positioned for an exciting future. The Company now intends to move forward with its plan to monetize Kazhiba Main and expects to immediately commence discussions with key counterparties to that end. The table below summarizes the MRE of the Kazhiba Main Copper Oxide Deposit. Mineral Resource Estimate Kazhiba Main Oxide Copper Deposit Classification Grade Cut-off %Cu Tonnes % Cu Grade Cu (Mlbs) Indicated 0.10 2,327,200 1.41 72.3 Notes: The effective date of the MRE is January 20, 2026. The MRE was completed by Dexter Ferreira, senior geostatistician, mining engineer and geologist, and a registered member of the South African Council of Natural Scientific Professionals. Mineral resources are reported using the 2014 CIM Definition Standards and were estimated using the 2019 CIM Best Practices Guidelines, as required National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mining method is assumed to be open pit, and with mineralization consisting of soluble malachite in saprolitic soils and underlying dolomite, recovery assumed heap leaching with sulfuric acid followed by solvent extraction and electrowinning. The MRE relies on assays collected from 37 diamond drill holes and 217 reverse circulation drill holes drilled on a grid of approximately 50m x 50m. The MRE is undiluted and in situ, constrained by a localized digital terrain model using all drill hole collars in 3D space. A second DTM model was created for the soil dolomite contact, with strings drawn on a section by section basis using drillhole lithological tagging. From this, a geological model was created using Datamine Studio. The MRE is reported within a conceptual pit shell using the following parameters: Cu USD$12,000/tonne (t), Selling Costs USD$100/t of product, Mining Cost USD$1/t material moved, Mining Dilution 5%, Mining Recovery 95%, Mining Face 50 degrees, Processing Cost USD$10/t processed, Processing Recovery 95%. No metallurgical testwork has been completed on the Kazhiba Main Oxide Deposit. Typical copper recovery for malachite-dominant ores such as Kazhiba Main Oxide Deposit range from 75% to 95%, supported by laboratory and commercial data on similar deposits. Grades for Cu were estimated using 1.0 meter composite assays by geologic domain. Inverse distance squared was selected as the final estimation method of interpolating Cu values into three-dimensional block model. An average density value of 2.72 g/cm3was used based on specific gravity measurements from 130 mineralized samples. The Qualified Person selected a base case cut-off grade scenario of 0.10% copper, based on the following key economic considerations: Grade and scale : The 1.41% average grade is well above typical economic thresholds for oxide heap leach operations. The deposit is comprised almost entirely of acid-soluble malachite, and is near surface with an average maximum depth of 30 metres; : The 1.41% average grade is well above typical economic thresholds for oxide heap leach operations. The deposit is comprised almost entirely of acid-soluble malachite, and is near surface with an average maximum depth of 30 metres; Processing costs : Heap leaching of copper oxides is among the lowest-cost methods, with operating costs typically US$1.503.00/lb Cu (or lower for oxides), driven by low energy use and simple infrastructure; : Heap leaching of copper oxides is among the lowest-cost methods, with operating costs typically US$1.503.00/lb Cu (or lower for oxides), driven by low energy use and simple infrastructure; Proximity to infrastructure : The deposit is strategically located proximal to existing infrastructure, including First Quantums Kansanshi Mine, with the deposit located within 6.8 kilometres of the paved bypass road maintained by First Quantum; : The deposit is strategically located proximal to existing infrastructure, including First Quantums Kansanshi Mine, with the deposit located within 6.8 kilometres of the paved bypass road maintained by First Quantum; Market context: As of early 2026, copper prices exceeded US$5.50/lb, providing substantial headroom over costs even at conservative recoveries (70% to 80%) and moderate acid consumption; Figure 1: Kazhiba location, showing proximity to First Quantums Kansanshi Mine, and location of Kazhiba Main Copper Oxide Deposit Figure 2: Kazhiba Main 2024 and 2025 drill hole locations. Note: Location of MSZ-25-DD-029E and location of section shown in Figure 4 (A to B). Figure 3: Malachite mineralization in Drill Hole MSZ-25-DD-029E. See Figure 2 for location. Figure 4: Kazhiba Main Copper Oxide Deposit section. Location detail showing in Figure 2, denoted A to B. National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure The Company will file a National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) technical report on SEDAR+ within the mandated 45-day period following the date of this press release. Dexter Ferreira, of DMT Kai Batla Pty Ltd, who is independent of the Company, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information herein regarding the Kazhiba Copper Oxide project. Mr. Ferreira was responsible for the Kazhiba Copper Oxide Mineral Resource Estimate and has approved the scientific and technical information pertaining to the Mineral Resource Estimate in this news release. Darin Labrenz, P.Geo., a consulting geologist for the Company, is the Qualified Person for this news release and has reviewed and verified that the technical information contained in this news release is accurate and approves of the written disclosure of the same. Each of Mr. Ferreira, and Mr. Labrenz are Qualified Persons as defined in NI 43-101. The Qualified Persons have reviewed and verified the sampling and analytical procedures, results of the Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QAQC) program, the database, domain interpretation, estimation parameters, and validation of the block model and are of the opinion that a generally prudent and acceptable approach has been adopted in developing the estimate. There was no limitation on the verification process. About Midnight Sun and Kazhiba Main 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 property is comprised of three exploration licences, with the Kazhiba Main Oxide Copper Deposit contained within exploration licence 21509-HQ-LEL, held by the Companys subsidiary, Zambian High Light Mining Investment Ltd. The Solwezi Project is surrounded by producing copper mines, including Africas largest copper mining complex right next door, First Quantums Kansanshi Mine. Led by an experienced geological team with multiple discoveries and mines around the world to their credit, Midnight Suns goal is to find and develop Zambias next generational copper deposit. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF MIDNIGHT SUN MINING CORP. Al Fabbro President & CEO For Further Information Contact: Adrian OBrien VP Business Development and Communications Tel: +1 604 809 6890 Em: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Cautionary Note Regarding Mineral Resources Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The mineral resource estimate contained in this news release is based on limited information and is subject to various assumptions, qualifications, and procedures described herein. There is no certainty that the mineral resources estimated will be realized. The economic viability of mineral resources is influenced by many factors including commodity prices, mining and processing costs, metallurgical recoveries, capital costs, and regulatory requirements, all of which are subject to change and uncertainty. This news release contains forward-looking statements and "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's plans to monetize the Kazhiba Main Deposit and commence discussions with counterparties; the Company's goal to convert the deposit into a non-dilutive funding source to advance the Dumbwa Project; the MRE; the timing for filing the NI 43-101 technical report on SEDAR+; assumptions regarding mining methods, processing methods, and metallurgical recoveries; assumptions regarding copper prices, processing costs, mining costs, and other economic parameters used in the conceptual pit shell; statements regarding the potential economic viability of the Kazhiba Main Deposit; and the Company's plans and expectations for future exploration and development activities. Such forward-looking statements are based on various assumptions and factors that may prove to be incorrect, including but not limited to assumptions about: copper prices; exchange rates; processing and recovery rates that can be achieved; mining and processing costs; the results of future metallurgical testwork; the ability to obtain necessary permits and approvals; the availability of financing; and general business and economic conditions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, performance uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others: the mineral resources disclosed herein are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability; there is no assurance that the mineral resources can be converted into mineral reserves; the assumptions underlying the MRE, may not be accurate or achievable; there is no assurance that the assumed mining method, processing method, or recovery rates can be achieved; no metallurgical test work has been completed on the Kazhiba Main Deposit and actual recoveries may differ materially from the assumptions used; fluctuations in copper prices and exchange rates; increases in mining, processing, or capital costs; the preliminary and conceptual nature of the economic assumptions and pit shell parameters; risks relating to the timing and ability of the Company to obtain regulatory approvals; risks relating to the Company's ability to monetize the deposit or obtain financing; risks inherent in mineral exploration and development; the availability of contractors and equipment; geopolitical risks; environmental risks; community and non-governmental actions; political risks; and the global economic climate. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties is included in the Company's continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. 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. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information regarding the mineral resource estimate, including key assumptions, parameters, and methods used, will be provided in the NI 43-101 technical report to be filed on SEDAR+ within 45 days of this news release, and readers are encouraged to review that report in its entirety. TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- McEwen Inc. (NYSE/TSX: MUX) (McEwen or the Company) is pleased to report its Year-End 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate for the Grey Fox Project, part of the Fox Complex in Timmins, Ontario. The 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate at Grey Fox now totals 1.9 million Indicated gold ounces and 436,000 Inferred gold ounces (calculated using a US$3,000 per ounce gold price), with good potential to increase the size of the resource through: 1) The recently acquired adjacent Stroud Property that contains a historical resource (Fig. 1), 2) New drill results received after the resource estimate cut-off date and 3) Optimization of the mine and plant design. Grey Fox will be an important part of the Companys goal of doubling production by 2030, as we continue the Fox Complexs transition into a long-life mining operation. Grey Fox was previously envisioned as an underground project. The Company is now balancing both underground and open pit mining methods for calculating the Mineral Resource Estimate, consistent with the phased development mine plan that will be contained in the upcoming Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS). The PFS is scheduled to be published in Q2 2026. This project approach will allow the Company to maximize long-term project value, while providing early access to high-return gold ounces through existing ramp and underground infrastructure (Fig. 2). Highlights of the 2025 Grey Fox Resource Indicated Resources: 1,892,000 gold ounces (19,474 , 000 tonnes @ 3.02 gpt gold) 1,892,000 gold ounces (19,474 000 tonnes @ 3.02 gpt gold) Inferred Resources: 436,000 gold ounces (5,101,000 tonnes @ 2 . 66 gpt gold) 436,000 gold ounces (5,101,000 tonnes @ 2 66 gpt gold) +23 % increase in the Indicated Resource versus Year-End 2024 in the Indicated Resource versus Year-End 2024 Recently acquired Stroud Property with historical resource estimate of approx. 270,000 gold ounces, to be validated and incorporated in future updates (see Stroud Project section below for more details on the historical resource) with historical resource estimate of approx. 270,000 gold ounces, to be validated and incorporated in future updates (see Stroud Project section below for more details on the historical resource) New drill results received after resource cut-off, including 10.1 gpt gold over 5.8 meters including over PFS to be released in Q2 2026 . The study will look to accelerate underground mining using existing ramp and infrastructure, while maximizing the long-term value through the incorporation of open pit mining . The study will look to accelerate underground mining using existing ramp and infrastructure, while maximizing the long-term value through the incorporation of open pit mining Potential to further expand and optimize open pit resources with future land agreements Early Underground Mining at Grey Fox The team at McEwen has identified two areas at Grey Fox where underground mining could be accelerated: 1) Gibson Zone, located near existing underground infrastructure, and 2) Whiskey Jack, which contains higher-grade gold areas (Fig. 1 & 2). Gibson Zone is near existing underground infrastructure, including a ramp and portal from surface and contains Indicated Resources of 393,000 gold ounces (4.5 million tonnes @ 2.72 gpt gold) and Inferred Resources of 297,000 gold ounces (3.6 million tonnes @ 2.59 gpt gold). Whiskey Jack, while smaller, is the highest-grade zone at Grey Fox and contains Indicated Resources of 122,000 gold ounces (735,000 tonnes @ 5.16 gpt gold) and Inferred Resources of 5,000 gold ounces (27,000 tonnes @ 5.84 gpt gold). Both zones present opportunities for accelerated mining and high returns on capital. The Company will be detailing these opportunities in its pending PFS. Open Pit Mining at Grey Fox The PFS will also consider open pit mining. Ahead of the release of this study, McEwen is reviewing several scenarios to develop a plan that balances production with initial capital requirements, long-term value maximization, along with scheduling and permitting. The 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate and pending PFS will only consider the open pit mineralization that can be accessed by limiting the pit size to the area contained within the Companys mineral claims (Fig. 1). Should the Company be able to reach an agreement with the adjacent owner and layback the open pit, there is an opportunity for additional resources to be included in future updates. Stroud Project Adjacent to Grey Fox Resource The Stroud Project adjoins Grey Fox to the south and was acquired by McEwen in 2024 (Fig. 1). The project contains a historical, unpublished resource estimate of approximately 270,000 gold ounces. This resource does not conform to NI 43-101 guidelines and should not be considered current. In 2025, the Company successfully completed over 6,000 meters of drilling at Stroud to verify the historical resource. The Company anticipates publishing a Mineral Resource Estimate for Stroud with the next resource update for the Fox Complex. Recent Drill Results Demonstrate Potential to Further Grow Resource Additional drill results, such as 10.1 gpt gold over 5.8 meters from drillhole 25GF-1597, 5.2 gpt gold over 5.4 meters from drillhole 25GF-1599 and 23.8 gpt gold over 1.6 meters from drillhole 25GF-1605 (news release dated September 2nd, 2025), which were received after the cut-off for the 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate, highlight the potential to grow the resource with additional drilling. The Company is budgeting $5 to $10 million for drilling at Grey Fox in 2026. Fig. 1 Plan View Geology Map for the Fox Complex Eastern Properties, Which Includes Grey Fox Table 1. 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate for the Grey Fox Deposit (Variable Cut-off Grades) Classification Quantity ('000 t) Gold Grade (g/t) Contained Gold (oz) Open Pit (OP): Cut-off Grade 0.4 g/t Au Indicated 4,932 2.55 404,000 Inferred 243 2.75 22,000 Underground (UG): Cut-off Grade 1.35 g/t Au Indicated 14,541 3.18 1,487,000 Inferred 4,858 2.65 415,000 Total OP + UG Indicated 19,474 3.02 1,892,000 Inferred 5,101 2.66 436,000 Effective date of the Mineral Resource estimate is 11 July 2025. The QP for the estimate is Mr. Carson Cybolsky, P.Geo., an employee of McEwen Inc. Mineral Resources are reported using the 2014 CIM Definition Standards. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE) were demonstrated using an optimized resource pit shell for the open pit portion and MSO stope shapes for the underground portion. Mineral Resources are reported above economic cut-off grades of 0.4 g/t gold for the open-pit portion and 1.35 g/t gold for the assumed underground extraction methods and based on mining costs of $3.38/t (OP) and $67.72/t (UG), process cost of $30.77/t, G&A cost of $16.60/t, metallurgical recovery of 90%, variable royalty NSRs, dilution of 15 % (UG) and 8% (OP) and a gold price of US$3,000/oz. Figures may not sum due to rounding. Fig. 2 Open Pit (Grey) and Underground Resources (Red), Including Historical Portal and Ramp (Blue) Table 2. Grey Fox Resources: 2022 PEA, 2024 & 2025 Resource Comparison Resource Classification Quantity (000 t) Grade (gpt Au) Contained Gold (000 oz) 2022 PEA 2024 YE 2025 YE 2025 vs 2024 % Change 2022 PEA 2024 YE 2025 YE 2025 vs 2024 % Change 2022 PEA 2024 YE 2025 YE 2025 vs 2024 % Change Indicated 7,566 13,135 19,474 +48% 4.80 3.64 3.02 -17% 1,168 1,538 1,892 +23% Inferred 1,685 4,319 5,101 +18% 4.35 3.30 2.66 -19% 236 458 436 -5% Grey Fox is comprised of six gold zones (Gibson, Whiskey Jack, Contact, 147, 147 NE & Grey Fox South), ranging from approximately 25 meters to 800 meters below surface (see also the press release dated February 3rd, 2025). The decrease in resource grade reflects the lower cut-off due to higher gold prices and the incorporation of open pit mining. The slight decrease in Inferred resource ounces is the result of conversion to the Indicated category. Since the 2024 Mineral Resource Estimate(1) McEwen has completed over 64,000 meters of additional drilling. (1): For reference, the resource estimates cited in this press release were published as follows: 2017 Fox Complex Acquisition: NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Black Fox Complex, Canada. - April 6, 2018 2022 PEA: NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Fox Complex, Ontario, Canada - January 26, 2022 2024 Resource: Company 10-K 2024 Report - March 18, 2025 2025 Resource: this press release - January 20, 2026 Technical Information Technical information pertaining to the Fox Complex exploration contained in this news release has been prepared under the supervision of Sean Farrell, P.Geo., Exploration Manager for McEwen Ontario, who is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects." Technical information related to resource estimates in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Luke Willis, P.Geo., McEwens Director of Resource Modelling, who is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects." Technical information related to mine planning and engineering in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Kevin Bromfield, P.Eng., McEwens Project Director for Grey Fox, who is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects." ABOUT MCEWEN McEwen shares trade on both the NYSE and TSX under the ticker MUX. McEwen provides its shareholders with exposure to a growing base of gold and silver production in addition to a very large copper development project, all in the Americas. The gold and silver mines are in prolific mineral-rich regions of the world, the Cortez Trend in Nevada, USA, the Timmins district of Ontario, Flin Flon in Manitoba and the Deseado Massif in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. McEwen is also reactivating its gold-silver El Gallo Mine in Mexico. The Company has a 46.4% interest in McEwen Copper, which owns the large, long-life, advanced-stage Los Azules copper development project in San Juan province, Argentina a region that hosts some of the countrys largest copper deposits. According to the last financing for McEwen Copper, the implied value of McEwens ownership interest is US$456 million. The Los Azules copper project is designed to be one of the worlds first regenerative copper mines and carbon neutral by 2038. Its Feasibility Study results were announced in the press release dated October 7, 2025. McEwen also recently purchased 27.3% of Paragon Advanced Labs Inc., a newly listed public company that is deploying PhotonAssay units around the world, a technology that the Company believes is poised to become the new industry standard for assaying precious and base metals, with Paragon aiming to be one of the leading service providers. Chairman and Chief Owner Rob McEwen has invested over US$200 million personally and takes a salary of $1 per year, aligning his interests with shareholders. He is a recipient of the Order of Canada, a member of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame and a winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Energy) award. His objective is to build MUXs profitability, share value and eventually implement a dividend policy, as he did while building Goldcorp Inc. CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and information, including "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements and information expressed, are as at the date of this news release, and are McEwen Inc.'s (the "Company") estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations or beliefs as to future events and results. Forward-looking statements and information 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, risks and contingencies, and there can be no assurance that such statements and information will prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and information. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results or future events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in the market price of precious metals, mining industry risks, political, economic, social and security risks associated with foreign operations, the ability of the Company to receive or receive in a timely manner permits or other approvals required in connection with operations, risks associated with the construction of mining operations and commencement of production and the projected costs thereof, risks related to litigation, the state of the capital markets, environmental risks and hazards, uncertainty as to calculation of mineral resources and reserves, foreign exchange volatility, foreign exchange controls, foreign currency risk, and other risks. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information included herein, which speak only as of the date hereof. 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. See McEwen Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the caption "Risk Factors", for additional information on risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to the forward-looking statements and information regarding the Company. All forward-looking statements and information made in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement. The NYSE and TSX have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release, which has been prepared by the management of McEwen. Want News Fast? Subscribe to our email list by clicking here: https://www.mcewenmining.com/contact-us/#section=followUs and receive news as it happens!! The family of murdered Congolese independence icon Patrice Lumumba said Tuesday they hope to get justice, as a Belgian court weighs prosecuting the sole surviving suspect over the 1961 killing. Lumumba's relatives have pushed for the past 15 years for what they say is a long-overdue legal reckoning over the complicity of Belgian officials in his murder. "We cannot turn back time... but we are counting on the Belgian justice system to do its job and shed light on history," Yema Lumumba, 33, a granddaughter of the late Congolese prime minister, told AFP outside a Brussels court, ahead of a closed-door hearing. Some 65 years after Lumumba was executed and his body dissolved in acid by separatists with the help of mercenaries from former colonial power Belgium, only one ex-official is still alive to face justice. That is 93-year-old Etienne Davignon, a one-time European commissioner, who was a novice Belgian diplomat at the time of Lumumba's killing. He is accused by Belgian federal prosecutors of involvement in the "unlawful detention and transfer" of Lumumba, as well as "humiliating and degrading treatment". Davignon has always denied Belgian authorities' involvement in the murder, and his lawyer declined to comment to AFP before Tuesday's closed-door hearing. "This is not about revenge, but about a thirst for knowledge," Roland Lumumba, one of Patrice's sons, told AFP by phone from Kinshasa last week. "Millions of people would like to know the truth." - 'Major colonial crimes' - The killing of Lumumba -- who became prime minister at independence in 1960 -- is one of the many dark chapters in the grim history of Belgian involvement in what became the modern-day Democratic Republic of Congo. His family says there was a "vast conspiracy" involving Belgian officials to eliminate the Congolese leader. "Refusing this trial would amount to definitively confirming the impunity for major colonial crimes," said Christophe Marchand, a lawyer for the family. The Brussels court was due to hear arguments from all parties Tuesday before settling on whether to hold a trial. Lawyers for Lumumba's family said the hearing also provided the chance to file new civil lawsuits on behalf of about 10 of the former leader's grandchildren. Six were in court Tuesday, including Yema Lumumba. "Our parents are getting on in years. It's important for us to show that this fight continues, that we are here to ensure it is carried through to the end," she said. A decision is expected within weeks. Marchand said he hopes it would then take place in early 2027. - 'Moral responsibility' - The Belgian probe into potential "war crimes" in the Congo has already led to one macabre discovery: one of Lumumba's teeth, the only known remains of the assassinated leader. The tooth was seized from the daughter of a deceased Belgian police officer who had been involved in the disappearance of the body. It was returned to DRC authorities in a coffin during an official ceremony in 2022. During the handover, then Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo reiterated the government's "apologies" for its "moral responsibility" in Lumumba's disappearance. De Croo pointed the finger at Belgian officials who at the time "chose not to see" and "not to act". After entering the diplomatic service in 1959, Davignon rose through the ranks after his early involvement in Congolese independence talks. In the early 1980s, he gained more prominence when he was named a vice-president in charge of industry of the European Commission. On 18 June 2001, just after nine oclock in the evening, Carl Bildt sits down to write an email to the board of the Swedish oil company he has just been elected to. The subject line reads Boarding Meeting in Stockholm, and it is addressed to Ian Lundin and Alexandre Schneiter both senior executives of Lundin Oil, now accused of complicity in war crimes. Bildt served as Prime minister of Sweden (19911994), and later became its Foreign affairs minister (20062014). He was invited to join the board in the spring of 2000 after several NGO reports had accused the company over its Sudan concession and the consequences of oil exploration during the civil war. His international contacts could help the board in finding solutions in relation to the conflict and provide knowledge of the local political context. Energy issues are generally quite political, and the Lord has placed the resources in areas that are at times problematic, Bildt has explained when describing his role on the board. Bildt writes that he sees more signs that things are heading in the wrong direction. He says that the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLA), in rebellion against the government of Sudan, are making gains in their offensive and the regime will respond. I have not heard of problems in the oil areas, but we can expect a large influx of refugees. He adds that the SPLA rebels will likely try to strike at oil installations, and that the company must be prepared both on the ground and in the media, since they are their real targets. The next morning, on 19 June at 09:07, Bildt writes a new email saying that the company must not be seen as a defender of the government, because Sudans army has bombed indiscriminately and attacked a location where the United Nations distributes food to refugees. A minute later, at 09:08, Ian Lundin replies that he agrees with Bildts assessment and writes that the propaganda in the West is coordinated with the rebels attacks on the oil areas, and that the government army will now probably have to carry out certain offensive measures to maintain some kind of stability in the area. The exchange is a small part of the evidence contained in the 80,000-page preliminary investigation that forms the basis of the longest trial in Swedish history. The most high-profile witness For more than two and a half years, courtroom 34 at Stockholm District Court has been occupied three days a week by one of the most far-reaching criminal proceedings ever held in Sweden. The so-called Lundin trial concerns allegations that oil exploration in what was then southern Sudan between 1999 and 2003 was facilitated through serious violations. Over time, the daily grind of hundreds of hearings has thinned media attendance. But on the morning of 15 January 2026, journalists once again filled the courtroom to capacity. The reason was the testimony of, by far, the most high-profile witness to appear so far. I, Carl Bildt, solemnly declare and affirm on my honour and conscience that I will speak the whole truth and conceal nothing, he said as he took the stand, before being reminded that he was testifying under criminal liability. Bildt is not accused of any crime. Nor is he the most central witness in a case that includes more than sixty testimonies, 32 plaintiffs and a decade-long investigation. Yet his appearance crystallized one of the trials core questions: how far does responsibility extend when corporate activity intersects with armed conflict? On Thursday, 15 January 2026, the Lundin trial courtroom, usually deserted by the press, saw journalists rush in to hear an internationally renown witness: Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister, Foreign Minister of Sweden, and former member of the board of Lundin Oil. Photo: Blankspot A witness called by the prosecution The defendants are former executives of Lundin Oil, now Orron Energy after the sale of its oil and gas assets. Prosecutors allege that the companys operations in Block 5A were made possible through military campaigns carried out by Sudanese government forces and allied militias campaigns that involved war crimes against civilians. The prosecutions legal theory is one of aiding and abetting. Under international criminal law, this does not require direct participation in the crimes themselves, but knowledge that ones conduct contributes to their commission. It is in this context that Bildts testimony matters. As a board member during part of the relevant period, prosecutors argue, his knowledge is relevant to what the companys leadership knew or chose not to know about events on the ground. Asked whether he bore responsibility for the companys activities, Bildt replied it was about taking responsibility together for the decisions of the board. From a country at war to a narrow operational corridor When Bildt sat down before the judges, Sudan initially appeared in his account as a vast and complex country at war. Over the course of the day, that landscape steadily contracted. Prosecutors presented incident logs, UN assessments and NGO reports documenting aerial bombardments, village burnings and forced displacement across Block 5A. Bildt responded by drawing a firm boundary around what he considered relevant knowledge. Block 5A is large, he said. What happened in all parts of the block, we could not possibly have an understanding of. We could only have an understanding of those parts where we could see things with our own eyes. That lies in the nature of things. Again and again, he described events outside as occurring a good distance away, earlier, or in areas where the company had no presence. When asked whether he had been in Block 5A, Bildt answered both yes and no. He described flying in a small aircraft from Khartoum but being unable to land in Rubkona because the airstrip was flooded. From the air, I still got a sense of the character of the area, he said, adding that whether this counted as having been there was a matter of definition. I do not recall A recurring phrase ran through the testimony: I do not recall. Bildt said he did not remember reading a 1999 report by Medecins Sans Frontieres documenting widespread aerial bombings of civilian targets in southern Sudan. When confronted with internal security logs describing attacks on oil installations, ambushes on company contractors and bombings attributed to government forces, his response was equally consistent: No, I was not informed of this, he said after one such incident was read out. I will testify about what I know, and this I did not know. At one point, prosecutors presented a detailed incident from February 2000, in which the Lundins owned Thar Jath drilling rig was bombed with a 500-pound bomb followed by twelve artillery shells. According to the log, the Sudanese army claimed responsibility, explaining it had bombed the wrong coordinates. I see that the army says it made a mistake, Bildt responded. But this was not something that was reported to me. When asked about a separate incident on 29 February 2000, a truck that belongs to the company hired by Lundin to build the oil road is attacked, 13 people are killed and several others are injured Bildt also says that he received no information about this either. I found it remarkable how few security incidents there were, Bildt said. I had some experience of conflict areas, and there was I must say unusually little of that. Local conflicts and shifting loyalties As prosecutors pushed further, Bildt repeatedly framed violence as the result of local dynamics rather than state policy. There were clashes in the area between militia groups, he said after reading a log describing armed confrontations. It is difficult to know exactly where this is on the map. Asked whether he was aware that militias were uniting to fight government forces, he replied: That is not particularly remarkable. SPLA was opposed to the army that was the core of the conflict. When a document from March 2000 referring to plans by government forces to burn the rebels out south of Bentiu was put to him, Bildt responded: That the military was involved in the war could be read in the newspapers. That was not remarkable. Starting fires no. Internal reports and hypothetical reasoning Prosecutors also presented weekly reports from Lundins local manager, Ken Barker, sent to Geneva and describing the security situation in Block 5A as condition BLACK the most severe classification. I am not familiar with this document, he said when one was read out in court. But it is not strange that the army was present nor that they wanted the road to be completed. Minutes from a board meeting noting that security problems had made it impossible to complete the work programme also failed to jog his memory. Do I remember this? The answer is no, Bildt said. But if you suspend operations, that costs money. Then prosecutors presented the first corporate social responsibility report commissioned by Lundin, outlining three strategic options for Sudan: business as usual; withdrawal; or continued presence combined with cooperation with NGOs. Bildt read the document carefully before concluding: This is hypothetical reasoning. It is not a description of what was but of what could be. The area The most consequential moment came when prosecutors asked Bildt to clarify what he meant by the area. It is Rubkona, Bentiu, and the road down towards Thar Jath, he said. Pressed further on whether bombings could have occurred in parts of Block 5A where the company did not operate, Bildt replied: That I would be certain of, if I had heard about it. And I did not hear about it. By the end of the day, the term Lundin area had acquired a precise meaning: not the legal concession known as Block 5A, but a narrow operational corridor defined by roads, airstrips and facilities. We use Lundin area in different senses, Bildt said under questioning. By Lundin area, I mean where we actually were and where we could see what was happening not Block 5A as a whole. "Oil was a factor for peace" Throughout his testimony, Bildt returned to a broader narrative: that oil could be a force for peace. I informed the leadership, he said of his meetings with Sudanese officials. What was obvious to me was that oil was a factor for peace. Aerial bombardments, he said in one meeting with Sudanese negotiators, were useless a remark he later clarified in court as meaning militarily meaningless. From a civilian perspective, he added: It is obviously not good to be bombed. Yet prosecutors pointed to emails in which Bildt warned that oil installations were real targets and acknowledged that oil extraction risked exacerbating the conflict. Reading one such email (read below) aloud in court, Bildt remarked spontaneously: It is well formulated. A case beyond Sweden The lawyer of Lundin, Torgny Wetterberg, presented Bildt with a document dated 24 July 2002, containing a report that summarizes all the meetings Bildt held in Nairobi and Sudan during a fact-finding mission. The list shows that he met with SPLA-affiliated aid organizations, Americans, the then President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir, and many other actors. Asked what they gained from these meetings, Bildt replies that he gained knowledge of the conflict and that the allegations that appeared in the reports did not recur in the conversations. Western eyes and ears in the area were stabilizing. No one said that we should leave, and steps were taken toward some form of peace, Bildt says. In the memorandum summarizing Bildts trip, it is stated that his conclusion was that no army wants to fight a war it cannot win. It also notes that revenues from oil were not as large as many believed at the time. Point four notes that none of the people Bildt spoke with wanted the company to leave, though representatives from the South wanted operations to be suspended. Bildt also notes that the local population wanted engagement from the oil companies for an increased pressure on the regime to allow humanitarian actors access. Bildts testimony did not resolve any central issues in the Lundin case. Instead, it illuminated the mechanics by which responsibility can be narrowed not by denying that atrocities occurred, but by redefining where they are deemed relevant. By the end of the hearing, Block 5A had been reduced from a vast concession in a war-torn region to a road, a town and a handful of sites visible from the air. The family of murdered Congolese independence icon Patrice Lumumba said Tuesday they hope to get justice, as a Belgian court weighs prosecuting the sole surviving suspect over the 1961 killing. Lumumba's relatives have pushed for the past 15 years for what they say is a long-overdue legal reckoning over the complicity of Belgian officials in his murder. "We cannot turn back time... but we are counting on the Belgian justice system to do its job and shed light on history," Yema Lumumba, 33, a granddaughter of the late Congolese prime minister, told AFP outside a Brussels court, ahead of a closed-door hearing. Some 65 years after Lumumba was executed and his body dissolved in acid by separatists with the help of mercenaries from former colonial power Belgium, only one ex-official is still alive to face justice. That is 93-year-old Etienne Davignon, a one-time European commissioner, who was a novice Belgian diplomat at the time of Lumumba's killing. He is accused by Belgian federal prosecutors of involvement in the "unlawful detention and transfer" of Lumumba, as well as "humiliating and degrading treatment". Davignon has always denied Belgian authorities' involvement in the murder, and his lawyer declined to comment to AFP before Tuesday's hearing. "This is not about revenge, but about a thirst for knowledge," Roland Lumumba, one of Patrice's sons, told AFP by phone from Kinshasa last week. "Millions of people would like to know the truth." - 'Major colonial crimes' - The killing of Lumumba -- who became prime minister at independence in 1960 -- is one of the many dark chapters in the grim history of Belgian involvement in what became the modern-day Democratic Republic of Congo. His family says there was a "vast conspiracy" involving Belgian officials to eliminate the Congolese leader. "Refusing this trial would amount to definitively confirming the impunity for major colonial crimes," said Christophe Marchand, a lawyer for the family. The Brussels court heard arguments from all parties Tuesday before settling on whether to hold a trial. Lawyers for Lumumba's family said the hearing also provided the chance to file new civil lawsuits on behalf of about 10 of the former leader's grandchildren. Six were in court Tuesday, including Yema Lumumba. "Our parents are getting on in years. It's important for us to show that this fight continues," she said. Mehdi Lumumba, another grandchild, said the consequences of this assassination "still weigh on Congolese society," which he described as "trapped in a vicious cycle of impunity". He said his family represents "a generation that still wants to believe the law can be upheld". Prosecutors said a decision on a trial was expected on March 17. If favourable, Marchand said he hopes it would then take place in early 2027. - 'Moral responsibility' - The Belgian probe into potential "war crimes" in the Congo has already led to one macabre discovery: one of Lumumba's teeth -- the only known remains of the assassinated leader. The tooth was seized from the daughter of a deceased Belgian police officer who had been involved in the disappearance of the body. It was returned to DRC authorities in a coffin during an official ceremony in 2022. During the handover, then Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo reiterated the government's "apologies" for its "moral responsibility" in Lumumba's disappearance. De Croo pointed the finger at Belgian officials who at the time "chose not to see" and "not to act". After entering the diplomatic service in 1959, Davignon rose through the ranks after his early involvement in Congolese independence talks. In the early 1980s, he gained more prominence when he was named a vice-president in charge of industry of the European Commission. Company delivers industry insights and robotics experience for KSU students KENNESAW, Ga. | Jan 20, 2026 Luis Arriaga (left), vice president of operations technology at UPS and a KSU Foundation Board of Trustees member, and UPS executive Scott Keaton Robotic arms often are used for tasks that are repetitive, precise, and sometimes, even physically challenging. They are valuable tools in various industrial settings. Now, thanks to a donation from the Atlanta-based UPS, engineering students at Kennesaw State University will have the chance to learn using state-of-the-art, industry-grade robotic arms. This enables students to have direct access to the robots used in an industrial setting, said Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SPCEET). It will help them to really see how the concepts from their learning are applied. UPS donated 12 industrial robots to SPCEET and the College of Computing and Software Engineering (CCSE). SPCEET offers one of six accredited mechatronics engineering bachelors degrees in the country, covering topics such as advanced manufacturing, robotics, automation and artificial intelligence. The institution also provides degrees in other engineering disciplines, enabling students to study the hardware components of robots through direct experience. Students in CCSE will use the donated robots to learn about their programming, coding and data collection. In senior capstone projects, teams of students from various disciplines can use these robots to see all the components come together into a system that accomplishes a specific purpose. These robots also may aid faculty research in areas such as robotic welding, said Whitman. Our donation of robotic arms to Kennesaw State University is rooted in a shared belief that real-world exposure is essential to preparing students for the future of work, said Luis Arriaga, vice president of operations technology at UPS and a KSU Foundation Board of Trustees member. By integrating advanced tools into the learning environment, students gain practical experience that complements their academic foundation. UPS has been a key industry supporter of KSU, notably the first organization to host a Day in the Nest on the Marietta Campus - an event that featured a panel discussion, career mentoring, and recruitment opportunities for KSU students seeking internships and full-time roles. Arriaga also serves on SPCEETs Industry Advisory Board, where hes an active member. These development opportunities are further enriched when students have the chance to hear directly from industry leaders learning not just about business strategy, but about the personal journeys and decisions that shape careers, said Arriaga. Its a way to make the future feel more tangible and to show whats possible when education and industry work together. Whitman enjoys seeing companies such as UPS actively involved with the engineering college. Collaborations like this help to ensure that students have a rich educational experience and are workforce ready upon graduation. UPS is a great ally to our college, specifically with the engagement of Luis himself, Whitman said. Weve talked about how he wants students to see the UPS name. I dont think its obvious to many students that UPS is an engineering company, but I think their presence and visibility really helps them enter the field of possibilities for our students. Whitman added, Georgia is home to so many large companies like UPS. Its great to have a collaboration like this. They see the worth of our students and want them to be part of their workforce. Related Stories A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's 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. Commuters travelling from Kilkenny to Dublin and further afield have voiced growing frustration at what they describe as ridiculous and increasingly unmanageable delays on some of the States busiest routes. Workers who rely on the M9, M7, N7 and M50 say their daily journeys have become a constant source of stress, with collisions, breakdowns and poor driving standards that are turning already long commutes into exhausting ordeals. READ NEXT: High Court weighs in on skydiving club dispute with IAA at airfield in Kilkenny One Kilkenny-based commuter, who drives to Dunshaughlin in County Meath up to six days a week, said leaving home before dawn has become a necessity rather than a choice. If I dont leave the house at 4.45 or 5am on a Monday morning, I wont make work on time, they said. There are constant collisions and breakdowns, and the standard of driving is shocking. People dont know how to use the lanes properly. READ NEXT: Kilkenny gardai have the last laugh after chase of dangerous driver abandoned They added that dangerous last-minute lane changes are now a daily occurrence, particularly around exits. Youll see people swapping from lane to lane and then, when its their exit, theyll swerve from the far lane straight across to the nearside at the last minute. Ive had quite a few close calls because of this. What should be a journey of around an hour and a half can regularly stretch to two or even three hours, particularly in the evenings. The M50, especially turning off towards the N7, was highlighted as a major pinch point. You could easily face three or four crashes on one journey to or from work, the commuter said. It makes going to work challenging and really difficult to keep your mindset right. Another issue adding to the frustration is the cost. Some commuters report paying tolls up to three or four times a day, five days a week. READ NEXT: US billionaire with plans for Kilkenny distillery revealed as Waterford Airports mystery investor Another commuter, who can be called to work at short notice, said the unpredictability of traffic has become a serious source of anxiety. Im given one hour and 45 minutes to get there, and I have to take the M9, M7, N7 and M50, they explained. In recent times its been very anxiety-inducing. Its almost a lottery now, depending on the time Im called, as to whether Ill make it. They said traffic conditions have deteriorated significantly in recent years. READ NEXT: Plans for a brand new restaurant in the heart of Kilkenny It wasnt like this before. Traffic seems worse than ever, and then getting caught in it on the way home can really stress you out when you should be settling down. Its ridiculous. Speaking recently in Dail Eireann, Kildare TD Mark Wall said its not just workers that are affected, as he outlined harrowing stories of people missing medical appointments like chemotherapy because of delays. The commuter chaos needs to be addressed, he added. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS Are you a caring person who can offer support for people with an intellectual, physical or sensory disability? If so, Resilience Healthcare might be the company for you as it is now hiring support workers in Tullaroan, County Kilkenny. As a support worker, you will provide a professional, high quality and safe service to people with additional needs working as part of a team and in consultation with each service user. You will make sure all of the clients needs are met in a completely individual way. Resilience Healthcare is changing the face of support for people with intellectual, physical and sensory disability and/or Autism in Ireland. The company offers progressive, one-to-one solutions geared towards the empowerment of the people it supports, rather than limiting their experiences of life. Resilience Healthcare puts each individual, and support of their disability, at the centre of everything it does, helping them live an involved, meaningful and empowered life and focusing not on what they cant do, but on what they can achieve. . Resilience Healthcare is hiring support workers in Tullaroan, County Kilkenny - click here for more details. Full-time and part-time opportunities available in its children's and adults residential services in Tullaoran. A full driving licence is desirable and QQI Level 5 is essential To apply, click here or send your CV to deborah@resilience.ie *SPONSORED CONTENT* Here is the full 42 minutes of my crew and I exposing Minnesota fraud, this might be my most important work yet. We uncovered over $110,000,000 in ONE day. Like it and share it around like wildfire! Its time to hold these corrupt politicians and fraudsters accountable We ALL pic.twitter.com/E3Penx2o7a Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) December 26, 2025 Nick Shirley has had over 135 million views of his video where he went around various Minnesota state funded daycare centres and found no pupils. It gave the visual element to the reporting around fraud in the state, especially involving Somalis who makes up around 3% of the Twin Cities population. Tim Walz who was standing for a third term as Governor has now withdrawn. A year ago he was close to becoming Vice-President and today he cant get re-elected in his own state. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Stephen Bergin, Glencondra, Camross, Laois passed away peacefully at home on 19 January. Predeceased by his son Ultan, his brothers Paddy, Joe, Jack and Martin and sister Mary (Saunders). Stephen will be very sadly missed by his wife Margaret, his daughters Majella, Julie and Stephanie, his grandson Conor, his in-laws, nieces, nephews, extended family, relatives, neighbours and friends. May Stephen Rest in Peace Reposing at Burkes Funeral Home, Mountrath (R32 Y661) on Tuesday 20th from 5.30pm, concluding with Rosary at 7pm. Removal from his home on Wednesday to St Fergals Church, Camross (R32 VY79) for Requiem Mass at 11am, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Stephen's Requiem Mass will be live streamed, click link on RIP.ie. House private on Wednesday morning, please Family flowers only, donations in lieu of flowers to the Irish Wheelchair Association. The Bergin family would like to thank you for your support and cooperation and would be grateful if you would express your messages of condolence on the link on RIP.ie. A man who sexually abused his daughter during her childhood, telling her that they had a special love her mother would be jealous of, has been jailed for seven years. Gordon McKenna (79) formerly of Marian Grove, Old Moore Street, Mountmellick, Laois, now living in Germany, pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting his daughter at various locations including the family home in Tallaght, Dublin, on mountain biking trips and at the cinema, on dates between 1977 and 1983. He has no previous convictions. McKenna had previously denied the charges but pleaded guilty before his trial commenced at the Central Criminal Court. Seoirse O Dunlaing SC, prosecuting told Ms Justice Melanie Greally that Jane Murray (55) wished to waive her right to anonymity to allow her father to be named in reporting the case. She joined the hearing remotely via an audio link. The court heard that Ms Murrays mother suspected McKenna was having an affair when Ms Murray was 13 years' old. It was at this point that the teenager told her mother that she was the other woman. McKenna left the family home and the abuse came to an end. Ms Murray was seen by her family doctor and attended counselling. McKenna, Ms Murray and her mother later participated in joint family counselling but McKenna actively influenced his daughters communications. Her mother later featured in a RTE broadcast regarding child sexual abuse. McKenna continued to have contact with Ms Murray and he did not allow her to call him Dad. He would tell people that they happened across while out in public that she was his girlfriend. The abuse came to the attention of both gardai and TUSLA after Ms Murray applied for records of those counselling sessions as an adult in 2018. She went on to make statements of complaint. At this point McKenna had re-married and moved to Germany. Through mutual assistance, gardai contacted him but he denied any wrongdoing. Padraig Dwyer SC, defending, said McKenna had written a letter to the court outlining his sorrow and regret for his actions. He asked the court to take into account his guilty plea, his advanced age and his work history. He said the accused had re-married. His wife is receiving palliative care and the accused is a carer for her. He outlined that McKenna had a number of medical issues himself. Passing sentence today/yesterday (TUES), Ms Justice Melanie Greally acknowledged that the harm caused to Ms Murray by her father was unquantifiable and impossible to articulate. She said her victim impact statement, read into the record by Mr O Dunlaing, was poignant and restrained and that Ms Murray is only beginning to process her childhood experience. She acknowledged that the abuse impacted her sense of self and she has a lack of value and self-worth and it has affected her capacity to form relationships. She eloquently speaks of the love she should have received, Ms Justice Greally said before she said Ms Murray spoke of the lie her father told her about their so called relationship. She noted that Ms Murray spoke of her fathers deviousness and how he abused her without any care for her wellbeing and her future. Her victim impact statement is a simple expression of her immense sadness and sense of loss for what might have been, Ms Justice Greally said. Ms Justice Greally said McKenna was responsible for Ms Murrays care as a child while her mother was working. She said the abuse was a highly specific grooming and manipulation noting that McKenna thought his daughter to control and switch off her emotions and that he played tricks to scare her and was amused by her fear. Ms Justice Greally said that McKenna told his daughter that they had a special deep relationship that no one could understand and that her mother would be jealous if she knew. She noted that Ms Murray said she was abused most days after school and described being made read loves letters to her father, which he had received from his mistress, while she was forced to masturbate him. Ms Justice Greally said the abuse represented an extreme abuse of trust by a parent who was also her primary carer. She took into account Ms Murrays extreme youth at the time and her dependency on her father, that the abuse occurred in the family home, its frequency and duration and the immeasurable psychological harm caused to her and its impact on her personal development, emotional and mental wellbeing. Ms Justice Greally noted that a maximum sentence of two years applies to a number of the earlier incidences of abuse due to the legislation which existed at the time, which she said in no way reflects the culpability of the offender or the harm caused. She said in mitigation she was taking into account the plea of guilty but noted that it was a late plea and that Ms Murray still had to live with the prospect of a trial and giving evidence. She further acknowledged McKennas lack of previous convictions, his pro-social life since, his remorse for his actions, his medical conditions and his currents wife poor medical condition and the fact that he acts as her carer in Germany. Ms Justice Greally imposed concurrent sentences of 16 months for the earlier offences and a consecutive term of five years and eight months for the later offences. These later offences carry a maximum penalty of 10 years following a change in legislation. The judge said she didnt consider a post release supervision order was necessary in the case. ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE OF THE OFFENDING Detective Garda Sean Carrick told Mr O Dunlaing that Ms Murray made an initial statement in 2018 and a follow-up statement in 2021. The court heard the woman had lived alone as a child with her parents. Her mother worked outside the home while her father stayed at home. McKenna was described as a domineering, anti-establishment man. She described how he would play tricks to terrify her. He disliked displays of playfulness or outward displays of her being a child. She said there was a highly sexualised relationship between them. Ms Murray described her father touching her and she having to masturbate him while watching TV. She said he used to take her on biking trips up the mountains instead of going to school but she recalled these trips would end with him having to be masturbated by her. He would sometimes make her give him oral sex. The abuse also occurred on a holiday. She said her father told her they had a special love and if she told her mother she would be jealous. Ms Murray told her mother when she was 13 years old and her mother put the man out of the house. She attended counselling with her family afterwards. In her victim impact statement, she said a father was someone who was supposed to make you feel safe and treasured, someone to walk you up the aisle. She said she should have been the apple of his eye, not used for his sexual satisfactions. Ms Murray said it was impossible to describe the impact it has had on her. She said she does not wish her father harm and feels desperately sad. She said there was no peace in this desperate story. She said she wishes her father peace and has no hatred for him. I am heartbroken that this is our story, she said. A CREATIVE and connective art exhibition featuring local forest walks, landmarks, bridges, scenic places, animals and imaginative cultural scenes of rural Ireland painted by a group of nine members of Mountmellick mens shed following several blocks of art lessons through the Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) was launched in the local library on Tuesday 13 January. The group of shed members who took part in the art lessons included Joe Turner, Shay Keenan, Joe Kelly, Ron Lalor, Christy Conroy, Owen McCann, Richard Whelan and twins Pat and Johnny Culleton. Most of the group had never painted before and now their display of over 40 pieces proudly fills every wall in the three-roomed walkthrough art gallery in Mountmellick library. Gillian Cunningham is the community education facilitator with the LOETB. At the launch, Gillian told the Laois Nationalist how the wonderful art exhibition came to be. She said: We fund community groups in Laois and Offaly and we have groups in our further education centres and in the libraries and community centres across both counties. We work closely with the mens sheds and Mountmellick mens shed are very proactive. We also did a lot of woodwork with them through Jack Byrne and the men made lots of easels. Johnny Culleton approached our community educator Hazel Duffy and said that the men would like to do some painting and we had the ideal tutor in Billy Dollard. We knew that Billy would really get what they are about and he started working with them last year. Johnny Culleton thanked everyone for coming along to the sheds first art exhibition. He said: On behalf of the Mountmellick mens shed, I would like to thank everyone for coming this evening and I would also like to thank the girls from the LOETB for all of the help that they have given us throughout the year and the library staff for hosting us. Id also like to thank Billy Dollard, who teaches our art lessons and Jackie Byrne, who does woodwork with us. Mountmellick mens shed was formed back in 2011 and it has been a great success throughout the years. Im very proud to be a part of it. The manager of Mountmellick library, Amanda Hyland, also addressing the crowd, said that the library was delighted to host the mens wonderful exhibition and congratulated them on a job well done. The groups tutor Billy Dollard was unable to attend the launch, as he was teaching another art class in Portlaoise on the night, but he met the men in the shed the previous Tuesday morning and then helped them to hang their paintings in the library. While in the shed that morning, Billy told the Laois Nationalist that he really enjoys working with the men and teaching them through acrylic paints. He said that they are a brilliant bunch of lads and that there is always plenty of banter. Billy added that halfway through the classes they always stop for a while to have the mandatory tea and biscuits. Billy was delighted that the men presented him with one of the easels that they had made during woodwork classes. The art exhibition is well worth visiting and is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when people come together and encourage each other in a fun environment. Mountmellick Mens Shed can be found on Facebook and is located behind Mountmellick Community Arts Centre. Andres Cardenes, concertmaster of the San Diego Symphony since November, 1985, revealed Monday that he will leave the area to take a teaching position at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I will start as associate professor this September, said Cardenes, replacing Ruggiero Ricci on Michigans music faculty. Ive had enough of the whole situation, said the 30-year-old musician, referring to last falls lockout of the orchestra musicians by management, the cancellation of the 1986-87 season, and the dissolution of the orchestra in January. I want it to be over with. Im not happy that the situation has dragged on with all this mud-slinging in the press. Advertisement Cardenes also expressed his extreme dissatisfaction with symphony playing as a profession. Over the last four years, I found that I did not have much in common with the orchestra setting. I dont want to play with an orchestra ever again, he said. His responsibilities at the university, noted for its music department, will include teaching 12 violin students, conducting a weekly master class and leading a chamber music class. At the invitation of former symphony music director David Atherton, the Cuban-born violinist came to San Diego from Salt Lake City, where he was concertmaster of the Utah Symphony and a professor of music at the University of Utah. He had been an assistant professor of music at Indiana University from 1980-82. Cardenes sounded bitter over the disintegration of the San Diego situation. I had to get out of my (Utah Symphony) contract nine months early . . . only to find this mess here, he said. Advertisement At Moscows 1982 Tchaikovsky International Violin Competition, Cardenes won a bronze medal. He had also won a bronze medal at the 1980 Sibelius International Competition in Helsinki, at that time the highest prize ever awarded an American musician by that Finnish competition. Bringing a young concertmaster of Cardenes caliber to San Diego was considered one of Athertons coups. There is a shortage of concertmasters in the United States today, he said, and I have been approached by lots of orchestras. Cardenes said he turned them all down in favor of resuming an academic career. Symphony orchestras today are so busy struggling to stay afloat that their music suffers, he said. Instead of being concerned with making music, orchestra players are worried about the conductor, money and their social status. Im not interested in all that--I just want to play music. He will spend 10 days on a European trip, then return to San Diego to prepare for his appearance in a host of summer festivals, his usual summer occupation. In addition to appearing with the Indianapolis Symphony, he will play at music festivals in Alaska, Utah and New York state. San Diego audiences will hear him in the La Jolla Chamber Music Societys Summerfest 87 in August. Nearly 800 political prisoners remain detained in Venezuela despite a series of announced releases earlier this month, according to a local rights monitoring group, which noted that the process has slowed and has not resulted in full freedom for those affected. Foro Penal reported that it has documented 777 political prisoners nationwide, following 143 releases recorded between Jan. 8 and late Monday. No new releases have been confirmed since Saturday. The announcement came days after Venezuelan authorities said they had begun freeing detainees in the aftermath of the Jan. 3 capture of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by U.S. authorities. #19Ene 9:45 p.m. De acuerdo a nuestro corte de hoy, 777 siguen arbitrariamente detenidas por motivos politicos. Tenemos pendientes por evaluacion muchos casos que no nos habian sido reportados. La solucion definitiva no son solo las excarcelaciones. La amnistia plena es la via. https://t.co/mawJSpSuma Gonzalo Himiob S. (@HimiobSantome) January 20, 2026 "These releases do not amount to full freedom," said Alfredo Romero, the group's director, in a video statement posted online. "We continue to wait for the total release of political prisoners, because excarceration does not mean these people are truly free." He said many of those released remain subject to restrictions, including bans on leaving the country and, in numerous cases, prohibitions on speaking to the media. Families of detainees have maintained vigils outside prisons since Jan. 8, sleeping near detention centers as they wait for official information about further releases and the legal status of their relatives, as Infobae reports. The arrests stem largely from the period following the July 28, 2024 presidential election, after which more than 2,400 people were detained, according to official figures. Clippve, a separate Venezuelan human rights group, told La Republica on Monday that the situation may be broader. Its spokesman, Diego Casanova Maita, said more than 1,345 people remain "arbitrarily" detained, including children and teenagers. "They have no access to due process. They are detained without judicial warrants and without prosecutors present," he said. Casanova alleged that some detentions amount to enforced disappearances under international law, with authorities denying or concealing detainees' whereabouts. He said minors have been arrested on accusations ranging from terrorism to incitement of hatred, and that many detainees are denied lawyers of their choosing. "The state imposes a public defender," he said. He also accused authorities of mistreatment in overcrowded prisons lacking adequate food and water, and alleged that torture and coercion are used to extract confessions. Originally published on Latin Times Pennsylvania College of Technology will offer a four-month Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship program through Allentown School District beginning Jan. 23, introducing students to foundational concepts in advanced manufacturing. The partnership between Penn College Workforce Development and the school district aims to connect students with in-demand career pathways and help them earn competencies required for a Certified Manufacturing Associate credential. This partnership reflects our strategic plan, Lighting the Way: A Blueprint for Innovation and Excellence 2030 in action, said Carol D. Birks, superintendent and chief executive officer for the Allentown School District. By expanding access to advanced manufacturing pathways, we are strengthening the bridge between rigorous classroom learning and high-demand careers right here in Allentown. Students will learn foundational theory and hands-on skills to prepare them for entry-level positions in manufacturing occupations, including polymer manufacturing. The program will use a combination of self-guided online modules and instructor-led labs, with on-site activities taking place within the Allentown School District. The program runs through May 8. Pre-apprentices will receive networking opportunities with regional manufacturing companies, particularly polymer manufacturers and employer partners engaged in apprenticeship programs. State Sen. Nick Miller called the partnership a strategic investment in Lehigh Valley talent. Penn College is a tremendous asset to the commonwealth, graduating top-tier talent in high-demand, family sustaining careers, Miller said. It will open doors for Allentown students to gain the hands-on experience they need to thrive in these fields. State Rep. Peter Schweyer, House Education Committee chairman, said the program will give students valuable skills for good-paying jobs. The program is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. Participants must be 16 years of age or older to be eligible for grant funding to cover program fees. For more information about Penn College Workforce Development, visit www.pct.edu/wd. Francescas, a once-popular womens clothing retailer based out of Houston, Texas, is closing stores nationwide. The closings come amid reports that employees were laid off unexpectedly and allegations that the clothing retailer owed vendors hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid invoices, according to Fox Business. Company representatives confirmed to Womens Wear Daily that Francescas, which sold womens clothing, jewelry, accessories and gifts, has started liquidation sales as of Jan. 16, 2026, and will be closing soon. According to Womens Wear Daily, the company owed about $250 million to one of its vendors. Heres how Francescas slowly declined to its current state, starting from when it first filed for bankruptcy. When did Francescas first get into financial trouble? Francescas first filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020 due to declining sales and announced that 140 stores would close. In 2021, the companys assets were sold for $18 million to Francescas Acquisition LLC, although the company still struggled financially. In the years after Francescas emerged from bankruptcy, it partnered with a tween-oriented brand, acquired a clothing line associated with Miley Cyrus and even opened up a location inside American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in April 2024, according to Fox Business. How many Francescas locations are in New Jersey? According to the store locator, there are 18 stores left in New Jersey. This includes the location that opened at American Dream mall two years ago. A New Jersey flight instructor who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection to a fatal plane crash near Allentown now says his negligence did not contribute to the crash. Philip Everton McPherson was giving a flight lesson to Easton resident Keith Kozel in September 2022 when the plane crashed in a residential backyard in Salisbury Township, about a mile from Queen City Airport in Allentown. McPherson says he was pressured into taking the plea deal in connection with the crash, according to a motion to withdraw his plea, filed Friday by his new attorney Joseph D. Mancano of Wayne. The motion says McPhersons previous attorney, Angelo L. Cameron of Philadelphia, failed to pursue a defense that the plane crashed due to engine failure, not pilot error. According to the motion, another pilot abandoned a takeoff of the same plane four days earlier because it failed to accelerate properly. Prosecutors have said McPherson should have known better than to take off in a plane with a sputtering engine and said he flew away from an open field that would have offered him a better opportunity for an emergency landing. A spokeswoman from the U.S. Attorneys office didnt comment Tuesday on McPhersons motion. McPherson also wants to withdraw his pleas to charges that he gave more than 40 flight lessons without proper certification. The motion says McPherson knew he wasnt allowed to fly with passengers but didnt know he was barred from giving flight lessons. The motion says his previous attorney wasnt available to discuss the plea deal with him and he only had a brief recess during the plea hearing to review the document. Attorney Cameron didnt respond to a message seeking comment. McPherson faces a maximum of 153 years in prison, although its unclear what his guideline sentencing recommendation will be. McPherson pleaded guilty in October to 43 of the 44 charges he faced. McPherson, of Haddon Township, Camden County, crashed planes twice and lost his pilot certification in the nine months leading up to the crash that killed Kozel, 49. McPherson failed his pilot certification examination twice, finally passing the third time in December 2019, court records say. Then he crashed planes in November 2020 and March 2021 at Central Jersey Regional Airport, court records say. After the crashes, McPherson was required to take a flight re-certification test, records say. The examiner had to take control of the plane to prevent it from crashing Sept. 29, 2021, records say. McPherson surrendered his certificate and never bothered to re-test, records say. After that, he continued to provide more than 40 flight lessons to student pilots. All of them were at Braden Airpark in Forks Township, except for three at Queen City Airport in Allentown, records say. McPherson previously pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, obstruction of an administrative proceeding, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, criminal conspiracy and serving as an airman without a certificate. McPhersons then-employer fired him after his second crash, and he took a job in April 2021 as a flight instructor for Proflight Aero flight school in Bethlehem Township, records say. The owner of a Proflight Aero flight school, Nouman Saleem of Palmer Township, admitted in May he allowed McPherson to keep teaching student pilots even though he was unlicensed and a safety risk. Saleem pleaded guilty to obstruction of an administrative proceeding, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and criminal conspiracy. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced in March. Amid substantial changes in federal vaccine policy, New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill last week that would give the state Department of Health the authority to rely on expert recommendations beyond the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions vaccine panel. The bill has received backlash from parents rights groups and Republican legislators who say the state Department of Health is trying to become the sole authority on vaccines and bulldoze parents decision-making power. But its supporters dispute that framing and argue that parents will remain in charge of what vaccines their children receive. Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, a Republican who represents parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties, accused the bills supporters of being driven by Trump derangement syndrome. This bill is attacking the federal experts, not because of science, but because you cannot accept that President Trump and RFK Jr. directed this review and that science supports their positions, said Kanitra on Monday during the final voting session of the 221st Legislature. Vaccines are a subject of debate in a way theyve arguably never been before following controversial changes at the CDC. Under President Donald Trumps administration, all 17 members of the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have been removed and replaced, a move condemned by public health experts. The new members have taken actions that stray from long-standing public health recommendations, such as voting to scale back the hepatitis B birth-dose recommendation. Five days into the New Year, the CDC announced an even bigger change when it cut the number of childhood vaccines it recommends. In New Jersey, officials who no longer fully trust the federal government when it comes to vaccine practices are taking steps that they say are necessary to protect access and clarify guidance. Under the bill passed by a majority of the Assembly on Monday, the Department of Health will be required to consider guidance from the CDCs vaccine panel, as well as recommendations from nationally recognized medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American College of Physicians. It will also require health insurers to cover the full cost of vaccines recommended by the New Jersey Department of Health. Current law already requires health insurers to provide this coverage for immunizations that have a recommendation from the CDCs vaccine panel. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia said Monday it was not a small technical change. This bill is actually an incredible transfer of power, said Fantasia, a Republican who represents Sussex County. This bill removes the anchor and replaces it with a system that is more insulated from scrutiny and more concentrated in one agency. The bills sponsors argue that Republican legislators are spreading misinformation. Supporters maintain that the bill doesnt remove the CDCs vaccine panel as a trust authority, but rather adds additional organizations it can turn to. It does not directly impact mandates. It does not directly impact any sort of enforcement actions the department takes, said Acting State Health Commissioner Jeff Brown when asked about the legislation at a press event on Monday morning. It just gives us flexibility to look at (the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices), and go above and beyond, which we need to do now because theyre reducing the childhood immunization schedule, which we know is evidence-based and has saved lives, said Brown, who was attending a press conference held by U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer at Hackensack University Medical Center. And theyre diverting from that, so we need to protect New Jersey residents. Thats why Ive spoken in support of the bill. Gottheimer, who was announcing new federal legislation to create or expand mobile flu vaccine clinics, said that while he hadnt read the state bill yet hes a staunch supporter of vaccines. Ill take a look at the state bill, but what I do know is right now we need to be following expert medical guidance on vaccines and ensuring public health decisions are rooted in science, not politics, Gottheimer said in a statement late Monday. Vaccines are one of the most effective tools we have to protect children, families, and seniors, and its critical that these decisions remain focused on the best outcomes for patients not political arguments. Thats why I am fighting to ensure we continue to follow decades of proven science from trusted medical experts," said Gottheimer. Gottheimer said that vaccines arent a partisan issue. But on Monday, Republican legislators accused Democrats of being motivated by political bias. I have numerous concerns, including that the primary impetus for this radical change is political, as this is based on disagreement with the presidents administration in Washington, said Assemblyman John V. Azzariti Jr., a Republican representing parts of Bergen County. Assemblywoman Carol Murphy refuted that accusation in an interview Tuesday morning, stating the bills not politically motivated. Its based upon medical facts and its based upon what were seeing and hearing. And our children are at stake here. If anyones politically motivated, Murphy said its Republicans. Theyre the ones who are bringing Trump and all of that into this. Theyre using the verbiage that is needed to start getting people scared and paying attention to what they have to say. And I think theyre doing it wrongly because its misinformation. Its not even accurate information, said Murphy, a Democrat representing Burlington County and the Assembly bills primary sponsor. Now that both houses of the Democratic-controlled state Legislature have approved the bill, it heads to Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat who can either sign or reject the bill before he leaves office next week. In addition to introducing and passing laws, the state has formed its own regional public health coalition with other Democratic-led states to ensure consistent public health messaging. On Monday, the Northeast Public Health Collaborative released a statement rejecting the CDCs recent changes to the childhood immunization schedule and instead said it continues to support the American Academy of Pediatrics childhood vaccine schedule. Federal environmental officials are moving to address drinking water contamination in Palmerton, where a decades-old industrial site has been identified as a likely source of harmful chemical compounds in the local water supply. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to install a temporary water treatment system after discovering elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water from the Palmerton Municipal Authority. Testing indicates the contamination originates from the Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund site, where zinc smelting operations ran from 1898 to 1981. More than 150 residents packed the Aquashicola Volunteer Fire Co. last Tuesday evening to hear EPA officials explain the situation. Representatives from the EPA, U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry and the Pennsylvania Department of Health fielded questions from the community. EPA is committed to protecting the health and well-being of the Palmerton community, Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey, EPA Region 3 Administrator, said in a statement. We are working diligently with our state and local partners to implement solutions that will provide long-term access to clean, safe drinking water for all residents. The contamination came to light in May 2024 when the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection alerted the EPA that two PFAS compounds PFOS and PFOA exceeded federal maximum contaminant levels in the towns drinking water. Follow-up testing at the Superfund site detected elevated PFAS in soil, groundwater and surface water. PFAS are known as forever chemicals due to their strong chemical bonds that do not break down naturally, EPA says. Widely used in many common retail and industrial products, they were manufactured beginning in the 1940s, according to the EPA. PFOA or perfluorooctanoic acid was detected at up to 34.5 parts per trillion while PFOS perfluorooctane sulfonate acid was detected at up to 49.3 parts per trillion in the boroughs water supply production wells, EPA said. The federal maximum contaminant level is 4 parts per trillion. Higher amounts of PFOA and PFOS were found in site monitoring wells, as well as in surface water at the site. One sample of site surface soil showed a PFOS concentration of 13,000 parts per trillion. One part per trillion is the equivalent of a single drop of water in 20 olympic-sized swimming pools, EPA says. EPA says the PFOS and PFOA concentrations in Palmertons Sixth Street wells represent an unacceptable level of risk to public health and welfare. Research involving humans suggests that high levels of certain PFAS may lead to increased cholesterol levels, changes in liver enzymes, increased risk of high blood pressure, preeclampsia in pregnant women, and increased risk of kidney or testicular cancer, an EPA fact sheet on the Palmerton contamination states. EPA is targeting late summer 2026 for installation of a Temporary Granular Activated Carbon Treatment System at the Palmerton water supplys treatment and distribution system. The carbon removes PFAS by absorption. The Sixth Street wells are a source of drinking water and produce approximately 80% of the water needed to serve Palmerton Borough residents, EPA says. Without proper treatment, the public will continue to ingest these contaminants when consuming water supplied by the PMA. Approximately 2,000 households are connected to the PMA water distribution system. Additional steps to address the contamination include: Private well testing beginning in March 2026 in Palmerton and Lower Towamensing Township, with any contaminated wells to be addressed as they are identified. PFAS investigation at the Superfund site and surrounding area beginning in March 2026 and continuing at least into summer 2027. Studying the feasibility for permanent groundwater treatment or alternative water supply, beginning in summer 2027 and expected to take one to two years. The Palmerton site has been on the Superfund National Priorities List since 1983 because of heavy metal contamination. Cleanup work over the past four decades has concentrated on removing lead, cadmium, zinc and arsenic from the soil. The EPA designated certain PFAS compounds as hazardous substances in 2024 due to potential health and environmental risks. The site encompasses the Borough of Palmerton and surrounding areas, Blue Mountain and a large smelting residue pile called the Cinder Bank. Zinc smelting left barren much of the adjacent portions of the mountain near Lehigh Gap. Efforts to revegetate the area in the 1990s and early 2000s are a likely contributor to the PFAS contamination in the water supply, EPA says. The reseeding used a mixture of several soil amendments, including sludge, fly ash, potash and limestone. At that time, PFAS were not recognized as environmental contaminants and laboratory methods to evaluate them were not yet established, so the fertilizer mixture was not sampled for these chemicals, EPA says. In a draft assessment released a year ago, EPA said traditional wastewater treatment does not remove or destroy PFOA or PFOS, and these chemicals typically accumulate in the sewage sludge. ... The chemicals can move from soils to groundwater or nearby lakes or streams, and be taken up into fish, plants and livestock. These factors combine to raise questions about the potential risks associated with the presence of PFOA or PFOS in sewage sludge that is land applied as a soil conditioner or fertilizer (on agricultural, forested, and other lands), surface disposed, or incinerated, the January 2025 draft assessment says. As the investigation continues, the EPA is coordinating with Palmerton Borough, the Palmerton Municipal Authority and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Two people were hurt in a four-vehicle pileup Tuesday morning along Interstate 78 in Upper Macungie Township. Trooper Nathan Branosky, public information officer with Pennsylvania State Polices Troop M, told lehighvalleylive.com the accident began shortly after 9:30 a.m. at mile marker 50.1 in the eastbound lanes. The four vehicles involved included a tractor-trailer, minivan and two sedans. Its unclear what led up to the accident as Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville continues to investigate. Two people were injured, a female driver of a Volvo VC60 and a male driver of a Chrysler Voyager. Both were taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township for treatment of injuries, Branosky said. Conditions were not immediately available. WFMZ-69 News reported a portion of the highway was shut down near the Route 100 North-Fogelsville exit during the accident. That portion has since been reopened. A chain-reaction crash on Interstate 78 during Saturdays snowfall involved 11 vehicles and injured 13 motorists, including suspected serious injuries to one person, according to Pennsylvania State Police. The crash about 7:50 a.m. closed I-78 West through Berks County for seven hours, with the lanes reopening at 2:55 p.m., state police at Hamburg said. At mile-marker 39.1 just east of Hausman Road in Greenwich Township, a westbound Freightliner tractor-trailer traveling too fast for the snow-covered highway slid uncontrolled into the center concrete median, striking it head-on, police said. Ten more vehicles, including three additional tractor-trailers, then crashed into the disabled rig, according to police. Seven drivers or passengers were taken to area hospitals for treatment of injuries. Most injuries were believed to be minor; one of the drivers, a 43-year-old man from Orwigsburg in Schuylkill County, suffered the suspected serious injury in a 2021 Hyundai Kona. Another six motorists who were reportedly injured were not taken to the hospital. The injured motorists were from Quakertown, Bucks County; Emmaus; Bordentown, New Jersey; Pen Argyl; Bethlehem; Philadelphia; Cleveland, Ohio; and Purchase, New York. The driver of the tractor-trailer that initially lost control is a 37-year-old man from Syracuse, New York, who was uninjured, according to police. He faces a citation for a safe-speed violation, police said. Ten of the 11 vehicles were towed. State police were assisted by V&M Towing, Always Towing, Fleetwood Fire Co., Kempton Fire Co., Kutztown Fire Co., Cetronia EMS, Life Lion EMS and Hamburg EMS. A 51-year-old Monroe County man has been jailed after state police seized more than 20 electronic devices allegedly containing thousands of images and videos depicting child sex abuse from his home, authorities said. Eric Jordan Silva, of the Henryville section of Paradise Township, is facing more than 36 felony charges, officials said. They include 18 felony counts sexual abuse of children, 18 felony counts of photographic/film/depiction computer sex act, and one count felony criminal use of a communications facility. Silva was arraigned Monday before District Judge Paul J. Gasper, who set bail at $600,000. In lieu of bail, he was taken to the Monroe County Prison. Pennsylvania State Police in Stroudsburg, along with the Monroe County District Attorneys Office and the Pennsylvania State Police Southeast Computer Crime Unit, on Tuesday announced Silvas arrest. Court records did not immediately show any attorney information for Silva. State police in Stroudsburgs Criminal Investigation Unit began investigating Silva on Dec. 26, 2025 when they were provided with a USB flash drive containing alleged child pornography on it, authorities said. A woman who resides with Silva found the flash drive in her home and gave it to investigators, according to court records. The woman suspected Silva of having child sex abuse material when she loaded flash drives allegedly found near his home computer, authorities said. The woman reported finding a folder containing separate files with the ages and genders of children, as well as multiple titles labeled pedophilia, according to the affidavit of probable cause. The woman provided police with a total of six flash drives depicting alleged child sex abuse material, authorities said. State police later obtained a search warrant and raided the suspects home on Sugarbush Road. Multiple electronic devices were seized in the search, according to court records. Following a forensic examination on Jan. 5, investigators found thousands of sexual images, animations, drawings and actual photos depicting child sex abuse material, as well as photos with the faces of adults and children altered onto nude bodies, court records state. Additionally, there were more than 60 videos depicting child sex abuse material, according to court records. Investigators obtained a second search warrant and conducted another raid Monday at the home. This time, a total of 20 electronic devices and hard drives were seized from Silvas bedroom, police said. The devices seized included six hard drives taped, packaged and hidden within the inside of Silvas bedroom door, court records said. Silva is due back in court for a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. on Jan. 29 before Gasper. A judge will then determine if theres sufficient evidence to send the case toward trial at the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and TD for Kildare North James Lawless has reaffirmed his commitment to accelerating the delivery of the DART+ South West project, describing it as essential infrastructure for a rapidly growing commuter region. The DART+ South West scheme will electrify and upgrade the rail network serving stations such as Adamstown, Hazelhatch, and Sallins, dramatically increasing capacity and reducing journey times for thousands of commuters. The advancement of DART+ South West has been my top transport priority, Minister Lawless said. In the last three months alone I have written formally to the Minister for Transport, met senior Department officials and Irish Rail executives, and raised the issue directly with the Taoiseach to ensure the case for acceleration is heard at the highest level. Minister Lawless revealed that he has received strong indications that DART+ South West is now considered the number one prospect for acceleration within the national transport programme. Irish Rail continues procurement evaluations so that construction can begin swiftly once funding is confirmed. When complete, DART+ South West will offer up to 12 trains per hour, giving commuters greater flexibility with direct services to Heuston and to the city centre via Connolly and Docklands. This will ease congestion on the M7, M4, and M50 and deliver a greener, faster alternative for thousands of daily journeys. READ NEXT; TD wants train that stops in Kildare to continue to Laois. With traffic volumes now exceeding pre-Covid levels, the need for this investment is urgent, Minister Lawless added. This project will transform rail travel for Kildare and west Dublin, while also strengthening the backbone of our national rail network. I have long advocated for investment and campaigned for commuters, having entered politics after founding the commuter lobby group Naas & Sallins Rail Users Group (NASRUG) to fight for better services. While the focus is firmly on DART+ South West, Minister Lawless also welcomed progress on DART+ West, which will extend electrification to Kilcock as part of its first phase. Irish Rail is expected to lodge a planning application early this year for a new maintenance depot west of Kilcock, paving the way for double-tracking and electrification from Maynooth to Kilcock. Both projects are transformative for communities in north Kildare and west Dublin, Minister Lawless concluded. I will continue working to make sure they stay on track. Schools should have support for children with mental health needs that is clearly separate from general wellbeing measures, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute (Esri). Research published on Tuesday highlights the importance of school culture, relationships and belonging in fostering students emotional and social wellbeing. Esri claims policy needs to distinguish between support for student wellbeing and targeted support for complex mental health needs and difficulties. Citing global trends, the report says worsening mental health and wellbeing among children and young people is a growing burden, with international estimates indicating that the availability of quality mental health care is not keeping up with demand. In 2023, 1.9% of young people aged 15 to 19 reported experiencing emotional or psychiatric problems, such as depression or anxiety, as a long-term chronic condition compared with 5.5% of those aged 20 to 24, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Dr Caoimhe Dempsey, one of the authors of the report, said schools are on the front line of youth mental health and wellbeing. Policy should clearly separate universal wellbeing initiatives from targeted interventions for students with complex mental health needs, she said. Additionally, the education system must strengthen teacher mental health literacy and guarantee access to external supports. The report, titled Supporting Student Wellbeing in School Contexts: A Narrative Review, did highlight that significant strides have been achieved in Irish educational practice related to student wellbeing. However, it did call for a greater emphasis on equity, inclusion and diversity, saying a strategic focus on the mental health and wellbeing of vulnerable and marginalised students (eg low socio-economic status; migrant background; exposed to abuse, violence or bullying; LGBT+; Traveller background) strengthens the role of schools in promoting equity and equality. It was also claimed that mental health services should be embedded in school settings, where appropriate, which could support teachers in identifying students requiring additional supports and addressing complex needs. On general wellbeing, schools should be provided with more comprehensive guidance on measuring and monitoring student welfare, it was said. Anne Tansey, director of the National Educational Psychological Service in the Department of Education and Youth, said Esris publication is both informative and timely, as we engage with our stakeholders in developing a new and updated wellbeing policy and implementation plan that will shape wellbeing in our schools in the years to come. The European Parliament will ultimately have the final say on the Mercosur trade deal, but this week it has an opportunity to derail the agreement that will affect Leitrim beef farmers before it ever reaches a final vote. The deal was ratified by a majority of the governments of EU member states earlier this month, despite Ireland voting against the agreement. It was then signed by the EU and Mercosur countries over the weekend. However, it is not a done deal yet. Long term, it would need to win a vote in the European Parliament later this year, in May at the earliest, before it becomes a reality. In the short term, it must survive a resolution in the European parliament on Wednesday that, if accepted, would see the deal sent for legal review and effectively put on Ice until 2028. What is the deal? The deal, which has taken 25 years of negotiations to get to this point, would see the removal of around 90% of the tariffs that currently exist on imports from South American countries, including Argentina and Brazil. Growing global instability due to rumbles of a trade war with the US to the west, real war with Russia to the East, and an inability to break the Chinese tech market meant the EU pursued negotiations at a growing pace in the past year in the hopes of building security alternative trading partners. The deal would create a 700 million-person free trade zone between the two blocs, which would be phased in over the next 10 years, with specific tariffs and limits being put on the imports of specific products. EU industries such as cars, machinery, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals from the EU will benefit substantially from the tariff reductions. For those in agricultural sectors, it will pose an unwelcome challenge to their livelihoods and to some, a betrayal by the EU. Beef Irish farmers, along with their EU counterparts, have argued that the deal would allow cheaper beef that is not made with the same standards as EU beef to be sold and undercut domestic farmers. Under the agreement, tariffs on beef imports from Mercosur countries will drop to 7.5%, and they will be permitted to sell up to 99,000 tonnes to the EU at that rate, 55,000 tonnes for fresh beef and 44,000 tonnes for frozen beef, which represents about 1.6% of EU beef consumption. Irish beef is produced to a high standard in line with strict EU regulations, which do not apply in the Mercosur countries. The EU has said the same standards will apply to beef bought from South America; however, farmers are not convinced, as shipments of such beef to Ireland were turned away due to the use of illegal hormones in recent months, according to the IFA. Thousands of farmers turned out to Athlone and Brussels earlier this month to protest the deal, which has been largely condemned across the Irish political system since it was passed by the member states. Legal challenge The resolution that will be before the European parliament on Wednesday will look to have the deal put before the European Court of Justice for a legal review, which would take between 18 and 24 months. More than 145 MEPs have declared their support for the resolution, though this remains well short of a majority in the 720-seat parliament. Sinn Fein has called on Irish MEPs to back a resolution which would effectively put the deal on hold pending a legal review by EU judges. According to a report in Agri-Land, only two of Irelands 14 MEPs have said they will support the Mercoser deal when it is put to a vote- neither of which are representing Leitrim. Despite the vast array of modern cars with space-age designs, it seems car makers are still keen to instil a hint of nostalgia with some new models. Thats certainly the case with Geelys new plug-in hybrid SUV. Named the Geely Galaxy Cruiser, its aimed directly at the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Currently in concept form, the Galaxy Cruiser is very close to production, with sales due to start in China by the end of the year. The SUV will also go on sale in several other markets, including the UK. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Galaxy Cruiser features a design seemingly inspired by SUVs of the 80s and 90s, with a boxy silhouette, round front headlights and other chunky design cues. Geely itself admitted it was strongly inspired by other iconic, off-roading SUVs, including the Defender, G-Class, and Toyota Land Cruiser. It first appeared at the Shanghai motor show last year. It uses Geelys SEA-R platform, which is also used by the Zeekr 9X, which itself is a large plug-in hybrid SUV with an eye-catching design. An adapted version of the platform will also be used by the incoming Lotus Eletre plug-in hybrid, the PHEV version of Lotus's electric SUV, which is due to be fully revealed later this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Galaxy Cruiser is expected to use the same hybrid powertrain as its Lotus and Zeekr siblings. Were expecting the car to use a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine along with a 70kWh battery. On electric-only power, the car is capable of 220 miles, although that figure comes courtesy of Chinas CLTC test cycle, which is more generous than the WLTP standard used in Europe. The technically similar Zeekr 9X uses three electric motors with all-wheel drive capability. That car produces an incredible 1381bhp, with the Eletre plug-in hybrid standing at 912bhp. Were expecting a similar motor layout and comparable performance from the Galaxy Cruiser. While many of its rivals are focused on on-road capability, the Galaxy Cruiser is set to offer impressive off-road ability. It has been extensively tested in Chinese desert conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Galaxy Cruiser features an independent active suspension that controls each wheel individually, which is useful in low-grip environments, including on sand and snow. It also benefits from an 800mm wading depth, plus steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire technology. According to Geely, the SUV also uses AI to support its ADAS functions. It will be capable of highlighting oncoming obstacles and other ways to keep safe. Geely is venturing into new territory with the Galaxy Cruiser, as the vehicle marks the manufacturer's first foray into the rugged, off-road market. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The Indonesian government announced recently that it plans to establish a national car programme within the next three years, entrusting state-owned defence equipment manufacturer PT Pindad with the task of driving the project forward starting with the development of a prototype model. The countrys President Prabowo Subianto, a retired army general and businessman, is looking to rekindle an ambition that goes back decades, to the era of former President Suharto who was also his father-in-law. The Timor national car project was launched in the mid-1990s, based on a sedan model provided by South Korean automaker Kia, but it never really got off the ground. The local assembly plant was never completed, despite the importation of some 40,000 built-up sedans from South Korea to kick-start sales, and its fate was later sealed by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the subsequent downfall of Suharto. More recently, the Esemka national vehicle project, operated by PT Solo Manufaktur Kreasi, began producing the Bima pickup truck in 2019, but also failed to gain momentum - blamed mainly on a lack of funding and support from the government. The aim of national car projects is to reduce a countrys dependence on imports while developing local skills and intellectual property rights, with national pride also a significant factor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The basic brief for the latest national car project, codenamed i2C, is for the development and production of a competitively-priced battery-powered SUV using indigenous intellectual property. The initial production deadline given by the government is late 2027, or early 2028 at the latest. Indonesias Coordinating Economy Minister, Airlangga Hartarto, confirmed that the governments aim is for the new national car to be positioned in the countrys mass-market segments, dominated by models priced below IDR 300 million (US$ 18,000). PT Pindad is a manufacturer of military equipment, including armoured personnel carriers and weaponry, heavy off-highway and agricultural machinery, transportation infrastructure, and also electric traction motors. The company recently signed an agreement with the National Development Planning Ministry (Bappenas) authorizing it to establish an industry ecosystem for the new national car project, including conducting joint research with outside companies and building the necessary human resources capabilities. To promote the project, President Prabowo has been using Pindads Maung MV3, a civilian version of the companys light tactical military vehicle, over the last year for his official transportation. The government is expected to allocate significant public funds for the project, as well as land that is being prepared for factories, while discussions are taking place to involve outside partners. ItalDesign has already been engaged to design the body, while Pindad has been tasked with developing the vehicles basic chassis frame and working with outside systems suppliers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hyundai has indicated that it is keen to support the national car project, indicating that it is ready to produce a BEV with an 80% local content. Other automotive companies in joining the project include Japans Toyota and Chinese automakers, including Chery. Hyundai has struggled to establish a significant presence in Indonesias BEV market, due mainly to strong competition from Chinese automakers. The automaker assembles the Ioniq 5 and the Kona at its plant in Cikarang, east of the capital city Jakarta, but local sales and output volumes have been disappointing. Hyundai has invested in a US$ 1.2 billion battery manufacturing joint venture with LG Energy Solution (LGES) in nearby Karawang, in West Java Province, which uses locally sourced nickel for its nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) batteries. South Korean firms, including Posco, SK Group and EcoPro, are investing heavily to establishing an EV battery supply chain in Indonesia, including local nickel smelting and materials processing facilities. Chinese automakers, particularly BYD, dominate Indonesias BEV market, however, with a wide range of competitively-priced models. Many have established local BEV assembly operations in the country, or are in the process of doing so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) began construction of a battery plant near Karawang earlier this year, in partnership with local company Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC). This is also linked to plans to establish a battery eco-system in the country, including the establishment of mining and smelting operations in East Halmahera, North Maluku Province, and mineral processing operations for the production of battery cathodes, anodes and precursors. Chinese battery materials companies including Huayou Cobalt, GEM and Tsingshan, have also been involved in establishing materials processing operations in the country. The Indonesian government looks committed to making the national car project happen, despite some scepticism. The project has been described as overly ambitious, requiring substantial public resources and the need to establish viable supply chains that can depend on significant economies of scale. The national car will also need to compete with a growing number of locally-assembled Chinese and global BEV models, featuring the latest electric powertrains, advanced infotainment and connected technologies, and Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS). It remains to be seen whether it will succeed, or if it will end up in the same way as previous national car projects. "Indonesia to launch national car programme" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LIMERICK City and County Council has announced that the theme for Limerick St Patricks Festival 2026 will be 'Legends of Limerick', celebrating the remarkable people, stories and moments that have shaped the countys unique identity. This years festival will run from March 13 to March 17 with the Legends of Limerick theme honouring legends past and present - from ancient myths, medieval figures and folklore, to sporting heroes, literary giants, cultural trailblazers and contemporary icons who continue to inspire. Community groups, cultural organisations, venues, businesses and event producers are now invited to take part in Limerick St Patricks Festival 2026 by applying to participate in the festival. As part of this process, the Festivals and Events Section of Limerick Council is issuing an open call for applications for financial support to assist in the delivery of parades and events that will form part of the St Patricks Festival programme across Limerick city and county. READ MORE: Limerick communities lead the way in Irelands green energy transition Participants are invited to bring Limericks rich heritage and vibrant modern spirit to life in a colourful, creative and community-driven celebration. Limerick Council is preparing to deliver the Limerick City St Patricks Day Parade which will, once again, be the centrepiece of the Limerick St Patricks Festival 2026. Last years parade drew 1,500 participants, while 70,000 spectators packed the city centre, transforming Limerick into a sea of music, colour and joyous celebration. Become a legend and be part of the fun this year. Whether you want to march, dance, perform or just represent your group or organisation, register now at Limerick.ie. Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, commented: The St Patricks Festival is an opportunity to highlight what makes Limerick truly unique. It was important for us to have agreed this theme nearly 12 months ago, allowing us to plan and organise what will be a special event. The Legends of Limerick theme gives communities a chance to honour the people, stories and achievements that define our county. I encourage groups and organisations to apply and be part of this years festival, a proud celebration of place and identity. Priomh Chomhairleoir, Cllr Catherine Slattery, said: The Legends of Limerick theme captures the creativity, resilience and ambition that runs through our communities. This open call supports a diverse range of events right across the city and county, ensuring St Patricks Festival continues to be a powerful showcase for Limericks cultural life. Dr Pat Daly, Director General, Limerick City and County Council, added: By supporting projects in communities across the county we are helping to animate our towns and neighbourhoods while celebrating the stories and individuals who have shaped our shared heritage and continue to inspire future generations. Funding will be available under the following categories: Limerick St Patricks County Parades Support. Cultural Institutions / Venues - St. Patricks Festival-themed Events. Other St Patricks Festival-themed Events / Creations. All supported parades and events must take place between March 13 and March 17 2026 and should reflect the spirit of St Patricks Festival, celebrating Limericks culture, creativity and community through the lens of the Legends of Limerick theme. Those interested in applying are invited to request an Application Form from the Festivals and Events Section of Limerick Council by contacting via email: festivalsandevents@limerick.ie or telephone on 061 557444. The deadline for receipt of completed applications is Friday, February 6 at 12 noon. 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. We're fans of the Mazda CX-30, and not just for its eye-catching turn signals. However, U.S. sales plummeted last year, from 96,515 in 2024 (its best year ever) to just 56,684. The CX-30 received a few updates for the 2025 model year, but it wasn't an unpopular redesign that cratered sales, unlike some other cars. It seems to have been a deliberate choice by Mazda influenced by, you guessed it, tariffs. In a statement to CarBuzz, Mazda said: The CX-30 is currently built in Mexico, and with ongoing uncertainty around U.S.Mexico tariff agreements, we made a strategic decision to scale back production of this model. Donald Trump has been pushing tariffs on Mexican-made cars for a while, at one point even proposing a ridiculous 2,000% tariff. It's no wonder that Mazda saw this coming from the moment Trump got his second term in office, and made plans to scale back production despite the CX-30's popularity. No matter how popular the car was, Mazda wouldn't be able to sell any if tariffs launched prices through the stratosphere. The 25% tariff that went into effect last March isn't nearly as bad as Trump previously threatened, but it's still quite significant. It's no surprise that CX-30 sales began falling significantly after a strong March, with 8,666 CX-30s sold through the first quarter of the year. April saw only 6,261 sales, with 4,329 in May, and numbers continued to drop ever since. Only 2,749 CX-30s were sold in December 2025, the lowest monthly total since it first went on sale in early 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Here Are The Worst Car Myths Act now while supplies last Rear 3/4 view of a gray Mazda CX-30 - Mazda By October, tariffs had already cost automakers $10 billion. Like many manufacturers, Mazda has absorbed much of the added cost to keep prices down. Before tariffs, the 2024 CX-30 cost $26,415 including destination, while the tariffed 2025 model cost $26,690. That's an increase of only $125, less than many ordinary year-to-year price increases. The 2026 CX-30 currently lists for $27,470 including destination, so while Mazda is still swallowing much of the tariff, it's showing signs that it's not going eat it forever. Meanwhile, the American-made CX-50 has seen sales increase at the same time CX-30 sales dropped. Monthly CX-50 sales exceeded 10,000 for the first time last July, so Mazda doesn't seem to be losing overall sales between the two models. The CX-50 has only a slightly higher starting price of $31,395, including destination, so it's not much of a stretch for potential CX-30 customers to step up to the larger, more easily available model. Considering that it's about as good as midsized CUVs get, they will likely be happy with the upgrade. Still, if you prefer a sporty compact crossover, the CX-30 still offers a lot of bang for your buck, at least for now. Its low production numbers will likely continue, since President Trump still doesn't care about Mexican and Canadian imports. Affordable imports with low profit margins don't work well with tariffs, so you may want to consider picking one up while you still can. Ask the Dodge Hornet why. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox, and add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Jalopnik. MINISTER for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne has announced Government approval of the Preliminary Business Case for an upgraded Waste Water Treatment Plant and associated Bioresource Centre for Limerick city. The project represents a major investment of over 250m, making it one of the largest investments by Uisce Eireann in the mid-west. Limerick citys existing Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) at Bunlicky has been serving Limerick since the early 2000s. Uisce Eireann has identified the plant as a priority need for upgrade to facilitate the increasing population of the city and its environs. Minister Browne said: As reflected in our new Housing Action Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, infrastructure is key to meeting our ambitious housing targets. The population of Limerick is projected to grow 50% by 2040, and the upgrade of Bunlicky Wastewater Treatment Plant by Uisce Eireann will play a key role in facilitating the growth of the city and its environs, including the delivery of many more new homes in and around Limerick." READ MORE: Limerick communities lead the way in Irelands green energy transition Under the revised National Development Plan, a record investment of 12.2 billion is being made in the water sector. The vast majority of this funding will be allocated to Uisce Eireann, to support the delivery of a wide range of projects in our cities and regions. This fantastic new infrastructure for Limerick is a perfect example of this and I look forward to seeing further such positive developments over the lifetime of the NDP. Minister of State for Older People and Housing Kieran ODonnell emphasised: The Bunlicky Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade project represents a major investment in Limerick city, and the mid-west. A new, state-of-the art treatment plant will boost economic activity and employment during construction, and on completion, will provide capacity for further economic and industrial development together with the delivery of housing in Limerick and its environs, underpinning the future of the city as it grows. CEO of Uisce Eireann Niall Gleeson welcomed Government approval and outlined the next steps in this project: We welcome the Cabinets decision to approve investment for this major upgrade of wastewater infrastructure in Limerick and the wider Mid-West region. Delivery of this project will ensure the area is ready to grow and thrive over the next decade and beyond. Uisce Eireann shares Government ambitions for new housing and is committed to doing its part through investment in strategic infrastructure developments such as this and delivering a modern, state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant that uses the best of todays engineering, sustainability and innovative technologies." "We have commenced engagement with local residents and stakeholders through information sessions as part of the non statutory consultation process and are now preparing our overall planning application which will be submitted to An Coimisiun Pleanala in the coming months. Uisce Eireann will proceed to advance a Detailed Business Case and then a Final Business Case. The Final Business Case will include a full project cost, following planning approval and procurement processes. Uisce Eireann is preparing a planning application to be submitted in the coming months. Subject to statutory approvals being achieved without undue delays, construction is expected to commence in 2028. A FARMER, aged in his early 90s, has died in a workplace accident while tending to cattle on land in County Limerick. A garda spokesperson said gardai and emergency services responded to a fatal workplace accident at a premises near Askeaton at approximately 6pm on Monday evening. A male, aged in his 90s, was pronounced deceased at the scene. His body has since been removed to University Hospital Limerick for a post-mortem examination. The local coroner has been notified. One local told Limerick Live that the elderly man was tending to cattle, that were being outwintered, at the time and it is believed he may have been attacked by a cow. He was found deceased some time later and the emergency services were contacted, they said. READ NEXT: Garda negotiators and armed officers respond to emergency situation at house in Limerick The man, aged 91, is not from the locality but bought a farm of land at Morgans North in Askeaton. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has been notified. Most public chargers I end up using dont deliver the charge they advertise on the app, says Jatinder Singh, the owner of a premium electric SUV whom I met at a ChargeZone EV charging hub on the outskirts of Dharwad, Karnataka. Located within a large food court, the hub is among the most frequented charging points on the Pune-Bengaluru highway. It is not popular just because of its proximity to eateries, allowing EV owners to grab a meal while their cars charge, but also because it is considered one of the more reliable stations on the route. According to NITI Aayogs e-Amrit Charging Map portal, India has just 29,277 active public chargers. Maharashtra and Karnataka are among the leading states in terms of functional charging infrastructure, with the PuneBengaluru highway boasting the highest number of charging stations on any major highway or expressway in the country. As of December 2025, the total stood at 60 operational stations, with another 49 commissioned. There is no denying that Indias public EV charging infrastructure has improved dramatically in recent years. Higher-wattage chargers are becoming more common, reducing average charging times. Yet, reliability remains a persistent concern, one I experienced firsthand during a nearly 3,000-km test drive from Mumbai to Kochi via Bengaluru in the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 450, currently the countrys longest-range electric SUV. With a real-world range of around 600 km, the EQS SUV 450 was among the few EVs at launch that made relatively hassle-free interstate travel feasible. Today, several home-grown EVs with larger battery packs are offering even longer ranges, reshaping buyer preferences that were once limited to city-only use. I bought my EQE primarily for long-distance drives, says Naman Taneja, a Mumbai-based businessman who frequently travels to Goa, Coonoor and Coorg in his long-range EV. Uneven power supply In practice, charging speeds often fall short of what is promised. A 60 kW charger typically delivers closer to 49 kW, while a 120 kW unit rarely exceeds 80 kW, significantly prolonging charging times. Along my journey, several charging kiosks offered convenient highway access, food options and ample parking, only for the chargers to be marked offline on their service apps. The ChargeZone hub near Dharwad remains popular not just for its relative reliability, but also for its access to a 120 kW DC charger. Even there, however, output is frequently halvedsometimes even when the second charging gun is unoccupied. At Dharwad, the EQS received only 60 kW of charge, as did the vehicle queued behind it. While most charging sessions are seamless, spontaneous disconnections are far from rare. Users are notified via their apps, often prompting anxious dashes back from food kiosks to investigate what went wrong. A local security guard told me that technical issues have been increasing. While stations typically provide a toll-free helpline and contact numbers for technicians, it can take several days for help to arrive. Ironically, the most effective way to get attention, he says, is to shut down the entire stationforcing the ChargeZone headquarters to intervene on priority. Disappointed with the low output at one location, I drove on to a single 140 kW ChargeZone charger that was fortunately unoccupied. After receiving a 40% charge at just 80 kW, the system malfunctioned, adding yet another delay to an already long journey. The core issue is that the growth of public chargers has far outpaced grid planning. Across Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala, load-shedding and power interruptions disrupted multiple charging sessions. Several commissioned chargers, including those installed by PSUs such as Indian Oil, remain non-functional due to unresolved issues with state electricity distribution companies. Many apps, many glitches Navigating Indias charging ecosystem also means navigating multiple apps. Statiq, a public charging aggregator, is among the most widely used and preferred by EV owners. Other commonly used platforms include Jio-BP, ChargeZone and Tata Power EZ Charge. Each app comes with its own interface quirks and challenges. Some require a minimum non-refundable wallet balance, which cannot be used for charging. Others, like ChargeZone, often show a station as occupied even when the same user is attempting to initiate charging, since the gun cannot be plugged in before selecting the station on the app. While most EV users eventually adapt, the learning curve remains steep. In the absence of a seamless, unified charging network like Teslas Supercharger system, Mercedes-Benz India is attempting to bridge the gapnot by installing ultra-high-voltage chargers, but by introducing a platform called MB.Charge. The app allows Mercedes-Benz owners to access multiple public charging networks through a single interface, offering seamless charging and automatic payment. Customers purchasing the upcoming CLA electric wont even need to pay immediately; the transaction will be handled through the cars operating system, says managing director Santosh Iyer. Like Teslas system, the service is exclusive to Mercedes-Benz owners. Also Read | India may fund 500 cr battery testing plan in Budget to cut China reliance While most manufacturers downplay public charging as a barrier to EV adoption, MB.Charge is an implicit acknowledgement that, even though most EV owners rely primarily on home charging, a fragmented and unreliable public network continues to slow adoption. The state of charge I bought my EV mainly for the performance, which I can really enjoy only on highways, says Ajay Krishnakumar, a Bengaluru resident. But on highways, Im constantly anxious about range because theres no guarantee the next charging station will even work. Another passer-by told me he once had to drive 24 km out of his way after a charging hub malfunctioned. The promise of electric mobility came hand in hand with that of fast charging. In countries such as China and the US, public chargers range from 50 kW to 350 kW, with high-capacity chargers widely available on highways. In India today, nearly every new EV sold can accept up to 150 kW of charging, meaning a 30-40% top-up should take no more than 20 minutes at a well-equipped charging station. Instead, most apps now cautiously prefix charging speeds with the word up to. Despite meticulous planning, public charging often adds 1.5 to 2 hours to a long-distance journey. If left unaddressed, the problem could worsen as EV batteries age, leading to longer and more frequent charging stops, further testing the patience of early adopters and slowing mass acceptance. Key Takeaways Most fast chargers automatically split output when both guns are in use, effectively halving the charging speed for each vehicle. Youre often more likely to find a free charger at a remote highway stop than in a city or its immediate outskirts. Unexpected charging interruptions are common, making it wise to periodically check the app to ensure your vehicle is still charging. Range anxiety is very real, as is the stress of another EV arriving and occupying your chosen charging bay at the last minute. If your arrival time is predictable, pre-booking a charging slot is strongly recommended. DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 19 (Reuters) - Only three in 10 chief executives are confident in their companies' revenue growth prospects over the next year, the lowest level in five years, according to a global survey by professional services group PwC released on Monday. The annual survey of over 4,000 CEOs in 95 countries and territories late last year found them grappling with uncertainty over global political developments, increased cyber threats and what technological change meant for their business. One in five CEOs said their companies were highly exposed to losses from trade tariffs and one third cited cyber risk as a major threat. A greater share - 42% - were worried about what the pace of technological change meant for their companies. "The biggest question on CEOs' minds is whether they are transforming fast enough to keep pace with technological change, including artificial intelligence," the survey concluded. The survey revealed a sharp divide between those already seeing benefits from AI adoption and those not: while 56% said they had seen no financial benefit to date, 33% reported gains in either costs or revenue, while the remainder said AI had delivered both cost and revenue wins. PwC said separate analysis showed that those companies which were applying AI widely to products, services and customer experiences were benefiting the most, contrasting that with the lesser benefit seen by those still experimenting with it. (Bloomberg) -- Lea la nota en espanol A former BHP Group executive will become Chiles next mining minister, taking charge of efforts to expand copper and lithium production in the country with the largest reserves in the world of both metals. Santiago Montt resigned as chief executive officer of Los Andes Copper Ltd. to join the cabinet of President-Elect Jose Antonio Kast, the Vancouver-based junior miner said in a statement Tuesday. Mining companies are betting Kasts pro-business agenda will help accelerate projects after declining ore grades left copper output largely flat over the past two decades. Montt brings first-hand experience of Chiles permitting challenges. At Los Andes Copper, he sought to advance the Vizcachitas project amid opposition from local communities concerned about the environmental impact. The incoming minister faces the critical task of accelerating a substantial $105 billion backlog in mining investments, while simultaneously revising and amending imminent reforms to the permitting framework and environmental assessment processes, said Cesar Perez-Novoa, an analyst at BTG Pactual in Santiago. Before working at Los Andes Copper, Montt oversaw corporate affairs at BHP Minerals Americas for more than a decade. He holds a doctorate in law from Yale University and a masters degree in political science from Princeton University. He will succeed Aurora Williams when Kast is sworn in on March 11. The president-elect is scheduled to present his full cabinet at a ceremony on Tuesday evening. Montt will remain with Los Andes Copper until Feb. 19. Chief Geologist Antony Amberg will replace him on an interim basis. --With assistance from Carolina Gonzalez. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com CHENNAI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Sweden's IKEA will more than double its investment in India to over 200 billion rupees ($2.2 billion) in the next five years as the furniture retailer plans to open more stores and increase sourcing locally, a top executive said on Monday. IKEA, which opened its first India store in 2018 in the southern city of Hyderabad, will begin accepting online orders in four other cities where it currently does not have a physical presence, including Chennai and Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu state. "(India) is not a large IKEA country yet ... But the belief in India is very strong that it will be one of our top markets," said Patrik Antoni, CEO of IKEA India, in an interview with Reuters. The retailer's India sales rose 6% to 18.61 billion rupees in the year ended August 2025, and Antoni said it plans to quadruple it, including by expanding store count to 30. The company plans to start online operations before opening a brick-and-mortar store in new cities a first for IKEA globally as young consumers shop online more to beat traffic, said Bhavana Jaiswal, country e-commerce integration manager. IKEA will also double production for domestic stores and exports to 800 million euros ($930 million), said Antoni. Also Read | Budget 2026 Expectations LIVE Updates: LS Speaker Om Birla confirms speech date IKEA's move comes as global brands ramp up export production in India to cut costs, while consumer majors from shoemaker Asics to carmaker VinFast Auto also step up sourcing to meet domestic demand. U.S. President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on imports from India to as much as 50% last year on some goods, forcing many industries to find new clients in other countries. Antoni, however, said it has not affected IKEA's Indian suppliers much, as the brand, which has most of its stores in Europe, ships more to other markets. ($1 = 0.8602 euros) ($1 = 90.8600 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam in Chennai; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair) The CEO of Anthropic, the leading Artificial Intelligence company, on Tuesday warned against the Trump administration's recent decision to allow Nvidia to sell AI chips to China, comparing the move to selling nuclear weapons technology to North Korea. Speaking during a panel discussion on artificial general intelligence, or AGI, at Davos, Dario Amodei said that shipping such powerful chips risks handing China the compute power needed to develop super-intelligent AI, with potentially far-reaching national security implications, AP reported. Are we going to, you know, sell nuclear weapons to North Korea, and, you know, because that produces some profit for Boeing? Amodei said. The Anthropic chief executive is not alone in raising concerns. Saif Khan, who served as director of technology and national security on the White House National Security Council under former US President Joe Biden, has also warned that the rule would substantially boost China's AI capabilities, Reuters reported. Threaten humanity Amodei on evolving AI tech AI companies, including Anthropic, are racing to develop AGI, systems that reportedly have the capability to outperform human intelligence, though he noted that such technology can also carry risks that could threaten humanity, the news agency reported on Tuesday. That analogy should just make clear how I see this trade-off," he added, referring to the Trump administration's decision to greenlight Nvidia to export advanced AI chips to Beijing. Trump approves exports of Nvidia AI chips The Trump administration approved China-bound sales of Nvidia's second-most powerful AI chips last week, putting in place a rule that will likely kickstart shipments of the H200 despite deep concerns among China hawks in Washington, Reuters reported. According to the regulations, the chips will be reviewed by a third-party testing lab to confirm their technical AI capabilities before they can be exported to Beijing, which cannot receive more than 50% of the total amount of chips sold to American customers. Also Read | China seeks WTO panel against India, targets PLI local content rules This greenlight eases Biden-era restrictions that barred sales of advanced AI chips to China. The Trump administration, however, argues that the move is strategically necessary. World's richest man Elon Musk on Monday conducted an X poll asking his followers whether he should buy airline company Ryanair, amid an ongoing feud with the Irish low-cost airline's CEO, Michael O'Leary. In the poll posted on Monday, Musk asked if he should "restore" late founder Tony Ryan as their rightful ruler. The poll received over 6,35,000 votes, with 77.5% opting for F Yes and 22.5% going for No. On Friday, Musk called Ryanair CEO O'Leary an utter idiot, saying he should be fired, escalating a public spat that began after the airline boss ruled out installing Musk's Starlink internet service on Ryanair. The two traded barbs online, with Musk posting the poll on X a tool he has used several times in the past to make crucial decisions. Here is a list of significant polls the billionaire has posted and the decisions he made based on the votes. Also Read | Elon Musk lashes out at Ryanair CEO as Starlink row turns ugly Buying Twitter (now X) Months before he bought Twitter (now X) in March 2022, Musk had conducted several rounds of polls on the social media platform. While Musk asked his followers what to do, he continued quietly buying the company's stocks. Meanwhile, he continued to ask questions like: Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy. Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?" "Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy. What should be done? Selling 10% Tesla stock On 6 November 2021, Musk posted a Twitter poll asking whether he should sell his 10% stake in Tesla. I will abide by the results of this poll, whichever way it goes, Musk said. The poll received millions of responses, with 57% voting for yes. In November that year, Tesla said in an SEC filing that Musk had sold $1.1 billion of Tesla stock. Stepping down as X CEO Following his acquisition of X, Musk named himself the CEO of the company. However, a few months later, after facing continued outrage, he asked whether he should step down as X's CEO. I will abide by the results of this poll, Musk wrote on 18 December 2022. In his poll, over 57.5% respondents agreed he should step down, which Musk did in 2023. Also Read | Ryanair scraps loyalty program after losing nearly 2 million euros in 8 months Reinstating Donald Trump's account Shortly after buying Twitter in 2022, Musk asked his followers whether Donald Trump, whose account had been banned, should be reinstated to the platform. The poll drew over 15 million responses, with nearly 52% voting yes. Starting a political party On 4 July 2025, after his dramatic fallout with Trump, Musk asked his followers if they wanted him to start a new political party. He had floated the idea of starting the America Party after a feud with Trump over his One Big Beautiful Bill. As most voters supported the idea of forming a new political party, Musk wrote a day later, By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! Toyota routinely ranks among the most reliable car brands on the planet, and the Japanese behemoth and Volkswagen have vied for the title of world's best-selling marque in recent years. The RAV4 even passed the Ford F-150 as America's top-selling vehicle of any kind in 2024, indicating global approval for the brand and a shift in buyers' preferences. Toyota's robust sales and reputation for quality doesn't mean every one of its buyers are satisfied with their cars, however. In mid-December of 2025, James LeBoutheller's attorneys filed a class-action lawsuit in East Texas District court alleging that Toyota knowingly sold cars with "defects in their UA80 8-speed automatic transmissions and torque converters (collectively referred to as the "Transmission Assembly") and related software." The eight-speed gearbox is used in some of the manufacturer' most popular models like theToyota RAV4, Camry and Highlander and Lexus ES 250/350 and NX 250/350. The lawsuit alleges that the UA80 which first appeared in 2017 as a replacement for an older six-speed transmission suffers from issues related to this evolution. Read more: 10 Toyota Models With Terrible Resale Value Toyota will update the software on some models head-on view of blue and white Toyota Highlanders parked in driveway of Spanish-style home - Toyota The newer transmission was lighter and shorter than the model it replaced and was meant to help cut back on CO2 emissions. The valve body was relocated forward and the gear shift mechanism simplified, but the lawsuit claims this actually caused more problems. New software also initiated earlier upshifts to save fuel, which the proposed lawsuit says caused transmission fluid to overheat. This reduces the fluid's ability to lubricate properly, leading to breakdowns from wear and degradation. It further claims that Toyota made no changes to the UA80 after complaints surfaced nearly a decade ago, although the company responded to complaints at the time. In December 2017 Toyota issued a Technical Service Bulletin pointing out that some 2018 Camry models behaved erratically while slowing down or accelerating and recommended a software update for affected vehicles. We reviewed the 2018 Camry about six months before that directive went out but didn't encounter any such problems during our time with it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April of 2019 Toyota issued a separate notice to its dealership service departments extending the warranty on some vehicles with UA80 gearboxes to 10 years from first use. The the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA) has issued no safety recalls for the UA80 as of this writing, but erratic acceleration is potentially dangerous and could prompt such a move someday. The class-action lawsuit also seeks compensation for reduction in resale value, a trend that continues the longer Toyota goes without correcting the underlying issues. Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on SlashGear. Everstone Capital is in the process of merging its portfolio company Wingify with French content optimisation company AB Tasty. The mid-market Singapore-based private equity firm has invested a significant chunk of capital into buying out the captable of AB Tasty to bring the two entities together, Sparsh Gupta, co-founder and chief executive of Wingify, a digital experience optimization startup, told Mint. Majority of the investors from the AB Tasty side are being cleaned up, he said. AB Tastys backers include Credit Mutuel Equity, Korelya Capital, Omnes Capital, Partech Partners, XAnge. The French startup last raised capital in 2020 in a $40 million Series C round, bringing its total funding to $64 million. Also Read | Wingify turns to acquisitions to fuel growth after Everstone deal It remains unclear which investors have sold their stake to Everstone Capital. Gupta declined to comment on the specifics of the transaction, including which investors had exited the company, what the shareholding pattern will look like upon the close of the transaction. The Wingify-AB Tasty merger is yet another sign of India's SaaS ecosystem maturing to the point that companies can be taken to the public markets. With Amagi on its way to list on the bourses and several others like Leadsquared, BusinessNext, Zenoti, Icertis, Mindtickle, Juspay and Whatfix considering the public markets, experts say that this year's tech initial public offerings are likely to be dominated by SaaS companies. The co-founders from AB Tasty and myself and our CTO Ankit Jain continue to be significant individual shareholders and remain deeply invested in the combined entity, said Gupta. AB Tasty co-founders Remi Aubert and Alix de Sagazan have relinquished their board seats but will continue to have voting rights in the merged entity. They will take on the roles of chief customer and strategy officer and chief revenue officer, respectively. The board will now comprise primarily of independent directors from Everstone and Gupta. The merger is the second such announcement to come out of the Everstone-backed company in a month. Notably, it's also been just over a year since Everstone acquired a majority stake in the bootstrapped SaaS company for $200 million in a deal that saw co-founder Paras Chopra exit the company. In December last year, Wingify acquired a Y Combinator startup called Blitzllama, which specialises in artificial intelligence-based (AI) user research for an undisclosed sum. At the time of the Blitzllama acquisition, the company said its annual recurring revenue was approaching $60 million. The combined business will be considerably scaled up in the category we work in, said Gupta. Both businesses, standalone, are profitable. The combined entity will now have over $100 million in annual recurring revenue. Wingifys operating revenue in FY25 stood at 386 crore compared to 288 in the year prior, but profit declined as employee expenses shot up. Total expenses stood at 376 crore in FY25, as opposed to 221 crore in the previous fiscal. Profit in FY25 stood at 24 crore, compared in 61 crore in FY24. Also Read | Why Wingify's new B2B focus means more reliable innovation Business ahead In a conversation with Mint earlier, Gupta said the company would turn to acquisitions to fuel growth. To be sure, there arent many companies operating in the website optimisation space. According to Tracxn, among Wingifys competitors, AB Tasty ranks fourth, out of 561 companies globally. The company has also begun chasing enterprise sales after having spent a bulk of its time targeting small and medium businesses. Gupta said the merger would help push that part of its business forward. It helps enterprise strategies because well now have access to local talent, more local support and a broader platform. All those ingredients combined help us go for more enterprise deals. The combined company, once the transaction is completed, will give it more bandwidth to invest in AI, something Wingify had already begun implementing in its platform. MUMBAI : Raymond Lifestyle is turning to fresh leadership to navigate a darkening retail landscape, appointing Satyaki Ghosh as CEOthe fourth executive to hold the mantle in just five years. Ghosh, who most recently led Grasim Industries Cellulosic Fashion Yarn division, takes over the branded apparel company with immediate effect, bringing a resume that includes stints at LOreal, Spencers Retail, and PepsiCo. Ghosh enters a role that has seen significant churn since 2020. He follows Sanjay Behl, who stepped down that year, and Joe Kuruvilla, who took over shortly after only to quit by the end of 2021. In 2022, Sunil Kataria was appointed CEO and MD; he steered the business through its demerger but resigned in April last year. Since then, Gautam Singhania, chairman and managing director of Raymond Ltd, has been running operations. Raymond Lifestyles revolving-door leadership highlights the strain Indias apparel makers face as aggressive store expansion collides with high rentals, tax changes and uneven consumer demand. Raymond Lifestyle is turning to fresh leadership to navigate a darkening retail landscape, appointing Satyaki Ghosh as CEOthe fourth executive to hold the mantle in just five years. Ghosh, who most recently led Grasim Industries Cellulosic Fashion Yarn division, takes over the branded apparel company with immediate effect, bringing a resume that includes stints at LOreal, Spencers Retail, and PepsiCo. Ghosh enters a role that has seen significant churn since 2020. He follows Sanjay Behl, who stepped down that year, and Joe Kuruvilla, who took over shortly after only to quit by the end of 2021. In 2022, Sunil Kataria was appointed CEO and MD; he steered the business through its demerger but resigned in April last year. Since then, Gautam Singhania, chairman and managing director of Raymond Ltd, has been running operations. Raymond Lifestyles revolving-door leadership highlights the strain Indias apparel makers face as aggressive store expansion collides with high rentals, tax changes and uneven consumer demand. Tough backdrop The new CEO takes charge at a challenging time both for Raymond Lifestyle and the broader apparel industry. The company has had a difficult first half of FY26, with net profit falling 25% year on year even as revenue grew 12%, led by branded textiles and branded apparel. However, Ebitda for the branded apparel business fell sharply as the company rapidly expanded its store networkmany of which turned out to be unprofitablewhile also overspending on marketing. Raymonds apparel portfolio includes mens westernwear brands Raymond (and its sub-brands), ColorPlus and Park Avenue, as well as Ethnix, its mens Indianwear brand launched in 2017. In mid-2024, the company launched Sleepz by Raymond, a sleepwear brand, and also extended Park Avenue into innerwear in 2025. Also Read | Raymond Realty eyes higher sales, multiple launches in FY26 Store reset Ethnix and the newer ventures are taking a longer gestation period than we expected but it is happening," Singhania told Mint in an interview. Retail costs are very high and you can do volumes but you are not going to make money. It takes time for the pull (of consumer demand) to come." He added that retail real estate costs have been rising steadily across metros and smaller cities, as the supply of quality shopfronts has failed to keep pace with demand. In the first half of FY26, Raymond closed 66 stores across its apparel brands. We closed stores because we expanded too quickly," said Singhania. And some stores were probably in the wrong location. This is why some correction happened. It was across all brands." Demand drag By September 2025, Raymond Lifestyles net working capital days had risen to 105 days from 97 days a year earlier, largely because of rapid store additions and inventory build-up even as demand softened. The wedding season has been strong and post mid-January, we expect it to pick up," Singhania said. Consumer demand in September to October and a part of November was good, but there was a little slowdown in December." View Full Image Gautam Singhania, chairman and managing director, Raymond Ltd He also pointed to the impact of tax changes. As GST rate revisions kicked in in September, taxes on apparel priced above 2,500 rose from 12% to 18%, hurting demand for high-value purchases such as wedding trousseaux. He added that retail real estate costs have been rising steadily across metros and smaller cities, as the supply of quality shopfronts has failed to keep pace with demand. In the first half of FY26, Raymond closed 66 stores across its apparel brands. We closed stores because we expanded too quickly," said Singhania. And some stores were probably in the wrong location. This is why some correction happened. It was across all brands." Demand drag By September 2025, Raymond Lifestyles net working capital days had risen to 105 days from 97 days a year earlier, largely because of rapid store additions and inventory build-up even as demand softened. The wedding season has been strong and post mid-January, we expect it to pick up," Singhania said. Consumer demand in September to October and a part of November was good, but there was a little slowdown in December." He also pointed to the impact of tax changes. As GST rate revisions kicked in in September, taxes on apparel priced above 2,500 rose from 12% to 18%, hurting demand for high-value purchases such as wedding trousseaux. Sector strain Raymonds struggles mirror broader pressures in Indias apparel market, particularly in mens western, ethnic and innerwear categories. Vedant Fashions, the parent of ethnicwear brand Manyavar, is among the worst-performing stocks of 2025, with its shares down nearly 57% over the past 12 months. The September 2025 quarter was especially weak, with sales, Ebitda and profit after tax all declining year on year. While sales for the first half of FY26 rose over 7%, profit after tax fell 2.4%. Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL), which houses several ethnicwear brands, reported an 11% year-on-year rise in sales but slipped deeper into losses in the first half of FY26, flagging sluggish" demand and trouble in its TMRW vertical of online-first brands. Its sister company, Aditya Birla Lifestyle Brands, which houses innerwear and westernwear brands, fared better, posting 3% sales growth and a marginal profit of just over 1%. Analyst bets Despite the near-term pressures, Raymond Lifestyle continues to find favour with analysts. Only three analysts track the stock, but all have a buy rating. We anticipate FY26 to mark a steady recovery phase for the company with the second half of FY26 benefitting from [the] wedding and festive season," Systermatix Research said in a note in October. The brokerage expects revenue from branded apparel to grow at a 17.2% compound annual growth rate between FY25 and FY28. The company remains in a high-investment phase for the next 2-3 quarters, driven by continued marketing and store-related costs. Early double-digit Ebitda margins are expected once the annual revenue run rate reaches 23-25 billion, projected over the next 2-2.5 years," it added. Jan 20 (Reuters) - Four in five workers believe artificial intelligence is going to impact their daily tasks at the workplace, with Gen Z among those most concerned as companies increasingly rely on AI chatbots and automation, a survey conducted by Randstad showed on Tuesday. Job vacancies requiring "AI agent" skills have surged by 1,587%, Randstad said in its yearly "Workmonitor" report, with survey data suggesting that AI and automation are increasingly replacing low-complexity, transactional roles. Randstad, one of the world's largest recruitment agencies, surveyed 27,000 workers and 1,225 employers and covered more than 3 million job postings across 35 markets for the report. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Labour markets are under immense pressure as corporations around the globe ramp up job cuts as consumer sentiment dims, shaken by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and aggressive foreign policy moves that have taken a wrecking ball to the rule-based world order. AI-focused tech firms have started to replace jobs with automation, even as most companies still await tangible returns from an exceptional investment boom into AI that will shape the business world for years to come. KEY QUOTES "What we generally see amongst employees is that they are enthusiastic about AI ... but they may also be sceptical in the sense that companies want what companies always want: they want to save costs and increase efficiency," Randstad CEO Sander van 't Noordende told Reuters. "Gen Z is the most concerned generation, while Baby Boomers show greater self-assurance and are the least worried about AIs impact and their ability to adapt," the report said. BY THE NUMBERS Nearly half of the workers interviewed fear the nascent technology stands to benefit corporations more than the workforce, the data showed. New Delhi: India's power distribution sector which has been reeling under high debt and operational losses for several years returned to profits in fiscal 2025. In FY25, distribution utility companies, collectively called discoms, reported a net profit of 2,701 crore compared to a loss of 25,553 crore in the year before, according to data recently released by the power ministry. Mint explains the current financial health of the discoms and the factors behind their revival. Q. What is the current financial condition of the power distribution sector in the country? A. After over 10 years of losses, discoms reported a cumulative net profit of 2,701 crore for FY25. The distribution sector, however, continues to be been under severe financial stress with a cumulative debt of over 7 trillionof which, according a group of ministers' (GOM) review, about 2.74 trillion is 'unsustainable, as reported by Mint earlier. India has about 67 discoms, including 16 run by the private sector in Delhi, Mumbai, Odisha, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The Union power minister on Monday said that some of the discoms are still in losses, although he did not specify their number. Outstanding dues to generation companies now stand at nearly 4,927 crore, down from nearly 1.40 trillion in 2022. Further the distribution utility payment cycles to so-called gencos has come down from 178 days in FY21 to 113 days in FY25. Also Read | Discom economics behind the dismal summer ahead Q. What is the latest trend of other key operational indicators of discoms? A. According to data from the power ministry, the aggregate technical & commercial (AT&C) losses have reduced over the years and in FY25 it stood at 15.04%, compared to 17.6% in FY24. AT&C losses refer to the total gap between electricity supplied by a utility and the revenue collected, combining physical power loss (technical) and commercial losses which include non-payment and billing issues. Further, the average cost of supply-average revenue realized (ACS-ARR) gap has narrowed to about 0.06/kWh (kilowatt hour or unit) in FY25, compared to 0.48 in FY24. The ministry on Sunday said that in the year FY14, AT&C losses were at 22.62%, while the ACS-ARR gap was at 0.78. Q. What has helped the power distribution companies return to profits? A. The distribution sector has witnessed a number of reform measures in the past few years which have supported the financial revival of the sector. Under the 3 trillion Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), Centre has made efforts to enhance the financial viability of discoms through infrastructure modernization and accelerated installation of smart meters to avoid non-payment of bills. Further, the government has linked access to finance for power sector utilities to performance benchmarks to promote fiscal and operational discipline. Other norms that have resulted in improvement of financial health include amendments to Electricity Rules which enforce timely cost adjustments, prudent tariff structures, and transparent subsidy accountingall with a view to ensure full cost recovery. The Late Payment Surcharge rules introduced in 2022 mandate that delays in payment of dues to generation companies result in penalties and eventually may also result in cut-off of power supply. Also, the Electricity Distribution (Accounts and Additional Disclosure) Rules, 2025 introduced uniform accounting and enhanced transparency across discoms for improved financial governance. Also Read | Discoms selling green power at lower than cost price on exchanges Q. What is the way for the reform trajectory of power distribution in the country? A. A number of reform measures await this space. Under the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2025, the government revived its plans to open up India's power distribution sector and it is looking at allowing multiple discoms to cater to a single area through the existing distribution infrastructure. This will allow private firms to enter electricity distribution, a domain dominated by state-run companies. Currently, in specific regions, only one discom operates. The Act permits parallel licensees in the same supply area but with their own network, which can potentially lead to duplication of distribution networks. It also proposes to give more teeth to state electricity regulatory commissions to fix tariffs on their own and ending cross-subsidies. Also, as reported by Mint, the group of ministers on the financial viability of discoms plans to propose a new scheme to recast the massive debt of state-owned discoms and open them up to private participation. Q. What is the current status in terms of privatization of discoms in the country? A. Sixteen of 67 discoms in India are private. The government of Uttar Pradesh is in the process of privatizing two of its discoms. At least eight firms, including Adani Group, Tata Power Ltd, and Greenko Group, among others, are eyeing a majority stake in Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (PUVVNL) and Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (DVVNL). In 2020, the Centre had decided to privatize all electricity distribution companies in the Union Territories. CESC won control of the Chandigarh discom, while Torrent Power took control of the Dadra and Nagar Haveli one. The sales were linked to incentives from the Centre, encouraging discoms to seek new investors. Odisha was the first state to privatize its power distribution sector into four discoms in 1999. This was followed by Delhi, which privatized three in July 2002: BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd, BSES Yamuna Power Ltd and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd. India and the European Union are close to finalising a Free Trade Agreement, which some have described as the mother of all deals," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday, days before her trip to New Delhi. "I will travel to India. There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals. One that would create a market of 2 billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP," von der Leyen said addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos. India-EU Summit India and EU are set to announce the conclusion of negotiations on the much-awaited free trade agreement at the India-EU summit on January 27, 2026, mentioned a report by news wire PTI. European Council President Antonio Costa and von der Leyen are scheduled to visit India from 25-27 January to grace the Republic Day celebrations as chief guests and hold summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. From Latin America to the Indo Pacific and far beyond, Europe will always choose the world. And the world is ready to choose Europe, von der Leyen said on Tuesday. The proposed FTA is being firmed up at a time amid increasing concerns over the Trump administration's trade and tariff policies which have impacted both India and the 27-nation EU. EU-India trade ties India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004. The European Union is India's biggest trade partner with bilateral trade in goods recording USD 135 billion in the financial year 2023-24. The proposed agreement is expected to bring a qualitative change in deepening the overall bilateral ties in a range of sectors as well at a time the world is witnessing trade disruptions in view of Washington's tariff policy, as per reports. Beyond the FTA, the two sides are also likely to unveil a defence framework agreement and a broader strategic agenda at the summit. A joint comprehensive strategic vision for the 20262030 period is also expected to be announced, setting the roadmap for future engagement. Indias foreign exchange rules governing trade have long evolved through a patchwork of regulations, circulars and banking practices, especially as services exports expanded rapidly alongside goods trade. That structure has now been reset. By notifying a unified Foreign Exchange Management framework covering both exports and imports of goods and services, the Reserve Bank of India has attempted to simplify compliance, improve transparency and tighten monitoring of foreign exchange flows, particularly in services trade, while shifting more responsibility to banks. The change matters because services now account for a growing share of Indias exports, yet remain underrepresented in the formal reporting architecture under Foreign Exchange Management Act (Fema). The new rules aim to close that gap without reintroducing centralised controls. Services exports during AprilDecember 2025 totalled $303.97 billion, while imports totalled $152.23 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $151.74 billion. In the corresponding period of FY25, services exports stood at $285.53 billion and imports at $150.01 billion, leading to a services trade surplus of $135.52 billion. In contrast, trade in goods continued to remain in deficit. During AprilDecember 2025, merchandise exports stood at $330.29 billion, while imports rose to $578.61 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $248.32 billion. Mint unpacks RBI's move and what it means for service exporters. What has the RBI done? The RBI has notified the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, replacing the existing export regulations of 2015. The new regulations, issued on 13 January, will come into effect in October 2026 after a nine-month transition period. For the first time, exports and imports of both goods and services are governed under a single, consolidated regulation. Earlier, while goods exports were regulated through clearly defined forms, timelines and electronic systems, services exports were governed largely through RBI directions and bank-level practices, leading to inconsistencies in reporting and monitoring. The new framework seeks to bring uniformity across trade transactions by placing all exports and imports within one regulatory structure. Also Read | Hard money: RBI must enlarge its buffer of foreign exchange reserves What was the earlier system? Under the earlier regime, goods exports followed a well-defined process, with shipment values declared through the export declaration form embedded in shipping bills at electronic data interchange ports. Import payments and advance remittances were governed by RBI directions, but were largely managed through banking practice rather than a single regulation. Services exports, however, did not have a comparable declaration mechanism. Reporting timelines varied across banks, monitoring of outstanding dues was uneven, and regulatory visibility was limited. As services exports expandedparticularly software and IT-enabled servicesthe gap between goods and services regulation became more pronounced. This fragmentation often resulted in compliance uncertainty and uneven enforcement across banks. What is the key change in the new framework? The most significant change is the formal inclusion of services exports within Femas reporting and monitoring system. Service exporters will now be required to file export declarations within 30 days of invoice issuance, bringing them closer to the discipline already applicable to goods exporters. The framework allows flexibility through consolidated monthly filings and bank-approved extensions, recognising the nature of services transactions. Software exports have been explicitly classified as services, removing ambiguity around their treatment under Fema. Authorised dealer banks and software technology parks of India have been recognised as specified authorities for oversight. In effect, services exports move from a loosely governed space into a structured reporting system. The rationale behind the RBI unifying goods and services trade rules The overhaul follows two rounds of public consultation and nearly two years of deliberation. The RBIs view is that Indias foreign trade policy, customs systems and sector-specific regulations are now sufficiently mature to support simpler and more decentralised regulation. By unifying goods and services under one framework, the RBI aims to reduce regulatory overlap, align reporting standards and improve transparency. The move also reflects the growing importance of services exports in Indias external sector, making it necessary to track and monitor foreign exchange inflows more consistently. The objective is to ease compliance for genuine exporters while strengthening oversight in areas with higher risk. Greater responsibility for banks A key feature of the new framework is the shift towards bank-led regulation. Authorised dealer banks have been given greater responsibility to manage day-to-day trade-related matters based on their internal policies and assessment of the bona fides of transactions. Instead of seeking RBI approvals for routine matters, exporters will deal primarily with banks, which are closer to customers and transactions. At the same time, banks are required to put in place detailed internal policies and standard operating procedures, disclose charges transparently, and actively monitor overdue export proceeds, increasing accountability at the bank level. Also Read | How Indias new export mission targets MSME credit and market gaps Has the RBI tightened rules on export proceeds? Yes. While the RBI has eased compliance in several areas, it has tightened rules on delayed export proceeds. Exporters will continue to get 15 months to realise and repatriate export earnings for both goods and services. For exports invoiced or settled in Indian rupee, the allowed period has been extended to 18 months, giving exporters more time where payments are not in foreign currency. However, if export payments remain unpaid for more than a year beyond the permitted period, including any extensions granted by banks, exporters will be allowed to make further shipments only against full advance payment or an irrevocable letter of credit. This is intended to discourage chronic delays and improve foreign exchange inflows. What relief has been given to small exporters and MSMEs? To reduce procedural burden, the RBI has allowed exporters and importers to close transactions of up to 10 lakh in the export and import monitoring systems through self-declaration. Quarterly bulk submissions will be permitted for such transactions, easing documentation requirements for MSMEs and small service exporters. The regulations also formally recognise flexibilities that earlier existed through circulars, such as under-realisation of export value, set-off of export receivables against import payables, and third-party receipts and payments, subject to bank satisfaction on transaction genuineness. What changes on the import side? Banks have been tasked with closer monitoring of delayed import payments and advance remittances that do not translate into actual imports. In cases of repeated defaults, stricter safeguards such as standby letters of credit may be triggered. Merchanting trade transactions must now be completed within six months between inward and outward remittances, although banks retain the discretion to grant extensions. Advance remittances for imports remain permitted, but advance payments for gold and silver imports continue to be prohibited. Expert view The RBIs move reflects a shift towards recognising services as a core driver of Indias external sector rather than a peripheral activity," said Abhash Kumar, trade expert and assistant professor of economics at Delhi University. Formal reporting of services exports is expected to improve data quality and policy visibility, which has remained limited so far despite the sectors growing contribution to foreign exchange earnings." He added that clearer timelines and consequences for delayed payments could help exporters strengthen contract discipline with overseas clients, while the flexibility built into the framework should ensure that normal business flows are not disrupted. Mumbai, Jan 20 (PTI) Streaming service Netflix on Tuesday announced that its acclaimed police procedural series "Kohrra" will return for a second season on February 11. After a critically acclaimed first season that was widely praised for its nuanced character-driven storytelling, the new instalment promises a fresh investigation set once again against Punjabs bleak, wintry landscape, where silences often reveal more than confessions. Actor Barun Sobti will return as assistant Sub-Inspector Amarpal Garundi with Mona Singh joining the franchise in a key new role, a press release said. Season two will see Garundi leaving Jagrana behind and taking charge at the Dalerpura Police Station, where he reports to a new commanding officer, Dhanwant Kaur, played by Singh. "Different as they may seem, both share the same passion to throw themselves into a case- even as the walls theyve built to escape their pasts crumble right before their eyes," read the official logline. Created and written by Gunjit Chopra, Diggi Sisodia and Sudip Sharma, "Kohrra" is produced by A Film Squad Production in association with Act Three. The second season marks a creative evolution for the show, with Sharma, also known for his work with Prime Video show "Paatal Lok", stepping into the directors role alongside Faisal Rahman. Its quite exciting to be back. Season one allowed us to explore quieter tensions between people, between past and present. This season as well, weve tried to bring forth as authentic a portrayal of Punjab as possible, with the characters rooted in a universal reality weve seen play out across the country. "The show's an emotional roller-coaster. Barun and Mona have done a fantastic job, and I cant wait for people to see it for themselves," Sharma said. Tanya Bami, series head, Netflix India, described Kohrra as a cult classic that has earned awards and critical acclaim for its understated storytelling. "What makes it unique is its honest simplicity, the unassuming backgrounds that expose deep layers of complexity as the fog lifts episode on episode. Set in a new city against the backdrop of a new crime and new partnership, season two is even more riveting. "I completely credit the expert craftsmanship of Sudip Sharma, who is not only the creator & showrunner, but is also making his directorial debut with season two. For all crime fans, this is an unmissable crime drama thriller," she added. President Trumps demands that Denmark hand over Greenland to the U.S. or risk a trade war and possible military action is confronting Europe with the unthinkable: Its major ally for more than 70 years has turned into one of its most urgent threats . The collapse of trust in the U.S. over the past year among the European public and its leaders is forcing the continent to re-examine its reliancefrom security to tradeon America under an unpredictable Trump administration that has expressed an antipathy toward Europe and is now insisting on taking an allys territory. Most governments in Europe are seeking to de-escalate the confrontation and want to put off the day when they decouple the regions security and economy from the U.S. The cost of replacing the U.S.s role as a military power in the region, while potentially also scaling back trade and investment to reduce risks, looks prohibitive for European countries that are struggling with low economic growth and overstretched government finances. Even if a compromise is found on Greenland, however, a sense is spreading in Europe that the historically unique friendship known as the West will never be the same again. The showdown, on top of other tensions with Trump, is bringing home to many in Europe that the relationship has turned toxic. Donald Trump has destroyed Western cohesion," said Carlo Calenda, a centrist Italian senator and longtime Atlanticist who now argues the Trump administration is a threat to Europes democracies. Europe needs to make itself impermeable to every interference" by outside powers, whether the U.S. or Russia, he said. But so far, he said, the Europeans dont have the strength." Europe has understood for years that it needs to do more for its own securityand it has begun rearming, prompted both by U.S. pressure and by Russias invasion of Ukraine. But until this past year, Europes capitals were aiming for a more equal partnership with Washington within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Now they are watching the future of that partnership crumble. This past weekend felt like a turning point," said Rachel Ellehuus, the director general of the London-based defense-studies think tank Royal United Services Institute and a former top U.S. adviser in NATO. Ellehuus said it was remarkable to see thousands of people in both Greenland and Denmark, long among the U.S.s closest allies, protesting the U.S.s actions. Breaking up would be hard for the U.S., too. NATO has given Washington political influence across Europe and a network of bases that helps American power projection worldwide. European countries are also some of the biggest customers for U.S. defense companies, as well as one of the U.S.s most important partners for trade and investment more broadly. Ellehuus said she expects Europe to now rely more heavily on its own defense companies to rearm. From economics to security, the relationship between the U.S. and Europe is one of the closest and deepest that the world has ever seen, so unwinding it wont happen quickly. Some analysts also say the alliance has survived other crises in the past, including being on different sides in the crisis over the Suez Canal in the 1950s. I think in a few weeks, this will all be solved," said Matthew Kroenig, vice president of the Atlantic Council think tank. While the threat to use military force against a NATO ally is unprecedented, Trump often escalates to strike a deal and often backs down when there is real pushback. Both sides, Kroenig said, will realize they have more to lose than gain from confrontation. If not, expect Europe to fight back. For all Europes desire to defuse the Greenland dispute, there is a strong sense that a line has to be drawn," said Mujtaba Rahman, head of Europe at political-risk consulting firm Eurasia Group. The U.S. acquiring Greenland through hostile meanseither military or economic coercionwould be unacceptable, and would set a very dangerous precedent," he said. European diplomats describe the relationship with the White House as descending into the purely transactional. They say that on Greenland, creative solutions could potentially be found but are currently impossible given Trumps threats and demands and uncertainty over why he really wants control of the island. Keeping heads down and avoiding confrontation with Trump is no longer working, diplomats say, making some European pushback necessary. Martin Jacob, a trade and tax expert at IESE Business School in Spain, said increasing numbers of Europeans are willing to pay an economic price if a trade war breaks out over Greenland, he said. There is also the sense Trump needs to be confronted or he wont stop. Whats next, Iceland?" he said. A YouGov poll on Monday showed 67% of Brits back retaliatory tariffs if Trump goes ahead with additional tariffs on European allies, with only 14% opposed. Even Europes right-wing antiestablishment parties, who are Trumps natural allies on the continent, have criticized Trumps threats, including British populist Nigel Farage. The past year has seen Vice President JD Vance lambasting European allies at a security conference in Munich, Vance and Trump humiliating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, Trump threatening European countries repeatedly with tariffs and the White House pushing to end the Russia-Ukraine war on terms favorable to Moscow while attacking European allies in its new national-security strategy. View Full Image The port at Nuuk, Greenland, the countrys capital. For much of this year, White House officials have spoken of NATO as if it were a foreign entityrather than an alliance that the U.S. built and leads. The Ukraine peace plan proposed by the Trump administration cast the U.S. as a mediator between NATO and Russia. NATO, for Europeans, was a religion. It led to Europeans not being serious about defense. Suddenly we understand that if American commitment to European allies is not real, then no treaty is going to defend you," said Ivan Krastev, a political scientist and head of the Centre for Liberal Strategies, a think tank in Sofia, Bulgaria. We are living in revolutionary times," said Krastev. You can see the shock of Europes political elites. In Europe, conversation is going to be that, at some point, we will be decoupling from the U.S., and what does that mean?" What makes the growing alienation from Trumps America harder for Europe to bear is that the rest of global geopolitics offers little respite. China has turned from a lucrative customer for Europe into an industrial steamroller that threatens to crush Europes manufacturing sectors, from cars to machinery. Russia under President Vladimir Putin is trying not only to subjugate Ukraine but to rewrite the ending of the Cold War and rebuild Russias sphere of influence in Europes east. Increasingly squeezed between the worlds more muscular powers, Europe is trying to compensate by deepening its trade links with Latin America as well as Asian democracies. Ukraines prospects for surviving Russias invasion risk falling into the widening gulf between the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. has greatly reduced aid for Kyiv since Trump returned to the White House, but it continues to provide crucial intelligence as well as some military supplies. There is deep concern among European officials that Trump might threaten to turn his back entirely on Ukraine to pressure Europe on Greenland, diplomats say. They say that since Trump has escalated his threats on Greenland in the past couple of weeks, there has been next to no progress on hammering out the U.S. role in security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump is once again blaming Ukraine for blocking his efforts to end the war. Moscow must be enjoying the rise in U.S.-European tensions, say many veterans of the Atlantic alliance. Even more important and strategic for Putin than the Donbas and all of Ukraine is the longstanding Russian objective to divide the trans-Atlantic alliance. So recent U.S. actions that break the cohesion and trust within NATO are a gift to Putin," said Doug Lute, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO and retired U.S. Army lieutenant general. View Full Image Newly arrived German soldiers boarding a bus in Nuuk, Greenland, on Friday. For Europe, the cost of decoupling from the U.S. would go far beyond money. The region is having to rethink its whole relationship with power, including military force. After two disastrous world wars devastated the continent in the first half of the 20th century, many European countries reprogrammed their political identities to emphasize rules and compromises over muscle-flexing. The European Union, with its cumbersome culture of consensus-building and give-and-take, was the most elaborate expression of that political way of life. Now the continent that hoped to overcome raw-power politics is watching the wider world revert to it. The EU was founded when the world was flat," said Calenda, referring to the years of peak optimism that globalization would create a level playing field for people, businesses and nations. During the end-of-history years, you could be slow, inclusive and believe that force doesnt matter. Not any more." While many European leaders continue to pay lip service to the need for agreement with the U.S. and the importance of NATO, public opinion in Europe was already showing signs of a backlash against America before Trump increased his pressure over Greenland. Only 16% of Europeans view the U.S. as an ally that shares the same values, down from 21% in 2024, according to a recent survey conducted in November by the European Council on Foreign Relations, an international think tank. The decline in the U.K., long the closest U.S. ally in Europe, was stark: down to 25%, from 37% a year earlier. Europeans also have their pride and dont like to see their countries being pushed around, said Jeremie Gallon, a French foreign-affairs expert and head of Europe for trade-and-policy consulting firm McLarty Associates. People are starting to feel that the sense of humiliation, and vassalization, is at a point that is unacceptable," he said. Write to Marcus Walker at Marcus.Walker@wsj.com and David Luhnow at david.luhnow@wsj.com BERLINThe rift between the U.S. and Europe over Greenland is making the trans-Atlantic alliance vulnerable to a Russian attack on NATO territory, one of Germanys highest ranking officers warned. The dispute risks eroding the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations power to deter enemies by undermining its cohesion, Lt. Gen. Alexander Sollfrank, head of the German armed forces Joint Force Command, said in an interview. The strength [of NATO] is one for all, all for one. If that breaks, the core idea is gone," said Sollfrank. Cohesion is often referred to as the strategic center of gravity for NATOits ability to act as one despite being made up of 32 countries. That principle was last demonstrated after 9/11, he said, when Washington invoked Article 5, the alliances common defense clause, to rally NATO members to its campaign in Afghanistan. It was the first and last time Art. 5 was invoked. Sollfrank, whose Joint Force Command is responsible for planning and conducting all German military operations, would play a key role in any conflict between NATO and Russia. Germanys top military brass normally refrains from commenting on international politics, but senior officers, including Sollfrank, have been blunt about the threat posed by Moscow. Sollfrank made headlines last year by warning that Russia could attack NATO at any time. European leaders have condemned President Trumps insistence that the U.S. should acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of the kingdom of Denmark. Trump has threatened eight European nations with 10% tariffs starting Feb. 1 after the countries dispatched a small number of troops to the island over the weekend. While Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said a forcible annexation of the island would mark the end of NATO, few European leaders have repeated the claim. Neither did Sollfrank, though he made it clear the alliance was facing one of its most perilous moments. We are all listening with concern to what is currently being discussed," he said. Russia, which attacks us daily, is certainly a very interested observer of these current discussions." Sollfrank said the U.S. rightly saw Greenland as strategically relevant, but that this applied to the entire trans-Atlantic alliance, not just North America. NATO is not just in Europe; the Atlantic and the North Atlantic play a major role," he said. Sollfrank said he didnt believe Russia had the capacity to mount a broad offensive against NATO but that it was willing and able to provoke a cross-border skirmish targeting its easternmost memberspossibly one of the Baltic Stateswith a view to changing the security architecture in Europe. Such an attack would likely trigger Article 5, presenting allies with a decision over whether to come to the rescue of a member. If they didnt, it would effectively end the alliance. Germany, Sollfrank said, would fight with everything we have." Germany has been working on a secret document laying out a plan in the event of a Russian attack that would turn the country into a hub for ferrying nearly a million soldiers to the front. Sollfrank said it could be activated overnight in case of war. Germany has been passing new laws, striking agreements with neighboring countries and reinforcing bridges and railways, he said, all to allow the movement of troops, ammunition and hardware eastward. We are in delivery mode, not ordering mode. Hardware and ammunition are being delivered. We are practicing like crazy, including with the Americans. There is an incredible amount of activity. Russia should not believe we are weakened," he said. A cease-fire in Ukraine wouldnt necessarily diminish the threat posed by Russia, he said. On the contrary, Russias economy had been reshaped by war and Russian President Vladimir Putin needed the conflict to legitimize his rule and justify to the public about a million dead and wounded soldiers since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Still, he was scathing about Russias performance on the battlefield and rejected the argumentmade by Russian leaders and some in the Trump administrationthat Moscow was winning the war in Ukraine. The Russian forces fight with little inspiration, high losses, and target civilians. This is not heroic in the slightest. They advance at a snails pace while destroying their own soldiers," he said. We used to talk about great Russian military thinkerstoday, none of that is visible." Asked whether NATOs European members could repel a Russian foray without support from the U.S., however, Sollfrank refused to even consider the idea. That scenario does not exist for me," he said. I firmly assume that we would stand together against a Russian attack." Write to Bertrand Benoit at bertrand.benoit@wsj.com TEL AVIVIsraeli authorities began tearing down structures on a United Nations compound in Jerusalem on Tuesday, escalating a battle between the government and the main agency tasked with providing assistance to Palestinian refugees. Israeli security forces entered the compound around 7 a.m. local time and forced security guards on the site to leave before bringing in heavy machinery and tearing down structures, said Jonathan Fowler, a spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or Unrwa. Bulldozers tore down what appeared to be temporary structures in the compound, according to videos shared by Israels far-right national-security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir. He said that the Israeli police were working to clear and destroy the compound. The compound has been largely vacant for a year, when laws limiting its operations went into effect. The new laws barred the agency from Israeli territory, severed its ties with Israeli officials and effectively revoked Israels recognition of its diplomatic status in the country. Israels foreign ministry said Israel owns the compound in East Jerusalem. Unrwa says that Israel has no right to enter the compound without permission because the U.N. charter enshrines diplomatic immunity for its premises, also backed by the U.N.s top court. United Nations premises are inviolable," Fowler said. Coming in with a bulldozer, knocking it down is an outrageous breach of international law." Israels foreign ministry rejected the claim of immunity and said that the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law." The U.N. agency says it has leased the property from Jordan since the 1950s, when Jordan controlled East Jerusalem. Israel won control of East Jerusalem in the 1967 war and later declared sovereignty over it. The U.N. and most of the international community dont recognize Israels claims to sovereignty. The demolitions are the latest blow to Unrwa, whose work has been severely curtailed since the new laws took effect. Right-wing Israeli politicians have been at the forefront of the crusade against the agency. The latest attack comes at the beginning of an election year. This is a historic day," Ben-Gvir said as a yellow excavator behind him pushed into one of the compounds walls, drowning out his voice. Today these terror supporters are being kicked out of here," he said in reference to Unrwa. We kicked them out of here. We removed their immunity," said Yulia Malinovsky, an Israeli right-wing lawmaker who initiated bills during the Gaza war to cut ties with Unrwa. This organization for us doesnt exist in Israel any more in any form. This compound in Jerusalem is a compound on government land, and the government is returning its land." Malinovsky posted a photo of herself on X holding the Unrwa office sign in front of the heavily destroyed compound. Israels campaign against Unrwa escalated in early 2024, when the government accused the agency of having systemic ties to terrorist groups. Israel says the agency looked the other way as its infrastructure in Gaza was exploited by Hamas, which built tunnels and command centers under schools and other civilian buildings run by the agency. Unrwa says it takes the allegations seriously and denies systemic links to terrorist groups. Israel further alleged that a dozen Unrwa employees participated in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war in Gaza. A U.N. investigation later found that nine employees might have been involved, and they were dismissed. The new laws, heavily criticized by human-rights groups and other humanitarian organizations, effectively meant that Unrwa could no longer bring in foreign staff or supplies, which would have to cross Israeli-controlled borders, and could no longer engage directly with Israeli authorities. The laws dont expressly prohibit the organization from working in the West Bank or in Gaza but have constrained its ability to operate there. Israeli military officials acknowledge that no single agency will be able to replace all the functions that Unrwa carried out. An Israeli military official said in November 2024 that it would take more than a dozen different organizations to replace Unrwas activities in the fields of logistics, water and sanitation, health, shelter and food. In October 2025, the U.N.s top court, the International Court of Justice, issued a ruling that Israel is obligated to facilitate the groups work and respect the inviolability of its premises. Israels foreign ministry rejected the ruling, calling it an attempt to politicize humanitarian aid and harm the state of Israel. Write to Feliz Solomon at feliz.solomon@wsj.com and Anat Peled at anat.peled@wsj.com Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images As Martin Luther King Jr. Day approached, Nike attempted to honor the late civil rights leader with a special LeBron James shoe. But for many, the Honor the King LeBron 23 sneaker missed the mark due to its curious colorway and mixed messaging. In a video posted to social media on Monday, ESPNs David Dennis Jr. explained the issues with the shoe. That includes that its teal silhouette draws inspiration from the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where Dr. King was famously assassinated in 1968. There are so many other places that you can take colorways from to honor Dr. King, Dennis said. You can take places from Atlanta. You can take Birmingham, Montgomery. What about Washington D.C. where he delivered the I Have a Dream speech. The last place that I would think of would be the signage from where he was assassinated. The Air Assassination Sites are a no from me dawg https://t.co/7Z3Ho6TI7E pic.twitter.com/ZGzZH5esdt David Dennis Jr. (@DavidDTSS) January 19, 2026 Dennis also noted that in addition to King, the sneakers celebrate James 51-point performance against the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008. Because that moment in American history deserves to be in the same space as the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, he said, sarcastically. Dennis proceeded to call attention to the irony of Nike using its shoes as a vehicle to commemorate King with an emphasis on his assassination. After all, the Baptist minister was killed while supporting the rights of sanitation workers and union workers, which doesnt quite square with the sneaker giants own production process. Add it all up, and Dennis believes that the shoes are a tone deaf statement from all involved, including Nike and LeBron James. He also questioned whether proceeds from the sneakers sales will benefit any causes beyond Nikes bottom line. Dr. Martin Luther King was killed while trying to fight against the dreads of capitalism. Theres nothing more capitalist than slapping Nike on a shoe, on a color that sort of trivializes not sort of very much so trivializes one of the most gruesome murders in American history, he said. Absolutely disgraceful move from all parties involved. I dont even know where the moneys going this is just bad marks all around for everybody involved. Disgraceful, disgusting act and I hope they can figure out some sort of way to right this wrong. According to Sneaker Bar Detroit, the Honor the King LeBron 23 is slated to release to the general public on Feb. 24. Considering the sizable backlash, it will certainly be worth monitoring whether that ultimately comes to fruition. BRUSSELSIf President Trump follows through with a threat to put new tariffs on European allies over Greenland, some $100 billion worth of American exportsfrom Boeing aircraft to bourbon whiskeycould get caught in the crossfire. The European Union created a list of hundreds of categories of American products last year that it planned to target with import duties if trade talks with the U.S. unraveled. Those levies were put on hold after the two sides struck a deal last summer, but are set to kick in on Feb. 7 unless the bloc acts to extend the suspension. That gives the EU a relatively straightforward option to retaliate should the U.S. impose new tariffs on a number of European countries for opposing Trumps plan to take control of Greenland. The president has said Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands and Finland will be hit with 10% tariffs from Feb. 1, rising to 25% in June. EU officials say they are giving priority to dialogue with the Trump administration to avoid escalating the situation. The leaders of the blocs 27 member countries are due to meet Thursday evening to discuss the issue. Officials and diplomats say firm decisions are unlikely before the U.S. imposes new tariffs. While last years tariff list is an option if the bloc chooses to retaliate, it could still change its targets or respond with different measures. American goods were chosen by EU officials last year with the aim of cranking up pressure on the U.S. economy without causing too much harm to European businesses and consumers. The list consists of more than 200 pages of specific product categories ranging from big ticket items such as airplanes to niche imports including jukeboxes, chewing gum and umbrellas. A trade spat between the U.S. and the EU would have a major effect on global commerce. The two jurisdictions are each others largest trading partners and their economies are deeply intertwined. As both sides sift through what they want to retaliate against, they have to be mindful that they may be shooting themselves in the foot," said Penny Naas, senior vice president at the German Marshall Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. Here are some of the sectors and companies that could be targeted: Aerospace Among the most exposed industries to the potential new tariff list is aerospace. The value of American aircraft imports that could be hit by the levies stood at about $12.8 billion in 2024, according to an EU trade document reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Boeing would be a considerable casualty, with aircraft set to be hit by a 30% levy, according to an EU document published last year. Americas biggest exporter counts European airlines such as Irelands Ryanair among its largest customers. Ryanair Chief Executive Michael OLeary said last year that he would rather defer deliveries of aircraft than pay to cover tariff costs. Last year, Boeing handed over 73 aircraft to EU airlines and lessors, about 12% of its annual deliveries, according to the companys latest data. The planemakers order book includes 700 aircraft destined for EU buyers. Overall, Boeing reported European sales of $8.7 billion in 2024, about 13% of total revenue. (European sales includes some non-EU countries) Other U.S. aviation companies would be hit too. Those include Textron, which makes the Cessna 172 popular among amateur pilots, and General Dynamics, which owns private-jet manufacturer Gulfstream. Automotive American-made cars are on the EUs tariff list, with most categories expected to be hit with levies of 25%. One wrinkle for Europe: Americas biggest car exporter is BMW. The German automaker has a factory in Spartanburg, S.C., that churns out hundreds of thousands of sport-utility vehicles every year, many of them headed to Europe. Mercedes also has a big presence in the U.S., using its factory in Alabama to make cars that get shipped around the worldincluding to Europe. That means European tariffs on imports of American-made vehicles would risk hitting two of the continents best known luxury automakers. Tesla makes most of the cars it sells in Europe at sites in Germany and China. But the U.S. automaker also imports a modest number of its premium modelsthe S and the Xfrom its factory in Fremont, Calif. Tariffs of 25% on American motorcycles would hamper Harley-Davidson, which counts Europe as its second-biggest market. The company has factories in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, both critical swing states. Harley attempted to bypass European tariffs on its products during the first Trump administration by shifting some production to Thailand. Food and drink American whiskey faces a potential 30% EU tariff, according to the blocs list. Targeting the spirit is particularly sensitive because it is manufactured in Republican states: Kentucky and Tennessee. It wouldnt be the first time American distillers are caught in the crossfire of a wider trade fight. An earlier U.S.-EU spat led to a 20% drop in American whiskey exports to the EU between 2018 and 2021, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, after the EU retaliated against tariffs Trump imposed in his first term. Whiskey has caught Trumps attention before. After the EU said it was considering retaliatory tariffs on whiskey last year, Trump posted on social media that he would hit back with a 200% levy on Champagne and other alcoholic products from the bloc. Neither threat materialized at the timealthough Trump again raised the possibility of a 200% tariff on French wines on Monday. Other American-made alcoholic beverages also appear on the EUs tariff list, including wine and beer. Agriculture Soybeans are a high-impact target for the EU because they are a mainstay of American agriculture, especially in Republican-leaning statesand the bloc is a big buyer. New tariffs of 25%, as proposed by the EU list, could inflict further pain on American farmers who already suffered losses from China halting purchases of the crop amid trade tensions with the Trump administration last year. European officials have said previously that soybeans are a good choice for retaliation because the bloc can get them from other producers, such as Brazil or Argentina. Other agricultural products that could face tariffs based on the EUs retaliation list include beef, corn, fruits, nuts, vegetables and orange juice. Agricultural machinery is also on the list. Write to Kim Mackrael at kim.mackrael@wsj.com and Benjamin Katz at ben.katz@wsj.com BRUSSELSPresident Trump told Norway that he no longer needed to think purely of peace" after being snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize, as European leaders scrambled to talk him out of a damaging trans-Atlantic trade war . So far, the European Union and the U.K. have held off openly wielding retaliatory tariffs in an attempt to take the heat out of the issue so that Trump wont follow through with his threat. The president on Saturday said he would impose a 10% tariff on Feb. 1 against European countries that stand opposed to a U.S. plan to take over Greenland. According to the Norwegian prime minister, Trump said in a text message that the world wouldnt be secure unless the U.S. has Complete and Total Control of Greenland" and linked his pursuit of the worlds largest island to the fact he wasnt awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. On Monday, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre said he had responded to the message. We pointed to the need to de-escalate," he said in a statement. The White House didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The tempered response points to a difficult reality for European nations: America is too embedded in their collective security, both economic and militarily, for them to threaten a quick punch-back. Behind the scenes, European officials are searching for ways to respond to the president without escalating the situation into a broader trade spat or capitulating on security in the face of his trade threats. The frantic diplomacy comes days after an attempted show of European strength, in which several nations sent troops to Greenland, appears to have badly backfired, prompting Trump to go on the offensive. There will be a united and clear response from Europe, and we are now preparing coordinated countermeasures with our European partners," German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said Monday. We are ready to find solutions. We are extending our hand, but we are not prepared to be blackmailed." In closed-door discussions in Brussels on Sunday evening, EU officials said the bloc has time to consider its options but can move quickly if it needs to. Diplomats from member states said after the meeting that the EU wouldnt do anything to escalate the situation unless Trump actually went ahead and imposed tariffs. Our priority is to engage, not escalate," a European Commission spokesman said. View Full Image President Trump and Jonas Gahr Stre, Norways prime minister, in the Oval Office last April. In an address to the nation on Monday morning, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the Trump administrations tariff threats as completely wrong" but declined to lay out what the U.K. would do in response, saying his focus was to avoid a trade war. Starmer, who pioneered a kowtow approach to Trump that many other European leaders copied, said his main goal was to avoid any escalation. But he warned that this was a serious moment in the trans-Atlantic relationship. Being pragmatic does not mean being passive," he said. The attempt to buy time comes after a mind-bending start to the year in which Trump has repeatedly claimed that the U.S. must control Greenland, either by buying it from Denmark or using military action. Trump pledged to impose the 10% tariffs against Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands and Finland starting Feb. 1. The tariffs will increase to 25% on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for what Trump called the complete and total purchase" of Greenland. On Sunday, Trump added another curveball, linking his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize to his pursuit of Greenland. Considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS," Trump wrote in the text message, according to Stre. I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America." Stre said he had proposed a telephone conversation between Trump, Finlands leader and himself in response. The Norwegian prime minister added that he had told Trump that the Norwegian government has no say in who gets the peace prize. Write to Max Colchester at Max.Colchester@wsj.com, Laurence Norman at laurence.norman@wsj.com and Kim Mackrael at kim.mackrael@wsj.com The Chhattisgarh government is stepping up efforts to position the state as a leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology hub in central India, officials said in a statement on 20 January. This, they said, is backed by a high-incentive industrial policy, a dedicated pharma park at Nava Raipur and expanding healthcare and manufacturing infrastructure in the state. Our objective is to convert investment intent into time-bound execution. We have identified pharmaceuticals and biotechnology as priority sectors for industrial growth, and our incentive framework is designed to ensure investors recover a significant part of their capital while establishing globally competitive manufacturing operations, said Rajat Kumar, Secretary, Industry, Government of Chhattisgarh. As per policy provisions, pharmaceutical projects with investments of 50200 crore are eligible for capital grants of up to 60 crore, while projects in the 200500 crore range are eligible for grants of up to 150 crore. Investments exceeding 500 crore are eligible for capital grants of up to 300 crore, a statement from the Chhattisgarh government said Additional incentives include 100% exemption from electricity duty for 12 years, exemption from stamp duty, relief on registration charges and 50% reimbursement of charges for new electricity connections. Projects with investments of 1,000 crore or more are eligible for customised incentive packages. 142-acre dedicated pharma park A key anchor for the sector is the 142-acre dedicated pharma park at Nava Raipur, which is being developed as a plug-and-play manufacturing cluster for formulations, APIs, contract research and manufacturing services, medical devices and AYUSH products. The park will be supported by common infrastructure, including need-based water supply, effluent treatment plants and solid waste management facilities under a PPP framework. Power surplus of over 26,000 MW Chhattisgarh offers a significant cost advantage, with a power surplus of over 26,000 MW, industrial power tariffs starting at 6.65 per unit, and 100% electricity duty exemption for 12 years, ensuring reliable, low-cost power for continuous pharma manufacturing operations. The state also offers a strong talent base, with over 50,000 graduates entering the workforce annually from institutions such as IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, NITs, IIITs and NLU, supported by over 100 pharmacy colleges and 300 vocational training centres. "Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology have been classified as thrust sectors under the Industrial Development Policy 202430. Eligible units can avail industrial investment incentives of up to 100% of eligible fixed capital investment, including reimbursement of net State GST paid for up to 12 years, subject to prescribed limits or alternatively opt for fixed capital investment grants, Kumar said. Also Read | Over 30 cops injured as protest against Chhattisgarh coal mine turns violent Government-backed training reimbursements further help companies reduce initial hiring and skilling costs. The pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem is being complemented by investments in healthcare and allied sectors. These include a 350-bed multispeciality hospital planned in Bastar and the upcoming Bombay Hospital. Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology have been classified as thrust sectors under the Industrial Development Policy 202430. The state has also recently received investment commitments from Shalby Hospitals for a multi-speciality hospital project and from Torrent Pharmaceuticals for pharmaceutical manufacturing. These developments will strengthen healthcare delivery while creating sustained downstream demand for pharmaceuticals and medical devices, the statement said. With the US's recent invasion of Venezuela, and sanction and tariff threats on trade with Iran, the so-called global shadow fleet of oil tankers is in focus again. Used to transport oil by countries under Western sanctions such as Russia, Iran and Venezuela, the size of this fleet has grown manifold and now accounts for an estimated 18.5% of global tanker capacity, according to S&P Global. Its called a shadow fleet because it uses various methods to evade detection by sanctions-enforcement agencies, such as frequently changing the name of the ship and its flag (the country where it is registered), and turning off its transponder to make it invisible to GPS satellites. Also Read | Why Trump is reviving a tough Russia oil sanctions bill Through the roof The shadow fleet came into its own following the Russia-Ukraine war that began in 2022 as the West imposed sanctions on oil transport by Russia. To evade these sanctions, Russia developed a shadow or dark fleet of oil tankers, which adopted various methods to conceal their ownership and the origin of the oil they were transporting. According to Kpler, a maritime analytics and intelligence firm, the size of the shadow fleet grew from just 97 vessels in 2022 to around 3,313 vessels by the end of 2025, an increase of 3,315%. In 2025 this shadow fleet moved about $100 billion of crude oil, accounting for 6-7% of global oil flows. What began as isolated compliance breaches has become a structural layer of global trade in 2025, with obfuscation now functioning as a new operating model rather than an anomaly," said Kpler. Tankers in the shadow fleet tend to be much older than normal cargo ships. They are often uninsured and have extremely opaque ownership structures to evade detection. Russian dominance Shadow fleet is an umbrella term with two sub-parts. The first is the dark fleet, which is the subject of US or EU sanctions. The second is the grey fleet, which is not subject to sanctions yet but is suspected by analytic firms and investigative agencies of moving cargo from and to sanctioned countries. Kpler's shadow fleet estimate of 3,313 vessels covers the subset of ships with a deadweight tonnage (total weight-carrying capacity of a ship excluding its own weight) of above 5,000 tonnes. Ownership data of the shadow fleet is compiled by S&P Global, but this is only for tankers with a deadweight tonnage of above 27,000 tonnes. Russia accounts for more than half the tankers in this S&P list. Another substantial chunk of tankers on this list is of flexible or indeterminate ownership. Controlled by shadowy shipping magnates, the [flexible] fleet has undergone rapid expansion in recent quarters and often been used for offshore oil transfers off Malaysia," said S&P Global. Key exporters The global shadow fleet grew at the initiative of Russia in its attempts to evade sanctions on global oil shipments. According to Kpler, Russia accounted for 63 million barrels of the 299 million barrels of crude shipped by the shadow fleet in November 2025. Interestingly, other key exporters of sanctioned crude include Saudi Arabia and the US. According to Kpler, in 2025, 686 vessels and 196 companies were placed under sanctions for transporting crude oil illicitly. Regulators have focused on opaque shipping networks in high-risk regions such as the Eastern Mediterranean, Gulf of Oman, Black Sea, and transshipment hubs tied to Russian crude and LNG flows. Yet, the shadow fleet has continued to grow. According to Kpler, the shadow fleet is not only larger but more operationally robust, supported by an ecosystem of opaque ownership, permissive jurisdictions, and parallel service providers that collectively harden the network against enforcement pressure. Regulatory friction is met with operational creativity: when one corridor closes, two alternative routes appear," it added. Key importers While Russia and Iran are the major sanctioned sellers of crude oil in the global market, India and China are the major buyers of sanctioned crude. For the last three months of 2025, India and China accounted for roughly a fifth of imports of crude using the shadow fleet, as per Kpler. S&P has traced some of these movements. China, for instance, is the largest buyer of Iranian oil. It finds its way to China via an opaque process by which ships carrying Iranian crude offload their cargo to a second set of ships in Southeast Asian waters, which then head to Chinese ports. Given the opacity of the trade and the evasion tactics followed, it is unlikely that 2026 will see any dramatic changes to the shadow fleet. This is especially because China is the epicentre of such demand, and sanctions on Russia and Iran are likely to continue. The shadow fleet might still see a reduction in absolute numbers as sanctions on Venezuela are lifted. Indian basket India is also a key importer of shadow fleet crude. In 2024, Kpler estimated that 9.5% of crude oil flows from Russia to India were made using the shadow fleet. Following the US tariffs in April, India has noticeably reduced its imports of Russian crude, at least if official numbers are to be believed. Russias share of Indias crude imports declined from a high of 45% in July 2024 to 32% in December 2025. Further, according to Kpler, New EU-27 measures taking effect [in 2026] will tighten restrictions on fuels produced from Russian-origin crude, putting a significant share of Indian refined product exports to Europe at risk." This decline in Russian crude imports into India is unlikely to be reversed, at least if India wants to avoid further heavy tariffs from the US, but it is unlikely to go to zero either. According to a Bloomberg report, Indian oil refiners have been buying more crude from Middle Eastern sources, and have trimmed their purchases from Russia. howindialives.com is a search engine for public data. Also Read | Geopolitics trumps oil industry yet again Gold price today: Gold rates jumped to a fresh record high on the MCX on Tuesday, January 20, as global trade-war risk continues to drive demand for safe-haven assets while weighing on the US dollar. MCX gold February futures were 2.60% up at 1,49,420 per 10 grams around 5 pm after hitting a record high of 1,52,500 per 10 grams. MCX Silver March futures were 4.27% up at 3,23,526 per kg at that time after hitting a record high of 3,27,998 per kg. International gold prices also rose to their record highs. U.S. gold futures for February delivery jumped 3% to $4,742.71 per ounce. Gold is benefiting from strong tailwinds amid heightened geopolitical risks after US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on eight European countries, prompting the latter to step up their retaliatory rhetoric. Trump is showing no signs of backing away from his stance on Greenland. If European nations resort to retaliatory measures, it could trigger a major trade war between the US and Europetwo of the worlds largest economic blocs. At present, several of the worlds biggest economies, including China, India and Europe, are already facing US tariffs. Gold is surging to fresh record levels as escalating trade tensions between the US and Europe intensify safe-haven demand. The sentiment is very supportive, even though the gold prices have rallied very quickly, said Aksha Kamboj, Vice President for India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA) and Executive Chairperson of Aspect Global Ventures. "Gold is expected to remain at higher levels as long as concerns about geopolitical uncertainties continue to be prominent," said Kamboj. Also Read | Is it time to sell stocks and buy gold? "Silver is driven by the strength of gold as well as strong investment demand due to geopolitical tensions. Silvers strength despite high levels of volatility suggests strong investor conviction, maintaining the overall outlook firmly positive for the short term," said Kamboj. The dollar index fell by almost half a per cent, making greenback-backed bullion cheaper for buyers in other currencies. Manoj Kumar Jain of Prithvifinmart Commodity Research said gold has support at $4,635 and $4,610, while resistance is at $4,700 and $4,740 per troy ounce, and silver has support at $91.40 and $88, while resistance is at $96.60 and $98.80 per troy ounce in todays session. On the MCX, gold has support at 1,44,800 and 1,44,100 and resistance is at 1,46,350 and 1,47,000, while silver has support at 3,03,000 and 2,96,600 and resistance is at 3,14,000 and 3,22,000, said Jain. Jain suggests buying gold and silver on dips for the targets of 1,48,000 and 3,22,000, respectively, maintaining stop losses below 1,44,000 in gold and below 2,98,000 in silver. Read all market-related news here Read more stories by Nishant Kumar With Indias second-largest mutual fund distributor as its parent, NJ Mutual Fund had a readymade launchpad that most entrants only dream of. Yet, more than four years after its debut, the fund house has managed to collect assets of just 7,119 crore. While not an insignificant sum on paper, the picture changes when stacked against how peers have fared. Helios Mutual Fund, Zerodha Mutual Fund and Bajaj Finserv Mutual Fund, which launched around the same time or later, have built significantly larger asset bases despite lacking NJs distributor muscle. Bajaj Finserv Mutual Fund had assets under management (AUM) of 32,115 crore as of December-end, while Zerodha Mutual Fund had 9,969 crore. The contrast becomes sharper when disclosures are examined. About 80% of NJ Mutual Funds AUM came from its sponsor, NJ India Invest, its distributor arm, as of March 2025, underscoring the fund houses dependence on a single channel. Also Read | Sebi tightens scrutiny of portfolio overlap in mutual fund schemes Given the distribution strength, in a four-year period, the assets would have been on the lower side," said Srikanth Meenakshi, founder at Primeinvestor, a mutual fund research platform. In several cases, flows into a new asset management company are driven not just by distribution but by a fund manager or chief investment officer (CIO) with a strong track record. Samir Arora, for instance, built credibility through his alternates business before expanding into mutual funds, helping attract early investor interest. A similar trajectory is seen with Sunil Singhania, who first established a track record in alternates before entering the mutual fund space. In NJ Mutual Funds case, however, the investment leadership lacks such a prior fund management record. Nirmay Choksi, the CIO is on his first stint on the fund management side. The fund house also saw early leadership churn, with Anand Shah, a well-known industry executive appointed as chief executive officer (CEO), exiting after a little over a year. The current CEO is Vineet Nayyar. Organic route Unlike some of its peers, NJ Mutual Fund chose to build its business entirely from scratch. It did not acquire an existing asset management company, unlike Navi Mutual Fund and WhiteOak Capital, which received an initial AUM boost through the acquisition of Essel Mutual Fund and Yes Bank Mutual Fund, respectively. NJ built its business organically, choosing not to acquire an existing asset management company. As a result, its products are largely sold only through its own captive distribution network, with limited interest from external distributors," said a large distributor, requesting anonymity. Also Read | With an army of agents at its disposal, LIC Mutual Fund plans a comeback For distributors not empanelled with NJ India Invest, the absence of strong performance or a long track record reduces the incentive to recommend NJ Mutual Funds products, the distributor added. Quant niche NJ Mutual Fund follows a rule-based, quantitative fund management style that relies on predefined parameters such as momentum, return on capital employed (ROCE) and volatility to filter stocks. A quant-based fund management style is very niche and usually does not become a part of an investors core portfolio. It is added for diversification, which is also why NJ Mutual Fund is not able to collect huge assets," said a mutual fund executive from another asset management company. An NJ Mutual Fund spokesperson said the AMC is a wholly owned subsidiary of NJ Wealth and is naturally leveraging its distribution network. But we are not enforcing our distributors to just sell our products. We are pitching our schemes as a complement to investors overall active fund portfolios, positioning them as genuine diversification opportunities," the spokesperson said. Limited lineup Another factor weighing on asset growth is NJ Mutual Funds limited product lineup. While many fund houses launch multiple schemes to gather assets, NJ Mutual Fund has stayed restrained, offering only five schemes. One of these is a liquid fund designed to facilitate systematic withdrawal plans (SWPs) into its flexicap fund. We are not launching multiple schemes and do not intend to roll out a myriad of products merely to garner AUM without prioritizing customer centricity," the NJ spokesperson said. However, fewer schemes alone do not necessarily limit scale. PPFAS Mutual Fund also runs a limited lineup, but its flagship flexicap fund alone manages about 1.3 trillion and has delivered a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.72% since inception, compared with a benchmark return of 15.06%. NJ Mutual Funds performance has been mixed. Its flexicap fund has delivered a CAGR of 15.92% since inception in September 2023, below the benchmark return of 17%. Its balanced advantage fund has performed better, posting a three-year CAGR of 12.83%, compared with the benchmark return of 10.98%. Ultimately, investors and distributors closely watch whether a fund house is being pushed primarily through captive channels. Also Read | Why recent mutual fund returns dont tell investors the full story In FY25, NJ India Invest recorded mutual fund inflows of 26,467 crore across the industry. Of this, only 2.8% went into NJ Mutual Fund, indicating an open-architecture approach. By comparison, State Bank of India, the countrys largest mutual fund distributor, saw inflows of 27,061 crore in FY25, of which 96% went into SBI Mutual Fund. India remains heavily reliant on distribution. The share of direct plans in total SIP AUM has risen from 12% in March 2020 to 21% in March 2025, according to the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi), but the majority of inflows still come through distributors. Q3 results today: More than 40 companies are scheduled to release their financial results for the quarter ending on December 31, 2025, on Tuesday, January 20. ITC Hotels, AU Small Finance Bank, Gujarat Gas, SRF, Rallis India, Persistent Systems, and Shoppers Stop are among companies to declare their Q3 FY26 earnings on Tuesday. Last week, major IT players Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and HCL Technologies set the tone for the earnings season with their results announced on January 12. ITC Hotels Q3 results preview According to brokerage firm Elara Capital, ITC Hotels is likely to report 16.3% year-on-year (YoY) and 40% quarter-to-quarter (QoQ) rise in its net profit for the Q3 quarter, meanwhile, EBITDA is expected to surge by 18.1% YoY. AU Small Finance Bank Q3 results preview Brokerage firm Motilal Oswal expects the bank to report healthy PAT growth of 14.7% QoQ (21.8% YoY) to 6.4b, aided by NIM expansion (up 12bp QoQ), while credit cost should decline. It further anticipates NII to increase by 12.7% YoY (6.3% QoQ) and NIMs to be at 5.62% (up 12bp QoQ/down 28bp YoY). We expect credit cost decline to continue, with FY26E credit cost at ~1.4% vs. 1.9% in FY25, the firm said. Gujarat Gas Q3 preview Motilal Oswal expects the company's volumes at 8.5mmscmd (down 10% YoY and 2% QoQ) due to prevailing weakness in ceramic exports. Pickup in volumes at Morbi to be the key monitorable. Expect EBITDA/scm to rise 11% QoQ to INR6.2.A push for industrial gas usage in Thane rural, Ahmedabad rural, and new areas in Rajasthan would be the key factors for growth, it said. Here's a list of companies which will declare Q3 FY26 results today, Tuesday, January 20 - The Indian stock market is expected to face volatility on Tuesday amid weak global market cues as global trade tensions escalated after US President Donald Trumps announcement of tariffs on eight European countries over Greenland. The trends on Gift Nifty also signal a flat start for the benchmark indices, Nifty 50 and Sensex today. The equity market ended lower on Monday, with the Nifty 50 closing below 25,600 level. The Sensex fell 324.17 points, or 0.39%, to close at 83,246.18, while the Nifty 50 settled 108.85 points, or 0.42%, lower at 25,585.50. On the Nifty options front, Chandan Taparia, Head Derivatives & Technicals, Wealth Management, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, said that the maximum Call Open Interest (OI) is at 25,800 then 25,700 strike, while maximum Put OI is at 25,500 then 25,600 strike. Call writing is seen at 25,600 then 25,650 strike while Put writing is seen at 25,500 then 25,600 strike. Option data suggests a broader trading range in between 25,200 to 26,000 zones, while an immediate range between 25,400 to 25,800 levels, said Taparia. Nifty 50 Outlook Nifty 50 formed a small bodied candle on the daily frame with longer lower shadow indicating support based buying at lower levels. Now, if Nifty 50 manages to cross and hold above 25,650, bounce could be seen towards 25,700 then 25,850 marks, while support can be seen at 25,450 then 25,350 zones, said Taparia. Bank Nifty Outlook Bank Nifty index declined 203.80 points, or 0.34%, to close at 59,891.35 on Monday, forming an Inside bar pattern on the daily scale as buying is visible at lower zones but momentum is missing at higher zones. Now, Bank Nifty index has to cross and hold above 60,000 zones for an up move towards 60,250 then 60,500 levels, while on the downside support is seen at 59,750 then 59,500 zones, said Taparia. Also Read | Breakout stocks to buy or sell: Sumeet Bagadia recommends five shares to buy Stocks to buy Chandan Taparia has recommended three stocks to buy today, 20 January 2026. Taparia recommends buying HCL Technologies, Federal Bank and Hindustan Unilever (HUL) shares. HCL Technologies | Buy | Target Price: 1,800 | Stop Loss: 1,665 HCL Technologies share price has given a five week consolidation breakout with a strong bullish candle indicating fresh buying momentum. The stock continues to form higher highs and higher lows on the daily chart, reflecting trend continuation, while positive traction in the IT sector further supports the bullish outlook and increases the probability of further upside, Taparia said. He recommends buying HCL Technologies shares for a target price of 1,800 apiece, while maintaining a stop loss of 1,665 level. Federal Bank | Buy | Target Price: 295 | Stop Loss: 270 Federal Bank share price has recently negated its lower toplower bottom structure and is now trading near its 52-week high territory, signalling a strong trend reversal. Federal Bank stock is firmly placed in a strong uptrend, with momentum indicators positively aligned, suggesting continuation of the bullish move in the near term. Taparia has a Buy call and Federal Bank share price target of 295 apiece, and a stop loss of 270 level. Also Read | Buy or sell: Vaishali Parekh recommends three intraday stocks to buy today HUL | Buy | Target Price: 2,540 | Stop Loss: 2,350 HUL share price is on the verge of a pole-and-flag breakout, indicating potential trend continuation. The stock has witnessed strong buying from lower levels backed by healthy volumes and is trading above all key short-term moving averages, keeping the near-term outlook positive, Taparia said. He suggests buying HUL shares for a target price of 2,540 apiece, and a stop loss at 2,350 level. 2026 could be another big year for initial public offerings (IPOs) with more than 100 companies already receiving approval to raise about 1.4 trillion (around $15.5 billion), according to Prime Database. Millions of retail investors typically flock to IPOs in the hope of earning quick profits by flipping these shares after listing, but seasoned participants urge restraint, often shaped by hard-earned experience. You have to not only learn from your mistakes, but also from the mistakes of others," said Gopal Sharma, a 50-year-old French-speaking tourist guide in Delhi, who has been investing in IPOs since 2008. In my experience, one should not invest in seven out of 10 IPOs," said Sharma. He believes that lately IPOs are being priced at very high levels to provide an exit to angel and venture capital investors in the company, leaving little scope for individuals to make money on the IPO. In most cases small investors are made a fool of," he said. View Full Image The Paytm experience is a cautionary tale that even IPOs of big companies can lose value. Sharma learnt this the hard way in 2021, when he got an allotment in the IPO of One97 Communications, which runs the digital-payments platform Paytm. At the time, it was the largest IPO in Indias stock market history, and Paytm was a leader in the digital payments industry, causing many like Sharma to believe it was bound to be a winner. The IPO was oversubscribed by retail investors by 1.66 times, and issued at 2,150. Sharma said he was allotted six shares. However, shares fell 27% on the day of listing and kept falling in the next few months. Still in Paytm shares, I am at a loss," said Sharma. He is holding on to them, hoping for a recovery. The Paytm experience is a cautionary tale that even IPOs of big companies can lose value. In the generation before that, investors had received a shock in the 2008 IPO of Reliance Power, then owned by Anil Ambani. The IPO was over-subscribed by 70 times overall, and the retail investors portion was oversubscribed 13.6 times. On listing day, its shares fell 17%. Given the unpredictable nature of IPO listings, financial advisers say that individual investors are best off holding stocks via mutual funds or via the secondary market for direct investing for the long run. Those who are thinking of playing the IPO listing game should be wary of certain risks. Declining returns on IPO listings Average returns from all IPO listings in 2025 fell by 68% compared to the same period last year, according to Prime Database. Assuming an investor had purchased one lot in each and every mainboard IPO issued in 2025 and had sold them all at the closing price on the day of listing, his average listing gain for the year would have been 9.55%. In comparison, the Nifty 50 index gained 10.5% in 2025. Sekar Maruda Gounder, 44, a data architect based in Chennai, who has been investing in IPOs for 10 years, largely steered clear of IPOs in 2025. Nowadays profit is low, thats the reason why Im not doing it," said Gounder. Instead, he now mainly invests in established companies that are already listed, whose share prices are down, or that announce a stock split or a bonus. IPO is not the only option to make money in the stock market," said Gounder. If anyone wants to invest in the stock market, its better they buy some good stocks from Nifty 50 when the share value is low." Also Read | What Indias IPO boom really delivered to investors Lower chances, smaller allotments As more and more people apply in the individual or retail category, its becoming harder to get an allotment. This is why Sharma, the tourist guide, said he didnt apply for any IPOs in 2025. What you want, you dont get," he said. Also, he didnt want his money to be blocked for a few days during the IPO process. Ive taken a break," he said. In case an IPO is over-subscribed in the retail category, as per rules, a lottery is conducted, and the maximum number of retail investors are allotted only one lot of shares. So if the lot costs 15,000, even in the unlikely event that the stock doubles, the gain would be 15,000. It's not really going to rock your world," said Pranav Haldea, managing director of Prime Database. The risk of not booking losses quickly In addition to the risk that your IPO may fall on listing day, a bigger risk is that it continues to fall afterwards. Studies show that investors hate to take a loss, so they hold on to loss-making stocks hoping for a recovery, and that can exacerbate the loss. In a Sebi study of investor behavior in 144 IPOs between 2021 and 2023, the Securities and Exchange Board of India found that only 23% of shares by value were sold when returns were negative. In other words, investors held on to their losing bets. In the case of Paytm, for instance, the stock closed 27% down on listing day at 1,564 per share. If at that time, I had sold, then I would not have lost as much as today," said Deepak Kumar, Muzaffarpur-based assistant finance manager at a logistics company. Paytm was Kumars first IPO, and he was sure its price would go to 3,000 to 4,000. Instead, within four months, Paytms shares had fallen by nearly 75%. By February 2024, when Paytm shares had fallen to around 340, Kumar said his manager advised him to buy more shares to lower his average purchase price. Had he done so, he would have made money as Paytm shares have since risen to around 1,330 lately. But knowing what to do is easy when looking back, not at the time when one is sitting on huge losses. At that time, Kumar didnt buy because he thought things could get worse.What if the company goes bust?" he said. The risk of not booking gains quickly Even IPOs that do well on the day of listing have given some investors heartache. Consider the case of LG Electronics India, a consumer appliances-maker, which went public in October at an IPO price of 1,140 per share. On listing day, its shares gained value, closing at 1,682.80. Sai Ram, a 31-year-old information technology professional in Hyderabad, who was allotted one lot in the LG IPO, held on to the shares because he felt they would gain further value. However, within a few days, the shares started falling, closing at around 1,371 recently. This was unexpected. For LG, we got all fundamentals right, everything right, but for some reason it's correcting every day," said Ram. He now uses this as a learning experience to revise his IPO investment strategy and places a sell order before the shares open for listing, hoping to make a profit. For his long-term savings, he invests regularly in mutual funds via a systematic investment plan, he said. Fear of missing out Earlier this week, Bharat Coking Coal was this years first IPO, listing at a nearly 96% premium. However, it gave up some of its listing gains, but social media chat boards are abuzz with people wondering if they should buy the shares now. Dont have FOMO," said Krishna Rath, a Sebi-registered investment adviser in Bhubaneshwar. He said investors should be extra careful this year, as he believes the bull run in stocks in India and globally has passed, and stock valuations are very high. Maybe 20% of the IPOs will make money" this year, said Rath. He said individual investors shouldnt play the listing-day game. Those who want to invest in IPOs should carefully research the company and be selective about which stocks they buy. If you really want to make a 5x, 10x return, hold it for a long period," said Rath. NEW DELHI : China has escalated its trade challenge against India at the World Trade Organization (WTO), seeking the establishment of a dispute settlement panel over New Delhis production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes for automobiles, batteries and electric vehicles, arguing that they discriminate against imported goods by tying incentives to domestic value addition. In a communication circulated by the WTO on 16 January, Beijing said that consultations held with India in November 2025 and January 2026 failed to resolve its concerns, prompting it to formally request a panel under WTO dispute settlement rules. The request is expected to be taken up at the next meeting of the WTOs Dispute Settlement Body on 27 January. The case sharpens trade tensions between India and China at a time when New Delhi is using industrial policy to reduce import dependence and build domestic manufacturing scale. A WTO ruling against India could force changes to PLI design across sectors, potentially reshaping how emerging economies balance localization goals with global trade commitments. "The PLI schemes are strategically architected to be non-discriminatory, creating a level playing field for both global MNCs and domestic champions," said Saurabh Agarwal, tax partner, EY India. By incentivizing both local consumption and export-led growth, these frameworks remain fundamentally aligned with WTOs core principles of national treatment." Agarwal added that in a landscape defined by shifting supply chains, the traditional rulebook is being rewritten. When many nations are deploying defensive tariffs, Indias PLI stands out as a proactive, transparent catalyst for manufacturing excellence... rather than a restrictive trade barrier." PLI under fire The dispute targets three flagship schemes rolled out by India under its broader Make in India strategy: the PLI scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery storage, the PLI scheme for automobiles and auto components, and the scheme to promote manufacturing of electric passenger cars in India. As per the WTO paper reviewed by Mint, China has argued that incentives under these programmes are conditional on the use of domestic over imported goods through domestic value addition requirements. Beijing claims this violates Indias obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM), and the Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMs) agreement. In its filing, China said that Indias PLI scheme for advanced chemistry cell batteries, notified in June 2021 with an outlay of 18,100 crore, requires beneficiary firms to meet phased domestic value addition targetsstarting at 25% within two years and rising to 60% within five years. These thresholds, China argued, effectively link the eligibility for, and quantum of, subsidies to the use of domestically produced inputs, amounting to prohibited import-substitution subsidies under WTO rules. Beijing has also challenged Indias electric passenger cars scheme, introduced in March 2024 to attract global EV manufacturers. The scheme allows approved companies to import fully built electric cars at a reduced customs duty of 15% for a limited period, subject to investment commitments and local manufacturing milestones. Also Read | Govt links PLI incentives to testing, localization for electric quadricycles Approved applicants are required to achieve 25% domestic value addition by the third year and 50% by the fifth yearconditions that China says discriminate against imported goods and breach national treatment obligations. As per the WTO paper, China has argued that while the schemes are presented as industrial policy measures to build domestic capacity and reduce import dependence, their design and operation have the effect of nullifying or impairing benefits accruing to China under WTO agreements. It has therefore sought the establishment of a panel with standard terms of reference to examine the measures in detail. Also Read | India tells WTO it has withdrawn 49 quality control orders since July India has not yet issued a formal response to the panel request. In earlier WTO disputes, however, New Delhi has defended its production-linked incentive programmes as being consistent with global trade rules and necessary to address structural gaps in manufacturing, particularly in strategic sectors such as electric mobility, batteries and renewable energy technologies. Amid ongoing power-tussle and suspense within Bharatiya Janata party (BJP)-led Mahayuti for the mayoral post in BrhihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the richest civic body in the country, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has made a claim that the phones of newly-elected corporators from both the BJP and Shiv Sena are being tapped. Raut also claimed that the newly-elected members of the BJP and Shiv Sena are being kept under surveillance. BJP workers are monitoring the (movements) of every corporator of the party. The BJP is also tapping phones of its own corporators. Even phones of Shiv Sena corporators locked in a luxury hotel are being tapped, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP told reporters. However, the BJP dismissed Raut's allegations, emphasising that the party doesn't resort to such activities as it trusts its corporators, reported PTI. "We don't need phone tapping, but Raut should clarify who was tapping Eknath Shinde's and Uday Samant's phones when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (led by Uddhav Thackeray) was in power. We have strong support from corporators, and are not engaged in such activities," said Maharashtra BJP media in-charge Navnath Ban. After the results, the Shiv Sena shifted its newly elected corporators to a luxury hotel in the city, citing the need for an orientation workshop on the functioning of the civic body. Eknath Shinde has been insisting that the next mayor of Mumbai will be from Mahayuti. However, citing the emotions of Shivsainiks, Eknath Shinde has hinted at Shiv Sena's claim to the Mumbai mayor's post. The Deputy CM has projected it as a mark of respect to Bal Thackeray in his birth centenary year. The BJP and Shinde-led Sena, who fought the 227-member BMC election in alliance, won a clear majority, securing 89 and 29 seats, respectively. New Delhi: The Centre is planning a steep increase in the financial outlay of its MSME Champions Scheme to around 10,000 crore for the next five years, according to two officials aware of the development, amid efforts to push cleaner manufacturing, exports, and global competitiveness among small businesses. The comparable allocation for FY22FY26 was 1,125 crore. The outlay for the MSME Champions scheme may be upwardly revised to about 8,000 crore or 10,000 crore over the next five years, and the proposal has reached the EFC (expenditure finance committee) stage," said one of the officials cited above, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Procedurally, once the EFC chaired by the expenditure secretary V. Vualnam approves the plan, a cabinet note will be circulated for approval. The second official cited above said that the entire process including approvals from the EFC and the Union cabinet may take about 3-5 more months. Key Takeaways The Central government is planning a nearly nine-fold increase in the Champion Scheme's budget. A major driver for this update is the rising "protectionism" and new environmental taxes abroad. While the scheme is positive, experts warn that Micro and Small enterprises face different hurdles than Medium ones. The proposal is currently at the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) stage. The full rolloutincluding Union Cabinet approvalis expected to take another 3 to 5 months. Once approved, it will align with a broader roadmap suggested by NITI Aayog to leverage AI and reduce overlapping government schemes. The MSME ministry is working on increasing the outlay of this scheme following consultations where the industry sought an increase in funds for strengthening cleaner and more efficient manufacturing practices, in order to be competitive in global markets," the second official added. The MSME Champions scheme started with an allocation of 875 crore (actual) in FY22, followed by subsequent allocations of 52 crore (actual FY23), 80 crore (actual FY24), 55 crore (revised estimates FY25) and 55 crore (budget estimates FY26), according to budget documents. Also Read | How Indias new export mission targets MSME credit and market gaps According to the India SME Forum, an industry lobby group representing about 100,000 MSMEs, only about 173,000 of the countrys 74 million MSMEs are exporters, contributing about 45% to the countrys total exports.The number of MSMEs has risen from 58 million a year ago, according to data from the MSME ministrys Udyam portal. However, the MSMEs have been facing uncertainties and optimism has cooled due to global challenges and US tariff measures, often leading to disruption in business operations, as per the Small Industries Development Bank of Indias (Sidbis) business sentiment surveys for the first and second quarters of FY26. Queries emailed to the ministries of finance and MSME remained unanswered till press time. What is the Champions scheme? The MSME Champions scheme was created by merging six components of the erstwhile Technology Upgradation Scheme. It provides financial assistance to the countrys MSMEs for extending their global reach using three components. The first component is the MSME Sustainable (ZED) certification to promote their sustainable and efficient operations. Here, the government subsidises the cost of a zero defect, zero effect certification and provides additional support for technology upgradation to achieve the ZED certificate. The second component is the MSME Competitive (Lean) component, which is aimed to make them competitive with global peers. Here, the government plans to enhance their domestic and global competitiveness through the application of lean techniques such as resource optimisation and reduction in product and logistics costs. This includes support to MSMEs to reduce wastage and improve energy efficiency to boost productivity. The third component is aimed at increasing the rate of innovation using intellectual property rights (IPR) creation. Here, the government provides financial assistance to MSMEs seeking global and domestic patents, geographical indication certificates, trademarks, and design registrations. According to the MSME ministrys FY25 annual report, about 107,000 MSMEs secured ZED certificates under the scheme in FY25; 12,995 businesses registered under the lean manufacturing component; and 727 IPs were created under the IP creation component, as of December 2024. A NITI Aayog report published on 15 January suggested a roadmap to aid the MSME sector by merging government schemes and reducing overlap and leveraging technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) to facilitate solutions for these businesses. Positive for micro, small businesses Experts feel the increase in the Champions schemes overall outlay seems positive for micro and small businesses, but it may not make much difference for medium enterprises. Many medium enterprises already have zero defect and lean manufacturing," said Gurudas Nulkar, professor and director, Centre for Sustainable Development, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics. Nulkar said medium enterprises are usually part of the supply chain of large manufacturers, and rely on the end customer for specifications and designs. This gives very little room for developing their own unique IPs. IP creation is likely to be a major hurdle for MSMEs, according to Nulkar. To secure intellectual property, computers and access to technology is not enough, you need raw talent. For micro enterprises, it is a formidable task to hire graduates from top engineering schools, or nurture R&D units within their organisation," said Nulkar, an expert of industrial sustainability and environmental management. Few meet standards India SME Forum president Vinod Kumar added that very few MSMEs in the country have the necessary certifications to meet high export standards. Even with CBAM, for instance, very few businesses actually have the necessary documents in place to prove that their products meet adequate standards," said Kumar, adding that Indian MSMEs also need support to secure IPs. CBAM, or carbon border adjustment mechanism, is the European Unions carbon tax to only allow imports of sustainably made goods. A January 2026 report by Dun & Bradstreet on MSME credit lines noted that exporters had faced headwinds. For MSMEs across the globe, the impact of US tariffs can be more destabilising than for large enterprises, unless the exposed countries find an alternative to the US markets," the report noted. Drawing on examples from Taiwan, China, and Brazil, the report added that MSMEs needed targeted government support. Looking ahead, the resilience of MSMEs will depend on their countrys ability to adapt to shifting global trade dynamics and rising protectionism. While US tariffs pose a serious threat to small exporters, especially in sectors with tight margins, proactive measures, such as market diversification, digital transformation, and targeted government support, can help cushion the impact," the report said. In a major boost to road infrastructure development in the national capital, the Delhi government approved a six-lane double-decker flyover along Mehrauli-Badarpur (MB) Road in South Delhi, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday. In a meeting if the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the project worth an estimated cost of 1,471.14 crore will be completed by December 2027. What did CM Rekha Gupta say? "The integrated elevated road project, with a total length of nearly 5 kms, will be developed in two phases. The first phase will cover a 2.42-km stretch from Saket G-Block to Sangam Vihar, while the second phase will extend for about 2.48 km from Maa Anandmayee Marg to Pul Prahladpur," CM Gupta said. She said the initiative would mark a significant step towards creating a more organised and seamless traffic network in South Delhi, the corridor will be constructed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). "The design features a double-decker system, with the metro corridor on the upper deck and a six-lane elevated road on the lower deck. The integrated structure would help optimise limited urban space while significantly enhancing traffic capacity," the CM added. In addition, two vehicular underpasses will also be constructed one at Saket G-Block and another along the BRT corridor in South Delhi areas. According to officials, these underpasses are expected to ease vehicular movement in densely populated localities such of South Delhi such as Saket G-Block, Ambedkar Nagar, Khanpur and Sangam Vihar, which witness heavy congestion during peak hours. Also Read | Influencer to raise AQI, stray dog issues in meeting with Delhi CM "Since the proposed alignment falls within the jurisdiction of the Tughlaqabad Fort area, the proposal has been forwarded to the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, for necessary clearances," Gupta said. Stating that the project would substantially improve traffic conditions in South Delhi, the CM said congestion on MB Road would be reduced, average vehicle speeds would increase and millions of commuters would benefit from reduced travel time. Ramachandra Rao, 1993-batch Karnataka IPS officer, is in the spotlight again after a video allegedly showing him in a compromising position with a woman went viral. The controversy erupted over an alleged inappropriate video shot inside his official chamber, following which the Karnataka government on Monday suspended the Director General of Police (Civil Rights Enforcement). The video triggered a political and administrative storm in the state. An official order issued on Monday by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) initiating disciplinary action, said, Vide videos and news reports widely broadcast on public news channels and media platforms, it is observed that Dr K Ramachandra Rao has acted in an obscene manner which is unbecoming of a Government Servant and also causing embarrassment to the Government." Rao denied the allegations, claiming the video was fake and baseless. Asserting that he had no knowledge of its origin, he told PTI, I am shocked. It is all fabricated, a lie. The video is all false. I have no idea about it." Rejecting allegations, he insisted that the clip circulating online was not genuine and said, I am also thinking how and when it happened and who has done it. In this era, anything can happen. I have no idea about it." He made this statement in an interview with PTI outside Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara's residence. This is the second time the senior IPS officer has made headlines. Previously, he was in the spotlight in connection with his stepdaughter Ranya Raos gold smuggling case. Also Read | Ranya Rao gets DRI notice to pay fine of 102.55 crore amid Gold smuggling row Ranya Raos high-profile gold smuggling case In March last year, in a high-profile gold smuggling case, the Karnataka government sent the 59-year-old officer on compulsory leave following the arrest of his stepdaughter, actress Ranya Rao. On 3 March, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested her at Bengalurus Kempegowda International Airport upon her arrival from Dubai. Customs officials and the Karnataka police accused the 34-year-old of misusing police escorts after seizing gold bars worth 12.56 crore from her possession, and another 2.06 crore in gold and cash amounting to 2.67 crore from her Bengaluru residence. Months later, the Karnataka government had reinstated Rao. In August last year, he was appointed DGP of the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement. This development came after the state withdrew a compulsory leave order. Also Read | Ranya Rao gold smuggling case: Ramachandra Rao reappointed as DGP The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed displeasure over former minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi's criticism of the apex court order in the stray dogs case, saying she committed contempt. However, the apex court said that it was not initiating contempt against Maneka Gandhi due to its magnanimity, reported PTI. The Supreme Court also questioned Maneka Gandhi on what budgetary allocation she has helped in getting for solving the problem of stray dogs. In November 2025, taking note of the rise in dog bite incidents in several places, including educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands and railway stations, the apex court directed authorities to move such canines to designated shelters. The apex court also ordered the authorities, including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), to ensure the removal of stray animals and cattle from highways and expressways. Reacting to the order, earlier in January, Maneka Gandhi said that Supreme Court judges had done a "disservice" to the nation. "Supreme Court has created an atmosphere of hate across India... What the judges have done is wrong by simply dividing India into people that hate one or one love species. Through this they have done a disservice to India. The Animal Welfare Act is a very good act. They haven't removed the act. They have simply said that you can act against the act. This is not correct," Gandhi told reporters. Also Read | Mass murder of strays linked to poll promise? Telangana police probe case In November, Gandhi had described the apex court's directive on removing stray animals and lodging them at shelter homes as "impractical", and said compassion should guide Indias approach towards animals. "The Supreme Court says remove the dog, remove the cat, remove the monkey, put it in a shelter, sterilise it, but no one can actually do this...it is impractical," Gandhi said while speaking at the launch of CineKind. She also questioned the lack of coordination among civic bodies, adding that compassion, not control, should guide Indias approach to animals. Last week, the apex court flagged its concern over the lack of implementation of norms on stray animals for the past five years, and stated that it will ask states to pay a heavy compensation for dog-bite incidents and hold dog feeders accountable. "For every dog bite, death or injury caused to children or elderly, we are going to ask the state governments to pay heavy compensation, as they did not do anything on implementation of norms in the past five years," Justice Vikram Nath said. Southeast Michigan is experiencing a third day of school closures this week on Tuesday, Jan. 20, due to winter weather. A winter weather advisory remains in effect until 10 am, with wind chills expected to drop below zero. CBS Detroits NEXT Weather team has declared an Alert Day for Tuesday. Residents are advised to minimise time outside and wear multiple layers when venturing outdoors. On Tuesday, additional snow is expected, with chances occurring before 1 pm and again after 1 am on Wednesday. Although wind gusts are set to ease, temperatures will fluctuate significantly, rising from a high of 16 degrees on Tuesday to 33 degrees on Wednesday, according to Fox2detroit. Schools reportedly had to cancel classes twice last week because of heavy snowfall. School closures on January 20 Baker College of Royal Oak (Oakland) Closed 2. Boys and Girls Club Dauch (Wayne) Closed 3. Boys and Girls Club Eastpointe (Macomb) Closed 4. Boys and Girls Club Highland Park (Wayne) Closed 5. Boys and Girls Club Lloyd H Diehl (Wayne) Closed 6. Detroit Extravagant Academy (Wayne) Closed 7. Development Centers Northrop (Wayne) Closed, staff must report 8. Early College of Excellence (Wayne) Closed 9. Focus HOPE Child Care Center (Wayne) Closed 10. Fostering Leadership Academy (Wayne) Closed 11. P&A Scholars Beauty Detroit (Wayne) Closed 12. Pittsfield Acres Academy / GEE Academy (Washtenaw) Closed 13. Seeds of Knowledge (Wayne) Closed 14. St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Academy (Monroe) Closed 15. Starfish F.S. Westwood ECE Center (Wayne) Closed 16. The Academy of Business and Tech Elementary (Wayne) Closed 17. Tot Town Child Development Center (Wayne) Closed 18. Voyageur Academy (Wayne) Closed 19. Wayne County Community College (Wayne) Closed 20. Bedford Public Schools (Monroe) Closed 21. Carsonville-Port Sanilac Schools (Sanilac) Closed 22. Croswell-Lexington Community Schools (Sanilac) Closed 23. Dearborn Heights School District #7 (Wayne) Closed 24. Monroe County Community College (Monroe) Delayed 2 hours, see school website The National Weather Service (NWS) mentioned "snow and blowing snow" with accumulations of up to four inches were expected overnight, bringing the total storm accumulation to as much as 14 inches (35.5 centimeters) in parts of southwest and west central Michigan. "Travel is not recommended in the area," NWS stated, reported AFP. Meanwhile, Law enforcement officials on Monday stated that they were working to clear roads following a 100-vehicle crash on snow-covered roads in northern Michigan. Michigan State Police said numerous injuries in the crash but noted that none were "believed to be fatal." The incident involved big rig trucks and other vehicles colliding along the I-196 corridor, causing many to run off the road in "multiple slide offs." US President Donald Trump on Tuesday once again reiterated his demand to acquire Greenland as he shared an AI-generated US map showing the region along with Canada in US territory. Trump continues to push for his demand even as Greenland's party leaders rejecting his repeated calls for the US to take control of the island. Trump shared two separate AI-generated posts on Truth Social. In a first post, he can be seen seated in a Oval Office along with a new map of the US, while NATO leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, UK PM Keir Starmer and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen are in attendance. In another photo, Trump can be seen along with a US flag near a sign board Greenland - US territory. Est. 2026 in the presence of Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. View full Image AI-generated photos shared by Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Trump had a telephonic conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees! The United States of America is the most powerful Country anywhere on the Globe, by far, said Trump in a post on Truth Social. Boosting the capabilities of US Military, Trump stated, We are the only POWER that can ensure PEACE throughout the World And it is done, quite simply, through STRENGTH! Later, in another post, Trump also shared a message by Rutte. The message in full read: Mr. President, dear Donald - what you accomplished in Syria today is incredible. I will use my media engagements in Davos to highlight your work there, in Gaza, and in Ukraine. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark. Trump has claimed that if the US doesn't own Greenland, then Russia or China will take it over, and the US does not want them as neighbours. However, Greenland's party leaders have said that they don't want to be Americans. US President Donald Trump made a 'special appearance' at the White House briefing on Tuesday,20 January to mark the first anniversary of the start of his second term. However, the special guests' appearance was delayed as per multiple reports. The White House press briefing schedule on Tuesday had announced Trump as a special guest, on the occasion of the 79-year-old completing one year in office since taking over in January 2025. Reportedly appearing 'very quiet and low key,' Trump arrived at the White House almost an hour behind schedule. He appeared with a large binder of files, which he called a list of his achievements, reported BBC. Trump's speech at White House Key Highlights 365 wins in 365 days: Before Trump began to speak, reporters in the room were handed out copies of a press release talking about "365 wins in 365 days for the US President. Multiple reporters also posted on social media about the 31 page briefing packet handed out to them. Trump's take on tariffs: Speaking about the tariffs, Trump said he does not know what the Supreme Court is going to do. We've taken hundreds of billions of dollars, and if we lose that case its possible well have to do the best we can in paying it back, BBC quoted the President as saying. Immigration policies, photos of criminals: Listing his achievements, Donald Trump began his address to the White House by mainly talking about his immigration policies of the past 12 months. He also held up some photos of people who have been arrested in Minnesota, claiming they are "criminal, illegal aliens". 10,000 undocumented residents apprehended in Minnesota: The POTUS claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has apprehended 10,000 undocumented residents in Minnesota. Trump's claims come after the US experienced weeks of unrest and protests after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good earlier this month. Machado unbelievably nice woman: Briefly touching on the topic of Venezuela, Trump hailed this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado as an unbelievably nice woman. She gave Trump her Nobel Peace Prize medal when visiting the White House earlier this month. Maybe we can get her involved in some way, said Trump. US President Donald Trump has invited leaders of at least 60 countries to join the Board of Peace for Gaza, which would be formed under the broader umbrella of his new Board of Peace. According to the White House, the Board of Peace will play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the Presidents plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilising international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development. The invitations have also been extended to India, China and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Who can be a member? Member states must be invited by the US president. Each member will serve a term of no more than three years, reported AFP, quoting the charter. The three-year membership term shall not apply to Member States that contribute more than USD $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charter's entry into force. Is there a fee to become a member? The White House has clarified that there is no minimum membership fee to join the Board of Peace. This simply offers permanent membership to partner countries who demonstrate deep commitment to peace, security, and prosperity, said the Official White House Rapid Response X handle. Who is on the Executive Board? The appointed members to operationalise the Board of Peaces vision include: Secretary Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Sir Tony Blair, Marc Rowan, Ajay Banga and Robert Gabriel. Which countries have been invited? According to a list compiled by Bloomberg, the countries who have been extended invitation include: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, , Bahrain, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, China, Cyprus, Egypt, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. UAE accepts invitation The UAE's foreign ministry confirmed that President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan has accepted Trump's invitation to the Board of Peace. His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed emphasized that the UAEs decision reflects the importance of fully implementing President Donald J. Trumps 20-point peace plan for Gaza, which is critical for the realization of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. His Highness reaffirmed the UAEs confidence in President Trumps leadership and commitment to global peace, exemplified by the historic Abraham Accords. His Highness reaffirmed the UAEs readiness to contribute actively to the mission of the Board of Peace, supporting greater cooperation, stability, and prosperity for all, reads the statement. Argentina accepts invitation, calls it an honour Argentina's President Javier Milei said it is an honour for him to have received the invitation for Argentina to join, as a Founding Member, the Board of Peace. Argentina will always stand with the countries that confront terrorism head-on, that defend life and property, and that promote peace and freedom. It is an honor for us to share in such a great responsibility, Javier Milei said in a post on X. Mark Carney accepts invitation, but Canada won't pay Prime Minister Mark Carney has accepted the invitation to join the board. However, Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said that the country does not plan to pay the $1-billion for a permanent seat. There [are] a lot of details to be worked out, but one thing which is clear is that Canada is not going to pay if we were to join the Board of Peace, reported CBC Canada, quoting Champagne. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan leaders to join Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev have accepted the invitation to join the board. "The head of state sent a letter to the president of the United States expressing sincere gratitude and confirming his agreement to join this new association," Reuters quoted Tokayev's spokesman Ruslan Zheldibay as saying. UK expresses concern over invite to Putin The UK expressed concern over Trump's invitation to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. "Putin is the aggressor in an illegal war against Ukraine, and he has shown time and time again he is not serious about peace," Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson said. Turkey's Erdogan yet to decide Turkey's foreign minister confirmed that they have received an invitation and said that President Tayyip Erdogan will soon decide whether to join Trump's Board of Peace. Zelensky says how we and Russia could Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has received invitation, but could not envisage working there alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin. "It's still very hard for me to imagine how we and Russia could be together in any kind of council," Zelensky told reporters. Will China accept invitation? China confirmed that it has received an invitation, but refused to say whether it would accept or decline it. "The Chinese side has received the invitation from the US," Reuters reported, quoting Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry, while speaking at a regular news conference. Guo added that China is willing to work with the US on further stabilising ties while safeguarding its own interests. Over the past year, China-US relations have experienced ups and downs, but have achieved overall dynamic stability. Will India accept Invitation? Donald Trump has also invited India to join the board. Honored to convey @POTUS invitation to Prime Minister @narendramodi to participate in the Board of Peace which will bring lasting peace to Gaza. The Board will support effective governance to achieve stability and prosperity! US Ambassador Sergio Gor said in a post on X. However, India is yet to officially react to the development. Yassamin Ansari, a Democrat representing Arizona's 3rd District, boldly claimed that US President Donald Trump is extremely mentally ill and should be removed from office immediately under the 25th Amendment. The president of the United States is extremely mentally ill and its putting all of our lives at risk. The 25th Amendment exists for a reasonwe need to invoke it immediately, the Democrat wrote on X. And the reason behind Ansari's claims that Trump is mentally ill? She cited the POTUS' letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store where he suggested that not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize has made him feel he no longer has an obligation to think purely of peace, but what is good and proper for US. What is the 25th amendment? The 25th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified in 1967 following the assassination of former US President John F Kennedy. The Amendment specifies what occurs if America's president or vice president is removed, passes away, resigns, or, in the case of the president, is unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office. Divided into four sections each section of the amendment defines a different process for succession and temporary transfer of authority. It also explains how presidential powers are transferred to the vice-president. Not just lawmaker Ansari. Multiple American politicians took to social media highlighting the 25th amendment with a focus on Section 4 of the amendment. What is Section 4 of the Amendment? Section 4 of the Amendment comes into action when the Vice President and either a majority of the Principal Officers of the Executive Departments or such other body as Congress may by law provide have decided that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office. In simple terms, it means that Section 4 of the Amendment allows the vice president and a majority of principal officers belonging to the executive departments to declare that the President cannot discharge duties. In case the president contests that declaration, the Congress is required to decide to uphold the removal of powers within a predetermined time frame by the same supermajorities. Donald Trump's Board of Peace is a part of his administration's 'comprehensive plan' to end the Gaza conflict. It includes a 20-point roadmap to bring peace to the Middle-East. The US president unveiled the board as part of the second phase of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. The board is expected to oversee Gazas post-war transition as the ceasefire that took effect on October 10 moves into a second phase. Its mandate is set to include the formation of a new Palestinian committee in Gaza, deployment of an international security force, disarmament of Hamas, and reconstruction of the war-ravaged territory. Who will run the board, what will it do? The Board of Peace will be chaired by US President Donald Trump, according to its founding charter. The Board will play a key role in carrying out all 20 points of the Presidents plan. It will guide the overall strategy, help bring in international support, and make sure responsibilities are met as Gaza moves from conflict toward peace and development. As per the preamble of the charter sent to countries invited to participate the board is an international organisation that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict. Who's on the executive board? Donald Trump has named the following executive board appointees: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, son-in-law Jared Kushner, former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and US deputy national security advisor Robert Gabriel Each of these members have been tasked with overseeing a defined portfolio critical to Gazas stabilization and long-term success, including, but not limited to, governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilisation. 'Rival of UN'? Following the invitations sent out to nations to be members on Board of Peace there reportedly has been criticism and concern that Donald Trump is trying to build an alternative to, or rival of, the United Nations, reported Bloomberg. The Board of Peaces mandate, authorised by the UN Security Council only until 2027, is limited strictly to the Gaza conflict. The inclusion of a charter on expansion plans beyond Gaza war in the invitation letter reportedly stoked concerns among some European governments that it could undermine the work of the United Nations, which Trump has accused of not supporting his efforts to end conflicts around the world. "It's a 'Trump United Nations' that ignores the fundamentals of the UN charter," one diplomat told Reuters. Who can be a member? Under the charter, member states will be invited by the US president and represented by their head of state or government. Each member is allowed to serve a term of up to three years. However, member nations who contribute more than $1 billion in cash to the Board of Peace within the first year of the charter coming into force can become a permanent member of the 'Board of Peace' The board will "convene voting meetings at least annually", and "each member state shall have one vote". The board is required to hold voting meetings at least once a year, with each member state allotted one vote. While decisions must be approved by a majority of members present and voting, they will also need the chairmans (US President) approval. In the event of a tie, the chairman is empowered to cast an additional deciding vote. Denmarks Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, on Tuesday issued a series of strong statements, warning US President Donald Trump, after his tariff threat to EU nations over Greenland, that any attempt to provoke a trade war with Europe would be met with a decisive response. Frederiksen said that they would not compromise on matters of sovereignty, identity, borders, or democracy and emphasised that the situation had broader implications for the global order, according to Reuters. The Prime Minister also described the current circumstances as a dark chapter. "We cannot negotiate on sovereignty, identity, borders, or democracy; this is a question of the world order, the worst may still be ahead of us, and if someone starts a trade war with Europe, we will of course respond. This is a dark chapter we are finding ourselves in, said Frederiksen. The EUs Kaja Kallas stated that no country has the right to seize the territory of another, whether in Ukraine or Greenland. The eight European nations targeted by Trump with a 10% tariff for opposing American control of Greenland strongly slammed the move on Sunday, warning that his threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral". In a joint statement, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland emphasised that the troops deployed to Greenland for operation Arctic Endurance pose no threat to anyone". Trump wrote on Truth Social that on June 1st, 2026, the tariff would be raised to 25% and would remain due and payable until a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland. We will not be pressured Amid rising tensions in recent days, thousands of Greenlanders took to the streets over the weekend to protest any attempts to take over their island. Greenlands PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said in a Facebook post on Monday that the tariff threats would not alter their position. We will not be pressured, he wrote. As per AP, Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenlands minister for business, minerals, energy, justice, and equality, mentioned that she was impressed by the swift response of allied nations to the tariff threat, noting that it demonstrated that countries recognise this is about more than Greenland. She added, I think a lot of countries are afraid that if they let Greenland go, what would be next? Also Read | Diplomacy or retaliation? EU mulls its options as tensions with US rise over Greenland Meanwhile, the Norwegian government released a message from Trump to Gahr Stre on Sunday in which he noted that, since Norway had decided not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize for having ended eight wars, he no longer felt obligated to focus solely on peace. He added that the world would not be secure unless the United States had complete control of Greenland. Denmark has reportedly boosted its military in Greenland, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday assured, "We will, of course, protect our European interests, including German national interests." European nations appeared to step up their game as US President Donald Trump refused to back down on his ambition for Greenland. According to Danish broadcaster TV2, as cited by Politico, a "substantial contribution" of Danish combat soldiers is expected to arrive in Kangerlussuaq, the location of Greenlands main international airport, on Monday evening. Fox News reported that Denmarks top military commander in the Arctic, Maj. Gen. Sren Andersen said about 100 Danish soldiers had already arrived in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, and a similar number in Kangerlussuaq, in western Greenland. The soldiers are due to take part in the Arctic Endurance training exercise. Andersen said last week that the deployment is a response to Russian threats and not to Trump. Local media recently shared a video showing "an expanded Danish military contingent in Greenland." Also Read | Donald Trumps Greenland tariffs are no great blow to Europe Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, on Monday, said: The US government knows that we could also respond on our part. I don't want to, but if necessary, we will of course protect our European interests, including German national interests. He further added that the US economy is not performing well. "This also has something to do with tariff policy," he said. Trump rattled NATO allies over the weekend after threatening to impose tariffs on a group of European members of the alliance if he doesnt get control of Greenland. The escalation prompted outrage among European Union leaders and a call by French President Emmanuel Macron to activate the blocs most powerful retaliation tool. EU ambassadors met on Sunday to discuss options if Trump follows through with his threats, including tariffs on some 93 billion ($108 billion) worth of American goods. The blocs leaders are due to meet for an emergency summit on Thursday. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it would be "very unwise" for European governments to retaliate. "I think its a complete canard that the president will be doing this because of the Nobel prize. The president is looking at Greenland as a strategic asset for the United States," he told reporters in Davos. EU Leaders to meet on Thursday EU leaders will discuss options at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday. One option is a package of tariffs on 93 billion euros ($108 billion) of US imports that could automatically kick in on 6 February after a six-month suspension. Another option is the "Anti-Coercion Instrument" (ACI), which has never been used and could limit access to public tenders, investments or banking activity or restrict trade in services, in which the US has a surplus with the bloc, including in digital services. The EU said it was continuing to engage "at all levels" with the US but said the use of its ACI was not off the table. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for calm discussion between the allies, adding he did not believe Trump was considering military action to seize Greenland. French president Emmanuel Macron, responded to Trump's tariff threats, stating, we do prefer respect over bullies after the United States President Donald Trump said he will impose a 200% tariff on French wines and Champagnes to pressure Macron into joining his Board of Peace.' The crazy thing is that we can be put in a situation where we will have to use the anti-coercion instrument towards the US," Macron said at the ongoing Davos Summit on Tuesday, 20 January. Urging for unity within the European Union, Macron warned against accepting a global order dictated by the those who claim to have the bigger voice. Let's not be divided and let's not accept a global order that will be decided by those that claim to have the bigger voice, said the French president, claiming that the EU "should not hesitate" to use anti-coercion mechanism in face of Greenland tariff threats. What did Trump say? Donald Trump warned of the 200% tariffs after a reporter asked the POTUS about Macron's likely refusal to serve on the board aimed at resolving global conflicts. Did he (Macron) say that (won't join)? Well, nobody wants him because he will be out of the office very soon. I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join, but he doesn't have to join, Donald Trump told reporters. What is Trump's Board of Peace? Donald Trump unveiled the 'board of peace' as part of the second phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, signed by both parties in October 2025 Under Trump's proposed Board of Peace, the US has asked countries to contribute $1 billion for a permanent spot on the body. Among the world leaders invited are Argentinas Javier Milei and Canadas Mark Carney, as well as several European nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, among others Bloomberg cited a draft of the charter, which states that Donald Trump would serve as the body's inaugural chairman and have authority over membership decisions. Donald Trump is aiming to get the full constitution and remit of the committee signed in Davos on 22 January amid the World Economic Forum (WEF 2026), the Bloomberg report added, citing sources. Trump's threat to France is not new. In a tragic incident, a 28-year-old Indian man who attended a music festival Electric Daisy Carnival in Thailand's Phuket reportedly collapsed and died under mysterious circumstances. According to the Bangkok Post, the deceased has been identified as Jain Saksham. When did the incident take place? The incident occurred in the early hours of 18 January. The international music festival which took place in Thalang district of Phuket was attended by thousands of people. Local residents informed Cherng Talay police about the man. However, even before the police arrived, he was rushed to the hospital by emergency responders, where he was declared dead. Also Read | Noida techie death case: What a survivor at the same accident site revealed What is the cause of the death? The reason behind the death is not yet known as police are still investigating. Even doctors were unable to determine the cause of death immediately. However, police said that there were no external injuries or signs of physical assault on the body. Autopsy to be conducted Bongkok Post reported that the body has been sent to Vachira Phuket Hospital for a full autopsy by forensic specialists. Police stated that the autopsy would be used to establish the precise cause of death and whether any substances or underlying medical conditions were involved. Also Read | Hindu man crushed to death in Bangladesh Witness account According to Asean Now report, witnesses recounted that the tourist became agitated and damaged property, including cars parked near Wat Somphan Rang. The report stated that after the event, he reportedly walked to a nearby parking area and climbed onto the back of a local resident's pickup truck parked by the roadside, where he began dancing in an agitated state. Efforts are underway to notify the victims family and the authorities have coordinated with the Indian embassy. Also Read | Indian man jailed in US over scheme to illegally export aviation parts to Russia Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre on Monday clarified to US President Donald Trump that the Norwegian government has no authority over deciding Nobel laureates. He made the remarks while confirming that he received a message from Trump over the Nobel Peace Prize snub. "I have clearly explained, including to President Trump, what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government. I am happy to repeat that," Stre said in a statement, as per a video shared by Al Jazeera English. Stre said that Trump's message came in response to his message about Norway and Finland's positions on Washington's tariff threats against the EU countries over Greenland. "I can confirm that this is a text message that I received yesterday afternoon from President Trump. It came in response to a short text message from me to President Trump sent earlier on the same day, on behalf of myself and the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb. In our message to Trump, we conveyed our opposition to his announced tariff increases against Norway, Finland and select other countries," he was quoted by ANI. Also Read | Europe steps up as Trump stands firm on Greenland: Denmark sends troops "We pointed to the need to de-escalate and proposed a telephone conversation between Trump, Stubb and myself on the same day. The response from Trump came shortly after the message was sent. It was his decision to share his message with other NATO leaders," he added. Stre reiterated Norway's position on Greenland and backed NATO's efforts to strengthen security and stability in the Arctic. Also Read | Trump links Greenland threats to missing out on Nobel Prize "Norway's position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter. We also support that NATO, in a responsible way, is taking steps to strengthen security and stability in the Arctic," he said. Trump's message to Norway Trump's letter to Stre circulated widely on social media. As per several reports, including PBS and News Hour, the National Security Council staff reportedly forwarded the letter to multiple European ambassadors in Washington. In the message, Trump asserted that Norway's failure to award him the prize had altered his approach to global affairs and alliance politics. He linked his claims on Greenland to not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Also Read | Norway PM says Trump linked Greenland takeover threats to Nobel Peace Prize snub Trump wrote: Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. The message then turns sharply toward Greenland, the semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark that Trump has repeatedly said the United States should acquire. In the letter, Trump questions Denmark's legal and historical claim to the island and casts its strategic vulnerability as a justification for US control. "Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a 'right of ownership' anyway? There are no written documents; it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also," he said. The message concludes with its most sweeping assertion, framing the US control of Greenland as essential to global security. "The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland," he said. Trump has threatened to impose 10 per cent tariffs on the UK and EU countries if they do not agree to sell Greenland to the US. How the Nobel Peace Prize is decided The Nobel Peace Prize laureates are selected by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The Norwegian Nobel Committee is composed of five members appointed by the Storting (Norwegian Parliament). View full Image How Nobel Peace prize is decided South Carolinas measles cases are propelling the USs outbreak into a second year, which threatens to end the nations claim to have eliminated the disease. South Carolina reported 88 new confirmed cases on Tuesday, bringing the total to 646 since the outbreak started in October. The latest numbers come on the one-year anniversary of the start of a Texas measles outbreak that infected more than 750 people, killed two unvaccinated children and helped drive US cases to a 34-year high. On Jan. 16, the Pan American Health Organizations subcommittee on evaluating measles elimination status scheduled an emergency meeting in April to review the elimination status of Mexico and the US. Countries are deemed measles-free when they havent had an outbreak circulate for more than a year. The US achieved its elimination status in 2000 following a widespread vaccination effort. While its unclear whether the 2025 Texas strain is still circulating, the US could still lose its status if PAHO determines its current public health campaigns are not sufficient enough to keep the virus under control. The designation is merely a label, but its loss would confirm that the virus has regained a dangerous foothold. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 2,242 confirmed measles cases across 44 states. The Texas outbreak spread to three other states and was declared over in August. Months later, outbreaks in South Carolina and another on the border of Utah and Arizona broke out. This year, the US has reported 171 cases in nine states through Jan. 13, mainly driven by South Carolinas numbers. On Jan. 17, Clemson University reported its first measles case on the Columbia, South Carolina, campus. Anderson University has also reported a case. In total, 538 people in South Carolina are in quarantine after being exposed to the virus across multiple elementary, middle and high schools and grocery stores. We are nowhere close to where we would need to be to say this outbreak is over, said infectious disease expert and former CDC official Demetre Daskalakis on a call with reporters Tuesday. Prior to when a vaccine became available in 1963, nearly every child contracted measles before turning 15, and the virus killed 400 to 500 Americans annually. But vaccination rates across the US have been falling in recent years. Its not just that weve largely eliminated measles, said Paul Offit, pediatrician and director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. We eliminated the memory of measles, so people just arent scared of it. Measles is highly contagious and can lead to encephalitis and pneumonia. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is 97% effective after two doses. During the Texas outbreak, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promoted unproven measles remedies like vitamin A and cod liver oil. Local hospitals started seeing more kids with vitamin A toxicity after his comments. Misinformation is one of the biggest concerns for local health departments on the front lines of the outbreak, said Chrissie Juliano, executive director of the Big Cities Health Coalition. The most important thing right now is for people to get vaccinated, she said. 2026 Bloomberg L.P. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen vowed on Tuesday an "unflinching" response to Donald Trump's threats over Greenland, as the US president said he was ready to hold a meeting in Davos about the Arctic island. In a speech to the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort, von der Leyen warned that Trump risked plunging US ties with the European Union into a "downward spiral" over the autonomous Danish territory. Trump, who will address the annual gathering of global elites on Wednesday, has put the transatlantic alliance to the test with his demand to take over Greenland. Europe is weighing countermeasures after the US president threatened to impose tariffs on eight European countries over the Greenland standoff -- although Washington has said any retaliatory levies would be "unwise". "The proposed additional tariffs are a mistake, especially between long-standing allies," von der Leyen told the meeting of world business and political leaders. "Plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape. So our response will be unflinching, united and proportional," she said. Trump pressed on with his Greenland campaign on his Truth Social platform, posting a fake photo of himself planting a flag in a rock and ice landscape next to a sign reading "GREENLAND - US TERRITORY EST. 2026". He later wrote he had a "very good" call with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte over mineral-rich Greenland. Also Read | Trump's Greenland takeover pitch backfires as France delivers savage comeback "I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland," he said late on Monday. The US president said he did not think European leaders would "push back too much" on his attempt to buy the vast island, telling reporters on Monday: "They can't protect it." Trump has used the argument that he wants to protect Greenland from perceived Russian and Chinese threats as a key justification for taking over the strategically located territory, although analysts suggest Beijing is a small player in the region. EU leaders will hold an emergency summit on Greenland in Brussels on Thursday. - Trump vs Macron - French President Emmanuel Macron will also address the forum on Tuesday, with his relations with Trump having hit a new low. The US leader threatened 200 percent tariffs on French wine and champagne over France's intention to decline an invitation to join his "Board of Peace". Analysts have likened the board aimed at resolving international conflicts -- which has a $1 billion fee for a permanent spot -- to a pay-to-play version of the UN Security Council. Trump confirmed Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was one of various world leaders invited to join, and told reporters of Macron that "nobody wants him" as he will "be out of office very soon". While Macron will leave on Tuesday without seeing Trump in Davos, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would seek to meet the US president at the forum on Wednesday. Macron has instead sent a message to Trump to propose a G7 summit in Paris on Thursday on Greenland, as well as ways to end Russia's war with Ukraine, with Copenhagen, Moscow and Kyiv attending on the sidelines. The Kremlin said Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev plans to meet members of the US delegation in Davos -- the first to head to the mountain resort since Russians were excluded from the gathering following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The United States has sent an unusually large delegation to Davos, in a sign that it wants to make its presence felt at the summit for global economic and political leaders. - China slams 'law of the jungle' - Other prominent foreign leaders addressing the WEF on Tuesday included Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, whose country has been locked in a trade war with Trump. "A select few countries should not have privileges based on self-interest, and the world cannot revert to the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak," He said, without naming any country. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has sought to reduce his country's reliance on the United States in its own tariffs feud with Trump, will also speak in Davos later Tuesday. As US ties fray, Carney turned the page on years of diplomatic tensions with China during a visit to Beijing last week, securing a preliminary trade agreement to reduce tariffs. Other flashpoints on the WEF agenda include the crises in Venezuela, Gaza, Ukraine and Iran. UN chief Antonio Guterres, a Davos regular, cancelled his participation after coming down with a "bad cold", his office said. France on Monday fired back at the Donald Trump administration's justification to acquire Greenland with a series of brutal and savage one-liners, and the replies are now going viral. In a post on early Monday, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs issued a sharp and sarcastic rebuttal to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's statement justifying his country's intent to acquire Greenland. The French MFA drew a parallel with situations where deliberately causing harm would be the solution to a future problem. If there were a fire someday, firefighters would intervene so better burn the house now. If a shark might attack someday, intervention would follow so better eat the lifeguard now. If there were a crash someday, damage would occur so better ram the car now, the French foreign ministry posted on X, sharing a video with Bessent's justification. Speaking at NBC's Meet the Press programme, Bessent on Sunday justified Trump's move to push for control of Greenland. If there were an attack on Greenland from Russia, from some other area, we would get dragged in so better now. Peace through strength... Europeans project weakness. The US projects strength, the top White House official said in an interview with NBC. EU mulls action after US tariff On Saturday, Donald Trump said he would impose a 10% tariff on eight European Union countries, including France, on 1 February and raise it to 25% by 1 June if they do not agree with his Greenland plans. EU governments are drawing up retaliatory measures, including possibly hitting the US with 93 billion euros' worth of tariffs or the so-far-unused "Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI)", which permits investment restrictions and curbs the export of services such as those provided by US digital giants. The ACI, which was finally approved in 2023, is seen by many as a nuclear option that is ideally meant as a deterrent. The ACI allows the 27-nation EU to retaliate against third countries that put economic pressure on its member countries to force a policy shift, and offers far wider scope for action than just counter-tariffs on US exports. The ACI has a 10-point list of possible measures on goods and services. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen on Monday (local time) held a meeting with a bipartisan delegation from the United States Congress in Davos, where they discussed Donald Trump's recent threats to acquire Greenland. In a post on X, Ursula von der Leyen emphasised the need to "respect" the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark. "I also addressed the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and of the Kingdom of Denmark. This is of utmost importance to our transatlantic relationship," she said. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that he stopped eight wars during his second term in office. In a recent message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, Trump wrote: "I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace" since the country [Norway] decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS." Last year, the Department of State called Trump "The President of Peace" who had stopped eight wars in eight months. Which are the eight wars Trump has claimed to have stopped? Trump repeatedly asserted that he ended the "wars" between: 1. Thailand and Cambodia 2. Kosovo and Serbia 3. DRC and Rwanda 4. India and Pakistan 5. Israel and Iran 6. Egypt and Ethiopia 7. Armenia and Azerbaijan 8. Israel and Hamas Also Read | Norway PM says Trump linked Greenland takeover threats to Nobel Peace Prize snub Analysts and observers have questioned Trump's claim since some of these were brief conflicts, like the one involving India and Pakistan, while others remain hot wars to this day, such as the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that while Trump continues to claim he has ended eight wars this year, that is exaggerated. In December last year, AP reported that Trump's meeting that week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted that far more work remains before any declaration of an end to the war in Gaza. Moreover, fresh fighting broke out between Thailand and Cambodia, and between Congolese forces and Rwanda-backed rebels last year. The Indian government has highly disputed his claims of stopping the conflict between India and Pakistan. Notably, Trump began his second term last January with a promise to end Russias war on Ukraine within a day. However, that conflict is still ongoing despite repeated US-brokered peace talks. The current situation of 8 wars: Israel and Hamas: There's still no end to the war in Gaza, except for periodic ceasefires and hostage deals. Israel and Iran: In June last year, Israel launched attacks on Irans nuclear program and military leadership, saying it wanted to stop Tehran from building a nuclear weapon. Iran has denied it was trying to do that. Trump negotiated a ceasefire after directing US warplanes to strike Irans Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites. Lawrence Haas, a senior fellow for US foreign policy at the American Foreign Policy Council, had reportedly characterised the ceasefire as a temporary respite from the ongoing day-to-day cold war. Egypt and Ethiopia: According to the AP, mediation efforts, which do not directly involve the United States, have stalled in what is best described as heightened tensions, not war. During his first term, Trump tried to broker a deal between Ethiopia and Egypt. He could not get the countries to agree. India and Pakistan: India denied Trumps claims, saying there was no conversation between the US and India on trade in regards to the ceasefire between India and Pakistan during the May conflict. It was not a "full-blown war", but a conflict that lasted for 7 days. Serbia and Kosovo: The White House lists the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo as one that Trump resolved. But there has been no threat of war between the neighbours during Trumps second term or any significant contribution from him this year to improve relations, AP reported. Rwanda and Congo: Trump played a key role in peace efforts between the African neighbours, but he is not alone, and the conflict is far from over, the AP added. In June, the Congolese and Rwandan foreign ministers signed a peace deal at the White House. Later, in early December, the countries presidents signed a peace deal as Trump looked on. But the M23 said it would not abide by an agreement that did not directly involve it. Days after the latest signing, the rebels seized another eastern Congo city before claiming to withdraw. Armenia and Azerbaijan: In August last year, Trump hosted the leaders of both countries at the White House. They had signed a deal to end a decades-long conflict. The countries signed agreements intended to reopen key transportation routes and reaffirm their commitment to signing a peace treaty. The text of the treaty was initialled by the foreign ministers, which indicates preliminary approval. But the leaders have yet to sign the treaty, and parliaments have yet to ratify it, reported the Associated Press. India just rewrote tax rules for foreign investors. Sadly, it isn't clear what they are. That's the subtext of the Supreme Court's 15 January ruling against Tiger Global. The verdict itself is unambiguous: the private equity (PE) firm must pay capital gains tax on its $1.6 billion Flipkart stake sale to Walmart in 2018, despite routing the transaction through Mauritius, a country with which India has a tax treaty specifically designed to avoid double taxation. The court ruled that having a registered entity in Mauritius and holding a Tax Residency Certificate wasn't enough when the real control sat in New York. If this were just another tax dispute that went against a global firm, it would be the end of the story. But the judgment, while decisive on Tiger Global's liability, leaves a more consequential question hanging: what exactly makes an offshore entity "real" enough to deserve treaty protection? The deciding factor seems to have been Chase Coleman, Tiger Global's New York-based founder, who had signing authority for any transaction over $250,000 in the Mauritius entities' bank accounts. That single detail, buried in bank documents, demolished the claim that these were independent businesses. The Supreme Court saw them as remote-controlled shells. The principle of substance over form is unquestionable. No country can allow structures designed purely to dodge taxes. The problem is the court provided no formula for what constitutes the right structures. Would it be a certain number of local employees or an independent board that meets quarterly or annual operational budgets exceeding a threshold? The silence on this dilutes some of the good coming out of the verdict. Consider the immediate fallout. Investors who routed funds through Singapore, which now accounts for 30% of India's FDI versus Mauritius's diminished 17%, would be nervously reviewing their structures. The substance-over-form doctrine applies equally but nobody knows where the line sits until tax authorities challenge a deal and courts rule years later. Adding to the complexity, Tiger Global argued that its investments, made before 1 April 2017, should be 'grandfathered' and protected from taxation under the pre-amendment treaty. The court rejected this, ruling that General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR) provisions apply to when the transaction occurs (2018), not when shares were acquired. This interpretation could affect numerous pre-2017 investments that exit after the cutoff date. Experts estimate that 20,000 crore in similar structures could now face scrutiny. While this evokes memories of the Vodafone and Cairn cases (which involved retroactive taxation that India eventually abandoned), the Tiger Global case is legally different, involving treaty interpretation rather than retrospective law. But for investors, the practical effect could feel identical: deals structured a decade ago under what seemed like established treaty protections now face billion-dollar tax bills based on newly clarified standards. The legal ping-pong this case went through (from rejection by the Authority for Advance Rulings in 2020, to Delhi High Court relief in 2024, to the SC reversal) meant years in limbo for Tiger Global. That uncertainty corrodes the investment climate more than any tax rate. To be fair, India isn't alone in this pivot. The OECD's Base Erosion and Profit Shifting initiative has 140 countries coordinating against treaty abuses. Justice Pardiwala asserted that "taxing an income arising out of its own country is an inherent sovereign right," and proposed that India adopt specific safeguards when negotiating tax treaties, including limitation of benefits clauses, explicit carve-outs for domestic anti-avoidance laws like GAAR, and periodic review mechanisms. But these remain judicial observations rather than implemented policy guidelines. India has every right to tax value created within its borders. The principle is sound. But rights exercised without predictability become arbitrary power. The SC has rewritten the rules. Now the government must write the manual. Tax sovereignty without implementation guidelines isn't strength. It's the kind of uncertainty that turns investors toward more predictable markets, even at lower returns. With India and Mauritius having signed a new protocol in March 2024 (pending ratification) that shifts the treaty's focus from promoting investment to preventing tax abuse, the policy direction is unmistakable. Whether this becomes a foundation for transparent tax enforcement or triggers another cycle of disputes will depend on whether the government provides clear implementation guidelines before the next wave of litigation begins. Market failure is a prickly idea in economics. It exists in theory, is acknowledged in textbooks and is occasionally invoked in policy debates, but it sits uneasily with the professions deeper instincts. To question the centrality of markets too forcefully is to invite misgivings, especially in academic publishing, where faith in markets appears more durable than the evidence that challenges it. I recall asking my PhD supervisor Dennis C. Mueller in the 1990s why, despite empirical support to the contrary, articles in leading economics journals reflect an almost unquestioned belief in markets as efficient allocators of resources. It felt to me almost theological. Perhaps the alternative in the form of government direction was more frightening? In any case, work challenging the orthodoxy was treated as heretical rather than debatable. Muellers response, characteristically measured, was that neoclassical models were elegant. They allowed optimization and produced clean results. Profit maximizing firms and utility maximizing consumers, represented by rational agents, delivered tractable outcomes. The models worked, even if the world did not seem to cooperate. Also Read | The EUs CBAM has lent urgency to fair carbon prices This criticism is neither new nor profound. So, why revisit it now? Because another article of faith has quietly taken hold in global policy discourse: the belief that carbon pricing is the most efficient and therefore most appropriate way to address climate change. The regulation in question is the EUs carbon pricing policy to control global emissions, known as its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Implemented from 1 January, CBAM aims to check carbon leakage and level the playing field for emission-intensive goods such as steel and aluminium by putting a carbon price on imports based on the emissions embedded in their production. This ensures that imported goods face a similar carbon cost as those produced in the EU under its Emissions Trading System (ETS). The price of carbon under the ETS is market-driven and is currently in a range of 85-90 per tonne. Countries were given time to adjust because transitions are difficult. Yet, there is little tolerance for alternative approaches that might achieve similar outcomes. Again, the thought is that markets should do the heavy lifting through carbon pricing. The EUs CBAM is designed to prevent carbon leakage and protect the integrity of its ETS. Its stated goal is environmental: to ensure that European producers subject to carbon pricing are not disadvantaged by imports from countries with weaker climate policies. In Ricardian terms, this implies that laxer environment standards should not become a source of comparative advantage. Whats more, environmental goals, according to the EU, are best achieved through a market-determined price on carbon, while other methods are implicitly dismissed as inefficient. Thus, climate-friendly measures such as levies on coal and mining, renewable energy purchase obligations and industry emission standards are tolerated, but not given the legitimacy they deserve. Also Read | Climate planning: Why India must study marine carbon removal The use of carbon pricing as the preferred option reflects its theoretical elegance. By internalizing the social cost of carbon, a uniform price is determined to ensure that emissions are reduced where abatement is cheapest. This logic has shaped decades of climate economics and rests on a critical assumption: that markets function reasonably well. Mounting evidence, however, shows that import demand for carbon-intensive goods is highly sensitive to carbon prices. Even moderate price increases lead to sharp declines in volumes, especially for products with high embedded emissions. Yet, the impact on total emissions in countries that export these products is limited. This result matters. If the CBAM were primarily an environmental instrument, one would expect meaningful emission reductions in exporting countries. Instead, it appears more effective at redirecting trade flows than reducing emissions. Thus, concerns have arisen around its use as a protectionist measure in green guise. Also Read | Fight climate change by using fintech to democratize carbon trading in India The relevant question, therefore, should not be whether a country has an economy-wide carbon tax, but whether its policy mix delivers comparable emission outcomes. Regulatory standards, technology mandates, sector-specific interventions and subsidies are good candidates. Ignoring these tools while penalizing trade by using default carbon values only makes trade costlier without commensurate climate gains. Globally, only about 23% of emissions are covered by explicit carbon pricing. Indias are not covered so far because we have adopted other means. We use standards, renewable energy mandates, technology support and sectoral policies that implicitly limit emissions. Even if carbon pricing makes clean technologies cheaper over their lifetime, the upfront investment is often unaffordable for small firms and households. Higher energy prices intensify affordability and equity concerns. Economic theory offers a useful lens. The theory of the second-best reminds us that when multiple distortions coexist, fixing just one may worsen outcomes. Carbon pricing works best when markets are competitive, information is available and distributional concerns can be managed. In their absence, insisting on first-best solutions can be counterproductive. Markets are powerful yet imperfect tools. Lets not abandon them, but use them with greater humility. These are the authors personal views. The author is dean, school of humanities and social sciences and professor of economics, Shiv Nadar University. Indias goods and services tax (GST) framework has a structural timing asymmetry that disproportionately burdens micro and small enterprises. While tax liability is triggered at the point of invoicing, cash realization for many entities occurs months later. In an economy where extended credit terms are routinely imposed by larger clients, this design choice compels smaller firms to remit tax on income that remains unrealized, effectively transferring working capital from the weakest balance sheets to the strongest. Payment cycles of 90-120 days are routine in most sectors. These terms are not negotiated on an equal footing. They are imposed by buyers with scale, bargaining power and access to capital. Small suppliers comply because refusal often means exclusion. GST becomes payable on invoices, not on collections. For large firms with predictable cash flows, the distinction is immaterial. For small firms, it is decisive. Tax payments fall due monthly even when cash may arrive months later. The state is paid on schedule. The buyer preserves liquidity. The supplier absorbs the gap. Over time, this gap becomes structural. The scale of this distortion is substantial. Delayed receivables owed to small firms amount to several trillion rupees, representing working capital that is effectively immobilized within supply chains. These funds would otherwise circulate through wages, inventory cycles and incremental investment. Many firms are compelled to bridge liquidity gaps through informal credit, short-term borrowing or deferment of statutory obligations. This imbalance is not confined to private sector supply chains. Public sector enterprises and government-linked buyers, despite formal payment timeline rules, often delay settlements well beyond prescribed limits. Enforcement is uneven as the economic hierarchy is unmistakable. Small suppliers are rarely in a position to assert contractual rights against dominant buyers on whom future orders depend. The policy system often assumes that statutory timelines resolve this asymmetry, but practice diverges sharply from intent. Alongside delays, there are persistent accounts of procedural friction and informal rents embedded in order processing and payment release, further extending cash cycles. GST is a transformative reform. It unified markets, reduced cascading taxes and expanded the formal economy. But its architecture assumes that invoicing and liquidity broadly coincide. For small firms, that assumption does not hold. The introduction of quarterly return-filing for businesses below a turnover threshold acknowledged compliance fatigue, but it stopped short of addressing the core problem. Payments follow a calendar rhythm rather than cash rhythm. For firms with access to institutional finance, delayed payments are a balance sheet choice. For their suppliers, they are a recurring constraint that compounds with every billing cycle. Tax timing intensifies that constraint. Allowing small as well as medium enterprises and individual GST payers to pay tax quarterly would recalibrate this interaction. Such a shift would align tax outflows more closely with realized cash flows, easing pressure on working capital without altering tax incidence. Its policy strength lies in efficiency. Liquidity would be released without fiscal expenditure, without new schemes and without credit risk for the state. Revenue would be collected in full, but at a moment that reflects economic reality rather than an accounting abstraction. Also Read | Ranade: How a GST reform hiding in plain sight could revive private investment The design implications are manageable. GST is a tax shared with states that rely on predictable inflows for budget management. That consideration calls for careful calibration. Turnover thresholds, phased implementation and the retention of monthly reporting would preserve fiscal visibility while offering smaller firms room to manage cash cycles more sustainably. The administrative scaffolding already exists within the GST system. Any classification-based relief demands discipline. Turnover is the most robust filter, supplemented by receivables profiles and compliance history. Monthly reporting would maintain invoice level visibility and secure the integrity of input tax credit flows across value chains. Liquidity relief, thus, need not come at the cost of administrative confidence or auditability. Quarterly GST payments will not resolve the deeper problem of delayed payments by dominant buyers. That challenge requires stronger enforcement of existing payment discipline laws and more credible penalties. There is also a broader principle at stake. Tax systems shape markets, not just revenues. When their assumptions privilege scale and penalize fragility, neutrality is lost. Correcting such distortions would simply be an act of alignment. Small and medium firms contribute roughly a third of Indias economic output and employ a significant share of its workforce. Their resilience underpins supply chain stability, employment continuity and the pace of formalization. Releasing even a fraction of the capital locked will have far-reaching effects, without relying on either fiscal largesse or regulatory forbearance. The author is a corporate advisor and author of Family and Dhanda. X : @ssmumbai The coming decade will be unlike anything we have seen before. Multiple technology shifts are maturing in parallel: the intelligence revolution and rise of digital labour; breakthroughs in frontier technologies like biotechnology and advanced materials; compute moving from centralized data centres to the intelligent edge; and quantum applications becoming real in areas such as drug discovery, defence and logistics. This convergence is unprecedented. It can unlock enormous economic valuebut it also expands risk exposure at a speed that governments are not prepared to manage. Also Read | Indias Viksit Bharat goal calls for better governance across the country As India aspires to celebrate the centenary of our independence as a developed nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly reminded us that Viksit Bharat is not just about faster growth. It is about deep transformation. It is about our ability to re-imagine India. For the first time in history, we actually have the tools to do so. The real question is whether we are equipped to use this power to drive the transformation India needs. The truth is we are no longer constrained by technologywe are constrained by mindset. Indias technology foundation itself is strong and inclusive by design. Platforms such as Aadhaar and UPI have become global benchmarks for digital public infrastructurebuilt with inclusion as its aim and impacting billions of lives. But the next phase demands much more. We must drive end-to-end transformations across sectors to unlock exponential growth, while re-engineering the social landscape to raise productivity and dignity at every level. The constraint is no longer tools. It is how governments think, plan and execute. To translate technological capability into real outcomes, we need to drive five fundamental mindset shifts in governmentfrom districts and states to departments at the Centre. Also Read | KYC rules have exposed troves of data to identity theftbut tech fixes exist From silos to scale: Across states, innovation is thrivingbut largely in pilot programmes. These demonstrate possibility but do not deliver transformation. Scale never happens organically. It must be designed from day one. Agriculture makes this clear. Despite hundreds of technology pilots, we have not been able to unlock the pathways for exponential gains in crop yields or farmer incomes. The problem is not lack of technologyit is fragmented deployment. Only end-to-end, platform-based approaches across the seed-to-sale lifecycle that cuts across departments can deliver sustained impact. Equally important is customization. Indian farmers are not a homogenous category. Small, medium and mature farmers differ sharply in needs, capital access and tech-readiness. Technology that ignores this diversity fails. Relevance drives adoption. Adoption drives impact and impact enables scale. From data collection to data-driven action: Data, unlike oil, has zero value when stored. Its value lies in being converted into intelligence that shapes timely decisions and action. India today is data-rich but often insight-poor. If governments do not build decision-intelligence capabilities, others willand we risk becoming suppliers of raw data while importing intelligence. This requires investment in analytics, embedding data into core decision workflows (not parallel dashboards) and working on data literacy so that officials use data for judgement, not compliance. From technology dependence to sovereignty: In todays geopolitical environment, tech sovereignty is non-negotiablebut it needs a long-term outlook and uncompromising commitment. True sovereignty means owning critical intellectual property, shaping global standards and controlling key supply chains. It demands mission-driven indigenous R&D that would help India evolve from being a service-led adopter to a product-making nation. The imperative is clear: Chart a national roadmap with uncompromising commitment. Prioritize R&D for resilience and forge trusted partnerships that do not require absolute control. Without this clarity, sovereignty will remain aspirational. From tech-augmented services to stronger policy design: Globally, governments are moving beyond using technology to merely digitize services. They are embedding advanced technologies directly into policy design and decision-making. Tools such as digital twins now allow policies to be simulated and stress-tested before rolloutreducing risk, improving outcomes and increasing trust. Governments, therefore, must build end-to-end decision systems that embed intelligence into the core working of the state. This must be matched by continuous capacity development, not one-time trainingvia platforms like IGOT (or Integrated Government Online Training) for ongoing learning and tech fluency. This must be Task No. 1 for every state. From reactive to proactive risk management: The most critical shift is moving from reacting to risks to anticipating them. Todays risks are no longer limited to IT systems. Cyber threats target national infrastructure and supply chains. Social risks include cognitive warfare and large-scale workforce disruption. Emerging risksfrom quantum-enabled security breaches to biosecuritychallenge existing frameworks. Some of the most dangerous risks are operational: fragmented procurement, siloed data, lack of standards and weak institutional capacity. These are national security and economic resilience risks, not technical issues. The broad imperative for governance is to institutionalize continuous risk-horizon scanning, so that we can anticipate what lies aheadbecause the only risks that governments can manage are the ones they see coming. In sum, technology will continue to advance rapidly. We now face a clear choice: continue with fragmented deployments and their sub-optimal impact, or re-imagine governance itself. If we make this shift with clarity and conviction, technology will not just improve governance, it will lay the foundation for a truly Viksit Bharat. The author are, respectively, CEO and distinguished fellow, Niti Aayog. Should India join the Board of Peace for Gaza being set up by the US? This decision would hinge on what it implies for Indias strategic autonomy. While this post-war initiative has approval of the UN, a body whose power balance New Delhi wants updated to todays reality, Board decisions would clearly be under US control. This risks the UN getting sidetracked. Also Read | US to unveil Gaza governance plan despite concerns over Hamas The Boards composition is arbitrary, like the $1 billion contribution required for long membership. A Palestinian body for Gazas administration is part of the US plan for the war-battered territory, but since its authority will be limited to education, municipal services, etc, with little say on redevelopment, Gazans may find themselves largely voiceless. Also Read | Why India may need to rework its geopolitical playbook in 2026 These drawbacks must be weighed against what gains Pax Americana (even if shaped by White House whimsy) can yield for India, apart from the risk of US ire if we dont sign up and what help we can actually give Gazans within this US-created framework. Also Read | Israel and Hamas get ready to go back to war in Gaza Indias participation is a call best made on a fine calculus of national interests in a range of plausible scenarios. Either way, its a moment for New Delhi to articulate Indias position on Gazas future. From a certain angle, US President Donald Trump is doing in a matter of weeks what other leaders could never have dreamt of: Assembling an oil cartel with sufficient sway to rival Opec and acquiring a kill switch for the energy-importing economy of Americas prime geopolitical rival, China. Combine Trumps supposed hegemony over the Americas since the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on 3 January with control over a post-revolution Iran, and youre at about 42% of global oil production. Add to that the fact that China is the biggest importer of both Venezuelan and Iranian oil, and Beijing suddenly looks vulnerable. Not so fast. The bigger lesson from Washingtons actions in Venezuela and from any hypothetical backing of regime change in Iran is that diplomatic actions may change leaders, but they rarely alter the underlying relationships between oil producers and their customers. Such trade relationships, in turn, influence diplomatic alliances. Since World War II, politicians whove sought to control these flows have almost always failed. As weve noted before, China will be central to the next act in Venezuelas drama. Beijing plays a similar if not more important role for Iran, and its one that is unlikely to be diminished by Trumps latest efforts in the global theatre of geopolitics. Even if relations with the US or other Western powers were to improve under a different leadership in Tehran a very big if Iran is unlikely to abandon its strategic alignment with China. The two are tied together in a loose web of diplomatic, economic and security networks. They have participated in military exercises and in 2021 signed a pact outlining $400 billion of potential Chinese investments over 25 years, providing a lifeline for Iran in the face of international sanctions. Chinese President Xi Jinping has been a huge backer of Tehrans Global South ambitions, encouraging it to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2023. China also supported its accession to the expanded Brics bloc. Last week, warships from Iran, China, South Africa and the UAE joined naval exercises off the coast of South Africa. Pragmatism defines much of Beijings relationship with Tehran. Chinese officials this week reaffirmed their long-standing position of backing stability in Iran, but nothing beyond a few words of concern in response to protests that have posed the biggest challenge to the Islamic Republic since it was founded back in 1979. Beijing has its own problems with imposing geopolitical hegemony through military means, of course. It has adopted an aggressive stance across the region, most overtly, perhaps, towards Taiwan. That hardly makes it a paragon of a rules-based order and multilateral approach to international affairs. Still, Trumps own swagger, made real in US foreign policy, has given China an opportunity to paint America as an unreliable and predatory force in the world and itself as the rational actor. Also Read | Crude expectations: The Venezuela shock could go either way for India There is also historical precedent for why a longer-term chill between Tehran and Beijing on the oil front is unlikely. For all the fears of petroleum being used as a geopolitical weapon, occasions when fossil fuel producers have frozen out their customers for political reasons are few and far between. The 1973 Arab oil embargo is a rare exception, but the failure of its stated aimto end Western oil importers military support for Israelillustrates why most have tended to steer clear of ideological fights. The US continued importing oil from Iran on and off for eight years after the Islamic Revolution and the EU will not completely phase out Russian gas imports until late next year, five years after Moscow invaded Ukraine. Far from getting shut out of Venezuelas post-Maduro oil exports, China is already being lined up as a principal customer by commodity traders Trafigura Group and Vitol Group. Expect more of the same in the coming months. Once upon a time, US restrictions on Asian oil trade could bring an aspiring hegemon to its knees. Such leverage is beyond Trumps grasp now. Russia is the only country that provides more than 10% of Chinas crude and most major suppliers are aspiring middle powers that wont be easily persuaded to do his bidding. A switch away from oil is another way of diversifying supplies: Electric cars and trucks will eliminate about 1.76 million barrels of Chinese oil demand this year, roughly equivalent to every barrel imported from Iran and Venezuela put together. This slippery liquid always finds its level and can seep through the narrowest cracks to connect buyers with sellers. If youre betting that the law of trade and geopolitics has been upended, you may find yourself disappointed. Bloomberg The author is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia politics with a special focus on China. The London-based Economist describes it as the ultimate networking event"; The Guardian , a British daily, as the last-chance saloon to save the old world order." The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international advocacy non-governmental organization and think-tank founded in 1971 by German engineer Klaus Schwab, and its annual gathering at Davos, Switzerland, was once billed as the biggest talk-show-cum-photo op in the post-Bretton Woods world. It was known for drawing leaders from government, business, civil society and academia together to discuss global issues and set priorities." This years meeting, its 56th, is no exception. Over 3,000 delegates, including more than 30 foreign ministers, 60 finance ministers and central bank governors and 30 trade ministers from 130 countries are expected to attend its sessions this week. With India emerging as one of the most active and visible national delegations," according to a WEF readout, more than 80 Indian CEOs are slated to attend, together with Union ministers and delegations from nine states. The hope, as always, is to attract interest and investment in India from the global corporations whose chiefs will be in attendance. The theme for this years WEF huddle, A spirit of dialogue, seems almost laughably naive, given how US President Donald Trump has spent his first year in office taking apart any semblance of it, as if it is something better exorcized than exercised. It is being held against a background of high geopolitical uncertainty, unrest in Iran, a war in Ukraine, civil war in Sudan, forced regime change in Venezuela and the distinct possibility of a rupture within the US-led military alliance Nato over Trumps designs on Greenland. In a telling commentary of the times, a cross-section of more than 1,300 politicians, business leaders and academics quizzed by the WEF singled out geo-economic confrontation" as the most pressing risk for the next two years, with outright" war between nations in second place. Forget globalization, even near-shoring and friend-shoring look like bleak prospects. Just days before the 2026 WEF jamboree, Trump threatened to levy tariffs on Americas European allies if they did not back his plan to annex Greenland. Like the main theme, the five sub-themes this yearhow can we cooperate in a more contested world, unlock new sources of growth, better invest in people, deploy innovation at scale and responsibly, and build prosperity within planetary boundariessound divorced from reality. Critics have long said this Alpine conclave 1,560 metres above sea level tries to punch above its weight but has little to show by way of results on the ground. Also Read | The US climate cop-out should galvanize the world to rally around the planet Thats on the downside. But the very fact that Trump has chosen to attend WEF 2026 in person, unlike his virtual appearance last year, and will lead Americas largest-ever delegation is proof of Davoss relevance, even if it seems vastly diminished from the go-go era of globalization. In a world where rules-based multilateral organizations like those for trade and health and UN affiliates like the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change have been rendered almost comatose by US rejection, vital signs of life in a forum for delegates to meet and discuss world issues across big global divides is reason enough to believe we can still hope for a better tomorrow, globally. As the world stares at a polycrisis that may be a prelude to a power shake-up that might make every economy quake, jaw-jaw must prevail over war-war. The Bharatiya Janata Party, on Tuesday, 20 January, formally announced Nitin Nabin as its new national president. K Laxman, the returning officer for the partys organisational elections, handed over the certificate of election to Nabin. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former BJP president J P Nadda, and senior leaders Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari congratulated him on his election. At 45, Nitin Nabin is the youngest leader to be elected as the BJP national head and is the 12th president of the party. His election came more than a month after he was declared the national working president of the BJP. Addressing party leaders and workers at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, outgoing national president and Union Minister J P Nadda welcomed his successor. You have taken on the responsibility as the 12th National President of such a great party. Many congratulations and best wishes to you, he said. Nitin Nabin was named BJP national president with no other candidates in the fray. His candidature was backed by Prime Minister Modi. PM Modi congratulates Nitin Nabin Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated the newly-appointed BJP national President Nitin Nabin. I congratulate Nitin Nabin for becoming the president of the worlds largest party," PM Modi said. Who is Nitin Nabin? BJP President Nitin Nabin is the son of the late senior BJP leader and four-time Bihar Assembly legislator Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha. He entered politics in 2006 following his fathers death, reportedly after winning a by-election from Patna West. Who backed Nitin Nabins candidature? Nitin Nabin was elected BJP national president after 37 sets of nomination papers backing his candidature were submitted to K Laxman, the returning officer for the election. Also Read | Nitin Nabin becomes youngest-ever BJP president after unopposed election Prime Minister Modi, Union Ministers including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupendra Yadav, Kiren Rijiju and Hardeep Puri, as well as outgoing president J P Nadda, were among the leaders who backed Nabins nomination. Nitin Nabin accorded Z category CRPF security Bharatiya Janata Party national working president Nitin Nabin has been accorded Z category armed security cover by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), sources told ANI on Tuesday. Also Read | BJP national president election: Nitin Nabin to file nomination today Nitin Nabin was given CRPF security cover a few days after his appointment as national working president of the BJP on December 14, by the partys parliamentary board. The decision to provide the high-level security cover was taken following an order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, considering a security assessment by the Intelligence Bureau. Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi is making headlines after the latest drama episode unfolded in the State Legislative Assembly. This marks the third time that he staged a walkout after skipping the customary address. RN Ravi declined to deliver the customary address on the opening day of the first session of the year and walked out of the 234-member House on Tuesday. This action was a mark of protest after Speaker Appavu refused to allow RN Ravi to play the national anthem after the Tamil Anthem. In the past two years, this is the third time that the Governor walked out without reading the opening address. Tamil Nadu's Lok Bhavan later issued a 13-point clarification in a press release, stating the reasons why Governor RN Ravi refused to deliver the inaugural address. The Governor's mic was repeatedly switched off, and he was not allowed to speak... Atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women are sharply increasing. However, it is totally bypassed in the speech... National Anthem is yet again insulted, and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty is disregarded, the press release stated. The speech contains numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements. Several crucial issues troubling the people are ignored, PTI quoted, citing Lok Bhavan's release. The Governor's mic was repeatedly switched off, and he was not allowed to speak... Atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women are sharply increasing. However, it is totally bypassed in the speech... National Anthem is yet again insulted, and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty is disregarded, the press release stated. The speech contains numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements. Several crucial issues troubling the people are ignored, PTI quoted, citing Lok Bhavan's release. The Lok Bhavan alleged that Tamil Nadu was the fourth-largest recipient of foreign direct investment four years ago, but is now struggling to maintain the sixth position. It refuted claims that the state attracted huge investments to the tune of over (Rs) 12 lakh crores. Many of the MOUs with prospective investors remain only on paper. Actual investment is hardly a fraction of it. Investment data show that Tamil Nadu is becoming less attractive for investors, the release said. To protest against the ruling DMK-led State government, the opposition AIADMK staged a walkout from the Assembly. Chief Minister MK Stalin reacts Chief Minister MK Stalin condemned RN Ravi's move and said that the Governor's action disrespects the house. The DMK party leader alleged that refusing to deliver a customary address violates Assembly protocols. Criticising the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, Stalin said, "Actions of the Governor insult the 100-year-old assembly. I would like to recollect the phrase of CN Annadurai, who said before that, Why does a goat need a beard, and why does a state need a Governor? Also Read | Jana Nayagan row: M K Stalin targets centre over CBFC certification delay Suggesting that the Governor is spreading malicious campaigns against the government, he added, Both Annadurai and Kalaignar M Karunanidhi, when they were Chief Ministers before, had never disrespected the post of the Governor. My legislators and I have also followed these footsteps and never deterred against the Governor. However, the Governor's actions, now and on previous occasions, are saddening. Tamil Nadu assembly reflects the sentiments of crores of Tamils, ANI reported. Calling this move unacceptable, the Chief Minister said that the assembly considers the speech delivered, which has been uploaded to the MLAs' systems in English. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin on Tuesday said his party would make efforts to amend the Constitution to omit provisions mandating the Governor's Address to the state legislature at the beginning of the year. Stalin's comments came in response to Governor RN Ravi earlier declining to read the state government's prepared text in the Assembly. The Governor's office, the Lok Bhavan, claimed there were inaccuracies in the address. Governor Ravi walked out of the House without delivering the customary address. Speaking in the Assembly later, Chief Minister Stalin said it was not good that the Governor refused to read out the government's prepared speech every year. Governors posing trouble happens in several states, and it does not happen only in Tamil Nadu, he said in an apparent reference to non-BJP-ruled states. This was the fourth such walkout in a row by Ravi ever since he assumed office in 2021. At the beginning of the year, the Governor reads out the government's policy statement as a practice. When a governor repeatedly violates such a practice, a question naturally arises "as to why such a rule/practice should exist," Stalin said. Hence, the chief minister said, the DMK would make efforts in Parliament, with the support of like-minded parties, to delete from the Constitution, by way of an amendment, provisions mandating the governor's address at the start of the year. Later in a social media post, the DMK chief said: Let us demand a Constitutional amendment that the Governor's Address is unnecessary. He added that it is for the sake of all the states ruled by the opposition parties in the country. The four-year achievements of the Dravidian model government cannot be hidden from the people who have benefited from them just because the Governor leaves the House without reading the government-prepared address, he said. On Monday, an English daily, in its editorial, referred to the Tamil Nadu Governor as recalcitrant for disrespecting the Constitution and the democratically elected government, and Ravi's actions today have proven that, the chief minister alleged. What sparked the row today? Governor RN Ravi declined to read out the DMK government's customary address in the Assembly, as it had numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements, the Lok Bhavan said later. While the Assembly, immediately after Ravi walked out of the House, adopted a resolution moved by CM Stalin stating that only the government-prepared customary address would go on the official record, the Lok Bhavan quickly released a statement claiming to provide an explanation of what transpired inside the House. Also Read | Jana Nayagan row: M K Stalin targets centre over CBFC certification delay The governor's office alleged that the national anthem was yet again insulted and that the fundamental Constitutional duty to respect it was disregarded. Several crucial issues troubling the people were ignored. While Ravi had been demanding that the national anthem be played at the commencement of the customary address, the government's stand is that the Tamil anthem is traditionally played at the beginning and the national anthem at the end. Minutes after Ravi walked out of the 234-member House without delivering his address, the Lok Bhavan issued a 13-point explainer on why Ravi declined to read out the address. It alleged the Governor's mic was repeatedly switched off and he was not allowed to speak. The four-year achievements of the Dravidian model government cannot be hidden from the people. "The speech contains numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements. Several crucial issues troubling the people are ignored," it said. The Lok Bhavan alleged that the Tamil Nadu government's "claim that the state attracted huge investments to the tune of over (Rs) 12 lakh crores is far from the truth." In late 2018, President Trump asked his national security adviser, John Bolton, to weigh in on an idea floated by a prominent businessman: Should the U.S. buy Greenland? Bolton said he would look into it. Weve got important strategic interests there," he recalled saying. Once news of the effort leaked, it was derailed and Trump moved on to other priorities. Eight years later, however, Trumps pursuit of Greenland has become a focus of his second presidential term. In recent days, he has ramped up pressure on European leaders in an attempt to wrest the worlds largest island into U.S. control. By threatening tariffs and leaving the specter of military action on the table in recent days, he has stunned even some aides who now believe it could become more difficult for Europeans to accept any sort of negotiation given the U.S. presidents increasing demands. Senior administration officials have tried to reassure European allies that there are currently no military plans to take over Greenland, and European leaders are working the phone with Trump and his inner circle in a bid to de-escalate. One top diplomat said that unlike in Trumps first term, Europeans are taking his threats more seriously now. After he won the 2024 election, the president immediately set his eyes again on acquiring the Danish island, according to people involved in the discussions. And Trump has suggested if Denmark doesnt give up control of Greenland, he might take it by force. As a real-estate developer, Trump has long been enticed by the idea of acquiring Greenland, an area more than three times the size of Texas, in what would be the largest land acquisition since the U.S. bought Alaska from Russia in 1867. But he brought to his second term a new willingness to upend diplomatic norms to pursue a goal he believes would cement his legacy. He was especially emboldened by the successful U.S. military mission capturing Venezuelas autocratic leader, Nicolas Maduro, according to people familiar with the matter. Despite criticism that the move violated international law, Trump viewed the ouster as a foreign-policy victory. Immediately after Trump took office, he and his advisers began discussing how much money to offer Greenlanders, as well as planned agreements regarding mineral rightswhich could far exceed the benefits residents currently receive from Denmark, according to people familiar with the matter. Those discussions have accelerated in recent weeks. Trump claims Greenland is vital to U.S. national security and deterring China and Russia in the region. He has argued that NATO would be stronger if Greenland is under U.S. control, and has linked the Arctic island to his planned Golden Dome missile-defense system. Greenland also has untapped reserves of rare-earth minerals. But the president also sees acquiring Greenland as part of his quest to expand American territory. Trump admires James Polk, who as president during the mid-1800s oversaw the largest expansion of U.S. territory in history, and specifically requested his portrait for the Oval Office. Critically, bringing Greenland into Americas fold aligns with the presidents national-security goal of dominating the Western Hemisphere, advisers say. Those goals are expected to be part of his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, a senior official said. In an escalation over the weekend, Trump announced on social media that he would impose 10% tariffs on imports from several European countries in an effort to pressure Denmark to sell Greenland to the U.S. The tariffs will increase to 25% on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for what he called the complete and total purchase" of Greenland, Trump said. Trumps announcement comes after European nations sent military and diplomatic assets to Greenland to deter the U.S. from acquiring the territory. The businessman who gave Trump the idea to buy Greenland was billionaire Ronald Lauder, who is an investor in the Arctic territory, according to Bolton. Lauder explained in an opinion column in the New York Post last year that Trumps desire for Greenland to become U.S. territory is no laughing matter. To know Greenland is to understand that it is not just another strategic asset: It is Americas next frontier," Lauder wrote. During Trumps first term, plans were quietly made for Bolton to meet with the Prime Minister of Denmark in 2019, and even for Trump to potentially meet with the Danes and discuss Greenland on the way back from a scheduled trip to Poland in September 2019. A team of national-security officials researched Trumps proposal. Bolton determined that they could try to update the 1951 Defense of Greenland Agreement, which grants the U.S. extensive rights to establish and operate military facilities in the vast arctic region. When The Wall Street Journal broke the story in August 2019, It was all downhill from there," Bolton recalled. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Trumps idea of buying Greenland absurd." Trump called the prime ministers statement nasty" and inappropriate." Trump told Bolton to scrap his visit to Copenhagen. Now back in office, Trump is more determined to demonstrate his power and has fewer people around him who are urging a different course. The president has argued that Copenhagen should make a deal" to transfer the Arctic territory. But he has repeatedly declined to rule out military action, including when asked about it in an interview with NBC on Monday. Trump also recently explained in an interview with the New York Times that ownership is, for him, psychologically needed for success." Ownership gives you things and elements that you cant get from just signing a document, that you can have a base," Trump said. On Monday the president introduced a new justification for his aggression toward Greenland when he told Norway, one of the countries Trump threatened to hit with tariffs, that he no longer needed to think purely of peace" after not winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump has repeatedly expressed confidenceand awein the power of the U.S. military. He has also begun to think more about his legacy, now having entered the second year of his final term, and has told advisers he wants to move swiftly to get things done. Despite Trumps threats there has been no decision made on exactly what to do, according to U.S. officials. That stands in contrast to Venezuela, where a steady military presence was in place to carry out the eventual mission. Some of Trumps advisers privately worry that the tariffs and other saber rattling have made a deal to buy the island difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. Trumps push is uniting European resistance to Trump, and Trump has become more acrimonious in his demands in recent days. Over the weekend, thousands of people gathered in the Danish capital in front of the U.S. Embassy to demonstrate against Trumps Greenland ambitions. Some donned red hats that parodied the famous MAGA slogan with the phrase Make America Go Away." They said they were baffled and angry with Trumps actions. If it is just all rhetoric in the U.S., it is not felt that way here," said Frej Lund Taunajik Adamsen, a demonstrator who has family in Greenland. People are very afraid." Write to Meridith McGraw at Meridith.McGraw@WSJ.com, Alex Leary at alex.leary@wsj.com and Josh Dawsey at Joshua.Dawsey@WSJ.com As career trajectories lengthen and life milestones shift, an increasing number of women are reassessing how to balance professional growth with future family plans. Egg freezingclinically referred to as oocyte cryopreservationis increasingly being viewed not as a last resort, but as a proactive fertility planning tool. According to Dr Prajakta Chaudhary, fertility specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, egg freezing offers working women flexibility without forcing immediate life decisions. Many women are at their peak professionally during their late twenties and early thirties. Egg freezing allows them to preserve fertility potential while focusing on career, health or personal goals, she says. Also Read | Thyroid health: Why calorie counting fails and the nutrients you actually need What is egg freezing? Egg freezing involves collecting a womans eggs from the ovaries, freezing them at very low temperatures and storing them for future use. When a woman is ready to conceive, the eggs can be thawed, fertilised using assisted reproductive techniques and transferred to the uterus. Beyond career planning, egg freezing is also advised for medical reasons, such as before chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or in conditions like endometriosis, low ovarian reserve or a family history of early menopause. Also Read | From menopause to PCOS: Delhi doctor on hormones and 5 ways to cut heart risk When is the right time? Age remains one of the most critical factors in egg freezing outcomes. Specialists generally recommend considering the procedure in the late twenties to early thirties, when egg quality and quantity are typically better. A fertility consultation usually includes testing Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) levels, which help assess ovarian reserve. Freezing eggs earlier improves the chances of success later, Dr Chaudhary notes. It is not about guaranteeing pregnancy, but about improving options. How the process works For working women, one of the common concerns is whether egg freezing will significantly disrupt daily routines. In most cases, the process spans around 10 to 12 days and can be planned alongside work schedules. Step-by-step overview: Initial consultation: A fertility specialist evaluates medical history, AMH levels and overall health. Ovarian stimulation: Hormonal injections stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. This phase involves periodic ultrasounds and blood tests. Egg retrieval: A short, minimally invasive procedure performed under mild anaesthesia. Most women resume normal activity within 24 hours. Freezing and storage: Mature eggs are frozen using advanced cryopreservation techniques and stored securely until required. Why women choose egg freezing The primary benefit of egg freezing lies in preserving younger, healthier eggs, which can help offset age-related fertility decline. It can also reduce the pressure to rush into relationships or pregnancy due to biological timelines, offering psychological reassurance alongside medical benefit. Also Read | Chasing fat loss? Bangalore doctor explains hidden health risks women ignore That said, specialists stress that egg freezing should be seen as a fertility preservation optionnot an insurance policy. Success depends on multiple factors, including age at freezing, number of eggs stored and overall reproductive health. Making an informed decision Egg freezing is a deeply personal decision, shaped by medical, emotional and financial considerations. Experts advise women to consult a fertility specialist early, understand realistic outcomes, and plan the process thoughtfully. Late last year, more than a thousand people converged in Seouls convention center as elite engineers presented their latest developments in artificial intelligence. Despite the arcane jargon filling the sprawling auditorium, it was a must-attend event for Korean technology executives and investors. The talk on the floor was that the science minister had ducked out of a parliamentary hearing on a data breach at Coupang Inc. to watch the demonstrations a rare, high-stakes contest over who had created the best homegrown AI models. As tens of thousands tuned into the livestreamed event, cheers and shouts erupted each time contestants stepped into the spotlight, knowing that for some of them, this would be their last appearance. The competition, which some are calling the AI Squid Game in a nod to the popular Netflix survival drama, is a government-sponsored tournament that was unveiled in August and will run for more than a year. Its designed to identify the leaders in the countrys bid to become an AI powerhouse. The format, like the show that became a symbol of Koreas cultural soft power, is ruthless: the teams AI foundation models face evaluation and elimination every six months by a panel of judges overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT. On Thursday, the judges eliminated the unit of Naver Corp., which was criticized for using foreign technology. They also dismissed the AI subsidiary of NCSoft Corp., the only team led by a woman, based on evaluations of its models performance. This was a surprising development, as only one team was expected to be cut. The subsidiaries of LG and SK Group remained in the running, along with AI startup Upstage, according to the science ministry, which also announced that it would select an additional team to join in the next competition stage. Two winners are expected to be announced in early 2027. It may look like a spectacle, but this is a high-stakes contest that will shape Koreas future, said Chanjun Park, an assistant professor in the School of Software at Soongsil University in Seoul. The governments bet is that competition will breed innovation at speed and bolster a homegrown AI industry in a field increasingly dominated by US and Chinese players. The countrys ultimate goal, officials say, is to develop indigenous open-source models that are on par with global frontier models such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek. South Korea is among a growing list of nations determined to prevent their industries and workforces from being left behind by AI. France, too, is aiming to become a third AI hub, with the government investing billions in AI projects and promoting homegrown players. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leveraging their massive capital to acquire advanced computing infrastructure and to fund domestic models such as Falcon LLM. Others, including Singapore, Japan, Canada and India, are also working on their own sovereign AI strategies. Korean officials are particularly committed to building homegrown foundation models as the country is already a heavy user of AI one of the worlds biggest markets for ChatGPT by paying users. It also has the worlds highest density of industrial robots, a sector set for radical changes led by the technology. Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-Hoon, appointed in July, thinks it can capitalize on its unique standing as a full-stack AI country, with its own advanced memory chips, domestic cloud, and applications. There are several countries vying to be No. 3, but we dont see ourselves as just another contender in that pack, he said. We believe we have a real shot at becoming a serious global player one capable of challenging the top two. Contenders and Controversy For participants, the contest could be a make-or-break catalyst for their AI ambitions. The government is providing them with access to GPUs and datasets, and winning teams will have the chance at gaining an influential and possibly lucrative position in the AI ecosystem. Eliminated teams will lose access to the GPUs. Shares in Naver have fallen since the announcement on Thursday, while those in LG affiliates and SK Telecom Co. have rallied. LG AI Research is widely seen as the top contender. Its model, named the K-Exaone, had the highest overall score in the latest stage. SK Telecom has also drawn attention due to the sheer scale of its model. Its model, A.X K1, boasts 519 billion in parameters, roughly double the scale of K-Exaone and near the level of the latest DeepSeek models, while it trails the most advanced version of ChatGPT. Generally, higher parameters, which reflect the number of variables used in machine learning, indicate more sophisticated models with greater reasoning power, although this can also mean heavy computing and energy requirements. Upstage, a five-year-old startup aiming for an IPO, is also in the running after unveiling a powerful and cost-efficient large language model. The government plans to soon begin accepting applicants for a fourth contestant in the next round of evaluations expected mid-year. Teams eliminated in earlier rounds are allowed to apply. On Tuesday, Motif Technologies and Trillion Labs, two startups that were cut last year, announced they would re-enter the race. The competition has also sparked a debate over what constitutes real, homegrown AI. The government has emphasized the need for AI foundation models to be trained end-to-end from the ground up with proprietary learning processes, data and architecture. As teams fight to match the performance of global leaders, they have been dogged by claims that some used foreign technology despite the official requirement that teams build models from scratch. The controversy came to a head when a rival firm accused Upstages Solar Open model of closely resembling a Chinese model, GLM-4.5-Air. Upstage denied the charge and convened a public verification session, forcing an apology from the accuser, but the scrutiny spread to other participants. Critics accused Naver Cloud of incorporating vision encoders and weights similar to architectures released by Chinese labs like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. SK Telecoms model also came under scrutiny for alleged architectural similarities to a Chinese model. Building on existing architectures is common practice in AI development. For many, the time and cost involved in creating a frontier model from zero are prohibitive, and many players, to some extent, lean on foundational research by leaders like Meta Platforms Inc. In eliminating Naver Cloud, government officials told reporters that its partial use of an existing Chinese model violated the programs requirements. They also clarified that they saw no reason for SK Telecom or Upstage to be disqualified. On Thursday, Naver said it respected the panels decision. Even without such disputes, participants said emotions have been running high throughout the competition, with engineers on the different teams working around the clock to inspect the quality of datasets and tweak the models to boost their performance, which can be both repetitive and time-consuming. Lee Jinsik, who leads LG AI Researchs Exaone Lab, said hes been working so late that its been months since he saw his toddler awake. Yet he and other project leaders say theyre excited to be part of a competition that could have major consequences for Koreas technology industry, as well as the broader economy. This is nerve-racking. But this is exactly how K-pop took off, said Upstage Chief Executive Officer Sung Kim, comparing it to the audition shows that gave rise to some of the early stars of the countrys now-famous music scene. Im pretty sure the same thing will happen in the field of AI and science in Korea. While South Korea isnt the only country pursuing its own AI capabilities, the initiative follows a familiar pattern for the nation of 51.6 million that rose from the ruins of the Korean War through a unique synergy of state-led investment and private-sector ambition. By channeling funding into critical industries, the government has repeatedly transformed a once-impoverished country into a thriving capitalist democracy. In 1968, when South Korea still depended on US food aid, then-President Park Chung Hee pushed through the Seoul-Busan highway, a project widely dismissed at the time as a reckless fantasy. Chung Ju Young, the late founder of Hyundai Group who later went on to build the worlds biggest shipbuilding company in Korea, backed it anyway helping catalyze the countrys industrial takeoff. Three decades later, President Kim Dae Jung directed another pivot, laying the ultra-fast broadband that sparked the countrys digital rise. President Lee Jae Myung is framing artificial intelligence as the next great leap. In a November budget speech, Lee pledged to build an AI Highway a national infrastructure of compute power, data and the rollout of 6G technology. By invoking the same logic that built the roads and the web, Korea is betting that it can once again engineer its way to the top. This time, too, the private sector led by its chaebol and budding startups is acting as the primary engine for the state-led initiative. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won made an online video appearance at the December event, emphasizing how important a homegrown sovereign AI model was for the countrys future. All that attention can mean pressure as well as pride, said Kim Tae Yoon, who leads SK Telecoms foundation model team. He says hes gone gray since the contest and, in a break from tradition, was too busy to help with the annual harvest at his parents tangerine farm on Jeju Island, off the southern coast. To be involved in a project this important is a rare honor, he said. Its an engineers dream. 2026 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Anthropics Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei compared artificial intelligence chips to nuclear weapons. Google DeepMinds CEO said Chinas technology is just months behind the US. Signals Meredith Whittaker called new adaptations of AI uniquely perilous. The message from tech executives at the World Economic Forum is that AI is a powerful geopolitical force, and one politicians and business leaders need to wield as such. Its effectively one more piece of firepower in the global struggle between major economies like the US and China. The idea that AI is more than just a buzzy next-gen tech, but a crucial tool for whomever wants to be a 21st century superpower, means its high on the agenda at Davos. Its holding its own in the attention stakes, even if the buildup to the annual gathering of the worlds global elite has been dominated by Donald Trump and tensions over Greenland. In a sign of the AI push at Davos, Anthropic and tech venture capital investors Lightspeed and General Catalyst planned exclusive parties. Even with a busy schedule ahead for the week, there was a line outside the VC event at 10:30pm. Palantir Technologies Inc. set up its house across the street from the USA House, a church just outside the Davos perimeter thats the main venue for the Trump administration this week. AI is becoming a major driver of the global economy with companies and nations committing billions to ensure dominance and has implications for everything to the future of work and robotics to how wars are fought and space travel. With so much at stake, countries cant afford to slow down when it comes to investment and innovation. And, according to Amodei, the US even risks giving up its edge over China by selling advanced AI chips to its rival. If you think about the incredible national security implications of building models that are essentially cognition, that are essentially intelligence, Amodei said. Its like selling nuclear weapons to North Korea. It was almost a year ago that Chinese large-language model DeepSeek spooked the industry and the western world more broadly with a new model that performed similarly to leading models like OpenAIs ChatGPT on some metrics at a fraction of the cost. It drove a rout of nearly $1 trillion in US and European technology stocks and temporarily wiped out hundreds of billions of dollars from Nvidias market value. The technology has yet to meaningfully supplant its American rivals outside of China, but it was quite the wake-up call. They may be only six months behind, not one or two years behind, the frontier. Thats what DeepSeek showed, Google DeepMind chief Demis Hassabis said. But they have yet to show they can innovate beyond the frontier. Europe Lags In this tech race between the US and China, Europe is falling behind. Microsoft Corp.s Satya Nadella said the continent needs a change in mindset. In his view, Europe is too focused on regulation and not enough on encouraging home-grown tech. Youre only going to be competitive if the products coming out of Europe are globally competitive, he said. Europe has led in privacy and in safety around AI, Nadella added, but you also have to complement it by building locally and thinking globally. Europe is losing out as many of its most promising companies get absorbed by larger tech companies abroad. While governments have been marshaling resources to build out data centers and deploy AI, the scale is significantly smaller than the US and Asia. Frances Mistral AI is Europes leading AI startup. But valued at 11.7 billion ($13.7 billion) in a funding round last year, its a minnow compared with OpenAI, valued at north of $500 billion. Eric Schmidt, the former Google CEO and a tech investor, said that Europe must ramp up investment in open source AI or it will be left with few options but to rely on China. US companies are moving toward a closed source AI. Unless Europe is willing to spend lots of money for European models, Europe will end up using the Chinese models, Schmidt said. Its probably not a good outcome for Europe. Intimidation While economies and companies are working out how to safely integrate AI without losing their edge, the technology continues to become more powerful. For businesses thinking about adopting it, Whittaker said executives need to ask tough questions about what they need and what will work for them. She says theres sometimes an intimidation factor at play when it comes to the tech. Ask the questions, and ask the questions selfishly in relation to what your business actually needs, she said. Get as specific as possible. The technology is also advancing in ways that will force governments to reconsider how they structure their economies and deploy resources. We could have this very unusual combination of very fast GDP growth and high unemployment or at least underemployment or a lot of low wage jobs, high inequality. I dont think thats a macroeconomic combination weve ever seen before, Amodei said. Thats really going to be a problem we need to solve. Hassabis said hed like to see the worlds best minds collaborate in a scientific way combining philosophers, social scientists, economists and technologists, to work out how best to deploy the technology. Unfortunately it kind of needs international collaboration. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com New Delhi: Netweb Technologies, the youngest of Indias technology companies to have gone public, is banking on sustained demand for homegrown artificial intelligence (AI) tools, platforms and applications to sustain strong growth over the next three to five years, a top company executive told Mint on Monday. In an interview, Sanjay Lodha, chairman and managing director of Netweb, said demand for AI is far from facing a crashin fact, in India, the conversations are just getting started." We are seeing a lot of clients talk about AI spending, and it is only in the past few months that India has begun seriously spending on AI infrastructure and services," Lodha told Mint. "There is good reason for me to believe that we can retain our 35-40% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next three to five years, as government initiatives and demand for sovereign AI grows." Also Read | Compete or Die: Netweb Technologies joins the artificial intelligence race Netweb Technologies, incorporated in 1999, rose to prominence two years ago upon its public listing. The company does not own data centres, but provides the infrastructure that run the AI factories of the modern era. These include custom-built IT servers tuned for AI usage. Over the past two years, driven by the hype around AI, Netweb has returned steady returns to investors. As of closing on Monday, Netwebs share price is up 55% over the past one year, and 3.8 times since listing in July 2023. On Saturday, the company announced its December quarter earnings. Operating revenue jumped to 804.93 crore, a 165% sequential rise off the back of the company billing 450.39 crore under the ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity)s 10,372-crore India AI Mission. On 3 September 2025, the company had notified getting a 1,734-crore order under the scheme to provide infrastructure to build sovereign large language models. We have segregated our revenue as core and strategic, because the AI Missions earnings are of a different kind. They are obviously of smaller margins because of the nature of government contracts, but are strategically very important since they help us serve public infrastructure demand," Lodha said. "We had previously signalled that we expected the first revenue tranche to be billed by the end of this fiscal, and have successfully done so in the December quarter. Future quarters will see more such billing on a case-by-case basis." Also Read | How Samsung and 20 others missed out on an ambitious incentives scheme While Netweb has reported a steady rise in revenue since its listing, and is on track to surpass 1,500 crore in annual revenue for the first time this fiscal, the companys margin has marginally declined. In its first quarterly earnings since listing, Netweb had reported 148 crore in quarterly revenue and 15.14 crore in net profitat a margin of 10.2%. As of December 2025, Netwebs margin was 9%, down 1.3 percentage points sequentially. Lodha attributed the margin decline this quarter to the large contribution of the low-margin government contract but maintained that rising cost of memory chips and starved demand of Nvidias pricey graphic processing units (GPUs) have not affected the company as yet. We have very strong long-term relationships with our component suppliers like Samsung and SK Hynix, and we play a key strategic role for them because of our position in the India market. Weve managed to maintain a steady margin of 9%, which is proof that the global price rise of electronic components has not affected us," he said. For now, investors seem bullish. On 15 December, a note to investors by analysts at brokerage firm ICICI Securities said the company is benefitting from being Indias only full-stack hardware provider". Netweb has partnerships with Nvidia, AMD and Intel. Netweb is Nvidias only OEM (original equipment manufacturer) partner in India. Being Nvidias OEM partner, Netweb gets early access to its latest chips and architectures. Its strategic collaborations with technology partnersIntel, AMD, and Nvidiaallow continuous updates. This enhances Netwebs product and service offerings, as it gets early product pipeline access of latest chips 12-24 months ahead; accordingly, designs servers and AI systems," ICICI Securities' note said. The analysts also flagged risks, including its reliance on mega deals, negative cash flow and the non-recurrent nature of Netwebs business. There is an increasing narrative that AI-led capex is not justified. As per an IBM 2023 report, the return on investments on AI projects ranges from 5.9% to 10% only. Simply AI-fying with LLMs and data centres without context and nuance may not help in generating the desired returns from the projects. Strong data quality (required to train LLMs/ SLMs) and AI strategy are key going forward," the note added. Citing rising local usage, Lodha said that some of the companys clients include homegrown enterprise technology platform maker Zoho Corp., Indias second-largest tech outsources Infosys AI platform Topaz and Hiranandani groups data centre firm Yotta among private enterprises. Also Read | Nvidia unveils faster AI chips sooner than expected In public services, the company provides cloud platforms, GPUs and more to government bodies and organizations such as National Payments Corp. of India (NPCI) and Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), among others. News / National by Staff reporter The High Court of Zimbabwe recorded a sharp increase in divorce applications last year, with 3 989 cases filed between January and December 2025-a 27 percent rise from 3 138 cases in 2024, according to statistics from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).Despite the surge in applications, completed divorces fell by 15 percent, from 2 939 in 2024 to 2 493 in 2025, highlighting growing pressure on the court system.The High Court handles divorce matters under the Matrimonial Causes Act from its five main stations: Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mutare, and Chinhoyi. Grounds for divorce include irretrievable breakdown of marriage, adultery, abuse, and prolonged separation.Harare accounted for the largest share of cases, with filings rising from 1 939 in 2024 to 2 386 in 2025-a 23 percent increase-while completed divorces declined from 1 844 to 1 393, a 24 percent drop. Bulawayo saw registrations jump from 754 to 1 052, a 40 percent increase, while completions fell slightly from 710 to 640.Smaller stations showed more stable trends. Masvingo recorded 208 new applications with 156 completions, while Mutare saw 221 applications with 210 cases finalised. Chinhoyi registered a slight increase in filings, from 108 to 122, with completions declining marginally from 98 to 94.In contrast, marriage statistics indicate that 11 160 couples were legally wed in 2025, with Harare leading at 4 053 marriages, suggesting that while marriage remains popular, marital stability is under strain.Experts attribute the rising divorce trend to a combination of social, economic, and cultural factors. Labour migration, changing gender roles, and weakening traditional family support systems have all contributed to marital breakdowns.Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) chairperson Ms Fungayi Jessie Majome noted that greater legal awareness and access to justice, particularly for women, have empowered more people to seek divorce. She highlighted the role of the Legal Aid Directorate, which provides free legal advice and representation nationwide in matters including divorce, maintenance, domestic violence, and property disputes.Bulawayo lawyer Mrs Nikiwe Ncube-Tshabalala pointed to economic pressures and diaspora employment as major contributors. "You have people going to the diaspora or couples separating because of economic reasons. Marriages become intolerable, leading to divorce," she said, adding that the erosion of traditional family structures has weakened guidance and support for couples.Family law experts also cited shifting social expectations and financial independence as key drivers. Counsellor and lawyer Mr Prince Butshe-Dube said, "Women are now more emancipated and financially independent, which makes it easier to exit unhealthy marriages."Retired High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha noted that infidelity remains the leading cause of divorce, often worsened by long separations due to diaspora work. He also cited physical and emotional abuse, urging parents to allow adult children to manage their marriages independently to reduce interference.Marriage counsellor Mr Innocent Moyo highlighted poor communication and delayed intervention as factors that exacerbate marital problems, while Reverend Mkhululi Tshuma of Harvest House International Church called the statistics a serious indictment on society, urging intensified premarital and marital counselling by churches, family elders, and communities.The rising divorce trend in Zimbabwe reflects a complex mix of economic hardship, changing social norms, and evolving expectations within marriage, posing challenges for families, communities, and the judicial system alike. A county Leitrim barber has been jailed for eight years for the rape of a woman who was a guest in his home. Dilzar Hamad (40) of Oaklands, Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim, was convicted by a jury last year of rape of the woman on a date in January or February 2021. He has no previous convictions. The woman told the court in her victim impact statement that following the rape she no longer feels safe. She said the offence and its aftermath has changed her life and the person she is forever. She vividly described the damaging effects the offence had and continues to have on her life. Hamad claims it was a consensual sexual encounter and not rape. He does not accept the verdict of the jury and gave evidence in his defence during his Central Criminal Court trial. Passing sentence yesterday (Monday, January 19), Mr Justice David Keane said there had been an abuse of trust in this case and an element of cynical planning as evidenced by prior text messages to the victim. He said the offence itself was an opportunistic one in the circumstance which arose on the day in question. He said there was an element of intimidation in Hamads threats that he would say she was the one who approached him and a subsequent message that she should not reveal what happened. Mr Justice Keane set a headline sentence of nine years' imprisonment. He noted that Hamad does not accept the verdict and continues to deny the offence. He said consequently he has not demonstrated any remorse, made any apology, attempted to make any amends or embarked on any rehabilitation. He said Hamad was entitled to credit for his good character prior to and since the rape, as well as limited credit for his co-operation with gardai and complying with his bail conditions. He noted his good behaviour as a prisoner where he works as barber and is undertaking educational courses. The judge noted that a probation report places Hamad at low risk of re-offending in the long term, but dynamic risk factors place him at high risk of re-offending in the next 12 months if he were in the community. Also read: HSE 'profoundly sorry for devastation and deep grief' Longford family endured The risk factors identified include his significant social influences, his hostility towards women, negative emotionality and a high sex drive and sexual preoccupation. Mr Justice Keane imposed an eight-year sentence, taking into account the mitigating factors. He said Hamad had an absolute entitlement to protest his innocence and pursue an appeal but it followed from that stance that there was no reality to promoting rehabilitation and no logical basis to suspend any portion of the sentence. He ordered two years post-release supervision with strict conditions in order to protect the public, limit the risk of him committing a further sexual offence and rehabilitate if possible. Mr Justice Keane wished the injured party well in what he hoped was her continued recovery. Detective Garda Lydia Cawley told Dominic McGinn SC, prosecuting, that prior to the rape the woman had received a number of inappropriate texts from Hamad indicating a sexual interest in her. She responded to say that she did not want this and was warned by him not to tell anyone. The woman was subsequently raped by Hamad in a downstairs toilet during a visit to his home. She had been attempting to leave the bathroom when Hamad appeared and pushed her back inside. He covered her mouth and told her not to scream. The injured party was initially too afraid to say anything but the matter came to light following further messages sent to her by Hamad. He had threatened her not to disclose what had happened. Also read: Longford car dealership and garage looks to expand Gardai became aware of the allegations and Hamad was arrested in August 2021. Hamad initially went on trial in March 2024 but the jury failed to reach a verdict. He was re-tried the following year and convicted in March 2025 In her victim impact statement the women said she had been frightened, shocked and upset following the rape. She said she had wanted to hide somewhere no one could see her as she felt so ashamed. She described how that time was very hard for her. She said after the attack Hamad threatened her and said he would say it was all her fault. She outlined to the court how she is not the same person that she was prior to the rape. She said Hamad has taken everything from her including the life she had and her confidence She said she does not feel safe anymore and feels so alone as she cannot talk about what happened. The woman said that she feels she will never trust anyone ever again and is always afraid. She said the offences have changed her life and the person she is forever. Mr McGinn told the court the Director of Public Prosecution's view is that the case falls into the more serious band of cases with a headline sentence of 10 to 15 years. Also read: REVEALED: The Longford projects that will benefit from 3.5m funding windfall He said factors included an element of pre-meditation with prior text messages to the injured party, that she was a guest in his home and that he continued contact after the offence. The defence said the case falls into the standard sentence band with a starting point of seven years. Colman Fitzgerald SC, defending, said Hamad does not accept the verdict of the jury. He is married with five children and his wife was in court to support him at the sentence hearing. Counsel submitted Hamad had led a pro-social life prior to this offending and was a good husband and father. His wife wrote a letter to the court in which she outlined out the difficulties she is facing due to him being in custody and how good he was to his family. Hamad came to Ireland with his family from the Kurdish part of Iraq and set up a barber shop in Carrick on Shannon where he employed four people. He no longer owns the barber shop as a result of going into custody in March 2025. The Justice Minister is seeking to give gardai profoundly intrusive powers, a civil rights group has said. Minister Jim OCallaghan recently secured Government approval for legislation which would increase garda powers to intercept digital communications. The Irish Council of Civil Liberties (ICCL) said it has very serious concerns about this shopping list of surveillance powers. The Communications (Interception and Lawful Access) Bill is designed to update legislation from 1993, and includes a new legal basis for the use of covert surveillance software as an alternative means of lawful interception. It will provide for the use of electronic scanning equipment which can locate and record identifier data from mobile devices in specific areas. With the general scheme of the bill unpublished, the ICCL said there are no details of the legislation to scrutinise. However, it said a Government publication on the matter suggests the minister wants to give An Garda Siochana profoundly intrusive powers. It said the powers seemingly include spyware surreptitiously installed on a device, technology to track all mobile phones switched on or off in an given area, access to encrypted digital communications, and interception of smart devices which could technically include speakers, doorbells, and watches. Olga Cronin, ICCL surveillance and human rights senior policy officer, said: These are surveillance tools and powers of extraordinary reach, with sweeping implications for peoples rights and freedoms and come in the context of An Garda Siochana already expanding their eyes and ears via the Recording Devices Bill, which allows gardai to use body-worn cameras, access private CCTV on a live basis, and use drones and number plate recognition. There are also plans to introduce facial recognition technology and other powers to biometrically categorise and identify us. Once powers of this magnitude are normalised, the damage to rights and freedoms can be extremely difficult to reverse. The Department of Justice says the legislation is vital for dealing with serious criminality and threats to the security of the State. The 1993 Act provides for the interception of postal packets and telecommunications messages for traditional landline and mobile communication. The department considers this to be outmoded and says a new legal framework for all forms of digital communication is needed. It points to a June 2025 roadmap from the EU Commission which which stated that terrorism, organised crime, online fraud, drug trafficking, child sexual abuse, online sexual extortion, ransomware and many other crimes all leave digital traces, adding that around 85% of criminal investigations now rely on electronic evidence. This legislation is long overdue. There have been significant changes in the digital communications landscape in the last two decades that existing legislation does not comprehend. It said there will be robust legal safeguards including judicial authorisation of interception requests. However, the ICCL said it is currently not possible to scrutinise the proposed safeguards as the general scheme of the bill has yet to be written. Ms Cronin said: We must also remember that measures introduced for exceptional or serious crimes tend, over time, to be used for much less serious crime because there is institutional pressure to use them more frequently. What was once exceptional becomes routine. Mr OCallaghan said there was an urgent need for the legislation, pointing out the existing Act predates the telecoms revolution of the last 20 years. This legislation is long overdue. There have been significant changes in the digital communications landscape in the last two decades that existing legislation does not comprehend. Download Image: Web Lycoming College announced the third edition of its Mid-Atlantic Humanities Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Research (MHR), featuring fifteen essays from undergraduate students from the mid-Atlantic region, including four from Lycoming College. The annual publication is available in both print and on the Lycoming website. Published under the auspices of the Humanities Research Center (HRC) at Lycoming College, MHR celebrates excellence in undergraduate research in humanities and related disciplines: history, literature, philosophy, art history, modern & classical languages, religious studies, interdisciplinary humanistic studies, digital humanities, and social sciences with humanistic emphasis. The publication features the selected proceedings of the Lycoming Undergraduate Humanities Research Conference. "My position on the MHR editorial board was the best experience to prepare me for my senior research projects. Through this job, I greatly improved my editing skills and saw how valuable it is to get feedback from others, because we each edited and interpreted the writing differently." The years volume features essays in a variety of fields, including history, literature, gender studies, popular culture, modern language studies, bioethics, disability studies, and more. Together, the essays speak to the complex and beautiful cultural history of humanity, and they remind us of the vibrant work being done in college classrooms to understand our past, ourselves, and our world. As managing editor and a student of the humanities myself, working on this journal with a strong group of editors was rewarding in more ways than one. I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the many disciplines the humanities consists of, acknowledge the level of research undergraduate students partake in throughout their institutions, collaborate with editors, and discuss each paper with them in-depth, which ultimately encompasses the idea of the humanities as a whole, said Emma Mitcheltree 26, a history major and English-literature minor from Williamsport. What I enjoyed most about working on the journal was the idea of helping with a project that uplifts the humanities and inspires independent thinkers, specifically for the undergraduate students who do not always have these outlets to publish their work as easily. My position on the MHR editorial board was the best experience to prepare me for my senior research projects. Through this job, I greatly improved my editing skills and saw how valuable it is to get feedback from others, because we each edited and interpreted the writing differently. I applied the editing techniques I learned from the journal to my archaeology capstone project, but I also asked the tutors at the writing center for help, because this job showed me how important another pair of eyes is, said archaeology and German double-major Chloe Shendge 26 of Birdsboro, Pa. Working as an editor for the MHR journal has only increased my love of academia and research, which I hope to continue in a graduate degree in archaeology after graduation. Humanities Research Center The Humanities Research Center at Lycoming College enhances educational opportunities for students studying the humanities by supporting collaborative student-faculty research, internships, guided scholarship, study abroad opportunities, education certification, digital humanities, graduate school placement, and fellowships. The HRC is dedicated to developing students' thoughtful engagement with the world around them and launching successful careers. News / National by Staff reporter PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has reflected on his 10-year imprisonment, which began in 1965 when he was just 18, describing it as one of the most difficult yet defining periods of his life during Zimbabwe's liberation struggle.In a recent interview with the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), the President recounted how he was arrested by Rhodesian authorities after being betrayed while compiling a report for the late national hero Cde Herbert Chitepo.President Mnangagwa said he was detained for his involvement in the Crocodile Gang, an early nationalist group whose activities included acts of sabotage against the Rhodesian regime, among them an attack on a train near Fort Victoria, now Masvingo.He revealed that his arrest followed a betrayal by nationalist leader Michael Mawema, at whose Highfield home he had been writing an appraisal report destined for Cde Chitepo, who was then based in Lusaka."I don't need to hide it because Michael Mawema sold me out," President Mnangagwa said. "I was busy writing my report at his house so that it would be sent to Chitepo in Lusaka. I did not know that he had gone to inform the special branch."The President said Rhodesian security agents surrounded the house and arrested him, marking the beginning of a long period of incarceration.He went on to describe harsh interrogation methods used by the Rhodesian security apparatus, saying he was subjected to severe treatment during questioning at Harare Central Police Station. President Mnangagwa said these experiences were intended to break his resolve, but instead strengthened his commitment to the liberation cause.Despite the ordeal, he said he remained steadfast and committed to the struggle for independence."I enjoyed being a guerrilla person; I enjoyed it," he said, adding that his parents travelled from Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, to visit him in prison.He recalled urging them not to despair but to continue with their lives and support the family back home."They cried, and I said, No, go back, continue farming and send the children to school. I will come back,'" he said.President Mnangagwa served the full 10-year sentence before his release. He said that after completing his term, he was taken to the Victoria Falls border area between Zimbabwe and Zambia, where he was freed."They removed the handcuffs and leg irons, and I walked into Zambia," he said, adding that he was received by the late General Josiah Tongogara, whom he met for the first time at that point.President Mnangagwa said the experience of imprisonment did not weaken his resolve but instead reinforced his dedication to the liberation of Zimbabwe, which was eventually achieved in 1980. The MSPCA has euthanized a dog that had nearly starved to death when it was brought to its Boston animal hospital earlier this month. The roughly 2-year-old pit bull mix was extremely emaciated when she was brought to Angell Animal Medical Center on Jan. 10, the animal welfare non-profit said previously. The MSPCAs veterinarians named her Dolly and immediately began providing lifesaving treatment in the hospitals Intensive Care Unit. When this dog came in, she was unbelievably thin and too weak to stand up, MSPCA animal protection vice president Mike Keiley said previously. Early examinations revealed that Dolly had wounds on her feet and tail and gastrointestinal bleeding that required a blood transfusion, the MSPCA said. She soon had several seizures, but the non-profit was hopeful that she would recover with round-the-clock care. Dolly, a 2-year-old pit bull mix, was extremely emaciated when she was brought to MSPCA-Angell's animal hospital in Boston on Jan. 10. MSPCA Over the weekend, the MSPCA shared in an Instagram post that Dolly had been diagnosed with epilepsy and megaesophagus. Veterinarians also suspected that she had an autoimmune condition that was contributing to her muscle weakness and causing vomiting. We were hopeful that some of these conditions would resolve as she healed. Despite the combined efforts of multiple specialty teams, Dollys body had endured more than she could overcome, the MSPCA wrote. Days into her treatment, Dolly experienced a medical emergency, the non-profit said. Veterinarians managed to stabilize her, but she became oxygen-dependent. With the scope of her conditions and concerns about her long-term prognosis and quality of life, we made the hard decision that the most compassionate choice was to let her go peacefully, the MSPCA wrote. ... Though Dolly was only with us for a short time, she touched every member of her care team and so many of you. Because of your support, we were able to provide Dolly with every possible resource, and those same donations will continue to help the next animal in need. Dolly, a 2-year-old pit bull mix, was extremely emaciated when she was brought to MSPCA-Angell's animal hospital in Boston on Jan. 10. MSPCA MSPCA-Angell Law Enforcement is investigating how Dolly became so sick. The person who brought her to the hospital told veterinary staff that they found her outside Lexington. As of Monday evening, the MSPCA had not located Dollys former owner. Investigators are hoping the public can help them identify this person. Were very concerned with how she came to be in this terrible state, and we need help from the public to learn more, Keiley said previously. MSPCA-Angell Law Enforcement asks that anyone with information about Dollys former owner contact the department by phone at (617) 522-6008 or (800) 628-5808, or online at mspca.org/tip. Fouryearold SaDoni Powell was killed last May at a home on Hannon Street in Mattapan. His death, caused by trauma, is one of more than a dozen homicides from 2025 that remain unsolved even as Boston recorded some of its lowest levels of violent crime in recent history. Police recorded 31 homicides in 2025, up from the 67year low of 26 the year before. Despite that increase, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu says the city remains the safest major city in the country and continues to see declines in shootings and gunfire. According to Boston police, firearm violence hit record lows in 2024 and fell even further in 2025. Gunfire incidents dropped 2% from 2024 and were 36% below the fiveyear average, said Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox. The number of people shot in the city in 2025 was the lowest recorded since the department began to track in 2005 and last years 19 fatal shooting victims were also the lowest on record, just below a total of 20 in 2024. Yet, half of last years homicide cases whether they were shot or killed another way remain open. Of the 28 killings that actually occurred in 2025, 14 remain unsolved meaning half of last years homicide investigations have not yet resulted in arrests. That mirrors the departments sameyear clearance rate in 2024, Boston police data shows. Police also made arrests in seven other homicide cases last year connected with killings dating back to 2020. This includes the killings of David Drayton, 45, in Roxbury in 2020 and Christian Cousins, 18, in Mattapan in 2024. And on Jan. 9, during the departments police academy graduation, Cox said the department is never satisfied until the numbers are zero. The department has not yet updated the 2025 Unsolved Homicides page on its website, but provided MassLive a list of cases from last year that remain open. Kareem Daveiga-Booth Kareem Daveiga-Booth, 20, was killed at 7:21 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2025 at 73 Ridgewood St. in Dorchester. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Leroy Ryner Leroy Ryner, 18, was killed at 10:31 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2025 near Morton and West Selden streets in Mattapan. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Jhonna Charles Jhonna Charles, 40, was killed at 12:40 a.m. on Apr. 20, 2025 at 85 River St. in Mattapan. Her cause of death was stabbing. SaDoni Powell Sadoni Powell, 4, was killed at 11:48 p.m. on May 7, 2025 at 9 Hannon St. in Mattapan. His cause of death was trauma. Justin Bettencourt Justin Bettencourt, 21, was killed at 2:55 p.m. on May 13, 2025 at 107 Munroe St. in Roxbury. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Walter Wilkens Walter Wilkens, 36, was killed at 9:47 p.m. on May 24, 2025 at 36 Franklin Hill Ave. in Dorchester. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Anthony McIntosh Anthony McIntosh, 65, was killed at 9:47 p.m. on May 24, 2025 at 36 Franklin Hill Ave. in Dorchester. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Anildo Cardoso Anildo Cardoso, 41, was killed at 8:49 p.m. on June 9, 2025 near Levant and Tebroc streets in Dorchester. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Phillip Franco Phillip Franco, 15, was killed at 8:09 p.m. on June 12, 2025 at 4 Pomeroy St. in Allston/Brighton. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Teo Vernice Teo Vernice, 21, was killed at 10:01 p.m. on Jun. 19, 2025 at 163 Ruthven St. in Roxbury. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Tanahj Thompson Tanahj Thompson, 23, was killed at 11:54 p.m. on Aug. 3, 2025 at 289 Dudley St. in Roxbury. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Marie Molea-Anthony Marie Molea-Anthony, 61, was killed at 1:07 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2025 at 1855 Washington St. in the South End. Her cause of death was gunshot wounds. Nilton Miranda Nilton Miranda, 30, was killed at 5 p.m. on Oct. 22, 2025 at 15 Saint Rose St. in Jamaica Plain. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Nazir Wallace Nazir Wallace, 21, was killed at 5:50 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2025 at 15 Cunard Way in East Boston. His cause of death was gunshot wounds. Christina Allen and Kyee Miller In addition to the 14 homicide cases from 2025 that have yet to lead to criminal charges, there are two other investigations without arrests made that involve victims who died last year from attacks that occurred years or even decades earlier. Christina Allen, 51, was shot on June 29, 1992, at 71 Westminster Ave. in Roxbury. She died in March 2025 and her death was ruled a homicide that June. Kyee Miller, 20, was shot on July 21, 2023, at Roys and Wise streets in Jamaica Plain and he died in February 2025. His death was classified as a homicide in May 2025. A third case that counted in the 2025 total homicides also originated in a prior year, but Boston police arrested a suspect. William Brewington, 38, was shot on July 4, 2024 and his death was ruled a homicide on Feb. 21, 2025. A man named Robert Mallard, 46, was charged in connection with the crime. A driver in a stolen car crashed into a Cambridge building Monday, seriously injuring at least one person, police say. Around 1 p.m., Cambridge police officers spotted the car, which had been reported stolen to Boston Police Department, near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Albany Street, a department spokesperson said. The officers tried to stop the car but it sped away down Albany Street and they did not pursue it for safety reasons. Soon afterward, the department received 911 calls reporting that a car had crashed into a commercial building near the intersection of Albany, Waverly and Erie Streets. The vehicle was the same car that had been reported stolen. Two people were brought to local hospitals, including one who was struck by the car and seriously injured, police said. The driver was arrested and charged, according to the spokesperson, but has not yet been publicly identified. Several roads were closed in the area and police were still on the scene to investigate Monday afternoon. If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. Due to popular demand, Bruno Mars has added a second Gillette Stadium show to his 2026 The Romantic Tour. The GRAMMY-winning artist will now perform two shows at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA on September 5 and 6. Fans can shop for tickets on Ticketmaster or on reliable third-party ticket sellers like StubHub, VividSeats, and SeatGeek. *New customers who purchase tickets through VividSeats can get $20 off a $200+ ticket order by using the promo code MassLive20 at checkout.* Bruno Mars announced The Romantic Tour, which is his first full headline tour in nearly a decade following the massively successful 24K Magic World Tour back in 2017. He also added additional shows to several other cities. The tour kicks off on April 10 with nearly 40 shows across North America, Europe, and the UK, marking one of the biggest global outings of the year. The tour announcement follows the news of Brunos long-awaited fourth solo album, arriving everywhere on February 27. Mars has had an incredible few years with the success of his acclaimed Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM and an extensive and record -breaking international touring run throughout Australia, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. In early 2024, Mars became the first international artist of the 21st century to hold seven consecutive sold-out concerts at the Tokyo Dome. In fall 2024, he achieved the highest-grossing tour in Brazilian history, performing 14 sold-out stadium shows across Brazil, spanning five cities, according to Live Nation. Support on the tour includes nine-time GRAMMY award-winning artist Anderson Paak as DJ Pee Wee and RAYE for select shows. Below is a look at the full 2026 tour schedule for Bruno Mars The Romantic Tour with links to purchase tickets: Apr 10 Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Apr 11 Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Apr 14 Glendale, AZ @ State Farm Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Apr 15 Glendale, AZ @ State Farm Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Apr 18 Arlington, TX @ Globe Life Field*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Apr 19 Arlington, TX @ Globe Life Field*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Apr 22 Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Apr 25 Atlanta, GA @ Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Apr 26 Atlanta, GA @ Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Apr 29 Charlotte, NC @ Bank of America Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 2 Landover, MD @ Northwest Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 3 Landover, MD @ Northwest Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 6 Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 9 Detroit, MI @ Ford Field*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 10 Detroit, MI @ Ford Field*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 13 Minneapolis, MN @ U.S. Bank Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 16 Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 17 Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 20 Columbus, OH @ Ohio Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 23 Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 24 Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 27 Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek May 28 Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium*# - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jun 18 Paris, FR @ Stade de France*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jun 20 Paris, FR @ Stade de France*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jun 21 Paris, FR @ Stade de France*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jun 26 Berlin, DE @ Olympiastadion*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jun 28 Berlin, DE @ Olympiastadion*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 2 Amsterdam, NL @ Johan Cruijff ArenA*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 4 Amsterdam, NL @ Johan Cruijff ArenA*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 5 Amsterdam, NL @ Johan Cruijff ArenA*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 7 Amsterdam, NL @ Johan Cruijff ArenA*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 10 Madrid, ES @ Riyadh Air Metropolitano*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 14 Milan, IT @ Stadio San Siro*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 15 Milan, IT @ Stadio San Siro*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 18 London, UK @ Wembley Stadium Connected by EE*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 19 London, UK @Wembley Stadium Connected by EE*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 22 London, UK Wembley Stadium Connected by EE*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 24 London, UK Wembley Stadium Connected by EE*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 25 London, UK Wembley Stadium Connected by EE*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Jul 28 London, UK Wembley Stadium Connected by EE*^ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Aug 21 East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Aug 22 East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Aug 25 East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Aug 26 East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Aug 29 Pittsburgh, PA @ Acrisure Stadium* - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 1 Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 2 Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 5 Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 6 Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 9 Indianapolis, IN @ Lucas Oil Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 12 Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 13 Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 16 New Orleans, LA @ Caesars Superdome*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 19 Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 20 Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 23 San Antonio, TX @ Alamodome*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 26 Air Force Academy, CO @ Falcon Stadium at the United States Air Force Academy*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Sep 27 Air Force Academy, CO @ Falcon Stadium at the United States Air Force Academy*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Oct 2 Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Oct 3 Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Oct 6 Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Oct 7 Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Oct 10 Santa Clara, CA @ Levis Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Oct 11 Santa Clara, CA @ Levis Stadium*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Oct 14 Vancouver, BC @ BC Place*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Oct 16 Vancouver, BC @ BC Place*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek Oct 17 Vancouver, BC @ BC Place*@ - Shop for tickets using StubHub VividSeats , and SeatGeek * with Anderson Paak as DJ Pee Wee # with Leon Thomas ^ with Victoria Monet @ with RAYE A Massachusetts woman was injured in a snowmobile crash in New Hampshire late last week, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. On Friday, state and local law enforcement and firefighters responded to a remote trail in Clarksville around 4:50 p.m. after receiving a 911 call, the department said in a Tuesday press release. The caller reported that a woman had injured her leg in a snowmobile crash. Witness statements and the on-scene investigation indicated that 43-year-old Fitchburg resident Emily Walden accidentally hit the accelerator on her snowmobile while trying to make a U-turn, the department said. The mistake propelled her down a short, steep embankment next to the trail she was riding on. Walden was thrown from her snowmobile during the crash and injured her leg, the department said. First responders evaluated her at the scene before carrying her out of the woods on a rescue sled. She was then taken by ambulance to Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook. A fire damaged several school buses in Framingham early Tuesday morning, according to WCVB. The buses were parked across from Keefe Regional Technical School and no one was hurt, according to WHDH. Firefighters responded to a report of a fire on Winter Street around 1 a.m. and found two buses in flames. The fire then spread to two other buses, according to WHDH. The buses sustained significant damage, but firefighters worked to contain the spread, Framingham Fire Department Deputy Chief Nader Hamed told WCVB. They found multiple buses on fire, Hamed told the outlet. Two were on fire extending to a third bus. They made an aggressive attack, knocked down all the fire and contained it to four buses. A state official told WHDH the fire began accidentally in the engine of one bus. News / National by Staff reporter Heavy rains that swept across several high-density suburbs in Bulawayo have damaged homes and flooded a local school, forcing affected families to count their losses as the rainy season continues.Bulawayo's Chief Fire Officer, Mr Mhlangano Moyo, said emergency teams were on the ground assessing the extent of the damage, which includes blown-off roofs at Sidojiwe Flats and flooding at Nzwananzi Primary School."I'm on the ground. We have blown-off roofs at Sidojiwe Flats and flooding at Nzwananzi Primary School," Mr Moyo said.He said the affected areas include Luveve, Cowdray Park, Mpopoma and Nzwananzi. Since the beginning of the year, authorities have recorded one flood-related incident each in Cowdray Park, Mpopoma and Luveve.At Sidojiwe Flats, Mr Moyo said the damage was more extensive."For Sidojiwe Flats, it's the top floor of Flat Number One, and it is affecting a number of families," he said.The chief fire officer urged residents, particularly those in low-lying areas, to take practical steps to minimise the impact of flooding."These include opening weep holes or making simple openings to allow water to drain away instead of accumulating," he said. "Residents must also stay informed by monitoring weather forecasts and warnings, and understand the level of risk within their own homes."Mr Moyo also advised residents to close windows during heavy rains to prevent water damage and to avoid crossing flooded streams or rivers."Flash floods can occur at any time without warning," he said. "If there is a possibility of flash flooding, people should move immediately to safe zones or higher ground, and ensure that leaking roofs are attended to before the rains intensify." A Rhode Island man has pleaded guilty to charges related to attacking and robbing the manager who fired him from his job at a Massachusetts smoke shop, the Bristol County District Attorneys Office announced Tuesday. Woonsocket resident Muhammed Sheikh, 41, is a former employee of King Smoke Shop at 245 State Road in Dartmouth, the district attorneys office said in a press release. On July 18, 2025, he went to his former employer and got into a heated verbal argument with the employee who was working at the time. Sheikh demanded to speak with the manager whod recently fired him, and the employee eventually called the manager and gave the phone to Sheikh, the district attorneys office said. Sheikhs anger grew over the course of the call. Once it ended, he threw the cell phone at the employee, breaking it, and threw the stores cash register to the ground. Sheikh then waited in his car for the manager to arrive at the smoke shop, the district attorneys office said. Once the manager arrived, he followed him back into the business. Sheikh then threatened to kill both the manager and the employee and lunged at them with a knife, the district attorneys office said. Afterwards, he stormed out of the shop with the cash register in hand. Sheikh then drove to the Kun Kabob and Curry restaurant in Fall River, which is owned by the same family as King Smoke Shop, the district attorneys office said. He stole the restaurants cash register and fled. Police in Rhode Island located Sheikh a few hours later and found both cash registers in his car, the district attorneys office said. He appeared to be under the influence as he told them he was angry because his former employer owed him money and had fired him unfairly. On Jan. 9, a Bristol County Superior Court judge sentenced Sheikh to two years in prison and three years of probation, the district attorneys office said. A New Hampshire Episcopal bishop is warning his clergy to finalize their wills and get their affairs in order to prepare for a new era of martyrdom. Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire made his comments on Jan. 9 during a vigil for Renee Nicole Good, 37, who was shot and killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis. President Donald Trump and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have defended ICEs actions, arguing agents acted in self-defense after Good tried to run them down. A New York Times analysis of the video footage showed Good was driving away from not toward a federal officer when he opened fire, the newspaper reported. During Goods vigil, Hirschfeld cited instances throughout history when clergy members put their lives at risk to protect the vulnerable including New Hampshires own Jonathan Daniels, who was shot while protecting a young Black teenager in Haynesville, Alabama in 1965 by shielding him from a sheriff. I have told the clergy of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire that we may be entering into that same witness, Hirschfeld said. And Ive asked them to get their affairs in order to make sure they have their wills written, because it may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable." The bishop continued by saying that people of Christian faith should not fear death. Live without fear. You have been created holy in the image of the divine. Whatever race, whatever gender, whatever orientation straight, queer, trans, you have been made in the image of the divine," Hirschfeld said in a prayer. God has always and will always protect you no matter what happens. So live in that without fear. God supports you, protects you and loves you with a power and a presence that is stronger than death. That is how we live free or die. Other religious leaders have also called on Christians to protect vulnerable populations amid a surge of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, according to ABC News. Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, spoke up during a prayer earlier this week. We keep resisting, advocating, bearing witness and repairing the breach, Rowe said according to ABC News. We keep sheltering and caring for those among us who are immigrants and refugees because they are beloved by God, and without them, we cannot fully be the church. In Minnesota, Rt. Rev. Craig Loya encouraged people not to meet hatred with hatred. We are going to make like our ancient ancestors, and turn the world upside down by mobilizing for love, he said on Facebook. We are going to disrupt with Jesus hope. We are going agitate with Jesus love. The Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office launched a Federal Accountability Dashboard on the states website on Tuesday a year to the day since President Donald Trump was inaugurated for a second term. The purpose of the new mass.gov webpage is to highlight the actions Attorney General Andrea Campbells office has taken to fight back against the Trump Administrations unprecedented attacks on Massachusetts economy and residents rights, the attorney generals office said in a press release. Since President Trump took office one year ago, his Administration has attacked vulnerable communities, the rule of law, and put more than $3.30 billion dollars in federal funding for Massachusetts at risk, Campbell said in the release. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon. The dashboards landing page includes a table of contents that allows users to jump to one of 16 sections, such as Lawsuit Highlights, Good Government and Protecting your wallet & Massachusettss economy. Each section summarizes actions taken by Campbells office to counter initiatives by the Trump administration in the last year, including the 47 lawsuits it has filed to date. The Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office also introduced a Federal Action Story Collection Form on Tuesday. The webform is meant to be a reporting portal for Massachusetts residents to archive stories detailing how theyve been affected by the actions of the federal administration. The mass.gov webform asks users to share their name, contact information and a summary of how the Trump administrations initiatives and policies have impacted their lives. The page lists examples of topics these stories might touch on, such as ICE, tariffs, health insurance costs and access to medical care. Behind every policy change are real people feeling the consequences of the Trump Administrations reckless actions, Campbell said in the press release. The webpage notes that submitting a story via the webform will not generate a complaint or lawsuit. It also states that all information shared through the form will be considered public record, and that it may be used by the attorney generals office in public materials. Hearing from Massachusetts residents about their experiences whether its from a parent whose SNAP benefits were delayed, a small business owner feeling the weight of tariffs, or a researcher whose research grant was terminated will assist the AGO in identifying emerging trends and urgent needs across the Commonwealth and can inform its legal response to certain federal actions," the press release reads. With a Feb. 3 deadline just two weeks away, Massachusetts Democrats warned Tuesday that the Trump administrations move to end protections for Haitians could upend thousands of families statewide. At a Boston hearing, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and U.S. Reps. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, and Seth Moulton, D-6th District, sharply criticized the administrations plan to let Temporary Protected Status expire for Haitian immigrants. They said it would put roughly 350,000 people nationwide including about 4,700 in Massachusetts at risk of deportation. Pressley underscored the scale of the issue in Massachusetts, home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the country. My district represents the third-largest Haitian diaspora in the country. More than 77,000 Haitians call the commonwealth their home, she said. TPS is granted to people from countries facing conflict, natural disaster or other extraordinary conditions. TPS has received bipartisan support for over 30 years as a program, Pressley said, noting that Haitians have relied on the status since the 2010 earthquake and, more recently, after the assassination of Haitis president and a surge in gang violence. While the lawmakers focused their criticism on the Trump administrations decision to let the designation expire, both Pressley and Markey stressed that their advocacy has spanned administrations of both parties. Pressley said she has urged Democratic and Republican Presidents alike to support Haiti, to support Haiti in its efforts to build the nation, to support a democratic transition. Markey echoed that point, saying, I have called on every recent American president to designate, extend and re-designate TPS for Haiti. Still, the tone toward the current administration was clear. Markey said that despite evidence of worsening conditions, its clear to all, including the Trump administration, that Haitian TPS holders cannot return home safely. Thats what we give that protection for, because they cannot go home. Markey described a country paralyzed by violence and disaster. Since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, he said, gangs have seized control of much of Port-au-Prince, with kidnappings and armed attacks blocking access to medical care, education and commerce. Natural disasters have further battered Haitis already fragile infrastructure. The hearing came against the backdrop of an ongoing federal court case in Washington, D.C., where lawyers are seeking to block the expiration of TPS while a lawsuit challenging the administrations decision proceeds. A federal judge is expected to rule by Feb. 2, the day before the protections are scheduled to end. The potential reversal marks a turn from 18 months ago, when the Biden administration extended Haitis TPS designation through Feb. 3, 2026, citing ongoing violence, political instability and environmental disasters. That extension was welcomed by Massachusetts officials, who noted that Haitians made up the vast majority of new arrivals to the state at the time. Many of these immigrants took low-paying jobs filling gaps in the health care sector. Advocates of the administrations decision say the move is part of a broader push to enforce immigration laws and return TPS to its original temporary intent, with the Department of Homeland Security arguing that permitting Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest. This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary, a DHS spokesperson said in an announcement from June about the termination of the status. The environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home, the spokesperson said. At Tuesdays hearing, lawmakers emphasized the economic and social ties Haitian TPS holders have built in Massachusetts. Markey offered a personal reflection from his hometown. I live in Malden ... My neighbors are now Haitians in Ward Two in Malden, and they work hard. They work two jobs, Markey said. Moulton framed the issue through his experience responding to the 2010 earthquake as a veteran accompanying Boston medical teams. What I witnessed in Haiti was the best of Boston, the best of Massachusetts, the best of America showing up to help those in need, the Salem lawmaker said. He said that Haitians who later settled in Massachusetts have repaid that compassion, strengthening the American quilt as their fabric has become interwoven with our own. Allowing TPS to expire now, Moulton said, would tear all that apart. Advocates and TPS holders on the panel described the personal toll of the uncertainty. Franklin Soults of 32BJ SEIU, which represents thousands of health care workers, said one of the misunderstandings about TPS is that it does not provide a direct pathway to citizenship or permanent residency, such as through a green card. There is no path for them to normalize their status, to turn it into something permanent, he said, adding that hes advocated for years in Washington unsuccessfully to reform this. Soults read testimony from Jerome, a Haitian TPS holder living on the North Shore with his wife and 10-year-old daughter, a U.S. citizen. Jeromes wife, a caretaker, expects to lose her job when TPS expires next month. Jerome said his daughter tries hard in school, but hes beginning to see the anxiety wear her down. I can see the stress of her thinking all the time, what will my life be like if my parents cant be with me? Soults said, reading from Jeromes testimony. Another panelist, Bruno, who fled Haiti after the 2010 earthquake destroyed the grocery store he owned and operated there, spoke about how grateful hes been to raise his three children in the United States. He is a driver for the MBTA who is also working on getting his commercial drivers license. We are profoundly grateful to the United States for welcoming us during that time of crisis, he said. My children have been brought up, been educated here, and become part of the fabric of Massachusetts. This is their home today. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Springfield Thunderbirds (13-19-4-2) fought tooth and nail with one of the top clubs in the AHL but came up just short in a 3-2 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (26-11-1-2) on Monday afternoon inside the MassMutual Center. After they did not lead at all in any of their past three losses, the T-Birds finally got off to a 1-0 jump at 12:09 of the first on this day as Simon Robertsson ended a year-long goal-scoring drought, pushing a low slot shot through Sergei Murashov for the lone tally of the first period. Vadim Zherenko was locked in from the onset of this one, turning away 16 Penguins shots in each of the first two periods. Unfortunately for the T-Birds, Zherenkos strong efforts were not enough to keep the Penguins from a pair of second-period tallies, as a Valtteri Puustinen goal off a face-off at 1:36 and Chase Pietilas first pro goal at 15:41 were enough to give the visitors a one-goal lead into the third. Both goaltenders continued to shine in the final period, but a costly penalty to the Penguins granted the T-Birds a power play chance, and Matthew Peca cashed in on a rebound from Calle Rosen and Matt Luff at 3:45 of the third to tie the score, 2-2. Pecas point streak moved to six straight games, while Luffs season-best streak moved to eight consecutive contests. Zherenkos night would end with a dazzling 45 stops, but that would prove to be not quite enough, as Gabe Klassen broke the tie at 9:07 of the third, deflecting a hard pass from Rutger McGroaty behind the Springfield goalie to make it a 3-2 game. Springfield emptied the tank with Zherenko on the bench in the closing seconds, but Murashov answered the bell with a tremendous lurching save on Hugh McGing with just over 10 seconds remaining. The T-Birds will return to home ice on Friday to continue this five-game homestand on Jan. 23 for a 7:05 p.m. tilt against the Toronto Marlies. Arctic air will blast Massachusetts on Tuesday, bringing sunny skies and below-freezing temperatures across the state. Boston is set to see a high temperature of 24 degrees in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, while Worcester and Springfield will only get up to 22 degrees. The Berkshires will be even colder, topping out at 16 degrees during the day. Nighttime temperatures will drop to single digits in Central and Western Massachusetts, with Worcester and Springfield getting as low as 7 degrees. Pittsfield will see a low of 4 degrees overnight, and the wind chill will make it feel like -3 degrees. Boston will see a low of 14 degrees overnight, while Cape Cod & the Islands will sink to 17 degrees. Temperatures will rebound on Wednesday, with Boston reaching a high of 37 degrees, but Central and Western Massachusetts will remain below freezing at 31 degrees. Wednesday night could bring another round of snow, as the National Weather Service forecasts a 20- to 30-percent chance of snowfall across the state. Little to no accumulation is expected, however. After a snowstorm dumped more than six inches of snow in several areas of Massachusetts overnight Sunday, residents of the Bay State have another weather event to look forward to on Monday. The northern lights should be visible in Massachusetts and the rest of New England amid a geomagnetic storm watch. The best chance to see the lights is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAAs view line for the phenomenon known as aurora borealis cuts through Pennsylvania and New Jersey on the East Coast. Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are all well within the line, while Rhode Island and Connecticut are on its edge. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration graphic shows the projected view line for the northern lights on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. NOAA Residents of the Bay State hoping to see the lights should cross their fingers for clear skies. National Weather Service forecasters expect more cloud cover in Western Massachusetts than in the eastern part of the state. In Boston, the weather service projects about 38% of the sky to be covered by opaque clouds. That number rises to 45% for Worcester and to 59% for Springfield. The clearest skies in the state are expected to be on Cape Cod. To maximize your chances of seeing the lights, get as far away from light pollution as possible and go to higher ground. If they are not visible to the naked eye, try viewing through your cellphone camera. The camera can detect wavelengths you might not usually see. BELCHERTOWN Old Enfield Road once took travelers to Enfield, Massachusetts, one of four towns that disappeared in the 1930s, making way for Quabbin Reservoir. Today, a stretch of Old Enfield Road has reappeared, its Depression-era blacktop leading across a mudflat with water lapping a dozen yards downhill from where the shoreline normally is. Water in Quabbin measures about 520 feet above sea level, this despite a little recent snowfall, according to measurements posted daily at the Quabbins Visitor Center. Normal lake levels are generally 10 feet higher, at 530 feet. Belchertown's Ed Comeau shows a reporter how far the shoreline has receded at the Quabbin Reservoir. This section of Old Enfield Road used to be under water. (Steven E. Nanton / Special to The Republican) The Republican Thats the lowest the water has been since 2017, according to figures posted online and as illustrated by a line chart on the Visitor Centers wall. But state officials say theres no need for alarm. The reservoir is at about 81% of its capacity and within normal operating parameters, according to Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. Demand averages about 208.82 million gallons per day. The reservoir has 334 billion gallons of water, according to the authority. Now, the reservoirs 181 miles of shoreline are ringed with brown. Neighbor Ed Comeau, of Belchertown, pointed out animal tracks and long-discarded bricks in the mudflat on Old Enfield Road, a popular spot for walks near Quabbin Parks Gate 5, within sight of the Windsor Dam. This is exposed shoreline of the Quabbin Reservoir that formerly was under water. (Steven E. Nanton / Special to The Republican) The Republican After an abnormally dry 2025, most of the area to the west of the Quabbin is in a mild drought, according to the states Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. But to the east, the drought status remains significant Level 2. To the north, the drought status is even more severe, at Level 4, considered an emergency. There are other places on the reservoir, normally under water, where visitors can walk out to what used to be islands. At Quabbin Park, the water at the spillway is below the numbered ruler-like sign visitors would use to gauge it. Communities ringing the Quabbin now are questioning water use and stewardship of the reservoir. As far as I know, (there are) no water restrictions on users, unlike what has happened in many places out here. Amherst and Northampton were under drought restrictions, said Bob Agoglia, chairman of the Pelham Select Board. Pelham, like other Quabbin communities, is pushing for more support from the state water authority. Twelve communities calling themselves the Quabbin Watershed Stewards are beseeching the state and their Massachusetts neighbors to the east for more money from water users to compensate for the lost ability to grow. We believe that fellow community members in eastern Massachusetts would be willing to pay a few pennies more each month so that our children could have equitable access to public education, our residents could access public safety protections, and our families could drink water free of contaminants, the letter says. Agoglia is one of the signers. He added that, We are not asking for water from the Quabbin, Agoglia said. It doesnt seem that they are all that worried about it. In fact, theyd like to sell more water. But hed like to see more conservation. So would the other communities. When we face water restrictions during drought conditions, those restrictions are rarely matched by conservation measures in MWRA system communities, the letter reads. It would seem fair that when we are under drought conditions, water users should also be taking steps to safeguard the water we are sending east. And the authoritys drought response protocols are outdated, said state Rep. Aaron Saunders, D-Belchertown. Ed Comeau walks along the bank of the Quabbin Reservoir, where the water has receded, leaving a rocky shore. (Steven E. Nanton / Special to The Republican) The Republican There is always an overarching concern that MWRA drought plan has outdated standards, Saunders said. The current protocols call for voluntary water use restrictions when the reservoir is at 40% capacity. Involuntary cutbacks on water use occur when the reservoir hits 30% capacity. And its not without precedent. Old-timers recall a drought in the 1960s that drained the Quabbin to about half full. (The MWRA) have done extraordinary work in reducing daily usage, Saunders said. That being said, we just have to ensure that we are not exhausting a resource like this. The rocky shore of the Quabbin Reservoir used to be under water. (Steven E. Nanton / Special to The Republican) The Republican Authority planning documents do call for expanding the number of towns and cities served by the Quabbin. We have to be very careful about large expansions for usage, he said. As of now, only a few Western Massachusetts communities use the Quabbin. They are Chicopee, Wilbraham and half of South Hadley. To read the full letter from the Quabbin Watershed Stewards, visit this story online. SPRINGFIELD A woman and her 8-year-old daughter have been living in a West Springfield hotel for almost a month since an electrical fire destroyed the attic of their Armory Street home, leaving the house uninhabitable for at least a year. Videos from Brittany Houston, the homeowner, show the attic that collapsed into the second floor of their home at 853 Armory St., dropping debris everywhere. Pretty much everything except our clothes is a complete wash, said Houston. On Dec. 28, Houston, a professor of public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was asleep when her 8-year-old daughter, Brooklyn Houston-Rivers, woke her up to let her know the lights had gone out in the house while the girl was playing Roblox, an online game. Brooklyn is scared of the dark, so she came to let me know that the light went out, and I went to the basement to (reset) the breaker, said Houston. After switching the breaker off and on, Houston said she heard scratching coming from the attic, which she likened to the sound of a raccoon or another critter. Then, the walls were hot to the touch, she said. Houston said her daughters quick thinking helped everyone get out of the house safely. Houston said her daughter and two pets a dog, Q, named after a character in Star Trek, and a Siamese cat named Turkey went to their car in the garage and didnt witness the fire damage the house. Firefighters got there around 1:50 a.m. and extinguished the attic fire before it spread. Investigators from the Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad determined an electrical malfunction in the attic caused the fire. The department also helped Houston and her daughter get set up with the American Red Cross of Western Massachusetts to stay at the nearby hotel in West Springfield. She said her friends, family and community have been helpful since the fire, but Houston is struggling to find new housing that will support her, her daughter and their pets needs, she said. A close friend of Houstons started a GoFundMe to help the family as they cope with the financial burden of getting back on their feet. The crowdfunding effort has reached more than $13,000 about a third of the total goal. I want to be able to provide stability to my daughter, Houston said, and the GoFundMe and her insurance coverage will help. The weeks since the fire have been challenging on the family, she said, but the new friendships shes built since moving to Springfield three years ago from Florida have been a comfort. Houstons daughters school sent over a care package, including coloring supplies, which will help her daughter can get her mind off the fire, she said. We love this house and want to rebuild it better, so that it can be our forever home, she said. SPRINGFIELD The city celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday with music, poetry and a call to action to fight the erosion of past accomplishments toward a more equitable America. Mondays theme was Restoring Justice. Reclaiming the Dream. Touted as the largest Martin Luther King Day celebration in the state, the event drew hundreds of people, including city officials, state legislators, college presidents and other dignitaries, to the MassMutual Center for the program, as well as the art and wellness exposition that preceded it. Speaker after speaker noted the many Black leaders heading up the city, such as Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers and School Superintendent Sonia Dinnall, other city department heads, the four legislators who are Black or Latino, and local church and community leaders. Tracye Whitfield, who was voted in as the first Black female City Council president two weeks ago, said that milestone simply wouldnt have happened without all the work done previously in the fight for voting rights and a battle won 20 years ago that created ward representation for the City Council and School Committee. Dr. King reminds us that justice is not automatic. Progress does not just happen because time passes; it happens because ordinary people choose courage over comfort, truth over silence and community over division, she said. She talked about the importance of supporting, mentoring and teaching young people, so they too have a voice and will stand up to injustice now and in the future. As is tradition, children were at the forefront of the event, with many hailing from the Springfield Public Schools. Students from the Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School, the Community Music School of Springfield, Parent Villages and others entertained the crowd with a variety of performances. It will take the collective community to reclaim the dream, and Dinnall predicted it will be the children from her school district who will lead the way. This generation of students are full of love, compassion. They understand what it means to be nonjudgmental, she said. They dont see the things that adults see; they just see a friend; they see the joy in each other; they see the truth in each other; they see the purpose in each other. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll also discussed the strides that Springfield has made with its school department, the most important department of any city, being led by a woman of color and a School Committee with a supermajority of Black and Latino women. These milestones really matter, not just symbolic but substantively, because representation changes outcomes, priorities and possibilities, she said. But she said the reality is Springfield, like so many gateway cities and majority-minority communities, also faces disparities in income, housing, health care and education, and work must to continue statewide to close those gaps. She also talked about the frustration over changes in federal policies under the Trump administration, which is making the work harder, but she said she still is optimistic, and Massachusetts is in the right position to fight back. Protections against discrimination are being stripped away, furthering inequality. Attacks on higher (education) and the advancement of medical research are damaging the spirit of discovery and innovation that this country was built on. It can be a daunting time, a scary time, she said. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno reminded the crowd that two years ago at the same celebration, he announced the hiring of the first Black police superintendent, because Akers was the best person for the job. Less than six months later, the School Committee hired Dinnall as the citys first female school superintendent, who is also Black. We have had a lot of joy, a lot of progress has been made, but the pain seems to be coming back with the rhetoric that goes on in Washington, D.C., he said. Kings principles and philosophies worked for everyone, no matter race or gender. Now, Sarno said he worries: The legislation created because of King and others the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act are all under siege. News / National by Staff reporter The first consignment of cancer treatment machines procured using funds raised through the Sugar Tax is currently in Durban, South Africa, and is en route to Zimbabwe, with authorities expecting the equipment to arrive in the country within the first quarter of the year.The machines were acquired using part of the US$30 million raised from the Sugar Tax introduced in the 2024 National Budget. According to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion's 2026 Zimbabwe Infrastructure Investment Programme released in November last year, Treasury has so far paid US$5.3 million towards the purchase of the equipment.Once delivered, the machines will be installed at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare and Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo.Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora confirmed the development on Monday while responding to a question during a tour assessing refurbishment works at Adlam House and Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital. He said the equipment has already been manufactured.Dr Mombeshora was accompanied during the tour by Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga, Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary Dr Aspect Maunganidze, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals management and staff, other senior government officials, and representatives from Prevail Group, the contractor responsible for the refurbishment works."We are putting in new equipment, and that equipment has been manufactured. Part of the first consignment is already in Durban, on its way to here, Parirenyatwa," Dr Mombeshora said. "And the second tranche of equipment, we are hopingwe just received the news that it has been manufacturedand we are going to send a team for pre-shipment inspection."The Minister said existing cancer treatment machines at Mpilo Central Hospital will be decommissioned and relocated to Gweru Provincial Hospital as part of a broader strategy to decentralise cancer treatment services."So, I think everything is in order. Already, we are looking at decommissioning the equipment at Mpilo and relocating it at Gweru Provincial Hospital. So it is also a work in progress," he said.Dr Mombeshora added that preparations are underway to ensure space is available for the new equipment once it arrives."We are working on the final modality so that when the new equipment arrives, there is already space created for it to be there. So we are actually creating a new cancer treatment centre in Gweru," he said. "So for Parirenyatwa, I think everything is in place."He also said refurbishment of radiation bunkers is ongoing to ensure they meet the technical and safety requirements of the new cancer treatment machines."We are just waiting for the arrival of the equipment and refurbishing of the bunkers so that we also have something that looks to match the new equipment and the new look of the hospital that is being created here," he said.Once completed, the expansion will increase the number of radiotherapy sites in Zimbabwe from two to four. Authorities say this is expected to ease pressure on existing facilities, reduce waiting times and bring life-saving cancer treatment closer to patients in different parts of the country.Last year, Dr Mombeshora said the older cancer treatment machine at Parirenyatwa would either be relocated to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital or Masvingo Provincial Hospital, with Masvingo receiving strong consideration due to its emerging medical school."The next phase will also be the decommissioning of the equipment at Parirenyatwa, and we plan to either put it in Chinhoyi hospital or in Masvingo," he said."But I was suggesting that we put it in Masvingo since there is a new medical school that is coming up there, maybe to help in training."The planned establishment of radiotherapy services in Gweru and either Masvingo or Chinhoyi is expected to mark a major milestone in Zimbabwe's efforts to decentralise specialised cancer care and strengthen medical training beyond Harare and Bulawayo. Claremorris Musical Society (CMS) is putting the finishing touches to their rehearsals for their presentation of the magical and much-loved musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which they will stage over five nights in Claremorris Town Hall Theatre from Wednesday, January 28 to Saturday, January 31, at 8pm nightly. This is the Nineteenth production by the highly acclaimed CMS and is the follow-up to last years production of The Addams Family with the Dolly Parton classic 9 to 5 another competing presentation in 2024. The production of The Addams Family earned the society two national awards at the prestigious Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS) Awards in June 2025. Mary Dempsey was awarded Best Comedienne for her portrayal of Grandma, while Ruadhan Gormley claimed Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance as Lurch. Claremorris Musical Society were notably the only society in the West of Ireland to receive two awards at the ceremony, a significant achievement within the amateur musical theatre community. The choice of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory reflects that vision, offering a heart-warming, nostalgic production. The show follows the story of young Charlie Bucket, a kind-hearted boy from a poor family who wins a coveted golden ticket granting him access to the mysterious chocolate factory of the eccentric Willy Wonka. Alongside four other children, Charlie embarks on a fantastical tour filled with extraordinary inventions, unforgettable characters and unexpected twists. As the story unfolds, audiences are reminded that kindness, honesty and imagination are the greatest rewards of all. Based on Roald Dahls beloved story, the musical features well known songs from the original Gene Wilder film, alongside new, high-energy musical numbers that appeal to audiences of all ages. Passion Kiltimagh native, Vivienne Lee, who is chairperson of CMS, says the show represents months of hard work, commitment and passion from the cast, production team and backstage and technical crew. The level of effort that goes on behind the scenes is extraordinary and it is inspiring to see people of all ages come together with such enthusiasm. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a super production and we are incredibly proud of what has been achieved. Claremorris Musical Society is delighted to welcome back the production team of Donna Ruane (Director), Deirdre Lee (Musical Director) Jay Molyneux (Choreographer) and David Keane (Stage Manager) whose combined expertise and vision continue to raise the bar for CMS productions. The principals in the cast include Neil Conway (Willy Wonka), Ryan McDonnell (Charlie Bucket), David Alexander (Grandpa Joe), Mary Dempsey (Mrs Bucket), Nicole Scott (Mrs Gloop), Odhran Morley-Manning (Augustus Gloop), Joff Manning (Mr Salt), Hazel Cheevers (Veruca Salt), Paul Singleton (Mr Beauregard), Abbie Flatley (Violet Beauregard), Vivienne Lee (Mrs Teavee), Michael Farrell (Mike Teavee), Rose Murphy (Cherry Sunday), Ailbhe Gallagher (Geri Jubilee), Josie Gallagher (Grandma Georgina), Ronan Egan (Grandpa George), Mairead McDonnell (Grandma Josephine) and Donna Ruane (Mrs Green). They are supported by a large and enthusiastic ensemble, adding colour, energy and scale to this family favourite. Claremorris Musical Society extends grateful thanks to the local shops, clubs and businesses that have sponsored and supported this production and others over the years. This community backing remains at the heart of everything the Society does. The members of the CMS committee are: Vivienne Lee (chairperson and PRO), June Allison-Keane (treasurer), Emma Gallagher (secretary), Paula Fox (assistant treasurer), Ailbhe Gallagher (assistant PRO), David Alexander, David Keane, Dolores Henry. Patrons can look forward to a very special show, laced with nostalgic and heart-warming comedy delivered by this accomplished cast, and one with a wide appeal for all ages. Gallery: Northern lights shine bright across Mayo Gardai have seized over 300,000 worth of drugs and arrested three people following a major operation targeting organised crime in Co Meath. The operation was carried out today, Monday, by the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) as part of Operation Tara. During the course of the operation, gardai intercepted two vehicles in the Navan area and seized cannabis valued at 120,000, cocaine worth 2,000 and 13,000 in cash. The occupants of the vehicles, two men in their 40s and a woman in her 30s, were detained at the scene and subsequently arrested on suspicion of offences under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. They are currently being detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 at a Garda station in Co Meath. READ MORE | Irish WhatsApp users warned as scammers use official crest to pose as gardai in new fraud In follow-up searches of nearby lands, assisted by the Garda Dog Unit, gardai recovered further quantities of cannabis with an estimated value of 60,000 and 140,000. All drugs seized during the operation will now be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis. Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland, Head of the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau, said gardai remain firmly focused on disrupting and dismantling organised crime networks. An Garda Siochana will continue to focus our resources on those engaged in organised crime. We are determined to continue dismantling drug trafficking operations across Ireland and will continue doing our part to keep our communities safer. Please think before you use. Investigations into the seizure and arrests are ongoing. Things have turned for the worse for the Beckham family. Previously seen as the ideal parents, Victoria and David Beckham are under fire after their son, Brooklyn, spilt the beans on why exactly he and his wife, Nicole, arent talking to them. Many believed that these differences came to light after the pair fell in love in 2019. However, the model later revealed that he and his family have never seen eye to eye, especially because of their controlling nature. Brooklyn Beckham Spills the Truth About His Relationship Instagram/brooklynpeltzbeckham Through Instagram, Brooklyn Beckham broke his silence about his relationship with his family after news went viral that they werent on speaking terms. They dont even follow each other on social media, including Brooklyns teenage sibling. I had been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private, he said. Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed. I do not want to reconcile with my family. Im not being controlled, Im standing up for myself for the first time in my life. For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into. Recently, I have seen with mv own eves the lengths that they'll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always comes out. My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn't stopped. The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose and have found peace and relief. He made massive claims about how his relationship with his parents has always been tainted and that they have always attempted to control him and not his wife who is being villainised. Brooklyn Beckham Will Not Go Back to His Family News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwe is bracing for heavy rains and storms from today until Saturday, as the Meteorological Services Department (MSD) and the Department of Civil Protection (DCP) issue a joint weather alert warning of rainfall exceeding 50 millimetres, accompanied by strong winds, lightning, and thunderstorms across the country.The alert comes amid forecasts for normal to above-normal rainfall across southern Africa for the 2025-26 season, heightening the risk of floods, particularly along major rivers and flood-prone areas. Reports from the region show the devastating impact of recent rains. Mozambique has been the hardest hit, with at least 103 people dead, more than 200 000 affected, thousands of homes damaged, and tens of thousands evacuated. In Zimbabwe, DCP confirmed that 74 people have died and property worth US$107 402 has been damaged since the start of the rainy season. South Africa's northern provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga have reported 19 deaths from severe flooding, while Madagascar, Malawi, and Zambia have also recorded flood-related casualties and damages.According to the MSD and DCP alert, residents are urged to take precautionary measures, especially in flood-prone areas, river basins, and wetlands. The alert warns of flash floods, hazardous road conditions with reduced visibility, landslides, rockfalls, fallen trees, blown-off roofs, and lightning strikes. Authorities said the severe weather is driven by low-pressure systems to the north and south of the country, with warm, moist air generating widespread thunderstorms, strong winds, and frequent lightning from Tuesday, January 20, to Saturday, January 24, 2026, with some areas expected to receive more than 50mm of rainfall within 24 hours.The departments have called on the public to repair roofs, secure loose items, trim overhanging branches, ensure livestock safety, and seek shelter indoors during lightning, while avoiding tall objects or trees. People are also advised not to use machinery, taps, showers, or open vehicles during storms and to avoid entering flooded or open areas. Authorities urged the public to follow official MSD platforms for timely weather updates.Zimbabwe, which is prone to cyclones and extreme weather, was recently encouraged to prioritise disaster planning to protect communities, crops, livestock, and infrastructure ahead of the 2025-26 rainy season. A weak La Nina is anticipated this season, likely bringing normal to above-normal rainfall between October 2025 and March 2026. The South-West Indian Ocean Climate Outlook Forum projects 10 to 14 named storms, with 5 to 8 reaching cyclone intensity. Storm formation is expected northeast of Madagascar, posing risks to countries including Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, and potentially Malawi and Zimbabwe if systems move inland.Authorities continue to urge vigilance, enhanced early warning systems, and emergency preparedness to mitigate the impact of storms and potential flooding. VIENNA (AP) In the wake of spiraling tensions between the United States and Iran over Tehrans violent crackdown on protests, analysts warn that the internal upheaval affecting the Iranian theocracy could carry nuclear proliferation risks. While in recent days U.S. President Donald Trump seemed to have backed away from a military strike on Iran, he called Saturday for an end to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis nearly 40-year reign in Iran. Trumps comments came in response to Khamenei branding Trump a criminal for supporting protesters in Iran, and blamed demonstrators for causing thousands of deaths. Meanwhile, a U.S. aircraft carrier, which days earlier had been in the South China Sea, passed Singapore overnight to enter the Strait of Malacca putting it on a route that could bring it to the Middle East. With those dangers, analysts warn Iran's nuclear material could be at risk as well. Nuclear material could fall into the wrong hands David Albright, a former nuclear weapons inspector in Iraq and founder of the nonprofit Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, said that in a scenario of internal chaos in Iran, the government could "lose the ability to protect its nuclear assets. He said that Irans highly enriched uranium stockpile would be the most worrisome, adding that there is a possibility that someone could steal some of this material. There are historical precedents for such a scenario. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, highly enriched uranium and plutonium suitable for building nuclear bombs went missing due to eroded security and weakened protection of these assets. So far, Iran has maintained control of its sites, even after the U.S. bombed them in the 12-day war in June that Israel launched against the Islamic Republic. Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Vienna-based U.N. nuclear watchdog. The agency said in a report last November that it has not been able to verify the status and location of this highly enriched uranium stockpile since the war in June. The agency said in November that therefore it had lost continuity of knowledge in relation to the previously declared inventories of nuclear material in Iran at facilities affected by the war. A diplomat close to the IAEA confirmed Monday that the agency had still not received any information from Iran on the status or whereabouts of the highly enriched uranium stockpile. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity in line with diplomatic protocol. Albright said that Irans stockpile of highly enriched uranium would fit in around 18 to 20 cylinders that are designed for transport, weighing around 25 kilograms (55 pounds) each. Two people can easily carry it, he said of each container. Kelsey Davenport, director for nonproliferation policy at the Washington-based Arms Control Association, said that there is a risk that the stockpile could be diverted either to a covert program or stolen by a faction of the government or the military that wanted to retain the option of weaponization. She said that this risk increases as the Iranian government feels threatened or gets destabilized. Some of the nuclear material could get smuggled out of Iran or sold to non-state actors in the event of internal chaos or potential government collapse, Davenport said. The risk is real but it is difficult to assess, given the unknowns regarding the status of the materials and the whereabouts, she stressed. Possibility of Iran building a nuclear bomb Both Davenport and Albright pointed out that there is also a theoretical possibility of making nuclear bombs with Iran's 60% enriched uranium. Tehran has insisted for years its program is peaceful. However, a weapon made directly from 60% enriched uranium rather than the usual 90% purity requires more nuclear material, which makes it much bigger and bulkier and probably not well suited to delivery on a missile, said Eric Brewer, a former U.S. intelligence analyst and now deputy vice president at the Nuclear Threat Initiative. He added that such a device could still be blown up in the desert, for example. Brewer said that the possibility that the current government in Iran goes down that road should not be totally dismissed, but he underlined that most information suggests that the highly enriched uranium remains buried in a tunnel as a result of the U.S. strikes and is probably not easily accessible to the regime; at least not with some major risk of detection and another strike by the U.S. or Israel." He added that recent events "have also shown that the Supreme Leader has a very high bar for any decision to weaponize. Nuclear power reactor could be a target In the case of internal chaos, Irans nuclear power reactor in Bushehr Irans only commercial nuclear power plant some 750 kilometers (465 miles) south of Tehran could also get sabotaged or targeted with the aim of causing havoc or making a political point, Albright said. Bushehr is fueled by uranium produced in Russia, not Iran. So far, there has been no sign of Iran losing command and control of its security forces. Albright pointed to the attack by the African National Congresss armed wing on South Africas Koeberg Nuclear Power Station near Cape Town, as the country went through increased anti-apartheid resistance in 1982. The act of sabotage caused significant damage but resulted in no nuclear fallout. If the Bushehr reactor has a major accident, the winds would carry the fallout within 12 to 15 hours to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman, Albright said. ___ The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/ News / National by Staff reporter CIVIL servants have renewed pressure on Government to cushion them against rising living costs, calling for the continued payment of the US$75 Presidential bonus granted in November last year to be maintained as a monthly Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) while wage negotiations stretch into the first quarter of the year.In a letter to the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Edgar Moyo, the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSU) urged authorities to sustain the allowance across all sectors, warning that the prevailing economic environment has left workers increasingly vulnerable.The appeal follows a ZCPSU meeting held on Monday last week, at which labour representatives resolved that the US$75 COLA should remain in place while first-quarter negotiations under the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) are ongoing.According to the ZCPSU, the allowance is crucial in bridging the widening gap between stagnant wages and escalating household expenses.In its submission, the confederation noted that public sector employees traditionally receive a cost-of-living adjustment at the beginning of each year. However, no such adjustment was effected at the start of last year, a situation the union said significantly eroded workers' purchasing power.The US$75 allowance, the ZCPSU argued, has therefore become a vital stopgap measure to offset income losses sustained over the past year.The union further highlighted that workers are struggling to meet the cost of basic necessities such as school fees, transport, food and other essentials, particularly as current wage levels predate recent price increases.Without interim relief, the ZCPSU warned that many civil servants may find it increasingly difficult to meet their day-to-day needs.The confederation also stressed that its immediate priority is securing cost-of-living relief rather than engaging in longer-term structural processes such as job evaluation.While acknowledging the importance of such reforms, the ZCPSU said job evaluation processes are often lengthy and complex, making them unsuitable as a short-term response to the economic pressures currently facing workers."In the meantime, we believe discussions should be centred on COLA rather than anchoring them on job evaluation," the union said, adding that workers view the job evaluation process as flawed and insufficient to address urgent livelihood concerns.The ZCPSU proposed that the US$75 allowance remain in place until the conclusion of first-quarter NJNC negotiations, when broader wage issues can then be comprehensively addressed.Copies of the submission were also sent to the Minister of Finance and the chairperson of the Public Service Commission.The appeal has once again placed public sector remuneration in the spotlight, as cost-of-living pressures continue to dominate labour discourse ahead of what are expected to be crucial negotiations between Government and workers' representatives in the coming weeks. Newer email correspondence from the Pentagon inviting individuals to partake in a Christian prayer service within the Department of Defense was sent to at least eight U.S. defense contractors, Military.com has learned. Emails scribed by DoD and sent last week to an undisclosed number of individuals were shared with Military.com, inviting the persons to join a "Christian prayer and worship service" between 12-12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21, in the Pentagon auditorium. The correspondence was sent from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office, labeled the "Department of War." The correspondence was strongly chastised by groups like the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), whose founder, Mikey Weinstein, told Military.com that he believes it was the first time such correspondence was sent to defense contractors. He said the eight of them that received the message contacted MRFF, which for decades has challenged the lack of separation of church and state within military and government ranks. The contractors were from small, medium, and some of the largest defense contractors in the United States. "There is no doubt that [the Pentagon has] now started to include defense contractors or 'war contractors' in their vicious violation of the constitution, proselytizing outreach directly from Hegseth himself," said Weinstein, whose organization includes more than 100,000 service membersabout 95% of whom are self-described Christians. An invitation of a Christian prayer service scheduled for Jan. 21 and provided to Military.com notes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's involvement. (Military Religious Freedom Foundation) Hegseth has been accused by Weinstein, MRFF and others of pushing Christian nationalism in the military ranks since he became secretary in early 2025, with such efforts also exhibited in other government agencies. Last September, MRFF chided U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy moved and restored a giant decades-old painting of Jesus guiding sailors through stormy seas, which according to DOT at the time symbolized President Trump and Secretary Duffys commitment to protecting expressions of faith, per the DOT. Pentagon Defends Invitation The email shared with Military.com was sent on Friday, Jan. 16, from an email address listed as "OSW [Office of the Secretary of War] Protocol Prayer Service." That email reads as following, verbatim: Good afternoon, The Secretary of War invites you to join him for a Christian prayer and worship service next Wednesday, January 21st, in the Pentagon Auditorium (BH650) at 1200. This is an optional service that is open to all Department staff stationed at, or with access to, the Pentagon due to seat limitations, no visitors or external guests will be accommodated. Seating will be accommodated at a first come, first served basis. Seat reservations can be confirmed for GO/FO and Senior Leaders only by RSVP. If you are unable to join the service, it will be livestreamed internally on Pentagon TV Channel 2 and via DVIDS: www.dvidshub.net/webcast/37333. Please feel free to forward this invitation widely to members in your organization. The actual email address has been excluded from this report. Franklin Graham delivers remarks and leads in prayer at a Christmas Worship Service hosted by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in the Pentagon courtyard, Washington, D.C., Dec. 17, 2025. (DoW photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza) Military.com asked the Pentagon about the service, including questions about celebrating Christianity over other faiths, whether the Pentagon tracks prayer service attendees whether active-duty or contractors, and if repercussions are faced by those who choose not to attend such services. Prayer services are 100% voluntary and are not mandated whatsoever. No one at the Pentagon tracks who does and does not attend these voluntary services. No special treatment or punishment is given as a result of one's choice to attend these prayer services. The Secretary's prayer services undoubtedly improve morale for those who choose to attend and are constitutionally protected. We are proud to host these services and will continue to do so. - Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson Weinstein and MRFF learned about the correspondence just a couple days after they were contacted by an active-duty military officer who wrote to the organization on behalf of 32 other service members from several units who are "under the commanders holding duty day Christian worship services." He called the invitation to fully-uniformed military service members and others to the Pentagon's largest auditorium "a pristine example of the tyranny, oppression and ugliness of abject Christian nationalism, which destroys the essence of what even our U.S. Supreme Court has proclaimed to be full panoply of constitutional protections for the rest of us in this nation." "And this invitation for his latest monthly grotesque distortion of the Constitution obliterates the requisite good order, morale, discipline and unit cohesion, which comprises that compelling government interest," he added. "It reeks of the malodorous stench of fundamentalist Christian extremism, exceptionalism, triumphalism, supremacy and domination, in complete defiance of the most basic rubrics of our U.S. Constitution." He said such services would only be constitutionally protected if they occurred within the private sector, yet this invitation is "absolutely the opposite." Defense Contractors 'Frightened' A DoD contractor who requested anonymity told Military.com that "it's actually far from the first time contractors have received the invitation," saying that they have received such Christian prayer invitations "at least 4-5 times, as early as June 16, 2025." Another contractor, who also requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, is a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general. They told Military.com that contrary to what the Pentagon said, roll call does take place. The more devout individuals may be, they said, then they will personally invite subordinates including military, civilian, and contractors that work beside them). "This becomes a litmus-loyalty test for who's 'in' and who's 'out,'" they said. "It can have huge impacts on annual performance reports, promotion recommendations, and contract performance reviews. "All of these systems are so sensitive that varying one or two (often hyperbolic) adjectives can make a huge career or contract difference. It's frightening." That means that a senior leader can drop a negative word about someone's reliability and rather quickly have their security clearance either revoked or reviewed, the contractor added. "No clearance? No job, or no job working on that contract," they said. "The clearance issue is huge for former and retired military now working as contractors. Their clearance is their union card that allows them to even be considered for a job. "When they get the job, they know that if they lose the clearance, they can be fired (in most cases) without significant review or recourse." If termination does occur, the contractor said the appeal process for the revocation could take months, "with little or no hope of the decision being overturned." "This is why so many are so silent," they said. "It's all about money and jobs for the contractors, promotions, and future advancement for the active-duty and federal civilians." This story was updated with remarks from DoD contractors. MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum quelled concerns on Monday about two recent movements of the U.S. military in the vicinity of Mexico that have the country on edge since the attack on Venezuela. On Friday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration urged U.S. aircraft operators to exercise caution when flying over the eastern Pacific Ocean near Mexico, Central America and parts of South America, citing military activities. The president said her administration waited a couple hours until the U.S. government provided written assurance that there would not be any U.S. military flights over Mexican territory. She said the U.S. government had not given Mexico a heads up about any military operations. The U.S. government provided precise coordinates for where it was operating and Mexican authorities issued a statement saying the FAA advisory had no implications for Mexico. Then, images of a U.S. military transport airplane on the tarmac at Tolucas airport about 39 miles (63 kilometers) west of Mexico City began circulating on social media. Sen. Clemente Castaneda, of the opposition Citizen Movement party, posted on social platform X asking for an explanation from the government, because Mexicos senate is supposed to approve sending Mexican troops abroad or allowing foreign troops into Mexico. Sheinbaum described it as a logistical operation that did not require senate approval. The United States plane landed, public servants got on that plane and they went (to the U.S.) for training, Sheinbaum said. Who authorized this? The Secretary of Defense. Her security cabinet had posted on X Sunday night that such training operations occur in conformity with established protocols and in adherence to the bilateral collaboration agreements. Both events highlighted the sensitivity created by not only the Trump administrations unilateral action to capture Venezuela's then-President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month, but the subsequent renewal of offers and threats to take direct military action against the drug cartels in Mexico. Sheinbaum and Trump spoke again last week on the subject. Both governments continue to say they will collaborate on security issues, with Mexico emphasizing that it will not accept violations of its sovereignty. Security officials from both countries are scheduled to meet again Friday in an effort to continue delivering tangible actions to strengthen security cooperation and meaningful outcomes to counter cartels, and stop the illicit flow of fentanyl and weapons from crossing our shared border, according to a joint statement released last Thursday. A new bill being proposed in the UK could send 65-year-old veterans into combat if passed by leaders in Parliament. Under a portion of the Armed Forces bill, the British government could expand the age at which Strategic Reserve personnel, the countrys pool of retired soldiers, could be called back to active duty from 55 to 65. If approved, the change would mobilize more than 10,000 veterans to prepare for war. Military recruitment numbers in the UK have declined in recent years, scaling down to their smallest amount in more than two centuries. According to The Telegraph, Britains force of fully-trained, active-duty troops has dwindled down to just over 70,000. Per current regulations, soldiers in the Strategic Reserve pool can be summoned for duty if the government feels national danger, great emergency or attack in the UK is imminent. But the new guidelines could lower the mandate to warlike preparations, which is currently the rule for reservists having recently left the British military. Kosovo Forces Regional Command-Easts (KFOR RC-E) 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) aircrew members trained alongside KFOR RC-E British forces in hot and cold load operations at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, Aug. 25, 2025. The exercise familiarizes multinational soldiers with UH-60 Black Hawk procedures and prepares them for potential emergency MEDEVAC missions in the region. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Laura Bradley) Threat of War on the Horizon Whats the catalyst for the proposed rule changes? British officials harbor growing concerns that the UK could be pulled into a war with Russia in the coming years. UK defense and security chiefs have been warning residents of the possibility of a large-scale conflict for the past few months. Al Carns, Britains Armed Forces minister, raised eyebrows days before Christmas, saying, war is already knocking on Europes door. Carns warned that UK forces must be ready for a war bigger than the decades-long conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last week, British government officials said the UK would be sending troops to Ukraine, to partner with France, if and when a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia is agreed upon. While exact numbers are still being determined, as many as 7,500 British troops could be called to action. However, military analysts believe that many troops being sent to Ukraine would diminish an already shrinking Armed Forces in the UK. That warning prompted the Ministry of Defence to push back on the rumors of 7,500 soldiers being deployed, stating the actual amount could be lower. Policies in Other Nations In the U.S., most branches dont allow people to join the military past age 41 or 42. In the Army, the age limit is 35; 28 in the Marine Corps. In World War II, however, with the need for fresh bodies, many soldiers were older, like 50-year-old Marine Corps recruit Paul Douglas. While former troops can be called up to duty in very rare cases, such as a national emergency, the likelihood of soldiers in their fifties and sixties fighting in combat is unlikely. For most branches, when an officer reaches age 60 or 62, they are forced into mandatory retirement. In Canada, citizens can join the Reserves up to age 52. Kosovo Forces Regional Command-Easts (KFOR RC-E) 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) aircrew members trained alongside KFOR RC-E British forces in hot and cold load operations at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, Aug. 25, 2025. The exercise familiarizes multinational soldiers with UH-60 Black Hawk procedures and prepares them for potential emergency MEDEVAC missions in the region. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Laura Bradley) Budget Shortfall Looms Large Last week, the UK government proposed spending 200m ($267,580,000 in U.S. dollars) to revamp armored vehicles and purchase new equipment for the Ukraine deployment. However, the package still has to be passed by Parliament. An estimated 95,000 veterans make up the Strategic Reserve from the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force (RAF). This reserve unit differs from Britains Reserve Force, made up of part-time volunteers. The UK has about 32,000 active reservists in its three military branches. In recent years, full-time recruitment in the British Army has declined from more than 100,000 troops in 2010 to slightly more than 70,000. Recent data, however, points to a very small increase in numbers. Besides recruiting concerns, the British Armed Forces are struggling with a large budget shortfall over the next few years despite efforts to increase military spending. Defense leaders have made it clear to Parliament that the Armed Forces will not be able to do everything that we would wish to do as quickly as we might want to do it, under the current budget. The wrangling over funds comes on the heels of a government report released last year warning Britain would not be adequately equipped to defend itself during an attack. Based on global defense spending, the UK sits at No. 12 among NATOs largest military spenders when factoring in GDP. The country ranked third as recently as 2021. While the defense spending is projected to rise in the UK in the coming years, it might not be quick enough to prevent short-term losses. The British military could have to make large personnel and program cuts to balance the budget, making the nations security even more vulnerable. Six hours into a routine patrol mission over the Arctic, smoke began filling the cockpit of a B-52 Stratofortress carrying four hydrogen bombs. Captain John Haug and his crew fought to reach Thule Air Base in Greenland, but the fire consumed the bomber's electrical systems. At 3:39 p.m. on January 21, 1968, the aircraft slammed into the ice seven miles west of the base. The impact carved a 160-foot gash across the frozen bay. All four thermonuclear weapons detonated their conventional high explosives. Nuclear safety mechanisms prevented atomic fission, but the blasts scattered radioactive plutonium across miles of Arctic ice. One crew member died. And investigators would discover they could account for only three of the four weapons. Thule Air Base in the foreground with North Star Bay, which was covered in sea ice at the time of the accident, in the background. (Wikimedia Commons) A Secret Mission Above the Arctic Captain John Haug's B-52G departed Plattsburgh Air Force Base in upstate New York that Sunday morning with a seven-man crew on a secret mission code-named Hard Head. The Strategic Air Command kept nuclear-armed bombers airborne around the clock as part of Operation Chrome Dome. The B-52 circled 35,000 feet above Thule, monitoring the base's Ballistic Missile Early Warning System. Soviet missiles aimed at North America would fly over Greenland. Hard Head bombers watched the facility so airborne crews could determine whether a communications blackout meant technical problems or nuclear war. Four B28FI thermonuclear weapons were in the forward bomb bay, each measuring 12 feet long and weighing 2,300 pounds. The hydrogen bombs packed yields up to 1.45 megatons, each enough to obliterate a major city. Set of four Mk-28 thermonuclear bombs in a clip-in assembly for loading into an aircraft. (Wikimedia Commons) The Crash The crew complained about the cold temperatures six hours into the flight. Major Alfred D'Amario had placed some foam cushions near a heating vent before takeoff, and now he opened an engine bleed valve to draw hot air into the cabin. A malfunctioning heater failed to cool the superheated air properly. Within 30 minutes, the cabin became uncomfortably hot and the cushions ignited. Someone reported smelling burning rubber. Navigator Curtis Criss searched the lower compartment twice before finding flames blazing behind a metal box. He emptied two fire extinguishers but couldn't stop the blaze from spreading. Smoke filled the cockpit. Electrical systems failed and the pilots lost their instruments. Haug declared an emergency at 3:22 p.m., 90 miles south of Thule, and requested immediate landing permission. Five minutes later he ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft. D'Amario confirmed they were over the base's lights, and six men ejected into the Arctic darkness. Co-pilot Leonard Svitenko didn't have an ejection seat. Svitenko attempted to bail out through the lower hatch and struck his head during the escape. Search teams later found his body north of the base. The bomber continued north without a pilot, then banked left and crashed into North Star Bay at 3:39 p.m. The conventional explosives in all four hydrogen bombs detonated, their safety devices preventing nuclear fission. But the blasts spread radioactive debris across the ice. Haug and D'Amario landed on the air base and reported the crash within 10 minutes. Three crew members landed within a mile and a half and were rescued within two hours. Jens Zinglersen, a Greenlandic official, organized native dog sled teams to find the survivors as the Arctic darkness made conventional rescue impossible. Aerial gunner Calvin Snapp had drifted six miles south on an ice floe. Rescuers found him 21 hours later. The gunner is rescued after ejecting from a B-52 that crashed new Thule Air Base on 21 January 1968. (Wikimedia Commons) Arctic Retrieval Efforts The Air Force activated its Disaster Control Team within hours. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory sent specialists with newly developed radiation detection equipment. The operation received the code name Crested Ice, and Major General Richard Hunziker took command of what would become one of the most challenging cleanup operations in military history. Hunziker faced brutal arctic conditions. Temperatures dropped to 75 below zero. Winds exceeded 80 miles per hour. Perpetual darkness covered the site, the sun wouldn't rise until mid-February. The sea ice would melt by summer and send debris 800 feet to the seafloor. Denmark demanded the complete removal of all crash material. The United States wanted to leave the wreckage in place, but Danish scientists insisted it all be removed. With Thule's future likely at stake, American officials agreed to the clean-up. Camp Hunziker, B-52 crash site half-way between Thule Air Base and Saunders Island. (Wikimedia Commons) Workers quickly built ice roads to the impact zone and constructed buildings and decontamination facilities. Operations ran 24 hours a day. Major General Hunziker later noted the irony that recovery from "one of man's most technically complex endeavours" required "the most primitive of methods." Burning jet fuel had melted through ice in multiple locations. Radioactive plutonium, uranium, americium and tritium contaminated the area. Plutonium levels reached 380 milligrams per square meter in some spots. The scientists worried contaminated fuel would float on top of the seawater when the ice melted and could possibly spread radiation along the coast. American airmen walked 50 abreast across the frozen bay, sweeping for debris ranging from aircraft wings to flashlight batteries. Crews scraped away five inches of blackened ice. Ships carried more than 550,000 gallons of radioactive waste to the United States for disposal. However, clean-up personnel worked without adequate protective equipment. Jeffrey Carswell, a shipping clerk for a Danish contractor, was at Thule when the bomber crashed. "The massive building shook as if an earthquake had hit," he recalled. The next day he arranged for Svitenko's body to be sent home. Carswell later claimed there was radiation exposure in the hangar where loading operations had occurred. More than 700 specialized personnel from the United States and Denmark worked the operation, with about 1,200 Danish and local workers assisting. Operations finally concluded September 13, 1968, at a cost of $9.4 million. Officials estimated they had removed 90 percent of the plutonium. A monitor checks a pump operator for radiation during Operation Crested Ice at Thule Air Base in 1968. (Wikimedia Commons) The Controversy Strategic Air Command announced that all four bombs had been destroyed in the crash. Within three weeks, investigators knew the statement was inaccurate, they had recovered components from only three weapons. A July 1968 classified report documented, "An analysis by the AEC of the recovered secondary components indicates recovery of 85 percent of the uranium and 94 percent, by weight, of three secondaries. No parts of the fourth secondary have been identified." The "secondary" is the fusion stage of a thermonuclear weapon, the part that actually produces the massive hydrogen bomb explosion. Each secondary contained uranium-235 and other materials formed into a cylinder about half a meter long that crews nicknamed "the marshal's baton." One of these components was still missing. In August 1968, the military dispatched a Star III mini-submarine to Thule. The official mission called for searching for radioactive contamination. Classified documents revealed the real purpose was finding the missing secondary component. The submersible made multiple dives but never located it. Star III submersible used in the underwater search for missing bomb components. (Wikimedia Commons) William Chambers, who led a Los Alamos National Laboratory team responding to nuclear accidents including Thule, explained the decision to abandon the search years later. "There was disappointment in what you might call a failure to return all of the components," he said. "It would be very difficult for anyone else to recover classified pieces if we couldn't find them." The issue remained classified until 2008, when BBC investigators obtained declassified documents through Freedom of Information Act requests confirming that a weapon remained on the seafloor. A 2009 Danish study contradicted the BBC findings, with the Danish Institute for International Studies concluding that only the secondary component, not a complete weapon, had not been recovered. For Greenlanders near the crash site, the distinction did not matter. Nuclear debris littered their hunting grounds. Two Inuit villages had already been forcibly relocated decades earlier. Now radioactive contamination threatened their food sources as plutonium entered the marine food chain. Aerial photograph of blackened area of ice where a B-52 carrying 4 nuclear weapons crashed near Thule Air Base on January 21, 1968. (Wikimedia Commons) Diplomatic Fallout Denmark had declared itself nuclear-free in 1957, prohibiting nuclear weapons on its territory including Greenland. The Thule crash exposed routine violations by the American military as nuclear-armed bombers had flown over Greenland since 1961. Foreign Minister Hans Tabor announced the accident and emphasized Denmark's nuclear policy covered Greenland as well. He assumed the flight was a one-off emergency. Declassified documents revealed Hard Head missions had flown constantly with secret Danish approval despite public government denials. The truth stayed classified for nearly three decades. In 1995, Danish investigators reviewing historical records sparked a scandal the press labeled Thulegate. Prime Minister H.C. Hansen had secretly authorized operations violating official policy. The revelations sparked public outrage. The crash, combined with a 1966 incident in Palomares, Spain, ended the airborne alert program. Operation Chrome Dome stopped in 1968. The entire incident had become a national embarrassment for the U.S. at the height of the Cold War. However, the accidents produced permanent safety improvements. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory developed crash simulation tests. Los Alamos created insensitive high explosives by 1979 that reduced the risks of detonation. Nuclear weapons designer Ray Kidder later said the Thule bombs probably wouldn't have exploded if these safer explosives had existed in 1968. Documents pertaining to the executive session before the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, 20 March 1968. (Wikimedia Commons) Workers Still Fighting for Compensation About 1,200 Danish workers participated in the cleanup, and many developed health problems later on. Workers sued the United States in 1987. The case failed but forced the release of documents showing American personnel never received health monitoring despite heavy radiation exposure. In 1995, Denmark paid 50,000 kroner each to about 1,700 workers employed at Thule during the cleanup period and surrounding years. Many felt this was inadequate. Health studies found no statistical cancer rate differences between workers and control groups. However, workers disputed the findings, saying inadequate monitoring made an accurate assessment impossible. "The workers' compensation requested is entirely based on our belief that the health challenges many of us have been suffering is fair and reasonable because of what we did at the time," Carswell said in 2019. He had joined the Association of Irradiated Thule Workers in 1988 after developing stomach cancer requiring the removal of part of his stomach and esophagus. Two other Danish workers, Bent Hansen and Heinz Eriksen, had kidney tumors removed and pursued U.S. workers' compensation benefits. Their claims were denied. The European Court directed Denmark to examine the workers in 2000. Environmental scientists returned to the area in 2003 and detected residual radioactivity in sediment, seawater and seaweed, though levels remained extremely low. A 2007 European Parliament resolution also demanded Denmark conduct the examinations. Legal experts said Denmark had no obligations for 1968 events because it hadn't joined the European Atomic Energy Community until 1973. A 2011 Danish health report found radiation doses were below recommended levels even under extreme conditions. The workers never received compensation beyond the money Denmark paid in 1995. Contaminated ice being loaded into steel tanks for shipping to the United States for processing during Project Crested Ice. (Wikimedia Commons) Effects on the Locals Indigenous Greenlanders received no systematic health monitoring after the incident. No studies were conducted on local populations despite plutonium contamination in waters where the Inughuit people hunt and fish. The Inuit had lost their homes when the base was built in the 1950s. Two villages were forcibly relocated. The crash added another layer of injustice to local communities that had been affected by American strategic interests. This was despite their roles in finding the missing airmen and helping clean the crash site. Local dog sled team, groups of locals on sleds were instrumental in finding and rescuing the survivors. (Wikimedia Commons) Thule Air Base continues operating and was renamed Pituffik Space Base in 2023. Modern radar replaced the original early warning system in 1987. Debates continue about whether the weapon component remains on the seafloor. The workers keep fighting for compensation. Environmental monitoring still detects trace contamination more than five decades after the incident. As Denmark pushes back against the U.S. and President Donald Trumps threats to take over Greenland, it is important to remember that the American military is already present on the island. While Pituffik plays a vital role in national defense, military operations on the island, especially the 1968 Thule Incident, continue to affect local Greenlanders. When the Pentagon began rolling out artificial intelligence tools across logistics, maintenance, and intelligence functions, expectations were high. AI promised faster decisions, lower costs, and better readiness across the force. Instead, many early efforts stalled or failed to scale. The Pentagons biggest mistake was not moving too fast or spending too much. It was trying to deploy AI on top of fragmented, outdated data systems that were never built to support it. That problem cut across every military service. AI Was Never the Hard Part The Department of Defenses modern push into artificial intelligence formally began in the late 2010s, when senior leaders moved to operationalize machine learning across military operations. The goal was to help commanders process information faster and manage growing volumes of data. But early pilots revealed a core limitation. AI systems could not overcome incomplete records, inconsistent data standards, and legacy software that could not easily share information across commands. Oversight reviews consistently found that the technology itself often worked as intended, while the data environment surrounding it did not. Rather than accelerating readiness, early AI efforts exposed long-standing weaknesses in how the military collected, stored, and governed information. The Core Mistake: Building AI on Broken Data Early Pentagon AI programs emphasized speed and visibility. Program offices were encouraged to demonstrate innovation and scale quickly. Between 2021 and 2022, the Government Accountability Office warned that the Defense Department lacked complete, accurate, and standardized data needed to support advanced analytics across logistics, maintenance, and readiness. Without those foundations, AI tools struggled to produce outputs that operators could consistently trust. The Department of Defense Inspector General reached similar conclusions, finding that some AI and data analytics initiatives lacked clear validation standards and governance structures. The result was predictable. AI outputs appeared precise, but confidence in their reliability remained uneven. U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Martin Wuesthoff, left, a surveillance sensor operator with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, and Cpl. Alex Vaughn, an intelligence specialist with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I MEF, observe the live feed of an RQ-20 Puma during a Dead Center small unmanned aircraft system training on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 20, 2025. Dead Center is an artificial intelligence enabled system that enhances sUAS operators ability to perform a wide range of surveillance and reconnaissance missions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Trent A. Henry) How the Data Problem Affected Every Service Across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, early AI adoption revealed the same structural challenge. Each service relied on legacy systems built for platform-specific or mission-specific needs, not enterprise-wide data sharing. Maintenance, logistics, and readiness data were often stored in disconnected systems with inconsistent standards, limiting the effectiveness of advanced analytics regardless of service culture or mission. Oversight reporting found that differences in operating environments mattered, but the underlying constraint was shared. AI tools could not scale reliably without clean, accessible, and interoperable data. Where data foundations were weak, trust in AI recommendations suffered. Where data pipelines improved, results followed. The lesson was not service-specific. It was systemic. A Leadership and Structure Problem Program offices could procure AI tools. They could not easily fix decades of data fragmentation owned by multiple commands, services, and vendors. In public interviews after leaving his post, Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, the Pentagons first director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, acknowledged that early efforts underestimated how difficult enterprise-level data reform would be. The challenge was not awareness. It was authority, coordination, and time. The Course Correction By the early 2020s, the Pentagon began adjusting its approach. Rather than treating AI as a plug-and-play solution, leaders emphasized: Data standardization before AI deployment Narrow, mission-specific use cases Operator involvement earlier in development Clear human authority over AI-assisted decisions This shift was formalized in the Department of Defenses 2023 Data, Analytics, and AI Adoption Strategy, which made data visibility, trustworthiness, and interoperability prerequisites for effective AI. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks emphasized that AI must improve decision-making while remaining responsible, governable, and accountable. Where AI Is Working Today More recent Pentagon AI efforts reflect those lessons. Programs showing progress rely on cleaner data pipelines, clearly defined missions, and sustained human oversight. Predictive maintenance analytics focused on specific components and logistics tools built on standardized data have produced incremental improvements, according to Defense Department readiness briefings tied to recent budget testimony. The gains are modest but measurable, and they reflect realism rather than hype. Clearing Up a Common Misconception Early struggles with military AI did not mean the technology failed. AI revealed systemic weaknesses that already existed in data management, governance, and system design. Fragmented data and legacy systems limited performance long before algorithms entered the picture. AI did not break readiness. It exposed the cost of ignoring data foundations for decades. Timeline: How Military AI Adoption Actually Unfolded 2017: The Pentagon launches its first widely recognized operational AI effort focused on applying machine learning to intelligence analysis. The Pentagon launches its first widely recognized operational AI effort focused on applying machine learning to intelligence analysis. 2018: The Department of Defense releases its Artificial Intelligence Strategy, formally beginning department-wide AI adoption and establishing the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center. The Department of Defense releases its Artificial Intelligence Strategy, formally beginning department-wide AI adoption and establishing the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center. 2020: The DoD Inspector General identifies governance and validation weaknesses in early AI and data analytics initiatives. The DoD Inspector General identifies governance and validation weaknesses in early AI and data analytics initiatives. 20212022: GAO reports repeatedly warn that poor data quality and fragmented systems limit AI effectiveness across logistics and readiness. GAO reports repeatedly warn that poor data quality and fragmented systems limit AI effectiveness across logistics and readiness. 2023: The Pentagon issues its Data, Analytics, and AI Adoption Strategy, formally recognizing data foundations as critical to AI success. What Happens Next Future Pentagon AI programs are moving more deliberately by design. That slower pace reflects lessons learned across the services. Reliable AI requires unglamorous work first: data standards, governance, training, and trust at the unit level. The Pentagons biggest early mistake was assuming those steps could be skipped. They cannot. Sources Googles Data Centers Achieve Major Turning Point in Water Conservation Efforts (Googles Data Centers Achieve Major Milestone in Water Conservation Efforts) We hear a lot concerning tech business going environment-friendly. Google simply hit a big target in one certain location: conserving water at its large data centers. This isnt just great public relations. It matters for our earth. Lets dive into what this turning point implies, why its so important, and how they drew it off. 1. What Are Googles Water Conservation Initiatives? . Put simply, Googles water preservation efforts are all the things they do to make use of much less fresh water cooling their massive computer system storehouses, called information facilities. These centers run 24/7, processing our searches, e-mails, videos, and cloud storage. All those computers produce huge warmth. They require constant cooling to quit overheating and damaging down. Traditionally, that cooling down utilized substantial amounts of fresh water, commonly vaporized into the air. Googles objective had not been just minor financial savings. They aimed high. Their target? To entirely refill the water they use by 2030. That suggests returning right into landmarks and communities every decrease they consume for their operations. The recent landmark? They introduced they attained this water favorable standing in advance of timetable for all their data centers and workplaces around the world. Thats massive. It implies they are currently putting more water back into nature and areas than they secure for air conditioning and various other requirements. 2. Why Focus on Water Conservation at Information Centers? . Data centers are thirsty monsters. Think about it. They are packed with hundreds of effective computer systems running continuous. All that processing power develops intense heat. If that warm isnt gotten rid of, the equipment stops working. Water is unbelievably efficient at soaking up and bring away warm. Thats why many data centers, especially older ones, counted heavily on water-based air conditioning systems, particularly evaporative cooling towers. These towers spray water, allowing some vaporize to cool the rest, which then cools down the air used to chill the web servers. This technique works well however utilizes shocking amounts of water, especially in hot, completely dry environments. Water shortage is an expanding global dilemma. Millions lack accessibility to clean water. Environment change is making droughts much longer and a lot more severe. Making use of substantial quantities of fresh water for cooling down computers, specifically in water-stressed regions, is significantly viewed as careless. It puts pressure on local areas and communities. Google comprehended this risk. They saw that for their service to be sustainable long-term, they had to drastically reduce their water impact. It had not been just about being environmentally friendly; it was crucial for running sensibly, maintaining their social certificate to run, and future-proofing their infrastructure. 3. Just How Did Google Achieve This Water Conservation Turning Point? . So exactly how did Google go from being a large water individual to becoming water positive? They really did not rely upon just one technique. They used an entire tool kit of methods:. Initially, they searched for places where they can ditch freshwater cooling altogether. In appropriate coastal areas, they constructed data centers that use seawater or treated wastewater for cooling down rather than taking advantage of priceless freshwater resources. This directly avoids utilizing the neighborhood drinking supply of water. Second, they got smarter regarding when they made use of water. They created sophisticated systems making use of weather prediction and real-time information. On cooler, humid days, they can depend a lot more on outdoors air for air conditioning ( cost-free cooling), significantly decreasing the demand to activate the water-hungry air conditioning towers. They only used substantial water cooling when definitely needed, like on the hottest days. Third, they invested heavily in technology inside the information centers. This included very effective air conditioning systems that make use of less water to begin with. Think about it like updating to a low-flow showerhead, however, for server cooling. They likewise make use of sophisticated controls and sensing units to make certain every decrease of water made use of is enhanced and not lost. Finally, and most importantly, they really did not quit at just making use of much less. They bought jobs to replenish water in the areas where they operate. This indicates funding jobs like bring back marshes, enhancing watering effectiveness for farmers, and assisting neighborhoods update leaky water infrastructure. These projects put tidy water back into the neighborhood watersheds, countering the water Google still needs to utilize. 4. Where Are These Water Preservation Initiatives Being Applied? . Google hasnt just chatted the talk; theyve strolled the walk with real jobs worldwide. Lets look at some particular examples:. In Douglas Region, Georgia, U.S.A., they partnered with local teams to improve the wellness of the Chattahoochee River watershed. This engaged bring back wetlands and forests. These all-natural areas imitate sponges, filtering system water and renewing groundwater products. In the drought-prone state of Arizona, they collaborated with the Colorado River Indian Tribes. Together, they upgraded irrigation systems on tribal farmland. Old, inefficient watering methods shed a great deal of water to dissipation and drainage. The brand-new systems provide water straight to plant origins, conserving substantial amounts. This conserved water assists offset Googles usage in the area. Looking globally, their information facility in Hamina, Finland, uses salt water from the Gulf of Finland for cooling down. This completely avoids using the regional freshwater supply. Its a prime example of picking the right place and innovation to get rid of freshwater reliance. In Belgium, they spearheaded using recycled water (cleansed metropolitan wastewater) for cooling their information facility near St. Ghislain. As opposed to making use of drinking water, they provide treated wastewater a second life for commercial air conditioning. These are simply a few highlights. Google specifies they have replenishment tasks throughout several landmarks where their information centers run, aiming to stabilize their water utilize globally. 5. FAQs Regarding Googles Data Center Water Preservation . Individuals normally have questions about such a huge claim. Here are some typical ones:. Did Google quit using water entirely? No. Accomplishing water positive doesnt suggest zero water usage. It implies they stabilize their remaining water use by restoring greater than they take in with conservation tasks. Some places still require water for cooling, however much less than before, and its offset in other places. Is using salt water or wastewater secure? Yes, when done properly. Systems are developed to prevent contamination. Using cured wastewater for cooling actually offers it a valuable function before its finally discharged or dealt with again. Seawater systems are closed loops, implying the seawater doesnt blend with freshwater materials. Doesnt using air cooling ( complimentary air conditioning) make use of more energy? Occasionally. On very warm days, using outdoors air alone may not suffice, calling for energy-hungry chillers. Thats why Google utilizes hybrid systems. They change in between air cooling and very little water cooling based upon real-time weather information to find the most effective equilibrium, saving both water and energy overall. Exactly how do we understand the replenishment tasks truly conserve water? Google partners with environmental teams and uses clinical methods to measure the water benefits. Projects like repairing leaks in canals or enhancing watering effectiveness have measurable water cost savings. These cost savings are thoroughly computed and confirmed by third parties where feasible. Can other companies do this? Definitely! While Google is a leader, the methods arent secret. Utilizing different water sources, smart cooling controls, effective cooling systems, and purchasing watershed reconstruction are strategies any kind of information center operator can discover. Google sharing its progression assists push the entire market onward. (Googles Data Centers Achieve Major Milestone in Water Conservation Efforts) Google striking this water target very early is a huge offer. It reveals that also large technology titans can discover smart ways to decrease their environmental impact. Their mix of smarter technology, much better areas, creative timing, and giving back to areas provides a solid plan. While challenges remain, specifically with expanding information demands, this turning point confirms that considerable water preservation in the technology industry is not just possible its occurring. News / National by Staff reporter THE Member of Parliament for Chiredzi West, Mr Darlington Chiwa, who is facing charges of allegedly embezzling Constituency Development Funds (CDF), has been released on bail set at US$200.As part of the bail conditions, Chiwa was ordered to surrender the title deeds to his house as surety and to hand over his passport pending trial.The State had opposed his release, arguing that he was likely to interfere with State witnesses. However, the court granted bail and ordered the legislator not to interact with any of the witnesses.Chiwa was remanded to February 19 for further proceedings.The legislator is accused of misappropriating funds meant for community development projects, allegedly spending the money on personal items including beer, shoes, groceries and building materials.The amount involved is the equivalent of about US$50 000 in ZiG currency.According to the allegations, Chiwa, in his capacity as chairperson of the Chiredzi West CDF committee, manipulated other committee members who were signatories to the constituency account, compelling them to relinquish their responsibilities so that he became the sole signatory.It is further alleged that after Parliament of Zimbabwe disbursed the CDF funds, Chiwa diverted most of the money for personal use, channeling only about ZiG$270 000 towards community projects while allegedly squandering approximately ZiG$900 000.The matter is still before the courts. ROYAL OAK, MI - Detroit Rock City will soon be more than just a hit rock song. Two music legends are opening their 3-story restaurant and concert bar in Michigan. KISS members, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are bringing Rock and Brews Restaurant and Concert Bar to downtown Royal Oak at 208 West Fifth Avenue with a scheduled March opening. The 3-story venue will be around 12,000 sq. ft. featuring the main dining area on level one, a live concert stage and bar on level two and an open-air rooftop lounge on level three. Were excited to bring a Rock & Brews Restaurant and Concert Bar to Detroit Rock City, said Stanley and Simmons in a joint statement. Weve all worked hard collaborating as a team to create Rock & Brews destinations we could be proud to share with the community, and that is without a doubt what we will do for our newest location in Royal Oak. There are currently six Rock & Brews locations in California, three in Florida, one in Kansas, one in Missouri, two in Oklahoma, two in Texas, one in Washington, and two in Wisconsin. Partnering with the legendary Paul and Gene, we are focused on delivering a proven concept that blends high-quality food, standout drinks, and an atmosphere rooted in great music, said Tony Yezbick, co-owner of Rock & Brews with his brother Danny along with other private investors. Royal Oak has an energy and character that aligns perfectly with what Rock & Brews stands for. The menu will feature scratch-made American classics, signature rocktails and local and craft beers on tap. The venue will also serve brunch on weekends. Rock & Brews is currently hiring for all positions, including shift lead, servers, bartenders, sous chef, lead cook, host, expediters, food runners, dishwashers, bussers and more. Those interested can apply via email. Theron Duncan may have been killed over a joke about a dog. On the day Duncan was allegedly shot and killed by his friend Evan Dixon, Nov. 14, 2023, the two men had spent the evening drinking in the Douglass House Saloon in downtown Houghton. The Douglass House began its existence as part of a grand hotel in the Upper Peninsula city, built at the height of a copper boom. Its now known colloquially as The Doghouse, and Dixon, an attorney, had brought along his dog, Hazel. Duncan absconded with her, according to the Houghton Police Departments report on the incident, which includes details of the case not previously reported publicly. City surveillance cameras show him leaving the bar with Hazel in tow shortly before 6 p.m., heading to his apartment across the street. A few minutes later, back in the bar, Duncan started making jokes about holding Hazel for ransom. The Douglass Houses security cameras captured the conversation. Dixon stood up with his right hand made to look like a gun, according to the police report. He put it to side of Duncans head. Ill pop him, he said to the bartender. All of them were laughing An hour later, according to Houghton County prosecutors, thats exactly what he did. He loved people Duncan was loving, according to family members. He loved to cook, loved to be out on the water, loved his dog, Sara Teddy and loved making people happy. He used to make these chicken breast sandwiches, and he would just give sandwiches to everybody because he loved people, said his mother, Helen Galang. He never really set down roots. Hed grown up in Chicago and the nearby suburb of North Chicago but, as an adult, would live in Virginia and Georgia and Wisconsin before arriving in Michigan. I really dont know why he moved as much as he did, said his daughter, Chinea Duncan. Im thinking he was just trying to find that self-balance and trying to figure out what he wanted to do. He made his way to Houghton with a girlfriend a few years ago because shed found a job in the area, Galang said. He seemed happy there. He just wanted his family to come up there and see where he lived, and he was always talking about it, she said. Shed had plans to visit him for Thanksgiving the year he died. I didnt tell him, she said. I was going to wait until almost Thanksgiving, and I was going to surprise him. She never got the chance. I figure if I had just told him I was coming up there, maybe it wouldnt have happened, you know? she said, starting to cry. Friends Galang doesnt know how her son met Evan Dixon, but they were friends. A bartender at the Douglass House told the police as much, adding that the two men had gone boating together. A motion Dixons attorney filed describes them as friends. He and Theron were very close friends, said Stephanie Dixon, Evan Dixons ex-wife, spent a lot of time together. She doesnt have anything good to say about her ex-husband. Even though weve been divorced since 2007, I still feared for my life from him, she said. She told the police the same thing after Evan Dixons arrest. The custody battle over their three children was acrimonious enough to make it to the Michigan Court of Appeals, which noted that Evan Dixon had once given his dilapidated house to his ex-wife to make up for unpaid child support and promptly reported to Child Protective Services that she was living with the children in unsanitary conditions. But Dixons criminal record speaks more to instability than aggression. Between 2008 and 2015, he had his law license temporarily suspended twice following drunken driving convictions and once after being convicted of disturbing the peace, according to state records. After that, Michigan State Police records show nothing until he was charged with first-degree murder and felony firearm in Duncans killing. Im so sorry Dixon left the Douglass House shortly after 6:30 p.m. on the night Duncan was killed, according to the police report. He returned at 7:08 p.m., said something to the bartender and then to Duncan. Lets take care of all that business, he said, according to the police report, and headed toward the bars restrooms. Duncan followed. Then a gunshot. Dixon came out of the bathroom. What the hell was that? the bartender asked. Dixon laid down behind the bar and let out a scream. Im so sorry, he said to the bartender, who had by then seen Duncans body. Call 9-1-1. Im so sorry. Im so sorry. Why? the bartender shouted at him. He said he would not give my dog back, Dixon replied. He was just joking, she said. Diminished capacity Dixon was examined by the Michigan Center for Forensic Psychiatry, according to a motion filed by his attorney, Diane Kay-Hougaboom. The examination found that he was not legally insane when Duncan was killed. But Kay-Hougaboom has petitioned the court to allow whats known as a diminished capacity defense. Diminished capacity is basically a defense that says that a person had a mental health concern that negated their ability to form the specific intent to commit the crime, she said. Its presently not allowed under Michigan law, but the state Supreme Court heard oral arguments in October in People v. Cinneca Daquan Madison, a case that could change that. Kay-Hougaboom said shell use that defense at trial if its allowed. She declined to say why Dixon might have suffered from diminished capacity or to discuss other aspects of the case. Dixon has pleaded not guilty. The final hearing before the case goes to trial is scheduled for April 10. Galang says she will be there when Dixon goes before a jury. I want to look him right in the face, she said. I just want to know why. What did my son do to him for him to kill him like that? Chinea Duncan said she still wakes up in the middle of the night crying about her fathers death. Im an only child, and he was always there in my life whatever the case may have been, she said, not having him, it messed me up. Her dad had been diagnosed the prostate cancer shortly before he died, she said. The family was preparing for a hard time ahead. Just not what came. He should still be here, Chinea Duncan said. Whatever the case may have been, it didnt justify him losing his life. HONOR, MI -- Buried under feet of snow, Michigans iconic sand dunes are taking a soft slumber for the winter. In need of some rest and respite yourself? Maybe a little adventure to spark something new? Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore welcomes winter campers of all types. Park rangers keep campgrounds plowed and monitored during the winter to open up the experience to campers of all levels. Dont be intimidated by the snow, District Ranger Paul Chalup said. If youve got an interest in it, give it a shot, he said. The value of the national parks is its an opportunity to have an experience you might have never had before. In his 25 years at Sleeping Bear, visitors often tell Chalup the push outside their comfort zone turned into a breakout experience. A National Park hooks them he said and they develop a greater love for outdoor recreation. Of course there are precautions to take. Whether youre an experienced pro or a novice youll be navigating the elements and your own limits. Chalup notes theres no shame in turning around. Over my career weve had a lot of rescues where people are pushing that limit, he said. People say, Im extremist. I accept the risk. But at the end of the day, their risks have become other peoples risks when rescuers have to come in. Heres a guide to safely camp in the winter at Sleeping Bear Dunes. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offers two winter camping options. The Platte River Campground offers easy access while still giving a magical winter vibe, this is ideal for first-time winter campers. Backcountry camping is also allowed during the winter for campers who feel confident with hiking in with their gear. (Photo Courtesy of Paul Chalup |NPS) Photo Courtesy of Paul Chalup |NPS What campgrounds are open in the winter? In Honor, there are 24 electric sites available in Loop 2 at Platte River Campground and six backcountry sites at White Pine Campground. The specific loop that is kept open during the winter at Platte River Campground varies depending on maintenance projects underway to maintain and improve campground facilities during the off-season. Traditionally Loop 1 is partially kept open with around 30 sites available during the winter, Chalup said. Is the road plowed? Where should campers park? Yes, access is maintained throughout the winter for the primary loop that is available in the Platte River Campground. Depending on winter storms the plowing schedule can vary though as maintenance crews work to clear snow at visitor access locations throughout the Lakeshore. Chalup recommends backcountry campers access White Pine by parking at the Platte Plains Trailhead off M-22 or in the general parking area at the Platte River Ranger Station to hike, snowshoe or cross-country ski into the backcountry campground. Will campers see park rangers? From November 1-April 30 Platte River Campground is normally setup for self-registration with self-pay envelopes and instructions located at the Platte River Ranger Station. All campsites are first come, first serve during the winter season. The campground office is normally closed during the winter season, but Law Enforcement works out of the Ranger Station and limited maintenance staff are generally around during the day. Campers can contact the Visitor Center in Empire if they have questions or issues from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at (231) 326-4700 or by calling 911 in an emergency. Sites for White Pine Backcountry Campground can be reserved year-round at www.recreation.gov. Its first come first serve for campsite selection when campers arrive at White Pine anytime of the year. What should campers prepare for? Sleeping Bear provides a good opportunity to try winter camping at two different levels. For visitors looking for some of the basic comforts while camping, Chalup recommends the Platte River Campground. This campground has electric hookups at every site available in the winter and a restroom with flush toilets, hot showers and potable water. There is the convenience of a fire ring at each of the regular campsites at the Platte River Campground as well. The advantage of the Platte River Campground is that you can pull up in a vehicle or RV and setup camping gear in a short amount of time and have quicker options if you forgot something. It also makes for an easier Plan B if weather takes a turn and you need to shelter in your car, Chalup said. For those looking for more of a traditional rustic winter camping experience, Chalup recommends trying backcountry camping. This adventure comes with limited accommodations and a little more of a challenge to get there, depending on where you start out from. The White Pine Backcountry Campground has six sites with two shared, communal fire rings, food storage lockers to prevent unwanted access by animals and an outhouse. There are bears in the National Lakeshore so campers should be aware of bear safety but the primary nuisance to campers are ambitious chipmunks and raccoons, Chalup said. One major benefit of the backcountry is White Pine Backcountry Campground is about a half mile to the Lake Michigan. The shoreline is known to create ice spectacles as the lake forms and rolls ice into fantastical shapes like balls and pancakes. Learn more about backcountry permits and Sleeping Bears Wilderness. What kind of safety preparation should campers plan for? Campers should be checking the weather forecast beforehand and frequently during their trip. Check nps.gov/slbe for any closure updates or general advisories ahead of any trip to Sleeping Bear. Backcountry camping will require more preparation due to the remote nature. Potable water is not available at White Pine Backcountry Campground year-round. Have a plan for water that has to be brought in or obtained through other means from nature, this includes what to do if your water supply freezes overnight. Plan ahead on how to keep your gear dry, how to get warm and what to do in an emergency. Double check your gear before leaving and triple check that it holds up in winter weather. You dont want to wake up with snow coming through your tent. If a cell phone is your main way to call for help while backcountry camping be prepared to keep it charged and check your service once you arrive at the campsite. If your cell service is poor, try to figure out the general areas that it works ahead of an emergency, so you know where you need to go to be able to call for help, Chalup said. If youre solo camping, let a friend or family member know what your plans are and when you plan to end your camping experience. Chalup recommends a check-in time with friends or family and discuss what you would like them to do, and when, if they dont hear from you. I have done plenty of welfare checks on visitor throughout the Lakeshore after receiving a call from a friend or family member that was concerned about their safety, and it ended up that the visitor simply decided to adjust plans and forgot to update people, Chalup said. Lastly, know your limits. No shame in throwing in the towel if you feel that you are exceeding acceptable levels of risk. Learn from the experience and adjust for the next adventure, Chalup said. DETROIT, MI -- Theres something invigorating about a chilly night hike. The crunch of the snow beneath your boots, the whistle of the wind and the stillness of the night sky but there might be a pair of eyes watching you. Join the Owl Prowl this month at the Belle Isle Nature Center to look for Michigans nocturnal neighbors. From 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, leaders from the Outdoor Adventure Center will be gathering hikers at Belle Isle to go for a short hike including some owl calls to try and hear or see owls. The event is free with entry to Belle Isle, which is included in a Michigan Recreation Passport. The Belle Isle Nature Center is located at 176 Lakeside Drive on Belle Isle. The Owl Prowl will also include some owl pellet inspection and some background on Michigan owls at the nature center. The most common owl in the area are Eastern Screech Owls, said OAC Educator Natalie Cypher. Recently, the Belle Isle staff also spotted the nomadic Snowy Owl on the MacArthur Bridge, Cypher said. Although an owl sighting isnt guaranteed, Cypher said the Belle Isle hike has a good track record of interacting with owls. The walk portion of the program is recommended for ages 8 or older. Dress for the weather and uneven terrain. There will be a bonfire and hot cocoa at the end of the hike. Be a good hiker: Dont scare this rare bird. How to be a stress-free snowy owl viewer. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Adventure Center where the Detroit Riverwalk meets the Dequindre Cut in Detroit on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com More at the OAC in Detroit: Want to investigate a wildlife crime scene this DNR program shows you how its done Detroits Outdoor Adventure Center is run by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The center, located within the historic Globe Building on Detroits riverfront, offers free outdoor recreation and education classes every month including fishing pole set up, indoor archery and yoga with a creature. Find the OACs calendar, here. The OAC opened in 2015 with the mission to bring an up north feel to downtown through hands-on activities, exhibits and simulators. More Owl Sighting Tips: Winter is the best time to see Michigan owls. Heres where and when. Big eyes, bigger personalities: Meet endangered owls at this 264-acre nature refuge BENZIE COUNTY, MI A 13-year-old boy is suffering from severe, life-threatening burns after a fire at his Northern Michigan home on Saturday, WPBN/WGTU reports. Firefighters were dispatched just before 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, to a reported fire at a home on Maple City Highway in Almira Township, Benzie County, the report said. When they arrived, smoke was coming from a rare bedroom. The fire was brought under control after about 35 minutes. The cause is under investigation. The homeowner had closed the door of the bedroom where the fire started, effectively containing it to that room, the report said. While the fire was contained, the family was displaced due to smoke damage throughout the house. The family of four was home when the fire started, but only the boy was injured, the report said. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and then transferred to a hospital that has a burn unit. HUDSONVILLE, MI Ottawa County Sheriffs officials said crews cleared and reopened I-196 as of 6 p.m., Monday, Jan. 19, nearly eight hours after a 100-vehicle pileup caused the interstate shutdown in icy conditions. The Sheriffs Office would like to thank the numerous law enforcement agencies, fire departments, ambulance and wrecker services, Hudsonville Public Schools and Max Transport that assisted in the removal of patients, vehicles and motorists from the highway, the sheriffs office report stated. The Sheriffs Office is also grateful for the numerous local businesses that donated food to emergency workers that were on-scene for over seven hours. Crews closed I-196 in both directions in Hudsonville because of the pileup crash in icy conditions that began after 10 a.m., state police reported. The closure was located between exits 62 and 55, read a post from the state polices account on X, formerly Twitter. RELATED: It was terrifying. Driver describes pileup involving about 100 vehicles on I-196 The closure extended to neighboring Zeeland Township. The dangerous conditions come as much of Michigan remains on alert for snow, wind and cold temperatures. For the latest information about the weather, visit mlive.com/weather. Whiteout conditions are being reported on roads across the state. Winds are set to increase today, and conditions are expected to worsen as blowing snow causes repeated areas of low visibility for drivers. Snow squalls are also possible. ALPENA, MI - Two people, a man and a 2-year-old, were injured Monday morning in a house fire in Northern Michigan. The man, in his 20s, and the child escaped the fire at 1124 Ford Ave. in Alpena and went to a neighboring home. Both were taken to MyMichigan Medical Center in Alpena and then transferred to a hospital with a burn unit, the city fire department reported. Firefighters, called at 9:13 a.m., spotted a large column of smoke as they went to the fire. When they arrived, they saw fire in two front windows and a window on the north side of the home. They made an interior attack, but had to withdraw because of the volume of fire, the fire department reported. Firefighters then tried to enter the house at the back, but they had to leave because of intense heat and deteriorating conditions. They then transitioned to a defensive attack. The cold weather and wind led to rapid fire spread, and flames moved to the upper story, according to the fire department. No firefighters were injured and all crews cleared the scene just before 2 p.m. Nine on-duty firefighters and the chief first responded. Seven off-duty firefighters and two auxiliary members joined them. Several other agencies offered assistance and the fire department thanked the support of those who provided food and hot drinks. News / National by Staff reporter WAR veterans and former political detainees from across the country have rallied behind Presidential Special Adviser Mr Paul Tungwarara, citing his sustained engagement and tangible interventions aimed at improving their welfare and livelihoods.The endorsement follows Mr Tungwarara's recent remarks reaffirming the central role played by liberation war fighters and former detainees in securing Zimbabwe's independence, sentiments that have resonated strongly within the veteran community.Liberation war veteran Comrade Joseph Chinhamo of Mashonaland Central said Mr Tungwarara's approach reflects long-overdue recognition of the sacrifices made during the struggle."For years, many felt sidelined after giving everything to the struggle," said Chinhamo. "When Tungwarara speaks, he gives voice to our lived experiences. More importantly, his words are backed by action."Mr Tungwarara has consistently acknowledged war veterans, former political prisoners, collaborators and families of fallen fighters as pillars of the nation, a stance that has earned him widespread respect among the groups.In recent months, several Government-backed initiatives targeting veterans' welfare have gathered momentum. These include financial support packages for former political detainees, war collaborators and widows of fallen liberation heroes.Key interventions such as the War Veterans Welfare Fund, interest-free loan facilities, borehole drilling programmes and housing schemes are being rolled out, providing practical relief to communities that have long called for structured support.In Matabeleland South, former detainee Mr Sipho Moyo described the initiatives as both practical and symbolic."The borehole drilled in our village means more than access to water," he said. "It shows that our sacrifices are remembered. These programmes help heal wounds that have been carried for decades."Mr Tungwarara has pledged that no eligible veteran will be left out of the support framework, a commitment that has been welcomed by beneficiaries.Veterans have also framed their support for Mr Tungwarara as an endorsement of Zanu-PF's leadership and policy direction, pointing to the establishment of a dedicated war veterans' portfolio within the party as evidence of renewed political will to address their concerns.War veteran Ms Abigail Chikomo said the values forged during the liberation struggle continue to shape their political outlook."We fought as disciplined cadres, united by a common purpose," she said. "That same discipline now drives our support for Vision 2030. Adviser Tungwarara and President Mnangagwa have provided clarity and direction, and we are fully behind that journey."War collaborator Tinashe Madziva of Manicaland said Mr Tungwarara's leadership reflects a people-centred philosophy aligned with the ethos of the liberation struggle."We did not fight for titles or privilege, but for the masses," he said. "Seeing that same commitment in his work with the President on national programmes, including Vision 2030 and empowerment initiatives, gives us confidence in the future."Observers say the growing alignment between Government leadership and liberation veterans points to a strengthening partnership grounded in recognition, inclusion and shared national goals.As Zimbabwe advances its development agenda, the backing of war veterans and former detainees is seen as reinforcing a renewed sense of purpose rooted in acknowledging the past while building a more secure and inclusive future. Womens retailer Francescas is set to soon close all of its locations, becoming the latest national retail chain to shutter its doors. According to Womens Wear Daily, the Houston-based retailer has begun liquidation sales at stores across the country as the company prepares to close. In an email sent to WWD last week, a representative for Francescas wrote we are liquidating our inventory and closing soon. The company has not released an official statement confirming the closures. However, the Francesca website now states that as of Jan. 14, 2026, all sales are final and no returns or exchanges can be made. The website does not mention liquidation sales or that the company closing stores. The retail chain is known for selling a range of womens clothing, accessories, jewelry, and gifts. The closures come after a difficult five-year stretch that started when the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2020. After reorganizing, Francescas began reopening stores in September 2021. In May 2023, the company acquired another brand, Richer Poorer. However, People reports the company has struggled to pay vendors for nearly two years. Founded in 1999, Francescas currently operates more than 450 locations across 45 states, according to its website. It is unclear when Francescas will close for good. The State Department has updated its travel warning for Americans planning to visit or already in Jamaica. On Saturday, the agency lowered the advisory to a Level II exercise increased caution warning after the Caribbean nation has seen signs of improvement since last years Hurricane Melissa made landfall. A Level II advisory is considered the second least serious level on the departments four-tier scale. Jamaica was previously under a Level III reconsider travel warning following the hurricane. Although the State Department says travel is now safer, it reminded Americans that issues with crime persist, along with unstable health care and continued risk of natural disasters. Violent crime is on the decline in Jamaica, however the country still has one of the highest homicide rates in the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. embassy says it routinely receives reports of sexual assaults, including from U.S. citizen tourists at resorts. Americans also report being largely unsatisfied with police responses in Jamaica. Some areas are still recovering from the hurricane and not all public services may be available in those regions. Visitors are encouraged to check ahead to ensure services and amenities are available in the areas they plan to visit. Travelers are also reminded that health care services in Jamaica pale in comparison to those offered in the U.S. Emergency services are reportedly slower and there is less availability for care if travelers do have an issue. Private hospitals typically require payment up front, but may not provide specialized care. While the travel warning was lowered for Jamaica as a whole, the State Department says certain areas of the country are still considered a Level 4 do not travel zone. A Level 4 advisory is the most serious on the State Departments scale and a list of do not travel areas in Jamaica can be found in the advisory. If you plan on visiting Jamaica, the State Department offers the following recommendations: ONTONAGON COUNTY, MI A man died in a car crash Monday morning in Michigans Upper Peninsula, police said. Andrew Scott Bjork, 24, of Hudson, Wis., sustained fatal injuries in the crash, WBUP/WJMN reports. A second person was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for non-fatal injuries. The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. Monday on U.S. 45 near Gauthier Road in Stannard Township, Ontonagon County, the report said. The Ontonagon County Sheriffs Office was assisted at the scene by multiple local and state agencies. ANN ARBOR, MI Glowing neon lights invite passersby to step inside Ann Arbors latest psychedelic mushroom shop where a trip to an altered state of mind can be had for a price. Sublime Shrooms, 334 S. Ashley St., has opened inside a house next to the Jungle House marijuana dispensary on the west side of downtown. It offers a variety of products from psilocybin gummy candies to chocolate Wonky Bars and Bluey Vuitton and Tidal Wave X Melmac shrooms. Bluey Vuitton and Tidal Wave X Melmac psychedelic mushrooms are among the products for sale at Sublime Shrooms, 334 S. Ashley St., in Ann Arbor on Jan. 18, 2026. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Advertised as a premium magic mushroom shop, it encourages adults 21 and over to elevate your mind, naturally. We hand-select and test our offerings so you always know what to expect. No guesswork just good vibes, its website states. Its the latest in a string of shroom shops to sprout in Tree Town since City Council approved a resolution in 2020 to essentially decriminalize the personal use, growth and possession of the natural substances. Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit also has taken a stance against criminally charging people for them. Psychedelic shrooms still are illegal under state and federal law and the city has no regulations permitting commercial shroom businesses. Even so, several entrepreneurs have taken the risk of opening storefront locations in whats still an unregulated industry and the city appears to be looking the other way. Psychedelic mushroom gummies are among the products for sale at Sublime Shrooms, 334 S. Ashley St., in Ann Arbor on Jan. 18, 2026. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News As of September 2024, there were at least five shroom shops in Ann Arbor, not counting other delivery services. Another business called Spores Cafe opened at 814 S. State St. in 2025 with a menu of drinks such as coffee, tea and lemonade infused with shrooms to elevate your brew and your mind. Stemology, another establishment now offering entheogenic plants and mushrooms at 221 N. Main St., advertises itself as Ann Arbors apothecary for natural healing and wellness. Sublime Shrooms, whose name pays homage to the California ska punk band that rose to popularity in the 90s with songs such as Santeria and What I Got, started as a delivery service about two years ago. As of November, it was operating on a limited basis at its new Ashley Street location. A neon sign glows in the stairway inside Sublime Shrooms, 334 S. Ashley St., in Ann Arbor on Jan. 18, 2026. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News As of January, the upstairs shop is now open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday. It shares a downstairs lounge with its cannabis business neighbor where nationally known musician G. Love stopped through before his show in Ann Arbor on Sunday, Jan. 18. Sublime Shrooms has plans to use the lounge for everything from educational classes about shrooms to guided meditations, sound baths and yoga sessions. Its stated goal is to offer knowledge and safe access to plant medicines. Enigma and Mycelial Madness psychedelic mushrooms are among the products for sale at Sublime Shrooms, 334 S. Ashley St., in Ann Arbor on Jan. 18, 2026. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News A company owner declined to be identified, saying hes nervous about putting his name out publicly, but hes trying to self-regulate his shop like a marijuana dispensary and hopeful the state eventually will legalize and regulate shroom businesses. For now, hes a pioneer in a legal gray area. The shop, which offers a 20% discount to first responders and veterans, assures its mushrooms are organic and responsibly sourced from Michigan growers and they undergo lab testing for purity and safety. Sublime Shrooms specializes in high-quality mushroom-based products aimed at wellness, exploration and conscious living. Whether youre new to fungi or experienced, our products support your personal journey, the website states. Chocolate Wonky Bars are among the psychedelic mushroom products for sale at Sublime Shrooms, 334 S. Ashley St., in Ann Arbor on Jan. 18, 2026. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News It also advertises thoughtfully crafted microdosing options designed to support mental clarity, focus, creativity and overall wellbeing, with usage guides available. We recommend starting low, going slow, and staying in safe, familiar environments. If unsure, always consult a wellness professional, the website states. City staff did not respond to requests for comment on how theyre currently approaching the growing number of shroom shops in town, except to say theyre held to the same building code standards as other retail businesses needing to obtain a certificate of occupancy and they go through routine fire safety inspections like other businesses. Lights glow outside Sublime Shrooms, 334 S. Ashley St., in Ann Arbor on Jan. 18, 2026. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News By comparison, the city and state closely regulate the legalized and heavily taxed marijuana industry. Ann Arbor requires marijuana dispensaries to be spaced at least 600 feet apart to avoid clusters of them and the city caps the number permitted in the city at 28. Marijuana dispensaries can be closer to schools under revised Ann Arbor law Jen Eyer, head of City Councils policy committee, said the committee hasnt discussed drafting regulations for shroom businesses, but if local proprietors have concerns about the current environment in which theyre operating, she welcomes hearing from them to see if theres something the city should be addressing. She thinks council may have gone as far as it could from a legal perspective with the 2020 resolution embracing psychedelics. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page. ANN ARBOR, MI The University of Michigan disciplined a student over a fake telehealth medical note, according to a Jan. 16 federal complaint. The student affected is now suing the university, saying the universitys allegations of alleged misconduct are causing damage to her future. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe in the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court Michigan Eastern District, alleges that she was deprived of protected interests in continued enrollment and good standing following a disciplinary decision, which added a false and stigmatizing dishonesty-related entry to her academic record. The defendants include the UM Board of Regents, Dean Rosario Ceballo of the UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, academic integrity coordinator Sean Edgerton, administrator Jeanne Byers and deputy assistant Dean Christine ONeil. To have a suspension on your record, especially for an academic integrity, is something thats not really recoverable, Carla Aikens, a Detroit-based attorney representing the plaintiff, said. Jane Doe, a senior at UM looking to apply to graduate school, seeks the following, according to the complaint: - Immediate reinstatement and enrollment in academic classes this semester - Removal of her dishonesty notation and any administrative holds while the lawsuit is ongoing - A constitutionally adequate process before a suspension remains on her record She first sought treatment for insomnia through MedVidi, a telehealth platform, and received medical documentation from her provider for an academic accommodation, the complaint reads. After she submitted the documentation, university officials questioned its authenticity and launched an academic integrity investigation, according to the complaint. We have not been served with the complaint and cannot comment on pending litigation, a university spokesman told MLive/The Ann Arbor News. The student academic affairs office at the UM College of Literature, Science, and the Arts notified Jane Doe on Nov. 18, 2025, that it was reviewing potential academic misconduct and scheduled an integrity meeting for Nov. 24, 2025, the complaint states. After the meeting, Jane Doe pursued third-party verification from MedVidi and her provider. On Nov. 25, 2025, Edgerton noted that MedVidi contacted the UM office and shared that it would review the information and reach out if more was needed. He then issued a written resolution on Dec. 12, 2025, finding that Jane Doe submitted an inauthentic medical note and subjecting her to severe sanctions, which included a winter 2026 semester suspension and a disciplinary transcript notation, the complaint says. If the suspension and transcript notation remain in effect through Jan. 27 - UMs add/drop deadline - then she will lose meaningful access to this term, the complaint states. She will also suffer academic disruption and professional harm that cannot be fully repaired later. I know people that have had to not go to certain schools because they had something on them, but the school wouldnt accept them, Aikens said. Jane Doe promptly requested an appeal and sent additional information that verified her telehealth visit and medical documentation and disputed the dishonesty finding, the complaint reads. The MedVidi physician verified her notes authenticity. University officials denied her appeal request on Jan. 5 because there were insufficient grounds to proceed with the appeal process, the complaint states. You can take that and go to other prestigious institutions who are not going to accept the student if they have this type of demerit on their record, especially something that they didnt do, Aikens said. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page. KENTWOOD, MI Buddys Pizza, a metro-Detroit based pizzeria known for its rectangular deep-dish pies, will close its location at 4061 28th St. SE in Kentwood on Friday, Jan. 23, the pizzeria announced on social media. We are grateful for the support and memories over the past seven years and proud we were able to bring The Original Detroit-Style Pizza to the Grand Rapids community, Buddys said. We hope to see you at one of our other locations the next time you visit the Metro-Detroit area. The location opened in 2019. The closure follows other Buddys locations in West Michigan that have shuttered in recent years. That includes one in Portage, near Kalamazoo, that closed in May 2025 and another on Alpine Avenue in Walker that closed in July 2024, less than a year after it opened. With the closure of the 28th Street location, Buddys now has 19 locations in Michigan. With the exception of spots in Okemos and Ann Arbor, the remaining locations are clustered in metro Detroit, its website shows. Buddys Pizzas roots stretch back to 1946 at what was then Buddys Rendezvous Pizzeria on Six Mile and Conant Street on Detroits Eastside, according to its website. At the time, Gus Guerra made his first square-shaped pizza that was baked in forged-steel pans borrowed from local automotive plants. The approach produced what Buddys says is a a very light and crispy crust which is now known as Detroit-Style Pizza. FLORIDA -- A Holland man and his brother were among three men killed in what police described as a random shooting near Kissimmee. Robert Luis Kraft, 69, of Holland, was identified as one of the victims. The others are Douglas Joseph Kraft, 68 and James John Puchan, 68, both of Ohio, according to Fox News. Osceola County sheriffs deputies said the shooting happened about 12:15 p.m. Saturday. They responded to a rental home and found the three men with fatal gunshot wounds. A suspect who lived nearby was arrested. Ahmad Bojeh, 29, had an initial court appearance Sunday. Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon, in a Sunday press conference, said there was no known conflict between the two parties. "It was cold-blooded, it was premeditated, there was absolutely no issues, Blackmon said. There was no conflict between these people. This was just random. And this happened to be the person who lived next door. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The 40th Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration at Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids has been postponed due to weather. Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University and Davenport University partner to bring the event to the community and will announce a new date when it is available. The January 20 events with Derrick Johnson at GVSU and Davenport are also postponed, according to an emailed update from Davenport University. Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, was to visit West Michigan and deliver messages about how King continues to impact and inspire members of the nations largest civil rights organization. Johnson was to kick off GVSUs MLK commemoration week on Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. in the Kirkhof Centers Grand River Room. GVSU President Philomena V. Mantella planned to facilitate a conversation with Johnson. Hazardous travel conditions have caused crashes, including a 100-car pileup on I-196, across West Michigan, and the conditions are expected tonight and into Tuesday as the winter storm system continues to pound Michigan with snow, high wind gusts and icy air. Sub zero wind chills are expected overnight. GRAND RAPIDS, MI A nonprofit housing developer has raised $12 million for an initiative that aims to build 200 affordable housing units in Kent County by 2030 in partnership with local churches. ICCF Community Homes, which focuses on low-income housing, launched the public phase of its Building with Faith fundraising campaign in May 2025. The nonprofit is now in talks to turn underused land owned by Kent County churches into housing thats attainable for low-income families. We are thankful to God for the radical generosity of this community, Ryan VerWys, CEO of ICCF Community Homes, said in a statement. We are deeply grateful for every church, every foundation, every business, and every individual who chose to give. Because of you, 200 families will have access to homes they can afford. The $12 million will be used to support land acquisition, construction, and homeownership services, according to ICCF, which was founded in 1974. The 200 housing units will be split equally between rental apartments and owner-occupied homes for first-time buyers. The units will be priced at rates that are attainable for residents earning up to 90% of Kent Countys area median income. For comparison, 100% of the countys AMI amounts to an annual pre-tax income of $85,200 for a two-person household, according to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. We are really hopeful that over these next four years well be successful to bring this much needed housing online, VerWys said. The $12 million has already supported the construction of The Seymour, a 27-unit owner-occupied condo development at 2550 Eastern Ave. SE in Grand Rapids. The development was completed in September 2025. The Building with Faith campaign supported 14 units at The Seymour that are reserved for households earning up to 80% of AMI, VerWys said. Another project on the docket is the potential construction of multi-family housing on vacant land on Pilgrim Rest Baptist Churchs property at 510 M.L.K. Jr. St. SE in Grand Rapids. VerWys said there are also conversations with urban and suburban churches about undertaking similar projects. The conversations are in the early stages, but theres lots of promise, lots of excitement, he said. A study released in 2025 by Bowen National Research estimates Kent County needs 33,914 new housing units, a mix of apartments and owner-occupied properties, by 2029 to meet demand. Of the 33,914 units, 44% should be attainable for residents earning up to 80% of AMI. For a two-person household, that amounts to a pre-tax annual income of $68,160, according to MSHDA. Demand for the 33,914 housing units outlined in the study doesnt all have to be met through new construction, according to Patrick Bowen, the author of the assessment. The total can also be reached through repairing or modernizing the existing housing stock and providing financial assistance to households that are paying over half of their income toward housing costs, Bowen said. WYOMING, MI -- Dramatic helmet-cam video shows firefighters rescuing two adults and a child from a burning apartment building. Wyoming firefighters released the video Tuesday, a day after the Jan. 19 fire. The 8:45 p.m. fire, in the 4200 block of Clyde Park Avenue SW, caused residents in 33 units to be displaced. Arriving Wyoming firefighters were told that people were trapped on the third floor. Firefighters immediately grabbed a 35-foot ladder from a truck, found an apartment with people at a window, then raised the ladder against the building. Were on our way, a firefighter says to a distressed woman at the window. Firefighters repeatedly tell the people Do not jump! Were on the way. Hang on. The video shows a firefighter reaching out to grab a young child. Thank you, a woman says, panicked. My baby, my baby. The firefighter makes his way down the ladder, telling the child Its OK. I got you. Soon after, firefighters help two other people out the same window and a cat. The two adults and child were taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation. Their injuries were not life-threatening. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Fire officials said single-digit temperatures and below-zero wind chills made fighting the fire difficult. The fire spread rapidly, causing collapses in parts of the building. An excavator was called to help demolish parts of the structure. Wyoming Fire Marshal Brad Dornbos said that most, or possibly all, of the displaced residents had been given emergency housing through the apartment buildings owner. Wyoming fire officials said the fire illustrates the importance of having an emergency escape plan, but also working smoke detectors. Those in need of smoke detectors can call the Wyoming Fire Administration Office at 616-530-7250 to discuss available options. News / National by Staff reporter THE Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has criticised Finance Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube's assertion that salary increments for civil servants cannot be implemented before the completion of a job evaluation exercise, saying the explanation is a tactic meant to delay much-needed pay rises.Teachers and other civil servants currently earn a monthly salary of about US$270, supplemented by a Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG) component, which unions say is grossly inadequate and far below the Poverty Datum Line.Treasury has begun a process aimed at rationalising costs, eliminating ghost workers and introducing a new pay structure anchored on job evaluations to guide future salary adjustments. However, PTUZ president Mr Takavafira Zhou accused the Government of using the process to postpone addressing teachers' remuneration concerns."Whereas we expected an urgent intervention before the opening of schools, the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Prof Mthuli Ncube, has intimated that a salary review will await an infinite job evaluation process. This may be a ploy to deliberately give hope and prolong teachers' suffering," said Mr Zhou.The union also took aim at the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Torerai Moyo, accusing him of focusing on "trivialities" by introducing extra monitoring and increased supervision of teachers, including conducting personal visits to schools across the country.PTUZ urged Dr Moyo to prioritise engagement with teachers on substantive issues rather than concentrating on schemes of work, which it said were already being adequately managed by school heads and heads of departments.The union called on the minister to instead focus on addressing the high brain drain in the education sector, the low budget allocation to the ministry which stands at 16,3 percent of the national budget and other challenges affecting schools.Among its demands, PTUZ called for a rescue package or cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to help teachers cope with rising prices, a basic salary of US$540 per month, a rural and hardship allowance equivalent to 30 percent of basic pay, and realistic transport and housing allowances.The union also demanded a transparent, consultative and time-bound job evaluation process."Teachers are tired of so many people attacking them for doing so much with so little. There is, therefore, a greater need for unity of purpose across teacher unions, or even across the civil servants' divide, in order to build a critical force that can unreservedly and unflinchingly push legitimate demands by all means necessary," PTUZ said. FAYETTE TWP., MI Scott Manifold ended his public comment on Monday night with a prayer. I pray that you would guide our commission down the path of righteousness and integrity, that they may represent the township as a whole, said Manifold, who lives on White Road in Hillsdale Countys Fayette Township. Lord, please protect our township from the influences both inside and outside our beautiful community that seek to alter our landscape for their financial gain. The crowd on a snowy night at Jonesville High School broke into applause as Manifold, who owns about 140 acres that could be surrounded by solar panels, left the podium. Residents were gathered Jan. 19 for a Fayette Township Planning Commission meeting in what seemed to be near universal public opposition to a proposed solar farm, Heartwood Solar II, which would involve about 1,350 acres of parcels east of Jonesville. The commission on Monday took no action after more than an hour of public comment. Two members farmers Dale Baker and Steve McElroy, the commission chairperson recused themselves from participation because they have stakes in the project. Baker said he has entered an agreement with Ranger Power to lease about 850 acres for the project. Another 150 of his acres are involved in the initial Heartwood Solar farm, where work is underway west of Jonesville. McElroy on Monday night declined to comment. That left four commission members on the stage in the high schools auditorium/cafeteria, a special site to accommodate a large audience. Several commenters alleged the board lacked a quorum because two of its commissioners also serve on the township board and state law allows for only one board member. If there are two, one of them must be the township supervisor, the law states. The commission conceded the point. I guess I was not aware of that, but all I know is that the people who have worked on the commission have all worked very hard and tried to do everything to the best of their ability, Jane Munson, acting chairperson, said after the meeting concluded. She said the township board would appoint someone to replace commissioners Nancy DuBois, the township treasurer, or Scott Playford, also a board member. DuBois said, as she left the meeting, she would voluntarily leave the commission. The issue, some noted, is the township supervisor appoints commission members, subject to a vote of the board, and the supervisor, Nate Baker, is Bakers son. He too has said he will not vote on matters related to the solar project. Commenters on Monday urged the commission to take its time, do its due diligence, obtain competent independent counsel and draft a renewable energy ordinance. Munson paused public comment to assure residents the township too is thinking about an ordinance that ensures any applicant seeking to construct a large solar or wind project cannot bypass local government and secure approval at the state level, as is allowed by a new Michigan law. We have been working with a consultant for a couple years on improving and bringing our ordinances up to date, she said. Ranger Power, based in Chicago, has applied for a special use permit to put solar panels roughly between North Adams Road and U.S. 12 and west of Half Moon Lake Road. The other utility-scale project already is underway on the other side of town, in the area of Jonesville and Bunn roads. Brady Friss, Ranger Power development manager, has said Ranger wants to be a good neighbor and intends to locally permit the project. Representatives have spent years talking to residents. The two projects represent what would be a combined investment of about $300 million and completed, they would generate millions in property taxes. Ranger Power disputes many of critics points, saying, for one, there should be no concern about water, an often spoken worry. The only thing thats actually penetrating the ground are steel beams, Friss said, and runoff is not a problem as the panels are solid. Ranger Power has built multiple projects across the Midwest. And weve gotten to see a lot of success stories about landowners participating in, being able to keep their farms in their families for future generations. And its a beautiful thing. Heartwood Solar II in the very early stages, he and others have noted. Munson said the township zoning administrator is to review the permit application for completeness. We wont even look at it until it has been reviewed. So, we are a long ways away from any discussion on this. But many were eager to talk. Some said they are worried about water quality and any impacts to the environment or wildlife. Others lament the unsightly takeover of the agricultural landscape. Ranger Power will molest our bucolic county, one commenter said. We would like our kids to stick around had have lots of children and have some places to go, said Melissa Danford, who with her husband David is raising seven children on a Moore Road hobby farm. We want to preserve this way of life, she said with a small child on her hip. Some are skeptical or critical of solar power, which Ranger Power boasts is free of carbon pollution or emissions. The power produced is rarely worth destroying acres of land unless it is low-quality land, contended Joe Lavelline, 56, who lives in Coldwater Township in Branch County and used to work for DTE as a risk analyst in a nuclear plant. Others are worried about property values - Ranger Power says studies show no impact, but residents are skeptical. One woman noted this solar project would be very near the high school. All our children will be exposed, said Nancy Ashton, who lives on Chadam Lane and only recently learned of the proposal. The township, she said, has no website or substantial digital presence. We are clueless, she said. This is no small thing, said Doug Debrozsi, who lives in Hillsdale but is building in the area of the solar farm and noted the county contains headwaters for five major watersheds. The affects could be widespread, he said. This is a massive revolution that has already started. LENAWEE COUNTY, MI A man accused of possessing sexually abusive images and videos of children has been sent to prison. On Jan. 8, Lenawee County Circuit Judge Michael Olsaver sentenced Harold Leroy Knight Jr. to serve two to 10 years in prison on a single charge of aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material, court records show. Knight, 54, pleaded guilty to the charge on Nov. 12 in a plea deal dismissing his additional charge of using a computer to commit a crime and two additional child pornography possession charges. Knight, of Manitou Beach, was arrested in March 2025 after an investigation by the Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, state police said. The task force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding suspected child pornography found online and opened an investigation, police said. The investigation led to Knights home in Manitou Beach where police executed a search warrant and seized multiple electronic devices, police said. The MSP Computer Crimes Unit encourages parents to speak to their children and family members about safe use of the internet. There are many resources available to assist in keeping people safe online. The Michigan ICAC Task Force provides a comprehensive list of resources on their website: michiganicac.com. Anyone with information regarding possible child sexual exploitation should report it to the CyberTip line at missingkids.org/cybertipline. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page. RIVES TWP., MI A man who was killed in a hit-and-run crash north of Jackson has been identified as a Vietnam War veteran. Norman Joseph Heim died Thursday, Jan. 15, after a car struck him on Lansing Avenue near South Oak Creek Drive in Rives Township, Jackson County Undersheriff Anthony Stewart said. The unknown vehicle hit Heim, 76, of Jackson, about 9:36 p.m. The vehicle that hit him fled the crash scene at a high rate of speed prior to police arriving, Stewart said. No arrests have been made. There are no updates in the case and police are still investigating, Stewart said. Heim graduated from Napoleon High School in 1968, served as a sergeant in the Army during the Vietnam War and was a truck driver for more than 40 years, according to his obituary. MLive/The Jackson Citizen Patriot reached out to Heims daughters for comment and she said they family was unavailable until after the funeral. Funeral services are scheduled for 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, at Eineder Funeral Homes Brooklyn Chapel, located at 137 S. Main St. in Brooklyn. An additional gathering will take place at the funeral home from 10-11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 23. A burial with military honors is planned at Oak Grove Cemetery in Napoleon Township. His family is seeking justice and asks anyone with information about the crash to contact police. Tips may be left with Detective Sgt. Bryan Huttenlocker at 517-768-7931. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page. LANSING, MI Democrats are beginning the process of setting up their 2028 presidential primary lineup, and Michigan is one of 12 states vying for a spot at the front of the line. This month, the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) submitted an application to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which is the governing body of the Democratic Party. The request is to put Michigans primary in an early window, per a news release from the state party. When making the request, MDP Chair Curtis Hertel highlighted the states diversity. He and other elected officials also focused on Michigans battleground status. For Democrats to have the strongest presidential candidate, the early nominating states should closely mirror Democratic voters nationwide and be representative of America, Hertel said. Michigan is the most diverse battleground state in the country and investments made on the ground early are beneficial to electing a Democratic president in the general election, he added. Michigan is a perfect candidate to be in the lineup of early nominating contests, and its crucial that our new national calendar for selecting the next president includes Michigan in an early position. Between four and five states will be selected for the early window this year, with one state chosen from each of the DNCs four geographic regions: the Midwest, East, South and West. Earlier voting states typically have a bigger influence on the presidential primary choice, and the calendar affects how Democratic candidates strategize. With a wide-open field ahead of the 2028 race, Michigans selection would likely mean more campaign staff stationed in the state and dollars spent. In 2020, for example, 18 states had their Democratic primary before Michigan. By the time the state hosted its primary, many major candidates like Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg and Cory Booker had already dropped out. More than 100,000 votes went toward dropped-out candidates, as many voters submitted absentee ballots before their candidate backed out. Michigan was selected as an early voting state for the 2024 election, with a Feb. 27 primary date behind South Carolina on Feb. 6, New Hampshire and Nevada on Feb. 13 and Georgia on Feb. 20. To do so, the state passed legislation in 2023 moving its presidential primary to the fourth Tuesday in February. The DNCs rules committee requires state parties hold nominating contests after the first Tuesday in March unless theyre specifically exempted. In 2028, that date would fall on Feb. 22, if the state is able to keep its early spot. There are 12 states that sent a letter of interest to the DNC about going earlier, per CNN: Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. From the Midwest region, Michigan is vying against Illinois and Iowa, though an extra state from one region could be chosen. The applications to the DNCs Rules and Bylaws Committee were due on Friday, Jan. 16, according to a new process established last year. Now, members of the committee charged with setting the calendar are expected to cut down the field of applicants at a late January meeting, according to reporting by Politico. States are expected to be invited to make presentations to the committee in the spring, and a potential calendar could be finalized near the end of summer. The DNC named three new pillars used to evaluate early state applicants, including: Rigorousness. The lineup of early states must be a comprehensive test of candidates with diverse groups of voters that are key to winning the general election. Fairness. The lineup of early states must be affordable, practical for candidates and not exhaust their resources unreasonably, precluding them from effectively participating in future contests. Efficiency. The lineup of early states must include those with the practical ability to run a fair, transparent, and inclusive primary or caucus. Michigans electeds are highlighting the states diversity in its application, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer still considered a possible 2028 presidential candidate describing it as the most diverse battleground. Michigan embodies all the constituencies that will be key to winning the presidency, Whitmer said. The middle class was built right here in Michigan, and our two biggest industries, manufacturing and agriculture, employ millions of hardworking people across our state. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, said the battleground state would benefit from an early Democratic investment. Dingell has been elected to the Rules and Bylaws Committee, which will make the primary calendar nominations. A Michigan presidential primary is a down payment on the general election, giving us a head start on critical organizing efforts that pay huge dividends in November, Dingell said. I dont think that any one state should have a lock on going first, but Michigan will always fight for a battleground state to be a part of the early primary process. Michigan, considered a swing state, went red in 2024, with 49.7% of voters supporting now-President Donald Trump. State House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri, D-Canton, highlighted how in the last five presidential elections, voters in the state have cast their ballots for the winning candidates. An early primary in Michigan ensures Democratic nominees are tested with the voters who will ultimately decide the presidential election, he said. DETROIT, MI Several months ago, former first lady Michelle Obama said the country is not ready for a woman president. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer disagrees. I think America is ready for a woman president, Whitmer said, speaking during a sit-down interview at the Detroit Auto Show with journalist Steve Inskeep for National Public Radio. I do think that theres an appetite, she said moments later. I just, for whatever reason, we have not had a woman president yet. I think we will at some point in the near future. Whitmer, now in her eighth year in office, is term-limited in 2026. She has not announced future plans to run for office, but the former vice-presidential contender has also has long faced speculation about mounting her own run for president. Whitmer now serves as vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), meaning shes tasked with helping elect and re-elect Democratic governors across the country. During her nearly 30-minute interview with NPR last week, she spoke about the impact of tariffs on Michigan and called action by the Trump administration to investigate Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, over a video on American troops refusing illegal orders an abuse of power. Whitmer also responded to a comment made by Obama on her podcast in November of last year, when she said the country is not ready for a woman president and has a lot of growing up to do. As we saw in this past election, sadly, we aint ready, Obama said. Thats why Im like, dont even look at me about running, because you all are lying. Youre not ready for a woman. You are not. Obama referenced the 2024 presidential election, when Democrat Kamala Harris lost to President Donald Trump, as proof. But Whitmer said she didnt think the election could be whittled down to just one characteristic or event. I dont think it was just gender, she said of Harris Nov. 5 loss to Trump, who earned 49.7% of the vote in Michigan. The question comes down to a choice between two people, Whitmer said. And what we saw in this last election, while Kamala Harris didnt beat President Trump, we saw women get elected across the country, win up and down the ballot in hard, important states to win. Whitmer referenced Slotkin, who won a close race for the states vacant U.S. Senate seat in 2024, along with new governors Abigail Spanberger in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, both of whom were elected in 2025. If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. The Detroit Red Wings have a marquee matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night. You can prepare for the thrilling battle with the latest merchandise today. Buy Red Wings gear: Fanatics, Amazon, Lids The rivalry between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs dates back almost 100 years, when Detroit (then known as the Cougars) faced off with Toronto. Since then, the two sides have met 807 times, meeting in some epic postseason clashes and exciting regular-season battles. The two Original Six franchises might not have been in the same division for over a decade, but the animosity has persisted into the modern day, with the teams among the best in the Atlantic Division. The two teams are set to face off on Wednesday night in The Six, with both teams challenging for a playoff spot in the ever-competitive Eastern Conference. The Red Wings are coming off a meeting with the other team from Ontario, the Ottawa Senators, on Sunday. Detroit is right in the thick of the race for first place in the division, fighting it out with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Patrick Kane Detroit Red Wings Fanatics Home Breakaway Player Jersey - Red Patrick Kane Detroit Red Wings Fanatics Home Breakaway Player Jersey - Red. Buy Now On the other side, the Maple Leafs are simply trying to get into a Wild Card spot. Following a win over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, Toronto is just one point back of eighth place in the East. Puck drop between the Wings and Leafs is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Leafs are 361-346-93-7 all-time against the Wings, though Detroit came away with an overtime win at home on Dec. 28. Wings Nation can get the latest Red Wings gear today at Fanatics. Patrick Kane Detroit Red Wings Fanatics Home Breakaway Player Jersey - $174.99 Dylan Larkin Detroit Red Wings Fanatics Branded Captain Home Breakaway Jersey - $174.99 Alex DeBrincat Detroit Red Wings Fanatics Home Breakaway Jersey - $174.99 John Gibson Detroit Red Wings Fanatics Home Breakaway Jersey - $174.99 Moritz Seider Detroit Red Wings Fanatics Home Breakaway Player Jersey - $174.99 The decision, taken on January 8, poses a challenge for Indian EV manufacturers that rely heavily on Chinese suppliers such as BYD and CATL Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Toyota Urban Cruiser EV launch in India today: What to expect from Maruti e Vitara-based electric SUV? Did our AI summary help? Maryam Farooqui is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol covering media and entertainment, travel and hospitality. She has 11 years of experience in reporting. News / National by Staff reporter THE National Association of Non-governmental Organisations (NANGO), the umbrella body representing Zimbabwe's civil society sector, has resumed operations and outlined an ambitious agenda for 2026 as it steps up support for its members amid a tightening regulatory and funding environment.In a 2026 welcome message, NANGO executive director Mr Ernest Nyimai reaffirmed the association's mandate to co-ordinate, represent and strengthen non-governmental organisations (NGOs), despite what he described as an increasingly complex and challenging operating landscape.The move comes after Government last year enacted legislation aimed at regulating NGOs and civil society organisations (CSOs), a development that observers say could restrict civic space and limit sector activities."NANGO remains steadfast in its mandate to co-ordinate, represent and strengthen the civil society sector in Zimbabwe," said Mr Nyimai.He said CSOs were bracing for a difficult year marked by regulatory shifts, political and socio-economic uncertainties, shrinking development financing and deepening social challenges."As we embark on 2026, we remain acutely aware that the operating environment for CSOs in Zimbabwe and beyond continues to evolve in complex and often challenging ways," he said.Mr Nyimai highlighted the partial implementation of the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Act as a major concern, noting that critical aspects such as the gazetting of regulations, the reconstitution of the PVO Board and the establishment of a registrar's office remain outstanding.He added that a significant backlog of NGO registration applications has yet to be resolved, creating anxiety and uncertainty for organisations seeking to regularise their legal status."These realities underscore the continued importance of sustained and constructive engagement with regulators, alongside the provision of practical compliance guidance and strengthened sector-wide co-ordination," he said.NANGO said the sector is also under pressure from a growing mismatch between needs and available resources, driven by shifts in global development financing, donor realignments and domestic budget constraints.At the same time, Zimbabwe continues to face high unemployment, rising substance abuse, worsening mental health challenges and deepening poverty, all of which have increased demand for CSO services."These challenges have intensified demand for CSO intervention at a time when available resources are increasingly constrained. We are called not only to adapt, but to innovate, collaborate and collectively safeguard civic space," Mr Nyimai said.He underscored the need for stronger partnerships and domestic resource mobilisation to ensure sustainability.To respond to these challenges, NANGO announced several flagship initiatives for 2026, including the third Civil Society Organisations Symposium to mark World NGO Day, a dedicated CSO Capacity Development Programme, regional NGO expos and the 16th Annual NGO Directors' Summer Retreat.The association will also continue with its "Talk to Your Regulator" sessions and compliance clinics aimed at helping members navigate the evolving legal and regulatory environment. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to From independence to liberalisation and beyond: India's top 10 Union Budgets Did our AI summary help? Palak Vij is a Sub Editor and Entertainment Journalist with over a year of experience covering films, television, and pop culture in the digital space. Did our AI summary help? Gayatri Rani is a Senior-Sub Editor with over three years of experience in delivering Hollywood and Bollywood news. Brooklyn Beckham says mum danced very inappropriately and hijacked first dance, alleges parental control, says 'don't want to reconcile' News / National by Staff reporter A TOUR of the flood-prone Dulivhadzimu Township in Beitbridge was conducted yesterday by the Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Albert Nguluvhe, as Government intensifies efforts to find permanent solutions to the area's persistent flooding problems.Minister Nguluvhe was accompanied by senior Government officials, members of the local Civil Protection Committee and Beitbridge town clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, as he assessed the situation on the ground. Beitbridge Municipality has acknowledged the growing challenge of frequent flash floods in low-lying parts of the town, which become highly vulnerable during the rainy season.Residents in Dulivhadzimu have endured years of flooding, particularly those living near the old long-distance bus terminus, Dulivhadzimu Business Centre, the police base, hostels, the flea market and the local stadium. Rising water levels in these areas have caused recurring hardship for the community.During the visit, Minister Nguluvhe emphasised the need for teamwork and wide consultation by the local authority when implementing an urban renewal concept for the township. He issued a 90-day ultimatum for the council to effectively address the challenges affecting Dulivhadzimu."The issue of flash floods, bad roads and poor service delivery should be put to rest," said Minister Nguluvhe."We need to work together to find a lasting solution to these problems. We are deeply concerned about the plight of these community members."The minister underscored the importance of collaboration between central Government, local authorities and the private sector in implementing the urban renewal concept, which includes improving drainage systems, better infrastructure planning and enhanced service delivery.His visit followed recent flooding incidents that further disrupted the lives of residents. Minister Nguluvhe also challenged the council to address concerns around temporary vending sites, particularly issues related to water, sanitation and hygiene.In response to the recurring floods, the municipality has relocated the long-distance bus terminus to higher ground, with civil works for the new rank now underway. The project is being implemented in phases by the local authority after a private contractor was dismissed for poor performance."We can't continue to have people living in fear of flooding every time it rains," said Minister Nguluvhe."We need to take a holistic approach to address the root causes of these problems and ensure that our communities are safe and well-served."The council's engineering department was tasked with developing a comprehensive plan to tackle service delivery challenges across the town, with particular focus on stormwater drainage and the Dulivhadzimu area.Beitbridge Senator, Tambudzani Mohadi, and Beitbridge West legislator, Thusani Ndou, who accompanied the minister, called for urgent and permanent solutions to the flooding problem, pledging their support to the council.Mr Ramakgapola said the municipality had issued a tender for a feasibility study to kick-start the urban renewal of Dulivhadzimu Township. He added that ZWG3 million had been set aside to address drainage problems and desilting in the township's oldest sections.The town clerk said the council was also seeking Government approval for direct procurement to fast-track urgent works, citing challenges in attracting investors for the renewal project."We have taken note of the yearly flooding issues in that area, and we need to re-plan property development strategically," said Mr Ramakgapola."This year, we aim to make significant progress on challenges that we cannot allow to persist. We are also working on our equipment to ensure we can quickly carry out desilting to improve water flow."Chairperson of the local Civil Protection Committee, Mrs Sikhangzile Mafu, said authorities remained on high alert for climate-related disasters as the rainy season continues.She said 23 houses had so far collapsed due to moisture in rural Beitbridge, although no fatalities had been recorded.Mrs Mafu added that ward committees were being used to gather information and enable rapid response, with evacuation centres already identified on higher ground, mainly schools and churches, particularly in Ward 4 and other flood-prone areas near major rivers and water bodies. Did our AI summary help? Lollapalooza India 2026 returns to Mumbai with Linkin Park, Playboi Carti and 40+ Artists Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to I see Sandhya as a natural leader: Sobhita Dhulipala on her character in Cheekatilo Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Nayanthara and Trisha Krishnan share a reunion moment together on their trip to Dubai: See pics Did our AI summary help? Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Renu Desai talks about the safety of street dogs at a press conference, faces backlash but clears up a heated argument Suniel Shetty on Marathi language debate: 'Dont force me to speak Marathi, I will do it when I want to do it' Amazon identified 10 cases of non-contagious TB and is carrying out precautionary screening of employees who may have been exposed (Pic credit: Pexels) News / National by Staff reporter The Higher Education Examinations Council (HEXCO) has released the results for the November/December 2025 national examination session, recording a national pass rate of 70 percent.In a statement, the Permanent Secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor Fanuel Tagwira, confirmed that the results are now ready for collection across the country.Professor Tagwira expressed appreciation to all stakeholders involved in the administration of the examinations, crediting their collective efforts for the successful conduct of the national assessment process."The Permanent Secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor Tagwira hereby announces the release of the Higher Education Examinations Council (HEXCO) National Examinations for the November/December 2025 examination session," he said."He wishes to thank all stakeholders involved in the national examinations process. Their contribution towards the success of the examinations has resulted in the achievement of a 70 percent pass rate."He noted that the outcome reflects continued progress in technical and vocational education and training in Zimbabwe.Candidates who sat for the November/December 2025 HEXCO examinations have been advised to collect their results from their respective regional centres starting on 21 January 2026.HEXCO is responsible for conducting national examinations for technical, vocational and industrial training programmes, which form a key pillar of Zimbabwe's skills development and workforce readiness agenda. Does having a baby after 33 mean youll live longer? Doctors explain the viral claim and why its more about health than age. (Image: Pexels) Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Budget 2026: Tax relief for married couples? What joint taxation could mean for your taxes Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Chinese funds keener on India investments as geo-political tensions between countries ease The US threat toward its NATO allies has rattled markets, buoying demand for havens and reviving the 'Sell America' trade Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Davos 2026: No rift with Eknath Shinde, mayor decision after return to Mumbai, says Devendra Fadnavis Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Davos 2026: Tariffs are the new normal, but Ericsson has flexibility, says CEO Borje Ekholm Davos 2026 Live: UAE agrees to establish food cluster in Andhra Pradesh UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri on Tuesday agreed during a meeting with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to set up a food cluster in Andhra Pradesh. The meeting took place during the annual meet of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. The UAE minister also assured to enable 40 companies to set up shop in the southern state. (PTI) Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day News / National by Staff reporter The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has acquired several high-powered boats to enhance police operations, including rescue missions, water escorts and patrols along the country's major waterways.In a statement released on Monday, 19 January 2026, the ZRP said the boats will be strategically deployed to police provinces and stations to strengthen law enforcement and emergency response capabilities."The Commissioner-General of Police, Stephen Mutamba, has released several boats for police operations, which include rescue activities, water escorts and patrols along the country's major waterways," the statement said."The high-powered boats will be strategically deployed in police provinces and stations to strengthen law enforcement and emergency response capabilities."Commissioner-General Mutamba also commissioned police motorcycles and new vehicles as part of broader efforts to improve policing services nationwide.According to the ZRP, the motorcycles will be used for scene attendance and patrols in areas with rugged terrain, including farming communities, rural areas and central business districts across all provinces."In the same vein, the Commissioner-General of Police commissioned Police Bikes for scene attendance and patrols in areas with rugged terrain," the statement added.The ZRP also commissioned new vehicles for the Police Canine (Dog Section) unit to enhance its operational effectiveness."As part of efforts to provide improved and quality service to Zimbabweans, the ZRP also commissioned new vehicles for use by the Police Canine (Dog Section) team to attend to reports of crime, track suspects, manage public order situations, sniff for drugs and conduct general searches during crowd control activities," the statement said.The latest acquisitions are part of ongoing efforts by the police force to modernise its equipment and improve service delivery across the country. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Davos is about networking and learning, not just MoUs: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to India goes green at WEF 2026, Union minister Joshi pitches renewable energy exports to West Asia via Oman Meghna Mittal Deputy News Editor at Moneycontrol. Meghna has experience across television, print, online and wire media. She has been covering the Indian economy, monetary and fiscal policies, Finance and Trade ministries. She tweets at @Meghnamittal23 Contact: meghna.mittal@nw18.com Indias decision to restart some exports, which were halted in May 2022, coincides with the countrys trade talks with the US. You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK In this image posted on Jan. 2, 2026, the final breakthrough of a 1.5-km-long mountain tunnel of the bullet train project in Maharashtra's Palghar district. It was virtually witnessed by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw from Rail Bhawan in New Delhi. (@AshwiniVaishnaw/X via PTI/File Photo) Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Apollo Micro Systems to invest Rs 300 crore to set up facility in Telangana Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Hindustan Zinc shares jump 5% as soaring silver prices boost Q3 results: Should you buy, sell or hold? Police have launched an investigation into the death of a Canadian woman whose body was found surrounded by a pack of dingos on the Australian island of K'gari on Monday. The woman, 19, had reportedly gone for a swim at a beach north of the Maheno Wreck on Kgari, formerly known as Fraser Island, at around 5am local time. Two men driving near Orchid Beach noticed a pack of dingoes at around 6.30am and, upon closer inspection, found the unresponsive woman, Wide Bay district inspector Paul Algie said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was obviously a very dramatic and horrific scene for them to uncover, the officer said, according to 9News. I can confirm there was markings on her body consistent with having been touched and interfered with by the dingoes." The woman, who wasnt named, had been working at a backpackers hostel with her friend for the past six weeks. Mr Algie said the friend was left "extremely traumatised". "They are absolutely horrified and shocked at what's occurred, he said. Were acutely aware of how deeply this impacts not only the community that lives on K'gari, but also the many, many thousands of people that visit there each year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The womans body was transferred to mainland Queensland on Monday afternoon for an autopsy as police made efforts to contact her parents in Canada. Mr Algie said police were working with local rangers, community members, and the environment and science departments to understand what exactly happened in that short period when the woman was out on the beach. Authorities advised residents and visitors on Kgari to keep their distance and avoid any interaction with dingoes. "Dingoes are wild animals. Whilst they are very culturally significant to the local First Nations people and to the people that live on the island, theyre still wild animals and need to be treated as such," Mr Algie said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the dogs are generally not aggressive, there are records of attacks on people and their pets. Some dingoes that are considered aggressive are tagged and monitored by rangers. The Queensland government routinely urges tourists not to feed dingoes, to walk in groups and to carry a stick to avoid negative dingo interactions. For this edition of Moneycontrol Pro Panorama: Budget blends fiscal restraint with continued focus on economic expansion, rising t... Data shows several heavyweight companies underperformed even as mutual funds increased exposure, with analysts pointing to slowing growth in mature businesses and limited earnings momentum. One-fifth of Nifty 50 stocks see flat to negative returns over three years 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 Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Restaurant Brands Asia shares fall 7% from day's high as Ajanta Pharma says report of buying stake as 'incorrect' Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Stocks to Watch Today: LTIMindtree, Ceat, Aditya Birla Fashion, Aditya Birla Lifestyle, UPL, HPCL, Amber Enterprises, Sanghvi Movers in focus on 20 January Indias three major IT companies have incurred over Rs 4,373 crores in exceptional charges due to the new labour codes. Dipen Pradhan is the Editorial Consultant for Moneycontrol. He has over 10 years of experience in the field of journalism and covers personal finance topics. He has previously worked at Forbes Advisor India, Outlook Money, Entrepreneur, Inc42, and The Statesman. When he is not writing he loves to travel to explore rural hotspots. Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Budget 2026: Tax experts demand clarity on taxation of stock options for cross-border employees Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Home price growth to moderate in 2026 after sharp gains across major cities With this addition, Sharjah will become the airline's second destination in the UAE after Dubai, marking another step in the expansion of its international footprint GENEVA, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The owner of a Swiss bar that caught fire on New Year's Day, killing 40 people, appeared before prosecutors on Tuesday for a second set of hearings in the criminal investigation, according to a lawyer present. The French couple, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are suspected of crimes including negligent homicide. Jacques Moretti, who is currently in police custody, is before prosecutors on Tuesday in Sion to examine his version of events, Romain Jordan, a lawyer for families of the victims, told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moretti's wife, who remains free, is due to be heard on Wednesday. They have both voiced grief over the fire, which mostly killed teenagers, and said they would cooperate with the probe. During initial hearings, Jacques Moretti said that a service door at the back of the "Le Constellation" bar was locked shut during the blaze, according to excerpts published by Swiss media. He said he forced it open from the outside and found several people lying behind it. Asked about this testimony, his lawyer Nicola Meier said it was a tragedy but denied it represented a locked emergency exit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local authorities for the ski town of Crans-Montana also face scrutiny after missing safety checks. The mayor's office said it withdrew a request to be a party to the case "out of respect for the victims". (Reporting by Emma Farge, editing by Thomas Seythal) US President Trump criticized the UKs decision to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling it GREAT STUPIDITY and linking it to his push for the US to acquire Greenland, sparking tensions with European allies and political debate in Britain. Did our AI summary help? Rewati Karan is Senior Sub Editor at Moneycontrol. She covers law, politics, business, and national affairs. She was previously Principal Correspondent at Financial Express and Copyeditor at ThePrint where she wrote feature stories and covered legal news. She has also worked extensively in social media, videos and podcasts at ThePrint and India Today. She can be reached at rewati.karan@nw18.com | Twitter: @RewatiKaran Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All 28-year-old Indian man presents agitated behaviour, then dies under mysterious circumstances in Thailand; probe launched Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Bengaluru startup founder flags alleged bribe demands in road-cutting permission to get water connection According to the Air Quality Warning System, Delhis air quality is likely to remain in the very poor category on Tuesday and continue at similar levels over the next two days. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Explained: Why India is racing to build its own Light Water Nuclear Reactor Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All India advises dependents of diplomats in Bangladesh to return home amid growing security concerns Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to India-EU FTA: EU chief says on cusp of historic trade pact, calls it 'mother of all deals' A senior BJP leader from Bihar, Nabin, is known for his close coordination with the partys central leadership and his focus on organisational strengthening. A death audit by a committee from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College suggested that 15 deaths may be linked in some manner to the outbreak. Rewati Karan is Senior Sub Editor at Moneycontrol. She covers law, politics, business, and national affairs. She was previously Principal Correspondent at Financial Express and Copyeditor at ThePrint where she wrote feature stories and covered legal news. She has also worked extensively in social media, videos and podcasts at ThePrint and India Today. She can be reached at rewati.karan@nw18.com | Twitter: @RewatiKaran Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All MVA should have contested civic body polls together: Sule Nitin Nabin was officially named BJP president on Tuesday in presence of PM Modi. Nabin follows one of party's most successful stints under Nadda Multiple teams of the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF, supported by drones and sniffer dogs, are combing the area despite difficult terrain marked by thick forests and steep slopes. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to 'PM Modi's record of public service an inspiration for me': Nitin Nabin's first remarks as BJP president The case involves allegations of the misappropriation of around 4.54 kg of gold from sacred temple artefacts during refinishing and re-gold-plating works undertaken in 2019. The BJPs vote share in 2021 was 37.97% while that of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was 48.02% Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Two killed in Assams Kokrajhar as mob attack sparks violent protests, arson; mobile internet suspended According to the report, the August-October fall intake, which contributes 70 percent of all the students, was the hardest hit last year. Nabin (45) is the youngest leader to be elected as the BJP national head and is the 12th president of the party. The next phase of global trade, competitiveness will be shaped less by who signs agreements, and more by whose borders are designed to let trade flow with confidence. (Representative image) Scenic roadways are a common feature and primary draw of many of our incredible national parks. That makes it easy to overlook that America is filled with scenic highways and byways that arent in national parks, and you dont have to pay an entrance fee to set tires on most of them. If you want national park scenery without the fees and long lines at entrance stations, youre going to love these amazing road trips, all of which you can do in a day (but are better if you spend a night or two on them)! Bixby Creek Bridge, also know as Bixby Bridge, on the Big Sur Coast of California. . (Wander Worthy via Getty Images) Big Sur, California SR 1 in California is amazing from beginning to end. In fact, the Pacific Coast Highway really runs from Olympic National Park in Washington to the Mexican border. The best part, though, is the Big Sur section in California. Advertisement Advertisement Dont miss Keyhole Arch and the purple sands there, as well as nearby McWay Falls spilling onto the beach within splashing distance of the Pacific Ocean. View from Powell Point at Henry Ville on Highway 12, Utah, USA (Horst Mahr via Getty Images) SR 12, Utah For 122 miles between Panguitch and Torrey, Utah State Route 12 winds and climbs through gorgeous sandstone and mountainous terrain. Along the way, it passes through small towns and accesses state parks, federal lands, and more. One of the highlights is Lower Calf Creek Falls, a desert waterfall that defies belief considering its arid surroundings. Bryce Canyon National Park is a short detour from the highway, and Capitol Reef National Park lies just past the routes eastern end. Long lake, along Beartooth Highway scenic drive, Wyoming/Montana, United States (IcemanJ via Getty Images) Beartooth Highway, Montana-Wyoming Dubbed by famed author Charles Kuralt as Americas most beautiful roadway, the Beartooth Highway is a 70-mile segment that connects the Montana towns of Red Lodge and Cooke City. For most of its length, the highway rolls through the stunning Beartooth Mountains, climbing above timberline into alpine tundra for several miles and passing a number of mountain lakes. Advertisement Advertisement Although the highway connects two Montana towns, much of it lies in Wyoming, including most of its campgrounds, hiking trails, and lakes. West of Cooke City, the highway continues to the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone National Park, enabling you to extend your journey. Due to heavy snowfall, the highway usually closes sometime in October and doesnt reopen until late May. Wildflowers and Meadows Snowy Range Wyoming (Robert_Ford via Getty Images) Snowy Range Scenic Byway, Wyoming The Snowy Range southwest of Laramie is small, with only four named peaks, but it doesnt lack spectacular scenery. Another drive, open only seasonally, climbs into alpine tundra and provides access to high-altitude lakes, wildflower meadows, and hiking trails. Keep your eyes open for moose as well; they like the meadows and boggy areas in the area. Although the byway is officially only 29 miles, you can make a longer trip by connecting the towns of Centennial and Saratoga. In the summer, its a great detour off the mundaneness of Interstate 80. San Juan Skyway, Colorado At 236 miles, this is the longest scenic byway featured here. The most heavily trafficked part of this roadway in southwestern Colorados rugged San Juan Mountains is a stretch of U.S. 550 between Ouray and Durango, but the full route is a roughly triangular one connecting Ridgway, Durango, Cortez, and Telluride. Advertisement Advertisement Youll cross high mountain passes, drive along the courses of scenic mountain streams, and visit old mining ruins and ghost towns on this journey. Winter storms sometimes shut down portions of roads, but the Skyway is open year-round and amazing in all seasons! Lower Falls near the Kancamagus Highway in Northern New Hampshire (Jennifer Yakey-Ault via Getty Images) Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire The White Mountains in New Hampshire include some of the highest mountains in the East, including several that reach above timberline and support alpine tundra. Best in Autumn for its colorful foliage, but beautiful at any time of year, the Kancamagus Highway links Bath and Conway and passes through some of the best scenery in this mountain range. If you want more, add Franconia Notch State Park (its to the west of the byway) and Mt. Washington to your plans. The latter is the highest peak in New England and has a road to its top, which is good since its known for some of the worst and most volatile weather on Earth! This is just a small sampling of the many scenic drives across the country that arent in national parks. Theyll open up some of Americas best scenery to you. Happy motoring! Arun Anand has authored two books on the RSS. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication. Tushar Bhandari is Whole Time Director at Associated Alcohols & Breweries Ltd. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi reiterated that the national anthem should be played along with the state anthem at the start of the Assembly session. Kruthika Jayatheertha plans to return to professional work around April, and Microsoft continues to be her first preference. 'I liked the company, enjoyed my time, and felt the culture was a good fit,' she said. (File photo) Biocon founder and chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw received mixed responses to her opinion on X. Brooklyn Beckham gets support from Reddit after accusing parents of attacking him and his wife Heavy snow engulfs Kamchatka, with buildings buried up to upper floors. (Image credit: X) Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Google data engineer quits six-figure job to pursue PhD: 'Wasn't a great fit for me' As the story went viral, some social media users shared similar experiences, saying they had encountered people selling refill popcorn at discounted rates, occasionally offering to hand over the bill so the transaction appeared legitimate. (AI-generated image) This city offers 'best quality of life' in India according to Sridhar Vembu. It is not Bengaluru or Mumbai Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to 300-year-old Black Coral discovered in New Zealand, which make it largest ever recorded The article explains why the Narmada River flows westward, unlike most major Indian rivers. Shaped by ancient geology and a rift valley between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges, it travels from Amarkantak to the Arabian Sea. Along its course, the river supports agriculture, cities, dams, natural landmarks, and deep religious traditions, making it geographically unique and culturally significant. Did our AI summary help? A female Royal Bengal tiger was found dead in Kaziranga National Park, with officials suspecting death due to infighting. It marks the third such case in five months, highlighting natural territorial conflicts among tigers. Forest authorities have followed National Tiger Conservation Authority protocols while noting that increased tiger density, despite conservation success, can lead to more frequent clashes within the reserve. Did our AI summary help? New research reveals that Mars once hosted a vast ocean during its wettest period, with fan-shaped delta structures in Coprates Chasma indicating river mouths feeding into it. The ocean, dating back around 3 billion years, may have been as large as Earths Arctic Ocean, covering much of the northern hemisphere. These ancient coastlines suggest Mars had abundant surface water, raising the possibility that early life could have existed. The study was published in npj Space Exploration. Did our AI summary help? Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Meet Dhaval Laksmi: This rescued Olive Ridley turtle has travelled 1000 km since her release NASA is preparing to launch the Artemis II mission as early as February 6, sending four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon. It will be the first crewed lunar flyby since 1972 and a key step in NASAs Moon and Mars plans. Alongside the mission, NASA is inviting people worldwide to send their names to the Moon for free, with registrations open until January 21. Did our AI summary help? Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day Ankita Chakravarti is a seasoned journalist with nearly a decade of experience in media. She specializes in technology and lifestyle journalism. She has worked with top Indian media houses like India Today, Zee News, The Statesman, and Millennium Post. Her expertise spans tech trends, phone launches, gadget reviews, and entertainment news. Ankita holds a Master's in Journalism and Mass Communication along with a degree in English Literature. She can be reached out at ankita.chakravarti@nw18.com A resident from the nearby neighbourhood looks on the water level scale of river Indus in flood hit Sukkur of Sindh province on August 28, 2022. (Photo by Asif HASSAN / AFP) India and the EU are close to finalizing a landmark free trade agreement, dubbed the mother of all deals, creating a market of 2 billion people. The pact gains urgency as IndiaUS trade ties strain, offering India scale, stability, and strategic leverage. Did our AI summary help? As the vote approaches, Yunus has also warned of attempts to undermine the process through misinformation. A Taliban security personnel stands guard during the inauguration ceremony of a Mes Aynak copper deposit mining project, in Shast Bandari area of Mohammad Agha district at Logar province on July 24, 2024. Chinese engineers and the Taliban government broke ground in Afghanistan on July 24, on a project to mine the world's second-largest copper deposit after a 16-year delay caused by war. (Photo by Wakil KOHSAR / AFP) U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to take Greenland pose a challenge for Carney, who is keen to show solidarity with European allies while trying to stay on the right side of Trump, who has in the past threatened to annex Canada A firefighter walks near to burning vegetation in the town of Penco, following the wildfires that ravaged the area surrounding the city of Concepcion, Chile, on January 19, 2026. (AFP photo) Comparing the best marketing operations software. We break down features, costs, and which tool works for startups, mid-market, and enterprise teams. Marketing Ops tools are critical for streamlining processes, optimizing campaigns, and ensuring data-driven decision-making. Selecting the right tools involves understanding specific capabilities, integration potential, and deployment patterns. Heres a detailed look at some of the best-in-class options available. 1. The Command Centers (MRM & Orchestration) The operating systems where campaigns are planned, budgeted, and tracked. Monday.com Monday.com is a versatile Work OS that serves as the central command center for marketing operations, replacing disjointed spreadsheets and email threads with a unified visual workspace. It connects high-level strategy to daily execution, allowing teams to manage everything from campaign roadmaps and creative requests to budget tracking and launch timelines in a single, transparent interface. Features: Its standout capability is its highly customizable boards that support multiple views, including Gantt charts for long-term planning and Kanban for agile execution. It features robust resource management tools to track team capacity in real-time and prevent burnout. The platform also offers powerful no-code automations to handle repetitive taskslike assigning creative briefs or notifying stakeholders of approvalsand integrates deeply with marketing tools like Adobe Creative Cloud, HubSpot, and Slack to keep data flowing automatically. Best for: Agile marketing teams and creative departments that prioritize visual organization and flexibility. It is particularly effective for mid-market to enterprise organizations looking to bridge the gap between technical project management and creative collaboration without a steep learning curve. Airtable Airtable is the ultimate No-Code Operations Platform that empowers Marketing Ops professionals to build their own custom software without writing a single line of code. Far more than just a spreadsheet, it functions as a relational database that acts as the single source of truth for your entire marketing stack. It allows teams to connect data across multiple workflowsfrom content calendars and campaign roadmaps to asset libraries and budget trackerscreating a unified Marketing OS that perfectly matches their unique processes. Features: Its standout capability in 2026 is Interface Designer, which lets you build drag-and-drop custom dashboards for different stakeholdersgiving executives a high-level ROI view while giving creatives a simple task list, all powered by the same underlying data. Airtable AI is now deeply integrated, allowing users to automate content generation, summarize customer feedback, and auto-tag assets instantly. Additionally, its powerful automations and deep integrations (with tools like Salesforce and Jira) ensure that data flows automatically between systems, eliminating manual entry and silos. Best for: Marketing Operations teams who need maximum flexibility and want to move beyond rigid, out-of-the-box project management tools. It is the go-to choice for builders who want to construct custom applicationslike global content hubs or product launch command centerstailored exactly to how their organization works. Opal Opal is a strategic marketing planning platform that serves as the dedicated source of truth for brand strategy and content operations. Unlike generic project management tools, it is built specifically to visualize the Brand Story, replacing disparate spreadsheets and slide decks with a centralized, visual timeline. It allows marketing teams to bridge the gap between high-level strategy and day-to-day execution, ensuring that every piece of contentacross social, email, and webaligns with the broader brand narrative before it ever hits the market. Features: Its core strength is the Visual Calendar, which offers true-to-life previews of content exactly as it will appear on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or mobile web. This content-first approach allows stakeholders to review and approve creative assets in context, rather than as static file attachments. It also features robust workflow automation for approvals, Moments for grouping campaigns, and deep integrations with publishing tools like Sprinklr and Hootsuite to bridge planning with deployment. Best for: Enterprise-level consumer brands (like Target, Starbucks, and Microsoft) that manage high-volume, multi-channel content and require strict visual consistency and brand governance across global teams. CoSchedule CoSchedule is a dedicated Marketing Calendar that visualizes your entire marketing strategy in one unified place. Unlike general project management tools, it is built specifically for content and social media workflows, allowing teams to coordinate their blog posts, email campaigns, and social messages on a single drag-and-drop timeline. It serves as the single source of truth for publishing schedules, helping marketers prevent conflicting campaigns and ensure a consistent publishing cadence across all channels. Features: Its most famous feature is ReQueue, a social media automation engine that intelligently fills gaps in your schedule by re-sharing your best evergreen content, ensuring your social feeds are never empty. In 2026, it has integrated Hire Mia, an AI-powered marketing intelligence assistant that helps draft content, brainstorm campaign ideas, and optimize headlines directly within the calendar. Additionally, its Headline Studio integration remains the industry standard for scoring and improving blog titles to maximize click-through rates. Best for: Content marketing teams, solopreneurs, and publishers who need a specialized tool to manage high-volume editorial calendars and social media distribution without the complexity of enterprise project management software. Wrike Wrike is a powerful, enterprise-grade work management platform that functions as a comprehensive operating system for complex marketing teams and agencies. Unlike lighter tools, it provides a structured environment designed to handle heavy creative production and cross-functional campaigns. It unifies the entire marketing lifecyclefrom the initial intake of a creative brief to the final sign-offensuring that nothing gets lost in email threads or disjointed chat messages. Features: Its standout capability for marketers is its native Proofing and Approvals system, which allows stakeholders to click and comment directly on videos, images, and HTML5 assets to give precise visual feedback. Designers love its deep integration with Adobe Creative Cloud, which lets them receive tasks and upload versions without ever leaving Photoshop or Illustrator. Additionally, Wrike offers robust Resource Management tools that allow Ops leaders to visualize team capacity in real-time, ensuring that work is distributed evenly and burnout is avoided during peak campaign seasons. Best for: Large marketing organizations and creative agencies that require strict governance, security, and traffic management. It is the go-to choice for teams that need to enforce formal approval workflows and manage high-volume asset production across global regions. Smartsheet Smartsheet is an enterprise-grade work management platform that bridges the gap between the flexibility of a spreadsheet and the power of a project management tool. It functions as a robust Command Center for marketing operations, allowing teams to plan complex campaigns, manage event logistics, and track budgets in a grid interface that feels immediately familiar to anyone who has used Excel. Unlike simple task apps, it is built to handle massive scale, security, and governance, making it the preferred choice for large organizations managing thousands of marketing line items. Features: Its standout capability is its versatility in Viewsusers can instantly toggle between Grid, Gantt, Calendar, and Card views to visualize data their way. For marketers, the Proofing feature is essential, allowing stakeholders to annotate images and PDFs directly within the platform to streamline approvals. It also integrates natively with Brandfolder (its DAM solution) and offers powerful Resource Management to visualize team workloads. In 2026, Smartsheet AI helps users generate complex formulas and summarize project health instantly using natural language. Best for: Enterprise Marketing Ops teams and tabular thinkers who need strict governance, detailed budget tracking, and the ability to manage complex cross-functional programs without leaving the comfort of a spreadsheet-like environment. Planful Planful is a financial performance management platform that features a dedicated module specifically for Marketing Performance Management. It acts as the critical bridge between the CMO and the CFO, allowing marketing teams to plan their budgets in a way that finance actually understands. By treating marketing spend as an investment portfolio rather than just a cost center, it enables Ops teams to build agile budgets that can be adjusted in real-time based on actual campaign performance and company-wide financial goals. Features: Its standout capability is Scenario Planning, which allows marketers to model what-if scenarios (e.g., What if our budget gets cut by 10%? or What if we double spend on LinkedIn ads?). It automates expense tracking by reconciling invoices against the budget automatically, eliminating the need for manual spreadsheet updates. Additionally, Planful uses AI to calculate the true ROI of campaigns by connecting spend data directly to revenue outcomes, providing a clear Cost Per Outcome metric for every channel. Best for: Mid-market to Enterprise Marketing Ops teams who need strict financial governance and want to end the spreadsheet wars with their Finance department. It is ideal for organizations where marketing budgets are complex, high-stakes, and require frequent re-forecasting. Uptempo Uptempo is a dedicated enterprise marketing performance management platform that unifies planning, financial management, and performance measurement into a single system of record. Formed from the merger of Allocadia, BrandMaker, and Hive9, it acts as the critical bridge between the CMO and the CFO. By replacing disconnected spreadsheets with a unified financial workspace, it ensures that every dollar of marketing spend is tracked, defended, and tied directly to strategic business outcomes. Features: Its standout capability is Marketing Business Acceleration, which integrates top-down investment planning with bottom-up campaign execution. It offers robust Scenario Planning to model budget changes in real-time and connects directly to ERP/Finance systems (like SAP or Oracle) to reconcile invoices automatically. The platform also features Impact Modeling, which uses AI to forecast the revenue impact of different budget allocations before you commit the spend, giving marketers the data they need to justify their budget requests. Best for: Large enterprise marketing organizations with complex budgets (typically $50M+) that need strict financial governance and alignment with the Finance department. It is the go-to choice for Marketing Ops leaders who need to transform marketing from a perceived cost center into a revenue-generating investment portfolio. 2. The Engines (Marketing Automation Platforms MAPs) The core platforms that execute campaigns, manage leads, and send messages. HubSpot (Marketing Hub) HubSpot Marketing Hub is the foundational all-in-one platform that unifies all your marketing toolsfrom email and social to ads and landing pageson top of a single Smart CRM. Unlike fragmented stacks where data gets lost between apps, HubSpot ensures that every marketing interaction is tied directly to a customer record, giving you a complete view of the buyers journey. It allows teams to move beyond simple email blasting to execute complex, multi-channel inbound strategies that attract, engage, and delight customers at scale. Features: In 2026, the platform is powered by Breeze, HubSpots embedded AI, which includes Breeze Agents that can autonomously research prospects, remix content for different channels, and even analyze social media sentiment. The core automation engine remains industry-leading, allowing you to build visual workflows that nurture leads based on behavioral triggers (e.g., visited pricing page twice). It also features powerful Revenue Attribution reporting that connects every marketing dollar spent directly to closed deals, proving exactly which campaigns are driving revenue. Best for: Scaling mid-market companies and enterprises that want to consolidate their stack into a single source of truth. It is the ideal choice for teams that prioritize ease of use and want to align sales and marketing on one unified dataset without needing a team of engineers to maintain integrations. Marketo Engage (Adobe) Marketo Engage is the enterprise heavyweight of marketing automation, designed to handle the most complex B2B customer journeys with precision and scale. As part of the Adobe Experience Cloud, it goes far beyond simple email sending, acting as a complete lead management engine that aligns marketing and sales teams. It is built to track a prospects behavior across every touchpointfrom web visits to webinar attendanceand use that data to score leads and trigger highly personalized nurtures that guide them toward a purchase. Features: In 2026, Marketo is powered by Adobe Sensei GenAI and the new Journey Agent, which acts as an AI co-pilot to help marketers design complex cross-channel campaigns simply by describing their goals. The platform features industry-leading Lead Scoring models that prioritize prospects for sales based on behavioral signals, ensuring reps only reach out when a lead is truly ready to buy. Additionally, its Interactive Webinars feature now uses AI to automatically generate summaries and chapters from recordings, while its deep integration with Salesforce ensures that every marketing interaction is synced instantly to the CRM. Best for: Large B2B enterprises with long, complex sales cycles that need strict governance and deep integration with Salesforce. It is the standard choice for Marketing Ops teams who require advanced lead scoring, multi-touch attribution, and the ability to manage millions of contacts without performance degradation. Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (formerly Pardot) Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (commonly known as Pardot) is the dedicated B2B marketing automation solution built to live directly inside the Salesforce ecosystem. Unlike its B2C counterpart (Marketing Cloud Engagement), which focuses on high-volume consumer messaging, Account Engagement is designed specifically for long sales cycles. It acts as the bridge between marketing and sales, ensuring that both teams are working from the same data and that high-value leads are handed off seamlessly to account executives at the perfect moment. Features: Its flagship feature is Engagement Studio, a visual canvas that lets marketers build complex, multi-step nurturing journeys based on real-time prospect behavior. In 2026, the platform is heavily enhanced by Agentforce, allowing users to deploy autonomous AI agents that can qualify leads, personalize landing pages, and even draft email copy dynamically. It also features industry-leading Einstein Lead Scoring, which uses AI to analyze historical deal data and scientifically rank prospects, ensuring sales teams prioritize the leads most likely to close. Best for: B2B sales and marketing teams that already use Salesforce Sales Cloud and need perfect alignment. It is the default choice for organizations where marketings primary goal is to generate and qualify leads for a dedicated sales team, rather than just driving direct e-commerce transactions. Customer.io Customer.io is an automated messaging platform built specifically for data-driven product teams who want to send messages based on what users do, not just who they are. Unlike traditional marketing tools that rely on static lists, it triggers outreach based on real-time events and behavioral data directly from your application. This makes it the engine of choice for product-led growth strategies, ensuring that emails, push notifications, and SMS messages reach users at the exact moment they take (or fail to take) a key action in your product. Features: Its standout capability is Data Pipelines, which allows the platform to function as a lightweight Customer Data Platform (CDP). This feature syncs data bi-directionally between your data warehouse (like Snowflake or Redshift) and your marketing tools, ensuring your segments are always based on the most accurate, live data. It also features a powerful Visual Workflow Builder for mapping complex user journeys with branching logic, and offers robust support for mobile-first channels like in-app messaging and push notifications alongside standard email. Best for: Tech-forward SaaS companies, mobile apps, and subscription businesses that need highly granular, behavior-based messaging. It is ideal for teams that are comfortable with data and want to automate complex onboarding, retention, and re-engagement flows without constantly asking developers for CSV exports. Braze Braze is a leading customer engagement platform designed for the mobile-first world, shifting marketing operations away from static email lists to real-time, cross-channel interactions. Unlike traditional tools that rely on batched data updates, Braze ingests live data streams from your app and website, allowing you to trigger messages the instant a user takes an action (like abandoning a cart or finishing a level in a game). It unifies email, SMS, push notifications, and in-app messaging into a single interface, ensuring that customers receive a consistent experience regardless of which device they are using. Features: Its flagship feature is Canvas, a visual journey builder that orchestrates complex, branching campaigns based on real-time behavior. In 2026, the platform is supercharged by BrazeAI (formerly Sage AI), which includes Intelligence Agents that can predict future user behaviorssuch as likelihood to churn or purchaseand automatically adjust messaging strategies to retain them. It also features Feature Flags, bridging the gap between product and marketing by allowing Ops teams to toggle app features on or off for specific segments without needing a new code deployment. Best for: High-growth B2C brands, mobile apps, and on-demand services (like delivery or ride-sharing apps) that require hyper-personalized, real-time communication at massive scale. ActiveCampaign ActiveCampaign is a customer experience automation (CXA) platform that goes far beyond simple email marketing to function as the central nervous system for growing businesses. It combines sophisticated email automation, a built-in CRM, and machine learning into a single unified stack. Unlike basic newsletter tools, it is designed to track a contacts behavior across your website and apps, using that data to trigger hyper-personalized messages that guide them through the entire customer lifecycle. Features: Its automation builder is widely considered the industry standard for ease of use and power, allowing users to create complex, branching workflows (e.g., If they click this link and visit the pricing page twice, notify sales) without coding. In 2026, the platform features Active Intelligence, a suite of AI agents that can autonomously predict the best time to send emails (Predictive Sending), score leads based on win probability, and even generate entire campaign workflows from simple text prompts. It also includes deep site tracking and SMS automation to ensure no lead is left behind. Best for: Small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), e-commerce brands, and agencies that need enterprise-grade automation power at a fraction of the cost of tools like Marketo or Salesforce. It is ideal for teams that want to automate both marketing messages and sales follow-ups in one place. Klaviyo Klaviyo is a unified customer platform designed specifically for e-commerce, serving as the growth engine for online brands. Unlike generic marketing tools, it is built on a robust Customer Data Platform (CDP) foundation, which means it ingests historical and real-time data from your storelike purchase history, browsing behavior, and average order valueto power intelligent marketing. This structure allows brands to move beyond batch and blast newsletters to send highly relevant, timely messages across email, SMS, and mobile push notifications. Features: Its standout capability is Flows, a library of pre-built automation recipes (e.g., Abandoned Cart, Welcome Series, Post-Purchase Cross-Sell) that are ready to launch in minutes. In 2026, the platform is driven by Klaviyo AI, which includes autonomous Marketing Agents that can generate segments, draft high-converting email copy, and predict future customer behaviors like churn risk or next purchase date. Its deep, one-click integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento ensure that every marketing message is triggered by live commerce data. Best for: Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) brands and online retailers of all sizesfrom startups to massive Shopify Plus merchantswho want to drive revenue through automated, personalized lifecycle marketing without needing a data science team. Iterable Iterable is an AI-powered customer engagement platform designed to help B2C growth teams move beyond rigid batch and blast campaigns to moments-based marketing. It unifies cross-channel messagingemail, SMS, push, and in-appinto a single interface that activates real-time behavioral data. Unlike legacy marketing clouds that struggle with data flexibility, Iterable ingests millions of user events (like cart abandoned or video watched) instantly, allowing marketers to trigger hyper-relevant messages without needing constant engineering support. Features: Its standout capability is Journey Studio, a visual drag-and-drop builder for orchestrating complex user flows. In 2026, the platform is driven by the Iterable AI Suite, which includes Brand Affinity (to detect customer sentiment) and Next Best Action (to automatically recommend the perfect next step). It also features Catalog, which enables deep personalization by injecting live product data into messages, and the new Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, allowing technical teams to connect external AI agents directly to the platform. Best for: High-growth B2C brands and mobile apps (like DoorDash, Redfin, or Calm) that have millions of users and need to send high-volume, highly personalized messages across both mobile and web channels. 3. The Pipes (Integration & Data Orchestration) The glue that connects your stack so data flows automatically. Make (formerly Integromat) Make is a powerful visual platform that allows Marketing Ops teams to design, build, and automate complex workflows without writing code. Unlike simple linear automation tools, Make utilizes a free-form canvas where you can create scenarios that branch, loop, and filter data in any direction. It functions as the glue for your entire stack, enabling you to connect thousands of apps and orchestrate intricate processeslike syncing CRM data to custom audiences or routing leads based on real-time behaviorexactly as you visualize them. Features: Its standout capability is the Visual Scenario Builder, which lets you drag and drop modules to create sophisticated logic (e.g., If X happens, check Y; if Y is true, do Z; otherwise, wait 5 minutes and try again). In 2026, Make has introduced the AI Toolkit and Make Agents, allowing users to embed autonomous AI decision-making directly into their workflows. It also supports advanced Error Handling, ensuring that if one step fails (like an API timeout), the workflow can automatically retry or take an alternative path rather than breaking completely. Best for: Technical marketers, Ops professionals, and agencies who find Zapier too limiting and need to build highly customized, multi-step operational systems at a lower cost. Zapier Zapier is the universal glue of the internet, serving as the default automation layer for millions of marketing teams who need to connect their apps without involving IT. While it started as a simple linear connector, it has evolved into a complete AI Orchestration Platform in 2026. It allows marketers to link over 8,000 appsfar more than any competitorensuring that data flows automatically between every tool in your stack, from your CRM and ad platforms to your Slack channels and spreadsheets. Features: Its core functionality relies on Zaps, which are automated workflows triggered by specific events (e.g., When a new Facebook Lead comes in, send them an email and alert Slack). In 2026, Zapier features Zapier Canvas, a visual diagramming tool that helps teams map out their entire operations and convert those diagrams into active automations instantly. It also includes Zapier Central (formerly AI Agents), which allows you to train autonomous AI bots to perform tasks across your apps, such as researching a lead and drafting a personalized email draft based on your brand guidelines. Best for: Non-technical marketers, SMEs, and growth teams who need the widest possible range of integrations. It is the best starting point for anyone who wants to set it and forget it without needing to learn complex logic or API coding. Tray.io Tray.io is an enterprise-grade integration and automation platform (iPaaS) that bridges the gap between no-code simplicity and developer-level power. Unlike lighter tools that rely on linear if-this-then-that logic, Tray provides a flexible visual canvas that allows technical operations teams to build sophisticated, multi-step workflows. It acts as a Universal Automation Cloud, capable of bypassing standard connector limitations by letting users connect directly to any API, ensuring that even the most complex legacy systems and modern SaaS tools can talk to each other perfectly. Features: Its defining feature in 2026 is Merlin AI, an autonomous agent builder that allows users to create workflows simply by describing them in natural language (e.g., When a high-value lead hits Salesforce, enrich it with Clearbit data, then Slack the territory manager). The platform excels at complex logic, offering loops, branching, and error handling that can retry failed steps automatically. It also provides Tray Embedded, which allows SaaS companies to build and maintain integrations for their own customers directly within their product. Best for: Technical Marketing Ops teams and large enterprises that have outgrown Zapier and need a secure, scalable solution to orchestrate heavy-duty data processes. It is the preferred tool for Ops leaders who are comfortable with data logic and need to manage complex routing, lead enrichment, and database syncing at scale. Workato Workato is the leader in Enterprise Automation and orchestration, bridging the critical gap between Marketing Ops and IT. While tools like Zapier handle simple linear tasks, Workato functions as a robust Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) capable of managing heavy-duty data synchronization and complex business logic at scale. It allows marketing teams to build sophisticated recipes that connect thousands of applicationsfrom legacy on-premise databases to modern SaaS toolscreating a seamless flow of data across the entire organization without compromising security or governance. Features: Its defining innovation in 2026 is Agentic Orchestration, powered by its new Enterprise MCP (Model Context Protocol). This allows Ops teams to build and deploy autonomous GeniesAI agents that can reason, plan, and execute multi-step workflows (like Analyze this churned account, draft a win-back offer, and notify the account manager) rather than just following rigid if/then rules. The platform includes Agent Studio, a no-code environment for building these agents with strict guardrails, ensuring that AI operates securely within enterprise policies. Best for: Enterprise Marketing Operations teams that need IT-approved security and the power to orchestrate complex, high-volume data processes. It is the definitive choice for organizations moving beyond simple automation to AI-driven orchestration, where marketing data must flow reliably between the CMOs stack and the CIOs infrastructure. Census / Hightouch (Reverse ETL) Census and Hightouch are the leaders in Reverse ETL (often called Data Activation), a category that flips the traditional data flow by syncing trusted data from your data warehouse back into your marketing tools. Instead of buying a separate, expensive Customer Data Platform (CDP) that creates another data silo, these tools sit on top of your existing warehouse (like Snowflake or BigQuery) and turn it into a Composable CDP. This ensures that the customer data in your ads, emails, and CRMs matches exactly what your data science team sees in the warehouse. Features: Both platforms feature robust visual Audience Builders that allow non-technical marketers to create complex segments using warehouse data without writing SQL. In 2026, they have integrated AI agentssuch as Hightouch Agents and Census AIthat can autonomously analyze customer data to recommend new segments or identify churn risks. They offer real-time syncing to over 200 destinations (e.g., pushing Lifetime Value scores into Salesforce or Cart Abandoners into Facebook Ads) and handle identity resolution directly in your cloud infrastructure, ensuring you own your data model. Best for: Data-driven marketing teams who already use a cloud data warehouse (like Snowflake, Databricks, or BigQuery) and want to power hyper-personalized campaigns without the massive cost and implementation time of a traditional legacy CDP. Fivetran Fivetran is the industry standard for Automated Data Movement (ELT), serving as the inbound pipe that extracts data from your marketing tools and loads it into your data warehouse. Unlike the manual API scripts of the past, Fivetran offers zero-maintenance pipelines that just work. It centralizes data from disparate sourceslike LinkedIn Ads, HubSpot, Google Analytics, and NetSuiteinto a single destination (like Snowflake or BigQuery), giving analysts a complete, raw dataset to build unbiased attribution models and Customer 360 views. Features: Its standout capability is Schema Drift Handling, which automatically detects when a source app adds a new field (e.g., a new Job Title field in Salesforce) and instantly updates your warehouse tables to match, ensuring no data is ever lost. In 2026, Fivetran offers Lite Connectors, enabling rapid access to thousands of niche SaaS apps, and Hybrid Deployment, which keeps sensitive data within your secure infrastructure. It also integrates natively with dbt, allowing Ops teams to trigger SQL transformations immediately after data loads. Best for: Marketing Analytics and Operations teams who have adopted a Modern Data Stack (using a warehouse like Snowflake) and need to centralize their reporting. It is essential for organizations that want to own their raw data for deep analysis rather than relying on the limited, pre-baked dashboards provided by individual ad platforms. 4. The Libraries (Digital Asset Management DAM) Where brand assets live to ensure consistency and prevent where is that logo? questions. Canto Canto is a visually-driven Digital Asset Management (DAM) platform that prioritizes usability and centralizes a brands entire content lifecycle. It acts as an intelligent content hub, transforming disorganized file storage into a unified single source of truth for marketing and creative teams. By simplifying how assets are organized and accessed, Canto helps organizations maintain brand consistency and accelerate their time-to-market. Features include AI Visual Search, which allows users to find assets using natural language descriptions, and the AI Library Assistant for automated metadata tagging and organization. The platform also offers Brand Studio, empowering non-designers to customize pre-approved templates while staying within brand guardrails, and Media Publisher, which enables direct distribution to web and e-commerce channels. Robust collaboration tools like the Approval Hub streamline feedback loops, ensuring all stakeholders are aligned before content goes live. Best for mid-sized to large marketing teams and creative agencies across industries like retail, manufacturing, and technology that need to manage high volumes of visual content. It is the ideal choice for organizations that value a highly intuitive, Pinterest-style user interface that encourages high adoption rates among internal teams and external partners. Brands like Sony and Godiva use Canto to scale their content operations and maximize the ROI of their digital assets. Brandfolder Brandfolder is a visually-driven Digital Asset Management (DAM) platform that prioritizes usability above all else, making it the most intuitive choice for marketers who want to avoid clunky, IT-heavy software. Unlike traditional DAMs that feel like complex file directories, Brandfolder uses a highly visual interface that resembles a modern Pinterest-style board. It serves as the central hub for storing, sharing, and tracking brand assets, ensuring that external partnerslike retailers, distributors, and presscan access the exact logos and product shots they need without requiring a login or a 20-page manual. Features: Its standout capability is Brand Intelligence, a proprietary AI engine that automatically tags assets using image recognition (e.g., identifying red sneakers or smiling woman) and even transcribes video audio to make every spoken word searchable. It features Smart CDN links, allowing you to embed an asset on your website once and update it in Brandfolder to automatically reflect the change everywhere live. In 2026, it offers enhanced Content Automation, allowing local teams to customize approved templates (like business cards or social ads) within strict brand guardrails, and integrates natively with Smartsheet to bridge the gap between project management and asset delivery. Best for: Consumer brands, retail companies, and mid-to-large marketing teams that need to share assets frequently with external partners. It is the ideal choice for organizations where high user adoption is the top priority and ease of use matters more than complex backend customization. Bynder Bynder is an enterprise Digital Asset Management (DAM) platform that functions as the digital workshop for your entire marketing ecosystem. It goes beyond simple file storage to act as a brand governance engine, ensuring that every asset used across your global marketsfrom social posts to sales decksis 100% compliant and up-to-date. It centralizes your entire media library while allowing distributed teams to access exactly what they need without constantly nagging the design team for files. Features: Its standout capability in 2026 is Bynder AI Agents, a suite of autonomous tools that handle tedious tasks like Enrichment (automatically tagging assets with metadata) and Compliance (scanning new assets against brand guidelines before they are published). The platform also features Studio, a creative automation tool that lets non-designers create their own on-brand videos and banners using pre-approved templates. Additionally, its Content Workflow module integrates editorial drafting with asset management, allowing teams to write, review, and approve blog posts and copy directly alongside the visuals they will be paired with. Best for: Large, global consumer brands (like Spotify, Puma, and Five Guys) that need to maintain strict brand consistency while empowering local teams to self-serve content. It is the ideal choice for organizations where brand policing is a major bottleneck and automation is needed to scale content production. Canto Canto is a visually-driven Digital Asset Management (DAM) platform that prioritizes usability above all else, making it the most intuitive choice for marketers who want to avoid clunky, IT-heavy software. Unlike traditional DAMs that feel like complex file directories, Canto uses a highly visual interface that resembles a modern Pinterest-style board. It serves as the central hub for storing, sharing, and tracking brand assets, ensuring that external partnerslike retailers, distributors, and presscan access the exact logos and product shots they need without requiring a login or a 20-page manual. Features: Its standout capability in 2026 is AI Visual Search, which allows users to find assets using natural language prompts (e.g., show me people hiking in autumn) without needing manual tags. The platform also features Media Publisher (formerly Media Delivery Cloud), which lets you embed assets directly from Canto to your website or e-commerce store via a global CDN; if you update the asset in Canto, it automatically updates everywhere it is published. Additionally, Brand Studio empowers local teams to customize pre-approved templates for business cards or social ads while staying within strict brand guardrails. Best for: Consumer brands, retail companies, and mid-to-large marketing teams that need to share assets frequently with external partners. It is the ideal choice for organizations where high user adoption is the top priority and ease of use matters more than complex backend customization. Air Air is a modern Creative Operations System that reimagines Digital Asset Management (DAM) for speed and visual collaboration. It is designed to replace clunky cloud storage (like Dropbox or Google Drive) with a workspace that actually understands visual content. Instead of hiding files in rigid folder structures, Air uses flexible boards and visual galleries, acting as a central hub where creative teams can centralize, organize, and discuss their work from the first draft to the final asset. Features: Its standout capability is Version Stacking, which neatly organizes every iteration of a design file behind a single thumbnail, decluttering your library while keeping the entire creative history accessible. In 2026, Air utilizes advanced AI to auto-tag images and videos using facial and object recognition, making even untagged content searchable instantly. It also features Air Flow, a desktop app that syncs your local creative files directly to the cloud, and allows for frame-accurate comments on videos, enabling stakeholders to give precise feedback without needing time-coded email notes. Best for: Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) brands, creative agencies, and marketing teams that value speed and aesthetics over rigid enterprise compliance. It is the perfect choice for teams that want a tool that feels like a collaborative whiteboard rather than a dusty digital archive. Frame.io (Adobe) Frame.io is the industry-standard cloud platform for video review and collaboration, now fully integrated into the Adobe ecosystem to serve as the central hub for all creative assets. Far more than just a video player, the reimagined V4 release transforms it into a flexible creative database that handles video, images, PDFs, and even interactive web content. It bridges the gap between creative teams and marketing stakeholders, replacing disjointed email threads and time-coded spreadsheets with a frame-accurate feedback loop that lives directly inside tools like Premiere Pro and After Effects. Features: Its standout capability in 2026 is the new V4 Metadata Model and Collections, which allow Ops teams to tag assets with custom fields (like Talent, Status, or Campaign ID) and organize them into smart, auto-updating folders. The platforms Camera to Cloud technology now supports photography, instantly syncing shots from cameras (Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm) to Lightroom or the web for immediate review. Additionally, deep integration with Adobe Workfront unifies project management with creative review, ensuring that every Approved click in Frame.io automatically updates the campaign status in your project tracker. Best for: Creative operations teams, video production houses, and marketing departments that produce high volumes of rich media. It is the definitive choice for teams that need to streamline the edit-review-approve cycle and require a secure, professional environment for sharing work with external clients. 5. The Eyes (Analytics, Attribution & Intelligence) Tools that track ROI, data accuracy, and the Dark Funnel. Funnel.io Funnel.io is a dedicated Marketing Data Hub that automates the messy process of collecting, cleaning, and harmonizing marketing data. Unlike generic data pipelines that require SQL knowledge, Funnel is built specifically for marketers who need a single source of truth without relying on a data engineering team. It acts as the middleware that pulls performance metrics from every ad platformMeta, TikTok, LinkedIn, and 500+ othersand prepares that data for instant reporting in any dashboard or visualization tool. Features: Its standout capability is its No-Code Data Transformation, which automatically normalizes currency, maps inconsistent naming conventions (like campaign_id vs. campaignID), and groups data across channels logic. In 2026, Funnel features Data Chat, a conversational AI interface that lets users ask questions of their data (e.g., Show me ROAS by region for Q4) without building a report. It also includes Activate, a reverse-ETL feature that pushes offline conversion data back into ad platforms to improve targeting, and advanced Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) tools to measure impact without cookies. Best for: Performance marketing teams and agencies that manage high-volume, multi-channel ad spend. It is the ideal solution for organizations that need to produce trusted, cross-channel ROI reports instantly but lack the internal engineering resources to maintain a complex data warehouse. Supermetrics Supermetrics is the industry-standard data pipeline tool designed to get marketing data out of siloed platforms (like Meta Ads, TikTok, or Google Analytics) and into the places where marketers actually workprimarily spreadsheets, BI tools, and data warehouses. Unlike all-in-one dashboards that lock your data into their own interface, Supermetrics acts as a flexible connector that lets you own your data and build custom reports in familiar environments like Google Sheets, Excel, Looker Studio, or Snowflake. Features: In 2026, the platform has evolved into Supermetrics AI, featuring specialized Agents like the Insights Agent, which allows you to ask natural language questions (e.g., Why are my leads down in Germany this week?) and receive instant charts and explanations. It also includes AI-powered Data Transformation, which can autonomously perform sentiment analysis on ad comments, label images in your creatives, or translate global campaign data without manual effort. Its new Workspaces feature provides enterprise-grade governance, allowing agencies and large teams to isolate data and manage permissions across multiple clients or regions securely. Best for: Agencies, marketing analysts, and performance teams who want maximum control over their data and prefer building their own custom reporting in spreadsheets or BI tools. It is the go-to choice for those who need a wide range of connectors (150+) and want to avoid the high cost and rigid structure of enterprise ETL platforms. 6sense 6sense is a Revenue AI platform designed to uncover the Dark Funnelthe 90% of the B2B buying journey that happens anonymously before a prospect ever fills out a form. It acts as the intelligence layer for your entire Go-to-Market (GTM) stack, combining big data, machine learning, and predictive analytics to tell you exactly which accounts are in-market, what they are researching, and when they are ready to buy. Instead of waiting for leads to come to you, 6sense empowers marketing and sales teams to proactively engage the right accounts at the perfect moment. Features: The platform is powered by Signalverse, a massive data graph that captures trillions of intent signals across the web. In 2026, its standout feature is the 6sense AI Email Agent, an autonomous assistant that drafts and sends hyper-personalized, 1-to-1 emails to members of a buying committee based on their specific research behavior. It also features Predictive Buying Stages, which uses AI to categorize accounts into Awareness, Consideration, or Decision stages, allowing you to trigger different Sales Plays automatically. Its Sales Copilot lives directly inside the CRM, providing reps with summarized account activity and recommending the Next Best Action to move a deal forward. Best for: Mid-market and enterprise B2B organizations with complex buying committees and long sales cycles. It is the gold standard for teams executing an Account-Based Marketing (ABM) strategy who want to align sales and marketing around a single source of truth and stop wasting budget on accounts that arent actually looking to buy. FullCircle Insights (by Conquer) FullCircle Insights is a 100% Salesforce-native marketing performance management platform designed to solve the data gap between marketing automation and CRM. Unlike external tools that require complex API syncs, FullCircle lives directly inside Salesforce, transforming raw CRM data into a detailed record of the entire customer journey. In 2026, following its acquisition by Conquer, the platform has evolved into a unified Revenue Operations hub, combining gold-standard attribution with high-velocity sales execution. The platforms core engine, Response Management, replaces standard Salesforce lead routing with a sophisticated system that tracks engagements rather than just static records. This ensures every touchpoint is captured even after a lead converts to a contact, allowing you to run and compare multiple attribution models (First Touch, W-Shaped, etc.) simultaneously. It also features a Digital Source Tracker that bridges the gap between anonymous web clicks and known Salesforce leads, ensuring top-of-funnel interactions are credited correctly when a deal closes. Best for Salesforce-centric B2B organizations that struggle with sales and marketing alignment. It is the definitive choice for Marketing Ops teams who want a single source of truth where their data never leaves the CRM. With the new Conquer integration, marketing attribution data can now automatically trigger sales sequences, ensuring that pipeline isnt just measured, but actively nurtured through a single, secure environment. 6. The Future (AI Agents & Creative Ops) New tools that are changing how Ops works in 2026. Gumloop Gumloop is an AI-native automation platform that allows users to build complex, multi-step workflows using a visual, node-based canvas. Unlike traditional tools that added AI features later, Gumloop was built from the ground up to orchestrate Large Language Models (LLMs) alongside varied data sources. It empowers non-technical users to create sophisticated flows that combine logic, web scraping, and generative AI to handle high-level reasoning tasks. Features include Gummie, an AI copilot that builds entire automations from natural language descriptions, and a robust library of 115+ native integrations. Its 2026 update introduced specialized MCP (Model Context Protocol) nodes, which act as a standardized USB-C for AI, allowing users to talk to external apps using semantic language. The platform also offers a powerful Chrome extension for browser-based scraping and Subflows for creating modular, reusable automation components across an organization. Best for GTM teams, Revenue Ops, and high-growth startups that need to automate reasoning-heavy processes like lead research, meeting summarization, or CRM updates. It is the ideal choice for organizations that have outgrown the linear logic of Zapier and want to deploy secure, scalable AI agents without writing code. Trusted by companies like Instacart and Webflow, it bridges the gap between simple task automation and full-scale AI orchestration. Writer Writer is an enterprise-grade generative AI platform built specifically for corporate teams that require high levels of security and brand consistency. Unlike generic AI tools, Writer operates on its own family of LLMs (Palmyra) and ensures that customer data is never used for training. It serves as a unified AI HQ where organizations can build and deploy autonomous agents that are grounded in their own internal data and business logic. Features include the Agent Builder, a visual, no-code environment for creating AI agents that can perform complex tasks like drafting RFPs or analyzing financial reports. The platforms Knowledge Graph allows these agents to securely access and reason across company data from sources like Snowflake, Salesforce, and Google Drive. Additionally, it offers robust governance tools for IT teams to monitor agent performance, manage permissions, and enforce brand-voice guidelines through customizable Personality profiles. Best for enterprise marketing, sales, and operations teams at Global 2000 companies that need to scale content production without compromising on privacy or accuracy. It is the ideal choice for highly regulated industriessuch as finance, healthcare, and retailwhere standard AI tools pose too much risk regarding data leakage or hallucinations. Companies like Uber and Vanguard use Writer to automate multi-step workflows while maintaining a strictly on-brand digital presence. Ziflow Ziflow is an enterprise-grade online proofing and creative collaboration platform designed to streamline the review and approval process for high-volume marketing teams. It acts as a central system of record for feedback, replacing disjointed email threads with a visual workspace where stakeholders can annotate over 1,200 file types, including video, live websites, and rich media. By 2026, it has shifted from a passive review tool to an active orchestration hub that automates the movement of assets through complex, multi-stage approval cycles. Features include ReviewAI, which autonomously checks content against brand guidelines, verifies that previous change requests were actually implemented, and flags compliance risks like missing legal disclaimers. The platform offers Canvas View for managing entire campaigns in one visual board and deep integrations with the Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, and Slack to keep designers within their preferred tools. It also features automated version comparison that highlights pixel-level differences, ensuring that nothing is missed between revisions while maintaining a full audit trail for regulatory compliance. Best for creative agencies and in-house marketing departments at large enterprises that manage high volumes of complex assets across global teams. It is the ideal solution for industries with strict regulatory requirementssuch as financial services, healthcare, and CPGwhere precise feedback and documented approvals are non-negotiable. Organizations like AWS and Toyota use Ziflow to cut their review cycles in half and ensure brand consistency across every digital and print touchpoint. Descript Descript is an AI-powered audio and video editing platform that treats media as text, allowing users to edit files by simply modifying a transcript. By shifting the focus from complex timelines to a document-like interface, it democratizes high-quality production for those without professional editing experience. In 2026, it has expanded into a full-scale AI workstation, featuring Underlord, an agentic co-editor that can autonomously handle tedious tasks like finding highlights or re-editing clips to match a specific tone. Features include Studio Sound, which uses AI to remove background noise and make any recording sound like it was captured in a professional studio, and Overdub, which creates a digital clone of your voice to fix spoken mistakes without re-recording. The platform also offers Eye Contact Correction, which digitally adjusts your gaze to look directly at the camera, and automatic Filler Word Removal to purge ums and uhs in one click. Additionally, its Social Clips generator can instantly identify viral-ready moments and format them for platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Best for podcasters, YouTubers, and marketing teams who need to produce high-quality content at a rapid pace. It is the gold standard for creators who want to cut their editing time significantly by working with text rather than a traditional playhead. Organizations like NPR and HubSpot use Descript to streamline their collaborative workflows, ensuring that everything from internal training videos to global brand campaigns is polished, accessible, and consistently on-brand. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Chinas Buddha carvers are quietly running out of time Defence, nuclear and $200 billion trade push: Why MBZ visited India for three hours and why it's bad news for Pakistan Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Dont care: Trump backtracks on wanting Nobel Peace Prize, breaks silence on letter to Norway PM US President Donald Trump will deliver a key speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 21, 2026, amid global trade tensions. The address, streamed live on multiple platforms, is expected to outline US economic and foreign policy priorities. Did our AI summary help? Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to EU moves to tighten ban on drone exports to Iran after crackdown A sharp hike in H-1B visa fees under President Donald Trump threatens to remove one of the few remaining lifelines rural hospitals have to survive. (File image used for representation) US President Trump has invited India to join his US-led Board of Peace for Gaza reconstruction, posing a diplomatic dilemma. Joining risks Indias multilateral stance and autonomy; rejecting could provoke Trumps economic retaliation. India is weighing its options. Did our AI summary help? Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen speaks during a protest against Trump's policy towards Greenland in front of the US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland. (AP Photo) Cherry prices have plunged by half as importers increased supply after last years shortages only to find out that demand had not increased much. Large cherries imported from Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. are now sold at around VND900,000 (US$34.27) per kilogram, down from VND2 million a year ago. Imported cherries sold in a supermarket in HCMC. Photo by VnExpress/Thi Ha HCMC fruit vendor Hoa said last year U.S. cherry sold out quickly, and therefore she bought more this year, but sales have been slow. "Supply has increased but demand has yet to match it, forcing sellers to reduce prices." At retail chains such as MM Mega Market and Go!, Australian cherry prices have fallen to VND250,000400,000 per kilogram from VND500,000 last year when they kept selling out. Nguyen Thi Hang, a fruit vendor in HCMC, said the market this year is very competitive amid a surge in the imports of cherries, apples, kiwifruits, and grapes. Vietnam imported $3 billion worth of fruits and vegetables last year, up 24% from 2024. Global supply has generally been rising. In Chile, the world's largest cherry exporter, in the 20252026 season, the area under cherry is estimated to have increased by 4.6% to 80,000 hectares, and output by 6.7% to 730,000 tonnes, up according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rapid growth in supply and a time when demand in key markets has not increased much, has pushed prices down in many places including Vietnam. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Hard to imagine working with Putin, says Ukraines Zelenskyy on Gaza Peace Board Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Have clearly explained: Norway PM tells Trump Nobel Prize is decided by committee, not govt 'He forgot to carry his hair': Prince Harry makes an appearance but it's his balding head that steals the limelight Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to How an 'informal' group chat unites European leaders whenever Trump goes 'wild' Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to 'In words you understand': Danish lawmaker tells Trump to 'f**k off' after he shares AI US territory map India is asserting strategic independence, resisting US pressure, and prioritizing its own interests. Strong economic growth and a pending EU trade deal boost its autonomy, while stalled US trade talks highlight India's shift toward diversified global partnerships. Did our AI summary help? Lavrov says NATO preparing for war with Russia, claims alliance debating whether to shut it down Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Mystery surrounds death of Indian man at Thailand music festival, autopsy ordered: What we know Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All NATO alliance "very safe, sound" under Donald Trump: US Treasury Secretary Bessent Gold jewelry seen in a shop in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy Vietnam gold prices jumped to a new historic record Tuesday afternoon as global rates surged to a new peak. Saigon Jewelry Company gold bar increased by 0.67% to VND166.1 million (US$6,324.12) per tael. A tael equals 37.5 grams or 1.2 ounces. Gold ring went up 0.80% to VND163.5 million per tael. Gold prices in Vietnam have risen 8.7% since the beginning of the year. Globally gold jumped past $4,700 per ounce for the first time on Tuesday, while silver traded near a record high, as U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to slap extra tariffs on European allies soured global sentiment and sparked a rush into safe-haven assets, Reuters reported. Spot gold gained 1% to $4,717.03 per ounce, having hit an all-time high of $4,721.91 earlier. U.S. gold futures for February delivery climbed 2.8% to $4,722.70 per ounce. Gold prices have rallied more than 70% since Trump began his second term a year ago, while silver has catapulted more than 200%. Pakistan claims rising global interest in its JF-17 fighter jets, but has secured no confirmed export orders. Talks with 13 countries remain uncertain, and analysts say the sales pitch masks economic desperation, with jets offered as bargaining chips, not cash. Abhinav Gupta With over 12 years in digital journalism, has navigated the fast-evolving media landscape, shaping digital strategies and leading high-impact newsrooms. Currently, he serves as News Editor at MoneyControl, leading coverage in Global Affairs, Indian Politics, Governance and Policy Making. Previously, he has spearheaded fact-checking and digital media operations at Press Trust of India. Abhinav has also led news desks at Financial Express, DNA, and Jagran English, managing editorial direction, breaking news coverage, and digital growth. His journey includes stints with The Indian Express Group, Zee Media Group, and more, where he has honed his expertise in newsroom leadership, audience engagement, and digital transformation. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Pak journalist mocks ISI, army during praise for 'Dhurandhar': 'Pakistani generals far more dangerous' Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Pakistan eyes broader Muslim tie-up with Saudi Arabia, with new twist: What it means for India 'Shark might attack someday so better eat the lifeguard now': France mocks US over Greenland 'There can be no going back': Trump calls Greenland vital for security, hails US as 'most powerful on globe' As Trump threatens tariffs over Greenland, the EU considers using its Anti-Coercion Instrument, a powerful trade tool allowing broad retaliation against economic pressure. Debate continues within the EU on deploying it, highlighting strained US-Europe relations. Did our AI summary help? Donald Trump posted an AI-generated map showing Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela as US territory, escalating tensions with allies. His renewed push for Greenland and claims over Venezuela have drawn sharp criticism from NATO, EU, and affected countries. Did our AI summary help? Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Trump shares screenshots of Macron's private texts over Greenland: 'I don't understand what ...' Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Trump threatens 200% tariff on French wine as Macron rejects Board of Peace, says nobody wants him Thanh Tung on the campus of Harvard University. Photo obtained by VnExpress Growing up in Vietnam's mountainous province Ha Giang, Thanh Tung never imagined he would one day study at Harvard University. Now 29, he is pursuing a masters degree in Education Policy Analysis there, fully funded by the U.S. governments Fulbright Scholarship, a path shaped by his first-hand experience with inequality in Vietnams classrooms. The scholarship covers more than US$62,000 in annual tuition, along with living expenses throughout his studies. "I never thought I could go this far," Tung said. But his journey to one of the world's most prestigious universities was not driven by ambition alone. It began with a quiet frustration over the stark gap in resources between Vietnam's public and private schools. Tung initially followed what he calls the "well-trodden path": enter university, graduate, and find a stable job. While studying English at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, he began tutoring in his second year to gain experience. That work slowly changed how he viewed education. He recalls students under such pressure that they cried daily, forcing him to spend as much time helping them manage emotions and stress as teaching academic content. "That's when I realized students need far more from teachers than just knowledge," he said. After graduating, Tung moved into curriculum design and teacher training, and joined projects building schools for children in mountainous areas. Fieldwork exposed him to a hard reality: private schools often have dedicated staff for student mental health, curriculum development and parent engagement, while public-school teachers are frequently expected to handle everything at once. "In remote areas, teachers may have to persuade children to attend school, teach classes, and even worry about daily meals," Tung said. "I kept thinking about how to give them more support." That question became the catalyst for a major life decision. Tung gave up job security to study education policy, hoping to address systemic problems rather than treating individual symptoms. His interest deepened after joining a project that introduced generative AI into schools. He believes new technologies could help create more effective learning environments, and notes that many education technologies originate in the U.S. before spreading globally. "I want to work directly with experts there, then adapt those models to the needs and strengths of Vietnamese schools," he said. Inside the FulbrightHarvard application Applying for Fulbright and Harvard are separate processes, but Tung said the requirements are similar: transcripts, certificates, essays, study plans and recommendation letters. He began preparing his applications in mid-2024, spending the most time on personal essays. He wrote about his struggles after moving to Hanoi, his path into education, and his belief that education should connect teachers and students to real life and society, not just academic scores. "I focused on the turning points in my life and explained why they mattered," he said. Tung sought feedback from education policy experts but stressed the importance of keeping one's own voice. "A story can be told in many ways," he said. "But if it no longer sounds like you, it's easy to fail." After completing his degree, Tung plans to return to Vietnam. He hopes to research how technology can support teaching and teacher training, advise schools, and help pilot new education models. "I want to work with experts and organizations to support education initiatives alongside the government," he said. The Chinese government purchased Royal Mint Court in 2018 but its requests for planning permission to build a new embassy on the site were rejected by the local council in 2022 (Image: Reuters) Did our AI summary help? Viswanath Pilla is a business journalist with 16 years of reporting experience. Based in Mumbai, Pilla covers pharma, healthcare and infrastructure sectors for Moneycontrol. Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to US invites India to join $1 billion Gaza Board of Peace: Options Delhi is weighing The court had not issued a ruling on January 9 as well, on cases questioning whether the US president Trump exceeded his authority while imposing the global tariff measures. Rewati Karan is Senior Sub Editor at Moneycontrol. She covers law, politics, business, and national affairs. She was previously Principal Correspondent at Financial Express and Copyeditor at ThePrint where she wrote feature stories and covered legal news. She has also worked extensively in social media, videos and podcasts at ThePrint and India Today. She can be reached at rewati.karan@nw18.com | Twitter: @RewatiKaran To Lam, 68, is expected to address delegates as he appears on course to secure a full five-year term as General Secretary and may also be put forward for the presidency. Bloomberg Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to What happens if Supreme Court blocks Trumps tariffs? Inside White Houses 'next day' plan Loans up to Follow us on: Loans up to Why Trump is pushing Greenland when an easier deal already exists Loans up to OTHERS OTHERS co-presented by Follow us on: Loans up to My Account or or Hello, Login All Why Trumps oil-first worldview is colliding with Chinas battery-powered future Will '100%' follow through on plans to hit Europe with tariffs without a Greenland deal, says Trump A Minnesota man told Reuters on Monday he felt fear, shame and desperation a day after ICE officers broke down his door with guns drawn, handcuffed him and dragged him into the snow wearing shorts and Crocs. ChongLy Thao, 56, a naturalized U.S. citizen who goes by the name Scott, was returned home later on Sunday without explanation or apology, he said. A man, whose family requested a Hmong interpreter, is detained after ICE agents and other law enforcement officers conducted an immigration raid at his home, days after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S., Jan. 18, 2026. Photo by Reuters "I was praying. I was like, God, please help me, I didn't do anything wrong. Why do they do this to me? Without my clothes on," Thao, a Hmong man born in Laos, told Reuters from his home on Monday, while neighbors were at work fixing the broken door. Pictures of the incident showing Thao barely clothed and covered in a blanket taken by a Reuters photographer and bystanders spread on social media, further fueling concern that federal law enforcement officers were exceeding their authority as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, which has seen some 3,000 officers deployed in the Minneapolis area. A statement published by the family called the incident "unnecessary, degrading, and deeply traumatizing." The highest temperature in Saint Paul on Sunday was 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 degrees Celsius). The Department of Homeland Security said officers were investigating two convicted sex offenders at the address and that a U.S. citizen living there refused to be fingerprinted or facially identified, so he was detained. "He matched the description of the targets. As with any law enforcement agency, it is standard protocol to hold all individuals in a house of an operation for safety of the public and law enforcement," DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. 'Why are we here' DHS published wanted posters for two men targeted in the investigation who were still at large, describing each as a "criminal illegal alien" from Laos who is subject to deportation orders. One of the men in the wanted posters previously lived at the house but moved out, according to relatives close to the situation, who described him as the ex-husband of a member of the Thao family. A U.S. District Judge in Minnesota on Friday issued an injunction blocking the Trump administration from some aggressive tactics that she said would "chill" an ordinary citizen from engaging in constitutionally protected protest. "That conduct includes the drawing and pointing of weapons; the use of pepper spray and other non-lethal munitions; actual and threatened arrest and detainment of protesters and observers; and other intimidation tactics," Judge Katherine Menendez wrote. The Trump administration is appealing her injunction. Thao said his parents brought him from Laos to the United States in 1974 when he was four-years-old and that he became a U.S. citizen in 1991. During the ordeal, he feared being sent back to Laos, where he has no relatives. ChongLy Thao, who goes by Scott, poses for a portrait outside of his home a day after Reuters photographed him at the same door as he was being taken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE agents before he was later returned in St Paul, Minnesota, U.S., Jan. 19, 2026. Photo by Reuters He said he was singing karaoke when there was a loud noise at the door. He and his family hid in a bedroom, where the federal officers found him. Thao said that he was trying to find his ID as officers escorted him out of the house. Thao was wearing only boxer shorts and Crocs on his feet when officers denied him the chance to put on more clothes, he said. He used a blanket that his four-year-old grandson had been sleeping with on the couch to cover his torso. After taking his fingerprints and a head shot in the car, officers returned him to his home, Thao said. "We came here for a purpose, right?... To have a bright future. To have a safe place to live," he said. "If this is going to turn out to be America, what are we doing here? Why are we here?" The 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam will open on Tuesday morning at the National Convention Center in Hanoi, with 1,586 delegates representing more than 5.6 million Party members nationwide in attendance. As customary, the opening session began with a flag-raising ceremony, followed by the statement of purpose and the introduction of delegates. The Presidium delivered opening remarks, presented key reports, and chaired initial discussions among delegates. Four major documents are being presented to the congress: the Political Report; a report reviewing theoretical and practical issues after 40 years of reform; a report on 15 years of implementing the Party Charter; and a review of the leadership and direction of the 13th Central Committee. The congress is scheduled to run from Jan. 19 to 25. During this period, delegates will deliberate on major orientations for national development, Party building, and the political system, as well as elect the new Party Central Committee. On Monday morning, the congress held its preparatory session at the same venue. Prior to the session, delegates visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and laid wreaths and offered incense at the Bac Son Monument to fallen heroes and martyrs. Vietnam's leaders attend the preparatory session of the 14th National Party Congress in Hanoi on Jan. 19, 2026. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy At the opening of the preparatory session, the congress observed a minute of silence in memory of late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and members of the 13th Central Committee who passed away during the previous term. Delegates unanimously approved the program of the preparatory session, the congresss rules of procedure, working agenda, and election regulations. They also elected a Presidium comprising 16 Politburo members, a five-member Secretariat, and a 13-member Credentials Committee. The congress further unanimously adopted the Credentials Committees report, confirming that all 1,586 delegates convened for the 14th National Congress met eligibility requirements. Changwu Ruan and other detainees are brought to Saipan Immigration Court by ICE ERO agents for removal proceedings on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. Photo by Bryan Manabat By Bryan Manabat [email protected] Variety News Staff A CHINESE national in removal proceedings has asked the Saipan Immigration Court to deport him to the Republic of Palau. Changwu Ruan, represented by attorney John Lee, appeared before Immigration Judge Clarence Wagner of Honolulu via teleconference on Friday. Lee told the court that Ruan has filed for asylum and does not want to be deported to the Peoples Republic of China. Ruan, speaking through an interpreter, said that if he could obtain a different passport, he wished to be deported to Palau instead. Palau has a limited agreement with the United States allowing the transfer of certain third-country nationals, but acceptance is not automatic. Under the arrangement, Palau may receive individuals who are not being removed for criminal conduct, subject to its own review and approval. Any request by a respondent to be deported to Palau does not guarantee acceptance, and U.S. immigration authorities must coordinate with Palauan officials before any transfer can occur. Wagner scheduled another hearing for Ruan for Feb. 4 at 9 a.m. Ruan is among several Chinese nationals including former Imperial Pacific International majority shareholder Lijie Cui, Xiping Gao and Zhinan Huang who were placed in removal proceedings after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcements Enforcement and Removal Operations for alleged immigration violations. Cui requested a bond hearing, which was granted and set for Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. Wagner has ordered Gao and Huang removed from the United States. Two Filipino nationals, including Rizal De Guzman and another whose identity was not immediately available, were allowed to voluntarily leave the United States after telling the court they wanted to return home. Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator. By Emmanuel T. Erediano [email protected] Variety News Staff TWO Saipan-based companies have been awarded modifications to a major U.S. military contract, joining 112 other firms nationwide in a $45 billion program to support the Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract (WEXMAC) Territorial Integrity of the U.S. (TITUS). The companies, Hong Ye Rental & Construction Ltd. and Marianas Integration LLC, both received five-year base-period contracts through the Naval Supply Systems Command in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Each contract includes an option to extend for an additional five years, potentially raising the total contract value to $65 billion. According to the Department of Defense, WEXMAC TITUS provides supplies and services in support of the six phases of military operations, assisting geographic Combatant Commands, coalition partners, and other federal agencies. The contract scope includes theater opening, sustainment, distribution, stability operations, Defense Support of Civil Authorities, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, contingency and exercise support, lodging, logistics, and both land- and water-based operations. Hong Ye, a construction supply company based on Saipan, and Marianas Integration, a locally woman-owned and operated business, provide logistical and integration support to help clients coordinate projects, allocate resources, and meet operational objectives. Both companies will perform work under the contract in the U.S. and its outlying territories. The WEXMAC TITUS contract began its base period in January 2025 and is scheduled to conclude in December 2029. If all options are exercised, performance could continue through December 2034. The contract modifications were awarded after a full and open competition, which received 109 offers. All 114 incumbent contractors, including the two Saipan firms, were found compliant and responsible and will receive modifications to their existing contracts. Because specific requirements cannot yet be predicted, the Department of Defense said it cannot currently provide details on the exact percentage of work or locations for each contractor. Additional funding will be obligated at the task order level as specific requirements arise. Emmanuel Arnold Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast. People attend a protest against President Donald Trump's demand that the Arctic island be ceded to the U.S. in Nuuk, Greenland, Jan. 17, 2026. REUTERS PARIS/OSLO (Reuters) President Donald Trump has linked his drive to take control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, saying he no longer thought purely of Peace as the row over the island threatened to reignite a trade war with Europe. Trump declined to tell NBC News in an interview whether he would use force to seize Greenland. He did reiterate his threat to hit European nations with tariffs if a deal is not reached. Trump has intensified his push to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark, prompting the European Union to weigh hitting back with its own measures. The dispute threatens to upend the NATO alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades and which was already under strain over the war in Ukraine and Trumps refusal to protect allies unless they increase defense spending. Trumps threat has rattled European industry and sent shockwaves through financial markets. Investors fear a return to the volatility of 2025s trade war, which only eased when the sides reached tariff deals in the middle of the year. In a text message on Sunday to Norways Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, Trump said: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Norways government released the messages on Monday. Stoere had sent an initial message with Finnish President Alexander Stubb calling for a de-escalation of tensions, eliciting a response from Trump less than half an hour later. The Norwegian Nobel Committee annoyed Trump by awarding the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize not to him but to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. In his message, Trump also repeated his accusation that Denmark cannot protect Greenland from Russia or China. And why do they have a right of ownership anyway? he wrote, adding: The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Trump vowed on Saturday to implement a wave of increasing tariffs from February 1 on EU members Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, along with Britain and Norway, until the U.S. is allowed to buy Greenland, home to only 57,000 people. We are living in 2026, you can trade with people, but you dont trade people, Denmarks Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said during a visit to London on Monday. In a post on Facebook, Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the territory should be allowed to decide its own fate. We will not let ourselves be pressured. We stand firm on dialogue, on respect and on international law, he said. Denmarks military told Reuters that Danish soldiers would land in Kangerlussuaq, western Greenland, on Monday, as part of the Arctic Endurance military exercise. Norways Stoere said he would change his schedule to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday and Thursday, overlapping with Trumps planned appearance at the annual gathering of the global political and business elite. The country will not change its stance on Greenland, the countrys foreign minister Espen Barth Eide said. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he too would try to meet Trump on Wednesday, adding that a trade dispute was not wanted. But if we are confronted with tariffs that we consider unreasonable, then we are capable of responding, Merz said. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it would be very unwise for European governments to retaliate. I think its a complete canard that the president will be doing this because of the Nobel prize. The president is looking at Greenland as a strategic asset for the United States, he told reporters in Davos. EU leaders will discuss options at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday. One option is a package of tariffs on 93 billion euros ($108 billion) of U.S. imports that could automatically kick in on February 6 after a six-month suspension. Another option is the Anti-Coercion Instrument or ACI, which has never yet been used and which could limit access to public tenders, investments or banking activity or restrict trade in services, in which the U.S. has a surplus with the bloc, including in digital services. The EU said it was continuing to engage at all levels with the U.S. but said the use of its ACI was not off the table. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for calm discussion between the allies, adding he did not believe Trump was considering military action to seize Greenland. Russia declined to comment on whether the U.S. designs on Greenland were good or bad but said it was hard to disagree with experts that Trump would go down in world history if he did take control of the island. Vietnam's prevailing 48-hour work week - often extended further by overtime - is pushing many workers into chronic exhaustion, making them reluctant to spend on shopping, travel, or even healthcare. As Vietnam debates a shift to a 40-hour work week, concerns persist that shorter hours could undermine productivity, strain businesses, and slow economic growth. Yet viewed through the lens of supply and demand, particularly domestic consumption and money circulation, a reduction in working hours could do the opposite: stimulate new growth. Vietnam today does not suffer from a lack of supply. From consumer goods and food to tourism, services, automobiles, and resort real estate, production capacity is ample. The real constraint is demand - not solely because incomes are low, but because workers lack the time and energy to consume. Long working hours trap many employees in a narrow cycle: work, go home, recover, then return to work. Weekends, rather than being devoted to travel, shopping, or health, are often spent catching up on sleep or attending to family obligations. When personal time is compressed, consumption is inevitably suppressed. Money that could circulate instead sits idle or flows into savings and speculative channels. People shop at a supermarket in Ho Chi Minh City, June 18, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tung Economic history suggests that sustainable growth does not come from longer hours, but from turning workers into consumers. A well-known example is the United States in the early 20th century, when Henry Ford reduced working hours to eight a day and raised wages. The aim was not only labor stability, but enabling workers to rest, enjoy life, and ultimately buy the products they made - creating a virtuous cycle of production, consumption, and reinvestment. If Vietnam adopted a 40-hour work week and allowed businesses to stagger two consecutive rest days across the week, consumption patterns could shift markedly. With a more evenly distributed workforce, millions of people would be shopping, traveling, and using services every day, easing weekday slumps and weekend overcrowding while improving the efficiency of tourism and service infrastructure. Shorter hours would also allow workers to manage healthcare, administrative tasks, and personal needs during weekdays instead of avoiding time off for fear of losing attendance bonuses - despite legal sick-leave protections. This reflects a deeper issue: an economic model still dependent on extended working hours rather than higher productivity. A move to 40 hours would compel businesses to reorganize operations, adopt technology, and improve management to generate more value per hour worked - a necessary step to escape growth based on cheap labor and overwork. Without change, Vietnam risks following the path of some high-income but high-stress societies: economically successful, yet demographically fragile, with exhausted populations reluctant to have children. The cost would be felt not only in slower growth, but in long-term social and demographic strain. Shorter working hours are not a privilege. They are an economic strategy. The real question is not whether Vietnam can afford to reduce working time, but whether it has the vision to turn leisure into a driver of sustainable growth. Recent reports of preliminary negotiations for a military alliance of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan raise underappreciated risks. Similar concerns arise from Israels growing security cooperation with the United Arab Emirates and its reported engagement with Somaliland, developments that have sharpened regional rivalries and prompted countervailing alignment efforts by Somalia involving Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Concerns about emerging Middle Eastern alliance formations are often dismissed with a familiar argument: regional states have a long history of failed collaboration. Past alliances were informal, fragile, and undermined by rivalries. From this perspective, new Mideast defense pacts and collective security declarations are more symbolic than consequential. They are therefore assumed not to merit serious concern. This reasoning gets the risk almost exactly backwards. It is not the strength or cohesion of these alliances that makes them dangerous. It is their weakness. Weak alliances generate ambiguity without control. They signal shared purpose without establishing clear command authority, escalation thresholds, or mechanisms for restraint. They encourage participants to act as though backing exists while leaving open the question of who, if anyone, can prevent overreach once events unfold. In a region already saturated with unresolved conflicts, this combination is inherently destabilizing. Why Weak Alliances Increase Escalation Risk Strong alliances can deter or manage conflict by clarifying commitments and enforcing discipline. Weak or informal alliances do the opposite. They increase conflict risk in several ways. First, fragile alliances multiply interpretations without consolidating authority. Each participant, and each rival observer, must infer what commitments actually exist. Actions that one actor views as symbolic reassurance may be read by others as tests of resolve or credibility. The absence of clear escalation rules means that signaling takes the place of strategy. Second, weak alliances lower the barrier to adventurism. States may undertake risky actions believing that partners will be drawn in by reputational pressure even if no formal obligation exists. Alliance signaling substitutes for coordination, encouraging behavior that would otherwise be constrained by fear of isolation. Third, and most dangerously, weak alliances prolong conflict without resolving it. Because no alliance member possesses the authority to compel restraint or decisive action, conflicts are more likely to remain indecisive. It is precisely this condition that historically invites outside intervention. The Thucydidean Pattern: Weak Coalitions and External Intervention The classic illustration comes from the Peloponnesian War. Athens ultimately fell not because the Spartan alliance possessed overwhelming internal cohesion, but because the long conflict created the conditions for Persian intervention. Persia did not intervene out of ideological alignment or moral preference. It intervened opportunisticallyfunding Sparta when it became clear that Athenian dominance could be checked but not decisively overturned by Greek powers alone. This pattern recurs throughout history. External powers enter conflicts not when one side is clearly dominant, but when prolonged struggle makes the outcome uncertain yet strategically consequential. The intervention is not driven by alliance loyalty, but by opportunity. Later examples follow the same logic. France entered the American Revolution only after Saratoga demonstrated that Britain could be challenged but not quickly defeated. Britain seriously contemplated intervention in the U.S. Civil War only when the conflict appeared prolonged and indecisive. In each case, the decisive actor was not a primary belligerent at the outset, but an external power drawn in by a strategic opportunity. The lesson is clear: weak or fragmented alliances do not dampen conflict; they extend it, increasing the likelihood that outside powers will intervene to shape the outcome. Applied to the Middle East, this logic is deeply concerning. Loose regional coalitions are unlikely to achieve rapid resolution. Instead, they risk creating extended, ambiguous conflicts that invite escalatory intervention by external powerswhether the United States, the European Union, Russia, or Chinaeach with its own strategic calculus. In the nuclear era, such interventions carry enormous risks. Escalation Triggers This dynamic becomes especially dangerous because escalation does not require extraordinary events. It arises from routine military and security incidents that, under clearer authority structures, might be manageable. Aircraft shoot-downs, ship seizures, declarations of no-fly zones, and maritime blockades are not novel. They occur regularly in contested regions. Under weak alliance conditions, however, these incidents are rapidly reframed as alliance tests rather than isolated disputes. An aircraft shoot-down becomes a credibility challenge. A ship seizure becomes a test of collective resolve. A no-fly zone declared without unified enforcement becomes an invitation to probe. A blockade, formal or de facto, turns into a regional contest over prestige and access rather than a bounded coercive tool. Because alliance commitments are ambiguous, responses are improvised. Symbolic gestures harden into military deployments. Signaling intended to deter instead provokes counter-signaling. Escalation proceeds not because anyone plans it, but because no one clearly controls it. Nuclear Compounding Without Nuclear Intent These risks are fundamentally altered when nuclear-armed states are involved, even indirectly. Nuclear weapons need not be deployedor even seriously contemplatedto shape crisis behavior. The presence of nuclear-capable actors raises the perceived stakes of miscalculation, compresses decision timelines, and intensifies fear of abandonment or encirclement. States may feel pressure to escalate signaling early to avoid appearing weak, narrowing off-ramps before they are fully visible. Nuclear capability becomes a psychological anchor in crisis perception rather than a last-resort option. This is especially destabilizing when nuclear-armed participants are embedded in weak alliance structures that generate expectations without guarantees. Ambiguity becomes intolerable precisely because the perceived costs of misreading it are so high. Volatility as a Regional Risk Multiplier All of these structural risks are magnified by the historic volatility of Middle Eastern state security perceptions. Several states in the region operate under doctrinesexplicit or implicitthat treat even limited military challenges as potentially existential. This orientation is not irrational. Many regional states were formed through war, territorial contestation, or abrupt political rupture. Borders, regimes, and governing institutions have repeatedly faced collapse, external intervention, or both. As a result, decision-makers often interpret military incidents not as negotiable disputes, but as possible preludes to regime-threatening escalation. In such an environment, alliance ambiguity does not reassure. It intensifies fear. Weak alliances increase anxiety about abandonment while simultaneously encouraging risky demonstrations of resolve. A limited incident can rapidly be reframed as a struggle over survival rather than a problem to be contained. The Escalation Trap The central danger, then, is not any particular alliance, nor the prospect that regional states will suddenly discover unprecedented military cohesion. It is the multiplication of escalation risks in a region predisposed toward worst-case interpretation. As overlapping, informal, and evolving Mideast alliances proliferate, escalation risk grows non-linearly. Each new security tie adds interpretive pathways, perceived obligations, and opportunities for opportunistic intervention. No single actor controls the escalation logic. Even limited conflicts acquire disproportionate strategic meaning. Conclusion Emerging Middle Eastern alliances should not be dismissed because they are weak. They should be taken seriously precisely because their fragility amplifies ambiguity, encourages risk-taking, and magnifies the consequences of miscalculation, especially in a region where existential threat perceptions and nuclear capabilities are prominent concerns. In such conditions, alliance formation does not necessarily enhance security; it can instead multiply the possibilities for local crises to escalate into wider conflict. For external powers, the danger lies not only in what these alliances intend, but in how they interact with already volatile regional politics. Without sustained efforts to reduce tensions and clarify escalation boundaries, the search for security through new Mideast alliances may ultimately backfire, increasing rather than containing the risk of a strategic catastrophe. We hope and believe that 2026 will be the year of Latin America, one in which we see a positive change in the relations of the continents countries with Israel. When it comes to Latin America right now, most of the attention is focused, understandably, on recently couped (or semi-couped) Venezuela, as well as all the other countries in the region trapped in Trumps sights (Cuba, Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua). Yet amid all the noise, a quieter trend is playing out: the (attempted) Israelisation of Latin America. [1] Following the US abduction of Nicolas Maduro, Benjamin Netanyahu expressed the support of [his] entire government for the decision and action taken by the US to restore freedom and justice in the region.[2] Latin America, he said, is experiencing a transformation, in apparent allusion to the recent rapprochement of certain countries in the region to the US-Israel axis. Big Moves in the Lithium Triangle As readers may recall, Bolivia was one of the first countries in the world to break off relations with Israel over the genocide in Gaza, in late 2023. But in the Andean nations recent presidential elections, a divided left meant that a right-wing candidate, Rodrigo Paz, was able to win for the first time in over two decades. One of Pazs first acts in office was to restore relations with Israel. In December, the countrys new Foreign Minister Fernando Aramayo met with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, in Washington. That meeting spawned an agreement not only to reinstate ambassadors but also to boost cooperation in areas such as security, tourism and, crucially, lithium mining. From Forbes: The restoration of relations between the two countries means that Bolivia, the country possessing the worlds largest proven reserves of lithium, which are indispensable to manufacturing modern batteries, now has a partnership with one of the worlds most dynamic and technologically innovative societies. Although the concepts of Net Zero and human induced climate change are being questioned lately even more than in the last few years, there is little doubt that renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, will continue to play an increasing role in future energy development on a world-wide basis. That being the case, each of Israel and Bolivia now has a valuable (and viable) strategic partner, something that neither country really had in the past. In 2023, for example, the prior leftist government of Bolivia struck a deal with China to give that nation, which already produces over 75% of the worlds lithium-ion batteries, the right to develop Bolivias prodigious lithium reserves, which mostly are in the Andes Mountains near the borders with Chile and Argentina. ( Bolivia Gives China The Whip Hand On Renewable Energy ). However, that partnership did not work from the Bolivians perspective, and in June of 2025, a Bolivian Court ordered suspension of all Bolivian lithium deals with both China and Russia. Bolivia, together with Argentina and Chile, hosts the so-called lithium triangle, a vast expanse of salt flats in the Andean highlands that accounts for an estimated 60% of the worlds known lithium reserves. It is not the only one of the three to have signed a strategic agreement with Israel, or Israeli companies. In May last year, the Israeli mining company XtraLit forged a partnership with Argentinas state-owned oil and gas company YPF and Y-TEC, an Argentine company that provides tech solutions for the energy industry, to apply state of the art technology for lithium extraction in northern Argentina. Argentina boasts the third largest known reserves of lithium on the planet and is the fourth largest producer of the white metal. In 2022, the Argentine newspaper Pagina 12 exposed how then-US Ambassador to Argentina Marc Stanley had referred to the US strategic interest in Argentine lithium in its race with China for the regions resources: The United States wants to have a relationship with Argentina so that it is a leader in Latin America, its intention is to help with infrastructure, food, energy, lithium, he said. And he then added: We dont need it, but we want to help the world and partner with you. Now, both US and Israeli companies are looking to benefit from the rightward shift taking place in many Latin American countries. They include Chile, the third member of the lithium triangle, which recently voted in far-right politician Jose Antonio Kast as the new president. The son of a literal Nazi who escaped to Chile after the Second World War, Kast is the first president in Chiles democratic era to have openly supported Augustin Pinochets military regime. Its worth keeping in mind that Chile is home to the largest Palestinian diaspora outside the Middle East, numbering as many as 500,000 people. That diaspora has been very vocal in its support for Gaza since Israels began its genocide, and Chiles Boric government was quite vocal in its criticism of Israels war crimes. However, under Kast Chile is likely to align the country much more closely with Tel Aviv. Kasts appointment of Eitan Bloch as an international advisor to his government has already set off alarm bells. Bloch is a member of openly pro-Israel and Zionist organisations, and has maintained strong political and institutional ties with the State of Israel and its diplomatic apparatus, including as an advisor to the former Israeli ambassador to Chile. I cant believe Im alive to see the Ambassador of Israel to the UN congratulating a son of a Nazi (literally) and a supporter of Pinochet who was just elected President of Chile. https://t.co/lNDz6l4dgC pic.twitter.com/3lFXP3aL33 Mauricio Lapchik (@MauricioLapchik) December 15, 2025 South American Israel If, as expected, Kast shifts Chiles allegiances towards Israel, it will mean that a long strip of nations in South America, from Ecuador in the north to Argentina and Chile in the south, will be fully aligned with Israel and fully on board with its genocide in Gaza. As the map below, by Yousef Ibrahim, a member of the US Anti-Zionist Political Action Committee (Azapac), makes clear, South American Israel is already taking shape. I called it. pic.twitter.com/oczeWmbiIQ Yousef Ibrahim (@yousefiaa) January 4, 2026 The Netanyahu government is also hopeful that upcoming elections in Brazil and Colombia could also bring friendlier leaders. As regular readers are well aware, Latin America is one of the regions of the world that has most stridently opposed Israels genocide in Gaza. Tel Aviv is determined to change that. Two of the US axis of evil countries in Latin America, Cuba and Venezuela, already had non-existent relations with Israel when the genocide began. Cuba has had no formal relations with Israel since 1973. Venezuela cut its ties with Tel Aviv in 2009. The other axis of evil country, Nicaragua, did the same in November 2024. While Netanyahu may have celebrated the removal of Maduro, he must also know that little on the ground has actually changed. The Chavista government is still in control, Israels favourite candidate, Maria Corrina Machado, has no hope of governing the country, and public support for both Chavismo and Maduro remains fairly strong, as even the New York Times is admitting. 3 weeks after reassuring us that Venezuelans were celebrating their freedom from dictator Maduro and manufacturing consent for his extrajudicial kidnapping and incarceration in Brooklyn, NYT is finally reporting how Venezuelans (in Venezuela) (not Florida) are responding: pic.twitter.com/GL6nvoxMGn Jeremy Loffredo (@loffredojeremy) January 20, 2026 Under the left-leaning government of Gustavo Petro, Colombia, a country with deep ties to the Israeli state, security forces and companies, has not only spoken out against Israels naked criminality in Gaza from the very start; it has consistently turned those words into actions, including by imposing unilateral sanctions on the country. Of the 36 countries that have joined South Africas genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, eight are in Latin America and the Caribbean (Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Venezuela). Thats twice the number of European countries that have joined the case. The Isaac Accords More than any region beyond the Middle East, Latin America stands at the forefront of international opposition to Israels campaign of annihilation in Gaza, notes Jack McGrath for the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Israel is determined to change that by launching a massive diplomatic campaign in the region. At the Israeli Foreign Ministrys ambassadors conference, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that 2026 would be the year of Latin America, and that the ministry would prioritise advancing ties with the continent, reports Ynet News: Saar has already visited Paraguay and Argentina, two of Israels closest friends in the region. We have very strong friendships on the continent today, [Amir Ofek, deputy director general for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Foreign Ministry, told Ynet]. He added, Just yesterday we signed a free trade agreement with Costa Rica, and they announced their intention to open a branch of their embassy in Jerusalem in 2026 with diplomatic status. That is another step up in our good relationship with Costa Rica. Ecuadors president has visited Israel once and its foreign minister twice, and Quito has designated Hamas, Hezbollah and Irans Revolutionary Guard as terrorist organizations. Ecuador also opened an innovation office at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which also has diplomatic status. The Ecuadorian and Costa Rican offices in Jerusalem will join three Latin American embassies already based in the capital: Guatemala, Paraguay and Honduras. In spring 2026, Argentine President Javier Milei announced about two weeks ago, Argentina will open an embassy in Jerusalem, becoming the fourth country from the continent to inaugurate an embassy in the capital. We hope and believe that 2026 will be the year of Latin America, a year that will look different diplomatically, one in which we see a positive change in the relations of the continents countries with Israel, Amir Ofek, deputy director general for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Foreign Ministry, told Ynet. Spearheading Israeli efforts to win back the fealty of Latin American governments is Javier Milei, Argentinas faux libertarian president. Milei is the perfect man for the job: not only does he want to convert to Judaism on leaving office, he also has close ties to the powerful Jewish sect, Chabad Lubavitch, and has been one of the worlds most vocal, unabashed supporters of Israels war crimes in Gaza. AHORA: Milei hace un homenaje a Israel en pleno show por llevar a cabo un exterminio. Lo hace cantando NAGILA HAVA, una tradicional cancion hebrea: pic.twitter.com/cUKdKBFwpu El Necio (@ElNecio_Cuba) October 7, 2025 In November, Milei announced the Isaac Accords between Israel, Argentina and other Latin-American countries during Gideon Saars visit to Buenos Aires. This new diplomatic initiative, aimed at strengthening cooperation between Israel and Latin American nations, is modelled after the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered agreements that normalised diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab nations, including the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco. President Milei announced the Isaac Accords between Israel, Argentina and other Latin-American countries during Gideon Saar's visit to Buenos Aires pic.twitter.com/HyfvMCGATN Zvika Klein (@ZvikaKlein) November 27, 2025 As readers may recall, Milei recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding that sets the stage for unprecedented cooperation against terrorism, cybercrime investigations, establishing fast-track customs lanes, joint satellite launches and water technology centres on the Parana River, Argentinas most important trade and transport waterway. Mileis government has made official a long-standing proposal for a social security agreement with Israel that will enable the payment of welfare benefits to Israeli citizens with residency permits in Argentina. As we noted at the time, Mileis chainsaw austerity will not apply to Israeli residents of Argentina. Buenos Aires is also exploring a range of additional joint projects with Israel, including in the fields of technology, security, and economic development, reports The Cradle: Argentinas Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno is scheduled to travel to Israel in February for additional talks to advance the initiative. Since coming to power, Milei has opened Argentinas economy to exploitation by foreign investors, including by evicting Mapuche tribes from their lands in the southern Patagonia region. Foreign corporations with major investments in the Argentine Patagonia include the Israeli firm Mekorot, the Italian firm Benetton, and investment companies from the UAE, among others. Israels state-owned water company Mekorot has operations not just in Patagonia but throughout Argentina and Latin America, including Mexico, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Colombia, Chile and the Dominican Republic. Those operations tend to follow a similar pattern, reports TRT Worlds Spanish edition (machine translated): First, the company is usually invited in by governments that, under the guise of modernising water networks, adopt technocratic and privatizing approaches. In this initial phase, cooperation agreements or framework contracts are signed without prior citizen consultations. Second, the processes are developed without competitive bidding or transparency about the terms of the agreement. This facilitates the entry of the company as a strategic partner without needing to submit its proposals for public evaluation. Third, projects are implemented without rigorous socio-environmental studies or with incomplete evaluations, making it much more difficult to assess the risks to communities and the ecosystem. The negative impact of this model was evident in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, where Mekorot designed a sewage reuse plant for the local Petrochemical Complex. The project was approved without citizen participation or prior environmental studies, prioritizing the provision of water for industry rather than the needs of the local population. Organizations such as the Assembly of Andalgala (Catamarca) have repeatedly warned about this pattern: Companies come with promises of progress, but what they leave behind is pollution, inequality and imposed silence. They even deny us the right to decide about our own water. Mekorot controls 80% of the water in Palestine and has been denounced by human rights organizations such as BTselem for using it as a tool of domination and control most recently, of course, in Israels systematic starvation of Gaza. In Argentina, Mekorot already has strategic partnerships with 10 (out of 23) provinces, many of them run by Peronist administrations. The company could further expand its presence in the country if it chooses to buy up parts of Argentinas soon-to-be-privatised state-owned water company, Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos S.A, on which it will presumably have first dibs. But it is in the areas of technology and security that Israel will be making the biggest moves these are, after all, Israels biggest areas of business and strategic influence. But if history is prologue, the re-Israelisation of Latin America is not going to end well for the regions people. As Al Jazeera documented in an excellent 2003 report, Israel played a leading role arming and training the most unsavoury right-wing groups and regimes during the regions dirty wars: Israels military relations with right-wing groups and regimes spans Latin America from Mexico to the southernmost tip of Chile, starting just a few years after the Israeli state came into existence. Since then, the list of countries Israel has supplied, trained and advised includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela. But it isnt only the sales of planes, guns and weapons system deals that characterises the Israeli presence in Latin America. Where Israel has excelled is in advising, training and running intelligence and counter-insurgency operations in the Latin American dirty war civil conflicts of Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and now Colombia. In the 1980s, Rafi Eitan, a former Mossad chief who had courted fame for leading the operation to capture Adolf Eichmann, was hired by the Colombian President Virgilio Barco (1986-90) to help end the guerrilla conflict in the country. His involvement in Colombias civil war was kept secret for 36 years, for obvious reasons: one of Eitans recommendations, which was enthusiastically embraced by Barco, was to exterminate the political leaders of the Patriotic Union (UP), the left-wing party that emerged from a peace agreement with the FARC guerrilla. What followed was a brutal years-long assassination campaign that took the lives of 3,122 members of UP, including two presidential candidates, five sitting congressmen, 11 deputies, 109 councilors, several former councilors, 8 current mayors, 8 former mayors and thousands of other activists. According to data presented to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the total number of victims is more than 6,000, including murders, disappearances, torture, forced displacements and other human rights violations. As the Al Jazeera piece documents, Israel was the largest arms providers for El Salvadors military during the countrys brutal decade-long civil war. It also supplied the antisemitic Argentine military government and death squads of the late 1970s and early 1980s as well as Nicaraguas dictator Somoza. It would later help train up the Nicaraguan Contras in Honduran and Costa Rican camps to fight the Sandinista government. Whenever the US had to pull back its support for these regimes and insurgency groups, Israel filled the void. But as the Al Jazeera article notes, by far the bloodiest case of Israeli involvement in Latin America was its role in Guatemala from the 1970s to the 1990s. As in El Salvador, a civil war pitted a populist but, in this case, mainly Indian left against a mainly European oligarchy protected by a brutal Mestizo Army. As Guatemalan President Carlos Arana said in 1971, If it is necessary to turn the country into a cemetery in order to pacify it, I will not hesitate to do so. And the Israelis did not hesitate to fulfil Aranas military with all the Galil rifles it needed to fulfil that task. It also built an ammunition factory for them and provided armoured personnel carriers and Arava planes: Behind the scenes, they were actively involved in the bloodiest counter-insurgency campaign the hemisphere has known since the European conquest, in which at least 200,000 (mostly Indians) were killed. Like Israels original occupation of Palestine, several entire Guatemalan Indian villages were razed and a million people displaced. The guerrilla is the fish. The people are the sea. If you cannot catch the fish, you have to drain the sea, said Guatemalan President Rios Montt in 1982. Guatemalan army officers credit Israeli support with turning the tide against the uprising, not only in the countryside where Israeli counter-insurgency techniques and assistance set up strategic-hamlet-like development poles along the lines of the Israeli kibbutz, but also in the cities where Israeli communication technicians and instructors working through then-sophisticated computers were able to locate and then decimate guerrillas and their supporters in Guatemala City in 1981. Now that Israel is seeking rapprochement with the region by taking advantage of the rightward shift taking place in many countries as well as Trumps aggressive revamping of the Monroe Doctrine, or as Yves calls it, smash and grab diplomacy, the big fear is that history may once again rhyme, as Latin America falls prey to a new wave of US-Israeli-sponsored dirty wars and resource grabs. [1] This term, as far as Im aware, was coined by the renowned Mexican-Lebanese geopolitical analyst Alfredo Jalife. [2] In her first speech after Maduros kidnapping, interim President Delcy Rodriguez said that the US attack on Venezuela had had Zionist overtones without providing any clarification of what she meant. As Jalife notes, it was no secret that a Venezuela/Iran axis had been established during the 13 years of Maduros mandate. This probably explains why the US bombed the Venezuelan island of Margarita, which has a large Lebanese community. According to Jalife, while it is widely believed that the CIA had infiltrated Maduros government, his sources in Venezuela have told him that it was actually Mossad that did most of the infiltrating. There is, however, no clear evidence to back this up. As with so much about the US raid on Venezuela, we are still in the dark. A surfing rental worker waits for customers along the beach on Boracay in the Philippines. Photo by Reuters The Philippines and Cambodia will offer visa-free entry for Chinese tourists as part of their efforts to revive the tourism industry amid fierce competition among Southeast Asian peers. The Philippines will allow Chinese nationals to enter without visas for stay of up to two weeks for tourism or business purposes, which will be effective on June 16, Bloomberg reported citing a source from the Department of Foreign Affairs. It is also only valid for those entering through the Manila and Cebu airports, and the 14-day stay period is not extendable, Inquirer news site reported. The visa-free arrangement will be in effect for a year and will be reviewed before expiring. The Philippines welcomed 5.6 million foreign visitors in 2025, nearly equal to the figure it logged in 2024, but remained about 37% below the pre-pandemic level of 2019, when 8.26 million visitors were recorded. Cambodia will launch a pilot visa-exemption program for Chinese citizens this summer, Khmer Times reported. Under the pilot programme, which runs from June 15 to Oct. 15, Chinese tourists will be granted visa-free entry regardless of their point of departure. The move comes as the industry faces a cooling period. Cambodia welcomed 5.17 million foreign tourists in the first 11 months of 2025, a 13% decline compared to the same period the previous year. Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia already waived visas for Chinese tourists. President Donald Trump revived Lee Beamans nomination to the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors last week as part of a long personnel list sent from the White House to the U.S. Senate. Republican senators previously abandoned Beaman, a wealthy Nashville car dealer and GOP megadonor, after a contentious Dec. 3 hearing before a Senate committee. Questions from Republicans and Democrats revealed the Nashville businessmans financial connections to GOP congressmen, including Tennessee's embattled Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles and House Speaker Mike Johnson, both of whom have lived in a Washington, D.C., property owned by Beaman. Beamans lack of experience or knowledge about energy production also struck the committee, which approved all four fellow nominees to the TVA board. These additions have restored the boards quorum at the public utility, which oversees power generation and distribution across seven states. Senate Drops Lee Beaman From TVA Board Vote Republicans abandon Nashville businessman as D.C. adjourns for the holidays The renewed nomination now sits in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the same body that vetted Beaman before letting his nomination die without a final vote last month. Chamber rules dictate that inaction through the end of the year causes a nomination to lapse. Beaman, who amassed a fortune with a Middle Tennessee Toyota dealership and soft drink distribution business, has been a top GOP donor for more than a decade. His political contributions total more than $1.5 million to GOP candidates and committees since 2020, including $250,000 to the Republican National Committee last calendar year and more than $200,000 to sitting Republican senators. At last month's committee hearing, Tennessee's U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty both spoke in support of Beamans nomination to chamber colleagues, praising his character and business experience. Republicans control the Senate, its calendar and all its committees, making Beamans once-failed nomination a decision by the party. Trumps decision to revive Beamans nomination indicates that the president and his party might disagree on Beamans qualifications. In a written questionnaire returned by Beaman and reviewed by the Scene, the businessman told senators that he was improperly named as Ogles campaign treasurer during a period of alleged self-loans by Ogles campaign that has drawn scrutiny from the Federal Election Commission. The same document confirms that Beaman rents his D.C. townhome to members of Congress via an evangelical Christian nonprofit Ambassador Services International run by Franklin pastor Steve Berger. Arctic tensions escalate as German troops exit Greenland amid U.S. pressure A NATO-backed military deployment to Greenland (Operation Arctic Endurance) ended prematurely after German troops withdrew within 44 hours, raising doubts about Europe's willingness to confront U.S. ambitions in the Arctic. Critics noted German soldiers flew home on a commercial flight (half in business class), undermining the mission's seriousness. The exercise was Denmark's response to Trump's renewed efforts to acquire Greenland, including threats of tariffs against nations opposing U.S. control. Trump mocked Denmark's defenses as "two dog sleds" and imposed new tariffs, which France's Macron called "unacceptable." Hundreds protested in Greenland's capital (Nuuk), with signs like "Yankee Go Home" and "We Are Not for Sale." Greenland's Foreign Minister signaled openness to trade talks with China, alarming Washington. Trump has not ruled out military action to secure U.S. interests. Melting ice reveals new shipping routes, oil and rare earth minerals, making Greenland a key battleground. Denmark and allies reaffirmed Greenland's sovereignty, but Trump's tariff threats risk fracturing NATO unity. Macron's visit focuses on Arctic security and climate cooperation, signaling European pushback. The German withdrawal reveals Europe's hesitation to provoke a prolonged conflict, leaving Greenland torn between U.S. pressure and Chinese partnerships. A brief NATO military deployment to Greenland ended abruptly this weekend as German troops withdrew just days after arrivinga move that underscores growing transatlantic tensions over the Arctic. The exercise, organized by Denmark in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed push to acquire Greenland, was intended as a show of solidarity among European allies. But the swift departure of German forcessome flying home in business classhas raised questions about Europe's willingness to challenge Washington's aggressive stance on the resource-rich island. Germany initially deployed 15 soldiers as part of Operation Arctic Endurance, a NATO-backed reconnaissance mission involving troops from France, Sweden, Norway and the United Kingdom. The exercise was Copenhagen's response to Trump's escalating rhetoric, including threats of tariffs against nations opposing U.S. control of Greenland. Yet the German contingent's abrupt exitafter just 44 hourssuggested Europe's reluctance to provoke a prolonged confrontation. Lt. Col. Peter Milevchuk, a German Armed Forces spokesman, insisted the mission had been "completed as planned," despite weather preventing access to one station. "Important insights were gained," he said, though critics noted the soldiers left on a commercial flighthalf seated in business classrather than a military transport. Denmark and its allies issued a joint statement reaffirming Greenland's sovereignty, declaring the exercise posed "no threat to anyone." But Trump dismissed the effort, mocking Denmark's defenses as "two dog sleds" and imposing new tariffs on participating nationsa move French President Emmanuel Macron called "unacceptable." Greenlanders push back In Nuuk, Greenland's capital, hundreds protested outside the U.S. consulate, waving signs reading "Yankee Go Home" and "We Are Not for Sale." Local demonstrator Ivik Daorana questioned Trump's security rationale, noting the U.S. already operates a Space Force base on the island. "The Danish own Greenland and said you can open more military bases here if you're concerned," he said. "But we don't want to be part of the United States." Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt has signaled openness to trade talks with Chinaa prospect that has alarmed Washington. Trump, meanwhile, has refused to rule out military action to secure U.S. interests, further straining ties with NATO allies. The Arctic has long been a geopolitical flashpoint, with melting ice opening new shipping routes and access to untapped minerals. Greenland, rich in rare earth elements, sits at the center of this scramble. BrightU.AI's Enoch notes that Trump's fixation on the island dates to 2019, when he floated buying it. Denmark's then-Prime Minister called this proposal "absurd." Now, with Trump's tariff threats and Macron's planned visit to Greenland next month, the standoff risks fracturing NATO unity. European Council President Antonio Costa has called for an emergency meeting, vowing to oppose "coercion" while keeping dialogue open with Washington. The German withdrawal highlights Europe's cautious stancewilling to signal resistance but hesitant to escalate. Yet as Trump doubles down, Greenlanders and their allies face a stark choice: submit to U.S. pressure or deepen ties with alternative partners like China. For now, the Arctic's future remains as uncertain as its thawing ice. Vice President JD Vance says, "Greenland is OURS: Europe will have to say goodbye." Watch this video. This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com NYPost.com Bloomberg.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Danger is real: Mystery seed mailings from China spike across Texas, prompting security fears Unsolicited seed packages from China are arriving in Texas and other states. Officials warn these seeds threaten agriculture with invasive species or disease. The mailings exploit a security failure in border and postal customs systems. Authorities urge the public to report and not dispose of the packages. This could be a biological test probing weaknesses in national food security. A new wave of suspicious packages is hitting mailboxes across Texas, and state officials are warning that this bizarre trend poses a direct threat to the nations food supply and ecological security. Since the start of the year, the Texas Department of Agriculture has collected 126 bags of unsolicited seeds sent to residents, continuing a disturbing pattern that saw more than 1,100 such packages arrive in the state last year alone. The seeds, which most often appear to originate from China, are prompting urgent warnings not to plant them due to fears they could introduce invasive species or crop diseases. These packages are pouring in faster and further than ever before, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a Jan. 15 statement. They may look innocent, but the danger is real. One invasive species, pest, or pathogen could devastate Texas farms, ranches, natural resources, and food supply. The phenomenon is not entirely new, echoing a widespread brushing scam from 2020 where retailers shipped unsolicited items to generate fake online reviews. However, the scale and persistence of these seed mailings have authorities concerned that the consequences could extend far beyond retail fraud. Commissioner Miller emphasized the seriousness of the issue, noting, At a glance, this might seem like a small problem, but this is serious business. Seeds pose numerous risks The states investigation began in February 2025 after a resident in Clute, Texas, reported receiving an unsolicited package from China containing seeds and an unlabeled liquid. Federal authorities identified the seeds as sacred lotus, a plant considered invasive outside its native Asia. Although it is not on the federal noxious weed list, it is prohibited in Wisconsin and can disrupt local ecosystems. One affected resident reported ordering a dog toy from the Chinese e-commerce platform Temu before the seeds arrived. This suggests the mailings are tied to online shopping data, but the intent behind sending biological material remains unclear and alarming. The Texas Department of Agriculture is now investigating whether these shipments are disproportionately targeting Texas. A glaring security failure Beyond the agricultural threat, this situation exposes a critical vulnerability in national border and postal security. Commissioner Miller pointedly identified a systemic failure, telling News 4 San Antonio, Weve got a flaw in our security system. These things are coming direct ship. Customs is not picking this up. His statement underscores a troubling reality: organic materials with the potential to cause ecological and economic havoc are entering the country unchecked through the mail. The packages are not just a Texas problem. Similar reports have emerged from New Mexico, Alabama, Ohio, and Florida, indicating a coordinated nationwide campaign. Officials are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to collect and steam sterilize the seeds, but the volume of packages suggests the system is being overwhelmed. Authorities are pleading with the public for vigilance. Texans need to stay sharp, Miller urged. Report every suspicious package. We cant take any chances that might jeopardize our producers, the environment, or food security. Residents are instructed not to open the packages, not to plant the seeds, and not to throw them away. Instead, they should contact the Texas Department of Agriculture immediately for proper disposal. The historical context here is critical. Protecting American agriculture from foreign pests and blights is a century-old battle. Introducing a new pathogen or an aggressively invasive plant could decimate entire crops, drive up food prices, and permanently alter landscapes. What might be dismissed as a quirky mail scam could, in fact, be a form of biological testing, probing for weaknesses in our agricultural defenses. When a state as large and agriculturally vital as Texas cannot stop hundreds of unidentified seed packets from crossing its threshold via the postal service, it speaks to a broader failure of sovereignty. It raises the question of what else, far more dangerous, might be slipping through the same cracks. The call to action is simple: report the seeds. But the underlying message is profound. In an era of complex threats, sometimes the most potent dangers arrive in the smallest, most innocent-looking packages. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com NBCDFW.com NYPost.com RFKs HHS Dismantles FDAs Radiation Lies, Launches Probe Into Cellphone Cancer Threat Introduction: A Landmark Shift in the War on Truth A quiet but monumental act of historical revisionism is unfolding within the halls of federal health bureaucracy. Under the leadership of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has initiated a formal study into the health effects of wireless radiation. This decisive move coincides with the startling disappearance of long-standing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) webpages that for years assured the public that cellphone radiation poses 'no health problems.' [1] This dual action represents a tectonic shift, a rare admission from within the fortress of captured government agencies that the official narrative was built on a foundation of sand. For decades, the FDA, serving the interests of Big Telecom, dismissed and suppressed a growing mountain of scientific evidence linking radiofrequency (RF) radiation to cancer, DNA damage, and a host of chronic illnesses. This reversal is not merely a policy update; it is an act of truth-telling that exposes how these institutions have prioritized corporate profit over public health, a corruption pattern chillingly familiar from the pharmaceutical and vaccine industries. The launch of this HHS study, directed by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, signals that the era of blind trust in federal safety assurances is over. The walls of deception, carefully maintained by agencies like the FDA, CDC, and FCC, are finally beginning to crack under the weight of suppressed science and public demand for transparency. [1] The Great Unmasking: FDA's Disappearing Safety Assurances The curtain was pulled back by a Wall Street Journal report, which revealed the FDA had quietly scrubbed its online claims of cellphone safety. An archived webpage, now removed, had stated the 'weight of scientific evidence has not linked exposure to radio frequency energy from cellphone use with any health problems.' [1] This statement was a cornerstone of industry propaganda, a comforting lie repeated to billions of users worldwide. HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon confirmed the purge, stating the agency disabled pages containing 'old conclusions about cellphone radiation' to coincide with the new scientific review. [1] This is the classic tactic of a captured agency caught in a lie: erase the evidence and hope no one notices. But under RFK Jr.'s direction, the HHS is forcing accountability, not facilitating a cover-up. The move is a tacit admission that the FDA's prior safety claims were scientifically indefensible and politically motivated, designed to protect a multi-trillion dollar wireless industry at the expense of public health. While the FDA attempts to memory-hole its past assurances, other captured entities cling to the old script. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which sets legal exposure limits based on the FDA's now-retracted input, continues to state on its website that there is no proof wireless devices cause cancer. [1] This disjointed response reveals a bureaucracy in disarray, with one arm finally acknowledging reality while another, deeply entwined with industry, desperately maintains the facade. The concurrent review is a direct challenge to this entrenched corruption. The Iron-Clad Science They Tried to Bury What forced this stunning reversal? Decades of rigorous, independent science that agency cronies could no longer ignore. Despite the World Health Organization's (WHO) public-facing 'inconclusive' guidance, its own commissioned systematic review published in April 2025 concluded there is 'high certainty' that RF radiation causes cancer in animals, noting the same tumor types have been observed in human studies. [1] The most damning evidence came from the U.S. government's own $30 million National Toxicology Program (NTP) study, which found 'clear evidence' of cancerous heart tumors in male rats exposed to RF radiation, along with 'some evidence' of tumors in the brain and adrenal glands. [1] Toxicologist and epidemiologist Devra Davis, Ph.D., MPH, exposed how the FDA deliberately ignored these findings. She revealed the agency's internal review from 2008-2018, which claimed 'no consistent or credible scientific evidence' of harm, was never signedan extraordinary departure from protocol for a major public health document. Davis stated the review was unsigned because 'no one in the FDA was willing to put their name behind such a piece of junk.' [1] This pattern of suppressing inconvenient science is the standard operating procedure for agencies captured by corporate interests. It is identical to how the FDA attacks natural medicine, vitamins, and herbs to protect the toxic, high-profit monopoly of the pharmaceutical cartel. As Bill Cadwallader notes in his book on electromagnetic pollution, a vast body of information on biological harm exists that officialdom has systematically ignored. [2] The primary hazard, as research indicates, involves damage to cellular mitochondria, the energy powerhouses, triggering oxidative stress and DNA fragmentationa pathway to chronic disease and cancer. [3] Tribalism vs. Truth: The Battle Within the Advocacy Movement Despite this historic opportunity for reform, RFK Jr.'s effort faces a frustrating and counterproductive threat: internal tribalism. Some figures within the scientific advocacy community are attacking the initiative based on disagreements over unrelated issues. Joel Moskowitz, Ph.D., a public health professor at UC Berkeley who has long warned about cellphone risks, publicly declined an invitation from a Kennedy aide to participate in the review. He cited disagreements on vaccines and other public health issues, criticizing the administration's approach as insufficient and saying it 'risks delaying meaningful regulatory change.' [1] This fractiousness is a gift to the very industries advocates claim to oppose. Miriam Eckenfels, director of Children's Health Defense's EMR & Wireless Program, correctly identified this 'tribalism' as a major obstacle, urging unity against the common enemy of 'big industry.' [1] Scott McCollough, lead litigator for CHD's EMR cases, expressed being 'mystified' by Moskowitz's position, noting the HHS effort aligns with the long-stated goals of scientific consortiums like the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF). [1] This infighting, often fueled by the same divide-and-conquer tactics employed by globalist institutions, threatens to sabotage the first real chance for substantive regulatory change in a generation. It underscores a critical lesson: victory against centralized corporate power requires a coalition focused on the common threat, setting aside peripheral disputes to achieve a central objective that protects human health and autonomy. Beyond Cellphones: The Broader Assault of Electromagnetic Pollution The threat is not confined to the cellphone held against your ear. It emanates from the entire wireless ecosysteman inescapable, silent toxin permeating our modern environment. This includes the dense network of 5G towers, Wi-Fi routers in homes and schools, Bluetooth devices, and 'smart' meters, which create a toxic soup of pulsed microwave radiation. As noted by researchers, the radiation intensity from a 'smart' meter can be hundreds of times higher than that from a cellphone. [4] This constitutes a form of environmental assault, a pervasive toxin that disrupts fundamental human biology. Like chemical pollution, pesticides, and geoengineering (chemtrails), this electrosmog is a silent contributor to the epidemic of chronic disease, including cancer, neurological disorders, and infertility. [5] The science is clear on the mechanisms: RF radiation can induce DNA damage in cells, a foundational step in carcinogenesis. [6] Furthermore, studies have linked RF exposure to increased miscarriage risk, highlighting its danger to the most vulnerable. [5] In a move showcasing breathtaking hypocrisy, the FDA has simultaneously moved to fast-track regulatory approval for wearable wireless devices, bypassing medical review. [1] This demonstrates the same reckless disregard for informed consent and long-term health that defines the technocratic agenda: blanket the population in surveillance-capable technology while willfully ignoring the biological cost. It is a deliberate engineering of human dependence on a harmful environment, mirroring the dependency created by toxic pharmaceuticals and processed foods. Conclusion: A Test of Resolve Against the Globalist Technocracy The HHS study is a pivotal test of political will and integrity. Will it lead to genuine public protection, including drastically revised, biologically based safety standards, or will it devolve into another 'can-kicking' exercise as critics like Moskowitz fear? [1] True progress requires a wholesale rejection of the corrupt model embodied by the CDC, WHO, and FCCagencies that serve globalist and corporate masters, not human health. Citizens must demand that this review acknowledges the full scope of the harm, incorporating the decades of suppressed science on DNA damage, cancer, and neurological effects. [S-2] It must lead to enforceable, stricter safety limits that protect children and vulnerable populations, and it must begin the essential work of rolling back the wireless surveillance grid that threatens both our biological integrity and our personal liberty. This moment is about more than cellphones; it is a frontline in the broader war for human sovereignty against a technocratic agenda of control, depopulation, and enforced dependency. To reclaim your health, educate yourself using uncensored platforms like NaturalNews.com and the free, pro-human AI research engine at BrightAnswers.ai. Protect your home environment, demand wired alternatives, and support leaders who prioritize truth over corporate profit. The dismantling of a decades-long lie has begun; now we must ensure it builds a foundation for genuine freedom and health. References The Insurrection Act and Americas Final Tribal War Introduction: The Stage is Set The whispers are now shouts. Across the nation, the political atmosphere crackles with the static of impending conflict. The Insurrection Act of 1807, a legal relic dusted off and brandished, is no longer a theoretical tool but a promised cudgel. Its threatened invocation signals more than a policy dispute; it heralds what can only be described as America's final tribal war. This is not a battle for the soul of a nation, but the death rattle of a system. Two entrenched power blocs, each viewing the other as an existential threat, are preparing to use the full apparatus of the state against its own citizens. The Insurrection Act is the tripwire. Its activation will not restore order but will formalize the fracture, transforming a cold civil war into a hot one, with the American people caught in the crossfire of a conflict they did not choose. The Final Battle Plan: Predictions of a Fractured Republic Analysts observing the political landscape describe a chillingly precise sequence. A declaration under the Insurrection Act is predicted not as a last resort, but as a scheduled escalation. This move, long telegraphed by certain factions, is designed to be the catalyst for a pre-scripted national drama. The blueprint is clear: declare an insurrection, anticipate and perhaps even engineer a violent reaction from opposing factions, and then justify the deployment of federalized military forces. As one analysis notes, this sequence is "a blueprint for ending a political control system, not stabilizing a nation" [1]. The goal is not peace, but the decisive dismantling of one tribe's electoral and institutional power by another, using domestic strife as both pretext and weapon. This scenario treats the republic not as a covenant to be preserved, but as a prize to be seized by force of federal authority. The stage is set not for reconciliation, but for conquest. Escalation by Design: The Controlled Cracking of a Superpower This planned crisis does not emerge from a vacuum. It relies on a meticulously constructed narrative, amplified by legacy media and globalist-aligned institutions, that paints one side as a radical, violent insurgency. This narrative, as noted in numerous independent reports, is engineered to "amp up to justify an overwhelming federal reaction" [2]. The goal is to manufacture the very chaos used to justify draconian solutions. The strategic response from the opposing 'tribe' is equally calculated. The deployment of agencies like ICE, and later the military, is framed as a necessary counter-insurgency operation. From this perspective, the costwidespread domestic conflictis calculated as necessary to secure political control. This mirrors historical patterns where the expansion of military power domestically is justified by crises. As documented, congressional actions have continued "to expand the militarys role in the country" [3], eroding the traditional barrier between soldier and citizen. Recent precedent exists. We have seen the declaration of a city being "'under insurrection'" to mobilize federal forces [4], and the deployment of Marines to reinforce the National Guard during urban riots [5]. These are not isolated events, but rehearsals. Each instance tests legal boundaries and public tolerance, preparing the ground for a broader, more definitive application of force. The Posse Comitatus Act, a longstanding safeguard, has been systematically weakened, making it "easier for the President to declare martial law" [6]. The False Choice: Tyranny Versus Tyranny It is a catastrophic error to view this looming conflict as a war for liberty. The citizen is presented with a grotesque false choice between two corrupt and tyrannical paradigms. On one side stands what can be termed the 'Democrat tribe'a regime comfortable with mass censorship, the financial corruption of institutions, and the steady erosion of foundational Bill of Rights protections in the name of a curated social order. Arrayed against it is the 'Trump tribe'a framework obsessed with top-down control through surveillance, the aggressive promotion of pharmaceutical and technological mandates, and the consolidation of authority. As one source critically notes of such power systems, they represent the work of "psychopaths hiring other psychopaths to do their bidding" [7]. These are not opposing philosophies of governance; they are competing franchises of the same corrupt, centralized control system. Both despise genuine decentralization, fear the sovereignty of the individual, and are openly hostile to the principles of natural medicine and self-reliance. They are, as one observer starkly put it, two "Godzilla monsters" [8] battling for dominion over a crumbling city, indifferent to the citizens scurrying beneath their feet. The war is over which version of top-down authority will prevail, not whether such authority should exist at all. The Only Real Winner: The Collapsing Dollar In this tribal war, there is only one guaranteed victor, and it is not the American people. Regardless of which political faction claims temporary victory, the fundamental architecture of exploitation remains untouched. The real, enduring tyranny is not the red or blue banner flying over the ruins, but the unshakeable regime of fiat currency, central banking, and unpayable government debt. This system of monetary debasement is the engine that funds the warfare state, the surveillance apparatus, and the endless warsboth foreign and domestic. It is the lifeblood of the very corporations and institutions that despise human liberty. As the currency is printed into oblivion to fund these tribal conflicts, the inevitable result is the total loss of purchasing power and savings for the common citizen. The historical pattern is unambiguous. As one financial analyst warns, all fiat currencies collapse. The U.S. dollar, mortgaged to fund this artificial conflict, is sprinting toward that destiny. The victor of the tribal war will inherit a hollowed-out shell, presiding over the final stages of a monetary collapse that will wipe out the middle class and cement a new, more brutal form of economic serfdom for the survivors. The real battle has always been against this monetary tyranny, a fact both political tribes deliberately obscure. Steer Clear: Surviving the Stomping of the Giants The most urgent realization for every citizen is this: you are not a participant in this war; you are its target. Your energy, your taxes, your compliance, and your life are the resources being contested. The goal for the wise individual is not to pick a side between two poisons, but to avoid being crushed underfoot as the giants clash. True safety and sovereignty now lie completely outside these failing, monstrous systems. This requires a conscious, deliberate project of building self-reliance. It begins with the fundamentals: growing and preserving your own clean, organic food to escape the toxic, controlled supply chain. It involves learning the principles of herbal medicine and natural healing, rendering the corrupt, predatory pharmaceutical and hospital systems irrelevant to your well-being. Financial survival necessitates moving wealth into honest money with no counter-party riskphysical gold and silverbefore the fiat paper illusion evaporates completely. Finally, it demands fostering decentralized, local community networks based on trust and mutual aid, creating resilient pockets of genuine society that can endure when the centralized systems convulse and fail. Your liberation depends on your detachment. Conclusion: The War After the War The invocation of the Insurrection Act will not be the end of America's troubles, but the violent beginning of its final transformation. The tribal war it unleashes is a distraction, a spectacle of controlled opposition meant to exhaust the people while the real pillars of tyranny grow stronger. The only meaningful victory is personal, and it is achieved by opting out. By building a life of health, community, and economic independence rooted in natural law and honest effort, you become invulnerable to the tribal manipulators. You cease to be a asset to be controlled and become a sovereign human being. While the tribes battle over the ghost of a republic, focus on cultivating reality: nourishing food, healing herbs, sound money, and trustworthy neighbors. That is the foundation for the world that must be built after the giants finish their dance of death. The future belongs not to the victors of this fake war, but to those who had the wisdom to ignore its sirens and build something real. References The Vaccine Police: Exposing the measles hoax and depopulation agenda Measles mortality declined 99% pre-vaccine due to improved nutrition and sanitation. CDC data shows severe cases primarily affected malnourished children (especially vitamin A-deficient). Whistleblowers like Dr. William Thompson exposed CDC fraud linking MMR to autism in African-American boys. Bill Gates openly admitted that vaccines can "reduce population growth." Tetanus vaccines laced with hCG hormone caused infertility in Kenya/Philippines. COVID mRNA shots linked to miscarriages, myocarditis and turbo cancersaligning with globalist depopulation goals. Vaccines contain live viruses (e.g., MMR) that mutate, spread and cause outbreaksunlike natural immunity. Polio vaccines in Africa created more virulent strains, proving vaccine failure. Silent war on humanity: Chemtrails (aluminum, barium, glyphosate) weaken immune systems, 5G/EMF pollution disrupts cellular health, digital IDs/smart cities enforce medical apartheid against the unvaccinated and toxic food/water (GMOs, pesticides, fluoride) accelerate the "slow kill" agenda. Fight back by detoxing (chlorella, zeolite, infrared saunas) to remove heavy metals, do nutritional healing (vitamin A, cod liver oil, organic superfoods) to restore immunity, insist legal resistance (vaccine exemptions, grassroots activism) and practice self-sufficiency (homesteading, permaculture) to escape the control grid. In" The Vaccine Police," investigative journalist and health freedom advocate Christopher Key delivers a bombshell expose that dismantles the mainstream narrative surrounding vaccines, public health and the sinister globalist agenda lurking behind it all. This meticulously researched book pulls no punches, revealing how the measles "epidemic" is a manufactured crisis, how vaccines are being weaponized for depopulation and how ordinary citizens can reclaim their health and freedom. Key begins by dissecting the so-called measles outbreaks that have been used to justify draconian vaccine mandates. He presents compelling evidence that measles mortality had already plummeted by 99% before vaccines were introducedthanks to improved nutrition, sanitation and natural herd immunity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) own data shows that measles was a mild childhood illness for most, with severe complications primarily affecting malnourished childrenparticularly those deficient in vitamin A, a critical immune-boosting nutrient. Yet, instead of promoting nutritional solutions, pharmaceutical giants like Merck pushed the MMR vaccine, despite whistleblowers exposing fraud in efficacy studies. Key highlights cases like Dr. William Thompson, a CDC scientist who admitted to omitting data linking the MMR vaccine to autism in African-American boys. The media, funded by Big Pharma advertising dollars, buried the storyjust as they've suppressed reports of vaccine-induced measles outbreaks, where vaccinated individuals spread the disease to others. Vaccines as biological weapons The book's most chilling revelation is the deliberate use of vaccines as depopulation tools. Key traces this agenda back to eugenicists like Bill Gates, who openly stated that vaccines can "reduce population growth." Case studies from Kenya and the Philippines reveal tetanus vaccines laced with hCG, a hormone that induces infertility in women. Meanwhile, Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) mRNA shots have been linked to skyrocketing miscarriages, myocarditis and turbo cancerseffects that align with globalist goals like those inscribed on the Georgia Guidestones: "Maintain humanity under 500,000,000." Key also exposes the live virus deception in vaccines. Unlike natural infections, which confer lifelong immunity, vaccine strains can mutate into more virulent forms (as seen with polio in Africa) or shed to infect others. The MMR vaccine, for instance, contains live measles virus that can replicate and spreadyet parents are never warned. The silent war on humanity Beyond vaccines, Key unveils the broader assault on human health: Chemtrails spraying aluminum, barium and glyphosate to weaken immune systems. 5G and EMF pollution disrupting cellular function and accelerating disease. Smart cities and digital IDs designed to enforce medical apartheid, where the unvaccinated are locked out of society. Food and water poisoning via GMOs, pesticides and fluorideall part of the elite's "slow kill" strategy. How to fight back The final section offers practical solutions: Detoxification protocols using chlorella, zeolite and infrared saunas to remove heavy metals. Nutritional healing with vitamin A, cod liver oil and organic superfoods to rebuild immunity. Legal resistance through vaccine exemptions and grassroots activism against mandates. Self-sufficiency via homesteading, permaculture and decentralized communities to escape the control grid. "The Vaccine Police" is a wake-up calla fearless, fact-packed manifesto for anyone questioning the official narrative. Key's work is a rallying cry for medical freedom, exposing the lies that have enslaved generations to Big Pharma's profit machine. If you want the truth about vaccines, the globalist agenda and how to protect your family, this book is essential reading. Grab a copy of "The Vaccine Police: Exposing the Measles Hoax, Bio-Weapons, and the Fight for Human Survival" via this link. To read more books for free, visit Books.BrightLearn.AI. You can also visit BrightLearn.AI to create your own books for free. Dr. Suzanne Humphries reveals surprising truths about vaccines, polio and medicine with Health Ranger Mike Adams. Watch this video. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Books.BrightLearn.ai 1 Books.BrightLearn.ai 2 BrightLearn.ai Brighteon.com Trump demands new leadership in Iran amid mass protests and suppression President Trump demands "unconditional surrender" from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and signals a shift in U.S. foreign policy toward direct intervention, aligning with Israel's stance. Protests in Iran, initially sparked by economic grievances, have escalated into calls for regime change, met with brutal suppressionthousands killed, tens of thousands arrested and internet blackouts obscuring the full toll. Iran's leadership accuses Trump of inciting violence by promising "military support" to protesters, deflecting blame for the crisis onto external forces while intensifying domestic repression. Reports indicate at least 3,300 deaths and 24,000 arrests, with actual figures likely higher, highlighting the regime's disproportionate and inhumane response to dissent. The U.S. and international community increasingly condemn Iran's actions, with Trump's stance signaling a potential escalation in involvement. The crisis underscores the dangers of centralized tyranny and the struggle for liberty. In a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, President Donald Trump has called for regime change in Iran, a move that comes as the country grapples with widespread protests and a brutal crackdown by the government. The protests, which began over economic conditions, have escalated into calls for the end of the Islamic Republic. Trump's remarks, made in an interview with Politico, reflect a growing international condemnation of the Iranian regime's handling of the crisis. The president's comments come as the death toll from the protests continues to rise, with thousands killed and arrested. Trump's latest move reflects a growing international condemnation of the Iranian regime's handling of the ongoing protests. In the interview on Jan. 17, Trump stated, "It's time to look for new leadership in Iran." This call for regime change is a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, reflecting a growing frustration with the Iranian government's response to the protests. Trump's comments come as the death toll from the protests continues to rise, with thousands killed and arrested. The protests have escalated into calls for the end of the Islamic Republic. The Iranian government's response has been brutal, with security forces using deadly force to quell the demonstrations. Khamenei's blame game and suppression Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has blamed the deaths on Trump, accusing him of "encouraging" protesters by promising them "military support." In a speech televised nationwide, Khamenei called Trump "guilty" of "both the casualties and the damage" during the protests. As per BrightU.AI's Enoch, the Iranian leader also rejects Trump's claims about destroying Iran's nuclear program and condemns U.S. corruption, framing Trump's policies as deceitful and hostile. This rhetoric is part of a broader narrative from the Iranian government that seeks to shift the blame for the crisis onto external forces, particularly the United States. However, the reality on the ground is far different. The Iranian government has been accused of using excessive force and of engaging in a widespread crackdown on dissent. The near-total shutdown of the internet and other communication services has made it difficult to know what is happening on the ground, but reports from human rights organizations suggest that the situation remains dire. The human cost of the crisis The human cost of the crisis in Iran is staggering. As of Jan. 17, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has reported that at least 3,300 people have been killed, with more than 24,000 arrested. The actual number of deaths is feared to be much higher. The clampdown on unrest has left many families in mourning and has raised serious concerns about the future of the country. Trump's call for regime change is a reflection of the growing international consensus that the Iranian government's response to the crisis has been disproportionate and inhumane. The president's comments come as the U.S. and other countries consider their options in the face of the ongoing crisis. The call for regime change in Iran by Trump is a significant development in the ongoing crisis. As the death toll continues to rise and the Iranian government's response remains brutal, the international community is increasingly united in its condemnation of the regime. The human cost of the crisis is staggering, and the future of Iran remains uncertain. Trump's call for new leadership is a clear signal that the U.S. is prepared to take a more active role in the region, and the Iranian government's response will be closely watched by the world. The situation in Iran is a stark reminder of the importance of personal liberty, economic freedom and the dangers of centralized power. As the crisis continues to unfold, the world will be watching to see if the Iranian people can achieve the change they seek, and if the international community can provide the support they need to build a better future. Watch the video below where Trump declares the U.S. will "knock the hell out of Iran." This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com Politico.com IranIntl.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Geopolitical headlines become hacking lures in latest cyber espionage campaign Chinese-linked hackers targeted U.S. officials with Venezuela-themed phishing emails. The campaign followed the U.S. operation to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Cybersecurity firm Acronis attributed the activity to the state-sponsored group Mustang Panda. The malware, LOTUSLITE, was designed to steal data and maintain persistent access. The incident highlights the persistent use of timely geopolitical lures in cyberespionage. In a stark demonstration of how digital espionage shadows real-world geopolitics, a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group swiftly targeted U.S. government and policy officials in the immediate aftermath of Washingtons operation against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Cybersecurity researchers revealed this week that the group, known as Mustang Panda, used Venezuela-themed phishing emails to deliver malicious software, aiming to steal data and infiltrate networks by exploiting high-stakes international news. A campaign forged in real time Researchers from cybersecurity firm Acronis uncovered the campaign after identifying a suspicious file uploaded to a public malware analysis service on January 5. The file, a ZIP archive titled US now deciding whats next for Venezuela, contained a custom backdoor malware now identified as LOTUSLITE. Technical analysis showed the malwares code and digital infrastructure overlapped with previous known operations by Mustang Panda, a group the U.S. Department of Justice has described as being sponsored by the Peoples Republic of China. The timeline indicates the hackers moved with remarkable speed. The malicious software was compiled just hours after the U.S. operation to seize Maduro began in the early hours of January 3. A sample appeared online two days later, the same day Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty to federal charges in a New York courtroom. Analysts noted the hackers haste left behind digital artifacts that aided in attribution but suggested the work was less polished than their typical efforts. The mechanics of infiltration The attack employed a well-established technique known as DLL side-loading to execute the LOTUSLITE backdoor. Once implanted on a victims computer, the malware was designed to communicate with a command-and-control server, enabling a range of espionage activities. These included executing remote commands, enumerating and exfiltrating files, and establishing persistence to maintain access even after a system reboot. The specific targets were not named, but researchers assessed they were likely U.S. government entities and policy-related organizations based on the lures theme and the groups historical targets. A persistent pattern of themed espionage This incident is not an isolated event but part of a long-standing pattern. Mustang Panda and other state-aligned cyber groups are known for spear-phishing, crafting emails and lures that reference current events, policy debates, or topics of specific interest to their intended victims. This tactic increases the likelihood a target will click on a malicious link or attachment. By leveraging the intense focus on the Venezuela situation, the hackers attempted to bypass vigilance and gain a foothold in sensitive networks. The campaigns disclosure coincides with broader reporting on cyber operations within the Venezuela context. The New York Times recently reported that the U.S. executed a cyber attack to briefly disrupt power in Caracas, aiding the military operation against Maduro. This juxtaposition underscores the modern battleground where kinetic military action and covert cyber operations are increasingly intertwined. Official denials and strategic silence In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington reiterated Chinas standard position, denying state involvement in cyberattacks and calling the report false information spread for political purposes. The Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to comment on the specific campaign. This dynamic of private-sector cybersecurity firms uncovering and detailing state-sponsored activity, followed by official denials and limited government commentary, has become a recurring feature of the global cyber threat landscape. The enduring threat of timely deception The failedor at least, detectedMustang Panda campaign serves as a critical reminder of the persistent and adaptive nature of cyber espionage. It demonstrates that geopolitical crises create immediate opportunities for digital adversaries seeking intelligence or network access. For government officials, policy experts and organizations involved in international affairs, the incident reinforces the necessity of constant cybersecurity hygiene: scrutinizing even highly relevant emails, maintaining updated defenses and understanding that todays headline may be tomorrows hacking lure. In an era of continuous digital conflict, the speed at which real-world events are weaponized online is only accelerating. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com TheHackerNews.com StratNewsGlobal.com Is JPMorgan orchestrating a silver squeeze for China? Reported physical silver inventories in major financial hubs like London are plummeting to historic lows, creating a severe disconnect with stagnant paper market prices. JPMorgan Chase holds a dominant and controversial position, controlling a massive portion of the physical silver available for delivery on the COMEX exchange. The People's Republic of China, through its state entities, is engaged in a multi-year campaign of aggressively accumulating gold and silver, moving away from the U.S. dollar. Evidence suggests a potential front-running operation where JPMorgan may be acquiring physical silver in anticipation of, or in concert with, Chinese demand, effectively acting as a conduit. This activity jeopardizes national security by transferring strategic asset control and highlights the systemic risk of paper market manipulation. Scottsdale Mint CEO Josh Phair gives an insider's view of what's going on in silver-& its US/JP Morgan vs China! The vanishing vaults and the paper illusion To understand the scandal, one must first grasp the two-tiered system of the silver market. There is the physical market, where real bars and coins are bought, sold, and stored. Then there is the paper market, primarily the COMEX in New York, where vast numbers of futures contractspromises to deliver silverare traded electronically. For decades, the paper market, dominated by a few major banks, has dictated the global price. This price, however, is built on a fragile premise: that there is always enough physical metal to back the mountain of paper promises. That premise is now cracking. Reports from the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) and other vault tracking services show registered silver inventoriesthe metal readily available to back those paper contractshave been in a near-vertical decline. It is a drain that echoes the frantic final ounces of water from a bottle. Meanwhile, the paper price on COMEX has been artificially suppressed, held in a cage by the sheer volume of derivative contracts. This creates a dangerous illusion for the public: while the shelf appears stocked on the price tag, the back room is bare. This setup benefits entities who can navigate both worlds, acquiring the real asset at a discounted paper price before the inevitable collision between reality and fiction occurs. JPMorgan's silver mountain and the Beijing connection Enter JPMorgan Chase. Following its 2020 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice for manipulative trading practices in precious metalsa slap-on-the-wrist $920 million finethe bank has only tightened its grip. It now holds a staggering share of the registered silver inventory in COMEX warehouses, a position so large it effectively controls the supply available for delivery. This is not free-market competition; this is the establishment of a choke hold. Parallel to this, the People's Bank of China has been on a documented, relentless buying spree. For over 18 consecutive months, China has added to its official gold reserves, and industry analysts report a parallel, though less publicized, surge in silver acquisition. China's strategy is clear: to diversify away from U.S. Treasury debt and fortify its currency with tangible assets. They are not just buying metal; they are buying monetary sovereignty. The critical question becomes: who is selling them this metal? The evidence points to a facilitator. With Western vaults emptying and JPMorgan sitting on the stockpile, the architecture of a front-running operation becomes visible. The bank, with its privileged market position and regulatory foresight, could be accumulating physical silver, knowing a massive, price-insensitive buyerthe Chinese stateis waiting in the wings. It is the ultimate insider trade, conducted on a geopolitical scale. A strategic asset stripped and a system exposed The consequences of this quiet transfer extend far beyond trader profits. Silver is a keystone industrial metal, irreplaceable in solar panels, electronics, electric vehicles, and defense applications. It is not just a commodity; it is a pillar of modern technology and national security. Allowing control of its physical supply to be concentrated by a single bank and potentially transferred to a strategic competitor is an act of economic surrender. It leaves American industry vulnerable to supply shocks and strategic blackmail. Furthermore, this episode tears away the curtain on the corrupt game of paper versus physical. It reveals how the financial elite, through banks like JPMorgan, can manipulate the perceived value of an asset to their benefit, draining the real wealth from the system while the public is pacified with numbers on a screen. The coming price explosion in silver will not be a market anomaly; it will be the market finally screaming the truth after years of being gagged by paper. It is a warning that in the clash between paper promises and physical reality, reality always wins. Sources include: X.com X.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai The people of Iran are demanding their freedom like never before. Unarmed peaceful people who love their country are taking to the streets in pursuit of their legitimate aspirations for a better future, said U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz. Well, this is our message: President Donald J. Trump and the United States of America stands by the brave people of Iran. Period. The Iranian regime is solely responsible for the economic misery of the Iranian people and the repression of their freedom, and they will be held accountable, said Ambassador Waltz. The estimates of the numbers of protesters killed by the regime so far range from the thousands to the tens of thousands, although visibility into the totality of the violence has been obscured deliberately by the regimes nationwide internet blackout. Since 1979, the Iranian regime has posed a threat to peace and security. In the name of a religious ideology, the regime calls for death to America and the annihilation of Israel. Even as its own citizens cannot afford the very basics: food, drinking water, and medicine. It spends billions to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs to threaten its neighbors and the world in its support of terrorism. From its inception, the Iranian regime has been the worlds number one state sponsor of terrorism, bringing uncountable death and suffering to innocents from Beirut all the way to Buenos Aires, while its rulers have become rich off of oppression and misery meted upon the Iranian people. The Iranian regime has also been a serial human rights abuser from its very first day in power, said Ambassador Waltz. Young women like Mahsa Amini have been murdered for daring to uncover their hair in public while religious minorities have been subjected to the most severe persecution. These abuses have been documented. . .by the United Nations, have been documented by the Secretary-Generals own regular reports on the situation of human rights in Iran, the most recent of which was released just last year in 2025. Moreover, the Iranian regime has plotted assassination attempts against President Trump and other senior U.S. government officials. Iran has destabilized the Middle East for decades. It has supported and enabled Hamas brutality, its hostage taking, and its heinous October 7 attack on Israel. It has funded Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iranian-aligned militia groups in Iraq that have attacked the United States in the region repeatedly. The regime also backed the brutal Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. We all have a responsibility to support the Iranian people and to put an end to the regimes neglect and oppression of the Iranian nation, stated Ambassador Waltz. President Trump is a man of action. Not endless talk like we see at the United Nations. He has made it clear all options are on the table to stop the slaughter and no one should know that better than the leadership of the Iranian regime. Judge blocks USDA from cutting $80 million in Minnesota SNAP funds A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from withholding $80 million in administrative funding for Minnesota's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program, citing likely violations of federal law. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had threatened to cut funding unless Minnesota completed eligibility reviews for about 100,000 households by Jan. 15, a deadline the court said was unjustified and conflicted with existing regulations. The ruling preserves administrative funding, including $20 million for the first quarter, while the lawsuit proceeds, and does not affect benefits paid directly to SNAP recipients. Federal officials, including the DOJ, argue Minnesota's history of fraud and refusal to share SNAP data justifies heightened oversight, pointing to broader concerns about misuse of welfare funds. The dispute is part of a nationwide crackdown on SNAP under the Trump administration, which says audits have removed roughly 700,000 ineligible recipients and led to more than 100 arrests. A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from withholding $80 million in administrative funding for Minnesota's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), ruling that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) likely acted unlawfully in imposing an accelerated eligibility review deadline. U.S. District Judge Laura Provinzino of the District Court of Minnesota issued the injunction during a hearing in St. Paul on Jan. 14, stopping the USDA from cutting the funds while a legal challenge moves forward. The agency had warned Minnesota it would lose half of its federal administrative support unless it completed eligibility reviews for roughly 100,000 SNAP households by Jan. 15. Provinzino said the USDA failed to explain why the state was required to meet the deadline and noted that federal law generally limits such large-scale eligibility reviews to once per year. She said the agency's directive conflicted with existing regulations and Minnesota's own SNAP operational plan, which the USDA had previously approved. "USDA is asking the state to violate federal law, regulations and the state's own operational plan," Provinzino said from the bench. The injunction specifically prevents the USDA from withholding the funds, including about $20 million allocated for the first quarter that was scheduled to be cut on Jan. 14. The ruling does not affect SNAP benefits paid directly to recipients, but instead concerns administrative funding used to run the program, including staffing, systems and oversight. The lawsuit will now proceed, with the funding remaining in place until the court reaches a final decision on the merits of the case. DOJ: Minnesota has a long history of fraud and data refusal SNAP provides food assistance to Americans earning below 130% of the federal poverty line, with maximum monthly benefits of $298 for an individual and $546 for a two-person household. BrightU.AI's Enoch notes that the state's role in SNAP is to manage the day-to-day operations of the program, ensuring that benefits are distributed efficiently and fairly, while the federal government provides the funding and sets the guidelines. However, federal attorneys argued that Minnesota failed to do so. Brian Mizoguchi of the Department of Justice (DOJ) argued that Minnesota's history of problems with federal programs justified heightened scrutiny and said the state could cover administrative costs on its own if necessary. The dispute is tied to wider allegations of fraud in Minnesota's social service programs. The USDA has pointed to a high-profile scandal involving theft of federal welfare funds as one reason for demanding additional oversight. More broadly, the Trump administration has intensified scrutiny of SNAP nationwide, citing widespread abuse of the program. Moreover, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a November 2025 post on X, formerly Twitter, that 21 states, including Minnesota, refused to provide SNAP data requested by the administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) shortly after Trump returned to office earlier in 2025. She said audits conducted in the 29 states that cooperated uncovered thousands of ineligible recipients, leading to the removal of approximately 700,000 people from the program and more than 100 arrests. Watch as the Health Ranger Mike Adams and Steve Quayle discuss how the end of food stamps could trigger chaos below. This video is from the Brighteon Highlights channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com TheEpochTimes.com X.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Macys cuts 1,000 jobs in Connecticut, closing fulfillment centers in strategic shift Macy's will close two fulfillment centers in Cheshire, Connecticut, eliminating nearly 1,000 jobs by August 2026. The closures are part of a broader corporate strategy to streamline operations and centralize functions. The retailer has been a top-ten employer in Cheshire since 1986, marking a significant economic blow to the community. Local and state agencies are coordinating job fairs and transition resources for displaced workers. The move follows other recent distribution center closures as Macy's pursues a cost-saving initiative. In a significant restructuring of its logistics network, the iconic American retailer Macys Inc. will shutter two major fulfillment centers in Cheshire, Connecticut, resulting in the permanent elimination of nearly 1,000 jobs. The phased layoffs, set to begin in March and conclude by late August 2026, deliver a severe economic blow to a community where the department store chain has been a cornerstone employer for four decades. This decision underscores the persistent pressures on traditional retail as companies aggressively streamline supply chains to improve profitability in an era dominated by e-commerce and shifting consumer habits. The scope of the Cheshire closure According to official notices filed under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the closures will affect 993 employees at facilities on Knotter Drive and West Johnson Avenue. The job cuts will occur in waves, starting with night operations and talent acquisition personnel on March 14, 2026. Subsequent rounds will impact part-time and full-time weekend and day-shift workers through the spring and summer, with a final group, including maintenance staff, ending employment on Aug. 29, 2026. A small maintenance team will remain until spring 2027 to manage the decommissioning process. Macys stated it will offer severance, benefits information and the possibility of transfers to other locations for affected workers. A decades-long community anchor is removed The human and economic impact extends far beyond the corporate balance sheet. Town officials expressed profound disappointment, noting Macys has been one of Cheshires top ten employers since it opened the fulfillment center in 1986. The town is collaborating with the Northwest Regional Workforce Board and the Connecticut Department of Labor to organize a job fair and provide transition resources for the displaced workforce. The ripple effect is already felt by local businesses, such as nearby restaurants and shops that have relied on Macys employees as regular customers for generations. Part of a broader corporate contraction The Cheshire shutdown is not an isolated event. It follows an October 2025 announcement to close a Macys distribution center in South Windsor, Connecticut, affecting another 150 jobs, and plans to shutter a fulfillment center in Oklahoma. The company frames these moves as essential components of its Bold New Chapter strategy, aimed at modernizing its supply chain, centralizing specific operations like its off-price Backstage business in Columbus, Ohio, and achieving $235 million in cost savings this year. This retrenchment mirrors a longer-term trend for the retailer, which has periodically closed underperforming stores and fulfillment centers over the past decade to adapt to declining mall traffic and intense online competition. The evolution of retail logistics The consolidation of distribution networks reflects a pivotal moment in retail history. For decades, large department stores like Macys operated extensive networks of regional fulfillment and distribution centers to stock physical stores efficiently. The rise of e-commerce giants, led by Amazon, revolutionized consumer expectations for delivery speed, forcing traditional retailers to overhaul their logistics models. Many are now moving toward fewer, more automated fulfillment hubs designed for direct-to-consumer shipping, often at the expense of older facilities built for a different era of retail. This transition, while a business necessity, frequently results in workforce reductions in long-established communities. Key elements of the modern retail supply chain shift include: Centralization of operations into high-tech hubs. Increased automation to handle e-commerce volume. A strategic focus on markets with the highest customer density. The closure of redundant or inefficient legacy facilities. Navigating the transition As the layoffs proceed, the focus in Connecticut turns to mitigation. The coordinated response from local and state agencies highlights the critical role of public-private partnerships in addressing large-scale job displacement. The planned job fair and access to retraining programs will be vital for workers whose skills are specialized to warehouse and logistics operations. The outcome in Cheshire will serve as a case study for how regional economies can respond to the ongoing structural changes in the retail and logistics sectors. An enduring challenge for the modern economy The closure of Macys Cheshire fulfillment centers is more than a corporate restructuring note; it is a localized manifestation of the relentless evolution of American retail. While Macys strategic pivot may bolster its financial resilience in a competitive market, it leaves a profound void in a community that relied on it for stable employment. The event underscores the enduring tension between corporate efficiency and community stability, a challenge that will continue to define the landscape of work and commerce in towns across the country as the digital transformation of the economy marches forward. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com WFSB.com SupplyChainDrive.com Healthcare Rebellion Gains Momentum as Medical Freedom Coalition Launches Nationwide Battle to End Tyrannical Mandates Introduction: A Powerful Alliance Forms to Restore Bodily Autonomy A nationwide battle against medical tyranny is officially underway. This week, two leading medical freedom advocacy groupsStand for Health Freedom and the Health Freedom Defense Fundlaunched the Medical Freedom Act Coalition, a powerful new alliance that has been joined by Childrens Health Defense. Their goal is uncompromising: to end all medical mandates, everywhere, for everyone. Jill Hines, director of advocacy for Stand for Health Freedom, told The Defender the coalitions objective is no mandates for everyone, without exception. [1] This represents a fundamental shift from fighting for exemptions within a coercive system to dismantling the system of coercion itself. The coalition will work to restore fundamental rights related to informed consent, parental authority, and the doctor-patient relationship, building on the successful passage of the Idaho Medical Freedom Act in 2025, which serves as the model legislation for this nationwide push. [1] The Idaho Blueprint: A Beacon of Liberation in a Sea of Medical Tyranny The Idaho Medical Freedom Act is more than a state law; it is a declaration of independence from medical authoritarianism. The legislation, authored by Health Freedom Defense Fund president Leslie Manookian, bans all medical mandates in the state, including school vaccine requirements. It also explicitly prohibits schools from excluding unvaccinated children during an outbreak. [1] Manookian states the laws foundational principle clearly: it prohibits all medical mandates, not just vaccine mandates, because no one and no government has the right to mandate what we put into or onto our bodies. [1] This law evolved as a direct counter-punch to the COVID-era medical overreach on testing, masking, and forced vaccination. Hines explained that Idaho successfully built on the reality that no one has the right to mandate a COVID-era medical intervention to pass legislation affirming that no person and no government has the right to mandate any medical intervention. [1] This establishes bodily autonomy not as a privilege granted by the state, but as a fundamental, pre-political human right. As Manookian powerfully argues, No one else knows whats best for us and no one else has to live with the consequences of our medical choices. [1] The Corrupted Medical Paradigm: From Coercion to Consensual Healing Medical coercion represents the ultimate betrayal of medical ethics. A foundational tenet, as Hines notes, is that the voluntary consent of the patient is absolutely vital. [1] When the state or an institution crosses the line to mandate medical interventions, it shatters the sacred doctor-patient relationship and replaces it with a system of compliance enforced by threatloss of job, education, or societal participation. [1] This system does not serve patient health; it serves the pharmaceutical profit machine. The mandates strip away the cornerstone of ethical medicine: informed consent. As detailed in the book Vaccine Epidemic, the government has consistently failed to fund independent, evidence-based safety studies for medical products it simultaneously recommends or mandates, creating a dangerous conflict of interest where profit motives override safety. [2] A forced medical intervention is not healthcare; it is medical assault. This violates the foundational principles of the Nuremberg Code, which established that voluntary consent is absolutely essential for any human experimentation. The coalitions fight is to return medicine to its ethical roots, where healing is consensual and the patient is sovereign. The State-Level Strategy: Bypassing Corrupt Federal Institutions Recognizing that federal health agencies have become captured, corrupt partners of Big Pharma, the coalition is focusing its efforts exclusively at the state level. Manookian points to the constitutional design: the U.S. Constitution reserves health laws to the states, while the federal government can only make recommendations. [1] This strategy is a direct response to the gross overreach during the COVID era, which created a false perception that federal bureaucracies like the FDA and CDC have the authority to mandate medical interventions. [1] As Jeffrey Tucker of the Brownstone Institute observes, the COVID era taught that how central medical freedom is to freedom in general. He warns that once the state is permitted to invade personal autonomy with pharmaceutical mandates, anything and everything becomes possible. [1] Grassroots mobilization at the state level represents true democratic action against centralized medical tyranny. Zen Honeycutt of Moms Across America highlights that state-level advocacy is critical both for creating locally appropriate solutions and because most federal regulatory shifts do not happen without state-level advocacy. [1] This is a battle to reclaim sovereignty from corrupt federal institutions that have proven they are not protectors of public health. Beyond Exemptions: Why Ending Mandates Is the Only Moral Path The coalition marks a strategic evolution in the fight for medical freedom. For years, groups have fought for religious, medical, and philosophical exemptions to vaccine mandates, often facing accusations that seeking exemptions legitimizes the mandate system. Michael Kane of Childrens Health Defense rejects this notion outright: Mandates are immoral and need to end, full stop. [1] However, Kane clarifies the pragmatic need for a dual approach: we cant abandon those places where mandates currently exist, and must help families suffering under them, while simultaneously working to eliminate mandates entirely. [1] The coalitions uncompromising goal, shared by all supporting organizations, is to make exemptions obsolete by eradicating the mandates that make them necessary. As Leslie Manookian states, the goal for all who believe in health freedom should be to eliminate mandates. No one should have to ask permission to make their own medical choices. [1] True health freedom means medical sovereigntythe absolute right to refuse any intervention without having to justify that refusal to any authority. This is the only moral path forward. Conclusion: The Battle for Medical Freedom Is the Battle for Human Dignity The formation of the Medical Freedom Act Coalition represents a watershed moment. It is the organized, strategic awakening of millions who refuse to surrender their bodies to corporate-medical mandates. This fight transcends public health policy; it is the frontline defense for human dignity, bodily autonomy, and individual liberty against a rising tide of globalist control and depopulation agendas. Supporting the passage of state Medical Freedom Acts is an essential act of resistance. It is how we dismantle, brick by brick, the emerging totalitarian medical state. As Jeffrey Tucker warns, protecting the fundamental right to refuse is essential. [1] This coalition, and the movement it represents, is fueled by the understanding that our bodies are our own. The battle for medical freedom is, ultimately, the battle for the very soul of a free society. To follow this crucial fight and access uncensored knowledge on health and liberty, visit NaturalNews.com for articles, Brighteon.com for video reports, and BrightAnswers.ai for AI-powered research free from corporate censorship. References Ancient mosaic fossils found in Morocco challenge the timeline of human evolution Fossils from 773,000 years ago found in a Moroccan cave show a mix of ancient and modern human features, indicating key traits of our species emerged much earlier than the traditional 200,000-year estimate. The fossils display a blend: a relatively flat, modern-looking face alongside archaic features like a pronounced brow ridge, placing this population at a critical evolutionary juncture close to the last common ancestor of modern humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans. The find challenges the simple "out of Africa" model, suggesting early human populations left Africa before fully modern traits evolved, with differentiation happening across continents and interconnected populations. The fossils' contemporaneous age and some shared features with H. antecessor from Spain hint at ancient interconnections and potential population movement across the Strait of Gibraltar deep in prehistory. The research concludes that modern human traits did not evolve rapidly in one region, but emerged gradually and piecemeal across different populations in Africa, with links to Eurasia, making the story of human origins older and more intertwined. A stunning discovery in a Moroccan cave is forcing scientists to reconsider the narrative of human origins. Unearthed from a site in Casablanca, 773,000-year-old fossils display a perplexing blend of ancient and modern features, suggesting that key traits of our species emerged far earlier and across a wider geographic area than previously believed. The remains, found in the Grotte a Hominides cave, include lower jawbones from two adults and a toddler, along with teeth, a thigh bone and vertebrae. The thigh bone bears hyena bite marks, indicating the individual may have been prey. The fossils present a mosaic: the face is relatively flat and gracile, resembling later Homo sapiens, while other features like the brow ridge and overall skull shape remain archaic, akin to earlier Homo species. This mix of characteristics places the population at a critical evolutionary juncture. Paleoanthropologist Jean-Jacques Hublin, lead author of the study, stated, "I would be cautious about labeling them as 'the last common ancestor,' but they are plausibly close to the populations from which later African H. sapiens and Eurasian Neanderthal and Denisovan - lineages ultimately emerged." As noted by BrightU.AI's Enoch, the period after half a million years ago saw a major divergence in human populations. In Africa, populations evolved along a lineage that would lead to modern humans, H. sapiens, developing a distinct skeletal anatomy. Meanwhile, in Eurasia, populations followed separate evolutionary paths. The decentralized engine states that in Europe and western Asia, the Neanderthals became the dominant human population from about 130,000 to 40,000 years ago, characterized by their own unique and robust skeletal features. Genetic evidence reveal that in more eastern parts of Eurasia, another archaic human group, the Denisovans, also diverged and existed contemporaneously. Thus, during this period, H. sapiens was evolving in Africa, while Neanderthals (and, separately, Denisovans) represented the distinct human populations of Eurasia." Modern human traits evolved across continents The find directly challenges the traditional "out-of-Africa" model, which holds that anatomically modern humans evolved in Africa around 200,000 years ago before migrating and replacing other hominin species. Instead, it supports a more complex picture where early human populations left Africa well before fully modern traits had evolved, with differentiation happening across continents. "The fossils show a mosaic of primitive and derived traits, consistent with evolutionary differentiation already underway during this period, while reinforcing a deep African ancestry for the H. sapiens lineage," Hublin added. Detailed analysis reveals the nuanced transition. One jaw shows a long, low shape similar to H. erectus, but its teeth and internal features resemble both modern humans and Neanderthals. The right canine is slender and small, akin to modern humans, while some incisor roots are longer, closer to Neanderthals. The molars present a unique blend, sharing traits with North African teeth, the Spanish species H. antecessor and archaic African H. erectus. The fossils are roughly contemporaneous with H. antecessor from Spain, hinting at ancient interconnections. "The similarities between Gran Dolina and Grotte a Hominides are intriguing and may reflect intermittent connections across the Strait of Gibraltar, a hypothesis that deserves further investigation," noted Hublin. Dated by the magnetic signature of the surrounding cave sediments, the Moroccan fossils align with genetic estimates that the last common ancestor of modern humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans lived between 765,000 and 550,000 years ago. This discovery gives a potential face to that mysterious population. The research, suggests that modern human traits did not emerge in a single, rapid event in one region. Instead, they evolved gradually and piecemeal across different populations in Africa, with connections to Eurasia, deep in the Middle Pleistocene. Watch this video about human evolution. This video is from the Redpill Project channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk 1 DailyMail.co.uk 2 BrightU.ai Brighteon.com NYC Democratic socialists organize rapid response network to oppose ICE operations The New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is organizing a large "rapid response" network to monitor and disrupt Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, training more than 4,000 activists and canvassing immigrant neighborhoods to build support. At a Jan. 15 meeting at the People's Forum, DSA leaders outlined plans to expand ICE hotlines, recruit multilingual volunteers, activate additional trainers and coordinate actions through private Signal chats. Organizers cited the recent death of Renee Good in Minnesota as motivation and a model for adopting more confrontational anti-ICE tactics in New York. DSA leaders described ICE as a violent organization and promoted a "form a crowd, stay loud" strategy, including the use of whistles to alert communities to ICE's presence. Separately, commentary from ZeroHedge and other analysts alleges that dark-money nonprofits linked to China-connected billionaire Neville Roy Singham may be supporting anti-ICE protests nationwide, raising concerns about foreign influence and coordinated protest infrastructure. The New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is organizing a large-scale "rapid response" network to monitor and obstruct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts amid expectations of increased federal activity in the city. During a meeting of the Immigrant Justice Working Group on Jan. 15, DSA leaders outlined plans to train more than 4,000 activists, including roughly 2,000 DSA members and 2,000 non-members, to respond quickly to reported ICE activity across New York's immigrant neighborhoods. Members are also canvassing immigrant areas, such as Chinatown, Bushwick and Jackson Heights, to recruit supporters. The group is using private Signal chats to organize their rapid-response actions. The meeting, attended by more than 100 people, was held at the People's Forum in Midtown Manhattan, a left-wing political and cultural space. Organizers said the effort includes activating 50 additional trainers, expanding staffing for an ICE hotline to operate around the clock and recruiting multilingual volunteers to assist immigrant communities. Appeals were made for speakers of languages including Pular, Fulani and Haitian Creole. The group did not disclose the cost of the initiative, but leaders repeatedly solicited donations during the nearly two-hour meeting, emphasizing that member contributions funded the organization. Many new attendees cite the recent death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis woman who was fatally shot earlier this month during a confrontation involving ICE agents. Organizers described Good's involvement with an anti-ICE group in Minnesota as a model for more confrontational tactics they hope to replicate in New York. They called ICE a violent organization and described immigration enforcement as part of a broader U.S. "imperialist project," promoting a "form a crowd, stay loud" approach that includes blowing whistles to alert neighborhoods to ICE's presence. "We do have a lot of whistles," said Leemah Nasrati, a leader who works as a pro bono refugee lawyer and helps run the Q and A sessions at the DSA's monthly "Know Your Rights" trainings, which explain how ICE operates. Leaders said the whistle signals would carry across neighborhoods. Claims of foreign-linked NGO influence emerge amid anti-ICE protests According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, anti-ICE protest is often organized by individuals and groups related to immigration enforcement, detention and deportation. These protests are frequently characterized by left-wing ideologies that prioritize open borders and the rights of undocumented immigrants over national security and public safety. Tyler Durden of ZeroHedge notes that a network of dark-money nonprofit groups allegedly linked to a China-connected billionaire may be playing a central role in organizing anti-ICE protests in New York City and beyond. He points to ties between left-wing activist organizations and Neville Roy Singham, a wealthy businessman who has publicly supported communist causes and whose philanthropy has been scrutinized for alleged links to groups sympathetic to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). According to Durden, the nonprofit network is serving as a logistical and organizational hub for nationwide protests opposing federal immigration enforcement, including recent anti-ICE actions in New York. He further contends that Democratic-aligned organizations and groups such as the DSA are engaging in a coordinated effort to resist deportations as part of a broader political strategy. An NGO analyst who has studied the Singham-linked network told ZeroHedge that venues like the People's Forum in Manhattan have become "ground zero" for protest organizing and alleged foreign-linked activism, calling recent collaboration with DSA activists "a significant escalation." The analyst warned that with thousands of DSA members in New York alone, the potential for large-scale unrest remains. Watch the video below that talks about Trump's deployment of National Guard in Washington. This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com NYPost.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com New York City faces business EXODUS as taxes, regulations drive employers away NYC's population dropped from 8.8 million (2020) to 8.26 million (2023)losing 78,000 residents last year alone. Five thousand businesses closed or relocated in early 2023, with 8,400 closures vs. 3,500 openingsthe worst business formation rate since COVID. New York ranks 50th in taxation and outmigration, with a 5.9% business tax rate (9th highest in the U.S.). Seventy percent of surveyed employers rate the state's economy as "poor," citing Albany's escalating costs and red tape. Mayor Mamdani's plan includes: 50% corporate tax increase (to 11.5%, matching NJ's highest-in-nation rate) and "wealth tax" and $30/hour minimum wage. Businesses warn this will accelerate relocation to low-tax states like Florida and Texas. Thirty-nine percent of households spend over 30% of income on housing (4th worst nationally). Rising crime, bureaucratic hurdles and illegal immigration that are straining resources push longtime residents to leave. Between 20202022, NY lost more domestic taxpayers than any statemany fleeing to NJ, FL and TX. Without regulatory reform and tax relief, the exodus may become irreversible, threatening NYC's status as America's economic hub. New York City is hemorrhaging businesses and residents at an alarming rate, with nearly 5,000 employers closing or relocating in early 2023 alone, according to a new report by the Economic Development Corporation. The city's population has plummeted from a record 8.8 million in 2020 to just 8.26 million last year, as high taxes, burdensome regulations and rising costs push both businesses and middle-class families toward low-tax states like Florida and New Jersey. The trend comes as newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani proposes sweeping tax hikesincluding raising the corporate tax rate to 11.5%to fund ambitious social programs, sparking fears of further economic decline. The report, released January 15, revealed that while 3,500 new businesses opened in New York City during the second quarter of the fiscal year, 8,400 shut down or leftthe weakest business formation rate since the height of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Employers cited Albany's escalating regulations and costs as primary reasons for departure. New York now ranks 50th in the nation for both outmigration and taxation, according to a September analysis by the Public Policy Institute of New York State. Among 500 surveyed employers, 72% rated the state's economic conditions as poor, with only 21% believing New York is on the right track. "New York's taxes and regulations make it too expensive and difficult to run a business," one business leader told the institute. With over 300,000 regulations on the books and an effective business tax rate of 5.9%the ninth-highest in the U.S.many companies see relocation as their only viable option. Mamdani's tax hike plan sparks backlash Mamdani's proposed policiesincluding a 50% increase in the corporate tax rate, a "wealth tax," and a $30/hour minimum wagehave intensified concerns about an accelerating business exodus. If approved, New York's corporate rate would match neighboring New Jersey's, the highest in the nation. Low-tax states are capitalizing on the discontent. Florida and New Hampshire have actively courted New York businesses, touting their lighter regulatory burdens and favorable tax climates. Meanwhile, New York's housing crisis exacerbates the problem, with 38.6% of households spending more than 30% of their income on housingthe fourth-worst rate in the country. New York's struggles aren't new. BrightU.AI's Enoch notes that between 2020 and 2022, the state lost more domestic taxpayers than any other, with residents fleeing to New Jersey, Florida and Texas. The pandemic accelerated existing trendslockdowns crippled small businesses, while remote work allowed employees to escape the city's high costs. Now, with crime rates elevated and public services strained by a surge in illegal immigration, even longtime New Yorkers are reconsidering their future. "The city feels like it's working against us," said a Brooklyn restaurant owner who recently relocated to Miami. "Between taxes, crime and bureaucracy, it's just not sustainable." As New York City grapples with a shrinking tax base and dwindling business community, Mamdani's push for higher taxes risks deepening the crisis. Without meaningful regulatory reform and competitive tax policies, the exodus shows no signs of slowinga troubling sign for a city once considered the economic heart of America. For now, the question remains: Can New York reverse course, or will its decline become irreversible? Watch the video below that talks about how Mayor Zohran Mamdani DESTROYED New York City in one day. This video is from the TREASURE OF THE SUN channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: JustTheNews.com TheCenterSquare.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com GOP senators warn Trumps Greenland-linked tariffs could hurt U.S., fracture NATO Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski warned that President Donald Trump's new tariffs on Denmark and other European allies could harm the U.S. economy, fracture North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and benefit adversaries like Russia and China. Trump announced 10% tariffs on imports from Denmark, the UK, Norway, France, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands starting Feb. 1, with rates rising to 25% on June 1. Tillis said punishing allies for sending small troop contingents to Greenland is counterproductive and criticized advisers pushing coercive action against allied territory. Murkowski called the tariffs "unnecessary" and "punitive," arguing they weaken U.S. leadership, strain alliances and distract NATO at a time of heightened global security risks. Trump defended the tariffs on Truth Social, saying the U.S. has long subsidized Europe and will keep the levies in place until a deal is reached for the "complete and total purchase of Greenland," while signaling openness to negotiations. Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski have warned that President Donald Trump's decision to impose new tariffs on Denmark and several European allies could damage the U.S. economy, deepen divisions within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and benefit American adversaries. Trump recently announced that the U.S. will impose 10% tariffs on imports from Denmark, the United Kingdom, Norway, France, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands beginning on Feb. 1, with the levies set to rise to 25% on June 1. However, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Tillis (R-N.C.) said the administration's response to allied troop deployments was counterproductive and dangerous "This response to our own allies for sending a small number of troops to Greenland for training is bad for America, bad for American businesses and bad for America's allies. It's great for Putin, Xi and other adversaries who want to see NATO divided," Tillis posted. He went further, criticizing the internal pressure on Trump to pursue coercive measures against an ally. "The fact that a small handful of "advisors" are actively pushing for coercive action to seize territory of an ally is beyond stupid. It hurts the legacy of President Trump and undercuts all the work he has done to strengthen the NATO alliance over the years," Tillis added. Murkowski (R-Alaska) echoed those concerns in a separate post, calling the tariffs "unnecessary, punitive and a profound mistake." "They will push our core European allies further away while doing nothing to advance U.S. national security. We are already seeing the consequences of these measures in real time: our NATO allies are being forced to divert attention and resources to Greenland, a dynamic that plays directly into Putin's hands by threatening the stability of the strongest coalition of democracies the world has ever seen," Murkowski said. She then urged Congress to assert its authority over trade policy to ensure tariffs are "not weaponized in ways that harm our alliances and undermine American leadership." Trump defends Greenland-linked tariffs A tariff, as BrightU.AI's Enoch noted, is a tax imposed on imported goods, which increases the cost of these goods for consumers, disproportionately affecting lower- and middle-income families who spend a larger portion of their income on essential goods. In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, Trump defended his decision to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European allies. He argued that the U.S. has long subsidized those countries through low trade barriers and must now take "strong measures" to protect global security and U.S. national interests tied to Greenland. "We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the countries of the European Union and others, for many years by not charging them tariffs or any other forms of remuneration. Now, after centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back world peace is at stake!" Trump wrote. He added that the tariffs would remain in place "until such time as a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland." Moreover, Trump said that the U.S. is "immediately open to negotiation" with Denmark and other European countries affected by the tariffs. "The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades," Trump concluded. Watch this clip of U.S. President Donald Trump reiterating that Washington "needs Greenland" during an interview aboard Air Force One. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com X.com 1 X.com 2 TheHill.com TruthSocial.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Tariffs, Greenland, and the GOPs NATO Betrayal: Trumps Unconstitutional Power Grab Exposed Introduction: The Dangerous Crossroads of Tyranny and Alliance The geopolitical stage is set for a showdown not seen in generations. US President Donald Trump has imposed a blanket 10% tariff on imports from eight European NATO alliesDenmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland [1]. The stated reason is naked coercion: these nations dared to deploy small military contingents to Greenland in opposition to Trump's renewed and aggressive campaign to purchaseor seizethe vast, resource-rich Arctic island [2]. This is not merely a trade dispute. It is an act of economic warfare against sovereign nations, an unprecedented weaponization of trade policy intended to force the sale of a territory against its people's will. The move exposes a deep and dangerous crack in the Republican Party's professed commitment to constitutional limits and free-market principles. More alarmingly, it reveals how centralized executive power, unhinged from reality and untethered from loyal alliances, poses a dire threat to global stability and America's founding principles of liberty and decentralized governance. The episode is a microcosm of a larger, more sinister trend: the consolidation of power in the hands of a single executive, merging state authority with corporate interests to bully the world and dismantle the very alliances that have preserved a fragile peace. As one analyst noted, Trump's push follows a "long and complex historical tradition of American territorial expansion" akin to the imperial land grabs of a bygone era [1]. This is not strength; it is the bluster of a tyrant-in-making, testing the limits of his power by turning on America's closest friends. The Greenland Obsession: A Globalist Land Grab in Disguise Trump's fixation on annexing Greenland is not a novel strategic vision but a regression to a corrupt, 19th-century model of empire-building. It contradicts the core principles of decentralization and national sovereignty, instead seeking centralized control over land and resources. This mirrors the very globalist ambitions the administration claims to oppose, where powerful states seek to absorb territories for their strategic minerals and geopolitical positioning [3]. As detailed in NaturalNews.com, Trump has "refused to rule out military or economic measures to acquire Greenland," signaling a dramatic shift toward coercive foreign policy [2]. The push is framed as 'America-first,' but its mechanicsthreatening allies, deploying economic shocksare the tools of a corporatist state, where government power is wielded to benefit connected interests controlling future resources [4]. The land grab logic is old and corrupt: powerful entities, whether historic empires or modern globalist cartels, seize territory by force or threat, dispossessing the native population [5]. The response from European nationssending troops to defend Greenland's sovereigntyis therefore a legitimate and necessary act of self-defense. They are upholding the right of a people to govern their own land, a principle foundational to a free world. To condemn this defense is to endorse the law of the jungle, where might makes right and powerful nations can simply take what they want. Such a world benefits only the despots and the globalist cartels that thrive on conflict and controlled chaos. Weaponizing Trade: The Tool of Tyrants and Globalists Tariffs, when used as punitive leverage to compel political obedience, are a hallmark of economic tyranny. They centralize power in the executive, allowing one man to punish entire nations for political disagreement. This is not free trade or even protectionism; it is economic conscription. As Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) warned, Congress must ensure tariffs are not "weaponized in ways that harm our alliances and undermine American leadership" [6]. Her warning aligns with a foundational truth: all centralized power seeks ultimately to control, punish, and eliminate dissent. The action has already sparked a global trade war, causing significant economic disruption and market turmoil [7]. The beneficiaries of this chaos are not American workers or businesses, but America's adversaries and the globalist elites who profit from weakened national sovereignty and fractured alliances. As Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) argued, the tariffs are "bad for America, bad for American businesses, and bad for Americas allies," while being a great gift to its enemies [1]. This use of trade policy mirrors the tactics of history's worst regimes, where economic tools were bludgeons to enforce political will [8]. Furthermore, this constitutional clash over trade power reveals a deeper sickness. As noted in analysis of Trump's broader tariff policies, "The battle over President Trump's aggressive tariff policies has erupted into a full-blown constitutional showdown, pitting the executive branch against the judiciary" [9]. When the executive assumes the unilateral power to declare economic war, it bypasses the legislative branch and the people's representatives, moving the nation closer to an imperial presidency. The GOP Crack: Exposing the Ruling Class Versus the People The dissent from Republican senators like Murkowski, Tillis, and even Senate leader Mitch McConnell reveals a rare moment of clarityor at least, political panicwithin the GOP. They recognize the action as not just flawed, but as Tillis put it, "beyond stupid," damaging to Trump's legacy and his efforts to strengthen NATO [1]. McConnell warned that annexing Greenland would "shatter" the trust of European allies, wasting efforts to make them spend more on defense [1]. This crack in the monolithic GOP facade is significant. It shows the tension between the uniparty's entrenched globalist commitmentsendless NATO expansion, forever warsand a populist executive acting like a monarch, using nationalistic rhetoric to justify unconstitutional power grabs. The critics are correct that this shatters trust, but the deeper issue they often ignore is the unconstitutional assumption of power to declare economic war on allies for personal whims. The episode exposes the ruling class versus the people. The people desire honest alliances, economic freedom, and peace. The ruling class, in both parties, engages in games of empire and corporatism. Ron Paul has warned that Trump's policies of taking stakes in corporations and strong-arming industry represent a dangerous corporatism, merging state and corporate powera precursor to fascism [10]. This Greenland gambit is that exact corporatism on an international scale: state power deployed for strategic corporate control of resources, alienating the public and its allies in the process. The Real Agenda: Destabilization for Centralized Control Why would an administration actively seek to undermine NATO, the very alliance that has undergirded Western security for 75 years? The answer lies in the globalist depopulation and control agenda. Chaos and conflict make populations easier to manage, cull, and subjugate. Weakening the old world order of sovereign nation-states is a prerequisite for its replacement with a fully controlled, digital global tyranny featuring Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), digital IDs, and total surveillance. The joint condemnation by the eight affected nations, arguing the tariffs "undermine transatlantic relations," shows a unified front against this economic aggression [11]. This aggression is rooted in the same centralized, coercive mindset that seeks to impose CBDCs: it is about testing compliance and breaking the will of independent nations [12]. As Professor Glenn Diesen has written, economic sanctions have long been seen by the West as "one-way instruments of power" used to organize the world toward a singular vision of political and economic liberalism under Western leadership [13]. Trump has now turned this weapon inward on the leadership bloc itself, creating chaos that serves no rational national security purpose. This is not about securing America. It is a destabilization operation. True national security comes from resilient, sovereign nations engaging in honest trade and mutual defense, not from bullying and land grabs that turn allies into enemies. The move strategically weakens the West at a time when other powers, like the BRICS alliance, are openly declaring "stealth economic war" on the collapsing dollar-dominated system [12]. By fracturing NATO, Trump is doing the work of America's adversaries, paving the way for a multipolar world where globalist controllers can more easily manage a divided populace. Conclusion: Sovereignty, Alliances, and the Path Forward The path forward for America and the world is not through the unconstitutional power grabs of a would-be emperor, nor through the cynical globalism of the uniparty. True national strength and human prosperity come from honest alliances between sovereign nations, respect for natural rights, and decentralized power. The American people must wake up and reject these dangerous experiments in centralized authority. We must support leaders and principles that value economic freedom, honest diplomacy, and strictly limited government. This means opposing the weaponization of trade, the annexation of foreign lands, and the betrayal of allies. It means embracing a future built on decentralized networksof sovereign nations, honest money like gold and silver, and free individuals. The future belongs not to emperors obsessed with icy islands or globalists dreaming of digital prisons, but to the people who choose self-reliance, natural health, and liberty. For uncensored news and analysis on these critical issues, visit Brighteon.com and NaturalNews.com. For deep research free from Big Tech censorship, use the free AI engine at BrightAnswers.AI. To prepare for the coming challenges, educate yourself with thousands of free books on survival, health, and liberty at BrightLearn.ai. Our freedoms are under direct assault. The Greenland tariff crisis is not an isolated policy dispute; it is a warning siren. Heed it, or watch as the architecture of liberty is dismantled, one unconstitutional power grab at a time. References Trumps Nobel tantrum and continued threat to take Greenland further isolates United States on world stage In a stunning display of petulant geopolitics, former U.S. President Donald Trump has explicitly linked his aggressive campaign to seize control of Greenland to his failure to receive the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, according to a confirmed text message sent to Norways Prime Minister. This revelation exposes a dangerous fusion of personal grievance with national policy, threatening to ignite a full-scale trade war and fracture the NATO alliance. The incident, centered on Trumps communicated frustration to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, reveals a U.S. President willing to jeopardize global stability and international law to satisfy a bruised ego and expand American dominion over the resource-rich Arctic. Key points: President Donald Trump sent a text to Norway's Prime Minister stating his "obligation to think purely of Peace" was diminished after not winning the Nobel Peace Prize, freeing him to pursue U.S. control of Greenland. The message was a direct response to a joint appeal from the leaders of Norway and Finland urging de-escalation of Trump's threatened tariffs against Scandinavian nations. European allies, including Denmark, Norway, and the broader EU, have uniformly rejected Trump's claims on Greenland and are preparing significant economic retaliation. The situation strains NATO unity and risks reviving a damaging global trade conflict, with an EU emergency summit convened to formulate a response. A prize denied, a threat issued The core of this international firestorm is a text message, authenticated and released by the Norwegian government. In it, Trump writes to Prime Minister Store, "Since your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for stopping 8 wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace." He immediately pivots to declaring that: "The world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland." This is not the calculated rhetoric of statecraft; it is the raw venting of a man who feels personally slighted by an independent committee and is now lashing out at nations he perceives as disrespectful. However, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by a five-member committee appointed by the Norwegian parliament, a body entirely separate from the Norwegian government. Trumps deliberate conflation of the two, targeting the Prime Minister for a decision he did not make, reveals a fundamental disregard for institutional independence and a transactional view of international honor. This episode cannot be viewed in isolation. Since he took office a second time, Trump has vocalized his desire to acquire Greenland, often framing it as a real estate deal. The autonomous Danish territory sits atop vast reserves of rare earth minerals critical for modern technology and renewable energy, and its melting ice opens new shipping lanes and resource extraction possibilities. While Copenhagen has consistently stated Greenlands future is for its citizens to decide, Trumps approach has been one of coercive pressure. Now, by tying this geopolitical ambition to a personal award snub, he has removed any pretense of strategic deliberation. The pursuit is presented as a matter of personal vindication, with the security and sovereignty of an entire people held hostage to one mans vanity. European unity and the specter of war The European response has been swift and unified, a wall of opposition that highlights how far Trump has pushed the United States into isolation. Denmarks Foreign Minister stated plainly, "you can trade with people, but you don't trade people." Greenlands own Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, affirmed the territorys right to self-determination "on dialogue, on respect and on international law." Norways government firmly reiterated its support for Danish sovereignty. This is not a minor diplomatic disagreement; it is a fundamental clash of values between a multilateral, rules-based order and an assertion of raw power. In retaliation for this resistance, Trump has vowed to implement escalating tariffs on key European nations, including NATO allies like Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. The European Union is now mobilizing its own economic weapons, considering counter-tariffs on over $100 billion in U.S. imports and potentially deploying never-before-used legal instruments to restrict American access to European markets. The stage is set for a devastating trade war that would cripple global supply chains and inflate costs for consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. Furthermore, this crisis strikes at the heart of NATO. The alliance, built on collective defense, is now witnessing its most powerful member threatening the economic security of its partners to forcibly annex the territory of another. Danish troops have already landed in Greenland for military exercises, a clear signal of readiness to defend its integrity. The people of Greenland are not a commodity. Their homeland is not a consolation prize. As European leaders prepare to meet in Brussels and potentially face Trump in Davos, the world watches to see if the pillars of the post-war order will hold, or if they will crack under the weight of one mans boundless ambition and brittle pride. Source include: Zerohedge.com Reuters.com Enoch, Brighteon.ai Trump secures record $50B for rural healthcare by cutting Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse President Donald Trump announced a record $50 billion increase in federal funding for rural healthcare, secured through the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act by cutting what the administration described as waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid. The rural healthcare funding will be distributed over five years, with half divided evenly among all 50 states and the remainder allocated based on factors such as the financial health and needs of rural hospitals. The OBBB Act also delivers significant tax relief for seniors by introducing a new $6,000 deduction for individuals age 65 and older or $12,000 for qualifying married couples, with benefits phasing out for higher earners. Combined with existing senior deductions and increased standard deductions, eligible seniors can now deduct up to $23,750 as individuals, $31,625 as heads of household or $46,700 as married couples filing jointly. AARP officials praised the changes as critical support amid rising costs for older Americans, noting that the deductions could provide meaningful financial relief as the 2025 tax filing season begins. President Donald Trump has secured a record $50 billion investment in federal funding for rural healthcare by eliminating "waste, fraud and abuse" in Medicaid. Speaking during a White House roundtable on Jan. 16, Trump said his administration invested billions in federal funding for rural healthcare. BrightU.AI's Enoch defines rural healthcare as the provision of medical and health services to populations living in rural areas, often characterized by limited access to healthcare facilities and professionals. It is essential to support the health and well-being of these communities, which are often marginalized and underserved by mainstream healthcare systems. "We increased funding for rural healthcare by an unprecedented, record-setting $50 billion over five years, which will benefit Americans in all 50 states, and this was made possible by cutting massive waste, fraud and abuse from Medicaid and reinvesting those funds to revitalize hospitals in our cherished rural communities," Trump said. The funding was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act and would provide long-sought relief to struggling rural hospitals across the country after savings were generated by tightening oversight of Medicaid spending. The roundtable included Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz. The discussion was part of a broader push to promote "Great Healthcare Plan," which was unveiled during a White House briefing a day earlier. OBBB Act also expands relief for millions of older Americans Aside from the federal funding for rural healthcare, Trump also provided meaningful relief to millions of older Americans under the OBBB Act. For individuals 65 and older, earning up to $75,000, they are eligible for the full $6,000 deduction. Married couples filing jointly can claim up to $12,000 if their combined income is $150,000 or less. For higher earners, the deduction phases out gradually, decreasing by $60 for every $1,000 above the income threshold. The benefit fully disappears for single filers earning more than $175,000 and couples earning more than $250,000. The new deduction builds on existing tax breaks for seniors. Under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, taxpayers 65 and older already qualify for an additional $2,000 deduction or $3,200 for married couples. The OBBB Act also increased the standard deduction to $15,750 for single filers, $31,500 for joint filers and $23,625 for heads of household. Taken together, these changes mean single seniors can deduct up to $23,750, heads of household up to $31,625 and married couples filing jointly up to $46,700. To qualify, taxpayers must turn 65 by Dec. 31, 2025 and have a valid Social Security number. The additional deduction will remain in effect through the 2028 tax year, allowing seniors to claim it through filings made in 2029. A new tax break provides a meaningful relief to millions of older Americans as the 2025 tax filing season begins later this month Bill Sweeney, senior vice president for government affairs at the American Association of Retired Persons, described the new deduction as "critical support at a time when people need it the most." "Costs for a lot of folks are very high, and for older Americans especially, costs for things like prescription drugs, for some of the health challenges that folks have, those can be very high, and so putting a little bit of money, extra, in people's pockets can be very helpful," Sweeney said. Watch as President Donald Trump vows to remove waste, fraud and abuse from Medicaid in this clip. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: FoxNews.com TheHill.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com As the people of Iran bravely take to the streets to demand basic freedoms and economic security, President Donald Trump is keeping his promise to stand with them against their oppressors. On January 15 the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against the architects of the Iranian regimes violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators. OFAC also took action against the shadow banking networks that allow Irans elite to steal and launder revenue generated by the countrys natural resources. At the direction of President Trump, the Treasury Department is sanctioning key Iranian leaders involved in the brutal crackdown against the Iranian people. Said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. Treasury will use every tool to target those behind the regimes tyrannical oppression of human rights. Among the Iranian security officials sanctioned is Ali Larijani, the Secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS). Larijani was one of the first Iranian leaders to call for violence in response to the legitimate demands of the Iranian people. OFAC is also designating 18 individuals and entities who play critical roles in laundering the proceeds of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical sales to foreign markets as part of the clandestine shadow banking networks of sanctioned Iranian financial institutions Bank Melli and Shahr Bank. Since the protests started in December 2025, Irans security forces have fired live ammunition at protesters, depriving the Iranian people of life and liberty. Elements of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have even attacked wounded protesters in one hospital in Ilam Province, firing tear gas and metal pellets into the hospital grounds and assaulting patients, family members, and medical workers. The officials sanctioned -and their organizations bear responsibility for the thousands of deaths and injuries of their fellow citizens as protests erupted in each of these provinces. Mohammad Reza Hashemifar serves as the commander of the Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (LEF) in Lorestan Province. Nematollah Bagheri is the IRGC commander of Lorestan Province. Iranian security forces in Lorestan Province have committed multiple atrocities targeting Iranian civilians. Azizollah Maleki and Yadollah Buali serve as the LEF and IRGC commanders for Fars Province, Security forces in Fars Province have killed countless peaceful demonstrators since the beginning of protests in December 2025, and Shiraz hospitals are so inundated with gunshot wound patients that no other types of patients can be admitted. Families of the killed have been forced to give false testimony on national television to support the regimes narratives, lest their loved ones bodies never be returned. This violence and oppression by the Iranian regime must stop. The United States stands firmly behind the Iranian people in their call for freedom and justice, said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. Sorry, something doesn't look right. Something seems unusual about your device or browser. Please contact support. Contains five principal sections of epic To be housed in Ayodhya's Ram Katha Museum The Central Sanskrit University has permanently gifted a rare 233-year-old Sanskrit manuscript of the Valmiki Ramayana to the International Ram Katha Museum in Ayodhya. The manuscript, dating to 1792 CE and containing five principal sections of the epic, was handed over to Nripendra Misra, who chairs the museum's executive council and the Ram Temple Construction Committee. This donation supports the transformation of the museum into a modern, immersive center blending ancient heritage with technology. The museum, established in 1988, already houses nearly a thousand artworks and a reference library dedicated to Ram Katha. A 233-year-old Sanskrit Ramayana manuscript is gifted to Ayodhya's Ram Katha Museum, marking a landmark moment for cultural preservation and devotees. New Delhi, Jan 20 In a landmark cultural handover, the Central Sanskrit University on Tuesday presented a rare 233-year-old Sanskrit manuscript of the Valmikiramayaaam to Nripendra Misra, Chairman of the Executive Council of Prime Ministers' Museum and Library at Teen Murti here, an official said. The manuscript, previously loaned to Rashtrapati Bhavan, has now been permanently gifted to the Antarrashtriya Ram Katha Sangrahalaya (International Ram Katha Museum), Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. University Vice Chancellor Shrinivasa Varakhedi handed over the manuscript authored by Adi Kavi ValmAki with a classical commentary (aika) by Maheshvara TArtha, which is written in Sanskrit (Devanagari script). Misra said, "Donation of this rare manuscript of Valmiki Ramayana to Ram Katha Sangrahalaya at Ayodhya is a landmark moment for the devotees of Ram and the temple complex at Ayodhya." Misra, Chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee, is spearheading the transformation of Ayodhya's Ram Katha Sangrahalaya into a modern, immersive museum, blending ancient heritage with technology to narrate Lord Ram's life, Ayodhya's significance, and the global impact of the Ramayana. The manuscript is a historically significant work dating to Vikrama Samvat 1849 (1792 CE) and represents a rare preserved textual tradition of the RAmayaaa, said a statement. The collection comprises five principal kaaaas of the epic - Balakaaaa, Araayakaaaa, Kiakindhakaaaa, Sundarakaaaa, and Yuddhakaaaa - reflecting the narrative and philosophical depth of the Itihasa, said the statement. Varakhedi said, "This gift immortalises the profound wisdom of Valmiki Ramayana, making it accessible to scholars, devotees, and visitors worldwide in the sacred city of Ayodhya." This significant gesture supports the museum's development as a global centre for Ramayana heritage, ensuring wider public access and preservation, said a statement. The Ramkatha Museum was established in 1988 at the Tulsi Smarak Bhavan in Ayodhya to collect and preserve artefacts related to Ram Katha, including illustrated manuscripts, sculptures, Ram Leela, and other related art forms. The museum aims to safeguard the archaeological remains, rare cultural heritage, and display the arts of the Ayodhya region. As of now, the museum has amassed 971 artworks, with 170 of these displayed in its galleries. The exhibited collection includes 61 stone sculptures, 40 clay artefacts, 3 ivory pieces, 3 wooden items, 30 metal objects, 9 textile materials, and 21 art pieces from Thailand. Additionally, the museum features 19 temporary exhibits from Thailand and 88 paintings from art exhibitions. The artworks are displayed on showcases, pedestals, and display boards. The museum has also created and exhibited fibre replicas of ancient stone sculptures of Ram, Lava, and Kush, originally housed in the National Museum, New Delhi. A reference library dedicated to history, art, culture, and Ram Katha has been established in the museum for students, researchers, and art enthusiasts. The library has compiled approximately 750 reference books. Under educational activities, a painting exhibition on Ram Katha was organised in April and an exhibition of Ram Katha paintings in July, according to Uttar Pradesh government's Culture Department. - IANS Europe weighs retaliation after Trump's tariff threats over Greenland Xinhua) 08:25, January 20, 2026 BRUSSELS, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- European countries are hardening their stance amid growing condemnation across the continent after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on eight European countries in an effort to advance his push to "take over" Greenland, prompting mounting calls for a tough, coordinated European response and for the bloc to deploy its full range of countermeasures. In a social media post over the weekend, Trump said the United States would impose a 10-percent tariff from Feb. 1 on goods from eight European countries opposing his ambition to control Greenland. He warned the tariff rate would rise to 25 percent on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland. In a further escalation, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store confirmed on Monday that he had received a letter from Trump in which the U.S. president dismissed any obligation "to think purely of peace" and reaffirmed his desire to control Greenland. Trump wrote in the letter that "the complete and total control of Greenland by the United States is the only way to ensure global security." The remarks have intensified a backlash that has been building across Europe in recent days. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Monday reiterated that the latest U.S. statements would not alter Greenland's position on its right to decide its own future. "The latest statements from the United States, including the tariff threats, will not change our position. We will not let ourselves be pressured. We stand firm on dialogue, on respect and on international law," Nielsen said in a post on social media platform Facebook. In an address to the nation on Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the use of tariffs by the United States against allies was "completely wrong." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also stressed the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity regarding Greenland, adding that "we want to hold our ground as a country and as a continent." Speaking to Swedish television on Monday, Swedish Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson described the U.S. tariff measures linked to Greenland as "absurd," stressing that Europe should not bow to pressure and must respond firmly. She criticized Trump's threat to impose tariffs in an attempt to force Greenland "into U.S. hands" as marking "a new low" in global trade policy, joining calls from other European leaders for a tough and coordinated European response. "We cannot stand politely with our hats in our hands and bow down to this," she said. "We must not allow the U.S. president to play the tariff card like this on serious issues such as taking over Greenland." French Finance Minister Roland Lescure echoed those views ahead of a Eurogroup meeting in Brussels on Monday, saying the best way to prevent Trump's tariff threats from materializing is to demonstrate that the European Union is ready to react forcefully. On Sunday night, the Financial Times reported that European Union (EU) members are considering imposing tariffs on up to 93 billion euros (107.68 billion U.S. dollars) worth of U.S. goods, alongside talks about using the Anti-Coercion Instrument, which could curb U.S. firms' access to the bloc's market. The EU has "tools at our disposal" and "currently nothing is off the table," EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Monday. He confirmed that available measures include a pending tariff package that could be renewed or allowed to take effect in February, as well as the Anti-Coercion Instrument. According to European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill, leaders of EU member states will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to discuss U.S. threats related to Greenland and assess possible retaliatory measures. Gill said the EU continues to engage with Washington "at all levels" over the latest tariff threats and is taking "every possible step" to protect the bloc's economic interests. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Giant panda Jingliang enjoys bamboo at the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province on Jan. 17, 2026. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) This photo taken on Jan. 17, 2026 shows giant panda Rongyao at the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) A staff member explains the development history of giant panda protection in Fuzhou, at the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province on Jan. 17, 2026. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) Giant panda Ailun enjoys bamboo at the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province on Jan. 17, 2026. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) Tourists purchase panda-themed merchandise at the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province on Jan. 17, 2026. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) Giant panda Rongyao roams at an outside area at the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province on Jan. 17, 2026. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) A visitor tries out a virtual reality headset at the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province on Jan. 17, 2026. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) A child shows her ticket to the Panda world at the entrance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province on Jan. 17, 2026. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) Tourists purchase panda-themed merchandise at the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province on Jan. 17, 2026. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) Keepers put panda dolls inside their new "houses" during a reopening ceremony at the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province on Jan. 17, 2026. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) This photo taken on Jan. 17, 2026 shows a view of the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) Visitors watch giant panda Ailun enjoying bamboo at the Panda World in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province on Jan. 17, 2026. Five giant pandas, arriving from Chengdu, met the public at the reopened Fuzhou Panda World on Saturday, following a 20-day adaptation period. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) Editor: WSH Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee will lead a 10-member party delegation to meet West Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal on January 27. The meeting aims to discuss issues related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. This follows a recent Supreme Court order directing the ECI to ensure transparency in the process of verifying 'logical discrepancies'. Banerjee hailed the court's intervention as a victory, claiming it saved millions of names from being struck off the electoral rolls. TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee will lead a party delegation to the West Bengal CEO's office to discuss voter list revision issues. Kolkata, Jan 20 Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee will visit the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal on January 27 to meet with CEO Manoj Agarwal, along with a 10-member delegation of his party leaders. Sources in the Trinamool Congress said on Tuesday that an application via email requesting a meeting with the CEO has been sent. The move from the Mamata Banerjee-led party came a day after it claimed a major victory in the Supreme Court after it issued a set of directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that the verification of the persons put in the 'logical discrepancies' category as part of SIR process in West Bengal is conducted transparently, without causing stress and inconvenience to the persons. According to party insiders, the email does not clearly state anything in this regard. The mail only says that the delegation led by Abhishek Banerjee will be visiting the CEO's office in Kolkata to discuss several 'important issues' related to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in the state. On December 31, Banerjee met with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi. A 10-member delegation also accompanied him. After the meeting, he had accused the Commission of harassing people in the name of 'logical discrepancies.' Following this, the Trinamool's second-in-command also demanded that booth-level agents (BLA-2s) be allowed to be present at the hearing centres. On Monday, reacting to the Supreme Court directives to the Election Commission of India (ECI) with regard to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in West Bengal, Banerjee said the BJP's SIR game in the state is over. Addressing party workers in Barasat of North 24 Parganas district, Banerjee said the BJP has been defeated in court and in the days to come, it will be defeated in elections also. "Today I heard that the Supreme Court has accepted AITC's demand and issued a verdict that the list of logical discrepancies must be published. As far as I know, BLA 2 will also be allowed in the hearing centre. BJP's SIR game is over. One crore names targeted to be struck off the voters' list have been saved, and the victory belongs to the people of Bengal. Our voting rights were being threatened, but the Supreme Court has given them a firm rebuke," said Banerjee. The strong reaction from Banerjee came after the Supreme Court directed the ECI to publish the list of persons to whom notices have been sent, citing 'logical discrepancies' in the enumeration forms submitted by them. The lists have to be published in the Panchayat/Block offices. - IANS Defence expert Captain Anil Gaur highlighted the defence production agreement as the most significant outcome of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit to India. The visit, marked by a warm welcome from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, resulted in several key agreements spanning defence, space, and investment. Both nations agreed to a Strategic Defence Partnership and to double bilateral trade to over USD 200 billion by 2032. Additional cooperation was outlined in civil nuclear technology and the development of the Dholera Special Investment Region in Gujarat. Defence expert lauds India-UAE deals on defence production, space cooperation, and investment during UAE President's visit to New Delhi. Jammu, January 20 Defence Expert Captain Anil Gaur lauded the recent deals signed between India and the United Arab Emirates, saying that the defence agreement "was the most important". Gaur also highlighted that the warm welcome given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was indicative of a closeness between the two leaders and, subsequently, between the two countries. The key agreements on defence production, space cooperation and investment were signed during the visit. Speaking to ANI in Jammu, Gaur said on Monday, "The visit of the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the warm welcome accorded to him by our Prime Minister, who went to receive him at the airport, shows the closeness between the two leaders and also the closeness between India and the UAE, particularly. Many agreements have been signed, the most important being the one on defence production." "The agreement between the Indian National Space Authorisation Program and the UAE space agencies. This is for the commercialisation and utilisation of space. New launch pads will be made from where commercial launches can take place...The development of the Special Investment Region in Dholera, Gujarat, is also a very positive development," he added. On Monday, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan concluded his three-hour visit to New Delhi during which he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sealed key agreements to enhance cooperation between Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. During the visit, India and the UAE signed a Letter of Intent on investment cooperation between the Government of Gujarat and the UAE Ministry of Investment for the development of the Dholera Special Investment Region. The envisioned partnership includes the creation of strategic infrastructure, such as an international airport, a greenfield port, a smart urban township, railway connectivity, energy infrastructure, and aviation training and aircraft maintenance facilities. Both sides also agreed to work towards establishing a Strategic Defence Partnership Framework Agreement, aimed at expanding defence cooperation in areas including defence industrial collaboration, advanced technologies, training and education, special operations, cyber security, counter-terrorism and interoperability. Additionally, India and the UAE agreed to double bilateral trade to over USD 200 billion by 2032, with a focus on linking MSMEs, promoting new markets and leveraging initiatives such as Bharat Mart, the Virtual Trade Corridor and Bharat-Africa Setu. The two sides also agreed to promote bilateral civil nuclear cooperation, building on opportunities created by India's SHANTI Act 2025. Cooperation will cover advanced nuclear technologies, including large reactors and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), as well as nuclear safety, operations and maintenance. - ANI Actor Ahan Shetty shared a behind-the-scenes moment from the shoot of "Border 2" with co-star Diljit Dosanjh, noting the scene was a blast to film but left him sore the next day. The upcoming war drama, presented by Gulshan Kumar & T-Series and directed by Anurag Singh, is based on the 1971 war and is set for release on January 23. Shetty will portray Lt. Cdr. Joseph Pius Alfred Noronha, a brave Indian Navy officer, in the film. He expressed that wearing the uniform for the role carried a deep sense of responsibility and sincerity. Ahan Shetty talks about the fun and physical toll of filming a scene with Diljit Dosanjh for the upcoming war drama 'Border 2', releasing Jan 23. Mumbai, Jan 19 Actor Ahan Shetty talked about having the best time shooting a scene with Diljit Dosanjh in the upcoming war drama "Border 2" but admitted that the soreness the next day wasn't so great. A BTS was shared from the shoot of "Border 2" by Diljit's team on Instagram. In the picture, Ahan and Diljit are seen in uniform, engaged in a discussion amid an outdoor setup, appearing to rehearse or break down a scene. It was captioned: "Dosanjh saab X Shetty saab... Almost 4 days to go Border 2. Border 2 Advance bookings open tomorrow (sic)." Sharing the moment on his Instagram stories, Ahan spoke about the demanding nature of the shoot, admitting that while filming was thoroughly enjoyable, the physical toll was felt soon after. He wrote: "Had the best time shooting this, but the soreness the next day wasn't so great." "Border 2", which, as per Varun Dhawan, is based on the 1971 war and some true events, is presented by Gulshan Kumar & T-Series, in association with J.P. Dutta's J.P. Films. Backed by a powerful production team including Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, J.P. Dutta, and Nidhi Dutta, and directed by Anurag Singh. The film is slated to release on January 23. Meanwhile, J.P. Dutta's blockbuster "Border' was released in 1997. The film stars an ensemble cast of Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Suniel Shetty, Akshaye Khanna, Puneet Issar, Sudesh Berry and Kulbhushan Kharbanda in pivotal roles, along with Tabu, Pooja Bhatt, Rakhee Gulzar, Sharbani Mukherjee, Sapna Bedi, and Rajiv Goswami. Ahan will be seen playing Lt. Cdr. Joseph Pius Alfred Noronha, a brave Indian Navy officer, in the 1971 conflict. In December, the actor had said that the uniform he wears in the film represents far more than just a costume. Ahan said, "Seeing the love coming in for the Border 2 poster is truly humbling. Wearing the uniform carries a sense of responsibility, and I wanted the look to reflect the honesty and discipline of a Navy officer." He added: "The encouragement from audiences means a lot to me, and it motivates me to give my absolute best to the film. I hope people feel that sincerity when they watch Border 2 on screen." - IANS AM Green Group has signed an MoU with Uttar Pradesh's InvestUP to establish a massive 1 GW AI data centre hub in Greater Noida. The $25 billion project will be developed in phases, with the first capacity coming online in 2028 and full completion targeted for 2030. The facility is designed to handle high-performance computing for global AI workloads and will operate on carbon-free energy. It aims to support India's sovereign AI initiatives and Viksit Bharat 2047 vision while providing advanced computing resources to Indian developers. AM Green signs MoU for a 1 GW, $25 bn AI data centre in Greater Noida, targeting 2028-2030 completion with carbon-free energy. Davos, Jan 20 AM Green Group, an energy transition platform backed by the founders of the Greenko Group, on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with InvestUP, the investment promotion arm of the Uttar Pradesh Government, to set up a massive 1 gigawatt data centre focused on global artificial intelligence workloads. Under the agreement, AM Green Group will develop an AI infrastructure hub in the Greater Noida region. The project will be rolled out in phases, with the first capacity expected to become operational in 2028, while the full 1 GW capacity is targeted to be completed by 2030. The total investment for the project is estimated at around $25 billion, according to the official statement. "This grand scale project will be developed in a phased manner with first capacity coming up in 2028 and full 1 GW capacity targeted to come up by 2030 and a total investment of $25 billion," AM Green Group said. The company said the project reflects its commitment to building a sustainable and carbon-neutral digital economy and also supports Uttar Pradesh's ambition to emerge as India's leading data centre hub. "Once completed, the facility will be among the largest investments in the country and aligns with the Indian government's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision to boost AI-led growth and digital services," the firm stated. The data centre will be designed to handle the growing demand for high-performance computing and AI workloads from global hyperscalers, frontier AI labs, large enterprises and India's sovereign AI initiatives. The facility will host nearly 500,000 advanced high-performance chipsets and will operate using carbon-free energy to ensure sustainable operations. AM Green said its AI labs are working on building a full-stack AI ecosystem, covering energy, infrastructure, hardware installation, customised models and applications. "These solutions will cater to multiple sectors such as energy, healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, media, gaming and sovereign cloud services," AM Green Group mentioned. The computing capacity will also help Indian developers by providing wider access to advanced chipsets, enabling faster development of AI solutions for both domestic and global markets. The MoU was exchanged in the presence of senior government officials and AM Green's leadership team at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Commenting on the development, Anil Chalamalasetty, Group Chairman of AM Green Group, said the expansion into the AI ecosystem is a natural extension of the company's technology-first approach and will help deliver end-to-end solutions across industries. AM Green President Mahesh Kolli added that combining large-scale computing capacity with 24/7 green power will create a sustainable model for the future of global AI infrastructure, with strong support from the Uttar Pradesh government. - IANS AM Group has signed an MoU with the Uttar Pradesh government to build a massive AI compute hub in Greater Noida with a $25 billion investment. The facility, announced at Davos, is planned to reach a full capacity of 1 gigawatt by 2030 and will house around 500,000 high-performance chipsets. A key feature is its sustainability, as it will run entirely on carbon-free energy from solar, wind, and pumped storage. The project aims to support global AI workloads, advance India's national AI goals, and create thousands of high-skilled jobs. AM Group signs MoU for a 1 GW AI compute hub in Greater Noida, powered by 24/7 carbon-free energy, with a $25 billion investment. Davos, January 20 AM Group, the leading energy transition platform backed by the founders of Greenko Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Uttar Pradesh government to build a massive Artificial Intelligence compute hub in Greater Noida. The project, announced at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, involves a total investment of approximately USD 25 billion. This hub is designed to handle global AI workloads and will be one of the largest investments in India's digital infrastructure to date. The project will be built in stages, with the first part expected to be ready by 2028. By 2030, the facility is planned to reach its full capacity of 1 gigawatt. The hub will house around 500,000 advanced high-performance chipsets. It is intended to support global tech companies, research labs, and India's own national AI goals by providing the massive computing power needed for modern technology. A key feature of the new centre is its focus on sustainability. The facility will run on 24/7 carbon-free energy, using a mix of solar, wind, and pumped storage power. This aligns with the state's goal to become a leader in the AI industry while maintaining a commitment to green energy. The project is also expected to create thousands of high-skilled jobs and attract further investment into the region. "Evolution of global AI ecosystem with intentionality, intelligence and adaptability will be a pivotal tool for current & future generations. AMG AI labs focus on valorising electron agents into intelligent tokens is a natural extension of our technology-first approach to our businesses as the global AI ecosystem races towards Physical AI Solutions," said Anil Chalamalasetty, Group Chairman, AM Group. "By combining 1 GW of compute capacity with our 24/7 green power solutions, we are not just building a data centre; we are creating a sustainable template for the future of global AI infrastructure with the support of the state of Uttar Pradesh," added Mahesh Kolli, Group President, AM Group. - ANI A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, chaired by Radha Mohan Singh, conducted a study visit to the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory in Visakhapatnam. The committee observed live demonstrations of advanced underwater weapons and technologies developed for the Indian Navy. Senior DRDO officials, including Dr. Samir V Kamat, briefed the delegation on the lab's R&D activities and future roadmap. This visit followed a similar trip to the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory in Kochi to review sonar systems. Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, led by Radha Mohan Singh, reviews underwater weapons & sonar tech at NSTL Vizag and NPOL Kochi. Visakhapatnam, January 20 The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, under the chairmanship of Radha Mohan Singh, undertook an on-the-spot study visit to Naval Science & Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam, on Tuesday, a press release said. According to the Defence Ministry, the committee witnessed NSTL-developed products like Torpedos (ALWT, Varunastraand EHWT), Mines (MIGM and PBGM), Decoys (SFD, Torbuster), SMART, HEAUV, SWARM, underwater systems, underwater vehicles, products, and other associated underwater weapon technologies. The committee also witnessed the live demonstration of hydrodynamic testing on sa cale-down model of a ship at the Sea-keeping and Manoeuvring Basin test facility. The delegation appreciated NSTL's R&D efforts in the development of underwater platforms, weapons, associated products and technologies to cater for the requirements of the Indian Navy. Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, DG (Naval Systems & Materials) Dr RV Hara Prasad, and Director, NSTL Dr Abraham Varughese welcomed the delegation comprising Members of Parliament, Officials from Lok Sabha Secretariat and Ministry of Defence. The Director, NSTL, briefed the Committee on the R&D activities being pursued at NSTL, including the industry and academia interactions. He also briefly explained the future technology roadmap of the lab. The committee appreciated the R&D efforts of NSTL in the strategically important area of Maritime Domain Awareness and Underwater Domain Awareness. On Sunday, the Parliamentary Committee undertook an on-the-spot study visit to the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) of DRDO in Kochi, Kerala. According to a statement by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the parliamentary committee witnessed underwater sensors and the development of sonar systems for the Indian Navy. "Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence (SCoD), under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble Radha Mohan Singh, undertook an on-the-spot study visit to NPOL, Kochi, on January 17, 2026. The committee witnessed underwater sensors and related technologies developed by NPOL, including live demos of various systems and appreciated NPOL's R&D efforts in developing sonar systems for the Indian Navy," DRDO posted on X. - ANI Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi led state discussions at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, focusing on high-tech transformation. He met with OpenAI's Chris Lehane to explore AI enablement and its role in reshaping global industries. Sanghavi also held talks with Cognizant's Jatin Dalal on leveraging GIFT City's TechFin Centre and Gujarat's skilled talent pool. The state showcased massive economic momentum, having secured over Rs 45 lakh crore in Memorandums of Understanding for upcoming investment cycles. Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi meets OpenAI & Cognizant at WEF 2026 to drive AI and tech growth, citing over Rs 45 lakh crore in MoUs. Davos, January 20 Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, currently leading a high-level state delegation at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, held pivotal discussions with global tech giants to cement the state's position as a premier destination for high-tech transformation. During the summit, Sanghavi met with key leaders from OpenAI and Cognizant to discuss integrating artificial intelligence and expanding digital infrastructure to drive the next wave of industrial growth in Gujarat. In a significant meeting with Chris Lehane from OpenAI, the Deputy Chief Minister explored the future of AI enablement and its role in reshaping global industries. Taking to his social media, he highlighted the state's readiness to embrace emerging technologies. Sanghavi noted that Gujarat is strategically positioning itself at the forefront of this shift. He remarked, "As AI reshapes the world, Gujarat steps forward with confidence," adding that the state is "building an ecosystem where responsible AI and world-class innovation can truly thrive." The discussions underscored Gujarat's "robust digital infrastructure and a fast-growing talent base" as the foundation for this high-tech evolution. Furthering the state's agenda for global collaboration, Sanghavi also held a productive session with Jatin Dalal, Global CFO of Cognizant. The meeting focused on the impact of Cognizant's TechFin Centre at GIFT City, which Sanghavi described as "emerging as a strategic hub for delivering advanced technology solutions to global clients." The conversation centred on "strengthening workforce readiness by leveraging Gujarat's expanding pool of highly skilled technology professionals" to support the growing demands of global innovation. Speaking at WEF, he also stated, "Today, at the World Economic Forum, India has the largest and most formidable delegation." He highlighted the state's massive economic momentum, noting that "Gujarat has a strong legacy of investment." This legacy is evidenced by staggering figures; in the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat 2024 cycles, the state has already "garnered over Rs 45 lakh crore in MoUs." Furthermore, in the past three months alone during regional events, Gujarat has attracted "more than Rs 11 lakh crore in MoUs," signaling unparalleled investor confidence. - ANI A report argues that formalizing and expanding the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum (ACF) is crucial for regional states to collectively counter Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. It suggests perceived waning US interest in the region may embolden China, making ASEAN-led maritime cooperation more vital. The forum, established in 2022, is working on institutionalization under ASEAN frameworks to enable joint exercises and patrols. This collective action aims to deter Chinese coercion against claimant states' vessels and assert regional management of maritime space under international law. Report details ASEAN Coast Guard Forum expansion to deter Chinese coercion, as perceived US disinterest may embolden Beijing in maritime disputes. Canberra, Jan 20 A broader functional scope for the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum would enable members to address maritime challenges beyond countering China in the South China Sea, thereby enhancing the forum's credibility - both regionally and internationally - while mitigating Chinese criticism, a report said on Tuesday. According to a report in Australia-based 'The Strategist', the ACF may in future explore cooperation with extra-regional states - including China - for exercises, joint patrols, capacity-building efforts and training programmes. "Southeast Asian states need their coast guards to cooperate if they are to withstand and counter Chinese aggression, especially as US uninterest in the South China Sea may embolden China to increase its coercion of other claimant states. Efforts to formalise the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum (ACF) within broader ASEAN frameworks could be just the ticket," the report detailed. "The United States' National Security Strategy, released in December, prioritised the western hemisphere, a focus exemplified by this month's military operation in Venezuela. Furthermore, US President Donald Trump was reluctant to discuss the South China Sea conflict during Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos' visit to the US in July 2025, further suggesting a lack of US interest in the South China Sea. Indeed, the US conducted only one freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea in 2025," it added. The report stressed that the ACF has the potential to play a significant role in countering Chinese coercion in the South China Sea. "The ACF was established in 2022 and conducted a table-top exercise in 2023 to enhance communication and trust among ASEAN member states' coast guards. During its third meeting in 2024, the forum generated two consolidated working drafts on the ACF's institutionalisation under the ASEAN umbrella. At the same meeting, participants also proposed draft operational working protocols for engagement between coast guard and maritime law enforcement agencies at sea," it mentioned. "Institutionalisation of the ACF would strengthen maritime cooperation and coordination among Southeast Asian coast guards, paving the way for joint patrols in the South China Sea. This would help deter Chinese coercion of claimant states' fishing and naval vessels," it further stated. Moreover, the report said, the institutionalisation of the ACF would send a collective message that ASEAN member states are capable of managing their shared maritime space under international law, which would help to deter Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. - IANS Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met with Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The discussions centered on the Tata Group's role as the anchor for developing a semiconductor industry ecosystem in the state. CM Sarma emphasized Assam's aim to collaborate with key global players in the sector during further meetings at the forum. He also pitched Assam to international investors as India's fastest-growing state and a prime emerging economy for investment. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma meets Tata Chairman N Chandrasekaran at WEF to strengthen the state's semiconductor ecosystem with global players. New Delhi, January 20 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said he held discussions with Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran ahead of his meetings with representatives from the global semiconductor industry on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. In a post on X, the Chief Minister said the Tata Group is anchoring Assam's semiconductor industry and the state government is keen to further strengthen the ecosystem by collaborating with key global players. "Ahead of my meeting with representatives from the global semiconductor industry at @wef later today, I had a good conversation with Shri N Chandrasekaran, the Chairman of @TataCompanies. The Tata Group is anchoring Assam's semiconductor industry and we are keen to strengthen this ecosystem by joining hands with key global players. #AssamAtDavos #WEF26," CM Himanta's post read. Meanwhile, as Assam made its debut at the 56th World Economic Forum in Davos on Monday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the ecosystem is gradually being developed in Assam and said Guwahati attracts the entire talent pool of the Northeast. Speaking with ANI on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, CM Biswa Sarma said, "We are having a good meeting tomorrow on Semiconductor. Along with Tata, we are lining up. There is a lot of interest in Assam because with Tata being there, the ecosystem is gradually being developed. So tomorrow we are meeting leaders of the semiconductor industry. Although nothing specific is on the table, once we interact, I think things will move." CM Biswa Sarma noted that Assam is not separate from the rest of the Northeast and said that the geographical conditions of other states makes its difficult for industries to be set up there. Earlier, making a strong pitch to global investors at the WEF in Davos, CM Biswa Sarma urged them to invest in "emerging state and emerging economy." Sarma said, "Assam is coming to the World Economic Forum Davos for the first time. We want to send a message that Assam is now an emerging state and an emerging economy. When you are thinking of investing in India, you can consider Assam as one of the destinations. Assam is now officially the fastest-growing state in the country." Assam is at WEF Davos for the first time, aiming to signal that it is an emerging economy and a viable investment destination within India. The state is now the fastest-growing in the country, according to recent RBI data. - ANI Australia's lower house of parliament has passed gun reform legislation in response to last month's deadly Bondi Beach terror attack. The government has declared January 22 a National Day of Mourning, with landmarks to be illuminated and flags flown at half-mast. A commemorative installation called the 15 Pillars of Light will be held across the nation as a symbol of remembrance. Negotiations between the Labor government and the Coalition are ongoing to secure the bill's passage through the Senate. Australia's gun reform legislation advances as the nation declares a National Day of Mourning for the Bondi Beach terror attack victims. Canberra, January 20 As Australia seeks to tighten its noose on gun laws following the Bondi beach shooting, the federal government's gun reform legislation has passed the lower house of parliament and will move to the Senate, as per ABC News. Meanwhile, the Labor party has also introduced hate laws into the House of Representatives; however, the Coalition's position on the bill remains unclear. Meanwhile, as per ABC News, a deal between the Labor and coalition appears within reach, and negotiations are on. The Liberal Party has agreed to a list of changes to the proposed reforms, while the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared today as the deadline for them to pass. The laws were introduced as part of the federal government's response to last month's Bondi beach terror attack which killed 15. The Australian Government announced a National Day of Mourning on January 22 to honour the victims and all those impacted by the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, a statement by the Prime Minister's Office said. "National institutions in Canberra, as well as New South Wales will be illuminated as a symbol of light on the evening of Thursday 22 January 2026. Institutions around Australia are encouraged to participate," the statement read. A commemorative installation, 15 Pillars of Light will be held in Canberra and across Australia. Each pillar will serve a visible symbol of mourning, remembrance and national solidarity. The Bondi Beach Attack Memorial Event, which is being organised by the Chabad of Bondi on Thursday, will be recognised as a National Event. As a mark of mourning and respect and in accordance with protocol, the Australian National Flag will be flown at half-mast on the National Day of Mourning. December 14, 2025, marked the first night of Hannukah, and to celebrate, more than 1,000 people gathered at Sydney's Bondi Beach, as per CNN. The two suspected gunmen are 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who was killed exchanging gunfire with police; and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, who was taken in custody at the hospital, as per CNN. - ANI Staff members clear the snow at the Tiantan Park (Temple of Heaven) after a snowfall in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 18, 2026. (Photo by Zhang Jiang/Xinhua) BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Schools closed, snow-removal crews were placed on standby, and cold-wave alerts were issued as a powerful cold wave swept across China, disrupting daily life. In Jiangsu Province, education authorities in the city of Xuzhou suspended classes at primary and secondary schools and kindergartens on Monday and Tuesday, citing safety concerns due to forecasts of heavy snowfall and freezing weather. The closures followed warnings from meteorological authorities that the province would be hit by widespread cold air, strong winds and snow. Blizzard conditions are forecast in parts of Xuzhou, Suqian and Huai'an starting Monday, with snow accumulation expected to reach 5 to 8 centimeters. Much of the province also faces elevated risks of frost damage and icy roads. In Henan Province, transport authorities launched snow removal and road maintenance operations to keep traffic moving. As of Monday, 113 pieces of equipment had been deployed, consuming nearly 900 tonnes of snow-melting agents. Across the province, 211 emergency supply points on expressways have been set up, with more than 6,700 maintenance workers, 217 rescue teams and over 1,000 snow removal vehicles on standby. In central China's Hunan Province, the provincial meteorological observatory upgraded its cold wave alert on Monday morning, warning that temperatures in most areas would drop below freezing, accompanied by strong winds from Monday through early Wednesday. People have been urged to dress warmly, secure doors, windows and temporary structures, and seek shelter during periods of strong winds. They were also advised to remain vigilant about potential safety risks when traveling outdoors. China's meteorological authority renewed a cold wave alert on Monday, warning that temperatures across much of the country are expected to plummet over the coming days. Some regions could see temperatures fall by 6 to 10 degrees Celsius from Monday through Wednesday. Editor: WSH The West Bengal Agriculture Department has developed four new high-yielding rice varieties tailored to the state's climate challenges. Three varietiesSubhashini, Lachhmanti, and Musafirare designed for drought-prone regions like Purulia and Bankura. The fourth, Iravati, is engineered for flood-prone areas in south Bengal, resisting water submersion and storm damage. Since 2011, the state has introduced 25 new crop varieties, with 15 being rice, to enhance farmer productivity and resilience. West Bengal develops four high-yielding rice varietiesSubhashini, Lachhmanti, Musafir, Iravatito combat drought and floods, boosting farmer resilience. Kolkata, Jan 20 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Tuesday, told that the State Agriculture department had been able to develop four new high-yielding rice varieties suitable for the state's weather and climate. "After several years of research at the Purulia Drought Resistance Research Centre and the Chinsurah Rice Research Centre, it has been possible to create these varieties. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the scientists involved in this work," the Chief Minister said in a statement. She had also told that among these four new weather-suitable varieties, three namely Subhashini, Lachhmanti, and Musafir, were intended for drought-prone areas in the western part of the state, such as West Medinipur, Purulia, and Bankura. "These varieties are capable of yielding 52 to 55 quintals per hectare during the kharif season," the Chief Minister claimed. On the other hand, Chief Minister Banerjee had claimed that a variety named Iravati had been developed for flood-prone areas in south Bengal. This variety, according to the Chief Minister, does not get damaged even when submerged in water for long periods and does not lodge during storms. "Taking these four into account, since 2011, the state government has developed a total of 25 new crop varieties through research for the benefit of farmers, of which 15 are rice varieties," she said. Agriculture scientists feel that, as the Chief Minister claims, the development of these four varieties will really solve the problem of damage to large quantities of crops every year, either because of prolonged drought situations or because of flood because of the excessive rains, where farmlands remain submerged for a prolonged period. "The development of Iravati is especially important since the flood situation in the paddy belts in South Bengal has become a yearly feature every year. Seedbeds remaining submerged for a prolonged period lead to huge losses of crops every year. This Iravati variety is expected to solve the problem to a great extent," a city-based agriculture scientist said. - IANS The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to ensure transparency in West Bengal's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. This may lead to an extension of the February 7 deadline for hearings and the February 14 deadline for the final voters' list, with a decision expected Wednesday. The process has uncovered about 94 lakh cases of "logical discrepancies," where fake voters attempted to link themselves to genuine ones through fabricated family trees. Officials cite examples like a senior citizen falsely listed as the father of much older "sons" to illustrate the scale of manipulation. Supreme Court order may extend deadlines for voter list hearings and final publication in West Bengal's Special Intensive Revision. Kolkata, Jan 20 The deadlines for concluding the hearing sessions on claims and objections on the draft voters' list in West Bengal and publication of the final voters' list might be extended in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent order. The apex court on Monday issued a slew of directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, especially the verification of voters under the "logical discrepancies" category, is conducted transparently and without causing undue hardship to citizens. A final decision in the matter is likely on Wednesday, said insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal. As of now, the deadline for completion of the hearing process is February 7, and the same for publication of the final voters' list is February 14. "The final decision regarding the extension of deadlines for completing the hearing process and the publication of the final voters' list might be taken by the Commission on Wednesday. In case the deadline for completing the hearing sessions is extended, logically there will be a proportionate extension of the deadline for the publication of the draft voters' list," explained an insider from the CEO's office. However, the insider added, it is not yet clear whether the deadline extensions would be only in case of West Bengal or also for the other states and Union Territories where the parallel Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercises have been going on. Since the process of hearing on claims and objections on the draft voters' list had begun, West Bengal had been exclusively in the national headlines for the very high number of "logical discrepancy" cases, which relate to voters in whose cases weird family-tree data was detected during the course of "progeny mapping". ECI had already explained why the number of cases flagged as "logical discrepancies" in the state is unusually high. The ECI has identified around 94 lakh "logical discrepancy" cases in West Bengal. Such cases refer to anomalies detected during progeny mapping, where implausible or inconsistent family relationships appear in voter records. Officials in the CEO's office have cited several examples to illustrate how fake voters attempted to retain their names on the electoral roll by falsely linking themselves to unrelated genuine voters. There have been cases where eight to ten voters were shown as sons or daughters of a single senior citizen voter during progeny mapping. However, during hearings, it was found that the senior citizen had only two children and had no blood relationship with most of those listed as his sons or daughters. According to officials, such manipulation was aimed at ensuring that fake voters remained on the rolls by presenting themselves as siblings within a fabricated family structure linked to a genuine voter. In another instance, the Commission came across a case involving a 64-year-old senior citizen voter who was shown as having two sons aged 60 and 59. This would mean the voter became a father of two sons at the age of five. Subsequent verification revealed that both individuals listed as his sons were fake voters who had falsely linked themselves to the genuine voter to avoid deletion from the electoral roll. - IANS The Election Commission of India is considering seeking explanations from electoral registration officers in West Bengal for accepting unlisted identity-proof documents during the draft voters' list revision, contrary to its specific instructions. This has reportedly delayed the Special Intensive Revision process, as affected voters must be re-summoned with valid documents. The hearing sessions are ongoing until February 7, with the final voters' list scheduled for publication on February 14. Following this, the full ECI bench will visit West Bengal before the Assembly election dates are announced. Election Commission may seek explanations from Bengal electoral officers for accepting unlisted ID documents during voter list revision, causing delays. Kolkata, Jan 20 The Election Commission of India is considering seeking explanations from a section of the electoral registration officers and the assistant electoral registration officers, who had accepted unlisted identity-proof documents during the hearing session on claims and objections to the draft voters list in West Bengal, ignoring ECI's specific instructions in the matter. The ECI had specified 13 documents that could be accepted as supporting identity-proof documents. It had instructed the EROs and AEROs not to accept any other document other than the 13 listed ones. The Commission had also instructed the District Magistrates (DMs) and the District Electoral Officers (DEOs) to ensure that the ECI's guidelines in the matter are adhered to strictly. However, sources pointed out that despite such specific instructions in the matter, several instances have surfaced where unlisted documents were accepted by the EROs and AEROs as supporting identity-proof documents. "This, on one hand, is delaying the entire process of Special Intensive Revision since the voters submitting unlisted documents will have to be summoned again for a hearing and asked to come with any one of the 13 listed documents. At the same time, some vested interests seem to be using this opportunity to accuse the Commission of unnecessarily harassing the voters in the name of a hearing. In such a situation, the Commission is considering seeking explanations from those EROs and AEROs who accepted unlisted documents, ignoring the ECI's specific guidelines in the matter," a CEO's office insider explained. The deadline for submitting claims and objections to the draft voters' list expired on Monday. The hearing sessions in the matter will continue till February 7. The final voters' list will be published on February 14. The Commission has already set a target of completing 7,00,000 hearings a day at 6,500 centres, to meet the deadlines for hearing and publication of the final voters' list. After the publication of the final voters' list, the full bench of the ECI will visit West Bengal, and soon after that, the polling dates will be announced for the Assembly elections. - IANS The release of the highly anticipated Malayalam film 'Anomie' has been postponed from January 30 to February 6, 2026. The crime thriller features Bhavana and Rahman in lead roles, with Rahman playing a police officer. The film's teaser suggests a grim narrative centered on a manhunt for a psychopath, filled with intense confrontations and action. The project boasts a strong supporting cast and is directed by Riyas Marath. The Malayalam crime thriller 'Anomie' starring Bhavana and Rahman is now set for release on February 6, 2026. Get the latest updates. Chennai, Jan 20 The release of director Riyas Marath's eagerly awaited Malayalam crime thriller 'Anomie', featuring actors Rahman and Bhavana in the lead, has now been postponed to February 6 this year, its makers announced on Tuesday. It may be recalled that the film was originally scheduled to release on January 30 this year. Sharing a poster that carried the new release date on the film's official handle, the makers wrote, "Built for the big screen. Arriving February 6,2026. Welcome to the world of Anomie. Anomie - The equation of death. Starring @bhavzmenon and @rahman_actor. Written and directed by @riyas_marath." The film has triggered huge expectations ever since the makers released a teaser of the film a week ago. The teaser released begins with a voice over that says, "Everyone, everywhere wants to live. The rich wants to live, the poor wants to live. Nobody wants to die." Even as this is narrated, a series of grim, intense scenes that involve cops appear. Soon, another voiceover, this time in Malayalam, says, "The only thing that man fears is death." Rahman, a police officer, is shown confronting someone. He says, "You are a fucking psychopath" to which the other person,through what appears to be a mike, replies, "No, I am not." Bhavana's character is seen saying, "Either he knows who is the killer or he is the killer" even as the cops gear up to hunt. We next hear a voice, most likely that of the psychopath, say in a taunting tone, "Who is coming next, a man? or a force? A man with a force." Even as this voiceover plays, a series of intense action scenes play out. The teaser makes it evident that the film revolves around the hunt the cops undertake to bring a psychopath to justice. Apart from Bhavana and Rahman, the film will also feature Shebin Benson, Vishnu Agasthya, Binu Pappu and Arjun Lal in pivotal characters. Produced by Dr Roy CJ, Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak, Blitzkrieg Films, Bhavana, and Aadith Prassanakumar, the film has music by Harshavardhan Rameshwar and cinematography by Sujith Sarang. - IANS BingX, a leading crypto exchange, has announced a historic multi-year partnership with the Scuderia Ferrari HP Formula 1 team, marking the racing outfit's first-ever collaboration with a cryptocurrency exchange. The alliance brings together two brands focused on precision, performance, and cutting-edge innovation. BingX executives state the partnership challenges them to elevate their global platform and user experience, mirroring Ferrari's racing ethos. The collaboration will see BingX featured across team events and digital platforms, signaling a new era of ambition for the crypto firm. BingX becomes the first-ever crypto exchange partner for Scuderia Ferrari HP in a multi-year alliance merging high-performance racing with digital innovation. Panama City, January 20 , a leading crypto exchange and Web3-AI company, today announced a multi-year partnership with Scuderia Ferrari HP, marking BingX's first motorsport collaboration and Scuderia Ferrari HP's first-ever collaboration with a crypto exchange brand. This historic alliance brings together two global brands known for pushing the boundaries of performance and innovation. Partnering with Scuderia Ferrari HP marks a defining milestone in BingX's global expansion strategy. As one of the world's most iconic motorsport teams, Scuderia Ferrari HP embodies precision, ambition, and continuous pursuit of excellence, values that mirror BingX's vision as it continues to scale its platform and community. The collaboration solidifies BingX's position as a top-of-mind brand in the crypto landscape and signals the company's long-term commitment to world-class partnerships and innovation. Daniel Lai, Chief Business Officer at BingX, commented: "This partnership is more than a landmark. Partnering with Scuderia Ferrari HP sets a new benchmark for BingX. Scuderia Ferrari HP's discipline, precision, and relentless pursuit of excellence mirror the values we strive for as a global exchange. This partnership challenges us to elevate everything we build, every experience we deliver, and every user we serve around the world." Lorenzo Giorgetti, Chief Racing Revenue Officer of Scuderia Ferrari HP said: "We are pleased to welcome BingX as Scuderia Ferrari HP's first crypto exchange partner. This collaboration reflects our willingness to embrace emerging technologies that align with our forward-looking philosophy. As we approach a new era in motorsport with the 2026 FIA regulations, this alliance demonstrates our readiness to explore cutting-edge innovation both on and off the track, while remaining true to our heritage of precision and pursuit of excellence. By selecting BingX as our first partner in the crypto exchange space, we recognize the transformative potential of this sector and the opportunity to connect with wider global audiences through new digital experiences." Over the coming years, fans can expect to engage with BingX across a variety of Scuderia Ferrari HP events, digital platforms, global content, and exclusive experiences as the partnership evolves. This multi-year collaboration sets the tone for a new period of global ambition for BingX: One defined by breakthrough partnerships, world-class brand alignment, and a commitment to shaping the future of the industry. About BingX Founded in 2018, BingX is a leading crypto exchange and Web3-AI company, serving a global community of over 40 million users. BingX caters to the evolving needs of users across all experience levels, from beginners to professionals. Committed to building a trustworthy and intelligent trading platform, BingX empowers users with innovative tools designed to enhance performance and confidence. BingX has been the principal partner of Chelsea Football Club since 2024 and became the first official crypto exchange partner of Scuderia Ferrari HP in 2026. For media inquiries, please contact: For more information, please visit: (ANI) Disclaimer: This press release is issued through Arab Newswire (www.arabnewswire.com) -- a press release distribution service for the Arab World, Middle East and North Africa (MENA). - ANI Nitin Nabin has officially taken charge as the youngest-ever National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, elected unopposed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi symbolically declared Nabin the "boss," framing the transition as a significant generational shift for the party. The new president's immediate focus will be strategizing for crucial upcoming state elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and others. Meanwhile, opposition leaders have criticized the appointment process, alleging a lack of internal democracy within the BJP. Nitin Nabin assumes charge as BJP's youngest national president. PM Modi declares him the "boss," highlighting a generational shift, while Opposition cries foul. New Delhi, January 20 Nitin Nabin on Tuesday assumed the charge as the 12th and youngest National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Elected unopposed, Nabin will chair his first office bearers meeting on Wednesday at the party headquarters in the national capital. Nitin Nabin has assumed charge of the ruling party at a crucial juncture, where the BJP is looking forward to winning the five upcoming state elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam, and Kerala. The new BJP chief is set to review the party's strategy and programs for these crucial polls in the meeting. The meeting will also focus on organisational development and other key initiatives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone for Nitin Nabin's tenure, calling him the "boss" and referring to himself as a mere party worker. Addressing a gathering at the BJP headquarters in the national captial PM Modi congratulated Nabin on being elected president of what he described as the world's largest political party and said his responsibility goes beyond managing the BJP. "When it is about the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and I am a party worker. Now Nitin Nabin is the president of all of us, and his responsibility is not just to manage the BJP, but also to ensure coordination among all NDA allies," the Prime Minister said. Highlighting the importance of the coming decades, PM Modi said, "The next 25 years are very important. This is the period when a developed India is to be built, and it is destined to happen." As Nitin Nabin becomes the youngest party chief, PM Modi highlighted a generational shift within the party. The Prime Minister said, "To put it in the language of today's youth, Nitin ji himself is, in a way, a millennial. He belongs to the generation that received information from the radio in their childhood and is now an active user of AI." As JP Nadda handed over the baton to Nabin, he expressed confidence in his leadership, stating that the BJP will grow stronger and "make the lotus bloom" in states like West Bengal, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Kerala. In his address at the party headquarters, Nadda said, "You (Nitin Nabin) have taken on the responsibility as the 12th National President of such a great party. Many congratulations and best wishes to you. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the chairmanship of Nitin Nabin, the Bharatiya Janata Party will bloom the lotus in Bengal in the coming times. We will form the government in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. We will return to power in Assam, and we will deliver good results in Kerala as well. We are moving forward with this confidence." Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari were also present on this occassion. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav and other BJP leaders congratulated Nitin Nabin. While the BJP leader distributed sweets at the headquarters, party workers and supporters burst crackers in Bankipur to mark the beginning of Nabin's leadership era. Similar celebratory visuals were seen outside Nitin Nabin's residence in Patna. Nitin Nabin said he is not just taking up a position, but embracing the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of the party. He expressed gratitude to senior leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the collective effort of 140 crore Indians working towards a developed India. At the party headquarters, Nabin said, "Today's moment is a moment of resolve for me. Today, I am not just assuming a position. I am accepting the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of this party, and on this occasion, I also pay my respects to all my senior colleagues...Today, 140 crore Indians are connecting themselves with the dream of a developed India and are working to take the country forward. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for this." However, Opposition leaders flagged a lack of electoral process in the BJP. Congress MP Manickam Tagore launched a sharp attack, alleging that the BJP lacks internal democracy and is run in an authoritative manner. "There is no democracy in the BJP, only HM Amit Shah and PM Modi make the decisions, and they have proved it again... What is the work of the returning officer when there is no election? We hold elections in Congress, and Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor were candidates, and voting took place. This is called democracy. PM Modi and Amit Shah want to take over the role of all the workers... BJP is an authoritative party and moving towards dictatorship," the Congress MP said. On similar lines, RJD MP Manoj Jha stated, "It is the party's internal matter, but there was nothing like an electoral process in all of this. Whatever happened was pre-decided... Congratulations to him." Taking a jibe at the BJP, Maharashtra Congress leader Nana Patole called for a younger Prime Minister for the country after the BJP got its youngest national chief. "Will Nabin also amplify former President JP Nadda's remarks that the BJP does not need the RSS? We congratulate him on his new role. Just like he is young as the national president. We should be getting a younger Prime Minister as well," he said. Nabin, a senior Indian politician, is a five-time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and former Minister in the government of Bihar. He is widely recognised for his sustained organisational acumen and administrative experience. Born on May 23, 1980, in Jharkhand's Ranchi, Nabin entered electoral politics at a young age and was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 2006 from the Patna West Assembly Constituency. Since 2010, Nabin has been consecutively elected from the Bankipur Assembly Constituency, securing victories in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025, thereby becoming a five-time MLA. He has also held key portfolios like Road Construction, Urban Development & Housing and Law in the Bihar Government as a Cabinet Minister. The five upcoming state assembly polls will be a test for the BJP's Nitin Nabin era after the party recorded a historic win in his own state, Bihar, last year. Among the five states, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, the BJP is yet to breach the frontiers. - ANI An HSBC report anticipates the Union Budget 2026-27 will emphasize continued reforms alongside fiscal restraint. It forecasts the government will meet its FY26 deficit target and project a further consolidation to 4.2% of GDP for FY27. The report expects manageable borrowing levels and a near-neutral fiscal impulse, aided by strong RBI dividends. Key focus areas include domestic deregulation, incentives for small manufacturers, and rationalizing customs duties externally. HSBC report expects Budget 2026 to focus on reforms & fiscal restraint, forecasting a 4.2% deficit for FY27 and manageable borrowing. New Delhi, Jan 20 The wave of reforms are likely to feature prominently in the Union Budget 2026-27, an HSBC report said on Tuesday, adding that given a slew of announcements in recent months, the government is in a mood for further reforms. The central government budget will be presented on February 1, followed closely by the RBI policy meeting on February 6. "We believe the government will focus on two pillars during such time - restraint and reforms," the report mentioned. The report expects the government to meet its FY26 fiscal deficit target of 4.4 per cent of GDP. The tax rate-cut led fall in revenues will likely be partly filled by strong RBI and PSU dividend, and partly by lower current expenditure. "We expect that pruning of schemes will help the government lower its expenditure in FY27, and we forecast a fiscal deficit of 4.2% of GDP," the HSBC report said. It also expects an unchanged net borrowing bill of Rs 11.5 lakh crore in FY27. A high redemption bill (despite assumption of some switches) would bump up gross borrowing (to Rs 16 lakh crore). "But growth in borrowing would still be below nominal GDP growth, making it manageable. The fiscal impulse will likely be near-neutral despite fiscal consolidation, helped by a lower quantum of consolidation and elevated receipts from RBI dividends again," the report noted. This quantum of consolidation is on the right path to meet the central government's public debt target for FY31. However, state governments may see their public debt ratios rise for the next few years, as they do not have a similar consolidation path. Thankfully, even after including states, overall gross market borrowing may grow slightly lower than nominal GDP growth (versus FY26, when growth in borrowing far exceeded NGDP), said the report. On the domestic front, "we expect the state and centre deregulation drive to continue, manufacturing incentives for small firms, capex diversification to favour capex loans to states, and some rationalisation in subsidy and centrally sponsored schemes". "On the external front, we expect a significant exercise to rationalise customs duties, continued withdrawals of non-tariff barriers, and more openness to FDI across sectors," said the report. - IANS Over 2500 candidates have filed nominations for Nepal's March 5 election to the House of Representatives, an early poll triggered by the 2025 Gen-Z uprising which deposed the former prime minister. The political landscape has fragmented, with 125 parties now registered, many championing anti-corruption and addressing youth demands as their core agenda. High-profile candidates include former Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, who is now a prime ministerial candidate for the Rastriya Swatantra Party. The election represents a pivotal moment for change following the protests that challenged the existing political order. Over 2500 candidates file for Nepal's March 5 polls following the Gen-Z uprising. Key agendas focus on anti-corruption and political change. Kathmandu, January 20 Over 2500 candidates have filed their nominations in 165 constituencies across the country for the March 5 election to Nepal's House of Representatives, following the Gen-Z uprising, as Tuesday was the last day to file nominations. Hundreds of candidates representing political parties and independents rallied across Nepal and filed their candidacies to stand in the upcoming election. Political parties have developed agendas to garner public support. "The Nepali Congress has been able to make a complete overhaul and is headed towards the path of change. In order to let the party function under the Gen-Z movement's essence, we made last-ditch efforts, we made the request to our leadership as well, and we followed the process despite the dissatisfaction, which has brought change within ourselves as well," Pradip Paudel, a candidate from the Nepali Congress--the largest party in the dissolved parliament--told ANI after filing his candidature. With the poll date drawing near, all political parties have fielded candidates across the 165 constituencies under the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) electoral system. Political parties submitted the list of 110 candidates to be elected under the Proportional Representation (PR) system last month. "In a democratic system, new political thoughts and parties are always welcome. I would welcome any age group into politics and wish them the best for their attempts in politics. But it is not only about the factor of age, because political parties and their thoughts are ever-changing, and this is the essence of every political party: to remain immortal--they never age. We have always been updating ourselves and moving forward," Ishwor Pokhrel, one of the candidates from the CPN-UML led by KP Sharma Oli, told ANI when asked about the changed context after the Gen-Z protest. Nepal's periodic election, which wasn't due until 2027, has been called early after the Gen-Z revolution of 2025 and the dissolution of the parliament. The September 8 and 9 revolt deposed then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. A total of 76 people died in the crackdown by security forces. The two-day protest, commonly referred to as the "Gen-Z uprising," was against corruption and the social media ban, and it has now changed the course of Nepali politics. "The primary agenda that we have is to stand against and end corruption, to address the demands raised by Gen-Z youths, and to provide the basic infrastructure that people require," Kalpana Sharma, an advocate as well as a candidate from the Nepali Communist Party (NCP), told ANI. Following the Gen-Z protest, the Himalayan nation--buffered between India and China--has seen a spike in the number of political parties. A total of 125 political parties have been registered with the Election Commission to contest the election. "The major agenda of my party is economic transformation and prosperity, basically. We are coming forward with the notion of 'enough with politics'--the country needs transformation, employment, and prosperity," Shree Gurung, a candidate from the Ujyalo Nepal Party--the newly formed political party under the leadership of Kulman Ghising, who recently resigned from the incumbent interim government--told ANI after filing his candidacy. Among the hundreds of political parties formally registered with the Election Commission, there are candidates standing in the fray for 'change,' encouraged by the September protest. Balendra Shah, the former Kathmandu mayor and rapper, has also filed his candidacy from Jhapa-5, standing against KP Sharma Oli, the prime minister deposed by the Gen-Z movement. Shah, who resigned earlier this week, has formally joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). He is now gaining popularity nationwide and is being presented as the party's prime ministerial candidate. "When we merge these two coalitions, the entire country is very energetic and very hopeful to move forward in a way that addresses the kind of political corruption that was going on. We want to challenge the political syndicate, and we are going to establish good governance," Sasmit Pokhrel, a candidate from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)-- from where former Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah is contesting the election--told ANI. The party, formed a few months before the last parliamentary election, won the fourth-highest number of seats in parliament. But the involvement of party president Rabi Lamichhane in a dual-passport and cooperative scam raised questions over the party itself, which had always claimed to be different from others. The party's chairman, Lamichhane, registered his candidacy from Chitwan-2 through a proxy, as he was unable to appear in person due to ongoing legal proceedings in a cooperative fraud case at the Parsa District Court. With new faces emerging among the candidates, the right-wing royalist Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) is also attempting to lure voters. Kamal Thapa, a former home and foreign minister who recently returned to the party, filed his nomination from Kathmandu, promising to make Nepal a Hindu state. "Our main agenda in this election is to eradicate corruption, restore the Hindu rastra and monarchy, and make a strong, prosperous Nepal through good governance. So, on behalf of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, I will take this agenda to the people," Thapa told ANI. According to preliminary records from the Election Commission Nepal, more than 2,500 candidates have enrolled for the March 5 election. The final list of candidates, along with the election symbols for the new candidates, will be released by Friday. On Tuesday, the deposed prime minister and CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli filed his candidacy from Jhapa-5, setting the stage for one of the most high-profile contests of the election. He will face Balendra Shah. The newly elected Nepali Congress president, Gagan Kumar Thapa, registered his candidacy from Sarlahi-4 through a proxy, citing engagements related to ticket distribution. Meanwhile, Harka Sampang--the former mayor of Dharan sub-metropolis and chair of the Shram Sanskriti Party--filed his candidacy from Sunsari-1, and Kulman Ghising, chair of the Ujyalo Nepal Party, filed his candidacy from Kathmandu-3. Analysts say the entry of heavyweight leaders and emerging political figures has set the stage for a fiercely competitive election, with several constituencies expected to see direct, closely followed contests. - ANI The BJP headquarters in New Delhi is in a celebratory mood as Nitin Nabin prepares to assume charge as the party's national president. His appointment is seen as part of the party's resolve to promote young leadership, as stated by BJP MP Manan Kumar Mishra. The nomination process saw 37 sets of papers filed in his favour, with proposals from top leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The official announcement is scheduled to take place between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm, with PM Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh expected to attend. Nitin Nabin is set to become BJP's national president. PM Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh to attend the ceremony in New Delhi. New Delhi, January 20 The BJP headquarters in the national capital on Tuesday bore a celebratory look ahead of Nitin Nabin is set to assume charge as the party's national president later in the day This morning Nabin offered prayers at Jhandewalan Temple and later at Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place. BJP MP Manan Kumar Mishra praised Nitin Nabin's appointment as national president, saying the party aims to give space to young leaders and that Nabin's experience will help the party achieve even better results. "The party has taken a resolve to give space to young leadership. He is young and also quite social. He has a lot of experience. Our party is the largest party in the world. Under his leadership, even better work will be done," Manan told reporters on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the event around 11:30 am today. Including Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh BJP party source told ANI, also as per the press release issued on January 16, K Laxman, National Returning Officer for 'Sangathan Parv'. BJP mentioned that the official announcement process regarding the National President will take place between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. Nitin Nabin is currently serving as the working president. The BJP's National President Election process kicked off after 30 out of 36 State Presidents were elected, exceeding the required 50 per cent threshold. The Election Schedule was announced on January 16, 2026, along with the Electoral Roll. As scheduled, the nomination process took place today, January 19, 2026, between 2 PM and 4 PM. A total of 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in favour of Nitin Nabin for the post of National President, with proposals from top leaders including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K Laxman also announced that Nitin Nabin has been proposed for the post of BJP National President after 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in his favour. - ANI Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi has penned a heartfelt note of gratitude to his audience following the humongous success of his latest film, 'Mana Shankaravara Prasad Garu'. He stated that he is a product of their love and that their whistles in the theater give him energy. The actor credited the film's blockbuster success to his Telugu audience, his Mega Fans, distributors, and the entire movie team. Chiranjeevi, a veteran of over 150 films, remains one of the biggest icons in Indian cinema. Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi calls himself a "product of audience's love" and dedicates his latest film's blockbuster success to his fans and team. Mumbai, Jan 20 Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi has expressed his gratitude towards his admirers. On Tuesday, the actor took to his Instagram, and shared a long note in which he reciprocated his love to the audience, and thanked them for showering love on his latest release, 'Mana Shankaravara Prasad Garu'. He wrote, "Looking at the humongous success of our Film 'Mana Shankaravara Prasad Garu', my heart is filled with gratitude. I have always said that I am a product of your love, and today, you have proven it yet again. This success belongs to my Telugu audience, my dear beloved Mega Fans, Distributors, the movie team who worked relentlessly for this film and who have stood by me for decades". He further mentioned, "Your whistles in the theater are the energy that keeps me going. Records come and go, but the love you shower upon me stays Forever. This blockbuster success is a tribute to the hard work of our HIT MACHINE, Director Anil Ravipudi, Producers Sahu and Sushmita along with the entire team and the unwavering faith you all have in me. Let's continue the celebration... Love you all (sic)". Chiranjeevi is one of the biggest icons of Telugu cinema. He made his film debut in 1978 and rose to prominence in the 1980s with performances that combined commercial appeal and distinct screen presence. Over his career, he has acted in more than 150 films, spanning action, drama, and socially themed cinema. Chiranjeevi is widely credited with influencing the mass-action genre in Telugu films and expanding its audience base. His notable films include 'Khaidi', 'Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari', 'Gang Leader', 'Gharana Mogudu', and 'Syeeraa Narasimha Reddy'. He has received multiple Filmfare Awards South and state honours for his work. In addition to cinema, he briefly entered public service and served as India's Minister of State for Tourism from 2012 to 2014. Chiranjeevi returned to acting full-time in 2017 and continues to work in mainstream Telugu cinema. - IANS The State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and the Naftogaz of Ukraine Group discussed prospects for expanding cooperation on Tuesday, SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf said on social network X. "Within the framework of the World Economic Forum 2026, I met with Serhiy Koretsky, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Naftogaz Group. During our discussions, we reaffirmed our commitment to fostering collaboration and exploring new opportunities for cooperation," Najaf wrote. As reported earlier, in July 2025 Naftogaz of Ukraine signed its first agreement with SOCAR Energy Ukraine, a company within the SOCAR group, to purchase a small volume of Azerbaijani natural gas. A test shipment was carried out via the Trans-Balkan route along the BulgariaRomaniaUkraine corridor, after which the parties discussed the possibility of concluding a long-term agreement. ABC News correspondent Will Reeve, the son of the late actor Christopher Reeve, married event planner Amanda Dubin in a private Miami ceremony on January 17. The wedding was celebrated by close family, friends, and colleagues including Good Morning America's Robin Roberts and Lara Spencer. The couple, who went public with their relationship in 2023, got engaged after Will staged a fake charity event to propose. Will has often spoken about carrying forward the legacy of his parents, Christopher and Dana Reeve, who both passed away when he was young. Christopher Reeve's son, ABC News correspondent Will Reeve, weds event planner Amanda Dubin in a private Miami wedding attended by GMA colleagues. Washington DC, January 20 ABC News correspondent Will Reeve, the son of late Hollywood actor Christopher Reeve and Dana Reeve, married event planner Amanda Dubin in a private ceremony held in Miami on January 17, according to People. The wedding was attended by close family members, friends and several of Reeve's colleagues from ABC News. Good Morning America co-host Robin Roberts shared a photograph from the celebrations on social media, featuring herself with wife Amber Laign, as she marked the occasion and congratulated the couple. GMA contributor Lara Spencer also posted moments from the wedding, describing it as a joyful celebration of the couple's love. Good Morning America cohost Robin Roberts posted a photo of herself and wife Amber Laign dressed up for the nuptials, writing in a Jan. 18 Instagram Stories post, "Ready to celebrate Amanda & Will," according to E! News. GMA contributor Lara Spencer also shared highlights from the shindig on social media, calling the event "a joyous day celebrating" the couple's "beautiful love story." And the bride seemed to approve, writing in a comment on Lara's post, "We love you!!," as per the outlet. Will Reeve, 33, and Amanda Dubin, 29, had made their relationship public on social media in April 2023, sharing a photograph from Paris. The couple announced their engagement in November 2023 after Reeve proposed during what he described as a staged charity event in Manhattan. Speaking earlier about the proposal, Reeve said the idea worked as Dubin, an event planner by profession, believed she was attending a professional engagement before realising it was a surprise proposal, according to E! News. "We walk in and she's like, 'Oh, it's beautiful!' And Amanda starts taking video of the event because she's an event planner, so she's getting inspiration," Will explained during an appearance on Live With Kelly and Mark in February. "I go, 'You're going to have to put your phone down now.' And she goes, 'Oh my God!' And then she knew what was happening," as quoted by E! News. Will Reeve is the youngest son of actor Christopher Reeve, who gained global fame for portraying Superman in the 1978 film and its subsequent sequels. Christopher Reeve passed away in 2004 at the age of 52 following cardiac arrest, nearly a decade after being paralysed in a horse-riding accident. His wife, Dana Reeve, died in 2006 after a battle with lung cancer. Despite losing both parents at a young age, Reeve has often spoken about the lasting influence they have had on his life. In earlier interviews, he has said that speaking about his parents helps him feel connected to them and that he remains proud to carry forward their legacy. "Talking about my parents keeps them with me," he told USA Today in September 2024. "I'm so proud to be their son, to be part of this family," as quoted by E! News. - ANI Vice President CP Radhakrishnan released a book detailing the historical struggle for the Ram Janmabhoomi, framing the temple's construction as a pivotal civilisational moment for India. He emphasized that the process, culminating in the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict, demonstrated the strength of Indian democracy and fulfilled national aspirations. The VP credited a nationwide, crowd-funded campaign and leadership for the temple's revival as an expression of cultural confidence. He concluded that Lord Ram's universal ideals of virtue and justice remain timeless guides for the nation. Vice President Radhakrishnan releases book on Ram Janmabhoomi movement, calling the temple's construction a convergence of faith, history, law, and democracy. New Delhi, January 20 Vice President of India, CP Radhakrishnan, on Tuesday, released the book "Chalice of Ambrosia: Ram Janmabhoomi - Challenge and Response", authored by former Secretary to the Government of India, Surendra Kumar Pachauri, at the Vice President's Enclave in New Delhi. According to an official release, addressing the gathering, the Vice President noted that the book captures the centuries-old struggle to reclaim the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram and presents the historical narrative with balance, empathy and scholarly restraint. He said that the construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya represents a defining moment in India's civilisational journey, where faith, history, law and democracy converged with dignity. He remarked that even if thousands of temples were built elsewhere, none could equal the significance of a temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram. VP Radhakrishnan said that Lord Ram is the soul of the nation and the soul of India's dharma. He emphasised that dharma can never be defeated and that truth always prevails. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi's vision of Ram Rajya, he said that it symbolises justice, equality and dignity for all. The Vice President said it was painful to witness the prolonged process of establishing the birthplace of Lord Ram, adding that such a situation would be unimaginable in most other countries. He observed that this itself demonstrated the strength of Indian democracy, as the land was allotted only after due legal process and proof, despite the faith of an entire nation. He said that this is why India is rightfully called the Mother of Democracy. Referring to the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict, the Vice President said the judgment fulfilled the long-cherished dreams and aspirations of millions of Indians and marked a turning point in Indian history. He said that the construction of the Ram Mandir restored Indians' self-respect. The Vice President observed that writing history is one of the most demanding forms of literary work, as it requires emotional balance and fidelity to truth. Commending the author, he said Pachauri has successfully brought out the essence of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement without sensationalism or distortion. The Vice President noted that gaps in historical documentation had contributed to the prolonged struggle for justice. He expressed happiness that the book documents the modern phase of this historic movement, ensuring that future generations remain aware of the sacrifices and struggles undertaken to restore national self-respect. Quoting from the ASI findings cited in the book, the Vice President pointed to evidence of a pre-existing structure, underscoring the archaeological basis that informed the judicial decision. VP Radhakrishnan described the public response following the verdict as phenomenal, recalling the nationwide crowd-funded campaign led by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which mobilised over Rs 3,000 crore from devotees worldwide to build Ram Mandir. He also shared a personal recollection of his mother's participation in the shila puja during the 1990s. CP Radhakrishnan credited the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring that the revival of the sacred site emerged as an expression of India's mature democracy and cultural confidence. The Vice President recalled the historic Dhwaja-rohan ceremony at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir on November 25, 2025, which, he said, was a deeply emotional moment witnessed by the entire nation. Reflecting on the universal appeal of Lord Shri Ram, VP Radhakrishnan said that faith in Shri Ram transcends geography, finding expression not only in Ayodhya and Rameswaram but also in places such as Fiji and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The Vice President said that the life and ideals of Lord Shri Ram teach humanity that true greatness lies in virtue and in winning hearts rather than ruling kingdoms. He called upon citizens to strive to follow these timeless ideals in their own lives. Concluding his address, he congratulated Surendra Kumar Pachauri for his work and expressed hope that the book would reach a wide readership. - ANI The Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation has rescued and handled 7,397 wild animals in Assam's Kaziranga National Park since its establishment in 2002. A significant 65% of these animals, approximately 4,490 individuals, have been successfully treated and released back into forest habitats. In a recent operation, two hand-raised greater one-horned rhinoceroses were translocated to pre-release enclosures in Kaziranga, following internationally accepted conservation protocols. The park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a critical habitat for iconic species including over 2,600 rhinos, 100+ tigers, and more than 1,200 elephants. CWRC has rescued 7,397 animals in Kaziranga, successfully releasing 65%. Two rehabilitated rhinos were translocated back to the park following scientific protocols. Guwahati, Jan 20 The Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation has so far rescued and handled 7,397 wild animals belonging to 357 species in Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, officials said on Tuesday. The CWRC was established in 2002 as a collaborative initiative of the Assam Forest Department, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). KNPTR Field Director Sonali Ghosh said that CWRC primarily focuses on rescuing flood-distressed and orphaned wild animals, especially during the annual monsoon floods in Kaziranga, whose vast areas are submerged during the four-month-long monsoon period. The centre provides emergency veterinary care, hand-raises orphaned animals when required and rehabilitates fit individuals back into the wild through scientifically established protocols, including the use of pre-release enclosures. She said that of the 7,397 animals rescued and handled so far, approximately 4,490, about 65 per cent, have been successfully released back into forest habitats after treatment. These include 25 hand-raised greater one-horned rhinoceroses, of which 23 were released in Manas National Park and two in Kaziranga. At present, CWRC houses three rhino calves. Of these, two male rhinos aged around four to five years were successfully translocated on Tuesday to Kaziranga National Park. The translocation followed internationally accepted conservation protocols. After obtaining the requisite permissions from the Chief Wildlife Warden, Assam, under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, a site selection committee was constituted to identify suitable locations for the pre-release enclosures. The rhinos were subsequently moved to these enclosures, where they will be habituated to wild conditions before their final release into the park. The translocation operation was overseen by a team of veterinarians, while officials of Kaziranga National Park, led by Field Director Sonali Ghosh, accompanied and supervised various aspects of the process. Officials said the rhino transfer is a testimony to the scientific wildlife management and established rehabilitation protocols followed at KNPTR, ensuring that rescued animals, particularly the iconic greater one-horned rhinoceros, are allowed to return to their natural habitat even after experiencing severe stress due to calamities such as floods. Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, India's seventh UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the famed 'Big Five'. As per the latest estimates, the park shelters 2,613 greater one-horned rhinoceroses (2022 census), 104 Bengal tigers (2022), 1,228 Asian elephants (2024), 2,565 wild water buffaloes (2022) and 1,129 eastern swamp deer (2022). Spread across the districts of Golaghat, Nagaon, Sonitpur and Biswanath, the park generated revenue of over Rs 10.90 crore in 2024-25 and more than Rs 8.81 crore in 2023-24. The KNPTR comprises three forest divisions - Eastern Assam Wildlife Division (Bokakhat), Biswanath Wildlife Division (Biswanath Chariali) and Nagaon Wildlife Division (Nagaon). - IANS Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has firmly stated that Denmark will not negotiate its sovereignty, responding to US threats of tariffs in a dispute over Greenland. The US, under former President Donald Trump, threatened escalating tariffs on European countries opposing its ambition to control Greenland. EU leaders, including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, have rallied in support of Denmark, calling for unequivocal respect of sovereignty and warning tariffs undermine shared interests. An emergency EU summit is scheduled to address the escalating tensions and potential trade war. Danish PM Mette Frederiksen refuses to negotiate sovereignty as US threatens tariffs over Greenland. EU leaders rally in support, warning of trade war. Oslo, Jan 20 Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday that her country will not negotiate over its sovereignty, responding to US threats of tariffs in a dispute over Greenland. Frederiksen noted that Denmark has never sought any conflicts. However, Denmark is now being threatened by its closest ally, both in terms of Danish territory and Greenlandic self-determination, she told the parliament, Xinhua News Agency reported. On the tariffs, the United States has threatened to impose, Frederiksen said a trade war would cost jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. "As much as we must warn against it, we must also prepare for it," she said. In a social media post over the weekend, Trump said the United States would impose a 10 per cent tariff from Feb 1 on goods from eight European countries opposing his ambition to control Greenland. He warned the tariff rate would rise to 25 per cent on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland. The remarks have intensified a backlash that has been building across Europe. EU leaders will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to address the tensions, European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said Monday. EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the bloc could renew a pending tariff package or deploy anti-coercion measures. On Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark must be "unequivocally" respected, stressing that the issue is of "utmost importance" to the transatlantic relationship as US tariff threats add fresh strain to ties. Von der Leyen made the remarks in a post on social media platform X after meeting a bipartisan delegation from the US Congress on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. "I also addressed the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and of the Kingdom of Denmark," she wrote. On trade, von der Leyen pushed back against the tariff approach, calling transatlantic trade and investment a major asset for both the European Union (EU) and U.S. economies and saying tariffs run counter to shared interests. Her remarks came as tensions have risen after US President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on a group of European countries supporting Greenland, prompting EU officials and member states to consider possible responses while keeping diplomatic channels open. Earlier, von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa said the EU stood in full solidarity with Denmark and Greenland and warned that tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a "dangerous downward spiral." - IANS The Madhya Pradesh delegation at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos held key investment discussions with global conglomerates. Crescent Enterprises expressed interest in investing in multi-modal logistics parks, automobile hubs, and inland container depots within the state. Simultaneously, talks with Sri Lanka's John Keells Group explored opportunities in hospitality, consumer goods, and food processing, leveraging MP's agricultural strength. The state promoted its policy initiatives, central logistics network role, and connectivity advantages to attract foreign investment through public-private partnerships. Madhya Pradesh delegation at Davos 2026 discusses major investments in logistics, auto hubs & food processing with Crescent Enterprises & John Keells Group. Davos, January 20 The Madhya Pradesh delegation met Tushar Singhvi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Head, Investments of Crescent Enterprises in World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. Crescent is active in the energy and logistics sectors and also has a presence in private equity. The company expressed interest in investing in multi-modal logistics parks, automobile hubs, and inland container depots in Madhya Pradesh. The state shared the policy initiatives taken to attract FDI into these segments through PPP and other routes, and also highlighted the central role of Madhya Pradesh in India's logistics network. Also, the Madhya Pradesh delegation held discussions withKrishan Balendra, Chairman of John Keells Group, one of Sri Lanka's leading diversified conglomerates. The interaction explored opportunities across hospitality, logistics, consumer goods, and food processing. Madhya Pradesh highlighted its rich heritage destinations for hospitality-led investments, strong logistics potential, and its position as one of India's fastest-growing agri states, making food processing an attractive growth area. Connectivity advantages, including feeder services from Bhopal to major hubs such as Mumbai and Delhi and international connectivity via Indore airport, were also discussed. John Keells expressed interest in exploring opportunities in Madhya Pradesh and indicated that a team would engage further to assess potential collaborations. The engagement reinforces Madhya Pradesh's focus on building partnerships with leading regional conglomerates across South Asia to drive investment, trade, and tourism-led growth. The World Economic Forum (WEF) convenes its 56th Annual Meeting in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026, bringing together nearly 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and rapid technological transformation. Held under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue," Davos 2026 seeks to provide an impartial platform for global leaders from government, business and civil society to reconnect, rebuild trust and explore collaborative solutions to challenges that increasingly transcend borders. - ANI Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma promoted his state as India's fastest-growing economy and a premier investment destination at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies, particularly the Act East Policy, for Assam's economic transformation and invited global investors. Sarma highlighted opportunities in both traditional hydrocarbons and emerging green energy sectors. The state's debut at Davos also featured meetings to strengthen its nascent semiconductor industry, anchored by the Tata Group. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma highlights state's rapid growth and investment potential in hydrocarbons & green energy at World Economic Forum. Davos, January 20 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday highlighted India's rapid economic ascent under Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the World Economic Forum, expressing confidence that the country is firmly on track to become the world's third-largest economy Emphasising Assam's transformation under the Centre's Act East Policy, CM Sarma said the state has emerged as India's fastest-growing economy, citing Reserve Bank of India data, and invited global investors to tap into its expanding opportunities across hydrocarbons and green energy sectors. "India is on a strong path to becoming the third-largest economy under the leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi... Assam is benefitting immensely from the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, particularly his Act East Policy," the Assam CM said. "The state has become the fastest-growing economy in the country, according to the latest data from the Reserve Bank of India... While we are strong in hydrocarbons, we are also making great strides in green energy... Assam has finally arrived, and we invite investors and leaders to consider our state as it holds immense potential," CM Sarma said. Earlier in the day, Himanta Biswa Sarma met with Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran ahead of his meetings with representatives from the global semiconductor industry on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF). In a post on X, the Chief Minister said the Tata Group is anchoring Assam's semiconductor industry and the state government is keen to further strengthen the ecosystem by collaborating with key global players. "Ahead of my meeting with representatives from the global semiconductor industry at @wef later today, I had a good conversation with Shri N Chandrasekaran, the Chairman of @TataCompanies. The Tata Group is anchoring Assam's semiconductor industry and we are keen to strengthen this ecosystem by joining hands with key global players. #AssamAtDavos #WEF26," CM Himanta's post read. Assam made its debut at the 56th World Economic Forum in Davos on Monday. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the ecosystem is gradually being developed in Assam and said Guwahati attracts the entire talent pool of the Northeast. Assam is at WEF Davos for the first time, aiming to signal that it is an emerging economy and a viable investment destination within India. - ANI Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met and congratulated the Bharatiya Janata Party's new National President, Nitin Nabin, at the party headquarters. She highlighted his inspiring journey from a humble background and the party's confidence in youth leadership. The day's events included visits to multiple places of worship, accompanied by Delhi BJP leaders, before Nabin formally took charge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah escorted Nabin to his new office, with Modi humorously referring to the new president as his 'boss' in party matters. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta met new BJP National President Nitin Nabin. PM Modi, calling Nabin his 'boss', and Amit Shah accompanied him to his office. New Delhi, Jan 20 Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday met BJP's new National President Nitin Nabin at the party headquarters and conveyed her best wishes for leading the world's largest political party. The Chief Minister said that Nabin's rise from a simple and humble background to the position of National President through consistent work in the organisation as a dedicated BJP worker is an inspiring journey. She added that appointing Nabin as National President at the age of 45 clearly demonstrates that the Bharatiya Janata Party's confidence in the strength of youth goes beyond rhetoric, and is consistently reflected in the party's organisational framework, decision-making processes, and approach to leadership development. Earlier during the day, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva accompanied Nabin to places of worship before his election. Along with Nabin, Sachdeva, Delhi Government Ministers Pravesh Verma and Manjinder Singh Sirsa, BJP National Co-Media Head Sanjay Mayukh, and others visited the Jhandewalan temple to offer prayers to Mata Jhandewali, the Goddess of Shakti. Thereafter, they offered prayers at Shri Balmiki Mandir located on Mandir Marg, the ancient Hanuman Temple on Baba Kharag Singh Marg and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, said a statement. At the time of taking charge, the new BJP president was accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to his office. Other senior leaders who flanked him included Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and outgoing party president Jagat Prasad Nadda. PM Modi also met the family members of Nabin briefly, congratulated them on his assuming the big role and shared some light-hearted conversations. Earlier, addressing the BJP leaders and workers, PM Modi described Nitin Nabin as his 'boss' and himself as a mere party worker. "When it comes to the party affairs, then I am a worker, and Nitin Nabin is my boss," he said amid loud cheers at the party headquarters. Nabin has "youth energy" as well as a "long experience in the organisation", the Prime Minister further said, adding that these will be "very beneficial" for the party. - IANS The Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre released its Samadhan Calendar for 2026 in a ceremony attended by Supreme Court and High Court judges. Justice Vikram Nath commended the centre for achieving a nearly 50% success rate in mediation cases at various stages. He highlighted the institution's growth from 35 to over 250 mediators and its new dedicated three-storey facility. The judge also emphasized the global recognition of the centre and the need to strengthen mediation infrastructure across all High Courts. Justice Vikram Nath releases Samadhan Calendar-2026, praises mediation centre's 50% success rate and expansion to over 250 mediators in Delhi High Court. New Delhi, January 20 The Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre on Tuesday released its Samadhan Calendar-2026 at the Delhi High Court premises. The calendar was formally unveiled by Justice Vikram Nath, Judge of the Supreme Court of India, in the august presence of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, and Justice V. Kameswar Rao, Executive Chairman of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DLSA). Several sitting judges of the Delhi High Court also attended the event. Addressing the gathering, Justice Vikram Nath congratulated Samadhan for its sustained contribution to strengthening mediation and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. He appreciated the theme-based design of the 2026 calendar and expressed confidence that Samadhan would achieve even better results in the coming year. In a lighter vein, Justice Nath remarked that he had also visited the Delhi High Court yesterday to attend a function organised to felicitate Justice Surya Kant, but observed that the number of lawyers present at that event was noticeably lower than the turnout at the Samadhan calendar release. Justice Nath further stated that Samadhan has achieved an impressive success rate of nearly 50 per cent in mediation matters, both at the pre-litigation stage and during the pendency of cases. He termed this achievement remarkable and commended the centre's institutional growth, pointing out that Samadhan now functions from a dedicated three-storey mediation facility and has expanded its mediator panel from 35 at its inception to over 250 mediators at present. The Supreme Court judge also underscored the importance of recognising mediators trained under the Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC) and called for greater coordination to avoid friction within the mediation framework. Reiterating the philosophy of "no litigation, only mediation," he stressed the need to further strengthen the mediation infrastructure across High Courts. Justice Nath took note of Samadhan's international outreach as well, observing that judicial dignitaries from foreign jurisdictions have visited the centre, reflecting its growing global recognition. He expressed his intent to visit the Samadhan facility in the future and encourage other High Courts to adopt similar models. Concluding his address, Justice Vikram Nath congratulated the mediators, members, and office-bearers of Samadhan for their dedication and wished them continued success in advancing mediation as an effective dispute resolution mechanism in India. - ANI Union Minister Pralhad Joshi met Panama's ministers at WEF 2026 to strengthen bilateral cooperation in renewable energy and clean technology. Separately, Uttar Pradesh signed a landmark MoU with AM Green Group for a one-gigawatt AI computing hub in Greater Noida, involving a massive Rs 2.7 lakh crore investment. The 2026 forum features India's biggest delegation, a major pavilion, and roadshows led by several chief ministers to attract investment. Over 100 top Indian CEOs are also present, engaging with global investors to secure capital for India's growth. At WEF 2026, India's Pralhad Joshi met Panama ministers to boost clean energy ties, while UP signed a Rs 2.7L cr AI data centre MoU with AM Green. Davos, January 20 Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday met Panama's Commerce and Industry Minister Julio Armando Molto Alain and Foreign Affairs Minister Javier Eduardo Martinez-Acha Vasquez, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. In a post on X, Joshi said that the talks specifically focused on "strengthening cooperation in the renewable energy sector, including clean energy solutions, sustainable technologies, and expanding investment partnerships to support the global energy transition". "Had a constructive meeting with H.E. Mr Julio Armando Molto Alain, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of the Republic of Panama, and H.E. Javier Eduardo Martinez-Acha Vasquez, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Panama, on the sidelines of #WEF2026 in Davos. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in the Renewable Energy sector, including Clean Energy solutions, sustainable technologies, and expanding investment partnerships to support the global energy transition," Joshi said. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna on Tuesday hailed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AM Green Group, the leading energy transition platform backed by the founders of Greenko Group, to build a one-gigawatt Artificial Intelligence (AI) computer hub in Greater Noida. Detailing the significance of the deal on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2026, UP minister Khanna said that the state aims to achieve six GW of energy capacity by 2030. AM Green will invest Rs 2.7 lakh crore to establish the data centre. Suresh Kumar Khanna said, "This is a very big achievement for Uttar Pradesh, for Northern India, and I believe it's good news for the entire country that an MoU for one Gigawatt has been signed with AM Green today. This is remarkable in itself because our target is to achieve one gigawatt by 2030. Currently, there are 1.6 gigawatts in India, with the largest share in Maharashtra and half of that in Uttar Pradesh." The 56th World Economic Forum in Davos (Jan 19-23, 2026) is seeing India step onto the world stage with its biggest-ever delegation, a 10,000 sq ft India Pavilion, and a clear message: India is already a key driver of global growth, not just a long-term bet. Top industry leaders and policymakers highlighted India's transformation and future potential at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, reflecting India's growing influence in global technology, infrastructure, and financial services. Bharat Kaushal, Executive Chairman of Hitachi India, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, highlighted how technology is essential for tackling global disruptions and shaping the future of infrastructure and manufacturing. Speaking to ANI, he noted that Hitachi, with a 90-year history in India, plays a key role in the country's twin push for both physical and digital infrastructure development. Ten states, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, are pitching investment-ready projects at the Pavilion. Chief Ministers like N Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), and others are leading state-specific roadshows. Over 100 Indian CEOs are in Davos, including Mukesh Ambani (Reliance), N Chandrasekaran (Tata Sons), Sunil Bharti Mittal (Bharti Enterprises), Sanjiv Bajaj (Bajaj Group), and Nandan Nilekani (Infosys). They are meeting with global investors, sovereign funds, and multinational CEOs to secure long-term capital flows. - ANI The Election Commission of India and IIIDEM are jointly hosting a three-day international conference in New Delhi in collaboration with International IDEA. Over 40 election management bodies and 30 ambassadors are participating in the event, which features 43 sessions on electoral standards, innovation, and best practices. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi will inaugurate the proceedings. The conference aims to position India at the center of global dialogue on democratic governance. Election Commission of India hosts 3-day global summit with 40+ election bodies, 30+ ambassadors to discuss democracy & innovation. New Delhi Januar, y 20 Rakesh Verma, Director General at the India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management, said that the Election Commission of India and IIIDEM are jointly organising a three-day international conference in collaboration with International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, adding that all preparations have been completed and the conference will begin tomorrow. "The Election Commission of India and the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management are jointly organising this three-day conference in collaboration with International IDEA. All the preparations for this conference have been completed. The conference is starting tomorrow. Election management bodies from many countries are participating. More than 40 election management bodies are participating, and in addition, about 30 ambassadors and high commissioners from different countries will also attend," Verma told ANI. He further said, "Besides this, our Chief Electoral Officers and representatives from our national institutions, including IITs, IIMs, National Law Universities, and other reputed universities, will also be participating, with around 100 delegates in total." Elaborating on the agenda, Verma said, "This conference, which is being held for three days, has three types of themes. There is a global thematic session that includes many cross-cutting areas and subjects we will discuss. In addition, we are developing model standards for the electoral process, and 11 sessions are being held on that. There are also about 25 sessions on best practices in electoral management and innovation. So, there will be a total of 43 sessions in this conference, and all kinds of subjects related to election management and the future of democracy will be discussed." He added that several international delegations have already arrived, saying, "Some delegations have already arrived. Delegations have arrived, such as the delegation from the UK, Sri Lanka, and Fiji." The ECI is set to host the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026 from January 21 to 23, positioning India at the centre of global dialogue on democratic governance and electoral practices. The three-day conference will be organised by the IIIDEM at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The conference aims to facilitate the exchange of ideas, best practices, and innovations among Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide. Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, will receive the delegates and flag off the proceedings at the inaugural session on January 21. As per the release, the programme features general and plenary sessions, including an EMB Leaders' Plenary, EMB Working Group meetings, and thematic discussions on global electoral challenges, model international electoral standards, and innovations and best practices in electoral processes. As many as 36 thematic groups, led by CEOs of States and Union Territories and supported by national and international academic experts, will contribute to in-depth deliberations during the conference. These discussions will also have participation from leading academic institutions, including four IITs, six IIMs, 12 National Law Universities (NLUs) and IIMC. - ANI Ukraine's organic market remains predominantly export-oriented, with the European Union continuing to be the key sales market, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Taras Vysotsky said at the international conference "Organic Export Vision: Ukraine 2026." "We are actively working to develop domestic consumption, but we objectively understand that exports will form the core share of the market. Therefore, our common task is to clearly see prospects, understand global trends, and make maximum use of all opportunities for development," he wrote on Facebook following the conference. According to the infographic he presented, Ukraine ranked among the top five exporters of organic products to the EU during 20182024. Key items in the export structure include corn, wheat, soybeans, sunflower cake and meal, vegetable oil, millet, berries, and honey. Export volumes from Ukraine during this period exceeded 170,000 tonnes annually. In particular, in pre-war 2021 the EU imported 190,000 tonnes of organic products from Ukraine; in 2022, 208,000 tonnes; in 2023, 174,000 tonnes; and in 2024, 204,000 tonnes. Vysotsky said that the top 10 organic products exported from Ukraine to global markets in 2024 included 63,500 tonnes of soybeans worth $30.1 million; 61,700 tonnes of corn worth $11.8 million; 28,900 tonnes of wheat worth $6 million;18,500 tonnes of sunflower cake worth $13.9 million; 12,000 tonnes of blueberries worth $18.2 million; 9,000 tonnes of rapeseed worth $5.7 million; 9,000 tonnes of sunflower oil worth $5.1 million; 3,700 tonnes of flaxseed worth $2.2 million; 3,500 tonnes of unrefined sunflower oil worth $5.2 million; 3,300 tonnes of millet worth $3 million; and 30,000 tonnes of other organic products worth $39.4 million. Overall, in 2024 Ukraine exported 243,000 tonnes of organic products worth $141 million. According to him, in the geographic distribution of Ukraine's organic exports in 2024, Europe accounted for 93%: EU countries made up 84%, other European countries 9%, North America 6%, and Asia 2%. "The state is making every effort to ensure uninterrupted access for Ukrainian exporters to international markets. An important step is the update of legislation. The parliamentary agrarian committee has already supported the updated law on organic production in the second reading. The next step is a vote in the plenary hall," the deputy minister concluded. Elon Musk posted a poll on X asking users if he should buy Ryanair, following a heated public dispute with the airline's CEO, Michael O'Leary. The clash originated from Ryanair's rejection of installing SpaceX's Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi, citing cost and operational issues. The poll garnered massive engagement, receiving over 750,000 votes with a majority supporting the idea, though its seriousness is unclear. The exchange turned personal with insults traded, and Musk added humor by suggesting Ryanair should be run by someone named "Ryan." Elon Musk asks X users if he should buy Ryanair after a public clash with CEO Michael O'Leary over Starlink rejection. Poll gets 750k+ votes. New Delhi, Jan 20 Elon Musk has once again grabbed global attention by taking a business dispute to social media, this time involving Europe's largest low-cost airline, Ryanair. The billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX posted a public poll on X asking users whether he should buy Ryanair, following a heated exchange with the airline's outspoken chief executive, Michael O'Leary. The poll came after a disagreement over the possible use of Starlink as in-flight Wi-Fi on Ryanair aircraft. Ryanair has chosen not to install Starlink on its planes, saying the costs and operational impact do not make sense for its business model. What started as a business-level disagreement quickly turned personal, with both Musk and O'Leary exchanging sharp comments in interviews and on social media. Musk's poll asked a simple question about whether he should acquire Ryanair, presented in his usual casual and humorous style. The response was massive. Within hours, the poll crossed more than 750,000 votes and continued to trend widely. At the time of writing, around 76.8 per cent of users had voted in favour of the idea, although Musk has not clarified whether the poll reflects any serious takeover plan. Adding to the buzz, Musk used wordplay and humour, saying Ryanair should be run by someone named Ryan. In one post, he wrote that he wanted to "restore Ryan as their rightful ruler," ending the message with "it is your destiny." These comments were widely shared and helped keep the online debate alive. The dispute traces back to Ryanair's public explanation for rejecting Starlink. Tensions rose further when O'Leary made personal remarks about Musk during an interview with Newstalk, calling him "an idiot" and advising people to ignore him. Musk responded on X by calling O'Leary "an utter idiot" and even posted "Fire him." Ryanair's official social media account later joined the exchange during a service outage, jokingly asking Musk if he needed Wi-Fi. - IANS European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced at the World Economic Forum that the EU and India are close to finalising a historic free trade agreement. She described the potential deal as creating a massive market covering nearly a quarter of global GDP. The announcement comes ahead of a state visit by EU leaders to India, where they will attend Republic Day celebrations and co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit. The visit aims to deepen the strategic partnership and advance collaboration across trade, investment, and other priority areas. EU Commission President announces a major trade agreement with India is imminent, creating a market of 2 billion people, ahead of a key summit. Davos, January 20 The European Union is close to finalising a free trade agreement with India, though some steps are still pending to complete the deal, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said while addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday. "There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals. One that would create a market of 2 billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP," she said in a section of her speech focused on the EU's efforts to broaden and diversify its trade partnerships. She further linked the trade push to upcoming high-level engagement, saying she will travel to India next weekend after the conclusion of the World Economic Forum in Davos. She described the trip as part of ongoing efforts to advance the major trade agreement and said there is important work to be done to strengthen economic ties and deepen cooperation between Europe and India. Placing the proposed India agreement within Europe's wider global approach, von der Leyen said the continent remains committed to doing business with partners worldwide and stressed that the EU will continue to pursue engagement. "Europe will always choose the world, and the world is ready to choose Europe," she said, underlining Europe's intent to expand international trade and cooperation. Explaining the policy direction behind this outreach, she added that the focal point of Europe's strategy is to create a stable and well-regulated environment that supports investment, boosts trade and enables sustainable economic growth. Alongside trade and investment priorities, von der Leyen also highlighted energy as a key pillar of Europe's growth strategy, saying Europe aims to build an energy union that ensures homegrown, reliable and cheaper energy to drive economic growth. She added that the continent needs an "urgency mindset" to address energy challenges and secure a sustainable future. Reflecting broader strategic priorities beyond the economy, von der Leyen said Europe has achieved more in defence in the past year than in the decades before, with member states stepping up investments to record levels. She also said that three leading European defence technology startups have now reached unicorn status, reflecting Europe's growing innovation and strength in the defence sector. In the backdrop of this expanding India-EU engagement, President of the European Council Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will attend the 77th Republic Day celebrations at Kartavyapath on January 26 as Chief Guests. At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two European Union leaders will undertake a three-day State Visit to India from January 25. During their visit, the leaders will also co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit on January 27. President Costa and President von der Leyen are scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu and will hold restricted as well as delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi. An India-EU Business Forum is also expected to be organised on the sidelines of the India-EU Summit. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004, and recalled that the 15th India-EU Summit was held virtually on July 15, 2020. MEA further said that bilateral engagement has expanded and deepened across a wide range of areas, particularly following the historic visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February last year. According to the MEA, the participation of EU leaders as Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations and their presence at the 16th India-EU Summit will further deepen the India-EU Strategic Partnership and advance collaboration in priority areas of mutual interest. - ANI European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared the EU's response to new US tariffs over Greenland would be "unflinching, united and proportional." She warned that tariffs between allies are a mistake and undermine shared security interests in the Arctic. The remarks follow Donald Trump's announcement of escalating tariffs on several European nations to pressure a deal for purchasing Greenland. Von der Leyen emphasized that respecting the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark is fundamental to the transatlantic relationship. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warns of a "proportional" response to US tariffs on European allies, stressing Arctic cooperation and sovereignty. Davos, Jan 20 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday announced that the European Union's response to US President Donald Trump's tariffs against European nations over Greenland will be "unflinching, united and proportional." In her speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Tuesday, Leyen stated, "We consider the people of the United States not just our allies, but our friends." "And plunging us into a dangerous downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of our strategic landscape. So our response will be unflinching, united and proportional," Euro News quoted Ursula von der Leyen as saying. The EU chief offered to deepen cooperation with the US in Arctic region and termed imposing additional tariffs a "mistake." She said, "Arctic security can only be achieved together. This is why the proposed additional tariffs are a mistake, especially between long-standing allies." She also mentioned about the EU-US trade deal signed on July 27, 2025, which introduced an all-inclusive 15 per cent tariff on majority of EU goods. She further said, "And in politics as in business - a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something," Euro News reported. Her remarks came after tensions have increased after Trump threatened new tariffs on a group of European countries supporting Greenland, prompting EU officials and member states to consider possible responses while keeping diplomatic channels open. Earlier, Ursula von der Leyen stated that the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark must be "unequivocally" respected, emphasising that the issue is of "utmost importance" to the transatlantic relationship. She made the statement in a post on social media platform X after meeting a bipartisan delegation from the US Congress on the sidelines of the WEF in Davos. "In Davos, I met with a bipartisan delegation from the United States Congress. We discussed our shared efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. This process benefits from strong EU-US coordination, from security guarantees to a pathway to prosperity. I also addressed the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and of the Kingdom of Denmark," she wrote in a post on X. "This is of utmost importance to our transatlantic relationship. At the same time, the European Union remains ready to continue working closely with the United States, NATO, and other allies, in close cooperation with Denmark, to advance our shared security interests. We also discussed transatlantic trade and investment. They are a major asset for both the EU and US economies. Tariffs run counter to these shared interests," she added. Earlier on Saturday, Trump in a social media post announced that US would impose a 10 per cent tariff from February 1 on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, UK, the Netherlands and Finland over Greenland, raising the levy to 25 per cent from the beginning of June unless a deal is reached for the US to purchase the territory. Greenland, the world's largest island, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with Copenhagen retaining control over defence and foreign policy. The United States maintains a military base on the island. Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to "obtain" Greenland. - IANS European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has strongly cautioned the United States against imposing punitive tariffs on European allies in connection with Greenland, labeling such action a damaging "mistake" between long-standing partners. She warned that Europe's response to any escalation would be "unflinching, united and proportional," while also signaling a willingness to cooperate on Arctic security. The warning follows US threats to impose tariffs of up to 25% on several European nations, which EU leaders say risk undermining the transatlantic relationship and a recently agreed trade deal. Von der Leyen concurrently announced plans for a massive European investment surge in Greenland and reiterated the EU's full solidarity with Denmark and its autonomous territory. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cautions the US against punitive tariffs on European allies over Greenland, promising a firm response. Davos, January 20 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday cautioned the United States against imposing punitive tariffs on allied European countries in connection with Greenland, calling such a move a "mistake". "The proposed additional tariffs are a mistake especially between long-standing allies," von der Leyen told the gathering in Davos, Switzerland. Underscoring the importance of credibility in transatlantic commitments, she said, "The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July. And in politics as in business - a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something," she said. Von der Leyen also signalled that Europe would respond firmly to any further escalation linked to US President Donald Trump's repeated comments on Greenland and tariff threats, describing the response as "unflinching". "Plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape. So our response will be unflinching, united and proportional," von der Leyen said in her keynote speech in Davos. At the same time, she indicated Europe's willingness to deepen cooperation, offering to work with the United States on Arctic security and announcing plans for increased European investment in Greenland following Trump's remarks about the autonomous Danish territory. "We are working on a massive European investment surge in Greenland," von der Leyen said. "We will work with the United States and all partners on wider Arctic security. This is clearly in our shared interest," she added. Her remarks came amid growing European pushback to Trump's stated tariff plans tied to Greenland, with European Union leaders issuing warnings over the impact such measures could have on transatlantic ties. The warning came after Trump said that starting February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland would face a 10 per cent tariff on all goods exported to the United States. In a joint statement issued hours after Trump threatened tariffs of up to 25 per cent on multiple European nations, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa said, "Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral". "Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty," they added. Reiterating support for Denmark and Greenland, the statement said, "The EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland," adding, "Dialogue remains essential, and we are committed to building on the process begun already last week between the Kingdom of Denmark and the US." In Germany, senior European Parliament member Manfred Weber also cautioned that Trump's latest remarks could affect the EU-US trade deal agreed last year. Weber, who heads the European People's Party, the largest political group in the European Parliament, said, "The EPP is in favour of the EU-U.S. trade deal, but given Donald Trump's threats regarding Greenland, approval is not possible at this stage". "The 0% tariffs on U.S. products must be put on hold," he added. Brussels and Washington reached a preliminary agreement in July that would place a 15 per cent US levy on most EU exports. However, as both sides continue to push for additional concessions, the future of the deal remains uncertain amid rising political tensions. - ANI Nitin Nabin formally assumed charge as the new national president of the BJP at the party headquarters in New Delhi. He was accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and other senior Union Ministers during the ceremony. PM Modi, in his address, humorously referred to Nabin as his 'boss' in party matters, highlighting the new president's youth and organizational experience. The elevation of the 45-year-old leader marks a significant generational shift for the party, and he has been accorded a Z-category security cover by the CRPF. Nitin Nabin assumes role as BJP chief with PM Modi calling him 'boss'. Marking a generational shift, the 45-year-old leader is given Z-category security. New Delhi, Jan 20 The Bharatiya Janata Party's new national president Nitin Nabin took charge of his office at the party headquarters in the national capital on Tuesday, hours after his formal elevation to the post. The new BJP president was accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to his office. Other senior leaders who flanked him included Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and outgoing party president Jagat Prasad Nadda. PM Modi also met the family members of Nitin Nabin briefly, congratulated them on his assuming the big role and also shared some light-hearted conversations. The elevation of 45-year-old Nitin Nabin as the BJP's new national president marks a 'novel' era in the party and also a generational shift, reflecting its thrust on raising a new young leadership under his stewardship. Earlier, addressing the BJP leaders and workers, PM Modi described Nitin Nabin as his 'boss' and himself as a mere party worker. "When it comes to the party affairs, then I am a worker, and Nitin Nabin is my boss," he said amid loud cheers at the party headquarters. Nabin has "youth energy" as well as a "long experience in the organisation", the Prime Minister further said, adding that these will be "very beneficial" for the party. After being elected the new BJP National President, Nitin Nabin said that this day is "a moment of resolve" for him, as he is not just assuming a post but also the "ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of the party". He said, "We are associated with such a political party, where politics is not power, it is spiritual practice, not indulgence, but sacrifice. It is not luxury and comfort, it is austerity. Politics is not a position of authority; it is a responsibility." "This day is a moment of resolve for me. Today, I am not just assuming a position, but also the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of this party," he said. Earlier, in the run-up to his election as the next BJP president, Nabin garnered nationwide support as the party's Returning Officer gathered 37 nomination sets in his support, including the one from the Parliamentary party. Meanwhile, the new BJP chief has been accorded Z-category security cover, after formal election as the party's national president. Officials confirmed that the VIP security wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been tasked with providing him with high-level protection. Armed CRPF commandos will now accompany him during nationwide travels, public engagements, and at his residence, ensuring round-the-clock safety. - IANS The foundation stone has been laid for the Sheikh Zayed Mosque and Cultural Centre in N'Djamena, Chad, following a 2025 bilateral agreement. The project, directed by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is being implemented by the UAE Aid Agency. The mosque will span 5,000 square meters and accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers, featuring a library and religious school. The adjacent Cultural Centre will include classrooms and multipurpose halls aimed at fostering cultural dialogue and community development. UAE lays foundation stone for major mosque and cultural centre in N'Djamena, Chad, as part of bilateral development agreement and humanitarian legacy. Abu Dhabi, January 20 The foundation stone has been laid for the construction of Sheikh Zayed Mosque and Cultural Centre in the Chadian capital N'Djamena. The construction of the mosque is in implementation of an agreement signed between the UAE and Chad in April 2025 and will be carried out by the UAE Aid Agency in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, Budget, Economy, Planning, and International Cooperation of Chad. The initiative for the building of the mosque followed from the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the follow-up of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court. The stone-laying ceremony was attended by Rashid Saeed Al Shamsi, Ambassador of the UAE to Chad and Eid Saeed Al Ketbi, Director of the UAE Aid Coordination Office in Chad, in addition to the following senior officials from the Government of Chad: Khater Issa, President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Khater Arja, Special Advisor to the President, and Ahmadou Ibrahim Ahmad, Plenipotentiary Ambassador at the Presidency. Rashid Saeed Al Shamsi, Ambassador of the UAE to Chad, affirmed that the UAE continues the deeply rooted humanitarian legacy established by the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, through joint international development efforts and the provision of assistance to communities around the world. "This reflects the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to implement diverse development projects across social, economic, cultural, and infrastructure sectors, in alignment with local needs and the priorities of the Sustainable Development Goals," he added. Tareq Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of the UAE Aid Agency, stated, "The construction of Sheikh Zayed Mosque and the Cultural Centre in N'Djamena reflects the UAE's generous approach to development and service of humanity at large and is done under the supervision of Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Martyrs' Families Affairs, and Chairman of the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council. The project aims to meet the needs of people, develop communities, and enrich civilisational and cultural dialogue and knowledge exchange." The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is being constructed on an area of approximately 5,000 square metres and will accommodate 10,000 worshippers, with 5,000 worshippers inside the mosque and 5,000 in the courtyard and surrounding areas. The mosque will include a public library and a religious school for teaching the Holy Quran and Islamic studies. The Cultural Centre will be built on a dedicated land area of 2,000 square metres and will include 16 classrooms, administrative offices, and multi-purpose halls for lectures, workshops, and cultural activities, in addition to a library. The centre's activities will focus on Iftar programmes, distribution of sacrificial meat, training courses, and joint Emirati-Chadian national events and cultural initiatives. - ANI Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav congratulated Nitin Nabin on his election as the Bharatiya Janata Party's National President, highlighting his rise from an ordinary worker as inspirational. Nabin formally assumed the role at the party headquarters in New Delhi, stating he was embracing the party's ideology and nationalist movement. The senior politician and five-time Bihar MLA expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior colleagues. BJP workers in Bhopal celebrated the appointment with firecrackers and sweets. Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav congratulates Nitin Nabin on his election as BJP National President, calling his journey an inspiration for party workers. Bhopal, January 20 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav extended his greetings to Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Nabin as he assumed charge as the party's national president at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. CM Yadav described Nabin's journey as an inspiration for party workers across the nation and expressed confidence that the party would become even stronger in the future. "Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Nitin Nabin on being elected as the National President of the BJP. Your journey from an ordinary party worker to holding the party's highest organisational responsibility is a source of inspiration for millions of party workers and a living example of the BJP's democratic and cadre-based tradition," the Chief Minister stated in a post on X. He further added, "I am fully confident that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and your leadership, the BJP will become even stronger, and party workers will play a crucial role in building a 'Viksit Bharat'." Additionally, Madhya Pradesh BJP workers also celebrated the appointment of Nitin Nabin as the party's new national president at the BJP state headquarters in Bhopal. The party office-bearers and workers burst firecrackers, distributed sweets, and raised slogans to commemorate the occasion. BJP leader Nitin Nabin formally took charge as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. While addressing leaders and workers at the party headquarters, Nabin said that he is not just taking up a position but embracing the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of the party's nationalist movement. He expressed gratitude to senior leaders and PM Modi, highlighting the collective effort of 140 crore Indians working towards a developed India. "Today's moment is a moment of resolve for me. Today, I am not just assuming a position. I am accepting the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of this party, and on this occasion, I also pay my respects to all my senior colleagues...Today, 140 crore Indians are connecting themselves with the dream of a developed India and are working to take the country forward. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for this," he said. Nabin, a senior Indian politician, is a five-time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and former Minister in the government of Bihar. He is widely recognised for his sustained organisational acumen and administrative experience. Born on May 23, 1980, in Jharkhand's Ranchi, Nabin entered electoral politics at a young age and was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 2006 from the Patna West Assembly Constituency. Since 2010, Nabin has been consecutively elected from the Bankipur Assembly Constituency, securing victories in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025, thereby becoming a five-time MLA. He has also held key portfolios like Road Construction, Urban Development & Housing and Law in the Bihar Government as a Cabinet Minister. Alongside his legislative career, Nabin has played a significant role in party organisation, holding national and state-level leadership positions. He has also been entrusted with important organisational responsibilities in states such as Sikkim and Chhattisgarh. - ANI The Geological Survey of India will convene its Central Geological Programming Board meeting to set the national geoscience agenda. The deliberations will prioritize the exploration of critical minerals essential for energy transition and national self-reliance. The meeting will also focus on adopting advanced tools like AI and discussing landslide hazard mitigation in Himalayan regions. Key stakeholders from government, industry, and academia will shape GSI's annual program of over 1,000 projects. GSI's key meeting to focus on critical minerals, AI in exploration, landslide studies, and clean energy for national self-reliance and energy transition. New Delhi, Jan 20 The Geological Survey of India's Central Geological Programming Board meeting will be convened here on January 21, to chart future geoscientific initiatives and deliberate on mineral exploration strategies, new initiatives in clean energy, geohazards, and sustainable development, the government said on Tuesday. The deliberations in the meeting will focus on the exploration of critical minerals such as lithium, graphite, vanadium, scandium, cesium, etc., aligned with national priorities on energy transition and Atmanirbhar Bharat, according to an official statement. Adoption of modern exploration tools like AI/ML-based data integration, geophysical surveys, hyperspectral remote sensing, deep drilling, and mineral system studies will be discussed. The Ministry of Mines will convene the 65th CGPB meeting, in which key stakeholders from the central ministries, state governments, industry, academia, and mining sectors will participate, the statement said. The Annual Field Season Programme (FSP) of GSI is placed for discussion and to avoid duplication of work at the CGPB meeting. The members of CGPB and other stakeholders place their requests for collaborative work with GSI at the meeting. Based on the priorities set by the government and urgency of proposals, the Annual Programme of GSI for survey and mapping, exploration, research and development, multidisciplinary catering to societal projects as well as training and capacity building programmes during the forthcoming financial year is given a final shape after due discussion and deliberations held at the topmost level at CGPB meeting, the statement said. Pre-competitive data sharing and collaborative exploration models, especially for critical and strategic minerals, to optimise national resources, reduce duplication, and accelerate transition from exploration to auction-ready blocks, will also feature among the focal points. Discussions on landslide hazard zonation and slope stability studies, for disaster risk reduction, especially in the Himalayan and NE states, will be held at the meeting. In the meeting, GSI's Annual Programme for FS 2026-27, comprising 1,068 rigorously peer-reviewed projects across various disciplines of Earth sciences, with major emphasis on mineral exploration, will also be placed. - IANS Germany is strategically deepening its partnership with India, viewing it as a crucial alternative to China amid global uncertainties. The relationship, underpinned by a "Focus on India" strategy, has seen bilateral trade surpass 35 billion and involves over 2,000 German companies operating in India. A key outcome is the strengthening of defence industrial cooperation, highlighted by a potential 5 billion submarine project. The alliance aims to secure supply chains, boost mutual exports, and reinforce a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific. Germany strengthens ties with India for trade, defence, and supply chain diversification. Bilateral trade hits 35bn, with major submarine and tech deals signed. New Delhi, Jan 20 Germany has strengthened its relations with India amid dramatic geopolitical shifts and supply chain vulnerabilities that have come to the fore in the global economy. Chancellor Friedrich Merz sees India "as a partner of choice" for Germany, offering vast opportunities amid global uncertainties. For Germany, Europe's economic powerhouse, this partnership promises substantial benefits: enhanced market access, reduced dependency on China, bolstered defence exports, and innovation-driven growth, according to an article in One World Outlook written by Mirium Baumann. The "Focus on India" strategy, adopted by the German government in 2024, recognises India's trajectory as the world's third-largest economy by 2027, with a burgeoning middle class and digital prowess. Bilateral trade surpassed 35 billion in 2025, marking a 15 per cent year-on-year increase, while German FDI in India reached US$15.11 billion cumulatively from 2000 to March 2025. Over 2,000 German companies operate in India, employing 400,000 locals and generating synergies in sectors like automobiles, chemicals, and renewables, the article states. The impending EU-India FTA could amplify these gains by slashing tariffs-averaging 12 per cent on EU goods entering India - and unlocking 20 billion in additional trade, it observes. Chancellor Merz's recent visit to India resulted in 19 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Joint Declarations of Intent across defence, technology, critical minerals, and green energy. Defence ties between the two countries have transitioned from consultative dialogues to robust industrial partnerships, yielding direct economic and strategic advantages for Germany. The Joint Declaration of Intent on Strengthening Bilateral Defence Industrial Cooperation, signed during Merz's visit, paves the way for co-development, technology transfer, and co-production of advanced platforms, the article observes. German companies like Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) stand to gain with India's Project 75I, a 5 billion initiative to build six AIP-equipped submarines with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). For Germany, this deal not only secures high-value exports to create jobs but also positions Berlin as a key player in India's naval modernisation, reducing New Delhi's reliance on Russian suppliers amid Western sanctions, the article states. It points out that strategically, this partnership bolsters Germany's Indo-Pacific presence, aligning with its 2020 guidelines for the region. Amid China's assertiveness, collaborative maritime domain awareness and logistics support reinforce a rules-based order, benefiting German trade routes - 90 per cent of which traverse the Indian Ocean. The article highlights that trade remains the bedrock of Germany-India relations, with Germany as India's top EU partner, accounting for 25 per cent of India's EU trade. In 2024, bilateral goods and services trade exceeded US$50 billion, sustained into 2025 with German exports to India reaching US$18.3 billion - primarily machinery, electrical equipment, and chemicals. India's exports, including pharmaceuticals and auto components, totalled US$10.54 billion, highlighting a balanced yet growing exchange. Projections aim for 50 billion by 2030 under Germany's "India First" doctrine, driven by diversified supply chains, the article added. - IANS Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced at Davos that India is building a complete semiconductor ecosystem, positioning the country as a reliable global supply-chain partner. He highlighted that four semiconductor plants are set to begin commercial production in 2026, bolstered by the government's Semicon India Programme. The electronics manufacturing sector is a major economic driver, now supporting 2.5 million jobs with some factories employing up to 40,000 people at a single site. Additionally, Google is strengthening India's AI ecosystem with a massive $15 billion investment to establish a gigawatt-scale AI data centre in Visakhapatnam. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announces India's complete semiconductor ecosystem, 4 new plants by 2026, and a $15B Google AI hub, creating 2.5M jobs. Davos, January 20 Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said India is building a complete semiconductor ecosystem, and the global industry sees the country as an increasingly reliable supply-chain partner. In a post on X, Vaishnaw was seen holding meetings at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. He said, "Bharat is building a complete semiconductor ecosystem covering design, fabrication, packaging, materials, gases and equipment." "Global industry sees Bharat as an increasingly reliable supply-chain partner," he added. He further highlighted that Google is strengthening its commitment to India's AI ecosystem, including a USD 15 billion AI data centre in Vizag & partnerships with Indian startups. Earlier, Vaishnaw had noted that 46 component manufacturing projects, alongside manufacturers of laptops, servers, and hearables, established electronics as a major driver of the manufacturing economy. He also stated that four semiconductor plants will start commercial production in 2026. "The electronics manufacturing sector now supports 25 lakh jobs, with several factories employing more than 5,000 people at a single site. Some plants currently employ as many as 40,000 employees in a single location," he said. As per the recent government statement, India is rapidly advancing its semiconductor ambitions, recognising semiconductor chips as critical enablers of healthcare, transport, communications, defence, space, and emerging digital infrastructure. With accelerating digitalisation and automation, global demand for semiconductor chips is rising sharply. In response, the Government of India, through the Semicon India Programme and the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), is strengthening the domestic semiconductor ecosystem and supply chain. Google has also recently announced a massive investment of USD 15 billion over the next five years to establish one gigawatt-scale Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, the company's largest AI hub outside the United States. The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, welcoming nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." - ANI Photo: https://bank.gov.ua Foreign exchange restrictions on settlement deadlines do not apply to export operations if the right of claim under a foreign economic agreement (contract) has been transferred to the private joint-stock company Export Credit Agency (ECA). According to information published on the ECA's website, this applies on the basis of an insurance agreement concluded with the ECA in accordance with the Law of Ukraine "On Financial Mechanisms for Stimulating Export Activities," and within the amount of insurance compensation paid to the exporter. This provision is enshrined in a resolution of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) "On Amendments to the Resolution of the NBU Board No. 67 dated May 14, 2019," which expanded the list of export operations not subject to maximum settlement deadlines. According to the explanation, this means that if an exporter has insured an export contract with the ECA and the foreign buyer fails to settle, and the ECA pays insurance compensation, then: foreign exchange settlement deadline restrictions no longer apply to this amount; the exporter is not fined for violating deadlines for the receipt of foreign currency proceeds; and the bank does not apply foreign exchange supervision to this transaction. The exemption applies from the date the insurance compensation is credited to the exporter's current account at a Ukrainian bank. "The decision reduces regulatory risks for exporters using ECA insurance instruments and increases the practical attractiveness of state export support mechanisms when operating in foreign markets," the statement emphasizes. BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi expressed strong optimism about the upcoming leadership of Nitin Nabin, who is set to assume the role of the party's National President. The event at the party headquarters will be attended by top leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Nabin's nomination was supported by 37 sets of nomination papers, including proposals from the party's senior leadership. The process follows the successful election of a majority of the BJP's state presidents, meeting the constitutional requirement. BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi expresses optimism as Nitin Nabin prepares to take charge as party national president, with PM Modi attending the event. New Delhi, January 20 Bharatiya Janata Party MP Aparajita Sarangi on Tuesday expressed optimism for Nitin Nabin's upcoming leadership, as he is set to assume charge as the party's National President later in the day. Speaking to ANI, Sarangi said that Nabin has a long time ahead of him, which she believes will be utilised wisely. "Nitin Nabin is 45 years old. He has a long time ahead of him. We are all very positive. Good work will undoubtedly be done," she said. Earlier this morning, Nabin offered prayers at Jhandewalan Temple and later at Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place. Meanwhile, several leaders and Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states arrived at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the event around 11:30 am today, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also attending, as per the press release issued on January 16, K Laxman, National Returning Officer for 'Sangathan Parv'. BJP mentioned that the official announcement process regarding the National President will take place between 11:30 am and 1:30 PM. Nitin Nabin is currently serving as the party's working president. The BJP's National President Election process kicked off after 30 of 36 State Presidents were elected, exceeding the required 50 per cent threshold, as per the party's Constitution. The Election schedule was announced on January 16, along with the Electoral Roll. As scheduled, the nomination process took place on January 19, between 2 PM and 4 PM. A total of 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in favour of Nitin Nabin for the post of National President, with proposals from top leaders including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K Laxman also announced that Nitin Nabin has been proposed for the post of BJP National President after 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in his favour. - ANI Actor Jackie Shroff has passionately advocated for nationwide afforestation to protect the environment. He emphasized that development must not come at the cost of destroying greenery, which leads to severe pollution and heat. Shroff directly connected high AQI levels to deforestation, urging people to replace what they destroy. The actor, known for wearing a plant locket, consistently promotes this message to fans and the younger generation. Actor Jackie Shroff urges citizens to plant trees for future generations, linking deforestation to rising pollution and extreme heat. Mumbai, January 20 Actor Jackie Shroff advocated afforestation to protect the environment and reduce pollution nationwide. In an interview with ANI, Jackie Shroff reflected on citizens' responsibilities towards nature, urging them to plant trees for the betterment of future generations. "People are doing things that should not be done. We should replace what we destroy. It is for our future generations and children. It is not a big deal to plant a tree. If it is not there, then we will not be there," said Jackie Shroff. The actor further highlighted that the development should not come at the cost of the environment. He explains that rising pollution and extreme heat are consequences of cutting trees. "The way people keep crying that pollution is 260, 380 AQI, 280 AQI. Why is it increasing? First of all, you should make progress. It doesn't mean that you should regress. You should make a building. You should make a good building, but the dust from its construction requires trees to control it. That is why I try to explain to the children. At least, I try to make them understand. Greenery is everything, son. Take a breath and plant a tree," said Jackie Shroff. Jackie Shroff has often advocated afforestation to his fans and is usually spotted wearing a plant locket around his neck. On the work front, Jackie Shroff was recently seen in 'Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri', co-starring Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday. 'Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri' is presented by Dharma Productions and Namah Pictures, and produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Shareen Mantri Kedia, and Kishor Arora. In addition to Kartik and Ananya, the film also features Neena Gupta. The film opened in theatres on December 25, 2025. - ANI President Donald Trump told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte that acquiring Greenland is imperative for U.S. and global security. He threatened to impose escalating tariffs on Denmark and other European nations if they do not agree to sell the semi-autonomous territory. The U.S. is deploying a NORAD aircraft to a base in Greenland amid rising tensions over the proposed purchase. Trump claims the move is necessary to counter Chinese and Russian interests in the Arctic region. Trump reiterates intent to acquire Greenland, citing national security and threatening tariffs on Denmark if a deal isn't reached. Washington DC, January 20 US President Donald Trump held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. The US President shared the details of the conversation in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday. He said, "I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" Trump reiterated his statement of ensuring global peace through strength and claimed that the United States stands as the most powerful country due to the "rebuilding" by Trump in his first term as the President. "The United States of America is the most powerful Country anywhere on the Globe, by far. Much of the reason for this is a rebuilding of our Military during my First Term, which rebuilding continues at even more expedited pace. We are the only POWER that can ensure PEACE throughout the World -- And it is done, quite simply, through STRENGTH!" This comes as the US is set to deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft at the Pituffik space base, Greenland, as tensions rise over President Donald Trump's move to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities. They also said that this action is taken in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. Previously, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. - ANI US President Donald Trump shared posts depicting Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela as part of the United States, with a milepost in Greenland reading "US Territory Est 2026". He has threatened to impose escalating tariffs on Denmark if it does not agree to sell Greenland, citing national security concerns about Russian and Chinese interest. The posts come as the US plans to deploy a NORAD aircraft to a base in Greenland, coordinating with Denmark. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has firmly rejected Trump's repeated suggestions that Canada become the 51st state. President Trump posts map showing US flag over Canada, Greenland, Venezuela, reiterates expansionist claims and threatens tariffs on Denmark. Washington DC, January 20 US President Donald Trump on Tuesday shared a post on his Truth Social platform showing an old photograph of himself with other European leaders with the US flag depicting Canada, Greenland and Venezuela as a part of the United States. In the post, Trump is seen seated inside the Oval Office, with NATO leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, UK PM Keir Starmer, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, among others. In another post, Trump is seen flanked by its Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio hoisting a US flag in Greenland, with a milepost that reads, "Greenland US Territory Est 2026". Shortly after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump said that the United States will the Sotuh American country "until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition". Later, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the stance on January 8, saying, "The Trump Administration is in close correspondence with the interim authorities in Venezuela. We obviously have maximum leverage over the interim authorities in Venezuela right now... Their decisions are going to continue to be dictated by the United States". Trump had last year suggested that Canada become the 51st US state. Shortly after winning the elections, PM Mark Carney in May during his first press conference, had firmly rejected Trump's suggestion that Canada become the 51st US state, stating, "It's important to distinguish wants from reality." Carney emphasised that his election victory and the votes he received demonstrate Canadians' clear desire for independence. He clarified that Canada will never be part of the US, citing public dialogue and his resounding election victory as proof. Trump had repeatedly said that Canada should be the 51st US state and even mocked former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the "Governor of Canada". On Tuesday, the US President held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. The posts comes as US is set to deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft at the Pituffik space base, Greenland, as tensions rise over President Donald Trump's move to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities. They also said that this action is taken in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. Previously, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026 if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. - ANI Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi met with OpenAI executive Chris Lehane to explore partnerships in AI enablement and high-tech transformation. The state is piloting an AI solution in Ahmedabad to automatically identify stray cattle via CCTV and trace owners, aiming to reduce manual effort and traffic issues. Additionally, a seminar at the Vibrant Gujarat conference discussed using AI and machine learning to create a more efficient and sustainable renewable energy sector. These initiatives underscore Gujarat's push to build a future-ready ecosystem powered by responsible artificial intelligence. Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi meets OpenAI's Chris Lehane to drive AI adoption for smart cities, stray cattle management, and renewable energy. Gandhinagar, January 20 As AI rises, Gujarat moves confidently into the future. Deputy CM, Harsh R Sanghavi, met with Chris Lehane from OpenAI to explore pathways for AI enablement and the next wave of high-tech transformation. Backed by strong digital infrastructure and a rising talent engine, Gujarat is forging an ecosystem where breakthrough technologies can thrive. The dynamic discussion reinforced a shared focus on responsible AI, advanced capabilities, and a future shaped by world-class innovation, as per the release. The Gujarat government is prioritising modern technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop Gujarat's cities as smart urban centres. Building on this approach, a key pilot project was initiated earlier in the expanding Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation area to address problems caused by stray cattle. Stray cows often lead to traffic-related issues in Ahmedabad. Currently, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation teams capture photographs of stray cattle in different areas through CCTV and identify them through microchips and RFID tags. Since officials carry out this process manually, it consumes considerable time and effort, according to an official release. To resolve this, the administration has begun introducing AI-based solutions to speed up identification and reduce the time and effort involved. The AI Centre of Excellence at GIFT City in Gandhinagar has assigned an agency to develop an AI model. The agency has proposed solutions based on a deep learning model and will soon present the developed model before the steering committee. This model will integrate images captured through CCTV cameras to identify cows and trace their owners in real time. Earlier at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference held in Rajkot on Monday, a seminar was also organised on the theme 'Smarter RE Integration & Stadial Storage Solution through AI-ML: Need of the Hour'. According to a release from Gujarat CMO, the seminar featured extensive discussions on how modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) can be leveraged to make the energy sector more efficient and future-ready. The seminar concluded that effective utilisation of artificial intelligence and smart storage solutions is the only viable option to meet the rising demand for renewable energy. Such technological integration will enable the creation of a power ecosystem that is resilient, measurable, and environmentally sustainable. - ANI Pakistan's ISI has unified the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and Lashkar-e-Taiba under a single command led by Hafiz Zubair Muwahid to combat the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Balochistan Liberation Army. This strategic move has precipitated a major military offensive in the Tirah valley, forcing an estimated 20,000 residents to flee their homes without adequate support. The displaced civilians face dire conditions, with reports of starvation amid a lack of government-provided facilities. Indian intelligence agencies are closely monitoring the situation for potential regional security implications, though immediate spillover into India is considered unlikely. ISI names Hafiz Zubair Muwahid to lead unified ISKP & LeT command against TTP & BLA, displacing thousands in Pakistan's KP region. New Delhi, Jan 20 The ISI has strategically made Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a launch pad for terrorists of the Islamic State Khorasan Province and Lashkar-e-Taiba. The ISI got these two outfits together to fight the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is active in the region. The two outfits, which have been told to fight together first against the TTP and then against the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), will be headed by a single leader. The ISI has identified Hafiz Zubair Muwahid as the leader of the unified command of both these terror outfits. Muwahid is an ISI stooge and is a trusted man within the establishment in Pakistan. He is closely linked with the leadership of both outfits. Muwahid, according to Intelligence agencies, is a go-to man for the ISI when it comes to operations in KP and Balochistan. An official said that he has been handpicked by the ISI due to his immense knowledge about the two regions. Further, he has many moles that he has cultivated over the years. This would come in handy for the ISKP and Lashkar-e-Tayiba when they carry out their fight against the TTP and BLA, the official also added. An Intelligence Bureau official said that reports coming in from the region suggest that a major offensive is on the cards. The operatives of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and ISKP are set to launch an all-out attack on the TTP. They would fight from the front while the Pakistan Army would provide cover, the official also added. Over the last couple of weeks, the army has been telling the people to clear out the area so that the offensive could begin. The command centre for both these outfits is based in Tirah. The people here have been asked to move on an urgent basis. They are being told that their moving out is only temporary and once the offensive is completed, then they can return to their homes. However, on the ground, the situation is different. Residents of Tirah are terrified and are unsure when they will return to their homes. While they have been asked to move out, no arrangements have been made by Pakistan for their accommodation or food. Information that the Indian agencies have picked up from the region suggests that the scale of displacement is massive. People have left their fully furnished homes and are complaining that no facilities or amenities have been provided to them. The estimated number of people who have been displaced courtesy of the directive by the Pakistan Army is around 20,000. The situation is quite concerning, and despite the KP administration announcing a compensation package for those who have been displaced, the people are not hopeful of it reaching them. Another official said that a lady dying of starvation on Sunday night told how grim the picture is. Security analysts say the region would witness mayhem, and several more are set to be displaced. The TTP would fight back in equal measure, as this is expected to be a long-term battle. Muwahid, in his message, has told operatives of the ISKP and Lashkar-e-Taiba to go all out against the TTP. He has also warned the locals against providing any form of support to the TTP, and if anyone does so, then the consequences would be gruesome, he has also said. Indian agencies are keeping a close watch on the situation. There is no likelihood of any of this spilling over into India immediately. However, officials are also keeping an eye on the operatives of the ISKP who have plans of sooner or later infiltrating into Jammu and Kashmir, officials say. - IANS Ahan Shetty has expressed profound respect for his Border 2 co-star Sunny Deol, describing him as a father figure. He revealed that his own father, Suniel Shetty, holds Deol in such high regard that he calls him "Sunny Paa." Ahan shared that watching the original Border film as a child made him dream of joining the Indian Army, which later translated into his desire to become an actor. The upcoming sequel, directed by Anurag Singh, features Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Diljit Dosanjh in lead roles. Ahan Shetty expresses deep admiration for Sunny Deol, calling him a father figure. He shares how the original Border inspired his acting dream. Mumbai, January 20 Ahan Shetty expressed his love and admiration for the actor Sunny Deol, describing him as a "father figure" in his life who has earned deep respect from his father, Suniel Shetty. Ahan Shetty will share the screen with Sunny Deol in the upcoming film Border 2, set to release in theatres on January 23. In an interview with ANI, actor Ahan Shetty expressed his gratitude to Sunny Deol for supporting and motivating him during the making of the film. "Sunny sir is a father figure for me. When my father (Suniel Shetty) talks about Sunny sir, he calls him Sunny Paa. So, if my father calls Sunny sir Sunny Paa, then you can imagine the respect I hold for him. The border picture is of Sunny sir and me, Varun, and Diljit are the supporting pillars. So, for him to accept me the way he has, it means a lot. As I said, he is a father figure for me. He supported me in a very good way. He pushed me," said Ahan Shetty. Ahan Shetty also recalled his initial memories of Border, saying that he fell in love with the Indian army and decided to join the profession after watching the film. "I was very young when Border was released. I fell in love with the Indian army after I watched the film. I dreamt of joining the Indian Army. However, down the line, when I took part in school dramas, I decided to become an actor. I guess I can say that my dream of becoming an actor started with Border," said Ahan Shetty. "I think during the promotions of Tadap, many asked me if I could be a part of one of my father's films, which film would you like to do? And I said Border. So, maybe this was a manifestation," added Ahan Shetty. Ahan Shetty, who carries forward his father Suniel Shetty's iconic legacy in 'Border 2', is directed by Anurag Singh. The second instalment of the iconic film brings back Sunny Deol as the main lead, with Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh in lead roles. "Inspired by the true events of the 1971 India-Pakistan War", the trailer opens the door to the powerful world of Border 2 and what happens when India's Army, Navy, and Air Force come together to fight as one. 'Border 2' is produced by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series in association with JP Dutta's JP Films. - ANI Nitin Nabin formally assumed the role of the Bharatiya Janata Party's national president, becoming its youngest leader to hold the position. Prime Minister Narendra Modi humorously stated that in party matters, Nabin is "the boss," while he himself is a worker. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav extended congratulations, expressing hope for the young president's success. Nabin, a seasoned five-time MLA and former Bihar minister, emphasized embracing the party's ideology and responsibilities during his address at the party headquarters. Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav congratulates Nitin Nabin as he becomes the BJP's youngest national president. PM Modi calls him "the boss" on party matters. New Delhi, January 20 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday congratulated newly elected BJP president Nitin Nabin, praying for his success. Nitin Nabin took charge on Tuesday as the 12th and youngest president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, succeeding Jagat Prakash Nadda. "Hearty congratulations to our newly elected president Nitin Nabin. We hope that the young president will be very successful," Mohan Yadav told reporters. Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi shared sweets with newly elected BJP President Nitin Nabin and met with his family members at the party headquarters in the national capital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the appointment of Nitin Nabin as BJP national president, saying that when it comes to the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and he himself is a mere party worker. "When it is about the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and I am a party worker. Now Honourable Nitin Nabin ji is the president of all of us, and his responsibility is not just to manage the BJP, but also to ensure coordination among all NDA allies," the Prime Minister said. BJP leader Nitin Nabin formally took charge as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. While addressing leaders and workers at the party headquarters, Nabin said that he is not just taking up a position but embracing the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of the party's nationalist movement. He expressed gratitude to senior leaders and PM Modi, highlighting the collective effort of 140 crore Indians working towards a developed India. "Today's moment is a moment of resolve for me. Today, I am not just assuming a position. I am accepting the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of this party, and on this occasion, I also pay my respects to all my senior colleagues...Today, 140 crore Indians are connecting themselves with the dream of a developed India and are working to take the country forward. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for this," he said. Nabin, a senior Indian politician, is a five-time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and former Minister in the government of Bihar. He is widely recognised for his sustained organisational acumen and administrative experience. Born on May 23, 1980, in Jharkhand's Ranchi, Nabin entered electoral politics at a young age and was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 2006 from the Patna West Assembly Constituency. Since 2010, Nabin has been consecutively elected from the Bankipur Assembly Constituency, securing victories in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025, thereby becoming a five-time MLA. He has also held key portfolios like Road Construction, Urban Development & Housing and Law in the Bihar Government as a Cabinet Minister. Alongside his legislative career, Nabin has played a significant role in party organisation, holding national and state-level leadership positions. He has also been entrusted with important organisational responsibilities in states such as Sikkim and Chhattisgarh. - ANI Hyundai Motor's market capitalization briefly surpassed the 100 trillion won ($67.7 billion) mark for the first time, driven by investor optimism over its robotics and autonomous driving initiatives. The gains were reversed in afternoon trading, with the share price closing slightly lower. Industry watchers point to the company's robotics strategy, including its affiliate Boston Dynamics, and its autonomous driving joint venture Motional as key factors. The broader South Korean stock market ended lower, snapping a 12-day winning streak. Hyundai Motor's market value briefly surpassed $67.7 billion, fueled by investor optimism for its robotics and autonomous driving projects like Boston Dynamics. Seoul, Jan 20 The market capitalisation of Hyundai Motor on Tuesday touched above the 100 trillion-won level for the first time on Tuesday, backed by growing investor optimism over its robotics and autonomous driving initiatives, industry watchers said. The share price of Hyundai Motor rose as high as 496,500 won in early trading, briefly lifting the company's market capitalization to more than 101.66 trillion won, reports Yonhap news agency. The gains, however, were reversed in afternoon trading, with the company's share price closing 0.21 percent lower at 479,000 won, bringing its market capitalization to 98.9 trillion won. Industry watchers said expectations surrounding Hyundai Motor's robotics strategy have been a key driver behind the company's recent price surge. Boston Dynamics, the group's U.S.-based robotics affiliate, recently unveiled its next-generation humanoid robot, Atlas, and laid out its artificial intelligence (AI) robotics road map. Hyundai Motor's autonomous driving strategy has also been cited as a key factor. Motional, a U.S. joint venture of Hyundai Motor, plans to commercialize a fully driverless Level 4 robotaxi service in Las Vegas by the end of 2026. Market watchers noted that investors have begun to recognize the commercialization potential of humanoid robotics for Hyundai Motor. "As preparations for commercialization accelerate, momentum (for Hyundai) is expected to extend through 2028," Hanwha Investment & Securities said in a recent report. Meanwhile, South Korean stocks ended lower on Tuesday to snap their 12-day winning streak as investors cashed in gains in major chipmakers and automakers. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar. After a choppy session, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 18.91 points, or 0.39 percent, to finish at 4,885.75, after touching an all-time intraday high of 4,935.48. The index had been on a steady rise for 12 consecutive sessions through Monday, gaining more than 16 percent. Auto shares also fell. Leading carmaker Hyundai Motor dropped 0.21 per cent to 479,000 won, and affiliate Kia fell 3.3 per cent to 163,900 won. - IANS Assam made its debut at the World Economic Forum in Davos, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma promoting the state as an emerging investment destination. He highlighted upcoming meetings with semiconductor industry leaders and significant investment interest in the tourism sector, including plans for new 5-star hotels. Sarma emphasized that Assam's growth is intrinsically linked to the development of the entire Northeast region, as Guwahati acts as a gateway and talent hub. He cited recent RBI data confirming Assam as the fastest-growing state in India to bolster his investment pitch. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma at Davos WEF pitches state as semiconductor & tourism hub, says investment in Assam benefits entire Northeast. Davos, January 20 As Assam made its debut at the 56th World Economic Forum in Davos on Monday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the ecosystem is gradually being developed in Assam and said Guwahati attracts the entire talent pool of the Northeast. Speaking with ANI on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, CM Biswa Sarma said, "We are having a good meeting tomorrow on Semiconductor. Along with Tata, we are lining up. There is a lot of interest in Assam because with Tata being there, the ecosystem is gradually being developed. So tomorrow we are meeting leaders of the semiconductor industry. Although nothing specific is on the table, once we interact, I think things will move." On the Tourism sector, he said, "We have a lot of investment offers for hotels, homestays, a lot of things are there already on the cart. In Davos, I am not signing any fresh MoU but going back to Guwahati, we have lined up a few MoUs for setting up 5-star hotels in Guwahati and Kaziranga." CM Biswa Sarma noted that Assam is not separate from the rest of the Northeast and said that the geographical conditions of other states makes its difficult for industries to be set up there. "We do not see Assam in isolation from the Northeast. Because when something happens in Assam, we are so interconnected that you cannot say that this is for Assam and this is not for the Northeast. When Tata sets up a semiconductor industry, it may be geographically in Assam, but it has to be for all the Northeastern states. Guwahati, being the gateway of the Northeastern states, attracts the entire talent pool of the region because all other states are hilly and there are certain difficulties in setting up certain kinds of industries... Assam provides that opportunity because we have a lot of land in the plain area. Assam provide that ecosystem to the youth of the entire Northeast. If I can bring one rupee to Assam, automatically that one rupee goes to Northeast..." Earlier, Making a strong pitch to global investors at the World Economic Forum in Davos, CM Biswa Sarma urged them to invest in "emerging state and emerging economy." Sarma said, "Assam is coming to the World Economic Forum Davos for the first time. We want to send a message that Assam is now an emerging state and an emerging economy. When you are thinking of investing in India, you can consider Assam as one of the destinations. Assam is now officially the fastest-growing state in the country." Assam is at WEF Davos for the first time, aiming to signal that it is an emerging economy and a viable investment destination within India. The state is now the fastest-growing in the country, according to recent RBI data. - ANI Putin's strike on Ukraine this morning is wake-up call for world leaders in Davos FM Sybiha Photo: https://t.me/Ukraine_MFA Russias barbaric strike on Tuesday morning is a "wake-up call" for world leaders gathered in Davos: support for the Ukrainian people is urgent; peace can only be achieved through force, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has said. "Thousands of homes in Kyiv were left without heating at -15C outside after a massive Russian strike overnight. War criminal Putin continues to wage a genocidal war against women, children, and the elderly," Sybiha wrote on social media. He noted that Russian strikes on Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Odesa, Zaporizhia, Poltava, Sumy, and other regions have resulted in civilian casualties and damage to energy infrastructure. Sybiha stressed that "the resilience of the Ukrainian people cannot be an excuse for continuing this war," which must end as soon as possible. "Putins barbaric strike this morning is a wake-up call for world leaders gathered in Davos: support for the Ukrainian people is urgent; there will be no peace in Europe without lasting peace for Ukraine; peace can only be achieved through force. We need urgent additional energy assistance, air defense and interceptors, as well as sanctions pressure on Moscow," the minister said. As reported, the 56th World Economic Forum (January 1923, 2026) has begun in Davos, Switzerland. The Ukrainian delegation at Davos 2026 will be represented at the highest level. US President Donald Trump is expected to attend. The upcoming India-EU summit marks a pivotal moment to finalize a long-negotiated Free Trade Agreement, cementing a partnership that has seen bilateral trade in goods reach approximately $136 billion. The relationship extends beyond commerce into strategic areas like semiconductors, 6G, AI, and clean energy through established councils and partnerships. A landmark development is the joint commitment to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced alongside other global powers. The partnership is also reflected in people-to-people ties, with Indian citizens being the top recipients of EU residence permits and Blue Cards in 2024. India and the EU strengthen economic ties with a major trade deal, focusing on tech, climate, and the new IMEC corridor amid global uncertainty. New Delhi, Jan 20 The India-EU summit scheduled for January 27 comes as part of the steady strengthening of economic relations between the two sides amid growing uncertainties in global markets triggered by the US tariff turmoil and dramatic geopolitical shifts in the world order. The summit to be hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and co-chaired by European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will witness the adoption of a document by both sides to announce the conclusion of FTA negotiations, after which the agreement will go through the necessary legal procedure and ratification by the European Parliament and Council. The EU, as a bloc, is India's largest trading partner in goods. For FY 2024-25, India's total trade in goods with the EU was worth about USD 136 billion, with exports around USD 76 billion, and imports at USD 60 billion. From 2019 to 2024, India-EU bilateral trade in services exhibited steady growth, with Indian exports increasing from EUR 19 billion in 2019 to EUR 37 billion in 2024. Imports from the EU also saw an increase, reaching EUR 29 billion in 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President von der Leyen had already laid the foundation for cementing ties between the two sides with the establishment of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council in April 2022, during the latter's official visit to India, as a strategic coordination mechanism to tackle challenges at the nexus of trade, trusted technology, and security. The is led to an MoU on Semiconductors and an MoU between Bharat 6G Alliance and EU 6G Smart Networks and Service Industry Association were signed in November 2023 and March 2024, respectively. Other activities include ongoing discussions on Artificial Intelligence, joint research projects in High Performance Computing, and startup collaborations in electric vehicle batteries. India and the EU also enjoy close ties on energy and climate The EU has been a partner organisation to the International Solar Alliance, spearheaded by India, since 2018. The Phase III of India - EU Clean Energy and Climate Partnership (CECP), established in 2016, was adopted in November 2024. European Investment Bank supports India's climate and energy transition by financing projects in sustainable transport and urban mobility, such as urban rail and metro in some of the Indian cities. Other areas of cooperation between India and the EU include offshore wind energy, development of gas infrastructure in India, the reduction of methane emissions, investments and transfer of technology. An agreement for R&D cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy was also signed between India's Department of Atomic Energy and EURATOM in July 2020. India - EU Connectivity Partnership was launched in 2021 and focuses on transport, digital, energy networks, and flow of people, goods, services, data and capital. In June 2025, both sides agreed on an administrative arrangement for trilateral development cooperation on joint projects in third countries. On the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi in September 2023, leaders of India, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the US announced an MOU committing to work together to develop a new India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Besides, the India-EU Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility provides a framework for cooperation on joint objectives, recommendations and actions. In 2024, Indian citizens received the highest number of authorisations to reside for study, research and other activities in the EU. Indian professionals were also the top recipients of EU blue cards, accounting for nearly 20.8 per cent of the total issued. - IANS India and the European Union are poised to formally announce the conclusion of negotiations for a landmark Free Trade Agreement on January 27. The deal, termed the largest India has ever signed, will cover goods and services with the 27-nation bloc. The summit follows Republic Day celebrations where top EU leadership will be chief guests, accompanied by a first-ever EU military contingent in the parade. While sensitive issues like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism remain under discussion, the agreement aims to unlock significant market access and strengthen strategic ties. India and the EU are finalizing a landmark free trade agreement, with an announcement expected on January 27. The deal covers goods, services, and includes a defence pact. New Delhi, Jan 20 India and the European Union are close to finalising a landmark free trade agreement, with the formal announcement expected on January 27, a day after the Republic Day celebrations which will be attended by the top EU leadership as chief guests. According to sources, the India-EU summit scheduled for Jan 27, will witness the successful conclusion of FTA negotiations. A document will be adopted by both sides to announce the conclusion of FTA negotiations, after which, the agreement will be put through the required legal process and ratification by the European Parliament and Council. Both sides are also likely to sign a security and defence partnership agreement and a pact to enhance mobility for Indian professionals getting employment in the EU. European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, will be the chief guests at India's 77th Republic Day celebrations before jointly co-chairing the summit. A military contingent from the EU will, for the first time, participate in the Republic Day parade, reflecting the growing bilateral strategic relationship. The trade deal will be the largest ever that India has signed, covering goods and services with the 27-nation European Union, one of India's biggest export destinations. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's has termed it as the "mother of all deals" to drive home the significance. With a combined market of nearly two billion people, the agreement would link two of the world's largest democratic economies amid the global economic uncertainty triggered by the US tariff turmoil and geopolitical tensions worldwide. The European Union is India's biggest trading partner, with trade in goods amounting to $135 billion in the FY24, and the FTA is expected to unlock additional market access and economic complementarities. Although the negotiations have been moving ahead, there is still a discussion on sensitive areas such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). India is pushing for zero-duty access for its labour-intensive sectors - such as textiles, leather, apparel, gems and jewellery, and handicrafts. Last week, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that the talks for a trade agreement between India and the European Union (EU) have entered the final stage. The minister visited Brussels earlier this month to attended high-level talks with the EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, as part of the efforts to secure a mutually beneficial India-EU FTA. "During this dialogue, we deliberated across key areas of the proposed agreement. We reaffirmed our commitment to a rules-based trading framework and a modern economic partnership that safeguards the interests of farmers and MSMEs while integrating Indian industries into global supply chains," Goyal said. - IANS India has handed over the first tranche of election assistance to Nepal, consisting of more than 60 double-cab pickup vehicles and other supplies. The ceremony was held at Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs, with the assistance being received by Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal. This support is part of a larger commitment of about 650 vehicles for Nepal's upcoming national polls scheduled for March 5. India has been providing such election-related assistance to Nepal since 2008, reflecting the deep developmental partnership and mutual trust between the two nations. India hands over first tranche of 60+ vehicles as election assistance to Nepal, continuing support since 2008 ahead of March national polls. Kathmandu, January 20 India on Tuesday handed over the first tranche of election-related assistance to Nepal at a ceremony ahead of the national polls scheduled for March. According to a release issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, the ceremony was organised at Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs, and the tranche of election-related assistance was handed over to Nepal's Minister for Home Affairs, Om Prakash Aryal. Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, Rakesh Pandey, handed over the trance which consisted of more than 60 double-cab pickup vehicles along with other supplies. "The Charge d'Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of India, Kathmandu, Dr. Rakesh Pandey, handed over more than 60 double-cab pickup vehicles and other supplies, that are a part of the assistance sought by the Government of Nepal, in connection with preparations for the upcoming elections in the country," the release stated. Nepal's Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal thanked the Government and people of India for the vehicles and supplies and appreciated the deep and comprehensive nature of ties between India and Nepal. According to the release, India has been providing election-related assistance to Nepal since 2008. This includes around 2,400 vehicles supplied to various ministries and departments, including the Election Commission. For the upcoming elections, India plans to provide about 650 vehicles to be delivered in separate batches over the coming weeks. "Based on requests by the Government of Nepal, India has been providing election-related support to Nepal since 2008. This includes about 2,400 vehicles that have been gifted by the Government of India for various ministries and departments in Nepal including the Election Commission. For the upcoming elections, the assistance provided by India includes about 650 vehicles, which will continue to be delivered in separate batches, over the next few weeks," the release added. The ongoing cooperation and support from the Indian side not only reflect the multifaceted, multisectoral development partnership between the two countries but also symbolise the deep mutual trust and friendship between the people of India and Nepal. The Himalayan Nation will go to the polls on March 5 to elect new members for its House of Representatives. - ANI India's Ambassador to Japan, Nagma Mallick, held meetings in Yamanashi Prefecture, discussing sub-national cooperation and touring a cutting-edge green hydrogen plant. Her visit followed high-level strategic talks in New Delhi co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Japan's Toshimitsu Motegi. The discussions spanned economic security, technology, maritime cooperation, and supply chains, reflecting the upward trajectory of the Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Japanese Minister Motegi also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with both sides agreeing to invigorate exchanges leading to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027. Indian Ambassador Nagma Mallick met Yamanashi's Vice Governor, toured a green hydrogen plant, and discussed bilateral economic and tech partnership with Japan. Tokyo, Jan 20 India's Ambassador to Japan, Nagma Mallick held a meeting with Yamanashi Prefecture's Vice Governor Junichi Ishidera on Tuesday, discussing forward cooperation between Yamanashi Prefecture and various Indian states. "Ambassador Ms. Nagma Mallick met with Vice Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, H.E. Mr. Junichi Ishidera and discussed taking forward cooperation between Yamanashi Prefecture and Indian states," the Indian Embassy in Japan posted on X. Earlier in the day, Mallick visited Yamanashi Hydrogen Company (YHC) and met chairman Yoshihiko Shimizu besides other officials. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Japan stated, "Ambassador Ms. Nagma Mallick visited Yamanashi Hydrogen Company (YHC) and toured the plant producing Green Hydrogen using cutting edge technology. She interacted with the Chairman of YHC, Mr Yoshihiko Shimizu and other officials at YHC." On Monday, Mallick held a meeting with Japan's Minister of Economic Security in Tokyo and discussed various facets of bilateral partnership, including economic security, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cultural connect. "Ambassador Nagma M Mallick called on Minister Onoda Kimi. They discussed the various facets of India-Japan partnership, including economic security, AI and cultural connect," the Indian Embassy in Japan posted on X. On January 16, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi co-chaired the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi and discussed economic, maritime, supply chain, critical mineral, technology, P2P and multilateral cooperation between both countries. "Pleased to co-chair the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue alongside FM Toshimitsu Motegi in New Delhi today. Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership is on an upward trajectory and holds immense potential for shaping the world order and de-risking the international economy," EAM Jaishankar posted on X. "Today's discussions on deeper economic, maritime, supply chain, critical mineral, technology, P2P and multilateral cooperation were reflective of our shared interests and mutual understanding. Also had a useful exchange of perspectives on Indo-Pacific and regional and global developments," he added. Toshimitsu Motegi also paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting that both Japan and India are "natural partners" that share fundamental values and strategic interests. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Motegi's meeting with PM Modi lasted for approximately 50 minutes. "At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Motegi stated that Japan and India are 'natural partners' that share fundamental values and strategic interests, and that he hopes to work together to realise a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific' based on their strong bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Minister Motegi's visit to India and stated that he hopes to deepen cooperation based on the Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership," read a statement issued by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It added that the two sides agreed to further invigorate bilateral exchanges in 2027, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India. - IANS A contentious debate over worker safety and corporate liability unfolded in the US Congress, focusing on a bill to protect artificial stone manufacturers from silicosis-related lawsuits. Former occupational safety chief David Michaels testified against the legislation, warning it would worsen a deadly and preventable silicosis epidemic among countertop fabricators. In contrast, Gary Talwar of an Indian-origin family business urged passage, arguing distributors are unfairly sued for practices they don't control and that legal costs threaten small firms. The clash highlights the tension between using litigation to force safer alternatives and protecting businesses from liability in global supply chains. Congress debates a bill to shield stone slab firms from silicosis lawsuits, featuring clashing testimony from Indian-origin entrepreneurs and safety experts. Washington, Jan 20 A sharp debate over worker safety, corporate liability and the future of the US stone slab industry unfolded in Congress last week, drawing in Indian-origin entrepreneurs and raising issues that resonate with Indian businesses and workers operating across global supply chains. Testifying before a House Judiciary subcommittee, former US occupational safety chief David Michaels warned lawmakers that proposed legislation to shield artificial stone manufacturers and distributors from lawsuits would worsen what he described as a growing silicosis epidemic among countertop fabrication workers. "Silicosis is a devastating, deadly, and thoroughly preventable disease," Michaels said, adding that artificial stone fabrication was "one of the most hazardous of all the industries where workers are exposed to silica dust." Michaels told the panel that hundreds of workers in the United States had already been sickened, with dozens dead, after exposure to silica released while cutting and polishing artificial stone used in kitchen countertops. Citing California health data, he said nearly 500 cases had been identified in that state alone, with 27 deaths and dozens of lung transplants. "Unless something is done to stop exposure, the number of cases, and the number of deaths, will continue to increase," he said. He strongly opposed H.R. 5437, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Stone Slab Products Act, arguing that lawsuits play a critical role in forcing industries to move to safer substitutes. Michaels pointed to Australia, which banned high-silica engineered stone rather than restricting litigation, prompting manufacturers to shift to safer alternatives without job losses. "There are safe substitutes that can make equally fashionable countertops," he said, adding that shifting to substitutes would result in "no loss of American jobs." Offering a contrasting view, Gary Talwar, vice president of Natural Stone Resources, an Indian-origin family business based in California, urged Congress to pass the bill. Talwar told lawmakers his parents immigrated legally from India in 1980 and built their enterprise from the ground up, describing it as a story rooted in the American Dream. "Silicosis is a serious and absolutely preventable disease," Talwar said, but argued that responsibility lies with unsafe fabrication shops rather than distributors like his firm, which does not cut, grind or polish stone. "We do not control whether a shop uses wet cutting, ventilation, or PPE," he said, adding that distributors were increasingly being named in dozens of lawsuits for practices they did not oversee. Talwar said mounting legal costs were placing enormous strain on small, often family-run businesses across the country. He told lawmakers that some firms had already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars defending themselves and were being forced to choose between litigation and running their operations. "Some are seriously considering shutting their doors," he said. Jim Hieb, chief executive of the Natural Stone Institute, echoed those concerns, saying his trade group supported worker safety but opposed what he described as misdirected litigation against companies that sell stone slabs. "Selling stone slabs does not cause silicosis," Hieb said. "It is the disregard for safety compliance when cutting and fabricating stone slabs that creates the risk." Rebecca Shult, chief legal officer of Cambria, a Minnesota-based quartz manufacturer, said her company supported the legislation to protect American manufacturing jobs and domestic producers. Silicosis is caused by inhaling fine silica particles. It has long been a concern in mining, stone cutting, and construction, where regulators have struggled to curb occupational exposure. In the United States, the debate now centers on whether Congress should intervene to limit civil liability or rely on workplace enforcement and market shifts toward safer materials to prevent further disease and deaths. - IANS Sarhad Dairy in Kutch has established India's first dedicated camel milk processing plant, operational since 2019. The dairy, following the Amul cooperative model, procures thousands of litres of camel milk daily, providing crucial income to local pastoralist families. A flagship product is its unique camel milk Rajbhog-flavoured ice cream, launched from a plant inaugurated by the Prime Minister. The dairy's pioneering work has gained national awards and international recognition at forums like the Gulf Food Expo. Sarhad Dairy in Kutch runs India's only camel milk processing plant and produces unique Rajbhog ice cream, boosting local farmers. Gandhinagar, January 20 Since the devastating earthquake of January 26, 2001, Kutch has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past 25 years. During his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi led Kutch's revival, turning recovery into long-term development.Today, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, this progress continues, reflected in initiatives like Kutch District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd., popularly known as Sarhad Dairy. The Dairy, established in 2009 under PM Narendra Modi's guidance, is Kutch's largest cooperative and a vital livelihood source for local animal husbandry farmers, according to a release. The dairy collaborates with over 900 cooperative societies, procuring nearly 5.5 lakh litres of milk daily from around 80,000 milk producers. It processes up to 4 lakh litres of milk per day, runs a 300-tonne cattle feed plant, and produces 50,000 litres of ice cream daily, with a peak production of 3.38 LLPD. It supports animal husbandry farmers by disbursing nearly Rs 3 crore each day. In 2024-25, the dairy achieved a historic turnover of over Rs 1,200 crore, reflecting a 9.09% growth from the previous year. Sarhad Dairy is also a pioneer for the supply of pure Buffalo milk to many different dairy plants of Amul in various states such as Haryana, Hyderabad, and Maharashtra. Considered the white gold of the Rann of Kutch, camel milk is rich in essential minerals, promotes overall health, and strengthens immunity. Sarhad Dairy has India's first deodorising camel milk processing plant with advanced machinery, functional since January 16, 2019. The dairy has also earned the primary organic certification for camel milk. Following the Amul model, camel milk is collected through four centres across Kutch district: Rapar, Nakhatrana, Gadhshisha, and Kotda Athamana. In 2024-25, daily camel milk procurement reached 4,754 litres, with an annual payment of Rs 8,72,83,440 made to over 350 camel farming families. Additionally, the Dairy is the only facility in India producing camel milk Rajbhog-flavoured ice cream. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 22, 2024, the ice cream plant has already launched 80 varieties within just one year. In 2024-25, it produced a total of 24.52 lakh litres of ice cream, with a peak dispatch of 58,000 litres. The IDA Indian Dairy Association conference was held in Gandhinagar in January 2022. Sarhad Dairy was represented by Nirav Gusai, General Manager of Dairy, highlighting the dairy's achievements. The Dairy's pioneering camel milk initiatives were showcased at the first-ever Regional Dairy Conference by IDF (International Dairy Federation) 2024 in Kochi, Kerala, where Nirav Gusai presented its work as a model for camel milk production in the Asia-Pacific region. Sarhad Dairy also gained prominence at the Gulf Food Expo 2025 in Dubai, the world's largest food show, with its camel milk products at the Amul stall attracting significant attention. According to the release, the dairy was represented by GCMMF Vice Chairman and Dairy Chairman Valamji Humbal. The Dairy has received several prestigious awards, including the FOKIA Award 2014 for Social Growth and Infrastructure Development, the Rotary Club Vocational Excellence Award 2017 for developing the Kutch dairy sector, the FOKIA Award 2024 for Excellence in Agritech, and the Green Workplace Award 2025 from VNM TV for sustainability performance. 'Sahkar se Samriddhi' is a visionary initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah. Under this program, Sarhad Dairy has helped 900 milk societies and 31,067 animal husbandry farmers open accounts at the Kutch District Central Cooperative Bank (KDCC Bank). To further simplify banking, farmers have been issued RuPay cards, and 438 milk societies have received Micro ATMs. - ANI IOCL Chairman A S Sahney stated at the World Economic Forum in Davos that stable global crude oil prices combined with India's phenomenal economic growth are creating a favourable environment for both producers and consumers. He highlighted that the current price band of USD 60-65 per barrel supports economic stability while keeping sellers comfortable, though India remains heavily import-dependent for its crude needs. Sahney clarified that refining margins are determined by international market cracks, which have returned to a healthy zone, and that crude sourcing remains a commercial decision. Looking ahead, he emphasized Indian Oil's continued investment across the energy value chain, with a strategic shift towards cleaner forms of energy like renewables, biofuels, and green hydrogen. IOCL Chairman A S Sahney at Davos says stable oil prices and India's strong economy benefit producers and consumers, highlighting a shift to cleaner energy. Davos, January 20 Chairman of the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, A S Sahney, on Tuesday said stable global crude oil prices and India's strong economic growth are creating a favourable environment for both oil producers and consumers, while underlining the company's long-term focus on cleaner forms of energy. "India is growing at a phenomenal rate, and everybody is interested in talking about doing business with India," he said. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Sahney said, "Crude has been trading in the range of USD 60-65 per barrel over the past several months. For the better part of the last six months, they were at USD 60 or below. This is a good zone where economic growth is also happening and sellers of crude are comfortable." "India remains heavily dependent on imports to meet its energy needs, with IOCL importing about 85-87% of its crude oil requirements. The current price band is supportive for economic stability," he said. On refining margins, Sahney clarified that margins are not determined solely by crude prices. "Refining margin is a very broad term. It is finally affected by the cracks in the international market. Today, cracks are working fine. They have returned to normalcy but are still in a healthy zone," he said. Addressing questions on Venezuela, Sahney said India does not import much crude from the country at present but could consider it in the future if supplies resume. "We have processed Venezuelan crude earlier when it was available. Our refineries are robust and can process it in an admixed manner if and when it becomes available," he said. "Crude sourcing remains a purely commercial decision, noting that IOCL continues to buy cargoes from the US and Canada when they are economically viable. They are being bought just like crude from any other part of the world," he said. Sahney said the government has provided adequate support to the energy sector. "There is no problem on the policy side. Whatever support is required has already been given. It is up to us to improve profitability by increasing efficiency, reducing costs and optimising the supply chain," he said. Looking ahead, Sahney said Indian Oil will continue to invest across the energy value chain, including downstream petrochemicals and cleaner energy solutions. "A logical corollary is moving into cleaner forms of energy such as renewables, biofuels, sustainable aviation fuel and green hydrogen," he added. The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, with nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." - ANI Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi stated that India's voice now carries significant weight on the global stage, as evidenced by its largest-ever delegation at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He emphasized that the focus is not merely on signing MOUs but on securing meaningful, long-term opportunities, particularly for Gujarat's youth in sectors like AI and defence. Sanghavi highlighted the active role of the Indian government in supporting all states to attract investments, reflecting the country's growing economic stature. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for boosting national confidence and aspirations, noting Modi's recognition as the country's leader since 2014. Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi highlights India's growing global influence and investment focus at WEF Davos, crediting PM Modi's leadership. Davos, Jan 20 Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said on Tuesday that India's voice today carries a strong influence on the global stage, as the country participates in the World Economic Forum with its largest and strongest delegation so far. Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum , Sanghavi said he is closely observing how the Indian Government is actively supporting all states in attracting investments. "The level of cooperation extended by the Centre is remarkable and reflects India's growing stature in the global economic landscape," Sanghavi said. "India has arrived at Davos with unprecedented strength, with representatives from across the country and global investors present under one roof," he told IANS. He noted that this collective presence highlights how India's influence has expanded internationally and how states are now being empowered to showcase their potential to the world. The Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister clarified that the state has not come to Davos merely to sign memoranda of understanding. "The focus is on identifying meaningful opportunities that can create long-term benefits, especially for the youth of Gujarat," Sanghavi explained. "Gujarat is working actively on attracting Global Capability Centres, developing smart manufacturing hubs, and strengthening focus areas such as artificial intelligence and the defence corridor," he mentioned. We have a special focus on AI, and we also have a strong focus on the defence corridor, Sanghavi told IANS. Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister said PM Modi has worked to boost the confidence and aspirations of crores of Indians. "I express my gratitude to the Prime Minister of the country, who has worked to boost the spirit of crores of people in the nation," he stated. "Gujarat has always respected and honoured him for the development of Gujarat, but after 2014, the entire country has been seeing him as its Prime Minister," Sanghavi mentioned. - IANS INOXGFL Group has announced a massive Rs 50,000 crore investment plan over the next two years to drive energy transition projects across several Indian states. The company has signed an MoU with Uttar Pradesh for solar projects worth Rs 8,000-10,000 crore and is planning similar agreements with Karnataka and Gujarat. The Group Executive Director highlighted the strong global enthusiasm for India's growth story at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The company also plans to refile its IPO application soon, following a recent capital raise of over Rs 3,000 crore. INOXGFL Group to invest Rs 50,000 crore in 2 years for solar and green energy projects across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Gujarat. Davos, January 20 The Group Executive Director of INOXGFL, Devansh Jain, on Tuesday committed an investment of nearly Rs 50,000 crores in the next two years in energy transition across multiple Indian states. While speaking with ANI on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Jain said, "We are one of the largest energy transition players in India today and have invested close to USD 2 billion in the past year and committing an investment of nearly Rs 50,000 crores in the next 2 years across multiple states in terms of energy transition." "We are looking at very large capital expenditures in multiple states, including Madhya Pradesh, UP and Karnataka. A lot of our energy projects are being established in these states," he added. "We have just signed an MoU with Uttar Pradesh, where we are looking at investing about Rs 8,000 to 10,000 crore across solar projects. We will be announcing an MoU with Karnataka... We are looking at investing in Gujarat for investing about 1500 Mega Watts in the next 2 years, amounting to nearly Rs 12,000 crore... We are talking to other states as well..." he said. Talking about his experience at the WEF, he said, "What is most encouraging is that Indian pavilion is one of the largest pavilions in the promenade. Everyone we are meeting has a lot of enthusiasm and excitement around India, which has been there for a while under the leadership of our PM Modi..." "India stands out in this entire volatile geopolitical environment... We have one of the largest contingents of CMs and leaderships, from almost 10 states..." he said. Speaking about the group's Initial Public Offering (IPO), Jain said the company plans to refile the application very soon. "We've been expanding our global presence with recently entering the US and Africa. Recently, we've also raised over Rs 3,000 crore from global and Indian investors at a valuation of about Rs 50,000 crore. Yes, in the months to come, we would be refilling." The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, which is set to welcome nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." - ANI Exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi issued a blistering statement directly addressing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accusing him of being a criminal with blood on his hands. He warned that Khamenei and his regime would be held accountable, drawing a parallel to the Nuremberg trials for Nazi war criminals. Pahlavi called on the Iranian people to be ready for a broader, more powerful return to the streets to liberate the country, asserting the regime's collapse has begun. The statement comes amid ongoing tensions, with Iranian officials trading barbs with former US President Donald Trump over the protests. Exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi accuses Iran's Supreme Leader of crimes against the people and calls for mass protests to reclaim Iran. Paris, January 20 The exiled crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, on Tuesday issued a sharp statement addressed to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accusing him of crimes against the Iranian people. Posting on X, Pahlavi wrote, "Today I am speaking to Ali Khamenei, the leader of the regime occupying Iran. You are an anti-Iranian criminal. You have neither honor nor humanity." Accusing Khamenei of violence against citizens, he added, "Your hands are stained with the blood of tens of thousands of Iranians. With the blood of children... Of youth... Of the innocent..." Pahlavi further said, "You, your regime, and all of your mercenaries, will be held accountable for every drop of blood you have spilled. Without exception. We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will not retreat." Drawing a comparison with historical Nazi war crimes trials, he wrote, "Just as Nazi criminals were tried and punished in Nuremberg, you and your accomplices will also be tried and punished in the Iranian nation's court." Pahlavi warned that the Iranian leadership and those associated with it would not escape accountability, saying, "Your end is disgrace... Eternal shame... No crime goes unanswered." He continued, "The names of all those who ordered. Those who carried out the orders. And all of your accomplices. There is no escape. You will have nowhere to hide. The murderers of the people of Iran will have no immunity." Turning his message towards Iranians, he wrote, "And you, the great nation of Iran... My brave children... My grieving yet steadfast sisters and brothers: You are not alone. Your resistance has changed history. You stand on the front line of freedom." Pahlavi said Iran was nearing what he described as a political turning point, stating, "We are closer than ever to the end of this regime. This regime has cracked. Its power has worn down. Its collapse has begun." Calling for unity and courage, he added, "Believe in yourselves. In your unity. In your courage. In your greatness." He further wrote, "This regime can no longer silence our awakened and risen nation. It cannot impose fear upon Iran. This regime fears you and your power." Pahlavi urged Iranians to remain prepared for renewed demonstrations, saying, "Be ready. The moment to return to the streets will come. Broader. More powerful. More determined than ever. For the liberation of Tehran. For the reclaiming of Iran." He framed continued resistance as a commitment to those who have died, writing, "The continuation of this struggle until final victory is not merely a national duty, but a covenant with those who gave their lives on the path of freedom with their dear, precious blood." In his concluding message, Pahlavi wrote, "That day is not far... The day we celebrate together the reclaiming of Iran, and say with pride: We stood. We fought. And we prevailed. Long live Iran!" Pahlavi's statement came as Iranian officials continued to promise tough action against those arrested during recent nationwide protests, while trading barbs with US President Donald Trump amid an ongoing digital blackout, Al Jazeera reported. On Saturday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made an unusual admission that "several thousands" were killed during the protests, but the theocratic establishment has maintained that agents affiliated with foreign powers, and not state forces, were directly responsible, Al Jazeera reported. Amid the unrest, Iranian officials have also traded barbs with US President Donald Trump. At the height of the protests, Trump called on Iranians to "take over" government institutions, alleging "help is on the way", before expressing "great respect" for the Iranian leadership. On Saturday, Trump said it was time for an end to the 37-year rule of Khamenei, prompting responses from senior Iranian bodies. In a statement carried by state media, the Guardian Council condemned the "insult and baseless rhetoric of the criminal and foolish" US president, warning that any transgression against the supreme leader "is considered crossing the red line of the devout people of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will entail heavy costs and serious consequences". Meanwhile, Hossein Afshin, deputy for scientific affairs to the Iranian president, told reporters on Monday that internet restrictions will "gradually" be lifted from the end of the week, without sharing further details. - ANI Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/ The most difficult consequences of the Russian air attack on Ukraine are in the capital Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, noting that a significant number of residential buildings in the city were left without heating. "There are already the first reports on the situation in the regions after the Russian strike. Kyiv and Kyiv region, Vinnytsia region, Dnipropetrovsk region, Odesa region, Zaporizhia, Poltava region, Sumy region and our other regions. Repair teams, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, all necessary forces are involved everywhere In the format of a special energy selector, we will determine full details about the consequences of the attack and the necessary resources to restore the supply of electricity, heat and water to people. The most difficult situation so far is in Kyiv, a significant number of residential buildings without heating," Zelenskyy said on Telegram on Tuesday. He stressed that all Ukrainian officials and those responsible for the work of state institutions, in particular, representatives of regional and local authorities, as well as Ukrainian energy companies, were in Ukraine, "working, helping people and trying to stabilize the situation." "We need to be in our own country, in our cities, with our communities," the president wrote. Zelenskyy also noted the importance of "the world not being silent about this" and that the Russian Federation not be "on an equal footing with other countries in the world, while still focused only on killing and abusing people." Israeli security forces moved to evacuate and destroy the central UNRWA headquarters in northern Jerusalem. The action follows Israeli allegations that the UN agency has ties to Hamas, with some operatives accused of participating in the October 7 attacks. Israel had previously outlawed UNRWA's activities and the Knesset voted to cut off its utilities. This marks an escalation in measures against the organization, following a recent evacuation of another UNRWA facility in Jerusalem's Old City. Israeli forces evacuate and dismantle the central UNRWA headquarters in Jerusalem, following allegations of the agency's ties to Hamas terrorism. Tel Aviv, January 20 This morning, Israeli security forces arrived to evacuate and destroy the UNRWA headquarters on Ammunition Hill in northern Jerusalem. This is the central headquarters from which all of the organisation's activities in Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem are managed, and within which UNRWA's main logistical infrastructure is concentrated. Since the beginning of the war, UNRWA's ties with the terrorist organisation Hamas have been exposed, and it was discovered that some UNRWA operatives even took part in the October 7 massacre. In addition, numerous tunnels and terrorist infrastructures were found under buildings belonging to UNRWA in the Gaza Strip. The measures against UNRWA began in late 2024 with Israel's decision to outlaw all of the organisation's activities within the country's borders. In December 2025, the Knesset voted to disconnect UNRWA facilities from water and electricity. Less than two weeks ago, Israeli forces arrived to evacuate the UNRWA facility in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City. - ANI Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has paid tribute to legendary fashion designer Valentino Garavani, who passed away at age 93. His foundation announced the funeral will be held in Rome on January 23rd. Garavani founded his iconic brand in 1960, famous for its signature red and for designing Jackie Kennedy's wedding dress. His legacy extends to cinema, including an appearance in "The Devil Wears Prada." Italian PM Giorgia Meloni mourns designer Valentino Garavani. Details on his funeral, legacy of "Valentino red," and iconic Jackie Kennedy dress. Rome, January 20 Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed grief over the demise of legendary designer Valentino Garavani. Taking to X. Meloni wrote,"Valentino, undisputed master of style and elegance and eternal symbol of Italian high fashion. Today Italy loses a legend, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations. Thank you for everything." Valentino Garavani passed away at the age of 93 on Monday. The designer's foundation, Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti, announced the news on social media, writing, "Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones." While sharing the details of his funeral, the foundation wrote, "The lying in state will be held at PM23 in Piazza Mignanelli 23 on Wednesday, January 21st and Thursday, January 22nd, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. The funeral will take place on Friday, January 23rd at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, in Piazza della Repubblica 8 in Rome, at 11 am." According to Variety, the Italian designer Valentino Garavani founded his company in 1960 in Rome and quickly became known for his red dresses, a shade that became known as "Valentino red." The brand rose to prominence when First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy began wearing his designs in 1964, ordering six of his couture dresses in black and white to wear following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Garavani then designed her wedding gown for Aristotle Onassis. The dress's high neck, lace top and above-the-knee cut helped to solidify both her and Valentino as style icons. Garavani also had a relationship with cinema, not only dressing celebrities but appearing as himself in the beloved 2006 film "The Devil Wears Prada" alongside Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep. In 2008, a feature-length documentary about his career and life, titled "Valentino: The Last Emperor," premiered at the Venice Film Festival. - ANI The government has established 140 Kisan Khidmat Ghars in the remote and border areas of Rajouri district, Jammu and Kashmir, to deliver agricultural services directly to farmers' villages. These centres act as one-stop shops, providing digital access to government portals, quality seeds, fertilizers, and financial services like micro-ATMs. They also offer expert guidance on soil health and crop management, aiming to overcome the "distance penalty" faced by border communities. The initiative, part of the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme, is boosting economic diversification through activities like trout farming and creating new livelihood opportunities. 140 Kisan Khidmat Ghars in Rajouri district bring seeds, schemes, and digital services to remote farmers' doorsteps under HADP. Rajouri, January 20 In a major boost for farmers in the hilly and border areas of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, the government has set up 140 Kisan Khidmat Ghars under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme with the aim to ensure the last-mile delivery of agricultural services to farmers living in remote and border villages. For years, farmers in far-flung areas such as Doongi, Nowshera, Manjakote, Budhal, Kotranka and other border belts were forced to travel long distances to tehsil or district headquarters to access government schemes, seeds, or technical guidance. With the opening of Kisan Khidmat Ghars in local panchayats, essential services are now available at the village level. The Kisan Khidmat Ghars are meant to function as one-stop service centres for farmers. They provide digital access to platforms such as the Daksh Kisan Portal for skill development and the Kisan Sathi Portal, through which farmers can apply for more than 120 government schemes. The centres also facilitate booking and availability of quality seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. In addition, financial services such as micro-ATMs and POS machines have been introduced, enabling farmers to carry out digital transactions and access schemes like the Kisan Credit Card (KCC). Farmers can also seek expert advice on soil health, plant diseases, and crop management, along with real-time market price information and crop forecasting. The HADP initiative holds special significance for the Rajouri district due to its difficult terrain and border location. By reducing travel time and costs, the centres are helping farmers overcome what officials describe as the "distance penalty" faced by border communities. The programme is also promoting economic diversification through activities such as trout farming in the Pir Panjal region and vermicompost units in areas like Sunderbani, creating livelihood opportunities for youth and women. Local farmers have welcomed the move as Haji Mohammad Azam, a farmer from the district, said, "These Khidmat Centres are very useful for the farmers as they are aware of what seeds to use and what methods should be used on what kind of soil. This is a good move by the government, and we would like to see more of these centres. Earlier, we used to wait in the lines for the seeds and farmers used to go to other districts, but it has become better now." Anice Kasana, who works in a Kisan Khidmat Ghar in Doongi block, said the centres aim to promote modern and sustainable farming practices. "The Government of India has opened these 'Kisan Khidmat Ghars' to inform the farmers about the modern methods of farming at their doorstep in their village. Our aim is to use modern technology and organic ways to grow crops. Horticulture, agriculture and sheep farming have good scope here," she said, urging farmers to register at the centres to avail benefits. Chief Agriculture Officer Rajouri, Rajesh Verma, said the initiative is a key component of the HADP. He said, "Kisan Khidmat Ghars are an initiative of the department under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program scheme. Under this project, we have set up 140 Kisan Khidmat Ghars in Rajouri district. Our department aims to provide the material required to help the farmers." - ANI Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Special Forces was killed during a counter-terrorism operation in Kishtwar's Singhpora area. The White Knight Corps paid solemn tributes, honouring his courage and sacrifice. Operation Trashi-I, a joint operation with Jammu and Kashmir Police, continues in the challenging terrain of the Son Nar area. Security forces have tightened the cordon and expanded search operations as the anti-terror mission progresses. Special Forces soldier Havildar Gajendra Singh killed during Operation Trashi-I in Kishtwar. Army pays tribute, operations continue in the area. Jammu, January 20 Army officers on Tuesday paid last tributes to Havildar Gajendra Singh, who laid down his life yesterday in the line of duty during a counter-terrorism operation in the Singhpora area of Chatroo in Kishtwar district. Havildar Gajendra Singh, a Special Forces soldier, was killed "while gallantly executing a counter-terror operation" as part of the ongoing Operation Trashi-I on the intervening night of January 18 and 19. In a post on X, the White Knight Corps said, "The #GOC, White Knight Corps and all ranks pay solemn tribute to Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Special Forces, who made the supreme sacrifice while gallantly executing a Counter Terrorism operation in the Singpura area during the ongoing Operation TRASHI-I on the intervening night of 18-19 Jan 2026." "We honour his indomitable courage, valour and selfless devotion to duty and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this hour of profound grief," the post further read. Earlier, the White Knight Corps, explaining the Operation Trashi, had said that contact was established on Sunday with terrorists in the general area of Son Nar, northeast of Chhatru, during a deliberate search operation conducted as part of joint counter-terror operations along with the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The troops, it said, displayed exceptional professionalism and resolve while responding to hostile fire under challenging terrain and weather conditions. According to the Army, additional forces were inducted to reinforce the cordon, with close coordination maintained with the civil administration and other security agencies. "Operation Trashi - I Contact was established with terrorists in the general area Son Nar, northeast of Chhatru, during a deliberate search operation conducted as part of ongoing joint counter-terror operations alongwith @JmuKmrPolice. Troops displayed exceptional professionalism and resolve while responding to hostile fire under challenging terrain and conditions. Operations remain underway with additional forces inducted to reinforce the cordon, supported by close coordination with civil administration and security agencies," the post read. Meanwhile, the White Knight Corps said that operations under Operation Trashi-I are continuing in the general area of Son Nar, northeast of Chhatru. "The cordon has been further tightened with search operations expanded. Troops of #WhiteKnightCorps, along with @jmukmrpolice and #CRPF, remain deployed to dominate the area," the post read. Earlier, at least eight jawans were injured in an encounter during this Operation on Monday. The encounter broke out in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar on Sunday after security forces launched an operation against the presence of terrorists in the region. The Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed that an operation is currently underway. Security forces have heightened security deployment as the anti-terror operation progresses. - ANI Television actress Juhi Parmar shared a humorous and relatable video of herself and her daughter Samaira desperately rushing home to eat dal chawal after a long trip to Europe. The video captures their excitement to have homely Indian food after weeks of consuming breads and croissants in Paris. Parmar had been documenting their luxurious vacation, which included a third, successful visit to Disneyland to see the fireworks. The heartwarming clip concludes with them hugging their waiting grandparents before making a beeline for the awaited meal. TV actress Juhi Parmar and daughter Samaira rush home for dal chawal after weeks of breads and croissants in Europe. Watch the funny, relatable video. Mumbai, Jan 20 Television actress Juhi Parmar has shared a video of herself and her daughter Samaira unable to control themselves from indulging into homely Daal Chawal after days of eating breads. She wrote, "They say you can take an Indian out of India but not India out of an Indian.....To vaise to duniya ghoomne mein only khushi hoti hai no gham.. except ONE.." She added, "We miss family and ghar ka khana.. Every Indian craves dal chawal. And how much we missed it..our excitement says it all. Tell me who all can relate? #bollywood #funnyvideos." In the video, Juhi, along with her daughter Samaira, can be seen hurrying home with their bags as they return from their luxurious trip to Paris. Both the mother and daughter were seen hurrying into the lift, making fans wonder as to what were they up to. In the next half of the video, we see Juhi's parents standing at the entrance of their house with open arms to hug their daughter and granddaughter. Juhi and Samaira are seen quickly hugging them and rushing into the house, leaving the grandparents confused. It is revealed later, as the climax of the video, that both the mother and daughter were extremely eager and desperate to finally eat their homely dal chawal after weeks of eating only bread and croissants during their trip to Europe. Juhi, a few days ago had shared a video of herself and Samaira gobbling onto croissants and breads from morning to evening quite literally, while on their trip to Paris. She wrote, "Subha se leke kar shaam tak shaam se lekhar subha tak.....Kya tha? Lots of croissants, loadsss of bread.....A little bit of humour but lots of fun through these moments! #funny #fun #travel #traveldiaries." For the uninitiated, Juhi and Samaira were on a joyful trip to Europe, where they visited Disney Land for the third time. Sharing their experience Juhi had written in social media account, "They say third time is lucky, and that is exactly what happened for us because I refused to give up." She added, "We had been to Disney twice before, but somehow both the times we couldn't experience the fireworks. I promised myself that I would keep going back until I could make Samairra experience that magic. This time, we finally stood there and watched the sky light up, and it felt so special and magical." She added, "Disney says the magic is in you... mine was a mother's determination. Your magic is inside of you too-ignite it and create your own world." Earlier, Juhi had mentioned how she ticked another dream off her bucket list and visited Paris, France. Sharing a transition video wherein she is seen standing right ahead of the iconic Eiffel Tower, located in the most romantic city in the world, she wrote, "Ticking another dream from the bucket list before 2025 gets over!! #paris #vacation #travel #traveler #christmastime #eiffeltower. For the uninitiated, Juhi is a single mother and has been raising Samaira single-handedly for many years now. Juhi was earlier married to actor Sachin Shroff. The former couple, who married in February 2009 in Jaipur, separated officially in 2018. On the professional front, in 2002, Juhi got the major spotlight with her hit show "Kumkum- Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan", where she starred alongside Hussain Kuwajerwala. Juhi also had won the reality show Bigg Boss season 14. - IANS Karnataka's Industries Minister M.B. Patil is leading a high-powered delegation at the World Economic Forum 2026 to attract global investment. He has pitched Vijayapura district to The Coca-Cola Company as a strategic hub for beverage manufacturing, leveraging its water security. In the sustainable materials sector, the state secured a strong investment lead of up to Rs 1,800 crore from Natural Fiber Welding for plant-based alternatives. The minister also held talks with brewing giant AB InBev to expand its existing operations within Karnataka's manufacturing ecosystem. Minister M.B. Patil courts Coca-Cola, NFW Earth & AB InBev for major investments in food processing & sustainable materials in Karnataka. Davos, January 20 In a push to cement Karnataka's position as a global manufacturing powerhouse, M.B. Patil, Karnataka's Minister for Commerce & Industries and Infrastructure, has initiated a series of strategic engagements at the World Economic Forum 2026. Leading the state's delegation with an "execution-first" mandate, the Minister has secured significant interest from global leaders in the food processing and sustainable materials sectors, potentially bringing billions in investment to the state. The delegation's first breakthrough came during a high-level meeting with the leadership of The Coca-Cola Company. The discussions centred on the "strategic expansion of their operations in Karnataka," building on the company's massive Rs 25,760 crore investment commitment to India's food processing sector. Minister Patil specifically pitched Vijayapura as a future industrial powerhouse for the beverage giant. Sharing the update on his X account, he said, "Among our other proposals, we highlighted Vijayapura as a priority industrial hub, specifically for its sustainable water availability, which is crucial for large-scale beverage manufacturing." By providing "long-term resource security and full governmental facilitation," the state aims to secure high-impact projects that will bolster industrial resilience and create "quality regional opportunities." Shifting focus to cutting-edge material science, Minister Patil met with Natural Fiber Welding (NFW Earth), a company renowned for creating plastic-free, plant-based alternatives to leather and textiles for brands like BMW, Adidas, and Levi's. The meeting yielded a significant investment lead, with NFW Earth expressing a "strong interest in expanding its manufacturing footprint in India." The company outlined a proposed Phase-I investment of Rs 1,600-1,800 crore. To ensure the project reaches fruition, the Minister provided a comprehensive briefing on the state's support systems. "We briefed them on Karnataka's industrial incentive framework and assured full facilitation, including approvals, infrastructure support and ecosystem linkages," he tweeted. NFW Earth is expected to submit a detailed project proposal to the Government of Karnataka shortly. The Karnata Minister also engaged in a high level dialogue with brewing major AB InBev. "We deepened our engagement with AB InBev at #WEF26 during a high-level dialogue with Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer John Blood. From its specialised brewery in Mysuru to its Global Capability Centre in Bengaluru, the company maintains a significant and strategic presence in our state. We discussed their intent to further leverage Karnataka's manufacturing ecosystem and talent base for future growth. Our delegation pledged continued facilitation and seamless inter-departmental coordination to support their operational requirements and upcoming initiatives. We remain committed to fostering a robust environment where global industry leaders can thrive and scale." the Minister said. - ANI Kashmiri Hindu advocacy groups in the United States marked January 19 as Exodus Day, renewing calls for justice and the secure rehabilitation of the displaced community. They described the 1990s exodus as a deliberate process of "ethnic cleansing" and rejected symbolic gestures as inadequate. Key demands include declaring property sales as "distress sales," restoring them to owners, and adopting the Margdarshan Resolution for political rehabilitation. The groups urged India and the international community to acknowledge the genocide and ensure a dignified return. Advocacy groups mark Jan 19, term 1990s displacement "ethnic cleansing," demand secure rehabilitation and property restitution for Kashmiri Pandits. Washington, Jan 20 Kashmiri Hindu advocacy groups in the United States on Monday renewed their call for justice, restoration and secure rehabilitation of the community, marking January 19 as Exodus Day. In a statement, the Kashmir Hindu Foundation and Panun Kashmir described the date as a reminder of what they called the systematic displacement of Kashmiri Hindus from the Valley. The groups said January 19 symbolises a "deliberate and sustained process of ethnic cleansing" that uprooted an indigenous community. They said Kashmiri Hindus lost not only homes but also roots and civilisational identity. They rejected what they called symbolic gestures, selective amnesia, and tourism-focused narratives as inadequate responses. Sunanda Vashisht, writer and political commentator and Chairperson of the Jonaraja Institute of Genocide and Atrocities Studies, said the crimes could not be seen as a single historical episode. "Genocide is not an event; it is a process aimed at wiping out or severely weakening particular identity-based groups. These groups are perceived as a threat to the offenders' identity or dominance," she said. Panun Kashmir Convener Dr Agnishekhar said the return and rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Hindus was possible only through the adoption of the Margdarshan Resolution by the Government of India. Any alternative approach, he said, failed to address the political, security, and civilisational aspects of the issue. Nitin Dhar, speaking for the Panun Kashmir Youth Wing, rejected the narrative of "Kashmiriyat." He said Kashmir historically followed "Kashmir Deshachar," a distinct civilisational and cultural ethos that was later destroyed. He said falsified narratives could not replace historical truth. Kashmir Hindu Foundation founder Deepak Ganju demanded that all movable and immovable properties sold by displaced Kashmiri Pandits after 1989 be officially declared "distress sales." He said such transactions should be declared null and void, with possession restored to the rightful owners as per land records. KHF President Anit Monga also called for a blanket ban on acquisition or encroachment of abandoned properties. The groups said justice, restitution, and secure rehabilitation were constitutional and moral imperatives. They urged India, civil society and the international community to acknowledge the genocide and take decisive steps to ensure the dignified return of Kashmiri Hindus. - IANS The 16th session of the Kerala Legislative Assembly began with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar's policy address. He flagged the state's strong concerns over the Centre's bill to rename MGNREGA to VB-G Ram G, warning it would slash central funding from 100% to 60%. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also openly opposed the bill, arguing it undermines the scheme's foundational objectives. The Governor also highlighted key state legislation, including making Malayalam the official language while protecting linguistic minorities' rights. Kerala Governor raises concerns over Centre's VB-G Ram G Bill, citing a 40% funding cut for MGNREGA. CM Vijayan opposes the move as the Assembly session begins. Thiruvananthapuram, January 20 The 16th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly began on Tuesday with the customary policy address of Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. The Assembly session marks the final sitting before the state heads for the assembly elections this year. The policy address is the first by Governor Arlekar, who took oath on January 2, 2025. The Governor, speaking on behalf of the state government, emphasised that the employment guarantee scheme should continue to be implemented in its traditional form. "Kerala has been in the forefront of implementing the demand-based employment scheme, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Program. The recent amendment to the said scheme, transforming it into VB-G Ram G, is a setback for Kerala, as the assistance from the union has decreased from 100 to 60%. There are also issues with the earlier program's demand-based nature. My government has flagged these concerns before the Union government. My government is of the view that the MGREGS system should continue..." Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been open in his opposition of the the Centre's proposal to rename MGNREGA, saying that the bill seeks to "undermine the very foundational objectives" of the employment guarantee scheme. He cautioned that once the bill becomes law, Kerala would face a sharp reduction in Union budgetary support for the scheme, with the Centre contributing only 60 per cent of the total expenditure. Arlekar, who highlighted the legislation making Malayalam the official language of the state, along with other significant acts passed by the government.Addressing the Assembly, Arlekar noted that Kerala recently had elections for the three-tier local d self-government and the elected people have now taken charge. Highlighting the Landmark Right to Services Act and legislative initiative to make Malayalam the official language of Kerala, he said, "My government has passed the Landmark Right to Services Act, which provides for declaring notified services as made available if officials connected with them fail to take action within a stipulated time period." "Another legislation is making our mother-tongue Malayalam the official language of the State, while affording adequate protection to the rights of linguistic minorities in the state," he added. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had previously in his response to a row surrounding the Malayalam Language Bill 2025, asserted that the apprehensions raised do not reflect the facts or the inclusive spirit of the legislation passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly, adding that the bill contains a clause that particularly safeguards the rights of linguistic minorities. - ANI Actress Kirti Kulhari has announced the completion of shooting for her first feature film as a producer, titled 'Kinare'. She shared the emotional update on Instagram, reflecting on a three-year journey marked by persistence, setbacks, and learning. The film is written and directed by Akbar Azam Quadri and shot by cinematographer Arjun Sundarram. Kulhari expressed deep gratitude to her cast, crew, and co-producers for their faith and support in bringing the project to life. Actress Kirti Kulhari announces completion of her debut production 'Kinare' after a 3-year journey of persistence, setbacks, and growth. Mumbai, Jan 19 Actress Kirti Kulhari has announced the completion of the shoot of her first feature film as a producer, marking a significant milestone in her career. Sharing the update on Instagram, the actress said life has taught her that there is a "right time for everything," as she reflected on the emotional journey behind the project. Sharing a few glimpses from her upcoming production, the actress wrote: "One thing life has taught me is -' There's a right time for everything'. My heart is full of love and gratitude, and I feel it's the right time to share with you all something truly special that happened." She added: I am proud to announce the completion of the shoot of my first #featurefilm as a #producer #kinare Produced by #kintsukuroifilms." Expressing gratitude, she said the project came together after three years of persistence marked by repeated attempts, setbacks, learning, and growth. "After 3 years of trying, failing, falling, learning, falling harder, rising again, and learning so much during this time, this finally happened ." The film is written and directed by Akbar Azam Quadri and shot by cinematographer Arjun Sundarram. Calling the film a result of collective passion, courage, visio,n and love for cinema, Kirti said she could not have imagined a better team for her first production venture. "Written and directed by @akbarazamquadri and shot by @arjunsundarram , this film is a result of combined passion, courage, vision and pure love for #cinema I wouldn't have had it any other way or with anyone else on MY first , OUR first ...all of you are rockstars and rock solid. Co-produced and hugely supported by my dear friend @kaliabhi , this remains a testament to our friendship and growing trust." Kirti further thanked Maansi Sengupta for believing in the film and joining the journey, along with Imit Rayan, whom she credited for unwavering love and backing throughout the process. "Thank you @maansisengupta for joining hands with us on this journey and believing in the film @imitrayan u have always had my back and finally we did it and know that your unconditional love and support is something i am always grateful for ." Thanking the cast, Kirti expressed gratitude to Rajeev Siddhartha for his faith in both her and the script, adding that her first production felt destined to happen with him. She also praised Alka Amin for her warmth and charm, and Ravi Taneja for his presence and support. "To my lovely actors : @rajeevsiddhartha thank you for your faith in me and the script. It was such a pleasure having you on this one..And I guess my first production was always meant to happen with u @alkaamin ma'am you have been so charming and warm and will never be able to thank you enough for being with us on this journey . @ravi.taneja61 thank you sir for ur presence and warmth .. it was wonderful having you with us .." The actress also gave a special mention to the editor, calling his association with the project surreal and expressing excitement about the film's post-production phase. Editor @bakulmatiyani . It's surreal how you came on board and so looking forward to you creating your magic from here on. Ab tumhare hawale watan saathiyo. To my entire team - a big big thank you for being with us on this journey and making it happen.. Will always be grateful and cherish every bit of it .." - IANS Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the Mahadev Desai Library extension at the Harijan Sevak Sangh in Delhi's Gandhi Ashram, describing the visit as deeply emotional. He reflected on Mahatma Gandhi's personal transformation and austere life, symbolized by his adoption of simple attire. The VP highlighted the Sangh's historic role in overcoming social evils like untouchability through education and service. He also released a book on Gandhi's vision and praised Gujarat for giving India leaders like Gandhi, Patel, and Modi. VP C.P. Radhakrishnan inaugurates Mahadev Desai Library, calls knowledge key for social transformation, and reflects on Gandhi's ideals at Delhi Ashram. New Delhi, Jan 20 Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday visited the Harijan Sevak Sangh at the historic Gandhi Ashram in New Delhi to inaugurate the Mahadev Desai Library Extension, describing knowledge as the most enduring instrument of social transformation. The Vice President also visited the Kasturba Museum located within the Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi stayed during their visits to Delhi in the 1930s and 1940s, said an official statement. Describing the visit as deeply emotional, the Vice President said that walking through the Ashram, including the simple home and kitchen used by Kasturba Ba, offered a powerful reminder of the austere lives led by India's leaders, marked by simplicity, sacrifice and unwavering determination. Addressing the gathering, the Vice President said the inauguration of the Mahadev Desai Library extension was not merely the expansion of a physical space, but a reaffirmation of the belief During the programme, the Vice President released the book "Age of Enlightenment: Mahatma Gandhi's Vision" authored by Prof. Dr Sankar Kumar Sanyal, for the Gandhian fraternity. He also paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, Thakkar Bapa and Vinoba Bhave. Reflecting on Mahatma Gandhi's personal transformation, the Vice President recalled how Gandhiji's decision to abandon Western attire was shaped by his encounter with the poverty of Indian farmers, including at Madurai railway station, where he resolved to wear only a loincloth or Dhoti. He said this transformation symbolised Gandhiji's lifelong commitment to identifying with the masses and working for their upliftment. He also referred to Gandhiji's advocacy of swadeshi, noting how he opposed India's cotton being processed in Manchester and sold back to Indians, and instead championed Swadeshi. Describing the Harijan Sevak Sangh as a seed planted by Mahatma Gandhi, the Vice President said its work has borne lasting fruit by helping the nation overcome social evils such as untouchability through education, awareness and service. He emphasised that birth does not determine whether an individual is good or bad; it is character that defines a person. Recalling the life of former President of India K.R. Narayanan, the Vice President noted that the Harijan Sevak Sangh had played a pivotal role in supporting his education and shaping his journey. He expressed confidence that the Sangh would continue to nurture many more such exemplary individuals in the future, adding that sincere service to society creates individuals of character and conscience. Highlighting the reciprocal relationship between the individual and society, the Vice President said that while individuals often overlook the role society plays in shaping them, every individual has a duty to give back to society. He underlined that service to society is both a moral obligation and a pathway to nation-building. The Vice President also lauded the contributions of Gujarat to the nation, expressing gratitude for three towering personalities it has given India -- Mahatma Gandhi for the nation's freedom, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for national unity, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the country's development. - IANS On the night of January 20, the Russian occupiers attacked the territory of Ukraine with a Zircon anti-ship missile, 18 Iskander-M/S-300 ballistic missiles, 15 Kh-101 cruise missiles, as well as 339 Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas attack UAVs and drones of other types, the press service of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has said. "According to preliminary data, as of 10:00, air defense systems shot down/suppressed 342 targets: 14 Iskander-M/S-300 ballistic missiles, 13 Kh-101 cruise missiles and 315 enemy Shahed, Gerbera UAVs and drones of other types in the north, south, east and center of the country," the message on Telegram says. In addition, five missiles and 24 strike UAVs were recorded at 11 locations, as well as the fall of downed (fragments) UAVs at 12 locations. Information about two enemy missiles is being clarified. The main direction of the strike is the Kyiv region. The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Several enemy UAVs remain in Ukrainian airspace. JD-U leader Lalan Singh dismissed speculation about former Union Minister RCP Singh rejoining the party, stating there is no place for those who weakened the organization. He announced a major government initiative to boost India's seafood exports through a high-level international conference in 2026. Singh emphasized the enduring leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the party's growth under him. He also highlighted Bihar's pivotal role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Developed India 2047' vision, asserting the state is now positioned to lead. JD-U leader Lalan Singh dismisses RCP Singh's return, announces global seafood export conference & discusses Nitish Kumar, Bihar's development role. Patna, Jan 20 Union Minister and senior Janata Dal-United leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, on Tuesday, made several significant statements on Bihar politics, internal party matters, and the Union government's plans to boost India's seafood exports. Speaking to reporters in Lakhisarai, Lalan Singh dismissed speculation about the return of former Union Minister RCP Singh to the JD-U. He said that there was no place in the party for those who weakened the organisation. "The strength of the JD-U comes from its committed party workers. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the party has continuously grown stronger," he added. Highlighting departmental initiatives, Lalan Singh announced that the Union government will organise a high-level roundtable conference on January 21, 2026, involving Ambassadors and High Commissioners from more than 80 countries. The conference will be chaired by Lalan Singh himself. "The objective is to expand India's seafood exports and establish new international market linkages," he said, noting that India is currently the world's second-largest aquaculture producer. After meeting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Lalan Singh said, "We were in the region for three days. After returning today, I informed Nitish Kumar that we are leaving for Delhi tonight, as there is a Cabinet meeting tomorrow. It is his magnanimity that he came to meet us today. Our relationship spans 38 years." Asked about Nitish Kumar's son Nishant Kumar's entry into politics, the Union Minister said that the decision rests solely with the Bihar Chief Minister. Lalan Singh also congratulated Nitin Nabin on being appointed the BJP President, saying that he possesses strong leadership qualities and would take the party forward. Commenting on the Bihar Assembly election results, he said that the people of Bihar have given a strong mandate to the NDA based on development. Emphasising Bihar's role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Developed India 2047' vision, he added that the state is now in a position to lead from the front. "Bihar is no longer lagging behind. It has the capacity to play a decisive role in building a developed India," Lalan Singh added. - IANS Nitin Nabin has been unanimously elected as the national president of the BJP, becoming the youngest leader to hold the post. Political leaders from within and outside the BJP extended their congratulations, highlighting his grassroots journey and the significance of his youth. Many, especially from Bihar, expressed hope that he would prioritize the state's development issues like migration and unemployment. His election, backed by top leaders including PM Modi, marks a smooth transition and emphasizes the party's focus on a new generation of leadership. Nitin Nabin, 45, elected as BJP's youngest national president. Leaders across parties extend congratulations and set expectations for his tenure. New Delhi, Jan 20 As Nitin Nabin was elected as the BJP's National President during the organisational event 'Sangathan Parv' at the party headquarters in New Delhi, becoming the youngest leader to hold the post, leaders from across the political spectrum on Tuesday extended their best wishes to him, calling it a moment of joy and expressing hope that he would take both the party and the country to greater heights. BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo said the occasion was a matter of pride for millions of BJP workers across the country. "It is a moment of joy and pride for crores of BJP workers. The BJP is the largest political party in the world and is fundamentally a worker-based organisation, where party workers are given the highest importance. No one can dictate who becomes the National President of our party. Unlike dynastic parties such as the Congress or some regional parties, where leadership often remains confined within a single family, the BJP follows a democratic organisational process," he told IANS. BJP MLA Harish Khurana also hailed Nitin Nabin's rise within the party. "It is a very proud moment for party workers that one of our own has risen from within the organisation. From starting as a booth president to becoming the National President of the country's largest political party is truly remarkable and inspirational," he said. Senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said that Nitin Nabin's age and energy would benefit the party. "At the age of 45, the young president Nitin Nabin will take the Bharatiya Janata Party to new heights. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and through the BJP's ideology, he will also contribute to taking the country to greater heights," he said. Extending wishes from outside the BJP, Purnea MP Pappu Yadav said that people had high expectations from the newly appointed president. "He is young, and I want him to work for the welfare of the people. We hope he will work for the people of Bihar and ensure special attention to the state. He should focus on the safety of the daughters of Bihar. He has gained his identity from Bihar, and I congratulate him. People expect that he will do something meaningful for them and bring development packages," he said. RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said that while the appointment was an internal matter of the BJP, it marked the beginning of a new phase. "A new Nabin era is beginning in the BJP from today. Nitin Nabin hails from Bihar, and we extend our congratulations and best wishes to him," he said. Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari also congratulated Nabin but offered a critical note, saying, "I congratulate him. However, the BJP has once again shown that it believes more in selection than election. The era of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani has now completely ended. The BJP often criticises the Congress, but here too, a selected process has been followed," he remarked. Congress MP Manoj Kumar also extended his best wishes, recalling his professional association with Nabin in Bihar. "When he was a minister in the Bihar government, he was in charge of Kaimur district, which falls under our parliamentary constituency. He used to visit frequently, and we worked together in several district-level coordination meetings. I extend my good wishes to him," he told IANS. He added that people now expect Nabin to focus on Bihar's issues such as migration, unemployment, industrial development, education, and women's welfare, saying that the people of the state are hopeful as he assumes the responsibility of BJP National President. Nitin Nabin, born on May 23, 1980, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, has emerged as one of the youngest and most dynamic leaders in Indian politics. On Tuesday, he was unanimously elected as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the age of 45, succeeding Jagat Prakash Nadda. His elevation reflects the party's emphasis on generational change, organisational discipline and grassroots connect. With thirty-seven nomination sets, including those from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and former Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the transition was smooth and widely welcomed within the BJP fold. Coming from a political lineage, Nitin Nabin is the son of late Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha, a respected four-time MLA from Patna West and a senior BJP figure in Bihar. His mother was the late Meera Sinha. He belongs to the Chitraguptavanshi Kayastha community. He completed his schooling at St Michael's High School in Patna, clearing Class 10 under CBSE in 1996, followed by intermediate studies at CSKM Public School in New Delhi in 1998. Nitin Nabin stepped into electoral politics early. In 2006, he won a by-election to the Bihar Legislative Assembly from Patna West after his father's demise. Following delimitation, he shifted to Bankipur constituency and has represented it uninterrupted since 2010, securing victories in 2010, 2015, 2020 and 2025. This makes him a five-time MLA with consistently strong margins. In successive NDA governments in Bihar, he handled important cabinet portfolios, including Road Construction on multiple occasions, Urban Development and Housing, and Law and Justice. His tenure saw focus on infrastructure projects, urban renewal and welfare measures for journalists, ASHA workers and other sections. Parallel to his legislative career, Nitin Nabin built a formidable reputation in the party organisation. He served as the state president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in Bihar and later as its national general secretary. He was entrusted with critical in-charge roles in Sikkim and Chhattisgarh, notably steering the party's campaign in the 2023 Chhattisgarh Assembly polls. In December 2025, he was appointed national working president, a position that positioned him directly for the top organisational post. Known for quiet determination, ideological clarity, administrative efficiency and unwavering loyalty to the party, Nitin Nabin now leads the BJP. With Assembly elections approaching in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and the 2029 Lok Sabha battle on the horizon, his presidency is expected to strengthen booth-level machinery, expand the party's footprint and align organisational efforts closely with the government's development agenda under Prime Minister Modi's leadership. - IANS The Kerala Legislative Assembly session began with the Governor's address highlighting new legislation. The government has passed a law establishing Malayalam as the official language of the state. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan clarified the bill includes explicit protections for linguistic minorities, particularly Tamil and Kannada speakers. The law ensures these communities can continue official correspondence in their mother tongues. Kerala Governor announces legislation making Malayalam the official state language, with safeguards for Tamil and Kannada linguistic minorities. Thiruvananthapuram, January 20 The 16th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly commenced on Tuesday with a policy address by Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who highlighted the legislation making Malayalam the official language of the state, along with other significant acts passed by the government. Addressing the Assembly, Arlekar noted that Kerala recently had elections for the three-tier local d self-government and the elected people have now taken charge. Highlighting the Landmark Right to Services Act and legislative initiative to make Malayalam the official language of Kerala, he said, "My government has passed the Landmark Right to Services Act, which provides for declaring notified services as made available if officials connected with them fail to take action within a stipulated time period." "Another legislation is making our mother-tongue Malayalam the official language of the State, while affording adequate protection to the rights of linguistic minorities in the state," he added. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had previously in his response to a row surrounding the Malayalam Language Bill 2025, asserted that the apprehensions raised do not reflect the facts or the inclusive spirit of the legislation passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly, adding that the bill contains a clause that particularly safeguards the rights of linguistic minorities. In a post on X, the Chief Minister said, "Kerala's progress has always been rooted in comprehensive development anchored in equality and brotherhood. The Government remains steadfast in upholding the constitutional values of secularism and pluralism."Clarifying the intent of the legislation, Vijayan said the Bill contains a clear and unambiguous non-obstante clause (Clause 7) which explicitly safeguards the rights of linguistic minorities, particularly the Kannada and Tamil speaking communities. He emphasised that the government remains firmly committed to protecting linguistic diversity and ensuring that no language is imposed on any citizen. "Key provisions ensure that no language is imposed and linguistic freedom is fully protected. In notified areas, Tamil and Kannada speakers may continue to use their mother tongues for official correspondence with the Secretariat, Heads of Departments, and local offices, with replies issued in the same languages," Vijayan said. - ANI Lulu Group International Chairman Yusuf Ali has pledged increased investment in Uttar Pradesh and committed to attracting more foreign investment to the state. He praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's pro-industry leadership, noting the success of their Lucknow mall and plans for a new one in Noida. Separately, AM Group signed an MoU with the UP government to build a massive $25 billion AI compute hub in Greater Noida. These announcements were made on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where the UP delegation held multiple investor meetings. Lulu Group Chairman Yusuf Ali announces more investment in UP and plans to bring foreign funds, praising CM Yogi Adityanath's pro-industry policies. Davos, January 20 Lulu Group International will make more investments in Uttar Pradesh and has also committed to bringing more investment from other countries to the state, Group Chairman Yusuf Ali said on Tuesday. He said that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is pro-industry, and that the group has food processing plants in the state. He said the group's shopping mall in Lucknow is getting good footfall and the group is finalising a mall in Noida. "Uttar Pradesh is a very important state in India and is investment-friendly under the dynamic leadership of Yogi Adityanath. He is pro-industrialist, pro-industry, pro-trading. He is helping a lot, and we have food processing plants in UP. The UP government is giving all the support. Our shopping mall in Lucknow is very famous now. We expected a certain number of people; now that figure has doubled. Uttar Pradesh is a very pro-investment state...We are now finalising a shopping mall in Noida, so the people from Delhi can also come," he told ANI on the sidelines of World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. "We are going to invest more in Uttar Pradesh, and I have committed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that we will bring more investment from other countries too," he added. Answering a query, he said the relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India are historical. "The relation between the UAE and India is historical, and the personal relation between the President of the UAE and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally strong. PM Modi personally went and received the President of the UAE, and if Prime Minister Modi visits the UAE, the President of the UAE receives him. This personal relation will go further," he said. United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, paid an official visit to India on January 19 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This was the fifth visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India in the last ten years and his third official visit to India as the President of the UAE. The two leaders reviewed the full scope of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. They agreed that the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has continued to strengthen over the past decade. Answering another query, Yusuf Ali said that visit to Davos is a learning experience. "In Davos, from all over the world, professionals, intellectuals, geopolitical leaders, heads of state, investors, business people and trade tycoons are coming. We have to learn a lot of things and we can jointly do together a lot of things in different parts of the world. This is my 16th year here," Yusuf Ali said. Meanwhile, AM Group, the leading energy transition platform backed by the founders of Greenko Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Uttar Pradesh government to build a massive Artificial Intelligence (AI) compute hub in Greater Noida. The project, announced at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, involves a total investment of approximately USD 25 billion. This hub is designed to handle global AI workloads and will be one of the largest investments in India's digital infrastructure to date. The project will be built in stages, with the first part expected to be ready by 2028. By 2030, the facility is planned to reach its full capacity of 1 gigawatt. The hub will house around 500,000 advanced high-performance chipsets. The Uttar Pradesh delegation held productive meetings with investors from the finance, pharmaceuticals, Global Capability Centers (GCCs), and Centers of Excellence (CoEs) sectors at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, which is set to welcome nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." - ANI French President Emmanuel Macron has invited US President Donald Trump to a G7 meeting in Paris following the World Economic Forum in Davos. The invitation was revealed through a screenshot of their chat shared by Trump on Truth Social, where Macron also expressed confusion over the US position on Greenland. Trump further shared AI-generated images depicting Greenland as US territory, featuring himself with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In a related post, Trump detailed a call with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, reiterating that Greenland is imperative for national and world security. French President Macron invites Trump for a G7 meeting in Paris, questioning the US stance on Greenland, as revealed in a Truth Social post. Washington DC, January 20 French President Emmanuel Macron invited US President Donald Trump for a G7 meeting after the World Economic Forum, as per a screenshot of both their chats shared by the latter on Truth Social. Macron affirmed that France and the US were in line on Syria and could do great things in Iran, but do not understand his stance on Greenland. Trump's reply to Macron's text was not visible in the screenshot if he replied at all. The message by Macron in full read: "My friend, We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things: 1) i can set up a g7 meeting after Davos in Paris on thursday afternoon. I can invite the ukrainians, the danish, the syrians and the russians in the margins 2) let us have a dinner together in Paris together on thursday before you go back to the us. Emmanuel." Trump also shared AI-generated images of himself establishing Greenland as US territory with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He also shared another AI-generated image of himself speaking to European leaders with a Map of the US showing Greenland and Canada as US territories in the background. Trump held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. The US President shared the details of the conversation in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday. He said, "I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" - ANI French President Emmanuel Macron used his Davos address to sharply criticize U.S. trade practices, stating that tariff threats aim to subordinate Europe and undermine territorial sovereignty. He warned of a global shift towards autocracy and normalized conflict, citing over 60 wars in 2024. Macron highlighted the weakening of collective governance and international law, pointing to the ongoing war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East and Africa. His remarks come amid specific U.S. tariff threats related to Greenland and French wine. French President Emmanuel Macron accuses the US of using tariffs to weaken Europe and warns of a shift toward autocracy in a sharp Davos address. Davos, January 20 French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday sharply criticised the United States' trade practices, saying Washington's tariff threats "openly aim to weaken and subordinate Europe" and are being used as leverage against territorial sovereignty, in a subtle reference to US President Donald Trump's suggestion of annexing Greenland. During his address at the 56th Annual Summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Macron highlighted rising global instability and imbalances across security, defence, and economic domains. "It is clear that we are moving into a time of instability and imbalances, both from a security, defence, and economic point of view," he said. The French President expressed concern that without collective governance, global competition is becoming "relentless". He singled out US trade policies for undermining European trade interests, demanding maximum concessions, and imposing new tariffs, calling such practices "fundamentally unacceptable". "It is clearly a concerning time because we are losing the perspective needed to fix the situation. Without collective governance, cooperation gives way to relentless competition. Competition from the USA through trade agreements undermines our trade interests, demands maximum concessions, and openly aims to weaken and subordinate Europe, combined with the endless accumulation of new tariffs that are fundamentally unacceptable--especially when used as leverage against territorial sovereignty," Macron said. He warned of a global shift "towards autocracy rather than democracy," citing rising violence and the number of wars compared to 2024, noting that some of them "were solved", a reference to Trump's repeated claims of ending eight wars. "There is a shift towards autocracy rather than democracy. More violence, with more than 60 wars in 2024--an absolute record. I heard some of them were solved... Conflict has become normalised, with hybrid threats expanding into new domains such as space, information, digital cyber, trade, and more," the French President said. He further noted a "shift towards a world without rules, where international law is trampled, and where the only law that matters is that of the strongest," adding that imperial ambitions are resurfacing. Macron cited the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, now entering its fourth year, alongside conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, as evidence of a weakening of effective collective governance. "The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which will enter its fourth year next month, continues alongside ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Africa... This marks a shift towards a world without effective collective governance, where multilateralism is weakened by powers that obstruct it or turn away from it," the French President said. His remarks come amid global uncertainty amid Washington's threats to impose tariffs on France and seven other European countries unless they agree to sell Greenland. In a post on Truth Social, Trump offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if a deal wasn't reached. Meanwhile, Trump, during a media gaggle, had floated the proposal to impose a 200 per cent tariff on French wine and champagne exported to the US after Macron reportedly refused to sit on the Gaza Board of Peace, which is aimed at promoting stability and overseeing post-conflict reconstruction in the region. "Nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon," Trump said in response to reporters stating that Macron would not join the board. "I'll put a 200 per cent tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join, but he doesn't have to join," the US President added. Notably, Macron's current five-year presidential term will conclude in May 2027, and under French law, he is ineligible to seek a third term. - ANI Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge paid tribute to Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known as the Frontier Gandhi, on his death anniversary. Kharge highlighted Khan's immense contributions to India's independence movement and his philosophy of non-violence. Khan founded the non-violent Khudai Khidmatgar movement and was a member of the Congress Working Committee and Constituent Assembly. He received the Bharat Ratna in 1987 and passed away in 1988. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge pays tribute to Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan on his death anniversary, recalling his non-violent struggle for India's independence. New Delhi, Jan 20 On the death anniversary of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as the 'Frontier Gandhi', Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said the legendary freedom fighter made immense contributions to India's independence movement and endured repeated imprisonment for his unwavering principles. Taking to the social media platform X, Mallikarjun Kharge paid tribute to the iconic leader and wrote, "In solemn remembrance of Bacha Khan, the Frontier Gandhi, a Bharat Ratna recipient and a beacon of peace, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan." "A towering figure in the freedom struggle, he made immense contributions to India's Independence Movement and endured repeated imprisonment for his principles. He also served for years on the Congress Working Committee and was elected to the Constituent Assembly," Kharge said. Highlighting his philosophy, the Congress chief added, "His steadfast dedication to nonviolence, harmony, and human dignity continues to inspire millions across India and South Asia, reminding us of the shared ideals that bind us all." Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was born in 1890 in Utmanzai, located in present-day Pakistan. From a young age, he was deeply involved in efforts to promote education and literacy among Indians. At just twenty years of age, he founded the first of several schools aimed at social reform and empowerment. A prominent Pashtun leader, Khan became actively involved in the Indian independence movement during the agitations against the Rowlatt Act, during which he first met Mahatma Gandhi. Due to his persistent activism, he was imprisoned and subjected to severe torture multiple times between 1920 and 1947. He later joined the Khilafat Movement and, in 1921, was elected president of a district Khilafat Committee in the North-West Frontier Province. In 1929, he launched the non-violent Khudai Khidmatgar Movement, also known as the Red Shirt Movement, which aligned closely with the Congress party and played a significant role until the Partition of India in 1947. While Mahatma Gandhi was leading the freedom struggle in mainland India, the North-West Frontier Province was witnessing the rise of another Mahatma -- Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Strongly inspired by Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence, Badshah Khan, as he was fondly called, organised the world's first large-scale non-violent army in the region. He persuaded nearly 1,00,000 people to lay down their arms and pledge to fight the British regime through peaceful means. This force was called the Khudai Khidmatgar, meaning "Servants of God". Khan was elected to the Constituent Assembly from the North-West Frontier Province on a Congress ticket. Though not very active in debates, he was a member of the Advisory Committee. He strongly opposed the Partition of India but chose to remain in Pakistan, where he continued to advocate non-violence and sought autonomy for the Pashtun community. His activism in Pakistan led to repeated imprisonment, spanning nearly seventeen years. Later, he lived in exile in Afghanistan until 1972. In 1987, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan became the first non-Indian to receive India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna. He passed away on January 20, 1988, in Peshawar and was laid to rest in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. - IANS BJP workers in Madhya Pradesh celebrated enthusiastically after Nitin Nabin was elected as the party's National President. Senior leaders, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, gathered at the party headquarters in Bhopal, exchanging sweets and watching speeches by Nabin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chief Minister Yadav congratulated Nabin on social media, calling his journey an inspiration for party workers. The event highlighted the BJP's deep-rooted presence in Madhya Pradesh, a key state in its political history. BJP workers in MP celebrated Nitin Nabin's election as party National President with sweets and dancing. CM Mohan Yadav calls it an inspiration. Bhopal/New Delhi, Jan 20 The moment after Nitin Nabin was elected as the Bharatiya Janata Party National President during an organisational event 'Sangathan Parv' at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday, the party workers here in Madhya Pradesh celebrated the occasion exchanging greetings and sharing sweets. A large number of party workers, including senior leaders, assembled at the BJP headquarters in Bhopal to participate in the celebration and they offered sweets to each other, danced on drumbeats and chanted slogans of the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Assembled at the BJP office in Bhopal, the BJP workers watched Prime Minister Modi and BJP's National President Nitin Nabin's speech. Subsequently, they came out from the open area and celebrated the occasion, offering sweets and dancing. While senior leadership of the Madhya Pradesh BJP unit, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and the State party President Hemant Khandelwal, Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Jyotiraditya Scindia and several other party leaders from the state attended the event addressed by Prime Minister Modi. Congratulating Nitin Nabin for becoming the BJP's National President, Chief Minister Yadav on social media platform X said, "Your journey from an ordinary party worker to the party's highest organisational responsibility is an inspiration for millions of BJP workers and living testament to the democratic and cadre-based tradition. I am fully confident that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and your leadership, the BJP will become stronger and party workers will play a vital role in building a 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India)." Madhya Pradesh was among the first states in the country where the Bharatiya Jana Sangh -- the BJP's predecessor -- established a towering presence, winning the state in 1977, soon after the imposition of Emergency by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, along with its other Janata Party allies. Since then, Madhya Pradesh has seen long tenures of both the Congress and the BJP governments, untouched by severe anti-incumbency. After a decade of Congress rule in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP had returned to power in 1990, following which another decade passed under the Congress leadership of the then Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, from 1993 to 2003. The Congress managed to return into power in Madhya Pradesh in 2018, however, it collapsed in March 2020, paving the way for the BJP to retain power in the state again. In the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, the BJP won 163 out of 230 seats, and secured an emphatic victory by winning all 29 Lok Sabha seats in 2024 general elections. - IANS BJP workers in Madhya Pradesh celebrated the official appointment of Nitin Nabin as the party's new national president with festivities at the state office in Bhopal. Senior leaders including ministers and MLAs were present, offering congratulations and expressing confidence in the new leadership. They highlighted the infusion of young leadership and a resolve to expand the party further under Nabin. Nitin Nabin is a five-time MLA from Bihar with significant ministerial and organizational experience. BJP workers in Madhya Pradesh celebrate Nitin Nabin's official appointment as the party's new national president with sweets and slogans. Bhopal, January 20 The Bharatiya Janata Party workers in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday celebrated the official appointment of Nitin Nabin as the party's new national president at the state unit's office in Bhopal. The party office-bearers and workers marked the occasion by bursting firecrackers, distributing sweets, and raising slogans in support of the new leadership. Several senior leaders were present at the event, including Minister Vishwas Sarang, Minister Aidal Singh Kansana, BJP MLA Bhagwan Das Sabnani, and other party workers. The leaders congratulated the newly appointed national president and said the party would continue working to expand further. "Today, Bharatiya Janata Party received a young leadership (referring to the party president post) in the form of Nitin Nabin, and we are all quite happy. With this, every BJP worker is happily taking a resolve that together we will work to expand the party further under the leadership of Nitin Nabin," Sarang told reporters here. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kansana extended greetings to the newly appointed BJP national president and expressed hope that, along with the youth, he will look after every section of society. "I extend my greeting to our party's national president. I am fully confident that under the leadership of the young national president, the BJP will form new development-oriented initiatives across the country and work on them. I hope along with youth, he will take care of every age group and every section of the society," Kansana told ANI. Moreover, BJP MLA Bhagwan Das Sabnani also expressed pleasure at the appointment of the new party president and said the BJP would continue to reach new heights under his leadership. "With a renewed sense of enthusiasm, energy and optimism, Nitin Nabin has been entrusted with the responsibility of the National President of the BJP. The message he has conveyed is that grassroots workers should continue working diligently, as the party observes everyone and makes decisions based on their merit and capability. Under the leadership of the new president, the party will continue to scale new heights," Sabnani said. BJP leader Nitin Nabin formally took charge as the national president of the BJP today. Nabin, a senior Indian politician, is a five-time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and former Minister in the government of Bihar. He is widely recognised for his sustained organisational acumen and administrative experience. Born on May 23, 1980, in Jharkhand's Ranchi, Nabin entered electoral politics at a young age and was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 2006 from the Patna West Assembly Constituency. Since 2010, Nabin has been consecutively elected from the Bankipur Assembly Constituency, securing victories in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025, thereby becoming a five-time MLA. He has also held key portfolios like Road Construction, Urban Development & Housing and Law in the Bihar Government as a Cabinet Minister. Alongside his legislative career, Nabin has played a significant role in party organisation, holding national and state-level leadership positions. He has also been entrusted with important organisational responsibilities in states such as Sikkim and Chhattisgarh. - ANI A Madhya Pradesh government delegation held strategic talks with the Everstone Group at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. The state showcased its strengths in automobile, EV, and renewable energy ecosystems around Indore, Ujjain, and Bhopal. Discussions specifically targeted investments in manufacturing solar panels, batteries, and other high-tech, sustainable industries. Both parties agreed to continue detailed talks to formalize collaborations in key sectors like food processing and clean energy. Madhya Pradesh delegation meets Everstone Group at Davos to attract investment in EV, solar, food processing & manufacturing, highlighting investor-friendly policies. Davos, January 20 In a move to solidify its position as a leading industrial hub, the Government of Madhya Pradesh held high-level strategic discussions today with the Everstone Group at the Madhya Pradesh State Lounge during the World Economic Forum 2026. The meeting, centred on expanding the state's footprint in manufacturing, renewables, and food processing, featured Jayant Sinha, President of Everstone Group and former Union Minister, who explored potential synergies between the global investment platform and the state's burgeoning economic landscape. During the session, the Madhya Pradesh delegation "highlighted its strong presence in the automobile and EV ecosystem," drawing attention to the rapidly emerging industrial clusters surrounding Indore, Ujjain, and Bhopal. Officials emphasised that these regions, alongside established capabilities in textiles and garments, provide a "robust footprint in renewable energy" that is ripe for further scaling. The state's presentation aimed to showcase Madhya Pradesh not just as a traditional manufacturing base, but as a future-ready destination for high-tech and sustainable industries. A significant portion of the dialogue focused on specialised manufacturing sectors, specifically the production of solar panels, batteries, ingots, and wafers. To facilitate these capital-intensive projects, Madhya Pradesh "outlined its investor-friendly land acquisition framework" and identified strategic locations near Bhopal and Hoshangabad as ideal for "manufacturing-led investments." State representatives noted that these areas are uniquely positioned to meet the "strong and growing demand within the state" for clean energy infrastructure. Representing Everstone Group's interests, Sinha shared insights into the group's investment philosophy, which prioritises "scalable platforms and long-term infrastructure and manufacturing opportunities." As a prominent private equity and real estate investment firm with a deep nexus to India, Everstone's participation signals a potential influx of institutional capital into the state's strategic sectors. The meeting concluded with a commitment to formalise next steps. "Both sides agreed to continue detailed discussions, particularly around food processing, renewable energy, and allied sectors, to identify specific areas for collaboration and investment." This engagement underscores the state's broader strategy of "partnering with global investment platforms to drive manufacturing-led growth and sustainable development," as it seeks to transform its industrial policy into tangible economic outcomes on the global stage. - ANI Photo: Red Cross Ukraine Since the beginning of the war, almost 185,000 citizens have contacted the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) tracing service looking for their relatives who are missing or in Russian captivity. Since the start of the full-scale war, the Ukrainian Red Cross has processed 184,662 initial tracing requests for missing persons and detainees, URCS said on Facebook Tuesday. To date, work on 3,046 open cases has been completed, with the fate of 2,525 missing persons successfully established. The Restoring Family Links (RFL) team maintains regular contact with families who have opened a tracing case with the Ukrainian Red Cross. The main responsibilities of RFL staff and volunteers include registering tracing requests, supporting families, providing psychosocial assistance, referrals and advocacy, liaising with government authorities, and organising social activities for families. In addition, humanitarian and financial aid is provided with the support of the British Red Cross. Overall, since 2022, 4,414 families from vulnerable groups have received support from the Ukrainian Red Cross. Currently, the tracing service employs 42 staff and volunteers who, at the regional level, have conducted 242 social and informational sessions, including recreational and supportive activities for families. The Ukrainian Red Cross Tracing Service is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movements Family Links Network (FLN) and maintains ongoing cooperation with offices of the Commissioner for Missing Persons, the Coordination Headquarters, the National Police, and other state institutions. In Zakarpattia, Chernivtsi, Khmelnytskyi, and Zhytomyr regions, RFL specialists also work directly with families of missing persons as part of Regional Working Groups of the Coordination Headquarters. To open a missing person's case, family members of a missing person should call the Ukrainian Red Cross hotline: 0 800 332 656 or at: [email protected]. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga at the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss a green industrial corridor and digitizing MSMEs. The state secured a historic $96 billion in investment commitments through 10 MoUs on the first day of the forum. These agreements are expected to create approximately 9.6 lakh jobs and are seen as key to achieving Maharashtra's $1 trillion economy goal. Fadnavis also met with Carlsberg CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen, who praised the state's ease of doing business. Maharashtra CM Fadnavis meets World Bank's Ajay Banga at Davos, announces historic $96 billion investment MoUs for Mumbai's transformation. Davos, January 20 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday met with Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Taking to social media platform X, Fadnavis said, "Our discussion focused on strategies to unlock the potential of a green industrial corridor in Maharashtra to attract global investment, along with initiatives to digitise MSMEs to enhance competitiveness and drive export growth." "Our continued collaboration will support Maharashtra's sustained growth and development through strategic and impactful initiatives," he added. Earlier, the Maharashtra CM also met Carlsberg CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. In a post on X, he said, "Carlsberg CEO Mr. Jacob Aarup-Andersen appreciates Maharashtra and expressed gratitude to CM Devendra Fadnavis for ease of doing business in the State under his leadership and team." "They're also expanding the business with huge increased investments," he added. Notably, at the WEF, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) achieved a historic milestone, securing investment commitments worth USD 96 billion (Rs 8.73 lakh crore) on the very first day through the signing of 10 major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). The landmark agreements are expected to generate approximately 9.6 lakh direct and indirect jobs, positioning the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) as the talent capital of India and Asia. Speaking on the exchange of these MoUs at Davos 2026, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "The historic USD 96 billion in investments secured on the very first day of WEF 2026 is a reflection to the global investors' unwavering faith in Maharashtra's potential. These 10 MoUs are not just financial agreements; they are the blueprints for 'Mumbai 3.0' and the key to accelerating our march towards the USD 1 trillion economy milestone." "By transforming the MMR into a world-class, technology-driven powerhouse, we are ensuring that Maharashtra remains the primary engine of India's growth. Following last year's Rs 16 lakh crore success, we have set our sights even higher this year to bring life-changing infrastructure and millions of jobs to our youth," he added. The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, with nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." - ANI The Maharashtra government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, announced a series of major investment commitments on the opening day of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. The state secured multi-billion dollar Memoranda of Understanding across sectors like logistics, steel, and urban infrastructure, with a strong focus on the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Key deals include a $20 billion logistics investment from the SBG Group and a $25 billion commitment from Alta Capital and Panchshil Realty, collectively projected to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs. The government also established strategic knowledge partnerships with international agencies like JICA and Sembcorp for sustainable urban development and low-carbon industrial parks. Maharashtra govt inks huge investment deals at Davos, securing over $60B for logistics, steel & urban projects, promising nearly 1 million new jobs. Davos, January 20 Maharashtra secured investment commitments across multiple sectors, including infrastructure and steel, on the opening day of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presided over the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the Government of Maharashtra and various global entities to promote industrial and urban development. According to the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office on X, the state government signed agreements in sectors including logistics, steel, and urban infrastructure. One of the commitments came from the SBG Group, which signed an MoU with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for a USD 20 billion investment in the logistics sector. This project aimed to generate 4,50,000 jobs in the Mumbai and MMR region. Additionally, Alta Capital and Panchshil Realty committed 25 billion dollars, with a projected employment generation of 2,50,000. These agreements highlighted the state's focus on the Mumbai Metropolitan Region as a destination for capital and employment. K Raheja Corp signed an agreement worth 10 billion dollars to create 1,00,000 jobs, while Sumitomo Realty & Development and IISM Global each committed 8 billion dollars, promising 80,000 jobs each. In the manufacturing sector, BFN Forgings signed an agreement for 565 crore rupees in the steel sector, targeting the Palghar and MMR region to provide employment for 847 individuals. The Maharashtra government also established partnerships for urban transformation, exchanging MoUs with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as a strategy and policy partner and with Sembcorp Development Ltd from Singapore as a knowledge partner for integrated industrial parks with low carbon emissions. The Technical University of Munich agreed to collaborate on sustainable urban transport systems, while the Urban Futures Collective from London worked on creating digital twin ecosystems for Mumbai to enhance urban livability and resilience. Following a discussion with Juvencio Maeztu, CEO and President of Ingka Group (IKEA Retail), Chief Minister Fadnavis said on X, "It was nice to know about IKEA's plans for India and he thanked us for the support by GoM for their business in Maharashtra. Very happy to hear from him IKEA's plans for large-scale investment and expansion in Maharashtra." The Minister also stated that he held an engagement with Jeff Merritt, Head of Urban Transformation at the WEF, which included discussions, "on global industrial shifts and the role of sustainable innovation in future enterprise development." - ANI Nitin Nabin is poised to assume charge as the Bharatiya Janata Party's national president after receiving 37 sets of nomination papers. His candidacy was proposed by top party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh. Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi hailed the appointment as a "matter of joy" for the people of Bihar, with celebrations involving gulal and firecrackers reported from the state. The official announcement was scheduled to take place at the party headquarters following a formal election process. BJP's Nitin Nabin set to become national president with 37 nominations. Bihar BJP calls it a day of joy as celebrations erupt across the state. New Delhi, January 20 Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi on Tuesday described the appointment of Nitin Nabin as the party's national president as a "matter of joy for the people of Bihar". He said BJP workers across the state and the country are celebrating the occasion with great enthusiasm. Speaking to ANI at the BJP headquarters in the national capital, Saraogi said, "Today is a big day for the countless workers of the BJP as we are getting a new national president... It is also a matter of joy for the people of Bihar... Gulal and firecrackers are being used to celebrate in Bihar today... The countless workers of Bihar and the BJP across the country are extremely excited." BJP workers and supporters in Bankipur in Bihar celebrated as BJP national working president Nitin Nabin is set to assume charge later in the day. BJP mentioned that the official announcement process regarding the National President will take place between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. Nitin Nabin is currently serving as the working president. The BJP's National President Election process kicked off after 30 out of 36 State Presidents were elected, exceeding the required 50 per cent threshold. The Election Schedule was announced on January 16, 2026, along with the Electoral Roll. As scheduled, the nomination process took place today, January 19, 2026, between 2 PM and 4 PM. A total of 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in favour of Nitin Nabin for the post of National President, with proposals from top leaders including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K Laxman also announced that Nitin Nabin has been proposed for the post of BJP National President after 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in his favour. - ANI European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced at Davos that the EU and India are close to finalizing a historic free trade agreement, which she described as potentially "the mother of all deals." She emphasized the agreement would unite a market of two billion people, representing nearly a quarter of the world's GDP. Von der Leyen will travel to India next weekend alongside European Council President Antonio Costa, where both will be Chief Guests at India's Republic Day celebrations, to advance the trade talks. The visit will include the 16th India-EU Summit and meetings with Indian leadership, aiming to deepen the strategic partnership across trade, investment, and broader cooperation. EU Commission President announces imminent landmark trade deal with India, creating a 2-billion-person market, ahead of key visit for Republic Day. Davos, January 20 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday stated the European Union is close to finalising a Free Trade Agreement with India and noted that some describe it "the mother of all deals". Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, she stressed Europe's intent to expand trade and international cooperation. She also referred to the scale of the proposed trade deal with India. "There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals. One that would create a market of 2 billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP," von der Leyen said. The President of the European Commission said she will travel to India next weekend. She said the visit is aimed at taking forward work on the proposed trade agreement and added that there is important work to be done to strengthen economic relations and deepen cooperation between Europe and India. Placing the proposed India agreement in Europe's larger global trade approach, von der Leyen said Europe remains open to doing business with partners worldwide. "Europe will always choose the world, and the world is ready to choose Europe," she said. She said Europe's focus is on building a stable, well-regulated environment that encourages investment, boosts trade, and supports sustainable economic growth. Along with trade and investment, von der Leyen identified energy as a major pillar of Europe's growth agenda, saying Europe intends to build an energy union that can deliver homegrown, reliable and cheaper energy to support economic expansion. She added that Europe needs an "urgency mindset" to address energy challenges and ensure a sustainable future. Speaking on wider strategic priorities, von der Leyen said Europe has achieved more in defence in the past year than in the decades earlier, with member states increasing investments to record levels. She also noted that three leading European defence technology startups have reached unicorn status, reflecting Europe's growing innovation and strength in the defence sector. President of the European Council Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be Chief Guests at India's 77th Republic Day celebrations. The two EU leaders will undertake a three-day State Visit to India from January 25. During the visit, the leaders will also co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit on January 27. President Costa and President von der Leyen are scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu and will hold restricted as well as delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi. An India-EU Business Forum is also expected to be organised on the sidelines of the India-EU Summit. India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004 and the 15th India-EU Summit was held virtually on July 15, 2020. The Ministry of External Affairs had said in a release that India-EU bilateral engagement has expanded and deepened across a wide range of areas, particularly after the historic visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February last year. - ANI The Madhya Pradesh government met with Sri Lankan conglomerate John Keells Holdings at the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss potential investments. Discussions focused on opportunities in logistics, hospitality, food processing, and tourism, highlighting the state's heritage destinations and connectivity. John Keells expressed interest and plans to send a team for further assessment. This meeting is part of MP's broader strategy to engage with leading South Asian conglomerates to drive investment and growth. Madhya Pradesh meets Sri Lanka's John Keells Holdings at WEF Davos to explore investments in logistics, hospitality, food processing, and tourism sectors. Davos, January 20 Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday met Sri Lankan conglomerate Krishan Balendra, Chairman of John Keells Holdings PLC, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. As per a release from the MP Government, the discussions covered possible opportunities in Madhya Pradesh in the logistics, hospitality, food processing, and tourism sectors, and shared the incentives available under the policy. During the meeting, John Keells also shared their linkages with Indian companies and their current presence via tie-ups in India, the release said "Madhya Pradesh highlighted its rich heritage destinations for hospitality-led investments, strong logistics potential, and its position as one of India's fastest-growing agri states, making food processing an attractive growth area. Connectivity advantages, including feeder services from Bhopal to major hubs such as Mumbai and Delhi and international connectivity via Indore airport, were also discussed," it added. John Keells expressed interest in exploring opportunities in Madhya Pradesh and indicated that a team would engage further to assess potential collaborations. The engagement reinforces Madhya Pradesh's focus on building partnerships with leading regional conglomerates across South Asia to drive investment, trade, and tourism-led growth, the release said. John Keells Group is home to numerous brands spread across many industry verticals, including transportation, consumer foods, retail, leisure, property, IT and financial services. Notably, on Monday, the Madhya Pradesh government met Hashiyama Shigeto, representative director and Executive Managing Director of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). The discussions covered projects where JBIC is already supporting in Madhya Pradesh, as well as areas such as policies for manufacturing and other sectors, yen borrowings, tie-ups through collaborations, and renewable energy, including solar power. While speaking with ANI, Hashiyama Shigeto said, "India, particularly Madhya Pradesh, is emerging as a highly attractive destination for Japanese investors, driven by strong opportunities in renewable energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing." The Government of Madhya Pradesh had also held discussions with Jay Galla, Co-founder, Chairman, and Managing Director of the Amara Raja Group; Herve Couraye, Advisor to TouchLab; and Jasmin Hume, CEO and Founder of Shiru, among others, to explore multiple possibilities. The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, which is set to welcome nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." - ANI Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio addressed the Kohima Press Club's 25th anniversary, urging journalists to remain committed to truth and ethical reporting amidst a landscape of misinformation. He highlighted the challenges faced by media in Nagaland, including limited resources, but praised their resilience. Rio traced the history of local media back to the first vernacular newspaper in 1933. The event also featured addresses from press club leaders who commended the KPC's dedication and its role in fostering regional media engagement. Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio urges journalists to commit to truth and ethics. Kohima Press Club marks 25 years of resilient journalism in the Northeast. Kohima, Jan 20 Highlighting the rapidly evolving media landscape marked by the spread of misinformation and increasingly complex social realities, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday urged journalists to remain steadfast in their commitment to truth, ethical reporting, and sensitivity while discharging their professional responsibilities. Addressing the valedictory programme of the Kohima Press Club's 25th anniversary at the Capital Convention Centre here, the Chief Minister observed that much of today's news is increasingly controversial and negative, with some sections of the press turning anti-establishment, creating what he described as a concerning global situation. He expressed hope that the Kohima Press Club (KPC) would continue to be a beacon of fearless and responsible journalism in the years ahead. Rio said that the Club's journey reflects the evolution of journalism in Nagaland despite challenges such as limited resources, a lack of industries, and inadequate advertising support. He noted that journalists in the state continue to work with resilience and commitment under difficult circumstances. Tracing the history of media in Nagaland, Rio recalled the launch of the first vernacular newspaper, Naga Messenger, in 1933. He added that although the Ao dialect version was circulated only in Mokokchung district, it served its purpose, as news travels fast, highlighting the enduring spirit of informing the public despite the state's challenges. Rio also appreciated the KPC's initiatives, including the Impact Journalism Award and the Nagaland Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board (NBOCWWB) media fellowships, noting that these efforts not only recognise excellence in journalism but also encourage in-depth, people-centric reporting that gives voice to often overlooked sections of society. Highlighting the North East Media Conclaves organised as part of the Club's milestone celebrations, Rio described the initiative as timely and commendable, reflecting a forward-looking vision to prepare journalists for emerging challenges while reinforcing the core values of credibility, responsibility, and integrity in disseminating information to the masses. Kohima Press Club President Alice Yhoshu, in her presidential address, emphasised the Club's journey and achievements over the past 25 years. Press Club of India President Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, delivering the keynote address, lauded the KPC for marking its 25 years through meaningful engagement with journalists from neighbouring states, describing it as a timely and reflective exercise for the profession. She noted that despite having a small membership base, the Club has demonstrated exceptional dedication and professionalism. Journalists from various Northeastern states also addressed the event. - IANS Nomination filing for Nepal's upcoming March 5 election to the House of Representatives begins today across all 165 constituencies. The Election Commission has completed preparations, established offices, and set specific time slots for major parties to ensure a smooth process. Candidates must submit citizenship or voter ID proof in person. The election follows the dissolution of the House last September after widespread protests. Nomination filing begins in Nepal's 165 constituencies for the March 5 House of Representatives election. The Election Commission has set time slots for parties. Kathmandu, January 20 Nomination filing is set for Tuesday in all the 165 constituencies across Nepal as the Himalayan Nation marches towards the March 5 election to elect new members for its House of Representatives. The Election Commission has announced that all the preparations for the nomination filing have been completed, with election offices established in all 165 constituencies nationwide. The nomination filing is set to begin form 10 AM (Local Time) and close after 5 PM (Local Time). The Commission has urged political parties and candidates to maintain discipline during the registration process and to approach election offices peacefully and with dignity. To reduce crowding and facilitate a smooth registration process, the Commission has fixed specific time slots for major political parties and candidates. Earlier, the Commission published the final list of candidates under the proportional representation system. Of the total 275 members of the House of Representatives, 110 will be elected through the proportional system, while 165 will be elected through the direct electoral system. An interim government formed for election purposes following the Gen-Z protests on September 8 and 9 has arranged the necessary resources for the polls. The process of selecting police personnel for election security has already begun. Most political parties have finalized their candidates, though some selections remain pending. The Nepali Congress stated that it is still in the process of selecting candidates in some constituencies, while the CPN-UML has completed candidate selection for all constituencies. Candidates must be present in person and submit copies of their citizenship certificates or voter ID cards, along with proof that their names appear on the final voter list of a municipality or rural municipality. The Commission has also requested candidates to bring other required documents. The Election Commission has expressed confidence that the candidate nomination process will proceed smoothly and peacefully across the country. This election is being held following the dissolution of the House of Representatives in 2079 BS amid the protests last September. - ANI The Rajasthan BJP office in Jaipur hosted a grand celebration for the unopposed election of Nitin Nabin as the party's national president. Cabinet Minister Jogaram Patel stated this event begins a new chapter in India's political history, highlighting the infusion of young leadership on the party's 45th foundation year. Other leaders, including Revenue Minister Hemant Meena, expressed confidence that Nabin's dynamic leadership would set new benchmarks and strengthen the party. The event was attended by numerous BJP state office bearers, who emphasized the party's commitment to promoting youth and work-based opportunities. BJP workers in Jaipur celebrate the unopposed election of Nitin Nabin as the party's national president, marking a new chapter in its leadership. Jaipur, Jan 20 A grand celebration was organised at the Rajasthan BJP office to mark the unopposed election of Nitin Nabin as the president of the party. BJP office bearers and workers celebrated the occasion with drum beats, fireworks, and enthusiastic slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai," "Bharatiya Janata Party Zindabad," "Narendra Modi Zindabad," "JP Nadda Zindabad," and "Nitin Nabin Zindabad." Workers also distributed sweets to mark the joyous occasion. Addressing the gathering, Cabinet Minister Jogaram Patel of the Bhajanlal government expressed gratitude to party workers for the successful and unopposed election of the National President. Congratulating Nitin Nabin, he said that a new chapter has begun in India's political history. On the BJP's 45th foundation year, the party has received a 45-year-old young leader who will play a crucial role in taking the nation to new heights during the 'Amrit Kaal' through his patriotism and dedication to the country. He added that the world's largest democratic party has today received dynamic and energetic leadership. Revenue Minister Hemant Meena also congratulated Nitin Nabin and expressed confidence that the party would set new benchmarks under his leadership. He said the BJP is a party that actively promotes youth leadership and that young energy will significantly contribute to nation-building, particularly in the TSP region and across the country. BJP State General Secretary Shravan Singh Bagdi stated that the appointment of a young National President has infused fresh enthusiasm among the youth nationwide. He emphasised that in the BJP, opportunities are provided on the basis of work and service, unlike other parties that function on dynastic politics. He said the BJP has once again proved itself to be a party of the youth and expressed confidence that stronger coordination between the organisation and the government would further strengthen the party in the coming times. Present on the occasion were BJP State General Secretaries Bhupendra Saini and Mithilesh Gautam; State secretaries Ajit Madhan and Apurva Singh; BJP Office Secretary Mukesh Parik; State Chief Spokesperson Ramlal Sharma; BJP Mahila Morcha State President Rakhi Rathore; Yuva Morcha State President Shankar Gera; Jaipur District President Amit Goyal; BJP Media In-charge Pramod Vashisht; IT In-charge Avinash Joshi; along with a large number of BJP office bearers, public representatives, and party workers. - IANS Nitin Nabin has been elected unopposed as the new National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi hailed the occasion as a moment of immense pride for the state, comparing the celebrations to Diwali. Nabin, who received overwhelming support from the party's top leadership, offered prayers at several religious sites before formally assuming charge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders are attending the swearing-in ceremony at the decorated BJP headquarters. BJP leader Nitin Nabin is the party's new National President. Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Saraogi calls it a day of pride as celebrations erupt statewide. New Delhi, Jan 20 As BJP leader Nitin Nabin is set to assume office as the new National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP Bihar State President Sanjay Saraogi on Tuesday said that "Nitin from Bihar has now become Nitin of the entire country." Speaking to IANS, Saraogi described the occasion as a moment of pride and celebration, particularly for Bihar. "It is a very joyous day. Today, Nitin from Bihar has become Nitin of the entire nation. In fact, he emerged as a national leader on December 15, when he was announced as the National Working President. There is a festive atmosphere across Bihar today, with large screens set up at various places," he said. He further added that people across the state are celebrating with great enthusiasm. "Everyone is very happy here. Holi is still some time away, but it feels as if Diwali is being celebrated throughout Bihar. A new era is beginning for the party," Saraogi said. Highlighting Nitin Nabin's leadership qualities, he said that the top leadership from different states has extended its support and nominated him unanimously. "We have known Nitin Nabin for a long time, and he has always fulfilled his responsibilities with dedication and excellence. Under his leadership, the BJP is sure to reach new heights," he told IANS. Saraogi also said that the party will continue to work towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'. "It is truly a day of joy for all BJP workers," he added. Earlier in the day, BJP leader Nitin Nabin offered prayers at several religious sites on Tuesday ahead of formally taking charge as the new National President of the party. Early in the morning, Nabin, currently National Working President of the BJP, visited the Jhandewalan Temple and offered his prayers. He also offered prayers at the Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place and the Prachin Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir at Mandir Marg, Near Gol Market. Nabin then proceeded to the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara and sought blessings ahead of assuming the office later in the day. Meanwhile, celebrations are ongoing outside the BJP headquarters, which has been decorated to welcome the new president of the party. Tight security arrangements are also in place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with several senior party leaders, will attend the swearing-in ceremony. The event is expected to witness the participation of BJP Chief Ministers, national office bearers, state unit presidents, and members of the party's national executive committee. The BJP on Monday declared Nitin Nabin as the sole candidate for the post of National President after the nomination and scrutiny process concluded without any other contenders, paving the way for his unopposed election as the party's 12th national chief. In an official announcement issued late on Monday, National Returning Officer K. Laxman said that only one name, that of Nitin Nabin, remained in the fray following the completion of the nomination process and the withdrawal window. The Returning Officer confirmed that 37 sets of nomination papers had been received in support of Nabin between 2 and 4 p.m., all of which were found valid after scrutiny. No withdrawals were recorded, and no other candidates filed nominations. Nabin, the 45-year-old National Working President appointed on December 14 last year, has received overwhelming backing from the BJP's top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and outgoing party President J.P. Nadda. - IANS Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally acknowledged Nitin Nabin as the new national president of the BJP, stating that within the party, Nabin is the boss and he himself is a worker. Modi emphasized the critical importance of the next 25 years for building a developed India and expressed confidence in Nabin's ability to lead. He highlighted the BJP's unique organizational culture, where ideals and direction remain constant despite changes in leadership. The event was attended by senior leaders including Amit Shah and outgoing president JP Nadda. PM Modi congratulates Nitin Nabin as new BJP president, emphasizing party hierarchy and the mission to build a developed India in the next 25 years. New Delhi, January 20 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the appointment of Nitin Nabin as BJP national president, saying that when it comes to the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and he himself is a mere party worker. Addressing a gathering at the BJP headquarters in the national captial PM Modi congratulated Nabin on being elected president of what he described as the world's largest political party and said his responsibility goes beyond managing the BJP. "When it is about the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and I am a party worker. Now Honourable Nitin Nabin ji is the president of all of us, and his responsibility is not just to manage the BJP, but also to ensure coordination among all NDA allies," the Prime Minister said. Highlighting the importance of the coming decades, PM Modi said, "The next 25 years are very important. This is the period when a developed India is to be built, and it is destined to happen." He expressed confidence that Nitin Nabin would carry forward the party's legacy, adding, "At the beginning of this crucial period, our Nitin Nabin ji will carry forward the legacy of the BJP." Referring to generational change within the party, the Prime Minister said, "To put it in the language of today's youth, Nitin ji himself is, in a way, a millennial." He elaborated that 45-yer-old Nabin belongs to a generation that has witnessed major economic, social and technological transformations, saying, "He belongs to the generation that received information from the radio in their childhood and is now an active user of AI." PM Modi added, "Nitin ji possesses both youthful energy and extensive experience in organisational work. This will be very beneficial for every worker of our party." The Prime Minister also spoke about the BJP's electoral performance, saying, "At times, we have seen that after a long duration, a government finds it difficult to stay in power. But the BJP has broken this trend." Citing recent electoral victories in several states, he said, "Be it Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh or Bihar, in many states the BJP has won elections with an even bigger majority. The BJP's strike rate in elections is unprecedented." "BJP is a tradition. BJP is a family. Here, there is more of a 'relationship' than just a 'membership'. BJP is such a tradition that runs not by position but by process. Here, holding a post is an arrangement, and carrying out the work is a lifelong responsibility. Here, presidents change, but ideals do not change. Leadership changes, but the direction does not change," he added. Reflecting on ideological inspirations, PM Modi said, "Over the past year and a half, we have been celebrating grand occasions such as the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the 100th birth anniversary of Atal Ji, and the 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. These are the inspirations that further strengthen our resolve to live for the nation." Tracing the BJP's organisational journey, PM Modi said, "Under the leadership of Atal Ji, Advani Ji, and Murli Manohar Joshi Ji, the BJP has journeyed from zero to the pinnacle." He credited successive party presidents for expanding the organisation and said, "I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the previous presidents of the BJP." The Prime Minister further expressed pride as a BJP worker, saying, "People might think, Narendra Modi is the country's Prime Minister, became Prime Minister for the third time, became Chief Minister at the young age of 50. All this is fine in its place, but something even bigger than all this in my life is that I am a BJP worker. This is the greatest pride." Earlier today, Nitin Nabin formally took charge as the national president of the BJP. The ceremony was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, outgoing BJP national president JP Nadda, several other BJP leaders, and Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states. Nabin, a senior Indian politician, is a five-time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and former Minister in the government of Bihar. He is widely recognised for his sustained organisational acumen and administrative experience. The BJP's National President Election process kicked off after 30 out of 36 State Presidents were elected, exceeding the required 50 per cent threshold. The Election Schedule was announced on January 16, 2026, along with the Electoral Roll. As scheduled, the nomination process took place yesterday, January 19, 2026, between 2 PM and 4 PM. A total of 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in favour of Nitin Nabin for the post of National President, with proposals from top leaders including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh. - ANI Photo: @V_Zelenskiy_official Telegram Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stressed the importance of sanctions pressure on Russia, given that some of the missiles used by the aggressor to attack Ukraine on Tuesday night were manufactured this year. "According to available information, at least some of the missiles that the Russians used in this strike were manufactured this year. This once again shows how important it is that world sanctions against Russia and the blocking of supplies of critical components really work," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. He said he had held a special conference call on energy issues after the Russian attack and said that restoration work had already begun in all regions where the strikes occurred. "The Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on the use of our air defense systems to shoot down Russian missiles and on the first facts about the enemys updated tactics. He instructed the military to immediately contact partners, primarily the United States, and inform them in detail about the change in Russian strike tactics and the special focus of the attack on the destruction of energy facilities. We will also work on requests for missiles for air defense systems - time is of the essence for each request, for each element of supply," the president said. Zelenskyy said the situation in Kyiv, in part of the Kyiv region, and in Kharkiv the most difficult. Also, according to him, the meeting discussed the situation in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Sumy, Chernihiv, Rivne regions, and Odessa. The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine reported on the elimination of fires at the affected facilities, as well as on the reserve volumes of equipment for the capital. "I have instructed the Prime Minister of Ukraine and the Minister of Energy of Ukraine to provide a full analysis of the recovery timelines in each region and the necessary resources by 6 p.m. today. All efforts of state and private companies in the energy sector should be directed to ensuring the fastest possible recovery for Ukrainians," Zelenskyy said. Newly elected BJP president Nitin Nabin will chair his first office bearers meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi. The day-long meeting will involve state presidents and secretaries, with a key focus on reviewing strategy for the upcoming assembly polls in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam, and Kerala. The meeting will also set the tone for Nabin's tenure as the party's youngest-ever national president. His predecessor, JP Nadda, expressed confidence that under Nabin's leadership and PM Modi's guidance, the BJP's development journey would gain further momentum. New BJP chief Nitin Nabin chairs first office bearers meeting, focusing on strategy for five upcoming state assembly elections and organisational review. New Delhi, January 20 Newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Nabin will chair his first office bearers meeting on Tuesday at the party headquarters in the national capital. The meeting is expected to run the entire day, with all state presidents, in-charge general secretaries, and organisational secretaries in attendance. According to sources, the meeting will begin with introductions, followed by a state-by-state review of the BJP's organisation, programs, and upcoming events. A key focus area will be the five upcoming state elections in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam, and Kerala. Nitin Nabin is set to review the BJP's strategy and programs for these crucial polls. The meeting will also focus on organisational development and other key initiatives, setting the tone for Nabin's tenure as the party's youngest-ever president. Nitin Nabin took charge as the 12th and youngest National President of the BJP on Tuesday. His name was announced at the party headquarters in New Delhi. He had become the acting president on December 14, 2025. He was elected unopposed on Monday as the sole nominee for the full-time president post. Nabin's predecessor, JP Nadda, congratulated the newly elected president on assuming the post and said, "This moment marks not just an organisational change, but the beginning of a new phase in BJP's ideological journey, strong tradition, and continuous progress." Nadda expressed confidence that under Nabin's leadership and with Prime Minister Modi's guidance, the BJP's journey towards development, good governance, and nation-building would gain momentum across the country. "The journey that began in 2014 under PM Modi's leadership is moving forward with the blessings of the people, and now it will continue under Nabin's leadership. Today, the NDA is in power in 20 states, while the BJP is in power in 13. With confidence, I say that under PM Modi's leadership and Nabin's presidency, the BJP will bloom in Bengal, form governments in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, return to power in Assam, and achieve good results in Kerala," said Nadda. - ANI Nitin Nabin has been formally elected as the new National President of the BJP, becoming the youngest leader to hold the post. His election was unopposed after he emerged as the sole candidate following the nomination process. The appointment ceremony at the party headquarters in New Delhi was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and outgoing president JP Nadda. Nabin's elevation is viewed as a strategic blend of youthful energy and organizational continuity for the party. Nitin Nabin, 45, elected unopposed as BJP's youngest national president. PM Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda present at the Sangathan Parv ceremony. New Delhi, Jan 20 Nitin Nabin took charge as the BJP National President during the organisational event on Tuesday at the party headquarters in New Delhi, becoming the youngest leader to hold the post. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Nabin on his appointment. Outgoing BJP national chief J.P. Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and National Returning Officer for BJP's 'Sangathan Parv' K. Laxman were present at the stage. During this, K. Laxman announced Nitin Nabin as the new BJP National President and handed him the election certificate. Several other senior leaders of the party, including all the Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, national office bearers, state unit presidents, and members of the party's national executive committee, were also present at the headquarters during the Sangathan Parv. The BJP on Monday declared Nitin Nabin as the sole candidate for the post of National President after the nomination and scrutiny process concluded without any other contenders, paving the way for his unopposed election as the party's 12th national chief. Nabin, the 45-year-old National Working President appointed on December 14 last year, has received overwhelming backing from the BJP's top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and outgoing party President J.P. Nadda. Senior BJP leaders, Chief Ministers, and representatives from multiple states submitted support papers in Nabin's favour earlier on Monday, signalling strong organisational consensus. As the sole candidate, Nabin was formally elected by the electoral college comprising members of the BJP's national council and state councils. The process aligns with BJP rules, which require a candidate to be proposed by at least 20 electoral college members from a state and to have a minimum of 15 years of party membership. Nabin's rise is seen as a strategic move to infuse youthful leadership into the party organisation while preserving continuity. - IANS Nitin Nabin formally assumed the role of BJP National President, framing it as an acceptance of the party's ideology and nationalist movement rather than just a position. He expressed deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party workers for elevating an "ordinary worker" to the top post, recalling a formative interaction in Gujarat. Nabin exuded confidence in the BJP's prospects in the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, and Puducherry. He also criticized opposition parties for allegedly interfering with cultural and religious traditions, asserting that such forces have no place in Indian politics. New BJP President Nitin Nabin pledges to uphold party ideology, thanks PM Modi, and expresses confidence in upcoming state elections. New Delhi, January 20 Newly elected BJP National President Nitin Nabin on Tuesday said he is not just taking up a position, but embracing the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of the party. He expressed gratitude to senior leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the collective effort of 140 crore Indians working towards a developed India. Addressing leaders and workers at the party headquarters in the national capital, Nabin said, "Today's moment is a moment of resolve for me. Today, I am not just assuming a position. I am accepting the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of this party, and on this occasion, I also pay my respects to all my senior colleagues...Today, 140 crore Indians are connecting themselves with the dream of a developed India and are working to take the country forward. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for this." Nabin said that the support of party workers and Prime Minister Narendra Modi allowed an ordinary worker like him to reach the top position. Recalling his first interaction with the Prime Minister during a program in Anand, Gujarat, Nabin said he learned that true greatness comes from connecting with the emotions of the people. "Today, first and foremost, I express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you. You have given an ordinary worker like me the opportunity to reach this highest position in the party, and I bow before you all for this. Prime Minister, I express my heartfelt gratitude to you because we, as ordinary workers, have always observed from afar how you are continuously working for the service of the nation," Nabin said. "I remember the first time I participated in a program with you in Anand, Gujarat. I was the National General Secretary at the time, and I saw you listening to each and every person during the Sadbhavana Mission program. And after the program ended, when you spoke to us in your green room, you explained with such emotion why so many people from Gujarat had come... That day, I understood that a person becomes great when they connect themselves with the emotions of the people," he said. Nabin also expressed confidence in the party's prospects in the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, and Puducherry. He said that the hard work and dedication of BJP workers will ensure success in all five states. "In the next few months, elections are about to be held in Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry, and the demographics of these states are being widely discussed. The changing demographics are altering the situation there, and this presents a challenge for us. However, we are completely confident that the BJP workers, through their struggle and hard work, will lead the BJP to success in all five states," he said He criticised opposition parties for allegedly trying to interfere with cultural and religious traditions, citing the recent Karthigai Deepam festival in Tamil Nadu and the attempt to impeach a judge. He said it is important to confront forces that oppose such traditions and asserted that those who deny the existence of Ram Setu or oppose festivals like Karthigai Deepam should have no place in Indian politics. "Recently we saw how opposition parties tried to stop the sacred Karthigai Deepam festival on a hill in Tamil Nadu. This isn't the only instance; the opposition has conspired to stop other things as well. We recently saw how an attempt was made to impeach a judge. Today, when we talk about Somnath and try to celebrate this festival of pride, the people in the opposition parties feel uneasy. We believe that it is necessary to confront the forces that try to stop such traditions. We must ensure that those who deny the existence of Ram Setu and oppose the Karthigai Deepam festival have no place in Indian politics," Nabin further said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Nabin after his address. Today, Nabin formally took charge as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, outgoing BJP national president JP Nadda, several other BJP leaders, and Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states. - ANI Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Nabin is set to assume office as the new National President of the BJP, having been declared the sole candidate for the post. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior party leaders will attend his swearing-in ceremony. The election process concluded with 37 valid sets of nomination papers submitted in his support and no withdrawals recorded. Nabin's rise is viewed as a strategic move to bring youthful leadership into the party's organization. BJP leader Nitin Nabin to take charge as party's national president after being declared the sole candidate. PM Modi, Amit Shah to attend ceremony. New Delhi, Jan 20 Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Nabin is set to assume office as the new National President of the BJP on Tuesday, marking a significant moment for the ruling party's organisational leadership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with several senior party leaders, will attend the swearing-in ceremony. The event is expected to witness the participation of BJP Chief Ministers, national office bearers, state unit presidents, and members of the party's national executive committee. The BJP on Monday declared Nitin Nabin as the sole candidate for the post of National President after the nomination and scrutiny process concluded without any other contenders, paving the way for his unopposed election as the party's 12th national chief. In an official announcement issued late on Monday, National Returning Officer K. Laxman said that only one name, that of Nitin Nabin, remained in the fray following the completion of the nomination process and the withdrawal window. The Returning Officer confirmed that 37 sets of nomination papers had been received in support of Nabin between 2 and 4 p.m., all of which were found valid after scrutiny. No withdrawals were recorded, and no other candidates filed nominations. The election process gained momentum after 30 out of 36 BJP's state presidents were elected, surpassing the minimum requirement of 50 per cent under the party Constitution. Earlier, on January 16, 2026, the notification for the schedule of events was issued, and the electoral roll was published. Nominations opened and closed on Monday, with the scrutiny completed shortly thereafter. Nabin, the 45-year-old National Working President appointed on December 14, 2025, has received overwhelming backing from the BJP's top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and outgoing party President J.P. Nadda. Senior BJP leaders, Chief Ministers, and representatives from multiple states submitted nomination papers in Nabin's favour earlier on Monday, signalling strong organisational consensus. As the sole candidate, Nabin is set to be formally elected by the electoral college comprising members of the BJP's national council and state councils. The process aligns with BJP rules, which require a candidate to be proposed by at least 20 electoral college members from a state and to have a minimum of 15 years of party membership. Nabin's rise is seen as a strategic move to infuse youthful leadership into the party organisation while preserving continuity. - IANS BJP leader Nitin Nabin offered prayers at multiple religious sites in Delhi, including the Jhandewalan Temple and Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, ahead of formally assuming the role of party National President. He was declared the sole candidate for the position after the nomination process concluded without any other contenders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several senior party leaders are scheduled to attend his swearing-in ceremony at the BJP headquarters. Nabin's unopposed election, backed by the party's top leadership, marks a strategic infusion of youthful leadership into the organization. BJP's new National President Nitin Nabin offers prayers at key religious sites in Delhi ahead of his formal swearing-in ceremony attended by PM Modi. New Delhi, Jan 20 BJP leader Nitin Nabin offered prayers at several religious sites on Tuesday ahead of formally taking charge as the new National President of the party. Early in the morning, Nabin, currently National Working President of the BJP, visited the Jhandewalan Temple and offered his prayers. He also offered prayers at the Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place and the Prachin Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir at Mandir Marg, Near Gol Market. Nabin then proceeded to the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara and sought blessings ahead of assuming the office later in the day. Meanwhile, celebrations are ongoing outside the BJP headquarters, which has been decorated to welcome the new president of the party. Tight security arrangements are also in place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with several senior party leaders, will attend the swearing-in ceremony. The event is expected to witness the participation of BJP Chief Ministers, national office bearers, state unit presidents, and members of the party's national executive committee. The BJP on Monday declared Nitin Nabin as the sole candidate for the post of National President after the nomination and scrutiny process concluded without any other contenders, paving the way for his unopposed election as the party's 12th national chief. In an official announcement issued late on Monday, National Returning Officer K. Laxman said that only one name, that of Nitin Nabin, remained in the fray following the completion of the nomination process and the withdrawal window. The Returning Officer confirmed that 37 sets of nomination papers had been received in support of Nabin between 2 and 4 p.m., all of which were found valid after scrutiny. No withdrawals were recorded, and no other candidates filed nominations. Nabin, the 45-year-old National Working President appointed on December 14 last year, has received overwhelming backing from the BJP's top leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and outgoing party President J.P. Nadda. Senior BJP leaders, Chief Ministers, and representatives from multiple states submitted support papers in Nabin's favour earlier on Monday, signalling strong organisational consensus. As the sole candidate, Nabin is set to be formally elected by the electoral college comprising members of the BJP's national council and state councils. The process aligns with BJP rules, which require a candidate to be proposed by at least 20 electoral college members from a state and to have a minimum of 15 years of party membership. Nabin's rise is seen as a strategic move to infuse youthful leadership into the party organisation while preserving continuity. - IANS JP Nadda formally handed over the charge of BJP national president to Nitin Nabin at a ceremony in New Delhi. Nadda expressed full confidence that under Nabin's leadership and that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP would expand its success to states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. He reflected on the party's performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, stating the results did not meet expectations but voters later rallied behind the BJP in subsequent state elections. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and several other senior BJP leaders. JP Nadda congratulates Nitin Nabin as new BJP chief, expresses confidence in expanding party's reach to states like Bengal and Tamil Nadu. New Delhi, January 20 Union Minister JP Nadda on Tuesday congratulated Nitin Nabin as he took charge as the BJP national president, saying the party will expand its reach to new states and achieve success in regions where it has not yet prevailed. Nadda expressed confidence that under Nabin's leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP will grow stronger and "make the lotus bloom" in states like Bengal, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Kerala. Addressing party leaders and workers at the party headquarters in the national capital, Nadda said, "You (Nitin Nabin) have taken on the responsibility as the 12th National President of such a great party. Many congratulations and best wishes to you. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi ji and the chairmanship of Nitin Nabin ji, the Bharatiya Janata Party will bloom the lotus in Bengal in the coming times. We will form the government in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. We will return to power in Assam, and we will deliver good results in Kerala as well. We are moving forward with this confidence." "I have tried to fulfil the responsibilities to the best of my limited abilities, with the cooperation of all of you. While fulfilling this responsibility, if I have said anything that has hurt anyone's feelings, I apologise for it... Nitin Nabin ji will leave no stone unturned in taking this party, this great party, the world's largest party, forward with full strength. And all of us together will cooperate with him and take the party to new heights, and we will make the lotus bloom in the new places and states where we have not yet succeeded," he said. Nadda reflected on the party's performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, saying the results "did not meet our expectations" and had disappointed voters. He added that voters later rallied behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, delivering victories in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Delhi, where the party formed the government after 27 years. "The results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections did not meet our expectations. These results surprised not only the party but also the general public of the country. A sense of disappointment arose in the minds of the country's voters. A feeling of resentment developed among the voters, and you must have seen that the voters of the country resolved that in any upcoming election, they would give their full blessings to Modi ji and work to further the party's progress in the country," Nadda said. "I remember, after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the opposition was very confident in the Haryana elections. They were already making arrangements to distribute sweets even before the results were declared. They didn't know that the voters of the country and the voters of Haryana had decided to rectify the minor mistakes that had occurred due to overconfidence. They did exactly that in the Haryana elections. We saw a record victory in Maharashtra under the leadership of respected Modi ji... under your leadership, after 27 years, the lotus bloomed in Delhi as well, and the Bharatiya Janata Party government was formed in Delhi," he said. In January 2020, JP Nadda was elected as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Today, BJP leader Nitin Nabin formally took charge as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, outgoing BJP national president JP Nadda, several other BJP leaders, and Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states. Nabin, a senior Indian politician, is a five-time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and former Minister in the government of Bihar. He is widely recognised for his sustained organisational acumen and administrative experience. Born on May 23, 1980, in Jharkhand's Ranchi, Nabin entered electoral politics at a young age and was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 2006 from the Patna West Assembly Constituency. Since 2010, Nabin has been consecutively elected from the Bankipur Assembly Constituency, securing victories in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025, thereby becoming a five-time MLA. He has also held key portfolios like Road Construction, Urban Development & Housing and Law in the Bihar Government as a Cabinet Minister. - ANI The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) has announced the arrival of its aircraft at Greenland's Pituffik Space Base to support long-planned defense activities. These operations involve assets from the U.S. and Canada and are conducted with the coordination of Denmark and the Greenland government. The deployment occurs alongside reports of Canadian forces participating in NORAD exercises and considerations for joining Danish-led sovereignty drills. Meanwhile, the situation is complicated by former U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on European countries opposing his push to "take over" Greenland. NORAD sends aircraft to Greenland for long-planned defense exercises amid US-Canada-Denmark cooperation and Trump's tariff threats over Arctic control. Ottawa, Jan 20 North American Aerospace Defence Command said its aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland to support a series of "long-planned NORAD activities." The aircraft will join other assets operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, said NORAD on X, adding that the activities build on "the enduring defense cooperation" between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark, Xinhua news agency reported. NORAD said the activity has been coordinated with Denmark and all supporting forces operate with the requisite diplomatic clearances, adding that the government of Greenland has been informed of the planned activities. The command stated that it "routinely conducts sustained, dispersed operations in the defense of North America" through one or all three regions -- Alaska, Canada and the continental United States. Canadian media reported Sunday that a Royal Canadian Air Force contingent was already taking part in the NORAD exercise in Greenland, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was considering a deployment of additional forces to join Danish-led sovereignty exercises, which may involve drills focused on safeguarding the Arctic island's critical infrastructure. Meawhile, European countries are hardening their stance amid growing condemnation across the continent after US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on eight European countries in an effort to advance his push to "take over" Greenland, prompting mounting calls for a tough, coordinated European response and for the bloc to deploy its full range of countermeasures. In a social media post over the weekend, Trump said the United States would impose a 10-per cent tariff from February 1 on goods from eight European countries opposing his ambition to control Greenland. He warned the tariff rate would rise to 25 per cent on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland. - IANS The Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad has voiced strong support for the Uttar Pradesh government's redevelopment project at Varanasi's Manikarnika Ghat, framing it as an essential measure to protect Dharma, public safety, and civilizational continuity. Yamuna Pathak of VHRD criticized opponents for having no practical solutions for crowd management and sanitation, suggesting their outrage often masks political agendas. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also defended the work, questioning the motives behind the objections and citing historical figures who have previously renovated the site. The controversy follows a demolition drive for the beautification project, with police now filing cases against individuals for spreading AI-generated misleading content about the work. VHRP supports UP govt's Manikarnika Ghat redevelopment, calling it protection of Dharma and safety. BJP MP Dubey also defends the project amid controversy. Dona Paula, January 19 Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad, Yamuna Pathak came out in strong support of the Uttar Pradesh government's initiative, asserting that the Manikarnika Ghat project is aimed at safeguarding heritage, dignity, and public safety. Speaking to ANI, Pathak said, "This is not destruction of heritage, but protection of Dharma, dignity of the departed, safety of the living, and continuity of a civilisation. Those opposing it offer no practical solutions for safety, sanitation or crowd management. Selective outrage in the name of faith often masks political agendas." Emphasising historical continuity, Pathak added, "True Hindu leadership supports reforms that protect both tradition and people. From Guptas to Marathas to the modern times, Kashi has been rebuilt, restored and extended repetitively." She further said, "The government is correcting decades of neglect that endangered priests, workers and pilgrims daily. We ardently support the initiatives taken by the UP government." Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also defended the redevelopment work, questioning the objections being raised. In a post on X, Dubey said, "Banaras's Manikarnika Ghat, the temple there and its proper construction have been carried out from time to time by the king of Alwar, by Maharani Ahilyabai ji, and by the King of Amethi. Today, what is the problem? Because a person from a poor family is the Prime Minister?" The controversy erupted following a demolition and clearing drive at Manikarnika Ghat as part of a beautification and strengthening project, during which heavy machinery was used to remove encroachments and old structures. Authorities said several ancient idols and artefacts found during the process have been secured by the culture department and will be reinstalled after construction is complete. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Police have registered eight separate cases at Chowk Police Station in Varanasi against AI-generated images and alleged misleading information related to the redevelopment work. According to police, cases have been registered against eight individuals and others who shared or commented on objectionable content under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). - ANI The governments of Odisha and Meghalaya have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen Early Childhood Care, Education, and Development through inter-state collaboration. The agreement establishes a framework for mutual learning, capacity building, and the exchange of best practices in areas like nutrition, health, and early learning. It aims to combine Odisha's experience in community-based initiatives with Meghalaya's innovative approaches for tribal and challenging contexts. The partnership is expected to create actionable impact for children, caregivers, and frontline workers in both states. Odisha and Meghalaya sign an MoU for collaboration on early childhood care, focusing on knowledge exchange and capacity building. Bhubaneswar, Jan 20 In a significant step towards strengthening Early Childhood Care, Education and Development through inter-state collaboration, the government of Odisha and the government of Meghalaya on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at mutual learning, capacity building, and the exchange of best practices in Early Childhood Development. According to an official statement, the MoU envisages collaboration between the two states to strengthen holistic Early Childhood Care, Education & Development interventions, encompassing nutrition, health, early learning, responsive caregiving, community engagement, and institutional capacity building. The state government further added that the MoU provides a framework for knowledge exchange, joint research, exposure visits, documentation of best practices, and capacity development of functionaries at various levels. Speaking on the occasion, the dignitaries highlighted the critical importance of the early years as the foundation for lifelong health, learning, and well-being, and underscored the value of state-to-state learning in developing contextually relevant, community-driven solutions. "The partnership also seeks to leverage Odisha's experience in community-based and culturally responsive ECD initiatives and Meghalaya's innovative approaches in delivering social sector services in tribal and geographically challenging contexts, fostering a two-way learning process," informed the state government. It further added that this collaboration between the two governments reflects the shared commitment of both states to advancing equitable and inclusive early childhood outcomes, aligned with national priorities for human capital development. The MoU is expected to translate into actionable learning and on-ground impact, benefiting young children, caregivers, and frontline workers across both states. The agreement was formally signed by Sampath Kumar, Principal Secretary, Government of Meghalaya, and Ananta Narayan Singh Laguri, Additional Secretary, Women & Child Development Department, Government of Odisha. The MoU was signed in the presence of Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Development Commissioner-cum-ACS(Additional Chief Secretary), Odisha, and other senior officials of both states. - IANS The World Economic Forum's 56th Annual Meeting in Davos commenced with an opening concert reflecting this year's theme of dialogue and collaboration. The event featured performances by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra with violinist Renaud Capucon, accompanied by a dynamic AI-generated visual installation. A highlight was a vibrant performance by Oscar-winning musician Jon Batiste, which energized the audience and prompted dancing. The concert set a tone of openness and diversity for the week-long forum, which will continue until January 23. The World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos began with a musical concert featuring Jon Batiste and AI-generated visuals, setting a collaborative tone. Davos, January 20 The World Economic Forum has once again opened its doors for its annual meeting in Davos, bringing together delegates from across the globe and a wide range of sectors to discuss pressing global issues impacting the global economy. Notably, the 56th Annual Meeting kick-started on a musical note on January 19. An opening concert was held at the Congress Hall. The concert mirrored this year's meeting theme, A Spirit of Dialogue, Brge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum, observed in his welcoming remarks. "Music knows no borders, it speaks no single language. A violin, a trumpet, a clarinet and a drum, they come together in perfect harmony, each unique, each essential, each voice making the whole more beautiful," Brende said. Andre Hoffmann, Vice-Chairman at Roche Holding and Interim Co-Chair at the World Economic Forum, emphasised that the concert sets the tone for the meeting. He remarked, "The concert reflects the principles we seek to advance for the week: openness, collaboration, diversity and a responsibility to future generations." Larry Fink, Chair and CEO of BlackRock and Interim Co-Chair at the World Economic Forum, agreed and reflected on how the many genres of music all coming together in one concert perfectly represent the goals of this year's Annual Meeting. He had also delivered some brief welcoming remarks earlier. "To expose people to wider ranges of voices, to a wider range of ideas, maybe even an argument, but one that we have deeper understanding from," Larry said. After these welcoming remarks, the concert commenced with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra performing alongside acclaimed violinist Renaud Capucon. On a large LED screen behind the musicians, an AI-generated visual installation responded dynamically to their sounds, the brainchild of artist and technologist Ronen Tanchum. (Image credits: WEF) One of the standout moments of the concert was a classic performance by Oscar-winning musician Jon Batiste, energising the room and drawing participants to their feet to dance along. Here are some of the visuals of Jon from his performance at Davos 2026 opening concert. (Credits: WEF)The 56th Annual Meeting will take place till January 23. - ANI Tarasov informed Ukrainian presidential adviser Freeland about challenges for business in Davos Ukrainian entrepreneur Serhiy Tarasov met with Ukrainian presidential adviser Chrystia Freeland on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos to discuss the challenges of doing business in wartime. According to the businessman's Facebook page, the meeting focused on the functioning of Ukrainian business in wartime, in particular the impact of law enforcement agencies on the investment climate and business development. According to Tarasov, he handed Freeland a written appeal outlining the circumstances that, in his opinion, negatively affect the business environment. The entrepreneur noted that Freeland expressed her willingness to study the information provided. A Greek analyst alleges that Pakistani state institutions systematically manage rather than dismantle extremist networks, providing them political cover. The analysis cites the reconstruction of a JeM facility and open ideological training camps as evidence of state non-intervention. It notes that groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba have gained political legitimacy through formal party fronts like the PMML. The report warns this strategy has global implications, risking the export of extremism and weakening international counter-terrorism mechanisms. Greek analyst says Pakistan provides political cover to UN-designated militant groups like LeT and JeM, allowing them to operate openly and gain legitimacy. Athens, January 20 Pakistan has developed a systematic model of managing extremist networks rather than dismantling them, according to an analysis by Greek lawyer, journalist and South Asia specialist Dimitra Staikou, published by EuropaWire, Europe's first pan-European newswire service provider. In the article titled "Pakistan: When the State Does Not Fight Terrorism, but Manages It," Staikou argued that Pakistani state institutions have provided political cover and indirect material support to internationally designated militant groups, allowing them to remain operational while avoiding formal international accountability. The analysis cited documented cases involving UN-designated organisations, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), asserting that their leadership, infrastructure and mobilisation activities continue to function openly despite international sanctions. One example highlighted was the reconstruction of the Markaz Syedna Bilal complex in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), a site previously identified as a JeM training facility and targeted during a military operation. According to the article, the reconstruction was publicly presented as a development initiative and was attended in October 2025 by Pakistani Federal Minister Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon, senior officials and leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League (N). Staikou described the project as a political signal of rehabilitation rather than a neutral rebuilding effort. The article also raised concerns about the institutionalisation of ideological indoctrination, pointing to publicly announced Daura-e-Tarbiyah (ideological training) seminars. Citing open-source material, Staikou noted that JeM organised a seven-day training camp in Quetta, Balochistan, from December 5 to 12, 2025, describing it internally as a structured ideological phase preceding militant training. The public nature of such events, she argued, suggested deliberate non-intervention by state authorities. According to the analysis, extremist networks have also gained political legitimacy through their transformation into formal party structures. Staikou pointed to the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), widely viewed by analysts as a political front for Lashkar-e-Taiba. PMML contested Pakistan's 2024 general elections, and senior LeT figures, including Hafiz Talha Saeed, were reported to have participated openly in party activities throughout 2025, despite US and UN sanctions. Public rallies were described as another element of normalisation. Staikou documented events in which speeches praised Osama bin Laden, referenced Al-Qaeda ideology and featured armed militants on stage, often under the presence or protection of state security forces. One such rally took place on September 14, 2025, in Garhi Habibullah, Mansehra (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Another occurred in Karachi on August 14, 2025, where LeT figures reportedly led a public march with visible police security. Beyond Pakistan's borders, the article warned that this approach has regional and global implications. Staikou argued that Pakistan's expanding defence and security ties with Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian states, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia, risk exporting the consequences of this strategy beyond South Asia. Since 2025, these relationships have reportedly deepened through joint military exercises, defence-industry cooperation, intelligence sharing and naval coordination. This, the analysis said, has contributed to the gradual normalisation of Pakistan as a security partner despite its documented links to extremist networks. The European Union was identified as particularly exposed to the fallout, facing pressures linked to radicalisation, irregular migration and extremist financing networks, in which Pakistan was described as a central node. Staikou argued that this normalisation weakens mechanisms such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), while facilitating the transfer of ideological and organisational practices into Europe. The article also noted concerns for China, citing potential instability along trade and energy corridors. It also flagged concerns for the United States, which was portrayed as increasingly wary that Pakistan's emerging security alignments could undermine deterrence and regional stability in both the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. Staikou contrasted Pakistan's approach with the case of Abdullah Ocalan, whose imprisonment was presented as an example of a state drawing a clear legal and political boundary against armed movements. By comparison, she argued, Pakistan's integration and repurposing of extremist actors turns violence into an accepted political instrument. "When a state chooses to manage terrorism instead of dismantling it," the analysis concluded, "the problem no longer concerns that state alone, but the international system that tolerates this strategy." - ANI Nitin Nabin has formally taken charge as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and outgoing president JP Nadda. A five-time MLA from Bihar's Bankipur constituency, Nabin has held key ministerial portfolios in the state government. His appointment triggered widespread celebrations among party workers across Bihar. BJP workers celebrate as Nitin Nabin formally takes charge as the party's new national president in a ceremony attended by PM Modi and Amit Shah. Patna, January 20 BJP workers, supporters and residents celebrate across Bihar as Nitin Nabin takes charge as the party's National President on Tuesday. Nitin Nabin is a five-time Member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly representing the Bankipur constituency. Party workers and supporters burst crackers in Bankipur to mark the beginning of Nabin's leadership era. Similar celebratory visuals were seen outside Nitin Nabin's residence in Patna, where BJP workers distributed sweets and set off firecrackers to express their joy. BJP leader Nitin Nabin on Tuesday formally took charge as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, outgoing BJP national president JP Nadda, several other BJP leaders, and Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states. Nabin, a senior Indian politician, is a five-time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and former Minister in the government of Bihar. He is widely recognised for his sustained organisational acumen and administrative experience. Born on May 23, 1980, in Jharkhand's Ranchi, Nabin entered electoral politics at a young age and was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 2006 from the Patna West Assembly Constituency. Since 2010, Nabin has been consecutively elected from the Bankipur Assembly Constituency, securing victories in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025, thereby becoming a five-time MLA. He has also held key portfolios like Road Construction, Urban Development & Housing and Law in the Bihar Government as a Cabinet Minister. Alongside his legislative career, Nabin has played a significant role in party organisation, holding national and state-level leadership positions. He has also been entrusted with important organisational responsibilities in states such as Sikkim and Chhattisgarh. - ANI Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is reportedly considering deploying additional soldiers to Greenland for military exercises with NATO allies, according to CBC News. The move comes as several European nations have already sent personnel to participate in sovereignty drills in the Arctic region. This development unfolds against the backdrop of former U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed threats to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries unless they agree to sell Greenland. Trump has framed the acquisition as a national security imperative, citing interests from China and Russia in the territory. PM Mark Carney considers sending Canadian troops to Greenland for sovereignty exercises as Trump pressures Denmark to sell the Arctic territory. Ottawa, January 20 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is considering sending soldiers to Greenland for military exercises with NATO allies, CBC news reported, citing sources on Monday. As per CBC news, two senior Canadian officials said that a set of contingency plans were drawn up last week and presented to the federal government. While a Royal Canadian Air Force contingent is already taking part in a pre-planned NORAD exercise in Greenland, PM Carney is considering whether to send additional forces as part of the sovereignty exercises being planned by the Danes. It further mentioned that both sources said they are not certain which way the government is leaning. According to CBC, the options include flying in a small contingent of Canadian soldiers by the end of the week if called upon, the sources said. It mentioned that the news of the potential deployment was first reported by The Globe and Mail. Earlier on Saturday, during a press conference in Qatar, PM Carney said that Canada is "concerned" by Trump's tariff threat and "we always will support sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries wherever their geographic location is.""Decisions about the future of Greenland are for Greenland and Denmark to decide," the prime minister added. This comes as Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, the Netherlands, and Finland have sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland to join the exercise in a move to ensure the safety of the Arctic. Denmark had also invited the US to join the military exercise. Meanwhile, strengthening his push to acquire Denmark's territory, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026 if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. On Tuesday, it was mentioned that the United States will deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft at the Pituffik space base, Greenland, as tensions rise over President Donald Trump's move to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities. They also said that this action is taken in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the BJP headquarters for the ceremony marking Nitin Nabin's assumption of charge as the new national president. He was received by Nabin and outgoing president JP Nadda, with senior leaders Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh also in attendance. The transition follows a formal election process where Nabin received 37 sets of nomination papers, proposed by top party leaders. The party headquarters in Delhi was decorated in a celebratory manner for the occasion. PM Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh attend BJP HQ as Nitin Nabin is set to take charge as the new national president after receiving 37 nominations. New Delhi, January 20 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday arrived at the BJP headquarters, as BJP national working president Nitin Nabin is set to take charge as the BJP national president. PM Modi was received by BJP national working president Nitin Nabin and Union Minister and outgoing BJP national president JP Nadda. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also reached the headquarters to attend the event. The BJP headquarters in the national capital bore a celebratory look ahead of Nitin Nabin's assuming charge. The BJP's National President Election process kicked off after 30 out of 36 State Presidents were elected, exceeding the required 50 per cent threshold. The Election Schedule was announced on January 16, 2026, along with the Electoral Roll. As scheduled, the nomination process took place today, January 19, 2026, between 2 PM and 4 PM. A total of 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in favour of Nitin Nabin for the post of National President, with proposals from top leaders including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K Laxman also announced that Nitin Nabin has been proposed for the post of BJP National President after 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in his favour. - ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a significant public meeting in Tamil Nadu's Chengalpattu district, intensifying the NDA's campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections. A high-level security review was conducted by the SPG and various agencies at Chennai Airport to prepare for his short visit. The election is shaping up as a multi-cornered contest involving the NDA, the ruling DMK-Congress alliance, and a new party launched by actor Vijay. Modi's schedule is tightly packed, with his arrival and departure from the state planned for the same day. PM Narendra Modi to address a major public meeting in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, as NDA gears up for the state assembly elections against DMK-Congress. New Delhi, January 20 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a public meeting at Maduranthakam in Tamil Nadu's Chengalpattu district on Friday, as the BJP intensifies efforts ahead of the state assembly elections. The public meeting will mark the clarion call for the National Democratic Alliance for the Assembly polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a special address, and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, GK Vasan, John Pandian, and other leaders of alliance parties will also attend the event. This morning, a team from the Special Protection Group (SPG) from Delhi, led by AIG Ami Chand Yadav, conducted an Advanced Security Liaison (ASL) meeting at the old Chennai Airport to review the Prime Minister's security arrangements. Senior officials from the Chennai City Police, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), district revenue administration, Chennai Airport authorities, central and state intelligence agencies, VIP security officials, as well as medical and fire service officials, participated in the meeting. During the inspection, the Delhi SPG team directly reviewed the area where the Prime Minister's special aircraft will be parked, the location where the helicopter to Madurantakam will be stationed, and which officials will be responsible for security surveillance in those areas. It has also been decided to place the old Chennai Airport area under a complete security cover for four days, from today until Friday. The security team will also inspect the public meeting venue and the landing site for the Prime Minister's helicopter. As the Prime Minister will be on a short visit to the state, he will travel by special aircraft from Thiruvananthapuram on Friday afternoon, arrive via Chennai, proceed to the Madurantakam public meeting venue, and immediately depart for Delhi via Chennai the same evening after the meeting concludes. It is said there will be no opportunity for VIPs or dignitaries to meet or interact with him at Chennai Airport. The NDA led by AIADMK and the BJP in Tamil Nadu will look to defeat the ruling DMK-Congress alliance. The election will feature a triangular contest after actor-turned-politician Vijay has launched his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and is eyeing the top spot. - ANI Union Minister Pralhad Joshi actively courted global investors for India's clean energy sector at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He held key discussions with Canadian investment firm La Caisse to align their $400 billion climate strategy with India's renewable ambitions. Joshi also met with Omani officials to deepen bilateral cooperation in solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects. The talks focused on manufacturing, export infrastructure, and leveraging international alliances to boost India's energy transition. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi urges global investors at Davos to tap India's renewable energy sector, highlighting solar, wind, and green hydrogen opportunities. New Delhi, Jan 20 Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, has made a strong pitch for global investors towards opportunities in India's clean and green energy sector at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Highlighting India's proven ability to scale renewables solar, wind, Green Hydrogen and energy storage, the minister had a focused discussion with Charles Emond, President and CEO, and COO Sarah Bouchard of Canada-based La Caisse, on strengthening long-term climate and clean energy investments in India. "The conversation centred on scaling solar, wind and hybrid renewable projects, strengthening transmission infrastructure, and exploring green hydrogen and energy storage solutions. Strongly recommended upscaling the 'Partner with India' initiative to tap into the group's committed $400 billion in climate action investments by 2030," Joshi said in a post on X. The interaction also highlighted strong alignment between India's clean-energy ambitions and La Caisse's climate investment strategy, with a shared focus on advancing scalable, resilient and impact-driven solutions to support India's energy transition, the minister informed. Joshi also had a productive meeting with Dr. Said Mohammed Ahmed Al Saqri, Economic Advisor at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Oman, on deepening India-Oman cooperation in renewable energy. "Highlighted India's proven ability to scale renewables solar, wind, Green Hydrogen and energy storage even in arid and desert conditions, offering strong opportunities for global investors," the minister posted. At Davos, the discussions also focused on joint collaboration on manufacturing and export opportunities for solar modules, electrolysers and green hydrogen, also encouraging investments in India through renewable-powered hydrogen hubs, integrated energy projects, and port-based export infrastructure. "Also explored leveraging the India-Oman CEPA, Joint Investment Fund and cooperation under the @isolaralliance to unlock the benefits of Global Green Energy Grid through OSOWOG, joint participation in upcoming solar and wind tenders and industry-led innovation," said Joshi. - IANS The Punjab Cabinet has approved a direct subsidy of Rs 68.50 per quintal to be paid to sugarcane farmers on behalf of private mills. It also created 1,000 new posts for yoga trainers under the 'CM di Yogshala' project with a Rs 35 crore budgetary provision. In a healthcare boost, several civil hospitals and health centres will be transferred to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences for improved services. Additionally, new policies were approved to facilitate the transfer of municipal properties and abandoned paths to accelerate urban development. Punjab Cabinet led by CM Bhagwant Mann approves direct subsidy for sugarcane farmers, yoga trainer posts, and healthcare reforms. Chandigarh, Jan 20 The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Tuesday, approved a direct subsidy of Rs 68.50 per quintal out of the fixed state agreed price for sugarcane growers. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers, which also delivered a series of approvals spanning healthcare reform, public fitness initiatives and urban governance. A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said the subsidy of Rs 68.50 per quintal out of the fixed SAP would be paid directly to sugarcane farmers on behalf of private sugar mills for 2025-26. "Punjab already offers the highest state agreed price for sugarcane in the country at Rs 416 per quintal, reflecting an increase of Rs 15 from the previous year. This ensures that Punjab's cane growers remain the best compensated in the country and the present decision will further strengthen income security for farmers." The state Cabinet also approved the creation of 1,000 additional posts of yoga trainers under the 'CM di Yogshala' project. It was said that a budgetary provision of Rs 35 crore will be made for this initiative in 2026-27, aimed at promoting a healthy and fit Punjab. In another key decision to strengthen healthcare services, the state Cabinet approved the complete transfer of civil hospitals at Badal village in Muktsar district, Khadur Sahib in Tarn Taran district, Community Health Centre Jalalabad, and the Tertiary Care Centre in Fazilka district to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences in Faridkot. The transfer will enable residents of these areas to access improved treatment and diagnostic services, leveraging the university's advanced medical infrastructure and expertise. The Cabinet also accorded approval for formulation and notification of directives under Section 4 of the Punjab Management and Transfer Municipal Act, 2020, to facilitate the transfer of municipal properties belonging to government departments, boards, corporations, and other public sector undertakings for public purposes. This decision is expected to give fresh momentum to development projects across the state, ensure uniformity in land allocation, and prevent misuse of public land. A committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner of the district will recommend the allotment process, subject to approval by the state government. To accelerate development through optimal utilisation of land resources, the state Cabinet approved a policy for transfer by sale or exchange of abandoned and active paths (rastas) or water courses (khals) located within all government-licensed projects inside municipal limits. This policy is aimed at unlocking stalled development potential and improving urban planning outcomes. - IANS Republic Day preparations have led to the cancellation of two flights to and from Srinagar due to a NOTAM at Delhi airport, disrupting passenger travel. Security across the national capital has been significantly intensified, with Delhi Police placing the city on high alert and displaying posters of most-wanted terrorists at transit hubs and markets. The security apparatus includes the deployment of over 5,800 extra CAPF personnel and specialised units like anti-drone teams and snipers, particularly around the Kartavya Path venue. Authorities are urging public vigilance through announcements and posters featuring individuals like Arshdeep Singh, identified as a key conspirator in recent targeted killings. Republic Day preparations lead to flight cancellations at Delhi airport and a major security clampdown across the capital with wanted terrorist posters displayed. New Delhi, Jan 20 Two flights to and from Srinagar airport were cancelled on Tuesday following the issuance of a Notice to Airmen at Delhi airport in connection with Republic Day preparations, officials said. The affected flights were cancelled by the respective airlines owing to airspace and operational restrictions imposed at Delhi airport. Airport authorities said these curbs are part of heightened security and logistical arrangements being put in place ahead of the January 26 celebrations. In view of the disruption, airport authorities issued a passenger advisory urging travellers to check the latest status of their flights with the concerned airlines before arriving at the airport. Passengers were also advised to remain in contact with airlines regarding rescheduling options or refund procedures. "Due to a NOTAM in force at Delhi Airport in view of Republic Day arrangements, two flights to/from Srinagar Airport have been cancelled by the respective airlines today. Passengers are requested to check the latest flight status with their airline before proceeding to the airport. We regret the inconvenience caused," the advisory said. Officials indicated that flight operations are expected to return to normal once the Republic Day-related restrictions are lifted and airspace operations resume fully. Meanwhile, ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, security agencies, along with the Delhi Police, have significantly intensified security measures, placing the national capital under a high-security alert to prevent any potential threat. As part of the enhanced security arrangements, posters of most-wanted terrorists have been displayed at railway stations, bus terminals and crowded marketplaces across Delhi. The Delhi Police Special Cell has released a list of fugitives linked to various militant organisations, including Khalistan-linked groups, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and ISIS. Prominently featured on these posters is Arshdeep Singh, alias Arsh Dala, the Canada-based chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force, who intelligence agencies have identified as a key conspirator behind recent targeted killings. Other names displayed include Ranjeet Singh Neeta of the Khalistan Zindabad Force and Mohammed Abu Sufyan, associated with Al-Qaeda. Given the heavy daily footfall, security has been stepped up at all major railway stations, including New Delhi, Nizamuddin and Anand Vihar. Major bus terminals such as ISBT Kashmiri Gate and the Anand Vihar bus stand have also been placed under tight security cover. Authorities said regular announcements are being made through public address systems at these locations to encourage public vigilance. To further sensitise citizens, continuous safety messages are being broadcast, while 'wanted' posters have been put up in busy marketplaces such as Sarojini Nagar, Karol Bagh, Lajpat Nagar, Sadar Bazaar and Paharganj, urging people to report any suspicious activity or security breach. In addition, over 5,800 extra personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces, including the BSF, CRPF and CISF, have been deployed across the capital to strengthen security. The Kartavya Path area, the main venue for Republic Day celebrations, is under round-the-clock surveillance through an extensive CCTV network integrated with Facial Recognition System technology. Specialised anti-drone units and sniper teams have also been positioned on high-rise buildings to counter any possible aerial threats, officials said. - IANS Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Maharashtra secured investment commitments worth $96 billion on the first day. The landmark MoUs will fund the new Raigad Pen Growth Centre, a smart city near the upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport, designed to host Global Capability Centres and FinTech firms. The projects are expected to generate approximately 9.6 lakh jobs and accelerate the state's march towards a $1 trillion economy. Fadnavis emphasized the state's strategic focus on knowledge transfer and sectors like MedTech to reduce healthcare costs and drive inclusive growth. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announces $96 billion in Davos MoUs for the Raigad Pen smart city near Navi Mumbai Airport, focusing on GCCs and FinTech. Davos, January 21 Noting that a lot of investment is coming to Maharashtra in diverse sectors Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that state is not just looking at the amount of MoUs but at sectors and how knowledge is transferred, technologies are transferred and FDI comes. Fadnavis, who is Davos to attend World Economic Forum meeting, told ANI in an interview that Maharashtra has launched new smart city Raigad Pen Growth Centre near the New Mumbai airport and a lot of foreign companies have already shown their interest in investing in this new city. He said the new smart city will host a number of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) as also FinTech. He also said that any bilateral agreement is beneficial to a state like Maharashtra as it has always been a growth engine of the Indian economy. "We have launched our new smart city, which is Raigad Pen Growth Centre. This Raigad Pen Growth Centre is near the New Mumbai airport, and this is the first partnership whereby the private sector and the MMRDA, which is the government sector, are coming together and building a new business district in Mumbai or in New Mumbai...I am very happy that a lot of foreign companies have already shown their interest in investing in this new city, whereby you know it will host a number of GCCs, will host FinTech, and it will be a very inclusive business district... High-paid jobs will be created," the Chief Minister said. "I want to reiterate that we are not just looking at the amounts of MoUs, we are looking at the sectors and we are looking at how knowledge, technologies are transferred and how FDIs come," he added. The Chief Minister said that MoUs are the byproduct of the interaction that he and state government officials are having with the industralists and investors in Davos. Fadnavis laid thrust on investment in the MedTech sector, noting that it will help bring down cost of health care in the country. "Today, if you look at the healthcare sector of India and Maharashtra, our major expenses today are on non-communicable diseases...If we have investments in MedTech and create a pool of workers, health workers, who are trained in this med tech equipment and medical technology, I think we can bring down this cost substantially, and we can provide universal access to everybody," he said. "I am very happy that a lot of investment is coming to Maharashtra and it is in diverse sector and all the companies which are investing are bringing FDI to Maharashtra that is very important...Today, we are focusing more on strategic MoUs. We have signed MoUs with the University of Berkeley, MIT, and many other institutions, through which we partner with them to share knowledge, bring technologies, and implement processes...Today we had a session on MedTech. Now that we are trying to give everyone access to health care, MedTech is very important...We have charted a roadmap for moving forward in MedTech," he added. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) achieved a historic milestone at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Summit 2026 in Davos, securing investment commitments worth USD 96 billion (Rs 8.73 lakh crore) on the very first day through the signing of 10 major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). The landmark agreements are expected to generate approximately 9.6 lakh direct and indirect jobs, positioning the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) as the talent capital of India and Asia. The MoUs were signed in the presence of Chief Minister with Sanjay Mukherjee, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, representing the authority. Speaking on the exchange of these MoUs at Davos 2026, Fadnavis said the historic USD 96 billion in investments secured on the very first day of WEF 2026 is a reflection to the global investors' unwavering faith in Maharashtra's potential. "These 10 MoUs are not just financial agreements; they are the blueprints for 'Mumbai 3.0' and the key to accelerating our march towards the USD 1 trillion economy milestone. By transforming the MMR into a world-class, technology-driven powerhouse, we are ensuring that Maharashtra remains the primary engine of India's growth. Following last year's Rs 16 lakh crore success, we have set our sights even higher this year to bring life-changing infrastructure and millions of jobs to our youth," he added. - ANI The Rajasthan cabinet will meet under Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to deliberate on key policy and legislative matters ahead of the Budget Session starting January 28. The agenda includes discussing and approving several important ordinances related to public trusts, commercial establishments, and local governance acts. This meeting follows a previous cabinet session in December which approved significant policies on vehicle scrapping and artificial intelligence. The decisions from this meeting are expected to directly impact the state's governance, administration, and economic activity. Rajasthan cabinet meets to approve ordinances and set policy roadmap ahead of the state's Budget Session beginning January 28. Jaipur, Jan 20 A meeting of the Rajasthan cabinet will be held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, with several important policy and legislative matters likely to come up for approval. According to official sources, the cabinet will deliberate on issues related to the upcoming Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly, which is scheduled to begin on January 28. On the opening day of the session, the Governor's address will be delivered, followed by a three-day debate. The government's reply to the address will be presented on the fifth day of the session. During the cabinet meeting, several ordinances and amendments are likely to be discussed and approved before being introduced in the Assembly. These include the Rajasthan Public Trust (Amendment of Provisions) Ordinance, 2025, the Rajasthan Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 and amendments related to the Panchayati Raj Act and the Municipal Act. Once cleared by the cabinet, these proposals will be placed before the House during the budget session for legislative approval. The last meeting of the Bhajanlal Sharma cabinet was held on December 30, during which several significant decisions were taken. These included the approval of the Rajasthan Vehicle Scrapping Policy, 2025, Rajasthan Revenue Accounts Service Rules, 2025, tax exemptions on the purchase of new vehicles, the Rajasthan Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AIML) Policy, and the appointment of additional marshals in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. The upcoming cabinet meeting is being seen as crucial in setting the legislative and policy roadmap ahead of the budget session, with decisions expected to have a direct impact on governance, administration, and economic activity in the state. In the last cabinet meeting, the Rajasthan government had approved several important decisions on environmental protection, sustainable development, governance, industry, education and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Chaired by CM Sharma, the cabinet approved the Rajasthan Vehicle Scrapping Policy-2025 (RVSP) to phase out unfit and polluting vehicles in a scientific, safe and environment-friendly manner. Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa and Public Health Engineering Minister Kanhaiya Lal had said the RVSP would be implemented to phase out unfit and pollute vehicles from the road and destroy them in accordance with scientific, safe and environmental standards. - IANS Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he would visit the World Economic Forum in Davos if documents are ready for signing or a decision is made on additional air defense. "If the documents are ready, we will have a meeting and a trip. If there are energy packages, or even a meeting and a decision on additional air defense, I will definitely go. But for now, I have a challenge in Ukraine, and it is very important for me to coordinate all services now," Zelenskyy told reporters on Tuesday. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh addressed the All India Presiding Officers Conference, emphasizing the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in making legislatures more efficient. He called for greater synergy between Parliament and State legislatures to effectively pool institutional knowledge and policy documents for AI training. Harivansh proposed creating a centralized 'Data Lake' of legislative debates and vocabulary to train AI systems suited to the Indian context, while insisting on a hybrid model with human oversight. He also highlighted ongoing AI pilots in Parliament for transcription, multilingual services, and administrative task automation. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh outlines AI use for legislative efficiency, calls for state-parliament synergy and a 'Data Lake' at Presiding Officers' meet. New Delhi, January 21 Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Tuesday delivered his remarks at the plenary session of the 86th All India Presiding Officers Conference in Lucknow. In his address to the Presiding Officers from various states, he emphasised the role of AI in making legislatures more efficient but laid out various steps required to make the technology accurate and reliable. Alongside outlining use cases and ways to implement AI in Parliament, he called for greater synergy between the States and Parliament. This would ensure that legislative institutional knowledge is used effectively. Underlining a vision for harmonious coordination and access to information on policies, he said, "Legislatures are custodians of all official policy documents alongside the various debates on legislation and budgets. These documents are part of the House when they are laid on the table. This information is often scattered across ministries. Parliaments and State legislatures can utilise AI to create a platform to make these easily accessible to all. This would promote the institution as a knowledge hub. Further, he highlighted the need for a 'Data Lake' where the unique language of legislative debates, vocabulary, and the documents across the country can be used to train the technology best suited for the Indian context. Harivansh called for a hybrid mechanism in which humans retain oversight over the training and the nature of the output generated by AI. "What makes AI suitable for parliamentary use is not merely its algorithmic capability. It is the knowledge on which the technology is trained. Parliamentary AI must therefore be trained within Parliament, fed with carefully curated parliamentary data. Skills can be acquired, transferred, or outsourced. Knowledge, however, is contextual and deeply embedded within the institution. Parliamentary knowledge is unique. It is built over decades through debates, rulings, conventions and constitutional practices," he said. In his address, he explained how Parliament has been testing AI-enabled transcription and simultaneous interpretation to provide services in different languages. At present, Members of Parliament can access the House Business and other administrative documents in a language of their choice. This has been executed using AI. Further, the Deputy Chairman explained how routine administrative tasks, such as the scrutiny of the admissibility of Questions for Question Hour and the search for past precedents and rulings, can be carried out using AI. He also called for more awareness and orientation sessions for staff and legislators to execute their respective roles efficiently. Apart from the use of digital tools, subjects around strengthening accountability and capacity building of legislators were also discussed. The Conference commenced on January 19 in the presence of the Governor. Anandiben Patel and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. - ANI The Delhi Cabinet has approved a Rs 60 crore project to establish two Common Facility Centres in the Badli and Bawana industrial areas. These centres will provide micro and small enterprises with shared access to modern machinery, testing labs, and training facilities. The initiative, part of the central government's MSE-CDP scheme, aims to reduce production costs and improve product quality for small entrepreneurs. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated the project will enhance industrial competitiveness and generate new employment opportunities. Delhi Cabinet approves two Common Facility Centres for micro & small enterprises in Badli & Bawana at Rs 60 crore to boost competitiveness. New Delhi, Jan 20 In a major decision aimed at transforming the Capital's industrial landscape, the Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal for the establishment of two Common Facility Centres in the Badli and Bawana industrial areas for Rs 60 crore. The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting held at the Delhi Secretariat under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The Chief Minister said that the Delhi government is firmly committed to making the Capital's micro and small industries globally competitive. She noted that limited investment capacity often prevents small entrepreneurs from accessing modern technology and expensive machinery. The Common Facility Centres will effectively bridge this gap and significantly improve the ease of doing business for small units. The Chief Minister stated that the project is being implemented under the government of India's Micro and Small Enterprises - Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP). The primary objective of the scheme is to provide, under one roof, facilities that are otherwise beyond the reach of individual small entrepreneurs, she said. Through these centres, micro and small enterprises will gain shared access to modern machinery, testing laboratories, and training facilities without heavy capital investment. The total estimated cost of the project has been fixed at Rs 60 crore, with Rs 30 crore allocated for each centre. She added that the CFCs will also provide facilities for workers' skill development, technical training, and product quality improvement. Infrastructure to promote environmentally sustainable production, including common effluent treatment systems and green technologies, will also be developed. The Chief Minister explained that the Centres will help industrial units reduce costs, particularly benefiting micro and newly established enterprises. Shared services and collective bargaining will lower production costs and strengthen market access. This will enhance product quality and competitiveness, generate new employment opportunities, and ensure the sustainable development of industrial clusters. Chief Minister Gupta emphasised that the Delhi government aims to enable micro and small enterprises to become self-reliant, adopt modern technology, and strengthen their presence in national and international markets. The CFC projects will provide a strong foundation in this direction, she said, expressing confidence that the Cabinet-approved decision will give fresh momentum to Delhi's industrial growth and open new avenues of development for small entrepreneurs. - IANS A Russian diplomat has publicly endorsed India's ancient message of "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam" (the world is one family) as a vision for global unity during current international tensions. Mikhail Antsiferov, Third Secretary at the Russian Embassy, emphasized the enduring and strong friendship between India and Russia during a spiritual discourse in New Delhi. The event underscored the deep bilateral partnership, which has been elevated to a "Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership." This diplomatic support comes shortly after a high-profile visit by the Russian President to India, where cooperation was expanded across multiple sectors. Russian diplomat encourages India's peace message of 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam' at Delhi event, highlighting strong bilateral ties amid global strife. New Delhi, January 20 Amid current global uncertainties, Russia has encouraged India's message of "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam", meaning 'the world is one family', emphasising unity on the world stage, said Mikhail Antsiferov, Third Secretary at the Russian Embassy in India. Speaking during the Ram Katha discourse by renowned spiritual leader Morari Bapu, organised by Jain Acharya Lokesh at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, Antsiferov highlighted the enduring ties between India and Russia, noting the "stable and strong" friendship between the two nations. "The friendship between India and Russia will always remain stable and strong. There is a strong connection between the people of Russia and India," he said. Referring to the current international situation, Antsiferov noted, "We are witnessing a lot of tensions on the global stage, but we encourage India's message for the world, 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam', meaning 'the world is one family', and we thank you all for this message of peace." The event was attended by the ambassadors of Russia and Panama, reflecting its international significance. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Russia has long been a trusted and reliable partner of India, with bilateral ties forming a central pillar of India's foreign policy. Since the signing of the Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership in October 2000, relations between the two countries have taken on a new dimension, marked by deeper cooperation across a wide range of areas, including politics, security, defence, trade and the economy, science and technology, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. This partnership was further strengthened during the Russian President's visit to India in December 2010, when it was elevated to a "Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership". Last month, Russian President Putin visited India for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. During the visit, India and Russia expanded cooperation across multiple sectors, going beyond their defence and energy ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, breaking protocol, personally took the initiative to welcome Putin on his arrival at the airport and shared a car ride, which took them to the Prime Minister's residence at Lok Kalyan Marg. - ANI The Ruler of Sharjah has announced the allocation of land in Jabal Al Ashkel for a new residential neighbourhood named "Al Ashkel Neighbourhood". The project will feature hundreds of homes with distinct mountain characteristics and include a paved road connection to Al Rafisah. He reassured citizens about available housing land, noting 270 homes are already under construction in areas like Al Mudeife. Similar regulated projects are also underway in the city of Kalba. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi reveals new residential project in Jabal Al Ashkel with hundreds of homes for citizens, addressing housing concerns. Sharjah, January 20 Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, revealed in a phone interview on the programme Direct Line the allocation of a new area in Jabal Al Ashkel, near the Khorfakkan Club for the Disabled, for the construction of a residential neighbourhood. The development will include hundreds of homes for citizens and will be named "Al Ashkel Neighbourhood". He noted that the road in the area will be paved, leading to Al Rafisah, and pointed out that these mountain homes will have distinct features compared to the residences overlooking the sea. The Ruler of Sharjah called on the residents of Khorfakkan not to fear a shortage of residential land in the city, highlighting that many believe housing in Al Harray area has been completely exhausted. He announced that there are 270 homes under construction in two groups, including 120 homes in Al Mudeife whose plots have already been handed over to the Department of Housing. He added that the additional plots in Al Harray area, previously allocated to holders of commercial licences, are now being handed over to the municipality, and that construction is expected to take approximately two years. The Ruler of Sharjah also noted that similar projects, following the same regulations, are being implemented in the city of Kalba along the ring road, starting from Al Ghayl, then Al Saaf and Al Tareef, pointing out that construction has begun in Al Dahiyat residential neighbourhood. - ANI Silver prices surged to a record high on the COMEX exchange as investors flocked to safe-haven assets amid escalating trade tensions following President Trump's tariff threats related to Greenland. Gold prices also traded near record highs, supported by geopolitical uncertainty and concerns over Federal Reserve independence. The rally is fueled by both safe-haven buying and strong industrial demand for silver in sectors like solar energy and electric vehicles. Analysts remain bullish on the broader outlook for precious metals despite cautioning that rapid gains could lead to short-term profit-taking. Silver prices surge to a record high as Trump's Greenland tariff rhetoric fuels safe-haven demand. Gold also hovers near all-time highs amid geopolitical tensions. Mumbai, Jan 20 Silver prices on COMEX exchange touched record high at $94.740 an ounce on Tuesday, as investors rushed to buy safehaven assets while US-Europe trade dispute intensified after President Donald Trump continued tariff rhetoric tied to Greenland. Gold prices also traded near record highs, as MCX gold February futures rose 1.27 per cent to Rs 1,47,490 per 10 grams. Meanwhile, MCX silver March futures rose 1.75 per cent to Rs 3,15,720 per kg. Spot gold price touched $4,671.54 per ounce, after reaching a record $4,689.39 in the previous session. On an intraday basis, the metals eased slightly after an earlier sharp rally that followed Trump's announcement of planned duties on eight European countries opposing his Greenland move. President Trump declined to rule out the use of force on Monday to acquire Greenland and insisted he would follow through on the threatened tariffs on goods arriving in the US from European countries. French President Emmanuel Macron said he would seek activation of the EU's anticoercion mechanism against tariff coercion, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged restraint. Denmark's decision to increase its military presence in Greenland has added to geopolitical uncertainty. Markets weighing in the likelihood of the Trump administration acting against the Federal Reserve has further supported precious metals, rekindling worries over the central bank's independence. Further expectations of additional US rate cuts also act as tailwinds bullion prices after providing much support in 2025. Precious metals' rally reflects both safehaven buying and industrial demand for silver for uses in segments related to solar energy, electric vehicles and electronics. Analysts said that COMEX silver's technical picture remains bullish after the breakout, with the $85-$88 band likely to act as shortterm support. A recent Augmont report predicted that traders can witness some profit booking and retracement up to $84 an ounce or Rs 2,60,000 per kg, before prices move higher again. Analysts cautioned that rapid gains could invite profittaking, but most said the broader outlook for precious metals remains constructive amid persistent supply concerns and rising industrial consumption. - IANS The South Korean government has formally designated the January 2024 knife attack on then-opposition leader Lee Jae Myung as an act of terrorism. This marks the first specific incident classified as such under the country's 2016 counter-terrorism law, triggering an additional investigation. A police task force will probe potential collusion and allegations that evidence was initially destroyed. The government has pledged to strengthen protective measures for political figures during campaigns. South Korea formally classifies the 2024 knife attack on then-opposition leader Lee Jae Myung as a terror case, prompting a new investigation. Seoul, Jan 20 The South Korean government on Tuesday formally designated a 2024 knife attack on South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, which occurred while he was serving as Opposition leader, as a terror case, the prime minister's office said. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok presided over a meeting of the National Counterterrorism Committee, which concluded that the stabbing of Lee, then leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), constitutes an act of terrorism under the Act on Counter-Terrorism. The designation marks the first time a specific incident has been formally classified as terrorism since the law came into force in 2016, providing the legal basis for an additional investigation into the case. Lee was stabbed in the neck by a 67-year-old man during a visit to the southeastern city of Busan on January 2, 2024, and subsequently underwent surgery and was hospitalized for treatment. He was hospitalised at Pusan National University twenty minutes after the attack, Lee was subsequently transferred by helicopter to Seoul National University Hospital in a conscious state. The suspect was arrested at the scene and said his intentions were to assassinate Lee. The DP has alleged that law enforcement authorities under the administration of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attempted to destroy evidence at the scene in an effort to downplay the severity of the incident, Yonhap news agency reported. Kim said the attack should never have occurred and pledged to review and strengthen the country's overall counterterrorism system to better protect public safety. "As follow-up measures, (the government) will conduct an additional investigation into the case and beef up protection for major political figures during election campaigns to prevent similar incidents from recurring," the office said. Following the designation, the National Investigation Headquarters under the National Police Agency said it has established a task force to investigate the case in a "transparent and objective" manner. "We will do our best to uncover the truth now that the stabbing incident has been designated as a terror case," the headquarters said in a press notice. According to officials, the task force will examine whether any parties colluded in connection with the case, why the incident was not initially classified as a terror attack, and whether evidence was destroyed during the early response by law enforcement authorities. Political violence has occurred several times before in South Korea. In 2006, then-Grand National Party leader Park Geun-hye was attacked with a knife at an event, while her father Park Chung Hee was assassinated by his spy chief in 1979. In 2015, US Ambassador to South Korea Mark W Lippert survived a stabbing attack while attending a breakfast conference in Seoul. In 2022, then-Democratic Party of Korea leader Song Young-gil was attacked with a hammer. - IANS South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a thorough investigation into a civilian accused of flying a drone into North Korean territory, calling the act unacceptable. He likened the incident to "starting a war" and reprimanded the defence minister for a failure in surveillance that allowed the drone to go undetected. The president warned that such actions could lead to an unnecessary escalation of tensions with the North, harming the economy and bilateral ties. This comes after North Korea had previously accused South Korea of sovereignty violations via drone incursions, claims which Seoul's military has denied. President Lee Jae Myung calls a civilian drone flight to North Korea "unacceptable" and orders a thorough investigation, warning it risks escalation. Seoul, Jan 20 South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday instructed authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into a civilian accused of flying a drone into North Korea, calling it an unacceptable act that requires stern measures. Lee made the remarks during a Cabinet meeting, as the civilian was questioned by a joint military-police investigation team last Friday over the alleged drone incursion. "It is unacceptable to send drones to the North for unlawful purposes or for a civilian to infiltrate drones into North Korean territory," he said. North Korea claimed early this month that South Korea infringed on its sovereignty with drone incursions in September last year and on January 4. The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un demanded Seoul admit to and apologise for the incident. South Korea's military has denied such claims, saying the drones in question were not models operated by the military, Yonhap news agency reported. Lee said it was unimaginable that a civilian alone could have sent the drone to gather intelligence from the North, noting speculations that state institutions could have been involved in the case. "From what has been revealed so far, a civilian recklessly sent a drone to North Korea, which is tantamount to starting a war," he said, likening the act to 'firing a gun' at the North. "We must investigate the matter thoroughly and take stern measures to ensure such acts never happen again," he added. Lee then reprimanded Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back for failing to detect the drone activities. "How could you not detect the drones moving back and forth despite such developments in technology and defence capabilities," he said. "This means there is a hole in our surveillance system." He also instructed the authorities to avoid an unnecessary escalation of tensions with the North, warning that further confrontation could harm the economy and strain inter-Korean ties. - IANS South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is embarking on a four-day trip to Turkey and Belgium for high-level diplomatic talks. In Turkey, he will meet Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss progress on bilateral projects including nuclear energy and defense. In Belgium, he will hold a strategic security dialogue with the EU's Kaja Kallas and meet Belgian Deputy PM David Clarinval. The visits aim to deepen strategic partnerships and follow President Lee Jae Myung's recent state visit to Turkey, amid a broader push to streamline South Korea's overseas diplomatic missions. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun visits Turkey and Belgium for talks on nuclear energy, defense, and EU strategic partnership, following President Lee's state visit. Seoul, Jan 20 South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will visit Turkey and Belgium later this week for bilateral talks with each country and a strategic dialogue with the European Union, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. His four-day trip will begin in Turkey, where he is scheduled to hold talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday (local time), the ministry said. The upcoming talks come as a follow-up step after President Lee Jae Myung's state visit to the country in November last year, deputy ministry spokesperson Lee Moon-bae said in a press briefing, Yonhap News Agency reported. "(The ministers) will discuss the progress in key bilateral projects, including nuclear energy, the defence industry, bio and infrastructure," Lee said. Cho will then travel to Belgium and hold the second strategic security dialogue with Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, on Thursday. South Korea and the EU elevated ties to a "strategic partnership" in 2010 to deepen cooperation from security, defense and the economy to trade and science and technologies. The two sides launched the strategic dialogue in late 2024. "The two ministers will have broad discussions on the South Korea-EU relations and exchange opinions on regional issues, including the Korean Peninsula and the war in Ukraine," Lee added. While in Brussels, Cho also plans to hold bilateral talks with David Clarinval, Belgium's deputy prime minister and minister of labour, economy and agriculture. On January 2, South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun vowed to revamp diplomatic missions overseas in a way that will boost their operational efficiency, as part of efforts to expand and diversify South Korea's foreign policy amid a shifting international landscape. Cho made the remarks in a New Year message to foreign ministry officials, signalling plans to streamline the missions deemed less efficient while reinforcing the functions of those stationed in key regions. "For missions that show limited effectiveness, we will carry out efficient restructuring and reinforce core functions by focusing them on key missions," Cho said in his speech. His remarks followed media reports that the ministry scrapped plans to open new embassies in several countries after President Lee Jae Myung questioned the need for the expansion, reversing an initiative pushed for by the former Yoon Suk Yeol government. Cho called for overseas missions to better coordinate with South Korean public entities operating abroad to ensure the collaboration will produce outcomes benefiting Korean nationals and companies based in the countries. "We will introduce measures to systematically manage performance and service, such as by reinforcing the authority of heads of overseas missions to better oversee locally operating public institutions and selecting officials capable (of overseas assignments)," he said. Cho also pledged to lead the ministry to pursue more summit diplomacy and widen the "economic horizons" of foreign policy. "It has become more important than ever to explore and further expand new economic horizons," he said. "We will strive to promote diplomacy that improves people's livelihoods and revitalises businesses." "Looking ahead, we will step up summit-level diplomacy and actively engage in diplomacy with key regions to diversify our diplomatic outreach," Cho said. - IANS Indian equity benchmarks closed sharply lower with the Sensex falling over 1,000 points and the Nifty settling below 25,250. The sell-off was broad-based, impacting sectors like Realty, Auto, IT, and Metals. Analysts attribute the decline to global trade tensions, foreign institutional investor outflows, and a weakening rupee. Market sentiment remains cautious ahead of key earnings and geopolitical developments. Indian stock markets fell sharply with Nifty closing below 25,250. Analysts cite global trade tensions, FII outflows, and a weak rupee as key pressures. Mumbai, January 20 Stock market on Tuesday ended on a low amid selling across sectors with Nifty settling below 25,250. At the time of close, Sensex was down 1065.78 points or 1.28% at 82,180.47, and the Nifty was down 353 points or 1.38% at 25,232.50. The domestic benchmark indices opened on a flat to negative note, reflecting a cautious sentiment across domestic markets. Among the sectors, Realty, Consumer Durables, Auto, IT, Metal, and Pharma indices witnessed fall. Rupee traded flat near 90.90 remaining range-bound with participants awaiting fresh triggers from the Union Budget. Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited said, "Domestic markets remained cautious ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on Trump-era tariffs, with renewed uncertainty over U.S. trade policy prolonging the recent consolidation. Continued FII outflows, rising U.S. and Japanese bond yields, and a weakening rupee weighed on investor confidence. Mid- and small-cap stocks underperformed the benchmarks, and sentiment was broadly negative across all sectors. In near term, market sentiment will hinge on the earnings season, while geopolitical developments and global trade conditions remain important influences" Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities said, "Bears resumed control as bulls were increasingly marginalised amid ongoing transatlantic trade tensions. Supports looked fragile as the Nifty kept breaking them on the back of strong institutional selling. Indicators remained in a bearish crossover and are approaching the oversold zone. On the daily chart, the index appears to be drifting towards the 200-DMA. Immediate support is seen around 25,100-25,150. If this level holds, a decent pullback can be expected." Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, a SEBI said, "The aggressive and often unpredictable use of tariffs by the U.S. administration as a foreign policy tool is creating widespread unease among global market participants, triggering sharp volatility across financial markets. This has weighed heavily on risk assets while pushing safe-haven gold and silver prices higher. Fresh threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose additional tariffs on European nations opposing the U.S. move to take control of Greenland have triggered another bout of global equity selling, with Indian markets also witnessing broad-based pressure." "The Indian equity market ended today's session on a decisively negative note, reflecting a combination of weak global cues, cautious investor positioning, and subdued risk appetite. Uncertainty around the U.S. interest-rate trajectory, early signs of a global growth slowdown, and ongoing international trade concerns kept participants defensive throughout the day. Adding to the negative tone, the rupee has weakened sharply, slipping past the psychological 91-per-dollar mark, further dampening investor sentiment," Ponmudi added. - ANI Telangana's Industry Minister D. Sridhar Babu has announced an ambitious goal for the state to contribute 10% to India's GDP by 2047. The vision is backed by a detailed roadmap to build a $3 trillion economy, focusing on sectors like life sciences, electronics, and renewable energy. The state has already mobilized Rs 2.5 lakh crore in investments over the past two years, positioning itself as a leader in ease of doing business. New initiatives, including the Life Sciences Policy 2.0 and a dedicated AI Innovation Hub, were launched at the World Economic Forum to attract global investment. Telangana minister announces goal to raise state's GDP contribution to 10% and build a $3 trillion economy by 2047, highlighting key investment sectors. Hyderabad, Jan 20 Telangana has set the goal of raising its contribution to India's GDP to 10 per cent, supported by a clear roadmap to build a USD 3 trillion economy, industry minister D. Sridhar Babu said on Tuesday. He invited global industry leaders to partner in Telangana Rising, a long-term vision built on policy stability, ease of doing business, and innovation-led growth. At the inauguration of the India Pavilion at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Minister Sridhar Babu invited the industry leaders to invest in the state. He told them that Telangana today offers a conducive, predictable ecosystem where global companies can scale, invest and participate meaningfully in the state's development journey. He said that life sciences, electronics, semiconductors, IT, aerospace, renewable energy and green technologies are the priority sectors. The minister stated that with Rs 2.5 lakh crore in investments mobilised over the past two years, the emphasis remains on sustaining growth, creating employment and strengthening Telangana's global standing. He told the investors that Telangana has become a role model for other states in ease of doing business. Sridhar Babu said that his government's resolve is not to wait for the future, but to build it. He stated that they have set a target of increasing Telangana's share in the country's GDP to 10 per cent by 2047 and are taking visionary and planned steps accordingly. He stated that a comprehensive roadmap has been prepared with the participation of experts, industrialists, and the public to propel Telangana's economy to $3 trillion by 2047. He added that this vision document gives utmost priority to key sectors that will boost the state's economy. He elaborated on the favourable conditions, opportunities, and the existing ecosystem in Telangana for investments in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, life sciences, biotechnology, healthcare innovation, electronics, semiconductors, hardware manufacturing, IT, ITES, aerospace, defence, textiles, apparel manufacturing, food processing, agro-based industries, renewable energy, and green technologies. He affirmed that they are sincerely working to bring new industries to the state and create employment opportunities for the youth. He mentioned that his government has attracted investments worth approximately Rs 2.5 lakh crore in the last two years at the Davos forum. He added that this year too, with the same spirit, they will explain the policies designed to boost industrial development and strive to encourage leading companies to invest in Telangana. The minister announced that the Life Sciences Policy 2.0 and the Telangana AI Innovation Hub (TAIH) will be formally launched at the Davos forum to further enhance the global recognition of the "Telangana brand." - IANS Ukraine has received an invitation to the "Peace Council" of US President Donald Trump, diplomats are working on this invitation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. "We have received the invitation. Diplomats are working on this invitation Honestly, it is very difficult for me to imagine how we and Russia can be together in this or that Council. And this does not apply to this Peace Council. Its just that Russia is about the war council. And Belarus is with them. Namely, the Lukashenko regime," Zelenskyy told reporters on Tuesday. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy stated the state is in continuous engagement with the Union government to secure approval for Hyderabad Metro Phase-II. This follows correspondence with Union Ministers where the state clarified it has communicated details for a joint committee required for the project. The Centre has indicated its in-principle agreement to Phase-II, contingent on the state completing the takeover of Phase-I from the current operator. Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy has urged expedited action on the takeover and committee nominations to avoid further delays in the metro's expansion. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy engages with Union Ministers to expedite approval for Hyderabad Metro Phase-II, addressing committee formation and Phase-I takeover. Hyderabad, Jan 20 Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said on Tuesday that the state government is in continuous engagement with the Union government for securing approval for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II. Referring to his recent meeting with Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal, the Chief Minister said that the state government is undertaking all required actions from its side for the approval of Metro Phase-II. In reply to a letter written by Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy outlined the steps taken by the Telangana government. On Kishan Reddy's mention that the Telangana government is yet to nominate two officials to a joint committee comprising two officials from the Centre for the construction of Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II, the Chief Minister clarified that the relevant details regarding the committee's composition have already been communicated to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. CM Revanth Reddy reiterated that the state government is maintaining continuous coordination with the Centre for the approval of Metro Rail Phase-II and requested Kishan Reddy to use his good offices to expedite the approval of the long-pending Phase-II project at the earliest. In a letter to the Chief Minister last week, Kishan Reddy had urged him to complete the takeover of Hyderabad Metro Phase-I from Larsen and Toubro to pave the way for the Phase II, which the Centre is ready to undertake along with the state government. He requested the state government to take over Phase-I as soon as possible and send the necessary proposals for the construction of Phase-II to the Central government. Kishan Reddy raised concerns over delays in moving forward with Metro Phase-II. The Union Minister said that the Central government has already agreed in principle to Phase-II, with the understanding that the takeover of Phase-I is completed first, and coordination begins through the Joint Committee as agreed earlier. He urged the Chief Minister to nominate Telangana officials to the Joint Committee, so that coordination can commence without delay and Metro expansion can progress in the larger interest of the people of Hyderabad. - IANS Texas agricultural authorities have issued a new alert after hundreds of residents received unsolicited seed packages in the mail, many traced to China. Officials, including Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, warn the seeds could be invasive species or carry pests that threaten native crops and the state's food supply. The shipments mirror a "brushing scam" pattern from years past, where sellers mail items to post fake reviews. Residents are urged to report, not plant, the seeds as federal and state agencies investigate. Texas issues alert over invasive seeds mailed from China. Officials warn of serious risk to crops and food supply from unsolicited parcels. Texas, January 20 Texas agricultural authorities issued new alerts on January 15 after hundreds of residents reported receiving unidentified seeds through the mail that they had not ordered, according to a report by The Epoch Times. During the first 15 days of the year alone, officials collected 126 bags of unsolicited seeds that appeared in mailboxes across Texas, the Texas Department of Agriculture said. The state had already logged more than 1,100 bags of such unsolicited seeds over the previous year. "These packages are arriving faster and spreading wider than ever," Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a January 15 statement. Officials fear that seeds delivered through the mail could be invasive plant species or could carry pests and diseases that threaten native crops and livestock. "They might seem harmless, but the risk is serious," Miller said. "A single invasive species, pest, or pathogen could severely damage Texas farms, ranches, natural resources, and the food supply." One of the earliest affected residents said they had previously ordered a dog toy from Temu, a Chinese e-commerce platform, before later receiving unsolicited seeds in the mail, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. The department said it is coordinating with federal agencies to trace the source of other seeds. Officials advised residents who receive unsolicited seeds not to open the packages or plant the contents. Miller urged residents to report such parcels to authorities rather than sending them back, even if the return address appears to be within Texas. The department said it learned of a resident of Frisco, Texas, whose address had been falsely listed as the return address on boxes containing the unknown seeds. As a result, that individual was inundated with returned packages they had neither packed nor shipped. Other states, including New Mexico and Alabama, have also reported residents receiving similar unsolicited seed packages in 2025. The Texas Department of Agriculture said it is examining whether the shipments are "disproportionately targeting Texas." "We cannot afford to take risks that could threaten our producers, the environment, or food security," Miller said, as quoted by TET. The Texas Department of Agriculture first cautioned residents in February 2025 after being contacted by a resident of Clute, Texas, who received an unsolicited parcel containing seeds and liquid from China, The Epoch Times (TET) reported. Those seeds were later identified as Nelumbo nucifera, commonly known as sacred lotus or Indian lotus, by the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. The unlabelled liquid included in the package was found to be plant food. The department warned that the sacred lotus is regarded as invasive in many areas, especially when introduced beyond its native Asian habitat. While the plant is not listed as a federal noxious weed, it is currently banned in one state, Wisconsin, the TET report noted. The recent increase in such deliveries mirrors a pattern seen five years ago, when households across the United States and other countries reported receiving unsolicited seeds by mail, many of which originated in China, according to the TET report. Federal investigators later concluded that the seeds were likely linked to a global "brushing scam." By mailing low-cost items to people who had not ordered them, sellers could post fake positive reviews under the names of "verified" recipients, thereby increasing product ratings and sales figures, according to the US Department of Agriculture. - ANI Prominent Indian CEOs, including leaders from Tata, Wipro, Bharti, and Infosys, are set to join a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The meeting occurs amid optimistic signs of progress in ongoing US-India trade deal negotiations. Concurrently, Indian ministers and officials are pitching the country's clean energy sector and broader investment potential to global funds and leaders. The discussions underscore India's growing prominence as a key destination for international investment across multiple sectors. Tata, Wipro, Bharti & Infosys leaders join Trump at Davos. Talks focus on US-India trade deal and green energy investments. New Delhi, Jan 20 Some prominent Indian CEOs from India are likely to join a select group of 146 global corporate leaders for a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos on Wednesday. India's tech and industrial leaders, including Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran, Wipro CEO Srini Pallia, Bharti Enterprises Founder Sunil Bharti Mittal and Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, are set to attend the high-level session during the WEF, according to a report in NDTV Profit. The meeting occurs amid the US-India trade deal negotiations which are expected to lift market sentiments. Recent developments have indicated that relations between the two countries about the trade deal negotiations have softened, and an announcement could be just around the corner. Trump is among the marquee attendees of the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, alongside the likes of JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Meanwhile, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, had made a strong pitch for global investors towards opportunities in India's clean and green energy sector at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. The minister highlighted India's proven ability to scale solar, wind, green hydrogen and energy storage in a focused discussion with Charles Emond, President and CEO, and COO Sarah Bouchard of Canada-based La Caisse, on strengthening long-term climate and clean energy investments in India. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that international investors are increasingly looking at India as an important investment destination, offering vast opportunities across sectors. Speaking on the sidelines of the WEF summit, he said global funds are showing strong confidence in India's growth story. "Today, international funds are especially viewing India as a very important destination, and we have many opportunities," he mentioned. "Investments are coming in from diverse sectors, and several discussions are currently underway with international companies and investors," Fadnavis stated. He added that once these talks are finalised in Davos, they will be taken forward in India for implementation. - IANS Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan paid tribute to freedom fighter Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known as the 'Frontier Gandhi', on his 38th death anniversary. Kharge recalled Khan's immense contributions to India's independence movement and his steadfast dedication to non-violence. Khan founded the Khudai Khidmatgar movement and strongly opposed the partition of India, which led to his repeated imprisonment. He spent much of his later life under arrest or exile in Pakistan, where he championed Pashtun rights. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Shivraj Singh Chouhan pay homage to freedom fighter Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the 'Frontier Gandhi', on his death anniversary. New Delhi, January 20 Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday paid tribute to Abdul Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as 'Bacha Khan' and the 'Frontier Gandhi', on his 38th death anniversary, recalling his role in India's freedom struggle. In a post on X, Kharge said, "In solemn remembrance of Bacha Khan, the Frontier Gandhi, a Bharat Ratna recipient and a beacon of peace, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan. A towering figure in the freedom struggle, he made immense contributions to India's Independence Movement and endured repeated imprisonment for his principles. He also served for years on the Congress Working Committee and was elected to the Constituent Assembly. His steadfast dedication to non violence, harmony, and human dignity continues to inspire millions across India and South Asia, reminding us of the shared ideals that bind us all." The Congress party also remembered Bacha Khan, tweeting, "Remembering the 'Frontier Gandhi' Abdul Ghaffar Khan on his death anniversary. A towering symbol of nonviolence, courage, and sacrifice, he devoted his life to India's freedom struggle, peace, and social reform through steadfast Gandhian principles." Paying his respects to Abdul Ghaffar Khan, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also took to X, writing, "On the death anniversary of the great freedom fighter, known as the Frontier Gandhi, the revered 'Bharat Ratna' Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan ji, I offer my countless salutations! This nation will forever remain grateful to you for your unparalleled contribution to the freedom of the country." Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a political and spiritual leader known for his non-violent opposition and a lifelong pacifist and devout Muslim. A close friend of India's Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, Bacha Khan was nicknamed the "Frontier Gandhi" in British India. He founded the Khudai Khidmatgar ("Servants of God") movement in 1929, whose success triggered a harsh crackdown by the then British Empire against him and his supporters, and they suffered some of the most severe repression of the Indian independence movement. Khan strongly opposed the All-India Muslim League's demand for the partition of India. When the Indian National Congress declared its acceptance of the partition plan without consulting the Khudai Khidmatgar leaders, he felt very sad and told the Congress, "You have thrown us to the wolves". After partition, Khan pledged allegiance to Pakistan, but championed the cause for the creation of an autonomous "Pashtunistan" administrative unit within the country. As a result, he was frequently arrested by the Pakistan government or kept in confinement. He spent much of the 1960s and 1970s either in jail or in exile. Upon his death on January 12, 1988, in Peshawar under house arrest, tens of thousands of mourners attended his funeral, marching through the Khyber Pass from Peshawar to Jalalabad. - ANI The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for a special short revision of the electoral roll for the 56-Dharmanagar Assembly Constituency by-election in Tripura. The draft roll will be published on January 22, followed by a period for claims and objections until February 12. The Chief Electoral Officer has already briefed political parties and appealed for cooperation to ensure a transparent process. The final electoral roll is scheduled for publication on January 28. ECI releases schedule for special short revision of electoral roll for Tripura's 56-Dharmanagar Assembly Constituency by-election. Agartala, January 20 The schedule for the special short revision of the electoral roll in connection with the upcoming by-election to the 56-Dharmanagar Assembly Constituency has been officially published, as per the directive of the Election Commission of India. According to the schedule, the draft electoral roll will be published on Thursday. Copies of the draft voter list will be made available for public inspection at all designated locations, including every polling station within the 56-Dharmanagar Assembly Constituency, all Tehsil offices, the office of the Electoral Registration Officer (Divisional Magistrate), and the office of the District Election Officer (District Magistrate). In addition, the draft electoral roll will also be accessible on the official website of the Chief Electoral Officer, Tripura. The draft electoral roll will be published on January 22 (Thursday). The period for filing claims and objections will be from January 22 to February 12. The time period for disposal of claims and objections will be upto Saturday, January 21, and the final electoral roll will be published on January 28. In connection with the revision process, the Chief Electoral Officer, Tripura, held a meeting with representatives of all recognised political parties on January 17. During the meeting, the CEO briefed the political parties on the revision schedule and appealed for their cooperation to ensure a smooth, transparent process. The Election Department has appealed to the general public to actively participate in the revision exercise and ensure that the names of all eligible voters are correctly included in the electoral roll for the base year January 1, 2026. The department emphasised that public cooperation is essential to maintaining an accurate, error-free voter list ahead of the by-election. - ANI US President Donald Trump publicly shared screenshots of private text messages from French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Macron's message expressed alignment on Syria and Iran but confusion over Greenland, while offering to host a G7 meeting in Paris. Rutte's message praised Trump's work in Syria and committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. The leaks coincide with Trump announcing a 200% tariff on French wines and escalating a diplomatic standoff over Greenland's strategic future. Trump posts private texts from Macron & NATO's Rutte discussing Greenland, Syria, Iran, and G7, amid new French wine tariffs. Washington, Jan 20 US President Donald Trump on Tuesday shared screenshots of what seemed to be private text messages from his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Secretary General Mark Rutte. According to the message, Macron told Trump that he did not understand what the US President was doing in Greenland and offered to set up a G7 meeting in Paris following the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday afternoon. He even expressed support for Trump's actions in Syria and offered to work together on Iran. The text message from Macron reads, "My friend, We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland." "I can set up a G7 meeting after Davos in Paris on Thursday afternoon. I can invite the Ukrainians, the Danish, the Syrians and the Russians in the margins. Let's have a dinner together in Paris on Thursday before you go back to the US," he added. While sharing the screenshot of the message on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Note from President Emmanuel Macron, of France." Earlier on Monday (local time), Trump announced a 200 per cent tariff on French wines and champagnes after Paris slammed the US for its stance on Greenland. "I'll put a 200 per cent tariff on his wines and champagnes. And he'll join. But he doesn't have to join," Trump said. In another post on Truth Social, Trump shared a screenshot of what appeared to be a private message from Mark Rutte. According to the message, Rutte told Trump that he would highlight Trump's work in Syria and expressed commitment to finding a way forward on Greenland. The text message from Rutte reads, "Mr President, dear Donald - what you accomplished in Syria today is incredible. I will use my media engagements in Davos to highlight your work there, in Gaza, and in Ukraine. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you." While sharing the screenshot of the message on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Thank you to Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO!" On Monday, Donald Trump escalated pressure on Denmark over Greenland, accusing Copenhagen of failing to counter what he described as a long-standing Russian threat to the strategically located island and signalling renewed determination to act. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that 'you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland'. Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!" The post has emerged as the central focus of a growing diplomatic standoff between Washington and several European capitals, following Trump's recent announcement of punitive tariffs linked to Greenland. Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has repeatedly voiced his intention to "obtain" Greenland, citing security concerns and geopolitical competition in the Arctic. Greenland, the world's largest island, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, though Copenhagen retains control over defence and foreign policy. The United States already operates a major military base on the island, which holds increasing strategic importance amid rising global interest in the Arctic region. - IANS U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the United Kingdom for considering the transfer of Diego Garcia to Mauritius, calling it an irresponsible act of strategic weakness. He warned that adversaries like China and Russia would notice such a move, which he views as a serious national security risk. Trump linked the issue to his broader argument for assertive American leadership and reiterated his controversial position on acquiring Greenland. The Diego Garcia base is a critically important U.S. military installation in the Indian Ocean. President Trump warns UK's plan to transfer Diego Garcia, a key US military base, to Mauritius is an act of strategic weakness and a national security risk. Washington, Jan 20 . U.S. President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday sharply criticised the United Kingdom over its plans to transfer Diego Garcia, home to a critical U.S. military base, to Mauritius, warning that the move reflected strategic weakness and posed serious national security risks. In a statement posted on his official social media account, Trump said Britain was acting irresponsibly by considering the handover of the strategically located island. "Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," he wrote. Trump argued that such a move would not go unnoticed by U.S. adversaries. "There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness," he said, referring to China and Russia. He added that these countries "only recognise STRENGTH." The president used the issue to underscore his broader argument about American leadership on the world stage. "Which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before," Trump said. He went on to sharply criticise the United Kingdom's approach, calling the potential transfer of Diego Garcia "an act of GREAT STUPIDITY." Trump said the decision reinforced his long-standing view that the United States must act decisively to secure strategic territory vital to its national security interests. Linking the issue to his controversial position on Arctic geopolitics, Trump said the situation added to his case for U.S. expansion elsewhere. He described the move as "another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired," again raising the idea of U.S. control over Greenland. Trump also issued a direct appeal to European allies, naming Denmark in particular. "Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING," he said, closing his statement with, "Thank you for your attention to this matter." Diego Garcia, located in the Indian Ocean, hosts a major joint U.S.-UK military installation that has played a central role in American operations across the Middle East, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific region for decades. The base is widely regarded as one of Washington's most strategically important overseas military assets. The island is part of the Chagos Archipelago, which Britain detached from Mauritius before granting it independence in the late 1960s. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion finding the UK's continued administration of the territory unlawful and calling for its return to Mauritius. - IANS US President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the United Kingdom for its treaty to transfer sovereignty of Diego Garcia, home to a vital US military base, to Mauritius. He labeled the move an act of "great stupidity" and weakness that rivals like China and Russia would notice. Trump directly linked this issue to his longstanding demand for the United States to acquire Greenland for national security. He has threatened escalating tariffs on Denmark and other European allies if a deal for Greenland is not reached. Donald Trump criticizes UK plan to give Diego Garcia to Mauritius, calling it an act of weakness, and renews his push for the US to acquire Greenland. Washington DC, January 20 US President Donald Trump slammed the United Kingdom over its plans of giving away Diego Garcia island, and called it an act of "great stupidity". He said that the action by London is one of the several reasons why Greenland has to be "acquired". He made the remarks on Tuesday in a post on Truth Social. The US President said, "Shockingly, our "brilliant" NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. Thank you for your attention to this matter." Trump's remarks come shortly after the third reading of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill on January 13 in the UK Parliament. The UK-Mauritius Treaty which was signed in 2025, provides for Mauritius to exercise full sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, with the UK exercising rights on Diego Garcia during an initial 99-year period. Over the 99 years, the UK will pay Mauritius a total of around 3.4 billion in 2025/26 prices. The UK Government says this resolves the long-standing BIOT sovereignty dispute and secures the military base for continued operations in the long term, as noted by the UK House of Commons library. The sharp tone by Trump is in stark contrast to the stand over the treaty under the Biden administration, when the United States had hailed the historic Chagos archipelago agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius today and appreciated how diplomacy can overcome long-standing historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes. Former President Biden had said the agreement affirms Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, while granting the United Kingdom the authority to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius with respect to Diego Garcia. The latest tirade by Trump comes after US President Donald Trump held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. He said, "I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" Previously, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. - ANI US President Donald Trump has explicitly connected his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize to his aggressive push to acquire Greenland, stating in a letter to Norway's Prime Minister that the snub freed him from thinking "purely of Peace." The message, confirmed by officials, escalates a dispute with European allies, as Trump asserts sweeping security demands over the Danish territory. Denmark has firmly rejected the idea, stating Greenland's population will decide its own future, while opposition on the island grows with public protests. The exchange highlights deepening tensions in the Arctic, with European nations reinforcing their presence and a recent high-level meeting failing to produce a breakthrough. Trump tells Norway's PM his Nobel snub freed him from "pure peace" focus, escalating US demands for control of Greenland and straining NATO ties. Washington, Jan 20 US President Donald Trump has linked his push to acquire Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norway's prime minister that he no longer felt bound to think "purely of Peace," as tensions mounted between the United States and its European allies over the Arctic territory. The message, sent over the weekend to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, was disclosed by an official in the prime minister's office and first published by PBS. In it, Trump directly connected his grievance over the Nobel Peace Prize to his increasingly forceful stance on Greenland. A senior administration official later confirmed to IANS the authenticity of the letter. "Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America," Trump wrote. Trump also questioned Denmark's claim to Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Danish Kingdom, and asserted sweeping security demands. "There are no written documents; it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also," he wrote. "I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you!" he added. The White House defended the president's position by framing it as a matter of national security. "President Trump believes Greenland is a strategically important location that is critical from the standpoint of national security, and he is confident Greenlanders would be better served if protected by the United States from modern threats in the Arctic region," White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told IANS. According to copies of the exchange, Trump's message was a response to an earlier text from Store that was co-signed by Finland's president, Alexander Stubb. The two European leaders urged de-escalation and asked to speak with Trump directly. "We believe we all should work to take this down and de-escalate - so much is happening around us where we need to stand together," they wrote. After receiving Trump's reply, Store said Norway had repeatedly clarified that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not by the Norwegian government. "As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have on several occasions clearly explained to Trump what is well known," he said. The exchange has added to a rapidly escalating dispute over Greenland that has intensified over the past week. Trump has repeatedly vowed to "get" Greenland and has threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries that oppose a US takeover of the island. Greenland has been part of the Danish Kingdom for more than 300 years. Denmark has rejected Trump's demands, saying it does not have the authority to sell the territory and that Greenland's population of about 57,000 people will decide their own future. Opposition on the island has become increasingly visible. On Saturday, hundreds of Greenlanders marched through the snowy streets of Nuuk, the capital, chanting slogans including "No means no" and "Greenland is already great." In recent days, Denmark and other European countries have moved to reinforce their presence on the island. Danish soldiers in green camouflage uniforms have been seen patrolling central Nuuk, while a Danish warship capable of breaking through ice has been deployed along the coastline. A high-level three-way meeting last week involving the United States, Denmark, and Greenland, hosted by Vice President JD Vance in Washington, failed to produce a breakthrough. Danish and Greenlandic officials said a working group had been formed to explore possible solutions. The Trump administration later said the sides would begin "technical talks on the acquisition of Greenland," a statement that deepened concern in Greenland, Denmark, and across Europe. - IANS A GTRI report advises India to carefully consider an invitation to join a US-led Gaza Peace Board chaired by Donald Trump. The board, operating outside UN frameworks, is criticized for lacking Palestinian ownership and legitimacy. It risks tying humanitarian aid to security conditions and prioritizing commercial reconstruction over Palestinian rights and consent. India's participation could damage its credibility on multilateralism and support for Palestinian self-determination. GTRI report cautions India on joining US-led Gaza Peace Board, citing legitimacy concerns, bypass of UN, and risks to Palestinian rights. New Delhi, January 20 India faces a complex strategic decision following an invitation to join a US-led Gaza Peace Board chaired by Donald Trump. According to a GTRI Report, the invitation arrives as the Gaza war enters its third year, forcing the country to choose between participating in a new international framework or staying out of a structure that critics describe as politically imbalanced and strategically risky. The board, announced on January 15, 2026, intends to oversee post-war stabilisation and reconstruction but operates explicitly outside of United Nations frameworks. The GTRI Report highlights several reasons for India to exercise caution regarding the invitation. A primary concern is the "absence of Palestinian political ownership," which the report suggests makes any outcome appear "externally imposed and weak on legitimacy." Furthermore, the board's decision to bypass UN-led frameworks undermines the international law and multilateral norms that India has traditionally supported. The report also warns that linking humanitarian relief to security conditions risks significant delays in providing urgent aid to the more than 30,000 Palestinians reported killed during the conflict. Strategically, the commercial nature of the board raises alarms. The GTRI Report indicates that the presence of prominent financiers, combined with Trump's previous rhetoric, creates "fears that reconstruction could prioritise commercial projects and land use over Palestinian rights, consent and return." The report noted that "For India, joining could undermine credibility on multilateralism and Palestinian self-determination, with aid possible without formal membership," an approach that "may better preserve its credibility" while avoiding the reputational risks associated with the US-dominated structure. The proposal for the board follows a series of real-estate-driven visions for the region shared by Donald Trump. In February 2025, Trump described the Gaza Strip as a potential "Riviera of the Middle East," arguing it should be taken over and redeveloped. During a White House meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump stated the US should "take over" and "own" Gaza, further calling the territory a "demolition site" with high redevelopment potential. These concepts were formalised in September 2025 through a 20-point plan, leading to the current US-led political and reconstruction body. The executive board, finalised on January 17, consists of a mix of diplomats and financiers, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, and World Bank President Ajay Banga. While the US has outlined an initial USD 1 billion reconstruction package for housing and infrastructure, funding is strictly tied to security conditions. Although Israel is not a formal member, the GTRI Report notes it holds "decisive influence over security and implementation," while Palestine remains without direct representation. - ANI Photo: @V_Zelenskiy_official Telegram Work on the documents is ongoing, the Ukrainian side is in constant contact with the American side, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that he does not yet see a "dead end" in the negotiations. "I do not see a dead end yet. They are working on the documents. As I said, this is already a fairly trivial phrase: the last mile is even more difficult. Nevertheless, it is true. We have what we have. As for the talks, they are constant, and definitely not about a dead end," Zelenskyy told reporters on Tuesday. He added that he had already spoken several times with the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, who is in contact with the US Presidents special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner. White House science adviser Michael Kratsios has warned Congress that the United States' lead in artificial intelligence is eroding as China rapidly closes the gap. He urged swift action on legislation, funding, and infrastructure to maintain US dominance in the technology, seen as vital to economic power and national security. Lawmakers from both parties emphasized the need for a unified federal framework and US-led global standards to prevent a patchwork of state laws from stifling innovation. The testimony highlighted concerns over AI-enabled cyber threats, the need for advanced computing power, and strategic efforts to ensure US technology, not China's, becomes the global default. White House adviser Michael Kratsios warns China is rapidly narrowing the US lead in AI, urging Congress to fund and legislate to preserve dominance. Washington, Jan 20 White House science adviser Michael Kratsios has warned that China is rapidly narrowing America's lead in artificial intelligence, urging Congress to move swiftly on legislation, funding and infrastructure to preserve US dominance in a technology increasingly seen as central to economic power and national security. Testifying last week before a House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee on the administration's AI Action Plan, Kratsios said the United States has moved from a position of clear advantage to one of intensifying competition. "In 2020, the American innovation enterprise held a comfortable lead in AI," Kratsios told lawmakers. "By 2024, that gap had begun to close significantly." Kratsios said the Trump administration had shifted from strategy to execution since unveiling Winning the AI Race: America's AI Action Plan last summer, focusing on three pillars - innovation, infrastructure and international partnerships - to maintain US leadership. Subcommittee chair Jay Obernolte said artificial intelligence was becoming a foundational driver of global innovation, warning that competitors such as the Chinese Communist Party were seeking to undermine US advantages through research espionage, AI-enabled cyberattacks and control of critical infrastructure. "AI-enabled cyberattacks are a growing threat that demands constant vigilance," Obernolte said, adding that Congress must act to provide a unified federal framework for the technology. Kratsios told lawmakers that access to advanced computing power and reliable energy supplies would determine which countries lead in AI development. He highlighted the role of US national laboratories, which host some of the world's fastest supercomputers, and the administration's push to expand nuclear power and advanced reactor technologies to meet rising electricity demand from data centers. Lawmakers from both parties also stressed the importance of US-led standards for artificial intelligence, arguing that technical norms would shape global adoption as much as breakthroughs in chips or software. Kratsios said the administration plans to launch an AI export programme aimed at ensuring US companies supply trusted AI systems to partners and allies, preventing Chinese technology from becoming the default option in global markets. "We are at a critical moment," he said. "If we act decisively, the American AI stack can become the dominant stack worldwide." Committee chairman Brian Babin said US leadership in artificial intelligence was essential to economic competitiveness and national security, comparing the moment to earlier technological races in space and nuclear energy. He said Congress must support research and development, workforce training and access to federal computing resources, while avoiding regulatory fragmentation that could slow innovation. Several lawmakers raised concerns that a patchwork of state-level AI laws could disadvantage US startups, giving larger technology companies an edge due to their ability to absorb compliance costs. Kratsios echoed those concerns, warning that fragmented regulation would be "anti-innovation" and could accelerate consolidation in the technology sector. Despite broad bipartisan agreement on the stakes, lawmakers acknowledged that difficult debates lie ahead over export controls, standards-setting and how to balance innovation with security and oversight. - IANS The United Arab Emirates has formally accepted a US invitation to join the newly formed 'Board of Peace' for Gaza. The decision, announced by the UAE's Foreign Minister, underscores the country's support for implementing the second phase of a US-backed peace plan. UAE officials expressed confidence in the leadership of US President Donald Trump and welcomed the establishment of a transitional committee for Gaza's administration. The move highlights the UAE's commitment to contributing to regional stability and the Palestinian political process. UAE President accepts US invitation to join the 'Board of Peace,' endorsing Trump's Gaza peace plan and the second phase of reconstruction. Abu Dhabi, Jan 20 The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday announced that the country's President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has accepted the invitation from the United States to join the Board of Peace. The decision was announced by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. "His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed emphasized that the UAE's decision reflects the importance of fully implementing President Donald J. Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza, which is critical for the realization of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. His Highness reaffirmed the UAE's confidence in President Trump's leadership and commitment to global peace, exemplified by the historic Abraham Accords," read a statement issued by the UAE Foreign Ministry. "His Highness reaffirmed the UAE's readiness to contribute actively to the mission of the Board of Peace, supporting greater cooperation, stability, and prosperity for all," it added. On Saturday, UAE had welcomed the announcement of the launch of second phase of Peace Plan and formation of the National Committee for the administration of Gaza. Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, welcomed the announcement of the launch of the second phase of the comprehensive peace plan, as well as the formal establishment of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a temporary transitional body established pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 2803. UAE further welcomed the announcement by US President Donald Trump of the 'Board of Peace' as an important framework supporting efforts to consolidate stability and advance the political process. In this context, the minister commended the leadership efforts of President Trump, as well as steadfast endeavours undertaken by Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, in supporting the peace process and strengthening prospects for security and stability in the region. "The UAE believes that achieving lasting peace requires the concerted efforts of the international community and effective governance of the Gaza Strip in a way that ensures the legitimate rights and aspirations of the brotherly Palestinian people, contributes to stability, and supports the peace process toward a more secure and prosperous future for the region," stated Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy. US President Donald Trump last week announced the creation of the Board of Peace for Gaza as the Gaza peace deal reached in October enters its second phase, which focuses on full demilitarization and reconstruction. Over the past few days, a number of world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, have received invitations to join the Trump-proposed board. - IANS A high-level dialogue at the UAE Pavilion in Davos examined the critical relationship between artificial intelligence and long-term sustainability. Professor Julia Binder emphasized that future-leading economies will be those that align AI algorithms with environmental and societal goals, not just short-term efficiency. The session framed AI adoption as a fundamental leadership and ethical choice essential for building resilient, future-ready organizations. It concluded that AI and sustainability form a single, integrated pathway for reshaping the global economy toward lasting prosperity. At Davos 2026, a UAE Pavilion session led by Professor Julia Binder explored how AI must be strategically optimized for long-term societal and environmental value. Davos, January 20 The UAE Pavilion at the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum 2026, held in Davos, Switzerland from 19th to 23rd January, hosted a high-level dialogue session titled "Artificial Intelligence, Sustainability, and the Question of What We Optimise For." The session examined the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and sustainability, and explored whether prevailing economic and technological models focus primarily on what is easiest to measure, such as short-term efficiency and immediate returns, or whether they sufficiently account for long term value creation for the economy, society, and the environment, within clear strategic frameworks and defined objectives. Delivered by Professor Julia Binder, Professor of Business Transformation at IMD Business School, the session brought together a broad group of young global leaders participating in the Forum. It focused on the fundamental shift that artificial intelligence is driving in how institutions approach growth, value creation, and competitiveness. The discussion highlighted the need to redefine the concept of value in the age of artificial intelligence. Professor Binder emphasised that economies best positioned to lead in the coming phase are those that succeed in aligning algorithms with societal and environmental priorities, rather than relying solely on short term efficiency and profitability indicators. She noted that artificial intelligence can serve as a powerful accelerator of sustainability when its models are designed to optimise resource use, reduce waste, and enable responsible innovation across value chains. Drawing on her extensive academic and practical experience in organisational transformation, Professor Binder stressed that the central challenge is no longer what can be optimised technically, but what should be optimised strategically in order to support long term economic sustainability and build future ready organisations. The session underscored the critical role of leadership in guiding this transformation, affirming that decisions related to adopting artificial intelligence are, at their core, leadership and ethical choices before they are technical ones. Participants emphasised the importance of leaders' ability to interpret global signals of change and translate them into clear strategies, adaptive business models, and organisational cultures capable of responding to rapid and complex transformation. The dialogue also explored the circular economy as a key driver of competitiveness in the coming decade. It highlighted how artificial intelligence can support the transition towards more efficient and sustainable production and consumption models by optimising value chains, enhancing design led innovation, and directly linking sustainability with economic growth. The discussion affirmed that this transition is no longer optional, but essential to building resilient economies in a rapidly changing global environment. Participants discussed the importance of viewing global challenges, including climate change, environmental pressures, and resource constraints, as catalysts for reimagining business models rather than barriers to growth. The session emphasised that organisations which embed sustainability at the core of their strategies are more likely to achieve long term competitive advantage, reinforced by the confidence of markets, investors, and societies. The discussion further highlighted the role of education and capacity building in enabling this transformation, stressing that investment in leadership skills, strategic thinking, and cross disciplinary collaboration is critical to fully realising the potential of artificial intelligence. It also underscored the need to strengthen links between research and practical application to ensure that knowledge translates into measurable and lasting impact. The session concluded by reaffirming that artificial intelligence and sustainability are not separate tracks, but a single integrated pathway reshaping the future of the global economy. It emphasised that the central question for leaders and decision makers is not what can be optimised today, but what must be optimised to ensure sustainable prosperity for future generations, reflecting a vision that brings together innovation, responsibility, and the human dimension of development. - ANI US senators have warned that China is aggressively expanding its political, economic, and security footprint across South America, threatening US interests. They accuse Beijing of controlling critical infrastructure and using economic leverage to persuade countries to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The hearing also highlighted coordination with Russia and Iran to counter US influence in the Western Hemisphere. Lawmakers reviewed the nomination for US Southern Command leader, questioning if resources are adequate to counter this strategic challenge. US senators accuse China of using infrastructure, resources, and diplomacy in South America to undermine US interests and isolate Taiwan, with Russia and Iran as partners. Washington, Jan 20 US senators have warned that China is aggressively expanding its political, economic, and security footprint across South America, using infrastructure control, strategic investments, and diplomatic pressure to undermine US interests and weaken Taiwan's international standing. Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Roger Wicker, during a hearing, said China's activities in the region go far beyond trade. "Across South America, the Chinese influence threatens US interests by controlling critical infrastructure, telecommunications systems, and ports," he said. Wicker accused Beijing of using large-scale purchases of strategic materials such as copper, oil, and lithium to deepen economic dependence and limit US access to critical resources. He said China has also leveraged that influence to persuade countries to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. "China has successfully persuaded multiple countries in the region to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to the People's Republic of China," Wicker said, calling the effort a direct challenge to Taiwan's international standing. The remarks came as lawmakers reviewed the nomination of Lieutenant General Francis Donovan to lead US Southern Command, which oversees US military operations in South America and the Caribbean. Wicker said China's growing presence in the region includes defense cooperation through arms sales, police training, and expanding space and cyber partnerships. "All to the detriment of our country," he said. Senators also warned that China is not acting alone. Wicker said Russia and Iran are coordinating with Beijing to counter US commercial, political, and security interests in the Western Hemisphere. He said the three countries exploit corruption and partner with authoritarian regimes to gain economic leverage, intelligence access, and political influence close to US territory. Russia, he said, has expanded security ties with regimes in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba by selling arms, providing military advisers, and increasing intelligence operations in exchange for access to airfields and ports. "Moscow has exploited local corruption to access the global financial system, evade US sanctions and sustain its brutal campaign against the Ukrainian people," Wicker said. Iran, meanwhile, was accused of using Hezbollah-linked networks in parts of South America for fundraising, money laundering, and illicit trafficking. Wicker said those activities help finance Tehran's terrorism operations worldwide. Ranking Member Jack Reed said China and Russia have gained influence in the region by investing in strategic locations while the US military has historically focused its resources elsewhere. He questioned whether US Southern Command is properly resourced to counter near-peer competitors rather than traditional missions such as counter-narcotics and disaster response. If confirmed, Donovan told senators he would closely examine China's and Russia's activities across the region. He said Beijing has embedded itself in key lines of communication, including ports, airfields, and transportation infrastructure, allowing it to gain access and influence that could be leveraged during a conflict. "You look where China is infusing itself into key locations in South America," Donovan said. "Ports, airfields, roads, tunnels, Panama Canal - everywhere they can gain influence." Several senators warned that China's growing role in the region extends beyond economics. Senator Jim Banks said Beijing's presence supports broader strategic competition with the United States and complements China's military posture elsewhere. Donovan said countering that influence would require a mix of military, economic, and diplomatic tools. "We have to find ways to counter them even more successfully," he said, adding that many responses would come from economic and non-military measures backed by credible security options. The hearing underscored bipartisan concern that China's campaign in South America is reshaping alliances, weakening Taiwan diplomatically, and creating long-term strategic challenges for the United States. - IANS The United States will host its inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial on February 4, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to bolster international cooperation on securing vital mineral supply chains. This follows a recent high-level Finance Ministerial convened by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, which included officials from key economies like India, represented by Ashwini Vaishnaw. Participants at these meetings expressed a shared urgency to address vulnerabilities and over-concentration in supply chains, particularly for rare-earth elements. US officials emphasized a strategy of "prudent de-risking" and building diversified, resilient networks essential for economic security and the clean energy transition. US to hold inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, uniting global partners to secure resilient supply chains vital for economy and energy transition. Washington DC, January 20 The US Department of State on Tuesday stated that the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, to be held on February 4 by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will bring together partners from across the globe to strengthen cooperation on critical mineral supply chains. Announcing the development in a post on X, the State Department said the ministerial will focus on enhancing international collaboration to secure reliable, resilient critical mineral supply chains, which are essential to the US's economic and national security, technological leadership, and energy transition. "On February 4, Secretary Rubio will welcome partners from across the globe to the State Department for the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial. Strengthening critical mineral supply chains with our international partners is vital to America's economic and national security, technological leadership, and a resilient energy future," the State Department stated in its post. Last week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened a high-level Finance Ministerial in Washington to discuss ways to secure and diversify global supply chains for critical minerals, with a particular focus on rare-earth elements, amid growing concerns about supply vulnerabilities. According to a release by the US Department of the Treasury, the meeting brought together finance ministers and senior officials from key economies, including Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. India was represented by Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw. Senior US officials, including US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Export-Import Bank President and Chairman John Jovanovic, also participated, along with private-sector representatives. During the discussions, participants expressed a strong and shared resolve to urgently address weaknesses in critical mineral supply chains, which have become increasingly concentrated and vulnerable to disruption and manipulation. The United States outlined actions and investments already undertaken, as well as planned measures to build resilient, secure, and diversified supply chains for critical minerals. Secretary Bessent emphasised the importance of "prudent de-risking" rather than decoupling, noting that nations recognise the need to correct existing deficiencies in critical mineral supply chains and urged countries to strengthen supply chain resilience and welcomed the willingness of participants to collaborate closely and move swiftly towards practical and lasting solutions. - ANI A US congressional investigation accuses China of being the global leader in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The report states China uses its state-directed fleet of over 16,000 vessels to intimidate rivals, strip marine resources, and dominate seafood supply chains. Lawmakers warn these practices devastate local economies and pose a direct threat to US economic and national security by creating dangerous dependencies. The investigation calls for a coalition to counter China's maritime dominance and protect global food systems. US investigation accuses China of using its massive fishing fleet for illegal fishing, forced labor, and to dominate global seafood supply chains. Washington DC, January 20 Senior US lawmakers have released a detailed investigation accusing China of being the world's largest perpetrator of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, warning that Beijing's practices pose a serious threat to global food security, marine ecosystems and US national security, according to a press release by the Select Committee on the CCP. The investigation was jointly released by Chairman John Moolenaar (R-Michigan) of the Select Committee on China and Chairman Carlos Gimenez (R-Florida) of the House Homeland Security Committee's Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee. The report stated that China operates the world's largest distant-water fishing (DWF) fleet, estimated to include more than 16,000 vessels, which it allegedly uses to intimidate other countries, strip marine resources and dominate global seafood supply chains. According to the investigation, China's distant-water fleet functions as a state-directed system that removes geographic distance as a constraint on fishing operations. The report claimed Beijing has monopolised global seafood processing through Chinese-controlled hubs, engineered a permanent cost advantage through state subsidies, and manipulated seafood markets to undermine US processing capacity while increasing American dependence on Chinese-controlled supply chains. It noted that more than 80 per cent of seafood consumed in the United States is imported, much of it moving through supply chains dominated by China, SCCCP's release stated. The report also highlighted allegations of forced labour and human rights abuses linked to China's fishing operations, stating that such practices often go unchecked while China consolidates its control over seafood processing worldwide. China was identified as the world's largest seafood exporter, with annual trade valued at approximately USD 18.5 billion, further amplifying its influence over global food systems. "The Select Committee has documented how numerous American industries have supply chain concerns that leave the United States vulnerable to China, and the food supply is no exception," Moolenaar said. He added that the investigation shows how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has exploited unregulated fishing to manipulate the global food supply, stressing that cooperation with allies is essential to address these vulnerabilities and protect American consumers, as noted by SCCCP's release. Gimenez described China's fishing fleet as a strategic tool rather than a commercial enterprise. "The CCP commands the world's largest fishing armada like a military force," he said, accusing Beijing of using it to exploit forced labour, destroy marine ecosystems and dominate seafood supply chains. He warned that China's efforts to monopolise food systems have devastated economies from West Africa to Latin America and directly impacted US national security and economic sovereignty. The investigation further detailed how China allegedly uses its fishing fleet to extend state power beyond its borders, including leveraging fishing access for diplomatic influence, subordinating civilian vessels to military command, and deploying fishing boats for intelligence gathering. In waters close to China, the report said fishing vessels form part of a state-directed maritime militia operating under military command, equipped with reinforced hulls and water cannons for coercive actions, while reconnaissance units monitor foreign naval activity, SCCCP's release stated. To counter these threats, the report outlined several policy recommendations. These included expanding the role of the US Coast Guard to help allied and partner nations detect and disrupt IUU fishing, increasing intelligence sharing to expose links between Chinese commercial fishing and illicit maritime activities, and requiring all international fishing vessels to carry unique identifiers. It also called for the creation of a "Fish for Security" coalition to link fisheries governance with maritime stability. The investigation concluded that China's actions represent a deliberate, state-directed campaign to achieve maritime dominance and monopolise global food systems, posing what lawmakers described as a direct threat to US national security, economic sovereignty and the rules-based international order, as noted by SCCCP's press release. - ANI US lawmakers and former officials testified that the competition with China over artificial intelligence is a central national security challenge, with advanced AI chips underpinning modern warfare and economic power. They warned that allowing China access to chips like Nvidia's H200 would accelerate its military modernization in areas from cyber warfare to autonomous drones. China's strategy of "military-civil fusion" blurs the line between civilian and military technology use, making export controls vital. The bipartisan hearing concluded that AI dominance will decide future military competitiveness and requires oversight comparable to arms exports. US lawmakers warn that China's access to advanced AI chips like Nvidia's H200 threatens America's military and economic security in a critical tech race. Washington, Jan 20 US lawmakers and former national security officials have warned that the accelerating artificial intelligence competition between the United States and China has become a central national security challenge, with advanced AI chips now underpinning modern warfare, intelligence and economic power. Testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, witnesses said last week that the outcome of the AI race will shape military dominance in the coming decade and determine whether the United States retains its technological edge over China. Committee chairman Congressman Brian Mast described the stakes in blunt terms. "Winning the AI arms race is key to America's national security and our economic security," he said. "The outcome of this race directly affects military competitiveness of the United States versus China." Mast said artificial intelligence already powers military command and control, surveillance, cyber operations, and nuclear modernization. "AI dominance can decide who sees first, who decides first, and who strikes first," he said. Former US national security adviser Matt Pottinger warned against allowing China access to advanced American AI chips, saying such a move would accelerate Beijing's military modernization. "Selling Nvidia's H200 chips to China will supercharge Beijing's military modernization," he said, citing applications ranging from cyber warfare and autonomous drones to intelligence operations. Pottinger said China's national strategy of "military-civil fusion" makes it impossible to separate civilian and military uses of advanced technology. "There's no such thing as civilian use in one compartment and military use in another," he said. Former Biden administration official Jon Finer said AI has become the most consequential arena in US-China competition and warned against complacency. "The most hotly contested area determining who eventually prevails will be this intense technology competition," he said. Finer said China increasingly views artificial intelligence as "the critical technology that will enable their economic and military ambition," adding that export controls on advanced chips and semiconductor manufacturing tools have been central to slowing Beijing's progress. Witnesses said China's inability to manufacture advanced semiconductors at scale remains its primary bottleneck, despite massive state subsidies. Pottinger cited public statements by Chinese leaders acknowledging gaps in core AI technologies and the need to "face up to the gap." China, he said, is attempting to close that gap by purchasing advanced foreign chips. "China is doing everything that they can to catch up and dominate us," Pottinger said. Lawmakers also raised concerns that private Chinese technology companies purchasing US chips often work closely with the state. Pottinger cited firms such as DeepSeek, Alibaba and Tencent as examples of companies tied to China's broader military objectives. The hearing reflected bipartisan agreement that AI policy is no longer a theoretical issue limited to commercial innovation. "These chips affect real wars, real weapons and real casualties," Mast said, calling for congressional oversight comparable to that applied to arms exports. - IANS The United States is expected to announce the official member list for its proposed Gaza Board of Peace during the World Economic Forum in Davos. President Donald Trump's initiative, which calls for a $1 billion fee for permanent membership, seeks to oversee Gaza's reconstruction and has received formal backing from the UN Security Council. However, the board faces strong opposition from Israel's government, which claims it was not coordinated with Jerusalem and objects to the inclusion of certain nations. The board's charter suggests a broader mandate to intervene in conflicts beyond Gaza, drawing criticism for mirroring the United Nations, an institution Trump has frequently criticized. US to announce Gaza Board of Peace members at Davos. Trump's $1B fee plan faces Israeli opposition, UN backing, and global criticism. Washington DC, January 20 The US is expected to announce its official list of members for the Gaza Board of Peace in the coming days, likely during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, PBS News reported on Monday. On Friday (local time), US President Donald Trump sent out letters worldwide asking nations, including India to come aboard a "Board of Peace" to oversee the frail ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as per US media reports. The most striking part was the recipients of the letter- which included nations that were not historical allies of the US. Russia, Belarus made it to the list alongside Canada, France, Britain, and Saudi Arabia. The body's charter suggested that Trump hoped the body would get involved in conflicts even outside Gaza. Critics have pointed out that the body mimics the United Nations, which Trump has long accused of liberal bias and waste, as per the New York Times. Permanent membership for the board comes with an ostentatious fees of USD 1 billion, and it is unclear how much control Trump would have over the funds. His plan called the board a "new international transitional body" that would help supervise the rebuilding of the Palestinian enclave. The board's members would include world leaders, with Trump sitting at the head of the table. The United Nations Security Council later formally backed the board in a US-drafted resolution in November, giving it the force of international legitimacy. The announcement follows the fragile ceasefire in Gaza that took effect on October 10, after a protracted conflict between Israel and Hamas. Trump's peace plan, which includes the board's establishment, was endorsed by the UN Security Council in November 2025, paving the way for the board to operate as part of a broader reconstruction effort. Israel's government has publicly opposed Trump's board, asserting that its formation was not coordinated with Jerusalem and runs counter to its policy, particularly because of the inclusion of diplomats from Turkey and Qatar. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled his objections by convening his cabinet to discuss the matter further. - ANI US Senator Steve Daines concluded a three-day visit to India, holding high-level meetings with Indian ministers and officials. The discussions focused on advancing a fair bilateral trade agreement, with Daines specifically advocating for Montana's pulse crop farmers. Key talks also centered on deepening defense cooperation and securing shared interests in the Indo-Pacific region. The visit was described as instrumental in taking the US-India partnership to the next level. US Senator Steve Daines meets Indian ministers, discusses trade, defense & Indo-Pacific security to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership. New Delhi, January 20 US Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, concluded a productive visit to India on January 17-19 which included meetings in Delhi with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, members of parliament, and US and Indian business leaders, a statement by the US Embassy in Delhi said. Reflecting on his visit, Daines said, "I came to India to reaffirm our two countries' shared values and strategic partnership and to advocate on behalf of Montana's pulse crop farmers. I appreciated Minister Goyal for listening to our farmers' concerns and will continue to work with President Trump to press this important priority." US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor added, "As we work to take the partnership between our two nations to the next level in cooperation, I will ensure that senior government officials will regularly travel to India. As a key member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with extensive experience in Asia, Senator Daines' meetings with official and private sector stakeholders in New Delhi were instrumental in advancing our bilateral relationship." During meetings with senior Indian officials and parliamentarians, Sen. Daines discussed growing US-India defence cooperation, mutual efforts to secure supply chains, and the importance of the US-India strategic partnership to ensuring our shared security and preserving a stable and open Indo-Pacific region. While in India, Daines pursued the interests of the Trump Administration and the people of Montana, including urging favourable pulse crop provisions in any future trade agreements between the United States and India. Montana is the top pulse crop producer in the United States, and India is the world's top consumer. Daines sought to accelerate the active and ongoing talks toward concluding a fair and reciprocal bilateral trade deal. Daines spoke with representatives of the business community to highlight the many opportunities to deepen cooperation on advanced technologies and expand trade and investment ties to enhance prosperity in both the United States and India, as per the statement. - ANI The United States is deploying a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft to the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, with the activity coordinated with Denmark and the Greenland government. This move occurs amid heightened tensions following former President Donald Trump's renewed push to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. Trump has threatened to impose escalating tariffs on Denmark and other European nations unless they agree to sell Greenland, framing the acquisition as a national security necessity against Chinese and Russian interests. The deployment follows a recent multinational military exercise in Greenland led by Danish forces, which included several European allies and to which the US was invited. US deploys NORAD aircraft to Greenland's Pituffik base as tensions rise over Trump's bid to acquire the territory and threats of tariffs on Denmark. Washington DC, January 20 The US will deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command aircraft at the Pituffik space base, Greenland, as tensions rise over President Donald Trump's move to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities. They also said that this action is taken in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. "North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland. Along with aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, they will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defence cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark," NORAD said in a post on X. "This activity has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark, and all supporting forces operate with the requisite diplomatic clearances. The Government of Greenland is also informed of planned activities," they added. NORAD routinely conducts sustained, dispersed operations in the defence of North America, through one or all three NORAD regions (Alaska, Canada, and the continental U.S.). The US move follows a multinational military exercise led by Danish forces amid the tensions with Washington over Donald Trump's threats to acquire Greenland. Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, the Netherlands, and Finland have sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland to join the exercise in a move to ensure the safety of the Arctic. Denmark had also invited the US to join the military exercise. Meanwhile, strengthening his push to acquire Denmark's territory, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026 if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. - ANI Zelenskyy: I approached European leaders with proposal to create a joint armed forces, but no one has taken steps towards this idea Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last year appealed to European leaders with a proposal to create a joint European armed forces, but so far no one has taken a single step towards this idea. "I appealed to the leaders of Europe with this proposal at least last year. A year has passed, I will be honest, no one has taken a single step towards this idea. Maybe there will be more now because of all these challenges, maybe the leaders of Europe will think about it a little," Zelenskyy told reporters on Tuesday. A Uttar Pradesh delegation held meetings with global investors across key industrial sectors at the World Economic Forum in Davos. State ministers and officials highlighted Uttar Pradesh's robust infrastructure, sector-specific policies, and positive investor experiences. Discussions emphasized women's empowerment through initiatives like Lakhpati Didi and incentives such as lower stamp duty. The state's policy frameworks for textiles, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy were also presented to prospective investors. Uttar Pradesh ministers and officials engaged global investors at Davos, highlighting sector policies, infrastructure, and women-led initiatives for inclusive growth. Davos, January 20 The Uttar Pradesh delegation held productive meetings with investors from the finance, pharmaceuticals, Global Capability Centers, and Centers of Excellence sectors at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The investors acknowledged the state's investment ecosystem during these interactions, according to Invest UP, the investment promotion and facilitation agency of the government of Uttar Pradesh, in a post on X. Suresh Kumar Khanna, the Minister for Finance & Parliamentary Affairs of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, thanked the participants and shared the positive experiences of existing investors within the state. "The Hon'ble Finance Minister thanked participants, shared positive experiences of existing investors, and invited prospective investors to explore opportunities in Uttar Pradesh, highlighting robust infrastructure and sector-specific policies," the post said. On women empowerment, Deepak Kumar, IIDC, highlighted "the strong presence of women-led Self-Help Groups, especially in agriculture and dairy. Discussions on real estate reflected a vibrant outlook, supported by affordable housing policies and access to low-cost finance." Adding to the focus on inclusive growth, Secretary to the Hon'ble Chief Minister Amit Singh emphasised increased women's participation and specific incentives provided by the state. He emphasised "increased women participation, 1% lower stamp duty for women, and initiatives like Lakhpati Didi and Drone Didi, underscoring UP's commitment to inclusive and sustainable growth." The state's policy framework was further detailed by the CEO of Invest UP, Vijay Kiran Anand, where he "Presented Uttar Pradesh's Textile, Pharmaceutical and GCC policies, followed by UPNEDA outlining the renewable energy framework covering bioenergy, solar power and Green Hydrogen," the post said. The Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos is expected to see record levels of government participation, with around 400 top political leaders, including nearly 65 heads of state and government and six leaders from the G7, taking part. - ANI European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has declared that respecting the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark is of "utmost importance" to transatlantic relations. Her remarks come in response to threats from former US President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on European countries opposing his ambition to control Greenland. Von der Leyen and other EU leaders have pushed back against the tariff approach, warning it risks a "dangerous downward spiral" in relations. European countries are now considering a coordinated response as tensions rise over the issue. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen stresses sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark is "utmost importance" as US tariff threats strain transatlantic ties. Davos, Jan 20 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark must be "unequivocally" respected, stressing that the issue is of "utmost importance" to the transatlantic relationship as US tariff threats add fresh strain to ties. Von der Leyen made the remarks in a post on social media platform X after meeting a bipartisan delegation from the US Congress on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. "I also addressed the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and of the Kingdom of Denmark," she wrote. On trade, von der Leyen pushed back against the tariff approach, calling transatlantic trade and investment a major asset for both the European Union (EU) and US economies and saying tariffs run counter to shared interests. Her remarks came as tensions have risen after US President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on a group of European countries supporting Greenland, prompting EU officials and member states to consider possible responses while keeping diplomatic channels open. Earlier, von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa said the EU stood in full solidarity with Denmark and Greenland and warned that tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a "dangerous downward spiral." European countries are hardening their stance amid growing condemnation across the continent after Trump threatened tariffs on eight European countries in an effort to advance his push to "take over" Greenland, prompting mounting calls for a tough, coordinated European response and for the bloc to deploy its full range of countermeasures. In a social media post over the weekend, Trump said the United States would impose a 10-per cent tariff from Feb. 1 on goods from eight European countries opposing his ambition to control Greenland. He warned the tariff rate would rise to 25 per cent on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland. - IANS Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh met with Deepak Mane, Chairman of the Buhler Group, in Zurich on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. Lokesh invited the global firm to partner with the state to strengthen agri-export clusters, millet processing, and food-tech skilling initiatives. He expressed confidence that such collaboration could position Andhra Pradesh as India's premier agri-food hub. The minister also interacted with the NRI Telugu Desam Party community in Zurich before heading to Davos for the main forum. Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh invites Buhler Group to partner on agri-exports & millet processing at WEF 2026, aiming to make AP India's food hub. Davos, January 20 Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh on Monday held a meeting with Deepak Mane, Chairman of Buhler Group in Zurich, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Nara Lokesh invited Buhler to partner with Andhra Pradesh to strengthen agri-export clusters, millet processing, food-tech skilling. In a post on X, Nara Lokesh shared, "It was a pleasure to meet Deepak Mane, Chairman of Buhler Group, in Zurich. I invited Buhler to partner with Andhra Pradesh in strengthening agri-export clusters, millet processing, food-tech skilling and Make-in-India manufacturing. I am confident that this collaboration can position AP as India's agri-food hub." Nara Lokesh arrived in Zurich on Monday, where he received a warm welcome from members of the NRI Telugu Desam Party (TDP), as part of his visit to Switzerland ahead of engagements linked to the WEF. In a post shared on X, Nara Lokesh said, "Landed in #Zurich today to a warm welcome from the NRI TDP family. It was a pleasure interacting with them and witnessing their enthusiasm and deep connect with #AndhraPradesh. Looking forward to the NRI event later today, followed by engaging discussions in Davos over the next three days. #AndhraIsBack #APatWEF #WEF26." Earlier on Monday, Nara Lokesh said that the WEF has evolved significantly since the 1990s, when Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu became "one of India's earliest global brand ambassadors" and added that Davos is no longer just about signing MoUs, but has become a platform to understand the future direction of business, technology, and policies. In a post on X, Lokesh wrote, "#Davos has come a long way since the 1990s, when Mr. Naidu emerged as one of India's earliest global brand ambassadors. Today, Davos is not just about signing MoUs - it's about understanding where business, technology, and policy are headed. It's where relationships are built, assumptions tested, and the right questions asked." The World Economic Forum (WEF) will convene its 56th Annual Meeting in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026, bringing together nearly 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and rapid technological transformation. Held under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue", Davos 2026 seeks to provide an impartial platform for global leaders from government, business and civil society to reconnect, rebuild trust and explore collaborative solutions to challenges that increasingly transcend borders. - ANI At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Telangana's delegation led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy held strategic talks with Google's APAC President Sanjay Gupta. The discussions focused on applying Google's expertise to address climate change, modernize agriculture, and reduce urban pollution in Hyderabad. Key collaboration areas identified include traffic management, cybersecurity, and bolstering the state's startup ecosystem through its new Google hub. State ministers also outlined skilling initiatives and digital infrastructure projects as part of the broader partnership framework. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy meets Google APAC head Sanjay Gupta at Davos to collaborate on climate change, agriculture, and urban tech solutions. Davos Januar, y 20 Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy-led 'Telangana Rising' delegation held a comprehensive discussion on finding solutions to solve the issue of climate change, its impact on agriculture, as well as the adverse effects of pollution on urban areas. According to the Telangana government, in a meeting with Google's APAC President Sanjay Gupta, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy explained about the state's CURE, PURE, RARE framework for regional economic growth and plans to make core Hyderabad pollution-free. He also highlighted potential areas of engagement, such as traffic control, cybersecurity, and further support for startup innovation. The Chief Minister thanked the Google team for setting up the first-ever Google for Startups hub in Hyderabad. The delegation spoke about the issue of overuse of fertiliser and the need for educating farmers. The Chief Minister said there is a need to work on preventive steps for solving issues related to soil and farming. Google's APAC President, Sanjay Gupta, said the organisation would be happy to fully support Telangana in traffic control, cybersecurity, agriculture, startups, and climate change. Minister D. Sridhar Babu mentioned the wide-ranging skilling initiatives taken up by the Telangana government -- Young India Skills University, BFSI Skilling, partnerships with Khan Academy & Physicswallah, and AI curriculum. He also highlighted the government's initiative of providing free power to government schools and the supply of high-speed internet through T-Fibre, as per the CMO. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and senior officials took part in the meeting. - ANI Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is en route to Davos to participate in a high-level inter-ministerial panel focused on scaling resilient energy systems through policy and finance. He will showcase the state's opportunities in sectors like critical minerals, electronics manufacturing, and renewable energy transition at the World Economic Forum. JMM leader Kalpana Murmu is also present and will represent Jharkhand in a panel discussion on women entrepreneurship and sustainable growth. The state's preparations were reviewed in a video conference with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, reflecting a coordinated national approach to the forum. CM Hemant Soren attends WEF 2026, joining panels on energy systems and showcasing Jharkhand's investment potential in minerals, EVs, and renewables. Davos, January 20 Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday informed that he will be participating in the inter-ministerial panel "Capital in Action: Scaling Energy Systems Through Policy, Finance & Regional Leadership" in Switzerland's Davos. Taking to 'X', he said the panel will include high-profile participants, such as a former Slovakian finance minister and global business leaders, and will focus on policy, finance, and regional leadership to develop resilient energy systems. "En route to the inter-ministerial panel Capital in Action: Scaling Energy Systems Through Policy, Finance & Regional Leadership, discussing with the Chief Secretary on positioning Jharkhand as a global player in energy security," Soren said. The panel will be attended by the Former Finance Minister from Slovakia and business leaders from across the globe, focusing on policy, finance, and regional leadership to scale resilient energy systems. Jharkhand remains committed to contributing meaningfully to the global energy transition," he added. Meanwhile, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Kalpana Murmu is also in Davos with Hemant Soren. She will represent the state in the panel discussion titled "Women Entrepreneurship: Driving Growth and Building a Sustainable Economy." "I am in Davos with Hemant ji, with the resolve to make Jharkhand a leading state. Today, I will present Jharkhand's perspective in the Panel Discussion "Women Entrepreneurship: Driving Growth and Building a Sustainable Economy" Additionally, through the Speaker Session at the Alliance for Global Good, there will be a dialogue on inclusive and women-led development. Jharkhand will move forward, and so will the people of Jharkhand," the 'X' post said. Earlier, Hemant Soren attended a video conference chaired by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, during which he informed the latter about his state's preparations for the World Economic Forum Summit, which will showcase opportunities in critical minerals and electronics component manufacturing, among others. The meeting, which took place on Sunday, CM Soren said, clearly reflects the spirit of cooperation and dialogue in India's preparations for the annual Davos meeting. "One India, One Vision. The spirit of cooperation and dialogue is clearly reflected in India's preparations for the upcoming #WEF2026. Attended the VC chaired by Hon'ble Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw ji, focusing on overall review and preparedness. Informed him about #JharkhandAtDavos preparations, where the state will showcase opportunities in critical minerals and mining, electronics and electronics components manufacturing, EVs and automobiles, superfoods and food processing, forest and bio economy, energy and renewable energy transition, tourism, and textiles, in close alignment with the GOI's vision and objectives. World Economic Forum at Jharkhand," Soren wrote on X. Founded in 1971, the WEF operates as a non-profit organisation. Recognised as one of the most influential business conferences worldwide, it aims to strengthen global economic growth through geopolitics, education and technology, financial policy, and investment. Along with India, nearly fifty countries will take part in the conference. Meanwhile, a high-level delegation from Uttar Pradesh, led by the state's Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, arrived in Zurich on Monday to participate in the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The visit aims to position the state as a global investment destination as it pursues a USD 1 trillion economy target through infrastructure and technology-led growth. The annual meeting in Davos features record government participation, including approximately 400 political leaders and 65 heads of state. Notable attendees include U.S. President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The forum also hosts leaders of international institutions such as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and World Bank Group President Ajay S. Banga. - ANI Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren participated in a CII program on sustainability at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He articulated a clear vision for the state to move beyond being a mere exporter of minerals towards achieving value addition, sustainable development, and job creation. Soren emphasized leveraging sectors like tourism and green energy to build an inclusive and future-ready state. He also engaged in discussions on energy security at a high-level inter-ministerial panel featuring global leaders. CM Hemant Soren at WEF 2026 outlines Jharkhand's shift from raw mineral exports to value addition, green energy, and job creation. Davos, January 20 Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday participated in the Delivering Sustainability at Scale program organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. He shared the development, stating that he had shared his views on the possibilities of sustainable development. He asserted that Jharkhand's vision on the matter is clear, which is not just to remain an exporter of minerals and natural resources, but to achieve value addition alongside sustainable development, job creation, and concrete changes in people's lives. "I had the opportunity to participate in the Delivering Sustainability at Scale program organised by CII in Davos. In the program, along with other speakers, I also shared my views on the possibilities of sustainable development. Jharkhand's vision is clear--we do not want to remain just an exporter state of minerals and natural resources. Our goal is also to bring value addition along with sustainable development, job creation, and concrete changes in people's lives," Soren posted on X. The Jharkhand CM stressed that he will make Jharkhand an clusive and future-ready state with all the opportunities related to tourism, green energy, and industry. "By responsibly advancing the opportunities present in the sectors of tourism, green energy, and industry, we want to make young Jharkhand an inclusive and future-ready state," he added. Earlier in the day, Hemant Soren informed that he will be participating in the inter-ministerial panel "Capital in Action: Scaling Energy Systems Through Policy, Finance & Regional Leadership" in Switzerland's Davos. In a post on X, he said the panel will include high-profile participants, such as a former Slovakian finance minister and global business leaders, and will focus on policy, finance, and regional leadership to develop resilient energy systems. "En route to the inter-ministerial panel Capital in Action: Scaling Energy Systems Through Policy, Finance & Regional Leadership, discussing with the Chief Secretary on positioning Jharkhand as a global player in energy security," Soren said. "The panel will be attended by the Former Finance Minister from Slovakia and business leaders from across the globe, focusing on policy, finance, and regional leadership to scale resilient energy systems. Jharkhand remains committed to contributing meaningfully to the global energy transition," he added. Founded in 1971, the WEF operates as a non-profit organisation. Recognised as one of the most influential business conferences worldwide, it aims to strengthen global economic growth through geopolitics, education and technology, financial policy, and investment. Along with India, nearly fifty countries will take part in the conference. Meanwhile, a high-level delegation from Uttar Pradesh, led by the state's Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, arrived in Zurich on Monday to participate in the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The visit aims to position the state as a global investment destination as it pursues a USD 1 trillion economy target through infrastructure and technology-led growth. The annual meeting in Davos features record government participation, including approximately 400 political leaders and 65 heads of state. Notable attendees include U.S. President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The forum also hosts leaders of international institutions such as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and World Bank Group President Ajay S. Banga. - ANI Karnataka's Minister for Large and Medium Industries, MB Patil, met with UPL Chairman Jai Shroff at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Their discussions centered on expanding UPL's agricultural operations in the state, building on its strong corn seed business. The talks covered new irrigation technologies, a specialized ethanol plant for export, and a model for district-level collaboration to boost farm productivity. Patil leads a state delegation aiming to convert investment interest into concrete projects through over 45 high-level meetings at the forum. Karnataka Minister MB Patil met UPL Chairman Jai Shroff at Davos to discuss scaling agri operations, new tech, and a 300 Cr business. New Delhi, January 20 Karnataka Minister MB Patil on Tuesday said he held discussions with UPL Chairman and Group CEO Jai Shroff at the World Economic Forum in Davos on expanding the company's agricultural footprint in the state. In a post shared on X, Patil said the meeting focused on scaling up UPL's operations in Karnataka following strong corn seed performance and an annual business of around 300 crore in North Karnataka. "Met with Mr. Jai Shroff, Chairman and Group CEO of UPL, to discuss expanding their agricultural footprint in Karnataka. Following strong corn seed performance and 300 Cr annual business in North Karnataka, UPL is looking to scale up with new irrigation technologies and a specialized ethanol plant for exports," the post read. Patil added that discussions also explored a district-focused collaboration model to enhance farm productivity across Karnataka. "We explored a district-focused collaboration to boost farm productivity and discussed routing potash imports through Mangalore Port to leverage our coastal infrastructure. Their new technology to reduce urea usage by 30% aligns perfectly with our sustainability goals. I have assured the delegation of our full facilitation as they deepen their commitment to our farmers," the post further read. Earlier, ahead of the World Economic Summit, Karnataka Minister MB Patil said that he is looking forward to advancing the state's global industry and attracting further investment, aligning with the development agenda. Shedding light on the delegation's agenda for the annual meet, Patil said that there will be 45-plus high-level meetings with global leaders in Davos. "Headed to #WEF26 Davos (Jan 19-23) to advance Karnataka's global industry and investment agenda. With an execution-first approach, our delegation will hold 45+ high-level meetings with global leaders, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Lenovo, and Coca-Cola, focused on converting investment intent into on-ground projects and quality jobs," Patil wrote on X. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum (WEF) convened its 56th Annual Meeting in Davos on January 19. It will continue till January 23, 2026, bringing together nearly 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and rapid technological transformation. Held under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue", Davos 2026 seeks to provide an impartial platform for global leaders from government, business and civil society to reconnect, rebuild trust and explore collaborative solutions to challenges that increasingly transcend borders. - ANI At the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, the Telangana delegation met with global leadership from Royal Philips. The health tech company expressed strong interest in partnering with the state on artificial intelligence initiatives in the healthcare and med-tech space. Discussions included the potential establishment of a Philips knowledge hub in Hyderabad, leveraging the state's new life sciences policy and developing AI ecosystem. Telangana ministers outlined the state's vision to become a $3 trillion economy by 2047, highlighting its mature life sciences cluster and dedicated AI City project. At WEF 2026, Philips shows interest in partnering with Telangana on AI in healthcare and setting up a knowledge hub in Hyderabad. Davos, January 20 Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy-led 'Telangana Rising' delegation on Tuesday met the global leadership of renowned health tech company Royal Philips at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. According to a statement from the Chief Minister's office, during the meeting, Jan Willem-Scheijgrond, Vice President and Global Head, Government and Public Affairs, Royal Philips, expressed interest in partnering with the state in the AI space. The delegation explained to Willem-Scheijgrond about the newly launched, dedicated Telangana life sciences policy. With an ambitious target of building a $250 billion life sciences economy by 2030, the 'Telangana Next-Gen Life Sciences Policy 2026-2030' is extending benefits to medical electronics, among various other allied areas. The Chief Minister stated that Telangana is building a world-class, sustainable industrial cluster designed to transform pharmaceutical manufacturing and R&D. "As part of the state's new economic development strategy under Telangana Rising 2047 vision, the PURE (Peri-Urban Region Economy) between the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and the Regional Ring Road (RRR) is being developed for manufacturing and logistics," CM Reddy said. Minister for IT & Industries D Sridhar Babu said, "Our strategy for pharma manufacturing, and the new Life Sciences policy, form the important building blocks that will propel Telangana towards the goal of becoming a $3 trillion economy by 2047." The Minister explained that Telangana has a mature ecosystem of over 2,000 life sciences companies, a strong IT-life sciences-healthcare talent base, Genome Valley, and the 300+ acre Medical Devices and Medical Electronics Park. "Hyderabad is known around the world for its medical tourism. Telangana-based hospitals have already integrated AI usage with a range of verticals like critical care and ambulance services," Minister Sridhar Babu added. The meeting also deliberated on potentially setting up a knowledge hub in Hyderabad with the state as a partner. The company showed interest in the same, leveraging the state's AI-led disruption in med-tech and health-tech. The Minister further stated that Telangana, strengthened by its expertise and skilled talent in technology, will soon be the epicentre for AI, adding that the state is building a dedicated AI City in Hyderabad. "This is the right time to come and set up a knowledge hub in Hyderabad." He invited the company's leadership to visit Telangana and explore opportunities with the state's advanced technology and AI ecosystem. Sridhar Babu invited Philips to visit Genome Valley in Hyderabad. Telangana Life Sciences Director Shakti Nagappan said, "Hyderabad is home to embedded engineering and R&D facilities of top companies like Medtronic, Olympus and GE." Willem-Scheijgrond said, "Telangana's AI-led disruption in healthcare is impressive. We invite the 'Telangana Rising' delegation to visit our headquarters in the Netherlands." Royal Philips is a health technology company that supplies medical systems, health informatics, personal health products, and integrated solutions to hospitals, clinics, and consumers worldwide, with a global presence in more than 100 countries. - ANI Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna announced a landmark MoU with AM Green Group to establish a one-gigawatt AI computing hub in Greater Noida. The Rs 2.7 lakh crore project, unveiled at the World Economic Forum 2026, is designed to handle global AI workloads and support India's national AI goals. The facility will be built in phases, aiming for full capacity by 2030, and will be powered by green energy solutions. State officials credited the improved investment climate under the Yogi Adityanath government for attracting this major infrastructure deal. Uttar Pradesh signs MoU for a Rs 2.7 lakh crore AI computing hub in Greater Noida, targeting 1 GW capacity by 2030 to boost India's digital infrastructure. Davos, January 20 Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna on Tuesday hailed the Memorandum of Understanding with AM Green Group, the leading energy transition platform backed by the founders of Greenko Group, to build a one-gigawatt Artificial Intelligence computer hub in Greater Noida. Detailing the significance of the deal on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2026, UP minister Khanna said that the state aims to achieve six GW of energy capacity by 2030. AM Green will invest Rs 2.7 lakh crore to establish the data centre. Suresh Kumar Khanna said, "This is a very big achievement for Uttar Pradesh, for Northern India, and I believe it's good news for the entire country that an MoU for one Gigawatt has been signed with AM Green today. This is remarkable in itself because our target is to achieve one gigawatt by 2030. Currently, there are 1.6 gigawatts in India, with the largest share in Maharashtra and half of that in Uttar Pradesh." "This is a huge achievement for us, and the transformation brought about by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, the way they have improved law and order and accelerated development, is bearing fruit. This is why major investors are now looking towards Uttar Pradesh for investment. This is an investment of Rs 2.7 lakh crore," the UP minister said. The AI hub is designed to handle global AI workloads and will be one of the largest investments in India's digital infrastructure to date. The project will be built in stages, with the first part expected to be ready by 2028. By 2030, the facility is planned to reach its full capacity of one gigawatt. The hub will house around 500,000 advanced high-performance chipsets. It is intended to support global tech companies, research labs, and India's own national AI goals by providing the massive computing power needed for modern technology. "Evolution of the global AI ecosystem with intentionality, intelligence and adaptability will be a pivotal tool for current & future generations. AMG AI Labs' focus on valorising electron agents into intelligent tokens is a natural extension of our technology-first approach to our businesses as the global AI ecosystem races towards Physical AI Solutions," said Anil Chalamalasetty, Group Chairman, AM Group. "By combining 1 GW of compute capacity with our 24/7 green power solutions, we are not just building a data centre; we are creating a sustainable template for the future of global AI infrastructure with the support of the state of Uttar Pradesh," added Mahesh Kolli, Group President, AM Group. Earlier today, the Uttar Pradesh delegation held productive meetings with investors from the finance, pharmaceuticals, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), and Centres of Excellence (CoEs) sectors at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The investors acknowledged the state's investment ecosystem during these interactions, according to Invest UP, the investment promotion and facilitation agency of the government of Uttar Pradesh, in a post on X. The Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos is expected to see record levels of government participation, with around 400 top political leaders, including nearly 65 heads of state and government and six leaders from the G7, taking part. - ANI At the World Economic Forum 2026, Saudi industrial conglomerate Expertise expressed strong interest in partnering with Telangana's Young India Skills University (YISU). The company's President, Mohammed Ashif, proposed the collaboration to meet its annual need for around 5,000 skilled personnel in sectors like petrochemicals and power generation. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy highlighted YISU's role in bridging the education-employment gap through industry-led curricula. Minister D. Sridhar Babu stated this initiative aligns with the state's vision to build a future-ready talent base for a USD 3 trillion economy. At WEF 2026, Saudi conglomerate Expertise proposes partnership with Telangana's YISU to recruit 5,000 skilled workers annually. Davos, January 20 Telangana's forward-looking approach to transforming higher education through skill-based, industry-aligned learning offered by Young India Skills University is receiving tremendous response at the World Economic Forum 2026, especially from skill-intensive industries. According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Mohammed Ashif, President & CEO of Saudi-based industrial conglomerate Expertise, expressed a strong interest in partnering with YISU during a meeting with the Chief Minister Revanth Reddy-led 'Telangana Rising' delegation. The company, with a major presence in the Middle East, primarily provides plant maintenance services in skilled, talent-intensive sectors, including petrochemical, oil & gas, fertiliser, steel, cement, water treatment, and power generation. Telangana CM Reddy said YISU was established to bridge the gap between education and employment by offering industry-led curricula and hands-on practical exposure, the CMO said. Minister D. Sridhar Babu stated that Telangana is building a future-ready talent base through foundational learning, advanced skilling, apprenticeships, mentorship, and entrepreneurship, aligned with our vision for 2047 and the goal to become a USD 3 trillion economy. He said YISU is the first such University in India to be set up with fully industry-led management. Responding to this, the company's President & CEO immediately proposed partnering with YISU to meet its need to recruit around 5,000 skilled people per year. "We would like to partner with the Skills University and kickstart training the workforce in all the crafts we require," Ashif said, as per the CMO. - ANI Every chance to end the war if we stop Russia in the sky, on the ground and deal devastating blow to its economy - Fedorov Photo: https://t.me/zedigital/ Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov believes that if Ukraine manages to stop the enemy in the sky and on the ground, as well as deal a "devastating blow" to the Russian economy, then there will be every chance to end the war. "In fact, partners are already providing us with significant support, but the key issue remains the issue of organization - and that is what we will work on. We do not expect anyone to save us: we are relying on our own strength. If we stop the enemy in the sky and on the ground and deal a devastating blow to its economy, we have every chance to end this war," Fedorov said during a meeting with journalists. The minister assured that under his leadership, the department will strengthen cooperation with partners at all levels, seek additional funding and offer its value. He also seeks to more actively integrate partners into projects. "They (partners - IF-U) must feel that this is their war too. Partners want our data. We will build a system on which they can train their software products using our data. Today, data from the front is of extraordinary value," said the head of the Ukrainian defense ministry. Fedorov announced the construction of a data range for training their AI models. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a series of high-level meetings with global investors on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. He discussed Hyundai's plans for new electric vehicle models and potential export-oriented operations in the state. The talks with Japan's JBIC focused on collaboration for green urban mobility, including a need for nearly 20,000 EV buses. Further discussions with the World Bank Group and Carlsberg's CEO centered on attracting global investment and expanding business operations in Maharashtra. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis meets Hyundai, World Bank, JBIC & Carlsberg leaders at WEF Davos to secure investments in EVs & green mobility. Davos, Jan 20 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on the second day of the World Economic Forum summit on Tuesday, held a series of meetings with global investors and leaders to explore investment options and cooperation. CM Fadnavis met Sung Kim, President, Hyundai Motor Company, Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, Hayashi Nobumitsu, Governor of JBIC, David Burt, Premier of Bermuda and Carlsberg CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen, said the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). CM Fadnavis in his post on X said, "Had a valuable interaction with Sung Kim, President, Hyundai Motor Company, at #WEF2026 in Davos. Our discussions covered Hyundai's future investment plans, prospects for establishing export-oriented operations in Maharashtra, and potential collaboration in the areas of electric vehicles, hydrogen mobility, and sustainable transportation." The Chief Minister said that Kim highlighted the importance of the Indian market for Hyundai and reaffirmed the company's strong support for the Make in India initiative. "He also expressed appreciation for Maharashtra's EV policies and shared plans to launch five new EV models in the near future. We further discussed Hyundai's active engagement in the CSR domain, with a focus on education, training, and skill upgradation. Also received an invitation to the inauguration of Hyundai's Pune plant," he said. He added that these engagements underscore Maharashtra's leadership as a preferred investment destination at the forefront of India's growth story. He also informed about his meeting with Hayashi Nobumitsu, Governor of JBIC, which aimed at strengthening India-Japan Partnership, Powering Maharashtra's Green Future. "Had a productive meeting with Hayashi Nobumitsu, Governor of JBIC, reaffirming the deep social synergy and mutual trust that define India-Japan relations. Maharashtra is fully prepared to be a key partner in this journey, supported by robust power availability, seamless connectivity, and large-scale infrastructure investments," he said. The Chief Minister added that with urban transport transformation as a top priority and a requirement of nearly 20,000 EV buses, mass mobility opens a powerful avenue for Japanese collaboration and green investment in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra warmly welcome JBIC's interest in working closely with the Maharashtra Government to build sustainable, future-ready cities and unlock new business opportunities for both nations," he said. He highlighted Maharashtra's strong opportunities for Japanese green investment, particularly in urban mobility and EV buses. Fadnavis, during his meeting with Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, said the discussion focused on strategies to unlock the potential of a green industrial corridor in Maharashtra to attract global investment, along with initiatives to digitise MSMEs to enhance competitiveness and drive export growth. "Our continued collaboration will support Maharashtra's sustained growth and development through strategic and impactful initiatives," he added. He also met David Burt, Premier of Bermuda, saying that "Our conversation went beyond policy, reflecting shared aspirations for inclusive growth, innovation, and people-to-people ties. Shared Maharashtra's readiness to collaborate with global partners who believe in trust, transparency, and long-term value creation. Such engagements reaffirm the power of dialogue in shaping strong international partnerships." The Chief Minister said that Carlsberg CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen appreciated Maharashtra and expressed gratitude for the ease of doing business in the State under his leadership and team. "They are also expanding the business with huge increased investments," he said. - IANS NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has communicated to former US President Donald Trump his willingness to find a way forward regarding Greenland. Rutte praised Trump's accomplishments in Syria and pledged to highlight his work in Gaza and Ukraine during media engagements in Davos. Trump reiterated his stance that Greenland is imperative for American and global security, stating there can be no going back on the issue. The exchange occurred via a message shared on Truth Social and a subsequent telephone call between the two figures. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte tells Donald Trump he is committed to finding a way forward on Greenland, praising the former president's work. Washington DC, January 20 NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Tuesday told US President Donald Trump that he was willing to find a way forward on the Greenland issue, while praising him for "what he has accomplished in Syria." The message by Rutte was shared by the US president on the social media platform Truth Social. In the message, Rutte said he would use his media engagements to highlight Trump's work in Gaza and Ukraine. The message in full read: "Mr. President, dear Donald - what you accomplished in Syria today is incredible. I will use my media engagements in Davos to highlight your work there, in Gaza, and in Ukraine. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark." Trump also had a telephonic conversation with Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos earlier in the day. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. The US President shared the details of the conversation in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday. He said, "I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" Trump reiterated his commitment to ensuring global peace through strength and claimed that the United States is the most powerful country due to the "rebuilding" he accomplished during his first term as President. He said, "The United States of America is the most powerful Country anywhere on the Globe, by far. Much of the reason for this is a rebuilding of our Military during my First Term, which rebuilding continues at even more expedited pace. We are the only POWER that can ensure PEACE throughout the World -- And it is done, quite simply, through STRENGTH!" - ANI Karnataka BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra congratulated Nitin Nabin on becoming the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He expressed confidence that Nabin's leadership would infuse new momentum and take the party to greater heights. Other senior state leaders, including R. Ashoka and Basavaraj Bommai, also extended their congratulations and hopes for the party's future. They highlighted Nabin's youth, administrative experience, and the historic nature of his election as the BJP's youngest national president. Karnataka BJP leaders congratulate Nitin Nabin on becoming BJP national president, praising his youth, experience, and leadership. Bengaluru, Jan 20 Karnataka BJP state president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Tuesday extended his heartfelt congratulations to Nitin Nabin on becoming the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In a post shared on social media X, he said that under Nitin Nabin's leadership, the party will make tireless efforts to further the organisation's victorious journey. He expressed firm confidence that Nitin Nabin's ideological commitment, dynamic leadership, vast political experience and sharp organisational skills would take the party to greater heights. He said every party worker has unwavering faith that his efficient leadership has infused new momentum into the organisation and renewed enthusiasm among the cadre. With the support of all senior leaders, Vijayendra said there is confidence among everyone that Nitin Nabin will ably lead the party towards the goal of national progress. On behalf of all party workers in the state, he conveyed his proud and best wishes. The Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka, stated, "Heartfelt congratulations to Shri Nitin Nabin on being elected as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the world's largest political party. Having been elected as a public representative at a very young age and having gained administrative experience as a minister, he possesses exceptional organisational acumen within the party. As the youngest national president in the history of the BJP, I hope that under his leadership the party will rise to new heights at the national level." Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, stated, "Congratulations to Shri Nitin Nabin on being unanimously elected as the new national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party." Having become an MLA at a young age, repeatedly earning the people's mandate, serving as a minister with dedication, and strengthening the party organisation across several states, Nitin Nabin has now earned the distinction of being the youngest national president in the history of the BJP, Narayanaswamy said. "We hope that during his tenure, the BJP will become an even stronger organisationally," he stated. Former CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai stated, "Heartfelt congratulations to Shri Nitin Nabin on his unanimous election as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party." "I extend my sincere thanks to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, and outgoing national president Shri J.P. Nadda for placing their trust in young leadership and entrusting this responsibility in the interest of the party and the nation's future. There is strong confidence that the new president, Nitin Nabin, will take the world's largest political party, with the highest number of members globally, to even greater heights," Bommai stated. - IANS Nitin Nabin has been elected as the new national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In his response to congratulations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nabin stated the PM's leadership is a constant inspiration for every party worker. Prime Minister Modi, addressing the gathering, humorously stated that in party matters, Nabin is now the boss while he is merely a worker. Modi emphasized the next 25 years as crucial for building a developed India and expressed confidence in Nabin's ability to lead the party forward. Newly elected BJP national president Nitin Nabin expresses gratitude to PM Narendra Modi, who calls Nabin "the boss" in party matters. New Delhi, January 20 Newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Nabin on Tuesday expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the latter wished him on the occasion. Responding to PM Modi's post on X, he said that the PM's visionary leadership and unwavering determination guide the party organisation serve as a constant source of inspiration for every worker. "Respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, heartfelt thanks for your trust and best wishes. Your visionary leadership, unwavering determination, and the vision that guides the organisation serve as a constant source of inspiration for every worker," Nabin said. He said that under PM Modi's guidance, the party will remain united, commited, and realise the resolve for a 'Developed India' through a strong, dynamic, and dedicated organisation. "Under your able guidance, we all stand united, fully committed to realising the resolve of a 'Developed India' through a strong, dynamic, and dedicated organisation," Nabin added. Earlier in the day, PM Modi hailed the appointment of Nitin Nabin as BJP national president, saying that, when it comes to the party, Nabin is the boss, and he himself is merely a party worker. Addressing a gathering at the BJP headquarters in the national capital, PM Modi congratulated Nabin on his election as president of what he described as the world's largest political party and said his responsibilities go beyond managing the party. "When it is about the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and I am a party worker. Now Honourable Nitin Nabin ji is the president of all of us, and his responsibility is not just to manage the BJP, but also to ensure coordination among all NDA allies," the Prime Minister said. Highlighting the importance of the coming decades, PM Modi said, "The next 25 years are very important. This is the period when a developed India is to be built, and it is destined to happen." He expressed confidence that Nitin Nabin would carry forward the party's legacy, adding, "At the beginning of this crucial period, our Nitin Nabin will carry forward the legacy of the BJP." Nabin, a senior Indian politician, is a five-time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and former Minister in the government of Bihar. He is widely recognised for his sustained organisational acumen and administrative experience. The BJP's National President Election process kicked off after 30 out of 36 State Presidents were elected, exceeding the required 50 per cent threshold. The Election Schedule was announced on January 16, 2026, along with the Electoral Roll. As scheduled, the nomination process took place yesterday, January 19, 2026, between 2 PM and 4 PM. A total of 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in favour of Nitin Nabin for the post of National President, with proposals from top leaders including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh. - ANI A large Australian pilot shows that testing healthy young adults for high-risk genes can reveal serious disease risk years before symptoms appear, challenging traditional family historybased genetic testing. Study: Feasibility and outcomes of the DNA Screen nationwide adult genomic screening pilot. Image Credit: Westlight / Shutterstock In a recent study published in Nature Health, a group of researchers evaluated the feasibility, clinical uptake, and diagnostic yield of nationwide genomic screening in the adult population for medically actionable genetic conditions. Rationale for Population Genomic Screening What if a healthy 30-year-old could discover a life-threatening disease risk years before symptoms appear? Earlier, genetic testing in adults was dependent on a strong family history and severe personal illness, which left high-risk individuals undetected. But advances in genomic medicine have made this possible. Hereditary diseases like breast and ovarian cancer, hypercholesterolemia, and Lynch syndrome are very common, potentially life-threatening, and can often be prevented or mitigated if detected early, yet they frequently remain undiagnosed. Population genomic screening is one promising alternative, as it identifies genetic risk before disease onset and can guide preventive care. Healthcare systems are increasingly exploring large-scale genetic testing, but real-world evidence is essential to inform ethical, clinical, and economic decisions. Further research is needed to understand long-term outcomes, gene-specific disease penetrance in unselected populations, and downstream impacts of this approach. Study Design and Recruitment Strategy A prospective nationwide genomic screening pilot was conducted among Australian adults aged 1840 years who had no prior genetic diagnosis of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, Lynch syndrome, or familial hypercholesterolemia. Participants were recruited through national media coverage and then invited in stages to assemble a diverse cohort across geography, sex, cultural background, and socioeconomic status. Participants registered online, completed educational modules, passed a knowledge quiz, and provided informed consent before submitting saliva samples by mail. Genetic Testing and Variant Reporting DNA was extracted and analysed using a custom next-generation sequencing panel targeting ten high-risk genes associated with the three conditions. Only pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were reported, following guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Variants of uncertain significance and benign variants were not disclosed to reduce unnecessary anxiety and clinical burden. The reported findings were research results that required confirmation in accredited clinical laboratories, and the assay did not detect large structural variants or copy number changes. Clinical Follow-Up and Data Management Participants with detected high-risk variants received telephone-based genetic counselling and were offered referral to specialist clinical genetics services or lipid clinics. Clinical teams collected family history, assessed eligibility for government-funded genetic testing, and arranged confirmatory testing through accredited diagnostic laboratories. Study data were managed using Research Electronic Data Capture software, and analyses were performed using the R statistical computing environment. Participation Rates and Diagnostic Yield Public engagement with the genomic screening initiative was substantial. More than 30,000 individuals registered within a short period following national media coverage, reflecting strong interest in proactive health information. Of these, 10,263 participants completed genomic screening, with a median age of 31.9 years. Just under half (45.5%) were male, and 30% were from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds, demonstrating a broad demographic reach. Genetic screening identified pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in 202 participants, representing about 2% of those tested. Variants in BRCA2 and LDLR were the most frequently detected, linked respectively to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and familial hypercholesterolemia. No participant carried more than one high-risk variant. Almost all individuals (98.1%) had no prior personal diagnosis of a related clinical condition, highlighting the ability of genomic screening to identify hidden risk before disease is clinically recognised. However, the likelihood that a detected variant will cause disease may be lower in population-screened individuals than in families referred for clinical evaluation. Clinical Uptake and Preventive Care Pathways Clinical follow-up rates were high. Among participants who required referral, nearly all accepted the referral, and the majority attended specialist appointments. Genetic counselling supported understanding of results and facilitated entry into appropriate care pathways, where participants were typically advised on evidence-based risk management strategies, such as enhanced cancer surveillance or lipid-lowering interventions. Limitations of Criteria-Based Genetic Testing Another key finding was that 74.5% of participants who attended specialist clinics would not have qualified for government-funded genetic testing under existing criteria. Most had no personal disease history and often lacked a family history that would trigger testing. For cancer-associated variants, 72.6% were ineligible for testing based on current guidelines. Similarly, most participants with familial hypercholesterolemia variants had not previously met criteria for funded testing; 38.5% had not had cholesterol measured in the past year, and 63.5% were not receiving lipid-lowering therapy, despite many having elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels when assessed. Family history proved to be an unreliable predictor of genetic risk. More than half of the participants with high-risk variants reported no affected first-degree relatives. This finding highlights a major limitation of criteria-based testing approaches and illustrates how reliance on family history alone can delay diagnosis and prevention. Implications for Preventive Healthcare From a real-world perspective, these findings have important implications. Early identification enables individuals to take preventive action well before clinical disease emerges, potentially reducing cancer incidence or cardiovascular events during early adulthood and midlife. At a population level, this approach may shift healthcare from reactive treatment to prevention, although longer-term follow-up is needed to assess impacts on health outcomes, healthcare utilisation, variant-specific penetrance, and costs. Conclusions and Future Considerations This nationwide pilot demonstrates that adult population genomic screening is feasible, highly acceptable, and clinically actionable within a public healthcare system. The programme successfully identified young adults at high genetic risk who would otherwise have remained undiagnosed under current testing frameworks. High clinical uptake and engagement indicate that individuals value early risk knowledge when appropriate counselling and follow-up care are provided. By revealing the limitations of family history-based testing, the findings illustrate how population genomic screening could reshape preventive healthcare, while underscoring the need for continued evaluation of long-term benefits, risks, penetrance uncertainty, and equity considerations. Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov has called one of the key stages of forcing Russia to peace by force the achievement of the strategic goal of eliminating 50,000 Russian occupiers per month. "The president set a clear task: to build a system that is capable of stopping the enemy in the sky, advancing on the ground, and intensifying asymmetric and cyber strikes on the enemy and its economy. To make the price of war for Russia such that it will not be able to bear it. Thus, to force peace by force. Diplomats are engaged in their own track, but in parallel we must do ours," Fedorov said during a meeting with journalists. According to him, there are key stages that will lead to this. The first is the restructuring of management in the structure of the department. "We want to change the paradigm that the Ministry of Defense is only about procurement and provision. This is the work of civilian oversight and coordination. We need the right dialogue, the right synchronization. We need to set the right tasks. A system that does not have them begins to get sick. Therefore, management is the first task," the head of the department said. The minister emphasized that management should be built around those who are able to achieve the set goals. "If people do not demonstrate measurable results, they cannot remain in the system," Fedorov noted. The second strategic goal, the Minister of Defense emphasized, is to kill 50,000 Russian occupiers per month. According to him, last month Ukrainian soldiers killed 35,000, and all these losses are verified on video. "If we reach the figure of 50,000, we will see what will happen to the enemy. They perceive people as a resource, the problems with which are already obvious," Fedorov said. As reported, the Verkhovna Rada appointed Fedorov as Minister of Defense on January 14. The day before, the people's deputies dismissed him from the post of First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Digital Transformation at his request. Scientists have found that blocking microglia (specialist immune cells in the brain) prevents infant forgetting ("infantile amnesia") and improves memory in mice, suggesting that microglia may actively manage memory formation and dictate what, and when, we forget. Infants of many species from mouse to human rapidly forget things that happen to them-a phenomenon called infantile amnesia -- but until now we have known little about how this happens. The new discovery, just published in leading international journal PLOS Biology, now offers strong support for the mechanism at play. Infants and young children are growing rapidly and taking in vast amounts of information as they develop, but there is a lack of episodic memory from this early period of life, like memories of past events such as a first birthday party or first day of playgroup. To better understand how this infantile amnesia functions, the authors of this study inhibited the activity of microglia, which are the main immune cells of the brain, in very young mice and examined how well they could remember a fearful experience. They also examined microglia markers in two memory-related brain areas: the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and the amygdala. The researchers found that when microglia activity was suppressed, with less activity in the hippocampus and amygdala, young mice had better memories of their fearful experiences. The scientists also used glowing tags to identify engram cells, which are neurons whose activity is specifically associated with memory formation. When microglia were inhibited in infant mice, the engram cells were more activated, offering a functional explanation for the enhanced memory recall. In previous work, the scientists found that mice born to mothers with activated immune systems do not have infantile amnesia, but when they modulated microglial activity during an early postnatal window soon after birth in these mice, they were able to restore the normal state of infantile amnesia. In combination, while other cell types might also be involved, the authors suggest that microglia are required for infantile amnesia in mice and could help shape the networks that form memories in the brain. Lead author, Dr Erika Stewart, is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, USA. She conducted this work for her PhD under the supervision of Prof. Tomas Ryan, from Trinity College Dublin's School of Biochemistry and Immunology. Dr Stewart said: "Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, can be considered the 'memory managers' in the brain. Our paper highlights their role in infantile amnesia specifically and indicates that common mechanisms may exist between infantile amnesia and other forms of forgetting both in everyday life and in disease." Infantile amnesia is possibly the most ubiquitous form of memory loss in the human population. Most of us remember nothing from our early years of life, despite having so many novel experiences during these formative years. This is an overlooked topic in memory research, precisely because we all accept it as a fact of life." But what if those memories are still present in the brain? Increasingly, the memory field views forgetting as a 'feature' of the brain rather than a 'bug'. It seems that the brain is filing away the neuronal units that store memory, the engrams, for later use and that microglia seem to be functioning in the brain to help organise how engrams are stored and expressed across the lifetime." Prof. Tomas Ryan, Senior Author, Trinity College Dublin's School of Biochemistry and Immunology "The biology of infantile amnesia may give us insight into how forgetting happens in the brain in general. Furthermore, being able to manipulate infantile amnesia opens doors into new ways of imagining how learning, and forgetting, might work during the early years of life. It will be interesting and important to identify humans that don't experience infantile amnesia, to learn how their brains work, and understand their experience of early childhood education." One of the remaining burning questions is whether there is an adaptive (useful) purpose to infantile amnesia. It seems to only be a feature in "altricial" mammals, which are those that are born in a helpless, vulnerable state and are completely reliant on their caregiver(s). "Precocial" mammals such as guinea pigs, born in a more advanced state of maturation with greater independence, do not display infantile amnesia. Perhaps memories formed while individuals are so helpless are not as reliable and they are stored away under the shroud of infantile amnesia, but the scientists underline nobody yet knows the answers here. The Global Virus Network (GVN), representing eminent human and animal virologists from more than 90 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in over 40 countries dedicated to advancing research, collaboration, and pandemic preparedness, expresses deep concern regarding the ongoing resurgence of measles in the United States and around the globe. Measles is one of the most contagious viral diseases known and can be lethal, particularly in unvaccinated children. Yet, it remains entirely preventable with a highly effective vaccine, with an outstanding safety record established since the 1960s. In 2025, the United States experienced its highest number of measles cases in more than 30 years, with more than 2,242confirmed cases across 45 states and at least 11% of patients requiring hospitalization, including cases among young children, and three confirmed deaths, a dramatic increase compared to recent years. Collective data indicate that measles outbreaks continue into early 2026, with states such as South Carolina reporting hundreds of active cases in localized outbreaks. Public health officials warn that the U.S., like Canada, may soon lose its long-held measles elimination status if transmission persists. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the 2025 total represents a significant resurgence compared to prior years, and many outbreaks have been linked to low vaccination coverage and international travel. "Measles anywhere is a threat everywhere," said Professor Scott Weaver, MS, PhD, a GVN Center of Excellence Director at The University of Texas Medical Branch, "These outbreaks are the result of long-standing global challenges in maintaining high childhood vaccination coverage and persistent vulnerabilities in public health systems." Across the globe, measles activity remains elevated. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available, in 2024, there were an estimated 95,000 measles deaths globally, mostly among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under the age of 5 years. "Strengthening routine immunization, surveillance, and public education is essential to prevent further outbreaks," said Professor Heidi Larson, PhD, founding director of The Vaccine Confidence Project at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and GVN Board of Directors Member. "The MMR vaccine is proven, safe, and effective, and maintaining high coverage is our best defense." GVN urges governments, healthcare providers, and public health agencies to: Promote and facilitate MMR immunization of all unvaccinated children and adults. Strengthen measles surveillance systems to rapidly detect and respond to outbreaks before they spread. Combat vaccine misinformation through evidence-based public communication. Support global immunization efforts to reduce preventable disease and deaths worldwide. Research led by the University of Sydney is reshaping scientific understanding of one of the world's most widespread canine parasites, suggesting heartworm disease has a far deeper and more complex evolutionary history than previously believed including a possible ancient origin of Australian heartworms linked to dingoes. The findings have significance for developing treatments given the rise in drug resistance to the disease. In a global genome-wide study of canine heartworm parasites, researchers analysed more than 100 heartworm genomes collected from dogs and wild canids across multiple continents. The findings challenge the long-held assumption that heartworm spread largely through recent, human-mediated movement of domestic dogs. Instead, the study points to a new evolutionary paradigm, where ancient canid hosts such as wolves and dingoes played a pivotal role in shaping the global distribution of heartworms over tens of thousands of years. The paper is published in Communications Biology. Heartworm disease, caused by the parasite Dirofilaria immitis, is transmitted by mosquitoes and can be fatal for dogs if left untreated. Adult worms often described as looking like strands of spaghetti can grow up to 30 centimetres long and live in the blood vessels of the heart and lungs. One of the most intriguing findings relates to Australia. Genetic signatures in Australian heartworms suggest they may share ancestry with parasites from Asia. This raises the possibility that heartworm could have arrived in Australia with the continent's first dingoes, which are believed to have migrated from Asia thousands of years ago. However, the researchers caution that the evidence is not conclusive. An alternative explanation that heartworm was introduced to Australia more recently, following European colonisation cannot yet be ruled out. While our data suggest an ancient link between Australian and Asian heartworms, the sample size means we need to be careful about drawing firm conclusions." Jan Slapeta, Study Senior Author and Professor, School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney Slapeta added, "What we can say with confidence is that heartworm evolution is far older and more complex than a simple story of parasites hitchhiking with modern dogs." The international team used whole-genome sequencing to compare heartworms from different regions, allowing them to reconstruct population histories and track how parasites diverged over time. By examining patterns across continents, the researchers identified distinct regional heartworm populations, shaped by the movements and isolation of ancient canids during ice ages and interglacial periods. Lead author Dr Rosemonde Power, who completed her PhD at the University of Sydney and is now based at Stockholm University, said the findings overturn long-standing assumptions in parasitology. "For decades, we assumed heartworms were spread mainly through recent human activity," Dr Power said. "What we're seeing instead is evidence of deep co-evolution between heartworms and their canine hosts, even before humans were part of the picture." The research also has important implications for animal health today, particularly as drug resistance to heartworm treatments emerges in parts of the world. "Understanding where heartworms come from and how different populations are related helps us respond more effectively to disease and drug resistance," Professor Slapeta said. "Heartworms are not the same everywhere, and local history matters." The authors emphasise that while the study analysed over 100 genomes, further sampling particularly from under-represented regions will be needed to refine timelines and test competing hypotheses, including the origins of heartworm in Australia. Still, the study marks a significant step forward in understanding the ancient, global journey of one of dogs' most dangerous parasites and the long evolutionary history hidden within that unsettling spaghetti in a dog's heart. Akshay Kumar's security vehicle involved in accident in Mumbai; one injured Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 08:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Mumbai, Jan 20 (PTI) A car from Bollywood actor Akshay Kumars security entourage was hit by an autorickshaw after the three-wheeler was struck by another vehicle in Mumbais Juhu area, leaving one person injured, police said. The incident occurred on Monday night near Mukteshwar Road in Juhu. The car of Kumar, who was returning home with his wife Twinkle Khanna from the airport after an overseas trip, was not involved in the collision. According to police, the autorickshaw was hit by a speeding Mercedes car, causing it to ram into the vehicle that was part of Kumars security entourage. The autorickshaw driver was injured in the accident and was taken to the hospital for treatment, the police said. The Juhu police have registered a case of rash and negligent driving against the Mercedes driver. Further investigation is underway, they said. PTI ZA DIV GK News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 08:30 IST News agency-feeds Akshay Kumar's security vehicle involved in accident in Mumbai; one injured 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... CNN name, logo and all associated elements and 2024 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. CNN and the CNN logo are registered marks of Cable News Network, LP LLLP, displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of NEWS18.com does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them. Copyright Network18 Media and Investments Ltd 2024. All rights reserved. Lavrov hails Russia's ties with India, China; says multipolarity 'here to stay' Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 21:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Moscow, Jan 20 (PTI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday lauded Moscows bilateral ties with Delhi and Beijing and called for reactivating the Russia-India-China (RIC) trialogue, asserting that multipolarity is here to stay". In his annual press conference, Lavrov reviewed the accomplishments of Russian diplomacy in 2025. I would also like to note the particularly privileged strategic nature of our partnership with India, which President (Vladimir) Putin also visited in December of last year," he said. Putin was in India for a two-day state visit last month for the 23rd India-Russia annual summit, during which the two countries unveiled a raft of measures, including a five-year roadmap to build a robust economic partnership. Lavrov also spoke about Russias relations with China. They are unprecedented in their level, their depth, and the coincidence of positions regarding the development of the situation in Eurasia and on the global stage as a whole," he said. The foreign minister also called for the reactivation of the RIC, which has been frozen since the deadly Galwan Valley standoff between the militaries of India and China in 2020. We need to activate the RIC trilateral format, which in a way is the foundation of BRICS, a key element of a multipolar world," Lavrov said. The BRICS bloc initially included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and has expanded to embrace Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Describing the current geopolitical chaos and collapse of rule-based order", a fallout of Soviet disintegration and decline of the unipolar world, the foreign minister said multipolarity is here to stay on the international stage. Multipolarity as an objective trend is here to stay. It cant simply be placed under some unipolar or bipolar umbrella. There are already too many centres of economic growth," he said. Therefore, at some point, well still have to agree on how these new major players, whether national or regional, will interact within integration structures," he added. Lavrov named China, India, and Brazil as new centres of growth and added that Africa is on the way to becoming a new centre. PTI VS GRS GRS GRS News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 21:15 IST News agency-feeds Lavrov hails Russia's ties with India, China; says multipolarity 'here to stay' 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... Over 40 shops gutted in major fire in Bhubaneswar market Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 16:15 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Bhubaneswar, Jan 20 (PTI) Over 40 shops were gutted and goods worth lakhs of rupees were destroyed in a major fire at Unit-I market in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, police said. The fire broke out around 1.30 am and over 13 fire tenders and 80 personnel took three hours to douse the inferno, they said, adding no casualty has been reported so far. Chief Fire Officer Ramesh Chandra Majhi said it was difficult to control the fire as the shops were located close to each other and there was no space for the movement of men and material. Another fire officer said that two persons were sleeping in a shop at the time of the incident but they managed to escape unhurt. Later in the morning, Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Chanchal Rana visited the spot to assess the situation. Das said that the fire spread rapidly as the shops were made up of plastic materials. She said that many shops are erected in a small area in the market, leading to frequent fire incidents. As many as 40 shops and some vending carts were destroyed in the fire. To assess the losses, our emergency response teams and two teams from the tehsils have been deployed. Necessary government assistance will be provided to the affected shopkeepers," Rana told reporters. He also stated that excess use of plastic to cover the shops led to such a massive fire incident at the market. The BMC commissioner said that the special relief commissioner (SRC) has recently sanctioned funds over Rs 20 crore for making special fire prevention measures at the market. The DPR will be prepared in the next one month and then a tender will be awarded to execute the work, he said. The BMC officers will continue an extensive enforcement drive to remove the encroachers from the market, Rana added. Meanwhile, the entire unit-1 market was closed for the day to carry out necessary cleaning work in the area. PTI AAM ACD BBM BBM ACD News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 16:15 IST News agency-feeds Over 40 shops gutted in major fire in Bhubaneswar market 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... PhonePe gets SEBI nod for IPO, company to file updated draft papers soon Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 22:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Countrys biggest fintech firm PhonePe has received SEBI approval for its IPO, and the company will file updated draft papers for listing soon, sources familiar with the development said. The IPO will be an Offer For Sale by existing shareholders. The company will not be raising any additional primary capital in the IPO, said one of the sources. The company has already roped in bankers Kotak Mahindra Capital, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley for launching its initial public offer. The Walmart group firm had last raised Rs 7,021 crore (around USD 850 million) at a pre-money valuation of USD 12 billion (about Rs 1 lakh crore) from investors like General Atlantic, Walmart, Ribbit Capital, TVS Capital Funds, and Tiger Global in the financial year 2022-23. Founded in 2016, PhonePe has raised around Rs 18,000 crore to date. PhonePe leads Indias digital payments market with over 45 per cent market share in UPI transactions. In December 2025, the company processed 9.8 billion transactions, according to NPCI data. The company had posted Rs 7,115 crore in revenue for FY24-25, marking a 40 per cent year-on-year increase. The company also turned free cash flow positive with an operating cash flow of Rs 1,202 crore. Its adjusted profit after tax (excluding ESOP costs) more than tripled to Rs 630 crore. PhonePes public listing is expected to set a benchmark for Indias digital payments sector and could pave the way for other fintech unicorns eyeing public markets. PTI PRS HVA News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 22:30 IST News agency-feeds PhonePe gets SEBI nod for IPO, company to file updated draft papers 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... Pvt hostel in Patna sealed after NEET aspirant's death Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 22:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Patna, Jan 20 (PTI) A private hostel in Patna was sealed by the investigators on Tuesday after the death of the NEET aspirant, who lived there, officials said. The 18-year-old woman, a resident of Jehanabad, was found unconscious in her room at the hostel in Patnas Chitragupt Nagar earlier this month. She died at a private hospital on January 11 after remaining in a coma for days. A SIT was formed to investigate the case after her family alleged that she was sexually assaulted, and the police attempted to cover up the crime. Members of the SIT visited the hostel and, after inspecting various parts of it for half an hour, sealed the premises, officials said. Earlier, the SIT had visited Jehanabad and spoken with members of the students family. The incident had triggered massive protests in the state capital, following which the police arrested the owner of the hostel. The post-mortem report concluded that the death occurred because she had consumed a large number of sleeping pills, and that she was also suffering from typhoid. Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor met the victims family on Friday, and had demanded a re-investigation into the death case. Within hours of that visit, DGP Vinay Kumar directed the formation of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. Amid the outrage over this case, the suicide of a girl living in another hostel in the city has come to light. She was also preparing for the medical entrance exam, NEET. The 15-year-old student, a resident of Aurangabad, was found dead at the hostel on Exhibition Road in Patna on January 6. Gandhi Maidan police station SHO Akhilesh Kumar Mishra said a boy has been detained based on the complaint registered by the girls family, who accused him of intruding into the hostel and assaulting her. PTI SUK SOM News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 22:30 IST News agency-feeds Pvt hostel in Patna sealed after NEET aspirant's death 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... 'Saroops' row: Mann lost moral authority to continue as CM, says Punjab Cong Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 23:00 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Chandigarh, Jan 20 (PTI) The Punjab Congress Tuesday slammed Bhagwant Mann over the issue of missing saroops of the Guru Granth Sahib and said he has lost the moral authority to continue as the chief minister after his government took a U-turn on the records regarding the sacred copies at a religious place in Nawanshahr. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said records pertaining to the Sikh holy book at the Rasokhana Shri Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib shrine in Banga in Nawanshahr were found to be correct, days after Mann claimed that 169 of the 328 missing saroops have been recovered from the shrine. Senior Congress leader and leader of opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday said Mann stands completely exposed" after Cheemas clarification confirmed that the records of all saroops at the shrine in Banga are intact. Bajwa said Manns claim, made publicly on the sacred occasion of Maghi Mela, that 169 saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib were recovered near Banga had caused deep pain and anguish among the Sikh community. Now, the finance minister has dismissed this shocking claim as a mere miscommunication. Matters of faith cannot be reduced to casual explanations or damage control exercises," Bajwa asserted. He said by making an unverified and irresponsible" statement on an extremely sensitive religious issue, Mann has not only misled the people of Punjab but has also severely damaged the dignity of the constitutional office he holds. A chief minister who plays with religious sentiments for headlines forfeits all moral authority to continue in office," Bajwa said in a statement. Former education minister and Congress MLA Pargat Singh said Mann should not only apologize but also express deep regret. He claimed that the issue of the missing saroops is an internal matter of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), not a case of sacrilege. It is unfortunate that Mann issued a misleading" statement claiming the recovery of 169 missing saroops, forcing the government to make a U-turn on the matter, said Singh. CM Mann misled the people of Punjab with false statements," he said. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said it was not for the first time that the state government had done so. We really dont know whom to believe, whether the chief minister or the finance minister on the issue". On January 14, Mann had said that 169 sacred copies of the Guru Granth Sahib had been recovered by the SIT probing the 328 missing saroops. Of the 169 saroops found from a religious place near Banga in Nawanshahr, 139 have no official record. Only 30 saroops have a record," Mann had said while addressing a gathering during the Maghi Mela in Muktsar. However, the management of the Rasokhana Shri Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib later had countered the claims of the CM, claiming that all saroops were accounted for. The Punjab Police has been probing the 328 missing saroops case. The police registered a case in Amritsar against 16 people, including SGPCs former chief secretary, in connection with the disappearance of saroops in 2020. PTI CHS KVK KVK News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 23:00 IST News agency-feeds 'Saroops' row: Mann lost moral authority to continue as CM, says Punjab Cong 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... Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has stressed the importance of further creating drone assault units in the army, as well as scaling up the experience of units that "hunt" for Russian drone operators. "Creating drone assault units is an important initiative. They have a different staff and doctrine for using drones. Recently, Code 9.2. conducted a unique operation in Kupyansk. This tactic works, so the future is for drone assault units. You will hear more about them," Fedorov said during a meeting with journalists. Separately, the minister noted that Ukraine's task is to "knock out" Russian drone operators from the battlefield. "To form units that hunt exclusively for drone operators. They are already being created, but we need to scale up the experience gained," Fedorov said. UP govt inks pact with Nasscom to train youth in emerging technologies Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 22:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Lucknow, Jan 20 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday signed an MoU with Nasscom to train youth in emerging technologies, developing industry-relevant skills and creating new employment opportunities. The MOU was signed between the Centre for e-Governance, the IT and Electronics department of UP and Nasscom at a conference where leading companies, policymakers, academicians and technical experts shared their views on AI innovation. Under Nasscoms Future Skills Prime program, this agreement will prove to be a milestone in training the youth of the state in emerging technologies, developing industry-relevant skills and creating new employment opportunities, a statement said. Nasscom CEO Abhilasha Gaur, while emphasising the importance of AI and digital skill development, said Uttar Pradesh has immense potential in talent and opportunities. Principal Secretary, IT and Electronics, Anurag Yadav, said a state-level AI-led Innovation and Capacity Building Conference was organised by the departments Centre for e-Governance. At the conference, discussions were held on topics such as Artificial Intelligence, digital skills, future skills, capacity building and employment generation. The objective of the conference was to establish Uttar Pradesh as an AI innovation hub, strengthen the digital capabilities of youth and government officials, and develop strong collaboration between industry, government and academic institutions. PTI ABN BAL BAL News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 22:30 IST News agency-feeds UP govt inks pact with Nasscom to train youth in emerging technologies 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... Vice-President to visit Netajis birthplace in Odisha on Jan 23 Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 22:30 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Bhubaneswar, Jan 20 (PTI) Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan is scheduled to undertake a one-day tour to Odisha on January 23, during which he will attend a programme marking Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses birth anniversary at the freedom fighters birthplace in Cuttack, officials said. Apart from visiting the Netaji Birthplace Museum in Cuttack, the Vice-President will also inaugurate the District Culture Bhavan. Netaji was born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack. A meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Anu Garg reviewed the preparedness for the VPs visit. She instructed officials to ensure a smooth visit of Radhakrishnan. According to the itinerary, Radhakrishnan will arrive at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here at about 8.50 am of Friday and travel straight to Cuttack by road and reach there at 9.35 am. The VP is scheduled to return to Bhubaneswar and have lunch at the Lok Bhavan, formerly Raj Bhavan, before leaving for Kolkata by 2 pm. PTI AAM NN News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 22:30 IST News agency-feeds Vice-President to visit Netajis birthplace in Odisha on Jan 23 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... Scorpio Horoscope Today, January 20, 2026 Written By : GaneshaGrace Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 06:45 IST Scorpio Daily Horoscope, January 20, 2026: Your confidence will increase, and important tasks will move forward. You will surprise loved ones and share happiness. Scorpio Horoscope Today: Astrological predictions by Chirag Daruwalla for Vrishchika rashi on January 20 2026. (AI generated image) Scorpio Daily Horoscope Today, 20 January 2026: Ganesha says there may also be a sudden financial gain. You can also get two-way income opportunities. You should take some care to handle your budget. You may need to reduce your expenses to improve your financial condition. There are chances of traveling. You have to be careful with investments and transactions. Today will bring good fortune to those who want to buy a house. You will maintain discipline in your work and listen carefully to elders. Work will improve, and you will aim to achieve goals as quickly as possible. You will gain more control over business situations, and trust in colleagues will remain. Your confidence will increase, and important tasks will move forward. You will surprise loved ones and share happiness. Meetings will be successful, and you will take care of your health. Positive- It will be a happy day. You will feel happy by helping someone close to you. Students are also likely to succeed in competitive exams. There is also a good possibility of buying property. Negative- Due to some negligence, you may have to bear the displeasure of senior people. Your working style will decrease due to laziness and lethargy. Do not ignore the activities of your opponents. Do not do any kind of transaction or loan work today. Business- Things will not work out as per your wish in business right now. But looking at the current situation, it is appropriate to have patience and restraint. People trying to go abroad can get some good news today. Some problems will remain due to the chaotic environment in the office. Finance- If you work in the realm of law, especially if you work in corporate law, you may find that today may present some big financial surprises for you. You may hear about a great new job opportunity that is a good fit for you, or you may get a promotion today. This offer may come through a friend. Use this time of professional growth to take another step toward your financial goals. Today you will receive pending money. Any lost item may be found again which will bring immense happiness. Money-related problems will be solved with the help of a loved one. Take decisions seriously in business, otherwise financial loss may occur. Avoid spending your money on luxury items by withdrawing your savings from the bank. Love- There will be some differences with your life partner, which can also affect their health, so maintain softness in your nature. Health- You will feel problems like strain in nerves and pain in joints. Be sure to focus on exercise and yoga. Lucky Color Orange Lucky Number 11 (The author Chirag Daruwalla is the son of Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla). News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 06:45 IST News astrology horoscope Scorpio Horoscope Today, January 20, 2026 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... Non-Stop 19-Hour Flight? These Top 5 Longest Routes In The World Truely Test Of Your Patience Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 12:02 IST Some of the worlds longest flights now stretch the limits of what passengers and crew can handle. One flight stretches over 14,500 kilometres, connecting Perth to London without a single stop.(representative image) For over a century, people have dreamed of soaring through the skies, and today, airplanes take us farther than ever before. Some of the worlds longest flights push the limits of endurance for both passengers and crew. A recent social media post revealed jaw-dropping facts about these ultra-long journeys. Imagine crossing an entire ocean, with pilots switching shifts midair and passengers spending more than 17 hours non-stop in the sky. One flight stretches over 14,500 kilometres, connecting Perth to London without a single stop. Another takes nearly 18 hours from Auckland to Doha, while the crown jewel of patience is the Singapore to New York route, which has no economy seats at all and takes longer than you would expect. Top 5 Longest Flights In The World Singapore To New York Singapore Airlines operates its longest flight, SQ23, using an Airbus A350-900ULR. This flight has been the worlds longest commercial route since November 2020. It travels a huge distance of 15,349 kilometres and takes almost 19 hours from start to finish. The journey begins late at night, leaving New Yorks JFK airport at 10:30 PM and landing in Singapore early in the morning at 5:20 AM. Auckland To Doha Qatar Airways uses an Airbus A350-1000 to fly passengers from Auckland to Doha, covering a huge distance of 14,600 kilometres. The journey takes close to 18 hours, which is a real test of patience. Interestingly, this route was once the longest commercial flight in the world. Perth To London The third-longest flight in the world is also run by Qantas and connects Perth to London. This non-stop journey covers nearly 14,500 kilometres and takes about 17 hours and 45 minutes to cover the distance. It is also the longest route flown by the Boeing 787 and has been in service since March 2018. The flight leaves Australia at 6:45 PM and reaches the UK early in the morning at around 5 AM, which makes it one of the first arriving flights of the day. Dallas To Melbourne Qantas Airlines operates a non-stop flight between Dallas and Melbourne that covers close to 14,000 kilometres and takes around 17.5 hours to complete. Reportedly, the flight departs from the US at around 8 PM and arrives in the Australian city at 5:25 AM. The outbound flight from Melbourne currently has a similar average flight time. Auckland To New York FlightRadar data shows that Air New Zealand operates an ultra-long non-stop flight between Auckland and New York. The journey covers nearly 13,500 kilometres and lasts for over 16 hours, departing New York at 9:55 pm and crossing the Pacific Ocean. Qantas also runs a direct service on the same route, leaving New York earlier in the evening at 7:30 pm and arriving in Auckland early the next morning at around 5:00 am. While these are among the worlds longest flights, there is also an extreme on the other side. The worlds shortest commercial flight runs between Westray and Papa Westray in Scotland and covers a distance of just 1.7 miles. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 11:59 IST News auto Non-Stop 19-Hour Flight? These Top 5 Longest Routes In The World Truely Test Of Your Patience 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... Buying AI Stocks? Why Big Tech Is Splitting, And Nvidia, Google Are Winning; What Indian Investors Should Know Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 12:25 IST For Indian investors, who are tracking US tech stocks, global funds, or Indias own IT majors, does the split in the Magnificent Seven matter? Lets find out In 2025, only Nvidia and Alphabet managed to outperform the S&P 500, while companies such as Apple, Tesla and Meta have lagged broader indices as investors reassessed growth visibility and capital intensity. (Getty Images) For nearly two years, artificial intelligence (AI) functioned as a single, powerful market story. If a company was even loosely linked to AI, investors rewarded it. Valuations rose together, stocks moved in sync, and a small group of US technology giants came to dominate global equity markets. That phase is now ending. Narender Agarwal, CEO, Wealth1, said that the AI-led rally of the past two years initially lifted the entire group of the so-called Magnificent Seven as investors treated them as a single proxy for artificial intelligence-driven growth. The launch of generative AI in late 2022 created a powerful narrative that every large US technology platform would benefit. Between 2023 and early 2024, the Magnificent Seven accounted for over 60% of the S&P 500s total returns, driven by passive ETF flows and momentum investing, which pushed these stocks higher almost in unison," he says. Only two of the so-called Magnificent Seven Alphabet and Nvidia managed to outperform the broader S&P 500 in 2025. The rest lagged behind, despite continuing to invest billions into AI infrastructure, data centres, and model development. This divergence is not a market blip. It signals a structural change in how investors are evaluating AI. The question has moved from Who is exposed to AI?" to something far tougher: Who is actually making money from it?" For Indian investors, who are tracking US tech stocks, global funds, or Indias own IT majors, does this shift matter? Lets find out. Who Are the Magnificent Seven, And How Did They Grow? The term Magnificent Seven refers to seven US mega-cap technology companies that came to dominate global stock-market returns over the past decade: Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia, Meta Platforms, and Tesla. The term was coined by Bank of America analyst Michael Hartnett in 2023 when commenting on the seven companies. When the AI boom took off in late 2022 and 2023, these seven stocks surged almost in unison. Investors treated them as a single trade a bet on the future of artificial intelligence reshaping productivity, consumer behaviour, and corporate profits. According to Investopedia, Nvidia has led the pack with a massive return of over 1,300% in the past five years. Alphabet had the next-highest showing, returning almost 260% to investors. Most others had five-year returns of about 130%, except for Amazon, which returned about 47%. Though that logic worked for a while, but AI excitement, so to say, overlooked traditional metrics such as earnings visibility, margins, or near-term costs. Why AI Lifted All Boats In The Beginning In the early phase of the AI boom, markets behaved thematically rather than analytically. Generative AI arrived with enormous promise. Tools like ChatGPT sparked expectations of productivity leaps, automation at scale, and entirely new business models. Investors feared missing out on what was framed as the next internet-scale revolution. This fear of missing out, combined with passive investing and index concentration, created a powerful feedback loop. As money flowed into AI-linked stocks, their index weight rose, pulling in even more capital. At this stage, being AI-adjacent" was enough. It did not matter whether a company was selling chips, running cloud platforms, experimenting with chatbots, or simply talking up AI in earnings calls. The market rewarded participation in the narrative. The Turning Point: From AI Promise To AI Proof By late 2024 and into 2025, investors began asking harder questions. AI spending was exploding, but profits were not rising at the same pace. Costs were mounting, data-centre investments were ballooning, and power consumption was becoming a constraint. Most importantly, markets began demanding proof of AI monetisation. This is where the divergence began. Nvidia stood out because its business model is directly tied to AI demand. It transitioned from being a component supplier to an indispensable, full-stack AI infrastructure provider, with nearly 90% of its revenue directly tied to the exponential demand for AI data centre hardware. In 2025, only Nvidia and Alphabet managed to outperform the S&P 500, while companies such as Apple, Tesla and Meta have lagged broader indices as investors reassessed growth visibility, capital intensity and return on invested capital," Agarwal notes. Nvidia, for instance, saw revenues more than double at the peak of the AI infrastructure build-out, supported by strong pricing power in data-centre GPUs, while several other megacaps are still absorbing heavy AI capex that is weighing on free cash flows. Why Some Tech Giants Are Falling Behind For companies like Apple, Meta, Amazon, and Tesla, AI remains strategically important, but monetisation is either indirect, delayed, or uncertain. These companies have been investing billions of dollars in AI, but high-margin revenue has been difficult to achieve to excessive capital expenditures, and high operational costs. Apples AI ambitions hinge on consumer hardware and ecosystem lock-in, not immediate revenue expansion. Apple has been slower to release generative AI features compared to other companies. It relies on a strategy of using AI models, not selling them". Apple recently partnered with Alphabet (Google) to use Gemini models for its Apple Intelligence" features. This suggests that Apple relies on others technology rather than monetizing its own in-house AI, potentially missing out on higher margins. Metas AI investments support engagement and ad targeting, but returns are harder to isolate against massive infrastructure costs. Amazon continues to pour money into AI-driven cloud services, but margins face pressure from competition and capital expenditure. Tesla, meanwhile, remains a special case. Its AI narrative is tied to autonomy and robotics long-term bets that excite investors but generate little near-term cash flow. Tesla has invested over $20 billion in its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, but in Q3 2025, only 12% of its fleet paid for FSD, and revenue from it was lower than in 2024. Markets are no longer willing to price all of these futures equally. What has changed is not belief in AIs importance, but patience. Investors want evidence that AI spending improves margins, pricing power, or earnings growth, not just long-term potential. What AI Monetisation Really Means Now Agarwal explains that AI monetisation has become the markets key filter. Monetisation means converting AI capabilities into predictable revenues, margins and cash flows through enterprise adoption, cloud pricing, and productivity gains. Narrative-driven enthusiasm alone cannot justify premium valuations once the cycle matures." This includes higher revenue per customer, improved operating margins, reduced labour costs, or entirely new revenue streams. It also means showing that AI does not permanently inflate costs or compress profitability. In this phase, execution matters more than vision. That is why the Magnificent Seven are no longer moving together. AI has shifted from a story-driven trade to a fundamentals-driven one. Does This Impact Indian Investors? Indian investors have been riding a parallel AI narrative, particularly in IT services, digital transformation, and platform-based tech companies. Agarwal also points out that India largely missed the first leg of the global AI wealth creation cycle. The initial AI boom was dominated by deep-tech platforms, semiconductor leaders and hyperscalers areas where India has limited presence. Indian IT firms are predominantly services-led and entered the AI cycle later, focusing on integration and deployment rather than core IP or platforms. As a result, the disproportionate value creation accrued to US megacaps, while Indian tech stocks saw only incremental benefits." Thus, the experience offers a cautionary signal. AI enthusiasm alone does not sustain valuations. Investors will increasingly ask Indian tech firms the same questions they are asking US giants: Is AI increasing deal sizes? Is it improving margins? Is it reducing manpower intensity, or simply adding new costs? For Indias IT sector, this is especially sensitive. AI has the potential to disrupt the traditional labour-heavy services model. If AI automates tasks faster than companies can monetise higher-value work, margins could come under pressure rather than improve. Why Stock Selection Will Matter More Than AI One of the biggest lessons from the Magnificent Seven split is that sector-level optimism is no longer enough. Investors are no longer buying AI" as a category. They are buying companies that can turn AI into profits. The takeaway for Indian markets, Agarwal says, is forward-looking". India has not missed AI altogether, but the opportunity now lies in execution winning large enterprise contracts, embedding AI into core business processes, and demonstrating tangible revenue and margin expansion. Investors are no longer buying AI as a buzzword; they are backing proof of delivery." What Comes Next As the AI trade becomes more selective, capital is beginning to spread out. Some investors are rotating into sectors like healthcare, where AI applications can improve diagnostics, drug discovery, and operational efficiency with clearer revenue paths. Others are doubling down on semiconductor infrastructure, betting that demand for compute will remain strong regardless of which applications win. This redistribution of capital signals maturity. AI is no longer speculative novelty; it is infrastructure. And infrastructure rewards scale, efficiency, and monetisation, not just ambition. For Indian tech firms, the message is clear. AI strategy must move beyond capability-building to commercial outcomes. Clients will pay for AI if it delivers cost savings, productivity gains, or competitive advantage. They will not pay simply because AI is fashionable. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 12:25 IST News business Buying AI Stocks? Why Big Tech Is Splitting, And Nvidia, Google Are Winning; What Indian Investors Should Know 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... N Chandrasekaran, Salil Parekh Among 7 Indian CEOs Invited To Trump Reception At Davos Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 15:07 IST Donald Trump is scheduled to meet a select group of global business leaders on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos US President Donald Trump. (Getty File) Donald Trump is scheduled to meet a select group of global business leaders on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, underscoring the United States policy priorities at the annual gathering of political and corporate elites in Switzerland. A delegation of prominent Indian CEOs will also attend the reception, highlighting Indias expanding role in global corporate engagement. The Indian business leaders expected to be present include: Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons (India) Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Enterprises (India) Srini Pallia, CEO, Wipro (India) Salil S. Parekh, CEO, Infosys (India) Anish Shah, Group Chief Executive, Mahindra Group (India) Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman & Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv (India) Hari S. Bhartia, Founder & Co-Chairman, Jubilant Bhartia Group (India) Their presence reflects Indias strong corporate footprint at Davos, which this year is hosting more than 3,000 delegates from over 130 countries. Trump Keynote Speech on Wednesday What to Expect All eyes will be on US President Donald Trumps keynote address at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, marking his first in-person appearance at the summit in six years as world leaders and business elites gather in Switzerland. Trump arrives amid heightened geopolitical tension, including his controversial bid to influence control of Greenland and tariff threats against several European NATO allies moves that have strained transatlantic relations and raised fears of broader trade conflicts. Rather than focusing solely on global issues, his speech is expected to lean heavily on domestic policy priorities, reflecting the challenges he faces at home. US officials say the address will highlight initiatives to improve housing affordability and showcase an economic agenda aimed at sustaining US growth and job creation themes likely designed to reassure both domestic and international audiences. On the international front, Trump is anticipated to call for stronger economic performance in the US and push European leaders to leave behind economic stagnation," framing Americas policies as a model for prosperity while addressing transatlantic economic frictions. Geopolitical tensions particularly over Greenland and rising tariff rhetoric are expected to feature prominently. European leaders have warned that tariff threats could trigger a damaging downward spiral in relations, underscoring the broader challenges Trumps comments pose to alliances such as NATO. With nearly 3,000 delegates from over 130 countries at Davos, Trumps remarks are likely to set the tone for global discussion on trade, growth and security at a moment when multilateral cooperation faces significant tests. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 15:07 IST News business economy N Chandrasekaran, Salil Parekh Among 7 Indian CEOs Invited To Trump Reception At Davos 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... Closing Bell: Sensex Tanks 1,065 Points, Nifty Below 25,250; Eternal Sinks 4% Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 15:41 IST Indian equity markets extended their losing streak on Tuesday, ending sharply lower as investors remained cautious amid rising global tensions. Sensex Sensex Today: Indian equity markets extended their losing streak on Tuesday, ending sharply lower as investors remained cautious amid rising global tensions. However, stock-specific activity continued due to the ongoing Q3 earnings season. At the close, the BSE Sensex settled at 82,180.47, down 1,065.71 points or 1.28 per cent, while the NSE Nifty 50 fell 353 points, or 1.38 per cent, to finish at 25,232.5. Broader markets underperformed the benchmarks, with the Nifty Midcap index sliding 2.62 per cent and the Nifty Smallcap index dropping over 2.85 per cent. Global Cues Asian markets extended their decline, led by losses in Japans Nikkei 225 and South Koreas Kospi. Sentiment in Japan also remained fragile after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi formally called for an early general election next month. Wall Street remained shut overnight on account of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 08:14 IST News business markets Closing Bell: Sensex Tanks 1,065 Points, Nifty Below 25,250; Eternal Sinks 4% 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... Armed Robbers Loot Assam Businessman's House; Wife, Driver Threatened With Knives And Guns Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 13:13 IST Four masked robbers stormed Anil Deka's Guwahati home, assaulted his wife and driver, and fled with cash and gold. Police are investigating using CCTV footage from the apartment. Police have launched an investigation into the incident. (Representative image) A group of armed robbers stormed the house of a local businessman in Assams Guwahati and assaulted people present inside, including his wife. The incident that took place late Monday night has left residents shaken. It is learnt that the crime occurred at the residence of businessman Anil Deka. CCTV footage from inside the house and the apartment complex captured the entire episode, which unfolded over roughly 40 minutes, NDTV reported. CCTV Captures Robbery The footage shows four masked men arriving at the building in a white Maruti Suzuki Swift before entering the home. Once inside, the assailants allegedly held Dekas wife and the familys driver at gunpoint and threatened them. One of the attackers was seen wielding a dagger, using it to intimidate and assault the victims in the living area. According to the visuals, two of the intruders focused on restraining the woman, while the remaining two pinned the driver to a sofa to prevent resistance. Deka himself was not present at the time of the incident. Robbers Flee With Cash, Gold After ransacking the house, the robbers escaped with cash, gold jewellery and other valuables. Police have launched an investigation and are analysing the CCTV footage to identify and trace the suspects. A similar incident was reported last August in Jorabat where a group of armed men targeted the office and home of a prominent businessman, escaping with cash and gold valued at several lakhs of rupees. The daring robbery was reported at 13 Mile in Jorabat, according to a report in Hubnews. Around ten masked individuals first entered the office of brick trader Deepak Hazarika. The attackers allegedly threatened the office manager and a security guard at gunpoint, assaulted them, and restrained them by tying their hands and covering their mouths. The gang then broke open the office cash locker and took the money kept inside. After looting the office, the robbers moved to Hazarikas residence situated behind the workplace. There, they reportedly overpowered family members, searched the house and made off with gold jewellery and other valuables. Police teams from Jorabat reached the location soon after the incident was reported, with additional support from Sonapur Police Station. Subsequently, a case was registered at Sonapur, and an investigation was launched to identify and arrest those involved in the robbery. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Guwahati [Gauhati], India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 13:13 IST News cities guwahati Armed Robbers Loot Assam Businessman's House; Wife, Driver Threatened With Knives And Guns 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... Kerala Woman Booked After Man Dies By Suicide Over Her Sexual Harassment Charge Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 08:45 IST Kozhikode police booked a woman for abetment to suicide after her viral video accused Deepak of harassment; Kerala Human Rights Commission intervened. U Deepak, a native of Kerala, died allegedly by suicide after a woman accused him of sexual harassment The police on Monday registered a case against a woman in connection with the suicide of a 42-year-old man in Kerala after she posted a video on Instagram accusing him of sexual harassment during a bus ride, officials said. The Kozhikode Medical College police registered the case against the 35-year-old woman under charges of abetment to suicide, an officer said. About the case Deepak, a native of Puthiyara who resided in Govindhapuram, Kozhikode, worked at a textile firm. On Sunday, January 18, he was found hanging in his room. Upon inquiry, it was discovered that he was reportedly distressed after a video of him went viral online, accusing him of sexual harassment against a woman during a bus journey. The woman had posted the video on her Instagram handle. On Friday, Deepak had travelled to Kannur on a transport bus for work purposes. The woman, who was travelling on the same bus, allegedly recorded a video and accused Deepak of sexual harassment. As shown in the clip, the mans elbow was slightly brushing against the womans chest on the crowded bus. While many viewers dismissed her allegations as a natural hand movement due to the crowd, she stood by her allegation, terming the behaviour a sexual boundary violation". Initially, the police had registered a case of unnatural death. However, based on a complaint by the deceaseds family members, a fresh case was registered under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), said the police. The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has also ordered a police probe into the incident, directing the North Zone Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police to submit a report within a week. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Kozhikode, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 07:27 IST News cities Kerala Woman Booked After Man Dies By Suicide Over Her Sexual Harassment Charge 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... Missing For 10 Days, Elderly Man's Decomposed Body Recovered From Lift Shaft In Bhopal Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 12:40 IST Pritam Giri's body was found in a lift shaft at Chinar Dream City, Bhopal, after he went missing. Family alleges safety lapses and delayed police response. Probe is ongoing. The man had gone missing on January 6. (Representative Image) The body of an elderly man, who had gone missing on January 6, was recovered from a lift shaft at a housing society in Bhopal, police said. The deceased was identified as Pritam Giri (77), a resident of Chinar Dream City residential complex in the Misrod area. The body was discovered after residents complained of a foul smell near the lift. A maintenance team later raised the lift car and found a decomposed body at the bottom of the shaft. Family members identified Giri based on his clothes and footwear. According to police, Giri had left his home on January 6, telling his family he was travelling to Mandideep. When he failed to return, his son, Manoj Giri, lodged a missing complaint the same night, followed by a formal FIR the next day at Misrod police station. Victim Suffered Fatal Chest Injuries, Preliminary Findings Indicate Speaking to news agency ANI, Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajnish Kashyap said a case of unnatural death has been registered and the post-mortem examination is awaited. Preliminary findings indicate that Giri suffered fatal chest injuries after falling into the lift shaft. Police were investigating whether the fall was accidental and examining possible lapses in safety and maintenance. Authorities said notices will be issued to the lift operator and the housing societys maintenance agency to determine when the lift became non-functional and whether proper repairs were carried out. Legal action may follow if negligence is established. The victims family has raised serious concerns over safety failures at the complex. Manoj Giri claimed the lift had not been working properly on the day his father went missing and was stuck below floor level. He also alleged that police response was delayed and that CCTV cameras in the building had been non-functional for years. On January 6 afternoon, my father left the house, stating he was going to Mandideep. I came downstairs thinking to drop him off at the destination, but he was nowhere to be found. I thought he might have left via bus. The buildings lift was operational in the morning, but when I went there, it was not operational and was stuck 2 feet below the ground floor. Again, I assumed that since the lift is not working, my father could not be here," Manoj Giri told ANI. Three days later, when I sent my younger brother to enquire about the issue, the police recorded his statement at the police station only. The following day, they called me with a picture of my father. I came to know about the incident on January 16, when a foul smell emanated from the body. I called the maintenance team of the society to raise the lift and when it was lifted, the body was found under it. There is negligence of the maintenance team as well in this, as they did not improve the lift for 10 days," he added. Residents have reportedly complained multiple times about faulty lift operations, including doors opening without the cabin present. The incident has intensified demands for stricter lift safety checks and accountability from builders and maintenance agencies. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Bhopal, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 12:40 IST News cities Missing For 10 Days, Elderly Man's Decomposed Body Recovered From Lift Shaft In Bhopal 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... Ukraine will soon launch a Mission Control project, in which each crew will enter the type of UAV, its flight direction, location, etc. into the system, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has said, calling the project "revolutionary." "Thanks to eBalam, we fully understand what is happening with drones. We will soon launch a revolutionary Mission Control project: each crew will enter the type of UAV into the system, where it is flying, from what location, etc.," Fedorov said during a meeting with journalists. According to him, this will allow us to better understand the situation on the front line (FC) and the effectiveness of drone use. "Thanks to Mission Control, we will close the entire drone cycle: procurement, deliveries, and then use on the battlefield. Currently, we only see reports on task performance through eBalam, while it is important for us to have a complete picture with results and accumulated experience," the minister explained. Fedorov also noted that his team has been working on the Mission Control functionality for two years. The next step, the minister noted, is the launch of Mission Control for artillery. "It is very important that we have started to systematically calculate everything. Soon we will have complete information on drone crews: leaders, their monthly ratings, statistics of the entire corps. We need to see the whole picture in order to simplify and speed up the adoption of management decisions. We have a department of war mathematics, created back in Brave1," Fedorov said. As reported, the Verkhovna Rada appointed Fedorov as Minister of Defense on January 14. The day before, the people's deputies dismissed him from the post of First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Digital Transformation at his request. BMC Mayor Post Tussle Reaches Delhi: Shinde Evokes Bal Thackeray; His Aide, Team BJP In Capital Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 19:44 IST BJP vs Shinde Sena for BMC mayor post: Deputy CM Eknath Shindes aide Rahul Shewale and BJP's state and Mumbai leadership have reached Delhi Rapid Read Eknath Shinde (left) and Devendra Fadnavis. (PTI File) BMC Mayor Post Tussle Reaches Delhi: The deadlock between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shinde Sena over the mayors post in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) seems to have reached New Delhi. In the 227-seat BMC, the BJP has won 89 seats, Shinde Sena 29, Sena UBT 65, Congress 24, AIMIM 8, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) 6, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 3, SP 2 and NCP SP 1. While the BJP has majority, it cant reach the halfway mark of 114 without the support of Shinde Sena. This is what has given rise to the tussle over the BMC mayors post, sources told News18 Marathi. ALSO READ | BMC Mayor Lottery On Jan 22: Will Uddhav Thackeray Support Devendra Fadnavis In Mumbai Civic Body? BJP, Shinde group representatives reach Delhi Both deputy CM Eknath Shindes representative, MP Rahul Shewale, and BJPs state and Mumbai leadership have reached Delhi. Shinde has kept his corporators in a Mumbai hotel for three days, to which the BJP has expressed its displeasure. Officially, the Shiv Sena maintains that the newly elected members were shifted to the hotel for an orientation workshop about the functioning of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The BJP, meanwhile, is firm on the mayors post. It has made it clear that they wont give up their claim on the mayors post or the Standing Committee chairmans post. What Eknath Shinde wants It is speculated that Shinde is keen to secure the BMC mayors post for the Shiv Senaat least for the first two-and-a-half years since it is the birth centenary year of party founder late Bal Thackeray. Shewale will have an important meeting with senior BJP leaders in Delhi to discuss Mumbais power-sharing. The final decision about key committees and the mayors post, which control Mumbais municipal finances, could be made in this meeting. The Shinde group could strengthen its claim on the Standing Committee, which controls the treasury of Asias richest municipal corporation, Mumbai. Besides this, Shinde is also trying to keep control over important committees like reforms, education, BEST, and health, said the report. The Shinde groups old strategy has been to first demand big posts, stay aggressive in negotiations, and then settle for positions that benefit them. This strategy has made the BJP uneasy, News18 Marathi quoted sources as saying. Eknath Shinde plays Bal Thackeray card Citing emotions of Shiv Sainiks, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday hinted at Shiv Senas claim to the Mumbai mayors post, projecting it as a mark of respect to Bal Thackeray in his birth centenary year amid a reported tussle with ally BJP. Balasaheb Thackerays birth centenary year starts from January 23. Some Shivsainiks (party activists) have the feeling that a Shiv Sena mayor should be installed in the BMC," he said. He stressed that the Shiv Sena would not take any decision that goes against the peoples mandate, emphasising that the Shiv Sena and BJP had fought the Mumbai civic elections as an alliance. ALSO READ | BMC Election Winners: Full List Of Mumbais 227 Corporators From BJP, Shinde Sena, UBT, MNS Amid a debate over the exact motive behind Shiv Sena shifting its newly elected members to a posh hotel in Mumbai, Shinde scotched reports of new political equations emerging in Mumbai or elsewhere in Maharashtra. While Shindes moves are keenly watched, sources in Shiv Sena told PTI that the Deputy CM is aware his party will not get the post and he hasnt broached the topic with the BJP leadership. Shiv Sainiks wish that the party should have its own mayor since it is the birth centenary year of Balasaheb Thackeray. Even though Shinde is aware that the BJP will not accept the demand for a Sena mayor, there is no harm if there is a public discussion. Shinde cant be seen as a leader on the back foot. At least the party can get some other important committees," a close associate of Shinde said. Why Mumbai mayor post matters Though largely ceremonial, the Mumbai mayors post is a symbol of the political dominance of the governing party. The mayor presides over key civic meetings of the countrys richest civic body. Amid deepening suspense over who will don the crown of mayor, the Maharashtra government has scheduled the lottery for mayoral reservation covering Mumbai and 28 other civic bodies for January 22. The Urban Development Department has issued an order stating that the draw of lots will be held at the state secretariat. In Maharashtra, mayors are elected by corporators, and the post is subject to reservation by rotation. The lottery determines the category for which the mayors post will be reserved, such as general, women, SC, ST, and OBC categories. Once the category is announced, eligible candidates file their nominations. ALSO READ | BMC Mayor Will Be From Team Fadnavis Or Shinde? BJP-Sena Mahayutis Plans For Mumbai Playing up the purported internal tussle between Shiv Sena and BJP over the post of Mumbai mayor, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed the BJP is also planning to shift its corporators to a safer location. Who is afraid of whom? You are the government. The chief minister is watching corporators being shifted while attending the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos (Switzerland). It is amusing," Raut told reporters. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam stated the next mayor of Mumbai would be from the ruling Mahayuti alliance and ruled out the possibility of the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate getting the post, days after Thackerays God willing" remark on his party getting the mayors position caused a stir. Harshal Pradhan, spokesperson of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, said the BJP and Shinde are power-hungry. With agency inputs News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 19:22 IST News cities mumbai-news BMC Mayor Post Tussle Reaches Delhi: Shinde Evokes Bal Thackeray; His Aide, Team BJP In Capital 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... Noida Techie's Car Pulled Out Of Ditch 4 Days After His Death, Family Seeks Meeting With CM Yogi Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 19:33 IST Yuvraj Mehta's death in Greater Noida sparks calls for accountability. Noida Authority CEO removed, builder arrested, SIT probing negligence, Kiran Bedi demands strict punishment. A screengrab of the video showing Yuvraj Mehta's car being pulled out by NDRF. Four days after 27-year-old techie Yuvraj Mehta drowned when his SUV plunged into a fog-hidden, waterlogged construction pit in Noida on the night of 16 January. Authorities on Monday recovered the vehicle from the ditch, as the Special Investigation Team continued its probe into alleged safety lapses and administrative negligence at the site. As the probe into his death gathers pace, Mehtas family and political leaders have called for strict accountability, citing what they describe as grave administrative and criminal negligence. Speaking to the media in Greater Noida, Yuvrajs father Rajkumar Mehta said the family wants to meet Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. We would like to meet CM Yogi once. It would give us peace of mind," he said, adding that the family has been assured of full cooperation from the government. We have been told that the investigation will move in the right direction." The case has already led to major administrative action. At the site of the incident, MP of Gautam Budhh Nagar, Mahesh Sharma said several steps had been taken to fix responsibility. NOIDAs highest official, the Noida Authority CEO, has been removed. A junior engineer has been suspended, the builder has been arrested, and an SIT has been formed," Sharma said. He added that he had spoken to the SIT members and was assured the investigation would be conducted transparently. Whoever is responsible, their accountability will be fixed and punishment will be given," he said. VIDEO | At the incident site of techies death, Gautam Buddha Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma (@dr_maheshsharma) says, See NOIDAs highest official, Noida Authoritys CEO was removed, Junior Engineer was suspended, the builder has been arrested, SIT has been formed, I talked to them, pic.twitter.com/WpIiTh2wMo Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 20, 2026 Kiran Bedi termed the case one of huge criminal negligence" and called for exemplary punishment. In a post on X, she said that while the Special Investigation Team would identify individuals responsible, the state must send a strong message to both government services and the private sector. Bedi suggested compulsory retirement for erring officials, criminal liability of 100 crore on the builder to be paid to the family, and suspension of the builders licence, tagging the CM Office UP. Noida case is one of huge criminal negligence. While the STF will specify individuals we need send a strong message to our services and the private sector. Send the concerned officers on compulsory retirement and make the builder pay a criminal liability of 100 crores to the pic.twitter.com/fPSnNT9WzQ Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) January 20, 2026 Meanwhile, the SIT continued its probe on Monday. Officials confirmed that the team left the Noida Authority office after concluding the second round of meetings on Day 1 of the investigation. The SIT is examining administrative lapses, safety violations and the sequence of events that led to Yuvraj Mehtas death. Moreover, Mehtas car was pulled out by NDRF from the water-filled pit at the construction site in Sector 150 of Greater Noida. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Greater Noida, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 19:19 IST News cities noida Noida Techie's Car Pulled Out Of Ditch 4 Days After His Death, Family Seeks Meeting With CM Yogi 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... Maharashtras Only General Ward That Picked 4 Women Corporators In Civic Elections Is In Pune Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 19:12 IST Pune Election Winners: The four PMC corporators are Archana Amit Jagtap, Vrushali Sunil Kamthe, Pooja Tushar Kadam and Ranjana Pundalik Tilekar Rapid Read Pune election winners: The four PMC corporators. (News18 Marathi) Pune Election Winners: As Maharashtra witnessed 29 municipal elections, ward no. 40 in Pune stood out for a unique reason. Amid the talk of women empowerment, this general ward empowered four women corporators under its multi-ward system. All four women winners are from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The four winners are Archana Amit Jagtap, Vrushali Sunil Kamthe, Pooja Tushar Kadam and Ranjana Pundalik Tilekar. During the campaign, all four candidates went door to door and interacted directly with voters, raised local issues and assured the voters of development, News18 Marathi reported. The BJP won a clear majority with 119 of 165 seats, securing control of the Pune civic body by itself. The majority mark is 83. The Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) secured 27 seats, Congress 15, NCP (SP) 3, Shiv Sena (UBT) 1. Pune used a multi-member ward system for the 2026 Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) election. Unlike a single-member ward system where each ward elects one representative, in the multi-member ward system each ward elects multiple corporators. In the 2026 PMC election, the civic body was divided into 41 wards, and most wards elect four corporators each. One ward (ward 38 Ambegaon Katraj) had five members due to its larger population. This means voters in Pune cast multiple votes (up to four) to elect multiple corporators from their ward. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said people didnt reject deputy CM Ajit Pawar, but rather endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership and development agenda through their votes in Pune and other civic polls. He described the results as an unprecedented endorsement" of the BJP and its Mahayuti allies by the electorate, highlighting the partys development-focused governance and public trust in its policies. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 17:41 IST News cities pune Maharashtras Only General Ward That Picked 4 Women Corporators In Civic Elections Is In Pune 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 Admissions In US Universities Dropped 75% In Trump's First Year Of Presidency: Report Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 13:50 IST Restrictive visa policies, intensified scrutiny, a slowing job market and fears of deportation has significantly dimmed the appeal of the US for Indian students and professionals Rapid Read According to US State Department data, around 8,000 student visas were cancelled by December 2025. (AI-Generated Image) For thousands of Indian students aspiring to study in the United States, the first year of Donald Trumps second term has delivered an unprecedented setback. Official data shows that enrollment of Indian students in US universities dropped by nearly 75% within a year, the steepest decline recorded in decades. Education consultants attribute the sharp fall to a combination of higher visa rejection rates, an acute shortage of interview slots and growing anxiety among applicants. Overseas education firms say that between August and October, traditionally the peak intake period, student movement to the US dropped by nearly 70%. Many students were unable to secure visa interview appointments in time and were forced to defer or abandon their plans. Those who managed to travel were largely applicants who had completed their paperwork by February or March. This is the first time we have seen such a dramatic collapse in numbers," said Arvind Manduva of Hyderabad-based consultancy i20 Fever. Manduva pointed to tighter visa scrutiny and severely limited interview slots, which discouraged even high-performing students applying to top-ranked US institutions. The fear was so high that many students simply chose to wait, he said. A large number deferred admissions to the spring intake in the hope of improved conditions, but the situation remained unchanged. In fact, checks became more stringent, with applicants reporting enhanced scrutiny of social media activity as part of the vetting process, further adding to uncertainty. Students already in the US faced even greater instability. According to US State Department data, around 8,000 student visas were cancelled by December 2025. Several students reported receiving sudden notices informing them that their F-1 status had been terminated, giving them only weeks to leave the country. In many cases, immigration authorities cited past incidents that had previously been resolved. A 25-year-old Indian student who completed a masters degree in project management in Boston said his SEVIS clearance was revoked over a speeding ticket from 2024, despite no charges being filed. He later managed to restore his status with legal assistance. The pressure extended beyond students to working professionals. The H-1B visa programme became a major political flashpoint, with proposals to sharply increase fees, reportedly up to $100,000, and impose tighter caps. About 72% of H-1B holders are Indian nationals, most of them employed in the IT sector. State Department figures show that nearly 1,00,000 visas across categories were cancelled over the past 12 months, a significant proportion involving Indian citizens. In 2025 alone, around 3,800 people were deported, with Indians accounting for the majority. The US job market has also grown increasingly uncertain. Companies have delayed onboarding, halted visa transfers and, in some cases, withdrawn job offers. Saif H, a 27-year-old MBA graduate from Texas, said his employment offer was revoked even after completing the interview process. New social media surveillance rules have further heightened anxiety. Visa holders, including H-1B workers and H-4 dependents, have been advised to keep their social media accounts public for monitoring, with warnings that anti-US posts or criticism of policies could result in visa cancellation or deportation. The Department of Homeland Security has also ended automatic extensions of work permits, forcing individuals to stop working if renewals are delayed. Indian diplomatic missions have reported a surge in distress calls, while immigration lawyers warn that the uncertainty is unlikely to ease soon. Even long-term residents are reconsidering their future in the country. We pay taxes and contribute to the system, but we have never felt this insecure," said Aziz Nooruddin, who has lived in the US for nearly 20 years. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 13:50 IST News education-career Indian Admissions In US Universities Dropped 75% In Trump's First Year Of Presidency: 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... UP Announces 25% Quota Admission Schedule For Private Schools Under RTE Act Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 15:09 IST The first phase of the process will run from February 2 to 16, the second phase from February 21 to March 7, and the third phase from March 12 to 25. No fees will be charged for children enrolled in private schools. (Representational/File Photo) The Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Department has released the admission schedule for the 202627 academic year under the 25 per cent reservation in private schools as per the RTE Act-2009, according to a statement on Monday. The admission process will be conducted entirely through an online portal, following the departmental guidelines. Eligible children for Class 1 or pre-primary level will be chosen via a lottery system to ensure transparency and fairness. District Basic Education Officers and Block Education Officers across all districts have been directed to ensure the timely completion of the admission process for the selected children, reported PTI. Schools are required to upload the admission status on the portal. The first phase will run from February 2 to 16, the second phase from February 21 to March 7, and the third phase from March 12 to 25. For the application, it is mandatory to provide the Aadhaar card of the applicants mother or father, birth certificate, income certificate, residence certificate, caste certificate, ration card, and any pension or disability-related certificate. No fees will be charged for children enrolled in private schools, as the government will provide the prescribed amount per student to the schools. Basic Education Minister, Sandeep Singh, said, The provision of 25 per cent reservation in entry-level classes of private schools under RTE provides children from deprived and economically weaker sections of society with equal and quality educational opportunities." This initiative reflects the governments commitment to strengthening social justice and inclusion in education. Ensuring the Right to Education for every eligible child in the state is our highest priority," he said. Director General, School Education, Monika Rani, said, To make the RTE admission process transparent and simple, the schedule of all stages has been released. Through online application, verification, and the lottery system, it will be ensured that eligible children get admission to private schools within the stipulated time. The education department will continuously monitor this process." Children aged 3 to 4 years for nursery, 4 to 5 years for LKG, 5 to 6 years for UKG, and 6 to 7 years for Class 1 will be eligible for admission. Age will be calculated as of April 1, 2026, it said. Applications for admission will be conducted entirely online through the RTE portal. Parents must upload the necessary documents. After submission, the District Basic Education Officers and Block Education Officers will verify the applications. Eligible children will then be selected through a lottery system. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 15:08 IST News education-career UP Announces 25% Quota Admission Schedule For Private Schools Under RTE 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... Cloud Diplomacy: How Digital Embassies Could Protect India's Aadhaar, UPI Data Curated By : Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 19:24 IST India and the United Arab Emirates on Monday agreed to explore the possibility of establishing 'digital embassies' under mutually recognised sovereignty arrangements The successful implementation of these digital embassies would mark the first time two major economies have formalised the 'diplomatic immunity of code'. (Representational image) The digital embassies" initiative proposed during UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyans three-hour whirlwind official visit to New Delhi and his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday represents a frontier-shifting evolution in how sovereign nations manage data security and diplomatic immunity in the cloud era. At its core, a digital (or data) embassy is a sovereign data centre or a cloud enclave" located within another country that is granted the same legal protections and inviolability as a physical diplomatic mission under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. While traditional embassies protect people and physical documents, these digital counterparts are designed to protect a nations most sensitive digital assets"such as citizen identity databases, financial registries, and critical government archivesagainst physical disasters or geopolitical disruptions. Data sovereignty The proposed collaboration between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is built upon a shared vision of data sovereignty". Under this framework, the UAE would provide high-security, climate-controlled server facilities within its borders to host Indias critical data backups. In return, the UAE would gain access to similar sovereign space within Indias burgeoning data centre hubs. What makes these embassies" unique is the legal extraterritoriality" they enjoy. Much like the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi is considered Indian soil, the servers and the data within a digital embassy are legally shielded from the host countrys local laws, search warrants, or seizure. This ensures that even in the event of a catastrophic cyberattack or a domestic crisis in the home country, a government can reboot its essential services from a secure, offshore digital twin". Hot-site backup For New Delhi, this initiative is a strategic imperative linked to its Digital India mission. As the country moves toward a paperless administration, the risk of data loss from natural calamities or large-scale cyber warfare has become a national security concern. By establishing a digital embassy in the UAEa country that has invested billions in AI-ready" infrastructure and high-speed connectivityIndia creates a hot-site" backup that is geographically distant but digitally proximal. This allows for real-time synchronisation of the Aadhaar stack, UPI transaction logs, and land records. The UAE, which is positioning itself as a global data safe-haven", views this as an opportunity to become the worlds premier neutral host for sovereign data, leveraging its political stability and advanced technological ecosystem. Digital corridor Beyond mere storage, the India-UAE digital embassy project is expected to integrate with the IMEC" (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor). This digital corridor will facilitate seamless, secure cross-border data flows, enabling faster trade documentation and financial settlements between the two nations. The project also addresses the growing global trend of data localisation". Instead of forcing data to stay within physical borders, digital embassies allow data to travel while maintaining the sovereign control" that governments demand. This bilateral move sets a global precedent for trust-based" digital alliances, moving away from a reliance on big-tech platforms toward government-to-government digital infrastructure. Diplomatic immunity of code The successful implementation of these digital embassies would mark the first time two major economies have formalised the diplomatic immunity of code". As the UAE and India finalise the technical protocolscovering everything from quantum-encrypted transmission to physical perimeter securitythe world is watching. This initiative could become the blueprint for a future where a nations survival is not just tied to its borders, but to the resilience and legal protection of its digital heartbeat stored across the seas. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 19:24 IST News explainers Cloud Diplomacy: How Digital Embassies Could Protect India's Aadhaar, UPI Data 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... Oman Bans Expats In Over 200 Jobs, What It Means For Indian Migrant Workers Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 07:46 IST Recruitment pipelines that previously channelled Indian talent into Omani companies may now slow down or close altogether for certain professions. Indian nationals form a substantial part of Omans expatriate workforce, employed across construction, hospitality, retail, logistics and services. (Representative image: AFP) Oman has announced a ban on expatriates from working in more than 200 professions in the country. The directive is part of an intensified Omanisation drive, a national strategy aimed at prioritising employment for Omani citizens across key sectors of the economy. While localisation policies are not new to the Gulf, the scale and sweep of Omans latest labour move have drawn sharp attention from migrant communities, recruitment agencies and policymakers alike. Oman remains one of the largest employment destinations for Indian migrant workers. Government data shows that over 6.7 lakh Indian nationals are currently employed in the country. Against this backdrop, the new directive has sparked concern not only among those already working in Oman and thousands of Indians aspiring to find jobs in the Gulf nation. Heres a closer look at what the policy entails and what it could mean for Indian workers. What The Ban Means on the Ground Although the complete list of restricted professions has not been released in detail publicly, authorities have confirmed that the ban spans sectors such as hospitality, administrative services, supervisory roles and certain management positions, many of which have long relied on expatriate expertise. For foreign workers, including Indians, the policy does not necessarily translate into immediate job losses. Initial reporting suggests that expatriates currently employed in these roles may be allowed to continue until their existing work permits expire. However, the future appears far less certain. Renewals, role changes or new visas in these professions are likely to face stricter scrutiny or outright rejection as the localisation drive gathers pace. In practical terms, this means career mobility for expatriates in Oman could become increasingly limited, especially for those working in mid-level positions that now fall under the restricted category. How It Would Affect The Indian Workers Indian nationals form a substantial part of Omans expatriate workforce, employed across construction, hospitality, retail, logistics and services. For those already in the country, the policy introduces a period of uncertainty rather than immediate disruption. While current contracts may be honoured, long-term career growth, promotions, lateral shifts, or contract extensions could become more difficult in sectors earmarked for Omanisation. For Indians planning to migrate to Oman, the impact is far more direct. The number of accessible job openings is expected to shrink, particularly in roles that were once considered stable entry points for foreign workers. Recruitment pipelines that previously channelled Indian talent into Omani companies may now slow down or close altogether for certain professions. This shift is also likely to influence hiring behaviour across the region. Recruitment agencies in India that specialise in placements to Oman may increasingly redirect candidates towards other Gulf markets. However, it is worth noting that localisation policies are expanding across the Middle East, not just in Oman. Effect On Remittances And Indian Households Oman may account for only around 1.5% of Indias total remittance inflows, but for many families in states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, this income remains a crucial lifeline. Over time, fewer job opportunities and tighter visa norms could lead to a gradual decline in new migrant inflows, which in turn may affect remittance growth. For households dependent on overseas income, this development reinforces the importance of financial planning and alternative income strategies. At a broader level, it also highlights Indias ongoing challenge of creating sufficient domestic employment opportunities to absorb a workforce that has traditionally sought better prospects abroad. Why Oman Is Tightening Its Labour Market Now Omans labour reforms are rooted in domestic economic realities. With a young population entering the workforce each year, the government is under pressure to generate jobs for its citizens, particularly in the private sector, where expatriates have traditionally dominated. Officials have repeatedly emphasised that long-term economic stability depends on reducing reliance on foreign workers and increasing Omani participation in industries ranging from services to management. The latest move reflects this urgency. By reserving hundreds of roles exclusively for nationals, the government aims to accelerate local hiring while simultaneously pushing businesses to invest in training and skill development for Omani employees. Alongside the ban, Oman has also announced ambitious job creation targets for citizens in the coming years, underscoring that this policy is part of a broader structural shift rather than a temporary measure. Omans decision does not exist in isolation. Across the Gulf, governments are rethinking labour models that relied heavily on expatriate workers for decades. Saudi Arabias Nitaqat programme and the UAEs Emiratisation push reflect similar attempts to increase citizen participation in the private sector and reduce long-term economic vulnerabilities. What sets Oman apart, however, is the breadth of professions now reserved for nationals. This signals a faster and more assertive localisation push one that foreign workers can no longer afford to view as symbolic or easily reversible. For Indian professionals and job seekers, Omans new labour rules serve as a clear signal that the Gulf job market is evolving. The era when expatriate labour filled most private-sector roles with relative ease is steadily giving way to more regulated, citizen-first employment systems. Those already working in Oman may need to reassess long-term plans, while new job seekers should approach the market with greater caution, updated skills and diversified destination strategies. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 07:46 IST News explainers Oman Bans Expats In Over 200 Jobs, What It Means For Indian Migrant 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... Trump's Ire, UK's Defence: What Is The Big 'Deal' About The Chagos Islands Returning To Mauritius? Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 18:15 IST Britain ceded sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius in a multi-billion dollar deal, in which it secured a lease for the key UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia over the next century London said its deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius "secures" the key US-UK Diego Garcia military base on the Indian Ocean archipelago, after President Donald Trump accused Britain of "great stupidity". (Image: AFP/File) An act of total weakness" this is how US President Donald Trump described Britains deal to cede sovereignty of the island of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Britain signed the multi-billion dollar deal securing a lease for the strategically important UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia over the next century eight months ago but the contentious agreement is once again in the spotlight. Despite the deal being framed as a resolution to a decades-long legal dispute, it has triggered a firestorm of international criticism and domestic debate, highlighting a growing tension between traditional diplomacy and a more transactional approach to global security. Here is all you need to know about the islands and the deal: WHAT ARE THE CHAGOS ISLANDS? The Chagos Archipelago is a cluster of six atolls comprising more than 600 islands in the Indian Ocean. Located approximately 500 km south of the Maldives and halfway between Africa and Indonesia, this strategically vital territory was at the heart of a landmark 2025 agreement where Britain ceded sovereignty to Mauritius while securing a 99-year lease for the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. At least 4,000 people are stationed on the islands. No indigenous inhabitants, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, have lived there since Britain forcibly displaced up to 2,000 people, mostly former agricultural workers, in the late 1960s and early 1970s to establish the Diego Garcia base. WHAT IS BRITAINS DEAL WITH MAURITIUS? According to a report published by Reuters, under increasing international pressure, Britain agreed in October 2024 to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius a former colony that gained independence in 1968. The deal, however, drew criticism from lawmakers as well as Britons born in Diego Garcia. In May 2025, Britain said it will pay Mauritius 101 million pounds ($136 million) per year calculated to be worth 3.4 billion pounds over the lifetime of the deal to secure the future of the Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease. At the time, the US said it welcomed the historic agreement", commending both countries leaders for their vision. In February 2025, ahead of the signing, Trump also expressed preliminary support for the deal. Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India have also backed the agreement. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DIEGO GARCIA BASE? Diego Garcia serves as a key military base in the Indian Ocean for the US and Britain. Reuters reported that recent operations launched from there include bombing strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in 2024 and 2025, humanitarian aid deployments to Gaza and attacks against Taliban and al Qaeda targets in Afghanistan in 2001. China also has a growing reach in the region, including close trade ties with Mauritius. WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS, THE UN VIEW? United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised concerns in February 2025 about potential threats to his countrys security, particularly in light of Chinese influence. Even Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, who was elected after the initial agreement was reached, questioned the deal and had wanted Trump to assess the plan. Some Chagossians, many of whom ended up living in Britain after being removed from the archipelago, have protested against the agreement on the grounds that they were not consulted. Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition in Britain, said on Tuesday on X that the deal was complete self sabotage" that made us and our NATO allies weaker". She argued that the UK is paying a surrender tax" to lease back land it already owned. Similarly, Nigel Farage of Reform UK welcomed Trumps veto" of what he termed the surrender of the islands. Britain had split the archipelago off from its colonial island territory of Mauritius in 1965, three years before granting independence to Mauritius but without the islands. In 2019 after a request by the United Nations General Assembly, the International Court of Justice issued a non-binding ruling calling on Britain to give up control, saying it wrongfully forced the population to leave to make way for the base. Before the deal was signed, a UK High Court judge issued a last-minute injunction sought by Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, British nationals who were born in Diego Garcia and criticised the deal for excluding Chagossians. The injunction, however, was overturned hours later making way for the deal to be signed. WHY DID TRUMP MENTION HIS GREENLAND ULTIMATUM? The transition of sovereignty of the Chagos Islands was originally a move that enjoyed broad international support. Under the previous Biden administration, the US welcomed the historic agreement", praising the vision of both British and Mauritian leaders for resolving long-standing displacement claims and legal challenges. Other global allies, including India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea, also endorsed it as a necessary step to conclude the decolonisation process of Mauritius. The diplomatic landscape, however, dramatically shifted following the return of Trump to the White House. Despite expressing preliminary support for the arrangement in early 2025, he has recently denounced the treaty as an act of total weakness" and great stupidity". In a blunt post on his Truth Social platform, he claimed that the move provided China and Russia with an opening stressing that international powers only recognize STRENGTH". Most controversially, the US President has linked this perceived strategic failure in the Indian Ocean to his renewed demands for the US to acquire Greenland from Denmark. He argued that the loss of Chagos is another reason why acquiring Greenland is imperative for national security. He has gone so far as to threaten European allies with tariffs starting at 10 percent in February and rising to 25 percent by June if they continue to resist his territorial ambitions regarding Greenland. WHAT DID THE BRITISH GOVT SAY? The Keir Starmer-led British government has remained steadfast in its defence of the multi-billion dollar deal. Downing Street argues that the agreement provides the only legal certainty for the continued operation of the Diego Garcia base. Without it, officials claimed, the base is under threat" from court decisions that could have eventually prevented it from operating. The government contended that the expensive deal is a necessary national security" investment to keep adversaries out and maintain unique capabilities" in the region, particularly as China expands its influence and trade ties with Mauritius. Cabinet minister Darren Jones noted that the treaty is now in its final stages of parliamentary approval and cannot be easily reversed: I cant reverse the clock on that," he said, adding that it prevents a situation where the UK will have no legal grounds to stop other nations from establishing bases on the outer Chagos islands. (With agency inputs) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : London, United Kingdom (UK) First Published: January 20, 2026, 18:02 IST News explainers Trump's Ire, UK's Defence: What Is The Big 'Deal' About The Chagos Islands Returning To Mauritius? 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... $200 Billion vs $20 Billion: How India-UAE Trade Pact Dwarfs Pakistan-Saudi Deal Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 09:14 IST India and UAE aim to double trade to $200B by 2032, focusing on tech, infrastructure, defence, and MSMEs leaving Pakistan-Saudi Arabia's $20B plans far behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a meeting at the PM's residence in New Delhi, on January 19, 2026. (PMO Photo via PTI) UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyans Monday visit to India may have been brief but in those 90 minutes, the two countries reached agreements that significantly expand bilateral cooperation, unveiling plans to have a strategic defence partnership and sealing an LNG deal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the UAE President set a $200 billion annual trade target by 2032 while laying out a broad agenda to shore up the ties. In contrast, Pakistans ongoing efforts to secure similar trade and investment commitments from Saudi Arabia highlight the differing scales and trajectories of regional economic partnerships. Trade and Investment Targets Pakistan-Saudi Arabia: The Shehbaz Sharif government has set a $20 billion trade and investment target with Saudi Arabia. Current trade stands at $5.7 billion, and the first phase of $5 billion investment has yet to materialise, reflecting a slower pace of implementation. India-UAE: Trade between India and the UAE has already crossed $100 billion. Building on this foundation, Prime Minister Modi and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan have set an ambitious target of $200 billion by 2032, signaling both the scale of ambition and confidence in execution. Strategic Agreements and Sectors The India-UAE agreements cover a wide range of sectors and illustrate a structured approach to long-term growth: Infrastructure and Investment: In Gujarats Dholera Special Investment Region, the UAE will develop an international airport, smart township, and port. These are direct investments, rather than credit or loan-based arrangements. In Gujarats Dholera Special Investment Region, the UAE will develop an international airport, smart township, and port. These are direct investments, rather than credit or loan-based arrangements. Technology and Innovation: Indias IN-SPACe and the UAE Space Agency will jointly establish a satellite factory and launch complex. Agreements were also signed in nuclear energy and artificial intelligence, highlighting a focus on future-ready sectors. Indias IN-SPACe and the UAE Space Agency will jointly establish a satellite factory and launch complex. Agreements were also signed in nuclear energy and artificial intelligence, highlighting a focus on future-ready sectors. Defence Cooperation: The two countries are moving toward a strategic partnership in defense, including joint weapons development, shifting beyond the traditional buyer-seller dynamic. Strategic Significance The contrast between the two regional initiatives is notable: Pakistans $20 billion target relies heavily on loans or credit agreements, reflecting a reactive and constrained approach. India and the UAE are building on an existing $100 billion trade foundation, leveraging direct investments, technological collaboration, and strategic alignment to ensure sustainable growth. This structured approach reflects intent and capability: the sums Pakistan has pursued for months in Riyadh could be deployed in a single India-UAE project such as Dholera or a high-tech data center. The India-UAE strategy emphasises capacity-building, future-ready industries, and long-term bilateral integration. President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan captured the visits focus on X: Today I was pleased to meet with the Indian Prime Minister in New Delhi to discuss opportunities to further strengthen the deep-rooted and historical ties of cooperation between our countries. Committed to fostering sustainable development and economic growth, the UAE and India will continue to work together to advance progress in future-focused sectors and ensure mutual benefits for our countries and people." . pic.twitter.com/MvSAfrFvPw (@MohamedBinZayed) January 19, 2026 Overall, the agreements highlight a clear strategic vision: leveraging existing economic strengths, integrating technology and industrial capabilities, and establishing a comprehensive, forward-looking partnershippositioning India-UAE cooperation as a benchmark in regional economic diplomacy. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 09:14 IST News india $200 Billion vs $20 Billion: How India-UAE Trade Pact Dwarfs Pakistan-Saudi Deal 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... Commercialisation Powering New Space Race, Key To Sustainable Moon Missions: Sunita Williams Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 22:57 IST Sunita Williams highlights the ongoing space race, rise of private sector opportunities, and the need for sustainable, Moon missions, praising ISS's role in space tech progress. NASA astronaut (Retd.) Sunita Williams addresses a fireside chat on her journey and experiences in space, at the US Embassy, in New Delhi, Tuesday. (PTI) Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams on Tuesday said a space race" is ongoing at present but the endeavour is to ensure humanity returns to the Moon sustainably and done in a productive and democratic way". Commercialisation of space is great, and what it means in the United States is there are opportunities for people to work in so many different companies. So not only rockets, not only spacecraft, but parts of space experiments, satellites, new technologies, 3D Printing, wherever anybody wants to work. Its not unusual nowadays that we have people whogo to one company for a couple years and go to another company and then go to another company," Williams said at the American Center. The astronaut shared a a personal message of thanks during her visit to the capital. I wanted to come to Delhi just to express my thanks to so many people who were praying for me and my crewmates to get back safely. Its understated to say thank you, honestly. One of my biggest lessons is that people are good; we often forget that due to the distractions of life, religion, and politics, but we are all people and we care about each other," she said. #WATCH | Delhi: Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams says, Commercialisation of Space is great, and what it means in the United States is there are opportunities for people to work in so many different companies. So not only rockets, not only spacecraft, but parts of pic.twitter.com/zOkdAvKgTV ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 Wearing the trademark deep blue space overalls and sporting a pair of space-themed canvas shoes, PTI quoted the former US Navy captain sharing her experiences from the time when she had got stuck in space when an eight-day mission to the International Space Station turned out to be a challenge of a lifetime as problems cropped up on their Boeing space flight that stretched her stay in orbit to over nine months. On the question of growing number of players in the private sector in space, Williams said: On the space race. I mean, I think there is a space race going on. I think people have talked about that. There is you know, we want to get back to the Moon. We want to get back to the Moon sustainably." We want to get back to the Moon, to sort of start the conversation about rules of engagement, and how we actually work on the Moon, how we work together with other countries on the Moon," the noted astronaut said. So yes, there is a race to ensure that we do this in a productive, democratic way. Just like Antarctica. I mean, its the same type of thing. We want to get back to the Moon so we can all be there at the same time and working together," she said. While lauding the rise in number of private players in the space, the astronaut said: they can contrast and compare different technologies and different methods and different processes these companies are going through, and they can work better as theyre with their with all of their education and their experience. I think its awesome. I think it is great. I think theres more opportunity in the future. Im excited for the space station, having laid that groundwork, that foundation of technologies that we did up there as commercial companies turn some of that into production, potentially for pharmaceuticals, new tech demonstrations for new spacecraft, looking at new spacesuits. All of that is on the horizon because of this commercialisation of Space" She emphasised that the International Space Station (ISS) has laid the groundwork for these commercial ventures. Im excited for the space station having laid that foundation. As commercial companies turn some of that into production, potentially for pharmaceuticals and new tech demonstrations for spacecraft and spacesuits all of that is on the horizon because of this commercialisation," she added. Speaking on the growing concern over orbital clutter, Williams acknowledge that space debris has become a significant challenge over the last decade. We have a lot of space debris up in orbit. You can actually see Starlink satellites crossing our orbit now. This is a field that needs solutions, and it is a good business to be in for those looking to solve how we clean up space," she said. ANI quoted her saying that ISS continues to serve as a critical test bed" for technologies designed to manage satellites and docking systems. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 22:56 IST News india Commercialisation Powering New Space Race, Key To Sustainable Moon Missions: Sunita Williams 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 National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) have completed an investigation into a criminal organization that took control of the capital's land decisions in order to seize valuable land for development, NABU reports. NABU said on Telegram on Tuesday that the deal was uncovered thanks to the large-scale "Clean City" operation. "The perpetrators used the so-called toilet scheme - they registered primitive structures on the plots in order to obtain land outside the competition, allegedly for their maintenance," NABU reminds. According to the report, the group included officials of the Kyiv City State Administration and deputies of the City Council. "The head of the criminal organization, a media-famous former deputy of the Kyiv City Council, controlled land and budget decisions, the appointment and dismissal of officials of the Kyiv City State Administration and the Kyiv Metropolitan Municipality through a wide circle of acquaintances," NABU said. As a result, during 2023-2024, the criminals planned to seize land of the territorial community of Kyiv for more than UAH 81 million. However, thanks to the actions of NABU detectives and SAPO prosecutors, this was prevented. "To hide their machinations, the suspects used special communications, pseudonyms, and counter-surveillance. But this did not prevent the detectives from exposing them in February last year," the report notes. The NABU said that at the end of the year, two more people were informed about the suspicion - the former deputy head of the Kyiv City State Administration and his accomplice. According to the investigation, they planned to take possession of two land plots in Kyiv through the same "toilet scheme." Cultural Soft Power In Motion: PM Modi Elevates Bagurumba Dance To Global Fame Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 18:03 IST Videos and snippets of a Bagurumba event from Assam shared across the Prime Minister's official social media platforms have amassed over 200 million views Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed a breathtaking display of cultural soft power at the Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati, where more than 10,000 Bodo artistes performed the 'Bagurumba Dwhou' (the Bagurumba Wave). Representational photo: Narendra Modi/X The traditional Bagurumba dance of Assams Bodo community has undergone a historic transformation, evolving from a local heritage treasure to a global digital phenomenon. On January 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed a breathtaking display of cultural soft power at the Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati, where more than 10,000 Bodo artistes performed the Bagurumba Dwhou" (the Bagurumba Wave). This mega-event, aimed at securing a Guinness World Record, has catapulted the indigenous art form into the international spotlight, with global search interest for the dance reaching its highest peak in more than two decades. The Modi Effect" on regional culture is most evident in the digital footprint of the performance. Videos and snippets of the Bagurumba dance shared across the Prime Ministers official social media platformsincluding X, Instagram, and YouTubehave collectively amassed over 200 million views. This massive reach has introduced a worldwide audience to the intricate Butterfly Dance", so named for the graceful, fluttering movements of the dancers shawls, which mimic the flora and fauna of the Brahmaputra Valley. By leveraging his massive online following, the Prime Minister has successfully bypassed traditional cultural gatekeepers, ensuring that the Bodo communitys identity is celebrated far beyond the borders of Northeast India. The performance itself was a masterclass in scale and synchronisation. Clad in vibrant yellow and red Dokhna" and Jwmgra" attire, 10,000 women moved in perfect rhythm to the traditional beats of the Kham" (drum), Sifung" (flute), and Serja" (violin). This display of Bagurumba Dwhou 2026" follows a series of similar cultural interventions by the government, including the record-breaking Bihu and Jhumur performances in previous years. Prime Minister Modis presence at the event underscored a broader strategic push to integrate the Northeasts rich tribal heritage into Indias mainstream national narrative, rebranding the region as a hub of cultural tourism and peace. For the Bodo community, this global recognition is not merely an artistic achievement but a symbol of the lasting peace in Bodoland following the 2020 Peace Accord. The Prime Minister noted that the dance reflects the soul of Bharat", where tradition and modernity coexist seamlessly. As international search queries for Bagurumba continue to rise, the event stands as a testament to how traditional folk forms can thrive in the age of viral content, provided they are given a platform of such monumental scale. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 18:03 IST News india Cultural Soft Power In Motion: PM Modi Elevates Bagurumba Dance To Global Fame 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... 'For Dignity Of Shankaracharya Tradition': Why Is Revered Spiritual Guru Protesting At Magh Mela? Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 07:00 IST Swami Avimukteshwaranand's ongoing dharna was triggered by a police confrontation on 'Mauni Amavasya, and he has demanded an apology from Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati outside his camp during the ongoing Magh Mela 2026, at Sangam in Prayagraj on January 19, 2026. (Image: PTI) Wrapped in saffron robes, seated on a cold footpath amid the vast expanse of the Magh Mela at Prayagraj, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati has turned protest into principle. Swami Avimukteshwaranands ongoing dharna, triggered by a police confrontation on Mauni Amavasya, has transformed a dispute over movement and protocol into a wider religious and political flashpoint. He is now demanding a formal apology from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. His protest began after he was allegedly unable to perform the Mauni Amavasya snan, one of the most sacred bathing rituals of the Magh Mela. Since then, he has refused to return to his camp or accept administrative hospitality declaring that he will remain on the footpath until the state government acknowledges what he called an insult to Sanatan tradition and religious authority". For more than 24 hours, Swami Avimukteshwaranand abstained from food and water conducting his daily rituals including pooja and dand-tarpan at the very spot where the police left him. Addressing a press conference from the protest site, he said the issue went beyond personal inconvenience. This is not about Swami Avimukteshwaranand," he said. This is about the dignity of the Shankaracharya tradition. If such conduct is accepted, no saint is safe tomorrow." THE FLASHPOINT The confrontation reportedly took place early on Sunday (January 18), when Mauni Amavasya considered one of the most auspicious days of the Magh Mela drew unprecedented crowds to the Sangam. The administration later said crores of devotees were simultaneously moving toward the ghats, prompting heightened restrictions to prevent a stampede-like situation. Swami Avimukteshwaranand proceeded toward the Sangam in a palanquin a practice his disciples said was followed by shankaracharyas for centuries. But police personnel deployed along the route stopped the procession and requested that he alight and proceed on foot, citing extreme crowd density and safety concerns. Officials said he did not have permission for the procession to move on that route during peak hours. Their request to stop the movement was strongly opposed by his disciples, who argued that established religious protocol cannot be arbitrarily overridden. As tempers flared, supporters attempted to move forward by allegedly breaching police barricades. What began as a verbal dispute soon escalated into jostling between police and disciples. To control the situation, several followers were detained. In the commotion, allegations surfaced that one ascetic was beaten inside a police outpost further escalating tensions. Senior administrative and police officials reached the site and attempted to pacify the spiritual guru, urging cooperation in the interest of public safety. Witnesses said officials folded their hands and appealed for calm. Despite these efforts, the standoff continued for at least two hours with the route to the Sangam remaining tense. As crowd pressure mounted and the impasse showed no signs of resolution, the police decided to pull the palanquin away from the riverfront by nearly a kilometre to ease congestion. During this, a portion of the palanquin reportedly broke allegedly making him unable to perform the Mauni Amavasya snan following which he returned to his camp and announced the protest. ALLEGATIONS AND DEMANDS In his statement, Swami Avimukteshwaranand accused the police and administration of deliberately humiliating saints and acting under political pressure. He linked the incident to his earlier criticism of the state government over alleged mismanagement during stampede-like situations at large religious congregations. He alleged that saints who raise uncomfortable questions, particularly on issues such as cow protection, were being selectively targeted. When we speak for gau mata, obstacles are created," Swami Avimukteshwaranand said, stressing that the incident was neither accidental nor isolated. He demanded an apology from Adityanath, arguing that accountability must come from the highest level. Until then, he said, he will neither take a holy dip nor withdraw his protest. SAFETY TOP PRIORITY: ADMINISTRATION Prayagraj district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma rejected allegations of bias or wrongdoing, saying the situation on Mauni Amavasya was extremely sensitive". Crowd safety was our top priority," he said, adding that supporters had broken barricades and pushed police personnel. Verma said an inquiry into the entire incident, including allegations against the police, is underway. Officials said by Sunday evening, at least 4.5 crore devotees had already taken the holy dip. The Magh Mela area, spread across nearly 800 hectares, has been divided into seven sectors with 8 km of temporary ghats, monitored through CCTV cameras, drones, and AI-based crowd surveillance systems. The episode quickly took on political overtones. Congress leaders visited the shankaracharyas camp, demanding a high-level inquiry and a public apology from the state government. Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav termed the incident an insult to saints and Sanatan traditions, questioning whether administrative failure in crowd management was being masked by targeting religious leaders. Spiritual leader Computer Baba also joined the protest in solidarity, staging a symbolic demonstration near the camp and accusing the administration of repeatedly disrespecting saints. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Prayagraj, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 07:00 IST News india 'For Dignity Of Shankaracharya Tradition': Why Is Revered Spiritual Guru Protesting At Magh Mela? 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 50 Maggi Packets To 20 Kg Rice: Jaish-e-Mohammeds Fortified Bunker Busted In J&Ks Kishtwar Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 18:08 IST According to officials, the terrorists had constructed a Kargil-style fortified bunker with multiple entry points, enabling them to survive harsh winter conditions for months. Officials said that the material was sufficient to sustain the militants for several months. (X) Security forces have busted a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror hideout in rugged and frozen mountains of Jammu and Kashmirs Kishtwar. The hideout, located in the upper reaches of Kishtwar at an altitude of around 12,000 feet, was discovered during a joint cordon-and-search operation launched on Sunday in Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatroo belt. According to officials, the terrorists had constructed a Kargil-style fortified bunker with multiple entry points, enabling them to survive harsh winter conditions for months. As per news reports, security forces found 50 Maggi packets, vegetables such as tomatoes and potatoes, spices of almost 15 types, 20 kg of high quality basmati rice, pulses, cooking gas, and dry wood at the hideout. Officials said that the material was sufficient to sustain the militants for several months. The bunker is suspected to have been used by a JeM commander from Pakistan, identified as Saifullah, and his deputy Adil. Security agencies believed that the construction of such a fortified structure and the transportation of large quantities of rations to such a high-altitude location would not have been possible without local assistance. When on Sunday afternoon troops closed in, the Jaish terrorists threw grenades, injuring seven soldiers, before escaping. Later, one of the soldiers, Havildar Gajendra Singh, died of his injuries. Following the encounter, security forces launched Operation Trashi-I to track down the militants. Officials said two to three JeM terrorists are believed to be hiding in the higher reaches of the area. Multiple teams of the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF, supported by drones and sniffer dogs, are combing the region despite difficult terrain marked by thick forests and steep slopes. In a post on X, the White Knight Corps said Operation Trashi-I continues in Chatroo. The cordon has been further tightened with search operations expanded. Troops of the corps, along with police and CRPF, remain deployed to dominate the area." Multiple teams of the Army, police, and paramilitary forces, supported by drones and sniffer dogs, are combing the area while maintaining a tight security cordon to ensure that the terrorists do not escape, officials said. The busting of the hideout has also exposed a suspected overground support network. Four locals have been detained so far for questioning as agencies probe those who allegedly helped procure and transport rations, utensils and other supplies. This marks the third encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Jammu region this year. Previous encounters occurred in the Kahog and Najote forests in the Billawar area of Kathua district on January 7 and 13, respectively. On December 15 last year, a police officer was killed in an encounter with terrorists at Soan village in the Majalta area of Udhampur district. The terrorists managed to escape, taking advantage of thick foliage and darkness. The encounters followed a major counter-terrorist operation launched in the forest belts of the Jammu region in December last year to flush out nearly three dozen holed-up terrorists. Operations have been further intensified in the run-up to Republic Day to ensure peaceful celebrations, amid intelligence inputs about desperate attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to push more terrorists into the region, officials said. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Kishtwar, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 18:08 IST News india From 50 Maggi Packets To 20 Kg Rice: Jaish-e-Mohammeds Fortified Bunker Busted In J&Ks Kishtwar 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 Kills Friend In Drunken Rage Over Rs 22 Debt In Telanganas Medak Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 21:56 IST While drinking, Mahesh demanded repayment of an old Rs 22 debt from Siraj, which led to a heated argument. After confirming Sirajs death, the accused fled the scene. (Representative image) In a shocking incident, a man was allegedly killed over an old debt of mere Rs 22 following an argument with his friend in Telanganas Medak district. The incident took place last week under the Chegunta police limits. The victim, identified as Mohammad Siraj (30), and the accused, identified as Mahesh Kumar, both natives of Uttar Pradesh, had migrated to Medak for daily wage work in the construction sector. As per reports citing the police, the two friends decided to drink alcohol since it was Sankranti. They consumed liquor under a tree on the Ananthasagar suburbs. While drinking, Mahesh demanded repayment of an old Rs 22 debt from Siraj, which led to a heated argument. In a drunken rage, Mahesh grabbed Siraj by the head and slammed it against the tree. He then picked up a stone nearby and struck Siraj on the head, killing him on the spot. On Jan 15, the two friends decided to drink alcohol since it was Sankranti. They consumed liquor under a tree on the Ananthasagar suburbs. It was then Kumar insisted that Siraj return 23 that he had borrowed from him long ago. An argument broke out between them, and Kumar slammed Sirajs head to the tree," deputy superintendent of police (Toopran) Narender Goud said as quoted by Times of India. After confirming Sirajs death, the accused fled the scene. Locals later spotted the body and alerted the police. Chegunta police registered a case based on a complaint filed by the victims roommate Ravi Kumar. Police arrested the accused on Saturday from the outskirts of Masaipet. A blood-stained shirt worn by the accused and the stone used in the attack were also seized by the police. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Chegunta, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 21:56 IST News india Man Kills Friend In Drunken Rage Over Rs 22 Debt In Telanganas Medak 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... Migrant Worker's Death: Calcutta High Court Orders Central Forces In Violence-Hit Beldanga Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 16:42 IST The Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government to ensure effective use of the central forces already deployed in Murshidabad district Police and security personnel patrol railway tracks following protests over attacks on migrant workers, in the Beldanga area of West Bengal's Murshidabad district on January 17, 2026. (Image: PTI) The Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of central forces to control the unrest at Beldanga in West Bengals Murshidabad district, triggered by the alleged murder of a Bengali migrant worker in Jharkhand. The high court ordered the use of central forces already present in the Murshidabad district. The division bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen directed the deployment of central forces to bring the situation in violence-hit Beldanga under control. It instructed the West Bengal government to ensure effective use of the forces already deployed in the district. The bench directed the superintendent of police and district magistrate to ensure peoples safety and protect their livelihoods. It said a recurrence of such incidents in Beldanga must be prevented. Any untoward situation must be dealt with firmly. The situation has to be brought under control before it goes out of hand," the bench observed. The court noted that it is at present concerned about the protection of peoples lives, livelihoods, and property. The same kind of incident is recurring at the same place. The court is issuing directions to ensure the safety of citizens," it observed. On the issue of an NIA probe, the Calcutta HC said the Centre is free to take steps in accordance with the law. The central government told the court that out of five companies of forces, only one has been deployed so far. Route marches were conducted in the afternoon for 90 minutes on January 16 and for more than two hours on January 17, it said. Responding to the Chief Justice Ghoshs query on deployment in Murshidabad, the government said five companies are deployed in and around Beldanga, eight companies in the Jangipur region, and four companies in the Samserganj region. The court directed the state government to file an affidavit in two weeks. It will hear the matter again after four weeks. WHY DID HC ISSUE ORDER? The HC was hearing a petition filed on Monday (January 19) seeking the deployment of central forces at Beldanga over last weeks violence in connection with alleged attacks on migrant workers in neighbouring states. The PILs lawyer Billwadal Bhattachara questioned why the situation at Beldanga could not be controlled initially with road blocks on the national highway 12 for hours and violence erupting on January 16 and 17. The plea prayed for a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the violence at Beldanga. The high court had in April 2025 ordered the deployment of central forces in Murshidabad district following communal violence that claimed at least two lives, over protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. WHAT HAPPENED IN BELDANGA? On January 16, protesters blocked NH-12 for around six hours over the alleged death of a migrant worker from Beldanga in Jharkhand. A woman journalist, who was covering the violent incidents, was allegedly attacked by some protesters following which the police arrested four persons. On the morning of January 17, road and rail blockades were staged over the alleged heckling of a migrant worker from Murshidabad in Bihar. The situation was brought under control in the afternoon after the police carried out route marches and area domination with additional deployment of personnel. A senior police officer said 30 people were arrested from different places after verifying social media and CCTV footage. (With agency inputs) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 16:42 IST News india Migrant Worker's Death: Calcutta High Court Orders Central Forces In Violence-Hit Beldanga 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... Noida Techie Death: Builder Arrested, SIT Begins Probe Amid Nationwide Outrage Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 20:40 IST The SIT has been asked to complete the investigation within five days and submit a report to the Chief Minister. Abhay Kumar is the owner of MZ Wishtown. (Image: News18) The Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday arrested builder Abhay Kumar, owner of MZ Wishtown, in connection with the death of a 27-year-old software engineer whose car fell into a water-filled pit in Noidas Sector 150. The arrest was made by a team from the Knowledge Park Police Station after the case sparked nationwide outrage, prompting the state government to order a high-level probe. He was sent to one-day judicial custody after being produced in the Surajpur court. Police had registered an FIR against two real estate developers M/s Wishtown Planners and Lotus Greens under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and causing death by negligence. Meanwhile, a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed on the orders of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has begun its investigation. The SIT arrived at the Noida Authority office on Tuesday. Senior officials, including ADG Meerut Bhanu Bhaskar, Police Commissioner Lakshmi Singh, Meerut Divisional Commissioner Bhanu Chand Goswami, and District Magistrate Megha Rupam, were present during the meeting. A team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the ACP of the Knowledge Park Circle also reached the site. ALSO READ: Accumulated Water, Drain Discharge: Warnings Ignored In 2023 Could Have Saved Noida Techies Life The SIT has been tasked with examining the cause of Yuvraj Mehtas death and identifying lapses and negligence. It has been asked to complete the investigation within five days and submit a report to the Chief Minister. The incident occurred in the early hours of January 17, three days ago. Mehta was returning home to Tata Eureka Park society when his car allegedly skidded due to dense fog. The vehicle broke a drain boundary and plunged into a deep pit filled with water at an under-construction commercial site near a drain in Sector 150. The pit, dug for a basement, had collected large amounts of water due to rainfall and continuous discharge from nearby residential drains. Restrictions on releasing excess water into the Hindon River had further increased the water level. Mehtas body was recovered on Saturday morning. A post-mortem conducted on Monday confirmed death due to asphyxia followed by cardiac arrest. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 16:01 IST News india Noida Techie Death: Builder Arrested, SIT Begins Probe Amid Nationwide Outrage 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... 'Reflects Enduring Bond Of Trust': PM Modi Hosts UAE President, His Family Members At 7 LKM Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 07:46 IST PM Modi also posted photographs with Sheikh Mohamed, where both leaders were seen hugging each other. PM Modi welcomes members of the family of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi. (Image: X/@narendramodi) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that it was a pleasure to host the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his family members in Delhi, affirming confidence in both nations comprehensive strategic partnership. The Prime Minister also stated that Sheikh Mohameds visit to India during the UAEs Year of Family lends special significance, reflecting the people-to-people ties between India and the UAE. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday concluded his three-hour visit to New Delhi, during which he met PM Modi and sealed key agreements to enhance cooperation between Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, Happy to have welcomed His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE; His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE; His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; and His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan." Happy to have welcomed His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE; His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs pic.twitter.com/Zdv1fxD3Dj Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 19, 2026 The presence of members of the family of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the UAEs Year of Family lends special significance to the visit. It reflects the enduring bonds of trust and people-to-people ties between India and the UAE and reinforces confidence in a bright future for our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," PM Modi added in another post. PM Modi also posted photographs with Sheikh Mohamed, where both leaders were seen hugging each other. Prime Minister Modi, in a post on X, called it a visit to the airport to welcome my brother". Went to the airport to welcome my brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. His visit illustrates the importance he attaches to a strong India-UAE friendship. Looking forward to our discussions.@MohamedBinZayed pic.twitter.com/Os3FRvVrBc Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 19, 2026 The visit for just three hours comes at a time of heightened tensions in West Asia, including strained Iran-US relations, continued instability in Gaza, and the unresolved Yemen conflict involving Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This was the fifth visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India in the last ten years and his third official visit to India as the President of the UAE. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 07:45 IST News india 'Reflects Enduring Bond Of Trust': PM Modi Hosts UAE President, His Family Members At 7 LKM 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... Sabarimala Gold Theft Case: ED Raids Over 20 Locations In Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 09:16 IST ED raided multiple locations in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in the Sabarimala gold theft case, on Tuesday. Rapid Read The probe relates to alleged irregularities and a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate gold from various artefacts of the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala. (Image: keralatourism.org) Amid an ongoing probe into the Sabarimala gold theft case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches at over 20 locations across three states on Tuesday morning. According to the ED, searches were conducted at about 21 locations in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The federal probe agency recently registered a PMLA case after taking cognisance of an FIR filed by the Kerala police. In Bengaluru, ED officials conducted raids at the Srirampura Ayyappa Temple and the residence of one of its trustees. Teams were seen inspecting premises and examining documents as part of efforts to trace the alleged diversion and misuse of temple gold. Searches were also carried out at premises linked to Unnikrishnan Potti, the main accused in the case. In Karnatakas Ballari district, the ED raided Roddham Jewellery, located on Bengaluru Road, which investigators believe is linked to the alleged theft of gold ornaments from the revered shrine. Earlier, the Kerala Special Investigation Team (SIT) had arrested Govardhan, the owner of the Ballari-based jewellery shop, in connection with the case. The ED also searched Govardhans residence in Ballari as well as premises linked to Smart Creations in Chennai. Additional raids were conducted at the residence of Sabarimala temples chief priest (Tantri), Kandararu Rajeevaru, and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President A Padmakumar. The ED also raided TDB headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. Officials said around 10 ED personnel were involved in some of the coordinated search operations. The case, which has political sensitivities, is already being investigated by a Kerala government-appointed SIT under the supervision of the Kerala High Court. The probe relates to alleged irregularities, official misconduct, administrative lapses and a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate gold from various artefacts of the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala. The SIT investigation focuses on the reported loss of gold from the gold-cladded copper plates of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum). News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 09:16 IST News india Sabarimala Gold Theft Case: ED Raids Over 20 Locations In Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu 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... Saw Her At A Wedding, Got Rejected Later: Photographer Throws Acid On Schoolgirl In Rajasthan Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 10:05 IST The accused reportedly covered his face with a cloth and a helmet and wrapped the bike's number plate with another cloth. 14-year-old girl in Rajasthan was attacked with acid by a stranger for refusing to talk to him. (Representative image) The accused, 19-year-old Omprakash, alias Jani, was apprehended following a three-day search. During the probe, Omprakash revealed that he spotted the girl at a wedding he was covering as a photographer. Later, Omprakash tried to contact the girl, but he was rebuked, which allegedly hurt him. It was then he decided to take revenge. When the girl was on her way to school in the Subhash Park area in Sri Ganganagar district, the accused threw a bottle of acid at her. While the girls clothes and a finger suffered burn injuries, a major tragedy was averted. The accused reportedly covered his face with a cloth and a helmet and wrapped the bikes number plate with another cloth, NDTV reported. The incident was captured on camera, but since the accused had covered his face and vehicle number plate, the police had a difficult time identifying the man. The police scanned CCTV footage from the area and arrested the accused. The police had also announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for anyone providing information about the accused. After three days of search, the police arrested the arrest Omprakash on Monday. Notably, the police paraded the accused through the market to instill fear of the law among the public and to deter similar incidents. Further investigation into the matter is underway. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : 1 GB-A, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 10:05 IST News india Saw Her At A Wedding, Got Rejected Later: Photographer Throws Acid On Schoolgirl In Rajasthan 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... 1 Dead, Many Injured As Helium Cylinder Explodes At Kallakurichi River Festival In Tamil Nadu Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 07:36 IST A helium gas cylinder exploded at the Thenpennai River Festival in Manalurpettai, Kallakurichi, killing one and injuring at least 18. Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed condolences. Explosion in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi (Video screengrab/ANI) At least one person was killed, and several others were injured after a helium gas cylinder exploded during the Thenpennai River Festival in Manalurpettai in Tamil Nadus Kallakurichi on Monday night. The incident occurred at a temporary stall where a cylinder was being used to fill balloons for sale to festival-goers. As per news agency ANI, the District Collector of Tiruvannamalai, K Tharpagaraj, said that one person lost their life and at least 18 others sustained injuries in the explosion. Officials said the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, with some reported to be in a serious condition. #WATCH | Tamil Nadu | One dead and at least 18 injured after a helium cylinder exploded during the Thenpennai River Festival in Manalurpettai in the Kallakurichi district: District Collector of Tiruvannamalai, K. Tharpagaraj(Visuals from the spot) pic.twitter.com/fVufIa2cSc ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2026 Police sources told news agency PTI that the explosion took place inside a small shop that sells balloons filled with helium gas. According to the report, three people were found unconscious at the site of the blast and were immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where they were being examined. A police official was quoted as saying that four others were also injured and admitted to a hospital. Police said further details would be known after medical examinations and official assessments were completed. The explosion triggered panic among the large crowd gathered for the festival, prompting emergency response teams and local authorities to rush to the scene. The area was cordoned off as a precautionary measure, and police initiated inquiries into the circumstances leading to the blast. Officials were examining whether safety protocols for handling compressed gas cylinders were adhered to at the temporary stall. The Thenpennai River Festival, locally known as Aatru Thiruvizha, is a popular annual event celebrated during the Tamil month of Thai. PTI reported that the festival is often held around Thai Poosam and marks the end of the Pongal harvest celebrations. It typically draws large crowds in districts such as Villupuram, Cuddalore and Kallakurichi, with vendors setting up stalls selling food items, toys and balloons. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed condolences to the family of the deceased. In a post on X, Palaniswami said, I am deeply distressed to learn the tragic news that one person lost their life and several others were seriously injured after a helium gas cylinder used to fill balloons exploded at the river festival held in Manalurpet, Kallakurichi District." He added that he extended his deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family" and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured. Palaniswami also urged the state government to provide immediate and appropriate compensation to the family of the deceased and to those injured in the accident. Investigations were underway to ascertain the exact cause of the explosion. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 07:36 IST News india 1 Dead, Many Injured As Helium Cylinder Explodes At Kallakurichi River Festival In Tamil Nadu 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... BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday presided over a symposium for soliciting opinions and suggestions on the draft government work report as well as the draft outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development. Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, heard opinions and suggestions on the two documents from representatives from academia, the business community, and sectors including education, science, culture, public health, and sports. Li stressed the need to thoroughly implement the CPC Central Committee's recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan and the decisions made at the Central Economic Work Conference, using the certainty of high-quality development to address the uncertainties in the development environment. He called for efforts to carry forward high-quality development as the guiding goal and implement a more proactive fiscal policy and a moderately loose monetary policy. Li emphasized the need to broaden the pathways to realizing high-quality development, strengthen innovation-driven growth, deepen reform and opening up, place strategic emphasis on expanding domestic demand, and steadily increase the internal momentum of development. He also urged closely integrating pro-people policies with consumption promotion, and combining investment in physical assets with investment in human capital to foster new drivers of economic growth and continuously enhance public welfare. The draft government work report and the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development are also circulated to localities and government departments nationwide for solicitation of opinions. Russian strikes disrupt operation of several power substations important for nuclear safety, Chernobyl NPP is out of power IAEA Photo: https://www.facebook.com/ As a result of a massive missile and drone attack on January 20, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant completely lost its external power supply, and electrical substations that are important for the nuclear safety of Ukrainian nuclear power plants were also damaged, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported, citing the agency's Director General Rafael Grossi. " Several Ukrainian electrical substations vital for nuclear safety were affected by widespread military activity this morning," the IAEA reported on the X social network on Tuesday. In addition, according to its information, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant completely lost all external power supply. "The Chernobyl nuclear power plant lost all external power supply, and power transmission lines to other nuclear power plants were also damaged," the post says. According to Grossi, the IAEA is actively monitoring the development of events to assess their impact on nuclear safety. Two Killed In Assams Kokrajhar As Violence Erupts After Youths Murder; Mobile Internet Suspended Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 14:55 IST Public anger spilled onto the Karigaon stretch of National Highway, where protesters blocked roads, bringing vehicular movement to a halt. (File photo) At least two people have been killed in violent unrest in Assams Kokrajhar district following the brutal killing of a youth, triggering widespread protests, arson and severe disruption to daily life. The situation remains tense, with authorities deploying heavy security forces and suspending mobile internet services to prevent further escalation. The victims have been identified as Sikhna Jwhwlao Bismit and Sunil Murmu. Bismit was allegedly beaten to death during a clash between two groups, while Murmu later succumbed to injuries sustained during the protests that followed the killing. Public anger spilled onto the Karigaon stretch of National Highway, where protesters blocked roads, bringing vehicular movement to a halt. As tensions mounted, mobs allegedly torched two temporary camps of the Birsa Commando Force and vandalised properties, including the Sidu Kanhu Bhawan. Several shops were also set on fire, raising fears of further violence. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 14:55 IST News india Two Killed In Assams Kokrajhar As Violence Erupts After Youths Murder; Mobile Internet Suspended 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... Victory Lap At 12 Months: White House Hails Trumps America First Comeback Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 20:31 IST As the White House asserts that this era is 'just getting started', the post on X signals a commitment to further disruptive change The administration has highlighted several pivotal achievements from the past twelve months. (File photo) The White House official account on X has declared the return of strength" and the definitive arrival of the America First" era, marking exactly one year since Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States. The post, which was reposted by Trump and has quickly amassed millions of impressions, serves as a victory lap for an administration that has spent the last twelve months aggressively dismantling the policies of its predecessor while radically reshaping the American executive branch. The one year ago" reference points to the historic events of January 20, 2025, when Donald Trump became only the second president in American history to serve non-consecutive terms. Since that day, the administration has moved with unprecedented speed to implement its so-called Agenda 47" platform. Central to this first-year retrospective is the administrations claim of an era of winning", underpinned by a series of high-impact executive orders aimed at border security, deregulation, and the assertion of American dominance in global trade. One year ago, everything changed.The return of strength. The return of America First. The era of winning is here and its just getting started.MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN pic.twitter.com/Fgr1KGH5j9 The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 20, 2026 The administration has highlighted several pivotal achievements from the past twelve months: The execution of the largest domestic deportation operation in American history, utilising emergency military funding to secure the southern border and construct sprawling transit facilities. The formal withdrawal from the Paris Agreement for a second time, accompanied by the rescinding of dozens of EPA regulations to fast-track fossil fuel extraction. The implementation of a universal baseline tariff on most foreign imports, coupled with a 60 per cent tariff on all Chinese goods to force a decoupling" of the two economies. The reinstatement of Schedule F", which successfully stripped civil service protections from thousands of federal employees, allowing for a radical overhaul of the Deep State". The National Energy Emergency" declaration, which opened vast tracts of federal land and Arctic waters to immediate oil and gas drilling. Trump has also said that Venezuela has offered Washington 50 million barrels of oil" worth USD 5.2 billion, and he has agreed to that deal. The development came after the US captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a military operation. The brokering of the New Abraham Accords", which sought to further realign Middle Eastern security interests while reducing direct American military involvement. The successful nomination and confirmation of over fifty conservative federal judges, ensuring a judicial legacy that prioritises originalist interpretations of the law. The launch of the American Academy", a federally funded online university aimed at providing credentialled education free of woke" curriculum. The signing of the Reciprocal Trade Act", giving the President unprecedented unilateral power to match the tariff levels of any nation that imposes levies on American goods. The formal termination of the Department of Educations federal oversight, shifting significant portions of school funding and policy control back to individual states. As the White House asserts that this era is just getting started", the post signals a commitment to further disruptive change. With a focus on winning", the administration is telegraphing its intent to maintain a permanent campaign footing as it moves into its second year, prioritising national sovereignty and domestic industrial power over multilateral cooperation. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 20:26 IST News india Victory Lap At 12 Months: White House Hails Trumps America First Comeback 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... 5 Thoughtfully Curated Reads For This Book Fair Season Curated By : Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 22:08 IST From reflective literary fiction and contemporary poetry to immersive young adult adventures, this selection brings together stories that resonate across generations and genres. As the book fair season unfolds, it offers the perfect opportunity to slow down, browse widely and reconnect with the joy of reading. Book fairs are celebrations of ideas, imagination and discovery, spaces where readers of all ages come together to explore new voices and familiar favourites. As the book fair season unfolds, it offers the perfect opportunity to slow down, browse widely and reconnect with the joy of reading. With a collection of over 23,000 books and more than 2,500 audio and e-books across genres, the British Councils Digital Library showcases global voices and storytelling formats that suit every kind of reader. With the 2026 book fair season in full swing, the British Council suggests five thoughtfully chosen reads to add to your list. From reflective literary fiction and contemporary poetry to immersive young adult adventures, this curated selection brings together stories that resonate across generations and genres. 1. Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout Set in autumnal Maine, Tell Me Everything follows town lawyer Bob Burgess as he becomes entangled in a murder case while forming a deep, sustaining friendship with writer Lucy Barton. The novel unfolds through shared conversations and stories of unrecorded lives" memories, regrets and quiet moments that shape who we are. Brimming with empathy and emotional insight, Elizabeth Strouts novel explores how love and human connection, in all their subtle forms, help us endure. 2. Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton Blending memoir with nature writing, Raising Hare is a tender account of care, coexistence and observation. Chloe Dalton reflects on her experience of raising a wild hare, offering readers a gentle meditation on humanitys relationship with the natural world. Thoughtful and immersive, this book appeals to readers drawn to personal stories rooted in ecology and empathy. 3. With Love, Grief and Fury by Salena Godden Salena Goddens With Love, Grief and Fury is a powerful exploration of love, loss, and resilience through lyrical prose and poetry. Drawing on personal experiences and wider reflections, the book navigates grief and joy with honesty and artistry, inviting readers to reflect on the emotional threads that connect us all. 4. Skipshock by Caroline ODonoghue Skipshock is a dazzling, genre-defying fantasy romance that explores love, time, and survival across interconnected worlds. When schoolgirl Margo meets Moon, a traveling salesman navigating a network of shifting time zones, their fates become intertwined. In this universe, moving north speeds up time, while moving south slows it, creating worlds where youth, wealth, and danger are unequally distributed. Told through the perspectives of both Margo and Moon, ODonoghues inventive narrative blends adventure, romance, and philosophical reflection, making Skipshock a thrilling and unforgettable first entry in a planned duology. 5. The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell From one of the most celebrated voices in childrens literature, The Poisoned King is a thrilling fantasy that combines adventure with heart. Richly imagined and beautifully written, the story invites young readers into a world of courage, loyalty and moral choice perfect for sparking curiosity and a lifelong love of reading. From introspective literary fiction and evocative nonfiction to imaginative tales for young readers, these five titles reflect the diversity and depth of stories worth discovering this book fair season. As book lovers converge at the 49th Chennai Book Fair (821 January 2026) and the International Kolkata Book Fair (22 January3 February 2026), the British Councils stalls offer opportunities to receive book fair-exclusive special offers and engaging activities for visitors in both cities. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 22:08 IST News lifestyle 5 Thoughtfully Curated Reads For This Book Fair Season Sanya Malhotras Leather Trench Moment Redefines Quiet Power Dressing Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 16:18 IST A brown leather trench, sharp tailoring, and quiet confidence - inside Sanya Malhotras latest power look. Sanya Malhotra was styled by Stacey Cardoz. There is a certain kind of authority that doesnt demand attention. It earns it. Sanya Malhotras latest sartorial moment taps into that exact frequency. Stepping out against Delhis winter backdrop, the actor delivered a look that felt grounded, deliberate, and refreshingly free of theatrics. Shared on social media with the caption, Delhi being the perfect backdrop", the post captured more than just an outfit. In an era of exaggerated silhouettes and overt glamour, Sanya Malhotras restraint felt quietly radical. At the core of the look was a brown leather trench coat, structured yet fluid, layered over a sharply tailored power suit. The combination struck a careful balance between softness and strength. Leather, often associated with rebellion, was recontextualised here as refined and composed, while the suit beneath grounded the ensemble in classic authority. The colour palette earthy, warm, and seasonally apt allowed the craftsmanship and fit to take centre stage. It was winter dressing with intention, not excess. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sanya Malhotra (@sanyamalhotra_) Accessories were kept deliberate and minimal. Statement earrings introduced just enough visual interest, offering contrast without overpowering the look. The beauty styling followed suit: softly highlighted eyes, winged eyeliner, and an otherwise restrained makeup palette reinforced the ensembles composed energy. Nothing competed for attention. Everything worked in harmony. Sanyas style has long echoed her career choices measured, thoughtful, and rooted in substance. As an actor known for emotional range and fearless storytelling, she embodies a contemporary idea of power that values clarity over dominance. This look, like her performances, didnt rely on exaggeration. It relied on conviction. What makes the ensemble resonate is its relatability. Its aspirational without being alienating a reminder that modern boss dressing is less about commanding a room and more about being fully at ease within it. Sanya Malhotras latest appearance reinforces a growing shift in fashion language: power doesnt need to be loud to be lasting. Sometimes, its the quietest statements that carry the most weight. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 16:18 IST News lifestyle fashion Sanya Malhotras Leather Trench Moment Redefines Quiet Power Dressing Valentino Garavani Leaves Behind $1.5 Billion Empire: Who Will Inherit His Fashion Legacy? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 13:25 IST Inside the life, wealth, and cultural legacy of fashions last true emperor, Valentino Garavani. Valentino Garavani passed away at the age of 93. When Valentino Garavani passed away in Rome on January 19, 2026, at the age of 93, he left behind far more than an unmatched couture legacy. The designer, often called Italys fashion emperor, also left an estimated fortune of $1.5 billion, reigniting a question that has quietly followed him for decades: Who inherits the empire of a man with no children, but immense power, property, and prestige? As the fashion world mourns, the focus has inevitably shifted from runways to real estate, from couture gowns to carefully constructed trusts. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti (@fondazionevggg) An Empire Built On Elegance And Precision Valentino Garavanis rise from a fashion-obsessed child in Voghera to a global symbol of refinement is well documented. After training in Paris and opening his Roman atelier in 1960, Valentino didnt just dress women, he dressed influence. His clientele included Jacqueline Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Sophia Loren, cementing his status as the couturier of political power and cinematic glamour. By the 1990s, Valentino had expanded far beyond couture. Ready-to-wear, accessories, fragrances, and licensing deals turned the house into a global luxury machine. The brands sale in 1998 for approximately $300 million ensured financial security long before his retirement in 2008. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti (@fondazionevggg) Giancarlo Giammetti: The Anchor Of The Legacy At the centre of Valentinos personal and professional universe stood Giancarlo Giammetti. The two met in 1960, and from that moment on, Giammetti became not only Valentinos business partner but also his life partner and strategic mind. With no direct heirs, Valentino reportedly structured his estate through private trusts alongside Giammetti, using cross-border wealth planning and Italian inheritance law to preserve control and continuity. The arrangement ensured that the empire would not fragment, dilute, or fall prey to public disputes, which is a rarity in fashion dynasties. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Valentino Garavani (@realmrvalentino) A Fortune Beyond Fashion Valentinos $1.5 billion net worth extends far beyond his namesake label. His assets reportedly include a Roman villa, a French chateau, a 19th-century London mansion, a Swiss chalet, and a Manhattan penthouse. Unlike many modern billionaires, Valentino avoided tech investments, favouring art, architecture, and cultural patronage. In 1990, he founded Accademia Valentino in Rome, reinforcing his belief that luxury should serve culture, not just commerce. Ultimately, Valentino Garavanis true inheritance may not lie in bank accounts or buildings. It lives on in a global brand still trading on his name, in red gowns that remain unmatched, and in an idea of elegance that resisted trends. The fortune will be distributed quietly. The legacy, however, is already immortal. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 13:25 IST News lifestyle fashion Valentino Garavani Leaves Behind $1.5 Billion Empire: Who Will Inherit His Fashion Legacy? Inside Saif Ali Khans Doha Retreat: A Quiet Luxury Home By The Marina Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 16:08 IST Saif Ali Khans Doha home blends modern design, privacy, and marina views in one of Qatars most exclusive addresses. Saif Ali Khans Qatar home blends understated luxury with waterfront calm. (Image: Instagram/srresidencesqatar) For Saif Ali Khan, luxury has never been about excess. It has always been about space, stillness, and intention. His newest residence in Doha reflects exactly that philosophy. Nestled within The Residences at The St Regis Marsa Arabia Island on The Pearl, Qatars most coveted waterfront enclave, the actors latest home offers a serene counterpoint to the public life he leads in India. The property joins an already enviable portfolio that includes the historic Pataudi Palace and a contemporary apartment in Mumbais Bandra, but this Doha address is different. It is designed not as a statement, but as a sanctuary. In a video shared by St Regis Residences Qatar, Saif Ali Khan offered a rare glimpse into his new home, explaining the emotional logic behind the choice. Its peaceful. Its luxurious, and its very private," he said. What draws him back to this space, he added, is its sense of retreat. Its secluded, and its a wonderful place to come and think and unwind and to get away from a hectic life," he shared, articulating what many global homeowners now seek: privacy without isolation. Inside The Residence: Understated, Thoughtful Luxury View this post on Instagram A post shared by St. Regis Residences Qatar (@srresidencesqatar) The two-bedroom residence is anchored in a restrained palette of dark wood and soft cream, creating a timeless atmosphere that prioritises comfort over spectacle. High ceilings with surface lighting enhance the sense of openness, while marble floors, panelling, and linen curtains layered with blinds lend the interiors quiet sophistication. Artworks punctuate the space with personality, while plush carpeting in the bedrooms and a generous walk-in closet add practical indulgence. In the living area, a modern wooden cabinet serves as a focal point, complemented by a glass centre table, a dining nook, vintage-inspired printed sofas, and a richly textured carpet. The Balcony That Seals The Deal If the interiors offer calm, the balcony delivers poetry. Overlooking the marina, framed by palm trees and the Doha skyline, it is Saifs favourite corner of the home. It has to be this balcony. Thats where the sun sets. And every night the lights come on in the marina, and its a lovely place to sit," he said. Furnished sparingly with elegant patio seating and softened by ambient sconce lighting, the outdoor space captures the essence of the residence. In Doha, Saif Ali Khan has found more than a property. He has created a refuge that mirrors his evolving sense of home, where discretion, design, and tranquillity converge. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 16:06 IST News lifestyle Inside Saif Ali Khans Doha Retreat: A Quiet Luxury Home By The Marina Akshay Kumars Car Accident: Autorickshaw Crushed, Need Help For Treatment, Says Drivers Brother Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 13:21 IST The incident reportedly took place after a car hit an auto-rickshaw from behind, causing it to overturn and ram into Akshay's escort vehicle Rapid Read (bottom right) The car from actor Akshay Kumar's security entourage that was hit by an autorickshaw (left) after the three-wheeler was struck by another vehicle. (PTI) Mohammed Sameer, the brother of the autorickshaw driver involved in a collision with actor Akshay Kumars security car near his Juhu residence, is seeking help for medical treatment. On Monday night, Kumars security vehicle was involved in a serious road accident in Juhu after a chain collision. As per the Mumbai Police, two people got injured following a collision between two cars and an auto rickshaw. The incident reportedly took place after a car hit an auto-rickshaw from behind, causing it to overturn and ram into Akshays escort vehicle. #WATCH | Mumbai | Brother of the auto-rickshaw driver who got injured in the accident, Mohammed Sameer says, This incident happened around 8 to 8.30 pm. My brother was driving the rickshaw when Akshay Kumars Innova and a Mercedes were behind it. When the Mercedes hit the https://t.co/2AoRuMIQzs pic.twitter.com/hMucT6mSvB ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 Speaking to ANI, Sameer said, This incident happened around 8 to 8.30 pm. My brother was driving the rickshaw with a passenger present in the backseat when actor Akshay Kumars Innova and a Mercedes were behind them. When the Mercedes hit the Innova, the Innova crashed into the rickshaw. As a result, my brother and the passenger were trapped under it. The entire rickshaw was destroyed, and my brother is in a very serious condition." Sameer further said, They asked us to leave the spotMy only request is that my brother should receive proper treatment and that compensation is provided for the damage to the rickshaw. We dont want anything else." #WATCH | Mumbai | Two people got injured following a collision between two cars and an auto rickshaw in the Juhu area last night. Bollywood actor Akshay Kumars escort car was involved in the accident. The injured person was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment: Mumbai Police pic.twitter.com/OTunJVmnNq ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 We took my brother to Criti care, but we are poor people, we wont be able to afford it. My brother is in critical condition, and I want him to recover, that is all," he said. Meanwhile, videos from the accident site emerged online, capturing locals helping authorities pull an injured man safely from the wreckage. The Juhu police have registered a case of rash and negligent driving against the Mercedes driver, and further investigation is underway. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 13:18 IST News movies Akshay Kumars Car Accident: Autorickshaw Crushed, Need Help For Treatment, Says Drivers Brother Akshay Kumar's Car Accident: Driver Arrested, Accused Of Being 'Reckless' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 15:31 IST It should be noted that neither Akshay Kumar nor Twinkle Khanna has reacted to the incident as of now. Rapid Read Akshay Kumar's security car involved in a chain collision in Juhu, Mumbai. Hours after Akshay Kumars security car met with an accident, the Juhu Police Station in Mumbai has now arrested the driver of the speeding vehicle. As reported by the news agency ANI, the driver has been charged with being reckless and negligent. The accused has been identified as Radheshyam Rai and has been charged under sections 281, 125(A), and 125(B) of the BNS. More details about the incident are awaited. What Happened With Akshay Kumars Security Car? On Monday night, Akshay Kumars security vehicle was involved in a serious road accident in Juhu after a chain collision. As per the Mumbai Police, two people got injured following a collision between two cars and an auto rickshaw. The incident reportedly took place after a car hit an auto-rickshaw from behind, causing it to overturn and ram into Akshays escort vehicle. Several videos from the accident site have also surfaced on social media. Talking about the incident, Mohammed Sameer, the drivers brother, told ANI, This incident happened around 8 to 8.30 pm. My brother was driving the rickshaw with a passenger present in the backseat when actor Akshay Kumars Innova and a Mercedes were behind them. When the Mercedes hit the Innova, the Innova crashed into the rickshaw. As a result, my brother and the passenger were trapped under it. The entire rickshaw was destroyed, and my brother is in a very serious condition." Akshay Was Returning From Anniversary Trip Abroad The accident happened just hours after Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna returned to Mumbai from a special trip abroad, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. The couple had shared moments from their vacation on social media, receiving love and admiration from fans. However, it should be noted that neither Akshay nor Twinkle has reacted to the incident as of now. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 15:31 IST News movies bollywood Akshay Kumar's Car Accident: Driver Arrested, Accused Of Being 'Reckless' Ranveer Singh's Mom Flaunts Granddaughter Dua's Name On Her Hand, Pic Goes Viral Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 10:10 IST A picture of Ranveer Singhs mother Anju Bhavnani proudly flaunting her granddaughter Dua Padukone Singhs name has left fans gushing! Rapid Read Ranveer Singh's Mom Flaunts Granddaughter Dua's Name On Her Hand, Pic Goes Viral Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone are proud parents to their one-year-old daughter, Dua Padukone Singh, whom they welcomed in September 2024. The couple revealed their little ones face for the first time in October last year, sharing a set of adorable pictures that instantly won hearts. While Dua is undoubtedly the centre of Ranveer and Deepikas world, she is also equally cherished by her doting grandmother, Ranveers mother, Anju Bhavnani. A picture that is going viral on Instagram shows Anju Bhavnani flaunting Duas name on her hand. Ranveer Singhs Mom Flaunts Duas Name A photo that has been widely shared on Deepika and Ranveers fan pages shows Anju Bhavnani proudly flaunting her granddaughter Duas name written with henna on her hand. The picture seems to have been clicked at a wedding, and Anju Bhavnani is seen in a lime green ethnic outfit, posing happily as she shows off the beautiful, minimal mehendi featuring Duas name. Fans couldnt help but gush over the sweet gesture, and while one netizen commented, Duas dadi is the coolest," another one wrote, Baby Dua is so loved." Check out the picture below! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) Earlier, in December 2024, Anju Bhavnani donated her hair to mark the third-month birthday of her granddaughter Dua. The touching moment quickly went viral on social media, with fans of Ranveer and Deepika Padukone sharing screenshots of Anjus heartfelt note dedicated to little Dua. Anju wrote, Happy 3rd month birthday my darling Dua. Marking this special day with a gesture of love and hope. As we celebrate the joy and beauty of Dua growing up, we are also reminded of the power of goodness and kindness. Hoping that this small act might bring comfort and confidence to someone going through a difficult time." Meanwhile, Ranveer and Deepika celebrated Christmas and New Year 2026 in New York together. They also attended their friends wedding there. Several photos and videos of the couple posing with their fans in NYC went viral on social media in the last few weeks. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 10:10 IST News movies bollywood Ranveer Singh's Mom Flaunts Granddaughter Dua's Name On Her Hand, Pic Goes Viral Varun Dhawan Visits Shiv Mandir, Seeks Blessings Ahead Of Border 2 Release | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 19:56 IST Border 2 shows Varun Dhawan play the role of Colonel Hoshiar Singh Dahiya PVC, who led his troops with unflinching courage during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. Rapid Read Border 2 releases in theatres on January 23, 2026. (Photo Credits: Instagram) Varun Dhawan is currently gearing up for the release of his upcoming movie, Border 2. On Tuesday, i.e. days ahead of the films release, the actor visited a Shiv mandir in Mumbai to seek blessings. In a video that India Forums shared on social media, Varun was seen praying with folded hands at the temple. The actor also greeted the priests as he hoped for Border 2s success. For his temple visit, Varun Dhawan sported a brown jacket with blue jeans. He was also accompanied by his team as he visited the temple. Varun Dhawans temple visits are not limited to this one. Previously, the actor also visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar to seek blessings for his film. View this post on Instagram A post shared by India Forums (@indiaforums) Border 2 shows Varun Dhawan play the role of Colonel Hoshiar Singh Dahiya PVC, who led his troops with unflinching courage during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, and was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his heroism, Indias highest military honour. While Varuns fans are excited for his performance in Border 2, a section of social media users has also been trolling him lately. Recently, Suniel Shetty also came out in Varuns support and slammed those bashing the actor. Has anybody seen the film (Border 2)? Nobody has seen the film. Weve seen glimpses of the film. Varun Dhawan will kill it in the film, hes outstanding. Varun is not playing himself; he is playing a decorated officer whos given his life for the country. So, I think we should think a little bit before we go out there and say these things. Today, its very easy to trash someone and run them down," he told Bombay Times. Directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 also stars Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty, and is scheduled to release in theatres on January 23, 2026. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 19:56 IST News movies bollywood Varun Dhawan Visits Shiv Mandir, Seeks Blessings Ahead Of Border 2 Release | Watch Photo: https://x.com/andrii_sybiha Russia is systematically attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure to create risks of power outages at nuclear facilities, including the Chornobyl NPP and other NPPs, Kyiv calls on the IAEA Board of Governors to respond decisively, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said. "While Russian officials speak about the 'importance' of power lines, their forces deliberately strike substations, directly endangering nuclear safety and defying repeated IAEA warnings. This has nothing to do with 'Atoms for Peace.' It is the use of nuclear risk as a tool of coercion," Sybiha wrote on X. He stressed that Russia's reckless attacks threaten nuclear security. "Ukraine is intensifying its engagement with the IAEA. We call on the IAEA Board of Governors to react decisively and urgently convene a meeting of the Board of Governors and decide on the matter of Russias presence in the Board," the minister wrote. "Our position is that a terrorist state that deliberately creates nuclear safety risks has no place there," he added. Brooklyn Beckham Claims Parents David & Victoria Beckham 'Disrespected' His Wife: 'Will Never Reconcile' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 04:33 IST Brooklyn Beckham has publicly accused his parents David and Victoria Beckham of disrespecting his wife Nicola Peltz and says he no longer wants to reconcile. Brooklyn Beckham Unfollows Parents Amid Ongoing Family Rift. Brooklyn Beckham has once again spoken out publicly against his parents, David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, accusing them of ruining his marriage to actor Nicola Peltz. In a strongly worded statement shared on social media, Brooklyn alleged long-standing disrespect towards his wife and claimed that media narratives about their family have been controlled" by his parents and their team. The eldest Beckham son said he had stayed silent for years in an attempt to keep the matter private but felt compelled to speak out after repeated reports in the press. He also made it clear that he has no intention of reconciling with his family at this point. Brooklyn Beckham Calls Out Parents Publicly Taking to his official Instagram handle, Brooklyn addressed the situation head-on, admitting that he had tried to maintain peace for a long time. He wrote, Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed. I do not want to reconcile with my family. Im not being controlled, Im standing up for myself for the first time in my life." Brooklyn further alleged that his wife Nicola has been consistently disrespected" by his family. He claimed that while he and Nicola made efforts to spend time with his parents privately, they were often only welcomed at events involving media presence. According to Brooklyn, even during personal milestones, meaningful time together was denied. It Was A Slap In The Face Detailing one such incident, Brooklyn recalled travelling to London for David Beckhams birthday celebrations. He wrote, Despite this, we still travelled to London for my dads birthday and were rejected for a week as we waited in our hotel room trying to plan quality time with him. He refused all of our attempts, unless it was at his big birthday party with a hundred guests and cameras at every corner." He further added that when a meeting was finally agreed upon, it came with a painful condition. When he finally agreed to see me, it was under the condition that Nicola wasnt invited. It was a slap in the face. Later, when my family travelled to LA, they refused to see me at all." Brooklyn concluded his message by firmly rejecting claims that his wife controls him. He instead blamed his family situation for his mental health struggles, saying that his overwhelming anxiety" disappeared after stepping away. My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family," he wrote. Tensions between the Beckhams are believed to date back to 2022, around Brooklyn and Nicolas lavish wedding, where Nicola wore a Valentino gown instead of a design by Victoria Beckham. While both families denied any fallout at the time, sources have long suggested it marked the beginning of deeper rifts. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Los Angeles, United States of America (USA) First Published: January 20, 2026, 04:33 IST News movies hollywood Brooklyn Beckham Claims Parents David & Victoria Beckham 'Disrespected' His Wife: 'Will Never Reconcile' Suriyas Arrival At Mumbai Airport Is Star Power On Full Display Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 14:32 IST Despite the chaos, Suriya kept it low-key and composed as he greeted fans and photographers at the Mumbai airport. Suriya even posed with some of his lucky fans.(Photo Credit : Instagram) Mumbais airport turned into a celebrity hotspot as Suriya touched down in the city post-Pongal festivities. Fans and photographers were quick to spot the superstar and within moments, the terminal was buzzing with excitement. The moment he stepped out, the crowd rushed, and the sound of camera clicks echoed through the air as everyone tried to catch a glimpse of the Tamil superstar. Despite the chaos, Suriya kept it low-key and composed. With his head slightly down, he carefully made his way from the terminal to his waiting car, ensuring the woman accompanying him was safely escorted. But he didnt completely avoid the crowd. For a moment, he paused, waved, and clicked photos with some lucky fans. The selfies and candid interactions only added to the vibe as fans tried to capture every fleeting moment. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani) Dressed in effortless style, Suriya kept it simple in a white tee layered with a sleek black jacket. He paired it with formal pants and elevated the look with sunglasses. His humble demeanour shone through as he interacted with the crowd. Latest Update On Karuppu Meanwhile, an update on Suriyas upcoming film Karuppu has sent fans into frenzy. The film directed by RJ Balaji is set to arrive in cinemas soon but the release date has not been confirmed yet. Addressing the same, RJ Balaji released a video last week and updated fans about the delay in the release of the film. He assured fans, For all Suriya fans, cinema lovers, and Karuppu enthusiasts, heres some good news. Weve already released 473 posters across Diwali, New Year, and other festivals, so there will be no special Pongal poster today. The next official update will come with the second song release along with the release date." Suriyas Role In Karuppu Karuppu will see Suriya playing the role of millionaire Ayyanaar Swami against RJ Balaji who, besides being the director, takes the role of the antagonist in the film. The star cast also includes Trisha, Yogi Babu, Natty Nataraj and Swasika. According to the reports, the film is touted to be a courtroom investigation drama which is expected to be released in May this year. Suriyas last film was Retro alongside Pooja Hegde. It is available for streaming on Netflix. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 14:32 IST News telugu-cinema Suriyas Arrival At Mumbai Airport Is Star Power On Full Display Opinion | AR Rahmans Victim Card, Clarification And The Backlash Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 14:53 IST In light of AR Rahmans mask falling off, one waits to see whether the makers of the upcoming Ramayan will rethink their decision of retaining him as music director Rapid Read In his Oscar acceptance speech, AR Rahman credited the achievement to Allah. (File) Dileep Kumar Rajagopala, a.k.a. Allah Rakha Rahman, a first-generation Muslim convert, is an unlikely creation of two Tamil Brahmins K. Balachander and Mani Ratnam. His creation was birthed in the womb of an ugly spat between Balachander and Ratnam on one side and Ilaiyaraaja on the other. Then the reigning monarch of Tamil film music, Ilaiyaraaja, was universally feared for his blunt candour but was never crossed because every song that his genius created was a sure-shot chart-topper. Mani Ratnams 1992 Roja was the wrecking ball that displaced Ilaiyaraajas musical suzerainty. More than fifty per cent of the movies extraordinary success owes to Rahmans music which sounded fresh to the 1970s and 80s generations, which had just stepped into college and high school. His music also coincided with the arrival of new-gen Tamil directors like S. Shankar. Rahman became unstoppable. Comparisons with Ilaiyaraaja one of his former Gurus became inevitable as we shall see. Needless, Bollywood too, came calling. Ramgopal Varma roped him in for Rangeela. Subhash Ghai enlisted him for Taal. He also scored popular music for the 2006 Communist propaganda film Rang De Basanti. Rahmans non-film musical repertoire is also quite substantial. In 1997, the Government of India hired him to do music for Indias national song, Vande Mataram; what we got was a singularly jarring piece sung in Rahmans singularly unmusical voice; it was an affront inflicted upon the original tune set in the mellifluous Desh Raag a highly appropriate choice of Raag. In 2010, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi recruited him to compose music for Jai Jai Garvi Gujarat commemorating the golden jubilee (Swarnim Gujarat) of the formation of the Gujarat state. His 2008 Academy award for Slumdog Millionaire followed by a Grammy in 2010 catapulted him to global renown. His dream run marched apace roughly till the end of the 2010s decade although new entrants in Tamil film music were edging him out brash stormtroopers like Anirudh had pretty much usurped Rahmans place. In a way, Rahman had himself scripted his slide into irrelevance hastened by these enfants terribles through his wanton use of technology to produce" and not create music. Rahman is the herald of the deplorable culture of replacing years of rigorous voice culture by AutoTune. Ilaiyaraaja is the last of the truly original geniuses hailing from a fecund, film musical tradition pioneered and nourished by the likes of KL Saigal, Pankaj Mallik, SD Burman, Salil Chowdhury, C Ramachandra, Madan Mohan, Naushad, OP Nayyar, Khayyam, CR Subbaraman, K.V. Mahadevan, Ramamurthy, Viswanathan, Dakshinamurthy Master, Ghantasala, Pendyala Nageshwara Rao, Saluri Rajeswar Rao, TV Raju, G.K. Venkatesh, Rajan-Nagendra, Upendra Kumar, TG Lingappa and Vijayabhaskar. Rahman sounded the death-knell of this tradition through his innovative sound engineering that put machines at the centre of music composition thereby supplanting human creativity. The succeeding generation saw through such music" for what it really was a highly lucrative game of sound production. This phenomenon also coincided with a larger phenomenon in filmmaking the rapid erosion of the primacy of songs, which were an inevitable part of Indian cinema, a tradition that hails back to Bharatamunis Natyasastra. The most enduring film music in any Indian language is enduring because it often took about a year to compose. Today, it takes a few minutes to churn out an entire music album; AI will only worsen this aural deadening. The other pronounced contrast between composers of Ilaiyaraajas vintage and the generation spawned by A.R. Rahman is more fundamental. Ever since his decline in Tamil cinema, Ilaiyaraaja has never complained or played victim; on the contrary, he quietly pursued what in his own words, was a sacred calling composing music as a means to sate the creative impulse and as a form of devotion, irrespective of monetary returns. At 81, he stunned the world with his Valiant symphony in the Royal Philharmonic, London. The career trajectories of Ilaiyaraaja and Rahman couldnt have been starker. The former firmly stuck to his cultural and spiritual roots moored in Sanatana Dharma whereas the latter has built a massive business empire based on a shrewd mix of Sufi piety, personal branding and decades of career planning. While none should begrudge Rahmans material success, reasonable, career-related questions arise in light of his recent interview with the BBC where he alleged communal bias against him in Bollywood and accused the 2025 movie Chhava of cashing in on divisiveness." He composed its music and his fee is estimated at a whopping Rs 3 crore per song. The source of Rahmans ire is his admission that over the past eight years, he has seen dwindling opportunities from Bollywood, ostensibly for communal things." The instant reprisal that erupted was, putting it mildly, entirely deserved. A majority of outrage likened his statement to sullying the plate in which he ate. Even an otherwise toxic Twitter handle like @kamaalrkhan launched a full ballast: AR Rahman said that he didnt get work during last 10 years because of communal tensions in the country! Mr. @arrahman truth is, that you are waahiyaat music director in todays time. Even birds dont want to listen your Ghatiya songs. Therefore, filmmakers are not giving u work." Whether or not one agrees with this subjective appraisal of Rahmans music is beside the point. It only bolsters the underlying reason for the outrage against Rahman. AR Rahman is the only music director in the history of Indian cinema to build an MNC-scale corporation with global reach: state-of-the-art studios, music education institutes and what he calls a conservatory". All of this, made possible by ordinary Indians majority of them, Hindus who paid to listen to his music and gave him unqualified affection. His career graph clearly shows that by the mid-2000s, he had carefully nurtured a personality cult and an ecosystem of dependency. Musical aspirants got the message that working in his ecosystem was their surest ticket to great success in the shortest possible time. His image as a reclusive, quiet, hardworking and apolitical professional appears to be a deliberate build-up to his mystique. However, theres only so long that one can sustain a facade. Until his ill-fated BBC interview, Rahman had carefully steered clear of what are known as communal" topics. However, typical of the zeal of a new convert, he never missed an opportunity to extol the glories of his adopted faith. In a 2000 interview with Karan Thapar, Rahman admitted that he never liked his birth name, Dileep, because it did not resonate with his self-image". His biography, AR Rahman: The Spirit of Music, mentions how his mother added Allah Rakha" to his name because it came to her in a dream. In his Oscar acceptance speech, he credited the achievement to Allah. In 2020, Taslima Nasrin condemned Rahmans neo-convert zeal in her pointed tweet regarding Rahmans daughter wearing the Burqa: I absolutely love AR Rahmans music. But whenever I see his dear daughter, I feel suffocated. It is really depressing to learn that even educated women in a cultural family can get brainwashed very easily!" Rahmans well-known and highly-publicised attachment to Sufism and the Ajmer Dargah is also a rather glaring case in point. The Dargah erected in honour of Moinuddin Chishti who betrayed Prithviraj Chauhan to Muhammad Ghori is a painful and lasting wound in the collective Hindu memory. That AR Rahman finds it his spiritual sanctuary" only rubs salt and chilli on this wound. The last decade has witnessed Rahman going on a blitzkrieg of Sufi concerts in Dubai, New York and other high-profile venues. Just as he has created a booming musical empire, Rahman has also straddled many worlds effortlessly at the same time. An impossibly long list of awards, honours, and collaborations with the world of Western music has flooded his way the Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and a dinner invitation to perform at the Barack Obama White House honorary doctorates from Berklee Music College, Miami, Middlesexcollaborations with Michael Bolton, Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart Anyone familiar with how and why these distinctions are bestowed will tell you that Rahman knows his politics really well. It is precisely this politics that impelled him to suddenly detect communalism" in Hindi cinema. He has now joined the proud league of Mohammad Azharuddin & Co who played the Muslim victim card despite getting unconditional love from the majority Hindus and building enormous personal fortunes upon that edifice. AR Rahmans belated clarification in the aftermath of the backlash fools none because there is no remorse but prevarication. Though unsurprising, it only reinforces the same phenomenon: of ambitious Hindus who willingly abandon their ancestral Dharma for a few pieces of Sufi silver. Postscript In light of AR Rahmans mask falling off, one waits to see whether the makers of the upcoming Ramayan will rethink their decision of retaining him as music director. If they persist with him, it is an even darker blot than Rahman playing the victim card. It will be the contemporary equivalent of a common slur that medieval Islamic chroniclers heaped upon Hindus: infidels have no self-respect. The author is the founder and chief editor, The Dharma Dispatch. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 14:53 IST News opinion Opinion | AR Rahmans Victim Card, Clarification And The Backlash 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 | China: Contextualising A Purge Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 19:07 IST A divided elite is vulnerable to pressure, infiltration and collapse. The instability of the global environment demands rectification Rapid Read In a single announcement on October 17, nine top generals were expelled for serious violations. 2025 recorded an unprecedented purge of Chinas top military and political leadership, that continued up to the penultimate day of the year, December 30, taking the tally up to 65 tigers" high-level officials the largest number in any year since the commencement of the anti-corruption campaign in 2012 and, on some accounts, since the beginning of Chinas era of reforms in 1978. Central to the purge has been the most extensive and consequential changes in the leadership of the Peoples Liberation Army, with a raft of top officers removed, disappeared from public view, investigated and expelled from the military and from the Chinese Communist Party. In a single announcement on October 17, nine top generals were expelled for serious violations", including the abuse of power for personal gain and a total collapse of beliefs". Key military leaders who have been removed through 2025 include He Weidong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), a Politburo member, and Chinas second-highest ranking general who commanded strategy and operations around Taiwan. Weidong was a Xi loyalist who disappeared from public view in March 2025, and was formally expelled in October. With him went Miao Hua, Director of the CMCs Political Work Department and a former navy admiral, responsible for ideological indoctrination. Among the most significant expulsions were Wang Houbin, the former commander of the strategically critical Rocket Force; Lin Xiangyang, the commander of the Eastern Theatre Command; Zhang Lin, head of the CMCs logistics support; and Wang Chunning, commander of the Peoples Armed Police. Western propagandists have seized on this as evidence of crisis, paranoia and imminent collapse, arguing that the sheer scale of dismissals will disrupt military readiness, command stability, organisational integrity, morale, response capabilities and the planned pace of modernisation. A laundry list of speculative motives has been imagined, including conspiracy theories regarding Xis fears of a coup in reaction to the failures of his economic policies, prompting a decapitation strategy to suppress dissent, as well as other motives arising out of Xis authoritarianism and attendant chronic insecurities. Much of this is just wishful thinking. The purge of 2025 was not an abrupt and radical departure from the past that will reverberate long into the future. It is a continuum. Indeed, as many as 58 tigers were shown the door in 2024, marking the then highest annual total since the anti-corruption campaign began in 2012 with little noticeable impact on institutional continuity. Indeed, 2023-2024 saw the removals of two defence ministers (Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe) and multiple Rocket Force leaders, and continuing rhetoric about tougher anti-corruption measures in 2026 suggested that more senior officials are likely to be targeted. Western commentary has repeatedly projected the imminence of Chinese collapse in the wake of every transient challenge be it economic slowdowns, demographic shifts, political purges, pandemics, or localised unrest reflecting less an empirical assessment than a persistent projection of unfounded hopes. These forecasts have extrapolated short-term disruptions into systemic failure, assuming that the absence of liberal institutions necessarily implies fragility. In doing so, they overlook the Chinese states capacity for adaptive governance and social absorption of shocks, as well as the CPCs long-honed mechanisms of crisis management. The trope of impending collapse thus functions more as a recurring narrative device within the Western strategic imagination than as a serious analytical conclusion. Where outsiders see crisis, insiders see consolidation in the face of intensifying external pressure, a hostile international environment and aggressive US strategies of containment. In such a context, any internal disunity, factionalism, corruption or ideological drift particularly in the PLA is seen as strategic vulnerability. Corruption, in particular, is not just a moral, or ethical failing, it is a strategic challenge. It is useful to recall, here, that Maos conception of the political army fuses combat and ideology. An army that lacks political clarity, he argued, cannot fight effectively. Contemporary CPC and PLA doctrine continues this tradition. Significantly, Xi has repeatedly emphasised that the PLA must be able to fight and win informatised and intelligentised" wars. But this goal cannot be achieved through technology alone. It requires moral discipline, ideological alignment, and trust in the chain of command. An officer whose primary loyalty lies with personal networks rather than the Party is, in strategic terms, a liability. A divided elite is vulnerable to pressure, infiltration and collapse. The instability of the global environment demands rectification. Western policymakers are misreading consolidation as collapse. Ajai Sahni is the Executive Director, Institute for Conflict Management; Publisher & Editor, Second Sight. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 19:07 IST News opinion Opinion | China: Contextualising A Purge 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 | Why Demographic Inversion In West Bengal Is A Clear And Present Danger Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 15:32 IST Combine demographic stress with economic underdevelopment and weak border governance and one has a potentially precipitous problem at hand. People carry bricks in view of former TMC MLA Humayun Kabir's plan to lay the foundation stone for a mosque, modelled on Ayodhyas Babri Masjid, at Rejinagar in West Bengals Murshidabad district. (Image: PTI) One of the key references Sharjeel Imam made in his 2020 speech which landed him in all sorts of trouble and rightly so was to the growing Muslim population in the Chickens Neck Corridor, which, he stated, could be harnessed to engineer an insurrection to cut it off from Indias mainland, thus wresting the North East away from the rest of the country. The overt threat that Imam implicated also in the Delhi riots case made no longer remains a polemical or rhetorical mention, particularly with regard to the demographic inversion taking place across several districts of West Bengal. The demographic shifts at the district level in Indias most densely populated state are more pronounced and perhaps irreversible in areas along the international border with Bangladesh. Border districts such as Murshidabad, Malda, North 24 Parganas, and Uttar Dinajpur have witnessed momentous changes over recent decades, with Murshidabad now recording a Muslim majority over the Hindus well above 60 per cent according to census and demographic estimates representing a marked, rather worrisome, reversal from earlier periods. Malda too was recorded as a Muslim majority district in the 2011 census, with more than half the districts population belonging to the said community. Further, North 24 Parganas and Uttar Dinajpur, which previously did not have overwhelming majorities, show substantially increased Muslim population shares and rapid growth compared to previously recorded, historical figures. Should these numbers bother us? The answer is a resounding yes. As these are not mere numbers, they might well seal the fate of West Bengal to begin with extending to the rest of the country if left unchecked. It might be worth arguing that what we might ignore today as a theoretical premise may well turn out to define a grim future, one that elates the hearts of those living to see the day when Ghazwa-e-Hind becomes a reality. In other words, demographic inversion is nothing short of population jihad. What could not be accomplished by swords, firepower, and wars, is being surreptitiously set in motion through significant increase in the proportion of the community, leading to new majority-minority configurations in places where the historical balance was altogether different. The foremost cause of the fearsome state of affairs in several districts of West Bengal remains the porous and extensive Indo-Bangladesh border which has long been a corridor for both refugee movements (especially around the 1947 Partition and 1971 Liberation War) and ongoing cross-border migration of illegal and undocumented Bangladeshi Muslims. While official Indian census data captures legal residents, there are longstanding debates about undocumented migration influencing demographic patterns in border areas. The recently released SIR figures brought the focus back to the worrying pattern of illegal migrants acquiring legal Indian documents like Aadhar Card and Voter ID Card through illegal means. In fact, a number of illegal Bangladeshi squatters in UP and Bihar described in detailto several media outletshow they found extensive help in the form of an entire chain of people involved in fortifying their existence in India as legal citizens. Of course, the farce unravels as soon as one starts to scratch the surfacemini madrasas start to tumble out of slums occupied by illegal Bangladeshi settlers, replete with religious texts in Arabic and Urdu, while some are unable to satisfactorily respond to how the person listed as their father is younger to them by 10 years! Over the decades, many would argue, variations in fertility rates between communities have contributed to differential population growth patterns. Data from national surveys show that, in West Bengal, fertility rates among Muslims have been relatively higher than among Hindus, contributing to higher natural growth rates in certain areas. However, while growing birth rates is one side of the story, the deliberate incursion of illegal Bangladeshi Muslims to bolster the population figures in border districts and towns cannot be denied. The electoral advantage this demographic inversion accrues to the ruling Trinamool Congress, the Left, and other non-BJP political formations in West Bengal then only remains a perfunctory assumption. Come election season, the question of demographic inversion in these districts becomes highly volatile, politically and socially. As has been the case in the past as well, discussions around shifting population balances surface during election campaignsas is already evident in West Bengal with the TMC and BJP trading blows over Muslim appeasement politicswith political leaders and parties framing these changes in competing narratives around cultural identity, resource distribution, and therefore, overall regional development. The images beamed across living rooms of the crowds drawn by the announcement by former TMC member Humayun Kabir of building a Babri Masjidon the lines of the one demolished in Ayodhyaare symptomatic of a deeper, more insidious problem. Besides the claims and counter-claims by political parties during election season, a long-drawn, extended, and thus highly problematic process of demographic inversion appears to be at play in West Bengal with profound implications for national security. While demographic change in itself might not be immediately or inherently destabilising, its interaction with geography, capacity for governance, and regional geopolitics renders West Bengal strategically sensitive and susceptible to cross-border terrorism. From a national security perspective, border regions are particularly critical spaces where questions of sovereignty, internal stability, and external influence intersect most ubiquitously. Large-scale demographic changes in these areas raise concerns about undocumented and illegal migration, management or rather mismanagement of borders, and the states capacity to regulate movement across a complex riverine and agrarian terrain with visible limitations concerning border fencing and policing. Even limited but continuous inflows can alter local demographics over time, complicating verification, citizenship documentation, and law enforcement, which probably explains the rather frightening situation in West Bengal. A state government favouring demographic shift to reinforce their Muslim vote bank and weak administrative control in densely populated border districts have created vulnerabilities that are being exploited by transnational criminal networks involved in smuggling, human trafficking, and counterfeit currency operations, all of which have direct security ramifications. From a strategic perspective then, West Bengals very location in eastern Indiaadjacent to the Siliguri Corridor and close to the Bay of Bengaladds another layer of grave concern to the worsening situation. Any instability in the state, however minimal, has implications for connectivity to the Northeast and for Indias broader eastern security architecture, exactly what Sharjeel Imam was referring to in his speech at the Shaheen Bagh sit in; exactly why he is considered a national security hazard and a seditious hatemonger endangering the sovereignty of the state. Combine demographic stress with economic underdevelopment and weak border governance and one has a potentially precipitous problem at hand, one that could complicate, even compromise, counter-insurgency coordination, intelligence gathering, and even disaster response in the region. Any strategy to counter-balance the demographic inversion in West Bengal would remain predicated on transition in political power from forces that actively participate in the process of large-scale population shifts to those that work towards preventing illegal migration, considering it one of the greatest threats to Indias internal security. The swift decimation of all semblances of democracy across the border in Bangladesh, the gratuitous rise of Islamism as a result of the breaking down of the Bengali consensus which actually created the nation in the first place, and their growing closeness to co-religionists and former cultural colonisersPakistanis not making matters any better for West Bengal and India. Dr Roshni Sengupta is an author, political commentator, and professor of politics and media at IILM University Gurugram. The views expressed in this article are hers and do not reflect those of the institution. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 15:32 IST News opinion Opinion | Why Demographic Inversion In West Bengal Is A Clear And Present Danger 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 Maha Picture | Governing Strong, Contesting Weak: Shindes Sena And The Civic Verdict Written By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 12:34 IST Outside the Thane belt, Shindes Sena increasingly resembles a marginal player. Single-digit performances are no longer anomalies; they are the pattern. The latest municipal results present an uncomfortable truth for Eknath Shindes Shiv Sena: it governs, but it does not truly command. (PTI) The headline number initially appears respectable 399 civic seats statewide. But numbers in isolation are deceptive. More than 55 per cent of these victories, 221 seats to be precise, are concentrated in the Thane district alone. When combined with the 29 seats in the BMC, these two areas account for 250 of the partys 399 total seats representing approximately 62.6 per cent of their entire statewide strength. This is not merely a stronghold; it is a dependency. Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Navi Mumbai, and Ulhasnagar together form a tightly bound political ecosystem where Shindes personal authority, administrative familiarity, and inherited organisational loyalty continue to deliver results. Beyond this geography, the partys footprint rapidly thins out, often vanishing altogether. This geographic skew matters because a regional concentration is very different from statewide relevance. Outside the Thane belt, Shindes Sena increasingly resembles a marginal player. Single-digit performances are no longer anomalies; they are the pattern. Solapur returned four seats, Nanded-Waghala four, Amravati three. Pune and Parbhani drew blanks. These are not fringe towns tucked away from the political mainstream. They are cities that drive Maharashtras economy, shape its urban discourse, and historically produce its next generation of leaders. A party that fails to register in these centres cannot credibly claim to speak for Maharashtras urban aspirations. What makes this more politically damaging is the context of alliance politics. Shindes Sena is not fighting alone; it is part of a ruling arrangement anchored by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Yet the municipal results reveal a hard truth about this partnership. In cities where the BJP surged Pune and Nagpur being the clearest examples the wave stopped short of lifting its ally. Zero seats in Pune and a solitary seat in Nagpur underline a blunt reality: the BJPs urban appeal does not automatically translate into votes for Shindes Sena. In electoral terms, the junior partner is dispensable. This punctures the central argument that accompanied the 2022 split that legitimacy, organisation, and cadre strength had decisively shifted camps. If that claim held, municipal elections should have been the arena where it manifested most clearly. Civic polls reward ground-level networks, booth management, and local credibility far more than state or national contests do. Instead, the results suggest something else entirely: what changed hands was power, not popular allegiance. There are, of course, exceptions that Shindes camp points to with pride. Nashik, where the party crossed the 20-seat mark, stands out. But it stands out precisely because it is rare. Elsewhere, modest double-digit tallies in places like Malegaon, Kolhapur, or Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar look less like expansion and more like residue temporary alignments shaped by local equations rather than a durable organisational surge. These pockets do not yet add up to a coherent statewide presence. The long-term implications of this pattern are more serious than the immediate optics. Municipal corporations are political nurseries. They generate second-rung leadership, provide financial oxygen to party organisations, and keep cadres engaged between larger electoral cycles. A party absent from most urban local bodies struggles to replenish itself. Over time, it risks becoming less a political force and more a transactional entity useful during coalition negotiations, but lacking independent weight. This is where the contradiction at the heart of Shindes Sena becomes apparent. At the state level, it enjoys the trappings of authority cabinet positions, administrative influence, and visibility. At the civic level, it lacks the depth that sustains political movements over decades. Power can command obedience within government; it cannot manufacture conviction among voters. That must be earned repeatedly, ward by ward, election by election. None of this suggests immediate collapse. The Thane fortress remains intact, and as long as it does, Shinde retains leverage within Maharashtras power structure. But fortresses can also become cages. A party confined to one region risks being defined by that region alone, its ambitions shrinking even as its rhetoric remains expansive. According to Political analyst Pranay Bhise, While Eknath Shinde has successfully consolidated his base in the Thane Municipal Corporation with a clear majority of 75 seats, the partys big brother status is strictly regional. Outside the Thane-Mumbai corridor, the partys footprint is surprisingly light, with negligible presence in Nagpur (1 seat) and Pimpri-Chinchwad (6 seats). The data indicates that without a formal alliance with the BJP, the Shinde faction struggles to project power as a state-wide alternative." The municipal verdict, taken as a whole, sends a clear message. Shindes Sena is administratively relevant but electorally uneven; influential in government but fragile on the ground. Maharashtras urban voter has not fully bought into the post-split narrative. Until that gap is bridged, the partys authority will rest more on arithmetic inside the Assembly than on arithmetic at the ballot box. In politics, power without popularity is a temporary condition. Civic elections have merely highlighted the clock ticking beneath it. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 12:34 IST News opinion The Maha Picture | Governing Strong, Contesting Weak: Shindes Sena And The Civic Verdict 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: January 20, 2026, 09:00 IST 1 / 10 Travelling to a foreign country does not always require a flight. India is connected to neighbouring nations such as Pakistan and Bangladesh through international railway services. These trains are jointly operated by Indian Railways and partner railway authorities. They serve as formal cross-border travel options and combine passenger movement with diplomacy, shared history and regulated international transit procedures. 2 / 10 International train journeys from India follow a clearly defined system. Passengers must hold valid visas before booking tickets, which are generally available only through offline railway counters. Immigration and customs checks are conducted at designated border stations on both sides. These trains operate under strict bilateral agreements. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 One of the most well-known international trains from India is the Samjhauta Express, which operated between Delhi and Lahore via Attari and Wagah. Introduced in 1976 after the Simla Agreement, the train symbolised peace and connectivity between India and Pakistan. It ran twice a week and was known for its historical and diplomatic significance. 4 / 10 Booking a Samjhauta Express ticket required passengers to first obtain a Pakistani visa. Tickets were sold only offline at Attari Junction and travel involved immigration checks at Wagah. Despite covering a short distance, the journey took several hours due to border procedures, highlighting the formal nature of international rail travel. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 The Thar Link Express connected Bhagat Ki Kothi near Jodhpur with Karachi via Munabao and Khokhrapar. Named after the Thar Desert, the train served as an important link for families separated by borders. It operated weekly and passed through remote desert regions before crossing into Pakistan. 6 / 10 Reservations for the Thar Link Express were allowed only after visa approval and had to be made offline. The journey covered over 380 kilometres and included immigration checks at Munabao. The long travel duration reflected both the terrain and the strict border protocols involved in cross-border railway operations. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 Indias rail connection with Bangladesh is more active, with trains like the Maitree Express running between Kolkata and Dhaka. This fully air-conditioned international express operates six days a week and covers approximately 375 kilometres. It has designated immigration stops at Gede in India and Dorshona in Bangladesh. 8 / 10 Tickets for the Maitree Express can only be purchased offline after obtaining a valid Bangladesh visa. Immigration checks take place during the journey, extending travel time but ensuring compliance with international travel regulations. The train offers a comfortable and reliable alternative to air travel for frequent cross-border passengers. ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 Another important IndiaBangladesh rail service is the Bandhan Express, which connects Kolkata with Khulna. Introduced in 2017, the weekly train was launched to strengthen people-to-people ties. It stops at multiple stations in both countries before reaching its final destination. Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 13:09 IST 1 / 10 Travel freedom for Indian citizens continues to improve. According to the Henley Passport Index 2026, India has moved up from 85th position in 2025 to 80th globally. This rise reflects stronger diplomatic ties and broader international mobility for Indian travellers, making spontaneous travel easier than before. 2 / 10 The Henley Passport Index evaluates passports based on visa-free, visa-on-arrival, and eTA access. While India climbed five places globally, policy changes by individual countries has reduced the overall count of easy-entry destinations, meaning rankings and access numbers dont always move in the same direction. ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 10 Despite Indias improved ranking, the number of destinations offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access has fallen from 57 to 55. The reason lies in updated entry policies by two countries that were previously easy to visit for Indians. Wondering which? It is Iran and Bolivia. 4 / 10 Indian nationals travelling to Iran now require a visa. On 17 November 2025, Indias Ministry of External Affairs reported that several Indians were lured to Iran through visa-free entry with false job or transit promises. They were later kidnapped for ransom upon arrival. ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 10 Following safety concerns, Iran suspended visa-free entry for ordinary Indian passport holders from November 22, 2025. Travellers must now apply for a visa in advance, even for transit. Indian authorities have also warned citizens to avoid agents offering visa-free routes through Iran. 6 / 10 Why Losing Visa-Free Access Matters? In 2025, visa-free access allowed Indians to visit Iran for short stays without prior embassy visits or paperwork. Such arrangements usually include limits on stay duration, proof of funds, and valid return tickets. These benefits are now gone for Indian travellers. ADVERTISEMENT 7 / 10 Bolivia also requires an e-Visa for Indians in 2026. Indian passport holders must obtain an e-Visa before travelling to Bolivia. The process involves online application, document uploads, and electronic fee payment, with approval required before departure. 8 / 10 In 2025, Bolivia offered Visa On Arrival, allowing Indians to travel without prior approval and complete formalities at the airport. Under Henleys methodology, visa-on-arrival counts as easy access, but e-Visas are classified as visa required, reducing Indias score. ADVERTISEMENT 9 / 10 What this means for Indian Travellers? With Iran and Bolivia no longer offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access, Indian travellers must prepare documents and approvals well in advance. Indias total number of easy-entry destinations now stands at 55 in 2026, despite the higher global ranking. Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 11:46 IST 1 / 6 Russias Kamchatka Peninsula has been buried under record-breaking snowfall this January, with locals calling it a snow apocalypse. Entire towns, cars, and even multi-storey buildings have disappeared beneath towering drifts, making this one of the harshest winters in decades. (Image: X) 2 / 6 In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital of Kamchatka, snow fell in blinding sheets, with nearly 39 millimeters recorded in a single day. That figure alone was more than half the monthly average, compressed into just a few hours. By mid-January, snow depths had risen beyond two meters, with drifts climbing up to second-floor windows and rooftops. Meteorologists confirmed that this was the heaviest snowfall in over 130 years, driven by powerful cyclones sweeping in from the Sea of Okhotsk. (Image: X) ADVERTISEMENT 3 / 6 The storm transformed everyday life into a surreal struggle. Streets, cars, and entire neighborhoods vanished beneath the snow, leaving towns looking like frozen labyrinths. Residents shared viral videos of children sliding down drifts as high as four-storey buildings. Transport systems were paralyzed, roads blocked, and supply chains disrupted. Authorities declared a state of emergency, mobilizing crews to clear rooftops and prevent collapses. Despite these efforts, at least two fatalities were reported after heavy snow slid from rooftops. (Image: X) 4 / 6 Kamchatka is already known for its volcanoes, seismic activity, and subarctic extremes, but this storm pushed the region to new limits. The relentless snowfall, avalanches, and freezing winds created conditions that locals compared to an apocalyptic scenario. For many, survival meant relying on resilience, community support, and the tireless work of emergency crews. (Image: X) ADVERTISEMENT 5 / 6 Images and videos of Kamchatkas buried cities quickly spread across the world, drawing comparisons to polar expeditions. Dramatic visuals of high-rise buildings engulfed up to the fourth floor underscored the severity of the storm and highlighted the vulnerability of remote regions to extreme climate events. (Image: Instagram) BJP Chief Nitin Nabin's First Big Move: Vinod Tawde Appointed Kerala Poll Incharge Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 22:31 IST Vinod Tawde has also been entrusted with the additional responsibility of being the observer for the Chandigarh Mayor election. Nitin Nabin on Tuesday formally took charge as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), becoming the youngest to lead the party. (File) In his first major organisational decision as BJP National President, Nitin Nabin on Tuesday announced several appointments for upcoming key elections, signalling a push to strengthen the partys poll machinery ahead of crucial elections. Senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde has been appointed the election incharge for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, with Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje named as the election co-incharge. Tawde has also been entrusted with the additional responsibility of being the observer for the Chandigarh Mayor election, underlining the partys confidence in his organisational abilities. The decision is seen as a big push for Tawde, who has recently handled a major organisational responsibility in Bihar Assembly elections. In another set of appointments, BJP MP Rekha Sharma has been appointed election co-incharge for the Telangana Municipal and Corporation elections, along with Ashok Parnami, while Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar will serve as the election incharge. For the Greater Bengaluru Corporation election, the party has appointed Ram Madhav as election incharge, with Satish Poonia and Sanjay Upadhyay named as election co-incharges. Earlier today, 45-year-old Nitin Nabin succeeded JP Nadda as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is the son of the late senior BJP leader and four-time Bihar Assembly legislator Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha. He entered politics in 2006 following his fathers death, reportedly after he won a by-election from Patna West. Politics is not a 100-meter race," said Nabin. In the next few months, elections are about to be held in Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry, and the demographics of these states are being widely discussed. The changing demographics are altering the situation there, and this presents a challenge for us. However, we are completely confident that the BJP workers, through their struggle and hard work, will lead the BJP to success in all five states," he added. Senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, outgoing BJP president JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and several union ministers, attended the event at the party headquarters in New Delhi. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 22:22 IST News politics BJP Chief Nitin Nabin's First Big Move: Vinod Tawde Appointed Kerala Poll Incharge 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... Ukraine has received a batch of energy equipment from the Italian government, said Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine Minister of Communities and Territories Development Oleksiy Kuleba. The shipment includes 39 units of industrial boiler equipment with a total capacity of nearly 53 megawatts, including modular and hot-water boilers along with burners, components, filters and auxiliary systems, Kuleba wrote on Telegram. He said the assistance implements agreements reached between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The total weight of the shipment exceeds 109 tonnes, and the estimated value of the humanitarian aid is EUR 835,500, he said. "Additional shipments will arrive in the coming days. Priority will be given to delivering the equipment to frontline regions," Kuleba said. The minister added that this is only part of a broader support program. Overall, Italy has agreed to transfer 78 units of thermal engineering equipment with a combined capacity of 116 megawatts. The boilers can operate as primary or backup heat sources for hospitals, schools, administrative buildings, critical infrastructure facilities, as well as municipal boiler houses and district heating systems. "Such solutions help strengthen heat supply, address emergency needs after shelling and reduce communities vulnerability during the winter period," he said. From Grassroots To National Command: Nitin Nabins Journey To Becoming The Youngest BJP President Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 11:49 IST Nitin Nabin is a seasoned BJP leader from Bihar with a strong organisational grounding and electoral success. Nitin Nabin, 45, was appointed as the BJP's working president on December 14, 2025, and will be the youngest ever to hold the post of national president. (Image: PTI/File) Nitin Nabin has take over as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after being elected unopposed to the post, marking a notable generational transition in the partys leadership. He formally assumed office today, succeeding JP Nadda in a move backed by senior leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. At 45 years old, Nitin Nabin has become the youngest person to hold the post of BJP national president. His elevation reflects the partys ongoing push to promote leaders from a younger cohort into top organisational roles. Who Is Nitin Nabin? Nitin Nabin is a seasoned BJP leader from Bihar with a strong organisational grounding and electoral success. Born on 23 May 1980 in Ranchi, he is the son of the late Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha, a veteran BJP legislator. Nabins political career began in the mid-2000s and has since seen a steady rise from state politics to the national stage. Political Background and Career Highlights Nabins political journey began when he won a by-election in 2006 from the now-abolished Patna West constituency following his fathers death. After delimitation, he has represented the Bankipur seat in the Bihar Legislative Assembly and has been re-elected five times (2010, 2015, 2020, 2025) consistently strengthening his grassroots base. Having been elected as an MLA five times, Nabin has established himself as one of the BJPs most consistent performers in urban Bihar politics. His repeated victories are often attributed to strong local outreach, attention to civic issues, and close coordination with party workers at the booth level. Within the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government, Nabin has held several key portfolios: Minister of Road Construction (202122 and again in 2025) Urban Development & Housing and Law & Justice (202425) His tenure involved work on infrastructure projects, urban housing programmes, and welfare schemes. Nabins Rise In BJP Within the BJP, Nitin Nabin is often described as an organisation-first leader. His political image is built around coordination, accessibility to workers, and a focus on internal party discipline. Senior leaders have frequently highlighted his ability to balance government responsibilities with party organisation work, a quality considered crucial for the role of national president. Nitin Nabins rise in the BJP stems from deep organisational involvement. He served in leadership roles in the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) including as national general secretary and Bihar state president and has been entrusted with party responsibilities beyond his home state. BJP colleagues describe Nabin as a hardworking, grounded, and collaborative leader with strong organisational skills. Senior leaders such as Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and Rajnath Singh have publicly lauded his dedication, while his own remarks about his commitment to politics underline his focus on continuous engagement and preparation for national leadership. His administrative reach expanded when he was appointed the BJPs national working president in December 2025, a role that prepared him for the top job. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated Nitin Nabin over his selection in December 2025, saying, Shri Nitin Nabin Ji has distinguished himself as a hardworking Karyakarta. He is a young and industrious leader with rich organisational experience and has an impressive record as MLA as well as Minister in Bihar for multiple terms. He has diligently worked to fulfil peoples aspirations. He is known for his humble nature and grounded style of working. I am confident that his energy and dedication will strengthen our Party in the times to come. Congratulations to him on becoming the BJP National Working President." Home Minister Amit Shah described him on social media as a dedicated worker" whose organisational abilities will help advance the partys agenda. Outgoing BJP President JP Nadda had congratulated him as an energetic leader" from Bihar and wished him well for his new responsibilities. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh explicitly called him a hardworking worker with imagination and capacity, expressing confidence in his future contribution under the partys leadership. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and others on social media echoed similar sentiments, underlining trust in his ability to strengthen the party and inspire workers nationwide. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 11:45 IST News politics From Grassroots To National Command: Nitin Nabins Journey To Becoming The Youngest BJP President 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... Ghusbaihya Bachao Congress: BJP Slams TMC After EC Flags Major Anomalies In Bengal Rolls Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 20:48 IST Pradeep Bhandaris remarks came after the poll body found that during the SIR exercise, one person in Asansol was recorded as the father of 389 voters. According to the poll body, seven people have been linked as parents to more than 100 voters each. (Representational image: News18) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday accused the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) of attempting to shield fraudulent voters after the Election Commission flagged what it called scientifically impossible" anomalies in West Bengals electoral rolls during the SIR exercise. BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari claimed that the ruling TMC was deliberately blocking the submission of Form 7 applications to prevent scrutiny of the voter list. The SIR has found a man listed as the father of 389 voters. This is why TMC is not allowing Form 7 to be submitted to the Electoral Registration Officer. Form 7 will expose TMCs attempt to keep dead and shifted voters on the rolls," he said in a post on X, branding the TMC a Ghusbaihya Bachao Congress." SIR found man mentioned as father of 389 voters This is why TMC is not allowing Form 7 to be submitted to ERO! Form 7 will expose TMCs attempt to put dead voter/ shifted voter on voter list! TMC is " Ghusbaihya Bachao Congress"! @ECISVEEP pic.twitter.com/KWbzh99xMJ Pradeep Bhandari( ) (@pradip103) January 20, 2026 Bhandaris remarks came after the poll body found that during the SIR exercise, one person in Asansol was recorded as the father of 389 voters, while another individual in Bally constituency in Howrah district was shown as the father of 310 voters. While presenting the facts in the Supreme Court during the SIR hearing on Monday, the poll body said that such cases fall under logical discrepancies" requiring correction. EC counsel Rakesh Dwivedi said that notices have been issued to affected voters, placing the onus on them to produce documents to verify correct parental details, Times of India reported. According to the poll body, seven people have been linked as parents to more than 100 voters each, while thousands of others were connected to unusually large numbers of electors. During the hearing, the Election Commission also flagged discrepancies such as abnormal age gaps between electors and parents or grandparents, and mismatches between names recorded in earlier electoral rolls and the current list. Over 1.25 crore voters have been identified with such issues across the state. Meanwhile, the top court has directed the Election Commission to publish the names of voters facing logical discrepancy" objections so that corrections can be made. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 20:46 IST News politics Ghusbaihya Bachao Congress: BJP Slams TMC After EC Flags Major Anomalies In Bengal Rolls 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... 'National Anthem Insulted': Tamil Nadu Governor Walks Out Of Assembly, Says 'Not Allowed To Speak' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 13:05 IST In the latest face-off between the MK Stalin government and Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan, Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday skipped the customary address to the Assembly. Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi walks out of Assembly, refrains from reading speech. (Photo: IANS) Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday skipped the customary address to the state Assembly after he reiterated that the national anthem was insulted" after the Tamil anthem was played at the start of the session. The National Anthem is yet again insulted, and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty disregarded," the Tamil Nadu Lok Bhavan said in a statement. Elaborating on the reasons behind the Governors walkout from the Assembly, the Tamil Nadu Lok Bhavan issued a statement and alleged that the Governors Mike was repeatedly switched off and he was not allowed to speak. Lok Bhavan, Tamil Nadu, issues a press release informing of the reasons why Governor RN Ravi walked out of the assembly before delivering his inaugural address.The release says, The Governors mic was repeatedly switched off, and he was not allowed to speak Atrocities pic.twitter.com/GOj6D7jWnF ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 The face-off between the Governor and Chief Minister MK Stalins DMK came just a few months ahead of the state Assembly election. As per the protocol, the Governor was to deliver the opening remarks in the Tamil Nadu Assembly; however, chaos erupted after the state anthem was played and Ravi walked out of the House after offering a brief greeting in Tamil, underlining the conflict between the Governor and Tamil Nadus ruling DMK. The Governors Accusations As per the press release, the Lok Bhavan wrote, The speech contains numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements. Several crucial issues troubling the people are ignored." It added that the claims that the state attracted huge investments to the tune of over 12 lakh crores is far from the truth. Many of the MOUs with prospective investors remain only on paper. Actual investment is hardly a fraction of it. Investment data show that Tamil Nadu is becoming less attractive for investors. Until four years ago, Tamil Nadu, among the states, was the fourth largest recipient of foreign direct investment. Today, it is struggling to remain at the sixth," it added. The Governors walkout was also linked to the womens safety issue in the state and accused the state government of completely ignoring it, though there is an alarming increase of over 55 percent in incidents of POCSO rapes and over 33% increase in incidents of sexual molestation of women. The Tamil Nadu Governor also pointed towards the rising narcotics and drug abuse cases among youths in the state stating that the issue is casually bypassed". Atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women are sharply increasing," the release read, adding, About 20,000 people in our state committed suicide in one year- almost 65 suicides every day. Nowhere else in the country is the situation so alarming. Tamil Nadu is being referred to as the Suicide Capital of India. Yet it does not seem to concern the government." The Governor highlighted the steady decline in the standards of education and widespread mismanagement in educational institutions in the state. He further stated that several thousand Village Panchayats are defunct because elections have not been held for years. Crores of people are denied of their rights of grassroots democracy. This is against the letter and spirit of the Constitution. People are anxiously waiting for the restoration of Village Panchayats. However, this does not find even a mention in the speech," the statement read. The Governor pointed that several thousand temples in the state are without the Board of Trustees and are directly administered by the state government, stating that crucial directions of the Madras High Court on the restoration and preservation of ancient temples are not implemented even after 5 years. MSME sectors are under huge stress due to visible and invisible costs of running the industry. Entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu are forced to locate their enterprises in other states," the statement said, reasoning the reasons behind Governor RN Ravis walk out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 10:15 IST News politics 'National Anthem Insulted': Tamil Nadu Governor Walks Out Of Assembly, Says 'Not Allowed To Speak' 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... 'Politics Is Not A 100-Meter Race': Nitin Nabin Takes Charge As BJP's Youngest Chief Ahead Of Key State Polls Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 13:19 IST At 45, Nitin Nabin is the youngest leader to be elected as the BJP national head and is the 12th president of the party. Nitin Nabin takes charge as new BJP president. (Image: PTI) Nitin Nabin on Tuesday formally took charge as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), becoming the youngest to lead the party. The 45-year-old succeeded JP Nadda. Todays moment is a moment of resolve for me. Today, I am not just assuming a position. I am accepting the ideology, traditions, and the responsibility of a nationalist movement of this party, and on this occasion, I also pay my respects to all my senior colleagues," the newly-elected BJP National president Nitin Nabin said, adding, Today, 140 crore Indians are connecting themselves with the dream of a developed India and are working to take the country forward. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for this." Politics is not a 100-meter race," said Nabin. In the next few months, elections are about to be held in Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry, and the demographics of these states are being widely discussed. The changing demographics are altering the situation there, and this presents a challenge for us. However, we are completely confident that the BJP workers, through their struggle and hard work, will lead the BJP to success in all five states," he added. Senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, outgoing BJP president JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and several union ministers, attended the event as Nabin took charge as the partys new national president. #WATCH | Delhi: Nitin Nabin elected as the national president of Bharatiya Janata Party pic.twitter.com/7v0V7hqvV4 ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 Nabins election came more than a month after he was declared the working president of the BJP. His appointment to the top position is being seen as a signal of the partys emphasis on organisational strength ahead of key state polls, including in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh. Who Is Nitin Nabin? Nitin Nabin was named as the BJP national president, with no other candidates in the fray. His candidature was backed by Prime Minister Modi. He is the son of the late senior BJP leader and four-time Bihar Assembly legislator Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha. He entered politics in 2006 following his fathers death, reportedly after he won a by-election from Patna West. He was holding the road construction and urban development portfolios in the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government at the time. He later resigned from the state government. At 45, Nitin Nabin is the youngest leader to be elected as the BJP national head and is the 12th president of the party. Who Backed Nabins Candidature? Nitin Nabin was elected the BJP national president on Monday after 37 sets of nomination papers backing his candidature were submitted to K Laxman, the Returning Officer for the election. PM Modi, Union Ministers including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupendra Yadav, Kiren Rijiju, Hardeep Puri, outgoing president JP Nadda, were among the leaders who backed Nabins nomination. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 11:49 IST News politics 'Politics Is Not A 100-Meter Race': Nitin Nabin Takes Charge As BJP's Youngest Chief Ahead Of Key State 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... 13 Reasons To Protest: Why Tamil Nadu Governor Ravi Did Not Read Stalin Govts Speech Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 16:43 IST Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi Vs MK Stalin-led Government: A look at the 13 reasons listed by Ravi for not reading the speech by the Stalin government The tussle between CM MK Stalin (left) and Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has been going on for a while. (PTI File) Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday walked out of the CM MK Stalin-led state assembly before delivering his inaugural address, citing multiple issues, stating that his microphone was reportedly switched off repeatedly, preventing him from speaking. The Governor demanded that the national anthem be played after the Tamil Anthem, and when Speaker Appavu refused, the Governor walked out without reading the opening address. This is the third time that he staged a walkout after having skipped the customary address for the past two years. In 2024 and 2025, too, the Governor did not deliver the address to the Assembly. Last year, he staged a walkout from the assembly as the national anthem was not played at the start of his address. ALSO READ | Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi Vs MK Stalin-led Government: A Look At The History Of Clashes Lok Bhavan, the office of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, released a detailed press release explaining why Governor RN Ravi walked out of the state assembly before delivering his inaugural address. The 13 reasons listed by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi for not reading the speech by the DMK government are: 1. The microphone was repeatedly switched off and he was not allowed to speak 2. The speech contains numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements. Several crucial issues troubling the people were ignored. 3. The claim that the state attracted huge investments to the tune of over Rs 12 lakh crore is far from the truth. Many of the MOUs with prospective investors remain only on paper. Actual investment is hardly a fraction of it. Investment data show that Tamil Nadu is becoming less attractive for investors. Until four years ago Tamil Nadu, among the states, was the fourth largest recipient of foreign direct investment. Today, it is struggling to remain at the sixth, said Ravi. 4. Womens safety issues were totally ignored, even though there is alarming increase of over 55% incidents of POCSO rapes and over 33% increase in incidents of molestation of women. 5. Rampant prevalence of narcotics and drugs and sharp increase in drug abuse cases among youth, including school students, is a very serious concern. Over 2,000, mostly youth, committed suicide in one year due to drug abuse. It is seriously jeopardising our future. It was casually bypassed in the speech. 6. Atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women is sharply increasing. However, it was, too, totally bypassed. 7. Around 20,000 people in the state died by suicide in one year almost 65 suicides everyday. Nowhere else in the country the situation is so alarming. Tamil Nadu is being referred as the Suicide Capital of India. Yet, it does not seem to concern the government and was bypassed in the speech. 8. There is a steady decline in standards of education and widespread mismanagement in educational institutions adversely affecting the future of our youth. More than 50 % faculty positions are vacant for years and guest faculties are restive all over. Our youth are staring at uncertain future. It does not seem to bother the government and the issue was totally bypassed. 9. Several thousand Village Panchayats are defunct because elections have not been held for years. They are directly under special officers of the government. Crores of people are denied of their rights of grassroots democracy. This is against the letter and spirit of the Constitution. People are anxiously waiting for restoration of Village Panchayats. However, this did not find even a mention in the speech. Lok Bhavan, Tamil Nadu, issues a press release informing of the reasons why Governor RN Ravi walked out of the assembly before delivering his inaugural address.The release says, "The Governors mic was repeatedly switched off, and he was not allowed to speak Atrocities pic.twitter.com/GOj6D7jWnF ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 10. Several thousand temples in the state are without Board of Trustees and are directly administered by the state government. Millions and millions of devotees are deeply hurt and frustrated with the mismanagement of temples. Crucial directions of the Honble Madras High Court on the restoration and preservation of ancient temples are not implemented even after 5 years. Sentiments of devotees were callously ignored in the speech. 11. MSME sectors are under huge stress due to visible and invisible costs of running the industry. They are the crucial sector for employment and growth. However, as against over 55 million registered MSMEs in the country Tamil Nadu has only about 4 million despite enormous potential for growth. Entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu are forced to locate their enterprises in other states. The issue was completely ignored in the speech. 12. There is widespread discontentment among lower rung employees in almost all sectors. They are restive and frustrated. There was no mention of ways to address their genuine grievances. 13. National Anthem was yet again insulted and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty was disregarded. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 14:05 IST News politics 13 Reasons To Protest: Why Tamil Nadu Governor Ravi Did Not Read Stalin Govts Speech 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... Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi Vs MK Stalin-led Government: A Look At The History Of Clashes Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 11:40 IST Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi vs CM MK Stalin-led government: A look at the long history of run-ins between Ravi and Stalin amid Tuesday's clash over national anthem and address Rapid Read Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and Governor RN Ravi. (PTI File) Tuesday saw another clash between Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi and the CM MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government. This time, it was over playing of the national anthem. Ravi on Tuesday skipped the customary address to the Tamil Nadu assembly in anger after he reiterated that the national anthem should be played along with the state anthem at the start of the assembly session. Elaborating on the reasons behind the Governors walkout from the Assembly, the Tamil Nadu Lok Bhavan issued a statement saying, The Governors mic was repeatedly switched off, and he was not allowed to speak Atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women are sharply increasing. However, it is totally bypassed in the speech National Anthem is yet again insulted, and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty is disregarded." Lok Bhavan, Tamil Nadu, issues a press release informing of the reasons why Governor RN Ravi walked out of the assembly before delivering his inaugural address.The release says, The Governors mic was repeatedly switched off, and he was not allowed to speak Atrocities pic.twitter.com/GOj6D7jWnF ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 This was another incident in the long history of run-ins between Ravi and Stalin. A look at the earlier clashes: Lok Bhavan renaming on December 1, 2025: During the 2024 Conference of Governors, a committee chaired by Ravi, recommended renaming of all Raj Bhavans to Lok Bhavan and Raj Niwases to Lok Niwas. In the proposal, Ravi had argued the term Raj Bhavan carries a distinct colonial imprint", and replacing it with Lok Bhavan (Peoples House) would reflect a more democratic, people-centric ethos. The Centre accepted the recommendation, following which the directive was issued on November 25. As the official stationery, letterheads and official designation began reflecting Lok Bhavan or Lok Niwas and the WhatsApp group used by the governors office to send communications to the media was renamed as Lok Bhavan Tamil Nadu News, the change irked CM MK Stalin, who said that a change in mindset is needed". Bills clash between January 2020 and April 2023: The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed around 12 bills dealing with reforms in state universities (appointments of Vice-Chancellors, administrative control, etc.). After these bills were sent to Governor Ravi for assent, many were left pending for long periods without action, or withheld / reserved, the state government claims. The state government accused the Governor of using his discretionary powers to delay / withhold assent. On October 31, 2023, the Tamil Nadu government moved Supreme Court challenging Governors inaction, converting the standoff into a full-blown constitutional/legal battle. On April 8, 2025, in a landmark verdict, a division bench of the SCs Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan held that Governor Ravis withholding of assent to 10 state-legislated bills was illegal" and arbitrary". The court also laid down that Governors must act on state-passed bills within a fixed timeline (within a month if returning the bill, or within three months for assent) effectively curbing the practice of prolonged sitting on bills". Stalin called the verdict a historic victory" for Tamil Nadu and for all states saying it upheld state autonomy and legislative rights. The state Assembly had then passed a bill in May 2025 to establish a new university in Thanjavur / Kumbakonam (named after a DMK leader / icon), which was sent to the Governor for assent, which was, however, not cleared for 40+ days. The Supreme Court, however, on November 20 held that the Court cannot impose any timelines for decisions of the President and the Governor on granting assent to Bills under the Constitution. Cabinet appointment in March 2024: Ravi refused to re-induct K. Ponmudy into the Cabinet despite the Supreme Court staying his conviction, a move the Chief Justice of India later described as defying the Supreme Court". Speeches in January 2023-2024: Ravi repeatedly skipped portions of the customary Governors address prepared by the state, omitting mentions of leaders like Kalaignar" and the Dravidian model". Tamil Nadu vs Tamizhagam row in 2023: In early 2023, Ravi suggested that Tamizhagam" was a more appropriate name for the state, which the DMK government viewed as an affront to Tamil identity and linguistic pride. Dismissal of minister in 2023: Ravi briefly dismissed" arrested Minister V. Senthil Balaji without the Chief Ministers advice, a decision he was forced to backtrack on later that same day. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 11:39 IST News politics Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi Vs MK Stalin-led Government: A Look At The History Of Clashes 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... Amazon Echo Show 11 And Echo Show 8 With Alexa Launched In India: Price, Features Curated By : Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 13:08 IST Amazon is bringing the new Echo Show lineup to the Indian market but do users finally get the Alexa AI version as well? Amazon Echo Show 11 and Show 8 gets better speakers and a new camera Amazon Echo Show 11 and Show 8 smart display devices have launched in India after making their global debut earlier. The company is powering these devices with the AI version of Alexa in most regions but it seems Amazon is not ready to unleash the new version for the Indian market just yet. As for the Echo Show 11 and 8 versions, you have a higher resolution display and comes with an improved camera for a better overall experience and for video calling. The smart home integration is still available among other features from the previous models. Amazon Echo Show 11 And Echo Show 8 Price In India Amazon Echo Show 8 is priced in India at Rs 23,999 while the bigger Echo Show 11 will cost you Rs 26,999 in the country. The new smart display devices from Amazon will be available in white and graphite colour variants. Amazon Echo Show 11 And Echo Show 8 Features: Alexa AI Missing The new Echo smart display devices get a high-resolution display and feature a 13MP camera that can be used for video calls and to detect your presence in space. Amazon has equipped all the new Echo smart devices with AZ3 or AZ3 Pro chips that have been developed to cater to the AI demands and other personalised performances of these devices with Alexa+ at the core. However, the AI element of Alexa is absent from the Indian models of the new Echo Show devices and it seems the company is still figuring out how to make the voice assistant appealing enough for people to pay for the service. You do get the smart home features built into the devices that work with other third-party products and solutions. Both the Echo Show models have been revamped on the audio front, you now have stereo speakers on the front along with customised woofer to fill the audio in the visual. Amazon recently made Alexa available through a new web version. Amazon has mostly restricted the use of the AI-powered Alexa for select users in the US since its official launch but now people dont need its Echo speakers or Fire TV devices to access the latest version. This is an intriguing move by the company which is still looking to fine tune the AI assistant before making it available in other regions like India. Weve already seen Gemini and ChatGPT work through web browsers and Amazon taking this route feels quite logical. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 13:08 IST News tech Amazon Echo Show 11 And Echo Show 8 With Alexa Launched In India: Price, Features 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... Meet Veronika, The Cow Which Uses A Brush To Scratch Itself | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 19:33 IST A cow in Austria has surprised researchers by picking up a brush and scratching herself, a behaviour scientists say could qualify as tool use. Rapid Read Scratch that: This Austrian cows clever scratching trick with a brush has scientists taking a closer look at what cows can really do. (IMAGE: X/@Protect_Wldlife) Meet Veronika, a brown cow from a quiet mountain village in Austria who has quietly rewritten what scientists thought they knew about cattle. Using sticks, rakes and even deck brushes, Veronika has mastered the art of scratching herself so precisely that researchers now say she is the first cow ever documented to use tools. Veronika does not scratch at random. She picks up objects with her tongue, grips them firmly in her mouth, and carefully guides them to the exact spot she wants to reach. When using a deck brush, she chooses the bristled end to scratch her thick back, but switches to the smooth handle when targeting her softer, more sensitive belly. In a new study published in the journal Current Biology, scientists from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna concluded that Veronikas behaviour clearly qualifies as tool use. Despite around 10,000 years of humans living alongside cattle, this is the first time such behaviour has been scientifically documented in a cow. The researchers say the finding shows that cows are far more intelligent than commonly believed and suggests that other cows could develop similar skills if given the right conditions. The quest to scratch the itch Veronika first caught scientists attention after cognitive biologist Alice Auersperg published a book on tool use in animals. Soon after, she began receiving emails from people claiming their pets were using tools. I got all of those emails from people saying things like my cat is using the Amazon box as a tool. Its her new house," Auersperg was quoted as saying by the National Geographic Magazine. One message, however, stood out: a video showing a cow lifting a rake and scratching her backside with it. Are cows evolving? These animals turned out to be smarter than commonly believedIn Austria, the first scientifically documented case has been recorded of a cow learning to use a tool. A cow named Veronika deliberately uses a brush to scratch herself. According to The pic.twitter.com/pKNG9ViVLJ NEXTA (@nexta_tv) January 20, 2026 It seemed really interesting," Auersperg said. We had to take a closer look," she was quoted as saying by the National Geographic. Auersperg and her colleague Antonio Osuna-Mascaro soon travelled to Veronikas home, where they found a cow living what they describe as an unusually enriched life. Owned by a baker named Witgar Wiegele, Veronika has spent her 13 years roaming a scenic pasture filled with sticks and tools. Each summer, horse flies plague the area, and the researchers believe the need to scratch itchy bites likely drove her innovation. The Einstein of cows? To qualify as tool use, an animal must intentionally grasp an object and direct its functional end toward a target to achieve a goal, Auersperg explained. To test this, the researchers placed a deck brush on the ground in random positions and observed Veronikas response. What they saw surprised them. Her tongue rolled out like a carpet," Auersperg said. The tip of her tongue was like a really dexterous index finger She held the brush very stably, turned her neck, and started scratching herself. It was really, really amazing," she was quoted as saying by the magazine. After dozens of trials, the researchers concluded that Veronikas actions were deliberate and controlled. We dont think that Veronika is the Einstein of cows," Osuna-Mascaro said. We think that her conditions are special enough for her to be able to express herself in a way that other cows simply cant," he said. According to her owner, Veronika began experimenting with sticks at the age of three and has refined her technique over nearly a decade proof, scientists say, that given time, space and curiosity, cows may be capable of much more than we ever imagined. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Vienna, Austria First Published: January 20, 2026, 19:29 IST News viral Meet Veronika, The Cow Which Uses A Brush To Scratch Itself | 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... Netizens Outraged As Man Pastes Gurjar Sticker At Lehs Highest Point Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 21:32 IST A man from Haryana filmed himself vandalising a milestone at Fotula Top on the LehSrinagar highway, sparking outrage and calls for action from BRO and Ladakh Traffic Police. A man from Haryana filmed himself vandalising a milestone at Fotula Top on the LehSrinagar highway, sparking outrage and calls for action from BRO and Ladakh Traffic Police. (Image: X) What should have been a moment of quiet respect at one of Indias most striking mountain passes has instead triggered widespread anger online, after a man was filmed vandalising a milestone at Fotula Top, the highest point on the LehSrinagar highway. Situated at an altitude of 13,479 feet, Fotula Top holds both geographical and symbolic importance along the strategic route. In the now-viral video, a man, reportedly from Haryana, is seen pasting a Gujjar" sticker onto a milestone rock at the site. He records the act himself, appearing pleased, before turning the camera toward his parked Tharpresenting the moment as an accomplishment rather than an act of damage to public property. The clip was later shared on X with a sharply worded caption that read, He went to a height of 13,479 feet to show the world how big of an idiot he is." The sentiment resonated with many users, who condemned the act as arrogant and disrespectful toward a sensitive and iconic location. He went to a height of 13,479 feet to show the world how big of an idiot he is.Why Thar owners are so stupid? pic.twitter.com/mBhkMkMDMQ Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) January 20, 2026 Several users pointed out that landmarks like Fotula Top are not personal canvases or selfie props but fragile public spaces that demand care and restraint. One post urged authorities to act, noting that the video clearly shows the mans face and vehicle number plate and calling on the Border Roads Organisation and Ladakh Traffic Police to take action for vandalism. Others questioned the mindset behind such behaviour, calling it a reflection of poor civic sense and entitlement masquerading as pride. The incident has reignited debate over responsible tourism and the lack of respect shown by some visitors at ecologically and culturally significant sites. As tourism continues to grow in high-altitude regions like Ladakh, many users said the episode underscores the need for stricter enforcement, clearer penalties and greater public awareness to protect fragile landmarks from avoidable damage. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Leh, India, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 21:32 IST News viral Netizens Outraged As Man Pastes Gurjar Sticker At Lehs Highest Point 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... '60 Wars In 2024, A Few Of Them Were Fixed': Macron Takes Swipe At Trump During Davos Speech Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 20:41 IST Speaking at the WEF in Davos, the French President said the world should not let those with "bigger voices" decide the global order. France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. (AFP photo) French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday took a tongue-in-cheek swipe at US President Donald Trump, joking that this is a time of peace, stability and predictability," amid the United States warning of tariffs on Paris. Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Macron opened his speech with the line, Its a time of peace, stability, and predictability," drawing laughter in the room. But he quickly pointed to the growing instability and imbalances in the world. We are reaching a time of instability and imbalances, both from the security and defence point of view and the economic point of view," he said. While Macron did not name Trump directly, he made an indirect potshot at the US president. Pointing out that 2024 was plagued by more than 60 warsan absolute record"he added with a hint of humour, even if I understood a few of them were fixed." French President Macron jokes:This is a time of peace, stability and predictability. More than 60 wars in 2024, an absolute record, even if I understood a few of them were fixed. pic.twitter.com/hSllUiYaJ2 Clash Report (@clashreport) January 20, 2026 The remarks come after Trump threatened 200-percent tariffs on French wine over Macrons refusal to join his so-called Board of Peace" for Gaza. European countries are also weighing countermeasures after Trump threatened tariffs on eight nations, including France, as part of efforts to pressure the EU over Greenland. Macron returned to the subject later in his address, warning against unilateral power and new imperialism or new colonialism." This is a time of cooperation in order to fix these three global challenges for our fellow citizens," he said. He also warned of a broader international trend. The world is experiencing a shift towards a world without rules, where international law is trampled, and where the only law that matters is that of the strongest," Macron said. Macron also noted that the world should not allow those with bigger voices" to decide the global order. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Switzerland First Published: January 20, 2026, 20:09 IST News world '60 Wars In 2024, A Few Of Them Were Fixed': Macron Takes Swipe At Trump During Davos Speech 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... Photo: https://eurosolidarity.org/ The European Solidarity party transferred UAH 12 million to the public organization Sprava Hromad for the purchase of almost half a thousand fiber-optic FPV drones, as well as trench heaters for the military, the party said on its website. "Many members of our party have been serving across the country since 2014, and we are trying to ensure that assistance reaches each of them. The best way to do this is through Sprava Hromad. These are people who purchase equipment at the best prices and deliver it as quickly as possible. Today, we transferred UAH 12 million to meet the needs of the Defense Forces for the purchase of drones," said Maksym Savrasov, head of the partys Central Secretariat and a member of Ukraines parliament. Volunteers of Sprava Hromad, who have been systematically supplying aid to the military since the start of Russias full-scale invasion, have already purchased a batch of drones and are preparing them for delivery to the front line, the statement said. "In the coming days, we will report on the transfer of these FPV drones so that they reach our soldiers at the front as quickly as possible," said Antonina Buzilo, chair of Sprava Hromads board. After Leaking Private Texts, Trump Snubs Macrons Proposed G7-Format Meet On Greenland Curated By : Last Updated: January 21, 2026, 03:28 IST Trump rejected the proposed Paris talks amid tensions over Greenland and tariffs, a day after leaking private messages with European leaders ahead of the Davos summit. French President Emmanuel Macron listens as US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting. (IMAGE: AFP) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed French President Emmanuel Macrons call for an emergency meeting in Paris with European leaders, snubbing the proposed talks as tensions rise over his push to acquire Greenland and the threat of new tariffs. Speaking at a White House press briefing marking one year into his second term, Trump said he would not attend the meeting, suggesting Macrons political future was uncertain. He told reporters he saw little reason to participate as the French leader wont be leading his country for much longer." The snub comes a day after Trump publicly shared what appeared to be private text messages from Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Truth Social, an unusual move that has unsettled European allies and deepened the diplomatic rift. Trump shared a message attributed to Macron that begins with my friend" and refers to alignment on Syria and Iran. The message also shows Macron expressing confusion over Trumps position on Greenland, an issue that has recently caused friction between Washington and several European capitals. Macron is seen proposing a possible G7-format meeting in Paris after Davos, with Ukraine, Denmark, Syria and Russia participating on the sidelines, and inviting Trump for dinner in the French capital. The row is set to spill over into the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Trump will come face to face with European leaders who have voiced strong opposition to his Greenland ambitions and trade threats. The president is expected to address the forum on Wednesday. Trump said he plans to use his Davos remarks to highlight what he described as the tremendous success" of his administration over the past year. I didnt think we could do it this fast," he said, adding that other countries could learn from the United States on energy policy and immigration. The White House had earlier indicated that Trumps Davos speech would focus on affordability issues such as housing, though Trump signalled a broader pitch to global leaders. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 21, 2026, 03:28 IST News world After Leaking Private Texts, Trump Snubs Macrons Proposed G7-Format Meet On Greenland 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... Bangladeshi Hindu Student Who Went Missing Found Dead In River Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 21, 2026, 01:27 IST The college student, Abhi, had been missing since January 11 before his body was recovered from a river. Rapid Read The death of college student Abhi comes amid heightened concern over the safety of minorities in Bangladesh in recent weeks. (IMAGE: SOURCED) The body of a college student was recovered from a river in Bangladeshs Naogaon district on Saturday, local media reported. According to The Daily Agrajatra Pratidin, the body was found in a river near the Kalitala cremation ground in Naogaon town on Saturday afternoon. The identity of the deceased could not be established initially. The report said the body was later identified as Abhi, a student of the Management Department at a government college in the district. He was studying in the fourth year of his honours course. Abhi was the son of Ramesh Chandra, a resident of Santahar in Adamdighi upazila of Bogura district. His family said he had gone missing on January 11 after leaving home following an argument. After the discovery of the body, news spread on social media, prompting Abhis family, who had been searching for him for the past seven days, to rush to the riverbank. Family members identified the body based on the clothes he was wearing when he left home, the report said. Accident Or Foul Play? The circumstances leading to Abhis death remain unclear. Family members and local residents have raised questions over whether the death was accidental or involved foul play. Abhis father told local media that the family had searched relatives houses and other possible locations before filing a general diary at Adamdighi police station when they failed to locate him. Naogaon Sadar police station officer-in-charge Niamul Islam said the body has been sent for post-mortem examination. He said the cause of death would be determined after the autopsy report is received, according to The Daily Agrajatra Pratidin. Rising Attacks On Hindus In just one month and 16 days, at least 17 people have been killed across Bangladesh in a series of violent incidents spanning multiple districts. Fourteen cases have been registered, with 21 arrests made, while four cases remain without any arrests, according to compiled case details. Several deaths involved mob violence and public punishment. Joy Mahapatra died after allegedly ingesting poison following public beating over a mobile phone payment dispute, while Amrit Mondal Samrat and Shanto Chandra Das, an 18-year-old auto rickshaw driver, were killed on robbery allegations. Mithun Sarkar died after falling into a canal while fleeing a mob that accused him of theft, though no case has been filed in that incident. There were also custodial and police-linked deaths, including Proloy Chaki, who died in custody with his family alleging denial of medical care, a claim denied by police. Ripon Shaha was killed after being run over at a petrol pump, with two arrests made. In several cases, families have alleged arbitrary detention or lack of timely intervention. A number of victims were killed in targeted shootings and stabbings. Journalist and businessman Rana Pratap Bairagi was murdered in Jessore, with one arrest made, while Sharat Mani Chakraborty was shot dead near his business in Narsingdi, leading to four arrests. Prantos Karmakar, a jeweller, was shot dead after being lured from his home, and Utpal Sarkar, a fish trader, was hacked to death in Faridpur, with three suspects arrested. Some of the most brutal cases include the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, who was beaten and burned to death in Mymensingh, prompting eight arrests, and Khokon Chandra Das, who died after an earlier assault, with several suspects still at large. The murder of freedom fighter Yogesh Chandra Roy and his wife Subarna Roy inside their home led to one arrest, as investigations continue into multiple cases across Bangladesh. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh First Published: January 20, 2026, 21:49 IST News world Bangladeshi Hindu Student Who Went Missing Found Dead In River 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... 'Will Allow EVs From China': Carney Agrees To Capped Imports For Lower Tariff On Canadian Products Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 07:38 IST Canada will allow a capped number of Chinese electric vehicles into its market and cut tariffs in exchange for lower Chinese duties on key farm exports, PM Mark Carney has said. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping (File photo/AP) Canada will allow a limited number of Chinese electric vehicles into its domestic market and actively court Chinese joint-venture investments in its auto sector, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced, signalling a significant recalibration of Ottawas trade and industrial strategy amid strained relations with the United States. In a post on X, Carney said his government was taking concrete steps to position Canada as a global hub for electric vehicle manufacturing. To make Canada a leader in electric vehicle manufacturing, were working to attract significant new joint-venture Chinese investments," he wrote. As part of the transition, he added that Canada would permit a capped number of Chinese EVs into the country. And as our domestic sector builds up, well allow a limited number of EVs from China into the Canadian market less than 50,000 next year providing more affordable, energy-efficient options for Canadians." To make Canada a leader in electric vehicle manufacturing, were working to attract significant new joint-venture Chinese investments.And as our domestic sector builds up, well allow a limited number of EVs from China into the Canadian market less than 50,000 next year Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) January 19, 2026 The policy shift follows a trade understanding reached during Carneys visit to China, where Canada agreed to slash its 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles to 6.1 per cent and introduce an initial annual cap of 49,000 vehicles. According to Carney, the quota is expected to expand gradually, reaching roughly 70,000 vehicles over the next five years. In return, China will reduce tariffs on major Canadian agricultural exports, including canola seeds, which Carney said will see duties fall from 84 per cent to about 15 per cent. Tariffs on other products such as canola meal and certain seafood will also be eased, a move the Prime Minister said last week would unlock nearly $3 billion in export orders for Canadian farmers, fish harvesters and processors. Our relationship has progressed in recent months with China. It is more predictable, and you see results coming from that," Carney had told reporters after meetings with Chinese leaders. The move represents a clear break from US policy, which continues to impose steep tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. While some members of the US administration have warned that Canadas decision could be problematic in the long term, US President Donald Trump publicly welcomed the agreement. Thats what he should be doing, and its a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that," Trump said. Carney acknowledged concerns from Canadian automakers and labour groups but argued that the limited quota was designed to allow a smooth transition" while the domestic EV sector scales up. He said the initial cap would account for only about 3 per cent of the roughly 1.8 million vehicles sold annually in Canada, and stressed that China is expected to begin investing in Canadas auto industry within three years. Were building a new part of our car industry, building cars of the future in partnership, bringing affordable autos for Canadians at a time when affordability is top of mind," he said, adding that the strategy aligns with Canadas long-term goal of moving toward a net-zero emissions future. During the visit, Carney also met Chinese President Xi Jinping, with both leaders pledging to stabilise and improve bilateral ties after years of tension. Carney said stronger engagement with Beijing could help shore up a global trade system he described as being under great strain," even as he stressed that Canadas relationship with the United States remains deeper and broader. The Prime Minister has framed the agreement as part of a broader effort to diversify Canadas economic partnerships at a time of global trade disruption, while maintaining that engagement with China will remain limited and pragmatic, given differences between the two countries on a range of issues. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 07:14 IST News world 'Will Allow EVs From China': Carney Agrees To Capped Imports For Lower Tariff On Canadian Products 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... China Has Become A Target In Kabul's Power Struggle Between Taliban Factions. Here's Why | Exclusive Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 15:43 IST While Kandahar-based leadership views China as a crucial economic and diplomatic partner, the Haqqanis see Beijings expanding role as a direct threat to their influence Rapid Read Sources told CNN-News18 that Kandahar wants Chinese engagement to continue and expand, particularly in mining, oil and infrastructure projects that provide fast cash to the Taliban administration. (AFP) Chinas growing economic footprint in Afghanistan has emerged as a major fault line within the Taliban, deepening an internal power struggle that is increasingly playing out through violence in Kabul. According to top Taliban-linked sources, the divide between Kandahar and Kabul is essentially a contest between Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzadas camp and the Haqqani network. While Kandahar-based leadership views China as a crucial economic and diplomatic partner, the Haqqanis see Beijings expanding role as a direct threat to their influence. Sources told CNN-News18 that Kandahar wants Chinese engagement to continue and expand, particularly in mining, oil and infrastructure projects that provide fast cash to the Taliban administration. Chinese firms, unlike Western investors, do not attach human rights conditions to their deals and offer a degree of international legitimacyfactors that significantly strengthen Akhundzadas position both domestically and abroad. At the centre of these investments is Bashir Noorzai, a powerful warlord and trusted Akhundzada ally from the influential Noorzai tribal network. Since his release in a 2022 prisoner swap with the United States, Noorzai has reportedly emerged as a key intermediary for Chinese investments entering Kabul. Taliban sources describe him as the main channel through which Chinese capital is flowing into Afghanistan. The attack in Kabul a day earlier, according to sources, was aimed primarily at targeting Noorzai rather than Chinese nationals alone. Disrupting his role is seen as a way to weaken Kandahars economic leverage. From the Haqqani networks perspective, Chinese money has tilted the internal balance of power. Cash is everything for the Taliban right now, and Chinese funding is making Kandahar stronger," a source said. Undermining Chinese confidence through repeated security incidents, they believe, could slow or halt projects, thereby forcing Kandahar leaders back to the negotiating table over power-sharing and resource distribution. This internal rivalry has intersected with the activities of Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). ISKPs openly hostile stance toward China, particularly over Beijings treatment of Uyghur Muslims, makes Chinese-linked targets a convenient pressure point. Taliban insiders suggest that attacks affecting Chinese interests serve multiple objectives: weakening Kandahars financial base, creating uncertainty for Beijing, and reshaping internal Taliban dynamics. For Kandahar, Chinese engagement brings not just money but diplomatic cover at a time when the Taliban remains internationally isolated. For the Haqqanis, however, the same relationship represents a strategic threat that consolidates Akhundzadas dominance. As Afghanistans fragile power balance continues to shift, Chinas presence has become more than an economic issueit is now a central factor in the Talibans internal struggle, with violence increasingly used as a tool to renegotiate authority within the movement. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Kabul, Afghanistan First Published: January 20, 2026, 15:43 IST News world China Has Become A Target In Kabul's Power Struggle Between Taliban Factions. Here's Why | 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... 'Act Of Great Stupidity': Trump Scolds NATO Ally UK On Diego Garcia Island Deal With Mauritius Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 14:19 IST Donald Trump slammed the UK for ceding Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling it "stupidity" and warning of China and Russia, a shift from his earlier stance on the agreement. A file photo of Donald Trump (AP) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the United Kingdom over its decision to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling the move an act of great stupidity" and warning that China and Russia would view it as a sign of weakness. In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticised Britains plan to cede the strategically located Indian Ocean archipelago, which includes Diego Garcia, home to a critical US-UK military base, to Mauritius under a recently concluded agreement. Shockingly, our brilliant NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," Trump wrote. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness," he added, arguing that major global powers only recognize STRENGTH." Trump went on to link the issue directly to his push for US ownership of Greenland, stating, The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING." TRUMPs REMARK IS A SHIFT FROM HIS EARLIER STANCE Trumps social media post represents a notable shift from his earlier position, when he had endorsed the agreement between Britain and Mauritius. When the deal was signed in May, the US administration had publicly welcomed the arrangement, emphasising its importance for maintaining military stability in the region. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said that Washington welcomes the historic agreement," adding that it secured the long-term, stable, and effective operation of the joint US-UK military facility at Diego Garcia, which is critical to regional and global security." WHAT IS THE CHAGOS ISLANDS DEAL? Under the deal, Britain will formally return the Chagos Islands to its former colony while paying to lease the strategically vital military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago. The agreement allows continued operation of the joint US-UK facility, which has been central to military operations in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions. Britain retained control of the Chagos Islands after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s, but forcibly removed thousands of islanders between 1967 and 1973. Those displaced residents have since pursued legal claims for compensation in British courts. In 2019, the International Court of Justice recommended that Britain hand the archipelago to Mauritius, a ruling that intensified pressure on London to resolve the long-running dispute. Britains Prime Minister Keir Starmer has argued that without a deal, the UK would face serious legal and strategic risks, including the possibility of rival powers gaining influence in surrounding islands. UK officials also stressed that the deal was supported by Britains closest allies and was the only viable path to preserve control of the base amid mounting international legal pressure. INDIA WELCOMED RETURN OF CHAGOS TO MAURITIUS India had also welcomed the agreement, backing Mauritiuss claim to the Chagos Archipelago and framing the development as a milestone in the decolonisation process. The Ministry of External Affairs said India has consistently supported Mauritiuss legitimate claim" over the islands, in line with its principled position on decolonisation, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. We welcome the signing of the treaty between the UK and Mauritius on the return of Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia," the MEA said, describing the resolution of the dispute as a positive development for the region." India added that it remains committed to working with Mauritius and other like-minded countries to strengthen maritime security and ensure peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 14:10 IST News world 'Act Of Great Stupidity': Trump Scolds NATO Ally UK On Diego Garcia Island Deal With Mauritius 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 Posts New Map Showing Canada, Venezuela And Greenland As US Territories Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 17:46 IST Trump has also threatened hefty new tariffs on European allies who oppose his plan to buy Greenland. The new US map posted by Trump US President Donald Trump on Tuesday posted a map of the United States of America, showing Canada, Venezuela and Greenland as part of the US territories. The map, which seems to be AI-generated, was posted by Trump on his Truth Social platform. In the photo, Trump can be seen sitting in a meeting with European leaders, including UKs Keir Starmer, Italys Giorgia Meloni, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with the US map in the background. This came amid his war of words with European allies over Greenland takeover push. A few minutes later, Trump posted another photo, in which he was seen putting the USA flag in Greenland along with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with a message Greenland US Territory Est 2026". After coming to power last year, Trump had made an offer to make Canada the 51st state of the USA. However, the Canadian government dismissed the offer, leading to a bitter trade war between the two neighbours. Earlier this month, US special forces conducted an operation in Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife from Caracas, whisking them to New York to face trial on drug charges. Since then, Trump has said that the United States will run" Venezuela and that US companies will control its oil the largest proven reserves in the world. He has also warned interim president Delcy Rodriguez to toe Washingtons line or face consequences. However, this is the first time Trump has made an explicit claim on Venezuela. The Greenland Story: Who Holds Authority, What Is Denmarks Role And Why Trump Wants Control? Why Trump Wants Greenland Trump has repeatedly said the USA needs vast, mineral-rich Greenland for national security", despite the United States already having a base on the island and security agreements with NATO ally Denmark. On Monday, Trump said he no longer feels obliged to think purely of peace" after being snubbed for a Nobel prize, ramping up his campaign to take over Greenland. In an extraordinary exchange with Norways prime minister, Trump questioned Denmarks right to the vast Arctic island, over which he said he wanted complete and total control". Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace," Trump wrote to Norways Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store. Trump has also threatened hefty new tariffs on European allies who oppose his plan to buy Greenland, raising alarm in allied capitals and sending stock markets plummeting when they opened on Monday. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 20, 2026, 13:49 IST News world Donald Trump Posts New Map Showing Canada, Venezuela And Greenland As US Territories 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... EU Close To Mother Of All Deals With India, Says Ursula Von Der Leyen Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 18:16 IST Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ursula von der Leyen said that while some steps remain, negotiations are nearing their conclusion. EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Reuters/File) The European Union is close to finalising a free trade agreement with India that could create a market of nearly two billion people and account for almost a quarter of global GDP, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, signalling what she described as a potentially historic moment in EUIndia economic ties. Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ursula von der Leyen said that while some steps remain, negotiations are nearing their conclusion. There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals," she said, during a section of her speech focused on expanding and diversifying Europes trade partnerships. NOW Ursula von der Leyen says EU is on the cusp" of making the mother of all deals," with India, Europe will always choose the world, and the world is ready to choose Europe." pic.twitter.com/LfZbBxI6Lo Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 20, 2026 Linking the trade push to upcoming diplomatic engagement, Ursula von der Leyen said she will travel to India next weekend after the Davos meeting concludes, as part of efforts to advance the agreement and deepen economic cooperation between Europe and India. Placing the proposed pact within the EUs broader global strategy, she said Europe remains committed to working with partners worldwide. Europe will always choose the world, and the world is ready to choose Europe," she said, adding that the EUs policy focus is on building a stable and well-regulated environment that supports investment, boosts trade and enables sustainable growth. Ursula Von der Leyen also highlighted energy as a central pillar of Europes growth agenda, saying the bloc aims to build an energy union that delivers reliable, homegrown and cheaper energy. She stressed the need for what she called an urgency mindset" to address energy challenges and secure long-term economic stability. Beyond trade and energy, she pointed to a sharp increase in defence investment, saying Europe has done more in the past year than in previous decades. Member states, she said, have raised defence spending to record levels, and three European defence technology startups have now reached unicorn status, underlining growing innovation in the sector. Against the backdrop of expanding India-EU engagement, Antonio Luis Santos da Costa, President of the European Council and Ursula von der Leyen will attend Indias 77th Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path on January 26 as chief guests. At the invitation of Narendra Modi, the two leaders will undertake a three-day state visit to India starting January 25. During the visit, they will co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit on January 27 and are scheduled to meet Droupadi Murmu, alongside holding restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Modi. An India-EU Business Forum is also expected on the sidelines of the summit. Indias Ministry of External Affairs said India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004, noting that bilateral engagement has expanded significantly, particularly following the visit of the EU College of Commissioners to India in February last year. The ministry added that the participation of EU leaders in the Republic Day celebrations and the summit is expected to further deepen the India-EU Strategic Partnership and advance cooperation in priority areas of mutual interest. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 16:59 IST News world EU Close To Mother Of All Deals With India, Says Ursula Von Der Leyen 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... Europe Must Respond If Trade War Kicks Off: Danish PM Amid Trump's Tariff Threat Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 18:37 IST Denmark PM warns Europe must respond to US President Donald Trump's tariff threats over Greenland, as European leaders unite against undermining transatlantic relations. Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (AP) Europe will have no choice but to respond if a trade war commences, Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday, after US President Donald Trumps tariff threat on countries opposing plans on him taking over Greenland. As Europe, if anyone starts a trade war against us which I really cannot recommend we must of course respond. We are compelled to do so. We have never sought any conflicts," Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Denmarks parliament during a question-and-answer session. Trump has threatened to impose a 10 percent tariff from February 1 on all goods sent to the United States from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland. The levy would then rise to 25 percent on June 1 until such time as a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland," the US president has said. On Sunday, Frederiksen said Europe will not be blackmailed". Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden said the threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral." We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to upholding our sovereignty," the joint statement noted. Trump on Tuesday posted a map of the United States of America, showing Canada, Venezuela and Greenland as part of the US territories. The map, which seems to be AI-generated, was posted by Trump on his Truth Social platform. In the photo, Trump can be seen sitting in a meeting with European leaders, including UKs Keir Starmer, Italys Giorgia Meloni, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with the US map in the background. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Copenhagen, Denmark First Published: January 20, 2026, 18:37 IST News world Europe Must Respond If Trade War Kicks Off: Danish PM Amid Trump's Tariff Threat 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... 'If There Were Fire Someday, Better Burn The House Now': France Mocks US Over Greenland Push Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 10:27 IST France issued a sarcastic response to Scott Bessents remarks on Greenland, mocking his peace through strength logic with analogies on avoiding hypothetical threats. France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, and US President Donald Trump, right (AP Photo) France on Monday issued a sharp and sarcastic rebuttal to remarks by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Greenland, using a series of analogies to slam what it described as flawed logic behind Washingtons push for control of the Arctic territory. In a post on X, the official response account of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs mocked Bessents justification by drawing parallels to deliberately causing harm to prevent a hypothetical future crisis. If there were a fire someday, firefighters would intervene so better burn the house now," the post read. It continued with similar analogies. If a shark might attack someday, intervention would follow so better eat the lifeguard now," and, If there were a crash someday, damage would occur so better ram the car now." The French response came after Bessent defended US President Donald Trumps Greenland policy, arguing that the United States could not outsource" its security and warning that a future conflict in the Arctic would inevitably draw Washington in. Speaking during an interview, Bessent said that if Greenland were attacked by Russia or from some other area," the United States would be forced to intervene. And so better now, peace through strength," he said, adding that while Europeans project weakness," the United States projects strength." If there were a fire someday, firefighters would intervene so better burn the house now."If a shark might attack someday, intervention would follow so better eat the lifeguard now." If there were a crash someday, damage would occur so better ram the car now." https://t.co/gXBEAONzPq French Response (@FrenchResponse) January 18, 2026 According to AFP, Bessent also warned European nations against retaliating over Trumps threatened tariffs, saying, I think it would be very unwise." He said Trump wanted control of Greenland because he sees it as a strategic asset," and reiterated that we are not going to outsource our hemispheric security to anyone else." Asked about Trumps message to Norways Prime Minister linking the Greenland issue to not winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Bessent said, I dont know anything about the Presidents letter to Norway," but added, I think its a complete canard that the President will be doing this because of the Nobel Prize." Trump has threatened to impose a 10 per cent tariff on all goods sent to the United States from several European countries, including Denmark, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands, starting February 1, until Denmark agrees to cede control of Greenland. The announcement has triggered strong reactions across Europe, with several leaders accusing Washington of economic blackmail." Bessent, seeking to bolster the administrations argument, cited historical precedents for US territorial acquisitions. How did the US get the Panama Canal? We bought it from the French," he said, adding, How did the US get the US Virgin Islands? We bought it from the Danes." He also underlined Greenlands strategic importance due to its rare Earth mineral resources, which are critical for advanced technologies, and raised concerns about Chinese involvement in mining activities on the island. France had earlier responded forcefully to Trumps tariff threat. According to the Associated Press, French President Emmanuel Macron said that no intimidation or threats will influence us, whether in Ukraine, Greenland or anywhere else in the world when we are faced with such situations." Macron added that tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context." European governments have also warned that Trumps move risks a serious rupture in transatlantic relations. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 10:26 IST News world 'If There Were Fire Someday, Better Burn The House Now': France Mocks US Over Greenland Push 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 Abduction To Conversion: Shrines Being Used For Minority Abuse In Pakistan's Sindh | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 11:55 IST According to sources, girls from economically marginalised Hindu groups such as the Bheel, Meghwar and Kolhi communities are most frequently targeted. Conversions, intelligence inputs suggest, are frequently carried out at specific shrines or madrassa-linked locations. (File Image: AP) A disturbing pattern behind the abduction and forced conversion of underage minority girls in Pakistans Sindh province has emerged. Top intelligences sources have told CNN-News18 how religious shrines and madrassa-linked networks are allegedly being misused in cases involving vulnerable Hindu communities. According to intelligence sources, girls from economically marginalised Hindu groups such as the Bheel, Meghwar and Kolhi communities are most frequently targeted. Poverty, social exclusion and weak access to legal remedies make these families particularly vulnerable. The selection, sources say, is not random but calculated, focusing on households least likely to sustain long legal battles or attract sustained media attention. The process often begins with abduction or coercion. Victims are allegedly lured through false promises of marriage, employment or financial security, or threatened into submission. Soon after, the girls are moved out of their home districts. This rapid relocation is a crucial step, designed to cut off access to families, lawyers and local activists, while also reducing scrutiny from local media. Conversions, intelligence inputs suggest, are frequently carried out at specific shrines or madrassa-linked locations. Networks associated with hardline groups are said to play a key role. In one such case cited by sources, associates linked to the Pir Sarhindi shrine have claimed that nearly 1,000 Hindu girls have already been converted at their facility. While these figures remain contested, the claims themselves raise serious concerns. Another critical element of the alleged modus operandi is document manipulation. Sources say forged identity papers are prepared to falsely show minors as adults. These altered records are then used to bypass Sindhs child marriage laws. Within three to four days of the conversion, the girl is reportedly married off often to an older man or someone already married. Court proceedings, according to the investigation, further compound the problem. Statements are frequently recorded under pressure, yet police and courts often accept claims of voluntary conversion" at face value. Once a court validates the conversion, reversing the decision becomes nearly impossible, effectively closing all legal doors for the victim and her family. The findings underscore a systemic failure where legal loopholes, social vulnerability and institutional apathy intersect leaving minority girls trapped in a cycle that is difficult to escape and even harder to challenge. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 11:55 IST News world From Abduction To Conversion: Shrines Being Used For Minority Abuse In Pakistan's Sindh | 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... Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets stated about a significant violation of the rights of Ukrainian citizen Serhiy Kuznetsov, a suspect in the case of undermining the Nord Stream gas pipeline, who is being held in custody in Germany, and announced an appeal to the competent authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany on this matter. Ukraines human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said he had received another troubling update from the wife of Serhiy Kuznetsov, who recently visited him at a pretrial detention center in Germany. According to her, Kuznetsovs basic rights are being seriously violated. Since November, he has not made a single phone call, despite a court having officially authorized telephone contact. The facilitys administration has yet to arrange the calls, citing technical reasons. Winter footwear that was delivered and stored in a warehouse has not been issued to him, and food-related issues have still not been fully resolved despite repeated appeals, Lubinets wrote on Telegram on Tuesday. Lubinets said Kuznetsov is being held in a section for particularly dangerous detainees under conditions of near-total isolation, spending 23 hours a day alone in his cell. His wife is allowed to see him only once a month, and his ability to communicate and access normal conditions is severely restricted, he said. According to his wife, such levels of isolation and pressure do not exist in other sections of the facility. Lubinets said the detention regime may amount to inhuman or degrading treatment and could potentially be considered a form of torture, which is unacceptable under international human rights standards. Ukraines human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said he is preparing official letters with a detailed list of documented violations to Germanys justice authorities, penitentiary system and human rights institutions, demanding that the situation be remedied without delay. "I will insist on being granted the opportunity to personally conduct a monitoring visit to the place where Serhiy Kuznetsov is being held. I want to personally verify the conditions of detention of our citizen, speak with him confidentially and assess whether his rights are being respected," Lubinets wrote. As Ukraines parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Lubinets said he is demanding that he and his delegation be granted unhindered access to Kuznetsov and that his detention conditions be brought into compliance with the standards of the Council of Europe, the European Convention on Human Rights and the U.N. Convention Against Torture. He added that he remains in contact with Kuznetsovs family and lawyers and vowed that authorities would not leave him alone to face the situation. As reported, the extradition followed a ruling by Italys Supreme Court, which on November 19 rejected Kuznetsovs appeal against a decision by the Bologna Court of Appeal, thereby upholding his extradition to Germany. Kuznetsov denies any involvement in acts of sabotage targeting Russian gas pipelines. Greenlands Sovereignty Must Be Respected, EU Chief Tells US Lawmakers In Davos Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 07:27 IST She said the European Union remains ready to continue working closely with the United States, NATO and other allies EU chief was in conversation with EU lawmakers over Ukraine peace and Greenland issue. (X @vonderleyen) European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen on Tuesday said she raised the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark during discussions with a bipartisan delegation from the United States Congress in Davos. In a statement after the meeting, von der Leyen said the issue was of utmost importance" to the transatlantic relationship, underscoring growing sensitivity around Greenland amid wider geopolitical tensions. The talks with US lawmakers also focused on efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace" in Ukraine, with von der Leyen stressing that the process requires strong EUUS coordination, ranging from security guarantees to creating a pathway to long-term prosperity. She said the European Union remains ready to continue working closely with the United States, NATO and other allies, in close cooperation with Denmark, to advance shared security interests. Von der Leyen also highlighted the importance of transatlantic trade and investment, calling them a major asset for both the EU and US economies. She cautioned that tariffs run counter to these shared interests, signalling concern over protectionist measures that could strain economic ties. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, where global leaders have been holding discussions on security, trade and geopolitical challenges facing Europe and the wider transatlantic alliance. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 07:27 IST News world Greenlands Sovereignty Must Be Respected, EU Chief Tells US Lawmakers In Davos 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... Hindu Student Forced To Change London School After Facing Discrimination Over Tilak: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 08:23 IST The childs parents, along with other Hindu parents at the school, reportedly made repeated efforts to engage with the headteacher News18 An eight-year-old Hindu student was compelled to change schools in London after allegedly facing discrimination for wearing a Tilak-Chandlo, a sacred Hindu symbol applied on the forehead. According to a NDTV report, the incident occurred at Vicars Green Primary School, where the child was reportedly questioned about and asked to justify his religious practice. According to NDTV, the situation escalated when the schools headteacher allegedly began closely observing the child during break times, behaviour the child found intimidating. As a result, the student reportedly withdrew from group activities and became increasingly isolated from classmates. The advocacy group further alleged that the child was stripped of positions of responsibility within the school solely because of his religious practice. If established, such action would amount to direct religious discrimination under the UKs Equality Act 2010, which protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of religion. An Insight UK spokesperson told NDTV that no child should be made to feel singled out or uncomfortable because of their faith, particularly by authority figures, adding that such experiences can have long-term emotional consequences and raise serious safeguarding concerns. The childs parents, along with other Hindu parents at the school, reportedly made repeated efforts to engage with the headteacher and school governors to explain the religious significance of Hindu practices, including the Tilak-Chandlo. However, these attempts were said to have been met with dismissive responses rather than meaningful dialogue. The advocacy body claimed the school leadership showed little willingness to understand or accommodate Hindu religious observances, describing the interactions as one-sided and lacking sensitivity. Insight UK said Hindu practices were repeatedly questioned and ultimately rejected instead of being respected. According to NDTV, Insight UK has flagged that the alleged discrimination at Vicars Green Primary School has already resulted in at least four Hindu children being withdrawn from the institution, raising wider concerns about inclusivity and religious freedom in schools. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 08:23 IST News world Hindu Student Forced To Change London School After Facing Discrimination Over Tilak: 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... 'Let Me Put It In Words You Understand': Danish Lawmaker Tells Trump To F*** Off Over Greenland Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 20:34 IST Danish MEP Anders Vistisen rejected Donald Trumps recent remarks that the United States should take control of Greenland for national security reasons. Danish MEP Anders Vistisen and US President Donald Trump. (File image) A Danish member of the European Parliament delivered a blunt rebuke to Donald Trump, telling him to fuck off" during a debate over the US Presidents claims about Greenland. Speaking in the European Parliament, Danish MEP Anders Vistisen rejected Donald Trumps recent remarks that the United States should take control of Greenland for national security reasons. Let me put this in words you might understand: Mr President, fuck off," Anders Vistisen said during the session. Danish MEP Anders Vistisen to Trump:Let me put this in words you might understand: Mr. President, fuck off. pic.twitter.com/GMYE5c1OCu Clash Report (@clashreport) January 20, 2026 Donald Trump has in recent days reiterated his long-standing view that Greenland is strategically vital to US interests, arguing that Washington needs greater control over the Arctic island to counter potential influence from Russia and China. He has also suggested that economic pressure could be used against European allies who oppose such moves. Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and both Danish and Greenlandic leaders have repeatedly said the island is not for sale. European officials have framed Donald Trumps comments as a challenge to sovereignty and territorial integrity. This comes as Donald Trump posted an edited image on his social media platform Truth Social that showed a map of the United States including neighbouring Canada, Venezuela and Greenland as part of US territory. The image, which appears to have been generated using AI, showed Donald Trump in a meeting with European leaders, including Frances Emmanuel Macron, the UKs Keir Starmer, Italys Giorgia Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, with the expanded map in the background. In a separate AI-edited visual, Donald Trump was shown with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio planting an American flag on Greenland, labelled US territory." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Denmark First Published: January 20, 2026, 20:25 IST News world 'Let Me Put It In Words You Understand': Danish Lawmaker Tells Trump To F*** Off Over Greenland 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... 'Military Conflict Can't Be Ruled Out': Greenland PM Warns Of Possible US Invasion Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 21, 2026, 00:09 IST Trump threatens to seize Greenland, prompting PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen to prepare for possible invasion. Danish leaders, including Anders Vistisen, strongly reject US claims. Greenland PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at a press conference in the Mirror Hall at the Prime Minister's Office in Copenhagen, Tuesday. (AP) As US President Donald Trump continues to threaten seizing Greenland, Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Tuesday said the residents and authorities should start preparing for a possible military invasion. Its not likely there will be a military conflict, but it cant be ruled out," Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said at a press conference in Nuuk. Financial Review quoted him saying that the government will form a task force consisting of representatives of all relevant local authorities to help people prepare for any disruptions to daily life. He further said that the government is working to distribute new guidelines to the population, including a recommendation to have enough food for five days stored in their homes. Speaking in the European Parliament, Danish MEP Anders Vistisen rejected Donald Trumps recent remarks that the United States should take control of Greenland for national security reasons. Let me put this in words you might understand: Mr President, fuck off," Anders Vistisen said during the session. Donald Trump has in recent days reiterated his long-standing view that Greenland is strategically vital to US interests, arguing that Washington needs greater control over the Arctic island to counter potential influence from Russia and China. He has also suggested that economic pressure could be used against European allies who oppose such moves. Greenland is under a lot of pressure" and we need to be ready for all scenarios", Mute B Egede, the islands minister of finance and former leader, said at the same news conference on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Europe would have to respond if the tariffs are implemented and that there could be major consequences" on both sides of the Atlantic. If a trade war is launched against us, which I cannot recommend, then we must of course respond. We would be forced to do so," she said during a question and answer session in the Danish parliament. I hope we do not get to that point. I hope that we succeed in convincing the Americans that this is not the path we should take." Greenland, whose population of 57,000 has expressed concern over Trumps threats, reiterated that such pressure does not change its desire to assert sovereignty. Trump has insisted that the mineral-rich island is vital for US national security," despite existing bases and security agreements with Denmark, a fellow NATO ally. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Denmark First Published: January 21, 2026, 00:09 IST News world 'Military Conflict Can't Be Ruled Out': Greenland PM Warns Of Possible US Invasion 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... Pakistan Floats Expansion Of Defence Pact With Saudi Arabia To Include Wider Islamic World Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 09:35 IST Pakistans defence minister Khawaja Asif warned that the Islamic world risks strategic vulnerability if it remains fragmented Rapid Read Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif (Image: AP/file) Pakistans defence minister Khawaja Asif has signalled a potential expansion of the existing strategic defence relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, calling for a broader collective security framework involving other Muslim-majority countries. Speaking on regional security challenges, Asif emphasised that the Islamic world must move toward deeper defence and strategic cooperation to counter emerging threats. The defence minister stated that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia could mutually decide to expand their current strategic mutual defence agreement and develop formal terms of reference that would allow other countries to join the pact. According to Asif, nations such as Turkey and other willing Muslim states could become part of this expanded defence arrangement, transforming it into a wider multilateral alliance. Highlighting what he described as a rising Zionist threat", Asif warned that the Islamic world risks strategic vulnerability if it remains fragmented. He stressed that the time has come for Muslim nations to enter into a comprehensive defence and strategic agreement to avoid being politically or militarily weakened in the future. Reaffirming Pakistans commitment to the security of the Muslim world, Asif said Islamabad stands ready to play a leading role in shaping a collective defence framework. He underscored that unity, shared strategic planning, and mutual defence cooperation are essential for safeguarding the interests and sovereignty of Islamic nations in an increasingly volatile global environment. At present, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already cooperate closely on military training and advisory roles, intelligence sharing, defence production and arms cooperation, and strategic consultations. Why The Push? Pakistan views the Middle East and South Asia as entering a more volatile phase due to the Gaza war and broader IsraelMiddle East tensions, growing Israeli military reach and normalisation with some regional states, IranIsrael proxy confrontations, and shifting US strategic priorities and reduced direct involvement. From Islamabads perspective, Muslim states acting individually are more vulnerable than if they coordinate collectively. Also, there is no NATO-style collective defence mechanism for Muslim countries. Existing organisations like the OIC are largely diplomatic and lack military enforcement power. Pakistans proposal aims to fill this strategic gap, create deterrence through unity rather than confrontation, and reduce reliance on external powers for security. Pakistan sees itself as well-placed to lead such an initiative because it is the only Muslim-majority country with nuclear weapons, has one of the most experienced militaries in the Islamic world, maintains strong ties with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Gulf states, and has avoided direct involvement in Middle Eastern wars, preserving neutrality. This allows Pakistan to act as a security partner rather than a partisan actor. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Islamabad, Pakistan First Published: January 20, 2026, 09:35 IST News world Pakistan Floats Expansion Of Defence Pact With Saudi Arabia To Include Wider Islamic World 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... Russias Lavrov Says Britain Should Drop 'Great' From Its Name Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 23:09 IST Lavrov made the comments while speaking about colonialism, following remarks on Greenland. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (Image Credit: Reuters) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday suggested that Britain should no longer be called Great Britain, arguing that it is the only country in the world to officially name itself Great." Lavrov made the comments while speaking about colonialism, following remarks on Greenland, which has been in the news amid US President Donald Trumps repeated threats to seize the Arctic island. I think that Britain should be called simply Britain because Great Britain is the only example of a country which calls itself Great"," Lavrov told reporters. When a correspondent from Britains Sky News asked a question, Lavrov added, No offence," signalling that his remarks were intended lightly. Lavrov cited another historical example of a country calling itself great" the Great Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, led by Muammar Gaddafi. But it no longer exists," he said. In Russian, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is usually referred to as Velikobritaniya," which translates as Great Britain. Lavrovs comments come amid tense relations between Russia and the West, with Britain often portrayed as a major adversary in Russian media. On Russian state television, the UK is frequently referred to as Perfidious Albion," described as a scheming global intelligence power meddling from Washington to Iran in attempts to undermine Russian interests. Relations between Russia and the UK are already strained over the war in Ukraine. Britain has labelled Russia a threat to Europe, while both sides have accused each other of running espionage campaigns not seen since the Cold War. (With inputs from Reuters) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Russia First Published: January 20, 2026, 23:09 IST News world Russias Lavrov Says Britain Should Drop 'Great' From Its Name 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... Settling The Score: Greenlanders Go Meme Mode Amid Trumps Takeover Threat Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 21, 2026, 00:02 IST Greenlanders can be seen bending forward and swaying- mimicking the posture often associated with opioid addiction. Several Greenlanders posted similar videos across platforms, triggering a flood of reactions. Greenlanders are pushing back at Donald Trumps rhetoric over their island with humour, posting a wave of social media clips that mock what they describe as American culture" by imitating fentanyl users. In the short videos, widely shared on social media, Greenlanders can be seen bending forward and swaying- mimicking the posture often associated with opioid addiction- while snow falls in the background. Many of the clips are filmed outdoors, with users leaning into the contrast between Greenlands icy landscape and the imagery they are parodying. Several Greenlanders posted similar videos across platforms, triggering a flood of reactions. One user commented, Some meme wars to settle the score," while another wrote, Greenland hitting with facts." A third response read, LMAOOOO ok thats funny." Greenlanders post social media clips making fun of American culture" by imitating fentanyl users.pic.twitter.com/SFZolBkaTX AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) January 20, 2026 The satirical pushback comes amid rising political tension after Donald Trump renewed his push for the United States to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Donald Trump has said there is no going back" on his plan, arguing that Greenland is imperative for national and world security." He has also warned of new tariffs on countries that oppose US control of the island, escalating the dispute with European allies. Greenlands government and Denmark have repeatedly said the island is not for sale, stressing that its future must be decided by Greenlanders themselves. The issue has also sparked rare mass mobilisation on the ground as thousands of people took to the streets in Greenlands capital Nuuk. COLD SHOULDER: Thousands rally in Greenlands capital city, chanting Greenland is not for sale," after President Trump doubles down on the U.S. initiative to acquire the country.The protest is reportedly the biggest demonstration in the nations history. pic.twitter.com/e3Vf22E2Kj Fox News (@FoxNews) January 20, 2026 The online backlash unfolded alongside sharper diplomatic warnings in Europe. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, French President Emmanuel Macron warned of a shift towards a world without rules," calling the endless accumulation of new tariffs" threatened by the US fundamentally unacceptable." The dispute has reached the European Parliament, which is expected to suspend approval of a trade deal with the United States as tensions over Greenland continue to deepen. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 20, 2026, 23:54 IST News world Settling The Score: Greenlanders Go Meme Mode Amid Trumps Takeover Threat 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... Sindh Activist Faces Death Threats After Exposing Pakistan's Forced Conversion Network | Exclusive Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 10:36 IST Hindu activist Shiva Kachhi, founder of minority advocacy group Darawar Itehad, has reported receiving escalating death threats & fatwa-style calls for his killing since late 2025 Rapid Read Shiva Kachhi has intervened in dozens of cases over the years, helping secure the recovery of minor girls and reunite them with their families. (Screenshot) A prominent minority rights activist in Pakistans Sindh province has come under serious threat from hardline religious groups after intervening in dozens of cases involving the alleged abduction and forced conversion of underage Hindu girls. Hindu activist Shiva Kachhi, founder of the minority advocacy group Darawar Itehad, has reported receiving escalating death threats and fatwa-style calls for his killing since late 2025. The threats are allegedly linked to hardline factions associated with the Pir Sarhindi group and the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which Kachhi and other sources accuse of running an organised forced-conversion racket in parts of Sindh. According to activists and intelligence-linked sources, underage Hindu girlsprimarily from economically marginalised Bheel, Meghwar, and Kohli communitiesare routinely abducted and taken to religious shrines, including the shrine of Pir Sarhindi, which is widely cited by rights groups as a hub for mass conversions. The girls are allegedly coerced into converting to Islam and subsequently married off to older men. Rights organisations estimate that hundreds to more than 1,000 minority girls, mostly Hindus, face abduction and forced conversion annually in Sindh. Activists say many families are too poor or fearful to pursue legal action. Kachhi has intervened in dozens of cases over the years, helping secure the recovery of minor girls and reunite them with their families. However, his work has drawn fierce backlash. He has been repeatedly accused by hardline clerics and their supporters of being anti-Islam" and anti-state"labels that security analysts say are often used in Pakistan to incite mob violence and silence dissenting voices. Branding activists as enemies of religion is a deliberate escalation tactic," a senior intelligence-linked source said. These networks operate as organised local ecosystems, combining clerical influence, tribal power and intimidation, often with complete impunity." Sources allege that shrines are being used as informal conversion centres and that local authorities frequently fail to act, either due to pressure, ideological sympathy, or fear of extremist backlash. Activists also point to systemic bias within the justice system, claiming that courts often act swiftly when Muslim families are involved but delay or deny relief in cases involving Hindu victims. Kachhi has publicly highlighted these disparities, further intensifying threats against him. Rights defenders warn that the continued failure to protect minority activists significantly raises the risk of targeted killings, citing past incidents where campaigners were attacked after being branded blasphemers or foreign agents. Sindh has long been at the centre of Pakistans forced conversion debate, with national and international human rights organisations repeatedly calling on the government to strengthen protections for minorities, ensure judicial independence, and hold perpetrators accountable. As threats against Kachhi mount, minority groups fear that silencing activists will further embolden networks accused of exploiting vulnerable girlsand deepen the climate of fear faced by religious minorities across the province. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Islamabad, Pakistan First Published: January 20, 2026, 10:36 IST News world Sindh Activist Faces Death Threats After Exposing Pakistan's Forced Conversion Network | 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... Time To Free Imran: Sisters Of Former Pakistan PM Demand Immediate Release, Threaten Sit-In Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Shankhyaneel Sarkar Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 23:17 IST The sisters accused authorities of violating court orders and the Pakistani Constitution while demanding Imran Khans immediate release. Rapid Read Imran Khan's sisters warned of protests and sit-ins, accusing authorities of blocking meetings and disregarding court orders. (IMAGE: SOURCED) Sisters of jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday stepped up their criticism of authorities, accusing the government and police officials of violating court orders and the Pakistani Constitution while denying Khan regular access to visitors and legal counsel. Speaking to CNN-News18, sources close to Imran Khans sister Aleema Khan said the family was not seeking symbolic gestures but his release, insisting that Khan continued to command widespread public support across Pakistan. Imran Khan is the leader of Pakistan, and all of Pakistan wants Imran Khans release," Aleema Khan was quoted as saying. Aleema alleged that constitutional norms were repeatedly violated, including delays in formally notifying opposition leaders in parliament. For months, by not issuing notifications, the Speaker and others have broken the Constitution," she said, adding that those who steal the mandate" and undermine institutions end up ruling the country. CNN-News18 has been tracking developments around Imran Khans detention over the past week. On Monday, sources close to Aleema Khan said that while her brother was being kept in solitary confinement, he remained strong and will not break." She questioned why he continued to remain in jail even after recent constitutional amendments were passed, alleging that a small group of lawmakers had manipulated the process. Officers Demanding Bribes On Tuesday, she levelled serious allegations against local police officials, claiming officers at checkpoints were stopping vehicles and demanding bribes. Referring to a police officer by name, Aleema said vehicles were being seized and money demanded from ordinary citizens. She added that while she and her sisters were allowed to pass through checkpoints, others were stopped arbitrarily. Aleema said court orders allowing meetings with Imran Khan were being ignored. According to the law, 24 people can meet him in a week. This permission has already been granted by different benches of the court," she said. Despite this, she claimed that over the past three months, Khans contact with the outside world had been limited to about an hour in total. If the meeting is not arranged today, we will sit in protest here," she warned. Court Orders Nullified Meanwhile, sources close to Imran Khans sister-in-law Noreen Niazi said she had conveyed similar concerns, accusing authorities of making repeated promises that were never fulfilled. They are afraid of us and have already been defeated," Noreen was quoted as saying by sources who spoke to CNN-News18, adding, They make false promises every time. Now we no longer trust a word they say." Noreen also alleged that court orders from the Islamabad High Court were being openly disregarded by police officers on the ground. We bring the court order, but the SHO does not even look at it. The authority of judges has been nullified," she said. She added that protests planned around February 8 would go ahead, saying supporters would continue to mobilise on the streets. Imran Khan, 73, has been in prison since August 2023 following multiple cases filed against him after his removal from office in April 2022. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has claimed he has been denied access to legal counsel and basic facilities, describing his prolonged solitary confinement as a violation of international norms. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Islamabad/New Delhi, India First Published: January 20, 2026, 23:17 IST News world Time To Free Imran: Sisters Of Former Pakistan PM Demand Immediate Release, Threaten Sit-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... Trump Plans To Formalise Gaza Peace Board In Davos Signing Event Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 07:32 IST Donald Trump plans to launch a Board of Peace for Gaza at Davos, but its charter omits Gaza, raising skepticism and speculation among allied governments about its true scope. File photo of US President Donald Trump. US President Donald Trump is preparing to formally establish a newly proposed Board of Peace" for Gaza, with a signing ceremony expected as early as Thursday during his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. An invitation that has been shared online suggests the event is imminent, even as some allied governments privately express uncertainty about whether they will participate. The initiative was unveiled by Trump on Friday and is described as a body intended to manage postwar recovery and rebuilding efforts in the Gaza Strip. However, a draft version of the boards charter that has circulated publicly does not explicitly reference Gaza, prompting restrained and skeptical responses from officials. According to ABC News, the omission has fueled speculation among governments that the panels mandate may extend well beyond the stated purpose. Trump, who would serve as chairman, praised the initiative on Truth Social as the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled," though concrete details remain limited. Invitations have reportedly been sent to numerous countries, including Israel, Egypt, Canada, Australia, India, Turkey, Jordan, Argentina, Hungary, Pakistan, Belarus and others. Russia has also confirmed receiving an invitation, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Moscow is reviewing the proposal and seeking clarification from Washington. France Rejects Peace Board Invite Meanwhile, Trumps ambitious Board of Peace" is facing growing resistance from key international players. French President Emmanuel Macron has declined to participate, signaling Pariss reluctance to back the initiative. In Canada, the government has struck a cautious tone: although Prime Minister Mark Carney indicated he would accept the US invitation to join the board, a Canadian government source told AFP that Ottawa will not contribute financially to secure membership. Further, an Israeli official also confirmed that Trump has invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take part in the US-led body, which is intended to oversee Gazas reconstruction, underscoring the mixed and tentative international response to the proposal. The US is expected to release an official list of members in the coming days. A charter draft published by the Times of Israel suggests the board could function as a broad international body aimed at promoting stability, governance and peace in conflict zones, with some officials speculating it could become a US-led alternative to the United Nations. Several leaders have voiced reservations. Irelands Foreign Minister warned the proposal could undermine the UNs role, while Polands Prime Minister said joining would require domestic approval. European governments are reportedly divided over whether to participate, wary of straining relations with Washington. The proposed executive committee would include Tony Blair, Mark Carney, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Under the draft charter, Trump would retain veto power over all decisions, granting him sweeping authority over the boards actions. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 20, 2026, 07:32 IST News world Trump Plans To Formalise Gaza Peace Board In Davos Signing 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... Photo: https://www.facebook.com Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha spoke with Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel to inform him about the consequences of Russia's latest brutal strikes and the difficult situation in Ukraine's energy system. "Grateful to my Dutch colleague for his condolences and for reaffirming that the Netherlands is ready to consider additional support for the Ukrainian people to overcome Russian winter terror," he wrote on X. "We greatly value our Dutch friends standing with us at a time when many Ukrainians lack heating, power, and water in the freezing temperatures below -15C. We also exchanged views on the latest international developments and shared our expectations of the peace process moving forward," the minister noted. Trump Threatens 200% Tariffs On French Wine, Champagne Over Board Of Peace Snub Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 12:40 IST A source close to Macron told AFP that France does not intend to answer favourably to the invitation. France was earlier invited to the Gaza "board of peace". (AFP) US President Donald Trump threatened to impose 200 per cent tariffs on French wine and champagne after France indicated that it would decline his invitation to join a proposed Board of Peace". The body was initially envisioned to oversee the reconstruction of war-ravaged Gaza, though its charter does not appear to restrict its scope to the occupied Palestinian territory alone. Ill put a 200 per cent tariff on his wines and champagnes. And hell join. But he doesnt have to join," Trump said, referring to French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump says Putin is welcome on peace board, mocks Macron with 200% wine tariff jab pic.twitter.com/1ulBNMggA1 Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) January 20, 2026 A source close to Macron told AFP that France does not intend to answer favourably" to the invitation. The source added that the boards charter goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza", indicating Paris reservations about the proposed body. Trump also confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been invited to join the Board of Peace, following earlier reports from Moscow. Also Read: Trumps Gaza Peace Board Faces Opposition As France Pulls Back, Canada Refuses To Pay France Flags UN Concerns After Board Of Peace Invitation Paris says proposed body raises questions beyond Gaza, reiterates commitment to UN-led multilateralism France has signalled it is unlikely to accept US President Donald Trumps invitation to join his proposed Board of Peace", citing concerns that the initiative goes beyond the framework of Gaza and could undermine established international structures, a source close to President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday. The board was initially conceived as a mechanism to oversee the reconstruction of war-ravaged Gaza. However, French officials believe its scope is broader and insufficiently defined. The source said the charter goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza" and raises serious questions, particularly around respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations. France, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has stressed that the UNs role in maintaining international peace and security cannot be bypassed. The source close to Macron said the proposal raises issues that under no circumstances can be called into question", especially those linked to the UN system. Also Read: If There Were Fire Someday, Better Burn The House Now: France Mocks US Over Greenland Push Earlier in the day, Frances foreign ministry reiterated Paris commitment to the United Nations, describing it as the cornerstone of effective multilateralism. The ministry said the UN remains central to upholding international law, sovereign equality of states and the peaceful resolution of disputes, as opposed to power politics or unilateral action. Watch more videos Share this Article WhatsApp facebook Twitter telegram copy link The ministry added that France, in consultation with its partners, is reviewing the proposed legal framework of the Board of Peace, noting concerns that the project appears to extend beyond the situation in Gaza. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 12:28 IST News world Trump Threatens 200% Tariffs On French Wine, Champagne Over Board Of Peace Snub 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... UAE Joins Trumps Gaza Board Of Peace; Check List Of Nations That Have Signed Up Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 19:59 IST UAE President accepted the US invitation to join the Gaza Board of Peace, alongside Hungary, Vietnam, Canada, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Morocco. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE) The UAE President has accepted the invitation by US President to be part of Gaza Board of Peace, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has accepted the invitation from the United States to join the Board of Peace," the ministry said in a statement. The Gaza Board of Peace is a proposed international transitional mechanism aimed at managing Gaza in the aftermath of prolonged conflict. Its core objective is to support stabilisation, reconstruction, and civilian governance while preventing a power vacuum. The body is envisioned as a temporary arrangement involving international stakeholders, regional actors, and Palestinian technocrats to oversee aid delivery, rebuilding of infrastructure, and basic administration. It is not meant to replace Palestinian political aspirations but to create conditions for long-term peace, security, and economic recovery in Gaza during a sensitive post-conflict phase. The Trump administration has invited political leaders, diplomats and business figures from more than 60 countries to join the new board, as part of a US-backed and UN-supported plan to demilitarise and rebuild the territory after two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Which Countries Have Accepted? UAE on Tuesday became the latest to have accepted Trumps invite to be part of the Board of Peace. According to PBS News, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Sunday said Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accepted the invitation. Vietnams Communist Party chief To Lam has accepted, a foreign ministry statement said. Canada has said it would be a part of the board while ruled out paying the $1-billion fee for permanent membership. According to AFP, it is unclear whether others who have responded positively Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Morocco and Vietnam among them would be willing to pay the $1 billion. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 19:59 IST News world UAE Joins Trumps Gaza Board Of Peace; Check List Of Nations That Have Signed Up 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... What Lies Frozen In Greenland That Has The Power To Shake China's Control Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 16:43 IST Donald Trump has repeatedly viewed Greenland through the lens of a real estate deal, but the motivations are far from cosmetic Rapid Read Greenland's mineral wealth offers a possible way to break China's monopoly. (AP) The name Greenland is suddenly impossible to miss. From international newspapers to prime-time television debates, the worlds largest island, nearly four-fifths of it locked under ice, has become the centre of an escalating geopolitical confrontation between US President Donald Trump and several European nations. At first glance, the intensity of the dispute appears puzzling. Why would global powers lock horns over a vast, icy landmass where ice sheets in some regions are nearly three kilometres thick and greenery is as rare as water in a desert? Yet beneath Greenlands frozen surface lies a strategic and economic prize that could reshape global power equations. Despite its name, Greenland is anything but green. The irony dates back to the 10th century, when the Viking explorer Erik the Red, exiled from Iceland, reached this ice-covered land. Hoping to attract settlers, he chose a name that sounded far more inviting than reality. The branding worked then, but today, Greenlands value has little to do with appearances. Trump has repeatedly viewed Greenland through the lens of a real estate deal, but the motivations are far from cosmetic. Scientists believe the island holds vast reserves of rare earth elements buried beneath its ice, minerals essential to modern technology. These include neodymium, critical for smartphone speakers, hard drives and electric vehicle motors; praseodymium, used in aircraft engines and high-intensity glass welding; dysprosium, vital for nuclear reactor control rods and laser systems; terbium, which enhances colour and brightness in LED lights and television screens; and lanthanum, used in hybrid car batteries and high-precision camera lenses. There is currently no viable substitute for these elements. Without them, experts warn, global technology would effectively be pushed back by decades. At present, China controls nearly 80-90% of the global supply of rare earths, a dominance that deeply worries the US. Any disruption in supply could have serious consequences for industries ranging from defence to renewable energy. Greenlands mineral wealth offers a possible way to break this monopoly. That alone explains much of the renewed American interest. But the islands strategic location adds another layer of significance. Positioned between North America, Europe and the Arctic, Greenland is considered a crucial vantage point for monitoring Russian and Chinese activity. As climate change accelerates ice melt, the Northern Sea Route is also becoming navigable, dramatically shortening shipping distances between Europe and Asia. Politically, Greenland occupies a unique position. While it is geographically part of North America, it is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. It has its own government and parliament, but Denmark retains control over foreign policy, defence and monetary affairs. The island is home to just over 56,000 people, around 90 per cent of whom are Inuit, with most communities clustered along the coast. The standoff intensified recently after Trump announced his intention to acquire Greenland outright. When European countries pushed back, Washington responded with economic pressure. From February 1, 2026, the US plans to impose a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Finland. Trump has warned that if a deal over Greenland is not reached by June 1, the tariff will rise to 25% and remain in place until his objective is achieved. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Denmark First Published: January 20, 2026, 16:43 IST News world What Lies Frozen In Greenland That Has The Power To Shake China's Control 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 Shanzay Ali? Nawaz Sharifs Granddaughter-In-Law In Spotlight Over Indian Wedding Outfits Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 12:11 IST Shanzay Ali Rohail, now part of the Sharif dynasty after marrying Junaid Safdar, sparked debate in Pakistan for choosing Indian designers for her wedding. Rapid Read Shanzay Ali Rohail came under spotlight following her recent wedding to Junaid Safdar. (Image: Instagram/@saad.samie) Shanzay Ali Rohail, the granddaughter-in-law of Pakistans former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has found herself in the public spotlight following her recent wedding to Junaid Safdar, son of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Beyond the high-profile nature of the ceremony, attention has centered on who Shanzay is and her place within Pakistans influential political landscape. Shanzay comes from a well-connected family in her own right. She is the granddaughter of Rohail Asghar, a long-time associate and close confidant of Nawaz Sharif, linking her directly to Pakistans powerful Sharif political dynasty even before her marriage. Her union with Junaid Safdar further cemented ties between the two prominent families, making her wedding one of the most closely followed events on social media in Pakistan. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sara Idrees Portraits (@saraidrees_) The celebrations, held in Lahore, were attended by senior politicians, party leaders, family members and close associates, reflecting the familys enduring influence in national politics. As a result, Shanzays appearance, background and personal choices drew significant public interest, particularly on social media. Debate Over Shanzays Indian Outfits For Wedding Much of the attention around Shanzay has focused on her wedding attire, which included outfits by well-known Indian designers. While she has not publicly commented on the debate surrounding her fashion choices, her profile as a new member of Pakistans most prominent political family has made her a focal point for broader conversations about culture, identity and cross-border influences. Shanzeh Ali wore a lehenga by Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee for mehendi ceremony, and for the wedding event, she chose a heavily embroidered red saree by Tarun Tahiliani, accessorised with a diamond choker featuring a large emerald. How Internet Reacted Her preference for Indian designers drew criticism online. Very mid. Im sure Pakistani designers could have made her something more Pakistani," one Instagram user wrote, while another said, Shame on giving taxes to India." A third comment read, Whats this obsession with Indian designers? They drool over our Pakistani clothes and look at this!" Supporters have highlighted that Shanzay is a private individual whose wedding choices should not be politicised, while others have noted that fashion exchanges between India and Pakistan have long existed. Regardless of the debate, Shanzays entry into the Sharif family has firmly placed her in the public eye, showing how personal milestones within political dynasties often become subjects of national discussion. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Lahore, Pakistan First Published: January 20, 2026, 11:54 IST News world Who Is Shanzay Ali? Nawaz Sharifs Granddaughter-In-Law In Spotlight Over Indian Wedding Outfits 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... Will Act With A Force Not Yet Known: Netanyahu Warns Iran As US Warship Heads To Middle East Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 20, 2026, 10:21 IST Netanyahu warned Iran of unprecedented military force if attacked, as the USS Abraham Lincoln moves toward Middle East. He opposed Turkish and Qatari roles in Gaza's postwar plans. File photo of Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu. (AFP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a sharp warning to Iran on Monday, vowing an unprecedented military response should Tehran attack Israel. If it makes a mistake and attacks us, we will act with a force it has not yet known," Netanyahu told a session of the Knesset (parliament), reported Xinhua. He said Israel is closely" monitoring Iran, warning that no one can predict what the future holds for Iran, but it will not return to what it once was," implying irreversible consequences for Tehran in any conflict. The remarks came as the United States is reportedly moving the nuclear-powered USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group toward the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran. Separately, Netanyahu addressed U.S.-led plans for Gazas postwar governance, in which Turkish and Qatari officials have been mentioned as possible participants in the US President Donald Trump-chaired Board of Peace." We have a certain disagreement with our friends in the United States over the composition of the advisory board that will accompany the processes in Gaza," Netanyahu said, adding that neither Turkish nor Qatari soldiers would be allowed in the enclave. Israel has repeatedly opposed any Turkish role in Gaza and has uneasy ties with Qatar, although Turkiye and Qatar are among the mediators between Israel and Hamas. Over 4,029 Dead In Iran Protest A crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran has killed at least 4,029 people, according to activists, with fears that the toll could be higher. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said more than 26,000 people have also been detained during the crackdown. Of those killed, the group said 3,786 were demonstrators, 180 were members of the security forces, 28 were children, and 35 were people who were not taking part in protests. The organisation warned that additional deaths may not yet have been confirmed. It has been considered reliable in previous periods of unrest in Iran and says it verifies each fatality through a network of activists on the ground. The Associated Press said it has not been able to independently verify the figures, in part because Iranian authorities have restricted internet access, limiting the flow of information. Iranian officials have not released an official death toll. However, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that the protests had left several thousand" people dead, marking the first public acknowledgment by an Iranian leader of the scale of casualties since demonstrations began on December 28 over the countrys worsening economic conditions. Khamenei blamed the United States for the deaths. The activists group also said mass arrests during the crackdown have raised fears that some detainees could face execution, as Iran remains one of the worlds leading executioners. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: January 20, 2026, 09:27 IST News world Will Act With A Force Not Yet Known: Netanyahu Warns Iran As US Warship Heads To Middle East 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... Would Be In The Ash Heap Of History: Trump Says NATO Exists Because Of Him Ahead Of Davos Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 21, 2026, 02:08 IST Trumps comments come as NATO allies push back on his Greenland remarks ahead of the Davos summit. Rapid Read US President Donald Trump gestures as he gives a press conference during a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Heads of State and Government summit in The Hague. (IMAGE: AFP) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that NATO continues to exist because of his leadership, arguing that the alliance would have collapsed without him, as European leaders meeting in Davos vowed an unflinching" response to his remarks on Greenland. No single person, or President, has done more for NATO than President Donald J. Trump. If I didnt come along, there would be no NATO right now. It would have been in the ash heap of history. Sad, but TRUE," Trump wrote on Truth Social, a day before he is set to travel to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum. Trump repeated the claim during a White House briefing marking one year in office in his second term, insisting that he had done more for the military alliance than any other leader and questioning whether NATO members would come to the United States defence in a crisis. Nobodys done more for NATO than I have," he said, adding that while Washington would come to the alliances rescue, he was not convinced the same commitment would be reciprocated. NATO has to treat us fairly, too," Trump said. We spend a tremendous amount on NATO, and I know well come to their rescue. But I really do question whether or not theyll come to ours." The remarks come amid heightened tensions over Greenland, after NATO members voiced strong opposition to Trumps stated desire to take control of the territory. European leaders meeting in Davos pushed back firmly, warning against any unilateral moves that could destabilise the transatlantic alliance. In the run-up to his Davos trip, Trump also posted what appeared to be private text messages from French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. In one message shared by Trump, Rutte said he was committed to finding a way forward on Greenland" and added, Cant wait to see you." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 21, 2026, 02:08 IST News world Would Be In The Ash Heap Of History: Trump Says NATO Exists Because Of Him Ahead Of Davos 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... Kyiv has reached an agreement with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), a German government institution that provides international technical assistance, to transfer two cogeneration units to the city, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. "The parties have signed a Memorandum under which the units (mini combined heat and power plants) are to be delivered to the Ukrainian capital next week. Thank you to our German partners for their support at such a difficult time for Kyiv, when our city is living and functioning under crisis conditions," Klitschko wrote on his Telegram channel. In total, five cogeneration units have been installed in Kyiv, two of which are already in operation, supplying critical infrastructure facilities. Commissioning and start-up works are being completed on the remaining three units. When President Trump announced the audacious capture of Nicolas Maduro to face drug trafficking charges in the US, he portrayed the strongman's vice president and longtime aide as America's preferred partner to stabilize Venezuela amid a scourge of drugs, corruption, and economic mayhem. Left unspoken was the cloud of suspicion that long surrounded Delcy Rodriguez before she became the nation's acting president this month. In fact, Rodriguez has been on the radar of the US Drug Enforcement Administration for years and in 2022 was even labeled a "priority target," a designation DEA reserves for suspects believed to have a "significant impact" on the drug trade, according to records obtained by the AP and more than a half-dozen current and former US law enforcement officials. The DEA has amassed a detailed intelligence file on Rodriguez dating to at least 2018, the records show, cataloging her known associates and allegations including drug trafficking and gold smuggling. One confidential informant told the DEA in early 2021 that Rodriguez was using hotels in the Caribbean resort of Isla Margarita "as a front to launder money," the records show. As recently as last year she was linked to Maduro's alleged bagman, Alex Saab, whom US authorities arrested in 2020 on money laundering charges. The US has never publicly accused Rodriguez of any criminal wrongdoing. Notably for Maduro's inner circle, she's not among the more than a dozen current Venezuelan officials charged with drug trafficking alongside the ousted president. Rodriguez's name has surfaced in nearly a dozen DEA investigations, several of which remain ongoing, involving agents in field offices from Paraguay and Ecuador to Phoenix and New York. Three current and former DEA agents who reviewed the records said they indicate an intense interest in Rodriguez throughout much of her tenure as vice president, which began in 2018. "The current Venezuela government is a criminal-hybrid regime. The only way you reach a position of power in the regime is by, at the very least, abetting criminal activities," said Steve Dudley, co-director of InSight Crime, a think tank focused on organized crime in the Americas. "This isn't a bug in the system. This is the system." The full AP report can be found here. President Trump isn't ruling out using the US military to seize Greenlandbut he's not saying much about it, either. In a brief interview with NBC News on Monday, Trump responded, "No comment" when asked whether he'd consider using force to take control of the vast Arctic territory, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The remark came as he ramps up an effort to pressure European allies into talks over Greenland's status, which he frames as a US security priority. Over the weekend, Trump announced plans for a 10% tariff on Denmark, Norway, and six other European countries starting Feb. 1 unless a deal is reached for what he calls America's "acquisition" of Greenland. In an extraordinary message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre on Sunday that the administration also shared with European ambassadors in Washington, DC, Trump wrote that because Norway "decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS," he now feels freer to "think about what is good and proper for the United States of America." Stre responded Monday that Norway fully backs Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland. Trump insists Norway "totally controls" the Nobel, despite the prize being awarded by an independent committee appointed by Norway's parliament. "They like to say they have nothing to do with it, but they have everything to do with it," he told NBC, a view former US diplomat Lewis Lukens called misguided, saying the Norwegian government has no say in the selections. Despite the message to Stre and his many previous complaints about not being awarded the prize, Trump told NBC, "I don't care about the Nobel Prize." As for Europe, he blasted leaders resisting his Greenland push and argued they should "focus on the war with Russia and Ukrainenot Greenland." Asked whether he'll follow through on tariffs if no Greenland deal materializes, Trump said: "I will, 100%." European Union leaders will hold an emergency summit on Thursday to discuss their response to the tariff threat, which could include EU tariffs on imports from the US. Denmark's defense minister said Monday that he and Greenland's foreign minister had discussed the possibility of a NATO mission to Greenland with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the Guardian reports. Lars Loekke Rasmussen, Denmark's foreign minister, said it was "important that all of us who believe in international law speak out to show Trump you can't go down this road." In his tariff threat on Saturday, Trump linked the movement to deployments of troops from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland, saying troops had "journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown." The Guardian reports that diplomats say the troops were on a reconnaissance mission, in line with US warnings about a growing Russian threat in the Arcticand the US was invited to join the mission when it was discussed at a NATO council meeting last week. An Indiana judge and his wife are recovering after being shot inside their Lafayette home in an attack that has rattled the state's legal community, the Indianapolis Star reports. Tippecanoe County Superior Court Judge Steve Meyer and his wife, Kim, were wounded Sunday afternoon on the south side of Lafayette, police said. Meyer, 66, was shot in the arm; his wife was struck in the hip. Both are listed in stable condition. Authorities have released few details, including whether they have identified a suspect or a possible motive, but the AP reports the search for the person or people responsible is ongoing. Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush, who is from Tippecanoe County, called Meyer "a longtime friend" in a letter to judges statewide and urged them to review their own security. "Any violence against a judge or a judge's family is completely unacceptable," she wrote, encouraging judges to stay in close contact with county sheriffs as they handle more than a million cases a year. The shooting follows a rise in threats against public officials in Indiana, including swatting and bomb threats aimed at lawmakers during the 2025 redistricting fight. The attack also drew a response from Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police president Rick Snyder, who urged lawmakers to tighten protections on personal information for public officials, citing "doxxing, swatting, and other nefarious acts" as growing concerns. Kim Meyer, in a statement Monday, thanked Lafayette police and other agencies for their work and praised medical staff and community members for their support. A trial scheduled to start in Judge Meyer's courtroom this week has been postponed, though Tippecanoe County courts remain open. Meyer, who was first elected to the state bench in 2014 per NBC News, announced in December that he would not run for another term this year. The Justice Department is quietly preparing to loosen several federal gun rules, a move aimed at shoring up support from gun-rights activists while risking new legal and political fights, according to people familiar with the plans who spoke to the Washington Post . The changes under discussion reportedly include easing limits on private gun sales, relaxing regulations on shipping firearms, expanding what types of guns can be imported, and allowing refunds on certain federal licensing fees. Officials also plan to revise the standard purchase form so buyers must list their sex assigned at birth, rather than simply "sex." The rules are still being finalized and sources say it's not yet clear when the announcement will happen. Inside the department, the effort reflects a broader push to satisfy a core segment of President Trump's base that argues his administration has not moved fast or far enough to dismantle gun restrictions, even as law-enforcement leaders warn about weakening the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The administration has already proposed cutting roughly 5,000 ATF law enforcement positions and revising or eliminating dozens of existing firearms rules. The regulatory campaign is unfolding against a contentious backdrop. Any ATF rule changes, which rest on the bureau's reading of laws passed by Congress, are likely to attract court challenges. Internally, some Justice officials worry that announcing aggressive deregulation could complicate the confirmation of the new ATF head by alienating moderate Republicans in the Senate. Personnel moves mirror the regulatory shift. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has faced skepticism from some gun-rights groups over her past support for restrictions in Florida, backed the nomination of longtime ATF official Robert Cekada to lead the bureau, even as some activists had wanted an outright advocate in the top job. Bondi also replaced ATF's veteran general counsel with Robert Leider, a political appointee who has argued the agency overregulates firearms and is now driving efforts to pare back rules and streamline the federal Form 4473. At the Civil Rights Division, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon has created a new Second Amendment section that immediately challenged Washington, DC's assault weapons ban, drawing questions from Senate Democrats about the group's legality and mission. See the full story at the Post. Federal immigration agents forced open a door and detained a US citizen in his Minnesota home at gunpoint without a warrant, then led him out into the streets in his underwear in subfreezing conditions, according to his family and videos reviewed by the AP . ChongLy "Scott" Thao told the AP that his daughter-in-law woke him up from a nap Sunday afternoon and said that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were banging at the door of his residence in St. Paul. He told her not to open it. Masked agents then forced their way in and pointed guns at the family, yelling at them, Thao recalled. "I was shaking," he said. "They didn't show any warrant; they just broke down the door." Thao, who has been a US citizen for decades, said that as he was being detained he asked his daughter-in-law to find his identification but the agents told him they didn't want to see it. Instead, as his 4-year-old grandson watched and cried, Thao was led out in handcuffs wearing only sandals and underwear with just a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Videos captured the scene, which included people blowing whistles and horns and neighbors screaming at the more than a dozen gun-toting agents to leave Thao's family alone. Thao said agents drove him "to the middle of nowhere" and made him get out of the car in the frigid weather so they could photograph him. He said he feared they would beat him. He was asked for his ID, which agents earlier prevented him from retrieving. Agents eventually realized that he was a US citizen with no criminal record, Thao said, and an hour or two later, they brought him back to his house. There they made him show his ID and then left without apologizing for detaining him or breaking his door, Thao said. The US Department of Homeland Security described the ICE operation at Thao's home as a "targeted operation" seeking two convicted sex offenders. "The US citizen lives with these two convicted sex offenders at the site of the operation," DHS said. "The individual refused to be fingerprinted or facially ID'd. He matched the description of the targets." Thao's family said in a statement that it "categorically disputes" the DHS account and "strongly objects to DHS's attempt to publicly justify this conduct with false and misleading claims." Thao told the AP that only he, his son and daughter-in-law and his grandson live at the rental home. Neither they nor the property's owner are listed in the Minnesota sex offender registry. The nearest sex offender listed as living in the zip code is more than two blocks away. DHS did not respond to a request from the AP seeking the identities of the "two convicted sex offenders" or why the agency believed they were present in Thao's home. Thao's son, Chris Thao, said ICE agents stopped him while he was driving to work before they went to detain his father. He said he was driving a car he borrowed from his cousin's boyfriend. Court records show that the boyfriend shares the first name of another Asian man who has been convicted of a sex offense. Chris Thao said the two people are not the same. ChongLy Thao says he's planning to file a civil rights lawsuit against DHS. The stock market is poised to open in a foul mood over tensions about Greenland. Dow futures were on track to drop nearly 700 points, or 1.4%, when trading begins Tuesday morning, reports CNBC . The benchmark S&P 500 faced a comparable percentage drop, and the tech-focused NASDAQ was in worse shape, about 2%. Investors are worried about President Trump's threat to impose sanctions on European nations that oppose his push to take control of Greenlandand Trump didn't let up overnight, notes the Wall Street Journal . Trump unleashed a series of social media posts on the subject, notes the New York Times. "There can be no going back," he wrote. "We are the only POWER that can ensure PEACE throughout the World," Trump added. "And it is done, quite simply, through STRENGTH!" In another, he criticized Britain's plan to relinquish control of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, calling it "another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired." Trump also shared a message from NATO chief Mark Rutte, who told Trump he was "committed to finding a way forward on Greenland," and he posted a mocked-up image of himself planting a US flag on Greenland. Trump also shared a text from French President Emmanuel Macron, who wrote, "I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland," and offered to set up a "g7 meeting" with the two of them and other world leaders. The tariff clash lands just as Trump and other leaders head to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Chicago may bear the "Windy City" title, but there are at least 10 other US cities that are even gustier. Redfin decided to go beyond the usual hot/cold weather analysis that people often undertake when deciding on a place to live, diving deep into the cities that consistently have higher-than-average annual wind speeds (so a one-off hurricane or tornado won't necessarily catapult a city to the top of the list). Texas claims five of the cities in the top 10, including Amarillo, which comes in at No. 1. Here, the windy winners: Amarillo, Texas Rochester, Minnesota Lubbock, Texas Corpus Christi, Texas Wichita, Kansas Boston Oklahoma City Wichita Falls, Texas Fargo, North Dakota Abilene, Texas Check out more here on each city, including contributing factors to their windblown existence. Ukraine is ready to proceed with the privatization of large state-owned companies, in particular the sale of 25% of shares in NNEGC Energoatom, but this requires the involvement of financial institutions and the readiness of European partners, said Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Oleksiy Sobolev. "We must be ready for privatization, but this also requires a serious approach on the other side and certain assistance from financial institutions to finance these deals. For example, regarding Energoatom, we are ready to sell a quarter of the company," he said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. At the same time, Sobolev said that large European companies engaged in nuclear energy are currently facing their own difficulties, which complicates the acquisition of a stake in a Ukrainian asset during or after the war. According to him, the implementation of such projects requires a joint agreement that the European Union would agree to. The minister also stressed the need for large-scale domestic financing. To this end, he said, the government plans to focus on combating corruption, expanding the legal sector of the economy, and collecting more taxes. "We are expanding the legal economy and collecting more taxes. But now, if you look at it, Ukraine redistributes about 50% of its GDP. So we are earning and doing our job," Sobolev added. As he previously said in an interview with Latifundist.com, Ukraine does not plan to sell strategic assets that are critically important for food security, in particular key port grain elevators. However, in his view, the remaining assets can be made more efficient by the private sector. During talks with journalists in November last year, he said the Ministry of Economy had forecast record privatization proceeds in 2025, more than UAH 10 billion. Ozempic isn't just slimming waistlinesit may be trimming jet fuel bills, too. A new analysis from financial firm Jefferies estimates that if GLP-1 weight loss drugs continue to catch on, the four biggest US airlinesAmerican, Delta, Southwest, and Unitedcould together shave up to $580 million a year off their fuel tab, per the New York Times . The math hinges on a simple physics point: Lighter passengers mean lighter planes, and lighter planes burn less fuel. "It only makes sense that the weight of their passengers also impacts their costs," says Jefferies equity analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu, who co-wrote the report. Fuel is already one of the industry's biggest outlays. Jefferies projects that in 2026, those four carriers will use roughly 16 billion gallons of jet fuel at a cost of $38.6 billion, close to one-fifth of their total expenses. Thinner passengers wouldn't revolutionize the business modelthe potential savings are about 1.5% of fuel costsbut the report notes that airlines and pilots obsess over every pound on board, for both safety and cost reasons. Jefferies also estimates that trimming aircraft weight by 2% could translate into roughly a 4% bump in earnings per share, a number that may get investors' attention. A KFF survey from November found that about 1 in 8 US adults reported taking a GLP-1 drug. Kahyaoglu says she doesn't expect airlines to suddenly order less fuel based on the forecast, but she floated a more subtle shift: If passengers on appetite-suppressing drugs are less inclined to buy in-flight snacks, that could chip away at onboard sales and alter how airlines chase ancillary revenue. Airlines "have a long history of searching for unique methods to reduce the weight of the aircraft," analysts note in the report, per CBS News. Past efforts have included United switching to a lighter paper stock for its in-flight magazine, reports CNBC, as well as a move by American that removed a single olive from each onboard salad, saving the airline tens of thousands of dollars a year, per the Times. Some carriers, including Air New Zealand, Finnair, and Korean Air, have even weighed passengers at the gate for better weight-and-balance calculations, a practice that has drawn flak. The four major US carriers declined to comment. Minnesotans are being urged to shut their wallets, skip work, and keep kids home Friday in response to a sweeping federal immigration crackdown in the state. Labor unions, community groups, and faith leaders have called for an "economic blackout," the Guardian reports, to protest what they describe as an unprecedented influx of immigration agentsand to mourn 37-year-old Renee Good, who was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis earlier this month. The Trump administration has sent roughly 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota in what it says is its largest enforcement push so far; more than 2,400 people have been arrested in recent weeks. "This is just an outrageous acceleration and escalation of violence toward working-class people," said Kieran Knutson, president of Communications Workers of America Local 7250, one of several unions backing the action, along with Unite Here Local 17 and educators' unions in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Organizers say union members have been detained on their commutes, families are being split up, and parents are keeping children out of school out of fear. They're hoping the blackoutand a downtown Minneapolis march and rally at 2pmwill pressure Minnesota-based corporations like Target, Best Buy, UnitedHealth Group, and General Mills to publicly respond. While the state is suing to end the operation, "the employer class remains silent," says Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation. Asked for comment, the Department of Homeland Security blasted those willing to "shut down Minnesota's economy ... to fight for illegal alien murderers, rapists, gang members, pedophiles, drug dealers, and terrorists." DHS also repeated its claim that Good "weaponized" her car before she was shot, an account disputed by witnesses and seemingly at odds with video evidence. This comes as AFL-CIO, America's largest network of labor unions representing 15 million workers, says ICE is "putting innocent working people in danger," per Business Insider. Thirteen years after a Milwaukee-area teenager died on a convenience store floor, two of the men who restrained him have admitted felony murderwith a deal that keeps them out of prison, reports WISN . Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Laura Crivello accepted a deferred prosecution agreement last week for Robert W. Beringer, 67, and Jesse R. Cole, 39, in the 2012 death of 16-year-old Corey Stingley, reports ProPublica . The men pleaded guilty to felony murder tied to false imprisonment after helping hold Stingley down in a West Allis store during an attempt to stop him from taking about $12 in alcohol. If they stay out of trouble and comply with the agreement for six monthsincluding making $500 donations each to a charity chosen by the Stingley familythe case will be dismissed. The resolution follows a yearslong push by Corey's father, Craig Stingley, who used a little-known "John Doe" statute in Wisconsin to force a fresh look at a case prosecutors twice declined to charge. Special prosecutor Ismael Ozanne, appointed in 2022, wrote that there was "no doubt" Beringer, Cole, and a third man, Mario Laumann, caused Stingley's death by tackling and restraining him without legal authority to do so. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide from a brain injury caused by asphyxiation after a struggle, and Ozanne concluded that Laumann, who died in 2022, effectively strangled Stingley while holding him in a chokehold. Instead of a trial, the parties met face to face under the guidance of a retired judge. In a statement, the Stingley family said they sought "not vengeance, but acknowledgement" of Corey's life and the harm done, calling the agreement a model for how people can pursue "understanding and healing" after serious wrongdoing. From the bench, Judge Crivello praised the outcome as fair and said she hoped it would prompt wider consideration of the concept known as restorative justice. "My 13-year struggle," Craig Stingley told the court, "has turned into triumph." China just got the green light for what will be its biggest embassy in Europe, right next to London's financial nerve center. The UK government has approved Beijing's long-stymied plan to turn Royal Mint Court, a historic former coin-minting site bought by China in 2018 for roughly $312 million, into a 215,000-square-foot compound, reports CNN . A 240-page planning ruling said the project fits with local development rules overall, clearing the way after three previous delays and overruling a local council that rejected the plan in 2022. China's current embassy is near Regent's Park; the new "mega" base, which the AP notes would be located near the Tower of London, would sit close to fiber-optic cables that move vast amounts of financial and email data. That proximity has set off alarms. The Telegraph reports that unredacted blueprints show 208 underground rooms, including one just feet from those cables. Alicia Kearns, the opposition Conservatives' shadow national security minister, warns that the complex would hand the Chinese Communist Party "a launchpad for economic warfare" and burden British security services, per CNN. Dissidents from Hong Kong and other Chinese activists in exile say they fear increased surveillance and harassment. Some, like Hong Kong democracy advocate Carmen Lauwanted by Hong Kong police with a cash bounty attachedsee the site as a potential tool to pressure critics abroad. The MI5 spy service has issued broad warnings about Chinese state threats and even flagged alleged intelligence activity on LinkedIn, but the agency didn't formally object to the embassy plan. London's decision may also reflect some diplomatic horse-trading: China has reportedly slowed the UK's efforts to revamp its own embassy in Beijing while pressing for approval in London. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has called for a "consistent, durable, respectful" relationship with China amid falling UK exports and fragile trade ties, faced both protests outside the proposed site and a pointed warning from Beijing that Britain would "bear all consequences" if it said no to the embassy. A judge ruled on Friday that Tennessee prison officials must grant expanded access to media members to view state-run executions, after a coalition of news groups, including the AP , sued over claims that state execution protocols unconstitutionally limit thorough and accurate reporting. Before Chancellor I'Ashea L. Myles' order, reporters witnessing lethal injections were limited to a short time period during which they could view the execution process. The coalition's complaint argues the protocols violate the public and press' constitutional rights to witness the entirety of executions conducted by the Tennessee Department of Correction, "from the time the condemned enters the execution chamber until after the condemned is declared dead." The lawsuit sought a judgment that the protocols are unconstitutional and an injunction to allow the press to see the full execution process. Myles' order granted a temporary injunction allowing media members and other witnesses to see most of the execution process, with security procedures in place for those carrying out the procedures. The suit, filed in Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville, names as defendants Kenneth Nelsen, warden of the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville that houses Tennessee's execution chamber, and Frank Strada, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction. The agency didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. During previous executions, media members began seeing what happens once the condemned person is already strapped to a gurney and hooked up to IV lines. They don't know at which precise moment the injections begin, and those administering the injections are in a separate room. The process essentially granted witnesses a 10- to 15-minute window to observe the process. Prison officials argue that the First Amendment doesn't grant the press a right of special access to information not regularly available to the public. They claim the restrictions are necessary because allowing the press to see the full execution would endanger prison security and people involved in the process. Now during executions involving lethal injection, curtains to the official witness room shall be opened to the execution chamber at 10am, which, according to protocols, is when the inmate is secured with restraints on a gurney and the IV insertion process begins. The curtains must remain open until the pronouncement of death, the judge ruled. In addition to the AP, the media coalition includes Gannett, Nashville Public Media, Nashville Public Radio, Scripps Media, Six Rivers Media, and TEGNA. Sweden's biggest song of the year so far just got kicked off the Nordic nation's chartsmainly because the "singer" isn't human. The BBC reports that "Jag Vet, Du Ar Inte Min" ("I Know, You're Not Mine") by Jacub has racked up more than 5 million Spotify streams and sits atop the platform's Swedish "Top 50" playlist, but the country's music industry group has barred it from the official national rankings after determining it's largely AI-generated. The Guardian notes that the song is one of six tracks on the Karleken ar Brand (Love Is Burned) EP. Investigative journalist Emanuel Karlsten found Jacub had no real-world footprint and traced the song's registration to executives at Denmark's Stellar Music, including staff in its AI division, per the BBC. Those behind the project, who call themselves Team Jacub, told Karlsten they're not just "[pressing] a button," describing AI as a tool in a human-led creative process and insisting the emotions and stories in Jacub's music come from real people. IFPI Sweden isn't persuaded, however, with its chief asserting that songs that are "mainly AI-generated" don't qualify for the national rankings. NME notes that other AI songs have also climbed the charts, including from creator "Sienna Rose," which apparently tricked even Selena Gomez. Mexico's security minister said Tuesday that it had sent another 37 members of Mexican drug cartels to the United States, as the Trump administration ratchets up pressure on governments to crack down on criminal networks it says are smuggling drugs across the border. Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch wrote in a post on X that the people transferred were "high impact criminals" that "represented a real threat to the country's security." It is the third time in less than one year that Mexico has sent detained cartel members to the US as the country attempts to offset mounting threats from President Trump, the AP reports. Garcia Harfuch said the government has sent 92 people in total. Trump said Saturday that he would charge a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. It was the first time US markets could react to the escalation from Trump, as they were closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the AP reports. Stocks sank on Wall Street on Tuesday after President Trump threatened to hit eight European countries with new tariffs as tensions escalate over his attempts to assert American control over Greenland. The losses were widespread and led by technology stocks, many of which already have more influence over the direction of the market because of outsized values. Retailers, banks and industrial companies also fell sharply. Nvidia, one of the most valuable companies in the world, plunged 4.3%. Amazon fell 3.4%, JPMorgan Chase fell 3.1%, and Caterpillar lost 2.5%. Companies that focus on consumer staples held up better than most of the market. Colgate-Palmolive rose 1.1% and Campbell's rose 1.5%. Industrial and consumer conglomerate 3M slumped 6.9% after reporting mixed results for its most recent quarter. The price of US crude oil rose 1.5% to $60.34 per barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 1.3% to $64.76. Gold prices surged 3.7% and silver prices soared 6.9%. Such assets are often considered safe havens in times of geopolitical turmoil. The trade tensions apparently short-circuited a recent rally in bitcoin. The cryptocurrency rose above $96,000 late last week but has dropped back to around $89,300. The trade and political conflict with Europe is heating up just as world leaders meet at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland this week. Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said the new tariff threat "is clearly an overhang on the conference," but that it would likely simmer over time. "Our view is just like over the last year the bark will be worse than the bite on this issue and tariff threats as negotiations take place and tensions ultimately calm down between Trump and EU leaders," Ives wrote in a note to clients. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, are expecting a son in late July, they announced in a social media post on Tuesday. The couple said they were excited to share the news of their fourth child, who will join their other three young kids: Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel, the AP reports. Vance, 41, and his wife, 40, said in the post that both mother and baby were doing well. "During this exciting and hectic time, we are particularly grateful for the military doctors who take excellent care of our family and for the staff members who do so much to ensure that we can serve the country while enjoying a wonderful life with our children," the post read. The news of the Republican vice president's growing family comes as he has spent years passionately advocating for Americans to have more children. Vance repeatedly expressed alarm about declining birth rates as he launched his political career in 2021 with a bid for the US Senate in Ohio. As vice president, he has continued on that mission, saying in a 2025 March for Life speech, "I want more babies in the United States of America." The vice president has been accompanied on overseas travels by Usha Vance and their children, the kids usually in pajamas as they board Air Force Two for overnight trips. Throughout history, it's been exceptionally rare for the occupants of the highest leadership roles in the US to have children while in office. One well-documented exception was President Grover Cleveland, whose wife, Frances Cleveland, gave birth to their second child in 1893 during his second term in office. The BBC reports that Usha Vance will be the first to have a baby as second lady. Zelenskyy appoints Kubrakov as advisor on infrastructure, interaction with communities decree Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree appointing Oleksandr Kubrakov as a non-staff adviser on infrastructure and engagement with local communities Corresponding decree No. 66/2026 is posted on the website of the head of state. 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. TOKYO, Jan 20 (News On Japan) - More people in Japan are looking to change jobs as work styles and values shift in the post-pandemic era, pushing individuals to seek better roles that match their skills, experience, and lifestyle, while companies facing digital transformation and new business pressures are also reshaping hiring by expanding mid-career recruitment. One of the services gaining traction in this environment is BizReach, a well-known recruiting platform promoted heavily through TV commercials, which launched in 2009 and has grown rapidly to around 1.8 million registered users in 14 years, with more than 22,000 companies having used it. The program explored what it called the reality of job switching, focusing on BizReachs direct recruiting model, where individuals register their career history and skills, and companies send direct scouting messages rather than relying only on traditional job ads or recruitment agencies. One user, Tachibana, who works in data analysis at a company, said he checks BizReach daily while searching for a new job, explaining that he keeps his face hidden because he is actively job hunting. Tachibana described the scouting messages as love letters from companies, including one offer listing an annual salary range of 8 million yen to 10 million yen. Tachibana said salary matters, but he also pays close attention to what kind of work he would be doing and who he would be working with. After receiving multiple offers, he responded to one company he found particularly interesting and requested an interview through the app. Several days later, Tachibana visited an office building to meet an IT-related venture company, where he was given an explanation of its business, including analysis of large volumes of smartphone location data used to visualize human movement patterns and provide services such as real-time displays of crowd congestion at stores. The discussion continued for about an hour as Tachibana asked detailed questions about the role and the companys plans, with the interviewer praising the accuracy of his questions and saying it was rare to see such a well-prepared candidate. BizReachs approach has also been used by companies seeking experienced hires, including a major beverage maker expanding its health-related business and increasing recruitment of immediate contributors. One employee, Nakajima, 36, joined the company in July last year after being recruited through BizReach. Nakajima works on bringing new functional food products to market, including ensuring compliance with Japans strict labeling and notification rules, where even a single incorrect character can lead to an application being rejected and sent back for revision. Her colleagues said her attention to detail has improved their acceptance rate by reducing rejections. Nakajima said she had registered on BizReach while working at another food manufacturer in a similar role when she received a scouting email inviting her to help deliver a product featuring plasma lactic acid bacteria to consumers as quickly as possible. She said she was surprised but felt the move would help her develop the skills she wanted, calling it an unexpected but fortunate connection. Her supervisor, Kawakubo, explained that BizReach allows employers to search by keywords, and by entering terms related to functional food labeling and notification requirements, he narrowed the pool from 1.8 million registrants to 216 candidates, then read each profile carefully before selecting Nakajima for recruitment. The program also highlighted how BizReach is being used beyond Japans major metropolitan firms, including a company in Tosa City, Kochi Prefecture, where many employees previously worked at large corporations such as Toyota, Panasonic, Nidec, Mitsubishi Corporation, and others. The company has increased the share of mid-career hires to about 30% of its workforce over the past decade and has doubled sales during that period, with its recruitment staff saying BizReach helps them find highly skilled candidates they would otherwise never meet, especially at the managerial level. The episode also followed a job seeker in his 50s, Sasaki, who visited the companys headquarters for the first time for a final interview after completing earlier interviews online, reflecting how digital hiring processes and direct recruiting platforms are accelerating changes in Japans labor market. Source: BIZ QUEBEC CITY, Jan. 20, 2026 /CNW/ - Point Laz Mining Laser Expertise Inc. ("Point Laz"), a leader in smart technologies for automated mine shaft inspections, today announced the closing of a $3 million funding round. The round was led by the i4 Capital Fund, with significant participation from Fonds Impulsion, managed by Investissement Quebec and financed by the Government of Quebec. This strategic support will enable Point Laz to accelerate its growth and expand its international footprint. Fueling Growth and Industry Innovation With its unique offering, Point Laz is redefining safety, maintenance, and performance standards in the mining industry. The company's proprietary technology is designed to optimize shaft maintenance, standardize inspections to meet the highest international benchmarks, and significantly reduce mine shaft downtime. This new funding will allow Point Laz to scale up production of its advanced mine shaft scanner and expand the global rollout of its analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) platform. The company delivers a solution that transforms shaft maintenance into a preventive and predictive process, minimizing disruptions, reducing risks, and cutting costs associated with incidents. Already a strong player on the international stage, Point Laz has inspected over 50 mine shafts worldwide using its cutting-edge technology. Alexandre Grenier, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Point Laz: "The involvement of strategic partners like i4 Capital Fund and Investissement Quebec's Fonds Impulsion is a strong endorsement of the value of our technology and our team's vision to digitize and automate mine shaft inspections. This new capital will allow us to standardize our operations, strengthen our global presence, and better support our clients and partners. It also sends a clear message to the industry: Point Laz is leading the next revolution in mine shaft technology." Jean-Francois Grenon, Partner and Co-founder of the i4 Capital Fund: "We're proud to support Alexandre Grenier and the Point Laz team once again. Their unique approach to smart monitoring for the mining industry, along with their market potential, aligns perfectly with i4 Capital Fund's investment strategy. We are confident that Point Laz is on track to become a key player in the mining sector." Samuel Poulin, Minister for the Economy and Small and Medium Enterprises, and Minister Responsible for Youth "The Fonds Impulsion helps fast-track the growth of Quebec tech companies like Point Laz. By providing ambitious financial support, we're enabling the development and commercialization of innovative solutions in key sectors for Quebec, such as mining. It's through this kind of strategic investment that we build a stronger, future-focused economy." Alex Laverdiere, Vice President, Venture Capital, Investissement Quebec "By supporting Point Laz, the Fonds Impulsion is backing a high-growth-potential Quebec company whose technology can help advance the mining sector. This investment, made in partnership with i4 Capital, reflects our commitment to working in synergy with specialized funds to accelerate the growth of innovative businesses and maximize the economic impact of our investments in Quebec." About Point Laz Point Laz is transforming mining safety and performance standards by pioneering automated mine shaft inspections, predictive performance analytics and enhanced miner safety. Its mission is to support workers, businesses and their environments. www.pointlaz.com About i4 Capital Fund i4 Capital Fund is a Canadian seed-stage venture capital fund focused on breakthrough technologies. Its core mission is to lead funding rounds that support exceptional entrepreneurs bringing disruptive, transformational innovations to market. With a strong focus on innovation, sustainability and deep tech, i4 Capital Fund offers strategic support and a broad business network to visionary founders shaping the future. www.i4capital.vc About Fonds Impulsion Fonds Impulsion is a venture capital fund that supports innovative, high-growth-potential startups at the pre-seed and seed stages. It invests between $250,000 and $2 million in early-stage rounds, with the ability to reinvest in subsequent financing rounds. Its mission is to accelerate the growth of Quebec's young companies by providing structuring capital, tailored support and privileged access to a strategic network of committed partners. The fund is managed and administered by Investissement Quebec and financed by the Government of Quebec. www.investquebec.com SOURCE Point Laz Media Contact: Alexandre Grenier, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Point Laz, [email protected] The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has found former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych guilty of illegally seizing lands in Sukholuchchia, Kyiv region, and sentenced him to 15 years in prison. "On January 20, 2026, a panel of HACC judges announced a guilty verdict against the former President of Ukraine. By the court's verdict, the ex-president was found guilty of unlawfully seizing a forest fund land plot located within the territory of the Sukholuchchia Village Council in Kyiv region, with an area of 17.5 hectares and an estimated value of more than UAH 22 million, that is, of committing a crime Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, and was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment," the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said in a statement on its Telegram channel on Tuesday. According to the statement, an accomplice of the former president was found guilty of committing a crime under Part 5 of Article 27 and Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. At the same time, the court released this person from serving the sentence due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for criminal liability. "The court verdict enters into legal force thirty days from the date of its announcement if it is not appealed," SAPO said. The anti-corruption prosecutor's office recalls that in 2007 the former president (who at the time of the crime was prime minister), with the aim of seizing state property, namely, a forest fund land plot of the Dnipro-Teteriv Forestry and Hunting Enterprise located within the territory of the Sukholuchchia Village Council of Vyshgorod district, Kyiv region, initiated the adoption of a series of decisions that led to the withdrawal of the above-mentioned land from state ownership. "To implement the criminal scheme, the former president's accomplices involved persons close to them, who applied to the Kyiv Regional State Administration for the allocation of land plots of up to 1 hectare, and subsequently for a change in their designated purpose, which later made it possible to transfer the land without hindrance to a company controlled by the former president," the statement said. Subsequently, in 20092011, a hotel and restaurant complex was built on this site, which was used by the ex-president for personal needs. The investigation into these facts began in 2014. Until November 2019, the case was investigated by the Special Investigations Department of the Prosecutor General's Office. It was then transferred to SAPO and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). "Given that all defendants are on the wanted list, special judicial proceedings (in absentia) were conducted in respect of them," SAPO said. 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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 Range anxiety has long been a major concern for new energy vehicle (NEV) owners. Although charging infrastructure is becoming increasingly widespread, compared with the quick refueling of gasoline cars, "not daring to drive far" remains a key drawback of NEVs. Sometimes drivers hesitantly take the expressway, worried about queues at servicearea piles and even more worried about the car stalling midjourney. The root cause is that most current charging facilities are too slow. Is there "super" charging technology that can significantly shorten NEV charging times? Yes. With technological progress, highpower charging facilities can effectively ease range anxiety. For example, facilities with singlecharger power of 480 kW or more can greatly reduce charging time and relieve the "one pile for many" bottleneck at highway service areas. Recently, multiple departments jointly issued the "Anhui Province HighPower Charging Facilities Construction Action Plan (20252027)" (the "Plan"), proposing to further optimize and improve the province's charging and batteryswap network, accelerate the construction of a welldistributed, qualityupgraded, and technologically advanced highpower charging infrastructure system, and better meet the public's needs for green travel. By 2027, the province aims to cumulatively build over 6,500 highpower charging charger (singlecharger charging power of 250 kW or above). Where are highpower chargers most needed? Undoubtedly, highway service areas and tourist attractions are the places most in need of fast refueling points. The Plan states that new charging facilities added to existing highway service areas should, in principle, adopt highpower chargers; chargers with utilization rates exceeding 40% during major holidays and rated below 60 kW should be prioritized for upgrade to highpower facilities. In newly built highway service areas, highpower chargers should account for no less than 30% of all charging facilities. By the end of 2027, each highway service area in the province should be equipped with at least two highpower chargers, with over 1,000 highpower chargers completed across the province, and initial application of megawattlevel ultrafast charging facilities encouraged. Tourist attractions are another hightraffic area and frequent longdistance destinations for drivers, with strong demand for rapid recharging. The Plan specifically mentions building or upgrading highpower charging facilities in parking lots and visitor centers of 4Alevel and above tourist sites and provinciallevel and above resort areas, and encourages deployment in key rural tourism villages and homestay clusters to provide NEV owners with good charging conditions for travel and vacation. The Plan sets 12 year development goals: by 2027, basically form a provincewide "four zones, one corridor, one line" highpower charging service network, with a cumulative total of over 6,500 highpower chargers (singlecharger charging power of 250 kW or above). The "four zones" are expressway service areas, urban areas, 5A tourist attractions, and provinciallevel and above logistics parks, achieving full coverage of highpower charging facilities. The "one corridor" is the "expressway ultracharging corridor," aiming for ultrafast charging facilities (singlecharger power of 480 kW or above) at expressway service areas spaced no more than 100 kilometers apart. The "one line" is the "Beautiful Anhui FastCharge, SlowTour Scenic Line," ensuring highpower charging facilities along key provincial tourist routes are spaced no more than 50 kilometers apart. As of June 2025, the province had 2,439 highpower charging piles; the 2027 target is 6,500, nearly a 2.6fold increase. According to provincial targets, Hefei currently has the most highpower charging piles at 1,121, with a 2027 target of 2,400. The fastest growth is planned for expressway service areas: they had 178 as of June 2025 and aim to reach 1,140 by 2027, about 6.4 times the original number. "Anhui will become the most EVfriendly province for new energy vehicle travel," said an official from the provincial Auto Office. Source: Anhui Daily Photo: https://t.me/Ukraine_MFA The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) mission in Ukraine, Juan Pedro Schaerer, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine to discuss some incorrect public statements by the committee's leadership. Following the meeting, ICRC representatives "recognized the inappropriateness of attempts to equate responsibility" between the aggressor country and the defending country, and agreed "with the need to improve the committee's communication approaches in the future," the MFA press service reported. On January 20, at the instruction of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross mission in Ukraine, Juan-Pedro Schaerer, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss what it described as several inappropriate public statements by the organizations leadership, the ministry said on Telegram on Tuesday. During the meeting, the Ukrainian side expressed deep disappointment with a statement made on January 14, 2026, by the ICRCs regional director for Europe and Central Asia, which it said effectively equated the responsibility of Russia as the aggressor state with that of Ukraine, which is defending itself and its people, for human suffering. Ukrainian officials stressed that, unlike the Russian aggressor, Ukraine conducts strikes exclusively against legitimate military targets in the exercise of its inherent right to self-defense in accordance with the U.N. Charter. "In this context, any attempts to identify, equate or draw false parallels between Ukraine and Russia are immoral, erroneous and absolutely unacceptable," the Foreign Ministry said. The ministry said Ukraine expects the ICRC to be more persistent in ensuring uninterrupted access to Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians illegally held by Russia, as well as in its public communications. ICRC representatives acknowledged that attempts to equate responsibility were inappropriate and agreed on the need to improve the committees communications going forward. Juan-Pedro Schaerer also said that he and his colleagues in Kyiv understand the humanitarian situation on the ground and have witnessed the consequences of Russian attacks firsthand. "The sides agreed to promote further strengthening of bilateral dialogue, including through visits, to ensure the ICRC has a deeper understanding of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine caused by Russian attacks, and discussed ways to enhance ICRC efforts to gain access to Ukrainian prisoners of war and detained civilians," the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine said. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored the memory of the "cyborgs" the defenders of Donetsk airport. "Every year on this day, January 20, we remember the defenders of Donetsk airport. These were people who held the defense for 242 days, never surrendered, and remained surrounded under constant attacks. They were called cyborgs, but they were simply showing the best of the Ukrainian character, heart and spirit: not giving up, striking the occupier, and showing the world what Ukraine is capable of. These are the people we must support," he wrote on Telegram. Organizers of the exhibition "Ukraine: Future's Frontline," which opened at the Ukrainian House in Davos on Monday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, were forced to cancel the planned display of the downed Russian-Iranian attack drone Shahed, hundreds of which attack Ukraine almost daily, due to a ban by some Swiss authorities. "Some Swiss authorities did not allow us to display even a single Shahed drone. We said, fine, well remove all the equipment and chips and show only the casing. Nevertheless, we were still not granted permission to display it," said Victor Pinchuk, whose foundation organized the exhibition together with the PinchukArtCentre and the Office of the President of Ukraine. Pinchuk said he believes there is a trend in the West and Europe to protect citizens in this way and avoid harming their psychological well-being. "But I think it is much better to see these drones here so that people can then change their attitudes and themselves. Our message to you, our wonderful Western European friends, is: act like Ukrainians, change like Ukrainians, and lets win together," the businessman said. He added that on the day of the exhibitions opening, following another Russian attack, more than 5,600 apartment buildings in Kyiv were left without heating in severe cold. The exhibition, highlighting the risk of the war spreading to Europe and the importance of achieving peace through strength, will feature works by Ukrainian artists Oleksiy Say, Yarema Malaschuk, and Roman Khimey, as well as Damien Hirsts piece Incomplete Truth. One work is a video generated by artificial intelligence showing similar attack drones striking Davos and other well-known Western cities. "One of the artists at this exhibition put it in his own style: change or die. Sorry for my very blunt language, but that is one of the main messages," the organizer said. The project "Ukraine: Future's Frontline" includes not only the exhibition but also a three-day discussion program focused on Ukraine as a testing ground for the future of security, innovation and reconstruction. DEAR ABBY: My young daughter and I had the pleasure of spending three months with my parents while my husband was deployed. We had a lovely visit, but over the course of our stay, I noticed my parents were spending more time on their phones than previously. Both are retired and in their mid-60s. Im glad they are keeping up with technology, but Im also concerned that their phone use may have a negative impact on their social health, behavioral health and mental acuity as they age. Growing up, we never had the TV or computers in our main living space, and screen time was limited. We ate dinner together every night, and socialization and conversation was an expectation. During my stay, my parents brought their phones to the dinner table and grabbed them midmeal to answer messages or search things on the internet. Throughout the days, Id look up from what I was doing and see them glued to their screens. This new behavior is so different from the way they raised me. How can I speak to them about my concerns and encourage them to consider decreasing their phone usage? -- NOTICED THE CHANGE IN WASHINGTON DEAR NOTICED: Yes, many things have changed since the time when you were raised. But if you think the day has arrived for you to parent your parents, forget about it. It not only wont work, but it could also cause resentment because they are adults and not impressionable teenagers being educated about social interaction. *** Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. A hit-and-run driver has been convicted after striking and killing a pedestrian in Atlantic City more than three years ago. A jury found Harris Jacobs, 28, guilty of leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident on Tuesday, the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office said. Jacobs, of Atlantic City, struck Orlando Fraga-Seruti, 76, on the 1800 block of Atlantic Avenue at 3:35 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2022, officials said. Jacobs got out of his car and leaned over Fraga on two occasions before getting back in his vehicle and driving off, authorities said. Known as Big Cuba, Fraga-Seruti worked as a security officer at the Claridge and Sands Casinos after emigrating from Cuba to the United States in 1980, according to an online obituary. The Atlantic City resident was survived by a son, grandson, granddaughter, three sisters and a brother in addition to many other friends and relatives. Authorities have identified the man who died in a two-alarm fire at a multi-family dwelling in Bergen County as a 67-year-old resident and say the fire does not appear suspicious. Joseph A. Poling was pronounced dead at the scene of the fire, which occurred Friday afternoon in the 400 block of Third Street in Carlstadt. Public records show Poling lived in the building and was a co-owner of the home. Police and firefighters were called about 4 p.m. Friday as flames and smoke poured from the building. Firefighters found Polings body on the second floor. Detectives and arson investigators initiated a joint probe with the Carlstadt police and fire departments, along with the boroughs Fire Prevention Bureau, officials said. The investigation conducted by the Bergen County Arson Squad and local fire officials revealed that the fire was not suspicious in nature, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said in a statement on Monday. Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut on Saturday, Jan. 17, and he poked fun at the Netflix show during the episode. A sketch titled Stranger Things promo advertised several spinoff series following the shows various characters. Wolfhards former costars Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin made cameos. The skit referenced the since-debunked Stranger Things fan theory that an additional secret episode would drop after the series finale. Remember that mysterious ninth episode the internet was convinced existed? It didnt, but it does now! And we got almost all the main kids back, voiceover in the sketch declared. Wolfhard, Matarazzo and McLaughlin then reunited with Eleven, only she was played by 47-year-old SNL star Kenan Thompson instead of their 21-year-old cast mate Millie Bobby Brown. The sketch also joked about the actors being much older than their characters by the time Stranger Things concluded. You think I dont know what its like to be a teenager? I was 17 for 10 years, Andrew Dismukes said while playing Steve Harrington in a spinoff where the character becomes a high school teacher. Meanwhile, Finn Wolfhards character, Mike Wheeler gets a new show modeled after Sex and the City. As Mike, Dustin (Matarazzo) and Lucas (McLaughlin) caught up over Cosmos, Dustin hinted at Stranger Things completely abandoning his romantic story line with Suzie Bingham (Gabriella Pizzolo) after season 4. As you know, I briefly dated that weird nerdy girl who helped us save the world and then never talked to her again, he quipped. Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin in SNL's "Stranger Things promo" sketch. NBC The sketchs narrator also provided a reason for Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) absence from the Hawkins gangs reunion. Before you get all mad and go, How come Will isnt in that, its because his coming out scene is still going on, the voiceover joked. (Stranger Things fans have pointed out that Wills coming out speech lasted longer than the final battle with Vecna.) Elsewhere in the SNL episode, Wolfhard seemingly nodded to Stranger Things co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer. In a skit about the Euphoria writers room, the actor donned a wig and a fake beard that made him resemble the Duffer brothers. READ MORE: Stranger Things creators defend controversial finale decision Did Finn purposely pick this hair and beard to look like one of the Duffers? one fan commented on an Instagram video of the sketch. Not the duffer beard, another viewer chimed in. While the Duffer brothers havent publicly reacted to Wolfhards Saturday Night Live appearance, the Stranger Things jokes seemed all in good fun. Wolfhard spoke about his strong bond with the shows creators while giving a speech on the final day of filming. I started this show when I was 12 and its gonna sound sad, but I really didnt feel like I had a lot of friends as a kid. When I talked to the Duffers for the first time, it felt like I had friends, he said in a video that circulated online. Saturday Night Live is available to stream on Peacock, and Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix. The New Jersey Symphony regularly plays the same program at different venues across the state. But this past week, New Jersey Symphony music director Xian Zhang conducted the same piece of music on opposite sides of the Hudson River. This quirk of scheduling threatened to stir up feelings between the two states that go back to the 18th-century Line War (or at least the last Devils-Rangers game) as it invited the question: Does New York or New Jersey have the better symphony orchestra? Well get to that, but first this weekends concert series with Zhang leading the New York Philharmonic was a homecoming. Prior to her getting the New Jersey job, Zhang became the first female music director of a symphony in Italy. But before that, in the early 2000s, Zhang was an assistant (and then associate) conductor at the New York Philharmonic. Until this weekend, she had not led the orchestra since 2009 a year before she conducted her first concert with the then-NJSO. So, for this return to New York and her first time conducting at the newly renovated Geffen Hall Zhang brought along a trusted collaborator, soloist Yefim Bronfman. He was the star pianist Zhang brought for the NJPAC concert series that kicked off the Jersey Bands 100th season back in 2022. Back then, they played Rachmaninoff. Here in New York this weekend it was Robert Schumann. His sole Piano Concerto is a work of subtle invention, and Zhang conducted it with care. The NY Phil is known for their big, blaring sound. But under Zhangs baton the work had a hushed, gentle clarity. This meshed well with Bronfmans meaty, precise playing of the romantic score. The crowd gave a mighty cheer at the end, and Zhang and Bronfman exchanged looks at the curtain call that indicated they were quite pleased with what they had just pulled off. The concert began with Chen Yis Landscape Impression, a short orchestral work that was commissioned by the New Jersey Symphony. Zhang premiered it at NJPAC in 2023 and clearly believes in the piece, as she conducted again with the Boston Symphony last year. Here at Geffen Hall, Zhang let the NY Phil unleash its louder side, giving this 8-minute work a more refined, epic cast. When it premiered, Yis piece suggested a clash of old and new tunes. After performing it a few times, Zhang interprets the work slightly differently. Here with the NY Philharmonic, Zhang made Yis score feel more like a dance between ancient Chinese folk music and modern rhythms and sounds. After intermission, it was time for Tchaikovskys Second Symphony. Last week when she played this 1873 work with her orchestra in New Jersey, the opening movement sounded as if Tchaikovsky was looking backward, trying to sound like The Big Five composers that defined Russian music in the mid-19th century. Here in New York this movement sounded very different. You could hear bits of his opera Eugene Onegin in the score, the opera that (along with his ballets) helped Tchaikovsky break away from tradition and find his own unique musical voice. How can the same movement sound so different only one week (and one river) apart? The NY Philharmonic is famous for its majestic sound and a reputation for playing how they feel the music should be played. So, its perhaps not surprising that the music steered towards a later, more traditional, grand Tchaikovsky interpretation. The New Jersey Symphony has a more fluid, flexible sound and style. Therefore, it makes sense that the music felt slower and sounded more rustic (and arguably more rooted in the musics history). But despite these different sounds early on in the symphony, for the explosive final movement Zhang brought the same bold tempi and energy to both. So, listening to these passages, it was harder to hear a difference between the two orchestras at all. All you heard in both concerts was the gleaming Russian glow of Tchaikovskys grand finale. Zhangs ability to collaborate and create contrasting but still captivating sounds with different collaborators is why shes made the New Jersey Symphony so exciting. And also, why shes in such demand on major podiums today. Two members of an Essex County drug trafficking organization, including its leader who was convicted of murdering one of his fellow members, were sentenced last week to prison, federal prosecutors said. The leader, Michael Mayse, 39, of Newark, was sentenced to 45 years in prison, and the main drug supplier, Gary Shahid, 67, of Newark, was handed a 17-year sentence, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office District of New Jersey. The defendants operated in Stephen Crane Village, a public housing complex near Branch Brook Park, on the border of Newark and Belleville, between February 2019 and February 2020, the U.S. attorneys office said. The organization used an apartment at the housing complex as a stash house for various narcotics including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base, officials said. Investigators used organized controlled purchases of narcotics, recorded phone calls and text messages as well as physical and electronic surveillance on the illegal drug trafficking organization to build their case, according to officials. The organization sold significant quantities of drugs to confidential sources and undercover agents during the investigation, officials said. On Dec. 15, 2019, Mayse entered the stash house and killed a member of the drug trafficking group over a drug debt, authorities said. Mayse was previously convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy and murder while Shahid was convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy and related drug and firearms offenses, the office said. Their co-defendants Jose Lora, Dayquan Jordan, Ricky Terrell, Charles Mells, Raquan Rawls, Nasir Williams, Quadir Hatcher, Tyree Purkett, James Wicker, and Dayana Valderrama, all of whom are members or associates of the organization previously pleaded guilty in federal court to crimes related to their roles, officials said. Mayses attorney, Joel Silberman, said his client filed an appeal with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals following his sentencing. Silberman said he anticipates that Mayses conviction will be overturned. Mr. Mayse has maintained his innocence throughout this process and continues to, Silberman said. The attorney representing Shahid could not immediately be reached for comment. Aimee Dorsey doesnt belong to any of the groups that endorsed Mondays Martin Luther King March of Resistance in Newark, an event held every year in the states largest city on the federal holiday commemorating the slain civil rights leaders birth on Jan. 15, 1929. But Dorsey happened to be in the neighborhood surrounding the Essex County justice building that bears Kings name, and she joined the racially mixed crowd of more than 300 people gathered for a noon rally at the base of a large statue of King before the march stepped off. I feel its important that people know that we do care about other people and we do care about immigrants, said Dorsey, 43, of Newark, who was glad to be among such a diverse crowd. Its nice to see white people because we need their support, she added. It also shows that theyre not for ICE, and it shows those racists that other people wont stand for that. The Newark-based civil rights group Peoples Organization for Progress, or POP, began hosting the annual King march more than three decades ago. POP founder Lawrence Hamm led Mondays event, emphasizing the resistance implicit in its name. We dont care how many troops they put in our city, we dont care how many Gestapo ICE police they put in our City, Hamm said in a reference to President Donald Trumps deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, Chicago, and New Orleans, and his nationwide crackdown on immigration. We are not afraid. The number of participants in the annual march has varied over the years, depending on factors such as the local and national mood and the weather. Turnout has swelled noticeably in the past two years. Last years big crowd was in reaction to fears of what Trumps November 2024 election to a second term might bring. That was followed this year by what Hamm said has been the realization of many of those fears. One is the nationwide crackdown on immigration, which has drawn intensified attention with the recent fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. Others include the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs among federal agencies, aid recipients, and contractors; the administrations responses to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine; layoffs driven by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, that disproportionately impacted federal workers of color; and the whitewashing of references to slavery in government accounts of the nations history. Signs held up by marchers read: Abolish ICE and others using less polite language on what to do with the agency; Its Time to De-ICE America; Push Back; and Impeach Trump. The White House press office did not respond to a request for comment on criticism of the president during the rally and march. But the office did provide a link to a presidential proclamation honoring King on Monday, suggesting the presidents priorities were consistent with the slain civil rights leaders. Today, we honor the noble work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose commitment to justice paved the way to the full realization of the American promise, the proclamation states. Inspired by the tenets enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, it added, we proudly renew our pledge to uphold our Nations long-cherished principles of liberty, equal justice under the law, and the Godgiven dignity of the human person. Hamm made special mention of a lesser known civil rights pioneer, Claudette Colvin, who died on Jan. 13. Colvin was 15 when she refused to give up her seat to a young white woman on a bus in Montgomery, AL, on March 2, 1955, 10 months before Rosa Parks more widely remembered act of resistance on another bus on Dec. 1 of that year. Other speakers on Monday included U.S. Rep. Lamonica McIver, D-10th Dist., who still faces charges of assaulting and impeding a federal agent stemming from the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka outside the Delaney Hall immigrant detention center on May 9. McIver and others said the lack of due process afforded immigrant detainees rounded up under the crackdown was everybodys business. What attacks our neighbors attacks us, McIver said. Baraka did not attend the rally or march, but he issued a statement invoking a meeting 58 years ago in Newark between his father, poet and civil rights activist Amiri Baraka, and King, who was in the city for a Poor Peoples Campaign march seeking better wages for workers of all racial and ethnic groups. Let us honor him today by recognizing ourselves in each other, infusing our convictions with effort, and choosing actions that forward justice and peace, Baraka stated. Kings Newark visit came only weeks before his assassination during another Poor Peoples Campaign stop, to support striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was fatally shot on a balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4, 1968. Kings advocacy of non-violent resistance helped make him a more palatable figure to the American establishment than some of his contemporaries from the Civil Rights Era, though speakers on Monday said he was a fierce advocate for systemic changes to racial and economic biases. He was about changing the system, state Sen. Britnee Timberlake, D-Essex, told the gathering. Timberlake called on fellow Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy to sign the Immigrant Trust Act and related legislation before he leaves office on Tuesday, at the end of his second term. The legislation, approved last week by the state Senate and Assembly, would limit the kinds of assistance state and local law enforcement agencies could provide to federal immigration agents. The reference prompted spontaneous chants of Sign the bill, sign the bill! They were friends, best friends, Yisel Restrepo said, and Paul Caneiro paid for them to take two trips to her native Colombia and other places in the United States. He leased her a $53,000 Audi and helped her with English. They went shooting together at a gun range, Restrepo said. Paul Caneiro was smart and nothing but a positive influence in her life. However, Restrepo never testified Tuesday that she and Paul were involved romantically or having an affair, as prosecutors have previously suggested in court. And Paul did not pay for everything. She paid for her Ocean Township apartment, not Paul, countering what a financial crimes detective testified last week for the prosecution. Restrepo testified in Spanish via an interpreter Tuesday at Paul Caneiros murder trial in Monmouth County. She pointed him out in court. Neither Restrepo nor Paul Caneiro showed any emotion. Caneiro, 59, is charged with killing his brother Keith Caneiro, 50, his wife Jennifer, 45, and their kids, son Jesse, 11, and daughter Sophia, 8, in the early morning hours of Nov. 20, 2018. Prosecutors allege he set the blaze that damaged their Colts Neck mansion, then set one at his own home in Ocean Township in an attempt to throw off investigators and destroy evidence. The brothers were in business together and authorities allege Paul planned the crimes because Keith was cutting him off financially after finding out his brother was stealing money from Keiths life insurance trust fund. Watch Restrepo testified, though, that Paul never talked about financial difficulties or mentioned the IRS - to which Paul owed back taxes, authorities have alleged. Paul once used her Macys credit card, but Restrepo paid the bill. Paul once paid her rent, but she paid it back, Restrepo testified. Under cross examination, Restrepo said she never talked to Keith Caneiro, but Paul spoke highly of his brother in their conversations. Other witnesses who testified Tuesday included Boris Volshteyn, a neighbor of Keith Caneiros who called 911 and reported the fire and saw Keiths body on the ground outside the home, and Carmelo La Marca, a Howell volunteer firefighter who found Sophias body. He and a crew of firefighters entered the smoky house to search for possible victims. La Marca said he found the young girl on the landing of a stairway. He did not see her. I felt her, La Marca said as he choked up. He and his fellow firefighters brought her out of the home and laid her down near the garage. She had no signs of life. After the nightly Russian massive missile and drone attack, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, called on his foreign colleagues speakers and presidents of foreign parliaments not to remain silent, to react to Putin's terrorism and to help Ukraine. "Today, in the Ukrainian parliament, as in the vast majority of apartments in Kyiv, Odesa and Kharkiv, there is no electricity, no water, and no heat. That is why I am once again calling on you to pay attention to what Putin is doing to Ukraine. He is committing terrorism, he is committing genocide, and he continues to do everything possible to erase Ukraine from the political map. I urge you not to remain silent, to help Ukraine, and to do everything you can to ensure Ukraine endures this terrible war," said Ruslan Stefanchuk in a video address posted on Facebook Tuesday. Jeanette Alvarez is a longtime community advocate who has dedicated her career to helping families navigate support services and overcome barriers to stability. She is a 2026 Camden County MLK Freedom Medal Awardee. Rowan University Editors note: This story was shared as part of a content-sharing agreement between Mosaic.NJ.com and FrontRunnerNJ You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter (or X). Camden County has announced its 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Medal recipients, honoring residents whose volunteer service, advocacy, and community leadership embody Dr. Kings legacy of justice, compassion and civic responsibility. The awards will be presented on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at the Collingswood Grand Ballroom. Since its creation in 2001, the Freedom Medal has been awarded to more than 1,200 residents who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to improving life in Camden County. This years class continues that tradition with leaders in education, public safety, youth advocacy, veterans support, the arts and faith-based service. 2026 MLK Freedom Medal Honorees include: Jeanette Alvarez Camden A longtime community advocate, Alvarez has dedicated her career to helping families navigate support services and overcome barriers to stability. Her work has strengthened partnerships across Camden and expanded access to resources for residents in need. Giselle V. Brown Cherry Hill At just 17, Brown has already achieved national recognition as an artist. Her work has been displayed in the U.S. Capitol and included in the Lunar Codex Project, which sent artistic achievements to the moon. She has donated artwork to support cancer research, using her talent to uplift others. Captain Vivian Coley Camden Born and raised in Camden, Captain Coley has served in law enforcement since 1998. As commander of the Community Outreach Unit, she has led programs such as Open Gym nights, senior wellness checks, neighborhood cleanups, and youth engagement initiativesstrengthening trust between residents and police. Colonel Ted Gallagher Cherry Hill A Vietnam War veteran and retired U.S. Army Colonel, Gallagher is a tireless advocate for veterans across Camden County. He has helped countless veterans navigate benefits, access resources, and connect with community support networks, ensuring no veteran is left behind. Robert Jakubowski - Audubon Lifelong Audubon resident Rob Jakubowski is Camden Countys director of the Division of Community Development. This role is the culmination of the skills and passions Rob has developed since the 1990s as a volunteer board member and later executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Camden and Gloucester Counties; executive director of MADD-NJ; and deputy director of Camden Countys Department of Health and Human Services. Lion James - Gloucester Township Lion James has made it his lifes work to connect people of color with the outdoors. His lifelong passion for the outdoors, sparked by a childhood spent fishing and boating with his father and brother, led him to pursue many nature-based activities, including hiking, camping, hunting and a general devotion to wildlife and nature conservation. Realizing early on that he rarely saw fellow people of color enjoying the great outdoors, Lion has adopted the dual missions of conservation and of encouraging people of color to enjoy and thrive in nature as his lifes work. Jacquelyn B. Lee - Winslow Jacquelyn B. Lee is a passionate leader, mentor and lifelong advocate for civic engagement and community empowerment. Over 40 years in the electric utility industry, Lee has demonstrated these values. Her commitment to service began even earlierat age 14, when she became a park counselor in her Philadelphia neighborhood. Dr. Leslie Showell Camden A Preschool Intervention & Referral Specialist with the Camden City School District, Dr. Showell is recognized for her dedication to early childhood development and her advocacy for families navigating special education services. Her work has strengthened support systems for Camdens youngest learners. Dan Rhoton Camden A longtime youth advocate and community partner, Rhoton has been instrumental in developing programs that support young people and families across Camden. His leadership has helped expand opportunities for youth empowerment and community engagement. Brian Keith Truitt - Pennsauken Brian Keith Truitt is a lifelong restaurateur, community pillar and proud Camden entrepreneur. Growing up with seven older sisters and two older brothers, Truitt learned early the values of family, resilience, and showing up for others. Father Vincent G. Guest Camden Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Father Guest is known for his unwavering commitment to social justice, poverty relief, and community solidarity. His ministry has supported families across Camden through direct service, advocacy, and faith-driven outreach. Legacy of Service Commissioner Jonathan Young praised this years honorees, noting that each embodies the values Dr. King championedservice, compassion and justice. Through their dedication to serving their community, they have each made a meaningful difference and are helping make Camden County a better place for all, Young said. The Freedom Medal remains one of the countys most significant civic honors, celebrating residents whose volunteerism and leadership strengthen neighborhoods and uplift vulnerable populations. Marine Mammal Stranding Center volunteers relocated two healthy seals from Jersey Shore beaches last week to allow the animals to rest undisturbed. A gray seal pup, estimated to be one to two months old, was found Friday evening at the end of Holgate in Ocean County, according to stranding center officials. The pup was healthy and resting. A stranding center volunteer observed the pup from a safe distance until dark and returned at dawn to find the animal still resting. The Holgate seal was relocated to ensure its safety. The seal was in one of the more populated areas on the island, and it was getting close to when residents begin walking their dogs on the beach after work. In the best interest of the seal, staff decided to relocate the seal to reduce the risk of disturbance and interactions with dogs, stranding center officials said on social media. In a separate incident, stranding technicians found a yearling harbor seal on Friday afternoon in a populated area of Brigantine in Atlantic County, according to a social media post on Tuesday. The seal was resting in an area where residents typically walk dogs after work. Staff captured the seal in a specially designed net, then performed a medical assessment and transported it to a location with less foot traffic, according to the social media post. Stranding center officials urge beachgoers who spot seals to stay at least 150 feet away. The center staff also asks people not to post seal locations on social media, which draws crowds and encourages photo attempts that create disturbance and stress for the animals. Anyone who spots a seal should call the centers 24-hour hotline at 609-266-0538. Jersey City is getting another provider of robots for delivering pizza, groceries and other supplies. California-based Coco Robotics announced a pilot program in the Heights neighborhood last week, nearly a year after Uber Eats teamed with Avride for downtown robot delivery service. Were super-excited to be there, company co-founder and CEO Zach Rash told NJ Advance Media on Friday. Coco Robotics said it has produced 1,000 robots all named Coco and made 500,000 deliveries in conjunction with 3,000 merchant partners since being founded in 2020. Other locations served by the company include Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Jersey City is its first New Jersey location. Coco weighs 100 pounds, has zero emissions and travels on sidewalks at speeds of up to 5 mph. It can reach 15 mph in bicycle lanes but Rash said the company will not be using the lanes in Jersey City. The robot uses AI self-driving features aided by remote human operators and has 90 liters of insulated storage space. Thats enough for up to four full grocery bags or six extra-large boxes of pizza, according to the company. Coco is not yet making deliveries in the Heights, a neighborhood with around 60,000 residents and plenty of restaurants and bars. Residents are already being introduced to Coco. One of the robots was roaming near Pershing Field Park on Friday morning in order to map the area and identify the most efficient routes. Coco Robotics credited former Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and his administration with accommodating the pilot program. They were incredibly supportive of the technology, Rash said. Fulop also supported the downtown robot delivery program involving Uber Eats and Avride. He left office Wednesday after declining to seek a fourth term and starts Tuesday as president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City. Coco Robotics provided a statement from Fulop in which the ex-mayor described autonomous delivery as a natural evolution of how cities can support local business. Robot delivery service has drawn some criticism elsewhere, most notably in Chicago, where Coco Robotics is one of at least two service providers authorized under a pilot program. A petition calling for the program to be halted over safety and other concerns was launched last fall. Carl Hansen, vice president of government relations for Coco Robotics, said the companys robots are super-safe. That said, its operating out in the real world. Things are going to go wrong but the great thing is, if something goes wrong, its not a car, Hansen said. Asked how his company chose Jersey City, Rash said his first restaurant customer in Santa Monica had started in Hoboken and recommended the region. The companys co-founder and chief technology officer, Brad Squicciarini, is a New Jersey native, he said. Rash and Squicciarini met at UCLA, where they began discussing the concept that became their company. They graduated in 2019, one year before launching Coco Robotics. When we were starting the company, we were wondering what to call it. We looked up a list of cute dog names on Google. Number one was Coco, and we go, ok, perfect, done, Rash said. We just wanted it to feel like a member of your community, not some piece of technology. It really is there to serve the community, to serve the merchants, Rash said. Coco has front, rear, left and right cameras with LiDAR full 360-degree perception. Cameras provide visual details like signs and lane marking, while LiDAR delivers accurate depth sensing and a real-time, three-dimensional view, according to the company. Rash said that no personal information is stored and that faces and license plates are blurred. The only data we share is about sidewalk conditions, Hansen said. Rash said the customer always has the option of requesting a person instead of a robot. Businesses, though, would appear to have an incentive in sending out a robot rather than a person. If were working with them directly then theres a fee per delivery that they pay thats meaningfully less than what it would cost for a human delivery, Rash said. Human delivery drivers do have their advantages. For example, Coco will not venture up to the sixth floor of an apartment building. Very rarely do we go into the buildings. Typically, well meet you at the closest possible point, Rash said. Rash said he expects that Coco will begin making deliveries within the next few weeks. The U.S. is spinning out of control under President Donald Trump, a majority of Americans said in a new poll. The latest Economist/YouGov poll showed that 71% of Americans believe that things in the country are out of control under Trumps presidency. Just 18% said things were under control while another 11% were not sure, according to the poll. The poll found that large shares of Democrats, independents and even Republicans criticized the current state of the country. Ninety-four percent of Democrats, 71% of independents and 50% of Republicans said the country was out of control. Similarly, 61% of Americansincluding 93% of Democrats, 64% of independents and 26% of Republicanssaid the U.S. is off on the wrong track. Just 31% said the country was generally headed in the right direction, according to the poll. The poll came as protests continue to unfold in Minneapolis as a result of the tactics being used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in the city. The poll comes nearly two weeks after an ICE officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good, sparking demonstrations across the country. Local officials and news reports disputed the administrations claim that the officer acted in self-defense when he shot Good on Jan. 7. Federal officials claimed Good attempted to run over the officer while driving her car, but a New York Times analysis of the video suggested she was turning away before she was shot. The poll found that 52% of Americans did not believe Good was trying to run over the officer with her car. Fifty-six percent said that the shooting was not justified while 29% said it was justified. Following the protests and clashes with ICE agents, Trump threatened to send troops to Minneapolis by invoking the rarely used Insurrection Act. The poll found that 52% of Americans opposed sending federal troops to Minneapolis while 37% supported the move. It also found Americans were split on whether they supported protests against ICEs actions, with 47% approving and 44% disapproving. Overall, the poll showed Trump with a 37% approval rating and a 57% disapproval rating. This included 61% of independents and 17% of Republicans who disapproved of how Trump is handling his job as president. The poll was conducted Jan. 16-19. The results are based on responses from 1,722 U.S. adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points. Conservative radio host Erick Erickson did not mince words while blasting President Donald Trumps demands to acquire Greenland. Trump embarked on an overnight social media spree early Tuesday, sharing private messages from French President Emmanuel Macron, posting a fake image of U.S. control over the Arctic territory and claiming that there was no going back on his desire to seize the semi-autonomous island, which falls under the boundaries of Denmark, a NATO ally. However, the president did signal some signs of diplomacy, going on to say at one point that he will meet with various parties about Greenland on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum this week in Davos, Switzerland. Trumps hope to acquire the territory renewed after the successful U.S. military operation in Venezuela has been met with fierce resistance from local officials and world leaders, with some NATO countries deploying troops to Greenland in defiance of the presidents threats. Trump has insisted that ownership is necessary for national security. Erickson, a former Republican lawmaker who has supported Trump during both of his presidential campaigns, is now joining the opposition efforts. In a post on Substack titled Insane Impulse Control Issues, he blasted what he characterized as some level of insanity from the president over Greenland on Tuesday, arguing that he simply has no impulse control. There is no Trump Derangement Syndrome here except from his most ardent supporters who feel compelled to justify, explain, and defend every single thing Trump does, no matter how crazy, Erickson wrote. Erickson pointed to how Trump linked his stance on annexing Greenland to how he did not receive the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize in a letter sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre on Sunday. According to several outlets, the letter stated, in part: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Erickson called the messaging nuts, adding that Its Donald Trump at his worst. It is belittling jacka--ery to a friend and ally, he said. It is unbecoming of the President of the United States. But some will undoubtedly defend it, dismiss it, or try to excuse it all away. Erickson did acknowledge, however, that he agreed with Trump about the strategic importance of Greenland, which the president has maintained that the United States must own to deter Russia or China from occupying it in the future. But this is counterproductive to accomplishing the security goal he wants, Erickson wrote. The Europeans cannot now be seen to be bullied into giving up 840,000 square miles of territory to an unhinged and obsessive eighty-year-old. He then delivered a blunt warning to the White House and the GOP, arguing that Trumps behavior is beneath the dignity of the Presidency and is shameful. Trumps obsession with Greenland risks driving the Europeans away from the United States and perhaps even into the arms of China, as Canada and Mexico are moving, Erickson said. That would break up NATO, have Europeans demand we get our troops out of Europe, and isolate the United States from our allies and the world. A handful of world leaders have already taken aim at Trumps warnings during the economic forum on Tuesday. While Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that his country strongly opposes U.S. tariffs over Greenland, Macron, without mentioning Trump by name, warned against a shift towards a world without rules, where international law is trampled under foot and where the only law that seems to matter is that of the strongest. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said that the United States is ready for a woman to become president, setting herself apart from First Lady Michelle Obama. During an interview on NPRs Morning Edition released Tuesday, Whitmer a Democrat known for working with President Donald Trump was asked about comments made by Obama in November, when she noted that the United States has a lot of growing up to do during a live conversation while promoting her new book, The Look. As we saw in this past election, sadly, we aint ready, Obama said in a discussion posted on YouTube, referencing how former Vice President Kamala Harris lost to Trump. Thats why Im like, dont even look at me about running, because you all are lying. Youre not ready for a woman. You are not. Whitmer, who has been floated as a potential Democratic contender in 2028, said that she loves Obama, adding that the last thing I want to do is disagree with her. But she then pivoted. I think America is ready for a woman president, Whitmer said. You know, the question comes down to a choice between two people. What we saw in this last election while Kamala Harris didnt beat President Trump we saw women get elected across the country, she continued. We saw, just recently, Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill got elected... we saw women win up and down the ballot in hard, important states to win. So I do think theres an appetite. Whitmer said that she believes a woman could end up leading the country in the near future. Her response comes after Obama was asked directly by actress Tracee Ellis Ross whether wifedom and femininity excepted of the first lady role had an impact on the ability for a woman to assume the Oval Office. Theres still, sadly, a lot of men who do not feel like they can be led by a woman, and we saw it, Obama added in her remarks. Trump previously praised Whitmer as a very good person who has really done an excellent job during her White House visit last April. During the interview, however, the governor took sharp aim at the president, arguing that his sweeping tariffs have taken a terrible toll and insisting that her swing state is preparing for voting disruptions by his administration during the 2026 midterm elections and in 2028. Meanwhile, Whitmer has hinted that she is not intentionally teeing up a future bid for the White House. She is set to leave the governors office next year as her second term will come to an end. A new analysis from the editorial board of The New York Times revealed that President Donald Trump has pocketed a large sum of money from his first year back in the White House. The outlet broke down Trump and his familys financials since the president returned to office one year ago on Tuesday, including his then-controversial acceptance of a Qatari jet and profits from the cryptocurrency industry. It totals at least $1.4 billion, the board revealed. The figure, according to the board, includes $23 million from over 20 overseas projects pursued by the Trump Organization, $28 million from Amazon for an upcoming documentary about First Lady Melania Trump, $90.5 million in settlements from tech and media companies, $400 million for the luxury jet and $867 million from cryptocurrency. It is probable that Mr. Trump has collected several hundred million dollars in additional profits from his cryptocurrency ventures over the past year, the board wrote in its analysis. The Trumps have acknowledged as much. According to the board, the total figure means that Trump has profited 16,822 times the median U.S. household income $83,730 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau since his reelection. The tally also does not include private donations that do not directly transfer to him, including companies helping foot the bill for his $400 million ballroom as construction remains underway. The board, who acknowledged that the president was already the wealthiest person to serve, went on to warn Trump against exploiting the institutions of government for personal gain. It is impossible to know how often Mr. Trump makes official decisions, in part or entirely, because he wants to be richer, the board said. And that is precisely the problem. The board cited publicly available information and analyses by news organizations as its methodology. The Trump family and business partners have previously denied some of the estimates. President Donald Trumps latest posting spree on Truth Social has sparked widespread criticism, including calls for his removal from office. Trump went on a social media rampage early Tuesday morning to bash U.S. allies, leak text messages with world leaders and share AI-generated images of the U.S. taking over Greenland. The posts come just days after Trump linked his stance on annexing Greenland to his outrage over not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize in a letter sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. In one Truth Social post, Trump said he had a very good telephone call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees!" he wrote in one post. In two separate posts after that, Trump shared fake images showing Greenland under his control. The first image appeared to show world leaders sitting in the Oval Office with Trump displaying a map of the U.S. owning Greenland. The second image depicted Trump planting a U.S. flag on Greenland. Trumps desire to control Greenland has been met with fierce opposition from world leaders, including NATO allies of the U.S. Some NATO countries have deployed troops to Greenland, which is controlled by Denmark, amid Trumps growing threats to take over the territory. He also shared screenshots of text messages with Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron in two separate posts. The text messages show Rutte telling Trump that he hopes to find a way forward with him on Greenland, while showing Macron saying he does not understand what Trump is trying to do with Greenland. He also bashed the United Kingdom for its plans to cede the Island of Diego Garcia to Mauritius. However, the U.S. previously endorsed the agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius last year. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING, Trump wrote in another post. The flurry of posts sparked widespread mocking on social media platform X. So leaders around the world now know that Trump will post their private text messages on the internet when he gets mad at them like a jilted ex-boyfriend, MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski wrote on X. The Republicans Against Trump group posted: Trump posted an AI image depicting Canada and Greenland as part of the United States. 25th Amendment Now! Former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh wrote: 25th Amendment. Now. Trump appears to have leaked a private text message from Emmanuel Macron. Why would any leader ever trust someone who leaks their private conversations?MeidasTouch, a progressive news outlet, posted. Activist Amy Siskand wrote: When does Congress finally say its enough, and impeach this insane man! Non-stop posts this morning insulting our allies. Trump makes our country look ridiculous! Attorney Aaron Reichlin-Melnick criticized Trump for walking back support on the United Kingdoms deal with Mauritius. In case you needed yet another example that there is no such thing as making a deal with Trump. He will shake your hand and tell you that todays deal is the greatest deal in the history of mankind, only to turn around a week later and trash it as the worst deal ever made, he said. Political group Occupy Democrats said the U.S. is accelerating towards a historic disaster with Trumps posts, calling the president a MAD KING. Regardless of how these international crises resolve, the damage that Trump has inflicted will take generations to undo, if thats possible at all. Our allies will never trust us again because they know that we are just one bad election away from foisting another psychopathic gangster into the White House, Occupy Democrats posted. The rest of the world will continue to look elsewhere, to places like China, for stability while America recedes deeper into a dark age of paranoia, economic stagnation, and murderous government oppression, it added. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani just issued a blistering takedown of President Donald Trumps mass deportation agenda. Mamdani joined calls to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency during ABCs The View on Tuesday. Mamdani, who was sworn into office on Jan. 1, had faced criticism earlier this month after saying that an ICE officer murdered 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis. I am in support of abolishing ICE, and Ill tell you why. Because what we see is an entity that has no interest in fulfilling its stated reason to exist. Were seeing a government agency that is supposed to be enforcing some kind of immigration law, but instead, what its doing is terrorizing people, no matter their immigration status, no matter the facts of the law, no matter the facts of the case, Mamdani said. And Im tired of waking up every day and seeing a new image of someone being dragged out of a car, dragged out of their home, dragged out of their life. What we need to see is humanity, and there is a way to care about immigration in this city and in this country with a sense of humanity. What were seeing from ICE is not it, and we have not seen that from them in a long, long time, he said. Mamdani also defended his statement condemning the murder of Good. Federal officials have claimed that the officer was acting in self-defense when he fatally shot Good, who federal officials claimed was trying to hit the officer with her car. Local officials have disputed that claim, arguing that Good was trying to turn her car away when she was shot. I think first, I dont know how else to describe what we saw in Minnesota. People ask me, why did I say the word murder? I asked them to look at that video and tell me what they would call it. And we are being asked to not believe our own eyes. Its time to be truthful with people, Mamdani said. It is terrifying to see whats happening there, and its terrifying to see all of this happening in the name of public safety. And Ive said this directly to the President, that these ICE raids, theyre cruel, theyre inhumane. They do nothing to deliver that public safety, he added. Protests have broken out across the country to protest ICEs tactics to detain and deport people. Some demonstrations have called for the end of ICE, with many denouncing recent actions of ICE officers. Mamdanis statement comes about a week after Trump threatened to send federal troops to Minneapolis to quell the ongoing protests by invoking the Insurrection Act. But Trump did not say whether he would be sending the troops to Minneapolis in comments to reporters on Friday. Its been used a lot, and if I needed it, Id use it. I dont think theres any reason right now to use it, but if I needed it, Id use it. Its very powerful, Trump told reporters before boarding Marine One. Trump has repeatedly threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used federal law, to deploy the U.S. military or federalize the National Guard for domestic law enforcement, over the objections of state governors. In 2020, for example, he threatened to use the act to quell protests after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police, and in recent months he threatened to use it for immigration protests. Presidents have invoked the law more than two dozen times, most recently in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush to end unrest in Los Angeles. In that instance, local authorities asked for the assistance. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Democrat Mikie Sherrill sailed to victory in the November election, beating Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli easily to become New Jerseys next governor. How did she win? The majority of voters in about 300 of New Jerseys 563 towns supported Sherrill, including some municipalities where she got more than 90% of the vote. That means the majority of voters in more than 250 towns didnt want her to win. (See the town-by-town results in the interactive map below.) Certified results show that Sherrill won more than 1.89 million votes compared to Ciattarellis 1.41 million. She received nearly 57% of the vote statewide. Sherrill, formerly a congresswoman representing parts of North Jersey, will be sworn in to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, on Tuesday. It is the first time since 1961 one party has won the governors office three terms in a row. Sherrills decisive lead came after Democrat Kamala Harris led Republican Donald Trump by less than 6 points in New Jersey in the 2024 presidential race. That was a significantly smaller margin than New Jersey Democrats were accustomed to in a state where they hold the majority of voters. Novembers race for governor was expected to be a nail-biter, but the race was called early for Sherrill on election night. Wondering how your town voted? Scroll over the map below to find your town. Cant see the map? Click here. Photo: https://www.facebook.com President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy expects "non-linear proposals" from the government, local authorities, heads of state and energy companies on Wednesday, January 21, to alleviate the situation with energy and heat supply. "As of Tuesday evening, more than one million electricity consumers in Kyiv are without power. A significant number of buildings are without heatmore than 4,000 apartment buildings. All efforts must be focused on easing the situation. Government officials must provide nonlinear solutions that protect lives and reorganize operationshow to support people, how to support business," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an evening address Tuesday. Zelenskyy stressed that "maximum coordination with business is neededhow to redistribute generation and available consumption so that people can feel stabilization, and what additional support programs are necessary for citizens." "All of this must be discussed in detail, and answers given to the questions I raised with government officials today. Everyone. The government is personally responsible for thisI expect a concrete, clear list of actions and decisions tomorrow," Zelenskyy said. President Donald Trump joined Tuesdays White House briefing to mark the one-year anniversary of his second term in office. And while joking about the Gulf of America, Trump inadvertently revealed the level of near-absolute compliance he receives from his inner circle of advisors and administration officials. "I was going to call it the Gulf of Trump, but I thought that Id be killed if I did that," Trump said of his original plan to rename the Gulf of Mexico. "Im joking, you know, when I say that. I was not going to call it the Gulf of Trump. Because tomorrow (the headlines) will be, Trump wanted to call it Gulf of Trump but he was rebuffed by his people. Trump then turned and grinned at White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. My people dont rebuff me too much," he said. Though Trump was lightly teasing his closest allies, the remarks underscore a common concern among critics of the presidents administration. Early in Trumps second term, The Guardians Washington DC bureau chief David Smith slammed Republicans for trying to lionize him." The unsubtle exercises in ring-kissing and genuflection demonstrate that, buoyed by election success, Trumps control over the Republican party is now all but absolute, Smith wrote in his Feb. 22 column. From Elon Musks so-called department of government efficiency to the upending of US policy on Ukraine, few Republicans are willing to speak out against the president-cum-monarch." Former Clinton administration Labor Secretary Robert Reich raised similar concerns in an Aug. 22 op-ed for The Hill titled: Why Trump built a staff of incompetent sycophants. Leaders who value loyalty above all else find themselves surrounded by sycophantic crackpots and fools, Reich wrote. As a result, they receive no objective or useful feedback about their actions no warnings beforehand and no criticism afterward. All they get are commendations Wonderful idea, sir! Brilliant execution, sir! " Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who ranks among Trumps foremost GOP detractors, has also heavily criticized congressional Republicans for rubber-stamping the presidents agenda in order to retain their seats. The political reality is that theyre dead in the water if they call out the president, Massie told the New York Times last week. California Gov. Gavin Newsom unleashed a scathing takedown of global leaders Tuesday while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. While speaking to reporters at the annual meeting of world diplomats and elites, Newsom called on NATO and European leadership to take a stand against President Donald Trump. Its time to buck up. Its time to get serious and stop being complicit, Newsom said. Its time to stand tall and firm; have a backbone. Newsom, one of Trumps foremost Democratic critics, derided European state leaders efforts to appeal to the U.S. president as pathetic. Ive seen this in the United States, Newsom told reporters. Trump playing Congress, playing both sides. Saying one thing on a text or a tweet, another thing publicly. Its time to have principles. Its time to stand united. The governors broadside came in response to a question about Trumps divisive plan to place Greenland under U.S. control and his repeated attacks on NATO. In a flurry of overnight posts on Monday, Trump said he had spoken with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about acquiring Greenland, published a private text from French President Emmanuel Macron, circulated a map that depicted Canada and Venezuela as part of the United States, and lashed out at Britain for ceding control of a military base in the Indian Ocean. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees!" Trump wrote in one post. While criticizing Trumps erratic style of diplomacy and hostility toward U.S. allies, Newsom said I should have brought a bunch of kneepads for all the world leaders." Newsom has made a point of mocking politicians he says have capitulated to former President Donald Trump by sending them kneepads. His campaign store also lists a pair of kneepads For all your groveling to Trump needs -- now in Republican red. The governor went on to scorn world leaders who have presented Trump with lavish gifts after Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize medal last week. I mean, handing out crowns, Nobel prizes that are being given away. Its just pathetic," Newsom said. And I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage. At least from an American perspective, its embarrassing. The Europeans should decide for themselves what to do. But one thing they cant do is what theyve been doing, Newsom continued. And theyve been played. This guy is playing folks for fools, and its embarrassing. Its no secret that it costs more and more to keep the lights on in New Jersey. And for those who heat with electricity in the winter or depend on air conditioning in the summer, monthly utility bills are increasingly becoming unaffordable. The growing crisis was a central issue during the gubernatorial campaign, with Democrat Mikie Sherrill promising as a candidate that she would declare a state of emergency on utility costs and freeze utility rates on Day One as New Jerseys next governor. On Tuesday, now-Gov. Sherrill did just that. First, I am issuing an executive order giving the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities the authority to pause new utility requests for additional rate increases, and I will freeze rate hikes to finally provide families with real relief on their energy bills, she said in her inaugural address. She was met with loud applause as she signed the order while she spoke, holding it up to show the large crowd at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. Second, I am issuing an executive order directing the Board of Public Utilities to open solicitations for new solar and storage power generation, to modernize gas and nuclear generation, so we can lower utility costs over the long term. She signed that as well, pledging to end skyrocketing utility costs. The first executive order calls upon the BPU to offset upcoming rate increases due to the actions of the PJM (Pennsylvania-Jersey-Maryland) Interconnection with what was called residential universal bill credits. The PJM is the regional power grid serving 67 million people that oversees the movement of electricity and its markets in 13 states and the District of Columbia, The order also called for a rate freeze, ordering the BPU to consider pursuing a pause, abeyance, or modification of the schedule governing any proceedings in which electric distribution utilities seek approvals for rate increases or cost recoveries to the extent permitted by law. The governor additionally directed the board to review utility business models to ensure alignment with delivering cost reductions to ratepayers. The second executive order declared a state of emergency over the energy crisis. Among its directives: State agencies were instructed to identify permit reforms to more rapidly deploy new energy projects. The BPU was directed to take action on artificial intelligence ghost loads, by requiring electric utilities to report on energy requests from data centers. Programs to bring on thousands of megawatts of new solar and battery storage generation will be accelerated. The state will establish a nuclear power task force with the aim of developing new nuclear generation facilities in the state. Taking a sharp swipe at President Donald Trump and his plans for a new White House ballroom, she remarked: I hope, New Jersey, you remember me when you open your electric bill and it hasnt gone up another 20%. I can promise you it wont be because I waste your money on a ballroom at Drumthwacket, in reference to the governors mansion. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill prepares to speak after taking the oath of office. AP But Sherrills clout as governor to drive down energy costs and utility bills may need more than a declaration and the stroke of a pen, in a complex regulatory environment marked by increasing demand and a shortage of generating capacity that has been driving up prices for residential, commercial and industrial customers for years. Its not an easy soundbite solution. Its no simple fix, said attorney Adrian D. Newall, an energy practitioner for 25 years who has worked at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Exelon, and Public Service Enterprise Group, and is now director of the Lawyering Program at Seton Hall University School of Law. A blanket rate freeze is likely not legal, according to Newall. She added that the bulk of what New Jersey pays for power comes by way of the PJM capacity auction which is something the new governor may not be able to control. PJM has been the target of mounting criticism by governors across the region in recent years. They blame PJMs capacity auction, which sets the price at which generators will provide power to meet demand, for the price spikes. PJM officials say costs have been rising due to increased market pricing that reflects a tightening energy supply and demand conditions especially with the development of new, power-hungry data centers in some of the states it serves. According to the BPU, much of the increased demand for power has come from the rapid growth of data centers in states served by the regional grid, which it said PJM expects to account for 70% of projected electricity demand growth. Data centers currently use about 4% of total power, a share expected to triple by 2030, said the BPU. PJM officials said while demand has been increasing, existing supply has left the system due primarily to state policy and federal rules from previous administrations. The bottom line though is that these affordability concerns are being driven by an imbalance in electricity supply and demand. PJM wholesale power markets are sending a price signal that reflects this imbalance, which is caused by electricity supply not being constructed at a pace to keep up with increases in electricity demand, mainly driven by data center build out, said PJM spokesman Dan Lockwood. This issue is acutely problematic in New Jersey because it imports about 40% of its power from out of state. Last week, the Trump administration and a bipartisan group of governors called for accelerating the development of new power plants, while limiting the amount existing power plants can be paid in the PJM capacity market. They would also require data centers pay for new generation built on their behalf. Specifically, they would compel PJM to hold a power auction for tech companies to bid on contracts to build new power plants. The White House in a statement said PJMs market failures were the result of energy subtraction policies that forced the shutdown of power plants in PJM that were needed for grid resource adequacy, reliability and stability. The administration added PJMs misguided policies favored intermittent energy resources, such as wind and solar, over reliable baseload generation resources, which include coal, natural gas, and nuclear power plants. Ensuring the American people have reliable and affordable electricity is one of President Trumps top priorities, and this would deliver much-needed, long-term relief to the mid-Atlantic region, White House spokesman Taylor Rogers told the Associated Press. A rate freeze may be complicated Reacting to the soaring utility rates last summer, the BPU approved cost deferral plans for all four of New Jerseys electric distribution companies Public Service Electric & Gas Co., Jersey Central Power & Light, Atlantic City Electric, and Rockland Electric Company. The action led to two automatic $30 bill reductions in July and August, when electric usage is typically at its highest. But it wasnt exactly a rate freeze. Those customers are now repaying the $60 in deferred costs back thorough $10 surcharges added to their bills that began in September and will end in February. Republican state Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio, R-Warren, said Sherrill might say she can freeze rates, but asked, what does that mean? The best they can do is defer them. He looked at his own JCP&L utility bills as he spoke, pointing out the surcharges of recent months after the cost deferrals over the summer. This was not real, DiMaio said of that freeze that appeared on his summer bills. Theyre clawing it all back. The reality is were going to pay it now or pay it later. They cant sell things for less than it costs to buy them. DiMaio, who created a GOP task force last year to examine the states energy crisis, believes the fastest way to get new generation would be the approval of additional power plants powered by natural gas, which can be built and pressed into service relatively quickly. The reality is we should have been more like Pennsylvania in creating new generation, he said. We should be looking to easing rules to get more energy on the grid. The Republican leader added that all of the states stakeholders need to agree on a commonsense realistic plan, so we dont interrupt commerce and peoples lives. We need to come together. At the same time, he said advocates of clean energy need to be realistic about fossil fuels, although the higher energy costs could also serve to make solar power and other alternative energy sources far more economically viable. We just cant flip a switch and tell everyone to go electric and do nothing about supply, DiMaio argued. In fact, New Jerseys energy infrastructure has essentially been underdeveloped for years, observed Clinton J. Andrews, director of the Center for Urban Policy Research at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy at Rutgers. That shortage of capacity is a big reason why New Jersey utility customers are being hit with these crazy cost spikes. Part of the problem is not just PJMs auction process, he said, but its inaction on adding proposed new projects to the grid. All new generation needs to be approved by PJM before it can be connected, he pointed out. But the regional transmission organization hasnt been able to keep up with the backlog of generation requests because they dont have enough engineers to do the power flow calculations, Andrews noted. If we worked through the backlog, we would have plenty of generation, he said. BPU officials confirmed new generation is not coming online fast enough. PJM faces a backlog of roughly 140 gigawatts of cleanenergy projects stuck in the interconnection queue, said a BPU spokesman. Recent reliability rules aimed at ensuring grid stability during extreme weather have also tightened supply. Meeting energy demand, though, is always complicated. Energy planners have always tried to project future demand and then try to figure out what they need to meet that demand. You want to be building enough ahead of demand to meet that demand, Andrews explained. Going wild on building unneeded new generation, however, can also strike ratepayers deep in their pocketbooks. That is what happened in 1981, when Public Service Electric & Gas Co. cancelled a twin reactor to its Hope Creek nuclear plant in in Lower Alloways Creek, after millions had already been sunk into the project. The utility said reduced electricity demands and excessive costs had ultimately rendered the abandoned Hope Creek 2 unnecessary. Some of the projects costs were later passed on to utility customers. Finding places to build new nuclear power plants in a densely populated state like New Jersey, which is now part of Sherrills energy initiative, is also difficult, said Andrews. PSE&Gs still audacious plan in the 1970s to address that issue with an offshore nuclear power station lives on as a lesson against building at any cost. That proposal called for the construction of at least two reactors mounted on 400-foot barges moored out in the Atlantic, surrounded by a massive reef-like breakwater designed to protect the facility against hurricanes and storms, wayward ships and tidal surges. Located 2.8 miles off Little Egg Harbor Inlet, some 12 miles northeast of Atlantic City, the project announced in 1972 would have generated enough electricity to supply nearly 2 million homes, sending the power back to shore via underwater cables. By the time the idea was finally scrapped, PSE&G had sunk millions into the project and customers would spend the next 20 years paying off a large share of those costs. Everyone is feeling squeezed Consumer advocates say there is little doubt that more generating facilities are needed to serve New Jersey. Its at a crisis, said AARP New Jersey State Director Chris Widelo. AARP is New Jerseys largest public interest group representing people 50 and older, many of whom are on fixed incomes and especially vulnerable to utility price spikes. Theres going to need to be a comprehensive approach to ensure New Jersey not only has the generation it needs, but how its going to be made affordable, said Widelo. But he added that the BPU also needs to make sure that consumers are put first when it comes to formulating utility rates. Everyone is feeling squeezed, he said. Dena Mottola Jaborska, executive director of New Jersey Citizen Action, a nonprofit social and economic justice advocacy group based in Newark, found the governors energy agenda outlined during the campaign to be a lot of what we were arguing for. What the state needs, she said, is alternate ways to finance new generation, such as public-private partnerships. Traditional regulatory financing policies that saddle up-front costs on ratepayers have become unaffordable and unsustainable. Were maxed out, Jaborska said. We know we need the infrastructure. We just need a way to pay for it. PSE&G, the states largest utility, said it appreciated Sherrills focus on addressing energy affordability and looked forward to the opportunity to work collaboratively with her administration and state leaders. PSEG believes that steps must be taken to safeguard long-term energy reliability and cost effectiveness for residents as New Jersey relies on imported electricity for more than 40% of its power, which is only expected to grow as demand increases, said the company, which serves approximately 2.4 million electric and 1.9 million natural gas customers. A committee announced by President Donald Trump that would supervise reconstruction of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip has stoked confusion and apprehension among U.S. allies. In a statement, the White House said Trumps Board of Peace will play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the Presidents plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development. The board is part of Trumps 20-point plan to end the Israel-Hamas war, which was authorized by the United Nations Security Council in November. As chairman, Trump would wield significant influence over the Board of Peace and hold the final authority regarding the meaning, interpretation, and application of this Charter. The founding board includes his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and former British prime minister Tony Blair. With countries expected to pay more than $1 billion for permanent membership, the body could command a sizable budget, and there is uncertainty over how those funds would be allocated. As of Tuesday, Morocco, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary and Argentina have signed on. But Trumps plan has received pushback from other world leaders the U.S. has invited to join. French President Emmanuel Macron does not currently plan to join the board, citing serious concerns about whether its charter would respect the role of the United Nations, according to Politico. In response, Trump threatened to impose 200% tariffs on French wine and Champagne to pressure Macron to join the board. "Well, nobody wants him because hes going to be out of office very soon," Trump said of Macron. So you know thats alright. Like Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has balked at Trumps offer to join the board following reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin received an invitation. Russia and Ukraine remain locked in a bloody war despite the Trump administrations attempts to broker a ceasefire to end the conflict. At this point, it is very difficult for me to imagine how Ukraine could be together with Russia in any kind of board or council, Zelenskyy said. Israeli officials have also distanced themselves from Trumps plan. In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said the boards announcement had not been coordinated with Israel and ran contrary to its government policy, citing objections to the inclusion of diplomats from Turkey and Qatar. Other critics of Trumps proposed board voiced objections to its lack of Palestinian representation and t $1 billion membership fee. Progressive media outlet The Tennesee Holler posted on X: A mobster president openly using our government for extortion to personally enrich himself. Former U.S. district attorney Joyce Vance was furious with Trumps decision to invite Putin to the board. No one belongs on a Peace board less than Trump except for Putin who invaded & continues to brutalize Ukraine during the coldest months, Vance wrote on X. Daniel Lambert, who formerly served as an Irish diplomat to the United Nations, blasted the board for not including any Palestinian voices. The Gaza board of peace...has no Palestinian member. Not one, Lambert posted on X. But has: A war criminal, 3 property developers, A former CEO of Mastercard, 2 billionaires. And our politicians tell us this is a good idea and a ceasefire still exists. Humanity is lost. Shake Shack held a grand opening at its 29th New Jersey restaurant this month on a busy stretch of Route 22 West. The grand opening of the new location at 2401 Route 22 West in Union Township was held last week. On opening day, the first wave of guests received custom mini Shake Shack totes. As part of the companys mission to Stand for Something Good, Shake Shack donated $1 for every sandwich sold at the Union Shack on Jan. 9 to the Community Food Bank of NJ supporting their work to address root causes of hunger, deliver neighbor-centric solutions, and foster collaborative partnerships across New Jersey. We are excited to officially welcome Shake Shack to the Township of Union, township officials posted on the municipal Facebook page. It was a pleasure to celebrate their grand opening today and see this new addition to our local business community come to life. Congratulations to the owners and the entire staff on a great start. Shake Shack began as a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park in Manhattan, originally set up to support the Madison Square Park Conservancys first art installation. The cart drew daily lines for three summers before expanding into the restaurant chain known today. The restaurant serves burgers, chicken, hot dogs, sandwiches, wraps, shakes, floats and frozen custard. The Union location is open from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 10:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Shake Shack also has New Jersey locations in North Brunswick, Paramus, Brick, Bridgewater, Cherry Hill, Eatontown, Freehold, Hoboken, Jersey City, Livingston, Marlton, Edison, Middletown, Wall Township, Newark, Old Bridge, and Parsippany. According to a company spokesperson, another location is slated to open in Montgomery this year. UPDATED FORECAST: Weekend winter storm threat remains high, but snow totals are uncertain The chances for a significant snowstorm to hit New Jersey this weekend have increased, though details on snowfall totals remain uncertain, according to the National Weather Service forecast. We are monitoring increasing potential for an impactful winter storm across portions of the area this weekend, the weather service said early Tuesday. While it is too early for specifics - potential exists for substantial snow accumulations, primarily Saturday night through Sunday. Most forecast models depict a storm developing near Texas on Friday, then tracking up the East Coast toward New Jersey, the weather service said. The mid-Atlantic region is expected to be on the northern side of the system, with the primary question being how close the storm tracks to New Jersey. The threat of a significant snowstorm hitting New Jersey this weekend has increased, though forecasters say uncertainty about snow total forecasts remains as of Tuesday. AccuWeather.com The southern half of New Jersey has a 40 to 60% chance of 6 or more inches of snow, with decreasing probabilities farther north, the weather service said. Areas south and west of the I-95 corridor have a 60 to 70% chance of 2 or more inches of snow. The timing of potential snowstorm is expected to be late Saturday, continuing through Sunday and potentially lingering into Monday depending on the systems speed. Forecast uncertainty remains significant because conditions that will influence the formation of the storm are still thousands of miles away. That makes it too early to have confidence in snowfall amounts at any specific location, the weather service said. Forecast for Tuesday Dangerously cold conditions with wind chills near or below zero degrees will grip New Jersey through Tuesday morning, with a cold weather advisory in effect for much of the state until 10 a.m. Black ice is possible on untreated road surfaces this morning as temperatures plunge into the single digits and teens, with any snowmelt from Monday afternoon refreezing overnight. Wind chills will reach near or below zero degrees northwest of the I-95 corridor and in central New Jersey, with single-digit wind chills expected across the rest of the state. The weather service advises residents to wear appropriate layers of clothing if spending any time outside, particularly while traveling, and to allow extra time to reach destinations due to hazardous road conditions. High pressure will move overhead Tuesday night, allowing winds to lighten under clear skies and enabling significant radiational cooling that will produce widespread overnight lows in the single digits. Wind chills Tuesday night into Wednesday morning may again reach near or below zero degrees north and west of the I-95 corridor, potentially warranting additional cold weather advisories, the weather service said. The threat of a significant snowstorm hitting New Jersey this weekend has increased, though forecasters say uncertainty about snow total forecasts remains as of Tuesday. AccuWeather.com Ahead of the weekend storm potential Temperatures will briefly moderate Wednesday and Thursday, with highs reaching the 30s Wednesday and the 40s Thursday, providing a temporary break from the bitter cold. Another Arctic front will move through late Thursday, returning colder conditions by Friday with highs in the 20s and 30s and lows in the single digits and teens by Friday night. Very cold conditions are expected to continue into the weekend with highs generally in the teens and 20s and lows in the single digits and teens. The threat of a significant snowstorm hitting New Jersey this weekend has increased, though forecasters say uncertainty about snow total forecasts remains as of Tuesday. AccuWeather.com Current weather radar The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) continues to support Kyiv residents in the conditions of frost and power outages after Russian air strikes. "Volunteers are working at heating centers where people can warm up, charge their devices and receive necessary assistance. One such center operates in the Obolon district, where around 100 people have already sought support," the URCS said on Facebook Tuesday. Volunteers coordinate their activities with Ukraines State Emergency Service and local authorities. The last time Folk Alliance International hosted its annual conference in New Orleans, in January 2020 just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the event brought out more than 3,000 people, including musicians, industry professionals, DJs, lawyers, journalists and even fans interested in just keeping up with the community. It was FAIs largest conference to date. And although past conference numbers havent bounced back that high since the pandemic, says FAI Executive Director Jennifer Roe, the conference is still expecting around 2,500 people when the organization returns to the Sheraton New Orleans Wednesday, Jan. 21, through Sunday, Jan. 25. We knew we wanted to come back, Roe says. New Orleans is rooted in music, and we only scratched the surface in 2020. The conference also will be in New Orleans in 2030 and 2032. The Kansas City, Missouri-based nonprofit is focused on the global folk music industry, and FAIs annual conference is one of the folk communitys largest annual gatherings, with performances, panels, keynote address and an awards presentation. At its 38th edition, which is themed Rise Up, more than 150 artists, representing 30-plus countries, will perform in official showcases, and there are around 125 panels and other events. There also is a large slate of private, listening room-style performances spread throughout the hotel each night. When people think of what folk music is, its not just what the Grammy defines a folk music album to be, Roe says. When we think of folk music, we really think of it as the most broad definition of music that you can possibly think of. The general definition of folk music is music of the people. Music of your people can sound different depending on where youre coming from. Artists like Kyshona, The Milk Carton Kids, Yasmin Williams, Mattias Thedens, Rainbow Girls, The Steel Wheels, Cheikh Ibra Fam and Cyrs Matthews, who is up for several FAI music awards, are among the official showcase performers. And there are many participating Louisiana artists, including Lost Bayou Ramblers, Terrance Simien, Sean Ardoin, Corey Ledet, Joy Clark, Mia Borders, Anna Moss, Kelly Love Jones and the Panorama Jazz Band. On Thursday, Jan. 21, New Orleans bounce icon Big Freedia and poet and Tank and the Bangas vocalist Tarriona Tank Ball will have a conversation as the conference keynote event. The conferences annual awards ceremony takes place opening night, with awards for artist of the year, album of the year, song of the year, and the new Global Folk Album Award. FAI also gives a trio of Lifetime Achievement Awards, and this year will recognize Grammy-winner Taj Mahal, zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier who was the focus of a tribute album and centennial celebrations in 2025 and Louisiana Folk Roots, for its work promoting Cajun and Creole music. Before the official showcases in the evenings, the days will be filled with panels featuring musicians and industry professionals, including sessions on Indigenous perspectives on folk traditions, using music and community to promote justice and equity, keeping folk music on air amid federal funding cuts, and the impact of generative AI on music and the industry. The Black American Music Summit, whose theme this year is The Unbroken Circle: The Future is Folk, will host BAMS sponsored panels and an official showcase stage, and theres a keynote address by arts educator Dr. Quanice Floyd. There also will be a legal summit with the American Bar Association where lawyers can earn continuing legal education credits. Among the New Orleans-based artists who will take part in the conference is Leyla McCalla, who received FAIs Peoples Voice Award in 2023. This year, shell play an official showcase and sit on panels about working musicians who are also mothers and on how communities can resist the rise of fascism. For the musicians and for anyone who attends, its a huge opportunity to meet different people, to hear new artists, to connect not only on the artistic side but on the business side, McCalla says. McCalla has been to several conferences over the years, and with a lot going on, she has a few tips: Plan out your days a little bit, check out the schedule (there's a conference app), and leave some wiggle room. Leave some room to just hang out in the bar area or in the lobby, she says. You never know who youre going to see or meet walking through. I would recommend a good combination of planning and leaving some room for serendipity. The conference returning to New Orleans also puts a unique spotlight on Louisianas music community, McCalla says. We need uplifting, McCalla says. Our music should be competing on a national level with some of the other acts from Nashville or New York or L.A. Its really an important move for Folk Alliance to be putting themselves in New Orleans and showing our community some love. Conference registration is needed to attend the showcases, panels and events at the Sheraton. But there are some events happening around the city that capitalize on the surge of artists in town, including a Clifton Chenier listening party at Saturn Bar hosted by Smithsonian Folkways; Luke Winslow-King, who is now living in Spain, performing at Chickie Wah Wah; and Putumayos Celebrate the World Festival at the Broadside. Find more info at folk.org. A house that was built on top of FEMA funded pilings, 24 feet above the ground in Braithwaite Park subdivision in the northeast corner of Plaquemines Parish Monday, March 7, 2022. The subdivision was under at least 20 feet of storm surge during Hurricane Isaac in 2018. Many of the home there still sit empty. The subdivision got three feet of water during Hurricane Ida in 2021. The subdivision sits just outside the Federal flood wall levee protection that surrounded the New Orleans metro area. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate) Ukraine today is one of the most mined countries in the world - about 20% of the land cannot be used due to occupation or mining, which creates a need for new survey solutions for the rapid return of land to use. One of the most effective tools has turned out to be technical survey dogs, which are able to identify explosives faster than traditional teams with metal detectors. The main advantage of such animals is their ability to cover large areas and detect the smell of explosives even through dense vegetation, which allows you to significantly reduce the areas that require complete manual or mechanical cleaning. As noted by Nick Guest, program manager of the animal training organization APOPO Ukraine, in 2025 alone, the organization's teams surveyed 1.4 million square meters of land in the Mykolaiv and Kharkiv regions, and in total cleared 210,000 square meters of explosives. Currently, 27 Ukrainian dog handlers work at the APOPO training center, located in the Kyiv region, taking care of 46 Belgian Malinois shepherd dogs. During work, all dogs are equipped with GPS collars to accurately record the route, which allows operators to clearly verify the absence of contamination. The dogs are divided into two types. Those that detect explosives work on shorter 10-meter leashes, and the vegetation in the area for the dogs to work must be mowed. The technical search dog works on a 25-meter leash and in tall grass. The second type is worked with by the Ukrainian branch of the British NGO The Mines Advisory Group (MAG). The dogs move 25 meters, stop, sit down and thus show that they have found an explosive object. In most cases, we do not have to prepare the vegetation in the fields before work, because the dogs are trained to work in such conditions. However, we have found that in Ukraine there are some types of plants that interfere - whether they irritate the dogs or something else - then we have to remove the bushes. To do this, our partner organization MAG sets up remote brush cutters and cuts the vegetation. We leave it for a while so that there is no trace on the ground, and only then can the dogs work, Nick Guest said. However, the APOPO program manager noted that the dogs cannot go through any thickets. According to him, in some areas the deminers encountered huge areas of prickly thistles with thorns that irritated the dogs skin, eyes and faces, so they could not process these areas and left them for other specialists. While dogs do not replace human sappers, they act as force multipliers, pinpointing contaminated areas so teams can focus resources where they are needed most. This targeted approach speeds up surveys, reduces unnecessary excavations, and allows for safer and faster return of land to communities, said UNDP Mine Action Program Manager Ben Lark. Thus, such demining has a direct economic impact, as such surveys accelerate the recovery of agriculture and the return of community life. Ben Lark also said that with coordinated international support, teams involving demining dogs will play an important role in restoring security and livelihoods to affected communities. However, he said that scaling up requires not only funding, but also global partnerships for training, standards and quality systems that ensure sustainability. By investing in local capacity and sound regulations, Ukraine can create a national system in which dogs will work seamlessly with other technologies, added the UNDP demining program manager. The effectiveness of this work is integrated into the national Demine Ukraine program, which coordinates the implementation of innovative approaches to humanitarian demining. APOPOs work is supported by international donors of the six teams that distribute dogs from the center, two are currently supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), two by the European Union, one by the US Department of State (which works exclusively with explosive detection dogs), and one by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. In addition, to ensure the continuity of the training process, especially in conditions of low temperatures and bad weather, when the dogs cannot work outdoors, the training center uses special greenhouses. Two of these structures were built with UNDP support, which allows the animals to be trained all year round. Speaking about future plans, Nick Guest notes that next year APOPO plans to expand the geography of its work to the Kyiv region in partnership with the Ukrainian Deminers Association. He added that APOPO is currently implementing a pilot project in Turkey: they are using rats to search for people who survived under the rubble after earthquakes. This is something that could potentially come in handy after an air strike, a missile strike or a drone strike. We are not doing this here in Ukraine at the moment, but we will think about it next year, Guest told Interfax-Ukraine. Despite its proven effectiveness and ambitious plans, further scaling of the method depends on regulatory regulation. MAG representative Mark Warburton emphasizes that currently Ukraine lacks a national standard for animal detection systems (ADS), which complicates the work of operators. Current regulations force additional mandatory clearance of the territory even after the dog survey, which slows down the release of land. Without an approved standard, it is very difficult to move forward. Because, for example, despite the recognition of the effectiveness of the dogs work, we have nothing to build further work on, because everyone must be certified under uniform conditions, which currently do not exist, Warburton explained. MAG representative is confident that the legislative approval of the developed standards will not only accelerate the use of dogs in any region of the country for demining, but also ensure a single high quality and safety of work for all organizations engaged in demining. Involving dogs in demining is not only about speed, but also about flexibility. Because dogs can be much more effective in difficult terrain or dense vegetation. We already have the first draft of the relevant standard and are now actively working with stakeholders to make the document as applicable as possible in Ukrainian conditions and adopt it this year, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Ihor Bezkaravainy told Interfax-Ukraine. The government has launched a consultation on banning social media for under-16s in the UK, in a move aimed at protecting young people's wellbeing. The proposals also give Englands education inspectorate, Ofsted, the power to check schools phone policies, with ministers expecting schools to be phone-free by default. North Devon MP Ian Roome welcomed the consultation, with his party, the Liberal Democrats, having long raised the alarm about social media harms, calling them a public health crisis. If a platform spreads harmful content or relies on addictive and harmful algorithms, it should not be allowed anywhere near our children, Mr Roome said. As a dad and a grandad, I completely understand why parents are so worried about this. The harm-based approach put forward by the Liberal Democrats would protect children from the worst of the online world and provide a strong incentive for platforms to remove addictive algorithmic features and harmful content. Tech companies have treated children as data to be mined rather than young people to be protected for far too long, and have built addictive algorithms designed to keep children endlessly doom-scrolling at the expense of their mental and physical health, their sleep and their concentration. Much more needs to be done to address the harms that children are currently exposed to on social media platforms and I will continue to hold the government accountable for protecting our children online. Reaction in North Devon is mixed. Dave Jones told the Gazettes Facebook page: No. Absolutely not. Kerry Louise said: Under 18s with what I've recently dealt with. Meanwhile, Timothy Down suggested moderation rather than a full ban: "No I don't but do think restrictions should be put on. Only message friends, profile private automatically." The Liberal Democrats have long called for stronger regulation of social media, arguing that children are being treated as data to be mined rather than young people to be protected. Their proposals include: Raising the digital age of data consent to 16. Banning phones in schools. Health-style warnings on platforms. Age ratings for social media, echoing the film and video classification system. Under this model, the most harmful platforms would be rated 18+, while a default 16 rating would apply to most social media. Crucially, the approach allows children access to educational sites such as Wikipedia and online crisis services, which could otherwise be caught up in a blanket ban. ABOVE: Popular social media apps such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are under scrutiny as the UK government consults on a potential under-16 ban to tackle online harms and addictive content. Photo by Berke Citak on Unsplash. Ofcom data published in December 2025 shows that children aged eight to 14 spend almost three hours online daily, rising to four hours for 13 to 14-year-olds. YouTube and Snapchat dominate, with 48 minutes per day spent on YouTube and 45 minutes on Snapchat. Other popular platforms include WhatsApp (63 per cent) and TikTok (58 per cent). Late-night usage is common, with 15 to 24 per cent of time on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, and WhatsApp occurring between 9pm and 5am. Four to ten per cent of usage happens after 11pm, depending on the platform. Despite concerns about screen time, most children report positive experiences online. Nine in ten (91 per cent) said they were happy with the activities they undertake online, while nearly eight in ten (78 per cent) said the internet helps with schoolwork. Over half (55 per cent) use it to learn new skills, and seven in ten 13 to 17-year-olds said they go online to support their wellbeing. Ofcom found that seven in ten 11 to 17-year-olds had encountered harmful content online in the previous month, including violent, hateful, or self-harm material. Nearly two-thirds of children took action in response, such as using platform tools, reporting content, blocking users, or speaking to an adult. Children described the overstimulating, chaotic nature of this content as causing brain rot. New rules under the Online Safety Act, which came into effect in July 2025, require platforms to prevent children from seeing content related to suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, pornography, misogyny, bullying, and dangerous challenges. Platforms must also improve reporting tools and age checks. The UK is following the lead of Australia, which introduced a world-first under-16 social media ban in December 2025. ABOVE: Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) introduced the worlds first under-16 social media ban, with legislation passed in 2024 and enforced by the eSafety Commissioner from December 2025. The measure has prompted other countries to consider similar action to protect young users from addictive algorithms and harmful content. The governments consultation is open until the summer, when ministers are expected to respond with their proposals. Recent years have given industrial gas supply chains unexpected geopolitical weight. Neon, which most people associate exclusively with bright advertising signs, found itself at the center of discussions about technological independence and security. The reason is its critical role in semiconductor production, where it's essential for excimer lasers in lithography equipment. When neon supplies from Ukraine which controlled about 50% of the global purified neon market sharply contracted in 2022 due to the full-scale war, the semiconductor industry felt a real shortage. Questions emerged: how critical is this gas for defense technologies? Does neon gas military use have any direct applications in military equipment? And why did Ukraine become such an important supplier? Neon in Modern Technologies: From Peaceful to Critical Neon installations operate at many facilities worldwide, but advertising agencies don't drive primary demand. Cryoin Engineering, which specializes in cryogenic equipment and air separation systems, provides technological solutions for obtaining liquid neon through air rectification. Such installations produce neon with 99.999% concentration, critically important for high-tech applications. Main directions of neon use today include microelectronics (ArF and KrF excimer lasers for photolithography in chip production with technological norms down to 7 nm), medicine (MRI scanners and certain types of laser surgery), scientific research (cryogenic systems and particle detectors), and specialized lighting. The military significance of neon is indirect. No weapons use it directly as a component. However, without neon, production of modern microchips installed in guidance systems, radars, drones, satellites, and communication systems becomes impossible. That's why neon gas military use should be viewed through the prism of technological supply chains. Why Ukraine Controlled Half the Global Market The history of Ukrainian neon began decades ago. Metallurgical plants in Mariupol, Kamianske, and Zaporizhzhia had powerful Air Separation Units (ASUs) producing oxygen for metallurgical processes. Neon is a byproduct of such production it accumulates in waste nitrogen fractions during cryogenic rectification. Ukrainian enterprises particularly Ingas (Mariupol) and Cryoin (Odesa) established processes for purifying neon to semiconductor-grade level. This requires complex multi-stage purification from hydrogen, nitrogen, helium, and other gas impurities. The finished product supplied companies like ASML (Netherlands), Intel, Samsung, TSMC, and other chip-industry giants. Rare Gases Industrial vs Military Applications: Where's the Line? Conversation about rare gases always balances between civilian and defense contexts. Helium, argon, krypton, xenon, and neon share similar usage trajectories first scientific research, then industry, and through that, indirect impact on the defense sector. Take helium as an example. It's critically important for cooling superconducting magnets in MRI scanners but also used in military surveillance airships and ballistic missile guidance systems. The US even created the National Helium Reserve in 1925, anticipating its strategic significance. Argon is applied in welding titanium and aluminum alloys for aerospace industry. The same technologies go into producing both civilian Boeing aircraft and F-35 fighters. Xenon is used in ion engines for satellites both commercial telecommunications and military reconnaissance ones. Experts in export control typically don't classify neon as dual-use material in the direct sense. The Wassenaar Arrangement an international agreement on export control of conventional armaments doesn't include neon in controlled goods lists. The reason is simple: the gas itself has no direct military application. However, semiconductor equipment requiring neon absolutely falls under dual-use technologies. ASML Twinscan NXT and NXE series lithography equipment is controlled by US and EU export restrictions. China has spent years trying to obtain access to the most advanced models but faces rigid limitations. Supply Crises and Geopolitical Consequences February 2022 shocked the global chip industry. Two main Ukrainian companies Ingas and Cryoin either stopped operations or sharply reduced production volumes. Ingas in Mariupol was completely destroyed during the city's siege. Cryoin in Odesa managed to preserve some capacity, but export logistics became extraordinarily complex. Intel, Samsung, and TSMC publicly stated they had strategic neon reserves for 3-6 months. Simultaneously, emergency supply diversification programs launched. Chinese producers began ramping up their own production, though achieving semiconductor-grade quality proved harder than expected. Russia theoretically has technical capabilities for neon production at metallurgical combines, but sanctions limit equipment exports for gas purification. Alternative Neon Sources The global liquid gas industry reacted quickly. Air Liquide (France), Linde (Germany/UK), and Air Products (USA) the three largest industrial gas suppliers began modernizing existing ASU installations to increase neon output. Japan's Taiyo Nippon Sanso also invested in production expansion. Technical Aspects of Neon Application in Lithography ArF excimer lasers (Argon Fluoride) generate ultraviolet radiation with 193 nm wavelength. This is achieved through electrical discharge in a mixture of argon, fluorine, and neon under high pressure. Neon serves as a buffer gas that stabilizes the discharge and improves laser efficiency. Cymer (owned by ASML) and Gigaphoton (Japan) are the two main producers of such lasers. Each laser consumes approximately 20-30 liters of semiconductor-grade neon per hour of operation. A modern semiconductor fab can have 50-100 such lasers running 24/7. Simple calculation shows one large plant consumes about 15,000-20,000 cubic meters of neon annually. Semiconductor-grade neon must have minimum 99.999% (5N) purity. Critical impurities requiring removal include nitrogen (can absorb UV radiation, reducing laser efficiency), oxygen and hydrogen (create explosion hazard during electrical discharges), hydrocarbons (contaminate optical laser elements), and moisture (internal component corrosion). Lessons from the Ukrainian Crisis for Global Supply Chains Events of 2022-2024 demonstrated the vulnerability of just-in-time supply models in high-tech industries. The semiconductor industry traditionally minimized warehouse stocks to reduce costs. Neon is difficult to store it requires cryogenic tanks at -246C or high-pressure cylinders. Most fab plants kept 60-90 day maximum reserves. McKinsey in its report "Semiconductor supply-chain lessons from 2021-2023" highlights neon as a classic example of "silent" critical dependency when an inexpensive component (neon cost less than 0.01% of finished chip value) can paralyze billions of dollars in production. China drew strategic conclusions faster than others. The State Council in 2023 approved a five-year program to create a fully autonomous semiconductor production chain, including domestic production of all necessary gases. SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation) invested $200 million in a joint venture with Hangzhou Jingong to build a semiconductor-grade neon plant with 10,000 cubic meters annual capacity. The Future of Inert Gases in Technological Confrontation Conversation about rare gases industrial vs military applications takes on new dimensions in the context of technological decoupling between US/EU and China. The Biden administration in 2022-2023 imposed strict restrictions on exporting advanced chip equipment to China. The CHIPS and Science Act allocated $52 billion to revive semiconductor production in the US. Part of this strategy involves control over critical materials. The Department of Commerce added to control lists not only equipment but also specialized materials, including ultra-pure gases. Formally, neon doesn't yet fall under these restrictions, but experts predict possible changes. The European Union within the European Chips Act framework (43 billion investment) also emphasizes creating a complete supply chain within the bloc. This includes supporting industrial gas production expansion by companies like Air Liquide and Linde. Conclusions: Strategic Role of a "Secondary" Gas The question of whether neon has direct military application has a clear answer: no. However, its role in modern geopolitics is hard to overestimate. Independent expert conclusions inert gases confirm that control over critical material supply chains becomes more important than owning weapons themselves. The 2022 Ukrainian crisis catalyzed a rethinking of global semiconductor industry strategies. Supply diversification, creation of strategic reserves, investment in local production all these steps were accelerated by neon shortage. Paradoxically, the "peaceful" application of an inert gas made it an instrument of geopolitical influence. Coming years will show whether the global industry can create sustainable and geographically balanced supply chains for critical materials. Neon will remain an important test of this sustainability simple in production but complex in purification to the necessary level, it will continue playing a key role in the technological competition of the 21st century. A Sisters birder captured a moment when a White-headed Woodpecker confronted a Pinyon Jay in a photograph that earned top honors from the Oregon Birding Association in their December photo contest. Photo by Sevilla Rhoads The photographer, Sevilla Rhoads, gave The Nugget the story behind the photograph. "A group of Sisters High School freshmen (including my son) was preparing for a school board presentation in mid-December about fire risk reduction plans for the Trout Creek Conservation Area (TCCA) behind the school campus. They needed help getting photos of local species of concern that use the TCCA as habitat. So, hoping to get a few pictures for them, I threw my camera in the car when heading out to drop them off for school that morning. "After my middle-schooler jumped out of the car, I noticed a lot of bird activity by a school parking lot puddle. By some miracle, two of the species of concern were battling over a few sips of unfrozen water where a car had broken up the ice for them. I grabbed my camera and managed to get a few photos before they flew off." The students used the photos in their presentation to the school board, and then, on a whim, Rhoads submitted her favorite shot from the series to the competition. The featured birds are the White-headed Woodpecker and the Pinyon Jay. For the 2026 report, ODFW listed both these birds as "species of greatest concern" (https://bit.ly/ODFW-birds). These species are at risk for continued population declines in some of Oregon's ecosystems. "We are lucky to enjoy both these beautiful and lively species around our local school campus, where they currently thrive, in part due to the science teachers and community support for the TCCA habitat," Rhoads said. Before the Senior Resource Fair on February 17 and the Community Conversation regarding the gaps in services for Sisters seniors on March 8, Serving Our Seniors (SOS) is providing information on those organizations currently engaged in the community. Transportation Cascades East Transit (CET) provides Community Connector rides between Sisters and Redmond (Route 28) and Sisters and Bend (Route 29). The 28 bus leaves from the Sisters Mobility Hub six times a day beginning at 6:40 a.m. and leaves the Redmond Hub six times a day starting at 6 a.m., MondayFriday. The 29 bus has five trips between Sisters and Bend, MondayFriday. Route 29 from Sisters Mobility Hub is an express drop-off only at Hawthorne Station in Bend unless a drop-off on Third Street is requested. See schedules at http://www.cascadeseasttransit.com. Dial-A-Ride is available only on Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., providing curb-to-curb, shared-ride transit service for the general public. To schedule a ride, call 541-385-8680 during business hours, MondayFriday, 7 a.m. p.m. Sisters Shopper Shuttle to Bend on Thursday mornings can be scheduled through Dial-A-Ride (541-385-8680 #2) at least 24 hours in advance. The pickup time in Sisters is between 8:459:15 a.m. Pick up and drop off is at Cascade Village Mall, Walmart area, and Costco area. Vehicles supporting this service are equipped with special storage space for customers to keep their shopping goods stored during the trip. Sisters Delivery And Shuttle (541-213-0507) provides shuttle service anywhere in Deschutes County. They provide pharmacy, grocery, and restaurant pick up and delivery in Sisters, Black Butte Ranch, and Camp Sherman. More information at http://www.sistersdeliveryandshuttle.com. Sisters Transportation And Ride Share (STARS) provides free door-to-door non-emergency medical rides in Sisters, Bend, and Redmond with volunteer drivers to residents within the Sisters School District who cannot drive themselves. Call dispatch 541-904-5545 on Tuesday or Thursday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., providing at least 48-hours notice. Rides are available Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Later Years And End-Of-Life Care Three local hospices provide similar services, but each has its own special offerings. All provide individualized in-home end-of-life care for patients who have stopped curative treatment and whose life expectancy is six months or less. They and their families can expect care that is consistent with the patients needs and goals, honoring their wishes, focusing on pain and symptom management while providing emotional and spiritual comfort. All three hospices also offer non-medical Transitions programs which provide support to patients and families navigating a serious, life-limiting illness, and may need a helping hand or watchful eye at home. Other services offered by all the hospices are grief support and bereavement counseling for loved ones following a death. Two of the hospices also offer palliative care. Clearpath Healthcare (formerly Hospice of Redmond) provides primary medical care delivered wherever you call home in the tri-county area by a nurse practitioner and LPN a minimum of once a month, beginning March 1. If the patient is declining in health, visits will be more often, as needed. According to Lauren Lebien, ClearPath engagement/outreach coordinator, the in-home care program is a subscription service with a membership fee of $200 per month to cover the travel time for the providers to come to your home for as many visits as needed each month. All other medical services including clinical services, labs, and prescriptions are covered by your existing Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance. The program is aimed at those who are 55+ or have mobility issues. To inquire about this program call 541-323-0853. Every summer, ClearPath offers Camp Sunrise grief camp for children who have experienced the death of a loved one. Other support includes spiritual care, veterans support, and providing medical equipment and supplies. For more information see [email protected] or call 541-548-7483. Partners In Care (541-382-5822) has the only specialty in-patient Hospice House east of the Cascades and is only one of three in the entire state of Oregon. When patients arent able to receive hospice care at home because they need additional specialized end-of-life care, or symptoms cant be managed at home, they can receive that care at Hospice House. They can also receive short-term respite care to allow caregivers at home to rest. Palliative care focuses on comfort, quality of life, and dignity. It can begin at any stage of illness even while patients are still receiving curative treatment and it extends support not only to patients but also to their families. Palliative care isnt limited to end-of-life care. Its available from the moment someone receives a serious diagnosis. The palliative care team works in collaboration with your other doctors, helping to manage symptoms, guide treatment options, and ease anxiety so that every choice aligns with the patients wishes. Following a stay in the hospital, especially for elderly patients or those managing chronic medical conditions, the time at home can be a vulnerable period. Home health care bridges the gap between acute care in a hospital and recovery at home, helping prevent unplanned hospital readmissions and promoting better outcomes for patients. Partners offers compassionate care at home to promote better healing. St. Charles Hospice (541-706-7796) provides care to terminally ill patients and their families in their homes in the tri-county area as well as north Klamath, south Wasco, and south Wheeler counties. Their integration with St. Charles Health System allows them to provide a seamless continuum of care to their patients. As part of St. Charles, they can also easily access medical records and prescriptions from previous service received at St. Charles. Hospice can communicate with other St. Charles providers or services their patients may have used. In addition, their patients have access to pharmacy and medical supplies, which can be mailed right to their home. The Peaceful Presence Project provides non-medical thoughtful support by death doulas who offer a compassionate bedside presence and support at the end of life to individuals and families. They also provide education and promote conversation to improve death literacy and proactive illness care planning. Doulas are people who are trained to serve. Many people are familiar with birth and postpartum doulas, who serve families during and after the birth of a child. End-of-life or death doulas serve families on the other end of the life cycle. Go to [email protected] or call 541-293-8636. Living Well With Dementia Sisters is for those diagnosed with dementia and their care partners. Their mission is to empower individuals affected by all forms of dementia, as well as their care partners, through targeted resources and educational initiatives. They are committed to fostering a community that ages gracefully and lives well. Their vision is to cultivate a community-wide emphasis on well-being, aimed to enhance the health and longevity of every resident in the Sisters community. They connect those in need with the right resources in Sisters. They are a local group that provides a directory of local resources specific to Sisters related to Alzheimers and other forms of dementia. Next week we will explore senior referral services and senior housing. The Flat Fire in late summer of 2025 burned more than 23,000 acres and impacted both public and private landowners. So what recourse do those who own or manage these burned acreages have? The Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District (DSWCD) is one public entity meant to support victims of natural disasters, particularly private landowners with acreage. In 2023, voters in Deschutes County passed a permanent tax rate on all landowners in Deschutes County of any size. The tax rate is set at six cents for every $1,000 of assessed value, and brings in an operating budget of more than $2.1 million dollars per year to DSWCD. So how did DSWCD use that budget to help those in Sisters and surrounding areas impacted by the Flat Fire? "We offered technical assistance for soil health, riparian habitat health, and checking for weeds on-site," said Erin Kilcullen, district manager for DSWCD. "When the fire happened, it was our first time to use tax dollars to assist in recovery, so it was really a pilot program." "Fire recovery" seems to be defined as grass and weed management and mitigation for future fires by DSWCD. Kilcullen said that some applicants were not funded because of the "steep landscape" of their properties, or their unwillingness to "mitigate erosion on Whychus Creek." According to an email from Kilcullen, 23 landowners applied for assistance, and of those, 15 received financial assistance; 590 acres were treated for a total of $36,000 paid out of DSWCD funds to those landowners. DSWCD provided pre-emergent treatments for cheatgrass for some landowners, and also directed folks to the seeds available from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). Landowners who reached out to the sheriff's office for help following the Flat Fire were told to reach out to DSWCD. According to an email from the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, DSWCD offered financial assistance to help landowners implement critical post-fire recovery practices including: herbicide treatment on dozer lines and other impacted areas, seeding and native bunch grasses, and erosion control efforts. Despite the DSWCD's large property-tax-funded operating budget however, some landowners were led to believe that they couldn't get the help they hoped for because of lack of funding. Elise Wolf, director of Native Bird Care in Sisters and a private landowner, said, "There just wasn't that much funding in the program, period. "We had several site visits, and eventually were approved for a program for a pre-emergent treatment for cheatgrass," Wolf said. "Those non-native grasses are a big reason the fire got so bad, so we were glad for the help." But, she shared, there is a lot left to do, and she felt that she and their organization had to do much of the research and recovery on her own, despite her 40 acres being an approved wildlife habitat. "We are an elk and deer migration corridor, and we've run a local wild bird rescue on our property for 15 years," she said. "Our property was severely impacted by the fire, but we were one of the lucky ones [because of funding for native grass support]. There was no money for any other rehab of our property, no direct grants, no help with downed trees." Jack Godard, a private landowner of 40 acres spanning Whychus Creek, said that he estimates 90 percent of his private property was impacted by the Flat Fire. While about three acres around his residence were protected by firefighting efforts, he did lose an 1,800-sqare-foot barn and its contents to the fire. Godard told The Nugget in an email that his property is situated where the Cascade Mountain forest ecoregion begins to transition to the sagebrush-steppe, with approximately 20 acres of riparian habitat bordering each side of the Whychus Creek. Photo by Jack Godard According to Godard, "The focus of the assistance that we received from the [D]SWCD is approximately 12 acres within the sagebrush-steppe area. The 12 acres identified for treatment was based upon multiple visits and identification of those areas where the likelihood of native grass and shrubs to reestablish was minimal. These areas were also considered to be a higher likelihood of experiencing wind erosion. We have purchased approximately 75 pounds of multiple varieties of native grass seeds. We have also purchased approximately 50 shrub starts in seedling cells. In addition to the plant material, we purchased manual seed spreaders capable of broadcasting this volume of seed over 12 acres." Godard said in his email that DSWCD was a wealth of local knowledge, but that all of the work of seeding and soil preparation will be done himself. "[DSWCD] interact with multiple landowners throughout the tri-county area that are experiencing similar challenges that we are facing," Godard wrote. While getting some help with fire recovery is certainly appreciated, there seem to be multiple taxpayer-funded agencies (DSWCD, Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resources Conservation Service, etc.) who are collaborating with little input from private landowners. One notable exception to that was the Deschutes Land Trust. Amanda Egertson, stewardship director for the Deschutes Land Trust, said that Deschutes Land Trust was included in the conversations with the many public entities on the ground because they are such a large private landowner, in fact the largest landowner that DSWCD assisted in this recovery process. "Post-fire there was a lot of conversations about what agencies handle what recovery, figuring out what to do and how to help people," she said. "The Deschutes Land Trust got to be a hub of information, a resource for our community to connect with experts and financial assistance... we had the inside scoop from being in these conversations." Egertson said that while there were other funds available for treatment and restoration of annual grasses, the Federal funding wasn't fast enough for their needs. According to Egertson, DSWCD made the application for Flat Fire recovery fast, easy, and equitable. Deschutes Land Trust had more than 300 acres treated with herbicide in order to assist with annual grasses, out of thousands of acres of Deschutes Land Trust land which burned. That said, she admitted there's a lot of work ahead that will fall on the Deschutes Land Trust alone. "There are miles of trails up Whychus Creek closed because of fire damage, downed trees, etc," she said. "It was our first experience with a large-scale wildfire in this area, so we're all learning and collaborating together." Snow town in NE China welcomes visitors to winter fairyland People's Daily Online) 16:07, January 20, 2026 Xuexiang National Forest Park in Mudanjiang, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, has entered its peak winter viewing season, as low temperatures and frequent snowfall transform the landscape. The park is home to China Snow Town, a renowned scenic area. Thick layers of snow pile into playful shapes resembling cakes and mushrooms, turning the area tucked deep in the forests into a magical winter fairyland. In recent years, the scenic area has launched multiple immersive folk experiences and upgraded its facilities and services. With a smart tour guidance system and all-weather emergency stations in place, it aims to deliver safe and fulfilling experiences to tourists. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Du Mingming) Senator Ron Wyden held his second of eight scheduled January town halls Saturday at noon at Sisters High School. The event was his 1,094th town hall since taking office in 1998. His current term expires in 2028. "But for those asking in 2025 about my personal political plans, I fully intend to run for reelection in 2028," Wyden said in April. Now 76, he would be 79 when he's up for reelection. His appearance was a joint event with Congresswoman Janelle Bynum, (D-OR-05) who is seeking reelection to her second term. Their Deschutes County town hall held in the Outlaws gymnasium was her first of three joint appearances scheduled with the senator in January. Close to 1,000 were in attendance billed as a town hall, but often resembling a campaign rally with frequent raucous applause. Bynum began by leading the crowd in repeated chants of "Giv'em hell, Janelle." She then asked for a lowering of the tone. "What is important today is that we facilitate dialogue in our communities, and we don't have people yelling back and forth and just talking at one another and not hearing the different perspectives," Bynum said. Questioners were drawn randomly. Of the 12 questions, 11 were partisan in tone and two could be characterized as statements. Wyden and Bynum seemed comfortable with each other and shared time equally alternating between questions. The 11th question raised the event's fervor even more. Sisters Middle Schooler Sammy Sherrill asked both Wyden and Bynum: "What do you want to be remembered for?" Photo by Bill Bartlett Bynum said she wants to be remembered as someone who stood up for kids. Wyden said he hopes to be remembered for being there for Oregonians during tough times. The seventh question brought the crowd to their feet in thunderous applause asking what could be done about "Trump's serious mental issues?" Two questions were directed at recent actions by ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcements) in Portland and Minneapolis. One asked about the Epstein files controversy and impeaching the President. The very first question, was a two-part inquiry asking about ICE and infrastructure. Others revolved around Gaza, Israel, worker housing, logging, farming, and food. Bynum took up the topic of local, healthy food and criticized the administration's stance on SNAP (food stamp) benefits. The format and time constraints on the event meant that it was geared more toward hearing constituents' concerns and issues than offering detailed policy prescriptions. Wyden talked about his strategy "to follow the money" to deal a blow to various controversial political positions of Senate and House Republicans. He called forcefully for the replacement of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. At one point Bynum said, "We are living in a horror show," referring to her perception of the state of political affairs in Washington, DC. Wyden criticized "Big Pharma" and "billionaires" among other criticisms he leveled throughout the 90-minute affair. He mentioned President Trump frequently. "My top priority is stopping Donald Trump's assault on America and taking back both the Senate and House in 2026," he said. The only somewhat challenging question - which came across as more of a statement - was directed at Bynum by a self-described supporter who was displeased with a vote of hers regarding Gaza that he perceived as lending support to Israel and its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Bynum expressed appreciation for the input, noting that this is the kind of thing she needs to hear from her constituents. There did not appear to be any Trump supporters or conservative-leaning constituents in the audience. Answers to questions were sparse on policy details and largely took on the tone of campaign slogans. Early in the event, each touted their legislative efforts, Bynum saying she voted to advance a package that contains over $6 million in federal funding for water infrastructure projects across Oregon's Fifth Congressional District. Wyden referenced his work as ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee. The event ended with Bynum and Wyden calling their staffs to the podium to thank them publicly and for photo opportunities with supporters. Outside at the school entry various interest groups set up information tables. When my daughter Ceili was just a little girl, she was stung near the eye by a bee while playing at the Village Green. As you can imagine, this was a scary and painful moment for a little kid - and it wasn't too pleasant for her parents, either. We trundled her across the street to the Sisters Fire Hall, where a cadre of firefighter/EMTs set her up in an ambulance bay, got the stinger out, made sure she wasn't having a reaction, and salved her wound. They also comforted and reassured her. Their professionalism, kindness, and reassuring demeanor left an indelible impression on Ceili. Ever since, she's had a great affinity for our local fire district. That affinity is shared by many in the community who have been the beneficiaries of the professionalism, compassion, and service ethic of our local firefighters, from Black Butte Ranch to Sisters and Cloverdale. Sisters Country firefighters and paramedics deal with countless small matters like Ceili's bee-sting each year. They respond to medical emergencies, falls, car wrecks, fires. They, along with their colleagues from across the region, earned accolades from the Sisters community for the outstanding work they did in protecting property in the face of the advancing Flat Fire last summer. They have served on task forces that have brought support to communities all along the West Coast who have suffered from devastating fires. The work is demanding. The education required to attain their professional status is considerable, and training is only beginning once they have a job or a slot as a volunteer. Constant skill development is part of the program for both volunteers and career staff. Many calls for service carry a cost. Firefighters and EMTs see our community members in moments of pain, loss, grief, and anguish. They carry that with them. Entering the fire service is a calling. I have attended many promotion ceremonies where new firefighters receive their badges, and seasoned professionals are promoted. It is remarkable how many of them come from families with decades and generations in the fire service. There is an ethic there, a way of walking in the world that is oriented around serving others, even at risk to self, seeing a need and stepping up to fill it. That service is not limited to the core mission to save lives and protect property. Our firefighters contribute much to the character of our community. Firefighters and fire district volunteers stage a Halloween Haunted House, and an Easter Egg Hunt, both of which have become beloved institutions in the Sisters community. Local firefighters famously roll out the ladders to hang quilts on The Stitchin' Post, which has become a signature moment and the symbolic launch of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show each summer. Each Christmas, they manage a gift drive for families in need in the community, and serve a community dinner for those who don't have another place to go during the holiday. Last Christmas, they served 240 meals. Photo provided Sisters Country takes none of this for granted. We know how important our local fire districts are, not only to our safety and well-being, but to the fabric of our community. Nonetheless, it seems fitting to take a moment on January 27, Oregon Firefighter Appreciation Day, to salute the men and women who show so much dedication to making Sisters Country safe, protected, and a place to thrive. Each of our local fire districts have programs and equipment needs that benefit from public support. If you wish to show your appreciation through a direct contribution to their efforts: Sisters-Camp Sherman Volunteer Firefighters Association PO Box 1509, Sisters, OR 97759; http://www.sistersfire.com/send-your-donation Cloverdale Volunteer Firefighters Association 67433 Cloverdale Rd. Sisters, OR 97759; http://www.cloverdalefire.com Black Butte Volunteer Firefighters Association PMB 8190, PO Box 8000, Sisters, OR 97759 Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplaincy, PO Box 1898, Redmond, OR 97756; http://www.centraloregonchaplains.com/donations. The House Finch [Haemorhous mexicanus], is now at home in every state except Alaska. Photo by Douglas Beall That wasn't always the case. Once popular pets sold as "Hollywood Finches," owners and sellers of House Finches then released them into the wild after the Migratory Bird Treaty Act passed in 1918. Birds that had been found only in Mexico and southwest of North America are now all over the country. The story of how all of North America (and Hawaii) became House Finch country illustrates how quickly humans can change the landscape. They are easily attracted to bird feeders and almost any birdseed mix. The bright red color of the male is maintained by the ingestion of carotenoids and the female is drawn to males with the most prominent red breast. It is thought it indicates an ability to find food. They nest in coniferous and deciduous trees where the nest is made of leaves, string, small stems, and feathers. Two to six pale blue eggs are laid and incubated for 12 to 10 days and the chicks leave the nest in approximately 19 days. House Finches can establish up to six broods a year. A group of finches are called a charm, trimming, company, chirm, or trembling. For more House Finch images, visit http://abirdsingsbecauseithasasong.com/recent-journeys. Not a Subscriber? Join O'Dwyer's & Get RFP Access Stop wasting time tracking down RFPs. O'Dwyer's connects you with organizations looking for PR firms & services. Get new business with O'Dwyer's! Join O'Dwyer's The global economy is threatened by a wave of insularity that is cutting people off from the world beyond their immediate environment and making them more unlikely to listen toor do business withpeople from other countries or with opinions different from theirs, according to Edelmans 2026 Trust Barometer. Global Report: Trust Amid Insularity finds that out of almost 34,000 respondents from 28 countries, seven out 10 say they are either unwilling or hesitant to trust someone with different values, approaches to social issues, backgrounds or information sources. While the U.S. is on par with the global average on the reports insular trust mindset scale at 70 percent, other countries are taking the trend even further. Mexico (72), Canada (73), the UK (76), Argentina (77), Ireland (80) and Germany (81) are all even more resistant to the world outside their borders, and Japan tops the list at 90 percent. This insularity holds when it comes to the difference in trust levels between companies headquartered in a respondents home nation and those in foreign countries. Canada has the biggest trust gap in that regard, with 75 percent saying they trust Canadian companies, and only 44 percent trusting companies headquartered outside their countrys bordersa 31 percent gap. In the US the gap is narrower, with 60 percent trusting home-grown companies as opposed to 44 percent for foreign countriesa 16 percent gap. Over a third of respondents (34 percent) also said that they would support lowering the number of foreign companies in their countries, even if it resulted in higher prices. But national borders are not the only factor behind increasing insularity, the report finds. For example, the gap between the haves and have-nots is also much higher than it used to be. In Edelmans 2012 study, that gap was six points (49 percent for those in top 25 percent of incomes, 43 percent for those in the bottom 25 percent). After rising to a 16-point gap (63 percent vs. 47 percent) in 2022, the gap has remained highhitting 15 points (63 percent vs. 48 percent) this year. Differences in values are becoming impermeable barriers that have a surprisingly strong effect on productivity in the workplace. More than four out of 10 (42 percent) of employees surveyed said they would rather switch departments than report to a manager with different values. Nearly as many (34 percent) said that if a team leader did not share their values, they would put less effort into helping their team succeed. To address how some of the issues behind this growing problem are impacting the workplace, the report suggests Trust Brokering, a process that counters insularity by working to facilitate trust across areas of difference. Conducted by an employer, it brings the interests of all the separate, insulated parties involved to the surface and works to make them understandableand potentially solvable. We are becoming inflexible, and incoherent in our cocoons, said Edelman CEO Richard Edelman. The risks to society from manic swings in popular sentiment and rejection of innovation are real. Self-righteous certainty must give way to belief in the future, guided by My Employer as the leading trust broker. Litter pickers in Edenderry, Co Offaly, made a worrying discovery during a recent clean-up behind the Dunnes Stores Shopping Centre in the town. The Edenderry Tidy Towns group carry out regular clean-ups around the town and last weekend descended on the busy shopping centre, a known late night hangout for groups of teenagers. Some people called for gates and a boundary to lock up the area at night after seeing the Edenderry Tidy Towns post which included a number of concerning photographs. The group revealed that they picked up a large bag and a half of rubbish, including drinks cans and takeaway food packaging, but they also uncovered 41 fast gas canisters. Also referred to as laughing gas, or hippy crack, nitrous oxide is typically inhaled from canisters or balloons to produce a short term high. Nitrous oxide has a legitimate use for pain relief in medical and dental settings but an RTE report from late last year uncovered a major link to organised crime gangs. READ NEXT: 'Bizarre' Offaly incident where man took car keys in search for rapper 'Chingy' Revenue and Customs officials told Prime Time it is being brought into Ireland at scale by organised crime gangs and used nationwide. Over 1,000 large canisters of the gas are being seized in Ireland every week, mostly at Dublin and Rosslare ports. On the same Prime Time programme, the hugely damaging impacts of nitrous oxide inhaled irresponsibly outside controlled settings were raised by consultant neurologist Dr Hugh Kearney. He explained that inhaling nitrous oxide makes users feel light-headed but can also cause headache and loss of consciousness. Not only that, it can also cause numbness in the hands and feet or damage to the spinal cord, referred to as neurotoxicity. In severe cases, people can be left in a wheelchair. Dr Kearney said he is seeing two to three cases of neurotoxicity a week. "In excess levels, nitrous oxide blocks B12, which is essential for producing myelin, the fatty substance that coats nerves. Without it, nerves are exposed and damaged," he explained on the RTE show in December 2025. "If this area of the spinal cord is injured, the person cannot tell where their limbs are in space. They may need to be bed-bound or use a wheelchair," he added. ABOVE: The area behind Dunnes was littered with rubbish and fast gas canisters Often, these gas canisters are bought and sold by teenagers on messaging apps like Whatsapp or Instagram. The discovery and littering in Edenderry prompted concern and anger from locals on social media. One woman said: "It is so disgusting. I dont understand how people can care so little. It is so discouraging. I also dont understand why the government doesnt provide rubbish removal and removal of bulky waste as a public service like other countries do. "And why it is so hard to get the local council to respond to requests to remove dumping or install cameras in certain places. Its like they hope one will just give up if they ignore you long enough." The school community of Scoil Charthaigh Naofa, Rahan came together before Christmas to honour a much-valued member of the team. The function was held in tandem with annual Christmas School Mass, celebrated in a spirit of reflection and celebration as the festive season approached. Pupils, staff, families and friends gathered for this cherished event, which continues to be a highlight of the school calendar and a testament to the strong sense of community and gratitude within the school. Following the Mass, a special presentation was made to honour Anne Conroy, one of the schools much-valued cleaners, who has retired after 17 years of dedicated and loyal service. For almost two decades, Anne was a constant and caring presence in the school, making a quiet yet significant contribution to daily school life. Her warmth, kindness and commitment were deeply appreciated by staff and by generations of pupils who benefited from her dedication. READ NEXT: Community draw recognises dedication of volunteers in Offaly town The celebrations continued with tea and coffee served afterwards, giving those in attendance an opportunity to gather informally, share memories and reflect on Annes remarkable contribution to the school community. It was a fitting and heartfelt occasion, allowing everyone to give thanks, celebrate the Christmas season, and acknowledge the invaluable service of a much-respected member of the Scoil Charthaigh Naofa community. READ NEXT: Tullamore Tidy Towns to 'shame' litter louts and rogue dog walkers The world is witnessing the death of an era, one that was to a large extent embodied and symbolized by the World Economic Forum in Davos. It was a time of free trade, borderless investment, democratic expansion, cosmopolitanism, and alliance among Atlantic democracies. Another era is now taking hold the antithesis of that one: trade and financial fragmentation, democratic backsliding, nationalism, and a dramatic unraveling of the transatlantic relationship. This is the somber backdrop against which the World Economic Forums traditional annual conference opens this Tuesday in the Swiss Alpine resort, with a notable turnout of business and political leaders, among them Donald Trump, the figure leading the assault on the old world. The U.S. president will meet at the forum with several of the traditional Atlantic allies with whom he is now engaged in an extremely tense standoff, one of the defining features of this new era. U.S. threats to take control of Greenland the easy way or the hard have pushed the transatlantic relationship to its lowest point since at least the Suez crisis. Trump has said on his social media platform that, after holding a phone call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, he expects to convene a meeting in Davos with representatives of several countries to discuss Greenland. For days, European leaders have been shaping a forceful response to the U.S. decision to impose new tariffs on countries that have shown solidarity with Greenland, and the risk of escalation is very high. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday in Davos that proceeding with such retaliation would be very unwise and stressed that Trumps words must be taken seriously. The president made his position clear by posting an image showing himself planting the U.S. flag on Greenlandic territory, in a piece of imagery reminiscent of the iconic photograph from Iwo Jima, and a sign reading: U.S. territory est. 2026. AI images posted by Donald Trump on his social network Truth Social. Public statements from the United States suggest that the White House has no intention of backing down and believes it holds what is known in policy jargon as the escalation advantage that is, a greater capacity to sustain a spiral of measures and countermeasures. It is counting on Europeans being paralyzed by their internal divisions and, in any case, lacking the ability to sustain a prolonged standoff. Davos is set to host figures such as Friedrich Merz (Germany), Emmanuel Macron (France), Mark Carney (Canada) and Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission), among many others. Also attending will be Trumps political allies, including Javier Milei (Argentina) and British opposition figure Nigel Farage. Of particular interest will be the role played by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, theoretically close to Trump in ideological terms but showing clear signs of discomfort with his policies and a desire to maintain an image of reliability among European partners. She is expected to attend, although she is trying to avoid being seen as a participant in a forum against which, as a populist leader, she has long been highly critical, as has Farage. On the sidelines of the official programme, there is anticipation surrounding possible meetings between the U.S. president and von der Leyen, as well as Mark Rutte. Another key figure in Davos will be Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Everything points to the standoff between Europe and the United States potentially resulting in reduced U.S. support for Kyiv. The White House is skilfully leveraging Europes dependence on U.S. security and in particular the crisis triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine to gain advantages in other areas, whether over Greenland or in the technology sector. Indeed, the technology sector will be strongly represented in Davos, with figures such as Jensen Huang of Nvidia, Satya Nadella of Microsoft, and Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir a company deeply intertwined with the Trump project, whether through business interests including a $10 billion contract with the Pentagon for highly sensitive software, data, and AI development or through ideology. Palantirs chairman, Peter Thiel, has stated that democracy and freedom are incompatible. Significantly, along the Promenade Davoss main street, where government and corporate pavilions are concentrated the USA House stands directly opposite Palantirs building. The graphics on the U.S. pavilion feature an eagle silhouette whose design and scale convey a striking sense of aggression. The prospects of artificial intelligence, and the dilemma of whether it can deliver productivity gains and therefore returns quickly and forcefully enough to justify the enormous investments currently being made, will undoubtedly be one of the central themes of the meeting. Nevertheless, geopolitical unease appears to dominate the horizon. Of course, the Western world will not be the only one represented. The Forum includes the participation of Chinas vice premier, He Lifeng, as well as the presidents of Indonesia (Prabowo Subianto), Egypt (Abdel Fattah al-Sisi), and Syria (Ahmed al-Sharaa), among others. Beijing is expected to further emphasize its traditional narrative of presenting itself as a responsible partner in the international community task made much easier by the disruption caused by the White House. Many countries are rethinking their place in the world as a result, and this reassessment leaves room for a closer alignment with China, as seen in the cases of Canada and India. Irans foreign minister, Abbas Aragchi, was also listed on the programme, but the World Economic Forum announced on Monday morning that it had withdrawn his invitation, explaining that while it had been extended last autumn, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over past few weeks means that it is not right for Iranian government to be represented at Davos. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition A teenager from County Laois has appeared before Nenagh District Court charged in connection with a garda pursuit during which the stolen car he was allegedly travelling in hit speeds in excess of 200km/h. Ryan Colgan, aged 18, of Railway Muse, Portarlington, County Laois, is charged with dangerous driving under Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act and with the unauthorised taking of a vehicle. Read next: Laois gent's miraculous escape from injury whilst saving Abbeyleix cross During a procedural hearing, Judge Marie Keane was told directions are being sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions and Sergeant Regina McCarthy requested an adjournment of the case until next month. The dangerous driving incident is alleged to have occurred close to the Limerick/Tipperary border at Annalholty, Newport on January 9 while the vehicle - a white Skoda Octavia - was stolen from a property at Doon in County Limerick the previous day. While details of the alleged offences were not outlined during the brief court sitting, gardai previously confirmed the stolen car was detected in Laois before it allegedly travelled at high speed along the M7 motorway in the direction of Tipperary. The car is alleged to have passed through the toll plaza at Portlaoise while being pursued by gardai and it was subsequently involved in a collision near Birdhill in Tipperary. Two youths were arrested by investigating gardai in the early hours of January 9 and a garda car is understood to have sustained minor damage during the incident. Mr Colgan, who was refused bail when he first appeared in court, appeared before Nenagh District Court via video link, represented by solicitor Liz McKeever. Addressing her client, the solicitor said it would be to his benefit if he agreed to Sgt McCarthy's request for a one month adjournment. The defendant was remanded in continuing custody and is due to appear before the court again on February 13. Local Councillors have commended the work of Offaly library services at the January meeting of the Municipal District of Tullamore. Offaly librarians Eimear McGinn and Honor Ridgeway gave a detailed presentation at the meeting which showcased both the progress and the array of events and initiatives that have been carried out over the last year. There were a number of grant successes for the library services during 2025 which have given them the opportunity to offer a host of new programmes moving forward. This included Healthy Ireland funding which will go towards a curated series of health education seminars and events, CYPSC Funding which will contribute towards both the Parenting Support Programme, in partnership with Laois Libraries and Sensory Offaly Programming. Health Ireland orchestrated 18 events at Offaly libraries with 228 attendees over the last year. Cyber Safe Kids workshops, Sensory Play Sessions and Art Therapy Sessions were just a sample of the events which they held surrounding health information. Throughout 2025, the Parenting Support Programme delivered 17 events with 218 attendees. The varied topics of the events in this area included family budgeting advice, dealing with anxious children as well as dealing with grief and loss. The library's Sensory Space offered in Tullamore Library was also a huge success with 5,395 visitors since its launch in April 2022 including 1,547 visitors in 2025. The Magic Table was another strong feature as it hosted interactive sound and light-based games on a table-top to promote physical activity, engagement with two based in Tullamore Library and one in Clara Library. Other collaborative projects throughout 2025 included the popular Offaly Libraries Comic Con which brought in over a thousand visitors, Cruinniu na nOg which consisted of 35 free events attracting 925 participants. READ MORE: Roscrea mourns loss of former teacher and community leader Cathaoirleach of Tullamore MD, Councillor Declan Harvey lauded the work that's been done by the local libraries stating: "The service has gone from strength to strength, there is great work being done." Councillor Neil Feighery echoed the Cathaoirleach's sentiments adding: "It's really impressive, the resources are endless. It's great for getting people into the habit of reading and long may it last." Leas-Chathaoirleach for Tullamore MD, Councillor Shane Murray praised the environment that has been created for those who want to visit and spend time using the facilities. He explained: "The library is a fantastic service and the staff absolutely makes it, they can react to any situation put in front of them. It's so welcoming and it's a fabulous place to go." Councillor Aoife Masterson was complimentary of the impact the library services has had as an outlet within the community as well as the county as a whole. She told the staff members in attendance: "I absolutely love visiting the library, you have put the library back into the heart of Tullamore and Offaly. The collection of books there is exceptional." She continued: "The amount of calls I get praising the library speaks volumes. The work you do with the historical society is fantastic and it offers great support to local historians." READ NEXT: Tullamore man transferred money to Revolut account for two fake tickets Offaly Library Services will continue their impactful work introducing new and innovative programmes for 2026. This will include the 'Be Well, Be Creative' local programme which will deliver a host of cultural and creative activities for adults such as mindfulness sessions, sound healing & relaxation, musical concerts and acrylic art workshops. There will also be a national programme titled: 'Skills for Life' which will offer practical support across many essential areas including basic digital skills, financial literacy, media literacy and health awareness to name but a few. George Nkencho was still swinging wildly with a knife at armed gardai as he was being shot, an inquest has heard. A sergeant said that a few minutes beforehand he had tried to engage softly with Mr Nkencho, but he lunged at him with a knife and left him in no doubt that he would stab and kill me if he got too close. Two sisters of George Nkencho also addressed the inquest on Tuesday and described seeing their brother lying outside the front of their home after being tasered. Gloria Nkencho said she opened the front door of the house and told gardai that he was her brother and he had mental health difficulties. Mr Nkencho, 27, died outside his home in west Dublin in December 2020 after being shot multiple times by the Garda armed support unit. The incident was the subject of an independent criminal investigation by the then Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), now Fiosru, which concluded in June 2023 with the submission of an investigative file to the director of public prosecutions. A decision was made not to pursue any criminal prosecution in relation to the shooting. An inquest into his death began last week at Dublin District Coroners Court. The inquest has heard from shop workers and customers who described seeing Mr Nkencho punch an assistant manager at a Eurospar in Hartstown, and members of the public who said they saw him holding a knife, as well as Garda dispatchers who described how units were deployed to the scene. The inquests jury also saw video footage taken by a passer-by who was walking his dog as the scene unfolded in the estate. On Tuesday, Garda Sergeant Peter Nestor and Garda Shane Gallagher described responding to the incident in the shop. Mr Nestor said that he became aware of the incident at the shop through the Tetra radio station while at Blanchardstown Garda Station earlier that day. He headed out in a Garda car with Mr Gallagher and alighted at Cherryfield Park after seeing a man matching the description of witnesses. Mr Nestor said he saw Mr Nkenchos hand was in his pocket and he was satisfied he had a knife based on information and his experience. He said he put a baton to his shoulder, engaged with him softly and asked him to put down the knife. He said Mr Nkencho said things like go back to the shop, and they asked him to tell them about that but he did not engage. He said Mr Nkencho pulled the knife out of his pocket and did not comply with directions to drop the knife. He appeared to be very angry and was very aggressive, he said, adding that he did not make an assessment on his mental health. I repeated my demand to put the knife down, and he refused and lunged towards me with a knife, he said in his deposition. I was in no doubt at this time that if I got any closer to this male, that he would stab and kill me. He said they let him pass them and they got back into the car and followed him at a safe distance, where they repeatedly shouted to members of the public to get out of the way. He said he did not remember hearing over the Tetra radio that Mr Nkencho had mental health issues, adding that his radio was set to a channel for a different operation. I didnt hear that, no, he told the inquest. He said as they arrived at Manorfields Drive, he did not know it was Mr Nkenchos home. He said the ASU had just arrived at the scene and procedure was that the ASU take over and other gardai get out of their way. He said the two ASU members asked Mr Nkencho to stop and drop the knife, and a short time later taser, taser. He said Mr Nkencho was swinging wildly at them and even after being tasered, Mr Nkencho got up and continued swinging very wildly at the two members. He said he got the impression he then swung and connected with an ASU member above the knee as he was getting up. He said he heard someone say spray, spray, spray, which indicates pepper spray, but he did not see it being deployed as he was directing people who had appeared in the front door to stay back. Im roaring at them close the door, close the door, get back inside, its not safe, he told the inquest. He said he thinks they said something but said several people were shouting at the time so he could not hear. He said Mr Nkencho continued to swing and then he heard shots fired. A number of shots fired, pauses in between each one. Hes still swinging wildly at them (and) didnt fall at all, not until the last one, he told the inquest. I presumed that they were shooting with beanbags or rubber bullets, or whatever, because it didnt look like he was being shot. He was still coming heavy and swinging wild. Asked by the coroner Dr Myra Cullinane if he had seen someone shot before, he said no but that he had received firearms training, where they were told that someone can keep coming if they are shot. Asked by the coroner what they are told to do in response, he said: Stop the threat. Asked if that means shoot again, he said: Yeah, until the threat has stopped. Garda Shane Gallagher said he was terrified and in fear for his own safety and the safety of members of the public when he saw the knife in Mr Nkenchos hand. He then started pacing toward me, and I was in no doubt that his intention was to try and stab me, he said in his deposition. It will stick with me forever the way he was squeezing that knife, he told the inquest. He said he cannot remember which ASU member used the taser and that orders from the ASU to Mr Nkencho to drop the knife was continuous. Mr Nkenchos sisters Grateful and Gloria also described to the inquest efforts to tell gardai that their brother had mental health difficulties. Grateful said her sister Gloria said very loud to gardai that this was her brother and he had an illness. She kept saying This is my brother, hes sick, he has mental health issues, but even as she was saying that, she was brushed away. Like, nobody really paid attention to what she was saying. Gloria told the inquest that she told gardai its my brother, he is sick before being ushered back into the house by gardai. She also said before this she saw a garda forcefully kick George in the back and said she heard no verbal efforts by gardai to de-escalate the situation. The inquest is due to continue before a jury on Wednesday. Return to News Articles List President Donald Trump's threats to take over Greenland have launched the Canadian Armed Forces into military planning mode. The Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail reported on Tuesday, 'military planners are modelling a U.S. invasion from the south, expecting American forces to overcome Canada's strategic positions on land and at sea within a week and possibly as quickly as two days.' At www.alternet.org from AlterNet Read the rest of the story HERE:At www.alternet.org from AlterNet OpEdNews admin Social Media Pages: OpEdNews Administrator account used by editors to post open threads, community building threads, and OEN editorials on behalf of the editorial board. It is also used as the submitter of Progressive News Feed articles. It is not associated with (more...) The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors. 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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 In his new book, the academic explores the recent history of weapons production in the country and the trafficking of guns to Mexico Oftentimes, a handful of statistics works similarly to a shot of mezcal: it gets the person wielding it in the mood. And getting in the mood may well be necessary to understand the universe of Carlos Perez Ricart, professor and researcher at the Center for Economic Research and Teaching, one of Mexicos most prestigious universities. So here are a few numbers: in the United States, 14 million firearms are manufactured every year. This equals out to a rate of 114 weapons for every 100 inhabitants, two less than cellular phones, and 24 more than the number of new cars. Such stats seem key to understanding the countrys landscape. Immersing oneself in the statistical paraphernalia of firearms in North America may sound cliche. Everyone knows that the United States manufactures a lot of guns, that it makes it easy to buy them, that its gun control is minimal and its industry has won its battle against politicians. And few can ignore the number of massacres provoked by the indiscriminate use of such weapons against its population. Sandy Hook, Parkland, Las Vegas, Columbine, to name a few. In his new book, Perez Ricart attempts to understand how the violence that has menaced Mexico for nearly 20 years drinks from the river of steel that flows from U.S. arms manufacturers, and how U.S. gun industry lobbyists have constructed legal armor around them that is unequaled anywhere else in the world. His conclusion lies in his latest Spanish-language books title, La violencia vino del Norte (The violence came from the north), which was published by Debate and is a plea for increasing regulation around gun production and sales. Such a vision amounts to utopia, he recognizes, and more so in our current moment, with Donald Trump in the White House and federal security agencies converted to vehicles for the Republicans radical views. Old debates like that of the need to reinforce restrictions on arms sales and to track weapons that have been used in relation to a crime seem lost to the wind amid the presidents deregulatory push. Theres never been a better time for the U.S. arms industry that right now, says the author. Mexico, long Washingtons punching bag, suffers the impact of its neighbors arms manufacturing, which has grown exponentially since the U.S. assault rifle ban expired in 2004. Many of the weapons wind up on the other side of the border, in the hands of criminal groups, which amass impressive arsenals that are later deployed in their interminable battles, an integral part of the waves of violence that bloody the country. Without the weapons that came from there, we would not have seen this increase in violence here. And thats true for Mexico as well as Latin America, notes Perez Ricart. Question. In chapter one, you summarize the causes of violence in Mexico. You later point to the mass arrival of high-caliber weapons. Which is more important? Answer. I tried to bring everything together that has been written in order to explain the violence. I didnt try to show which was more important, I dont really get into that debate, I just recognize that in a complex universe, there are many variables that impact events. What I propose is to underline the role of weapons, to think about things in a different way, to verify that there are signs that firearms could have been the detonator of all this. It is that history, and also how the United States, which was going to be a normal country, was going to regulate the market, in 2004 makes a U-turn and winds up causing bloodshed in Mexico as well as in its own country. The issue of violence in the United Sates is not normal for an industrialized country, in terms of suicide, gender-based violence, homicide and the production of firearms is part of all of that. Q. You cover the story of the Brady family. An advisor to Ronald Reagan, James Brady fell victim to an attack on the president in 1981. He nearly died. Then one day, his wife saw their small son with a .22 revolver in his friends car, a loaded gun. All this led them to become activists. I mention all this because that part about a normal country that you mentioned A. In the book, I make reference to Paul Auster, who says that the car and the gun are natural parts of the North American experience. I dont develop those ideas much further, but my attention is drawn to the fact or the idea that the car and the gun take a mans strength to another level, they expand his abilities. Look at the case of the Las Vegas shooter. In 2017, he was chronically ill, an old man, fragile I saw all his videos on YouTube, a person who plays video games, who is weak, is able to achieve that amount of strength with guns. Carlos Perez Ricart in Mexico City. Aggi Garduno Q. Superman logic. A. Exactly. I thought a lot about that, of how a weapon that is so easy to buy, almost as easy as a beer, can expand a persons ability to do harm, and in addition, it cant be regulated. I mean, it sounds stupid to say that a person can make a nuclear bomb in their garage, but it should also sound stupid that a person can accumulate 14 or 15 automatic weapons in their home. That really interests me. The part about Reagan I realized that its there that one of the most important gun control movements is born in the United States, that of the Brady family. And when I started studying the case of Sarah, the wife, I realized how incredible it is that she comes from the Republican Party. I mean, shes not a radical, on the left, a Democrat, but rather shes married to one of the most important advisors in the Reagan administration. I said, It cant be. Q. And the truly illuminating part is how Reagan didnt pay them any attention until he was no longer in office. A. Its incredible. And then he, Reagan, gets together with other former presidents to ask for more regulation. It seems like that happens a lot post-term: presidents become aware of the problem when they leave. Q. And when they have nothing left to lose. A. Yes, that too. Q. You write that the endorsement of the National Rifle Association can account for between 3% and 6% of votes in an election. A. Its clear that the NRA and other organizations have the ability to create the perception that they can shift an electoral result. They are a plethora of organizations that receive too much money. And when politicians allowed that money to come in, it made it almost impossible to change the regulations. Because most of the U.S. population is in favor of greater gun control, which is not reflected in their representation. Q. Thats what you say, that were living in an ideal world at least, for the gun industry. A. Theres never been a better time. I finished the book 120 days into Trumps second administration, on the day of his first legal changes. Trump 2.0 came in looking to completely destroy the mechanisms to control guns. The conclusion is clear: in the United States, nothing is going to change. Not the way arms are manufactured, or bullets, or their sale. Its so complicated how in 15 or 20 years the way arms were regulated in the United States changed. For many years, those of us who work in this field have made efforts to bring about institutional change there. The demands in Mexico are related to this, to transforming the way production is carried out. But today it is clear to me that Trump is the vanguard. He is not an anomaly; he is the way politics are done in the United States. Q. Another incredible statistic: in the United States, there are 77,813 licenses to sell guns, not including those who sell at gun fairs, secondhand, etc. In Mexico, there are two, and they are held by the army. A. Yes, thats more than the number of McDonalds, Wendys, Starbucks its impactful. And when you look at things more holistically, you see that many of these license holders live along the U.S.-Mexico border. And according to one study that I cite, many make their living from the illegal market. Its impossible to know which Q. Impossible because of the legislation itself. A. And the governments ability to verify that the points of sale are fulfilling requirements is minimal. And with Trump, now one of his plans is to end the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which operates the tracking programs that still exist. We have to do something about that. Q. You write, Arms trafficking in Mexico is not sophisticated. Meaning, this idea of massive arms traffickers, who make $300 million sales, does not correspond with binational reality. A. It is not sophisticated, in reality, it is very prosaic. There are many ways and the majority of the time, we find small, family-run groups that want to earn a few pesos, and who cross the border with guns several times a week. Its incredible that you can cross the U.S.-Mexico border without showing a passport. There are no checks. And as long as that is the case, Mexico will always receive weapons. Given the evidence of the role that weapons have in increasing violence, its incredible that we havent managed to develop these systems of control at all. The most conservative numbers speak of between 140,000 to 150,000 arms trafficked every year to Mexico. There is no political or judicial model, or police force, that can cope with that. Given the number of weapons arriving in Mexico, there is no model that can withstand such a flow. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Trump calls Machado a .fine woman. after she gifts him her Nobel Peace Prize. (Image by YouTube, Channel: Global News) Details DMCA Dignity. Remember that? It was a pre-Trump concept that a lot of people used to think was an admirable trait in a person, particularly a person of prominence in, maybe not politics, but certainly foreign affairs. Alas, it's one more thing Trump has devalued as he has imposed his transactional "art of the deal" philosophy on foreign affairs. A rent-a-prison in El Salvador. A presidential plane from Qatar. A Nobel Peace Prize medal from Venezuela. All in a day's work for the rapidly dissembling man who occupies the Oval Office. The latter, of course, is the most, well, embarrassing. I feel personally embarrassed, although I know I shouldn't, for Maria Corina Machado, who hand-delivered her Nobel Peace Prize, beautifully framed, to Trump in the Oval Office and smiled for the photographers recording the scene for posterity. All in the name of, what? She says freedom and democracy for Venezuela. As she handed him the prize, which he has been lobbying for ever since Barack Obama was awarded one, Machado, the opposition leader to Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, proclaimed, "We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve freedom and democracy." Translation: Since Trump followed up on his illegal campaign of killing Venezuelan fishermen in the Caribbean under the guise of fighting drug smuggling by illegally kidnapping the unpopular president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and accusing him on drug charges, Machado has been calculating that maybe Trump could do for her what winning a Nobel Peace Prize could not -- make her president of Venezuela. Ah, yes, but she forgets. This is Trump. There must be more in the deal than merely saving a country from a dictator or even the cover of phony drug smuggling charges or even the distraction from the Epstein files. Did someone say oil? Aha. Trump has already apparently cashed in $500 million from the sale of captured Venezuelan oil and it's being held in U.S. bank accounts in Qatar and other countries, allegedly to be split among Venezuelans for social projects and infrastructure, U.S. companies and the U.S. government, "at the federal government's discretion." More sales are expected as the U.S. "runs Venezuela", as Trump said after kidnapping Maduro. Where does this leave us? For the eager Machado, with a smile, a handshake and a photo with the smiling president of the United States, holding her Nobel Peace Prize. The U.S. turned the reins of Venezuela over to the vice president upon kidnapping Maduro, meaning the same oppressive government remains in charge. Trump, ever self-serving and never too proud to turn down an obviously undeserved award, has Machado's prize, framed and hanging somewhere in the Oval Office. The Nobel Committee and the people of Norway are embarrassed by this "unprecedented" turn of events. The committee was quick to point out that its prize is not transferable. Nor is the dignity that traditionally accompanies it. Vilnius, Lithuania, 2026.01.20. The dental industry welcomes a new solution to a long-standing challenge with the launch of Dental Reviewed, a comprehensive platform designed to After a much-touted move to Clackamas meant to secure its future in the Portland area, Alpenrose Dairy is now dialing that plan back. The company announced Monday it will shut down operations at its Clackamas facility at the end of March and consolidate production in Washington. The decision will eliminate 35 jobs. Alpenrose officials said they will offer severance packages to affected employees. The closure marks a sharp turn from plans unveiled in 2022, when Alpenrose said it would shift production, distribution and warehouse operations to Clackamas after purchasing Larsens Creamery, a nearly century-old local dairy. That relocation cleared the way for redevelopment at Alpenroses 56-acre former campus at 6149 S.W. Shattuck Road, ending more than a century of dairy operations in Southwest Portland. Alpenrose was sold to Washington-based Smith Brothers Farms in 2019 amid a rift among its family owners, though the buyer did not acquire the Portland land. Alpenrose officials later said moving to Clackamas would keep the dairy rooted in the Portland area rather than folding entirely into its parent companys operations near Seattle. Company officials now say they are pulling back production at the nine-acre Clackamas plant, where private label butter and sour cream are made. They said Alpenrose will instead focus on milk production at a facility in Kent, Washington. In a statement, Alpenrose CEO Dusty Highland said the company originally bought Larsens Creamery to grow our dairy manufacturing offerings and footprint, but tough market conditions got in the way. Worsening butter market economics and a shift in the competitive landscape has impacted the facilitys financial performance, Highland said. Ultimately, we couldnt find a sustainable solution to continue production long-term. For shoppers, the change may be barely noticeable. Alpenrose officials said consumers will continue to see the brands milk and cottage cheese products on store shelves across the Pacific Northwest. UPDATE: Man accused of shooting Portland police officers near Lloyd Center still at large Police were searching an area near Lloyd Center in Northeast Portland late Monday for a person who shot and injured two police officers. The officers were taken by ambulance to a hospital, the Portland Police Bureau said, where they were in stable condition and recovering Monday night. Just after 8 p.m. Monday, officers responded to a report of a person making threats with a knife near the Lloyd Center, Portland police said at an evening news conference. Officers made contact with a suspect and were fired upon moments later, Portland Police Chief Bob Day told reporters. Day would not say whether the officers fired their weapons. The Portland Police Bureau released a photo they said showed the man who shot at two police officers late Monday, injuring them. Portland Police Bureau The bureau released an image they said showed the person who fired the shots, describing him as a white male in his mid-30s with facial hair and wearing a black baseball cap, black jacket over a gray hooded sweatshirt, black pants and black shoes. He was seen with a black backpack and a green shopping bag. The man is still believed to be armed, police said, and should not be approached. Police officials said earlier that the gunfire broke out near Northeast 17th Avenue and Clackamas Street. About 90 police units had responded to the area to mount an intensive search, blocking off a swath of Northeast Portland between Broadway and Multnomah Street and 15th and 21st avenues. We have literally marshaled, in the early hours of this, every available resource that we had to the area, Day said. Our (Special Emergency Reaction Team) is doing a very methodical search for the suspect, so this is very much ongoing in real time. People who live within the police perimeter had been told to stay inside with doors and windows closed and locked. Officers could be seen searching the area with vehicle spotlights, and the bureaus airplane was circling the area. Police stationed near the edge of the search area wore helmets in addition to standard ballistic vests. Day declined to identify the injured officers. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson was joined by Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Brian Hughes, chief of staff Robert King and Police Chief Bob Day at a press conference in the Lloyd District on Mon., Jan. 19, 2026. Zane Sparling/The Oregonian Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, who visited the search area and was briefed by investigators, wished the officers who were shot a speedy recovery. Were grateful for all the officers of the Portland police department, Wilson told reporters. This is a stark reminder of the dangers of the job. Wilson and Day said they had visited the injured officers at nearby Legacy Emanuel Medical Center before coming to the search scene. Investigators asked that anyone with information or video of the incident contact police. Kristine de Leon contributed to this report. A Portland veterinarian was sentenced to five years of supervised probation last week after she admitted she took pain medications from two veterinary clinics and replaced them with saline. Brenda Jean Brown-Carlson, 54, of Sherwood, pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with drug records, one count of second-degree attempted animal neglect and two counts of computer crimes, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said in a statement. This sentence makes clear that drug-related crime has consequences, but it also acknowledges that meaningful accountability includes addressing addiction through structured treatment to reduce the risk of re-offending in the future, Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said in the statement. Brown-Carlson took hydromorphone, buprenorphine and butorphanol for personal use, according to the DEA and court documents. Coworkers realized that drugs were missing, checked security video footage and contacted the DEA. Video footage showed Brown-Carlson diverting controlled substances and refilling vials with saline, the DEA said. In a plea agreement she signed on January 13, Brown-Carlson wrote that she was pleading guilty because, on or between December 15, 2023, and February 1, 2024, I knowingly made a false statement in a centralized substance record, I twice used a computer to assist with remitting theft of property, and I failed to provide minimum care for animals in my control and the incidents involved more than 40 animals. The Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board database lists Brown-Carlsons veterinary license as inactive and shows that it expired on Dec. 31. She was first licensed in 2002. A retired Lake Oswego fire lieutenant who ordered live-streamed child sex abuse videos from the Philippines and attempted to meet up with children there was sentenced Tuesday to more than 15 years in federal prison. Kenneth William Green Jr., 57, of St. Helens, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children and interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. He was a firefighter at the time he sought out the sexual abuse videos and images, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez. U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut called his conduct so depraved that its almost unimaginable, and adopted the jointly recommended sentence of 15 years and one month. She also ordered Green to be placed on a lifetime of federal supervised release after he completes the prison term. Its incomprehensible, really, that someone like you, who held a position of status and respect in the community that others looked up to, engaged in conduct that caused small children to be sexually harmed and devastated for the rest of their lives, Immergut told Green. The prosecutor sought a life term of supervised release, while his lawyer argued that 10 to 15 years of supervised release would be sufficient. Green apologized for his actions. I am deeply ashamed of the choices I made and the harm they caused, he said, seated beside his lawyer wearing Columbia County Jails black-and-white striped jail scrubs. He added that his actions were not consistent with his lifetime of public service, and through tears, said that he had deeply disappointed himself. Green also said hes committed to confronting my failure honestly and intends to use what he learns while in custody to help others avoid these destructive paths. The investigation began in 2022 when federal investigators in Portland, Maine, raided a home with a search warrant, focused on identifying customers of sex traffickers in the Philippines. They seized electronics and during a search of Skype accounts of customers linked to the traffickers, they found Greens Skype username in multiple chats between April and August 2022 that contained child sexual abuse images and conversations trying to arrange in-person meetings with the traffickers and children they had access to, according to the prosecutor. Federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations in mid-October 2023 searched Greens home with a warrant. At that time, he admitted to traveling to the Philippines but said he didnt buy any kids, though he acknowledged talking and flirting with people on Skype, asking for material that was probably inappropriate and asking to meet up with girls of a certain age, according to the prosecutor. The investigation revealed that Green chatted online in more than 35,000 messages to multiple people in the Philippines who had access to children, and he sought out people to sexually abuse children there for his viewing from the U.S. on livestreams, the prosecutor said. Green was willing to pay for the service and said he preferred girls ages 12 to 14, according to a sentencing memo. Green paid for the opportunity to direct others to abuse children in a way that would satisfy his sexual appetite. Although he did not follow through with his plans, he did make extensive plans to carry out his sexual abuse in person. The extent of the harm and trauma his crimes inflicted on minor girls in the Philippines cannot be overstated, Rodriguez wrote in the memo. Greens defense lawyer Robert Sepp said Green recognized the seriousness of the crime and is remorseful. At the time of the offense, Mr. Green was struggling with significant unmedicated mental health symptoms. He deeply regrets his conduct and has and is taking steps to address his mental health and addictions, Sepp said in his sentencing memo to the judge. Greens younger sister Kelley Ann Parsons spoke in support of her brother, though she said she did not excuse his actions. She highlighted his years of public service, first in the U.S. Navy as a machinist and firefighter and his 25 years as a firefighter, paramedic and rescue diver with Lake Oswego Fire Department before he retired in August 2023. She said he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and has chronic medical ailments. He spent his life rescuing others but he never learned to rescue himself, she said. The judge agreed to recommend he serve his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution Englewood, a prison in Littleton, Colorado, that has programs for veterans, sex offenders and substance abusers. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has set the week of June 1 for oral argument in the federal governments appeal of an Oregon federal judges injunction that blocked the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland. Chief Judge Mary Murguia set aside a time for argument after lawyers for President Donald Trumps administration refused to drop the appeal, at least for now, despite losing before the U.S. Supreme Court last month in a similar case from Illinois. At the end of December, the nations highest court rejected Trumps attempt to send National Guard troops to Chicago and left in place a temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge barring the deployment there. The Supreme Court found that the law Trump used to mobilize the Guard in Illinois applied only when the U.S. military couldnt maintain order. The administration invoked the same law to call the Guard troops in Oregon into federal service. Under Title 10, Section 12406 of the federal code, presidents may deploy National Guard members when they cant execute U.S. laws with the regular forces. The Supreme Court interpreted regular forces to mean the military, including the Army, Air Force or Marines. Under the Supreme Courts interpretation issued Dec. 23, presidents must first use statutory or constitutional authority to execute laws with military forces. If those forces fail, then presidents can mobilize National Guard troops into federal service to intervene. At this preliminary stage, the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois, said the Supreme Courts majority opinion in the Illinois case. On Nov. 7 in Portland, Oregons U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut issued a permanent injunction barring Trump from deploying National Guard soldiers from any state to Oregon, finding the president exceeded his authority. She ruled after holding a three-day trial. The decision followed Trumps Sept. 27 authorization of Guard members to protect the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portlands South Waterfront neighborhood amid sporadic protests. The next day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mobilized 200 Oregon National Guard troops to serve under federal control for 60 days. Hegseth later mobilized 200 California National Guard members to Oregon after Immergut temporarily blocked the Oregon National Guards deployment. Hegseth also called up another 200 Texas National Guard troops to be available for deployments in Oregon and Illinois. Federal officials demobilized the troops from California and half of the troops from Oregon in the fall. Last Thursday, the other 100 Oregon National Guard members returned to the state, after being demobilized at Fort Bliss in Texas and returned to Gov. Tina Koteks control. On behalf of all Oregonians, we thank you, were with you, and were glad youre back, Kotek told the troops, after boarding the troops plane and addressing them over the intercom shortly after it landed at Portland International Airport. Oregon will always have your back, no matter the situation. I appreciate your commitment, courage and professionalism. Thank you, and welcome home. Meanwhile, Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces to Minneapolis after days of heated protests over the killing of a U.S. citizen by a federal immigration officer amid aggressive immigration enforcement. He has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers in Alaska to prepare for a possible deployment to Minnesota, the site of large protests against the governments deportation drive. June arguments in the Oregon case will be held in Seattle, and the exact date and time will be set at a later time. The governments brief for its appeal is due next month, and responses by the city of Portland and states of Oregon and California are due in March. The hottest new animal yoga class in Portland doesnt involve goats, kittens or puppies. Its all about snakes. HISSS, a reptile shop that opened in August, is hosting regular snake yoga classes in its lobby that invite attendees to uncoil your body and quiet your mind. A typical class features four snakes including corn snakes, ball pythons and redtailed boas plus a few other reptiles that might make guest appearances. (In December, that included Miso the bearded dragon, though an Argentine blackandwhite tegu and an Aldabra tortoise are also regulars.) Its a really positive experience, and its very transformative, said yoga instructor Katy Vanek. Snakes make you confront a fear factor. It can be challenging because theres an animal that sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable or is misunderstood. They remind you of fears and challenges you can overcome. Space is tight in the shops lobby, which fits up to 14 participants. The class is open to all ages and experience levels. The onehour session costs $30 and includes use of a provided mat. A lot of people are excited and nervous, said HISSS owner Dru Morales. There are a lot of people that come here to get over their fear of snakes, so thats very amazing and incredible that we have the opportunity to help them with that. HISSS sells supplies for reptile owners, operates a pet hotel, and typically has a variety of snakes, lizards, geckos and tortoises for sale. The space is also available for birthday parties and private events, and Morales has plans for trivia nights, bingo, paint and sip evenings, and, of course, more snake yoga. Im all about fostering curiosity and really getting everyone of all ages inspired and curious about all of the creepy crawlers, Morales said. Vanek has been teaching yoga for more than 15 years and has led animalthemed classes with puppies, kittens and goats. But when Morales reached out to her about snake yoga, she wasnt so sure. Then she visited the shop, where she held Diana, a ball python. She just made me feel so grounded, and I felt so comfortable, Vanek said. I was expecting a wriggly snake and, no, shes just so relaxed. If you told me this three, four months ago, Id be like, Really? I dont know about that. But its changed my mind. Its changed my heart in so many ways. During Decembers yoga class, a trio of snake handlers moved among participants, gently redirecting snakes that wandered and occasionally placing them on people. These animals are never forced on you, Morales said. We always ensure theyre comfortable and youre comfortable. Evy Hall, owner of PDX Critters, brought Jewels, her 3yearold coastal carpet python. Jewels is a regular at birthday parties, educational events and the Portland Night Market. A lot of people actually keep snakes as emotional support animals because it kind of feels like theyre giving you a hug, Hall said. I think its just the feeling of their muscles moving, and they just love to explore and wrap around. Its a really interesting experience having a snake crawl all over you. Snakes hear primarily by detecting vibrations through their jawbones. In one exercise, Vanek led the class in a steady hum, asking them to put your vibration out there so they can hear you a little bit more. Snakes make surprisingly capable yoga partners. For one, theyre flexible, but theyre also slow and methodical in their movements. The snakes are just so calm, said Megan Caldwell, who attended with her 12yearold son, Cameron. It was really cool to have them just wandering, and to have some of the leaders place them on us so we could experience them and get to know them. The snakes are smooth, like a slow, firm muscle. I feel like snakes are very intentional, said attendee Sam Pennypacker. They move slowly and deliberately, and it matches what this class is all about. The snakes slithered and weaved among the participants. Theyre very grounding. Its almost like a weighted blanket, Morales said. To feel them choose you and embody your energy most of the time were grabbing cats or dogs and holding them. Here, theyre almost grabbing us. IF YOU GO: HISSS, 2106 N.E. MLK Blvd., is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. The next snake yoga classes are on Feb. 8 and Feb. 21. A Sip & Paint night will be 7 p.m. Jan. 29; tickets are $20. Register for events at hisssthereptileshop.com. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) The European Unions top official on Tuesday described U.S. President Donald Trumps planned new tariffs over Greenland as a mistake, especially between long-standing allies and called into question Trumps trustworthiness, saying that he had agreed last year not to impose more tariffs on members of the bloc. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was responding to Trumps announcement that starting in February, a 10% import tax will be imposed on goods from eight European nations that have rallied around Denmark in the wake of his stepped-up calls for the United States to take over the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland. The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July, Von der Leyen said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. And in politics as in business a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something. We consider the people of the United States not just our allies, but our friends. And plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape, she added. She vowed that the EUs response will be unflinching, united and proportional. Trump has insisted the U.S. needs the territory for security reasons against possible threats from China and Russia. Earlier Tuesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Americas relations with Europe remain strong and urged trading partners to take a deep breath and let tensions driven the new tariff threats over Greenland play out. I think our relations have never been closer, he said. Trumps threats spark diplomatic flurry across Europe The American leaders threats have sparked outrage and a flurry of diplomatic activity across Europe, as leaders consider possible countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs and the first-ever use of the European Unions anti-coercion instrument. The EU has three major economic tools it could use to pressure Washington: new tariffs, suspension of the U.S.-EU trade deal, and the trade bazooka the unofficial term for the blocs Anti-Coercion Instrument, which could sanction individuals or institutions found to be putting undue pressure on the EU. Earlier Tuesday, Trump posted on social media that he had spoken with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. He said I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. Frances Macron suggests G-7 meeting in Paris this week Trump also posted a text message from Emmanuel Macron in which the French president suggested a meeting of members of the Group of Seven industrialized democracies in Paris after the Davos gathering. An official close to Macron confirmed the message shared by Trump is genuine. It shows that the French President, both in public and in private, takes the same views, the official said. On Greenland, France considers respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states is non-negotiable, the official said. Macrons offer to organize a G7 meeting showed the French presidency wants to make a constructive moment that contributes to dialogue and cooperation, the official added. The official spoke anonymously in line with the French presidencys customary practices. Later, Trump posted some provocatively doctored images. One showed him planting the U.S. flag next to a sign reading Greenland, U.S. Territory, Est. 2026. The other showed Trump in the Oval Office next to a map that showed Greenland and Canada covered with the U.S. Stars and Stripes. In a sign of how tensions have increased in recent days, thousands of Greenlanders marched over the weekend in protest of any effort to take over their island. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a Facebook post Monday that the tariff threats would not change their stance. We will not be pressured, he wrote. In his latest threat of tariffs, Trump indicated that the import taxes would be retaliation for last weeks deployment of symbolic numbers of troops from the European countries to Greenland though he also suggested that he was using the tariffs as leverage to negotiate with Denmark. Calls for a stronger Europe against Trumps threats Denmarks minister for European affairs called Trumps tariff threats deeply unfair. He said that Europe needs to become even stronger and more independent, while stressing there is no interest in escalating a trade war. You just have to note that we are on the edge of a new world order, where having power has unfortunately become crucial, and we see a United States with an enormous condescending rhetoric towards Europe, Marie Bjerre told Danish public broadcaster DK on Tuesday. Speaking on the sidelines of Davos, California Gov. Gavin Newsom slammed Europes response to Trumps tariff threats as pathetic and embarrassing, and urged European leaders to unite and stand up to the United States. It is time to get serious, and stop being complicit, Newsom told reporters. Its time to stand tall and firm, have a backbone. On Monday night, Greenlands European backers were looking at establishing a more permanent military presence in the High North to help guarantee security in the Arctic region, a key demand of the United States, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said. Jonson said that European members of NATO are currently doing whats called a reconnaissance tour in order to identify what kind of needs there are when it comes to infrastructure and exercises and so forth. What we take note of is that the United States has indeed pointed out that more attention needs to be brought into the High North and to the Arctic, Jonson told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels, after talks with his counterparts from Denmark, Greenland and Norway. Asked whether it might lead to a more permanent military presence, Jonson said they think this could be a way forward. European markets open sharply lower European markets opened sharply lower on Tuesday and U.S. futures fell further as tensions rose over Greenland. Benchmarks in Germany, France and Britain fell about 1%. The future for the S&P 500 lost 1.5% and the Dow future was down 1.4%. With U.S. trading closed Monday for a holiday, financial markets had a relatively muted response to Trumps threat to put a 10% extra tariff on exports from eight European countries that have opposed his push to exert control over Greenland. Jonas Golterman of Capital Economics described the situation as a lose-lose one for both the U.S. and the targets of Trumps anger. He said, It certainly fells like the kind of situation that could get worse before it gets better. US-UK tensions over Chagos Islands In another sign of tension between allies, the British government on Tuesday defended its decision to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after Trump attacked the plan, which his administration previously supported. Trump said that relinquishing the remote Indian Ocean archipelago, home to a strategically important American naval and bomber base, was an act of stupidity that shows why he needs to take over Greenland. In a speech to lawmakers at Britains Parliament on Tuesday, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said he hoped to calm the waters as Trump roils the trans-Atlantic relationship with his desire to take over Greenland. Johnson said the U.S. and the U.K. have always been able to work through our differences calmly, as friends. We will continue to do that. PARIS (AP) While Europe is pushing back publicly against U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland, the language appears softer behind the scenes. Trump published a text message on Tuesday that he received from French President Emmanuel Macron, confirmed as genuine by Macrons office. Starting with My friend, Macrons tone was more deferential than the criticism that France and some of its European partner nations are openly voicing against Trumps push to wrest Greenland from NATO ally Denmark. Before broaching the Greenland dispute, Macron opted in his message to first talk about other issues where he and Trump seem to be roughly on the same page. We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran, the French leader wrote in English. Then, he added: I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland, immediately followed by: Let us try to build great things. That was the only mention that Macron made of the semi-autonomous Danish territory that Trump covets in the two sections of message that Trump published. It wasnt immediately clear from Trumps post when he received the message. Trump breaks with tradition World leaders private messages to each other rarely make it verbatim into the public domain enabling them to project one face publicly and another to each other. But Trump as is his wont across multiple domains is casting traditions and diplomatic niceties to the wind and, in the process, lifting back the curtain on goings-on that usually arent seen. Trump also published a flattering message from Mark Rutte, secretary general of NATO, which the alliance also confirmed as authentic. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland, Rutte wrote. Cant wait to see you. Yours, Mark. Rutte has declined to speak publicly about Greenland despite growing concern about Trumps threats to acquire the island and what that would mean for the territorial integrity of NATO ally Denmark. Pressed last week about Trumps designs on Greenland and warnings from Denmark that any U.S. military action might mean the end of NATO, Rutte said: I can never comment on that. Thats impossible in public. Macrons relationship with Trump Macron likes to say that he can get Trump on the phone any time he wants. He proved it last September by making a show of calling up the president from a street in New York, to tell Trump that police officers were blocking him to let a VIP motorcade pass. Guess what? Im waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you! Macron said as cameras filmed the scene. Its a safe bet that Macron must know by now a year into Trumps second term in office that theres always a risk that a private message to Trump could be made public. Still, the difference between Macrons public and private personas in the message that Trump published was striking. Hosting Russia and Ukraine together Most remarkably, the French leader told Trump in his message that he would be willing to invite representatives from both Ukraine and Russia to a meeting later this week in Paris an idea that Macron has not voiced publicly. The Russians could be hosted in the margins, Macron suggested, hinting at the potential awkwardness of inviting Moscow representatives while France is also backing Ukraine with military and other support against Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion. Macron wrote that the meeting could also include the danish, the syrians and the G7 nations which include the United States. The French president added: let us have a dinner together in Paris together on thursday before you go back to the us. He then signed off simply with Emmanuel. In 2020, during the final stretch of Donald Trumps first term as U.S. president, Washington was already sounding the alarm about the fentanyl epidemic among its population and the phenomenons connection to Mexican cartels. At that time, the U.S. indicated that criminal organizations were manufacturing the synthetic opioid from precursors shipped from China and demanded stronger action from Mexico to contain the problem. The Mexican governments campaign against the drug began during Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors presidency, but the results were not immediately tangible as the number of overdose deaths in the United States multiplied, reaching almost 74,000 in 2022. It wasnt until 2024-2025, between Lopez Obradors departure and the first year of Claudia Sheinbaums presidency, that the government campaign intensified and managed to reverse the tragic trend. For the first time in years, the trafficking of fentanyl into the U.S., and overdose deaths related to the drug, have decreased. The UN had already highlighted this downward trend in mid-2025. The strategy and its results have a more or less clear explanation: Trumps return to the White House a year ago was accompanied by increased pressure on Mexico. The Republican magnate used the demand for greater security results from Mexico as leverage to soften the imposition of tariffs on exports from his southern neighbor. The agreement involved reinforcing the border between the two countries with military personnel, reducing irregular migrant crossings, and cracking down on drug trafficking, with an emphasis on fentanyl. The Sheinbaum administration launched Operation Northern Border, a strategy specifically aimed at combating criminal organizations linked to drug trafficking to the U.S., which has severely damaged the Sinaloa Cartel, the largest producer and importer of fentanyl to the north. One year after its implementation, the figures demonstrate that the strategy has yielded clear results in all areas covered by the negotiations, despite the criticism expressed this week by Washington regarding the gradual progress, which it deemed unacceptable. From October 2024 when Sheinbaum assumed the presidency to the present, Mexican security agencies have seized 1.8 tons of fentanyl, destroyed nearly 1,900 drug production labs, and captured almost 41,000 people allegedly linked to organized crime, including key leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). This is in addition to the unprecedented summary extraditions of major drug lords to the United States. According to official data obtained by EL PAIS, the Mexican army alone seized a third of all fentanyl confiscated in 2025 (559 kilos), a figure 65% higher than that seized in 2024 (340.7 kilos), the final year of Lopez Obradors six-year term. During the same period, the army also saw increases in seizures of methamphetamine (176%), marijuana (12%), heroin (82%), and opium gum (132%). These figures are complemented by seizures carried out by other agencies within the Security Cabinet. For example, in December 2024, a few months after Sheinbaum took office as president and a month before Trumps inauguration, the Mexican Navy seized 1.5 tons of fentanyl, the largest haul of that drug ever confiscated. The effect of the crackdown on fentanyl production in Mexico has resulted in a sharp drop in its trafficking into the United States. According to figures from the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, in 2025 excluding December 4.5 tons of fentanyl were seized at U.S. borders, 52% less than the previous year, when 9.5 tons were confiscated. This decline had been ongoing since 2023, the year in which 11.3 tons of the synthetic opioid were seized. Cocaine seizures also saw a 14% decrease: in 2025, CBP confiscated 29.4 tons, compared to 34.4 tons the previous year. There was, however, a 9% increase in methamphetamine seizures, rising from 72 tons in 2024 to 78.8 tons a year later. In the case of marijuana, 77 tons were confiscated in 2024, and 87 tons in 2025 (11% more). Fentanyl overdose deaths in the United States dropped dramatically starting in 2024, during the final months of Lopez Obradors presidency in Mexico and Joe Bidens term in the U.S. That year, there were 47,735 deaths from this cause, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This figure is 35% lower than in 2022, the worst year of the crisis since the beginning of the millennium, when there were 73,838 fentanyl-related deaths. This reduction in fatalities had not been seen since 2019. Irregular migration is another area where there was a positive balance in accordance with Trumps demands. As of November 2025, the last month for which official records are available, Mexico detained 4,305 migrants, 95% fewer than in 2024, when immigration authorities apprehended 96,563 people in an irregular situation, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior. It is true that the main reason fewer migrants are transiting through Mexico is due to the tightening of the policy against undocumented immigrants decreed by Trump, as this newspaper has extensively documented. However, CBP apprehension statistics at the border with Mexico confirm that fewer migrants are attempting to cross into the United States. In 2025, there were only 4,300 arrests by the Border Patrol, 88% fewer than in 2024, when 37,816 apprehensions were recorded, according to data from that agency. This reduction could be due to the deployment of 10,000 National Guard troops to the border ordered by Sheinbaum in February of last year with the aim of curbing the illegal entry of drugs and migrants. As a consequence of Mexicos fight against the cartels, the number of murders has also decreased. In 2025, there were 22,415 intentional homicides, a figure 27% lower than the previous year, when 30,063 homicides were recorded. This is the lowest figure in a decade. Many of the murders are linked to drug trafficking, and the decrease cannot be explained without the governments shift in approach to combating the cartels. Under Lopez Obrador, security forces were limited to patrolling and violence deterrence. Arguing that direct confrontations should be avoided to protect the civilian population the hugs, not bullets paradigm the cartels assumed they had free rein to commit crimes. Sheinbaum has implemented a fundamental qualitative shift: using force with precision strikes, investing heavily in investigation and intelligence, and in coordination among all security agencies, with Omar Garcia Harfuch, the presidents right-hand man in the fight against drug trafficking, at the helm. This has been accompanied by an intense campaign to communicate daily official operations involving drug seizures, dismantling of laboratories and weapons, and arrests of suspected criminals. Sheinbaum has cited official figures from both countries to argue that Mexico has fulfilled its part of the agreement, despite Washingtons disdain. The Mexican president believes that, in contrast, the United States has not done enough to contribute to solving shared problems. Sheinbaum has maintained that the U.S. government should dismantle the criminal networks that enable drug distribution in the country and implement preventative strategies to address the addiction crisis among its population, especially young people. Trump explains the problem of drug trafficking and addiction in the U.S. with the same argument he applies to other complex phenomena: that they come from abroad. With the reduction in migration and Mexicos ongoing crusade against fentanyl, there are few external factors left to blame. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The Urban League of Portlands annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day brunch has long been a space for remembrance. But much of the conversation Monday focused on the present and what responsibilities people carry now. Held at the Oregon Convention Center, the event brought together elected officials, community leaders and hundreds of attendees who used Kings legacy as a way to examine todays civil rights debates, from inequality and government power to who feels protected, heard and included in society. Nkenge Harmon Johnson, president and CEO of Urban League of Portland, spoke candidly about leading a civil rights organization in Portland, which she described as the least diverse major city in the country, a legacy shaped by economic pressures and structural racism. Progress, she said, does not simply arrive. We think change takes time, Harmon said. Change doesnt happen because time passes. It happens because we make it so. That sense of urgency carried through the event. Oregons junior senator, Democrat Jeff Merkley, said Kings call to make real the promises of democracy feels especially pressing today. He argued that democratic norms including government checks and balances are being undermined from within the federal government. Merkley accused President Donald Trump of fueling division by demonizing immigrants, people of color and other marginalized groups, and urged Oregonians to stand publicly with communities facing discrimination rather than remaining silent. Gov. Tina Kotek echoed that message, saying King challenged Americans to measure progress by outcomes, not intentions, and to dismantle systems that produce inequality. She said communities must be prepared to push back when the government abuses power something, she noted, Black and brown Oregonians have long experienced. Those themes resonated beyond the stage. Hosanna Yohannes, a 15-year-old Portland resident who attended the Urban Leagues youth programs, said Kings legacy feels immediate rather than historical. Dr. King fought for nonviolence, but he was also willing to fight against racism, Yohannes said. Oppression is still a big issue. Yohannes said he sees clear parallels between the civil rights era and the present, particularly in the ways people of color and immigrant communities are still fighting for fair treatment and to have their voices taken seriously. He said young people are paying attention to how power is used and preparing to engage. Were going to be voting in a couple years, he said. Every vote does matter. Yohannes said that he wants todays leaders and adults to be more authentic and forceful about what they believe in, criticizing what he sees as cautious, robotic leadership that fails to meet the moment. For others in attendance, the event served as both a reminder and a call to action. Marcus Langford, the associate vice provost of the Center for Learner Diversity and Inclusion at Oregon Health & Science University, said he left the event feeling motivated, encouraged by the call for collective action and personal responsibility. Rather than being overwhelmed by the scale of todays problems, Langford said, he was reminded that progress begins within ones own sphere of influence. Langford said Dr. Kings legacy is often softened over time, overlooking how directly he questioned or pushed back against systems of power and how central that confrontation was to driving change. We still have people who have to challenge systems just to be recognized and treated the way we all deserve, Langford said. A contemporary chateau, best known as a wedding and event venue on 68 acres in West Linn, is for sale at $5.65 million. The French-style mansion built in 2019 at 26480 S.W. Wilken Lane has 13,023 square feet of living space, including circular rooms in round towers. The turrets are topped with conical roofs that add verticality, a feature of Chateauesque revival architecture. Some of the rooms in the three-story mansion have French plaster walls and domed ceilings. Interior doors include those that are antiques from Morocco and Germany, said listing broker Kristen Kohnstamm of Cascade Hasson Sothebys International Realty. The foyer sets the opulent scene. The elevator is enclosed by a hoistway with arched windows. The entrance to the wine room, which displays 1,000 bottles, has stone walls and the grand stairs ascend past a wide half-moon-shaped glass wall to the second and third stories, leading to a rooftop balcony. Blending with antiques is newly crafted decorative metalwork, including wrought-iron balconies, stair railings and window grilles. Floors are French limestone, wood or carpet. The Chateauesque revival style, inspired by luxurious country homes during the French Renaissance in the 15th-17th centuries, became popular in the U.S. in the late 19th century, according to Washington states Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation. Kohnstamm said the contemporary chateau for sale strikes an artful balance between historical grandeur and modern convenience. The West Linn mansion, 19 miles from downtown Portland, is a wedding and event venue called Chateau de Harpe with a front courtyard, second-story terrace and bridal suite. Chateau de Harpe was awarded best estate venue in 2025 by Oregon Wedding Day magazine. More than 15 weddings are planned at the property in 2026. The gourmet kitchen has a commercial-grade refrigerator and freezer, La Cornue range with custom hood and a wood-fired pizza oven. The custom cabinets are topped with marble counters. There are two hammered copper sinks, two dishwashers and a walk-in butlers pantry. The property has a total of 12 bathrooms, 10 bedrooms and eight fireplaces. The main house has two primary suites. One has a sitting room with reclaimed ceiling beams, copper wall accents and an antique fireplace, along with a walk-in marble shower and domed rotunda with a clawfoot tub. A second primary suite has a double-sided fireplace and dual walk-in closets. A connected guest house has a separate entrance and includes four bedrooms along with a kitchen, formal dining room, library, family room, media room, sunroom and veranda. You can feel that this home was unmistakably a labor of love, born from a deep passion for European architecture, materials and finishes, and a desire to share that vision, said Kohnstamm. What makes the estate especially rare is its versatility. Kohnstamm told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the mansion would appeal to a buyer who sees their home as a work of art. The estates two residences are suited for multigenerational or extended family living, she added. The property, which Kohnstamm said has an approved event permit, could be a vineyard, working farm or remain an event venue. Outdoor spaces and landscapes with country views were designed to host weddings to corporate retreats. An oversized four-bay garage can be converted into an entertaining space that opens to the courtyard. An additional three-car attached garage provides parking and storage. If 2026 is the new 2016, as purported by social media, then it might be losing one of its strongest soldiers. Womens boutique Francescas, with its charm bracelet bar and boho-chic pseudo-limited stock of what might be considered millennial cringe nowadays, was once the height of 2010s fashion. It announced to Womens Wear Daily that it will be closing all its doors for good. There were no specifics regarding how long current stores would remain open. On its website, theres a 20% off everything sale with clearance listed as up to 80% off, but there is no mention of the impending closure. In fact, the website suggests it just released a new line for spring. There are two stores in the area, an Oregon store at the outlets in Woodburn and another in Vancouver, Washington. The chain, which was founded in Houston in 1999, has more than 450 stores and employs close to 3,500 people, according to its website. In 2020, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Francescas has stuck to its guns aesthetically since the height of its popularity in the 2010s. The brand is shuttering just as 2010s fashions see a possible resurgence. Videos of people bringing back 2016-era makeup, fashion and music -- and even posting photos of themselves now and then -- have been going viral on Instagram and Tiktok. The trend seems to be partly in celebration of the aesthetic, but also a commentary on how carefree the world felt in 2016, pre-pandemic and before recent political troubles. TikToks like this one and this one demonstrate the trend. @abcnews It's only two weeks into 2026, but social media users are already feeling nostalgic and throwing it back to 2016 in a flurry of trending posts. The "2026 is the new 2016" trend has many, including celebrities like John Legend and Reese Witherspoon, sharing photos from 10 years ago on Instagram and TikTok and highlighting everything from Snapchat filters and hit songs to the top fashion trends at the time. #2016 #news #abcnews original sound - ABC News - ABC News Its website still offers dresses that would have taken Tumblr by storm if paired with an ankle bootie and an infinity scarf, but in a size no larger than a US 10-12, even online. Data centers are proliferating across Oregon, consuming a growing share of the states energy, water and industrial land. Gov. Tina Kotek said Tuesday shes convening a workgroup to take a step back and gauge their impact on the states environment and energy supply. Oregonians have made their concerns about rising utility bills clear, Kotek said in Tuesdays announcement. As our state faces rapid growth of data facilities, we must have frank conversations about the challenges and opportunities ahead. The governor appointed seven members to her Data Center Advisory Committee, consisting mostly of climate and energy industry professionals. The panel plans to meet monthly beginning in February, studying data centers impact and making recommendations in six to eight months in time for lawmakers to consider the advice ahead of the 2027 legislative session. A good outcome is going to be a set of recommendations that are ready to act upon, said Michael Jung, an Oregon environmental policy executive who will co-chair the advisory committee. Oregon was among the earliest states to attract large data center installations, beginning when Google opened its first major server farm in The Dalles 20 years ago. Amazon, Apple, Meta and many other companies now have large data centers in communities from Hillsboro to Hermiston. The industry now consumes 11% of Oregons electricity, according to the Electric Power Research Institute. The nonprofit forecasts that within five years data centers may use a quarter of all the states power. That rapid growth has put the reliability of Oregons electrical grid in doubt, jeopardized the states clean energy goals and raised the prospect data centers may send utility rates spiraling upward. Some data centers also use huge volumes of water to keep their computers cool. In The Dalles, for example, Googles local water consumption has more than tripled in recent years and it uses a third of all the water in the city. U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz is pushing legislation that would transfer ownership of 150 acres of federal land to The Dalles to make more water available. When it comes to data centers everything is moving so fast that there are risks in just the race mentality that comes with it. I do believe that resources are finite, Jung said. However, he said smart policy can enable growth that doesnt strain Oregons resources. We may be able to turn some risks into opportunities, he said, and thats where Im particularly excited. Amazon, Google and Meta which operate Oregons largest data centers did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday on the governors task force. Data centers are not major employers the industry says it employs about 9,300 people statewide but even a few hundred jobs can provide a significant economic boost in small cities like Prineville, where Meta and Apple operate. Conspicuously absent from the data center workgroups agenda: Tax breaks, which have always been a chief reason data centers choose Oregon. The state has one of the most favorable tax climates for data centers anywhere, thanks to the absence of a state sales tax and local property tax exemption that will save the industry nearly $390 million this year more than $41,000 per job. Many states are far less generous. Washington, for example, doesnt allow property tax exemptions for data centers and doesnt allow the industry to collect sales tax exemptions in several counties. While data centers save far more in Oregon taxes than what they pay, their payments can be significant. In Morrow County, for example, Amazon pays more than $20 million a year in local taxes. Taxes arent explicitly part of the advisory committees agenda because, according to Jung, Oregon doesnt have tax breaks specifically for data centers. Instead, the industry is capitalizing on state tax policies that have been on the books since the 1980s. But Jung said the advisory committee will consider taxes as it examines data centers broader impact. You cant really have a good conversation about economic development or economic opportunity without talking about taxes, he said. However, Jung said the panel wont make any recommendations about Oregons tax policy. The workgroup wont take up how individual cities and counties are attracting and permitting data centers, either. Public officials say big tech companies play Oregon communities off one another to get the best tax deal. And in Morrow County, former public officials are facing civil charges from the state that allege they enriched themselves by improperly acquiring a fiber-optic provider that serves Amazons local data centers. Some of those officials also approved tax breaks or land deals for Amazon. We cant dive into every local jurisdiction, Jung said. Wed risk being able to see this at the (high) level the governor has asked us to. Data center advisory committee Co-chairs Margaret Hoffmann: Oregon representative on the Northwest Power and Conservation Council; energy policy advisor to former governors John Kitzhaber and Kate Brown; former U.S. Department of Agriculture rural development state director for Oregon. Michael Jung: Executive director of the ICF Climate Center, board member on the Oregon Environmental Council. Members Dan Dorran: Umatilla County commissioner. Greg Dotson: University of Oregon law professor, leads the Energy Law and Policy Project at the Natural Resources Law Center. Bill Edmonds: Adjunct professor in the University of Portlands School of Business. Tim Miller: Director, Oregon Business for Climate. Jean Wilson: former solar industry executive, now a partner at the energy investment firm Sandbrook Capital. Jody Wiser, of the watchdog group Tax Fairness Oregon, said she hopes that Kotek intends to address data center tax breaks directly rather than funnel that issue through the workgroup. Theyre costing communities and schools and giving that money to tech bros and their investors, Wiser said, noting that data centers are capitalizing on local incentives adopted decades ago for small manufacturers. Theyre getting property tax breaks that were never designed for them, she said. Oregon, like other states, is already taking some steps to rein in the industry or blunt its impact. Legislators passed a bill last year that aims to ensure data centers pay for new power plants and transmission lines that serve them. Texas lawmakers approved a bill in 2025 that kicks data centers off the electrical grid at peak times when power demand risks exceeding supply. In Arizona, Gov. Katie Hobbs just called on the Legislature to repeal data center tax breaks. A data center workgroup in Washington issued a draft report last month recommending steps to promote clean energy and charge data centers for the cost of adding more capacity to the grid to power them. Oregons advisory committee will look at what other states have learned, and what theyre doing, and use that to shape its recommendations, according to Jung. I think theres a lot to learn from how Washington state and other states have gone ahead of us, he said. Today his words saying as much are carved on the stone curb atop the grassy knoll where the Druid Order has gathered for the Autumn Equinox since the poets times.where Scoot it also makes me a brother to those wondrous things I behold and experience as the living world: butterflies and moths.He also tells us he learned to measure time by the whis I had no network because I didnt finish my degree at the Art InstituteI got married when I was twenty-one./ what are these hundred suits of clothes Im wearing? 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It had arms and legs, like a human being, but also horns, three horns, Liliane Silva recounted at the time. The three girls described a being with a heart-shaped face, large red eyes, three small horns on its forehead, and a shiny, brownish body. A few days later, a lawyer and ufologist from the city, Ubirajara Rodrigues, met with them to gather information; after listening to them, he assured them: You didnt see a demon or an ape, you saw an extraterrestrial, says Silva, now a teacher, in a recently released documentary. The story quickly became national news. Thus was born the ET of Varginha, named after the Steven Speilberg film E.T., the endearing being that in the 1980s had teenagers across the globe dreaming of having a friend from outer space. No other alien or UFO has achieved such prominence in the Brazilian popular imagination. The city of Varginha, in Minas Gerais, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the sighting with an international UFO conference. On the eve of the event, the Superior Military Court released its official investigation, which concluded that the story was fabricated. The incident that drew ufologists from around the world to this coffee-growing corner of Brazil remains inexhaustible. New testimonies, collected in documentaries such as O Misterio de Varginha (The Varginha Mystery), released by Globo for the anniversary, are fueling the legend. The spot in Varginha where the enigmatic creature was seen on January 20, 1996. Ayuntamiento de Varginha The Varginha ET case did not fade into oblivion, unlike many other accounts of alien encounters or UFO sightings investigated by the Brazilian Armed Forces and meticulously preserved by the National Archives. After a few months, the story gained traction thanks to anonymous military testimonies, their voices distorted, collected by ufologists. They claimed the alien was captured alive, taken to a hospital, then to the Tres Coracoes barracks in Peles hometown and from there to a secret university laboratory in Campinas for analysis. The story then grew more complex. It was no longer just an encounter with an extraterrestrial; the military was now accused of covering it up. One of the soldiers recounted that it barely had a nose, its eyes were very red, and its mouth was small. Several residents claimed to have seen a UFO fly over the area before landing. The Sergeants School of Arms, a nearby barracks, opened an official investigation into the rumors by then published as a book and to neutralize any damage to the armys image. The dictatorship had ended just over a decade earlier. Military investigators questioned the implicated soldiers, their superiors, firefighters, the ufologists who wrote the book one of them, Vitorio Pacaccini, is still active, maintaining the cover-up theory and reviewed the movements of all the barracks vehicles during those days. Nothing. The official army investigation two volumes, 600 pages concluded that the story was fictitious. The military personnel cited by the press did not participate in any operation transporting any type of cargo. The media are mistaken, publicizing untrue events, the military investigation concludes. And it proposes the following theory: that afternoon there was a spectacular storm; the sky darkened, as often happens during the summer in the tropics. It rained cats and dogs and there were even hailstones in the middle of summer. In the middle of the tempest, the teenagers misinterpreted what they saw. It was possibly Luis Antonio de Paula, known in Varginha as Mudinho (little mute), a resident with mental disabilities who crouched while walking around the city. The first page of the second volume of the investigation, with a picture of 'mudinho.' MINISTERIO DO EXERCITO The girls who witnessed the sighting deny the theory to this day. We had known Mudinho since we were children; he was always crouching low, says Valquiria Silva, another of the three witnesses, in the documentary. Without a doubt, it wasnt him, she states categorically. The city of Varginha embraced the alien story. Located 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Rio, it has 135,000 inhabitants and until then was known as a major coffee-producing center. The extraterrestrial proved to be an excellent tourist attraction. City Hall disguised a central water tower as a flying saucer. They erected several statues in its honor and even opened an ET Memorial, which will host the ufology congress next weekend. Extraterrestrial souvenirs are sold everywhere. The star testimony in the aforementioned Globo documentary comes from a neurologist, Italo Venturelli. He recounts that he was in the hospital when a colleague asked him to examine a strange creature that had just undergone surgery. It was like a child, neither green nor brown, as they said. What I saw was white, with a teardrop-shaped skull and lilac eyes. I looked at it, it looked at me, it looked out the window and back at me, says this doctor, who explains that he kept quiet for 30 years for fear of being considered insane. But, he says, a serious illness that nearly killed him finally compelled him to reveal his secret. It was completely different from a human. It was very calm, it seemed like an angel. A water tower shaped like a flying saucer in Varginha. Ayuntamiento de Varginha The City Council reports that it has never officially commented on the military investigation into the case. However, the current mayor, Leonardo Ciacci, appears in the documentary and fuels the suspicions. He recounts that in 1996 he was the manager of the local bakery and reveals that, on that very day, the hospital where the ET was allegedly taken refused to accept the daily bread delivery. The thousands of documents on UFOs are among the most-consulted in Brazils National Archives. Perhaps for this reason, the Superior Military Court points out that the complete official investigation into the Varginha ET incident is fully digitized and available to any internet user. It also notes that it is the oldest court in Brazil established in 1808 with the arrival of the Portuguese royal family and that it houses an archive of 26 million pages of Armed Forces documents. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Popular womens clothing retailer Francescas is preparing to close all of its remaining stores. Womens Wear Daily reports that Francescas company representatives confirmed that after 25 years the chain is liquidating inventory and closing soon, according to Fox Business. The womens boutique stores sell clothing, jewelry, accessories and gifts. In central Pennsylvania, the chains stores operate at the Tanger Outlets in Derry Township, Capital City Mall in Lower Allen Township and York Galleria in York County. Liquidation sales are reportedly underway at some stores. Fox Business reports indicate industry sources said many employees were abruptly let go with no notice. One vendor told Womens Wear Daily that Francescas owes them about $250 million in unpaid invoices and that there has been no correspondence whatsoever from corporate to any of the vendors. Francescas has not publicly announced it is closing. It operates about 457 stores in 45 states, according to its website. This comes after the chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2020 and announced it was closing 230 stores. People magazine reports that in January 2021 the company had sold substantially all of its assets to TerraMar Capitals affiliate Francescas Acquisition LLC, a private company that would operate outside of the bankruptcy process. A former South Middleton School District bus driver was sentenced to two to four years in state prison Tuesday for trying to pursue sex acts with one of his student passengers. Brennan Meeks, now 31, formerly of the 1300 block of North Pitt Street, Carlisle, pleaded no contest in July to a felony count of unlawful contact with minors. Because hes already served eight months on the charges, Meeks could become eligible for parole by May 2027. But he will also have to go on Pennsylvanias sex offender registry for 25 years. According to police reports, Meeks, an employee of Rohrer Bus who transported students to and from Boiling Springs High School, began texting two girls on his bus, ages 14 and 15, at the beginning of October 2023. The teens eventually started meeting him at a gas station where he bought them nicotine vapes, state police said. As the relationship evolved, Meeks once kissed the 15-year-old on the forehead during those meetings, showed her a completely nude photo of himself, and showed her a photo of him with a gun. Meeks then sent the 15-year-old girl explicit text messages discussing oral sex, sex toys and masturbation, according to state police. Meeks also talked to the teenager about sending him nude images of herself. Under state law, anyone under age 16 is considered too young to give consent to any sexual activity. Meeks was 28 years old at the time, and lived in Carlisle. He now lists his address as Baltimore, Md. When South Middleton School District became aware of the allegations - about two weeks after the texting started - it immediately informed Meeks and suspended him from his driving duties. Meeks then called the investigating trooper at PSPs Carlisle station and claimed someone might have hacked his phone. Meeks didnt show for an in-person interview the next day, police said, but he was ultimately arrested in Baltimore County. At Tuesdays sentencing, Meeks who at one point last month expressed interest in withdrawing his guilty plea confirmed to Cumberland County Judge Christylee Peck he was willing to proceed with sentencing. He then apologized to his teen victim and her family, as well as his own family. Meeks described himself Tuesday as a people person who admittedly got carried away, but who never intended to hurt anyone. As part of the negotiated plea deal, county prosecutors dropped several more serious counts, including the crime of soliciting sex from a person under age 16. If convicted of that charge, Meeks could have faced a minimum jail term in excess of four years. The Dauphin County man who opened fire on cops and motorists at a busy Harrisburg intersection in 2024 pleaded guilty on the eve of his trial. Jacob Bruce Bucher III waited until Dauphin County was getting ready to impanel a jury against him to admit he tried killing a Harrisburg cop and endangered several other during a firefight at the intersection of Cameron and Maclay Streets on March 13, 2024. He was originally scheduled to go to trial next Monday, Jan. 26. Instead, Bucher pleaded guilty Monday to attempted homicide, aggravated assault, assault of a law enforcement officer, firearms charges, drug possession charges, all felonies, before Dauphin County Judge Scott A. Evans. He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless endangerment. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 6 before Judge Katy Kennedy-McShane under an agreement of 16 to 32 years in state prison with prosecutors. Bucher was wanted in connection with an earlier shooting on March 13 when Corporal Jeremy Crist of Harrisburg police pulled him over at around noon at the bustling intersection. Bucher stepped out of the van and began to walk away, and when police told him to stop, Bucher continued to walk away. He then pulled out an Iver Johnson five-shot revolver and fired multiple shots at police, according to court records justifying criminal charges against Bucher. Crist then fired back. Multiple bystanders, including a panhandler, fled for cover and swerved their vehicles as bullets were exchanged. Around a dozen shots were fired in all, police said, including one that hit Bucher in the torso. After Bucher lowered his gun and tossed it into the street, police used a stun gun to detain him. Police wrote in charging documents he had resisted arrest at that point. He was later discharged from the hospital into police custody. Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo determined Crist had not committed a crime in returning fire on Bucher. Pennsylvania law allows police to use deadly force to overcome deadly force being used against them. Bucher had a criminal history across multiple Pennsylvania counties, including charges involving resisting arrest and fleeing officers. In 2016, he was arrested in Harrisburg by a state trooper at a vigil held for the victims of a mass shooting in Florida. He was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and drug possession. He was arrested in 2018 and charged with criminal mischief, simple assault, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness after he threw objects toward police officers in the lobby of a Cumberland County motel. Also in 2018, Bucher was arrested in Centre County for trying to fight with police officers in the lobby of a hotel after being involved in a domestic dispute. In the 1980s, American cartoonist Gary Larson published a humorous cartoon that became a classic: Cow Tools. It depicts a cow next to some tools that are difficult to identify but appear to be useless. No one understood the joke, to the point that the author had to issue a statement to explain himself. The joke, he said, stemmed from the idea that if cows made tools, they would be ineffective and absurd. This image reflected the cultural perception of cattle that has existed for decades: that they are intellectually limited animals. However, what seemed absurd and impossible has just been documented in real life, specifically in Carinthia, a region in southern Austria. A domestic cow named Veronika demonstrated that she can use a tool flexibly, an action never before seen in cattle. She learned the technique, described by experts as fascinating, on her own. Her tools: a stick or a broom, which she uses to scratch various parts of her body. The study, published Monday in the journal Current Biology, expands the small group of animals capable of using a tool for multiple purposes. In Veronikas case, the changes in her grip indicate that it is an anticipatory action, a use seen only in primates and corvids. Her story has been documented by biologists Antonio J. Osuna-Mascaro and Alice M.I. Auersperg. These researchers from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna placed a broom with two different ends in front of Veronika: one with stiff bristles and the other smooth. Over seven sessions of 10 experimental trials, Veronika used the broom 76 times to scratch herself. With her mouth and tongue, she lifted the broom, carefully adjusted it, and held it firmly between her teeth to achieve precise control over which end to use. Osuna-Mascaro states that what Veronika can do is the only consistent case that is, not based on anecdote that has been seen in cattle. The right surface Veronika adapted the use of each end depending on the area of the body. For areas with thicker skin, like the back, she used the brush with firm scrubbing motions. However, when it came to delicate areas like the udder or the folds of the belly, she changed her approach. She reserved the seemingly non-functional end of the handle for particularly sensitive areas and applied a much gentler technique. Veronikas behavior involved anticipatory adjustments to her grip, changes in technique, and coordination between body and tool. These traits, until now, were associated exclusively with primates and some highly intelligent birds, such as crows. At first, we thought using the stick was a mistake, Osuna-Mascaro admits. But we began to see a pattern. Veronika was adapting the tool to the function. What seemed non-functional, she had made functional. Veronika uses a tool to scratch herself while resting. While chimpanzees use tools to interact with external objects (an allocentric use), Veronika directs the tool toward her own body (an egocentric use). Egocentric use is simpler, Osuna-Mascaro emphasizes. Children, for example, learn to comb their hair before they learn to use objects to interact with their environment. The Goffin Lab, directed by Auersperg, frequently receives videos sent by people who believe they have observed animals using tools. Most are not genuine. Nowadays, with artificial intelligence, fake videos abound, warns Osuna-Mascaro. But the video of 13-year-old Veronika was different. Suspecting it might be a genuine case, the team immediately traveled to the rural Austrian area where Veronika lives and met her owner, Witgar Wiegele, a traditional baker. There, they confirmed that this cow, his pet, used sticks and had started doing so at the age of four. She hadnt been trained and was perfectly capable of scratching herself. And this is because Veronika is subjected to constant pressure from horseflies during the summer. They are always biting her, always bothering her, and she absolutely hates them, explains the biologist. An exceptional case? According to Osuna-Mascaro, this is not an isolated case. There is no scientific literature on cattle using tools, but there are videos on social media of cows and bulls using sticks or branches to scratch themselves, he says. Some of these cases even involve bulls from different lineages, domesticated independently in Asia and Europe thousands of years ago. This indicates, according to the researcher, that the ability could have been present since the time of the aurochs, the wild ancestors of cattle, the same animals that appear in cave paintings. Christian Nawroth, a scientist at the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology in Dummerstorf, Germany, says that Osuna-Mascaro and Auerspergs work comes at a time when more and more cases of tool use in the animal kingdom are being documented. The fact that we are still surprised that farm animals exhibit such skills says a lot about our perceptions of these species as well as about animal behavior, he argues. Because it involves only one subject, he cautions, we lack the data to make broader claims. Even so, he describes the finding as fascinating. For Xavier Manteca, professor in the Department of Animal Science at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, the main contribution is how this cow uses the object flexibly. This expert in ethology considers it unlikely that Veronika is an exception. In his opinion, these types of discoveries usually follow a pattern. A major bias Osuna-Mascaro criticizes the fact that we know more about the cognition of exotic animals from remote islands than about the cows that live among us. The reason, he says, is a major bias that has persisted for years. When we look at them, we dont see individuals with undiscovered abilities. We see objects of exploitation. Veronika transformed with an action that demonstrates intelligence and adaptability what Larson imagined as a clumsy and confused cow. Larsons caricature had three problems, Osuna-Mascaro states. The first was thinking his joke was funny. The second was assuming that a cows tools would be so simple and so ridiculous to us that we wouldnt even recognize them as tools. And the third mistake Larson made, the Spanish biologist asserts, was assuming that it would be absurd for a cow to be able to use tools. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Police are seeking the publics help in locating a vending machine thief theyve dubbed the Munchie Masher. Middlesex Township police said the man entered Quality Inn Carlisle at about 1:35 a.m. Monday and, using a hammer, launched a full frontal assault on the machine in question to try to get at the cash inside. The incident, identified as happening in a second-floor lobby area, was caught very clearly on camera, which, for investigators, is a good start. The motel is located in the 1800 block of Harrisburg Pike, Carlisle. Anyone who may have information as to the identity of this suspect is asked to call the Middlesex police at 717-249-7191. A New Jersey flight instructor who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection to a fatal plane crash near Allentown now says his negligence did not contribute to the crash. Philip Everton McPherson was giving a flight lesson to Easton resident Keith Kozel in September 2022 when the plane crashed in a residential backyard in Salisbury Township, about a mile from Queen City Airport in Allentown. McPherson says he was pressured into taking the plea deal in connection with the crash, according to a motion to withdraw his plea, filed Friday by his new attorney Joseph D. Mancano of Wayne. The motion says McPhersons previous attorney, Angelo L. Cameron of Philadelphia, failed to pursue a defense that the plane crashed due to engine failure, not pilot error. According to the motion, another pilot abandoned a takeoff of the same plane four days earlier because it failed to accelerate properly. Prosecutors have said McPherson should have known better than to take off in a plane with a sputtering engine and said he flew away from an open field that would have offered him a better opportunity for an emergency landing. A spokeswoman from the U.S. Attorneys office didnt comment Tuesday on McPhersons motion. McPherson also wants to withdraw his pleas to charges that he gave more than 40 flight lessons without proper certification. The motion says McPherson knew he wasnt allowed to fly with passengers but didnt know he was barred from giving flight lessons. The motion says his previous attorney wasnt available to discuss the plea deal with him and he only had a brief recess during the plea hearing to review the document. Attorney Cameron didnt respond to a message seeking comment. McPherson faces a maximum of 153 years in prison, although its unclear what his guideline sentencing recommendation will be. McPherson pleaded guilty in October to 43 of the 44 charges he faced. McPherson, of Haddon Township, Camden County, crashed planes twice and lost his pilot certification in the nine months leading up to the crash that killed Kozel, 49. McPherson surrendered his certificate and never bothered to re-test, records say. After that, he continued to provide more than 40 flight lessons to student pilots. McPherson has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, obstruction of an administrative proceeding, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, criminal conspiracy and serving as an airman without a certificate. The owner of a Proflight Aero flight school, Nouman Saleem of Palmer Township, admitted in May he allowed McPherson to keep teaching student pilots even though he was unlicensed and a safety risk. Saleem pleaded guilty to obstruction of an administrative proceeding, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and criminal conspiracy. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced in March. Break out the No. 2 pencils, kids. Cursive handwriting, long mourned as a lost art, is coming back to New Jersey schools thanks to one of Gov. Phil Murphys final acts. A state law signed Monday mandates cursive instruction in grades 3 to 5 beginning this fall. Public schools must teach students how to write cursive legibly and become fluent in reading it. Murphy, whose second and final term ends Tuesday, signed the law just days after banning cellphones during classroom instruction. Now schools will reintroduce what some call a relic from a time when TikTok was just the sound that clocks make. The return to including cursive instruction is especially meaningful as New Jersey celebrates the upcoming 250th anniversary of our countrys founding giving our students the skills they need to read our nations founding documents and complete tasks like opening a bank account or signing a check, in addition to offering cognitive benefits, Murphy said after signing the bill (S183), which the state Legislature overwhelmingly approved last week. We owe it to our students to give them a well-rounded education that ensures they have the tools to fully understand our rich history and become competent leaders, the Democratic governor added. State Sen. Shirley Turner, D-Mercer, a longtime advocate in the fight to revive cursive instruction, agreed. Cursive is a timeless and necessary skill that we must incorporate into our curriculum again, Turner said. The decline of cursive has been bemoaned for generations, and artful As and fanciful Fs seemed to be on life support after handwriting instruction became optional about 15 years ago in New Jersey. Some schools still teach cursive, a life skill some parents consider less essential in the digital age. But any hope to mandate it statewide seemed lost as recently as 2024, when educators told NJ Advance Media theyre thankful when students can simply muster legible printing by hand. Yet students should know how to sign their name on a legal document and be able to read historical artifacts, or, at the very least, cards from their grandmother, cursive supporters say. Learning handwriting can also unlock creativity and improve brain function, they argue. Some school leaders pushed back against making cursive mandatory again. Decisions about teaching cursive should be made locally, the New Jersey School Boards Association and other education advocacy groups told state lawmakers last year in testimony. New Jersey schools are already required to incorporate lessons in civics, climate change, financial literacy and other topics over the past few years, leaving little time for yet another initiative, according to those school groups. But making room for cursive will be in the best interest of students, according to supporters. We are giving them a valuable skill they will use throughout their lives, said state Sen. Angela McKnight, D-Hudson, a sponsor of the bill signed into law. Republican leaders in Pennsylvanias 193rd state House district have chosen Catherine Wallen as the GOP candidate for the March 17 special election to replace former state Rep. Torren Ecker. Wallen a farmer and former staffer for Ecker said in a Tuesday announcement that she had received overwhelming support for her bid from the Republican committee members in the district, which encompasses northern Adams and southwestern Cumberland counties. PA 193rd House District candidate Catherine Wallen (photo courtesy of candidate's campaign) Submitted I understand the challenges facing working families, farmers, seniors, and small businesses because I have lived them, Wallen said in her announcement. I am running for State Representative to bring common-sense leadership to Harrisburg, protect local values, and ensure the voices of Adams and Cumberland County families are heard and represented. Ecker was one of four state representatives to step down at the end of last year in order assume a different office, having won a judgeship on the Adams County Court of Common Pleas. The March 17 special election will select who will fill the remainder of Eckers term. Primaries are not held for such elections, with local party committees selecting the candidates. Democrats have announced a Jan. 24 committee meeting to select their candidate. Wallen will be running at an advantage regardless, given the heavy Republican lean of the district. Wallen was born and raised in Adams County, according to her campaign biography, and is the owner and operator of Orchard Views LLC, a small farm in York Springs. For the past eight years, she served as the director of Eckers district office, managing constituent services, grant applications, and other functions. Pennsylvania House of Representatives seats are two-year terms, meaning that Wallen will need to run again in November of 2026 if she wishes to serve beyond this year. By JENNY BARCHFIELD and COLLEEN BARRY, The Associated Press MILAN (AP) Valentino Garavani, the jet-set Italian designer whose high-glamour gowns often in his trademark shade of Valentino red were fashion show staples for nearly half a century, died Monday. He was 93. Valentino Garavani was not only a constant guide and inspiration for all of us, but a true source of light, creativity and vision, the foundation founded by Valentino and his partner Giancarlo Giammetti said in a statement posted on social media. The foundation said he died at his Rome residence but did not mention the cause. Universally known by his first name, Valentino was adored by generations of royals, first ladies and movie stars, from Jackie Kennedy Onassis to Julia Roberts and Queen Rania of Jordan, who swore the designer always made them look and feel their best. I know what women want, he once remarked. They want to be beautiful. Fashion designer Valentino Garavani, here in 2009, has died. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, file) Alessandra Tarantino Though Italian-born and despite maintaining his atelier in Rome, he mostly unveiled his collections in Paris, and spoke French with his Italian partner Giammetti, an entrepreneur. Alessandro Michele, the current creative director of the Valentino fashion house, wrote in Instagram that he continues to feel Valentinos gaze as he works on the next collection, which will be presented March 12 in Rome, departing from the usual venue of Paris. Michele remembered Valentino as a man who expanded the limits of the possible and possessing a rare delicacy, with a silent rigor and a limitless love for beauty. Another of Valentinos successors, Pierpaolo Piccoli, placed a broken heart emoji under the announcement of his death. Former supermodel Cindy Crawford wrote that she was heartbroken, and called Valentino a true master of his craft. Condolences also came in from the family of the late designer Giorgio Armani, who died in September at the age of 91, and Donatella Versace, who posted two photos of Valentino, saying he will forever be remembered for his art. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni remembered Valentino as an indisputable maestro of eternal style and elegance of Italian high fashion. Never one for edginess or statement dressing, Valentino made precious few fashion faux pas throughout his nearly half-century career, which stretched from his early days in Rome in the 1960s through to his retirement in 2008. His fail-safe designs made Valentino the king of the red carpet, the go-to man for A-listers awards ceremony needs. His sumptuous gowns have graced countless Academy Awards, notably in 2001, when Roberts wore a vintage black and white column to accept her best actress statue. Cate Blanchett also wore Valentino a one-shouldered number in butter-yellow silk when she won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 2005. Valentino was also behind the long-sleeved lace dress Jacqueline Kennedy wore for her wedding to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in 1968. Kennedy and Valentino were close friends for decades, and for a spell the one-time U.S. first lady wore almost exclusively Valentino. He was also close to Diana, Princess of Wales, who often donned his sumptuous gowns. Beyond his signature orange-tinged shade of red, other Valentino trademarks included bows, ruffles, lace and embroidery; in short, feminine, flirty embellishments that added to the dresses beauty and hence to that of the wearers. Valentino and his longtime partner Giammetti flitted among their homes which also included places in New York, London, Rome, Capri and Gstaad, Switzerland traveling with their pack of pugs. The pair regularly received A-list friends and patrons, including Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. When I see somebody and unfortunately shes relaxed and running around in jogging trousers and without any makeup ... I feel very sorry, the designer told RTL television in a 2007 interview. For me, woman is like a beautiful, beautiful flower bouquet. She has always to be sensational, always to please, always to be perfect, always to please the husband, the lover, everybody. Because we are born to show ourselves always at our best. Valentino was born into a well-off family in the northern Italian town of Voghera on May 11, 1932. He said it was his childhood love of cinema that set him down the fashion path. I was crazy for silver screen, I was crazy for beauty, to see all those movie stars being sensation, well dressed, being always perfect, he explained in the 2007 television interview. After studying fashion in Milan and Paris, he spent much of the 1950s working for established Paris-based designer Jean Desses and later Guy Laroche before striking out on his own. He founded the house of Valentino on Romes Via Condotti in 1959. A public viewing will be held at the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation on Wednesday and Thursday, and a funeral will be held Friday in the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in central Rome. As enjoyable as working with pets can be, believe it or not, its a challenging business to navigate. It seems as though pet retailer J.L.E.T realized this fact as well, as the company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. J.L.E.T. Enterprises, LLC, a North Port, [Florida]-based pet specialty retailer and grooming service provider, filed for chapter 11 protection on January 15, 2026, in the Middle District of Florida. The company, which operated as a franchisee of the Three Dog Bakery brand, filed under Subchapter V of the bankruptcy code, RK Consultants reported. The pet retailer, founded in 2016 by Jospeh and Lynette Naughton, which operated retail spaces in Naples and Sarasota, Florida, has served the community for a decade. The filing comes after a protracted legal dispute with franchiser Three Dog Bakery, LLC, which terminated the pet retailers franchise agreement in May 2025, per documents filed on PacerMonitor. J.L.E.T. Enterprises faced litigation in the Western District of Missouri involving allegations of trademark infringement and breach of non-compete provisions after attempting to transition to independent operations, per RK Consultants. As a result, the company plans to use the restructuring process address the legal liabilities and tackle the sizable debt to landlords and legal counsel. The global pet shops market size is estimated at $5.86 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow steadily to $6.16 billion in 2026, reaching nearly $6.48 billion in 2027, according to Global Growth Insights. But as mentioned before, the pet store business has turned into a demanding niche, according to TheStreet. Battles for market share are always difficult for smaller retailers, which generally operate with less financial flexibility than their larger peers on multiple fronts, Charlie OShea, Moodys lead retail analyst and author of the report, shared in a statement to Retail Dive. If they engage in the promotional battle, margins will suffer; avoid the promotions, and you risk losing revenue, market share and customer loyalty. Not to mention the hard-hitting competition that makes overcoming challenges even more difficult. Between nationwide chains and boutique breeders and shops, retailers who sell pets must find a way to differentiate themselves from other stores locally and online. Its the only way they will survive in a highly competitive market, United Commercial Financial Services, which provides funding for businesses, shared. J.L.E.T. Enterprises offerings include fresh-baked dog treats, celebration cakes, and professional grooming services. The companys main operational footprint is at The Shoppes at University Town Center in Sarasota, where the store maintained a boutique retail presence specializing in premium pet food and accessories, per RK Consultants. A troubled distillery will enter a court-supervised bidding process that will take course over the next few weeks. The distillery filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year, and reportedly owes more than $34.5 million to creditors. The Lexington Herald Leader reports how Luca Mariano Distillery along with parent company LMD Holdings had just opened up its brand new craft distillery in Danville, Kentucky, when it filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of Michigan in July. The Herald explains that the companys owner, Francesco Viola, lives in Michigan. The company was then accused of using this bankruptcy to delay the sale of its distillery, according to the Herald. The sale was ordered by a U.S. Bankruptcy judge on Jan. 14, and its assets include real estate; roughly 6,000 barrels of bourbon; and the distillery itself. The Spirit Business states that those looking to place a bid in this court-supervised sale have until Feb. 27 at 4 p.m. (ET) to do so. A private auction will also be held on March 2 in Southfield, Michigan, should multiple qualified bids come in. A final hearing will occur on March 10, The Spirit Business adds. We filed to maximize the value of the assets for all stakeholders, said Viola via statement in July. Luca Mariano Distillery and LMD Holdings have a successful business model, have weathered the prior economic challenges in our industry, and are poised to emerge successfully, ideally with the support of its employees, customers, community and creditors. By MUHAMMAD FAROOQ and ADIL JAWAD, The Associated Press KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) The death toll from a massive fire at a shopping plaza in Karachi rose to 23 on Monday as rescuers recovered more bodies from the badly damaged building, police said. Dozens remain missing. Firefighters extinguished the blaze at the multistory plaza late Sunday, nearly 24 hours after it erupted, allowing rescue teams to enter the building. Authorities fear the death toll will rise as they look for 46 more people, according to city police chief Asad Raza. Rescue workers and firefighters work with heavy machinery to search through the rubble of a burnt building of a multistory shopping plaza following a massive fire in Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammad Farooq) AP Raza told The Associated Press on Monday that only six bodies have been identified so far. The rest will need DNA testing as the bodies were beyond recognition, police surgeon, Dr. Summaiya Syed, said. She said that doctors were collecting DNA samples from the relatives of the missing individuals. According to local media, at least 26 people died in the blaze. Earlier, Sindh provincial Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah told a news conference in Karachi that rescue teams were searching for survivors and the dead. He said those killed in the fire included a firefighter and that the government would provide 10 million rupees ($36,000) in compensation to the family of each person killed. As night fell, rescuers continued to struggle to reach parts of the severely damaged building where some people were believed to be trapped after losing contact with their families the previous day. City Mayor Murtaza Wahab said the rescue operation would continue until all missing persons had been accounted for. The fire spread quickly through shops storing cosmetics, garments and plastic goods, said Dr. Abid Jalal Sheikh, Karachis chief rescue officer. Some of the relatives of the missing waited outside the burned-out plaza Monday, hoping for news. Firefighters search through the rubble of a burnt building of a multistory shopping plaza following a massive fire in Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ali Raza) AP Qaiser Ali said his wife, daughter-in-law and sister went shopping for an upcoming wedding event on Saturday and were inside the building when the fire broke out. He said he had spoken to all three by mobile phone on Sunday, but then they went silent. I dont know what has happened to them or whether they are alive, Ali told the AP. We are praying that all those missing come out safely, he said, as he continued trying to contact his missing family members. Family members of missing persons comfort each other as they wait near the site of a burnt building of a multistory shopping plaza following a massive fire in Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ali Raza) AP Another man, Saifur Rehman, said he was inside the building when the fire broke. He said he managed to escape, but his brother Mohammad Abrar, who owns a shop in the plaza, was left behind. Rehman said he feared for his brothers safety. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Police said an investigation was underway. By ROD McGUIRK, The Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) A man and boy were critically injured and another boy had his surfboard bitten during three separate shark attacks in Sydney in just over 24 hours, police said on Monday. A surfer in his 20s was bitten on a leg by a shark off North Steyne Beach on the Pacific Ocean coast in the northern suburb of Manly at 6:20 p.m. local time Monday, a police statement said. Bystanders pulled him from the water before an ambulance took him to a hospital in a critical condition, police said. On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy suffered serious injuries to both legs after jumping from a six-meter (20-foot) high ledge known as Jump Rock, near Shark Beach inside Sydney Harbor in the eastern suburb of Vaucluse. Police have credited the boys three friends with saving his life by jumping from the cliff during the attack and dragging him back to shore. The actions of his mates who have gone into the water to pull him out have been nothing but brave, Supt. Joseph McNulty told reporters. News media have reported that the boy lost both legs in the attack. Around noon on Monday, an 11-year-old boy was on a surfboard that was attacked by a shark at Dee Why Beach, an ocean beach north of Manly. The shark bit off a chunk of the board, but the boy escaped uninjured. Local authorities said Sydneys northern beaches, including North Steyne and Dee Why, would remain closed until further notice. All three beaches near where the attacks occurred have some form of shark protection netting. It was not immediately clear where the attacks occurred in relation to that netting. Authorities suspect bull sharks are responsible for at least the first two attacks. Police had warned after the first attack that recent heavy rain over Sydney had increased the amount of fresh and murky water inside the harbor, heightening the bull shark danger. A man is dead after an accident involving an industrial dough mixer. According to NBC6 in South Florida, the North Miami Beach Police Department responded to the scene Jan. 17 at South Florida Kosher Market on Northeast 163rd Street. The victim, 71-year-old pastry chef Mordehay Grunberger, was identified on Monday. The incident is being investigated but there are no signs of foul play. Today, my beloved husband Miki, my closest person in my life my best friend, and father of my two beautiful sons, tragically passed away! I lost myself. I love him so much. Hes the love of my life, his wife Inna Gastman Maor wrote on Facebook. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was also investigating at the scene. In a statement to a Jewish news outlet, Yitzie Spalter, who owns the market, described the loss as devastating. To our community, we suffered an unimaginable tragedy with the shocking death of our beloved baker, Mordechai Miki Grunberger, he said on Friday. Our store is open, but the bakery will not be at regular capacity today. Thank you for understanding while we process this tragedy. Ciudad Juarez with few migrants left, its industrial base being restructured, and its efforts focused on curbing kidnappings shows its resilience in the face of the US presidents instability Yoselin Lopez arrived in Ciudad Juarez on a bad day. On January 20, 2025, this young Honduran woman, holding her two-year-old son Mateos hand and seven months pregnant, set foot on this border. Three days later, she had her appointment to request asylum in the United States. They had left Tegucigalpa and arrived frozen to the bone on the train that crosses Mexico, known to all as La Bestia (The Beast). They were greeted by a city with sub-zero temperatures, holding its breath. At midday, the shock hit. In the first minutes of his return to the White House, Donald Trump canceled the asylum application platform and initiated what everyone already knew he wanted: a United States without migrants. A year later, Mateo runs around in a dinosaur-themed jacket at the entrance of the cathedral, Santiago stares wide-eyed from his mothers arms, and Yoselin, now only 23, waits for a humanitarian flight to repatriate them to Tegucigalpa. That may be saying a lot, but the worst is over. The border is not a strip of land. It looks like a shared brain, a moldable matter torn by a metal wall. One single territory split in two; both sides coil and squeeze each other. The initial blow landed here. Donald Trump was signing his first set of presidential measures in Washington, and Colombian migrant Margelis Tinoco collapsed at the entrance to the border bridge that connects Juarez with El Paso, watching her future shatter into pieces. The Republican president made threats from his new throne tariffs, the elimination of birthrights, military interventions and mass deportations and in Juarez, migrants, business owners, and government officials trembled. It was understood quickly on the border: the world had changed. Joselyn Lopez with her two sons Santiago and Mateo, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Ciudad Juarez, on January 15. Nayeli Cruz A year later, now that fear has subsided, the feeling is different: a lot has happened, but it could have been worse. You realize that the border adapts, that the effects will be seen more in the long term. The political battle is now between Washington and Mexico City; Juarez is left adrift, wondering what might happen between them, notes Rodolfo Rubio, a researcher in population and migration at the Colegio de Chihuahua. In this way, the expert believes, this city of almost a million inhabitants, which has weathered every economic and security crisis, demonstrates its resilience. The industrial fabric has been reconfigured, deportees have not arrived, migrants have moved on, and efforts are focused on containing kidnappings and murders. In short, the border has held its ground against Trump in his return to the White House. Neither deportees nor migrants It is night on the El Paso Norte border bridge. Amid the lights, a man walks slowly, wearing a gray sweatshirt and jeans. He stops in front of a camera and raises a document. He is Alfonso, a 46-year-old Mexican from Zacatecas, although he has no family there or anywhere else in Mexico, the country where he was born and which he left three decades ago. He must show his deportation papers. He was detained in El Paso, where he has lived and worked all this time. He was feeling unwell and called U.S. emergency services, but instead of sending an ambulance, they sent the police. This type of operation, explains Enrique Serrano, head of the State Population Council of Chihuahua, has begun to appear in recent weeks in El Paso. Raids are happening where they didnt before, he notes. Alfonso will stay in Juarez, with a goal he makes no secret of: he wants to return as soon as he can to the place where he built his life over the past 30 years. The figures from the Migration Policy Unit, which depends on the federal Ministry of the Interior, do not lie: in 2025, the lowest number of Mexicans in the past decade has been deported. The total is 144,000 62,000 fewer than the previous year and almost half the number in 2022. Trumps announced mass deportations, so far, have not yet happened. As a result, the emergency tents that the government set up on the border exactly a year ago were left standing empty. They had the capacity to house 5,000 deportees Mexicans at the same time. Over the entire year they must have sheltered around 3,000, sums up Serrano, who also served as mayor of Ciudad Juarez. They were taken down in December because there was no longer any need. Migrantes deportados de Estados Unidos salen del Puente Fronterizo Paso del Norte, en Ciudad Juarez, el 14 de enero de 2026. Nayeli Cruz That was, fortunately, one of the presidents unfulfilled threats. But Trump did eliminate the CBP One app used to apply for asylum, as well as the humanitarian parole program, effectively making it impossible to seek refuge in the United States. Fear and the Republicans militarized approach have taken care of illegal crossings. Border Patrol figures show a drop of more than 90% in migrant apprehensions, mirrored by the numbers on the Mexican side. In all of 2025, Mexicos Interior Ministry recorded 145,000 undocumented migrants, compared with more than 1.2 million just a year earlier. People no longer approach the border, says Rodolfo Rubio. Every route into the United States has been shut down. All flows from the south are frozen, sums up Jose Fierro, pastor of the El Buen Samaritano shelter. In his facility, which has capacity for 260 people, there are now exactly five. Even during Trumps first presidency, he says, the numbers were never this low. Back then, he acknowledges, the dynamics were different and so were hopes for the future. The Maduro effect Cristina Coronado, who coordinates the cathedrals humanitarian space, estimates that around 1,500 migrants remain in Ciudad Juarez, most of them in the process of regularizing their status in Mexico. Some are hoping to cross in three years, when Trump leaves office; others have settled with the aim of returning to their home countries with more than empty hands. That is the case of Almary Ruiz, 45, from San Antonio, Venezuela, who is saving up for a motorcycle she can use for work when she goes back. I was already thinking about returning, but then what happened with [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro says the woman, who now lives in Juarez with her seven-year-old daughter. Trump closed the door on a lot of us trying to enter the United States, but look he opened Venezuela. Like Antonio and Nerleschka, also from Venezuela, she is aware that the situation is changing, but that it is still a process. They are among the last ones left. Ninety percent of those who were once in the border city have moved on either returning to their countries of origin or retracing their steps and waiting somewhere in southern Mexico. Those who remain in Juarez survive on small jobs in factories, shops, or construction. Nerleschka Silva, 17, from Yaracuy, Venezuela, thinks about the lives other teenage girls lead while she packs chilies when called in earning 600 pesos a day (about $30). Most migrants have managed to leave the shelters and now live in rented apartments, where they can pay as much as 2,400 pesos (around $120) just to sleep in a kitchen. That was Sol Petits situation until she regularized her status and moved into a small apartment of her own. From there, she sews, takes care of an emotional-support dog, and waits for the chance to reunite with her children, who crossed to the other side of the border just before Trump returned. Staying wasnt what I wanted it wasnt my goal but thats what happened. Not all of us achieve the American dream, but you have to keep fighting, she says. Sol Petit, a Venezuelan migrant, at her home in Ciudad Juarez on January 15. Nayeli Cruz Xiomara Munoz, a Honduran migrant with her son Adrian Matias, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Ciudad Juarez. Nayeli Cruz Zoila, a Salvadoran migrant at the El Buen Samaritano shelter in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. Nayeli Cruz Migrants deported from the United States leave the Paso del Norte Border Bridge in Ciudad Juarez on January 14. Nayeli Cruz The border between Mexico and the United States, seen from Ciudad Juarez, on January 14. Nayeli Cruz Antonio, a Venezuelan migrant, rests outside the building that was used as a shelter for migrants in downtown Ciudad Juarez. Nayeli Cruz That has been the greatest challenge for humanitarian organizations. The initial shock has passed, says Cristina Coronado, but this year we first had to process, together with the migrants, a reality we werent fully prepared for. The standstill exposed shortcomings that went unnoticed when people were only passing through from untreated tumors to cases of child sexual abuse. Theyve suffered beyond what anyone should, because the government lacked the capacity to control the situation and left migrants in the hands of drug traffickers, says the coordinator of this faith-based aid space. Over the past year, they have organized to provide weekly food baskets, legal counseling to regularize immigration status, job-training workshops, help finding dignified housing, and medical care, as well as enrolling all children in school. An achievement acknowledged by both aid organizations and the government. Even if they dont have papers, state public schools have instructions to accept them, notes Enrique Serrano, who criticizes, for example, the federal policy of leaving them in a limbo: They dont remove them from the country, but they dont grant them permission either they leave them in complete legal uncertainty. If they dont get them across, they kidnap them Both humanitarian groups and the government acknowledge that migrants are no longer being targted by the National Migration Institute, but one crime continues to pursue them: kidnapping. Since 2021, according to data from Mexicos Security Ministry, 1,700 migrants have been rescued. Many others like the Guatemalan women Francisca and Mercedes escaped on their own after spending months in the grip of organized crime and do not appear in any official statistics. Now, with the border closed, these kidnappings have become the current modus operandi of human traffickers, according to both humanitarian organizations and government officials. Theyre the same gangs that used to smuggle migrants, but as their business has slowed, they now deceive people by telling them theres still a chance to get across and then they kidnap them. Its the only thing left for them to do, because they cant charge for crossings anymore, Serrano explains. Right now, crossing is almost unthinkable, but they [the coyotes] keep operating. They bring migrants almost in secret all the way to the U.S., and if they fail to get them across, they kidnap them, adds Jose Fierro. The Security Ministry has identified the same new tactic. Migrant smuggling is still happening. People arrive having already paid between $10,000 and $15,000, and once they get here theyre taken to safe houses. Thats where the extortion of their families begins, says Jorge Muro, director of the C7 Command Centers. View of the area where a new section of the border wall is being built in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, on the U.S.-Mexico border, seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on January 16, 2026. Nayeli Cruz The police officer says they now have three hours to produce results in cases of kidnapping and other priority crimes. Before, a kidnapping was the same as saying someone was dead, he admits. Now, he says, the numbers are more encouraging thanks to a platform called Centinela and the 10,000 cameras associated with it, a third of them trained on Ciudad Juarez. This mass surveillance has led sources in the area to rename the massive Centinela Tower the next Eye of Sauron. A sentry on the border On a plot of land abutting the train tracks, in the midst of Ciudad Juarezs decaying downtown, stands the borders new security gamble. The Centinela Tower rises 25 stories above ground counting the helipad and as many below. This is desert land, so the engineers dug down and found nothing but sand and more sand, explains Jorge Muro, director of the C7 Command Centers. They had to change plans and, much like the pilings supporting a stretch of the Maya Train in the Caribbean, opt for concrete-filled pillars instead. These anchor the building that will concentrate all of the states security intelligence. Its location is no coincidence. All the Chihuahua state government offices are headquartered in Chihuahua, about four hours from the border, except for the Public Security Secretariat. Thats because 60% of the crime is concentrated in Ciudad Juarez, says Muro. And within the city, the downtown area remains a red zone. This is where the network of disappearances and sexual trafficking that scarred the city in 2008 operated, in full view and with the neglect of the military forces of Operation Joint Chihuahua, which effectively placed the city under siege. At that time, Juarez was the most violent city in the world, a label it has since shed though not its history of femicide. Murders, and particularly the killing of women, remain priority crimes for the government. Over the past four years, more than 4,700 intentional homicides have been recorded in the city, according to state figures still more than three a day. Workers at the Centinela Tower in Ciudad Juarez, on January 15. Nayeli Cruz Representatives from U.S. agencies will also work in the Centinela Tower. Personnel from the DEA, Border Patrol, ATF, the Texas and New Mexico District Attorneys offices, and the El Paso Police Department will set up on the 18th floor of the tower. We wont be sharing databases. Theyll work with their own tools, but from here, explains Muro. Right now we coordinate, but we have to call them, and then while they consult, time is lost. Having them here, side by side, means it will be in real time. This collaboration comes amid Trumps push for a potential military intervention in Mexico a warning that has also affected criminal groups on the border, according to researcher Salvador Salazar of the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juarez. Organized crime is still present, but the groups are also acting as if in a sort of containment and caution, given the rhetoric of a possible direct U.S. intervention, he notes. Regarding the thousands of uniformed officers that Sheinbaum sent to the border last year, Salazar considers their presence largely symbolic: Theyre deployed in certain areas outside the city, intended to act as a containment for drug trafficking or the flow of people toward the U.S. But its more about sending a message the Mexican government wants to show the U.S. government that action is being taken than it is about a forceful intervention. And what about tariffs? Right after Trumps so-called Liberation Day, economist Felipe Galan started preparing reports for his clients: what had really happened with tariffs amid the spectacle the Republican president had staged? Galan, director of Information and Statistics for Labor Competitiveness, now says that knowing exactly whats happening with tariffs is a charade. The professor does know, however, how this trade battle has impacted Ciudad Juarez: The tariff structure, above all, has reconfigured our industrial fabric. For example, the automotive industry is undergoing a deep technological reform, and 85% of the citys total exports are electronics, because in the global battle over computing capacity, Trump still refuses to give up his cheapest manufacturers. All of their policy is oriented that way. So anything having to do with chips, computing, servers for data centers theyll find a way to produce it at the lowest possible cost, and Mexico continues to be that location, Galan explains. As a result, Juarez hasnt seen the closure of large factories, but there has been a reduction in operations, the economist acknowledges. Maquiladoras account for 60% of the citys formal employment, so any contraction there is a contraction of the entire economy. Since we reached the peak in April 2023, employment in Juarez has been almost in free fall, the professor says. Export-manufacturing jobs have lost more than 64,000 positions since then thats almost 20% of the jobs that existed at the time. But was this stagnation caused by tariff policy, or was it the natural dynamics of an industry that was already readjusting? asks researcher Rodolfo Rubio, who advocates opening new discussions about the citys economic direction. Is this condition Juarez has experienced over the last 40 years relying heavily on the maquiladora the citys future? The city should be considering alternative paths for its economic structure, so it isnt dependent on global crises or the policies that Trump uses. A woman waits for the train arriving in downtown Ciudad Juarez on January 14, 2026. Nayeli Cruz Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Thousands of people who passed the Harrisburg State Hospital on their way to the Pennsylvania Farm Show might have been startled at how the property had been transformed in the past year. The state began preparing the site for redevelopment in early 2025. Now that preparation, which includes demolition of 37 obsolete buildings, is 75% complete, said the state Department of General Services. The state submitted the $450 million redevelopment plan to Susquehanna Township to turn the hospital into a laboratory. The 18-page plan details how various government agencies across the Keystone State would use the proposed laboratory. Under the new plan, the more than 30-acre property space would allow the lab facilities of Pennsylvanias health, agriculture, environmental protection, conservation, and natural resources departments to work under one roof. The proposed name for the property is the Pennsylvania Joint Laboratory. The Department of General Services plans, early this year, to issue a project solicitation, a formal request for bids or quotes from potential contractors to help build the joint facility. Construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2026. Development of this new space will be done in phases, with the first being the construction of the 300,000-square-foot facility to begin early this year. The second phase, scheduled to begin later in the year, will include construction of the forensic lab for the Pennsylvania State Police, as well as the historical restoration of the Dix Museum, the sites administration building, chapel, and Dixmont Cottage. Construction is expected to finish in 2029. $325 million is expected to be used to create these spaces, with another $125 million being used for the forensics lab. The Capital Area Greenbelt, a 20-mile loop trail, runs through the property but will not be affected by the changes. The laboratory will have walkways that officials hope will connect to the trail. The Pennsylvania State Lunatic Hospital, the original name for the Harrisburg State Hospital, was built in 1851. It was the first hospital in the state created for people with mental illness. According to the Harrisburg Historical, in 1845, Dorothea Dixs Memorial was read before the Pennsylvania State Legislature, arguing against the poor treatment of mentally ill patients in places like jailhouses and poorhouses. Her main message was that there needed to be a place for those with mental illness to live and get treatment. In 1849, former Governor William Freame Johnston said, a home would be built for the mentally ill, and by 1851, the hospital opened its doors to patients. The hospital closed its doors in 2006. More than a decade later, a 2017 law allowed the site to be put up for sale. In 2019, the site was appraised at $2 million and sold to the Dauphin County Redevelopment Authority. Three years later, the sales agreement expired, and the state began developing plans to use the space for the lab project. In 2024, a fire destroyed the vacant, three-story brick Cherrywood Building. Want a say in the news? Email Claudia at todayinpa@pennlive.com to have your thoughts on the stories covered here or on PennLive heard. You can listen to the latest episode of Today in Pa on any of your favorite apps including Alexa, Apple, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Feel free to subscribe, follow or rate Today in Pa. as you see fit! Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | January 20, 2026 SEPTA saw crime fall to historic lows last year. After a rash of grave robberies, a cemetery in Delaware County is looking to the public for a little help raising funds. Restaurant scalping is proving to be a real pain in Philadelphia. Also, if you still happen to have your Christmas tree why not give it to these goats? Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa., a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Claudia Dimuro. Today in Pa. is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories pertaining to Pennsylvania that lets you know, indeed, whats happening today in Pa. Todays episode refers to the following articles: If you enjoy Today in Pa., consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, wed like to know what you think about the program, too. Lehigh Countys top financial elected official is calling for the eviction of ICE from county-owned property. Mark Pinsley, the county controller, said the federal agency has been delinquent on three years of rent for county-owned office space. He added the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, or Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also never completed a valid lease. We found that they havent been paying for nearly three years and theyve been occupying space, Pinsley said. And because of whats going on in Minneapolis and other places, I dont believe that we should be housing or helping them in any form or fashion. Pinsley, who on Tuesday urged county officials to get behind the demands on ICE, is calling for the agency to make immediate payment of more than $115,000 in unpaid rent and termination of all negotiations with DHS. Pinsley also is calling for the eviction of the federal immigration enforcement agency from county property and accountability for county officials who allowed the arrangement to persist. They owe us money, and I believe that they should pay, said Pinsley, who is serving a second term as county controller. Pay your bill. Pack your stuff and get out. I dont believe that we should sign a contract at this point or a lease agreement with them at all. These guys are, in my opinion, are terrorizing neighborhoods, and I believe theyre terrorizing our residents. We as the county government should not be partaking in that at all. We saw what happened in Minneapolis. Innocent lives have been destroyed. People have been killed. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story. Amid an unprecedented effort by the Trump administration to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, federal immigration agents by the thousands have been dispatched to U.S. cities, including Chicago, Charlotte, Los Angeles, and most notably Minneapolis, resulting in mass protests, violence and even death. ICE agents have flooded the streets of Twin Cities Minneapolis and St. Paul, leading to the Jan 7 fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent. One week later, an ICE officer shot a man in the leg during an attempted arrest. Violent protests have erupted across both cities. The terms of the rental agreement were executed under former county executive Phil Armstrong. Josh Siegel, a former state lawmaker from the 22nd House District, was elected Lehigh County Executive last year. Democrats have a 7-2 majority on the board of commissioners. Siegel did not immediately return a PennLive request for comment; neither did the two Republican commissioners. Pinsley said ICE maintains a presence across Lehigh Valley. Latinos account for a significant and growing demographic in the Lehigh Valley, including upwards of 50% of the population in cities like Allentown, Bethlehem, and Reading. The region broadly reflects the political landscape of Pennsylvania with Democratic urban centers surrounded by swing suburbs and more conservative rural areas. Theyre in our courts on a regular basis, Pinsely said. Theyre in our courtrooms...in our court building. Theyve been down at some of the work sites. They were at the Home Depot not so long ago. Pinsley notes that county taxpayers have absorbed the cost of utilities, maintenance, and operational costs, instead of the federal agency. He said the situation dates back three years when an agreement was reached between the county and DHS that the agency would rent the space. Pinsley said the agreement was fast tracked, suggesting an immediate need. He said that at the time a memorandum of agreement was executed. Pinsley said the DHS signatory did not have the authority to sign the agreement. Pinsley said the discrepancy came to light recently with the change of the guard at the top of county government. He said that at some point there was just a lot of back and forth that was happening trying to get the contract signed. And in the end it was never signed. By William Lambers Especially at a time when we are trying to stop Russias invasion of Ukraine, the Trump administration should not be threatening military action to take over Greenland. The Trump administration should clearly state there will be no military action to seize Greenland, which is part of our NATO ally Denmark. There should be no economic pressure either to acquire Greenland from Denmark. The United States needs to be a peacemaker, and threatening NATO allies with invasion certainly does not reflect American values. We need to be focused on winning peace in Ukraine and the many other areas suffering from conflict. Denmark is one of our partners that we need to win peace. Denmarks alliance with us goes back many years and in the biggest moments including D-Day and in the war on terror. They deserve our respect. As President Dwight Eisenhower said of Denmark, This is a country I have visited during my different tours of duty in Europe and found it hospitable and its people always courteous and ready to help. We can partner very well with Denmark and Greenland on security issues in the spirit of friendship and cooperation. That means no threats or invasions. If Denmark does not want to sell Greenland we must respect that decision of our ally. When Denmark and Greenland make it clear that Greenland is not for sale, the United States must honor its treaty obligations and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark. Any suggestion that our nation would subject a fellow NATO ally to coercion or external pressure undermines the very principles of self-determination that our Alliance exists to defend stated Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) The nonsense over Greenland also takes attention away from the conflicts, droughts and surging humanitarian emergencies that demand our attention. In West Africa there is a major humanitarian emergency but also declining funding to help. Meanwhile terrorism is thriving in that region amid the chaos and hunger. The UN World Food Program (WFP) warns that 35 million people will be facing severe hunger In Nigeria in 2026, a record number. People in Nigeria are not only at risk of violence, but also of starvation. The rise in violent attacks is worsening hunger for millions in the already impoverished country. The desperation of hunger also fuels the instability Nigeria faces. Along with efforts to quell the violence, hunger must also be stopped. Tragically, funding is low for humanitarian aid in Nigeria. Cuts in foreign aid by the United States have been devastating. You cannot achieve peace and stability where there is starvation and desperation. Our global food aid programs need more support from Congress and the President. We need a strong and well-funded Food for Peace program to help the many nations facing hunger and instability like Nigeria. As the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns, there is a New World Disorder where global cooperation and funding is lacking in tackling the biggest humanitarian emergencies. The IRC recently put out a watch list of countries on the brink of disaster, including Sudan, Haiti, Nigeria, Congo, Yemen, Palestine, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and many others David Miliband, president and CEO of the IRC, said: The scale of the crisis in Sudan, ranking first on this years Watch list for the third year in a row and now the largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded, is a signature of this disorder. Millions of people in Sudan have lost their homes and farms in the war and are depending on relief organizations to survive. There are over 21 million people facing severe hunger in Sudan according to the WFP. Famine has been declared in multiple parts of the country because there is such extreme shortages of food. But there is also a shortage of funding to feed war victims in Sudan. This shortage has led to rations being reduced for starving people when they need food the most. A WFP report on Sudan states, Life-saving food and nutrition assistance are most affected, placing millions at risk of losing assistance. Rations have already been reduced and prioritized for the most vulnerable. Without urgent funding, further cuts and the suspension of support for some communities are imminent. Children are suffering severe malnutrition in Sudan and cannot afford to have food rations reduced. In a country where famine is taking hold, it is a disaster to have a shortage of funding for humanitarian aid. History reminds us we can certainly do better in leading the international response to these emergencies. It was 80 years ago we worked with Denmark and others to stop the biggest famine in history after WWII. We need to be working with our allies like Denmark today on solving these many global issues and building a peaceful world. William Lambers is an author who partnered with the UN World Food Program on the book Ending World Hunger. DETROIT, MI Several months ago, former first lady Michelle Obama said the country is not ready for a woman president. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer disagrees. I think America is ready for a woman president, Whitmer said, speaking during an interview at the Detroit Auto Show with journalist Steve Inskeep for National Public Radio. I do think that theres an appetite, she said moments later. I just, for whatever reason, we have not had a woman president yet. I think we will at some point in the near future. Whitmer, in her eighth year in office, is term-limited in 2026. She has not announced plans to run for office, but the former vice presidential contender has faced speculation about mounting her own run for president. Whitmer serves as vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), meaning shes tasked with helping elect and re-elect Democratic governors across the country. As we saw in this past election, sadly, we aint ready, Obama said in a November podcast. Thats why Im like, dont even look at me about running, because you all are lying. Youre not ready for a woman. You are not. Obama referenced the 2024 presidential election, when Democrat Kamala Harris lost to President Donald Trump, as proof. But Whitmer said she didnt think that election could be whittled down to just one characteristic or event. I dont think it was just gender, she said. The question comes down to a choice between two people, Whitmer said. And what we saw in this last election, while Kamala Harris didnt beat President Trump, we saw women get elected across the country, win up and down the ballot in hard, important states to win. By Todd Karpovich, The Baltimore Sun (TNS) BALTIMORE Former Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he will not seek a return to the Government House this year, ending speculation about a potential challenge to Democratic Gov. Wes Moore. Hogan made the announcement in a guest commentary published by The Baltimore Sun, writing that he would not enter the race despite continued interest from supporters and political observers. Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in 2022. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) AP I care deeply about the state of Maryland, and I remain concerned about the direction of our nations politics, but I have no intention of running for office again, he wrote. Although Hogan never formally declared his candidacy, recent polling suggested Moore would have entered the contest with an advantage. A hypothetical matchup conducted by Gonzales Research and Media Services showed Moore leading Hogan 52% to 38%, with 10% of respondents undecided. At the same time, Hogan continues to draw strong marks from many Marylanders for his time in office. A May survey by Ragnar Research Associates found that 76% of respondents said they totally approved of the job Hogan did as governor. Hogan left office in 2023 after becoming the first Republican elected to two terms as Maryland governor in more than 60 years. Constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term, he went on to run in Marylands open U.S. Senate race in 2024, where he lost to Democrat Angela Alsobrooks. Moore, who has maintained generally positive approval ratings and has emerged as a rising figure in national Democratic politics, has said he plans to seek a second term in 2026. Editors note: This article has been updated with comments from state Sen. Camera Bartolotta. A western Pennsylvania county Republican party has issued a no-confidence vote in its current GOP state senator and called for a primary challenger, while the state chairman says the vote is null and void. In a Facebook post about its Jan. 13 vote, the Washington County Republican Party (WCRP) defended its decision on state Sen. Camera Bartolotta, whose 46th District covers Washington and Greene counties and parts of Beaver County, citing her defense of Haitian immigrants in her district amid national criticism in 2024 and her support for mail-in voting. The WCRP also said that Bartolotta has backed primary challengers to incumbent Republicans. Our responsibility is not to offer unconditional support to elected officials simply because they carry an R beside their name, the WCRP post read. When Republican officeholders fail to act in the best interest of Washington County residents, it is our obligation to hold them accountable and, when necessary, support efforts to replace them. The WCRP said that its executive committee approved the no confidence motion in a 21 to 3 vote. Bartolotta told PennLive on Tuesday that the move can be traced back to WCRP chairman Steve Renzs political actions, which include a failed primary challenge to Republican state Rep. Natalie Mihalek in 2022. Renz pointed to mail-in voting in that case, as well, said Bartolotta, and she questioned why he has targeted her, another woman, for the same issue in 2026. As for the no-confidence vote, Bartolotta called it petty and a distraction and said the WCRP and all Republicans should be preparing to help state Treasurer Stacy Garrity defeat Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro instead of bickering. Its backbiting. Its just mean girl high school nonsense and nobody has time for it, Bartolotta said. Focus on Pennsylvania. Focus on the people who get up in the morning and go to work. Focus on kitchen-table issues. PA GOP chairman and state Sen. Greg Rothman, who represents Cumberland and Perry counties and parts of Dauphin County, responded to the WCRP vote on Friday in a letter posted on X by Spotlight PAs Stephen Caruso. Rothman said that the motion on Bartolotta was improper and violated county bylaws, was inconsistent with the state partys bylaws and was not supported by the Pennsylvania GOP. The executive committees motion, Rothman said, was null, void, of no effect, and void ab initio, a Latin term basically meaning that the motion never had legal standing. I request the Committees efforts be utilized to support and elect Republicans and defeat Democrats, Rothman wrote. Renz responded to Rothman on Monday, saying that the vote did not violate any bylaws or rules. In sum, the Executive Committee exercised its lawful authority to express a political position on behalf of its membership, Renz concluded. Moreover, a vote of this nature constitutes political speech protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Renz asked for Rothman to cite a specific rule violation or rescind his decision to void the no-confidence vote. The main reason of no confidence in Bartolotta cited by the WCRP dates to 2024 when Charleroi in Washington County, population 4,000, made national headlines after then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and running mate J.D. Vance attacked Haitian immigrants in the community, falsely claiming they had been brought in by then-Vice President Kamala Harris and had bankrupted the town and caused crime to spike. Bartolotta took to social media at the time to refute the narratives being pushed by Trump, Vance and right-wing online influencers, although she said Tuesday she was not directly aiming her remarks at Trump. Instead, Bartolotta said her response then was prompted more by two local political agitators who were making false claims about Haitian immigrants and instigating animosity in the community. The Keystone reported in September 2024 that Bartolotta responded in a Facebook post. Many of the Haitians in Charleroi have been here for two or three years already. They escaped horrific events in Haiti, many having to travel/hide in the jungles for months or years, she wrote. To try to disparage these hard-working people who have escaped atrocities and who are here LEGALLY to WORK , and pay taxes, and raise their children, and be part of the community, etc. breaks my heart. She then admonished those saying awful things about these Haitian immigrants and asked them, what it mightve been like for their parents or grandparents or great grandparents who might have come from another country and spoken a different language. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro questioned whether he was being unfairly scrutinized as the only Jewish person being considered as a finalist to be Vice President Kamala Harris running mate and briefly entertained his own run for the presidency according to a copy of his upcoming book obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer. In his memoir, Where We Keep the Light, set to debut Jan. 27, Shapiro wrote that he underwent significant questioning by Harris vetting team ahead of the 2024 presidential election about his views on Israel, and his actions supporting the end of pro-Palestinian protests at the University of Pennsylvania leading him to wonder whether the other contenders for the post had faced the same interrogation. Shapiro, a popular Democratic governor long rumored to have future presidential ambitions, even briefly entertained a run shortly after then-President Joe Biden unexpectedly dropped out of the race in July 2024, according to his book. The Abington Township resident is now seen as a top contender for the 2028 Democratic nomination as he seeks reelection in Pennsylvania this year. But before Shapiro ended up in the veepstakes for Harris running mate, he wrote in his book that there was a moment right after Biden dropped out of the race where he considered whether he should run for president. Well, now what? Shapiro wrote. Maybe there would be a process the party would engage in to replace him? Did I want to be part of that? He called his wife, Lori, who at the time was out of the country with their two younger kids. I dont think we are ready to do this, Shapiro recalled his wife saying from a Walmart in Vancouver. Its not the right time for our family. And its not on our terms. After that call, Shapiro wrote that he quickly decided he didnt want to run and would back Harris, as Biden also endorsed her for the top of the ticket. Once the field cleared for Harris, Shapiro recalled seeing his face on TV as her potential running mate, before he was asked by her campaign manager to be formally vetted. In the days that followed, Shapiro contended with increasing national scrutiny as he emerged as a front-runner. Some pro-Palestinian protesters began calling Shapiro Genocide Josh online, he wrote. And top Democrats questioned whether a Jewish running mate would deter voters from supporting Harris, as Shapiro had been outspoken against some pro-Palestinian campus protests that year. What was unknown: whether those same questions and some even more extreme were circulating within Harris camp, Shapiro wrote in his most detailed retelling of his experience vying for the vice presidency to date. Just before he went to meet with Harris at the vice presidents residence in the summer of 2024, Shapiro received a call from Dana Remus, former White House counsel for Biden who was co-leading the vetting process for Harris. Have you ever been an agent of the Israeli government? Remus asked, according to Shapiros memoir. Had I been a double agent for Israel? Was she kidding? Shapiro wrote in his 257-page book. I told her how offensive the question was. According to the memoir, Remus then asked if Shapiro had ever communicated with an undercover Israeli agent, which he shot back: If they were undercover ... how the hell would I know? Remus was just doing her job. I get it. But the fact that she asked, or was told to ask that question by someone else, said a lot about some of the people around the VP, Shapiro wrote. In high school, Shapiro completed a program in Israel that included service projects on a farm, and at a fishery in a kibbutz, as well as at an Israeli army base, which he once described in his college student newspaper as a past volunteer in the Israeli army. Harris office could not be reached for comment Sunday evening. Remus also could not immediately be reached for comment Sunday. Shapiro, more broadly, recalled getting the feeling from Harris vetting team that she should pick Shapiro a popular Democratic governor in a critical swing state but that they had reservations about whether Shapiros views would mesh with Harris. In one vetting session with U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, former associate Attorney General Tony West, and former senior Biden adviser Cedric Richmond, Shapiro wrote that he had been questioned a lot about Israel, including why he had been outspoken against the protests at Penn. I wondered whether these questions were being posed to just me the only Jewish guy in the running or if everyone who had not held a federal office was being grilled about Israel in the same way, he wrote. (Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who is Jewish, was also vetted to be Harris running mate. Harris husband, Doug Emhoff, is also Jewish.) In his book, Shapiro recalled the whirlwind two weeks as an awe-inspiring window into an opportunity but ultimately it was one he knew he didnt want. When Shapiro finally sat down with Harris in the dining room at the Naval Observatory, he said it became clear that she had a different vision for the vice presidency than what he wanted. He would work primarily with her staff and couldnt say whether he would have access to her. In her own experience as vice president, she saw the job as mostly to make sure that you arent making any problems for the president, he wrote. Shapiro noted his own relationship with his No. 2, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. The role in itself has few powers, but Shapiro views Davis as a governing partner and is one of few people who can walk into his office unannounced at any time, he wrote. He wanted the same relationship with Harris, he said, noting that he knew he would not be the decision-maker. If we had door A and door B as options, and she was for door A and I was for door B, I just wanted to make sure that I could make the case for door B, Shapiro wrote. But Harris was crystal clear that that wasnt the kind of president-vice president dynamic she envisioned, he said. In her own book released last year, 107 Days," Harris recalled the meeting differently. There, she wrote that Shapiro had peppered her with questions and mused that he would want to be in the room for every decision. His ambitions, she said, didnt align with her view that a vice president should be a No. 2 and not a co-president. As Shapiro tells it, the friction with Harris team didnt stop there. Shortly after meeting with Harris, Shapiro in his book recalled another unpleasant conversation with Remus, in which he wrote that she said she could sense that I didnt want to do this. According to the book, Remus said it would be hard for Shapiro to move to Washington, it would be a strain financially for his family who didnt have a lot of money by D.C. standards, and that Lori would need to get a whole new wardrobe and pay people to do her hair and makeup. It was then that he decided to leave the apartment where he had been asked to wait until Harris could come and talk to him again, he recalled. These comments were unkind to me. They were nasty to Lori, Shapiro wrote. I hold no grudge against Remus, who I know was doing the job she had to do, but I needed to leave. Shapiro went home, he said, and went over the days events with Lori at the edge of their bed. On one hand, I was still tugged by the prestige of it all. Its an honor. Its a big title. But thats never been enough for me, he wrote. Still, he struggled with what it would mean to withdraw, concerned about not playing his part in a high-stakes election and letting his supporters down. Ultimately, he decided that it was not his race to win or lose, he wrote. People were going to cast their votes for her, or they werent, he added. He decided that day he did not want the job, and toyed with the idea about publicly releasing a statement withdrawing himself from the running. He said he also tried to tell Harris he did not think it would be a good fit, but wasnt able to reach her. Shortly thereafter, Harris announced that she had chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate in an ultimately unsuccessful campaign against President Donald Trump. The two would debut their presidential ticket at a rally at the Liacouras Center in North Philadelphia. Shapiro wrote that he didnt want to go. I was wrung out. I just wanted to be home with my family, to take a walk with Lori, and just be, he wrote. But when it was time for him to take the stage ahead of Walz and Harris, he was long-applauded by his home city and gave a speech from my heart about how he took pride in his faith and his support for Walz and Harris. Shapiros memoir will be released Jan. 27 and is a reflection on his decades as an elected official, including as Pennsylvania attorney general, as well as the firebombing of his home last year. He will tout the book in Philadelphia on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Parkway Central Library. He will also discuss the book at upcoming book tour stops in New York and Washington. _____ The president has closed the border and aims to carry out the largest deportation campaign in history, bringing terror to the streets of the country in the process In 2026 the year the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence U.S. President Donald Trump is redefining the country, pushing it toward a model very different from the one that has characterized its history. The United States was founded as a country of immigrants, and it has continued to be so, but the Republican president has inaugurated a new era in which immigrants have no place. In his first year in office, more migrants left the country than arrived. This is the first time this has happened in the past 50 years for which there are records. According to data compiled by Brookings, net migration is between 10,000 and 250,000 people, and this trend is expected to continue through 2026. In addition to mass deportations official figures indicate 605,000 were deported through December, but these are impossible to verify Trump has also ordered border closures, the cancellation of refugee and asylum programs, entry bans for citizens of certain countries, and the tightening or suspension of visa requirements. The United States is drifting further from the American Dream. Many immigrants prefer not to come or even to self-deport, despite the fact that doing so means abandoning the lives they had built in a country they believed would welcome them. The anti-immigrant crusade launched from the White House on the first day of Trumps second term has brought terror to the streets, where agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol, hidden behind masks, conduct raids anywhere, leaving behind dramatic images of chases, brutal detentions, home invasions, and family separations. A high point in the violence used by officials was the killing of 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Good on January 7 in Minneapolis, the latest city where Trump has launched his largest anti-immigration operation, deploying 3,000 agents. The death of Good, who was shot by an ICE agent, has sparked widespread protests, which are being harshly suppressed by authorities. The Trump administration has redefined immigration, shifting from viewing it as a beneficial phenomenon for the country to seeing it as a threat to our national security and the well-being of American citizens, Doris Meissner, director of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), noted last week. The extent of the use of administrative authority that we are witnessing is unprecedented. Immigration was crucial in Trumps election to a second term. The narrative championed by the Republican Party, which blames immigrants for all of the countrys ills, from crime to unemployment, resonated with voters. A year later, however, many believe his tactics have gone too far. According to an Associated Press poll released last Friday, Trumps approval rating on immigration has declined among Republicans over the past year, falling from 88% in March to 76%. And among the general population, only 38% of U.S. adults approve of his handling of the issue, while 61% disapprove. But it wasnt just a crucial part of the election campaign; it has also remained a central theme of his administration. According to a study by the MPI, Trump has issued approximately 38 executive orders on immigration laws, representing 17% of the 225 total executive orders issued in a year. While its difficult to track all executive actions, its estimated that he has issued more than 500 in 12 months. By comparison, 472 executive actions related to immigration were issued during the four years of Trumps first term. Trump has two objectives. One is to end what he calls an invasion at the border, and the other is to carry out the largest deportation in history, with the stated goal of one million expulsions per year. However, even the official figures, which are higher than those reported by several independent experts and observers, fall far short of this target, causing the presidents frustration. For this reason, in recent months he has replaced the heads of immigration agencies and elevated more aggressive figures, such as Gregory Bovino. Until recently, Bovino was head of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office in the El Centro district of California. He has directed immigration operations in Chicago, Los Angeles, Charlotte, New Orleans, and now Minneapolis, encouraging agents to use violent tactics against protesters, including tear gas and pepper bullets. Federal agents arrest a person in Minneapolis, on January 14. Mostafa Bassim (Anadolu via Getty Images) The largest anti-immigration operations have taken place in cities controlled by Democrats, many of which, under local laws, do not cooperate with immigration authorities. In contrast, the government has promoted cooperation between Republican local and state governments and ICE through agreements known as 287(g), which have multiplied exponentially across the country. Under these agreements, local police and sheriffs have become involved in detaining migrants and share immigration information about those arrested for other reasons with ICE to determine if they are subject to deportation. No criminal records The Department of Homeland Security, headed by Kristi Noem, maintains that immigration agents detain the worst of the worst for deportation, but statistics show that over 70% of those detained have no criminal record. Meanwhile, ICE detention centers hold around 70,000 people who have committed no crime other than being undocumented. Reports of inhumane conditions without access to doctors, nutritious food, or basic hygiene are constant. Migrant advocates also report daily violations of detainees rights: they are denied communication with their families and access to legal counsel. One of the administrations tools for increasing deportations is expedited removal, without allowing detainees access to lawyers or the opportunity to present their case before a judge. Last March, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has only been used in wartime, to send more than 200 Venezuelans and Salvadorans to El Salvador without trial. The government accused them without evidence of belonging to the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 criminal gangs, and they were imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a prison notorious for human rights abuses. A court ruling later suspended the application of the law, but the nearly 250 deportees endured months of torture in the Central American country, according to accounts they gave after they were finally transferred to Venezuela in July. The legal battle over the use of the Foreign Enemies Act adds to the growing list of measures adopted by the administration that are being challenged in court, as the judiciary is inundated with lawsuits over the governments controversial immigration decisions. One of the most contentious is the proposed elimination of birthright citizenship a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution that the president seeks to suspend. Venezuelan migrants escorted to CECOT in El Salvador. SECOM (via REUTERS) One thing Trump has succeeded in is gaining control of the border. Monthly encounters with Border Patrol agents between February and November 2025 dropped to 700. A year earlier, there were up to 88,000 crossings per month, with a peak of 250,000 in December 2023. Trump used the chaos caused by the massive arrival of migrants during Joe Bidens presidency to accuse him of pursuing an open-door policy. Many of the Republicans initiatives have aimed to cancel the programs Biden used to admit migrants for humanitarian reasons. TPS and humanitarian parole The Trump administration has eliminated programs like Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and humanitarian parole, created to protect citizens of countries experiencing crises such as armed conflict or natural disasters, leaving more than a million people who previously lived and worked legally vulnerable to deportation. The cancellation of these programs affects migrants from at least 13 countries, including Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua, Cuba, South Sudan, and Afghanistan. The reasons for these actions rarely reflect improvements in conditions in those countries, where many of the deported continue to face persecution and violence. Every time a major event occurs, they add a new ban, says David Bier, director of migration studies at the Cato Institute. So, every time an Afghan commits a crime, Afghans are banned from entering the country, and not just Afghans. I fear this is setting a precedent for the future, as there will always be some negative incident from some country, committed by some unbalanced individual, and that will serve as justification for imposing more and more restrictions. Trump banned Afghans from entering the country after a migrant from that country killed a National Guard member and wounded another in an attack last November on Washington, D.C. The type of immigration Trump wants in the country is that of the wealthy or white. That is why one of his latest measures has been to prohibit entry for citizens of 39 countries, mostly in South America, Africa, and Asia. In addition, he has imposed bonds of up to $15,000 for citizens of 38 countries to obtain a visa and has suspended immigrant visas for 75 countries. In exchange, he grants refugee status exclusively to Afrikaners from South Africa and offers permanent residency in record time to foreigners who invest $1 million. This is Trumps so-called Gold Card visa, which precedes the platinum visa. Beneficiaries of the platinum visa can spend up to 270 days in the United States without paying U.S. taxes on income earned abroad, in exchange for a $5-million investment. A new type of migrant for the new era of the United States. Credit: Graphics by Patricia San Juan. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Gabriel Tavares Triumphs in the PokerStars New Year Series Main Event Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link The trio of PokerStars New Year Series Main Events have crowned their champions, with each padding their bankrolls with large scores. The largest, reserved for the $5,200 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event, was claimed by Brazilian star Gabrial "gtavares10" Tavares, who walked away with $122,130. One hundred and six entrants created a guarantee-busting $530,000 prize pool, which the top 13 finishers shared. A min-cash weighed in at $11,236, but that sum increased to $16,062 by the time the nine-handed final table was set. Austria's "Sxmon" collected the $116,062 ninth-place prize before "Bimbostix" ($19,205), Belarus' "AcidValue" ($25,014), and the legendary Ole "wizowizo" Schemion ($32,580) crashed out. Fifth place and $42,436 went to Denmark's "starswins :)" with "Qee:)AA" banking $55,272 after busting in fourth. Amazingly, they also finished third in the $1,050 No-Limit Hold'em PKO Main Event for an additional $39,534. Heads-up was reached when perennial crusher Samuel "uropan" Vousden fell by the wayside in third, a finish good for $71,991. Heads-up pitted Vousden's fellow Finn "1Kromos" against Tavares. No deal was struck despite a pay jump of more than $28,000, which meant Tavares reeled in a cool $122,130 when he brushed aside his final foe, resigning them to a $93,767 consolation prize. $5,200 NLHE Main Event Final Table Results Rank Player Country Prize 1 Gabriel "gtavares10" Tavares Brazil $122,130 2 1Kronos Finland $93,767 3 Samuel "uropan" Vousden Finland $71,991 4 Qee:)AA Argentina $55,272 5 starswins :) Denmark $42,436 6 Ole "wizowizo" Schemion Austria $32,580 7 AcidValue Belarus $25,014 8 Bimbostix United Kingdom $19,205 9 Sxmon Austria $16,062 Patrick Lauber Claims the $1,050 PKO Main Event Title The $1,050 No-Limit Hold'em PKO Main Event attracted 659 entrants, who built a $659,000 prize pool, far richer than the advertised $500,000 guarantee. A whole host of stars saw a return on their investments, including deep-runners Peter "Belabacsi" Traply, who finished in 12th, and "AcidValue," who followed up their seventh-place finish in the $5,200 Main Event with an 11th-place finish here. The final table hosted the likes of Lucas "Rochinha2011" Rocha and Viktor "papan9_p$" Ustimov, but they couldn't quite finish the job. Eventually, as the clock approached 1:00 a.m. GMT on January 20, Patrick "JaegsPL" Lauber defeated Finland's "Stonedream" after a heads-up battle to become this tournament's champion. The victory came with a total haul of $113,307, while the runner-up took home $56,372. $1,050 NLHE PKO Main Event Final Table Results Rank Player Country Bounties Prize Total Prize 1 Patrick "JaegsPL" Lauber United Kingdom $63,492 $49,815 $113,307 2 Stonedream Finland $6,558 $49,814 $56,372 3 Qee:)AA Argentina $8,691 $30,843 $39,534 4 RoadRailerr United Kingdom $12,476 $22,587 $35,063 5 SUPR3M3_K1D Malta $9,406 $16,541 $25,947 6 Viktor "papan9_p$" Utismov Belarus $7,195 $12,113 $19,308 7 IgorHKR Brazil $2,828 $8,871 $11,699 8 Henrique "554477" Lessa Brazil $7,968 $6,496 $14,464 9 Lucas "Rochinha2011" Rocha Brazil $7,203 $5,387 $12,590 $109 Mystery Bounty Main Event Title Heads to Greece The $109 edition of the PokerStars New Year Series Main Event used a mystery bounty format, which skewed the standings when looking at prize money won. "StueyMcCluv" of the United Kingdom had Lady Luck shining down on them when they opened not one but two mystery bounty envelopes, each containing $25,000. Brazilian "wdias21" was this event's biggest winner despite falling in 840th place. This is because they pulled the $100,000 jackpot bounty before running out of steam. Eighth-place finisher "Tanque Kosoves" was another recipient of a sizeable mystery bounty payment, namely $25,000. Their total prize weighed in at $31,246, the third-largest payout at the final table. However, being able to call yourself a champion is often as important as the prize money that comes with it. Greek grinder "nickiou7kos" will forever be known as this event's champion; the $58,236 they raked in will surely be a welcome bonus, too. $109 NLHE Mystery Bounty Main Event Final Table Results Rank Player Country Bounties Prize Total Prize 1 nickiou7kos Greece $496 $57,740 $58,236 2 jtedecaliss Canada $364 $41,452 $41,816 3 barbanrapan Ukraine $450 $29,763 $30,213 4 slevin44444 Belgium $737 $21,370 $22,107 5 Rri59 Bosnia & Herzegovina $209 $15,344 $15,553 6 MAnthony89 Brazil $566 $11,017 $11,583 7 RealDanCooper Brazil $1,187 $7,911 $9,098 8 Tanque Kosoves Belarus $25,566 $5,680 $31,246 9 becloud77 Belarus $2,833 $4,078 $6,911 Only a handful of New Year Series events remain on the schedule, with all concluding on January 20. Their start times range from 4:30 p.m. GMT to 8:05 p.m. GMT, and buy-ins range from $2.20 to $1,050, with the latter being the buy-in for the $60,000 guaranteed Super Tuesday. Share this article Peaceful mechanisms for defending democracy exist, but they are limited and not so difficult to overcome; it is worth taking a look at how the Nazis obtained absolute power in Germany Opinion articles written in the style of their author." These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. shall feature, along with the author's name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed What has been happening in the U.S. for the past year is prompting plenty of reflection on regime change at a global level, especially after the kidnapping of dictator Nicolas Maduro, an unprecedented event, above all, because of the brazenness with which public international law has been violated. However, beyond the fact that this drift, which could escalate, is probably primarily justified by Trumps desire to bury the Epstein case, a real shift in governance may be underway at a legal level. Understanding the modus operandi of this change might be useful. Im not going to compare Trump to Hitler because I think their personalities have little in common, with Trump perhaps being more similar to Peter Ustinovs Nero. But it is worthwhile to look at the history of how the Nazis obtained absolute power in Germany. Hitler narrowly won the elections in November 1932, but immediately called for new elections in March 1933, which were already marred by all sorts of trickery, including attacks on and persecution of the opposition. Ultimately, after the illegal exclusion of the Communist Party from the ballot, the Nazi Party won an absolute majority, which allowed parliament to pass, in that same March, a Law to Remedy the Distress of the People and the Reich, better known as the Enabling Act. This law, consisting of only five articles, effectively committed political suicide by granting all legislative powers to Hitlers government, even allowing it to overstep the bounds of the Constitution. The saddest part is that such a clearly unconstitutional law it violated the separation of powers required a two-thirds parliamentary majority, which the Nazis obtained by persuading some mostly centrist parties. Shortly afterward, by July of that same year, all parties except the National Socialist Party were banned. Free elections were never held again. The meteoric nature of some political pronouncements at this time is strongly reminiscent of the past. Despite undeniably significant differences, Trump has stated that his power as commander-in-chief of the armed forces is limited only by his own morality, a clearly dictatorial declaration. However, the U.S. Congress still retains its power and Trump is deeply concerned about winning the midterm elections, in which the entire House and part of the Senate are up for renewal. This concern stems precisely from the fact that democracy still holds sway in the U.S., and consequently, he could lose the election. However, what would happen if, like Hitler, he were to at least partially override citizens freedom to vote, thereby obtaining an irregular victory? In that case, he would obtain a parliament in his favor. Could such an irregularly elected parliament be validly constituted? Once constituted, could it pass an enabling act? Interestingly, both questions have the same answer. Ultimately, it would be the judges who would have the final say in validating the elections, and certainly in determining whether such a law would be constitutional. If they were to overturn everything that happened as contrary to the separation of powers, democracy might have a chance to survive. Otherwise, as happened in Nazi Germany, the separation of powers would cease to exist, and the U.S. would fall to a dictator, all with the subservient collaboration of a judiciary that would also have definitively lost its independence. Incidentally, its worth remembering that the justices nominated by the Republican Party hold a six-of-nine majority on the Supreme Court. Aside from that, its important to emphasize that if judges, in general, become involved in politics and collaborate with a dictator or anyone who aspires to be one, democracy will be extinguished. In any case, it could also occur that a freely elected House of Representatives and Senate are as subservient to Trump as the Chinese Communist Party is to its leader. Whichever path is chosen, how do you fight a dictator? In the present day, its very complicated, especially because technology has made us transparent citizens and, therefore, very easily traceable by the authorities. This hasnt bothered most people much until now, but in a dictatorship, it would practically prevent rebellion, perpetuating the dictatorships power and condemning the population to an endless hell. Being aware of this might, one day, finally lead to limitations on the functionalities of computer and telecommunications systems, especially those used explicitly or surreptitiously by the police, in strict respect for our privacy. Lets hope so. Of course, in that sinister context anything is possible, from civil war if the armed forces split into different factions, to a submissive acceptance by a pacifist people who however many weapons they may have in their homes, especially handguns beyond bravado are only used to protesting with banners and are unaware that, historically, the defense of freedom has been much more bloody than posting a few witty phrases on a social network. Peaceful mechanisms for defending democracy exist, but they are limited and not so difficult to overcome if ordinary citizens and public officials with an authoritarian mindset collaborate with the aspiring dictator by colonizing parliament and the judiciary. Preventing this is only possible with a massive dose of civic education about the importance of maintaining democratic institutions. Unfortunately, it seems that in recent decades, the structural corruption of too many political parties has persuaded people of something Hitler already stated in Mein Kampf: parliament is useless and it is better for a group of well-prepared individuals to hold absolute power. That chilling and foolish notion can only be dispelled if people love freedom and understand why the separation of powers exists. Otherwise, we will revert to being subjects, not citizens. Jordi Nieva-Fenoll is a professor of procedural law at the University of Barcelona. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition 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. 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. Public Safety Reporter Kailey Cota is a public safety reporter for the Post & Courier's Charleston location. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. Previously, she wrote for The State, The Current and The Daily Gamecock. She was named South Carolinas collegiate journalist of the year. Exactly one year ago, in the days leading up to Donald Trumps second inauguration, a cold front forced the ceremony indoors and cast a somber mood over Washington. One question was on everyones mind in a city overwhelmingly Democratic, now filled with MAGA supporters, new residents who arrived with the change of administration, and billionaires eager to do business: where would resistance to the president of the United States be this time? After all, a bold citizen mobilization had greeted Trump at the start of his first term (20172021). At the dawn of the second, and after 10 years in which activists, Hollywood celebrities, Democratic politicians, traditional media, and the system itself had unsuccessfully tried to stop him, it seemed that half of the United States had decided to lower its arms in the face of the unequivocal victory he had achieved at the polls. Twelve months after that inauguration, resistance to Trump is somewhat more active. And he faces a pivotal year, in which the midterm elections next November will divide his presidency in two: losing Congress, which he currently controls, would greatly complicate the second half of his term. Meanwhile, federal judges across the country continue to reject and sometimes even block his agenda in the courts, a handful of Republican congressmen are opposing him with more irritating than decisive effects, and Democrats are regaining some hope through flashes of progress, such as the election of New Yorks new socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani. The response in the streets is also intensifying. This week, U.S. television has relentlessly broadcast images of protests in Minneapolis over the deployment of ICE immigration agents, one of whom fatally shot Renee Good, a U.S. citizen. This follows earlier protests in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland. All of these are Democratic cities to which the federal government has sent the National Guard, just as it has sent them to Washington itself, where they are still patrolling the streets. National Guard soldiers in front of the Los Angeles Federal Detention Center last June. CONTACTO via Europa Press Federal judges in all of these places have opposed the governments decisions to deploy thousands of agents, another demonstration that resistance to Trump, as was warned from the beginning, is this time also (or especially) in the courts. Over these 12 months, Trump has signed 228 executive orders and decisions without congressional approval three more than in his previous four years and many of them have ended up in court. As of this week, there were 253 active lawsuits challenging government measures at local, state, and federal levels, according to calculations by the independent organization Lawfare. And nothing suggests that the back-and-forth is about to ease. The court barrier to Trumps attempts to expand executive power, however, has a crack at its highest point. The Supreme Court, with its conservative majority of six justices three of whom were appointed by the Republican during his first term demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the U.S. president during the past judicial term. They ruled in his favor 19 times, with decisions issued under expedited procedures. And what about the legislative branch? Trumps first year back in the White House was, especially in its first half, a year of congressional paralysis. In his first term, the Republican Party did push back against some of his decisions. In this second term, after a decade of MAGA influence in its ranks, the party has repeatedly bowed to the White Houses wishes. It is true that the Democrats, who control neither chamber, have little room to maneuver. It is also true that, reeling from their electoral defeat, disoriented and leaderless, they took months to spring into action, despite calls from the influential strategist James Carville to implement what he called the boldest political maneuver in the partys history. This maneuver, he argued, could be summarized as follows: Stand back and play dead, let the Republicans collapse under their own weight. In the fall, Senate Democrats forced the longest government shutdown in history, which lasted 43 days and delayed the passage of a law to force the Justice Department to release documents it held on convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. When the motion was finally put to a vote, the decision was almost unanimous; only one conservative congressman voted against it. The scandal over Epstein, a longtime friend of Trump, was also the reason for the presidents break with a group of recalcitrant congress members, who in recent months joined resistance to him on matters such as extrajudicial military operations against alleged drug-running boats in the Caribbean. Trump repeatedly insults them on his social media and even forced the resignation of one of them, the former MAGA representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who unexpectedly became a face of the opposition. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, along with Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar, on January 8 at the Capitol. Evelyn Hockstein (REUTERS) Before that, the government shutdown was a risky move for the Democrats; cutting off public funding affects essential services for citizens and leaves hundreds of thousands of public employees without pay. But it paid off for the party, which for the first time since Kamala Harriss electoral disaster presented itself to its supporters as an organization willing to fight. The shutdown ended when eight senators from the minority conceded to the conditions to reopen the funding. Not for long: the next test comes at the end of January, and another deadlock cannot be ruled out as a pressure tactic to save certain healthcare benefits. During those months of Democratic inaction, their strategists pleaded for patience with an eye on the midterms, the elections in which the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate are renewed. That moment is now drawing closer. The midterms will be held on November 3, the most important date on the 2026 calendar, alongside July 4, the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. It is widely assumed that Trump who said last week that it would be better if the elections were not held (though the White House later clarified he was joking) will do everything possible to influence the outcome, by redrawing districts, placing election deniers among the officials overseeing the vote count, and questioning the legitimacy of mail-in ballots. Even so, many analysts consider it possible, 10 months before the vote, that the Democrats could regain the majority in the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats are up for election, though only about 60 can be considered competitive races. Four-point lead Trumps approval ratings have been low for more than 300 days. And according to a Wall Street Journal poll published this past Saturday, which gives the Democrats a four-point lead in voter intention, a majority of Americans are dissatisfied with the state of the economy, see the government as unable to curb the cost of living, and consider the White House too distracted by international politics. The analysis is further complicated by the unusually high number of retiring congress members in the midterms more among the Republicans (25) than the Democrats (21) which adds uncertainty for the conservative caucus, which holds a slim majority (218213). Midterm elections are usually bad news for the party in power, although, again according to the Journal poll, the outlook at this point in the year was better for Democrats in 2018 than it is now. Back then, Trump faced his first electoral test and failed spectacularly. If the House of Representatives were to flip, the Democrats would have greater capacity to block his agenda except for the parts he pushes through by executive orders. They could also propose the semblance of an impeachment to remove him, but that could be risky. It would be the third, and the two previous attempts, far from ending Trump, only made him stronger. Deciding whether to go all in or not is a dilemma, but it is not the only dilemma facing the American left. Last November, after a gloomy period, they received a boost of optimism with decisive electoral victories in New Jersey, Virginia, and, above all, in the mayoralty of New York City. A star has emerged there: the socialist Zohran Mamdani. Democrats will be closely watching his success or failure. The party still does not have a clear leader for the 2028 election, and Mamdanis rise has highlighted the clash between two factions of the party: moderates and progressives. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat, at a rally last Friday. Anadolu (Anadolu via Getty Images) Everyone seems to have learned at least something from New Yorks mayor: part of his success came from focusing on the cost of living the affordability crisis that Trump has even incorporated into his own rhetoric. It will be harder, however, to emulate his extraordinary skill with social media. To connect with the young, predominantly male electorate that swung toward MAGA in the last elections, prominent figures like California Governor Gavin Newsom have adopted the tactic of getting into the mud and responding to Trump on social media with the same tools jokes of questionable taste, memes, and personal attacks. It remains to be seen whether this strategy will serve any purpose other than channeling the frustration of facing a president who often seems unstoppable. Newsom is arguably the best-positioned to be his partys candidate in the next presidential race. But his change in style, and the victories last fall, are not enough to claim the partys crisis is over, according to David Plouffe, veteran Democratic strategist, a leader of Harriss brief campaign, and one of the most critical voices of the establishment that allowed Joe Biden to run again. Its much easier to hope that the storm has passed, that the deep unpopularity of Mr. Trump and the MAGA movement and the mess they are creating will be enough to right the ship, Plouffe writes in The New York Times. I certainly wish it were so. But to win races in politically unforgiving, even hostile, territory will require the party to overhaul its broken brand and stale agenda, by elevating new faces and new leaders who promise to chart a course enough voters believe in. Thats the theory. In practice, it will almost certainly be much more difficult. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition 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. PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-20 08:00:32 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 470 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY AND NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 /Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors with substantial losses that they have untilJanuary 26, 2026to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. ("Alexandria" or the "Company") (NYSE:ARE), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's securities between January 27, 2025 to October 27, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of Alexandria and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-are/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court byJanuary 26, 2026 .About the LawsuitAlexandria and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On October 27, 2025, post-market, the Company disclosed financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 that were below expectations, including cuts to its FFO guidance for the full-year 2025, due to lower occupancy rates, slower leasing activity and most notably, a real estate impairment charge of $323.9 million with $206 million attributed to its LIC property.On this news, the price of Alexandria's shares fell from a closing market price of $77.87 per share on October 27, 2025 to $62.94 per share on October 28, 2025, a decline of about 19% in the span of just a single day.The case is Warren Hern v. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-11319.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. This past year, KSF was ranked by SCAS among the top 10 firms nationally based upon total settlement value. KSF serves a variety of clients, including public and private institutional investors, and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana, Chicago, and a representative office in Luxembourg.TOP 10 Plaintiff Law Firms - According to ISS Securities Class Action ServicesTo learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com Contact:Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163CONNECT WITH US: Facebook || Instagram || YouTube || TikTok || LinkedInSOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-20 21:20:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 668 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 MADISON, WISCONSIN / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Bank CMG, a leading financial institution with assets totaling approximately $900 million, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Farmers Savings Bank, a well-respected bank with assets totaling $450 million. This strategic move aims to bolster Bank CMG's market presence in Wisconsin and enhance its service and product offerings to its growing customer base.The acquisition, which is subject to shareholder and customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close by mid-2026. By combining resources with Farmers Savings Bank, Bank CMG intends to leverage its expanded portfolio to provide an even broader range of financial solutions and innovations to consumers and businesses throughout Wisconsin."Today is an exciting day for our bank as we welcome Farmers Savings Bank into the Bank CMG family," said Christopher M. George, Chairman of the Board of Greenwoods Financial Group, Inc., the bank holding company of Bank CMG. "This acquisition reflects our commitment to growth and innovation within the state of Wisconsin. Together, we will deliver exceptional value to our clients through enhanced product offerings and excellent customer service." "Farmers Savings Bank has always been about people - our customers, our employees, and the communities that trust us with their financial futures," said Matthew Staver, President and CEO of Farmers Savings Bank. "We are proud of the legacy we have built and grateful to everyone who has helped shape our story. We believe Bank CMG shares our commitment to community banking and to investing in the people and relationships that make local economies thrive. This partnership is about preserving what makes Farmers special while creating new opportunities for the next generation of customers and employees." The acquisition will bring together two teams of experienced professionals dedicated to fostering strong relationships with clients and communities. As part of the acquisition, Bank CMG plans to integrate Farmers Savings Bank into its operations, focusing on maintaining customer service excellence throughout the transition. Customers of both banks can expect to receive timely updates and information about any changes that may affect their accounts.What Farmers Savings Bank Customers Can Expect During the Regulatory Review PeriodCustomers do not need to take any action at this time.Farmers Savings Bank will continue business as usual while the transaction is under review. Customers can expect: The same branch teams and local service Continued FDIC deposit insurance coverage No immediate changes to account access, loans, or day-to-day bankingIf any changes are planned in the future, customers will receive clear information well in advance.Customers with questions are encouraged to contact their local Farmers Savings Bank office or visit www.farmerssavings.com for updates as they become available. For more information about the acquisition or to learn more about Bank CMG and its services, please visit www.bankcmg.com or contact us at 920-945-2099.About Bank CMGFounded in 1893, Bank CMG (formerly Greenwoods State Bank) is a Wisconsin state-chartered community bank. For more than a century, we have served families and businesses across the state, earning trust through local decision making, reinvesting deposits in our neighborhoods, and building the personal relationships only a hometown bank can offer.At Bank CMG, our story is one of consistency and care. We honor the history that shaped us while embracing the future with confidence. Our mission is simple: deliver a broader range of financial solutions and cutting-edge service, grounded in transparency, speed, and care, while staying true to the principles that have guided us for more than 130 years.Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS ID# 491916 ( www.bankcmg.com) About Farmers Savings BankFounded in 1917, Farmers Savings Bank is a community bank headquartered in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, serving customers across Southwest Wisconsin through its offices in Mineral Point, Dodgeville, Mount Horeb, Hollandale, and Edmund. Farmers Savings Bank is committed to reinvesting in the communities it serves and building long-term strength for customers, employees, and local businesses.Media ContactDave Panagrossi dpanagrossi@ bankcmg.com SOURCE: Bank CMG PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-20 07:30:34 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 631 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Blue Owl Capital Inc. (NYSE:OWL) between February 6, 2025 and November 16, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important February 2, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.So what: If you purchased Blue Owl securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.What to do next: To join the Blue Owl class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48876or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 2, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Blue Owl was experiencing a meaningful pressure on its asset base from business development companies ("BDC") redemptions; (2) as a result, Blue Owl was facing undisclosed liquidity issues; (3) as a result, Blue Owl would be likely to limit or halt redemptions of certain BDCs; and (4) accordingly, defendants had downplayed the true scope and severity of the negative impact as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about Blue Owl's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Blue Owl class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48876 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. LONDON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The British government has launched a nationwide consultation on children's use of social media and mobile phones amid growing concerns that excessive screen time is undermining young people's mental health, learning and social development. The move signals a new phase in Britain's approach to regulating the digital environment for children, as policymakers face growing pressure from parents, schools and lawmakers to curb the expanding influence of social media and smartphones on daily life. Backed by a national public discussion, the consultation will gather views from parents, young people and civil society on how to ensure children develop a healthier relationship with technology, the government said on Monday. Alongside the consultation, immediate steps were announced to tighten mobile phone restrictions in schools. Ofsted, the school watchdog, will be required to check at every inspection whether phone bans are properly enforced, with schools expected to be "phone-free by default." The policy shift comes amid mounting evidence that smartphones remain widely used in classrooms despite existing rules. Official data show that 58 percent of secondary school pupils reported mobile phones being used without permission in at least some lessons, rising to 65 percent among older students. The consultation will examine a broad set of regulatory options, including raising the digital age of consent, improving age-verification systems, introducing phone curfews to limit excessive use, and restricting potentially addictive design features such as "infinite scrolling" and "streaks." The government will also publish evidence-based screen-time guidance for parents of children aged 5-16, following separate guidance for parents of under-fives due in April, aimed at helping families manage children's use of digital devices at home. Updated school guidance will further clarify that pupils should not have access to mobile phones during lessons, breaks or between classes. British media reported that the initiative also reflects growing political pressure for tougher action on children's online safety, with lawmakers from multiple parties backing proposals to ban under-16s from social media platforms. The British government said it will respond to the consultation in the summer as part of a broader strategy to improve children's wellbeing in the digital age. PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-20 23:00:26 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 744 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CALGARY, AB / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Bocana Resources Corp. (TSXV:BOCA)(Frankfurt:VC1) ("Bocana" or the "Company"), further to the press release dated August 5, 2025, August 18, 2025, September 4, 2025, and October 6, 2025, in connection with the due diligence efforts of the Company, LP Associates, LLC ("LPA") has agreed to provide Bocana with an additional thirty (30) day time period to the previously extended Letter of Intent ("LOI"). This provides Bocana with sufficient time to receive results back from the expanded sampling and assaying of ore material within the 1,440 acres of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management placer mining claims owned by LPA. The additional sampling and assay analysis work has been completed, and final results are pending.All other terms and conditions of the original Letter of Intent remain the same.The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.About Bocana Resources Corp.Bocana is a mineral exploration company focused on acquiring, exploring, and developing mineral properties in North and South America. Bocana, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Huiracocha International Service SRL, holds a 100% working interest in the mineral properties known as the Escala area concessions located in the Department of Potosi, Sud Lipez Province, Bolivia, as awarded by Comibol.Contact InformationFor more information on Bocana, visit: https://bocanaresources.com For more information or interview requests, please contact:Timothy J. Turner - Chief Executive Officer info@ bocanaresources.com(713) 858-3329Forward-Looking InformationThis news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information can be identified by words such as: "intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "approximately", "planning", "projected", "anticipate", and similar references to future periods. 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 Bocana, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but without limitation, statements pertaining to the completion of the acquisition including Bocana's ability to obtain financing and the necessary approvals, including regulatory approvals for the acquisition, the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement, the estimates of potential quantity, grade, and metal and mineral content at the Claims, Bocana's assessment of the reliability and relevance of the historical drill results, the results of the due diligence investigations, and the ability of Bocana to operate the exploration and development programs for the Claims. All statements included herein involve various risks and uncertainties because they relate to future events and circumstances beyond Bocana's control.Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by several material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the parties, including expectations and assumptions concerning (i) the seller; (ii) the transaction; (ii) the ability of the Parties to negotiate and enter into the definitive agreement on satisfactory terms as proposed, (iii) the timely receipt of all required regulatory approvals (as applicable), including the approval of the TSXV, (iv) if the definitive agreement is entered into, the satisfaction of other closing conditions in accordance with the terms of the definitive agreement, (v) the ability of the Parties (as applicable) to complete the required financing and/or the transaction on the terms previously outlined (or at all) and (vi) the completion of satisfactory due diligence of the Claims. Although Bocana 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 not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, except as required by law. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.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.SOURCE: Bocana Resources Corp. PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-20 17:03:29 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 338 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of Phoenix Education Partners, Inc. ("Phoenix" or "the Company") (NYSE:PXED). Investors who purchased Phoenix securities are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/PXED Phoenix Investigation DetailsOn January 3, 2026, Fox News published an article entitled "University of Phoenix data breach hits 3.5M people." The story stated that the "University of Phoenix has confirmed a major data breach affecting nearly 3.5 million people. The incident traces back to August when attackers accessed the university's network and quietly stole sensitive information." Following this news, Phoenix's stock price dropped.What's Next for Phoenix Investors?If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation or purchased Phoenix securities, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/PXED . You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his client relations manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 917-590-0911No Cost to Phoenix InvestorsWe, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, 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 & Grossman, LLC for Phoenix Securities Investigation?Bronstein, 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."Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.Contact InfoPeretz Bronstein, Esq. or Nathan MillerBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC 917-590-0911 | info@ bgandg.com Attorney advertising.Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-20 07:30:27 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 492 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY AND NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 /Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors with substantial losses that they have untilFebruary 17, 2026to file lead plaintiff applications in securities class action lawsuits against Coupang, Inc. (NYSE:CPNG), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's securities between May 7, 2025 and December 16, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"). These actions are pending in the United States District Courts for the Northern District of California and Western District of Washington.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of Coupang and would like to discuss your legal rights and how these cases might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-cpng/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in the class actions, you must petition the Courts byFebruary 17, 2026 .About the LawsuitsCoupang and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Company had inadequate cybersecurity protocols that allowed a former employee to access sensitive customer information for nearly six months without being detected; (ii) this subjected the Company to a materially heightened risk of regulatory and legal scrutiny; (iii) when defendants became aware that the Company had been subjected to this data breach, they did not report it in a current report filing in compliance with applicable Securities and Exchange Commission reporting rules; and (iv) as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and/or misleading at all times.The first-filed case is Barry v. Coupang, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-10795. A subsequent case, Lee v. Coupang, Inc., et al., No. 26-cv-00047, expanded the class period.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. This past year, KSF was ranked by SCAS among the top 10 firms nationally based upon total settlement value. KSF serves a variety of clients, including public and private institutional investors, and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana, Chicago, and a representative office in Luxembourg.TOP 10 Plaintiff Law Firms - According to ISS Securities Class Action ServicesTo learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com Contact:Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163CONNECT WITH US: Facebook || Instagram || YouTube || TikTok || LinkedInSOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-20 20:15:09 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 558 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TACOMA, WA / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 /Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation, a leading roofing, gutters, and insulation contractor in the Pacific Northwest, is proud to announce a new partnership with Owens Corning and Habitat for Humanity as part of the national Roof Deployment Project. Through this collaboration, Guardian Roofing installed a complete new roof this October for Nancy, the deserving owner of a home located in Tacoma, WA-- at no cost to her.The Roof Deployment Project is a long-standing initiative by Owens Corning and Habitat for Humanity designed to honor and support U.S. military veterans and their families. Eligible homeowners receive new roofs donated by Owens Corning, installed by certified contractors volunteering their labor through the program. Since its inception in 2016, this national effort has delivered hundreds of safe, durable roofs for honorably discharged veterans and their families across the country."We are honored to partner with Owens Corning and Habitat for Humanity 2on this meaningful project," said Mat Rzucidlo, President of Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation. "Building a roof may be our trade - but helping a veteran feel safe, secure, and proud in their home is something far more important. This project embodies what we stand for: quality, community, respect, and giving back." About the ProjectRoof materials - Donated by Owens Corning, ensuring top-quality shingles, underlayment, and roofing systems recognized for durability and performance.Installation - Performed by Guardian Roofing's certified crews as part of the Roof Deployment Project volunteer effort.Eligibility - The program supports honorably discharged veterans or their surviving spouses whose existing roof is in need of replacement and whose household meets income eligibility guidelines. Habitat for Humanity affiliates coordinate applications, screening, and eligibility verification.Cost to homeowner - None. Owens Corning supplies materials, and Guardian Roofing provides labor.For Nancy, the new roof will not only restore safety and comfort to her home but also provides peace of mind - a secure shelter for her family and a tribute to her service.For Guardian Roofing, this project reinforces the company's commitment to community, veteran support, and high craftsmanship. "We believe every veteran deserves a roof over their head that's strong, safe, and built to last," said Rzucidlo.For the broader Tacoma and Pacific Northwest community, this partnership demonstrates how thoughtful collaboration among industry leaders - manufacturer, nonprofit, and contractor - can deliver real impact and strengthen neighborhoods.About Guardian Roofing, Gutters & InsulationFounded in 2005, Guardian Roofing, LLC is an award-winning professional roofing contractor in the Portland and Seattle markets serving Washington state counties of King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap, Clark, and Thurston; and Oregon counties of Marion, Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas and Yamhill, as well.Founders Lori and Matt Swanson have more than 60 years of combined roofing experience and employ a team of more than 100 skilled and professionally certified craftsmen who assist customers with their roof, gutter, attic, masonry, and skylight needs. In 2024, Guardian Roofing, Gutters & Insulation, an A+-rated company by the Better Business Bureau, was named as a top 100 Roofing Contractor in the U.S. by Roofing Contractors Magazine. The family-owned company was also recognized in 2022 as one of the fastest-growing private companies by the Puget Sound Business Journal. For more information, visit www.GuardianHome.com . Licenses: WA UBI 604-059-205 | FEIN #81-4469822Media Contact:Dana CobbThe Barber Shop Marketing dana@ thebarbershopmarketing.com 972.955.9747SOURCE: Guardian Roofing PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-20 00:01:01 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 475 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / January 19, 2026 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Coupang, Inc. ("Coupang" or the "Company") (NYSE:CPNG). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.The class action concerns whether Coupang and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.You have until February 17, 2026 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Coupang securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com [Click here for information about joining the class action]On November 30, 2025, Reuters published an article reporting that Coupang had "apologized . . . over the breach of personal information from 33.7 million customer accounts through unauthorized data access" and that the government of South Korea had "held an emergency meeting" to "look[] into whether Coupang violated safety rules regarding personal information protection[.]"On this news, Coupang's stock price fell $1.51 per share, or 5.36%, to close at $26.65 per share on December 1, 2025.Then, on December 10, 2025, the New York Times published an article reporting that Coupang's Chief Executive Officer had resigned in connection with the data breach and providing additional details on the fallout from the data breach, including a police raid on Coupang's offices in Seoul.On this news, Coupang's stock price fell $0.87 per share, or 3.2%, to close at $26.06 per share on December 10, 2025.Then, on December 16, 2025, Coupang acknowledge the breach in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and revealed that the South Korean regulatory and law enforcement investigations uncovered that "a former employee may have obtained the name, phone number, delivery address, and email address associated with up to 33 million customer accounts, and certain order histories for a subset of the impacted accounts." On this news, Coupang's stock price fell $0.47 per share, or 2.03%, to close at $22.72 per share on December 17, 2025.Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-20 00:00:39 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 / January 19, 2026 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. ("Alexandria" or the "Company") (NYSE:ARE). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.The class action concerns whether Alexandria and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.You have until January 26, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Alexandria securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com [Click here for information about joining the class action]On October 27, 2025, Alexandria reported below-expectation financial results for the third quarter of its fiscal year 2025 and, in particular, cut its full-year 2025 funds from operations, or FFO, guidance. The Company attributed the setback to lower occupancy rates, slower leasing activity and, most notably, a real estate impairment charge of $323.9 million with $206 million attributed to its Long Island City property.On this news, Alexandria's stock price fell $14.93 per share, or 19.17%, to close at $62.94 per share on October 28, 2025.Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2026-01-20 19:50:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1004 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Taranis Has One of the Best Silver Projects in British Columbia!ESTES PARK, CO / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Taranis Resources Inc. ("Taranis" or the "Company") ( TSX.V:TRO)(OTCQB:TNREF) is pleased to announce a major expansion of its flagship project in the historic Silver Cup Mining District located in southeast British Columbia. With the acquisition of new Mineral Tenures south and east of the "Thor" silver, gold, base metals, and critical minerals deposit, Taranis now controls upwards of 6,000 hectares in one of British Columbia's premier past producing silver districts. This expansion unites the five historical, past-producing mines of "Thor" into a continuous mineralized body and has now added at least five more historic mines, including four past producers, under Taranis' stewardship.Taranis' Core Exploration PhilosophyIn British Columbia's shifting legal landscape where the meaning and legitimacy of mineral ownership is now actively up for debate, Taranis' commitment to productive stewardship, labour, and value creation offers a compelling model for responsible and equitable land use. In today's rapidly evolving theatre of mineral exploration, it is important to define Management's perspective on not just technical, management and financial matters, but also on land use, and the many interactions with government that are required to conduct meaningful exploration in British Columbia.The Silver Cup District, known since the 1890's for its high-grade silver and gold, is once again poised for resurgence. Taranis' systematic exploration and diamond drilling at the Thor Project have established a robust Mineral Resource, with recent drilling in 2025 identifying the Borr Zone - interpreted as the down-dip extension of the main deposit at Thor. The initial drill hole in this new zone intersected 5.25 meters of 26.2 g/t silver, 0.163 g/t gold, and 3.55% combined lead and zinc, underscoring exploration potential outside of known mineral deposits. (see Taranis News Release, October 27, 2025).Taranis is now allocating more resources to its newly acquired clusters of historic mines, each with similar historical underground workings, and the potential to host additional Mineral Resources. These areas, untouched by modern exploration for a century, are strategic areas of growth for Taranis to generate value for its shareholders and for the broader community as formerly underutilized and idle lands are worked once more.Taranis' Commitment to Productive StewardshipTaranis holds Mineral Tenures solely to discover and define new Mineral Resources, not to extract rent, displace others, or speculate on future metal price increases. Management and our shareholders understand that while mining is by its nature an extractive activity, it is necessary for today's standard of living. Exploration and mining can be done responsibly. For two decades, Taranis has focused all of our available capital on exploration and resource growth, seeking objective facts about the Silver Cup district's mineral endowment that could eventually lead to developing a mine. We have successfully permitted a 10,000 tonne Bulk Sample that will help better define the quality of the Mineral Resource at Thor, and better define the economics of commercial development of the expanding Mineral Resource.The Value of Labour and Stewardship in Property RightsTaranis' approach to exploration and development is grounded in the principle that property rights of any kind should only be earned and kept through labour, investment, and responsible stewardship. By transforming idle ground into productive assets, Taranis creates tangible value for shareholders and the wider community. The company's pioneering work in the Silver Cup District - being the first to drill, explore, and develop these lands in almost 100 years - embodies the idea that ownership is not just a matter of legal title, but of active engagement and improvement.Theories of property rights based on labour and improvement have been both foundational and controversial. Regardless, many of these concepts have historically been entrenched in the Mineral Tenure system in British Columbia, including the idea that registration of physical work on Mineral tenures should be available in lieu of payment to maintain mining claims. While some critiques highlight the risk of justifying dispossession or exploitation, Taranis believes that legitimate ownership arises from productive stewardship and the creation of value through work. We affirm that all people deserve the fruits of their labour, and are skeptical to claims of property based solely on first possession or inherited privilege - principles that can disadvantage communities, those that seek to grow the economy, and which overlook or actively undermine contributions of those who develop and work on the land.In the current climate of shifting property paradigms in British Columbia, Taranis' model - rooted in active labour, stewardship, community benefit and participation - stands as a practical and ethical framework for resource development.Administrative and Reconciliation Challenges to Mineral ExplorationThe uncertainties associated with mineral exploration in British Columbia are vast. The historic domains of geological and financial risk are now overshadowed by regulatory uncertainty, and this has led to dramatic drops in exploration investment in the province in the past six years. As an example, Taranis acquired additional claims to the south and east of the new mine clusters on July 1, 2025. These Mineral Tenures were sent out for First Nations Consultation on August 28, 2025, under the newly created Mineral Claims Consultation Framework ("MCCF"). The Ministry of Critical Minerals indicated that Mineral Tenure consultations should last 90-120 days. However, as of 120+ days, Taranis has not received any comments as outlined under the MCCF. On December 26, 2025, the company contacted the Chief Gold Commissioner's Office for an explanation, but no response has been received from any level of government.Taranis recognizes the importance of reconciliation with First Nations and supports British Columbia's efforts to address the complicated issues involved. At the same time, the company has a duty to its shareholders and the business community to disclose when critical regulatory benchmarks are missed. The lack of timely administrative clarity threatens to undermine both reconciliation and economic progress in the province, and Taranis calls for transparent, predictable processes that honour tradition while enabling responsible mineral resource development.Brownfield Exploration - Integrating Modern Exploration Science with HistoryThe Silver Cup Mining District I share a common ancestry from Udezuga of Ire Village, Obosi, with Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Adazie Obosithe most senior Ndichie of Obosi and a man I have long admired. When he was capped Adazie Obosi in 1982 (I believe), I was an 11-year-old boy. That day, I served as the bell boy to the late Odu Obosi, Chief Amobi. In Obosi tradition, Ndichie are escorted by a bell boy, ringing the bell as they proceed to ceremonial occasions. We had just arrived in Obosi from Enugu, and as a young boy, I enjoyed the warmth and company of Odu Obosi, who was also our neighbour. On the day of Adazies capping, I rang the bell and watchedwide-eyedas Obosi culture unfolded in full splendour. What struck me most was Chief Emeka Anyaoku himself: urbane, well-spoken, impeccably dressed in his traditional attire, and carrying himself with effortless dignity. A role model was formed that day. I was inspired. Twenty-seven years later, in 2009, I joined the Obosi Traditional Council as Ike Obosia dream fulfilled. I took my seat in the same council chamber as Adazie Obosi, completing a quiet circle that had begun decades earlier with a bell in my hands. As Corps Marshal, when I initiated the FRSC Annual Lecture Series, I could think of no better person to deliver the inaugural lecture than Chief Emeka Anyaoku. His presence and delivery elevated the series instantly, conferring international stature and credibility. It was largely because of the tone he set that global figures such as President John Mahama of Ghana, Neil Schuster of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, and other distinguished international leaders readily accepted our invitations in subsequent years. Last year, I joined family, friends, and leaders to celebrate his 92nd birthday and the commissioning of the Emeka and Bunmi Anyaoku Centre in Obosia magnificent edifice housing a museum and library, dedicated to the study and practice of democracy, management of diversity, human rights, and climate change in Nigeria and Africa. That same day, Igwe Obosi (Igwe A.C. Iweka) and Obi of Onitsha (Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe) were present. Later, they joined me at my home for lunch with Governor Peter Obi. This is the quiet power of Chief Emeka Anyaoku: he bridges societies, dissolves old animosities, renews strained relationships, and heals historical grievances. His stature is giant-sized. His views are enduring. His place is secure among the constellation of leaders who truly made a difference. Happy 93rd Birthday, Adazie Ndichie, nwa ogba ntu, nwa Udezuga ji agala, nwa Obosi ji eje mba, nnukwu mmadu Igbo nwelu, onye Nigeria ji ama atu. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, on Monday, openly admitted to killing 22 members of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP). Mr Kainerugaba, who is also the countrys Chief of Defence Force, wrote in a series of posts on X that the government killed 22 members of the opposition party last week, during the presidential election, which saw his father secure a seventh term. He also threatened to kill the leading opposition candidate and leader of the NUP party, Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. He, however, later deleted the tweets. The election, which extended President Musevenis decades-long hold on power, was marred by an internet shutdown, attacks on opposition figures, and a clampdown on civic groups. We have killed 22 NUP terrorists since last week. Im praying the 23rd is Kabobi, Mr Kainerugaba wrote in the now-deleted post. Im giving him exactly 48 hours to surrender himself to the Police. If he doesnt, we will treat him as an outlaw/rebel and handle him accordingly, he also wrote. In another post, he said, Personally, Im embarrassed by our record. 22 killed in one week is too low. I promise to do better. He also said, We will kill on sight all NUP so-called Foot Soldiers until Mzee says otherwise. His comment confirms the allegation made by the 43-year-old former pop star, Bobi Wine, that at least 21 people have died as a result of the governments effort to clamp down on dissent. On Saturday, hours before the election result was announced, Bobi Wine alleged that the military had attempted to arrest him. Narrating on Saturday how he narrowly escaped arrest after security forces raided his home on Friday night, he wrote, Last night was tough at our home in Magere. The military and police raided us. They switched off the power and cut off some of our CCTV cameras. There were helicopters hovering over. I want to confirm that I managed to escape from them. Currently, I am not at home, although my wife and other family members remain under house arrest. I know that these criminals are looking for me everywhere, and I am trying my best to keep safe. I understand that there has been great concern and speculation regarding my whereabouts. Please understand this is the context of a nationwide internet shutdown. Given the commotion that happened at our house at night, and given that no one is allowed to access the house, our neighbours concluded that they had succeeded in abducting us and spread the news, he wrote. Bobi Wine also rejected the presidential election results announced by the countrys electoral commission, which declared that Mr Museveni had secured more than 7.9 million votes, representing 71.6 per cent of the total. He alleged widespread electoral malpractice, including ballot stuffing, military interference in the electoral process, detention of opposition leaders and polling officials, and other violations. We reiterate our complete rejection of the fake results, Mr Kyagulanyi said, asserting that the announced outcome has zero backing. In a post on X, on Tuesday, Bobi Wine condemned Mr Kainerugabas threats against him and demanded that the military vacate his compound. My wife and people are not safe, he wrote. Amnesty International earlier tagged the election period in Uganda as one marked by a brutal campaign of repression, highlighting the governments use of tear gas, pepper spray, beatings, and other forms of violence. Mr Kainerugaba, however, hopes to succeed his father. He has openly declared his political ambitions and his desire to succeed his father in power. This has raised concerns about a potential dynastic succession, given that Mr Museveni has no widely recognised successor within the upper ranks of the ruling National Resistance Movement. The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ethical standards in health research. It also pledged sustained support for the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC) to protect research participants and enhance the credibility of scientific outputs in Nigeria. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, made the pledge on Tuesday at the 2026 Face-to-Face Meeting and Training Workshop of NHREC in Abuja. Mr Salako said the government recognised the critical role of ethical oversight in health research, particularly studies involving human subjects, adding that Nigerias research ecosystem must align with international best practices. He noted that research ethics in Nigeria gained renewed focus following the establishment of NHREC in 2005 and its formal empowerment under the National Health Act of 2014, which mandates the committee to provide ethical approvals, issue guidelines and monitor health research nationwide. According to him, the current NHREC inaugurated in January 2024 under the chairmanship of Richard Adegbola, has made notable progress in raising standards by timely reviewing research proposals and strengthening oversight mechanisms. The expertise and dedication demonstrated by NHREC members in the last two years are bringing progress, order and credibility to Nigerias health research ecosystem, he said. He commended the committee for convening early in the year to develop a work plan and chart a strategic direction, describing the meeting as a fitting activity to mark the second anniversary of the present NHREC. The minister also lauded the digital enablement of the ethics review process, including the revamping of the NHREC website and the introduction of an electronic portal, saying the innovation would enhance efficiency, data management, transparency and stakeholder engagement. He urged researchers, institutions, sub-national ethics committees and international partners to fully utilise the e-portal to improve the integrity of health research and safeguard the rights and welfare of participants. He further acknowledged the support of development partners such as the Gates Foundation, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the African Vaccine Regulatory Forum (AVAREF), the Multi-Regional Clinical Trials (MRCT) Centre, and GARNET partners in strengthening NHRECs functions. The minister described the ongoing Trial Regulation and Clinical Ethics Optimisation (TRACE) project as a welcome initiative, assuring that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would build on it to ensure a sustainable ethical environment for clinical research. He reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubus administration to encourage and fund local research for drug development, vaccines and disease epidemiology, stressing that ethical conduct was essential to public trust and scientific credibility. He called on NHREC members to intensify efforts toward achieving a fully ethically compliant health research environment in line with the Presidents Renewed Hope Agenda. (NAN) MANILA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday said it has rescued a male survivor from a motorboat carrying 15 people that went missing in waters off Davao Oriental province in the southern Philippines. In a statement, the PCG's southeastern Mindanao district said the survivor, identified as a member of the boat's crew, was found on Tuesday morning. He was immediately brought to safety as search and rescue operations continued for the remaining 14 missing passengers and crew. The "recreational" motorboat, which had four crew members and 11 passengers on board, was reported missing on Monday, prompting the PCG to deploy search-and-rescue teams to scour the area where the vessel was last seen. According to the coast guard in Manila, the motorboat departed from Davao City on Saturday for a diving expedition but failed to reach its destination in the municipality of Governor Generoso on Monday. Operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) arrested former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami shortly after his release from prison in Abuja on Monday. He was reportedly arrested to face a fresh probe over arms discovered at his house in Birnin-Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital, last December. SSS operatives reportedly arrested him as he was exiting the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, where he had been held since 30 December 2025 over pending N8.7 billion money laundering charges filed against him, his wife and son by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr Malami, released from the Kuje prison after meeting the bail conditions set by the Federal High Court in Abuja regarding the money laundering case, was seen in a viral video being escorted at what was believed to be the front of the prison facility towards a parked black pickup truck. As he reached the door of the truck already opened to let him in, he paused to ask for the operatives identity. Who is your Oga among you? Mr Malami asked, then added, Can I see your ID card? It could not be confirmed from the video if his request was granted, but he was seen a moment later sliding into the vehicle through the door behind the drivers seat. The Cable reported confirming from the SSS the arrest of Mr Malami by the agencys operatives. Relentless surveillance Mondays arrest followed weeks of reports of surveillance by the SSS in front of the prison facility since the time Mr Malami, his wife, Asabe Bashir, and son, Abdulaziz Malami, were remanded there over the money laundering charges. Reports indicated that SSS operatives, poised to arrest Mr Malami, took position in front of the correctional facility for weeks to wait out the former AGFs detention there and arrest him as soon as he was released. A press statement by Mr Malamis aide, Mohammed Doka, shared on the former AGFs Facebook page on 7 January acknowledged the imminent SSS arrest. The post, the latest on the Facebook page as of Tuesday morning, said the former ministers camp had been reliably informed of plans by government security agencies to rearrest him immediately upon his release, despite being granted bail by a court of competent jurisdiction. This development is deeply troubling and raises grave concerns about due process, the rule of law, and personal safety, the statement added, describing the allegations informing the planned arrest as trumped-up charges. SaharaReporters reported that the former minister was deliberately slowing down the perfection of his bail to avoid an arrest by the SSS over the arms-related investigation and alleged terrorism financing offences. But the moment eventually came on Monday when Mr Malami was picked up by SSS operatives after he was signed out of the prison upon fulfilling his bail conditions. His arrest was reportedly prompted by the discovery of arms at his house in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, during a raid carried out by the operatives of the EFCC as part of the money laundering investigations. EFCC operatives raided Mr Malamis houses and offices in Abuja, Kano and Birnin-Kebbi in December. PREMIUM TIMES reported that because the allegation of possession of illegal arms fell outside the EFCCs statutory mandate, the anti-graft agency reportedly handed over the recovered weapons to the SSS for further investigation. Malami in third phase of detention Mr Malamis arrest on Monday began the third phase of his ongoing detention by various agencies since 8 December 2025. The EFCC detained him from 8 December 2025 to 30 December 2025, when the Federal High Court in Abuja where he and his family members face money laundering charges transferred him to the Correctional Centre in Kuje, Abuja, following his arraignment. The trial court granted him bail on 7 January but only for him to be rearrested by the SSS upon his release after meeting the bail conditions on Monday. As of the time the court gave the bail ruling, Mr Malamis wife and son had spent 16 days in custody, having been first detained by the EFCC between 23 December and 30 December, when they were arraigned and subsequently remanded alongside Mr Malami in prison. Mr Malami, the AGF during former President Muhammadu Buharis administration between 2015 and 2023, is standing trial alongside one of his wives, Ms Bashir, and his son, Abdulaziz, on 16 counts of money laundering involving about N8.7 billion. In the charges, EFCC accused them of retention of proceeds of unlawful activity and illegitimate acquisition of assets with funds of suspicious origins. On the day of the defendants arraignment on 7 January, the judge, during a separate hearing, ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly linked to Mr Malami. The properties, allegedly acquired during and shortly after the eight years of Mr Malami as minister, were valued at over N212 billion. The 2025 COP30 in Brazil was a milestone moment in the global climate agenda, but for unexpected reasons. The United States (US) did not participate in the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and this month announced its withdrawal from the convention (and 30 other UN entities). This removes the country with the highest historical levels of greenhouse gases from the jurisdiction of the UNFCCC, whose members commit to a transition away from fossil fuels. The worlds largest economy will also not be a global partner in climate action. Without US participation, COP30 saw a recalibration of the major power blocs and countries that hold more promise for the developing world, particularly Africa. This, together with the 2025 G20 Summits promising climate outcomes, sets Africas climate agenda and provides avenues to advance its priorities. At the COP of Truth, the global south collectively highlighted the elephant in the room: the world is far from limiting warming to 1.5C. Climate governance may be entering a more honest phase one that recognises differentiated capacities and prioritises implementation over rhetoric. Unfortunately, global leaders did not rise to President Lula da Silvas challenge to prove their commitment to the planet. Progress towards an international emissions deal, increased planet protection, and higher climate action contributions was limited. Important COP30 features included a shift in power dynamics, with the G77+China showing early leadership, earning the Climate Action Networks first Ray of the Day. It was an important win for the developing world. Agreement on the Just Transition Mechanism is critical to accelerate a low-carbon transition without sacrificing development. Africa identified key gaps, including limited climate action ambition, slow implementation, and insufficient support for the finance, technology, and capacity-building needed to help developing countries fight climate change. This was critical in guiding the eventual COP30 decisions. Key outcomes were the Belem Action Mechanism and agreement on 59 indicators to monitor progress towards the Global Goal on Adaptation. There was some movement on the climate finance target now at $1.3 trillion yearly by 2035, with adaptation finance tripled. Brazil also raised the bar on nature and biodiversity action, with a joint statement from the presidencies of the conventions on climate (UNFCCC), biological diversity and desertification. Another win in the wake of a rapidly increasing anti-science and climate-denial force was the pledge to tackle disinformation. Africa starts 2026 with climate ambition firmly on paper, but uncertain implementation. This comes as the World Meteorological Organisations COP30 climate update shows that cascading climate extremes are hammering economies, undermining livelihoods and disrupting development globally. For Africa, climate adaptation and resilience are key to economic stability and human security. Implementation needs climate finance, but the scale, predictability and accessibility of such finance are unreachable for most African countries. The funding for loss and damage is undercapitalised, and private capital mobilisation is risk-averse and lacking. Africas climate resilience needs multi-year financing flows, delivery at scale for adaptation and resilient infrastructure. The key question in 2026 is whether African countries can convert accumulated ambition into credible pathways and lay the groundwork before constraints become insurmountable. COP30 ensured an institutional consolidation of loss and damage but fell short of a financial breakthrough. Countries completed the third review of the Warsaw International Mechanism and enhanced coordination with the Santiago Network and Fund for responding to Loss and Damage. But finance remains inadequate. Africa must shape how loss and damage are measured, framed and linked to development, debt and human security. The fund will start its first operations worth $250 million, allowing initial disbursements and testing access modalities. This is a chance for developing countries to submit funding requests, and a test of whether the fund can facilitate equity and accessibility at scale. COP30 hoped to translate commitments into tangible progress, and although some steps were taken, the conference did not bridge the gap between ambition and action. This has led to a sense of urgency and recognition that this is the year where groundwork must translate into practice. The conference also occurred in a difficult geopolitical environment. The US exit from the Paris Agreement and UNFCCC could lead to a realignment of priorities, with other major economies like the European Union and China, and even African regional players, taking on key roles in driving climate action. African nations should advocate for more autonomy in climate action and strengthen ties with other global partners. The 2025 G20 Leaders Summit advanced several climate developments, reaffirming Paris Agreement commitments prioritising adaptation amid global tensions. Leaders endorsed tripling renewables, doubling energy efficiency by 2030 and accelerating just energy transitions. The importance of the Compact with Africa at the G20 was reinforced at COP30, noting the reforms undertaken by partners to enhance the investment climate. Africa can use the G20 to push for sustainable development, build alliances, attract investment and foster technology transfer. This will be difficult under Americas 2026 G20 presidency, but could see a revival under UK leadership in 2027. At COP31 in Turkiye, Africa should advance key priorities ahead of the 2027 African COP under Ethiopia, ensuring Africa shapes the global climate agenda during geopolitical uncertainty. With climate leadership in flux and new coalitions forming, African nations could use this moment of recalibration. It will be vital to translate the institutional gains of COP30, including the Just Transition Mechanism, enhanced loss and damage coordination, and adaptation arrangements, into operational readiness and demonstrable progress. Kgaugelo Mkumbeni, Research Officer and Dhesigen Naidoo, Senior 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). Nigerias National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has reacted to an online publication that falsely reported the death of his mother, describing the claim as inaccurate and misleading. In a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts early Tuesday, Mr Ribadu said he had been inundated with calls and messages from friends and associates following the report, which claimed that his mother died on Monday, 19 January 2026. While expressing appreciation to those who reached out to commiserate with him, Mr Ribadu clarified that the report was entirely false. It is important to set the record straight. The publication is false and misleading. My mother of blessed memory passed away 28 years ago and therefore could not have died on Monday, he said. The National Security Adviser explained that the person who died on Monday was Hajja Mamma Sulaiman Ribadu, the wife of his late uncle. He offered prayers for the deceased, asking Allah to forgive her shortcomings, bless her soul, and grant her Aljannat Firdaus. READ ALSO: Tinubu meets Kano governor ahead of defection to APC Mr Ribadu also thanked friends, associates, and well-wishers who have stood by his family during the period of mourning, praying that Allah rewards them abundantly. An aide to Mr Ribadu told PREMIUM TIMES that the clarification was issued to put to rest speculation generated by the erroneous online report, which had circulated widely on social media. The Chairperson of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Usman, has concluded the second pre-Hajj visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, marking a critical advancement in preparations for the 2026 Hajj. The visit reflects NAHCONs strategy of early engagement and proactive planning to ensure a smooth and well-coordinated pilgrimage for Nigerian pilgrims. According to NAHCON, the visit focused on consolidating operational arrangements, strengthening coordination with Saudi authorities, and aligning Nigerian service providers and stakeholders with the kingdoms timelines and standards. Conducted from 4 to 19 January, the engagement underscores Nigerias commitment to complying with evolving Saudi Hajj regulations and service benchmarks. During the visit, the NAHCON delegation held high-level meetings with key Saudi institutions and service providers, resulting in progress across airlift coordination, accommodation and feeding services, Mashair operations, medical preparedness, and media coordination. Read full statement NAHCON Chairman/CEO Concludes Second Pre-Hajj Visit to Saudi Arabia, Records Key Milestones ahead of 2026 Hajj. The Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman has concluded his second pre-Hajj visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, marking a major step in preparations for the 2026 Hajj. The visit, which took place from 4th to 19th January 2026, focused on consolidating operational arrangements, strengthening coordination with Saudi authorities, and aligning Nigerian service providers and stakeholders with the timelines and standards of the Saudi authorities ahead of the 2026 Hajj. During the visit, the NAHCON delegation held high-level engagements with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the General Authority of Civil Aviation GACA, the Saudi Ministry of Health, Mashair, feeding and Accommodation service providers, airlines, and Nigerian stakeholders in the Kingdom. These engagements resulted in progress on airlift coordination, accommodation and feeding arrangements, Mashair services, medical preparedness, and media coordination frameworks. Key achievements of the visit include the signing and initiation of service agreements, uploads of contracts and flight schedule on the Nusuk Masar platform, inspection and identification of clinics and medical facilities in Makkah and Madinah, confirmation of unified medical screening requirements, alignment on digital health and operational platforms, and diplomatic engagement. The commission also concluded coordination meetings with state pilgrims welfare boards and licensed tour operators to reinforce compliance with agreed timelines, guidelines, service standards, and regulatory requirements ahead of the 2026 Hajj. With the conclusion of the visit, NAHCON will transition to the next phase of preparations, including finalisation of contracts, Pilgrims data uploads, medical screening, and continued engagement with relevant authorities to ensure smooth and well-coordinated Hajj exercise. Ahmad Muazu Technical Assistant (Media) Office of the Chairman/CEO, NAHCON No fewer than 33 ships laden with petroleum products, commodities and other goods are expected to arrive at Apapa, Tin-Can Island and Lekki Deep Sea Ports in Lagos from 30 to 31 January. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) stated this in its publication, Shipping Position, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos. The authority explained that 22 of the expected ships carried containers of different goods, while other ships contained condensate, crude oil, bulk bitumen, gasoline, general cargo, containers, diesel and petrol. It noted that 10 ships and tanker vessels had arrived at the three ports, waiting to berth with diesel, crude oil, bulk urea, general cargoes, containers, petrol, empty containers, and bulk sugar. NPA also said that 21 ships are currently discharging bulk pallets, general cargoes, fresh fish, containers, bulk salt, bulk sugar, diesel and aviation fuel. (NAN) The Abia State Government has announced plans to begin construction of a Civil Service Commission/Pocket Layout Estate in Umuahia, aimed at providing quality, affordable housing for residents. The state Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Monday during a briefing to journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting. Mr Kanu said that the state government had approved the project and mandated the Ministry of Housing to commence work at the site. This project will provide quality and affordable housing for Abia residents, he stated. He added that the ministry was also in advanced discussions with private developers under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement for proposed housing estates at Mbaisii and Mgbarakuma, Umuahia. Mr Kanu said that the necessary agreements were close to being signed to enable the developers move to site without delay. According to a BusinessDay report on 11 March 2025, Nigerias housing deficit is estimated variously at 17 million, 20 million, 22 million and lately 28 million units. (The housing deficit) remains a big dent in the countrys social stability, economic growth as well as development. This is because, to a very large extent, the government, which is supposed to drive solutions to the problem, does not seem to be committed to the problem, the paper reported. Though there are other extraneous factors, the major reason for the widening gap between housing demand and supply in the country is finance, which resides almost 100 per cent in the government. The Abia information commissioner, Mr Kanu, said that the Abia State Government had intensified its Urban Renewal and Modification Programme aimed at giving Umuahia the outlook of a befitting state capital. He listed ongoing measures, including tree planting along major roads, repairs and repainting of public infrastructure, installation of perimeter fences and road signs, and the removal of shanties and illegal building projections. Mr Kanu said residents had been given ample time to comply, warning that enforcement would now commence through the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA). As a compassionate government, residents of Umuahia have been given more than enough time to remove the shanties and illegal projections in buildings around the city. The party is now over for those who will not comply with this directive; the State Government, through UCDA, is now poised to enforce this directive. Landlords with such illegal structures have been advised to comply with this directive or be ready to face the wrath of the law and enforcing taskforces, he said. On building maintenance, Mr Kanu said that landlords whose properties required facelift or routine maintenance had been given four weeks to comply or face sanctions. He stressed that dilapidated buildings undermined the governments efforts to beautify the capital city. The State Government has observed with dismay as well, that many landlords have not carried out routine maintenance or facelifts to their buildings for years. These buildings currently deface the city, thereby setting back the efforts of the state government to beautify Umuahia and give it the look and feel of a capital city. Consequently, the state government, through the UCDA, is advising all landlords whose buildings need a facelift or routine maintenance to do so within the next four weeks from the date of this announcement. Landlords that disregard this directive will face the consequences, he said. He added that illegal parking of commercial vehicles on city roads had been banned, noting that defaulters risk having their vehicles impounded. Recruitment of 649 medical personnel In the health sector, the commissioner disclosed that 649 medical personnel had so far been employed out of the 771 approved for recruitment. He said that the newly recruited workers included 432 nurses already deployed to primary healthcare centres across the state. Mr Kanu added that some personnel had opportunities to work abroad but chose to serve the state because of their confidence in the administration. ALSO READ: Governor commissions uncompleted housing estate He also revealed that a neurosurgeon with a rare specialty was among the new recruits, and noted that the government was open to further recruitment even after the current shortfall of 122 personnel was filled. He further announced that the Forum of Academic Doctors had voted Governor Alex Otti of Abia State as the best performing governor in the South-east, attributing the recognition to the administrations reforms across key sectors. On transportation, Mr Kanu said that temporary charging stations had been installed to support the governments free electric bus services during the yuletide, adding that more charging stations would be deployed across the state. He said that two MVH 33/10.415kV distribution substations had also been installed at the Umuahia Bus Terminal, with the project about 80 per cent completed and expected to be commissioned soon. In the power sector, Mr Kanu announced that the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Authority (ASERA) would, before the end of January, issue an order to regularise electricity activities in the state. He said that this development followed the recent transfer of regulatory authority from Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). He said that the move would enhance consumer protection, improve service delivery and ensure quicker resolution of electricity-related complaints. This is one of the outcomes following the release of the final transfer of regulatory authority from NERC to ASERA. As a statutory regulator of all electricity sector activities in the state, ASERA will issue that order to ensure quicker resolution of consumer complaints, stronger consumer protection, and better service delivery. This development is aimed at ensuring fair balance between operators and electricity consumers in the state, going forward, Mr Kanu said. (NAN) The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) says fire has razed the upper floor of a one-storey commercial building housing computer dealers at Computer Village, Ikeja, early Monday. The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday. Following distress alerts received at about 1:55 a.m. via the 767/112 Toll-Free Emergency Lines, LASEMA activated the States Emergency Response Plan from its Command and Control Centre in Alausa, Ikeja. Upon arrival at the scene at about 2:15 a.m., the LASEMA Response Team discovered active flames and thick smoke engulfing the upper floor of a one-storey commercial building mainly used for the storage and sale of computers and accessories, he said. Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said the high concentration of combustible materials in the building contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. He added that the cause of the fire was yet to be determined and was currently under investigation. No lives were lost in the incident; however, one firefighter sustained minor injuries during the operation and was treated on-site by the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), he said. The permanent secretary said the entire upper floor of the building was destroyed, with goods and property worth millions of naira lost to the inferno. He added that the structure had been partially compromised and would require immediate structural integrity assessment. The area was promptly cordoned off, and necessary safety measures were implemented to protect adjoining buildings, successfully preventing the fire from spreading to neighbouring structures, he said. ALSO READ: Traders protest alleged plan to demolish complex in Lagos Computer Village Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said the fire had been fully extinguished, while damping-down operations were ongoing to eliminate residual heat and prevent re-ignition. He urged operators of commercial facilities to strictly adhere to fire safety measures and proper storage protocols. He said that agencies that responded to the incident include the LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASAMBUS, and the Nigeria Police Force. (NAN) The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed a suit filed by Samuel Anyanwu, seeking validation as the national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The judge, Mohammed Umar, dismissed the suit after Mr Anyanwus lawyer disclosed that his clients tenure as PDPs national secretary expired in December last year. Sued as defendants in the suit were the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Umar Damagun, a factional national chairman; Sunday UdehOkoye, PDP National Vice Cairman, SouthEast; Ali Odela, deputy national secretary; and Setonji Koshoedo, deputy national secretary. Speaking earlier during Tuesdays proceedings, Mr Anyanwus lawyer, U. C. NjemanzeAku, said it was not proper for a matter that has been overtaken by events to continue. In the interest of justice, I apply to withdraw this matter to save the courts time, Mr Njemanze-Aku said. Responding, INECs lawyer, Akintayo Balogun, said the suit ought not to have been instituted in the first place and asked the court to dismiss it with costs. He requested one million naira. M. O. Akpan, the lawyer who represented Mr Damagun, also argued that the suit should not have been filed and sought N1.5 million as cost. Similarly, Ugochukwu Okanu, representing the fourth defendant and J. A. Musa for the sixth defendant asked for N1 million each for the same reason. However, Mr Njemanze-Aku frowned on the positions of the defendants and their requests for cost. He insisted that the withdrawal was due to circumstances beyond his clients control. We owe a duty to the court, and to avoid wasting its time, we decided to withdraw the case, he said. He added that it is not fair to penalise the plaintiff, and urged the court to allow the parties to bear their own costs. After listening to the arguments, the judge dismissed the suit. Regarding costs, he ruled that the delay is not on any of the parties. The situation made it so. For this reason, I award no cost. Background The crisis over the PDP national secretary position began when Mr Anyanwu vacated the role to contest the 2023 Imo State governorship election, which he lost. Following his defeat, efforts to reclaim the position led to internal conflict in the party, with Mr UdehOkoye emerging as a contender for the seat. On 20 December 2024, the Court of Appeal in Enugu upheld an earlier decision of the Federal High Court, which removed Mr Anyanwu and affirmed Mr UdehOkoye as the authentic secretary. However, Mr Anyanwu swiftly filed for a stay of execution and subsequently appealed the decision at the Supreme Court. In March 2025, the Supreme Court overturned the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court sacking Mr Anyanwu as the national secretary of the PDP. After the Supreme Courts decision, the leadership dispute did not immediately end, with different factions continuing to assert authority within the PDPs national secretariat. To address lingering legal uncertainty, Mr Anyanwu subsequently filed a fresh suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking enforcement of his position and related declarations. In November last year, the Federal High Court granted him an application seeking to amend the originating summons he filed in the suit. The judge, Mr Umar, allowed the amendment of the plaintiffs application, but awarded a cost of N30,000 to be paid by the plaintiff to each of the defendants, and adjourned the matter till 20 January for hearing. It was when the matter was called for hearing on Tuesday that Mr Anyanwu, through his lawyer, decided to end the long legal battle. The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the names of the candidates forwarded to it by the chairperson of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark. The judge, Mohammed Umar, gave the order in a judgement on a suit regarding the upcomig 21 February area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Seventeen candidates of ADC had sued INEC alongside the party over the refusal of the electoral body to grant their party electronic access to upload their details for the elections. The candidates said they paid N20 million for nomination forms and won their partys primary elections and were set to contest various positions in the forthcoming area council elections in the FCT. I find the evidence of the applicants credible, and judgment is entered in their favour, said the judge. He subsequently ordered INEC to recognise and publish the names of the plaintiffs as candidates of the ADC for the various positions of their interests after they won the partys primaries to constest in the 2026 FCT area council elections. Mr Umar further directed INEC to grant the ADC electronic access to upload the names of the plaintiffs as its candidates for the various positions contested in the substitution primary, citing Sections 29(1), 31, 33 and 84(1)(5)(6) of the 2022 Electoral Act and the INEC Election Guidelines. The names the judge ordered to be uploaded on INECs portal as candidates for the elections include Jafaru Shaibu, Ayenajeyi Yakubu, Dauda Awode, Ezra Zaki, Sunday Abraham, Ayuba Adam, Jamilu Kabiru, Nuhu Madaki, Ibrahim Aliyou, and Ogwuche Linus. Others are Chibuike Anyika, Okechukwu Ironkwe, Godwin Adoga, Agada John, Onuoha Goodness, Mahrazu Bichi, and Tobias Obechina. The plaintiffs were represented by Kalu Agu during Tuesdays proceedings, while INEC, and Agih Orji represented INEC and ADC, respectively. Why candidates sought court redress The plaintiffs detailed their suit in a 27-paragraph supporting affidavit sworn by one of them, Goodness Onuoha. They claimed that 16 of them participated in the primary elections of the ADC after the withdrawal of candidates from the main primaries, whose names had been uploaded on the ADC portal before the close of submission on 11 August 2025. They added that the 17th plaintiff was nominated as a vice-chairmanship candidate of the ADC for the forthcoming elections. Ms Onuoha explained that after their emergence, the ADC made efforts to upload to our INEC forms EC9 and EC13 categories to the portal but could not get access to do so. She further stated that correspondence between ADC ICT staff and INEC ICT staff revealed that the substitution notification letter from ADC to INEC was the issue, as the access code given to ADC through her former national chairman could not be used by the current national chairman of the ADC, since INEC did not recognise the signatures of the current national chairman and national secretary Mr Mark as the national chair and Rauf Aregbesola as the national secretary. The plaintiffs claimed that they later wrote a letter to INEC requesting that ADC be given access to upload their names as candidates in the 21 February election, but that INEC refused to receive the letter from their lawyer, Mr Kalu Agu. They submitted that INEC is hell-bent on denying ADC access to upload our names on the INEC portal. Ms Ounoha added that the second defendant, which is ADC, has also abandoned them to their fate despite receive over N20 million for nomination from the candidates. Among the issues raised for determination by the plaintiff was whether, by the provisions of the Electoral Act and INEC Election Guidelines, it is mandatory for INEC to give electronic access to ADC to upload the names of the plaintiffs on its portal as candidates for the various positions contested in the substitution primary election of the ADC, preparatory to the 2026 Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections. The plaintiffs urged the court to rule in their favour by ordering INEC to give ADC electronic access to upload their names and publish the said names as candidates for the 21 February elections. INEC acted Unlawfully Delivering judgement on Tuesday, the court held that all actions taken by the applicants were within the timetable issued by INEC. Mr Umar, the judge, held that INEC, having cited a change in leadership of the sponsoring political party acted unlawfully by refusing to grant access for the upload of candidates details The reliance on a change of leadership amounts to a failure and a fruitless excuse, the judge said, adding that it denied the applicants the opportunity to complete the process of participation in the election. The judge also noted that the change in leadership had been duly communicated and updated on the relevant website, which, according to to him, constituted sufficient notice to INEC. He observed that the last day for withdrawal of candidates was 1 August 2025 and that INEC was also duly notified within time. Mr Umar said INEC, as the umpire of the election, could not evade its statutory responsibility under section 29 of the Electoral Act. Government is a continuum, he said, stressing that where an access point became dysfunctional, INEC had a duty to provide a functional alternative. The judge found the evidence presented by the applicants credible and ruled that they had complied with all legal requirements. President Bola Tinubu on Monday hosted Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State amid speculations of the governors exit from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement, confirmed that the president held a closed-door meeting with the governor at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. While the specific agenda of the discussion was not disclosed, the meeting followed weeks of consultations by Mr Yusuf regarding his intention to defect to the ruling APC. This visit marks the governors first official audience with President Tinubu since the latters return from the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Neither the presidency nor the Kano State Government has yet issued an official confirmation of the governors planned transition to the APC. PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Mr Yusuf had secured the consent of the majority of elected officials, party executives, and influential support groups in the state following a series of consultations ahead of the planned defection. The Kano State House of Assembly has endorsed the potential defection of the governor from the NNPP, citing escalating legal disputes within the party. The majority leader of the legislature and representative for the Dala constituency, Lawan Hussaini, had told reporters that it is politically risky for the governor and other elected officials to remain in the NNPP. He noted that the NNPP is currently bedevilled by a leadership crisis that could jeopardise their mandates as future elections approach. If Mr Yusuf eventually moved from the NNPP, it may mark the end of a decade-long political association with his mentor, former Governor of Kano and leader of the NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso. Mr Kwankwaso had opposed the governors planned defection from the NNPP. The News in Brief Wednesday, January 21, 2026 Two Georgian citizens who were illegally detained by Russian occupation forces have been released and returned to territory controlled by Tbilisi, Georgia's State Security Service (SSSG) announced on January 20.According to the agency, the individuals were detained on January 13 near the village of Dvani in the Kareli municipality, close to the administrative boundary line with the Russian-occupied region of South Ossetia. The SSSG did not publicly report the detention at the time.The security service declined to disclose the names of the released individuals or publish photographs, saying this was done deliberately to avoid complicating efforts to secure their release."In the best interests of those illegally detained, we deliberately refrained from disclosing their names and other details in order not to interfere with the process," the agency said, adding that experience shows this approach increases the chances of a successful outcome.The SSSG said that all available mechanisms were actively used to secure the release of the two detainees and stressed that work continues to free other Georgian citizens who remain in detention in the occupied territories.Georgia's Public Defender has filed a constitutional complaint against multiple laws and penalties introduced in 2025 that regulate protests and public demonstrations.The lawsuit targets provisions in the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations, the Administrative Offenses Code, and the Criminal Code, which, according to the Public Defender's Office, impose excessive restrictions on citizens' right to protest.Levan Ioseliani, Public Defender, announced in December that his office planned to challenge the measures, citing concerns over proportionality and the impact on civil liberties. "We believe these laws impose restrictions that go beyond what is necessary to maintain public order," Ioseliani said in a statement.According to the Public Defender's Office, the complaint specifically addresses a "blanket ban on covering faces with masks or by any other means" during protests. It also challenges the penalties applied under the Administrative Offenses Code, including mandatory detention and the size of fines.The complaint further raises questions about the criminal liability of individuals who repeatedly commit administrative offenses. Under the amended laws, repeated protest-related offenses, such as blocking roads or covering faces at demonstrations, can carry prison sentences of up to one year."The cumulative effect of these measures is to severely restrict the right to peaceful assembly," the office said in its statement.The Constitutional Court will now review the complaint, which could have significant implications for protest regulations and civil rights in Georgia. TOKYO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A sightseeing helicopter carrying three people went missing near the summit of Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan on Tuesday, public broadcaster NHK reported. Police and fire departments are searching the area near the Nakadake crater of Mt. Aso, the report said. The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, says that the party will declare its position regarding the impeachment move against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, when its the time. Mr Morka disclosed this on Monday night when he appeared as a guest on Beyond Headlines, a programme on TVC News. The APC spokesperson stressed that the party is not disengaged from the political crisis in Rivers State. The fact that Im not willing to comment on the Rivers crisis on your show does not mean that the APC is disengaged in Rivers State. We are a political party, and a responsible party at that. Our job is to govern our party maturely. When its time to share our positions or decisions (on the Rivers crisis), be assured that I will come here and share them boldly, he said. But you know there are processes that must be enabled to do their job so that at the end of the day, we call it right. APC spokesperson disowns partys faction in Rivers A faction of the APC in Rivers State, led by Emeka Beke, had issued a statement urging the Chief Judge of the state, Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, to comply with a court order stopping the impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy. The APCs factional spokesperson in Rivers, Darlington Nwauju, issued the statement in response to a request from the state assembly to the chief judge on 16 January to probe the allegations of gross misconduct against Mr Fubara and Mrs Odu, a professor. However, during the TV programme, Mr Morka disowned the statement from Mr Bekee-led faction of the APC in Rivers. The spokesperson said Mr Nwauju does not speak for the APC in Rivers and has no authority to issue such statements for the party in the state. I know that I read a lot of reports about statements from APC in Rivers State in the media, concerning the executive officials of the APC in the state. The media should seek clarification on such matters from the partys national leaders. Party officials at the state level who are members of the state working committee are the ones who are authorised to issue statements. I am not sure the individual (Mr Nwauju) you are referring to (is one of our members). He used to be in the old executives, but I dont think he is currently an official of our party in Rivers State, the APC spokesperson said. Background Due to a leadership crisis within the APC in Rivers State, the party split into two factions, both claiming to be the authentic leadership. Tony Okocha leads one faction, while Mr Beke leads the other, where Mr Nwauju belongs. While Mr Okochas faction has the backing of the APC national leadership and the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, Mr Bekes faction is aligned with Mr Fubara, who defected to the party in December 2025. The Rivers assembly on 8 January initiated the third impeachment proceedings against Mr Fubara since he became the states governor in 2023, amid a feud between him and his predecessor, Mr Wike. The impeachment move came shortly after Mr Wike accused the governor of reneging on the terms of a peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu in June last year. The Bekee-led APC faction in Rivers immediately rejected the impeachment plot against Mr Fubara, calling for a political resolution of the crisis. The call appeared to have yielded results when four lawmakers withdrew from the impeachment move against Governor Fubara. The assembly failed to reconvene on 15 January, fueling speculation that the lawmakers might be considering abandoning the impeachment move. However, on 16 January, the lawmakers announced that the impeachment process would go on. Even the four lawmakers, who earlier withdrew their support for the impeachment move, backtracked and again expressed their support for it. The assembly subsequently requested that the chief judge establish a panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy. But hours later, a High Court in Rivers issued the order, which restrained the assembly and the chief judge from proceeding with the impeachment process. Jude Egbas, the deputy editor of the TheCable, has accused operatives from Otolo Nnewi Divisional Police Headquarters in Anambra State of arresting and detaining him alongside his wife and two underage children in the state. Mr Egbas told TheCable that the operatives only released him and his family after allegedly forcing him to pay N150,000 as bail. The journalist said he and his wife, Ogechukwu Chukwujekwu, and his kids, Munachukwu, 13, and Adela, three years old, were detained for 10 hours until he paid the money. According to the journalist, the incident occurred on Sunday, 28 December 2025, in Ndiakwu Otolo Community, Knew I North Local Government Area of the state. Family feud Mr Egbas had travelled to the community to spend Christmas with his wife and in-laws. In the early hours of the 28 December, the journalist recalled being woken up by a loud argument emanating from another wing of a building within the community. Apparently, my wife and her uncle, Collins Okechukwu Anya, who was visiting from the United States, and who had adopted her as his daughter, were having a disagreement, he said. Anya had attacked and slapped her twice as tempers rose. The altercation had stemmed from an alternative power supply arrangement the night before, as the building is not yet connected to the power grid. The other wing of the building where the altercation was unfolding had most of my in-laws. I could hear my mother in-law and sister in-laws trying to douse the tension and settle the fight as I hurriedly put on some clothes to dash to the scene. As I arrived in the room, there was noise from every corner. The din could have been heard from miles away. Anya was still baying for blood as he was being restrained from hitting my wife his daughter again. In the course of their scuffle, my wife had damaged the television in self-defence. This further exacerbated a disagreement that should have been settled amicably between members of the same family. The journalists wife, Ogechukwu, told TheCable that Mr Anya has a history of hitting and beating her up. He did it at Christmas of 2023/2024, when he ganged up with his brother to physically assault me, pulling my hair in the process, she recalled. Latest incident Mr Egbas narrated that, during the latest incident on 28 December, Mr Anya, after the initial scuffle, subsequently phoned the head of a local security outfit, Agunechemba, who stormed the house. Attempts to make the vigilantes understand that this was nothing more than a family fight that should be settled amicably failed. Before long, the vigilantes were beating up everyone in the building, he said. Mr Egbas continued: Helen, my wifes younger sister, was dished a hot slap and her clothes were ripped apart. She was basically stripped. I had confronted the assailant to say it was wrong to be laying a hand on a woman or treating a lady in that manner. But I was roughened up, too, for my troubles and insulted by the gun-wielding team. I basically had a gun pointed to my head at this point. With our Christmas vacation now a hot mess, my wife asked that we leave for her dads compound in Umuenem. As we packed our belongings, the police team from the Otolo Nnewi post arrived. And further hell was let loose. Journalism is a useless profession Mr Egbas said the police team had been instructed to arrest him and his family and that the team was led by Onyebuchi Ismiwekpeni, a superintendent of police. I was dragged by the waist like a common criminal and bundled into the police van parked outside. I watched helplessly as police officers beat up my wife, leaving marks on her body. My wife and her sister, my children, were also thrown into the back of the van. Then our phones were seized. What breaks me to this day was my three-year-old crying in my arms as we were driven to the police station, he said. Once at the station, I still thought this whole thing could be settled as nothing more than a family feud. As I tried to speak, first identifying myself as a journalist and pulling out my identification, Isiwekpeni descended on me, the journalist said. Mr Egbas narrated that Mr Isiwekpeni called him unprintable names and ridiculed the journalism profession as useless. My wife was also insulted and called all sorts of names, including being slut-shamed by this officer. There we sat, behind the counter all six of us, including our caregiver, for 10 hours without access to our phones, without food and without water. With my children in my arms crying while the ordeal lasted, he said. The journalist said around 5 p.m., he was summoned under a tree where Mr Isiwekpeni had been holding court. He was then told that to set himself and his family free, he had to pay up. First, I was told to pay N220,000. We pleaded for more than an hour. Thereafter, we were asked to pay N150,000. We were all drained at this point, and night was fast approaching. It was a Sunday, and I had to report to work the next day. The police made it clear that we were all going to spend the night in the cell if I didnt pay up, the journalist narrated. ALSO READ: Nigerian military begins probe of officers detained for alleged coup plot He continued: With our phones still confiscated, Helen, my wifes sister, who had been locked up with us, begged for hers to facilitate the transaction. Helens aunt and Anyas sister, who also resides in the United States, then loaned us the money for our bail. I was then permitted by Isiwekpeni to leave the station to the nearest cash withdrawal point to get the money as the police do not do transfers. When I returned, with the N150,000 concealed in a black polythene bag, Isiwekpeni still coerced me and my wife to write statements and an undertaking, and still made me sit as he counted the money to make sure it was complete to the last kobo, before we were let go. Do the story, sir When contacted, Tochukwu Ikenga, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, told TheCable that the victim should write a report of the matter and forward it to the police for action. What do you want me to do? Please write a report and send it to us for action. Or you can do the story and then we would react, Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said. Also contacted, Benjamin Hundeyin, Nigeria Police Force spokesperson, asked the newspaper to speak with Mr Ikenga on the conduct of the officers and the extortion of N150,000 from Mr Egbas. When informed of Mr Ikengas response, Mr Hundeyin said: Do the story, sir. The Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State has ordered the immediate closure of Abu Sinan High School, located in the Sabon Layin community, citing serious safety and structural concerns. The action followed an on-site inspection led by the councils deputy chairman, Sani Garkuwa, during which officials observed that the school buildings did not comply with approved construction standards and posed a risk to students. The chairman of the local government, John Christopher, confirmed the closure in a statement signed by his chief press secretary, Mercy Chuwang. Cracks were observed in the beams and walls, posing a serious safety risk to students in the classrooms, the statement said. The fissures, some running the full length of load-bearing beams and others branching across wall panels, indicate compromised structural integrity that could trigger a sudden collapse, especially under the weight of daily use and during examinations. Mr Christopher directed the school management to suspend all academic activities and send students home with immediate effect. According to him, the decision was taken to prevent a possible building failure that could lead to loss of lives. We are directing the school authorities to cease all operations and send the students home, he said. This action is to ensure that schools remain safe and conducive for learning, and to prevent any building collapse that could lead to loss of lives. The council also raised concerns about discrepancies in the schools identity. While the signboard at the premises reads Victory High Science School, students uniforms bear the name Abu Sinan High School, a mismatch, the council said, raises credibility and regulatory questions. Officials further noted that the school lacked basic facilities, including adequate ventilation, proper doors and windows, and toilet facilities, describing the learning environment as substandard. The chairman instructed the proprietors to reapply for approval only after presenting a valid building plan and relevant registration documents from the appropriate authorities. He also warned that inspections would continue across Jos North and that any school found to be structurally unsafe would be shut down. Shadow of past school buildings collapses The closure comes against the backdrop of previous fatal school building incidents in Jos. Premium Times reported that on 12 July 2024, a two-storey building at Saints Academy College in the Busa Buji community of Jos North collapsed during school hours. At least 22 students died, while more than 130 others were injured in the incident. Investigations by the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute found that the collapsed structure was already distressed and was constructed with substandard materials. The institutes director general, Samson Duna, said there was no bond between the concrete and the steel reinforcement, adding that the slab reinforcement anchorage provided was inadequate, and the sizes of the footing were less than the required standard. The Jos North council said the level of damage observed at Abu Sinan High School mirrors patterns seen in past collapses linked to poor construction practices and weak regulatory enforcement. Education funding and infrastructure gaps The safety concerns also raise broader questions about education infrastructure in Plateau State. In November 2025, Governor Caleb Mutfwang presented a 914.86 billion 2026 budget proposal to the Plateau State House of Assembly, allocating 218.55 billion to the social services sector, including education. While the government has framed the budget as a tool for consolidating reforms and improving public services, incidents of unsafe school buildings continue to expose gaps in enforcement and infrastructure oversight, particularly in private institutions. UNESCO benchmarks and Nigerias challenge Globally, UNESCO has repeatedly warned that under-investment in education infrastructure undermines learning outcomes and student safety. The agency recommends that countries allocate between 4 and 6 per cent of GDP or 15 to 20 per cent of public expenditure to education. READ ALSO: Bomb kills miner on Niger rural road In a 2021 declaration adopted by more than 40 countries, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said, It is imperative that we prioritise education as the most powerful investment for our common future. If we do not invest in education now, the cost will be much higher for generations to come. The closure of Abu Sinan High School adds to growing concerns among parents and education advocates in Plateau State, who argue that, beyond budgetary promises, stricter regulation and enforcement are needed to ensure that schools remain safe spaces for children. The Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) has rejected claims by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) that it has met 10 out of the 14 demands of striking workers, insisting that only two issues have been partially addressed. Reacting to the claims in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, the unions President, Rifkatu Lortyer, said the administrations claims do not reflect the outcome of negotiations held with union leaders before and after the strike began on Monday. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that workers under JUAC commenced an indefinite strike on Monday, shutting down offices of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in Abuja. The industrial action followed an earlier notice issued by the unions on Friday, announcing plans to shut down government offices across the FCT and its area councils over what they described as the failure of the FCTA to fully address welfare issues, including unpaid allowances, promotion arrears and other conditions of service. When PREMIUM TIMES visited the secretariat on Tuesday, the main entrance gate remained under lock and key, with heavy security presence around the complex. Security personnel, including soldiers and police officers, were stationed at strategic points, while security guards restricted movement into the premises. At the second entrance, only a pedestrian gate was open, allowing limited foot movement. Only two issues addressed Ms Lortyer said the FCTA claiming that 10 out of their 14 demands had been met is inaccurate. I dont know exactly what the senior assistant to the minister is talking about. He has never been part of our negotiating team. Even the people that we are negotiating with know that they are making frantic efforts for certain things to be done and nothing is done so far, she said. She noted that union leaders were aware that negotiations were ongoing but insisted that concrete resolutions had not been reached. The only thing that has been done fully is the payment of the 13 months hazard allowance for medical and health workers, which was paid before Monday. She added that the administration also paid one month of the wage award after negotiations had begun. That is all they have done so far. Four more months of the wage award are still outstanding, she said. Pension deductions, dispute Ms Lortyer said one of the most pressing unresolved issues is the non-remittance of workers pension contributions. What is most painful to me is our pension contribution. We wonder what hindered it from going to our pension fund administrators from May last year, she said. On the dispute over promotion examinations and pass rates, which the FCTA dismissed as unsubstantiated, Ms Lortyer said workers had access to internal information. We are not staff of the commission, but we are staff in the system and we get information when we want to get. There is nothing that is being done for every management that is not handled by a personnel. But it will be good for us if because we got the information and we are talking about it and they go and make it 50 per cent and we indeed have 50 per cent, that will also be a plus for us. Meanwhile, the FCTA had earlier said claims that only about 22.5 per cent of candidates passed the promotion examinations had no official backing, advising unions to await formal results. No agreement after meetings Ms Lortyer also contradicted claims by the FCTA that meetings held over the weekend had resolved most issues. She noted that negotiation meetings held on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but no concrete resolution was reached. All the meetings remained in deadlock. It is this morning that I was told they are making frantic efforts to make sure some of these things are being handled. She added that the last meeting, held on Monday after the strike had commenced, also ended in a deadlock. Asked how long the strike would last, Ms Lortyer said the unions had no timeline for calling it off. She said, As long as it lasts. I cant give you a definite answer. If our demands are not met, it will continue. She added that as of Tuesday, the administration had not invited the unions for another round of talks. The FCT High Court in Abuja on Tuesday adjourned proceedings in the N19.4 billion trial of former Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika to enable the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC) to provide a set of documents requested by the defence team. EFCC is prosecuting Mr Sirika along with his younger brother, Ahmad Abubakar, and two companies, Al-Buraq Limited and Enginos Nigeria Limited, on charges of abuse of office, criminal breach of trust, use of position for gratification. The case contains 10 counts alleging that the former minister awarded various contracts worth about N19.4 billion to his younger brother. On Tuesday, the unavailability of a set of documents relating to the flagged contracts prevented the defence team from cross-examining prosecution witness Ganiyu Yesufu, who is the Director of Compliance at the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP). At the start of the proceedings, Michael Numa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who stood in for Mr Sirikas lead defence counsel Kanu Agabi, also a SAN, requested Exhibit C1 with documents labelled Annexure 2 comprising the contract document and approval letters. But the prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs, also a SAN, said Annexure 2 was not available. Mr Numa then reminded the court that the prosecution had promised during a previous hearing to produce the set of documents. But Mr Jacobs told the court that he did not have the documents, adding that their absence was not enough to stop Mr Numa from going on with his cross-examination. Responding, Mr Numa told the court that he could not proceed with the cross-examination without the documents which he said were pivotal to his cross-examination. After some further back-and-forth, Mr Jacobs requested an adjournment to enable him to produce the documents. In a ruling, trial judge Suleiman Belgore urged the prosecution to make the document available to the defence for the cross-examination of the witness. He then adjourned proceedings until 25 March. Charges In the charges alleging N19.4 billion fraud, the EFCC accused Mr Sirika of conferring unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited whose alter ego was his biological brother, Mr Abubakar, by using his position to influence the award of contract for the construction of a terminal building at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,345,586,500. The EFCC further alleged that the former minister used his position to influence the award of contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport for the sum of N3,811,497,685. It also, among others, alleged that Ahmad and Enginos Nigeria Limited had possession of the aggregate sum of N2,337,840,674.16 which they knew indirectly represented the proceeds of criminal conduct of the former minister. The offence, according to the EFCC, contravened the provisions of Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. EFCC also accused the defendants of violating section 17(b) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004 as well as Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Acts of the Federal Capital Territory, and punishable under the same Acts. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them. Mr Sirika faces a separate, ongoing fraud trial before another FCT High Court judge Sylvanus Oriji. In the case the EFCC charged Mr Sirika alongside his daughter, Fatima Sirika, son-in-law, Jalal Hamma, and a company, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, with contract fraud and abuse of office. The former minister, according to the EFCC, abused his office as minister by conferring unfair advantage upon Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, whose alter ego are said to be his daughter and son-in-law, by using his position to influence the award to them, the contract for the apron extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750. This, the prosecution said, is contrary to Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Section 17 (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 as well as Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same sections. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday lifted the ban on public campaigns, following the release of the final list of candidates for the 20 June governorship election in Ekiti State The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the tate, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, disclosed this while addressing leaders of political parties and stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. On Monday, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the commission released the final list of the governorship candidates and deputies. However, the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) were missing on the list. Mr Omoseyindemi said public campaigns would commence 21 January and end at midnight on 18 June 18. He asked political parties to strictly adhere to the approved campaign period and timelines, as well as to shun hate campaign. Mr Omoseyindemi formally presented the final list of 12 governorship candidates and their running mates, stressing that the process was concluded following the conclusion of primaries, submission of nomination forms and the resolution of complaints arising from the nomination exercise, in line with the Electoral Act 2022. He said that the publication of the list signalled the beginning of a critical phase of the electioneering, urging political actors to conduct their campaigns with maturity, restraint and strict adherence to the law. While affirming the right of parties and candidates to campaign freely, the REC warned that such rights must be exercised in line with the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the commissions guidelines. He reminded political parties of the need to notify the INEC, security agencies and other relevant authorities ahead of rallies and campaigns, stressing that such was necessary to ensure adequate security and prevent breakdown of law and order. Mr Omoseyindemi noted that inciting comments could inflame tensions and undermine the credibility of the electoral process, urging political actors to focus on issue-based campaigns and healthy competition, rather than resorting to personal attacks or statements capable of provoking violence. He said any act of violence, intimidation or breach of public peace would not be tolerated, adding that offenders would be sanctioned in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act and other relevant laws. APC, ADC speak on chances at poll Following the lifting of the ban on public campaigns, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) expressed confidence ahead of the poll, hinging its optimism on the Governor Biodun Oyebanjis impressive performance since assuming office. The state Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, said that the party would campaign on the governors record in governance, infrastructural development, workers welfare and political stability in the state which he believed have earned him widespread acceptance among Ekiti people. Mr Dipe expressed confidence that the APC-led-administrations achievements in office would translate into electoral victory for the party and a renewed mandate from the people. The partys spokesperson assured that APC would adopt issue-based campaigns and avoid inflammatory rhetoric, noting that peaceful engagement with the electorate remained central to its strategy. However, African Democratic Congress, the leading opposition party in the state, dismissed the ruling APC, insisting that the Ekiti were increasingly dissatisfied with the Oyebanji-led administration in the state. The partys state Secretary, Segun Adewumi, alleged that the APC had failed to meet the expectations of the people, accusing Mr Oyebanji of poor performance in key areas affecting the daily lives of residents. Mr Akinwumi said that it was confident that the growing dissatisfaction across the state would translate into support for its candidate, Dare Abejide, at the polls. A Lagos-based journalist, Friday Alefia, has filed a N50 million fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police commissioner and an Ebonyi State lawmaker,, Chinedu Ogah, over his alleged unlawful arrest and detention for 86 days. Mr Alefia, publisher of Naija News Today, accused the police and the member of the House of Representatives representing Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency of violating his constitutional rights through what he described as a politically motivated arrest. According to court documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, the journalist was at his residence in Ikorodu, Lagos, on 23 September 2025 when armed men who identified themselves as police officers stormed his apartment and arrested him. He was first detained at the Area F Police Station in Ikeja before being transferred to Abuja, where he was held at the SARS detention facility in Guzape, also known as Abattoir. The court filings alleged that during Mr Alefias detention, police officers pressured him to admit that his social media posts were sponsored by political opponents of Mr Ogah, a claim he reportedly refuted.. The FCT Police Command later filed charges against the journalist on 8 October 2025 at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The with five counts listed Mr Alefia as the first defendant and Asiwaju Media Company Ltd as the second, with the Commissioner of Police named as the complainant. The prosecution accused him of conspiring to use computer systems, including Facebook, to publish false information, spreading allegedly misleading reports about Mr Ogahs purported seizure of community land in Ebonyi State, and cyberstalking the lawmaker through online publications. The offences were said to contravene Section 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act and are punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(i) of the law. Alefias prayers While still in custody, Mr Alefia filed a fundamental rights enforcement application on 10 October 2025, asking the court to declare his arrest and continued detention unconstitutional, unlawful and illegal. In the application, his lawyers argued that the actions of the police violated his rights under Sections 35, 41 and 46 of the Nigerian constitution as well as Articles 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. He asked the court to order his immediate release or compel the police to produce him before a competent court. He also sought an order restraining the police from further detaining him unlawfully. The journalist further demanded N50 million in exemplary damages against Mr Ogah, whom his lawyers alleged instigated and directed his arrest and detention. In a supporting affidavit deposed to by one of his lawyers, Evelyn Chang, the defence attached screenshots of Mr Alefias Facebook posts, which they said related to civic issues and public interest reporting. The suit was jointly signed by Ogah Ogbenyi Oligwu, Godswill D. Nwani, Sabinus O. Achugamuenye, U. U. Fingesi, Feng Mandung Pwajok and Mrs Chang. Bail On 27 November 2025, the Federal High Court granted Mr Alefia bail in the sum of N20 million with two sureties in like sum. Mr Alefias release was delayed for 22 days as his legal team struggled to meet the bail conditions. He was eventually released from the Kuje Correctional Centre on 19 December 2025. Speaking shortly after his release, the journalist said the delay resulted from the requirement that both sureties reside in Abuja. After I was granted bail, we couldnt meet the conditions because the two sureties with the sum of N20 million each had to live in Abuja, he told PREMIUM TIMES during a WhatsApp call. Court proceedings were marked by repeated delays during the bail hearing stage. At one sitting, the judge fined the prosecution N50,000 for failing to properly serve its counter-affidavit opposing bail. Mr Alefia was arrested in Lagos on 23 September, transferred to Abuja and held for about six weeks at the now-defunct SARS facility before he was arraigned. At his arraignment, the prosecution informed the court that the matter was fixed for plea taking. Mr Alefia pleaded not guilty to all five counts, while the court entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of the second defendant. Although the prosecution requested a trial date, the defence drew the courts attention to a pending bail application. The judge declined to consider it, saying the application was not in the court file. He initially ordered the journalists remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the case to 27 January before the defence secured an earlier bail hearing date. Mr Alefias family later said his health deteriorated during detention, forcing them to pay for hospital treatment privately. A relative, Chijioke Alefia, described the arrest as politically motivated and called for urgent intervention. Several legal and rights groups condemned the detention. Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, said arbitrary arrests, digital surveillance and strategic lawsuits against public participation posed a serious threat to freedom of expression and democracy. Chino Obiagwu, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and national coordinator of the Legal Defence and Assistance Project, said the journalist had a constitutional right to be arraigned within 48 hours and granted bail on liberal terms. The charges against Mr Alefia include allegations that he published reports titled How Federal Lawmaker Ogah Snatches Village Land in Ebonyi, Ebonyi Rep Member Returns N4 Million Amidst Extortion Allegations, and Ebonyi Rep Member Threatens Constituent for Supporting Charity Foundation. He was also accused of cyberstalking by allegedly publishing a statement attributed to the lawmaker claiming responsibility for rigging an election. The case has renewed concerns among press freedom advocates over the use of the Cybercrimes Act against journalists. In December 2025, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and the Nigerian Guild of Editors warned that authorities were exploiting legal loopholes to suppress criticism and shrink civic space. Veteran journalist Richard Akinnola described the law as being weaponised by political leaders, likening its application to the repressive Decree 4 of 1984. The Centre for Journalism and Innovation Development also reported a rise in attacks on media practitioners nationwide, with Lagos recording persistently high-severity violations. The Federal High Court is yet to fix a hearing date for Mr Alefias damages suit. The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) has admitted an additional 3.16 billion ordinary shares of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, to its Daily Official List, signalling a major enhancement of the banks market capitalisation whilst also deepening liquidity on the capital market. The NGX noted this in a confirmatory letter to the bank, dated 12 January 2026, and signed by Head, Issuer Regulation Department at NGX, Godstime Iwenkehai, who explained that the additional shares were listed following the successful conclusion of UBAs recent rights issuance exercise. Following the submission of all post-approval documents, please be informed that United Bank for Africa Plcs Rights Issue of 3,156,869,665 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N50.00 per share on the basis of one new ordinary share for every 13 ordinary shares held were formally listed on the Daily Official List of Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on , Monday, 12 January 2026, Mr Iwenkehai stated in the letter. UBAs Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, who received the letter, commended the confirmation, as he noted that the move underscores robust investor confidence in the banks capitalisation strategy and future prospects. We welcome the formal confirmation from NGX on the listing of our rights issue shares. This successful transaction reflects strong investor confidence in UBAs financial strength, governance, and growth strategy. Needless to say that the additional capital will further support our Pan-African and global expansion, and enhance our capacity to deliver sustainable value to all stakeholders, Mr Alawuba stated. In November 2024, the bank had raised N239 billion, which elevated its capital base to N355 billion at that time, while the recently concluded rights issue has injected an additional N158 billion, bringing the banks total capital to N513 billion. This latest influx means UBAs qualifying capital base now surpasses the N500 billion requirement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), thereby exceeding the recapitalisation minimum for banks with international authorisation. United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology. Government budget documents are often seen as impenetrable walls of text and tables, filled with figures that seem disconnected from the daily lives of citizens. They can feel dense, opaque, and frankly, uninteresting to anyone outside a small circle of economists and public officials. However, hidden within the columns and summaries of Jigawa States proposed 2026 budget is a clear and ambitious story about its future. This isnt just an accounting exercise; its a strategic blueprint. The allocation of every naira tells a story about the governments priorities, its vision for growth, and its commitment to its people. This post aims to cut through the complexity and distill the five most surprising and impactful takeaways from the states massive 901.81 billion proposed budget. We will explore what these numbers really mean for infrastructure, education, agriculture, and the social fabric of the state, revealing a plan that is both audacious in scale and specific in its goals. A Massive Bet on the Future, Not Just the Present The most striking feature of the 2026 budget is its radical prioritisation of investment over operational costs. To understand this, its crucial to know the difference between two types of government spending. Recurrent expenditure covers the day-to-day running costs, like salaries and overheads. Capital expenditure, on the other hand, is for long-term investments in assets like roads, schools, hospitals, and technology that will serve citizens for years to come. In the proposed 2026 budget, Capital Expenditure is set at 693.4 billion, representing a staggering 76.9% of the entire budget. By contrast, Recurrent Expenditure (which includes all personnel and overhead costs) makes up just 21.7%. This allocation is highly counter-intuitive for a typical government budget, which often sees recurrent costs consume the majority of funds. The dramatic skew towards capital spending signals a profound strategic choice: Jigawa is choosing to aggressively build for the future rather than simply maintain the status quo. It is a massive bet on the idea that investing in foundational assets today will generate far greater returns for its citizens tomorrow. An Unprecedented Infrastructure Blitz Is Underway Following the money reveals that Roads Development is the single biggest investment area in the budget, earmarked for almost 186.4 billion. This isnt just a routine allocation; its the continuation of a historic infrastructure push. To grasp the sheer scale of this ambition, one only needs to look at the contracts awarded in 2024 for the construction and rehabilitation of 48 road projects spanning almost 978 kilometers. The total contract value for this initiative was over 304.7 billion. As noted in the budget speech, this initiative represents: the highest number of road projects ever awarded at once in the over 34-year history of Jigawa State. And this is not merely future ambition; the government has demonstrated its capacity to execute, having already completed over 85% of the 26 road projects inherited from the previous administration. This focus extends beyond roads. Other critical infrastructure projects highlighted include the upgrade of Dutse International Airport to a designated cargo airport and the renovation of zonal fire service stations. This massive investment in connectivity is designed to link urban and rural communities, reduce travel times, and create the essential arteries for sustained economic growth. Over 30% of the Budget is Dedicated to Human Capital The commitment to long-term growth is not limited to physical infrastructure. In a clear demonstration of this, the 2026 proposed budget allocates approximately 236 billion to the Social Sector (which includes education and health), accounting for an immense 36% of the entire capital budget. The goal is clear: to build a skilled and healthy populace capable of driving the states future. Recent achievements underscore the depth of this commitment: Education The state sponsors 231 students in foreign universities (primarily in medicine and engineering) and supports 34,331 students in Nigerian tertiary institutions, with a total 2025 expenditure of 8.09 billion. In 2025, over 8.9 billion was spent on renovating storm-damaged schools, constructing fences, and providing essential teaching and learning materials. A massive 26 billion was invested at Sule Lamido University for major projects, including new female hostels and a faculty of medicine. Health Key health indices are improving, including a 25% reduction in child and maternal morbidity and an increase in immunization coverage to over 70%. In just one year, the state-funded health insurance scheme enrolled an additional 287,000 poor and vulnerable people, increasing coverage from less than 4% to nearly 10%. The government introduced free medical services for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and sickle-cell anaemia, complementing existing free maternal and child healthcare programs. To address workforce shortages, the state recruited over 1,370 health workers. Farming is Being Reimagined as Global Agribusiness With a proposed investment of almost 75 billion for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Jigawa is making an unprecedented financial commitment to its primary economic sector. However, the strategy goes far beyond simple subsidies. The state is systematically transforming subsistence farming into a modern, market-oriented agribusiness ecosystem. The establishment of the Agricultural Transformation Agency is central to this plan, tasked with driving the shift to a more productive and commercial system. A key part of this strategy is the deliberate pursuit of global expertise through international partnerships. The state has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with: The prestigious Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), headquartered in Cote dIvoire. Agrighar Services Ltd. of India for an Agribusiness Incubation Program designed to support 10,000 agri-entrepreneurs and create 500 new agribusiness SMEs. Contex Seed Company of India for advanced seed multiplication. The partnership with AfricaRice was described as creating a:a definitive blueprint to achieve rice self-sufficiency, which will also drive significant economic prosperity across our State. This approach is noteworthy for its sophistication. By leveraging international knowledge and focusing on the entire value chain, Jigawa is executing a clear strategy to not only achieve food security but to use agriculture as a primary engine for economic diversification and long-term, inclusive prosperity. Building Big While Protecting the Most Vulnerable Amidst the massive capital projects and ambitious economic transformation plans, the budget also reveals a deliberate and significant expansion of the states social safety net. This demonstrates a balanced governance philosophy that pairs large-scale investment with direct support for its most vulnerable citizens. Two key initiatives stand out: The launch of a new Social Protection Scheme for the aged. This program assists 5,740 individuals across all 287 state wards with monthly cash transfers and free healthcare through the state health insurance scheme. An enhancement of the existing Social Security Scheme for persons with disabilities. The monthly benefit was increased from 7,000 to 10,000, and the number of beneficiaries per Local Government Area was raised from 150 to 200. This dual focus is perhaps the most telling aspect of the budget. It shows an understanding that for growth to be sustainable, it must also be inclusive. The government is simultaneously building the foundations for future prosperity while ensuring that no one is left behind today. A Blueprint for a Greater Jigawa The 2026 proposed budget is far more than a financial plan; it is a clear statement of intent. The overarching theme is an unwavering focus on the long term, demonstrated by the profound shift towards capital investments in infrastructure and people. By modernizing key economic sectors like agriculture, expanding critical road and transport networks, and strengthening social protections, the budget lays out a comprehensive strategy. This is a blueprint for what the administration calls a Greater Jigawa. It is a vision built on concrete, measurable, and ambitious goals. If fully realised, these investments represent a clear-sighted and credible pathway toward a fundamentally transformed and more prosperous future for Jigawa State. *Gujungu, is the Special Assistant to the Governor of Jigawa State on Social Media The Jigawa State Pilgrims Welfare Board has inaugurated a dedicated medical team to oversee the health and well-being of pilgrims during the 2026 Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia. The initiative is part of the ongoing preparation of the states pilgrims welfare board, under the leadership of the Director General Ahmed Umar Labbo, to ensure a safe and healthy pilgrimage for all intending pilgrims from the state. The newly inaugurated team will be responsible for conducting comprehensive medical screenings for all prospective pilgrims. The Board will fully subsidise the costs of these screenings to ensure that only those certified fit for travel will embark on the journey to the Holy Land. Furthermore, the team will provide continuous medical care and support to Jigawa pilgrims throughout their stay in Saudi Arabia. During the inauguration ceremony held in Dutse, the Head of the Medical Team and Chief Medical Director of Hadejia Specialist Hospital, Dr Habibu Abubakar, assured the Board and the public that the team was ready to carry out its duties with diligence and professionalism. Dr Abubakar emphasised that the team, which comprises qualified medical personnel, will work tirelessly to adhere to all medical guidelines and protocols, prioritising the health and safety of pilgrims in line with established regulations. The Director General of the Pilgrims Welfare Board, Ahmed Umar Labbo, commended Governor Umar Namadi for his unwavering support and dedication to the welfare of Jigawa pilgrims. He stated that the inauguration of the medical team is a crucial step toward a successful and hitch-free 2026 Hajj operation. ABU DHABI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday categorically rejected allegations that weapons, explosives, and so-called "secret prisons" linked to the UAE had been discovered at an airport in Yemen. In a statement carried by the Emirates News Agency, the Ministry of Defence said the claims, made at a press conference by Hadramout Governor Salem Al-Khanbashi, were "false and misleading" and lacked any evidence or factual basis. The ministry said the allegations of the prisons at Riyan Airport in Hadramout province sought to damage the reputation of the UAE Armed Forces. It reiterated that UAE forces had officially and publicly completed a full withdrawal from Yemen on Jan. 2, including the transfer of all equipment, weapons and assets, leaving no Emirati military, logistical or technical presence in the country. The ministry said the facilities in question comprise military accommodation, operations rooms and fortified shelters, some located underground, features it said are common at airports and military installations worldwide. The statement came after the senior Yemeni official accused the UAE of operating a secret prison at the airbase, pushing a dispute between the Gulf allies into the public eye. The facilities were alleged to have been used to detain and interrogate individuals suspected of links to al-Qaeda or ISIS-Yemen. The Chairperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa State, Aminu Sani, has announced that the party is targeting over one million members in its ongoing e-registration exercise. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Mr Sani provided an update on the progress of the digital enrollment. He noted that the party leadership has successfully mobilised members across the state to ensure massive participation and reach the set milestone. Mr Sani revealed that while the partys manual register previously held over two million members in the state, the transition to a digital platform is essential for modernising the partys database. He urged faithful members to turn out en masse to register online before the deadline. The Chairperson stated that the state government, under the leadership of Governor Umar Namadi, has provided logistical support, including technical facilities and personnel training, to ensure the exercises success. According to our dashboard, as of Sunday, we have registered about 100,000 people. We are calling on all members to register immediately, as the exercise is scheduled to close on 30 January, Mr Sani stated. He added that monitoring teams are currently traversing all 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) to oversee the process, provide technical support, and boost mobilisation efforts. Beyond internal party registration, Mr Sani also charged eligible citizens to participate in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) conducted by INEC. He described the CVR as a cornerstone of inclusive governance and a prerequisite for exercising democratic rights. Your right to vote is only guaranteed if you have a Permanent Voter Card (PVC). Those with existing cards should validate their registration, while those who have recently turned 18 must ensure they register to get their PVCs, he advised. The ongoing electronic registration in Jigawa is part of a broader national strategy by the All Progressives Congress to digitise its membership database. The e-platform uses biometric data and NIN integration to ensure each member is a unique, verifiable individual. The party has deployed thousands of Registration Officers equipped with tablets and mobile apps to rural wards across Nigeria, ensuring that the transition isnt limited to urban centres. Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has called on security agencies in the state to uphold fairness, vigilance and neutrality in the discharge of their duties, assuring that his administration will not undermine the authority of the Federal Government, particularly in matters of security, notwithstanding being in the opposition. The governor spoke during an expanded meeting of the State Security Council on Monday held in the Executive Chambers of the Government House, Bauchi. We are federalists. We believe in the authority of the Federal Government, irrespective of our position as opposition. We cannot work without recognising that authority, he declared. Without security, there is no governance. Security agencies must work closely with our traditional rulers and local authorities to ensure effective intelligence gathering and crime prevention, he added. He stressed the need for strengthened collaboration with traditional institutions to sustain peace and security in the state and reaffirmed his administrations commitment to proactive security management and conflict prevention. Although Bauchi State remains relatively peaceful, emerging threats such as kidnapping, cross-border crimes, misinformation and urban criminal activities require heightened vigilance and coordinated responses, the governor stated. While stressing the importance of intelligence-sharing between security agencies and community leaders, particularly in forest reserves, markets and densely populated areas, he warned that minor crimes could escalate, if not promptly addressed. Mr Mohammed further called on traditional rulers to play active roles in community mediation, information gathering and mobilisation. He however cautioned them against land-related abuses or actions that could undermine security efforts. Silence in the face of crime is complicity. Traditional institutions are not parallel governments but critical partners in governance, the governor pointed out. He further called for improved intelligence sharing, community engagement, and cooperation among security agencies, traditional rulers, and citizens to sustain peace and stability in the state. Security is a shared responsibility. We must work together to ensure Bauchi does not slide into crisis. Prevention is key, Mr Mohammed added. News Agency of Nigeria reports that the meeting focused on forest surveillance, seasonal movements, protection of public spaces and the need for efficient grassroots reporting systems across the state. Those in attendance included traditional rulers, security chiefs and top state government officials. The Ogun State Government has dismissed as blackmail and reckless defamation allegations by a Labour Party chieftain, Mr Arabambi Abayomi, that the administration of Dapo Abiodun is selling government-owned housing assets, including the Ibara Government Reserved Area (GRA). The government described Abayomi as an attention-seeking rabble-rouser with a penchant for blackmail, alleging that his claims were motivated by resentment after he was kept at arms length by the administration. In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the governor, Kayode Akinmade, said the allegations were misleading and deliberately aimed at distorting the states ongoing urban renewal programme. Mr Akinmade said it was ironic for Mr Abayomi to portray the revitalisation of GRAs across the state as the sale of public assets, noting that the initiative had received commendation from eminent Nigerians. He recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Alake of Egbaland, Adedotun Gbadebo, and the General Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, Tunde Bakare, had all praised the projects, which are transforming GRAs into modern smart cities. The fact is well known that Ogun States urban renewal programme for Government Reserved Areas involves transforming dilapidated houses and shanties into modern, vibrant smart cities, Mr Akinmade said. He explained that the programme covers GRAs in Ibara and Idi-Aba (Abeokuta), Igbeba (Ijebu-Ode), Ilaro, and Ota, and includes the rehabilitation of old structures, the construction of new housing units, and the provision of modern infrastructure such as roads, drainage, water supply, and electricity. According to him, the project spans over 100 hectares, with plans for 500 housing units in Ibara and 100 units in Idi-Aba, adding that more than 150 houses have already been completed. Mr Akinmade further alleged that Abayomi had previously organised several press conferences praising Governor Abiodun in an attempt to ingratiate himself with the government, but became hostile after what he described as the discovery of his multiple faces and his subsequent sidelining. GRAs are the exclusive preserve of government. What responsible governments do is clear shanties and replace them with modern developments, which is exactly what the Abiodun administration is doing, he said. He accused the Labour Party chieftain of habitually seeking relevance by attacking governments that declined to patronise him and urged the public to disregard his claims. Instead of focusing on rebuilding his party, he is busy chasing shadows. We know him very well, and nothing he says can be taken seriously by this government, Mr Akinmade said. Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday commissioned the LaderinWole Soyinka Train Station Road in Abeokuta, announcing plans to inaugurate 20 additional roads across the state as part of activities marking Ogun States 50th anniversary. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the governor said construction work was progressing steadily on the Sagamu InterchangePapalantoOpele Road, describing the 100-kilometre highway as a critical east-west connector within the state. According to Governor Abiodun, the road, when completed, will provide motorists with an alternative route, eliminating the need to pass through Abeokuta before accessing other parts of the country, while also opening up the corridor for increased commercial activities. Let me share with you the biggest secret of our reconstruction efforts right now the Ogun East-West Connector. This road stretches from the Sagamu Interchange through Papalanto to Opele, covering about 100 kilometres, the governor said. We have completely closed off the road for reconstruction. As we speak, between Sagamu Interchange and Papalanto, which is about 40 kilometres, we have reconstructed approximately 25 kilometres using reinforced concrete. When completed, trucks and vehicles conveying goods and services from Ota, Ifo and Ewekoro will no longer need to use the AbeokutaSagamu Expressway, as they can connect directly to Papalanto and access the expressway. Governor Abiodun described the Wole Soyinka Train Station as a major landmark linking Ogun State to Lagos, Oyo State and the northern parts of the country, noting that the presence of five train stations in the state underscores Oguns strategic importance to Nigerias economic development. He explained that although access roads were not originally provided when the rail line was constructed, his administration decided to rehabilitate the Laderin road in line with its multimodal transportation agenda. He added that between 100,000 and 150,000 passengers, including investors, commute daily between Ogun, Oyo and Lagos states. The governor disclosed that the train station road forms part of the over 1,600 kilometres of roads constructed across the state, adding that one lane of the AtanLusadaAgbara Road has been completed, while work has commenced on the second lane. Earlier, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Lateef Yusuf, said the three-kilometre road would provide access to the MKO Abiola Trade Fair Complex, Laderin, Lukosi and other surrounding communities, noting that it would ease movement and boost commercial activities. A former member of the House of Representatives and the Osi of Egbaland, Chief Bode Mustapha, recalled the deplorable state of the road in the past, saying its reconstruction, alongside other projects, has significantly benefited Ogun Central Senatorial District and Abeokuta under the Abiodun administration. Also speaking, the Chairman of the Articulate Motorcycle Owners Association of Nigeria (AMORAN) in the state, Taofeek Sokoya, said the road was previously a no-go area due to its poor condition, as transporters avoided it. He commended Governor Abiodun for rehabilitating the road. Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has flagged off the distribution of 1,100 motorcycles to Community Development Officers (CDOs), Community Support Officers (CSOs) and Community Learning Officers (CLOs). Mr Radda has also commissioned six tube-well drilling machines and three wheel air compressors to strengthen grassroots service delivery and irrigation farming across the state. Speaking at the ceremony on Monday, the governor said the intervention reflects his administrations strategy of strengthening ward-level institutions, investing in productive infrastructure and placing communities at the centre of planning and development. He explained that the Community Development Programme (CDP) was established to deepen government presence at the grassroots, with CDOs, CSOs and CLOs mobilising communities, supervising projects, ensuring accountability and serving as the vital link between government and the people. Governor Radda said the 1,100 motorcycles will enhance mobility, monitoring and access to rural and hard-to-reach areas. He noted that the motorcycles are being provided under a hire-purchase scheme, with government paying 50 per cent of the cost while beneficiaries repay the balance over five years, to promote ownership, responsibility and sustainability. These motorcycles are tools for service, not gifts. Any sale or misuse will attract sanctions in line with the Civil Service Rules, he clarified. On agriculture, he recalled the earlier distribution of 4,000 solar irrigation pumps and 100 bags of fertiliser per ward, which boosted dry-season farming. He added that this year, irrigation wards also received gasoline pumps, knapsack sprayers, as well as free fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. Mr Radda said the newly commissioned drilling machines and air compressors will expand access to groundwater, support dry-season irrigation, reduce dependence on rainfall and strengthen climate-resilient agriculture. He described the combined provision of irrigation equipment, farm inputs, drilling capacity and improved mobility for frontline officers as an integrated approach to community empowerment and results-driven governance. Governor Radda commended the Ministry of Agriculture, the Community Development Programme, the Katsina State Irrigation Development Authority and development partners, and urged beneficiaries to use the equipment responsibly and in strict accordance with CDP guidelines. Earlier, the Coordinator of the Community Development Programme, Kamaladdeen, thanked Governor Dikko Umaru Radda for his strong support, describing the day as historic for the CDP and the 361 wards of the state. He said the distribution of 1,100 motorcycles would improve mobility, supervision and monitoring of projects, and strengthen service delivery at the grassroots. Mr Kamaladdeen stressed that the motorcycles are for official use only and must not be sold, warning that any misuse would attract sanctions under the Civil Service Rules. He highlighted key achievements of the CDP, including the rehabilitation of over 500 boreholes, renovation of primary schools, prudent management of community funds, and support for interventions such as the distribution of 90,000 bags of grains, empowerment programmes and activities of the Ministry of Women Affairs. The Coordinator assured of continued commitment to accountability, effective project delivery and strong partnership with MDAs, while appreciating the Governor for prioritising community-driven development and rural empowerment. Also speaking, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Aliyu Lawal Zakari Sahrgalle, said the commissioning of the irrigation machines, air compressors and motorcycles marks another milestone in strengthening agriculture, rural development and grassroots service delivery. He noted that with the challenges of climate change and irregular rainfall, the new irrigation equipment would support year-round farming, increase yields, raise farmers income, create jobs and improve food security. The Commissioner added that the motorcycles would enhance the mobility and effectiveness of CDP officers, improve monitoring and ensure timely execution of projects in communities. In his address, Salim Suleiman, the Managing Director of the Katsina State Irrigation Development Authority said the new drilling machines and compressors demonstrate the governments commitment to food security, climate resilience and sustainable water resources management. He disclosed that the Authority has also acquired a suction dredger for desilting dams, rehabilitated irrigation schemes, renovated offices, formed Water Users Associations and is preparing for the 2025/2026 dry-season farming through staff training and farmer data capture. Representing the Katsina State House of Assembly, the Speaker, Hon Nasir Yahaya Daura, congratulated the state government, describing the initiative as clear evidence of its commitment to grassroots development, youth empowerment, food security and sustainable agriculture. On behalf of ALGON, the Chairman of Katsina Local Government Council, Isah Miqdad, pledged continued support for the Community Development Programme and Governor Raddas policies, assuring that the motorcycles and equipment would be properly utilised for the benefit of communities across the state. The federal government has pledged to collaborate with the Niger State Government to develop the states tourism assets as part of efforts to boost economic growth at both state and national levels. The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, said this on Tuesday while receiving a Niger State delegation led by the member representing Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency, Saidu Abdullahi, in Abuja. Mr Abdullahi, who was accompanied by the General Manager of the Niger State Tourism Corporation, Zainab Mohammed, said the visit was aimed at drawing the ministrys attention to the states vast but underutilised tourism potential, which he said aligns with President Bola Tinubus economic transformation agenda. He described Bida as the cultural headquarters of Nupe-speaking people worldwide, noting its recognition as Nigerias first United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) city for crafts and arts. According to him, despite its rich heritage, the area has not received adequate visibility, a gap he said could be bridged through strategic collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy. We feel were not doing much in terms of giving our culture the visibility that it requires. We are who we are, we cant change who we are, and for people to identify and appreciate who we are, we must make our culture very, very visible, he said. Mr Abdullahi particularly highlighted the annual Bariki Festival, also known as Hawan Bariki, tracing its origins to the pre-independence era when traditional institutions paid homage to colonial authorities during Eid celebrations. He said the festival, which has been largely preserved in its original form, could be reimagined and elevated to international standards to attract tourists, create jobs, and generate wealth for local communities. Drawing inspiration from similar cultural festivals in other states, he said repositioning the Bariki Festival as a global event would unlock significant economic benefits and enhance Nigerias cultural profile. The lawmaker said securing the ministrys partnership would make it easier to gain the backing of the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, for the project, stressing that a formal collaboration would give the initiative greater credibility and sustainability. I know how passionate my governor can be but with you on the project, we own it more than if its us discussing with him, if you see this is a collaboration between Federal Ministry of Culture and my office and the tourism board, Im sure it will be something that he will want to be a part of, so we have come to seek for that collaboration with the ministry, he said. In her response, Ms Musawa commended the delegation and agreed that Niger State has strong tourism assets deserving of priority attention. She cited the states proximity to the Federal Capital Territory and attractions such as Zuma Rock as key advantages that could be leveraged to boost tourism. The minister disclosed that the ministry is implementing the New Renewed Hope Cultural Renaissance Project, an initiative under President Tinubus vision to strengthen partnerships between the federal government and states in developing culture and tourism. She said memoranda of understanding have already been signed with some states and expressed optimism that Niger State would be among those prioritised in the coming weeks. Weve already signed agreements or MOUs with some states. I cant see us finishing all the 36 states, however, I think, in terms of culture, there are some key states, she said. Ms Musawa added that discussions would soon be held with the Niger State Governor to formalise the partnership through an MOU, which would provide a framework for sustained collaboration beyond current officeholders. She said the proposed agreement could immediately accommodate projects such as Hawan Sallah, Hawan Bariki and other identified tourism sites across the state. The minister urged the delegation to liaise with relevant state officials to fix a date for the ministrys visit to Niger State, expressing readiness to commence the partnership as early as next week. Sally Tibbot Consulting Limited, an audit firm which recently alleged a N13.7 billion payroll fraud in Osun State, on Tuesday shared more details on its contract with the state government and its audit findings. The firm alluded to officials alleged complicity in the alleged payroll fraud and efforts to block the deployment of an Automated Payroll Administration System designed to prevent payroll fraud. Sally Tibbot Consulting, which recently fell out with the Osun State Government over non-implementation of its report and non-payment for its services, stated these in a press statement on Tuesday to counter the state governments rebuttal of its audit report. It insisted the states rebuttal is misleading and contractually baseless. At an earlier press briefing on 9 January, the Lagos-based audit firm headed by Saadat BakrinOttun, accused the Osun State Government of failing to implement its forensic payroll audit report, which it said uncovered an annual payroll fraud of N13.7 billion, and of refusing to pay agreed professional fees for the work done. The state, through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, kolapo Alimi responded a day later, saying a post-audit re-verification exercise showed that most of the names the firm flagged as ghost workers and pensioners were verified as legitimate employees and retirees. The government insisted only about 1,316 personnel could not be confirmed. The Osun State Government also accused the audit firm of deliberately inflating the number of ghost workers because its payment was tied to the amount of savings generated from the exercise. Officials said the consultancys fee arrangement created an incentive to exaggerate figures in order to earn higher remuneration. According to the government, the unusually high number of ghost workers claimed by the firm raised red flags and made it necessary to review the audit report before any implementation. It said it could not accept or act on findings that, in its view, had the potential to further defraud the state. But the firm had rejected the governments revised figures and said the state lacked the technical capacity to independently conduct a proper forensic audit, which was why it engaged the consultancy in the first place. Sally Tibbot shares more audit details In a statement issued on 20 January and signed by the management of Sally Tibbot Consulting Limited, the firm said the payroll audit contract did not allow for any post-submission reverification and described the governments internal review as improper and self-serving. According to the consultant, the Osun State Government failed to formally acknowledge receipt of the audit report for over a year after it was submitted in June 2024. It said repeated letters demanding payment and implementation of the recommendations were ignored until July 2025, when the government responded through its lawyers. Sally Tibbot Consulting alleged that during the period of silence, payroll records were altered in an attempt to legitimise ghost names earlier identified in the audit. The firm claimed that registers were printed and circulated to ministries and agencies for signatures to be appended against names of nonexistent workers. The fraudulent elements within the high echelon of the Osun State Government were busy cooking their books by compiling the nonexistent names to add to the payroll register. Workers registers were printed and circulated to the ministries, departments, institutions and agencies where the ghost workers were discovered during the authentic verification exercise and audit, carried out by SALLY TIBBOT, for mass appending of falsified signatures by random workers, in place of the nonexistent names therein appearing, purporting the signatures so collated to be evidence of appearance and presence of the ghost names, the statement said. The firm said the governments claim that it conducted a fresh verification exercise after the audit exercise was false and unsupported by evidence. It challenged the state to publicly release proof of the alleged reverification, including official notices, timetables, video recordings and a white paper detailing the outcome. SALLY TIBBOT challenges the Osun State Government to provide proof and give concrete evidence (including photographic and video recordings and data assemblage) that it carried out a workers reverification exercise and a payroll re-audit, after SALLY TIBBOT submitted its Audit Report. SALLY TIBBOT has it on good authority that no workers reverification exercise was carried out, and that no payroll re-audit was conducted, after the submission of SALLY TIBBOTs Report and Recommendations. None whatsoever, the statement read. The consultant also said the audit uncovered cases where multiple salaries were paid into single bank accounts and instances where several workers were linked to one bank verification number. It said these findings were clearly documented in the report submitted to the government. The firm rejected allegations that it inflated the number of ghost workers to earn higher fees, describing the claim as false and malicious. It said the no savings, no pay fee structure cited by the government was a standard audit practice and was freely agreed to by both parties. The allegation that SALLY TIBBOT inflated the figures of the ghost workers established by the forensic audit exercise presumably in order to earn a higher recompense under the payment term of the payroll audit contract agreement, (because SALLY TIBBOTs fee is a calculated percentage of the savings made by the audit report, is false, frivolous, desperately wicked, malicious and defamatory, an allegation which is actionable in law), the firm said. More allegations Sally Tibbot Consulting further accused senior government officials of deliberately blocking the deployment of an Automated Payroll Administration System designed to prevent payroll fraud. It said the state government paid N79 million for the system but refused to install it after completion, while continuing to use an existing payroll platform. After the building of the platform, which was duly and fully paid for, the Osun State Government was notified of readiness for installation and deployment, but the all-powerful Chief of Staff to the Governor rejected the APAS and the installation of same without giving any reason. The ostensible reason, of course, is the desire by the payroll fraud cabal to continue with the perpetration of the fraud, the statement read. The firm further rejected claims by the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Enlightenment, who had alleged that the firm declared the state governor, deputy governor, Secretary to the State Government, and more than two-thirds of political appointees as ghost workers. The company described the allegation as baseless, emphasizing that political office holders were not included in the payroll audit and verification contract. In any case, at the time of the payroll audit and verification contract award and engagement of SALLY TIBBOT, no political appointments had been made to political offices save for the Chief of Staff and the Head of Service, the company said. The firm said it would petition anti-corruption agencies to investigate the matter and would pursue recovery of its contractual fees through legal channels. Background Sally Tibbot Consulting said it was engaged by the Osun State Government in May 2023 to conduct a comprehensive verification and forensic audit of all workers and pensioners drawing salaries from the state. The firm said the exercise lasted 12 months, including six months of physical verification across ministries, departments, agencies, local governments and state-owned institutions. According to the consultant, verification schedules were widely publicised and workers were given sufficient time to appear. At the end of the exercise, the firm said it identified 8,448 workers and 6,713 pensioners who failed to appear for verification and were classified as ghost beneficiaries. It said these names were linked to monthly payments of about N1.14 billion. The Osun State Government, however, rejected the consultants findings, accusing the firm of inflating figures and acting in bad faith. In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government said its review of the audit report showed that most of the workers declared as ghost workers were legitimate employees. According to the government, only 1,316 workers and pensioners could not be traced after its analysis. It also said affected workers, including senior academics and administrators, were considering legal action against the consultant for defamation. Read the full statement from Sally Tibbot Consulting below. SALLY TIBBOTS REPLY TO OSUN STATE VILE DISINFORMATION AND DEFAMATION The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday exonerated the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Olosan Police Station in Mushin, Ayanwale Ayodeji, from viral allegations of power abuse and intimidation, but added it would still go ahead to look into the complaint. The controversy began on Tuesday when an X (formerly Twitter) user, Akin Akinwale, known online as #mrlurvy, alleged that the DPO threatened his friend over a minor motor accident. According to Mr Akinwale, his friends car brushed another vehicle belonging to a friend of the DPO, prompting the officer to allegedly use his position to intimidate the motorist. Mr Akinwale wrote: The DPO of Olosan Police Station in Mushin, CSP Ayanwale Ayodeji, is threatening to send my friend to jaileven if the Inspector-General of Police intervenes, he would not listen. This is a blatant abuse of power. However, the Lagos State Police Command dismissed the allegations as malicious and misleading, stating that neither the motorist nor his friend had met the DPO before the tweet. In a recent post on X, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said: Contrary to the claim, the DPO never threatened to jail the said friend or made any statement. The malicious and misleading tweet has unfairly damaged the reputation of the DPO and the Command. It is disappointing that such claims were made without any effort to verify the facts. The police update further clarified the incident: the motorists car brushed against a vehicle parked for sale. The statement said he offered N30,000 for repairs, but the car owner, a lawyer, declined, arguing that such repairs would reduce the vehicles value. READ ALSO: Fire razes commercial building at Computer Village in Lagos The police explained that the owner later demanded N500,000 and indicated his intention to pursue the matter in court after both parties failed to reach an agreement. According to the Police Complaint Response Unit (PoliceCRU), the accident occurred on 19 January (Monday) near Oye Roundabout, inward Ilasa, Mushin. Both parties were brought to the station, and statements were obtained, after which they were advised to try to reach an amicable resolution. Ms Adebisi confirmed that the Command is currently looking into the complaint, stressing that Mr Ayodeji, who is a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) had intervened to see if an alternative resolution could be reached. No fewer than seven persons escaped death on Tuesday when a two-storey building under construction collapsed in Akure, the Ondo State capital. They, however, sustained various degrees of injury and are currently receiving medical attention at a hospital where they were rushed. No death was recorded, as those trapped in the rubble were quickly rescued. Witnesses said the victims were working at different parts of the building site when it suddenly caved in. The building site, located along the busy Oyemekun Road at the Cathedral area, near the former APC Secretariat, was said to have collapsed at about 3.30 p.m. The top and middle floors collapsed, revealing the weaknesses of the rods and concrete used. READ ALSO: Gunmen abduct official of Tinubu support group in Ondo The state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Sunday Olajide, who spoke to journalists at the site, said an investigation will be conducted to ascertain both the immediate and long-term causes of the incident. Mr Olajide also issued a stern warning to developers in the state about the use of substandard building materials, urging them to prioritise residents safety. He called on developers to always secure the necessary permits and approvals before commencing construction projects. The commissioner also said the government has sealed off the construction site and would impose necessary sanctions based on the outcome of the investigation. People visit the booth of Chinese car brand Lynk&Co during the Auto Show in Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait, Jan. 19, 2026. The Auto Show kicked off in Kuwait's Hawalli Governorate on Monday with the participation of more than 120 cars from around 30 car dealers showing 40 car brands. The event will last for 6 days from Jan. 19 to 24. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua) A man visits the booth of Chinese car brand Jetour G700 during the Auto Show in Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait, Jan. 19, 2026. The Auto Show kicked off in Kuwait's Hawalli Governorate on Monday with the participation of more than 120 cars from around 30 car dealers showing 40 car brands. The event will last for 6 days from Jan. 19 to 24. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua) A model takes a photo at the booth of Chinese car brand BYD during the Auto Show in Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait, Jan. 19, 2026. The Auto Show kicked off in Kuwait's Hawalli Governorate on Monday with the participation of more than 120 cars from around 30 car dealers showing 40 car brands. The event will last for 6 days from Jan. 19 to 24. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua) Photo taken on Jan. 19, 2026 shows a robot at the booth of Chery during the Auto Show in Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait. The Auto Show kicked off in Kuwait's Hawalli Governorate on Monday with the participation of more than 120 cars from around 30 car dealers showing 40 car brands. The event will last for 6 days from Jan. 19 to 24. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua) A man sits inside a vehicle at the booth of a Chinese car brand during the Auto Show in Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait, Jan. 19, 2026. The Auto Show kicked off in Kuwait's Hawalli Governorate on Monday with the participation of more than 120 cars from around 30 car dealers showing 40 car brands. The event will last for 6 days from Jan. 19 to 24. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua) People visit the Auto Show in Hawalli Governorate, Kuwait, Jan. 19, 2026. The Auto Show kicked off in Kuwait's Hawalli Governorate on Monday with the participation of more than 120 cars from around 30 car dealers showing 40 car brands. The event will last for 6 days from Jan. 19 to 24. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua) Global Trade Observatory Annual Outlook: 94% expect 2026 growth to match or exceed 2025 despite tariffs, costs and policy uncertainty DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The global trade outlook looks fragile. Business confidence does not. That's the core finding of DP World's new Global Trade Observatory (GTO) Annual Outlook Report 2026, showing 94% of respondents expect 2026 trade growth to match or exceed the pace of 2025, despite rising frictions and volatility. The findings are based on a survey of 3,500 senior supply chain and logistics executives across eight industries and 19 countries, conducted ahead of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. BUSINESSES FACE HIGH LEVELS OF POLICY UNCERTAINTY EXECUTIVES EXPECT FASTER TRADE GROWTH IN 2026 DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem at Davos In total, 54% expect trade growth to be faster than 2025 and 40% expect it to be equal. This is despite 53% anticipating high or very high policy uncertainty, 90% expecting trade barriers to rise or remain unchanged. Only 25% expect a negative impact on their business, with 49% expecting no effect and 26% even seeing a positive impact. This frontline sentiment contrasts with some macro projections, with the IMF forecasting trade growth (by volume) could slow to 2.3% in 2026, down from an estimated 3.6% in 2025. Asked where trade growth potential is greatest in 2026, executives most frequently pointed to Europe (22%) and China (17%), followed by Asia Pacific (14%) and North America (13%). Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said: "Global trade is becoming increasingly complex, not less so. Our role is clear: to keep trade moving by understanding where friction exists, anticipating where it may emerge next, and investing in the infrastructure, capabilities and partnerships that help our customers operate more efficiently and reliably." The GTO Annual Outlook was developed with Geneva-based insights agency, Horizon Group. Margareta Drzeniek, Managing Partner, Horizon Group, said: "What we're seeing is confidence with contingency plans. Executives are embedding resilience into strategy by diversifying suppliers, reassessing routes and adding options, because volatility is now the baseline. Those best positioned will be the ones who can turn those resilience plans into measurable performance." What companies are doing differently in 2026 The survey indicates companies are responding to volatility by actively redesigning supply chains and trade routes. This includes: Resilience as strategy: Supplier diversification (51%), higher inventories (44%), and friend-shoring (36%) are cited among the most common strategic shifts planned for 2026. Supplier diversification (51%), higher inventories (44%), and friend-shoring (36%) are cited among the most common strategic shifts planned for 2026. Route agility increases: 26% intend to use new routes, while 23% are evaluating them. Decisions are driven by cost savings (38%), improved connectivity/inland infrastructure (36%), and faster customs procedures/clearance times (35%). 26% intend to use new routes, while 23% are evaluating them. Decisions are driven by cost savings (38%), improved connectivity/inland infrastructure (36%), and faster customs procedures/clearance times (35%). Border friction remains a choke point: 60% cite customs clearance as a leading cause of delays and disruption. Executives also prioritise investment in warehousing and logistics hubs (39%), road networks (36%), and border/customs processing infrastructure (36%). The DP World Global Trade Observatory (GTO) is a data- and insights-led platform designed to provide decision-makers with actionable intelligence on the forces reshaping global trade, grounded in research including a proprietary survey of 3,500 supply chain and logistics executives across eight industries and 19 countries. Research was conducted in November 2025 with Geneva-based insights agency Horizon Group. For media enquiries, please contact: Adal Mirza Group Vice President Adal.mirza@dpworld.com +971 50 628 7856 Hakam Kherallah Group Senior Manager Hakam.Kherallah@dpworld.com +971 50 552 2610 Follow DP World on: X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/DP_World LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dp-world About DP World DP World is reshaping the future of global trade to improve lives everywhere. Operating across six continents with a team of over 125,000 employees, we combine global infrastructure and local expertise to deliver seamless supply chain solutions. From Ports and Terminals to Marine Services, Logistics and Technology, we leverage innovation to create better ways to trade, minimizing disruptions from the factory floor to the customer's door. WE MAKE TRADE FLOW Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2865149/DP_World_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2865150/DP_World_2.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2865151/DP_World_3.jpg EUGENE, Ore., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alacrity Network Solutions, the Managed Repair Division (MRP) of Alacrity Solutions, announced today that it will become an independent company following a strategic investment by BV Investment Partners, a leading private equity firm with deep experience in the insurance services sector. The new company will operate under the name Altimeter Solutions Group, reflecting its mission to elevate the managed repair experience for carriers, contractors, and policyholders. The transaction positions Altimeter Solutions Group one of the country's largest and most established managed repair networks with more than 25 years of operational history to continue to pursue its growth strategy as a standalone organization. As an independent company, Altimeter will maintain its focus on investing in its contractor network, technology, and service capabilities that support carrier partners and policyholders nationwide. Under the new ownership structure, the company will maintain all existing staff, leadership, client relationships, and processes. There will be no disruption to current services, workflows, SLAs, or points of contact. The company emphasized that operational stability and continuity remain the top priority throughout the transition. "Our leadership team, our people, and our mission will remain unchanged," said Jonathan Miko, who will continue to lead and will serve as CEO of Altimeter Solutions Group. "We are excited about this next chapter and the opportunity to continue building on the strong foundation established over the past 25 years, while remaining fully focused on delivering consistent, high-quality service to our carrier partners, contractors, and policyholders." BV Investment Partners' involvement provides meaningful capital support and strategic guidance, enabling the new entity to further invest in operational improvements, contractor network expansion, and platform modernization. "We're thrilled to partner with Jon and members of the founding team to support this next phase of growth," said Stephen Marquardt, Partner at BV Investment Partners. "Altimeter Solutions Group represents an instance where everyone involved in resolving a property claim carriers, contractors, and homeowners benefits. We're excited to back a leadership team that deeply understands this dynamic and has built a platform that delivers genuine wins for all stakeholders." Altimeter Solutions Group expressed its appreciation for Alacrity Solutions and looks forward to continuing a strong, collaborative partnership to ensure a seamless experience for shared clients. Media Contact: Tanya Kirk, [email protected] , (812) 454-4418 SOURCE Altimeter Solutions Group DAEJEON, South Korea, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alteogen Inc. (KOSDAQ: 196170) announced today that the company has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Tesaro, Inc., a subsidiary of GSK. Under the terms of the agreement, Tesaro will acquire world-wide rights to use ALT-B4, Alteogen's novel hyaluronidase utilizing Hybrozyme technology, for the development and commercialization of a subcutaneous formulation of dostarlimab, a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) blocking antibody. Alteogen will receive an upfront payment of US$20 million and is eligible to receive milestone payments up to US$265 million upon achievement of specified development, regulatory and sales milestones. Additionally, Alteogen will be entitled to receive royalties on the sales of the commercialized product. Alteogen will be responsible for clinical and commercial supply of ALT-B4 to Tesaro. "We are excited to expand our Hybrozyme technology by collaborating with Tesaro in the oncology field, and look forward to developing and bringing this potential subcutaneous medicine to market," said Tae-Yon Chun, Ph.D., CEO of Alteogen. ALT-B4 ALT-B4 is Alteogen's proprietary human recombinant hyaluronidase enzyme developed utilizing Hybrozyme technology. ALT-B4 can enable the large volume subcutaneous administration of drugs that are typically administered as an IV infusion. ALT-B4 does this by temporarily hydrolyzing hyaluronan in the extracellular matrix. About Alteogen Inc. Alteogen Inc. is a South Korea-based biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the development and commercialization of novel biologics such as Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs), biobetters, and biosimilars. Alteogen's portfolio includes clinical-stage long-acting therapeutic proteins and next-generation ADCs, developed by its proprietary NexP-fusion and NexMab platform technology, respectively. It also developed a proprietary recombinant human hyaluronidase enzyme utilizing Hybrozyme technology, which enables the large volume subcutaneous administration of drugs that are typically administered as an IV infusion. The company was founded in 2008 and listed on KOSDAQ (196170.KQ). Contact Vivek Shenoy, Ph.D., MBA Chief Business Officer Phone: +1 805 570 8998 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE Alteogen Inc. ZURICH, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Amcor plc (NYSE: AMCR; ASX: AMC) will announce its fiscal 2026 second quarter and half year result for the three and sixth month period ended 31 December 2025 after the US market closes on Tuesday 3 February 2026. A conference call and webcast to discuss the results will be held at 5.30pm US Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday 3 February 2026 / 9.30am Australian Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday 4 February 2026. For those wishing to participate in the call please use the following dial-in numbers: USA: 800 715 9871 (toll-free) 646 307 1963 (local) Australia: 1800 519 630 (toll-free) 02 9133 7103 (local) United Kingdom: 0800 358 0970 (toll-free) 020 3433 3846 (local) Hong Kong: +852 3002 3410 (local) Singapore: +65 3159 5133 (local) All other countries: +1 646 307 1963 (this is not a toll-free number) Conference ID 8282712 Access to the webcast and supporting materials will be available via the Investors section of Amcor's website (www.amcor.com/investors). A webcast replay will be available at the conclusion of the call. Those wishing to pre-register and access the webcast can do so following this link: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/153278241 About Amcor Amcor is the global leader in developing and producing responsible consumer packaging and dispensing solutions across a variety of materials for nutrition, health, beauty and wellness categories. Our global product innovation and sustainability expertise enables us to solve packaging challenges around the world every day, producing a range of flexible packaging, rigid packaging, cartons, and closures, that are more sustainable, functional and appealing for our customers and their consumers. We are guided by our purpose of elevating customers, shaping lives and protecting the future. Supported by a commitment to safety, over 75,000 people generate $23 billion in annualized sales from operations that span over 400 locations in more than 40 countries. NYSE: AMCR; ASX: AMC www.amcor.com I LinkedIn I YouTube SOURCE Amcor East African airline will leverage more 787-9 jets to expand international network Ethiopian also completes purchase of 11 more 737 MAX jets ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Ethiopian Airlines announced today Africa's largest carrier ordered nine 787 Dreamliner airplanes as demand for long-haul travel continues to rise. Ethiopian Airlines will leverage the 787-9 jets to grow its route network, which currently serves 145 international destinations. The airline's latest 787 purchase follows its commitment for 11 737 MAX jets announced at the Dubai Airshow. Both orders were finalized in December 2025 and boosts Ethiopian Airlines' order book by a total of 20 fuel-efficient Boeing airplanes. Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines announce today the carriers order of nine 787 Dreamliner airplanes to meet demand for long-haul travel. "We are pleased to confirm the order for nine Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to further expand our existing fleet. This order underscores our continued commitment to enhancing our fleet with modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, thereby further strengthening our customer service," said Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO. "We will continue to acquire more aircraft and adopt the latest technologies as part of our strategic vision to advance sustainable aviation." Ethiopian Airlines operates Africa's largest 787 Dreamliner fleet, flying its 787-8 and 787-9 jets on intercontinental routes from Addis Ababa to high-demand destinations across Europe, Asia and North America as well as key intra-African routes spanning the world's second-largest continent. "The 787 Dreamliner family has proven to be a game-changer for airlines around the world, and we are proud to support Ethiopian Airlines in their mission to connect Africa with the global community," said Anbessie Yitbarek, Boeing vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing for Africa. "Together, we look forward to shaping the future of air travel with advanced, efficient and comfortable airplanes to serve their passengers." The capacity and efficiency of the 787 Dreamliner, which reduces fuel use and emissions by 25% compared to the airplanes it replaces, enables Ethiopian Airlines to transport passengers point-to-point across Africa while accommodating cargo in the belly of the airplane for high-demand trade lanes. Since 2011, the 787 Dreamliner family has helped airlines open more than 520 new nonstop routes between city pairs that were never previously served and carried more than 1 billion passengers. Ethiopian Airlines operates the largest Boeing airplane fleet in Africa and has the continent's largest backlog of 737 MAXs, 777X and 787 Dreamliner airplanes. A leading global aerospace company and top U.S. exporter, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Our U.S. and global workforce and supplier base drive innovation, economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing is committed to fostering a culture based on our core values of safety, quality and integrity. Contact Boeing Media Relations [email protected] SOURCE Boeing Company to support Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act and invest in the next generation of providers at major industry event SAN DIEGO, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ChiroTouch, the leading chiropractic EHR and practice management solution, today announced that it will participate in ACA Engage 2026 in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the advancement of the chiropractic profession and educate the next generation of chiropractic leaders. ChiroTouch will attend ACA Engage 2026, hosted by the American Chiropractic Association, from January 22 to 23 in Washington, D.C., where company leaders will actively support chiropractic advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill. Blake Head, Vice President of Product and Strategy at PracticeTek, will join ACA lobbyists for a "Day on the Hill" to meet with members of Congress and staff. During these meetings, ChiroTouch will advocate for policies that expand patient access to chiropractic care, including the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act. The legislation would allow Medicare beneficiaries broader access to chiropractic services, reinforcing the profession's non-drug, patient-centered approach to pain management. "Chiropractors play a critical role in supporting patients across the nation who seek to address pain and mobility challenges without reliance on pharmaceuticals," said Head. "Showing up in Washington alongside the profession is one way we can help ensure policymakers understand the value chiropractors deliver to patients and communities every day." "The future of chiropractic depends on collaboration, thoughtful advocacy, and meaningful innovation," Head continued. "ChiroTouch is proud to help lead that future by standing alongside the profession, listening to its needs, and delivering solutions that empower chiropractors to practice with confidence in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. Our focus is on building lasting partnerships that move the profession forward." In addition to advocacy, ChiroTouch is investing in the future of chiropractic by supporting students and early-career doctors. On January 23 at ACA Engage, Head will lead an educational session for students and recent graduates focused on how to leverage EHR technology and artificial intelligence to build efficient, patient-centered practices. To book a demo, click here. About ChiroTouch ChiroTouch is the leading chiropractic EHR and practice management software in the United States, backed by PracticeTek. Built specifically for chiropractors, ChiroTouch supports practices of all sizes with tools that simplify day-to-day operations, improve patient outcomes, and drive business growth. With over 12,500 practices using the platform, ChiroTouch continues to evolve alongside the profession, building solutions that reflect the real needs of today's providers. Learn more at www.chirotouch.com. About PracticeTek PracticeTek is the leading provider of retail healthcare technology solutions across Chiropractic, Vision, Dental and Wellbeing specialties. Through a connected suite of software and services, PracticeTek is delivering solutions that foster exceptional patient experience, attracts new patients, and make the business of healthcare easier for clinicians. Working to empowers practices with streamlined operations, enhanced patient experiences, and improved clinical and financial outcomes PracticeTek is committed to innovation and investment in retail healthcare technology. For more information, visit www.PracticeTek.com. Media contact: Marcia Rhodes, [email protected] SOURCE ChiroTouch Hiring will amplify coverage of Pope Leo XIV and the global Catholic Church HUNTINGTON, Ind., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Courtney Mares is joining OSV News as its first Vatican Editor, OSV News Editor-in-Chief Gretchen R. Crowe announced today. Courtney Mares Mares joins OSV News after providing daily news coverage from Rome as a Vatican correspondent for EWTN News and Catholic News Agency since 2018. She has written and published more than 2,000 news articles on the Vatican, the global Catholic Church, and international religious freedom. Mares has received multiple awards from the Catholic Press Association, including first place for Best News Writing on an International Event. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported from news bureaus on three continents and was awarded the George Peabody Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees. "We are thrilled to welcome Courtney to the OSV News team," Crowe said. "For eight years, she has been a trusted reporter and an insightful voice while covering two different pontificates and the Catholic Church across the world. With her impressive background and extensive experience, she will amplify OSV News' excellent coverage of the Vatican and Pope Leo XIV." As OSV News enters its fourth year, the content from the award-winning Catholic newswire will only improve with the addition of a dedicated Vatican presence. Mares will provide expert coverage of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV coverage that is available only to OSV News subscribers. "With the historic election of the first pope born and raised in the United States, we have entered a pivotal moment in coverage of the Catholic Church," Mares said. "As the first Vatican editor for OSV News, I look forward to leading this new chapter as OSV's person on the ground in Rome as part of the Vatican press corps, traveling with Pope Leo XIV as he preaches the Gospel around the world, and reporting on the key insights from the Holy Father's teachings, speeches, and future encyclicals. "At a time when many are seeking clarity, credibility, and hope in Catholic media, I welcome the chance to serve OSV's mission and readership in this new role." THE OSV NEWS ADVANTAGE OSV News is a Catholic news and information service and evangelization partner that allows dioceses to connect and boost engagement with the faithful through the sharing of timely, trustworthy and accurate content that communicates the truth of what is happening in the Church and the world. OSV News offers: Consistent, high-quality Catholic journalism that keeps readers informed about what's happening in the Catholic Church and the world and explains why it matters. Seasoned reporters and experienced content creators who are faithful to the Magisterium. A heart with a zeal for evangelization. OSV News helps Catholics engage with and be inspired by their faith in an informed way in service to the Church's mission of spreading the Gospel. Content for any communications need. OSV News offers one of the world's largest Catholic content collections, spanning breaking news, in-depth analysis, inspirational stories, formational content, and social and digital assets. Follow OSV News on X, Facebook and Instagram. About OSV As the leading Catholic publisher in the United States, OSV provides products and solutions to more than nine of every ten Catholic parishes and every Catholic diocese in the country. Founded in 1912 by Fr. John Francis Noll, OSV's team of over 300 people continues to champion the Catholic Church through a wide range of products and services. From software solutions, fundraising and consulting services, curriculum products, OSV News, trade books, and parish/diocesan publications, OSV helps individual Catholics, families, parishes, and dioceses grow closer to Christ and contribute to the growth and vitality of his Church in the world. A Catholic nonprofit organization, OSV has been supporting the needs of the Church for over a century. Learn more at osv.com. SOURCE Our Sunday Visitor This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2026 shows Phalaenopsis orchids growing at a greenhouse in Niuzhuang Township, Dongying District of Dongying City, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Yuan Min) JINAN, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Amid the harsh winter of the Yellow River Delta, Xing Yan, a resident of the Yellow River estuary, enjoys the warmth at home, where orchids thrive. This comfort is not provided by a boiler, but by harnessing geothermal energy deep in the Earth. Xing lives in Niuzhuang Township in Dongying District of the city of Dongying, east China's Shandong Province. Beneath the seemingly ordinary town lies a powerful heat source, featuring water temperatures reaching as high as 85 degrees Celsius. Upon opening the door of the heating facility in the town, an immediate surge of warmth can be felt, thanks to a huge plate heat exchanger that is in operation at this venue. A heat exchange takes place between hot water of 82 degrees Celsius and cold water, resulting in water with a temperature of about 60 degrees Celsius being sent to the town's heating pipelines. The geothermal heat from underground is, notably, transformed into clean energy that benefits local residents and supports industries, turning Niuzhuang into a warm, smog-free town. Geothermal heating now covers all 13 urban residential compounds, three rural residential areas and more than 60 institutions in Niuzhuang, totaling 750,000 square meters of heated space. This represents 98 percent of the town's total area, benefiting over 7,000 households, or around 22,000 people. The system helps save 34,000 tonnes of standard coal annually and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 80,000 tonnes. As a clean, renewable energy source derived from heat within the Earth, geothermal energy's greatest advantage is its stability. Unlike wind or solar power, it is unaffected by external factors such as seasons, climate or day-night cycles. At the greenhouses of Shandong Shuangfu Flowers Co., Ltd., located in this town, phalaenopsis orchids grow healthily year-round in an environment maintained at about 26 degrees Celsius. Li Binghai, general manager of the company, said: "After switching to geothermal heating, our costs dropped to around 15 yuan per square meter, which is 25 yuan cheaper than coal heating. The geothermal system provides a stable temperature for our greenhouses, which cover 100,000 square meters, saving us more than 1 million yuan (about 142,753 U.S. dollars) annually in energy costs." "Geothermal heating not only cuts costs but also enhances stability," Li added. He noted that heating presents a major challenge for flower cultivation in northern China during winter. In the past, coal heating caused temperature fluctuations, requiring constant manual monitoring. Now, with geothermal heating, the temperature can be controlled via smartphone, extending the flowering period of phalaenopsis and providing stable conditions for developing new varieties. The company currently independently exports flowers to countries like Vietnam, Russia and Uzbekistan. Shang Xinjian, director of the town's construction service center, said Niuzhuang has established demonstration model for multi-tier utilization of geothemal heat. Hot water of approximately 80 degrees Celsius is extracted from about 1,950 meters underground, with heat exchange equipment then used to warm residential compounds via this source. The temperature of the tailwater drops to around 50 degrees Celsius, which is routed to the modern agricultural industrial park to heat greenhouses used for growing flowers, fruits and vegetables. Finally, the cooled tailwater is reinjected underground via wells, completing a closed-loop system that conserves both heat and water, according to Shang. In China, geothermal energy, a stable and controllable form of renewable energy, has been developed for large-scale deployment and diversified applications. According to figures provided by the China Geological Survey, hydrothermal geothermal resources in the country are equivalent to 1.25 trillion tonnes of standard coal, while the annual exploitable amount is equal to 1.865 billion tonnes of standard coal. China has been leading the world for many years in terms of direct utilization of geothermal energy. In Niuzhuang, the plan is also being made for using geothermal energy in agricultural products drying and aquaculture in the future, thus helping to establish a complete industrial chain that integrates high-end farming, breeding, processing and leisure. "The underground treasure trove of geothermal energy will bring more warmth and opportunities to our town," said Song Ke, deputy Party chief and head of the town. This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2026 shows Phalaenopsis orchids growing at a greenhouse in Niuzhuang Township, Dongying District of Dongying City, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Yuan Min) Kansas City Law Firm Commits $36,000 to Local Nonprofits Through Monthly Donations and Spotlights. KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the overwhelming response to our 12 Days of Giving campaign, Foster Wallace Personal Injury Lawyers is proud to announce the launch of 12 Months of Giving, a new charitable initiative dedicated to supporting local Kansas City nonprofits. January Winner Announced: Open Doors Foundation Brian Wallace and Matthew We're excited to share the first recipient of the 12 Months of Giving initiative, Open Doors Foundation. Open Doors Foundation is a low-barrier homeless shelter serving the greater Kansas City area. They provide short-term shelter, hot meals, and case management resources to individuals experiencing homelessness, helping create pathways toward stability and long-term support. By removing common barriers to entry and meeting people where they are, Open Doors allows more people to receive the support and resources they need. Brian Wallace recently had the opportunity to visit Open Doors' shelter to learn more about its mission and impact, as well as to personally deliver the January donation. During his visit, Brian spoke with Matthew, their Operations Director, about the work being done every day and the story behind Open Doors. "With Open Doors, we don't have any sobriety requirements. You could be struggling with mental health, need help with IDs, any of those things. We try to meet people where they're at, rather than trying to force people to fit into a specific program," said Matthew. Their interview can be found on our social media channels. We were honored to give this donation and thankful for all that Open Doors does to support our community. Giving Back Is Personal At Foster Wallace, giving back has always been a part of who we are. Some of us grew up in homes where generosity was non-negotiable. Others have leaned on nonprofits during difficult seasons in their lives. And for Michael Foster and his family, the importance of this work became deeply personal the day their daughter, Hattie, was diagnosed with SYNGAP1, a rare genetic disorder that affects brain development. Before they had answers, they had questions, uncertainty, and countless unknowns. Hattie's diagnosis opened the door to a new world, one where organizations are advocating for research, therapies, and support systems. Through this experience, Michael saw firsthand how easily critical causes can be overlooked, especially when funding and awareness are limited. That journey reshaped how Michael and his family see the nonprofit landscape and strengthened their commitment to shining a light on the organizations doing critical work in Kansas City. It also inspired him to build a firm where giving back is at the core of who we are. A Year-Round Commitment to Community Impact With giving back at our core, we wanted to find a way to support our community in a more consistent and lasting way. 12 Months of Giving allows us to commit to supporting nonprofits in Kansas City in a meaningful way. Through this initiative, we aim to provide steady support to organizations doing essential work and help create a lasting impact across our community. At Foster Wallace, we believe the community knows best where the support is needed. That's why, each month, the Kansas City community is invited to nominate a local nonprofit to be considered for the $3,000. With the support and participation of our community, we hope to make a difference in the place we are proud to call home. Nominations for February are now open and will close at 2:00PM on January 28. To learn more about 12 Months of Giving or to nominate a nonprofit, visit: https://www.fosterwallace.com/12-months-of-giving/ Stay connected by following: Instagram.com/FosterWallaceLLC Facebook.com/FosterWallaceLLC TikTok.com/@FosterWallaceLLC About Foster Wallace Personal Injury Lawyers Foster Wallace Personal Injury Lawyers is a Kansas City-based law firm dedicated to fighting for the rights of accident victims and supporting the community it serves. Founded by attorneys Michael Foster and Brian Wallace, the firm has earned a reputation for compassionate advocacy, client-focused service, and meaningful community involvement. Your Injury. Our Fight. Media contact: April Kreikemeier [email protected] SOURCE Foster Wallace Personal Injury Lawyers Leading in-home care franchise demonstrates explosive growth in senior care industry; marks fifth consecutive year on nationally acclaimed list CINCINNATI, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Home Helpers Home Care, a nationwide leader in nonmedical in-home companionship and personal care services, ranked No. 316 in Entrepreneur's 2026 Franchise 500 the fifth year the brand has been on the list, demonstrating exceptional performance in unit growth, financial strength, operational support and brand power. Founded in 1997, Home Helpers Home Care operates over 370 franchise locations serving more than 1,500 communities across 40 states. It provides comprehensive in-home care services, including personal care, companionship, specialized Alzheimer's and dementia care, safety monitoring technology through Direct Link and nutrition planning, enabling seniors and individuals with disabilities to maintain independence at home. "Being recognized in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 validates what our National Support Center and franchisees have always known that we are meeting an essential need in today's health care landscape," said Emma Dickison, CEO and president of Home Helpers Home Care. "Quality in-home care helps seniors maintain independence while providing families with peace of mind. This recognition demonstrates that purpose-driven businesses built on compassionate care and innovation are thriving." The senior care industry continues to experience unprecedented growth. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 12,000 people turned 65 each day in 2024, totaling about 4.4 million for the year. By 2060, nearly 88.8 million Americans will be aged 65 or older, creating sustained demand for in-home care solutions. In Entrepreneur's continuing effort to understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the 47-year-old ranking formula continues to evolve. Each franchise is thoroughly evaluated and given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. "For 47 years, the Franchise 500 has been the gold standard for identifying franchise excellence. This year's ranking proves that the best brands don't just survive changing markets; they thrive in them," says Jason Feifer, Entrepreneur magazine's editor in chief. "These 500 companies represent some of the most reliable pathways to business ownership in America, each one vetted through our rigorous analysis of what actually drives franchisee success." To view Home Helpers Home Care in the full report on the world's first and most comprehensive franchise rankings, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February 2026 issue of Entrepreneur. About Home Helpers Home Care Founded in 1997, Home Helpers Home Care is a premier nationwide in-home care leader that provides care for seniors and others in over 1,500 communities across 40 states. The company offers a wide range of in-home care services, safety and monitoring technology, and meal and nutrition planning to help individuals remain independent wherever they call home. For more information on franchise opportunities, visit www.HomeHelpersFranchise.com. Media Contact: Rachel Tabacnic [email protected] 817-329-3257 SOURCE Home Helpers Home Care DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Capital, a leading private equity firm in Emerging Europe with $1.8 billion under management, held an Initial Closing today of reconstruction-focused Horizon Capital Catalyst Fund ("HCCF", "Catalyst Fund"). The firm has secured over 50% of its 300 million target in a record six months since officially launching fundraising at Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome last July. Focusing on minority investments alongside lead partners, Catalyst Fund was formed to address the critical equity capital shortage in Ukraine for essential sectors of Ukraine's economy, including energy, digital infrastructure, and construction. Representatives of Horizon Capital and Anchor Investors IFC, EBRD, Proparco, Swedfund, Norfund and FMO mark the 150m First Closing of the Horizon Capital Catalyst Fund at Ukraine House Davos. Horizon Capital intends to mobilise 3 billion for Ukraine a 10x multiplier effect - by providing first, reputable, catalytic capital to asset-heavy, domestic-oriented companies and projects alongside world-class global strategics and funds to accelerate their market entry to Ukraine and/or alongside visionary Ukrainian partners. With this new fund, Horizon Capital intends to replicate the success of its landmark Datagroup-Volia-Lifecell telecom transaction the largest M&A deal in Ukraine in the last decade - catalyzing market entry of global tech and telecom visionary Xavier Niel to Ukraine and remaining his local minority partner in-country. Catalyst Fund joins Horizon Capital's flagship Growth Fund family of funds, expanding the firm's investment reach from tech, export-oriented and fast-growing domestic companies to greenfield projects and companies in sectors that are essential to Ukraine's future economic growth and prosperity. Catalyst Fund's first closing was held on January 20, 2026 at Ukraine House Davos alongside the World Economic Forum joined by Oleksii Sobolev, Minister of Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine. Catalyst Fund is backed by esteemed institutions, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Societe de Promotion et de Participation pour la Cooperation Economique (Proparco), Swedfund International AB (Swedfund), the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund) and the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO). In anchoring the first closing of the Catalyst Fund to enable investing in asset-heavy sectors now, not when the war is over, these esteemed investors send a powerful signal of confidence in Ukraine's long-term growth and economic prosperity. Their commitment to the Catalyst Fund will enable Horizon Capital to move quickly to advance its robust pipeline of over 30 transactions, with the first four deals of 110 million expected to attract over 1 billion in capital for Ukraine. "Launching Catalyst Fund is a significant milestone for Horizon Capital during our twentieth anniversary year. It is the second Ukraine-dedicated fund that we have launched since the full-fledged invasion, propelling the firm to over $1 billion raised for Ukraine in the last decade, and enables investing in high-impact, labor and capital-intensive sectors that generate over 10% of Ukraine's annual GDP and employ over 650,000 people while equity capital remains scarce," said Lenna Koszarny, Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Capital. "On behalf of Catalyst Fund Lead Partner Dmytro Boroday, myself and our entire Horizon Capital team, we extend our immense gratitude to our existing and new investors for committing to Catalyst Fund in record time thus enabling capital to be deployed in Ukraine immediately, as well as for their steadfast belief in our vision, investment strategy, team, track record, and for this strong signaling effect to the market." Dmytro Boroday, Partner at Horizon Capital and Catalyst Fund Lead continued: "Catalyst Fund is built for partnerships. We intend to partner with global investors, accelerating their market entry to Ukraine alongside Horizon Capital as their local partner, as well as partner with Ukraine's leading entrepreneurs and management teams in building scalable, world-class businesses in strategic sectors of Ukraine's economy with Horizon Capital beside them every step of the way as they invest and grow. We intend to invest 2050 million in growth capital per transaction from Catalyst Fund, while providing significant co-financing opportunities to its investors. By deploying catalytic equity, we aim to increase the number of bankable transactions in Ukraine, accelerate capital mobilization, and crowd in up to 3 billion of follow-on equity and debt into critical sectors of Ukraine's economy that will power recovery and reconstruction." Horizon Capital is the leading private equity firm in Emerging Europe with over $1.8 billion in AUM from investors with a capital base exceeding $700 billion. The firm's investment strategy focuses on backing visionary entrepreneurs leading fast-growing businesses in Ukraine and Moldova. Horizon Capital-managed funds have invested in over 190 companies employing over 56,000 people. HCCF aims to reach its 300 million target fund size and stands as a testament to institutions uniting in support of Ukraine's promising future. This press release is provided for information purposes only. Horizon Capital is not hereby providing investment advice or providing any person with any right to rely on the contents of this press release. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy limited partnership interests in Horizon Capital Catalyst Fund (the "Interests") or any other security in any jurisdiction and shall not, in any circumstance, constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which, or to any persons to whom, such offering, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. There is no public offering of the Interests. The Interests are being offered by means of a private placement to suitable investors. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2865286/Horizon_Capital.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2864428/Horizon_Capital_logo.jpg INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to sofetabart mipitecan (LY4170156) for the treatment of adult patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, who have received prior bevacizumab and mirvetuximab soravtansine, if eligible. Sofetabart mipitecan is a novel folate receptor alpha (FR) antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that uses proprietary linker technology and an exatecan payload. Breakthrough Therapy designation aims to expedite the development and review of drugs that are intended to treat a serious condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement over available therapy on a clinically significant endpoint(s). "Platinum-resistant ovarian cancer remains one of the most challenging settings in gynecologic oncology, with limited treatment options and poor outcomes for patients," said Bhavana Pothuri, M.D., professor of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health and director of Clinical Trials Office at the Perlmutter Cancer Center. "The Breakthrough Therapy designation and preliminary clinical data for sofetabart mipitecan across all levels of FR expression are encouraging and point to its potential as a meaningful treatment option for patients." "We are pleased the FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for sofetabart mipitecan, reflecting the significant unmet need in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and the promising initial results shown in our Phase 1 study," said Jacob Van Naarden, executive vice president, and president of Lilly Oncology and head of corporate business development. "Building on compelling results generated to date, we've initiated our Phase 3 FRAmework-01 trial with the goal of bringing a potential therapeutic option to patients with advanced ovarian cancer, across all levels of folate receptor expression." The FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation is based on encouraging preliminary results from the Phase 1a/b study. Lilly presented initial Phase 1 results at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting in June and updated data at the 2025 ESMO Congress in October, showing responses at all dose levels and across all FR expression levels, including in patients who progressed on prior mirvetuximab soravtansine. These initial data also indicate a promising tolerability profile with low rates of interstitial lung disease, peripheral neuropathy, and alopecia, and no significant ocular toxicity. Sofetabart mipitecan recently advanced into the Phase 3 FRAmework-01 study (NCT07213804), a global trial investigating the treatment as a monotherapy in patients with platinum resistant ovarian cancer (PROC), and in combination with bevacizumab in patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer (PSOC). Lilly is conducting the FRAmework-01 study in partnership with the European Network for Gynaecological Oncological Trial groups (ENGOT - lead groups GINECO/NOGGO e.V.), the GOG Foundation (GOG), and the Asia-Pacific Gynecologic Oncology Trials Group (APGOT) About Ovarian Cancer Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. While most patients initially respond to platinum-based chemotherapy, approximately 70% will experience recurrence, leading to progressively shorter remission periods with each subsequent treatment. When cancer recurs during or within six months of platinum therapy, known as platinum-resistant disease, patients face limited treatment options. About Sofetabart Mipitecan Sofetabart mipitecan (LY4170156) is composed of an Fc-silent, folate receptor alpha (FR) specific humanized monoclonal antibody linked to exatecan, a topoisomerase I inhibitor, via a proprietary cleavable polysarcosine linker (PSARlink). Sofetabart mipitecan was designed to target FR across all expression levels with improved therapeutic index. FR is a cell-surface glycoprotein encoded by the gene FOLR1 that binds to the essential nutrients folic acid and reduced folates, bringing them into cells to facilitate cell division and growth.1,2 FR is overexpressed in many solid tumors such as ovarian, non-small cell lung, and colorectal cancers.1,3,4 Sofetabart mipitecan is currently being studied in patients with ovarian cancer as well as other FR-expressing solid tumors, NCT06400472 and NCT07213804. About Lilly Lilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To learn more, visit Lilly.com and Lilly.com/news, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. P-LLY Trademarks and Trade Names All trademarks or trade names referred to in this press release are the property of the company, or, to the extent trademarks or trade names belonging to other companies are references in this press release, the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this press release are referred to without the and symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that the company or, to the extent applicable, their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, the company's or their rights thereto. We do not intend the use or display of other companies' trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about sofetabart mipitecan as a potential treatment for people with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, who have received prior bevacizumab and mirvetuximab soravtansine, if eligible, and reflects Lilly's current beliefs and expectations. However, as with any pharmaceutical product, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of drug research, development, and commercialization. Among other things, there is no guarantee that planned or ongoing studies will be completed as planned, that future study results will be consistent with study results to date, that any of these therapies will prove to be a safe and effective treatment or receive regulatory approval, or that Lilly will execute its strategy as expected. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from Lilly's expectations, see Lilly's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release. 1 Bax, Heather J et al. "Folate receptor alpha in ovarian cancer tissue and patient serum is associated with disease burden and treatment outcomes." British journal of cancer vol. 128,2 (2023): 342-353. doi:10.1038/s41416-022-02031-x Bax HJ, et al. Br J Cancer. 2023;128(2):342-353. 2 Scaranti, Mariana et al. "Exploiting the folate receptor in oncology." Nature reviews. Clinical oncology vol. 17,6 (2020): 349-359. doi:10.1038/s41571-020-0339-5. 3 Kalli, Kimberly R et al. "Folate receptor alpha as a tumor target in epithelial ovarian cancer." Gynecologic oncology vol. 108,3 (2008): 619-26. doi:10.1016/j.ygyno.2007.11.020. 4 Viricel W, et al. Cancer Res. 2023;83(suppl 7):1544. SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Olatec Therapeutics, Inc. ("Olatec"), a clinical stage biotechnology company leading the development of specific NLRP3 inhibitors, presented preclinical data at The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) Parkinson's Disease Research Exchange forum. The studies were supported by funding from MJFF for Parkinson's Research and conducted by Dr. Nadia Stefanova of the Medical University of Innsbruck. The results presented by Dr. Stefanova demonstrated that chronic oral treatment with dapansutrile, produces broad, durable, and clinically relevant disease-modifying effects in two translational mouse models of Parkinson's disease (PD). Dr. Stefanova's preclinical studies showed dapansutrile, which was orally administered for six months at a well-tolerated human-equivalent dose: Inhibited neuroinflammation (microglial and astroglial activation) Prevented or significantly improved motor deficits Protected dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and striatum Reduced -synuclein pathology and intracellular accumulation Reversed pathogenic microglial gene-expression signatures, normalizing ~75% of upregulated genes (including Lrrk2) and counteracting the disease-associated microglial phenotype identified by human single-cell RNA sequencing Lowered plasma neurofilament light (NfL) and IL-18, biomarkers that correlated strongly with motor improvement These effects were observed and target engagement confirmed (reduced NLRP3, ASC, cleaved caspase-1, IL-1, IL-18) in the brain in two models: a PD prevention model (i.e., -synuclein pre-formed fibril model) and, critically, in a PD therapeutic model initiated after symptom onset (i.e., PLP--synuclein transgenic model). Dr Stefanova stated: "We are excited that our results generate a strong translational rationale for the clinical development of dapansutrile for PD and related disorders, not limited to the beneficial effects in mouse models, but also providing a direct mechanistic bridge between the effects of dapansutrile and the disease-associated pathogenic profile of microglia in PD". Damaris Skouras, Co-Founder and CEO of Olatec, stated: "We are grateful to MJFF and Dr. Stefanova for enabling these studies that provide compelling mechanistic and biomarker evidence that dapansutrile can modify core neurodegenerative processes in animal models of PD." The data further strengthen the translational rationale for dapansutrile's Phase 2 trial expected to begin enrolling soon at the University of Cambridge. If confirmed in patients who will be dosed for 12 months, dapansutrile could represent the first oral disease-modifying therapy targeting NLRP3-driven neuroinflammation in Parkinson's." About Olatec Therapeutics, Inc. Olatec is a clinical stage biotech company at the forefront of an emerging class of innovative, oral inflammation therapeutics, called NLRP3 inhibitors. Dapansutrile, Olatec's proprietary oral NLRP3 inhibitor, selectively blocks the NLRP3 inflammasome a master regulator of the innate immune system's inflammatory response. By safely inhibiting pathological inflammation while preserving normal immune function, dapansutrile has the potential to treat or prevent the progression of a wide range of acute and chronic diseases, including many conditions associated with aging. Olatec has advanced dapansutrile from discovery to its current later-stage clinical development in arthritis, diabetes, neuroinflammatory diseases and cancer. Dapansutrile's clinical leadership and differentiation is supported by: Clinical Pipeline : Olatec is currently conducting the largest and most advanced stage dapansutrile trials across the broadest range of indications : Olatec is currently conducting the largest and most advanced stage dapansutrile trials across the broadest range of indications Safety Profile : Dapansutrile's has a clean safety record with dosing out to two years in humans essential for restoring immune balance over very long-term chronic dosing : Dapansutrile's has a clean safety record with dosing out to two years in humans essential for restoring immune balance over very long-term chronic dosing Published Efficacy Data : Olatec is the only NLRP3-focused company with peer-reviewed publications demonstrating multiple efficacy signals in numerous human and animal studies : Olatec is the only NLRP3-focused company with peer-reviewed publications demonstrating multiple efficacy signals in numerous human and animal studies Balanced Inhibition of NLRP3i: dapansutrile was designed to provide sustained but not complete blockade of the NLRP3 inflammasome while treating pathological inflammation. Avoiding total suppression of NLRP3 activity is necessary to preserve essential host-defense The Company's preclinical and clinical studies have been published in top medical and scientific journals such as The Lancet , Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences , Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology . On the strength of dapansutrile's favorable safety profile and signals of efficacy across multiple indications, our clinical trials are now being conducted in well-known international centers of excellence such as Duke Cancer Institute in collaboration with Merck , the rheumatology department at NYU Langone , the neurosciences clinic at the University of Cambridge , and the immuno-endocrinology department at the University of Basel . Our mission is to translate scientific potential into the medical standard for the management of chronic, age-related diseases across multiple therapeutic areas and for expanding health span with a cost-effective and patient-friendly (orally dosed) therapeutic. Disclaimer & Forward-looking Statement This press release is not an offer to sell and is not soliciting an offer to buy any equity interests in Olatec. The information contained herein is being provided for information purposes only. Olatec makes no express or implied representation or warranty as to the completeness of this information. Any forward-looking statements contained in this release are based on assumptions made by Olatec at the time this Press Release was prepared. Any forward-looking statement contained in this Press Release is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may be materially different from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements. All information with respect to industry data has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable and current, but the accuracy thereof cannot be guaranteed. Olatec does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained in this Press Release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date this Press Release was prepared, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. SOURCE Olatec Therapeutics, Inc. In partnership with First Flight Venture Center (FFVC), the Foundation's Raleigh program will equip early-stage veteran entrepreneurs with the resources to bring their business ideas to life. RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting veterans in their transition from service to success, is proud to announce it will host a Veteran Entrepreneur Program incubator cohort in Raleigh, North Carolina, March 1820. The program will provide early-stage veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs with hands-on training and mentorship to help them build launch-ready businesses. The program will include three days of in-person programming, followed by six weeks of virtual instruction. Designed for entrepreneurs in the idea-to-minimum viable product (MVP) stage, the incubator supports participants who are eager to build and refine their business concepts but may not yet have customers or a fully developed product. For the Raleigh cohort, the PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes is partnering with First Flight Venture Center, a leading incubator for science-based startups in North Carolina. FFVC has played a key role in helping the Foundation expand its programming to the Research Triangle and will serve as the host site for the in-person portion of the incubator. "The incubator is designed to meet aspiring entrepreneurs where they are," said Terry Williams, Director of the Veteran Entrepreneur Program. "By focusing on business fundamentals and practical guidance, we help veterans and military spouses gain the confidence and skills they need to develop, improve and launch their ideas." Incubator participants should be veterans or military spouses who are committed to entrepreneurship, have a developed business idea or very early prototype, and are ready to test and refine their concept. As a localized program, participants must live in the Raleigh area or be willing to commute. Travel costs are not covered. Veterans and military spouses interested in applying to the Raleigh incubator cohort are encouraged to visit https://penfedfoundation.org/our-programs/vep/ for eligibility details and deadlines. About The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes Founded in 2001, The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes is a national nonprofit organization that supports veterans in their transition from service to success in civilian life. Affiliated with PenFed Credit Union, the Foundation has provided more than $55 million in financial support to veterans, active-duty service members and military families. PenFed Credit Union covers the salaries and administrative costs of The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes, so more of your donation goes right to our programs. To learn more, please visit www.penfedfoundation.org. SOURCE PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes Blood donors are urged to book an appointment now at RedCrossBlood.org News Summary: The American Red Cross is declaring a severe blood shortage after the national blood supply fell about 35% over the past month. A nationwide flu outbreak may be sidelining blood donors. Already, the flu has overburdened hospitals and this blood shortage means they're now being forced to triage critical blood products. With more winter weather forecast, the problem could worsen without immediate blood donor action. Last month alone, 400 blood drives were impacted by winter weather, causing thousands of blood donations to go uncollected. Those who may be eligible are urged to book an appointment now at RedCrossBlood.org. WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite efforts to rebuild the national blood supply in recent weeks, the inventory has continued to drop at an alarming rate of about 35% over the past month forcing the American Red Cross to issue a severe blood shortage. This comes as flu activity is exploding across the country, where overburdened hospitals are now being forced to triage critical blood products. High flu activity in nearly every state may be sidelining donors, slowing efforts to rebuild vital blood inventories to help patients and relieve pressure on hospitals. The shortage is especially serious for types O, A negative and B negative. Without immediate action, patients who rely on transfusions including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth, and people with sickle cell disease or cancer face serious risk. There's no time to wait. Book an appointment now to give blood or platelets by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). "This time of year is always challenging for blood collection but right now, the perfect storm of a long holiday season, record flu activity and winter weather are all impeding donation efforts," said Dr. Courtney Lawrence, executive medical director for the Red Cross. "Every person's blood donation can help save lives plus you help ease the tremendous burden on our doctors and nurses, allowing them to focus on caring for patients." Intense winter weather and freezing temperatures are expected across much of the country in the coming weeks, potentially delaying or canceling blood drives and forcing vital units of blood to go uncollected. Last month alone, about 400 blood drives were impacted due to extreme winter weather more than three times the number of those affected during the same time the previous year. As a result, thousands of blood donations went uncollected. 'I Had a Successful Ending Because the Blood I Needed Was There' When emergencies like postpartum hemorrhage occur, the difference between life and death for a mother and her baby can hinge on the availability of a blood transfusion. Postpartum hemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal deaths in the United States. These crises can happen suddenly even in pregnancies without complications underscoring the vital need for a ready supply of blood to help save lives. For first-time mother Reihaneh Hajibeigi, childbirth complications caused her to hemorrhage and lose nearly 40% of her blood supply. She recalled that, as she crashed, a team of doctors rushed in to save her life, asking, "Where's her blood? She needs this blood to save her life." "It was about 10 minutes from the time I started to feel faint until they had the blood in my system, and I was basically coming back to life," Reihaneh said. "I think about the people who made it possible for me to live," she said. Watch Reihaneh share her remarkable story of survival. Special Thank You to Those Who Come to Give During This Critical Time The Red Cross is thanking all donors who come out through Jan. 25, by entering them for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LX, in partnership with the NFL. The winner and guest will get to enjoy Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, CA, access to day-of in-stadium pregame activities, tickets to the official Super Bowl Experience, round-trip airfare, three-night hotel accommodations (Feb. 6-9, 2026), plus a $1,000 gift card for expenses. For full details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl. The Red Cross is also extending its thanks to those who come to donate Jan. 26-Feb. 28 with a $20 e-gift card to a merchant of your choice. See RedCrossBlood.org/Heart for details. How to Donate Blood Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment and learn more. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App. About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media. SOURCE American Red Cross REGACE webinar on January 29 demonstrates how greenhouses can produce clean energy while maintaining yields and lowering costs for farmers. BRUSSELS, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The EU is rapidly increasing its renewable energy targets, with solar power playing a central role in achieving these goals. The EU-funded REGACE Project shows that installing photovoltaic panels on existing greenhouse structures could provide around 23 percent of the solar capacity needed across Europe with sufficient investment. This approach also reduces carbon emissions and decreases upfront investment costs compared with traditional ground-mounted solar systems. These findings will take center stage during the REGACE final conference, which brings together stakeholders from agriculture, energy, research, and public authorities. A key highlight is the online webinar entitled Agrivoltaics in Greenhouses Turning Sunlight into Energy and Crops, taking place on January 29, 2026, from 10:00 to 13:00 CET. The webinar is designed to support farmers, policymakers, researchers, and public authorities looking for practical and scalable solutions that align renewable energy deployment with sustainable food production. Studies show that relying mainly on ground-mounted photovoltaic systems could require one to two percent of farmland in some countries to meet 2030 goals. By installing PV panels on existing greenhouse structures, renewable energy can be generated with almost zero additional land use. Modelling shows that in countries such as Israel, Romania, and Croatia, greenhouse-based PV could supply more than 40% of the solar capacity required by 2030. Across Europe, the average contribution reaches 23%. Traditional open field agrivoltaic systems rely on heavy steel structures and concrete foundations, resulting in higher carbon footprints and costs. REGACE greenhouse systems reuse existing frames, reducing iron use from 103 kilograms per kilowatt to 48 kilograms. This lowers the carbon footprint from 196 to 84 kilograms of CO2 per kilowatt and cuts investment costs by around 24%. "As Europe searches for solutions that support both food security and climate goals, greenhouse agrivoltaics stands out as a practical and scalable option," said REGACE coordinator Dr. Ibrahim Yehia of the Alzahrawy Society. "REGACE proves that we can turn existing agricultural infrastructure into clean energy assets, while keeping farms productive and resilient." To register to the webinar click here. About REGACE The REGACE project is dedicated to developing innovative agrivoltaics technology which uses CO 2 enrichment to sustainably increase electricity production. For more information about REGACE Project, please visit: https://regaceproject.com/. Contact Dan Gerstenfeld Interteam [email protected] +972-523745989 SOURCE REGACE AURORA, Ill., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Scientel Solutions, a technology company headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, announces the release of its 2025 Community Impact Report, highlighting the company's continued commitment to giving back and strengthening the communities it serves. Scientel Solutions Community Partner 2025 Throughout 2025, Scientel Solutions employees collectively contributed more than 600 volunteer hours supporting a wide range of philanthropic initiatives and nonprofit organizations. These efforts support the company's mission, demonstrating that meaningful impact reaches beyond technology to include service, partnership, and community engagement. Scientel Solutions actively supports local Veteran organizations, food pantries, homeless shelters, educational institutions, and other nonprofit foundations focused on creating positive and lasting social impact. By investing time, resources, and expertise, the company remains committed to improving the well-being of individuals and families in the communities where it operates. "At Scientel Solutions, we believe in building a smarter future not only through technological innovation, but through meaningful community engagement," said Nelson Santos, Founder and CEO of Scientel Solutions. "Our support of veterans, food pantries, homeless shelters, and educational institutions reflects our responsibility to uplift the communities that support us." The Scientel team is passionate about addressing critical social needs and understands the importance of hands-on involvement. The company actively seeks partnerships with local organizations to ensure its efforts are aligned with immediate community needs and deliver measurable impact. Key Areas of Community Support Include: Empowering Communities: Investing in organizations dedicated to making meaningful and measurable social change Investing in organizations dedicated to making meaningful and measurable social change Serving Together: Giving back through hands-on service and skill-based volunteering Giving back through hands-on service and skill-based volunteering Meeting Real Needs: Providing essential resources to organizations addressing urgent community challenges Providing essential resources to organizations addressing urgent community challenges Building Stronger Futures: Partnering with nonprofits to create a long-term impact Scientel Solutions is proud of its ongoing commitment to community service and looks forward to expanding these efforts in the years ahead. The company invites partners, customers, and community members to join in making a meaningful difference. To learn more about Scientel Solutions' commitment to community engagement, visit www.scientelsolutions.com . About Scientel Solutions Scientel Solutions is The Universal Integrator, delivering 360 technology services that support clients' dynamic and sophisticated communications, video, and data management needs. The company's mission is to enhance the quality of life for its Customers, Partners, Employees, and Community. Headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, with offices across the United States and Europe, Scientel Solutions provides global capabilities to support clients worldwide. Website: www.scientelsolutions.com SOURCE Scientel Solutions VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Silvercorp Metals Inc. (TSX: SVM) ("Silvercorp" or the "Company") is pleased to report that it has signed a Share Purchase Agreement with Chaarat Gold Holdings Limited ("Chaarat") and a Cooperation Agreement with the National Investment Agency under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic (the "NIA"). Pursuant to these agreements, the Company will acquire a 70% interest in Chaarat ZAAV CJSC ("ZAAV"), which holds a 100% interest in the mining license (~7 square kilometres) hosting the fully-permitted Tulkubash/Kyzyltash gold projects as well as surrounding exploration licenses (27.42 square kilometres) hosting the Karator and Ishakuld gold zones (the "Projects") located in the Tian Shan area of the Kyrgyz Republic for cash consideration of US$162 million (the "Transaction"). Additionally, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, entered into a Share Purchase and Shareholders Agreement ("Shareholders Agreement") with Kyrgyzaltyn (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Kyrgyz Republic). This agreement states that upon completion of the acquisition of ZAAV, it will be converted into a joint venture company ("JVC") between Silvercorp and Kyrgyzaltyn. Silvercorp will hold a 70% interest and be the operator of the JVC and Kyrgyzaltyn will hold a 30% free-carried interest. As part of the Cooperation Agreement, NIA will receive $70 million cash in two staged payments: 1) payment of $60 million upon the Kyrgyz Government issuing a waiver of its statutory pre-emptive right on the Projects and an extension of the validity period of the JVC's mining license from June 25, 2032 to June 25, 2062, and 2) $10 million cash payment after certain other milestones are achieved. Per the Share Purchase Agreement, Chaarat will receive a $92 million cash payment from Silvercorp conditional upon receipt of the Kyrgyz Government waiver. Now that the Kyrgyz Government has issued a Waiver for its pre-emptive right, Silvercorp will proceed to make the payment to Chaarat for closing. The JVC envisages a two-phase development plan for the Tulkubash/Kyzyltash gold projects per the Cooperation Agreement and the Shareholders Agreement: Phase 1 Development of Tulkubash1 (2026-2028): Silvercorp will commit to invest US$150 million for construction of a 4 million tonnes of ore per year open-pit mine/heap leach operation for the oxidized gold ore from the Tulkubash field using the Bankable Feasibility Studies completed by Tetra Tech (Joint Ore Reserves Committee ("JORC") Code standard) in 2018, expertized and localized for Kyrgyzstan by Ken Too (Bishkek) in 2020, and further improved (JORC Code standard) in 2021 by a South African firm, LogiProc with support from Ausenco's Canadian branch; once in production in 2027-2028, the Tulkubash field is expected to produce approximately 110,000 oz of gold annually for 3-4 years. Additionally, if the Karator exploration license is converted into a mining license in 2026, the open pit/heap leach operation could be extended for at least 2 years. Phase 2 Development of Kyzyltash1 (2028-2031): approximately US$400 million in investment to develop the Kyzyltash sulfide deposit into a 3 to 4 million tonnes per year open pit/underground mine, plus flotation, bacterial oxidization ("BIOX") and carbon in leach ("CIL"), based on a 2016 pre-feasibility study (Non NI-43-101 standard) by China's NERIN design institute. Once in production, the Kyzyltash sulfide deposit could produce approximately 190,000 to 230,000 oz of gold annually for over 18 years, starting from 2031. Dr. Rui Feng, Silvercorp Chair and CEO said: "We are pleased to develop these Projects, the largest undeveloped gold deposits in the West Tien Shan gold belt. All interests are aligned for us to bring the Projects into production. With our 20 years of mining expertise and financial strength, we are confident Silvercorp and Chaarat's well-established local team can work with our Kyrgyz partner to advance ahead on the Projects and unlock value for all stakeholders and shareholders." The addition of the Tulkubash/Kyzyltash gold projects to our growing portfolio aligns with our strategic objectives of diversifying and growing our asset base by adding a third jurisdiction, and will position us to benefit from gold's strong fundamentals. Silvercorp will use its cash and short-term investments currently on hand to make the payment for the acquisition and the remaining cash on hand after the acquisition, as well as cash flow from our current operations and financing capacity, will be sufficient to advance the Tulkubash/Kyzyltash projects through the Phase 1 Development. The Tulkubash/Kyzyltash Gold Projects The Tulkubash/Kyzyltash Gold Projects are located approximately 490 km by road southwest of Bishkek. The first 360 km from Bishkek to the mine site is on paved roads, followed by ~130 km of graded gravel road to the site. Antimony-gold mineralization was identified by Soviet era geologists in the early 1970s. The exploration license was acquired by Apex Asia, which then formed a Joint venture with Newmont in 1997. Newmont completed an IP survey and drilled 7 holes and made a discovery. Newmont left Kyrgyzstan in 2000. The Project License was acquired by Chaarat in 2002. Since 2002, Chaarat has spent $174 million on the Projects: $77 million on drilling, $40 million on operating expenses, $36 million on studies by independent consultants, and $22 million on construction of a road, camp, and other facilities. Chaarat was a London AIM-listed public exploration and development company until the fall of 2024. A total of 188,000 metres ("m") of drilling has been performed on the Tulkubash/Kyzyltash Gold Projects, including 80,500 m on the Kyzyltash sulfide zone up to 2013, and 107,500 m on Tulkubash up to 2023. Since 2014, all the exploration drilling work and most engineering study work by outside consultants has been focused on defining mineral reserves/resources and creating a development plan for the oxidized gold ore from Tulkubash. At Karator, 14 drill holes drilled in 2021 and 2023 discovered extensive oxidized gold material near surface and in 2025, approximately 9,000 m of in-fill and step out diamond drilling was completed, which could form a resource base to convert the exploration license to a mining license. Assay results for 2025 drill holes are pending. Historical Mineral Resource Estimates1 A series of resource and reserve estimates were completed at different times for Tulkubash, Kyzyltash and Karator: 1) SRK Consulting (South Africa), 2009 for Kyzyltash resource estimation, an indicated resource of 1.47 million oz gold at 4.15 grams/tonne ("g/t"), plus an inferred resource of 1.663 million oz gold at 4.21 g/t. Using a 2 g/t cut-off gold grade. 2) Wardell Armstrong International (UK), 2012 for Kyzyltash, an indicated resource of 2.54 million oz gold at 4.3 g/t plus an inferred resource of 1.754 million oz gold at 3.95 g/t, and for Tulkubash, measured and indicated resource of 0.21 million oz gold at 2.9 g/t and an inferred resource of 0.29 million oz gold at 2.99 g/t. 3) GeoSystem International (Florida), 2014 resource estimate (JORC Code Standard) for Tulkubash and Kyzyltash as follows: Tulkubash: measured and indicated resource of 0.856 million oz gold at 1.36 g/t, and an inferred resource of 0.1 million oz gold at 1.37 g/t, at a 0.5 g/t cut-off grade. Kyzyltash: measured and indicated resource of 6.016 million oz gold at 2.57 g/t and 18.7 million oz silver at 8 g/t, and an inferred resource of 1.185 million oz gold at 2.47 g/t for and 3.22 million oz silver at 6.7 g/t, using a 1 g/t cut-off grade. Combining Tulkubash and Kyzyltash, total measured and indicated resource of 6.0 million oz gold at 2.56 g/t and 18.7 million oz silver at 6.3 g/t, and an inferred resource of 1.264 million oz gold at 2.49 g/t and 4.1 million oz silver at 5.9 g/tr, using a 1 g/t cut-off gold grade. 4) Tetra Tech (UK), 2018 Bankable feasibility study (JORC Code standard), Tulkubash: measured and indicated resource of 1.414 million oz gold at 1.13 g/t, and an inferred resource of 0.091 million oz gold at 0.62 g/t. Proven and probable reserve was 0.468 million oz gold at 0.91 g/t, using a 0.3 g/t cut-off gold grade. 5) LogiProc (South Africa), 2021 Bankable feasibility study (JORC Code standard), Tulkubash: measured and indicated resource of 0.789 million oz gold at 0.86 g/t, and an inferred resource of 0.388 million oz at 0.56 g/t. Probable reserve of 0.571 million oz gold at 0.85 g/t using 0.21 g/t cut-off grade for open pit and heap leaching operation. 6) Dimitar Dimitrov estimated in 2024 (JORC Code standard) that Karator contains measured and indicated resource of 0.077 million oz gold at 0.96 g/t, plus inferred resource of 0.130 million oz at 0.97 g/t of oxidized materials at 0.21 g/t cut-off grade Mineral Resource Estimates by Silvercorp The Company has also prepared an internal mineral resource estimate in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (''NI 43-101'') for both Tulkubash and Kyzyltash as shown in the following tables, the result for Tulkubash, the Company's estimate is comparable to above historical estimates. For Kyzyltash, Silvercorp's result is similar to the estimates by GeoSystem in grades but less in resources: Tulkubash Pit Constrained Mineral Resource Estimate Category Tonnes (Mt) Au Grade (g/t) Ag Grade (g/t) Contained Au (koz) Contained Ag (koz) Measured 7.35 1.61 1.38 380.5 327.0 Indicated 1.28 1.99 1.45 81.7 59.6 Total M+I 8.63 1.67 1.39 462.2 386.6 Notes: The effective date of the resource is October 2025. The qualified person (as defined in NI 43-101) for the purposes of the MRE is Lei Xue, P. Geo., Resource Geologist for the Company Grade estimation completed via Inverse Distance Weight method, within block model with a parent block size of 10 m x 10m x 10 m and minimal sub-blocking of 1m. Mineral Resources are constrained by Resource shell defined as per $1,800/oz gold price, applied variable recovery estimations and a cut-off grade 0.21 g/t Au. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not demonstrate economic viability. Numbers may not sum due to rounding. Kyzyltash Mineral Resource Estimate Category Tonnes (Mt) Au Grade (g/t) Ag Grade (g/t) Contained Au (Koz) Contained Ag (Koz) Measured 3.27 2.58 7.94 271.2 836.0 Indicated 47.04 2.43 8.96 3,670.7 13,548.8 Total M+I 50.31 2.44 8.89 3,941.9 14,384.8 Inferred 21.36 2.30 8.66 1,576.8 5,947.9 Notes: The effective date of the reported Resource is October 2025. The qualified person (as defined in NI 43-101) for the purposes of the MRE is Lei Xue, P. Geo., Resource Geologist for the Company Grade estimation completed via Inverse Distance Weight method, within block model with a parent block size of 10 m x 10 m x 10 m and minimal sub-blocking of 1m. Applied cutoff grade of 1.0 g/t Au. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not demonstrate economic viability. Numbers may not sum due to rounding. Metallurgical Studies1 Extensive metallurgical studies were also completed on the Tulkubash/Kyzyltash Gold Projects. Tulkubash Oxide Material Recovery Tests The metallurgical studies, done on Tulkubash oxide material are systemized in four metallurgical reports, including: 1) RDI Metallurgical Report, October 2014, 2) Wardell Armstrong Metallurgical Report, 2017, which tested 23 composite samples, 3) McClelland Laboratories Report, July 2018, bottle roll tests on 44 oxide and transitional composite samples, and 4) ALS Report, 2019, tested cyanide leachability of 22 composite and fully characterized the Tulkubash material as amendable to heap leach and CIL options. The Heap Leaching process flow sheet is well tested and confirmed as a viable processing option for Tulkubash oxide material, with gold recovery of 74 to 76%. Kyzyltash Sulfide Material Recovery Test1 Several metallurgical studies addressing Kyzyltash refractory gold mineralization were conducted, including 1) Resource Development Inc (RDI), 2004 & 2005, 2) Mintek (South Africa), 2009, 3) SGS South Africa, 2011, 4) Mintek (South Africa), 2012, 5) Wardell Armstrong Metallurgical, 2012, 6) BGRIMM (Beijing), 2013, 7) RDI, 2014, 8) John Marsden, 2020, and 9) SGS-Lakefield, 2022. Based on these studies, the most economically-effective and highest recovery flowsheet would be flotation of sulfide, then processing the sulfide concentrate using BIOX, and followed by CIL to produce gold dore with a total gold recovery rate of 82 to 88%. Pre-Feasibilty and Feasibility Studies 2016 NERIN study1: China NERIN Co. Ltd issued two reports for the development of Tulkubash and Kyzyltash, the "Nerin Chinese FS Report October 2015" and the "Nerin Chinese FS Report Exec Summary and Optimisation May 2016", which are the equivalent of Preliminary Economic Assessment plus level studies. The NERIN reports contemplated constructing Tulkubash and Kyzyltash simultaneously as standalone projects at an estimated capital cost of over $500 million and annual gold production over 200,000 oz. The Tulkubash oxidized ore would be mined via an open pit, with gold being recovered using a heap leaching operation with a gold recovery rate of 75% and a production rate of approximately 3 million tonnes of ore per year during the first 3.5 years. The Kyzyltash sulphide deposit would be mined by the open pit and underground mining methods, with gold being recovered through flotation, BIOX and CIL leaching plants with a total gold recovery rate of 77.4% at 3 to 4 million tonnes of ore per year for a further 14.5 years, starting from the 4th year in production, leading to a total mine life of 18 years to recover approximately 3.6 million oz of gold. Tulkubash Open Pit/Heap Leach Operation Since 2014, all the exploration drilling work and most engineering study work by outside consultants have been focused on defining mineral reserves/resources and development of a plan for the oxidized gold ore from the Tulkubash field. Bankable Feasibility Study by Tetra Tech (UK) in 20181. The 2018 Bankable Feasibility study by Tetra Tech (UK) on Tulkubash was prepared based on the JORC Code. According to the study, the Tulkubash oxidized ores would be mined by open pit mining method at 13,500 tonnes per day or 4.0-4.8 million tonnes per year. Gold will be recovered using heap leach with absorption, desorption, and refining (ADR) operation. Gold recovery rate is 75% to produce approximately 110,000 oz of gold per year for 3.75 years. The estimated initial capital cost was $122 million, total life of mine operating cost of $16.32 per tonne, total strip ratio of 4.1 for 16 million tonnes of reserve, based on a $1300 per oz gold price. Bankable Feasibility Study by LogiProc in 20211. The 2021 Bankable Feasibility study for Tulkubash by LogiProc (South Africa) with support from Ausenco's Canadian branch on heap leach design was prepared based on the JORC Code. The mine plan calls for 4.92 million tonnes of ore per year with a life of mine average strip ratio of 2.59 (tonne/tonne). Gold will be recovered using heap leach with an absorption, desorption, and refining (ADR) operation. Gold recovery rate is 73.6% to produce approximately 100,000 oz of gold per year for 4+ years. The estimated initial capital cost was $115 million, total life of mine operating cost of $13.6 per tonne, total strip ratio of 2.6 for 20 million tonnes of reserve, based on a $1800 per oz gold price. Local Adaptation and Expertization by Qualified Person in Kyrgyzstan Local adaptation and legalisation is required in Kyrgyzstan for foreign or externally developed designs and technical documentation to comply with national standards before they can be implemented. "Local adaptation" relates to the work performed by local Qualified Persons. "Legalisation" refers to the approval provided by the Kyrgyz Government. In this process the Government issues "expertise approvals" or "Expertization" once they are satisfied with the adaptation work submitted for their review. So far, the detailed designs for the heap leach, open pit mine and waste dump, and related environmental work related to the 2018 Tetra Tech Bankable Feasibility study have completed "Local Adaptation" and "Expertization". However, the detailed designs for the 2021 LogiProc study, such as the heap leach design by Ausenco, have not completed a "Local Adaptation" and Expertization". Plan for Next Steps Upon completion of the acquisition, the Company will 1) engage the independent engineering firm to update the 2021 feasibility study report in accordance with NI 43-101 on the Tulkubash Open Pit/Heap Leach Operation, 2) pursue Local Adaptation and Expertization of the 2021 LogiProc Bankable Feasibility Study to Kyrgyz National Standards and obtain other necessary permits for construction based on the most recent designs, 3) local team building, and 4) engage experienced mining and construction contractors for the development of the Tulkubash Open Pit/Heap Leach Operation. Meanwhile, Silvercorp will engage independent engineering firms to work on a preliminary economic assessment study for Kyzyltash and to carry out more definitive drilling in preparation for a feasibility study. Qualified Person: This news release has been reviewed and approved by Guoliang Ma, P. Geo., Manager of Exploration and Resource of the Company who is the designated qualified person for the Company. About Silvercorp Silvercorp is a Canadian mining company producing silver, gold, lead, and zinc with a long history of profitability and growth potential. The Company's strategy is to create shareholder value by 1) focusing on generating free cash flow from long life mines; 2) organic growth through extensive drilling for discovery; 3) ongoing merger and acquisition efforts to unlock value; and 4) long term commitment to responsible mining and ESG. For more information, please visit our website at www.silvercorpmetals.com. For further information Silvercorp Metals Inc. Lon Shaver President Phone: (604) 669-9397 Toll Free 1(888) 224-1881 Email: [email protected] Website: www.silvercorpmetals.com Notes As at the date of this news release, a qualified person has not completed sufficient work to classify this historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves in accordance with NI 43-101 and Silvercorp is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. In order to verify the historical estimates, the Company needs to engage a qualified person to review the historical data, review any work completed on the Projects since the date of the estimate and complete a new technical report. Silvercorp views this historical data as an indicator of the potential size and grade of the mineralized deposits, and this data is relevant to Company's future plans with respect to the Projects. CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER - FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release does not constitute, and is not, an offer or solicitation of an offer of securities. This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to, among other things, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the Transaction, the strategic rationale for the Transaction, the timing of payments in connection with the Transaction, anticipated receipt of approvals, extension of mining licenses and milestones, the ability of the parties to satisfy the other conditions to the closing of the Transaction and the anticipated timing for closing of the Transaction, the development plan for the Tulkubash/Kyzyltash gold projects, the Company's plan for next steps, and any anticipated benefits to shareholder value or financial or operational performance that may be derived therefrom. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information may in some cases be identified by words such as "will", "anticipates", "expects", "intends" and similar expressions suggesting future events or future performance. We caution that all forward-looking information is inherently subject to change and uncertainty and that actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. A number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including fluctuating commodity prices; completion and timing of the transactions described above; satisfaction of the conditions to the transactions; extension of mining licenses and milestones recent market events and condition; estimation of mineral resources, mineral reserves and mineralization and metal recovery; interpretations and assumptions of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates; exploration and development programs; climate change; economic factors affecting the Company; timing, estimated amount, capital and operating expenditures and economic returns of future production; integration of future acquisitions into existing operations; permits and licences for mining and exploration in China; title to properties; non-controlling interest shareholders; acquisition of commercially mineable mineral rights; financing; competition; operations and political conditions; regulatory environment in China; regulatory environment and political climate in Bolivia and Ecuador; integration and operations of Adventus; environmental risks; natural disasters; dependence on management and key personnel; foreign exchange rate fluctuations; insurance; risks and hazards of mining operations; conflicts of interest; internal control over financial reporting as per the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; outcome of current or future litigation or regulatory actions; bringing actions and enforcing judgments under U.S. securities laws; cyber-security risks; public health crises; the Company's investment in New Pacific Metals Corp. and Tincorp Metals Inc.; and the other risk factors described in the Company's latest 40-F/Annual Information Form, and Management's Discussion and Analysis, each under the heading "Risk Factors" available on www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov; could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information or could cause our current objectives, strategies and intentions to change. Accordingly, we warn investors to exercise caution when considering statements containing forward-looking information and that it would be unreasonable to rely on such statements as creating legal rights regarding our future results or plans. We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking information will materialize and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents expectations as of the date of this news release and is subject to change after such date. However, we are under no obligation (and we expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or alter any statements containing forward-looking information, the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. All of the forward-looking information in this news release is qualified by the cautionary statements herein. CAUTIONARY NOTE TO US INVESTORS This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada which differ from the requirements of United States securities laws. The technical and scientific information contained herein has been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, which differs from the standards adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). There are references to historical resource estimates in this news release that were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Joint Ore Reserves Committee of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Australian Institute of Geoscientists and Minerals Council of Australia that are strictly historical in nature and should not be relied on. Silvercorp's reserve and resource estimates have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for public disclosure by a Canadian company of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Australian standards and Canadian standards each differ significantly from the disclosure requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and mineral reserve and resource information included in this news release may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies subject to the disclosure requirements of the SEC. A comprehensive discussion of risks that impact Silvercorp, and additional information relating to the Company including Silvercorp's Annual Information Form can be obtained under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, on EDGAR at www.sec.gov, and on the Company's website at www.silvercorpmetals.com SOURCE Silvercorp Metals Inc. SYDNEY, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A man has been hospitalized after he was attacked by a shark on Tuesday morning, in the fourth attack at beaches in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) within 48 hours. Local media reported that the 39-year-old man was surfing with a group at a beach on NSW's Mid North Coast, over 300 km northeast of Sydney, when he was attacked around 10 a.m. local time on Tuesday. The shark bit through the surfboard, but the man escaped serious injury and was taken to the hospital with minor cuts to one leg, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Steve Pearce, chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, told the ABC that the man was lucky to be alive. Authorities have closed beaches along a 5 km stretch of the Mid North Coast in response to the attack and have deployed drones to search for the shark. Every beach in northern Sydney was also closed on Tuesday following two shark attacks in the area on Monday and a third attack at a beach on the southern shore of Sydney Harbor on Sunday afternoon. The victims of the second northern Sydney attack, a man aged in his 20s, and the Sydney Harbor attack, a 12-year-old boy, were both hospitalized with critical injuries. NEW YORK and NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Vestis Corporation ("Vestis" or the "Company") (NYSE: VSTS). In May of 2025, the Company announced its financial results for 2Q 2025, disclosing that, despite prior overwhelmingly positive statements, it had withdrawn its revenue and growth guidance for the full fiscal year 2025 and provided guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 that fell significantly below market expectations due in part to "lost business in excess of new business," but primarily on "lower adds over stops, which is how we describe volume changes with our existing customers." Thereafter, the Company and certain of its executives were sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information in violation of federal securities laws, which remains ongoing. KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Vestis' officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to its shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Vestis shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-833-938-0905 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-vsts/ to learn more. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. This past year, KSF was ranked by SCAS among the top 10 firms nationally based upon total settlement value. KSF serves a variety of clients, including public and private institutional investors, and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana, Chicago, and a representative office in Luxembourg. TOP 10 Plaintiff Law Firms - According to ISS Securities Class Action Services To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. Contact: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner [email protected] 1-877-515-1850 1100 Poydras St., Suite 960 New Orleans, LA 70163 CONNECT WITH US: Facebook || Instagram || YouTube || TikTok || LinkedIn SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ATLANTA and WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- VPN.com Domain Advisor CEO Michael Gargiulo is calling on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to revisit its policy regarding country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) when governments engage in internet shutdowns and violence on to their own citizens with civilian casualties. In a bold recommendation, Gargiulo suggests that ICANN establish thresholds based on internet censorship and loss of life to trigger consequences for nations involved in coordinated black outs and citizen casualties, including potential removal or temporary restriction of their ccTLDs from the root zone. "ICANN has a unique responsibility in shaping global internet policy," Gargiulo stated. "But that responsibility should consider government-coordinated censorship and violence on that nation's citizens. When countries actively censor their people or restrict their internet, usually during times of tension, their access to the global internet infrastructure should be reviewed and ccTLD access possibly suspended." Introducing Accountability to Internet Governance While peaceful diplomatic resolutions remain the global priority, Gargiulo mentioned a tiered accountability structure for ccTLDs during significant restrictions. If the government coordinated death toll exceeds a predetermined amount the ccTLD should be considered for temporary or permanent removal from the DNS root zone. If the government imposes an Internet shutdown or otherwise routinely restricts citizens from accessing the open internet, this should trigger temporary or permanent removal from the DNS root zone. This isn't about punishing a country's people, Gargiulo emphasizes, it's about promoting peace and diplomacy through the digital economy. "The internet as a whole, including increasingly used ccTLDs, are economic tools," he said. "They power businesses, facilitate international trade, and enable governments to collect digital revenues. If a government chooses censorship and large-scale human rights violations, they shouldn't benefit from the infrastructure the peaceful world provides." ccTLDs as Economic Leverage Gargiulo points out that ccTLDs such as .ru (Russia, 5.8M domains), .ve (Venezuela, 23K domains), .ir (Iran, 1.397M domains) and .kp (North Korea, 72 domains) continue to operate despite active sanctions and international conflict. Yet their digital infrastructure remains intact. "ICANN has the power to support diplomatic pressure," Gargiulo noted. "Targeted domain-level sanctions could be one of the most effective, non-violent levers of influence that truly hasn't been explored as a means of driving peace." Read More About VPN.com: Related commentary on domain names, internet access, and global market impact can be found in Entrepreneur and Forbes, where Gargiulo continues to advocate for stronger domain policy leadership at the intersection of tech and international affairs. Gargiulo and Sharjil Saleem lead the VPN.com Premium Domain Broker team, the only domain experts to spend $1 million on their own domain name. For more details about VPN.com domain advisory services please visit: vpn.com/domain-broker. For Media Inquiries: Dept. of Public Relations 877-VPN-FAST [email protected] www.VPN.com Read More About VPN.com: SOURCE VPN.com FTSE 100 down 68 points at 10,126 Global stocks continue to be hit by geopolitical worries Gold hits new high above $4720/oz 5.15pm: Stocks retreat The FTSE 100 finished Tuesdays session 68 points lower at 10,126 as investors weighed up US tariff threats and crashing Japanese government bonds. Markets have slipped back into a risk-off mood after renewed political shocks from President Trump and rapidly rising Japanese bond yields unsettled investors, erasing early-January stock gains, pushing bitcoin sharply lower and leaving gold as the main haven, IG chief technical analyst Axel Rudolph said. Following the collapse at a 20-year Japanese government bond auction, the country's 10-year yields rallied to their highest level since the 1990s while 30- and 40-year yields hit record highs, driving global bond yields higher and worrying investors about a possibly severe stock market setback. 4.10pm: Losses pared The FTSE 100 and FTE 250 have both pared their losses to below 1%. Blue chips are down 0.8% and mid-caps are 0.5% lower. Earlier, both indices were heading for their steepest single-day drops since mid-November, analysts said. Biggest blue-chip fallers are paper and packaging maker Mondi, down 3.8%, followed by AstraZeneca, Land Securities, British American Tobacco and Beazley. The leaderboard is topped by Informa, Haleon, Endeavour Mining, Rentokil Initial and Melrose Industries. 3.47pm: US says America first, but Reeves points out importance of allies US Trade Sec Howard Lutnick has been speaking in Davos. He echoes a point prominently made by Vice President JD Vance that "globalisation has failed the West and the USA". It's Lutnick says globalisation is "what the WEF has stood for, which is, export, offshore, find the cheapest labour in the world." He says as an example that Europe made a mistake by committing to net-zero policies that rely on technology and commodities from China. He argues that the America First movement is all about not being dependent on another country for anything that is important to your sovereignty. When America shines, the world is brighter. UK finance minister Rachel Reeves is also on the panel and she agrees that the world would be poorer and scarier without the US. But she says "the idea of putting your own country first and considering your own security and resilience" is compelling and points to her idea of "securonomics", but she says unlike the US, "we can't do everything on our own". She tells Lutnick, "you've got a lot of allies around the world...we do need to think about where the threats are, and who our friends are". She says the UK is probably the USs closest ally. She points out 90% of the US's rare earth minerals currently come from China, and it won't be able to get by on its own and will need the support of allies. US trade secretary Howard Lutnick really not mincing his words here at Davos: "We are here to make a v clear point: globalisation has failed the West and the USA. It's a failed policy. It's what the WEF has stood for, which is, export, offshore, find the cheapest labour in the world." Heather Stewart (@guardianheather.bsky.social) January 20, 2026 at 3:23 PM She tells Lutnick, "you've got a lot of allies around the world...we do need to think about where the threats are, and who our friends are..." Points out 90% of the US's critical minerals currently come from China, and it won't be able to wean itself off those without the support of allies. Heather Stewart (@guardianheather.bsky.social) January 20, 2026 at 3:28 PM 3.12pm: Citi downgrades Europe over Greenland tariffs Some interesting stuff from Citi today, calculating the potential impact if negotiations fail to avert Trump's Greenland tariffs, as they expect the UK will dodge most of the fallout. Citi sees negligible impact on British GDP, and even suggests the move could help reinforce the current disinflation trend. Not so rosy for Europe, though, as Citi has downgraded continental European equities to 'neutral', ending a year-long stretch of relative optimism. The tariffs would raise medium-term inflation risks and dim the earnings outlook in key export-heavy sectors, on the basis that no negotation made and Trump does not back down. In Citis words, the Greenland tariffs mark a step change from last years Liberation Day measures, upping the risk of EU retaliation and potentially accelerating joint defence spending, and potentially even new rounds of EU-level borrowing. 2.43pm: Wall Street opens sharply lower US stocks have returned from the long weekend into a vortex of selling. Tech stocks on the Nasdaq are in the eye of the storm, with the composite index down 1.8% as the likes of Nvidia fall 3.2%, Google, Amazon and Tesla and all drop more than 2%, Microsoft and Apple more than 1%. The S&P 500 has opened 1.4% lower and the Dow Jones has dropped 1.3%. Only two companies on the Dow are not in red, Walmart and Chevron. 1.26pm: CEO's low on confidence about growth Even before the events of the last few days, corporate CEO confidence in the growth outlook has sunk to a five-year low, according to a PwC survey. Only 30% of CEOs are confident about revenue growth in 2026, with most citing struggle to turn AI investment into tangible returns. A damning verdict on AI, with just 12% of CEOs saying it has delivered both cost and revenue benefits. There are rising concerns about tariffs when the survey was carried out among 4,454 CEOs in 95 countries late last year, with cyber risk another big worry. Only half of CEOs plan to make international investments this year, with the US remains the top destination for global investment (35% of putting it in their top three), with the UK, Germany and China (13%, 13% and 11%) also popular, but the hot new country of interest is India, with interest doubling year-on-year. 12.59pm: Wall Street set to open with heavy selling Wall Street futures have pared losses too, with the opening bell around an hour and a half away. Nasdaq futures are still down over 1.6%, which would still be a hefty drop, while S&P 500 and Dow Jones futures are down 1.4% and 1.3%. It will be the first trading in US stocks since President Trumps threat to impose tariffs on eight European nations should negotiations over Greenland fail. The US President will be attending events at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, giving a speech and talking to fellow world leaders on the sidelines. European leaders are pushing back against Washingtons stance and reportedly discussing countermeasures, including a potential first try of the EUs Anti-Coercion Instrument, aka 'bazooka'. The US dollar index is down 0.9%, further retreating from Friday's six-week high, while Treasury yields are up, sparked by Japan (see below). 12.23pm: FTSE pares losses slightly The FTSE has seen the worst of its intraday losses trimmed as we move into the afternoon. However, all but two of the 20 largest companies on the index are in the red. Those two are Unilever and NatWest. Top riser on the blue-chip index today is Informa, which put out a trading update today, where it said full-year revenue, earnings and cash flows should come in slightly ahead of consensus forecasts. Informa also announced the combination of its B2B Live Events business in the UAE and wider IMEA region, with Dubai World Trade Centre's similar business, creating a new operating business that is called inD. This will be the group's largest partnership business globally, and will operate more than 40 major B2B Brands. Analysts at UBS said the update was a "small positive" and that 2025 "looks solid" with the key headline being free cash flow generation is slightly ahead of expectations. On the deal with DWTC, they "expect some optimism around that". 11.50am: Barclays tipped as top bank Ahead of the bank reporting season, JP Morgan has thrown down the gauntlet for UK lenders, identifying Barclays and NatWest as its highestconviction picks amid a broad target price refresh and evolving profit expectations. Strategists restated their 'overweight' stance, while maintaining a 'neutral' view on Lloyds. They said forthcoming updates to mediumterm targets will be critical to rerate the names, particularly as investors digest return on tangible equity, net interest income trends and capital returns. Recent US bank updates provided positive readthroughs, particularly in investment banking and cards, which are seen as especially supportive for Barclays. 11am: Natural gas prices back up Bad news for those worrying about inflation - natural gas prices have surged in the past few weeks, and after a dip yesterday are back up again today. UK wholesale nat gas prices have risen to above 94p per therm, up from 74p at the start of the year. Last week, analysts said pressures threatened to lift energy bills, with prices at a six-month high. Cold weather in Europe, combined with low gas storage levels and slower deliveries of liquified natural gas, have resulted in prices spiking. 10.22am: Fund managers bullish but wary of geopolitics Januarys Bank of America Fund Manager Survey is the most bullish since 2021, with expectations for global growth having jumped, and managers' cash levels having fallen to a record low of 3.2%. The BofA 'Bull & Bear' indicator has climbed to a "hyper-bull" reading, with the low levels of cash also combined with a net 48% of respondents saying they have no protection against a sharp fall in equity prices. Investors are the most overweight on equities since late 2024, with a net overweight positioning at 48%, with a net overweight on commodities of 26% also the highest level since 2022. The positioning on bonds is the most underweight since September 2022. A net 38% of respondents expect a stronger global economy, the highest reading since mid 2021, while expectations for a recession have fallen to just 9%, the lowest since early 2022. The biggest tail risks cited are geopolitical conflict at 28%, an AI bubble at 27%, and a disorderly rise in bond yields at 19%. The main theme at #Davos26 has also reached fund managers. In Bank of Americas survey, geopolitical conflict is seen as the biggest tail risk by fund managers. pic.twitter.com/xZCBFcaFwb Holger Zschaepitz (@Schuldensuehner) January 20, 2026 Market looks ripe for a correction. Januarys Fund Manager Survey is most bullish since Jul2021: expectations for global growth have jumped, cash levels have fallen to a record low of 3.2%, and protection against equity sell-off is at its lowest since Jan2018. BofAs Bull & Bear pic.twitter.com/a9T5lLpJzn Holger Zschaepitz (@Schuldensuehner) January 20, 2026 9.27am: Stocks plunging, gold rising European stocks are continuing to plunge, while safe havens such as gold and silver are climbing to new highs. The FTSE 100 has tumbled 126 points or 1.2% to 10,069, while the German DAX is down 1.3%, France's CAC 40 is down 1.1% and Spain's IBEX 35 is down 1.5%. US stocks are set to plummet later too. Nasdaq futures are down 2%, with the Dow Jones expected to drop 1.4% and the S&P 500 1.7%. "Stocks and bonds are a sea of red on Tuesday as tensions around Greenland remain high," says Kathleen Brooks at XTB. She calls the UK labour market data "a brief distraction from geopolitical concerns". The pound is up 0.45% against the US dollar, while the euro is up 0.7% versus the dollar. "What happens next for financial markets will ultimately depend on President Trumps actions in the coming days," says Brooks, with Greenland the main focus for investors this week. Latest develoments include the US President reposting a mocked-up picture of himself holding a US flag with a caption of "Greenland - US territory est 2026" but also said that he will hold a meeting about Greenland at Davos this week after a conversation with the Nato secretary general Mark Rutte. Trump has also slammed the UK agreement to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, including the island of Diego Garcia, the site of a US military base, as "an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired". Brooks also flags a rise in global bond yields, sparked by a sell-off in Japanese bonds, where the 30-year yield climbed more than 25bps, "an unprecedented move", triggered by the snap election that will be held on 8 January. The prospect of a win for PM Sanae Takaichi, who has promised an expansionary fiscal policy despit Japan's debt to GDP ratio is already nearly 250%, "is causing a major upset in the Japanese bond market", says Brooks. "Japan cant afford tax cuts right now, and unless the BOJ intervenes it is hard to see how yields will normalize. If Takaichi is not careful in this election campaign, the similarities between her and Liz Truss could haunt her." 8.49am: Ibstock slips on update Ibstock PLC (LSE:IBST) is the biggest faller on the FTSE 350, after the brickmaker said it expects revenue for FY25 to come in around 372 million, 2% up on 2024, with EBITDA to be circa 71 million, down from 79 million in 2024. Brick volumes improved but soft pricing and mix impacted revenue growth, with trading conditions getting tougher through the second half, leaving the group with higher stocks at the end of the year. Analyst Clyde Lewis at house broker Peel Hunt said revenues look 3% below his estimate, with EBITDA in line with consensus. The outlook for volumes is subdued in the first half before a modest recovery is expected in the second, with pricing expected to offset cost inflation. Production volumes are to be managed lower, which Lewis says gives the group a plant overhead recovery issue and lead to him cutting his 2026 EBITDA forecast by 12 million and 2027 by circa 10 million, resulting in his PBT estimates dropping from 39 million to 29 million for FY26 and from 51 million to 42 million for FY27. 8.31am: Jobs data 'points to April BoE cut' Some thoughts on the jobs data. Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG: "Today's employment figures from the UK were broadly in line with expectations, but with the unemployment rate holding at 5.1% the BoE will be relieved to see slowing wage growth, helping the case for a rate hike, if only modestly. With the unemployment rate holding steady there is hope that the economy continues on a shallow upward trajectory, though it is too much to hope for spectacular improvement given the long-term problems of low productivity and high energy costs." Sanjay Raja, chief UK economist at Deutsche Bank, said: "The labour market remains fragile. Hiring demand is weak. Pay growth is slowing. But there are some green shoots in the labour market. We will need to see more evidence of this, however, to be convinced that the labour market is turning a corner." For the BoE's monetary policy committee, he said the slowing in private wage growth was a "positive piece of news. The easing in wage inflation will give many on the MPC some comfort that pay growth is moving closer to more target-consistent levels. Further rate cuts seem inevitable, in our view though questions around timing of rate cuts will only increase from here." Rob Wood, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said unemployment holding steady, payrolls falling more than expected and wage growth slowing, "will keep the MPC on track to cut rates again in April, but gives rate setters no need to urgently ease policy", with the next meeting coming in early February. "The Budget circus crescendo in November continued to weigh on job growth in December while wage growth slowing too will be food for the MPC doves. But there are plenty of details suggesting a stabilising, rather than still deteriorating, labour market." 8.15am: FTSE flops at open The FTSE 100 has tumbled 80 points in opening trades to 10,115. Exporters seem to be hardest hit as tariff worries send investors packing, with Burberry, Spirax and Bunzl among the main fallers. Less than 15 of the shares in index are currently in green. These are led by Informa, Endeavour Mining and Severn Trent. 8am: Kier stormer Kier Group PLC (LSE:KIE) has delivered a short but busy trading update, confirming a solid first half that keeps it on track to meet full-year expectations, with a record order book and a return to average net cash. Off to a stormer, one could say for the purposes of a headline? The order book stood at around 11.6 billion at the end of December, up from 11 billion a year earlier, the FTSE 250 group said, with 94% of revenue for the current financial year already secured. Month-end net cash averaged 15 million in the first half, which compares with average net debt of 38 million a year earlier, with total cash levels by the year-end now expected to be "substantially" higher than the 58 million recorded a year ago. Chief executive Stuart Togwell hailed the positive average cash position as "a significant milestone", as he well should. 7.48am: Wise and QinetiQ both on track A couple of company updates. Wise PLC (LSE:WISE) reported a slight acceleration in customer growth in its third quarter, and said it remains on track to complete its dual listing in the US in the first half of 2026. The group now expects full-year profit margins to be at the upper end of its medium-term target range of 13% to 16%, despite the added cost of the planned dual listing. Elsewhere, QinetiQ Group PLC (LSE:QQ.) said it is on track to meet its financial goals for the year despite what it described as near-term spending uncertainty in its core markets. The defence and security technology company reported strong order momentum, including a string of laser weapons contracts and a five-year Typhoon support deal. Orders for the year to date now exceed 3 billion, the FTSE 250-listed company said, with an order backlog of around 5 billion and a longer-term pipeline of 11 billion. 7.29am: UK jobs figures mixed The UK ILO unemployment rate for the three months to November remained at 5.1%, as expected. Average weekly pay growth also remained at 4.7%, though the previous three-month figures were revised up to 4.8%. Excluding bonuses, wage growth fell to 4.5% from 4.6%. Private pay growth fell to 3.6% from 3.9%, while public sector pay growth was 7.9%. More timely figures from December show the number of payrolled employees fell 43K, up from a 33K decline in November and worse than the 20K expected. The claimant count rate stayed at 4.4% but the November rate was revised down to 4.3%. There were 17.9K new jobless claims, with November's claims revised down from 20.1K to 3.3K. ONS director of economic statistics Liz McKeown said: The number of employees on payroll has fallen again, with reductions over the last year concentrated in retail and hospitality, and reflecting ongoing weak hiring activity. Meanwhile unemployment remains at the rate reported last month, up on the quarter and the year. While there was a slight increase in vacancies in the latest period, the overall number has remained broadly flat over the last six months, following a long decline. Wage growth in the private sector has slowed to its lowest rate in five years, while public sector wage growth remains elevated reflecting the continued impact of some pay rises being awarded earlier than they were last year. 7.15am: FTSE 100 expected to retreat further, unemployment rate remains flat The FTSE 100 is expected to continue a cautious retreat as investors reduce their exposure to risk after Donald Trump's tariff threat over Greenland, with UK jobs data also just out. On the futures market, the London index has been called 41 points lower, after losing 39 points to close at 10,195 yesterday. Unemployment remained at 5.1% in the three months to November, while payrolled employees fell again, vacancies were roughly flat and private sector wage growth slowed to its lowest rate in five years. More on that shortly, along with trading updates from the likes of QinetiQ, Keir, Wise and 4imprint. Wall Street is due to reopen today after a long weekend, with futures pointing to losses over 1% for the major indices. Asian markets are bathed in red again, led by a 1.1% decline for Japan's Nikkei 225. About this content About Ian Lyall Ian Lyall, a seasoned journalist and editor, brings over three decades of experience to his role as Managing Editor at Proactive. Overseeing Proactive's editorial and broadcast operations across six offices on three continents, Ian is responsible for quality control, editorial policy, and content production. He directs the creation of 50,000 pieces of real-time news, feature articles, and filmed interviews annually. Prior to Proactive, Ian helped lead the business output at the Daily... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. About this content About Oliver Haill Oliver has been writing about companies and markets since the early 2000s, cutting his teeth as a financial journalist at Growth Company Investor with a focusing on AIM companies and small caps, before a few years later becoming a section editor and then head of research. He joined Proactive after a couple of years freelancing, where he worked for the Financial Times Group, ITV, Press Association, Reuters sports desk, the London Olympic News Service, Rugby World Cup News Service, Gracenote... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. Uranium equities were among the strongest performers on the ASX on Monday, extending a rally driven by firmer spot prices, renewed confidence in the sectors medium-term supply outlook and, in some cases, fresh company-specific catalysts. The uranium spot price pushed above US$85 this week, edging closer to levels last seen during the 2024 run-up, while the key uranium ETF rose about 3% and now sits within reach of its October highs. That move flowed through to local stocks across the board, from established producers to early-stage explorers leveraged to a tightening market. Heavyweights such as Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX:PDN) and Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX:DYL) led the charge, but the rally was not confined to the top end of the sector. A broad range of small- and mid-cap uranium names moved higher, reflecting a combination of improving sentiment, supply-side constraints and growing investor focus on projects capable of moving through development over the next few years. Against that backdrop, companies with tangible progress to point to, rather than pure greenfield exploration exposure, appeared to attract particular interest as the uranium theme regained momentum. Spot pricing, supply constraints and US policy drive sector-wide gains The immediate driver for the days move was higher spot pricing, but the foundations of the rally have been building for some time. Utilities remain under-contracted relative to future reactor demand, particularly in the second half of the decade, while supply growth remains constrained by long project lead times, regulatory complexity and years of capital discipline across the industry. Even where new capacity is planned, the pipeline of projects capable of delivering meaningful volumes in the near term remains thin. That structural tightness has been reinforced by a shift in nuclear policy, particularly in the US, where bipartisan support has grown around extending the life of existing reactors, accelerating advanced reactor development and rebuilding domestic nuclear fuel supply chains. Recent US policy initiatives and funding programs aimed at strengthening energy security have added weight to the long-term uranium demand outlook, helping anchor investor confidence beyond short-term price moves. For equity investors, this has helped reframe uranium as a structurally supported market rather than a purely cyclical trade. On the ASX, uranium stocks broadly outperformed a softer session for lithium names, reinforcing the sectors appeal as capital rotates towards energy themes with clearer supplydemand tension. Small-cap uranium names in focus Alongside the sector-wide move, several smaller uranium names drew attention as rising prices and improving sentiment intersected with company-specific developments: Alligator Energy Alligator Energy Ltd (ASX:AGE, OTC:ALGEF) has been one of the standout performers among junior uranium stocks, with its share price up 85% over the past month. The higher uranium spot price on Monday came alongside the release of the companys December quarterly report, which marked a defining step in its transition from explorer to developer. At its Samphire uranium project near Whyalla, Alligator confirmed construction of its pilot plant was completed on time and under budget, with final commissioning now underway. Field recovery trials are on track to commence in early 2026, generating operating and recovery data to support feasibility optimisation, mining lease approvals and future development decisions. Initial recovery results are expected in the March 2026 quarter, with operations continuing through to mid-2026. The quarter also delivered a strategic reset, with Alligator divesting non-core Northern Territory uranium tenements for $7.5 million, strengthening liquidity and allowing management focus to narrow on South Australian assets. Planning is now advanced for a revised drilling program at the Big Lake uranium project, with drilling targeted to commence in the coming quarter, subject to conditions. With pilot plant commissioning under way, a simplified portfolio and a strong cash position, Alligator is entering a more execution-focused phase that has resonated with investors amid rising uranium prices. DevEx Resources DevEx Resources Ltd (ASX:DEV) shares have traded sharply higher over the past six months, rising more than 100% as investor interest has returned to uranium explorers with exposure to proven districts. Operationally, the company has been sharpening its focus on the Alligator Rivers Uranium Province (ARUP) in the Northern Territory home to Australias best-known historical uranium production. DevExs flagship Nabarlek Uranium Project is a large tenement holding in ARUP, and the company has been building scale around that position, including moves in late 2025 to expand its exploration tenure and consolidate additional ground in the province. DevEx has also been funding that push. In December it reported strong support for its Share Purchase Plan, with proceeds earmarked to back what it described as an aggressive 2026 exploration campaign in the Alligator Rivers district, alongside broader acquisition and exploration plans. Outside ARUP, DevEx has been progressing work at Murphy West, where it has previously flagged kilometre-scale pathfinder anomalies from surface geochemistry the kind of early-stage signal that can help narrow a large search space before drilling decisions are made. Cauldron Energy Cauldron Energy Ltd (ASX:CXU) has also benefited from the uranium rebound, with its share price up about 45% over the past month as investors revisit juniors with direct leverage to spot-price momentum. Cauldrons uranium story is concentrated in Western Australia, led by the Yanrey Uranium Project. In mid-December, the company announced a second new uranium discovery at Yanrey for the year, alongside further uranium mineralisation at Manyingee South positioning Yanrey as an active exploration story rather than a sit-and-wait holding. The company also points to the existing Bennet Well resource within Yanrey as a key foundation asset. American Uranium American Uranium Ltd (ASX:AMU, OTC:AMUIF) has been advancing steadily on its strategy to define and grow a near-term development asset in the United States, with its flagship Lo Herma ISR Uranium Project in Wyomings Powder River Basin at the centre of that push. In its September quarterly activities, the company reported the launch of a major resource development drilling campaign, receiving final permitting and mobilising rigs to site for Phase 1 of resource expansion drilling ahead of a planned interim mineral resource estimate update in early 2026. The 2025 program aims to expand the existing ~8.6 million-pound resource base through step-out and infill holes, with broader drilling permitted for up to 121 holes. A recent A$4.5 million capital raising, backed in part by strategic US investor Snow Lake Energy, has strengthened the balance sheet to fund drilling, hydrogeological testing and metallurgical work as the company progresses towards a 2026 scoping study. Positioned among a small group of companies advancing ISR uranium developments in the US, American Uraniums recent progress reflects both operational momentum and investor interest in stateside uranium production. Atomic Eagle Atomic Eagle Ltd (ASX:AEU, FRA:6QZ0) has delivered a series of encouraging results from its maiden drill program at the high-priority Chisebuka target within the broader Muntanga Uranium Project in Zambia. The 69-hole program the first at Chisebuka in more than 15 years has returned thick, shallow uranium intersections, with all significant mineralisation encountered at depths of less than ~85 metres from surface, supporting the companys focus on open-pittable systems. Recent results include multiple broad intercepts such as ~20.2 metres at ~454 ppm eUO from ~7 m and ~40.1 metres at ~371 ppm from ~30 m, building on earlier drilling that defined an 800 600 metre zone of mineralisation. Chisebuka is one of six priority targets across Muntanga, and while it does not yet host a defined mineral resource, the sizeable radiometric anomaly and consistent shallow hits provide a robust platform for further drilling and potential resource delineation through 2026. Why uranium is back on investors radar Beyond the days price action, the uranium rally reflects a broader reassessment of nuclear energys role in global power systems. Nuclear power is increasingly viewed as a necessary complement to renewables, particularly for grid stability and decarbonisation objectives. Reactor life extensions, new-build programs in Asia and the Middle East, and increasingly explicit policy backing in the US and parts of Europe have all contributed to a more constructive long-term demand outlook. At the same time, years of underinvestment have left the supply side tight, with relatively few projects capable of entering production quickly. That imbalance continues to underpin uranium prices and explains why equity markets are once again paying close attention to both producers and developers. For Australian investors, the ASX offers exposure across the uranium spectrum from established names through to junior explorers at different stages of the development curve as the sector moves back into focus. As spot prices edge higher and policy and supply dynamics remain supportive, uraniums strong showing suggests the market is increasingly treating the sector as a strategic part of the global energy mix rather than a short-lived trade. Sun Lei (C), charge d'affaires of the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, speaks at the First Session of the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity, at the UN headquarters in New York, Jan. 19, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo) UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Combating crimes against humanity must comply with the UN Charter and universally recognized principles and rules of international law, said a Chinese envoy on Monday. Sun Lei, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, made the statement at the First Session of the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity. The UN Conference, scheduled for 2028 and 2029, is tasked with drafting a convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity. In recent years, crimes against humanity have been subjected to repeated political manipulation, said Sun. Under the guise of combating crimes and protecting human rights, certain states have engaged in interference in other countries' internal affairs and armed aggression, gravely violating the spirit of international rule of law, he explained. "We recommend that the draft articles further emphasize respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, the prohibition of the use or threat of force, non-interference in internal affairs, and other principles of international law," he said. "They should also reflect the rules of customary international law, such as respect for the judicial immunity of state officials." Sun said the definition of crimes against humanity is one of the core issues concerning the convention, and should not be simply transposed from the Rome Statute. Over one-third of UN members are not parties to the Rome Statute, meaning that its definition does not represent a universal consensus. Furthermore, definitions of crimes against humanity vary across other international treaties and instruments. The definition for the new convention should be established on the basis of a thorough examination of state practice, broadly consolidating consensus among all parties, said Sun. International cooperation in combating crimes against humanity should respect the circumstances and differences in the legal systems of countries. Flexibility and inclusiveness should be demonstrated on contentious issues. The national legal system and discretionary powers should be fully respected, he said. China wishes to emphasize that, as mandated by UN General Assembly Resolution 79/122, the discussions of the Preparatory Committee and its working group do not constitute formal treaty negotiations, and that the current draft articles are not a zero draft of the convention, said Sun. The views expressed and amendments submitted by member states should serve as an important foundation and reference for future treaty negotiations. The convention negotiations, as an intergovernmental process, must fully respect member states' sovereignty and reflect the state-driven nature, he said. The participation of nongovernmental organizations should comply with relevant UN procedural rules and customary practices, and must not be used as a pretext to interfere in countries' internal affairs or undermine national sovereignty, he said. "The formulation of a convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity is of vital importance to the collective interests of the international community and represents a major systematic undertaking. All parties should approach this work with a sense of responsibility, respect each other's legitimate concerns, and strive to achieve the broadest possible consensus," said Sun. China stands ready to work with all parties to advance international cooperation in combating crimes against humanity, and jointly promote world peace and uphold international fairness and justice, he said. About this content About Lisa Uhlman Lisa Uhlman is an equities reporter at Proactive Investors, covering ASX-listed companies across the mining, energy, biotech and emerging tech sectors. With a background in legal and financial journalism, Lisa brings a sharp analytical lens to market news and corporate developments. Prior to joining Proactive, she reported for national trade publications and newswires, with a focus on court reporting, regulatory affairs and ESG-related business issues. Based in Sydney, she is... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. About this content About Jonathan Jackson Jonathan Jackson is an experienced writer and editor. Over the past 20 years, he has worked in print and digital media across several business and finance titles amd is currently the Australian news editor at Proactive Investors covering the latest news for ASX listed companies as well as current financial trends. He was previously managing editor with Business First magazine, Wealth Creator Magazine and StocksDigital. Jonathan has interviewed some of the world's top CEOs and covered... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. About this content About Kerry Stevenson Kerry Stevenson joins Proactive Australia's broadcast team part time. As the Managing Director of Gold Events Kerry has been hosting the annual Australian Gold Conference for over 14 years, connecting industry and investment professionals and showcasing the value of precious metals. Kerry is passionate about helping others to secure a safe and solid future by understanding money, finance, and strategy. That is why she created the Making Money Matter channel on YouTube, where... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. G Mining Ventures Corp (TSX:GMIN, OTCQX:GMINF, FRA:W97) has released its operational guidance for 2026 and 2027 for the Tocantinzinho (TZ) Gold Mine in Brazil and provided an update on development progress at the Oko West Gold Project in Guyana. Our 2026 and 2027 guidance reflects the continued execution of our operating and growth strategy, G Mining CEO Louis-Pierre Gignac said in a statement. At TZ, we expect steady production while maintaining a competitive cost structure, Gignac said. At Oko West, project development is advancing in line with plan, supporting our objective of achieving first gold production in the second half of 2027. The company said gold production at its 100%-owned Tocantinzinho mine in Para state is expected to range between 160,000 and 190,000 ounces in 2026, representing a modest increase from 2025 at the midpoint of guidance. Output is expected to be weighted toward the second half of the year, with about 62% of production forecast in the latter six months as higher-grade Phase 2 mineralization becomes available under the mine plan. For 2026, cash operating costs are projected to range from $736 to $865 per ounce of gold sold, while all-in sustaining costs (AISC) are expected to be between $1,230 and $1,444 per ounce, based on a realized gold price assumption of $4,000 per ounce. Average mill recovery for the year is estimated at 91.7%, reflecting improvements achieved in the second half of 2025. Sustaining capital expenditures at Tocantinzinho are estimated at $69 million to $81 million in 2026, including $31 million to $36 million of capitalized waste stripping. Excluding waste stripping, sustaining capital is expected to total $38 million to $46 million, covering investments in the process plant, mining equipment, mobile fleet components, and tailings management. Gold production in 2027 is expected to increase to between 200,000 and 235,000 ounces, driven by a full-year contribution from higher-grade Phase 2 ore. The company said cash costs and AISC are expected to decline materially in 2027, with reductions of approximately 14% and 20%, respectively, compared with 2026 at the midpoint of guidance. In Guyana, G Mining said its Oko West Gold Project remains on schedule and on budget for first gold production in the second half of 2027. Approximately $423 million in capital has been committed to date, representing about 44% of total upfront capital expenditures, with detailed engineering progress reaching 60%. Capital spending at Oko West in 2026 is projected to range from $514 million to $568 million as major construction activities begin, including work on the process plant, infrastructure, and mine pre-production. The company expects substantially all major equipment to be delivered during the year, with remaining capital expenditures in 2027 focused on commissioning and pre-production activities. G Mining said Oko West is expected to produce an average of 350,000 ounces of gold per year at mine-site AISC of $1,123 per ounce. The project is expected to lift consolidated gold production to approximately 500,000 ounces in 2028, up from an estimated 175,000 ounces in 2026. The company also outlined its largest exploration program to date for 2026, with a total budget of $42 million to $50 million. Planned spending includes approximately $21 million at the Gurupi project in Brazil, $16 million at Oko West, and $9 million at Tocantinzinho. A similar level of exploration investment is planned for 2027. At Tocantinzinho, exploration will focus on regional targets aimed at generating new drill-ready prospects. At Oko West, drilling is expected to concentrate on regional follow-up targets and infill drilling of a high-grade ore shoot. At Gurupi, exploration and study work is planned to support resource expansion ahead of a preliminary economic assessment targeted for the second half of 2026. With a strong balance sheet and ongoing free cash flow generation, GMIN remains well-positioned to fund its growth initiatives, Gignac concluded. Shares of G Mining were up 5.1% in Toronto and 11.9% over the counter in the US on Tuesday morning. About this content About Steve Darling Steve Darling is an award winning broadcaster who has spent the past 20 years as one of the most recognizable faces in British Columbia, reporting and anchoring at BCTV and Global Television. He spent 15 years as the co-host of the number one morning new program in the province. Steve is a tireless worker for charity hosting some 50 events a year. He is an ambassador for the Canucks Autism Network and hosts numerous events with BC Childrens Hospital and the Child Development foundation of... Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists. Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth. We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors. The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies. Use of technology Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter. Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows. Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation. 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 ANKARA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday called for a swift and full implementation of the new ceasefire and integration agreement signed by the Syrian interim authority and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdogan said the ceasefire and full integration of Kurdish fighters into Syria's armed forces must be implemented without delay. Turkiye believed that a united Syria with full territorial integrity was indispensable for the prosperity of the wider region, the Turkish president said. He said Turkiye would continue to support Syria in its fight against terrorism. On Sunday, the Syrian interim authority and the SDF signed the agreement aimed at ending hostilities and resolving long-standing security and administrative disputes in northern Syria. Turkiye considers the U.S.-backed SDF, which controls large parts of northeastern Syria, a terrorist organization. Ankara says the SDF is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units, an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has waged an armed campaign against the Turkish state since 1984. Washington, Jan 20 : US President Donald Trump has linked his push to acquire Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norway's prime minister that he no longer felt bound to think "purely of Peace," as tensions mounted between the United States and its European allies over the Arctic territory. Washington, Jan 20 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has linked his push to acquire Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norway's prime minister that he no longer felt bound to think "purely of Peace," as tensions mounted between the United States and its European allies over the Arctic territory. The message, sent over the weekend to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, was disclosed by an official in the prime minister's office and first published by PBS. In it, Trump directly connected his grievance over the Nobel Peace Prize to his increasingly forceful stance on Greenland. A senior administration official later confirmed to IANS the authenticity of the letter. "Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America," Trump wrote. Trump also questioned Denmark's claim to Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Danish Kingdom, and asserted sweeping security demands. "There are no written documents; it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also," he wrote. "I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you!" he added. The White House defended the president's position by framing it as a matter of national security. "President Trump believes Greenland is a strategically important location that is critical from the standpoint of national security, and he is confident Greenlanders would be better served if protected by the United States from modern threats in the Arctic region," White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told IANS. According to copies of the exchange, Trump's message was a response to an earlier text from Store that was co-signed by Finland's president, Alexander Stubb. The two European leaders urged de-escalation and asked to speak with Trump directly. "We believe we all should work to take this down and de-escalate so much is happening around us where we need to stand together," they wrote. After receiving Trump's reply, Store said Norway had repeatedly clarified that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not by the Norwegian government. "As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have on several occasions clearly explained to Trump what is well known," he said. The exchange has added to a rapidly escalating dispute over Greenland that has intensified over the past week. Trump has repeatedly vowed to "get" Greenland and has threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries that oppose a US takeover of the island. Greenland has been part of the Danish Kingdom for more than 300 years. Denmark has rejected Trump's demands, saying it does not have the authority to sell the territory and that Greenland's population of about 57,000 people will decide their own future. Opposition on the island has become increasingly visible. On Saturday, hundreds of Greenlanders marched through the snowy streets of Nuuk, the capital, chanting slogans including "No means no" and "Greenland is already great." In recent days, Denmark and other European countries have moved to reinforce their presence on the island. Danish soldiers in green camouflage uniforms have been seen patrolling central Nuuk, while a Danish warship capable of breaking through ice has been deployed along the coastline. A high-level three-way meeting last week involving the United States, Denmark, and Greenland, hosted by Vice President JD Vance in Washington, failed to produce a breakthrough. Danish and Greenlandic officials said a working group had been formed to explore possible solutions. The Trump administration later said the sides would begin "technical talks on the acquisition of Greenland," a statement that deepened concern in Greenland, Denmark, and across Europe. Seoul, Jan 20 : South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday instructed authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into a civilian accused of flying a drone into North Korea, calling it an unacceptable act that requires stern measures. Lee made the remarks during a Cabinet meeting, as the civilian was questioned by a joint military-police investigation team last Friday over the alleged drone incursion. "It is unacceptable to send drones to the North for unlawful purposes or for a civilian to infiltrate drones into North Korean territory," he said. North Korea claimed early this month that South Korea infringed on its sovereignty with drone incursions in September last year and on January 4. The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un demanded Seoul admit to and apologise for the incident. South Korea's military has denied such claims, saying the drones in question were not models operated by the military, Yonhap news agency reported. Lee said it was unimaginable that a civilian alone could have sent the drone to gather intelligence from the North, noting speculations that state institutions could have been involved in the case. "From what has been revealed so far, a civilian recklessly sent a drone to North Korea, which is tantamount to starting a war," he said, likening the act to 'firing a gun' at the North. "We must investigate the matter thoroughly and take stern measures to ensure such acts never happen again," he added. Lee then reprimanded Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back for failing to detect the drone activities. "How could you not detect the drones moving back and forth despite such developments in technology and defence capabilities," he said. "This means there is a hole in our surveillance system." He also instructed the authorities to avoid an unnecessary escalation of tensions with the North, warning that further confrontation could harm the economy and strain inter-Korean ties. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Chennai, Jan 20 : The first session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for the year will commence on Monday, with Governor R.N. Ravi scheduled to address the House. As per tradition, the Governor will be accorded a ceremonial reception on his arrival at the Assembly. Speaker M. Appavu and Legislative Assembly Principal Secretary Srinivasan will escort him into the House, where the Speaker will be seated beside the Governor during the address. However, the Governor's speech has once again become a subject of political and procedural uncertainty. In both 2024 and 2025, Governor Ravi had refrained from reading the customary address, citing the state government's refusal to sing the national anthem at the beginning of the programme, as per his preference. With a similar format expected this year, questions remain over whether the Governor will proceed with the speech or choose to leave without delivering it. The situation is expected to become clear later in the day. According to the official programme, the session will begin with the Tamil Thai Vazhthu (Tamil invocation). This will be followed by the Governor's address in English. The Tamil translation of the speech will be read out by the Speaker. In the event of the Governor declining to deliver the address, the Speaker will read the full text and formally conclude it. The proceedings will then end with the singing of the national anthem. Following the conclusion of the day's formalities, the Business Advisory Committee will meet in the Speaker's chamber to decide the duration of the Assembly session. It has been indicated that on January 21, the House will pass an obituary reference in memory of the late MLA Ponnusamy, after which the proceedings are likely to be adjourned for the day. The motion of thanks to the Governor's address will be moved on January 22, and legislators will participate in a detailed discussion over the subsequent days. On the final day of the session, January 24, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is expected to deliver his reply to the debate. With the Assembly elections approaching, this session is being seen as politically significant. Opposition parties, including the AIADMK and the BJP, are preparing to raise a series of allegations against the ruling party and the government. The Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues are gearing up to respond, setting the stage for a high-voltage and politically charged Assembly session. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED), on Tuesday, intensified its probe into the alleged money laundering angle of the Sabarimala gold robbery case, launching coordinated raids at 21 locations across Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In all, the SIT has by now arrested 13 people, all of whom are in judicial custody. The searches come even as a Special Investigation Team (SIT), functioning under the supervision of the Kerala High Court, continues its parallel criminal investigation into the alleged siphoning of gold from the hill shrine. The ED teams began searches at the residences of key accused, including first accused Unnikrishnan Potti, CPI(M) leaders Murari Babu, A.Padmakumar, and N.Vasu, as well as at the premises of Bellary-based gold trader Govardhan and establishments linked to Pankaj Bhandari, CEO of Chennai-based Smart Creations, who is alleged to have assisted in melting and disposing of the gold plates. Searches also commenced at the Travancore Devaswom Board headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. Raids were reported from Unnikrishnan Pottias residences in Kilimanoor near Thiruvananthapuram and Srirampura in Bengaluru, Murari Babuas house in Kottayam, N. Vasuas residence in Petta, and A. Padmakumaras house in Aranmula. ED sources said no search has yet been conducted at the residence of Tantri Kantarar Rajeevar. The ED has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), akin to a police FIR, to probe alleged laundering of proceeds from the crime. Investigators are examining the source of funds, the movement of money, and possible concealment of assets. Officials said property attachment proceedings could follow if disproportionate assets are detected. The probe is being supervised by Rakesh Kumar, Additional Director of the EDas Kochi unit. Meanwhile, the SIT on Tuesday has been asked by the Kerala High Court to conduct its probe at the Sabarimala temple, aiming to establish the conspiracy and modus operandi behind the alleged gold removal. Based on scientific findings, detailed evidence collection is underway inside and around the sanctum. The SIT is set to meet scientists from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, who had examined the gold plates and found marked differences between those installed in 1998 and later-plated layers. Incidentally, this sudden ED action takes place hours before the 16th and final session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly is slated to begin with the customary address of Kerala Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar. Quetta, Jan 20 : The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) expressed serious concern over widespread human rights violations across Balochistan, citing a sharp increase in abuses against civilians, especially women, by Pakistani security forces. In its report titled "Baloch Women Victimisation in 2025", the BWF highlighted that women have increasingly fallen victim to enforced disappearances in Balochistan, with a noticeable rise since December 2025. It added that indiscriminate firing by Pakistani forces and other forms of harassment against women have severely impacted the Baloch society. The report noted that the last year has also witnessed a coordinated crackdown on the Baloch political party and activists, with women activists being targeted through arrests, irregular court trials and sustained harassment. "Baloch women's victimisation is a long-estimated state intent, which witnessed an increase in the last year, 2025. With twelve (12) reported cases of enforced disappearances, six still missing, three released and one executed, Baloch women remain under the constant fear of enforced disappearances and persecution which need straight and direct action to continue the society to become peaceful and stable," the BWF stated. "Despite the fact that the actual cases are more than what has been recorded, families choose silence over resistance in fear of losing honour and future security for their daughters, which is in itself fueling and motivating state-backed human rights abuses against the Baloch women, particularly, enforced disappearances," it added. According to the report, extrajudicial killings remain a serious issue in Balochistan, particularly the targeted murders, fake encounters, in-custody murders and fake-explosive murders. The region, it said, has observed a severe nature of rights abuses and has been a centre for "atrocities-without-accountability". Citing reports, the BWF stated that in 2025, apart from the extrajudicial killings of Baloch men, a mother-daughter duo was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security personnel in Panjgur district of the province in October last year. The two were subjected to severe abuses, and the daughter later succumbed to injuries while the culprits remain free, allegedly due to the backing from Pakistani authorities. The forum highlighted that many Baloch women have faced direct violence through various means, particularly torture during illegal detentions, indiscriminate firing and related abuses at the hands of the Pakistani forces. The BWF stressed that although the enforced disappearances are recognised as grave human rights violations under both the universal commitments and Pakistan's constitution, the practice continues across the country, with Baloch women increasingly among the victims. "We denounce enforced disappearances of Baloch women in harsher terms and reiterate to the state authorities to take the matter seriously before it is too late to handle the situation. Because such acts are tantamount to challenging the larger Baloch societal interests," the BWF noted. Chennai, Jan 20 : Representatives of 16 fishing villages in Chengalpattu district, stretching from Kanathur Reddikuppam to Kokkilimedu, have mounted a strong opposition to the proposed Kovalam-Mahabalipuram reservoir project, warning that it could erase traditional fishing livelihoods, damage fragile coastal wetlands and violate key provisions of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) framework. At a consultation meeting held at the Thiruporur Block Development Office recently, members of the fishing community submitted a formal representation to T.M. Anbarasan, Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday (January 19) laid the foundation stone for the reservoir, proposed as Chennai's sixth drinking water source. The fishermen said the project would dismantle "paadu rights" -- customary fishing grounds used by generations of traditional fishers -- and irreversibly alter the ecological character of brackish backwaters, salt marshes and wetlands along the coast. The community questioned the legal validity of the CRZ clearance issued by the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority on December 3, 2025. According to the representation, active fishing grounds and living commons were allegedly misclassified as "vacant land" to secure approval. The fishermen further alleged that the project failed to map and formally record traditional fishing zones, a requirement under the CRZ Notification, 2019. "The CRZ framework was created to protect coastal ecosystems and safeguard fisher livelihoods. In its present form, this project destroys our fishing grounds and treats living ecosystems as empty land," the representatives stated. A major concern flagged was the proposed diversion of the Buckingham Canal. The fishing villages warned that altering the canal could obstruct monsoon drainage, worsen flooding in low-lying settlements and sever the natural hydrological link between the backwaters and the sea. Such disruption, they said, could lead to the collapse of salt marshes and brackish ecosystems that sustain local fisheries. The impact, they added, would extend to indigenous Irular communities living in the region. The drinking water reservoir, announced in the 2025-26 State Budget, is proposed across about 4,300 acres of coastal wetlands between the East Coast Road and Old Mahabalipuram Road. The Water Resources Department has maintained that the project will augment the drinking water supply to southern Chennai and help mitigate flooding in peri-urban areas. The WRD officials said the site's natural topography makes it the only feasible large-scale storage option in the sub-basin. Despite the opposition, CM Stalin laid the foundation stone for the project. Bengaluru, Jan 20 : Following the surfacing of alleged sex videos purportedly showing DGP K. Ramachandra Rao romancing with a woman at his office, the Congress-led government on Tuesday suspended him pending inquiry. The senior IPS officer has also been directed not to leave headquarters without the permission of the state government. The order stated, "The videos and news reports widely broadcast on public news channels and media platforms, it is observed that Dr K. Ramachandra Rao, DGP, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE), has acted in an obscene manner, which is unbecoming of a government servant and also causing embarrassment to the government. Whereas, the state government has examined the said matter referred above, and is convinced that the conduct of the officer mentioned is in violation of Rule 3 of All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968 and the state government is prima facie satisfied that it is necessary to place DGP Ramachandra Rao under suspension with immediate effect, pending inquiry." The order further states that, "In the circumstances explained in the preamble, now therefore, in exercise of the powers under Rule 3(1) (a) of the All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, Ramachandra Rao, DGP, DCRE is placed under suspension with immediate effect, pending inquiry. During the period of suspension, the officer shall not leave the headquarters, under any circumstances, without the written permission of the state government." It may be recalled that in a major embarrassment to the Karnataka Police Department, purported videos showing objectionable behaviour by jailed actress Ranya Rao's stepfather and Karnataka DGP K. Ramachandra Rao with a woman inside his office while in uniform went viral on Monday. The videos have circulated widely on social media, raising serious concerns. The videos purportedly showed Ramachandra Rao inside his official chamber, engaging in objectionable conduct with a woman. In one clip, he is seen kissing the woman while seated in uniform in his office. In another video, he is seen inside his office in a suit and engaging in similar conduct in front of the Indian flag and the Police Department's emblem displayed in his chamber. The woman was also seen cooperating with him. Responding to the purported videos, DGP K. Ramachandra Rao said the clips that surfaced and went viral on social media are "manipulated". Speaking to the media in Bengaluru on Monday, Rao said, "These are manipulated videos. No such incident has taken place. I will discuss the matter with my advocate and take a decision in this regard." Earlier, the Karnataka government had placed Ramachandra Rao on compulsory leave in March 2025 in connection with the gold smuggling case. He was taken back recently. He is alleged to have joined hands with Ranya Rao in gold smuggling. The government had ordered a probe against Rao in this connection and sought a report. Ranya Rao was arrested on charges of gold smuggling and misusing her stepfather Rao's name to escape security checks by availing the protocol reserved for officials. Reacting to allegations of inappropriate behaviour involving Karnataka DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said no officer is above the law and that disciplinary action would be initiated if required. He made the statement while answering questions from the media in Belagavi. "An inquiry would be conducted into the matter, and disciplinary action would be initiated against the DGP if required. No senior officer is above the law," the Chief Minister said. Chennai, Jan 20 : Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi walked out of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday shortly after the House convened for its first session of the year, triggering fresh political controversy and reviving a protocol dispute that had surfaced during last year's opening session as well. Chennai, Jan 20 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi walked out of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday shortly after the House convened for its first session of the year, triggering fresh political controversy and reviving a protocol dispute that had surfaced during last yearas opening session as well. The Assembly met at 9.30 a.m. in keeping with the long-established convention that the Governor addresses the House at the start of the yearas first session. With Assembly elections barely three months away, the proceedings assumed added political significance. However, the session took an abrupt turn when the Governor exited the House after a Tamil invocation was rendered at the commencement of proceedings, instead of the National Anthem. This is the second consecutive year that Governor Ravi has walked out of the Assembly over the same issue. In 2025, he had similarly left the House, contending that the National Anthem should be sung at the beginning of the session. On Tuesday, after offering a brief Tamil greeting, the Governor departed without delivering the customary address. Speaker M. Appavu later informed the House that the issue had already been settled. He recalled that the Governor had written to him last year regarding the National Anthem and that a formal reply had been sent. Former Speaker Durai Murugan had also explained the Assemblyas traditions in detail, Appavu said, adding that the matter was considered resolved and that the House would continue to function in accordance with established legislative practices. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin subsequently moved a resolution to record the Governoras address as having been delivered, despite his walkout. The resolution was adopted unanimously, enabling the Assembly to proceed with its scheduled business. During the session, Speaker Appavu highlighted the state governmentas welfare initiatives and economic performance. He said Tamil Nadu had witnessed unprecedented economic growth under the present administration and pointed to the Pongal festival assistance scheme as a key example. Under the programme, Rs 3,000 cash prize gift packages were distributed to 2.23 crore families across the state. The Governor had arrived at the Assembly shortly before proceedings began and was formally welcomed by the Speaker. The Chief Minister was also present in the House ahead of the session. Despite expectations that the Governor would address the Assembly, the walkout once again underscored the continuing friction between Raj Bhavan and the government, setting the tone for a politically charged session in the run-up to the Assembly elections. Mumbai, Jan 20 : Silver prices on COMEX exchange touched record high at $94.740 an ounce on Tuesday, as investors rushed to buy safehaven assets while US-Europe trade dispute intensified after President Donald Trump continued tariff rhetoric tied to Greenland. Gold prices also traded near record highs, as MCX gold February futures rose 1.27 per cent to Rs 1,47,490 per 10 grams. Meanwhile, MCX silver March futures rose 1.75 per cent to Rs 3,15,720 per kg. Spot gold price touched $4,671.54 per ounce, after reaching a record $4,689.39 in the previous session. On an intraday basis, the metals eased slightly after an earlier sharp rally that followed Trump's announcement of planned duties on eight European countries opposing his Greenland move. President Trump declined to rule out the use of force on Monday to acquire Greenland and insisted he would follow through on the threatened tariffs on goods arriving in the US from European countries. French President Emmanuel Macron said he would seek activation of the EU's anti'coercion mechanism against tariff coercion, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged restraint. Denmark's decision to increase its military presence in Greenland has added to geopolitical uncertainty. Markets weighing in the likelihood of the Trump administration acting against the Federal Reserve has further supported precious metals, rekindling worries over the central bank's independence. Further expectations of additional US rate cuts also act as tailwinds bullion prices after providing much support in 2025. Precious metals' rally reflects both safe'haven buying and industrial demand for silver for uses in segments related to solar energy, electric vehicles and electronics. Analysts said that COMEX silver's technical picture remains bullish after the breakout, with the $85"$88 band likely to act as short'term support. A recent Augmont report predicted that traders can witness some profit booking and retracement up to $84 an ounce or Rs 2,60,000 per kg, before prices move higher again. Analysts cautioned that rapid gains could invite profita'taking, but most said the broader outlook for precious metals remains constructive amid persistent supply concerns and rising industrial consumption. "IANS aar/na -- Syndicated from IANS Kozhikode, Jan 20 : The suicide of Deepak, a resident of Govindapuram in Kozhikode, Kerala, following sexual harassment allegations levelled against him through an Instagram Reel, has triggered widespread outrage and renewed debate over social media vigilantism, police responsibility, and due process. Deepak died by suicide after a young woman, later identified as Shimjitha Musthafa of Vadakara, posted a video accusing him of sexually harassing her during a bus journey. The visuals went viral, leading to intense public shaming. His family and friends say Deepak was mentally shattered after the video spread rapidly across platforms. Former Goa Governor and senior advocate P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, who visited Deepak's family, alleged serious procedural lapses in the handling of the case. He questioned why police initially registered the incident merely as an "unnatural death" despite the apparent link between the viral video and the suicide. "Even a child can understand this is a case of abetment to suicide, a crime punishable with up to 10 years' imprisonment," he said, alleging that crucial facts were ignored during the inquest. Police have since registered a fresh FIR on the basis of a complaint filed by Deepak's mother, invoking charges of abetment to suicide. Investigators say the accused woman is currently absconding, and a search has been intensified. Efforts are also underway to recover the mobile phone used to record the video, while cyber police have been roped in to trace deleted social media data. The woman had earlier claimed she had reported the incident to Vadakara police, but the claim was contradicted by the local inspector, who confirmed that no such complaint was received. Following mounting criticism, her Facebook and Instagram accounts were taken down. The State Human Rights Commission has ordered a probe led by the North Zone DIG and sought a report within a week. Political reactions have also intensified, with leaders across party lines alleging police inaction, possible evidence suppression, and warning that unchecked social media character assassination could lead to more such tragedies. For Deepak's grieving family, the case is no longer just about one death, but about accountability in an age where online accusations can destroy lives long before the law takes its course. BERLIN, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The costs generated by U.S. tariffs are borne almost entirely by American importers and consumers rather than foreign exporters, a German study found on Monday, challenging claims by the U.S. administration that the burden falls overseas. The study, based on more than 25 million U.S. import shipment records with a total value of roughly 4 trillion U.S. dollars, found that U.S. customs revenues rose by about 200 billion U.S. dollars in 2025. However, foreign exporters absorbed only around 4 percent of the tariff burden, while the remaining 96 percent was passed on to U.S. buyers, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW). "The tariffs are an own goal," said Julian Hinz, head of trade policy research at the IfW. "The claim that foreign countries pay these tariffs is a myth. The data show the opposite: Americans are footing the bill." The study found that exporters did not lower prices to offset the higher tariffs. Hinz said tariffs effectively function as a consumption tax on imported goods, with the costs ultimately absorbed within the United States, while also reducing both the variety and volume of products available on the U.S. market. The findings come as U.S. President Donald Trump escalated trade tensions over the weekend in a dispute involving Greenland, announcing that from Feb. 1, Washington would impose an additional 10 percent tariff on imports from eight European countries, including Germany. The IfW warned that higher tariffs would have negative long-term effects on all sides, squeezing profit margins for U.S. businesses and driving up prices for consumers, while exporters to the United States would see declining sales and increasing pressure to seek alternative markets. Hyderabad, Jan 20 : BRS leader T. Harish Rao has written to Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, seeking a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in Singareni Collieries Company Limited, a public-sector undertaking. Harish Rao sought urgent intervention of the Union Minister in what he called serious and continuing irregularities in Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), including arbitrary policy changes, cancellation of competitively awarded contracts from the previous BRS government period, and the disturbing silence of Central government-nominated Directors on the SCCL Board. He alleged that all of this together points to a possible larger nexus and ongoing financial loss to a vital public sector undertaking. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader wrote that after the change of the Telangana state government in 2024, SCCL introduced a so-called "Site Visit Certificate" system as a mandatory precondition for participation in tenders. This system has no precedent in the history of Singareni and is not followed by Coal India Limited or Western Coalfields Limited. "Following the introduction of this procedure, several competitive tenders were cancelled, and contracts began to be awarded consistently at rates ranging from + 7 per cent to + 10 per cent, in stark contrast to national norms where OB coal block tenders generally conclude at -10 per cent to -22 per cent. Historically, even Singareni tenders were awarded at -7 per cent, -8 per cent. -10 per cent and sometimes even -20 per cent. What is particularly alarming is that several tenders finalised during the BRS regime through competitive bidding at -7 per cent to -10 per cent were cancelled without any reported technical failure or financial default and were subsequently re-tendered under the new system at significantly higher rates," reads the letter. The former minister stated that this systematic abolition of competitively awarded contracts and their re-allotment at inflated prices strongly suggests a deliberate reversal of competitive outcomes and has caused substantial financial loss to SCCL. Harish Rao also wrote that Singareni's long-standing practice of bulk diesel procurement directly from IOCL was discontinued, and the responsibility of diesel supply was shifted to contractors. This policy change has increased project costs, imposed an avoidable GST burden, and directly harmed the financial interests of the PSU. Such a decision, taken without transparent justification, further strengthens apprehensions of commission-driven policy manipulation. "Most disturbingly, Central government-nominated Directors on the SCCL Board, whose primary statutory responsibility is to safeguard public interest, ensure transparency, and prevent misuse of public funds, have remained conspicuously silent despite open deviation from established tendering norms, cancellation of earlier competitive contracts, award of inflated contracts under a non-standard procedure, and repeated complaints from contractors and stakeholders," wrote the BRS leader. Harish Rao stated that only a CBI investigation can impartially examine the legality and intent behind the introduction of the site visit certification system, the cancellation of BRS-era competitive tenders and their re-award at higher rates, the withdrawal of bulk diesel procurement, the possible collusion between political authorities, contractors, SCCL officials and Board members, and the role, knowledge, and accountability of Central government-nominated Directors. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text January 20 : Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has begun to work on an action plan for green hydrogen. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state government is set to give new momentum to research, innovation and the startup ecosystem under the Green Hydrogen Policy. As part of this strategy, two centers of excellence will be established in the state and startups associated with green hydrogen will be provided financial assistance for five years. The governments objective is to reduce the cost of green hydrogen and position Uttar Pradesh as a major hub of green energy technology in the country. Under the plan, two centers of excellence will be set up in Uttar Pradesh with the aim of developing technologies related to the production, storage, transportation and utilization of green hydrogen, while minimizing costs. Both centers will be established through reputed academic institutions in the country. The research carried out at these centers will be directly aligned with industry demand and requirements. The state government will provide up to 50 crore as 100% financial assistance to these centers of excellence to develop state of the art laboratories and testing facilities. India has set a target of achieving net zero emissions by 2070. Uttar Pradesh is moving forward to play a significant and effective role in achieving this national goal. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state is rapidly progressing towards becoming a manufacturing and technology hub for green hydrogen. The Chief Minister has already inaugurated the states first green hydrogen plant in Gorakhpur district. It is estimated that this plant will help reduce carbon emissions by about 500 tones. In addition, several other green hydrogen initiatives are in the pipeline in Uttar Pradesh. With this vision, the green hydrogen Policy also provides major incentives for startups. Eligible startups will receive financial assistance of up to 25 lakh per year for five years. The condition is that these startups must be associated with incubators of recognized academic institutions. This initiative will not only create opportunities for youth in research based entrepreneurship but will also make new technologies available to industry, while generating green jobs and strengthening Uttar Pradeshs lead in the "National Green Hydrogen Mission". Bengaluru, Jan 20 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was conducting simultaneous raids in Karnataka's Bengaluru and Ballari in connection with the sensational theft case of 4.5 kilograms of gold from the famous Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy temple in Kerala. The raids were being carried out at the residences and properties of the main accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, and other trustees, officials said on Tuesday. Raids are underway at the Roddam Jewellery shop in Ballari and at the premises of its owner, Govardhan. A team of nine officers is conducting the searches. The ED is also carrying out raids at an Ayyappa temple in Srirampuram in Bengaluru. In addition, the residences of trustees and a property linked to the main accused, Unnikrishnan, are being searched. Ballari gold trader Govardhan is accused of purchasing gold from the main accused, Unnikrishnan Potti. The investigations have revealed that Ballari-based gold trader Govardhan played a key role in the gold theft case. The main accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, is alleged to have sold the gold stolen from the temple to Govardhan. On charges of illegally purchasing 470 grams of gold, Kerala SIT officials have already arrested Govardhan, and he is in jail. As there is suspicion that large-scale illegal money transfers took place in this case, the Enforcement Directorate has now launched an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It has also been alleged that the Sabarimala gold theft case is not limited to theft alone, and influential persons may be involved. More details are yet to emerge regarding the development. The ED's official statement regarding the raid is awaited. The Sabarimala gold theft case involves the alleged misappropriation or theft of gold offerings from the famous Hindu shrine. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was raiding specific locations in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka as part of a large-scale probe into the temple's gold reserves and management. The ED is leading extensive searches and investigations, targeting the Travancore Devasam Board (TDB) headquarters and homes of accused individuals. The Kerala High Court has highlighted findings from chemical tests indicating discrepancies in gold plating, adding weight to the theft allegations. New Delhi, Jan 20 : With elections in West Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh around the corner, Intelligence agencies have sounded an alert about large scale radicalisation drives in these regions. While on one hand the radicalisation drives are aimed at polarising voters, on the other hand they are also meant to set up terror modules with the intention of carrying out large scale attacks. In Bangladesh, the Jamaat-e-Islami is already in overdrive mode to radicalise individuals. The idea is to change the dynamic of the voters who are currently more titled towards the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The events in Bangladesh have raised alarm bells in West Bengal and Assam, where certain elements are conducting events and running camps aimed at carrying out radicalisation drives. Amid these developments, an event that was conducted in West Bengal called the Biswa Ijtema has raised concerns amid the Intelligence agencies. The event was held in Punian village near Hooghly district between January 2 and 5 and was attended by people from 100 different countries. There were two things that caught the attention of the agencies. First it was being held after nearly three decades. The last time this event was held was in 1992. Second, the event was shifted to West Bengal after being cancelled in Bangladesh owing to political instability. An Intelligence Bureau official said that the event concluded with calls for global peace. However, what is worrying about such large scale events is that they can become breeding grounds for radicalisation. Moreover, with the situation so volatile in Bangladesh and elections round the corner in several Indian states, such events need to be viewed with caution. Last year, National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval paid a visit to Kolkata and held back-to-back meetings with senior officials of the police and Intelligence Bureau. The meeting came in the backdrop of the Intelligence agencies stating that Murshidabad, 24 South Parganas, Malda and Birbhum are areas of concern. The large number of Madrasas in these areas have been flagged as matters of concern and hence heightened surveillance is needed, the agencies had said. An official said that terror groups tend to use massive events such as the one that took place in West Bengal as recruitment grounds. They send in their recruiters to talk to the youth and convince them into taking up arms. An official said that must one must be fully mindful of the fact that the Islamic State has already begun scouting for youth to set up its Bengal Province. This has been an ambitious plan of the outfit and it is actively looking for recruits from Bangladesh, Assam and West Bengal. Its men would look to infiltrate large gatherings and scout for people. The Islamic State is already circulating posters on its online channels including its Al-Bengali Media. The posters speak about the oppression of Muslims in the region. It has called upon all Muslims to unite against the Indian state. Another official said that the Islamic State wants the Muslims in West Bengal, the northeastern states and Bangladesh to unite and fight against the Indian state. In a recent letter to the Union Government, West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose spoke about the effects of the riots that took place in Murshidabad district. He said that the twin spectres of radicalisation and militancy present a grave challenge. An Intelligence Bureau official said that these are all clear signs of how much of an overdrive mode radical elements are on. With the elections nearing they would resort to all sorts of tactics to push their agenda. There would be heavy emphasis on infiltration, illegal immigration, radicalisation, recruitments, rioting and smuggling. They are aware that the security agencies have their eyes more on maintaining law and order in an election year and would hence take advantage of the situation, the official also added. New Delhi, Jan 20 : The Centre's Department of Fisheries is organising a roundtable conference with ambassadors and high commissioners of 83 partner countries for promoting seafood exports on January 21, it was announced on Tuesday. New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS) The Centreas Department of Fisheries is organising a roundtable conference with ambassadors and high commissioners of 83 partner countries for promoting seafood exports on January 21, it was announced on Tuesday. India ranks as the sixth-largest exporter of fish and fishery products. In 2024a"25, seafood exports reached 16.98 lakh metric tonnes, valued at Rs 62,408 crore ($7.45 billion), contributing nearly 18 per cent to Indiaas total agricultural exports. The event will be chaired by Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, in the presence of Ministers of State George Kurian and S.P. Singh Baghel. Ambassadors and High Commissioners from countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Oceania, and Latin America & the Caribbean will be attending the event. Senior officials from Central ministries and international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Agence FranAaise de Developpement (AFD), Deutsche Gesellschaft fAr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Bay of Bengal Programme (BOBP), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will also participate. The conference serves as a key diplomatic and technical platform to enable structured dialogue on seafood trade, market access, regulatory cooperation, and emerging opportunities for deepening bilateral and multilateral partnerships. According to an official statement, the deliberations will focus on promoting sustainable, traceable and value-added seafood trade, while identifying avenues for investment, joint ventures, technology transfer and capacity building. Discussions will also focus on strengthening the resilience of seafood value chains to climate and market risks. Key thematic areas include global seafood trade trends and opportunities for market diversification; standards, certification and regulatory cooperation; traceability, digital reporting and compliance systems; sustainability and responsible sourcing; value addition, processing and product innovation; cold chain infrastructure, logistics and port connectivity; financing, partnerships and private sector engagement across the blue value chain; and digital and technological transformation in fisheries and aquaculture. The deliberations will additionally highlight emerging global market dynamics such as rising demand for high quality, certified and sustainably sourced seafood, increasing consumption of aquaculture-based proteins in North America, Europe and East Asia, and expansion of premium product segments including ready to cook, ready to eat and nutraceutical-grade marine products. These trends present significant opportunities for India to expand its market share through enhanced compliance with international standards, greater focus on value-added processing, species diversification, and leveraging Indiaas competitive strengths in aquaculture, processing capacity and a robust exporter base. The outcomes of the conference are expected to contribute significantly towards strengthening food security, improving livelihoods across fisheries value chains, and advancing shared goals of sustainability, resilience and inclusive development, the statement added. January 20 : Davos: The Uttar Pradesh Government delegation, led by *Shri Suresh Kumar Khanna, Honble Cabinet Minister for Finance and Parliamentary Affairs*, began its engagements at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos with a strong focus on forging global partnerships and securing high-impact investments. Coordinated by Invest UP, the Governments investment promotion and facilitation agency, the delegation held a series of strategic meetings and signed key MoUs, reinforcing Uttar Pradeshs ambition to emerge as one of Indias most future-ready and investor-friendly states. With MoUs worth 9,750 crore, Uttar Pradeshs engagements at Davos reflect a growing pipeline of investments across clean energy, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and defence manufacturing. Key MoUs were signed with SAEL Industries Ltd (8,000 crore) for waste-to-energy projects, Sify Technologies (1,600 crore) for an AI-ready data centre and AI City in Noida, and Yeoman (150 crore) for defence manufacturing and weapons system integration. These collaborations support the states long-term vision of sustainable development, technology-enabled governance, and large-scale job creation, while strengthening Uttar Pradeshs global competitiveness. The days interactions began with Louis Dreyfus Company and continued with B2G meetings with leading global and Indian companies including Uber Technologies, Automation Anywhere, Cauldron, PepsiCo, HCL Software, Wealth Door, Anupam Rasayan India Ltd, Google Cloud, Greenko, and Deloitte South Asia. The delegation also engaged with Mr. Neeraj Agarwal, Founder & CEO of Carbon Compassan IIT Kanpur and MIT alumnus, and a former NASA scientistto explore future-facing opportunities in climate innovation and sustainability. A key discussion was held with Uber, focusing on expanded investments, mobility partnerships, and the potential establishment of a Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Noida. With 1.5 lakh vehicles operating across 13+ locations in Uttar Pradesh, Uber highlighted opportunities in tourism, last-mile connectivity, and innovative mobility solutions supported by the states progressive policy framework. These engagements showcased promising opportunities across sectors such as digital transformation, renewable energy, food processing, automation, and global trade, aligned with Uttar Pradeshs vision of inclusive and sustainable growth. The delegation highlighted the states robust policy ecosystem, infrastructure readiness, and commitment to innovation-led development. Overall, Uttar Pradeshs participation at Davos 2026 reflects a proactive approach to attracting global investments and building a resilient, inclusive, and innovation-driven economy. The engagements are expected to pave the way for transformative partnerships, further accelerating the states economic progress and global integration. Bengaluru, Jan 20 : Former Congress MP D.K. Suresh, brother of Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar said on Tuesday, "We are being patient in the interest of MLAs and party workers." He added that the party has assured that a decision regarding the leadership will be taken and Rahul Gandhi has to take a view after considering developments across the country. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Suresh said, "In the interest of the party, MLAs and party workers, everything has to be handled calmly, and we must remain patient. Moreover, Shivakumar is the State President of the Congress party, and discipline should be reflected by him first. Accordingly, he is following that discipline." Suresh said Rahul Gandhi is a national leader who considers all dimensions. "He has to think about politics across the country. My view will naturally be in the interest of Shivakumar. The media views issues from its own perspective. Others will have different viewpoints. Anyone aspiring to become a minister will see things from that angle," he said. "Rahul Gandhi has to take a view after considering developments across the country. He has to take note of various developments. The party leadership intends to consider everything and take a unanimous decision. We are confident about the decision," Suresh stated. "Power does not come to anyone easily. I have said earlier that if it is written in my brother's fate, he will become the Chief Minister. Even now, I reiterate the same. It is not easy to attain the post of Chief Minister. Power does not come just like that," he noted. Responding to a question, he said, "It is not about certain castes. The Congress party needs the support of all castes and classes. A politician requires votes from Vokkaligas and Lingayats, as well as from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. There is no scope for appeasing just one group. Votes of all communities are important." He said caste-based politics affects the development of both the state and the nation. "Shivakumar is always loyal to the party and not to any individual. In all his speeches, he reiterates that he is loyal to the party. Some are loyal to individuals for the sake of power," he said. Shivakumar has stood with the party in all circumstances, he added. "Whether the party is in power or not, he has remained with the party. In this background, everything is being viewed with restraint," he underlined. "Power does not come easily, and no one gives up their chair just like that. Even Gram Panchayat officials do not vacate their chairs easily. The post of Chief Minister does not come without effort. Shivakumar is waiting for instructions from the party," he said. Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar has been a disciplined soldier of the party from the beginning, Suresh reiterated. "He is patiently waiting in the interest of MLAs." "The party has asked us to remain patient and has assured that a decision will be taken at an appropriate time. Rahul Gandhi also stated this during his visit to Mysuru. We are waiting in the interest of the party and legislators. Our aim is the 2028 Assembly elections in the state," he said. Sources reveal that Deputy CM Shivakumar is hoping for a decision by the high command in his favour by Shivarathri festival. It can be noted that Deputy CM Shivakumar had said that time will answer everything. He added: "The Chief Minister and I know about the discussions and decisions taken in the presence of Rahul Gandhi and the national leadership." "I am keeping quiet, thinking that I should not raise these issues. One thing is certain -- time will answer everything. Beyond this, I will not discuss anything," he said. When asked about his brother, former Congress MP D.K. Suresh, stating that they would receive good news from the high command, Shivakumar said, "My brother, party workers and even the media are saying that I will get good news. I have the support of 140 MLAs. Even Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is supporting me. Do you know how the Chief Minister and I speak to each other? We know what we discussed in front of Rahul Gandhi. We also know the decisions taken in the presence of the national leadership." -- Syndicated from IANS Saharanpur : , Jan 20 (IANS) A steady stream of people gathered in Sarsawa town of Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district on Tuesday after five bullet-riddled bodies were found inside a locked house, triggering panic and shock among local residents. The deceased included a revenue officer and four members of his family. Their bodies were discovered inside their residence in Kaushik Vihar Colony. Locals said the house had been recently constructed and was scheduled to be inaugurated next month. Police and district administration officials rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident, cordoned off the area, and launched a detailed investigation. The gruesome discovery spread rapidly, casting a pall of fear and mourning over the locality. Senior Superintendent of Police Ashish Tiwari said police were alerted about five bodies lying inside a house in the colony. "A police team immediately reached the spot and conducted a preliminary inspection," he said. During the investigation, the deceased was identified as Ashok Rathi, a revenue officer. The bodies of his mother, wife, and two sons were found in the same room, all bearing gunshot wounds. Three pistols were also recovered from the scene. According to police, preliminary findings confirm that all five deaths were caused by gunshot injuries. Investigators are also examining the medical history of the revenue officer to determine whether any health-related or psychological factors may have contributed to the incident. A forensic team has been deployed to collect evidence, and the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination. Police said the case is being probed from all possible angles, including the possibility of murder-suicide, though no conclusion has been drawn so far. Further legal procedures are underway. Neighbours described the family as peace-loving and said they had never been involved in any disputes. "Their behaviour was normal, and they mixed well with everyone," a local resident said. With no immediate clues emerging, police officials said the motive behind the deaths remains unclear and will only be established after the post-mortem reports and forensic analysis are completed. Local MP Imran Masood also visited the spot and expressed grief over the incident. "It is extremely tragic that an entire family lost their lives. Prima facie, it appears they may have taken their own lives as the house was locked from the inside. This is a matter of serious concern for society," he said. "Society must reflect on what leads to such incidents," he added. January 20 : Lucknow: To take the double engine government's vision "Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao" to every daughter, Lakhimpur Kheri district administration has started a unique initiative. Under this, "DM Kheri ki Pathshala" has been inaugurated to spread the light of education in the life of every daughter of the district. DM Durga Shakti Nagpal and public representatives handed over "Vidyadayini Potli" to 9,000 girl students of council schools and Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girl Schools on Monday. White board cum study table, marker and duster etc. gifts were provided to daughters in the potli. DM told that the objective of "DM Kheri ki Pathshala" is to ensure that the study of daughters of the district is not limited only to school but proper resources are available for study at home too. Through this initiative, daughters will get facility and better environment for study at home along with school. They will be able to establish their small pathshala at home itself. Through this, they will do their study as well as inspire people around and in family to study through the environment of education. Under this unique initiative, "Vidyadayini Potli" has been handed over to 9 thousand daughters in the first phase. This process will continue continuously. Resolve has been taken to take it to every daughter, so that double engine government's vision can be fulfilled 100 percent on ground. Under "DM Kheri ki Pathshala", in the first phase, "Vidyadayini Potli" has been provided to 6,798 topper daughters of council schools, 51 daughters selected in Wall of Dreams and 2,151 daughters studying in Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girl Schools. In council schools, two-two topper daughters of class 6, 7 and 8 have been provided potli. These 9 thousand potlis have been prepared at cost of 19 lakh 80 thousand rupees. This potli has been prepared to further the double engine government's "Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao" vision. In the mega event organized on Monday at Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girl School Rajapur, DM Durga Shakti Nagpal and MLA Sadar Yogesh Verma distributed these potlis among the girl students. DM said that when daughters will study at home too, then the foundation of their bright future will be strengthened. Through education, they will not only become self-reliant but will also spread new light in the society. MLA Sadar Yogesh Verma said that DM's farsightedness and active initiative has given new flight to daughters' study. Her leadership ability has given opportunity to light the lamp of knowledge in every girl's home. In the mega event, 'Wall of Dreams' was constructed, which became the center of attraction. Daughters of council school beautifully displayed their imagination and creativity by depicting their future dreams on colorful posters. Administration gave place to selected posters among these in 'Wall of Dreams'. Box Public representatives also distributed "Vidyadayini Potli"* In the mega event, public representatives also provided "Vidyadayini Potli" to daughters of council and Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girl Schools. Wave of happiness and enthusiasm was seen on daughters' faces after receiving the potli. Among those distributing potli were MLA Saurabh Singh 'Sonu', MLA Yogesh Verma, MLA Shashank Verma (Nighasan), MLA Lokendra Pratap Singh, MLA Romi Sahni (Palia). Dhaka, Jan 20 : Two teachers of a private university in Bangladesh were dismissed following allegations of "blasphemy" and being branded as "Awami League sympathisers", local media reported on Tuesday. The teachers dismissed by the authorities of the University of Asia Pacific (UAP) in Dhaka are Assistant Professor Layeka Bashir and Associate Professor ASM Mohsin, both from the Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities, with Mohsin serving as its head. Confirming that the two teachers had been relieved of their duties, the university's Public Relations Officer, Sadik Hasan Palash, on Sunday said, "The students demanded their removal. The university authorities implemented it." Citing sources, Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune reported that the two teachers were removed amid accusations of blasphemy and being "soft sympathisers" of the former Awami League government. However, both teachers have rejected the allegations against them, claiming that the move was orchestrated by a powerful section of the university's senior management. According to students and relevant stakeholders, a "mob" was created within the university under the guise of a movement, forcing the authorities to dismiss the two teachers. They added that the teachers were targeted for several days and faced organised agitation under the guise of protest. The dismissal of the two teachers has sparked widespread backlash on social media. "I do not know the exact reason for my removal. I have not yet received any official termination letter. I have heard that I was labelled as a sympathiser of the Awami League. In reality, a mob was created in the name of a movement within the university, and my removal was demanded," Dhaka Tribune quoted ASM Mohsin as saying following his dismissal. Speaking to the newspaper on her dismissal Layeka Bashir said: "Right-wing students of UAP are carrying out mob intimidation against me to force my removal. Following the Mohammadpur double murder incident involving a masked domestic worker, one of my friends made a Facebook post on December 10. Using that issue, some former students of my university started threatening me online and spreading defamatory content. In that context, on the evening of December 14, the UAP vice-chancellor verbally instructed me to submit my resignation immediately." Bangladesh has witnessed a deteriorating law and order situation and unsafe working conditions under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, with rising concerns over political interference, restrictions on academic freedom and attacks on those voicing dissent. Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Huning met with Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, in Beijing on Tuesday. Wang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations. China is willing to work with Pakistan to implement the important consensus reached between the two countries' leaders, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, promote the in-depth, solid development of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and accelerate the construction of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. The National Committee of the CPPCC is willing to make positive contributions to these ends, Wang said. Sadiq noted that Pakistan adheres firmly to the one-China principle and actively supports the four global initiatives China has proposed. Pakistan is willing to deepen cooperation with China in various fields, including the economy, trade, personnel training, and the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and to fully ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan. The National Assembly of Pakistan is ready to make unremitting efforts to promote the ironclad friendship between Pakistan and China, Sadiq said. Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) Bengaluru, Jan 20 : The Karnataka unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has targeted the Congress-led government over the alleged Rs 2,500 crore excise department scam. The party, while seeking action against Minister for Excise R.B. Thimmapur, on Tuesday questioned the silence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in this regard. The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, R. Ashoka, stated, "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who often claims 'my life is an open book', what is the secret behind your silence despite such serious allegations and documentary evidence? When such large-scale illegalities are happening right under your nose, why are you remaining silent?" "The general public is being troubled by suspicions about your share in this loot. What is stopping you from immediately removing corrupt Minister for Excise R.B. Thimmapur from the Cabinet, who is accused of collecting 'monthly money' from bars, pubs and clubs?" Ashoka questioned. "While there is no clear answer as to whose pockets this massive corruption money is filling, it is natural to ask whether such extortion is possible without the blessings of the Chief Minister and ministers," Ashoka said. "The Excise Department has turned into an ATM of the Congress governmentas percentage-based extortion racket. From the transfer of officials to the granting of liquor shop licences, bribery has become mandatory at every stage. A situation has emerged where not a single file moves without a bribe, clearly reflecting the massive corruption prevailing in the Excise Department. There is substantial evidence to support allegations of a huge scam amounting to as much as Rs 2,500 crore in the forced extortion being carried out from liquor shops in the name of 'monthly money'," Ashoka charged. The fact that the State Liquor Merchantsa Association itself has submitted a written complaint, and that a bar owner has approached the Lokayukta stating that false cases are filed and targets are set if bribes are not paid, stands as clear evidence of the departmentas misdeeds, Ashoka pointed out. The BJP leader further targeted Minister for RDPR, IT and BT Priyank Kharge and questioned, "Despite this, you still ask for proof, Minister Priyank Kharge - does your government have no sense of shame?" He said that not only this, but to fill the coffers of a bankrupt state treasury, liquor sales have been allowed to continue unchecked across the state. "To satisfy this governmentas thirst for money, the future of the stateas youth is being sacrificed. The liquor racket is spreading to every village, and even small children and students are becoming addicted to alcohol. Accidents caused by intoxication are pushing families onto the streets. Despite all these consequences, Excise Department officials remain engrossed only in collection," Ashoka said. "The Congress-led government must immediately wake up, obtain Minister Thimmapuras resignation and order a comprehensive investigation. If protecting the corrupt is your objective, the people themselves will teach you a fitting lesson. Reform yourselves, or vacate your chairs, Ashoka slammed. It can be noted that the excise department scam, in which three officers attached to the department, including an officer of the rank of Deputy Commissioner, were arrested, has taken a new twist with the BJP alleging the involvement of Minister R.B. Thimmapur. The development has proved to be an embarrassment for the government ahead of the special session of the Legislature scheduled to commence on January 22. The Congress government is convening the special session to target the Centre over the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB G RAM G). A complaint has also been registered against Minister Thimmapur with the Karnataka Lokayukta. The BJP leaders have released purported audio clips in which an officer is allegedly heard demanding a cut for the minister. Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to seek the resignation of Minister Thimmapur and stated that if the CM remained silent, it would be assumed that he too was involved in the scam. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Mumbai, Jan 20 : Veteran actress Lillete Dubey, who essayed the role of Aunty Rose in Shyam Benegal's "Zubeidaa," called it one of her favourite characters as the project completed 25 years of release on Monday. Marking the milestone moment, Lillete penned a heartfelt note on social media, revisiting all the fun she had while shooting the film under the direction of Shyam Benegal with her amazing co-stars Amrish Puri, Karisma Kapoor, Rekha, Manoj Bajpayee, Surekha Sikri, Rajit Kapoor, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, and Shakti Kapoor. Her Insta post went like this, "Someone sent me a message today that itas 25 years of aZubeidaa this year ..My first film...And how lucky I was that it was with none other than the wonderfully charming, erudite & brilliant Shyam Babu ! Images flitted through my mind as I recalled how much I enjoyed doing it .. with a host of wonderful co stars ( including the powerhouse actor- the late Amrish Puri) (sic)." Lillete further lauded the music scored by Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman. "& what a gem of a film it was .. with its haunting music score .. & stunning visuals .. Aunty Rose still remains one of my favourite characters go see it if you havenat.. itas still magical..", she concluded. The final chapter in the trilogy, after "Mammo" (1994) and "Sardari Begum" (1996), "Zubeidaa" is the cinematic adaptation of the life of the ill-fated actress Zubeida Begum, who married Hanwant Singh of Jodhpur and was the mother of the film's writer, Khalid Mohamed. Backed by FKR Productions, the film even bagged the National Film Award for 'Best Feature Film in Hindi'. Released on 19 January 2001, "Zubeidaa," saw camera work by Rajan Kothari with Aseem Sinha as the head of the editing department. Khalid Mohamed has provided the story and screenplay for the drama. New Delhi, Jan 20 : In a move underscoring the elevated stature of the Bharatiya Janata Party's new leadership, the Central government has provided Z-category security cover to Nitin Nabin, who was formally elected as the party's national president earlier on Tuesday. The decision, taken by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs based on an Intelligence Bureau threat perception assessment, comes shortly after his rise to the top organisational post of the world's largest political party. Officials confirmed that the VIP security wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been tasked with providing the high-level protection. Armed CRPF commandos will now accompany Nabin during his nationwide travels, public engagements, and at his residence, ensuring round-the-clock safety commensurate with his role. This category of security, one of the highest in the central protection list below Z-plus, is typically extended to key political figures, Union ministers, and other high-profile individuals facing assessed risks. The security arrangement was initiated a few weeks ago, following Nabin's appointment as national working president in December 2025 and intensified after his unopposed election as full president, backed by 37 nomination sets from senior leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and others. It aligns with the protocol extended to his predecessor, Jagat Prakash Nadda, reflecting the BJP's status as the ruling party at the Centre. Nabin, at 45, the youngest person to helm the BJP, assumed charge earlier in the day at the party's headquarters in Delhi amid a grand ceremony attended by Prime Minister Modi, who felicitated him and described him as a "millennial" leader poised to carry forward the party's legacy amid India's development journey. The new president, a five-time MLA from Bihar's Bankipur constituency and former state minister who has handled portfolios like Road Construction, Urban Development, and Law, brings extensive grassroots and administrative experience. The enhanced security is seen as a prudent step given Nabin's high-visibility role, which involves extensive touring for upcoming Assembly elections in states like West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, as well as preparations for the 2029 Lok Sabha polls. Kabul, Jan 20 : Islamic State Khorasan has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing at a Chinese restaurant in Kabul, which claimed seven lives and injured 13 others, local media reported on Tuesday. The explosion took place at a Chinese restaurant in Kabul's Shahr-e-Naw area on Monday at around 3 pm (local time). Taliban authorities said that seven people, including one Chinese national, were killed in the blast, Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press reported. According to officials, at least 13 people were injured in the blast. Foreigners, including Chinese citizens, frequently visited the restaurant. In a statement published by the IS-related Amaq news agency, the group stated that a suicide bomber detonated himself among Chinese nationals and their guards in the restaurant. IS-K also claimed that the total number of killed and injured reached 25, including Taliban members who were guarding the spot. The group claimed that the attack targeted Chinese nationals over China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims. After the explosion in a restaurant in Kabul, China's Embassy in Kabul said that the security situation in Afghanistan remains fragile. It urged Chinese citizens to temporarily refrain from visiting Afghanistan and remain vigilant if they were already there. The embassy urged Chinese companies and residents in Afghanistan to follow local regulations and increase personal security measures. It advised Chinese nationals to avoid crowded places, religious sites, and restaurants, citing increasing risks of militant attacks, Khaama Press reported. In December last year, three workers were killed after an unexploded device left over from past wars went off in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, provincial police spokesman Sayed Tayeb Hamad said, Xinhua News Agency reported. The incident took place in a scrap shop in Kama district when workers were doing work at the site, the spokesman said, adding that three workers died on the spot due to the explosion. Police urged people to inform security authorities if they see or come across any suspicious objects. New Delhi, Jan 20 : Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Albares will arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday as he kicks off his two-day official visit to India. During his visit, Albares will meet External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar at the Hyderabad House on Wednesday. Later in the day, he will call on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi. Last year, on November 13, India and Spain held the 8th round of Foreign Office Consultations, reviewing the entire spectrum of bilateral ties. The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Sibi George and Diego Martinez Belio, Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs of Spain. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged perspectives on regional and global issues of mutual concern, including on global fight against terrorism. "In the discussions, the two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral ties, especially in the context of the upcoming India-Spain Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence. They also exchanged perspectives on regional and global issues of mutual concern including in global fight against terrorism. India reiterated its policy of zero tolerance against terrorism," the MEA posted on X after the meeting. In October 2025, EAM Jaishankar extended wishes to his Spanish counterpart and people of Spain on their National Day and expressed India's commitment to deepening ties. "Best wishes to FM Jose Manuel Albares, the Government and the people of Spain on their National Day. Value the deepening of our multifaceted cooperation," EAM Jaishankar posted on X. In May last year, EAM Jaishankar held telephonic conversation with Jose Manuel Albares and discussed India's firm and measured response to cross-border terrorism. In a post on X, he wrote, "Spoke with FM Jose Manuel Albares of Spain. Discussed Indiaas firm and measured response to cross-border terrorism." The conversation took place after the Indian armed forces launched 'Operation Sindoor', targeting nine terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the dastardly April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Seoul, Jan 20 : The South Korean government on Tuesday formally designated a 2024 knife attack on South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, which occurred while he was serving as Opposition leader, as a terror case, the prime minister's office said. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok presided over a meeting of the National Counterterrorism Committee, which concluded that the stabbing of Lee, then leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), constitutes an act of terrorism under the Act on Counter-Terrorism. The designation marks the first time a specific incident has been formally classified as terrorism since the law came into force in 2016, providing the legal basis for an additional investigation into the case. Lee was stabbed in the neck by a 67-year-old man during a visit to the southeastern city of Busan on January 2, 2024, and subsequently underwent surgery and was hospitalized for treatment. He was hospitalised at Pusan National University twenty minutes after the attack, Lee was subsequently transferred by helicopter to Seoul National University Hospital in a conscious state. The suspect was arrested at the scene and said his intentions were to assassinate Lee. The DP has alleged that law enforcement authorities under the administration of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attempted to destroy evidence at the scene in an effort to downplay the severity of the incident, Yonhap news agency reported. Kim said the attack should never have occurred and pledged to review and strengthen the country's overall counterterrorism system to better protect public safety. "As follow-up measures, (the government) will conduct an additional investigation into the case and beef up protection for major political figures during election campaigns to prevent similar incidents from recurring," the office said. Following the designation, the National Investigation Headquarters under the National Police Agency said it has established a task force to investigate the case in a "transparent and objective" manner. "We will do our best to uncover the truth now that the stabbing incident has been designated as a terror case," the headquarters said in a press notice. According to officials, the task force will examine whether any parties colluded in connection with the case, why the incident was not initially classified as a terror attack, and whether evidence was destroyed during the early response by law enforcement authorities. Political violence has occurred several times before in South Korea. In 2006, then-Grand National Party leader Park Geun-hye was attacked with a knife at an event, while her father Park Chung Hee was assassinated by his spy chief in 1979. In 2015, US Ambassador to South Korea Mark W Lippert survived a stabbing attack while attending a breakfast conference in Seoul. In 2022, then-Democratic Party of Korea leader Song Young-gil was attacked with a hammer. New Delhi, Jan 20 : Elon Musk has once again grabbed global attention by taking a business dispute to social media, this time involving Europe's largest low-cost airline, Ryanair. The billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX posted a public poll on X asking users whether he should buy Ryanair, following a heated exchange with the airline's outspoken chief executive, Michael O'Leary. The poll came after a disagreement over the possible use of Starlink as in-flight Wi-Fi on Ryanair aircraft. Ryanair has chosen not to install Starlink on its planes, saying the costs and operational impact do not make sense for its business model. What started as a business-level disagreement quickly turned personal, with both Musk and O'Leary exchanging sharp comments in interviews and on social media. Musk's poll asked a simple question about whether he should acquire Ryanair, presented in his usual casual and humorous style. The response was massive. Within hours, the poll crossed more than 750,000 votes and continued to trend widely. At the time of writing, around 76.8 per cent of users had voted in favour of the idea, although Musk has not clarified whether the poll reflects any serious takeover plan. Adding to the buzz, Musk used wordplay and humour, saying Ryanair should be run by someone named Ryan. In one post, he wrote that he wanted to "restore Ryan as their rightful ruler," ending the message with "it is your destiny." These comments were widely shared and helped keep the online debate alive. The dispute traces back to Ryanair's public explanation for rejecting Starlink. Tensions rose further when O'Leary made personal remarks about Musk during an interview with Newstalk, calling him "an idiot" and advising people to ignore him. Musk responded on X by calling O'Leary "an utter idiot" and even posted "Fire him." Ryanair's official social media account later joined the exchange during a service outage, jokingly asking Musk if he needed Wi-Fi. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Patna, Jan 20 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday praised the efforts of the Revenue and Land Reforms Department and announced major reforms to make land measurement faster, transparent, and citizen-friendly. In a post on X, the Chief Minister recalled that shortly after the formation of the new state government on November 20, 2025, the Seven Resolutions3 (2025-30) programme was implemented with the objective of placing Bihar among the most developed states in the country. Explaining the intent behind the seventh resolution, 'Respect for All Easy Living', Nitish Kumar said its primary objective is to reduce the everyday difficulties faced by citizens and make governance more accessible and responsive. He noted that delays in land measurement after applications are submitted often create inconvenience for people and lead to unnecessary land disputes. "To address these issues and fulfil the goal of 'Respect for All Easy Living', several important decisions have been taken to make the land measurement process simpler, more transparent, time-bound, and citizen-centric," the Chief Minister said. Under this initiative, all pending applications for land measurement will be cleared by January 31 through a special land measurement campaign. From April 1, land measurement will be completed within seven working days for undisputed land, and 11 working days for disputed land, after the applicant deposits the prescribed measurement fee. After completing the measurement within the stipulated time, it will be mandatory for the surveyor to upload the measurement report on the designated portal by the 14th day from the date of application. To ensure strict adherence to timelines, the Revenue and Land Reforms Department will deploy the required manpower and resources and establish a system of intensive monitoring and supervision of the entire process. Expressing confidence in the initiative, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, "I am fully confident that this initiative to simplify the land measurement process will be extremely beneficial for the people of the state and will make their daily lives even easier." The Chief Minister also invited public feedback, stating that citizens can submit their suggestions regarding the new system by January 25 through the designated channels. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text January 20 : Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh, which was once counted among states from where people migrated for employment, is today presenting a new model of employment generation, industrial development and social security under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. In the past nearly nine years, the impact of Yogi government's policies is now clearly visible on the ground. Where earlier youth and workers were forced to leave the state for employment, now sufficient opportunities are available near their homes for them. There is no compulsion now to leave the state for employment, education, health and security. Youth and workers who had gone out of the state earlier are also returning now. The place of migration has been taken by 'reverse migration', which is writing a new story of development, self-reliance and inclusive prosperity in the state. During Yogi government's tenure, large-scale employment has been generated through industrial investment, MSME expansion, employment fairs and skill development schemes. There has been a historic decline in unemployment rate and lakhs of youth have got employment in government and private sectors. More than 53 thousand skilled workers have been registered on Seva Mitra portal operated by Employment Department, who are being directly linked to employment. Through Invest UP, single window system, transparent processes and 'ease of doing business' reforms have increased investors' confidence. Expressway network, airports, industrial corridors, defense corridor, medical colleges and logistics hubs like infrastructure projects have brought industries to districts. Uttar Pradesh is included among the top states in the country in terms of employment and factory units, due to which permanent jobs have been created at local level. Currently, more than 30 thousand factories are operating in the state, whose number was not even half till 2017. In the past nearly nine years, the number of employment opportunities in their home districts for youth, workers and women has increased manifold. Yogi government has not only given employment, but also prioritized the security, education and future of workers and their families. Atal Residential Schools are being operated in every division for children of registered workers and children who became orphans during Covid period. Each school provides residential education to 100 boys-girls. Government has prepared strong security shield for workers. On death at workplace 5 lakh, on permanent disability 3 lakh, on partial disability 2 lakh, on death due to accident of registered worker 5 lakh, on general death 2 lakh, 25,000 funeral assistance and on accident/death of unregistered worker 1.25 lakh assistance is provided. These provisions have largely eliminated the insecurity of workers. Lakhs of beneficiaries are included in Pradhan Mantri Shramyogi Maandhan Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, Matritva, Shishu evam Balika Madad Yojana and Construction Worker Death and Disability Assistance Yojana. Under Kanya Vivah Sahayta Yojana, assistance of 55,000 to 61,000 is being given for marriage of two girls. Due to this security, the sentiment of employment near home has gained strength among youth. More than 9.52 crore bank accounts have also been opened in the state under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. Under Construction Worker Serious Illness Assistance Scheme, 100 percent reimbursement of treatment expenses is being done in government hospitals. This has reduced the financial burden on worker families and they are getting better health facilities in Uttar Pradesh itself. New Delhi, Jan 20 : Alluding to the controversial remarks of AAP leader Atishi in the Assembly, Delhi Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday disapproved of the Punjab government's intervention in matters under consideration of the city legislature. Speaking at the three-day 86th All India Presiding Officers' Conference (AIPOC) in Lucknow, Speaker Gupta did not name the Punjab government or Delhi's Leader of the Opposition Atishi while expressing dismay over attempts of the AAP-ruled agrarian state to shield her by launching an unauthorised probe into her remarks in the Delhi Assembly about Sikh Gurus. Speaker Gupta added that a recent incident in the Delhi Legislative Assembly was duly taken cognisance of by the House and referred to the Privileges Committee. The issue was examined in accordance with established parliamentary procedure, with discussions taking place in line with the sentiments of the Members, during which arguments and counterarguments were presented and decisions were made. While addressing the Conference, Gupta said that "when a matter is discussed within a legislature, deliberations are undertaken with the participation of both the ruling side and the Opposition". He emphasised that once the ruling side and the Opposition together arrive at a view and its implementation is carried out through the Speaker, the matter attains "finality". The Delhi Assembly Speaker strongly condemned the intervention of the government of another state in such a matter, terming it an unacceptable interference. It may be recalled that these remarks were made in connection with the proceedings of the Delhi Assembly on January 6. Gupta had earlier stated that the issue pertained to the audio-video recordings of the Delhi Legislative Assembly proceedings, relating to alleged remarks made by Atishi in reference to the proceedings of the House concerning Sikh Gurus during the recently concluded Winter Session. Given the seriousness of the matter and the sentiments expressed by Delhi legislators, the Assembly formally took cognisance of the issue on the floor of the House and examined it strictly in accordance with established parliamentary procedure, including referral to the Privileges Committee. The Speaker had earlier stated that legislative matters must be concluded within the jurisdiction of the House and that any external intervention undermines its autonomy. He noted that the FSL report, related to recordings of Atishi's controversial remark in the House, has brought the truth on record and that the matter may be referred to the CBI. He also indicated that the House remains open to consider an apology. KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's trade performance continues to reach record numbers despite global geopolitical uncertainties and changes in major power policies that directly affect international trade, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday. Anwar, who is also the finance minister, told parliament that this success is thanks to the administration's policies, including diversification to build economic resilience and careful management of the country's external trade relationships, which have resulted in the total trade for 2025 reaching 3 trillion ringgit (740 billion U.S. dollars). "The figure will be announced in detail this afternoon with the trade volume for 2025 reaching an all-time high. So, that is why I have formulated the need for policy clarification, good discipline and governance and exploring new markets," he said. "It is indeed a statement that should be given attention because of the geopolitical positions and changes, the uncertain policies of several major powers including the U.S., whether related to tariffs or several other decisions involving countries in Europe, the Greenland and Venezuela issues, which affect many international trade transactions as well as the penetration of new markets," he said. The government has therefore adopted a realistic approach by exploring new sectors and markets, including new technologies, while simultaneously maintaining relationships with traditional trading partners, with the strengthening of ties with countries and regions beyond these. (1 ringgit equals 0.25 U.S. dollars) Beijing/New Delhi, Jan 20 : The continued low birth rate in recent years in China shows that the damage caused to the population demographic, due to its one-child policy, may be irreversible, according to a media report. While Beijing has accelerated family-support policies and childcare subsidies, the birth count plummeted to a record low last year -- falling by about 10 million from its 2016 peak, the South China Morning Post reported. China's population shrank for a fourth consecutive year. As per the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2025, the country saw only 7.92 million births, down 17 per cent from 9.54 million in 2024. "This marked the lowest birth figure since records began in 1949 and broke the previous record low set in 2023," the report said. The data from the Bureau showed that the country's total population also fell by 3.39 million in 2025 to 1.4049 billion from 1.4083 billion a year earlier -- marking the steepest annual population decline on record. Notably, 2025 also saw one of the highest total deaths in five decades -- about 11.31 million people. "The pace of the decline is striking, particularly in the absence of major shocks," Su Yue, principal economist for China at the Economist Intelligence Unit, was quoted as saying. Yue blamed the declining population rate on a reluctance among young people to get married, combined with rising economic pressures. "The data should serve as a strong signal for policymakers to place greater emphasis on domestic structural reforms," she noted. The expert stated that "a more forceful policy response on fertility in the face of a shrinking population" is crucial to counter "the risk of a smaller consumer base in the future". Meanwhile, China has accelerated efforts to revive its declining birth rate by rolling out a series of family-support policies aimed at lowering child-rearing costs and easing the pressures that have deterred couples from having children. This includes Beijing's national childcare subsidy scheme offering up to $1,534 per year for each child under three. "In the early stages of population decline, fluctuations [in births] are common before the trend stabilises," said Yuan Xin, vice-president of the China Population Association and a professor of demography at Nankai University in Tianjin. "But despite short-term volatility, a return to positive growth is almost off the table." Last year, the central authorities also pledged to expand insurance coverage to cover all childbirth-related out-of-pocket expenses, and they have sought to regulate childcare by addressing long-standing shortages, uneven quality, and weak oversight in the sector, the report said. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20 : The political temperature in Kerala rose sharply on Tuesday as the BJP escalated its campaign over the Sabarimala gold theft case, organising protest marches to the residences of two key CPI(M) leaders - former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran in Thiruvananthapuram and incumbent Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan in Kottayam. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20 (IANS) The political temperature in Kerala rose sharply on Tuesday as the BJP escalated its campaign over the Sabarimala gold theft case, organising protest marches to the residences of two key CPI(M) leaders former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran in Thiruvananthapuram and incumbent Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan in Kottayam. The protests came amid growing scrutiny of the alleged gold smuggling from the Sabarimala temple, a case that has triggered parallel investigations by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Former Union Minister V. Muraleedharan questioned why Surendran had not been arrested if the temple's tantri could be taken into custody in connection with the case, demanding that the probe be handed over to the CBI. He alleged that the SIT was deliberately delaying the filing of a charge sheet, allowing the accused to remain free. Surendran, who had earlier been questioned by the SIT, has been under sustained political attack from Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who has repeatedly pointed fingers at the former minister since the case surfaced. BJP leaders argue that political accountability cannot be selective and insist that Surendran's role be investigated in depth. Simultaneously, BJP workers marched to the office of Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan in Kottayam, leading to clashes with police. Security personnel used water cannons several times to disperse protesters attempting to break through barricades, resulting in scuffles and heightened tension in the area. Amid the political confrontation, Travancore Devaswom Board President K. Jayakumar said the Board would fully cooperate with the ED probe, asserting that it would support any effort aimed at uncovering the truth. He described the irregularities at Sabarimala as a "systemic failure" and said corrective mechanisms were being put in place to ensure such lapses do not recur. Jayakumar declined to comment on the merits of the case, citing court directions, but stressed the need for greater transparency to restore devotees' trust in the Board's functioning. Meanwhile, the SIT intensified its investigation, with expert teams reaching the temple for detailed inspections. While Vasavan publicly welcomed the SIT investigation earlier appreciated by the High Court he expressed reservations about the ED's involvement, citing past experiences that, he said, raised questions about the agency's credibility. As investigations progress on multiple fronts, the case continues to fuel a high-stakes political battle with broader implications for governance and accountability in Kerala. Amaravati, Jan 20 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Tuesday that there is no better investment destination than Andhra Pradesh. He invited industrialists to visit Andhra Pradesh and personally observe the policies implemented by the state government and the favourable conditions for investments. He urged them to make investment decisions only after witnessing the speed of doing business policies. The Chief Minister, who is attending the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, was addressing the CII session on "India at the Centre: The Geography of Growth The Andhra Pradesh Advantage". The Chief Minister posted on X that he told the industry leaders that Andhra Pradesh isn't just an investment destination but a strategic advantage. He showcased Andhra Pradesh's strengths across various sectors. "With nearly a quarter of India's FDI, our speed of doing business makes AP a premier investment hub. I invited the global industry to partner with us for long-term growth," he wrote. According to an official release, the Chief Minister said that India will become a global power by 2047, and Andhra Pradesh will be at the forefront of this transformation. He said that Andhra Pradesh has attracted 25 per cent of the foreign investments that have come into the country. The session discussed the vast investment opportunities in green energy, technology, fuel, digital infrastructure, logistics, and manufacturing sectors. CM Chandrababu Naidu explained the state government's policies and investment opportunities in various sectors. He informed the industrialists about green ammonia, Google investments, and the Andhra Pradesh brand image. He said that they are focusing on aspects such as Space City, ports, airports, and highway connectivity. The Chief Minister said that the coalition government in Andhra Pradesh is providing all-round support to investors, and that drones will be used in the agriculture and medical sectors. He said they are also planning to launch a drone ambulance from Andhra Pradesh in 2026. The CM stated that Andhra Pradesh's strengths lie in its 1,054-kilometre coastline, ports, and airports. He added that the government is working towards a target of natural farming on 50 lakh acres in the next 3-4 years. "I have been attending the World Economic Forum in Davos for decades. Every time I come to Davos, I learn new things from industrialists and experts. I share new ideas. I learn about the changes happening in various sectors, including technology, and formulate policies accordingly. In Davos, we understand the ideas of global industrialists and are transforming the state into a business-friendly state," he said. "The knowledge economy will change the country's economic system. Wealth creation will take place. Indians, especially the Telugu people, are at the forefront of adopting technology. Only by effectively utilising technology can we achieve amazing results. India has a youth power that no other country has. The country currently has unparalleled and capable leadership. In the past, it was very difficult to bring industrialists to Andhra Pradesh. Currently, such a situation does not exist. The achievements of the Telugu people and the Andhra Pradesh brand have become a positive factor," he added. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text London, Jan 20 : Pakistan's electricity crisis refuses to yield to repeated rounds of reform. The latest assessment by the power sector regulator identifies rising costs, stagnant demand, under-utilised capacity, persistent inefficiencies in transmission and distribution and an electricity system that continues to weigh on economic growth rather than support it, media reports said. London, Jan 20 (IANS) Pakistanas electricity crisis refuses to yield to repeated rounds of reform. The latest assessment by the power sector regulator identifies rising costs, stagnant demand, under-utilised capacity, persistent inefficiencies in transmission and distribution and an electricity system that continues to weigh on economic growth rather than support it, media reports said. Pakistan cannot industrialise, grow its manufacturing base, or expand exports without affordable and reliable electricity, according to an article in The News International. It said that energy is not merely a utility; it is a core input into competitiveness. High power tariffs function as an implicit tax on industry, pricing Pakistani exporters out of regional and global markets. No industrial policy, export incentive or exchange-rate adjustment can compensate for structurally expensive electricity, the article points out. Yet the dominant policy response continues to gravitate towards ownership change at the distribution end. Privatisation of distribution companies is repeatedly presented as the missing reform that will unlock efficiency and discipline. In reality, it risks becoming another distraction from the deeper structural problems embedded in the system, the article laments. In a system where tariff decisions are often subordinated to political considerations and payment discipline is weak, it is difficult to identify private investors with the balance-sheet strength and risk appetite to take on such assets at scale. Even if ownership were transferred, the underlying economics would remain unchanged, it observes. In most countries, electricity grids remain publicly owned or tightly regulated natural monopolies. Efficiency gains are typically achieved through governance, enforcement and planning discipline rather than outright privatisation. Efficiency has flowed from predictability and discipline, not from changing who owns the wires, the article points out. It explains that at the heart of this problem lies the structure of generation contracts. Capacity payments have grown into the single largest burden on the system. Pakistan now pays power plants not for electricity consumed, but for availability, regardless of whether the power is needed. Many plants operate well below capacity, yet their fixed dollar-denominated costs are fully recovered from consumers. These contracts were signed on the assumption of sustained demand growth and high utilisation rates that never materialised. Projects financed under large bilateral and multilateral arrangements intensified this rigidity. While they added capacity quickly, they also locked the system into long-term take-or-pay obligations with limited flexibility. As the regulator has repeatedly pointed out, the result is a generation cost structure that dominates the tariff and leaves little room for relief elsewhere in the value chain, the article added. Ayodhya, Jan 20 : The saints and seers of Ayodhya on Tuesday rallied behind Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, also known by the name of Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, over his recent statement that ignited a major controversy and also an intense debate in the social circles. "The day the moon makes its way on the national flag, Hindus will cease to exist," Dhirendra Shastri said at a recent event, stirring up the discourse, particularly on social media. A couple of Hindu saints, speaking to IANS, threw their weight behind him, stating that the Sanatan Dharma followers must stick to their roots, else this may result in their uprooting and also threaten the nation's sovereignty. Mahamandaleshwar Vishnu Das Ji Maharaj said, "Peethadhishwar of Bageshwar Dham said this to the Hindu community. Today, they are becoming divided, brother is turning against brother, and there is a lack of unity. If Hindus do not awaken, they will scatter. They will be destroyed." He said that the Ayodhya saints support his view and also make a fervent appeal to all 'sanatanis' to stay united and vigilant against imminent dangers. He warned that old traditions and religious titles would risk extinction if not protected from threats. Arya Sant Varun Das Vedanti Ji Maharaj said, "A moon will never appear on the tricolour. However, the community must remain vigilant about factors threatening India's sovereignty." Mahant Sitaram Das of Saket Bhavan Temple said, "Look, what Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri has said is correct. Saints possess vision and foresight. In the way extremist jihadists are spreading terror in our country and attempting to erase Sanatan culture, it is certain that the day a moon symbol appears on the tricolour, neither Verma, Sharma, Pandit, Thakur, Dalit, nor OBC will survive." He further said that it is no secret that in the neighbouring country, people are being attacked, killed, and beaten. The dignity of minority Hindu women is being violated, and warned that such incidents could also take place in India. Swami Jitendranand Saraswati, National General Secretary of the All India Saints' Committee, said, "The basis of the country's Partition was religion, and at that time only 23 per cent of the population in undivided India were Muslims. They demanded a separate country, which became Pakistan and later Bangladesh. Even today, similar forces continue their activities." "In these circumstances, I believe Dhirendra Shastri is not wrong in saying that those who question or challenge the tricolour may not allow India to remain united. No Islamic country in the world is fully democratic, and the rights of minorities are often not protected there. Therefore, his statement is not incorrect," he added. Sant Deveshacharya Maharaj of Siddhpeeth Hanumangarhi said, "Forget the moon. If their numbers rise by another 10 per cent, Hindus won't be safe. You must have seen in the recent Maharashtra elections how Owaisi attempted to provoke the minorities against the majority community by suggesting that the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister should be from their community. Today, they make demands at 20-25 per cent. Tomorrow, at 3040 per cent, they will take it by force. Hindus are not alert to their interests. In such a backdrop, Bageshwar Dham's comments are correct. The majority community must unite." Tokyo, Jan 20 : India's Ambassador to Japan, Nagma Mallick held a meeting with Yamanashi Prefecture's Vice Governor Junichi Ishidera on Tuesday, discussing forward cooperation between Yamanashi Prefecture and various Indian states. "Ambassador Ms. Nagma Mallick met with Vice Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, H.E. Mr. Junichi Ishidera and discussed taking forward cooperation between Yamanashi Prefecture and Indian states," the Indian Embassy in Japan posted on X. Earlier in the day, Mallick visited Yamanashi Hydrogen Company (YHC) and met chairman Yoshihiko Shimizu besides other officials. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Japan stated, "Ambassador Ms. Nagma Mallick visited Yamanashi Hydrogen Company (YHC) and toured the plant producing Green Hydrogen using cutting edge technology. She interacted with the Chairman of YHC, Mr Yoshihiko Shimizu and other officials at YHC." On Monday, Mallick held a meeting with Japan's Minister of Economic Security in Tokyo and discussed various facets of bilateral partnership, including economic security, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cultural connect. "Ambassador Nagma M Mallick called on Minister Onoda Kimi. They discussed the various facets of India-Japan partnership, including economic security, AI and cultural connect," the Indian Embassy in Japan posted on X. On January 16, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi co-chaired the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi and discussed economic, maritime, supply chain, critical mineral, technology, P2P and multilateral cooperation between both countries. "Pleased to co-chair the 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue alongside FM Toshimitsu Motegi in New Delhi today. Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership is on an upward trajectory and holds immense potential for shaping the world order and de-risking the international economy," EAM Jaishankar posted on X. "Todayas discussions on deeper economic, maritime, supply chain, critical mineral, technology, P2P and multilateral cooperation were reflective of our shared interests and mutual understanding. Also had a useful exchange of perspectives on Indo-Pacific and regional and global developments," he added. Toshimitsu Motegi also paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting that both Japan and India are "natural partners" that share fundamental values aaand strategic interests. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Motegi's meeting with PM Modi lasted for approximately 50 minutes. "At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Motegi stated that Japan and India are 'natural partners' that share fundamental values aaand strategic interests, and that he hopes to work together to realise a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific' based on their strong bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Minister Motegi's visit to India and stated that he hopes to deepen cooperation based on the Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership," read a statement issued by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It added that the two sides agreed to further invigorate bilateral exchanges in 2027, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India. Jammu, Jan 20 : J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday held pre-budget consultation with key departments ahead of the budget session of the legislative assembly. The Chief Minister reviewed departmental priorities, assessed public needs and stressed the importance of aligning proposals with the overall development goals of Jammu and Kashmir. He laid emphasis on people-centric initiatives, efficient service delivery and inclusive growth to ensure balanced development across all regions. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the portfolio of Finance Minister, held extensive deliberations with departments including Power Development, Housing and Urban Development, Finance, Revenue, General Administration, Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs, Tourism, Information and Information Technology. The meetings were attended by Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, Additional Chief Secretary Tourism, Additional Chief Secretary Power Development, Principal Secretary Finance, Administrative Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development, General Administration, Information, Revenue, Information Technology and Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs, besides senior officers of the Finance Department and other concerned officials. The consultative process will continue on January 21 and January 22 with another 15 key departments. The Budget for 2026-27 will be presented by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Assembly on February 6. This will be the second budget to be presented by the Chief Minister. Omar Abdullah also holds the finance and planning department, and his second budget in office after coming to power in 2024 is being keenly awaited by government servants, people connected with trade and industry and above all, the common citizen. There are many electoral promises made by the ruling National Conference, including 200 units of free electricity to poor families, which are still unfulfilled. Alappuzha, Jan 20 : The Communist Party of India (Marxist), on Tuesday, found itself on the defensive after news surfaced that Alappuzha MLA Daleema Jojo shared a stage at a programme organised by the Jamaat-e-Islami-controlled Kaniv Charitable Organisation, opening up a fresh political flashpoint ahead of a crucial election cycle in Kerala. Alappuzha, Jan 20 (IANS) The Communist Party of India (Marxist), on Tuesday, found itself on the defensive after news surfaced that Alappuzha MLA Daleema Jojo shared a stage at a programme organised by the Jamaat-e-Islamia"controlled Kaniv Charitable Organisation, opening up a fresh political flashpoint ahead of a crucial election cycle in Kerala. MLA Jojo attended the event at Vaduthala to inaugurate an ambulance delivery programme, which was inaugurated by Jamaat-e-Islami Kerala Ameer Mujeeb Rahman. The MLA later said her presence should not be politicised, stressing that it was a charity event and that she neither endorsed nor aligned with the organisation's ideology. She left the venue soon after inaugurating the ambulance and singing a song. However, the optics have proved politically costly for the ruling CPI-M-led Kerala government, which has for months mounted a sustained attack on the Congress, accusing it of "soft-pedalling" towards Jamaat-e-Islami and other communal organisations. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and senior CPI-M leaders have repeatedly alleged that the Congress-led UDF has been tacitly accommodating Islamist groups for electoral gains, projecting the LDF as the sole defender of secular, democratic values. Opposition leaders has always said that the CPI-M has a long history of political engagement and tactical understanding with Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates, particularly during earlier phases of Kerala's political churn. Within the CPI-M, the incident has triggered discomfort. Party sources indicated that while Jojo's explanation may be accepted at a personal level, the broader political messaging has been muddied at a time when the CPI-M is attempting to sharpen its ideological contrast with the Congress. The CPI-M leadership is keen to avoid the perception of double standards, especially as it seeks to consolidate minority and secular voters without conceding ground to rival political narratives. The episode underscores the tightrope Kerala's political parties walk in balancing electoral pragmatism with ideological positioning. With both the CPI-M and Congress accusing each other of selective secularism, the Jamaat-e-Islami question has once again emerged as a fault line in the state's fiercely competitive political landscape. New Delhi, Jan 20 : With a marginal improvement in Delhi's air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas on Tuesday revoked strict measures under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage IV, which were in force since January 17, an official said. The CAQM said in a statement, "Delhi's daily average AQI has shown significant improvement as it recorded 440 on January 18, which improved to 410 on Monday and further improved and recorded 378 on Tuesday as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)." "Noting this declining trend in the AQI levels of Delhi, the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP met today to review the current air quality scenario in the region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD/ IITM," it said. Keeping in view the disruptive nature of restrictions under Stage-IV of the extant GRAP impacting a large number of stakeholders and the public as well as considering the trend of improvement in the average AQI of Delhi, the GRAP Sub-Committee unanimously decides to revoke Stage-IV of the extant schedule of GRAP in the entire NCR, with immediate effect, it said. "Further, all actions under Stages III, II and I of the extant schedule of GRAP (November 2025) shall, however, remain in place and be implemented, monitored and reviewed by all agencies concerned in NCR to ensure that the AQI levels do not rise further in the coming days," said the CAQM. It said that construction and demolition project sites, which have been issued specific closure orders on account of violations/non-compliances of various Statutory Directions, rules and guidelines, shall under no circumstances resume their operations without any specific order to this effect from the Commission. Bhopal, Jan 20 : Congress workers staged a protest in Bhopal on Tuesday, demanding that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Madhya Pradesh government should remove the state's Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, who's controversial remarks against Army officer, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, had sparked public outrage and widespread criticism across the country after the successful 'Operation Sindoor' in May last year. During a protest march led by the State General Secretary of Congress, Amit Sharma, a party worker, who wore a mask, presenting BJP Minister Kunwar Vjay Shah, was handcuffed and paraded from the Congress office to a police station. Protesters were also holding Colonel Sofiya Qureshi's posters printed with slogans hailing the Indian Army. Amit Sharma, talking to the media, alleged that the BJP government was shielding Kunwar Vijay Shah, who insulted Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. "The Supreme Court has directed the Madhya Pradesh government to prosecute state minister Kunwar Vijay Shah. Congress demands the immediate removal of Vijay Shah from the state Cabinet. Congress will also hold a protest at the Chief Minister's residence if Shah is not removed from the ministerial post," Sharma added. Development came a day after the Supreme Court pulled up the Madhya Pradesh government for sitting on the special investigation team (SIT) report in connection with Shah's remarks against Col Qureshi. The apex on Monday also directed the Madhya Pradesh government to decide within two weeks on the grant of sanction to prosecute Shah, who faced an apex court-appointed SIT probe for remarks targeting Col Qureshi. The Court noted that the special investigation team (SIT) has completed its probe and submitted its final report. However, further proceedings have been stalled as the report awaits mandatory sanction from the state government under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with the promotion of communal hatred and ill-will. Earlier, when Shah's controversial remarks sparked a political storm in the state, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had then stated that the government would take action as per the direction of the court. BRUSSELS, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said on Monday that Europe has no interest in picking a fight with the United States, but has a range of tools at its disposal to protect its interests. In a post on social media platform X following a meeting in Brussels with Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, Kallas stressed that Arctic security is a shared transatlantic interest and an issue Europe could discuss with the United States. "But tariff threats are not the way to go about this," she said. "Sovereignty is not for trade," Kallas added, reiterating that Europe has "no interest in picking a fight," but would stand its ground and has "a slate of tools" to safeguard its interests. According to European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill, leaders of EU member states will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to discuss U.S. threats related to Greenland and assess possible retaliatory measures. Chennai, Jan 20 : Veteran Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister T.S. Singhdeo, who is leading the All India Congress Committee (AICC) screening committee for the upcoming Assembly elections, said on Tuesday that the party has received an overwhelming response from aspirants in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, signalling heightened internal mobilisation ahead of the polls. Addressing reporters in Chennai, Singhdeo said the Congress had received nearly 5,285 applications from ticket aspirants in Tamil Nadu and around 800 applications in Puducherry. He described the numbers as an indication of renewed organisational energy and growing interest in contesting on the Congress symbol. Explaining the candidate selection process, Singhdeo said the Congress' screening committee would submit its recommendations to the Central Election Committee of the AICC, after taking into account the views of the respective Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Presidents. He added that the process would be consultative and layered, with inputs flowing from the grassroots to the party's national leadership. "Once the Pradesh election committee is constituted, it will place its recommendations before the screening committee. The screening committee, in turn, will report to the Central Election Committee," he said. Emphasising inclusiveness, Singhdeo added that the Congress had suggested extending the screening process down to the block and district levels to ensure broader participation. The veteran Congress leader said the committee would meet not only applicants seeking tickets but also party workers and supporters who wished to back other aspirants. "People coming together to support a particular candidate is a healthy sign for the party organisation," he noted, underlining that collective endorsement would be viewed positively. On alliance-related speculation, Singhdeo declined to comment on whether the Congress would enter into an electoral understanding with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). However, he expressed confidence that the INDIA bloc would register a decisive victory in the forthcoming Assembly elections. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee has taken a key organisational step by announcing the long-pending appointment of District Congress Committee (DCC) Presidents for 71 districts as part of the party's 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan'. Singhdeo said the AICC-appointed observers had conducted detailed district-level reviews, interacted with party functionaries and stakeholders, and submitted comprehensive reports. These were followed by one-to-one discussions with party observers and senior Congress leaders before finalising the appointments. He added that the organisational revamp would strengthen the Congress at the grassroots and prepare it for the electoral battle ahead. New Delhi, Jan 20 : Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said on Tuesday that the claim made by Leader of the Opposition Atishi that she did not insult the Sikh Gurus during a House discussion is completely false. He claimed that Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta ordered a forensic examination of the original Assembly recording, and the report established that Atishi referred to the Sikh Gurus using wholly inappropriate and disrespectful language. The Delhi BJP President said that people of Delhi and the country want to know from Atishi, who claims to respect Sikhism and says her family relates to the Sikh faith, where she was from January 6 - the day she made the controversial comment in the Assembly to January 18. Sachdeva stated that on the morning of January 7, when Delhi Government Minister Kapil Mishra posted the video of Atishi's objectionable remarks about the Sikh Gurus on the social media platform X, the issue spiralled into a big controversy. The Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly also issued Atishi a notice to appear before the House, but till the Punjab Government's forensic report on the video came out, she neither declared Mishra's post on X to be false nor appeared before the Assembly in response to the Speaker's notice. Sachdeva said that, in any case, Atishi is not the first "AAP" leader to insult a particular religion. Before her, Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj insulted Christianity while presenting a skit on air pollution around last Christmas; in October 2024 former minister Rajendra Pal Gautam insulted Hindu deities; and in early 2021, AAP leaders and workers insulted the holy Quran. "Therefore, the insult committed by Atishi is not the first religious offence by AAP leaders," said the Delhi BJP chief. Hyderabad, Jan 20 : Telangana has set the goal of raising its contribution to India's GDP to 10 per cent, supported by a clear roadmap to build a USD 3 trillion economy, industry minister D. Sridhar Babu said on Tuesday. Hyderabad, Jan 20 (IANS) Telangana has set the goal of raising its contribution to Indiaas GDP to 10 per cent, supported by a clear roadmap to build a USD 3 trillion economy, industry minister D. Sridhar Babu said on Tuesday. He invited global industry leaders to partner in Telangana Rising, a long-term vision built on policy stability, ease of doing business, and innovation-led growth. At the inauguration of the India Pavilion at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Minister Sridhar Babu invited the industry leaders to invest in the state. He told them that Telangana today offers a conducive, predictable ecosystem where global companies can scale, invest and participate meaningfully in the stateas development journey. He said that life sciences, electronics, semiconductors, IT, aerospace, renewable energy and green technologies are the priority sectors. The minister stated that with Rs 2.5 lakh crore in investments mobilised over the past two years, the emphasis remains on sustaining growth, creating employment and strengthening Telanganaas global standing. He told the investors that Telangana has become a role model for other states in ease of doing business. Sridhar Babu said that his government's resolve is not to wait for the future, but to build it. He stated that they have set a target of increasing Telangana's share in the country's GDP to 10 per cent by 2047 and are taking visionary and planned steps accordingly. He stated that a comprehensive roadmap has been prepared with the participation of experts, industrialists, and the public to propel Telangana's economy to $3 trillion by 2047. He added that this vision document gives utmost priority to key sectors that will boost the state's economy. He elaborated on the favourable conditions, opportunities, and the existing ecosystem in Telangana for investments in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, life sciences, biotechnology, healthcare innovation, electronics, semiconductors, hardware manufacturing, IT, ITES, aerospace, defence, textiles, apparel manufacturing, food processing, agro-based industries, renewable energy, and green technologies. He affirmed that they are sincerely working to bring new industries to the state and create employment opportunities for the youth. He mentioned that his government has attracted investments worth approximately Rs 2.5 lakh crore in the last two years at the Davos forum. He added that this year too, with the same spirit, they will explain the policies designed to boost industrial development and strive to encourage leading companies to invest in Telangana. The minister announced that the Life Sciences Policy 2.0 and the Telangana AI Innovation Hub (TAIH) will be formally launched at the Davos forum to further enhance the global recognition of the "Telangana brand." Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20 : The Sabarimala temple gold theft case took a significant legal turn on Tuesday with the Kollam Vigilance Court granting statutory bail to prime accused Unnikrishnan Potti in the case relating to the alleged replacement and theft of 'dwarapalaka (guardians)' gold plates. The bail was granted after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to file a charge sheet within the mandatory 90-day period following his arrest. The court order entitles the accused to default bail under criminal procedure, underscoring procedural lapses in the investigation of one of Keralaas most politically-sensitive temple-related cases. However, Unnikrishnan Potti will not be able to walk out of jail immediately, as he continues to remain in custody in connection with the 'kattilapala (panel)' gold theft case, for which bail is yet to be secured. The accused had moved the court citing the SITas inability to complete the investigation and submit the final report within the stipulated timeframe. Accepting the argument, the Vigilance Court ruled in his favour, granting bail solely on statutory grounds rather than on the merits of the case. The development is likely to intensify scrutiny of the SITas handling of the investigation, which was constituted to probe alleged large-scale irregularities in the handling, replacement and custody of gold at the Sabarimala temple. The case has triggered sustained political controversy, with the Opposition repeatedly questioning the pace, transparency and direction of the probe. The failure to file a charge sheet within the prescribed period could also open the door for similar relief to other accused if procedural delays persist. The SIT is expected to expedite the remaining aspects of the probe, particularly in the 'kattilapala' case, as pressure mounts to demonstrate investigative credibility. With parallel political, judicial and enforcement scrutiny surrounding the Sabarimala gold theft, the grant of bail to the prime accused adds a new layer of complexity to a case that continues to reverberate far beyond the courtroom. This development took place on a day when the Enforcement Directorate officials raided 21 places across three states after they had earlier this month registered a case into the alleged money laundering angle in the gold heist which the High Court appointed SIT is probing and have arrested 13 people. Chennai, Jan 20 : With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu on January 23, special prayers were offered at the renowned Sri Varahi Amman Temple in Karimangalam in Krishnagiri district, seeking divine blessings for the success of his visit and the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) political outreach in the state, BJP sources said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Modi is expected to arrive in Chennai on January 23 to attend a major NDA campaign rally at Madurantakam, an event that is seen as politically significant ahead of the upcoming state Assembly elections. The rally is expected to galvanise party cadres and consolidate support for the alliance across southern Tamil Nadu. In this backdrop, Krishnagiri East District President Kaviarasu led a special prayer ceremony at the Karimangalam Sri Varahi Amman Temple, a shrine widely revered by devotees for its spiritual significance and believed powers. The prayers were conducted specifically in the name of Prime Minister Modi, invoking blessings for his safety, good health, and the overall success of his Tamil Nadu visit. Speaking on the occasion, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders said the Prime Minister's visit comes at a crucial moment and reflects the growing importance of Tamil Nadu in the national political landscape. They added that the NDA rally at Madurantakam is expected to send out a strong political message and energise the grassroots machinery of the alliance. Several senior and local leaders of the BJP participated in the prayer ceremony, underscoring the organisational emphasis placed on the Prime Minister Modi's programme. Party workers and supporters from surrounding areas also gathered at the temple to take part in the rituals. Following the prayers, food was distributed to all attendees as part of a community service initiative, reflecting the BJP's effort to combine religious observance with social outreach. The event concluded peacefully with chants and devotional offerings, as BJP leaders expressed confidence that the Prime Minister's visit would further strengthen the NDA's presence and momentum in Tamil Nadu. The special prayers at Karimangalam mark one of several preparatory activities being undertaken by party units across the state ahead of Prime Minister Modi's high-profile visit. Abu Dhabi, Jan 20 : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday announced that the country's President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has accepted the invitation from the United States to join the Board of Peace. The decision was announced by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Abu Dhabi, Jan 20 (IANS) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday announced that the country's President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has accepted the invitation from the United States to join the Board of Peace. The decision was announced by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. "His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed emphasized that the UAE's decision reflects the importance of fully implementing President Donald J. Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza, which is critical for the realization of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. His Highness reaffirmed the UAE's confidence in President Trump's leadership and commitment to global peace, exemplified by the historic Abraham Accords," read a statement issued by the UAE Foreign Ministry. "His Highness reaffirmed the UAE's readiness to contribute actively to the mission of the Board of Peace, supporting greater cooperation, stability, and prosperity for all," it added. On Saturday, UAE had welcomed the announcement of the launch of second phase of Peace Plan and formation of the National Committee for the administration of Gaza. Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, welcomed the announcement of the launch of the second phase of the comprehensive peace plan, as well as the formal establishment of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a temporary transitional body established pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 2803. UAE further welcomed the announcement by US President Donald Trump of the 'Board of Peace' as an important framework supporting efforts to consolidate stability and advance the political process. In this context, the minister commended the leadership efforts of President Trump, as well as steadfast endeavours undertaken by Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, in supporting the peace process and strengthening prospects for security and stability in the region. "The UAE believes that achieving lasting peace requires the concerted efforts of the international community and effective governance of the Gaza Strip in a way that ensures the legitimate rights and aspirations of the brotherly Palestinian people, contributes to stability, and supports the peace process toward a more secure and prosperous future for the region," stated Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy. US President Donald Trump last week announced the creation of the Board of Peace for Gaza as the Gaza peace deal reached in October enters its second phase, which focuses on full demilitarization and reconstruction. Over the past few days, a number of world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, have received invitations to join the Trump-proposed board. Canberra, Jan 20 : Australian Parliament on Tuesday passed tougher gun control and hate crime laws in response to last month's Bondi Beach shooting during a Jewish festival. The gun control laws, which establish a national firearm buyback scheme and tighten import controls, passed both houses with support from the Greens party. The legislation will also strengthen background checks for gun license holders and applicants, improve information sharing between security agencies, restrict gun imports to Australian citizens only, and impose tighter limits on the types of firearms that can be imported, Xinhua News Agency reported. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged decisive action on strengthening gun laws after 15 people were fatally shot in a terrorist attack that targeted a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach on December 14. Authorities said in the wake of the attack that one of the two gunmen had a firearms license and legally owned six guns. The hate crime laws will grant powers to designate organizations as "hate groups," allow a minister to cancel or refuse visas for individuals who spread hateful or extremist views, and create stronger offenses for advocating violence or preaching hate to children. Australian neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network disbanded last week in response to the new hate speech laws. On Monday, Australia's federal parliament has paid tribute to the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting after being reconvened to debate new laws proposed in response to the terror attack. The federal parliament on Monday morning observed a minute of silence as a motion was tabled to honour the 15 victims of the attack that targeted an event celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at the iconic beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs on December 14. Addressing the parliament, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that Monday should have been just "another day" for the victims, reports Xinhua news agency. "Instead, our parliament comes together in sorrow to offer our nation's condolences to the people who knew and loved them best," he said. Josh Burns, one of the most prominent Jewish members of Albanese's Labor Party government, said that Australia's response to the attack would define the country. "We must not dehumanise each other, because dehumanisation is what leads to exactly what happened in Bondi," he said. Cape Town, Jan 20 : Six people were killed and two others wounded in two separate shooting incidents in the early hours of Tuesday in Cape Town, South Africa's legislative capital, police said. In a statement, Western Cape provincial police said the first shooting was reported at about 2:50 am local time on Tuesday in Melck Street in Ndabeni, an area under the Maitland policing precinct. Officers were alerted by a passer-by after a dog was seen lying in a pool of blood, Xinhua News Agency reported. "Upon responding, members discovered three women aged between 20 and 52, and an adult male, inside an informal dwelling," the statement said. "All four victims sustained fatal gunshot wounds and were declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel." Police said the circumstances surrounding the incident were under investigation and that no arrests had been made. Detectives from the Serious Violent Crime Unit were following up on all leads. About five minutes later, in an unrelated incident, police responded to another shooting at the Maitland Cemetery along Voortrekker Road in Kensington. Four men were found with gunshot wounds, police said. Two men, aged 35 and 36, were declared dead at the scene, while two others, aged 31 and 32, were taken to a medical facility for treatment. The motive for the attack was believed to be gang-related, according to the police statement. Anti-Gang Unit detectives are investigating two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder in that case. No arrests have yet been made. "SAPS Western Cape strongly condemns the senseless violence that claimed six lives and left two others injured during separate shooting incidents," the statement said, adding that police "will relentlessly pursue those responsible with the full might of the law and remain committed to restoring safety in affected communities." Kohima, Jan 20 : Highlighting the rapidly evolving media landscape marked by the spread of misinformation and increasingly complex social realities, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday urged journalists to remain steadfast in their commitment to truth, ethical reporting, and sensitivity while discharging their professional responsibilities. Addressing the valedictory programme of the Kohima Press Clubas 25th anniversary at the Capital Convention Centre here, the Chief Minister observed that much of todayas news is increasingly controversial and negative, with some sections of the press turning anti-establishment, creating what he described as a concerning global situation. He expressed hope that the Kohima Press Club (KPC) would continue to be a beacon of fearless and responsible journalism in the years ahead. Rio said that the Clubas journey reflects the evolution of journalism in Nagaland despite challenges such as limited resources, a lack of industries, and inadequate advertising support. He noted that journalists in the state continue to work with resilience and commitment under difficult circumstances. Tracing the history of media in Nagaland, Rio recalled the launch of the first vernacular newspaper, Naga Messenger, in 1933. He added that although the Ao dialect version was circulated only in Mokokchung district, it served its purpose, as news travels fast, highlighting the enduring spirit of informing the public despite the stateas challenges. Rio also appreciated the KPCas initiatives, including the Impact Journalism Award and the Nagaland Building and Other Construction Workersa Welfare Board (NBOCWWB) media fellowships, noting that these efforts not only recognise excellence in journalism but also encourage in-depth, people-centric reporting that gives voice to often overlooked sections of society. Highlighting the North East Media Conclaves organised as part of the Clubas milestone celebrations, Rio described the initiative as timely and commendable, reflecting a forward-looking vision to prepare journalists for emerging challenges while reinforcing the core values of credibility, responsibility, and integrity in disseminating information to the masses. Kohima Press Club President Alice YhoshA, in her presidential address, emphasised the Clubas journey and achievements over the past 25 years. Press Club of India President Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, delivering the keynote address, lauded the KPC for marking its 25 years through meaningful engagement with journalists from neighbouring states, describing it as a timely and reflective exercise for the profession. She noted that despite having a small membership base, the Club has demonstrated exceptional dedication and professionalism. Journalists from various Northeastern states also addressed the event. New Delhi, Jan 20 : In a significant relief to residents, tenants, and other stakeholders of the Ambience Island project in Gurugram, the Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside a judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had quashed approvals relating to the project and ordered a CBI probe. Allowing the appeals filed by the Ambience Group and related parties, a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Sandeep Mehta held that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had erred in interfering with the delicensing and relicensing of land parcels forming part of the integrated township. Setting aside the impugned July 10, 2020 judgment, the apex court also directed that the connected proceedings pending before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) will remain in abeyance until the Punjab and Haryana High Court decides another writ petition filed by certain homebuyers, uninfluenced by any observations made by the Supreme Court. The dispute arose from allegations by some homebuyers that land originally earmarked for residential use in Ambience Island had been utilised for the construction of commercial towers. Accepting these contentions, the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2020 had not only invalidated the approvals granted by Haryana's Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) for Ambience Commercial Tower II, but had also ordered a CBI investigation into the matter. In its detailed order, the Justice Pardiwala-led bench noted that the expression "delicensing" was not alien to the statutory framework and that the Punjab and Haryana High Court's sweeping findings of illegality and collusion were unsustainable on the material placed on record. The apex court said that branding the entire process as fraudulent and directing a criminal investigation, without satisfying the settled parameters for such an exercise, was unwarranted. The Supreme Court clarified that the challenges made by certain homebuyers in a new writ petition against the DTCP findings would be examined independently by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on its own merits. Before the apex court, the Ambience Group was represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Pinaki Misra and Sanjeev Ralli, along with advocates from the leading litigation firm Karanjawala & Co. RAMALLAH, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Tuesday condemned Israel's demolition of structures within the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) compound in East Jerusalem, calling it a "blatant attack" on the United Nations. The PLO's Department of Refugee Affairs said the move sought to eliminate the UNRWA's humanitarian and political presence in the city. It urged the international community to intervene to prevent the "collapse of the international system." Witnesses and Palestinian sources said Israeli forces, accompanied by bulldozers, entered the compound earlier on Tuesday to raze mobile offices. After the demolition, the UN flag was removed and replaced with an Israeli flag. The Israel Land Authority described the operation as an enforcement action against "illegal" structures that violated planning and construction laws. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, was present at the scene and hailed the day as an "important day for sovereignty in Jerusalem." UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini called the move an "unprecedented attack" and a "deliberate defiance of international law" on X. Hamas also denounced the operation, calling it a "flagrant violation." Israel has long accused the UNRWA of employing members of Hamas, a claim the agency denies. While Israel considers all of Jerusalem its capital, the UN regards East Jerusalem as occupied territory and views the agency's mandate as protected under international law. In October 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law banning the UNRWA, which provides desperately-needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and other areas, from operating in areas under Israeli jurisdiction, and prohibiting Israeli authorities from maintaining contact or cooperation with the agency, a move the UNRWA and international bodies say violates international law. Israel then amended the law in December 2025 to ban electricity or water to UNRWA facilities. Last month, Israeli authorities seized the UNRWA's offices in East Jerusalem. New Delhi, Jan 20 : To counter traffic congestion, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta-chaired Expenditure Finance Committee meeting approved a Rs 1,471.14 crore six-lane elevated road project on M.B. Road from Saket G-Block to Pul Prahladpur, an official said on Tuesday. The major infrastructure project in South Delhi is expected to provide long-standing relief from chronic traffic congestion in the area, said CM Gupta, adding that the project will be executed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). In addition to easing traffic pressure, it will significantly reduce travel time. The project is targeted for completion by December 2027, she said. The meeting of the Expenditure Finance Committee was held at the Delhi Secretariat. Following detailed deliberations on the technical, financial and structural aspects of the project, approval was accorded. The Chief Minister stated that the project would mark a significant step towards creating a more organised and seamless traffic network in South Delhi. With a total length of nearly five kilometres, the project will be developed in two phases. The first elevated stretch will run from Saket G-Block to Sangam Vihar, measuring 2.42 kilometres. The second stretch will extend from Maa Anandmayee Marg to Pul Prahladpur, with a length of approximately 2.48 kilometres. The elevated road will be developed along the DMRC corridor alignment to ensure optimal coordination between road and metro infrastructure. The integrated structure will feature a double-decker system, with the metro operating on the upper deck and a six-lane elevated road corridor below. The project also includes the construction of two underpasses at Saket G-Block and along the BRT corridor. This design will enable higher traffic capacity within limited space and significantly improve vehicular movement in densely populated areas such as Saket G-Block, Ambedkar Nagar, Khanpur and Sangam Vihar, said CM Gupta. The Chief Minister said that the Delhi government has granted in-principle approval for an additional six-lane elevated road of approximately 2.5 kilometres from Sangam Vihar to Maa Anandmayee Marg. The proposal is being forwarded to the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, as the proposed alignment falls within the jurisdiction of Tughlaqabad Fort. Chief Minister Gupta said that the project would bring about a substantial improvement in South Delhias traffic system. Chronic congestion on M.B. Road will be eased, average vehicle speeds will increase, and millions of commuters will save valuable time. She added that the initiative reflects the governmentas continued commitment to providing the Capital with modern, seamless and future-ready infrastructure. Jaipur, Jan 20 : In a major breakthrough against cybercrime, the Jodhpur Commissionerate Police in Rajasthan has busted a massive international cyber fraud racket involving transactions worth over Rs 1,100 crore. The syndicate operated across India, Cambodia, Singapore, and Malaysia, with its primary base located in Cambodia. The operation was conducted under the direction of Police Commissioner Omprakash. Investigations revealed that fraudsters used Indian SIM cards activated illegally to contact victims via WhatsApp, luring them with fake investment and online trading schemes. An official said that technical analysis showed that the fraud calls and messages originated from locations such as Preah Sihanouk (Sihanoukville), Cambodia, despite using Indian mobile numbers. "These SIM cards were illegally transported abroad and used for cyber fraud targeting Indian citizens. Through extensive reverse data analysis, police examined records of nearly 2.30 lakh mobile SIM cards," he said. He pointed out that with assistance from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), it was found that around 36,000 Indian SIM cards were roaming in Cambodia. "Of these, 5,300 SIM cards alone were used to commit fraud worth Rs 1,100 crore across multiple Indian states. The modus operandi was highly deceptive. Accused Prakash Bhil and his associates targeted customers at mobile SIM Point-of-Sale (POS) outlets," he said. The official noted that under the pretext of the fingerprint or photo mismatch during verification, two SIM cards were activated instead of one. "Customers received one SIM, while the second was retained by the gang. These extra SIM cards were later sold at inflated prices and smuggled to Cambodia through Malaysian nationals, where they were used for cyber fraud operations," he said. He further added that so far, police have arrested five key accused, including SIM distributors and agents identified as Hemant Panwar SIM distributor (Nagaur), Ramavatar Rathi SIM sales agent, Harish Malakar Ajmer, Mohammad Sharif Jodhpur and Sandeep Bhatt Ludhiana, Punjab. Accused Prakash Bhil had been arrested earlier. The official said that a Look Out Circular (LOC) has been issued against four Malaysian nationals involved in transporting SIM cards to Cambodia, which include Lee Jian Hui, Lo Dee Khen, Chin Yu Ming and Leong Ken Neth. "The cyber fraud affected multiple states, while the funds siphoned include Maharashtra: Rs 248.21 crore, Tamil Nadu: Rs 225.50 crore, Delhi: Rs 73.67 crore, Telangana: Rs 73.43 crore, Karnataka: Rs 71.79 crore and Rajasthan: Rs 25.71 crore," he said. The official added that police are now moving to block nearly 5,000 suspicious SIM cards and their linked WhatsApp accounts operating from Cambodia. He said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted at the Commissionerate level to conduct an in-depth probe and identify additional accused, beneficiaries, and financial trails. New Delhi, Jan 20 : Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday expressed concern over the high levels of PM10 and the persistent issues related to solid waste management in some NCR cities in Haryana. Reviewing Action Plans of Rohtak, Manesar, Panipat and Karnal for tackling air pollution, Yadav said that a meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini would be convened to address these concerns. Yadav assured early funding and approvals for pollution mitigation schemes, emphasising that all NCR cities should be brought under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) framework. Reviewing the presentations, he ordered that comprehensive data be compiled on industries operating with and without Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO). The Minister directed that instructions be issued to all District Magistrates/District Collectors in NCR to collect data on CTO/CTE permissions, total commercial electricity connections, and industrial units with GST registration. These datasets are to be correlated to identify illegally operating and non-compliant industrial units, particularly with respect to OCEMS and Air Pollution Control Device (APCD) installations. The Minister directed an increase in the number of automated Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) integrated with the SAMEER App to enable real-time air quality monitoring. Yadav stressed the need for rigorous awareness generation among stakeholders whose activities contribute to pollution. He observed that smaller municipal corporations should be provided with appropriately sized commercial electric vehicles for public transport, keeping in view road width and passenger footfall. The use of Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs) and handheld litter pickers was also stressed, with directions that only EV/CNG-based machines be procured under the Op-Ex model. Under dust control measures, directions were issued for the plantation of local bush varieties in open spaces and on pavements, along with real-time repair of potholes. The Minister also called for the submission of short-term and long-term smart traffic management plans for all the reviewed cities to reduce congestion and vehicular emissions. Indore, Jan 20 : The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday constituted a state-level committee to investigate the water contamination incident in Indore's Bhagirathpura, which has led to several deaths and left nearly 500 people affected by waterborne diseases. Indore, Jan 20 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday constituted a state-level committee to investigate the water contamination incident in Indoreas Bhagirathpura, which has led to several deaths and left nearly 500 people affected by waterborne diseases. The committee, headed by Sanjay Kumar Shukla, Additional Chief Secretary of the General Administration Department, has been tasked with examining the actual causes and key facts behind the contamination. The panel also includes P. Narhari, Principal Secretary of the Public Health Engineering Department, and Sanket Bhodave, Commissioner of the Directorate of Urban Administration and Development. Indore Divisional Commissioner Sudam Khade has been appointed as the membera'secretary. According to the Indore district administration, the committee will analyse administrative, technical and management deficiencies that led to the incident. It will also determine the accountability of officers and employees responsible, make recommendations to prevent recurrence, and assess additional matters incidental to the probe. The committee has been authorised to obtain records, reports and information from relevant departments and conduct ona'site inspections wherever necessary. It must submit its report to the state government within one month. Officials said the health situation in Bhagirathpura has improved significantly, and water supply has resumed in 30 per cent of the area. However, residents continue to rely on water tankers for daily needs. Indoreas Chief Medical and Health Officer, Madhav Prasad Hasani, said 17 patients remain hospitalised, including seven undergoing treatment in ICU wards. The contamination, which came to light in the last week of December, triggered a major health crisis in Bhagirathpura. A total of 450 people suffering from diarrhoea had been admitted to multiple hospitals, of whom 433 had been discharged by Tuesday evening. New Delhi, Jan 20 : The Centre has reduced the stock limits for jute traders and balers due to the sharp increase in jute prices in recent months, which are prevailing well above the minimum support price (MSP) for 2025-26, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. The reduction in the stock limits has been announced to prevent hoarding and speculative practices in the trade of raw jute. The measure is aimed at increasing the availability of jute in the market to cool down the price spiral to protect the interests of workers, the statement said. The stock limits are revised and issued in terms of the provisions of the Jute and Jute Textiles Control Order, 2016. The revision has been necessitated by the sharp rise in jute prices in the past few months, which are well above the minimum support price (MSP) for 2025-26. The volatility in the prices and speculative increases has the potential to threaten the jute industry and has the potential for disruption in the production and employment in the industry. These measures are intended to stabilise jute supply, prevent market manipulation, and support the interests of farmers, manufacturers, and consumers nationwide, the statement said. Under the new limits, raw jute balers with baling presses on premises are allowed to stock a maximum of 1,200 quintals at any time, while other stockists (excluding balers) can stock only a maximumof 25 quintals at any time. Raw jute traders who have not applied for registration with the office of the Jute Commissioner are allowed to stock a maximum of only 5 quintals at any time. The maximum stock limit for jute mills has been fixed at up to the equivalent of 45 daysa consumption as per current production rates. According to the regulatory instructions, all stocking entities are required to declare and update jute stock positions fortnightly on the Jute SMART portal (http://jutecomm.gov.in/JuteSmart.html). Entities holding stocks exceeding the prescribed limits must reduce their holdings within 10 days from the issuance of the order, physically deliver the excess to consignees, and submit compliance reports with supporting documentation to the Jute Commissioneras Office promptly, not later than 10th February 2026. For raw jute stocked in a single premise in the names of different traders/stockists/balers, etc., the total quantity on that premise must be within the declared limits. Officials are authorised to inspect premises and records, and to seize excess stocks found in contravention of this order. Requests have also been made to respective State Governments for assistance in enforcement action against the entities hoarding raw jute. Punitive action in terms of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, shall be initiated against any entity which is found to violate the instructions regarding declaring the stock positions or violation of stock limits, the regulations state. Penalty for contravention of the stock control order is provided under Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Further, the confiscation provisions for violation of the order are defined under Section 6 and the penalty for false statements is provided under Section 9 of the Act. Guwahati, Jan 20 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that the state is proactively preparing its workforce for an increasingly automated and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven future, leveraging its young demographic advantage and focusing on industry-aligned skill development. Speaking on the second day of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting here, CM Sarma shared how Assam is reshaping its skilling ecosystem to meet the demands of emerging technologies and future-ready industries. In a post on social media platform X, the Chief Minister said Assam is "rewriting the training playbook" to ensure that its workforce remains competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy. Highlighting key initiatives, CM Sarma said the Assam Skill Development University, along with several complementary programmes, has been positioned at the centre of the state's skilling strategy. He noted that industry-friendly curricula and practical, employment-oriented training modules are being embedded across programmes to align human capital development with market needs. "Given our young demography, it is imperative that we equip our youth with relevant skills for an AI-enabled and automated environment," CM Sarma said, adding that the state is moving beyond traditional training models to adopt future-focused approaches. The Chief Minister also pointed to Assam's growing strength in advanced manufacturing, saying that the state hosts one of the most digitally advanced manufacturing facilities in the world. He said such cases demonstrate Assam's readiness to integrate cutting-edge technology with industrial growth, while simultaneously generating skilled employment opportunities. The session witnessed an engaging exchange of ideas among global leaders and policymakers. Chief Minister Sarma was joined on the panel by Kevin Stitt, Gretchen Whitmer, Benjamin Haddad, and Kiva Allgood. According to CM Sarma, the discussion focused on preparing workforces for technological disruption, the role of governments in skill transformation and the importance of collaboration between industry, academia and policymakers. Assam is attending the World Economic Forum for the first time this year. Officials said the state's participation has generated considerable interest among global stakeholders, particularly in areas such as skilling, manufacturing, semiconductors and digital transformation, positioning Assam as an emerging destination for future-oriented investments. Washington, Jan 20 : Indian American attorney and educator Rakhi Israni on Tuesday announced her campaign for California's 14th Congressional District, entering the race with a message centred on rising costs, political division, and the need for reform-focused leadership. Israni announced a campaign video released on social media, highlighting her background as an educator, attorney, and mother of four, and framing her candidacy around what she described as a moment of responsibility in public life. "This moment calls on each of us to serve a purpose greater than ourselves and to stand firmly on the side of truth," Israni said in the video. "It is the same set of values my husband and I are passing down to our four children, and it is with these values I announce my campaign for Congress." She said the current political climate demanded leadership that could move away from confrontation and focus on practical outcomes. "Today's politics are defined by division and extreme rhetoric, so it is crucial for the safety of our communities that we elect a member of Congress focused on solving problems and lowering the temperature while hate and division infect our democracy," Israni said. Positioning herself as a problem-solver, she said her priority would be to address the economic pressures families face. If elected, she would be the second Indian American woman to serve in the House of Representatives and the first from California. The US Congress currently has six Indian Americans: Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Pramila Jayapal, Shri Thanedar, and Suhash Subramanyam. "I am ready to lead, to restore justice and truth to our government, and focus on finding solutions to lower the skyrocketing costs crippling families in the Bay Area and across the country," she added. According to her campaign, Israni has lived in Fremont for more than two decades, where she has raised her family and built her professional career. She cited her experience founding and leading a national test-preparation company, which she said drew on her background as an educator and enabled her to mentor thousands of students. Her legal work, the campaign said, has included representing underserved clients in family court and assisting elderly residents with estate planning. She has also been active in local schools, serving as PTA president at the elementary, middle, and high school levels attended by her children. The campaign highlighted her volunteer work with a large faith-based humanitarian organisation, where she said she used her legal expertise to support crisis relief and community assistance. It also pointed to her involvement with interfaith councils and national nonprofit boards as evidence of long-standing civic engagement. California's 14th Congressional District covers parts of the eastern Bay Area and includes diverse suburban communities with a significant population of professionals, immigrants, and families. The district has been a focal point in recent elections amid broader debates over the cost of living, education, and governance in California. Chennai, Jan 20 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M. K. Stalin on Tuesday issued a strong call for unity, discipline, and intensive grassroots work as the party prepares for the upcoming Assembly elections. Addressing a meeting of DMK district secretaries at the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, Stalin laid out clear political and organisational directives, emphasising that electoral success would depend on relentless field-level engagement. The consultation meeting, chaired by Stalin, saw the passage of several key resolutions aimed at strengthening the party's organisational machinery ahead of the polls. Speaking to the district secretaries, the Chief Minister cautioned party functionaries against being distracted by internal or external attempts to sow discord within the alliance. "Within any alliance, there will always be some who do not like us," Stalin said. "Such elements may express unnecessary opinions or try to create confusion. None of us should fall prey to such designs." Stressing that alliance management and seat-sharing negotiations would be handled at the leadership level, he urged party cadres to remain focused solely on election work. Stalin made it clear that every constituency mattered. "You must work with the mindset that I am contesting in all 234 Assembly constituencies," he told the district secretaries, calling on them to give "100 per cent fieldwork" in every region. He underlined that organisational complacency at any level could prove costly in a closely fought election. Highlighting the importance of public engagement, Stalin advised party workers to maintain humility and patience while interacting with citizens. "When people voice their grievances, we must not respond with anger, irritation, or arrogance. Our only objective should be to return to power by earning the people's trust," he said. The Chief Minister also outlined the party's approach to its election manifesto, stating that the DMK would release a people-centric document shaped by public participation. He reiterated that the party's governance model aims to ensure that no family in Tamil Nadu is left untouched by welfare schemes and development initiatives. Calling on party cadres to take the achievements of what he described as the "Dravidian model of governance" to every household, Stalin urged district secretaries to intensify campaign efforts. "With only a few days left for the elections, we must work tirelessly, day and night, to secure victory," he said. The meeting underscored the DMK leadership's emphasis on unity, discipline, and mass outreach as the party moves into the decisive phase of the electoral battle. --IANS aal/dan Davos, Jan 20 : The real challenge is not whether we should transition, but how to deliver sustainability at scale and speed, Pralhad Joshi said on Tuesday. At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 here, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said the defining challenge of this decade is not about deciding on sustainability, but about delivering it at scale, at speed and in a way that strengthens the economy. Speaking at multiple high-level sessions, Joshi underlined that sustainability has moved from being an environmental concern to becoming the backbone of economic growth and global competitiveness. "Countries must now focus on building infrastructure that is resilient, scalable and ready to attract long-term investment," Joshi stated. At the session "Resilient Infrastructure for Growth", Joshi highlighted India's experience in combining large-scale expansion with system resilience. "India has already achieved 267 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by December 2025 and is firmly on track to meet its 2030 targets," he stated. "This progress is supported by strong policies, domestic manufacturing, grid modernisation, energy storage solutions, and emerging work in geothermal and nuclear energy," Joshi added. The minister stressed that the global energy transition cannot succeed without patient capital, blended finance and close cooperation between governments, private companies and multilateral development banks. "These partnerships are essential to ensure that the transition remains inclusive and affordable for developing nations," he added. While delivering the keynote address at the roundtable on "Delivering Sustainability at Scale", Joshi said sustainability is now central to long-term growth, resilience and competitiveness. He explained that India sees sustainability not as a limited technological shift, but as a deep transformation of the economy and society. Reiterating India's commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, Joshi said the country's approach is guided by the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam -- One Earth, One Family, One Future. New Delhi, Jan 20 : Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday hailed the news that the New Zealand Labour Party has officially announced to support the enabling legislation for the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). India and New Zealand concluded a comprehensive and long-awaited FTA last month, marking a major economic and strategic milestone. The negotiations were formally launched on March 16, 2025. In a post on X, Tharoor said the Labour Party's decision effectively "rescues" the deal for New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, as his coalition partner, New Zealand First, remains staunchly opposed and has invoked the "agree to disagree" clause. "Labour says it's a continuation of their long-standing efforts to deepen ties with India and that it would be irresponsible to block a deal with the world's fastest-growing major economy. Though they remain concerned about the 'dairy deficit' (the exclusion of core dairy products from the FTA), Labour argued that some progress is better than none and that the deal provides a vital foothold for other sectors like education, tech, and wine," Tharoor posted. The ruling National Party offered certain "political concessions" to secure Labour's votes. A specific one-year review mechanism is built into the agreement. "This allows for a formal pursuit of 'further improvements', specifically regarding dairy and environmental standards. The migration provisions, which are important for India, will also get special scrutiny," the Congress MP further said. The enabling legislation will now move through a parliamentary Committee process and is expected to pass with a "super-majority" (National + ACT + Labour) in the first half of 2026. "We may be in business with New Zealand by the end of the year! NZ may be a small economy, but concluding an FTA with it will be game-changer symbolically and signal that India is increasing its trade channels and widening its options," he wrote. The FTA eliminates duty on 100 per cent of Indian exports, along with a $20 billion investment commitment over 15 years to strengthen long-term economic and strategic cooperation. IANS na/ People gather near a fire breaking out at a shopping mall in Karachi, Pakistan, on Jan. 18, 2026. The death toll from a fire at a shopping mall in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi rose to 14 on Monday morning after rescue teams recovered more bodies during a search operation, officials said. (Xinhua) Inmates watch a riot at the Men's Detention Center Fraijanes II, Fraijanes Municipality, Guatemala, Jan. 17, 2026. Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo has declared a nationwide state of siege for 30 days following a wave of coordinated attacks against the country's National Civil Police, which left at least seven officers dead, authorities said Sunday. The emergency measure seeks to strengthen state action against criminal gangs and guarantee public security, Arevalo said, after violence erupted in connection with prison riots in which gang members took 46 people hostage at three detention centers. Arevalo also decreed three days of national mourning for the fallen officers and confirmed that authorities have regained control of the three prisons where unrest was reported. (Str/Xinhua) A worker prepares copper rod products for transportation at the workshop of a company in Huai'an, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 19, 2026. China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 5 percent year on year in 2025, meeting the annual target of around 5 percent, official data showed Monday. China's GDP reached a record of 140.1879 trillion yuan (about 20.01 trillion U.S. dollars) last year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed. (Photo by Yin Chao/Xinhua) People attend the Bull Run in San Sebastian de los Reyes, Spain, on Jan. 18, 2026. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua) A Long March-12 carrier rocket carrying the 19th group of low-orbit internet satellites blasts off from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 19, 2026. China launched a Long March-12 carrier rocket on Monday in the southern island province of Hainan, sending a group of internet satellites into space. The rocket lifted off at 3:48 p.m. from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site. The payloads, the 19th group of low-orbit internet satellites, entered into preset orbit successfully. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu) Residents clean a fire-affected area in Penco, Biobio region, Chile, Jan. 19, 2026. Chilean President Gabriel Boric has declared a state of catastrophe in the regions of Nuble and Biobio to address the emergency. (Str/Xinhua) A participant walks past the logo of the World Economic Forum prior to the opening of its annual meeting, in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 18, 2026. The 2026 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) will be held in Davos from Jan. 19 to 23. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) The return capsule of the Shenzhou-20 spaceship is pictured at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Jan. 19, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Zhipeng) A passenger purchases train ticket at a railway station in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 19, 2026. Train tickets for the first day of the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush went on sale on Monday, China's railway operator said. This year's travel rush period, known as chunyun, will run from Feb. 2 to March 13, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (Photo by Sun Zhongnan/Xinhua) This photo taken on Jan. 19, 2026 shows golden snub-nosed monkeys at the Dalongtan Golden Monkey Research Center in Shennongjia National Park under the Shennongjia Forestry District, central China's Hubei Province. The district is now home to 11 populations of golden snub-nosed monkeys, totaling 1,618 individuals, with a habitat area of 401 square kilometers. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun) People visit the Yuhu Village of Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) Zhu Yuling of China's Macao hits a return during the women's Singles final match against Sato Hitomi of Japan at the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 in Doha, Qatar, on Jan. 18, 2026. (Photo by Nikku/Xinhua) Davos, Jan 20 : Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said that the global industry now views Bharat as a dependable and strategic supply-chain partner, driven by the country's rapid progress in building a complete semiconductor and artificial intelligence ecosystem. Davos, Jan 20 (IANS) Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said that the global industry now views Bharat as a dependable and strategic supply-chain partner, driven by the countryas rapid progress in building a complete semiconductor and artificial intelligence ecosystem. Speaking at the World Economic Forum here, Vaishnaw said Bharat is steadily building a full semiconductor ecosystem that covers every major segment of the value chain, including chip design, fabrication, packaging, materials, specialty gases and advanced equipment. He said this integrated approach is helping India reduce dependence on imports while creating new opportunities for global collaboration. "Global industry sees Bharat as an increasingly reliable supplya'chain partner," Vaishnaw stated. "Bharat is building a complete semiconductor ecosystem covering design, fabrication, packaging, materials, gases and equipment," he mentioned. Vaishnaw noted that international companies now see Bharat as an increasingly reliable partner in global supply chains, especially at a time when countries are looking to diversify manufacturing bases and reduce risks linked to over-concentration in a few regions. Highlighting the growing confidence of global technology leaders in India, the minister said Google is strengthening its commitment to Bharatas artificial intelligence ecosystem. This includes plans for a $15 billion AI data centre in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and deeper partnerships with Indian startups working in advanced technology and innovation. He said such investments reflect Indiaas rising importance in future technologies such as semiconductors, AI and digital infrastructure. According to Vaishnaw, the governmentas focus on policy stability, skilled talent, and large domestic demand is creating a strong foundation for long-term growth in the high-technology manufacturing sector. The minister added that Bharat is no longer just a market for technology but is emerging as a global hub for innovation, production and trusted supply chains. "Google is strengthening its commitment to Indiaas AI ecosystem, including a $15B AI data centre in Vizag & partnerships with Indian startups," the Union Minister mentioned. Washington, Jan 20 : . U.S. President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday sharply criticised the United Kingdom over its plans to transfer Diego Garcia, home to a critical U.S. military base, to Mauritius, warning that the move reflected strategic weakness and posed serious national security risks. In a statement posted on his official social media account, Trump said Britain was acting irresponsibly by considering the handover of the strategically located island. "Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," he wrote. Trump argued that such a move would not go unnoticed by U.S. adversaries. "There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness," he said, referring to China and Russia. He added that these countries "only recognise STRENGTH." The president used the issue to underscore his broader argument about American leadership on the world stage. "Which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before," Trump said. He went on to sharply criticise the United Kingdom's approach, calling the potential transfer of Diego Garcia "an act of GREAT STUPIDITY." Trump said the decision reinforced his long-standing view that the United States must act decisively to secure strategic territory vital to its national security interests. Linking the issue to his controversial position on Arctic geopolitics, Trump said the situation added to his case for U.S. expansion elsewhere. He described the move as "another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired," again raising the idea of U.S. control over Greenland. Trump also issued a direct appeal to European allies, naming Denmark in particular. "Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING," he said, closing his statement with, "Thank you for your attention to this matter." Diego Garcia, located in the Indian Ocean, hosts a major joint U.S.UK military installation that has played a central role in American operations across the Middle East, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific region for decades. The base is widely regarded as one of Washington's most strategically important overseas military assets. The island is part of the Chagos Archipelago, which Britain detached from Mauritius before granting it independence in the late 1960s. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion finding the UK's continued administration of the territory unlawful and calling for its return to Mauritius. Bhubaneswar, Jan 20 : The Commissionerate Police in Odisha have arrested five persons in connection with an alleged sextortion case in which a 72-year-old retired State Government employee was defrauded of Rs 88 lakh in Cuttack, informed Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh on Tuesday. Police sources said the victim came into contact with the principal accused, Saroj Kumar Jena, and his associates through Facebook in January 2025. Over time, the accused gradually gained the victim's trust through repeated personal meetings at Roxy Hotel, Sagar Hotel and Jagabandhu Hotel in Cuttack by giving false assurances and developing a close rapport. In May 2025, the accused Saroj sought money from the victim on the pretext of medical treatment. Subsequently, the victim transferred Rs 1.48 lakh to the accused through online mode. The amount was repaid within two months, further strengthening the victim's trust. Later, the accused again demanded money on the pretext of his daughter's treatment. When the victim refused, Saroj devised a plan to extort money. "In the meantime, the accused persons made a WhatsApp video call to the victim, involving a nude woman on the other end and secretly recorded the call without the knowledge of the victim. Subsequently, the accused persons used the recorded video as a means of intimidation and coercion, repeatedly threatening the victim with its circulation on social media," informed the Commissionerate police. Police said the accused adopted deceptive tactics of blackmail and extortion to repeatedly induce the victim to transfer substantial amounts of money. "As a result of such continuous threats and fraudulent acts, the accused persons succeeded in extorting an aggregate amount of 88 lakh from the victim," police added. Based on a complaint lodged by the victim on Monday, a case was registered at the Cuttack Cyber Crime and Economic Offences Police Station. A special police team apprehended four accused persons from Jajpur district and one from Bhubaneswar on Monday. Police also seized Rs 14 lakhs in cash and gold ornaments worth several lakhs, two vehicles from the possession of the accused persons. Meanwhile, Commissionerate police sources said efforts are on to nab the principal accused, Saroj Kumar Jena, who is currently absconding. Jaipur, Jan 20 : In a significant decision aimed at protecting river ecology and the environment, the Rajasthan High Court has cancelled the auction of 93 gravel mining leases across Bhilwara, Tonk, Sawai Madhopur, and Ajmer districts. The court has directed the state government to refund the deposited amounts to the concerned leaseholders and submit a replenishment report of the leased areas for the past five years within four months. The court further ordered that no fresh auction of gravel leases should be conducted until the replenishment report is prepared and approved by the High Court or the Supreme Court. The ruling was delivered by a Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Baljinder Singh Sandhu while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Brijmohan Sapoot Kala Sanskriti Seva Sansthan. The court stressed that gravel mining leases must strictly adhere to environmental safeguards. It directed that each mining area be divided into five parts, with specific portions kept free for natural replenishment, and that these details be clearly mentioned in the auction notices. Appearing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Kamlakar Sharma and Advocate Alankrita Sharma informed the court that auctions were being conducted in 46 areas in Bhilwara, 34 in Tonk, nine in Ajmer and four in Sawai Madhopur. They argued that several of these areas had already been leased for gravel mining during 2022, 2023, and 2024, in violation of norms which mandate that once a lease is issued, no further mining should be permitted in the same area for the next five years to allow ecological replenishment. The court noted with concern that mining operations had already commenced in six of the 93 leased areas before the intervention. The PIL was entertained after the petitioner deposited Rs 50,000, as directed by the court. The High Courtas order sends a strong message to the authorities to balance development with environmental sustainability, particularly in riverbed and gravel mining, which directly impacts groundwater levels and river ecology. Hyderabad, Jan 20 : The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the phone-tapping case questioned the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former Telangana Minister T. Harish Rao for seven hours on Tuesday, officials said. The BRS leader came out of Jubilee Hills Police Station in the evening. In response to the notice issued by the SIT, Harish Rao has appeared before the investigating officials at 11 a.m. There was tension outside the police station towards the evening as a large number of supporters of the BRS leader had gathered there to show solidarity. This is the first time that a top BRS leader was questioned by the SIT for questioning in the case relating to alleged tapping of phones of political opponents, businessmen, journalists and even judges under the previous BRS government's tenure. Later, Harish Rao told media persons at BRS headquarters Telangana Bhavan that he was summoned as an act of vendetta for exposing corruption of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's brother-in-law S. Srujan Reddy. The former Minister said he asked more questions to SIT officials than the questions they asked. Denying the allegations of phone-tapping, he said he did not serve as the Home Minister. He demanded that then Director General of Police (DGP) Mahender Reddy and the then Intelligence Chief Shivadhar Reddy be called for questioning. Harish Rao voiced the apprehension that the state government may resort to media leaks of his questioning by the SIT. He dared the state government to make public the entire video of his questioning. The BRS leader reiterated that he was issued notice to divert public attention from the fighting between the Ministers for their share in corruption money. He alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was trying to implicate him in some case. Saying that he respects the law, Harish Rao said that if summoned again he would appear for questioning. Alleging a scam in coal tenders of public sector company Singareni Collieries, he demanded probe by a sitting judge. He said he would provide all the evidences to the sitting judge. Harish Rao alleged that Revanth Reddy's brother-in-law is involved in a scam of thousands of crores. Chandrapur, Jan 20 : Despite a significant victory in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation elections, the internal friction within the Chandrapur district unit of the Congress party has reached a breaking point as a public dispute has erupted between the Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar and party MP Pratibha Dhanorkar. The conflict, centred on the selection of local leadership and organisational control, has prompted the State Congress President to intervene. Dhanorkar levelled explosive allegations against Wadettiwar, accusing him of forcibly "lifting" newly elected corporators. The tension escalated during recent discussions regarding the appointment of key office-bearers in the district. According to reports, both Wadettiwar and Dhanorkar are pushing for their respective loyalists to be appointed to influential positions in the Chandrapur civic body and also in the district party unit. The rift became evident when supporters of both factions began operating independently, bypassing the traditional party hierarchy. The rift surfaced especially after Congress emerged as the single largest party by winning 27 of the total 66 seats, while the BJP won 23 seats in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation. The poll results set the stage for tough coalition negotiations. The friction is not new but has intensified following the Lok Sabha elections. Sources indicate that the disagreement involves the selection of the District President and other executive roles, with both leaders seeking to consolidate their influence ahead of upcoming local body and state elections. aInstead of focusing on forming the government after winning 30 seats, Wadettiwar has started factionalism by picking up corporators from their homes by force," Dhanorkar alleged. She further revealed that her faction has moved the remaining corporators to a hotel to ensure their safety. Dhanorkar, whose Lok Sabha constituency includes Chandrapur, issued a stern warning to Wadettiwar to stay out of her jurisdiction. aChandrapur is my Lok Sabha constituency; he should not interfere here. If this continues, we will interfere in his Brahmapuri Assembly constituency," she warned. She further escalated the stakes by threatening the party high command: "If our demands are not met and the party feels it does not need us, we are prepared to submit a mass resignation." However, Wadettiwar said that his sole objective is for the Congress party to win the mayoral election after its success in the civic body polls. Taking note of the growing "cold war" that threatens the partyas performance in the Vidarbha region, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Harshwardhan Sapkal has called for an emergency meeting. The state leadership aims to mediate between the two heavyweights to prevent further factionalism. "The party cannot afford internal division in a stronghold like Chandrapur," a senior party official stated. "The state president will meet both leaders to resolve the misunderstandings and finalise a leadership structure that is acceptable to both sides." The state party chiefas intervention is important, especially BJP has started the drive activities to mobile numbers to win the mayoral election. Former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar claimed a few Congress corporators were in the BJPas touch. While Congress is embroiled in internal warfare, the BJP is closely monitoring the situation. Despite having only 23 seats, BJP leaders are hinting at a potential power grab. BJP legislator Kishor Jorjewar stated, "While Congress leaders are busy kidnapping their own corporators, we are united. Our guiding leader, Sudhir Mungantiwar, is exploring all possibilities to see if the BJP can install its own Mayor amid this chaos." The political rivalry between Vijay Wadettiwar and the Dhanorkar family is deeply rooted in the power dynamics of Chandrapur district. The rift deepened significantly during the 2024 Lok Sabha candidate selection. Vijay Wadettiwar had strongly lobbied for his daughter, Shivani Wadettiwar, to be the party's candidate from Chandrapur. However, the party high command chose Pratibha Dhanorkar, the widow of the late Suresh "Balu" Dhanorkar (the only Congress MP from Maharashtra in 2019). The dispute also carries undertones of community representation. While Wadettiwar is a prominent leader of the Teli community, Pratibha Dhanorkar draws significant support from the Kunbi community. This has led to a strategic tug-of-war over who holds the mantle of the "mass leader" in the district. Wadettiwar, representing the Brahmapuri constituency, has long been the face of the party in the region. However, Pratibha Dhanorkaras victory in the Lok Sabha election has elevated her status, leading to a clash of egos as she seeks a greater say in district affairs that were previously managed by Wadettiwar. The outcome of the upcoming meeting with the State President is seen as crucial for the Congress partyas unity in Vidarbha, as the rift between these two powerhouses could potentially benefit the BJP if left unresolved. The BJP is looking to exploit this rift. If Dhanorkaras faction carries out its threat of resignation or if Wadettiwaras faction remains alienated, the BJP could potentially bridge the gap with independents or a breakaway Congress group to seize the Mayoras post. Chennai, Jan 20 : As political alignments in Tamil Nadu enter a decisive phase ahead of the Assembly elections, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) is set to hold a crucial internal consultation on Wednesday. AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran will convene an emergency meeting of district secretaries to discuss the partyas stance on a possible electoral alliance. The development comes in the backdrop of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) formally joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the forthcoming Assembly elections. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has already ruled out any discussion on re-inducting expelled leaders O. Panneerselvam and V.K. Sasikala into the party fold. However, when asked specifically about T.T.V. Dhinakaran, Palaniswami avoided giving a direct response, fuelling speculation in political circles. Adding to the buzz, senior AIADMK leader Sellur Raju said in Madurai that there was nothing wrong in holding talks with Dhinakaran regarding a BJP-led alliance. His remark followed queries about Dhinakaranas reported meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which has triggered fresh conjecture about AMMKas potential entry into the AIADMKa"BJP front. Sources indicate that the possibility of AMMK joining the alliance is being actively explored. Dhinakaran himself has hinted that an announcement on alliances could be expected, adding weight to the ongoing speculation. In a parallel political gesture, Dhinakaran congratulated Nitin Nabin on his election as the BJPas national president, a move seen by observers as a signal of warming ties with the BJP leadership. The timing is significant, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Chennai on January 23 to inaugurate and address a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) campaign rally. Against this politically charged backdrop, Dhinakaran will meet 80 district secretaries from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. The emergency consultation will be held at the AMMK party headquarters in Adyar, Chennai, and is expected to chart the partyas future course as alliance equations rapidly evolve in the State. New Delhi, Jan 20 : The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with the Delhi High Court's decision upholding the promotion of Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer and former NCB officer Sameer Dnyandev Wankhede. A Bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe dismissed the special leave petition (SLP) filed by the Union of India, observing that it was "not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgment and order in exercise of its jurisdiction under Article 136 of the Constitution of India". "The Special Leave Petitions are, accordingly, dismissed," the Justice Narasimha-led Bench said, adding that the dismissal would have no bearing on any other proceedings. The SLP arose from the August 28, 2025, judgment of the Delhi High Court, which had upheld the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) directing the Union government to open the sealed cover containing Wankhede's promotion details and grant him promotion to the post of Additional Commissioner with effect from January 2021, if recommended by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Subsequently, on October 17, 2025, the Delhi High Court had also imposed a cost of Rs 20,000 on the Centre while dismissing its review petition. A Bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Madhu Jain had deprecated the conduct of the Union government and said that it was expected to disclose all facts truthfully before filing the review petition. The Delhi High Court had noted that the Centre failed to disclose an order passed by the CAT in August 2025 staying the departmental proceedings initiated against Wankhede, even though the said order pre-dated the filing of the review petition. The CAT, in December 2024, had directed the government to open the sealed cover and had ruled that if the UPSC recommended Wankhede's name, he should be promoted to the post of Additional Commissioner from January 2021. With the dismissal of the SLP, the Supreme Court has conclusively upheld the legality and correctness of the orders passed by the CAT and the Delhi High Court, rejecting the Union government's challenge at all judicial levels. Wankhede had come into public attention for his role in the 2021 Cordelia Cruise drug case, which allegedly involved actor Shah Rukh Khan's son, Aryan Khan. He was later accused of misconduct and faced allegations relating to a forged caste certificate. --IANS pds/dan Patna, Jan 20 : The Bihar government's Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) has intensified its campaign against corruption, taking major action in Araria district. On Tuesday, a revenue employee was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000. The arrested official has been identified as Imteyaz Alam, posted in the Farhi Panchayat of Narpatganj block. According to Additional Director General of Police (SVU), Pankaj Kumar Darad, the action was taken following a complaint filed by Kamleshwari Yadav. The complainant alleged that Alam was demanding Rs 15,000 to make online corrections to his name and land area records. During verification, it was confirmed that the accused had clearly said that the corrections would not be carried out unless the bribe amount was paid. After verification, a case was registered at the SVU police station. A special raiding team was constituted under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Verma, which laid a trap and apprehended the accused while he was accepting the bribe. A case has been registered against Imteyaz Alam under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), and further legal proceedings are underway. The arrest has caused a stir in the district's revenue department and other government offices. In a separate operation, the Patna Vigilance Investigation Bureau on Monday arrested Brijmohan Lal, a clerk posted at the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Aurangabad's Daudnagar district, while he was accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000. The case pertains to the marking of attendance on holidays. After verification confirmed the demand for a bribe, a vigilance team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Aditya Raj conducted a successful trap operation and caught the accused red-handed. According to officials, this is the 10th FIR registered by the Vigilance Bureau in 2026 in a corruption-related cases. So far this year, the Vigilance Bureau has arrested seven accused red-handed as part of its ongoing crackdown. Mumbai, Jan 20 : In a major relief to the beneficiaries of the 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana', Maharashtra's Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare on Tuesday announced an extension for the mandatory e-KYC process. The state government has decided to push the deadline for completing e-KYC beyond December 31, 2025, providing much-needed relief to thousands of women who were facing technical hurdles. The previous deadline of November 18, 2025, was extended to December 31, 2025. Minister Tatkare acknowledged that many eligible women in remote and rural areas were unable to complete the process due to OTP (One-Time Password) failures, server downtime, and other technical glitches on the official portal. The government has also provided a "last chance" for women who made errors during their initial e-KYC submission to rectify their details. "For the economic empowerment of women in Maharashtra, and to improve their health and nutrition, the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana is being implemented. For the effective implementation of this scheme, all beneficiaries were given time until December 31, 2025, to complete e-KYC. However, it has been observed that due to some reasons, the wrong option was selected while doing e-KYC. Therefore, as per the criteria of the scheme, instructions have been given to all District Collectors in the state to conduct physical verification of these beneficiary women at the regional level through Anganwadi workers," said Minister Tatkare. Despite the extension, the Minister emphasised that e-KYC remains mandatory to ensure transparency and to confirm that the financial assistance of Rs 1,500 reaches only eligible beneficiaries. Minister Tatkare further clarified that specific groups, including widows, divorcees, and women whose husbands or fathers have passed away, must not only complete the online e-KYC but also submit relevant supporting documents to their respective District Women and Child Development Officers to ensure uninterrupted benefits. Speaking to the media, Aditi Tatkare stated, "This scheme is a revolution for women's empowerment. Following instructions from the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers, we have extended the date so that no eligible sister is deprived of the benefits due to natural calamities or technical difficulties." The Minister urged all remaining beneficiaries to visit the official website (ladakibahin.maharashtra.gov.in) and complete their Aadhaar-linked e-KYC as soon as possible to avoid any delays in future instalments. BUDAPEST, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Hungary and Austria are jointly protecting the external borders of the Schengen area and cooperating to curb illegal migration, Hungarian Minister of Interior Sandor Pinter said on Monday after talks with his Austrian counterpart Gerhard Karner in Budapest. Pinter said police cooperation between the two countries remains an important pillar of bilateral ties. Coordinated border controls, he noted, help prevent illegal migration routes from reopening in the region. Karner said Austria and Hungary share core security objectives and are committed to keeping illegal migration at low levels. During the meeting, the two ministers signed a supplementary agreement updating their 2014 border traffic arrangement, aimed at expanding border crossings and facilitating regional mobility. Arts Soundwave Memorials Launches in Australia Soundwave Memorials has officially launched in Australia, offering pet owners a unique and deeply personal way to honour the memory of their beloved animals. The service preserves a pets voice or sound into custom soundwave artwork, paired with a QR code linking to a dedicated online memorial page. Each Soundwave Memorial includes a professionally printed soundwave design created from a real audio recording, such as a bark, purr, or familiar greeting. The framed artwork links to a private memorial webpage where families can view photos, play the original audio, share personal quotes, and leave messages in an online guestbook. The service has been developed to support pet owners during a difficult time, offering a meaningful keepsake that preserves connection and memory beyond traditional memorial products. Every pet leaves behind memories that are impossible to replace, said the founder of Soundwave Memorials. This service allows families to preserve a part of their pet that is truly personal - their voice. Soundwave Memorials operates online and ships Australia-wide, with international shipping also available. The service is designed for individual pet owners and for collaboration with veterinary clinics, cremation services, and pet aftercare providers. Soundwave Memorials products are available via the official website and through the brands Etsy store. Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SoundWaveMemorials Media Contact Andrew Youssef Email: support@soundwavememorials.com.au Real Estate Tanzania Mandates Mining Factory Construction with 21 Facilities Planned Tanzania has announced sweeping new local content regulations that will transform the country's mining sector from a resource extraction economy into a manufacturing and industrial hub. The new requirements, recently announced by the Minister of Minerals, mandate that 20 categories of mining goods and services must be provided exclusively by 100 per cent Tanzanian-owned companies. Marcus Briggs, Non-Executive Director at Icon Gold, stated, "Tanzania's bold move to mandate local manufacturing in the mining sector represents a watershed moment for East African resource governance. This is not simply about regulation. It is about fundamentally restructuring how mining economies capture value and build long-term industrial capacity." The new regulations require mining companies operating in Tanzania to source specific goods and services exclusively from Tanzanian-owned suppliers. Six factories are currently under construction at the former Buzwagi gold mine site, with an additional 15 factories planned for future development. The initiative builds upon Tanzania's 2018 Local Content Regulations but goes significantly further by creating concrete manufacturing infrastructure rather than simply setting procurement quotas. The 20 categories of reserved goods and services span critical mining inputs including equipment maintenance, processing supplies, and support services. By reserving these categories for local companies, Tanzania aims to create thousands of manufacturing jobs whilst developing technical expertise that has historically been imported from foreign suppliers. "What makes Tanzania's approach particularly significant is the infrastructure commitment," explained Marcus Briggs. "Building 21 factories specifically to serve the mining sector demonstrates government commitment to industrialisation that goes beyond policy rhetoric. This creates a foundation for sustainable economic transformation." The economic implications extend well beyond the mining sector itself. Manufacturing capacity developed to serve mining operations can be adapted to other industries, creating spillover effects across Tanzania's broader economy. The factories will produce explosives, safety equipment, drilling supplies, and spare parts that were previously imported at significant cost. Industry analysts note that the infrastructure investment represents a departure from conventional local content policies that often focus on employment quotas or procurement preferences without addressing underlying capacity constraints. By building actual manufacturing facilities, Tanzania is creating the industrial base necessary to meet local content requirements rather than simply mandating compliance. "The difference between setting a local content target and building the factories to meet that target is the difference between aspiration and execution," said Marcus Briggs. "Tanzania is doing the hard work of creating industrial capacity rather than assuming it will materialise through policy alone." The Buzwagi site selection carries symbolic significance as well as practical advantages. Converting a depleted gold mine into a manufacturing centre demonstrates the government's vision of mining legacy extending beyond resource depletion. The site's existing infrastructure, including roads, power supply, and water access, reduces the capital costs associated with greenfield industrial development. Mining companies operating in Tanzania will be required to transition to locally sourced supplies over a phased timeline, allowing existing contracts to wind down whilst Tanzanian manufacturers ramp up production. The government has indicated that it will work with industry to ensure quality standards are met and that the transition does not disrupt ongoing mining operations. Over the next three to five years, Tanzania expects the manufacturing initiative to generate substantial employment, develop technical skills across multiple industries, and significantly increase the mining sector's contribution to GDP beyond royalties and taxes. The factories under construction represent just the first phase of a longer-term industrialisation strategy that envisions Tanzania as a regional manufacturing centre for mining inputs. The initiative also addresses historical concerns about resource extraction economies that export raw materials whilst importing manufactured goods. By mandating local production of mining inputs, Tanzania is working to reverse that dynamic and position itself as both a mineral producer and a manufacturing economy. Marcus Briggs concluded, "This is economic strategy at its most fundamental level. Tanzania is asking the essential question: how do we ensure that our natural resources generate lasting prosperity rather than temporary revenues? The answer lies in building the industrial capacity to capture more of the mining value chain domestically. If successfully implemented, this initiative could serve as a model for resource-rich nations across Africa and beyond." About Icon Gold Icon Gold is a Dubai and Kampala-based precious metals company with operations across the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Operating under the Icon Group umbrella since 2009, the company is led by gold industry expert Marcus Briggs. Icon Gold is registered and regulated by DMCC Dubai Customs Centre. Media Contact: Icon Gold Press Office Email: press@icon-gold.com Website: www.icon-gold.com The dominance of the Big Five publishers over national bestseller lists is nothing new. It's such a given, in fact, that last week the Independent Publisher Caucus launched the Independent Press Top 40 bestseller list in tandem with the American Booksellers Association, with the aim of shining a spotlight on books from independent publishers that would otherwise be unable to crack those lists. The results of our annual review of bestsellers-by-publisher did indeed show that the Big Five publishers did indeed reign supreme over the 2025 PW adult bestseller lists, powered by Circana BookScan. But we also found that in 2025, the Big Five lost some of their grip on hardcover bestsellers compared to 2024, accounting for 83% of available slots on the hardcover list, down from 86% in 2024. Their share of trade paperback bestsellers, however, moved up to 42% from 39% in 2024. As usual, this years PW rankings are derived by multiplying the 20 weekly bestseller slots PW gives to each of the adult hardcover fiction, nonfiction, and trade paperback formats by 52 weeks, leaving 1,040 spots for each list. Penguin Random House grabbed the largest share of hardcover bestsellers, snagging 38% of available slots. The remaining Big Five were bunched up far behind PRH: Simon & Schuster 13%; Hachette Book Group 12%; Macmillan 10%; and HarperCollins 9%. Despite the major publisher dominance on the hardcover list, a couple of independent publishers had a good 2025. Entangled Publishing had 16 titles hit the fiction list, led by two editions of Onyx Storm, and occupied a total of 89 positionsa total that surpassed that of HarperCollins. And in hardcover nonfiction, Authors Equity placed five books on the PW list, taking up 56 positions. The new publishers Dont Believe Everything You Think was on the nonfiction list for 44 weeks. In trade paperback, Sourcebooks remained the dominant publisher, placing 67 titles across four imprints and occupying 31% of available positions, the same percentage as 2024. Its Bloom Books imprint had 43 titles hit the list, but Poisoned Pen took up 206 positions as eight books by Freida McFadden had double-digit stays on the bestseller list. (Though majority-owned by PRH, Sourcebooks remains structurally and operationally separate from PRH.) After cracking the trade paperback bestseller list in a significant way in 2024, Zando followed up its 2024 performance by placing nine titles on the trade paperback list for a total of 108 positions. Two Navessa Allen novels led the charge, with bestseller stays of 25 and 33 weeks. Finally, Viz Media had what has becoming something of an annual tradition: placing multiple titles on the trade paperback list29 books last yearcoupled with short runs, with its bestsellers staying on the list for a total of 34 weeks in 2025. Big Five Bestsellers by the Numbers Hachette Book Group Hardcover Fiction: 40 titles, 186 positions Hardcover Nonfiction: 38 titles, 66 positions Trade Paperback: 19 titles, 77 positions HarperCollins Hardcover Fiction: 33 titles, 74 positions Hardcover Nonfiction: 58 titles, 121 positions Trade Paperback: 32 titles, 111 positions Macmillan Hardcover Fiction: 50 titles, 155 positions Hardcover Nonfiction: 29 titles, 58 positions Trade Paperback: 11 titles, 25 positions Penguin Random House Hardcover Fiction: 99 titles, 336 positions Hardcover Nonfiction: 132 titles, 463 positions Trade Paperback: 41 titles, 194 positions Simon & Schuster Hardcover Fiction: 37 titles, 124 positions Hardcover Nonfiction: 50 titles, 150 positions Trade Paperback: 21 titles, 33 positions Notable Independent and Other NonBig Five Bestseller Achievements Authors Equity Hardcover Nonfiction: 5 titles, 56 positions Ben Bella Hardcover Nonfiction: 9 titles, 14 positions Blackstone Hardcover Fiction: 2 titles, 22 positions Trade Paperback: 1 title, 8 positions Entangled Publishing Hardcover Fiction: 16 titles, 89 positions Trade Paperback : 9 titles, 68 positions Kensington Publishing Hardcover Fiction: 3 titles, 5 positions Trade Paperback: 9 titles, 11 positions Norton Hardcover Nonfiction: 4 titles, 11 positions Sourcebooks Hardcover Fiction: 9 titles, 21 positions Trade Paperback: 67 titles, 328 positions Viz Media Hardcover Fiction: 5 titles; 5 positions Trade Paperback: 29 titles, 34 positions Wiley Hardcover Nonfiction: 16 titles, 19 positions Zando Hardcover Fiction: 2 titles, 7 positions Trade Paperback: 9 titles, 108 positions Source: Publishers Weekly In 2021, the Pew Research Center released a study about American Jewish identity. Among its findings: more than twice as many respondents cited having a sense of humor as central to their Jewish identities than mentioned following traditional Jewish law or halacha. In Wit Happens: Global Jewish Humor (Wayne State Univ., Feb.), editors Jennifer Caplan, Jarrod Tanny, and Avinoam Patt scholars of Judaic studies, history, and Holocaust studies, respectivelycurate a collection of ways Jewish humor is a defining cultural touchstone in America and beyond. Acquisitions editor Sandra Korn describes the team as brilliant scholars whose book shows how Jewish people worldwide have "leaned into humor and satire as tools for coping with and making sense of difficult social and political times. What do you hope to accomplish with Wit Happens? Avinoam Patt: We want humor to be taken seriously as a framework of academic analysis to study Jewish identity, religion, and culture. Were making the argument that humor is a light subjectits supposed to be entertaining, and were supposed to laugh. But at the same time, it is an essential part of what Jews consider to be essential to their identity. What did you discover from looking globally? Jennifer Caplan: You can see the influence of American Jewish comedy around the world. When Mumbai-born Samson Koletkar bills himself as the worlds only Indian Jewish stand-up comedian, hes modeling himself on an American style of Jewish comedy because that has become so globally dominant. Are there exceptions to the American-influenced style? JC: Among North African Jews who had been under French colonial rule and living with their Islamic neighbors and their French colonial neighbors, their sense of identity was different from the Jews writing about being a minority in the U.S. Its a very different context, and that did actually create some differences in the humor. Why is being an outsider a hallmark of Jewish comedy? Jarrod Tanny: Jews are globally a minority, so it makes sense that this is a dominant trend in Jewish humor. To a certain extent, all minorities use some humor to cope with their situation. But the Jewish status in modernity is really kind of the ultimate outsider. So humor becomes more obvious in that sense. What stands out about humor in Israel? JT: One chapter looks at Holocaust humor in Israel, where you see dynamics similar to the Seinfeld episode when Jerry is caught making out during Schindlers List. That kind of humor exposes how weve deified the Holocaust in some ways. I'd be very reluctant to call that an Ashkenazi (Jews of Eastern European heritage) phenomenon, though, given that 60% of the Israeli population is non-Ashkenazi. Is there a joke that captures the message of Wit Happens? JT: A group of American Jews discovers that a remote community in China is Jewish. The Americans are shocked and in awe of this possibility, so a delegation travels to the far-flung region to meet them. When the Americans arrive, one of the Chinese Jews looks up and says, in Mandarin, Funny, you dont look Jewish. Steven Weitzman, a professor of Jewish Studies and religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania, examines how people use the biblical story of the 10 plagues to make sense of catastrophe in their own lives in Disasters of Biblical Proportions: The Ten Plagues Then, Now, and at the End of the World (Princeton Univ., Feb.). Analyzing retellings across Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions, Weitzman argues that interpretations of the plagues help people find meaning amid crisisincluding pandemics, wars, and social upheavalwhile also allowing space for agency and creativity. The story is very adaptable, he tells PW. We talked with Weitzman about meaning-making, biblical narratives, and why the story of the 10 plagues endures. The idea for the book started with responses to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack. What did you notice during those moments? Passover started about two weeks after the global Covid shutdown in 2020, and its traditional among Jews to recount the 10 plagues one by one as part of the Exodus story. That year, many people connected Covid to the plagues. After October 7, the story was invoked again, but in a very different way: as a model of righteous retribution against an oppressive enemy. The Covid retellings were infused with fear and anxiety; the postOctober 7 versions with outrage and a demand for justice. I was struck by how dramatically the meaning changed. What do the different retellings of the 10 plagues across those two events reveal about how people use biblical language in times of crisis? People invoke the story when theyre dealing with shock, crisis, or injustice, but how they use it depends on who they are and what theyre experiencing. During Covid, people were grappling with trauma, isolation, and powerlessness, and the story helped them find edifying meaning. After October 7, people felt angry and victimized, and they used it to express those emotions. What fascinates me is how people take elements of the Bible and reshape them in light of their own needs, hopes, and fears. You suggest that the plague narrative endures not because its theologically sophisticated, but because it speaks to emotions like powerlessness, guilt, and anger. What do you think the 10 plagues story allows people to say about disaster that more modern, secular explanations don't? The core idea of the 10 plagues is that these disasters are part of the human experience, that they happen for a reason, and God is trying to accomplish some purpose through them, though the Bible is ambiguous about what that purpose is. For some people, the plagues were God's way of liberating Israelites from slavery. That allowed for interpretations that focus on disaster or violence as an instrument of positive change. Other people, however, identify with the Egyptians in the story, and that allowed for interpretations of disaster as a punishment for some sort of sin that needs to be rectified, and they reframed disaster as a goad for self-reflection and self-transformation. So it depends on what emotion you're bringing to the story. Are you bringing outrage? Are you bringing guilt? Are you bringing a desire for freedom? That will shape people's reimagining of the story. Can you share one example that stayed with you of how the plagues narrative has been reimagined to help people cope with something difficult? I was struck by the role that the plagues story played during the Civil War. People were using the Bible to make sense of the violence and destructionAmericans had never experienced anything like that before. The story template was used by Abolitionists to argue that the Civil War itself was a plague that had befallen the country because it persisted in enslaving people, that the only way to end the disaster was to end slavery and bring justice to the people who had been mistreated. It helped me see the idea that an experience like Covid, as scary and negative as it was, was also a call for people to examine themselves, and try to renew their commitment for making the world a better place. For me, that is what is so transformational about the plagues story. It connects the experience of disaster, which is part of every person's life, to the need to make the world a more just and equitable place: disaster can be an agent of redemption. Why is this book so important now, in what you call an age of cascading disaster and hard-heartedness? It feels like we're in a relentless parade of catastrophes that seem to be heading towards some even greater catastrophe. It was climate change for a long time, but now we're dealing with war and conflict in a way that we haven't experienced in the previous decade, and there is a sense of looming doom. The plagues template captures that experience, but it tries to say that there is the possibility of change. Pharaoh could, at any point during the story, change and un-harden his heart. The story resonated for me in a way to think more constructively and hold onto hope. From a structural and institutional perspective, the Islamic Republic of Iran shares several core characteristics with National Socialist Germany (19331945). These similarities do not imply equivalence in historical outcomes or crimes, but they reveal common mechanisms through which ideology supplants law, power concentrates in unaccountable leadership, and society is mobilized through coercion and myth. What follows is a political science comparison of seven structural similarities between the two regimes. 1. Ideology as the Supreme Source of Legitimacy Both Nazi Germany and the Islamic Republic of Iran institutionalized ideology as the ultimate foundation of political authority. In Nazi Germany, legitimacy derived not from constitutional law or popular sovereignty but from National Socialist ideologyrooted in racial hierarchy, national destiny, and the Fuhrers presumed historical mission. Liberal democracy was explicitly rejected as corrupt and decadent. In Iran, sovereignty is subordinated to Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist), a doctrine that places clerical interpretation of Islam above constitutionalism and electoral choice. While elections exist, they are meaningful only insofar as they align with ideological orthodoxy. In both systems, ideology replaces the people as the final arbiter of power. 2. Extra-Constitutional Supreme Leadership Authoritarian systems often concentrate power, but ideologically driven regimes go further by placing the leader above legal constraint. Adolf Hitlers authority under the Fuhrerprinzip was absolute. Law flowed from his will, not the other way around. Institutions existed to execute, not restrain, leadership decisions. Similarly, Irans Supreme Leader stands above all branches of government. He controls the military, judiciary, state media, and unelected oversight bodies, while remaining unaccountable to voters. Constitutional provisions exist, but they do not function as checks on supreme authority. Both systems reject legal-rational authority in favor of charismatic-ideological domination. 3. Hollowed-Out Electoral and Representative Institutions Neither regime abolished elections outrightbut neither allowed elections to determine power. In Nazi Germany, plebiscites and staged votes served to ratify decisions already made by the regime. Representation became performative. In Iran, the Guardian Council systematically disqualifies candidates who do not meet ideological criteria, ensuring that political competition remains confined within regime boundaries. The result in both cases is procedural politics without popular sovereigntya hallmark of ideological authoritarianism. 4. Elimination of Political Pluralism Pluralism is incompatible with ideological monopoly. Nazi Germany dismantled political parties, labor unions, and independent civil society organizations, framing opposition as treason against the nation. The Islamic Republic has followed a parallel logic: secular parties, independent unions, womens rights groups, reformist movements, ethnic activists, and dissident clerics are criminalized as enemies of God, the revolution, or national security. In both systems, dissent is moralized and securitized, not debated. 5. Totalizing Control of Information and Narrative Ideological regimes understand that power depends not only on coercion but on narrative dominance. Nazi Germanys Ministry of Propaganda treated media as a weapon of ideological mobilization. Truth was irrelevant; usefulness to the regime was decisive. Irans state broadcasting monopoly, censorship apparatus, and internet shutdowns serve a similar function. Information is not a public good but a controlled resource. During crises, communication blackouts become instruments of repression. Both regimes weaponize information to manufacture consent and suppress alternative realities. 6. Ideologically Embedded Coercive Institutions In both cases, repression is enforced not by neutral state institutions but by ideologically loyal forces. Nazi Germany relied on the SS and Gestapoorganizations defined as much by ideological commitment as by security function. In Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operates as a parallel military, economic, and political power center. It is tasked not merely with defense but with preserving the revolutionary ideology at home and abroad. The coercive apparatus in both systems is ideological by design, not merely instrumental. 7. Myth, Identity, and Permanent Existential Threat Finally, both regimes rely on mythic narratives to justify repression. Nazism constructed a worldview of racial struggle, historical humiliation, and existential threatrequiring permanent mobilization against internal and external enemies. Irans ruling ideology draws on Shia martyrdom, historical persecution, and perpetual confrontation with enemies of Islam and the revolution. Crisis is not accidental; it is politically functional. In both cases, fear and destiny replace accountability. Why This Comparison Matters Now Understanding Iran as an ideologically entrenched authoritarian systemnot a reformable hybrid regimehas direct policy implications. Ideological regimes do not moderate through engagement alone. They adapt, repress, and survive by closing ranks, especially under pressure. History does not repeat itself, but structures do recur. Recognizing those structures is a prerequisite for realistic policy, effective pressure, and solidarity with majority of Iranian people seeking to dismantle them. This photo taken on Jan. 19, 2026 shows the damaged Mathematics Center at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research in Miranda State, Venezuela. As Venezuela's premier hub for scientific research and talent cultivation, The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research suffered significant damage during the U.S. attack on Venezuela which caused damage to buildings and precision scientific equipment in the early hours of January 3. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa) This photo taken on Jan. 19, 2026 shows a damaged office of Mathematics Center at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research in Miranda State, Venezuela. As Venezuela's premier hub for scientific research and talent cultivation, The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research suffered significant damage during the U.S. attack on Venezuela which caused damage to buildings and precision scientific equipment in the early hours of January 3. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa) This photo taken on Jan. 19, 2026 shows a damaged office of Mathematics Center at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research in Miranda State, Venezuela. As Venezuela's premier hub for scientific research and talent cultivation, The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research suffered significant damage during the U.S. attack on Venezuela which caused damage to buildings and precision scientific equipment in the early hours of January 3. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa) Postcards lie scattered across the ground at the damaged Mathematics Center of the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research in Miranda State, Venezuela, Jan. 19, 2026. As Venezuela's premier hub for scientific research and talent cultivation, The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research suffered significant damage during the U.S. attack on Venezuela which caused damage to buildings and precision scientific equipment in the early hours of January 3. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa) A staff member of the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research speaks on a phone at the Mathematics Center in Miranda State, Venezuela, Jan. 19, 2026. As Venezuela's premier hub for scientific research and talent cultivation, The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research suffered significant damage during the U.S. attack on Venezuela which caused damage to buildings and precision scientific equipment in the early hours of January 3. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa) This photo taken on Jan. 19, 2026 shows a destroyed facility at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research in Miranda State, Venezuela. As Venezuela's premier hub for scientific research and talent cultivation, The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research suffered significant damage during the U.S. attack on Venezuela which caused damage to buildings and precision scientific equipment in the early hours of January 3. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa) This photo taken on Jan. 19, 2026 shows a destroyed facility at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research in Miranda State, Venezuela. As Venezuela's premier hub for scientific research and talent cultivation, The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research suffered significant damage during the U.S. attack on Venezuela which caused damage to buildings and precision scientific equipment in the early hours of January 3. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa) A staff member of the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research inspects blast craters in Miranda State, Venezuela, Jan. 19, 2026. As Venezuela's premier hub for scientific research and talent cultivation, The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research suffered significant damage during the U.S. attack on Venezuela which caused damage to buildings and precision scientific equipment in the early hours of January 3. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa) A scientific researcher works at the Physics Center of the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research in Miranda State, Venezuela, Jan. 19, 2026. As Venezuela's premier hub for scientific research and talent cultivation, The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research suffered significant damage during the U.S. attack on Venezuela which caused damage to buildings and precision scientific equipment in the early hours of January 3. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa) A staff member of the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research inspects a damaged facility in Miranda State, Venezuela, Jan. 19, 2026. As Venezuela's premier hub for scientific research and talent cultivation, The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research suffered significant damage during the U.S. attack on Venezuela which caused damage to buildings and precision scientific equipment in the early hours of January 3. (Xinhua/Ding Hongfa) Last Tuesday, delegations from the Danish Parliament and their Greenlandic counterparts logged into an unsecure Teams chat. They were there to discuss recent threats and bellicose rhetoric coming out of Washington. When President Trump declared, following the removal of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, that we need Greenland effectively threatening Danish sovereignty over the Arctic island more than a century of national defense interests, transatlantic partnership, and established security alliances were summarily terminated. Then over the course of the week ahead, Trump said he might consider purchasing Greenland and, according to one report in a British tabloid, sought military options for securing the Arctic island. Before the tensions crescendoed late last week, before Secretary of State Marco Rubio planned to announce he would meet to discuss ways to make Greenland Great Again, the Danish and Greenlandic representatives met for the emergency meeting during which they hoped to reaffirm their longstanding partnership and to disavow Washingtons discord between them. The opposite happened. And the little-known meeting concluded before the Trump Administration seemed to make Greenland its primary focus after Venezuela. The question most representatives had was whether or not the Americans had been listening. During the meeting the Danish representatives called the Greenlandic representatives uneducated and uninformed. The Greenlandic officials fired off terse statements about the Kingdom of Denmarks colonial and neo-colonial aspirations. Danish officials on the call, according to local media, feared that American representatives were listening in on that call, using the arguments that unfolded in the Teams meeting as justification for moving forward with their pressure on Denmark. The discussions between the Danish Foreign Policy Committee and the Greenlandic Foreign and Security Policy Committee lasted longer than the scheduled hour, and came to a conclusion that worried the Danish members of parliament on the call. Some of the Greenlandic representatives had stated they would seek to establish a relationship directly with the U.S., circumventing the Danish government. Danish officials believe it was no coincidence that the Teams chat preceded Trumps eventual statement on Sunday that "one way or the other" the U.S. would get Greenland. These types of shadow wars, or grey-zone tactics which fall just below the threshold of outright combat, have in the last five years increased across the circumpolar north. (The U.S. has as recently as 2021 partnered with Denmark to spy on Germany.) When unidentified drones flew over four Danish airports in September, it seemed to many of us looking closely at the Arctic that what had persisted in the north as tit-for-tat de rigueur nuisance campaigns were reaching southward, having been fine-tuned in the north. In December, an annual threat assessment released by Denmarks military intelligence service underscored rising concerns in Copenhagen about the U.S.s role on the global stage as it seems to outmaneuver China in a great power competition spilling into Europe. Indeed, in May, U.S. intelligence agencies had begun focusing more resources on Greenland, with an increase in intelligence reports about the Arctic island circulated around Capitol Hill. Though Trump has been loath to seek Congressional approval for his foreign strikes in the Caribbean, Iran, and against Venezuela, it would be difficult to imagine a formal declaration of war against Denmark, despite the ongoing destabilization campaigns seemingly aimed at that very goal. A Denmark thats no longer an ally could revoke the lease of the Pituffik Space Base, turning it over instead to another NATO country, perhaps Canada, which in turn could turn the lights off for millions of Americans relying on the Canadian electrical grid. Danish officials could revoke mining and exploration licenses to American extractive industries, favoring instead European enterprises perhaps Swedish and Finnish companies who would no longer need to remain in agreements with the U.S. to purchase military weapons (Sweden) or build much-needed icebreakers for the American Arctic (Finland). Perhaps the biggest geopolitical blow Denmark could deal is to relegate Washington to the sidelines of the Arctic Council, which Greenland now chairs. Washington would be cast out of the very region it sought to control, a very region it has long neglected and in which it has not only lost all competency, but also its allies. But none of this would satisfy what the Greenlandic politicians had sought during their secretive Teams call. They wanted a direct channel to the U.S. They could have one, but it may cost them their search for independence and self-governance, exchanging one Arctic power for another. Kenneth R. Rosen is the author of Polar War: Submarines, Spies, and the Struggle for Power in a Melting Arctic (Simon & Schuster) On January 3, 2026, the arrival of Nicolas Maduro in a New York courtroom, shackled and facing narco-terrorism charges, sent shockwaves throughout the international community. For many observers, "Operation Absolute Resolve" appeared to be the manifestation of a chaotic, ego-driven military extraction in the heart of Caracas that invited regional instability. Critics were quick to label the raid either a reckless dabbling in imperialism at worst or perhaps a potential violation of international law at best. These characterizations are a highly reactionary and nonacademic framework, because far from being a departure from American tradition, the Trump administrations approach to Venezuela represents a return to a coherent, realist logic of hemispheric dominance. As it has been dubbed in recent weeks, this "Donroe Realism" treats the Western Hemisphere as one of the primary inner circles of a graduated defense strategy that serves a multipolar world more efficiently. The Concentric Circles of Security To understand the capture of Maduro, one must look at the 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS), which codified a Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. This is a marked break with the policy pursued during the Biden administration, which often prioritized hard-power engagements in distant theaters like Ukraine or the South China Sea. What Trump offers is a doctrine that operates on a theory of concentric circles. In this framework, the American homeland is the center point. The first and most immediate line of security is the border. The second is the regional periphery-the Caribbean and Latin America. Only after these inner circles are secured, the logic goes, can the United States effectively project power more globally. The administrations treatment of border enforcement and hemispheric stability as inextricably linked reframed the Venezuelan crisis in a way that is more palatable to the isolationist factions or America First elements within the American right. Under Maduro, Venezuela had become a kind of 21st-century Cuba in its flirting with extra-hemispheric rivals like Russia, Iran, and China, though unlike 1960s Cuba, this new foe was connected to a vast narcotics smuggling network throughout the Americas. Frankly, Maduro is lucky to have lasted as long as he did, as his behavior would seem to be the realists equivalent of trying to antagonize a cop while behind the wheel of a stolen automobile. A Graduated Coercion The shift from the Biden era to the second Trump term was marked by a move away from liberal internationalist tools in a rather unexpectedly dramatic fashion. While the previous administration emphasized alliance commitments and multilateral sanctions, the current strategy employs a layered coercion that is both more openly transactional and direct. The contrast is most visible in the role of the military. For years, the U.S. relied on over-the-horizon deterrence or symbolic naval presence. Operation Absolute Resolve, however, utilized over 150 aircraft and specialized ground forces to execute a precise law-enforcement action backed by overwhelming military force. This was not nation-building-as evidenced by the administrations pragmatic decision to work with regime holdovers like Acting President Delcy Rodriguez rather than the traditional democratic opposition. It was really an exercise in asymmetric pressure designed to achieve a specific security outcome without the permanent military presence of the Iraq or Vietnam eras. The Return of the Sphere of Influence The capture of Maduro signals that the era of opaque global polarity has brought about a return to the basics of statecraft and with it; the maintenance of a sphere of influence. For nearly thirty years, the U.S. pursued a policy of global hegemony that often neglected its own near abroad. The result was a vacuum filled by rival powers and criminal syndicates, giving us the rather odd reality of tolerating drug cartels in Mexico whilst trying to maintain a global balance of power in Indochina. Communisms eventual victory in Vietnam and Americas rapidily increasing problems as a result of weakness regarding Mexico created a painful lesson that seemed to have gone largely unnoticed or ignored by Washington for decades. The New Old Normal The capture of Nicolas Maduro was not really a break from history as much as a continuation of a highly defensible desire to lock in the nations periphery that was more common before the unipolar moment. As the legal proceedings against Maduro begin in Manhattan, the real trial is happening in the capitals of the Western Hemisphere. Regional leaders are now grappling with a Washington that is less concerned with values-based leadership and more focused on the hard realities of border control and the expulsion of hostile foreign influence. Whether one views this shift as a necessary correction or a dangerous escalation, the era of Trump represents a 21st-century take on a centuries-old policy. Gabriel Maurer is a graduate student in History at Pittsburg State University. Charles Sykes/Bravo The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards has addressed speculation she's reconciling with her estranged husband, Mauricio Umansky. As the semester begins and we settle into our routines, so do our priorities. Looking into the future, take heed of the signs in figuring out DPDP Act (2023) gives individuals the right to decide how their personal data is collected and used. For many businesses, this means reworking longstanding data practices, notes Ravi Duvvuru. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff With the notification of rules under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act (2023) expected soon, India is preparing for a landmark shift in how personal data is handled. While the Act promises to empower users and strengthen data governance, it also raises a range of implementation challenges. For businesses, regulators, and consumers, navigating this transition will require thoughtful planning and coordination. At the heart of the Act lies the principle of consent. The Act gives individuals -- or data principals -- the right to decide how their personal data is collected and used. For many businesses, this means reworking longstanding data practices. Consent must now be explicit, informed, and revocable -- a shift from earlier models based on implied consent or bundled terms. For fintech, ecommerce, and digital platforms, where data is central, this could be disruptive. Organisations must invest in user-friendly consent mechanisms, communicate clearly, and embed privacy into the product experience. Many entities -- credit bureaus, telecom companies, utilities -- process personal data under sectoral mandates that sometimes conflict with DPDP provisions. For instance, if the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandates retention of financial data, can an individual still demand erasure under DPDP? Such overlaps highlight the need for harmonised guidance across regulators such as RBI, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, and the Unique Identification Authority of India. Without this, businesses may face legal uncertainty. The regulatory framework must evolve to provide clarity and consistency in resolving conflicting obligations with clear timelines and coordinated enforcement across sectors to reduce compliance burdens. The Act demands embedding privacy into technology systems. Platforms must now support data traceability, granular user controls, and revocable consent -- capabilities that many legacy systems lack. The Act allows the central government to restrict the transfer of personal data to certain countries. While pragmatic, this complicates compliance for companies that use global Cloud infrastructure. Organisations must prepare for data localisation or ensure their Cloud providers can adapt quickly to restrictions. Anonymised data is excluded from the DPDP's scope. However, modern analytics and artificial intelligence tools often use pseudonymised or anonymised data to create profiles. While technically outside the Act, such practices can still generate inferences about individuals. To prevent loopholes, the government may need to issue clarifications or bring legislation that addresses the use of anonymised data. The Act mandates data breach notifications, but the specifics remain unclear. Should companies notify for suspected breaches according to Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert-In), or only after confirmation? How can they balance transparency with the avoidance of unnecessary panic? Clear guidance is needed on what qualifies as a breach, how quickly to report, and when to inform data principals. This will help organisations respond with confidence and consistency. The Data Protection Board will intervene in unresolved disputes. With the Act imposing significant penalties, individuals may be more inclined to escalate complaints or approach the courts. This could lead to increased litigation, especially over systemic data practices. India might consider sector-specific redress forums or fast-track digital tribunals to prevent courts from becoming overwhelmed. India can learn from Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act, which has achieved a balanced approach. Features like phased implementation, sector-specific rules, and emphasis on organisational accountability have enabled smoother compliance and innovation. The DPDP Act is critical for protecting digital rights. However, success will lie in its implementation. With regulatory clarity, user-centric design, and coordinated efforts across sectors, India has the opportunity to become a global benchmark for data privacy and trust. Ravi Duvvuru is founder and designated director, Duvvuru & Reddy LLP; and member, advisory group to the second Regulatory Review Authority. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Simplifying GST rates, removing exemptions, easing disputes, and speeding up refunds can boost investment in India and offer the best reply to Trump's tariffs, observes V S Krishnan, former member, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff There is now a consensus among policymakers that the answer to the Trump tariffs lies not in retaliatory measures but in wide-ranging domestic reforms. The government has taken up this agenda. Immediately after the Union Budget, a task force on 'Deregulation' was set up under Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan. In his Independence Day speech, the prime minister announced the creation of a task force on reforms to help India achieve the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047. In the same address, he also committed to wide-ranging goods and services tax (GST) reforms by Diwali 2025. These announcements clearly signal the government's intent to pursue domestic reforms, but the low-hanging fruit with the potential for maximum short-term impact is GST reform. The finance ministry is clear in its message that the reforms would be comprehensive, going beyond rate rationalisation. The question is how should the government go about this. First, the announcement of two GST slabs with special rates for 'sin' goods is welcome, but what should the slab rates be? It is suggested that the twin slab rates should not be 5 per cent and 18 per cent, but 8 per cent (the average of the current two merit rates of 5 per cent and 12 per cent) and 18 per cent. The reason for this is that a higher merit rate would enable the government to integrate GST rate rationalisation with trade policy. In the trade negotiations, the government is seeking greater market access for products of labour-intensive manufacturing industries like textiles, leather, food processing, and toys. Logically, these industries must be brought under the merit rate of GST. At the 5 per cent rate, there would be an accumulation of input tax credit (ITC), especially the utilisation of the integrated goods and services tax (IGST) credits of imported inputs. At 8 per cent, with reasonable value addition, the accumulation of credit problems would be less pronounced, but how does the government counter the public perception about increasing GST rates? To resolve this, it is suggested that the government introduce a 1 per cent/2 per cent rate, which could be called the clearing rate or the concessional rate. This will serve a number of purposes. The government can bring items it does not want to move to 8 per cent from 5 per cent into the lower rate category. Importantly, the 1 per cent to 2 per cent rate would enable the government to slowly bring the items from exempted categories into duty categories, as exemptions are poison, not panacea, in the GST scheme, which seeks to provide seamless ITC credits across the value chain, from raw materials to retail. This phasing out of exemptions can be done in two stages. In the first phase, those goods that were exempted by the central government under excise duty in the pre-GST period, but not exempted under state value-added tax (VAT), could be brought under the 1 per cent/2 per cent rate. Importantly, the fake credit invoice problem would also be addressed, as these fake invoices are generally issued in the name of exempted units. The final advantage would be that small-scale and micro, small and medium enterprises can avail themselves of credits on the erstwhile exempted inputs so as to reduce the GST liabilities at the output stage. The abolition of the 28 per cent rate is welcome, as a large number of items like cement and white goods would be brought under the standard 18 per cent rate. With the compensation cess being merged with the 28 per cent rate, the resulting 40 per cent rate would become applicable to the so-called sin goods like pan masala, aerated waters, high-end cars, and online gaming. Cigarettes can continue to carry a higher rate of duty. To compensate for the revenue loss, especially on items like cement, the duty on gold and gold jewellery could be merged with the merit rate, as the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) data suggests that 80 per cent of the purchase and sale of these items is concentrated within the top two income deciles of the population. The other important area that needs reform is the dispute resolution system. There are far too many demand notices being issued to businesses. One important reform would be to replace penalties with administrative fines for a number of minor procedural violations. This list was earlier compiled by the Centre when it introduced service tax. This list would be useful now to decide on the implementation of fees instead of penalties. In many states like Maharashtra, in the pre-GST period, guidance on levying these fees was based on guidelines issued by the Technical Advisory Committee. Committees can now be constituted in various states with the membership of both central and state GST officers. The additional benefit would be forging a fiscal fraternity between central and state GST officers and also promoting the spirit of cooperative federalism. The introduction of fees instead of penalties would de-clog the dispute resolution system, as these would be decided at a lower level with caps and no appeal provisions. Recently, the government announced the creation of Principal Tribunal Benches in the states, which will further strengthen the dispute resolution system. A large number of cases with high courts can now be transferred to tribunals, and one can expect speedier resolution of these cases. It is also suggested that the government constitute a technical group in the GST Secretariat, which can issue trade advisories based on the decisions of the GST Council on various issues in consultation with the law committee. Further, the decision of the law committee could be issued as a trade advisory to ensure greater clarity among field officers. The government also needs to address the problem of delayed refunds. A system of automatic refunds would be desirable, for it would help smaller and medium industries in surmounting working-capital problems. To begin with, the system can be introduced for exports once it is established that exports have taken place, without insisting on the repatriation of export proceeds, which can be separately handled in coordination with the Reserve Bank of India. There is also a need to amend the IGST rules to ensure that the IGST state component is distributed horizontally among the states on the Final Destination Principle. A number of states like Kerala have represented that IGST revenues from ecommerce and other growing etransactions go to the developed states because head offices/regional offices mentioned in the invoices are located in more developed states like Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. This problem can be solved by mandating that, when addresses of individual consumers are not available, the name of the destination states be mentioned in the einvoice. Finally, businesses also complain of multiple audits. This issue can be addressed by instituting a system of joint audits by central and state officers in respect of three important sectors, namely telecom, banking and insurance, which have branches in many states. These single national audits can be done on the basis of audit protocols signed with these companies, with the audits coordinated by audit parties located in the states where the head offices are, where audit-relevant information would be available. Once an audit is done comprehensively, the units can be relieved of audits for at least three years. It is important that, in these audits, officers with domain knowledge in these sectors are co-opted. To sum up, these comprehensive GST reforms would send a strong signal to foreign investors that India can be an attractive investment destination. Perhaps, this is the best response to the current trade turbulence. This column was written before Wednesday's GST Council meeting. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday ordered thorough investigations into unauthorized civilian drone flights into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Lee gave the order during a cabinet meeting, saying that it would be unacceptable for drones to be infiltrated into the DPRK for illegal purposes or for civilians to dispatch them into the DPRK territory. Lee stressed that, based on what had been revealed so far, it appeared that civilians unilaterally infiltrated drones into the DPRK, adding that it was equivalent to an act of starting a war, ordering the rigorous probe and severe punishment. These changes certainly bring India's GST a lot closer to what an ideal GST would look like, points out Karan Bhasin. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff During the global financial crisis, there were concerns regarding the global growth story. China emerged as an anointed knight to provide the much needed support to an otherwise fragile economic environment. Almost two decades on, a similar story is being scripted by its neighbour, which registered an impressive GDP growth rate of 7.8 per cent in Q1FY26. India's economic momentum is supported by a series of reforms that were initiated from the early 2010s. One such important reform was the Goods and Services Tax or the GST, which replaced the erstwhile complicated indirect taxation structure of excise and value added taxes. The GST by its design was a destination-based tax, making it self-enforcing and addressing concerns of tax cascading. The GST has done remarkably well for India's fiscal federalism as both the Union government and states have witnessed a steady stream of revenues. The strength of the system is reflected in the fact that it survived one of the largest fiscal shocks in the form of pandemic. However, despite the benefits of GST, there was scope for improvement. In the summer of 2020, in a joint paper with Arvind Virmani, we looked at the structure of GST. Issues such as multiple rates, significant end-use exemptions and multiple rates for the same category of goods added to the overall complexity of the system. Some of this complexity was introduced due to political economy considerations and perhaps will remain as a reality for the foreseeable future. An important element of agile policymaking is recognising an economic crisis as the perfect opportunity to undertake reforms. It is not surprising that there was a renewed push for GST reforms, given economic uncertainty and growth headwinds from external sources. The structure of the GST council makes drastic changes in the taxation structure difficult, especially when the objective is to deliver the same in a time-bound manner. The Government of India delivered precisely this on September 3, 2O25. Incidentally, six years ago in September 2019, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered a large corporate tax cut that has since then helped restore corporate balance sheets. So, what is the recent GST cut, and is it sizeable enough to make a difference? Based on consumption expenditures, the median consumer is expected to experience a tax cut of 5.4 per cent. This reflects a sharp reduction in India's indirect taxation regime even as it introduces a higher tax slab of 40 per cent. Do note that even as the 'sin-goods' slab is added, compensation cess has been merged with the GST. For the top 10 per cent of consumers, the new GST rates reflect a 4.8 per cent tax cut. The steepest cuts were for everyday consumption items with perhaps a clear objective of maximising the tax cuts for India's middle and lower-middle class households. Goes without saying that this leaves greater disposable income with consumers before the festival season and would provide some support to domestic consumption. It would be premature to estimate the effect of this tax cut on overall growth, but these changes certainly bring India's GST a lot closer to what an ideal GST would look like. Here's hoping that positive effects of these changes would encourage constituents of the GST Council to undertake further simplification. Eventually, a two-rate regime with minimal exemptions is the ultimate destination, even though it will take a decade or more to get there. In addition to tax cuts, there have been a series of procedural reforms aimed with the objective of easing compliance burdens for small and medium enterprises. Compliance costs for these companies are much higher as a proportion of their overall revenues due to smaller size. Cutting them would create more room for these firms to invest in their businesses. On a final note, a contrasting picture emerges as I look across the world. India, on one hand is reducing taxes -- on income, on profits and now on consumption. On the other hand, several governments are experiencing strenuous public finances and seeking either bailouts or implementing austere policies. The contrast is perhaps a reflection of the precarious public finances in wake of large stimulus packages during COVID-19 and a longer-term stagnation of economic activity. India, in contrast, followed strict fiscal discipline through much of the last decade and therefore has some room to rationalise its taxes. Karan Bhasin is a New York-based economist. Views are personal Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Who else will take on the might of Microsoft, Google, and Amazon if not the Adanis, Ambanis, Birlas, or Tatas?, asks R Jagannathan. IMAGE: Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, left, with Gautam Adani, chairman, Adani Group. Photograph: Rediff Archives India Inc has many failings, but one thing it does not deserve is constant abuse and delegitimisation by political parties or public intellectuals. When major politicians start attacking it -- Rahul Gandhi now and Arvind Kejriwal earlier -- it does not help India's cause, even assuming India Inc has made mistakes. To endlessly rant about Adani and Ambani, and then expect the same business houses to invest and take the India story global, is sheer foolishness. It is one thing to prevent monopolies, quite another to assume that India does not need giant conglomerates of its own. Unhinged domestic criticism of big business houses will tempt foreign powers to do the same thing to undercut Indian interests. It is not a coincidence that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and Hindenburg Research targeted Gautam Adani over actions that affected no American citizen's rights. Nor is the recent rant by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, alleging that India (read: Reliance) is profiteering from cheap Russian oil by refining it and exporting to the West. White House trade advisor Peter Navarro went further, accusing India of being Russia's 'laundromat' -- and worse. If anyone has profiteered from the Ukraine war, it is America's military-industrial complex, which has been counting its shekels all the way to the bank as both Ukraine and Europe buy more defence equipment from it. If any economy is the world's true 'laundromat', it is America's. There is no drug cartel or illegal business anywhere in the world that does not use the US dollar to launder money. A paper by the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis estimated in 2022 that over $1.1 trillion in US cash -- two-thirds of it in $100 bills -- is held by non-central banks abroad. Crypto may be changing that, but with Donald Trump now in the crypto game, this laundromat will start working even better. There is also a nuanced truth that critics of Ambani's refining margins forget. Private companies have imported crude and exported refined products well before cheap Russian oil became available. India's State-owned oil companies face regulation on pricing, something that the private sector is exempted from. The result: A significant portion of private refining capacity is used for exports. If oil prices are truly deregulated, more refined products would be sold in India. More damaging, however, is unnecessary criticism by public intellectuals like Pratap Bhanu Mehta, who wrote in his Indian Express column that Indian capitalism 'emerged largely from (the) trading classes, (who were) unmatched in their capacity for arbitrage but less adept at building'. It is fair to criticise India Inc for not investing enough in research, to build rather than just import, and sell at a profit, but this is more the result of the licence-permit raj, and now the regulator raj. Both politicians and bureaucrats do not trust India Inc to do the right thing for themselves and the country. If this changes, business will adapt and build more Indian intellectual property rights, platforms and products, and strengthen the country's economic forces. It is pointless to blame Indian businesses alone for having a trading mentality. The entire retail sector in the US and Europe thrives on the same model -- buying cheap Chinese products and selling them at home. Both trading and building are essential to business. When you are uncompetitive, you make money by trading, which allows you to build a customer base for eventually building your own products. It wasn't just Ambani or Adani, Birla or Tata who made money from trading. Consider what was, and is, happening in mobile phones and white goods. A decade ago, Indian brands like Micromax and Karbonn held big market shares based on imported sub-assemblies from China but they simply could not compete on Chinese prices. Now, the same markets have been grabbed by Chinese brands like Vivo and Xiaomi. India's IT services companies are also into trading and arbitrage -- buying cheap Indian coders to service high-margin markets in America and Europe. They are no different from traders, except that they do labour arbitrage. The point one wants to make is that when trading makes sense, most businesses will do it. When it doesn't, they may start building, assuming the business climate in India evolves to a point where business and government can trust one another. As Kishore Mahbubani, a Singaporean academic, once said: China succeeds because of its government; India in spite of its governments. When this government-business equation changes to one of trust, India Inc will not be found wanting. If anyone has failed to notice, this is exactly what is beginning to happen. Starting with defence, the private sector is now developing military equipment for the country and for exports. Zomato's founder is investing $20 million of his own money to build gas turbine engines to power short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. The Tatas and Mahindras have started building car platforms not just for India, but for global markets. Research and development spends in some two-wheeler auto companies have now begun crossing the Rs 1,000 crore mark. Mukesh Ambani's Reliance has just announced big investment plans in green tech (solar and hydrogen) and Adani will do the same in other fields. Conglomerates like Larsen & Toubro, Godrej, Tatas, Birlas and many smaller startups are investing large sums to build aerospace, defence equipment and drones, not to speak of semiconductor chips and fabs. Apart from regulation, a real distraction for companies with the resources to invest in deep tech, products and platforms is the stock market. Infosys, TCS and HCL Tech have huge cash flows that can easily be invested in developing lots of India-owned (IPRs), but instead they now use this cash to keep shareholders, including many abroad, happy. Either they must reduce dividend payouts and invest the savings in building greater IPR, or their founders must use their own billionaire wealth to build huge platforms and products. The obsession with shareholding control means that a significant part of promoter wealth constitutes useless pieces of paper. If Deepinder Goyal of Zomato can do this -- invest in R&D using personal wealth -- why not the remaining billionaires? Investing in long-gestation IPR, whether in tech or pharma or products and platforms, needs patient capital which can come only from private wealth and public funding. Some listed companies could consider delisting in order to pursue long-term IPR projects. Trust in India Inc is vital to ensure that it will come to the party. Mistrust and accusations of a trader mentality will not help. Who else will take on the might of Microsoft, Google, and Amazon if not the Adanis, Ambanis, Birlas, or Tatas? Warts and all, we must protect our big businesses. If they cross the line, we must deal with their transgressions here, not allow foreigners to undermine them. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Susim Mukul Datta has not passed away, rather he is the ever-youthful leader to all who knew him, points out R Gopalakrishnan. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Precisely five days after his 89th birthday, Susim Mukul Datta returned to his creator with grace and tranquillity, which, incidentally, is what his name means. This piece is not an elegy or an obituary. It is an intimate portrait of one of India's highly accomplished leaders. As a young trainee in 1967, I was assigned to do a project in Hindustan Lever Limited's Bombay factory. Energetic manufacturing engineers assembled in the canteen at lunchtime, seemingly in a rush to get their share of carrom, bridge, or adda. I felt lonely as a 21 year old, looking for someone of my age group and lowly rank. And I noticed a tranquil Susim Datta, whom I befriended. "Hello, I am a trainee of 1967, which batch are you?" I enquired in my friendly best tone. "Oh, hello, I am 1956," he replied. "What! How could a person ten years my senior look so young?" That is a mystery I never uncovered over the next sixty years. Susim was a picture of the ever-youthful Dorian Gray -- without the excesses of the character in Oscar Wilde's story! He told me that he was a chemical engineer from Presidency College, and currently the development manager in the factory. Susim spoke of hydrogenation and saponification as though they were his mother tongue. What about Bengali, I ventured. He hummed what seemed to me as soulful Rabindra Sangeet, perhaps the only such recital within the walls of the Mumbai factory managers' canteen! As the years rolled on, he never came through as a backslapping, but instantly connecting person. I thought of him as a reserved, soft spoken, enviably knowledgeable technical geek. It seemed that he knew everything that was worth knowing, and what he did not know was not worth knowing. He did many clever things in the company and rose meteorically, all of which have been recounted in his obituaries. By 1980, he was rumoured to be a potential chairman. In 1990, he became chairman. During his tenure as chairman of HLL, he acquired a reputation as a mergers and acquisitions magician, and as a leader who pushed for aggressive goals in a seemingly non-aggressive manner through his mantra: Quality-innovation-collaboration-acquisitions. He presided over one of the longest company general body meetings when he piloted the HLL meeting for the acquisition of Tata Oil Mills Co. He was a picture of patience. This is an intimate portrait and not an obituary. I close with a reference to the only film in which Susim has acted. It was titled Four Men of India, directed by Caryl Doncaster and produced for Unilever and Hindustan Lever by James Carr. BBC showed this film among many others in a Trade Test for Colour Films. In this film, a Sikh salesman is depicted using his sales van to sell soaps in the Himalayas. A Rajasthani man is shown as a migrant to the city to work in a soap factory (I recognised the Jones Stamping Machine at the Bombay factory). A supervisor at the factory is shown to have come from Kerala. Finally, an upcoming young engineer from the east is shown in the Calcutta factory, guiding a production supervisor and his team on a Dalda packing line. The young engineer was a 25-year-old Susim! If you watch that film now, you will see that the young Susim greatly resembles the retiring chairman thirty-five years later. That is why, to me, Susim has not passed away, rather he is the ever-youthful leader to all who knew him. He is remembered as one of the top corporate leaders of India who will always occupy an elite spot. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff While a giant, it's a nimble-footed one, and is growing at a speed that even some of its private sector peers find enviable. Between FY18 and FY24, it doubled its balance sheet. Despite being a late entrant in some segments, it has been able to grab market share, observes Tamal Bandyopadhyay. IMAGE: The State Bank of India headquarters at Nariman Point, south Mumbai. Photograph: Niharika Kulkarni/Reuters On Tuesday, July 1, the nation's largest lender, the State Bank of India, turned 70. Happy Birthday, SBI. The roots of SBI lie in the first decade of the 19th century, when the Bank of Calcutta (later renamed the Bank of Bengal) was set up in June 1806. Its current avatar is the result of the conversion of the Imperial Bank of India, following recommendation of the All-India Credit Survey Committee, via the State Bank of India Act, 1955. The mandate was to extend banking facilities to unbanked regions and serve the credit needs of rural India. IMAGE: The SBI main branch, Fort, south Mumbai. Photograph: Niharika Kulkarni/Reuters A July 1, 1955 press release of the bank reads: '... our policy, as always, will be guided by this ideal -- to further your interests and those of the entire nation, now and [in] the years to come.' The chairman's message to the shareholders, in its latest annual report, reiterates its commitment to customers, describing it as a bank of choice -- yesterday, today and tomorrow. A proxy for the Indian economy, and the only Indian bank among the top 50 global banks by assets, SBI is the banker for one out of every three Indians. With a consolidated net profit of Rs 77,561 crore (Rs 775.61 billion) in 2024-2025, it's also among the top 100 global corporations in terms of annual earnings. It's the third Indian company to enter this league after ONGC Ltd and Reliance Industries. IMAGE: The SBI main branch in Fort, south Mumbai. Photograph: The Late Danish Siddiqui/Reuters Let's revisit its journey from 1955 to 2025. On June 30, 1955, the last day of the Imperial Bank, it had Rs 210.94 crore (Rs 2.1094 billion) of deposits and Rs 116.24 crore (Rs 1.1624 billion) credit. The size of the Indian economy at the time was Rs 10,977 crore (Rs 109.77 billion). By March 2025, India's GDP has risen 3,000 times -- Rs 330.68 trillion. During this period, SBI's deposit portfolio has grown 25,000 times, to Rs 53.82 trillion, and advances, 35,800 times, to Rs 41.63 trillion. All figures are rounded off. In the past 70 years, the bank's income has risen from Rs 8.50 crore (Rs 85 million) to Rs 5.24 trillion, and profit, from Rs 1.36 crore (Rs 13.6 million) to Rs 70,901 crore (Rs 709.01 billion) . In 1955, it had paid Rs 90 lakh (Rs 9 million) as dividend; for FY25, the figure is Rs 14,190 crore (Rs 141.90 billion). The number of employees, too, has risen -- from 14,388 to 236,226; profit per employee has grown from Rs 90,000 to Rs 2,991,000, and branches from 469 to 22,397. You will find its floating ATMs on Dal Lake in Srinagar and on the jetties of Ernakulam and Vypeen in Kerala. It also has ATMs at Khardung La in Ladakh, the world's highest motorable mountain pass, at an altitude of 18,379 feet, and at Nathu La on the India-China border in Sikkim, at about 14,140 feet. Meanwhile, its presence overseas has risen from eight to 244 offices. IMAGE: SBI staffers wait for customers at a loan mela in New Delhi. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The SBI has the largest mutual fund under its belt; boasts the second-largest credit card portfolio; and its life insurance arm is among the largest in the private sector. Two of its 18 subsidiaries are listed. On an investment of Rs 6,200 crore (Rs 62 billion), the current valuation of the subsidiaries is at least Rs 3.5 trillion. Its share in bank deposits is 22.5 per cent and credit, 19.5 per cent. In different business segments, such as retail loans, home loans, et al, its market share varies between 20 and 30 per cent. And its share in the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, the world's largest financial inclusion scheme, is around 30 per cent. As of June 18, 2025, there are 556 million PMJDY accounts, more than one-thirds of which are in rural and semi-urban areas. Describing SBI as a proxy for the Indian economy isn't an exaggeration. It has been playing this role. In 1992, at the thick of the balance of payment crisis, the bank raised $1.6 billion through India development bonds. This was repeated in 1998. When international sanctions were imposed on India following the Pokhran nuclear test, the SBI raised $4.3 billion through Resurgent India Bonds. IMAGE: An SBI branch in Mumbai. Photograph: Niharika Kulkarni/Reuters There are many firsts to its credit. For instance, in 1962, during the India-China war, SBI formulated special credit schemes for the small and medium enterprises in the defence sector. It is the first bank in India to set up a merchant banking division -- in 1973. And, in 1987, it set up a mutual fund after the government opened up the sector -- the first after the Unit Trust of India (which came into being in 1963). The theme that runs through its 70-year life is the bank's willingness to change in sync with time. Who says elephants can't dance? Its digital platform, YONO (short for 'You Only Need One'), is a testimony to this. It is transforming SBI from a lifecycle bank to a lifestyle bank, which goes beyond meeting the credit needs of its customers. Launched in November 2017, YONO is a digital marketplace for its customers. The objective was to attract millennials with a comprehensive app for both financial and lifestyle needs. Not only are over 90 per cent of the bank's transactions happening digitally but a large share of new business, cross-selling, and fee-based products are also distributed through digital channels. Given the way it is hyper-personaling banking services, we can say SBI is running a digital bank within a brick-and-mortar structure. IMAGE: SBI advertisement boards on a ferry on the Ganga in Kolkata. Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters While a giant, it's a nimble-footed one, and is growing at a speed that even some of its private sector peers find enviable. Between FY18 and FY24, it has doubled its balance sheet. Despite being a late entrant in some segments of the business, it has been able to grab market share. For instance, with a Rs 15.06 trillion retail book, it has at least 25 per cent market share. Ditto for home loans. While it entered the mortgage business late, with a Rs 8.3 trillion mortgage book, it is now breathing down the neck of HDFC Bank Ltd, which holds the portfolio of HDFC Ltd following the merger of the home lender with it. Banking is all about three Ps: Products, processes and people. The fiercely competitive industry has been evolving continuously. One cannot hold on to the uniqueness of products and processes since they can be hijacked by competition. People, or employees, are the most important resource to run a bank well and move ahead. Here, SBI takes the cake. It's the blood bank of the Indian banking industry. In 1994, when India opened up the banking sector, most of the new private banks were led by bankers from SBI. Currently, at least five private banks -- both old and new -- are run by former SBItes. And then there are former SBI executives with various financial regulators. IMAGE: The SBI regional office in Kolkata. Photograph: Rupak de Chowdhuri/Reuters Of course, there are areas where the bank needs to buckle up. Mobilisation of current accounts is one of them. With the flow of government funds drying up fast, it needs to attract zero-cost current accounts from corporations to lower the cost of funds. It also needs to improve the cost-to-income ratio, which is currently higher than that of large private banks. There are more such pockets. IMAGE: An SBI branch in Mumbai. Photograph: Niharika Kulkarni/Reuters Many moons ago, when SBI was in its 40s, I met a cobbler in the Mumbai monsoon outside the main gate of the bank's headquarters on Madame Cama Road in Mumbai. He polished the shoes of many SBI executives. Had he ever entered an SBI branch? No, he said; he was scared since he was shabbily clothed and could not speak English. Today, SBI has an exposure of close to Rs 20 crore (Rs 200 million) ninvolving at least 2,200 cobblers across 21 states under the PM Vishwakarma scheme. It also gives small loans to barbers in rural India. It has had many haircuts in the past decade for big loans going bad, but currently, its net bad loans are just 0.47 per cent of the loan book. Let's hope it remains healthy. That's my birthday wish. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Any industrial policy is only as good as how it is applied and the other reforms that support it. This was as true 40 years ago as it is now, points out Debashis Basu. Photograph: Babu/Reuters First it was the shadow-banning of exports of rare earths that panicked Indian electric vehicle manufacturers. Now comes the Chinese halt on specialised fertilisers. A German tunnel-boring machine bound for India is reportedly stuck in China, awaiting export clearance. What next? India, the drug-manufacturing giant, imports 80 per cent of key starter materials from China. What if that is choked? China needs nothing critical from India -- on the other hand, India needs $115 billion worth of goods every year from China to keep various parts of its economy going. All those who were advocating that manufacturing is less relevant to nation-building in a globalised economy need to offer an explanation to the chokehold China has come to acquire. The answer, of course, is more local manufacturing, especially of critical items, which should come as a surprise. Forty years ago, the dominant economic prescription was a heady cocktail of free-market principles: Open competition, minimal government interference, low tariff barriers, and financial liberalisation. This marked a decisive triumph of free-market ideology over State-led planning. Well, this manner of thinking appears to have come full circle now: Tariff barriers are up and government intervention is strongly shaping economic forces. United States President Donald John Trump wants to reshore manufacturing, from steel to electronics to drugs. His predecessor Joe Biden had doubled down on vast subsidies for semiconductors and green technologies. Britain is discussing subsidising energy bills of manufacturers, and India has been offering incentives to boost local manufacturing in 17 sectors. Indonesia is mandating 'local content' in foreign investments in manufacturing -- with its vast nickel reserves, it aspires to be an EV powerhouse. The idea of an 'industrial policy' once evoked memories of State inefficiency and rent-seeking. Between the 1950s and 1970s, India's industrial policy was a mix of price controls, licensing, import restrictions, and public-sector dominance -- a model that stifled entrepreneurship, fostered inefficiencies, and propped up corrupt State enterprises that drained the public exchequer. So how is it that industrial policy and its core component, manufacturing, are back as the preferred growth hormones? The answer is China. Missed the lessons of how sensible industrial policies can transform a nation -- Japan before the World Wars, and Taiwan and South Korea later? China today provides a dazzling masterclass on how to formulate and implement long-term industrial policy, under which it has come to control 32 per cent of global manufacturing, making even the mightiest of nations vulnerable in the face of its prowess. Where does India fit into these trends? Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' campaign promised to raise the share of manufacturing in GDP from 15 per cent in 2014 to 25 per cent by 2025, with an eye on job creation and export growth. But apart from promotional slogans and roadshows, little of substance happened. A more structured attempt came six years later, in March 2020, when India launched the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for three sectors, which was later expanded to 17. The idea was to scale up domestic manufacturing capability to up to 30 trillion, substitute imports, and create six million new jobs. The PLI scheme has spurred some success in mobile-phone assembly and pharmaceutical ingredients. Yet, domestic value addition remains low, with key components still being imported. In January 2024, a government release claimed that 678,000 new jobs had been created under it -- a drop in a country where over 10 million young people enter the labour market annually. The manufacturing share of GDP has in fact slipped further, from 15.4 per cent in 2020 to 14.3 per cent in 2025. A Reuters investigation, citing internal government documents, noted that less than 8 per cent of the allocated PLI funds had been disbursed till October 2024. Additionally, two-thirds of the scheme's targets had been missed. What happened? The PLI scheme puts the cart before the horse. The horse in this case is the quality of education and research, and the enormous frictional cost of doing business that comprises logistics, energy, taxes and cess, bribes, state and central laws, and red tape. This is why even labour-intensive sectors like leather, garments, handicrafts, and jewellery have failed to scale. The scheme is a useful reminder that shortcuts won't build industrial capability. A genuine manufacturing ecosystem takes years of foundational reform. India's efforts to build this foundation have been sporadic at best. In the mid-2000s, the Congress-led government tried to emulate the export-led success of countries like Thailand and Malaysia by promoting special economic zones. But the initiative devolved into corruption, controversy, and scandal, ultimately fizzling out. It had included gems such as a 1,000-acre land allotment near Nagpur to fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi. India never tried to reduce logistics costs systematically until October 2021, when Gati Shakti was launched. Apart from reducing logistics costs (currently 13 to 14 per cent of GDP compared to 8 to 10 per cent in China), it also aims at enhancing connectivity with economic zones. Had manufacturing taken off, it could have addressed India's twin challenges of joblessness and poverty. Unlike services, it can absorb large pools of unskilled and semiskilled labour. But instead of building this base, the government has focused on numerous cash transfers and welfare schemes. While these may prevent unrest and yield political dividends, they also dull the incentive to work, especially in rural India. Employers in the manufacturing sector routinely report a shortage of willing labour, despite high unemployment. India's demographic dividend is fast turning into a demographic liability. The small-scale sector, which employs the overwhelming majority of workers, is struggling in a stifling and creaking ecosystem. Any industrial policy is only as good as how it is applied and the other reforms that support it. This was as true 40 years ago as it is now. Debashis Basu is editor of moneylife.in and a trustee of the Moneylife Foundation. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff We propose an expert group be set up to form a national strategy on digital fraud. This group would bring together skills in financial regulation, security economics, cyber defence, and public communications, and an understanding of the Indian financial and security systems. It should lay the foundations of a coordinated approach by the Indian State in fighting digital fraud, suggest Ajay Shah and Nandkumar Saravade. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff The convenience of India's digital economy has been met with a frightening surge in criminal activity, from illegal loan apps to 'digital arrest' scams. Individual cases are sometimes resolved through investigation and prosecution, but the brainpower and effort on the part of the attackers is improving at an alarming rate. On the one hand, headlines report a significant loss of Rs 22,845 crore in 3.6 million cases in 2024, a 42 per cent rise in the number of incidents. On the other hand, a recent reply in the Lok Sabha claimed a loss of a mere Rs 580 crore in digital-payment frauds over five years. This mismatch in figures points to lack of clarity and a proper taxonomy for the fraud problem. Such ambiguity allows the full scale of the problem to be understated. The State has to do more to solve this situation. We do not individually provide for national defence; we rely on a coordinated state effort. The same logic applies to digital fraud. Ross Anderson, an expert on security economics, has pointed out that Internet security has elements of a public good. One insecure machine can create costs for others (the market failure of negative externalities). The current response is reactive and fragmented. The burden of the loss falls primarily on the victim. But there is a mismatch between what an individual can do personally and the scale and complexity of the attack. The victim is left to manage the financial and emotional impact on her own. Regulators may view the problem as less severe, and banks often direct customers to the 1930 helpline. Law enforcement, with its own resource limitations, can have a hard time dedicating significant bandwidth to these cases. Telecom companies, a key point in the system, may cite low average revenue per user (Arpu) as justifying low effort, when asked to meet higher standards. By default, these problems will readily turn into a spiral of micro-management by the government through intricate regulations that specify details of products and processes used by private persons. This approach is encouraged by the private sector as they get to shrug off responsibility: UPI (unified payments interface) fraud is the fault of the government. But central-planning systems interfere in economic dynamism. Central planning is also a poor approach to cyber security, a field that is too complex and dynamic for a single, rigid government-designed security system. We suggest three ingredients for the way forward. Ingredient 1: Clarity on loss allocation A key step is to clarify the allocation of losses. When the victim bears the loss, other stakeholders have a low incentive to improve the system. A shift in this approach is needed. Firms are the ones best-placed to understand the emerging threat environment, to continuously innovate on precisely how security will be done, and make modifications to their products and processes in fighting back. For this, they have to suffer losses when fraud takes place. While the Reserve Bank of India's framework for limiting customer liability is a right step, its complexity and de facto reliance on customers to prove their innocence often undermines its intent. We should look to more robust, firm-centric models like those in Singapore and the United Kingdom. Singapore's proposed 'waterfall' implementation for phishing frauds is an example. Responsibility is assigned to the party best-positioned to handle it. The financial service provider (FSP) is the primary custodian. If it fails in its duties (e.g. not providing transaction notifications), it is expected to pay up. If the FSP has fulfilled its duties, the responsibility shifts to the telecom company. This framework creates an incentive for all firms to be vigilant. The UK's initiative -- Authorised Push Payment -- further mandates a 50:50 reimbursement split between the sending and receiving payment service providers. This helps ensure the victim is reimbursed promptly and encourages both ends of the transaction chain to be proactive. It creates a direct, financial incentive for banks to be proactive in detecting and preventing fraud through a real-time data exchange, rather than simply passing the loss to the customer. Shifting financial liability incites effective market-based solutions by harnessing the incentives and global knowledge of firms. Ingredient 2: Coordinated State action The second component is to address fragmentation within the Indian State. The issue of digital fraud involves the economics complex (the finance ministry and the RBI), the online ecosystem (the telecom regulator, telcos, and payment platforms), and the security complex (police, cyber cells, etc) at multiple levels with low coordination. A well-coordinated response would include clear work allocation and cooperation. This would allow stakeholders to share information in real time, build analytics to identify threats, and launch coordinated and targeted law-enforcement efforts. A clear, collaborative framework is required where roles and responsibilities are defined and aligned. Without a clear taxonomy, the ecosystem participants across the country cannot effectively share intelligence with one another, and regulators cannot accurately measure the scale or nature of a new threat. The data on fraud categories in Bengaluru shows that a large part of the problem involves 'investment fraud' and 'digital arrest'. It is a matter of not just a card or an OTP (one-time password). The choke points are transactions across payment accounts in sending and receiving institutions. By standardising definitions and sharing information on the modus operandi, we can build a collective defence that is stronger than any individual effort. The way forward: An expert group To attack this problem, we propose an expert group be set up to form a national strategy on digital fraud. This group would bring together skills in financial regulation, security economics, cyber defence, and public communications, and an understanding of the Indian financial and security systems. It should lay the foundations of a coordinated approach by the Indian State in fighting digital fraud. It should have the objectives: a. defining a national strategy, including a clear taxonomy, data-sharing protocols, and necessary legal and organisational changes; b. designing coordination mechanisms and assign clear responsibilities between the economics and security complexes; c. providing a project plan with specific timelines and milestones for the coming two years. Ajay Shah and Nandkumar Saravade are respectively, researcher at XKDR Forum; and cofounder, DeepStrat, and founding CEO, Reserve Bank Information Technology Pvt Ltd Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Brave statements such as we will continue to be the fastest growing large country are of no consolation, because the direction of trade also determines the flow of investment, points out M Govinda Rao. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Never in recent history have we come across instances where tariffs are used blatantly as a weapon of subjugation and a threat to national sovereignty in calibrating domestic policies, as United States President Donald Trump has done to establish his hegemony. While applying sanctions to target unfriendly regimes has become a practice, the use of tariffs as a strategic weapon at this scale is alarming. Mr Trump has used his dictates on tariff rates not just as a protectionist measure but also as a strategic weapon to determine from whom countries should trade and transact. Increasing tariffs universally leads to an increase in the prices of imported goods in the US, but that is not our concern. The uncertainty in international trade and relations has dampened investors' appetite, with adverse consequences on world trade, investment, and economic growth. An even more serious issue is that individual countries no longer have the sovereign power to calibrate their own economic or diplomatic policies and must go by what the emperor dictates. For India, the 50 per cent tariff unleashed by Mr Trump is bound to dampen its exports of textiles, leather & footwear, gems & jewellery, chemicals, and electrical machinery. This will have adverse consequences not only on the current year's growth, employment, trade balance, and macroeconomic stability, but also on the flow of investment in the medium- to long term, disrupting the goal of becoming a developed country. Brave statements such as we will continue to be the fastest growing large country are of no consolation, because the direction of trade also determines the flow of investment. As India attracts virtually zero net foreign direct investment and domestic private investment is stagnant, capital flight due to the tariff can have long-term impacts. The hope of attracting investment under the China-1 strategy will no longer hold. We can take a defiant view that we are a sovereign country, and that no one can dictate terms to us, but the ability to counter a superpower depends on our own inner strength. Indeed, countries like China can and do stand up to seek a better bargain. Despite all the bravado and statements about our own greatness, we should realise that we have very limited bargaining power in the international arena. Although India's exports to the US in 2024 were valued at $86.5 billion, we enjoyed a trade surplus with the US of $45.7 billion, and that would be significantly impacted. The US believes that India protects itself highly by not providing access to US exports and, therefore, decided to levy a 25 per cent general tariff rate from August 7. An additional 25 per cent will be charged from August 27 as a penalty for buying Russian oil and ostensibly financing its war with Ukraine. India's refusal to give credit to President Trump for stopping the war with Pakistan is also believed to have precipitated this action. Given India's low bargaining power and the need to accelerate growth, how should it react to this development? Surely not by increasing protectionism in the name of 'Atmanirbhar' Bharat. India must further calibrate the opening up of its economy and actively expedite bilateral agreements, in addition to pursuing reforms to achieve greater competitiveness. Exports have been a powerful engine in every country that has achieved high growth performance. This is evident even in India after liberalisation in 1991, when its share in global exports increased from 0.5 per cent in 1990 to 2.5 per cent in 2022. Despite our experience that restrictions on international trade are self-defeating, the policy stance since 2017 has turned inward. The steadily increasing trend toward protectionism is reflected in the simple average tariff, which rose from 8.9 per cent in 2010-2011 to 11.1 per cent in 2020-2021. The proportion of tariff lines above 15 per cent increased from 11.9 per cent in 2010-2011 to 25.4 per cent in 2020-2021. The average most-favoured nation applied tariff on non-agricultural products rose from 10 per cent in 2015 to 15 per cent in 2021. Liberalising the economy for trade and investment is the only way to accelerate growth. The advantage of attracting larger foreign direct investment is that it brings advanced technology and improves productivity and competitiveness. In the name of 'Atmanirbhar' Bharat, we have slowly turned to import substitution, with export incentives to selected sectors. The time is ripe to erect a proper wall rather than clinging to scaffolding. The production-linked incentive scheme has had only limited success and needs a careful review. The objective should not be merely to assemble imported parts but to substantially add value through production, technology, and innovation. A major sticking point in bilateral trade negotiations is the hesitancy to open up agriculture and dairying. Excessive protectionism in agriculture and animal husbandry remains a barrier in every bilateral trade negotiation. It is naive to think that liberalising trade in these sectors would open the floodgates to imports of farm and dairy products. Over the years, policies encouraging excessive application of fertiliser and pesticides, a consumer- rather than producer-oriented approach in pricing and trade policies, the free supply of irrigated water and electricity leading to increased soil salinity, disincentives for crop diversification, and the drying of aquifers have caused stagnation in production and ecological damage. The only way to improve productivity in agriculture is to usher in a second Green Revolution, which is possible when we overcome our hesitancy towards GM crops, embrace innovation, use better seeds, and apply fertilisers in a balanced manner. The cultural and religious concerns may be overblown. Many Indians who travel abroad appear to show little concern about consuming food made from GM crops or drinking milk from cattle fed with animal protein. The share of the agricultural sector in the country's gross value added is just about 14 per cent. This is the time to move beyond a 'live for the moment' approach, because we need a better tomorrow. Political obstacles to change are, of course, formidable, but this is an opportunity to cast the net wide, negotiate, seek the cooperation of the states, and work out a time-bound action plan that can also be used in trade negotiations. The only way to improve farmers' fortunes is to increase their productivity, not to condemn them to penury in the name of protection. M Govinda Rao is chairman, Karnataka Regional Imbalances Redressal Committee. He was a member of the Fourteenth Finance Commission, and a former director, NIPFP. The views are personal. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff In the past 10 years, over 500 PSB officers have died by suicide. When targets are overwhelming, senior management and customers are both impatient, and there is constant fear. Not every banker has the resilience to survive and thrive, warns Tamal Bandyopadhyay. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff This is an apocryphal story. In the summer of 2009, at a pre-kindergarten school at Santa Barbara, California, the director asked the students to introduce themselves -- a ritual to kick off the academic year. The students were children of doctors, lawyers, scientists, businessmen... When a three-year-old girl sheepishly said, "My dad is a pole dancer", there was a pindrop silence. The director hugged the little kid, kissed her, and was all praise for her boldness, given the social stigma the profession carried. Before leaving the class, the kid whispered into the director's ears: "Miss, I lied. My dad is a banker." Post the 2008 Lehman crisis, banking was not a profession of pride in the US. In India, too, it seems to be becoming difficult, though for different reasons. July 19 was Bank Nationalisation Day -- the day 14 banks with 85 per cent of overall deposits were nationalised in 1969. Earlier that month, two days ahead of it, a 52-year-old chief manager of the Baramati branch of a large public sector bank in Pune killed himself. He had resigned on July 11, citing health concerns and unbearable workplace stress, and was serving the 90-day notice period. In his suicide note, he wrote that all bank officials were working to the best of their abilities and urged the management to take a more sympathetic view towards the staff. Last year, another PSB's branch manager at Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu, hanged himself in his home on his birthday after dropping his wife to work. He, too, blamed work pressure and unbearable toxic culture. In 2023, the manager of the Hindu Colony branch of another government-owned bank, died by suicide, jumping off from his ninth-storey flat. He left behind a suicide note, saying he was forced to end his life because of the managing director of a company who had taken a loan. In the past 10 years, over 500 PSB officers have died by suicide. The World Health Organisation estimates that about 727,000 people die by suicide annually worldwide. A 2021 data puts the global suicide rate at 8.9 per 100,000 population. That's one suicide every 43 seconds. In India, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported 170,924 suicides in 2022 -- a 4.2 per cent increase from the previous year and the highest since 1967. At 12.4 per 100,000, India's suicide rate is higher than the global average. Worldwide, construction and extraction workers such as miners and builders have a far higher rate -- around 53 per 100,000. As do healthcare professionals like physicians, dentists, and veterinarians (28 to 40 per 100,000). Other high-risk groups include police officers, financial services workers, and manual labourers. The NCRB data categorises suicides by broad occupational groups. In 2022, for when last data is available, maximum suicides were reported among daily wage earners (26 per cent), followed by homemakers (14 to 15 per cent), the self-employed (11 per cent), the unemployed (9 to 10 per cent), professionals/salaried persons (10 per cent), students (8 per cent), and farmers (7 per cent). Bankers fall in the category of professionals/salaried persons, which overall recorded about 17,000 suicides in 2022. A common thread runs through suicides by bankers in India. Many of these suicides were in the bank's branch, and those who took the extreme step were mostly branch managers or those attached to the branches in different capacities. What is pushing PSB branch managers over the brink? Financially, public sector bankers are reasonably well looked after. Only those at the top of the pyramid, such as managing director-cum-chief executive officers and executive directors of PSBs, earn much less than their private sector counterparts. The rest, who form the largest chunk of PSB employees, typically earn more than their private peers. Besides, there is job security. Unless implicated in serious fraud or corruption, they don't lose their job. They are protected by service rules. So, they should enjoy a healthy work-life balance. Yet, many employees suffer from depression, with some ending up taking the extreme step. Why? One might argue that there are employees in every field who cannot cope with work pressure. Top officials of such banks might also argue that banks need to meet the expectations of customers in terms of service, of investors in terms of creating stock market value, and, of course, the targets set by the senior management, or even the finance ministry. Relentless pressure from the top without empathy and adequate support from senior colleagues are having catastrophic consequences. Adding to the performance pressure is the toxic work culture in many PSBs. It's a deadly cocktail, which can kill motivation and create manic depression. Branch managers are the nodal points in a PSB's hierarchy. They are accountable for business outcomes and meeting various targets. They are expected to generate interest income through higher lending, while running the risk of creating bad assets if the credit appraisal is not done properly. They also need to recover bad loans of the past. Yet another challenge is garnering low-cost deposits to bring down the cost of funds. There is no escaping these integral parts of banking. But it doesn't end there. The officers at branches need to also sell third-party products -- insurance policies and mutual funds for fee income. Both the banking regulator and the Department of Financial Services in the finance ministry have expressed reservations over this practice, but third-party sale continues. On top of all this, bankers are subject to vigilance scrutiny. Vigilance officials frequently visit branches for preventive checks. And then, many branches are understaffed, and frequent IT downtime and disruptions in services expose the employees to public anger and mistrust. Until some years ago, banks could make their borrowers happy by sanctioning and disbursing a personal loan within a week. Today, if they take a couple of hours, the frustrated borrower may well walk out of the bank. In an environment where targets are overwhelming, senior management and customers are both impatient, and there is constant fear, not every banker is equipped with the resilience to survive and thrive. Burnout, mental health issues, and, in some cases, the not-so-transparent policies on transfer and postings lead to depression. Reaching out to mental health professionals can help, but where's the time when they are always worried about missing the targets. I interacted with a dozen-odd branch managers of various PSBs in Mumbai recently. Besides the issues mentioned above, abusive superiors also seemed to be a reason for the rise in suicides by bankers. Some video clips featuring such bosses are in the public domain. Listen to their language and you will understand why temperatures run so high in a bank's branch even during the Mumbai monsoon. The troika of unrealistic targets, long working hours, and lack of support from seniors is affecting the work environment. Excessively long tenures of some whole-time directors, too, can spoil the work culture. It is not unusual to find employees trapped between the pressure to meet targets and often manipulative superiors. PSBs have been playing a stellar role in the Indian economy's growth. It's time for soul-searching. They need to change the culture. It's not a job the HR department can do. The boardrooms must look closely at what ails employees, reassess business targets, ensure adequate staff, and extend mental health support -- before it is too late. PS: Every PSB does not have the kind of culture I have mentioned. There are those who care for their employees. But, a few bad apples spoil the sack. The same can be said for some private banks. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff GST 2.0 may cushion consumers against US tariffs, but like the 2019 corporate tax cut, it risks being another tactical fix rather than a structural growth strategy, expects Debashis Basu. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his Independence Day address to announce a sweeping simplification of India's goods and services tax (GST) regime. The patchwork of the four main rates (5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent, and 28 per cent) will now be collapsed into two -- 5 per cent and 18 per cent. A punitive 40 per cent levy will remain for 'sin' goods such as tobacco. The aim, the government said, is to ease compliance, reduce distortions, and put more money in consumers' hands. To investors and economists, the announcement sounded eerily familiar. Six years ago, on September 20, 2019, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stunned India Inc by slashing corporate tax rates from 30 per cent to 22 per cent, and from 25 per cent to 15 per cent for new manufacturers. For firms such as Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints, Nestle India, Bajaj Finance and HDFC Bank, the cuts meant a windfall. The BSE Sensex soared 5.3 per cent that day, and 2.8 per cent the following Monday, its biggest two-day rally in years. Yet, the enthusiasm faded quickly. Why? Because the tax cuts were just a knee-jerk reaction, a desperate response to a flagging economy. Growth had slowed to 5 per cent in the first quarter of that year -- 3.5 per cent according to old calculations. Exports were languishing, unemployment was rising, and auto sales had sunk to a two-decade low. The financial sector was in crisis, with shadow banks teetering. The tax bonanza was supposed to spur companies to reinvest their savings, leading to employment opportunities being generated. But higher retained earnings don't drive the expansion plans of cash-rich companies, only strong secular demand does. No wonder the generous tax cuts did not translate into corporate expansion. We are still waiting for the private capital expenditure upcycle; but, six years later, we are getting another sharp tax cut. The economic setting in 2025 is less catastrophic, but hardly robust. India Inc's core earnings shrank 3.3 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in April-June 2025-26 (Q1FY26), the second contraction in four quarters. Revenue grew 7.3 per cent Y-o-Y, but excepting financial services and oil companies, growth was only 5.3 per cent. Profit before tax fell 7.4 per cent. The earnings of 3,051 listed firms shrank. India's core sector output grew just 2 per cent Y-o-Y in July, down from 2.2 per cent in June. Industrial output, too, dropped to a 10-month low of 1.5 per cent in June. Slippages at Indian banks rose 26 per cent Y-o-Y in Q1FY26, driven by stress in microfinance and unsecured retail portfolios. Fresh slippages reached 49,000 crore, up from 39,000 crore a year earlier. Recoveries and upgrades fell 3.4 per cent to 28,000 crore, while writeoffs declined marginally to 26,500 crore. Gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) rose 6.7 per cent to 4.8 trillion. The data suggests early signs of credit fatigue. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), spooked by sluggish earnings and a sliding rupee, sold Indian equities worth 210 billion ($2.5 billion) in the first half of August alone, bringing outflows to 1.16 trillion ($14 billion) in 2025 till now. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sharply reduced their exposure to Indian equities in July, making India the most underweight market among emerging market portfolios. India's relative weighting fell to a negative 2.9 percentage points versus the MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) index. Meanwhile, China, Hong Kong, and South Korea saw increased allocations. Can GST 2.0 reverse this picture? Cutting consumption tax for the masses is different from cutting corporation tax for rich companies. The State Bank of India reckons that rationalisation could lift annual consumption by nearly 2 trillion, or about 8 per cent of the household demand. In an economy where consumption contributes nearly 60 per cent of GDP, the hope is that higher household spending will ripple through manufacturing and services, spurring growth. But the immediate trigger for the cuts is geopolitical. In a sharp escalation of tensions, the United States has branded India a 'prime enabler' of Russia's war machine because of its decision to purchase cheap Russian oil. From August 27, Washington started imposing a 50 per cent tariff on around $50 billion worth of Indian exports -- more than half its $80 billion in annual shipments to the US. Few importers will absorb such a price hike. Unless exporters find other buyers, a large chunk of sales will vanish. This is where a lower consumption tax makes sense. Domestic consumption, courtesy GST 2.0, is intended as a buffer. However, the mercurial American president can escalate his economic war by targeting Indian software exports, the H1B visa, and foreign remittances, which are critical to India's balance of payments and currency stability. But till that happens, GST 2.0 will help. The trouble is that such tactical cuts do little to address India's deeper weaknesses. If the 2019 tax cut policy had been part of a coherent philosophy, it would have been built into the Budget, and not come as a bolt from the blue. The same is true today. A one-off reduction in consumption tax may cushion consumers against tariff shocks but does nothing to repair the structural impediments to growth. India's persistent failure to capture global market share is illustrative. Consider textiles, one of our top 10 exports: In 2010, China controlled 36 per cent of global exports; by 2018, its share slipped to 31.3 per cent due to rising wages. Vietnam and Bangladesh seized the opening, doubling their shares to 6.2 per cent and 6.4 per cent respectively. India's share fell slightly, from 3.3 per cent to 3.2 per cent. Taxes were not the issue; rather, the 'frictional costs' of doing business in India -- red tape, corruption, poor logistics, and inconsistent policies -- held firms back. The corporate tax cut of 2019 was meant to signal a pro-growth turn. Instead, it ended up as an improvised fix. GST 2.0 risks being another. There is one difference between the two situations, though. The 2019 cut fuelled an explosion of speculation about more Big Bang reforms being on the way. No one is expecting that anymore. Debashis Basu is editor, www.moneylife.in and a trustee of the Moneylife Foundation. These are Debashis Basu's personal views. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff 'The world now realises that semiconductors are not just important for national security, but also for economic prosperity.' Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Bruno Miranda Photography/Pexels.com With over 500 companies from across the globe participating in SEMICON India, beginning on September 2 in New Delhi, Ajit Manocha -- President and CEO of California-headquartered Semiconductor Equipment & Material International (SEMI), the world's largest industry association -- outlined India's role in the global semiconductor race in a video interview with Surajeet Das Gupta/Business Standard. With a large number of fabs being built across the world, where is India positioned in the global semiconductor sweepstakes? The industry is going through a massive inflection point. Over the past decade, we saw strong growth in this industry because of the IoT (Internet of things). But the growth potential is now huge. Last year, industry revenues were close to $600 billion. We project this will double in the next 6 to 7 years to $1.2 trillion, fuelled by the AI revolution -- 50 per cent of the chips being designed today are AI-enabled. How many new semiconductor plants are coming up, and where does India fit in? As we speak, 107 new fabs are set to come on board across the world; 91 already work in progress, including the Tata project in India. However, these fabs will, at most, increase overall semiconductor revenues to three-quarters of a trillion dollars ($750 billion). We should expect another 30 to 40 fabs to reach $1.2 trillion in revenues by 2028-2030. The growth potential is huge: Around 15 fabs are coming up in the US, nearly 10 in Europe, and the rest in Asia, with China taking a major share. So where do you see India? The world now realises that semiconductors are not just important for national security, but also for economic prosperity. India has made a good start by clearing multiple assembly and test plants, along with one mega fab by the Tatas. India's trajectory should be much higher, and I would set an aspirational goal of 10 fabs by 2030. With 100 new fab plants coming up in the world, we (India) need to have a bigger share. It's not a question of if, but when. India has cleared many OSAT (outsourced semiconductor assembly and test) and ATMP(assembly, testing, marking, and packaging) projects but only one mega fab. Is that the right approach? If you have a fab plant but no assembly and test facilities, it doesn't serve the purpose. First you produce wafers, then you need assembly and testing. Assembly and test facilities are much easier to set up -- in terms of both investment and complexity -- compared to wafer fabs. It takes extensive planning and a lot of money ($5 billion to $10 billion) to commission a new wafer factory. So wafer fabs will come over time, depending on entrepreneurs' appetite in the country. Is it necessary -- or even possible -- to accelerate efforts to get more fabs in India? If you look at China, Taiwan, and South Korea, they didn't emerge as fab countries in just 4-5 years. It was a multi-year effort. You need an ecosystem to support such plants. Once the ecosystem was in place, even more companies started moving into Singapore. The same will happen in India. We need to execute on what we've started and demonstrate our capability to the world. India's semiconductor demand is expected to cross $100 billion by 2030. What percentage of this will be met domestically by fabs and OSAT plants? My estimate is that by 2030, if India produces $30 billion worth of chips domestically and imports the remaining $70 billion, that will be a good balance. You can never produce every single chip required within the country. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff OTTAWA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Canadian Armed Forces have developed a conceptual model responding to a hypothetical military invasion by the United States, local media reported on Tuesday. Two senior government officials were cited as saying that it is the first time in a century that Canada's military has created a model of an American assault, the daily newspaper the Globe and Mail reported. The officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said that the model is a conceptual and theoretical framework, not an actionable military plan. They said it is unlikely the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump would order an invasion of Canada. Canada is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Washington's key partner in the North American Aerospace Defense Command. 'Crude oil prices are around $66-67 per barrel now but could fall to $55-60 if global disturbances ease.' Kindly note the image have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: ANI Photo Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), India's largest oil refiner, is working on an expansion plan in line with the country's growing fuel requirements. In an exclusive interaction with Shubhangi Mathur/Business Standard, Chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney talks of the company's growth plan and also sets the record straight on the E20 controversy. How do you look at the controversy over ethanol-blended petrol? Do you plan to offer consumers the choice of buying non-blended petrol too? And is E20 (20 per cent ethanol blending) as efficient as petrol? As of now, we do not have any plans to offer non-blended petrol. We will see how it pans out and take a call accordingly. There is no controversy on E20 petrol. All the equipment manufacturers, labs, and agencies have certified that there is no problem with E20. We have a good example of Brazil, where petrol with 27-32 per cent ethanol blending is being sold. The efficiency of E20 is more or less on a par with that of petrol. India aims to become a refining hub. How would IOC contribute to that? Given the need for India's increasing demand for fuel, IOC started expanding brownfield refineries three-four years ago. These projects are set to increase the group's refining capacity from 80.4 million tonnes to 98 million tonnes per annum. They are scheduled to be commissioned next year. The increased capacity will take care of a large part of the increased demand for petroleum products. In the same timeframe, other refinery projects will also come up, including the expansion of the Rajasthan and Numaligarh (Assam) refineries. The Indian market is expanding at a moderate pace, with diesel consumption growing at 23% and petrol at 57%. The industry will also actively pursue exporting surplus petroleum products once production begins following the completion of planned refinery expansions. Which markets do you plan to target for export? Petroleum products will go primarily to the African subcontinent and South American continent. Certain refineries are closing in the European Union. They will need products that meet Euro VI standards. Our products meet those quality standards. So, Europe is another geography. For IOC, export accounts for 5-8 per cent of its volumes. This is going to increase. IMAGE: Arvinder Singh Sahney. Photograph: Courtesy, Indian Oil Corporation/Instagram What are the timelines involved in these expansion projects? We are aiming to complete the expansion of the Panipat refinery by March. Those in Gujarat and Bihar (Barauni) too will see completion by next year. Much of our refinery expansion will be commissioned by 2026. Are you planning to set up greenfield refineries? Not at present. We are focused on executing brownfield expansion while addressing the energy transition. With the rise of electric vehicles, green hydrogen, ethanol, sustainable aviation fuel, and other alternative fuels, the growth of petroleum products will be moderate. However, as the country's leading energy provider, we may consider setting up a greenfield refinery, depending on the evolving demand-supply scenario. Indian Oil has an upcoming greenfield refinery with Chennai Petroleum in Tamil Nadu. We are working out the configuration, which will be more suitable for petrochemicals and less for refineries. We want to convert it into a petrochemical-oriented project. The detailed feasibility report is being prepared for the project. Saudi Arabia is looking to increase its share in the global oil market. Are you in talks with the people there? We are not in any kind of talks. We know some newer (Indian) refineries are in talks but we are keeping our crude oil portfolio in an open manner because we want to process as many type of crude oil as possible. We have flexibility of 10 refineries which can process almost all kinds of crude oil. That is our strength. On IOC's green-hydrogen plant in Panipat? We are putting up India's largest green hydrogen plant at Panipat, with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes per annum. It will be commissioned by December 2027 and will be utilised for mobility purposes if enough hydrogen-fuelled buses, trucks or cars are available in the market. Otherwise, we will use it in our refineries and replace the conventional grey hydrogen with green hydrogen. The cost of production will be less than $4 per kg. IOC is also foraying into new energy such as nuclear and critical minerals. Nuclear energy, critical minerals, and ship building are on our drawing board. It is premature to talk about these things. What is your outlook on crude oil prices? Prices now are $66-67 a barrel in spite of all the disturbances happening across the world. My assessment is that if these disturbances ease then prices will further come down by $5-10, reaching $55-60. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff 'The government is actively engaging with EU to ensure that concerns of Indian companies and hard-to-abate sectors are adequately addressed under CBAM.' A worker waters the site of a rare earth metals mine at Nancheng county, Jiangxi province, China. Photograph: Reuters With nearly 40 end-user import certificates awaiting Chinese approval, India has been grappling with Beijing's restrictions on rare earth or permanent magnet exports since April 4. Though inventories are estimated to taper off by mid-July for certain automotive applications, HD Kumaraswamy, Union minister of heavy industries and steel (MHI), in an interview with Puja Das/Business Standard in New Delhi, says the Centre is actively working with industry associations to resolve the issue at the earliest. Indian importers are complaining about China not approving imports of rare earth magnets despite clearance of nearly 40 certificates by India. How is India taking up the issue with China? The Indian government is seized of the matter and is actively working with industry associations to resolve it at the earliest. The auto industry has resilience to tackle this challenge. The US doubling tariff on steel and aluminium may disrupt India's metal exports. Is there any effect on our exporters that India may be negotiating with the US at the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) talks? India exported about 165,000 tonnes of finished steel to the US in FY25, about 0.1 per cent of our total production. Direct impact on the Indian steel sector is expected to be minimal. However, the Indian government is mindful of potential indirect effects, as steel-exporting nations may divert excess supply to other markets, increasing competition and pressuring global prices. The situation is being closely monitored, and the government continues to engage with the US across various forums. This will ensure a fair and stable trading environment that safeguards the interests of Indian steel producers. IMAGE: Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China. Photograph: Reuters The European Union's (EU's) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is a looming threat to India and other developing nations. Is India seeking relaxation for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) and hard-to-abate sectors at the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations? The government is actively engaging with the EU to ensure that the concerns of Indian companies and hard-to-abate sectors are adequately addressed under CBAM. In the ongoing FTA negotiations, we are seeking calibrated timelines, fair transition arrangements, and recognition of India's decarbonisation efforts. Our focus remains on protecting industry competitiveness while enabling a sustainable trade partnership. The US dismissed India's steel tariff challenge at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on legal and procedural grounds. How is India advocating for it? India has always believed in a rules-based multilateral trading system. While the US has chosen to dismiss our challenge on procedural grounds, we will continue to engage with it to achieve enhancement and broadening of bilateral trade ties in a mutually beneficial and fair manner. IMAGE: H D Kumaraswamy address press conference, at the Janata Dal-Secular office JP Bhavana in Bengaluru. Photograph: ANI Photo Under PM E-DRIVE, sales of three-wheelers have not gained much traction. If the capex of Rs10,900 crore is not entirely utilised under PM E-DRIVE, will the scheme be extended beyond FY26 or will the funds be sent back to the finance ministry? In case of e-3Ws (e-three-wheelers) (L5), so far, 158,000 units have been sold under the scheme, exceeding the target of 80,546 in FY25 and almost achieving the target of 205,392. However, in case of e-rickshaw & e-cart, the sales are subdued and the segment has grossly underperformed. As of date 2,743 e-3Ws (e-rickshaws and e-carts) have been sold under the scheme. According to the scheme's gazette notification, funds for e-2Ws and e-3Ws (e-rickshaw & e-cart) and e-3W (L5) are to be utilised by March 31, 2026. Vehicles sold till March 31, 2026, are eligible for incentivisation. Two of the three companies that were awarded 30 GWh for ACC battery storage production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme have not started manufacturing yet and they sought an extension. Is the MHI waiving off or relaxing the penalty, and will an extension help them start manufacturing? Three beneficiary firms that have been selected under the PLI ACC scheme for setting up 30 GWh capacity have faced initial hurdles in meeting timelines mainly due to technology unavailability, skilled manpower gap, essential import of equipment and machinery and non-availability of upstream components. However, with support and hand holding by MHI, Ola Cell Technologies Private Limited has reported successful installation of 1.4 GWh capacity. No proposal of extension of timelines is under consideration at present in MHI. Liquidated damages have been communicated to all three beneficiary firms according to the programme agreement for not being able to meet the committed timelines. When will the remaining 10 GWh capacity for ACC battery storage PLI be awarded? Have you, with the ministry of new and renewable energy, selected any bidders yet? Bid documents for 10 GWh ACC capacity, earmarked for grid scale stationary storage applications, are being fine-tuned by the MNRE for suiting the best requirements in the sector. Thereafter, a global tender would be floated on the Central Public Procurement portal by the MHI. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff 'In case a particular industry has not passed on the benefits and if we receive complaints, we will take up the matter with the industry body concerned.' Illustrations: Dominic Xavier/Rediff After the Goods and Services Tax Council took the historic decision to restructure the indirect tax regime, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Chairman Sanjay Agarwal, in an interview with Monika Yadav and Asit Ranjan Mishra/Business Standard, explains the fineprint. Now that GST rates have been significantly rationalised, do you think the GST Council should still meet frequently as mandated? The rates that have been set should not be touched again and again. But the council doesn't meet only for rate rationalisation. Many a time clarification has to be issued or certain changes in the law may be required. So the GST Council has to be convened. Now are you planning to resolve past tax disputes at a faster pace? In GST, dispute resolution is time-bound and within a certain time frame the matter needs to be adjudicated. So those time limits are being adhered to. Health and life-insurance companies are arguing that without input tax credit (ITC), their costs will rise, forcing them to absorb the burden, which means customers will not receive the full benefit of lower taxes. Will there be a rethink on allowing ITC for such insurance companies? If some item has been exempted or is chargeable at a minimum rate of duty, ITC is not available. So once these policies are subjected to the nil rate, ITC will not be available on the inputs or input services used in providing those policies. So to that extent, yes, maybe it will get embedded in the cost or premium. Insurance companies were making some payment from ITC and some from cash. Now they will not be required to make any payment in cash. So the benefits should be passed on by them to consumers. States are raising concerns of revenue loss. Shouldn't they be compensated? If both (the Centre and the states) decide to bring down the rates, where is the loss? It is a revenue implication. I bear my share, you bear yours. If you think on items of common use rates need not be brought down because doing that will be a loss to my revenue, then say so, but nobody did that. It (the cuts) was a unanimous decision. What about the states' demand for an additional levy over and above 40 per cent slab? In GST Council meetings, we discuss only matters related to GST. We cannot discuss the economy as a whole. The proceedings of the GST Council are confidential. With most food items now in the 5 per cent slab, fast-moving consumer goods companies still pay 18 per cent on input services like transport and advertising. Since refunds are not allowed on services under the inverted duty structure, how much of the benefit of lower GST can reach consumers? Refund is available only in the case of inversion due to goods and not because of services. So, if inversion is because of services, then no refund is issued. On certain industry-premium products, advertising expenses will be very high, but on certain items, they may be very low. So ITC will vary from item to item. That's why I am saying each product will have to be studied separately. IMAGE: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal. Photograph: Jitender Gupta/ANI Photo How will you ensure rate rationalisation is passed on to consumers by industry? There is no anti-profiteering provision in the law. By and large, industry is expected to pass on the benefits to consumers. Each industry will do its own calculations. In case there is a feeling that a particular industry has not passed on the benefits and if we receive complaints, we will take up the matter with the industry body concerned. Market economics sees to it that the benefits are passed on to the ultimate consumer. So the sunset clause related to anti-profiteering will not be revised for the future date? The sunset provisions have not been revived. But what I can say is that when this provision was there, in 2017, 2018 and 2019, rate reduction was made on many items. Then too not many applications were received, and the amount involved was not huge. So we are not expecting any unusual situation. So it means then industry had passed on the benefits to end consumers. So why should the position change now? Which are the items that moved from 5 per cent to 12 per cent to 18 per cent? Two items moved from 12 per cent to 18 per cent -- certain works contract services. From 18 per cent to 40 per cent, some, maybe, non-alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks, caffeinated beverages, energy drinks, and non-alcoholic beer. Many of these items were subject to 28 per cent and 12 per cent compensation cess. So put together the rate was 40 per cent. So, the rate of incidence has been kept intact. IMAGE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister for State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary attend the 56th GST Council meeting in New Delhi, September 3, 2025. Photograph: Jitendar Gupta/ANI Photo What happens to the compensation cess balance across the distribution chain after September 22? The legal position is such that the compensation cess can be utilised till September 21. From September 22, there won't be any compensation cess on sales of cars. There is no question of utilisation of credit also because there is no cess. So if there is any input tax credit available on the compensation cess, it cannot be utilised. There is no provision of refund or giving any treatment to those lying in balance in the ITC account. In the case of intermediary services that have been assigned exporter status, will the proposed amendment be done with retrospective effect to protect businesses for past demands on intermediary services? This is the amendment that has been reported by the GST Council. It will be brought in the Budget and passed by Parliament. But litigation exists pertaining to intermediary services. Will that be dropped? Litigation is when two different stands are taken by the department and taxpayers. Those will be resolved on the basis of facts of those cases. But the legal position is that shifting liability from one person to another person, from one jurisdiction to another jurisdiction cannot be brought with retrospective effect. It has to be with prospective effect only. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff 'Lots of YouTubers and influencers use a phone that can do lots of things, but if you need to do heavy editing or proper editing, you will still come back to a proper laptop setup.' Kindly note the images have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy, ASUS ASUS, the Taiwanese computer hardware and electronics giant, aims to be the top laptop brand in India. Indian customers must regard the company as a home brand, said Arnold Su, vice-president, consumer & gaming PCs, ASUS India. Su, in a video interview with Pranjal Sharma/Business Standard, spoke about laptops, the creator economy and artificial intelligence personal computer (AI PC). You're a global company which has been in India for 20 years. How has been the journey? It's a great journey. That's why I'm here for 14 years and I also got Aadhaar card now. Before I came to India, we studied papers and we talked about GDP and GDP per capita. You look at India in a different angle but then I realised that India is not just about Mumbai and Delhi. India is about all the districts and talukas. So then we decided that our strategy should be to be accessible to people living outside metro cities. As a leader, if I sit in an office and ask my team member 'you go there and you go there', nobody will listen to me. So, I have to be there. Photograph: Kind courtesy, ASUS I believe ASUS is present in more than 400 districts. It means that you would have travelled to many of these regions. What's your learning? My first learning is that in India there are lots of IT hubs in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Everybody thinks that major business happens in those IT clusters but we realised that end customers are not from Kolkata itself. We have exclusive stores in Kolkata but when we did a survey and realised that almost 40 per cent of customers are not from Kolkata. They are from Asansol, Midnapur and Durgapur. We thought, why should customers travel 200 km just to buy a laptop? Then we opened stores in Durgapur, Midnapur, and Asansol and our customers further increased. When we were planning a product strategy, we thought for metro cities, for example in Mumbai, we should set up stores with all premium products. We thought if we go to Kolhapur or Solapur, we should lower the segment. We realised that we were wrong. When we launched a new gaming laptop and decided to deliver it personally to the customer. The first customer was from Varanasi, not Delhi or Mumbai. The product segmentation shouldn't be by city because customers are everywhere. What is your most-used product category? You're well known for gaming but you also have laptops for enterprises and professionals. Gaming is almost 40 per cent of our business in India. But by further breaking down the gaming segment, we realised that lots of customers buy gaming laptops not because they are gamers. Gaming is the biggest category but we need to categorise -- what is really the user buying the laptop for. Going forward, what we are going to do is we are going to talk to design schools. They are our biggest customers -- students come to us and say I want to buy that laptop but I don't like the look. Can you do something about it'? That's next -- we are trying to make our products more creator-oriented. Photograph: Kind courtesy, ASUS/Facebook The creator economy uses powerful mobile devices. How do such devices compete with laptops? Yes, we do see so but we also see a shift. To be honest, as an industry till 2019 -- before Covid-19, we did see a tough challenge. But after Covid we realised where our strengths are. I do agree that lots of YouTubers and influencers use a phone that can do lots of things, but if you need to do heavy editing or proper editing, you will still come back to a proper laptop setup. At this moment, we still don't see mobile immediately replacing us. We consider mobile is still a device that's more to do with content consumption and a personal computer is more like content creation. IMAGE: Arnold Su. Photograph: Courtesy, Arnold Su/Linkedin What is an AI PC? Every company wants to define it in their own way. How we look at AI PCs at this moment is how we considered the smartphone 10 years back. This is also a very big debate internally. Every company has a different definition, even within as we have another definition. We can define it into three categories: Everyday AI PC, next-level AI PC and advanced AI PC. When I bought my first smartphone 10 years ago, I used it only for phone calls and SMS. But when things changed, people said I want to own this new technology. I think it's a trend change again. I think you are sourcing more components in India as part of the Make in India campaign. How do you see that journey for the next few years? This is our third year of association with Make in India and we are continuously working with our OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). What we want to see is more key players for parts come to India. Then we will be ready with the end device. We need to source all the key parts. Do you have a target for the next three or four years for ASUS in India? Six years ago, we had just 5 or 6 per cent market share with hardly less than a thousand-crore business in India. Today, we are the number two brand and our market share is between 18 per cent to 20 per cent. We are challenging ourselves to be number one. How can we make the Indian customer really love ASUS and consider it to be a home brand? That will be our global vision. We want to bring the latest hardware and AI technology to almost every taluka in India. Yes, this is our ultimate goal. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff 'We realised that partnering with a strong local player like the JSW Group would create far greater value than going it alone.' Photograph: Kind courtesy JSW Paints In a $1.4 billion deal signed last week, JSW Paints acquired AkzoNobel India, marking a major step in its ambition to become one of the top three players in India's highly competitive paint market. In an exclusive conversation with Business Standard's Sharleen D'Souza and Dev Chatterjee, Parth Jindal, Managing Director of JSW Paints, and Gregoire Poux-Guillaume, CEO of Amsterdam-based AkzoNobel NV, discuss the strategic rationale, potential synergies, and the road ahead for both companies. What made JSW Paints so bullish about the acquisition of AkzoNobel India? Parth Jindal: We launched JSW Paints in 2019 and grew organically to over Rs 2,200 crore in revenue (in 2025). When AkzoNobel announced its global strategic review in September 2024, we saw a significant opportunity. We closely studied the synergies between JSW Paints and AkzoNobel India and found there was immense complementarity--particularly with Dulux's strong presence in the premium decorative segment and AkzoNobel's leadership in industrial coatings like auto refinish and marine. We've been working hard to build our premium paints portfolio, but the incumbents are well entrenched--Dulux being one of the strongest. On the industrial side, we've had some success in areas like auto refinishing and protective coatings, but AkzoNobel NV's technological expertise, built over two centuries, gives it a clear edge that's hard to replicate. To truly scale and break into the top three of the Indian paint industry, this acquisition was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I did everything I could to make it happen--and I'm grateful my father (Sajjan Jindal) backed the vision. Will JSW Paints and AkzoNobel India merge after the acquisition? Parth Jindal: It is still too premature, but it is natural that it will happen at some point. It makes sense to keep them separate for now to unlock synergies. A reverse merger of JSW Paints into the AkzoNobel India entity is natural, but I don't see it happening for at least three to four years. What are the technology transfer arrangements in this deal and how much will JSW Paints pay for technology? Parth Jindal: AkzoNobel NV will remain our long-term technology partner for the industrial coatings business. For any new industrial segments we plan to enter in the future, we will engage in discussions with AkzoNobel's global team to determine whether a similar technology arrangement can be extended, or if a different model would apply for that particular segment. On the decorative side, the Indian listed entity has already acquired the intellectual property (IP) and now owns the technology outright. Once we complete the acquisition, that technology becomes ours. This also means decorative royalties will no longer apply. However, in the industrial segment, AkzoNobel will continue to provide technology support, and royalty payments will continue--except for powder coatings, which AkzoNobel is retaining globally. We will pay a technology fee of 4.5 per cent of sales to AkzoNobel NV. At a time when all the MNCs are entering India, why is AkzoNobel NV partially exiting the Indian market, given the country's growth potential? Gregoire Poux-Guillaume: This is not an exit from India for AkzoNobel NV. We've actually increased our presence by acquiring full ownership of the powder coatings business and will retain our large R&D centre, which supports our global operations. We'll also continue as the technology provider for the liquid coatings business under a royalty agreement. India's paint market is highly local and competitive. We realised that partnering with a strong local player like the JSW Group would create far greater value than going it alone. JSW brings strong distribution and brand presence, especially in decorative paints, while we bring world-class technology. It's a complementary partnership that positions both sides to win. Dulux is a strong brand in India. What gives you confidence that this acquisition will propel JSW Paints into the top three? Parth Jindal: The combined entity will have revenues of around Rs 6,000 crore, making us the fourth-largest player--very close to the number three at Rs 7,500 crore. With minimal overlap in our distribution networks, we'll now reach nearly 27,000 retailers. JSW Paints is strong in smaller towns, while Dulux leads in metros, creating a powerful geographic balance. Dulux holds a 15 per cent share in the premium decorative segment, and JSW Paints is the fastest-growing in value and mass-premium. Together, we see strong growth potential across waterproofing, construction chemicals, and wood finishes. Our goal is to break into the top three overall--number three in decorative, and number one in industrial coatings. Are you raising funds from private equity for this deal? Parth Jindal: We're in active talks with private equity players for some portion of this deal. We are just closing the paperwork with them. We may raise 30 per cent of our acquisition cost from PE, though we have enough cash for the entire transaction. Will you need to burn cash or take on debt to stay competitive and reach the top three positions? Parth Jindal: No, the business is stable. Last year, when there was an aggressive new entrant among listed entities, AkzoNobel India was probably the best performing--both in terms of revenue and bottom-line growth. The power of AkzoNobel was felt last year, and that is the model we want to follow. We will do whatever it takes to grow on the decorative side; we will reinvest in the brand. We will be aggressive. But I don't think, at this size and scale, we would need to burn cash. It will be done in a sustainable manner. Overall, we will be focused on topline growth. We will also be focused on the bottom line, but we will be reinvesting in the brand. With Dulux's premium positioning and JSW's strength in mass segments, will the JSW brand cease to exist in favour of Dulux? Parth Jindal: We have to come together and figure out what the market requires, and we will then arrive at our strategy. Within the industry, we have different segments and we want to make sure we attack all of them. We will do whatever makes sense to gain share across the board. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'The world is heading into a period of serious problems, and gold and silver are among the few ways to protect oneself.' Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters Gold and silver prices have seen a phenomenal run thus far in 2025. Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, tells Puneet Wadhwa/Businiess Standard over a telephone interview that the world is in a period when paper money is becoming less trusted in many countries, and people are turning to real assets like copper, gold, and silver. This, he believes, has been the case throughout history, and will continue. What's your view on gold and silver? Do you own them right now, and what's your strategy? Yes, I own both gold and silver. At the current levels, I wouldn't be buying more, but if prices go down, I'll definitely add to my holdings. I'm not selling them either. For me, gold and silver are long-term insurance. So, are you expecting prices to head higher then? Absolutely. Over the next couple of years, I think they'll go much higher. The world is heading into a period of serious problems, and gold and silver are among the few ways to protect oneself. That's been true for hundreds of years and will remain true now. Whether people are right or wrong about the reasons doesn't matter -- that's what they believe, that's where they put their money, and I do the same. Could we even see gold and silver doubling in the next two or three years? I don't know and it is difficult to predict. What I do know is I want my children to inherit my gold and silver someday, not sell it all in the near term. In terms of returns, over the next couple of years, do you think gold and silver could outperform equities? Equity markets in most countries have been on an unusually long winning streak. That usually leads to problems eventually. I'm not shorting equities yet, but I'm very cautious. If you ask me where I'd rather put my money, I'd choose gold and silver over equities in most countries. Copper, too, has seen a good run off late. What's your take? I wouldn't short it either. We're in a period when paper money is becoming less trusted in many countries, and people are turning to real assets like copper, gold, and silver. That's been the case throughout history, and this will continue. Crude oil, on the other hand, has been subdued. Where do you see it going? If geopolitical turmoil increases, crude oil will go higher. Right now, I don't own any crude oil. I'm just watching the situation. I'm not sure what to do at the moment. What's your view on Donald Trump's presidency and its impact on global markets? Well, Donald Trump seems like a nice man, but frankly, he doesn't appear very smart. Still, he is the President of the United States -- and that's the reality. That said, tariffs have never been good for economies. They might help a very small group of people for a short time, but in the long run, they're bad for almost everyone. Unfortunately, Mr Trump seems to believe tariffs are good, perhaps because he wants to help his friends. But history shows tariffs don't work. Tariffs create distortions and inefficiencies. How do you see global markets play out over the next 6-12 months? Markets around the world have been making new all-time highs recently. Everyone is very happy -- and that actually makes me nervous. My experience tells me that when everyone is euphoric, it's time to be cautious. I'm worried about how good things look right now. And India? India is different. For the first time in my life, I feel India really understands how to make things work. I've always loved India, but now I'm extremely impressed. The leadership in New Delhi seems to genuinely believe that prosperity and success are good, and they're encouraging it. That's a big and exciting change. Would you invest in India at current market levels? If the Indian market corrects, I hope I'll be smart enough to buy. As I said, India excites me right now -- the government truly seems to understand that growth and wealth creation are positive things. That's a very encouraging shift. What would you list as the key risks to global financial markets from a one-year perspective? The US is the biggest risk. American markets are at all-time highs, and this is the longest bull-run in the US' history. At the same time, America's debt keeps climbing to staggering levels. That combination worries me the most. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Disclaimer: This article is meant for information purposes only. This article and information do not constitute a distribution, an endorsement, an investment advice, an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities/schemes or any other financial products/investment products mentioned in this article to influence the opinion or behaviour of the investors/recipients. Any use of the information/any investment and investment related decisions of the investors/recipients are at their sole discretion and risk. Any advice herein is made on a general basis and does not take into account the specific investment objectives of the specific person or group of persons. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. 'Tax cannot be emotional.' IMAGE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addresses a Next-Gen GST Reforms session in Kolkata, September 18, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo Days after the big-bang goods and services tax reform announcement, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, at her North Block office, spoke at length on a range of issues in an hour-long interaction with Business Standard's Asit Ranjan Mishra, Vikas Dhoot, Nivedita Mookerji and A K Bhattacharya. Concluding segment of a multi-part interview: We have started re-engaging with China. Are we looking to ease investment flows from there? India has to have trade and investment relationship with as many countries. You are a growing economy, your need for investment is phenomenal. Any amount of investment coming in today, India can absorb it, and give good returns. So with our economy being like a sponge, which can take so much and more, we want investment from every part of the world, sovereign funds from every part of the world, because we can assure them of good returns. You have talked about Press Note (PN) 3, and said it is possible that some things could change... We've already sort of tried tweaking and flexing the PN 3 with regards to specialists who have to come for projects which are already on the ground but are not getting completed because they want the domain experts to come and do something. And if they have to come from China to that extent, some things have already been done. Is the large trade deficit with China still a concern? Trade deficit with anybody... if it is so huge, I will want to change. The labour codes are there, but they are not being enforced. You cannot get into land acquisition because it is not part of the Union government's domain. So within your territory, is there anything more that needs to be done? When will we see the next round of GST reforms -- for example, inclusion of petrol and diesel? Not in the immediate future. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Any other reform that you have in mind? Within the finance ministry, the things which are standing out, and I need to push my efforts or press the pedal on, include disinvestment. And I will be working on it. There is no new agenda, but the existing agenda which sort of went in a slow motion because of many reasons... I'll have to see which is the best way to revive and bring them on track. That is one thing which I have to do. I will also have to look at the central public sector enterprises: Their efficiency levels, their growth because the DPE (Department of Public Enterprises) is with me. They'll have to look at the ways in which the ranking of all the ratnas happen -- maharatna, miniratna and all that. So I want to get efficiency coming into the public sector enterprises. That's a second one. One big thing which I'm already fully on is asset monetisation. It is another area in which I've spent a lot of time now to make sure that at least public sector undertakings which are sitting over huge assets do well. No doubt, we will have to professionalise them. They will have to run to bring in optimum utilisation of all the capacities, but asset monetisation is probably put by the side in the process of professionalising them. I want that to be bigger. Otherwise, it makes no sense for huge assets sitting which are just remaining to be unlocked. So I'll be paying a lot of attention there. That is a heavy agenda. Anything on the next-gen reforms for which the task force was set up? Two ministers are heading the GoMs (Groups of Ministers) and two task forces are being led by officials, one the current Cabinet secretary and another by the former Cabinet secretary. All of them are looking at reforms. So we will be waiting for them to give their report. Any timeline on that? It is clearly something which has to be done at the earliest... . The 8th Pay Commission, to be implemented from April 2026, hasn't been constituted yet. Are you confident of implementing it from that date? See, whether you want it or not, it has to be implemented from April 1. And I am not saying it is going to happen like this, but even if it is delayed, but happens a bit late, I will still have to honour it from April 1, 2026. Let us say, if it comes in May, I can't say I will do only from May or only from June. It has to be done from April 1. I will have to implement it. While all the attention has been on the GST rate changes, you have also significantly rationalised compliance norms and eased registrations so that they can be granted in three days. While the feedback from MSMEs is very positive on this, there is concern on the GST levy for job works done by MSMEs for the apparel sector rising to 18 per cent from 12 per cent... There is no longer a 12 per cent. How will I take it anywhere else but 18 per cent? Services are all almost in 18 per cent. So as a service, it will go to 18. See ultimately, we may have an emotional attachment to a sector. We may have an emotional attachment to my constituency where there is a particular industry. I may see a sympathetic, humanitarian approach on one particular sector. I may see a job potential in a third. I cannot have GST satisfy me on this or that. Tax goes on a principle. I tax the value added in a particular process of manufacturing, or I tax a particular value addition because of the service component which comes in, and therefore, the tax moves accordingly... I have a great sympathy for job works because I also know in Tirupur, they depend on it. I cannot tweak it for that purpose. It falls under the category of service, you pay that much. It is for the manufacturer to reform his business formula accordingly. Tax cannot be emotional. Do you think that, maybe in the future, the Council could still look at specific items' rates? I won't speculate. Lastly, do you expect your post-Budget interviews to happen from this building or in a new building? I think it is going to be the new building. I would think even pre-Budget interactions will be in the new building. Isn't there an expectation that you will not leave this building soon? Is there a printing press there? On the contrary, the expectation is that we clear it up sooner. We will be going lock, stock and barrel. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'I am doing the drive in making sure that people pass this on. So the drive is not with distrust. The drive is just in case.' 'Just in case it doesn't get passed on, I am here.' IMAGE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaks at Next-Gen GST Reforms in Kolkata, September 18, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo Days after the big-bang goods and services tax reform announcement, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, at her North Block office, spoke at length on a range of issues in an hour-long interaction with Business Standard's Asit Ranjan Mishra, Vikas Dhoot, Nivedita Mookerji and A K Bhattacharya. Part two of a multi-part interview: Part 1 of the Interview: 'I Won't Wait For Decades To Get Reform Done' Many experts are saying the revenue forgone or loss will be around Rs 1.5 trillion to Rs 2 trillion, whereas the finance ministry's estimate is around Rs 48,000 crore (Rs 0.48 trillion). So do you think it can go above your estimate? We have given a number. And that's the number we think will be the case of revenue coming down in the immediate future. But with demand and consumption going up, it will be made up or offset immediately, I would think. The offsetting will start immediately during the festive season itself. And to a large extent, the number that we've shown and said in the Council, offsetting will happen this year itself. You have also banned online real-money gaming, which was a big source of revenue. So have you factored that in also in this Rs 48,000 crore maths, or will that be above that? Online gaming is not banned in total. We have banned playing with money. So GST having a category for online games is relevant. But will that be a major source of revenue loss? We don't know. We will have to see. You have said that you'll be monitoring passing on of the rate rationalisation after September 22. In the absence of an anti-profiteering body, is there an institutional mechanism to track this compliance? Look at the anti-profiteering record. There were not even 300 (big) cases, right? With or without a mechanism, the idea is that you have to keep an eye. You have to act if it is not getting passed on. That's what we'll be doing here. Kindly note the image have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Miles Willis/Getty Images/Rediff Archives Can you explain a bit on the monitoring drive and how it will work? I am doing the drive now in making sure that people pass this on. So the drive is not with distrust. The drive is just in case. Just in case it doesn't get passed on, I am here. So it's not as if I disbelieve or mistrust the industry. So my approach is one of trust with industry or trade. And that's why they are already giving statements. We are talking to them, telling them to pass it on. The intention is good. We want people to benefit. And if we are saying Viksit Bharat 2047, not much time is there. People should come out, economy should be buoyant, robustness should be there, industry should invest. Without doing all this, we can't aim to reach in another 20 years the level of development which is such an aspirational point for people. So I start with the point of trust that industry will pass on the benefits. So I can't really say that on September 22, I will be sitting with a stick. Trade-related uncertainty is the biggest risk to growth everywhere. And one is already seeing some adverse impact on employment. So what is the government's plan? On the (US) tariff front, different departments are talking with their respective stakeholders. I'm not sure the industry has arrived at a number yet of what is going to be the impact of that 50 per cent tariff for the exports going to the US. An exporter doesn't set up a business saying I'm exporting only to the US. He sets up a business to export. A percentage of his export goes to the US, and it is that which is getting hit by 50 per cent. So how is he going to be actually hit? How much, what is the extent to which he will be hit, are assessments which he has to make, which that industry will have to make. Each industry will have to make for its own. And unless the industry tells its concerned ministry or department about the hit, the government cannot work out anything meaningful. After all, the tariff came into effect on August 27. We will have to get a figure and see. Will the package that the government is working on come out soon? Once these inputs (from industry) come. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff You are now saying that even for the inverted duty structure, 90 per cent of the entire refunds will happen automatically. Do you have any game plan that the rest 10 per cent will also be refunded at some point in time? No. At the moment, we are confident that this 90 per cent is done on the assumption that the majority of them are compliant. And there are only a few black sheep who game the system. We don't want that sense of caution to affect everybody else's efficiency. We said we'll give 90 per cent, and see for the rest. I would hold that 10 per cent a bit longer to make sure that I am not going to rush into something, and later, having to retract. You have kicked off the GST appellate structure. Will it be a countrywide institution or will it start with some states, as it started with the IBC? No, every state has minimum one or two tribunals even now as we begin, and the appellate authority will be in Delhi. Every state has decided on its own where they want it. We have not interfered in the process. The group of officers who are working on execution, jurisdictional, case value, and so on, will submit the report in another 10 days, By the end of this month is when the rules and the operational guidelines will be in place. The process will start off from October 1, but hearings will happen by November because there's so much of paperwork in between. You have introduced faceless assessment in income tax. In GST, it is largely online, but the human face comes in. Is there a timeline you have in mind to make it faceless? Ideally, it should become faceless, but I would wait for some time until everything settles down, particularly after this major decision. Then, of course, we'll take everybody on board and decide how to do this because there is a State GST (SGST) component, a Central GST (CGST) component, and an Integrated GST (IGST) component. Faceless will mean in all three cases, participation of both the states and the Centre in the faceless process. I want a stable, stabilised GST first... Part 3 of the Interview: 'My God, The Number Of Meetings We Had On GST!' Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'I can sanction projects worth Rs 20 trillion annually as of today.' 'But my system is only capable of executing projects worth Rs 3 trillion to Rs 4 trillion.' IMAGE: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari during the inauguration of India's second-longest cable-stayed bridge, the 6-kilometre-long Ambaragodlu-Kalasavalli Bridge, in Shivamogga, July 14, 2025. Photograph: @nitin_gadkari X/ANI Photo Infrastructure is core to India's ambition to be a $5 trillion economy, creating jobs, attracting investments and fighting poverty, said Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, at the Business Standard Infrastructure Summit 2025 in New Delhi. "Infrastructure needs a virtuous cycle of investments," Gadkari tells Nivedita Mookerji/Business Standard in the first of a two-part interview. I will begin by asking you for your assessment of the infrastructure sector in India. How do you consider it and how can it be made world class? Infrastructure is very important for the development of our country. Water, power, transport and communication: These are the main [components of] infrastructure. Without having good infrastructure, we cannot have capital investment, which in turn will result in poor employment opportunities, thus limiting our fight against poverty. It is the virtuous cycle of investments [in infrastructure] that will lead to greater productivity, job creation and demand, which in turn encourages further investment and the cycle continues. Everywhere we are constructing roads, hence industrial clusters, logistics parks and real estate are being developed. For example, the newly inaugurated Dwarka Expressway has resulted in a real estate development of around Rs 8 trillon to Rs 10 trillion. It's our government's vision to create the third largest economy, and that is the reason it has given the highest priority to infrastructure development. Anywhere we construct a road, there is huge potential for development of real estate, logistics parks etc. A recent study conducted jointly by IIM Bangalore, IIT Kanpur and IIT Roorkee showed that logistics cost in India has reduced by 6 per cent. I am confident that by the end of December, logistics costs would be reduced to single digit -- it is around 16 per cent at present. By reducing this cost, we are going to increase our exports. To achieve the $5 trillion economy goal [set by the central government], it is important to have good infrastructure. This will be in line with the logistics cost for other developed economies such as China (8 per cent), US (12 per cent), and Europe (12 per cent). A few days ago, I released a report by a reputed company. It showed that the share of road transport in logistics is around 82 per cent; the share of railways is 1 per cent and the rest is by air and other means. You must understand that by reducing logistics costs, we are going to increase exports and our prime minister's vision is to make India a $5 trillion economy. For that reason, if we need to increase the growth of our country -- be it the agricultural or industrial sector -- we need good infrastructure and we are giving it the highest priority. I am 100 per cent sure we will shortly become the world's third largest economy. The prime minister, while inaugurating road projects recently, praised infrastructure creation. As minister, what challenges have you faced in infrastructure creation, especially in attracting private funds? Challenges are everywhere. I always tell people that there are some people who convert opportunities into challenges and there are some people who convert challenges into opportunities. It's a test of leadership and their vision. It's like an examination for them. There are challenges related to land acquisition, environment clearance, Railway clearance, etc. But we are constantly pursuing the matter and following up on that. I know the position of each and every project. Even when Parliament is in session, I am holding review meetings. I meet with 100-150 parliamentarians who tell me about the status of each and every project. I meet my officials as well and ask them about challenges. I instruct them to resolve problems that might be arising in any of the projects. At present, we do not have much of a problem. The problem is not resources; it's the expenditure of resources and not raising money itself. For example, in the Infrastructure Investment Trust (InVIT) model, we were able to raise the required money within hours in the IPO market, and it [the offer] was oversubscribed. We are giving 8.05 per cent interest return yearly on that. The cost of the bond was Rs 100 -- it now comes to Rs 140, so the return is more than 22 per cent. I request people from all income groups to invest in National Highways Authority of India bonds, as they yield good returns. Every project of mine is economically viable -- I don't have any problem. The only challenge lies in pushing the projects through the system. I can sanction projects worth Rs 20 trillion annually as of today. But my system is only capable of executing projects worth Rs 3 trillion to Rs 4 trillion. So, money is not a problem for me. Toll collection today stands at Rs 55,000 crore annually; it's slated to go up to Rs 140,000 crore in the next two years. I will monetise it for 15 years; tremendous money is available to me. You spoke about the goal of Viksit Bharat. Do you think structural reforms are required for that as the government focusses on boosting growth, demand and consumption? Have you discussed infrastructure in your meetings with the prime minister? Reform is a continuous process. We are thinking of using AI in road construction; we have issued a circular making it mandatory to use pre-cast technology in road construction. We have decided to make green highways; we are also thinking of using construction equipment that runs on alternative fuels and not on fossil fuels. We have already used 80 tonnes of municipal garbage in road construction. We are also in the testing phase of using bio-bitumen obtained from rice straw to make roads. We are always innovating and finding newer ways to adapt to the arising conditions. All of this is possible because of the feedback that we get from various stakeholders, especially people like you in the press. We are always open to receive suggestions and feedback. We are using the best of the technology that is available anywhere in the world. For example, in the Zojila Tunnel in Kashmir, we saved around Rs 5,000 crore because we made the best of the technology available to our people. Reforms are a continuous process and everywhere we are making changes as and when they are arising. IMAGE: Nitin Gadkari with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini at the Dwarka Expressway during the inauguration of its Delhi section, August 17, 2025. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo While great bridges and tunnels are being built, there is a concern that highways and roads are not great. Road quality is an issue There are challenges and problems. Landslides, particularly in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are a big problem. We are trying to use AI in detecting landslide-prone stretches, accident-prone spots, waterlogging, and black spots along the national highways. We have already issued the circular. Wherever there is flooding, we are trying to use technology to check the strength of the bridges and (other structures). I am the minister for national highways. I am not the minister for Delhi roads, municipal roads, panchayat roads, state roads, rural roads. My problem is that anywhere a new road is being built, people are giving me credit. Similarly, if anywhere there is a problem in roads, people are giving me the discredit. I am only responsible for national highways. I ask you, where is the problem in national highways? If anyone can tell me. As far as quality is concerned, I am very much conscious of it. I take strict action against erring contractors. I am blacklisting them, charging fines and even pursuing criminal charges as well. I am not going to tolerate anything regarding quality. Though sometimes there are genuine problems as well. We are looking into that as well. If mistakes are bona fide we will forgive them, but if these are mala fide we are not going to spare them. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'There is no retrospective changing of the law, only its simplification.' Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff The new Income-Tax Bill does not override the intent of the Income Tax Act, 1961, but simplifies its language and structure, says Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda, who chaired the 31-member select committee to review its draft. In an interview with Monika Yadav/Business Standard, Panda says with the rising number of filings, resources need to be scaled up. This interview was conducted before the government withdrew the I-T bill from the Lok Sabha on Friday, August 8, 2025. Do you believe the Bill has been simplified enough to significantly reduce tax disputes and litigation? This is the first step towards simplification. The law has become complicated. It is 64 years old and has undergone more than 4,000 amendments, resulting in complexity and frequent litigation. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, nearly 1,500 laws have been repealed and replaced with simplified, new legislation. So, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said we will do the same thing with the Income-Tax Act. So as a first step, it was decided that without changing the policies, the focus would be on how the existing Act could be simplified. That is the Bill that was presented in Parliament a few months ago, and that is the Bill that was sent to my select committee for vetting. The number of words in the new Bill has been reduced by about 50 per cent. The 1961 law had Latin phrases and complicated descriptions. Now, this Bill's language is simple. Instead of complicated descriptions it has formulas and tables. The objective was to simplify the law, make it easy to understand, and reduce disputes and litigation. As regards the old law, even experts couldn't give clear answers. Will there be more revision? We have received many suggestions about policy changes, but that was beyond our mandate. Our mandate was to simplify the law as it stood. There were suggestions about changing the policy. Those will be taken up at appropriate forums. The government policy on income tax is formulated at the time of the Budget. By and large there is a consensus that this is the Bill that will assist taxpayers and it lays the platform for further simplification. In the parliamentary system, committee recommendations are suggestive, not binding. The Bill will go back to the government, and the Cabinet will decide how many of the 300 broad suggestions we've made will be incorporated in the final draft. After that, Parliament will deliberate and vote on it -- that will become the final Bill. The speaker has allotted time for discussion, and we expect it to be passed in the monsoon session. The committee has recommended widening the scope for transfer pricing. However, experts have expressed concern that this could trigger more disputes and litigation. If you simplify the language of the Bill, things become clear. So if people do come within the ambit of the law, they should be paying tax. Due to lack of clarity, some might have assumed they were not subject to tax. The transfer-pricing provision itself hasn't changed -- the language has simply been streamlined to remove ambiguity. The intent of the law has not changed. Whatever transaction was taxable earlier is taxable now. The Bill does not address the status of ongoing disputes under the 1961 Act, leading to apprehension among taxpayers that past litigation and judicial precedents could be rendered irrelevant. After this Bill is passed by Parliament, it will come into effect on April 1, 2026. Until then, the old Act will stay operative. The current disputes will come adjudicated under the old law. This Bill does not change policy, it simplifies it. So wherever judgments are there are not going to change. Nothing is going to affect any benefit the taxpayer has received. There is no retrospective changing of the law, only its simplification. In the report, the select committee has raised concern about the pending appeals before the commissioner of income tax (appeals) (CIT-A), and the finance ministry has made submissions that it's not possible to introduce deadlines for disposing of tax appeals. Faceless assessment was introduced five years ago and has had a dramatic effect on improving transparency. It removed much of the subjectivity that existed earlier. The process is now formula-based and rule-driven, with initial assessments carried out without any direct contact with officials. People are wrongly conflating the pendency of appeals with the faceless regime. The backlog began during the pandemic. Cognisant of this, the ministry has been taking measures. If you look at the CIT appeals in the past two years, there has been a surge in settlement. India is growing rapidly, with return filings now exceeding the population of the United Kingdom. Appeals filed are only a tiny fraction of the 90 million returns submitted. We are now working to eliminate disputes at the roots. The target is to settle all appeals in a year. Systemic issues are being addressed. Ideally, no appeal should remain pending beyond a year. With the rising number of filings, resources also need to be scaled up. I am confident that in the coming few years, you will see a dramatic reduction in the number of unsettled cases. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Tuesday expelled a Philippine government aircraft that illegally intruded into the territorial airspace over China's Huangyan Dao without the approval of the Chinese government, a spokesperson said. Air Force Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson for the PLA Southern Theater Command, said that the naval and air forces dispatched by the theater command warned and expelled the Philippine aircraft in accordance with law and regulations. The Philippine action has severely infringed upon China's sovereignty and gravely violated the relevant provisions of Chinese law and international law, Tian said. "Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory. We urge the Philippine side to stop immediately infringing upon China's rights, making provocations and to cease irresponsible hype," the spokesperson added. 'We have created massive infrastructure in the past six years.' IMAGE: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant addresses the Atal Asra Camp, an initiative to provide secure housing solutions for marginalised communities, offering support for home repairs, renovations, and new housing assistance, at Ravindra Bhavan Sankhali in North Goa, May 17, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo "For those who want to set up industry and want land, they will now have to file far fewer documents than before," Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant tells Aditi Phadnis/Business Standard. You must be a happy man today! Yesterday (August 18) Parliament approved reservation in Goa's assembly for the scheduled tribes ... Yes, we're happy. Tribals represent around 10 per cent of Goa's population and there was no reservation for them. Now four seats in the assembly will be kept for them. In 2021, you had brought the Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill that enabled people living in Goa to own the land or house they had occupied, even if they could not prove ownership. This was seen as a way to protect the land rights of Goans but also non-Goans. But there were a lot of legal infirmities with that legislation... Actually, I have brought a new scheme called Majhe Ghar. The Goa assembly passed the Bills a few days ago. This will give long-term residents legal land rights for the first time. It is a major step towards housing security. This has seven components. Homes that had no number will be given a temporary number so that they are eligible for a light connection, water connection, and other facilities provided by the state government. Then there is a Renovation Certificate. Panchayats are supposed to provide this so that people can renovate or rebuild their homes. In most cases, panchayats are reluctant to issue these. So, we have announced that the power to issue these certificates will henceforth lie with the secretariat, not with the panch or sarpanch. The home is mine, I have been occupying it for decades, I pay house tax. Don't go by whom the land belongs to. If an occupant is paying house tax and fulfills other qualifications, he should be allowed to renovate and rebuild his home. Then there are problems when two families -- say two brothers -- lay claim to the same home. In Goa, this is called partition. Sorting out the claims can take years in court. So, the new legislation allows two separate door numbers. They can have separate water, light, and sewerage connections. We have mandated that the secretary must issue this separation certificate in eight days. There are homes dating back to when the Portuguese were here. There is a house, it is on the plan, I am occupying it but I have no title documents. District collectors have been authorised to issue these certificates. If the land is settlement land and the house is a legal one, the owner will get two certificates. This makes them legal owners. Then there were many who had encroached on government land. This might have happened years ago. They were unable to build, get a house certificate, and faced a lot of legal problems, including from the leaseholder of the land. We have removed the leaseholder from the equation. This applies to a maximum of 400 sq m of land, paying the circle rate of the time the house was acquired for regularisation. So, housing and land claims have been simplified and made more transparent in a complement of seven schemes. Many complain that in Goa, doing business is really difficult. What have you done for the ease of doing business? In the industry, tourism and construction sectors, ease of doing business has been a major focus of my government over the past four years. Earlier, for hotel or homestay registration, you needed at least 20 certificates. You needed to visit 20 or 22 separate departments and beg them to give the certificates. We have cut through all this and have reduced it to three documents. They can come and directly register with the tourism department. Second, the trade certificate -- that allowed you to engage in a trade. You had to get one from the panchayat every year. Recently, we enabled those who, say, want this certificate for five years, to pay the fee and get the certificate for five years, even up to 10 years. No need to keep running to the panchayat. For those who want to set up industry and want land, they will now have to file far fewer documents than before. They just have to go to the Industrial Development Corporation and register. We have created the Investment Promotion Board (IPB). Anyone who wants to set up an industry can apply directly to the IPB which will address their requirements through one window. We have also recently simplified the Infrastructure Tax system so that you only have to pay at two stages. Goa has a massive state debt. The Comptroller and Auditor General has flagged this in a 2023-2024 report that came out recently as unsustainable. Goa has a lot of welfare schemes, but also a massive state bureaucracy. Surely in this age of digital delivery of services, you could prune this? We have debt, but we are spending on capital creation, not revenue expenditure. We have created massive infrastructure in the past six years. Being a tourism-driven state, we want to create new infrastructure like roads and buildings. But we also want to maintain our state very well. With the help of the Union government, we have built roads. But other tourism-related sectors are our responsibility. Since I became chief minister, through agencies like Sidbi and Nabard, we have taken loans at very low rates of interest. Where there is so much infrastructure creation, there will be debt. In Goa, with a population of around 1.2 million people, 60,000-70,000 are permanent government employees. I have created a Goa Human Resources Corporation. This is a new agency that acts as a supplier of manpower needs -- security, housekeeping, maintenance, etc. Earlier, migrants were coming into the state. The corporation serves two purposes: It offers skilling and employment to locals, and it helps us outsource services, making them cheaper. We don't have to pay state government employees huge monthly salaries, pensions, etc. What effect are the US tariffs going to have on Goa's industry? For instance, pharma is present in Goa in a big way. Although it is currently exempt from higher tariffs, this might not always be the case... Yes, pharma is present in Goa in a big way. But these decisions (related to tariff issues) are taken by the ministries of external affairs and commerce and do not come under our purview. I have called a meeting of stakeholders and will convey their views to the Union government. We are committed to becoming an agri-commodity exporting state, especially horticultural commodities: Traditional ones like cashew but also fruits and vegetables, like pineapple. Mining has restarted in Goa after a long hiatus. Vedanta has resumed mining in Bicholim. It has an environmental impact. We have started sustainable mining that is well-planned and measured. Of the 12 sites that were auctioned, operations have begun in three. We're getting good revenue from this. But we are watching carefully. You have been CM for six years, the longest serving ever in the state... Stability has a very important role in government. And we have enlightened leadership at the Centre. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 111 'Sebi's measures are necessary to align the derivatives market with its underlying cash market, as the current disconnect is unsustainable.' Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Individual investors lost over Rs 1 trillion in derivatives trading during 2024-2025 (FY25), which equates to 6 per cent of household financial savings. Ashish Gupta, chief investment officer, Axis Mutual Fund, who flagged excesses in India's options markets in his 2023 report Gamification of Indian Equities, says abundant liquidity and inexperienced investors have turned India's options market into a playground for global trading firms. In an interview with Samie Modak/Business Standard in Mumbai, Gupta warns that the scale of retail losses has macroeconomic implications, making some regulatory restrictions inevitable. Have you studied Sebi's recent order on July 3 against Jane Street? Does the activity in question constitute market manipulation or standard practice among high frequency traders (HFTs) and algo traders? The Indian options market is disproportionately large compared to the cash market, with notional values reaching 400 times (x) the cash market, up from low double-digits a few years ago. This growth, particularly on expiry days when low premiums create high leverage, suggests activity beyond hedging, as notional values should correlate with the underlying if used for hedging. Futures, for comparison, are only 2x the cash market and stable. Sebi has introduced measures like limiting weekly expiries to two, increasing lot sizes, and calculating open interest on a delta-equivalent basis to curb speculative activity. The July 3 order should be seen in this context, as Sebi aims to bring order through regulatory and supervisory actions. As far as arbitrage is concerned, a true arbitrage involves equal-sized trades on both legs. Unequal trades suggest directional bets, not arbitrage, which may be what Sebi is targeting. Do Sebi's measures to curb speculative activity risk stifling liquidity? Liquidity isn't a concern in India's markets, which have become highly liquid, as evidenced by over $18 billion in block deals in the past two months, including promoter and private equity stake sales. Sebi's measures are necessary to align the derivatives market with its underlying cash market, as the current disconnect is unsustainable. Retail losses in derivatives are significant-- Rs 1 trillion last year, equating to 6 per cent of household financial savings. This is a macroeconomic concern, contributing to low deposit growth and weak household savings. The measures aim to protect retail investors and ensure market stability. Is India's options market attracting global HFT firms due to high retail participation and their lack of sophistication? India accounts for about 60 per cent of global options contracts despite being only 4 per cent of global market cap, driven by high liquidity and relatively unrestricted retail access to options. In contrast, markets like the US have stricter rules for retail participation in options trading. This open access, combined with high retail activity, attracts HFT firms seeking to capitalise on liquidity and less sophisticated retail traders, creating opportunities for profit. Should Sebi introduce guardrails like income or knowledge thresholds for retail investors in options trading? Implementing guardrails is challenging in India due to difficulties in verifying income or certifications. Sebi has tried measures like mandatory loss disclosures at login, but these haven't significantly curbed activity. Concepts like accredited investors, used in AIFs and PMS with high investment thresholds, are hard to apply in options markets, where low premiums on expiry days reduce entry barriers. Regulators need to explore practical thresholds to balance access and protection. Can regulators encourage a shift to longer-dated options contracts to reduce expiry-day speculation? Shifting retail investors to longer-dated contracts is difficult because the appeal of expiry-day options lies in their low premium-to-notional ratio, offering high leverage. Monthly options require significantly higher premiums for the same notional exposure, making them less attractive to retail traders seeking quick, low-cost bets. Regulatory efforts to drive this migration face challenges due to these economic incentives. Will new instruments like the Specialised Investment Funds (SIF) reduce retail participation in direct options trading? Specialised Investment Funds, with a Rs 10 lakh minimum ticket size, targets a different investor profile than retail options traders rather than mutual fund investors. As noted in my 2023 report on gamification, these demographics are distinct. SIF is unlikely to divert options traders, as it caters to a higher-net-worth segment seeking professionally managed derivative exposure. If retail investors ignore warnings and continue trading despite losses, how much can regulators or brokers do? That is ultimately a philosophical question. The current magnitude of retail losses, however, has macro consequences-- pressure on househo-ld savings and deposit growth-- so some form of threshold-based access may be unavoidable. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'BSE has facilitated nearly Rs 35 trillion in capital raising across multiple segments.' IMAGE: People watch the live telecast of Union Budget 2025 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outside the Bombay Stock Exchange. Photograph: ANI Photo BSE is "at the forefront" of economic growth and enables companies to raise capital and investors to access markets, said Sundararaman Ramamurthy, the managing director and chief executive officer of the exchange that is celebrating its 150th anniversary. BSE is working to "leapfrog the next level of market development", Ramamurthy, who assumed his role at BSE in January 2023, tells Samie Modak/Business Standard in an e-mail interview. BSE is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Can you take us through the exchange's legacy and its role in the Indian economy and market ecosystem? BSE embarked on its 150-year journey as The Native Share and Stock Broker's Association on July 9, 1875. It subsequently became the first recognised stock exchange in the country under the Securities Contract Regulations Act (SCRA), 1957. The exchange underwent demutualisation and corporatisation in 2007, and in 2017, it became the first exchange to get listed. Over these years, BSE has profoundly shaped India's capital market ecosystem through foundational, regulatory, and technological contributions. Starting from informal gatherings under a banyan tree, BSE has provided a vast canopy for the capital market ecosystem in India. It has been at the forefront of capital mobilisation, economic growth, employment generation, and wealth creation by enabling thousands of companies to raise capital and millions of investors to access the markets. BSE works closely with regulators to bring in updated and best practices, ensuring a robust and transparent market environment. BSE has driven innovation and growth through several key initiatives. These include implementing the online trading system for seamless trading experiences, fostering entrepreneurship through the SME platform, encouraging household savings through the StarMF platform and promoting awareness via the BSE Investor Protection Fund. While BSE is old, with a 150-year legacy, it remains nimble and young to embrace new ideas, adopt innovation and work to leapfrog into the next level of market development as the country looks towards achieving Viksit Bharat status by 2047. It has become so easy to open a trading account. How has the regulatory architecture evolved? Trading in stocks has indeed come a long way, transitioning from the shades of a banyan tree to the convenience of smartphones. BSE has been instrumental in democratising access, building trust, and providing investor protection. This transformation is a result of the evolution of the regulatory architecture. Paper-based trading of the 19th century was formally regulated under the Bombay Securities Contract Control Act in 1925. Post-independence, SCRA 1957 brought structure to the capital market ecosystem, while the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Act of 1992 introduced a formal regulatory framework. Today, the regulatory process in India is a collaborative effort aimed at enhancing the ecosystem for market participants and investors. Key milestones include the introduction of dematerialised accounts in 1996, which enabled online trading, and the standardisation of KYC and account opening norms. Other advancements include digital onboarding, direct payouts to investor demat accounts, simplified nomination and inheritance processes, enhanced risk management measures, and a reduction in settlement days to T+0. These changes have seamlessly integrated banking, broking, and mobile investing ecosystems, leading to a surge in retail participation. For instance, unique client codes at BSE have surged from 50 million in 2020 to nearly 220 million as of the latest count, while mutual fund folios have increased from 90 million to 220 million during the same period. What role does an exchange play in capital formation and economic growth? Stock exchanges are fundamental to economic development as they provide businesses with the capital needed for growth, innovation, and job creation. Exchanges offer platforms for raising capital, transparent secondary markets, and liquidity. Listed companies gain visibility, enabling further capital raising, while exchanges ensure minimum corporate governance standards and risk management. They also channel foreign capital into markets, providing equal access and fostering financialisation and wealth creation. In the past two financial years (FY24 and FY25), BSE has facilitated nearly Rs 35 trillion in capital raising across multiple segments. Platforms like BSE SME and BSE Social Stock Exchange support smaller and social-impact enterprises, contributing to economic growth. Sensex is synonymous with investing in India. What's the plan to cultivate its brand image? The BSE Sensex is the barometer of the Indian economy and capital markets, serving as a benchmark and reflecting market sentiment. It influences foreign inflows as international investors closely monitor the index to assess the country's economic potential. Beyond the traditional function of sentiment analysis, the index also presents risk management and investment opportunities through derivatives and index funds. To cultivate the Sensex brand, we will continue to refine product strategies in line with industry trends and consumer preferences while staying true to our core values. This approach ensures the index remains relevant and valuable to capital market participants. Penetrating the derivatives market was thought to be impossible. BSE has challenged this notion. How has the exchange managed to gain ground in the derivatives segment? BSE's focus has always been on providing the best products and services to meet the needs of domestic and foreign investors. Market-share growth from almost nothing two years ago to nearly 25 per cent as of the latest count is a byproduct. Initially, BSE faced challenges such as a lack of a level playing field and technical readiness among brokers. We addressed these by investing in high-speed, low-latency infrastructure and enhancing transparency and confidence. 'Voice of the Customer' was critical for launching Sensex 30 and Bankex, which helped overcome multiple challenges to create a growth environment. These efforts have paid off, with the Sensex index derivative becoming the world's fastest-growing derivatives contract. Despite regulatory measures impacting derivatives volume, BSE remains committed to providing a cohesive capital ecosystem that meets the growing demands of the dynamic capital market. Recent Sebi measures have impacted derivatives volume. What's the outlook? Sebi's measures are aimed at ensuring market protection and encouraging better participation. Derivatives are versatile instruments used for hedging risks, bringing market stability, and expressing investment strategies. The reforms are designed to ensure these instruments meet their economic purposes correctly. How is the exchange landscape evolving? What could this space look like in 10 years? The Indian economy is projected to reach $30 trillion by 2047, up from $4.2 trillion. A similar growth trajectory is expected for the stock market capitalisation, which is currently at $5.4 trillion for all BSE-listed companies. This growth will mean greater integration with global markets and higher penetration of capital markets. Exchanges must be dynamic and agile, ready to adapt to this ever-changing world. The next decade may see more sophisticated technology, multiple asset classes, deeper market penetration, and wider population coverage, leading to a bigger and more significant role for exchanges. How have things evolved on the technology side? Technology has been a driving force in the growth of capital markets, moving from ring-based trading to brokers' offices, customer computers, and now mobile phones. It has also extended trading hours and increased transaction volumes. BSE has heavily invested in updating its technology stack to meet rising processing demands and future-proof its operations. This includes adopting cutting-edge technology to ensure efficient, transparent, and secure trading. We are also leveraging AI and machine learning for enhanced market surveillance, risk management, and investor experience. For example, AI is used in DRHP (Draft Red Herring Prospectus) document processing for pre-IPO checks and BSE SME platform filings, improving accuracy and efficiency. Any comments on the need for competition in the exchange space? Competition in any space is crucial for avoiding concentration risk, fostering efficiency, innovation, and overall market health while monopoly might lead to deterioration of corporate governance and the voice of customers getting stifled. The stock market and capital market space are no alien to this concept especially when we are seeing surge in investor participation from households. Healthy competition helps improve service quality, encourage innovation, increased transparency, market integrity and wider choice for the industry at large which is a win-win for the ecosystem. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'This is the time to be creative, use AI in real-time operations, and unlock new demand and aspirations.' Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters As Milind Lakkad prepares to hand over the reins to Sudeep Kunnumal after more than six years as chief human resources officer (CHRO) -- and a 38-year career at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) -- he looks back on a tenure defined by the pandemic, the Great Resignation, sweeping organisational shifts, and the company's evolving focus on AI. In a joint conversation following TCS' first quarter earnings in 2025-26, Lakkad and Kunnumal speak with Shivani Shinde/Business Standard in Mumbai about talent, technology, transition, and what's next for the IT giant's 600,000-strong workforce. How do you look back on your 38 years at TCS, especially the 6.5 years as CHRO? Lakkad: It's definitely a very different feeling. These 38 years have been an incredibly fulfilling journey. I'm filled with gratitude for the opportunities I've received and for everything I've been able to contribute. I'm also grateful for colleagues like Aarthi (Subramanian; COO), K Krithivasan (CEO), and Chandra (N Chandrasekaran; chairman, Tata Sons). I've known them for so long, and our relationship has been more than just professional. When I took over as CHRO in 2019, the first major challenge was Covid. The first 18 months were extremely difficult -- it was a crash course in HR. Then came the Great Resignation. Attrition touched 20 per cent, something we'd never seen before at TCS. We had to manage that, rehire, and adapt quickly. The early years were all about reacting to disruptions -- whether it was attrition, leadership transitions, or business uncertainty. But through it all, the lesson has been: How do you take care of every stakeholder? You have to support people, manage costs, and still deliver healthy margins. What I really cherish is how we came together during the toughest of times. One of the toughest challenges was getting people back to the office. It took longer than we expected, but the level of engagement across HR and business teams made it possible. It wouldn't have happened without strong leadership. TCS has long had India's largest employee base. Do you see that changing over time? Lakkad: In life too, we sometimes take things for granted. The same applies to TCS, but that cannot be the case forever. I firmly believe the nature of jobs will change, but opportunities will also increase. Kunnumal: First, I have big shoes to fill. It's going to be a tough job to meet expectations. That said, AI is a huge opportunity. We are investing extensively in building capability, and every one of us should be able to exploit this. This is the time to be creative, use AI in real-time operations, and unlock new demand and aspirations. We may see less linearity than in the past. But if we get the training and talent mix right, there's still plenty of room for growth. With AI in focus, are you rethinking reskilling at TCS? Kunnumal: We've already taken several initiatives. The focus now is to accelerate and contextualise them better. Our training platforms are deeply integrated with GenAI and AI. We're working to improve employee experience, making learning more personalised, intuitive, and embedded in their daily work. How is TCS addressing the talent gap amid rapid AI evolution? Lakkad: We have to focus on the 'shift-left' strategy -- which we've applied before -- and it's even more relevant now. We must engage academia more deeply so that students are better prepared. The idea is that graduates should be billable from day one. We already partner with 100 colleges and run master's programmes in some. If we scale this model, it will help the Indian IT industry move toward the $1 trillion mark. The talent is here; we just need tighter industry-academia synergy. Kunnumal: We've been investing in this for years. Our Campus Commune platform connects students across colleges, offers peer mentoring, and we're making offers to students six months before graduation. TCS has 114,000 AI-ready employees. What's the end goal? Lakkad: We'll continue building a skills pyramid. Our goal is to help people move up that pyramid, but each level will have its own specialisation or dimension. For instance, agentic AI, or domain-specific areas like manufacturing and life sciences. There will be skills developed that are contextual to the industry and specific technologies. When can employees expect clarity on hikes? Lakkad: We took a conscious call to hold off on hikes until we see stability in the environment. Needless to say, we don't like this situation at all. We want to do the right thing and ensure that employees get their hikes at the right time. Historically, except for the Covid year, we've always stuck to our cycle. This is only the second time we've had to make a tough call. Women make up 38 per cent of TCS' workforce. What is the company's aspiration towards seeing women in leadership roles? Kunnumal: Women are a key priority -- a central dimension of how we explore diversity. At the entry level, the women-to-men ratio is 50:50. Naturally, that changes at higher levels. Our aspiration is to maintain that balance as they progress. We have several programmes in place and are making the necessary investments to help scale this effort. Aarthi coming in as COO is a great inspiration. Lakkad: There's been a 60 per cent increase in women in senior roles at TCS over the last five years. One clear thought process we've followed from the beginning is not to place women in senior roles just for the sake of it, but to create every possible pathway and mechanism for them to rise on merit. What are the challenges as you take up CHRO's role? Kunnumal: TCS has seen many technology shifts, and we've come out stronger each time. What gives me confidence is that I'm not doing this alone -- we have a strong team. GenAI is a huge opportunity, and given the overall macro environment, our short-term priority is to regain our aspirational and profitable growth. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff 'India has the capital to invest in defence production.' 'With clear timelines and commitments, private industry can deliver surge capacity effectively.' Photograph: Kind courtesy Kalyani Strategic Systems "With rapidly evolving technology, a seven-year procurement cycle risks acquiring outdated systems. For critical and fast-changing platforms, we must aim for procurement cycles of 18 to 24 months," Rajinder Singh Bhatia, chairman, Kalyani Strategic Systems, the defence subsidiary of Bharat Forge, and president of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, tells Bhaswar Kumar/Business Standard. Have reforms in India's defence sector truly benefited the private industry? A decade ago, the bureaucracy was not as receptive to private sector participation as today. We could not conduct trials in India. We sent the prototypes abroad for testing. The reforms under Manohar Parrikar's tenure allowed domestic testing and, by 2019, the Defence Acquisition Council approved 150 guns. The production for the Indian Army began in 2025. These reforms have helped a lot, but the challenges remain in procurement procedures and timely approvals. How would you assess India's current position and future potential in defence production? India has made significant progress. We (the company) grew from single-digit production to four-digit numbers in 12 years. The technical and manufacturing base is stronger than ever; acquisition reforms, faster processes, and efficient spending are essential. India can match historic global production rates, such as the US producing over 200,000 aircraft in five years during World War II, with streamlined procedures. The potential of the industry is far greater than its current output. As an industry leader, do you believe shortening timelines is enough or is an enforcement mechanism needed? The Defence Procurement Procedure (2020) has given a timeframe of 36 months for procurement. The process takes five or six years and sometimes even seven or eight years, with tenders sometimes being cancelled after waiting long periods. Even globally, the US takes around 11 years for complex systems. Some countries like South Korea and Israel have demonstrated that faster acquisition is possible. With rapidly evolving technology, a seven-year procurement cycle risks acquiring outdated systems. For critical and fast-changing platforms, we must aim for procurement cycles of 18 to 24 months. How did the advanced towed artillery gun system (ATAGS), developed by DRDO in collaboration with Bharat Forge and Tata group, perform at the artillery testing? The ATAGS demonstrated a remarkable range of 48 km, while conventional 155 mm-52 calibre guns have a range of 40-41 km. The ATAGS has a larger chamber and improved charges (zone-7 bimodal) that can strike from a range that exceeds the enemy's counter-barrage range. This extended reach enhances battlefield flexibility and gives India a clear edge in artillery operations. How is technological evolution shaping India's defence sector? Technology is inherently unpredictable, evolving rapidly and touching every facet of life. Earlier, innovations flowed from military to civilian sectors; today, civilian advancements increasingly inform military capabilities. India has skilled workforce and global capability centres for major original equipment manufacturers. The government has promoted defence startups. What more is needed? Startups face the 'valley of death', where 80 per cent fail due to lack of funding and support to move from prototype to production phase. Before 2018-2019, India had fewer than 10 defence startups. Today, over 3,000 are registered, of which 1,100 have already secured orders. India has around 157,000 registered startups, 33,000 are tech-focused and only 9,000 operate in defence. Of these, successful ones can be counted on fingers. Compared to a country like Israel, our per capita numbers are far lower. We should aim for 100,000 startups across defence, aerospace, and technology. If India faces a surge in defence requirements, is the private sector currently equipped to deliver at scale? Five years ago, many defence systems were beyond the reach of private industry. Today, companies are leading manufacturers in several categories. Scaling production is not a problem, but it depends on certainty in orders and well-defined timelines. The delays due to conditional contracts, waiting for trials and approval affect manufacturing. India has the capital to invest in defence production. With clear timelines and commitments, private industry can deliver surge capacity effectively. Does the new Defence Procurement Manual signal a turning point? The DPM has been approved but not yet released. Early indications from the defence secretary are encouraging, but primarily address the routine revenue requirements. The real need is for a leaner and faster Defence Acquisition Procedure, reducing the current 600-page framework to around 100 pages, allowing industry to assimilate policies more effectively and respond swiftly. While some progress has been made, reforms must continue to streamline processes and enable private sector participation at scale. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'There's been interest from multiple states, and exploratory conversations are ongoing.' Photograph: Kind courtesy Namma Yatri/Instagram Zero-commission mobility platform Namma Yatri is planning to expand its services to new geographies by collaborating with the government and communities. Shan M S, cofounder of the platform, in a video interaction with Udisha Srivastav/Business Standard, shares insights on the company's expansion plans, fundraising timeline and goals, integration with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), its push towards green mobility, and the rising scrutiny of the government. Namma Yatri recently crossed 100 million rides, but most of the traction is from Bengaluru and some southern and eastern regions. What's your road map for the rest of the country? We will be present across India. It's a matter of sequencing -- of which partners and communities come forward and how we collaborate with them. There's been interest from multiple states, and exploratory conversations are ongoing. It sometimes takes time for all stakeholders to align, but there's strong interest. In the next three to five years, we aim to be present across the country. What are your plans for expansion? We're well known in Bengaluru and Kolkata. In Odisha, we recently launched Odisha Yatri -- it's one of the apps that gained traction quickly. We're also hoping for an official launch soon for Kerala Savari. The third app, in Tamil Nadu, is an integrated mobility app currently focused on public transport. We've moved to a partnership-led model, so for cities like Delhi, we hope to bring together the community and the government to launch. The government is working on a Sahkar Taxi initiative. Have you engaged with government stakeholders to participate in or support this cooperative platform? It's a fantastic move by the government. We'd be privileged to get the opportunity to contribute, but it's still at an early stage. We can't speak specifically about this initiative yet, but broadly, we offer highly customisable technology that allows governments to launch their mobility apps without spending heavily. What's your stance on the 'forced tip' feature? How are you responding to the government advisory on dark patterns? We appreciate the government's efforts. We're the only company that provides details like price per kilometre, waiting charges, pickup charges, and more. That said, people's willingness to pay for the same ride can vary depending on urgency and use case. So, we believe pricing should be community-driven from both sides. Earlier, it was called a tip, but once the issue was raised, we completely revamped the interface and made it purely voluntary. On dark patterns, I can confidently say we have none. We will conduct an audit and publish a declaration within the given timelines. You raised $11 million in July 2024. Are there plans to raise more funds? We've had inbound interest, given the strength of our tech platform. We plan to raise funds in the next quarter. For now, we have a healthy runway and are focused on execution and delivery. Most of the funds will go towards building Linux for Mobility. Our aim is to create a scalable tech stack that empowers communities, cities, and governments to launch hyperlocal services globally. Are you planning to introduce new categories like electric vehicle fleet, cargo, or intercity services? We already offer intercity services. With the Kerala government, we're working on launching ambulances, and we're doing the same in Kolkata. We'll expand into new categories based on community interest, use cases, and pain points. We haven't yet explored intercity cargo, but there is interest in urban commercial logistics. What are your fleet electrification targets? We're strong believers in electrification. We operate as a non-profit foundation. Under the Mahila Shakti programme, all autorickshaws provided for free training of women are electric. As a foundation, we own about 100 vehicles. We will create Namma Labs to drive research on improving electrification in India. How has your integration with the ONDC platform evolved since its launch? We were one of the first mobility companies to join the network, back in January 2023. We remain strong supporters, and all our transactions go through the network. A key development is the integration of public transport on ONDC, which aligns with our multimodal strategy. Logistics is another pillar of ONDC, so if our partners want logistics services through Namma Yatri, we'll be in a strong position to enter that space. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'MIB which is a part of retail, will grow in the range of 20 per cent.' Photograph: ANI Photo Yes Bank's net profit jumped 59 per cent year-on-year to Rs 801 crore in Q1, driven by a solid rise in both net interest income and non-interest income. Yes Bank managing director and chief executive officer Prashant Kumar spoke to Subrata Panda/Business Standard in an interview in Mumbai on the bank's growth plans and succession planning. The bank's loan growth in Q1 was lower than its peers and the industry. What's your view? We have taken a very strategic call to grow only in those segments which are profitable. We have said we would be looking for profitable growth. On the retail side, we grew by 0.3 per cent in Q1. But within retail, we have retail assets and the microenterprise business (MIB) that has grown by 11-12 per cent. But there was slight de-growth in the retail assets because we are not there in the two large components - prime home loans and new car loans -- that do not make money for us. Do you stick to your guidance of 10-12 per cent loan growth in FY26? Yes, absolutely. We are hopeful we would be able to grow in that range. Where do you see that growth coming from in the next few quarters? The commercial banking segment would continue to grow for us. MIB, which is a part of retail, will grow in the range of 20 per cent. The moment retail asset growth touches 10 per cent, our overall growth would be around 10-12 per cent. We are cautious on unsecured retail. Our credit card book is growing, but we are again cautious on personal loans. Would you say your loan growth target is on the conservative side? No, I think if we decided to grow in the prime home loan and car loan segments, we would have 15 per cent growth. But that does not make sense for us. The important part is profitable growth. So, the products which are secured and give a good yield, we are going there. The board only sought a six-month extension for you from RBI. What was the rationale behind this decision? Transition is around the corner. The new investor would join the group in some time. There was a thought process that since a new investor with 20 per cent stake is coming, they should be given an opportunity to have a say in the succession. I think that is a very fair deal. And that is why we asked for a six-month extension, expecting that this deal would conclude by September. And then the board collectively can make the recommendation to the RBI. Would you be in the fray to lead the bank even after the new investors join the bank? No, it is not a question of whether I am in the fray. Collectively the board will decide with new investors what is going to be good for the bank. Once the deal fructifies, do you think SBI will sell its remaining stake in the bank? SBI will have a remaining 11 per cent stake in the bank. So, there is no compulsion for them to sell that. They will be below 15 per cent. According to regulation, that is the only requirement. How do you see the bank's net interest margin (NIM) trajectory going forward? A rate cut of the first 50 basis points (bps) has been passed on. But the rate cut of the second 50 bps has to be passed on by the entire banking industry over a period of three months. The entire book, which is linked to your external benchmark, would be revised. So, we will see an impact on the NIMs. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff The US remains the largest market for IT outsourcing, and for Indian giants TCS, Infosys and Wipro, it contributes around 40 per cent of their top line. IMAGE: US President Donald J Trump speaks at a dinner he hosted for Republican senators at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, February 7, 2025. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters The worst fears of India's information technology services industry could be edging closer to reality, as Far-Right US activists claim that President Donald Trump is looking to block American companies from outsourcing technology work to Indian firms. The timing could not be worse. Indian IT companies are already grappling with low single-digit growth for a second consecutive year, battered by a weak global economic backdrop and the fallout from tariffs that have drained momentum from manufacturing and retail sectors. "The recent visa and immigration comments directed towards the country and to the IT industry in general was not a big concern for us, as the industry has moved on from visas, there is a lot of local hiring done," said a senior executive at a leading IT firm, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The fear was what if US companies are asked to reduce work with Indian firms," the executive added. The US remains the largest market for IT outsourcing, and for Indian giants such as TCS, Infosys, and Wipro, it contributes around 40 per cent of their top line. "For the industry this is a wait-and-watch time. The industry does not want to comment on these issues," an industry veteran said. "On the taxation issue, how do they plan to tax will not be easy... How do they intend to do it," the veteran asked. Analysts agree that implementing taxation on services would be extremely difficult. Peter Bendor-Samuel, founder and executive chairman of Everest group, said: "We've looked at this extensively and held numerous conversations with well-connected sources in Washington. The chances of the Trump administration successfully imposing meaningful tariffs on services are extremely slim." "There's no doubt they would like to, but it's very hard to execute, which is why their focus has remained on physical goods." The net effect is largely political posturing, Bendor-Samuel added, with little need for serious industry planning. "The relationship between the two countries has undoubtedly deteriorated, and the administration is clearly seeking further leverage over India. But taxing service providers is unlikely to be the solution. "Instead, they've zeroed in on tightening Indian immigration rules -- H1-B and B visas. "Even that is a complex challenge, and at best, would have only a modest impact on the profitability of Indian service firms." Laura Loomer, a staunch Trump supporter, fanned the flames on social media. She posted on X that Trump was 'now considering blocking US IT companies from outsourcing their work to Indian companies.' 'In other words, you don't need to press 2 for English anymore. Make Call Centers American Again!', Loomer declared 'I am so excited for President Trump to end the days of pressing 2 for English to speak with someone who doesn't speak English.' The $282 billion Indian IT industry, which has been a key pillar of the country's exports for over three decades, finds itself in the crosshairs of the US right wing's growing opposition to H-1B visas. Critics argue that Indian tech workers, brought into the US by outsourcing firms, are displacing American workers and weakening the economy. Recently, conservative commentator Jack Posobiec called for imposing tariffs on foreign remote workers, drawing a nod of approval from Trump's trade adviser, Peter Navarro. Any such policy shift would strike at the heart of India's IT and BPO industry, potentially triggering an unprecedented crisis. Thousands of jobs could be lost, and the industry's deep dependence on the US market would leave it particularly exposed. Saurabh Gupta, president of research and advisory at HfS Research, pointed out the stark difference from past downturns. "Unlike past downturns driven by economic cycles, this crisis is man-made, with repercussions not only for Indian IT providers but also for US clients that are already struggling with rising costs from tariffs." "Any restrictions on the outsourcing and broader IT services would squeeze both supply and demand sides, making delivery more expensive and less predictable. "This all creates a burning platform for accelerating the shift toward services as software," said Gupta. Yugal Joshi, partner at the Everest group, cautioned that nothing is off the table for the US government. It's hard to tariff technology services, but the government can devise other creative ways that can trouble the industry, Joshi explained. "US clients do not have too many options but to adopt a global delivery model, including GCCs. "Such tariffs will impact everyone and not only just Indian heritage IT services firms. "If this is adopted in any shape and form, other countries will retaliate, and all cloud and technology vendors will be tariffed by these countries because most of these are US companies." Why IT matters The US is the largest outsourcer of tech services For TCS, Infosys, and Wipro, US contributes about 40% to top line Indian IT services industry is worth $282 bn IT majors claim their dependency on H1-B visas reduced 386,000 H1-B visas granted to Indian citizens in 2023 Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff As many as 2.17 lakh pieces of fake notes of various denominations were detected during 2024-25 compared to 2.23 lakh such notes in the previous year, Parliament was informed on Monday. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Of this, highest -- 117,722 pieces -- counterfeit notes of 500 [MG (New) Series] were detected in FY25, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. This was followed by 51,069 pieces of such notes of 100 denomination and 32,660 notes of Rs 200, he said. "Government of India, in consultation with Reserve Bank of India, reviews the effectiveness of security features of banknotes from time to time and undertakes measures to introduce new security features in accordance with Section 25 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. "Incorporating new security features/new designs in the banknotes to stay ahead of the counterfeiters is a continuous process," he said. In reply to another question, Chaudhary said, the RBI has noted that net fixed assets of private limited companies registered a steady growth of 7.6 per cent, 10.3 per cent, and 10.2 per cent in 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24, respectively based on financial statement data of corporates received from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Additionally, he said, the RBI compiles data on investment intentions of private corporates using information received from select banks and financial institutions (FIs). As per the latest data published in the August 2024 issue of the RBI Bulletin, the number of projects sanctioned by banks and FIs more than doubled, from 401 projects in 2021-22 to 944 projects in 2023-24. During the same period, he said, the total cost of sanctioned projects rose significantly from Rs 1.4 lakh crore to Rs 3.9 lakh crore. The government has taken several measures to enhance investor confidence and crowd-in or encourage private sector participation, with a focus on capital expenditure, infrastructure development, financial sector reforms and ease of doing business, he said. Key initiatives include Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, she said, credit guarantee programmes, FDI liberalisation across sectors such as defence, retail and insurance, and regular review of the FDI policy. Significant investments in infrastructure supported by instruments like Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs), and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) models under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme are aimed at crowding in private capital. Institutions such as National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) provide long-term infrastructure financing. Further, Budget 202526 announced steps like the Partial Credit Enhancement (PCE) facility, Urban Challenge Fund, and expansion of the Harmonised Master List of infrastructure to sustain momentum and investor interest. The decision to hike US H-1B visa application fee to $100,000, trade talks and the GST rate cut will be the key drivers for stock market movement this week, analysts said. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Besides, trends in global equity markets would also be tracked by investors. "This week, markets will first react to the US imposing an annual fee of $100,000 on H-1B visas, announced late Friday. "While export-driven sectors are already grappling with tariff-related pressures, this move could further weigh on IT services exporters at a sensitive time when trade negotiations remain underway," Ajit Mishra SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said. Globally, investors will be closely monitoring the performance of US markets in the aftermath of the Federal Reserve's rate cut, he added. Trouble mounted for the $285-billion Indian IT sector in its largest outsourcing market, as the US decided to hike H-1B visa application fee to $100,000 (about Rs 88 lakh), with apex body Nasscom warning that business continuity for onshore projects will be disrupted. Notably, Indian tech professionals account for bulk of H-1Bs, over 70 per cent. "This move (the US decision to hike H-1B visa application fee to $100,000) could sharply increase costs for US clients and reduce demand for Indian tech talent, directly impacting the revenue visibility of large IT exporters such as TCS, Infosys, and Wipro," Pravesh Gour, senior technical analyst, Swastika Investmart, said. On the domestic front, traders will also monitor rupee movement and crude oil prices, both of which remain key drivers for Indian equities, he added. Meanwhile, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will lead an official delegation to the US for trade talks on September 22, an official statement said on Saturday. The delegation plans to hold talks with US team to take forward discussions with a view to achieve early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement, it said. During the last visit of the team of officials from the office of United States Trade Representative to India on September 16, positive discussions were held on various aspects of the trade deal, and it was decided to intensify efforts in this regard. Prices of kitchen staples to electronics, from medicines and equipment to automobiles, will get cheaper from Monday as the reduced GST rates on about 375 items come into effect. In a bonanza to consumers, the GST Council, comprising Centre and states, has decided to reduce tax rates on goods and services, from September 22 -- the first day of the Navaratri. Markets would also track trading activity of foreign investors. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 390.74 crore on Friday, according to exchange data. On the global front, focus now shifts to key US macroeconomic data, including GDP, manufacturing & services PMI, and PCE Price Index. Vikram Kasat, head - advisory, PL Capital, said, "As India heads into the festive season, all eyes are on how markets digest recent GST rate cuts, evolving consumer demand trends, and the steady stream of IPOs that have kept primary market activity resilient despite global volatility." BEIRUT, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Tuesday that he is working to keep Lebanon out of regional conflicts, citing what he called unprecedented steps by his government to assert state authority and preserve stability. Speaking to diplomats, Aoun said the state must extend its authority across all Lebanese territory through official security institutions, according to the National News Agency. He said the government adopted a plan last year to restrict weapons and expand state control, adding that no shots were fired from Lebanese territory during his first year in office, apart from two isolated incidents whose perpetrators were quickly arrested. Aoun said the Lebanese army now exercises effective control south of the Litani River and has removed large quantities of illegal weapons, calling it the most significant achievement in four decades. The measures were implemented under a Nov. 27, 2024, agreement aimed at protecting Lebanon's sovereignty and preventing escalation along the southern border, he said. The 2024 agreement helped maintain a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese political party and militant group that operates independently of the government. Despite the truce, Israel has carried out near-daily strikes in southern Lebanon, saying they targeted threats from Hezbollah. Lebanon's government and the international community have accused Israel of violating the agreement. The current Lebanese government was formed after Hezbollah lost significant influence following Israel's killing of its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in September 2024, along with several other senior officials. The government has since called for Hezbollah's disarmament, a move the group has rejected, saying it would serve Israel's interests. An Indian commerce ministry team has reached Washington for another round of talks from Monday on the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA), an official said. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Chief negotiator of India and special secretary in the Department of Commerce, Rajesh Agrawal, will join the team on Wednesday. The four-day talks start on Monday and will end on Thursday. India's deputy chief negotiator for the proposed BTA has reached Washington for the talks on the first phase of the BTA, the official said. The visit assumes significance as both sides have to iron out issues in sectors like agriculture and automobiles. It is also important as the US has further postponed the imposition of additional tariffs on several countries, including India, until August 1. When asked if an interim trade deal can be expected before August 1, another official said, We are talking about a BTA. How it moves forward, whether there will be the first phase, second phase, whatever phase, will be mutually decided." "We are doing our job, remaining things we leave it to others," the official said, adding "we are moving in terms of a BTA and we are looking for a mutually beneficial solution". Last week, an official said that "we are not differentiating between an interim or the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement. "We are negotiating a complete deal. Whatever will be finished, we can package it as an interim deal and for the rest, talks will continue". Earlier this month, the Indian team was in Washington for talks, with negotiations taking place from June 26 to July 2. The team has once again reached the US for negotiations. India has hardened its position on the US demand for duty concessions on agri and dairy products. New Delhi has, so far, not given any duty concessions to any of its trading partners in a free trade agreement in the dairy sector. India is seeking the removal of this additional tariff (26 per cent). It is also seeking the easing of tariffs on steel and aluminium (50 per cent) and the auto (25 per cent) sectors. Against these, India has reserved its right under the WTO (World Trade Organization) norms to impose retaliatory duties. US President Donald Trump announced heavy tariffs on a number of countries, including India, on April 2. However, it was soon postponed for 90 days until July 9 and later to August 1. From July 7, the Trump administration has issued tariff letters to a number of its trading partners, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Serbia, and Tunisia. The US wants duty concessions on certain industrial goods, automobiles, especially electric vehicles, wines, petrochemical products, and agri goods, like dairy items, apples, tree nuts, and genetically modified crops. On the other hand, India is seeking duty concessions for labour-intensive sectors, such as textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, grapes, and bananas in the proposed trade pact. The two countries are looking to conclude talks for the first tranche of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by fall (September-October) this year. Before that, they are looking for an interim trade pact. India's merchandise exports to the US rose 21.78 per cent to $17.25 billion in April-May this fiscal year, while imports rose 25.8 per cent to $8.87 billion. I-T dept said move came after a series of outreach efforts, including SMS alerts, emails, and physical programmes, were made across various locations, nudging taxpayers towards voluntary compliance. Kindly note this illustration generated using Microsoft Copilot is only posted for representational purposes. Around 40,000 taxpayers have revised their income tax (I-T) returns in the past four months, withdrawing fraudulent claims worth 1,045 crore following a large-scale crackdown by the I-T department on bogus deductions and exemptions, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said on Monday. The I-T department said the move came after a series of outreach efforts, including SMS alerts, emails, and physical programmes, were made across various locations, nudging taxpayers towards voluntary compliance. CBDT initiated a large-scale verification operation across multiple locations in the country on Monday, targeting individuals and entities facilitating fraudulent claims of deductions and exemptions in Income Tax Returns (ITRs). This action follows a detailed analysis of the misuse of tax benefits under the Income-tax Act, 1961, often in collusion with professional intermediaries. Investigations have uncovered organised rackets operated by certain ITR preparers and intermediaries, who have been filing returns claiming fictitious deductions and exemptions. These fraudulent filings involve the abuse of beneficial provisions, with some even submitting false TDS returns to claim excessive refunds, CBDT said in a statement. The tax department's analysis reveals rampant misuse of deductions under sections 10(13A), 80GGC, 80E, 80D, 80EE, 80EEB, 80G, 80GGA, and 80DDB. Exemptions have been claimed without valid justification. Employees of multinational companies (MNCs), public sector undertakings (PSUs), government bodies, academic institutions, and entrepreneurs are among those implicated. Taxpayers are often lured into these fraudulent schemes with promises of inflated refunds in return for a commission, the department said in a press release. It flagged that despite India's fully e-enabled tax administration system, ineffective communication remains a significant hurdle in assisting taxpayers. To identify suspicious patterns, the department has leveraged financial data received from third-party sources, ground-level intelligence, and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools. These findings are further substantiated by recent search and seizure operations conducted in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh, where evidence of fraudulent claims was found to have been used by various groups and entities," the CBDT stated. Despite these efforts, officials noted that many taxpayers remain under the influence of organised rackets operated by certain intermediaries and ITR preparers, who promise inflated refunds in return for commissions. These rackets often file returns using temporary email IDs, which are later abandoned, resulting in official notices going unread. The department has warned of tough measures, including penalties and prosecution wherever applicable, against those who continue to make fraudulent claims. Verification operations are underway across 150 premises. Taxpayers have been advised to file accurate particulars of their income and contact details, and not to fall prey to agents or intermediaries promising undue refunds. Further investigations are in progress. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff The USA's steep 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods entering America will severely impact exports and job creation in labour-intensive export sectors such as shrimp, apparel, leather and gems and jewellery. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Exporters said that the imposition of a 25 per cent penalty on India over and above the 25 per cent tariffs move will disrupt the flow of Indian goods to its largest export market. The US accounted for about 20 per cent of India's $437.42 billion worth of goods exports in 2024-25. The US is the largest trading partner of India from 2021-22. In 2024-25, the bilateral trade in goods stood at $131.8 billion ($86.5 billion exports and $45.3 billion imports). "The 50 per cent tariff is like an economic sanction. It would lead to closure of units and job cuts," an exporter from the leather sector said. Mithileshwar Thakur, secretary general, AEPC (Apparel Export Promotion Council), said the textiles sector, with exports of $10.3 billion, is one of the worst-impacted sectors. "The industry was reconciled to the 25 per cent reciprocal tariff announced by the USA, as it was prepared to absorb a part of the tariff increase. "But, the additional burden of another 25 per cent...has effectively driven the Indian apparel industry out of the US market as the gap of 30-31 per cent tariff disadvantage vis-a-vis major competing countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Indonesia is impossible to bridge," he said. Sharing similar views, Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) chairman Kirit Bhansali has said that there is a significant dependency on the US market. "For cut and polished diamonds, half of India's exports are US-bound. With this tariff hike, the entire industry may come to a standstill, placing immense pressure on every part of the value chain, from karigars (artisans) to large manufacturer," he has said adding competing manufacturing hubs such as Turkiye, Vietnam and Thailand continue to enjoy significantly, making Indian products relatively less competitive in the US market due to India's 50 per cent tariff. This imbalance, he said, if unaddressed, could erode India's long-standing position as a key supplier to the US. Another official from the diamond sector said that diamond cutting and polishing, which sustains lakhs of jobs across Gujarat's hinterland, especially Surat, Navsari, Bhavnagar and Jasdan. A Kolkata-based seafood exporter said that now India's shrimp will become "super" expensive in the US market, impacting the competitiveness of exporters. "We are already facing huge competition from Ecuador, as it has only a 15 per cent tariff. Indian shrimp already attracts a 2.49 per cent anti-dumping duty and a 5.77 per cent countervailing duty. "After this 50 per cent, the duty will be significantly high," the shrimp exporter said. Similarly, a leather exporter said that some of the companies have orders in hand for about 2-3 months, but the US firms are demanding about a 20 per cent discount to retain the orders. "Considering the 50 per cent tariff for India, if the discount is not accepted, orders are kept fully on hold or cancelled. "Also, if a discount is not given, no new orders will be placed," the leather footwear exporter said, adding firms doing business with the US anticipate a 50 per cent reduction/retrenchment in their workforce/ supervisors/ staff and management executives due to loss of US business. Economic think tank GTRI said that the US tariffs will hit 66 per cent of India's $86.5 billion exports to America. "The United States' new tariff regime, effective August 27, 2025, marks one of the most severe trade shocks India has faced in recent years. "With over two-thirds of India's $86.5 billion exports to the US now subject to prohibitive 25-50 per cent duties, critical labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery, shrimp, carpets, and furniture face sharp declines in competitiveness and employment," GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava said. He said India's exports to the US are set to fall steeply to about $49.6 billion in FY2026 due to Washington's new tariff regime. Exporters have urged the government to announce steps to deal with these high tariffs. Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) president S C Ralhan has urged a moratorium on payment of principal and interest for loans up to a period of one year. Additionally, automatic enhancement of the existing limit by 30 per cent along with collateral-free lending on Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) lines may also be pushed as these will help in addressing the stress of these companies without much burden on the exchequer, he said. Besides, expanding PLI schemes, enhancing infrastructure, and investing in cold-chain/storage assets to strengthen competitiveness and aggressive market diversification through accelerated trade agreements (FTAs) with the EU, Oman, Chile, Peru, GCC, Africa, and other Latin American countries, with a provision for early-harvest for labour-intensive sectors, should be prioritised. FIEO appeals for swift, coordinated action among exporters, industry bodies, and government agencies to protect livelihoods, reinforce global trade links, and navigate this turbulent phase. Women are increasingly using gig work as a pathway to economic independence which has no entry barrier, especially as an alternative to traditional jobs. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff Nearly 83 per cent of women gig workers -- who are the sole earners in a household -- are married, and this may reflect a 'growing' shift in the household dependency patterns, a recent study by a government-run think-tank on female gig workers shows. This is driven by male job losses, migration or pandemic-induced distress, it added. The study, which investigates the experiences of women in the gig economy, notes that these sole earning women are becoming more central to the financial stability of their households. This could be attributed to changing societal norms and the increased flexibility of gig work, which allows women to balance both work and family responsibilities. Of the total women surveyed in the Delhi-National Capital Region, 16.3 per cent responded as being sole earners. 'The intersection of sole earning patterns and marital status provides an interesting insight. Interestingly, among those who are sole earners, 82.7 per cent are still married, which may reflect a growing, although limited shift in household dependency patterns, potentially driven by male job loss, migration or to overcome the economic crisis due to the pandemic,' the study by the labour ministry-affiliated V V Giri National Labour Institute notes. Kindly note the images have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Uber/Facebook Dhanya M B, a fellow at the V V Giri National Labour Institute, said women are increasingly using gig work as a pathway to economic independence which has no entry barrier, especially as an alternative to traditional jobs. Certain factors such as digital literacy, access to technology, public nature of delivery work, exposure to unknown locations and socio-cultural aspects influence participation. "However, they continue to primarily occupy the role of secondary earners. A lesser proportion of women workers report themselves as being sole earners and central to the household incomes," Dhanya added. Photograph: Ahmad Masood/Reuters Meanwhile, the remaining 17 per cent of sole earner women fall under the 'Other' category (widowed, divorced, or separated). This indicates that women who lack spousal support have to shoulder complete economic responsibility. The study also notes that there is a complete absence of unmarried sole earners. This may indicate continued economic dependence on families among young, unmarried women workers, which aligns with the cultural constraints around women's financial independence. In terms of earnings, the study notes that nearly 57 per cent of women workers earn more than 20,000 per month, with over half concentrated in the 20,000 to 35,000 range. 'Gig and platform work have emerged as important avenues for women's economic empowerment, offering flexible income-generating opportunities. Among the total sample, 37 per cent earn between 15,000 and 20,000. However, only 0.3 per cent of women gig workers earn above 35,000,' the study notes. Photograph: Samuel Rajkumar/Reuters Women take charge *16.3% of total respondents sole earners *Nearly 83% married *Remaining 17% fall under 'other' category (widowed, divorced, or separated) *Study suggests a shift towards women playing central role in financial stability of the household *Nearly 57% of women workers earn over 20,000 per month Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff The Adani Group reported its highest-ever trailing twelve-month EBITDA of Rs 90,572 crore, driven by strong performance in its core infrastructure and clean energy businesses, along with contributions from its emerging airports segment, the conglomerate said on Thursday. Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters The group reported an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of Rs 90,572 crore for the period from July 2024 to June 2025, up from Rs 85,502 crore pre-tax profit in the trailing twelve months ending June 2024, it said in a statement. The ports-to-energy group posted highest ever quarterly EBITDA of Rs 23,793 crore in April-June, with core infrastructure businesses of utility, transport, and incubating infra businesses under Adani Enterprises accounting for about 87 per cent of this. Incubating infra assets such as airports, solar and wind manufacturing, and roads crossed Rs 10,000 crore EBITDA for the first time. Strong performance across infrastructure and adjacencies offset a dip in the coal trading business of flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL). "The Adani Portfolio EBITDA has crossed the Rs 90,000-crore milestone on a trailing twelve-month basis for the first time, with Q1 EBITDA also reaching a record high," the statement said. This strong performance was led by sustained growth in incubating businesses (notably airports under AEL), along with renewable energy firm Adani Green Energy, electricity transmission arm Adani Energy Solutions, Adani Ports and SEZ, and Ambuja Cements. "Robust contributions from these businesses more than offset the dip in AEL's existing business. Negative growth in AEL existing business is primarily due to a decrease in trade volume and volatility of index prices in IRM (commodity trading)," it said. Adani Group said sustained EBITDA expansion provides strong support for the planned annual capital expenditure of Rs 1.5 lakh crore to Rs 1.6 lakh crore. "On the credit side, the portfolio-level leverage continues to remain one of the lowest globally at 2.6 times net debt to EBITDA, while high liquidity of Rs 53,843 crore is maintained in cash," it said. "As on March 31, 2025, fund flow from operations or cash after tax was at a record Rs 66,527 crore while asset base stood at Rs 6.1 lakh crore with the addition of Rs 1.26 lakh crore in FY25. "Net debt to EBITDA was at 2.6x -- one of the lowest amongst large global infra players. "The conglomerate had "ample liquidity to cover debt servicing for at least the next 21 months," it said, adding that cash balance at Rs 53,843 crore was about 19 per cent of gross debt. Adani Green Energy, Adani Energy Solutions, Adani Ports & SEZ, and Adani Cements (Ambuja) continue to deliver double-digit EBITDA growth. Giving operational highlights, the group said AEL's incubated businesses are on a high-growth path -- Adani New Industries Ltd (ANIL) commissioned India's first off-grid 5 MW green hydrogen pilot plant, 7 out of 8 under-construction projects are more than 70 per cent completed (including Ganga Expressway), airport passenger movements up 3 per cent year-on-year to 23.4 million in Q1 and cargo movements up 4 per cent to 0.28 million tonnes. Adani Green Energy's (AGEL) operational capacity increased 45 per cent year-on-year to 15,816 MW with the addition of 3,763 MW solar, 585 MW wind power plants and 534 MW hybrid power plants. Adani Energy Solutions (AESL) secured one new transmission project -- WRNES Talegaon line -- taking the under-construction order book to Rs 59,304 crore. Adani Ports & SEZ's (APSEZ) volume grew 11 per cent to 121 million tonnes in the first quarter. Adani Cements' (Ambuja) present cement capacity of 105 million tonnes per annum is on track to be raised to 118 million tonnes by March 2026. The Adani Group plans to invest a record $15-20 billion across businesses over the next five years to chart out the next phase of growth, chairman Gautam Adani said on Tuesday as he touted the conglomerate's strong balance sheet and robust business to shrug off relentless scrutiny it faces. Photograph: ANI Photo Record earnings from the businesses ranging from seaports to airports, renewable energy parks to data centres, cement to gas and electricity has built India's largest infrastructure group that not only exists just to serve the markets but to serve the nation's destiny, he said. Addressing the group's annual general meeting virtually, he referred to recent indictment by the US authorities in an alleged bribery scheme to win lucrative renewable energy supply contracts, saying no one from Adani Group has been charged with violating US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) or conspiring to obstruct justice. "Even in the face of the storms and relentless scrutiny, the Adani Group has never backed down. "Instead, we proved that true leadership is not built in sunshine. It is constructed in the fire of crisis," he said. "This was tested again last year, when we faced allegations from the US Department of Justice and the SEC relating to Adani Green Energy." Despite all the noise, "the facts are that no one from the Adani Group has been charged with violating the FCPA or conspiring to obstruct justice," he said. "We live in a world where negativity often echoes louder than the truth. "And as we cooperate with legal processes, let me also restate that our governance is of global standards, and our compliance frameworks are non-negotiable." In January 2023, US short-seller Hindenburg Research published a scathing report describing the Adani Group as "the largest con in corporate history". The fallout was swift: stock prices plummeted, wiping out over $150 billion in market value at the lowest point, and the group's biggest public offering was abruptly scrapped. Just as the group scripted a comeback through a mix of trimming of debt, cutting back on the founder's pledged shares, bringing in both promoter and marquee investor equity, and refocusing attention on the group's core businesses, the conglomerate was hit by US authorities charging Adani and his close associates of allegedly paying bribes to secure Indian power supply contracts and misleading US investors during fund raises. The Adani group has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and went about refocusing its efforts, resulting in most of its stocks recovering and the group posting record earnings. "In terms of consolidated numbers, at the group-level, revenues grew by 7 per cent, EBITDA by 8.2 per cent, and our net debt-to-EBITDA ratio remained healthy at 2.6x. Total revenues were Rs 2,71,664 crore and our adjusted EBITDA was Rs 89,806 crore," he said. Adani, Asia's second-richest person behind Mukesh Ambani, said the objective of his conglomerate is not to just build businesses -- it is to create new possibilities. "Not just to serve markets -- but to serve our nation's destiny. Not to chase valuation. But build valuation -- brick by brick." "And in this context, our capital investment across businesses is set to break all records. "We anticipate an annual capex spend of $1520 billion for the next 5 years. "These are not just investments in our group, but investments in the possibilities for doing our part to build India's infrastructure," he said. Talking of business performance, Adani said the group's electricity generation unit, Adani Power crossed 100 billion units of generation and is on track to reach 31 GW capacity by 2030. Renewable energy arm, Adani Green is building the world's largest renewable energy park at Khavda in Gujarat with a target of 50 GW by 2030. "In fact, when we combine our thermal, renewable and pumped hydro generation capacities, we expect to have a 100 GW capacity by 2030," he said. The group's electricity transmission unit, Adani Energy Solutions handled smart metering, high-voltage links and secured close to Rs 44,000 crore in transmission orders and is executing Rs 13,600 crore worth of smart metering projects. Clean energy vertical, Adani New Industries is building electrolysers and factories to produce 10 GW of solar modules by the next financial year. While Adani Ports handled a record 450 million tonnes of cargo, natural resources produced by the group touched a record 47 million tonnes of coal and iron ore and is on track to achieve over 30 per cent growth by FY26. "Two and a half years ago, when we acquired Holcim's India cement business, we had made a bold commitment -- to double our capacity to 140 million tonnes per annum by FY27-28. "Today, I am proud to share that we have already achieved 72 per cent of that target and crossed the 100 million tonnes milestone," he said. Adani Airports handled record 94 million passengers in FY25 and has completed the first test flight at the greenfield Navi Mumbai Airport, which will open later this year with an initial passenger capacity of 20 million. Adani said his group has launched gigawatt-scale renewable energy-powered data centre campuses across multiple states. On city gas business, Adani Total Gas now serves 1 million piped natural gas customers and runs 3,400 EV charging stations across 22 states. "But perhaps our most transformative project is unfolding in Dharavi -- Asia's largest slum, now being reimagined as India's most ambitious urban rehabilitation project," he said. "Over 1 million people will move from narrow lanes to a township that will feature spacious layouts, dual toilets, open spaces, schools, hospitals, transit hubs and parks." Stating that a nation's future is not written in policy documents, he said it is written in the risks its entrepreneurs dare to take. "And history should remember us -- not for the size of our balance sheet, but for the strength of our backbone. "Not for the markets we entered, but for the storms we handled and emerged stronger. For it is easy to lead in sunshine, but true leadership is forged in the face of crisis," he added. Adani Power on Saturday said it has inked a pact with Bhutan's state-owned utility Druk Green Power to set up a 570MW hydro project entailing investment of Rs 6,000 crore, in the Himalayan Kingdom. IMAGE: Adani Power and Bhutan's state-owned Druk Green Power Corp sign the Shareholders Agreement, in the presence of Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani and Bhutan's Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay in New Delhi on Saturday. Photograph: ANI Photo As per the pact, Adani Power and Druk Green Power Corp Ltd (DGPC), will initiate the the peaking run-of-river Wangchhu hydroelectric project on a BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, Transfer) model. A power purchase agreement and a concession agreement were signed in this regard in the presence of Prime Minister of Bhutan, Dasho Tshering Tobgay and Gautam Adani, Chairman, Adani Group, a company statement said. The Wangchhu project will see an investment of about Rs 6,000 crore in setting up the power plant and related infrastructures. With the detailed project report already completed, construction work is expected to begin by the first half of 2026, and the completion is targeted within five years of groundbreaking. "The Wangchhu hydroelectric project will critically meet Bhutan's peak winter demand, when hydro power generation is low. "During the summer months, it would export power to India, said SB Khyalia, CEO, Adani Power. The Wangchhu is the first hydroelectric project to be taken up under an MoU signed in May 2025 between Adani Group and DGPC for jointly developing 5,000 MW of hydropower in Bhutan. Adani Group and DGPC are engaged in further discussions for future projects under this strategic partnership. Adani Power is the largest private thermal power producer in India. DGPC is the sole generation utility of Bhutan with a current generation portfolio of a little over 2,500 MW and growing fast with Bhutan's aspirations to achieve 25,000 MW in generation capacity by 2040. Druk Holding & Investments, the commercial arm of the Royal Government of Bhutan, is DGPC's shareholder. Established in 2008 to take a lead role in developing Bhutan's hydropower resources, it has recently diversified beyond hydropower into tapping solar resources also. The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), in an application to the Competition Commission of India (CCI), has alleged that technology company Apple is using dilatory and delaying tactics in the regulators investigation against the company and has sought interim relief for Indian startups and digital companies, according to people close to the development. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters Apple is facing a probe by the CCI for alleged abuse of dominant position in the app store market, leading to rise in costs, and stifling of competition for smaller developers who rely on its iOS ecosystem for distribution and revenue. The complaint was filed by non-profit Together We Fight Society. CCI has not levied any penalty against Apple and is yet to take a decision in the case. Apple has challenged recent amendments to the Competition Act that allow penalties to be based on a companys global turnover. Apple in its plea has said that the new penalty framework exposes the company to potential fines of up to $38 billion, which is 10 per cent of its average global revenue over the past three years. ADIF has said that the litigation is delaying the final adjudication process and an interim order should be considered for Indian startups and digital companies by the CCI for some immediate relief. There are international orders which have come against Apple as well. "A view can be taken by the Commission now as an interim measure, an industry source said. Section 33 of the Competition Act allows the CCI to issue interim orders to temporarily restrain any party from carrying on any act (which is in contravention with the Act) until the conclusion of such inquiry or until further orders, without giving notice to such party, where it deems it necessary. An email sent to Apple remained unanswered till the time of going to the press and attempts to connect with ADIF members failed. Sources in the know, however, confirmed that ADIF has sent a letter to CCI and are hopeful that there will soon be some movement on their application. The Supreme Court in a matter of SAIL versus CCI in 2010 had said that CCI can issue an interim order, but it has to use this power sparingly. There has to be application of mind of higher degree and definite reasons having nexus to the necessity for passing such an order need be stated. "Further, it is required that the case of the informant-applicant should also be stronger than a mere prima facie case, the court had said. Apples challenge to the issue of penalty being levied on global turnover has been opposed by the government in the Delhi high court. The government has told the court that levying such penalties would discourage breaches by multinationals. A Reuters report, quoting the affidavit, filed by the government in the court said that according to the regulator, weighing only India-specific turnover as the basis for the calculation of penalties, especially in the case of global digital firms, fails to deter the impugned behaviour. 'We're already seeing signs of superhuman capability.' Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters Google DeepMind expects artificial general intelligence (AGI) capabilities to emerge within four to five years, as it ramps up artificial intelligence (AI) development through its growing India operations. Manish Gupta, senior director for India and Asia-Pacific at Google DeepMind, said the company's Gemini models are already showing "superhuman capabilities" in areas like mathematics, with one model performing at gold medal level on International Math Olympiad problems. "We believe that you will see capabilities that could at least arguably be termed AGI -- perhaps within the next four to five years," Gupta told Business Standard in an interview. Much of that development work is happening out of India. AGI refers to the stage where an AI system can outperform even the smartest human at a broad range of cognitive tasks. "We're approaching that point where a single model can assist with so many cognitive tasks that were once uniquely human. It really opens up possibilities across a wide spectrum," Gupta said. "We're already seeing signs of superhuman capability." Localisation strategy Google recently announced a set of India-focused AI initiatives at its developer conference in Bengaluru, attended by 1,800 developers. Among them: Plans to localise data processing for its Gemini 2.5 Flash model within the country. It also partnered three startups backed by the government's IndiaAI Mission to build home-grown models, responding to the Centre's Make-in-India push. Gupta said India's AI research efforts are playing a growing role in shaping Google DeepMind's global direction, especially around model efficiency. "We are among the very few companies with a dedicated research presence in India," he said. "Our researchers here are at the forefront of solving many of these challenges." Smarter models, built in India One such breakthrough is Gemma 3n, a generative AI model designed to run efficiently on everyday devices like phones and laptops. It's built on a new architecture called MatFormer, which embeds smaller models within a larger one -- akin to Russian Matryoshka nesting dolls -- allowing flexible, scalable performance across device types. "For different applications or queries, you can choose the model size that fits best. "If it's a simple query, you don't need the largest model," Gupta said. "This was developed here in India." DeepMind is also focusing on research areas tailored to Indian needs. Its localisation strategy is targeting developers in regulated sectors like healthcare, banking, and government services. "These models not only need to understand different languages, they also need to understand different cultures," Gupta said. "If you're responding to a user in Assam, you can't just take an English response and translate it into Assamese. You need a response grounded in cultural context." AgTech, language tools, and local startups Google has launched an agricultural monitoring application programming interface that uses satellite imagery and machine learning to track crop data across India. The goal: Help developers build tools to improve farming productivity by identifying crop types, field sizes, and sowing and harvesting dates. It's also partnering BharatGen at IIT Bombay to build Indic language models, aimed at under-represented languages and governance applications. As India's AI-native startups begin to reshape traditional sectors, Gupta sees opportunity for collaboration rather than competition. Many startups are already using Google's infrastructure to address challenges in education, governance, commerce, and media. Three startups -- Sarvam, Soket AI, and Gnani -- selected by the IndiaAI Mission are building domestic AI models using Google's open-source Gemma framework. "We don't believe any one player can do it all. It has to be collaborative," said Gupta. Balancing guardrails and growth On AI regulation, Gupta advocated for a middle path: Enabling innovation while preventing harm. "We have to recognise that AI is such a key enabling technology -- one that can improve the lives of hundreds of millions of Indians," he said. "We need to make sure regulation doesn't get in the way of delivering those benefits." Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Akasa Airs standalone net loss rose 18.7 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to roughly Rs 1,983 crore in 202425 (FY25), driven by rising employee costs, aircraft maintenance and airport charges, and a sharp increase in foreign exchange (forex) expenses, sources privy to the development told Business Standard. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters While Akasa slipped further into the red, the other three major Indian airlines IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India fared much better in FY25. IndiGo remained highly profitable despite a slight Y-o-Y decline in profit. SpiceJet returned to the black and Air India reduced its losses while turning operationally profitable. Responding to queries on its FY25 results, an Akasa Air spokesperson said the airline does not comment on speculation but added, It is important to note that the foundational years of any airline are dedicated to investing in its people, fleet, training, operating infrastructure, and network, and hence no airline registers P&L (net) profits in these years. "Running an airline is a business of fixed costs and needs some scale before we turn profitable. "This is neither surprising nor unanticipated. Our robust business plan provides for these losses. The spokesperson added that Akasa remains net cash positive at the operating level and that financially, we are ahead of our plans, and our investors have always believed in the long-term vision and fundamentals of Akasa. The airline, which began operations in August 2022, saw employee costs rise by 36 per cent Y-o-Y in FY25, sources said. Maintenance expenses grew by 26.6 per cent Y-o-Y, while forex costs surged by 181 per cent Y-o-Y, they added. Airport charges increased 40.9 per cent Y-o-Y in FY25. Meanwhile, the airline is also seeing a leadership churn in recent months. Ajit Bhagchandani, vice-president (in-flight services), stepped down recently. Confirming this, the airline spokesperson said, Ajit Bhagchandani has decided to move on due to personal reasons. "We respect his decision and are grateful to him for his contribution in building Akasa. As first reported by Business Standard on May 26, three other senior executives had either resigned or were serving notice Rishabh Dev, head of long-term operations and strategy; Amol Mane, vice-president of aircraft acquisition and leasing; and Vineet Mishra, deputy general manager for catering. This leadership churn comes at a time when the airlines expansion has visibly slowed. After rapidly ramping up from 36 weekly flights in August 2022 to 945 by June 2023, Akasa has managed to increase its weekly services by just 13.2 per cent over the past two years, operating 1,070 weekly flights as of June 2025, Cirium data shows. A major constraint has been delayed aircraft deliveries from Boeing. Of 226 planes ordered, only 30 have been inducted so far. While 24 of them were added between June 2022 and June 2024, just six arrived in the past year, leaving a large section of the airlines pilot workforce underutilised and pushing up costs. The airline addressed the pilot issue in its response to the newspaper. We currently have 775 pilots hired to fly and despite the changes in the aircraft delivery schedules, more than 78 per cent of our pilots have begun to accumulate flying hours, which is a significant increase from 60 per cent in December 2024. "By the end of this calendar year, 100 per cent of our pilots will be accumulating flying hours, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson also reaffirmed the airlines confidence in its aircraft supplier. Our relationship with Boeing remains strong and collaborative. We have received three aircraft deliveries in the last six weeks, taking our fleet strength to 30, and are confident about receiving our planned deliveries this year. Akasa said it increased its available seat kilometre (ASK) by about 40 per cent in FY25 and is targeting similar Y-o-Y growth in the current financial year (202526). ASK is a standard measure of airline capacity, calculated by multiplying the number of seats available by the distance flown. We will receive 196 more aircraft over seven years. Aircraft deliveries will naturally translate into more SLB gains and more cash flow. Our cost structure is well thought through, and we are incredibly disciplined in how we allocate capital, the spokesperson said.' SLB refers to sale-and-leaseback transactions, where the airline sells a newly delivered aircraft to a lessor and then leases it back generating upfront cash while still retaining operational use of the plane. IndiGo, Indias largest airline, posted a net profit of Rs 7,258 crore in FY25. SpiceJet reported a standalone net profit of Rs 61.9 crore for the year, marking its first full-year profit in seven years. Air India, while not disclosing exact figures, informed employees that it had turned operationally profitable in FY25, with its overall losses decreasing considerably. Boeings aircraft deliveries have been delayed over the past two years due to quality-control issues, including a mid-air panel blowout and manufacturing defects, as well as increased regulatory scrutiny and supply-chain constraints. A workers strike in late 2024 also disrupted production, further slowing the output of its 737 MAX aircraft. Broken window glasses are pictured at the site of an explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 20, 2026. At least 20 people, including women and children, were transported to EMERGENCY's Surgical Center in Kabul following an explosion in the downtown area on Monday afternoon, with seven declared dead on arrival, the humanitarian organization said. According to media reports, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the incident. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular news briefing that one Chinese citizen was killed and five were injured in the explosion, adding that the Chinese side has made emergency representations to the Afghan side, urging it to make every effort to treat the injured. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Staff members clean broken window glasses at the site of an explosiont in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 20, 2026. At least 20 people, including women and children, were transported to EMERGENCY's Surgical Center in Kabul following an explosion in the downtown area on Monday afternoon, with seven declared dead on arrival, the humanitarian organization said. According to media reports, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the incident. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular news briefing that one Chinese citizen was killed and five were injured in the explosion, adding that the Chinese side has made emergency representations to the Afghan side, urging it to make every effort to treat the injured. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) People walk past the explosion site in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 20, 2026. At least 20 people, including women and children, were transported to EMERGENCY's Surgical Center in Kabul following an explosion in the downtown area on Monday afternoon, with seven declared dead on arrival, the humanitarian organization said. According to media reports, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the incident. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular news briefing that one Chinese citizen was killed and five were injured in the explosion, adding that the Chinese side has made emergency representations to the Afghan side, urging it to make every effort to treat the injured. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Amazon India is repositioning itself as a comprehensive business partner rather than just an e-commerce platform, slashing seller fees and introducing artificial intelligence-powered tools ahead of the country's crucial festive shopping season that could determine the year's retail performance. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters Earlier this year, the company had announced that it has reduced referral fees to zero for 1.2 crore products priced below Rs 300. Recently, it also cut fees across fast-moving categories, including fashion and home appliances. These moves are designed to help its 1.7 million sellersmore than half from smaller citiescapitalise on India's biggest shopping period. We have become a one-stop shop and a full-stack partner for sellers. "We are not just an e-commerce platformwe support product placement, promotion, advertising, and end-to-end selling, Amit Nanda, director of selling partner services at Amazon India, told Business Standard. Amazon India is expecting its flagship sale event Amazon Great Indian Festival (AGIF) this year to be the biggest ever. AGIF 2025, is expected to start from September 23, with 24 hours early access for Prime members. Chief rival Flipkart is also planning its Big Billion Days sale event during that time. Amazon has made a lot of investments to prepare for the event and is expecting huge traction from tier-II and tier-III cities. It has announced a major expansion of its operations network, with 12 new fulfilment centres (FCs) and the expansion of six others. The expansion, which includes the above-mentioned regions, will help sellers better serve customers by placing selection closer to them. We now have 17 lakh sellers. More than half of them are actually from tier-II cities, said Nanda. We have a reasonably good understanding of the industry and customers, and we also have (industry research) data which shows that more than 90 per cent of customers are planning to buy more than they did last Diwali. "That gives us confidence of success. Ahead of the Great Indian Festival, Amazon India is enhancing seller support with AI-driven tools and analytics. These include dashboards and research tools that offer data-backed insights for inventory planning and product strategy. Generative AI simplifies listing creation by 70 per cent, while an upgraded Seller University provides bilingual training and expert guidance. Operational tools improve delivery coordination. The tech-led approach aims to help sellers scale efficiently during the festive surge and maintain momentum beyond. Amazon is now stepping in as a full-stack partner to solve the remaining challenges, said Nanda. This combination of technology and ecosystem support is what is enabling sellers in tier-II and tier-III cities to grow their businesses more rapidly than ever before. According to a report by Datum Intelligence, festive sales are expected to grow 27 per cent to about Rs 120,000 crore in 2025. In urban India, consumer sentiment turned net positive for the first time in three years, with 37.6 per cent reporting higher non-essential spending in July 2025 signalling a decisive rebound in discretionary demand. In rural India, non-essential spending surged to 54.7 per cent in July 2025 the highest in two years with net sentiment at +37.2, pointing to expectations of further growth ahead of the festive season. With the simplified two-tier goods and services tax (GST) structure, set to take effect September 22, retailers are also expecting a 15 to 20 per cent surge in sales, according to analysts. To ensure seamless compliance, we are proactively updating our systems with the revised GST codes, enabling our sellers to smoothly transition to the new tax structure, said Nanda. Last year, the companys month-long AGIF witnessed 1.4 billion customer visits, the highest ever. About 70 per cent more sellers crossed over Rs 1 crore in sales and over 3 crore products were delivered the same day or next day. The news that Amazon India has launched diagnostic services in select metro cities in partnership with the unlisted Orange Health Labs has led to a look at the competitive intensity in healthcare services. Image used for representation purpose only. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Listed companies in the space such as Dr Lal Path Labs, Metropolis Health, Thyrocare, Vijaya, and Krsnaa have all seen double-digit stock price corrections over the last 6-9 months. Orange Health Labs was founded in 2020 and raised $ re12 million in December 2024. It has an estimated annual revenue run rate of Rs 100 crore and promises doorstep sample collection within 60 minutes and, for routine tests, digital reports delivery within six hours. It covers 450 pincodes and has a menu of 800-plus tests. The differential between the common tests offered by incumbents and new entrants is just about 5-10 per cent and this isnt going to move the needle much in this business.The keys are quality of service, brand value, width of network and number of tests on the menu. Metropolis and Dr Lal offer over 4,000 tests while Orange has 800. Also incumbents have far wider coverage, and seem to maintain margins without taking price hikes. Dr Lal reported a steady Q4FY25. Network expansion and good performance in core markets offset the muted show of Suburban Diagnostics. Revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) could be around 12 per cent over FY25-28 but margins may contract by 100 basis points (bps) in FY26. This is due to ongoing investments in network and digital initiatives. Dr Lal has a strong balance sheet, good margins and improving return ratios (RoE is at 24 per cent while RoCE is 25 per cent). For Q4FY25, it reported revenue growth of 10.5 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) with sample volumes up 9.5 per cent. Gross margin expanded by 42 bps, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) margin grew 150 bps Y-o-Y to 28 per cent. Profit after tax (PAT) was Rs 150 crore (up 81 per cent) driven by a one-time tax credit. Adjusted PAT grew 34 per cent. The company paid a total dividend of Rs 24. Net cash stood at Rs 1,230 crore and operating cash flow (OCF) was around 80 per cent of Ebitda. The capex outflow for FY25 was Rs 54 crore. The 18 lab additions during FY25 should aid volumes. While Suburbans performance has been muted, the subsidiary is now fully integrated with the parent entity. Improving lab utilisations should help hold margins despite the ongoing network investments. Metropolis Q4FY25 performance was subdued but there could be volume expansion in future as the company has invested in network addition, adding 95 labs and 1,981 centres over FY2022-25. This may drive strong Ebitda margin expansion in FY26 as the network matures and stabilises. The company has traction in B2C, and steady improvement in B2B. Analysts are expecting 25 per cent PAT CAGR or better for the next two or three years. The Q4FY25 sales of Rs 360 crore grew 10 per cent, adjusting Q4FY24 sales for realignment in financial reporting of international subsidiaries. Growth was led by 6 per cent rise in sample volumes and 4 per cent growth in per-test realisations. In FY26, guidance is for organic business growth of 12 per cent, and slightly higher growth for acquired assets. The pace of expansion is moderating and guidance is for Ebitda margins to expand by 100 bps in FY26 to around 25-26 per cent. Metro is looking at growing in non-core markets such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Assam and remains open to acquisitions. Among its acquisitions, the core market achieved Ebitda break-even during Q4FY25, while the entities in Agra and Dehradun already operate at good margins. Increased competition and any new price war could be a risk to margins for incumbents along with any adverse regulatory ruling that may occur about pricing caps. Growth is driven by volumes, with high stable Ebitda margins. Given the share price corrections, listed companies could look attractive to value investors. The Canara Bank on Thursday informed the Bombay high court that it has withdrawn its order classifying as fraudulent the loan account of a firm linked to industrialist Anil Ambani. Photograph: Prashant Waydande/Reuters After the bank's disclosure, a bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale disposed of the petition filed by Ambani challenging the bank's order, saying nothing survives in it. The bench said the withdrawal order shall be informed to the Reserve Bank of India. The loan account concerned Ambani's firm Reliance Communications, which is undergoing insolvency proceedings. On November 8, 2024, the bank classified the loan account as fraud for reasons including that a Rs 1,050 crore loan extended in 2017 was routed to a group company to pay other liabilities to connected or related parties. The order was based on the RBI's master circular related to fraud accounts that laid guidelines for such declarations. In February this year, the HC stayed the order pending hearing of the plea. At the time, the HC had questioned whether the RBI would take action against banks that have repeatedly defied its master circular and the Supreme Court's ruling, which mandates that borrowers must be given a hearing before their accounts are declared "fraudulent". Ambani had challenged the Canara Bank's order, arguing that he was not given a hearing before his loan account was classified as fraudulent. The industrialist had contended that the fraud classification was issued on November 8, 2024, but was only communicated to him on December 25, after the HC had already stayed a similar classification in a related matter. Ambani further claimed that Canara Bank had informed the RBI about the fraud classification as early as September 6, 2024, even before officially issuing the order. Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd (AHEL) on Tuesday said its ongoing restructuring aims to unlock the value of its omni-channel pharmacy and digital businesses, while enhancing shareholder returns. Photograph via LinkedIn The newly-formed entity is expected to achieve a year-on-year growth rate of 22-23 per cent, driven by the e-pharmacy segment and other business verticals, with a revenue target of Rs 25,000 crore by the financial year 2027. The digital health platform is also expected to break even within the next financial year. It was on Monday that the Chennai-based AHEL announced plans to spin off its digital health and pharmacy distribution businesses into a separate entity, also drawing plans to list the new entity within 18 to 21 months. As part of the restructuring, the companys omni-channel pharma and digital health business Apollo HealthCo will first be demerged from AHEL into a new entity, following which its pharma distribution arm Keimed will get merged into the new company. Its current revenue is around Rs 16,300 crore. The company plans to achieve a revenue run rate of Rs 25,000 crore by the financial year 2027 (FY27) with 7 per cent Ebitda margins, said Suneeta Reddy, managing director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise. After the entire process of restructuring, expected to be over by the listing of the new company by February 2027, the new entity will include the digital health platform Apollo 24/7, the offline pharmacy business of Apollo HealthCo, Keimed, and the telehealth services business. We are looking at a growth of around 22 per cent to 23 per cent on a year-on-year basis. In the first two quarters, Q4 and Q1 of this year, we have been able to beat that number reasonably well, and I believe that traction is on. "It will primarily come from the e-pharmacy business, wherein we have started touching around Rs 165 crore to Rs 170 crore on a month-on-month basis between the platform and some of the other supporting engines, said Madhivanan Balakrishnan, chief executive officer of Apollo HealthCo. Both the consult business and the diagnostic business, which we work very closely with the Apollo Hospitals, are also showing an uptick. "There are two more lines of business which we are adding, one is insurance, which is in the early stages; that will also contribute to growth not just as a standalone line of business but also as a feeder into our primary pharmacy and healthcare lines of business. "And third, this year we see a reasonable amount of GMV, also more than GMV, revenue coming from our monetisation initiatives. "We are reasonably confident of 20 per cent to 25 per cent growth between both AHEL as well as Keimed once it comes through, Balakrishnan added. India has become Apple's main export hub to the US, which consumes over $40 billion worth of iPhones annually. IMAGE: People shop for Apple products on the opening day of Apple Hebbal, South India's first Apple Store, in Bengaluru, September 2, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo Apple Inc is going all out to ramp up production in India ahead of the peak sales season (September-December), both for exports and domestic demand, as it prepares to launch the iPhone 17 in the first week of September worldwide, including in India. To meet the expected demand, the company has expanded iPhone capacity in the country. Foxconn's new plant in Devanahalli near Bengaluru has begun assembling the iPhone 17, while another facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, is also readying production. For the first time, all iPhone 17 models, including premium variants like the Pro Max, are rolling out simultaneously. Apple CEO Tim Cook is cautiously encouraged by signals from Washington. The US has extended its zero-duty exemption on imported mobile phones, even as it imposed a punitive 50 per cent tariff on India for buying Russian oil. Another signal came when US President Donald Trump, during a recent event with Cook (where he announced an additional $100 billion investment on top of the earlier $500 billion commitment in the US), said that while a 100 per cent tariff on semiconductors is being considered, companies like Apple that assemble their products overseas will continue to enjoy duty-free access for phones. This statement comes even as the US department of commerce report under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act -- investigating national security implications of semiconductors and embedded products such as phones and laptops -- was expected by mid-August but has reportedly been deferred by a few months. Trump's assurance is crucial, as many feared the report might impose differential tariffs on semiconductors used in iPhones assembled in India versus China, potentially eroding India's zero-duty advantage (China pays 20 per cent due to fentanyl violations). From Cupertino's moves, it is clear Apple is pushing ahead with expanding iPhone exports, at least for this year. Exports of iPhones from India, especially to the US, have surged. Between April and July -- a traditionally lean sales period -- exports hit a record $7.5 billion, up 63 per cent from a year earlier. If the pace continues, industry experts say shipments could easily cross $24 billion to $25 billion this year. However, Apple's original plan of meeting all US demand from India (requiring $40 billion worth of shipments) by FY26, while also meeting domestic demand, now looks more difficult. For now, India has become Apple's main export hub to the US, which consumes over $40 billion worth of iPhones annually. According to Canalys, 78 per cent of iPhones shipped from India in the first half of calendar year 2025 went to the US, compared to 53 per cent in the same period last year. The shift is stark: In the second quarter of CY 2025, India's share of global iPhone shipments rose to 44 per cent from 13 per cent a year ago, while China's fell to 21 per cent from 61 per cent. A bigger bite for Apple: India goes from pit stop to powerhouse Apple expands iPhone capacity in India with new Foxconn and Tata Electronics plants assembling the iPhone 17 Exports from India jumped 63% in April-July 2025 (a non-peak season), hitting $7.5 billion 78% of iPhones assembled in India were shipped to the US in H1 CY 2025 Apple expects zero-duty access for iPhones into the US to continue Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Mahindra, and Tata Motors saw a dip in dispatches to dealers in August amid dip in demand with many prospective buyers postponing their buys anticipating a reduction in vehicle prices on account of the new GST framework. Photograph: Babu/Reuters The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India reported an 8 per cent year-on-year dip in dispatches of passenger vehicles in the domestic market last month. The company's dispatches stood at 1,31,278 units last month as compared with 1,43,075 units in the year-ago month. The sale of mini segment cars, comprising Alto and S-Presso, declined to 6,853 units against 10,648 units in August 2024. Dispatches of compact cars, including Baleno, Dzire, Ignis and Swift, however, increased to 59,597 units from 58,051 units a year ago. Utility vehicles, consisting of Grand Vitara, Brezza, Ertiga, and XL6, clocked sales of 54,043 units last month compared to 62,684 units in the year-ago period, registering a decline of 14 per cent. In a virtual press conference, Maruti Suzuki senior executive officer (marketing and sales) Partho Banerjee said the GST reform is going to have a positive impact on the automobile industry. "We are expecting that it will be very good for the country as a whole, and it will overall have a very positive impact on the auto industry. "But for any good thing to happen, there is always something we have to go through that pain. "So in this month, you all know that we have calibrated our dispatches," he noted. He noted that the industry wholesale has declined 7 per cent in August as compared with the year-ago period. "Once the GST announcement happens, I think the entire scenario will totally change," Banerjee said. He noted that Maruti Suzuki alone has bookings to the tune of 1.5 lakh units. The company has vehicle stock level of 48-50 days going into the peak festival season, he added. Hyundai Motor India said its domestic dispatches to dealers declined 11 per cent year-on-year to 44,001 units last month as against 49,525 units in the year-ago period. "Our goal is to establish India as a strategic manufacturing base for emerging economies and to become Hyundai's largest export hub outside South Korea," the company's COO Tarun Garg said. He did not elaborate on the reasons for the sales dip in the domestic market. Mahindra & Mahindra said its utility vehicle sales stood at 39,399 units in the domestic market last month, a dip of 9 per cent over 43,277 units in the year-ago period. "With the final GST announcement approaching, we consciously decided to bring down the wholesale billing to minimise the stock being carried by our dealers," M&M CEO (automotive division) Nalinikanth Gollagunta said. The company looks forward to GST rationalisation, which would be a demand driver through the festive season, he added. Tata Motors also reported a 7 per cent dip in passenger vehicles dispatches to dealers last month. The Mumbai-based automaker sold 41,001 units last month as against 44,142 units in August 2024. The drop in sales of the top carmakers come at a time when buyers have decided to delay purchases, expecting a cut in GST on vehicles. The high-powered GST Council, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will meet on September 3-4 to discuss moving to a two-slab taxation. According to the reform proposed by the Centre to the GoMs, goods and services tax (GST) should be a two-rate structure of 5 and 18 per cent, classifying goods and services as 'merit' and 'standard'. A special rate of 40 per cent will be levied on select few items like ultra-luxury cars and sin goods. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced GST reforms in his Independence Day speech on August 15. Currently, GST is a 4-tier structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. Presently, automobiles are taxed at 28 per cent, which is the highest GST slab. A compensation cess, ranging from 1 to 22 per cent, is levied on top of this rate, depending on the type of vehicle. The total tax incidence on cars, depending on engine, capacity and length, ranges from 29 per cent for small petrol cars to 50 per cent for SUVs. Electric vehicles are taxed at a 5 per cent rate. Currently, GST is a 4-tier structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. Presently, automobiles are taxed at 28 per cent, which is the highest GST slab. A compensation cess, ranging from 1 to 22 per cent, is levied on top of this rate, depending on the type of vehicle. The total tax incidence on cars, depending on engine, capacity and length, ranges from 29 per cent for small petrol cars to 50 per cent for SUVs. Electric vehicles are taxed at a 5 per cent rate. Other carmaker Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said its domestic wholesales rose 2 per cent year-on-year to 29,302 units last month. In August 2024, it sold 28, 589 units in the domestic market. TKM vice-president, sales-service-used car business Varinder Wadhwa said September will be an important phase for the industry overall. "We will closely observe market trends as they unfold," he added. In the two-wheeler space, Bajaj Auto reported a 12 per cent dip in domestic sales at 1,84,109 units in August from 2,08,621 units in the year-ago period. TVS Motor Company said its domestic two-wheeler sales registered a rise of 28 per cent year-on-year at 3,68,862 units in August this year. Motorcycle maker Royal Enfield said its domestic sales last month stood at 102,876 units against 65,623 units in August 2024, up 57 per cent. "Our performance in August reflects a positive momentum as we step into the festive season, which traditionally drives strong demand in the domestic market," Royal Enfield CEO and Eicher Motors managing director B Govindarajan said. New lower GST rates kicked in from Monday, resulting in a slashing of prices of as many as 375 items ranging from toothpaste and shampoo to cars and television sets, a move seen as an attempt to boost consumption to cushion an economy facing tariff headwinds. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters Tax rates of 5, 12, 18, and 28 per cent have been clubbed into two rates of 5 per cent and 18 per cent, resulting in a reduced price of 99 per cent of daily use items. FMCG, car companies, electronics manufacturers and pharma companies have lowered prices. As many as 375 items, including groceries, agri-equipment, clothing, medicines and automobiles, have got cheaper. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited the busy Laxmi Nagar market in the national capital and interacted with a stationery shop owner. "The shopkeeper shared that Nex-Gen GST rate cuts on many stationery items have reduced prices, benefitting students and parents," the Finance Minister's Office said in a X post. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has termed the reform as 'GST Bachat Utsav' and said that, along with the Income Tax exemption hike to Rs 12 lakh announced in the Budget, the total household savings would be Rs 2.5 lakh crore. "Your household expenses will reduce and it will be easier to fulfil aspirations such as building a home, purchasing a vehicle, purchasing appliances, eating out or planning a family vacation," the prime minister said in an open letter. As per government estimates, there would be a saving of 13 per cent in the household bills for groceries and daily essentials, while a small car buyer could save around Rs 70,000. Stationery, clothing, footwear and medicines purchases would bring in savings in the range of 7-12 per cent, while the savings would go up to 18 per cent in the case of individual health and life insurance policies, which have been exempt from GST. There would be a savings of Rs 40,000 on the purchase of tractors up to 1800 cc. GST rate has been cut to 5 per cent on tractors from the earlier 12-18 per cent. In case of bikes/scooters (up to 350 cc) purchase, savings would be Rs 8,000, while in TV (above 32 inches), there would be savings of Rs 3,500. Air Conditioner purchase would result in a saving of Rs 2,800 as the GST rate of these items has been slashed from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Next-Gen GST reforms are a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "steely resolve" to serve the poor, youth, farmers and women. Meanwhile, opposition-ruled states slammed the Centre for taking all "undue credit" for the GST rate cut, saying it is the states who will have to suffer revenue loss. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Centre of having passed the financial burden to states after lowering GST and taking "undue credit" for it. "It was I who had asked for withdrawing the additional GST burden (on people), and the Centre should not take undue credit for it. "The Centre won't have to spend a single paisa. "Every state will have to find ways to tide over the revenue loss," Banerjee said. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused Modi of "deceiving" Indians. "It was Modi who implemented GST, it was Modi who increased GST rates, and now it is Modi who is patting himself on the back. "We were the ones who opposed when GST was increased to 18 per cent and 28 per cent. "The very people who collected it all these years are now taking credit. "See how cleverly they are deceiving Indians. You should not fall for this," Siddaramaiah added. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday demanded that the Central government compensate for the loss of revenues due to the recent GST rate rationalisation for five years. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the "limited" reform comes eight years too late, and a "big question mark" remains on whether the benefits of tax reduction will be passed on to consumers. The cut in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate is expected to boost demand, especially this festive season, and promote growth. The rate cut comes at a time when there is uncertainty in the export market created by the imposition of a 50 per cent tariff by the US on Indian shipments. The initial public offering (IPO) market in India last year was hot, with companies raising over $22 billion in 2025. Photograph: Reuters But half of the 350-plus companies that listed on the stock exchange last year traded below their offer price, according to a new research report released by HSBC Global Investment Research a sobering fact despite what otherwise looked like a rush of companies eager to list on the bourses. The report also highlights some surprising statistics on Asia, covering the changes and milestones of 2025. Just like Indias hot IPO market, Asia is also heating up and its warming twice as fast as the global average. The average temperature (in degrees Celsius, for the decade 19912024) rose by more than 0.4, compared to the global average of 0.2. Asia also saw a new city take top honours as the most populous in the world. In the middle of last year, Jakarta surpassed Tokyo for the first time to become the most populous city globally, home to 42 million people. India ranked fourth, with New Delhi at 30 million, while Bangladesh took second place, followed by Japan in third. In tourism, there was another upset. Thailand was dethroned by Malaysia as the top tourism destination in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2025. Based on data up to August, Malaysia welcomed 28 million tourists, leaving Thailand behind at around 21 million, followed by Vietnam (over 16 million), Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Mainland China, meanwhile, continued breaking records. The country added 275 gigawatt of solar capacity in 2025 equivalent to the total installed solar capacity of the US, highlighting how fast it is growing. China also built robotaxis last year at a cost of only $40,000 each just one-third to one-fifth of the cost of those made by Waymo in the US, reflecting the countrys ability to produce high-technology products far cheaper than elsewhere. Despite tensions between China and Taiwan, air travel between the two remained intense. The Hong KongTaipei route was the busiest cross-border airline route in the world, with nearly 6.8 million seats last year. Next in line were CairoJeddah, Kuala LumpurSingapore, SeoulTokyo, SeoulOsaka, and JakartaSingapore. In fact, nine of the 10 busiest routes in the world are in Asia. In the semiconductor world, Taiwanese giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company continues to reign, accounting for 12.8 per cent of the FTSE (excluding Japan) more than double the next-largest stock in 2025, Tencent, which held 5 per cent. India may see its busiest EV festive season in 2025 with SUVs, luxury cars and scooters set to launch, but rare-earth supply bottlenecks risk delaying rollouts. Kindly note the image have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy, Hyundai Motor Group/Pexels With festival season around the corner, carmakers are gearing up for new launches during the August-November window, mostly in the electric vehicle (EV) category. Alongside e-Vitara, Tata Sierra EV, and VinFast SUVs, luxury carmakers will unveil the BMW iX 2025, Audi Q6 e-tron, and Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric. Mahindra's Vision S and SXT concepts are progressing toward production. The two-wheeler segment will see new scooters and premium electric motorcycles, though mass-market e-motorcycles remain at least a year away. Nikhil Dhaka, vice-president at Primus Partners, said, 'The August to November festive window could be the heaviest EV launch season India has ever seen. We're looking at mass-market SUVs, luxury EVs, and accessible scooters all hitting the market at the same time, a rare confluence that could energise both urban and semi-urban demand.' The first half of 2025 has brought a surge of electric vehicle (EV) activity in India, with global giants and domestic automakers ramping up launches ahead of the crucial festival season. Photograph: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff and Dominic Xavier/Rediff Tesla's long-awaited debut with Model Y in July set the tone, followed by mass-market entries such as the Hyundai Creta EV, Tata Harrier EV, Kia Carens Clavis EV, Hyundai Venue EV, and Mahindra's BE 6 and XEV 9E. Tata Safari EV was also confirmed, while two-wheeler makers added fresh options like Kinetic Green DX electric scooter. Tata Harrier EV, launched on June 3, opened bookings in early July with prices expected between 24 lakh and 30 lakh. Kia rolled out its Carens Clavis EV on July 15, starting at 17.99 lakh. In the pipeline, Maruti Suzuki's first all-electric SUV -- e-Vitara -- is slated for a September launch with two battery options and a range of up to 500 km. Vietnamese automaker VinFast is also readying its India entry with the VF6 and VF7, manufactured at its Tamil Nadu plant. Despite the momentum, industry stakeholders warn of headwinds. 'EV penetration will grow only if raw material availability is secured,' said C S Vigneshwar, president of Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations, pointing to rare-earth magnet supply concerns. Passenger vehicle EV penetration is currently estimated at 44.5 per cent, while two-wheelers are at 57 per cent. Analysts note adoption is heavily tied to new product launches, with penetration often plateauing after the initial demand surge. Analysts flagged reduced incentives, charging infrastructure gaps, and resale value concerns as barriers to faster growth. Regulatory pressure from stricter emission norms is pushing OEMs to invest, but supply chain bottlenecks especially in sourcing rare-earth materials could delay festive-season rollouts. 'EV adoption in India is very much launch-driven. We see a spike in penetration after new models hit the market, but it often plateaus without sustained demand drivers. Supply chain issues, especially rare-earth shortages, could slow down the pace we are expecting this festive season,' Kumar Rakesh, analyst at BNP Paribas added. Still, the number of upcoming products, from affordable scooters to aspirational luxury SUVs, signals a widening of India's EV market. If launches proceed as planned, this festival season could mark a new high point for electric mobility in the country. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers breathed a sigh of relief after the GST Council on Wednesday night retained the concessional 5 per cent rate on EVs, though they now face competition from small petrol and diesel cars, which will attract a lower 18 per cent levy. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters Before the Council meeting, media reports suggested that goods and services tax (GST) on electric cars priced between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 40 lakh could be raised to 18 per cent, and to 28 per cent for those above Rs 40 lakh. These reports had caused concern across the nascent EV industry in India. For EV makers, the Wednesday night announcement was a relief and seen as a signal of policy continuity. Shailesh Chandra, managing director (MD), Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, said: The Councils decision to retain the 5 per cent GST rate on EVs is a forward-looking move that reinforces Indias commitment to sustainable, zero-emission mobility and signals long-term policy stability. Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Auto and Farm Sector at Mahindra and Mahindra, said: We appreciate the continuation of the 5 per cent GST rate on EVs, which is a critical enabler of Indias clean mobility vision. "This measure will accelerate the adoption of EVs and reinforce Indias leadership in sustainable, green transportation. Tata Motors and M&M are two major electric car manufacturers in India. A senior executive of an electric car manufacturer told Business Standard that Wednesday nights decision came as a big relief to all electric carmakers of the country. Jyoti Malhotra, MD, Volvo Car India, said: In the EV segment, the continuation of the standard 5 per cent GST reinforces the governments sustained commitment to advancing electrification and promoting sustainable mobility. Santosh Iyer, MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, added: We are thankful to the government for keeping the GST rate for BEVs (battery electric vehicles) unchanged, ensuring faster transition to a decarbonised future. In contrast, Toyota, which has a significant portfolio of strong hybrid cars, reiterated its demand for tax parity between EVs and hybrids. Swapnesh R Maru, deputy MD, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said: Given Indias rapid economic growth that is bound to increase the demand for energy, particularly fossil fuel consumption by the transportation sector, it is crucial that all cleaner and greener technologies are also promoted and incentivised through suitable policy measures, including taxation, so that these are preferred by consumers over the conventional petrol and diesel vehicles. The GST Councils decision also brought relief to all car segments. Small cars defined as those up to 4 metres in length with engine capacity of up to 1,200 cc for petrol and 1,500 cc for diesel saw their tax rate cut from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. This is expected to make conventional entry-level cars more affordable, increasing competitive pressure on EVs in the mass market. For larger vehicles, the change was more of a rationalisation. Large ICE (internal combustion engine) cars, which earlier faced an effective levy of about 50 per cent (28 per cent GST plus up to 22 per cent cess), are now taxed at 40 per cent. Large strong hybrid cars, which were previously taxed around 43 per cent (28 per cent GST plus 15 per cent cess), too move into the same 40 per cent slab. There is mourning in Azerbaijan today. The 36th anniversary of Black January. On the night of January 20, 1990, an entire army of 26,000 personnel and hundreds of armored vehicles was simultaneously deployed in Baku, Sumgayit and a number of other cities of the republic. The operation to stifle the national liberation movement and protests against Armenian separatism was called "Strike". In one night, Azerbaijan, being still a Soviet republic, was literally occupied by the Soviet army. As a result, 147 civilians were killed and 744 were seriously injured. Baku residents of various nationalities were among the martyrs. It was an unprecedented massacre of civilians in peacetime. People were shot in the streets and houses, stabbed with bayonets, crushed by tanks. The military invasion of the Soviet republic took place on the basis of a decree declaring a state of emergency in Baku on January 20, signed personally by Mikhail Gorbachev. The decree contradicted the provisions of both the Union and republican constitutions. A year before Black January, there was already a crackdown on a rally in Tbilisi, when military force was used against participants of a rally for the independence of Georgia on the night of April 9, 1989. The Soviet troops used force, including sapper shovels, poison gas and armored personnel carriers. As a result of the tragedy, 21 people (mostly women) were killed and hundreds were injured. This event went down in history as "Bloody Sunday". A year after the occupation of Baku by the Soviet army, in January 1991, a violent crackdown on a rally of supporters of Lithuanian independence took place in Vilnius. Soviet paratroopers, with the support of the Alpha special group, stormed the TV tower and the television center, which led to the deaths of 14 people and injuries to about 600. This event was called the "January events" or the "Storming of the TV Tower." The regime also committed a number of crimes against citizens of the Soviet country, but none of the tragedies were comparable in scale to what happened in Azerbaijan. This was the first time in the USSR when the Soviet army occupied a Soviet city and so brutally massacred the civilian population that even Human Rights Watch in its report "Black January in Azerbaijan" could not help but say that "the violence used by the Soviet army on the night of January 19th to 20th was so disproportionate." the resistance of the Azerbaijanis, which represented the implementation of collective punishment." It really was a punishment. The Azerbaijani people were punished for having dared to speak about independence, decided to protest against the Armenian claims to their lands and raised their voice against ethnic cleansing in Armenia, which the authorities could no longer hide. The Azerbaijani authorities of that time behaved amorphously and cowardly, being completely incapacitated. Meanwhile, national leader Heydar Aliyev held a press conference at the Azerbaijani Permanent Mission in Moscow immediately after the events, at which he sharply condemned the atrocities committed, calling the actions of the Soviet troops terrorist, illegal and far from humanitarianism. The events of January 20 received a political and legal assessment only after Heydar Aliyev returned to power - in March 1994, the Milli Majlis adopted a resolution "On the tragic events committed in Baku on January 20, 1990." It is noteworthy that in the same year 1990, on October 15, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his "contribution to reducing international tension and leading role in the peace process." These formulations sounded like a mockery of the grief and blood of the Azerbaijani people. On January 20, 1990, the USSR lost Azerbaijan. Irrevocably. A lot of things happened during the years of Soviet rule, including good ones. But it was remembered by the Azerbaijani people only as the date when Soviet tanks crushed the remnants of faith in a huge country. The saddest thing is that the events of Black January have not taught the centers of power anything. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia became the legal successor of the former principles, which immediately began to try to pursue the old policy in the new conditions. This resulted in instability throughout the entire perimeter of the post-Soviet space, which lasted for many years. And the source of the destabilization was the imperial policy, which remained relevant even after the collapse of the empire. The former Soviet republics, in the end, were able to get back on their feet, strengthen themselves, prove their right to sovereignty and take their place in the international arena. But each has a story related to Moscow's attempts to undermine their independence and bend them to its will. Unfortunately, decades after the collapse of the USSR, the aftershocks of that policy do not stop. The Kremlin will not want to admit this, but it was precisely such actions that alienated the post-Soviet countries from Russia from the very beginning. The centrifugal processes did not begin yesterday, but back in the early 90s, when it seemed to the new, supposedly democratic authorities in the Russian Federation that the Union had collapsed only de jure, but not de facto. Democracy is democracy, and everything that belongs to you remains ours. The most amazing thing is that even after the numerous failures of imperial policy, there are forces in Russia that want to "continue the banquet." There are still echoes of the scandal recently caused by Vladimir Solovyov, who announced the possibility of holding "SVO" in the countries of Central Asia and Armenia. The resonance of that broadcast was very serious, right down to the diplomatic notes. The official authorities called Solovyov's statements his personal opinion, but there was no condemnation of the provocateur. If it were not for the resonance of his statements in the countries allied with Russia, the propagandist, who lives by the principle "so that I have everything and I would have nothing for it," would not have felt the consequences at all, but because of the noise he was removed from the air for a while - so as not to annoy Russia's neighbors. However, this measure greatly worried the huge mass of Solovyov's fans, who did not see anything special in his provocation. Solovyov has a huge audience, swallowing his every word. And therein lies the biggest problem. Now, I think, the Russian Foreign Ministry should prepare for a new scandal. This time, the notorious Alexander Dugin went on the air, and not with assumptions, but directly literally demanded that Moscow begin to take measures against post-Soviet countries. In his opinion, in today's conditions, independent states on the periphery of Russia pose a strategic threat. Because if they are not under Moscow's full control, they will inevitably turn into "outposts" of the West or China. "One cannot accept the existence of a sovereign Armenia, or a sovereign Georgia, or a sovereign Azerbaijan, sovereign Kazakhstan, sovereign Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan," the propagandist said. In fact, the propagandist called for the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan, to be deprived of sovereignty. Dugin called for "abandoning international law... engage in an active confrontation... Start acting like Trump... because we have no way out." And national states, in his opinion, are "garbage of the past." The bloodshed in Baku on January 20, 1990 was organized based on the same philosophy. Therefore, for Azerbaijan, such statements do not sound like the meaningless private opinion of some talker. Before what happened on the night of January 20, no one in Azerbaijan could have imagined that the Soviet army would crush civilians with tanks. Those who led the people to protest that night thought that the tanks would stop in front of unarmed people. But the tanks did not stop. No one could have imagined that Soviet soldiers would shoot at apartment buildings, hospitals and hotels, and people died from bullets when they came to the windows to find out what the noise was on the street. The events of January 20, 1990, taught us that the formula "this can't be happening" doesn't work. That's why there's so much attention to the chatter of Russian propagandists. But this does not mean that Russia's neighbors are in fear. In fact, no one seriously expects military aggression from Russia. Not because it can never happen, but for a number of reasons. Firstly, because the experience with Ukraine, I think, has taught Moscow a lot, although it does not admit it. Secondly, because she will not break off relations with these neighbors in the difficult situation she finds herself in. The South Caucasus and Central Asia are its way out into the world in the face of sanctions. Thirdly, aggression against Central Asia will seriously affect China's interests, and it will not end well. And fourthly, today's talks about joint security protection in the Turkic space, which, due to geography, also includes non-Turkic countries in the region, are not just words. Russia will not get involved with the Turkic world. I don't think she really has any such plans at all. In addition, the military campaign in Asia will inevitably destabilize the national issue in the Russian Federation itself. Asia is not Europe. The East is a delicate matter. But even if the collective Dugins and the collective Solovyovs at some point find the right number of sympathizers at the right time and in the right place, we hasten to warn that Baku will no longer allow other people's tanks to iron the streets of Azerbaijani cities. Never. PARIS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A source close to French President Emmanuel Macron has responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose a 200 percent tariff on French wines and champagnes, deeming the threat "unacceptable and ineffective," French media BFM TV said on Tuesday. In response to a reporter's question about Macron declining to join the "Board of Peace" initiative he proposed to rebuild Gaza, Trump said: "I'll put a 200 percent tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join, but he doesn't have to join." France "does not intend to answer favorably" to the invitation to join Trump's "Board of Peace," as its charter goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza and "it raises major questions, particularly regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which under no circumstances can be called into question," French daily Le Monde reported on Monday, citing a source close to Macron. French Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Annie Genevard also reacted to the announcement on French public television channel TF1, saying the U.S. threat is unacceptable, stressing that it could not go unanswered, not only by France but by the entire European Union. This threat targets a specific sector, namely viticulture, which is already facing difficulties and is a flagship of French agriculture, Genevard said. According to BFM TV, the United States accounts for about a quarter of the value of French exports of wines and spirits, making it a strategic market for producers. Many champagne houses export more than 27 million bottles to the United States every year, and a large share of companies in the sector are heavily dependent on transatlantic trade flows. Manufacturers of passenger vehicles (PVs) in the first half of the calendar year (2025) reported a modest 0.5 per cent year-on-year increase in wholesale dispatches, while retail sales grew 2.5 per cent for the same period, reflecting a calibrated approach by automakers amid elevated dealership inventories and cautious consumer sentiment. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), dispatches rose marginally to 2.16 million units, up from 2.15 million units a year earlier. Retail sales, meanwhile, grew at a stronger pace of 2.5 per cent during the same period, reaching 2.07 million units, according to the data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada), compared to 2.02 million units last year. Industry analysts say this data signals a broader industry shift, by which factory output is becoming more closely aligned with market demand, as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) adopt leaner, demand-driven inventory strategies. Automakers are increasingly synchronising factory output with retail movement to avoid a stock buildup across dealership networks. Dealership inventory levels continue to remain elevated well above the 50-day mark which has prompted OEMs to moderate dispatches, said Anurag Singh, advisor, Primus Partners. This is a prudent and necessary step as it helps maintain market discipline and avoids inventory overhang across the retail network. Singh added inventory levels varied widely across regions, depending on the model, variant, and even colour preferences. Ahead of the festival season, dealers typically build inventories to cater to time-sensitive demand, but for now, factory output is closely tracking actual sales trends. Despite the 2.5 per cent increase in retail sales over the first half of the calendar year, high inventories persist. Fada notes meaningful stock correction will occur only if OEMs significantly scale down factory dispatches below retail volumes. "OEMs must recalibrate at a much bigger pace. Maintaining current levels wont help anyone, said C S Vigneshwar, president, Fada. Honda Cars India is aligning output with market demand by focusing on retail deliveries over wholesale dispatches. With a favourable monsoon and the onset of the festival period starting with Onam, we are optimistic of an uptick in demand and have planned to ensure our models are available across the country, said Kunal Behl, vice-president, marketing and sales, Honda Cars India. We will enhance our marketing campaigns and introduce exciting product updates to catch the festive fervour. Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai Motor India, Kia, and Toyota did not respond to queries, citing the ongoing silent period ahead of their upcoming financial results. Among OEMs, Maruti Suzuki clocked a 4.5 per cent increase in PV production during January-June. The company produced 1.07 million units compared to 1.02 million units during the same period last year. Growth was strongest in March, around 17 per cent, and in April it was 6.2 per cent, while June saw a 4.2 per cent year-on-year decline in output. Maruti Suzuki is one of the countrys leading PV exporters. Hyundai Motor India, in contrast, saw a marginal contraction of 0.6 per cent in production during the period. While April and May showed growth of 7.8 per cent and 3.5 per cent, respectively, the others posted declines, with June showing the highest fall at 7.5 per cent. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) posted the most robust growth among major OEMs, with a 25.2 per cent increase in PV production. Domestic wholesale figures for the first half of 2025 showed M&M as the strongest performer among major passenger vehicle manufacturers, registering 20.2 per cent year-on-year growth. Maruti Suzuki, the market leader, saw a marginal decline of 2.2 per cent in wholesales, which stood at 0.87 million units in H1 2025 compared to 0.89 million units a year ago. While it witnessed modest gains in January, February, and April, significant drops in May, around 5.5 per cent, and June, around 13.3 per cent, offset the earlier momentum. Hyundai, meanwhile, faced sustained pressure across the board, reporting a 7.7 per cent year-on-year decline in wholesales. Retail PV sales saw a strong start in January 2025 with a 15.5 per cent jump year-on-year, but subsequent months have seen a mixed performance. Maruti Suzuki registered a 2.16 per cent year-on-year increase in its domestic retail sales for the first half of 2025. Sales rose to 833,110 units compared to 815,476 units in the same period last year. Hyundai saw a decline of 6.5 per cent in its retail domestic sales, delivering 260,662 units against 278,930 units in H1 2024. While mobility aggregators such as Rapido and Uber have welcomed the decision, gig workers associations and unions remain concerned. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo The ministry of road transport and highways, in a notification, allowed the use of non-transport motorcycles for passenger journeys. The change is part of the revised Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines (MVAG) 2025. This is the first time the Centre has urged state governments to allow private motorcycles to operate as taxis. The notification read: "The state government may allow aggregation of non-transport motorcycles for journey by passengers as shared mobility through aggregators, resulting in reduced traffic congestion and vehicular pollution, along with providing, inter alia, affordable passenger mobility, hyperlocal delivery, and creating livelihood opportunities." The Centre has given state governments three months to adopt the revised guidelines. Mobility aggregators such as Rapido and Uber have welcomed the revised MVAG 2025. However, gig workers' associations and unions remain concerned. The Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT) and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) welcomed certain provisions but flagged concerns over the lack of uniform fare regulation, unchecked surge pricing, and gaps in enforcement. Citing their concerns, IFAT and TGPWU said the guidelines allow fares to increase by up to 2X during high-demand periods, leading to exorbitant ride costs during emergencies, festivals, rains, or peak hours. They added that the current model benefits only the aggregators, with customers overpaying and drivers receiving inconsistent and unfair payments. The unions demanded that state governments not implement the guidelines without involving the unions concerned in the monitoring and enforcement process. "When fares increase by 2X or 3X, passengers blame drivers. But the truth is, both drivers and passengers are suffering while only app companies profit. We need fixed, fair fares across India, strong state enforcement, and an end to illegal operations like bike taxis without yellow plates. Only then can we ensure safety, dignity, and fairness for both customers and workers," said Shaik Salauddin, national general secretary of IFAT and founding president of TGPWU. The revised guidelines state that aggregators such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido can now charge up to twice the base fare during peak hours, up from the earlier cap of 1.5X. During non-peak hours, the fare must be at least 50 per cent of the base rate. The base fare refers to the rate notified by the respective state government for the specific category or class of motor vehicles. Under the new rules, drivers operating their own vehicles must receive at least 80 per cent of the applicable fare, including all costs. The aggregator may retain the remaining amount. Drivers or customers may be charged a cancellation fee of 10 per cent of the fare -- capped at 100 -- if a ride is cancelled without reason. Welcoming the move, a spokesperson for Rapido called the policy a milestone, saying it would create employment opportunities for riders while offering affordable transportation for customers. "By recognising non-transport motorcycles as a means of shared mobility, the government has opened the door to more affordable transportation options for millions, especially in underserved and hyperlocal areas. We see this policy shift as a catalyst for creating hundreds of thousands of flexible livelihood opportunities for riders across urban and rural India," the spokesperson said. Rapido initially launched as a bike-taxi platform. A spokesperson for ride-hailing platform Uber said: "We welcome the guidelines as a forward-looking step toward fostering innovation and regulatory clarity in India's digital mobility sector. Timely adoption by states will be key to ensuring uniform implementation and building much-needed predictability for all stakeholders. We commend the ministry for its consultative and balanced approach." Both Rapido and Uber said their platforms are committed to working with state governments to implement the guidelines, ensure responsible onboarding of riders, and comply with safety and insurance norms. The move also comes as a relief: in June, the Karnataka high court had issued a directive suspending bike-taxi operations from June 16, 2025. For the safety of passengers and riders, aggregators must ensure that drivers have health and term insurance of at least 5 lakh and 10 lakh, respectively. Aggregators are also required to provide a minimum of 5 lakh as insurance coverage for passengers. Tata Motors on Friday said it will cut passenger vehicle prices ranging between Rs 65,000 and Rs 1.45 lakh effective September 22 to pass on the full benefit of GST reduction to customers. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The Mumbai-based auto major said that its small car Tiago will see a price drop of Rs 75,000, Tigor Rs 80,000, and Altroz Rs 1.10 lakh. Similarly, the price of compact SUV Punch will come down by Rs 85,000 and that of Nexon by Rs 1.55 lakh. Mid-sized model Curvv would also see a price cut of Rs 65,000, Tata Motors said in a statement. Prices of company's premium SUVs - Harrier and Safari, wll see a price reduction of 1.4 lakh and Rs 1.45 lakh respectively, it added. "In line with the Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision, the Hon'ble Finance Minister's intent and our Customer First philosophy, Tata Motors will fully honour the intent and spirit of this reform by passing on the entire benefit of the reduction in GST to our customers," Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles MD Shailesh Chandra said. The reduction in GST on passenger vehicles, effective September 22 2025, is a progressive and timely decision that will make personal mobility more accessible for millions across India, he noted. Chandra noted that the GST rate cut will make the company's popular range of cars and SUVs even more accessible across segments, enabling first-time buyers and accelerating the shift towards new-age mobility for a wider spectrum of customers. The GST Council, earlier this week, approved limiting slabs to 5 per cent and 18 per cent, effective from September 22, the first day of Navaratri. Under it, petrol, LPG and CNG vehicles of less than 1,200 cc and not more than 4,000 mm length and diesel vehicles of up to 1,500 cc and 4,000 mm length would move to the 18 per cent rate. All automobiles exceeding 1,200 cc and longer than 4,000 mm will be charged with a 40 per cent levy. The only other company working on hydrogen cars in India is Toyota Kirloskar Motor. IMAGE: A Hyundai Motor's all-new NEXO is unveiled at the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show in Goyang, South Korea, April 3, 2025. Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters India is finally making a move in hydrogen fuel cell technology for passenger cars too. Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) has joined hands with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Guidance Tamil Nadu to unveil the Hyundai HTWO Innovation Centre within the Discovery Satellite Campus of IIT Madras at Thaiyur in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) hub is poised to serve as a catalyst for innovation in the field of green hydrogen technology and its ecosystem. This comes after the company showcased the Hyundai Nexo hydrogen FCEV (fuel cell electric vehicle) recently and joined hands with Indian Oil Corporation to conduct real-world tests on Indian roads. The only other company working on hydrogen cars in India is Toyota Kirloskar Motor, which is doing a pilot with the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) using the Toyota Mirai to study hydrogen fuel cell technology in Indian conditions. Already, pilot runs are happening in commercial vehicle (CV) segment. IMAGE: The Hyundai NEXO on display at the Seoul Mobility Show. Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters "Our vision goes beyond electrification. "We see green hydrogen as a transformative energy solution with applications across sectors, from refining fuels to producing fertilisers and chemicals," said Unsoo Kim, managing director, HMIL. This milestone marks the next phase in HMIL's Rs 100 crore commitment to pioneering green hydrogen innovation in India. "For India to grow, Tamil Nadu needs to be growing by leaps and bounds, and that is exactly what the state is doing now through its amazing talent. "The possibilities that are here in this amazing place are the possibilities that the rest of the world is only now looking up to. "The Hyundai HTWO Innovation Centre is a crucial step towards indigenous hydrogen production," said T R B Rajaa, industries minister of Tamil Nadu. IMAGE: The engine of a Hyundai Nexo hydrogen electric vehicle is displayed at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Canada. Photograph: Chris Helgren/Reuters IIT Madras will house this Centre, spread across a sprawling 65,000 square feet (sq ft) area on its Discovery Campus at Thaiyur, featuring advanced computational and experimental laboratories. The development of digital twins of hydrogen infrastructure along with customised test rigs and fabrication lines will contribute to the pilot-level evaluation of electrolysers and fuel cells. It will also host test zones for containerised pilot demonstrators for industrial-scale products. Aligned with the Government of India's (GoI's) vision of energy independence by 2047, the facility will also drive R&D and demonstration activities to accelerate readiness and adoption across the green hydrogen value chain, making the Hyundai HTWO Innovation Centre a national hub for cost-effective, scalable hydrogen innovation. "This initiative demonstrates our commitment to 'Make in India' by empowering local innovation, nurturing talent, and supporting the development of scalable, affordable, and sustainable hydrogen solutions. "Our collaboration with IIT Madras and the Government of Tamil Nadu reflects our long-term vision of advancing India's clean energy future, and establishing a strong foundation for a hydrogen-powered tomorrow," Kim said. IMAGE: An employee fuels hydrogen to a Hyundai Motor's Nexo hydrogen car at a hydrogen station in Seoul. Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters Building on Hyundai Motor Group's hydrogen brand and business platform HTWO, the Centre is envisioned as a hub for industrial-scale hydrogen research and innovation. Leveraging HTWO's comprehensive expertise across the entire hydrogen value chain -- from production and storage to application -- as well as its role as an open platform for collaboration, investment, and partnership, the facility will focus on advancing hydrogen solutions in the mobility and power sectors. With a strong emphasis on localisation of the hydrogen value chain, pilot infrastructure development, and public-private collaboration, the Centre aims to accelerate the growth of a viable hydrogen economy. IMAGE: A Nexo hydrogen car is fuelled at a hydrogen station. Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti said the Centre will run its first vehicle within three years. "This Centre will work with all the stakeholders of the hydrogen sector at the global level, including academia, national R&D laboratories, industries, and policymakers. "This will make India Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the hydrogen sector. "It will greatly contribute to sustainability, and provide a boost to the nation's decarbonisation initiatives that target Net Zero by 2070," Kamakoti said. Beyond R&D, the facility is expected to play a critical role in developing India's skilled hydrogen workforce, and supporting the GoI's vision of building an Aatmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Siam argues that a 2040 ban could destabilise ongoing and future investments and threaten millions of jobs in the automotive value chain. Kindly note the image have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters The Indian automobile industry has urged the government to defer the proposed ban on the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE)-based four-wheelers from 2040 to 2055, sources familiar with the matter told Business Standard on Thursday. Earlier, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) had proposed, during discussions on upcoming fuel-efficiency norms, that the sale of ICE-run four-wheelers be halted by 2040 -- with the aim of making Indian roads ICE-free by 2055, assuming a 15-year average vehicle lifecycle. The proposal has met with resistance from the automobile industry, with its apex body, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), flagging concerns over the economic ramifications of such a move. According to sources, Siam has argued that a 2040 ban, implemented without wide-ranging consultations and rigorous socioeconomic impact assessment, could destabilise ongoing and future investments and threaten millions of jobs in the automotive value chain. The industry has conveyed to the BEE that it continues to rely heavily on ICE vehicles. The auto sector contributes over 6 per cent to India's gross domestic product (GDP), accounts for more than 40 per cent of manufacturing GDP, and supports over 30 million jobs. It also attracts significant foreign investment and contributes substantially to tax revenues. The BEE proposal was part of deliberations on the upcoming third and fourth phases of the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms -- regulations aimed at reducing vehicular emissions by mandating average fuel consumption standards across automakers' fleets. While CAFE-I and CAFE-II are already in force, CAFE-III and CAFE-IV remain under discussion among BEE, the Union power ministry, and industry stakeholders. Senior government officials confirmed that a BEE presentation included a suggestion to phase out ICE vehicle sales by 2040 to meet the 2055 zero-ICE fleet target, aligning with India's broader goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. However, sources said the auto industry recommended this timeline be tightly aligned with India's net-zero target. Given the average 15-year life of a vehicle, Siam argued that the sales of ICE vehicles could continue until 2055 without derailing the country's decarbonisation road map. Siam also urged the BEE to engage in broader consultations involving other relevant arms of the government, including the NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (Morth), and the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), to assess the full economic and employment impact. Drawing parallels with international trends, Siam pointed to developments in the European Union (EU), where a proposed 2035 ban on ICE vehicles was under review. Citing factors like slower consumer adoption of zero-emission technologies, electricity decarbonisation challenges, and even potential penalties of 16 billion euros facing EU carmakers next year, the industry highlighted the complexity of transition timelines. Europe has a per-capita income five times higher than India, 42 times more public charging infrastructure, and a significantly cleaner grid. Yet, many European carmakers are falling short of their own fuel-efficiency targets, said an industry executive who did not wish to be named. Siam did not respond to Business Standard's queries on the matter. In 2024-25, a total of 4.15 million passenger vehicles were sold in India -- 4.86 per cent more than a year earlier -- according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada). However, electric vehicle (EV) penetration in this segment -- up only slightly from 2.31 per cent in 2023-24 to 2.59 per cent in 2024-25 -- remains low. According to sources, the government has not yet taken a final decision on a ban on ICE vehicle sales, and intense deliberations on the next phase of CAFE norms are ongoing. A sharp divide has already emerged within Siam over weight-based exemptions under the upcoming CAFE norms, with Maruti Suzuki seeking relaxed fuel-efficiency targets for small cars under 1,000 kg, arguing that stringent norms were hurting affordability and undermining the viability of entry-level models. Several other passenger vehicle manufacturers, on the other hand, have pushed back, warning that such a move would unfairly benefit a few carmakers like Maruti which still have small cars like hatchbacks and compact sedans in their portfolio, while forcing others to invest heavily to comply with CAFE-III and CAFE-IV norms. In a contrasting stance, the same group of manufacturers -- through Siam -- has collectively urged the government to exempt N1-category light commercial vehicles (LCVs) from the CAFE norms. Siam has argued that LCVs, which face low electric vehicle (EV) adoption, weak sales, and limited affordability, deserve special regulatory treatment. Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Ashok Leyland are the leading players in the N1 LCV segment, which comprises goods carriers with a gross vehicle weight of less than 3.5 tonnes. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff The UK government on Sunday announced that it will support iconic British brand Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) with a loan guarantee of up to 1.5 billion pounds to give certainty to the Tata Motors owned carmaker's supply chain following a devastating cyber-attack. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters The loan will come from a commercial bank, backed by the Department for Business and Trade's (DBT) Export Development Guarantee (EDG), provided by export credit agency UK Export Finance, to be paid back over five years. The aim is to bolster JLR's cash reserves following the production shutdown since early this month in the wake of the hack to help support firms in the supply chain, many of them small and medium enterprises (SMEs) struggling to stay afloat. This cyber-attack was not only an assault on an iconic British brand, but on our world-leading automotive sector and the men and women whose livelihoods depend on it, said Peter Kyle, Business and Trade Secretary. Following our decisive action, this loan guarantee will help support the supply chain and protect skilled jobs in the West Midlands, Merseyside and throughout the UK, he said. The minister said it was a vote of confidence in the country's automotive sector, which stands to benefit in the long term through landmark trade deals including the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India. Jaguar Land Rover is an iconic British company which employs tens of thousands of people a jewel in the crown of our economy. "Today we are protecting thousands of those jobs with up to 1.5 billion pounds in additional private finance, helping them support their supply chain and protect a vital part of the British car industry, said Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The announcement follows a visit this week by Kyle and Industry Minister Sarah Jones to JLR's Gaydon headquarters in the West Midlands region of England and a tour of JLR's sunroof manufacturer Webasto to meet senior leaders and workers. With plants in Solihull and Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, plus Halewood in Merseyside, JLR is one of the UK's largest exporters and a major employer employing 34,000 directly in its UK operations. "It also operates the largest supply chain in the UK automotive sector, much of it made up of SMEs, and employing around 120,000 people, DBT said. The department said it remains in daily contact with JLR and cyber experts to address concerns and offer support to get production back online, which is not expected until next month. In an update issued on Thursday, JLR said it is working to clear the backlog of payments" to its suppliers by increasing its processing capacity for invoicing. As part of the controlled, phased restart of our operations, we have informed colleagues, suppliers and retail partners that sections of our digital estate are now up and running, the JLR statement said. The foundational work of our recovery programme is firmly underway. We have significantly increased IT processing capacity for invoicing. "We are now working to clear the backlog of payments to our suppliers as quickly as we can, it said. Britain's largest car manufacturer said the Global Parts Logistics Centre, which supplies parts to distribution centres for its retail partners in the UK and around the world, is returning to full operations. This will enable our retail partners to continue to service our clients' vehicles and keep our customers mobile. "The financial system we use to process the wholesales of vehicles has been brought back online and we are able to sell and register vehicles for our clients faster, delivering important cash flow, it added. JLR said its teams continue to work around the clock alongside cybersecurity specialists, the UK government's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and law enforcement to ensure the restart of full operations takes place in a safe and secure manner following a difficult time for all connected with JLR. A group calling itself Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters is believed to have claimed responsibility for the hack. It was also behind a number of other high-profile attacks on UK retailers this year, including Marks & Spencer and Co-op. Most recently, London's luxury department store Harrods has reported a cyber-attack this week in which some customer data is said to have been stolen. Moody's Ratings on Monday downgraded Tata Motors' outlook to negative from positive following a cyber attack on its British arm Jaguar Land Rover which has led to a complete production halt. Photograph: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff The rating agency affirmed the Mumbai-based auto major's Ba1 corporate family rating (CFR). "The outlook change to negative from positive reflects our view that a full recovery in credit metrics will likely take several months," said Sweta Patodia, a Moody's Ratings Assistant Vice President and Analyst. The cyber incident at JLR highlights the customer relations risk captured under social risk considerations within the ESG framework, and is the key driver of the rating action, she added. Following the demerger of the company's commercial vehicle business, which takes effect on October 1, 2025, JLR will contribute more than 90 per cent to its consolidated EBITDA, underscoring the convergence of their credit profiles, Moody's Ratings stated. Following the cyber incident, JLR's operations have been disrupted for the last four weeks, causing a full production halt that will last at least until October 1. Even after production resumes, it may take several months for operations to return to normal, it stated. "We estimate that JLR's production halt will reduce TML's consolidated EBITDA to around $850 million for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026 (FY25-26), down from our previous forecasts of around $3 billion. "Additionally, higher working capital requirements will result in negative cash flow from operations this fiscal year," Moody's stated. Despite the halt, JLR continues to incur weekly cash outflows of around GBP500 million ($675 million) driven by ongoing obligations such as supplier payments and employee wages, it noted. However, this cash burn is likely to moderate in the coming weeks as supplier payments taper, it added. Furthermore, the resumption of sales from existing inventory estimated at around 25,000 vehicles - should help ease working capital pressures over the near term, it stated. "However, if production remains suspended for an extended period or if the return to normal operations is delayed, the impact on earnings and cash flows could be more severe," Moody's said. Given the negative outlook, an upgrade is unlikely over the next 12-18 months, it said while adding that the outlook could be revised to stable if JLR's outlook is changed to stable. In a statement issued on Monday, JLR said it will partially resume manufacturing operations in the coming days. Tata Motors' Ba1 CFR continues to reflect the company's global market presence in the luxury car segment through JLR, its growing market share within the passenger vehicle segment in India as well as the sustained strengthening in its credit profile on the back of debt reduction and earnings expansion, it said. "TML's Ba1 rating incorporates our expectation of extraordinary support from its parent Tata Sons that results in a one-notch uplift included in its rating," it added. Rapido one of the largest players in the bike taxi commute business says the new guidelines released by the central government on July 1, permitting non-transport motorcycles for aggregators, no longer give states the option of rejecting the revised policy. Photograph: ANI Photo Says Pavan Guntupalli, co-founder of Rapido: The guidelines permit states to have an additive policy but not the option to accept or reject the guidelines. He adds that Rapido has always operated bike taxis with the understanding that there is already a provision in the Central Motor Vehicles Act for bikes to function as transport vehicles. "The second clarification by the Centre reinforces this. "Theyve now clarified that white plate motorcycles can also be used to support commute services. The move is a major step forward and comes just days after the Karnataka high court banned bike taxi services in the state, disrupting public transport, especially in Bengaluru. It also opens the door for many more states beyond the 17 that have already legalised bike taxi services to join in. The Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines state: The state government may allow aggregation of non-transport motorcycles for passenger journeys as shared mobility through aggregators. Guntupalli says the companys approach has always been to work with state governments. Each state is different, and were aware of that. "Depending on the state and city infrastructure or constraints, there may be a need for policy customisation or additional requirements. "Now that the central government is being more vocal and direct in guiding states, our immediate step would be to ramp up efforts to collaborate with states where things are moving slowly, or not at all, he pointed out. To put the business in perspective, estimates by Rapido and the industry say there are 9 million bike taxi riders across the country. Karnataka has around 600,000 of them across 17 cities, most of whom are local, accounting for under 7 per cent of the total bike taxi gig workforce. Of those, 150,000 gig workers are based in Bengaluru. Their daily earnings range from Rs 90 to Rs 120, with over 8085 per cent coming from passenger commutes and the rest from delivery services, making this the largest gig employment category in the country. However, in terms of actual rides, Karnataka is a big player, clocking 15-20 million rides a month compared to 80100 million nationwide. That gives it a 1520 per cent share of all rides in the country. Guntupalli says the potential for bike taxi services is massive in a country where people are desperate for affordable, mass commute options. He points to Indonesia for perspective: In Jakarta, which has infrastructure very similar to Bengaluru, just one bike taxi operator clocks 1 million rides a day. "The city has three operators. With the right policy, Bengaluru can easily support 5 million rides a day. Ride-hailing numbers 'The reported deal between the European Union and China should mitigate it (shortage) for the medium to long term. Let's wait and watch how this plays out.' Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff Tata Motors, the country's largest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has said it has a "comfortable" stock of rare-earth magnets for the next few months. The supplies from "current sources" are coming and there are no plans of any production cuts at this point, a senior company official said. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, P B Balaji, group chief financial officer, said the shortage issue would be managed through inventories and exploring alternative sources. "The reported deal between the European Union and China should mitigate it (shortage) for the medium to long term. Let's wait and watch how this plays out. We are not pressing the panic button and no production cuts are being planned," he said. The company is tracking the situation and has no plans to postpone any of their upcoming launches. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Managing Director Shailesh Chandra said the companies' action had stabilised its launch dates. The Sierra EV will be launched later this year. Chandra further said if the situation deteriorated then the firm might take a fresh look at things. Dispatches of the Harrier EV will start next month. For the short term one is dependent on inventories, which are comfortable for the next few months, he said. Discussion between Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers and Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (Acma), on the one hand, and the ministry of commerce, on the other, is on. "We have identified seven rare-earth elements, and will see in the medium term how we can reduce work dependence and bring down the constitution or a mix of these into the components. In the long term we will see how we can eliminate (use of magnets in components)," Chandra told reporters. Open to hybrids if market demands The company said if there was a market for it, it was open to hybrid powertrain. It said its stance had always been clear-hybrids were not a "destination technology". Balaji said: "We are fine with supplying hybrids if that's what the customer wants, but our only issue has been around incentivising hybrids, saying that this is not a destination technology but it is an 'intermediate transition technology' and it will be used for managing CAFE (corporate average fuel efficiency) norms." Tata Motors is targeting a 30 per cent share from electric (by 2030) and 25-27 per cent from CNG (compressed natural gas) powertrains, 6-7 per cent from diesel, and the rest from petrol vehicles. "In petrol, if competition requires bringing in hybrids, we will do that and it might not just be for emission but performance also. We will always be open to using technology to meet the value that we want to deliver to the customer," Balaji said. Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar, and Honda have hybrid options. Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kia, JSW MG Motor, Skoda, and Volkswagen are planning hybrid vehicles for the Indian market. Avinya launch delayed to 2026 The launch of the all-electric Avinya, which will be a different brand altogether, has been postponed to FY26 because the car underwent some changes in subsystems. The company showcased two concepts around 2022 and Chandra had then said he was optimistic that in two and a half years the firm would be able to bring the car to the market. Passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealers declined 9 per cent year-on-year to 3,21,840 units in August, as companies recalibrated supplies to adjust to low market demand. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters Passenger vehicle wholesales stood at 352,921 units in August 2024. Sales of passenger vehicles saw a dip primarily due to recalibration of dispatches by manufacturers, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) director general Rajesh Menon said in a statement on Monday. Demand dipped in August, as customers postponed purchases in anticipation of the GST rate cut and the reduction in vehicle prices. Scooter sales rose 13 per cent year-on-year to 683,397 units in August, while motorcycle dispatches rose 4 per cent to 11,06,638 units last month. Three-wheeler dispatches saw the highest-ever dispatch for the month of August at 75,759 units, an increase of 8 per cent year-on-year, as against 69,962 units in August last year. Menon said the government's decision to reduce GST rates on vehicles will go a long way in enabling broader access to mobility and injecting fresh momentum into the Indian automotive sector in the upcoming festive season. Effective September 22, petrol and diesel cars with engine capacities of up to 1,200 cc and 1,500 cc will attract 18 per cent GST, while those above that will attract the highest 40 per cent. Electric vehicles will accrue GST of 5 per cent. GAZA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hamas said Tuesday that government bodies in Gaza under its control have begun facilitating the work of a newly-formed Palestinian technocratic committee tasked with governing the enclave in the post-war phase. Hamas is not setting any preconditions for the formation of the committee or the commencement of its work, but expects it to perform in an independent, professional and technical manner, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a press statement. Since 2007, Hamas has run government institutions in Gaza following fighting with Fatah, which runs the West Bank. The result led to the coastal enclave, home to more than 2 million people, being governed separately. Qassem said it is in the interest of all parties in Gaza to facilitate and ensure the success of the committee's work, adding that Hamas is working with mediators to pressure Israel to allow the committee to operate on the ground in Gaza. The 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee to temporarily administer the post-war Gaza officially launched its work on Friday through a meeting in Cairo, prioritizing Gaza's "humanitarian file." The committee arrived in the Egyptian capital on Thursday, delayed by a day due to Israeli obstruction, an Egyptian source told Xinhua. On Tuesday, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israel is blocking the committee's entry into Gaza via the Rafah border crossing, leaving the group unaware of when or how it will begin its work on the ground. Meanwhile, violence continues in the enclave on Tuesday. Gaza-based health authorities said hospitals across the enclave received one body and seven injuries over the past 24 hours. Since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect in October 2025, at least 466 Palestinians have been killed, raising the total death toll since October 2023 to 71,551, they said. Electric two-wheeler (e2W) companies are upset with some of their suppliers of heavy rare-earth magnetpowered electric motors, who have objected to their proposal under consideration by the government that would allow e2W original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) an exemption from localisation norms on electric motors, thereby enabling them to continue receiving the 5,000-per-vehicle subsidy. Photograph: Aditi Shah/Reuters A senior executive at an e2W manufacturer said, We are being deprived of the subsidy because of opposition from automotive (auto) component players. "All were doing is sending sub-assemblies to China, where they are fitted with rare earth magnets and then shipped back until rare earth imports from China resume. "The entire process is handled by suppliers, not by us directly. Auto component makers, however, see it differently. A senior industry executive argued, We have invested heavily in building capacity to manufacture electric motors, based on commitments from OEMs. "That capacity could remain idle if OEMs continue importing motors. If subsidies are extended despite OEMs not meeting localisation norms, we stand to incur huge losses. Since April, the Chinese government, through an export control order, has restricted the export of rare earths to India. After the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, relations eased, and China agreed to partially lift the ban that had completely squeezed rare earth magnet shipments to India from April 4. Yet, OEMs say none of their pending import requests, routed through auto component makers, have been cleared by Beijing. As a result, many OEMs have been sending motor sub-assemblies to China to be fitted with rare earth magnets before being returned. They stress that this workaround is only a temporary measure in response to the rare earth shortage. Some OEMs have even given undertakings that they will withhold subsidy claims if they fail to meet the 50 per cent localisation norm, while others have told the government they will not seek subsidies at all. A senior e2W executive added, Weve asked for temporary relief, say 90 days, until the rare earth magnet issue is resolved, not indefinitely. "This way, we dont have to shut down production. Why should our factories sit idle? Meanwhile, OEMs have been scrambling for alternatives. Ola Electric has experimented with ferrite motors, which do not require rare earths, while Ather Energy and Bajaj Auto are exploring motors powered by light rare earth magnets. Maruti Suzuki, Indias largest producer of small cars, stands to benefit the most. Kindly note the image have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Amit Sharma/ANI Photo The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) on Thursday revised its June 2024 draft fuel efficiency norms, introducing special relief for small cars for the first time and offering incentives for flex-fuel and strong hybrid vehicles. The revision comes after an intense and bitter debate within the automobile industry. Maruti Suzuki had requested special relief for small cars under the CAFE-3 and CAFE-4 norms (CAFE stands for corporate average fuel efficiency), while other carmakers, including Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, opposed any such concession. In June last year, the BEE had issued its first draft CAFE-3 and CAFE-4 norms, which will be implemented between April 2027 and March 2037. The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) had suggested changes in December last year. Photograph: Babu/Reuters Earlier this year, Maruti Suzuki had put in its relief request, following which the BEE issued its revised draft norms on Thursday. CAFE norms set the average carbon-dioxide emission, or fuel-efficiency targets that a carmakers fleet must meet. They are measured in grams of the gas emitted per kilometre (gm/km) for each vehicle. In the revised draft, the CAFE norms classified "small cars" separately for the first time. A petrol car is considered a small car if it weighs up to 909 kg, has an engine of 1,200 cc or less, and is not longer than 4,000 mm -- mostly entry-level hatchbacks and compact sedans. Maruti Suzuki, Indias largest producer of small cars, stands to benefit the most. These small cars get special treatment. On top of carbon-dioxide savings achieved through certified technologies, they can subtract an extra 3 gm/km from their declared emission. The new draft stated: Considering the limited potential for efficiency improvements in petrol vehicle models with an unladen mass up to 909 kg, engine capacity not exceeding 1200 cc and length not exceeding 4000 mm ... such cars shall be eligible to claim, in addition to certified technology-based savings, a further reduction of 3.0 g CO/km in its manufacturer-declared CO performance for calculation of performance under CAFE 2027. This means a small car that saves 2 gm of carbon dioxide per km through technology -- for instance, via start-stop systems or better tyres -- can count 5 gm of carbon dioxide per km toward its CAFE performance. However, the new draft also caps the benefit: No small car model shall be permitted to claim a cumulative reduction exceeding 9 g/km of CO in any reporting period. This ensures fairness and prevents exaggerated savings. Photograph: Kind courtesy, Pixabay In June last year the BEE had proposed changes that would have made compliance harder for strong hybrids and slightly easier for electric vehicles (EVs). The volume derogation factor is a multiplier that gives extra weight to certain vehicles in fleet carbon-dioxide calculations, so each EV or hybrid can count as more than one car. The BEE had in June 2024 suggested increasing the factor for EVs from three to four, while reducing it for strong hybrids from two to 1.2. In the revised draft issued on Thursday, the BEE has maintained the factor for EVs at three and strong hybrids at two. This benefits companies like Maruti Suzuki and Toyota, which are among the largest strong hybrid sellers in India, allowing their hybrids to retain full credit under CAFE and remain attractive for compliance. The draft also introduces a Carbon Neutrality Factor (CNF), a discount on declared emission for vehicles using cleaner fuels or hybrid technology. Petrol cars running on E20-E30 fuel blends get an 8 per cent reduction, CNG (compressed natural gas) vehicles get 5 per cent (or higher, depending on compressed biogas blending), and flex-fuel ethanol vehicles and strong hybrids capable of running on flex fuel get a 22.3 per cent discount. In practice, a strong hybrid running on flex fuel that emits 100 gm/km in lab tests would be counted as only 77.7 gm/km for CAFE compliance. Currently, strong hybrids sold in India by Toyota (the Hyryder, Innova Hycross, Camry) and Maruti Suzuki (Grand Vitara and Invicto) run on regular petrol and do not qualify for the 22.3 per cent CNF but only the 8 per cent petrol discount. To gain the full CNF, manufacturers would need to introduce flex-fuel strong hybrids, something Toyota has piloted in Brazil and showcased as a prototype in India. The BEE has given automobile stakeholders 21 days to send their response to new draft CAFE norms. Business Standard requested all major carmakers -- Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Toyota, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kia, Skoda, and JSW MG Motors -- to send their statements on the new draft norms. There was no response from any. Fresh draft rules For strong hybrid cars, full volume derogation factor of 2 retained Carbon Neutrality Factor introduced for cleaner fuels, hybrids Flex-fuel, strong hybrid cars get 22.3 per cent lower CO2 under CNF Stakeholders to submit feedback on revised draft norms in 21 days Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff Indias electric passenger vehicle (ePV) market has expanded sharply over the past five years, with registrations rising from just 3,252 units in 2020 to about 170,000 in 2025. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters Throughout this scale-up, southern states have remained the bedrock of adoption, consistently contributing around one-third of national electric vehicle (EV) registrations emphasising the regions role as the structural backbone of Indias EV transition. Vahan data shows that Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu together accounted for nearly 38 per cent of EV registrations in 2020, when adoption was still nascent and concentrated in a few early-mover markets. EV uptake broadened across the country, their combined share stabilised in the 31-33 per cent range between 2021 and 2025, even as absolute volumes surged. Analysts say this persistence highlights not a temporary policy-led spike, but deeper demand-side fundamentals at work in the southern belt. Across every year since 2020, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu have featured prominently among the top-ranking states, alongside Maharashtra, which has emerged as the single largest market by volume. In both 2024 and 2025, the top three states Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala together accounted for roughly 40 per cent of national four-wheeler EV registrations, reflecting a high degree of regional concentration despite the markets widening footprint. Vahan does not publish data for the state of Telangana. Southern states are slightly ahead on the EV adoption curve due to urban density, charging corridor electrification, and usage patterns, not because of materially superior incentives, said Subhabrata Sengupta, partner at Avalon Consulting. Sengupta pointed out that dense cities, shorter trip lengths, and well-defined intercity corridors such as BengaluruChennai, BengaluruHyderabad, and coastal highways into Kerala reduce range anxiety and make EV ownership more practical. Kerala, in particular, stands out because its urban sprawl along national highways effectively functions as a single extended agglomeration, lowering barriers to everyday EV use. According to Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations data, the ePV market share rose to 4 per cent in 2025, up from 2.4 per cent in 2024. Industry observers argue that subsidies are no longer the primary differentiator. Southern states, especially Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, accounting for around 30-35 per cent of EV registrations, are driven more by customer readiness, ecosystem maturity, and feasible use cases, said Anurag Singh, advisor at Primus Partners. According to Singh, differences in state incentives typically amount to Rs 10,000-30,000, which is increasingly insufficient to sway purchase decisions as EV prices fall and buyers focus more on real-world ownership experience, charging access, and total cost of ownership. Structural factors continue to tilt the balance in favour of the South. These include high overall vehicle ownership, a large urban and salaried population, predictable daily driving patterns, and comparatively easier home-charging feasibility. The region also benefits from a strong original equipment manufacturer presence and supply chain depth, with manufacturers such as Tata Motors, Hyundai, MG Motor, and Mahindra & Mahindra having significant manufacturing, branding, or ecosystem focus in southern states. Karnatakas numbers have received an additional boost from the EV-heavy cab fleet and technology-driven early adopters in cities like Bengaluru. That said, experts caution against reading the southern lead as permanent dominance. As charging infrastructure spreads, model availability expands in the Rs 1025 lakh segment, and EVs approach cost parity with internal combustion engine vehicles, adoption is expected to increasingly mirror overall PV demand across states. Northern and western markets are already catching up in absolute terms, even if penetration gaps remain modest. Spreading risks in sourcing raw materials for electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing is "very critical" and the government can play a key role by enabling access to these from multiple locations worldwide, said Vivek Srivatsa, chief commercial officer at Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, on Friday while stressing the need for faster localisation, especially of batteries. Photograph: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff He was speaking during a panel discussion at BloombergNEF summit. Indias EV ecosystem remains heavily reliant on China for critical components particularly lithium-ion cells for batteries and rare-earth minerals used in traction motors. In April this year, China imposed export restrictions on rare-earth magnets, creating supply bottlenecks for EV makers. Since these magnets are vital for traction motor's performance, the neighbouring country's indirect ban triggered warnings of production slowdowns across the EV sector in India. Asked about his opinion on localisation of batteries, Srivatsa replied: "I think it is a bridge we have to cross sooner or later, considering that the government has firmly embraced electric mobility, and they want to further it. "The logical next step is to really push localisation." "the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) category cars and their components took a longer time to achieve a very high level of localisation. "We are still talking about 90-95 per cent of localisation in the best case scenario (for ICE cars). "It took years. For EVs, the speed of localisation has to be much faster," he added. He stated that it is helpful that an EV has fewer components than an equivalent ICE car but the challenge is that a "battery is a tough one to localise". Tata Motors (TaMo) is one of the key electric car makers in the country. Srivatsa stated: "I think spreading our risks in terms of where we source our core materials from is very critical. "That is where the government can really help us, allowing us to access several fundamental components from various locations around the world." However, there has to be strong support from the government to help localise the other components whether in terms of "bureaucracy" or "incentivisation" further to the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme that is already present. "It is imperative that localisation has to be done fast. It has to be very well orchestrated between the industry and the government to accelerate and reach a high level as soon as possible," he noted. "There are two benefits. It is a geopolitical issue, so our dependence (on other countries) comes down. "The other benefit of localisation is cost control and cost savings. So, it is a bridge we have to cross very fast," he stated. In June this year, Tata Motors sold 4,708 electric cars in India, recording a growth of just 2.48 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y), according to data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada). JSW MG Motor sold 3,972 electric cars in India in the same month, recording a growth of 168.38 per cent Y-o-Y, according to Fada data. Chinese auto major SAIC Motor holds 49 per cent stake in JSW MG Motor. Plugging the gap Analysts believe Tesla will first focus on building the Model Y brand before expanding -- both in terms of volume and models. IMAGE: The keenly-awaited Model Y. All photographs: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff Tesla, the poster boy of full self-driving cars, has finally cruised into India. Globally, whenever Tesla enters a market, it increases the penetration of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). In India, however, that might not be the case. Given its price -- 60 lakh for the Model Y rear-wheel drive (RWD) and 68 lakh for the Model Y long range -- Tesla sits firmly in the luxury EV segment in India and is, therefore, unlikely to impact existing mass-market EV players. Analysts believe Tesla will first focus on building the Model Y brand before expanding -- both in terms of volume and models. The Model Y costs more than six times the average selling price of cars in India, and even over the next five years, it is expected to cost 2.4 times more, said Jay Kale, analyst with investment bank Elara Capital. In the EU, the US, and China, this ratio is around 1.01.5 times, and with that, Tesla's BEV market share is in the range of 1015 per cent in the EU and China, and 44 per cent in the US. This translates into an overall PV (personal vehicle) market share of less than 5 per cent in these regions, Kale said in a note on Wednesday. Assuming BEVs comprise 1015 per cent of the Indian PV market by 202930 (FY30), Tesla is likely to account for 1.52 per cent, Elara said. And if BEV penetration hits 30 per cent (bull scenario), Tesla may garner a 34.5 per cent share of the PV market, it added. Hence, we do not see its entry into India as a major threat to domestic OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), but it could be instrumental in raising awareness about EVs, Kale said. That said, Kale added they believed Tesla's superior and pioneering software experience would become a benchmark for the EV industry in India, and that domestic OEMs would have to up their game. Wealth manager Bernstein echoed the sentiment. Tesla, it said, would focus on building the brand rather than mainstream volumes. This meant there would be limited immediate impact on local automakers such as Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki India, and Tata Motors. The situation could change in the medium term as Tesla is working on a sub-$25K affordable EV, Bernstein added. While maintaining that Tesla's premium entry price did not pose a volume risk for M&M and Tata Motors, a research report by financial services firm Macquarie said the Austin (Texas)-headquartered firm's pricing strategy, ramp-up of its distribution network, and India's auto policy would be key variables to track. Tesla's products vary significantly, and target customer segments do not overlap, analysts at Citi said. At the current price point, they don't believe potential Mahindra XUV 9e customers are likely to shift to Tesla. The products vary significantly and target customer segments also do not overlap, Citi said. However, if duties are reduced or if local manufacturing starts, competition could escalate for the Indian OEMs, it added. In the future, even if an IndiaUS or IndiaEU free trade agreement is signed, and Tesla imports the Model Y from the US, it will still cost more than its current market price of $44,900 (ex-federal credits), which translates into 39 lakh. This is still 24 per cent higher than M&M's 9e (Pack 3, 79 kWh) and 31 per cent more than the Tata Harrier EV (Empowered QWD 75 ACFC). Not quite a smooth ride Tesla's India outing will have its challenges. Auto industry veterans feel the electric auto major is likely to face stiff competition here unless it rolls out its driverless cars. I personally drive a Tesla occasionally. Without the driverless option, it is not an exciting product in Indian conditions, said an automobile industry veteran. Moreover, we already have established products in the segment. India's premium market segment stands at 51,000 units per annum -- barely 1 per cent of total vehicle sales. It's a small pie, for a share of which global majors like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and Jaguar Land Rover have already built strong ecosystems, including service networks and local assembly lines. Within the PV industry, EVs account for a mere 4.5 per cent (as of June 2025). For the luxury PV segment, they form around 10 per cent, with BMW dominating with a 53 per cent market share, followed by Mercedes (33 per cent). Adding to Tesla's challenges, its global competitors -- such as Chinese EV manufacturer BYD and Vietnamese player VinFast -- are expanding into India, with better service strategies. VinFast plans to be present in more than 30 cities through its dealership network and has also roped in service partners. BYD is also scouting for local partners in India. The shift to EV Tesla has taken its own sweet time coming into India -- more than a decade, in fact, since discussions began. Tesla had zeroed in on India as one of its probable manufacturing destinations in Asia in 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tesla Motors' plant in San Jose in September 2015 fuelled speculation about the company entering India. Then in July 2016, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also visited the Tesla unit and offered land near major Indian ports to facilitate exports to South and Southeast Asian countries, while asking the company to make India its Asia manufacturing hub. However, even after several rounds of negotiations around reducing duties and offering incentives, there has been no commitment from Tesla to start local manufacturing. Many see Tesla's India entry as an attempt to address the capacity glut at its global plants, from where excess inventory might be brought to India. Tesla currently has a manufacturing capacity of 2.53 million units across the US, Germany, and China. The India entry is thus seen as more symbolic than substantial -- a branding effort, insiders feel. It is too early to say whether India will become a core market in South Asia for Tesla. In China, its entry led to a transformation of the EV market. Earlier, EVs were largely seen as a commercial choice rather than an aspirational one. The real shift happened when Tesla opened its Gigafactory at Shanghai; since then, EV penetration took off in China, Elara said. It was Tesla that was the first EV OEM globally to generate buzz about EVs, positioning them as aspirational products, which started attracting customers, it added. China's EV penetration was 3.8 per cent in 2019. Tesla entered the market in December that year and began selling cars in 2020. China's EV penetration has been rising steadily since; it shot up to 24.6 per cent in 2024. Kale believes that the aspirational aspect needs to be highlighted for consumers to shift to EVs -- something Tesla is well-positioned to offer. So, this shift could happen in India too. Unlike traditional auto giants such as Volkswagen and Honda, Tesla has chosen not to invest heavily in conventional advertising channels like television. Instead, it has relied on the power of celebrity influence and word-of-mouth, which have helped shape its image as a premium, niche brand. Its early adopters included actor Brad Pitt, Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, eBay's first president Jeff Skoll, and Xiaomi Chief Executive Officer Lei Jun. Will it adopt a similar strategy in India? Will it shape the country's EV landscape? The answers will unfold as Tesla travels some distance in India. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff Toyota enters India's mass electric vehicle segment with the maiden launch of the Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella in Mumbai. IMAGE: The Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella on display at the Mumbai launch event, showcasing its bold and masculine front. Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff Though one expected lot of electric energy at the launch of its first electric Indian car, one came across tight-lipped Toyota officials refusing to reveal product details or price point, among the most-awaited data for prospective EV buyers. Toyota Ebella: 543 km range in single charge IMAGE: Close-up of the dual tone plush interiors, the steering wheel and vertical air vents. What it revealed though is that the Ebella will be available in three variants E1, E2 and E3. The E1 comes with 49kWh battery capacity and E2 and E3 are fitted with 61kWh capacity batteries. IMAGE: The Ebella's front seats in premium two-tone finish. The two variants of the Urban Cruiser Ebella, though, pack a punch with a single-charge -- ARAI-certified 543km range for the bigger battery and 440km for the smaller battery variant. IMAGE: Rear passenger seating of the Urban Cruiser Ebella appears roomy. All the three variants are front wheel drive and produce 189Nm torque. IMAGE: The Urban Cruiser Ebella has decent luggage space. Using DC source, the battery charges from 10% and 80% in 45 minutes. Ebella's style and design IMAGE: The Ebella's distinctive wheel arch design. When asked how the Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella will be different from the competition, Sabari Manohar, group head, said the Ebella's design is "bold and masculine." While the comparison to Suzuki's eVitara is obvious, the Ebella will compete with mid-sized electric SUVs from Mahindra and Hyundai. The ventilated front row seats with vertical AC vents look smarter. The wireless charging system for phones, dial type gear shift knob, panoramic roof, and the infotainment system comprising JBL sound system, 10.25-inch touchscreen panel and the 10.1-inch driver display add a premium touch to the Ebella's interiors. IMAGE: The Ebella's dial type gear shift knob. The 18-inch aerodynamically designed alloy wheels also add to the premium look. Ebella's booking price Rs 25k The Ebella comes in four dual tone colours -- Cafe White, Sportin Red, Land Breeze Green and Enticing Silver. IMAGE: The Ebella's rear tail light cluster and badging. Seven SRS air bags and Level II ADAS and 360-degree camera take care of the safety aspect. While the company officials shared no information about when the SUV will hit the streets or the ex-showroom price, the Ebella can be booked on a payment of Rs 25,000. VinFast's VF6 storms into India as the most affordable electric SUV above 4 metres, packing premium features, 468km range, and free charging till 2028 to disrupt the EV market, observes Somnath Chatterjee. IMAGE: VinFast's VF6. All photographs: Somnath Chatterjee Vietnamese carmaker VinFast has entered India with a bang thanks to the aggressive pricing for its EVs including the VF6 and of course free charging till 2028 (via its V-Green charging stations). However, can the VF6 take on the current crop of EVs and compete with the established compact SUVs out there? Here is a first look from the launch floor. What the VinFast brand is all about? VinFast is a Vietnam based carmaker but is also part of the Vingroup while it has other businesses as well. In India we can expect the Vingroup to venture into some of those while for now, it has launched the first two VinFast cars in India which is the VF6 and VF7. The brand assembles the car in Tamil Nadu and has invested heavily into EV manufacturing for the long-term future. Pricing of the VF6 is lower than other SUVs Simply put, the VF6 is the most affordable electric SUV above the 4m space and the price starts from Rs 16.49 lakh while the top-end is Rs 18.29 lakh. There are three trims: Earth, Wind and Wind Infinity. The VF6 has a 7-year or a 1.6 lakh km warranty while the battery pack has a 10-year or a 2-lakh km warranty. Styling of the VF6 is distinctive and stands out The VF6 looks unlike anything else and has the 'V' shaped design theme along with showing its born electric origins. The VF6 is purely electric and the proportions reflect the packaging while it has plenty of road presence. There is a full-length LED DRL which merges with the logo along with cladding and a sloping roofline. The build quality is solid and better than other SUVs at this price while it has a length of 4241mm and a width of 1834mm. Ground clearance is an ample 190mm. Interiors are different and do not have an instrument cluster even! The interiors have plenty of soft touch materials and a touchscreen which is facing the driver. There is no instrument cluster, but there is a heads-up display while the steering wheel feels compact. The driver seat is 8-way powered and offers good support while features include a full glass roof, dual-zone climate control, an 8-speaker audio system, ventilated seats, and vegan leather upholstery. Safety wise, you get a clear 360-degree camera, 7 airbags, Level 2 ADAS, auto park assist and more. For the money, that is a good amount of equipment onboard. While the front seats are spacious, the rear seat space is a bit tight in terms of overall legroom/headroom but the glass roof helps here and you don't sit in the typical 'knees up position'. There is no start/stop button here! The VF6 starts with a press of the brake pedal and slotting it to 'D' via the unique centre console gear selector buttons. There is a single 59.6kWh LFP battery pack and front motor. Range is up to 468km and that's decent while power is around 204bhp for the top-end Wind trim. It is DC fast charging compliant but most will use the 7.2kW AC charger or the 3.3kW option. 35 dealerships towards the end of this year VinFast will have 35 dealers and covering all major cities while it will have service workshops too. As for the car, the VF6 holds promise and is incredible value for money along with the free charging to further sweeten the deal. This was necessary to disrupt the EV market and for the money, the VF6 right now does indeed offer a lot. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff For UK automakers, market access to India will be limited by quantity caps and phased tariff cuts, especially on petrol, diesel and electric vehicles. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers near Aylesbury, England, July 24, 2025. Photograph: Kin Cheung/Pool via Reuters The India-UK free-trade agreement (FTA) eliminates duties on most Indian exports to the UK, though the auto sector has been liberalised through a cautious, quota-based tariff reduction scheme spread over two decades. The agreement reduces or eliminates tariffs on 90-99 per cent of goods traded between the two countries. For UK automakers, however, market access to India will be limited by quantity caps and phased tariff cuts, especially on petrol, diesel and electric vehicles. The deal is not yet in force and awaits ratification by the British parliament. Why automobiles is most sensitive sector Automobiles have been among the toughest issues to resolve in the India-UK FTA negotiations. At present, India imposes import tariffs above 100 per cent of fully built foreign cars. These tariffs provide high barriers to entry, protecting domestic manufacturers such as Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra, and Tata Motors from competing to secure sale market share in India since the Indian market is price-sensitive. UK officials and auto manufactures had pushed for drastic tariff reductions to boost exports of UK manufactured vehicles, but Indian negotiators sought long phase-in periods and limits on imported vehicles, arguing that if there was a sudden influx of foreign vehicles, the Indian auto industry would be hurt and India would not achieve its domestic and EV manufacturing goals. How will UK petrol, diesel, and electric cars enter India? Under the FTA, tariffs on UK petrol and diesel vehicles will only be reduced to 10 per cent by 2031, and even then, only for vehicles imported under a quota system. For the highest-capacity engine cars, the first-year in-quota duty drops to 30 per cent, falling to 10 per cent by year five. Out-of-quota tariffs reduce more gradually, reaching 50 per cent by year ten. High-end carmakers like Bentley and Jaguar Land Rover (owned by Tata Motors) will face tariffs as high as 30 per cent in the early years, and lower-end cars will be subject to an even steeper 50 per cent duty before that rate drops to 10 per cent in year five of implementation. The number of vehicles that qualify for these reduced tariffs is capped. The initial quota of around 20,000 vehicles per year will rise to 37,000 by 2031, but then decline to 15,000 units by 2046. Electric and hybrid vehicles have separate conditions. Only those priced above Pound 40,000 qualify for tariff relief, with import caps starting at 4,400 units in 2031 and rising to 22,000 by 2040. Lower-priced EVs, where Indian companies are investing heavily, are excluded from the benefits. The full tariff reduction plan is structured over a 10-15 year period, and tariff savings from auto imports are estimated at Pound 1.7 billion by 2041, according to projections cited by the Financial Times. How are UK automakers responding to the deal? Despite achieving a pathway to the Indian market, UK carmakers have reacted with caution. Industry executives welcomed the eventual tariff reduction but criticised the complexity and duration of the implementation plan, the Financial Times reported. Under the deal, automakers must wait until 2031 for the lowest tariff rate to take effect, and even then face quotas that decline over time. Industry insiders described the agreement as "watered down", and pointed out that high tariffs in the early stages, 30 to 50 per cent, will limit price competitiveness and consumer uptake in India. Firms such as Jaguar Land Rover may benefit in the long run, but short-term gains appear minimal. The British automotive industry had lobbied for a more immediate reduction in tariffs and broader access, especially for EVs and mid-range vehicles. Why India still holds the keys in the UK car import deal India has retained strong protective safeguards in the auto sector, arguably the FTA's most guarded chapter. While the UK gains long-term access, India continues to shield its mass-market segment from foreign competition. Tariff cuts are tied to vehicle prices and volumes, and no significant liberalisation has been granted for lower-cost EVs or small cars, where Indian firms are building global competitiveness. These exclusions are deliberate, aimed at preserving domestic industry during a critical growth phase. At the same time, Indian firms are expected to benefit from zero-duty access for auto parts exports to the UK. This could support companies such as Bharat Forge, Motherson Sumi, and Sundaram Clayton, whose components are already part of UK supply chains. When and how will the India-UK trade pact be implemented? The FTA will come into effect once ratified by both parliaments, which is expected some time in 2026. From there, a detailed implementation timeline will govern the staggered roll-out of tariff reductions. The auto tariff structure, including quotas, timelines, and rates, will be reviewed periodically. A bilateral safeguard mechanism is included in the agreement to address any future trade disruptions or domestic market concerns. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Skoda India sees growth in automatics and network expansion as key drivers to reach 3 per cent market share, with EV plans and a new SUV also in the works. All photographs: Kind courtesy Skoda/Facebook As Skoda Auto India eyes a 3 per cent share of the domestic car market by end of this year from a current 1.8 per cent, indicating doubling of sales, it sees opportunity in the automatic transmission segment which now constitutes only 25 per cent of the market. Skoda already has a higher penetration of automatics in its overall sales. Skoda Auto India Brand Director Ashish Gupta told Business Standard that the automatic version of the Kylaq has been priced such (starting at 10.85 lakh) to make it one of the most accessible torque converter automatic cars in the market. Automatics (cars) are around 25 per cent of the market in India, and this is in contrast to developing countries where automatics are almost 90 per cent of the markets, Gupta said, adding that automatics constitute 50 per cent of Skodas sales. Our target is to move this mix to at least 70 per cent, and offer European automatic technology to our customers, he added. In the sub four-meter SUV segment, manual transmission cars are almost 65-70 per cent of the market, and Skoda sees an opportunity to convert customers here. With increasing number of women drivers in India, automatics are a big opportunity, he added. IMAGE: Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India Skoda is also betting on network expansion to boost sales further in the country. Over the last six months it has expanded its network to almost 296 touchpoints, up from 230 or so last year at the same time. We target to reach 350 touchpoints this year, Gupta said. This expansion is bringing in pockets in existing urban areas as well as tier-2 and tier-3 towns under the fold. Network expansion should actually help to boost our volumes by 30-40 per cent for the existing products, he said. Skoda sold 36,000 units last year in India. The growth of the Kylaq, which falls in a segment (compact SUV) which is 30 per cent of the market, and the growth is coming from new centres which are typically the smaller towns. But again you know a smaller town is sometimes a matter of definition. Today a small town can also have a population of two million and above. So the aspirations are not very different between people from smaller towns, Gupta said. The reason he felt the Kylaq sees demand is that they have a product which meets aspirations and also the capabilities to buy. We have always been a sub 1 per cent market share brand in India, and with the introduction of the Kylaq we are aiming for a 3 per cent market share, he added. Moreover, the Czech automaker may develop another SUV falling in between the Kushaq (mid-SUV) and the Kodiaq (high-SUV). Skoda received almost 500 bookings for the Kodiaq launched around two months back, and have delivered 250 cars. We have a product that addresses the bigger SUV segment. Is there an opportunity for an SUV between the Kushaq and the Kodiaq? Right now we are working to define what can be the sweet spot, and what could be the right product for that kind of a segment, Gupta said. He clarified that it will have to be a development for India without divulging any further details. The segment between the Kushaq and Kodiaq is around 10-12 per cent of the market now. As for EVs, Gupta says one would hear soon from the company. There are plans for a localised EV. The industry had estimated that the inflection point for EVs in India will come around 2026-27, Gupta said, adding that the projection was EVs would be 5.5 to 6 per cent of the market by 2025. Last month the EV penetration was over 4 per cent, and by the time we end this year it will be around 5 per cent or so. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff Indian Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are generating an average yield of 6-7.5 per cent for unitholders, better than many mature markets, including the US, according to a report by CREDAI and Anarock. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff CREDAI, the apex body of Indian real estate developers, and property consultant Anarock released a report 'Indian REITs - A Gateway to Institutional Real Estate' at an event in Singapore. At present, there are five listed REITs in India - Brookfield India Real Estate Trust, Embassy Office Parks REIT, Mindspace Business Parks REIT, Nexus Select Trust, and Knowledge Realty Trust. Nexus Select Trust are backed by rent-yielding retail real estate (shopping malls) while the other four are office REITs. "Average distribution yields of Indian REITs range between 6 per cent and 7.5 per cent, competitive with fixed-income instruments but with the added potential for capital appreciation," the joint report said. Comparing with other REIT markets globally, the report found that India still lags mature markets like the US, Singapore, and Japan in the diversification of REIT asset classes. However, the risk-adjusted yields in India remain attractive, the consultant said. Shobhit Agarwal, CEO of Anarock Capital, said, "Indian REITs are late to the party, but now lead the dance. "Despite its late entry compared to global peers, India has strong fundamentals." The distribution yields are well above many mature markets such as the US and Singapore, he added. The average yield in the US is 2.5-3.5 per cent, Singapore 5-6 per cent and Japan 4.5-5.5 per cent. Shekhar Patel, president of CREDAI, said, "Over 60 per cent of India's REIT market value today rests with a very small set of players, with a strong base in Grade A offices linked to IT and BFSI. "The future, however, holds far wider promise. "As India's cities grow, infrastructure strengthens, and the economy diversifies, REITs will expand into retail, logistics, housing, and new-age assets. "This transformation will unlock unprecedented opportunities for investors," he added. REITs are investment vehicles that own or operate income-generating real estate, enabling investors to earn a share of the income produced without directly purchasing the properties. CREDAI, which has more than 13,000 members, is organizing its annual event CREDAI-NATCON in Singapore. More than 1,000 delegates, including real estate developers and property consultants, are attending this three-day conference that started on September 11. SHANGHAI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A batch of dried chili peppers from Uganda has recently passed customs in Shanghai, marking the first export of Ugandan dried chili peppers to China after gaining market access in the country. The 11 tonnes of dried chili peppers entered China via sea transport through the Waigaoqiao port area in Shanghai, the municipal customs authorities said on Monday. Customs officials collected samples for inspection and confirmed that the agricultural products were free from pests, mold and impurities. According to Shanghai Customs, in 2025, the value of agricultural products imported through Shanghai ports from Africa reached 10.03 billion yuan (about 1.43 billion U.S. dollars), marking a 25.3 percent increase compared to 2024. From 2021 to 2025, Shanghai ports cumulatively imported African agricultural products valued at 39.21 billion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 10.9 percent. In Q1FY26, the bank reported fresh slippages of 8,200 crore, up 71 per cent Y-o-Y and sequentially. Of this, 7,500 crore is from the retail segment. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters Axis Bank, India's third-largest private-sector lender, on Thursday reported a 4 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) decline in net profit to 5,806 crore for the first quarter of 2025-26 (Q1FY26). The decline was attributed to a significant rise in slippages during the quarter, which led to higher loan loss provisions. The higher slippages and consequently higher provisions were driven by changes made by the bank in its asset-classification and income-recognition policies. "Prudent application of technical parameters for recognising slippages, and consequent upgrades impacted reported asset quality parameters, including provisions and contingencies for Q1FY26. Technical impact is largely restricted to cash credit and overdraft products, and one-time settled accounts," the bank said in a statement, adding that "technical impact" has adversely impacted the bank's net profit by 614 crore, return on assets (ROA) by 15 basis points (bps), and return on equity (ROE) by 1.4 per cent. Additionally, the bank said, 80 per cent of individual contracts that slipped because of "technical impact" and that continue to remain non-performing assets (NPAs) as on June 30, 2025, are fully secured. "Hence, we believe that economic loss due to "technical impact" will be minimal over the life of such contracts," the bank clarified. In Q1FY26, the bank reported fresh slippages of 8,200 crore, up 71 per cent Y-o-Y and sequentially. Of this, 7,500 crore is from the retail segment. As a result, the bank's loan loss provisions shot up to 3,900 crore, up 2.85 times sequentially, and 1.52 times on a Y-o-Y basis. The bank's provisions and contingencies in Q1FY26 stood at 3,948 crore, compared to 1,359 crore in Q4FY25, and 2,039 crore in Q1FY25. Additionally, the bank clarified that 821 crore of provisions and contingencies debited to the profit & loss account is attributable to "technical impact". Adjusting the "technical impact", the bank's provisions and contingencies would have been 3,127 crore. Further, the bank said, of the 8,200 crore of fresh slippages in Q1, 2,709 crore was attributable to "technical impact". Gross slippages for the quarter adjusted for "technical impact" is 5,491 crore. Owing to higher slippages, the bank's asset quality took a hit, with gross NPAs at 1.57 per cent at the end of Q1FY26, up 29 bps over last quarter. Net NPAs were also up at 0.45 per cent. "For NPA classification, we have not changed days past due (DPD) parameters because they are driven by regulation. We benchmark the qualitative parameters to be the most prudent in the market on an annual basis. It happens for us in the period of February-March and the implementation happens from the next fiscal. The purpose of the benchmark is to make sure that our balance sheet is resilient and can withstand any credit cycle. This is the thinking behind the change", said Puneet Sharma, chief financial officer, Axis Bank, explaining the rationale behind the exercise. "As indicated in last quarter, we have made changes to our technical recognition criteria that have impacted Q1 asset quality numbers across gross slippages, net slippages, credit cost, and interest reversals impacting NIMs. Because the stock of our book is so large, the overall impact in this quarter is large. We believe the economic impact over a period of time will be minimal," said Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, Axis Bank. Meanwhile, the private sector lender reported a 1 per cent Y-o-Y increase in net interest income (NII) at 13,560 crore while other income was up 25 per cent Y-o-Y at 7,258 crore. According to the bank, gross NPA ratio adjusted for "technical impact" stood at 1.41 per cent while adjusted net NPA stood at 0.36 per cent. The bank's net interest margin (NIM) -- a measure of profitability of banks -- stood at 3.8 per cent, down 17 bps from last quarter, and 25 bps from the corresponding period of last year. Its growth in advances for the quarter was muted at 8 per cent Y-o-Y, and 2 per cent sequentially to 10.59 trillion, with retail loans growing 6 per cent Y-o-Y to 6.22 trillion; small business banking (SBB) growing 15 per cent Y-o-Y; loan against property growing 21 per cent Y-o-Y; personal loans growing 5 per cent Y-o-Y; credit card advances growing 2 per cent Y-o-Y; and rural loan portfolio growing 5 per cent Y-o-Y. Additionally, the small and medium enterprise (SME) book of the bank grew 16 per cent Y-o-Y while the corporate loan book grew 9 per cent Y-o-Y. Domestic corporate book grew 11 per cent Y-o-Y while mid-corporate book grew 24 per cent Y-o-Y. "Our platforms will allow us to grow faster than the industry growth, subject to how the market plays out. This line brings out our intent and confidence on growth," said Chaudhry, adding that the fact that some of the retail assets have not grown gives us the confidence that we can grow because there is that much opportunity to grow. During the same period, the deposit book of the bank grew 9 per cent Y-o-Y to 11.61 trillion, of which current account deposits grew 9 per cent, saving account deposits grew 3 per cent, and term deposits grew 12 per cent Y-o-Y. The share of current account and savings account (CASA) deposits in total deposits stood at 40 per cent at the end of Q1FY26. After the State Bank of India, Bank of India has classified the loan account of insolvent Reliance Communications as fraudulent and named its former director, tycoon Anil Ambani, citing alleged fund diversion in 2016, according to a regulatory filing. Photograph: Prashant Waydande/Reuters State-owned Bank of India granted a Rs 700 crore loan in August 2016 to Reliance Communications for its ongoing capital and operational expenditure and repayment of existing liabilities. Half of the sanctioned amount disbursed in October 2016 was invested in a fixed deposit, which was not permitted as per the sanction letter, according to the bank's letter that RCom disclosed in a stock exchange filing. RCom said that it has on August 22 received a letter from Bank of India dated August 8 stating the bank's decision "to classify the loan accounts of the company, Anil Dhirajlal Ambani (promoter and erstwhile director of the company), and Manjari Ashok Kacker (erstwhile director of the company), as Fraud". Previously, State Bank of India (SBI) had done the same in June this year, alleging misappropriation of bank funds by entering into transactions that violated the terms of the loans. Following a complaint by SBI, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday searched premises linked to Reliance Communications and Ambani's residence. CBI said it has registered a complaint after the State Bank of India claimed a loss of Rs 2,929.05 crore, resulting from the alleged misappropriation by Reliance Communications and Ambani, the younger sibling of Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani. Anil Ambani's spokesperson, in a statement, "strongly denied all allegations and charges" and said he "will duly defend himself". "The complaint filed by SBI pertains to matters dating back more than 10 years. "At the relevant time, Ambani was a non-executive director of the company, with no involvement in the day-to-day management," the spokesperson said. "It is pertinent to note that SBI, by its own order, has already withdrawn proceedings against five other non-executive directors. "Despite this, Ambani has been selectively singled out." Reliance Communications in the latest filing said its subsidiary Reliance Telecom Ltd too has received a letter from Bank of India conveying the lender's decision to classify the loan accounts of the company, Grace Thomas (erstwhile director of RTL and present director of the company) and certain other persons as 'Fraud'. Under banking laws, once an account is declared fraudulent, it must be referred to enforcement agencies for criminal action, and the borrower is barred from accessing fresh finance from banks and regulated institutions for five years. Bank of India, in the letter disclosed in the Reliance Communications filing, said RCom had turned NPA on June 30, 2017, with an outstanding of Rs 724.78 crore. "The Bank has been following up with the borrowers and guarantors for repayment of dues; however, they have failed and neglected to make repayment of the dues." Reliance Communications had in April disclosed that its total debt stood at Rs 40,400 crore in March. Following unpaid loans, the company was admitted for insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings. RCom is being managed under the supervision of a Committee of Creditors, led by SBI and overseen by a Resolution Professional. The RBI will introduce a new mechanism from October 4 for clearance of cheques within hours of being presented to banks, reducing the current time period of up to two working days. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters Cheques will be scanned, presented, and passed in a few hours and on a continuous basis during business hours. The clearing cycle will be reduced from the present T+1 days to a few hours. Cheque Truncation System (CTS) currently processes cheques with a clearing cycle of up to two working days. To improve the efficiency of cheque clearing and reduce settlement risk for participants, and to enhance customer experience, the RBI has decided to transition CTS from the current approach of batch processing to continuous clearing with 'on-realisation-settlement'. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a circular for introduction of Continuous Clearing and Settlement on Realisation in CTS. "It has been decided to transition CTS to continuous clearing and settlement on realisation in two phases. "Phase 1 shall be implemented on October 4, 2025 and Phase 2 on January 3, 2026," it said. There will be a single presentation session from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Cheques received by the branches shall be scanned and sent to the clearing house by the banks immediately and continuously during the presentation session, RBI said. "For every cheque presented, the drawee bank shall generate either positive confirmation (for honoured cheques) or negative confirmation (for dishonoured cheques)," it said. During Phase 1 (from October 4, 2025 to January 2, 2026), drawee banks will be required to confirm (positively/negatively) cheques presented on them, latest by the end of the confirmation session (7:00 PM), else those will be deemed to have been approved and included for settlement. In Phase 2 (from January 3, 2026), the item expiry time of cheques shall be changed to T+3 clear hours. Giving an example, the RBI said the cheques received by drawee banks between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM will have to be confirmed positively or negatively by them by 2:00 PM (3 hours from 11:00 AM). Cheques for which confirmation is not provided by the drawee bank in the prescribed 3 hours shall be treated as deemed approved and included for settlement at 2:00 PM. RBI further said that on completion of settlement, the clearing house will release the information of positive and negative confirmations to the presenting bank. "The presenting bank shall process the same and release the payment to the customers immediately, but not later than 1 hour from successful settlement, subject to usual safeguards," it said. RBI directed banks to make their customers adequately aware of the changes in the cheque clearing process. Banks have also been asked to be in readiness to participate in continuous clearing in CTS on the prescribed dates. 'We do not need short-term measures but long-term ones. Companies seem to have given up on the infrastructure part. Long delays are fuelling more traffic crisis.' IMAGE: Potholes on Bengaluru roads. Photograph: ANI Photo The challenges of Bengaluru's infrastructure and the growing frustrations among citizens and companies have once again come to light, even as Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar assured that contractors have been given a final deadline of November to fill the city's potholes and ensure smooth traffic flow. Rajesh Yabaji, co-founder and chief executive of online trucking platform BlackBuck, announced the company's decision to relocate from its Bellandur office along the city's Outer Ring Road (ORR), citing increasing commute time and deteriorating road conditions as key reasons for the move. ORR (Bellandur) has been our 'office + home' for the last 9 years, but it's now very, very hard to continue here, so we have decided to move out,' Yabaji posted on X. His statement highlights familiar concerns about Bengaluru's infrastructure: Roads full of potholes, persistent traffic congestion, insufficient public transport options, and a slow pace of metro railway development, all contributing to challenging daily commutes. For over a decade, the ORR has been the subject of ridicule among those familiar with the city's crumbling infrastructure. The road flanks gleaming state-of-the-art business parks housing global giants such as JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Walmart, Microsoft, Google, and IBM. Yet beyond the corporate complexes, the reality of poor road conditions and traffic congestion remains a pressing issue. Yabaji underlined the difficulties faced by employees, noting: 'The average commute for my colleagues has shot up to 1.5+ hours (one way), the roads are full of potholes and dust with the lowest intent to get them rectified, and we don't see any of this changing in the next 5 years.' Sources indicated that BlackBuck, currently valued at around 11,000 crore (Rs 110 billion), does not intend to leave Bengaluru entirely but plans to shift its office to a different location within the city. 'Big big failure of governance in Bengaluru,' posted former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai on X, maintaining his long-standing call for more effective infrastructure planning by successive state governments. 'This is serious. Emergency measures needed to fix these issues,' added Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, executive chairperson of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics. Bengaluru, often referred to as India's Silicon Valley and home to over 3,500 IT firms, continues to grapple with serious infrastructure woes -- from crumbling roads and chronic water shortages to inadequate drainage that leaves parts of the city waterlogged even after moderate rainfall. Rising frustration over the city's traffic snarls, placing Bengaluru third on the list of the world's most congested cities in 2024, is drawing increasing concern among startups and multinational companies, with executives citing lost productivity and missed business opportunities. Several prominent figures in the tech industry, including Setu API Co-Dounder Nikhil Kumar and EaseMyTrip's Prashant Pitti, have publicly expressed concerns about the city's traffic issues and aging infrastructure, with some hinting at shifting talent and operations to more navigable hubs such as Hyderabad. In July, Pitti found himself trapped for more than 100 minutes on Bengaluru's congested Outer Ring Road. Frustrated by the experience, he posted on X offering 1 crore to anyone who could deploy AI to map the city's traffic choke points and share the insights with local authorities. Krishna Kumar Gowda, general secretary of the Greater Bengaluru IT Companies and Industries Association, told Business Standard that the government should accelerate the completion of the Blue Line Metro and improve last-mile connectivity, seen as crucial to reducing reliance on private vehicles. "We do not need short-term measures but long-term ones. Companies seem to have given up on the infrastructure part. Long delays are fuelling more traffic crisis. The government should fast-track comprehensive ORR modernization projects with improved signage, dedicated bus lanes, upgraded footpaths, and proper skywalks for pedestrian safety and throughput," Gowda said. Meanwhile, the Karnataka deputy chief minister acknowledged the deepening infrastructure woes and assured that contractors have been given a final deadline of November to fill the city's potholes. In a post on X, Shivakumar stated: 'Contractors have been given a final deadline to fill the potholes within November to resolve the problem. Since a clean Bengaluru and smooth traffic are our goals, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will provide relief from potholes as soon as possible.' In a bid to woo tech firms battling Bengaluru's ongoing gridlock, Nara Lokesh, who holds key portfolios in the Andhra Pradesh government -- human resource development, information technology, electronics and Communication, and real time governance -- issued a direct appeal. 'Hi Rajesh, can I interest you in relocating your company to Vizag? We are rated among the top 5 cleanest cities in India, are building best-in-class infrastructure, and have been rated the safest city for women. Please send me a DM. As Bengaluru's infrastructure continues to face challenges, such offers from competing states present an alternative for companies seeking a smoother operating environment in India's fast-growing technology sector. Peerzada Abrar adds: BlackBuck clarified on Thursday evening that it would remain in Bengaluru despite earlier comments from CEO Rajesh Yabaji triggering speculation about the company leaving the city due to infrastructure challenges. Yabaji stated in a press release that BlackBuck was 'only relocating within the city' to facilitate easier commutes for employees, while maintaining its significant operations along Bengaluru's outer ring road. 'We will not only continue to remain in the city, but will also expand our footprint. We will remain committed to relay our needs and issues to the relevant government authorities,' he said. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff Amid the impending rejig in the goods and services tax (GST) rates, an association representing the countrys beverages industry has appealed to the Centre to not classify aerated beverages as sin/demerit good and bring it under the 18 per cent slab while citing their mass consumption as a reason. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters In its plea, the Indian Beverage Association (IBA) said that independent analysis by Tax India Online shows that the sectors high price elasticity means GST rate rationalisation will drive volume growth and formalise demand. Such taxation disproportionately burdens low-income consumers and ignores fruit-based and low and no-sugar variants, which offer healthier alternatives. "Hence, a sugar-based-taxation approach which is in-line with globally accepted models, should be considered, the association said in its plea to the government. Currently, aerated beverages are classified as sin/demerit goods, leading to 40 per cent taxation (28 per cent GST and an additional 12 per cent compensation cess). Referring to the impact of the GST rationalisation, the association said, While an initial fiscal impact of Rs 277 crore may occur by 2025, from 2026 onwards, net revenue surplus of Rs 32 crore - Rs 591 crore annually is projected due to increased compliance and consumption. "Rationalisation is fiscally neutral in the short term and revenue positive in the medium term. The association claimed that the current taxation equates them unfairly with tobacco and pan masala, despite no comparable public health concerns. It also demanded that fruit based juices currently taxed at 12 per cent should be categorised in the 5 per cent tax slab. IBA has also said that carbonated beverages are highly price-sensitive, with almost 71 per cent of transactions are at the price points of Rs 20 or less, and 65 per cent of consumers belong to the lower socio-economic classes. With demand exhibiting high price elasticity, rationalising GST would help sustain affordability for mass-market consumers. "A price elasticity of demand of 1.6 means that a 1 per cent increase in price leads to a 1.6 per cent decline in quantity demanded, indicating elastic demand, meaning consumers are highly reactive to price changes, it said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced GST reforms as a Diwali gift to lower the tax burden on the common man during his Independence Day speech. According to reports, the 12 per cent GST rate is expected to go and the items are expected to fall under the 5 per cent slab. The association also said that the beverage industry is one of the largest procurers of agricultural commodities, annually purchasing 2 million metric tonnes of sugar and 1.2 million metric tonnes of mango from Indian farmers which helps fortify the local agrarian supply chain. Looking to regain fizz Bihar is now among the top 10 states in terms of investor base, surging past better-off states like Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab. Kindly note the image has been published only for representational purposes.. Photograph: Sergei Tokmakov/Pixabay A government job may be the most sought after vocation for many youth, but Akshay Kumar, a resident of Bhojpur district in Bihar, has recently given up a permanent sarkari role to focus on his new booming business on a full-time basis. Kumar, who had started a franchisee operation for brokerage firm Motilal Oswal Financial Services during the COVID-19 pandemic in a district better known for its films such as Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyaari Chadhaibo and Piya Nirmohia, says his venture has clocked a tenfold jump in stock market trades since then. The relative return of investment (RoI) on his government job clearly paled in comparison. Kumar's experience resonates for many across Bihar -- the state with the lowest per capita income in the country is witnessing an unprecedented surge in stock market investments. Between 2019-2020 (FY20) and May this year, the total number of registered investors in Bihar has risen by a whopping 678.8 per cent, from a mere 700,000 to 5.2 million stock market players, according to data from the National Stock Exchange Market Pulse publication. This is the sharpest surge recorded across states during this period, and reflects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 48.8 per cent. Uttar Pradesh, whose investor base jumped from 2.3 million to 13.1 million over this period, has recorded the second fastest CAGR of 40.1 per cent, and has also surged to the second highest rank over this period, pipping Gujarat. In fact, Bihar is now among the top 10 states in terms of investor base, surging past better-off states like Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab, which have between 3 million to 5 million investors. Bihar had a per capita net state domestic product of just over Rs 60,000 per year in FY24. It was Rs 4.6 lakh for Delhi, Rs 3.19 lakh for Haryana and Rs 1.95 lakh for Punjab. The highest number of investors in India still hail from Maharashtra, with nearly 19 million, and Gujarat stands third with 10 million investors. Gujarat has become the third state to cross the 10 million mark, according to NSE data. West Bengal and Rajasthan are next with over 6.5 million investors each. Assam and Odisha are among the other states which have also seen an increase in recent times, according to NSE data; adding over 2 million investors each since FY20. Bihar's equity culture also extends to mutual funds. Around 89 per cent of Bihar's mutual fund assets are invested in equity schemes, shows data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India. More industrialised states appear to invest more in debt. But Bihar's equity investments' share edges higher than Jharkhand (87 per cent), Chhattisgarh (86 per cent), and Uttar Pradesh (83 per cent). As for Kumar, he is starting a second venture called 'Plan Your Investment' with a focus on investor education. He was inspired after he met a six year old thumbing through the investing classic One Up On Wall Street and personal finance bestseller Rich Dad Poor Dad. Watch this space. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Bike-taxi drivers are also left stranded as many depended on the service. IMAGE: Rapido driver. Photographs: Kind courtesy Rapido/Facebook.com Commuters across Karnataka are feeling the pinch following the state high court's June 13 directive to halt bike-taxi services, leaving thousands of daily users scrambling for affordable and quick transport alternatives. Following the directive, major ride-hailing platforms, including Ola, Uber, and Rapido, have suspended bike-taxi operations from June 16. Shalini Kapat, a social media executive working at a private firm in Bengaluru, said bike taxis were efficient in navigating traffic and the time required for travelling was less. "Bike taxis cut down drastically on the time required to book and commute within Bengaluru. "Booking is faster as compared to booking an auto or a cab as most drivers are within the user's vicinity. "With the ban, our commute costs and travel time will shoot up again since public transport is not convenient. "However, some bike taxis were very unsafe for a ride," Kapat said. Peter Varghese, another user who lives in Hyderabad but visits Bengaluru regularly for his video-editing work, said the suspension of bike taxis would increase his financial burden. "Local autos quote an exorbitant price. It takes a longer time to confirm a ride with cabs across ride aggregators. "I visit Bengaluru for a couple of days every month and the cab booking experience is very tiring. "Since the ban is now in place, it would be better to rent a bike and travel in the city saving up costs, and time," he said. Bike-taxi drivers are also left stranded as many depended on the service. "Many fear confiscation of their bikes if they continue to operate in the city. "For a majority, this is their bread and butter, and for others operating a bike taxi on one of these aggregator apps guarantees secondary income," a local bike-taxi driver said. Meanwhile, mobility apps Uber and Rapido introduced bike parcel services "Moto Parcel" and "Bike Parcel", respectively. "We may try to see if we can pick up and drop off passengers using the courier or parcel feature. "However, since the cops would aggressively crack down on our services, we will think before proceeding," the driver quoted above said. Responding to queries sent by Business Standard, Rapido said, "We acknowledge the Karnataka high court directive with regard to bike-taxi regulation in the state starting June 16, 2025. "Even though we are not the initiating party in the ongoing case, we have remained engaged throughout as a responsible stakeholder in the state's transportation ecosystem." Rapido said it's a challenging moment for its captains as the service is the primary source of income for many of them. "They (bike captains) have been instrumental in delivering affordable, last-mile mobility to millions of commuters across Karnataka," the company said. "We are actively pursuing all avenues to support our captains. "Rapido remains hopeful that our continued engagement with the government will pave the way for a viable framework for bike taxis and the millions of gig workers who depend on them -- just as it has in several other states and Union Territories. Until then, we urge our captains and users to stand with us as we continue our constructive dialogue with the authorities in the best interest of all stakeholders," Rapido added. Similar to Rapido, an Uber spokesperson said the company has halted its bike-taxi booking service but will continue engaging with the authorities. "Uber has taken the difficult decision to suspend bike-taxi operations in Karnataka from June 16 following an order from the hon'ble high court. "This will negatively impact the many thousands of riders who rely on bike taxis for their daily mobility needs, as well as the many thousands of drivers who depend on the service for their livelihood," the spokesperson said. While Rapido and Uber have suspended operations, Ola declined to comment. However, company sources said that they had removed the bike category for now and were in talks with government officials to sort out the issue. Shaik Salauddin, national general secretary of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFATW) and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Union (TGPWU), and Inayath Ali, president of the Karnataka App-Based Workers' Union (KAWU), have welcomed the high court's decision, declining a stay on the single-judge order that held bike taxis cannot operate in the state unless relevant rules are framed. Shaik Salauddin stated: "We appreciate the Karnataka high court's June 13 order. "It underscores the necessity for a clear legal framework for bike taxis and highlights the ongoing violation of regulations by companies like Ola, Uber, and Rapido. "These companies have been cheating workers by ignoring the rules and putting their livelihoods at risk." Ali added: "We welcome this order as it protects the livelihoods of cab and auto drivers, who lose their income due to unfair competition. "If bike taxis are allowed in future, they should be permitted only with yellow number plate (commercial vehicle) registration and proper oversight by the authorities." Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Equity markets fell on Thursday, with the benchmark Sensex tumbling 542.47 points, amid profit-taking in blue-chip stocks and continuous foreign fund outflows. Despite a positive start, the 30-share BSE Sensex failed to carry forward the momentum and fell later in the trade. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters The benchmark tanked 542.47 points, or 0.66 per cent, to settle at 82,184.17. During the day, it tumbled 679.42 points, or 0.82 per cent, to 82,047.22. The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 157.80 points, or 0.63 per cent, to 25,062.10. From the Sensex firms, Trent, Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv, Reliance Industries, Infosys, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HCL Technologies, and NTPC were among the biggest laggards. However, Eternal, Tata Motors, Sun Pharma, Tata Steel, and Titan were the gainers. Infosys declined over 1 per cent amid profit-taking after its June quarter earnings announcement. In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng settled in positive territory. European markets were quoting in the green. The US markets ended higher on Wednesday. India and the UK on Thursday inked a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) that will cut tariffs on British whisky, cars, and an array of items, besides boosting bilateral trade by about $34 billion annually. The deal was signed by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and his British counterpart Jonathan Reynold in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer. The FTA is expected to benefit 99 per cent Indian exports from tariff and will make it easier for British firms to export whisky, cars, and other products to India, besides boosting the overall trade basket, according to Indian officials. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 4,209.11 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data. However, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought stocks worth Rs 4,358.52 crore in the previous trade. Global oil benchmark Brent crude jumped 1.24 per cent to $69.36 a barrel. India's purchase of Russian oil has risen to 2 million barrels per day in August, as refiners continue to prioritise economic considerations in their sourcing decisions. Photograph: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters/span> As much as 38 per cent out of an estimated 5.2 million barrels per day of crude oil imported in the first half of August came from Russia, according to global real-time data and analytics provider Kpler. Imports from Russia at 2 million bpd were up from 1.6 million bpd in July. The increase in Russian flow was at the cost of purchases from Iraq, which declined to 730,000 bpd in August from 907 bpd in July, and Saudi Arabia which fell to 526,000 bpd from 700,000 bpd last month. The US was the fifth largest supplier at 264,000 bpd, according to Kpler. "Russian crude imports into India have so far remained resilient in August, even after the Trump administration's tariff announcement in late July 2025," said Sumit Ritolia, Lead Research Analyst (Refining & Modeling) at Kpler. "But the stability we're seeing now is mostly a result of timing - August cargoes were locked in back in June and early July, well before any policy shifts." What's showing up in the data today reflects decisions made weeks ago, he said, adding any real adjustment in flows - whether due to tariffs, payment issues, or shipping friction - will only start becoming visible from late September through October arrivals. He noted that there's been no government directive to cut Russian volumes. "So from a policy standpoint, it's business as usual." Arvinder Singh Sahney, chairman of Indian Oil Corporation - India's largest oil firm - too said the government has not given any instruction to go slow on purchases from Moscow in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's decision to slap an additional 25 per cent tariff on US imports from India -- raising the overall duty to 50 per cent -- as a penalty for the country's continued imports of Russian oil. "Neither we are being told to buy nor told not to buy," he said. "We are not making extra effort to either increase or decrease the share of Russian crude." Russian oil accounted for about 22 per cent of the crude processed by IOC in April-June and the volumes are expected to remain the same in the near future, he said. Separately, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) director (finance) Vetsa Ramakrishna Gupta on an investor call said imports from Russia had declined last month from 34 per cent of overall imports in June quarter, as discounts on it had narrowed to USD 1.5 per barrel. "As long as there is no new sanction on Russian oil, our procurement strategy will be 30-35 per cent of Russian crude for the remaining year," he had said. India, the world's third-largest oil consumer and importer, had swiftly substituted market-priced oil with discounted Russian crude following Western sanctions on Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russian oil, which accounted for less than 0.2 per cent of India's imports before the war, now makes up 35-40 per cent of the country's crude intake. The discounts however have narrowed from a high of $40 per barrel to just $1.5 last month. Discounts this month have risen to over $2 per barrel. Ritolia said Indian refiners are watching the situation closely. "There's growing interest in sourcing more barrels from the US, West Africa, and Latin America, not necessarily because they are walking away from Russian supply, but to hedge against possible disruptions. "It's a shift in mindset - from margin maximization to energy security and logistical risk management." He however hastened to add that buying more cargoes from elsewhere in the world does not mean Indian refiners are replacing Russian barrels. "Crude buying is a continuous, complex process-driven by refinery configuration, grade compatibility, and economics. "Indian refiners still need to source 6065 per cent of their crude from non-Russian suppliers, and that mix hasn't suddenly changed. "What we're seeing is added flexibility, not a deliberate pivot. "Until there's a clear policy change or sustained shift in trade economics, Russian flows remain part of India's crude basket and talk of replacement is premature." Sahney said at no time was import of crude oil from Russia sanctioned and so India continued to purchase keeping in mind economic considerations. "Such purchases will continue unless sanctions are imposed," he said. "We have not got any instruction (from the government) to either increase or decrease purchase. "We are doing business as usual." About talk of refiners being asked to increase purchases from the US in a bid to placate Trump, IOC chairman said, "Neither are we being told to buy more nor are we told to buy less from US or any other destination. "Economic considerations dictate our actions." 'Byju's founders reserve all rights to bring actions against those parties that have caused damage to them personally and to their businesses.' IMAGE: Byju's CEO Byju Raveendran's photograph on his company website, July 17, 2024. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters The founders of embattled education technology (edtech) company Byju's are preparing legal action to seek at least $2.5 billion in damages from investors and lenders, whom they blame for harming their business and personal standing. The lawsuits being planned target parties the founders say contributed to the downfall of Think & Learn, Byju's parent company, during a prolonged dispute over control of the startup. Some claims have already been filed in Indian courts against Glas Trust, a former subsidiary that now seeks control over parts of the business. 'Byju's founders reserve all rights to bring actions against those parties that have caused damage to them personally and to their businesses, including Think & Learn,' said J Michael McNutt, senior litigation advisor, Lazareff Le Bars Eurl. 'The claims to be issued by all or some of Byju's founders are expected to request monetary damages of not less than $2.5 billion,' McNutt said. The legal offensive represents an escalation in the bitter fight that has engulfed one of India's most prominent startups. Byju's, once valued at $22 billion, has faced mounting financial pressures and regulatory scrutiny as disputes with investors intensified. This included a battle with US lenders who are demanding $1 billion in unpaid dues, triggering the firm's insolvency. The worth of once most-valued Indian startup is zero now, founder Byju Raveendran told reporters recently as he called for rebuilding the erstwhile empire from the scratch, brick by brick. Byju Raveendran and another founder Divya Gokulnath vigorously dispute all claims made against them by the resolution professional (RP) of Think & Learn in the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) procedure and by Glas Trust together with bankrupt former Delaware subsidiary of Think & Learn Alpha Inc. In Indian courts, the founders are already contesting the commencement of the CIRP procedure of Think & Learn Private Limited, the standing of Glas Trust in those proceedings, the removal of the RP requested due to a conflict of interest, and other relevant complaints. The founders said there is no court order in any jurisdiction, including in India and the US, ordering the payment by Byju Raveendran or Divya Gokulnath of any amount to Think & Learn, or any entity related to Think & Learn, including, but not limited to, Alpha Inc, which is now controlled by Glas Trust. In a legal action in India, the founders said the same parties have abusively commenced the liquidation of several subsidiaries of Think & Learn. Alpha Inc was placed into liquidation in February 2024 by the director appointed by Glas Trust after the lenders of a credit agreement took the shares of Alpha Inc in 2023. Byju's founders have disputed those actions and the ability of Glas Trust to represent those lenders in proceedings in India and elsewhere. Delaware court proceedings Byju Raveendran said he is actively participating in a Delaware court procedure initiated in early April 2025 against him by the Glas Trust bankrupt subsidiary. Raveendran disputes the jurisdiction of that court to determine the claims made against him. He also vigorously denies all allegations made against him in those proceedings. He said that he is defending himself in those proceedings. Raveendran is also aware of the order of civil contempt issued on July 7 this year in those Delaware proceedings, and has sought reconsideration of that order. That civil contempt order concerns requests for information that are duplicative of matters already before Indian courts. Raveendran and his counsel are addressing those matters before the Indian courts as well. Raveendran said he and his counsel are evaluating how to address that civil contempt order and reserve all rights. Gokulnath too is actively participating in that same Delaware court procedure initiated against her by the former subsidiary of Think & Learn and Glas Trust. She disputes the jurisdiction of that court to determine the claims made against her. She also vigorously denies all allegations. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff OSLO, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store confirmed in a statement on Monday that he received a text message on Sunday afternoon from U.S. President Donald Trump. In the statement, Store reiterated Norway's position on Greenland, saying Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and that Norway "fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter." Store said the text message from Trump was sent in response to a short message he had sent earlier the same day on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. According to Store, in their message to Trump, they voiced opposition to the announced tariff increases, pointed to the need to de-escalate, and proposed a telephone conversation between Trump, Stubb and Store on the same day. "The response from Trump came shortly after the message was sent," Store said, adding that it was Trump's decision to share his message with other NATO leaders. In the statement, Store also talked about the Nobel Peace Prize. "I have clearly explained, including to President Trump, what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government," said Store. According to local media reports, in the text message to Store, Trump referred to Norway's decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize for what he described as "stopping eight wars," stating that "I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace." He added that he could now "think about what is good and proper" for the United States. Trump further claimed that since NATO's inception, the United States has contributed more to NATO than any other country, and "now NATO should do something for the United States." He asserted that "the complete and total control of Greenland" by the United States is the only way to ensure global security. On Saturday, Trump said that the United States would impose 10-percent tariffs from Feb. 1 on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, and Finland, and threatened to raise the rate to 25 percent from June 1 unless an agreement is reached on what he called the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland. 'Traders and exporters will have to explore alternative markets.' IMAGE: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi along with Bihar Congress President Rajesh Kumar speaks to farmers in a makhana pond in Katihar, August 23, 2025. Photograph: @RahulGandhi X/ANI Photo Bihar's famous makhana (known as gorgon nut in English), may be badly affected by the 50% tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump. This has caused concern among the state's traders, exporters and agents. Those involved in the trade have highlighted the need to explore new international markets for the highly sought-after makhana, which has recently been gaining popularity as a global superfood. "This unprecedented rise in tariffs on Indian goods, mainly agricultural products, is bound to affect the makhana, which is produced in Bihar and exported to the US," an official from the state's agricultural department said. "Bihar's makhana exports will be the worst hit by the Trump tariffs." P K Agarwal, former president, Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries, believes that export orders will decrease after the increase in US tariffs. "Traders and exporters will have to explore alternative markets," he said. However, K P S Kesri, president, Bihar Industries Association, noted that makhana exports from Bihar had been growing in recent years and there was scope for further increase. "As of now makhana export from the state to US is limited, tariff will not affect much business," he said. Satyajit Singh, a makhana exporter based in Bihar, explained that production of the nut was lower than the demand for it. "We are not fulfilling the demand for makhana in the market due to low production," he said. The demand for makhana also comes from other countries besides the US, and Singh stressed the need to find new markets for exporting makhana in light of the new tariffs. The tariffs have come at a time when the potential for makhana exports was high, thanks to growing demand in the US and European countries following the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Mithila Makhana, a special brand from Bihar. Thousands of farmers and farm labourers depend on makhana production for their livelihood. Interestingly, the farmers and labourers engaged in the labour-intensive cultivation, harvesting, and final processing in the flood-prone Mithilanchal, Kosi, and Seemanchal regions of Bihar are unlikely to be badly hit by the tariffs. This is because the demand for makhana far exceeds its production in the state. "The growing demand for makhana in the national and international markets is not being met by production in Bihar. There is a need to increase the area under cultivation," said a makhana businessman from Patna. According to official data from the state's agricultural department, Bihar accounts for 85% of India's total makhana production -- the highest share of any state. Makhana is cultivated on about 15,000 hectares, yielding 120,000 metric tonnes of seeds annually. After processing, the final output is 40,000 metric tonnes of popped makhana. Last year, 600 tonnes of makhana produced in Bihar were exported to the US. Makhana is once again in the news following the Trump tariffs. This comes days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met labourers involved in its cultivation during his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, bringing to light the harsh reality of their difficult lives and struggle for survival. Makhana seeds are mainly cultivated by almost 25,000 farmers in the Madhubani, Darbhanga, and Sitamarhi districts of the Mithilanchal region; Saharsa and Supaul in the Kosi region; and Katihar, Purnea, Kishanganj, and Araria in the Seemanchal region. Early this year, the central government announced the setting up of a Makhana Board in Bihar in the Union Budget. This is widely seen as a long-awaited step to give a significant boost to makhana production, processing, and marketing in the state. The state government plans to involve 50,000 farmers in makhana cultivation and increase the cultivated area from 50,000 to 60,000 hectares over the next two to three years. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Communication channels between India and the US are open to resolve the ongoing tariff issues, and the glitch in trade ties is only temporary, given the long-term relationship between the two nations, government sources said on Wednesday. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff The US' 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports to America came into effect from August 27, barring a few sectors. According to the sources, there is no need for panic for exporters as the impact of these high tariffs are unlikely to be as severe as feared given the diversified nature of Indian exports. They added that India's exports to the US during the first four months of this fiscal year has risen 21.64 per cent to $33.53 billion. Going by the trend, the exports may touch the last year's figure ($86.5 billion), one of the sources said. "Communication channels are open between India and the US to resolve the ongoing tariff issues... it is a temporary phase in a long-term relationship," they said. Meanwhile, in an interview with Fox Business, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described the India-US relationship as "very complicated" but hoped that "at the end of the day, we will come together". "This is a very complicated relationship. President (Donald) Trump or Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi have very good relationships at that level. "And it's not just over the Russian oil," Bessent said. His comments came hours after the additional 25 per cent penalty imposed by Trump on India for its purchases of Russian oil came into effect from August 27, bringing the total amount of levies on New Delhi to 50 per cent. Sources added that there are positive signals coming from both sides and "we need to build upon that". They also said the government is working on measures to insulate domestic exporters from the impact of the US tariffs. The commerce ministry is holding a series of stakeholder consultations this week from sectors such as chemicals, gems and jewellery to discuss ways to push India's exports in new markets. Work is also progressing fast on the formulation of the Export Promotion Mission, announced in the Budget for 2025-26. "In the next 2-3 days, the ministry will meet stakeholders on the diversification of exports," an official said. The steep 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods entering the US, which came into effect from August 27, will impact India's exports worth more than $48 billion to America. The sectors, which would bear the brunt of high import duties imposed by the Trump administration include textiles/clothing, gems and jewellery, shrimp, leather and footwear, animal products, chemicals, and electrical and mechanical machinery. Sectors such as pharma, energy products and electronic goods are out of the ambit of these sweeping duties. The US accounted for about 20 per cent of India's $437.42 billion worth of goods exports in 2024-25. The US has been the largest trading partner of India from 2021-22. In 2024-25, the bilateral trade in goods stood at $131.8 billion ($86.5 billion exports and $45.3 billion imports). India is also planning dedicated outreach programmes in 40 countries, including the UK, Japan, and South Korea, to push textiles exports. Together, these 40 countries represent more than $590 billion in textile and apparel imports, offering vast opportunities for India to enhance its market share, which stands at only 5-6 per cent, the official said. According to exporters, these high tariffs will have impact on their cost competitiveness in the US as their competitor countries, including Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia are being subjected to lower duties by America. Exporters said the imposition of a 25 per cent penalty on India over and above the 25 per cent tariffs move will disrupt the flow of Indian goods to its largest export market. Mithileshwar Thakur, secretary general, AEPC (Apparel Export Promotion Council), has said the textiles sector, with exports of $10.3 billion to the US, is one of the worst-impacted sectors. Similarly, a leather exporter said some of the companies have orders in hand for 2-3 months, but the US firms are demanding about a 20 per cent discount to retain the orders. Economic think tank GTRI said the US tariffs will hit 66 per cent of India's $86.5 billion exports to America. "The United States' new tariff regime marks one of the most severe trade shocks India has faced in recent years. "With over two-thirds of India's $86.5 billion exports to the US now subject to prohibitive 25-50 per cent duties, critical labour-intensive sectors face sharp declines in competitiveness and employment," GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava has said. He said India's exports to the US are set to fall steeply to about $49.6 billion in FY26 due to Washington's new tariff regime. Exporters have urged the government to announce steps to deal with these high tariffs. They have urged a moratorium on payment of principal and interest for loans up to a period of one year. Besides, expanding PLI schemes, enhancing infrastructure, and investing in cold-chain/storage assets to strengthen competitiveness and aggressive market diversification through accelerated trade agreements (FTAs) with the EU, Oman, Chile, Peru, GCC, Africa, and other Latin American countries, with a provision for early-harvest for labour-intensive sectors, should be prioritised, FIEO said. It appeals for swift, coordinated action among exporters, industry bodies, and government agencies to protect livelihoods, reinforce global trade links, and navigate this turbulent phase. Delhi high court ruling on numbers as trademarks could be a trendsetter. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff A recent Delhi high court ruling allowing arbitrary and distinctive numerical combinations to be eligible to be registered as a trademark in India may result in multiple litigations of similar looking, sounding, and appearing trademarks, legal experts said. They are of the opinion that while numbers have historically been accepted as a trademark globally, the ruling paves the way for big business houses and opportunistic persons monopolising the registration of culturally significant and popular numbers, especially in countries such as India. Numerals have historically been popular forms of trademarks, said Swati Sharma, partner (head-intellectual property) at law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. "Some examples include '555' trademark, for a popular cigarette brand, and 'No. 5', registered as a perfume by Chanel, among others," she said, adding that as long as the numerals are distinctive for the goods and services to which they are applied, these can be registered as a trademark. Other experts, however, caution that there could be an outburst of litigation with similar looking trademarks, and a flood of entries in the trademark register. The ruling would, therefore, need a lot of legislative reformation in the field of intellectual property laws, said Varun Singh, the founder and managing partner at law firm Foresight Law Offices. The Delhi high court ruling came in an appeal by Vineet Kapur, who sought to register 2929' as a trademark for a cosmetics product. The Trade Marks Registry rejected Kapur's application on the grounds that the trademark sought to be registered lacked distinctiveness and comprised common numerals, which the applicant was not entitled to monopolise. Kapur appealed this decision before the Delhi high court. In her decision, Justice Mini Pushkarna held that a numeral mark such as '2929' fell within the definition of a 'mark' under Section 2(1)(m) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, and couldn't be rejected only because it consisted of numbers. Globally, several iconic brands such as Jack Daniel's 'Old No 7', Levi's '501' jeans, 'WD-40', and '4711', a traditional German cologne brand, rely on numeric trademarks to convey distinctiveness. In India, products such as '5 Star' and '7 Up' have also used numerals very effectively as the central element of their brand identity. "The test remains whether the consuming public associates the number with a particular commercial origin. If it does, then the law affords it the same protection as any other trademark," said Ankit Sahni, partner at law firm Ajay Sahni and Associates. While the high court appears to be legally sound, it might raise a few questions on the process of registration of trademarks, and whether a trademark on numbers can be registered if the said digits are written in a completely different design, font, and colour scheme. "Can numerical marks in word form, say 'twenty-nine twenty-nine', confer distinctiveness? Can word-form numerals in Hindi, Urdu, or regional languages, say 'saat sau sattavan' for 757, be considered distinctive," Singh asked. Section 9 of the Trademarks Act prohibits registration of trademarks that are not only devoid of distinctive character, but are also descriptive, obscene, customary in trade and language, that hurt religious susceptibilities, and deceive consumers or are prohibited by law. "Numerals that have become evocative of a national/international event or incident, such as 911, may be refused registration by the Trademarks office," Sharma said, "as these numerals denote an international event and may hurt the sentiments of the public, may be regarded as scandalous." Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a case against Reliance Communications and its promoter-director Anil Ambani, for an alleged bank fraud that caused a loss of over Rs 2,000 crore to State Bank of India, officials said on Saturday. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters The agency is carrying out searches at the residence of Anil Ambani and premises linked to RCOM in connection with the case, they said. The CBI took the action based on a complaint from the lender State Bank of India, which had approached the agency after the entities were classified as fraud on June 13, in accordance with the RBI's Master Directions on Fraud Risk Management and the Bank's Board-approved Policy on Classification, Reporting & Management of Frauds. "On June 24, 2025, the bank reported classification of fraud to RBI, and is also in the process of lodging complaint with CBI," Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary had said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha last month. The credit exposure of SBI in RCom includes, fund-based principal outstanding amount of Rs 2,227.64 crore along with the accrued interest and expenses with effect from August 26, 2016, and a non-fund-based Bank Guarantee of Rs 786.52 crore, he had said. RCom is undergoing the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. The resolution plan was approved by the Committee of Creditors and filed with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai, on March 6, 2020. The NCLT approval is awaited. The bank has also initiated a Personal Insolvency Resolution Process under IBC against Anil D Ambani, and it is being heard by NCLT, Mumbai, he had said. The SBI had classified the account and promoter Anil D Ambani as 'fraud' on November 10, 2020 and filed a complaint with the CBI on January 5, 2021. However, the minister said, the complaint was returned in view of the 'status quo' order dated January 6, 2021, by the Delhi high court. Meanwhile, a Supreme Court judgement dated March 27, 2023, in State Bank of India & Others Vs Rajesh Agarwal & Others case mandated that lenders provide borrowers with an opportunity to represent before classifying their accounts as fraud. Accordingly, the minister said, the fraud classification in the account was reversed by the bank on September 2, 2023. The fraud classification process was re-run, and the account was again classified as 'fraud' after following the due process as per the RBI circular dated July 15, 2024. Indias fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) has launched a formal investigation against Indias biggest paints firm, Asian Paints, for alleged abuse of its dominant position in the organised decorative paints market, following a complaint by Aditya Birla groups Grasim Industries Birla Opus Paints division. Photograph: Courtesy, Asian Paints In a 16-page order issued on Tuesday, the CCI said it found prima facie evidence that Asian Paints may have violated Sections 4(2)(a)(i), 4(2)(c), and 4(2)(d) of the Competition Act, including unfair trade practices, denial of market access, and imposition of supplementary obligations on dealers. The Commission, in terms of the provisions contained in Section 26(1) of the Act, directs the Director General to investigate the matter and submit a report within a period of 90 days of the receipt of the present order. "At this prima facie stage, the regulator, in light of the material available on record, finds no reason to hear the opposing party before passing the present order, the order said, adding that its order should not be construed as a final finding on the matter. In a statement to the stock exchanges, Asian Paints said, "The company is currently reviewing the order and will take appropriate legal recourse. "The company remains committed to fully cooperating with the CCI during the course of the investigation." Grasim, a recent entrant into the decorative paints sector under the Birla Opus Paints brand, accused Asian Paints of stifling competition by forcing dealers to avoid stocking Birla Opus products under the threat of reduced credit, benefits, or support, pressuring partners to return Grasims tinting machines and blocking access to key suppliers, transporters, and warehouse facilities. Grasim has already cornered a 10 per cent revenue market share in FY25 - making it a serious player in the market. Grasim also alleged that Asian Paints offered arbitrary incentives like foreign trips and rebates to secure exclusivity from dealers without linking these to performance. In its preliminary response, Asian Paints contended that Indias decorative paints industry is highly competitive with multiple national and regional players and low entry barriers. It pointed out that Grasim itself has rapidly scaled up operations, reaching a revenue of Rs 2,6002,700 crore and becoming Indias third-largest player within a year of launch. Asian Paints further argued that over 50,000 dealers and an equal number of tinting machines have already been onboarded by Grasim, challenging the claim of entry barriers. Despite Asian Paints claims, the Commission found that the companys above 50 per cent market share, expansive dealer network (over 74,000 dealers), and influence over suppliers and intermediaries gave it a dominant position in the market for manufacture and sale of decorative paints in the organised sector in India. The CCI noted that practices like coercive dealer management and input foreclosure against competitors could hinder innovation and consumer choice. A dealer survey and affidavits submitted by Grasim supported the allegations of unfair practices, the regulator noted. 'The state governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu will be encouraged to consider measures of their own as the employment and economy in such export-oriented states will be affected.' Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. IMAGE: Workers unload sacks of sugar to be loaded onto a cargo ship at the Deendayal port in Kandla, Gujarat. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters The commerce and industry ministry is set to reach out to export-oriented states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, urging them to support labour-intensive sectors hit by the 50 per cent tariff imposed by the US government. Exporters have warned that the US tariff hike poses a setback, affecting nearly 55 per cent of India's shipments to the American market. Apparel and leather exporters are expected to be the worst hit, particularly as this is the period when orders for the festival season are typically placed. "While the Centre is already exploring options to support exporters, the state governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu will also be encouraged to consider measures of their own as the employment and economy in such export-oriented states will be affected," a government official said, requesting anonymity. "We will soon be writing to these states in this regard," the official added. The top five exporting states -- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh -- together accounted for around three-fourths of India's total merchandise exports of $437 billion in FY25. In FY25, Gujarat's exports were led by petroleum products ($43.9 billion), followed by engineering goods ($16.6 billion), gems and jewellery ($8.3 billion), and textile ($5.6 billion). Maharashtra's shipments were dominated by engineering goods ($22.5 billion), along with gems and jewellery ($13.7 billion), chemicals ($8.1 billion), agricultural products ($5.4 billion), and textile ($3.8 billion). Tamil Nadu's top export items included engineering goods ($18.1 billion), electronic goods ($14.6 billion), textile ($8 billion), and leather and leather products ($1.6 billion). The central government is working on a three-pronged strategy to cushion exporters from the impact. One plan involves launching a sector-specific support scheme under the proposed Rs 2,250 crore (Rs 22.50 billion) Export Promotion Mission. The other measures include identifying alternative overseas markets for surplus products and redirecting them to meet domestic demand. Against this backdrop, the Union textile ministry reopened the production-linked incentive scheme for the textiles sector, inviting fresh applications in response to industry requests. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff China's export curbs on critical minerals crucial for India's electronics sectors are no longer mere warnings but a wake-up call for New Delhi, underscoring the need for urgent measures like reverse-engineering of low- to mid-tech imports to cut overreliance on Beijing, think tank GTRI said on Thursday. Photograph: Melanie Burton/Reuters In a series of calculated moves, China has stepped up its use of economic leverage to constrain India's industrial ambitions, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said. Over the past year, Beijing has systematically restricted exports of critical raw materials and engineering support, sending a clear warning to New Delhi as geopolitical tensions and trade realignments intensify. Since mid-2023, China has imposed curbs on exports of critical minerals such as gallium and germanium -- essential for India's electronics, EV, and defence industries. Similarly in late 2024, the restrictions were extended to graphite, dealing a direct blow to India's clean energy and battery manufacturing sectors, it said, adding that citing national security reasons, Beijing has cloaked these actions in strategic ambiguity, while tightening its grip on supply chains that India is still dependent on. "The pressure mounted further in June 2025, when Chinese battery giant CATL reportedly directed Foxconn to withdraw all Chinese engineers from its manufacturing unit near Chennai. "The move disrupted timelines and coordination at a crucial time for India's electronics and EV supply chain buildout," GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said. India's imports from China surged in FY25, while exports declined sharply. It has led to a widening trade deceit of $100 billion. Chinese firms now supply over 80 per cent of India's needs in laptops, solar panels, antibiotics, viscose yarn, and lithium-ion batteries, deepening strategic vulnerabilities. "India must act to slash Chinese import dependence. "There is an urgent need to do reverse-engineering of low- to mid-tech imports, domestic production incentives, and long-term investment in deep-tech manufacturing to reduce overreliance on a geopolitical rival and build economic resilience," Srivastava said. He added that a strategic and phased approach can help reduce this dependence significantly. "The first step is to launch a nationwide reverse-engineering initiative. "Sector-specific industrial labs should be set up to deconstruct commonly imported goods and develop standardised, open-access blueprints," he said. These designs can then be shared with Indian MSMEs for niche production and with larger firms for mass manufacturing, he suggested. This model, Srivastava said, combining public R&D and private production, would enable rapid substitution of many high-volume imports. "India should also create a 'Localize-100' tracker to monitor progress on localising the top 100 low- and mid-tech imports from China," he said. Co-investment under the portfolio management services (PMS) route accounted for less than Rs 50 crore in assets and involved fewer than a dozen clients for much of 2022. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Since then, assets under management have risen to Rs 3,812 crore across 535 clients as of April 2025, according to the latest regulatory data. The recent changes may open the door to greater investment from sovereign wealth and pension funds, experts say. Co-investment is a practice followed by alternative investment funds (AIFs), which often pool money from wealthy investors to allocate to startups and other unlisted firms. Illustratively, if a startup aims to raise $250 million, an AIF may invest $200 million and then enable its investors to put in the remaining $50 million individually, over and above their contribution to the AIF. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) formalised co-investment via the PMS route in December 2021. On June 18, the regulator announced a new framework allowing AIFs to create a separate entity called a Co-investment Vehicle (CIV), which is expected to ease compliance requirements for such investments. the board approved the proposal to permit Category I and II AIFs to offer the CIV scheme under the Sebi (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012. "This will further facilitate AIFs and investors to co invest and support capital formation in unlisted companies through AIFs, according to a regulatory statement. Many deep pocketed institutions have embraced co-investment, according to the India Private Equity Report 2025 by consultancy Bain & Company. As limited partners such as sovereign wealth funds and public pension funds increasingly prioritise direct investments and co-investment structures, funds must demonstrate strong operational value creation to secure commitments in a competitive capital raising environment, it said. Sovereign wealth and pension funds are expected to benefit the most from the regime, and assets in this segment could pick up sharply, said Ipsita Agarwalla, a partner at Nishith Desai Associates. The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) introduced regulations for co-investment in May, she added. The IFSCA governs activities within centres like the Gujarat International Finance Tec City International Financial Services Centre (GIFT IFSC). There is strong demand for a very flexible co-investment regime, she said, noting that co-investment is typically not regulated in other jurisdictions. Previously, many funds and investors had to sign up for the PMS route and were subject to additional compliance requirements as a result, said Vivek Mimani, a partner at Khaitan & Co. The new regime will do away with cumbersome documentation and is likely to drive a sharp increase in the use of this route. I think co-investment should gain much more traction, he added. Both the PMS and the new co-investment regime will continue to operate, with accredited investors using the latter route. An accredited investor is a special category with access to sophisticated products that may not be available to the general public, subject to minimum net worth and other criteria. The process for becoming an accredited investor is not too cumbersome, said Mimani. The day-long discussions with the visiting US team on a bilateral trade deal were positive, and both sides agreed to push for an early and mutually beneficial conclusion of the agreement, the Commerce Ministry said on Tuesday. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters "It was decided to intensify efforts to achieve early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement," the ministry said in a statement after a day-long meeting with the US officials. The discussions with visiting US Chief Negotiator Brendan Lynch on the proposed bilateral trade agreement were positive and forward looking. Lynch, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, reached the national capital on Monday evening to hold deliberations on the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement. From India's side, the discussions were led by Rajesh Agarwal, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce. An official said that both sides will continue the discussions in virtual mode and will also decide on a mutually convenient date for the next physical meeting. The day-long talks are important as the US has imposed a steep 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods. This was the first visit by a high-ranking US trade official after the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff and an additional 25 per cent penalty on Indian goods entering the American market for buying Russian crude oil. India has earlier described the steep 50 per cent tariff as unfair and unreasonable. In February, the leaders of the two countries directed officials to negotiate a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement ( BTA). It was planned to conclude the first tranche of the pact by the fall of 2025. So far, five rounds of negotiations have been held, and the talks for the sixth round, which were scheduled from August 25-29, were postponed following the imposition of the high import duties. A senior commerce ministry official had said this meeting should not be viewed as the 6th round of negotiations, but a precursor to it. The meeting took place within days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly reacting to US President Donald Trump's positive assessment of trade ties between the two countries. India has defended purchasing Russian crude oil, saying it was driven by national interest and market dynamics. The government has repeatedly emphasised that it will protect the interests of its farmers, dairy producers, and MSMEs in all trade deals. More than 7,700 senior professionals with over 15 years of experience have exited India's IT services firms -- TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant, and LTIMindtree -- over the past 12 months. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Mid- and senior-level employees at India's top seven IT services companies are facing unprecedented pressure as slowing growth and the rise of artificial intelligence, including agentic AI, push firms to trim the costly middle layer. According to data from specialist staffing firm Xpheno, more than 7,700 senior professionals with over 15 years of experience have exited India's IT services firms -- TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant, and LTIMindtree -- over the past 12 months. That's roughly 4 per cent of the total senior talent pool of 205,000. Of these, 43 per cent joined another Tier-I or mid-tier IT firm, 48 per cent moved into senior roles at global capability centres (GCCs), and the rest shifted to non-GCC multinational companies or other tech and non-tech Indian firms. While it's unclear how many of these exits were voluntary versus layoffs, industry watchers said some departures were likely nudged out. The pressure has intensified after TCS announced plans to cut 12,000 mid- and senior-level roles -- mainly at the C5 level and above, including employees in their late 40s and 50s. This segment typically has more than two decades of experience, often with the same company, and once expected to retire from the industry within the next decade. The road, experts say, is not easy any more. "The TCS' announcement is a surprise, because it is about the mid and senior management. Most AI-related conversations are about fresher talent, but this highlights the skills and agility all of us will bring. It puts pressure on each of us to show how relevant I am," a senior Nasscom official, who did not wish to be named, told Business Standard. The pressure for senior managers to perform is now more than ever. TCS' firings are mainly restricted to its C5 level and above, according to people familiar with the matter. That includes people who are close to 50 years. The grade level at TCS starts with Y for trainees, followed by systems engineer at C1, C2, C3 (A & B), C4, C5, and CXOs. Employees from the C3 band upwards are usually classified as seniors. While companies are open about campus hiring, none of them discuss lateral hiring or attrition at senior levels. A senior executive at a large IT services firm pointed out that over-hiring in FY22 was a "big mistake" driven by pandemic-led growth. "We are in the process of correcting it," the executive said, on condition of anonymity. Companies hired mid- to senior-level employees with high salaries when they grappled with the pandemic-led growth. "Companies have been laying off staff over the last two to three years. TCS has now openly stated the numbers. With TCS, the problem is scale and, hence, the numbers look larger," said Pareekh Jain, founder Pareekh Consulting and ERIIT. IT firms have stated during recent earnings calls that many senior employees resist change and prefer to work with younger engineers who are nimbler and more eager to pick up AI skills to adapt to the shifting software development landscape. Ramkumar Ramamoorthy, partner at tech growth advisory firm Catalincs, said the subdued growth environment of the past three years, coupled with AI disruption, means companies must reinvest in reimagining their financial, operating, and business models. "If you are growing at low single digits for multiple years, the only way to realise growth is to reinvest. That will help you attract talent, provide wage hikes, offer promotions, and meet career aspirations. A lot will fall into place when organic growth in constant currency returns," he said. In the past 10 years (excluding the current one), IT firms have reinvested in growth and expansion only around 13.5 per cent of the cash flow generated from their operations, according to an analysis by Business Standard. But, on average, nearly 73 per cent of cash profits have been returned to shareholders by way of dividend and share buybacks. TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, and Tech Mahindra have cumulatively generated cash profits worth around Rs 8.9 trillion since FY16 but they put only around Rs 1.2 trillion in gross block investment in the period. With slower growth, the talent pyramid that top players have built is now under question. "If there is no growth, how will you move people within the model? That's why backfilling is now highly selective," said Jain. Another factor is the large deals and rebadging of employees that have taken place in the past two years. Many major contracts included rebadging as a component. This happens when employees are transferred to another organisation. "In rebadging, the majority of time the employees that get transferred are in the higher mid-level to senior level. The current layoffs will also impact these executives," added Jain. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2026 shows the former Royal Mint Court site in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in London, Britain. The British government announced on Tuesday that it had approved plans for the construction of a new Chinese embassy in London. The new embassy is scheduled to be built on the former Royal Mint Court site in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. (Xinhua/Li Ying) LONDON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The British government announced on Tuesday that it had approved plans for the construction of a new Chinese embassy in London. The new embassy is scheduled to be built on the former Royal Mint Court site in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2026 shows the former Royal Mint Court site in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in London, Britain. The British government announced on Tuesday that it had approved plans for the construction of a new Chinese embassy in London. The new embassy is scheduled to be built on the former Royal Mint Court site in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. (Xinhua/Li Ying) This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2026 shows the former Royal Mint Court site in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in London, Britain. The British government announced on Tuesday that it had approved plans for the construction of a new Chinese embassy in London. The new embassy is scheduled to be built on the former Royal Mint Court site in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. (Xinhua/Li Ying) This photo taken on Jan. 20, 2026 shows the former Royal Mint Court site in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in London, Britain. The British government announced on Tuesday that it had approved plans for the construction of a new Chinese embassy in London. The new embassy is scheduled to be built on the former Royal Mint Court site in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. (Xinhua/Li Ying) Crypto thefts in 2025 had already crossed $2.17 billion before last week's $44 million CoinDCX hack, underlining relentless cyber threat escalation in the digital currency world, according to the latest data. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters Blockchain analytics platform Chainalysis' 2025 crypto crime mid-year update says that over $2.17 billion was stolen from cryptocurrency services so far in 2025, and "this year is more devastating than the entirety of 2024". By the end of June 2025, 17 per cent more value had been stolen year-to-date (YTD) than in 2022, previously the worst year on record. The $1.5 billion hack of ByBit, the largest single hack in crypto history, accounts for the majority of service losses. So far in 2025, significant concentrations of stolen fund victims have emerged in the US, Germany, Russia, Canada, Japan, Indonesia, and South Korea, it said. "Regionally, Eastern Europe, MENA, and CSAO (Central and Southern Asia and Oceania) saw the most rapid H1 2024 to H1 2025 growth in victim totals," it said. The report revealed that threat actors who have compromised services tend to exhibit higher levels of sophistication than those targeting personal wallets. At $1.5 billion, the ByBit hack not only represents the largest crypto theft in history, but also accounts for approximately 69 per cent of all funds stolen from services this year, Chainalysis said. "The sophistication and scale of this attack underscore the evolving capabilities of state-sponsored threat actors in the crypto space, and comes after a notable slowdown in the second half of 2024," it added. The report assumes significance in the backdrop of Indian cryptocurrency exchange CoinDCX suffering a security breach, resulting in theft of $44.2 million, or Rs 378 crore. CoinDCX co-founders Sumit Gupta and Neeraj Khandelwal took to the social media platform X to reassure that customer funds remained unaffected and safe, with the compromise limited to an internal operational account. The total exposure is being absorbed entirely by CoinDCX, using the company's treasury reserves, the company said in a First Incident Report released on Sunday. Last year, crypto exchange WazirX faced a hack in India, leading to the loss of more than $230 million, and marking one of the biggest such heists in India. The theft had prompted a thorough examination of safety measures and eroded sentiments. Among other notable cryptocurrency thefts are those involving Cetus Protocol, which saw losses estimated between $200260 million in May this year, and BigONE, which suffered a theft of $27 million in July 2025. The Delhi high court on Friday stayed a Rs 1,140 crore angel tax demand raised by the Income Tax department from hospitality and hotel aggregator Oyos parent company Oravel Stays Private Limited for the assessment year 2020-21. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The tax demand was issued under Section 56(2) (viib) of the Income Tax Act, commonly known as the angel tax provision, which applies when unlisted companies issue shares at a value exceeding their fair market price. While the angel tax provision was dropped during the last Budget, legacy cases continue. This section seeks to tax the premium received by a closely held company on the issue of shares that exceeds the fair market value (FMV) of such shares, treating the excess premium as income from other sources. The tax department had argued that investments made by Oravel into its Indian subsidiary were at a premium and therefore taxable. Oyo challenged this, saying that the funds infused by the holding company into its subsidiary were capital in nature, not income, and therefore should not attract tax under the angel tax provisions. Oyo had filed an appeal before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) to challenge the order passed by the assessing officer and also a stay petition before the officer, which was rejected. Oyo then filed a writ petition before the Delhi high court, asserting the merits involved in the case. In May 2023, a division bench of the high court had directed the Commissioner of Income Tax (CIT) to accord a personal hearing to Oyo for the stay on the income tax. This was followed by another plea before Delhi High Court for complete stay on tax demand. The division bench had observed that the CIT had not dealt with its application in respect of the order passed by the Assessing Officer (AO) under Section 220(6) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The petitioner, Oyo, had challenged the order denying the stay on the recovery of the complete tax demand, and asked the department not to treat Oyo as an assessee in default under Section 220(6) of the Income-tax Act, 1961, for the entire outstanding demand of Rs 11,39,93,05,320 until the Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals) decided the appeal. The HC had also directed the CIT to dispose of the application at the earliest possible time, though not later than four weeks. The CIT will accord a personal hearing to the authorised representative of the Oyo and also allow the filing of written submissions. In case an order is passed by the CIT that is adverse to the interests of the petitioner, the order of the CIT will not be given effect for a period of two weeks from the date when the order is received by the petitioner, the court had said. Commenting on the order, Amit Maheshwari, tax partner at law firm AKM Global, said, While the Finance Act, 2024 has completely abolished the angel tax provision under Section 56(2) (viib), legacy cases continue to be litigated at various forums. "The quantum of tax demand in such cases is often substantial, placing considerable financial strain on companies asked to pay upfront or secure stay orders. "This stay order is thus a significant relief for Oyo. It also sends a broader message on the judicial sensitivity toward the hardships faced by startups and growth-stage companies as a result of aggressive valuation-related tax interpretations. Indian airports push to become global hubs will depend on reducing passenger leakage to rival airports abroad, scaling up direct long-haul connectivity, and offering transfer experiences that are faster, smoother, and more attractive than those of regional competitors, said panellists at the Business Standard Infrastructure Summit on Thursday. Image used for representation purpose. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Reuters For India, the ambition to establish airports as global hubs on the lines of Dubai or Singapore is no longer a distant aspiration but an urgent necessity. Delhi International Airport Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Videh Kumar Jaipuriar highlighted how Indias inherent strengths are already yielding results. In 2019, possibly only 17-18 per cent of people travelling to Europe or North America were taking direct flights from India. "That number has now improved quite dramatically. Now, close to 4045 per cent of passengers are going directly to Europe from Delhi airport, he said in a panel discussion with Deepak Patel of Business Standard. For Delhi airport, Jaipuriar said, the first priority has been to win over Indian travellers who might otherwise connect through Gulf or Southeast Asian hubs. Our initial aim is to become the airport of choice for the Indian traveller. We have seen leakage to nearby hubs, which feed on Indian passengers more than on any other market, he said. The ability to reverse that trend lies with government action, particularly bilateral air service agreements, which determine how many flights each countrys airlines can operate to the others territory, and their structure can either favour or disadvantage Indian carriers. We have been working with the government on policy changes. Air service agreements are one such area the government has been looking at critically. "Because the air service agreements should be in a manner that supports Indian carriers. Indian airports are there to support by providing infrastructure. Gulf carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways have been asking India to expand bilateral flying rights. The UAE is urging India to revise the 2014 agreement that caps seat entitlements at 66,504 per week for each side. Emirates, having exhausted its allocation, has repeatedly expressed frustration at being unable to add more flights. India, however, has resisted such demands, since West Asian hubs like Dubai and Doha primarily channel Indian passengers onward to Europe and North America. Meanwhile, Indian carriers are steadily inducting wide-body aircraft and scaling up non-stop operations to long-haul destinations, positioning themselves to capture a larger share of outbound traffic. Jaipuriar acknowledged how thinking within India has shifted. Three to four years ago, we probably did not have aspirations to become a hub for Indian airlines. "We now have two strong airlines (Air India and IndiGo). So it is very important, he observed. He stressed that along with route expansion and policy support, the passenger experience will be decisive in hub creation. On security procedures, the government is working to make transfers smoother (for those who use Delhi as a transit point). "For passengers in transit, airports need to provide infrastructure that makes their stay more comfortable. "We are looking at global brands and new facilities to ensure a more convenient experience at Delhi airport, he said. Noida International Airport CEO Christoph Schnellmann stressed that the battle for hub status cannot be fought in silos. If we want to succeed in India with hubs, we cannot do so as individual airports, airlines, or policymakers. We must act as one industry, he said. Noida International Airport, being developed by Zurich Airport International AG, is expected to begin operations soon. He argued that Indias competitive advantage lies in designing world-class transfer experiences. To win, our transfer product needs to be better in some important and meaningful way, and better will not mean the same thing for each and every passenger. "Better may mean quicker, easier, cheaper, or more luxurious (for premium travellers). "But I think if we want to succeed as a hub, we do so by finding a way to work together to define these transfer products, to make them superior to some of the alternatives (airports), he said. Like Jaipuriar, Schnellmann pointed to Indias vast and expanding travel market as the foundation of global hub ambitions. We need to build on the natural strengths that we have a very large domestic market that is willing to travel and wants to travel abroad. I think thats the way forward, he said. Indias airports are gaining confidence from record aircraft orders by domestic carriers. Since 2023, airlines have placed some of the largest orders in aviation history. Air India Group ordered 470 aircraft in February 2023 250 from Airbus and 220 from Boeing. IndiGo followed with the worlds largest-ever single order of 500 Airbus A320neo family planes. In 2024, Akasa Air ordered 150 Boeing 737 Max jets, while IndiGo added 30 Airbus A350s in April. Air India expanded its order book further in 2024 with 10 A350s and 90 A320 family aircraft. In June 2025, IndiGo ordered 30 more A350s to strengthen its long-haul network for the next decade. The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) has awarded Rs 23.7 crore in damages, besides arbitration and litigation costs, to Amazon in its long-running dispute with the Kishore Biyani-led Future Group. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters The three-member bench of the tribunal held that Future Group had breached the terms of its contract with Amazon by entering into a transaction with Reliance. It also told 11 promoters and parties of the Future Group, including Kishore Biyani, to pay the amount along with interest from March 9, 2022 till now. The dispute pertains to a decision by the Future Group to sell its Big Bazaar retail business to Reliance Retail, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries. Amazon had in 2022 argued before the Supreme Court of India that its Rs 1,400-crore investment in the Future Group does not allow the latter to sell its assets to certain companies, which includes Reliance. Amazon had, however, sought Rs 1,436 crore damages, citing Future Retail Limited's (FRL) deteriorating value. SIAC ruled that Amazon was entitled to damages due to promoters' breaches of the Future Coupons Private Limited (FCPL) shareholders agreement, but rejected Rs 1,436 crore damages sought by Amazon. The tribunal reasoned that though all contractual obligations were fulfilled by Amazon, it would not have recovered its entire investment due to FRL'S deteriorating business value. The tribunal said awarding Amazon damages in full would unfairly shield it from commercial loss it was bound to incur due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the deteriorating value of FRL. Amazon was awarded Rs 77.3 crore and Singapore dollars 68,550 as litigation cost. In August 2020, Future Group, facing financial distress and debts of around Rs 22,000 crore decided to sell its wholesale, logistics, and warehousing business to Reliance Industries for Rs 24,713 crore. Amazon objected to this citing violation of their contractual obligations. Amazon then started arbitration proceedings against Future Group in October 2020, obtaining an emergency arbitration award pausing the Future-Reliance deal. Amazon and Future Group both took the matter to the Delhi high court, Supreme Court of India, and the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal to resolve the issue. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) had also imposed a fine of Rs 200 crore on Amazon for non-disclosure of information on combinations under the Competition Act 2002. Amazon had then moved the Supreme Court against the CCI ruling suspending approval for the ecommerce giant's 2019 deal investment in Future Group on January 10, 2023. The finance ministry on Friday said it has proposed a two-slab GST rate structure to the Group of Ministers (GoM), along with special rates for select items. Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 79th Independence Day has announced that GST reforms which will lower tax burden substantially and benefit small industries will be implemented by Diwali. Soon after the announcement, the finance ministry said the Centre's proposal shared with the GoM rests on three pillars -- structural reforms, rate rationalisation and ease of living. The proposal includes reduction of taxes on common man items and aspirational goods. With regard to reduction in slabs, the Centre has proposed moving towards simple tax with two slabs -- standard and merit. Special rates would apply only on select few items. Currently, GST is a 4-tier structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. The GST Council, chaired by Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and comprising state ministers, is expected to meet in September to discuss the GoM proposal on rate rationalisation. The ministry said the end of compensation cess has created fiscal space, providing greater flexibility to rationalise and align tax rates within the GST framework for long-term sustainability. Dixon Technologies has received approval from the Indian government to form a joint venture (JV) with Chinese peer Longcheer, according to a regulatory filing. Photograph: Kind courtesy, Dixon Technologies The JV will be formed between Dixon and Longcheer's Singapore-based subsidiary. "Dixon has received approval from MEITY to form a prospective joint venture (JV) in India with Longcheer, through an optimum structure to be mutually agreed between Dixon and Longcheer such that... 74 per cent of the total paid up share capital of the joint venture company is held by Dixon and 26 per cent...is held by Longcheer," the filing dated July 24 said. The JV will be called Dixtel Infocomm after closing of definitive agreements between the two companies. "Upon consummation of the transaction, Dixtel, the proposed joint venture company, shall carry on the business of manufacture and supply of smart phone/tablets, true wireless stereo, smart watch, AI PC, automotive electronics, healthcare devices, etc. Besides making products for companies like Vivo, Xiaomi, Oppo, Samsung etc, Longcheer also designs products. "This collaboration shall introduce several key advancements, particularly in Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) expertise and will facilitate the localisation of the non-semiconductor sub-component manufacturing in India," the filing said. Dixon has been reaching out to several Chinese companies for joint ventures. It has signed separate agreements with Chinese electronic component firms -- Chongqing Yuhai Precision Manufacturing Co Ltd and the Indian arm of Kunshan Q Technology -- for manufacturing and sales of electronic components used in electronic devices like mobile phones and laptops, among others. The company's JV with Chinese smart devices maker Vivo is also in the works. The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted simultaneous raids as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged bank loan fraud of Rs 3,000 crore against Anil Ambani group companies and Yes Bank, official sources said. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters More than 35 premises in Mumbai and Delhi of 50 companies and about 25 persons are being searched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. ED sources said they are probing allegations of illegal loan diversion of around Rs 3,000 crore from Yes Bank between 2017 and 2019. The ED has found that just before the loan was granted, Yes Bank promoters received money in their concerns, the sources said. The agency is investigating this nexus of "bribe" and the loan. The central agency is probing allegations of "gross violations" in Yes Bank loan approvals to Reliance Anil Ambani Group companies, such as back-dated credit approval memorandums (CAMs), investments proposed without any due diligence/credit analysis in violation of banks credit policy, the sources said. The money laundering case stems from at least two CBI FIRs and reports shared by the National Housing Bank, Sebi, National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) and Bank of Baroda, they said. Electric passenger vehicle (PV) retail sales jumped more than twofold in September with Tata Motors (TaMo) leading the pack having over 6,000 registrations and a 40 per cent market share. Photograph: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff New entrant Tesla also retailed 64 vehicles in September, data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada) showed. Overall passenger EV sales rose to 15,329 units in September compared to 6,191 units a year back. TaMo sold 6,216 units in September, registering a 62 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth. Managing director (MD) Shailesh Chandra had earlier this month said its EV dispatches surged 96 per cent Y-o-Y in September to 9,191 units (domestic and exports). The companys quarterly EV sales has surged 59 per cent to nearly 25,000 units, contributing around 17 per cent of its overall sales. JSW MG Motor EV sales registered 3,912 units last month, a threefold jump compared to 1,021 units last September. Coming in the third spot, Mahindra and Mahindra sold 3,243 units against 475 in the year-before period. It was followed by BYD India with 547 units; Kia India with 506 units; Hyundai Motor India with 349 units; BMW India with 310 units and Mercedes-Benz India with 97 units. Goods and services tax (GST) 2.0 has reduced tax rates on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, thereby reducing the tax arbitrage with EVs. Top company executives said that one needs to watch the situation closely for the next two quarters at least to figure out how this ICE-EV dynamics plays out. Santosh Iyer, MD and chief executive officer (CEO), Mercedes-Benz India, told Business Standard that the gap between EVs and ICE cars has come down post GST reforms. ICE prices have come down by around ~2 lakh (for the luxury segment) and the total-cost-of-ownership argument changes with an EV at the same price point. Also ICE vehicles continue to have strong residual values. Meanwhile, two-wheeler EV sales surged 15 per cent, touching 104,220 units in September with TVS Motors leading the pack with retail sales of 22,509 units (up 23 per cent). Bajaj Auto and Ather Energy took the second and third positions with retail sales of 19,580 units and 18,141 units, respectively. Ola Electric sales slipped 46 per cent and it came at the fourth spot, selling 13,383 units. It was followed by Hero MotoCorp, which witnessed a 195 per cent increase in registrations at 12,753 units. Apex exporters body FIEO on Tuesday expressed serious concerns over high US tariffs on Indian goods and said that textiles and apparel manufacturers in Tirupur, Noida, and Surat have halted production amid worsening cost competitiveness due to these steep duties. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters The US duties on Indian goods will increase to 50 per cent from August 27. The move will severely disrupt the flow of Indian goods to its largest export market, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) president S C Ralhan said. He described the development as a setback and stated that it can severely impact India's exports to the US, with about 55 per cent of India's US-bound shipments (worth $47-48 billion) now exposed to pricing disadvantages of 30-35 per cent, rendering them uncompetitive in comparison to its competitors from China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines and other Southeast and South Asian countries. "FIEO expresses grave concern over the US government's imposition of an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian-origin goods - raising total duties on many export categories up to 50 per cent, effective from August 27, 2025," he said, adding that "textiles and apparel manufacturers in Tirupur, Noida, and Surat have halted production amid worsening cost competitiveness". This sector is losing ground to lower-cost rivals from Vietnam and Bangladesh, Ralhan said. Labour-intensive export sectors such as leather, shrimp, ceramics, chemicals, handicrafts, and carpets would face a sharp erosion of competitiveness, particularly against European, Southeast and Mexican producers, Ralhan added. "Delays, order cancellations, and negated cost advantages loom large on these sectors," he said. Looking at the current emerging scenario, he urged that there is a need for immediate government support, which includes a push for interest subvention schemes and export credit support to sustain working capital and liquidity. The sector currently requires low credit cost and easy access to credit, especially to MSMEs, with support from banks and financial institutions. Special direction in this regard from the government and Reserve Bank of India is needed, he said. Ralhan also urges for moratorium on payment of principal and interest for loans up to a period of one year. Besides, expanding PLI schemes, enhancing infrastructure, and investing in cold-chain/storage assets to strengthen competitiveness and aggressive market diversification through accelerated trade agreements (FTAs) with the EU, Oman, Chile, Peru, GCC, Africa, and other Latin American countries, with a provision for early-harvest for labour-intensive sectors, should be prioritised, he said. "However, leveraging the negotiating window for urgent diplomatic engagement with the US still remains the key. "Yet another approach could be promotion of Brand India & Innovation through enhanced global branding, invest in quality certifications, and embed innovation in export strategy to make Indian goods more attractive globally," the President said. FIEO appeals for swift, coordinated action among exporters, industry bodies, and government agencies to protect livelihoods, reinforce global trade links, and navigate this turbulent phase. "The steps taken now will determine how effectively India withstands external shocks and reasserts its presence in the global export landscape," he said. India's exports rose 6.7 per cent to $35.1 billion in August annually, while imports declined 10.12 per cent to $61.59 billion, according to government data released on Monday. Photograph: Tatiana Meel/Reuters Gold imports were down nearly 56 per cent in August, helping to trim merchandise trade deficit to $26.49 billion in August, as against $35.64 billion in the year-ago month. The US was top exporting destination for India at $6.86 billion showing a growth of 7.15 per cent year-on-year, followed by the UAE ($3.24 billion), the Netherland ($1.83 billion), China ($1.21 billion) and the UK (1.14 billion) during August. Trade tensions have been simmering between India and the US, with the latter slapping steep tariffs on Indian goods. On the other hand, India imported maximum goods from China at $10.91 billion, followed by Russia ($4.83 billion), UAE ($4.66 billion), the US (3.6 billion), and Saudi Arabia ($2.5 billion). According to the data released by the ministry of commerce, cumulative merchandise and services exports increased to $69.16 billion in August, compared to $63.25 billion in corresponding month last year. The combined imports were valued at $79.04 billion compared to $84.99 billion in August 2024, leaving a trade deficit of $9.88 billion. The cumulative exports (merchandise and services) during April-August 2025 is estimated at $349.35 billion, as compared to $329.03 billion in April-August 2024, showing a growth of 6.18 per cent. Major drivers of merchandise exports growth in August 2025 include electronic goods ($2.93 billion), engineering goods ($9.9 billion), gems and jewellery ($2.31 billion), petroleum products ($4.48 billion) and drugs and pharmaceuticals ($2.51 billion). As per the data, India imported vegetable oils worth $2 billion, fertilisers worth $1.65 billion; coal, coke and briquettes worth $2 billion; petroleum products worth 13.26 billion; chemicals worth $2.49 billion, and electronic items worth $9.73 billion in August. Gold imports declined 56.67 per cent to $5.43 billion in August from $12.55 billion in the year-ago month. The commerce ministry data showed non-petroleum, non-gems and jewellery (gold, silver and precious metals) imports in August 2025 were $41.02 billion compared to $41.41 billion in August 2024. The estimated value of services export for August 2025 was $34.06 billion as compared to $30.36 billion in the year-ago month. Value of services imports were estimated at $17.45 billion as compared to $16.46 billion in August 2024. The estimated value of service exports during April-August 2025 was $165.22 billion and imports at $84.25 billion. This led to a trade surplus of $80.97 billion during April-August 2025 as compared to $68.25 billion in the year-ago period. UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians on Monday expressed concern over the holding of the Oct. 10 Gaza ceasefire and the obstacles to aid distribution. "The ceasefire agreement -- which has crossed the 100-day mark -- must hold so that more civilian lives can be saved," said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). "The scale-up of humanitarian work continues to be held back by restrictions and impediments, with recent harsh weather also setting back some of the progress." The concern followed OCHA's latest twice-weekly Gaza Humanitarian Response Situation Report, published Friday. It said Gaza's health authorities reported that 14 Palestinians were killed and 23 others injured in the preceding 48 hours, bringing the casualty toll to 463 dead and 1,269 injured since the start of the ceasefire. The World Food Programme warned of how fragile the situation remains, even as the agency reaches more than 1 million people every month through food parcels, bread bundles, hot meals and school meals. It called for additional safe humanitarian corridors from Egypt and Jordan and along the Salah Ad Din road inside Gaza, to increase volume and reduce insecurity. The World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children's Fund and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East launched the second round of a routine immunization catch-up campaign, together with humanitarian partners and in collaboration with Gaza's health authorities, which will run until Thursday to further protect children under the age of 3. The WHO said the campaign is being carried out by 170 teams at nearly 130 health facilities, with seven mobile teams deployed to hard-to-reach areas, and a third and final round is planned for April. In the West Bank, OCHA said Israeli forces on Monday placed an estimated 25,000 Palestinians under curfew in parts of the Israeli-controlled H2 area of Hebron city as they launched a large-scale operation. Initial reports pointed to a heavy deployment of military vehicles, snipers on rooftops and the closure of six internal roads. "As a result, four bakeries have been forced to suspend their operations, and two shops where about 4,000 people regularly obtain essential supplies through UN-issued vouchers remain closed," the office said. "Education in more than a dozen schools has also been suspended, affecting thousands of students." OCHA said that the area has been affected by a major electricity cut following damage to a local power station over the weekend. With the curfew in place, efforts are under way to allow technicians into the area to restore power. Steps are also being taken to facilitate emergency medical evacuations, and for students to attend school online where possible, the office said. However, families are confined to their homes, making it difficult for them to access food, medicine and other essential supplies. Trading sentiment in the equity market will be guided by macroeconomic data announcements, global trends and quarterly earnings from IT major TCS this week, analysts said. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh Stock markets would also be tracking trading activity of foreign investors who remained net sellers of Indian equities in September. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) remained net sellers of Indian equities in September, withdrawing Rs 23,885 crore (around $2.7 billion) and taking year-to-date outflow to Rs 1.58 lakh crore ($17.6 billion). "This week will be pivotal as the Q2 FY26 earnings season gets underway, with IT bellwether TCS scheduled to announce results on October 9. "On the macroeconomic front, the release of HSBC services and composite PMI, along with banking sector data on loan and deposit growth, will be closely monitored. "Primary market activity is also set to remain strong, with large IPOs from Tata Capital and LG Electronics lined up," Ajit Mishra SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said. Globally, key US macroeconomic updates including the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) minutes, jobless claims, and consumer sentiment data will be in focus, especially against the backdrop of the ongoing government shutdown that has already delayed some economic releases, he added. Meanwhile, movement of rupee-against the US dollar would also be tracked by investors in the backdrop of the local currency's fall to a record low level. "With macro cues stabilizing, market attention will shift to Q2 earnings and management commentary that could steer sector sentiment. "The IT sector will be in the spotlight as TCS kicks off the earnings calendar for the quarter ended September 2025 a period clouded by layoffs, a steep $100,000 H-1B visa fee hike, and the proposed 25 per cent outsourcing tax by the Trump administration. "Against this backdrop, markets will be keenly watching management commentary on the impact of tariffs and visa costs, hiring outlook, deal wins, discretionary tech spending, and progress on AI initiatives. "The tone of these updates could set the course for sector sentiment in the weeks ahead," Ponmudi R, CEO Enrich Money, an online trading and wealth tech firm, said. Last week, the BSE benchmark climbed 780.71 points or 0.97 per cent, and the Nifty went up by 239.55 points or 0.97 per cent. "Indian equities closed the holiday-shortened week with a positive bias after recent corrections as investors' confidence was reinforced with the recent RBI's growth stance," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said. Qcom alone is expected to account for a 60 per cent surge in gig hiring, adding 1.5 million to 2 million roles. Kindly note the images are posted only for representational purposes. Photographs: Ashish Narsale/Rediff An early festival season, coupled with rising demand from quick commerce (qcom), ecommerce (ecom), and third-party logistics players, is expected to trigger a fresh wave of gig hiring in 2025-2026 (FY26). The number of gig workers is projected to rise 19.1 per cent -- from nearly 10 million in FY25 to 11.91 million this year -- according to data from TeamLease Services. Qcom alone is expected to account for a 60 per cent surge in gig hiring, adding 1.5 million to 2 million roles, said Kartik Narayan, CEO of staffing at TeamLease. Logistics roles linked to ecom, which currently make up 35 to 40 per cent of all gig jobs, are also expected to expand steadily. In traditional gig sectors such as logistics and delivery, hiring is witnessing growth. In FY21, logistics and delivery comprised 35 per cent of overall gig workers, and in FY26, it is expected to go up to 41.4 per cent of total workers. Alan Barboza, executive director at third-party logistics company Flomic Global Logistics, said: "Last-mile riders and bikers will surge by about 25 per cent as 10-minute grocery expands beyond metros." "In warehouses, pickers and packers are seeing 15 to 18 per cent growth due to SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) expansion while sortation staff demand is up by around 12 per cent." Logistics already employs roughly one in every seven gig workers in India, and rising SME exports will likely push demand for light-truck owner-drivers up by 20 per cent, he added. Logistics provider Delhivery has recorded double-digit year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth in its active gig workforce, particularly in last-mile delivery and first-mile pickup. "We anticipate a continued upward trend in the engagement of gig partners. Our strategic focus on expanding to new geographies and deepening our service offerings will require a larger flexible workforce," said Prashant Gazipur, senior vice-president at Delhivery. Tender Truck, which works with small fleet owners, targets to onboard over 7,500 fleet owners by FY26-end. In FY24, the company had just over 600 active fleet owners. The firm is also scaling its tech infrastructure to accommodate the rise in demand. Vidhant Monga, founder and CEO of Tender Truck, said the company expects to see heightened operations in some geographies during the festive season. "We expect to see rampups in Delhi-NCR, Jaipur, Ludhiana, Bhiwandi, and parts of Central India," Monga pointed out. "While load demand will increase, the bottleneck will remain on the supply side -- finding compliant trucks with reliable drivers," he said. The hiring push extends beyond ground logistics. SkyeAir, a logistics firm that does deliveries via drones, said in the past 12 months, it deployed more than 200 gig workers, and plans to onboard approximately 1,000 (walkers) in FY26. The firm employs 'Skye Walkers, who deliver packages to the doorstep after they have been dropped at the nearest common point by the drones. "We anticipate substantial volume growth -- projected at four times compared to FY25 levels. "The strongest growth is expected in the walker segment," said Ankit Kumar, founder and CEO of the firm. The upcoming festive season -- starting as early as August -- is also contributing to the hiring rush. Narayan of TeamLease said the festive season is projected to drive a 20 to 30 per cent spike in gig demand, driven by heightened consumer spending and peak order volumes. Ecom platform Flipkart said it plans to significantly hire people across functions in the supply chain. "As we approach the festive season, we proactively scale up hiring across our supply chain network to meet the anticipated surge in demand," said Aakriti Chandra, vice-president of reward, performance, and corporate functions at Flipkart. "These seasonal roles at our fulfilment centres, sortation hubs, and delivery facilities not only support operational readiness but also generate meaningful employment opportunities nationwide, especially in Tier-II and Tier-III cities," Chandra added. While the demand for gig workers is on the rise, their income levels remain somewhat stagnant. The TeamLease data shows that as of 2025, nearly 99 per cent of gig workers earn under Rs 5 lakh per annum, with about 77.6 per cent making Rs 2.5 lakh or less annually, and just 2.6 per cent earning between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh. The average monthly income for gig workers is around Rs 18,000, the data shows. The income for workers in delivery roles has not seen significant real-term increases, as per-order payouts have actually declined from Rs 35 to as low as Rs 10 to Rs 15 in recent years, Narayan said. Overall, the count of gig workers has ballooned each year from 7.7 million in FY21. According to NITI Aayog, gig jobs are estimated to reach 23.5 million by FY30. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff State Bank of India has 18,000 pending cases and Bank of Baroda has around 1,000 cases. IMAGE: The Union ministry of finance in New Delhi. Photograph: Jitender Gupta/ANI Photo The Union ministry of finance has chided publicsector banks (PSBs) for failing to promptly release property documents to customers who have repaid loans, calling the lenders' conduct 'unsatisfactory', according to a senior government official. The backlog of such cases reduced from 29,500 in August 2024 to 20,800 in February 2025. "The delays are a breach of customer trust, so the finance ministry has directed PSBs to fix accountability, set strict timelines, and ensure faster release of pledged assets, warning that such lapses damage the public image of PSBs," said the official on condition of anonymity. State Bank of India has 18,000 pending cases and Bank of Baroda has around 1,000 cases, said the official. In September 2023, the Reserve Bank of India said that regulated entities (RE) should release original movable and immovable property documents and drop charges for the registry within 30 days after full repayment and settlement of a loan account. For delays of more than 30 days and attributable to REs, companies will have to compensate borrowers at a rate of Rs 5,000 per day. REs must also communicate the reasons for the delay to the borrower. The RBI had issued the directives to help borrowers and make REs responsible. "These directives from the finance ministry to expedite pending cases are particularly relevant for retail loans, such as home, vehicle, and loan against property, and also to avoid penalty from the regulator," said a senior bank executive responsible for legal affairs. Segregation of banking functions has led to documents being stored in different places, such as loan processing centres. It has resulted in delays in delivering documents to borrowers upon full payment. The RBI had said REs are following divergent practices in releasing movable and immovable property documents, causing customer grievances and disputes. In cases where the property documents are lost or damaged, either in full or in part, the lender will be responsible for assisting the borrower in obtaining duplicate or certified copies of the movable/immovable property documents. The lender will also bear the associated costs, in addition to paying compensation, the RBI had said. However, in such instances, the REs will have an additional 30 days to complete this procedure, and the penalty for the delayed period will be calculated thereafter. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Reserve Bank Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Wednesday exhorted the fledgling fintech ecosystem to focus on the underserved sections of the society to deepen financial inclusion. Photograph: Hemanshi Kamani/Reuters Speaking at the annual Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai, Malhotra accepted that serving the "privileged" will be a lucrative business, but urged the smaller companies to focus on the underserved. "Build for inclusion. While there may be higher profits to be made by deepening access to the haves and the privileged. "Prioritise building systems to expand financial services to the unaccessed, the unreached and the unserved segments of society," he told a packed hall comprising stakeholders of the fintech ecosystem. Malhotra also asked the fintech companies to design products and services that are easy to use, accessible for all, with assistive technologies which will ensure that the vulnerable groups such as the senior citizens, individuals with limited digital literacy and the specially-abled are not left behind. There is a need for Indian fintechs to "prioritise" trust and compliance, Malhotra said, adding that they should embed strong data protection, transparency and safeguards for consumers in every offering of theirs. The number of Indian fintechs has grown to 10,000 and these companies have collectively raised over $40 billion over the last decade, the career bureaucrat-turned-central banker said. Stating that tech can be a force multiplier for sustainable economic development, Malhotra appreciated fintechs for delivering financial services at population scale and at affordable costs. He also asked the fintech ecosystem to focus on extending credit to make best use of the available infrastructure created over the last few years and ensure that the small businesses and individuals get credit. Besides, fintechs must also focus on the customer in such a way that there is no need for putting in place a customer service agent. The RBI governor further said that digital frauds are "becoming a problem" for the Reserve Bank. The MuleHunter solution developed by an arm of the central bank is currently being used by 21 banks and has shown a 90 per cent success rate in tracking down accounts used by bad actors by creating a complex web of accounts which are used to swindle funds after an unsuspecting person is defrauded. Malhotra said there is a need for the 17 account aggregators to integrate more financial information and adopt interoperable features in order to be more successful. The Reserve Bank is also in the process of introducing standards designed to improve customer onboarding processes, enhance user interfaces, strengthen data security and increase awareness under the account aggregator framework, he said. Speaking of the unmet credit demand in the country, he said the recently launched unified lending interface can help bridge the gap through easier access, and adding that credit is the "lifeblood" of inclusive growth. He said the Reserve Bank has conceptualised "unified markets interface" as a new next generation financial market infrastructure. "This interface will have the capability to tokenise financial assets and settlements using wholesale CBDC (central bank digital currency)," he said, adding that early efforts are encouraging. Meanwhile, IT major Infosys' co-founder and non-executive chairman Nandan Nilekani said that the 'Finternet' ecosystem, which he has been evangelising for some time, will go live in 2026. He said the number of people who have signed up for Fininternet, which is being touted as a a vision for a future financial system that is a unified, interconnected, and user-centric ecosystem, is growing a lot. It is expected to bring assets such as land, property, bonds, financial investments on a single platform, where it gets tokenized. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched a slew of initiatives on Wednesday, including AI-based UPI HELP powered by its Small Language Model (SLM) that will assist in payments, mandates, and dispute resolution. It also launched an IoT (internet of things) payments with UPI for enabling transactions directly from connected devices such as cars, smart TVs, and wearables, and 'banking connect', which is an interoperable net banking solution. The body also introduced 'UPI Reserve Pay' which will allow users to securely block and manage credit limits for specific purposes across merchant and UPI apps. Herman Jansen continues to see India as a strategically-important emerging market despite selling the global rights for Maison House and Savoy Club brands from UTO Asia to Allied Blenders and Distillers (ABD). Photograph: Kind courtesy, Herman Jansen Herman will focus on growing its European and South East Asian market, Diederik Jansen, chief executive officer and seventh-generation owner of Herman Jansen, which has been producing spirits since 1777, told Business Standard. Herman Jansen is a family-owned company from Schiedam, Holland. He said, We continue to see India as a strategically-important emerging market. "We firmly believe that any successful presence must be anchored through a capable and committed local partner, and for us, that partner would be ABD. Jansen added that the company had entered the Indian market in the 1980s with a strong sense of optimism and a long-term vision of growth. While the journey brought valuable learnings, our overall experience led us to make the considered decision to exit the Indian business, Jansen said. The company had first entered the Indian market with Tilaknagar Industries. Currently, Tilaknagar Industries and ABD are in the middle of a trademark dispute over the two brands. Tilaknagar holds the rights to sell both the brands in India and ABD was granted permission by the Bombay High Court to launch products under the same brand names in West Bengal. In 2014, ABD had bought 50 per cent stake in Maison House and Savoy Club from Herman Jansen. ABD has got global rights for the two brands with the exception of select South East Asian territories (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, China, and Myanmar). The total consideration of the deal was 1.22 million (excluding stamp duty and levies), and the transactions concluded with immediate effect on June 11. He said the proceeds from this transaction will be retained within the company and strategically reinvested into growth markets aligned with its long-term vision. There will be no distribution to family shareholders. "This decision reflects our commitment to building sustainable value for the future and ensuring business remains focussed, agile, and well-capitalised for its next phase of growth, he added. Talking about India and re-entering the domestic market, Jansen said that despite its vast potential and growth trajectory, it remains a highly complex and fragmented market. At this stage, we have no plans to re-enter the Indian market independently in the foreseeable future, he added. Jansen also said that in India the growing opportunities are in the premium and super-premium segments, especially in white spirits and internationally-styled beverages such as cocktails and mixers. This evolving consumer demand contrasts with the traditionally brown spirits-driven domestic market and aligns well with our global product innovation strengths, he said. AI means 'All Inclusive' for India, asserted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday while stressing that India Stack is a beacon of hope for the world, especially for countries in the Global South. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visit exhibition during the 6th edition of Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai. Photograph: ANI Photo Addressing Global Fintech Fest 2025, Modi said India's approach to AI is built on three key principlesEquitable Access, Population-scale Skilling, and Responsible Deployment. Affirming that India has consistently supported the creation of a global framework for ethical AI, he said that India's experience with digital public infrastructure and its learning repository can be valuable for the world. He emphasised that the path India has followed in digital public infrastructure is the same approach it seeks to advance in AI and 'For India, AI stands for All Inclusive'. Emphasising that India's strength lies not just in scale, but in integrating scale with inclusion, resilience, and sustainability, Modi highlighted the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in reducing underwriting bias, detecting fraud in real time, and enhancing various services. To unlock this potential, he called for joint investment in data, skills, and governance. Observing that AI can be the driving force behind this transformation, he said, "For this, AI applications must be designed with people at the centre." He stressed that a first-time digital finance user must have confidence that errors will be swiftly resolved. This confidence, he said, will further strengthen digital inclusion and trust in financial services. The prime minister emphasised that the UK's research and global finance expertise, combined with India's scale and talent, can open new doors of opportunity for the world. He announced a renewed commitment to deepen connections between start-ups, institutions, and innovation hubs. He said that the UK-India Fintech Corridor will create opportunities to pilot and scale new start-ups, and also pave the way for enhanced cooperation between the London Stock Exchange and GIFT City and this financial integration between the two countries will help companies maximize the benefits of the free trade agreement. Pointing out that UPI alone facilitates 20 billion transactions every month, with a transaction value exceeding twenty-five lakh crore rupees, Modi emphasised that out of every 100 real-time digital transactions globally, 50 occur in India alone. Global emerging market investors are sharply cutting back on India, making it the largest underweight market, as funds rotate into China, Hong Kong, and South Korea amid tariff shocks and valuation concerns. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff India is rapidly losing favour with global emerging market investors, with the latest fund flow data showing one of the steepest cutbacks in allocations to Indian equities in recent months. According to an analysis done by Nomura of 45 large EM funds, relative allocations to India fell by 110 basis points (bps) month-on-month (M-o-M) in July, with as many as 41 funds reducing exposure. This marks India out as the largest underweight (UW) market in EM portfolios, with allocations standing at a negative 2.9 percentage points relative to benchmark MSCI EM index. In contrast, Hong Kong, China and South Korea have emerged as the key beneficiaries of this regional rebalancing. Allocations to Hong Kong, China and South Korea rose by 80 bps, 70 bps and 40 bps, respectively, reflecting a decisive rotation in foreign portfolios. In the Nomura sample set, 37 of the 45 funds increased their exposure to Hong Kong and China while 29 did so in case of South Korea. The tilt is significant as it comes at a time when India continues to trade at a valuation premium to EM peers. By the end of July, 71 per cent of EM funds were underweight on India, up from 60 per cent in June. In comparison, the percentage of funds underweight on Hong Kong, China, dropped sharply from 71 per cent in June to 53 per cent in July, suggesting sentiment towards Chinese equities is turning less bearish. South Korea, meanwhile, has moved into overweight territory, with 60 per cent of EM funds now overweight versus a more balanced split previously. The Nomura report said July proved to be a tough month for managers overall, with only 7 out of 45 EM funds outperforming the MSCI EM Index. However, early August trends suggest performance has improved, with 35 funds outperforming month-to-date. The fund flow data also corroborates the latest Bank of America (BofA) Fund Manager Survey. Last week, the survey had revealed India had now sunk to the bottom of the investor preference list after being at the top as recently as May. The shift in sentiment is widely attributed to US President Donald Trump's announcement of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent penalty for India's Russian oil imports, which investors fear will dent corporate earnings and further strain already high market valuations. Disclaimer: This article is meant for information purposes only. This article and information do not constitute a distribution, an endorsement, an investment advice, an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities/schemes or any other financial products/investment products mentioned in this article to influence the opinion or behaviour of the investors/recipients. Any use of the information/any investment and investment related decisions of the investors/recipients are at their sole discretion and risk. Any advice herein is made on a general basis and does not take into account the specific investment objectives of the specific person or group of persons. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff A day after news emerged that Foxconn Technology Group was forced by Beijing to send back its Chinese engineers and technicians from its Tamil Nadu plant, sources indicate that the global electronics giant has already drawn up an alternative plan to rescue its India iPhone 17 production by bringing in experts from mainly Taiwan and the US. Photograoh: Ann Wang/Reuters The move to call back employees is seen as a strategy to disrupt the efforts by Western tech firms to shift manufacturing away from China. It is also seen as a continuation of the diplomatic tussle between India and China. Chinese authorities were already restricting the export of key machines that are required to be retrofitted on the assembly lines to make the iPhone 17, which is expected to be unveiled by September this year. "They already have a plan to bring engineers mainly from Taiwan and the US, as was expected. "Also, the issue is only regarding the new iPhone 17 lineup and its planned launch. "Indian technicians are already in charge of previous models. "It may take a maximum of two months to replace the Chinese experts," said a state source aware of the development. Both Foxconn and Apple did not respond to questions from Business Standard. Sources in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) said that both Apple and Foxconn were, for the last four-to-five months, aware of the possibility of losing Chinese engineers. Even if technicians are replaced, the import of key equipment may still be a concern. This may also increase prices of the iPhone 17. However, Taiwan and US experts may increase the company's production cost, as the average payment for a US expert will be around six-fold, and that of a Taiwanese expert will be around 50-60 per cent higher compared to a Chinese engineer, say industry experts. According to a government source, the current issue is only regarding Foxconn, as Tata Electronics, another manufacturer of the iPhone, has engineers from Taiwan and other countries, not China. A South India-based source aware of the development said that technology is not an issue as majority of it belongs to Apple and Foxconn only. "Foxconn has also started deploying people from its other units outside China on a need basis. "We are in constant touch with them on this issue," the source said. The move by China is in line with its intent to stop or slow down the supply of manpower and raw materials originating from its territory. They (China) have also restricted the supplies of capital goods to several countries, including India. "That is likely to have some impact on the production cycles of companies such as Foxconn. "The company must be looking at alternatives by now," an industry executive said. Currently, iPhone assembly in India is primarily handled by Foxconn and Tata Electronics. Foxconn operates a large facility in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It also has plans to assemble iPhones from Devanahalli in Karnataka. On the other hand, Tata has a Karnataka unit taken over from Pegatron, and also has a facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The company is also expanding its component ecosystem by bringing in firms like Sunwoda, Foxlink, and Aequs. At present, Foxconn has around 40,000 employees in South India, and is expected to hire 1,000 more in July. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has planned a slew of further relaxations to facilitate easier registrations of foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), including a common know-your-client (KYC) and smoother documentation through India digital signature. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters Over the last year, the market regulator has taken several measures to make the onboarding of FPIs smoother. These include relaxations for FPIs only investing in government securities, exemptions in disclosure regime and now recently approved Swagat-FI a single window framework for trusted FPIs such as government-owned or related funds, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds. Following the board meeting, Sebi chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey and whole-time member Ananth Narayan G hinted at more steps under consideration by Sebi. The market regulator also called for more adoption of India Digital Signature by FPIs, which eases authorisation of legal documents. The chairman said Sebi will integrate India digital signature with the common application form (CAF) for FPIs. CAF is the form that FPIs need to fill for registration. Pandey said this will obliviate many documentation requirements and ease the compliance process. Further, a common KYC with the banking regulator is also under discussion. Recently, the (Sebi) chairman had a meeting with the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to smoothen the KYC process further so that there is a common KYC requirement for both banks as well as FPIs. "It is particularly for FPIs where there is less risk and comfort on both sides, said Narayan. Under Swagat-FI, renewal of the eligible FPI registrations will now be done at an interval of 10 years instead of the standard 3 years. Further, they will have a one-time KYC fee of $2500 for a 10-year block instead of the three-year cycle. These FPIs will also have exemptions from the 50 per cent aggregate contribution limit applicable to non-resident Indians (NRIs) and overseas citizens of India (OCIs). The Sebi officials further said that the combination of foreign venture capital investor (FVCI) and FPI registration will give a fillip to unlisted investments also. Kunal Sharma, founder & managing partner, Taraksh Lawyers & Consultants, said the cross-border authentication system must work with international digital certification standards to avoid accidentally creating new barriers for foreign entities operating under different regulatory systems. He further called for clarity on tax treaty treatment for FPIs investing only in government bonds. Sebi now also reaches out to FPIs or the custodians if there are any issues or delays in the registration process beyond a month. Sebi officials said that there has been a surge in FPI registrations and that the regulator is tracking the time taken for processing the applications. According to data on NSDL, FPIs from the US, Singapore, Luxembourg, and Ireland have the highest assets under custody in India. Of the average 100 applications per month, the US accounts for the most, said Narayan. In its board meeting, Sebi also approved allowing retail schemes in GIFT-IFSC with a resident Indian sponsor or manager to register as FPIs. Sebi chairman added that many Singapore-based funds are now returning to India following regulatory and taxation-related clarifications. The regulator also launched a dedicated platform called India Market Access for FPIs to access regulatory updates and consolidated information relevant to them. Foreign investors have pulled out nearly Rs 18,000 crore from Indian equities so far this month, weighed down by escalating US-India trade tensions, disappointing first-quarter corporate earnings, and a weakening Indian rupee. Photograph: Kind courtesy Rupixen/Pixabay With this, the total outflow by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) in equities has reached Rs 1.13 lakh crore so far in 2025, according to data from the depositories. Going forward, FPI sentiment is expected to remain "fragile and in risk-off mode," with tariffs and trade negotiations emerging as key factors to watch out for in the coming week, according to Vaqarjaved Khan, CFA, Senior Fundamental Analyst at Angel One. The data showed that FPIs withdrew a net sum of Rs 17,924 crore from equities in this month (till August 8). Foreign investors had pulled out Rs 17,741 crore on a net basis in July. Before that, FPIs invested Rs 38,673 crore in the preceding three months from March to June. The latest outflows were primarily due to escalating US-India trade tensions, disappointing first-quarter corporate earnings and a weakening Indian rupee, Himanshu Srivastava, Associate Director - Manager Research, Morningstar Investment Research India, said. From August 1, the US imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods and increased these tariffs by an additional 25 per cent during the current week. This spooked the markets and FPIs, leading to a massive sell-off in Indian equities, Angel One's Khan said.\Along with tariffs, rising US Treasury yields also led to foreign money moving towards treasuries, he added. On the other hand, FPIs invested Rs 3,432 crore in the debt general limit and put in Rs 58 crore in the debt voluntary retention route during the period under review. THE HAGUE, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- A portable artificial kidney is being tested in patients for the first time at University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht), Karin Gerritsen, internist-nephrologist and clinical scientist at UMC Utrecht, confirmed to Xinhua on Monday, calling it a major step toward more flexible dialysis treatment. The device, known as NeoKidney, is a lightweight, portable hemodialysis machine designed primarily for home use. Unlike conventional dialysis systems, it is significantly more compact and uses far less water. According to Karin Gerritsen, the device is roughly the size of a suitcase and weighs about 13 kilograms, a substantial reduction compared with hospital dialysis machines, which can weigh close to 100 kilograms. The device uses only 5 liters of water per 2 hour-treatment, compared with approximately 120 liters for standard four-hour treatment with hospital dialysis machines and 30 to 40 liters for two to three-hour treatments with the smallest existing home dialysis systems. "Dialysis is life-saving, but also very burdensome," Gerritsen said. "With a portable artificial kidney, we want to give patients more freedom and make the treatment fit better into their daily lives." Gerritsen added that the compact design allows patients not only to use the device at home, but also to travel with it. "It can be taken on a plane, for example. That provides patients with much more freedom," she said. "It uses a standard power outlet and does not require earthing, allowing use outside the patient's home, for example in a hotel." "We are currently treating the second patient and hope to complete the study before the end of the year," Gerritsen said. Approval for the European market will depend on the results of the trial and the device obtaining CE (European Conformity) certification, which Nextkidney plans to apply for midway through the study. If all goes as planned, Gerritsen said the NeoKidney could potentially become available from 2027, pending regulatory approval. The top 20 fund houses held 6.8 per cent of their portfolios in cash as of May 31, down from a record high of 7.2 per cent in April 2025. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff Equity mutual fund (MF) schemes reduced their cash holdings in May for the first time in six months, as geopolitical and trade tensions showed signs of easing. According to a Motilal Oswal Financial Services report, the top 20 fund houses held 6.8 per cent of their portfolios in cash as of May 31, down from a record high of 7.2 per cent in April 2025. Fund managers have been increasing cash levels since December 2024 amid a market correction and rising global uncertainties. May brought relief on multiple fronts. Fears of an IndiaPakistan conflict subsided after a ceasefire, while progress on the IndiaUK trade deal and easing the USChina tensions improved the trade outlook. Additionally, sustained foreign portfolio investor (FPI) inflows buoyed domestic market sentiment. Benchmark indices extended their gains for the third straight month, with the Nifty and Sensex rising 1.9 per cent and 1.8 per cent, respectively. Broader markets outperformed, as the BSE 500 surged 3.5 per cent, marking an improvement in market breadth after months of weakness. However, domestic investor participation remained tepid. Equity MF inflows fell for the fifth consecutive month to 19,013 crore -- the lowest in 13 months. Despite this, fund managers deployed cash aggressively, purchasing equities worth 49,000 crore in May, nearly triple Aprils buying. Most major fund houses reduced cash levels. SBI MF, the largest, cut its cash holding from 10 per cent to 8.6 per cent, while ICICI Prudentials declined from 8.2 per cent to 6.9 per cent. Cash levels are seen as an indication of the fund manager's view of the market. While MF executives maintain that their mandate is to remain fully invested, they strategically maintain some cash reserves during periods of market uncertainty. However, according to experts, changes in cash levels in equity schemes can also be transitory due to major changes in portfolio or sharp inflow or outflow at the end of the month. The change in value of equity holding due to market movement also impacts the cash holding on a percentage level. SBI MF maintained a neutral stance on equities, citing balanced valuations, it said in a note. The sharp drop in 10-year bond yields over the past few months has meant that on our preferred gauge of equity valuations, which looks at equity yields as a relative spread to government bond yields, equity valuations stay near averages even with the uptick in equity markets over the past few weeks, the report said. In addition, equity sentiment as measured by our proprietary framework stays in the neutral zone after the cool off from stretched readings of the past year through the correction, it said. The recent drop in bond yields has kept equity valuations near historical averages, even after the market rally, it added. The fund house added that its proprietary sentiment indicators remain neutral after cooling off from the previous years elevated levels. In its latest outlook on the equity market, ICICI Prudential MF said that while the long-term structural story of India remains intact and there are tailwinds for economic growth to pick up, valuations remain an issue. "Recent RBI actions like liquidity injection; key policy rate cuts, high dividends to the government are positive for Indias business cycle and in turn may result in India's growth and corporate earnings to pick up. investors with a long-term view can remain invested in equity markets. However, due to high valuations. the fresh investments should be done prudently," it added. Disclaimer: This article is meant for information purposes only. This article and information do not constitute a distribution, an endorsement, an investment advice, an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities/schemes or any other financial products/investment products mentioned in this article to influence the opinion or behaviour of the investors/recipients. Any use of the information/any investment and investment related decisions of the investors/recipients are at their sole discretion and risk. Any advice herein is made on a general basis and does not take into account the specific investment objectives of the specific person or group of persons. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff 'The petrol lobby is very rich and strong.' IMAGE: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari addresses the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations's Auto Retail Conclave 2025 in New Delhi, September 10, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo The recent criticism on social media of E20 fuel, which is 20 per cent ethanol mixed with 80 per cent petrol, is 'propaganda' sponsored by the 'rich and strong' petrol lobby, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday. In recent weeks, social media debates have focused on concerns that E20 fuel may adversely affect vehicle mileage and engine efficiency. 'There are lobbies everywhere. There are interests. You (Fada) are also one of the lobbies. We are expecting support from you. Some propaganda is there on social media. It is sponsored by some people. The petrol lobby is very rich and strong,' Gadkari said while speaking at the annual auto retail conclave organised by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations in New Delhi. On August 12, the ministry of petroleum and natural gas had stated that concerns regarding reduction in fuel efficiency are 'misplaced' and the alternative of going back to E-0 fuel would 'involve losing the hard fought gains' on pollution and energy transition. Gadkari on Wednesday also addressed the recent shortage of rare earth magnets and the semiconductor chip crunch experienced a few years ago by the Indian automobile industry. =Both shortages largely stemmed from India's reliance on China for these materials. 'Previously, the situation was not good (related to production of semiconductor chips in India). Today, we have started producing semiconductor chips in India. 'In the same way, our startups are working on battery chemistries now -- sodium ion battery, lithium ion battery, zinc ion battery, aluminium ion battery, etc. These startups are doing good research,' the minister said. Gadkari also highlighted that scrapping old vehicles could generate significant quantities of rare earth metals, with the government now providing ample incentives to promote such initiatives. On the future of petrol and diesel vehicles amid the government's push for alternative fuels and electric mobility, Gadkari said, 'People keep asking me that you keep supporting all alternative fuels and biofuels. There is confusion in people's minds that there are all types of alternatives now, so what is going to happen (to petrol or diesel vehicles). You need not bother. 'The demand for petrol and diesel vehicles is still going to increase... because the growth in automobile manufacturing is about 15 to 20 per cent. The international market is also very huge.' On the growth of India's automobile sector, he said, 'When I had taken charge as the minister, the size of the Indian automobile industry was 14 lakh crore, and our number was seventh.' 'The number one automobile market in the world is the US. Its automobile industry's size is 78 lakh crore. Second is China at 47 lakh crore. And third is India at 22 lakh crore. By developing alternative fuels, biofuel, battery chemistries, new technology and innovations, I am confident that our target is to make India number one in the world. 'It is difficult, but not impossible because of the cost of making a vehicle in India and the quality of what is produced here. Quality is good and the cost is less,' the minister said. On the Indian automobile sector's future, Gadkari said, 'All big manufacturers are manufacturing in India and they realise that the domestic potential is very high and the international potential is greater than that. That is why the future of this industry is very good.' Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff Online gaming firm Gameskraft on Thursday said it is laying off 120 employees as it navigates new regulatory landscape post the passage of the Online Gaming Bill, 2025. Photograph via LinkedIn The implications of this legislation are complex, far-reaching, and have had an immediate and profound impact on the sector and Gameskraft, the company said in a statement. "The current regulatory landscape has made us completely stop our business and has left us with no choice but to initiate a company-wide restructuring. "After careful deliberation, as part of this restructuring, we will be, as of now, letting go of about 120 Krafters across teams and functions, a decision we make with a very heavy heart. "As the business continues to evolve in response to external realities, further structural changes may be required," it said. Gameskraft will stand by all impacted employees as per their employment agreements, including leave encashment based on total salary and not just basic salary, the company said. Group health insurance will stay active until March 2026 or when the affected employees join a new job, whichever is earlier. Employees can convert their group plan to an individual one, and those with dependent parent coverage keep it uninterrupted. Several companies that were engaged in the real-money gaming business have started laying off the majority of their staff. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, passed by Parliament on August 21, bars all forms of online money games while promoting e-sports and other online games. The Act seeks to prohibit advertisements related to online money games and bars banks and financial institutions from transferring funds for any of such games. Earlier this month, Gameskraft filed a police complaint against its former CFO for allegedly siphoning off over Rs 231 crore -- whose write-off led to a decline in the company's FY25 net profit. The Bengaluru-based firm reported a net profit of Rs 706 crore on a revenue of Rs 4,009 crore in the fiscal year 2024-25 (April 2024 to March 2025). This compares with Rs 947 crore net profit on a revenue of Rs 3,475 crore in the previous year. The 2024-25 profit was also impacted by "a one-time accounting adjustment of past unsanctioned transactions amounting to approximately Rs 231 crore," it said in a statement. 'A price of $6,600/oz is now a reasonable target for gold.' Kindly note the image have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy T K Dhamu/Pexels Gold prices have been on a tear in the last few months, rising nearly 43 per cent thus far in calendar year 2025. The rise, analysts said, has been on account of 'safe haven' buying by investors amid geopolitical issues, Trump tariffs and buying by global central banks. Despite the strong run thus far in CY25, Christopher Wood, global head of equity strategy at Jefferies, sees more headroom in the months ahead and expects gold prices to hit $6,600 an ounce (oz) mark, up over 76 per cent from the current levels of $3,745/oz. Back in December 2002, Wood had forecast gold prices to hit $3,400/oz The target, Wood said, was calculated by adjusting the 1980 peak gold price of $850/oz by the then 6.3 per cent annualised growth in US total personal income since January 1980. 'That gave a gold price target of $3,437/oz,' Wood said. The target was subsequently raised to $3,700/oz at the beginning of January 2005 as a consequence of updating the growth in personal income. In September 2007, Wood fine-tuned the methodology by using the growth in US disposable personal income per capita since January 1980 instead of total personal income. The target has since been updated, as a consequence of the growth in disposable income per capita, to $4,200/oz in March 2016 and to $5,500/oz in August 2020. At the peak of the last secular bull market in gold in January 1980, Wood said, gold price was then equivalent to 9.9 per cent of US disposable income per capita which stood at $8,551. 'The current gold price is 5.6 per cent of US disposable income per capita of $66,100. To reach 9.9 per cent of US disposable income per capita means gold should rise to $6,571. This means that a price of $6,600/oz is now a reasonable target for gold at the peak of the current secular bull market,' Wood wrote in his weekly note to investors, GREED & fear. As a strategy, Wood maintains a 40 per cent weight in gold bullion in the global portfolio for a US dollar-denominated pension fund first set up at the end of third quarter of calendar year 2002. 'That 40 per cent weighting has been a minimum allocation to gold bullion ever since. Gold was reduced from 50 per cent in December 2020 when GREED & fear first allocated an investment in Bitcoin in the same portfolio,' Wood wrote. On the charts Global central banks, Julius Baer believes, may remain the scriptwriters of the current trend in gold prices, but the stage is increasingly outside the US. Investors, they said in a recent note, willing to look beyond the Fed will find a richer set of opportunities: in GBP resilience, in Asian semiconductors and online leaders, and in the time-tested protection of gold and, by extension, its miners. In the short-to medium term, gold, they said, could reach target levels of $4,500 to $4,800, technical chart patterns suggest. 'Similarly, silver appears poised for further gains, with potential upside targets at $52 to $58,' wrote Mensur Pocinci, an analyst tracking precious metals at Julius Baer in a recent note. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff Gold extended its record-breaking run to breach the Rs 1.5 lakh per 10-gram mark in futures trade on Tuesday, while silver surged to a lifetime high of Rs 3.27 lakh per kg as investors rushed to safe-haven assets amid mounting global tensions. Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures for February delivery climbed Rs 6,861, or 4.7 per cent, to record Rs 1,52,500 per 10 grams after settling at Rs 1,45,639 per 10 grams in the previous session. Analysts said the yellow metal has been on a relentless upward trajectory since the start of 2026, tracking record gains in the international prices and a weaker rupee. Silver, too, continued its blistering rally for the second straight session, appreciating by Rs 17,723, or nearly 6 per cent, to hit a new record of Rs 3,27,998 per kilogram on the MCX. The white metal had breached the Rs 3 lakh milestone on Monday, before closing at Rs 3,10,275 per kg. Over the last two trading sessions, silver has zoomed by Rs 32,187, or 11.18 per cent, from Rs 2,87,762 per kg recorded on January 16. "Gold and silver prices surged to fresh record highs across global and Indian markets on Tuesday, driven by strong safe-haven demand amid rising geopolitical tensions and fears of a potential US-EU trade war," Gaurav Garg, Research Analyst at Lemonn Markets Desk, said. How bullion fared in international market In the international market, Comex gold futures for February delivery climbed by $147.5, or 3.21 per cent, to hit a record of $4,742.9 per ounce. Gold has hit a lifetime high on the Comex, crossing the $4,700 per ounce amid global tensions that continue to mount, NS Ramaswamy, Head of Commodity & CRM, Ventura, said. He noted that markets have been rattled by President Donald Trump's renewed push to acquire Greenland, and Washington's plans to impose tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1 on eight European countries, including France, Germany, and the UK, with the threat of rates rising to 25 per cent by June. The move has prompted a sharp reaction in Europe, with French President Emmanuel Macron having indicated invoking the EU's anti-coercion mechanism, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged a more measured approach to avert economic escalation. Silver futures on the Comex crossed the $95 per ounce level for the first time in the overseas trade. The white metal for the March contract rose by $6.87, or 7.76 per cent, to $ 95.41 per ounce. Ramaswamy said apart from the brewing trade war, lingering uncertainty in Venezuela, fragile US-Iran relations and the unresolved Russia-Ukraine conflict are keeping investors cautious and bullion prices well supported. Investors remain cautious Adding to the domestic momentum, the Indian Rupee has also weakened $/INR January futures on the NSE are trading above 91, marking a depreciation of over one rupee since the start of 2026. Domestic participants are benefiting from two simultaneous drivers: rising global gold prices and rupee depreciation, together amplifying returns, he said. Pankaj Singh, smallcase manager and Founder & Principal Researcher - SmartWealth.ai, said traders will now shift their focus to key global developments, including the postponed US Supreme Court ruling on Trump-era tariffs, that could sway currency moves, real yields, and safe-haven flows. Key points Gold prices surged Rs 2,200 to hit a fresh peak of Rs 116,200 per 10 grams in the national capital on Monday buoyed by strong global cues as investors awaited key commentary from US Fed officials for policy direction. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters According to the All India Sarafa Association, the precious metal of 99.9 per cent purity had closed at Rs 1,14,000 per 10 grams on Friday. In the local bullion market, gold of 99.5 per cent purity rallied Rs 2,150 to hit a record high of Rs 115,650 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes). It had settled at Rs 113,500 per 10 grams in the previous market session. "Both gold and silver traded at record levels in the domestic markets, tracking the bullish trend in international markets. "A dovish signal from the US Federal Reserve (Fed) suggests that two additional rate cuts are likely by the end of this year, which could limit gains in the US dollar and Treasury yields while bolstering precious metal prices," Saumil Gandhi, senior analyst - commodities at HDFC Securities, said. In addition, a strong inflow into exchange-traded funds as well as continued interest from central banks have also contributed to the rise in bullion prices, Gandhi added. The precious metal prices have added Rs 37,250 per 10 grams or 47.18 per cent in the current calendar year, climbing from Rs 78,950 per 10 grams on December 31, 2024. Meanwhile, silver prices skyrocketed by Rs 4,380 to hit an all-time high of Rs 136,380 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes) on Monday. The white metal had ended at Rs 132,000 per kg on Friday, as per the Association. So far in this year, silver prices have zoomed Rs 46,680 per kilogram or 52.04 per cent, rallying from Rs 89,700 per kg on December 31, 2024. On the global front, spot gold rose more than 1 per cent to hit a record peak of $3,728.43 per ounce. "Spot gold surged further to a fresh all-time high of $3,728 per ounce as investors await remarks from several Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) officials later in the day and Fed Chair Jerome Powell's key speech on Tuesday for additional policy guidance," said Kaynat Chainwala, AVP Commodity Research, Kotak Securities. Praveen Singh, Head of commodities and currencies at Mirae Asset ShareKhan, said, "Investors will closely monitor Fed Governor Stephen Miran's speech at the Economic Club of New York. US PMIs data report will be released on Tuesday which will provide further insights on the monetary policy outlook." Spot silver was trading 1.19 per cent higher at $43.61 per ounce. It hit an intra-day high of $43.80 per ounce. "Strong fundamentals supported silver prices, with tight supply helping maintain upward momentum. "On the demand side, robust consumption from the solar, electric vehicle, and electronics sectors provided additional support," said Jigar Trivedi, senior research analyst at Reliance Securities. Goldman Sachs is bullish about Indian aerospace and defence, preferring private companies over public sector units (PSUs) as the country ramps up its export target for the sector to Rs 50,000 crore by FY29 from Rs 23,600 crore last year. Image used for representative purpose only. Photograph: Courtesy, Bharat Electronics The American investment banks top buy recommendations include Solar Industries, Bharat Electronics, Data Patterns and PTC Industries, while Bharat Dynamics is rated sell. Nifty India Defence index has outperformed Nifty 50 by gaining nearly 23 per cent in calendar year 2025 (CY25), compared to the benchmark index rising 5 per cent. Bharat Electronics, Bharat Dynamics, Paras Defence and Astra Microwave are among top gainers by rallying up to 38 per cent in CY25, according to data from ACE Equity. Despite India being the world's fifth-largest spender on defence ($80 billion in FY25) and the second-largest importer of equipment (after Ukraine), markets have largely focused on PSUs, Goldman Sachs said. Private firms are better off than their PSU counterparts, amid a shifting spending landscape marked by the defence ministry recently releasing its Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR)-2025 and focus on new technologies like AI-enabled systems and electronic warfare, said analysts at Goldman Sachs in a report. Superior earnings per share growth (FY25-FY28 estimated) based on 32 per cent compound annual growth rate for private-sector players and 13 per cent for public-sector firms, and increased global defence spending are two other key reasons Goldman Sachs has placed private aerospace and defence companies ahead. "While Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) generally get an advance on orders from the government, resulting in a better cash position, private players usually have high working capital and execution uncertainty. "Furthermore, they have to invest constantly in business to pursue growth. That said, private defence players in India are better tied into global supply chains than DPSUs and have a better earnings trajectory. "It is important to think about balancing earnings growth with a superior cash position, the report said. Stock selection Key stocks benefit from three key themes: domestic defense total addressable market (TAM) increasing more than six-fold over the next 20 years to over Rs 10 trillion, indigenisation scope at the bottom of the technology pyramid, and higher defence export target. Solar Industries (36 per cent upside) and PTC Industries (58 per cent) are Goldman Sachs key buys among private companies. Solar Industries has a unique moat in high energetic materials, while PTC Industries is one of the worlds leading aerospace grade Ti and superalloy companies. We initiate Bharat Dynamics at sell, mainly on contracting margins and unattractive valuations versus earnings growth. "We also initiate Astra Microwave, Data Patterns, Azad Engineering, Bharat Electronics as 'buy'; Hindustan Aeronautics at neutral, wrote Goldman Sachs analysts Amit Dixit and Kumari Rishika in a recent note. The government shifting capital allocation from defence to other sectors, companies delaying product development, and global manufacturers picking other regions for sourcing are among the key risks to stock calls, Goldman Sachs said. Disclaimer: This article is meant for information purposes only. This article and information do not constitute a distribution, an endorsement, an investment advice, an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities/schemes or any other financial products/investment products mentioned in this article to influence the opinion or behaviour of the investors/recipients. Any use of the information/any investment and investment related decisions of the investors/recipients are at their sole discretion and risk. Any advice herein is made on a general basis and does not take into account the specific investment objectives of the specific person or group of persons. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. Google says its AI models are being used across sectors in India, from improving maternal health programmes and streamlining patient-care to supporting agri-tech solutions and advancing the country's sovereign AI efforts. Kindly note that this illustration generated using Microsoft Copilot has only been posted for representational purposes. Google launched open-source artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives on Thursday, targeting India's agriculture sector and cultural representation in AI models. The tech giant introduced its Agricultural Monitoring and Event Detection (AMED) Application Programming Interface (API), which tracks crop and field data across India to help developers create farming productivity tools. Researchers at Google DeepMind also partnered with IIT-Kharagpur through the company's Amplify Initiative to build datasets capturing India's linguistic and cultural diversity for integration into large language models (LLMs). These developments build on Google's sustained investments and commitment to AI research that assist real-world impact across critical areas while also supporting India's AI-focused ambition. "We've been inspired by the solutions India's innovators have unlocked with these capabilities, demonstrating AI to be a powerful catalyst for multiplier impact and unprecedented effectiveness," said Dr Manish Gupta, senior director for India and Asia Pacific at Google DeepMind, during a roundtable in Bengaluru. Google DeepMind and the Partnerships Innovation team have developed AMED API to improve agricultural monitoring across India. Building on the company's Agricultural Landscape Understanding (ALU) API, the new tool uses machine learning, crop labels, and satellite imagery to identify crop types, field sizes, and sowing and harvesting dates. It also offers three years of historical data to track agricultural activity at the field level. These insights aim to help develop AI-driven solutions that improve farm management. This is done by addressing crop-specific needs such as soil, water, growth patterns, and climate while also forecasting harvest volumes. Agriculture and Sustainability Research Lead of Google DeepMind Alok Talekar said the firm is working on accelerating crucial shifts, transforming broad insights to granular, real-time data. "So that increasingly impactful solutions not only translate into benefits for India's farmers, but also bolster the nation against rising climate risks," said Talekar. TerraStack, a startup incubated at IIT-Bombay, has used ALU API to build a rural land intelligence system. The aim is to support rural lending, land record modernisation, and determine the vulnerability of farms to climate risk. It is exploring AMED API for a rural-lending use case. "These APIs are helping standardise and transform previously unorganised and unusable data into solutions for one of India's most critical sectors," said Aaryan Dangi, co-founder and CEO, TerraStack. Linguistic diversity Google's Amplify Initiative seeks to improve LLMs by incorporating localised data -- including regional languages, dialects, and cultural nuances -- missing from current AI training. Partnering with IIT-Kharagpur, the project will develop high-quality, hyperlocal datasets capturing India's linguistic diversity. The open-source datasets aim to help developers create AI tools that better serve Indian language users. Data collection follows a community-driven, expert-vetted process to ensure responsible handling and reduce bias. After a pilot in Sub-Saharan Africa, producing 8,000 annotated queries across seven languages, the India phase will focus on healthcare and safety topics in multiple Indic languages. "We are meticulously building the rich, hyperlocal context and cultural understanding that transforms raw information into profound knowledge," said Madhurima Maji, lead program manager for India at Google Amplify Initiative. Dr Mainack Mandal, assistant professor, IIT-Kharagpur, said the collaboration opens a new chapter in global AI development. The Amplify Initiative builds on Google's broader push to improve Indian language and cultural representation in AI, alongside its flagship Project Vaani. Developed with the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Project Vaani has released its second-phase Indic speech data through Bhashini and Hugging Face. So far, the initiative has contributed nearly 21,500 hours of speech audio, and 835 hours of transcribed data across 86 languages, collected from over 112,000 speakers in 120 districts. The open-source data aims to support AI tools tailored for India's linguistic diversity. "This support fuels our continued investments in language and culture research, and drives us to make our foundational models, on which India is building its AI ambition, more effective and efficient in processing Indian languages," said Dr Partha Talukdar, language research lead, Google DeepMind. Google said its AI models are being used across sectors in India, from improving maternal health programmes and streamlining patient-care to supporting agri-tech solutions and advancing the country's sovereign AI efforts. The AlphaFold Protein Structure Database -- developed by Google DeepMind and now used by over 150,000 researchers in India -- is aiding work on complex diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders. Google said, with a focus on collaboration and ecosystem-driven innovation, it aims to drive broad, real-world impact through AI in India. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff The government is working to make India's automobile industry number one in the world within five years, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday. Photograph: Reuters Inaugurating the 'International Value Summit 2025', Gadkari said the automobile sector pays maximum GST revenue to the government and generates employment opportunities. "Within five years, our target is to make India's automobile industry the number 1 in the world," the road transport and highways minister said. Gadkari pointed out that all big automobile companies are present in the country. "When I took charge as transport minister, the size of the Indian automobile industry was Rs 14 lakh crore. "The size of Indian automobile industry now is Rs 22 lakh crore," Gadkari said. Presently, the size of the US automobile industry is Rs 78 lakh crore, followed by China (Rs 47 lakh crore) and India (Rs 22 lakh crore). The minister said India is the fastest-growing economy in the world and the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to make India the third-largest economy. "We need to develop good infrastructure for achieving this target," he said. Referring to the quality of highways construction, Gadkari said quality of detailed project reports (DPRs) made in India are not good. A DPR, which includes surveys, investigations and designs, is essential to the project implementation process. Talking about ethanol economy, Gadkari said farmers should not only be recognised as 'annadata' or food producers, but also as 'urjadata', or energy producers. He expressed confidence that India's cost of logistics would come down to 9 per cent by the end of December. "Until recently, logistics cost in India was about 16 per cent of the GDP. But according to a latest joint IIM-IIT survey, we have brought this down to 10 per cent. "That is a major milestone and we're aiming for single digits soon," Gadkari said. According to him, logistics cost in China's is 8 per cent, while that of Europe and America is 12 per cent. On clean mobility, the minister highlighted India's leadership in electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel, and alternative fuels. "We have already launched hydrogen trucks, and pilot projects are underway across ten routes. "Our aim is to lead the world in green mobility," he stated. With support from companies such as Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Reliance, and Indian Oil, Gadkari said the government has provided Rs 600 crore in grants to fast-track hydrogen infrastructure. He also noted advancements in new fuel options like isobutanol and bio-bitumen, which are currently under active trials. Gadkari noted that sustainability remained a central theme of the address. "We are converting waste into wealth. Over 80 lakh tonnes of waste from Ghazipur landfill have been used in road construction. "We have reduced the height of the mountain by seven metres already," the minister said. He pointed to successful trials of bio-bitumen made from rice straw, which has shown better performance than petroleum-based bitumen and helps reduce stubble burning. Gadkari also called for global partnerships in key innovation areas, including precast road construction, tunnel engineering, hydrogen transport systems, and circular economy solutions. "We do not have a resource problem. Our roads are monetised, and our revenue is strong. "What we need is your innovation, your technology, and your cooperation," he urged international delegates. The government is likely to give a subsidy of Rs 30,000-35,000 crore to state-run oil companies - Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) - to compensate for losses incurred from selling LPG at below cost over the past 15 months, according to a senior official. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters The finance ministry is working out the exact under-recovery or loss incurred and the mechanism to compensate it, he said. In the Union Budget for 2025-26 fiscal (April 2025 to March 2026) presented on February 1, the government has made no provision to compensate for the under-recoveries. However, in April, the government raised excise duty on petrol and diesel to garner additional Rs 32,000 crore in revenues. This additional revenue is what the finance ministry may use to compensate for LPG under-recoveries. "Oil marketing companies (OMCs) are part of the Government family. Compensation will happen. "We are evaluating how much is under recovery and looking at the modalities for compensating them," the official said. Prices of domestic LPG are regulated by the government to insulate domestic households from high market rates. Regulated prices are lower than the Saudi CP - the international benchmark used to price domestic LPG. This is because domestic LPG production is not sufficient to meet the local demand and the fuel has to be imported. This leads to under-recoveries and consequent losses to the fuel retailers. The total under-recovery on LPG sales for the industry in the 2024-25 fiscal year is estimated at about Rs 40,500 crore. Alongside the excise duty hike, retail LPG rates too were hiked by Rs 50 per 14.2-kg cylinder. This helped narrow the gap between the cost and the retail selling price, reducing the under-recoveries in the current fiscal. Previously, the government was toying with the idea of providing Rs 35,000 crore in LPG subsidy in total spread over two financial years. The official further said that they are evaluating the modalities of how the collections from the recent excise duty hike are to be routed into the compensation amount. Asked if the compensation to OMCs would be routed through the consolidated fund of India, the official said, Yes, broadly on those lines." Once the proposal is firmed up, it would be placed before the Cabinet for approval. The government, from time to time, compensates IOC, BPCL and HPCL for these losses. The three were previously paid Rs 22,000 crore compensation for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 fiscal years. This was against Rs 28,249 crore of under-recovery. The official added that once the funds are released to the oil marketing companies, it will be the prerogative of them on how they want to deploy the funds, including in capex. AMMAN/JERUSALEM, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli authorities on Tuesday demolished several buildings within the East Jerusalem compound of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), an action that drew immediate and sharp condemnation from the UN body. In a post on social media platform X, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini described the move as "an unprecedented attack against a United Nations agency and its premises" and "a new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law." Lazzarini warned that it set a dangerous precedent for the safety of all international organizations. Meanwhile, the Israel Land Authority said the demolition was an enforcement action against "illegal" structures, carried out in line with Israeli planning and construction laws. It also released a photo showing the Israeli national flag placed atop a building. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the compound "does not enjoy any immunity" and that the action complied with the law. According to the Times of Israel, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, was present at the scene, hailing the day as "an important day for sovereignty in Jerusalem." Israel considers all of Jerusalem its capital, a claim not recognized internationally, while the UN regards East Jerusalem as occupied territory. Israeli officials have long accused UNRWA of employing Hamas members, which the agency denies. In October 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law banning UNRWA, which provides desperately-needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and other areas, from operating in areas under Israeli jurisdiction, and prohibiting Israeli authorities from maintaining contact or cooperation with the agency, a move UNRWA and international bodies say violates international law. Israel then amended the law in December 2025 to ban electricity or water to UNRWA facilities. Last month, Israeli authorities seized UNRWA's offices in East Jerusalem. 'Our endeavour will be that we identify these products, put them in the public domain so that the manufacturers can look at them and give a boost to Make in India.' Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff To make India more self-reliant, the Department of Commerce is identifying as many as 100 products, where import dependency can be reduced and domestic capabilities can be enhanced. "We are identifying 100 products, where we have huge imports, but at the same time we have some domestic capacities," Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said on Monday. "Those imports can be replaced by domestic capacities by improving utilisation of those products. That will be a step towards being Aatmanirbhar." "Our endeavour will be that we identify these products, put them in the public domain so that the manufacturers can look at them and give a boost to Make in India," Barthwal told reporters. The list will be out in the public domain by month-end or in October, he said. It will include items across categories such as engineering goods, chemicals, plastics and pharmaceuticals, among others. As a part of a preliminary assessment, the department has identified products that can be easily replaced through Swadeshi or Aatmanirbharta, Barthwal said. A detailed exercise will involve deliberations with various government departments and consultations with industry, he added. The exercise comes in the backdrop of reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods levied by the US and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push to promote Swadeshi products. India-EU talks Commerce department Special Secretary L Satya Srinivas said the 13th round of negotiations for the free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union was held from September 8 to 12. And, 'significant convergence' was achieved in many areas during the round. "In this round, we brought quite a few chapters to substantial closure -- they were not closed as such, but significant progress has been made," Srinivas told reporters. Both sides, he added, aim to conclude the negotiations at the earliest -- by the end of this year. The 14th round is scheduled in Brussels from October 6 to 10. Earlier this month, many high-level engagements, including at the level of commerce secretary and commerce and industry minister, took place. The EU trade commissioner and EU commissioner for agriculture and food visited India during September 11-12. They held meetings with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff State-owned banks have received guidance from the government to close Jan Dhan accounts whose beneficiaries are unwilling to keep them active, amid rising instances of such accounts being misused by fraudsters as mule accounts to defraud people, people aware of the development said. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff If they are not being used, the guidance is not to insist on keeping them open, as they could be misused, said a source familiar with the development. That said, banks are following the due process to reactivate inoperative accounts by initiating re-KYC procedures. However, if beneficiaries are unwilling to keep the accounts active, such accounts are being closed by the banks. A bank account is classified as inoperative if there are no customer-induced transactions for a continuous period of 24 months. According to a senior banker at a state-owned bank, mostly the inoperative Jan Dhan accounts are from the rural parts of the country. All the banks are trying to address it and trying to get the re-KYC done to make it operative. "Otherwise, if the depositors are not wanting to use those accounts, such accounts are also being closed," he said. The concern arises from the increasing misuse of some Jan Dhan accounts by fraudsters as mule accounts to carry out cyber fraud. In recent years, such instances have risen significantly, prompting the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to launch the Mule Hunter initiative to trace and track these accounts. Developed by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub is an AI/ML-based model, that is designed to help banks identify and trace mule accountsbank accounts that are used by cybercriminals to route or launder money obtained through fraud. We have observed that some of these Jan Dhan accounts are being used as mule accounts for cyber frauds. "We have been very cognizant of this issue. The RBI has launched 'Mule Hunter', which helps trace such accounts within banks. "In Bank of India alone, over the last six months, Rs 147 crore of depositors' money has been affected, said Rajneesh Karnatak, MD&CEO, Bank of India, at an event on Friday in Mumbai. According to RBI data, there were 13,516 frauds in the digital payments category in FY25, the most in banking. Such frauds comprised 56.5 per cent of total cases and involved Rs 520 crore. Further the central bank has observed that frauds mostly occurred in digital payments (card/internet) in terms of number and primarily in the loan portfolio (advances) in terms of value. Card/internet fraud comprised the largest number of cases reported by private-sector banks. Multiple accounts were mostly opened in 2014-15 under the wrong notion that more accounts would bring more benefit as part of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme. "Now DBT has stabilized giving clear assessment about which accounts receive benefits. "The other accounts remain inoperative, exposing them to risks of misuse like cyber fraud or money laundering, said a senior State Bank of India (SBI) executive, on the condition of anonymity. After 10 years of operations, the accounts under Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) are up for re- KYC. "The task of re-KYC is huge given crores of accounts. "The inoperative accounts will have to be ring-faced and ideally closed, he said, adding that the closing of such accounts is a sensitive matter as they are under PMJDY. Any direct decision by banks to close accounts can lead to complications, especially if the impact on beneficiaries is overlooked. The way forward is for the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Finance to take the lead in deciding on the closure of inoperative Jan Dhan accounts. The re-KYC exercise is expected to be time-consuming due to the sheer volume of accounts and the direct responsibility of banks for completing KYC. Therefore, there is a need for an additional 1.5 years to complete the re-KYC process for Jan Dhan accounts. The RBI should take this concern into consideration, he further added. Under the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) a national mission for financial inclusion to ensure access to financial services a basic savings bank deposit (BSBD) account was opened in any bank branch or Business Correspondent (Bank Mitra) outlet, by persons not having any other account. As of June 25, 557 million accounts have been opened under the PMJDY scheme. These accounts collectively have Rs 2.60 trillion in deposits. Of the 557 million accounts, 310.6 million accounts belong to female beneficiaries. Over 370 million accounts of the total accounts opened are in rural and semi urban bank branches while 185.3 million branches are in urban metro center branches. Business Standard reported in January 2025 that more than one in every five accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) had turned inoperative by December 2024. Inoperative Jan Dhan accounts rose from 19 per cent of total accounts in March 2024 to 21 per cent in December that year. Gross GST collection increased 7.5 per cent to about Rs 1.96 lakh crore in July on higher domestic revenues and taxes from imports. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) mop-up was Rs 1.82 lakh crore in July 2024. Last month, the collection was Rs 1.84 lakh crore. The gross domestic revenue grew 6.7 per cent to Rs 1.43 lakh crore, while tax from imports rose 9.5 per cent to Rs 52,712 crore. GST Refunds shot up 66.8 per cent year-on-year to Rs 27,147 crore. The net GST revenue stood at Rs 1.69 lakh crore in July 2025, recording a 1.7 per cent year-on-year growth. EY India Tax Partner Saurabh Agarwal said that despite some global pressures and temporary dips, the overall trend shows a stable consumption pattern and consistent growth trajectory of the economy. "The government's timely refund process is also a great help to businesses, ensuring they have the working capital they need," Agarwal added. Deloitte India Partner MS Mani said that in July, domestic refunds have more than doubled compared to the same month last year, and during the current year, refunds have increased by 46 per cent. "The growth in state revenues amongst large producing and consuming states has been very low, ranging from 2 per cent (Delhi), 3 per cent (Gujarat), 4 per cent (Rajasthan), 6 per cent (Maharashtra), 7 per cent (Karnataka) and 8 per cent (Tamil Nadu). "There are a few bright spots in terms of Punjab and Haryana, West Bengal (12 per cent), AP (14 per cent) and MP (18 per cent)," Mani said. Price Waterhouse & Co LLP Partner Pratik Jain said that after a tepid growth in the previous month as well, the GST Council may like to discuss the possible measures to augment the revenues in the next meeting. "With compensation cess going away, the states may also be a bit more concerned about the slowdown in GST collections," Jain added. Auto stocks surged on Thursday morning trade, with Mahindra & Mahindra climbing nearly 8 per cent, as small cars and entry-level bikes are set to get cheaper with the GST Council approving a complete overhaul of the tangled Goods and Services Tax regime. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh "Given the wide-ranging effect of the measures, many domestic-focused stocks are likely to benefit. "Some of the key names include: Maruti, M&M, Ashok Leyland, Britannia, Ultratech, JK Cement, Havells, Voltas, Amber, Metro, Trent, LemonTree, Indian Hotels, Niva Bupa, HDFC Life, IGL, Acme Solar, Suzlon, Swiggy, Delhivery, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finance, Shriram Finance," according to a report by Motilal Oswal Financial Services. The GST Council approved limiting slabs to 5 per cent and 18 per cent effective from September 22, the first day of Navaratri. Petrol, LPG and CNG vehicles of less than 1,200 cc and not more than 4,000 mm length and diesel vehicles of up to 1,500 cc and 4,000 mm length would move to the 18 per cent rate from the current 28 per cent. Motorcycles up to 350 cc would be taxed at a lower GST of 18 per cent against 28 per cent currently. All automobiles above 1,200 cc and longer than 4,000 mm as well as motorcycles above 350 cc and racing cars will be charged with a 40 per cent levy. Small hybrid cars will also benefit, while EVs will continue to be charged at 5 per cent. Some of the key sectors that could be key beneficiaries are: insurance, consumer durable, building materials, automobiles, retail, cement, FMCG, and real estate. Mother Dairy Mother Dairy on Thursday said it will pass on the benefits of the reduction in GST on a wide range of products to consumers. Mother Dairy is one of the leading dairy firms in the country. It clocked a turnover of Rs 17,500 crore in the last fiscal year. Reacting to the decision of the GST Council, Manish Bandlish, Managing Director of Mother Dairy, said, " We commend the Union Government's decision to reduce GST rates on a wider range of dairy products, including paneer, cheese, ghee, butter, UHT milk, milk-based beverages, and ice creams." The move would significantly boost the affordability and accessibility of value-added dairy products for consumers. "This is a particularly big boost for packaged categories, which are fast-growing favourites in Indian homes and will see stronger demand momentum going forward," Bandlish said. Mother Dairy is committed to ensuring that the advantages of this reform are effectively passed on to the consumers, he assured. "By lowering the tax slabs, the move will encourage wider adoption of packaged, value-added dairy products, strengthen consumer preference for safe and quality offerings, and enable more families to enjoy wholesome dairy goodness at better value," Bandlish said. The reduction in GST rates for a wide range of dairy products would create stronger market opportunities for farmers. Insurance Announcing the outcome of 56th GST Council meeting, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said all individual life insurance policies, whether term life, ULIP or endowment policies and subsequent reinsurance are exempt from GST. In morning trade, shares of Star Health and Allied Insurance Company skyrocketed 9.35 per cent, Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company zoomed 9 per cent, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company jumped 5.70 per cent, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company rallied 5 per cent, Life Insurance Corporation of India climbed 5 per cent, HDFC Life Insurance Company went up 4.90 per cent and SBI Life Insurance Company surged 4.88 per cent on the BSE. "While the direct beneficiaries include consumer, auto, cement, healthcare and insurance sectors, the second order beneficiaries in terms of growth will be retail banks & NBFCs," Rahul Singh, CIO-Equities, Tata Asset Management, said. All individual health insurance policies, including family floater policies and policies for senior citizens and reinsurance thereof will also be exempt from GST, she said. Since its inception in July 2017, GST at the rate of 18 per cent is levied on premium paid towards health insurance and life insurance. "We will make sure that companies pass on GST rate reduction and make insurance affordable for the common man and increase the insurance coverage in the country," she said. "Some of the key sectors that stand to benefit from this are insurance, FMCG, automobiles, agriculture equipment, cement, consumer durables, apparel, footwear, QSR, and retail," Pranav Haridasan, MD and CEO, Axis Securities, said. Salon, gym, yoga centre services to get cheaper Salon and fitness bills are likely to get cheaper as the GST rate on beauty and physical well-being services, including those at health clubs, salons, barbers, fitness centres, yoga, etc, has been slashed from 18 per cent with Input Tax Credit (ITC), to 5 per cent without tax credit. Also, daily use products like hair oil, toilet soap bars, shampoos, toothbrushes, toothpaste, too, are likely to get cheaper as taxes on them have been cut to 5 per cent from 12/18 per cent currently. The new Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate will be effective from September 22. As part of the rate rationalisation exercise at the 56th meeting of the GST Council, the Centre and states consented to reduce GST from 18 per cent to 5 per cent on beauty and physical well-being services used by the common man, including services of gyms, salons, barbers, yoga centres, etc. Other daily use items like talcum powder, face powder, shaving cream and aftershave lotion, too, could see the reduction in prices as GST has come down to 5 per cent from 18 per cent. Issuing a set of FAQs, the finance ministry said the GST rate rationalisation is "intended to lower the monthly expenditure for the lower middle class and the poorer sections of society" and hence, even though toilet soap bar has been slashed to 5 per cent, liquid soaps have been retained at 18 per cent. To a question on the reason for reducing GST on face powder and shampoos and whether this will benefit MNCs and luxury brands, the ministry said these goods are daily-use items for almost all segments of the population. "Although expensive face powder and shampoos sold by MNCs or luxury brands will also benefit, the objective of the rate rationalisation exercise is to further simplify the tax structure. "Administering a tax based on brand or value of cosmetics will create complexity in the tax structure, besides posing challenges for administration," the ministry added. Similarly, GST has not been reduced on mouthwash, but the tax rate on toothpaste, toothbrush and dental floss has been cut to 5 per cent as these are "in the nature of basic dental hygiene goods". AMRG & Associates Senior Partner Rajat Mohan said by including health clubs, salons, barbers, fitness centres, and yoga under this concessional bracket of 5 per cent, the government has attempted to reposition personal care and wellness as accessible essentials rather than luxuries. "From a consumer's perspective, this should bring down costs and expand access to wellness services," he said. Explaining further, Mohan said a critical issue in this rationalisation is that the new rate comes without ITC. For service providers with substantial input costs on rent, consultation, consumables, and infrastructure, this means that taxes paid on inputs will no longer be creditable. This could neutralise part of the consumer benefit, as providers may still embed these costs into their pricing structures, he said. "This reform is emblematic of a broader 'reboot mode' for the GST economy, a sweeping simplification intended to reset the tax landscape. Yet, whether the intended benefits fully materialise remains uncertain. Much will depend on whether industry players actually pass on the reduced tax burden to customers. In the absence of the Anti-Profiteering Authority, ensuring that rate reductions translate into real consumer savings may prove challenging," Mohan said. The appliance makers expect a good churn in the festive season, led by the government's proposal to reduce the GST slab on air-conditioners from the current 28 per cent to 18 per cent, which will reduce the price from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 depending on the models. Kindly note the image has only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Joseph Mucira/Pixabay Moreover, this reduction in price, which has come after the government's recent Income tax cut and repo rate revision, will not only help in increasing penetration of ACs but also premiumisation, where people will buy energy-efficient models due to cost advantages. Besides, this will also help to bring the GST slabs on TV screens above 32 inches from the current 28 per cent to 18 per cent. Terming it as a "great move", Blue Star managing director B Thiagarajan has asked the government to implement the changes quickly as people have put their purchase of room air conditioners on hold. "Nobody will buy RAC (room ACs) now in August, will wait till September or October 1. "So, in between what will happen in between. "The dealers will not buy and customers will not buy Thiagarajan told PTI. On being asked about the price benefit to the customer, he said, "This will be around 10 per cent", as the GST is levied on the final pricing. Panasonic Life Solutions India chairman Manish Sharma said the industry was expecting around 12 per cent GST on energy-efficient products and rest in the 18 per cent bracket. However, "in a situation where GST on ACs and other appliances are reduced from 28 to 18 per cent, there will be a straight 6 to 7 per cent odd price reduction in the market, because normally GST is charged on the base price. So, this is phenomenal," he said. This will result in reduction of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 depending on the end consumer prices of an AC, depending on the models, he said. Similarly, Godrej Appliances said the proposed reduction in tax slabs will significantly help to boost consumption and drive appliances demand. "The AC penetration level in India is still low at 9 to 10 per cent. "Therefore, GST reduction from 28 to 18 per cent on ACs can help to make it more affordable to the masses and improve the quality of life for many Indians," said Kamal Nandi, business head & EVP, appliances business at Godrej Enterprises Group. According to Nandi, currently room ACs are taxed at 28 per cent, and other appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, microwaves already have 18 per cent GST. Avneet Singh Marwah, CEO of Super Plastronics Pvt Ltd (SPPL), a TV manufacturing company having licenses of several global brands, said this will increase consumerism in the domestic market and boost sales in the festive season. "Brand can witness 20 per cent year-on-year (growth), this is a great comeback for AC and Smart TV above 32 inches, both of which were under 28 per cent tax lab, he said. However, he also suggested that the government should seriously consider bringing 32 inches smart TV under 5 per cent, which will be a game changer as 38 per cent in this segment is coming from the unorganised sector. Unseasonal rains, early arrival of monsoon have impacted up to 34 per cent of the segment revenue of listed entities in the June quarter, which operated in the room-air conditioning (RAC) business. Listed players including Voltas, Blue Star and Havells, have reported a decline between 13 per cent to 34 per cent in their segment revenue, in the housing RAC business in the latest June quarter, creating a short-term pressure on their topline and margins also. Opposition-ruled states warn of steep annual losses; Centre assures higher consumption will offset revenue hit. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff State chief ministers and finance ministers, especially those belonging to the INDIA bloc, have flagged the revenue loss that their governments are set to incur because of rationalisation in goods and services tax (GST) rates. CMs and finance ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance have refrained from expressing their views on the subject publicly, but have shared their apprehensions on potential revenue loss with the Centre, sources told Business Standard. Eight ministers in states run by parties other than the BJP met in Delhi on August 29, and again over breakfast before the GST Council meeting. Jharkhand's Radha Krishna Kishore estimates a revenue loss of Rs 2,000 crore per year for his state. Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal has said his state could face an annual loss of Rs 8,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore. Himachal Pradesh's Harshwardhan Chauhan's estimate is that the hill state could lose Rs 1,000 crore annually. Amit Mitra, principal chief advisor to the West Bengal chief minister, told Business Standard: "The manner in which this reform has been pushed through raises questions on federalism." Mitra, finance minister in West Bengal from 2011 to 2021, said: "At the GST Council meeting, 11 ministers wanted a discussion on revenue loss. But their voices were muffled." "A loss to the states would undermine the fundamentals for people -- from health and education to women's empowerment, whereas the super-rich benefit from a reduction in effective taxation on luxury cars like BMW and Mercedes once the cess is removed," Mitra said. Luxury cars were taxed at 50 per cent, including cess. Now, they will be taxed 40 per cent. Mitra said "reform was done in haste to take credit before the festival season. A good number of inputs even for everyday items like soap and shampoo come under the 18 per cent slab even though the GST rate of the finished product is at 5 per cent." Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu has stressed revenue loss for states as has Punjab. The Karnataka government estimates a revenue loss of Rs 15,000 crore annually and Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has put the figure for his state at more than Rs 4,000 crore annually. Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has written to the finance ministers of all states, expressing gratitude for their support and role in helping implement the landmark overhaul of the GST rates. In an interview with the Press Trust of India, Sitharaman said states expressed their views on the proposal to rejig tax rates but ultimately agreed that it was for the benefit of the people, an argument that helped reach a unanimous decision at the GST Council meeting on September 3. She said states were always in favour of rate reduction and their only concern was revenue implications after tax cuts. "I even appealed to them, saying, for the sake of the people of India, Please. It's not just the states. It's even the Centre that is going to get affected by the reduction. But we'll make up for it because once the rates come down, people are going to come out to buy, and that will take care of it (revenue impact)," Sitharaman said. "That's how a consensus was arrived at." Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff The GoM of state ministers on GST rate rationalisation on Thursday accepted the Centre's proposal to move to a two-slab structure of 5 and 18 per cent. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and convenor of rate rationalisation GoM Samrat Choudhary said the six-member state ministerial panel has also accepted the proposal of removing the 12 and 28 per cent slabs. "Both the proposals of the Centre have been accepted by the GoM on rate rationalisation," Choudhary told reporters after the meeting of the panel. Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the Centre's proposal also includes levying 40 per cent tax on ultra luxury and sin goods. West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said her state has proposed a levy on top of the 40 per cent GST rate so that the current tax incidence on ultra luxury goods, like cars, and sin goods, is maintained. Bhattacharya said the Centre's proposal did not mention the revenue loss that would accrue to the Centre and states after the implementation of the new GST slabs. At present, Goods and Services Tax is a 4-tier structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. While food items are either taxed at 0 or 5 per cent, luxury and sin goods are taxed at 28 per cent. On top of the 28 per cent slab, cess at varied rates is levied on demerit and luxury goods, like cars. Banks are receiving requests for cancellation of approved car loans, in view of the implementation of GST rate cut, which will lower the price of passenger vehicles and also lead to subsequent reduction in the amount needed to purchase them. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh It is to be noted that the 56th GST Council meeting earlier this month, approved substantial reduction in the GST rate for cars for up to 1,200 cc to 18 per cent from the existing 28 per cent. Nearly 400 products - from soaps to cars, shampoos to tractors and air conditioners - will cost less when the rejig of the GST is effective from the first day of Navaratri on September 22. In a run up to September 22, some of the customers who had their car loan approved, are now contacting the concerned branch for cancellation, as they want to purchase after the GST cuts are implemented, a senior official of a public sector bank said. The official further said since the cancellation charges are very low compared to the benefit that they will get after September 22, borrowers are opting for a fresh loan process once the rate cuts kick in. It is to be noted that many banks have waived-off their processing charges on vehicle and home loans to attract customers during the monsoon period. According to a senior official of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the old GST rate would be applicable on cars if the invoice has been issued to customers by the car dealer. Customers can avail new GST rate, if the invoice has not been issued by a car dealer. Another official said there has been a delay in offtake, as borrowers are now waiting for the rate-cut and also due to Shradha period which is till September 21. Some of the customers are now opting for the better version of the car under the 1,300 cc category, as they are getting a 10 per cent benefit, the officer added. Meanwhile, an estimated Rs 2,500 crore accumulated compensation cess on the books of auto companies will lapse on September 22, when the new GST rates come into effect. Currently, automobiles are subject to GST at 28 per cent, which is the highest slab, and on top of it, a compensation cess ranging from 1 per cent to 22 per cent is levied, depending on the type of vehicle. The total tax incidence on cars, depending on engine capacity and length, ranges from 29 per cent for small petrol cars to 50 per cent for SUVs. Effective September 22, petrol and diesel cars with engine capacities of up to 1,200 cc and 1,500 cc will attract 18 per cent GST, while those above that will attract the highest 40 per cent. Compensation cess on automobiles will cease to exist effective September 22. CBIC Chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said industry concerns about the accumulation of cess have been raised in various representations. "Compensation cess was imposed for a particular purpose... Once the levy is gone, whatever credit is lying, it will remain lying in their books," Agarwal had said last week. Indian government's decision to cut GST rates on various products will increase purchasing power of consumers and boost demand for residential properties in the upcoming festive season, according to realtors' body CREDAI. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff The association, which has a 13,000 members from across India, said the construction cost is expected to come down because of reduction in GST rates on cement and few other building materials. The association, which is organising its annual event CREDAI-NATCON here, asserted that the benefit of GST rationalisation would be passed on to customers, provided cement companies and other manufacturers of building materials bring down their rates. New GST rates are applicable from September 22. Addressing a press conference on late Thursday, CREDAI Chairman Boman Irani said, "GST rationalisation has generated feel good factor among people. "There is a positive sentiment among consumers, which is a good sign ahead of festival season." CREDAI president Shekhar Patel said the reduction in GST rates, coupled with tax incentives in Budget 2025 and reduction in repo rates by the RBI, would give a huge filip to housing demand. He said the housing sales in the first six months of 2025 rose in value terms but there was a decline in terms of number of units sold. Patel, however, said the strong economic growth in the June quarter of this fiscal and other policy initiatives would enhance housing demand in the coming months. The president reiterated the industry's long pending demand that the price cap of Rs 45 lakh in the definition of affordable housing should be raised in line with market realities. The GST on affordable housing is only 1 per cent, while the properties above Rs 45 lakh attracts 5 per cent GST. Patel also pointed out that there is a total 35-45 per cent taxes on real estate sector from both Centre and state governments and said there is a need to reduce this burden. "If the taxes are reduced, the selling price of properties will come down," he said. More than 1,000 members from different states in India is attending this conference. Nasscom on Monday said the US clarification that the H-1B visa fee hike will not affect current visa holders and will apply as a one-time fee only to fresh petitions has helped address the immediate ambiguity surrounding eligibility and timelines. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters It alleviates concerns about business continuity and uncertainty for H-1B holders who were outside the US. Further, Indian and India-centric companies operating in the US have significantly reduced their dependencies on H-1B visas and are increasing local hiring, it said, adding that given this, "we anticipate only a marginal impact for the sector". "Moreover, with the fee being applicable from 2026 onward, it gives companies time to further step up skilling programs in the US and enhance local hiring," the apex industry body said. The industry is spending over $1 billion on local upskilling and hiring in the US, and the number of local hires has increased tremendously. "The clarification makes clear that the measure will not affect current visa holders and will apply as a one-time fee only to fresh petitions. "This has helped address the immediate ambiguity surrounding eligibility & timelines," it said. Over the years, Indian and India-centric companies operating in the US have significantly reduced their dependencies on H-1B visas and steadily increased their local hiring. According to available data, the number of H-1B visas issued to leading Indian and India-centric companies has decreased from 14,792 in 2015, to 10,162 in 2024. H-1B workers for the top 10 Indian and India-centric companies are less than 1 per cent of their entire employee base. "Given this trajectory, we anticipate only a marginal impact for the sector," it said. H-1B is high-skilled worker mobility and a non-immigrant visa that bridges the critical skills gap in the US. Salaries are at par with local hires. According to Nasscom, H-1B workers are a mere decimal point of the overall US workforce. "Nasscom has consistently advocated for predictable and stable skilled talent mobility frameworks, which are critical for sustaining national competitiveness and have long fuelled US innovation and economic growth. "Skilled talent mobility will be central to enabling businesses to make forward-looking investment decisions, accelerate research, and strengthen nations' position in the global innovation economy," it added. The Indian IT industry exhaled a sign of relief on Sunday after the US Government clarified that the H-1B visa application fee increase to $100,000 applies only to new applicants and does not affect existing visa holders or renewals. The H-1B visa fee ranges from about $2000 to $5000, depending on employer size and other costs. While some industry experts noted that they foresee no immediate adverse impact over the next 6-12 months as the hike takes effect only in the upcoming application cycle, others cautioned that the delay notwithstanding, there could be a deferred impact requiring reassessment eventually of business strategies by IT companies, if the rule stays. White House officials' clarification came with a lag of a few hours after President Donald Trump signed the proclamation raising the application fee on the visas used by companies to hire workers, including from India, to live and work in the US. In its immediate aftermath, the proclamation set off a frenzied response among companies as well as H-1B holders travelling outside the US, about the deadline of September 21, leading to scenes of chaos at some airports. Social media on Saturday was flooded with dramatic videos of Indian techies hurriedly disembarking from aircraft moments after the sudden announcement by the US administration. Several X users penned posts about flight delays as H-1B workers, anxious about US re-entry challenges, chose not to leave the US even after boarding their flight; there were those who, worried over field interpretations of the order, changed plans en route to India, where they typically head this time of the year for Navratri festivities. Notably, Indian tech professionals account for the bulk of H-1Bs, over 70 per cent plus. According to the USCIS website, for fiscal year 2025 (data as of June 30, 2025), Amazon topped the list of H-1B visa approvals at 10,044. In that list of top ten beneficiaries, TCS (5505) is at the second spot, followed by Microsoft Corp (5189), Meta (5123), Apple (4202), Google (4181), Cognizant (2493), JP Morgan Chase (2440), Walmart (2390) and Deloitte Consulting (2353). The top 20 list includes Infosys (2004), LTIMindtree (1807), and HCL America (1728). The Congressional-mandated pool is 65,000 such visas every year, along with an additional 20,000 visas reserved for those who have earned advanced degrees in the US. MOSCOW, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. attack on Venezuela constituted a "gross armed incursion" that left dozens dead and injured, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at his annual press conference on Tuesday. "I have already mentioned how tumultuously this year began. We witnessed unprecedented events, a gross armed incursion by the United States into Venezuela that left dozens dead and injured, as well as the seizure and deportation of the country's legitimate president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife," he said. Lavrov also noted that the United States had issued threats against Cuba and other Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as threats to destabilize Iran. 'I expect IT stocks to trade lower for some time. They are unlikely to make money for investors.' Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy cytis/Pixabay.com Stocks of information technology companies are likely to see a knee-jerk reaction on Monday after US President Donald Trump imposed a higher $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas as a one-time payment. "IT stocks are likely to see a knee-jerk reaction on Monday with individual stocks slipping between 3 and 5 per cent depending on the dependence on the H-1B visa," said G Chokkalingam, founder and head of research at Equinomics Research. "I expect IT stocks to trade lower for some time. They are unlikely to make money for investors. The tide can turn in case there is a rethink on the H-1B visas and the trade negotiations between India and the US reach a viable solution," said Chokkalingam added. Thus far in calendar year 2025 (CY25), most IT stocks have underperformed. The Nifty IT index has slipped around 16 per cent as compared to a rise of around 7.1 per cent in the Nifty 50 during this period, ACE Equity data shows. Oracle Financial Services Software, HCL Technologies, TCS and Infosys have been the biggest losers in CY25 at the bourses, slipping up to 29.4 per cent, data shows. Only Mphasis, with a rise of 5.1 per cent in CY25, has bucked the trend. Clarification from the US authorities that H-1B petitions filed before the effective proclamation date of September 21 will not be affected, and those who are currently outside the US but hold the H-1B visa also do not need to pay the fee for re-entering the country comes as a relief for companies, according to Ambareesh Baliga, an independent market analyst. This, he believes, will give them time to rethink their strategy on how and where to place their workforce. "IT stocks will slip, but I don't expect the fall to be too steep. Clarification from the US comes as a silver lining, which gives companies time to work on alternatives," Baliga said. "For instance, they can base employees in Canada or Mexico as well. Buy for the long-term if these stocks see a sharp fall of around 20 per cent in the next few weeks; else avoid if the fall is around 3 5 per cent," Baliga added. Another silver lining, analysts said, is the falling dependence on the H-1B visa in the last few years. Over the last decade, Indian IT vendors, wrote Abhishek Pathak, Keval Bhagat and Tushar Dhonde of Motilal Oswal in a recent note, have reduced their reliance on the H-1B visa. With localisation drives in the US and higher local hiring, only around 20 per cent of employees are currently based on-site, they said. Of this, 20 to 30 per cent are on H-1B visas, they wrote, implying that H-1B holders represent just 3 to 5 per cent of the active workforce for a typical vendor. Meanwhile, applications for H-1B visas, too, have witnessed a decline from the highs of 2017 (at 42,671 applications) to 20,870 applications in 2024, the Motilal Oswal note suggests. Chokkalingam still believes there is room for trade negotiation between India and the US, which will help resolve this matter amicably and can trigger a rally in IT stocks. Till then, he suggests investors avoid IT stocks as they will remain underperformers at the bourses. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff HAL's order book amounts to Rs 2.45 trillion by end of Q2FY26, implying a book-to-bill ratio of 32 times based on FY25 revenue. IMAGE: The indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. Photograph: ANI Photo The ministry of defence (MoD) has signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for the procurement of 97 LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Mk-1A aircraft worth Rs 62,400 crore/Rs 624 billion (excluding taxes). As part of the contract, 68 fighters and 29 twin seaters and associated equipment will be procured. The delivery will start in the financial year 2028 (FY28) and would be completed in over six years. The acquisition was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in August 2025. The aircraft will have indigenous content of over 64 per cent, and it is over and above a previous contract for 83 LCA Mk-1A aircraft signed in January 2021. Furthermore, advanced, indigenously developed systems such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators will also be integrated, bolstering the indigenisation policy. The project will be supported by a vendor base of close to 105 Indian firms directly engaged in the manufacturing of components and an additional 67 key components are being indigenised. HAL's earlier order for 83 LCA Mk1A aircraft has faced significant delays owing to the delays in supply of F404-IN20 engines by General Electric. However, GE has now started supplying engines. GE has supplied three engines so far and is likely to deliver seven more by December 2025. Two LCA Mk1A aircraft are currently undergoing weapon trials. Additionally, 13 LCA Mk1A aircraft have already completed their first trial flight using CAT-B F-404 engines. HAL's order book amounts to Rs 2.45 trillion by end of Q2FY26, implying a book-to-bill ratio of 32 times based on FY25 revenue. Given the positive development of supply of engines by GE, the delivery of LCA Mk1A aircraft should speed up. IAF plans to have a fleet of at least 42 squadrons (currently 31). With the retirement of Mig-21 fighter jets, the IAF combat strength will drop to 29 squadrons. The requirement of 11 additional squadrons and replacement of existing squadrons of Mirage 2000, Jaguar & MiG-21 provides HAL with an opportunity to produce 300-plus aircrafts, including Tejas Mk-1A, Tejas Mk II, and AMCA (5th Gen), over the next 10 to 15 years. As a monopoly play in aerospace, HAL is a key beneficiary. HAL's revenue booking for Tejas MK-IA should begin from October 2026 and it should see a sharp improvement once the engine supply from GE normalises. HAL is scaling up its capacity to 24 aircraft annually. HAL has also entered into a MoU with GE for setting up a manufacturing facility in India to manufacture F414 engines for LCA Tejas MK II aircraft. Post-signing, HAL will receive 80 per cent transfer of technology (ToT) for the F414 engine with the potential to reach 100 per cent over the next decade. This ToT is estimated to be worth $1billion and will result in the new fighters having an indigenous content of around 75 per cent. Additionally, HAL is also working on a JV with Safran to co-develop and co-produce turboshaft engines in India with focus on Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH) and Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopters (DBMRH). The contract for 97 additional jets will also lead into a related order of $ for 113 new F404 engines with GE to be finalised in a few weeks. As volumes rise, HAL should get margin expansion. Net-net, order book expansion and progress on Tejas deliveries significantly improve HAL's growth trajectory. Some 28 private sector firms have expressed interest in collaborating with HAL for development of a fifth-generation stealth fighter (AMCA project). The ambitious Rs 60,000 crore (Rs 60 billion) Su-30 avionics upgrade project is in the approval phase, with aircraft orders likely by FY31. HAL has a clear roadmap for future defence platforms, enabling it to align its R&D, production, and development efforts, with steady order inflows and long-term revenue visibility. Revenue growth should be well over 20 per cent until FY28 while operating profit margin would be between 28 and 29 per cent. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff HDFC Bank has been barred from onboarding new customers at its Dubai International Financial Centre branch by the local regulator. Photograph: Courtesy, HDFC Bank, Dubai HDFC Bank, India's largest private sector lender, said it has initiated the necessary steps to comply with the notice of the Dubai Financial Services Authority and added that it does not see any material impact from it. Exact details of the alleged violations leading to the action against HDFC Bank were not immediately clear. In an exchange filing late on Friday evening, HDFC Bank said it has received the "decision notice" from DFSA, which points to alleged violations pertaining to financial services offered by the DIFC branch to customers not onboarded at the outlet, and also in the onboarding of customers at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Branch. HDFC Bank disclosed that it has also been barred from soliciting customers, but added that it can continue to service existing customers. The DIFC branch has 1,489 customers, including joint accounts, HDFC Bank said. The regulatory decision will be in force till the bank gets a communication from the watchdog, amending or revoking its decision in writing, HDFC Bank said. "The bank has already initiated necessary steps to comply with the directives in the notice and is committed to working with the DFSA to promptly remediate and address DFSA concerns at the earliest," the HDFC Bank filing said. Several benches of the Bombay high court have recused from hearing HDFC Bank CEO and MD Sashidhar Jagdishan's plea to quash an FIR of cheating and fraud registered against him on a complaint filed by the Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters While some judges cited having worked with either the Trust or the lawyers appearing for it, one judge on Thursday voluntarily disclosed that he held few shares of the HDFC Bank. Senior counsel Amit Desai appearing for Jagdishan said they do not have an objection with the same but counsel Niteen Pradhan appearing for the Trust took an objection. Pursuant to this, the bench of Justices M S Sonak and Jitendra Jain recused and said the matter shall be placed before another bench. According to the complaint filed by the Trust, which owns and manages the prominent Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, Jagdishan allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs 2.05 crore in exchange for providing financial advice to help the Chetan Mehta Group retain illegal and undue control over the Trust's governance. The Trust has accused Jagdishan of misusing his position as the head of a leading private bank to interfere in the internal affairs of a charitable organisation. Jagdishan's plea seeking quashing of the first information report (FIR) was first listed earlier this month before a bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Rajesh Patil. Justice Patil recused, after which the matter was listed before the bench led by Justice Sarang Kotwal. This bench, too, recused itself. The matter will now have to be placed before another bench. The FIR against Jagdishan was registered at the Bandra police station following an order by a Bandra magistrate court under section 175 (3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), based on an application moved by the Trust. He was booked under charges of cheating, criminal breach of trust, and criminal breach of trust by a public servant. In a public statement issued earlier this month, the Trust alleged that the Rs 2.05 crore payment was as part of a larger conspiracy to "loot" the Trust and manipulate its decision-making processes in favour of the Chetan Mehta Group. The Trust has also filed a petition before the high court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter. The Supreme Court on Monday deferred to October 13 the hearing on a plea of telecom major Vodafone Idea Ltd seeking quashing of the additional adjusted gross revenue (AGR) demands for the period until 2016-17. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, which was scheduled to hear the plea, was urged by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that the hearing be deferred to next Monday. The submission was supported by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Vodafone Idea Ltd (VIL). They urged the bench that the plea be heard before Diwali vacation. The CJI allowed the submissions. Earlier, the top court, on September 26, had deferred the hearing to October 6. The VIL has filed a fresh plea against the Department of Telecommunication's (DoT) fresh demand of Rs 5,606 crore relating to the financial year 201617. Earlier, the Centre had said that efforts were underway to arrive at a resolution with the company. The law officer said the government held nearly 50 per cent equity in Vodafone Idea, making it a direct stakeholder in the operator's survival. Some solution may have to be found out, subject to your lordship's approval. "If it can be kept next week, we can think of some solution, the law officer said. The VIL has sought a direction to the DoT to "comprehensively re-assess and reconcile all AGR dues for the period up to FY 2016-17 following the 'Deduction Verification Guidelines'" dated February 3, 2020. Earlier this year, in a setback to telecom majors, including Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, the apex court had refused to review its 2021 order rejecting their pleas for rectification of alleged errors in calculation of AGR dues payable by them. The apex court had dismissed their pleas seeking review of the 2021 order. On July 23, 2021, the apex court dismissed their applications seeking rectification of the alleged errors in calculation of AGR dues. The telecom companies had argued that arithmetical errors in the calculation be rectified and there were cases of duplication of entries. The top court in September 2020 fixed a time frame of 10 years for telecom service providers struggling to pay Rs 93,520 crore of AGR-related dues to clear their outstanding amount to the government. In its September 2020 order, the apex court said telecom operators should make the payment of 10 per cent of the total dues as demanded by the DoT by March 31, 2021 and the rest amount would be paid in yearly instalments commencing from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2031. The top court, which held the demand raised by the DoT with respect to AGR dues as final, said there should neither be a dispute raised by the telecom companies nor any re-assessment. The apex court in October 2019 delivered its verdict on the AGR issue. The DoT moved a plea in the top court asking for a staggered payment of the dues by telcos over 20 years. Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) is the income figure used to calculate the license fees and spectrum charges that telecom companies must pay to the government. Earlier, AGR included both telecom revenue and non-telecom income (like interest from deposits or asset sales). In 2021, the rules were relaxed so that non-telecom income is no longer part of AGR, reducing the financial load on operators. A recent World Bank report placing India among the most equal countries globally may present a limited view of inequality, with economists suggesting that broader data sets could tell a different story. Photograph: PTI Photo from the Rediff Archives IMAGE: The Statue of Equality -- A 216-foot statue of the 11th century saint Ramanujacharya at Shamshabad, on the outskirts of Hyderabad. According to the report, Indias Gini index (or coefficient/ratio), a key measure of inequality, stood at 25.5 in 202223, placing the country fourth globally in terms of equality, behind only the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, and Belarus. The Gini index ranges from 0 to 100, where zero represents perfect equality and 100 indicates extreme inequality, with one individual possessing all income or wealth, or accounting for all consumption. Such measurements, according to economists, are heavily dependent on methodology. Comparing the top 1 per cent with the bottom 50 per cent of the population, they argue, would reveal far more pronounced disparities in India. The Gini coefficient is such that the middle group plays an important role. One needs to clarify that inequality has increased over the years. "In the past 30 years, the income of the bottom 50 per cent has doubled, but the income of the top 1 per cent has grown 20 to 30 times, said N C Saxena, a retired bureaucrat and former secretary of the Planning Commission. Saxena argued that if the top 2 per cent of earners were removed from the sample entirely, inequality would appear negligible. A key limitation of the report, economists argue, is its reliance on consumption expenditure rather than income data. Basically, you are sampling the largely poor category, and so you get relatively lower Gini ratios. Village studies conducted in India show that the Gini ratios would be as high as 80 if we account for land ownership, incomes and other assets. "These are higher inequalities than those that prevail in Latin America, said Ram Kumar, professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Kumar pointed out that consumption surveys in India are known to underrepresent upper-middle class or higher-income households. The NSO (National Statistics Office) itself has acknowledged that the non-responsiveness rate among high-income households in urban India stood at nearly 11 per cent in the latest 202223 consumption survey, he said. Economist Pronab Sen echoed the concern, saying India does not adequately capture the incomes of the top 510 per cent of earners. We measure the lower quintile very well, but there is a total lack of response in the upper segment. "Therefore, our inequality will be understated, Sen said. The World Bank, in its Poverty and Equity Brief released in April, however, had noted significant strides in poverty reduction in India. It reported that extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $2.15 per day, fell from 16 per cent in 201112 to 2.3 per cent in 202223, lifting 171 million people above the threshold. But the report highlighted wage disparities, noting that the median earnings of the top 10 per cent were 13 times those of the bottom 10 per cent in 202324. It further stated that while Indias consumption-based Gini index improved from 28.8 in 201112 to 25.5 in 202223, the actual extent of inequality may be understated due to data limitations. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, responding to the report, said that using World Bank data to suggest India is among the most equal societies in the world was an out-of-touch claim. The 25 per cent US tariffs, plus a penalty for Russian imports, could dent India's GDP growth by 30 basis points in the current fiscal, but the higher duty is unlikely to significantly affect India's domestic demand-driven economy, Barclays said on Thursday. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters If the 25 per cent tariff, announced by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, is implemented from August 1, the effective average US import tariff on Indian goods will rise to 20.6 per cent in trade-weighted terms, as per Barclays estimates. This is sharply higher than both the pre 'liberation day' tariff rate of 2.7 per cent and the 90-day pause tariff rate of 11.6 per cent. In contrast, India's import tariff on US goods is lower, at 11.6 per cent in trade-weighted terms. Barclays said that given the relatively closed nature of the Indian economy, wherein domestic demand is the mainstay of growth. "We do not see this 25 per cent tariff threat impacting GDP growth meaningfully, pegging the likely impact at 30 bps. "We expect final tariffs on India to settle in lower than the announced 25 per cent, as India and the US continue with trade deal talks," it said. Indian economy is projected to grow at 6.5 per cent by the Reserve Bank-- same as last fiscal, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) peg growth at 6.4 per cent and 6.5 per cent respectively. At 25 per cent, tariffs on India are higher than EM Asian peers, but Barclays expect final tariffs to settle lower as trade deal talks progress. Echoing similar views, Moody's Analytics Associate Economist Aditi Raman said while the US is India's largest trade partner, the Indian economy is relatively more domestically oriented than most of the region and relies far less on trade. "Pharmaceuticals, gems, and textiles are key sectors that are likely to be hit. "A point of contention is market access to the key agricultural and dairy sector, which India has historically been reluctant to grant," Raman said. Barclays further said, India is already diversifying its sources of oil supply. "Should the additional 'penalty' threat materialise, we expect Indian refiners to pivot towards alternate suppliers, especially as the discount on imports of Russian oil has already narrowed. To diversify its export base, the Indian administration is showcasing a renewed zeal to ink free-trade agreements with other countries and regions. "Amid heightened global trade policy uncertainty, having a pipeline of such bilateral trade agreements is a prudent policy choice," Barclays said. India has recently inked an FTA with the US and the EFTA bloc, and it is negotiating with a number of countries, including the European Union, Oman and New Zealand. The US is India's largest trading partner, accounting for 18 per cent of India's total merchandise exports in 2024. India's $80 billion merchandise exports to the US are distributed in sectors which also form India's overall major exports. India's top exports to the US, electrical machinery ($12 billion, including smartphones), and gems and jewellery ($9 billion) now face tariff increases of just over 24 percentage points, compared with levels before April 2. On the rupee, Barclays said that although more pain is expected in the near term, the drop in rupee vis-a-vis dollar still looks overdone. The rupee, which had already been under pressure over recent weeks, fell sharply on the tariff news, hitting a low weaker than 87.50 versus dollar. "We think the rupee is looking oversold in the short term. "Clearly, USD/INR has bounced more than anticipated, but we think the February high of just under 88.0 remains a strong resistance level," Barclays said. 'This is not a case of tax evasion but the result of long-standing ambiguities in GST rules and unawareness.' Kindly note that this image has only been posted for representational purposes. Photograph: Rediff Archives Top executives from the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) will meet government officials this week to address tax demand notices that hotels across the country have received over underpayment of goods and services tax (GST) for restaurant services on their premises. We will be meeting government officials in the coming week to address this issue of retrospective demand notices, which run into crores. This is not a case of tax evasion but GST-related ambiguity, which needs to be addressed by authorities. We want to clarify these matters and arrive at a solution," Surendra Kumar Jaiswal, the newly-elected president of FHRAI, told Business Standard. At the body's 69th annual general meeting held on Saturday, Jaiswal also raised concerns over the removal of input tax credit (ITC) for hotel rooms priced under Rs 7,500, for which GST rates have been reduced to 5 per cent from 12 per cent earlier. Although the revision is a continued effort to rationalise tax rates in order to benefit consumers, improve compliance, and support growth, it has turned into an added cost for guests and created structural cost burdens on hotels, particularly in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, Jaiswal noted. Almost 90 per cent of the country's hotels operate below a room tariff of Rs 7,500, and are now subject to 5 per cent GST without input tax credit, he highlighted. The withdrawal of ITC has escalated unrecoverable costs on rentals, utilities, outsourced manpower, and capital expenditure, deterring investments and threatening the growth of domestic tourism, he stated, while calling for reinstatement of ITC at the earliest and issuing a clarificatory circular to remove compliance ambiguities. "Our industry is one of the largest generators of employment and a key driver of India's service economy. Yet, the GST framework without ITC has created inequities that threaten our competitiveness," he said. The body also raised the sector's long pending demand for industry status. "We are not seeking concessions but fairness, clarity, and parity. By restoring ITC, addressing copyright ambiguities, and granting infrastructure and industry status, the government can empower hospitality to support the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and secure India's rightful place as a global tourism hub," Jaiswal added. Scores of hotels across the country have received retrospective demand notices worth thousands of crores of rupees for underpayment of the goods and services tax (GST) for restaurant services as authorities cracked down on the alleged evasion, even as hotel associations cried foul saying that these notices emanated from lack of clarity in GST rules and that there was no GST evasion. Under the law, if the declared tariff of a hotel room is more than 7,500 per day, GST at 18 per cent becomes applicable on restaurant services also. However, for hotels with room rents below 7500, the GST is 5 per cent. 'Specified premises' Hotels with room tariffs exceeding 7,500 per day are categorised as 'specified premises'. For restaurants outside the premises, the applicable GST rate is 5 per cent only. GST authorities said many establishments continued to pay GST at the concessional rate of 5 per cent instead of 18 per cent on restaurant services even though the hotel room tariffs went above the 7,500 threshold. In one such case, according to sources, the Pune unit of the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) issued a notice to a hospitality company for underpaying 3.63 crore (Rs 36.3 million) on restaurant services between the financial year 2020 (FY20) and FY25. Another hotel group was found to have underpaid 44.9 lakh (Rs 4.49 million) on restaurant supplies during October 2021-July 2023. Both demands were raised under Section 74 of the CGST Act, with interest and penalty also applicable, according to the documents seen by Business Standard. Industry experts argue that linking restaurant tax rates to room tariffs is both unfair and impractical. "This provision will necessarily have to be tested on the touchstone of Constitutionality, particularly using the principles of proportionality. The GST Council's clear intent has always been to rationalise and reduce tax on restaurant services. Linking the rate of tax on restaurants to the room tariff of hotels leads to disproportionate and absurd results," said Abhishek A Rastogi, founder, Rastogi Chambers, who claims to represent several industry players on the issue. K Syama Raju, President, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), told Business Standard, that the notices had created financial distress for companies in the sector. "This is not a case of tax evasion but the result of long-standing ambiguities in GST rules and unawareness. In many cases, even if a hotel charged more than 7,500 on any single occasion, demand notices for 18 per cent GST were raised retrospectively from the time GST was implemented," Raju said. "This is clearly impractical and stems from regulatory ambiguity rather than deliberate non-compliance," added Raju. The industry body head highlighted that since the past many years, the hospitality industry has faced challenges due to the linking of food and beverage rates with room charges and the ambiguity in GST provisions that fluctuated between 'Value of Services Received' and 'Declared Tariff'. Walk-in diners Hotel operators also raised concerns over the impact on walk-in diners. "The current tax framework creates undue hardship for customers who simply walk into our restaurants without availing hotel rooms. Linking restaurant tax rates to room tariffs is impractical, as it penalises diners who are not even staying with us. Restaurant services should be treated independently to ensure fairness and ease of doing business," said Laxman Kariya, managing director, St Laurn Hotels and Resorts. With inputs from Gulveen Aulakh As the potential threat of a steep 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceutical imports hangs in the air, analysts and industry insiders feel that focus on exports to non-US regions as well as domestic market will increase as a long-term trend. Photograph:Yves Herman/Reuters US President Donald Trump told CNBCs Squawk Box in the first week of August that planned tariffs on import of pharmaceutical products to the US could eventually reach up to 250 per cent. According to AP, US administration officials have suggested duties of up to 200 per cent on drugs as they invoked the national security provisions under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962, arguing that America needs to boost domestic drug manufacturing. India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) said they expect this exemption may be temporary due to changes in tariff policies and negotiations between several countries and the US government. Even with an exemption, Indias pharmaceutical sector might face targeted tariffs if the US identifies trade or security reasons. "The US generic market is crucial for India, contributing about 35 per cent or $10.7 billion to its total revenue, said an analyst. Indian pharma firms have posted a 4.2 per cent CAGR (compound annual growth rate) in US sales from FY17 to FY25 due to price erosion, channel consolidation, and regulatory changes. With muted Ebitda margins and returns from the US, Indian pharma companies have been diversifying their operations to reduce the cash flow impact, focusing on expanding sales in non-US markets, emphasising high-margin branded generics, and boosting API manufacturing, the analyst said. Ebitda stands for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation, API represents active pharmaceutical ingredient. Ind-Ra anticipates this trend to persist as the US markets appeal diminishes compared to domestic and non-regulated export markets. Indian pharma companies are shifting focus from the heavily competitive US generic market to developed markets such as Europe and Japan (increasing demand for generics), and other semi-developed markets, such as Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Moreover, focus on the domestic market is rising. The Indian pharmaceutical market (IPM) is crucial for domestic pharma firms, contributing 41 per cent to the sales for the selected coverage universe. Despite challenges, the IPM has grown at a CAGR of 10 per cent over the past decade, and Ind-Ra projects IPM to achieve 8-9 per cent (Y-o-Y) growth in the coming years. As of now, sheer volumes partly shield Indian firms from US tariff threat. The US heavily relies on Indian generics due to their low-cost, high-volume nature, making it challenging to replace them with higher-cost local production. This somewhat shields Indian pharma firms from future US tariffs, as they help reduce US health care costs by around $15,000 per capita. Ind-Ra said the price gap between generic and patented products in the US is about 95 per cent. Issues such as price erosion, regulatory challenges, and substantial R&D costs result in low Ebitda margins for many Indian pharma firms in the US generic market. Although the generic market represents just 11 per cent of the total US pharma market ($753 billion) in value terms, it accounts for 90 per cent of US prescriptions. India commands a 45 per cent share of these prescriptions due to its low-cost, high-volume production. Indian firms are crucial for US healthcare, manufacturing at 25-30 per cent of the US cost. According to IQVIA, Indian firms provided over half of the prescriptions in five of the top 10 therapies by volume, including hypertension and mental health. Indian generics saved the US healthcare system $219 billion in 2022 and $1.3 trillion from 2013 to 2022, with expected savings of another $1.3 trillion over the next five years. Companies, nonetheless, are considering long-term plans to have production at multiple locations. Several firms that Business Standard spoke to said they were engaged in scenario-building exercises, which include options for mid-term and long-term solutions like developing offshore manufacturing, securing raw material supplies from multiple sources, exploring contract manufacturing in the US, etc. The executive director of a leading Indian drug firm, which has a strong presence in the US, told Business Standard that companies are indeed considering multiple options to safeguard their interests as America is the largest market for Indian pharma exports. As for immediate purposes, the discussion is around how much of the tariff, if imposed, can be passed on. "This will vary greatly across molecules. In those molecules where some Indian players will slash prices, others may find them unviable and exit, leading to drug shortages in the US, he said. Another option being considered is whether it is prudent to have offshore manufacturing. Indian companies are indeed studying the options about shifting some manufacturing to the US. "Already some companies have a presence. However, this has a gestation period, said another industry veteran. He further elaborated that as the cost of conversion (money you spend turning raw materials into finished products) is almost three-four times more in the US due to manpower costs. Manpower costs would be almost 70 per cent of this. "If one shifts manufacturing to the US, then the overall cost of production goes up 1.5-times vis-a-vis India, he said, adding that companies are considering contract manufacturing. One could split the contract do processes A to X in India and complete processes Y and Z in the US, he further said. The International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) has adopted the 2026-28 Work Plan, which prioritises cybersecurity audits and remote audits using Internet of Things technologies, CAG said in a release on Friday. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff The work plan was adopted at the 34th Annual Meeting of INTOSAI Working Group on IT Audit (WGITA), which was held along with the 17th Steering Committee Meeting of the INTOSAI Knowledge Sharing Committee (KSC) in Hyderabad. The four-day international event, hosted by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, K Sanjay Murthy, saw participation from delegates of 29 nationalities representing Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), global partner organisations, and domain experts from across the world, the release said. At the WGITA meeting, members reviewed progress under the 2023-25 work plan, which included the development of detailed audit matrices to support the IT Audit Handbook, the release of INTOSAI Guidance-5101 on Information System Security Audits, and the creation of evaluation guidelines for assessing information systems. "A key outcome of the meeting was the adoption of the 2026-28 Work Plan, which prioritises cybersecurity audits and remote audits using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. "The plan also reinforced commitments to research, capacity building, and development of new audit knowledge," CAG said on the concluding day of the event. SAI India, in collaboration with IIT Madras, presented its initiative to develop a Large Language Model (LLM) trained on audit and inspection reports. Additionally, a nine-month AI/ML certification programme was announced, which will be open to other SAIs across the world. Contributions from SAI China, Egypt, the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), EUROSAI IT Working Group, and AFROSAI-E enriched the discussions and highlighted the value of international cooperation. At the Steering Committee Meeting of KSC, participants appreciated the efforts of various working groups under the Knowledge Sharing Committee in driving forward the agenda of collaborative learning. Presentations from the INTOSAI General Secretariat, IDI, and the SAI of the Czech Republic offered strategic insights and regional perspectives, CAG said. "One of the highlights was a demonstration of India's PM GatiShakti initiative, showcasing how technologies like AI, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and big data can revolutionise infrastructure planning, monitoring, and audit processes, offering lessons relevant to countries around the world," it said. In his closing remarks, CAG of India Murthy emphasised the critical importance of leveraging technology to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance. He noted that through shared expertise and continued cooperation, INTOSAI can equip SAIs worldwide to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing digital era. During the meeting, delegates held extensive discussions on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI), emerging technologies, and digital tools in strengthening public auditing, enhancing transparency and ensuring citizen-centric governance, the release said. LUSAKA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Zambia has recorded a significant improvement in electricity supply since December, marking a turnaround from the severe power deficits caused by the 2023/2024 drought, President Hakainde Hichilema said Monday. Speaking during a televised program, Hichilema attributed the stability to deliberate government interventions rather than luck. "I did say that the power situation would improve by December. It is not by chance," he said, emphasizing that the progress resulted from sustained policy reforms. Zambia, which historically relies on hydropower for about 80 percent of its energy needs, faced a crippling crisis after drought critically reduced water levels in key reservoirs. At the height of the shortages, consumers endured load shedding that left them with as little as three hours of electricity per day. However, the situation has since improved, with local media reporting that households and businesses are now experiencing more than 10 hours of electricity daily. To achieve this, the government accelerated energy sector reforms to reduce reliance on hydropower. Hichilema highlighted key measures, including opening up electricity generation and trading to greater private sector participation and promoting diversification through increased investment in solar and coal-fired power projects. "These measures will help ensure the country does not face power deficits in the future, with or without adequate rainfall," the president said, expressing confidence that supply will further improve in 2026 as more projects come online. In addition to domestic reforms, Zambia has bolstered supply through imports. Hichilema noted that power imports from neighboring Zimbabwe have doubled, rising from about 200 megawatts to around 400 megawatts, providing crucial support to the national grid. Mahindra & Mahindra plans to manage rare earth magnet supplies through alternative sourcing channels for the next nine months and will pursue 'engineering efforts' to address the raw material shortage situation amid growing product portfolio, according to a senior company executive. Photograph: Nandan Mandayam/Reuters The imposition of export restrictions by China on key rare earth magnets has resulted in supply chain bottlenecks, impacting the user industries, including the auto and electronics sectors. The magnets are essential components across sectors like automobiles, household appliances, and renewable energy. "Basis, all the actions we have taken, FY26 is more or less managed. "We have to now work on some medium and long term actions," Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) Group Chief Financial Officer Amarjyoti Barua told PTI in an interaction. The company has taken steps to build inventory through alternative sources to take care of the problem, he stated. "It has panned out well for us so far and we do not foresee any major risk for the next nine months," Barua said. "But considering the growth plans we have, we have to think about a much bigger play than what the tactical plays we have done, and that is going to require a lot more engineering effort," he added. The company's engineers are working on various solutions to work out a solution, Barua said. Last week, Maruti Suzuki stated that its engineers are working to mitigate the rare earth magnet shortage issue, noting that there has been no impact on its production so far. Hyundai Motor India has also stated that it is not facing any production issues due to the shortage of rare earth magnets. In June, rating agency Icra had stated that inventories of rare-earth magnets used in critical automotive components, particularly electric vehicle (EV) traction motors and power steering systems, could run dry by mid-July this year. Crisil, another rating agency, had also flagged it as a significant risk to automotive supply chains. The magnets in question, neodymium-iron-boron, are known for their strength and efficiency, used for high-performance automotive applications such as traction motors in electric vehicles and power steering in both electric vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles. Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani drew nil salary from his oil-to-telecom-and-retail conglomerate Reliance Industries for the fifth year in a row and dividends remain his main source of earnings. Photograph: Niharika Kulkarni/Reuters Ambani, 68, had capped his annual remuneration at Rs 15 crore from financial year 2008-09 (April 2008 to March 2009) to 2019-20 (FY20); and since FY21, he opted to forego his salary, due to COVID-19 pandemic, until the company and all its businesses were fully back to their earnings potential. In 2024-25 (FY25), he got 'nil' as salary, allowances, and perquisites as well as retiral benefits, according to the latest annual report of the company. However, dividend income seems to be the source of earnings for the world's 18th richest person with a net worth of just under $100 billion. He directly holds 1.61 crore shares in Reliance, earning Rs 8.85 crore in dividend income based on the Rs 5.50 per share dividend declared by the company for FY25. The promoter group firms that he controls, own 664.5 crore shares, or 50.07 per cent, give a dividend income of Rs 3,655 crore. The remuneration of Ambani's cousins Nikhil and Hital Meswani slightly dipped to Rs 25 crore each as compared to Rs 25.31 crore and Rs 25.42 crore, respectively, in 2023-24. Their earnings in FY25 included Rs 17.28 crore commission (unchanged from the previous three fiscal). Executive directors P M S Prasad saw his remuneration rise to Rs 19.96 crore in 2024-25, from Rs 17.93 crore in the previous year. His salary included performance linked incentives for FY 2023-24 which was paid in FY25. Ambani's three children - Isha, Akash and Anant, who were appointed to the board in October 2023 at nil salary, got Rs 6 lakh each as sitting fee and Rs 2.27 lakh as commission. They had in the previous year got Rs 4 lakh each as sitting fee and Rs 97 lakh as commission. Anant, youngest of Ambani's children, has since then been appointed an executive director on Reliance board and will from this fiscal draw between Rs 10 crore and Rs 20 crore salary. Other non-executive directors include Raminder Singh Gujral, Shumeet Banerji, former SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya, former CVC K V Chowdary, veteran banker K V Kamath and Saudi sovereign wealth fund nominee Yasir Othman H Al Rumayyan. All independent directors got Rs 2.25 crore commission, same as last year, and a sitting fee. Ambani, who has been on the board of Reliance since 1977 and was elevated as chairman of the company after the death of his father and group patriarch Dhirubhai Ambani in July 2002, was in 2023 re-appointed as the head of Reliance for another five-year term till April 2029 - a period during which he opted to draw nil salary. Ambani had in June 2020 voluntarily decided to forego his salary for the year 2020-21, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak in India, which exacted a huge toll on the societal, economic and industrial health of the nation. He continued to forgo his salary in 2021-22, 2022-23, and in 2023-24 and now in 2024-25. In all these years, Ambani did not avail of any allowances, perquisites, retiral benefits, commission or stock options from Reliance for his role as the Chairman and Managing Director. Prior to that, the chairman and managing director had his salary capped at Rs 15 crore since 2008-09 in order to set a personal example of moderation in managerial compensation levels. The Rs 15-crore salary in 2019-20 was the same as in the previous 11 years. Investors will be able to authenticate if the entity receiving the payment is a valid entity under the ambit of Sebi. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters Amid rising instances of unregistered entities defrauding investors, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India has rolled out a new initiative, with the help of the National Payments Council of India (NPCI), under which investors will be able to verify if the entity to which they are transferring money is registered with Sebi or not. The new '@valid"]' handle for registered entities will go live from October 1, 2025. Only registered and authentic entities will be able to secure this handle through banks. All registered intermediaries have been mandated to obtain the new UPI IDs. Which entities can get @valid handle? Around 10 categories of investor-facing intermediaries like stockbrokers, depository participants, research analysts, investment advisors, mutual funds, portfolio managers, and real estate investment trusts (REITs) will be able to apply for the new handle. These entities will select a readable username followed by an abbreviation representing their segment. For instance, a stockbroker will have the suffix 'brk' while a mutual fund will have 'mf' in the username. @valid handle will be combined with the username of the banks. These handles will be allocated by NPCI. What changes for investors? Investors will be able to authenticate if the entity receiving the payment is a valid entity under the ambit of Sebi. They will see a white 'thumbs up' icon inside a green triangle, another symbol for verification. Investors can continue to choose any mode of payment like NEFT, RTGS, UPI, or cheques. However, for payments through UPI, they should choose only those with '@valid' IDs. These UPI IDs will be used only for collecting payments from investors. The existing mode of fund transfer for ongoing systematic investment plans (SIPs) will continue to avoid any disruption. New SIPs or renewal and extension of SIPs will have to be done using the new UPI IDs. The upper limit for capital market transactions through UPI is Rs 5 lakh. What if a fraudulent player registers? Only authentic entities will be able to register. There are 52 self-certified syndicate banks, which will be allocated @valid handles by NPCI. These banks will initiate requests to NPCI for issuing new UPI handles. Intermediaries will be able to use their existing bank accounts and new accounts to obtain UPI IDs. The banks will have to do the due diligence before issuing the UPI IDs to any entity. They will confirm the request by entities after verification through the SI Portal of Sebi. Entities with multiple business accounts will be able to have a unique UPI ID for each account. Will the old handles be removed? The new UPI IDs will be allocated by banks within 90 days after the Sebi circular. The old IDs will be discontinued by intermediaries after 180 days -- around mid-December. The three-month window after going live is for a smoother transition. What is SEBI Check? The market regulator is providing an additional layer of security -- SEBI Check -- to help investors verify the authenticity of an entity before a payment. This tool will also go live from October 1. Through this tool, investors will be able to verify the UPI IDs either by scanning the QR code or by entering the UPI ID manually. Bank details of the intermediary can also be confirmed through the tool. However, it is a separate tool and not integrated with UPI apps. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff From labelling India the 'Tariff King' to slapping sweeping import duties, US President Donald Trump has steadily hardened his trade stance on India. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff These announcements are being seen as a pressure tactic to get New Delhi to agree to demands made by the US in the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). Here is a list of Q&A (questions and answers) about US tariffs on India and its impact on domestic exporters: What's the timeline of Trump's tariff actions against India? October 2019: Trump labels India the "tariff king" September 2024: Trump calls India a "tariff abuser" April 2, 2025: US formally announces a 26 per cent import tariff on Indian goods, effective April 9. April 5, 2025: White House executive order imposed a 10 per cent baseline tariff on imports, with country-specific tariff rates (16 per cent in case of India) scheduled to begin April 9. Exemptions: Certain sectors kept out of these duties - pharmaceuticals, electronics, and energy products. April 9, 2025: US pauses implementation of country-specific tariff rates (16 per cent in case of India) for 90 days, deferring it to July 9. The 10 per cent baseline tariff remains. July 8, 2025: Suspension period further extended to August 1. July 30, 2025: US announces 25 per cent tariff plus penalty on Indian goods. Penalty for buying crude oil and military equipment from Russia. July 31, 2025: White House issues executive order for 25 per cent tariff to take effect from August 7. No mention of penalty. The 10 per cent baseline duty and exempted sectors remain unchanged. August 5, 2025: Trump says he will raise tariffs further on India "very substantially". August 6, 2025: Imposes an additional 25 per cent tariff, raising it to 50 per cent, on goods coming from India as a penalty for New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil. What is the current import duty structure on Indian goods in the US? From August 7, Indian goods entering the US are facing a 25 per cent (including 10 per cent baseline tariff) plus MFN (most favoured nation) rates plus trade remedy measures, if any. For example, India's shrimp exports have a zero MFN rate. But it already attracts a 2.49 per cent anti-dumping duty and a 5.77 per cent countervailing duty. (Both these duties are trade remedy measures imposed by the US). So from August 7, Indian shrimp will face a 33.26 per cent levy (25 per cent plus 2.49 per cent plus 5.77 per cent). From August 27, domestic shrimp will attract a 58.26 per cent duty in the US (50 per cent plus 2.49 per cent plus 5.77 per cent). Are there any other tariffs? Yes. The US has imposed sector-specific tariffs on three categories - steel and aluminium (50 per cent); copper (50 per cent), and auto parts (25 per cent. These are also additional duties (means over and above existing levies, if any). Which all sectors or product categories are exempted from these tariffs? According to think tank GTRI, the 50 per cent tariffs will not be applicable on the exempted categories included finished pharmaceutical drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and other key drug inputs; energy products such as crude oil, refined fuels, natural gas, coal, and electricity; critical minerals; and a wide range of electronics and semiconductors, including computers, tablets, smartphones, solid-state drives, flat panel displays, and integrated circuits. In 2024-25, the bilateral trade between India and the US stood at $131.8 billion ($86.5 billion exports and $45.3 billion imports). Which are the main export sectors that will bear the brunt of the high tariffs? Sectors include textiles/ clothing, gems and jewellery, shrimp, leather and footwear, chemicals, and electrical and mechanical machinery. How much were India's exports from these sectors in the last fiscal? Shrimp ($2 billion), organic chemicals ($2.7 billion), carpets ($1.2 billion), apparel-knitted ($2.7 billion), apparel - woven (2.7 billion), textiles, made ups ($3 billion), diamonds, gold and products ($10 billion), machinery and mechanical appliances ($7.7 billion), furniture, bedding, mattresses ($1.1 billion), and vehicle and parts ($2.6 billion). What are the views of exporters on these tariffs? Seafood exporter Yogesh Gupta: Now India's shrimp will become expensive in the US market. Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI): Huge setback. Deeply concerned. It will have a potential adverse impact. Colin Shah, MD, Kama Jewellery: The move is a severe setback. GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava: The tariffs are expected to make Indian goods far costlier in the US, with potential to cut US-bound exports by 40-50 per cent. Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO): The announcement is "extremely shocking" and will impact 55 per cent of India's exports to America. What are the tariffs on India's trade competitors? After the new levy, India will attract the highest tariff of 50 per cent along with Brazil. After this, India's competitors will be much better placed in the US market as their duty is lower - Myanmar (40 per cent), Thailand and Cambodia (both 36 per cent), Bangladesh (35 per cent), Indonesia (32 per cent), China and Sri Lanka (both 30 per cent), Malaysia (25 per cent), Philippines and Vietnam (both 20 per cent). Hyundai Motor India on Wednesday said the company is not facing any production issues due to the shortage of rare earth magnets. Photograph: Courtesy, Hyundai Replying to a query in the company's earnings conference call, Hyundai Motor India head of investor relations K S Hariharan noted that the company is maintaining an adequate inventory of the rare earth magnets. "We are not facing any issue. We are continuously working with our vendor partners to take care of the inventory. "We are already having adequate inventory for the near term," Hariharan said. The automaker is continuously working with the supply partners to mitigate any kind of supply chain disruptions at the production facilities, he added. The recent imposition of export restrictions by China on key rare earth magnets has resulted in supply chain bottlenecks impacting the user industries, including the auto and electronics sectors. China currently dominates the global rare earth magnet supply chain, controlling over 90 per cent of global processing capacity. These magnets are essential components across sectors like automobiles, household appliances, and renewable energy. The Chinese government has mandated, from April 4 onwards, that special export licences be required for seven rare earth elements and associated magnets. 'If a charitable or religious trust sells a capital asset -- such as land, buildings, shares -- and makes a capital gain, it can avoid paying tax on that gain if it reinvests the proceeds in another capital asset for its charitable purposes.' Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff In a relief for non-corporate taxpayers, the government on Monday corrected an earlier drafting error, reinstating relief from the alternate minimum tax (AMT) for partnership firms and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) under the revised Income Tax (No. 2) Bill, 2025, presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The revised Bill, which incorporates almost all of the recommendations of the select committee chaired by Baijayant Panda, was passed by the Lok Sabha through a voice vote, without discussion. The House also approved the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which grants tax relief under the new Unified Pension Scheme, extends benefits to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, and clarifies block assessment rules following tax searches. Both Bills now move to the Rajya Sabha for consideration and will become law upon receiving Presidential assent. AMT, levied at 18.5 per cent plus cess and surcharge for non-corporate taxpayers, is intended to ensure high earners cannot fully offset their tax liabilities through exemptions. LLPs with only long-term capital gains (LTCG) income are otherwise taxed at 12.5 per cent. The earlier version of the Bill had omitted a critical reference to Chapter VI-A deductions in the AMT provisions for LLPs. This would have exposed LLPs -- including those earning solely LTCG taxed at 12.5 per cent -- to the higher AMT rate of 18.5 per cent plus cess and surcharge. The revised draft restores this reference in Clause 206, ensuring AMT applies only when total income is reduced by such deductions, consistent with the original intent. While the select committee made more than 285 recommendations, it did not propose altering the AMT framework for LLPs as contained in the first version of the Income Tax Bill, introduced in February. According to the Bill's statement of objects and reasons, alongside the committee's proposals, the government incorporated stakeholder suggestions to convey the proposed legal meaning more accurately, including 'corrections in the nature of drafting, alignment of phrases, consequential changes and cross-referencing'. One significant select committee recommendation, however, has been dropped. This would have broadened transfer pricing scrutiny by allowing a company to be treated as an 'associated enterprise' if it exercised 'substantial influence' over another, even without meeting current shareholding or board control thresholds. The provision would have brought a larger set of inter-corporate transactions under transfer pricing rules, which are designed to ensure related-party dealings reflect market value and prevent profit shifting. Dinesh Kanabar, chief executive officer of Dhruva Advisors, said the earlier draft risked introducing subjectivity. "The earlier Bill proposed that two 'enterprises' would be regarded as associated if at any time during the year there was common management or control, irrespective of the Act's specific definitions. "It is now provided that only in specified circumstances will management and control be deemed common, and the test applies as at the end of the year. "This removes subjectivity and the litigation that goes with it," he said. The latest version of the Income Tax Bill also restores key tax benefits for charitable and religious trusts. It reinstates a provision that allows such entities to reinvest capital gains in new capital assets to claim exemption, as well as the option to apply unspent income in the immediately succeeding year without losing tax benefits. A senior Central Board of Direct Taxes official said: "If a charitable or religious trust sells a capital asset -- such as land, buildings, shares -- and makes a capital gain, it can avoid paying tax on that gain if it reinvests the proceeds in another capital asset for its charitable purposes. "This treatment already existed under the Income-Tax Act, 1961, and the new Bill retains the same rule." Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff The bilateral trade between India and China has been growing at a healthy rate, but the trade gap remains sharply tilted in Beijing's favour. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff India has time and again flagged its concern over the ballooning trade deficit and the non-trade barriers faced by Indian goods in the Chinese market. On August 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it is important for India and China to work together to bring stability to the world economic order as he asserted that New Delhi is ready to advance bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective based on mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. A list of Q&As (questions and answers) to understand the trade-related issues between the two countries: What is bilateral trade between India and China? During April-July 2025-26, India's exports rose by 19.97 per cent to $5.75 billion, while imports increased by 13.06 per cent to $40.65 billion. In 2024-25, India's exports stood at $14.25 billion, while imports were $113.5 billion. Trade deficit (difference between imports and exports) rose from $1.1 billion in 2003-04 to $99.2 billion in 2024-25. China's trade deficit accounted for about 35 per cent of India's total trade imbalance ($283 billion) in the last fiscal. The gap was $85.1 billion in 2023-24. Why is the deficit with China a concern? Because it is not only large, but also structural. What makes it more serious is that China now dominates India's import baskets across virtually every industrial category -- from pharmaceuticals and electronics to construction materials, renewable energy, and consumer goods , according to think tank GTRI. For which key products China's share is over 75 per cent? GTRI analysis states that in antibiotics like erythromycin, China supplies 97.7 per cent of India's needs; in electronics, it controls 96.8 per cent of silicon wafers and 86 per cent of flat panel displays; in renewable energy, 82.7 per cent of solar cells and 75.2 per cent of lithium-ion batteries come from China. Even everyday products such as laptops (80.5 per cent share), embroidery machinery (91.4 per cent ), and viscose yarn (98.9 per cent) are overwhelmingly Chinese-sourced. What is the risk of increasing dependence on China? GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava says overwhelming dominance gives Beijing potential leverage against India, turning supply chains into a tool of pressure in times of political tension. The imbalance is deepening as India's exports to China continue to decline, reducing India's share in bilateral trade to just 11.2 per cent today from 42.3 per cent two decades ago. However, according to the commerce ministry, most of the goods imported from China are raw materials, intermediate products and capital goods like auto components, electronic parts, mobile phone parts, machinery and active pharma ingredients. Thes are used for making finished products, which are also exported. India's dependence on imports in these categories is largely due to the gap in domestic supply and demand, the ministry said. What steps India has taken to cut its import dependence? Introduction of production linked incentive schemes for over 14 sectors to boost domestic manufacturing; stricter quality standards and measures for quality controls, testing protocols, and mandatory certification to check substandard and poor-quality products in the market and protect consumers' interest. The government encourages Indian business establishments to explore alternative suppliers to diversify their supply chains and reduce dependency on single sources of supply. It also monitors the surge in imports on a regular basis and takes appropriate action. Further, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) is empowered to recommend trade remedial actions against unfair trade practices. India has imposed anti-dumping duties on a number of Chinese goods and sectors such as chemicals to engineering items to protect domestic firms from cheap imports. What is the impact of rising trade deficit? Pressure on foreign exchange reserves, dependence on external suppliers, cheaper imports can hurt local manufacturers; can lead to currency depreciation pushing cost of imported goods, fuelling inflation; and over-reliance on imports reduces incentives for building domestic capacity in key sectors, slowing long-term industrial growth. India is aiming to become a global hub for green hydrogen exports, eyeing nearly 10 per cent of the worldwide demand by 2030, Union Minister Shripad Yesso Naik said on Tuesday. Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters Addressing FICCI Green Hydrogen Summit 2025, the minister said 8.62 lakh tonne annual hydrogen production capacity has been awarded to 19 companies. He noted that 5 states have already notified their green hydrogen policies, and several others are actively working in this direction. These states are facilitating land allocation, ensuring water availability, promoting banking of renewable power, and incentivizing innovation, particularly through the development of hydrogen hubs. The minister of state for new & renewable energy mentioned that over 100 green hydrogen standards and protocols have been adopted or are under development to ensure quality and safety. "We want to make India not only a major producer but also a global hub for green hydrogen exports, aiming to capture nearly 10 per cent of the global demand," he said. Many firms are also forging global partnerships to ensure cost competitiveness and to position India as a reliable exporter in a global market expected to exceed 100 million metric tonne by 2030. Hinting at providing incentives and finance facility to achieve the target, he stated, "This will require us to continue innovating, to strengthen certification and trading mechanisms, to create offtake certainty, and to unlock green finance through instruments such as viability gap funding, green bonds, and multilateral bank support." The government launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission in 2023 with an initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore. The minister noted that grid integration, storage solutions, land availability, and cost competitiveness remain critical areas of focus. But these challenges are solvable. With technological advances in solar PV, offshore wind, and electrolyser efficiency, the cost of green hydrogen is already coming down and will continue to do so, he stated. Under SIGHT scheme Component-I, which aims at Electrolyzer Manufacturing, 3,000 MW of manufacturing capacity has been awarded to 15 companies. Under SIGHT Component-II, which aims at green hydrogen production, 8,62,000 tonne per annum of production capacity has been awarded to 19 companies. "We have launched pilot projects in critical sectors such as steel, transport, and shipping, exploring the direct use of green hydrogen," Naik said. A total of 23 projects have been sanctioned under the Research and Development (R&D) component, with another 100+ proposals under evaluation for establishing Centres of Excellence. "We are also setting up green hydrogen testing facilities within India, with 3 projects already awarded in this regard," he informed. In addition, to meet the National Green Hydrogen Mission's target of producing 5 million tonne of green hydrogen by 2030, the country aims to develop an additional 125 GW of renewable energy capacity dedicated specifically to green hydrogen production. Ewa Suwara, Charge d' affaires, EU Delegation to India stated that the upcoming IndiaEU Hydrogen Task Force is a high-level platform to align strategies and coordinate actions. Discussions are ongoing on the terms of reference, and "we hope to convene the first meeting soon," she informed. "But let me emphasize this is not just about governments talking to each other. "The real success will come from businesses on both sides engaging directly, finding synergies, and building commercially viable partnerships. "That is precisely the purpose of this summit," she said. The government plans to establish a fully indigenous manufacturing ecosystem with an annual production capacity of up to 6,000 tonnes. The scheme is expected to run for seven years, according to official documents. Kindly note the image has been published only for representational purposes.. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters The government is in the final stages of launching a 7,350 crore scheme to spur domestic production of sintered rare earth permanent magnets (REPMs) and cut import dependence, Business Standard has learnt. This comes months after China imposed restrictions on exports of REPMs in April, squeezing supplies to India's automobile and electronics industries. The initiative -- likely to be called the Scheme to Promote Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Manufacturing in India -- aims to establish a fully indigenous manufacturing ecosystem with an annual production capacity of up to 6,000 tonnes. The scheme is expected to run for seven years, according to official documents. The goal is to build a homegrown value chain spanning the conversion of NdPr (neodymium-praseodymium) oxide into sintered NdFeB (neodymium-iron-boron) magnets. These are critical to sectors such as automobile, electronics, wind energy, and defence. The REPM production includes mining, beneficiation, processing, extraction, refining to rare earth oxide, conversion to metal and alloy, and finally magnet manufacturing. The proposed scheme will incentivise facilities capable of undertaking the final three stages: Converting rare earth oxide to metal, metal to alloy, and alloy to magnet. At present, India lacks the technology and infrastructure to manage these steps. Manufacturing capacity and eligibility Under the scheme, the government will back the creation of five integrated REPM manufacturing units, each with a capacity of up to 1,200 tonnes per annum. Applicants may bid for a minimum of 600 tonnes per annum and a maximum of 1,200 tonnes per annum, in 100 tonnes per annum increments. Selected firms will be eligible for two forms of financial support -- (a) a sales-linked incentive on the sale of sintered NdFeB magnets; (b) a capital subsidy for establishing integrated NdFeB manufacturing units in India. India currently imports almost all of its REPM needs. Government estimates place domestic demand at around 4,010 tonnes a year, expected to almost double to 8,220 tonnes by 2030. While NdPr oxide prices in India broadly mirror global rates, finished REPMs are roughly 43 per cent costlier in the country than abroad. "The same indicates that apart from economies of scale, subsidies are provided by leading countries across the entire value chain of REPM manufacturing," one of the documents notes. The upcoming scheme includes a two-year gestation period for setting up facilities and beginning production. "A capital subsidy of 15 per cent on eligible investment made after April 1, 2025, shall be provided to the beneficiaries," a document states. "The capital cost of setting up the unit will be high as most of the plant and machinery needs to be imported from countries other than China at a relatively higher cost. Hence, a capital subsidy is required to offset the higher costs to be incurred by the domestic manufacturers." Between the third and seventh years, production will be gradually ramped up to achieve the target of 6,000 tonnes per annum. Bidding and selection process The ministry of heavy industries (MHI) will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) through a Global Tender Enquiry (GTE) to invite bids for five integrated sintered REPM manufacturing facilities. The process will use a transparent Least Cost System with a "two-envelope" structure -- technical and financial bids. Only those qualified in the technical round will have their financial bids opened. In the financial bid, applicants must specify the per-kilogramme sales incentive they seek, capped at 2,150 per kg of sintered NdFeB magnet, assuming an average sale price of 5,000 per kg and a 43 per cent price disability relative to international markets. "Five applicants with the lowest incentives quoted -- L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 -- will be eligible for incentive for their allocated capacity under the scheme and shall henceforth be referred to as 'Beneficiaries'," one document states. The MHI did not respond to Business Standard's queries on the proposed scheme. Supply chain and raw material sourcing India's domestic supply of REPM raw materials remains limited. Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL), under the Department of Atomic Energy, currently produces around 500 tonnes of NdPr oxide annually, sufficient for roughly 1,500 tonnes of sintered REPMs. Given the target proposed under the scheme, participants will need to secure most of their NdPr oxide independently. "Thus, the IREL supplied oxide will support approximately 1,500 tonnes per annum of sintered NdFeB magnet production. The balance 4,500 tonnes per annum... will be produced from the oxides arranged by the Beneficiary under their own sourcing arrangement(s)," a document says. If each winning bidder establishes a 1,200 tonnes per annum plant, each would require around 400 tonnes per annum of NdPr oxide. Under the plan, IREL will supply 200 tonnes per annum to the L1 bidder, 167 tonnes per annum to L2, and 133 tonnes per annum to L3. The remaining quantities -- 200, 233, and 267 tonnes per annum respectively -- will need to be sourced independently by these companies. The L4 and L5 bidders will have to arrange their entire requirement of 400 tonnes per annum NdPr oxide on their own, without any supply from IREL. Implementation and oversight The MHI will oversee implementation. An inter-ministerial Scheme Monitoring Committee, chaired by the MHI Secretary, will track progress, address challenges and ensure timelines are met. The new initiative will operate independently of other government programmes. While the production-linked incentive scheme for the automobile and auto component industry already lists "rare earth magnets for motors for xEVs" among its 103 eligible Advanced Automotive Technology components, no firm has yet applied for incentives under that category -- and the application window has now closed. RMG firms Dream11, Games24x7, Gameskraft and MPL lost unicorn status after the gaming ban while fintech players led 11 new unicorns added in 2025. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff At least four real money gaming (RMG) companies lost their unicorn status after the enactment of the new online gaming act last month, which banned all forms of RMG such as ludo, poker, rummy and fantasy sports. The affected companies include prominent names such as Dream11, Games24x7, Gameskraft and Mobile Premier League, according to data from the ASK Private Wealth Hurun India Unicorn and Future Unicorn Report 2025. Firms such as Zupee and WinZO Games, valued between $500 million to $1 billion and $200 million to $500 million respectively, also saw their billion dollar ambitions dented after the ban. Unicorns are start-ups with a valuation of $1 billion or more. The drop in valuation followed the shutdown of the core RMG business after the enactment of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. "It (RMG) was already high risk, but what happens because of regulatory surprises is that it dampens the confidence of the builders. It is very important to have a stable regulatory thought process for start-ups," said Anas Rahman Junaid, founder and chief researcher, Hurun India. Previously, RMG companies had said they were not consulted on the blanket ban on real money gaming products before the bill was introduced. Fintechs dominate new unicorns Meanwhile, India added 11 new unicorns in 2025, with fintech firms leading the pack. With these additions, India's unicorn tally touched 73 in 2025. The fintechs include Navi Technologies, Juspay, Vivriti Capital, Veritas Finance and MoneyView. Other new unicorns include AI.tech, Rapido, Netradyne, Jumbotail, Darwinbox and Drools. "Today, there is a huge amount of investment taking place in two big themes: Defence and climate, becoming the biggest themes of the decade. Geopolitics, leaders becoming inward-looking and other challenges are throwing up a big opportunity in defence and deep tech, along with space tech," said Rajesh Saluja, co-founder, CEO and managing director, ASK Private Wealth. There were opportunities for companies building infrastructure to support the growth of AI, including data centres, Saluja added. The report said Zerodha, Razorpay and Lenskart were India's most valuable unicorns, with valuations of $8.2 billion and $7.5 billion each, respectively. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb in Davos, Azernews reports. During the conversation, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Finland fondly recalled their previous meetings, noting that those encounters had featured productive discussions on developing relations between the two countries. Both leaders exchanged views on regional issues and touched upon the prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the member states of the Nordic-Baltic Eight group. At the same time, they highlighted the prospects of AzerbaijanEuropean Union relations. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026. Von der Leyen said Tuesday that the European Union stands in full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, stressing that their sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday that the European Union stands in full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, stressing that their sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. In a special address at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, von der Leyen said the EU is preparing an Arctic security support package built on five pillars, including stepped-up investment in Greenland's economy and infrastructure and increased defense spending on European icebreaker capability. "First principle: full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. The sovereignty and integrity of their territory is non-negotiable," she said. Von der Leyen said the EU also plans to channel a major European investment push into Greenland to support the local economy and infrastructure, while using the bloc's defense spending increase to bolster European icebreaker capability and other equipment seen as vital to Arctic security. She said Europe must adjust to a "new security architecture and realities" and is preparing its own security strategy, including an upgraded Arctic strategy, to be published later this year. "And at the heart of this will be the fundamental principle: It is for sovereign people to decide their own future," she said. Von der Leyen also warned that proposed additional tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump linked to Greenland would be "a mistake especially between long-standing allies." She noted that the EU and the United States agreed to a trade deal last July. "In politics as in business -- a deal is a deal," she said, adding that "when friends shake hands, it must mean something." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026. Von der Leyen said Tuesday that the European Union stands in full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, stressing that their sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026. Von der Leyen said Tuesday that the European Union stands in full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, stressing that their sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026. Von der Leyen said Tuesday that the European Union stands in full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, stressing that their sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026. Von der Leyen said Tuesday that the European Union stands in full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, stressing that their sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026. Von der Leyen said Tuesday that the European Union stands in full solidarity with Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, stressing that their sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday expressed hope that India will conclude the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US by the fall or November this year. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters He said that "a little bit" of geopolitical issues overtook the trade matters in the negotiations for the pact between the two countries. "I do hope that things will get back on track soon and we will conclude a bilateral trade agreement by the fall, November or so, as was discussed by our two leaders in February," Goyal said at the Annual Global Investor Conference 2025 in Mumbai. In his virtual address, he said there is an excitement across the world to expand trading and business relations with India. "We have had a little bit of geopolitical issues overtaking trade issues in our negotiations with the United States of America," he added. India has already inked free trade agreements with Australia, the UAE, Mauritius, the UK and the four European nations bloc EFTA, he said. "Lots happen, lots more to go...With the US, we are in dialogue with them on a BTA," the minister said earlier in the day at an industry chamber event on sustainability. India and the US have been negotiating the pact since March. So far, five rounds of talks have been completed. A US team was scheduled to visit India from August 25 to hold the next round of talks. However, the US team deferred the visit following the imposition of a 50 per cent duty on Indian goods from August 27. So far, no new dates have been finalised for the sixth round of negotiations. India and the US have planned to conclude the first phase of BTA by the fall this year with an aim to more than double bilateral trade in goods and services to $500 billion by 2030 from the current $191 billion. Amid tensions between India and the US, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that at the end of the day, the two great countries will get this solved. Delhi's values are much closer to ours and to China's than to Russia's. Bessent, in an interview with Fox News, also termed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as being largely performative. His remarks came after the annual summit of the SCO took place in the Chinese port city of Tianjin on Sunday and Monday. "I think at the end of the day, India is the most populous democracy in the world. "Their values are much closer to ours and to China's than to Russia's." "I think at the end of the day, two great countries (India and the US) will get this solved. "But the Indians have not been great actors in terms of buying Russian oil and then reselling it, financing the Russian war effort in Ukraine," he claimed. India has defended its purchase of Russian crude oil, maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics. Bessent's comments came in response to questions about the status of the India-US relationship amid the Trump administration's 50 per cent tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil. India has termed the tariffs imposed on it as unjustified and unreasonable. Goyal also said that this is an uncertain time with full volatility around the world. "But it is a story of a half-full glass," he said, adding that all these issues bring a lot of opportunities for businesses. "We recognise that there is a tremendous global turbulence and we are living in volatile, uncertain times, full of trepidations about the future," the minister said. At the same time, he said, along with the private sector, the government is working to fortify "ourselves" for long-term capacity building. The government is working to further strengthen the economy, he said. India, he said, is focusing on self-reliance in terms of making resilient supply chains so that "we are not at the mercy of any one geography who can actually hurt our industry in any significant manner". Without naming China, he added that domestic auto and electronics industries face issues when a country restricts exports of permanent magnets. Further, he suggested that the industry look at buying wadeshi' (local) goods and services. Goyal, in a meeting with Cold Rolled Grain Oriented steel makers, suggested that transformer players buy ade in India' steel. Earlier, on the India-EU free trade agreement, Goyal said talks are at an advanced stage. "We are making very active and significant progress," he said, adding that Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal is in Brussels for talks with EU officials on the pact. The 13th round of negotiations between India and the EU will begin here on September 8. After the meeting, European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic is visiting India on September 12 to take stock of the progress of the agreement. As there is a deadline to conclude the negotiations by the end of this year, this round is important. The 12th round of talks concluded in Brussels. India is hopeful of resuming negotiations on the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US soon and addressing the issue of high tariffs imposed by Washington on Indian goods will be key to striking the deal, a government official said on Thursday. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff However, the official said the new dates for the next round of negotiations for the agreement have not yet been finalised. "We are hopeful to get back on the table soon... whenever we strike a deal, both the tariffs (additional 25 per cent and 25 per cent on purchase of Russian oil) need to be addressed," the official said. The two countries started negotiations for BTA in March. So far, five rounds of negotiations have been completed. The US team, which was scheduled to visit India from August 25, for the next round of negotiations for the agreement, postponed the meeting. The talks are paused as the US is pressing for greater market access in politically sensitive areas such as agri and dairy sectors, which India cannot accept as it affects the livelihood of small and marginal farmers. Promoters' ownership in private listed companies declined to an eight-year low of 40.58 per cent as of June 30, 2025, following a net share sale worth Rs 54,732 crore during the quarter, according to data from primeinfobase.com, an initiative of PRIME Database Group. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff While promoter buying is always a positive sign, promoter selling can be due to a wide variety of reasons such as promoters taking advantage of bullish markets to take money off the table, strategic reasons like debt reduction, legacy planning, philanthropy, investment in other ventures and meeting Minimum Public Shareholding (MPS) requirement as also for personal expenses, Pranav Haldea, managing director, PRIME Database Group, said. "Relatively lower promoter holding in some of the recent IPO companies and overall institutionalisation of the market are some of the other reasons behind this fall," he added. In comparison, private promoters held a 40.81 per cent stake in the quarter ended March 2025. The last time holdings were this low was in the quarter ended September 30, 2017, when private promoter shareholding stood at 40.19 per cent. This trend has been consistent over the past three years. Over the last 13 quarters alone, promoters' share has fallen sharply by 455 basis points from 45.13 per cent on March 31, 2022, to 40.58 per cent as of June 30, 2025. According to Haldea, as long as promoters continue to hold a sizable stake after the sale, with the sale not happening at a huge discount to market price and there being no significant change in the fundamentals of the company, there is no reason to worry. This analysis is based on the shareholding data filed by 2,086 out of the 2,131 companies listed on the main board of the NSE for the quarter ended June 30, 2025. As of July 25, 45 companies had yet to submit their shareholding disclosures. Meanwhile, government holdings as promoters saw a slight increase during the quarter, rising from 9.27 per cent to 9.39 per cent. The share of Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) continued to climb, reaching an all-time high of 17.82 per cent as of June 30, 2025, up from 17.62 per cent in the previous quarter. This increase followed a net investment of Rs 1.68 lakh crore during the quarter. Mutual funds, buoyed by sustained retail inflows through systematic investment plans (SIPs), played a major role in this surge. Their net investment of Rs 1.17 lakh crore pushed mutual funds' share in NSE-listed companies to a new peak of 10.56 per cent, up from 10.35 per cent in March 2025. In contrast, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) saw their stake dip further to a 13-year low of 17.04 per cent from 17.22 per cent, despite a net inflow of Rs 38,674 crore during the quarter. DIIs increased their exposure most notably to the Consumer Discretionary sector while cutting back on Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). On the other hand, FIIs raised their allocation to Financial Services but also trimmed their investment in FMCG. India's largest institutional investor, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), saw a marginal decline in its equity holdings. Across 284 companies where it holds over 1 per cent, LIC's stake dropped to 3.68 per cent as of June 30, 2025, from 3.72 per cent at the end of March 2025, even though it recorded a net purchase of Rs 9,914 crore during the quarter. LIC continues to account for a dominant 69 per cent share, amounting to Rs 16.76 lakh crore of all insurance equity investments. India, the biggest contributor to world demand for oil, will bring into effect in an overhaul of its drilling policy. Photograph: Liz Hampton/Reuters This comes after more than a year of preparation and will boost the exploration and development of Indias oil and gas sector along with increased participation by foreign drillers, a top government official close to the developments told Business Standard. Foreign drillers will be insured against any fiscal-policy changes, the bugbear that kept reputed overseas explorers like Exxon, Shell, and Chevron from participating in the countrys first nine drilling rounds, the official said. It is Indias make or break oil exploration policy to draw in foreign investors, with the government laying out the red carpet to oil majors, an industry official said. Crude oil production by private players declined by more than half in FY25 as against a record 12 million tonnes in FY14, according to the oil ministry data. The drilling rules, which elaborate on the recently amended Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948, and also embrace renewable energy activities in oil areas, were first announced in April in draft form and then further changed this month based on industry feedback, the official said. He expects them to be written into the government gazette by the end of the month. These rules, which replace the outdated Petroleum Concession Rules, 1949, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 1959, were timed to precede the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) Round X, Indias largest ever exploration and production bidding round, but they are still in time for drillers to place bids based on them. The official said that the main problem for Indias petroleum sector, considering that its geology is less lucrative than that of African and Latin American countries, was the frequent changes in tax and incentive policies. Until now, India has attracted bids only from state-run explorers Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India, apart from an odd bid or so from BP and Reliance Industries in the countrys ninth round. Chevron, Exxon, Shell and Occidental, among others, stayed away. Beginning next month, Indias biggest ever drilling-rule changes will see bids from these firms, the official said. We have spoken to all of them and tailored the rules to their needs, the official said. Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said: It has never been easier, faster and more profitable to explore oil & gas in India. We look forward to constructive engagement to shape a modern, investor-friendly regime. The ministry did not say when the new rules would enter the gazette. These developments boost policy clarity and predictability and enhance investor confidence, said Kapil Garg, managing director, Oilmax Energy & Asian Energy Services, an oilfield services company. The new exploration data-sharing policy, which formalises licensing and public release of seismic and well data, will boost fresh exploration interest and reduce risks, and may improve success rates in underexplored basins. Energy security India, the worlds third-biggest oil consumer at 5.5 million barrels a day, imports 90 per cent of its crude oil needs, over half its gas consumption, and over 60 per cent of its liquefied petrol gas demand. In the last two years India was held hostage to international developments, over which it has no control, a senior trader at a state oil refiner said. For instance, United States President Donald Trumps support for a Bill that slaps a 500 per cent import tax on countries that buy Russian oil threatens over 40 per cent of its import of crude oil. BP, in a consortium with ONGC and Reliance Industries, was the only foreign bidder to win acreage in Indias ninth exploration round. The government has awarded 144 blocks under the countrys first eight OALP rounds, resulting in commitments of investment worth $3.4 billion and 14 discoveries. Indias oil production, including condensates, slid over 2 per cent to 28.7 million tons in FY25 from a year earlier; gas output dipped marginally to 36.1 billion cubic metres during the period. But oil use rose by 2 per cent and gas consumption by 6 per cent during the period. The 10th round will also allow explorers to use the underlying blocks to extract other minerals like critical minerals something Oil India is already doing in Rajasthan under the new rules. For the first time, the rules will permit operators to undertake integrated renewable and low-carbon projects including solar, wind, hydrogen, and geothermal energy in oilfield blocks if they meet safety standards and do not interfere in petroleum production. The rules will create an adjudicating authority, an office held by a person not below the rank of joint secretary, empowered to enforce compliance, resolve disputes, and impose penalties, the government official said. Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran on Wednesday said that the country is not pursuing any proposal to replace the US dollar as international currency for global trade. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters "No, certainly not. I think India is not part of any such initiative," he said in response to a question if India is looking at an alternative currency to the US dollar for global trade. Although last year, at the BRICS Summit held in October in Kazan, Russia, India and other BRICS nations had contemplated settlement of cross-border payments in local currency and had agreed for creation of a special BRICS currency. "We recognise the widespread benefits of faster, low cost, more efficient, transparent, safe and inclusive cross-border payment instruments built upon the principle of minimising trade barriers and non-discriminatory access. "We welcome the use of local currencies in financial transactions between BRICS countries and their trading partners," the declaration of the 16th BRICS Summit held in October 2024 had said. BRICS is a grouping of emerging economies comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. It aims to promote unified emerging economy perspectives in multilateral forums. Nageswaran further emphasised that there is not a very viable alternative to the US dollar at this point, and it may take even a much longer time to emerge. However, central banks are keeping their portfolio of foreign exchange reserves on a diversified basis. The Reserve Bank has also increased its share of gold purchases etc in the last few years, he said. "So, there is a constant attention being paid to the composition of the foreign exchange reserves, including gold," he added. Apple Inc has named India-origin Sabih Khan as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO), marking a key move in its long-planned leadership transition. Khan, 58, who has been with Apple for 30 years and is currently the senior vice president of operations, will succeed Jeff Williams later this month, the iPhone maker said in a statement. Before joining Apple's procurement group in 1995, he worked as an applications development engineer and key account technical leader at GE Plastics. Born in 1966 in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, Khan moved to Singapore during his school years before settling in the US. He holds dual bachelor's degrees in economics and mechanical engineering from Tufts University, and a master's in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He has spent nearly three decades in key roles across the company. He rose through the ranks to become senior vice president of operations in 2019. Over the past six years, he has led Apple's global supply chain, overseeing planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and product fulfilment. He has also overseen Apple's supplier responsibility programmes that focus on worker protection, education, and environmental sustainability. Apple highlighted his pivotal contribution in "delivering each of Apple's innovative products to market". Williams will continue reporting to CEO Tim Cook and overseeing the design team and Apple Watch. Upon his retirement later this year, the design team will report directly to Cook. Until now, Khan served as Apple's Senior Vice President of Operations, reporting to outgoing COO Jeff Williams. He will officially step into the COO role later this month. Cook praised Khan as a "brilliant strategist", recognising his significant contributions to the company's success. "Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple's supply chain," the statement quoted Cook as saying. "While overseeing Apple's supply chain, he has helped pioneer new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseen the expansion of Apple's manufacturing footprint in the United States, and helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges." The CEO also commended Khan for advancing Apple's sustainability goals. "He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple's carbon footprint by more than 60 per cent," Cook said. "Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer," Cook added. It is pertinent to mention that the transition comes at a time when US President Donald Trump, in recent months, nudged Apple to move production of iPhone to America from global hubs. Commenting on Williams, Cook said, "Jeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldn't be what it is without him." The outgoing COO, who completed 27 years with Apple last month, helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world, launched Apple Watch and oversaw its development, architected Apple's health strategy, and led its team of designers, he said. "Jeff's true legacy can be seen in the amazing team he's created and, while he'll be greatly missed, he leaves the work of the future in incredible hands." 'The logic every one of our neighbours must realise is that working with India will give you benefits, and not working with India has a cost.' IMAGE: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar speaks during an interaction event with members of Indian community of Belgium and Luxembourg. Photograph: ANI Photo External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday described India's recent trade pacts as significant achievements and said that New Delhi's push for FTAs was the space to watch. Jaishankar also said that over the last 11 years India pursued trade pacts with countries that have more mature markets, and were more transparent and rule bound compared to the East Asian countries. Jaishankar said India is now more interested in key free trade agreements. He said the one with the United Kingdom is more or less finalised, the one with the European Union is in advanced stages of negotiations and there have been several rounds of negotiations between the Indian and American officials for the bilateral trade agreement. In an interview to public broadcaster DD India, a link of which the minister posted on X on Saturday, Jaishankar said in the years after the economic reforms, most of India's trade agreements were with Southeast Asian nations, which skewed the balance as several of these economies competed with India and didn't it give market access. It was important to make the correction and have an understanding with more mature markets, which are more transparent and rule bound. Jaishankar said India's trade pacts with the United Arab Emirates and Australia are significant achievements, describing New Delhi's push for FTAs as the space to watch. In 2019, India did not join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trading block that comprises the 10-member Asean grouping, and other Asia-Pacific economies, including China, Australia and Japan. He said India in the last 11 years has systematically tried to deepen our posture, our strategic posture, to have good relations with all major countries, but also other regions, so that we get into the optimal position. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff In the last 11 years, the EAM said, the consistent theme underpinning India's foreign policy has been planning for a multi-polar world as it gives it a higher profile and more influence. But it is not just the question of our wishes, that is the direction in which the world is moving, he said, which is why New Delhi, despite enormous pressure on it, maintained its relationship with Russia, he added. About India's ties with the US, he said, Where the US is concerned, yes, there is unpredictability, therefore at a systemic level, you stabilise it with as many linkages and relationships as possible. On India's relations with China, Jaishankar said, With China, if you have to stand up to that country and we have had some very difficult periods, (and) so it is important to prepare the capabilities. The minister said a really perplexing aspect of India's China policy before 2014 was the complete neglect of our border infrastructure in the previous decades. To have a China policy and neglect your border infrastructure was absurd, he said. And, that is one of the things which has changed. We have today that standing up, in defence of our national interests, along the LAC. It is because we have built the border infrastructure to make that possible, Jaishankar said. On India's ties with its immediate neighbours, Jaishankar said that India should not expect smooth sailing all the time. He said New Delhi has attempted to shape a collective interest to build an inherent stability in relationships, irrespective of changes in regimes. At the end of the day, the logic every one of our neighbours must realise is that working with India will give you benefits, and not working with India has a cost, he said. Some take longer to realise, some understand it better. One exception of course is Pakistan, because it has defined its identity under the army, in a way it has an in-built hostility in it. So if you put Pakistan aside, the logic will apply everywhere else, the EAM said. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff India will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday, a day after US President Donald Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs plus penalty on domestic exports to America from August 1. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff In a suo motu statement in both the houses of Parliament, he said, the government is examining the implications of these tariffs and is in consultation with all stakeholders, including farmers, exporters, MSMEs and industry bodies, on the tariffs. "The Government attaches the utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare of our farmers, workers, entrepreneurs, exporters, MSMEs and all sections of industry. "We will take all necessary steps to secure and advance our national interest," he said. He added that the implications of the recent development are being examined by the government. The ministry is engaged with all stakeholders including exporters and industry for taking feedback of their assessment of the situation, Goyal said. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on all goods coming from India starting August 1, plus an unspecified penalty for buying Russian crude oil and military equipment. The surprise announcement came amid a US trade team visiting India from August 25 for the sixth round of negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement. Goyal's remarks are important as India has hardened its stance on giving duty concessions to the US on agriculture and dairy sectors -- a key demand of America in the trade talks with India. India is seeking import duty concessions from the US for its labour-intensive sectors like gems & jewellery and others, besides auto parts. The two countries are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) from March with an aim to more than double the bilateral trade in goods and services to $500 billion by 2030 from the current $191 billion. So far five rounds of talks have been completed. For the sixth round of talks, the US team is visiting India from August 25. They are aiming to conclude the first phase of the agreement by fall (October-November) this year. The two sides are also looking at an interim trade deal before the BTA. India and the US entered into negotiations for a fair, balanced and beneficial bilateral trade agreement in March 2025, with the first phase of the agreement to be completed by fall of 2025, he said. The minister also said that in just over a decade, India has rapidly transformed from being one of the Fragile 5 to the fastest growing major economy in the world. "We have risen from the 11th largest economy to one of the top 5 economies, driven by our reforms, hard work of our farmers, MSMEs and entrepreneurs. "It is also widely expected that we will become the 3rd largest economy in a few years," Goyal said. Today, he said, international institutions and economists see India as the bright spot in the global economy. India is contributing to almost 16 per cent of global growth, he said. Trump once again mounted a sharp attack on India and Russia for their close ties and said he doesn't care what New India does with Moscow. "I don't care what India does with Russia. "They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care," he said. "We have done very little business with India, their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World," he added. Goyal said that in the last decade, the government has taken measures to promote India as the manufacturing hub of the world, driven by the Make in India initiative. "India's young, skilled and talented workforce is driving innovation and competitiveness of Indian industry. "Our exports have steadily increased during the last 11 years," he said, adding in an increasingly protectionist world, India has done mutually beneficial trade agreements with UAE, UK, Australia and EFTA countries. "We are also committed to similar trade agreements with other countries. "We are consistently working for the welfare of the farmers and Indian agriculture, to promote prosperity and ensure food security," the minister noted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the India-UK free trade pact will boost MSMEs and create jobs, and exuded confidence that the target of doubling bilateral trade will be achieved ahead of 2030 deadline. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds delegation-level talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Photograph: ANI Photo Addressing a CEO forum along with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Modi said the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between India and the UK will provide stability at a time when the world is witnessing instability. "Today, India-UK bilateral trade stands at $56 billion. "I am confident that the target of doubling it would be achieved ahead of the scheduled deadline of 2030," Modi said. Modi also said that nine UK universities will open campuses in India. In his address, Starmer asked industry leaders from India and UK to list out what the governments of both the countries could do to remove barriers stopping them from capitalising on opportunities. "We want to support you to maximize the potential in relation to this trade agreement," Starmer said, adding that there has been a 6 billion pound boost in trade and investment in the three months since the CETA was signed in July. The British leader, accompanied by a delegation of 125 of the UK's most prominent business leaders, entrepreneurs and educationists, landed in Mumbai on Wednesday morning on a two-day visit. Starmer's visit to India came two-and-half months after the two countries inked a landmark free trade pact that will increase market access, cut tariffs and is expected to result in doubling the bilateral trade by 2030. The trade deal was firmed up during PM Modi's visit to London in July. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi to London for the signing of the free trade agreement between India and the UK on July 24, an official said on Monday. IMAGE: Britain's Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds meets Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. Photograph: Reuters The two countries announced the conclusion of the negotiations for the trade agreement on May 6. The trade pact proposes to remove taxes on the export of labour-intensive products such as leather, footwear and clothing, while making imports of whisky and cars from Britain cheaper, in a bid to double trade between the two economies to $120 billion by 2030. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a four-day visit to the United Kingdom and the Maldives beginning Wednesday with an aim to shore up bilateral ties in areas of trade, investment and defence. The commerce minister will accompany the prime minister during the visit, the official said. The text of the agreement is generally signed by the commerce ministers from both countries. Once the free trade agreement is signed, it will require approval from the British Parliament and India's Cabinet before it can take effect. It will take about a year for implementation after the signing of the deal. The world's fifth and sixth-largest economies concluded the deal after three years of on-and-off negotiations. The pact lowers tariffs on 99 per cent of Indian goods to zero in the UK market while allowing Indian workers to travel to the UK for work without changing Britain's point-based immigration system. Taxes on export of Indian clothing, frozen prawns, jewellery and gems will be cut. And so will be the import of whisky and gin from the UK after the treaty halved the tariff to 75 per cent initially and to 40 per cent by the 10th year. Tariffs on automotive imports will go from over 100 per cent to 10 per cent under quotas on both sides, benefiting companies such as Tata-JLR. Indian goods that will enter the UK at zero duty include minerals, chemicals, gems and jewellery, plastic, rubber, wood, paper, textile, clothing, glass, ceramic, base metals, mechanical and electrical machinery, arms/ammunition, transport/auto, furniture, sports goods, animal products, and processed food. The two have also concluded the negotiations for the Double Contribution Convention Agreement, or social security pact. It would help avoid double contribution to social security funds by Indian professionals working for a limited period in Britain. However, the talks for the bilateral investment treaty (BIT) are still going on. Earlier, there were plans to conclude all three simultaneously. India will gain from tariff elimination on about 99 per cent of the tariff lines (or product categories) covering almost 100 per cent of the trade value offering huge opportunities for an increase in the bilateral trade between the two nations. On the services front, India will benefit in sectors such as IT/ITeS, finance, professional, and educational services. The FTA has eased mobility for professionals, including contractual service suppliers; business visitors; investors; intra-corporate transferees; partners and dependent children of intra-corporate transferees with right to work; and independent professionals like yoga instructors, musicians and chefs. Further, India has secured significant commitments on digitally delivered services such as architecture, engineering, computer-related and telecommunication services. The pact comes at a time when global trade is facing headwinds due to the imposition of tariffs by the US. The talks for the pact started in January 2022. Both sides held 14 rounds for the conclusion of the talks. In FTAs, two countries either eliminate or significantly reduce customs duties on maximum goods traded between them. They also ease norms for promoting trade in services and bilateral investments. India's exports to the UK rose by 12.6 per cent to $14.5 billion, while imports grew by 2.3 per cent to $8.6 billion in 2024-25. The bilateral trade between India and the UK increased to $21.34 billion in 2023-24 from $20.36 billion in 2022-23. BOGOTA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 26 people were killed during intense clashes between armed factions in Colombia's Guaviare department, the Colombian army said Monday. Ricardo Roque, commander of the National Army's Fourth Division, told local media that troops recovered 26 bodies in the municipality of El Retorno, following fighting between rival armed factions. Roque said the army, police, navy and aerospace force are conducting joint operations to regain full control of the area, which spans more than 35,000 square kilometers. He added that a unified command post has been set up to coordinate security operations and address risks to nearby communities, including possible unexploded devices. Authorities warned that residents in rural areas remain at risk due to ongoing violence and urged civilians to follow official safety instructions. 'India's farmers will be unable to compete with the US, given the subsidies that the latter provides its farmers.' IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump at the White House, February 13, 2025. Photograph: Press Information Bureau Affiliates of the Sangh Parivar have said the India-United States bilateral trade agreement (BTA) is unlikely to happen if America continues to be "stubborn" about securing market access for genetically modified (GM) crops, dairy products, relaxed regulations on medical devices, and data localisation. The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) and Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) have flagged the issue that concessions to the United States in the agriculture sector, including dairy products, will have ramifications for the country's food security. The Parivar has pointed to the efforts by US Senator Lindsey Graham to move a Bill that envisages steep economic penalties for India, and also China, for importing Russian oil. The Bill could propose a 500 per cent tariff on imports from countries not supporting Ukraine. On June 30, SJM National Co-Convenor Ashwani Mahajan posted on X: 'No matter what US President Donald Trump says, there cannot be a trade deal with the US because India cannot give what America is asking for.' Mahajan said India could not possibly give ground on market access to America's genetically modified crops and other agricultural products. 'How can the country's agriculture and small industries be sacrificed in front of America's stubbornness?' Mahajan asked. India cannot allow 'non-vegetarian milk and dairy', he said, adding that there could not be any agreement that compromised the interests of India's farmers and dairy. Talking to Business Standard, Mahajan said the SJM had opposed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) because it would have compromised the interests of India's farmers. "India's farmers will be unable to compete with the US, given the subsidies that the latter provides its farmers. What if India's farmers stop producing?" Mahajan asked. Last month, the BKS slammed the NITI Aayog for its working paper that recommended increasing agricultural trade between India and the US. The BKS accused the Aayog of 'kneeling in the tariff war with the US'. In a post on X on June 29, Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge communications, wondered why the NITI Aayog working paper, titled 'Promoting India-US Agricultural Trade Under the New US Trade Regime', and issued on May 30, was withdrawn. 'It got reported and also invited some critical comments. Now the Working Paper has gone missing from the Aayog's website. It has reportedly been withdrawn. Wonder why?' Ramesh asked. The paper has been taken off the Aayog's website since June 23. Some farmer groups such the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Apolitical) said it was because of them and other peasant organisations. In a statement, BKS All India General Secretary Mohini Mohan Mishra said the working paper had recommended that India, under the proposed BTA, open up its market for rice, pepper, soybean oil, shrimp, tea, coffee, dairy products, poultry, apples, almonds, pistachios, corn, and GM soy products. Mishra said that doing so could risk the livelihoods of 700 million Indians dependent on agriculture. 'When the government is preparing to make the country self-reliant in oilseeds, then reducing the import duty on edible oil is a contradictory decision in itself,' Mishra said. Mishra said the advisors to the NITI Aayog should reconsider their recommendations. 'It is well known that in the US, GM soya and maize are used as animal feed and some amount of ethanol is produced from them. In such a situation, why is it suggested that the crop be imported?' he asked. The BKS leader said the government had formulated a policy to add 20 per cent ethanol to petrol and had already added 18.5 per cent ethanol. 'In such a situation, the suggestion to import American GM corn shows a conflict with the interests of farmers. Such unethical suggestions of the Ayog should be corrected immediately,' Mishra said, adding that the think tank bowing under pressure was not good for India. If the Aayog does not have faith in the country's capabilities, Mishra said, the government needs to review its working system. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'A deal will only be possible if India stops buying Russian oil -- but even then, New Delhi must not compromise its core red lines.' Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff India and the United States on Tuesday agreed to intensify efforts to reach an early conclusion of a 'mutually beneficial' trade deal, setting aside recent strains in their bilateral relationship. The announcement from the Indian side followed a seven-hour meeting between the chief negotiators from both countries, at Vanijya Bhawan. The US team was led by Brendan Lynch, assistant US trade representative (USTR) for South and Central Asia, while the Indian delegation was headed by Rajesh Agrawal, special secretary in the commerce department. 'Acknowledging the enduring importance of bilateral trade between India and the US, the discussions were positive and forward looking, covering various aspects of the trade deal,' the ministry of commerce and industry said in a statement. 'It was decided to intensify efforts to achieve early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement,' the ministry added. This marked Lynch's third visit to India and the first official meeting between the trade negotiating teams since the US administration last month imposed relatively high tariffs -- a 50 per cent duty on a majority of Indian goods, including a 25 per cent punitive tariff targeting New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil. The meeting also paved the way for the sixth round of negotiations, originally scheduled for August 25 in New Delhi but derailed after tensions flared. Both sides refrained from announcing the date of the next round of talks, describing the latest engagement not as a formal round of negotiations but as a stock-taking exercise, following a gap of one-and-a-half months. "Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch had a positive meeting in Delhi with his counterpart, Ministry of Commerce and Industry Special Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, on September 16 to discuss next steps in bilateral trade negotiations," a US embassy spokesperson stated. The meeting came amid signs of easing tensions between the two countries, with US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi posting conciliatory messages on social media last week, expressing optimism about resolving outstanding issues and concluding negotiations for a trade deal at the earliest. In February, Modi and Trump had announced the intention to conclude the first phase of a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the fall of 2025. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in recent days indicated that a trade deal with the US could be finalised by the end of November. Ajay Srivastava, former trade ministry official and founder of the Delhi-based think tank Global Trade Research Initiative, said the US appeared desperate to close a deal with India, even as its officials routinely use disparaging language against New Delhi in public forums. By naming India in its supreme court filing, Washington has made any deal politically harder. "A deal will only be possible if India stops buying Russian oil, even though China and the EU will continue doing so -- but even then, New Delhi must not compromise its core red lines," Srivastava said. "India must hold firm on agriculture and dairy, which it views not as trade issues but livelihood concerns for over 700 million farmers." Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff India is seeking either an exemption or a longer timeline on the pharmaceutical tariffs, expected to kick in by July 31. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters The US is pressing India to commit to not reintroducing the so-called 'Google tax', while New Delhi is seeking protection from potential future tariffs on pharmaceutical exports as part of the ongoing trade-deal negotiations. Starting April 1, India abolished the 6 per cent equalisation levy on online advertising services provided by non-resident entities, also known as Google tax. The move, announced in March, was aimed at sending a positive signal to US President Donald Trump, who had threatened reciprocal tariffs on high-tariff nations. Apart from Google, the decision also benefited other US-based tech majors, such as Meta and X (formerly Twitter). "While we have already abolished the equalisation levy, to include a provision not to reintroduce it in a trade deal may set a wrong precedent," said a government official who did not wish to be named. India usually does not make sovereign commitments on tax issues under trade agreements. For its part, India is seeking either an exemption or a longer timeline on the pharmaceutical tariffs, expected to kick in by July 31. "This will bring more certainty to the Indian pharma companies," the official said. Trump has threatened tariffs of up to 200 per cent on pharmaceuticals to push drug manufacturers to bring production back to the US. 'Probably at the end of the month, we're going to start off with a low tariff and give the pharmaceutical firms a year or so to build, and then we're going to make it a very high tariff,' Trump recently told reporters. India is also seeking at least a "quota-based relief" from the 25 per cent tariffs on steel, aluminium, and automobiles under the proposed deal. "Since these tariffs were imposed under Section 232, citing national security, and are unlikely to be challenged in US courts, we are looking for some sort of resolution within the trade agreement," the official noted. New Delhi has termed the Section 232 tariffs by the US as safeguard duties and informed the World Trade Organization that it reserves the right to retaliate. The US, however, has rejected India's claim, holding that India has no legal basis to retaliate, as such tariffs were imposed on national security grounds. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Hectic parleys are underway between officials of India and the US in Washington on the proposed interim trade agreement between the two countries, an official said on Wednesday. Illustration: Dado Ruvic/Reuters The talks entered the seventh day on Wednesday in Washington, the official said. While India is seeking greater market access for its labour-intensive goods, the US wants duty concessions for its agricultural products. The Indian team, headed by special secretary in the Department of Commerce Rajesh Agrawal, is in Washington for negotiations. The stay of the Indian officials has been extended. Initially, the delegation was scheduled to stay for two days after the talks commenced on June 26. These talks are important as the suspension of Trump's reciprocal tariffs is ending on July 9. The two sides are looking at finalising the talks before that. India has hardened its position on giving duty concessions to American farm products. It is seeking duty concessions for its labour-intensive goods such as textiles, engineering, leather, gems and jewellery. On April 2, the US imposed an additional 26 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods but suspended it for 90 days. However, the 10 per cent baseline tariff imposed by America remains in place. India is seeking full exemption from the additional 26 per cent tariff. The US is demanding duty concessions in both the agriculture and dairy sectors. But these segments are difficult and challenging areas for India to give duty concessions to the US as Indian farmers are into sustenance farming and have small land holdings. Therefore, these sectors are politically sensitive. India has not opened up the dairy sector for any of its trading partners in free trade pacts the country has signed so far. The US wants duty concessions on certain industrial goods, automobiles, especially electric vehicles, wines, petrochemical products, dairy, and agricultural items like apples, tree nuts, and genetically modified crops. India is seeking duty concessions for labour-intensive sectors like textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, grapes, and bananas in the proposed trade pact. The two countries are also looking to conclude talks for the first tranche of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by fall (September-October) this year. The pact is aimed at more than doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 from the current $191 billion. Before the first tranche, they are trying for an interim trade pact. The US team was here last for the talks. India's merchandise exports to the US rose by 21.78 per cent to $17.25 billion in April-May this fiscal, while imports rose by 25.8 per cent to $8.87 billion. Indian carriers are grappling with severe operational disruptions after Iran launched missile strikes on the US military base in Qatar late Monday. Photograph: Amir Cohen/Reuters This led to airspace closures for long hours in parts of West Asia. Iran, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait shut down their skies following the attack, forcing airlines to cancel, divert, or delay flights through these vital corridors. By Tuesday morning, most West Asian countries including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE had reopened their airspace following reports of a de-escalation and ceasefire. However, Iran's airspace remained closed, continuing to disrupt flight paths for carriers connecting India to Europe and North America via West Asia. Air India, which had initially announced at 12:30 am on Tuesday that it was suspending all operations to West Asia and to and from North America and Europe, began resuming services later in the day. As airspaces gradually reopen in certain parts of West Asia, Air India will progressively resume flights to the region starting today (Tuesday), with most operations to and from West Asia resuming from 25 June, a spokesperson said in the afternoon. Flights to and from Europe, which were cancelled earlier, are resuming now. Services to the US and Canadas East Coast will resume at the earliest opportunity, the spokesperson added. The airline added that some flights may still face delays or cancellations due to re-routings and it would continue to avoid airspaces deemed unsafe. The safety and security of our passengers, staff, and aircraft remain our top priority, the spokesperson said. IndiGo, Indias largest airline by market share, also began issuing advisories early Tuesday. At 12:40 am, it confirmed disruptions to flights operating to Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Dammam, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Ras Al-Khaimah, and Tbilisi. By 1:50 am, IndiGo said it had suspended operations to 15 cities, including Jeddah, Muscat, Sharjah, Riyadh, and Madinah, until at least 10 am as a safety measure. A later update at 6:30 am noted that operations were being prudently and progressively resumed as airport closures were lifted. Akasa Air, in a statement issued just after midnight, warned that its West Asia operations could be impacted and advised passengers to check flight status before travel. The airline said it was monitoring the evolving situation to ensure operations remained within safe and approved air corridors. SpiceJet issued a similar advisory around 2 am, confirming potential flight disruptions due to airspace shutdown and directed passengers to check its website or contact helplines. For Indian carriers, the situation compounded due to Pakistans ongoing airspace restrictions. Since May 7 when India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Islamabad has barred Indian aircraft from entering its airspace. With both western and northwestern routes constrained, Indian carriers are now forced to take longer detours over the Arabian Sea, Egypt, and the Caucasus region. This has seen extended flight times, higher fuel burn, and complex crew planning. The latest crisis was sparked late Monday night when Iran launched around 19 ballistic missiles at the US Al Udeid air Base in Qatar. Dubbed Operation Glad Tidings of Victory by Tehran, the attack followed reported US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities a day earlier. Iran is said to have given prior warning to both US and Qatari authorities, and most missiles were intercepted before impact. One missile reportedly struck the base, though no casualties were reported. 'It is good to have the H1-B visa option but if tomorrow things happen to change, it is not the end of the world situation.' Kindly note that this illustration generated using ChatGPT has only been posted for representational purposes. The Indian information technology services industry, already grappling with the twin pressures of slowing growth and the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence, is staring at a fresh challenge -- tightening US visa norms. The latest warning has come from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who has called for an overhaul of the visa programme. In an interview with Fox News, Lutnick said he was involved in revamping the H-1B visa system. 'We're going to change that programme because that's terrible, right? 'We're going to change the green card... That's the gold card that's coming. 'And that's when we're going to start picking the best people to come into this country. 'It's time for that to change,' he said. According to Lutnick, an average green card recipient earns $66,000 a year, compared with $75,000 for an average American worker. 'It's like picking the bottom core,' he remarked. India's tech sector is expected to be at $270 billion in size in 2025-2026 (FY26), of which IT services is likely to account for more than $137 billion. A significant change in the visa programme will be a huge concern, as it has benefited the most from the H1-B visa system. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the Congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap, for FY26. US immigration data says that Indian nationals have accounted for over 70 per cent of the new H1-B allocations annually. Industry players and senior executives, who have been in a wait-and-watch mode since US President Donald Trump came back to power, believe that the industry has become much bigger to get rattled by the visa issue. "It is good to have the H1-B visa option but if tomorrow things happen to change, it is not the end of the world situation," said a large IT services firm senior executive who has moved to an advisory role. "For the industry this is not about immigration, this is about 'talent mobility'. Tomorrow if there is a project and it needs to be delivered, then we need to move people and get them back," the executive explained. "The industry is at a much mature level, where such measures will have some impact but will not be a setback," the executive added. Hansa Iyengar, practice leader of BFS and IT services at HfS Research, said the new merit-based system will place importance on high-skilled workers rather than on low-cost roles. "This trend has been accelerating for several years now. System integrators will have to file at higher wage levels, lean more on L-1 and STEM-OPT where applicable and localise US hiring, and expand nearshore centres," Iyengar said. Most IT services providers, she said, have between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of non-visa-reliant onsite staff, which is likely to pick up speed. "Another major impact will be an accelerated shift towards AI and automation to reduce dependence on people-heavy models. Expect greater investments in AI-first solutions to support services," Iyengar added. Players said that the major impact of such a shift will be on margins due to rising cost, slight delay in rampups, and project execution due to inability to get skills. Moreover, the impact could be more on smaller IT players than their larger peers. "Even after two-to-three decades, I can confidently say that H1-B has been used as a skill filler. Having said that, we are 'worried' because rules are changing overnight. There is no system anymore," said another senior executive. A senior analyst, on the condition of anonymity, said that the comments are not new. "The dependency on visas has gone down over several years. The impact will be delayed in project rampups," he added. Additionally, players also highlighted that for the larger players, the focus moved to local hiring a long time back. Players such as TCS, Infosys, and Wipro have had their campus hiring programmes for US hiring as well. According to industry sources, TCS's total workforce in the US could be around 50,000, over 50 per cent of which is local hire. TCS Pace Ports, which the firm has created, are investments in local markets to tap into innovation and skillsets from countries such as the US, UK, Europe, and Japan. TCS Pace Ports are a global network of innovation hubs and co-innovation centres established to drive digital transformation and innovation for their clients. In its FY25 annual report, Infosys also highlights such initiatives. 'With the objective of creating differentiated talent pools and ecosystems in our markets, we made significant investments in expanding our local workforce in the US, UK, Europe, Japan, China, Canada and Australia. We established innovation hubs, near-shore centres and digital design studios across geographies. 'Further, we expanded our university and community college partnerships in all these regions to aid internships, recruitment, training and joint research,' Infosys said. Similarly, Wipro in its annual report also mentions its strategy of hiring local talent in critical geographies and strategic locations along with a dedicated team that manages mobility, ensures minimal impact on operations resulting from any protectionist policies by a country. 'We currently have sufficient personnel with valid non-immigrant worker visas, and have increased hiring of local employees in the US to continue services to clients. 'However, since a large part of our business centres is around the US, changes to US immigration laws could make it more difficult to obtain the required non-immigrant work authorisations for our employees that allow us to compete for and provide timely and cost-effective services to our clients in the US, which, in turn, could affect our revenues and operating profitability,' Wipro said in its FY25 annual report. Visa squeeze Green card recipients earn less than average American workers Indians account for over 70% of new H-1B visas annually Industry views visa issue as talent mobility, not immigration Smaller IT players likely to face more impact than larger peers Larger firms already focusing on local hiring in US Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Since the first Reit listing in 2019, the sector has grown to a market capitalisation of about $18 billion as of August 2025, and is projected to cross $25 billion by 2030. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff India's late entry into the real estate investment trust (Reit) market has been offset by strong fundamentals, with distribution yields averaging 6-7 per cent, said a report by Anarock and Credai. This is well above those in mature markets, such as the US and Singapore, according to the report. Reits in the US offer an average yield of 2.5-3.5 per cent, compared to 5-6 per cent in Singapore and around 4.5-5.5 per cent in Japan. "Indian Reits are late to the party, but now lead the dance," said Shobhit Agarwal, chief executive officer (CEO), Anarock Capital. He added, "The distribution yields, averaging 6-7 per cent, are higher than many mature markets and remain competitive with fixed-income instruments, while also offering scope for capital appreciation." Since the first Reit listing in 2019, the sector has grown to a market capitalisation of about $18 billion as of August 2025, and is projected to cross $25 billion by 2030. Yet India's Reit penetration remains low at 20 per cent of institutional real estate, compared to 96 per cent in the US, 55 per cent in Singapore and 51 per cent in Japan. Mature markets also display greater diversification across retail, industrial, and specialised assets like data centres. In contrast, Indian Reits are still concentrated in Grade A office assets, which provide scale, transparency, and stable cash flows. Diversification is expected as the market matures, with data centre and logistics Reits emerging on the back of rising digital demand and e-commerce growth. Retail mall Reits may follow with industry consolidation, while residential Reits remain a longer-term bet given low rental yields and fragmented ownership. With more asset classes becoming Reitable, penetration could rise to 25-30 per cent by 2030, the report said. A supportive regulatory environment has also bolstered confidence. Since Sebi introduced Reit regulations in 2014, reforms such as reducing lot sizes, simplifying capital gains, and dividend tax exemptions introduced in 2025 have improved transparency, retail participation, and long-term stability. However, dividends from Reits in markets like the US and Singapore are taxed more favourably, making them comparatively more attractive for retail investors. "Over 60 per cent of India's Reit value rests with a handful of players focused on Grade A offices linked to information technology (IT) and banking, financial services, insurance (BFSI)," said Shekhar Patel, president, Credai. "The future holds far wider promise as Reits expand into retail, logistics, housing, and new-age assets." Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff India and the US teams have concluded the fifth round of talks for the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) in Washington on July 17, an official said. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump. Photograph: Reuters The negotiations were held for four days (July 14-17) in Washington, DC. "The Indian team is coming back," the official said. India's chief negotiator and special secretary in the department of commerce Rajesh Agrawal leads the team for negotiations. These deliberations are important as both sides are looking at finalising an interim trade deal before August 1, which marks the end of the suspension period of the Trump tariffs imposed on dozens of countries including India (26 per cent). On April 2 this year, US President Donald Trump announced these high reciprocal tariffs. The implementation of high tariff was immediately suspended for 90 days till July 9 and later till August 1 as America is negotiating trade deals with a number of countries. Issues related to agriculture and automobiles are learnt to have figured during the fifth round of negotiations. Matters related to ways to deal with non-market economies, and SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies) also came up for discussions. India has hardened its position on the US demand for duty concessions on agri and dairy products. New Delhi has, so far, not given any duty concessions to any of its trading partners in a free trade agreement in the dairy sector. Certain farmers' associations have urged the government not to include any issues related to agriculture in the trade pact. India is seeking the removal of this additional tariff (26 per cent). It is also seeking the easing of tariffs on steel and aluminium (50 per cent) and the auto (25 per cent) sectors. Against these, India has reserved its right under the WTO (World Trade Organization) norms to impose retaliatory duties. The country is also seeking duty concessions for labour-intensive sectors, such as textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, grapes, and bananas in the proposed trade pact. On the other hand, the US wants duty concessions on certain industrial goods, automobiles, especially electric vehicles, wines, petrochemical products, and agri goods, dairy items, apples, tree nuts, and genetically modified crops. The two countries are looking to conclude talks for the first tranche of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by fall (September-October) this year. Before that, they are looking for an interim trade pact. India's merchandise exports to the US rose 22.8 per cent to USD 25.51 billion in April-June quarter this fiscal year, while imports rose 11.68 per cent to USD 12.86 billion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday invited global businesses to participate in the growth story of India, which is the fastest growing large economy of the world. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visit an exhibition at the Global Fintech Fest at Jio World Centre in Mumbai. Photograph: ANI Photo Addressing Global Fintech Fest 2025 in Mumbai, Modi emphasised that technology is not just a matter of convenience, but a means of equality. "This inclusive approach has transformed our banking system. "Earlier, it was a privilege, but digital technology has turned it into a tool of empowerment. Today, digital payment is a part of everyday life. "The credit for this goes to the JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile)," he said. India's fintech prowess is getting global recognition, he said, adding, India is not only sharing technology with other countries but also helping them develop it. "I invite all (countries) including the UK to forge partnership with India. All global investors are welcome to participate in India's growth story. "We have to create such a fintech world where technology, people and planet can all prosper. "The goal of innovation should not be just growth but also goodness, and finance not just means numbers but human progress," he said. Highlighting that India is the mother of democracy, Modi said, "when we talk about democracy, it is not limited to elections and policy-making. India has made the democratic spirit a strong pillar of governance. "Its best example is technology." Speaking at the occasion, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the India-UK FTA will boost GDP of both countries. From just 0.2 per cent before the Russia-Ukraine war to now accounting for 35-40 per cent of total crude imports, India's reliance on Russian oil has surged -- drawing fresh scrutiny with US President Donald Trump announcing a penalty on top of a 25 per cent tariff, or tax, on all goods going to the US. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters India historically bought most of its oil from the Middle East, including Iraq and Saudi Arabia. However, things changed when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. India, the world's third-largest crude importer after China and the US, began snapping up Russian oil that was available at a discount after some in the West shunned it as a means to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. From a market share of just 0.2 per cent in India's import basket before the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia overtook Iraq and Saudi Arabia to become India's No.1 supplier, with a share as high as 40 per cent at one point of time. This month, Russia supplied 36 per cent of all crude oil, which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel, that India imported. Announcing imposition of 25 per cent tariff or tax on all Indian goods going to the US, Trump said New Delhi "always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE." "India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25 per cent, plus a penalty for the above (Russian purchases), starting on August First," he said in a post on social media. India bought 68,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Russia in January 2022, according to global real-time data and analytics provider Kpler. That month, Indian imports from Iraq were 1.23 million bpd and 883,000 bpd from Saudi Arabia. In June 2022, Russia overtook Iraq to become India's largest oil supplier. That month it supplied 1.12 million bpd as compared to 993,000 bpd that came from Iraq and 695,000 bpd from Saudi Arabia. Russian imports peaked to 2.15 million bpd in May 2023 and have varied -- depending upon the discount at which the oil was available. But the volumes never slipped below 1.4 million bpd, which is more than what India was buying from its top supplier Iraq before the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This month, imports from Russia have averaged 1.78 million bpd, almost double of 900,000 bpd imports from Iraq. Saudi imports stood at 702,000 bpd, according to Kpler. After the Ukraine war, western energy sanctions against Russia pushed it to cut prices for those buyers still willing to purchase its crude. The discounts on Russia's flagship Urals crude to Brent -- the world's most known benchmark -- was as high as $40 per barrel at one point but have been trimmed since to less than $3. G7 countries in December 2022 imposed a $60 per barrel price cap on Russian crude. Under the mechanism, European companies were permitted to transport and insure shipments of Russian oil to third countries as long as it is sold below the capped price -- an effort to limit the impact of the sanctions on global oil flows but ensure Russia earns less from the trade. This month, the European Union decided to lower the price cap to $47.6 and introduced an automatic and dynamic mechanism for its review in the future. The idea being to keep the cap at 15 per cent lower than the average market price. In addition to stoking India's economy, cheap Russian oil gave refiners lucrative business -- refining that crude and exporting the products to deficit countries. These included the European Union, which had banned direct crude oil purchases from Russia. The bulk of the crude that goes to India from Russia arrives at ports in Gujarat, where Reliance Industries Ltd's Jamnagar refinery, the largest in the world, and Nayara Energy-owned India's second-largest refinery less than 10 miles away at Vadinar turned them into fuel. The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air, a research group based in Finland, in a recent report highlighted the role of "laundromat" countries like India, China, and Turkey, which buy Russian oil, refine it into other products and sell it on to buyers in Europe, the United States and other jurisdictions that have halted direct purchases from Russia. This month, the European Union decided to ban import of refined oil produced from Russian crude. All through the Russia-Ukraine war, India has taken a neutral stance, balancing its economic and energy needs with diplomacy. Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has repeatedly stated that global oil prices would have shot up sharply if India had not bought Russian oil. The logic being, if oil from a large supplier like Russia went off the shelf, it would have created pressure on other supplies and led to spike in prices. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, too, has stated that it is a sensible policy to go where the best deals are available in the interest of the Indian people. "If it is your contention that our position has been in putting the interests of the Indian public first, I plead guilty," he had said in the past. SHIJIAZHUANG, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Standing before a smartphone screen in a studio in north China's Hebei Province, Pirisa Yangdiew, a Thai student, introduced local products to netizens in her native language. "I was a beginner in cross-border e-commerce, but now I can handle a live broadcast on my own," said Yangdiew, a computer major from a technical institute in Thailand. She is currently spending a year at the Hebei Software Institute as part of an international exchange program. Yangdiew's journey is part of a joint program between Chinese and Thai institutes as well as Chinese enterprises in Thailand. Unlike traditional classrooms, the program focuses on practical experience. Students visit factories and digital hubs to learn skills such as video editing, image design and marketing. In 2025, the program recruited 20 Thai students for long-term study. Meanwhile, 10 Chinese teachers traveled to Thailand to provide Chinese and vocational skills training to local staff. The goal is simple: to "teach a man to fish" by aligning education with the real-world needs of industries, said Wang Ziye, a teacher from the department of internet commerce at Hebei Software Institute. "The students gain more than just knowledge; they gain a competitive edge," Wang added. "By learning Chinese culture and modern skills, they become top candidates for both local and Chinese companies in Thailand." In the past few years, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have deepened their cooperation in vocational education, a key focus of regional cooperation. Programs such as degree courses, employer-assisted training and short-term exchanges have helped upskill workers to meet the needs of industries across the ASEAN. In Indonesia, Liuzhou Polytechnic University and machinery giant LiuGong have established a modern craftsmanship institute in Jakarta. Many graduates from the program now work at LiuGong's subsidiaries in ASEAN countries, where they contribute their skills and gain international experience. In Thailand, Chinese automaker GAC Group has launched a training center specifically for new energy vehicle (NEV) talent, in collaboration with Tencent. Looking ahead, Yangdiew plans to bring her expertise back to Thailand and help serve as a digital bridge. "I want to help more quality Chinese products reach Thailand while bringing Thai goods to the Chinese market through e-commerce," she said. By 10 am, Rakshit N Jagdale is already deep into the rhythm of the day, which promises to be a carousel of meetings, calls, and strategic decisions. Photograph: Kind courtesy, Amrut As managing director of Amrut Distilleries, he balances ritual and ambition, tradition and transformation, like many other legacy players in Indias alcoholic beverages sector who are staring at a rosy future. The countrys alcobev sector is in high spirits. According to a report by the International Spirits and Wines Association of India, which represents national and international premium spirits and wine brands, the industrys value was pegged at $52.4 billion in 2021. That figure is expected to touch $64 billion within five years, making India the fifth-largest contributor to global market revenues. Given the opportunities, family-run alcobev companies are whipping up a cocktail of professionalisation, strategic partnerships, and global ambition. Family & beyond Take the case of Amrut, which was founded in 1948 by JN Radhakrishna Rao. From its humble beginnings, the Bengaluru-based company gained global recognition under the leadership of Raos son, Neelakanta Rao Jagdale, who established a dedicated malt and grain distillery on Old Mysore Road in 1987. Today, Rakshit N Jagdale, Neelakantas son and the third-generation leader, has taken the baton. After completing his MBA at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Rakshit joined the business, guided not only by legacy but by a personal passion for whisky. His MBA thesis, focusing on the demand for single malt in Indian restaurants across the UK, planted the first seeds of Amruts international blueprint. Whisky was less of an inheritance than a companion, Rakshit says. Interest in the family business was nurtured amid the shadow of the distillery, with label-making and blend-talk at dinner fermenting dreams. Joining the family business was simply a matter of when. Today, Amrut has expanded its daily production capacity from 1,000 litres to 3,000, with plans to reach 4,000. Its products are now exported to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and markets across Europe and Asia. The companys 83-brand portfolio targets premium and luxury segments. Recently, Amrut Distilleries featured among the top 30 in the 2025 list of Drinks Internationals Worlds Most Admired Whiskies, securing the 27th position. Rakshit is clear about the path ahead. If we want to grow aggressively, we have to look beyond the family, whether through private partnerships or joint ventures, he says. Going public is also very much on the horizon, and there is already strong interest from other major IMFL (Indian-made foreign liquor) players. While partnerships are on his mind, the familys next generation his son and nieces, who are still studying is also being integrated into the workings of the company. Lunch, which is a modest, home-packed meal, is also a family affair, shared with his brother-in-law, joint managing director Thrivikram G Nikam. Scaling in todays competitive environment, however, demands more than familial succession, and he admits that family alone cant fuel the next phase. From jugaad to assembly lines Far away from Bengaluru, up north in Jammu, is another story of legacy-meets-modernity. Its the story of Devans Modern Breweries, which dates back to 1942, when Dewan Gian Chand built a small liquor retail and wholesale network in Jammu and Srinagar. Some two decades later, in 1961, he founded Devans Modern Breweries. At a time when few in northern India ventured into brewing, he positioned it as a progressive, modern brewery. When Chand passed away in the 1980s, his son, Prem Dewan, took up the reins. Having joined the family brewery in the late 1970s as a 25-year-old law student, he was already deep into the business. With polished assembly lines still a while away, those were the days of jugaad. We started bottling on a soda-water filling machine because proper beer-brewing equipment just wasnt available, he recalls. Workers packed 24 glass bottles into coarse gunny bags, sealing them tightly before loading them onto rattling trucks. That was our version of distribution, he says. DeVans has come a long way since. In the late 1990s, Prems son, Ujjawal, began overseeing sales and a production tie-up in Rajasthan, while his twin brother, Uday, focused on exports from the Samba plant in Jammu. The third generations distinct roles have helped deepen the companys footprint. Prem Dewan, who has helmed the business through decades of change, sees the transition as inevitable. In a year or two, both my sons will join the board, he says with quiet confidence. With 20 per cent growth last year and a 30 per cent target this fiscal, the company is aggressively scaling up. A dark beer that has been two years in development is expected to hit the market by end-2025. The company is also eyeing 12 additional production tie-ups to raise its total to 17. A public listing is planned within four years. Retail roots to global reach Photograph: NV/Facebook Cut to New Delhis bustling lanes, where Ashok Jains modest retail unit, NV Group, which was launched in 1994, has metamorphosed into a distillery powerhouse, with a state-of-the-art facility at Ambala, inaugurated in 2008. The portfolio has expanded too from a Rs 100 label to bottles priced at Rs 5,000, with brands like Moja Matured XXX Rum, Brande XO, Mohulo Gin under its umbrella. The group supplies to markets like the US, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Ghana, and Namibia. Domestically, it has presence in Haryana, Punjab, and Goa, with plans to enter Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, among others. My father worked in the warehouse, so conversations about the industry were always in the air, recalls Ashok Jain, chairman of NV Group. I began tagging along to the office when I was very young, at first just to idle around. "But somewhere along the way, it drew me in the brands, the creativity, the sense of building something. For his son, Varun Jain, the third-gen entrepreneur, every morning kicks off the same way: with sales. Everything starts there, he says. The targets, the focus, the drive it is all sales-led. Thereon, his day unravels into a blur of meetings, market visits, distributor check-ins, business trips, and relentless follow-ups. It is a schedule that rarely pauses, so there are no off days. His fondest memories are not of boardrooms but of construction sites, watching his familys bottling plant rise while he was in school, and a distillery flourish by the time he was in college. An internship at Bacardi gave him an opportunity to closely study the global alcobev giant. It helped him crystallise his mission: to not just sell liquor, but to elevate it to an experience. He returned to NV and launched Smoke Lab Vodka, a leap into premiumisation and international markets. Smoke Lab was really the first step in taking the business beyond domestic boundaries, he says. New labels from the group, like Mohulo Gin, are building on that trajectory. For Varun, the future of the family business lies in breaking away from the insular comfort of kinship and embracing the rigour of corporate governance or private partnership. If you want a global footprint and recognition, you can not shy away from change. "Whether you like it or not, it has to be professionally run, he says. That shift, he says, is underway. Inspired by multinationals, the company is looking to adopt a professional structure, adding seasoned executives, independent directors, and diverse talent from within and beyond. It cannot just be my father and I making all the decisions anymore, he says. To grow, you need the right people on board. The contours of Indias legacy alcobev sector are clearly shifting. In a market poised for robust growth, the message is clear: The old guard may still raise the first toast, but the future will be brewed with professionalism. The restructuring of tariffs by the US has led to a shift in the list of key product suppliers to the American market, with India emerging as one of the beneficiaries at the expense of China and Canada, an official said on Monday. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters As per an analysis, India's share in the USA's electronics exports has increased to 7.2 per cent to 3.5 per cent year-on-year in May, while China's share dipped to 11 per cent from 22 per cent during the same period. Within electronics the growth for India was led by smartphones and solar cells. Overall electronics exports in April-June were up 47 per cent to $12.41 billion. Similarly, China's share in textiles exports to the US fell from 27 per cent to 14 per cent, at a time when India's share in the US textiles' import market grew from 9 per cent to 12 per cent and Vietnam's share grew from 14 per cent to 18 per cent. In the agriculture and marine products sector, China's share to America has dipped from 3.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent, and despite no overlap in export commodities, India's share has grown from 1.7 per cent to 2.2 per cent. Indonesia and Vietnam ended up grabbing a portion of China's space in agriculture exports to the US. The official also said that in the first quarter of 2025-26, India, Mexico and the European Union (EU) have witnessed a positive growth in exports to the US, while China has seen the sharpest fall in exports to the US among G20 countries (around 5 per cent), followed by Canada and many other countries. China's exports to the US have suffered as it has faced the highest tariffs among major exporters to America. Even after the agreement between the US and China the tariffs on China stay at 55 per cent. On the other hand, Indian goods attract an additional 10 per cent duty in the US markets. Besides, there is 50 per cent duty on steel and aluminium, and 25 per cent on auto and auto parts. According to experts, these high sector duties may have implications for India. As steel and aluminum have 50 per cent additional duties, the domestic steel prices in the US are 40 per cent more than international prices. This high price and tariff uncertainty has resulted in fall in order inflow. Another sector that has suffered due to tariff uncertainty is chemicals. India's share of US import of chemicals has come down to 3.5 per cent from 4.4 per cent between May 2024 and May 2025. As pharma tariffs have been left untouched so far, India is maintaining its share in the US market. India maintains 40 per cent share of the US generic drugs imports. US President Donald Trump has threatened 200 per cent duties on pharma but India is expected to maintain its share as its products are 30 per cent to 80 per cent cheaper than the competition. Indias shrimp sector was pushed into uncertainty following US President Donald Trumps decision to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all goods imported into the US from India. Photograph: Sahiba Chawdhary/Reuters Traders said India has been made to suffer due to its refusal to open up the dairy and agriculture sectors to cheap US imports. The US is the single-largest market for Indias seafood exports. India exported almost $2.3 billion worth of shrimps to the US markets in FY24, which was more than 90 per cent of the total seafood exports to the US, trade data showed. Ecuador is Indias biggest competitor in the US shrimp market and tariffs for the country are far less. The only saving grace this time as compared to April is that India has entered into a trade agreement with the United Kingdom, which is also a significant shrimp market, but no one knows how much quantity UK can import, Divya Kumar Gulati, chairman of Compound Livestock Feed Manufacturers Association (CLFMA), a body representing Indias livestock sector told Business Standard. Trump had, in April, announced 26 per cent tariffs on imports from India, which had plunged the sector into turmoil. The decision was later put on hold. In 2024-25, Indias marine exports to the UK were valued at $104 million (Rs 879 crore), with frozen shrimp alone contributing $80 million (77 per cent). However, Indias share in the UKs $5.4 billion seafood import market is just 2.25 per cent. With CETA now in force, industry estimates project a 70 per cent surge in marine exports to the UK in the coming years, a government statement said a few days back. Gulati said notwithstanding the hedge from the UK markets, there would be significant impact on seafood exports due to the tariffs, which would be reflected in share prices of companies dealing in seafood tomorrow. Meanwhile, Colin Shah, MD, Kama Jewelry said, With US being one of the key export destinations, this will severely impact the sectors like gems and jewellery that are heavily dependent on exports and is one of the biggest contributors to the economy of the country, Shah said. The country's largest airline IndiGo on Wednesday reported a 20 per cent decline in profit after tax at Rs 2,176.3 crore for the June quarter as airspace curbs and overall challenging operating environment crimped its bottom line even as the carrier flew 12 per cent more passengers during the period. Photograph: Vivek Prakash/Reuters InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of IndiGo which had a domestic market share of 64.5 per cent in June, posted a profit after tax of Rs 2,728.8 crore in the year-ago period. In the first quarter of the current fiscal, total income climbed 6.4 per cent to Rs 21,542.6 crore. In the year-ago period, the same stood at Rs 20,248.9 crore. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said the June quarter was shaped by significant external challenges that created headwinds for the entire aviation sector. "Despite these industry wide disruptions, we reported a net profit of Rs 21,763 million with a net profit margin of around 11 per cent for the quarter ended June 2025. "While the revenue environment saw moderation, demand for air travel held strong as we served more than 31 million passengers during the quarter, reflecting a growth of around 12 per cent on a year-over-year basis," he said in a release. The airline's total expenses shot up 10.2 per cent to Rs 19,231.9 crore in the three months ended June even as fuel cost dropped 9.1 per cent to Rs 5,832.6 crore during the same period. "For the quarter, our passenger ticket revenues were Rs 177,917 million, an increase of 7.8 per cent and ancillary revenues were Rs 21,534 million, an increase of 22.1 per cent compared to the same period last year," the release said. However, yield decreased 5 per cent to Rs 4.98 and load factor dropped to 84.6 per cent in the latest June quarter. During a virtual interaction with journalists post results, Elbers said the situation with respect to grounded aircraft has improved and the Aircraft on Ground (AOG) is now in the range of "40s". With the improvement in AOG, he said the airline has reduced some of the aircraft leases which has helped from a financial perspective. While responding to a query, Elbers said the results would have been better without the airspace curbs. There has been an impact on the results, he noted. In the wake of the India-Pakistan conflict, there are airspace restrictions and as a result, the airline has suspended flights to two destinations in Central Asia while some of the flights are taking longer time. In the second quarter of 2025-26, IndiGo expects capacity in terms of ASKs (Available Seat Kilometre) to increase by mid to high single digit as compared to the year-ago period. At the end of the June quarter, IndiGo had a fleet of 416 planes, including A320 ceos, neos, A321 neos, ATRs, A321 freighters, B777s, B737s and B787. There was a "net decrease of 18 passenger aircraft during the quarter," the release said. Meanwhile, IndiGo will fly 6 times per week between Mumbai and Amsterdam, and the services will be made daily from October 13. Currently, the airline operates three weekly flights from Mumbai to Amsterdam with a leased Boeing 787 aircraft from Norway's Norse Atlantic. IndiGo will get the second leased Boeing 787 plane from Norse Atlantic in September. Also, there will be four weekly services between Mumbai and Manchester from September 22 as compared to three weekly flights now. IndiGo's services to Amsterdam and Manchester commenced this month. Apple's iPhone Pro Max 17 in cosmic orange has witnessed a considerable surge in demand, and it has gone out of stock within three days after pre-booking went live for pick up of the devices at the company's official stores in the US and India, as per information shared by company staff. In India, the entire iPhone Pro Max series is not available for pre-order with pick-up option at Apple stores, according to information sourced from the Apple India website. The cosmic orange devices were not available for pre-orders in both iPhone Pro Max and iPhone Pro series in India for the pick-up at store option. "I am really sorry to inform you, but due to the large number of pre-orders, all the cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro Max are being sold very fast, due to which, they are not available in any storage variant," an Apple specialist said. The executive mentioned that the device in deep blue colour is available at some stores. "I am really sorry for the inconvenience, but the back-end team is trying their best to restock the orange colour as soon as possible," the specialist said. An email query sent to Apple did not elicit any reply. Apple unveiled the iPhone 17 series in the price range of Rs 82,900 to Rs 229,900, which will be available in India starting from September 19 onwards for customers who have pre-booked the device. According to the specialist, some stores will also have limited devices available on September 19, which can be picked up without pre-order, but those devices will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. The pre-orders for the devices were opened on September 12. Consumers interested in purchasing 'out of stock' devices can continue to book, but the devices will be delivered to them at their address after October 7. In India, the entire range of iPhone Pro Max devices was not available for pick-up at Apple stores as of September 15, according to information sourced from the Apple India website. In the US, the iPhone 17 series is priced between $799 (about Rs 70,370) and $1,999 (Rs 1.76 lakh) apiece. Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn is the biggest producer of iPhones, with manufacturing facilities located in China and India. All iPhones produced in India are shipped to meet the requirements of the US market. The company recently commenced production of the iPhone 17 series at its second-largest manufacturing unit based in Bangalore, operating under informal restrictions imposed by China. According to multiple sources, Apple plans to increase iPhone production to 60 million units this year, from about 35-40 million units in 2024-25. Apple assembled 60 per cent more iPhones, worth an estimated $22 billion, in India in the year ended March 31, 2025. An analysis by S&P Global said that iPhone sales in the US were 75.9 million units in 2024, suggesting a need to double shipments either through new capacity or redirecting shipments bound for the domestic market. However, according to sources, China has been informally restricting the supply of capital goods, skilled manpower etc, required for the expansion of iPhone production in India. Apple's supplies within India grew by 21.5 per cent annually to 5.9 million units in the first half of 2025, with iPhone 16 being the highest-shipped model across the country during the period. During the second quarter, Apple's iPhone supplies in India grew 19.7 per cent year-on-year in the June 2025 quarter, clocking 7.5 per cent market share in the country's smartphone market. Photographs: Kind courtesy, Apple Indias hospitality sector is rolling out the red carpet for investors. A flurry of upcoming IPOs, or initial public offerings, the entry of new players, and ambitious expansion plans by Indian and global hotel brands are ushering in what could be the industrys most formalised era yet. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Leading the charge are real estate titans, who are turning their hotel arms into global hospitality chains. Among the first movers is Bengaluru-based Brigade Enterprises, which has filed for a Rs 900 crore public issue for its hospitality arm, Brigade Hotel Ventures. Close on its heels is peer Prestige Group, which is looking to raise Rs 2,700 crore via listing Prestige Hospitality Ventures, including a possible Rs 340 crore pre-IPO placement. The IPO is really to grow the business and unlock value, said Pavitra Shankar, managing director of Brigade Enterprises, which has been in the hospitality space since 2007-08 when it started constructing the Sheraton and Grand Mercure. The sector has done well, and having come through Covid, we felt the outlook is good. For Prestige, the listing is a strategic tool to fund expansion, acquisitions and reduce its debt burden of nearly Rs 1,121 crore. New Delhi-based LaRiSa Hotels and Resorts also plans to hit the markets this year. We are targeting to launch the IPO at the earliest, subject to regulatory approvals and market conditions, said Randhir Narayan, its director. Proceeds will go toward expanding LaRiSas portfolio, including greenfield developments, brand marketing, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, and debt reduction. LaRiSa, which operates brands like LaRiSa Resorts, AM Hotel Kollection, and 8fold by LaRiSa, aims to more than double its managed room inventory to over 2,000 rooms by 2028-29 (FY29), developing theme-based hotels such as wellness retreats and activity-based stays across cities, leisure and religious destinations. It also has plans for Southeast Asian markets accessible within a five-hour flight. Lemon Tree Hotels is preparing to take its subsidiary, Fleur Hotels, public by FY29. I can say with certainty it will happen in the next 1.5-2 years, max, said Patanjali Govind Keswani, chairman and managing director of Lemon Tree Hotels, during its February 2025 investor call. The listing is expected to make Lemon Tree debt-free and unlock value, with Keswani projecting Fleurs earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda) at $100 million by the time it lists. Busy pipeline The pipeline for hospitality IPOs is crowded. This momentum is only expected to build, said Mandeep S Lamba, president and CEO (South Asia), HVS Anarock. The real estate consultancy predicts that 2025 will see the highest number of hospitality IPOs. Brigade Hotels and Prestige Hospitality Ventures have filed draft papers with Sebi, while Oyo is reportedly reviving its IPO plans. "Based on our ongoing conversations, we believe at least three more hospitality IPOs are in advanced stages for FY26, Lamba said. Oyo, which is eyeing a valuation of $6-7 billion, reportedly intends to file a draft red herring prospectus by August-September. Industry insiders say among the others is Kolkata-based Ambuja Neotia Group, which has interests in real estate and hospitality with third-party managed hotels and a tie-up with IHCL for Tree of Life Resorts. Hospitality accounts for 25 per cent of its estimated Rs 2,000 crore turnover for FY25. Lalit Suri Hospitality groups Bharat Hotels is also keen on a public listing, chairperson Jyotsna Suri told Business Standard last month. The sectors optimism is rooted in recent market successes. Juniper Hotels and Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels raised Rs 920 crore and Rs 1,800 crore, respectively, via IPOs in 2024. Chalet Hotels raised Rs 1,000 crore through a qualified institutional placement in March 2024, while Ventive Hospitality, backed by Blackstone Group and Panchshil Realty, launched a Rs 1,600 crore IPO in December 2024; it was oversubscribed nearly 10 times. Meanwhile, ITC Hotels demerged from ITC Ltd in January, commanding a market cap of Rs 46,295 crore by end-June. Schloss Bangalore Ltd, which operates luxury hotels and resorts under the Leela brand, raised Rs 3,500 crore in May the biggest hospitality IPO to date and had a market cap of Rs 13,605 crore by June-end. The influx of listed hospitality companies is poised to enhance transparency, corporate governance, and investor engagement, said Lamba, adding that a dedicated hospitality index might finally be feasible. Such an index could transform investment benchmarking and bring sharper insights for investors and operators alike. Whats turning the key There are various factors that are sending the sector the IPO way. Boston Consulting Groups June 2025 report lists one. According to the report, leisure travel within India is expected to see a significant continued growth. Indian travellers are increasingly exploring their own country, as well as the world (domestic, regional, and international overnights will rise by 3 per cent, 4 per cent, and 6 per cent, respectively, per year), it says. Spending, it adds, will increase by 12 per cent per year domestically, 8 per cent per year regionally, and 10 per cent per year internationally. The desire to de-leverage balance sheets and fund future growth, as demonstrated in The Leela IPO and the ITC demerger, is another motivator. Lamba adds to the list of trends reinforcing long-term optimism in the sector: Better travel infrastructure, shifting consumption patterns, rising discretionary incomes, a favourable demographic profile, and robust gross domestic product (GDP) growth. India attracted $93 million in hospitality investments in the first half of 2024, with listed companies accounting for 44 per cent of the transaction volume. The upscale segment dominated, contributing 44 per cent, followed by the mid-scale segment (31 per cent), luxury (23 per cent), and economy making up for the rest. Rubix Data Sciences projects the sector to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 10.5 per cent till FY27, by when it is projected to touch Rs 1.1 trillion. The growth will primarily be driven by domestic travellers, foreign tourists, and the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions segment. As of FY24, India had around 188,000 hotel rooms, with a 62 per cent growth in hotel signings in 2024 adding a record 47,000 rooms. Hotel chains could cross 219,000 rooms by FY26 and reach 241,000 by FY27, Rubix Data Sciences noted. Yet, this may not be enough, said K B Kachru, president, Hotel Association of India and chairman, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group. India, he said, needs at least 500,000 rooms by 2030 to meet rising travel demand. Its no surprise that international hotel chains are doubling down on India. Take the example of Hilton, which currently has 60 properties here operational and in the pipeline. Its president and CEO, Chris Nassetta, said in May that the plan was to increase that number 10-times over the next decade. Marriott International, meanwhile, launched its new Series by Marriott brand in May, planning to grow from 158 hotels in 42 locations in India to 242 hotels in 90 cities. In the past two months, international chains have announced aggressive expansion plans for India. Most plan to open 100-300 hotels in the next five years, said analysts at Elara Capital. Indian Hotels, Accor, and Radisson are also charging into tier II and III cities with asset-light models to capture the swelling middle-class travel boom and fill the gap of branded hotels. Even conglomerates like Adani are jumping into hospitality. The group plans to build two premium or luxury hotels of 300 rooms each, investing Rs 1,500 crore at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, which it operates, in Ahmedabad. While Adani wont manage the hotels directly, it will likely partner with established hospitality players. By investing in hotels, lounges, and event spaces around their airports and mixed-use real estate, Adani is poised to transform transit hubs and city locations into premium lifestyle destinations, said Lamba. Its financial strength and long-term vision could accelerate sectoral consolidation and professionalism, particularly in emerging gateway cities. For Indias hotel business, opportunity is opening new doors. To the market Investors in Indias information technology (IT) companies are likely in for more pain ahead as muted earnings for the first quarter of 2025-26 (Q1FY26) play spoilsport at the bourses in the worst-performing sector this year amid macro uncertainties. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Investors, analysts suggest, can look for better opportunities in the markets as things stand. The Nifty IT index is set for three straight quarters of underperformance against the benchmark Nifty50, and has fallen by 18.4 per cent so far this year, the worst among key sectors. Year-to-date (YTD), all 10 constituents of the index have declined, led by Oracle Financial Services, with a fall of 32 per cent, followed by Tata Consultancy Services (25.5 per cent), and HCLTech (23.5 per cent).During the same period, Nifty has risen by 4.8 per cent. US President Donald Trumps flip-flops on the tariff front, and tax policies have triggered growing concerns in America, making the outlook for IT stocks more cautious. Companies flagged continued macro uncertainty and global disruptions from conflicts and supply issues while announcing their Q1FY26 numbers. Sandip Agarwal, fund manager at Sowilo Investment Managers, said that though the Q1 results of IT companies were broadly in line with expectations, revenue growth disappointed in some cases, like TCS, while Infosys delivered a slightly positive surprise. The challenge is that even on margins, its a mixed bag, Agarwal said. He further said that the massive weakness in demand is a structural issue that is likely to persist going ahead, along with continued challenges in volume growth. Agarwal warned that the second half of the financial year will face pressure on both revenue and margins. We are in for a tough time. he averred. Agarwal sees more pain in the upcoming quarter, with September likely to bring a little relief, given that growth in India is primarily first-half-driven. In the second half of the year, December typically sees holiday-related breaks, with many manufacturing units going on furlough. The only opportunity for growth is in the first half, and the first quarter has already been poor, he said. Even if the second quarter is slightly better, I dont think it can make up for what weve lost, Agarwal added. The IT sector is in a wait-and-watch mode, with stocks likely to move sideways. Fundamentally, this sector doesnt deserve to be where it is, Agarwal said. Various brokerages, including JM Financial and PL Capital, are underweight on the IT Services pack. Analysts at PL Capital noted that they remain underweight as the current phase of global uncertainty will result in slow orders from clients. IT remains the lowest-performing major sector so far this year. "There are no strong near-term triggers that would lead to a major outperformance from here. "The Trump-era tariffs continue to have an effect, and this impact is likely to persist until there is more clarity on the matter, said Sanjeev Hota, vice president-head of research at Mirae Assets Sharekhan. JSW Paints, part of $23 billion JSW Group, on Friday said it will acquire majority controlling stake in Akzo Nobel India Ltd (ANIL), the maker of Dulux paints, for Rs 8,986 crore. Photograph: Courtesy, Dulux It will acquire 74.76 per cent stake from its Dutch promoters/holding entities -- namely Imperial Chemical Industries and Akzo Nobel Coatings International BV -- for a consideration of Rs 8,986 crore, according to a statement from the JSW Group firm. "JSW Paints today (Friday) entered into definitive agreements to acquire up to 74.76 per cent stake in Akzo Nobel India from Akzo Nobel NV and its affiliates, for a maximum consideration under the share purchase agreement of up to Rs 8,986 crore," it said. With this transaction, ANIL's Dutch promoters group, which together held 74.76 per cent shareholding in the company, has exited the Indian decorative paints market, which is witnessing disruption with entry of new players as Aditya Birla Group. The deal is subject to certain closing adjustments and regulatory approvals from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the completion of a mandatory open offer to the public shareholders of ANIL. The deal will help JSW group expand its play into the paint segment, which it entered into in 2019 and is a relatively new player establishing its base in the industry. "This transformative acquisition positions JSW Paints as one of the major players in the sector, which is expected to see robust growth in the years ahead," it said. JSW Paints Managing Director Parth Jindal said Paints & Coatings is one of India's fastest-growing sectors and JSW Paints is among the fastest growing paint companies. "Akzo Nobel India is home to some of the most globally renowned brands of paints & coatings like Dulux, International and Sikkens. "We are excited to welcome them to the JSW family. "Together, along with the Akzo Nobel India family -- employees, customers and partners -- we aspire to build the paint company of the future," he said. AkzoNobel CEO Greg Poux-Guillaume said, "This transaction is a significant milestone in the execution of our strategy. "AkzoNobel India has been a consistently strong performer, and we are proud of the brand and talent that have made it a success. "With JSW, we are confident the business is in the hands of a long-term partner with deep local expertise and strong ambitions in the sector." Morgan Stanley acted as the exclusive financial advisor to JSW Paints on this transaction, while Khaitan & Co. acted as the legal advisor and Deloitte as the financial and tax due diligence advisor. In October last year, Akzo Nobel NV announced a strategic review of its portfolio in South Asia and is looking for strategic options, including partnerships, joint ventures, mergers or divestments. This is to deploy capital towards expanding its core coatings business. Akzo Nobel India has a presence in a wide range of paints and coatings segments spanning from decorative paints; automotive and speciality coatings; industrial coatings; marine, protective and yacht coatings to powder coatings. Its revenue from operations in FY25 was Rs 4,091.21 crore. Earlier on February 25, ANIL has said it will transfer its Powder Coatings business and International Research Centre (R&D) to its Dutch parent firm Akzo Nobel NV in a Rs 2,143-crore intergroup deal. AkzoNobel India had acquired "intellectual property rights" of Akzo Nobel Coatings International BV for its decorative paints business in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal for a consideration of Rs 1,152 crore. The Indian paint industry is dominated by players such as Asian Paints, Berger, Kansai Nerolaca, and AkzoNobel India. In last 5-6 years, several new players have entered this market, including Pidilite with Haisha Paints, Grasim with its Birla Opus, and JSW Paints. Besides, pipes and fittings manufacturer Astral acquired Gem Paints and JK Cements entered by acquiring Acro Paints asking its entry into the paint sector. In its latest annual report, Akzo Nobel India, citing the data of the Indian Paints Association, said the paints & coatings industry in the country is estimated to be $8.5 billion in value and 6.3 million MTPA by volume. Equity investors are up for an eventful trading week ahead as the 90-day suspension period of the reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump ends on July 9, analysts said, adding that a positive outcome from the trade negotiations could further lift market sentiment, particularly benefiting trade-sensitive sectors. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff Besides, Q1 earnings from IT major TCS and foreign fund movement would also dictate sentiment at the Dalal Street, experts said. July 9 marks the end of the 90-day suspension period of the Trump tariffs imposed on dozens of countries, including India. An additional import duty of 26 per cent was announced on Indian goods entering the US. "This week holds significant importance not only for Indian markets but for global equities as well. "The most anticipated event is the outcome of the US trade (tariff) deadline on July 9, which could shape global trade dynamics. "Investors will also closely monitor the release of the US FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) minutes on the same day," Ajit Mishra SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said. Domestically, the spotlight will shift to corporate earnings, with IT major TCS and retail giant Avenue Supermarts among the prominent companies scheduled to report their quarterly results, setting the tone for the Q1 earnings season, he added. Movement in global oil benchmark Brent crude and the rupee-dollar trend would also be monitored by investors this week. "A positive outcome from the US-India trade negotiations could further lift market sentiment, particularly benefiting trade-sensitive sectors like IT, pharma, and auto. "Considering the broader indices currently trading at elevated levels, the market participants will closely watch for signs of earnings catch-up from upcoming Q1starting this week," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said. Last week, the BSE benchmark Sensex dropped 626.01 points or 0.74 per cent, and the NSE Nifty declined 176.8 points or 0.68 per cent. "Overall, we expect the market to remain in consolidation mode, awaiting clarity on the India-US trade deal; while stock specific action would continue on the back of Q1 FY26 business updates ahead of the earnings season starting this week," Siddhartha Khemka, Head - Research, Wealth Management, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, said. On foreign fund flows, V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited, said, "Resumption of FII (Foreign Institutional Investors) buying will hinge on two things: One, if a trade deal happens between India and US that will be positive for markets and FII flows; two, Q1 FY26 result indications. If the results indicate earnings recovery, that will be positive. Disappointment on these factors can impact the market and, thereby, FII flows." The initial public offering of LG Electronics India Ltd received 54.02 times subscription on the final day of bidding on Thursday, driven by overwhelming participation from institutional buyers. Photograph: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters The Rs 11,607-crore IPO received bids for 3,85,33,26,672 shares against 7,13,34,320 shares on offer, according to NSE data. The portion for Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) got subscribed a huge 166.51 times, while the non-institutional investors quota received 22.44 times subscription. The category for Retail Individual Investors (RIIs) attracted 3.54 times subscription. LG Electronics India Ltd on Monday collected Rs 3,475 crore from anchor investors. The Initial Public Offer (IPO) has a price band of Rs 1,080 to Rs 1,140 per share, valuing the company around Rs 77,400 crore at the upper end. This is the second South Korean company to tap the Indian stock market, following the listing of Hyundai Motors India Ltd in October last year. The IPO is entirely an Offer For Sale (OFS) of 10.18 crore shares, representing about 15 per cent stake, by the South Korea-based parent. Since the public issue is completely an OFS, LG Electronics India will not receive any IPO proceeds. The funds raised will go to the South Korean parent. LG Electronics India is a leading player in major home appliances and consumer electronics. The company's products are sold to both B2C and B2B customers in India and abroad. It also provides installation, repair, and maintenance services for all its products. The company manufactures and sells products, including washing machines, refrigerators, LED TV panels, inverter air conditioners, and microwaves. It has manufacturing units at Noida, Uttar Pradesh and Pune, Maharashtra. LG Electronics India is expected to make its stock market debut on October 14. Axis Capital, Citigroup Global Markets India, Morgan Stanley India Company, J.P. Morgan India and BofA Securities India are the book-running lead managers to the offering. MAPUTO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Severe flooding triggered by intense rainfall and rising river levels has rendered several major roads impassable in southern Mozambique, including a critical stretch of the country's main north-south highway, authorities said on Monday, as the humanitarian impact continues to mount. According to a government statement, the Xai-Xai-Chicumbane section of National Road No. 1 in Gaza Province is currently impassable due to the overflow of the Limpopo River. The disruption adds to a growing list of road closures that are isolating communities and hampering the movement of people and goods. "The situation resulting from intense rains and the rise of river basins is critical," the statement said, warning that water levels may remain high for at least two weeks. Government spokesperson Inocencio Impissa appealed to residents in flood-prone areas to comply with evacuation orders and safety guidance. "Between Dec. 22, 2025, and Jan. 19, 2026, the country recorded 11 flood-related deaths. Since the start of the rainy season in October 2025, the death toll has risen to 106, caused by a range of hazards including lightning strikes, drownings, cholera outbreaks, electrocutions, wall collapses, falling trees, and fires," he said. Overall, nearly 600,000 people have been affected across Gaza Province, Maputo Province and Maputo City. Gaza accounts for 330,390 of those affected, while 264,291 are in Maputo Province and the capital. Meanwhile, authorities have established 60 temporary accommodation centres: 14 in Gaza Province hosting 38,164 people, 19 in Maputo City sheltering 4,011, and 27 in Maputo Province accommodating 13,347 displaced residents. Search, rescue and relief operations are ongoing with support from national and international partners. The response currently includes 14 boats, six helicopters and four fixed-wing aircraft, but the government said additional assistance remains urgently needed. "The Government of Mozambique continues to appeal for more support to be channelled through appropriate mechanisms to reinforce ongoing efforts," the statement said, calling for national solidarity and international cooperation as communities grapple with the worst impacts of the floods. New business premiums of life insurance companies dropped 5.2 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in August to Rs 30,959 crore, owing to a double-digit decline reported by state-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), data from the Life Insurance Council showed. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh LIC recorded a 17 per cent YoY fall in new business premiums to Rs 16,023 crore during the month, while private life insurers reported a 12 per cent YoY increase to Rs 14,936 crore. Within LICs portfolio, group single premiums fell 26 per cent YoY, contributing to an overall 21.3 per cent decline in the group insurance segment. In individual premiums, LIC posted a 5 per cent YoY drop in August. Among private players, SBI Life Insurance, the largest private sector life insurer, reported 23 per cent YoY growth in premiums in August to Rs 3,321.24 crore. HDFC Life Insurance recorded 9.54 per cent growth to Rs 3,063.85 crore, while ICICI Prudential Life Insurance posted a 17.70 per cent rise to Rs 1,776.3 crore. Other major players also reported strong growth, with Axis Max Life Insurance rising 19.63 per cent YoY and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance jumping 55.89 per cent YoY. There is a possible normalisation in growth of LICs group business, which had seen strong growth in August 2024. "Further, the industry is also seeing the impact of a high base effect due to changes in regulations, which is likely to adjust by September 2025. "However, the industry will see the impact of the recently introduced GST reforms from October 2025. "Although the norms will cause more volatility in the short term, in the long run they are beneficial and will result in additional coverage by existing customers and more people buying fresh insurance covers due to increased affordability, said Saurabh Bhalerao, associate director, BFSI, CareEdge Ratings. For the AprilAugust period of FY26, new business premiums of life insurers grew 6 per cent YoY to Rs 1.63 trillion. LIC posted a 3 per cent YoY increase to Rs 98,051 crore, while private insurers registered 10.84 per cent growth to Rs 65,410.4 crore. Mutual funds (MFs) have significantly increased their ownership across market segments, but the midcap space stands out with comparatively higher growth. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Data reveals that the number of midcap companies with over a fifth of MF ownership has doubled from nine in March 2022 to 18 by March 2025. In contrast, largecap stocks saw only a marginal rise, from three to four such companies during the same period. The growing ownership in select companies in the midcap space comes amid over two years of strong MF inflows into this space despite valuations surging above the long-term averages. As of March 2025, the 12-month trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of Nifty Midcap 100 stood at almost 37x compared to Nifty's 21.9x. Midcap funds have cornered over 10 per cent (Rs 83,433 crore) of the total active equity fund inflows of Rs 7.4 trillion between April 2022 and March 2025. The aggregate three-year inflows is the third highest among the active equity fund categories after sectoral and smallcap funds. However, MFs' investment in the midcap stocks is likely to be much higher than the total inflows into the midcap funds, given that part of the inflows into other categories especially flexicap, multicap, value and focused funds also goes into midcap stocks. The continued flow of MF investments into midcap stocks, which are just 150 in count, despite elevated valuations, has led to calls for expansion of the universe. MF officials had put forth the request to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) at a recent event. The appeal comes after a sharp rise in the size of smallcap stocks in the past three years as the mid- and smallcap segment of the market has seen a sharp rally. In the past five years, the assets managed by midcap and smallcap funds (as a percentage of total active equity assets) have gone up from around 48 per cent to nearly 65 per cent. During this period, the size and scale of companies have also grown. In 2017, the 150 companies classified as midcap had a market capitalisation (m-cap) in the range of Rs 8,500 crore to Rs 29,000 crore. "As of December 2024, the m-cap of midcap companies was in the range of Rs 33,000 crore to Rs 99,500 crore," said Naval Kagalwala, chief operating officer (COO) and product head, Shriram Wealth. Midcap ownership is also higher on an average basis. As of March 2025, MFs owned an average of 10.6 per cent stake in midcap firms. In the case of largecaps and smallcaps (top 250 companies), the average ownership was lower at 9.3 per cent and 10.2 per cent, respectively. MFs' smallcap stock ownership has also swelled in recent years, and fresh investments in smallcap funds remain strong. However, issues faced by fund managers in this space are comparatively lower, given the large pool of stocks. All stocks beyond 250 in the m-cap rankings are classified as smallcaps. However, liquidity concerns limit MF investments mostly to the top 250-300 smallcap stocks. As of March 2025, MFs had over 20 per cent stake in around 40 smallcap stocks (among the top 250 smallcap stocks). The study is based on NSE500 data. Hence, the analysis misses out on a few companies that are not part of the index. The industry and the regulator were in talks in 2024 to raise the largecap and midcap universe amid easing liquidity in smallcap stocks. However, the matter was later put in cold storage. Infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Monday said its arm will set up the nation's largest green hydrogen plant at Indian Oil Corporation's Panipat Refinery in Haryana. Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters The project aligns with the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which aims to position India as a global hub for green hydrogen production and technology. The plant, to be set up by Larsen & Toubro's wholly-owned arm L&T Energy GreenTech Ltd, will supply 10,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year to Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) for 25 years, supporting the Centre's National Green Hydrogen Mission. The plant, being developed under a build-own-operate model, will operate round the clock using green energy, aligning with IOCL's broader strategy to decarbonise its refining operations and contribute to the nation's net zero goals. "The decision to set up India's maiden green hydrogen plant validates our strategy to lead the nation's energy transition. This long-term project not only deepens our partnership with IOCL but also reinforces our capability to deliver large-scale clean energy solutions," L&T deputy managing director & president Subramaniam Sarma said. Delhi-based pharma major Mankind Pharma on Wednesday announced a collaboration with OpenAI to institutionalise artificial intelligence (AI) across its value chain, making it one of the first few Indian pharmaceutical companies to fully integrate advanced AI into its core operations. Illustration: Dado Ruvic/Reuters As part of the collaboration, Mankind will integrate OpenAI Enterprise across multiple functions, including field force enablement, digital marketing, research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and medical affairs. GPT-powered dashboards will be used to provide real-time, data-driven insights across R&D, supply chain and commercial operations, a company executive told Business Standard. People in the know added that the collaboration has been envisioned for a long time, with no specific timeframe discussed. For advanced clinical intelligence, the partnership aims to help in streamlining literature reviews and real-time insights from clinical and genomic data, propelling scientific discovery forward. This comes even as global trends are being seen with leading pharma companies embracing AI across drug discovery, clinical trials, manufacturing, and patient engagement, with drugmakers like Merck and Pfizer already harnessing Gen AI. While Merck utilises its proprietary platform AIDDISON for drug discovery, Pfizer employs Gen AI-powered chatbots to deliver personalised messages to clinical trial participants. Commenting on the same, Arjun Juneja, chief operating officer at Mankind Pharma, said that AI is no longer optional, but a strategic enabler. With this collaboration, Mankind is signalling that Indian pharma too is ready to compete on innovation and digital leadership, not just scale and cost, he told Business Standard. The move also comes at a time when several Indian drugmakers have been looking to invest more into R&D and diversify offerings into novel therapies, biosimilars and complex generics. According to a recent report by EY, leveraging Gen AIs potential could lower early-stage drug development costs by 25 to 50 per cent and accelerate failure identification, helping Indian firms go beyond generics. In India, the expansion of biotech incubators and pharma startups is anticipated to play a pivotal role in propelling the growth of the Indian biopharma industry. "Indian companies have increasingly started experimenting with Large Language Models (LLMs) and Gen AI applications in R&D, highly targeted therapies, and operational efficiency improvement, the report added. Since July 2025, Mankind Pharma has deployed a wide range of customised GPTs across its workforce, notably enhancing the effectiveness of sales and marketing teams. These AI tools are sharpening messaging, enabling faster multilingual communication, strengthening demand planning, improving procurement, and enhancing commercial operations, the company said. Oliver Jay, managing director, International at OpenAI added that Mankind Pharmas company-wide adoption of ChatGPT Enterprise shows the practical role AI can play in regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals. Meta on Tuesday argued before appellate tribunal NCLAT that the CCI had provided no reasons for imposing a 5-year ban on the sharing of data between Meta and WhatsApp for advertisement purposes, as its counsel alleged "flawed approach" and seven misses by the fair trade regulator in its order. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters Senior Advocate Amit Sibal, appearing for Meta, submitted that in a dynamic and fast-moving industry, the necessity of a five-year term is "entirely unexplained". Sibal argued CCI initiated proceedings against Meta and WhatsApp "on the basis of misinformation" in 2021, including that the new privacy policy would break WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption and provide Meta with access to the content of users' chats. He asserted that the 2021 Update did not impact the privacy of users' personal messages at all. "The CCI failed to contact a single user or advertiser to assess the impact of the 2021 Update, still declaring the update to be coercive. "There is also no evidence of any competitors being harmed or foreclosed as a result of the limited data sharing from WhatsApp to Meta on account of the 2021 Update," Sibal submitted. Citing misapplication of law, Sibal submitted that CCI issued findings based on "speculative conduct and hypothetical scenarios". "On the issue of denial of market access, the CCI erroneously asserts that there is no requirement to establish dominance in the market where the denial of access has occurred. "This is contrary to past legal practice and precedent," he said. On the issue of leveraging, the CCI has failed to show how the limited data sharing from WhatsApp to Meta causes foreclosure or harm to Meta's competitors. "In fact, the evidence on record shows intense competition, new entrants and thriving incumbents like Snapchat, Google, Amazon, Affle, Twitter (now, X) etc," he said. While senior advocate Arun Kathpalia, appearing for WhatsApp, submitted that under the competition law, remedies must be proportionate and necessary. However, the remedies imposed by the CCI are arbitrary. Both Meta and WhatsApp on Tuesday concluded their arguments before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). NCLAT was hearing a petition by the tech giant, which challenged a penalty of Rs 213.14 crore on the social media major for unfair business ways with respect to the WhatsApp privacy policy update done in 2021. The CCI will start its arguments on September 18 and 19 in this matter. The appellate tribunal, in January this year, had stayed the five-year ban imposed by the competition watchdog CCI on data-sharing practices between WhatsApp and Meta for advertising purposes, offering a breather to the tech giant. In November, the CCI imposed a penalty of Rs 213.14 crore on Meta for unfair business practices with respect to the WhatsApp privacy policy update done in 2021. Meta Platforms and WhatsApp had challenged this order before the NCLAT, which is an appellate authority over the orders passed by the CCI. 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. India needs Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council-like common platforms between states and the Centre in areas such as land clearances, power, and water to fast-track infrastructure projects to achieve double-digit growth going ahead, said Praveer Sinha, chief executive officer and managing director of The Tata Power Company. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff There is also a need for several policy interventions to overcome procedural and regulatory bottlenecks, Sinha said at the Business Standard Infrastructure Summit 2025 here on Thursday. In a fireside chat with Sudheer Pal Singh of Business Standard, Sinha said the countrys power sector alone requires around Rs 3 trillion over the next five years. From the current gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 67 per cent, he said, the country has the capability to grow up at around 810 per cent with a further push in the infrastructure sector. This, Sinha believed, is required while India will still be the fastest-growing economy for the next 1020 years. I think there is so much more that needs to be done the speed at which legislations have to come and the speed at which the enforcement of those legislations have to happen, Sinha said. One great example that we have is the common GST Council. "Possibly, you need a similar council for land clearances, power, water, and then only we will be able to see great speed at which we can transform and make a difference in the country, he added. According to Sinha, India has done well in the power sector, from having an installed capacity of around 100 gigawatts (Gw) in 2000 to around 490 Gw now. He opined that a similar improvement is visible in the solar sector, which has a total renewable target of 500 Gw by 2030. The sector grew to 115 Gw in 2025 from 5 Gw in 2015 and is poised to touch 290 Gw by 2030. The share of renewables now stands at 50 per cent. That is a huge improvement, he said. However, the growth is minimal compared to China, he added. Last year, when India added 30 Gw of renewable capacity, China did 400 Gw. This year, in the first six months, China added 212 Gw. "That is the type of capacity addition that is happening. "That is the type of change and transformation. We are talking about 490 Gw and they are talking about 2,500 Gw. "In terms of population, we are virtually the same. There is no reason why we should not do it, Sinha added. Further highlighting regulatory bottlenecks, he said: I think there is a huge necessity to de-bottleneck some of these things. "We cannot have an economy that is flourishing and growing at a fast pace with the legislature and regulatory framework not supporting it. Highlighting the funding requirement, Sinha batted for lower cost of funding, as the country has one of the highest rates in the world. He also advocated opening up restrictions on the insurance sector for funding, equity holding or financing. You have the Canadians and others from Europe and the UK who come into funding over here. Our insurers are not allowed to do it, and they are sitting on a huge pile of cash with them. I think there is a necessity to open up some of the channels, he suggested. Putting a case for green energy, Sinha said one major issue with Indias power ecosystem is its dependence still on diesel for around 90 Gw of power, along with the agriculture sectors reliance on diesel generators. I think that is a waste. There is no reason why we should have diesel power, he added. He said the next 1020 years are likely to be the golden period for India, as the country needs a lot of work to do in the infrastructure sector. India consumes around 1,400 units of power annually, of which the consumption is around 100 units in villages. "Around 100 units means we consume only around 89 units a month. "That is not what we expect as nearly 40 per cent of our population is staying in villages, Sinha noted. 'It is not rigidity.' 'I am just sticking to what I believe very strongly in, particularly if you have been given an opportunity to serve the country....' IMAGE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the inauguration of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs North-East Conclave 2025 at IIM Shillong, July 11, 2025. Photograph: @PIBShillong X/ANI Photo In a rare conversation about her personal life, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that one of her core values which may be mistaken by some as being rigid, is simply sticking to what she feels strongly about. She was speaking with entrepreneur Mark Laitflang Stone in the greens of Ward's Lake in Shillong during her recent visit to Meghalaya, where she opened up about her journey from being an educator to a minister. "People sometimes ask me why you have to be so rigid on this, so rigid on that. It is not rigidity. I am just sticking to what I believe very strongly in, particularly if you have been given an opportunity to serve the country... I don't do any explaining," she said. The finance minister spoke about her days of being one of the founders of a school in Hyderabad, much before she became a politician and how even now those who knew her then shout out 'Nirmala Ma'am'. "Those were my most satisfying times," the finance minister added. Sitharaman said she entered the education space in the early years of her daughter's schooling. "It became a routine in the family and they said why don't you run a school...And I said why not," she said. The minister talked about her experience as an educator when she ensured that special-needs children were in the same class and had taken her students on trips to Tibet, Himachal Pradesh, and Gujarat. IMAGE: Nirmala Sitharaman addresses the CII Global Capability Centre Summit in New Delhi, July 14, 2025. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo Sitharaman also spoke about the enthusiasm of her team and how they often recast her priorities and objectives to be approached in a different way. She said that her team was conscious about the difficult position of being part of the government as it comes with its limitations. "Yet it gives you that kind of an opportunity which can open an entire world for some sections of the people. I depend on my team for my performance. I will never hesitate to recognise them," Sitharaman said. The minister also spoke about how the youth of the North East does not recognise any challenge as a hindrance. 'Hindrance is only when they have to go far away from home to seek what they can otherwise seek at home." She said that every Northe East state sees an opportunity not just in building roads and bridges but also a material advantage in giving its youth opportunity and the right skills. "The dividend they have placed on making youth a big catalyst is showing in both the enthusiasm of the youth and the government saying that is the best way. That I see is common in all the eight states," she said. The FM said the government has made a relentless effort to connect the North East within itself and the rest of the country. "Digitisation has opened up avenues for the North East with ONDC, etcetera, giving a window to reach products to a larger audience which was not there before." Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff The telecom department is not contemplating providing any relief to Vodafone Idea with regard to adjusted gross revenue, Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said on Monday. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters "We have recently converted a lot of their debt into equity. "The government has done whatever we thought we could do. At this time, we do not have any discussion or plan to change anything other than what we have done," Pemmasani said. The government has become the single largest shareholder in Vodafone Idea after acquiring shares worth Rs 36,950 crore in lieu of outstanding spectrum auction dues in March. Earlier, the government had acquired around 33 per cent stake in 2023 in lieu of statutory dues worth over Rs 16,000 crore. Vodafone, in its affidavit before the Supreme Court, had said that it will not be able to survive without government support. The company's AGR liability at the end of the June 2025 quarter stood at around Rs 75,000 crore. Vodafone Idea, along with other players like Bharti Airtel, BSNL, MTNL, etc., had contested claims of the Department of Telecom on the definition of AGR. After several years of litigation, the Supreme Court in October 2019 ruled in favour of the DoT and asked the telcos to clear the entire dues as claimed by the government. The company needs to pay AGR liability in six equal instalments post the moratorium period, starting from March 31, 2026. When asked about the status of spectrum allocation for satcom services by companies like Elon Musk-led Starlink, Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, the minister said that the discussion on pricing is going on, and the spectrum will be allotted after it is finalised. The minister said that neither the satcom players can host data of Indians outside nor will they be allowed to provide services in foreign countries using a gateway set-up in the country. Infrastructure bonds, which were relied upon the most in 2024-25 (FY25) by commercial banks to raise funds through the domestic debt capital market amid lagging deposit growth, seem to have lost their sheen in FY26. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff So far in FY26, no bank has tapped the domestic debt capital market to raise funds via infra bonds, and the expectation is that the amount raised through this route will be significantly lower than that last year, unless credit demand picks up. Only Bank of India has taken board approval to raise funds via infra bonds. According to data from rating agency Icra, banks state-owned and private sector lenders raised Rs 94,490 crore through infrastructure bonds in FY25. In FY24, through this route, they raised Rs 71,080 crore; in FY23 Rs 29,620 crore, and in FY22 Rs 27,200 crore. The need for long-term infra funding appears to have softened, said an official with a private sector bank. Infra bonds are debt securities issued by banks to finance infrastructure projects as well as housing loans. These long-term instruments enjoy exemptions from statutory liquidity ratio (SLR), and cash reserve ratio (CRR) requirements. In FY25, state-owned banks tapped the debt market to raise funds through this route because deposit mobilisation was a challenge across the industry. Credit growth has moderated from its earlier highs while deposits are growing at a faster pace in FY26. "As a result, there is little incentive for banks to raise infrastructure bonds at this stage. "However, we anticipate that banks may return to the market with such issuances in the third quarter (Q3), once credit growth gains momentum. "That said, both volume and value of issuances are expected to be significantly lower than last year, said Anil Gupta, senior vice president & co-head financial sector ratings, Icra. Data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows that the pace of bank credit growth slowed to 9.5 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) during the fortnight ended June 27 while deposits grew at 10.1 per cent Y-o-Y during this period. This marks a sharp decline from the over 17 per cent credit growth recorded during the corresponding period last year. According to Venkatakrishnan Srinivasan, founder and managing partner of Rockfort Fincap LLP, many public sector banks (PSBs) had front-loaded their infra bond issuances last year, building ample funding buffers that are yet to be fully deployed into infrastructure lending. With credit growth in this segment remaining steady but not spectacular, the urgency to return to the market is limited. "Further, institutions like India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) and National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (Nabfid) have also stepped up their direct lending to infrastructure projects, partially crowding out the need for banks to raise additional long-term funds, he said, adding that a key dampener for banks to go for infra bonds is the abundant systemic liquidity. Another important factor is that infra bonds, unlike Tier-2 or AT1 instruments, do not qualify as regulatory capital. With several PSBs looking to shore up their Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratios and overall capital adequacy under Basel III norms, the preference has shifted this year towards capital-eligible instruments such as Tier-2 bonds and Qualified Institutional Placements (QIPs), Srinivasan added. CET1 ratio is a crucial measure of a bank's financial health, representing its ability to absorb losses. OTTAWA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said Monday its aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland to support a series of "long-planned NORAD activities." The aircraft will join other assets operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, said NORAD on X, adding that the activities build on "the enduring defense cooperation" between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark. NORAD said the activity has been coordinated with Denmark and all supporting forces operate with the requisite diplomatic clearances, adding that the government of Greenland has been informed of the planned activities. The command stated that it "routinely conducts sustained, dispersed operations in the defense of North America" through one or all three regions -- Alaska, Canada and the continental United States. Canadian media reported Sunday that a Royal Canadian Air Force contingent was already taking part in the NORAD exercise in Greenland, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was considering a deployment of additional forces to join Danish-led sovereignty exercises, which may involve drills focused on safeguarding the Arctic island's critical infrastructure. Tata Trusts, which exerts decisive influence over India's most valuable conglomerate through its about 66 per cent stake of Tata Sons, finds itself in the midst of infighting among its trustees over board appointment and governance issues. IMAGE: Bombay House, headquarters of the Tata group. Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com Sources said the Trusts is said to be vertically split with one section aligned with Noel Tata, who was appointed chairman of the Trusts following the death of Ratan Tata. The other grouping of four trustees is led by Mehli Mistry, who has ties with the extended Shapoorji Pallonji family, which owns about 18.37 per cent of Tata Sons. Mehli reportedly feels he has been kept out of the loop on key matters. Sources said the flashpoint is said to be board seats at Tata Sons, which controls the 156-year-old group that spans around 400 companies, including 30 listed firms. The dispute has its roots in a meeting of six trustees of the Tata Trusts, the umbrella group representing several charitable trusts, including the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sri Ratan Tata Trust. The meeting on September 11 was convened to consider the reappointment of former defence secretary Vijay Singh as a nominee director on the Tata Sons board. There are seven trustees of the Tata Trusts, including Singh. Singh did not attend the September 11 meeting as his nomination was on the agenda. Following the death of Ratan Tata in October 2024, Tata Trusts introduced a policy requiring annual reappointment of nominee directors on the Tata Sons board once they turn 75. At the September 11 meeting, the reappointment of 77-year-old Vijay Singh -- a director since 2012 and trustee since 2018 -- was proposed by Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and Venu Srinivasan (chairman emeritus of TVS Group). However, the four other trustees -- Mehli Mistry, Pramit Jhaveri, Jehangir HC Jehangir, and Darius Khambata -- opposed the move, leading to the resolution's rejection. Following the rejection, the four trustees sought to nominate Mehli Mistry to the Tata Sons board, but Noel Tata and Venu Srinivasan opposed the move, emphasising the need for a transparent process aligned with Tata's values. Subsequently, Vijay Singh voluntarily resigned from the Tata Sons board. Another meeting of the Board of Tata Trusts is scheduled for October 10, but the agenda is not known. When contacted, Tata Trusts, Tata Sons and Venu Srinivasan declined to comment. Comments from Mehli Mistry could not be obtained as calls and messages remained unanswered. Sources said that with the infighting among trustees of Tata Trusts threatening to impact the functioning of the over USD 180 billion conglomerate, the intervention of the government has become necessary. "The primary question in front of the government, considering how significant and important the Tata Group is to the country's economy, is whether it can let an individual take control of it. The infighting among trustees of Tata Trusts has an impact on Tata Sons," a source said. The development comes at a time when the deadline set by the RBI for public listing of Tata Sons, classified as an upper-layer shadow bank, expired on September 30, although the company has applied for "for voluntary surrender of the Certificate of Registration as a CIC (Core Investment Company) and to continue as an 'unregistered CIC'. The application is under examination by the RBI. Some within the group feel that the four trustees led by Mehli Mistry have been trying to undermine Noel Tata's leadership in Tata Trusts. The matter of listing Tata Sons under the RBI mandate is secondary at the moment compared to the threat of the Tata Group falling into the hands of a few individuals, another source noted. Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, along with some trustees of the Tata Trusts are likely to meet union cabinet ministers, reports say. The Noida International Airport (NIA), being developed as a greenfield aviation hub in Jewar, Gautam Buddh Nagar, is on track to begin operations by the end of this year. IMAGE: Noida International Airport conducts the first flight validation test in Gautam Buddha Nagar. Photograph: ANI Photo Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu recently told reporters that the airport would be inaugurated on October 30 and flight operations begin within next 45 days with 10 routes. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also reiterated the airport's commercial flight operations to commence by 2025 end. Billed to be India's largest airport upon full development before 2050, the project -- which started in 2019 and saw COVID-19 pandemic too -- was initially scheduled to launch operations in September 2024. The airport, which is being developed in four phases, has completed key aeronautical infrastructure for Phase 1, including one runway and one passenger terminal with an annual capacity to handle 12 million passengers. Technical installations and finishing works inside the terminal are underway, while an extensive Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) programme is in progress. "Phase 1 construction is progressing steadily, and the airport remains on schedule for commissioning this year. "The validation flight was successfully completed in December 2024, confirming the readiness of our navigational aids, approach procedures, and ATC systems," NIA chief executive officer Christoph Schnellmann told PTI. The next major milestone is the issuance of the aerodrome licence by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Upon obtaining regulatory clearance, flight operations will commence in close coordination with airlines and other stakeholders, ensuring a smooth and safe launch. Notably, the airport's runway will be CAT III-compliant, enabling operations during low visibility conditions such as dense fog -- an essential feature for North India's weather conditions. The NIA has already announced IndiGo as its launch carrier, while Akasa Air will operate both domestic and international flights from the facility. Talks are going on with several international carriers. "Airlines from the Middle East and Southeast Asia have shown strong interest in operating from NIA. "Route planning and slot allocation discussions are underway, and further announcements will be made closer to the start of operations," Schnellmann said. As part of its broader aviation ecosystem, NIA is also advancing on cargo and MRO infrastructure. The cargo terminal, developed in partnership with Air India SATS, is nearing completion and will begin its own ORAT programme soon. The hub will serve as a multi-modal cargo hub (MMCH), strategically located to cater to major industrial and commercial centres in northern India. Additionally, the airport has invited expressions of interest for a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility and has received "very strong interest", the CEO said. The MRO initiative is part of the airport's long-term vision to become "a comprehensive aviation hub". The project has also generated significant employment, with nearly 9,000 workers currently employed on-site, and thousands of additional jobs expected in the future as construction progresses across other phases. The airport will eventually be capable of handling 70 million passengers annually upon full development. The NIA is being built under a public-private partnership model, with Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) -- a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International -- as the concessionaire. Located adjacent to the Yamuna Expressway, the airport will be NCR's second international facility after Delhi's IGIA. Situated some 75 km off the national capital, its catchment area includes Delhi-NCR, including parts of Haryana, Rajasthan, and western Uttar Pradesh, and expects to emerge as a key node in the region's air connectivity and logistics network. 'States should be compensated for the revenue loss for at least five years or beyond till the revenue stabilises.' Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Eight Opposition-ruled states -- Karnataka, Jharkhand, Punjab, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh -- on Friday suggested additional levy over and above the proposed 40 per cent on sin and luxury goods. This, they said, would compensate states for the likely revenue loss arising from goods and services tax (GST) rate rationalisation for at least five years or beyond till the earnings stabilise. At a consultative meeting in the capital, ahead of the GST Council's meeting on September 3-4, these states supported the Centre's proposal for rationalisation. However, they stressed that the benefits of lower rates should be passed on to the common man. "This additional levy is not a rate increase but the replacement of cess imposed earlier. This additional levy will be a gap between 40 per cent and current prevailing rate. We have proposed no rate increase except for one or two commodities of sin good nature," said Karnataka Finance Minister Krishna Byre Gowda while briefing the media. The states proposed that the proceeds from this additional levy must be fully transferred to them. They suggested that the base year for compensation should be 2024-2025 and protection should be granted at 14 per cent per annum. This is the average of the growth rates of the preceding three financial years. Meanwhile, these states also stressed that there is no clarity in the Centre's proposal on the mechanism to retain the effective tax incidence on sin and luxury goods. For example, pan masala presently bears an effective incidence of nearly 88 per cent. A reduction of 40 per cent would create a substantial shortfall of 48 per cent. Gowda mentioned that the states rely on GST for 50 per cent of their revenues and the likely loss to states due to rationalisation would be in the range of 15 to 20 per cent. "GST contributes about 28 per cent of the Centre's gross tax revenue. This implies that the central government gets 72 per cent of its revenue from other sources like direct taxes, income tax, dividends from various public institutions and cesses," Gowda explained. "The Centre gets close to 17 to 18 per cent of its revenue from various cesses and not a single penny of this is shared with the states," he said. "States rely on GST for 50 per cent of their revenues. So, on a 50 per cent base, if a state government loses 20 per cent, then it is going to seriously destabilise the fiscal structure of the states. "States should be compensated for the revenue loss for at least five years or beyond till the revenue stabilises," Gowda added. Gowda said the Centre hasn't officially shared any estimate of revenue loss likely to arise from this rate rationalisation exercise. Various institutions and experts have estimated that the revenue loss from this rate rationalisation will be about Rs 850 billion, going up to Rs 2.5 trillion, he said. "Some friends point out that if the states are going to lose then the Centre may also lose. "Without getting into the details, I would like to point out that 71 per cent of this loss will be incurred by states," Gowda added. "Every round of rate reduction has resulted in net revenue loss to all the states. So, the theory of buoyancy has been conclusively proven wrong by actual experience. "Even after 7-8 years of GST, the revenues have not even reached the level that prevailed in 2016," said Gowda. Rajesh Dharmani, technical education minister, Himachal Pradesh, highlighted the need for additional slabs for red category manufacturing industries that adversely impact the environment. Key demands Proceeds from additional levy must be fully transferred to the states Benefits of lower rates should be passed on to common people Base year for compensation should be 2024-2025 States said there's no clarity in the Centre's proposal on the mechanism to retain the effective tax incidence on sin and luxury goods Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has reported a 10 per cent decline in its June quarter net profit on lower oil prices and stagnant production from its aging fields. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters The company reported a net profit of Rs 8,024 crore in the first quarter of 2025-26 fiscal year, compared to Rs 8,938 crore earning in the same period last year, a company statement said. The firm realised Rs 67.87 for every barrel of crude oil it pumped out of ground and below seabed from sale to refiners, who convert it into fuels like petrol and diesel, as compared to Rs 80.64 per barrel realisation in April-June 2024. Price of natural gas, which is used to generate electricity, produce fertiliser or turned into CNG and piped cooking gas, marginally rose to Rs 6.64 per million British thermal units in Q1 from Rs 6.5 in last year. ONGC said gas from new wells it drills is eligible for a 20 per cent premium over the government set price, called APM. "ONGC is actively working to boost output from such wells. In Q1 of 2025-26 (FY'26), revenue from new well gas stood at Rs 1,703 crore, delivering an additional Rs 333 crore compared to the APM gas price," the statement said. The company produced 4.683 million tonnes of crude oil in Q1, almost the same as last year's 4.629 million tonnes. Gas output too was almost unchanged at 4.846 billion cubic meters in the quarter. During the quarter, the firm made two discoveries of hydrocarbons in the Mumbai offshore. Other highlights of the quarter included commencement of production from the PY-3 field -- a joint venture of ONGC, Hardy Exploration & Production (India) Inc, and Invenire Petrodyne Ltd located offshore in the Cauvery Basin on the east coast of India. The field is producing 4,000 barrels of oil per day and 88,000 standard cubic meters a day of gas. Also, North Karanpura CBM block was put on production. "ONGC commenced the supply of treated natural gas from its newly established gas treatment facility at Palatana, Tripura on June 9. 2025. "The gas is being supplied to the city gas distribution (CGD) network in the Gomati through GAIL, enhancing the region's access to cleaner fuel," the statement said. The firm said it has got special dispensation from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for selling gas to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RRVUNL) at Rs 6.5 per mmBtu from Jodhpur. RRVUNL conveyed their consent for offtake of around 0.1 million standard cubic meters per day of gas using the existing GAIL gas pipeline. ONGC and its overseas subsidiary, ONGC Videsh signed an MOU for coordinated marketing functions. "This MoU is the first step towards enhancing operational synergy and optimizing marketing efficiencies for ONGC and its group companies." Global travel tech firm OYO plans to file its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) in November, eyeing a $7-8 billion valuation for its IPO, sources said. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The company is expected to approach its board with the proposal next week, people familiar with the matter told PTI. When reached out, a company spokesperson said, "While we cannot comment on any timelines related to OYO's DRHP or IPO related plans, since it's a decision that will be guided by OYO's Board of Directors and will be solely at their discretion. "For now, OYO continues to evaluate a range of strategic options to drive value for its stakeholders." According to sources, discussions with key banking partners have ramped up in recent weeks, with valuation guidance now pegged at $7-8 billion (around Rs 70 per share), potentially in the range of 25-30 times the EBITDA. "The filing with regulators is being considered for November. "Over the past few months, SoftBank has engaged with banks such as Axis, Citi, Goldman Sachs, ICICI, JM Financial, and Jefferies in London to assess market sentiment. "After assessing market feedback, they are now confident in their decision. "The board will be approached next week as the company firms up the details and finalises key strategic elements," said one person aware of the developments. SoftBank remains one of OYO's largest shareholders. Insiders indicate that the prospective filing will showcase OYO's latest Q1 financial performance, capitalising on a period of strong growth and improved fundamentals. This has also been a double-digit growth quarter for the hospitality industry with strong tailwinds. OYO is working on the rollout of a new parent brand identity that will unify its expanding portfolio. Earlier this year, OYO founder and CEO Ritesh Agarwal sought name suggestions for its parent entity Oravel Stays Limited via his social media platforms. The name chosen through the exercise may end up being the new name of the group. OYO is also actively exploring launching a separate app for its premium hotels and mid-market to premium company-serviced hotels, as the segment has seen exponential growth across India as well as its global markets. Indias pharmaceuticals and medical devices industries are still hopeful that trade negotiations with the US could cut a fairer deal for both sides, after President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff rate on India on a social networking platform without divulging the finer details. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters Trump on Wednesday called Indias tariffs on US exports among the highest in the world, with the most strenuous non-monetary trade barriers of any country, in a post on Truth Social. He also warned of an unspecified penalty on India over the 25 per cent tariff for buying Russian military equipment and energy. Siddharth Mittal, managing director and chief executive officer (MD&CEO) of Biocon, said he believes that open dialogue would help. "We value the longstanding friendship and economic partnership between India and the US. "I believe that open dialogue and mutual understanding of issues are essential for trust and cooperation. I am sure that any differences regarding geopolitical concerns or trade policies and tariffs will be addressed through constructive and respectful negotiations, for the mutual benefit of both countries, sooner rather than later," Mittal told Business Standard, pinning his hopes on the trade talks between the two nations. A senior official in an industry body that represents small- and medium-sized pharma companies in the country said: "We will have to wait and see. Mostly pharma will be excluded. We are waiting for the fine print." There was lack of clarity among industry and analysts on whether Pharma has been exempt from the 25 percent tariff. Manoj Mishra, partner and tax controversy management leader at Grant Thornton Bharat, said that pharmaceuticals are currently not part of the 25 per cent tariffs announced by the US, which is a big relief for Indias pharma exporters. However, the strong language used by President Trump and ongoing investigations into drug imports mean that the risk is not over yet, he said. The US is the largest export market for Indian pharmaceutical companies, accounting for 31.35 per cent of the countrys overall pharma exports worth $27.8 billion. In turn, India imports pharma formulations worth around $800 million from the US. The pharma industry, however, feels that even if a tariff is imposed, the competitiveness of local exporters would not be impacted in a major way as India has the low-cost generic drugs advantage. Several CEOs feel that generic drugs would be kept out of the purview of tariffs as a hike in prices would directly impact the common US citizen. "China is not keen on playing in the generics field; it has pivoted to novel biotech. "So, there is hardly any other major supplier for generics," said one Gujarat-based mid-sized firm promoter. Meanwhile, medical device makers feel that India's competitiveness vis-a-vis China would not be impacted. Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI) chairman Pavan Chaudary said there is hope that the tariffs will tone down as the main competitor of the US is not India, but China. A more insightful US administration would like to keep India on its side, rather than sending it into the Sino-Russian embrace. "For that, I do hope that a more prudent deal on tariffs and reciprocal access to each other's markets would come through eventually, he added. Chaudary said that India may not be unfavourably affected compared to China, as the expected tariff to be imposed by the US on China is around 30 per cent, compared to 25 per cent on India. However, the European Union (EU) may have a comparative advantage as their tariff rate stands at 15 per cent, he added. Moreover, the lack of clarity and dragging on the trade deal make the industry feel that negotiations are likely to continue. Rajiv Nath, forum coordinator for the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED) added that it would be premature and speculative to comment until something definitive is announced by a notification. There have been too many proclamations on tariffs over the last four-to-five months, even as both the US and India continue to negotiate, Nath said. According to data from the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Indias total medical device exports for 2023-24 (FY24) stood at $3.78 billion till September 2024, of which $287.7 million worth of devices were exported to the US. Nath added that if the final duty announced on medical devices is at least 15-20 per cent lower than applicable duty rate of the US on China, then there is a strong opportunity for Indian medical devices to increase their exports to the US market. However, this is possible if the Indian companies are able to absorb the excessive high cost of regulatory approval of the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for market entry and find that these costs to export are sustainable over the years. USFDA approval costs range from $9,280 to over $540,000, compared to the relatively low costs for US imports into India. US buyers are actively seeking to diversify their supply chain dependence from China, and India is a strong contender if we get our quality, pricing, and production capacity right, he added. However, Nath said that India may lose out to Indonesia and Vietnam in rubber-based products in competitiveness due to China-plus-one supplier sourcing with their lower tariff of 19 per cent. Concerns over weakening demand for Indian pharmaceutical (pharma) drugs in the US their largest export market have weighed heavily on investor sentiment this year. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters While the Nifty 50 has gained 6.02 per cent year - to - date (as on September 15), the Nifty Pharma index has declined 5.18 per cent, National Stock Exchange data shows. Several pharma stocks have taken steep hits: Natco Pharma plunged 38.48 per cent, Ipca Laboratories fell 22.6 per cent, Aurobindo Pharma dropped 17.57 per cent, and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries declined 15.1 per cent. Other laggards include Lupin (down 13.18 per cent) and Dr Reddys Laboratories (down 6.3 per cent). Although the long-term outlook for Indian pharma remains positive, analysts expect recovery to be slow and uneven. Until there is clarity around US regulatory hurdles and persistent pricing pressures, experts advise a cautious, selective approach to investing. According to Chokkalingam G, founder and head of research at Equinomics Research, the sectors underperformance stems mainly from two factors: export realisations from the US coming under severe pressure, and the potential tariff threat from the US on Indian pharma products. While the 200 per cent tariff hinted at by US President Donald Trump is unlikely to materialise fully, pricing pressure on Indian pharma products in the US is almost certain, he cautioned. On top of that, slowing growth in US generics and intensifying regulatory scrutiny have also weighed on the sector. Sun Pharmas Halol and Mohali plants remain under US Food and Drug Administration observations, while Lupin and Cipla face stiff competition in key respiratory and chronic care drugs. Meanwhile, the pace of abbreviated new drug applications has slowed, reflecting increasing selectivity by Indian drugmakers amid tightening margins. Amid global headwinds, domestic demand has become the sectors anchor. According to a Nomura report, the India pharma market grew 8.7 per cent year-on-year in August the best monthly performance in seven months driven by strong growth in respiratory, cardiac, and antidiabetic therapies. Pricing contributed 5.6 per cent to growth, while product launches added another 2.4 per cent. Companies like Sun Pharma and Torrent have capitalised on this trend, delivering double-digit domestic growth of 13.7 per cent and 13.5 per cent, respectively, outpacing market averages last month. The domestic part of the sector is expected to outperform exports, said Narendra Solanki, head of fundamental research at Anand Rathi. Chronic segments like respiratory, cardiac, and oncology continue to show healthy demand, supporting overall growth, he added. Against this backdrop, analysts urge investors to tread carefully, even as many pharma stocks now trade below their five-year valuation averages. There doesnt seem to be a sector-wide trigger for a rebound yet, so moves will likely remain stock-specific with some technical bounces, said Ravi Singh, senior vice-president of retail research at Religare Broking. The sector, he added, hasnt even played its usual defensive role this year. While valuations are turning more reasonable, selective exposure is still a better strategy than broad-based bets. Companies with strong domestic portfolios or niche product launches have held up relatively better. Glenmark has stood out with strong momentum, while Zydus, Torrent, and Abbott India look better placed. "The rest may take longer to recover until headwinds like pricing and regulatory overhang ease, Singh said. Nuvama Institutional Equities notes that the renewed push for the BioSecure Act in the US, aimed at reducing reliance on Chinese biotech supply chains, could favour Indian CDMO players like Divis Laboratories, Neuland Labs, and Jubilant Pharmova. Likewise, Chokkalingam advises focusing on domestic-heavy companies and those trading at less than 4x enterprise value to sales, especially those less exposed to US regulatory risks. Beyond that, execution in high-margin segments like biosimilars and contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) will be critical for rerating. A student allegedly threatened a PhysicsWallah teacher with a slipper during an online class in 2023 -- one of the several safety-related incidents revealed by the edtech unicorn in its updated draft papers filed ahead of its initial public offering (IPO). Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Sahiba Chawdhary/Reuters The company said the episode highlighted the risks of disruptive behaviour as it expands into offline learning centres. "Failure to protect students' safety and security may negatively impact our reputation and business," the company stated in its updated draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) filed last week. PhysicsWallah also cited other troubling cases. In 2023, a video showing a staff member pushing a student at one of its offline centres circulated on social media. The staffer was later terminated following an internal probe. Another serious case surfaced in June 2024, when a first information report (FIR) was lodged against a company employee after a ceiling fan fell on a student at a New Delhi centre. The charges involved negligent conduct and endangerment of safety, though the matter has since been settled and disposed of. "In another incident in 2023, a student was seen threatening a faculty member with a slipper over a video call," the draft papers noted. The company acknowledged that ensuring student welfare has become an area of concern for the education sector, amid growing reports of harassment and victimisation across institutions. Founded in 2020, PhysicsWallah is looking to raise Rs 3,820 crore through its initial public offering (IPO) comprising a fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 3,100 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of shares aggregating up to Rs 720 crore by promoters. Both promoters Alakh Pandey and Prateek Boob will each offload shares worth Rs 360 crore through the OFS. At present, both hold 40.35 per cent stake each in the company. PhysicsWallah offers test preparation courses for competitive exams focusing on JEE, NEET, GATE and UPSC along with upskilling programs, delivered through online platforms (YouTube, website, and apps), tech-enabled offline centers, and hybrid centers that combine online teaching with in-person support. Its main YouTube channel, "Physics Wallah-Alakh Pandey," had about 13.7 million subscribers as of July 15, 2025, while its overall YouTube network had 98.8 million subscribers by June 30, 2025, growing at a CAGR of 41.8 per cent between FY23 and FY25. "Apart from its strong digital presence, PhysicsWallah has also built a significant offline footprint. The company, which is backed by WestBridge Capital, Hornbill, and GSV Ventures, narrowed its losses to Rs 243 crore in the year ended March 2025 from Rs 1,131 crore in the preceding year. However, revenue rose to Rs 2,887 crore, up from Rs 1,941 crore in the same period. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday described the reduction in GST rates as "game-changing" and the "biggest reform" since independence, as he asked the industry to pass on the full benefit to consumers. Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters The minister said the GST reforms would boost demand in almost all sectors and support the economic growth of the country. He also asked the industry to promote Made in India in a big way. Addressing an event here, the minister said the reduction in GST would benefit every consumer. "Yesterday's reform in indirect taxes in GST, coming on the back of several initiatives over the last 11 years, is transformational in nature, significantly impacting the pharma sector, significantly impacting so many sectors, right from the farmer until our MSMEs," he said. "Every stakeholder in the country, every consumer, stands to benefit," Goyal added. Terming the GST reforms as "game-changing", the minister said the move would play an important role in the months and years to come in the journey of becoming a developed country by 2047. Goyal asked the industry to "pass on all these benefits of GST to the consumers." Speaking on the sidelines, Goyal gave credit to the Prime Minister for the transformative and path-breaking reform in the goods and services tax. Prime Minister Narendra Modi always fulfils promises, he added. "What we thought could be big has turned out to be the biggest ever reform that India has seen since independence. Besides many dimensions, consumers will benefit in a very big way with the reduction in taxes across the board, on almost all items of our day-to-day needs," Goyal said. Besides the reduction in GST rates, the minister said the changes made in the process and procedure will contribute to the ease of doing business. "These lower rates will support the growth of demand and industry. "The scale of operation in the country will grow by leaps and bounds. "Greater demand will lead to greater investment, greater jobs, and the virtuous cycle of growth will get a leg up and a big boost," he said. This Diwali gift will contribute to ease of living, better quality of life for 1.4 billion citizens, Goyal said. Asked about the Opposition's criticism that this reform should have been brought 8 years back, the senior BJP leader attacked the Congress party for spreading negativity at a time when India is the fastest growing economy in the world. The minister pointed out that the opposition was in its current state because of this negativity only. "Sadly, just like Rahul Gandhi, does not understand that the world's fastest growing large economy at 7.8 per cent growth in the first quarter is a matter of delight, joy and celebration," Goyal said. "Rahul Gandhi calls India a dead economy, despite being the world's fastest-growing large economy. "This is the negative thinking of a certain set of people, and I condemn this kind of negativity," he added. The minister attended the India MedTech Expo, Bharat Nutraverse Expo. The bail plea of fugitive diamonds trader Mehul Choksi, wanted in India in connection with over Rs 6300-crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank (PNB), has again been turned down by a court of appeal in Belgium, just ahead of his extradition hearing before a court in that country, officials said. Photograph: ANI Photo The court rejected the appeal on strong reasons conveyed by the CBI to the Belgian prosecution that Choksi had escaped from many jurisdictions earlier as well to evade legal proceedings and may flee to another country if let out on bail, they said. Choksi was arrested in Belgium in April on the basis of an extradition request sent by the CBI, they said. His earlier bail application, heard by the Court of Cassation in Belgium, was also rejected, they said. Choksi filed another bail application on August 22 and offered to be under house arrest -- under surveillance at home -- but the court of appeal rejected it earlier this week, they said. The arguments in the extradition case of 66-year-old Choksi, the owner of Gitanjali Group, will be taken up in a court in Belgium in mid-September, they said. The CBI will assist the Belgian prosecution in putting forth a strong case to send him back to India to face trial in cases against him. Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted in the Rs 13,000 crore fraud in Punjab National Bank that they allegedly orchestrated through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking in connivance with some bank officials at the Brady House branch in Mumbai, they said. Modi, declared a fugitive economic offender, has been lodged in a London jail since he was held by the authorities there in 2019 on the basis of a legal request made by the ED and the CBI in this case. He is contesting extradition to India. The CBI had sent a team of officials to Brussels who provided details of the case, evidence and documents to the Belgian prosecution, who will be presenting the case. The CBI will also hire a European law firm to assist in the case, they said. Choksi is facing cases under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections related to criminal conspiracy, cheating and falsification of accounts, besides provisions of Prevention of Corruption which all constitute crimes in Belgium as well. This helps to invoke the dual criminality clause of the extradition treaty while seeking his extradition. The CBI has also invoked the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in its extradition request. At least two open-ended arrest warrants, issued by a special court in Mumbai in 2018 and 2021, have been shared by the Indian agencies with their Belgian counterparts as part of the extradition request, the sources said. According to the investigating agencies, officials at PNB's Brady House branch in Mumbai issued 165 LoUs and 58 FLCs during March-April 2017, against which 311 bills were discounted. These LoUs and FLCs were allegedly issued to Choksi's firms without any sanctioned limit or cash margin and without making entries in PNB's central banking system to evade any scrutiny in case of a default. LoUs are a guarantee given by a bank on behalf of its client to a foreign bank. If the client does not repay the foreign bank, the liability falls on the guarantor bank. Based on these LoUs by PNB, money was lent by SBI, Mauritius; Allahabad Bank, Hong Kong; Axis Bank, Hong Kong; Bank of India, Antwerp; Canara Bank, Manama; and State Bank of India, Frankfurt. "Since the accused companies did not repay the amount availed against the said fraudulent LoUs and FLCs, PNB made the payment of Rs 6,344.97 crore ($965.18 million), including the overdue interest, to the overseas banks, which had advanced buyer's credit and discounted the bills against the fraudulent LoUs and FLCs issued by the PNB," the CBI's supplementary charge sheet in the PNB bank fraud case had alleged. OSLO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday that her country will not negotiate over its sovereignty, responding to U.S. threats of tariffs in a dispute over Greenland. Frederiksen noted that Denmark has never sought any conflicts. However, Denmark is now being threatened by its closest ally, both in terms of Danish territory and Greenlandic self-determination, she told the parliament. On the tariffs the United States has threatened to impose, Frederiksen said a trade war would cost jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. "As much as we must warn against it, we must also prepare for it," she said. In a social media post over the weekend, Trump said the United States would impose a 10-percent tariff from Feb. 1 on goods from eight European countries opposing his ambition to control Greenland. He warned the tariff rate would rise to 25 percent on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland. The remarks have intensified a backlash that has been building across Europe. EU leaders will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to address the tensions, European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said Monday. EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the bloc could renew a pending tariff package or deploy anti-coercion measures. The team toured four clusters in and around Kolhapur where Kolhapuri chappals are made. Kindly note that this illustration generated using ChatGPT has only been posted for representational purposes. A four-member team from Italian luxury brand Prada visited Kolhapur in Maharashtra this week to understand the craft of making the Kolhapuri chappal. The team included Paolo Tiveron, director of the men's technical and production department -- footwear division; Daniele Contu, pattern-making manager -- footwear division; and external consultants Andrea Pollastrelli and Roberto Pollastrelli. Prior to their visit, the team had an online meeting on July 11 with executives from the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture. During their two-day visit, the team toured four clusters in and around Kolhapur where Kolhapuri chappals are made, including Subhash Nagar, Jawahar Nagar, Kandalgaon, and Kagal village -- the last of which is home to a cluster of women artisans. The visit comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding Prada's Spring/Summer 2026 collection, which featured models wearing footwear resembling Kolhapuri chappals during Milan Fashion Week last month. The sandals, priced at around 1 lakh, drew backlash for failing to credit India as the source of inspiration. "The team from Prada has been in India to evaluate our production facilities. While their standards are very different from ours, they will return to Italy and issue a report on the same," Lalit Gandhi, president, MACCIA, told Business Standard. If all goes well, Gandhi added Prada's business team will visit Mumbai in August to discuss how to move the proposal forward. MACCIA has also recommended that Prada consider adding four more Maharashtra-origin products to its catalogue, including traditional jewellery from the region. In June, MACCIA had written to Prada regarding the use of the Kolhapuri chappal in its fashion show. In response, Prada said: 'We acknowledge that the sandals featured in the recent Prada Men's 2026 Fashion Show are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear with a centuries-old heritage. 'We deeply recognise the cultural significance of such Indian craftsmanship.' The letter said: 'We are committed to responsible design practices, fostering cultural engagement, and opening a dialogue for meaningful exchange with local Indian artisan communities -- as we have done in past collections -- to ensure rightful recognition of their craft.' Separately, the Bombay high court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest litigation filed against Prada for its alleged use of the Kolhapuri chappal design. The plea had argued that the chappal is protected as a Geographical Indication under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Indias goods exports rebounded in July after two months of contraction, with outbound shipments rising 7.3 per cent to $37.24 billion, led by a surge in exports to the United States before the countrys reciprocal tariff kicked in and bolstered by a recovery in exports to other key markets. Photograph: ANI Photo However, the countrys merchandise trade deficit widened to an eight-month high of $27.35 billion as imports also picked up 8.6 per cent after two months of decline to hit a three-month high of $64.6 billion, quick estimates released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Thursday showed. Services exports grew 1.4 per cent to $31.03 billion in July, while services imports shrank 3.4 per cent to $15.4 billion, resulting in a $15.63 billion surplus. Based on these estimates, subject to revision after the Reserve Bank of India finalises services trade numbers, Indias total exports were up 4.5 per cent in July to $68.3 billion, while imports grew 6 per cent to $80 billion. Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said at a briefing that Indias goods and services exports are doing well despite global economic uncertainties. Exports have grown substantially, much higher than the global exports growth, he underlined. Indias goods exports rebounded in July after two months of contraction, with outbound shipments rising 7.3 per cent to $37.24 billion, led by a surge in exports to the United States before the countrys reciprocal tariff kicked in and bolstered by a recovery in exports to other key markets. However, the countrys merchandise trade deficit widened to an eight-month high of $27.35 billion as imports also picked up 8.6 per cent after two months of decline to hit a three-month high of $64.6 billion, quick estimates released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Thursday showed. Services exports grew 1.4 per cent to $31.03 billion in July, while services imports shrank 3.4 per cent to $15.4 billion, resulting in a $15.63 billion surplus. Based on these estimates, subject to revision after the Reserve Bank of India finalises services trade numbers, Indias total exports were up 4.5 per cent in July to $68.3 billion, while imports grew 6 per cent to $80 billion. Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said at a briefing that Indias goods and services exports are doing well despite global economic uncertainties. Exports have grown substantially, much higher than the global exports growth, he underlined. The growth in merchandise exports was driven by engineering goods (up 13.7 per cent), electronics (33.9 per cent), drugs and pharmaceuticals (14 per cent), organic and inorganic chemicals (7.2 per cent) and gems and jewellery (28.9 per cent). Non-petroleum and non-gems and jewellery exports grew 12.7 per cent to $30.51 billion. The drivers of the growth among non-petroleum sectors were electronic goods (46.9 per cent), engineering goods (1.35 per cent), drugs and pharmaceuticals (5.9 per cent), readymade garments (1.23 per cent). The uptick in inbound shipments was led by petroleum and crude oil imports, which make up for nearly a quarter of Indias total import bill, and rose 7.4 per cent in July to hit $15.5 billion. Gold imports grew 13.8 per cent to $3.97 billion, while electronics imports stood at $9.8 billion, up 12.8 per cent on-year. Fertiliser imports soared 133 per cent to $1.6 billion. The export growth in July was supported by the continued surge in exports to the US, that has been witnessed since the beginning of 2025, although growth in exports to the other geographies also turned positive after a gap of two months, said Aditi Nayar, chief economist at ICRA. Non-oil exports drove the uptick in overall exports in July 2025, even as oil exports contracted 25 per cent as compared to the year before, she noted. Promoting exports Due to an uncertain global policy environment, mainly due to the tariff policies rolled out by the US, the government is adopting a clear cut strategy to improve export competitiveness, strengthen export promotion and push diversification of export baskets and markets. To begin with, India is fast-tracking free trade agreements (FTAs) and reviewing existing trade agreements. While a trade deal with the four-member European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nations will come into force from 1 October, India has reached out to the United Kingdom (UK) to fast track the implementation of the FTA by wrapping up Parliamentary procedures. Agreement with Oman has been finalised and will be signed soon. Talks with the European Union (EU) are also being fast-tracked. According to Barthwal, progress of the negotiations have been good and further meetings are expected to happen at the secretary and the commerce and industry ministers level, with their respective counterparts. Along with the trade bloc, the government is looking to complete FTA negotiations with Chile and Peru by the end of this year. That apart, substantial completion of the FTA review with the 10-member ASEAN nations is expected by October. India is also expanding its focus on top 50 countries, with 90 per cent share of exports, including through mobilisation of missions abroad to undertake proactive and sustained export promotion efforts. Further, the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), announced in the Union Budget FY26 is presently under inter-ministerial consultation. It seeks to enable broad-based, inclusive, and sustainable export growth over six years from FY25 to FY31 by exploring approaches beyond conventional mechanisms to address key bottlenecks faced by Indian exporters especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The EPM is anchored in a collaborative framework involving the department of commerce, MSME ministry, finance minister, and other line ministries and stakeholders. EPM will be implemented through two sub-schemes Niryat Prosahan, which will provide trade finance support and Niryat Disha that will drive international market access. \American FMCG major Procter & Gamble Company has named India-born Shailesh Jejurikar as its next chief executive officer, who will lead the consumer goods multinational from January 1, 2026. Jejurikar (58), who joined Procter & Gamble (P&G) as an assistant brand manager in 1989, will replace Jon Moeller as part of a top leadership transition, according to a statement from the Cincinnati, Ohio-based company. He is serving as chief operating officer of P&G for over last six years and is also a board member of vertical transportation systems maker Otis Elevator Co. "Shailesh Jejurikar...will succeed Jon Moeller as Procter & Gamble's President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2026. The Board has also nominated Jejurikar to stand for election as a director at the annual shareholder meeting in October 2025," a statement from P&G said. He helped build several of P&G's core businesses, including global Fabric Care and Home Care in regions including North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. He has also helped lead the development of the company's renewed strategies and operational results in the Supply Chain, Information Technology and Global Business Services. P&G is a leading FMCG company in India market also, operating with brands including, Ariel, Tide, Whisper, Olay, Gillette, Ambipur, Pampers, Pantene, Oral-B, Head & Shoulders and Vicks. Jejurikar, an alumnus of IIM Lucknow, is the latest to join an elite league of India-born C-suite executives at global giants. Earlier this month, Moradabad-born Sabih Khan was elevated to the position of chief operating officer of iPhone maker Apple. Khan, who will still have Apple CEO Tim Cook as his leader, will take over his new role from Jeff Williams later this month, rising through the ranks after being at Apple for 30 years and joining the executive team as senior vice president of operations in 2019. Satya Nadella is the Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, while Sundar Pichai is the CEO of both Google and its holding company Alphabet. Shantanu Narayen, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Adobe, one of the largest software companies in the world and Arvind Krishna, Chairman, President and CEO of IBM, are among those active pole bearers. Joining them are Vasant Narasimhan, the CEO of global pharma major Novartis, and Reshma Kewalramani, CEO and President of global biotech major Vertex. Similarly, Sanjay Mehrotra, Chairman, President and CEO at Micron Technology; Anirudh Devgan, President and CEO of Cadence, and Leena Nair, Global CEO of Chanel, are among the other significant active members. Sanjiv Kataria, the ex-CEO of Bata, held the distinction of being the first Indian global CEO of the footwear major. He resigned from the post last month. Likewise, Laxman Narasimhan, who parted ways with Starbucks last year after serving as its CEO, had also led another multinational giant Reckitt Benckiser as CEO. Indra Nooyi who stepped down as CEO of foods and beverages major PepsiCo in 2018 after leading the company for 12 years and serving it in various roles for 24 years and Harish Manwani who became the first Chief Operating Officer of FMCG major Unilever in 2011, paved the way for India-born executives to head global companies. Promoters of Indias top private listed companies have cut their stakes sharply since 2021, taking advantage of elevated valuations and reshaping ownership dynamics in the market. IMAGE: Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Joseph Mucira and OpenClipart-Vectors/Pixabay.com Holdings of promoters in the top 200 privately owned listed firms declined nearly 600 basis points (bps) to 37 per cent at the end of FY25, from 43 per cent in FY21. The was led by large block deals, with domestic mutual funds stepping in as the primary buyers. Between FY21 and FY25, mutual fund holdings in BSE 200 companies rose by 360 bps to 10.9 per cent, while foreign portfolio investor (FPI) holdings fell 420 bps to 24.4 per cent, shows data compiled by Kotak Institutional Equities (KIE). The shift reflects the trend of promoters capitalising on high valuations, with MFs, described by KIE as price-agnostic, continuing to absorb supply. Retail households, through institutional investors, have bought at the expense of FPIs and insiders, KIE said in a note. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) have been net buyers of Rs 3.5 trillion worth of equities in the first half of 2025, up from Rs 2.4 trillion in the year-ago period. FPIs, by contrast, were net sellers of over Rs 82,000 crore during the same period. Strong DII inflows have enabled the market to absorb large stake sales. British American Tobacco and Singtel offloaded shares worth nearly Rs 13,000 crore each in ITC and Bharti Airtel, respectively, earlier this year. Many promoters have raised capital for either new projects or debt reduction, said U R Bhat, co-founder of Alphaniti Fintech. Furthermore, when successful companies have promoters holding large stakes, they often seek to diversify their concentrated wealth by selling shares and investing elsewhere. Promoters, being the most well-informed, strategically time these sales, Bhat said, adding they usually use block deals near the peak of their companys cycle when buyer interest is high and valuations are favourable. Conversely, during cyclical downturns, these companies can issue warrants to raise capital. Lower promoter holdings have lifted Indias free-float market capitalisation, driving a jump in its weighting in global indices. Indias share in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index rose to 18.12 per cent in June 2025, from under 8 per cent in 2021, second only to Chinas 28.4 per cent. Historically, India has trailed developed markets like the US, the UK, and Japan in free float, where public ownership usually exceeds 90 per cent. The recent rise brings India closer to markets like Brazil, South Korea, and Taiwan. The current trend contrasts sharply with 2009, just before the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) introduced the minimum 25 per cent public shareholding rule. Promoter ownership stood at a 19-year high of 57.6 per cent in March 2009. The long-term trend indicates a sharp rise in promoter ownership between 2001 and 2009 that gradually tapered off since, coinciding with Sebis decision to increase the required free float from 10 per cent to 25 per cent in 2010, according to the NSEs latest India Ownership Tracker. While promoter ownership rose by 11.6 percentage points between June 2010 and December 2021, the trajectory reversed as domestic equities gained momentum. KIE analysis suggests promoters are timing their exits. Promoter stake sales have historically peaked during periods of elevated Nifty valuations. The index is now trading at 22 times estimated 12-month earnings, compared with a long-term average of 20x. More than 25 crore workers engaged in sectors ranging from banking, insurance, postal to coal mining, highway and construction are expected to go on a nationwide general strike on Wednesday, potentially disrupting services across the country. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff A forum of 10 central trade unions and their associates has called for a general strike or 'Bharat Bandh' to "oppose the anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies of the government". In a statement, the forum has called for making "the nationwide general strike a grand success", and said preparations have been taken up in earnest by unions in all sectors of formal and informal/unorganised economy. "More than 25 crore workers are expected to take part in the strike. Farmers and rural workers will also join the protest across the country," said Amarjeet Kaur from All India Trade Union Congress. Harbhajan Singh Sidhu from Hind Mazdoor Sabha said that banking, postal, coal mining, factories, state transport services will be affected due to the strike. The forum had last year submitted a charter of 17-point demand to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandavia, the workers' union forum said in its latest statement. It further said that the government has not been conducting the annual labour conference for the last 10 years and continues to take decisions in contravention to the interest of labour force, attempting to impose four labour codes to weaken collective bargaining, to cripple unions' activities and to favour employers in the name of 'ease of doing business'. The forum also alleged that the economic policies are resulting into more unemployment, rising prices of essential commodities, depression in wages, cut in social sector spending in education, health, basic civic amenities, and all these are leading to more inequalities and miseries for poor, people of lower income group as well as the middle class. The government has abandoned the welfare state status of the country and is working in the interest of foreign and Indian corporates, and it is so evident from its policies being pursued vigorously, the forum said. Trade unions have been fighting against "privatisation of public sector enterprises and public services, policies of outsourcing, contractorisation and casualisation of workforce", it said. The four labour codes that have been passed by the Parliament are meant to suppress and cripple the trade union movement, increase working hours, snatch workers' right to collective bargaining, right to strike, and decriminalise violation of labour laws by employers, the statement said. "We are demanding from the government to address unemployment, recruitments against sanctioned posts, creation of more jobs, increase in days and remuneration of MGNREGA workers and enactment of similar legislation for urban areas. "But the government is busy imposing ELI (Employment Linked Incentive) scheme to incentives employers' instead," it stated. It also alleged that in government departments, instead of providing regular appointments to the youth, the policy to recruit those who retired, as witnessed in Railways, NMDC Ltd, steel sector, and teaching cadres, is damaging to the growth of the country where 65 per cent population is below the age of 35 years and the number of unemployed is maximum among those in the age group of 20 to 25 years. Union leaders from NMDC Ltd and other non-coal minerals, steel, state government departments, and public sector enterprises have also given notices to join the strike. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and joint front of the agricultural workers unions have extended support to this strike action and decided to make massive mobilsations in rural India, the union leaders said. Trade unions had earlier observed similar nationwide strikes on November 26, 2020, on March 28-29, 2022, and on February 16 last year. Qatars sovereign wealth fund is suing Byju Raveendran in Indian courts to recover $235 million from the embattled educational technology (edtech) entrepreneur, escalating a global legal battle that has ensnared one of Indias most high-profile startup founders. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), through its subsidiary Qatar Holding LLC, has intensified its fight against Raveendran and his investment vehicle, Byjus Investments (BIPL). It has moved the Karnataka high court to enforce an arbitration award against Raveendran, who personally guaranteed a $150 million loan that later defaulted. The fund is also seeking 4 per cent annual interest, compounded daily, accruing from February 28, 2024, which now amounts to over $14 million (about Rs 123 crore). The dispute dates back to September 2022, when Qatar Holding extended $150 million in financing to BIPL. The loan was personally guaranteed by Raveendran, cofounder and principal shareholder of Think & Learn. The money was used to help finance the acquisition of 17,891,289 shares in Aakash Educational Services, with an explicit restriction against transferring those shares. In breach of this agreement, according to the petition filed by QIA, the shares were later shifted to another Singapore-based entity controlled by Raveendran. After repeated defaults, Qatar Holding terminated the financing arrangement and demanded early repayment of $235 million. Both BIPL and Raveendran failed to meet their respective obligations under the contract and the personal guarantee, according to a source. Global freezing order In March 2024, Qatar Holding initiated arbitration in Singapore. The emergency arbitrator ordered a global freezing of BIPLs and Raveendrans funds and assets, up to a value of $235 million, to prevent dissipation. The Singapore High Court subsequently upheld the award and the freezing order. On July 14, the arbitral tribunal issued its final award, directing immediate payment of $235 million to Qatar Holding, along with 4 per cent interest from February 2024, compounded daily. Interest has already exceeded $14 million, pushing the total obligation to more than $249 million. Enforcement in India Qatar Holding filed an enforcement petition on August 12 before the Karnataka high court. The petition seeks recognition of the award as a court decree, an injunction against transfer of assets by Raveendran or BIPL, and attachment or sale of their moveable and immoveable assets in India. The enforcement bid marks the latest chapter in Raveendrans widening legal troubles. In the US, he has reportedly been held in contempt of court in bankruptcy proceedings and ordered to pay $10,000 (Rs 8.7 lakh) a day until required disclosures are made. According to reports, $533 million is unaccounted for in a $1.2 billion loan taken by a Think & Learn subsidiary. According to reports, public filings reference Raveendrans defiant remarks, including claims that the missing money was somewhere the lenders will never find. Meanwhile, Byjus itself remains mired in insolvency, with stakeholders blaming the crisis on senior-level mismanagement. For Qatar Holding, the enforcement petition is part of a broader push to reclaim money it says is lawfully owed. Backed by a worldwide freezing order and parallel proceedings in multiple jurisdictions, the sovereign wealth fund appears intent on holding Raveendran and his entities accountable. The case underscores the deepening crisis at Byjus, once valued at $22 billion. Mounting financial pressure, disputes with investors, and regulatory scrutiny have left the edtech giant in tatters. This includes a standoff with US lenders demanding $1 billion in unpaid dues, which triggered insolvency proceedings. The worth of Indias most valuable startup is zero now, Raveendran told reporters recently, as he pledged to rebuild the collapsed empire from scratch, brick by brick. With Donald Trump's tariffs kicking off, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown the way to tackle the looming economic challenge. Addressing a public meeting in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi last Saturday, Modi urged citizens to adopt the spirit of Swadeshi 'amid global economic uncertainties'. Translated, he meant for the citizens to buy India-made brands instead of foreign ones. Which also presents an opportunity to test your knowledge of Indian brands used in daily life. So take the quiz below and check out how Swadeshi you can get! You have to answer each question to move on to the next. Feature Production: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com 'Despite assurance from China, none of the companies have received supplies from Chinese sellers.' IMAGE: The assembly line at the Hyundai Motor India Ltd plant in Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu. Photograph: Babu/Reuters Even after China's assurance to address India's concerns over export curbs on rare-earth elements and magnets, automakers are yet to receive any supply, resulting in continued uncertainty in the sector, people aware of the matter said. "Despite assurance from China, none of the (domestic) companies have received supplies from Chinese sellers," one of the persons cited above said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during this visit to New Delhi last month, had promised External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that Beijing will ease restrictions on exports of rare-earth minerals, among other items. Rare-earth magnets and elements, critical to industries ranging from automobiles and automobile components, electronics, medical industry and even defence, have been subjected to export licensing norms by China since April 4. The curbs were imposed in response to United States' increased tariffs on Chinese products. A leading two-wheeler original equipment manufacturer (OEM) said that the company has not received any fresh shipments of rare-earth magnets from China ever since its vendors submitted applications. "We are now hoping that with the Modi-Xi meeting, things should start moving soon. I don't want to put a timeline to it, but very soon shipments should start," said the senior official at the OEM. Another passenger vehicle OEM said they are comfortably placed for Q2 and Q3 of this year and would need some critical components by Q4 of this year. As for shipments they were not expecting any during the last two months as they had inventory. Under the new rules, Chinese sellers will now receive export clearance if imports can guarantee that there is no dual-use of the materials or for defence-related applications. The process, however, is complicated and long-drawn. Since then, India has been in dialogue with China through diplomatic channels to process applications from Indian importers seeking shipments of the critical raw materials. In June, the Indian automobile industry raised an alarm and flagged their concerns with the Indian government over the export curbs on rare-earth magnets. They had said that delay in approval of imports of these critical raw materials from China's ministry of commerce was causing disruption in the production schedule of Indian automakers, including electric vehicles (EVs). Rare-earth magnets are critical not just for EV drivetrains but also for components such as crankshaft position sensors, motor control units, ignition coils, speedometers, tweeters, electric water pumps, and wheel speed sensors in internal combustion engine-fitted vehicles. Meanwhile, domestic automakers are using stopgap measures to deal with the situation for the time being. For instance, since automakers are not able to get the supply of raw materials from China, components are being sent to the neighbouring country to fit them to the required parts. Since China dominates the global production and capacity of rare-earth elements and magnets, countries across the world have been getting affected by these restrictions. The country accounts for about 70 per cent of global rare-earth mining and nearly 90 per cent of rare-earth magnet production, giving it overwhelming leverage in this segment. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Since April 4, around 35 importers in India have either not received any shipment of the magnets or have not been granted the import licences by China. IMAGE: Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China. Photograph: Reuters Importers of critical rare earth magnets from China are consulting their legal teams on the possibility of invoking the "force majeure clause (FMC)" in their supply contracts with automobile OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). The move is aimed at shielding themselves from potential penalties that OEMs can impose under agreements if delivery failures lead to imminent production stoppages. Since April 4 (when the US announced reciprocal import tariffs, triggering retaliatory action by China) around 35 importers in India have either not received any shipment of the magnets or have not been granted the import licences they applied for under China's new export control rules. Only one application -- from Sona Comstar -- has been formally rejected so far, though the company retains the option to reapply. Other companies importing magnets to meet OEM demand include Bosch India, Continental, and Mahle. "Discussions are on with suppliers, and it is an option they have under the contracts. Until we allow suspension of some of the obligations for a certain period during which no penalty will be imposed, we could expect the importers to invoke the FMC clause if there is no line of hope in the next few days," said a senior executive of an OEM, adding, "Public limited OEMs will have to announce it to stock exchanges." "These are unforeseen circumstances over which we have no control. We are hoping that the issue will get resolved and China will give its permission. "If that does not happen, we will have to protect ourselves from any consequence. "Of couse, we are talking to OEMs," said a senior executive of a component company that imports rear earth magnets. Law firms echo the urgency for importers to seek legal protection. "With critical supplies of magnets getting stuck -- due to the recent export restrictions in China and with no viable alternatives till now -- invoking force majeure is not a legal necessity but a lifeline," said Sanjeev Kumar, partner at Luthra & Luthra Law Offices India. "The auto sector relies heavily on these materials, especially for electric vehicles (EVs), and is on the brink of witnessing a production halt." The force majeure clause was widely invoked during the Covid-19 pandemic in India when supply chain disruptions were common across sectors. On May 13, 2020, the Union finance ministry issued a clarification stating that "disruption of supply chains due to coronavirus would be covered under FMC, which could be invoked whenever considered appropriate". It went further to note that restrictions on the movement of goods -- both domestically and abroad -- during lockdowns would justify the use of the clause. Under Indian law, FMC provisions fall under the Contract Act, which requires the fulfilment of two broad conditions: The event must be unforeseen, and it must make the performance of the contract impossible. This applied clearly during the pandemic and can also be triggered by events like earthquakes, floods, or civil unrest. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff The 17 rare earth elements that are at the centre of the current crisis are critical components of everyday products -- from cars to jet engines to electronics like smartphones and flat-screen TVs. Kindly note the image has been published only for representational purposes.. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters When Beijing announced in April that it would tighten its grip on exports of rare earth-related items, the reverberations were swift -- and worldwide. The move, enforced by China's ministry of commerce and the general administration of customs, has sent tremors through global automobile industry, including India's electric vehicle (EV) sector. At the G7 Summit that opened on June 15, 2025 in Canada, rare earth supplies were high on the agenda. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, laying out the priorities for his country's G7 presidency, spoke of 'fortifying critical mineral supply chains' as one of three core missions to shore up economic resilience. India's own diplomatic channels have already been activated. On June 12, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in New Delhi and raised the issue of exports curbs on rare earth minerals and magnets. In a statement the following day, the ministry of external affairs said the two sides agreed to hold a series of 'functional dialogues' on economic and trade matters that would encompass discussions on Beijing's restrictions on the export of such materials. Behind closed doors, New Delhi has made clear its expectation: Predictability and stability in supply chains, in line with international trade norms. Official sources confirmed ongoing efforts towards early resolution of the issue. On June 5, Indian Ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat also met with Sun in Beijing, with both sides exchanging views on 'issues of common interest and concern', according to a readout by Beijing. However, China has remained taciturn. The Chinese readout of the Misri-Sun meeting noted, opaquely, that both countries had agreed to 'resume bilateral dialogue mechanisms steadily'. Over 40 applications from Indian firms remain pending with Chinese authorities after Beijing introduced a new end-user certificate for rare earth elements and magnets in April, seen as a retaliatory measure amid the ongoing US-China trade war. Without resolution, the Indian auto industry faces an impending supply crisis. Already, auto manufacturers and industry groups have begun to sound the alarm. Original equipment manufacturers like Bajaj Auto and Maruti Suzuki, along with associations such as the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers and the Automotive Components Manufacturers Association, have raised concerns about a looming shortage of neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets, essential components for high-performance electric motors. If fresh supply does not resume soon, production lines may begin grinding to a halt as early as July. The 17 rare earth elements that are at the centre of the current crisis are critical components of everyday products -- from cars to jet engines to electronics like smartphones and flat-screen TVs. Their role extends further to wind turbines, MRI machines, and even cancer treatment. And they are overwhelmingly sourced from a single country: China, which controls more than 90 per cent of global production of earth magnets. In FY25, India imported approximately $200 million worth of rare earth magnets for both automotive and non-automotive applications, 85 per cent of which came from China, noted Jitin Makkar, senior vice-president and group head at Icra, underlining the gravity of the crisis. Demand is expected to surge as India accelerates its push toward electrification. Icra estimates that India's consumption of rare earth magnets could jump nearly ninefold -- from 1,700 tonnes today to 15,400 tonnes by 2032. The magnets used in electric two-wheelers alone -- costing between Rs 8,000 and Rs 15,000 per vehicle -- account for nearly 30 per cent of the total motor unit cost. This is not China's first muscle-flexing on rare earth minerals. In the early 2010s, Beijing wielded its rare earth near monopoly as a strategic lever: A diplomatic standoff with Japan following the 2010 Senkaku boat collision led to an unofficial Chinese export ban on rare earths to Japan. Export quotas followed, disrupting global supply chains and forcing the US, the European Union, and Japan to bring a case before the WTO. The WTO ruled against China, forcing it to scrap its quotas, but not before the world was reminded of how leverage in global trade can be extracted not just from oil or semiconductors, but also from obscure minerals buried in the Earth. India, too, sits atop considerable rare earth reserves, though they remain underexplored. One mineral in particular -- monazite -- offers a potential domestic alternative. Found in the beach sands stretching from Odisha to Kerala, monazite contains valuable rare earth elements. "These sands contain deposits of several other minerals -- ilmenite and rutile, which are primary feedstocks for titanium. Currently, IREL (Indian Rare Earths Limited) is the sole extractor and processor, as private players are not permitted to mine and process monazite," said Ram Kollareddy, chief executive officer, Midwest Ltd. His firm is expected to come out with the first rare earth magnets by December from its 500-tonne-per-annum facility in Hyderabad. Once magnet production is established domestically, he said, India is expected to gradually meet nearly 80 per cent of the demand for its EV motors, MRIs, wind turbines, and defence requirements. But the ghosts of 2010 linger. Back then, China's rare earth dominance ignited a geopolitical backlash and drove calls for alternative supply chains. Today, those calls have grown louder -- but the dependency remains. Beijing knows it. And so does the rest of the world. Asked whether China would offer India the same trade relaxation on rare earth exports recently extended to the US and the EU, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded with ambiguity: 'We are willing to enhance dialogue and cooperation with relevant countries and regions to jointly keep the stability of global industrial and supply chains.' India may need to dig deep, both literally and diplomatically. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message on the convening of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV). The CPV is the strong leadership core of the Vietnamese people and the cause of socialism in Vietnam. Since the 13th National Congress of the CPV, the Central Committee of the CPV has united and led the Vietnamese people in making remarkable achievements in advancing socialist construction and reform, read the message. Amid complex international situations, Vietnam has maintained political and social stability, experienced rapid and sustainable economic development, and seen its international status rise steadily. These accomplishments have demonstrated the advantages of the communist party leadership and the socialist system, and have made positive contributions to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world, it said. The 14th National Congress of the CPV is being held at a key moment when the CPV and the Vietnamese people proceed toward the goals of the 100th anniversary of the CPV's founding. The congress will formulate the major policies for the development of the party and the country in five years and beyond, opening a new era for the development of the Vietnamese nation. The event is of profound historical significance, it said. The CPC Central Committee expressed the belief that the congress will be a unifying and victorious one, and that under the strong leadership of the CPV, the Vietnamese people will successfully achieve the goals set for the development and construction of the party and the country. It emphasized that the CPC and the government of China attach great importance to developing the relations between the two parties and countries, and are willing to work together with the Vietnamese side to adhere to the principles of "long-term stability, future orientation, good-neighborly friendship and all-round cooperation," and the spirit of "good neighbors, good friends, good comrades, good partners," to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries. Following the overarching goals characterized by "six mores," the CPC and the government of China will join Vietnam to promote the continuous development and achieve fruitful results of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, to better benefit both nations and peoples, and jointly contribute to regional stability, development, and the cause of peace and progress for humanity, it added. India needs to limit its reliance on multinational corporations (MNCs) for strategic audits and consulting in order to strengthen its economic sovereignty and achieve the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) said in an office memorandum released on Wednesday. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff While inviting comments from all stakeholders on the establishment of Indian multi-disciplinary partnerships (MDPs), the MCA noted that despite a world-class talent pool, domestic firms have remained marginal players. This is particularly true in high-value audits and consulting, partly due to structural and regulatory barriers. The MCA secretary Dipti Gaur Mukherjee led-committee on creation of an Indian Big Four firm had recently held its first meeting. It discussed the way forward to support the expansion of domestic smaller accounting and audit firms, according to official sources. The MCA is actively working towards amending the relevant Acts, rules, and regulations to support the growth of domestic MDPs and enhance their international competitiveness, the official memorandum said. It stated that the global consulting and auditing industry is valued at nearly $240 billion, dominated by international networks and global strategy majors. The MCA noted that the current asymmetry in Indias professional services landscape puts domestic firms at a disadvantage compared to global names. The recent free trade agreements (FTAs) of India have opened opportunities for Indian consultancy firms to expand their presence abroad, MCA added. Indian regulations do not allow professionals such as chartered accountants, company secretaries, lawyers, and actuaries from working together under a single firm structure, limiting collaboration. They don't have the ability to offer integrated services like those provided by International firms. Chartered accountants, company secretaries, and lawyers face restrictions on advertising and branding due to regulations set by their governing bodies. These rules were originally intended to uphold dignity, ethics, and independence in the profession, ensuring that services are chosen based on merit rather than marketing. "However, this ban limits Indian firms from building strong brands, MCA said. The MCA note said a fragmented framework with different regulators for each professional service has also made it difficult to build multidisciplinary firms in India. The government has sought views of stakeholders on the changes in the Rules and Regulations administering different professionals in India. This is to ensure Indian firms develop into globally competitive players in the field of consultancy. It has also asked stakeholders to share what regulatory safeguards are required to successfully implement the MDP framework. The MCA has invited suggestions on measures the government and professional bodies can take to ensure Indian firms develop into globally competitive players. In June this year, a meeting was held by the Prime Ministers Office to discuss policy interventions needed for having a domestic advisory and audit firm which is in the league of the global Big Four. Chaired by Shaktikanta Das, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, the meeting was attended by top government officials including then secretary, department of economic affairs, Ajay Seth; secretary, financial services, M Nagaraju, revenue secretary Arvind Shrivastava and the MCA secretary. Reliance Industries Ltd has consistently remained compliant with international sanctions and is expected to adhere to upcoming measures on Russian oil, analysts said, estimating that oil sourced from Russia contributes just 2.1 per cent to its consolidated EBITDA. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters Reliance operates the world's largest single location refining complex, with more than half of the capacity exclusively dedicated for exports. It is also India's biggest user of Russian oil. In July, the European Union approved its 18th sanctions package in response to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. It lowered oil price cap to $47.60 per barrel from $60, for cargo to avail western shipping and insurance services, as well as banned import of refined petroleum products derived from Russian crude, including those refined in third countries, beginning January 2026. Reliance's Jamnagar refinery complex, which includes a 35.2 million tonnes a year unit dedicated only for exports, sells fuels like diesel to EU and other nations. Stating that Reliance has been compliant with western sanctions, Jefferies in a note said the company "has adhered to western sanctions on Iranian and Venezuelan crude and is likely to comply in the event of sanctions on Russian crude, in our view." Like other Indian refiners, Reliance increased purchase of Russian oil post Ukraine war in February 2022. This because Russian oil was available at a discount because of the EU price cap and some western nations shunning purchases to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Estimating a $1 per barrel benefit from refining Russian oil, the brokerage said Russian grade Urals headline discount to Brent has varied between $4 and 7 per barrel over the past 15 months with landed discounts prevailing at $3 given higher logistics and insurance costs. "This translates to $1.0-1.2 per barrel of incremental margin on Reliance's refinery throughput, in our view," it said, adding annual this would mean around $500 million of EBITDA or 2.1 per cent of consolidated pre-tax earnings. "Benefit of Russian crude is limited to 2.1 per cent of consolidated FY27 EBITDA, in our view," Jeferries said. Previously, Hong Kong-based CLSA too had made a similar estimation of limited benefit from using Russian oil. US officials have been in recent weeks targeting India for its import of Russian oil saying New Delhi was funding Russia's war machine and profiteering off Russian oil. CLSA in its report titled 'Russian crude imports - the real math' on August 28 mentioned that the "net annual benefit to India from Russian crude imports to be much smaller at just $2.5 billion or a small 6 bps of India's GDP". This is significantly lower than the speculative number of $10 billion - $25 billion benefit being quoted. While the Russian crude oil price was capped at $60, when the Brent crude oil traded at $75, the entire differential of $15 a barrel was not India's gain. The CLSA report explained, "However, the net gain to Indian importers is far smaller than this visible discount as there are several shipping, insurance and reinsurance related restrictions for Russian crude. "Therefore, Indian refiners import Russian crude on a cost, insurance and freight (CIF) basis, landed in India. "Thus, the landed price of Russian crude is at a far lower discount." The discount on Russian crude has been steadily declining. The discount averaged around $8.5 per barrel in FY24, which fell to $3-5 in FY25 and has declined to about $1.5 per barrel last month. The net gains estimated at $2.5 billion for FY25 have gone down even further in the last few months. According to CLSA, at current discounts, the annualised gains from this import to just $1 billion. Reliance Industries refining earnings will remain steady, supported by its position as Indias largest importer of Russian crude and favourable global supplies, according to analysts at JM Financial and Goldman Sachs. Image used for representation purpose only. Photograph: Alexander Manzyuk/Reuters Reliance imported more Russian barrels than any other Indian refiner in the past eight months, according to data from Bloomberg/Kpler. In August, Reliance bought about 664,000 barrels daily, well ahead of Indian Oil Corp (341,000 barrels) and Nayara Energy (229,000 barrels). Bharat Petroleum took 133,000 barrels a day, while Hindustan Petroleum imported just 28,000 barrels. Reliances purchases peaked at 746,000 barrels a day in June, underscoring its dominant sourcing position. The purchases strengthened Reliances refining economics, as Russian crude is typically priced at a discount to global benchmarks. A note by JM Financial said Reliances oil-to-chemicals division will continue as a profit driver, as global constraints underpin margins. Goldman Sachs projected upcycle refining margins driven by favourable crude feedstock dynamics like strong non-OPEC supply and tightening global refining supply-demand (1.3 mn bpd of permanent capacity closures globally over 2025-26). The bank forecast Reliances ebitda growth will accelerate to 16 per cent in FY26 from 2 per cent in FY25, with refining contributing alongside retail and Jio. Reliances import advantage has translated into strong refining margins relative to peers. Reliance reported a gross refining margin of $8.5 a barrel in FY25, compared to Indian Oil at $4.8 a barrel, BPCL at $6.8 and HPCL at $5.7. Over the past year, Reliances margins have consistently outperformed BPCL and HPCL and remained broadly competitive with Indian Oil. At its annual meeting in August, Reliance reiterated its diversification push into consumer products, retail, telecom, and new energy. Yet, analysts said refining remains at the core of its financial strength. JM Financial underscored that Reliances margins will stay elevated in the near term, while Goldman Sachs noted refining will be a key contributor to earnings momentum across the next fiscal cycle. Both brokerages highlighted potential risks, including weaker refining and chemical spreads, lower-than-expected retail margins, project delays, and higher capex. With global supply tightening and discounted Russian crude flows sustaining its cost advantage, Reliance is positioned to maintain refining profitability ahead of most domestic peers, according to the brokerages. Russia, which previously held a negligible share of Indias oil imports, has accounted for 37 percent of the worlds third largest oil consumer buys this year, according to Kpler data. India took advantage of a $20 a barrel discount on a delivered basis after Europe halted purchases in the wake of the Ukraine war. However the discounts have narrowed to a tenth of that as sanctions tightened, Bloomberg reported. The government should bring back the windfall tax on refiners to support Indian exporters hit by a 50 per cent tariff imposed by the United States, said Raghuram Rajan, former governor of Reserve Bank of India, in a TV interview. The tax was scrapped in December. Given that there is now a cost to buying Russian oil falling on our small and medium exporters (for example, in apparel and textiles), why not impose a windfall profit tax on our refiners proportional to the Russian oil they buy, and transfer it to our small and medium exporters? "That will ensure those in India who benefit from Russian oil also pay for it instead of letting others pay, Rajan told India Today TV. A spokesperson for Reliance said the oil-to-chemicals division higher profits in FY23 and FY24 were due to strong product margins. In FY22 (before the war in Ukraine), the division reported an ebitda of Rs 6,958 crore and that of Rs 7,558 crore in FY23. Ebitda was Rs 7,490 crore in FY24 and Rs 6,438 crore in FY25. "The FY25 profitability is only 4 per cent more than the pre-war period, despite higher production levels from various expansions. "Data clearly shows that the comment that disproportionate profitability due to Russian crude is incorrect. "Higher per cent of Russian crude did not result in higher ebitda. "Hence, the notion that Reliance profited excessively from Russian oil is misplaced and not substantiated by data," said a company official. Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo Extending its nuclear power plant supply relationship with India to the non-nuclear sector, Russia's integrated atomic power major Rosatom State Corporation is in talks for a 50:50 additive technology joint venture, said a senior Rosatom official. Rosatom's Additive Manufacturing Business Unit, he said, has signed several multi-year framework dealer agreements for supply of additive equipment and materials, with a total value of approximately 1.5 billion roubles to Indian clients. Rosatom is also in talks with three universities to have this upcoming technology as part of their curriculum. Rosatom is supplying six 1,000 MW nuclear power reactors to India. Out of the six, two 1,000 MW power plants are operational and four more are under construction at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu. Rosatom now wants to extend that relationship to other areas. Additive technology manufacturing or 3D printing is a manufacturing process where an item is made layer by layer with the use of necessary material -- metal powder and others -- unlike the traditional casting, machining system which is subtractive technology, that is, removing unnecessary material from an already manufactured item. The major advantage of additive manufacturing or 3D printing is that complex and intricate components or prototypes can be manufactured faster at a shorter time and with less material. "We also think of producing the equipment and also metal powder in India. It will be a joint venture for India and also for neighbouring markets," Ilya Kavelashvili, director of the Additive Manufacturing Business Unit at Rosatom, told this reporter. Declining to name the Indian partner in the proposed joint venture, Kavelashvili said: "It is a private company." According to him, the two companies have decided to work out a roadmap for the project. There will be transfer of necessary technologies for making in India. The main thing Rosatom got to know from the Indian side is that the potential for additive technology is immense in India and there will also be support from the Indian government for the proposed project. Rosatom is an integrated player in additive manufacturing. The company makes metal powder of stainless steel, nickel, titanium alloy, aluminium alloy which are used in printing the components; develops the needed software for 3D printing and also develops the equipment and manufacturing of the needed products. According to officials, the company also makes two-in-one printers -- it can print as well as weld. Speaking further about the 1.5 billion rouble deal in India, Kavelashvili said, "It is a broad dealership contract for supply of 3D printers, materials and gradually Rosatom would like to localise production in India." Towards the latter goal, the company is in discussions with its Indian business partners for a joint venture. Meanwhile Kavelashvili said Rosatom will soon send its first large-format 3D printer to India, capable of producing components up to 2.5 meters in diameter but declined to disclose the Indian client's name citing the non-disclosure agreement. Components made with additive technologies are basically used in high technology industries like nuclear, space, aviation, shipping, healthcare (implants, surgical instruments), power engineering industry, construction of concrete structures, prototype of art objects, architectural objects and others. Rosatom also offers services like 3D printing, topological optimisation of a component, 3D scanning, audit of enterprises for the implementation/optimisation of additive technologies, training and education, service maintenance of equipment, additive technology research and development and post processing. In Belarus, an additive technology centre was recently commissioned. Apart from India and Belarus, Rosatom is also looking at countries like Bangladesh and Egypt as markets for this advanced manufacturing technology. Kavelashvili said Rosatom decided to look at 3D printing technology seven years ago and soon developed the capability to offer end-to-end solutions as in the case of nuclear power plant supplies. Now it makes extensive use of it throughout its entire production ecosystem. "Today Rosatom is responsible for developing additive technology in Russia," he added. Over the past year, more than 2,000 parts and products have been printed using this technology, and over 2,000 employees from Rosatom's subsidiaries have received training in additive manufacturing. Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at venkatacharijagannathan@gmail.com Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) poured in Rs 94,829 crore of fresh money into Indian equities in August, the second-highest monthly inflow after record Rs 1.07 trillion influx in October 2024. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff The month also extended the buying streak of DIIs to 25 consecutive months, eclipsing the previous 22-month run from April 2017 to January 2019. Over the last 25 months, DIIs have put an unprecedented Rs 11.4 trillion into domestic stocks, of which Rs 8.8 trillion about 75 per cent came from domestic mutual funds. In the same period, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have pulled out roughly Rs 82,348 crore. The surge is powered by individual investors, who are steadily shifting from traditional savings instruments to equity mutual funds, largely through systematic investment plans (SIPs). July marked another all-time high at Rs 28,464 crore of monthly SIP flows. What we label DII money is ultimately retail money trickling in through SIPs, said D P Singh, deputy managing director and joint CEO, SBI Mutual Fund, the countrys largest fund house. The individual ticket sizes are small, but the sheer volume of participants makes the aggregate formidable. Singh believes investors have internalised the logic of staying invested. When markets correct, the same rupee buys more units. "When they rebound, those extra units translate into outsized gains. The relentless buying by domestic institutions which, besides MFs, includes insurance companies and pension funds has altered the ownership map. DII holdings touched a new high of 17.82 per cent in June 2025, overtaking FPIs for the first time in the March quarter. The Reserve Bank of Indias latest bulletin underlines the trend, noting that the ratio of mutual-fund assets under management (AUM) to total bank deposits has more than doubled from around 10 per cent in March 2014 to .23.8 per cent in March 2024 signalling that equity funds are emerging as a serious alternative to deposits for the aspirational middle class. Domestic money has thus become the shock absorber against FPI selling. Yet, many traders still view FPI flows as the primary determinant of price. In July and August, amid rising trade tension with the US, FPIs sold Rs 54,463 crore while DIIs bought Rs 1.5 trillion, with mutual funds alone contributing Rs 1.02 trillion. The differing investment trajectories kept indices under pressure- the Nifty slipped 1.4 per cent, the Midcap 100 fell 2.9 per cent and the Smallcap 100 dropped 4.1 per cent in August. Total market capitalisation on the BSE shrank by Rs 6 trillion. The damage would have been deeper without the DII cushion. Post-Covid, SIP registrations exploded. Once the money is in, fund managers have to deploy it, said independent equity analyst Ambareesh Baliga. He expects the flow momentum to persist as long as equities continue to deliver positive returns over a three -to five-year horizon. Long-term investors have seen wealth creation in equities, the alternative of reverting to low-yield fixed deposits is not enticing, Baliga added. Indian rupee slipping below the record 88 level against the US dollar will enhance price competitiveness of Indian products in global markets and help exporters diversify beyond the US market, say exporters. Photograph: Kind courtesy Rupixen/Pixabay However, import-dependent sectors such as gems and jewellery, petroleum and electronics may see lower benefits due to a rise in input costs, they stated. The rupee breached a record low level of 88 against the US dollar on Friday last week and hit an all-time closing low of 88.18 to a dollar on Monday. The rupee traded near record levels at 88.15 to a dollar on Tuesday as well. A weaker rupee increases the price realisation of exported products but makes imported products costlier. Exporters said that the rupee's depreciation provides a mixed picture for exports. "On one hand, it enhances the price competitiveness of Indian products in global markets, particularly as exporters diversify beyond the US. "On the other hand, for sectors with high import dependence such as gems and jewellery, petroleum products, and electronics, the cost of imported inputs will partly offset the currency advantage, squeezing margins," Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) director general Ajay Sahai said. The government is suggesting that exporters, who are dependent on the US, diversify their shipments as 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods by America may impact Indian exports to that country. The US accounts for about 20 per cent of India's exports. It was $86.5 billion in 2024-25 out of total exports of $437 billion. He added that the opportunity lies in leveraging the currency to deepen presence in emerging markets while simultaneously pushing for greater domestic value addition to reduce import intensity and ensure sustainable export growth. Another trader said that the development would make imports of items from crude oil to electronic goods, overseas education and foreign travel costlier. The primary and immediate impact of a depreciating rupee is on the importers who will have to shell out more for the same quantity and price. However, it is a boon for the exporters as they receive more rupees in exchange for dollars, the trader, who does not wish to be named, said. India is 85 per cent dependent on foreign oil to meet its needs for fuels, such as petrol, diesel and jet fuel. The rupee has declined to an all-time low against the US dollar as Indo-US trade deal uncertainty, forex outflows from capital markets and weak domestic equity markets pressured the local unit. Forex traders said the rupee is trading near all-time low levels as risks remained skewed to the downside amid uncertainty over US trade tariffs. The basket of Indian imports includes crude oil, coal, plastic material, chemicals, electronic goods, vegetable oil, fertiliser, machinery, gold, pearls, precious and semi-precious stones, and iron and steel. Kanpur-based Growmore International Ltd MD Yadvendra Singh Sachan said that a balanced rupee value helps both exporters and importers. "Any volatility in the value is not good for both. At the current scenario, 85 will be better," Sachan said. Snapping the two-month declining streak, India's exports rebounded by 7.29 per cent to $37.24 billion in July, while trade deficit widened to an eight-month high of $27.35 billion during the month. During April-July 2025-26, exports increased by 3.07 per cent to $149.2 billion, while imports rose 5.36 per cent to $244.01 billion. The trade deficit during the first four months of 2025-26 was $94.81 billion. Russian oil giant PJSC Rosneft Oil Company is in early talks with Reliance Industries for sale of its 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara Energy, which operates a 20-million tonnes-a-year oil refinery and 6,750 petrol pumps in India, sources said. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters Reliance has held preliminary talks for acquisition of Nayara, which will help it overtake state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to become India's No.1 oil refiner as well as give a meaningful presence in the fuel marketing space. But the talks are at preliminary stage and there is no guarantee that they may lead to a definite deal as valuation remains a sticky ground, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. Top Rosneft officials have visited India at least thrice in the last one year, including visits to Ahmedabad and Mumbai, for talks with potential investors. For Rosneft, which is looking to exit from Nayara due to western sanctions limiting its ability to repatriate full earnings from India operations, a potential buyer could be one who has substantial earnings overseas or is an international company - both of which could make quick overseas payouts for the stake. Being a large exporter of fuel, Reliance has substantial overseas income, the sources said. While emails sent to Rosneft for comments remained unanswered, a Reliance spokesperson said, "As a policy, we do not comment on media speculation and rumours." "Our company evaluates various opportunities on an ongoing basis," the spokesperson said. "We have made and will continue to make necessary disclosures in compliance with our obligations under Securities Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations 2015 and our agreements with the stock exchanges." Rosneft, which had in 2017 acquired Essar Oil in a $12.9-billion deal, is unable to get full financial benefits from its Indian operations, including repatriating earnings, due to international sanctions. Essar Oil was subsequently named Nayara Energy. The Russian giant sometime in 2024 decided to exit Nayara and began scouting for potential buyers. Alongside Rosneft, UCP Investment Group, a major Russian financial firm, is also selling its 24.5 per cent stake in Nayara. The rest of Nayara's ownership includes Trafigura Group (24.5 per cent) and a group of retail shareholders. If a deal is struck, Trafigura too may exit the venture within months on same terms, they said. The stake of Rosneft and UCP was offered to Reliance Industries, Adani Group, Saudi Aramco and state-owned ONGC/IOC combine among others. But the $20-billion valuation that Rosneft had put for Nayara was considered too steep a price by almost every potential investor. Adani Group politely declined the offer to invest in an oil refinery, which is considered a sunset business given the energy transition planned worldwide. Besides the asking price being too high, the conglomerate's understanding with French energy giant TotalEnergies, with whom it has stitched multi-billion dollar partnership in city gas and renewable energy space, also came in the way of investing in Nayara, the sources said, adding Adani had in its deal with TotalEnergies agreed to limit future investments in fossil fuel space to only natural gas. Sources said Saudi Aramco is a serious contender to take over Nayara as it will fulfil its long-desired ambition of having downstream presence in the world's fastest growing oil market. Aramco, the world's largest oil exporter, had previously agreed to invest in a giant oil refinery-cum-petrochemical complex that state-owned firms had planned to build in Maharashtra, but that project hasn't taken off due to land acquisition delays. It had in 2019 signed a non-binding agreement to buy a 20 per cent stake in Reliance's oil-to-chemical (O2C) business for $15 billion but the deal was called off two years later over valuation issues. Sources said Aramco too considers the $20 billion valuation too high. It wasn't known if talks between Rosneft and Aramco have progressed beyond initial contact. Nayara makes the most sense for Reliance, they said. Reliance operates twin refineries, with a combined capacity of 68.2 million tonnes per annum at Jamnagar in Gujarat. Its units are in the vicinity of Nayara's 20-million tonnes-a-year unit at Vadinar, Gujarat. Nayara will help it cross IOC's 80.8-million tonnes-a-year capacity to become No.1 refiner in the country. But more importantly, the 6,750 petrol pumps of Nayara would help it gain a meaningful share in the fuel retailing business. Reliance has just 1,972 petrol pumps out of 97,366 outlets in the country. "Oil refining alone is not a profitable business. Unless you have marketing, you can never make money," an industry official explained. Sources said for both Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and IOC, the valuation being sought by Rosneft is too high. For them the value of petrol pumps should not be more than Rs 3-3.5 crore per outlet. This gives a valuation of not more than $2.5-3 billion for the marketing network and similar value is what they see for the oil refinery, they said. But for Reliance, the value of the marketing network is more, perhaps Rs 7 crore per outlet ($5.5 billion). And given the synergies the combined operations of Jamnagar and Vadinar refineries can derive, the 20-million tonnes Nayara unit and its planned petchem unit could be worth another $5 billion, they said. Sources said since the start of talks, Rosneft has brought down the valuation to $17 billion but that too is considered too high by companies such as Reliance. However, no official deal has been confirmed, and Rosneft has not made a formal statement on the matter yet. The country's largest lender State Bank of India on Wednesday announced the completion of the divestment of about 13.18 per cent stake in Yes Bank to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation of Japan for Rs 8,888.97 crore. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters State Bank of India (SBI) has received Rs 8,888.97 crore from the acquirer Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), a Japanese multinational financial services company belonging to the Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), the bank said in a regulatory filing. SMFG is among the leading foreign banks in India. It is the second-largest Banking Group in Japan, with total assets of about $2 trillion. SBI became the largest shareholder of Yes Bank in March 2020 under its Reconstruction Scheme 2020, as notified by the central government, the PSU bank said in a statement. Subsequently, SBI had also acquired additional shares as part of a follow-on public offer by Yes Bank in July 2020. Post the aforesaid divestment, SBI will continue to remain a shareholder in Yes Bank with a holding of 10.8 per cent, it said. The partial stake sale by SBI and other shareholder banks in Yes Bank to SMBC represents the largest cross-border investment in the Indian banking sector, it added. The transaction has received the necessary regulatory and statutory approvals, including from the Reserve Bank of India and the Competition Commission of India. SBI chairman CS Setty said, "Yes Bank restructuring plan by the RBI in 2020 was an innovative, first-of-its-kind public sector -- private sector partnership that was fully supported and facilitated by the Government of India. "We are incredibly proud of the journey we have shared with Yes Bank in supporting their transformation since we came on board as the major shareholder in 2020." This is perhaps the best example of protecting the customer interests of a large bank by collaborative efforts of SBI and other banks under the guidance of the government and RBI, he noted. "We are excited to welcome SMBC, a marquee financial institution, as a strategic partner through the largest cross-border transaction in India's banking sector. "Their global expertise will be a great complement to Yes Bank's ongoing progress and future ambitions," he said. SBI and the other selling shareholder banks were advised by SBI Capital Markets Limited as their financial advisor. The Supreme Court on Tuesday cancelled bail granted to former DHFL promoter Dheeraj Wadhawan in the multi-crore bank loan scam case. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma passed the order after perusing the report filed by a medical board and directed Wadhawan to surrender within two weeks. The Delhi high court on September 9, 2024 granted him bail on medical grounds saying Wadhawan fell within the parameters of a "sick person". The order came on an appeal filed by the CBI appeal against the high court order. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the agency, had earlier said said Wadhawan suffered from no serious medical ailments and huge amounts of money were siphoned off in the case. The Wadhawan brothers -- Kapil and Dheeraj-- were arrested in this case in July 2022. The agency filed a chargesheet in October 2022 following which a court took its cognisance. The FIR was registered on a complaint made by the Union Bank of India, which alleged DHFL, the housing finance company's then chairman-cum-managing director Kapil Wadhawan, then director Dheeraj Wadhawan and other accused entered into a criminal conspiracy to cheat the consortium of 17 banks led by the Union Bank of India, and in pursuance of the criminal conspiracy, the accused and others induced the consortium to sanction huge loans aggregating Rs 42,871.42 crore. Much of the amount was allegedly siphoned off and misappropriated by alleged falsification of the books of the DHFL and dishonest default in repayment of legitimate dues of the consortium banks, the CBI claimed. 'We have carried out a big search operation on a big name in this industry.' IMAGE: The Securities and Exchange Board of India headquarters in Mumbai. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters The Securities and Exchange Board of India has conducted a search operation on a renowned financial influencer in its enforcement action against those doling out stock recommendations and advice without the required registration. Sebi Whole-Time Member Kamlesh Varshney said that the regulator carried out a search on Wednesday in Mumbai. "We have carried out a big search operation on a big name in this industry. I must give credit to my team who has been working on all these things. I can't comment much further until we examine the evidence that has been collected," he said. Top financial influencers have been on Sebi's radar for giving stock recommendations under the garb of investor education. In the past, the regulator has issued strictures against individuals indulging in such activity. Such enforcement action is the need of the hour to provide confidence that Sebi is keeping a watch, the official said. "The enforcement action must be directed at big people, where one can show impact. "The idea is to create fear in the market that there is a regulator which is watching you," he said. While Varshney acknowledged that there are some 'good people' focusing on investor education, there are also players who are misguiding youth in the name of education by giving investment calls and guaranteeing returns in classrooms. Market regulations mandate that research analysts and investment advisors who give any kind of recommendation on investments or trades have to be registered. Earlier, Sebi had taken measures to remove social media content and misleading links pertaining to stock recommendations given by those without registrations. The regulator is also working on automation of several checks through new tools to identify any possible violation in the market. "We have live data. We can put technology on it and catch a whole lot of violations," Varshney said at FICCI's Annual Capital Markets Conference. Fast-track IPO clearance Sebi has crunched the timeline to enable faster IPO clearances, doling out highest approvals in July. It received 31 IPO applications during the month, of which 21 were processed. Sebi may process another 35 to 40 applications in August, he said. "We saw that the number of applications are suddenly rising, so we increased our processing capacity to 15 per month in the first three months of this year. And we found even that was not good enough," he said. Last year, around 13 IPO applications were processed every month, of an average of 16 applications received by Sebi. Varshney said that many companies that have obtained Sebi approvals are waiting for the right time to enter the market. He emphasised that the regulator does not want a backlog of more than two to three months, unless there is some violation or complication. The Sebi WTM also said it is considering regulating the grey market, which can help in better price discovery, investor interest and tax collection. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) opens its 14th National Congress at the National Convention Center in the capital city of Hanoi, Vietnam, on Jan. 20, 2026. (VNA via Xinhua) HANOI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) opened its 14th National Congress at the National Convention Center in the capital city of Hanoi on Tuesday morning. A total of 1,586 delegates, representing over 5.6 million members of the CPV, are gathering at the congress. The delegates will discuss and adopt various documents, including the political report of the 13th Party Central Committee, as well as a report reviewing theoretical and practical issues of Vietnam's socialist-oriented renewal process over the past 40 years. State President Luong Cuong delivered an opening speech at the session, while General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee To Lam presented a report on the documents submitted to the congress. The preparatory session of the congress held on Monday approved the congress's working regulations, agenda, and the election regulations. The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) opens its 14th National Congress at the National Convention Center in the capital city of Hanoi, Vietnam, on Jan. 20, 2026. (VNA via Xinhua) General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam speaks during the 14th National Congress of the CPV in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Jan. 20, 2026. The CPV opened its 14th National Congress at the National Convention Center in the capital city of Hanoi on Tuesday morning. A total of 1,586 delegates, representing over 5.6 million members of the CPV, are gathering at the congress. State President Luong Cuong delivered an opening speech at the session, while General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee To Lam presented a report on the documents submitted to the congress. (VNA via Xinhua) Vietnamese President Luong Cuong speaks during the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Jan. 20, 2026. The CPV opened its 14th National Congress at the National Convention Center in the capital city of Hanoi on Tuesday morning. A total of 1,586 delegates, representing over 5.6 million members of the CPV, are gathering at the congress. State President Luong Cuong delivered an opening speech at the session, while General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee To Lam presented a report on the documents submitted to the congress. (VNA via Xinhua) Market regulator Sebi on Thursday said that timelines for portfolio rebalancing in mutual fund schemes will now be applicable to all types of passive breaches across actively managed schemes, which was earlier limited to only asset allocation. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff A passive breach refers to unintended deviations from the mandated asset allocation or regulatory limits that do not arise from the direct actions or omissions of asset management companies (AMCs). Passive breaches generally do not happen due to the omission and commission of Asset Management Companies (AMCs). The mandated rebalancing period for all mutual fund schemes, except Index Funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), is 30 business days. Such breaches may be caused by corporate actions, significant price movements in underlying securities, maturity of instruments, or large-scale investor redemptions. The clarification came in the wake of a recommendation made by the Mutual Funds Advisory Committee (MFAC) and is aimed at ensuring consistency in regulatory compliance and enhancing investor protection. "In view of...the recommendation of the Mutual Funds Advisory Committee (MFAC), it is clarified that the provisions shall be applicable for all types of passive breaches for the actively managed mutual fund schemes," the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said in a circular. The regulator said that provisions for mutual funds will now apply to all such breaches, mandating timely rebalancing even when the deviations are not deliberate. The regulator also underlined that while active breaches are considered violations of the Sebi mutual fund regulations, passive breaches often stem from external factors and market dynamics. Despite their unintentional nature, these breaches could still affect the risk profile of schemes, making it necessary to rebalance portfolios within a stipulated time frame, Sebi said. Markets regulator Sebi has proposed introducing a single window access for low risk foreign investors seeking to participate in the Indian securities market, a move aimed at simplifying compliance and enhancing the country's attractiveness as an investment destination. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters The new framework -- Single Window Automatic & Generalised Access for Trusted Foreign Investors (SWAGAT-FI), if implemented, would provide easier investment access to low risk foreign investors, enable a unified registration process across multiple investment routes and reduce repeated compliance and documentation for such entities, Sebi said in its consultation paper. The low risk foreign investors identified by Sebi include government-owned funds, central banks, sovereign wealth funds, multilateral entities, highly regulated public retail funds, and appropriately regulated insurance companies, as well as pension funds. As of June 30, 2025, India had 11,913 registered FPIs, holding assets worth Rs 80.83 lakh crore and SWAGAT-FIs are estimated to contribute more than 70 per cent of total FPIs' assets under custody as on June 30, 2025. "SWAGAT-FI framework aims to offer a unified, streamlined and consistent access mechanism for certain categories of foreign investors that are verified to have met specified eligibility criteria. "This framework will help reduce regulatory complexity, simplify compliance, and enhance India's attractiveness as an investment destination," Sebi said. Under the framework, the regulator has proposed to "grant an option to SWAGAT-FIs applying for registration/ already registered as FPIs to also register as FVCI (Foreign venture Capital Investor), without the need for any further documentation". Registration under both FPI and FVCI Regulations will enable SWAGAT-FIs to invest in listed equity instruments and debt securities of Indian companies as FPI, and in unlisted Indian companies engaged in specified sectors and startups as FVCI under respective regulations, it added. To enhance ease of compliance, the regulator has suggested increasing the periodicity for continuance of registration, including payment of fee and review of KYC documentation to 10 years, up from the current three-year or five-year periods. It has been proposed to permit the use of a single demat account for holding all securities acquired as FPI or FVCI or as foreign investor investing in units of investment vehicles, on an optional basis. Further, depositories will tag investments to ensure regulatory supervision. Also, it has been proposed to remove the restriction on aggregate non-resident Indian (NRI), Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and Resident Indian individuals (RI) contribution in SWAGAT-FIs. At present, aggregate contribution from non-NRI, OCI and Resident Indian individuals (RI) in an FPI is capped at 50 per cent of the total corpus. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has sought public comments till August 29 on the proposals. Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed lower on Wednesday, snapping their four-day rally following selling in blue-chip stocks Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters In a volatile session, the 30-share BSE Sensex declined 153.09 points or 0.19 per cent to settle at 81,773.66. During the day, it hit a high of 82,257.74 and a low of 81,646.08, gyrating 611.66 points. The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 62.15 points or 0.25 per cent to 25,046.15. Among Sensex firms, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bharat Electronics, UltraTech Cement, Trent, Sun Pharma, Power Grid and Reliance Industries were the major laggards. However, Titan, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, HCL Tech and Tech Mahindra were among the biggest gainers. Key indices witnessed a volatile session, tempered by profit booking after a sharp rally. Investor caution dominated ahead of the Q2 earnings season, as market participants reassessed valuations and growth prospects, Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited said. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) turned buyers on Tuesday, as they bought equities worth Rs 1,440.66 crore, according to exchange data. In Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei 225 index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index settled lower. Markets in China and South Korea were closed for holidays. Global oil benchmark Brent crude jumped 1.16 per cent to $66.21 a barrel. Stock markets extended the winning run to the sixth consecutive day on Thursday, with benchmark Sensex closing higher by nearly 143 points on buying in blue-chip shares ICICI Bank and Reliance Industries. Photograph: ANI Photo The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 142.87 points or 0.17 per cent to settle at 82,000.71 in a restricted trade. During the day, it rallied 373.33 points or 0.45 per cent to 82,231.17. As many as 14 Sensex shares closed higher, while 16 ended with losses. The 50-share NSE Nifty rose by 33.20 points or 0.13 per cent to 25,083.75. Among Sensex firms, Bajaj Finserv, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, Bajaj Finance, Larsen & Toubro and Bharat Electronics were the major gainers. However, Power Grid, Eternal, Hindustan Unilever and Adani Ports were among the laggards. Market experts stated that the proposed GST reforms and a recent credit rating upgrade have bolstered investors' confidence. A Group of Ministers on GST rate rationalisation has accepted the Centre's proposal to move to a two-slab structure of 5 per cent and 18 per cent. The GST Council is likely to take a final call on the proposal next month. Goods and Services Tax is a 4-tier structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. Investors also turned their attention towards US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's forthcoming statements at the Jackson Hole Symposium. In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi and Shanghai's SSE Composite index settled in positive territory, while Japan's Nikkei 225 index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended lower. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 1,100.09 crore on Wednesday, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DII) bought stocks worth Rs 1,806.34 crore, according to exchange data. Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.90 per cent to $67.44 a barrel. Benchmark BSE Sensex surged by 443 points while Nifty closed above the 25,000 level on Monday following buying in blue-chip stocks HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank after their quarterly earnings. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters Snapping the two-day falling streak, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 442.61 points or 0.54 per cent to settle at 82,200.34. During the day, it surged 516.3 points or 0.63 per cent to 82,274.03. The 50-share NSE Nifty jumped 122.30 points or 0.49 per cent to 25,090.70. Firm trend in Asian markets and fresh foreign fund inflows also supported the markets. Among Sensex firms, Eternal surged the most by 5.38 per cent post its first quarter numbers. ICICI Bank jumped 2.76 per cent after the company posted a 15.9 per cent jump in its consolidated net profit for the June quarter to Rs 13,558 crore compared to Rs 11,696 crore in the year-ago period. HDFC Bank climbed 2.19 per cent despite the firm reporting a 1.31 per cent decline in its consolidated net profit to Rs 16,258 crore for the June 2025 quarter. Mahindra & Mahindra, Bharat Electronics, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Tata Motors were also among the gainers. However, India's most valuable company Reliance Industries declined 3.29 per cent even after the firm reported its highest-ever quarterly profit of Rs 26,994 crore for the April-June quarter, reflecting a growth of 78.3 per cent over the year-ago period, driven by consumer businesses and investment sales. HCL Tech, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Consultancy Services and ITC were also among the laggards. "Positive results from banking majors supported the market to rebound after many days of consolidation. "The market remains highly reactive to earnings, indicating that investors remain focused on the earnings front to aid valuation," Vinod Nair, head of research, Geojit Investments Limited, said. In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng settled in positive territory. Equity markets were closed in Japan for a holiday. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 374.74 crore on Friday, according to exchange data. Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 0.48 per cent to $68.93 a barrel. Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty closed higher in a volatile session on Wednesday, driven by a rally in metal stocks and optimism related to the GST Council meeting. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters After oscillating between highs and lows, the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 409.83 points or 0.51 per cent to settle at 80,567.71. During the day, the benchmark hit a high of 80,671.28 and a low of 80,004.60, gyrating 666.68 points. The 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 135.45 points or 0.55 per cent to 24,715.05. The GST Council is meeting in New Delhi for two days to discuss the proposed pruning of tax rates to 5 per cent and 18 per cent. Among Sensex firms, Tata Steel jumped the most by 5.90 per cent. Titan, Mahindra & Mahindra, ITC, Eternal, State Bank of India, and Trent were among the other gainers. However, Infosys, NTPC, Hindustan Unilever, TCS, Adani Ports and Bharti Airtel were among the laggards. Indian equities closed higher after a mixed start to the session, buoyed by expectations of a consumption-led stimulus from the potential GST slab rationalisation. "In the near term, market sentiment hinges on the outcome of the GST Council meeting with traction on consumption-oriented stocks and sectors," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, said. In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi settled in positive territory while Japan's Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended lower. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 1,159.48 crore on Tuesday, according to exchange data. Global oil benchmark Brent crude dropped 1.52 per cent to $68.09 a barrel. Benchmark BSE Sensex declined by 387 points on Friday, snapping its three-day gaining streak due to profit-taking in blue-chip shares HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters The 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 387.73 points or 0.47 per cent to settle at 82,626.23. During the day, it dropped 528.04 points or 0.63 per cent to 82,485.92. The 50-share NSE Nifty declined 96.55 points or 0.38 per cent to 25,327.05. Among Sensex firms, HCL Tech, ICICI Bank, Titan, Trent, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Hindustan Unilever, Mahindra & Mahindra and HDFC Bank were the major laggards. However, Adani Ports, Bharti Airtel, SBI, NTPC and Sun Pharma were among the gainers. All Adani group stocks, including Adani Power, Adani Total Gas, Adani Green Energy, Adani Enterprises and Adani Energy Solutions rallied up to 13 per cent after markets regulator Sebi cleared billionaire Gautam Adani and his group of stock manipulation allegations made by US short-seller Hindenburg Research. Sebi probe found that fund transfer between group companies did not fall foul of any regulation. In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei 225 index and Shanghai's SSE Composite index settled lower while Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended in positive territory. Global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.55 per cent to $67.07 a barrel. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 366.69 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data. Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty advanced for the fourth straight session on Friday, supported by buying in blue-chips ICICI Bank and Reliance Industries amid fresh foreign fund inflows. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters A strengthening rupee against the US dollar and softening crude oil prices in international markets also boosted investor confidence, according to traders. The BSE Sensex climbed 303.03 points or 0.36 per cent to reclaim the 84,000 level and settle at 84,058.90. During the day, it jumped 333.48 points or 0.39 per cent to 84,089.35. On the similar lines, the 50-share NSE Nifty rose 88.80 points or 0.35 per cent to 25,637.80. From the Sensex pack, Asian Paints, UltraTech Cement, Power Grid, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, Hindustan Unilever, Bharat Electronics and Sun Pharma were among the major gainers. In contrast, Trent, Eternal, Axis Bank and Titan were among the laggards. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 12,594.38 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data. "Key catalysts like the ceasefire in the Middle East and optimism on easing trade tensions ahead of the deadline have cleared the clouds in the minds of investors. "After consecutive days of selling, FIIs have turned into net buyers in the domestic market, contributing to improved market stability in the near term. "Moreover, benign oil prices and a strengthening rupee influenced investors to focus on domestic growth themes," Vinod Nair, head of research, Geojit Investments Limited, said. In Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei 225 index settled higher, while South Korea's Kospi, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended lower. Meanwhile, an RBI report has suggested that all banks should bring down their lending rates for speedy transmission of the policy rate, which was lowered by 50 basis points earlier this month. An article published in the Reserve Bank's June Bulletin stressed that the financial conditions remained conducive to facilitating an efficient transmission of rate cuts. Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.72 per cent to $68.20 a barrel. Benchmark BSE Sensex rallied 746 points to close above the 80,000 mark on Monday following buying in oil, auto and banking shares amid fresh foreign fund inflows. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters The 30-share Sensex jumped 746.29 points or 0.93 per cent to settle at 80,604.08 with 26 of its constituents ending higher. During the day, it surged 778.26 points or 0.97 per cent to 80,636.05. The 50-share NSE Nifty jumped by 221.75 points or 0.91 per cent to 24,585.05. "The market saw a relief rally post a 3-month low; a positive global cue and a gradual return of FIIs supported the sentiment. "Investors are positively assessing the upcoming US-Russia Summit this week, which may possibly give way to a de-escalation in geopolitical tensions. "While a near-term caution may still prevail, the more definite assessment of the US trade and growth impact is yet to be assessed fully," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Ltd, said. Among Sensex firms, Tata Motors, Eternal, Trent, State Bank of India, UltraTech Cement and Larsen & Toubro were the major gainers. However, Bharat Electronics, Bharti Airtel and Maruti were the laggards. In Asian markets, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng settled in positive territory while South Korea's Kospi ended marginally lower. Markets in Japan were closed due to a holiday. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 1,932.81 crore on Friday, according to exchange data. Global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.45 per cent to $66.29 a barrel. Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled nearly 1 per cent on Friday, marking their sixth consecutive day of decline, following heavy selling in pharma and IT shares as US President Donald Trump announced 100 per cent duties on pharmaceutical drugs from next month. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters The 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 733.22 points or 0.90 per cent to settle at a three-week low of 80,426.46. During the day, it dropped 827.27 points or 1 per cent to 80,332.41. The 50-share NSE Nifty tumbled 236.15 points or 0.95 per cent to an over three-week low of 24,654.70. The index has been on a decline since September 19, tanking over 3 per cent in six straight sessions. Sensex has tumbled by 2,587.50 points or 3.16 per cent in six sessions to Friday. Most pharma shares dropped, dragging the BSE Healthcare index down by 2.14 per cent after Trump's move to impose 100 per cent import tariffs on pharmaceutical drugs from October 1. Wockhardt shares tanked 9.4 per cent. In his post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Starting October 1st, 2025, we will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any branded or patented Pharmaceutical Product, unless a Company IS BUILDING their Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant in America." The US President further clarified, "IS BUILDING" will be defined as, "breaking ground" and/or "under construction." There will, therefore, be no Tariff on these Pharmaceutical Products if construction has started. Among Sensex firms, Mahindra & Mahindra, Eternal, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finance, Asian Paints, Sun Pharma, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and HCL Tech were the biggest laggards. However, Larsen & Toubro, Tata Motors, ITC and Reliance Industries were the gainers. "Indian equities ended sharply lower on Friday in a broad-based sell-off after the US announced a steep 100% tariff on imports of branded and patented pharmaceutical products effective October 1. "The unexpected move rattled already fragile investor sentiment, which was still digesting the recent hike in H-1B visa fees that triggered heavy selling in IT counters this week. "Both IT and healthcare stocks bore the brunt of the sell-off, dragging the broader indices lower as investors rushed to reassess earnings outlooks and export growth prospects," Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, an online trading and wealth tech firm, said. In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended significantly lower. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 4,995.42 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data. Global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.27 per cent to $69.23 a barrel. OSLO, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Greenlanders marched through the streets of Nuuk on Saturday to protest recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting the Arctic island could be purchased and taken over by the United States, calling the idea unacceptable. Waving Danish and Greenlandic flags, demonstrators chanted, "Greenland is not for sale," as they made their way to the U.S. consulate in freezing conditions. Local media described it as the largest protest in the island's recent history. Similar demonstrations were held or planned across Denmark, including in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, and Aalborg, and in Greenlandic cities such as Aasiaat, Qaqortoq, and Ilulissat. Describing the U.S. bid as "acceptable," former Greenlandic parliament member Doris Jakobsen Jensen stressed that "We don't want to be Americans." That message was echoed throughout the crowd, where concerns ranged from threats to Greenland's welfare model to fears of losing national identity. "You can't buy people with money," said Tom Amtoft, a 55-year-old clinic manager and former Danish navy soldier who has lived in Greenland for 20 years. "If we were to become Americans, things we take for granted here -- healthcare, education, the welfare system -- would no longer exist in the same way. That's not something we want." Amtoft, who grew up during the Cold War, said talk of possible military involvement made him fear for his Greenlandic family and young children. "When Trump started talking about coming to Greenland militarily, even by force, I felt afraid," he said. Lawyer Jannik Isidor described the atmosphere as emotionally overwhelming yet empowering. "The situation feels uncertain and unnerving," he said. "But today shows unity and solidarity, and that is extremely important." He echoed a phrase often used by Danish leaders: "You can trade with people, but you cannot trade people." "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders," said 76-year-old retiree Knud Erik Kleist, "the idea that the United States wants to buy Greenland is nonsense." "Whether it's one dollar or one million dollars, I would not accept it," said 34-year-old Nuunu Binzer. Greenland, the world's largest island, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with Copenhagen retaining control over defense and foreign policy. The United States maintains a military base on the island. Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to "obtain" Greenland. Trump has accelerated his push to acquire the island. On Saturday, Trump announced that the United States would impose a 10 percent tariff from Feb. 1 on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Finland, and raise the levy to 25 percent from the beginning of June unless a deal is reached for the United States to purchase the territory. The tariff threat has unleashed widespread EU pushback and decry as well as mass protests. Echoing many European countries, Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel condemned the move as "blackmail." On Sunday, the eight countries issued a joint statement expressing "full solidarity" with Denmark and Greenland. In a further escalation, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store confirmed on Monday that he had received a letter from Trump in which the U.S. president dismissed any obligation "to think purely of peace" and reaffirmed his desire to control Greenland. Trump wrote in the letter that "the complete and total control of Greenland by the United States is the only way to ensure global security." The remarks have intensified a backlash that has been building across Europe in recent days. The European Union is also weighing a response. EU leaders will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to address the tensions, European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said Monday. EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the bloc could renew a pending tariff package or deploy anti-coercion measures. Despite Greenland's small population, many residents believe their voices matter. Amtoft recalled that protests last year forced U.S. officials to cancel planned visits to Nuuk and Sisimiut, limiting their trip to a U.S. military base. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Monday reiterated that the latest U.S. statements would not alter Greenland's position on its right to decide its own future. Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined sharply for the second straight session on Friday, tracking deep losses in metal, IT and telecom stocks amid trade-related concerns and widespread selling pressure in global markets. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters Besides, persistent selling by foreign investors added to the gloom, according to experts. In a volatile trade, the 30-share BSE Sensex tumbled 585.67 points or 0.72 per cent to settle at 80,599.91. During the day, it dropped 690.01 points or 0.84 per cent to 80,495.57. The 50-share NSE Nifty declined 203 points or 0.82 per cent to 24,565.35. US President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping new tariffs on dozens of countries, including 25 per cent duties for goods from India, marking a new era of American protectionism that triggered fresh tensions and concerns over a much wider disruption in the global trade landscape. From the Sensex firms, Sun Pharma tumbled 4.43 per cent after the company reported a 20 per cent year-on-year decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 2,279 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2025. Tata Steel, Maruti, Tata Motors, Infosys, Bharti Airtel and Tech Mahindra were also among the laggards. However, Trent, Asian Paints, Hindustan Unilever, ITC, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Reliance Industries were the gainers. The US President signed an executive order on Thursday that raised tariffs for over five dozen countries, with Washington's negotiations for trade deals going down to the wire ahead of the August 1 deadline. In the Executive Order titled 'Further Modifying The Reciprocal Tariff Rates', Trump announced tariff rates for nearly 70 nations. A 25 per cent "Reciprocal Tariff, Adjusted" has been imposed on India, according to the list released. The order, however, does not mention the "penalty" that Trump had said India would have to pay because it purchases Russian military equipment and energy. While August 1 was the tariff deadline, the new levies will come into effect from August 7. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 5,588.91 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data. In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng settled lower. Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 0.39 per cent to $71.42 a barrel. The Bombay high court has upheld a decision by the State Bank of India (SBI) to classify accounts of industrialist Anil Ambani and his company, Reliance Communications (RCom), as "fraudulent" noting that there was no legal flaw in it. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale on October 3 dismissed a petition filed by Ambani, challenging the SBI order. In the judgement made public on Tuesday, the court ruled that the SBI's order of June 13, 2025, was "a reasoned order" with "no infirmity". The court found "no merit" in Ambani's plea, asserting there was no "infirmity" in the bank's action. The industrialist's primary contention was that the SBI order was void because he was denied a personal hearing and was not allowed to access the relevant documents. The bench said that Ambani had never requested a personal hearing in the first place, thus validating the SBI's adherence to regulatory requirements. The court explicitly backed the procedure followed by the SBI, noting that the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Master Directions only provide the right to make a representation, not a right to a personal hearing, before such a classification is made. In the order, the court said the principles of natural justice cannot be applied in a straitjacket formula and in the present case Ambani was afforded an adequate opportunity to submit his objections in writing. "Hence, the requirement of fairness and compliance with the principle of natural justice, stood satisfied," the court held. Ambani had submitted his response to the show-cause notice issued by the SBI last year, and only when there was no response to the last communication, the bank passed the order classifying the account as fraud, the court said. "Hence, the requirement of fairness and compliance with the principle of natural justice, stood satisfied," the court held. Ambani had challenged the June order of the SBI classifying the account of Reliance Communications and his own account as fraud in terms of the 'Master Directions on Fraud Risk Management in Commercial Banks (including Regional Rural Banks) and All India Financial Institutions.' The high court noted that the bank had issued a show-cause notice to Ambani last year. But he failed to reply to the notice and continued to seek documents, leading to SBI finally passing the order. Ambani in his plea also claimed he was not a whole-time director of the company, and hence his account should not have been classified as fraud. But the high court said that once a company's account is declared to be a fraud account, the promoters/ directors who were in control of the company are also liable for penal measures. It could be seen that Anil Ambani exercised control over Reliance Communications, the HC said. SBI claimed before the high court that as per the RBI's Master Directions circular, no personal hearing was required to be given. The bench, after going through the circular and earlier Supreme Court judgments, said the principles of natural justice demand that borrowers must be served a notice, furnished with all documents, and allowed to submit their representation. "The right contemplated is one of representation, not necessarily of personal hearing," HC said. SBI had accused Reliance Communications of misappropriation of bank funds by entering into transactions that violated the terms of its loans. The bank also lodged a complaint earlier this year with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which searched premises linked to Reliance Communications and Ambani's residence. The central agency registered a complaint after the SBI claimed a loss of Rs 2,929.05 crore, resulting from alleged misappropriation by Reliance Communications and Anil Ambani. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday asked fintech firms to focus on risk management at a time when criminals are using AI to mimic voices, clone identities and create lifelike videos to manipulate people. Photograph: ANI Photo Speaking at the 6th edition of Global Fintech Fest 2025 here, the finance minister also said India has the potential of becoming the global hub for building various AI products and services. During the event, Sitharaman launched the Foreign Currency Settlement System (FCSS) of GIFT IFSC designed to settle transactions in foreign currencies on a real-time or near real-time basis. With the operationalisation of the FCSS, GIFT IFSC joins a select group of global financial centres - including Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Manila - that have the infrastructure to settle foreign currency transactions locally. The minister said India can also build AI products that fits diverse use-cases across the world. It can be a laboratory for developing and testing AI ideas. "Our AI stack must be rooted in Indian languages, local contexts, and multimodal interfaces, so that it can be widely accepted and accessed by our citizens," she said and added that focused approach across the AI stack can make India the AI torchbearer for the Global South. She said while artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed finance and governance, there are darker sides of the technology also. "Even as AI opens extraordinary possibilities, we must confront its darker side. "The same tools that power innovation can be weaponised for deception and for fraud. "I'm not personalising it, but I can say, I have seen several deepfake videos of myself being circulated online, manipulated to mislead citizens and distort facts. "It was a reminder of the urgency with which we must strengthen our defences," the finance minister said. The new generation of fraud is no longer about breaching firewalls, it is about hacking trust, Sitharaman said. Criminals, she added, are using AI to mimic voices, clone identities and create lifelike videos that can manipulate people. The minister further said fintech in India is not a niche urban convenience, it is a nationwide enabler of economic empowerment. India's fintech journey has transformed everyday payments into an invisible and inseparable habit, powered by UPI and digital public infrastructure. "This is a good moment to reflect on what kind of financial future we wish to build and how do we get there. "Fintechs must essentially focus on the fundamentals such as revenue growth, innovative product offerings, profitability, risk and compliance capabilities," she said. The minister emphasised that responsible regulation is not a brake on progress; it is a seat belt for safe acceleration. Fintech sector must help cover the small remaining gaps in the financial ecosystem, she added. In the span of a single decade, India has connected a population equivalent to that of the entire European Union (EU) to the formal banking system, opening over 56 Crore Jan Dhan bank accounts. India now ranks 3rd in the world in terms of having the number of fintech companies and also leads in digital payment volumes, having processed over 18,580 crore UPI transactions worth Rs 261 lakh crore in 2024-25. Nearly half the world's real-time digital transactions happen in India, with adoption rates of 87 per cent compared to a global average of 67 per cent, Sitharaman added. She said the Government of India has leveraged digitisation by introducing Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system for the beneficiaries of all its social welfare schemes, which has significantly boosted welfare efficiency by reducing subsidies and leakages, with savings of Rs 4.31 lakh crore and a 16-fold increase in beneficiary coverage between 2014 and 2024. Shift from paper-based disbursals to direct digital transfers has ensured that public funds reach the people they are meant for, she added. The Union minister said given the large population with 650 million smartphone users, the country should create scalable models for sectors beyond finance such as healthcare, education, agriculture, MSMEs, exports, etc. "India can also build AI products that fit diverse use-cases across the world. It can be a laboratory for developing and testing AI ideas," she said. The AI stack must be rooted in Indian languages, local contexts, and multimodal interfaces, so that it can be widely accepted and accessed by our citizens. Focused approach across the AI stack can make India the AI torchbearer for the Global South, the minister added. *************************************************************************************** AI making phishing attempts more targeted: CERT-IN chief Photograph: Daniel Cole/Reuters Government's cyber security agency chief Sanjay Bahl on Tuesday warned that artificial intelligence (AI) is making phishing attempts more targeted and the number of cyber-attacks will continue to increase with new technologies coming in. "The malicious actors are the first ones who start using technology. And if you see the phishing attacks, they are very much being used with AI," Bahl, who is the director general at CERT-IN (Central Emergency Response Team), said at a session at the Global Fintech Festival 2025. "So earlier, you could make out that this is a phishing email. Those who were reasonably attentive and had some idea that this is how phishing happens. "But today, even they are being fooled because the AI is making it (the attack) so perfect that you cannot figure out whether this is a phishing email or not," he said. He said that during Operation Sindoor, there were "coordinated attacks" in terms of misinformation, disinformation, website defacements, phishing attacks, among others, and all such attempts were thwarted. "There was nothing which went through, there was no material damage to anything, there were no cascade impacts," Bahl said, adding that this was achieved due to years of preparation and capability building, among others. The within-six-hour reporting really helped, so that in case someone saw something suspicious, they reported to CERT, and we were able to immediately look at what's happening and also alert others, he said. "Obviously, we were looking at 24x7 monitoring, and any change in the baselines, we were able to alert the entities So there was a lot of preparedness in terms of drills that we were conducting," Bahl added. *************************************************************************************** IFSCA to roll out guidelines for video-based KYC for NRI customers by November IMAGE: Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy F1 Digitals/Pixabay.com The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) will issue guidelines on video-based KYC for onboarding Non-Resident Indian (NRI) customers by November, IFSCA chairman K. Rajaraman said on Tuesday. Speaking at the sixth edition of the Global Fintech Fest 2025, Rajaraman said that over the next few months, the focus will be on streamlining the KYC process, following directions from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who chairs the Financial Stability and Development Council, to make KYC more efficient and flexible. "A consultation paper on video KYC was released a few months ago and now we are likely to notify (guidelines) by, say, by November, which means that now paper-based applications for opening a deposit account or an investment account and gift would not be required," he said in Mumbai. Rajaraman also said that IFSCA is collaborating with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to introduce a faceless authentication system. UIDAI has already implemented this system domestically, and IFSCA aims to extend similar capabilities to non-resident Indians (NRIs) abroad, enabling them to onboard seamlessly from locations such as San Francisco or Dubai. "If we can implement this (faceless authentication system) within the next three to four months, NRIs will find it much easier to open accounts, invest, and transact through GIFT City in a fully digital, unassisted manner," Rajaraman said, adding that addressing the KYC challenge remains our top priority in the coming months. IFSCA is a unified authority for the development and regulation of financial products, financial services and financial institutions in the International Financial Services Centres. On the newly launched foreign currency settlement system, Rajaraman said it will enable real-time settlements, improve liquidity management, and ensure regulatory compliance. Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman officially launched the foreign currency settlement system at GIFT IFSC. Currently, foreign currency transactions are typically settled with a delay of 36 to 48 hours. *************************************************************************************** Paytm chief Sharma says the fintech did not inspire demonetisation Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters Paytm founder and Chief Executive Vijay Shekhar Sharma said that the fintech did not inspire the demonetization decision in 2016, and added that if it had such heft, it would not be suffering the way it is today. Speaking at the annual Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai, Sharma also spoke strongly in support of sovereignty in the artificial intelligence arena and added that he is starting AI-focused offerings now. While explaining the company's roots in the payments business and the journey till now, Sharma made the remarks about the government's demonetisation decision, when high-value notes ceased to be legal tender overnight, giving a thrust to the digital payments alternatives. "In November 2016, when something happened (demonetisation), people felt we inspired it. But, if we had such heft (aukaat), then we wouldn't be suffering the way we are today," Sharma said. In the last few years, Paytm has been under the regulatory glare, including facing action from both the Reserve Bank and also the capital markets regulator Sebi, for a variety of alleged lapses. When asked about what is next for him, Sharma spoke about AI ambitions, tying it up with what should be the country's aspirations. Sharma said Paytm as a brand is associated with payments technologies and financial services, and hence, he will be adopting a newer brand identity for the AI services. Without specifying the exact services which he has in mind, Sharma said he is "uncomforted" by the lack of work on AI in India. "For India, the sovereignty of AI is equal to virginity in a way. India should not give in to the sovereignty of AI to the foreign world at all. It is my belief that we as a country are capable and will build it," he said. The country has relied on operating systems made in the US throughout its technological evolution, he said, pointing to its reliance on American platforms for running computers, cloud networks, and mobile phones. Admiring the work done by China, he said the country's northern neighbour has built their own rockets, and also said that a mobile phone company built its own operating system when a US company disallowed it from using its wares. Meanwhile, in an earlier session at the same event, Sharma also stressed on startup founders exercising their control over initial public offer pricing and not depending on any external stakeholders on the same. *************************************************************************************** NPCI launches slew of UPI-focused products Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on Tuesday launched a slew of initiatives centred around its flagship unified payments interface (UPI), including an on-device biometric authentication. Apart from this, it also launched an Aadhaar-based Face Authentication in UPI to enable Aadhaar-linked biometric authentication for setting or resetting UPI PIN. In addition, it launched a new mode for Cash Withdrawal through Micro ATMs using UPI at UPI Cash Points which are run by business correspondents, as per an official statement. Department of Financial Services (DFS) secretary M Nagaraju launched a majority of the products at the annual Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai. The On-Device Authentication for UPI, enables customers to authenticate UPI payments directly through their smartphone's built-in security options such as fingerprint or face unlock as an alternative to manually entering the UPI PIN, an official statement said. The facility will be made available to customers who choose to opt in, giving them control over their preferred mode of authentication, it said. Global payments major Paypal also announced a tie-up with NPCI arm NPCI International Payments to integrate UPI on Paypal World, a global platform expected to launch in 2025. The NPCI arm becomes the first entity globally to partner with the nearly 25-year-old PayPal's new service, which will help Indians using UPI make payments to foreign merchants in Indian rupees. Paypal solves the complexity of cross-border commerce with a cloud native, multi-region deployment architecture that ensures low latency and high availability worldwide, an official statement said. Apart from these, Reserve Bank Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar also launched several products at the same event, including an initiative that allows joint account holders and multi-signatory account holders to use UPI for payments. The DG also launched small-value transactions using wearable glasses via UPI Lite, as well as forex on Bharat Connect. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday asked India Inc to take advantage of the policies and reforms undertaken by the government and no longer hesitate to invest more and expand capacities. IMAGE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (R) and Tata group Chairman N Chandrasekaran. Photograph: Nirmala Sitharaman Sitharaman also asked the industry to partner with the government for skilling the youth and also to engage with the government throughout the year, and not just before the Budget. Speaking at the Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM) symposium, Sitharaman said the path to Viksit Bharat will be guided by a seasoned approach to quality management, identifying the levels and sectors within manufacturing and services where interventions are most needed. To a question by Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran on her key asks from the industry, Sitharaman listed out three points -- invest more, partner with the government in skilling youth, and have a year-round engagement with the government and not just before the Budget. She said the government has been steadily moving and with necessary seriousness, as per the expectation of the industry and cited several government initiatives for promoting ease of doing business, tax-related benefits, framing policies to make businesses better off and opening up for more FDI. "... Today I have a basket of things on which the government has delivered," Sitharaman said, adding Prime Minister Narendra Modi has never relented on reforms, nor has he ignored the wishlist of the industry. "... I hope there is no more hesitation for the industry to invest further, to expand capacities, produce more in India, and spell out what else is required by the government to do," Sitharaman said. On the point of skilling youth, Sitharaman said she would want the private sector to partner with the government in preparing youth to be fit for quick and direct employment. On the third point of industry engagement, she said the interaction with the government should be ongoing. "It should not be just before the Budget... We are all here to hear you and respond," the Minister said. Responding to the finance minister's call to the industry to make investments, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran acknowledged that the opportunity and the platform that the government has given are enormous, both in the domestic market and in the export market. "I firmly believe that more entrepreneurs, more small and medium companies and big corporates would make a lot of investments. "I'm very confident, because without that investment, we will not be able to capture the opportunity," he noted. Stating that "the world is calling for resilience and supply chain, alternative sources", Chandrasekaran said, "India is the best place with the leadership that the Prime Minister provides for all of us." To maintain economic momentum during the COVID period, the Modi government has increased capital expenditure by investing in infrastructure. The government has set a total capital expenditure target of Rs 11.21 trillion for 2025-26 (Apr-Mar). In the first four months of this fiscal, capital expenditure is up 33 per cent year-on-year at Rs 3.47 trillion. The government has been encouraging private sector industries to invest in capacity expansion, but private investment continues to lag behind government capex. According to a survey released in April by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) private investment is expected to be 26 per cent lower in FY26 at Rs 4.89 lakh crore. According to the ministry, private companies had spent Rs 4.22 trillion on capital expenditure in FY'24, Rs 5.72 trillion in FY'23, and Rs 3.95 trillion in FY'22. Sitharaman further said that India's most significant contributor to the GDP is from the MSME sector, and the government has ensured that the Small Industries Development Bank of India is physically present in MSME clusters. "Even in this day and age when we are talking about digital banking, we insisted that SIDBI would be present in each of these clusters," Sitharaman added. The times are a-changin'! In a world where data is the new oil and isolationist tendencies are rife, Indian companies have understood that it's best to stick with Indian business email providers. Andhra Pradesh will establish two expansive integrated space cities in Lepakshi and Tirupati, spanning around 33,000 acres. IMAGE: ISRO launches RISAT-2BR1 and 9 customer satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Photograph: ANI Photo In a sweeping push to cement its place in the global space economy, Andhra Pradesh has cleared a new policy aimed at transforming the state into a major manufacturing hub for the space sector. With an eye on attracting investments to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion) over the next decade, the state will establish two expansive integrated space cities in Lepakshi and Tirupati, spanning around 33,000 acres, said a senior state government official. The plan comes as part of India's broader ambition to grow its space economy to $44 billion by 2033, and aligns with the Centre's long-term strategy, which includes a proposed Rs 1.5 trillion investment in the sector by 2035. Andhra's new blueprint -- christened Space Policy 4.0 -- marks one of the earliest instances of a state-level framework in the field. Proximity to India's lone spaceport, the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota offers a logistical and strategic edge to both sites. Lepakshi, located roughly 100 kilometres from Bengaluru, is being allocated nearly 30,000 acres and sits close to the Indian Space Research Organisation's R&D ecosystem and aerospace clusters. Tirupati, meanwhile, will see the development of a space city over 2,800 acres in Routhusurmala village, Chittoor district, with direct road access to Sriharikota. "Through the space policy cleared by the cabinet, the state will encourage creation of satellite constellations, launch of remote-sensing satellites and advanced technology missions," said the senior state official. "The state's vision is to build a space industrial ecosystem and attract global investments. We are targeting investments to the tune of around Rs 25,000 crore by 2035." The policy package is underpinned by a set of incentives aimed at drawing both domestic and international players. For MSMEs, the N Chandrababu Naidu government has proposed fiscal support covering up to 75 per cent of their investment. Through its Manufacturing Enterprises Development Policy (MEDP) 4.0, subsidies could reach 45 per cent of fixed capital for special category units, with an upper cap of 75 per cent total support. For larger bets -- those ranging from Rs 125 crore (Rs 1.25 billion) to over Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) -- the state government will offer a suite of tailor-made incentives. These include land cost rebates, technology-transfer subsidies, state goods and services tax reimbursements, and incentives layered on top of central production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes. Mega projects above Rs 500 crore will qualify for such a support package. Beyond monetary incentives, the policy promises significant investment in common infrastructure. Testing facilities, integration bays for satellites and launch vehicles, quality and certification laboratories, and direct logistics corridors are among the facilities planned. The state is also targeting the creation of 5,000 direct jobs and 30,000 indirect jobs by 2035 through this space-focused industrial buildout. Infrastructure development incentives will cover up to 50 per cent of project costs, including equipment expenses, capped at Rs 3 crore (Rs 30 million) per laboratory, intended to catalyse the setting up of critical shared testing and quality infrastructure. Andhra's move follows a wave of announcements in recent years by other states eager to stake their claim on India's emerging space race. Telangana was the first to declare a space policy, in 2022, followed by Kerala in 2023. On April 17 this year, Gujarat rolled out a long-term space-sector strategy, prompting Tamil Nadu -- whose draft policy had already been floated -- to formally unveil within hours the Tamil Nadu Space Industrial Policy. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff India took another leap in space infrastructure with the foundation stone laid for a new launch pad at the country's second rocket port in Kulasekarapattinam. Photograph: Kind courtesy ISRO On the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, three significant developments unfolded in the Indian space sector on Wednesday. They were commercialisation of technologies developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO); laying of the foundation stone for a rocket launchpad at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu and the orbiting of satellites built by private company Pixxel by an American rocket. Commercialisation of ISRO Technologies In a major step toward strengthening self-reliance and reducing import dependency, IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) announced the transfer of five cutting-edge space technologies developed by ISRO to five private Indian companies. These Technology Transfer Agreements (TTAs) were signed in Ahmedabad between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the recipient companies, and IN-SPACe. The transferred technologies have applications beyond the space sector, including automotive, biomedical, and industrial manufacturing. Key details of the technologies transferred: Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic (LTCC) Multi-Chip Module developed by ISRO's Space Applications Centre (SAC), transferred to Voltix Semicon Pvt. Ltd., Pune. This technology integrates multiple semiconductor chips into a single compact module and will support large-scale production of RT-PCR kits. Previously imported, this technology will now be domestically available. RTV Silicone Single-Part Adhesive (SILCEM R9) from ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), transferred to Crest Speciality Resins Pvt. Ltd. for use in solar panel bonding. The adhesive, currently imported, can now be manufactured locally. Other transferred technologies include: Film Adhesives (EFA 1753 and EFA 1752) - to Azista Composites Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad 30W HMC DC-DC Converter - to Ananth Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad Anodisation of 3D-printed Al-10Si-Mg alloy - to Pushpak Aerospace India Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru "These transfers highlight the growing capability and confidence of Indian industry," said IN-SPACe Chairman Dr Pawan Goenka. "While some of these technologies will directly substitute imports, others will unlock applications well beyond the space sector." "The true impact will be realised when industry scales them up for widespread use. IN-SPACe, together with ISRO and NSIL, will remain a strong partner in enabling that journey." "With today's five Technology Transfer Agreements," Rajeev Jyoti, Director, Technical Directorate, IN-SPACe, added, "the total number of TTAs executed with industries has reached 98. There is strong interest from industry in acquiring these technologies, and IN-SPACe continues to promote them for wider adoption." Just last month, IN-SPACe had facilitated the transfer of 10 ISRO technologies to six private companies, underlining the Centre's push for commercialisation of India's space innovations. IMAGE: A rocket launch at Kulasai spaceport in Kulasekharapattinam. Photographs: Kind courtesy ISRO Also on Ganesh Chaturthi, India took another leap in space infrastructure with the foundation stone laid for a new launch pad at the country's second rocket port in Kulasekarapattinam, located in Tuticorin district, Tamil Nadu. Construction of the new spaceport, spread over approximately 2,300 acres, had begun in March 2025. This facility is being built to complement India's existing spaceport at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, which currently houses two operational launch pads (with a third sanctioned by the government). The Kulasekarapattinam spaceport will cater especially to the launch of ISRO's Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), designed to carry payloads up to 500 kg. Additionally, it will support launches by private Indian space companies such as Skyroot Aerospace and Agnikul Cosmos, both of which are developing small-lift rockets. The new launch complex is expected to be ready by the end of 2026, marking a major expansion in India's space infrastructure and its commitment to supporting private spaceflight. Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Sabine van Erp/Pixabay.com Two Indian private companies orbit satellites The day also saw two Indian companies -- Pixxel India and Dhruva Space -- putting into orbit their satellites using US company SpaceX's rocket Falcon 9. Pixxel India sent up three Fireflies satellites, thereby taking the total number of its satellites in space to six. Dhruva Space launched its first commercial space mission LEAP-1, with payloads from two Australian companies, Akula Tech and Esper Satellites. The foreign payloads are hosted on Dhruva Space's satellite platform P-30. Together, these four milestones on Ganesh Chaturthi reflect India's growing push for space commercialisation, indigenisation, and infrastructure development, aligning with the broader vision of making the country a global hub for space technology and services. Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at venkatacharijagannathan@gmail.com Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Indian-American executive Srini Gopalan has been appointed chief executive officer of telecom operator T-Mobile, amid ongoing debates over H-1B visa policies. Photograph: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters Gopalan's appointment, effective from November 1, 2025, comes as US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a staggering $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, triggering widespread panic, concern and fear among Indian professionals on work visa. Gopalan, currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of T-Mobile, will succeed Mike Sievert, who has led the telecom operator since 2020. Born in Delhi, Gopalan attended Delhi Public School and St. Stephen's College before earning an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad in 1992. He has held leadership roles at Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Bharti Airtel, Capital One, and Accenture, including CEO of Deutsche Telekom's German operations. He joined T-Mobile in early 2025 as the COO. Industry analysts say Gopalan's appointment reflects T-Mobile's multi-year succession planning and underscores the significant contributions of Indian-origin executives in the US corporate landscape. Last Friday, Trump signed the proclamation 'restriction on entry of certain nonimmigrant workers', saying the abuse of the H-1B visa programme is a "national security threat", a decision that came as a rude shock to Indian and American technology companies and also caused uncertainty to foreign professionals, especially in the Information Technology (IT) sector. Indians make up an estimated 71 per cent of all approved H-1B applications in recent years, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). China is the next biggest group. The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. State governments have requested the Centre for export incentives, lifting of import duty in the case of cotton for the textile sector and GST exemptions. IMAGE: A garment manufacturing unit in Noida, August 27, 2025. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters The government of Tamil Nadu, which exported 31 per cent of its total shipments worth $52.1 billion to the US in FY25, fears massive job losses once the additional 25 per cent tariff takes effect on August 27. The state has sought the Centre's help, as have several other states, including Andhra Pradesh. From Uttar Pradesh to Telangana, Kerala to Rajasthan, Gujarat to Tamil Nadu, state governments are reworking their export promotion policies and exploring ways to quickly look for newer markets. State governments have requested the Centre for export incentives, lifting of import duty in the case of cotton for the textile sector and goods and services tax (GST) exemptions. Some have written to the Centre to look at the Brazilian model, which has announced tax deferrals and tax credits for exporters. State governments have also consulted with exporters and other stakeholders that will suffer once the additional 25 per cent tariff --Washington's sanction on Indian goods for New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil-- comes into force. On August 20, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Real Time Governance, Nara Lokesh, consulted with the state's marine exporters. According to the presentation of the state's fisheries department at the meeting, shrimps from Ecuador and Thailand will be almost 40 per cent cheaper than those from India. Shrimps from Indonesia and Vietnam will be 35.36 per cent and 9.66 per cent cheaper, respectively. A US Food and Drug Administration team is visiting Andhra Pradesh to inspect hatcheries, processing plants, and ponds. The government will try to explain to the team that the quality of Indian shrimp meets US quality standards, and about the need to revise tariffs. Currently, of the 600,000 acres of total aquaculture in Andhra Pradesh, 250,000 acres are under shrimp culture. The impact of tariffs will be on the entire seafood value chain and could lead to severe financial distress among over 450 shrimp hatcheries, 50 feed mills, 300,000 farms, over 300 processing, pre-processing, and peeling units, 260,000 fishing boats, trawlers, and other vessels, 2.78 million fishermen, and over 3 million individuals on indirect employment across the ecosystem. When the initial 25 per cent tariff kicked in, the Andhra government set up an aquaculture advisory committee on April 9 to address sector challenges, including tariff impacts. The steps taken included feed manufacturers announcing a Rs 4 per kg price cut from April 19 to ease farmers' input costs. In its report, the committee has also sought removal of 5 per cent GST on packaged shrimp, soft loans to exporters for cash flow, and waiving excise duty on diesel for trawlers, among others. The state is also looking for new markets such as South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. It is urging farmers to diversify into important species like seabass, silver pompano, cobia, grouper, hilsa, chanos, mullet, seaweed, and crab. It will invest in strengthening labs, better certification, and branding with antibiotic free products. "We are supporting aqua farmers by giving them electricity at Rs 1.50 per unit. The tariff increase will burden the aqua farmers in the state," Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said recently. Based on reports, the state's textile ecosystem may also lose around Rs 15,000 crore to Rs 20,000 crore per annum. IMAGE: A diamond manufacturing unit in Surat. Photograph: ANI Photo The Tamil Nadu government, on the other hand, has pointed out that American tariffs will hit it harder than most states. In a letter to the PM on August 16, state Chief Minister M K Stalin said 20 per cent of India's total goods exports of $433.6 billion were to the US in FY25, and 31 per cent of Tamil Nadu's $52.1 billion goods were exported to that country. Stalin said the tariff impact on Tamil Nadu 'will be disproportionately greater than for most other Indian states', and has significant implications for the state's manufacturing sector and employment scenario, he told Modi. According to the Tamil Nadu government's estimate, the most affected sectors -- textiles, apparels, machinery, auto components, gems and jewellery, leather, footwear, marine products and chemicals -- are labour-intensive sectors, and any export slowdown will quickly result in mass layoffs. Tamil Nadu accounted for 28 per cent of the country's textile exports in FY25, the largest among Indian states. The sector employs nearly 7.5 million people, and with a 25 per cent tariff and additional 25 per cent duty on cards, an estimated 3 million jobs are at immediate risk, the state government has estimated. Stalin, who has held consultations with the industry associations of sectors set to face losses from Trump tariffs, sought the PM's help. 'Considering the scale of the problem, a special financial relief package, including a moratorium on principal repayment, similar to the one implemented during the Covid period, is necessary to support our exporters,' he told Modi. The US tariffs will hit Uttar Pradesh's textile, jewellery, and leather exports. In FY25, the US was UP's top export destination. It accounted for more than Rs 35,000 crore worth of shipments. Officials said the state government was looking at newer markets and working on a new export promotion policy. Kerala has also flagged concerns, as the US is its second-largest market for agricultural exports such as cashews, rice, vegetables, processed fruits, and cereal flours. The state government plans to set up a body akin to the Export Promotion Council of India to help exporters diversify. "True, the state has limitations on what it can do, but we want to work by understanding the needs and stance of the export-oriented industry sector," state Industry Minister P Rajeeve said. Madhukar Babu, joint director (MSME), commissioner of industries, in Telangana, has said the state government will incorporate inputs of exporters in the new logistics policy that is almost ready with guidelines under development. He urged exporters to look at markets in Africa and South America. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas From Karnataka's aluminium extrusion industry to Gujarat and Rajasthan's gems & jewellery sector, there is concern of losing substantial business due to US tariffs. They have approached the respective state governments to help facilitate exports to newer markets. Ministers and officials in most states said they are largely helpless in the short term once the 50 per cent tariff kicks in on August 27 and Indian goods become uncompetitive in the American market. With inputs from Shine Jacob in Chennai and Anil Sharma in Jaipur Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff To shield against US President Donald Trumps tariff shock, analysts have been advising investors to focus on stocks of domestic-oriented companies, rather than export-centric ones, to minimise potential losses. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Yet, despite these recommendations, stocks in sectors such as fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), real estate, and both private- and public-sector banking have remained subdued in August (following the initial tariff imposition on August 7). However, automotive and consumer durables stocks have defied the broader downturn, buoyed up largely by the governments promise to reduce the goods and services tax (GST). This underperformance in many domestic-facing sectors, according to Anirudh Garg, fund manager and partner at INVasset PMS, can be traced to investors adopting a wait-and-watch approach, as the tariff announcements both the initial 25 per cent levy and the subsequent penalty of 25 per cent coincided with India Incs weak earnings expectations for the second quarter of 2025-26. Even sectors that are fundamentally insulated, such as automotive, FMCG, and cement, have been caught in the risk-off trade. "Without visible triggers, like festival demand data or stronger earnings prints, investors remain reluctant to take aggressive positions, Garg observes. With the 50 per cent tariff now in place, market experts caution against adding exposure to export-dependent stocks, even after recent corrections. While, in theory, rotating from export-focused sectors to domestic-oriented companies makes investor sense, such a shift has yet to materialise, they warn. Investors are advised to remain cautious even with domestic-focused stocks, as logic has not worked until now, according to Sandip Agarwal, fund manager at Sowilo Investment Managers, given the ongoing unpredictability in US tariff policy. There are multiple pressures at play, including sustained foreign institutional outflows, Agarwal explains. However, over the long term, fundamentals will prevail. The new 50 per cent tariffs, effective from August 27, are among the highest in Asia, as tensions between New Delhi and Washington escalate. Sectors such as apparel, textile, engineering goods, gems and jewellery, shrimp, and carpet are expected to face considerable headwinds, according to an analysis by the Global Trade Research Initiative. Riding the shift: The domestic playbook Garg reiterates that investors should continue seeking opportunities in stocks driven by domestic growth, particularly those benefiting from strong policy or structural tailwinds. Beyond the defensives, emerging tech firms and healthcare companies represent steady growth stories. A negotiated resolution before year-end could unwind some market overhang. "Hence, a temporary correction is an ideal time to build positions with a three-year horizon, he adds. As the GST 2.0 rationalisation leads to higher discretionary spending and the festival season demand kicks in, analysts predict a potential rerating of stocks in domestic-focused sectors. Near-term inertia is more about sentiment than underlying structural weakness, Garg remarks. While export-oriented stocks have faced sizeable corrections and offer upside potential, Agarwal warns that prolonged uncertainty could have long-lasting effects on industries employing millions, particularly textile. I wouldnt commit new capital to export-heavy or US-exposed stocks right now. Id focus on companies without those risks, Agarwal adds. While textile sector earnings may be impacted by heavy US exposure, analysts at Antique Stock Broking suggest that other sectors, like information technology services, pharmaceutical, chemicals, electronics manufacturing services, and certain metal firms, despite substantial US revenue, will likely face limited impact due to product exemptions or operations through US subsidiaries. BRUSSELS, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- European countries are hardening their stance amid growing condemnation across the continent after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on eight European countries in an effort to advance his push to "take over" Greenland, prompting mounting calls for a tough, coordinated European response and for the bloc to deploy its full range of countermeasures. In a social media post over the weekend, Trump said the United States would impose a 10-percent tariff from Feb. 1 on goods from eight European countries opposing his ambition to control Greenland. He warned the tariff rate would rise to 25 percent on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland. In a further escalation, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store confirmed on Monday that he had received a letter from Trump in which the U.S. president dismissed any obligation "to think purely of peace" and reaffirmed his desire to control Greenland. Trump wrote in the letter that "the complete and total control of Greenland by the United States is the only way to ensure global security." The remarks have intensified a backlash that has been building across Europe in recent days. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Monday reiterated that the latest U.S. statements would not alter Greenland's position on its right to decide its own future. "The latest statements from the United States, including the tariff threats, will not change our position. We will not let ourselves be pressured. We stand firm on dialogue, on respect and on international law," Nielsen said in a post on social media platform Facebook. In an address to the nation on Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the use of tariffs by the United States against allies was "completely wrong." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also stressed the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity regarding Greenland, adding that "we want to hold our ground as a country and as a continent." Speaking to Swedish television on Monday, Swedish Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson described the U.S. tariff measures linked to Greenland as "absurd," stressing that Europe should not bow to pressure and must respond firmly. She criticized Trump's threat to impose tariffs in an attempt to force Greenland "into U.S. hands" as marking "a new low" in global trade policy, joining calls from other European leaders for a tough and coordinated European response. "We cannot stand politely with our hats in our hands and bow down to this," she said. "We must not allow the U.S. president to play the tariff card like this on serious issues such as taking over Greenland." French Finance Minister Roland Lescure echoed those views ahead of a Eurogroup meeting in Brussels on Monday, saying the best way to prevent Trump's tariff threats from materializing is to demonstrate that the European Union is ready to react forcefully. On Sunday night, the Financial Times reported that European Union (EU) members are considering imposing tariffs on up to 93 billion euros (107.68 billion U.S. dollars) worth of U.S. goods, alongside talks about using the Anti-Coercion Instrument, which could curb U.S. firms' access to the bloc's market. The EU has "tools at our disposal" and "currently nothing is off the table," EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Monday. He confirmed that available measures include a pending tariff package that could be renewed or allowed to take effect in February, as well as the Anti-Coercion Instrument. According to European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill, leaders of EU member states will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to discuss U.S. threats related to Greenland and assess possible retaliatory measures. Gill said the EU continues to engage with Washington "at all levels" over the latest tariff threats and is taking "every possible step" to protect the bloc's economic interests. The government on Wednesday said it is studying the implications of US President Donald Trump's announcement to impose 25 percent tariffs on Indian goods, along with a penalty from August 1 and it is still hopeful of concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement. IMAGE: Prime Minister Modi and President Trump at their meeting in the Oval Office, February 13, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo The government, an official statement said, will take all necessary steps to secure the country's national interest, as has been the case with other trade agreements, including the latest with the UK. Trump announced the imposition of a 25 percent tariff on all goods coming from India, plus an unspecified penalty for buying military equipment and crude oil from Russia. "The Government has taken note of a statement by the US President on bilateral trade. The Government is studying its implications," the statement said. It added that India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement over the last few months. "We remain committed to that objective," the statement said. "The government attaches utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare of farmers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs. The government will take all steps necessary to secure our national interest, as has been the case with other trade agreements, including the latest comprehensive economic and trade agreement with the UK," it added. These remarks are important as India has hardened its stance on giving duty concessions to the US on agriculture and dairy sectors -- a key demand of America in the trade talks with India. India is seeking import duty concessions from the US for its labour-intensive sectors like gems & jewellery and others, besides auto parts. The two countries are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) from March with an aim to more than double the bilateral trade in goods and services to USD 500 billion by 2030 from the current USD 191 billion. So far five rounds of talks have been completed. For the sixth round of talks, the US team is visiting India from August 25. They are aiming to conclude the first phase of the agreement by fall (September-October) this year. The two sides are also looking at an interim trade deal before the BTA. Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation will invest Rs 70,000 crore in the next five to six years in India to strengthen its operations in the country, its representative director and president Toshihiro Suzuki said on Tuesday. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with President & Representative Director of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Toshihiro Suzuki during the flagging off of the 'e-VITARA', Suzukis first global strategic Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), at the Suzuki Motor plant at Hansalpur, in Ahmedabad. Photograph: ANI Photo Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday kicked off exports of Maruti Suzuki India's first electric vehicle e VITARA to 100 countries and also inaugurated the production of lithium-ion battery cells for strong hybrid electric vehicles at its facility in Gujarat. Speaking at the event, Toshihiro Suzuki said, "Suzuki will invest over Rs 70,000 crore in India, over the next 5 to 6 years." He further said, "Suzuki has proudly partnered in India's mobility journey for over four decades. We remain committed to supporting India's vision for sustainable green mobility and contributing to Viksit Bharat." Later, in an interaction with reporters, Maruti Suzuki India chairman R C Bhargava said the investments would be for meeting the company's target of achieving 40 lakh units annually. "We are expanding to 4 million (units annually). So the expansion of 4 million units capacity, with all the supporting infrastructure and investment in R&D, and new technologies, all of that takes a lot of money," Bhargava said when asked about areas where the investments are proposed to be made. Asked about the finalisation of the second plant to be set up in Gujarat, which was announced last year for an investment of Rs 35,000 crore, Bhargava said, "I am hoping we will be answering that question more specifically after the GST Council meeting (on September 4) because after that everybody will be making an estimate of what the impact of the GST decisions are going to be on future growth." He, however, declined to comment on the implications of the proposed changes in GST slabs. Suzuki Group, of which Maruti Suzuki India is a part, has already invested over Rs 1 lakh crore in India. These investments have also led to the creation of over 11 lakh direct jobs in the value chain. On the e VITARA, Bhargava said it will be for the export markets, and no timeline has been set for launching the vehicle in the domestic market. Manufactured exclusively at Suzuki Motor Gujarat (SMG), a unit of Maruti Suzuki India, the first batch of export-bound e VITARA will be shipped from Pipavav port to the European region, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Austria, and Belgium. On the reasons for Maruti Suzuki not launching the e VITARA in India as yet, Bhargava said, apart from meeting export order obligations, cost factors have played a part, as the price of the EV is still on the higher side, as the battery is imported. Toshihiro Suzuki said the Gujarat facility, which serves customers across India and global markets, will soon become one of the world's largest automobile manufacturing hubs, with a planned capacity of 10 lakh units. He further said, "We chose this facility to manufacture the e VITARA, our first BEV and make it a global production hub for this model. "We will export this "Made-in-India BEV" to over 100 countries, including Japan and Europe." The company's second major milestone is the "start of production of India's first lithium-ion battery and cell with electrode level localisation, which are used in our hybrid vehicles", Suzuki added. These are being manufactured at the Toshiba Denso Suzuki plant, he added. "With only raw material and some semiconductor parts coming from Japan, this is a big salute to Atmanirbhar Bharat. "We will use a multi-powertrain strategy including Electric, Strong Hybrid, ethanol flex fuel, and compressed biogas, to achieve carbon neutrality and climate change goals," Suzuki noted. From the bylanes of Jalandhar to a regular name in the annual 'Sunday Times Rich List', Lord Swraj Paul, who died on Thursday evening in London aged 94, was one of the most well known NRI entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Photograph: Roger Harris/Wikimedia Commons Born to Pyare Lal, who ran a small foundry used to make steel goods, including buckets and other farming equipment, Lord Paul was exposed to business early in his life much before he went on to establish UK-based Caparo Group, a diversified businesses entity with interests predominantly in design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of value-added steel and niche engineering products. Born on February 18, 1931, he completed high school education at Jalandhar and Bachelors in Science from Punjab University in 1949. Then he went to the US to pursue his bachelors & masters degrees in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After completing his studies at MIT, he returned to India to join the family business, Apeejay Surrendra Group -- one of India's oldest business conglomerates. But as fate would have it, he relocated to the UK in 1966 in pursuit of treatment for his daughter Ambika who was suffering from leukemia. Unfortunately, she died aged four. Later, he set up the Ambika Paul Foundation as a charitable trust that went on to donate millions to promote the wellbeing of children and young people all over the world through education and health initiatives. The Ambika Paul Children's Zoo in London is one of the major beneficiaries of the foundation. Lord Paul laid the foundation to set up Caparo in 1968 with headquarters in London and it went on to become one of the largest steel conversion and distribution businesses in the UK. Today, Caparo, which has a turnover of over $1 billion, is managed by his three children -- Ambar, Akash and Anjli Paul -- and operates internationally from over 40 sites, serving customers globally, primarily from operations based in the UK, North America, India, and the Middle East. While he was blessed with success in business, his life had a fair share of tragedies. Besides the loss of daughter Ambika at a very young age, he lost his son Angad Paul, who was Caparo Group's CEO in 2015 and his wife Aruna in 2022. The personal losses drove him to undertake more philanthropic endeavours in their memory. After the death of his wife the Ambika Paul Foundation was renamed as Aruna and Ambika Paul Foundation to honour her memory and to recognise her support and contributions to the many causes which the foundation supported during her lifetime. He founded the Indo-British Association in 1975 to promote better understanding between India and Britain and served as its Chairman. He was knighted by the British Queen in 1978 and became Lord Paul of Marylebone and a member of the House of Lords. He was sworn as a Privy Councilor in October 2009. House of Lords peer Lord Paul was conferred with the prestigious civilian award Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1983. In the Indian business landscape, late Lord Paul is also remembered for his hostile bids to take over Escorts Group and the DCM Group in the early 80s, which required the intervention of then government after legal battles. He was a regular in the annual 'Sunday Times Rich List', this year he was ranked 81st with an estimated wealth of GBP 2 billion, largely derived from the steel and engineering multinational Caparo Group. Despite his frailty in recent months, he had maintained his routine of attending the House of Lords. An active member of the Indian diaspora in the UK, his death leaves a void hard to be filled. IMAGE: Lord Swraj Paul with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photograph: Press Information Bureau NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul passed away in London on Thursday evening, family sources said. He was 94. Lord Paul, founder of UK-based Caparo Group of industries, had been taken ill and hospitalised recently, where he passed away surrounded by members of his family. The House of Lords peer was born in Jalandhar and relocated to the UK in the 1960s in pursuit of treatment for his little daughter Ambika's cancer. After she passed away aged four years old, he set up the Ambika Paul Foundation as a charitable trust that went on to donate millions to promote the wellbeing of children and young people all over the world through education and health initiatives. The London Zoo is where she was always the happiest,' recalled Lord Paul last month, during the annual commemoration he hosted at the Ambika Paul Children's Zoo in London, one of the major beneficiaries of the foundation. After he lost his son Angad Paul in 2015 and his wife Aruna in 2022, he went on to undertake similar philanthropic endeavours in their memory. 'This hall is a tribute to my wonderful wife whom I miss very much; we never had an argument during our 65 years of marriage,' said Lord Paul, when he inaugurated the Lady Aruna Swraj Paul Hall at the Indian Gymkhana Club in London in February 2023. A regular in the annual Sunday Times Rich List, this year he was ranked 81st with an estimated wealth of GBP 2 billion, largely derived from the steel and engineering multinational Caparo Group. Headquartered in London, Caparo operates internationally from over 40 sites, with operations based in the UK, North America, India, and the Middle East. His son Akash Paul is chairman of Caparo India and Director of the Caparo Group. Last year, in his capacity as the chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, Lord Paul awarded an honorary doctorate to Akash Paul for services to business administration. 'Perhaps, I am the only graduate to get a degree from his own father, independently approved by the University Board, of course, I may add,' said Akash Paul, who was accompanied by wife Nisha and son Arush at the ceremony held at the London Zoo. 'My son has worked alongside me at Caparo since 1982. Akash was appointed CEO of Caparo Group in 1992. During this time, he furthered Caparo's growth strategy in the UK, Europe, USA and India, as well as expanding capacity and increasing profitability of the companies in the United Kingdom and was president, Caparo Automotive Espana, Spain and Executive Board, Bull Moose Tube, USA,' said Lord Paul, who had served as Chancellor of Wolverhampton University for over 26 years. An active member of the Indian diaspora in the UK, Swraj Paul maintained his daily routine of attending the House of Lords despite his frailty in recent months. Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran on Thursday said he expects that a solution to the tariff issues with the US is likely to be arrived in the next eight to ten weeks. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters The additional 25 per cent tariff imposed by the US on Indian products for the country's purchases of Russian oil came into effect in August, bringing the total amount of levy on New Delhi to 50 per cent. Speaking at an interactive session organised by Bharat Chamber of Commerce here, he said, "Underneath the surface, conversations are going on between the two governments. "My hunch is that in the next eight to ten weeks, we will likely see a solution to the penal tariff imposed by the US on Indian goods." India's exports to the US stood at $85 billion. Industry leaders urge India to pursue diplomatic talks with the US, strengthen manufacturing, and consider China ties to gain leverage against tariff pressures. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters India Inc is calling for measured diplomacy, rather than any posturing, as the country navigates US President Donald Trumps looming 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports. At the same time, business leaders stress the need to strengthen domestic manufacturing and explore new markets, even as they continue talks to head off the proposed tariff. Drawing parallels with the liberalisation that followed India's foreign exchange crisis more than three decades ago, chairman of Mahindra group Anand Mahindra asked whether the current global manthan over tariffs could yield some amrit for the country. In a detailed reflection shared on social media, Mahindra said India has radically improved its ease of doing business. Mahindra called for the creation of a genuinely effective single-window clearance system for investment proposals. Acknowledging that many regulatory powers lie with individual Indian states, he proposed a coalition of willing states aligned with a national platform to streamline and simplify approvals. If India can demonstrate speed, transparency, and predictability in this area, Mahindra believes it could emerge as an irresistible destination for global capital in a world searching for trusted partners. Mahindra also stressed the need to unlock tourism as a major foreign exchange driver. He described tourism as one of Indias most underexploited economic assets and called for urgent improvements in visa processing, tourist facilitation, and the development of dedicated tourism corridors. These corridors, he said, should prioritise security, sanitation, and hygiene, and serve as model destinations that inspire replication across the country. In addition, Mahindra advocated for broader policy action to boost Indias competitiveness and resilience. His recommendations include more liquidity support for MSMEs, accelerated infrastructure investment, a stronger focus on manufacturing through expanded production-linked incentive schemes, and rationalisation of import duties to reduce input costs for domestic manufacturers. RPG group Chairman Harsh Goenka said US can tariff Indias exports, but not its sovereignty. 'Raise your tariffs -- well raise our resolve, find better alternatives, and build self-reliance. India bows to none,' he said in a social media post. 'We have to talk to other business partners like China as India would like to have leverage while negotiating with the US,' he told Business Standard. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit China to attend the regional summit SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) summit in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. Ronnie Screwvala, founder of UpGrad, weighed in, describing the US as a 'fair-weather country'. 'We need to fix it for the long term. No country becomes great in isolation and that is their lesson to learn,' Screwvala said, adding that India has come out strong from Covid and tariff is not Covid and its antidote is only resolving and building, not negotiating. He called for unleashing Indias entrepreneurial potential. 'Lets unleash Entrepreneurship in every sense. Its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to set the India consumption story to new levels and partner mainly with those who want to grow the India market. Our rural 600 million population is a powerful source and if we harness them into the real India story, nothing can stop us,' he said in a social media post. Raymond Group CFO Anit Agarwal said the issue between India and US would be resolved amicably as both American customer and Indian suppliers wont pay for the additional tariff for their products. 'Don't rush, don't take any knee-jerk reaction,' Agarwal suggests. 'Ultimately, the solution should be a win-win deal for all.' A senior US-based CEO, speaking anonymously, said India must tread diplomatically: 'India should not upset the apple cart. They must increase diplomatic efforts to solve this issue without aggravating the situation.' Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff Top honchos of the Tata group, including Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman amid infighting among trustees over board appointments and governance issues. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters Noel Tata and Chandrasekaran, along with Tata Trusts Vice Chairman Venu Srinivasan and trustee Darius Khambata, arrived together in the evening at Shah's residence for the meeting. Sitharaman also joined in at the home minister's residence. The meeting came against the backdrop of infighting among the trustees of Tata Trusts over board appointments and governance issues, which threaten to impact the functioning of the over $180 billion conglomerate. Tata Trusts exerts decisive influence over India's most valuable conglomerate through its about 66 per cent stake in Tata Sons, the promoter and holding company of the salt-to-semiconductor group. Sources said Tata Trusts is said to be vertically split, with one section aligned with Noel Tata, who was appointed chairman of the Trusts following the death of Ratan Tata. The other grouping of four trustees is led by Mehli Mistry, who has ties with the extended Shapoorji Pallonji family, which owns about 18.37 per cent of Tata Sons. Mehli reportedly feels he has been kept out of the loop on key matters. Sources said the flashpoint is said to be board seats at Tata Sons, which controls the 156-year-old group that spans around 400 companies, including 30 listed firms. Tata Trusts, Tata Sons and Venu Srinivasan had declined to comment on the matter and comments from Mehli Mistry could not be obtained as calls and messages remained unanswered. "The primary question in front of the government, considering how significant and important the Tata Group is to the country's economy, is whether it can let an individual take control of it. "The infighting among trustees of Tata Trusts has an impact on Tata Sons," a source said. Tata Motors on Friday reported a 62.2 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 4,003 crore in the June quarter, impacted by volume decline across segments, drop in JLR profits due to US tariffs and high base effect due to gain from sale of discontinued operations. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The auto major had posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 10,587 crore in the April-June quarter of the previous fiscal, Tata Motors Ltd (TML) said in a regulatory filing. Total revenue from operations stood at Rs 104,407 crore against Rs 107,102 crore in the year-ago period, it added. TML's performance in the quarter was impacted by volume decline in all businesses and a drop in profitability primarily at JLR, the company said. Following the amalgamation of Tata Motors Finance Ltd (TMFL) - a wholly-owned step down subsidiary of the company - into Tata Capital Ltd, the company had received equity shares of TCL amounting to Rs 8,016 crore over the book value of net assets transferred as at appointed date of April 1, 2024, amounting to Rs 4,975 crore as gain on sale of discontinued operation in consolidated results, the filing said. "Despite stiff macro headwinds, the business delivered a profitable quarter, supported by strong fundamentals. As tariff clarity emerges and festive demand picks up, we are aiming to accelerate performance and rebuild momentum across the portfolio. Against the backdrop of the upcoming demerger in October 2025, our focus remains firmly on delivering a strong second-half performance," Tata Motors group CFO PB Balaji said. Addressing an earnings call, he said, "In the current quarter, we (JLR) have got hit by almost 250 million pounds on (US) tariff charges because even though the deal (UK-US trade deal) was announced on May 8, it got ratified only on June 30, and it is not with retrospective effect." Going forward, he said the correction for the reduction in tariffs from 27.5 per cent to 10 per cent under the US-UK trade deal and 27.5 per cent to 15 per cent, under the US-EU deal, along with the removal of the penalty for emission in the US will play through. "Net impact is what we want to figure out a way to manage through the rest of the year," he said, adding that while the US demand is holding up, China has introduced luxury tax on all imported vehicles and "we have to figure out a way to manage that". JLR revenues were down by 9.2 per cent to 6.6 billion pounds, impacted by significant new US trade tariffs on the UK and EU-produced cars exported to the US, and the planned legacy Jaguar wind-down. "We are grateful to the UK and US Governments for delivering at speed the new UK-US trade deal, which will lessen the significant US tariff impact in subsequent quarters, as will, in due course, the EU-US trade deal announced on 27 July 2025," JLR outgoing CEO Adrian Mardell said. Looking ahead, he said, "We remain focused on delivering our transformational Reimagine Strategy, including investing 3.8 billion pounds this financial year to support the development of our next-generation vehicles, including our stunning new electric Range Rover and Jaguar models." In the passenger vehicles segment, Q1 FY26 wholesale volumes stood at 1,24,800 units, down 10.1 per cent on account of industry decline and transitions for new models of Altroz, Harrier and Safari, the company said, adding that it continued to ensure controlled channel inventory growth. "Q1 FY26 was a subdued quarter for the passenger vehicle industry, with volume pressures persisting across most segments. "Demand softness weighed on overall performance, although the Electric Vehicle category remained a bright spot, supported by new launches and growing customer interest," Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle Ltd and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd Managing Director, Shailesh Chandra, said. On the way ahead for PVs, the company said that while overall industry growth is expected to remain subdued, Tata Motors is well-positioned to leverage its new launches, including hatchbacks and SUVs, while continuing to build on the EV momentum. In the commercial vehicles segment, the company said it posted wholesales at 88,000 units, down 6 per cent. "Q1 FY26 was a challenging quarter for the commercial vehicle industry, with subdued demand across key segments impacting overall performance. "We also witnessed a decline in domestic sales volumes, reflecting broader market softness and delayed fleet replacement cycles, while segments like Buses and Vans showed resilience and our International Business delivered growth," Tata Motors Ltd executive director Girish Wagh said. On the outlook for CVs, Tata Motors said, "With forecasts for a healthy monsoon across the country, reduction in repo rate and renewing thrust on infrastructure development, we expect volumes to improve progressively in the coming quarters." Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines invested Rs 9,558 crore in loss-making Air India in 2024-25, with the promoters pumping in Rs 4,306 crore alone in March this year. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters The airline, being piloted by Tatas since January 2022, has embarked on an ambitious five-year transformation plan. In November 2024, Vistara -- a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines -- was merged with Air India, following which the Singaporean carrier acquired a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India. In response to queries about fundraising, an Air India spokesperson told PTI on Wednesday that its shareholders have together infused fresh capital of more than Rs 9,500 crore in 2024-25 to meet the airline's capital expenditure requirements. Tata Sons invested Rs 3,224.82 crore, and Singapore Airlines put in Rs 6,333.18 crore in Air India, taking the total fund infusion to Rs 9,558 crore in the financial year ended March 2025. "Pursuant to the merger of Vistara with Air India in November 2024, the shareholders have together infused fresh capital of over Rs 9,500 crore in the fiscal year 2024-25. "The said infusion is to meet the company's requirement towards capital expenditure, working capital and growth initiatives," the Air India spokesperson said in a statement to PTI. In March this year, Tata Sons pumped in Rs 3,224.82 crore, and Singapore Airlines invested Rs 1,080.68 crore in Air India, according to regulatory filings accessed by business intelligence platform Tofler. Through the preferential allotment route, Tata Sons was issued little over 523 crore equity shares and Singapore Airlines was allotted little more than 175 crore equity shares at a price of Rs 6.1632 apiece, the filings showed. The equity shares, having a face value of Rs 4 apiece, were issued with a premium of Rs 2.1632 per equity share. They were allotted on March 20. Prior to the funding in March, Singapore Airlines had invested Rs 5,252.5 crore in Air India in 2024-25. For the nine months ended December 31, 2024, Air India Group's loss before exceptional items stood at Rs 8,033.1 crore while revenues were Rs 56,366.8 crore, as per the provisional figures mentioned in the filings. Currently, Air India is grappling with the fallout of the fatal crash of its London Gatwick-bound Boeing 787-8 aircraft soon after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12. In the accident where the aircraft crashed into a medical hostel complex in Ahmedabad, 270 people died, including 241 who were onboard. One passenger survived. Tata Steels UK operations, which have largely been a struggle since the acquisition, are expected to turn earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda)-positive this financial year (202526/FY26) and possibly profitable by the next. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters Responding to shareholder queries at Tata Steels annual general meeting, Tata group chairman N Chandrasekaran said, We expect the UK to perform much better this year compared to last year it will definitely be Ebitda-positive. He added that the company was working towards making it profit after tax (PAT)-positive. Losses in the UK will be wiped out. And going forward, this year or the next, it will become PAT-positive, he said. Tata Steel is transitioning to green steelmaking by shifting to electric arc furnace (EAF)-based production from the blast furnace at Port Talbot in Wales, which is scheduled for completion by 202728. The total investment in the project is 1.25 billion, which includes 500 million in support from the UK government. Groundbreaking for the project is expected in the first half of July. The blast furnaces have already been decommissioned, and the company is currently supporting downstream client businesses by sending slabs from India, the Netherlands, and even the open market. In the Netherlands, Tata Steel is in discussions with the Dutch government for financial and policy-level support on its decarbonisation plan, Chandrasekaran said. Tata Steel and Tata group chairman also outlined the companys capital expenditure (capex) plans going forward. Broadly, Tata Steel has been spending around Rs 15,000 crore on capex last year and this year, said Chandrasekaran, adding that the spend is expected to continue in the same range for quite some time. He said the capex would broadly cover maintenance and expansion in India over the next seven to eight years. The EAF in Ludhiana will be completed by the end of this year. We will replicate similar 0.5 million tonne (mt) projects across India, he said. Investment in the UK will begin, and once the decarbonisation plan in the Netherlands is approved, there will be capex there as well. Tata Steel has set a target of achieving 40 mt of capacity in India. On the timeline for this, Chandrasekaran said, There is no doubt in our mind that we have to expand capacity. However, he added, We also need to see how many projects can be executed at any point in time. "We need to ensure that our investment matches the cash flow. Tata Steel will also invest in acquiring mining assets. Our iron ore mine capacity in India will come up for renewal and be auctioned again in 202930. "With our increased footprint, we will need to increase our capacity. "So we will always look for opportunities. Responding to questions on the market environment, Chandrasekaran said that China continues to export about 100 mt of steel. That is definitely affecting the overall steel price, not only in global markets but also in India, he said, adding that despite the safeguard duty, steel prices remain soft. Still, based on overall performance, increased capacity, and current spread levels, Tata Steel is expected to post better revenues, Ebitda, profits, and cash flow in FY26 than in 202425. Tata Steel eyes 90-day grievance resolution Responding to shareholder queries on grievances, sexual harassment cases, and customer complaints, Chandrasekaran said Tata Steel aims to resolve any issue raised within a maximum of 90 days. The fact that complaints are coming is something we want to encourage, because we want a culture where people are able to speak up with the hope that their complaints will be taken up and resolved. "That is one reason the number is going up, he said. On customer complaints, he noted that Tata Steel has forayed into the retail business, where individual complaints tend to be higher than in the business-to-business segment. Chandrasekaran also said safety was a priority for the company and that the goal remains to be a no-fatality organisation. US President Donald Trump is slated to meet with international business executives in Davos on Wednesday after inviting global CEOs in financial services, cryptocurrency, and consultancy to a reception after his speech at the World Economic Forum's annual gathering, Azernews reports via Reuters. Business leaders, including CEOs in financial ?services, crypto and consulting, were invited to a reception after Trumps address to the World Economic ?Forum's annual ?meeting, the sources told Reuters on Monday. The agenda was unclear. One CEO simply had "a reception in honour of President Donald J Trump" scheduled in their diary, while another said their understanding was that global CEOs had been invited, not just those from the United States. One of the sources said ?the invitations had come from the White House. Trump is expected to arrive in the Swiss ?resort ?on Wednesday, where he is ?due to deliver ?a special address. Several top U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, are also planning to accompany Trump. Bessent is expected to hold a press briefing later on Monday, according to the Davos USA House. The conference agenda has to some extent been overtaken by the U.S. president's dramatic policy moves, including his demand in recent days that the United States take over Greenland. The WEF has said that over 3,000 delegates from more than ?130 countries will attend this year, including 64 heads of state and government, particularly from emerging economies. The list also includes several heads of G7 nations, with changes in U.S. policy under Trump in focus. Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev will also travel to Davos and hold meetings with members of the U.S. delegation, two sources with knowledge of the visit told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, national security advisers from a number of countries are due to meet on the sidelines of the event on Monday, with Greenland among the subjects on the agenda, diplomatic sources said. One European diplomat, who ?spoke on condition of anonymity, said Greenland had been added to the agenda of the previously scheduled meeting after Trump threatened on Saturday to impose extra tariffs on eight European countries. European shares fell on Monday after the threat of additional tariffs until the U.S. ?is allowed to buy Greenland. OSLO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's post of an image suggesting U.S. control over Greenland is disrespectful, said Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Tuesday. "We, of course, follow what is happening on social media, and it is not respectful," Nielsen said at a press conference in Nuuk, Greenland's capital. "We want dialogue through the proper channels, so that it does not take place in the press and on social media," he added. Trump posted an image of himself placing the U.S. flag on the territory of Greenland on Tuesday on his social media platform Truth Social. In the image, Trump is accompanied by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with a sign nearby reading "GREENLAND - US TERRITORY EST. 2026." Nielsen reiterated that Greenland must be prepared for all possibilities, as Trump has not ruled out the use of force. He emphasized once again that Greenland is part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and that any military operation would have far-reaching consequences beyond Greenland's borders. Amid the increasing tensions in the Arctic, "there is no doubt that we need to have a larger military presence," Nielsen said. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the second-highest beneficiary with over 5,000 approved H-1B visas in 2025, after Amazon, according to federal data. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Amazon had 10,044 workers using H-1B visas as of June, 2025. Coming in at the second spot was TCS with 5,505 H-1B visas approved. Other top beneficiaries include Microsoft (5189), Meta (5123), Apple (4202), Google (4181), Deloitte (2353), Infosys (2004), Wipro (1523) and Tech Mahindra Americas (951). In a move that could significantly impact Indian IT and professional workers in the US, the Trump administration announced a staggering annual fee of USD 100,000 on H-1B visas, a move it said aims to check the systemic abuse of the programme. In July, USCIS had said that it has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap, for fiscal year 2026. US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Restriction on entry of certain nonimmigrant workers' on Friday that will restrict entry into the United States of individuals as non-immigrants unless their H-1B petitions are accompanied or supplemented by a payment of USD 100,000. The proclamation said the restriction shall expire, absent extension, 12 months after the effective date of this proclamation of September 21, 2025. The proclamation said that the number of foreign STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) workers in the United States has more than doubled between 2000 and 2019, increasing from 1.2 million to almost 2.5 million, while overall STEM employment has only increased 44.5 per cent during that time. Among computer and math occupations, the foreign share of the workforce grew from 17.7 per cent in 2000 to 26.1 per cent in 2019. The key facilitator for this influx of foreign STEM labour has been the abuse of the H-1B visa, it said. The proclamation added that Information technology firms have prominently manipulated the H-1B system, significantly harming American workers in computer-related fields. The share of IT workers in the H-1B programme grew from 32 per cent in Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 to an average of over 65 per cent in the last 5 fiscal years. In addition, some of the most prolific H-1B employers are now consistently IT outsourcing companies. Using these H 1B-reliant IT outsourcing companies provides significant savings for employers, it said, as it cited a study of tech workers that showed a 36 per cent discount for H-1B entry-level positions as compared to full-time, traditional workers. To take advantage of artificially low labour costs incentivised by the programme, companies close their IT divisions, fire their American staff, and outsource IT jobs to lower-paid foreign workers, it said. The proclamation cited data that said many American tech companies have laid off their qualified and highly skilled American workers and simultaneously hired thousands of H-1B workers. One software company was approved for over 5,000 H-1B workers in FY 2025; around the same time, it announced a series of layoffs totalling more than 15,000 employees. Another IT firm was approved for nearly 1,700 H-1B workers in FY 2025; it announced it was laying off 2,400 American workers in Oregon in July. A third company has reduced its workforce by approximately 27,000 American workers since 2022, while being approved for over 25,000 H-1B workers since FY 2022. A fourth company reportedly eliminated 1,000 jobs in February; it was approved for over 1,100 H-1B workers for FY 2025, the proclamation said. Country's largest IT services company TCS has rolled out salary hikes in the range of 4.57 per cent for a majority of its employees, sources said on Tuesday. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters The Tata group company has started sending the letters of increment to the employees from late Monday evening, and the increments will be applicable from September, they said. An official response to an email query sent to the company was awaited. It can be noted that there has been a slew of headlines on the Human Resources front over the last two months, starting with an announcement to defer pay hikes amid hazy market conditions. This was followed up with a surprise announcement to axe 2 per cent of the workforce, or around 12,000 employees, and then came an announcement of pay hikes for 80 per cent of the employees. As per media reports, most of the employees eligible for the hike were in the lower to mid levels of the hierarchy. The sources said the top performers have been given pay hikes of over 10 per cent as well. The company had reported an inching up of the attrition rate in its June quarter earnings at 13.8 per cent. IT services company Cognizant on Thursday said about 80 per cent of its eligible employees will receive a salary hike, effective November 1, 2025. Photograph: Chris Helgren/Reuters The company, during its second quarter earnings, had said that it plans to award merit-based salary increases for the vast majority of employees during the second half of 2025. "These increases will be delivered up to, and including, the Senior Associate levels. "The amount of these increases will vary depending on individual performance rating and country," a Cognizant spokesperson said on Thursday. About 80 per cent of eligible employees will receive a salary hike, effective November 1, 2025, according to the company. In India, pay increases for consistent highest performers will be in the high single digits, the spokesperson added. Top performers will receive the highest increases. Earlier this year, Cognizant paid most of its associates their highest bonuses in three years. Deep-tech now forms over half of VC portfolios in India as firms like Cornerstone, Unicorn India Ventures and All in Capital back startups combining research with scalable models. Kindly note the image have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy, Pixabay Deeptech is no longer a niche bet for investors as it now commands more than 50 per cent of the portfolio of several generalist venture capital (VC) firms in India. Signalling a shift in the investment landscape from consumer-first bets to technology-driven companies, VCs are increasingly backing startups that combine research-led innovation with scalable business models. Cornerstone Ventures, which made its first deeptech investment in 2019, has made four such investments in 2024 and expects to back five more this year. "In our Fund-I, at least 60-70 per cent companies were either purely deeptech or were leveraging new-age core technologies to deliver business outcomes," said Abhishek Prasad, managing partner of the firm. "To name a few, Newspace Research Technologies in UAVs, Dhiway Technologies in private blockchain infrastructure, Dopplr in Web3.0, Nitro in AI assistants, Credit Nirvana in ML for loan book health assessment," Prasad added. For Unicorn India Ventures, deeptech comprises 64.7 per cent of its portfolio, with investments in companies such as Netrasemi Technologies, Kuisz, Orbitaid, Eyerov, and DeepAlgorithm. The firm is deploying capital from its third fund (1,000 crore), which is focused on deeptech, founder and managing partner Anil Joshi said. It made six deeptech investments in 2024 and aims to back seven more companies by the end of 2025. All in Capital, founded in 2022, plans to invest in more than three deeptech companies by the end of this year with focus on cutting-edge innovation. It has already backed one in drones and another in robotics. "Currently, deeptech and AI comprise 50 per cent of our portfolio," said founder and partner Kushal Bhagia, adding that the firm is looking to strengthen its focus on cutting-edge innovation. Angel investing network Inflection Point Ventures has also made deeptech a key focus, with 15 bets so far, including BonV Aero (drones), Xovian Aerospace, and DreamAerospace (spacetech). According to data from market intelligence platform Tracxn, total deeptech funding in India stood at $1.5 billion across 432 rounds in 2024. As of 2025, it stands at $1.09 billion with 202 rounds. VC firms attribute this momentum to a mix of factors, such as policy push, talent availability, and availability of patient capital. "Its really the maturing innovation ecosystem that is enabling this growth. We were once a pure services economy, then moved to productised services (simple applications on traditional infrastructure). Now, we are in an era of deeptech enablers with application wrappers. The next phase will be foundational-level deeptech innovation, said Prasad of Cornerstone Ventures, adding that deeptech has the potential to create the underlying technologies for multi-sector use cases. Joshi of Unicorn India Ventures said the government allowed participation of private companies in the defence and space sector. In June 2022, it launched a design-linked incentive scheme for promoting research and development. These developments provided a policy push, he noted. Echoing these views, Bhagia of All in Capital said: "The key drivers of deeptech growth in India are the significant increase in defence spending, with over 1 trillion earmarked for domestic procurement this year; the privatisation of the space sector, supported by a 1,000 crore spacetech fund launched by IN-SPACe; and the availability of exceptional technical talent from institutions such as IITs, BITS, and Isro." Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff With demand for information-technology (IT) services in North America still sluggish, Europe has become a source of optimism for Indian companies because it is delivering steady gains over the past two years and continuing to outperform in the latest quarter. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh Yet analysts caution a full-scale revival will require a rebound in the United States (US), particularly in manufacturing, retail, and BFSI (banking, financial services, and insurance), because Europe contributes only about a third of the revenues. Companies like Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services are benefiting from large outsourcing deals, rising research & development (R&D), and increasing cloud and AI (artificial intelligence) adoption by European enterprises. For example, Infosys growth in Europe over the past three years has far surpassed that in North America and the companys overall growth. Even in the first quarter of FY26, revenue growth in Europe was up 12.3 per cent, compared to North America at 0.4 per cent, on a constant-currency basis over a year earlier. There are consolidation deals we have won in Europe. So that has helped. "And over time, Europe is also opening up from the outsourcing perspective. That is helping in growth, Infosys chief financial officer Jayesh Sanghrajka told analysts. The company is also benefiting from a pipeline of large deals in the continent. Experts say European enterprises historically invested just a fifth of what US firms allocated to tech R&D. In emerging areas like AI, private investment in the US outpaced that in Europe by three to four times, contributing to higher costs and slower modernisation across industries. Nitin Bhatt, partner and technology-sector leader, EY, said IT expenditure in Europe was expected to grow 8-10 per cent in 2025 over the previous year, marking the strongest annual growth since the pandemic. The narrative is shifting. "Over the past few years, European companies have accelerated their R&D investment, with growth rates surpassing those of US firms for the first time in over a decade. Key sectors, such as manufacturing, banking, and public services, are embracing cloud and sustainability-linked initiatives to digitise operations and enhance competitiveness. "Early adopters, particularly in financial services, have demonstrated the value of offshoring critical functions, leading to the broader acceptance of outsourcing across industries, added Bhatt. TCS separates UK revenue from what it earns in continental Europe. UK revenue was up 4 per cent and continental Europe 0.7 per cent, while North America was down 1.8 per cent. With the trade uncertainty and the new spending on defence stimulating the economy, Europe has become a more attractive market for Indian firms, said Peter Bendor-Samuel, founder and executive chairman, Everest group. Wipro, whose fortunes have moved the other way, has been hit by some of its client-specific problems in the continent. The company, however, expects to return to trajectory from the third quarter as soon as revenue from the $500 million Phoenix deal kicks in. The growth drivers for IT companies in Europe include rising need for cost-optimisation deals to reduce tech spend, technology adoption as European firms aim to build tech capabilities to maintain sovereignty, and reducing dependency on the US. "Key sectors powering growth are manufacturing in Germany, shipping and logistics in northern Europe, and financial services across the continent. "Demand is particularly strong in cloud computing, generative AI, digital transformation, and cybersecurity, said Gaurav Vasu, founder, data intelligence firm UnearthInsights. Sanghrajka said it would be difficult to ascertain whether Europe would continue growing. When asked if the geography was only a fall-back option till the larger market gets its mojo back, Bendor-Samuel said: This looks less like a permanent shift and more like Europe being on a stronger trajectory at this time. Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn's Bengaluru factory, its second-largest manufacturing unit, has commenced operation with production of iPhone 17 recently at a small scale, sources aware of the development said. Photograph: Reuters Foxconn is the largest manufacturer of iPhones, and the second-biggest facility outside China in Devanahalli near Bengaluru, being set up at an investment of $2.8 billion (about Rs 25,000 crore). "Foxconn Bengaluru unit has commenced operation with the production of iPhone 17. "This is in addition to the production of iPhone 17 at its Chennai unit," a source aware of the development said. An email query sent to Apple and Foxconn elicited no reply on the development. The production had faced a brief interruption after hundreds of Chinese engineers went back abruptly. However, Foxconn has been able to get experts from various destinations, including Taiwan, to address the gap. According to multiple sources, Apple plans to increase iPhone production to 60 million units this year from about 35-40 million units in 2024-25. Apple assembled 60 per cent more iPhones, worth an estimated $22 billion, in India in the year ended March 31, 2025. The company's CEO Tim Cook, after the financial result announcement on July 31, said the majority of the iPhones sold in the US in June 2025 originated from India. Cook, during the second-quarter earnings call, had announced that all iPhones sold in the US in the June quarter will be shipped from India. According to an analysis by S&P Global, iPhone sales in the US were 75.9 million units in 2024, with March exports from India at 3.1 million units, suggesting a need to double shipments either through new capacity or redirecting shipments bound for the domestic market. Apple's supplies within India grew by 21.5 per cent annually to 5.9 million units in the first half of 2025, with iPhone 16 being the highest-shipped model across the country during the period. During the second quarter, Apple's iPhone supplies in India grew 19.7 per cent year-on-year in the June 2025 quarter, clocking 7.5 per cent market share in the country's smartphone market. The overall smartphone market in India during the June quarter was led by Chinese smartphone maker Vivo, which captured 19 per cent share, as per IDC. Indias top information- technology (IT) services companies, all cash-rich, have been tightfisted about ploughing back their earnings in new projects or acquisitions and the bulk of the profits have been distributed to shareholders through dividend and share buybacks. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff In the past 10 years (that is, excluding the current one), the firms have reinvested in growth and expansion only around 13.5 per cent of the cash flow generated from their operations. But, on average, nearly 73 per cent of cash profits have been returned to shareholders by way of dividend and share buybacks. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Tech Mahindra have cumulatively generated cash profits worth around Rs 8.9 trillion since 2015-16 (FY16) but they put only around Rs 1.2 trillion in gross block investment in the period. Intangibles are generally created when firms make acquisitions. In comparison, shareholders cumulatively earned around Rs 6.46 trillion from these top five companies. In other words, the industry paid Rs 5 to their shareholders for every Rs 1 reinvested in their businesses. For example, in FY25, these companies together paid an equity dividend worth around Rs 91,600 crore, accounting for 76.2 per cent of their cash profits. In comparison, they invested around Rs 9,650 crore in gross block, and that was 8 per cent of their cash profits. The numbers suggest the industry accelerated the payout to shareholders in the post-pandemic period while reinvestment and spending on acquisitions slowed. The ratio of investment in gross block to cash profit declined to an average of 6.7 per cent during the period FY21 to FY25 from 22 per cent in the period FY16 to FY20. The ratio of dividend payout (including share buyback) to cash profit jumped, on average, to 76.7 per cent during FY21 to FY25 from 64.1 per cent in the preceding five years (FY16 to FY20). The industrys apparent lack of investment in new and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), either organically or through overseas acquisition, has come under the scanner as individual companies are now struggling to grow. TCS, the largest of the five, has announced plans to globally lay off nearly 12,000 employees, or around 2 per cent of its workforce, as it tries to shore up margins amid a slowdown in new orders from global clients. This has raised fears of a layoff by others too as the industrys business model faces disruption from AI deployment. The combined revenues of these top five IT companies in FY25 were up just 4.9 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y), growing at the slowest pace since FY18. But their combined net sales were up by 7.9 per cent, the best in the last three years, thanks to higher margins from a rationalisation in their employee cost. The industrys revenue slowed further to 3.8 per cent Y-o-Y in Q1FY26. Analysts say that its tough to link growth with capex or investment, given its people-intensive nature. Indian IT companies, unlike Western tech giants, have a business model that depends on investment in people rather than in newer technologies or software products. "The labour intensity of this model is declining due to the wider adoption of AI and other automation technologies, leading to redundancies in their workforce, said Dhananjay Sinha, co-head (research and equity strategy), Systematix Institutional Equity. According to him, the layoff by TCS is a business decision and should not be directly linked to its past investment decisions. Streamlining enterprise data, having an AI policy, reskilling people, and cultural transformation have been cited by experts as key. Kindly note the image have only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy, Pexels IBM is bullish about enterprises seeing a comprehensive return on their artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (Gen AI) investments in 18-24 months if they adopt a proper data strategy. Streamlining enterprise data, having an AI policy, reskilling people, and cultural transformation have been cited by experts as key tenets to be an AI-first organisation. All these involve a huge amount of heavy lifting, and thats why Gen AI adoption continues to lag market expectations. AI is only as good as the data it is trained on. You have to find the right use case, the right model, and your ability to drive returns on the smaller use cases is pretty much prompt, especially for siloed use cases. But as you lay this foundation and the more elaborate and comprehensive you make it, the longer it is going to take for you to see comprehensive returns. I would say it would range anywhere between nine and 24 months, Siddesh Naik, country leader, Data & AI Software, IBM India & South Asia, told Business Standard. Almost 80 per cent of the time is spent on creating the data foundation or the data prep with only 20 per cent going into the AI part of the journey, he added. The foundation layer has been the missing link for many enterprises. It should be started small and scaled efficiently to reduce complexity of data consumption. IMAGE: Siddesh Naik. Photograph: Courtesy Siddesh Naik/Linkedin Data strategy, Naik said, is a complex task which involves data collection from multiple sources, establishing its quality, transforming it into a standardised format, enforcing policies, and data lineage. He added, "Enterprises must first establish their overall data blueprint. Achieving this cannot happen overnight; each component requires substantial effort. Organisations should adopt a phased approach: first focusing on data collection and quality, followed by data pipelines and extract, transform, load (ETL) processes, then integrating a lakehouse for reporting, and eventually implementing governance and lineage mechanisms. A step-by-step approach ensures a sustainable and scalable data strategy for enterprise." A report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) last year had said that key factors for scaling AI are largely people-and process-related. These include change management, product development, workflow optimisation, AI talent, and governance. Critical technology capabilities include data quality and management, while AI model quality and performance stand out as the top algorithm priority. According to Naik, initially people were enamoured by AI and this led to massive investment into doing pilots and exploratory works. That was the hype cycle where companies jumped into AI proof of concepts (PoCs) and pilots. Wipro chief technology officer (CTO) Sandhya Arun had said earlier this month that without proper policies, most PoCs will die in the laboratory or as a hobby project. He added, People will say good things but it will have no business value. "But what people started realising is that do I have a foundation of data that can really run this and help me productionise it? That is where the shift started happening -- towards investing in data engineering and data foundation to create a strong base. "I think the first step in all this is for the management and top leadership to understand, acknowledge, and commit investments towards building a data foundation," said Naik. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff Smartphone exports for the first six months (April to September) of 202526 (FY26) surged to $13.4 billion, based on industry estimates. Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: Loren Elliott/Reuters Driven by the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, this marks a 59 per cent jump over the $8.5 billion exported during the same period of the previous financial year (202425/FY25). In September alone, a threefold increase in smartphone exports to the US pushed total exports to $1.7 billion the highest monthly growth recorded so far compared to FY25.Exports last month were 87 per cent higher than the $923 million exported in September 2024. Smartphone exports to the US rose from $258 million in September last year to a record $900 million last month. The US accounted for 52.3 per cent of total smartphone exports in September. Apple has been the key growth engine, with iPhone exports touching $10 billion, accounting for more than 75 per cent of Indias total smartphone exports in the first half (H1) of FY26. According to a recent statement by the India Cellular and Electronics Association, August and September are typically among the lowest export months due to upcoming product launches and scheduled machine retrofits. Consumers worldwide also hold back purchases during this period, waiting for new models and subsequent discounts on older versions. Exports usually pick up again by mid-October. The PLI scheme designed to offset Indias cost disadvantages has been the primary driver of smartphone exports. The scheme ends for Apple in March 2026 and has already ended for Samsung in FY25. Samsungs smartphone exports fell in H1FY26 compared to the same period last year. Electronics, particularly smartphones, have been a rare bright spot for Indian exports this year, despite headwinds from the 50 per cent tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. So far, select electronic products, including mobile devices, have been excluded from these tariffs pending a Section 232 investigation by the US Department of Commerce. Apples vendors continue to expand their production footprint in India, with two new iPhone assembly plants recently becoming operational. This has coincided with strong domestic sales of the new iPhone 17. However, much will depend on the outcome of USChina trade negotiations. Exports of smartphones from China to the US currently face a 20 per cent fentanyl duty, while Indian exports enter duty-free. If Washington removes this punitive duty which has prompted Apple to ramp up shipments from India to the US the company may reconsider its export strategy between the two countries. While TCS cited evolving business needs and future readiness as reasons, industry experts say the action is a cost-cutting measure aimed at improving operating margins that have remained below the firm's aspirational range despite multiple efforts. IMAGE: TCS' Nagpur campus. Kind courtesy Akki17690/wikipedia.org/Creative Commons Tata Consultancy Services' decision to lay off roughly 12,000 employees, primarily mid- to senior-level managers, is being viewed by analysts as a move to shore up profitability rather than a shift towards an AI-driven future. While the company cited evolving business needs and future readiness as reasons, industry experts say the action is a cost-cutting measure aimed at improving operating margins that have remained below the firm's aspirational range despite multiple efforts. The announcement on July 27 came as a surprise to many in the Indian information and technology sector, where involuntary layoffs have typically been handled quietly. Indian IT companies, as some of the country's largest organised sector employers, have historically avoided large-scale public cuts. The sector employs around 6 million people, according to data from Nasscom. TCS' operating margin has hovered between 24 per cent and 25 per cent for five consecutive quarters, below its stated aspiration of 26 per cent to 28 per cent. For the quarter ended June 30, operating margin stood at 24.5 per cent, down 20 basis points from a year earlier. The figure excludes wage hikes that TCS indefinitely deferred in April. "I thought the demand was just coming back," said a senior analyst at a global brokerage firm, speaking on condition of anonymity. "This is a pure cost take-out strategy to lift margins, and once done, they may provide wage hikes to the remaining." During a post-earnings call after Q1FY26 results, Chief Financial Officer Sameer Seksaria told analysts the company had been witnessing a discrepancy between demand and capacity. 'In this quarter as well, we have invested in capacity... That is what is reflecting in our margins,' he said. That 'excess capacity' largely refers to bloated mid-senior and senior layers of employees with experience between 9 years and 13 years, and 13 years and 17 years. According to staffing firm Xpheno, the top seven Indian IT firms employ about 492,000 professionals in those bands, compared with 486,000 at the junior end (from fresh graduates to five years of experience) -- a group that draws significantly lower pay. A lot of those people were hired during the peak of the pandemic in FY21 and FY22, according to analysts. TCS hired 103,546 in FY22; the top five players cumulatively took in 273,377, the most in at least six years. Hiring has been going down ever since. Persistently weak and uncertain macroeconomic conditions may have prompted TCS to act this time. Revenue growth in constant currency terms had steadily declined -- from 15.4 per cent in FY22 to just 4.2 per cent in FY25. "Demand has been down and margins have missed expectations," said Gaurav Vasu, founder of consultancy UnearthInsights. "Also, many employees lack the client-relevant skills today. Roles like project managers, infrastructure support, and other support functions are now particularly vulnerable. "There could be more slow, silent layoffs across the industry." TCS' challenges on both margins and top-line growth have weighed on its stock. Its share price has dropped nearly 30 per cent over the past year. In comparison, Infosys is down 19.3 per cent, HCL Technologies 10.3 per cent, Wipro 4.7 per cent, and Tech Mahindra about 6 per cent. Industry veterans, though, supported TCS' action. Ganesh Natarajan, executive chairman, GTT Solutions said TCS is doing the right thing by taking proactive action. "Because there is no doubt that companies who will succeed in IT and non-IT with AI will have to move beyond GenAI and ChatGPT to a much more fundamental game changing use of AI. "This fundamentally means more use of agenticAI, autonomous agentic AI..in this context the traditional style of pyramid will disappear. This restructure and rethink is important," he added. Last month, TCS posted one of its weakest first-quarter results since 2020, with constant currency revenue shrinking 3.1 per cent and dollar revenue down 1.1 per cent. It was the worst constant currency performance among the top five Indian IT service providers in the quarter. TCS Layoff Jolt Shivani Shinde, Avik Das An air of disbelief hung over TCS offices on Monday, July 28, 2025, morning, a day after the largest IT services company sent out an unexpected communication to its employees, announcing its biggest layoff. At TCS -- long seen as an ideal destination for steady and secure job -- employees found it tough to come to terms with the layoff announcement that broke the Sunday afternoon peace. There were many, however, who had no clue on Sunday. Since the official communication that 2 per cent of the workforce, or over 12,000 employees, would have to leave was sent out on a holiday, many employees learnt about the layoffs through the Monday morning newspapers, just before heading to office. "I think the internal portal carried the update on Sunday afternoon, but most of us wouldn't have checked it. Reading about our own company's layoffs in the newspaper was shocking," said a mid-level employee who did not wish to be named. "There was no prior indication from HR (human resource department). No announcement. Nothing." This is the first time that TCS has officially announced a large-scale layoff. The only comparable instance was in 2012, when the company had let go of around 2,500 employees. For a Tata Group company -- and especially TCS, which weathered past crises like COVID-19 and the 2008 financial meltdown without cutting jobs -- this marks a dramatic cultural shift. "TCS was considered a safe company. It stood by employees during every downturn. That's what makes this harder to digest," said another employee. Several expressed discomfort over what they saw as a departure from the "Tata values". Another noted: "This is happening just a year after Ratan Tata's passing." The layoffs have also created confusion and mixed messaging internally. Many employees pointed out that while the company had been consistently pushing for AI-readiness -- and encouraging staff to reskill accordingly -- this move seemed to contradict that effort. "We're being told to train ourselves in AI and we've been doing it. Then why this layoff? What does it say about how AI-ready we really are," asked a disappointed senior executive. The fear and anxiety now extend beyond TCS. There is a growing concern that other major tech firms might follow suit. Many are also apprehensive that the actual number of layoffs at TCS might be much higher than what has been announced. "Attrition is already high. If TCS had simply managed workforce exits through natural attrition, it could have avoided this disruption over the next two to three quarters," said a senior HR leader in the industry. Meanwhile, employee unions have taken up the cause of TCS employees. The Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (Kitu), in a letter, condemned this layoff as illegal action by the TCS management. The union said it was approaching the labour department against the 'unlawful move'. 'According to the Industrial Disputes Act, it is a punishable offence for an employer to compel an employee to resign. 'Every employee has the legal right to refuse to sign a forced resignation,' according to a Kitu letter. Overhiring hangover Industry analysts and HR experts largely attribute the decision to the overhiring spree during the pandemic years. While many peers corrected course by freezing or slowing down hiring between FY23 and FY25, TCS continued to hire aggressively from campuses and laterally, especially to build AI-related capabilities. What has surprised many observers is that the layoffs are focused on the mid to senior levels -- typically the most stable layer in IT organisational structures. Experts believe this could prompt a wider reassessment of talent pyramids across the sector. Only those who have either domain expertise, knowhow of client IP, or are good at technology, will be able to survive. According to data from specialist staffing firm Xpheno, the highest churn across Indian IT players occurs in the 1 to 5 year experience bracket (17 per cent), followed by the 5 to 10 year band (12 per cent). In contrast, attrition drops to 7 per cent for those with 10 to 15 years of experience and just 4 per cent for employees with over 15 years. Kamal Karanth, cofounder of Xpheno, attributes the current bloated structure to the hiring boom of 2021-2022. "The big-fat middle layer is a net outcome of the hyper-hiring phase, combined with three cycles of low to no fresher intakes," he said. "A large chunk of lateral hiring made during the demand surge now sits in the 5 to 13 year experience range -- the very layers seeing restructuring now. "Ironically, these were also the layers with the highest churn during the hiring boom," he added. Neeti Sharma, CEO of TeamLease Digital, said that people managers, especially those with 15 to 20 years of experience, are the most impacted. "These are typically project managers handling backend delivery. Many have not upskilled enough to take on front-facing or AI-related roles. If they don't adapt to the new demands, it is tough to justify those roles." Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff TEHRAN, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday strongly condemned Argentina's decision to designate the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, calling it "unjustified" and harmful to bilateral relations. In a statement, the ministry accused Buenos Aires of making "false accusations" against a key branch of the IRGC and said the move threatened Iran's security and national interests. It described the decision as "unconventional and unlawful" and said it was influenced by Israel. It warned that Argentina would bear responsibility for the legal and political consequences and said the action set a "dangerous precedent" in intergovernmental relations. The ministry stressed that the IRGC is a sovereign institution established under the country's constitution, responsible for defending Iran's independence, territorial integrity, and security. On Saturday, Argentine President Javier Milei formally designated the IRGC's Quds Force as a terrorist organization. 'With new technology and stricter checks, cheating on taxes is just not worth it anymore.' Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Tax experts are cautioning taxpayers against fraudulently claiming large deductions -- such as inflated donations to charities, NGOs, or political parties, or exaggerated house rent allowance (HRA) claims -- as the income tax (I-T) department has tightened scrutiny of such practices. In many such cases, the department has levied a penalty of 200 per cent of the unpaid tax, making it a costly mistake for taxpayers, say experts. "This year, taxpayers should be very careful," said CA Chetan Daga, founder of AdvantEdge Consulting. "The government has been following a policy of trust with the taxpayer. Tax returns are now paperless, and people don't have to attach proof for exemptions and deductions while filing. Also, returns are processed quickly, and refunds come faster," Daga said. "But the government's policy of trusting the taxpayer has kind of backfired due to certain unscrupulous elements abusing the tax system," Daga added. For donations, he said the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has found cases where money was shown as donated by bank transfer but was actually received back in cash, or donations were simply never made at all. "This was especially seen in donations to smaller political parties, not the big mainstream ones," he added. For HRA, Daga said exemptions were claimed either through unregistered rental agreements or by artificially inflating rent expenses without actually paying the rent. Tax experts warn that these practices can now be easily caught. "The tax department has new tools," said Abhishek Rastogi, founder of Rastogi Chambers. "They use data from banks, employers, and other places. They also use advanced software and AI to spot anything unusual. Even small claims can be questioned if they don't match a person's income or lifestyle," he added. The warnings come as the government has given taxpayers more time to file their returns -- the deadline is now September 15. But experts say this extra time comes with stricter checks. Recent data from the tax department shows how serious the crackdown is. In just the past four months, about 40,000 taxpayers changed their I-T returns and took back fake claims worth Rs 1,045 crore, according to the CBDT. Tax experts advise people to keep proper documents for any claims they make, like bills for HRA, leave travel concession (LTC) travel tickets, or receipts for donations. "A fake claim of Rs 10,000 can bring trouble," said Rastogi, adding: "People may have to pay penalties, interest, or even face court cases in serious matters." If the department finds a false claim, the taxpayer may have to pay tax on the amount of the disallowed claim, plus interest of 1 per cent per month until the tax is paid. On top of that, there can be a penalty of 50 per cent to 200 per cent of the tax wrongly avoided -- fake claims attract a penalty of 200 per cent. The CBDT has warned taxpayers to not trust agents who promise big refunds through false claims, and to file honest returns. "With new technology and stricter checks, cheating on taxes is just not worth it anymore. It's safer to file clean and honest returns," Daga said. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff US President Donald Trump on Wednesday slapped an additional 25 per cent tariff on goods coming from India as penalty for New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil, a move that is likely to hit sectors such as textiles, marine and leather exports hard. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Trump signed an executive order - Addressing Threats to the US by the Government of the Russian Federation - imposing the additional tariff over an above the 25 per cent levy which comes into effect from August 7. After this order, the total tariff on Indian goods, barring a small exemption list, will be 50 per cent. "The ad valorem duty imposed...shall be in addition to any other duties, fees, taxes, exactions, and charges applicable to such imports...," the order said. While the initial duty becomes effective on August 7, the additional levy will come into effect after 21 days or August 27. "I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil. Accordingly, and as consistent with applicable law, articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 per cent," it said. India buys about 88 per cent of its crude oil, which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel, from overseas. Russian oil made up for hardly 0.2 per cent of all crude oil that India imported till 2021. After Moscow invaded Ukraine, Russian oil was available at a discount to international benchmarks due to western sanctions, and was quickly lapped up by Indian refiners. Russia is now India's largest oil supplier. In July, India imported about 5 million barrels of oil a day, of which 1.6 million came from Russia. After the new levy, India will attract the highest tariff of 50 per cent along with Brazil. After this, India's competitors will be much better placed in the US market as their duty is lower -- Myanmar (40 per cent), Thailand and Cambodia (both 36 per cent), Bangladesh (35 per cent), Indonesia (32 per cent), China and Sri Lanka (both 30 per cent), Malaysia (25 per cent), Philippines and Vietnam (both 20 per cent). There was no immediate response from the Indian government on the fresh levy. The announcement comes at a time when a US team is scheduled to visit India from August 25 for the sixth round of negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA). The sectors, which will have to bear the brunt of these tariffs include textiles/ clothing, gems and jewellery, shrimp, leather and footwear, animal products, chemicals, and electrical and mechanical machinery. The exempted goods, which will not be subject to the high tariffs, include pharmaceutical; energy products such as crude oil, refined fuels, natural gas, coal, and electricity; critical minerals; and a wide range of electronics and semiconductors, like computers, tablets, smartphones, solid-state drives, flat panel displays, and integrated circuits. According to exporters, the move would affect India's $86 billion worth of exports to the US severely. "It is extremely shocking. It will impact India's 55 per cent of exports to US," Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) DG Ajay Sahai said. In 2024-25, the bilateral trade between India and the US stood at $131.8 billion ($86.5 billion exports and $45.3 billion imports). The announcement is being seen as a pressure tactic to get New Delhi to agree to demands made by the US in the proposed BTA. The US is seeking duty concessions on certain industrial goods, automobiles, especially electric vehicles, wines, petrochemical products, agri goods, dairy items, apples, tree nuts, and genetically-modified crops. The two countries are aiming to conclude the first phase of the pact by fall (October-November) this year. The US on Monday decided to delay imposing its "Liberation Day" reciprocal tariffs until August 1, allowing more time to iron out issues between New Delhi and Washington before finalising an interim trade deal. Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs against a number of countries including India (26 per cent), but paused the implementation of these duties for 90 days, giving all trading partners the deadline till July 9 to reach a deal. "The President will sign an executive order today delaying the July 9 deadline to August 1," White House Press Secretary Karoline Claire Leavitt told reporters in Washington. India and the US are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement. They have set a deadline to conclude the first tranche by fall (September- October) this year. Before that, the two countries are looking to finalise an interim trade deal. Meanwhile, Trump on Monday placed a 25 per cent tax on goods imported from Japan and South Korea, citing persistent trade imbalances with the two crucial US allies in Asia. The duties will take effect from August 1. "....there will be approximately 12 other countries that will receive notifications and letters directly from the President of the United States," she said without naming the countries. Letters are said to have been issued to Myanmar, South Africa, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan, among others. According to officials, India has already made its stand clear to the US authorities on the interim trade deal and the ball is now in Washington's court. The US has been India's largest trading partner since 2021-22. During 2024-25, the bilateral trade in goods stood at $131.84 billion ($86.51 billion worth of exports, $45.33 billion of imports and $41.18 billion trade surplus). United States President Donald Trump on Friday announced that his administration will impose a 100 per cent tariff on branded and patented pharmaceutical products beginning October 1, 2025, unless the manufacturing companies are building production facilities in the US. In a post on Truth Social, President Trump wrote, 'Starting October 1st, 2025, we will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any branded or patented Pharmaceutical Product, unless a Company IS BUILDING their Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant in America. 'IS BUILDING' will be defined as 'breaking ground' and/or 'under construction'.' Clarifying the scope of the measure, Trump added that companies that have already begun construction of plants in the US will be exempt from the new tariff. 'There will, therefore, be no Tariff on these Pharmaceutical Products if construction has started. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' the post read. He also announced sweeping tariffs on various household products, including imported kitchen cabinets and certain kinds of furniture -- potentially adding even more costs to a category that has surged in price in recent months. Trump also announced heavy truck tariffs and pharmaceutical tariffs, CNN reported. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, 'We will be imposing a 50 per cent Tariff on all Kitchen Cabinets, Bathroom Vanities, and associated products, starting October 1st, 2025. Additionally, we will be charging a 30 per cent Tariff on Upholstered Furniture.' Various tariffs that Trump has imposed have already boosted furniture prices considerably over the past year. Overall, furniture last month cost 4.7 per cent more than in August 2024, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Living room and dining room furniture, in particular, has grown more expensive -- rising 9.5 per cent over the past 12 months, according to the BLS. Furniture prices have surged as Trump hiked tariffs on China and Vietnam, the top two sources of imported furniture. Both countries exported $12 billion worth of furniture and fixtures last year, according to US Commerce Department data. Furniture prices had largely fallen for the past two and a half years prior to Trump's tariffs. But Trump said that foreign manufacturers have oversupplied the US market, and the tariffs were necessary to regain US manufacturing prowess, as per CNN. 'The reason for this is the large-scale 'FLOODING' of these products into the United States by other outside Countries,' Trump said. 'It is a very unfair practice, but we must protect, for National Security and other reasons, our Manufacturing process.' Meanwhile, new tariff rates for dozens of countries were introduced in August, after delays to allow for trade talks. They include: 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent penalty for trade with Russia; 50 per cent tariffs on Brazilian goods; 30 per cent tariffs on South African goods; 20 per cent tariffs on Vietnamese goods; 15 per cent tariffs on Japanese goods; and 15 per cent tariffs on South Korean goods. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on all goods coming from India starting August 1, plus an unspecified penalty for buying Russian crude oil and military equipment. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters The surprise announcement came a day after Indian officials said that a US trade team would visit from August 25 to negotiate a trade deal. The announcement is being seen as a pressure tactic to get New Delhi to agree to demands made by the US, which has, in recent days, got favourable trade deals with major partners like Japan, the UK and the European Union. In a social media post, Trump termed India's trade policies as "most strenuous and obnoxious". "All things not good! India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25 per cent, plus a penalty for the above, starting on August first," Trump said. The penalty was announced as India has made large purchases of oil and military equipment from Russia. India is the first country to face a penalty for Russian imports. Previously, Trump slapped high tariffs on China but refrained from levying any penalty despite Beijing being Russia's largest oil importer. India's import of crude oil from Russia has risen from 0.2 per cent of total purchases before the Russia-Ukraine war to 35-40 per cent. New Delhi is the largest buyer of Russian oil after China. Trump said though India is America's friend, "we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their (India) tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country". He said India has always purchased a significant amount of military equipment and energy products from Russia at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the "killing" in Ukraine. Commenting on the development, New Delhi said it is studying the implications of these tariffs and is still hopeful of concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement. "India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement over the last few months. We remain committed to that objective," it said. Meanwhile, the Indian rupee on Wednesday logged its steepest single-day fall in over three years, dropping by 89 paise to close at an all-time low of 87.80 against the US dollar. Indian industry expressed disappointment over the announcement and said that it may impact the country's exports and add to the worsening global trade situation. From just 0.2 per cent before the Russia-Ukraine war to now accounting for 35-40 per cent of total crude imports, India's reliance on Russian oil has surged -- drawing fresh scrutiny with Trump announcing a penalty along with tariff. India historically bought most of its oil from the Middle East, including Iraq and Saudi Arabia. However, things changed when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. It was not clear if the 25 per cent duty will be imposed in addition to the existing 10 per cent baseline tariff. The 10 per cent tariff, which currently applies to most Indian goods barring a few, was announced by Trump on all countries on April 2. Also, the exact quantum of the penalty is unclear. Among India's major trade competitors, the US has imposed lower tariffs on Vietnam (20 per cent) and Malaysia (25 per cent), but higher on Bangladesh (35 per cent) and Thailand (36 per cent). On April 2 this year, Trump announced high reciprocal tariffs on various countries, including India (26 per cent). The implementation of high tariffs was immediately suspended for 90 days till July 9 and later until August 1, as America is negotiating trade deals with various countries. However, the baseline tariff of 10 per cent remains. In addition to this, the US has imposed a 50 per cent duty on steel and aluminium and a 25 per cent tariff on the auto sector. Meanwhile, negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement are on as a US team is visiting New Delhi on August 25 for the sixth round of talks. The top officials of the countries concluded the fifth round recently in Washington. India's chief negotiator and special secretary in the Department of Commerce Rajesh Agrawal and Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch held the deliberations. During 2021-25, the US was India's largest trading partner. The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports, 6.22 per cent in imports, and 10.73 per cent in bilateral trade. With America, India had a trade surplus (the difference between imports and exports) of $35.32 billion in goods in 2023-24. It was $41 billion in 2024-25 and $27.7 billion in 2022-23. In 2024-25, bilateral trade between India and the US reached $186 billion. India exported $86.5 billion in goods while importing $45.3 billion. In services, India exported an estimated $28.7 billion and imported $25.5 billion, adding a $3.2 billion surplus. Altogether, India ran a total trade surplus of about $44.4 billion with the US. In 2024, India's main exports to the US included drug formulations and biologicals ($8.1 billion), telecom instruments ($6.5 billion), precious and semi-precious stones ($5.3 billion), petroleum products ($4.1 billion), vehicle and auto components ($2.8 billion), gold and other precious metal jewellery ($3.2 billion), ready-made garments of cotton, including accessories ($2.8 billion), and products of iron and steel ($2.7 billion). Imports included crude oil ($4.5 billion), petroleum products ($3.6 billion), coal, coke ($3.4 billion), cut and polished diamonds ($2.6 billion), electric machinery ($1.4 billion), aircraft, spacecraft and parts ($1.3 billion), and gold ($1.3 billion). US President Donald Trump's move to impose 100 per cent import tariffs on pharmaceutical drugs from October 1 is unlikely to have an immediate impact on Indian exports, as it will affect only patented and branded products, not generic medicines, pharma industry players said on Friday. Illustration: Yves Herman/Reuters Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), which represents 23 leading Indian pharmaceutical firms, including Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Sun Pharma, Lupin and Zydus Lifesciences, noted that Trump's latest tariff will not have implications for the generic drugmakers. In his post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Starting October 1st, 2025, we will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any branded or patented Pharmaceutical Product, unless a Company IS BUILDING their Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant in America." The US President further clarified, "IS BUILDING" will be defined as, "breaking ground" and/or "under construction." There will, therefore, be no Tariff on these Pharmaceutical Products if construction has started." Reacting to the development, IPA Secretary General Sudarshan Jain said in a statement, "It is not applicable to generic medicines." Trump's statement refers to patented and branded products supplied to the US, he added. Indian pharma companies largely export generics to the US market. Together, IPA members drive more than 80 per cent of India's drug and pharmaceutical exports, and serve over 64 per cent of the domestic market. Pharmexcil chairman Namit Joshi said, "India has long been a cornerstone of the global supply chain for affordable, high-quality medicines, supplying nearly 47 per cent of the US's pharmaceutical requirements. "The proposed 100 per cent tariff on branded and patented pharmaceutical imports is unlikely to have an immediate impact on Indian exports, as the bulk of our contribution lies in simple generics and most large Indian companies already operate in the US. manufacturing or repackaging units and are exploring further acquisitions," he said. Looking ahead, India will need to reinforce its cost-efficiency advantage in bulk drugs and APIs -- an area where the US is likely to favour India over other suppliers -- and simultaneously invest in next-generation opportunities such as complex generics, peptides, biosimilars and CAR-T therapies, Joshi said. "Generics will remain relevant but will gradually mature; optimising costs and capabilities in these emerging categories will shape the next phase of growth," he added. Emcure Pharmaceuticals also said the tariffs will have no impact on it as it has limited exposure to the US market (less than 5 per cent) and no exposure for branded and patented drugs in the country. Indian pharmaceutical companies supply a substantial proportion of drugs to US residents, with four out of ten of all prescriptions filled in the US in 2022 being supplied by Indian companies. As per industry sources, overall, medicines from Indian companies provided $219 billion in savings to the US healthcare system in 2022 and a total of $ 1.3 trillion between 2013 and 2022. Generics from Indian companies are expected to generate an additional $1.3 trillion in savings over the next five years. Icra VP & sector head (corporate ratings) Deepak Jotwani said branded and patented drug imports are not expected to have any material immediate impact on the Indian pharmaceutical industry. India's strength lies in generic drug exports, which are exempt from these tariffs, he added. "However, few Indian pharma companies with exposure to non-US domiciled branded formulation/ innovator drug companies, who in turn export to the US, by way of sales of APIs or intermediates to them or undertaking contract manufacturing, may face headwinds," he noted. Echoing similar sentiments, founder and director at Foundation for Economic Development Rahul Ahluwalia said India's main exports are generics, so immediate impact should not be very high, but this is a troubling sign for future development of the pharma industry in India. "We should redouble efforts to get a trade deal with the US and EU to enable our industries to have access to large markets," he added. Head of Asia Economics at Oxford Economics Louise Loo said Asia supplies just over 20 per cent of US pharmaceutical imports by value, a meaningful commercial hit for US consumers at face value. "We, therefore, expect the US to follow up with announcements detailing protections for some categories of products, blunting the effective tariff burden," she added. The pharmaceutical sector, India's largest industrial export, was estimated at $12.72 billion in 2024. But the respite may not last long. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House, July 30, 2025. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Electronics products that use semiconductors like mobile devices, laptops, personal computers and servers will continue to enjoy tariff exemptions on their entry into the United States, which on Wednesday announced a 25 per cent duty on Indian goods. The tariff will be imposed only on the value of the semiconductor which is in the electronics product, and not on the whole product. But the respite may not last long. The US is conducting a Section 232 investigation launched in April 2025 on whether imports of these products and related technologies pose a threat to its national security. A final call on tariffs, or action, will be taken once the investigation report is out, according to top executives of mobile companies which export to the US. The report is expected to be tabled soon. As part of the investigation, the US department of commerce was looking at various aspects like foreign government subsidies, supply chain dependencies and domestic production capacity. Initially, the probe was focussed on semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. But the scope of the probe was later extended to include smartphones, laptops which use semiconductor and other electronic products which were exempted from the US reciprocal tariffs. But it offers a temporary reprieve to companies like Apple Inc, which under the existing plan were not paying any duty for exports of mobile devices from India. It has given them a big advantage over China which was slapped a 20 per cent fentanyl tax even though phones were in the exemption list. As a result, Apple has been pushing exports from India to the US, one of its largest markets. However, the future scenario will depend on the decision taken by the US commerce department and the final tariffs which they plan to impose on countries. Senior executives in mobile companies are hopeful that like in his first term as president Trump will continue to keep mobile devices under the exemption list. However, Trump has been pushing Apple to manufacture in the US and has chided its CEO Tim Cook that it should not assemble them in countries like India. The Trump administration, in the interim 90-day period ending August 1, had kept mobile phone exports at zero tariff for India, while China was imposed a 20 per cent fentanyl tax on mobile phones. However, the US and China in the interim had also agreed on sharply reducing their overall tariffs, like in the case of the US from 145 per cent to 30 per cent. However, the two countries agreed on a 90-day period to seal a final agreement, which now can be extended again. Experts say based on scenario one, if the US decides to allow import of iPhones finally at the current rate of 20 per cent, China will have a clear advantage. Especially, as there is a cost disability in making iPhones in India even after the production linked incentive scheme of around 8 to 10 per cent. In scenario two, if the tariffs across all products are pegged at 30 per cent, including mobile phones, and the fentanyl tax is withdrawn, India's tariff advantage of 5 per cent will get more than neutralised by a higher cost of production in India. However, if the US continues to impose fentanyl tax over and above the 30 per cent tariff, India will certainly continue to have an advantage over China. The new taxes could also make other countries look attractive, Vietnam with a 20 per cent tariff and a cost of production advantage over India. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'We will be able to anticipate the full picture of the impact after August, which is also the time when demand for a year begins to peak ahead of the December holidays and Valentine's Day.' IMAGE: Estimates of job losses range from 50,000 to 300,000. Craftsmen work on diamonds at a diamond processing unit in Surat, August 15, 2025. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters On Raksha Bandhan day in 1938, the Tapi river played havoc in Surat, tossing around boats and sending 84 people into the watery grave. Since then, the Surtis (residents of Surat) observe the festival one day after its calendar date, in remembrance of the tragedy. This year, it is an onslaught of another kind in the famed diamond city, an onslaught of heavy tariffs, clouding most festivities. The United States' reciprocal tariffs, coupled with penalties, threaten the livelihood of artisans. Surat is the world's hub for diamond finishing, and over 90 in 100 diamonds globally are polished. The job is done by nearly 800,000 artisans, employed in about 5,000 diamond-cutting and polishing units. In April, the Trump administration imposed sweeping reciprocal tariffs on India, levying a 26 per cent duty, which took effect this month, on the export of gems and jewellery. Adding to the blow, the US piled on another slab of tariff, driving the effective rate on gems and jewellery to 55 per cent starting August 27. On the other hand, diamond-polishing and cutting companies typically earn a single-digit profit margin, 4 to 8 per cent, say industry observers. Not surprisingly then, within days, demand for diamonds plunged by up to 40 per cent, with merchant partners struggling to secure orders from a shrinking US customer base. Crisis in motion IMAGE: US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on tariffs at the White House, April 2, 2025. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters It is a gloomy, monsoon afternoon on a Monday. The diamond unit floor, usually humming with Bollywood tunes and the whirr of polishing wheels, has fallen into an uneasy hush, where most artisans are slipping into quick naps. Kirtibhai Vaghadiya, 30, is packing a small consignment of polished diamonds with shapes such as hearts and emeralds. Vaghadiya, who leads a floor of 30 artisans, is not heading out to deliver the order but to hunt for new clients. He faces a stark choice: Finding enough buyers to bridge the demand gap or submitting to the crisis; cut jobs and send his artisans back to their hometowns. "Production has come down to 70 carat a day from 100 carat a day six months ago. I will need three more partners instead of the current one client to fill the demand gap," he said. Vaghadiya said if the grim situation continued, his business would be set back by at least six months, burning cash in the process. Estimates of job losses range from 50,000 to 300,000. "We will be able to anticipate the full picture of the impact after August, which is also the time when demand for a year begins to peak ahead of December holidays and Valentine's Day," remarked Rajat Wani, regional director (Surat), Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). Partners in the US, Wani added, would have to check if their retail customers would be able to absorb higher prices of diamonds. IMAGE: A trader shows a diamond bracelet at a diamond processing unit in Surat. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters Shrinking base In 2024-2025, exports of gems and diamonds from India to the global markets amounted to $28.67 billion, an 11.21 per cent decrease from $32.29 billion in FY24. The US market shrank around 6 per cent to $9.24 billion in FY25 from $9.82 billion in FY24. Other markets such as the United Arab Emirates and Hongkong too declined 3 per cent and 32.24 per cent, respectively. "Buyers in the US will now sharply negotiate to bring down the base price of diamonds so that it remains affordable after factoring in the cost of tariffs. This will squeeze our margins, investment in design, the expansion of units, among other things," said Kirtilal Shah, a diamond merchant. Shah calls the latest US tariffs the worst impact on the industry after the 2008 global financial crisis and the pandemic. IMAGE: Surat Diamond Bourse, a diamond trade centre located in the Diamond Research and Mercantile City, also known as DREAM City, in Surat. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters However, stakeholders are pinning their hopes on the rise of lab-grown diamonds to keep the industry's wheels turning, as natural ones become even more expensive. "There was a slump in business during the pandemic. In 2008 too, there was a sharp recession. Then, lab-grown diamonds were not popular. Today, they can give some support to existing businesses with demand in India growing gradually," said Jayantibhai N Savaliya, regional chairman (Gujarat region), GJEPC. Natural diamonds cost many times more than their lab-grown counterparts, making a tariff on a high-value natural stone far steeper in absolute terms than the same rate applied to a lower-value one. Merchants may continue to explore newer international markets such as the Gulf region, Europe, and Australia. Unit operators added that routing diamonds through low-tariff regions like Dubai might also not be feasible due to added costs and the fear of an additional ad valorem on the item. That said, the industry still says India will continue to be the preferred hub for diamond polishing because of its skill base and manpower. Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff 'The biggest point of contention is market access for US agricultural and dairy products.' IMAGE: Garment workers stitch shirts at a textile factory in Andhra Pradesh. Photograph: Samuel Rajkumar/Reuters The 25% import duty on goods from India announced by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday may impact the margins of Indian exporters to a tune of 30% to 50%, said Anand Rathi Share and Stock Brokers Ltd. Trump also announced levying a penalty on import of Indian goods for India buying Russian oil and defence equipment. He did not specify the penalty amount or the percentage. 'Around 30% to 50% of the tariff's impact is expected to be absorbed by Indian exporters, with the remainder falling on US importers and consumers; any rupee depreciation may cushion some of the pain for Indian exporters,' Anand Rathi said in a report on the impact of tariff announced by Trump. Terming the 25% tariff as part of a broader US strategy of hard-nosed negotiations and not necessarily a final position, Anand Rathi said the episode underscores the need for India to diversify export markets and accelerate new trade agreements to reduce future vulnerabilities. According to the Anand Rathi report, the development challenges India's policy of strategic autonomy -- prioritising national interest while balancing relations with the US, Russia, and others -- without succumbing to pressure. The report pointed out India's carefully calibrated policy of strategic autonomy --prioritising national self-interest over ideological alignment. 'This has meant buying discounted Russian oil despite Western sanctions, continuing defence cooperation with Moscow, rejecting external mediation on its terms with Pakistan, and holding firm in trade negotiations with the US even under tariff threats. 'It has also meant embracing a leadership role in forums like BRICS, reshaping them into platforms for articulating the concerns of the Global South rather than echoing Western orthodoxy,' the report noted. The announcement of a 25% US tariff on Indian exports marks a moment of reckoning for this posture. The tariff decision by the US seems as much a negotiating ploy as a policy marker -- part punitive, part performative. 'There have been ample flip flops by the US on tariff issues relating to India. However, India is not alone here. The current US administration has done similar flip flops with most other major trade partners including Canada, China, EU and Mexico,' the Anand Rathi report noted. "While Trump is talking tough, negotiations are still in progress. The biggest point of contention is market access for US agricultural and dairy products," said Aditi Raman, Associate Economist, Moody's Analytics. India is concerned about the threat to livelihoods at home; agricultural workers make up 46% of the country's labour force. Given that India opted not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in 2019 because it wanted to protect domestic industries, it is unlikely to now open the door to US competitors, Raman said. According to Raman, both the countries have historically had a strong relationship. The US has increasingly relied on India as a counterbalance to China in the Asia-Pacific region, and the two countries are also part of a security alliance. "It remains to be seen if India can leverage those ties to pull off a better deal," Raman said. Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at venkatacharijagannathan@gmail.com Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Amid controversy over US President Donald Trumps comments linking the use of Tylenol and other related paracetamol products by pregnant women to autism in children, experts and industry executives say that since Indias export of the drug to the US is less, it will hardly affect the countrys pharma exports to America. Photograph: Kylie Cooper/Reuters Nikkhil Masurkar, CEO at Entod Pharmaceuticals, said paracetamol is likely to account for a low single-digit share of Indias US-bound pharma exports and that the recent clinician messaging by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is unlikely to dent the overall US paracetamol demand materially, so Indias export volumes should be largely unaffected. If anything, smaller players could feel more procurement and compliance pressure rather than a demand collapse, he added. US paracetamol supply chains rely heavily on non-Indian sources for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), historically a large share from China, implying Indias export contribution in this single commodity is modest, he added. Last week, President Trump and US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr made controversial claims linking the use of common painkiller Tylenol (acetaminophen) by pregnant women and similar products to an increased risk of autism, while announcing new regulatory guidance alerting physicians. Acetaminophen and paracetamol are the same active medicine, with differences only in name usage. Acetaminophen is used mainly in the US and Japan, while paracetamol is the common name in most of the world. Namit Joshi, chairman for the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), said that the impact will largely depend on how American physicians act on the FDAs advisory. Currently, there is no established link between paracetamol and autism, and physicians remain the final authority, he added. Experts add that over-the-counter (OTC) paracetamol in the US is buyer-consolidated with big retailers and larger private-label contract manufacturers involved, subject to tough quality assurance, continuity of supply, and liability expectations. So, the visible shelf share skews to larger and more established suppliers. Smaller firms, therefore, tend to participate via API supply, contract manufacturing, or limited stock keeping units (SKUs) rather than broad, branded OTC presence, people said. Joshi added that paracetamol accounts for only about 0.56 per cent of Indias overall API exports to the US, valued at roughly $2.77 million in FY25. For FY24, India exported paracetamol products worth $182.31 million, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Of this, exports to the US amounted to $21.98 million. According to reports, a recent review of 46 studies had found links between using Tylenol during pregnancy and a higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD in children. The risk seemed to increase when acetaminophen was taken regularly throughout pregnancy. Following this review, the FDA announced plans to revise the pregnancy safety classification of acetaminophen. Doctors add that while the FDAs recent communications acknowledge studies reporting an association between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental outcomes, the agency still says theres no clear causal evidence and continues to monitor the science. Tripti Raheja, director for Obstetrics and Gynaecology at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, said such studies can show links, but cannot prove that one thing causes another. As a result, current medical guidelines regard acetaminophen as the safest choice for managing pain and fever during pregnancy, compared to other options like ibuprofen or combination drugs such as combiflam. The Congress Hall, the venue for the 2026 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), is pictured in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 19, 2026. The 2026 annual meeting of the WEF opened on Monday evening in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, calling for constructive dialogue in a complex global landscape. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) People attend the welcome reception at the 2026 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 19, 2026. The 2026 annual meeting of the WEF opened on Monday evening in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, calling for constructive dialogue in a complex global landscape. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) People attend the welcome reception at the 2026 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 19, 2026. The 2026 annual meeting of the WEF opened on Monday evening in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, calling for constructive dialogue in a complex global landscape. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) People attend the welcome reception at the 2026 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 19, 2026. The 2026 annual meeting of the WEF opened on Monday evening in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, calling for constructive dialogue in a complex global landscape. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) The US did not accept India's request for consultations under an agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) concerning American tariffs on steel, aluminium, and related derivative products, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff The US has maintained that these measures were introduced on the grounds of national security, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. India, however, considers these measures to be safeguard actions that should have been notified and subjected to consultations under the WTO's Agreement on Safeguards (AoS). "India has accordingly reserved its right to suspend substantially equivalent concessions (right to impose equal trade measures in response) due to the US's non-compliance with its obligations under the AoS," he said. In a separate reply, the minister said India is actively involved in the discussions with the US on the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the aim to expand trade and investment. India-US bilateral trade agreement negotiations were launched in March 2025. Five rounds of negotiations have been held, the last being from July 14-18th, 2025, at Washington, USA. "To safeguard the interests of farmers and the domestic industry, international trade negotiations allow for the inclusion of sensitive, negative, or exclusion lists -- categories of goods on which limited or no tariff concessions are granted," he said. In addition, in case of surge in imports and injury to the domestic industry, a country is allowed to take recourse to trade remedial measures such as anti-dumping and safeguards on imports. In another reply, the minister said India has not taken any decision to suspend or restrict trade or tourism activities with Turkey and Azerbaijan. However, the import from Turkey has declined from $3.78 billion in 2023-24 to $2.99 billion in 2024-25. The major items imported from Turkey during 2024-25 include Petroleum Crude, Gold, Inorganic Chemicals, Granite, Natural Stones and Aircraft & Spacecraft parts. The major items of import from Azerbaijan during 2024-25 include Finished Leather, Medical and Scientific Instruments, Raw Hides and Skins, Fruits/Vegetables Seeds and Hand Tools, Cutting Tools of Metals. Former World Bank Chief Economist Kaushik Basu on Thursday said the US economic policy towards India has taken an unfortunate turn, noting that President Donald Trump's harsh stance against New Delhi appears baffling. Photograph: B Mathur/Reuters US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods from August 1, amid signs of a stalemate in the ongoing bilateral trade negotiations between the two countries. "US economic policy towards India has taken an unfortunate turn," Basu told PTI. He further said that, while arguing that the US has a big trade deficit with India, the US announced a hefty tariff on Indian imports. "But the US trade deficit with India is just $41 billion, nowhere near the deficit with China ($270 billion) or even small countries like Vietnam ($113 billion)," Basu said. He pointed out that President Trump also described India as a "big abuser." "This harsh stance against India seems baffling, but it is a natural outcome of India having become an unquestioning supporter of Donald Trump," Basu said. According to him, the US now takes India for granted as never before. India used to be known for its independent voice, not subservient to any other country. Basu, currently a professor of economics at Cornell University, explained that an important target of US policy is India's agriculture and dairy sectors. "If India gives in to US demands and does a deal along the lines the US is demanding, this will have a negative impact on India's farmers and the agriculture sector," he said. Given that India's agriculture sector is already suffering, with a recent increase in surplus labour, Basu said he hopes both the United States and India will show sensitivity to the situation. Trump, announcing the tariff, listed India's high tariffs, its procurement of "vast majority" of military equipment and energy from Russia, as well as "obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers". India will be paying a "tariff of 25 per cent plus a penalty" from August 1, he said, adding "we have a massive trade deficit with India". The US president, in a social media post, however, described India as a "friend". "While India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers," Trump said. Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of energy along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the killing in Ukraine, he added. "All things not good! India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25 per cent plus a penalty for the above starting on August 1," the US president said. There is no immediate reaction from India to Trump's announcement. A team from the US is scheduled to visit India next month for the next round of negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement. India and the US teams concluded the fifth round of talks for the agreement last week in Washington. India's chief negotiator and special secretary in the Department of Commerce Rajesh Agrawal, and Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch held the deliberations. The Trump administration has sanctioned six Indian companies for their 'significant' sales and purchases of Iranian-origin petrochemical products. Illustration: Dado Ruvic/Reuters "The Iranian regime continues to fuel conflict in the Middle East to fund its destabilising activities. Today, the United States is taking action to stem the flow of revenue that the regime uses to support terrorism abroad, as well as to oppress its own people," the Department of State said on Wednesday, as it announced imposing sanctions on 20 global entities engaged in Iranian petroleum, petroleum products or petrochemical trade. The State Department said multiple companies in India, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye and Indonesia are being designated for their significant sales and purchases of Iranian-origin petrochemical products. "As President Trump has said, any country or person who chooses to purchase Iranian oil or petrochemicals exposes themselves to the risk of U.S. sanctions and will not be allowed to conduct business with the United States," it said. Targeting Iran's petrochemical trade, the US designated 13 entities across multiple jurisdictions which have engaged in the transhipment, sale, and purchase of Iranian-origin petrochemicals. The India-based companies being designated are: Kanchan Polymers -- it has imported and purchased over 1.3 million dollars worth of Iranian-origin petrochemical products, including polyethylene, between February and July 2024 from UAE-based Tanais Trading; Alchemical Solutions -- this is a petrochemical trading company that has imported and purchased Iranian-origin petrochemical products valued at over 84 million dollars from multiple companies between January and December 2024; Ramniklal S Gosalia & Co -- it imported and purchased Iranian-origin petrochemical products valued at over 22 million dollars, including methanol and toluene, from multiple companies between January 2024 and January 2025. Similarly, Jupiter Dye Chem Private Limited is also on the sanctions list for importing and purchasing Iranian-origin petrochemical products, including toluene, valued at over 49 million dollars from multiple companies between January 2024 and January 2025. The remaining two sanctioned Indian companies are also Global Industrial Chemicals Limited and Persistent Petrochem Private Limited, which have done business of over 51 million dollars and 14 million dollars, respectively, with multiple companies mainly during the last year. The companies are being designated for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran. As a result of the sanctions-related actions, all property and interests in property of the designated persons that are in the United States or in possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. The United States will continue to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian regime until Iran accepts a deal that advances regional peace and stability and in which Iran forgoes all aspirations of a nuclear weapon. "Today's actions underscore our resolve to target those who enable Iran's illicit oil and petrochemical trade and to cut off the regime's means of funding its destabilising activities," the State Department said. Separately, the US Treasury Department is designating more than 50 individuals and entities and identifying more than 50 vessels that are part of the vast shipping empire controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, son of Ali Shamkhani, a top political advisor to the Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Treasury Department described this as the 'largest Iran-related action since 2018.' The Treasury statement also names UAE-based Indian national Pankaj Nagjibhai Patel, who has served as an executive on several shipping companies in Hossein's network, including Teodor Shipping, on the sanctions list. Teodor Shipping is a UAE-based vessel management firm that has received millions of dollars from Hossein's network for the management of vessels transporting Iranian petroleum and petroleum products, the department said. Indian nationals Jacob Kurian and Anil Kumar Panackal Narayanan Nair have served as the sole shareholder and director, respectively, of Marshall Islands-based Neo Shipping Inc., the registered owner of the ABHRA, one of the fleet of vessels managed on behalf of Hossein's network, the department said. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Cognizant and eight other major corporations have been questioned by US Senators for filing thousands of H-1B skilled labour visa petitions after conducting "mass layoffs" of American employees. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley and ranking member Richard Durbin have also questioned Amazon, Apple, Deloitte, Google, JPMorgan Chase, Meta, Microsoft, and Walmart, asking them for details on their hiring and recruitment practices as well as any variation in salary and benefits between H-1B visa holders and American employees. The senators said their "inquiry" comes at a time when the unemployment rate in America's tech sector is "well above" the overall jobless rate. According to the Federal Reserve, recent American graduates with STEM degrees now face higher unemployment rates than the general population, they stated. It is pertinent to mention that Senators Grassley and Durbin have been vocal critics of the H-1B visa programme and have consistently contended that these visas are being abused by many to replace US workers with cheaper labour from overseas. In fact, just a few days after their missive to the ten companies, the senators said they are reintroducing bipartisan legislation to "reform and close loopholes" in the H-1B and L-1 visa programs. The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act targets fraud and abuse in US immigration system, provides protection for American workers and visa holders and enhances transparency in the foreign worker recruitment process, the two argued. "In evaluating the high unemployment rate for American tech workers, we cannot ignore the massive, ongoing layoffs ordered by you and your peers in Big Tech C-suites over the past few years "...At the same time you have been laying off your employees, you have been filing H-1B visa petitions for (thousands of) foreign workers, the Senators wrote in letters to 10 major employers in the US on September 25, 2025. They added, "With all of the homegrown American talent relegated to the sidelines, we find it hard to believe that (you) cannot find qualified American tech workers to fill these positions." On TCS, the statement noted that the company recently announced plans to lay off over 12,000 employees, including American staff. "In fiscal year 2025, TCS applied for and received approval to hire 5,505 foreign H1-1B employees. "TCS is currently under investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for allegedly firing older American employees in favour of newly hired foreign H-1B visa holders," it said. It further said Cognizant Technology Solutions laid off thousands of workers, including employees in the US. "In fiscal year 2025, Cognizant applied for and received approval to hire 2,493 foreign H-1B employees. "In 2024, a federal jury concluded Cognizant favoured South Asian H1-B visa holders over American employees, which warranted punitive damages," it added. E-mails sent to TCS and Cognizant for comments by PTI did not elicit a response. The statement by Grassley and Durbin noted that Amazon laid off tens-of-thousands of employees in recent years, blaming the adoption of generative AI tools. In fiscal year 2025, Amazon applied for and received approval to hire 10,044 foreign H-1B employees. Google, it said, laid off tens-of-thousands of employees in recent years, including hundreds of workers in its platform and device unit, and 35 per cent of its small team managers "despite enjoying records profits". In fiscal year 2025, Google applied for and received approval to hire 4,181 foreign H1-B employees, the statement observed. According to it, Meta laid off a quarter of its workforce between 2022 and 2023 and labelled it a "year of efficiency". "In 2025, Meta laid off 3,600 employees, overshooting its stated goal of laying off another five per cent of its workforce. "In fiscal year 2025, Meta applied for and received approval to hire 5,123 foreign H-1B employees," it said. Microsoft applied for and received approval to hire 5,189 foreign H1-B employees in fiscal year 2025, as per the statement. Microsoft laid off 16,000 employees this year alone, despite record revenue and profits, it said adding amid criticism for mass-layoffs, Microsoft characterised its actions as an "enigma of success". The US move to raise the tariff on most Indian goods to 50 per cent could drag Indias GDP growth for FY26 by 35 to 60 basis points, according to various economists. One basis point (bp) is equal to 0.01 per cent. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff While domestic consumption may avert a huge blow to growth, experts feel that it would still be a setback for the economy and may require government intervention. If 50 per cent tariff sticks then there could be an impact of 40 to 60 bps on our baseline forecast of 6.3 per cent, said Sakshi Gupta, principal economist, HDFC Bank. Gupta said the impact would be contingent on a number of factors, including final tariff on China, pace of rupee depreciation and recovery in the domestic economy itself. Analysis by Morgan Stanley Research estimates that if all goods exports are subject to a 50 per cent tariff rate, the direct impact on growth is likely to be 60bps. The indirect impact, it said, could be of a similar magnitude, over a period of 12 months. However, if downside risks persist, we anticipate policy support to step up to bolster domestic growth conditions, Morgan Stanley report said. In FY25, Indias total exports to the US stood at US$86.5bn which is 2.2 per cent of the GDP. While several economists are hopeful that the tariff announcement is not tenable and there could be a settlement between the two countries in the 21-days window, given the current situation the GDP growth would take some hit. We should look at the impact the tariffs could have on nominal GDP growth since it is important for corporate revenue growth, credit demand and fiscal accounting. "The CAD could also widen by 50 bps from our current estimate of 0.8 per cent of GDP for FY26 if current 50 per cent trade tariffs stay, but capital flows are what will matter more from a currency point of view, Tanvee Gupta Jain, Chief India Economist, UBS Securities India said. UBS Securities has so far kept its forecast for FY26 unchanged at 6.4 per cent. Gupta said in FY26 there could be a downside impact of 35 bps to GDP growth and 60 bps in FY27. In the worst case there would be a negative impact of 40 basis points for the GDP growth this financial year, if there is no deal and no package for exporters, said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist, Bank of Baroda. With several factors at play, economists feel how the global growth pans out would also play a role in Indias GDP growth. This is a high impact situation with a low probability, said Vivek Kumar, economist, QuantEco Research. A report by Goldman Sachs estimated that if the new additional duty is enforced, then that would constitute a potential drag of 0.6 percentage points to Indias calendar year GDP growth. We see downside risks to our growth estimates for both CY25 and CY26, but are not making any changes to our growth forecasts at the moment, given that there is a three-week window for negotiations until the new incremental tariffs come into effect, the Goldman Sachs report said. A report by Emkay Strategy said that the additional 25 per cent tariff would decimate Indian exporters to the US and bring exports to the US to a near-complete halt, with second-order hits on employment-heavy sectors like textiles and jewellery. Indias high dependence on domestic consumption will avert any catastrophic growth collapse, although we see the need for targeted stimuli to counter such a move, Emkay Strategy said. Uttar Pradesh's leading export hubs are reeling under the impact of a steep 50 per cent tariff imposed by the US on Indian imports, with exporters warning of job losses, stalled orders and shrinking market access. Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters Industry leaders from Noida, Kanpur and Varanasi said the tariff has put years of painstaking market-building at risk, even as protests and demonstrations erupted in several districts last week. Lalit Thukral, president of the Noida Apparel Export Cluster, said the new tariff would have a "direct and severe impact" on the apparel sector, which contributes significantly to India's export basket. "Noida alone exports apparel worth Rs 50,000 crore annually, with a quarter of that going to the US. "Until now, shipments faced just 12 per cent duty. This sudden 50 per cent tariff will hurt our industry deeply," he told PTI. Thukral said the sector, which employs a large share of unskilled labour, particularly women, could see mounting job losses. "After three or four decades of effort, we secured a strong presence in the US market. "Breaking into new markets overnight is impossible," he said, urging the government to consider waivers or interest-free loans to help exporters recover "at least 15-20 per cent" of the losses. However, he maintained the industry stands by the Centre and the UP government in its decision but also said that it expects the interests of businesses and workers to be safeguarded. In Kanpur and Unnao, the leather industry is also staring at a crisis. Asad Iraqi, regional chairman of the Council for Leather Exports, told PTI that orders worth over Rs 2,000 crore destined for the US have virtually halted. "Shipments are stalled, orders cancelled, and factories grinding down. Shifts are being cut, and the tariff may soon hit employment too," he said. The Kanpur-Unnao cluster, home to nearly 300 tanneries and employing nearly 10 lakh workers, accounts for over 40 per cent of India's leather exports. Exporters are looking to diversify into Russia, Gulf nations and Africa, while also focusing on the UK and Australian markets under ongoing trade talks. Iraqi said the delegation would meet Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on September 4 to discuss relief measures. Varanasi, a hub for Banarasi sarees, saw traders burning posters of US President Donald Trump at a protest last week. Saree trader Sanjeev Mehta said the tariff would disrupt online and courier-based sales to the US. "We don't even know yet how much tax will rise on individual items, but the impact on business is certain," he said. Traders have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take "strong steps" in response. The fresh protests and statements follow similar concerns raised by carpet exporters in Bhadohi, mentha oil producers in Rampur, and brassware exporters in Moradabad. Bhadohi MLA Zahid Beg of the Samajwadi Party on Monday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention in support of the district's famed carpet industry, much of which depends on exports. Beg had earlier written to CM Yogi Adityanath also, seeking a special bailout package to save the carpet industry, which employs 30 lakh people. Exporters in Rampur and Moradabad say orders worth hundreds of crores of rupees have already been stalled, forcing layoffs. The additional 25 per cent tariff that has come into force has effectively doubled duties on Indian goods. The US Department of Homeland Security said the levies apply to all Indian products "entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption" on or after August 27. The Uttar Pradesh government has touted its flagship One District One Product (ODOP) scheme as a model for boosting exports and generating employment. The state's annual exports have surged from Rs 80,000 crore in 2017 to over Rs 2 lakh crore in 2025, driven by textiles, electronics, food processing and handicrafts. Officials say ODOP has helped local artisans and small businesses access global markets through financial and marketing support. However, exporters warn that steep tariffs in a key destination market like the US threaten to undo these gains. Indias micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which contribute over 45 per cent to outbound shipments are facing a major disruption following the United States (US) decision to impose 50 per cent additional tariffs on the countrys exports. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff MSME industry bodies have raised an alarm over the deep impact, seeking immediate government intervention. Vinod Kumar, president of the small and medium enterprises forum (SME Forum), said the hike could lead to an annual loss of over $30 billion in business, with MSMEs being hit the hardest due to their limited financial buffers and capacity constraints. Anil Bhardwaj, secretary general of the Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises, termed the tariff shock as a very tough situation for MSME traders. He said, The new US tariffs of 25 per cent, along with an additional 25 per cent penalty puts Indian exporters at a 30-35 per cent cost disadvantage compared to competitors. "This could potentially cut US-bound exports by 40-50 per cent, if there is no solution found by August 27. Kumar called the hike a serious wake-up call for policymakers and exporters alike. This is not just a disruption its an opportunity to pivot, he said. He added, Indian MSMEs must rise to the occasion by building new linkages with underserved, high-growth regions and broadening our global footprint. Kumar emphasised the need to diversify Indias export geography by tapping into under-served but high-potential regions, such as Africa, Latin America, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the Pacific Islands, and the Caribbean. These are markets that represent over $60 billion in untapped export potential. These regions are actively seeking reliable suppliers in sectors where Indian MSMEs already demonstrate strength, including pharmaceuticals, agri and non-agri machinery, processed foods, and garments. Bhardwaj called for urgent government intervention through fiscal and non-fiscal measures to support affected MSMEs and advocated for a parallel push towards market diversification. He said while there is room to expand trade under agreements with the UK, Australia, UAE, and the European Free Trade Association, Indian MSMEs would need extensive capacity building. There is a need to identify and penetrate these markets and meet increasingly stringent quality, packaging, and compliance standards, he further said. To strengthen MSMEs in the face of these challenges, the India SME Forum is working with the government to expand access to digital trade platforms, provide timely and affordable export financing, and offer real-time market intelligence. Adding a note of cautious optimism, Hemant Jain, president of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said India has the economic depth to weather this storm. The additional 25 per cent tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump on India is set to deliver a major blow to West Bengal's export-driven economy, with the state's labour-intensive leather, engineering and marine sectors expecting losses ahead of the festive season, stakeholders said. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters The increased levies on Indian products for the country's purchases of Russian oil came into effect on Wednesday, bringing the total amount of tariff imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent. Exporters said shipments and even production are "currently on hold", amid geopolitical headwinds, intensified by the US tariffs. According to trade estimates, the move will impact at least Rs 45,000 crore worth of Indian exports, with Bengal among the "hardest-hit" states. Labour-intensive industries are under severe pressure. In marine exports, the maximum of Bengal's annual shipments may collapse," Yogesh Gupta, regional chairman (East) of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) and a leading marine exporter, told PTI. The state accounts for 12 per cent of India's seafood exports, dominated by prawn varieties cultivated in North and South 24-Parganas and Purba Medinipur district. "Out of the current total exports of Rs 8,000 crore to the US from West Bengal, marine shipments worth at least Rs 5,000-6,000 crore from the state are on direct hit," Seafoods Exporters Association of India (East) chairman Rajarshi Banerji said. Gupta warned that around 7,000-10,000 jobs in processing units, and many more at the farm level, are at risk as states like Andhra Pradesh will begin to compete with Bengal in non-US markets. Currently, Andhra Pradesh-based exporters are more focused on the US, with a large presence in the country. The leather industry also faces the brunt of the increased levies, with the US among its largest buyers. Bantala leather hub, near Kolkata, alone employs five lakh people. "Only India and Brazil face a 50 per cent tariff, while Southeast Asia enjoys a much lower 19-20 per cent rate, which will kill Indian exports to the US, said Md Azar, senior vice-president of the Indian Leather Products Association. West Bengal accounts for nearly half of India's leather exports, valued at Rs 5,000-6,000 crore annually, with the US absorbing about 20 per cent. Kolkata, one of the country's largest leather goods hubs, houses 538 tanneries, 230 footwear units and 436 leather goods facilities. Industry officials cautioned that the shock may ripple into European markets too, as Kolkata-made goods are often routed through Europe before being shipped to the US. Exporters are exploring workarounds, including partial production in Europe, to obtain a Made in Europe tag for entry into the American market, they said. The footwear category is expected to be hit the hardest, as it represents 40 per cent of global leather exports. In FY'25 alone, India's leather footwear shipments to the US were close to $500 million, the industry stakeholders said. The engineering goods sector is also vulnerable. Engineering Export Promotion Council's (EEPC) former chairman and a leading casting exporter Rakesh Shah said the US accounts for about $20-21 billion of India's engineering exports, of which nearly $1 billion goes from West Bengal. Anywhere between 50,000 and 1 lakh jobs in the foundry-related industry of West Bengal are linked to this trade, he noted. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in a draft order published on Monday, said the increased levies would hit Indian products that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on August 27, 2025. Trump had announced reciprocal tariffs of 25 per cent on India that came into effect on August 7, when levies on about 70 other nations also kicked in. On August 7, the US president announced doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent for India's purchases of Russian crude oil, but gave a 21-day window to negotiate an agreement. US President Donald Trump's announcement of 25 per cent tariff on all goods coming from India starting August 1, plus an unspecified penalty, is expected to impact Apple's plans to expand iPhone manufacturing in India as well as export of other electronics to the US. Photograph: Kent J Edwards/Reuters The move comes at a time when Indian electronics production is reeling under pressure due to restrictions imposed by China on supply of several critical components, capital goods and even skilled technology professionals. According to industry experts, while Chinese restrictions may slow down production, US tariff will impact exports of electronics from India. "Today's sudden announcement of 25 per cent tariffs on exports from India to the US will certainly hit Apple's plan of making India as a large export hub for iPhone exports to US," IDC India, South Asia & ANZ, associate vice-president for devices research, Navkendar Singh, said. He said the US makes up around 25 per cent of iPhone shipments for Apple -- around 60 million per annum. "To meet the iPhone demand in the US from iPhone assembled in India requires significant manufacturing expansion in India, which will be directly impacted by these new tariffs," Singh said. According to multiple sources, Apple plans to increase iPhone production to 60 million units this year from about 35-40 million units that it produced in 2024-25. Apple CEO Tim Cook, during the earnings call for the second quarter ended March 29 had announced that all iPhones sold in the US during the April-June period will be shipped from India. India-made iPhones are assembled in Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn's factory in Tamil Nadu. "For Apple, near-term challenges include higher costs on India-assembled iPhones exported to the US, potentially dampening demand and prompting recalibration of its supply chain. "While some long-term shifts towards US-based production are in motion, India will remain a critical lynchpin in Apple's global strategy," CyberMedia Research, Industry Research Group (IRG), vice president (VP), Prabhu Ram said. An emailed query sent to Apple did not elicit any reply. Ram said China's export restrictions present near-term headwinds to India's electronics manufacturing ambitions, particularly in critical materials and components. India must intensify its efforts to reduce upstream dependencies and accelerate the build-out of a resilient, end-to-end supply chain. Industry players remain confused if the 25 per cent duty announced by Trump will be imposed in addition to the existing 10 per cent baseline tariff. The 10 per cent tariff, which currently applies to most Indian goods barring a few, was announced by Trump on all countries on April 2. Electronics components bodies Elcina, secretary general, Rajoo Goel, is of the view that the US will impose 15 per cent additional tariff over 10 per cent. "A 15 per cent increase in import duty will definitely impact our exports of electronics, a major share of which is finished mobiles. "But there are several electronic assemblies for telecom, auto, consumer equipment and some components which will be adversely impacted," Goel said. He said China's hostile steps can impact the supply side and increase costs as production will be impacted, at least in the short term till alternatives are developed. "Increase in tariffs by the US will affect exports, shrinking demand. Both these steps could result in slowing growth," Goel said. IESA and SEMI India president Ashok Chandak said, "India does not have any major advantage compared to other Asian countries anymore if the 25 per cent tariff above baseline 10 per cent is continued. "However, it also underlines the urgency for India's electronics sector to diversify export markets, deepen domestic markets, develop brands and products, and move up the value chain to reduce dependency on price-sensitive, tariff-exposed exports." As India does not make semiconductors, it won't be affected in the short term, he said, adding that India needs to come out of the shadow of China to be competitive. The Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has urged the Centre to provide immediate relief measures as the tariffs imposed by the United States have started hitting the industry. Image used for representation purpose only. Photograph: Niharika Kulkarni/Reuters US tariffs of 50 per cent on Indian goods came into effect on August 27. GJEPC executive director Sabyasachi Ray told PTI that exporters had "front-loaded" shipments to the US, anticipating tariff action, but the unexpected penal duty has left the industry reeling. "The market will be hit further if the concerns are not addressed within a quarter. "A lot of demand had already been shipped to the US market before the tariff was implemented. "Now the industry requires immediate extension of credit timelines from 90 days to say 180 days or more, moratorium in installment payment and interest equalisation to provide respite immediately," he said. Front-loading is the accelerated shipment of goods to their destination before an expected disruption, such as a tariff increase, labour strike, or other regulatory change. Ray was in Kolkata to attend a conclave organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on the diamond industry. According to the GJEPC, overall gross exports of gems and jewellery witnessed an increase of 15.98 per cent to $2.17 billion in July, and overall gross imports grew 26.55 per cent to $1.8 billion. The US remains India's largest market for diamonds, and the fallout of the tariffs is expected to be severe on Surat, which accounts for nearly 90 per cent of the world's diamond processing and directly employs about two lakh workers. The export promotion council submitted a detailed memorandum to the government on August 28, seeking policy, monetary, and banking interventions to help exporters withstand the disruption. Among its key demands, GJEPC has sought an extension of the export obligation period under duty-free gold import schemes from 90 days to six months for exports to the US, and permission for SEZ units to undertake reverse job work and offload inventory into the domestic market. On the monetary front, the industry has recommended a reimbursement mechanism covering 25-50 per cent of the additional US tariffs for the August-December 2025 period, and enhanced market access assistance for participation in global exhibitions and promotion of Indian jewellery abroad. The memorandum also calls for deferment of interest on working capital loans, a six-month moratorium on packing credit loans related to US exports, reintroduction of the interest equalisation scheme for exporters, and extension of pre-shipment finance by 90 days. With exports slowing and orders being cancelled, GJEPC has highlighted the risk of job losses and urged support measures for workers, including restructuring of personal loans, education grants for girl children, and temporary coverage under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Ray expressed hope that the "penal tariff" would be short-lived. "We believe an understanding of the larger dimensions of the India-US relationship will eventually prevail," he added. CAPE TOWN, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and two others wounded in two separate shooting incidents in the early hours of Tuesday in Cape Town, South Africa's legislative capital, police said. In a statement, Western Cape provincial police said the first shooting was reported at about 2:50 a.m. local time on Tuesday in Melck Street in Ndabeni, an area under the Maitland policing precinct. Officers were alerted by a passer-by after a dog was seen lying in a pool of blood. "Upon responding, members discovered three women aged between 20 and 52, and an adult male, inside an informal dwelling," the statement said. "All four victims sustained fatal gunshot wounds and were declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel." Police said the circumstances surrounding the incident were under investigation and that no arrests had been made. Detectives from the Serious Violent Crime Unit were following up on all leads. About five minutes later, in an unrelated incident, police responded to another shooting at the Maitland Cemetery along Voortrekker Road in Kensington. Four men were found with gunshot wounds, police said. Two men, aged 35 and 36, were declared dead at the scene, while two others, aged 31 and 32, were taken to a medical facility for treatment. The motive for the attack was believed to be gang-related, according to the police statement. Anti-Gang Unit detectives are investigating two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder in that case. No arrests have yet been made. "SAPS Western Cape strongly condemns the senseless violence that claimed six lives and left two others injured during separate shooting incidents," the statement said, adding that police "will relentlessly pursue those responsible with the full might of the law and remain committed to restoring safety in affected communities." Very sensitive items -- such as apples, which carry political weight and are closely tied to farmer interests in states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand -- may face restricted concessions. IMAGE: A labourer sorts freshly arrived wheat at the grain market in Amritsar. Photograph: ANI Photo In its delicate negotiations on agricultural items under the proposed trade deal with the United States, India has drawn clear red lines, categorising its farm commodities into three distinct buckets -- non-negotiable, very sensitive, and liberal -- based on their economic and political sensitivity, said a government official. Staples such as rice and wheat fall under the non-negotiable category, where no tariff concessions will be entertained. Very sensitive items -- such as apples, which carry political weight and are closely tied to farmer interests in states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand -- may face restricted concessions, possibly through minimum import prices (MIP) or tariff-rate quotas. However, for high-value, niche imports largely consumed by India's affluent -- including almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and blueberries -- New Delhi is taking a liberal approach, signalling a readiness to drastically reduce tariffs as part of a broader give-and-take on trade. Though both countries have committed to signing a mutually beneficial Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by this fall, India is pushing for an early tranche in order to avoid a 26 per cent reciprocal tariff scheduled to come into force from Wednesday, July 9. IMAGE: Women winnow rice in a village, in Morigaon. Photograph: ANI Photo "The focus under the early tranche deal is on market access, as the US is prioritising reducing its trade deficit with key trade partners. Other parts of the trade deal will be taken up later," said the government official. On the issue of agricultural market access under the proposed deal, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick underscored the need for political will on both sides. 'The US understands (the political influence of) farmers and ranchers. These are the kind of people who have lots of political voices and we understand that,' Lutnick said. 'So what we try to do is find the path that is acceptable politically at home and for us as well. 'We'll find that path together. It's just a smart way of doing it. We have that same political will here.' IMAGE: A farmer shows freshly harvested almonds at a village in Srinagar. Photograph: Imran Nissar/ANI Photo Ahead of the April 2 announcement of reciprocal tariffs, US agricultural commodity associations -- representing items including milk, rice, wheat, soybean, corn, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, blueberries, cherries and table grapes -- raised concerns over what they described as high domestic subsidies and significant trade barriers in India. This came in response to a review of unfair trade practices by partner countries, launched by the US trade representative. The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) said India represents tremendous potential for US dairy exports, which are currently limited by a combination of non-tariff barriers and steep tariffs. 'Given that US dairy exports to India reached $52 million in 2024 just in the limited dairy products permitted to enter, IDFA believes the India market potential, if restrictions were lifted, is at least twice that amount due to significant demand in India for lactose, casein, and whey protein concentrates and isolates, which have historically been restricted,' the association stated. The US Wheat Associates highlighted what it termed 'high levels of domestic support' for wheat production in India and trade-distorting high tariffs aimed at discouraging imports. 'Compliance on trade-distorting domestic subsidy spending would send better market signals and increase economic returns to US producers (by $792 million by 2031/32),' it said. IMAGE: A farmer peels a husk from a cob of corn during a harvest on the outskirts of Jabalpur. Photograph: ANI Photo The Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) pointed to India's continued import prohibition on genetically modified corn and ethanol for fuel, despite its ambitious biofuel targets. 'If US corn were able to access just 15 per cent of Indian corn imports in the marketing year 2023/2024, farmers would have received about $22 million. 'If the Government of India allowed the import of US ethanol for fuel use and we achieved just 5 per cent market share, those exports would be worth $237 million annually, ICGA said. The American Soybean Association said India continues to be a difficult market for US soy exports due to what it described as 'significant tariff and non-tariff barriers' favouring domestic producers over foreign imports. 'The US has actively sought bilateral and multilateral opportunities to increase market access, so far without yielding improvements. 'Soybeans and soybean products face tariffs from 15 per cent to 45 per cent,' the association said. The Almond Alliance, which represents farmers behind the largest US agricultural commodity exports to India, said that a reduction in import duties for inshell and kernel almonds would give the US a more competitive footing against Australia, which already enjoys a 50 per cent duty advantage under its trade deal with New Delhi. The North American Blueberry Council (NABC) noted that fresh and frozen blueberries currently face a 10 per cent tariff in India, while processed blueberries are subject to tariffs ranging 10 to 50 per cent. "India's tariffs are unwarranted and constrain US blueberries exports. 'NABC urges USTR to pursue the elimination of India's tariffs on US fresh, frozen, and processed blueberries through any available opportunity.' IMAGE: A farmer shows fresh harvested cherries from a cherry orchard in Budgam. Photograph: ANI Photo The California Cherry Board (CCB) said that although India represents a potential growth market, US exports are held back by India's high 30 per cent tariff on fresh cherry imports. 'To facilitate the growth of US cherry exports to India, the CCB seeks the elimination of India's tariff on imports of sweet cherries through any available opportunity. 'The CCB would support a US-India trade agreement that achieved this objective,' it said. IMAGE: A farmer shows freshly harvested grapes in Ganderbal. Photograph: ANI Photo The California Table Grape Commission said that US fresh grape exports have lost market share to Australia and Chile, which benefit from reduced import duties under their respective trade agreements with India. 'The commission asks USTR to seek the elimination of India's high 30 per cent tariff on US fresh (grapes) through any available opportunity and to pursue reforms to India's import and taxation system to reduce the burdens on trade,' it added. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff A day before US President Donald Trump's additional 25 per cent tariff kicks in, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made a vehement pitch for swadeshi and Make in India that should help create jobs in the country. Photograph: ANI Photo Swadeshi should be everyone's life mantra and irrespective of who is investing, production must take place domestically, Modi asserted on a day when Japan's Suzuki Motor Corporation committed to invest over Rs 70,000 crore in the country in the next five to six years. The government's 'Make in India' initiative has created a favourable environment for both global and domestic manufacturers and the world will drive electric vehicles that are made in India, Modi said. He was speaking after flagging off exports of Maruti Suzuki's first electric vehicle, the e VITARA, from the Hansalpur facility in Gujarat to over 100 countries and also inauguration of production of lithium-ion battery, cell and electrode manufacturing for strong hybrid electric vehicles. "My definition of swadeshi is very simple: it doesn't matter whose money is invested, whether it is dollars, pounds, whether the currency is black or white, it doesn't matter to me. "What matters is that in production, the sweat belongs to my countrymen. "The money may be someone else's, but the sweat is ours," he asserted. "By 2047 we will build such a Bharat that your future generations will take pride in your sacrifices, will take pride in your contributions," he added. In that way, Maruti Suzuki is also a swadeshi company, he said. The world will drive electric vehicles that are made in India, he said. Today is a great day for 'Make in India' as e-vehicles made in the country will be exported to 100 countries. The world will drive electric vehicles that are made in India, he said. The Make in India initiative has created a favourable environment for both global and domestic manufacturers, Modi said. Lauding India-Japan ties, he said both countries are "made for each other". Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation will invest Rs 70,000 crore in the next five to six years in India to strengthen its operations in the country, its Representative Director and President Toshihiro Suzuki said on Tuesday. Speaking at the event, Suzuki Motor Corporation Representative Director and President Toshihiro Suzuki said, "Suzuki will invest over Rs 70,000 crore in India, over the next 5-6 years." Later, in an interaction with reporters, Maruti Suzuki India chairman R C Bhargava said the investments would be to meet the company's target of achieving 40 lakh units annually. "We are expanding to 4 million (units annually). So the expansion of 4 million units capacity, with all the supporting infrastructure and investment in R&D, and new technologies, all of that takes a lot of money," Bhargava said when asked about areas where the investments are proposed to be made. About the finalisation of the second plant to be set up in Gujarat, which was announced last year for an investment of Rs 35,000 crore, Bhargava said, "I am hoping we will be answering that question more specifically after the GST Council meeting (on September 4) because after that everybody will be making an estimate of what the impact of the GST decisions are going to be on future growth." He, however, declined to comment on the implications of the proposed changes in GST slabs. Suzuki Group, of which Maruti Suzuki India is a part, has already invested over Rs 1 lakh crore in India. These investments have also led to the creation of over 11 lakh direct jobs in the value chain. On the e VITARA, Bhargava said it will be for the export markets, and no timeline has been set for launching the vehicle in the domestic market. Manufactured exclusively at Suzuki Motor Gujarat (SMG), a unit of Maruti Suzuki India, the first batch of export-bound e VITARA will be shipped from Pipavav port to the European region, including the UK, Germany, Norway, France, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Austria, and Belgium. On the reasons for Maruti Suzuki not launching the e VITARA in India as yet, Bhargava said, apart from meeting export order obligations, cost factors have played a part, as the price of the EV is still on the higher side, as the battery is imported. Toshihiro Suzuki said the Gujarat facility, which serves customers across India and global markets, will soon become one of the world's largest automobile manufacturing hubs, with a planned capacity of 10 lakh units. He further said, "We chose this facility to manufacture the e VITARA, our first BEV and make it a global production hub for this model. "We will export this "Made-in-India BEV" to over 100 countries, including Japan and Europe." The company's second major milestone is the "start of production of India's first lithium-ion battery and cell with electrode level localisation, which are used in our hybrid vehicles", Suzuki added. These are being manufactured at the Toshiba Denso Suzuki plant here, he added. "With only raw material and some semiconductor parts coming from Japan, this is a big salute to Atmanirbhar Bharat. "We will use a multi-powertrain strategy, including Electric, Strong Hybrid, ethanol flex fuel, and compressed biogas, to achieve carbon neutrality and climate change goals," Suzuki noted. The imposition of a 100 per cent tariff by the US on imports of branded and patented pharmaceutical products starting October 1 may not significantly hurt Indian drug makers, with Sun Pharma being exposed to some headline risk but with limited earnings impact, according to analysts. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters Among Indian companies, only Sun Pharma has sizeable sales from patented drugs in the US (about 17 per cent of 2024-25 revenue), HSBC Global Investment Research said in a report. The US last week announced the imposition of a 100 per cent tariff on branded or patented drugs entering the United States from October 1, except for pharmaceutical companies building manufacturing plants in the US. The exemption covers projects where construction has started, including sites that have broken ground or are under construction. HSBC said Sun Pharma reported global sales of $1.217 billion from patented products in FY25, of which the US market accounted for about $1.1 billion (85-90 per cent of global sales), amounting to 17 per cent of total revenue and 8-10 per cent of consolidated EPS in FY25. "Generic (off-patent) drugs remain exempt from US tariffs, hence there is no impact for other Indian companies," it added. Anuj Sethi, senior director, Crisil Ratings, said the new tariff "may not significantly hurt Indian drug makers", as exports to the US - accounting for 20 per cent of the Indian pharmaceuticals market- primarily comprise generic, off-patent medicines, which may not come within the ambit of these tariffs. "To be sure, some domestic formulation makers have a niche presence in the branded and patented drugs space, but the contribution of those drugs to their revenue is modest," he said. "Moreover, given the largely non-discretionary nature of these products, the majority of the tariff cost is likely to be passed through. "Some of these domestic companies also have manufacturing facilities in the US, which would make them exempt from the new levies." HSBC said that currently, Sun's patented products are mostly manufactured by global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) partners, e.g. for Ilumya, its largest product in the patented portfolio (56 per cent of total patented product sales in FY25), drug substance is done by a CDMO partner based in South Korea, while the finished dose is manufactured by a European CDMO. "While this tariff development is broadly negative for Sun Pharma, we think the tariff impact on earnings depends on multiple moving parts - spread of supply chain (from active ingredients to Fill-Finish), IP location of the brand, the use of third-party manufacturers, etc. "In the worst case, Sun would have to shift manufacturing to CDMO partners with plants in the US," it said. Sun could also transfer the manufacturing of patented products to its three plants in the US. It could announce new capex or acquire a manufacturing plant in the US (it has cash of over $3 billion as of the June 2025 quarter). "In any scenario, moving supply chains, tech-transfer, plant re-purposing, etc. would take considerable time (anywhere from 6-24 months) and resources in our view," it said. High US tariffs are expected to affect close to 8 per cent of India's overall auto component production, ratings firm Icra said on Wednesday. Photograph: Kind courtesy Tomasz Mikolajczyk/Pixabay Indian auto component exporters are at a relative disadvantage compared to most other Asian exporting nations, highlighting the importance of concluding an India-US bilateral trade agreement, it added. Auto component exports contribute nearly 30 per cent to the industry's revenues, with the US alone accounting for 27 per cent of this share. "As a result, close to 8 per cent of India's overall auto component production is expected to be directly affected by the recently announced tariffs," Icra stated. The imposition of a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods places Indian auto component exporters at a disadvantage compared to their Asian counterparts, as countries such as China, Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia face lower tariffs of 1530 per cent, it pointed out. Further, manufacturers in Mexico and Canada remain exempt under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), further intensifying competitive pressures on Indian exporters, it added. Exports of auto components from India to the US have been rising steadily, moving from $4.1 billion in FY2021 to $6 billion in FY2022, $6.5 billion in FY2023, $6.8 billion in FY2024, and are estimated to reach $7.3 billion in FY2025. Geography-wise, exports comprise 29 per cent of the country's auto component industry, with domestic sales accounting for 56 per cent and replacement demand for 15 per cent, Icra said. Within exports, Europe accounts for 30 per cent, the US 27 per cent, Asia 26 per cent, Latin America 3 per cent, and other regions 13 per cent, it added. As the 50 per cent US tariffs on the Indian imports came into effect on Wednesday, the stakeholders of the diamond industry in Surat believe that the market will be affected due to US' decision only for a short period of time as India controls 90% of diamond production. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters Jagdish Khunt, who is the President of Surat Diamond Association, said that the tariffs will affect the Surat diamond industry for a short period of time. He said that no other country can replace India as 90 per cent of the world's diamond production is done in the country. "There is no doubt that 50% US tariff will affect Surat diamond industry, but the effect will be short-term, not long-term. "No other country can replace India, as we account for 90 per cent of the world's diamond production (cutting and polishing of natural diamonds). The US will have to remain dependent on India," he said. Jayesh Patel, a diamond manufacturer and trader, believes that every country has its own policy, and as the US is a large market, the diamond industry will face certain challenges. He further stated that if the tariffs continue in the future then they will find markets in other countries. "Every country has its own policy. We will have to see how it goes. "Since the US is a very large market, we may face some challenges due to tariffs; however, there are also European nations and Russia where we can sell. "The PM is right in saying that we should not bow down before any country. "If this continues, we might have to scale down our business and find markets in other countries," Jayesh Patel told ANI. Meanwhile Trump's 50 per cent tariffs kicked in today, posing significant challenges for India's low-margin and labour-intensive export sectors. This follows the draft notice published by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that stated that the order would come in effect from August 27. According to the notice, the additional duties are being imposed to give effect to the President's Executive Order 14329 of August 6, 2025, titled "Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of the Russian Federation. The higher duties are applicable to all Indian products that are either entered for consumption in the US or withdrawn from warehouses for consumption. With this, the 50 per cent tariffs on India's imports to the U.S. are now in effect. Cooking oil is often discarded after being used for frying at home or in restaurants. IMAGE: Used cooking oil is filtered to remove impurities. Photograph: Emily Chow/Reuters However, a refinery of IndianOil has now won a certification to use the same oil to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the company chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney said. SAF is an alternative fuel made from non-petroleum feedstocks that reduces emissions from air transportation. It can be blended up to 50 per cent in conventional aviation turbine fuel (ATF or jet fuel), depending on availability. India has mandated 1 per cent SAF blending in jet fuel sold to international airlines from 2027. IndianOil's Panipat refinery in Haryana has won the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) ISCC CORSIA certification (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification - ISCC - developed under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) to produce SAF from used cooking oil, he said. "We are the only company in the country to get this certification," he said. "The refinery will start producing some 35,000 tonnes per annum of SAF from the end of the calendar year." The production will be enough to meet the mandated 1 per cent blending requirement for the country in 2027, he added. Explaining the process, agencies will collect used cooking oil from large users, such as hotel chains, restaurants, and snacks and sweets producing companies like Haldiram, and supply it to Panipat refinery. Panipat refinery will use this oil to produce SAF, he said. Large hotels and restaurant chains normally discard cooking oil after one use. At present, this used cooking oil is collected by agencies and exported. "There is a large amount of such oil available in the country. The only challenge is collection. "While it is easy to collect from large hotel chains, a solution needs to be found for collection from small users, including households," he said. Parallely, the company has also set up a Rs 5,000 crore plant at its Koyali refinery in Gujarat to produce Butyl Acrylate (BA), which is used in making paints. The 150,000 tonnes per annum Butyl Acrylate plant, only second in India after BPCL's unit at Kochi refinery, will help end 320,000 tonnes of annual paint feedstock that the country currently imports, Sahney noted. State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has been at the forefront of innovations, particularly in the areas of green energy, sustainable solutions, and technological advancements. The firm is working on renewable energy sources, like 2G ethanol, fuel cells, bio-diesel, and energy storage devices. "The paint industry is growing at a CAGR of 13-14 per cent, and the bulk of the raw material they use is imported. In July, we commissioned the BA unit at Koyali refinery, which will eliminate the need to import, saving foreign exchange for the country," he said. Together with the Kochi plant, the new unit can substitute as much as 80-90 per cent of imports, he said. On green hydrogen, Sahney said the company awarded a tender for the country's largest green hydrogen plant to L&T. "The 10,000 tonnes a year green hydrogen unit at the Panipat refinery will be ready in 27 months," he said. Green hydrogen, produced from splitting water using renewable energy, is a clean energy source that only emits water vapour and leaves no residue in the air, unlike coal and oil. It can be used in industries and automobiles as fuel, but the prohibitive production cost has been a stumbling block. India has relatively cheaper renewable energy (electricity produced from sunlight and wind), which has helped keep green hydrogen production cost at less than $4 per kg, the chairman said, adding that IndianOil will use the fuel in its Panipat refinery. Refineries, currently, use grey hydrogen - hydrogen produced from fossil fuels - in hydrocracking units to produce fuels like petrol and jet fuels. "IndianOil remains agile and nimble in product innovation and meeting fast-changing energy dynamics," Sahney said. "A lot of other innovations are in the works, which will be unveiled when they mature." Explaining the SAF certification process, he said, "SAF produced at IOC's Panipat refinery has undergone rigorous assessment for lifecycle carbon emissions and traceability, creating a clear pathway for Indian airlines to integrate certified SAF into their operations." Certifications like ISCC CORSIA ensure the fuel meets environmental and social standards. The certification also sets a benchmark for other domestic refiners and industry players to scale up SAF production, in line with the government's vision of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. With this recognition, IOC has once again reaffirmed its role as a trailblazer in India's energy transition, bringing India closer to a greener and cleaner aviation future. India plans to mandate blending of SAF with conventional ATF in a staged manner. One per cent SAF blending in ATF sold to all international flights is to start from 2017 and increase to 2 per cent in the following year. SpiceJet had flown a test flight, using a blend of 75 per cent regular ATF and 25 per cent biofuel in August 2018. Subsequently, IndiGo did a demonstration flight using a 10 per cent SAF blend on an international flight in February 2022. While CORSIA is a key part of the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) strategy to achieve carbon-neutral growth for international flights going ahead, Cotecna is a leading provider of testing, inspection and certification services. 'The chief minister believes that the poorest of the poor have the first right on government resources.' IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Photograph: ANI Photo Mamata Banerjee's economic priorities have long been clear. In 2011, she created history by ending the Left Front's 34-year rule in West Bengal piggybacking on the movements against land acquisition in Singur and Nandigram -- sites for a Tata Nano factory and a proposed 14,000-acre chemical hub, respectively. More than a decade later, Banerjee-led government's move to revoke industrial incentives to free up resources for welfare schemes, underscores that strategic direction once again, ahead of the assembly elections next year. Welfare over industry? The Revocation of West Bengal Incentive Schemes and Obligations in the Nature of Grants And Incentives Act was notified by the state government on April 2, 2025. The Bill, passed in the assembly in March, received the governor's assent thereafter. The Act revokes all incentives granted to industries since 1993 and takes effect retrospectively from the date of implementation of each of the schemes. The stated objective is to free up state finances for various social welfare schemes for the socio-economically disadvantaged and marginalised sections and not to expend on providing special assistance, financial incentives, state support, benefits, concessions, or special privileges (to the industry) at the cost of the marginalised. The Bill tabled in the assembly had highlighted that the positive impact of the incentives had been largely confined to a limited number of beneficiaries and had a minimal effect on the broader process of industrialisation. Sources in the government point out that when resources are limited, spends need to be prioritised. "The chief minister believes that the poorest of the poor have the first right on government resources." Small wonder, given that 'Ma-Mati-Manush' is central to Banerjee's narrative. The ripple effect Incentives -- or the lack thereof and outstanding dues -- have long been a pet peeve of the industry. Also, the Revocation Act is stirring unease in business circles within the state- drawing a line on the issue with unmistakable finality. Even though the Act was notified in the first week of April, companies are just about taking note of it. There are financial implications and many are said to be weighing legal options. The legislation, which takes effect retrospectively, is bad in law, says N G Khaitan, Senior Partner, Khaitan & Co. "The industry has a strong case in this--many companies are likely to challenge it," he says. "If companies don't challenge it, they will have to write-off any outstanding amount," he added. Cement maker Nuvoco Vistas Corporation, informed stock exchanges that its wholly owned subsidiary NU Vista, had filed a writ petition before the Calcutta high court challenging the constitutional validity of the Revocation Act. And Nuvoco is in the process of filing its own plea. On account of the Revocation Act, incentives of Rs 427.14 crore and Rs 300.44 crore to be received by the Nuvoco and NU Vista Limited, respectively, were likely to be impacted, the notice said. Earlier this month, Dalmia Bharat said that it was examining the Revocation Act and considering all legal options, including challenging the legal validity and retrospective applicability. MP Birla group's flagship Birla Corporation echoed the same view. A competitive landscape Will this blunt West Bengal's industrial pitch -- that's the big question doing the rounds. Communist Party of India-Marxist's West Bengal state secretary Mohammed Salim says all states are wooing industries with incentives. "In West Bengal, we are having investor summits, but proper steps are not being taken to get investment. The investment climate that we created, is lost," he adds. An industry executive believes that a new industrial policy may be in the works for employment generating industries. "State finances are tight. The approach is that incentives, if any, should go to sectors that create jobs rather than handing it out to capital-intensive industries." But states are vying with each other to bag big-ticket investments and offering incentives. "Therefore, large investments are going elsewhere," the executive points out. Abhirup Sarkar, former professor of economics at the Indian Statistical Institute, concurs that there is competition among states, but adds that this is a signal from the government about its priorities -- which is welfare schemes. "From an ethical standpoint, it can be argued that it is the government's responsibility to support the underprivileged. Those setting up industries should be subjected to market competition. If they can't, their efficiency comes into question," says Sarkar. More welfare push expected It is widely expected that the state government will put more money into welfare schemes ahead of the Assembly election. Political analyst Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury expects Banerjee to lean heavily on her welfare agenda. "We could see more money flowing into welfare schemes later this year or early next year." Welfare schemes are seen to be the cornerstone of Banerjee's success -- and Lakshmir Bhandar (monthly financial support for women), launched in 2021, a clear showstopper. The Budget speech in February had mentioned that the scheme had benefitted 22.1 million women in the state. But that's just one among many -- the Mamata Banerjee government has schemes galore. So far, they seem to have paid rich political dividends, keeping the Opposition at bay. It is likely that the government's priority for the next one year would be to double down on that effort. Reallocating scarce resources from industry could be seen as a move in that direction. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Co-working spaces provider WeWork India is aiming for a revenue growth of over 20 per cent for the coming years, even as its initial public offering (IPO) with only an offer for sale (OFS) component gets valued at Rs 3,000 crore at the top of the price band. Photograph: Kate Munsch/Reuters The IPO opens on October 3, a newspaper advertisement said. Over the last few years, we have seen 20-25 per cent revenue growth, over 30 per cent growth in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (Ebitda). "Even from a capacity standpoint, over the last three years, weve added roughly 20 per cent capacity year-over-year (Y-o-Y). "It will just follow a very similar trend, said Karan Virwani, managing director and chief executive officer, WeWork India. We Work India is the local arm of global parent We Works which filed for bankruptcy in 2023. The company has previously said that the India operations will not be impacted from the global parents bankruptcy proceedings. With the IPO, the companys promoter, Embassy Buildcon, an entity of Bengaluru-based Embassy Group, will sell up to 35.4 million shares, bringing down its stake from 73.56 per cent to about 47-48 per cent. 1 Ariel Way Tenant, a WeWork Global entity and an investor selling shareholder, will sell up to 10.8 million shares, bringing down its stake from 22.64 per cent to about 15-16 per cent. Speaking about the divestment, Virwani said, One part of the disinvestment is to just return the capital invested and be able to use that capital in other parts of Embassy Groups business and continue to strengthen the overall group story as well. "The reason for doing the IPO now is that we feel that over the last eight years, especially in the last two to three years, weve de-risked the business completely. "The need for capital within the business is pretty much zero. Were a fully self-sustaining business. The price band for the IPO has been set to be Rs 615 - Rs 648 per equity share with a face value of Rs 10. The IPO will open on Friday, October 3 and will close on Tuesday, October 7. At the top of the price band, the company is valued at Rs 9,000 crore. The companys revenue from operations increased by 26.67 per cent from Rs 1,314.52 crore in FY23 to Rs 1,665.14 crore in FY24, and also increased by 17.06 per cent from Rs 1,665.13 crore in FY24 to Rs 1,949.21 crore in FY25. In Q1 FY26, the revenue increased by 19.32 per cent to Rs 535.31 crore. As of June 2025, the companys desk capacity in its operational centres was around 1.14 lakh. The company aims to grow its capacity by over 20 per cent going ahead, mostly with the help of its internal accruals. As of June 2025, the companys cash and cash equivalents stood at Rs 8.77 crore, down from Rs 14.04 crore as of June 2024, mainly due to net cash used in investing activities. The company incurred net losses for Q1 FY26 primarily as a result of its depreciation and amortisation expenses, finance costs and operating expenses. In FY25, the company had a restated profit of Rs 128.2 crore, as well as a deferred tax credit of Rs 285.74 crore. In the last few years, the flex industry itself has been growing at about 18-20 per cent. "We are the market leaders. We will continue to push the market. "So we will grow a little bit faster than that to be able to continue to penetrate and actually grow the business from here, Virwani added. As of June 2025, WeWork Indias net debt stood at Rs 297.3 crore. Virwani stated that post-IPO, Embassy will put back some money back into WeWork India, to pare debt. With the cash flows that the business is actually generating by the end of this financial year, we should actually be net debt negative or net debt zero. "The business can sustain this growth. Our Ebitda in FY25 was about Rs 421.25 crore. "The cash flows themselves will pay this (debt) off. "After the rights issue, which we did in January, we paid off a big chunk of the high-cost debt. "Today, the cost of debt is also quite manageable at 11.5 per cent, said Virwani. Virwani believes that a little bit of debt is always healthy and a smart thing to have while operating the business and keeping some liquidity. It may come down or go up slightly, he told Business Standard.' Post-listing, WeWork India will join its peers like Awfis Solutions (market cap of Rs 4,075.3 crore), Indiqube Spaces (Rs 4,830.26 crore), and Smartworks Co-working Spaces (Rs 6.437.58 crore) on the exchanges. Flex spaces across India have been gaining prominence. As per JLL, flex operators leased 10.4 million square feet (msf) of office space in 2019, accounting for 17.7 per cent of the total office leasing. Cut to 2024, the operators leased 15.3 msf of space, accounting for almost 20 per cent of overall office leasing in the country. The appellate tribunal in March this year had deferred the hearing in the case, citing the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules. Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Anton/Pexels Global messaging app WhatsApp and its parent company Meta on Friday told the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) "overstepped its jurisdiction" by ruling on data privacy issues rather than competition issues. A bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan (chairperson) and member (technical) Barun Mitra was hearing Meta Platforms and WhatsApp's application challenging the CCI order imposing a fine of Rs 213.14 crore on the tech giant for alleged abuse of its dominant position related to WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy. It had earlier stayed a part of the CCI order, which had imposed a five-year ban on the company's data-sharing practices in India. "CCI itself gave an undertaking to the Delhi high court that it will not get into data privacy issues. "That is the concern of the legislature and (the matter) is pending before the Supreme Court and high court. "However, all they have done in their entire report is privacy regulation," counsel appearing for WhatsApp told the appellate tribunal. The appellate tribunal in March this year had deferred the hearing in the case, citing the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules. The government has released the draft rules for consultation, with notification expected by this year. Defending the storage of data of its users, WhatsApp's counsel asked the appellate tribunal if using tools to improve their services would qualify as a distortion, as alleged by CCI. The analysis of abuse of dominance by the market regulator is incomplete, he said. "Have I coerced my users? "Fifty-five per cent (of our users) accepted the update (2021). "Where is the grave sense of urgency?... Diverse data collected improves overall user quality and is better aligned with user preferences," the lawyer told the tribunal. He also argued that his competitors, such as Telegram and Signal also keep a track of their DAU (Daily Active Users) and MAU (Monthly Active Users). "Are they also required to disclose these numbers?" the counsel for WhatsApp asked. DAU refers to the number of unique users who engage with a product or app in a single day, while MAU counts the number of unique users who engage within 30 days. Both are key metrics for measuring user engagement, with a higher DAU/MAU ratio indicating that a larger proportion of monthly users are returning to the product daily. On Thursday, Meta told the appellate tribunal that user data collected by it from WhatsApp is its private property to enhance the platform's technology. "By leveraging user data from WhatsApp, Meta can enhance its technology. "It's (user data) collected by me, it's my personal property. Shall I give it to my competitors?" Meta had argued. The appellate tribunal will continue hearing the arguments next week, when CCI will also present its arguments. In January, the appellate tribunal had said that the five-year ban by CCI may lead to the collapse of the business model of WhatsApp since it is a free platform. "The ban of five years, which was imposed in paragraph 247.1 (of CCI order), may lead to the collapse of the business model which has been followed by WhatsApp LLC. "It is also relevant to notice that WhatsApp is providing WhatsApp services to its users free of cost," the order had said. At the same time, the NCLAT refused to stay the fine of Rs 213.14 crore imposed by CCI and told Meta, which owns WhatsApp, to deposit 50 per cent of the fine amount within two weeks for a stay to be effected. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff 'By leveraging user data from WhatsApp, Meta can enhance its technology.' 'It (user data) is collected by me, it's my personal property. Shall I give it to my competitors?' Photograph: Kind courtesy Anton/Pexels User data collected by Meta from WhatsApp is Meta's private property to enhance the platform's technology, the firm argued before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Thursday. The NCLAT was hearing application by Meta Platforms and WhatsApp challenging the Competition Commission of India (CCI) order imposing a fine of 213.14 crore on the tech giant for alleged abuse of its dominant position related to WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy. The appellate tribunal, however, stayed a part of the CCI order, which had imposed a five-year ban on the company's data-sharing practices in India. 'By leveraging user data from WhatsApp, Meta can enhance its technology. It (user data) is collected by me, it's my personal property. Shall I give it to my competitors?', Senior Advocate Arun Kathpalia, appearing for Meta, argued. There is, Kathpalia said, no change in the data sharing policy of 2021 from the privacy policy of 2016. Users who opted out of not sharing their data would continue to do so with the latest privacy policy as well. Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Whatsapp, argued that the CCI has no jurisdiction to declare the date of privacy policy to be banned. 'That's not their jurisdiction. Entire approach of CCI is legally erroneous and outside the purview of Section 4 of the Competition Act,' Sibal argued. Section 4 of India's Competition Act, 2002 prohibits the abuse of a dominant position in a relevant market. Five million users of the messaging platform, Sibal said, never raised privacy concerns but CCI is raising it on their behalf. Kathpalia also argued on similar lines saying that the CCI is pulling the trigger from the shoulders of the consumers. 'Not a single survey was done by the CCI and the action taken by it was without any evidence,' he argued. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters In March, the NCLAT deferred the hearing in the case, citing the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules. The government has released the draft rules for consultation, with notification expected by this year. In January, the appellate tribunal had said that the five-year ban by CCI may lead to the collapse of the business model of WhatsApp since it is a free platform. 'The ban of five years, which was imposed in paragraph 247.1 (of the CCI order) may lead to the collapse of the business model which has been followed by WhatsApp LLC. It is also relevant to notice that WhatsApp is providing WhatsApp services to its users free of cost,' the order said. At the same time, the NCLAT refused to stay the fine of 213.14 crore imposed by CCI and told Meta, which owns WhatsApp, to deposit 50 per cent of the fine amount within two weeks for a stay to be effected. Meta, which has already paid 25 per cent of the fine amount, will be refunded the money paid if it wins the case. The part of the CCI order which the NCLAT has upheld (247.2 and 247.3) said WhatsApp must provide an explanation on what user data is shared with Meta and that data-sharing for purposes beyond WhatsApp services cannot be any condition for accessing WhatsApp in India. Furthermore, users must have an opt-out option for such data-sharing via in-app notification as well as the option to review and modify their choice by going to WhatsApp settings. Future policy updates should also comply with such changes, the CCI order said. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff SANAA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- A court run by Yemen's Houthi group in the capital Sanaa on Monday confirmed death penalties for nine Yemenis reportedly convicted of espionage, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported. The court upheld the original verdicts against the nine, whom the Houthis accuse of spying for foreign countries, including the U.S., Israel, and Saudi Arabia, the channel reported, adding that eight of them are in custody and one remains at large. While the court overturned or reduced sentences in a broader espionage case, it left unchanged the death penalties for these nine, according to the report. The Houthis said in a statement that the convictions are based on activities that "harm national security" and trials follow laws in their controlled areas. Yet Yemeni Minister of Information Muammar al-Eryani criticized the rulings as "politically motivated" and lacking legal legitimacy, alleging that confessions in similar cases were obtained "under pressure and intimidation." The Houthis reject those claims, asserting their courts operate independently. The verdicts come amid heightened tensions in Yemen since late 2023, after the Houthis began targeting Israel and international shipping routes in the Red Sea, saying the actions were in support of Palestinians amid the Gaza war. The attacks triggered repeated airstrikes by the U.S., Britain and Israel across several Houthi-held areas. Israeli airstrikes on Sanaa in August killed a dozen members of the Houthi-run cabinet, as well as the Houthi military chief of staff, Mohammed Abdulkarim Al-Ghamari. The group has periodically issued death sentences, particularly for alleged espionage, in areas under its control for over a decade. In October 2024, Jindal Stainless challenged a Goods and Services Tax (GST) notice in the Delhi high court. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com It was about corporate guarantees issued to related parties by its former group company, Jindal Stainless (Hisar), before their merger in March 2023. The tax department argued that these guarantees extended to banks and financial institutions qualified as a supply of services under GST law, making them liable to 18 per cent tax. Jindal Stainless contested the taxability of such guarantees, especially when issued without any consideration, and challenged the retrospective application of new rules and circulars. The Delhi high court granted interim protection against coercive action, and the case has since become a reference point for the growing legal uncertainty surrounding GST on corporate guarantees. These guarantees, though traditionally used as internal financial support within corporate structures, have now come under intense scrutiny, raising alarm across industries. The backdrop In the business world, corporate guarantees serve as a routine internal mechanism. They allow group entities to support one another, often enabling subsidiaries to raise loans or obtain credit lines with the backing of a stronger parent company. These transactions typically happen without any monetary consideration. However, under Indias GST law, they have become a subject of legal uncertainty, leading to disputes and concerns among companies and tax experts. Before the introduction of GST in 2017, corporate guarantees between related parties were not considered taxable under the service tax regime, unless there was a direct and significant consideration involved. Businesses could extend guarantees internally without fear of tax liability, especially in cases where the guarantee was issued. Unlike the earlier regime, GST introduced a broader scope of taxation under its definition of supply, and further expanded it through Schedule I of the CGST Act, which brings within its fold transactions between related persons even when made without consideration. Still, ambiguity persisted over whether an internal corporate guarantee qualified as a supply of service. Tax professionals were divided on whether such transactions should be taxed at all, particularly when issued without consideration and where no actual service was delivered. This grey area led to uneven tax enforcement and mounting legal uncertainty. To bring clarity, the government amended the CGST Rules in October 2023 by inserting sub-rule (2) to Rule 28. The new rule states that the value of a corporate guarantee provided by a company to its related party in Indiawithout any considerationshall be deemed to be 1 per cent of the guarantee amount per annum, or the actual consideration charged, whichever is higher. The aim was to create a standard valuation framework and close perceived loopholes. But the amendment, far from settling the issue, has opened the floodgates of litigation. Companies across sectors, especially in capital-intensive and input tax credit (ITC)-restricted industries like real estate, power, and renewable energy, are now contesting both the taxability and the method of valuation. ITC is the credit a registered taxpayer can claim for the GST paid on purchases used for business, to offset their GST liability on sales. A 2024 clarification by the government further heightened tensions by stating that GST should be paid at 18 per cent on the 1 per cent valuation per annum. In effect, a corporate guarantee issued for 10 years could attract an upfront tax burden of 10 per cent of the guaranteed amount, regardless of whether the guarantee is ever invoked. Law vs business reality Legal experts and companies argue that such taxation is not only burdensome but also conceptually flawed. Harpreet Singh, Partner at Deloitte, says the fundamental issue is whether such guarantees qualify as supply at all. GST on corporate guarantee is under challenge on various grounds. Few strong arguments include this being in the nature of shareholder function and not taxable services; there is no real service flowing from guarantor to borrower; the same is in the nature of actionable claims, not liable tax, said Singh. Adding to the legal complexity, Kumar Visalaksh, partner at Economic Laws Practice, highlights the arbitrariness of the 1 per cent per annum valuation formula. The 2024 amendment escalated the burden, requiring companies to pay 18 per cent GST on 1 per cent of the guaranteed amount per annum translating to a staggering 10 per cent upfront tax for a 10-year guarantee, even if the guarantee is never invoked, said Visalaksh. The clarification and amendments have sparked a wave of litigation, with corporations across sectors like power, renewable energy, oil and gas, and real estate challenging the rules validity, he added. By the 2024 amendment, the government excluded the mandatory application of the 1 per cent per annum valuation for cases where recipients can claim full input tax credit. However, other sectors, like power, petroleum, liquor, and real estate ineligible for ITC remain disproportionately impacted. Indeed, a spate of writ petitions has been filed in several high courts. Big names such as Sterlite Power, Vedanta, JSW Energy, Azure Power, SAEL, and Acme Cleantech are among the petitioners, challenging both the constitutionality of the levy and the fairness of the valuation method. According to Vivek Jalan, partner with Tax Connect Advisory Services, the phrase full ITC in Rule 28(2) is the root cause of the confusion post the clarification in October 2024. For example, consider a case of a real estate company which sells property post completion without GST (as in such cases GST is not applicable) and reverses proportionate ITC (as the supply is exempt). "Can it be assumed that full ITC is not available and hence the benefit of relief u/r 28(2) is not available? The issue is the same in almost all sectors, explains Jalan. "Even where the recipient takes full ITC by raising invoices post facto now, interest and penalty is being litigated even when the transaction is revenue neutral, Jalan stated. Government stand Despite the litigation, the government stands firm on its position. According to a senior official from the ministry of finance, the tax department has legal grounds to levy GST on corporate guarantees under Schedule I of the CGST Act. Services between related persons are liable to GST, even if made without consideration, the official said. A corporate guarantee extended by a parent company to its wholly owned subsidiary qualifies as a service and is, therefore, taxable, he explained. The law treats the parent and subsidiary as separate legal entities, making the transaction subject to GST, he said. The official added that while the burden may be neutralised where ITC is available, it becomes a cost where ITC is restricted, such as in the case of real estate or petroleum companies. At present, there is no proposal to relax GST on corporate guarantees or to revisit their valuation, as the provision was only recently introduced. The situation becomes even more complex in cross-border related party transactions, according to experts. Indian companies often extend guarantees to overseas subsidiaries or group entities. Since these are typically issued without any incoming foreign exchange, the tax authorities argue that such transactions do not qualify as export of services under GST law. This has led to another area of litigation. The authorities are demanding tax on these transactions using the same 1 per cent valuation mechanism, while companies claim that the guarantees are not supplies in the first place, and even if they were, they should qualify as exports. The absence of consideration and foreign exchange inflow, however, is being cited by tax officials to deny export status. Sectoral unevenness Although the government clarified in 2024 that the 1 per cent valuation rule under Rule 28(2) does not apply where the recipient entity is eligible to avail full ITC, this hasnt entirely resolved the matter. Tax authorities are still issuing notices and raising demands even in cases where ITC is fully available, ignoring the exception written into the rule itself. This creates a peculiar situation where sectors eligible for full ITC, such as manufacturing or IT, may technically escape the tax burden, but still face compliance headaches. On the other hand, ITC-blocked sectors end up absorbing the full tax cost, raising concerns of sectoral discrimination. Despite the explicit exclusion, the authorities are demanding tax at 1 per cent per annum even where the recipients are eligible to avail full ITC. "As a result, determining the value and the frequency at which the tax is to be paid remains a contentious issue, leading to ongoing disputes from authorities, said Shivam Mehta, executive partner with Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan. With no clear consensus, the fate of GST on corporate guarantees is likely to be shaped in courtrooms rather than in policy chambers, say experts. Online trucking platform BlackBuck co-founder & CEO Rajesh Yabaji on Tuesday said that the company has decided to move out of its current location at Bellandur on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road (ORR), citing commuting and road infrastructure issues. IMAGE: The development comes days after a video shot by three school children during their bumpy bus ride in Bengaluru went viral. Photograph via video grab The ORR, which is one of the IT corridors in the city, often witnesses traffic congestion. "ORR (Bellandur) has been our "office + home" for the last 9 years. "But it's now very-very hard to continue here. We have decided to move out," Yabaji said in a post on 'X'. "Background: Average commute for my colleagues shot up to 1.5+ hrs (one way). "Roads full of potholes & dust, coupled with lowest intent to get them rectified. "Didn't see any of this changing in the next 5 years," he added. In another development, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh on Wednesday invited online trucking platform BlackBuck to relocate its operations to Visakhapatnam after its co-founder complained of "worsening infrastructure and commute issues" in Bengaluru. Lokesh in a post on 'X' said, "Can I interest you in relocating your company to Vizag? We are rated among top five cleanest cities in India, are building best-in-class infra, and have been rated the safest city for women." Meanwhile, Krishna Kumar Gowda, general secretary, Greater Bengaluru IT Companies & Industries Association said, the association expresses deep concern over the continued infrastructure neglect along ORR, exemplified by slow-moving traffic, endless potholes, and unreliable commute times. "The decision of leading firms to move out highlights the urgent need for government intervention. "We call for a transparent roadmap to improve roads, metro connectivity and public utilities, and reiterate our willingness to collaborate with authorities to restore Bengaluru's status as the tech capital of India," he said in a statement. This comes days after a video shot by three school children during their bumpy bus ride in Bengaluru had gone viral, exposing the condition of the roads in the city, and daily struggles faced by the commuters. Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar on September 14 had said the city is set for a major push in road development with Rs 1,100 crore allocated for repair and construction. "We are committed to ensuring every constituency benefits from these funds and to building smooth, pothole-free roads across the city," he had said. The Foxconn move may have been prompted by the Chinese government's focus on strengthening its supply chain. IMAGE: The headquarters of Foxconn in Tucheng, New Taipei city. Photograph: Pichi Chuang/Reuters In a setback to Apple's India expansion plans, Foxconn Technology Group has been sending hundreds of its Chinese engineers and technicians back home from its iPhone factories in India, it is learnt. This is likely to affect the Cupertino major's production plans of iPhone 17, expected to be unveiled in mid-September. This comes at a time when the Taiwanese contract manufacturer -- Apple's largest -- is expanding its capacity in India. Some of the company's new assembly plants, including in Bengaluru, are coming up soon. The development also coincides with India's ongoing trade talks with the United States in a bid to strike a bilateral agreement before the reciprocal tax kicks in on July 9. According to sources in the electronics industry, the Foxconn move may have been prompted by the Chinese government's focus on strengthening its supply chain. They also point out that some Chinese equipment makers, which had identified land for smartphone plants in the country, have shelved their plans. There's signalling from the Chinese side that technology for making machines for new products should remain within their country. Also, there are reports of the Chinese customs indefinitely holding key machines, which are required to be retrofitted on the assembly lines to make the iPhone 17 in India. Foxconn was planning to add 1,000 more local employees in India by mid-July, adding to its current strength of around 40,000, said a South India-based industry source. At this point, India is not expressing much concern over the development. A senior ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) official said: "We don't see any problem. Their (Foxconn's) technicians come from China, Taiwan and the US regularly to India." "We have enough manpower in the country. Also many companies have also started manufacturing machines locally. At most, what we see is a temporary disruption for a month or so." Apple's FY26 plans are ambitious -- for iPhones, it wants to hit a production value of $27 billion in India. Its goal is to touch $30 billion to $32 billion in the subsequent year. This is without the tariff advantage which it expects to have against China, where tariffs are currently pegged at 25 per cent compared to zero in the US for smartphone imports. According to estimates, if Apple proceeds with its plan to supply from India the entire requirement of the US market, it has to double its production value to over $40 billion in 24 months from $22 billion in FY25. However, the entire plan could come under stress due to the recall of technicians and engineers from India. Sources who are aware of the development say that the move could lead to an increase in the production cost of the iPhones- increasing the cost disability with China further. And while India has enough talent to replace them, this would clearly disrupt production. Apple CEO Tim Cook has in the recent past lauded the skill and expertise of Chinese assembly workers, highlighting it as the key reason -- not just more favourable cost -- for setting up the majority of Apple's production in the country, a Bloomberg report said. Apple is expected to release four models in its 2025 lineup, which will include iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and a brand-new variant called the iPhone 17 Air. Out of the proposed $40 billion production value in India over the next 24 months, export markets may contribute around $32 billion to $35 billion, while the domestic market is estimated at $5 billion to $8 billion. The Bloomberg report said that Chinese managers have been critical in training Foxconn staff in India. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Non-resident Indians (NRIs) havent gone big on the Indian stock market story despite the post-pandemic boom. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff While domestic participation through mutual funds (MFs) and dematerialised accounts has soared, NRI participation figures show limited signs of a similar rise. The value of NRI assets under custody rose from Rs 3,486 crore in 201819 (FY19) to Rs 17,275.96 crore as of May 2025, according to the latest data from the Securities and Exchange Board of Indias monthly bulletin. But this works out to less than 2 per cent of the Rs 14 trillion in NRI deposits with banks. Industry participants suggest that the exposure may be higher, but data from other sources also show limited penetration relative to the growing domestic investor base. The share of NRIs and other overseas investors in MF assets stood at 4.05 per cent in March 2025, lower than the 4.24 per cent seen in March 2019, according to the latest Association of Mutual Funds in India numbers. A combination of local procedural hurdles for NRIs investing in India, as well as complications arising from overseas regulatory and tax regimes, has affected flows, according to experts. Issues such as taxation and stricter know-your-customer requirements have played a role in keeping participation low, said Tanvi Kanchan, head of NRI business and strategy at Anand Rathi Share and Stock Brokers. Non-residents have tax deducted at source in India, along with potential taxation in their home countries. Many remain unaware of the procedures to avoid double taxation using treaty benefits. Meanwhile, signing up for a broking account for the first time also involves documentation that may require notarisation from an embassy and a more cumbersome offline process than is seen for residents. For NRIs, you cant have online onboarding, she said. Procedural issues involving local norms can also affect NRIs trying to open accounts, according to Jones George, executive director at Geojit Financial Services. For example, in West Asia, utility bills may be in the name of the owner rather than the tenant, making it difficult for NRIs to produce proof of address an issue for which there is no easy workaround. The requirement for a one-time password also affects NRIs who do not have an Indian mobile number. They are required to set up a Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS) account for stock market investments, but this can be challenging if their primary bank has not upgraded its systems. With large banks, it is seamless, but there are many banks (smaller, regional ones with NRI business where) there are challenges, he said. Transaction costs also tend to be on the higher side for many PIS accounts, he added. There are people from the US who want to invest, but because of various problems, they are not able to, said Suresh Sadagopan, founder of Ladder7 Financial Advisories. The US government requires cumbersome tax reporting procedures under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, which has caused many MFs to stop accepting NRI money from the US and Canada. Some jurisdictions also tax unrealised gains, which can further complicate tax matters, said Sadagopan. Domestic participation has driven MF assets from Rs 23.8 trillion in FY19 to Rs 74.4 trillion as of June 2025. The number of demat accounts has increased from 35.9 million in March 2019 to nearly 200 million as of June 2025. Overseas Indians sent home remittances of over $135 billion (over Rs 11 trillion) in 202425. India received FDI equity flows from China worth $2.67 million in FY25, which was 0.01 per cent of the total FDI equity receipts by India in FY25. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the SCO summit in Tianjin, September 1, 2025. Photograph: Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via/Reuters Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently interacted with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar to bolster the India-China bonhomie, in the wake of the recent turbulence in the India-United States relations. Discussions revolved around trade, especially focusing on easing exports of fertilisers, rare earth1 minerals (REMs), and tunnel boring machines to India, besides facilitating movement of people and investments, which took a hit post Galwan clashes in 2020. China's share in India's fertiliser imports drops The Chinese share in Indian imports of fertilisers dropped from 27.16 per cent in FY20 to 10.51 per cent in FY25. In value terms, India imported around 29 per cent of its REMs from China in FY25. However, in volume terms, India imported nearly 59 per cent of REMs. Dip in India's FDI from China India received foreign direct investment (FDI) equity flows from China worth $2.67 million in FY25, which was 0.01 per cent of the total FDI equity receipts by India in FY25. Chinese investment was $163.78 million in FY20, before the Galwan clash, with a share of 0.33 in the total FDI inflows received that year. Sharp decline in Chinese nationals coming to India As many as 339,442 Chinese nationals visited India in 2019, while 358,685 Indians went to China in the same year. These declined to just 30,585 Chinese coming to India in 2023, while 157,090 Indians visited China in 2023, after visa restrictions were imposed by the two countries. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Qualcomm has partnered with eyewear brand Lenskart to build glasses using its Snapdragon XR chipsets, which allow for on-device AI processing and spatial computing. Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Bastian Riccardi/Pixabay.com Qualcomm, a US-based semiconductor company, is in talks with Indian two- and four-wheeler firms to develop AI-powered smart glasses that can be integrated with their vehicles to assist riders, Savi Soin, president of Qualcomm India, told Business Standard. "We can see these smart glasses, which are integrated with four-wheelers and two-wheelers, in the market in less than three years," Soin said. According to him, Indian auto companies have shown growing interest in using such glasses to enhance the rider experience. "They are very interested in knowing how the smart glasses interact with the vehicle. "You are driving a scooter and such glasses become a very important tool," he said, citing ongoing conversations with automotive chief technology officers and executives. "We are studying a lot of different use cases for these smart glasses for vehicle riders. "They are at the PoC (proof of concept) stage right now. "We are seeing how they are interacting with the vehicle and the rider." He said smart glasses could become a natural extension of what riders already wear. "If the smart glasses are as thin as the (non-smart) glasses that you and I are wearing today, it will be very natural to have smart glasses," he explained. Qualcomm has partnered with eyewear brand Lenskart to build such products using its Snapdragon XR chipsets, which allow for on-device AI processing and spatial computing. Qualcomm is also working with startups like QWR, whose Humbl glasses are powered by the Snapdragon AR1 platform. Soin confirmed that "a couple of other companies (glassmakers)" are also working on launching these accessories. "We have all the two-wheeler companies very interested. They are saying this is a very good and safe option. "For example, a Rapido driver today has a mobile attached in front and centre of the bike to see the route. "This driver, when he has smart glasses, will have no need to have a phone screen in front of him," he said. Smart glasses can be bundled as accessories with the vehicle, just like a riding jacket. "We want to make sure that the weight of the glass is not much, it has sufficient battery capacity and it can do a lot of computing with the chip in there," he said, outlining the company's product focus. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff Mumbai-based pharma major Wockhardt, which is gearing up to launch its promising antibiotic candidate Zaynich soon, on Friday announced a shift in its United States (US) operations. IMAGE: Habil Khorakiwala, founder-chairman of Wockhardt, poses for a picture at the company's head office in Mumbai. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters The Indian pharma giant revealed that it has decided to exit the generics pharmaceutical segment in the country. Wockhardt stock price went up 3.5 per cent on Friday to Rs 1,756 apiece on the BSE. The announcement came after market hours. According to a regulatory filing on the exchanges, the company has filed for voluntary liquidation under Chapter 7 of the US Bankruptcy Code for its two Delaware-incorporated step-down subsidiaries Morton Grove Pharmaceuticals and Wockhardt USA LLC. The move comes even as the companys US generics business has been incurring losses over the past few years. Wockhardt stated that its generics business had incurred a loss of nearly $8 million in 2024-25 (FY25) alone. While Wockhardt USA LLC contributed around 3 per cent to the companys income in the FY25, Morton Grove recorded no income. Morton Groves net worth stood at 4.6 per cent, primarily from goodwill, whereas Wockhardt USAs net worth was negative. However, its overall performance has been improving. For FY25, the company said its net loss stood at Rs 57 crore compared to Rs 472 crore in the year-ago period. Revenue increased to Rs 3,012 crore compared to Rs 2,798 crore in 2023-24. It has also managed to pare debt its net debt stood at Rs 1,830 crore in FY25 compared to Rs 3,314 crore in FY20. Following a comprehensive strategic review, the company has concluded that continuing in this segment would detract from its broader innovation agenda, it said in an exchange filing. By stepping away from the commoditised generics space, Wockhardt is now positioning itself to create long-term value through innovation, scientific excellence, and sustainable profitability. Wockhardt said that the reset will allow for sharpened focus on building a future-ready business anchored in two key pillars new antibiotic drug discovery and a biologicals portfolio in insulin. This decision, effective July 11, enables a clean and structured exit from a legacy segment and unlocks management bandwidth and capital for high-impact areas, it added. The company had also recently announced plans to launch its new class of antibiotic Zaynich or WCK5222. It is targeted at treating complicated gram-negative infections in India this year. The US launch for this was pegged at FY27. Wockhardt estimates that the drug would have an addressable market of $7 billion in the US and Europe, besides a Rs 17,000 crore opportunity in India, taking the total prospects to $9 billion. Apart from Zaynich, Wockhardt is pinning hopes on other drugs in its antibiotic portfolio (like Miqnaf or Nafithromycin), and its biotechnology portfolio, including insulins. Miqnaf has already been launched in India and is used to treat community acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) & upper respiratory tract infections (RTI). The drug has been granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) status by USFDA. This indicates significant unmet needs and also breakthrough medicinal product (BMP) designation granted in Saudi Arabia. Miqnaf is targeting a Rs 10,800 crore market in India with over 96 million potential prescriptions. While it is exiting the US generics market, the company said it will remain committed to its pharmaceutical operations in India, the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland and other geographies. These are areas where its businesses continue to deliver strong performance. Besides antibiotics, the company is bullish on its biotech capabilities where it focuses on diabetes management and sees a significant opportunity opening up in India and emerging markets. This is after Danish major Novo Nordisk phases out human insulin cartridges. In India, it provides an opportunity of Rs 450 crore or so, and in the emerging markets, the opportunity size is around $157 million. Wockhardt noted in its investor presentation that with only three players operating in this space in India, it sees significant benefit. Its focus on innovative portfolio and moving away from plain vanilla generics also comes at a time when Indian pharma firms are looking into their innovative portfolio. The Jane Street-Sebi saga is more than a legal dispute -- it's a litmus test for India's ambitions as a global financial hub. Illustrations: Dominic Xavier/Rediff A legal battle is looming -- one that could reshape India's derivatives market, the world's largest by trading volume, and set a precedent for how regulators worldwide draw the line between clever trading and market abuse. The genesis of this battle lies in the sweeping crackdown the Securities and Exchange Board of India has launched against Jane Street, a US-based high-frequency trading (HFT) firm. Sebi has impounded Rs 4,843 crore in alleged 'unlawful gains', accusing Jane Street of orchestrating a sophisticated 'sinister' scheme to manipulate the popular Bank Nifty index through aggressive derivative trading strategies. Jane Street, a global titan in algorithmic trading, has fired back, calling Sebi's allegations 'fundamentally mistaken'. The firm is preparing to challenge the ban, likely at the Securities Appellate Tribunal. The case, which could reach the Supreme Court, has ignited a fierce debate over what constitutes legitimate trading and what crosses into the realm of market manipulation. With Indian retail investors suffering over Rs 1 trillion in losses in 2024-2025, the stakes are monumental -- not just for Jane Street and Sebi, but also for the credibility and future of India's capital market ecosystem. The Anatomy of the Allegations Sebi has laid out its case against Jane Street in a detailed, 105-page interim order, dated July 3, with voluminous annexures. According to the regulator, the firm executed a two-pronged strategy: It aggressively bought Bank Nifty constituent stocks in both the cash and futures segments, artificially inflating the index. Later in the day, it offloaded those positions, while holding large short positions in index options, profiting from the index's decline. This strategy, Sebi alleges, allowed Jane Street to rake in thousands of crores in profit. The regulator also hinted that the illicit gains could be even higher since investigations into other expiry days and indices are ongoing. Jane Street, however, maintains that its trades were part of a standard 'index arbitrage' strategy -- exploiting price differences between related instruments to provide liquidity and maintain market efficiency. In internal communications, the firm described Sebi's order as 'extremely inflammatory' and argued that the order disregards the legitimate role of arbitrageurs in modern markets. Legal Faultlines The core of the legal dispute hinges on intent and market impact. Sebi's case rests on proving that Jane Street violated Sections 3 and 4 of the Sebi (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices relating to Securities Market) Regulations, 2003, and Section 12A of the Sebi Act, 1992. These regulations prohibit knowingly indulging in an act that creates a false or misleading appearance of trading. Further, they prohibit indulging in unfair trade practices or employing a scheme to defraud through dealings in the securities market. The regulator has also pointed to warnings ignored from the National Stock Exchange as evidence of deliberate misconduct. Smrithi Nair, partner at the law firm Juris Corp, notes that Jane Street's systematic losses in stock futures and cash segments -- Rs 7,208 crore and Rs 289 crore, respectively -- could be interpreted as a deliberate cost to execute a manipulative scheme. "This 'loss' may be viewed as a malafide cost incurred to perpetrate their prima facie manipulative and fraudulent scheme," she said. Neerav Merchant, partner at Aquilaw, a Kolkata-headquartered law firm, agrees that Sebi's case appears strong on paper, especially given the detailed trading pattern analysis. However, the regulator must prove illegality 'beyond reasonable doubt'. He adds that the trades will be tested on the grounds whether Jane Street "simply exploited a systemic loophole" and if they "were within the systemic boundaries". Doing so might not be easy. "Establishing intent to manipulate -- particularly in the context of proprietary trading -- is notoriously difficult," says Diviay Chadha, partner at the law firm Singhania & Co. Besides, Jane Street may invoke international regulatory precedents, where similar strategies are not penalised. Tushar Kumar, a Supreme Court advocate, is of the view that the case raises broader questions about balancing competitive advantage with market fairness in a tech-driven trading environment. The Fallout The Jane Street case unfolds against a backdrop of massive retail investor losses. Sebi data shows that retail traders lost trillions in equity derivatives over the past few years. A staggering 90 per cent -- much higher than the global average -- of retail traders incurred losses, highlighting the vulnerability of domestic individual investors in a market increasingly dominated by algorithmic players. The worry is that if proven, Jane Street's actions would not only distort the market but also erode trust among retail investors, who trade with limited capital and high expectations. The political dimension adds further pressure to the situation. The Opposition Congress has accused Sebi and the government of delayed action, with spokesperson Supriya Shrinate calling it 'not a failure, but a sin'. Such rhetoric could intensify public demand for regulatory reform and greater investor protection. Regulatory Ripple Effect Regardless of the outcome, the Jane Street case could trigger regulatory changes. Jidesh Kumar, managing partner at the legal firm King Stubb & Kasiva, Advocates and Attorneys, believes that if Jane Street succeeds at the tribunal, then it may lead to greater scrutiny of HFTs. "It may prompt Sebi to revisit its enforcement tools and regulatory framework concerning algorithmic and proprietary trading, particularly by foreign portfolio investors. We may see increased emphasis on surveillance mechanisms, audit trails, and regulatory disclosures to enhance market transparency," Kumar says. Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey has already signalled a ramp-up in surveillance, with plans to expand investigations to other indices like the Nifty 50 and Sensex. Market experts anticipate further measures such as longer-dated expiries and stricter position limits to curb excessive influence by single entities. While these changes could raise compliance costs for trading firms and potentially reduce liquidity in the short term, they may help restore confidence among retail investors and ensure a level playing field. Precedent or Pandora's Box? If Sebi prevails, it could pave the way for further impounding of gains and stricter enforcement against algorithmic trading strategies. While a final investigation report may take six to nine months, the market watchdog's resolve appears firm. However, if Jane Street wins, it could embolden other HFT firms to push the boundaries of acceptable trading, forcing Sebi to fast-track reforms. Either way, the case is likely to reach the Supreme Court, where the interpretation of 'manipulation' versus 'arbitrage' will be tested under Indian securities law. Shiju P V, managing partner at IndiaLaw, believes the case could shape India's approach to regulating global trading firms. "It's about balancing market integrity with the participation of sophisticated international players," he says. The Jane Street-Sebi saga is more than a legal dispute -- it's a litmus test for India's ambitions as a global financial hub. With retail investors reeling from its impact and foreign firms watching closely, Sebi must walk a tightrope between fostering innovation and protecting market integrity. New regulations aimed at curbing manipulative trading practices might inadvertently raise entry barriers for legitimate firms. The outcome of the legal battle could well be a key test of whether or not the country can effectively oversee high-frequency trading without undermining market liquidity. Already, the overhaul of the derivatives trading rules -- prompted, in part, by the aggressive nature of HFT firms like Jane Street -- is beginning to impact market dynamics. Between December 2024 and May 2025, the number of unique traders in the derivatives segment fell by 20 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier. Meanwhile, the average daily trading volume in futures and options (F&O) dropped to a four-month low of Rs 346 trillion in June -- down 35 per cent from the peak in September, before the new rules took effect. Further declines may be on the horizon. The trajectory of this legal dispute will ultimately shape the future of India's derivatives market. It will determine whether the market can evolve into a fair, transparent, and globally respected platform -- or remain a domain where only the most sophisticated players gain at the expense of smaller investors. Additional measures likely Stricter surveillance on high-volume traders, including position limits Sebi may consider introducing fortnightly contracts and curbing weekly expiries Measures to encourage retail traders to shift towards longer-dated contracts Enhanced disclosures from proprietary trading firms Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff You have to grow, and grow fast thats the DNA of the JSW group, chairman Sajjan Jindal said as JSW Cement made its debut on the stock market mid-August. IMAGE: Sajjan Jindal, managing director of JSW Steel. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters The remark captured not just the moment but also the momentum of JSWs growth story. JSW Steel the flagship of the conglomerate has transformed from a two-million-tonne (mt) plant in the early 2000s to Indias largest steel producer. Along the way, the group has morphed into a $23-billion force, stretching from energy and cement to ports and paints, all while steel remains its bread and butter. Now, it is gearing up for the future with another audacious bet: Electric vehicles (EV). Anchored in steel was the starting point for the group going back to 1982 when a cold rolling unit was set up at Vasind near Mumbai. The turning point, however, came in 1993 when Jindal laid out a detailed plan for the 2 mt plant before then ICICI chairman, Narayanan Vaghul. That paved the way for Vijayanagar Works (Karnataka) and set the stage for everything that followed. The journey from 1.6 mt of steel capacity in 2002 to 35.7 mt (including 1.5 mt in the US) has been driven by a mix of acquisitions and organic growth. Alongside, the group has branched into businesses that supported the core. These businesses now stand as independent verticals, each chasing its own growth ambitions. On JSW Infrastructure, analysts at Motilal Oswal said that by consciously reducing dependence on captive JSW group cargo and expanding into containerised, liquid, and other diversified categories, the company is mitigating concentration risks while opening new revenue pools. That philosophy of de-risking and diversifying the customer base runs through its other businesses as well. Over the last two decades, about Rs 2 trillion has been put in across sectors. JSW group chief financial officer Seshagiri Rao said steel has anchored every venture the group has built to achieve the benefits of integration in the value chain, either as customer or vendor/supplier be it energy, infrastructure, cement, or paints. This has immensely benefitted [us], and made JSW steel one of the best conversion cost steel producers in the world, while simultaneously supporting the other verticals to expand their businesses independent of the steel business, he added. It is a win-win. The logic extends to automobiles as well. Making of a conglomerate Steel needs power. It produces slag that feeds cement, and moving material at scale requires ports. Thats how the energy, cement and infrastructure businesses were born. And then as the market moved to colour-coated steel some years back, it also paved the way for JSW Paints. Today, after a string of acquisitions and expansion, JSW Energy has 12.8 gigawatt (Gw) of installed generation capacity; JSW Cement has a capacity of 20.6 mt; JSW Infrastructure is the second-largest port operator in India; and JSW Paints is poised to become the fourth-largest paintmaker with the acquisition of AkzoNobel India. Cement and paints are being steered by Jindals son, Parth, as managing director. But its the capital-intensive steel that accounts for the lions share of revenues among the listed group entities about 88 per cent of revenues and half the profit. In auto, JSW Steel is a significant supplier to the industry. This has largely been possible due to the technology collaboration with Japans JFE. In 2010, the Japanese steelmaker had made a strategic investment in JSW Steel by picking up a 15 per cent stake. JSW Steels share in auto-grade steel at that point was about 2 per cent. Fifteen years on, it stands at 32 per cent. That has given JSW the confidence to enter the auto sector an ambition set to grow bigger. Heavy investments, mega ambitions Traditionally, the groups focus has been on manufacturing. In each vertical, there are big plans to grow. "The total capital expenditure over the next five years will be in the range of Rs 3.25 trillion, Rao said. Steel, for which the target is 51.5 mt in capacity by FY31, will account for a major part; auto will also be a reasonable contributor, he said. In November 2023, the JSW group and Chinas SAIC Motor announced a strategic joint venture (JV) as part of which the Indian conglomerate acquired a 35 per cent stake in JSW MG Motor India. While that JV is charting its growth map, JSW is also preparing its solo act in the sector. In addition to our venture with MG, we will be setting up a factory for EV buses and trucks in Maharashtra, said Rao. The company, he added, is also committing capital to set up an independent car factory, 100 per cent owned by the group; the car will be branded JSW and is likely to be rolled out in three years. For technology, JSW intends to tap third parties. Besides this, the group is exploring the possibility of developing facilities to localise the EV ecosystem. It is reported to have had discussions with Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean companies for sourcing technology for its lithium-ion battery project for EVs. Wherever possible, we want to localise and help build the ecosystem in India, Rao said. But that doesnt mean well participate in the entire value chain. Funding the big leap EV, the new kid on the JSW block, might be grabbing headlines, but there are big plans for the other five verticals as well. In the earnings call for the first quarter (Q1), Nilesh Narwekar, whole-time director and CEO, JSW Cement, said the company aimed to increase its grinding capacity to 41.85 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) from the current 20.60 mtpa; and its clinker capacity to 13.04 mtpa from 6.44 mtpa (as of Q1FY26). Rinkesh Roy, joint managing director and CEO, JSW Infrastructure, spoke of the ambition of scaling up the cargo handling capacity from 177 mtpa (as of Q1FY26) to 400 mtpa by FY30 or earlier. JSW Energy, meanwhile, is aiming for 30 Gw of power generation and 40 gigawatt hour (Gwh) of energy storage capacity by FY30. JSW Paints is targeting 800,000 kilo litres per annum (klpa) of capacity by FY30, while JSW Steel intends to grow to 51.5 mtpa by FY31. Funding for all of this will largely come from internal accruals and some equity raising, if required, Rao said. Across group companies, annualised Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) is about Rs 50,000 crore. "The debt requirement is not large; it could be about 25 per cent. The groups debt is at about Rs 1.3 trillion. Given the size of our group, this is not high, Rao said, adding that they are growing across businesses. You have to look at the trajectory the potential in each vertical and the improvement in profitability. Getting to this scale has meant navigating challenges the most recent one being Bhushan Power & Steel (BPSL). Of setbacks and comebacks In May 2025, the Supreme Court rejected JSW Steels resolution plan for BPSL and ordered its liquidation four years after the company was acquired under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. All stakeholders JSW Steel, the committee of creditors, and the resolution professional filed review petitions before the apex court. The hearings concluded in August, and the judgment is awaited. The group is no stranger to setbacks. In the late 1990s, for instance, Jindal Vijayanagar Steel (JVSL) was under corporate debt restructuring (as were other steel majors Essar Steel, Lloyds Steel Industries, and Ispat Industries). JVSL was eventually merged with Jindal Iron and Steel Company, and renamed JSW Steel in 2005. Prone to price swings, steel isnt an easy business. If anyone knows that, its Jindal. He told an audience in Kolkata a few years ago: Steel is a volatile industry. Anyone entering it must have nerves of steel. For the conglomerate, steel remains the foundation on which it is building a multi-storey business that spans energy, cement, ports, paints, and automobiles. It could well be an empire in the making. The story of the Bombay Stock Exchange and the people who shaped its growth: From wars and bomb blasts to speculators, reformers and wealth creators. IMAGE: The informal beginnings of what would become the Bombay Stock Exchange can be traced back to the 1850s. A group of around 20-22 stockbrokers began meeting and trading under a banyan tree. Photograph: Kind courtesy Wikimedia Commons In some ways, the history of the BSE can be traced back to the speculative mania that gripped Mumbai (then Bombay) more than a decade before the exchange's founding. Among the key figures of that great bubble was Premchand Roychand, described as a 'devout Jain, of fair complexion, lithe of limb and sweet of temper, of engaging manners and free from the pride of riches -- who had seen no more than thirty-four summers but who carried a most clever financial head on his shoulders.' Roychand was involved with financial institutions like the Bank of Bombay and the Asiatic Bank. He had started out as a share broker at the age of 16 and by the 1860s was foremost among brokers who traded in shares at various locations in Mumbai, absent an exchange. This was a fortuitous time to be in the business. The East India Company's control over the country ended with the mutiny of 1857. The British crown was in direct control and there was free flow of capital into India without the barriers placed by the Company Raj. Tea and coffee plantations abounded, as did jute mills and coal mines. Then the American Civil War choked cotton supplies to Britain, which bought up cotton from India to fill the breach. The resulting flow of wealth into the country saw a surge in speculative activity in shares of newly formed enterprises and even derivative trading through a kind of forward contract called a time bargain. IMAGE: The Bombay Stock Exchange. Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters Roychand helped funnel banking funds into the booming stock market, often with little room for prudence or caution. Sorabjee Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy recalled in testimony of a visit by Roychand on a monsoon day in July 1864, asking if he had managed to purchase any shares of the Bombay Reclamation company, one of the darlings of the boom. Jeejeebhoy, in his Malabar Hill bungalow, said that he hadn't. Roychand told him that he would manage to get him some shares and asked how many he wanted. Jeejeebhoy replied that he didn't have too much money at hand to invest and that he would perhaps buy no more than a few. Roychand would have none of it. 'Take my word, Sorabjee, and do not trouble yourself about money. I will get you as much as you require. But do not go in for less than one hundred shares,' Roychand said. The surprised Jeejeebhoy was told that Roychand would arrange a loan of 10 lakh for him from the Asiatic and the Bombay Bank. He subsequently sent him two letters, one addressed to an Asiatic Bank official (a Mr Morrison) and a similar one to a senior person (Mr Blair) at the Bank of Bombay. The note simply said, 'My dear Mr. Blair, could you accommodate Sorabjee with five lakhs?' The note to Morrison was similar. Both readily agreed. IMAGE: The crash of 1865. Photograph: Kind Courtesy, Illustrated London News/Wikimedia Commons Jeejeebhoy found, however, that even 10 lakh was insufficient for 100 shares amid the boom, and placed an order for 43. He received the shares in a few days and found that the sellers included Roychand, his father, his brother-in-law and other directors of the Bombay Reclamation Company. The insiders seemed to be selling. But they may not have got out soon enough. The mania ended suddenly in 1865 with the cessation of the American Civil war. Roychand lost his fortune as did the richest merchant princes of Bombay, such as Behramji Hormusji Cama and Kharshedji Furdunji Parekh. But the boom laid the foundation for stock brokers to become a force in India. There were perhaps half-a-dozen share brokers between 1840 and 1850 recognised by banks and merchants. They would meet at Cotton Green. By 1860 there were 60 brokers who met now between the old fort walls in town and the old Mercantile Bank. Their numbers rose to 200 to 250 during the mania and their business was conducted unhindered on streets, shops and banks, often obstructing other activities. Their popularity and numbers waned after the bust of 1865. IMAGE: Premchand Roychand. Photograph: Kind courtesy Wikimedia Commons In 1875, a little more than two dozen brokers formed an association by contributing 1 each. The Native Share and Stock Brokers Association of Bombay whose members had once traded under a banyan tree, decided to hire a trading hall. But found itself short of funds to pay the 100 in monthly rent. Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, a wealthy merchant and textile mill founder, gifted 25 shares of his company Victoria Manufacturing to the association, partly to also pay for some brokerage he owed to some of the members. The shares were sold at 690 to raise 17,250. The association returned Petit's advance with the money and used the remaining capital to commence operations. The Association was formally constituted on December 3, 1887 and grew to 361 members by 1909. Seth Chunilal Motichand was its first president. Trading in the initial days was said to be limited to a few textile shares and some government securities. It was World War I which acted as a catalyst for growth in the early 1900s, much like the earlier conflict on foreign soil: the American Civil War in the 1860s. The import of goods from England became difficult. Indian companies made money hand over fist as they supplied the war effort. The surge of capital was invested in new companies. The share market was once again booming and the brokerage business boomed with it. The value of a Bombay Stock Exchange membership card rose from 2,900 in 1914 to 48,000 in 1921. IMAGE: Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, industrialist and philanthropist who founded the first textile mills in India. Photograph: Kind Courtesy, Wikimedia Commons Rising stock market activity saw more 'corners'. Those who believed a stock would fall in price would short-sell it. For example, an entity with a negative view on a company (a bear) would sell shares of a textile mill at 100, even if they didnt own it. Assume the share price fell to 80. They would buy shares at the lower price to close out their position, and pocket the difference of 20 per share. Sometimes they wouldn't be able to buy back as many shares as they had sold. This resulted in them being backed into a corner. Those who held the shares could demand any price they wanted for the bears to avoid a default, resulting in wild swings; and also the chance for manipulation. Many with a positive view on the stock (called bulls) could also buy up shares from the market to trap the bears. The trapped bears would often be forced to sell their other holdings at steep discounts, often leading to panic and crisis. Such corners were rare before 1918. This became more common later with corners declared in Fazulbhoy Mill in February 1921 and Currimbhoy Mill in July 1921 and Finlay Mill in January 1922. Corners were also attempted in Nagpur, Swadeshi, Currim and David Mills in 1922. 'Prices were likewise in that year fixed in the shares of Shri Shapurji Broacha Mill. Prices in the shares of the Kohinoor Mill have been fixed twice in 1923 and even while this Committee was in session a corner was declared and prices were fixed in the shares of the New Great Eastern Spinning and Weaving Company... The bare enumeration of these corners conveys but a faint idea of the dislocation and disturbance of the market thereby occasioned,' according to the 1924 report of the Bombay Stock Exchange Enquiry Committee. The committee headed by former London Stock Exchange chairman Sir Wilfrid Atlay found laxity in the working of the Association. Regulations were difficult to ascertain. Some rules were not printed or published and there was no way for the public, or even the brokers, to ascertain exactly which rules were in force. Speculation built up again even as the government was contemplating action. There was a crash and panic in 1925. The government subsequently passed the Securities Contract Control Act of 1925. It was around this time that K R P Shroff became the exchange's president, among the longest-serving of the many expert crisis-handlers who became heads of the BSE. He served the exchange from 1923 to 1966, a tumultuous time which saw the struggle for Independence, a world war, freedom, and multiple wars with neighbours. A school teacher in his early days, he joined his father in his business as a broker in 1902. IMAGE: 1924 Bombay Stock Exchange: Sir Wilfrid Atlay. Photograph: Kind courtesy Wikimedia Commons Despite the 1925 legislation there were crises in 1928, 1930, 1933, 1935 and 1936; even as India reeled from the effects of the Great Depression. Then came the second world war. Share prices rose at first. The sudden fall of France in 1940 shocked the markets in India. The Calcutta Stock Exchange was shut for six weeks. Forward trading was stopped on the Bombay Stock Exchange and minimum prices were fixed for all shares! The market soldiered on. The government instituted the Defence of India Rule 94C on September 24, 1943 which restricted forward and derivative positions to curb speculation. The result was that speculation moved off the organised exchanges and onto what became known as the 'grey market' in Bombay and Ahmedabad; and 'Katni' market in Calcutta. These markets soon became bigger than the exchanges themselves. Eventually sanity returned. Shroff collaborated with government committees while defending the position of brokers. He was said to be involved in key early legislation such as the Bombay Forward Contracts Control Act, 1947, and the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Rules promulgated by the government in 1957. He initiated the publication of analysis reports of companies and laid the foundation for modernisation. IMAGE: The Bombay Stock Exchange: Inset: Dinshaw Maneckji Petit. Photograph: Reuters Phiroze Jeejeebhoy was the chairperson of the exchange from 1966 to 1980. One of his most enduring legacies is the towering structure which still houses the BSE. Construction began in 1973 even as government policies had begun to take a sharp anti-market turn. Moraji Desai banned forward trading. Indira Gandhi shifted further to the Left with nationalisation. Jeejeebhoy reportedly called Nimesh Kampani to explain his difficulties with the building of a new tower during such difficult times, according to Sameer Kochhar's 2015 work BSE: Journey of an Aspiring Nation. 'I am telling you privately that the Exchange needs money because the building work has to be completed and if we get stuck in-between, then we are in trouble.' Kampani helped organise short-term funding for the exchange to complete the building. The idea was perhaps to rent out space within the tower to ensure cash flows. It was eventually completed in seven years. It was named after Jeejeebhoy after he passed away in 1980. The tower became iconic, and later a target. IMAGE: Controversial stockbroker Harshad Mehta arrives at the Bombay high court, November 9, 2001. Photograph: Arko Datta/Reuters M R Mayya, chief executive officer of the BSE in 1993, was making his way down to the parking lot of the building when the exchange was targeted in serial bomb blasts. The explosion had ripped through the building by the time he reached downstairs. Vehicles were trapped, phone lines stopped working. 'I escaped death by a hair's breadth... I then went to the police commissioner's office, virtually on foot,' Mayya told Business Standard in 2013. Those who were outside the exchange, grabbing a quick snack from the large number of food vendors on the streets, had shattered glass rain down from them from above. The blast at the exchange and elsewhere including the iconic Air India building and Plaza cinema killed 257 people. This likely marked the worst in a decade of terrible turns for the exchange. The Harshad Mehta scam pushed for the creation of its now larger rival the National Stock Exchange. Physical trading gave way to electronic screens and the tight grasp of Bombay's brokers over the nation's equity markets loosened. But the exchange reinvented itself. It now boasts advanced co-location facilities on par with global peers which allow for hundreds of thousands of trades in a fraction of a second -- a far cry from the hand signals that dominated manual trading as recently as the 1990s. In recent years it has gained substantial portions of the market share it had lost to the NSE. It has managed to list ahead of its larger rival managing the feat in 2017. It is currently valued at over 1 trillion. Not bad for an exchange which began with contributions of 1. Building BSE July 9, 1875: Native Share and Stock Brokers Association formed January 1899: Acquires new building on Dalal Street July 28, 1914: World War I begins, Indian stock market booms April 1920: Exchange acquires adjoining building as its business expands August 31, 1957: Gets permanent recognition under Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act January 2, 1986: BSE Sensex, countrys first equity index is launched March 14, 1995: Launches on-line trading (BOLT) system June 9, 2000: Brings in equity derivatives April 1, 2003: Introduces T+2 settlement August 19, 2005: Becomes a corporate entity February 7, 2006: Sensex closes above 10,000 January 4, 2010: Market time changes to 9 am to 3:30 pm March 13, 2012: Launches SME exchange platform February 3, 2017: Becomes a listed entity May 14, 2025: Crosses 1 trillion valuation Key references The Failure of The Bank of Bombay, 1840-1868 (Carol Grace Lovell, 1971) A Financial Chapter In the History of Bombay City (D E Wacha, 1910) Report on Bombay Stock Exchange Enquiry Committee - 1924 (Sir Wilfrid Atlay) Report of the Stock Exchange Enquiry Committee (Walter B Morison, 1937) Report on the Regulation of the Stock Exchanges in India (P J Thomas, 1948) BSE: Journey of An Aspiring Nation (Sameer Kochhar, 2015) Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff ANKARA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The office of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday refuted media reports that Turkiye had recently assisted the Syrian army in releasing suspects of the Islamic State (IS). The claim that IS suspects were released by the Syrian army with the assistance of Turkiye in Syria is "entirely unfounded," said the Center for Combating Disinformation under the presidency's Directorate of Communications. In a statement posted on social media platform X, the center said Turkiye has gained international recognition for "leading the most comprehensive efforts against the IS in the region and for dealing the heaviest blows to the terrorist organization to date." The Syrian army said on Monday that it has taken control of the Shaddadi area and its prison holding thousands of IS suspects in northeastern Hasakah province after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported a loss of control over the facility amid escalating clashes. The army accused the SDF of releasing the inmates during recent clashes. The SDF said the prison had come under repeated attacks by Damascus-affiliated forces, leading to heavy casualties before it lost control of the site. The Syrian interim authority rejected the SDF's claims, accusing it of attempting to politicize the issue and use the prison as leverage. The development occurred a day after the interim government and the SDF signed a new ceasefire and integration agreement. A quiet power struggle has erupted within the storied 156-year-old Tata Trusts a year after group patriarch Ratan Tata's death. All Illustrations: Dominic Xavier/Rediff Tata Trusts is the philanthropic backbone that controls two-thirds of Tata Sons, the holding company of the $328 billion Tata Group (market cap as on March 31, 2025; external link). What began as a dispute over reappointments and access to information has spiralled into a full-blown split between two camps of trustees, facing government intervention and reviving memories of the group's earlier corporate storms. At the centre of the rift stands Noel Tata, 66, the low-profile half-brother of the late Ratan Tata, who took over as chairman of the Trusts on October 11, 2024, after the latter's death on October 9, 2024. Known for his discretion and managerial steadiness, Noel's elevation was seen as a natural continuation of the Tata legacy. He now finds himself defending the traditional 'Tata way' -- where decisions are made by consensus rather than by vote. He is backed firmly by Venu Srinivasan (Chairman Emeritus, TVS Group) and Vijay Singh (former defence secretary), the two vice-chairmen who have long been among the most powerful figures within the Trusts hierarchy. Together, they represent continuity and the Old Guard. Read Who's Who In Tata Trusts. The flashpoint came on September 11, 2025, when the board voted on whether Vijay Singh, 77, should continue as a nominee director on the Tata Sons board. The rule that required annual reappointment of elderly nominees over 75 years had been introduced soon after Ratan Tata's passing. When the vote was held, four trustees opposed Singh's renewal, defeating the motion 4-2. It was a first in the Trusts' history -- decisions had always been unanimous. Singh soon resigned from the Tata Sons board, and the collegial culture of Bombay House changed overnight. Leading the rebellion is Mehli Mistry, a businessman and long-time associate of Ratan Tata, who also happens to be the first cousin of the late Cyrus Mistry, who had a bitter fallout with Ratan Tata after his removal as chairman of Tata Sons (between December 28, 2012, and October 24, 2016), the holding company of the Tata Group (Read the entire coverage here). Backed by three fellow trustees -- Pramit Jhaveri, Darius Khambata and Jehangir HC Jehangir -- Mehli Mistry has questioned what he calls opacity and selective disclosure in the Trusts' functioning. Mehli Mistry's group has demanded access to minutes, agendas and board papers of Tata Sons, arguing that trustees have a right to oversight. The Noel Tata camp accuses Mehli Mistry of attempting to turn the Trusts into a 'super-board' that could second-guess Tata Sons' management decisions. Noel Tata is married to Aloo Mistry, Cyrus Mistry's elder sister. The Shapoorji Pallonji group, which is majority owned by Cyrus Mistry's family, holds about 18 per cent of Tata Sons. Mehli Mistry's position as trustee, though officially equal to others, has become politically weighty, especially as the dissenting bloc's informal leader. Some insiders have described his bid to join the Tata Sons board as a 'coup attempt'; others see it as an overdue demand for institutional transparency. Among his allies, Pramit Jhaveri, the former CEO of Citi India, brings global banking and governance credentials. He has pressed for professionalised structures within the Trusts, calling for clear rotation norms, performance metrics and defined disclosure policies. Darius Khambata, Maharashtra's former advocate general, provides the legal heft behind the dissenting camp's arguments, ensuring their positions are carefully articulated within the Trusts' framework. Jehangir HC Jehangir, a quiet philanthropist with deep family roots in Mumbai's charitable circles, adds moral legitimacy to the bloc's push for transparency. In contrast, Venu Srinivasan, the other vice-chairman and a veteran of the Tata ecosystem, is viewed as the organisational stabiliser. As a long-time nominee director on the Tata Sons board, he has wielded considerable influence over key appointments and strategy discussions. His alliance with Noel Tata is both ideological and operational -- both men are determined to preserve the spirit of unanimity and the trustees' collective discretion. Here's a sneak-peek into the seven dramatis personae and their role in the Tata Trusts, and how they are tied to the present conflict. Noel Tata Noel Naval Tata, the late Ratan Tata's half-brother, emerged in October 2024 as chairman of Tata Trusts -- the philanthropic umbrella controlling about 66% of Tata Sons. His elevation wasn't entirely surprising: He already served as trustee in both the Sir Dorabji and Sir Ratan Tata trusts -- the two largest philanthropic entities within the Tata Trusts, collectively holding a significant stake in Tata Sons -- and had deep operational experience across Tata group companies. In August 2025, during the 107th annual general meeting the shareholders cleared his nomination to the Tata Sons board, bolstering his institutional clout. In the current dispute, Noel leads the camp arguing for continuity, consensus-driven decisions, and maintenance of the Trusts' traditional decision culture. His legitimacy is reinforced by backing from 'old-timers' and alignment with the Tata legacy. Venu Srinivasan Venu Srinivasan serves as vice-chairman of Tata Trusts and is a longstanding nominee director of Tata Sons -- making him one of the more powerful trustees in the group's intricate governance web. His role positions him as both a gatekeeper and behind-the-scenes influencer in nominations and oversight. In the power tussle, Venu stands firmly with Noel's camp, defending the 'Tata way' of consensus and resisting what they cast as destabilising challenges to the status quo. His alliance helps preserve institutional continuity and shields the chairman's decisions from dissident interference. His influence is partly procedural -- he sits on the executive committee that steers Trusts' internal decisions. Vijay Singh Former defence secretary Vijay Singh holds the post of vice-chairman in Tata Trusts and until recently was one of the Trusts' nominee directors on the Tata Sons board. The dispute ignited when his reappointment by the Noel Tata camp was challenged: After the Trusts introduced a rule that directors above 75 must be reappointed annually, the vote to renew Singh's seat failed 4-2. Four trustees -- Mehli Mistry, Darius Khambata, Pramit Jhaveri and Jehangir HC Jehangir -- opposed the renewal, reflecting the influence of the faction associated with Mehli Mistry. On the other side, Noel Tata and Venu Srinivasan supported Singh's continuation, advocating for stability and adherence to established governance practices within the Trusts. The outcome, a 4-2 rejection, ultimately led to Singh stepping down, underscoring the deepening rift in the Trusts' leadership and a sharp rupture in the Trusts' tradition of unanimity. Singh resigned from Tata Sons' board, and that act became the detonator of deeper governance conflict. In the present fault lines, Singh symbolises how procedure and rule changes can reshape power. Mehli Mistry Mehli Mistry, the late Cyrus Mistry's first cousin, is the central figure of the dissenting bloc -- a trustee who has challenged the prevailing power structure. He joined the Trusts in October 2022 and was a longtime associate of Ratan Tata. Mehli's camp demands greater access to board minutes, agendas, and oversight -- accusing the chairman's allies of opacity. His attempt to get himself or allies nominated to Tata Sons' board was blocked, intensifying the split. In media narratives, he is presented as pressing for structural reform though critics see in him a push for influence. Pramit Jhaveri The former CEO of Citi India brings governance credentials and an outsider's outlook on institutional reform. He has publicly flagged the need for clearer rotation rules, disclosures and internal accountability. In the current clash, his voice lends credibility to the reformist demand that trustees not be sidelined from decision cycles. He may not have independent backing of equity, but his professional reputation underscores the challenge to the status quo. Darius Khambata A senior advocate known for representing the Tatas in legal matters, his legal acumen allows him to frame the reformist claims in firm trust-law terms. He was part of a delegation meeting with central ministers Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman to signal that the dispute is not just internal but affects public interest. He insists on reforming the internal information regime -- demanding the same access to agendas, minutes and board reports that majority trustees enjoy. In this power drama, Khambata is the ideological and legal anchor of dissent, elevating grievances from personal to structural. Jehangir HC Jehangir The Pune-based businessman and philanthropist is aligned with Mehli Mistry and supports the push for transparency, reform, and greater trustee inclusion. Though less public in rhetoric than his fellow dissidents, his presence buttresses the bloc's claim to broad-based trust representation. He adds a philanthropic legitimacy to the dissent -- someone who works in the public interest rather than boardroom politics. His influence is more moral than structural, but it matters in a dispute over trust legitimacy. Behind the veneer of procedural disputes lies the question of control. The Tata Trusts collectively own about 66 per cent of Tata Sons, giving it the decisive vote in appointing one-third of the holding company's directors. Those nominee directors carry veto powers on major decisions, from raising capital to mergers and top-level appointments. Whoever influences the Trusts effectively influences Tata Sons -- and, by extension, the entire $328 billion Tata Group. Concerned about instability in one of India's most systemically important conglomerates, Home Minister Shah and Finance Minister Sitharaman summoned both sides -- Noel Tata, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, Venu Srinivasan and dissenting trustee Darius Khambata -- to a meeting this week. According to media reports, the ministers urged the trustees to 'restore stability by whatever means necessary,' reminding them of the Trusts' public-interest responsibilities. There is also a wider backdrop: Speculation over a possible listing of Tata Sons and the continuing negotiations to buy out the Shapoorji Pallonji group's stake. Some insiders believe the reformist trustees favour a partial listing to improve transparency, while the Noel Tata camp wants to retain the traditional private structure. The parallels to Cyrus Mistry's October 24, 2016 ouster are unmistakable -- that conflict was about operational control; this one, about governance and oversight. For now, both factions insist that dialogue is ongoing, but the collegial tone that once defined the Tata Trusts has given way to calculation and mistrust. The stakes are immense: Whoever prevails will shape not only the governance of India's most respected conglomerate but also the moral authority of the institution that bears its founder's name. Unresolved succession plans and informal ownership structures are fuelling bitter family fights across India's corporate boardrooms. IMAGE: Karisma Kapoor with Sunjay Kapoor. Photograph: Rediff Archives. A growing wave of wealth clashes and a persistent reluctance to formalise succession plans is turning India's corporate boardrooms into a battleground of family feuds. The latest flashpoint is the death of 53-year old Sunjay Kapur, chairman of auto parts maker Sona BLW Precision Forgings, which has triggered a family dispute. His mother Rani Kapur has opposed the appointment of Sunjay's wife Priya Sachdev Kapur to the firm's board. "There's often a mismatch between the mindset of ageing patriarchs and the aspirations of the next generation," says Ketan Dalal, founder of tax advisory firm, Catalyst Advisors. "Add in unequal levels of contribution and commitments among family members, lack of shareholder agreements, and weak governance -- and you have a recipe for prolonged conflict," he adds. The Kapurs join a long list of prominent Indian business families entangled in litigation over control, including the Kirloskars, the Baba Kalyani family, and the Chhabrias of Finolex. In September last year, Bina Modi -- chairperson of Godfrey Phillips India -- was involved in a feud with her sons, Samir and Lalit, as she resisted sale of the company. Her sons accused their mother of defying their late father's will. Last month, the feuding Maran brothers announced a truce, which was mediated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, The Hindu reported on July 8th. In the past, acrimonious family feuds have hit almost all conglomerates including the first family of India Inc, the Ambani brothers, and the older ones like the Birlas and the Bajajs. Billionaire Lodha brothers announced a settlement in May after fighting over the 'Lodha' brand for months. IMAGE: Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters Experts attribute the growing discord to opaque ownership structures, informal arrangements, ageing and weakening patriarchs, and delayed planning. "Most Indian families that have expanded in size and business complexity have not invested in formal ownership or succession frameworks," said Dalal. "When circumstances change and there's no framework in place, disputes are inevitable." Many legacy businesses still remain mired in cross-holdings, Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) structures, and unclear promoter arrangements. The cultural aversion to a formal structure compounds the problem. The role of advisors is another under-discussed factor. "Families are often reluctant to bring in objective advisors or are wary of those introduced by other members," Dalal says. "The suspicion delays engagement and issues remain unresolved." IMAGE: Lalit Modi and his mother Bina Modi have been at loggerheads since Modi Senior's death in November 2019. Photograph: Kind courtesy Lalit Modi/X According to Dalal, underlying all of this is the "illusion of immortality" -- a belief that difficult decisions on succession or ownership can always be deferred. "But too often, 'later' becomes too late." "Irrespective of the age, every family/person must have a clear succession plan in place so that their descendants don't get involved in a bitter public fracas as it ultimately leads to shareholders wealth destruction," said a CEO, asking not to be quoted. As India Inc continues to create wealth at scale, the absence of a clear succession road map threatens to fracture legacy businesses -- unless families embrace governance and structure as seriously as growth, say experts. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Businesses are testing new markets, tapping into domestic demand, and pushing the government for relief. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff The 50 per cent tariff on Indian exports to the US has exporters on edge. From scaling back production to fears of job losses, the ripple effects are spreading across industries. Yet, businesses are also recalibrating: Testing new markets, tapping into domestic demand, and pushing the government for relief. MSMEs: Looking for a lifeline The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector is monitoring the tariff impact and may approach the government with suggestions, said Anil Bhardwaj, secretary general, Federation of Indian MSMEs. "For now, we are observing the immediate fallout, though we're prepared for different scenarios. By next week, we'll seek government support, particularly funds for research on markets beyond the US," Bhardwaj told Business Standard. The short-term hit will be severe for MSME-dominated sectors such as textile, leather, handicraft, and jewellery. "In apparel and leather, we're competing head-on with Vietnam and Bangladesh, both at 20 per cent duty," he said. Vinod Kumar, president of the India SME Forum, said outreach to about 100,000 members has drawn 1,035 responses, with entrepreneurs already mapping ways to cope with the tariffs. Central to industry demands is a proposed Rs 25,000 crore financial support mechanism under the Export Promotion Mission (2025-2031), said Hemant Jain, president, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters Textiles: Reweaving the export map Textiles and apparel contribute around 2 per cent to gross domestic product and provide massive employment. The US accounts for 28 per cent of India's textile and apparel exports. To soften the blow, the government has identified 40 countries for a renewed export push through Indian missions. Industry, meanwhile, has drawn up a wish list: export incentives, targeted support for Europe and the UK ahead of free trade agreements, and banking sector relief. The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) has sought immediate support. "Developing new markets takes time. We're looking at the European Union and the UK, among others," said CITI Secretary General Chandrima Chatterjee. Industry bodies have also urged talks with the US for zero-duty access on select products where supply chains are complementary. Some companies are pivoting to India to cushion the hit. Kitex Garments, a Kerala-based exporter of kids' clothing, has launched its US-quality babywear brand Little Star in India to offset weak US demand. IMAGE: A woman works at a garment factory in Tamil Nadu. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters Diamonds: A cut under pressure In Surat, the world's diamond finishing hub, the full impact will surface in three months, once existing orders are cleared. The question is whether American buyers can afford diamonds after the tariff hike. The city employs nearly 800,000 artisans across 5,000 cutting and polishing units. The US remains the largest destination, buying more than three of every 10 Indian-polished diamonds. In April, the Trump administration levied a 26 per cent duty on gems and jewellery. On August 27, it raised this further, pushing the effective rate to 55 per cent. Diamond polishers say they've already cut production by up to 40 per cent. Layoffs are looming. "Operators will now run only four- to five-hour shifts instead of eight to twelve. Workers may be paid per stone polished, not monthly," said a local trader. In 2024-2025, India's gem and diamond exports fell 11.2 per cent to $28.67 billion. Shipments to the US shrank 6 per cent to $9.24 billion. Industry leaders say expanding the client base is the only solution, though the global slowdown makes this difficult. IMAGE: A diamond set on display during the CARATS Surat Diamond Expo. Photograph: ANI Photo Tea: Brewing uncertainty Indian tea buyers in the US are in wait-and-watch mode. Some are pushing for price cuts, others are considering alternative origins. India exported 16.8 million kilograms of tea to the US in 2024 -- 6.6 per cent of its total shipments, but 9.4 per cent by value. The basket ranges from organic speciality teas to bulk. "The US is an important market for us, with diverse buyers," said Anshuman Kanoria, chairman, Indian Tea Exporters Association. "There have been cancellations, but most buyers are waiting. Multi-origin blends are at risk of reformulation, which could mean a long-term loss of demand." Some importers are demanding price cuts of 20 to 25 per cent. "But there's no margin to absorb that," he said. Dipak Shah, chairman of the South India Tea Exporters Association, said, "A lot of value-added teas go from the South. This is a big jolt -- everything has come to a standstill." At a 25 per cent tariff, exporters could still manage. At 50 per cent, "nothing is exportable to the US," said Hemant Bangur, chairman, Indian Tea Association. Kanoria added that exporters would work with the government to find new markets, including China, to offset short-term losses. "It's also an opportunity to broaden our reach." Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday shared a post on his Truth Social platform showing an old photograph of himself with other European leaders with the US flag depicting Canada, Greenland and Venezuela as a part of the US. IMAGE: Last year, Donald Trump suggested that Canada become the 51st US state. Photographs: @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social In the post, Trump is seen seated inside the Oval Office, with NATO leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, UK PM Keir Starmer, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, among others. In another post, Trump is seen flanked by its Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio hoisting a US flag in Greenland, with a milepost that reads, "Greenland US Territory Est 2026". Shortly after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump said that the United States will run the South American country "until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition". Later, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the stance on January 8, saying, "The Trump Administration is in close correspondence with the interim authorities in Venezuela. We obviously have maximum leverage over the interim authorities in Venezuela right now... Their decisions are going to continue to be dictated by the United States". Trump had last year suggested that Canada become the 51st US state. Shortly after winning the elections in May last year, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had firmly rejected Trump's suggestion, stating, "It's important to distinguish wants from reality." Carney emphasised that his election victory and the votes he received demonstrate Canadians' clear desire for independence. He said that Canada will never be part of the US, citing public dialogue and his resounding election victory as proof. Trump had repeatedly said that Canada should be the 51st US state and even mocked former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the "Governor of Canada". On Tuesday, the US President held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. The posts comes as US is set to deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft at the Pituffik space base in Greenland, as tensions rise over President Donald Trump's move to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities. They also said that this action is taken in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. Previously, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026 if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. The situation in Kokrajhar escalated late on January 19 after a Scorpio vehicle carrying three Bodo individuals hit two Adivasi persons at Mansingh Road under the Karigaon police outpost.. Kindly note the image has been published only for representational purposes. Photograph: ANI Video Grab The Assam government on Tuesday ordered an immediate suspension of mobile internet and data services across Kokrajhar and Chirang districts following serious law-and-order disturbances involving members of the Bodo and Adivasi communities in which one person was killed, officials said. As informed by the deputy commissioner of Kokrajhar, an Army flag march is currently underway, and the assembly of more than four persons prohibited including taking out procession, rally, staging dharna or protests under Section 163 of BNSS. According to a notification issued by the home and political department, the situation escalated late on January 19 after a Scorpio vehicle carrying three Bodo individuals hit two Adivasi persons at Mansingh Road under the Karigaon police outpost. The occupants of the vehicle were allegedly assaulted by local Adivasi villagers and the vehicle was set on fire. The incident subsequently triggered wider unrest, with groups from both communities blocking the National Highway near the Karigaon outpost, burning tyres and setting fire to several houses and an office building. The Karigaon police outpost also came under attack, prompting the administration to deploy the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to prevent further escalation. Citing apprehensions that social media and internet services could be misused to spread rumours and inflammatory content, the government invoked Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, read with the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017, to prohibit mobile internet and data services in the district 'with immediate effect and until further orders.' The order was promulgated by additional chief secretary (home & political) Ajay Tewari, IAS. It clarified that voice calls and fixed-line broadband services would remain operational during the period of suspension. "Any violation of the promulgation will be punishable under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and under relevant provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885," the notification warned. Senior officials said security forces have been deployed in strength in sensitive areas, and efforts are under way to restore normalcy. The administration has appealed to residents to maintain peace and refrain from spreading unverified information, while assuring that the situation is being closely monitored. Kokrajhar, which falls under the Bodoland Territorial Region, has witnessed periodic ethnic tensions in the past, prompting authorities to act swiftly to prevent violence from spiralling further. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff Both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday claimed that the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation (CMC) in eastern Maharashtra will have their mayor. IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' for Chandrapur Municipal Corporation election campaign, in Chandrapur. Photograph: @Devendra_Office on X/ANI Photo No party secured a clear majority in the 66-member body in the January 15 elections, though the Congress emerged as the single largest group with 30 seats. Senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar claimed that several Congress corporators were in contact with his party and the mayor will from the BJP. Congress leaders dismissed the BJP claims and sought to project unity. Senior leader Vijay Wadettiwar said all the Congress corporators were together despite poaching attempts. "We are all one. Though our 27 councillors were kept separately for management, we are all together. The group leader will be one and a Congress mayor will be installed," he said. Local Congress MP Pratibha Dhanorkar also said the party was united. Dismissing claims by BJP leaders that Congress corporators were in touch with them, Wadettiwar insisted such statements were mere 'kite-flying'. He also hinted that some BJP corporators were in touch with the Congress. Wadettiwar further said that discussions are underway to include six corporators of the Shiv Sena-UBT in an alliance, as the two parties are constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the state. The Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray has a right to stake claim to the Mayor's post in Chandrapur, he added. Sources said both senior Congress leaders had moved their respective groups of councillors out of Chandrapur -- Wadettiwar had relocated 14 to15 councillors and Dhanorkar shifted 12 to13 supporters -- ahead of the arrival of party observers who are to supervise the selection of the mayor and group leader. This was intended to present a consolidated tally to the observers, the sources said. Of the total 66 seats, the Congress won 30, the BJP 23, the Shiv Sena-UBT 6, the Shiv Sena 1, the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi 2, the Bahujan Samaj Party 1, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen 1 and independents 2. Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut said any mayoral candidate would need his party's support. The Sena-UBT is keeping its options open and the party leadership will take the final decision, he said. The Delhi Police has solved the daylight murder of a woman in Shalimar Bagh by using artificial intelligence tools to enhance blurred CCTV footage, leading to the identification and arrest of three men from Bihar, officials said on Tuesday. Image used only for representational purposes. Photograph: ANI Photo Among those arrested is a long-time fugitive who allegedly orchestrated the killing of a 44-year-old Rachna Yadav, a Residents' Welfare Association (RWA) president of her block. The police said the victim was set to testify against the men who murdered her husband in 2023. Investigators initially struggled as available CCTV footage from the crime scene and nearby areas was of poor quality. "AI technology was used to improve the quality of the CCTV footage. Multiple AI-based applications helped obtain clear images of the shooters, leading to the identification of one of the accused as Nikhil," a senior police officer said. Rachna was shot dead near her house on January 10. Police have been arrested Nikhil (22), and two others, identified as Sumit (23) and Bharat Yadav (33). Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ravindra Singh Yadav said a PCR call was received at around 11 am on the day of the incident. A team found the woman near a park in East Shalimar Bagh with a gunshot wound to her forehead. An empty cartridge and a bullet fragment were recovered from near the spot. The deceased was wife of Bijender Yadav, who was also murdered in 2023. Investigations revealed that the killing was linked to a dispute over a 250-square-yard plot on the Swaroop Nagar-Burari road. Bijendra and Bharat had issued threats to each other in the past over the dispute. Bharat Yadav, one of the accused, was declared a proclaimed offender in Bijender's murder and carried a reward of Rs 20,000 for his arrest. Rachna Yadav was a key prosecution witness in her husband's murder case and was actively pursuing the trial. Cops used AI tools to enhance CCTV footage During investigation, the police analysed footage from CCTV cameras installed near the scene and on possible escape routes, besides questioning passersby and examining the movement of recently released offenders. According to the Special CP, technical surveillance played a crucial role in the case. Call detail records, dump data and IPDRs (Internet Protocol Detail Records) were analysed, and investigators also examined property-related documents of the deceased family to establish the motive behind the murder. "It was during this process when investigators decided to use artificial intelligence tools to enhance blurred CCTV visuals. After improving the footage quality, police were able to generate clearer images of suspects on a motorcycle. One suspect was identified as Nikhil, a resident of Haryana's Panipat," the officer said. Based on inputs and human intelligence, police conducted raids across Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Bihar. The police tracked Nikhil and Bharat Yadav to a hut in Bihar's Katihar. The duo was apprehended in a joint operation carried out by the Delhi Police along with the Central Reserve Police Force and local Bihar police. During questioning, Nikhil named Sumit as the person who drove the motorcycle during the crime. Sumit was subsequently arrested in Panipat. The probe also revealed that Bharat Yadav had approached Nikhil a few days before the murder, fearing that Rachna's testimony would lead to his conviction in her husband's murder. "He allegedly conspired to eliminate her and sought Nikhil's help, who in turn roped in Sumit," the officer said. Police said the accused used encrypted communication and frequently changed mobile numbers to evade electronic surveillance. The police have recovered the motorcycle used in the crime, which was stolen from the Subhash Place area. Key highlights A highly rated primary school in north-west London has been accused of religious discrimination after a diaspora advocacy group claimed an eight-year-old pupil was challenged for wearing a tilak on his forehead. Image used only for representational purposes. Photograph: Pexels.com INSIGHT UK claimed in a statement on Monday that the child and his family suffered 'significant distress' over the issue at Vicar's Green Primary School in Wembley, leaving Hindu parents with no option but to remove at least four pupils from the school. However, the school denied any form of discrimination at its 'diverse and inclusive' institution, which has pupils from more than 50 language backgrounds, including a significant number of Hindus. "The Tilak-Chandlo is not a cosmetic or cultural accessory, it is an integral religious observance for many Hindus," said an INSIGHT UK spokesperson. "Preventing a child from practising their faith, or making them feel ashamed or intimidated for doing so, is wholly unacceptable in a modern, multicultural Britain. "For over 1 billion Hindus worldwide, sacred markings such as the Tilak-Chandlo, Bindi, Tikka, Tripundra etc are integral expressions of faith. To trivialise or mislabel such practices in an educational setting reflects a troubling lack of religious literacy," the spokesperson said. Among the reports collated by the group, the school headteacher and governors are said to have displayed a lack of 'cultural and religious sensitivity' during attempts at dialogue. "This was not a good-faith dialogue -- it was an imbalance of power, where Hindu religious practices were scrutinised, minimised, and ultimately rejected," INSIGHT UK claimed. It has called on the school to review its policies and staff training to ensure compliance with equality and safeguarding laws. Ealing Council, the local authority in charge of the school rated 'outstanding' by the independent Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED), responded to PTI's inquiry with a statement from a spokesperson for Vicar's Green Primary School. "Our longstanding school policy asks pupils not to wear visible skin markings including religious ones. We met with the parents of a pupil who was wearing a Tilak-Chandlo on their forehead to discuss the matter sensitively and sought to understand the reason for it," the school spokesperson stated. "We fully recognised the family's religious beliefs and, in a spirit of conciliation, we offered a reasonable compromise by making an exception to our policy so the symbol could be worn on a less prominent part of the body. This was, unfortunately, rejected by the pupil's parents," the spokesperson said. The school went on to reference its recent OFSTED inspections as recognising its inclusive environment where children 'thrive'. The spokesperson added: "The school's governing body also thoroughly reviewed the case and wrote to the parents explaining the school's decision in detail and also offered the reasonable adjustments the school had offered, as well as special religious occasions. Unfortunately, the parents did not accept either of these adjustments. "We have always approached these discussions respectfully, sensitively and thoroughly, which has taken up a considerable amount of time and stress for the school, and its community. As a school, our priority is always the wellbeing of all our children." Vicar's Green Primary School stressed that it values and respects the diverse cultural and religious backgrounds in its community, with its policy designed to 'promote cohesion, fairness, equality and a shared sense of belonging while preventing division or disruption within the school community'. The official UK government classification describes it as a mixed (co-ed) 'community school', or a secular state school, that caters to pupils aged between three and eleven. The European Union is on the cusp of signing a historic trade agreement with India that is being called 'the mother of all deals', European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday, asserting it will create a market for 2 billion people or about one-fourth of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IMAGE: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrive for a photo opportunity ahead of their meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi, on February 28, 2025. Photograph: Altaf Hussain/File Photo/Reuters In a special address here at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, she said the real would crucially provide a first-mover advantage for Europe with one of the world's fastest-growing and most dynamic continents. "Right after Davos, I will travel to India. There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals," she said. "Europe wants to do business with the growth centres of today and the economic powerhouses of this century. "From Latin America to the Indo-Pacific and far beyond, Europe will always choose the world. And the world is ready to choose Europe," she said. President of the European Council, Antonio Costa and von der Leyen will be in India from January 25 to 27 to grace the Republic Day celebrations as chief guests and hold summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two sides are set to announce the conclusion of negotiations on the much-awaited free trade agreement at the India-EU summit on January 27. European Commission President said the EU is also working on a new free trade agreement with Australia. "We are also advancing with the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, the UAE -- and more," she added. She also said Europe will always stand with Ukraine until there is a just and lasting peace. The European Union is India's biggest trade partner, with bilateral trade in goods recording USD 135 billion in the financial year 2023-24. The free trade agreement is expected to significantly enhance trade ties. The proposed agreement is expected to bring a qualitative change in deepening the overall bilateral ties in a range of sectors, as well as at a time when the world is witnessing trade disruptions in view of Washington's tariff policy. Besides firming up the free trade agreement, the two sides are likely to unveil a defence framework pact and a strategic agenda at the summit. India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004. The ambitious FTA is being firmed up at a time amid increasing concerns over Washington's trade and tariff policies, which have impacted both India and the 27-nation EU. India and the EU are also expected to unveil a joint comprehensive strategic vision that will govern their relationship for the period 2026-2030. The EU and India had first launched negotiations for the free trade agreement in 2007, before the talks were suspended in 2013 due to a gap in ambition. The negotiations. The negotiations were relaunched in June 2022. The proposed Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) will facilitate deeper defence and security cooperation between the two sides. The SDP will bring interoperability in the defence domain, and it will open up avenues for Indian firms to participate in the EU's SAFE (Security Action for Europe) programme. The SAFE is the EU's Euro 150 billion financial instrument designed to provide financial support to member states to speed up defence readiness. At the summit, India and the EU are also set to launch the negotiations for a Security of Information Agreement (SOIA). The SOIA is expected to boost industrial defence cooperation between the two sides. Why the deal is important India on Tuesday decided to withdraw the families of Indian officials posted in Bangladesh in view of the security scenario in that country. IMAGE: AAP workers stage a protest against atrocities on minority Hindus in Bangladesh, in Lucknow. Photograph: ANI Photo New Delhi's move comes weeks before parliamentary elections are to be held in Bangladesh. Given the security situation, as a precautionary measure, we have advised the dependents of our officials in high commission and posts to return to India, official sources said. The mission and all posts in Bangladesh continue to remain open and operational, they said. Apart from the high commission in Dhaka, India has diplomatic posts in Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi and Sylhet. It is not immediately known when the families of the diplomats and other officials will return to India. It is learnt that India has decided to make Bangladesh a 'non-family' destination for Indian diplomats and officials in view of safety concerns following increasing activities of extremist elements in that country. In the neighbourhood, Pakistan is also a 'non-family' destination for Indian diplomats and officials. The relations between India and Bangladesh came under strain after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government in August, 2024. India has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country. COLOMBO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government will recruit 82 government analysts in the first quarter of 2026 to speed up police investigations and ease overcrowding in prisons, a senior minister told parliament on Tuesday. Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara said about 75 percent of inmates are remand prisoners, many held on suspected drug-related offenses. Most of them remain in custody because drug analysis reports are delayed due to staff shortages, worsening prison congestion. He said the government aims to cut the time taken to issue analyst reports to under three months through the new recruitment drive. Sri Lanka has 36 prisons housing about 34,000 inmates, with the majority incarcerated for drug-related offenses. Nitin Nabin on Tuesday took over as the Bharatiya Janata Party's 12th national president, succeeding J P Nadda and beginning a new chapter for the party as it seeks to tighten its grip on the country's politics and further expand its influence in uncharted territories with a generational shift in the organisation. IMAGE: Nitin Nabin, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, pays tribute to Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay after assuming the charge as the BJP national president, at the party headquarters, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: @NitinNabin on X/ANI Photo Addressing a gathering at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said when it comes to party matters, he is a worker and 'honourable Nitin Nabin ji' is his boss. After a formal announcement of Nabin's name as the new BJP chief, Prime Minister Modi and other senior leaders took him to his new office at the party headquarters, where he officially assumed the charge of the party's national president. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, outgoing BJP president Nadda and party general secretary B L Santhosh were present with Modi when Nabin took over the charge of his new responsibilities. Along with them, Nabin's wife, children and other close family members were also present on the occasion. Addressing a gathering at the party headquarters earlier, Modi described 45-year-old Nabin as a 'millennial' with youthful energy and vast experience in the organisation, and asserted that his qualities will prove to be of immense help for the party. In his 40-minute speech, the prime minister repeatedly referred to Nabin as mananiya (honourable) and listed out the achievements of his government over the last 11 years, which he described as giving an account of his work to the party president. "I, too, as a party worker, was giving an account of my work to the new president. I have given an account of my work. He will now write my CR (confidential report). I am awaiting his guidance," Modi said, referring to the work of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government. "When it comes to party matters, mananiya (honourable) Nitin Nabin ji... I am a worker, and you are my boss," the prime minister said, adding, "Every word of his will give us a new direction. His guidance will be a priceless asset that will chart our future course of action." Modi also sought to draw Nabin's attention to his responsibilities as the BJP president and suggested that he must maintain proper coordination with the NDA partners. "Nitin ji is now everybody's president (in the party). His responsibilities are not limited to taking care of the BJP only. He has to take care of the responsibility of maintaining coordination with all friends in the NDA," Modi said. In his speech, Nabin exhorted people, especially youth, to enter politics to fulfil Prime Minister Modi's resolve of making India developed and assured party workers of due recognition of their work, saying the BJP's 'watchtower' is strong enough to take note of everyone's efforts. He also asked the party leaders and workers to make an all-out effort to ensure the BJP's success in the upcoming assembly polls in five states, including West Bengal, to protect the 'Sanatan traditions and faith' and the country from demographic changes. "On August 15, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called upon the country's youth to enter public life. I want to ask the country's youth that keeping distance from politics is not the solution but making active contributions," he said. Nabin said there is a need for the youth to come forward and participate in 'positive politics' to fulfil Prime Minister Modi's resolve of making India a developed country. "At the same time, I would also like to point out to the youths that there is no shortcut in politics. Politics is not a 100-metre race but a marathon where one's stamina and not speed is tested. Come forward and let's work on this political pitch, keeping our roots strong," he added. Describing Nabin as a 'young, energetic and talented karyakarta' of the BJP, Nadda said that he comes with a vast organisational and administrative experience while working for the party in various capacities and serving as a minister in the NDA government in Bihar. "At such a young age, he is a five-term MLA. He also served as a minister in the Bihar government. "During his stint at the Yuva Morcha, he travelled across the country and understood it. He was the party's in-charge for Sikkim. He made a big contribution in bringing the BJP to power in Chhattisgarh," Nadda said, addressing the gathering. Nabin will take the party forward at a 'rapid pace' under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, the outgoing BJP chief asserted. Nadda thanked party leaders and workers for their support during his term as the party president. He also expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Modi for taking time out from his busy schedule and guiding him during his tenure as the BJP chief. "Today is a very historic occasion, when our young, energetic and talented Nitin Nabin is taking charge as the national president of the world's largest political party, the BJP. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to him on my behalf and on behalf of crores of workers," he said. K Laxman, returning officer for the BJP organisational polls, declared the results of the organisational elections and handed over the certificate of election to 45-year-old Nabin, the youngest ever to occupy the top party post. Nabin became the 12th president of the BJP, which was founded in 1980, the same year he was born. The low-profile and unassuming Nabin had resigned as the minister for law and justice, urban development and housing in the Bihar government after he was appointed working president of the BJP on December 14. "This election shows that in the BJP, leadership rises from hard work and dedication, not from dynastic privilege," Laxman said, announcing the outcome of the elections. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said he will travel to New Delhi if summoned by the Congress high command to discuss the leadership issue involving him and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. IMAGE: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Photograph: @siddaramaiah/ANI Photo "I will go if I am called by the Congress high command," Siddaramaiah told reporters when asked about the possibility of visiting Delhi. The 'leadership tussle' in the ruling party has intensified amid speculation of a possible change in the chief ministership after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. The speculation has been fueled by a reported 'power-sharing' arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar during the government's formation in 2023. Shivakumar, who returned from New Delhi on Monday, indicated that discussions on the leadership issue involving him and Siddaramaiah were held in the presence of the Congress high command. He added that a decision had been taken and that 'time will answer everything'. Shivakumar, also the state Congress president, has asserted that he enjoys the support of all 140 ruling legislators, including Siddaramaiah. Replying to another question, Siddaramaiah said preparations for the state budget will begin after the joint session of the legislature scheduled from January 22 to 31. "From January 22, the joint session of the state legislature will begin. The special session on MGNREGA will also be held along with it. Along with the Governor's address, there will be a resolution regarding the restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Budget preparations will commence thereafter," he said. Official sources said the 2026-27 budget is likely to be presented in March. Siddaramaiah had earlier stated that he would present his record 17th budget next year, following his 16th budget in March last year. Tamil Nadu's Jallikattu season draws to a close but not before acts of daredevilry by both humans and animals. All photographs: ANI Photo As with every year, Jallikattu, or Tamil Nadus traditional bull taming sport, was off to a flier this Pongal season too. The maiden Jallikattu for this year was held in Thachankurichi village in Pudukkottai district on January 3, in which about 600 bulls and 300 tamers participated. In the final event for the Pongal 2026 season at Alanganallur on Saturday, nearly 1,000 bulls were unleashed from the 'Vaadi Vaasal' (entry point) into the arena during the day-long event, with as many as 465 tamers participating. Stalin's Jallikattu promise The spirit of the traditional bull taming sport came to the fore at Alanganallur, with scores of ferocious bulls freezing the tamers by displaying their might. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, who witnessed the popular sport at close quarters, announced a government job on a priority basis in the animal husbandry department to the best tamer who embraced the maximum number of bulls at the Jallikattu event, indicating that this effort could go a long way in patronising Jallikattu. Also, a sophisticated Jallikattu training and treatment centre will be established in Alanganallur at a cost of Rs 2 crore, he said. Winner gets car as first prize The Madurai soil is known for bravery. We become valorous by witnessing the world-famous Jallikattu. The strong bulls are the pride of Tamil Nadu, the chief minister said. I hope this (announcement) will make you happy, Stalin said after giving away gold rings to the tamers for displaying their valour and to bull owners whose animals defied the tamers with their ferocity and exited the arena without being subdued. Karthik of Karuppayurani, a neighbourhood in Madurai, who embraced 19 bulls was adjudged the best tamer and awarded a car as the first prize. The bull no one could subdue Abi Siddhar of Poovanthi village in Sivaganga district, won the second prize of a bike for subduing 17 bulls while Sridhar of Pasingapuram in Madurai who embraced 11 bulls won the third prize - an e-bike. Balamurugan, whose bull had a free run as none dared to subdue it, received the first prize of a tractor. Bull owners Tamilselvan and Kennady won the second and third prize of a bike and e-bike, respectively, bringing to close the Jallikattu events for the Pongal 2026 season in the state. Bull taming is no easy sport At least 14 people were injured during the event, and among them, four were admitted to the hospital for treatment. Earlier, a bull ran amok, causing panic among the crowd that had gathered to welcome the chief minister at the airport. However, it was tied down with a rope and taken away by its owners. At the event, as the bulls shook their heads and stood firm, the tamers, mostly youth, circled around hoping to embrace the hump but couldn't advance, eventually leading to the bulls being declared as winners. The unstoppable bulls A bull fell on a dauntless tamer who leapt on it and clung to its hump. For a few minutes the animal struggled to stand on its legs. Tamers who were around the bull shoved the animal from behind, enabling it to get up and run out of the Jallikattu arena. The man escaped without getting injured. A bull belonging to former AIADMK state minister C Vijayabhaskar, another owned by actor Soori and Sri Lankan politician Senthil Thondaiman were among those that were unstoppable. They earned a gold coin each for their respective owners. State Commercial Taxes and Registration Minister P Moorthi inaugurated the sport in the presence of Madurai District Collector Pravin Kumar and other senior officials. Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff Feature Presentation: Mahipal Soni/Rediff In the fourth such instance, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Tuesday walked out of the state assembly without reading his customary address after alleging that the national anthem was insulted, evoking a sharp response from Chief Minister M K Stalin, who dubbed his action as an 'insult' to the House and the people of the state. IMAGE: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, Chief Minister MK Stalin and other MLAs attend the first assembly session of the year in Chennai. Photograph: ANI Photo Stalin, also the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president, said his party will work with 'like-minded' parties to amend the Constitution to omit provisions mandating the Governor's Address to the state legislature. The high drama on the opening day of the year's first session, which is also expected to be the last before the upcoming assembly polls that are expected to be held in the next four months, started a few minutes after the state anthem in Tamil was rendered in the House. Beginning in 2023, this was the fourth such consecutive walkout by Ravi, who cited 'unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements' for not reading out the policy statement, while Speaker M Appavu requested him to stick to the state-prepared text. As Speaker Appavu began reading out the Tamil version of the state-prepared Governor's address after Ravi left abruptly, the main opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam staged a walkout alleging law and order failure, and other opposition parties, including the Pattali Makkal Katchi, followed suit. In the governor's address read out by the Speaker, the Tamil Nadu government urged the Centre to withdraw the recently passed VB-G RAM G Act and restore the United Progressive Alliance-era rural employment scheme, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. While the Assembly adopted a resolution moved by Stalin stating that only the government prepared customary address would go on official record after Ravi's walkout, the Lok Bhavan quickly released a statement claiming to give an explanation of what transpired inside the House. Alleging that the mic of the Governor was turned off in the assembly, the Lok Bhavan listed 12 other points, all of which were dismissed by the Tamil Nadu government as 'baseless and false'. While Ravi had been demanding that the national anthem be played at the commencement of the customary address, the government's stand is that the Tamil anthem is traditionally played at the beginning, and the national anthem at the end. Natural Resources Minister S Regupathy, reiterating this practice, said the governor was, however, insistent on the national anthem. "He did not read out the Governor's Address but tried to create problems in the House by saying something on his own. Everyone was, however, quiet. Speaker Appavu requested the Governor to stick to the customary address. He, however, walked out," he said. Regupathy rejected the Governor's claim that his mic was turned off and termed it a 'lie'. Also, he gave a point-by-point rebuttal to all the allegations listed by the Lok Bhavan. Regupathy said Ravi, who should have been the representative of the Central government, appeared in the House as the representative of the BJP. After the Governor left the House, Chief Minister Stalin attacked the Governor for 'walking out yet again in violation of rules, traditions, and ethos', and it was unbecoming of the high office Ravi holds. It was an insult to the House and its dignity, he said. Stalin said it was not good that the Governor refuses every year to read out the government- prepared speech. Governors posing trouble happens in several states, and it does not happen only in Tamil Nadu, he added. At the beginning of the year, the Governor reading out the government's policy statement is a practice being followed, and when a governor repeatedly violates such a practice, a question naturally arises 'as to why such a rule/practice should exist', Stalin said. Hence, the chief minister said his party, the DMK, would make efforts in the Parliament with the support of like-minded parties to drop provisions mandating the Governor's address at the start of the year from the Constitution by way of an amendment. It was regrettable that the Governor had repeated his behaviour of walking out of the House, which reflected the sentiments of the 8.5 crore Tamil people, the chief minister added. "A Governor must be concerned about the state's welfare, interested in the people's development, and must speak the truth. He must cooperate with the government, which has come to power with massive public support and a majority, on its decisions." According to the Lok Bhavan, the Tamil Nadu government's 'claim that the state attracted huge investments to the tune of over (Rs) 12 lakh crores is far from the truth'. The Governor targeted the state on issues including women's safety, the alleged prevalence of narcotics and drugs, and suicides by the youth. The Lok Bhavan alleged that atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women were sharply increasing, but it was totally bypassed. It also alleged that there was a decline in standards of education and defunct village panchayats. Also, it said several thousand temples in the state are without a Board of Trustees and are directly administered by the state government. Asserting that the MSME sectors are under huge stress, the statement alleged that entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu were forced to relocate their enterprises to other states, and the issue is completely ignored. There was widespread discontent among lower-rung employees in almost all sectors, it said, and added: "They are restive and frustrated. There was no mention of ways to address their genuine grievances." Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Nabin has recently been granted top-category VIP security cover by the Centre, officials said on Tuesday. IMAGE: BJP president Nitin Nabin welcomes Prime Minister Narendra Modi at party headquarter in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI video grab The VIP security wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been assigned to provide Z-category security for Nabin. A few weeks ago, the Union Home Ministry directed the CRPF to take charge of his security following his announcement as the new BJP party leader, officials said. Armed CRPF commandos will accompany him during his travels across the country, they added. Nabin was formally declared the BJP president on Tuesday. The 45-year-old five-time Bihar MLA was elected unopposed on Monday as the BJP national president, the youngest ever to occupy the top post at a time when the saffron party seeks to further expand its footprint with key state elections around the corner. His predecessor, J P Nadda, also received a similar security cover from the government, with the CRPF VIP security wing managing the arrangements. The VIP security cover, under the Central protection list, ranges from the highest Z-plus (ASL) to Z-plus, Z, Y, Y-plus, and X categories. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Gandhi family and several other politicians and high-ranking individuals are protected by the CRPF, which has approximately 200 VIPs under its umbrella. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday strongly backed the latest efforts to end the war in Ukraine and conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin that India will stand shoulder-to-shoulder in all peace efforts to find an amicable solution to the conflict. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hyderabad House, New Delhi, December 5, 2025. Photograph: ANI Digital/X The Ukraine issue figured prominently at the annual summit talks between the two leaders that is aimed at further shoring up a nearly eight-decade bilateral partnership that remained in firm footing notwithstanding fractious geopolitical environment and tensions. In his televised opening remarks at the summit, Modi said India is not neutral as it is on the side of peace to end the Ukraine conflict. "We have been holding discussions following the start of the Ukraine conflict. As a close friend, you have been regularly apprising us on the situation. I think trust is a major strength," Modi said. "We all should find the path of peace. I am aware of the latest efforts and I am confident that the world will turn to peace," he said. "I have always said that India is not neutral; India has a side and that side is peace. We support all peace efforts and we are standing shoulder-to-shoulder in all peace efforts," he said. On his part, the Russian president said Moscow is working towards a peaceful solution to the conflict. Putin was accorded a red carpet welcome on Thursday evening on his first visit to India in four years. It is also his first trip to India since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. PM Modi personally received the Russian leader with a hug at the Palam airport before travelling together in a white SUV to the prime minister's official residence for a private dinner. The conversation between the two leaders over dinner is known to have set the tone for the 23rd India-Russia summit talks that is expected to produce a number of tangible outcomes to further broadbase the time-tested relationship. Boosting defence ties, insulating India-Russia trade from external pressure and exploring cooperation in small modular reactors are set to be the focus of the summit. The Russian leader's visit to New Delhi has assumed greater significance as it is taking place against the backdrop of rapid downturn in India-US relations. Following the Modi-Putin talks, the two sides are expected to ink a plethora of agreements, including one on facilitating the movement of Indian workers to Russia, and another on logistical support under a broader framework of defence cooperation. It is learnt that under the trade basket, Indian exports to Russia are expected to significantly increase in areas of pharma, agriculture, food products and consumer goods. The move comes amid concerns in New Delhi over a ballooning trade deficit in favour of Russia. India's annual procurement of goods and services from Russia amounts to around USD 65 billion, while Russia's imports from India stand at around USD 5 billion. Officials said India is also looking at boosting cooperation in the fertiliser sector. Russia supplies three to four million tonnes of fertilisers to India annually. The Indian and Russian sides are also likely to discuss New Delhi's proposed free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union. Roads were blocked, tyres burnt as protests erupted across several districts of West Bengal on Tuesday over alleged harassment of people in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in the state, the police said. IMAGE: West Bengal Congress workers stage a protest outside the Election Commission office on SIR issues, in Kolkata on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo The demonstrations were held in South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Jhargram and Purba Medinipur, prompting the police to strengthen force deployment in these areas, a senior officer said. The protests erupted a day after the Supreme Court observed that the Special Intensive Revision process in West Bengal should be transparent and not cause inconvenience. The top court also directed the Election Commission (EC) to display the names of those on the "logical discrepancies" list at gram panchayat bhavans and block offices, where documents and objections would be submitted. The protesters alleged that despite possessing valid documents, elderly people and genuine voters were being served SIR notices in the garb of "logical discrepancies" and "mismatched with the voter list of 2002", the year when the last SIR was conducted in the state. In South 24 Parganas, protesters blocked roads in areas such as Dholahat and Polba, a senior police officer said, adding that teams of police personnel were rushed to the spots to clear the obstructions and prevent escalation. "A few roads were blocked temporarily, but the situation is now under control. We are in constant touch with local representatives and ensuring that no adverse law-and-order situation develops," a senior police officer of the district said. Similar demonstrations were reported from parts of North 24 Parganas, Jhargram and Purba Medinipur districts. In Purba Medinipur's Haldia Debhog Gram Panchayat, locals alleged that around 650 of 1,248 voters from booth number 269 in Manoharpur received hearing notices, a majority of them belonging to minority communities. A demonstrator claimed, "Most of those summoned at the hearing centre belonged to the Muslim community". A senior district police officer said, "The police have no role in issuing hearing notices. Our responsibility is limited to maintaining law and order. We are ensuring that protests remain peaceful and that essential services are not disrupted." A demonstrator claimed that SIR notices were served for 'minor discrepancies', and elderly people and ailing voters are 'suffering due to the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll in the state'. Another senior officer said the police have appealed to the people 'not to spread rumours or take the law into their hands'. "Any grievance related to the SIR process should be taken up with the appropriate authorities," he said. The ruling Trinamool Congress has been repeatedly raising concerns over the voter list revision process, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee writing to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to halt the exercise. Protesters warned of intensified agitation if corrective steps are not taken, while police said they remain on alert across sensitive areas to prevent further unrest. After the completion of the first phase, the draft electoral rolls, published on December 16 last year, showed the electorate shrinking from 7.66 crore to 7.08 crore, with over 58 lakh names deleted statewide. According to Election Commission officials, the exclusions in the first phase were made on grounds such as death, permanent migration, duplication and non-submission of enumeration forms. EC officials had said that voters labelled unmapped or discrepant were being given an opportunity to be heard, and the final rolls would be published on February 14. The Indian Navy's tableau at the Republic Day parade will feature a stitched ship from the fifth century CE, now christened as INSV Kaundinya, and several frontline indigenous platforms including the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. IMAGE: Indian Navy takes part in rehearsals for the upcoming Republic Day Parade, at Kartavya Path, in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo The Navy's contingent this year will comprise 144 young naval personnel marching shoulder-to-shoulder on the historic Kartavya Path, symbolising it as a progressive and strong maritime force, Navy officials said on Tuesday. The contingent represents a mini-India, with sailors drawn from various states and Union territories, they said. With an average age of 25 years, the personnel have been carefully selected from across the Indian Navy and have undergone specialised training of over two months for the parade, the officials said. The marching contingent will be led by Lt Karan Nagyal as Contingent Commander, with Lt Pawan Kumar Gandi, Lt Priti Kumari, and Lt Varun Dreveriya serving as Platoon Commanders. "The Republic Day parade is a spectacle of unity, showcasing the nation's rich cultural heritage, diversity, military prowess, and technological advancements," Lt Nagyal told reporters. "In keeping with the Indian Navy's vision of being a 'Combat Ready, Cohesive, Aatmanirbhar Force, safeguarding seas for a 'Viksit and Samridhha Bharat', all participating elements in the parade and Beating the Retreat Ceremony will reflect the Navy's commitment to national security," he said. With a history rooted in safeguarding national interests, the Indian Navy's tableau for the parade presents a vivid depiction of the theme of a 'Strong Navy for a Strong Nation', he said. "The tableau will depict a stitched ship from the fifth century CE, Gurab class ships of the Maratha Navy, and frontline indigenous platforms including the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, Project 17A Nilgiri-class stealth frigates INS Himgiri and INS Udayagiri, a Kalvari-class submarine, and the GSAT-7R (Project Rohini) communication satellite," he said. Vice Admiral Praveen Nair, Controller Personnel Services, stated that the Navy's participation in the Republic Day parade is not merely a display of military capability, but also reflects its resolve to advance Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance). He explained that the Navy's tableau, themed 'Anchored in Tradition, Sailing into Self-Reliance and Innovation' is based on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Samudra Se Samridhi' and depicts the evolution from India's ancient shipbuilding traditions to a future-ready indigenous force. The naval tableau will also feature a depiction of the circumnavigation route followed by INSV Tarini as part of the Navika Sagar Parikrama-II expedition. In addition to naval personnel, young cadets from the Sea Cadets Corps, a non-governmental organisation that imparts basic nautical skills to youth in Mumbai, will march alongside the tableau. The tableau has been conceived and designed by Commander Zubair Siddiqui and Lt Lekshmi K Ravi from the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau. Days after the death of a software engineer whose car plunged into a water-filled pit in Noida, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said India's urban collapse is not about lack of money, technology, or solutions but about the lack of accountability. IMAGE: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi speaks during 'Maha Panchayat' with elected local body representatives at Marine Drive, in Kochi. Photograph: ANI Photo Yuvraj Mehta (27), who worked in Gurugram, was returning to his home in Noida Sector 150 when his car fell into a deep, water-filled pit near an under-construction site on the night of January 16. He died after frantically pleading for help for around two hours. In a post on X, Gandhi said, "Roads kill, bridges kill, fires kill, water kills, pollution kills, corruption kills, indifference kills." "India's urban collapse isn't about lack of money, technology, or solutions. It's about lack of accountability.TINA m: There Is No Accountability," the Leader of Opposition said in a post on X. Gandhi shared a video carrying the remarks of an eyewitness, who said timely action could have saved the man, and that of the deceased's father, who lamented that there were several people there with some of them making videos but did not act to save his son. The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday removed the Noida Authority CEO and ordered an SIT probe into the death of the software engineer, amid mounting outrage over the incident and allegations of official and developer negligence. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident and directed the constitution of a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the circumstances leading to the accident and submit a report within five days. Mehta, a resident of Tata Eureka Park society, worked with a Gurugram-based company and was returning home late at night when the accident occurred. His body was recovered after a prolonged search operation involving the fire department, police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The postmortem examination conducted on Monday revealed that Mehta died due to asphyxia followed by cardiac arrest, police said. The report noted that his nose was blocked with mud and water, indicating drowning. His last rites were performed later in the day in Haridwar in the presence of his father Raj Kumar Mehta and other family members. The incident has sparked allegations of negligence, inadequate safety arrangements and delays in rescue efforts, with his father saying he had reached the spot and police, other rescue personnel were also there but could not save him. "If expert divers could have gone in, then maybe my son would have been saved. Yuvraj kept crying for help as the car drowned," he had lamented while speaking to reporters. An eyewitness, Monidra, a delivery agent, alleged that timely intervention could have saved the techie. Local residents staged protests over the weekend, accusing authorities and developers of ignoring repeated complaints about waterlogging, lack of barricading and absence of reflectors near the drain and construction site. Upset over a notice issued to him by the Magh Mela administration for using the title of 'Shankaracharya', Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Tuesday questioned how camps of two shankaracharyas from Puri were allowed at the same mela. IMAGE: Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati speaks at a press conference during the Magh Mela, in Prayagraj on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo Targeting the mela administration, he asked why it failed to notice a board claiming the presence of another Shankaracharya of Puri at the fair. "You ask why someone who is not a Shankaracharya is using the title. The Shankaracharya of Puri is present here and has a camp. Near his camp, there is also a board of another Puri Shankaracharya, Adhokshajanand Dev Tirth Maharaj, Govardhan Peeth Shankaracharya. How can there be two Shankaracharyas of Puri?" he said. Trouble broke out on Sunday when Saraswati along with his supporters was on his way to take dip in the Sangam on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya and the police allegedly stopped him. Following the incident, Saraswati sat in protest outside his camp, giving up food and water, and demanded an apology from senior officials of the mela administration and the police. The protest is still going on. The Mela administration on Monday issued a notice to Saraswati asking how he was projecting himself as the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth despite a Supreme Court order stating that no religious leader could be enthroned as Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth until disposal of the appeal. Alleging discrimination, Saraswati said the mela administration had permitted another Shankaracharya's camp to harass the 'real' Shankaracharya of Puri. Reacting to the notice issue, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X that the action was 'highly condemnable' and said those seeking certificates should first present their own credentials. He accused the BJP and its allies of being divisive and arrogant. Saraswati said notices were selectively issued against him because he raised demands related to cow protection. He said a reply to the notice would be sent via email on Tuesday and that he would also serve a notice to the mela administration, questioning why it was citing what he described as incomplete orders of the Supreme Court. Saraswati further argued that as the Jyotish Peeth matter was still pending before the Supreme Court, the mela administration had no authority to decide who was a Shankaracharya and who was not. Referring to past litigation, he said a case related to Jyotish Peeth was first heard in an Allahabad district court in 1999, which ruled that Swami Vasudevanand should not function as the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth. He said the Allahabad High Court also held that Vasudevanand was not proven to be a 'dandi sanyasi'. Saraswati claimed that although Vasudevanand did not get relief from the Supreme Court, boards outside his camp still described him as 'Jagadguru Shankaracharya Jyotishpeethadheeshwar', yet no notice was issued in that case. He also pointed out that in the official souvenir of Mahakumbh Prayagraj 2025, his photograph carried the description of 'Jagadguru Shankaracharya Jyotishpeethadheeshwar', while the mela administration was now questioning his use of the title. Saraswati has been critical of the mela administration since he was allegedly stopped by police and officials from taking a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya during the Magh Mela on Sunday. What is the controversy BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Export-Import Bank of China (China EximBank) has issued over 730 billion yuan (about 104 billion U.S. dollars) in technology-related loans in 2025, with funds flowing into sectors including artificial intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, humanoid robots and high-end instruments. By the end of 2025, the bank's outstanding technology loans stood at 1.54 trillion yuan, accounting for nearly half of its total corporate lending, according to the bank. To address tech companies' typical characteristics, such as light assets and high investment, it has adopted differentiated measures to enhance the accessibility and stability of financial support. Notably, 66 percent of its tech loans were credit loans, helping to ease financing difficulties for enterprises. The lender has also actively explored new models to support innovation platforms such as national laboratories and key regional laboratories, promoting scientific research and the commercialization of results. Leveraging its expertise in international business, the bank has backed sci-tech and digital cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the global layout of industrial chains. The China Eximbank is a state-funded and state-owned policy bank dedicated to supporting China's foreign trade, investment and international economic cooperation. An 18-year-old youth has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a tutor who had been sexually assaulting his 14-year-old friend for the past six months, police said on Tuesday. Image used only for representational purposes. Photograph: Niek Verlaan/Pixabay According to police, Devraj alias Jaggu, carried out the attack on Jay Prakash (32), which the boy had planned. They staged the attack as robbery and took Prakash's mobile phone and some cash. "The incident came to light in the intervening night of January 2, when police received information from Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital about a man with stab wounds admitted near Kondli Pul. The injured was later referred to AIIMS Trauma Centre due to the critical nature of his injuries," the officer added. According to the medico-legal certificate (MLC), the man had suffered incised wounds on the abdomen and on the left side of his back. Police said that Prakash remained largely uncooperative and failed to clearly identify the place of occurrence, prompting the investigating team to rely heavily on technical surveillance and CCTV footage. Nearly 150 CCTV cameras were analysed across multiple locations. Footage from Kondli Pul showed the injured man riding a bicycle towards Nehar Road in Dallupura with a boy seated behind him. About 23 minutes later, he was seen returning alone towards Kondli Mor, visibly injured. The boy was later spotted running behind the bicycle and dropping a small duffel bag near Raj Rani Hospital, where Prakash had also managed to reach, police said. The minor was subsequently identified and questioned in the presence of his parents. He initially told police that Prakash was his private tutor and claimed that an unknown assailant had robbed and stabbed him at a dark stretch of Nala Road in Dallupura. However, inconsistencies in his statement led police to develop further local intelligence, which resulted in the identification of the prime accused, Devraj alias Jaggu, a resident of Kondli. A raid was conducted, and Devraj was arrested at his residence. During interrogation, he confessed to having planned and executed the robbery-cum-stabbing in connivance with the minor, police said. Devraj disclosed that Prakash had been sexually abusing the minor, leading to resentment and a plan for revenge. To conceal the attack, a robbery was staged at a secluded stretch of Nala Road, during which the victim was stabbed, and his mobile phone and Rs 200-300 in cash were taken, police said. The minor also later confessed to his role in the conspiracy. Separate cases under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was registered against Prakash and Devraj, a senior police officer said. Police said they have recovered the robbed mobile phone and the knife used in the attack. Further investigation is underway. A woman, her female partner and a hired assailant were arrested for allegedly killing her husband in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district, police said on Tuesday. The victim, Ram Sumer Singh (45), who objected to their relationship, was found dead with his throat slit in a pulse field in Tiker village, Asothar, on January 14. Superintendent of Police Fatehpur Anoop Kumar Singh said that the investigation revealed that the prime accused, the victim's wife Renu Devi (35), had been in a relationship with Malti Devi alias Budhdhi (35) for around 18 months. "When the two women were prevented from meeting each other, they allegedly conspired to remove the victim, so that they could live independently," the SP added. According to the police, Malti Devi contacted her acquaintance Jitendra Gupta alias Ziddi (45), an e-rickshaw driver, and allegedly hired him to kill Ram Sumer Singh for Rs 60,000. An advance payment of Rs 8,000 was made, with the remaining amount to be paid after the crime. On the night of January 13, the victim was allegedly lured to his field, where Gupta and his associates, Raju Sonkar and Ram Prakash alias Maddu, were waiting. The assailants reportedly strangled Singh with a rope before slitting his throat and dumping the body in the field, they said. The police have arrested Renu Devi, Malti Devi and Raju Sonkar on Sunday, while Gupta and Ram Prakash are absconding, the officer said. Three mobile phones allegedly used in planning the crime, blood-stained clothes and the rope used in the murder have been recovered. The knife used in the killing and the victim's missing mobile phone are yet to be traced, the police said. "The accused have confessed to their roles during questioning," the SP said. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses the opening of a study session at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) for principal officials at the provincial and ministerial level, Jan. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for solid efforts to secure a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when opening a study session at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) for principal officials at the provincial and ministerial levels. Xi noted that the formulation and implementation of five-year plans constitutes important experience for the Party in governing the country and managing state affairs, as well as a significant political advantage of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, which is conducive to maintaining policy continuity. It is necessary to develop a comprehensive, profound and accurate understanding of the strategic arrangements for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period that were made at the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, he said. He stressed that China is currently at a stage where strategic opportunities and risks coexist, with increasing uncertainty and unpredictable factors. He added that building a modern industrial system and achieving an overall industrial structure upgrade are key strategic tasks for the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Xi emphasized the importance of maintaining a reasonable share of manufacturing in the economy, and of developing advanced manufacturing vigorously. He also highlighted the need to build modern infrastructure. China is well-positioned to accelerate its creation of a new development pattern, he said, noting that the domestic economy should serve as the mainstay, and investment in physical assets should be closely integrated with investment in human capital. Xi said that improving livelihoods should be prioritized to promote social development. And while advancing economic growth, steady efforts should be made to raise quality of life for the people. He urged efforts to strengthen the Party's capacity to lead socioeconomic development and maintain a high-pressure stance against corruption. Li Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the opening of the study session. The other members of the Standing Committee -- Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi -- were also in attendance, as was China's Vice President Han Zheng. Li Qiang called on the attendees to gain a deep understanding of the rich connotations of Xi's important speech, translate what they learn into concrete actions and results, and promote high-quality development with continuous progress. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses the opening of a study session at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) for principal officials at the provincial and ministerial level, Jan. 20, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses the opening of a study session at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) for principal officials at the provincial and ministerial level, Jan. 20, 2026. The opening of the study session was attended by Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) ZAPORIZHZHYA, Ukraine The welcoming smell of coffee and pastries wafts through Mothers Farm cafe and shop in Ukraine's eastern city of Zaporizhzhya, a sign of business as usual. But with the front line of the war with Russia just 25 kilometers away, business is far from usual. Mother's has kept its doors open despite several close calls, most recently on January 2 -- as outlined in a social media video by owner Yulia Matviyenko -- of plaster falling from the ceiling during a Russian strike nearby. Every business that remains in Zaporizhzhya and recovers after what is thrown at us deserves respect, she told RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service. We have already been taught over all these years to stand tall. And when the situation worsens, we become one big team. Strangers support each other, she added. Matviyenkos business is an example of economic resilience in a country battered by a relentless war that will see the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion next month. Its spirit of defiance is embodied by something every customer can handle -- a set of coffee cups inherited from a cafe in Kharkiv, another frontline city 255 kilometers to the northeast that Russian forces have also ruthlessly bombarded. The girls [at the cafe] passed them on. Unfortunately, their establishment is no longer there, but the cups remain, Matviyenko said. I believe that this symbolizes life, the continuation of the life of the business that was hit, that was destroyed." Matviyenko started out in business before the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Her family had a farm, raising birds for meat. But she decided to take her children to safety and then to volunteer in Ukraines territorial defense forces. Later, she went back into business, making dried meat rations for soldiers when her brothers were preparing to head to Ukraines military operations in Russias Belgorod region. Eventually, with the aid of a grant from regional authorities, she launched Mothers Farm. My children are always with mein two days we made a cozy place, Matviyenko said. Matviyenko is now planning to expand her business by supplying supermarket chains in Zaporizhzhya, this time helped by a grant from a veterans fund. Other businesses haven't fared as well. Oleksiy Puchkov found that the conditions of war, particularly frequent power cuts, made it impossible for his bakery to survive. People had to sit in the dark and wait for the generators to turn on and provide electricity, he said. This became impossible to do at night. It was difficult to get there because of the curfew. Even with passes, an employee cannot always do it. He told RFE/RL that he was optimistic that work would resume, but that for now it was suspended. Our production volumes have been falling lately. For the last two years, we have been unprofitable, he said. This has become something of a pattern, Olena Yeremenko, head of a local business alliance, told RFE/RL. "I don't see any mass relocation of businesses right now, apparently the main businesses have already left. But there are closures, mostly production, due to the loss of orders, suspension of activities with the hope of returning. And this is over the past six months, and this is a very bad signal. It can only get worse," she said. Puchkov said an additional problem in frontline zones like Zaporizhzhya was people leaving the area for safety reasons. In Lviv or Cherkasy it is more or less calm, he said, referring to cities n westrn and central Ukraine. Our people go therethey buy a bun, milk in the supermarket, lunch in a canteen or cafe. And we dont have these people. There are much fewer of them and their purchasing power is melting away. The first session of the Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity is held at the UN headquarters in New York, Jan. 19, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo) UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The first session of the Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity opened on Monday. The conference scheduled for 2028 and 2029 is tasked to draft a convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity. Declan Smyth of Ireland was elected chair of the Preparatory Committee. Due to opposition from Russia and some other countries and country groups, Smyth declared to postpone the formation of the Bureau of the Preparatory Committee. According to UN General Assembly rules of procedure, a UN legal counsel who facilitated the election of the committee chair proposed that the bureau be made up of five members, one from each of the five regional groups. A Russian representative expressed concern that the proposed composition may lack representation. The Russian position was widely supported by Global South countries and other country groups. Countries from the group of Western European and other States were in favor of the five-member proposal. The first session of the Preparatory Committee will last until Jan. 30. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in December 2024 for the convening of the conference in 2028 and 2029 "to elaborate and conclude a legally binding instrument on prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity." Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said he will step down on January 20, a move that has intensified speculation he is preparing to form his own political party and run in upcoming snap parliamentary elections following the governments resignation last month. In a special televised address on January 19, Radev castigated Bulgarias political climate, attacking what he called a vicious model of governance and the countrys oligarchy for what he said was widespread public disillusionment. He said that Bulgarians have stopped voting and no longer trust the media and the justice system. The collapse of the latest coalition government has pushed Bulgaria toward what will be its eighth parliamentary election in four years, underscoring the countrys prolonged political instability. Todays political class has betrayed the hopes of Bulgarians, Radev said. Two-thirds of citizens no longer vote. A new social contract is needed. Our democracy will not survive if we leave it in the hands of corrupt figures, compromisers, and extremists. While Radev did not explicitly confirm plans to enter party politics, he has in recent months hinted that he could launch a political movement, saying that people everywhere are demanding it. Bulgaria was roiled by several major protests late last year, initially sparked by anger over the governments proposed 2026 budget but later expanding into broader demonstrations against economic mismanagement and the failure to curb corruption. The unrest culminated in the governments resignation on December 11, just days before a no-confidence vote was due in parliament. Throughout his presidency, Radev positioned himself as an opponent of what he described as Bulgarias entrenched corruption model and frequently expressed conservative views. Since the start of Russias war against Ukraine in February 2022, he has taken positions widely viewed as sympathetic to Moscow. He has also aligned himself with several conservative political figures elsewhere in Europe. Following Radevs resignation from the largely ceremonial post, Vice President Iliana Yotova is expected to assume the role of head of state until the end of the current presidential term later this year. KABUL -- Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K), the regional affiliate of the extremist group Islamic State, has claimed responsibility for a blast at a Chinese hotel restaurant in central Kabul that killed at least seven people and wounded more than a dozen others. Taliban spokesman Khalid Zadran said the January 19 explosion happened in the kitchen of a restaurant that is frequented by Chinese nationals. Officials did not immediately provide exact figures for the number of people wounded. "A Chinese Muslim...and six Afghans were killed. Several others were wounded," Zadran said in a statement. The Emergency Hospital in Kabul said in a statement that around 20 people were brought in from the blast site, seven of whom died before or shortly after arrival. Thirteen others were wounded, including four women and one child. The explosion, which was promptly claimed by IS-K in a statement as a suicide mission targeting Chinese citizens, is the latest in a string of attacks in Afghanistan and along its borders in recent months that has seen Chinese nationals killed or injured. "The Islamic State in Afghanistan has placed Chinese nationals on its list of targets, especially in light of the escalating crimes committed by the Chinese government against the oppressed Uyghur Muslims," the IS group statement said. Since Beijing accelerated a crackdown in its northwestern Xinjiang Province in 2017, more than 1 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslim minorities have been put into mass detention camps. China has been accused of systemic human rights violations in Xinjiang, and in 2022, a UN report found China was committing "serious human rights violations" in Xinjiang that may amount to crimes against humanity. China has denied any human rights abuses in the region and says its policies in Xinjiang are designed to counter extremism and terrorism. In response to the January 19 attack, the Chinese Embassy in Kabul issued a statement urging Chinese citizens to avoid travel to Afghanistan due to ongoing security risks. The embassy also emphasized that Chinese citizens should strengthen personal safety measures and avoid crowded locations, such as restaurants, markets, and places of worship. The embassy's warning comes amid broader concerns over security in the region. Mounting tensions and attacks along Afghanistan's northeastern border with Tajikistan have worsened the security situation. In November, two separate attacks killed five Chinese nationals working at a mining operation across the border in Tajikistan. Chinese business visitors have flocked to Afghanistan since the Taliban government took power in 2021 for the second time as Beijing has forged an at times awkward partnership with Kabul in an attempt to stabilize the situation in its neighbor with whom it shares a 92-kilometer border. The following year, the Islamic State group claimed a deadly attack on a Kabul hotel popular with Chinese guests. IS-K's claim of responsibility follows previous attacks by the group, including a deadly assault on accommodation used by Chinese citizens in Kabul in December 2022. Taliban officials have vowed to restore security to the country and are courting foreign investors to secure crucial revenue streams as foreign aid funding dries up. At least seven people were killed in an explosion at a Chinese hotel restaurant in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on January 19. The Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K), the regional affiliate of the extremist group, claimed responsibility for blast. It was the latest in a string of attacks in Afghanistan to target Chinese nationals. Iranians are living through one of the longest Internet shutdowns in history, with the authorities imposing a digital blackout since launching a bloody crackdown on antiestablishment protesters on January 8. While the authorities have quelled the weekslong demonstrations against Iran's clerical rulers with the use of unprecedented brute force, it remains unclear when they will restore access to the Internet. Even when services resume, Iranians could be permanently cut off from the global Internet as the authorities force its citizens to use a domestically designed "intranet," which works independently from the world's Internet, digital experts warn. NetBlocks, an Internet monitoring organization, said on January 20 that a review of traffic from some restricted services and platforms suggests the government may be experimentally moving toward "whitelist-based connectivity." Whitelisting is a type of Internet censorship where authorities block access to much of the global Internet while selectively allowing a limited number of approved websites, apps, and services. Filterbaan, an Iranian digital rights organization affiliated with the Texas-based Miaan Group, says the Islamic republic's Internet policy has crossed into "absolute blockage," with disconnection now the default and access granted only selectively. The analysis describes a shift from "widespread filtering" to what Filterbaan calls "barracks-style governance over communications," where officials treat connectivity as an exception rather than the norm. A government official vowed on January 19 that Internet access would return to "normal" by the end of the week. But the news website IranWire reported on January 15 that government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told journalists that international web access would not be available until at least the Persian New Year in March. The ongoing Internet shutdown has caused widespread damage to Iran's digital economy. Reza Olfatsefat, secretary of the country's Internet Business Association, said the shutdown has already caused more than 400 trillion rials ($288 million) in financial losses to small and large businesses. History Of Shutdowns Iran has been regulating access to popular social media platforms since 2009, when mass protests erupted after the disputed reelection of populist President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. During protests in November 2019 over a sudden increase in fuel prices, Iranian authorities for the first time imposed a nationwide Internet blackout as they cracked down violently on demonstrators. Internet disruptions were also imposed during the monthslong Women, Life, Freedom protests in 2022. Hard-liners in Iran support the ongoing digital blackout, subscribing to the official line that shutting off the Internet is crucial to protecting national security during times of unrest. Even if the authorities reinstate Internet access, however limited, there appears to be no plan to restore access to popular social media apps -- including Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram -- that Iranians could previously access. "Given the country's current conditions, there is no place for restoring access to foreign messenger apps," said Ahmad Nirumand, head of Iran's Digital Transformation Commission, a state-affiliated entity, signaling a post-blackout Internet locked to state-approved channels only. Iranian authorities have for years tried to encourage people to use domestic social media apps by blocking access to popular foreign alternatives with little luck. Blocked foreign social media apps remain popular, with many Iranians using VPNs to bypass government controls. Russian forces launched a new massive attack on Kyiv and several regions across Ukraine, hitting residential buildings and energy sites amid freezing temperatures, sparking outrage as world leaders gather at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the strikes caused power, water, and heating outages in the Ukrainian capital, which had already been suffering with massive cuts to utilities. "Civilians are bearing the brunt of these attacks," UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement distributed in Geneva on January 20 in response to news of the strikes. "They can only be described as cruel. They must stop. Targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure is a clear breach of the rules of warfare." Photo Gallery: Block Parties, Street Barbecues In Kyiv As Russia Targets Energy Grid Amid freezing conditions and widespread hardship as Russia decimates Ukraine's energy facilities, some Kyiv locals are keeping their spirits up by heading onto the streets to party with neighbors. As of early January 20, 5,635 apartment buildings were without heat, Klitschko said, as temperatures dropped to minus 15 degrees Celsius. Nearly 80 percent of the affected buildings had only recently seen the restoration of heating after a Russian strike last week. As a result of the overnight attack on energy facilities in the capital, more than 335,000 Kyiv residents were left without electricity, DTEK, Ukraine's largest private utility company, said in a statement. Russia has been accused of weaponizing weather by targeting electricity grids and power stations, aiming to cut off heat and electricity for millions as Ukraine faces its coldest winter in years. Russia's Defense Ministry issued a statement on January 20 saying the overnight attack was "in response to Ukraine's terrorist attacks on civilian targets in Russia." It did not specify which Russian targets were hit, and added that the strikes in Ukraine targeted military industry enterprises, as well as energy and transport infrastructure facilities used by the Ukrainian armed forces. Russia has consistently claimed it does not target civilian infrastructure, despite mounting evidence to the contrary. Moscow claims strikes on utilities are legitimate targets because they are used by Ukraine's military. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Russian strikes involved a "significant number of ballistic and cruise missiles," as well as more than 300 attack drones. Zelenskyy said the most difficult situation for now is in Kyiv, where a significant number of residential buildings are without heating. "It is important that the world does not remain silent about this," he wrote on X, adding that "Russia cannot be on an equal footing with other countries in the world as long as it is focused solely on killing and tormenting people." Zelenskyy told reporters on January 20 that he will remain in Kyiv to focus on urgent energy issues in Ukraine following Russian strikes instead of going to the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he was scheduled to speak. "But everything can change at any moment," he said, adding he might still go to the Swiss Alpine resort if the "prosperity plan and security guarantees" -- documents aimed at Ukraine's economic recovery and future security -- are ready to be signed. Zelenskyy said that, if that happens, he is confident there will be a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump, who is due to arrive at Davos later on January 20. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the Russian attacks on energy infrastructure should be a priority on the agenda for world leaders convening at the World Economic Forum. Russian leader Vladimir "Putin's barbaric strike this morning is a wake up call to world leaders gathering in Davos: support for the Ukrainian people is urgent; there will be no peace in Europe without a lasting peace for Ukraine," Sybiha wrote in a post on X. "Several Ukrainian electrical substations vital for nuclear safety were affected by widespread military activity this morning," the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said on January 20. "The IAEA is actively following developments in order to assess impact on nuclear safety," he added. Sybiha commented on Grossi's statement, saying, "Russia's reckless attacks threaten nuclear safety." "Russia is systematically attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure to create blackout risks for nuclear facilities -- including the Chornobyl site and other NPPs [nuclear power plants]," Sybiha added. Ukrainian officials have warned the impact on the energy system could worsen in the coming weeks. Andriy Herus, head of the Ukrainian parliament's Energy, Housing, and Communal Services Committee, admits the coming weeks will be tough for all unless the deep freeze breaks and longer days and clear skies help generate more solar power. "The next 30 days will be difficult for us. I sometimes hear that from that point on or from a week after that point it will get better, but then at the end of such statements they add in small letters: 'provided that there is no new shelling.' But with a high probability there will be new Russian shelling," Herus told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on January 19. With reporting from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service 9 A monument to Volodymyr the Great in Kyiv as the sun rises on January 18. "The next 30 days will be difficult for us," Herus said. "I sometimes hear that from a certain point or a week after that point, it will get better, but then at the end of such statements they add in small letters: 'provided that there is no new shelling.' But there is a high probability of new Russian shelling." In pics: transformation of Yuhu Village in SW China from poverty to prosperity Xinhua) 08:56, January 20, 2026 A visitor takes photos at the visitor service center in Yuhu Village, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 18, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Gao Yongwei) A drone photo taken from Yuhu Village shows a view of Yulong Snow Mountain, in Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) Forest rangers of Yuhu Village conduct patrols at the foot of Yulong Snow Mountain in Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 18, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) A drone photo taken on Jan. 18, 2026 shows an exterior view of the visitor service center in Yuhu Village, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Gao Yongwei) A worker hooks tiles onto a crane at a construction site in Yuhu Village, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 18, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Gao Yongwei) People work at the construction site of a homestay in Yuhu Village, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) A villager introduces the features of traditional Naxi architecture in Yuhu Village, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) A drone photo taken from Yuhu Village shows a sunrise view of Yulong Snow Mountain in Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 18, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Gao Yongwei) A senior citizen walks in Yuhu Village, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) People visit a horse farm in Yuhu Village, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) A drone photo taken from Yuhu Village shows a sunrise view of Yulong Snow Mountain, in Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 18, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) Visitors hike in Yuhu Village, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) Visitors make pastries with flower filling in Yuhu Village, Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) People visit the Yuhu Village of Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2026. Yuhu Village, nestled in Baisha Township of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County in the city of Lijiang in Yunnan, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi ethnic people. The village was once among the poorest villages in Lijiang because of its poor soil and limited transportation links. In recent years, Yuhu has developed a distinct path that balances economic growth with environmental protection. Leveraging its well-preserved Naxi cultural heritage and exceptional natural scenery, the village has attracted visitors from around the world. At the same time, it has continued to improve infrastructure and public services, attracting a growing number of residents to return home for businesses. In 2025, Yuhu Village welcomed about 1.2 million visits, generating 75 million yuan (10.8 million U.S. dollars) in revenue -- with the average income of locals increasing from 13,000 yuan (1,865 U.S. dollars) in 2019 to about 35,000 yuan (5,022 U.S. dollars). (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Akbar Novruz U.S. President Donald Trump posted overnight that hed spoken to NATO chief Mark Rutte, agreed to a meeting in Davos with key players on Greenland then leaked an apparent text message from French President Emmanuel Macron, shared a map of the Western Hemisphere showing Canada (and Venezuela) as American, and berated Britain for ceding a military base in the Indian Ocean, Azernews reports citing Politico. I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland, Trump wrote. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees! Trump has stepped up his threats to seize Greenland in recent days, announcing he will impose 10 percent tariffs on eight European countries that have mobilized to try and block the U.S. presidents extraterritorial ambitions. The tariff announcement has triggered an ongoing scramble among European leaders to come up with a response to Trump. Macron, in a text message that Trump screenshotted on social media, purportedly wrote to the U.S. leader: My friend, We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things, Macron added, as he tried to win over Trump. i can set up a g7 meeting after Davos in Paris on thursday afternoon. I can invite the ukrainians, the danish, the syrians and the russians in the margins. let us have a dinner together in Paris together on thursday before you go back to the us. Emmanuel. A French official close to Macron confirmed the message was authentic. In another indication of how the American president and his MAGA allies are stepping up chatter about pursuing supremacy over the entire Western Hemisphere, Trump then shared a fake map featured in the background of a genuine photo from a European leaders dash to Washington in August to talk Ukraine that showed Canada, Greenland and Venezuela all under the U.S. flag. To complete the blizzard of social media posting, Trump then turned his attention to Britain, which has agreed a deal to cede full sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. He hammered the U.K. for planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. SYDNEY, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A man was taken to the hospital on Tuesday morning after he was attacked by a crocodile in the northeast Australian state of Queensland. Emergency services were called to reports of an animal-related incident at a stream near the small town of Ingham, over 1,000 km north of Brisbane in Queensland's tropical far north, at around 8:40 a.m. on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the Queensland Ambulance Service told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that a man aged in his 20s had been bitten by a crocodile and suffered puncture wounds to his back, legs and one of his hands. He was taken to a local hospital in a stable condition before being airlifted about 100 km to a hospital in the city of Townsville. The state government of Queensland in December introduced a new crocodile management plan that will make wetlands in Ingham an active removal zone for any crocodiles found by proactive Parks and Wildlife Service patrols. Andrew Powell, Queensland's minister for the environment and tourism, said at the time that the new plan would improve safety. "More patrols and expansion of removal areas will prioritize safety and strike the balance needed for crocodile management in Queensland," he said. The state government estimates that there are up to 30,000 crocodiles in Queensland, not including hatchlings. Roscommon town cemetery has been approved as the location for the countys first ever columbarium wall. A columbarium consists of a wall with designated niches into which urns containing the cremated remains of loved ones can be placed. At Mondays meeting of Roscommon Municipal District, councillors gave the go-ahead for the construction of this storage wall and a reflection area at St. Coman's cemetery in the county town. Outlining the plans to the councillors at the MD meeting, council engineer John explained that eight granite columbarium wall units would be built. The units are pre-formed with niches or cubicles that have a lockable door, and each niche can accommodate two urns. Each niche in the columbarium can be personalised to the wishes of the deceased as well as his or her surviving family. The development will include a reflection area of granite paving and silver chip coated asphalt with granite benches, as well as low maintenance evergreen low-level hedging surrounding the walls and reflection area. The columbarium will be located within the new graveyard area, approximately 150 metres from the front entrance main gate, east of the main access roadway. It is hoped that the works will be completed this year and councillors were assured these works would be respectful and not impact on burials taking place. Welcomed by councillors, the columbarium will provide an alternative option to burials plots for interment of cremated remains, which is becoming increasingly common in Ireland. It will be the first of its kind in County Roscommon though there are plans for further developments across the county. PM Modi claims 12 crore families connected to water supply; Delhi reports sewage-smelling drinking water We were getting clean drinking water until the BJP came to power, claimed a resident. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday claimed that over 12 crore families have been connected to water supply through taps in the past 56 years. PM Modi made the statement while addressing party workers on the occasion of BJPs national working president, Nitin Nabin, taking charge as the partys new and 12th National Working President. Advertisement He said, After 70 years of independence, piped water had reached only three crore rural families. No one cared about the pain of mothers and sisters, the struggles they faced for water... I have seen that pain. I was connected to the reality of the land. I had seen the suffering of mothers and sisters right before my eyes, and that is when we launched the Jal Jeevan Mission. He added that in a matter of a few years, over 12 crore families have been connected to water supply through taps, while also stating that it was his government that understood the suffering of sisters falling ill from smoke. #WATCH | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "After 70 years of independence, piped water had reached only three crore rural families. No one cared about the pain of mothers and sisters, the struggles they faced for water... I have seen that pain. I was connected to the pic.twitter.com/rPCukjr7t4 Advertisement January 20, 2026 He stated that earlier, LPG gas was considered a privilege of the rich. The BJP ran a campaign with full sensitivity to connect every home to LPG, he added. Similarly, there is a campaign to turn village sisters into Lakhpati Didis. This too became possible because the BJP is sensitive to the dreams of sisters and daughters, he further stated. PM Modi, however, did not mention clean water in his speech, nor did he refer to the recent deaths due to water contamination in Madhya Pradeshs Indore, the cleanest city in the country, or the poor quality of drinking water in some parts of Delhi. Advertisement His statement comes at a time when residents of West Delhis Kirti Nagar are currently suffering from sewage-smelling drinking water. The incident was brought to light by the Peek TV team, who visited the homes of residents in the area. #SwachhPaniAbhiyan: We were getting clean drinking water until the BJP came to power, claims a resident of West Delhis Kirti Nagar. BJP MLA Harish Khurrana told Peek TV that water supply to the residents of his constituency will be completely fixed by the end of March. pic.twitter.com/PhsW6HNzMN Advertisement January 19, 2026 A resident of West Delhis Kirti Nagar told Peek TV that they have been receiving poor-quality drinking water since the BJP government came to power, claiming that such conditions did not exist during Kejriwals government. We were getting clean drinking water until the BJP came to power, claimed a resident. BJP MLA Harish Khurrana has told Peek TV that the water supply issues in his constituency will be completely fixed by the end of March. (For more news apart from PM Modi claims 12 crore families connected to water supply; Delhi reports sewage-smelling drinking water," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Nitin Nabin elected as 12th BJP national president; Modi confident of BJP's win in West Bengal He belongs to the generation that received information from the radio in their childhood and is now an active user of AI, PM Modi said. BJP working president Nitin Nabin was elected as the 12th national president of the party on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated the newly elected BJP national president at the party headquarters in Delhi. Outgoing BJP national president JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also felicitated Nitin Nabin. Advertisement Addressing the occasion, JP Nadda said that under the leadership of PM Modi and Nitin Nabin, the BJP will bloom the lotus in Bengal. We will form the government in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. We will return to power in Assam, and we will deliver good results in Kerala as well. We are moving forward with this confidence, JP Nadda added. Advertisement PM Modi, also speaking on the big day, credited Nitins election to the national president post to the partys democratic faith, organisational discipline, and worker-centric approach. PM Modi said, For the past several months, the organisational election process, which involves electing leaders from the smallest unit of the party all the way up to the national president, has been continuously underway in a completely democratic manner, keeping in mind the spirit and every provision of the Bharatiya Janata Party's constitution. Advertisement This grand organisational election process is a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party's democratic faith, organisational discipline, and worker-centric approach, he added. The Prime Minister extended his heartfelt congratulations to all the party workers across the country for making the process a success. PM Modi said, "When it is about the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and I am a party worker." Advertisement PM Modi further stated that the next 25 years are very important to build a developed India, and that Nabin will carry forward the BJPs legacy at the beginning of this crucial period. PM Modi added that Nitin Nabin is in a way, a millennial and has witnessed major economic, social, and technological transformations in India. He belongs to the generation that received information from the radio in their childhood and is now an active user of AI, PM Modi said. He added that the partys new national president possesses both youthful energy and extensive experience in organisational work, which is expected to benefit every worker of the party. Further speaking, PM Modi said, Our presidents change, but our ideals do not. He added that the partys roots run deep in the soil and that it provides a platform for regional aspirations, making them the foundation for national ambitions. He further added that for these reasons, anyone who wants to begin their political journey finds the BJP's entry point to be the best and safest option. He expressed confidence that his party will emerge as a major voice of the people in Bengal and Telangana, just as it has formed governments for the first time in Haryana, Assam, Tripura, and Odisha through its own strength. Talking about Maharashtra's local body elections, PM Modi said that out of 29 major cities in the state, 25 have chosen the BJP-NDA alliance. He added that 50 per cent of all councillors elected belong to the BJP. The prime minister further added that in Kerala, the BJP now has nearly a hundred councillors. He stated that in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, the people snatched power from the Left after 45 years in the mayoral elections and placed their trust in the BJP, while expressing hope that in the upcoming assembly elections, the people of Kerala will give the BJP an opportunity. (For more news apart from Nitin Nabin elected as 12th BJP national president; Modi confident of BJPs win in West Bengal," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Punjab joins Kerala as one of the few states in India permitting private participation in the digital education field. File Photo. These universities will offer undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional programmes using virtual laboratories, digital assessments. Punjab Unveils Digital-First Model for Flexible Higher Education The Punjab government has notified a new policy allowing private players to establish digital open universities in the state as a major move to modernise higher education. According to a report, the rules were notified on January 15 by Administrative Secretary of Higher Education Anindita Mitra, aiming to provide advanced degrees and research through fully online and technology-enabled systems. Advertisement Punjab joins Kerala as one of the few states in India permitting private participation in the digital education field. These universities will offer undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional programmes using virtual laboratories, digital assessments, and online classes. While the institutions will be required to maintain physical "headquarters" for administrative functions, the policy explicitly states that no traditional on-campus classes will be held. The policy sets strict standards for entry, requiring private applicants to have at least five years of credible experience in online learning and a minimum corpus fund of INR 20 crore. Advertisement Additionally, a processing fee of Rs 5 lakh is required with the application, followed by an additional INR 20 lakh upon approval. To safeguard the interest of local students, 15% of seats must be reserved for Punjab domicile learners. The state also retains the power to impose penalties of up to INR 25 lakh for any violations of UGC norms. This initiative is focused on bridging the gap between formal education and the growing global reliance on digital learning platforms. Advertisement Source: The Tribune Breaking: Notorious gangster Mani Prince shot dead in Punjab Police's 72-hour crackdown under Gangsters Te War Police action under the campaign is ongoing, and further investigation into the case is underway. Breaking: Notorious gangster Mani Prince was shot dead during Punjab Polices 72-hour intensive crackdown under the Gangsters Te War campaign. Under "Gangsters Te War campaign, Punjab Police carried out a major operation in Amritsar, during which Mani Prince was killed in a police encounter. Advertisement As part of the Gangsters Te War drive, police are conducting raids at multiple locations to tighten the noose around gangsters over the next 72 hours. Police action under the campaign is ongoing, and further investigation into the case is underway. (For more news apart from Breaking: Notorious gangster Mani Prince shot dead in Punjab Polices 72-hour crackdown under Gangsters Te War," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and three others wounded in a shooting outside the Booysens Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday morning, local police said. Police spokesperson Brenda Muridili said two victims were declared dead on the scene, while three others were taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds. Three gunmen approached the victims outside the court and opened fire before fleeing a vehicle, she added. The incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT) at the court's main entrance, said Muridili, adding that "the motive of the shooting is unknown at this stage and investigations are underway." Local media reported that one of the wounded is a lawyer who had been representing an accused person in a murder and attempted murder case dating back to last year. Bhagwant Singh Dhangera, manager of the Golden Temple, welcomed the move and said that many prefer radio over television, as Gurbani is "more of an art to be heard than watched." File Photo. Kulwant Singh Ankhi of the Amritsar Vikas Manch highlighted the medium's lasting relevance. All India Radio (AIR), Amritsar, has expanded its early morning Gurbani broadcast from the Golden Temple to a full two-hour slot. This marks a significant development for devotees, as the service, which was initiated by Prasar Bharati on January 13, now airs sacred kirtan from 4 am to 6 am, doubling the previous one-hour transmission. Advertisement Relayed from the Gharinda village centre near Attari, the FM broadcast caters to listeners in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. According to the report, the transmission also reaches across the international border into Pakistan. Bhagwant Singh Dhangera, manager of the Golden Temple, welcomed the move and said that many prefer radio over television, as Gurbani is "more of an art to be heard than watched." Former engineer Harjap Singh Aujla, who spearheaded the demand for expanded FM coverage, said that FM offers better sound quality compared to traditional Medium Wave (MW) signals, which are often obstructed by high-rise buildings. Advertisement While AIR Jalandhar has historically provided three hours of daily kirtan on MW, Aujla expressed hope that the Amritsar station will soon add an evening broadcast slot. The demand for radio broadcasts dates back to the 1982 Dharam Yudh Morcha. Kulwant Singh Ankhi of the Amritsar Vikas Manch highlighted the medium's lasting relevance, noting many listeners historically tuned into Gurbani rendered in classical ragas. Advertisement Source: The Tribune This subsidy will be paid directly to farmers on behalf of private sugar mills, ensuring immediate financial relief. File Photo. The Cabinet approved several major public welfare initiatives, including the creation of 1,000 additional posts for yoga trainers. Punjab Cabinet Approves Record Rs 68.5/Qtl Subsidy; SAP remains Highest in Country Advertisement The Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday approved a direct subsidy of INR 68.5 per quintal for sugarcane growers for the 2025-26 crushing season. The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, solidified Punjabs status as the state offering the highest sugarcane compensation in India, with the State Agreed Price (SAP) fixed at INR 416 per quintal. According to the report, this subsidy will be paid directly to farmers on behalf of private sugar mills, ensuring immediate financial relief. The Cabinet approved several major public welfare initiatives, including the creation of 1,000 additional posts for yoga trainers under the 'CM di Yogshala' project with an outlay of INR 35 crore. Advertisement In a move to overhaul healthcare, the Cabinet also approved the transfer of civil hospitals in Muktsar, Tarn Taran, Jalalabad, and Fazilka to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) for better diagnostic and treatment services. In its development agenda, the Cabinet also approved a new policy for the sale or exchange of abandoned paths within municipal limits and extended the deadline for Punjab Affordable Property Registration Act (PAPRA) licensed projects until December 31, 2026. Additionally, a collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was approved to introduce advanced Japanese technology into Punjabs horticulture sector, aimed at doubling its share in the state's economy. Advertisement Source: The Tribune How the 'jail instead of bail' tradition was reduced He, along with many other jurists, are of the opinion that bail is not a charity under the Indian Constitution, but a legal right... How the 'jail instead of bail' tradition was reduced, Editorial: Former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud has advocated the release of the accused on bail in case the pace of trial of any criminal case is slow. He also says that if the trial of any accused is not started within six months of his arrest, then that accused should also be considered eligible for release on bail. Justice Chandrachud made these comments in the context of the detention of 2020 Delhi riots accused and social activist Umar Khalid. Khalid has been under detention since 2020. The case against him is still at an early stage. Recently, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court had rejected the bail applications of him and another activist Sharjeel Imam on the grounds that the material collected by the prosecution (government) against both of them shows the charges against them to be very serious. In view of this, both of them cannot be released on bail. However, the apex court made it possible to release five other employees on bail in the same case involving both of them on the grounds that the charges against them are not so serious that they should be kept in detention for longer. Advertisement During a question-and-answer session on the topic of Concept of Justice at the Jaipur Literary Festival, Justice Chandrachud found it appropriate to express his displeasure indirectly, instead of making any direct comment on the above decision of the Supreme Court. Dozens of eminent legal experts and jurists have also expressed such displeasure. Some have even called this decision outright wrong. Now the former Chief Justice's expression of thought points to the flaws in our judicial system. It is worth mentioning that Khalid and Sharjeel are under detention under the National Security Act (NSA) and the provisions of the 'Unlawful Activities Prevention Act' are applicable on them. These laws are very strict and make detention, release on bail very difficult. But Justice Chandrachud's position is that, despite the strictness of the legal provisions, the context and background of every case should also be kept in mind. That is why the judiciary; especially the High Courts and the Supreme Court should take their decisions according to the demands of justice, and not just by becoming slaves of the legal provisions. Such comments are welcome, but does the principle of 'prison is preferable to bail' seem relevant and appropriate in Indian conditions? Does Justice Chandrachud's own judicial record provide evidence of his commitment to adhering to the above principle? The former Chief Justice claims that he disposed of 24,000 bail applications during his tenure as Chief Justice. Advertisement He, along with many other jurists, are of the opinion that bail is not a charity under the Indian Constitution, but a legal right of every accused. Courts should keep the above constitutional truth in mind while hearing bail applications. Bail is not generally granted on the basis that the accused may destroy evidence related to the case, or may force witnesses to deny the charges by intimidation or bribery, or may abscond and/or may commit another offence. All such apprehensions or fears should be assessed on the basis of the criminal record or financial status of the accused; not on the basis of the arguments or assumptions put forward by the prosecution (plaintiff). But in reality, such an assessment rarely takes place within the courts. The lower courts often do not grant bail applications under government or public pressure. The same thing happens in the high courts too. The cases eventually reach the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has been disposing of an average of 70,000 such appeals every year. India and Brazil are the only two countries where this trend is increasing instead of decreasing. This is the reason why the bail instead of jail principle dominates our judiciary. Due to this principle, people are distrusting the judiciary. The former Chief Justice also called on the courts to show more scrutiny in cases related to national security. He says that the laws related to the protection of national security have completely overturned the judicial principle of innocent until proven guilty. According to the above laws, the guilty until proven innocent principle demands more responsibility and dedication from the courts. Advertisement The courts should strictly guard against the above requirement for the strength of the judiciary. Similarly, the courts also need to be alert against the practice of preventing political opponents from getting bail by filing charge sheets of 20-30 thousand pages. Overall, the issues raised by Justice Chandrachud through his views also point towards the weaknesses and loopholes in the judiciary and also towards the measures to reduce or remove these weaknesses and shortcomings. One thing is clear that while public confidence in the administration of justice at the district level can be strengthened by making it smooth and pressure-free, the burden on the higher courts can also be reduced. To do this, the initiative should be taken by the apex court and also by the Ministry of Law and Justice. (For more news apart from Editorial: How the 'jail instead of bail' tradition was reduced," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) Despite returning to Canada briefly, he embarked on his final mission in October, where he suffered a fatal gunshot injury. File Photo. He was born in Mumbai, and his family moved to Canada in 2004. Brampton Sikh Hero Mandeep Singh Honoured Posthumously for Ultimate Sacrifice in Ukraine Mandeep Singh, a 30-year-old Indian-origin Canadian Sikh, has been posthumously awarded the Ukrainian Canadian Sacrifice Medal for his ultimate sacrifice during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Advertisement Mandeep, who hailed from Brampton, Ontario, was killed in action on October 27, 2024, while volunteering to assist those caught in the war. According to the report, Mandeep was driven by the Sikh principle of Sewa (selfless service) and had no prior connection to Ukraine before deciding to volunteer. He was born in Mumbai, and his family moved to Canada in 2004. Mandeep had served part-time in the Canadian Army and was trained as a detective. He first travelled to Ukraine in January 2024. Despite returning to Canada briefly, he embarked on his final mission in October, where he suffered a fatal gunshot injury. Advertisement His remains were repatriated to Canada after months of administrative procedures, with his final rites performed on April 13, 2025, coinciding with Vaisakhi. During a recent ceremony in Toronto, Ukrainian Consul General Oleh Nikolenko praised Mandeep for answering an urgent call for help so that the Ukrainian people could live in freedom. His mother, Asha Kaur said that Mandeep always believed that if his life could help someone, it would be a source of satisfaction for him. Advertisement Source: The Tribune Choco-playing at the World Chocolate Masters world final A Romanian confectioner is participating in the World Chocolate Masters finals Photo: pixabay.com Ana-Maria Cononovici, 20.01.2026, 14:00 In 2002, the Romanian Marinel Bejan started working for the family business, a confectionery in Craiova set up by his mother, a pastry chef. This year, he is competing for the title of World Chocolate Master for Eastern Europe. After 25 years of work for the family confectionery, during which he did anything from accounting to deliveries to cleaning, but always longing to be involved in actual production, our guest believes that there are still things for him to discover. Over time, he has created his own brand of chocolate, playing with all kinds of cocoa bean flavours. Mexico, Ecuador and New Guinea are the types of cocoa that Marinel Bejan chose in creating his own chocolate: from Mexico, the acidic and floral note, the caramel note from Ecuador, and the woody, smoky one from New Guinea, as Marinel Bejan explained us: Marinel Bejan: In terms of top notes, we have first a light acidity and some delicate and floral flavours, then we feel some slight notes of hazelnuts and caramel, and finally we feel what I could describe as a tobacco, or smoke aroma. As for the texture, all the chocolate we use is the smoothest chocolate in the world! Our guest also told us that the smoothness of chocolate is measured using special devices that assess its internal granulation, cocoa powder, sugar, cocoa butter. For two decades, the World Chocolate Masters World Final has brought together the most talented chefs and artisan chocolatiers from around the world. The World Chocolate Masters is organised every 4 years and designates the most gifted chocolatier in the world. And because Romania does not have a chocolatier school, and this job is not even included in the official list of professions, Marinel Bejan will compete this year for Eastern Europe. The preliminary selection started in March 2024, with 7 candidates registered, only 4 of whom actually participated in the competition. Marinel Bejan: Marinel Bejan: Four people took part in the competition, which was held in Belgrade. That was the preliminary selection. After the end of all the tests, only one person went on to the World Chocolate Masters final. There are parts of the world where several countries are grouped together, such as Eastern Europe, or the Netherlands together with Luxembourg and Belgium. Italy, France and other countries with a relevant tradition have their own separate preliminary selection process, and one participant goes into the final. There will only be 15 of us in October, in Belgium. Marinel Bejan also explained: Marinel Bejan: When the preliminary selection was held in Belgrade, all countries received an invitation: from Hungary, to Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Greece. And prospective candidates from each country had the chance to register. I had competitors from Bulgaria, from Greece, there was also another colleague from Romania, another one from Serbia and that was it. Training takes years, you cant prepare for something like that for just a year. Intensive training and strict preparations for the competition take several months, when we fine-tune our recipes, all the projects and the design of all the products that we want to present. This competition is quite elaborate, there is no emphasis on one thing, on creativity, on innovation, on the artistic side, you need a little bit of each. I think I manage to achieve all of them, but more importantly, until I reach the final I need a team to support me and to give me specific advice. I need the experience of other people who have participated in prestigious competitions, I need an architect or a designer, because the latest regulations emphasise innovation as well as the contrast between modern and classic designs. We were given the example of the city of Antwerp, in Belgium, where the final is held, which is a city of the arts, but also a city of contrasts. And as every edition has a theme, Marinel Bejan told us how they are going to tackle the theme this year: Marinel Bejan: The theme is Play and taste. Every time themes were established, they offered the chance of playing with imagination and with everything that means originality. We started off from simple things and used our imagination to create new things, new tastes and new techniques. One of the essential conditions is to use local ingredients, to bring the national and local influence into the competition, and I believe every competitor will do this, you know. I havent decided yet, I am at the stage when I am not thinking of ingredients, but I am considering one concept. Luckily we have a lot of original things or things specific to Oltenia or to Romania. The national offer is so big and there are so many things I could use in my desserts that I believe it is not going to be very difficult to choose something. In the preselection stage I remember I used citronella and local ingredients, such as fresh strawberries, as they were in season, some spices, mint. And that because in the preselection stage there were different regulations, and other themes. There we had to play a little bit with the artistic side. Now that rules have changed, I need to get some inspiration local or Romanian architecture. The contest also has the sculpted chocolate event and in the finals of 2022 participants used tons of chocolate. We wish good luck to Marinel Bejan and we are looking forward to seeing his creations this year in the World Finals of World Chocolate Masters. (AMP) Decisions of the ruling coalition The government members in Bucharest are still debating economic policies for 2026. photo: GOV.RO Bogdan Matei, 20.01.2026, 14:00 In theory, the 4-party pro-Western government in Bucharest is a recipe for success, a miniature copy of the European Commission. All four parties are affiliated with the same European political families that supply the EC with members. PSD is with the socialists, PNL and UDMR are with the peoples party, USR is with Renew Europe. In practice though, things are much more complicated. At the end of last week, the liberal prime minister Ilie Bolojan met with the mayors of Iasi and Botosani counties (northeast), to discuss the state budget for 2026, the new local taxes and duties and the investment program. Bolojan said that he expected the measures to reduce administrative spending by 10% to cause dissatisfaction, but pointed out that they are vital, and the government insists on taking responsibility for the project. Bolojan also said that these will form the basis of the state budget law, to be approved in early February. The PSD mayors from Iasi did not participate in the meeting with the liberal prime minister. In a press release, the social-democratic mayors from the county say that the meeting was purely formal, since the austerity measures have already been taken without any real consultation with all the parties involved. These will have dramatic effects on local communities, and the PSD does not want to legitimize austerity, does not want to endorse the cuts, does not want poverty, the social-democrats in Iasi also say. On Monday, at a party meeting, the prime minister proposed that the government take responsibility before Parliament on January 29 for the draft law on administrative reform, as well as for the package of measures aimed at economic recovery, which should be finalized by January 26, with the contribution of all coalition partners. It was also decided that the Executive would take responsibility separately for the two projects. One of the major objectives of this year is the absorption of NRRP funds, the Minister of Finance, Alexandru Nazare said in a Facebook post. Also a liberal, Nazare writes that the future budget must be correct and reflect the real level of expenses, without overestimating revenues. The meeting was also attended by the former first vice-president of the PNL, the controversial MEP Rares Bogdan, one of the prime ministers critics in the party, who said that he wanted to ask for clarification regarding the way the leadership communicates with the citizens. He also expressed dissatisfaction because, in his opinion, some members of the Liberal leadership are closer to the USR than to their own party. The coalition is crumbling, but not because of the prime minister, but because of some of the ruling parties, said PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu. He recalled that the Social Democrats are in a period of internal evaluation regarding their further government membership. They want this years budget to include an increase in pensions, Grindeanu specified, in contrast to his coalition colleagues, who had long announced their freezing. (EE) The national energy grid copes with the cold snap The energy minister is giving assurances that the national energy grid can cope with the current cold snap. Photo: geralt / pixabay.com Mihai Pelin, 20.01.2026, 13:50 Romania is in the grips of a cold snap, with temperatures well below the average for this time of the year, especially during the night and in the morning. The snow has kept the air cold, which has settled like a dome, thus blocking the warmer air and maintaining extremely low temperatures, which in some places dropped to minus 21 degrees Celsius. As a result, gas and electricity consumption has increased considerably. The Minister for Energy, Bogdan Ivan, has called for a meeting of the National Energy Command. He indicated that the temperatures seen these days are several degrees below the average of the last five years, during a similar period, so that the demand for energy is very high. Bogdan Ivan said that consumption is at its highest in the last four years, but gave assurances that the national energy system is coping. The energy mix is stable in terms of electricity, production is good, and gas stocks are still at a high level of almost 60% of the total, although gas consumption is higher by over 14% compared to the same period last year. Regarding the prospect of eliminating the price cap on natural gas from April 1, he was optimistic that the move will not bring about price increases, especially since the largest domestic producer and main supplier of natural gas in Romania would also enter the supply market. Bogdan Ivan explains: I have been made aware of the intention, which I welcome, of the Romgaz company to also operate as a natural gas supply operator, which I view as extremely important. This will automatically bring competition to this market, and that, as we all know, is what will bring about a decrease in final prices. If, for reasons that are independent of Romania and what we do at the ministry, such as the international context, the conflict in Ukraine, various challenges may arise on the natural gas market, we are also prepared with a plan B, namely gradually eliminating this cap for a year, until we start exploiting more gas from Neptun Deep, which will guarantee that Romania will not have to go through the same thing again that when the cap on electricity was eliminated. Bogdan Ivan also said that a challenge at the moment is the situation of the large district heating networks in Bucharest and Craiova, with many breakdowns occurring because of aging installations and the lack of investment, adding that steps are being taken both for temporary solutions and for large-scale projects. He requested an amount from the prime ministers reserve fund to temporarily solve the district heating problems of these two large cities. If the cold snap continues, the National Energy Command will meet again to assess the state of the national energy system. The Indonesia stock market has finished higher in four straight sessions, surging almost 260 points or 2.9 percent along the way. Now at a fresh record closing high, the Jakarta Composite Index sits just above the 9,130-point plateau although investors figure to lock in gains on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian is negative thanks to ongoing geopolitical concerns. The European markets were down and the U.S. markets were closed and the Asian bourses are also likely to open under water. The JCI finished modestly higher again on Monday following gains from the financial shares and cement stocks, while the resource companies were mixed. For the day, the index rallied 58.47 points or 0.64 percent to finish at the daily high of 9,133.87 after moving as low as 9,026.00. Among the actives, Bank CIMB Niaga rallied 1.38 percent, while Bank Mandiri rose 0.20 percent, Bank Danamon Indonesia fell 0.38 percent, Bank Negara Indonesia jumped 1.76 percent, Bank Central Asia collected 0.62 percent, Bank Rakyat Indonesia added 0.52 percent, Indocement gained 0.36 percent, Semen Indonesia climbed 1.14 percent, Indofood Sukses Makmur expanded 1.11 percent, United Tractors vaulted 1.45 percent, Astra International soared 4.96 percent, Energi Mega Persada accelerated 3.92 percent, Astra Agro Lestari shed 0.65 percent, Aneka Tambang slumped 1.23 percent, Vale Indonesia improved 0.79 percent, Timah stumbled 2.07 percent, Bumi Resources gained 0.49 percent and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison was unchanged. The U.S. markets were closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, while the European markets spent the entire session in the red amid rising geopolitical tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump doubled down on his plan to acquire Greenland. Trump said NATO had warned Denmark for years about the "Russian threat" to Greenland and claimed Copenhagen had failed to act. "Now it is time, and it will be done!!!" Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform ahead of this week's World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. Also weighing on stocks was Trump's announcement of a 10 percent tariff on several EU countries from next month, which raises the tariff on all imports to the U.S. to 25 percent. Reports suggest that the EU is considering a retaliatory move that would place tariffs on 93 billion euros of U.S. goods or restrict U.S. firms' access to its internal market. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will deliver a keynote address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos Tuesday. While speaking at the USA House at 3 pm local time, Ambassador Greer will outline how tariffs have historically functioned as tools to support domestic industry, national growth, and economic resilience. He will also explore how U.S. trade policy continues to evolve and what this means for a new global economic order founded on fairness, balance, and national interests, the Office of the United States Trade Representative said. Following his remarks, Greer will sit down with Financial Times Editor Roula Khalaf for a moderated Q&A. He will conduct meetings with his foreign counterparts as well as leaders and attend a meeting of World Trade Organization Ministers on the margins of the Forum. Greer is attending the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting as part of the delegation led by President Donald Trump. The World Economic Forum, an international advocacy non-governmental organization and think tank, brings together leaders of governments as well as investors, business leaders, economists, celebrities and journalists at the Swiss mountain resort to discuss global issues. Hundreds of sessions run up to Thursday. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News TOKYO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Artificial intelligence (AI) models achieved remarkable results after being used to take on Japan's 2026 Common Test for University Admissions, with OpenAI's model taking top spot with perfect scores in nine subjects, the Nikkei reported on Tuesday. The experiment was jointly conducted by the Nikkei newspaper and Japanese AI startup LifePrompt. The latest models from major AI companies, including OpenAI and Google, tackled the questions in 15 major subjects from Japan's university entrance examinations held from Jan. 17 to 18. The latest model GPT-5.2 Thinking developed by U.S.-based OpenAI recorded an overall score rate of 96.9 out of 100 across all 15 subjects, including perfect scores in nine subjects, while Google's Gemini 3.0 Pro scored 91.4, the report said. Japan's university entrance exam features 21 subjects across seven disciplines. The average score for the 15 most popular subjects among test-takers this year is estimated at 58.1, it added. OpenAI's earlier models have previously attempted the exams. Their average score rose from 66 in 2024 to 91 in 2025, reflecting rapid advancement in performance. The analysis showed that the latest AI models performed particularly well in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, but lost more points in Japanese language and geography. For example, while the models were able to correctly interpret geometric figures in mathematics, they made mistakes on questions involving world maps, indicating that AI still has limitations in recognizing irregular and complex graphical information. Shares of INVO Fertility, Inc. (IVF), a healthcare fertility company, are up over 300% at $3.95 in premarket trading Tuesday, on no specific news. Last month, the company signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Family Beginnings, P.C., a fertility clinic serving patients across Indiana and the broader Midwest. Family Beginnings generated revenue of approximately $1.2 million and net income of approximately $0.2 million for the trailing 12-month period ended September 30, 2025. The transaction is expected to close no later than February 27, 2026. INVO's revenue from all clinics was $7.7 million for the full year of 2024, and $6.1 million for the first nine months of 2025. The company is targeting profitable, U.S.-based fertility businesses and aims to reach cash flow breakeven in 2026. A 1-for-8 reverse stock split was implemented in November 2025, which marked the third reverse stock split for the year. IVF closed Friday's trading at $0.81, up 0.11%. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Despite a downward trend in the use of the death penalty globally, 2025 saw an alarming increase in the number of executions in a small number of countries, the UN human rights office warned on Monday. The UN advocates for the universal abolition of death penalty. The international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by 175 countries, protects the right to life and stipulates that, for countries that have not abolished capital punishment, it be imposed only for the 'most serious crimes' in exceptional cases. OHCHR said that the sharp increase in capital punishment last year was driven by executions for drug-related violations, for crimes people committed as children and for offences not meeting the 'most serious crimes'. "The death penalty is not an effective crime-control tool, and it can lead to the execution of innocent people," said Volker Turk, UN Commissioner for Human Rights. "In practice, the death penalty is also often applied arbitrarily and discriminatorily, in violation of fundamental principles of equality before the law." OHCHR's monitoring reveals that in Iran, at least 1,500 people were reportedly executed in 2025, with at least 47 per cent relating to drug offences. In Israel, a series of legislative proposals is seeking to expand the use of the death penalty by introducing mandatory capital punishment provisions that would apply exclusively to Palestinians. In Saudi Arabia, the reported number of executions exceeded the previous record of 2024, mounting to at least 356 people, where 78 per cent of cases were for drug-related offences. In Afghanistan, public executions continued, in breach of international law. The United States saw the highest number of executions in 16 years - some 47 inmates who had been on death row. However, OHCHR noted that several countries took encouraging steps last year to limit capital punishment. Vietnam reduced the number of offences punishable by death. Pakistan also removed two non-lethal capital offences. Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes, while Kenya initiated a legislative review of capital punishment. Malaysia's resentencing process reduced the number of people at risk of execution by more than 1,000 and in Kyrgyzstan, the Constitutional Court reaffirmed the prohibition of the death penalty. So far, 170 countries have abolished or introduced a moratorium on the death penalty either in law or in practice, according to the UN human rights arm. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Danish pension operator AkademikerPension said it is exiting its holdings in U.S. Treasurys, pointing to concerns over U.S. government finances as political tensions rise between Denmark and President Donald Trump over Greenland. Anders Schelde, the chief investment officer of the fund, mentioned that they decided to pull back because they see the U.S. public finances as shaky, especially with the growing debt problem. He pointed out that while this decision isn't directly tied to the strained diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Europe, the rising tensions made it a bit easier to go ahead with it. Right now, AkademikerPension has around $100 million invested in U.S. Treasurys and plans to be completely out of that by the end of the month. Schelde also stressed concerns over years of government overspending and an increasing debt load, noting that the U.S. faced a hefty $1.78 trillion budget deficit last year. This decision follows Moody's downgrade of the U.S. credit rating, which they issued due to ongoing deficits and high borrowing costs. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News While the Hiace gets a multitude of exterior and interior updates, the powertrain options have been carried over Global-spec Hiace moved into its 6th generation (H300) in 2019. But in Japan, Toyota continues to sell the older 5th-gen model (H200) that was launched in 2004. After nearly 22 years, the Hiace is finally set to receive some useful updates for the 2026 model year in Japan. Lets check out the details. 2026 Toyota Hiace Whats new? Japan-spec Toyota Hiace was last updated in 2013. At that time, the front fascia was refreshed, featuring updates to the grille, lighting elements and bumper. In 2026, the focus is more on adding new tech and features. As far as exteriors are concerned, the updates are limited to revised Bi-LED headlight signatures. Other than that, there are no other major exterior changes to the 2026 Toyota Hiace in Japan. Moving inside, one can notice updates such as an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. Both of these are now offered as standard across all variants of the 2026 Hiace. The touchscreen can be used for navigation and accessing the panoramic view monitor feature. Base model gets more utility with features such as a new rear door stop function. In comparison, higher trims focus on enhancing comfort and convenience. For context, the Super GL variant of 2026 Hiace gets heated front seats as part of the standard equipment. Passenger safety has also improved with the 2026 Toyota Hiace. The updated model gets Toyotas latest Safety Sense suite, which brings a comprehensive range of ADAS features. Key highlights include lane change assist, radar cruise control with curve speed control and road sign assist. The van also gets a more robust pre-crash safety system, featuring a wider range of crash avoidance capabilities. Customization options 2026 Hiace will continue to offer a wide range of optional upgrades and accessories. These include exterior styling kits as well as interior customizations from Modellista and GR Parts. A wide range of official Toyota accessories, covering both leisure and commercial needs, are also available. To demonstrate the customization options with the Hiace, Toyota has showcased some custom styles for the van. For example, the Overland is better suited for outdoor use, whereas the Active Cruiser is meant for surfing and marine sports. Similarly, the Cool Luxury is for highways, whereas Urban City is for daily commutes. Also available is the Craft Man, which is especially suited for construction workers. Same powertrains 2026 Toyota Hiace continues with the same powertrain options as available earlier. Theres a 2.0-litre petrol engine that generates 160 PS and 182 Nm of torque. Buyers can also go with the 2.8-litre diesel engine that generates 151 PS and 300 Nm of torque. Both engines are paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Both RWD and 4WD drivetrain options are offered with the Hiace. 2026 Hiace Launch, pricing Toyota will launch the 2026 Hiace in Japan on 2nd February. Depending on their needs, buyers can choose from available options such as van, wagon and commuter formats. The base model is being offered at a starting price of JPY 2,860,000 (Rs 16.45 lakh). The top variant, Super GL Dark Prime II diesel, is available at JPY 4,683,800 (Rs 26.95 lakh). In the future, it is possible that Toyota could introduce a fully electric version of the Hiace. A concept version of the same was showcased at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show. However, Toyota has not provided any specific details about the launch timeline. With the new plant, Marutis total production capacity will increase to 40 lakh units per annum With robust demand across domestic and international markets, Maruti Suzuki could soon outstrip its current production capacity of 26 lakh units per annum. To meet the rising demand, Maruti is building its 5th plant in India. The new plant coming up in Gujarat will have a production capacity of 10 lakh cars per annum. Lets check out more details on these developments. Maruti Suzukis 5th plant Maruti has submitted an investment letter to the Gujarat government, marking the initiation of the process of building the new plant. The event was graced by the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Maruti Suzuki Managing Director Hisashi Takeuchi. Also present were Harsh Sanghvi (Deputy Chief Minister) and Sunil Kakkar (Maruti Suzuki Whole Time Director and Executive Committee Member). Marutis 5th plant is coming up in Khoraj, Gujarat. This will be Marutis second plant in Gujarat, with the first located in Hansalpur. Both plants are strategically located near Ahmedabad, although the upcoming plant in Khoraj is much closer to the states capital. The land for the new plant, around 1,750 acres, will be provided by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC). Marutis 5th plant will have four units, each with a capacity of 2.5 lakh units per annum. Production from the first unit is planned to commence from the 2029 financial year. When all four units will be operational, the overall production capacity will be 10 lakh units per annum. The new plant is expected to create around 12,000 direct employment opportunities. Indirect employment opportunities are expected at around 7.5 lakh, spread across MSME clusters and ancillary units in the surrounding areas. Growing demand for Maruti cars With five plants, Maruti is looking at a production capacity of around 40 lakh units per annum. The current capacity with the four plants is around 26 lakh units per annum. In addition to the Hansalpur facility in Gujarat, Maruti operates three plants in Haryana. These are located in Gurugram, Manesar and Kharkhoda. With its strong focus on sub-4-meter cars and SUVs, Maruti has a big lead over other carmakers in terms of overall volumes. In the domestic market, Maruti currently has a market share of around 40%. Sales have been even more spectacular in recent months after the GST reforms were introduced. Lower GST rates have significantly benefitted the sub-4-meter segment. In CY2025, Maruti sold more than 22.55 lakh cars, its highest ever in a calendar year. Top contributors were Fronx, Baleno, Swift, Dzire and Ertiga. Maruti is also witnessing significant demand across global markets. From 2021 to 2025, Maruti has maintained its position as the No. 1 PV exporter from India. In 2025, Maruti exported 3.95 lakh units, its highest in any calendar year. Maruti exported 18 models to more than 100 countries in 2025. The list includes Marutis first fully electric car, the eVitara. Around 13,000 units of the eVitara were exported to 29 countries, mostly in Europe. Maruti cars are also witnessing strong demand in Japan. SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- South Korea officially designated President Lee Jae Myung's stabbing incident in January 2024 as a terrorist act, multiple media outlets said Tuesday. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok presided over the national counter-terrorism committee meeting, formally recognizing the 2024 incident as a terrorist act. It marked the first official designation since the anti-terrorism act was established in 2016. Lee, then opposition leader of the Democratic Party, was stabbed on the left side of his neck with a modified knife by a man in his 60s who disguised himself as a supporter and approached Lee, who was visiting the construction site of the new Gadeokdo airport near the southeastern port city of Busan in January 2024. Lee suffered laceration and damage to his internal jugular vein, and the top court finalized a 15-year prison sentence for the assailant in February 2025. The Democratic Party had raised allegations that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) under the impeached former President Yoon Suk-yeol downplayed and distorted the incident by destroying evidence at the scene and failing to designate it as a terrorist act. An additional investigation to uncover the full truth behind the incident will be conducted, according to the prime minister's office. KINSHASA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) said late Monday they have retaken control of Uvira, a strategic city in the eastern province of South Kivu previously seized by the March 23 Movement (M23) rebellion. In a statement, the FARDC said the takeover took place on Sunday, following the withdrawal of M23 fighters. The statement, signed by Mak Hazukay Mongba, the FARDC's acting spokesperson, accused the rebels of carrying out "systematic looting" before leaving the town. It said about 20 civilians suspected of involvement in the looting had been arrested and would be referred to justice. "The FARDC are continuing their deployment in Uvira and surrounding areas to consolidate their positions and secure people and their property," the army said. In a separate statement released on Monday, the DRC government said it had begun implementing a plan to gradually restore state authority in the city of Uvira and its surrounding areas in the eastern part of the country. On Saturday, the M23 said it would fully withdraw its remaining elements from Uvira, a strategic lakeside city on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, which it claimed to have captured in December 2025. In a statement, M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka called the move a "difficult decision" and said the group was pulling out what it described as an "observation and monitoring unit." Kanyuka said the group was placing Uvira "under the full responsibility of the United Nations and the international community." The M23 said it was leaving to give peace efforts in the region a chance, without disclosing the number of fighters involved. The rebel group also said it had asked the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, known as MONUSCO, to protect civilians in Uvira in line with its mandate. MONUSCO did not make a statement concerning the request. Fighting has continued on several fronts in South Kivu near Uvira, underscoring the persistent instability in eastern DRC. Eastern DRC has been plagued by recurrent violence for decades, a situation worsened by the resurgence of the M23 since late 2021. The DRC accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels, an allegation Kigali denies. BELGRADE, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Serbia has reached a preliminary agreement with Hungary's MOL Group and Russia's Gazprom Neft on the sale of a majority stake in Serbian oil company NIS, a move aimed at safeguarding the Balkan country's energy security amid international sanctions on Russian entities. The deal, announced Monday by Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic, would see MOL acquire the 56.15 percent stake currently held by Gazprom Neft and other Russian shareholders in NIS. The transaction marks a strategic shift for Belgrade, which has faced growing pressure to curb Russian influence in its energy sector following sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union (EU) in connection with the conflict in Ukraine. Under the proposed agreement, the Serbian government will also raise its ownership stake in NIS by five percentage points. The increase is expected to grant Serbia greater voting power and a more substantial role in corporate governance than under the original 2008 privatization arrangement. The United States first imposed sanctions on NIS in January 2025, describing it as part of Moscow's strategic energy network in Europe. Since being placed on the U.S. Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, NIS had operated under eight temporary waivers from the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). After the final extension expired in October last year, a new temporary license was granted on Dec. 31, 2025, valid until Jan. 23, 2026, to allow the company to resume essential operations during ongoing ownership transition talks. In a statement issued on Monday in Budapest, MOL confirmed the signing of a binding Heads of Agreement, saying the deal is intended to ensure uninterrupted energy supplies to regional markets. The parties are working toward a March 24, 2026 deadline set by OFAC for negotiation, with the goal of signing a final sale and purchase agreement by March 31, 2026, said the statement. Teri Monroe started her career in communications working for local government and nonprofits. Today, she is a freelance finance and lifestyle writer and small business owner. In her spare time, she loves golfing with her husband, taking her dog Milo on long walks, and playing pickleball with friends. David Haigh, Chairman and CEO of Brand Finance, speaks during an exclusive interview with Xinhua at the WEF Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 19, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi) DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese brands are in an "exciting" phase that coincides with the nation's rising influence in soft power, said a top business leader in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Tuesday. David Haigh, Chairman and CEO of Brand Finance, was speaking in Davos, Switzerland, at the release of two major reports by the global brand consultancy: "Brand Finance Global 500 2026" and "Global Soft Power Index 2026." From the collective leap of commercial brands toward "innovation and quality" to China's national image topping global rankings in metrics like "easy to do business in and with" and "Future growth potential," Haigh believes China is showcasing a high-quality rise driven by brand building and soft power enhancement. Over the past year, Brand Finance's research has shown that when it comes to most developed countries, "people as a whole don't feel confident that they are achieving what they say they will achieve, which is peace, stability, economic help." Against this backdrop, "China has just quietly strengthened its position... It is getting very close in terms of the overall index with America," he said. Haigh highlighted China's opening up to the world and friendly approach, noting its policy of non-interference in other countries' affairs. He also pointed to its support for developing countries through medical aid, economic assistance, and infrastructure projects. Research for the "Global Soft Power Index 2026" was based on the views of 150,000 respondents in over 100 countries on all 193 UN member states. Notably, China has jumped 27 places in "friendliness" and 18 places in "fun." In 19 out of 35 individual attributes, China scores higher than the United States. Specifically, Haigh praised the development of China's tourism industry, which he said has immense potential. "If people visit your country, they get to know it, they get to understand it, they like the people," he said. "I think we are all confident that that is exactly what will happen with China." The construction of a nation's "grand brand" relies on the international image built by individual enterprises, Haigh said, applauding the strategic transformation of Chinese brands. China has been committed to international brand building for many years, and therefore "the awareness of Chinese brands in the world is growing," Haigh noted. "I have absolutely no doubt, 20 years from now, people will be quoting Chinese academics about how to run brands," he predicted. China honors its words with actions, Haigh underlined. "When China decides to do something, it really does it thoroughly," he said, citing the example of TikTok, "a triple-A rated brand" that is "growing very fast." He cited the rise of battery producers like CATL as a major contributor to China's leading position in the global EV landscape, adding that in the automotive sector, BYD has solidified its position as a global leader. In the banking sector, European and American brands that once dominated the rankings "have now been overtaken to a large extent by Chinese banks," Haigh said. Meanwhile, in the spirits sector, Moutai and Wuliangye are considered "the strongest brands in the world," and in apparel Bosideng is "positioning itself above competitors," according to Haigh. From industrial powerhouses to the growing visibility of cultural intellectual property (IP), Haigh concluded, "Chinese brands are going from strength to strength," no longer defined by price but by innovation and high quality. One of the defining breakthroughs in mammal evolution was the rise of highly sensitive hearing. Modern mammals rely on a middle ear that includes an eardrum and several tiny bones, a system that makes it possible to detect a wide range of sounds at different volumes. This ability likely gave early mammals, many of which were active at night, a crucial edge as they navigated environments dominated by dinosaurs. New findings from paleontologists at the University of Chicago suggest that this advanced form of hearing appeared far earlier than scientists once believed. Using detailed CT scans of the skull and jaw of Thrinaxodon liorhinus, a mammal ancestor that lived about 250 million years ago, the researchers applied engineering-based simulations to test how sound would have traveled through its anatomy. Their results indicate that Thrinaxodon probably had an eardrum large enough to detect airborne sound efficiently, pushing the origin of this trait back by nearly 50 million years. "For almost a century, scientists have been trying to figure out how these animals could hear. These ideas have captivated the imagination of paleontologists who work in mammal evolution, but until now we haven't had very strong biomechanical tests," said Alec Wilken, a graduate student who led the study, which was published recently in PNAS. "Now, with our advances in computational biomechanics, we can start to say smart things about what the anatomy means for how this animal could hear." Revisiting a Longstanding Idea About Early Mammal Hearing Thrinaxodon belonged to a group called cynodonts, animals from the early Triassic period that show a mix of reptile and mammal traits. These included specialized teeth, changes in the palate and diaphragm that supported more efficient breathing and metabolism, and likely features such as warm-bloodedness and fur. In early cynodonts, including Thrinaxodon, the ear bones (malleus, incus, stapes) were still connected to the jaw. Much later in evolution, these bones separated to form the distinct middle ear seen in modern mammals, a shift considered critical to improved hearing. About 50 years ago, paleontologist Edgar Allin of the University of Illinois Chicago proposed that cynodonts like Thrinaxodon may have had a membrane stretched across a hooked part of the jawbone, serving as an early version of the mammalian eardrum. At the time, most researchers thought these animals primarily detected sound through bone conduction, or through so-called "jaw listening," by placing their lower jaws against the ground to sense vibrations. Allin's idea was intriguing, but there was no practical way to test whether such a membrane could actually transmit airborne sound. Turning Ancient Fossils Into Digital Test Subjects Advances in imaging technology have transformed paleontology, allowing scientists to extract detailed information from fossils without damaging them. Wilken and his colleagues, Zhe-Xi Luo, PhD, and Callum Ross, PhD, both Professors of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, scanned a well-studied Thrinaxodon specimen from the University of California Berkeley Museum of Paleontology at UChicago's PaleoCT Laboratory. The scans produced a high-resolution 3D model of the skull and jaw, capturing precise shapes, angles, and dimensions needed to evaluate how a potential eardrum might work. The team then used engineering software called Strand7 to run a finite element analysis. This method divides a complex structure into many small components, each with specific physical properties. It is commonly used to study how bridges bear weight, how aircraft handle stress, or how heat moves through engines. In this case, the researchers simulated how Thrinaxodon's skull and jaw would respond to different sound pressures and frequencies, drawing on known data about the thickness, density, and flexibility of bones, ligaments, muscles, and skin in living animals. Evidence for Early Airborne Hearing The simulations produced a clear result. An eardrum positioned within a curved section of the jawbone would have allowed Thrinaxodon to hear airborne sounds far more effectively than relying on bone conduction alone. The modeled size and shape of the membrane generated vibrations strong enough to move the ear bones, stimulate auditory nerves, and detect a range of sound frequencies. Although jaw-based vibration sensing likely still played a role, the eardrum would have handled most of the animal's hearing. "Once we have the CT model from the fossil, we can take material properties from extant animals and make it as if our Thrinaxodon came alive," Luo said. "That hasn't been possible before, and this software simulation showed us that vibration through sound is essentially the way this animal could hear." Wilken emphasized that modern tools finally made it possible to test a decades-old question. "That's why this is such a cool problem to study," he said. "We took a high concept problem -- that is, 'how do ear bones wiggle in a 250-million-year-old fossil?' -- and tested a simple hypothesis using these sophisticated tools. And it turns out in Thrinaxodon, the eardrum does just fine all by itself." The study, titled "Biomechanics of the mandibular middle ear of the cynodont Thrinaxodon and the evolution of mammal hearing," was supported by UChicago, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation. Chelsie C. G. Snipes from UChicago was also an author. GAZA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Hamas said Monday that it is "fully ready" to transfer administrative powers to a newly-formed Palestinian technocratic committee tasked with governing Gaza in the post-war phase. The group pledged to ensure "a smooth and orderly transition" that protects public sector rights and guarantee the continuity of essential services for civilians, the Hamas-run Gaza government media office said in a statement. The statement framed the administrative transition as part of the second phase of the Gaza peace deal, while strongly linking it to the overarching demand for a complete end to Israeli "aggression" in Gaza. It emphasized the "inherent right" of Palestinians to reconstruction conducted in a manner that "preserves Palestinian national rights and sovereignty," and reiterated the goal of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee to temporarily administer the post-war Gaza officially launched its work on Friday through a meeting in Cairo, prioritizing Gaza's "humanitarian file." The committee arrived in the Egyptian capital on Thursday, delayed by a day due to Israeli obstruction, an Egyptian source told Xinhua. Meanwhile, violence continues in the enclave on Monday. Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal told Xinhua that three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in separate incidents in Khan Younis and Rafah areas. Basal said Israeli forces regularly target shelters and civilian areas, calling the actions "a clear and blatant violation of all humanitarian and international laws." Local sources also reported Israeli airstrikes east of Khan Younis and artillery shelling in eastern Gaza, alongside the demolition of residential homes. The Israeli side has yet to comment on the latest incidents. Since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect in October 2025, at least 465 Palestinians have been killed, raising the total death toll since October 2023 to 71,550, Gaza-based health authorities said Monday. BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A global ranking of fast-growing startups in 2025 showed that companies headquartered in China accounted for over one-third of the list, underscoring the country's strong potential in emerging technology sectors such as biotechnology and semiconductors. Of the 819 global gazelle companies, unlisted firms most likely to reach a valuation of 1 billion U.S. dollars within three years, 278 are from China, marking an 8 percent year-on-year increase and placing the country second only to the United States, which saw an 8 percent decline, according to Hurun Future Unicorns: Global Gazelles Index 2025 released on Tuesday. Since 2019, the number of gazelle firms in China has nearly quadrupled, rising from 70 to the current count. In the past year alone, 55 new Chinese companies were added to the list, with biotechnology and semiconductors standing out as the sectors hosting the largest number of future unicorns, said Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman and chief researcher of the Hurun Report. "Innovations in medical devices, biotech and digital health are transforming disease treatment, diagnostics and patient care. China and the U.S. are leading this healthcare revolution," added Hoogewerf, also known by his Chinese name, Hu Run. Headquartered in east China's Nanjing, TransThera Sciences is recognized as one of China's most successful transitions from a gazelle company to a publicly listed firm. The biotech firm pioneered a "resistance-breaking" precision medicine platform by engineering smart small-molecule drugs. Meanwhile, another report released on Monday ranking Chinese AI companies shows that enterprises specializing in AI chips were the most notable performers in 2025, taking seven of the top ten spots. Last year, 146 gazelle companies achieved "graduation" by becoming unicorns, going public, or being acquired. Among them, 82 were from the United States and 26 from China, according to the gazelle ranking. Notably, five Chinese companies, including biotech firm Shanghai Cell Therapy, alongside robot makers Mech Mind and AgiBot, have each surpassed a valuation of 1 billion dollars and are set to join the Hurun Unicorn List in 2026, despite still being categorized as gazelles. The ranking of cities with the most gazelle companies is led by San Francisco, followed by Shanghai, Beijing, New York and Shenzhen in the top five. The United States and China together account for 71 percent of the global gazelle companies, according to the ranking. The companies on the list have an average valuation of 700 million dollars, with the majority growing at an annual rate of around 20 percent. MOSCOW, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia's presidential special envoy Kirill Dmitriev said his meeting with U.S. presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff in Davos, Switzerland was constructive, the Russian daily Izvestia reported Tuesday. "The meeting is proceeding constructively, and more and more people are realizing the correctness of Russia's position," he said. Dmitriev held talks with Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday. Witkoff described the talks that lasted over two hours as "very positive" when asked by the media. Netflix on Tuesday sweetened its $82.7bn offer for Warner Bros Discoverys (WBD) studios and streaming divisions, converting the bid to an all-cash deal in an attempt to trump a hostile bid from Paramount Skydance . The streaming service company had originally tabled a cash-and-shares bid backed by WBD valuing the business at $27.75 a share. Both companies said the switch simplifies the transaction structure, provides greater certainty of value for WBD stockholders, and accelerates the path to a WBD stockholder vote. Netflix said the offer would enable WBD investors to vote on the proposed deal as soon as April. Our revised all-cash agreement will enable an expedited timeline to a stockholder vote and provide greater financial certainty at $27.75 per share in cash, plus the value from the planned separation of Discovery Global, said Ted Sarandos, the streamers co-chief executive. WBD also said it was making changes to parts of the business not involved in the sale. The broadcaster is spinning off traditional TV channels like CNN and TNT and its cable business into a separate publicly traded company. Paramount has argued that the new unit would be worthless and believes its $108bn proposal to buy WBD in its entirety is a better deal for shareholders. The WBD board has twice rebuffed the rival offer. Last week, Paramount said it planned to nominate directors to WBDs board to vote against the approval of the Netflix deal, and filed a lawsuit seeking disclosure of financial information related to the agreement. On Thursday, a judge at a Delaware court rejected Paramounts lawsuit. Under the Netflix deal, the streaming company would take on assets such as Warner Bros, the studio behind franchises including Harry Potter, Superman and Batman, and HBO, home to shows including Game of Thrones, The White Lotus and Succession. Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com Publishing and events group Informa on Tuesday confirmed double-digit growth in revenues and profits over 2025 on the back of strong trading in the fourth quarter, as it launched a 200m share buyback plan and announced a major new B2B events partnership in Dubai. Group revenues are expected to be at least 4.0bn for 2025, representing year-on-year growth of 12.5% and underlying growth of 6.25%, while adjusted earnings per share are tipped to rise 10.5-11% to at least 55.5p Informa said the outcome, driven by a strong showing in the live B2B events division, means full-year results will be "in line with or ahead of market guidance". "Across the world, the Power of Live is driving strong demand for our B2B brands, whilst ongoing growth in specialist research is underpinning the strength of our academic business," said chief executive Stephen Carter. For 2026, Informa is targeting at least 6% underlying revenue growth, ahead of its most recent guidance for 5% growth over the next three years, with trading early in the year supporting these targets, it said. Meanwhile, following the 350m share buyback programme completed in December, the company said it is immediately launching a new repurchase plan with an initial minimum investment of 200m, with scope for further buybacks throughout the year. In a separate statement, Informa announced it has partnered with Dubai World Trade Centre to launch a new joint venture called inD, combining DWTC's B2B live events arm with Informa's B2B live events business across the United Arab Emirates and wider IMEA region. The deal will bring together around 1,000 employees, operating more than 40 B2B brands covering a range of industries, including healthcare, energy, aviation and technology. The combined businesses are expected to grow underlying revenues by 20% or more in 2026 to at least $650m. It will be Informa's largest partnership business globally, and coincides with the planned expansion of Dubai's second major exhibition venue, The Dubai Exhibition Centre, taking Dubai's total capacity to more than 300,000 gross square metres by 2031. "The creation of inD deepens our partnership with DWTC at a time of structural growth for our industry, strong economic growth across the region, and dynamic market growth in the UAE in particular, as the supply of high quality venue space increases to meet growing demand for B2B live events," Carter said. The stock was up 2.1% at 890.6p by 0907 GMT. Donald Trump lambasted the UK over the Chagos Islands on Tuesday, calling a decision to transfer ownership to Mauritius "an act of great stupidity", as tensions continued to mount over the US presidents plans to annexe Greenland. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: "Shockingly, our "brilliant" NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital US Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER." He called it an "act of total weakness", that China and Russia would have noticed. "These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before." Trump concluded: "The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. "Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING." The Trump administration had previously approved the Chagos Islands deal. The UK government agreed to transfer sovereignty last year, arguing that both it and the US risked losing access to the Diego Garcia air base under international law. In return, it was agreed that the UK and US will be able to use the base for at least another 99 years. Secretary of state Marco Rubio said at the time that the US welcomed the "historic agreement", which "secures the long-term, stable and effective operation" of the base. Trumps early morning Truth Social post was uploaded during his flight to Switzerland, where he is due to meet fellow leaders at the Word Economic Forum in Davos. Other posts made during the flight included two AI-generated images, one of which depicted Trump meeting European leaders in the Oval Office, including Ursula von der Leyen and Keir Starmer, next to a map of America that included Greenland. The other was of himself, vice president JD Vance and Rubio planting a US flag next to a sign saying "Greenland, US territory est 2026". Trump is adamant that the US should take ownership of Greenland, despite widespread global opposition and vocal opposition in Greenland. Over the weekend, he said Nato allies, including the UK, would be hit with tariffs of 10% from 1 February after they deployed troops to the island. The European Union is considering possible retaliatory levies. On Monday Starmer appeared to adopt a more conciliatory tone, insisting a trade war was "in no ones interest" and calling the US a "close ally". However, he also insisted that it was for the people of Greenland and Denmark alone to decide the islands future. Inventory season continues for indie bookstores, including: Skylark Bookshop, Columbia, Mo.: "It is almost time for us to count ALL OF THE THINGS!" Werner Books & Coffee, Erie, Pa.: "We're closed today 1/6 and tomorrow 1/7 as we keep working through scanning every book for inventory! Comment below how many books you think we have! We'll announce the final total later this week!" Norwich Bookstore, Norwich, Vt.: "It's time for our We Don't Want to Count It Sale!... Help us clear our shelves so we have fewer books to count on Inventory Day (where we count every single item in the bookstore)! What better way to spend the first day of the year than re-stocking your TBR? Please note this sale is in-store only as our goal is to get the books *out* of the building." lala books, Lowell, Mass.: "Hailey & Laura are trying to get a jump start on inventory which means we are finding more great titles to discount for you. Our 'Save Us from Inventory' Sale runs through Sunday and we are here our normal hours until we close on Jan 5 & 6 for the big count. See you soon!" Under the Umbrella Bookstore, Salt Lake City, Utah: "Thank you so much for spending another year with us. We've loved getting to be your queer little bookstore and can't wait for another year of queer joy. And thanks for being patient with us while we do some inventory and then take a break. See y'all on the 13th!" At Silver Unicorn The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, Acton, Mass.: "These are the happy faces of booksellers who just completed inventory in record time, thanks to our amazing partners and friends at Bookmanager, who are constantly innovating ways to make our job easier." Town House Books, Saint Charles, Ill.: "We're closed today for inventory but reopen at 9 am tomorrow. We look forward to seeing you in the new year!... Thank you for supporting your local independent bookstore!" The Bookstore of Gloucester, Gloucester, Mass.: "We've been working away during the quiet moments the last couple days & inventory is nearly complete!" Thistle Bookshop and Cafe, St. Catharines, Ont., Canada: "Inventory Day. Every book. Every shelf. Counted. Huge thanks to our incredible team for powering through today." Flat-to-positive opening likely amid global trade and geopolitical concerns Earnings-driven action in ITC Hotels, LTIMindtree, CEAT, Tata Capital, Havells Stock-specific triggers for Adani Power, UPL, HPCL, and ACME Solar Indian equity markets are expected to open flat to mildly positive on Tuesday, even as global uncertainties continue to keep investor sentiment cautious. Early signals from Gift Nifty suggested a positive start, trading higher by 38 points or 0.15% at 25,605. However, concerns around global trade tensions and geopolitical risks may limit strong upside during the session. Asian markets mostly traded lower on Tuesday following renewed tariff-related threats from the United States, particularly linked to Greenland. Global markets remain on edge as investors react to the aggressive use of trade tariffs by the U.S. administration, which has revived fears of a broader trade war. According to Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, Indian equities are likely to open with a cautious tone. He noted that persistent foreign institutional investor (FII) selling, continued weakness in the rupee, and heightened geopolitical tensions are weighing on overall market confidence. While domestic institutional investors (DIIs) continue to provide support through steady buying, broader uncertainties could cap meaningful gains in the near term. BSE Midcap index falling 0.43% and the Smallcap index witnessing a sharper drop of 1.28%. On Monday, both benchmark indices ended in the red amid weak global cues. The Sensex declined 324 points, or 0.39%, to close at 83,246.18, while the Nifty 50 slipped 109 points, or 0.42%, to end at 25,585.50. The broader market underperformed, with thefalling 0.43% and the Smallcap index witnessing a sharper drop of 1.28%. Against this backdrop, several stocks are expected to remain in focus today due to earnings announcements and key corporate developments. Earnings in Focus Shares of ITC Hotels, IndiaMART InterMESH, AU Small Finance Bank, Rallis India, and SRF are likely to see action as these companies are scheduled to announce their Q3 FY26 results later today. Investors will closely track management commentary and guidance, especially amid rising cost pressures and demand trends. Adani Power Adani Power secured a significant legal victory after the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), Delhi, rejected appeals challenging its a4,000 crore resolution plan for Vidarbha Industries Power Limited. The ruling effectively upholds the approval granted earlier by the NCLT Mumbai Bench, strengthening Adani Powers position. LTIMindtree LTIMindtree reported a mixed performance for Q3 FY26. The company posted a net profit of Rs 959.6 crore, marking a sharp 30.5% quarter-on-quarter decline and falling well short of market expectations. The decline was largely attributed to a one-time impact related to the implementation of new labour codes. Tata Capital Tata Capital reported a strong quarter, with net profit rising 19.7% quarter-on-quarter to Rs 790 crore. Net interest income saw a sharp jump of 44% to Rs 2,541 crore, reflecting healthy growth in lending activities. UPL UPLs subsidiary, Advanta Enterprises, has filed a Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with SEBI for its proposed IPO. The issue will be a pure offer for sale, with existing shareholders selling 3.61 crore equity shares, including 2.81 crore shares to be offloaded by UPL. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) HPCL entered into a 10-year Sale Purchase Agreement with Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Company (ALNG) to source liquefied natural gas. ALNG is a subsidiary of ADNOC Gas, and the deal is expected to strengthen HPCLs long-term energy sourcing strategy. Also Read: Earnings and Global Tensions Put Key Stocks in Play Other Stocks in News Leucine Rich Bio, South Asias leading microbiome company based in Bengaluru, continues its mission to make gut health understanding straightforward, personalized, and backed by science. Since 2014, the company has focused on delivering practical microbiome testing that helps people and doctors make informed decisions about wellness. The 2026 version of the BugSpeaks Gut Microbiome Report introduces important improvements that make the results much easier to read and use. Complex gut data is now presented with clear visuals, color coding, and simple categories so users can quickly see whats balanced and what needs attention. Dr Debojyoti Dhar, Co-founder and Director of Leucine Rich Bio, commented: "The 2026 BugSpeaks update has been in the works for about a year. Our endeavor has always been to include the latest insights from the microbiome science and our own data into the report to make it more actionable. The current upgraded version is the fourth iteration of the BugSpeaks report since the launch in 2017. With better visuals and new and straightforward categories, people can now more easily understand their results and take practical steps to support digestion, energy, and overall well being". Major upgrades include: Easy to Read Color Coded Scales: New 7-bin and 3-bin systems show how your gut microbes compare to healthy people. Green means good balance; orange and red point to areas that may need improvement. New 7-bin and 3-bin systems show how your gut microbes compare to healthy people. Green means good balance; orange and red point to areas that may need improvement. Clear Rych Index Score: The main gut health number (0-100) now comes with an easy visual dial. Green shows youre in the ideal zone; red indicates room for improvement. The main gut health number (0-100) now comes with an easy visual dial. Green shows youre in the ideal zone; red indicates room for improvement. Improved Risk Overview: Simple 3-level scoring for common gut-related concerns (such as inflammation potential or leaky gut potential) and likelihood of conditions or disease susceptibility like for Type 2 Diabetes or IBS, shown in percentages for better clarity. Simple 3-level scoring for common gut-related concerns (such as inflammation potential or leaky gut potential) and likelihood of conditions or disease susceptibility like for Type 2 Diabetes or IBS, shown in percentages for better clarity. More Detail on Key Gut Species: Expanded tables list important foundation microbes and the top species in each group (Bacteria, Archaea, Fungi, etc.), making it easier to understand what supports a stable gut. Expanded tables list important foundation microbes and the top species in each group (Bacteria, Archaea, Fungi, etc.), making it easier to understand what supports a stable gut. Novel parameters: New parameters such as microplastics exposure risk potential, micronutrients bioavailability potential add a new dimension to the upgraded report. All the parameters included in the report are based on the microbiota profile of the individual and are individualized in nature. These changes keep the reports trusted features, personalized 12-week nutrition plans (with Indian or SE Asian or Arabic or continental food recommendations), probiotic suggestions, and short-chain fatty acid/vitamin insights while adding stronger reminders that the report is for information only and should be discussed with a healthcare professional. Andhra Pradesh IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh held high-level meetings in Davos and Zurich to attract investments in green mobility, clean energy and agri-food technologies The State proposed collaborations on green hydrogen-powered mobility at ports, industrial engineering sandboxes, and agri-processing and food technology centres with global firms Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a major investment destination, with Rs 23.5 lakh crore in expected investments and potential for over 16 lakh jobs in the next 18 months Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information Technology and Human Resources Development Nara Lokesh has stepped up the States global investment outreach with a series of high-level meetings in Europe, focusing on attracting partnerships in green mobility, clean energy and agri-food technologies. During his engagements in Davos and Zurich, the Minister held strategic discussions with global industry leaders, positioning Andhra Pradesh as a future-ready destination for sustainable and technology-driven investments. In Davos, Lokesh met Jose Mellado, Managing Director of Spain-based Evolution Synergetique Automotive SL (EVO), to explore collaboration in green hydrogen and zero-emission mobility solutions. Emphasising the States long-term commitment to clean energy, Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh is working towards ambitious green energy goals by building a supportive ecosystem that combines port-led infrastructure, dedicated industrial parks and engineering sandboxes that enable rapid innovation. He invited EVO to partner with the State in developing pilot hydrogen-powered terminal tractors at the Visakhapatnam and Kakinada ports, citing the companys expertise in compact vehicles and advanced mobility systems. The State is keen to move from concept to deployment in green mobility, and our ports offer an ideal environment to test hydrogen-powered and zero-emission solutions, Lokesh said, adding that Andhra Pradesh is also open to launching a co-pilot programme for electric and hydrogen-powered off-road vehicles within its industrial parks. Under this model, EVO would lead the redesign and optimisation of vehicles tailored to Indian operating conditions. The Minister assured comprehensive government support for such initiatives, including access to test beds, faster regulatory approvals, assistance in prototype development and specialised training for engineers. He said the State is even willing to set up a small engineering sandbox within an industrial or academic campus to encourage early-stage experimentation and innovation. Also Read: IIT Jammu, Skill-Lync Launch Courses in Future Mobility Continuing his outreach in Zurich, Lokesh met Deepak Mane, Advisor to the Executive Board and Chairman of Buhler India, a key arm of the Switzerland-headquartered Buhler Group. During the meeting, the Minister proposed the establishment of a Foods and Grain Technology Application Center in Andhra Pradesh to strengthen agri-processing capabilities and support export-oriented agri clusters. He also sought Buhlers support in converting its millet processing technologies into commercial-scale demonstrations in the State, aligning with Indias broader push to promote millets and value-added agri products. Lokesh further suggested expanding Buhlers Make-in-India footprint by localising the assembly, testing and component manufacturing of optical and colour sorting equipment in Andhra Pradesh. He also proposed setting up a Food Processing Skill Development Center in the State to create a trained workforce for modern agri and food processing industries. Responding to the proposals, Deepak Mane said Buhlers India headquarters in Bengaluru already serves as a major manufacturing and engineering hub for South Asia, while its Kakinada branch operates as a regional sales and lifecycle service centre across Andhra Pradesh. He said the company would study the State governments proposals in detail and explore possible areas of collaboration. Earlier, addressing members of the European Telugu diaspora, Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh has emerged as one of Indias leading investment destinations. He said the State is expected to attract investments worth Rs 23.5 lakh crore over the next 18 months, with the potential to create more than 16 lakh jobs. Lokesh noted that nearly 25.3 per cent of investments coming into India have flowed into Andhra Pradesh, attributing this momentum to the leadership and reform-driven approach of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu. Night fell over Baku on 20 January 1990 not as a veil of rest, but as a shroud. The Caspian wind carried no calm that evening; it carried the metallic growl of tanks and the heavy silence of a people about to be tested by history. Streets that only hours earlier echoed with chants for dignity, sovereignty, and independence were suddenly transformed into corridors of fear and blood. Without warning, Soviet troops rolled into the city. Russian tanks crushed asphalt and hope alike, advancing not against a foreign enemy, but against unarmed civiliansmen and women who had stepped outside not to wage war, but to demand the right to decide their own future. They stood with flags, not weapons; with voices, not bullets. Yet the response they received was steel, fire, and death. Bullets tore through the darkness. Ambulances were shot at. Doctors and journalists were targeted. Ordinary citizensworkers, students, fathers, mothersfell where they stood, struck down in streets that had become killing fields. The city lights went out, as if even electricity recoiled from what was unfolding. Baku was cut off from the world, but the worlds conscience should never have been cut off from Baku. This was not a clash. It was a massacre. The Soviet leadership called it the restoration of order. History would name it differently: Black January. A night when an empire revealed its true nature, choosing violence over dialogue, tanks over truth. The very state that claimed to represent equality and brotherhood answered peaceful demands for independence with mass murder. Blood stained the pavements of Neftchiler Avenue, 20 Yanvar Circle, and countless unnamed streets. Some died instantly; others bled out while help was deliberately delayed. Families searched hospitals through the night, clinging to hope, only to find silence where voices once lived. Mothers would never again hear their sons footsteps. Children would grow up with photographs instead of parents. Yet even in that darkness, something unbreakable was born. The people of Azerbaijan did not retreat into fear. The funeral procession that followed became one of the largest acts of collective mourning and defiance the city had ever seen. Hundreds of thousands walked together, not in chaos, but in dignity. Flowers replaced slogans. Tears replaced chants. And resolve replaced doubt. The tanks had entered Baku to crush the independence movement. Instead, they sealed its fate. 20 January did not kill the dream of freedomit sanctified it. The blood spilled that night became the moral foundation of Azerbaijans path to sovereignty. Each victim became a witness, each grave a reminder that independence is never granted freely by empires; it is paid for by people. This tragedy was not an isolated act of violence. It was part of a broader pattern as the Soviet Union struggled to suppress national movements across its collapsing territory. But in Baku, the cruelty was unmistakable. The use of overwhelming military force against civilians demanding lawful political rights stands as a grave violation of human dignity and fundamental principles that the modern world claims to uphold. And yet, accountability never truly came. No international tribunal convened for the victims of 20 January. No perpetrators stood before a court of justice. The silence of the global community added another layer of injustice to an already open wound. But memory itself became a form of resistance. Every year, Azerbaijan remembers. Every year, flowers line the graves at the Alley of Martyrs. Every year, the city pausesnot out of weakness, but out of respect. An elegy is not only a lament. It is a promise. A promise that those who died will not be reduced to numbers. A promise that tanks will never again define the destiny of Bakus streets. A promise that independence, once paid for in blood, will be guarded with memory and responsibility. On 20 January, Azerbaijan lost livesbut it gained an irreversible truth: freedom demands courage, and courage often demands sacrifice. The city that bled that night still stands, not as a victim, but as a testament. The tanks are gone. The empire is gone. But the memory remainsand so does the independence it helped forge. BAGHDAD, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet Mohammed al-Abbasi said Tuesday that the country's armed forces are fully prepared to defend Iraq's borders, citing concerns about potential Islamic State (IS) penetration from neighboring Syria. "Our valiant army stands as an impenetrable barrier against any threat and will not allow the spread of any evil or danger, including attempts by IS remnants fleeing from Syria," al-Abbasi said in a statement, calling Iraq's security a "red line." Meanwhile, Army Chief of Staff Abdul Amir Yarallah conducted a field inspection along the Syrian border, where he ordered intensified intelligence and security measures to counter terrorist threats, according to a statement by the Iraqi Defense Ministry. In a related development, the Iraqi paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces on Tuesday announced in a statement that its security forces arrested a high-ranking IS commander who had infiltrated from Syria into the Mosul desert. The detainee was described as a key supervisor of IS cells in both Iraq and Syria. The security alert came amid renewed instability in northeastern Syria, where the Syrian army said Monday that it has taken control of the Shaddadi area and its prison holding thousands of IS suspects in northeastern Hasakah province after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported a loss of control over the facility amid escalating clashes. The army said it has secured the prison complex and immediately launched search operations to recapture escaped inmates, whom it accused the SDF of releasing during recent clashes. The SDF said Tuesday it was "compelled" to withdraw from the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria, leaving thousands of families linked to IS militants unguarded and raising fears of a militant resurgence. Polo Elevators, one of Indias most trusted names in advanced, design-led, and customized elevator solutions, has announced the appointment of global wrestling icon 'The Great Khali' as its new brand ambassador. Through this powerful association, the brand is set to amplify its campaign with the tagline 'No Jhatke, Only Hatke', reinforcing the unmatched strength, reliability, and safety of Polo Elevators. A pioneer in the elevator industry, Polo Elevators has built its reputation on robust engineering, precision manufacturing, and a strong focus on customer-centric innovation. The company designs, manufactures, installs, and services elevators across residential, commercial, hospital, high-rise, and premium architectural spaces, each system engineered to deliver smooth performance, advanced safety, and long-term dependability. With cutting-edge features such as regenerative drives, smart controls, high-grade materials, and rigorous multi-stage testing, Polo Elevators reflects world-class quality rooted in Indian expertise. To maximize impact, the brand campaign featuring The Great Khali will run across television, digital platforms, print media, outdoor hoardings, and social media channels, including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. This integrated approach ensures the brands message of trust, strength, and innovation reaches homeowners, builders, architects, and corporate users alike. Speaking about his association with the brand, The Great Khali, Polo Elevators Brand Ambassador, said, I am proud to be part of Polo Elevators journey. Elevators are not just about convenience, they are about trust and safety, something families depend on every single day. My family has been using Polo Elevators for years, and the experience has always been smooth, safe, and reliable. What I truly admire about Polo Elevators is their unmatched strength and dependability, backed by the pride of being a homegrown Indian brand. As a Make-in-India product, Polo represents the power, confidence, and commitment to quality that our nation stands for. Expressing his excitement about the partnership, Mr. Umang Bansal, Chairman, Polo Elevators, said, Having The Great Khali onboard is a milestone for us. His persona reflects strength, discipline, and global confidence, values that perfectly resonate with Polo Elevators. For decades, we have earned the trust of customers across homes, hospitals, commercial buildings, and high-rise projects, and this association further strengthens that promise. As a proudly Indian company, Polo Elevators stands firmly aligned with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India, contributing to the nations industrial strength with world-class engineering, indigenous manufacturing, and unwavering reliability. Our commitment is clear: to deliver elevators that are powerful, safe, dependable, and proudly built in India. Adding to this, Mr. Gaurav Bansal, Managing Director, Polo Elevators, said, Polo Elevators has always stood apart for its customized engineering excellence, luxury design capabilities, and unmatched after-sales support. With Khali joining our journey, we are taking our communication to a much larger and stronger space. Our marketing strategy is built on impactful storytelling and trust-building through an integrated 360-degree campaign across television, digital platforms, print, outdoor, and social media. From high-impact brand films to targeted digital engagement, experiential branding, and strong visual identity, we are ensuring that Polos message of safety, strength, and reliability reaches every consumer segment. As India moves toward smarter and safer infrastructure, Polo Elevators will continue to lead with innovation, credibility, and powerful brand communication. The onboarding of The Great Khali as brand ambassador marks an important new chapter for Polo Elevators. His global stature, strength, and credibility embody exactly what the brand represents powerful performance, uncompromised safety, and complete reliability. As a proud Make-in-India company, Polo Elevators has a rapidly growing presence in North India with a significant market share across the residential and premium villa segment, serving customers across Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir. Moving ahead, by 2030, the company aims to expand its footprint nationwide, continue strengthening engineering excellence, and deliver elevators that are smarter, safer, and built to last. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A labor union representing over 3,200 firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers, pilots, and other emergency personnel within the Los Angeles County Fire Department is speaking out against the construction of a battery energy storage system one that is slated to rise next to an active fire station located in the heart of the California city. The siting of an ESS facility next to an occupied fire station where firefighters work and reside twenty-four hours per day constitutes an unacceptable, unsafe, and indefensible action that directly contradicts established fire protection engineering principles, firefighter safety standards, and the intent of applicable codes, stated a letter penned by David Gillotte, president of the Los Angeles County Firefighters IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters) Local 1014. The letter, which was written on Local 1014 letterhead and addressed to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, was circulated on several social media pages and called for an immediate cease-and-desist of consideration or approval of any energy storage system facility adjacent to Fire Station 43 or residential occupancies. The union did not respond to a request for comment about the letter, which was dated Jan. 2, 2026, and referred to BESS facilities as high-hazard installations that present uniquely severe risks. But the missive was shared freely on Facebook by other communities who are battling the construction of battery energy storage systems where they live. The Advance/SILive.com brought the letter to the attention of the FDNY, asking whether the NYC Fire Department shares the same concerns, particularly inquiring about a site currently under construction at 287 Nelson Ave., which is located directly across the street from Engine 162/Ladder 82 in Great Kills. Lets be clear, keeping New Yorkers and our first responders safe will always be our top priority its what the brave men and women of the FDNY do every single day, an FDNY spokesperson noted in a statement. At the same time, we are committed to a greener, more sustainable future for all. Thats why our fire code for energy storage systems is widely regarded as one of the most robust and strongest in the country its considered a national benchmark for safety. We test facilities, enforce standards, and prepare for any potential emergencies like no other city, making our regulations the best fire code for energy storage in the nation. The FDNY noted that every BESS must pass full-scale fire testing, meet installation requirements, and get equipment approvals before its installed. The agency stated that after installation it conducts thorough inspections, and systems must pass emergency shutdown tests before operating. The FDNY also said that its Bureau of Operations and Special Operations studies current and emerging battery energy storage system technology and updates training and response procedures accordingly. Still, New York City leaders questioned the siting of the facilities near homes, firehouses and other mixed-use areas. What more has to be said about these dangerously volatile and unproven facilities, when one of the largest firefighter unions in the country comes out against them being sited next to fire houses and in residential areas? noted Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella. A technology that uses a group of batteries to store electrical energy, allowing the energy to be released later when needed, the storage system sites commonly referred to as BESS or ESS essentially act as backup power sources for homes or the grid, particularly during peak demand or power outages. They are often used in conjunction with renewable energy sources like solar power. Developers and green energy proponents tout the lithium-ion structures which started popping up in several NYC neighborhoods in 2022 as quiet neighbors that are a necessary agent for renewable change. They are designed to remove pressure from the citys stressed grid, using rechargeable batteries to store electrical energy from various sources, and then releasing that stored energy when needed. But over the past two years, Staten Island residents and borough officials have voiced concerns about their siting. Community Boards voted against their proximity to bakeries and storefronts and elected officials issued a moratorium on applications filed within residential districts. In one instance, an energy developer retracted plans to place batteries in a Bulls Head church parking lot. If the people who put their lives on the line fighting fires say that BESS units are too dangerous to be put next to homes, gas stations and fire houses, why is the City turning a blind eye to their proliferation here?, Fossella asked. And according to DOB records, more are coming: Applications for 58 battery energy storage systems were approved by the NYC Department of Buildings in 2025 and another 98 are currently under evaluation for placement throughout the five boroughs. Those records noted that at least 15 of those BESS units are slated for Staten Island, with 10 additional sites under evaluation. We have said it before, and we will say it again: lithium-ion battery storage units pose a fundamental danger to the lives of first responders and residents and they have to be treated like it, Fossella concluded. If it wasnt already evident by the many, many BESS fires that have happened across the country in the past few years, we need a permanent reversal of the policy siting these facilities in residential neighborhoods, now. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Community members gathered Monday at the Central Family Life Center for the third annual Martin Luther King Jr. Fellowship Brunch to reflect on the Civil Rights leaders legacy and commitment to service. The annual fellowship brunch, created by the Staten Island Black Heritage organization, brought together elected officials, faith leaders and civic organizations. Minnie Graham, co-founder of the organization and event host, said the brunch was created in response to a lack of Staten Islandbased events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Minnie Graham, co-founder of Staten Island Black Heritage organization and event host pictured with Rev. Daryl D. Moore at the third annual MLK Fellowship Brunch on Monday at Central Family Life Center in West Brighton. Sydney Maldonado Graham said the fellowship brunch serves as a recommitment to improving conditions in the community by encouraging unity, understanding and continued action, specifically within the boroughs Black community. Attendees included members of the Harriet Tubman Purple Hat Society, First Central Baptist Church, Fellowship Baptist Church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and other local organizations. The brunch opened with a prayer from Bishop Donnie Williams of Reach Out and Touch Ministries, followed by a blessing over the food from Rev. Dale Smith of First Baptist Church After the meal, keynote speaker Rev. Daryl D. Moore, a Staten Island native and pastor of First Central Baptist Church, reflected on his childhood experiences at MLK Day events at his church and the importance of turning remembrance into action. Rev. Daryl D. Moore speaking at the third annual MLK Fellowship Brunch on Monday at Central Family Life Center in West Brighton. Sydney Maldonado Moore connected Dr. Kings fight for fair wages and support for workers to ongoing economic challenges in Staten Island, including poverty and cuts to programs like Medicaid, SNAP and the child tax credit. The reason why we have days like this is so that we can remember the moment and also understand the movement, Moore said. He urged attendees to carry the work forward beyond the event: If you do nothing, what you do is say that this is only a moment and not a movement. Moore said Kings legacy is deeply personal to him, recalling that his first public speech as a teenager at church was about carrying on Kings work. Now, speaking at the brunch, he called it a full circle moment. He noted similarities between himself and King, including graduating school early and entering ministry. Since Im a preacher, Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the few that means something to me because I feel like Im in the lineage. Following Moores speech, Dr. Demetrius Carolina Sr. of First Central Baptist Church reflected on the importance of taking action in life and making a difference, echoing Moores message. He concluded with a prayer for attendees. Faith leaders, Dr. Demetrius Carolina Sr., of First Central Baptist Church, far left, pictured with Rev. Daryl D. Moore of First Central Baptist Church, Bishop Donnie Williams from Reach Out & Touch Ministries, middle, and his wife along with Rev. Dale Smith of First Baptist Church at the third annual MLK Fellowship Brunch at Central Family Life Center on Monday in West Brighton. Sydney Maldonado Beyond the program, Graham shared her thoughts on Kings legacy and the ongoing work of the fellowship brunch. She said King was committed to the improvement of not just Black people but the overall society and fought for humanity, dignity and respect. She added that Kings example taught her that the struggle continues and you dont just give up. As long as you get up every day, theres some way you can be about the business of unifying the community. Graham plans to continue honoring Martin Luther King Jr. through the fellowship brunch in the years ahead and hopes to reach a wider audience to educate. A top cardiologist is calling for President Donald Trump to undergo tests to determine whether hes fit to serve in office. Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a CNN medical analyst who treated former Vice President Dick Cheney, said that Congress should look into Trumps fitness. Reiner shared his thoughts on X after Trump wrote a letter to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre of Norway, The Hill reported. Reiner said that in the letter, Trump appears to link his drive to acquire Greenland to the fact that the president was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee awards the annual Nobel Prizes. Reiner wrote, This letter, and the fact that the president directed that it be distributed to other European countries, should trigger a bipartisan congressional inquiry into presidential fitness. Trump led off the letter to the prime minister by saying, Seeing as your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS Trump in the letter went on to question the Kingdom of Denmarks right of ownership over Greenland. Trump has said that the U.S. needs to acquire the Arctic territory as a matter of national security. Trumps efforts to gain Greenland have caused alarm among Americas allies in NATO. The president of the United States is extremely mentally ill and its putting all of our lives at risk. The 25th Amendment exists for a reasonwe need to invoke it immediately, Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) said in a post on X where the letter to Stre was shared. Reiner has previously questioned Trumps health and physical regimens, including the presidents daily aspirin regimen, which the doctor said, makes no sense. KHARTOUM, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Global Nutrition Cluster warned on Monday that around 4.2 million children and pregnant or breastfeeding women in Sudan are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2026 amid ongoing conflict and the deterioration of basic services. The report, issued by the UN-led coordination group, estimates that about 8.4 million people will need nutritional assistance in 2026, including 5 million children under the age of five and 3.4 million pregnant and breastfeeding women. Meanwhile, about 824,000 children under five are projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, the most life-threatening form, which dramatically increases mortality risk without urgent interventions. The Cluster is a coordination mechanism led by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to organize the response to food crises. It added that among its recent surveys, 31 out of 61 reported a prevalence of global acute malnutrition at 15 percent or higher, exceeding the World Health Organization's emergency threshold. The global acute malnutrition is a measurement of the nutritional status of a population that is often used in protracted refugee situations. The report said that the situation is expected to deteriorate further in 2026 due to the expanding conflict, declining food security, and damaged health and water services. In 2026, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) plans to mobilize nearly 1 billion U.S. dollars to help 13.8 million people in Sudan, including 7.9 million children. The agency warned that 3.4 million children face life-threatening diseases, as about 70 percent of health facilities in conflict-affected states remain nonfunctional. On Jan. 15, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) cautioned that without immediate funding, its food stocks in Sudan will be depleted by the end of March, leaving millions without aid. A late 2025 UN report confirmed famine in the cities of El Fasher in North Darfur and Kadugli in South Kordofan. The Sudanese government, however, has dismissed famine reports as "exaggerated." Sudan has been engulfed in a deadly conflict since April 15, 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, leaving tens of thousands dead and millions displaced within the country and across its borders. Advertisement Updated BusinessCompaniesRadio ratings Murdochs Sydney radio station surges as 2GB slips and ABC stagnates Calum Jaspan Updated January 20, 2026 12:11pm ,first published January 20, 2026 10:53am Save 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 A A Sydneysiders shifted away from news and sport to easy listening music in the final radio ratings survey of 2025, with Smooth FM capping the year as the citys No.1 station while talkback king Ben Fordham retained his crown in the breakfast slot. Smooth, owned by Lachlan Murdochs NOVA Entertainment, recorded a 13 per cent share of the Sydney radio market while Nine-owned talkback station 2GB fell from 13.8 to 11.2 per cent. ABC Radio Sydneys static 5.5 per cent share capped off a poor year for the national broadcaster, which announced Isabella Higgins as the new host of flagship current affairs audio program AM on Radio National in 2026 on Tuesday morning. 2GBs Ben Fordham, once again the top show in the breakfast slot. Nine Higgins, a former social affairs and Europe correspondent, takes over from Sabra Lane who helmed the show for nine years. I still recall my joy at getting my very first story on AM as a young reporter and cant quite believe Ill be taking on the role of host, Higgins said. Sabra Lane and all the other past hosts leave enormous shoes to fill. Advertisement Isabella Higgins. The eighth and final survey period for 2025, released on Tuesday morning, spanned October 5 to December 13. The last 12 months marked a year of transition for 2GB, after veteran Mornings presenter Ray Hadley stepped down at the close of 2024 and several parties opened discussions with Nine about a potential sale of its radio assets. Nine also owns this masthead. Mark Levy, who replaced Hadley in the Mornings slot fell from a 15.8 per cent share in survey seven (which was his best result of the year) to a 13 per cent share in survey eight. His show was beaten by Smooths Ty Frost in the most recent survey. 2GB Breakfast host Ben Fordham once again topped his timeslot with a 14.9 per cent share, despite dropping 1.9 percentage points. Behind Fordham in the breakfast slot was The Kyle & Jackie O Show on KIIS FM, which ended the year on 12.7 per cent, up 0.2 percentage points on the previous survey. The duo maintained a strong audience and second spot in Sydney despite their performance in Melbourne dropping to its equal worst result on Tuesday morning amid a stalled national rollout. Advertisement Nine radio boss Greg Byrnes said 2GB and 3AW had dominated their markets during 2025. Across the network, listeners this year will reconnect with their favourite presenters and be introduced to a host of exciting new voices, Byrnes said in a statement. Its been a relentless summer news cycle, but our talk stations will always set the agenda and provide the reassurance and context our audience expects. It was another poor result for ABC Radio Sydney, which also capped off a year of change, having lost its long-time Drive host Richard Glover. The station ended on a 5.5 per cent share, unchanged from the previous survey, despite a growth for breakfast host Craig Reucassel, whose show rose from 6.7 to 7.7 per cent. Glovers replacement, Chris Bath, announced she was stepping down from the show after just one year, prompting criticism of the stations male-dominated line-up for 2026 after ABC NewsRadio host Thomas Oriti was appointed her successor. Baths Drive show ended the year with a 4.8 per cent share, down 0.1 percentage points. ABC Classic was the only one of the ABCs five stations in Sydney to grow its audience in the final survey, up from 3.2 to 3.3 per cent, while Triple J, Radio National and NewsRadio all had minor drops. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Olympio soars as drill bit nails 54g/t gold in Quebec gold hotspot Brought to you by Bulls N Bears Doug Bright January 20, 2026 2:03pm Save 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 A A Olympio Metals has wasted no time showing its hand at its Bousquet gold project in Quebec, delivering a maiden diamond drilling program that has landed more than 100 significant gold intercepts that confirm the company is onto something big along the legendary Cadillac Break. And the market agreed, blasting Olympios shares up as much as 125 per cent in early trade to 13 cents on massive turnover of 64 million shares its busiest day in more than a year. Olympio Metals diamond drill core from hole B0-21-08 at the Paquin East prospect showing visible gold within characteristic blue-grey quartz from 184.5m depth. The one metre interval 184-185m assayed 1m at 129.25g/t gold. The Cadillac Break is a major regional-scale fault structure in North America, more than 300km long. It is famous for hosting a myriad of massive gold deposits, comprising a total historical resource of more than 110 million ounces. The headline numbers from the drilling speak for themselves. Standout hits included 6.4 metres at 6.54 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 183 metres, 7.9m at 6.2g/t from 138 metres and 1.5m running a whopping 54.2g/t from 235.5 metres at the Paquin prospect. Advertisement The Bousquet project provides us with exposure to a quality gold project in a renowned mining area that still has significant regional upside. Olympio Metals managing director Sean Delaney The 32-hole diamond drilling campaign focused on the southern portion of the project and has already defined three main east-west trending gold corridors at the Paquin, Amadee, Decoeur and CB-1 prospects. Together, the results paint a picture of an extensive, fertile gold system with potential for multiple deposits and likely significant depth extensions yet to be tested. Along the east-west trend that hosts the Paquin and the nearby Amadee prospect, drilling has now linked the two areas into a continuous 1.3-kilometre-long zone of gold mineralisation that remains open along strike and at depth. Notably, drilling to date along that trend has only tested to a maximum depth of around 150 metres vertically, while historical drilling at Paquin Deeps has already shown the system extends to at least 430 metres below surface, suggesting that Olympio has barely scratched the surface. Geologically, the company believes gold mineralisation has been concentrated in more open dilation zones along folded shear structures, giving rise to multiple high-grade shoots within broadly mineralised envelopes. Early interpretation points to at least seven distinct gold lodes at Paquin alone, with further sampling of historical core underway to close up gaps in historical drilling carried out decades ago. Advertisement The Decoeur and Decoeur Extension prospects have also delivered a pleasant surprise. Drilling of four holes has extended gold mineralisation along the North Bousquet Fault to a strike length of 1.7 kilometres. One hole intersected 14.5m at 1.96g/t gold from 355.5 metres, showing the system remains mineralised to at least 290 metres vertical depth and is still wide open along strike and down dip. Olympio Metals managing director Sean Delaney said: We are very pleased with the results from our thirty two hole diamond drilling program at Bousquet completed last year. The maiden program at Bousquet South has highlighted three main structural trends through Decoeur, Paquin and CB-1. Each of these structural trends has successfully demonstrated multiple significant gold intercepts, confirming that Bousquet South is a large gold system with multiple deposit potential. Meanwhile, the companys separate CB-1 target, centred about 750m northeast of Paquin, has emerged as a third key structural corridor. Drilling of five holes has identified multiple gold-bearing zones associated with a fold hinge. Best results included a significant high-grade intercept of 1.3m at a respectable 12.2g/t gold from 218.2 metres, putting a solid confirmatory stamp on the historic CB-1 discovery intercept of 2.9m going at 5.70g/t gold from 63.26m. The company now believes at least three fertile structures are present in this area alone. What really adds spice to the companys story is the location. Olympios Bousquet project straddles the Cadillac Break and is just 15 kilometres west of major operating mines, including Agnico Eagles 15.8 million ounce La Ronde complex and Iamgolds 2.4 million ounce Westwood mine. It is also less than 3km east of Hecla Minings 1.8 million ounce Hosco deposit, placing Olympio firmly in world-class gold territory. With around 80 per cent of the Bousquet project area - which covers a 10-kilometre strike of the Cadillac Break and related structures - still unexplored, Olympio has plenty of scope to develop and expand. Advertisement The companys next phase of drilling will focus on firming up the dimensions and grade continuity of the high-grade zones within the main lodes, while continuing to build a robust structural model to guide future exploration. For a company still in the early stages of unlocking Bousquets potential, its maiden drilling has delivered a powerful first impression, suggesting its Cadillac Break address could prove to be very valuable real estate. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Bulls N' Bears Sharemarket Shares Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears West Wits banks $27.5m as African gold production countdown begins Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS James Pearson January 20, 2026 8:36pm Save 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 A A West Wits Mining has locked in $27.5 million from predominantly institutional investors to fund its transition from gold developer to producer in South Africa. The placement strengthens the balance sheet, eliminates near-term funding risk and sets the company on a clear path to first gold production in March at its Qala Shallows mine, part of its broader Witwatersrand Basin project in South Africa. West Wits Mining has locked in $27.5 million from institutions as the countdown to first gold at its South African Qala Shallows mine begins. Management says the raising was initiated via an unsolicited approach from institutional investors, laying down a strong signal that the market is warming to West Wits strategy and the underlying quality of its assets. Under the terms of the deal, the company will issue 343.75 million new shares at 8 cents each, representing a modest 7 per cent discount to the 15-day VWAP. Every two shares come with one free-attaching unlisted option exercisable at 11 cents over three years. Advertisement The pricing appears to strike a balance between bringing in cornerstone institutions while limiting dilution for existing shareholders. The bulk of the funds, about $18.6 million, will be poured straight into mine development at Qala Shallows, the first cab off the rank within West Wits broader Witwatersrand Basin project. The company says the placement, combined with existing cash and available financing options, fully funds the operation through to sustainable production, allowing construction to progress with confidence. However, the raise is not just about getting Qala Shallows over the line. West Wits has deliberately carved out capital to keep the growth story alive. Around $1 million has been earmarked for a scoping study at Project 200, West Wits longer-term development strategy at Witswatersand, while $2.3 million will fund drilling at its nearby BRC uranium target. Together, they may eventually expand the companys exposure beyond initial production and offer shareholders a shot at meaningful upside. West Wits Mining chief executive officer Rudi Deysel said: This funding places the company in a very strong position, fully funding mine development through to sustainable gold production, with first gold targeted for March 2026. Importantly, it allows us to progress construction with confidence while maintaining balance sheet flexibility as we evaluate senior debt options. Qala Shallows sits within South Africas famous Witwatersrand Basin - the cradle of modern gold mining and the source of more than 1.5 billion ounces historically. In fact, the basin has yielded over 22 per cent of all gold ever mined and for decades was the engine room of the nations mining industry. Advertisement Between 2021 and 2023, West Wits quietly stitched together a monster 5.025-million-ounce gold resource across its South African footprint. However when it came time to pick a starter mine, one deposit leapt off the page and Qala Shallows emerged as the obvious front-runner, hosting 10.7 million tonnes grading 2.98 grams per tonne for just over a million ounces of gold, including a solid 383,000 ounces locked away as bankable reserves. The project already comes with much of the hard work done, including an adit, a decline and an existing shaft, giving West Wits a rare head start in a sector where greenfield builds can chew up years and plenty of cash. As development accelerates, ore output is expected to ramp from about 15,000 to 20,000 tonnes a month by March before charging ahead to around 65,000 tonnes a month by year three. The projects true mic-drop moment came in July, when West Wits delivered a definitive feasibility study that turned heads across the market. The numbers were eye-watering, pushing out a net present value of US$500 (A$750) million and an internal rate of return of 81 per cent. The production outlook stacks up just as well. Qala Shallows is forecast to deliver around 70,000 ounces of gold every year for 12 straight years, generating a hefty US$983 million (A$1.5 billion) in post-tax free cash flow. Those numbers are based on a conservative gold price assumption of just US$2850 per ounce. With the yellow metal now touching all-time highs of US$4690 (A$7012) overnight, its anyones guess what those figures look like now. Advertisement Perhaps the most impressive stat of all, however, sits on the cost side of the ledger. All-in sustaining costs are expected to come in at just US$1289 an ounce, firmly planting Qala Shallows in the low-cost producer camp. With funding in the bag and operations gathering pace, the focus now is on execution. If West Wits can hit its commissioning and production targets on schedule and within budget, it could be a pivotal moment in South African gold mining, where a historic basin that built an industry gets a fresh lease on life and West Wits transitions from explorer-developer to producer with real scale. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Bulls N' Bears Shares Sharemarket Advertisement BusinessConsumer affairsAviation The next cause of airfare price spikes isnt even in your plane yet Chris Zappone January 21, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A Travellers face paying more for renewable airline fuel than they are willing to as governments overseas push the sector to reduce its emissions. The trend marks a renewed threat to affordability after the pandemic jacked up ticket prices. A peer-reviewed study by researchers at the University of Sydney found that the additional cost to long-haul flight from using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) ranges for $68 to hundreds of dollars per ticket. Materials for sustainable aviation fuel in front of a Cathay Pacific Airways model plane. Bloomberg The average traveller, meanwhile, is willing to contribute a mere $2.60 extra toward sustainable fuel for a long-haul flight. While households baulk at costlier travel, governments in Europe are implementing decarbonisation mandates that will force airlines to adopt sustainable fuels, even though the scarcity of the low-emissions fuel will create an added cost for the industry. Advertisement Sustainable airline fuel, a lower-emission alternative derived from sources like used cooking oil and green waste, is essential for decarbonising air travel but is currently three to six times more expensive than conventional jet fuel. Australian and New Zealand travellers like the idea of sustainability, but they are not willing to foot the bill for [sustainable fuel], said Rico Merkert, professor of transportation at the University of Sydney. Jet fuel produced from biomass has the potential to slash carbon emissions but who pays? Bloomberg If government and industry dont collaborate, I think flying will become more expensive, he warned. The expected price pressure comes as the aviation industry is still recovering from COVID-19 lockdowns, which decimated airline skilled staffing, crippled supply chains and pushed up airfares. Advertisement Consumers dont want to pay: University of Sydneys Rico Merkert. USBS According to an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission report from December 2025, domestic airfares had already reached their highest levels in years due to strong demand which puts upward pressure on airfares. Yet government fuel mandates are advancing, even as the capacity for the industry to produce the fuel remains deeply constrained. The EU requires a mix of sustainable fuel to be blended with traditional fuel, starting at 2 per cent in 2025, rising to 6 per cent in 2030, 34 per cent in 2040, and 70 per cent by 2050, according to Sydney-based NoviqTech, which creates software to track emissions. The UK requires 2 per cent in 2025 and 10 per cent by 2030. Advertisement Australia has no binding sustainable fuel blend mandate and no large-scale production facilities, although it is considering incentives to spur the industry. Industry group Airlines for Australia and New Zealand chief executive Stephen Beckett said the aviation sector wants to lower environmental impact and is aware of the risk for consumers. If you simply jack up the price of jet fuel, on top of all the other fees and charges being levied on airfares, the cost of doing business is going to go up, he said. We need to make sure aviation remains affordable for all Australians. We want to decarbonise and need to get the policy architecture right, so the demand and supply-side policy work together, and not against each other. Advertisement Despite the rapid growth of electric cars, battery or hydrogen-powered aircraft are not likely to make a significant contribution to reducing emissions from planes before 2050, according to industry group A4ANZ, making sustainable fuel crucial despite its cost. Related Article Climate policy Electric-powered planes? Not in my lifetime, says Qantas boss SAF comprised only an estimated 0.6 per cent of total jet fuel consumption in 2025, the International Air Transportation Association said in December. It is on track to rise to 0.8 per cent this year. At current price levels, the cost of SAF translated into an additional US$3.6 billion ($5.4 billion) in global fuel costs for airlines last year. Airlines spent $US236 billion on fuel last year. Advertisement Industry seeks government support: Stephen Beckett CEO of Airlines for Australia & New Zealand. In December, IATAs director general, Willie Walsh, said: If the goal of sustainable fuel mandates was to slow progress and increase prices, policymakers knocked it out of the park [succeeded wildly]. But if the objective is to increase SAF production to further the decarbonisation of aviation, then they need to learn from failure and work with the airline industry to design incentives that will work, he said. The University of Sydney researchers queried 1001 consumers on what they were willing to pay for a more green flight, and found that SAF was a very hard sell. SAF did not resonate with most travellers, the researchers said. Advertisement Many simply dont know what it is. When we described offsets that specifically fund research into or purchase of SAF, the average willingness to pay was small and statistically weak. However, respondents didnt reject paying for voluntary carbon offsets, if not too expensive. They strongly preferred local, tangible projects, University of Sydney researchers said. Offsets linked to domestic projects were significantly more attractive than those in overseas developing countries, they found. People were willing to pay several dollars extra on a long-haul flight. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement CultureCelebrityCelebrity life I do not want to reconcile with my family: Brooklyn Beckham breaks silence on feud with parents Bronte Gossling January 20, 2026 10:34am Save 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 A A Brooklyn Peltz Beckham says he was left with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth as he broke his silence about his now-confirmed feud with his parents, Sir David Beckham and Lady Victoria Beckham. The 26-year-old posted a lengthy social media statement on Tuesday morning (AEDT), directly addressing his relationship with his parents after years of speculation following his wedding to Nicola Peltz Beckham. Brooklyn Beckham has confirmed a rift between him and wife Nicola Peltz Beckham (left) and his parents, Sir David Beckham and Lady Victoria Beckham (right). Stephen Kiprillis I do not want to reconcile with my family, Brooklyn Beckham told his 16.1 million followers on Tuesday morning. Im not being controlled, Im standing up for myself for the first time in my life. The eldest son of the English football legend and the former Spice Girl accused his parents of trying endlessly to ruin his relationship with Nicola, 31, before, during and after their 2022 wedding. Advertisement Related Article Opinion Family The sad Beckhams split is a reminder to be a cheer squad not a jury Kate Halfpenny Regular columnist My wife has been consistently disrespected by my family, no matter how hard weve tried to come together as one, Brooklyn wrote. He said he had made every effort to keep these matters private but claimed his parents and their team had continued to go to the press about the matter. David and Victoria have never publicly acknowledged the rift, and have not commented on Brooklyns statement. How did we get here? Brooklyn alleged that he was subject to endless attacks from my parents, both privately and publicly, that were sent to the press on their orders. Advertisement He claimed his parents place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. In his statement, Brooklyn addressed a key rumour that had been circulating in the tabloids since he tied the knot with the billionaire heiress in a three-day-long, no-expenses-spared extravaganza at the Peltz familys $US76 million ($113 million), 44,000-square-foot oceanfront estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Loading The wedding dress debacle and the hijacked first dance Reports at the time suggested that Nicola refused to wear a custom wedding dress made by her mother-in-law, who is a fashion designer. Nicola later told the Times that Victoria realised her atelier could not finish the gown in time, and denied claims of a feud in a March 2023 Cosmopolitan cover interview. Advertisement Ultimately, Nicola who was weathering separate nightmare bride allegations due to a lawsuit filed by her father against her second wedding planners walked down the aisle wearing a Valentino Haute Couture creation. In his statement on Tuesday morning, Brooklyn accused Victoria of trying to derail his wedding, including cancelling Nicolas wedding dress plans in the eleventh hour, despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress. Related Article Family Should you try to repair a family rift or just let go? He also claimed Victoria hijacked his first dance with Nicola, which is partially why the couple decided to renew their vows in an August 2025 ceremony led by Nicolas father, Nelson Peltz, to create new memories that bring us joy and happiness, not anxiety and embarrassment. The Beckhams did not attend. In front of 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead, Brooklyn wrote in his statement of his 2022 wedding. Advertisement She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. Ive never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life. Previous reports in tabloids claimed Nicola had left the room in tears after Anthony had announced at the event: Please welcome to the stage the most beautiful woman in the room Victoria Beckham. Brooklyn and Nicola (far right) at the premiere of Netflixs Beckham docuseries in October 2023, though his role in both his fathers docuseries and his mothers 2025 docuseries were limited. Getty Images Drama at David Beckhams 50th birthday party Rumours of a rift had circulated since the wedding, and were heightened after Brooklyns role in both his parents Netflix docuseries 2023s Beckham and 2025s Victoria Beckham was limited to cameos via archival footage. Advertisement But speculation reached fever pitch in May 2025, when Brooklyn and Nicola did not attend Davids mammoth 50th birthday celebrations, nor share birthday messages online. Related Article Pop culture A bestselling author, a new novel, a cancer diagnosis then, the disclaimers Brooklyn claimed in his statement that he and Nicola had travelled to London for his fathers birthday celebrations, but were rejected for a week as we waited in our hotel room trying to plan quality time with him. [David] refused all of our attempts, unless it was at his big birthday party with a hundred guests and cameras at every corner, Brooklyn said. When David agreed to see Brooklyn, the statement alleged, it was under the condition that Nicola was not invited. Brooklyn said it was a slap in the face and that his family refused to see him on a subsequent trip to Los Angeles, where he and Nicola live. Advertisement Did Brooklyn Beckham block his family on social media? In June, reports emerged that Brooklyn and Nicola had hired the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs reputation management lawyer. In January, the Daily Mail reported that at one point, Brooklyn had asked his parents to contact him only via his legal representation. Victoria Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham in February 2024, at the premiere of Lola, a film Nicola wrote, directed and starred in. Getty Images That followed a statement shared to Instagram by Cruz Beckham, 20, who claimed in December that Brooklyn had blocked him and their parents on social media. Meanwhile, Brooklyn claimed that Cruz and their 23-year-old brother Romeo Beckham were sent to attack me on social media and then blocked him out of nowhere in the northern hemispheres summer. Advertisement Related Article Review Netflixs Beckham series is the best sports doco since The Last Dance Thats when Romeo split from British DJ Kim Turnbull after seven months of dating. Turnbull is rumoured to have dated Brooklyn previously. Brooklyn claimed in his statement that Victoria had repeatedly invited women from my past into his life in ways he alleges were clearly intended to make him and Nicola uncomfortable. Where to now? The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards, Brooklyn wrote. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life, he alleged. Advertisement He says he grew up with overwhelming anxiety, which disappeared when he stepped away from his family, who he claims values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham, Brooklyn says, comes first. So much so that David and Victoria attempted to bribe Brooklyn into signing away the rights to his name, he claims, before he got married. Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz at the Burberry winter 2025 show last November. Dave Benett My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation, he concluded. All we want peace [sic], privacy and happiness for us and our future family. Nicola, Victoria, David, Romeo and Cruz have not publicly acknowledged Brooklyns statement on social media. David and Victorias youngest child, Harper Beckham, 14, has private social media accounts only. Advertisement This masthead is not suggesting that the allegations are true, only that they have been made. Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday. WINDHOEK, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Egypt and Namibia are seeking to expand bilateral cooperation in key sectors including green hydrogen and renewable energy, agriculture and infrastructure development, healthcare, education and value addition, an official said on Tuesday. Namibia's Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said in a statement that the commitment was underscored during a courtesy visit by Egypt's Ambassador to Namibia Ramia Shawky to Namibian Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare on Monday. According to the statement, the meeting highlighted the long-standing friendship between Egypt and Namibia, rooted in Egypt's support for Namibia's liberation struggle in the 1960s and formalized through the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1990. Discussions also focused on agro-processing, infrastructure development, the medical and pharmaceutical sector, capacity building and trade facilitation, the OPM said. On regional and international issues, Ngurare reiterated Namibia's principled stance on respect for territorial integrity and condemned actions that undermine sovereignty, it said. The engagement was attended by senior government officials, including deputy ministers responsible for international relations, trade, and education, as well as ministers overseeing justice, labour relations, and agriculture, fisheries, water, and land reform. Advertisement EnvironmentClimate changeRenewables Opinion Why we cant keep delaying the closure of old jalopy power stations Elizabeth Knight Business columnist January 20, 2026 3:18pm January 20, 2026 3:18pm Save 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 A A Nothing draws the climate action battle lines quite like an announcement to extend the life of a dirty coal-fired power plant. But keeping the NSW Eraring coal station open for an additional two years until 2029 is the point where profit meets pragmatism. Environmental advocates are understandably setting their hair on fire, citing a failure on planning by the state government and Erarings owner Origin, and the potential setback for our target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent by 2030. This announcement wont win the company nor the government any friends. But no government or power company wants to be Johnny on the spot if something goes wrong and large numbers of NSW households are without lights or airconditioning one day. The Eraring power station has been given two more years. Nick Moir Advertisement It would be calamitous for the governments election prospects and a disaster for Origins customer retention. And this decision was made against the backdrop of officials from the Australian Energy Market Operators siren-level warnings last year about a shortage of the infrastructure required to maintain the safe and stable flow of electricity to protect the grid from sudden blackouts following Erarings scheduled closure, even though enough new generation projects and power lines were on track to be built by 2027. Related Article Energy Three hours of free power scheme could favour well-off: energy giants So the decision by Origin one that is backed by the NSW government should be seen in a more nuanced way. The companys chief executive, Frank Calabria, debates any suggestion that the company has let down anyone on climate progress. We have not let [anyone] down at all, he says, citing the enormous progress and activity around the building of renewables that has taken place within the framework of mitigating the risks around system security. Advertisement Breathing the last bit of life into Eraring is effectively an insurance policy against an energy catastrophe. And while keeping this dirty plant open longer isnt great and does appear to be energy transition slippage, its better than the worst-case alternative. What this decision does not represent is support for coal as a future energy alternative. Origin has invested billions of dollars in building cleaner energy alternatives and took the decision a few years ago to bring forward the original closure date of Eraring from 2032. But large infrastructure projects are notoriously difficult to pull off within hard time frames and budgets. Advertisement When Origin originally announced it would close Eraring in 2027, it took out an option with the NSW government covering 2026 and 2027, which allowed it to recoup some of the costs of running the ageing plant. That option would have allowed the government to take a share of the profits of Eraring. Related Article Renewables The dirty secret in Australias love affair with rooftop solar The fact that Origin has not triggered that option for 2026, suggests that Eraring described by Climate Councillor and energy sector expert, Associate Professor Joel Gilmore, as a banged up old jalopy remains profitable. Origin has another set of stakeholders with which to contend its shareholders. They took the Eraring extension as a positive and bid up the companys share price by almost 1.7 per cent on Tuesday. Advertisement But Origin has also drawn a line in the sand, promising investors that after many years of investment in Erarings maintenance it wont be spending any more meaningful capital before the plants retirement in 2029. The community of environmentalists has a different spin on how transition has played out and how keeping this ageing power station alive has come at a cost to how much we pay for our power. The 43-year-old Eraring Power Station had more than 6000 hours (250 days) of planned and unplanned outages in 2024, which were a key driver of major power price spikes, the Climate Council said in a statement on Tuesday. No one wants to see this deadline shift again. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement Eating outSydney Fish Market Good Foods first verdict on the new Sydney Fish Market From fish and chips to scallops with foie gras sauce, our guide to the best things to eat and what to avoid at the freshly opened precinct. Callan Boys January 20, 2026 Save 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 A A I thought this would be a quick story to research and write head to the new Sydney Fish Market on opening day, try a few dishes and report back on what snacks and takeaway packs you should gravitate to and what can be skipped. Gee, did I underestimate the number of lunch options on offer under that big sustainable glue-laminated timber roof, though. It would take at least two weeks to get across them all. The new Sydney Fish Market welcomed more than 5000 visitors per hour from mid-morning. Wolter Peeters There are octopus-filled takoyaki balls that will set you back $12 for eight pieces at Nicholas Seafoods; there is live king crab for $279 a kilogram at The Boat Shed and you can whack a 2010 Dom Perignon on the bill for another $600 if youre feeling particularly flush. In between, there is a rainbow of sushi across multiple vendors, gemfish and chips, beef brisket banh mi, po boy sandwiches, countless fish cocktails, lobster ramen, crab crumpets, giant grouper belly claypots, sardine pizza, sea urchin dumplings, and a one-kilogram rib-eye for $250 at Mediterranean restaurant Hamsi Taverna. Overall first impression? Impressed! Sure, it would be ace if a few more high-profile chefs could be lured on board to open something (a version of Josh Nilands Fish Butchery, say), and the washing of oysters under tap water irks me no end, but its about 836 times better than the old site, which is what you might expect for $836 million. I didnt encounter anything worth waiting more than an hour for, like at peak queue times to just get into the building on opening day, but if you can make it down in the evening, go for it. The new Fish Market is open until midnight Friday and Saturday and 10pm every other night of the week. Views of the new Sydney Fish Market on opening day. Wolter Peeters Advertisement What food do you want to prioritise when you do visit, then? Anything at Tam Jiak, really, the smart sit-down restaurant helmed by Ho Jiak owner-chef Junda Khoo, with views of the Glebe skyline and Kauri Foreshore Hotel. (Speaking of, I love the idea of international tourists popping over to the Kauri for an education into what proper Aussie pubs are like.) Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up Khoo could have gone the easy route and replicated Ho Jiak Haymarkets Malaysian menu, but hes created a new concept where every dish has elements of both surf and turf. Scallops ($14 each) are served in the shell with diced cheong fun rice roll and a foie gras sauce that thumps with umami. Chicken skin bolsters grilled octopus with black pepper and sambal ($28). Im stinging to return for the char kway teow noodles with king crab, pork lard and lap cheong sausage ($35). King crab at Christies. Dominic Lorrimer If youre more in the zone for takeaway dishes you can eat outdoors perhaps with a VB or chardonnay from one of the little booze stands note that seats at the communal tables will be difficult to nab at lunch. The Good Food team resorted to a spot on the stairs facing Blackwattle Bay, which is far from the worst spot to eat fish in Sydney. More research is required to name which vendor does the best fish and chips, but I can confirm the $17 battered flathead from Get Fish was a wholly respectable version of the form. I was on a mission to find somewhere frying fish and chips to order (there are many pre-fried fillets sitting under heat lamps across several stalls), but Get Fish was so rammed with customers at lunch, the battered flathead bain-marie was replenished every five minutes with fillets straight out of the fryer. Ordering at the counter was a shemozzle, however, with much customer confusion about where the line started, and then you had to queue again to pay for the food after ordering. Advertisement Lunchtime at the new Sydney Fish Market. Dominic Lorrimer We have now arrived at the paragraphs where I gripe about the handling of oysters. NSW has some of the best oysters in the world, and a key part of an oysters deliciousness is that briny liquor in its shell, the merroir which changes between estuaries and regions. So when Fish Market retailers wash shucked oysters under tap water before placing them in those ubiquitous blue trays, youre copping the nuances of Warragamba Dam more than Merimbula, say, or Pambula or Wapengo. This has been happening in Pyrmont for as long as I can remember. I was hoping the new digs would have a counter which shucks to order and champions the great oyster farmers of Australia by showcasing six or more estuaries at a time. It does not. The best way to eat oysters at the Fish Market is to order them from a dine-in restaurant shucking to order, such as The Boat Shed, or buy a dozen unshucked Sydney rocks from Claudios and pry them open yourself with an oyster knife purchased from The General Store. A prawn po boy served at TJs Po Boys. Dominic Lorrimer It was also disappointing that newcomer TJs Po Boys doesnt offer a fried oyster po boy, which, with a fair splash of Tabasco, is my ideal filling for the Louisiana sandwich. The stall does sell a terrific king prawn po boy though, on a baguette of requisite crunch also filled with lettuce, tomato, pickles and lemon myrtle mayonnaise. Im just not sure how many punters will want to pay $31 for a prawn roll, even with skin-on fries included. Advertisement In other baguette adventures, Leyrd banh mi shop sells a $35 Pho King sandwich stuffed with a heavy helping of beef brisket and light amount of acid and crunch. Its intense. Consider the $17 lemongrass pork crackling banh mi instead. For dessert, the best thing we tried was Cow and Moons Fish Market exclusive granita, served with fresh cream and brioche for $16, and available in a combination of two flavours of your choice (we landed on strawberry and chocolate, but mango and lychee coconut sounds like a swell time, too). George Costi, owner of Claudios Seafoods at the new site. Dominic Lorrimer Get Sashimi and Claudios both have top-shelf selections of raw fish to eat onsite or take home, and the February opening of two-hatted omakase restaurant Sushi Oe, relocated from Cammeray, is hotly anticipated. Lua by Luke Nguyen, a celebration of Asian fire-kissed cooking will also open in the coming weeks, joining Hamsi, Tam Jiak, Cantonese-focused Mani, Japanese Ichie and ambitious all-day cafe Touch Wood on the list of full-service Fish Market restaurants we will likely review independently for the Good Food Guide. Meanwhile, keep an eye out for our guide to seafood shopping at the market with chef Rick Stein next week. Advertisement LifestyleFashionFashion designers From Jackie O to Julia Roberts: Five Valentino dresses for the history books Damien Woolnough January 20, 2026 11:56am Save 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 A A When Giorgio Armani died in December, aged 91, Italian fashion farewelled its king but with the death of Valentino Garavani, 93, it has lost its emperor and the sumptuous velvet curtains have been drawn on an era of refined glamour. Valentino, as he was known, dropping the Garavani like a polyester shirt following the launch of his fashion house in Rome in 1960, was a master of self-promotion. He made sure that the distinction between king and emperor was driven home with a 2010 documentary on his career called Valentino: The Last Emperor. Rising to fame in La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) era of the early 1960s in post-war Rome, throughout his career Valentino championed a vision of femininity best expressed with matching shoes and handbags and a womanly aesthetic that ignored androgyny. Valentino receiving a kiss from Naomi Campbell following his haute couture show at Paris Fashion Week in July, 1999. Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Here are the sweetest dresses from a life devoted to style. Advertisement Julia Roberts, Academy Awards, 2001 Valentino was frequently mistakenly credited for designing Anita Ekbergs dress in the Fellini film La Dolce Vita, created by The Fontana Sisters, but in 2001 Julia Roberts finally gave him a cinematic moment of his own. Julia Roberts wearing Valentino at the 2001 Academy Awards. WireImage The back detail of Julia Roberts Valentino gown at the 2001 Academy Awards. WireImage Collecting the Oscar for Erin Brockovich, Roberts wore a black and white gown from Valentinos 1992 collection, launching the trend for vintage haute couture on the red carpet. Advertisement I have dressed so many people but I have to be sincere: The person that made me feel so very, very happy was Julia Roberts, Garavani told The Telegraph at the 2008 premiere of Valentino: The Last Emperor. When she got the Academy Award for Erin Brockovich I watched it on television and really I was so excited that she appeared in my dress. It makes me so very happy and proves once more that movie stars love my clothes. Roberts reportedly keeps the dress at home, in a box beneath her bed. Jackie Kennedy, wedding dress, 1968 For her wedding to Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis in 1968, on the island of Skorpios, former US First Lady Jackie Kennedy selected a couture ensemble from Valentinos spring 1968 collection. Jackie Kennedy in her Valentino wedding ensemble for her marriage to Aristotle Onassis in 1968. BETTMANN ARCHIVE Advertisement Valentino with Jackie Onassis in 1970 in Capri. AP The high-neck lace top with a pleated skirt shaped wedding dress trends for the coming decade and was auctioned in 2024 for $US24,320 ($36,234) by Bonhams. Jacqueline Kennedys 1968 couture ensemble is not only an important piece of fashion history marking the emergence of one of the most stylish women in the world Jackie O but it also showcases an important design in maison Valentinos history, said Marissa Speer, Bonhams head of fashion. Princess Diana, Paul McCartney concert, 1992 The burgundy velvet and lace dress worn by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1992 to a Paul McCartney performance in France, along with events in London, is almost as famous as the Valentino dress she never wore. Advertisement In 1994 Diana had planned to wear a Valentino dress to the Serpentine Gala in London on the night her husband Prince Charles confessed to having an affair on television, but when the design details were prematurely leaked she turned to the infamous revenge dress, designed by Christina Stambolian. Princess Diana wearing Valentino in Lille, France, 1992. Getty Images The designer was close to the princess, with his business partner Giancarlo Giammetti posting pictures to his Instagram account in 2020 of Valentino hosting Diana on his yacht for a holiday in 1990. Elle Macpherson, Met Gala, 1995 Advertisement Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson was one of countless fashion figures who turned to Valentinos signature shade of red to make an impact. Macpherson wore red Valentino gowns to the Met Gala in 1995 and the BAFTA Awards in 2000. Elle Macpherson in a Valentino design while posing with the man himself at the 1995 Met Gala in New York. WireImage Macpherson wearing Valentino while with Hugh Grant at the 2000 BAFTAs after-party. Getty Images Scarlett Johansson, Iman, Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Garner all turned to the designers searing take on scarlet, which made its debut in his 1958 collection with the Fiesta dress. Valentino has superstitions that became status symbols, Giammetti told Vogue in 1985. He did red once, and now you have red in every collection. Advertisement Cate Blanchett, Academy Awards, 2005 Australian actor Cate Blanchett is known for pushing the sealed envelope at awards ceremonies, with elegant yet extreme looks. But to collect her first Oscar for The Aviator in 2005 she willingly succumbed to the full princess fantasy. Cate Blanchett at the Academy Awards wearing Valentino in 2005. Getty Images Blanchett wore a pale yellow Valentino silk taffeta gown with a single shoulder and burgundy belt. I never wear yellow, Blanchett said on the red carpet. But I saw this and liked it. Advertisement I chose the colours and he made it. Hes the genius, not me. While Blanchett went on to sign a deal with Armani, she has continued to champion Valentino on the red carpet. Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday. Advertisement Graphic content NationalNSWCourts Man recalls fear and shock during alleged rape at busy Sydney nightclub Clare Sibthorpe January 20, 2026 3:50pm Save 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 A A A man has recalled the moment he was allegedly raped in a crowded nightclub courtyard by a stranger he initially spoke with because he felt sorry that he was alone. David Charles Massa, 47, is on trial in the NSW District Court after pleading not guilty to two counts of sexual intercourse without consent at Darlinghursts Universal Sydney nightclub in the early hours of June 1, 2024. David Charles Massa leaves Downing Centre District Court after day one of his rape trial. Wolter Peeters On Tuesday, his alleged victim testified about the night, telling Crown Prosecutor Matthew Harper he had dinner and four beers with his partner at the Beresford in Surry Hills before heading to Universal Sydney shortly before 10pm. While the couple sat at a table, Massa whom the complainant described as having a bushy beard and looking homeless approached them, and they were friendly with each other. Advertisement The couple went to the dance floor and bought some more drinks, before they again saw Massa on their way to the outdoor smoking area. He was sitting alone, so I kind of felt sorry for him and felt he may have needed some friends to sit with him, so I waved him down, the complainant testified. I went up to him, kissed him on his hand and said come join us in the smoking area, so he did. The trio sat on a crowded bench. After briefly chatting with another person beside him, the man said he turned to speak with Massa, who began flirting with and complimenting him. He said he tried to brush off Massa but he didnt seem to accept that, whereas most other men would move along upon rejection. Advertisement Suspecting that Massa may have been seeking a partner, and feeling sorry for him, the man said hed look more attractive if he shaved his beard, responded to a question about Massas age, and then went to stand up. Related Article Graphic content Courts Sydney man accused of rape in Oxford Street nightclub Massa stood next to him, the man told the jury, and suddenly put his hands down the mans pants, sexually assaulted him for about 10 seconds and stared at him while performing an act too graphic to detail. I think I was in shock at this point, because we were in the middle of a public area with so many people around, the complainant said. I dont know why someone would do that, to be honest, but that was my thinking at the time, and I was also, I think, scared. Advertisement In response to Massa, the man laughed maybe even smiled after the initial shock and then the assault allegedly happened again. He said he then sat down so that Massa would not be able to repeat the act. He said Massa again tried to put his hands down his pants but it wasnt so easy this time. The man said he turned to Massa, who kissed him on his lips, but this was not reciprocated. He did that like two or three times I would not kiss him back. He then told Massa he was going to get a drink and would be back so that he would not be followed, and left the club. The jury heard that on the way home, he told his partner what happened. Advertisement He described waking up in pain the next morning and feeling very sad and very low while showering. The couple went to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for forensic examination and DNA swabs to be taken. They then went to the police station to report the incident. The court earlier heard that Massa voluntarily attended Surry Hills police station after being contacted by police. During cross-examination by defence barrister Nicole Carroll, the complainant was questioned further about his recollection of events. However, Judge Siobhan Herbert closed the court for the bulk of this cross-examination on Tuesday afternoon, meaning the media was not permitted to listen to or report on this part of the trial. Advertisement Earlier on Tuesday, the jury was shown CCTV footage showing the pairs interactions at Universal. During Carrolls opening address on Monday, she said Massa denied sexually assaulting the complainant, and while some mutual intimate touching occurred, it was consensual. She added that Massa was responding appropriately to the attention he received. Massa has also pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual touching without consent, which are back-up charges to the two charges of sexual intercourse without consent. The four-five-day trial before 12 jurors continues. Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Mens Referral Service on 1300 766 491. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement NationalNSWSharks Manly shark attack victim identified as South Coast musician Riley Walter January 20, 2026 3:03pm Save 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 A A A surfer mauled by a shark on the northern beaches in Sydneys third attack in just over 24 hours has been identified as South Coast musician Andre de Ruyter. De Ruyter, 27, was surfing at Manlys North Steyne Beach just before 6.30pm on Monday when what is believed to have been a bull shark bit his right leg, causing severe lacerations. His lower right leg was amputated overnight at Royal North Shore hospital, where he remains in intensive care. Andre de Ruyter, 27, was attacked by what is believed to be a bull shark at North Steyne Beach at Manly. Instagram The attack on de Ruyter was the third in Sydney within 26 hours, and forced the closure of the northern beaches coastline. De Ruyter and his sister, Alysha, regularly perform together on the NSW South Coast and on the northern beaches. The pair appeared at Wollongong music festival The Gong Crawl in November, according to their social media profiles. Advertisement In 2021, de Ruyter released a self-titled EP under his moniker, Brite Boy. The 27-year-old has been featured as an emerging talent by Triple J Unearthed, the same platform that discovered Missy Higgins, Flume and Vance Joy. His sound can be described as alternative rock, touching on folk and surf rock as well as indie pop, Unearthed wrote of de Ruyter in 2020. Moments after the attack, two surfers pulled de Ruyter onto the shoreline near the North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club, before bystanders used leg ropes as makeshift tourniquets to stem the bleeding from his calf. De Ruyter is treated after being pulled to the shoreline by two surfers. James Brickwood De Ruyter and his sister, Alysha, regularly perform on the NSW South Coast and on Sydneys northern beaches. Instagram Advertisement Local surfer Dayyan Neve was among those who rushed to treat de Ruyter, using a leg rope as a makeshift tourniquet as the 27-year-old fell out of consciousness. The poor guy, I dont think he was feeling much by then we were just talking to him and we were all just trying to keep him awake, Neve said on Monday night. Surfers stick together we all know to grab a tourniquet when theres talk of a shark attack, all of us would do it for each other. Andre de Ruyter received 13 units of blood, which probably saved his life. Instagram De Ruyter has been featured as an emerging artist on Triple J Unearthed. Facebook Advertisement De Ruyter received 13 units of blood which probably saved his life as he was rushed to hospital. In an emergency response authorities compared to a Formula 1 pit stop, two police highway patrol cars carrying blood from two hospitals stopped on the Spit Bridge and completed a 10-second handover to the ambulance carrying de Ruyter. A livestream from a beach camera, set up for surfers and swimmers to check the water conditions, captured thrashing in the water at the time of the attack. Hours before de Ruyter was mauled, a shark attacked an 11-year-old boy surfing at the southern end of Dee Why beach, biting his board several times. On Sunday afternoon, a 12-year-old boy was attacked by what authorities believe was a large bull shark while jumping off a popular jump rock with friends at Nielsen Park. On Tuesday morning, a surfer was attacked at Point Plomer Beach in Limeburners Creek National Park, north of Port Macquarie in the fourth attack in NSW waters in less than 48 hours. Advertisement The man took himself to Kempsey Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition. Beaches have been closed between Town Beach in Port Macquarie and Crescent Head. Related Article Updated Sharks Thats mateship: Heroic boy saved friend after shark attack at Sydney Harbour beach Steve Pearce, the chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, said another 30 drum lines had been deployed and drones were flying over beaches on Tuesday. As a result of this spate of attacks, three attacks in around 24 hours is unprecedented in Sydney, Pearce said. The beaches are closed. The beaches are unsafe. For your own personal safety do not swim for the next 48 hours. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Analysis NationalNSWSharks Why sharks and humans crossed paths so often this week Nick O'Malley Updated January 20, 2026 5:14pm ,first published 2:07pm Save 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 A A By Saturday afternoon, the rain had set in and the Sydney catchment was soaked. Heavy storms dumped 35 millimetres over Parramatta in half an hour, filling the creeks and bays that feed Sydney harbour and coastal beaches with a turbid brown run-off. For shark risk, says Professor Culum Brown, a specialist in fish behaviour at Macquarie University, it was a perfect storm. A man was attacked and critically injured in Manly near the North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club on Monday. Kate Geraghty Sydneys water was now warm enough for bull sharks, which are drawn to the region in the summer months, as were swimmers escaping warm and humid weather. The run-off had stirred up nutrients and bait fish, and it had flushed bull sharks from the rivers and estuaries into the harbour, foreshores and beaches. Bull sharks, explains Marcel Green, who leads the NSW Department of Primary Industries shark program, are opportunistic ambush predators. They do well in rivers and bays and at dusk and dawn when low visibility presents them with an advantage over their prey. Advertisement Related Article Sharks Yes, shark bites are becoming more common, but its complicated By the weekend, these were the conditions that extended up and down the coast, all through the day. At 4.20pm on Sunday, a 12-year-old boy who jumped off rocks at Nielsen Park was attacked and critically injured by what was thought to be a bull shark. The rain and unstable weather continued. Just before midday on Monday, an 11-year-old surfing at Dee Why was battered by a shark that took a chunk out of his surfboard in an attack that matches the opportunistic feeding behaviour of a bull shark. He was uninjured. About six hours later, another strike. A man in his 20s, also surfing, was attacked and critically injured in Manly near the North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club. Again, it is thought a bull shark struck in murky water. Advertisement On Tuesday morning came a fourth strike at 10am at Point Plomer Beach in Limeburners Creek National Park, north of Port Macquarie. A 39-year-old surfer was taken Kempsey Hospital. According to Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty, who is responsible for the state governments shark mitigation program, such a spate of attacks was unprecedented in Sydney. Speaking on ABC radio on Tuesday morning, she urged swimmers to keep out of the water after rain. It will be of little reassurance to those who have been scarred or scared over recent days that shark attacks remain so rare that even this spate of attacks remains a statistical blip, in the words of Brown. It is the nature of the noise in this data set, he said. We also have long spells with no bites and or deaths, but the media and society dont notice those gaps. That might be the case, but the number of people killed by sharks in Australia has been growing over recent years. To November last year, the Australian Shark Incident Database had recorded 56 deaths by shark bite since 2000. At the time, the database was yet to include the deaths of Mercury Psillakis, 57, who was killed by a white shark at Dee Why in Sydney in September last year, and a woman killed at Crowdy Bay in the NSW mid-north coast in November by a bull shark. Advertisement The vast majority of deaths were caused by white sharks. In the decade from 2000 to 2009, 14 people died around Australia from being bitten by a shark, the shark incident database shows. From 2010 to 2019, there were 21 deaths. And in the third decade of the 21st century, the tally has hit 23 after less than five years. Surfers paddle out in memory of shark attack victim Mercury Psillakis in September. Max Mason-Hubers As Brown explained at the time, the increase in attacks is not due to an increase in shark numbers so much as of human populations on the coast. Its not the number of sharks thats going up its environmental changes and increases in the number of people engaging in water sports. With climate change, you can swim off Sydney pretty much all year round now, so there are more people in the water. Everyone has a wetsuit. Advertisement Related Article Sharks Bull shark warnings should be beefed up, says premier Green concurs, pointing out the 305 or so smart drumlines regularly deployed in NSW to catch potentially dangerous sharks white, bulls and tigers have detected no increase in numbers. But climate is having an impact. As Australian waters warm, the range of bull and tiger sharks is extended south, and the period during which bull sharks are active around Sydney is growing longer. Animals that once lingered in waters around Sydney mostly during January and February are now arriving sooner and departing later. Either way, Green says that in his 25 years of shark management, he can recall no other spate of attacks like the one just seen in NSW. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Sharks Analysis Nick O'Malley is National Environment and Climate Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. He is also a senior writer and a former US correspondent. Connect via email Advertisement NationalNSWPolice Sydney protest ban partially lifted, paving way for January 26 march Daniel Lo Surdo and Jack Gramenz Updated January 20, 2026 4:44pm ,first published 4:02pm Save 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 A A The controversial declaration banning protests on Sydneys city streets has been partially lifted by NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, smoothing the path for planned Australia Day marches after a month-long ban. In a compromise that will allow the annual Invasion Day protest to be staged on Monday, Lanyon has dropped the declaration order for streets in the Sydney CBD, while preserving the ban on all other Sydney streets for another fortnight. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon will allow the January 26 march in the Sydney CBD. Sam Mooy He exercised the first 14-day ban on December 24 under the powers introduced in response to the Bondi terror attack. It was extended by another fortnight on January 6. The newly excluded area will include Darling Harbour, the suburbs north of Oxford Street and all the eastern suburbs north of Clovelly. It wont include Hyde Park, Belmore Park and Victoria Park, among the areas included in the annual Invasion Day march. Advertisement This is about getting the balance right, Lanyon said on Tuesday afternoon. This is about ensuring that we are enabling people to protest, enabling free speech, but make sure that the community remains safe. Preserving the ban in the citys northern streets is designed to support the tens of thousands of spectators expected to converge on Circular Quay for official Australia Day celebrations, Lanyon said, while blocking demonstrations in the eastern suburbs was deemed appropriate following the Bondi massacre. The Invasion Day protesters, pictured in 2024, typically march to Victoria Park in the Sydney CBD. Rhett Wyman A March for Australia anti-immigration demonstration is expected to start at Prince Alfred Park on Monday, south of Central Station and out of the prohibited area, which will coincide with similar rallies taking place in other capital cities. Police are expected to closely monitor the March for Australia and Invasion Day rallies, which will be staged within streets of each other. Advertisement The tough protest powers were included in an omnibus bill passed during an emergency sitting of NSW parliament after the Bondi massacre, and were exercised by Lanyon in the hours after its assent. Tuesdays decision will allow protest groups to lodge applications to stage demonstrations on CBD streets across the next fortnight, which will then be assessed by NSW Police. A third consecutive total declaration would have extended the ban through to February, prohibiting the annual Invasion Day march staged through the Sydney CBD. It comes four days after riot squad and mounted police descended on Town Hall to watch over demonstrators rallying against the new protest laws and the impending visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Australia. A man carrying a Blame Hamas sign was arrested at a rally against the NSW governments protest laws on Friday. Nine News A man wearing a Make Australia Safe Again cap and brandishing a cardboard sign that read Blame Hamas was arrested about 5.30pm for breaching the peace, before being released without charge. Advertisement Three other people were spoken to for similar breach of the peace incidents, and left the scene without any further action. One protester was pictured wearing a T-shirt that bore the slogan globalise the intifada a phrase NSW Premier Chris Minns wants to outlaw. Lanyon backed the application of the month-long protest ban, saying it taken the heat out of the community in the weeks after the Bondi shootings. I think the fact we havent seen large-scale open protests, people marching through the streets of Sydney, has reduced the tension, he said. Acting Police Minister Paul Scully said the latest declaration was informed by intelligence gathering and risk assessments. Advertisement The NSW Polices highest priority is the safety of the community and the NSW government unequivocally supports this work, Scully said. We ask the community to respect the decision of the NSW Police, comply with the law and stay safe. Acting Police Minister Paul Scully. Sitthixay Ditthavong A coalition of activists, including the Palestine Activist Group and Jews Against the Occupation, has launched a constitutional challenge against the legislation restricting public assemblies. Related Article Bondi shooting Cap on guns, ban on protests during terror events: How Bondi massacre will change NSW laws Elizabeth Ann Jarrett, a member of the First Nations-led political organising group The Blak Caucus, has sued the state over the laws. A short direction hearing on January 8 set down a timetable, with Justice Julia Lonergan fixing another hearing on January 29. It will consider whether the case goes directly to the Court of Appeal, under the assumption any decision will be subsequently appealed anyway. It also has allowed time for other Australian states and territories to weigh in on any arising constitutional issues. Advertisement Constitutional law expert Anne Twomey said the laws passed in December were more likely to survive the legal challenge than legislation that actually banned protests. There is still this problem that its a very unclear connection between what youre actually doing, and what your legitimate purpose is and how youre achieving that, she said. Its very messy. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Advertisement NationalNSWSharks Incredibly difficult time: Shark attack victim, 12, not expected to survive Daniel Lo Surdo Updated January 20, 2026 7:25pm ,first published 6:41pm Save 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 A A The young boy mauled by a shark in Sydney Harbour on Sunday is not expected to survive, according to a fundraising page started by a family friend. Nico Antic, 12, was swimming with friends at a popular jump rock west of Shark Beach at Nielsen Park in Vaucluse on Sunday afternoon when he was bitten by what is believed to have been a large bull shark. Nico Antic is not expected to survive after being attacked by a shark in Vaucluse on Sunday. GoFundMe A heroic group of friends pulled him from the water and a quick-thinking police officer applied tourniquets to the boys severely mauled legs before he was helped onto a police marine boat. Officers aboard performed CPR and he was later rushed to Sydney Childrens Hospital, Randwick. An online fundraising page has been launched by Victor Pineiro, who describes himself as a close friend of the Antic family. Advertisement In a message posted on Tuesday evening, Pineiro informed donors that despite all efforts in hospital, this heartbreaking event has led to the worst possible outcome. We are raising funds to help the Antic family cover upcoming expenses and related arrangements during this incredibly difficult time, he wrote. Officers at Rose Bay ferry wharf, where the boy was treated by paramedics. Max Mason-Hubers Any contribution, no matter the size, would be deeply appreciated and will help ease the financial burden as they grieve. Thank you for your kindness and support. The Herald confirmed the information relayed in these posts with an independent source close to the Antic family who was not authorised to speak publicly. Advertisement More than $55,000 from over 700 donors has been raised for the family since the fundraiser was established. About $30,000 of the total was raised in three hours on Tuesday night. Related Article Updated Sharks Thats mateship: Heroic boy saved friend after shark attack at Sydney Harbour beach Nine News has reported that Nico is on life support, while police sources told the Herald the boy is alive but remains critical. Nico served as a nipper at North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club alongside his parents. In 2024, he was awarded the under 11 boys most improved award by the club. He was placed in an induced coma in hospital, where he underwent surgery on Sunday. Advertisement Several blood transfusions were administered to the boy before arriving at hospital. Sundays attack marked the first of four in less than 48 hours along the NSW coastline, including the mauling of surfer Andre de Ruyter at North Steyne Beach on Monday evening. The severely injured 27-year-old was dragged to the Manly shoreline by two nearby surfers before a group of bystanders used leg ropes as makeshift tourniquets to stem the bleeding from his calf. He was rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital and his lower right leg was amputated overnight. De Ruyter remains in intensive care. First responders at Manly performed CPR on the shark bite victim. James Brickwood Advertisement Surfers were also attacked at Dee Why and on the Mid North Coast, but escaped serious harm. Four suspected bull sharks were spotted in the waters near Point Plomer, north of Port Macquarie, where 39-year-old surfer Paul Zvirzdinas was attacked on Tuesday morning. The shark knocked Zvirzdinas off his board and into the water, tearing his wetsuit and biting his board about 10am. He was taken to Kempsey Hospital, where he was treated for minor grazing to his chest before being discharged in the afternoon. Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said Zvirzdinas was extremely fortunate to have avoided a major injury. Advertisement On Monday, an 11-year-old boy escaped unharmed after he was attacked at the southern end of Dee Why Beach while surfing with his father. He was helped to shore by a group of nearby surfers, while his board was bitten by the shark. Bull sharks, a territorial species which prefer brackish water and frequent Sydney Harbour in January and February, are suspected to be responsible for all four incidents. The spate of attacks prompted NSW Premier Chris Minns to call for beefed-up warnings about bull sharks in waters across the state and to pledge to keep nets in place at beaches. He suggested public notifications be issued when the water turned murky, dirty and warm after extensive rainfall, to warn about elevated swimming risk. A spokesperson for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development confirmed shark nets were in place at Manlys North Steyne when the attack occurred on Monday, and at Dee Why, where the 11-year-old boy was attacked hours earlier. Advertisement The NSW government abandoned a planned trial to remove shark nets at three beaches after Mercury Psillakis was killed by a shark at Long Reef Beach, near Dee Why, in September. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Sharks Daniel Lo Surdo is a breaking news reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He previously helmed the national news live blog for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Connect via email Advertisement NationalQueenslandQueensland Health Ambulance ramping rates improve but remain well below Crisafullis election pledge Courtney Kruk January 20, 2026 2:57pm Save 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 A A The number of Queenslanders waiting in hospitals for urgent care has improved slightly, according to a new auditors report, but emergency department performance remains significantly below the Crisafulli governments electoral pledge, as pressure mounts to drive down ramping. The analysis of public hospital performance by the auditor-general found a 4.5 per cent increase in demand for emergency department services across the state in the past five years, with the Sunshine Coast and West Moreton experiencing the greatest rises in demand. While the number of emergency presentations steadied over the past financial year, fewer than 50 per cent of patients were treated in under four hours two percentage points worse than the year before, and significantly below the overall target of 80 per cent. The auditor-generals new report found public health services across Queensland were facing significant strain. Courtney Kruk The knock-on effect of this was revealed in ambulance performance rates, with 41 per cent of patients ramped for longer than the recommended time in 26 of the states top public hospitals. Advertisement Overall, ambulance ramping has shown an improvement of 3 percentage points compared to last year, according to the Queensland Audit Office. However, ramping continues to be an ongoing challenge in some areas, as demand for emergency services continues to increase. Related Article Updated Aged care No deal: States wont sign on to federal hospital funding offer Improving emergency department performance was a key pillar of the Liberal-National governments election victory in 2024, when it promised to drive down ramping to below 30 per cent by the next poll in 2028. Despite an overall improvement compared to the year prior, hospitals in Brisbane, West Moreton and the Gold Coast showed the biggest rates of ambulance ramping over the reporting period. Advertisement Ramping is linked to the number of patients presenting to hospitals, the availability of beds to transfer patients from emergency departments, and the inability to discharge patients from hospitals. The increased pressure on emergency services was further reflected by a 4 per cent rise in the average length of stay for patients compared to the year prior, with more people also waiting longer to receive specialist care. Hospitals in Mackay and West Moreton showed the largest increase in patients staying longer in hospitals. This was partially driven by demand from older patients, many clinically ready for discharge but unable to be transferred to suitable accommodation, such as an aged care facility. Figures from the end of last year show nearly 1300 elderly or disabled patients left stranded in Queensland hospitals while waiting for accommodation, an issue the Crisafulli government has repeatedly lobbied the federal government over. As of July 1, nearly 117,000 patients were awaiting outpatient specialist care an increase of 15 per cent on the previous year. Advertisement Related Article Hospitals Hospital rescue plan to deliver thousands more beds across Queensland The report also pointed to significant financial pressures, with the department and hospital and health services posting a combined deficit of $960.6 million higher than any other year. This was driven by Queenslands growing population, increased clinical demand, and lack of investment in health infrastructure. While additional funding has been allocated to improve existing infrastructure, mounting debts were causing some hospitals to delay maintenance works, potentially compromising patient care and safety. Several examples were outlined in the report, including an incident last year when a boiler at a major south-east Queensland hospital failed, forcing the temporary shutdown of operating theatres as there was no steam to sterilise equipment. Advertisement In another example, the imminent failure of operational infrastructure almost forced the closure of the Queensland Tissue Bank, which could have compromised human tissue donated for transplants. The auditors office also noted the government has committed additional funding to address historic shortfalls, and recommended hospitals address the backlog of asset maintenance, prioritising high-risk works, as first proposed in a report from 2020-21. Health Minister Tim Nicholls said the government would continue to pull every lever possible to reduce ambulance ramping to 30 per cent and heal the health crisis we inherited and pointed to its recently announced Hospital Rescue Plan. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. NAIROBI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The adoption of green energy across Africa has accelerated, thanks to availability of quality and affordable solar solutions from China, a business executive said on Tuesday in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. Georg Pflomm, the project manager at the Competence Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Economy of AHK Services Eastern Africa Limited, said that Chinese manufactured solar products have boosted energy diversification and security in a continent keen to advance low-carbon growth. "In recent years, many of the global players in the solar sector are nowadays from China. There are also many companies which produce very good components," Pflomm said, adding that China remains a strategic player in the global solar solutions value chain, benefiting African countries in their quest to boost green energy installation in their national grid. According to Pflomm, African countries installed a total capacity of 2.4 gigawatts (GW) of new solar in 2024 and a 42-percent growth in new installations was expected in 2025. "That shows there is a very strong market growth in terms of solar. The total capacity of installed solar in all of Africa is now around 20 GW, and by 2028, we expect an additional 23 GW," said Pflomm. He added that the current solar installed capacity in the continent is expected to increase by more than two-fold in the next three or four years, while the two biggest solar markets in Africa were South Africa and Egypt, with East African countries like Kenya following suit. Advertisement NationalVictoriaPhotography The Age welcomes new visual journalist trainee January 21, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A A young photographer with dreams of becoming a foreign correspondent is joining the award-winning photographic team at The Age as a visual journalist trainee. With an impressive global photographic portfolio, Ruby Alexander was a stand-out to photographic and senior editors among applications from across the country. The Age visual journalist trainee Ruby Alexander joins the team this month. I started off with videography, when I was probably around 9 years old, she said. I got my first real DSLR when I was 14, and that was when I really started taking photos. Ive been doing it ever since. Alexander, now 22, is in her final semester of a double degree in business and media at Swinburne University. Advertisement With aspirations of working as an overseas correspondent one day, her photography and videography have taken her across Australia and Asia, filling her portfolio with documentaries, photo essays and multimedia stories. Career-wise, Bangladesh was the first place I ever did a documentary and that really kick-started the videography side of things as something I really want to do for work. It was a really good experience, just doing stories more in line with what I want to do in my career. Everywhere Ive been in Asia has been absolutely phenomenal. The visual journalist trainee program at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald is funded as part of a broader three-year partnership with Canon Australia, which are providing a dedicated investment, alongside gear for trainees and Nine Publishing staff photographers. Alexander, who is based in Melbourne, said she was interested in the role because its a rare opportunity that offers a traineeship focused on photographic journalism. Advertisement Gallery Gallery icon 100 images Photos of the Week Best photos of 2025: The Ages year in pictures This one is very specifically unique in that way, which is why I was so inclined to pursue it. Im really excited to get the mentoring from photographers Ive already been following. Im really excited to learn from them. Nine Publishing executive editor Luke McIlveen said the trainees would work alongside award-winning journalists to develop their skills. Our newsrooms too will benefit from the real-world experience they bring to us. We cant wait to see how Ruby contributes to the countrys two most-read mastheads. Advertisement Aaron Berthelot, senior general manager of consumer sales and marketing at Canon Oceania, congratulated Alexander on her selection. Canon is proud to support the next generation of visual storytellers through this partnership, and were excited to see their perspectives continue to develop within two of Australias most respected newsrooms, he said. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Photography Advertisement NationalVictoriaTragedy Men killed in train crash at level crossing west of Melbourne identified as locals Isabel McMillan and Alexander Darling Updated January 20, 2026 9:18pm ,first published 12:17pm Save 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 A A Two men killed after their car was struck by a freight train at a level crossing in regional Victoria have been identified as local to the area. Emergency services were called to Reddies Road in Cressy, about 140 kilometres west of Melbourne, after reports of the incident about 10.15am on Tuesday. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal collision in Cressy this morning. Nine News A 35-year-old Beeac man and a 22-year-old Cororooke man died at the scene. The train driver and two other staff onboard the train survived. Police said the circumstances surrounding the crash were yet to be established. Advertisement Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is urged to contact the police. Colac Highway Patrol Sergeant Jake Andrew said in the afternoon that there were no signals or boom gates at the crossing. Our understanding was the vehicle was travelling south and came to a brief stop before entering the train line, and for an unknown reason at this stage, has failed to exit the train line, Andrew said. The Australian Rail Track Corporation the government-owned company that manages the nations interstate rail network said in a statement it was also investigating what had occurred. Advertisement A spokesperson said the train had been travelling from Perth to Melbourne, and belonged to transport logistics service SCT. ARTC extends its deepest condolences to their families, loved ones and communities at this difficult time, the spokesperson said. The level crossing reopened just before 7pm on Tuesday evening. The rail line on which the crash occurred is the main freight line between Melbourne and Adelaide, and also carries the passenger train the Overland twice a week in each direction. This incident marks the first train-related death in Victoria since April 2023, when a truck driver died after being hit by an empty V-Line passenger train at South Geelong. Advertisement There have now been 11 lives lost on Victorian roads this year so far, down from 20 in the first three weeks of 2025. Get alerts on breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert. Advertisement NationalSocial media Were teenagers, were going to rebel: The families yet to see the social media ban work Jackson Graham January 20, 2026 12:05pm Save 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 A A Ahead of the social media bans roll-out last month, teenager Tali Roberts swapped phone numbers with her friends, preparing to text more often. But as soon as the ban came in, all her apps kept working. I did have a couple of friends that were banned, and they eventually got it back, the 14-year-old says. But when they were banned they were feeling very, very left out. Sabitha Naidu is frustrated the social media ban hasnt stopped her 14-year-old daughter Tali Roberts from having access to her accounts. Justin McManus After ongoing tension over her use of Snapchat and TikTok, Talis mother, Sabitha Naidu, was expecting these summer holidays would have less screen time than years past, thanks to the ban. Id just hoped it had worked, Naidu says. A lot of schools had webinars. We were all prepared and read the information on it. We all had conversations with our kids about it. And it was just a massive anticlimax. Advertisement Related Article Social media The world watched as Australia kicked under-16s off social media. The results are in Naidu doesnt expect the ban to do any parenting for her. Rather, she wants it to help make the rules she has at home such as not using devices after 8pm easier to implement. But with many of her daughters friends still on social media, she says taking Talis phone away can feel like making her a social leper. Im probably one of the parents who has a lot of rules. But its that constant battle youre fighting ... how much time can you devote to this phone argument? While other parents say the ban has shown early signs of giving them a mandate to help limit their child using devices in unhealthy ways, the predicament of varying access to social media is one that several families who spoke to The Age are concerned about as teenagers prepare to head back to school later this month. The federal government last week announced that in the week after the new laws came into effect on December 10, more than 4.7 million social media accounts had been deactivated. Advertisement The governments eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said many families had reported a positive experience over the summer and advised parents with children under 16 who still had accounts could delete the app, report to the platform that the account was still active, and provide feedback to eSafety. We have been clear from the start that absolute perfection with total account deletion is not a realistic goal, Inman Grant said. The technologies may need to improve and platforms may apply classifiers unevenly. We are all well aware that teens will find workarounds, just as some people speed despite speed limits or drink underage despite age restrictions. But these rules matter because they delay exposure, reduce harm, and set a clear social norm. Loading There are no penalties for under-16s who access an account on an age-restricted social media platform, or for their parents or carers. Instead, platforms face fines up to $49.5 million for not taking reasonable steps to implement the ban. Advertisement Victorian Principals Association president Andrew Dalgleish said whether the ban was going to be effective or not remained an open question. If theres a way, they will find a way to do it, he said of young people continuing to access the platforms. While students werent supposed to access social media at school, teachers will continue to play a role in educating the community on the need for the ban in the new school year. The reality will be schools will have to continue to deal with the cyberbullying, and the issues that they have been. Were dealing with the damage after its occurred, Dalgleish said. The challenge continues to be having parents and young people onboard. The challenge is for many of our young people thats the way they connect, and they feel isolated if they dont have the capacity to do so. Psychologist Dr Brad Marshall, director of the Screens & Gaming Disorder Clinic and an adjunct fellow at Macquarie University, said few of his patients under 16 were reporting adverse impacts from the ban. Advertisement Related Article Opinion Social media Social media bans are nothing new to me, and heres why they dont work Brodie Lancaster Culture writer, author However, he said many had found a way around it, including getting older siblings to use their faces for identification and children pressuring parents to help them gain access. I think some of the positives that have come out of this is that Im seeing a shift in the way many parents are thinking about this, he added. They have had a very clear signal from the government that there are risks and harms to health from excessive social media use and that is making them more confident to implement boundaries. But not all families support the ban. Advertisement Tarryn Weare said her 14-year-old son used Snapchat to speak with the rest of the family. We sent photos as a means of conversation starters, she said. He also had an extended family group chat where he chatted to his grandparents the same way. Tali Roberts says she would prefer the government to focus on teaching young people to use social media carefully, saying she rarely considers the addictive design of the platforms, and acknowledges that without them, she might spend more time with friends in person. Sometimes Ill be like, I am going to look back when I get older and wish I went outside more and enjoyed it more. Because sometimes I feel like Im just on my phone a lot and doing nothing. The admission is music to her mothers ears. But for now, Roberts says school holidays would have seemed very, very boring without social media. Were teenagers, were going to rebel, and were going to find a way around it. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership Delusional and cheap: Scott Morrison launches at Albanese over swipe on antisemitism Rob Harris January 20, 2026 6:20pm Save 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 A A Former prime minister Scott Morrison has accused Anthony Albanese of political opportunism and weak leadership after the prime minister claimed in parliament that antisemitism surged on the Coalitions watch and was not adequately confronted before Labor came to office. In the first question time in parliament since the Bondi attack, Albanese when asked by Opposition Leader Sussan Ley to apologise for his governments failure to tackle antisemitism said that anti-Jewish hatred had not begun with the election of the government in 2022. Former prime minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Alex Ellinghausen Pressed on whether his government had failed to contain a wave of anti-Jewish hatred, Albanese pointed to comments from senior Coalition figures who had acknowledged rising antisemitism during the Morrison years. Let me be very clear. All governments should have done better the idea that antisemitism began two years ago, with the change of government, is false and its declared to be false by the comments of those opposite in senior positions, Albanese told parliament. Advertisement Despite the surge in antisemitism on their watch, did the Morrison government appoint a special envoy to combat antisemitism? Related Article Analysis Bondi shooting Albanese fights back and departs parliament with most of what he wanted Morrison hit back within hours, with a social media update saying: Hamas never praised the actions of my Government @AlboMP, but they did praise yours. In a lengthy statement to this masthead, Morrison defended his record and launched a blistering attack on the prime ministers response to Hamas October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and its aftermath. He said Albaneses empty and ambivalent response abrogated his responsibility for national leadership and created a dangerous vacuum that was filled by the worst streams of antisemitism this country had ever seen, producing a fivefold increase in antisemitic incidents that had culminated in the extremist Islamist attack at Bondi on December 14. Advertisement His meandering and weak response to this [Bondi] attack left Australians embarrassed and the Australian Jewish community devastated, Morrison said. Related Article Bondi shooting As it happened: Firearm and hate crime laws pass Senate as parliament recalled in response to Bondi attack He labelled Albaneses parliamentary remarks on Tuesday as delusional and cheap diversionary stunt, arguing that on my watch, zero tolerance on antisemitism would have meant exactly that in practice. The former prime minister, who left parliament in early 2024, has largely stayed out of domestic policy debates since. In an exit interview with this masthead, he nominated Labors Julia Gillard as the leader he would most like to emulate after politics. He said former prime ministers had had their chance at partisan politics, and commended Gillard for refusing to criticise his handling of the COVID pandemic when urged by others. Advertisement He has, however, continued to speak out on the Chinese Communist Partys growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific and the AUKUS submarine pact. Morrison on Tuesday accused Labor of dismantling key security and foreign policy settings after winning office in 2022. Following Mr Albaneses election in May 2022, his government ended 75 years of bipartisan policy regarding Israel and the issue of Palestinian statehood, reversing our other policies including our programs in Home Affairs to deal with security threats in vulnerable communities, and kicked key security agency heads off the National Security Committee, he said in his statement. Albaneses office declined to comment further on Tuesday evening. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsFederalPolitical expenses Senior politicians to be stripped of uncapped family flights after expenses scandal Brittany Busch January 20, 2026 4:44pm Save 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 A A Senior politicians will be stripped of their uncapped entitlements to fly their partners and children around Australia, and MPs restricted to one family reunion trip outside Canberra each year, as the government moves to implement the expenses recommendations from an independent tribunal. The review by the Remuneration Tribunal reveals most MPs did not use their taxpayer-funded entitlements to fly their families around the country last year, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will still move to limit politicians travel perks after his senior ministers were embroiled in an expenses scandal. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and minister Anika Wells last month. Alex Ellinghausen Sport and Communications Minister Anika Wells came under scrutiny late last year for flying her husband business class to premier sporting events, while Special Minister of State Don Farrell was revealed to have spent more than $100,000 flying family members around the country since Labor was elected in 2022, including to Uluru for a complimentary dinner. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland agreed last month to repay $10,000 part of the cost of a $22,000 trip she took to Western Australia with her family. Advertisement Albanese first commissioned advice from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority when the scandal eclipsed his governments agenda. Based on its recommendations which were for MPs taxpayer-funded family travel to be limited to economy class flights, and restricted to either Canberra or their electorates he then referred the issue to the Remuneration Tribunal. The tribunal accepted the governments proposal that all family travel be limited to economy class and that senior office holders, who previously had an exemption to the cap on family travel, be stripped of their unlimited perks. Related Article Political expenses MPs family travel to be limited to economy class after expenses saga But a total ban on visits outside of Canberra was rejected because not all parliamentary business happened in the capital, the tribunal said. Instead, one return economy fare a year will be allowed to an Australian location outside of Canberra. The value of this fare is to be deducted from the members annual limit for family reunion travel, the tribunal said. Advertisement MPs can also claim three return fares a year if their spouse is asked by invitation to an official government, parliamentary or vice-regal function. Senior politicians can also claim an additional three return fares a year if their spouse has received an invitation to attend an official event linked to the MPs ministerial portfolio or official duties. In both cases, the partner must fly economy class unless they are travelling alongside the politician. The tribunal suggested that MPs should seek advice from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority to make sure their application of the rules was appropriate. Before booking travel for either of the above purposes, the member should seek advice from IPEA to assist the member in making their decision, it said. Under these rules, Wells would still be allowed to make several claims for her husbands travel because sport is her portfolio, although he would no longer be able to fly business class unless he was accompanying her. The minister did not attend sports events such as the Boxing Day Test with him this summer after the furore over her spending in December. The review by the Remuneration Tribunal, which was released on Tuesday, revealed that most politicians did not claim the entitlement to have their families travel with them around the country. Advertisement It found just 32 of 226 MPs claimed flights for visits outside of Canberra and their electorates, which they regularly travel between, in the past financial year. Parliamentarians appeared to generally make appropriate and modest use of reunion travel provisions, with only 11 per cent of both Australia-wide fares and the budget for travel to Canberra and the local area used in 2024-25, the tribunal said in a statement. The tribunal said it had considered the fact that parliamentary careers were not family-friendly, and that most MPs based outside Canberra would spend a quarter of each year in the national capital. It said the rules should make it possible for people from all walks and stages of life to represent their communities. Special Minister of State Don Farrell oversees the MP entitlement legislation despite coming under scrutiny for his own travel claims Alex Ellinghausen But at the same time, it noted there was community concern about the frequency, travel class and cost of family reunion travel, including over whether MPs use of perks aligned with the spirit of the rules. Advertisement A government spokesperson said Labor accepted the recommendations in principle. Related Article Inside Story Political expenses Money Wells spent: Anatomy of an expenses scandal The government, through the Special Minister of State [Don Farrell] and the Minister for Finance [Katy Gallagher], will now seek drafting and amendment of relevant regulations and determinations, in consultation with the opposition and other parliamentary parties, they said. Expenses ... are vital for the functioning of our parliamentary democracy, and we expect all members and senators to ensure their appropriate use. The tribunal said the special minister of state would retain the power to make exceptional circumstances determinations that could give MPs extra allowance. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. Advertisement Updated PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership Nationals quit Coalition frontbench en masse after Littleproud bombshell letter to Ley Paul Sakkal Updated January 21, 2026 9:15pm ,first published January 21, 2026 10:18am Save 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 A A The Coalition is in tatters after Nationals leader David Littleproud and all the partys frontbenchers joined three rebel senators in quitting their positions after they broke shadow cabinet solidarity, following through with a bombshell threat he made to Opposition Leader Sussan Ley on a day of high drama. Triggering one of the biggest crises in conservative politics for a generation, Littleproud and 10 Nationals frontbenchers quit Leys frontbench on Wednesday evening, after she had accepted the resignations of three Nationals earlier in the day. It is the second time since the 2025 election the Coalition has been in jeopardy after Littleproud made the dramatic decision to ditch the partnership in May. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud in parliament. Alex Ellinghausen Hours after Littleproud made his call, Ley released a statement saying she was trying to persuade him to change his mind. This evening, I spoke with leader of the Nationals, David Littleproud, and strongly urged him not to walk away from the Coalition, she said in a statement. I have received additional offers of resignation from National Party shadow ministers, which I and my Liberal leadership group have determined are unnecessary. Advertisement The Liberal Party supports the Coalition arrangements because they deliver the most effective political alliance for good government. I note that in Davids letter, he has not indicated that the Nationals are leaving the Coalition. Related Article Antisemitism Albanese blames Senate for Labor abandoning hate speech reform No permanent changes will be made to the shadow ministry at this time, giving the National Party time to reconsider these offers of resignation. This masthead obtained a letter sent by Littleproud to Ley on Wednesday morning saying that Ley had the right to sack frontbenchers Bridget McKenzie, Susan McDonald and Ross Cadell after they broke from the Liberals to vote against the governments bill to crack down on hate groups on Tuesday night. But, Littleproud argued in the letter, Ley should avoid doing so because the legislative process was so rushed and the shadow cabinet had never signed off on a final bill a claim heavily contested by the Liberals. Advertisement If these resignations are accepted, the entire National Party ministry will resign to take collective responsibility, Littleproud wrote in a hand-signed letter sent to Ley. Opposing this bill was a party room decision. The entire National Party shadow ministry is equally bound. Hours after Littleprouds letter, Ley accepted the resignations with the full backing of right-wing Liberal powerbrokers, such as Michaelia Cash, James Paterson and Jonno Duniam. Nationals senators Ross Cadell, Matt Canavan, Bridget McKenzie and Susan McDonald voting against the hate speech bill. Alex Ellinghausen Nationals MPs then met at a 6pm on Wednesday and decided to follow through with the threat, leading Littleproud and deputy Kevin Hogan and others to also depart the frontbench. Advertisement The stunning move will almost inevitably lead to the Coalition dissolving, most likely for a longer period than the brief split after the May election. After spending weeks piling pressure on Labor over its flat-footed response to the Bondi massacre, a tortuous few days of sparring over hate speech laws pulled the Coalition apart and plunged it into a fresh crisis as polls showed One Nation pulling support from the oppositions right flank. Photo: Matt Golding The joint Liberal-Nationals shadow cabinet on Sunday made an in-principle agreement to back Labors crackdown on hate groups so long as they were amended in line with Coalition demands, which they were. That agreement started to fall apart on Monday when Nationals backbencher Matt Canavan, who has often set the agenda inside the junior Coalition partner, started to campaign against the bill over concerns it would target mainstream religious and political groups. Advertisement After the frontbenchers voted against the hate-speech laws, they sent resignation letters to Ley on Wednesday morning, as first reported by this masthead, in acknowledgement that they had breached convention as shadow ministers to toe the party line. Ley repeatedly told Littleproud about the need for his MPs to stick with the agreed position before the vote, Liberal sources speaking on the condition of anonymity said. Related Article Bondi shooting Albanese says his new laws will make Australians safer. How will they actually work? But Ley, under pressure to prove that she could enforce discipline, said she had accepted the resignations hours later on Wednesday afternoon, saying: Shadow cabinet solidarity is not optional. It is the foundation of serious opposition and credible government. I made it clear to David Littleproud that members of the shadow cabinet could not vote against the shadow cabinet position. The shadow cabinet was unanimous in its endorsement to support this bill subject to several amendments that we did then secure. Advertisement One top Liberal said: Littleproud is threatening to pull the Nationals out of the frontbench at the same time as saying in private that he hopes the Coalition can stay together. Its a nonsensical position. Flailing in the polls, Ley took the decision to let the frontbenchers go, with the full backing of the right-wing Liberal powerbrokers. Duniam and Ley convinced right-wing Liberals such as Andrew Hastie to back the hate-crimes bill that made visa cancellations easier and allowed for the prohibition of hate groups such as neo-Nazis and radical Islamists. Even Leys critics in the Liberal Party backed her stance against the Nationals on Wednesday as they expressed private fury at Littleproud for failing to bring his party into a coherent position on the laws. But the long-run implication for Ley might still be devastating if the wounds caused by the resignations, or an even more damaging Coalition split, erode Leys standing further and fuel a leadership challenge from Hastie or Angus Taylor, who missed the parliamentary week as he was on holiday in Europe. Advertisement One Liberal made the point that several inner-city Liberal frontbenchers wanted to vote for Labors gun restrictions but voted against the laws in line with Coalition policy, an example the Nationals could not emulate against the backdrop of a backlash among online free speech advocates. Related Article Updated Australia votes Stupid move: Howard lashes Coalition split as Nationals leave Ley to go it alone The scale of the libertarian/far-right discontent towards Labors policies was evident on the social media feed of right-wing darling Hastie, whose posts were flooded with messages urging a vote for One Nation, which opposed the laws. Nationals frontbencher Anne Webster said of a split earlier on Wednesday: We are not afraid to do it again. Foreign Minister Penny Wong seized on the tension to create a leadership test for Ley. Advertisement A very important question now is there for Sussan Ley. The shadow cabinet made a decision to support this legislation, but shadow cabinet members have voted against it. Will she enforce the convention that people, shadow cabinet members, who vote against the shadow cabinet position have to resign, or will she squib it? Wong said earlier. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter. Advertisement Exclusive PoliticsNSWNSW State Parliament Lockouts and lockdowns cut a generation out of nightclubs. Thats about to end Max Maddison January 20, 2026 7:30pm Save 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 A A After fighting Sydneys lockout laws for years, which included thousands of demonstrators marching down Elizabeth Street, Tyson Koh, the founder of Keep Sydney Open and managing director of FBi Radio, laments a single thing. Its not the end of a beloved music venue, nor the lost years of being unable to drink in a club until the sun rises. Its the narrative that Sydneys nightlife is dead, killed by lockouts, then lockdown. Club 77 owner Dane Gorrel says the lockout laws decimated an entire generations relationship with Sydneys clubbing scene. Sam Mooy How do you change a perception of an entire city? Koh asks. Twelve years after then-Liberal premier Barry OFarrell cracked down on Sydneys venues following drunken violence that led to the deaths of two young men, owners, policymakers and academics say there has been a citywide resurgence. Yet the scars of the six-year policy, coupled with the pandemic, are still evident. Advertisement On Wednesday, NSW Arts Minister John Graham will rescind the last of the lockout laws. Last drinks will no longer be called at 3.30am, and per-person drink limits will be repealed, along with requirements for plastic cups and RSA marshals at designated venues. Violence The lockout laws came into effect in 2014 in response to the one-punch deaths of Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie. Shots, doubles and glass cups were all barred after midnight; patrons were no longer able to enter venues after 1.30am; last drinks were called at 3am. Thomas Kelly was killed in a drunken attack in the city. Analysis by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) found various licensing reforms introduced since 2008 had reduced alcohol-related assaults. The lockout laws lowered assaults by 26 per cent in the CBD and 62 per cent in Kings Cross, becoming the most effective reforms in reducing violence, the bureau said in 2024. Advertisement While the laws were successful in curtailing drunken assaults, City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said they were also the policy equivalent of using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut. They devastated Sydneys nightlife, she said. Kings Cross, once the epicentre of Sydneys nightlife, is geared towards cafes after being devastated by the restrictions. A protest rally against Sydney's lockout laws. Peter Rae Moore argues evidence-based policy relying on transport, planning, licensing and police would have been more effective. University of Sydney criminology professor Murray Lee agrees, but acknowledges the pressure on the OFarrell government to undertake radical reform. Advertisement Related Article Night-time economy The people, the vibe, everything: How two Sydney suburbs plan to supercharge nightlife Scars Night Time Industries Association chief executive Michael Gibb agrees with Koh about the damage to the citys brand. The lockout and lockdown period severed the nexus between young people and the night-time economy, altering consumer behaviours. It decimated an entire generation of people going out and learning about club culture, says Dane Gorrel, the music director of Club 77, one of Sydneys last remaining dedicated club spaces. Gibb adds: Those that went through lockout laws, the offering just wasnt there for them. They couldnt go clubbing, so they inevitably turned to warehouse parties, or they turn to going to a mates place and hogging an auxiliary cord. Advertisement That cultural disconnect deepened during the pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis, which happened alongside the emergence of technologies such as Netflix, says Matt Levinson, who leads culture policy at Committee of Sydney, a think tank. Hip-pocket pressures combined with the impacts of multinational streaming services meant young people are now saving for a couple of music events a year rather than regularly seeing bands play live, says Joe Muller, chief executive of Music NSW, a peak body. There are nearly a thousand fewer licensed venues across Greater Sydney today than there were in June 2014, although suburbs such as Burwood and Bankstown have enjoyed a bounce since the end of the pandemic. Graham, who opposed lockout laws in his inaugural speech in 2015, has attempted to resuscitate Sydneys ailing night-time economy through a series of vibrancy reforms. Thriving venues can no longer be kneecapped by disgruntled neighbours, license fees have been reduced and trading hours extended for live music venues, while al fresco dining has been made easier. Advertisement I would love to stand in the city and hear music coming from different directions, Graham says of what he hopes Sydneys nightlife will be like in a decade. The upshot Levinson has a positive spin on the lockout laws. He does not believe the suite of policies introduced by the Labor government after being elected in 2023 would have been possible if those policies hadnt wiped the slate clean. Arts Minister John Graham has successfully pushed through successive reforms to revive Sydneys nightlife. Louie Douvis You would never ask for a crisis like the lockout laws, Levinson says. But the fact that they were brought in created the space where the kind of policy reform weve seen over the past decade was actually possible, with Sydneys nightlife bubbling up well beyond the inner city. Advertisement Todays after-dark options are considerably more diverse than the homogenous offering of beer barns or nightclubs in the CBD and Kings Cross in the early 2010s, Gibb says. Related Article City life Nightlife is booming in one part of Sydney but theres still a way to go Club 77 has experienced the shifting geography and demographics of the citys night-time economy. Once the club thrived on foot traffic between the CBD and Kings Cross. Now it has become a destination venue, says Gorrel. We are still trying to get the younger generation in. There is a significant decrease in the amount of people around on any given night, he says. Advertisement Sydney was becoming more like Tokyo, with several hives of nightlife activity, Levinson believes, highlighting small bars and restaurants along Enmore Road and diverse food options across Harris Park and Parramatta. Market research commissioned by the NTIA found there was remarkable participation across every demographic in the 13 nightlife precincts surveyed in the City of Sydney and Inner West LGAs, with 35- to 65-years-olds representing more than half of all visitation. Graham rattles off the thriving food scenes in Eastwood, Canley Vale and Burwood, along with breweries celebrating surf culture in Brookvales arts district, as examples of Sydneys diverse nightlife offering. Sydney is on its way to reaching its potential, he says. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. A staff member showcases a dress at a clothing store in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- As visitors step into the Jama Designing Center in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, they are greeted by the steady hum of sewing machines, each precise stitch tells a story -- not only of garments being made, but also of determination, skill, and teamwork -- linking local craftsmanship with international markets. At the heart of the workshop is Mohsena Saqib, a 45-year-old entrepreneur whose vision has transformed a small tailoring operation into a thriving enterprise. She set out to create a space where traditional Afghan craftsmanship could survive, adapt, and reach new markets, while also providing stable jobs for people with limited opportunities. "At the beginning, we were only six people, and now more than 50 people are directly employed," Saqib said. "In addition, more than 20 women collaborate with us from their homes in the hand-stitching section." A turning point came through cooperation beyond Afghanistan's borders. After obtaining her business visa, Saqib traveled to China, where she was able for the first time to select fabrics directly, negotiate prices, and establish relationships with suppliers who understand the demands of modern clothing design. The early years were challenging. As orders increased, access to suitable materials became a persistent obstacle, she said. Imported textiles were available in Kabul's markets, but they often lacked the quality and variety required for women's clothing. "Our focus on quality has allowed us to build strong relationships with Chinese traders and source a wide range of raw materials, including ribbons and metal accessories, for our designs," Saqib said. Creativity, delicacy, and effective technical management have come together in the workshop, helping attract more customers and allowing its designs to stand out from the rest. For many employees, this is their first experience with a steady income. Najmir, a tailor who supports a family of seven, said the workshop offers more than financial stability. "Here, we are treated with respect," he said. "That gives us the motivation to plan for the future." Inside the workshop, progress is measured not only by output but also by personal growth. Ahmad Naser, now the head tailor, oversees production and trains apprentices. Young women and men learn side by side, developing skills that can sustain them for years to come. "Trust between management and workers is what makes this place strong," he said. "We all work together as one team, and every step -- from pricing to design -- is discussed and coordinated collectively." As demand continues to rise, the workshop has entered a new phase of development. Orders arrive steadily, and the sewing machines maintain their familiar rhythm, though their meaning has evolved. The workshop's reputation now extends far beyond Afghanistan. Its products are sold both domestically and abroad, and Afghan-made clothing from the center is gaining renewed recognition among buyers. The center has more than 300,000 followers on Instagram, which is a huge number for a handmade clothing workshop. Blending and mixing the distinctive elements of traditional dress from different Afghan ethnic groups is the store's main hallmark. Stories of transformation and growth are common. Tamana joined the workshop at the age of 13, starting with basic sewing tasks. Today, at 18, she manages the online sales department, coordinating orders from both domestic and international customers. "I started working here at a young age, and the experience and skills I have gained show how satisfied I am with this work. This place has become like my second home," she said. Saqib believes Afghanistan holds significant untapped potential in the clothing industry, citing skilled labor, rich cultural traditions, and growing market demand. Saqib also sent her son to study Chinese at Foshan University in Guangdong Province in south China, preparing for expanding trade with China in the future. The women-led enterprise in Kabul is demonstrating how local craftsmanship supported by skills training is on its way to help revive an industry, connect cultures, and create sustainable livelihoods, one garment at a time. A staff member showcases garments at a clothing store in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Women work at an embroidery workshop in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) This photo taken on Jan. 14, 2026 shows handmade dresses in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) It was an electric performance from the pint-sized Australian, who at times looked like he was playing dodgeball rather than tennis as he dipped and dived his way around the court and towards victory. In front of a roaring crowd at KIA Arena, Sweeny downed veteran Gael Monfils 6-7 (7-3), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5, to win his first Australian Open and grand slam match. On Tuesday afternoon, against an opponent ranked 72 places higher than him and 23 centimetres taller than him, and with almost 15 years more experience, Sweeny proved anything is possible for an Australian at Melbourne Park. Ive been doing this since before I was even aware of myself. I was two years old when I started playing, so I cant even comprehend how much work Ive put in its been my whole life since I can remember, Sweeny, ranked 182 in the world, said. I feel like Im watching a show right now, it feels pretty unbelievable to be in this position. Gael Monfils and Dane Sweeny embrace after the Australians victory. Credit: Getty Images Sweenys acrobatics added to the theatrics of it all, which were already at the extreme as the French and Australian fans went head to head like their heroes on the court. The match was at risk of getting away from Sweeny after Monfils, who is ranked 110 but has been as high as six in his prime, took the first set in a narrow tiebreak. However, Monfils doesnt move like he used to, and the Frenchman was doubled over between points as he tried to catch his breath under the blaring Melbourne sun. Advertisement Analysis WorldEuropeTrump diplomacy In its fury at Trump, Europe can learn from China David Crowe January 21, 2026 6:59am Save 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 A A London: There is a fury beneath the careful reaction in Europe to Donald Trump over his demand for Greenland and it is hardening opinions about how to respond. For the Europeans, it does not seem that long since they sent their young men and women to help the Americans in Afghanistan and Iraq after the twin towers fell in New York. US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. AP More than 850 soldiers from European allies died in Afghanistan alone during the war against terrorism, as part of an operation backed by NATO. Now, under Trump as its president, the US is threatening its allies with economic pain in a brazen bid to seize Greenland, part of the Kingdom of Denmark, an American ally for eight decades. Advertisement Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a former prime minister of Denmark and former secretary-general of NATO, says he is in a state of angered disbelief at the threats after 52 Danes gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. We must draw an impassable line in the snow of Greenland, he writes in The Economist this week. Former Denmark prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen in 2012. Nick Moir In the aftermath of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Europe sought to ensure we could never again be blackmailed. Yet today, we find ourselves again contending with the hostility of autocratic power politics, as our closest ally makes clear that alliances forged by the fire of history mean nothing to it at all. On the surface, European leaders are trying to look calm. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says he wants to avoid a trade war in response to Trumps threat of 10 per cent tariffs next month, rising to 25 per cent in June. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is being firm, but not inflammatory. Advertisement French President Emmanuel Macron, however, is publicly pushing for drastic action: the use of the trade bazooka at the European Union to apply sweeping trade and investment sanctions on the US. Related Article Updated Trump diplomacy No new imperialism: Macron throws shade at Trump in rebuke over Greenland Rasmussen backs this approach. Mr Trump may think he holds all the cards, but Europe could inflict the biggest trade blow ever dealt to the American economy. Such a move would of course have repercussions for Europe, but as history tells us, polite appeasement can have far greater consequences. Appeasement. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also used the word on Tuesday. It is telling that Europeans are resorting to a term loaded with meaning from the war against Adolf Hitler. This leads to a more assertive European response. How assertive will it get? In this trade fight, Europe could learn from China. Advertisement Until now, Europe has naturally treated the US as a friend in talks to prevent high tariffs, while China responded like a competitor, if not an outright adversary. Chinese President Xi Jinping did not rush to hold a summit with Trump to stop the tariffs, but ordered a retaliation that raised the cost for the White House. China raised tariffs on soybeans, for instance, so that American farmers felt the pain. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in October. Getty Images Beijing also deployed some strategic leverage by threatening to withhold the critical minerals the US tech sector desperately needs. This is not an argument in favour of trade wars. No side will win from an escalation. With Trump, however, you get a trade war no matter what you do. Advertisement On any assessment, the softer European response to Trump has failed. The US president looks for strength and weakness in his opponents. He saw the Europeans rush to mollify him on tariffs, so he uses the same threats again. Related Article Analysis Trump diplomacy Trumps latest missive sends a chilling message but might not be as it seems The imminent test for the European leaders will be on the sidelines in Davos, where German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, von der Leyen and others are likely to meet Trump after he speaks to the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, Switzerland time. Will they greet him with hearty handshakes, or will their anger show? Trump seemed to take a softer line on Europe on Tuesday (early on Wednesday, AEDT) before flying to Davos. He suggested they could work something out so both sides would be happy. At Davos, however, the European leaders seemed to know they could not rely on his word and would have to put real muscle into their response. One challenge is that Europe lacks the strategic power of China. Its economy is smaller and it is reliant on the US for defence. It cannot threaten a ban on critical minerals. Most of all, it is a cacophony of democratic voices and not an autocracy. Advertisement Even so, it is an economic power in its own right. When measured by purchasing power parity, the EU makes up 14 per cent of the world economy, behind the US (at 15 per cent) and China (at 20 per cent), according to the International Monetary Fund. (The US looks bigger when measured in its own currency, of course). The bazooka proposed by Macron goes beyond tariffs. It also covers intellectual property rights, access to financial markets and limits on foreign investment many of the key factors for global US companies. And, of course, the EU buys $US3.6 billion ($5.4 billion) worth of US soybeans each year. Europe may crumble under the pressure from Trump. The UK has different interests to the EU, especially on defence, and unity is often elusive within the EU. Almost every major European leader is unpopular right now: Starmer, Macron and Merz are all down in the polls. French President Emmanuel Macron, Germanys Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Getty Images There is also a tendency in the media to blame these leaders for what Trump is doing. This is especially so in Britain, where much of the press has turned on Starmer over his poor political judgement. In truth, any leader would struggle to keep their footing in the Trump tornado. Advertisement Trump is rewriting the terms of the transatlantic alliance in a dangerous way, at frenetic speed. All nations can change their strategic policies, but Trump is doing it abruptly and chaotically, barely one year after the previous US president assured Europeans about the strength of their alliance. And he is doing it when NATO members have a war with Putin on their eastern flank. It is no surprise that Europeans see that as a betrayal even bastardry. The anger is real, and Rasmussen gives voice to it by calling for a strong retaliation against Trump on trade. Mr Trump, like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, believes in power and power only, he writes. Europe must prepare to play by those same rules. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Advertisement Updated WorldMiddle EastIran Hackers breach Iran state TV to broadcast message from exiled prince Jon Gambrell Updated January 20, 2026 12:45pm ,first published 11:40am Save 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 A A Dubai: Hackers disrupted Iranian state television satellite transmissions to air footage supporting the countrys exiled crown prince and calling on security forces not to point your weapons at the people, online video showed, the latest disruption to follow nationwide protests in the country. The hacking came as the death toll in a crackdown by authorities to smother the demonstrations passed 4000, activists said. They fear the number will grow far higher as information leaks out of a country still gripped by the governments decision to shut down the internet. Loading Meanwhile, tensions remain high between the US and Iran over the crackdown after President Donald Trump drew two red lines for the Islamic Republic the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions after the demonstrations. A US aircraft carrier, which was in the South China Sea days earlier, was on a route that could bring it to the Middle East. The footage aired on Sunday night, Iran time, across multiple channels broadcast by satellite from Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the countrys state broadcaster. Advertisement The video showed two clips of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, then included footage of security forces and others in what appeared to be Iranian police uniforms. It claimed without offering evidence that others had laid down their weapons and swore an oath of allegiance to the people. This is a message to the army and security forces, one graphic read. Dont point your weapons at the people. Join the nation for the freedom of Iran. Irans exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi appeared in the footage broadcast on state TV. Internet The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to the countrys paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, quoted a statement from the state broadcaster acknowledging that the signal in some areas of the country was momentarily disrupted by an unknown source. It did not discuss the contents of what was aired. A statement from Pahlavis office acknowledged the disruption that showed the crown prince. It did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about the hack. Pahlavis level of support inside Iran remains an open question, though there have been pro-shah cries at the demonstrations and at night since the crackdown. Advertisement Related Article Middle East tensions As Iranians risk their lives to protest, an exiled prince emerges as a leader The hack isnt the first to disrupt Iranian airwaves. In 1986, The Washington Post reported that the CIA supplied the princes allies a miniaturised television transmitter for an 11-minute clandestine broadcast to Iran by Pahlavi that pirated the signal of two stations in the Islamic Republic. In 2022, multiple channels aired footage showing leaders from the exiled opposition group Mujahideen-e-Khalq and a graphic calling for the death of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As tensions remain high between Tehran and Washington, ship-tracking data analysed by the AP this week showed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and other American military vessels in the Strait of Malacca after passing Singapore a journey that could take them to the Middle East. The Lincoln had been in the South China Sea with its strike group as a deterrent to China over tensions with Taiwan. Tracking data showed that the USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., the USS Michael Murphy and the USS Spruance all Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers were travelling with the Lincoln. Advertisement Multiple US media reports quoting anonymous officials have said that the Lincoln, which has its home port in San Diego, was on its way to the Middle East. It likely would still need several days of travel before its aircraft would be in range of the region. The Mideast has been without an aircraft carrier group or an amphibious ready group, likely complicating any discussion of a military operation targeting Iran, given Gulf Arab states broad opposition to such an attack. The USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea in 2019. AP Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum withdrew its invitation for Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to speak at Davos. Advertisement Although he was invited last fall, the tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year, the forum said. Related Article Middle East tensions Trump was poised to hit button on the Iran strikes. Then came the reality check Irans ambassador to Switzerland, Mahmoud Barimani, called the decision an unreasonable act which was no doubt under the pressure and influence of anti-Iranian currents and radical American-Zionists. The Munich Security Conference separately withdrew invitations for Iranian government officials over the crackdown. The death toll from the crackdown on the protests exceeds that of any other round of unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution. Advertisement The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency put the death toll on Tuesday to at least 4029, warning it likely would go higher. It said of the dead, 3786 were demonstrators, 180 were security forces, 28 were children and 35 were people not demonstrating. Related Article Middle East tensions If the world cares, they will act: Shahs son appeals for Iran strikes as protests fade The agency has been accurate throughout the years of demonstrations and unrest in Iran, relying on a network of activists inside the country that confirms all reported fatalities. AP was unable to independently confirm the toll. Iranian officials have not given a clear death toll, although on Saturday, Khamenei said the protests had left several thousand people dead and blamed the US for the deaths. It was the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties from the wave of protests that began on December 28 over Irans ailing economy. The agency also reported that more than 25,700 people had been arrested. Comments from officials have led to fears of some of those detained being put to death in Iran, one of the worlds top executioners. Advertisement While the killers and seditious terrorists will be punished, Islamic mercy and leniency will be applied to those who were deceived and did not have (effective) roles in the terrorist event, a statement on Monday from Irans president, its judiciary chief and parliament speaker said. AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Advertisement WorldMiddle EastIran She fled Iran after being arrested at 17. Now her single act of defiance has gone around the world Laurie Kellman Updated January 21, 2026 2:07pm ,first published January 20, 2026 7:30pm Save 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 A A London: With one puff of a cigarette, a woman became a global symbol of defiance against Irans bloody crackdown on dissent and the world saw the flame. A video that has gone viral shows the woman who described herself as an Iranian refugee snapping open a lighter and setting the flame to a photo she holds. It ignites, illuminating the visage of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans highest cleric. Then the woman dips a cigarette into the glow, takes a quick drag and lets what remains of the image fall to the pavement. Whether staged or a spontaneous act of defiance and theres plenty of debate the video became one of the defining images of the Iranian protests against the Islamic Republics ailing economy, as US President Donald Trump considered military action in the country again. Advertisement The gesture jumped from the virtual world to the real one, with opponents of the regime lighting cigarettes on photos of the ayatollah from Israel to Germany, and Switzerland to the United States. In the 34 seconds of footage, many across platforms like X, Instagram and Reddit saw one person defy a series of the theocracys laws and norms in a riveting act of autonomy. She wears no hijab, three years after the Women, Life, Freedom protests against the regimes required headscarves. A protester smokes a cigarette after lighting it off a burning picture of Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a demonstration in Berlin last Wednesday. AP She burns an image of Irans supreme leader, a crime in the Islamic republic punishable by death. Her curly hair cascades yet another transgression in the Iranian governments eyes. She lights a cigarette from the flame a gesture considered immodest in Iran. And in those few seconds, circulated and amplified a million times over, she steps into history. Advertisement A battle for narrative control Related Article Middle East tensions As Iranians risk their lives to protest, an exiled prince emerges as a leader In 2026, social media is a central battleground for narrative control over conflicts. Protesters in Iran say the unrest is a demonstration against the regimes strictures and lack of competence. Iran has long cast it as a plot by outsiders such as the US and Israel to destabilise the Islamic Republic. And both sides are racing to tell the story of it that will endure. Iranian state media announces wave after wave of arrests by authorities, targeting those it calls terrorists and also apparently looking for Starlink satellite internet dishes, the only way to get videos and images out to the internet. Advertisement The regimes bloody crackdown has somewhat smothered the dissent after activists said it had killed more than 4000 people. That figure dwarfs the death toll from any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the mayhem of the countrys 1979 Islamic Revolution. Social media has bloomed with photos of people lighting cigarettes from photos of Irans leader. Smoke em if you got em. #Iran, posted Republican US senator Tim Sheehy. View post on X Is it real? In the age of AI, misinformation and disinformation, theres abundant reason to question emotionally and politically charged images. So when the cigarette girl appeared online this month, plenty of users did just that. Advertisement It wasnt immediately clear, for example, whether she was lighting up inside Iran or somewhere with free-speech protections as a sign of solidarity. Some spotted a background that seemed to be in Canada. She confirmed that in interviews. A man in Zurich, Switzerland, gets in on the act. AP But did her collar line up correctly? Was the flame realistic? Would a real woman let her hair get so close to the fire? Many wondered: Is the cigarette girl an example of psyops? That, too, is unclear. Thats a feature of warfare and statecraft as old as human conflict, in which an image or sound is deliberately disseminated by someone with a stake in the outcome. From the allies fake radio broadcasts during World War II to the Cold Wars nuclear missile parades, history is rich with examples. The US Army doesnt even hide it. The 4th Psychological Operations Group out of Fort Bragg in North Carolina released a recruitment video last year called Ghost in the Machine 2 thats peppered with references to PSYWAR. And the Gaza war has featured a ferocious battle of optics: Hamas forced Israeli hostages to publicly smile and pose before being released, and Israel broadcast their jubilant reunions with family and friends. Advertisement Whatever the answer, the symbolism of the Iranian womans act was powerful enough to rocket around the world on social media and inspire people at real-life protests to copy it. A protester in Yalova, Turkey, was snapped mimicking the act on Friday. AP The woman behind the imagery The woman did not respond to efforts by the Associated Press to confirm her identity. But she has spoken to other outlets, and AP confirmed the authenticity of those interviews. On X, she calls herself a radical feminist and uses the screen name Morticia Addams after the exuberantly creepy matriarch of The Addams Family sheerly out of her interest in spooky things, the woman said in an interview with the nonprofit outlet The Objective. Advertisement She doesnt allow her real name to be published, for safety reasons after what she describes as a harrowing journey from being a dissident in Iran where she says she was arrested and abused to safety in Turkey. There, she told The Objective, she obtained a student visa for Canada. Demonstrators in Holon, Israel, at a rally in support of Irans anti-government protests. AP Now, in her mid-20s, she said she has refugee status and lives in Toronto. It was there, on January 7, that she filmed what has become known as the cigarette girl video a day before the Iranian regime imposed a near-total internet blackout. I just wanted to tell my friends that my heart, my soul was with them, she said in an interview on CNN-News18, a network affiliate in India. In the interviews, the woman said she was arrested for the first time at 17 during the bloody November protests of 2019, demonstrations that erupted after Trump pulled the US out of the nuclear deal that Iran had struck with world powers that imposed crushing sanctions. Advertisement Related Article Middle East tensions If the world cares, they will act: Shahs son appeals for Iran strikes as protests fade I was strongly opposed to the Islamic regime, she told The Objective. Security forces arrested me with Tasers and batons. I spent a night in a detention centre without my family knowing where I was or what had happened to me. Her family eventually secured her release by offering a pay slip for bail. I was under surveillance from that moment on, she said. In 2022, during the protests after the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, she said, she participated in a YouTube program opposing the mandatory hijab and began receiving calls from blocked numbers threatening her. In 2024, after Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash, she shared her story about it and was arrested in her home in Isfahan. The woman said she was questioned and subjected to severe humiliation and physical abuse. Advertisement Then without explanation, she was released on a high bail. She fled to Turkey and began her journey to Canada and, eventually, global notoriety. All my family members are still in Iran, and I havent heard from them in a few days, she said in the interview, published last week. Im truly worried that the Islamic regime might attack them. AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Iran Donald Trump Trump diplomacy USA Advertisement Exclusive WorldNorth AmericaForeign relations Absolutely central: Why Australia is in Trumps good books, according to Bannon Michael Koziol January 21, 2026 5:00am Save 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 A A Washington: Australias reputation among US conservatives went from beloved to shot during the COVID pandemic, MAGA stalwart Steve Bannon says, but the relationship has been resuscitated under Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese. Bannon said Australias geostrategic importance in the Indo-Pacific was well understood within the Trump administration, which was recognised when the US president firmly recommitted to the AUKUS submarine agreement in October. Donald Trump greets Anthony Albanese at the White House in October. Bloomberg I think you see President Trump and his team drawing closer to Australia, Bannon told this masthead in an interview marking one year since Trumps return to the White House. Australia is the linchpin for the Indo-Pacific. So I think the prime minister there [Albanese] although not my cup of tea politically Australia is as close with President Trump as I think its been in a long time. Advertisement Bannon was fully supportive of AUKUS, under which Australia will buy at least three nuclear-powered attack submarines from the United States in the 2030s, and said he had no doubt the vessels would materialise, despite doubts about American shipbuilding capacity. I dont think the deal would have been agreed to if they werent going to be delivered, he said. Quite frankly, they need to be delivered to Australia [because] Australia is absolutely strategically central to what happens in East Asia and the Indo-Pacific. Donald Trump listens to Anthony Albanese during their meeting in October. AP I just hope that we can work for closer relationships, and hopefully, you get a more MAGA-type government, so there can really be an even closer bond. Bannon was Trumps chief strategist during his first term, and went to prison rather than testify about the January 6, 2021 riots. He was not given a White House job this time, but retains significant influence in the MAGA universe through his War Room podcast. Advertisement Advertisement We used it as an example: if we dont get our shit together here, if we dont get Trump back, if we dont win the midterm elections, if we dont turn this around, politically were going to end up like Australia. But people in your country should understand you went from beloved to kind of shot. Australias strict pandemic rules, particularly closed borders, helped keep cases and deaths extremely low until the Delta outbreak in 2021, shortly before the mass vaccine rollout. Bannons remarks about Australias coronavirus restrictions reflect a widespread view among US conservatives that is frequently articulated to this masthead at political events. Advertisement Another view on Australia held by some China hawks in Washington is that Canberra can be inconsistent on China and reluctant to call out Beijing explicitly, particularly under Labor governments. But Bannon, who counts himself as one of the most anti-Chinese Communist Party figures on the right, was less concerned, and compared Albaneses approach to that of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who struck a trade deal in Beijing last week as he heralded a new world order. Canadas Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday. AP Carney went and kowtowed. You guys have not kowtowed, Bannon said. Yes, there are some issues, but the submarine deal shows that there is a strong partnership between the UK and Australia and the US. He said that although Trump was not as hard core on China as he would like, the president was using oil and energy to squeeze Beijing, including by seizing control of Venezuelas oil supplies and threatening 25 per cent tariffs on any countries doing business with Iran, which includes China. Advertisement Bannon said Trump feared that severe disruption to trade between the US and China the worlds largest economies might lead to a global recession or depression, and he doesnt want to chance that. Related Article Trump's White House Trump 2.0 is all about power. His biggest move may be just days away But he argued Trump could easily cut off Chinas oil supplies from the Gulf if it wanted to as then-CENTCOM commander General Michael Kurilla told US Congress in 2023 and strictly limit the sale of US-made chips. He would put the CCP in the exact same position Japan was in the summer of 1941. I think President Trump realises, as a student of history, he might not want to do that, Bannon said. The Steve Bannons of the world would love to do that. I think that would lead to breaking them. Thats also why I think Australia is so critical to this conversation. Geo-strategically, you guys even as much as India are really the linchpin of the anti-CCP coalition. You have to have Australia, you have to have a robust Australia. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Advertisement WorldNorth AmericaTrump's America Opinion Trump created a goon squad in his image. Its replacing law with a state of panic Cory Alpert Former White House staffer January 20, 2026 3:00pm January 20, 2026 3:00pm Save 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 A A In what felt like a single moment, the world became witness to the shooting of Renee Good. In the depths of a Minnesota winter, she parked her car to observe ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents, her right as a US citizen. Multiple videos of the incident show a verbal altercation no worse than youd see outside any bar on a weekend night, something wed expect a trained officer to brush off. Instead, despite facing no risk from a car moving at a crawl, a masked officer fired three shots. Good was killed just eight blocks from where George Floyd was asphyxiated by a police officer 5 years ago. In the six minutes after the shooting, ICE agents prevented first responders from providing aid that could have saved the 37-year-old mothers life. They drove their cars away, obscuring evidence. Instead of following protocol that required officers involved in a shooting to separate, they huddled together to, seemingly, co-ordinate their stories before facing scrutiny. Heavily armed federal law enforcement agents during an immigration raid in south Minneapolis earlier this week. Bloomberg Trumps political identity is tied, as much as anything else, to a browbeaten fear of immigrants. ICE has become the muscle in a massive overcorrection from the lax immigration enforcement of the Biden era that has targeted migrant communities regardless of their legal status. We have seen a pattern emerge over the past year, in which Trump sends in ICE to conduct raids, which terrifies communities, provoking protests that Trump then uses as a prelude for further crackdowns. We saw this in Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles all led by Democratic mayors and governors. In these raids, which began on the day Trump took office, we see masked agents deployed to the streets of American cities to round up anyone who might be a migrant and ship them off to harrowing prisons in Florida and El Salvador. Advertisement To add insult to that injury, Trump acolytes like Kristi Noem, the secretary of Homeland Security, pose for photos in front of prisoners like its the cover of Vogue. They have deported legal US residents to countries where they knew lives would be at risk. When they get stopped by the courts, they re-assess and send their prisoners somewhere else, hoping the world will forget and move on. There is of course value in enforcing immigration laws, but what Trump has done goes far beyond any reasonable process, making a farce of a country whose motto on the door reads, give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. ICE now has a budget on par with that of the entire Australian Defence Forces. As Joe Biden once said, dont tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and Ill tell you what you value. National Guard members gather near a large portrait of President Donald Trump on the Labor Department headquarters in Washington, in January. AP In autocratic regimes, security forces become instruments of the leaders political project. To defy them is not mere civil disobedience but an attack on the state itself. The rule of law is replaced by an obsessive and relentless focus on an enemy identity whatever best serves the leader. For Rodrigo Duterte, it was anyone who had a passing association with drug traffickers, emboldening Philippine police and people linked to police to kill thousands. For Vladimir Putin or the ailing Ayatollah, its anyone associated with the powers of the West. Advertisement Australia had its own brush in the Joh Bjelke-Petersen days in Queensland, where anyone vaguely linked to a trade union or opposition politics found themselves on the wrong end of a Queensland Police Service that had been turned into Bjelke-Petersens goon squad. An LAPD officer pushes an elderly man during No Kings Day protests in June that followed ICE raids. Getty Images Related Article Exclusive Trump's White House He is running in 2028: MAGA loyalist Steve Bannon on Trumps long-term agenda Whatever rules the members of ICE break no longer matter because to oppose them means to oppose Trumps moral code. In the aftermath of the Good shooting, JD Vance and other administration mouthpieces were willing to lie about what they saw. Vance said the agent was justified in shooting her, as she tried to run somebody over with her car, a claim not supported by the video. Trump wants his voters to believe the world is chaotic and dangerous, presenting a mortal threat to their society, to justify handing him increased power to punish enemies. Is it any wonder that a member of Trumps goon squad has shot dead a woman who clearly posed no threat? These officers are responsible not to the people they are sworn to serve but to the president whose agenda is worthy of that violence. Advertisement It is striking that many of the ICE agents and the MAGA crowd who cheer them on have emerged from the ranks of COVID libertarians. Masks and vaccine mandates were the hallmarks of dictatorial ambition. Now, these same libertarians say that Renee Good is to blame for her own death, that if she had just complied, she wouldnt have been hurt. The point was never about the power of the government. They do not oppose authority per se. Rules meant to protect the vulnerable felt like oppression while rules that target a group theyve been encouraged to fear feels like safety. Aliya Rahman is detained by federal agents near the scene where Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer. AP As a result, people across America are terrified of their neighbours. This is one of Trumps goals, to make so many interactions in society so political everything from rants about paper straws to lies about migrants eating pets that every conversation must revolve around him, a political leviathan chasing down our every moment. But every regime will eventually end. Advertisement After two decades of near-total political power, Joh Bjelke-Petersen absconded to political nothingness, leaving behind a police service that had lost the trust of the people. The police and citizens learned that loyalty mattered far more than the law, damage that far outlasted one man. Cory Alpert is a PhD researcher at the University of Melbourne looking at the impact of AI on democracy. He previously served the Biden-Harris Administration for three years. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here. Advertisement Analysis WorldNorth AmericaTrump diplomacy Trumps latest missive sends a chilling message but might not be as it seems Michael Koziol January 20, 2026 11:56am Save 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 A A Donald Trumps latest missive that he no longer feels the need to exclusively pursue peace because he did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize sends a chilling message to the world that the US president is off the leash. The US presidents message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre was about the US acquiring Greenland, but it also says something about his broader disposition towards Europe and the NATO alliance. As we know, with Trump, there is no such thing as history or principle; there is only transaction and leverage. In a text to Norways prime minister, US President Donald Trump said the Nobel Peace Prize snub was a factor in his thinking about gaining control of Greenland. Illustration: Marija Ercegovac It ought to make for a compelling few days in Switzerland, where the worlds political and business elite will gather this week for the World Economic Forum. Trump is coming to Davos to meet with a lot of European leaders at a time when he is threatening to rip up the transatlantic alliance and to engage in undermining the territorial integrity of one of its closest, albeit small, allies, Eurasia Group president Ian Bremmer said. If thats the way this ends up, its the end of NATO. Advertisement Back in the United States, there is, as ever, a soft drumbeat of expectation that now will be the time Trumps Republican colleagues will have to intervene. The Norway letter should be the last straw, wrote Pulitzer prize-winning historian Anne Applebaum in The Atlantic. Related Article Updated Trump diplomacy Trump links Greenland demand to Nobel Peace Prize snub in leaked message Democratic Senator Patty Murray said on X: These are not the words of a President who thinks rationally. Our allies are forced to take this seriously It is WAY past time for this Republican Congress to intervene. The kind of bold intervention sought by Trumps opponents and Washingtons shell-shocked foreign policy establishment is not going to happen. But it remains entirely possible that Trump will backtrack once Europe is compelled again to bend to his will. At this stage, his moves have all the hallmarks of Trumpian posturing: a two-week deadline before new tariffs, the sabre-rattling before a big international meeting, an incendiary text message to jolt everyone into action. Advertisement Speaker Mike Johnson, who oversees Trumps slim House of Representatives majority, tried to calm the waters when he appeared on the BBC. I dont foresee military intervention in Greenland. I think diplomatic channels is the way to go, he said. He added that perhaps the point of Trumps threats was to get European friends and allies to recognise anew Greenlands geostrategic importance. Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. AP Daniel Fried, a former US ambassador to Poland and a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank, says Johnsons comments were potentially instructive. If Mike Johnson is articulating it in his way, it suggests that that represents an overwhelming majority of the House Republicans, Fried says. Which means it is possible that Congress will act. They would prefer to do so quietly. Advertisement That may involve Johnson telling Trump that there is overwhelming support for bills to block US aggression against Greenland, and that he wont be able to stop it. The question is: are Trumps worst statements and his temper tantrums the final word, or are they an attempt to bully everybody? Fried asks. Im sure he would love to conquer Greenland, but he is sensitive or has shown himself to be sensitive to obstacles. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre and Trump in October. AP Its incumbent on Europe to throw up those obstacles, but also to respond to the valid points Trump is making about Arctic security and repelling threats from Russia and China. Granted, its difficult to stomach at the same time Trump is inviting Vladimir Putin to his so-called Board of Peace. Trumps latest complaint about the Nobel Prize is part of the same set of grievances this administration has expressed about Europe since day one; essentially, that the US has been doing all the heavy lifting on global security, with little credit or reward. Advertisement Related Article Analysis Trump's White House Of all the jaw-dropping spectacles at the White House, this was one of the most bizarre Joshua Shifrinson, a foreign policy expert at the University of Maryland, says Europes dependency on the US for its security gives Trump great leeway and limits Europes options in responding to his antics. If they dont cajole Trump, he can accelerate the USs long-term pivot away from Europe, which would leave NATO allies vulnerable. On the other hand, if they begin distancing themselves, Trump might take that as a signal that Americas services are no longer needed for the continent. Theyre in a real pickle ... theyre caught between two unpalatable grand strategic options, Shifrinson, who is also a non-resident fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute, says. Advertisement Related Article Analysis Trump diplomacy Europe will not be blackmailed: Sweeping retaliation on the cards after Trumps Greenland threats He says Europes best bet is to extend an olive branch to Washington while quietly preparing to become more independent, and potentially making noise about co-operation with China to fire a shot across the American bow. Fried also says Europe needs a better response. You might want to strengthen your hand, support Greenland, send troops there, as well as offer Trump something. You cant just offer, you have to prepare to push back. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Sandy Ground, Saint-Martin:--- A wave of unrest swept through the Sandy Ground neighborhood on Sunday night, following the arrest of a young man suspected of involvement in a series of armed robberies in the Sandy Ground and Baie Nettle areas. The arrest, which took place shortly after 8 PM, sparked outrage among residents and youth, who claimed the suspect was subjected to police violence during the operation. The gendarmerie, however, has firmly denied these allegations. The situation quickly escalated as anger and frustration boiled over. Throughout the night and into the early hours of Monday morning, garbage bins and cars were set ablaze, creating scenes of chaos and disruption. Roads were blocked with debris, paralyzing traffic and leaving the community in turmoil. In response to the unrest, Prefect Cyrille Le Vely and President of the Collectivity Louis Mussington visited Sandy Ground on Monday to address residents' concerns and restore calm. Accompanied by the Colonel of the Gendarmerie, the Prosecutor, and representatives of the Territorial Police, the officials held a series of meetings with local leaders, including members of the district council, to discuss the situation. During these discussions, Prefect Le Vely emphasized the importance of distinguishing between individual actions and those of the broader community. "It is not enough for something to happen in Sandy Ground for the responsibility to be automatically attributed to Sandy Ground," he stated, urging against the stigmatization of the neighborhood. The meetings also addressed the recent spike in criminal activity, including gunfights and armed robberies, which had prompted the gendarmerie to implement heightened security measures in the area. These measures included increased patrols and checkpoints to prevent further incidents. However, tensions reached a breaking point on Sunday night, following the arrest of the young man. While some residents alleged that the suspect was mistreated by the gendarmes, Prefect Le Vely assured the community that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine the facts. "The prosecutor understood the need to conduct an investigation very quickly," he said, adding that the investigation would include a review of footage from the body cameras worn by the gendarmes during the operation. Despite local officials' efforts to engage with the community and provide assurances, their visit did little to quell the unrest. Residents remained skeptical, demanding accountability and transparency in the investigation. The debris and roadblocks set up during the night continued to disrupt daily life, preventing residents from returning to their routines. Prefect Le Vely and President Mussington expressed their hope that the investigation and ongoing dialogue would help to rebuild trust and restore order in Sandy Ground. "We came to announce that there would be an investigation, and this investigation, of course, will take a little time," Prefect Le Vely stated. He also called for patience and cooperation from the community, emphasizing the need to allow the investigation to proceed without interference. As the situation unfolds, the focus remains on restoring calm and ensuring that the voices of Sandy Ground residents are heard. Local leaders and law enforcement officials face the challenge of addressing the underlying issues that have fueled tensions in the neighborhood, while working to prevent further violence and disruption. For now, the community waits for answers and a path forward. TOKYO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks ended lower on Tuesday, pressured by concerns about the global economy following punitive tariff threats from the U.S. government over Greenland. The benchmark Nikkei stock index, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average, ended down 592.47 points, or 1.11 percent, from Monday at 52,991.10. The broader Topix index, meanwhile, finished 30.80 points, or 0.84 percent, lower at 3,625.60. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond briefly rose to 2.350 percent, its highest level since February 1999, as the debt was sold on growing expectations that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government will further increase spending and issue more debt. On the stock market, shares related to semiconductors, artificial intelligence and electrical appliances, which are seen as vulnerable to economic conditions, were sold on concerns about deteriorating relations between the United States and Europe after U.S. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on goods from eight European countries over Greenland, analysts said. Military aircraft to arrive in Greenland for 'long-planned' activities: US-Canadian command Washington, United States, Jan 19 (AFP) Jan 19, 2026 North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at a US military base in Greenland for "long-planned" activities, the organization said Monday. The announcement from NORAD, a joint US-Canada military organization for aerospace monitoring and defense, came amid rising tensions over President Donald Trump's demand for US control of the autonomous Danish territory. The statement did not describe the nature of the planned activities at Pituffik Space Base, which it said were aimed at "defense cooperation." It said that the activities had been coordinated with Denmark and that Greenland had been informed. NORAD said that the arriving aircraft will operate alongside those from bases in the continental United States and Canada. "They will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defense cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark," NORAD said. The statement added that NORAD "routinely conducts sustained, dispersed operations in the defense of North America." Trump has stoked anxiety among US transatlantic allies with threats to take over Greenland "one way or the other." Over the weekend, the US president threatened to wield new tariffs against countries which oppose his plans for the Arctic island, after several European nations sent small military delegations there for an exercise, to which the United States was also invited. Denmark has proposed that NATO start surveillance operations in Greenland to confront security concerns. French navy seizes almost 5 tonnes of cocaine from ship in Pacific Papeete, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 France's navy has seized 4.87 tonnes of cocaine, believed to be bound for Australia, from a fishing vessel in the South Pacific, French officials said. The vessel, coming from Central America, was intercepted on January 16, France's High Commission in French Polynesia said in a statement Monday, adding their armed forces mobilised "significant human and material resources" for the operation. The cocaine was being transported on a ship sailing under Togo's flag and destined for the Australian market, according to a source close to the investigation. The 10 Honduran and one Ecuadoran crew would not be prosecuted by French authorities, according to the source, but their home countries had the option of launching legal proceedings against them. The United Nations has said in recent years that organised crime groups trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine have expanded their presence in the Pacific. Large amounts of drugs are transported from North and South America for Australian and New Zealand markets, according to the UN. Russia says US has not released crew from detained tanker Moscow, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 Russia said Tuesday the United States has not released two Russian crew members of a tanker seized in the North Atlantic despite promising to do so. The United States took over the Russian-flagged Marinera earlier this month, alleging it was part of a shadow fleet of tankers carrying oil to countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran in violation of US sanctions. "We were assured that a decision has been made at the highest level to secure their release," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference. "Unfortunately, the following days showed that this decision is not being implemented. We expect our American colleagues to fulfil their promises that were made to us," he added. The United States said publicly that the Marinera's crew could be prosecuted -- which Russia said was "categorically unacceptable." The United States seized the tanker, which was being escorted by the Russian navy, after chasing it from near the Venezuelan coast. It was re-flagged and re-named to bring it under Russian jurisdiction in a bid to discourage the United States from trying to take it as part of its campaign against Venezuela. Moscow had accused Washington of stoking tensions and threatening international shipping, casting the seizure as illegal. Almost half of Kyiv without heat, power, after Russian attack Kyiv, Ukraine, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 An overnight Russian bombardment left thousands of residential buildings in Kyiv without heating and water in -14C temperatures on Tuesday, when the Ukrainian capital was already scrambling to restore vital utilities destroyed in earlier attacks. The barrage of hundreds of drones and missiles, which targeted energy facilities across Ukraine, killed at least one 50-year-old man near Kyiv. AFP journalists in the capital heard air raid sirens and explosions as Ukrainian air defence systems responded to the drones and missiles. Sheltering in a metro station in the centre of Kyiv, Marina Sergienko, a 51-year-old accountant, said she thought the repeated Russian strikes, which have left millions in the cold and dark over recent weeks, had a clear purpose. "To wear down the people, push things to some critical point so there's no strength left, to break our resistance," she told AFP, taking cover alongside dozens of other Kyiv residents bundled in hats and coats. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying: "War criminal Putin continues to wage a genocidal war against women, children and elderly." He said Russian forces had targeted energy infrastructure overnight in at least seven regions, and urged Ukraine's allies to bolster its air defence systems. "Support for the Ukrainian people is urgent. There will be no peace in Europe without a lasting peace for Ukraine," he said on social media. Zelensky suggested he would skip the ongoing World Economic Forum in Switzerland to deal with the aftermath of the strike. But he kept open the possibility of going to the gathering of world leaders in the Swiss resort of Davos if agreements with the United States on possible post-war economic and security support were ready to be signed. - Nationwide bombardment - Russia fired some 339 long-range combat drones and 34 missiles in the overnight barrage, Kyiv's air force said. Zelensky, who had recently complained of slow arms deliveries, said Ukraine had received a shipment of ammunition for air defences systems just one day before the attack. The bombardment came around 10 days after the most significant Russian strike on Kyiv's energy grid since its invasion almost four years ago. That strike, at dawn on January 9, left half the capital without heating and many residents without electricity for days in sub-zero temperatures. Most of the buildings cut off on Tuesday were those affected on January 9. Schools have been closed until February and street lights dimmed in a bid to preserve energy resources. "After this attack, 5,635 residential buildings are without heating," Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram -- about half the capital's apartment blocks. Much of Kyiv was also without running water, he added. "Almost half of Kyiv is in blackout right now," Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa confirmed. - 'Critical infrastructure' - Authorities in the western region of Rivne said a separate attack there had damaged "critical infrastructure", leaving 10,000 households without power. The head of the southern Odesa region added that Russian drone had crashed into a residential building and energy facilities had been hit. And in the eastern Poltava region, local authorities said an attack had sparked fire at an industrial facility. Russia has been pounding Ukraine's energy system since the start of its invasion, in what Kyiv says is an attempt to sap morale and weaken Ukrainians' resistance. The Kremlin says it only targets Ukrainian military facilities and has blamed the continuation of the war on Kyiv for refusing to accept its peace demands. The Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday it had carried out strikes on facilities that support Ukraine's military. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for two top Russian military officials over the attacks on Ukraine's energy grid. The court said it constituted a war crime as it was designed to harm Ukrainian civilians. Due to war-time sensitivities, Kyiv does not say which energy facilities have been damaged or destroyed in Russian attacks. 'World order' at stake from Trump's Greenland threat: ex-NATO chief to AFP Brussels, Belgium, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 NATO is facing the biggest crisis in its history over Donald Trump's Greenland threats, and the time for "flattering" the US leader is over, former alliance chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen told AFP Tuesday. "It's not only a crisis for NATO, it's a crisis for the transatlantic community at large," Rasmussen said in an interview from the World Economic Forum in Davos. "It is the future of NATO and the future of the world order that are at stake." Time to stop 'flattering' Trump: ex-NATO chief on Greenland crisis Brussels, Belgium, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 NATO is facing the biggest crisis in its history over Donald Trump's Greenland threats, and the time for "flattering" the US leader is over, former alliance chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen told AFP Tuesday. "It's not only a crisis for NATO, it's a crisis for the transatlantic community at large, and a challenge to the world order as we have known it since World War Two," he said in an interview from the World Economic Forum in Davos. "It is the future of NATO and the future of the world order that are at stake." Rasmussen, a former Danish prime minister who led NATO from 2009 to 2014, urged the alliance's current head, Mark Rutte, and other European leaders to start taking a tougher line with the US president after he threatened tariffs. "We have to change strategy and conclude that the only thing that Trump respects is force, strength and unity," Rasmussen said. "That's exactly what Europe should demonstrate. The time for flattering is over. Enough is enough." Rasmussen's comments came as European leaders -- including Rutte -- brace for meetings with Trump in Davos to try to talk him down. Rasmussen insisted the current crisis swirling around NATO could still be "fixed" and the alliance could emerge stronger in the Arctic region. But, he said, Trump's actions had already created a "mental break" between Washington and its long-time European allies which benefited Russia and China. "This is a new situation that differs from all other disputes we have seen in the history of NATO," he said. "If Trump would attack Greenland and take military action against Greenland, that would de facto mean the end of NATO." - Distracting from Ukraine - Rasmussen, 72, said that the Greenland issue had become a "weapon of mass distraction" for Trump that was drawing attention away from Russia's war in Ukraine. "Everybody's now speaking about Greenland, which is not a real threat to North Atlantic security," he said. "Russia's attack against Ukraine is the real threat, and attention should not be distracted from this real threat." The former Danish premier, who led his country from 2001 to 2009, said that there needed to be a "constructive dialogue" now with the United States on Greenland. He said Copenhagen and Washington could update their 1951 agreement governing troop deployments in Greenland, open the territory to US firms for mineral extraction and agree to keep Russia and China out. But there could be no compromise on the fundamental question of ceding territory to Trump. "We can accommodate all his wishes, except one," Rasmussen said. "Greenland is not for sale and as a real estate expert he should know if an estate is not for sale you can't purchase it." NEW DELHI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- In the global pursuit of greater pharmaceutical accessibility, Indian generic drugs have gained popularity for their affordability and broad reach, while also facing persistent challenges related to quality oversight and intellectual property disputes. Both their achievements and limitations warrant close examination. Indian generic drugs have become a key option for patients worldwide by combining low prices with generally reliable quality. Unlike originator pharmaceutical companies, which often spend billions of U.S. dollars and over a decade on drug development, Indian firms focus on process optimization and supply-chain efficiency, frequently reducing production costs to as little as 5 percent of those of patented medicines. A notable example is Cipla, which reduced the daily cost of an anti-AIDS cocktail therapy from 30-40 dollars to less than 1 dollar, dramatically expanding access to treatment in developing countries. This cost advantage is supported by India's flexible patent regime. The Patent Act of 1970 initially protected only manufacturing processes of new drugs, enabling the rapid growth of the generic drug industry. Even after India amended the law in 2005 to comply with WTO rules, it retained mechanisms such as compulsory licensing and patent challenges. In 2013, the Indian Supreme Court rejected Novartis' patent application for an updated version of its leukemia drug Gleevec, ruling that the change lacked sufficient innovation and allowing India's generic companies to continue producing and selling cheaper version. Industrial clustering has further strengthened India's competitiveness. Hyderabad, the country's pharmaceutical hub, hosts nearly 200 companies covering the full industry chain within a 50-km radius. According to Mordor Intelligence, India produces around 60,000 branded generics across more than 60 therapeutic categories and supplies about 20 percent of the global generic drug market, with the United States as a major market. Despite the strong points, India's generic drug industry faces mounting challenges. Regulatory capacity remains limited: Reuters reports that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization has only about 2,000 staff overseeing more than 10,000 factories and 1 million pharmacies. Since 2022, deaths linked to Indian-made medicines have prompted tighter regulation and mandatory upgrades to meet WHO standards. Compliance pressures are also threatening industry stability. According to India's Economic Times, of roughly 12,000 pharmaceutical companies, about 8,500 are small and medium-sized enterprises, and over 60 percent risk closure if they fail to meet Good Manufacturing Practices requirements on time. Experts warn this could lead to shortages of commonly used drugs such as antibiotics, antihypertensives and painkillers. International pressure is intensifying as well. The Office of the United States Trade Representative has repeatedly listed India as a "priority watch country" for intellectual property concerns, while the U.S. and EU markets continue to tighten quality standards for imported drugs. Poland moves to phase out aid for Ukrainian refugees Warsaw, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 Poland's government on Tuesday moved to phase out assistance for Ukrainian refugees put in place when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, as public support for the aid wanes. "After four years, the situation is more stable," Adam Szlapka, spokesman for Poland's pro-European government, said at a press conference. "These extraordinary regulations can be phased out and we can move from temporary solutions to systemic ones." The draft law, which will now go to parliament, says initial aid for Ukrainians was "adopted as an emergency, temporary measure". It includes plans to repeal previous provisions creating a separate system of assistance for Ukrainians, and would eliminate most of their special entitlements to social benefits, accommodation and medical care. Some existing protections, such as means of confirming legal residence and identity, will be retained. Prior to its adoption by the government, the draft law drew criticism from business interests. The Lewiatan Confederation, an NGO representing Polish entrepreneurs, argued the move "could paralyze the labour market". In a press release, it said the protections have "enabled legal employment for around 1.24 million people", citing that Ukrainians currently account for 66 percent of Poland's foreign workforce. Following the government's announcement, Lewiatan clarified that a new draft included "transitional demands" that would help to ease these impacts. In 2024, Poland's Ukrainian workforce accounted for 2.7 percent of the country's GDP, amounting to more than the total Polish aid contribution. Poland was the entry point for millions of Ukrainian refugees crossing into Europe at the invasion's outset, and remains a critical hub for the delivery of humanitarian and military aid. But public opinion on Ukrainians in Poland has soured since the beginning of the war. According to a January poll by Poland's Centre for Public Opinion Research, only 48 percent of Poles approve of helping Ukrainians fleeing the war, while 46 percent are opposed. This is the lowest level of support since measurements began following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Conservative-nationalist Polish President Karol Nawrocki has echoed this sentiment, announcing at the start of his term last year that he would not sign any "law concerning special assistance to Ukrainian citizens". Canada military models response to US invasion: report Toronto, Canada, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 The Canadian military has developed a model response to a US invasion, the Globe and Mail reported Tuesday, as President Donald Trump again muses online about a takeover of Canada. Citing two unnamed senior government officials, the paper said the Canadian response model centers on insurgency?style tactics, like those used in Afghanistan by fighters who resisted Soviet and later US forces. The Globe reported that the officials believe it is unlikely that Trump would order an invasion of Canada. After his 2024 election and in the early months of his new term, Trump repeatedly referred to the United States' northern neighbor as the 51st state and said a merger would benefit Canada. Trump's annexation talk has eased in recent months, but overnight he posted an image on his social media platform of a map showing Canada and Venezuela covered in the US flag, implying a full American takeover of both countries. The officials told the Globe that, in an invasion scenario, US forces would overcome Canadian positions on land and at sea in as little as two days. Because Canada does not have the military resources to resist the United States, the Canadian pushback would be shaped by an insurgency?style campaign, including ambushes and "hit?and?run tactics," the report said. The Globe specified that the model being developed "was a conceptual and theoretical framework, not a military plan, which is an actionable and step?by?step directive for executing operations." Canada's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Globe's report. The paper said the military expects there would be clear indications in the event the United States were planning to invade, including a US decision to end bilateral cooperation in NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command. The Globe further said that Canada would likely call on Britain and France for help. Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are both attending the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski town of Davos this week. The annual gathering of political and financial elites has been overshadowed by Trump's threats to take over Greenland. Trump's demand for US control of the Danish territory has tested NATO, the transatlantic alliance that includes Canada. Carney is reportedly considering sending a small number of troops to Greenland, following other NATO allies, as part of a show of support for the island. Yazidi survivor of IS says world has abandoned Kurds who battled 'evil' Beirut, Lebanon, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 Nadia Murad, a prominent rights activist and Yazidi survivor of sexual slavery at the hands of the Islamic State group, condemned on Tuesday what she said was the world's abandonment of the Kurds in Syria. Murad, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work, pointed to the key role Kurdish forces played in the defeat of IS, which they achieved with the backing of a US-led coalition "Now, at a critical moment, those who stood on the front lines against evil are being abandoned. What the international community is doing in Syria -- and across the broader region -- is chaos, and innocent people will pay the price," she wrote on X. Murad is a prominent member of the Yazidi community of Iraq, a group whose distinct religious beliefs made them the target of IS in their 2014 onslaught across the Syria-Iraq border. During their offensive, which UN investigators and several countries went on to condemn as a genocide, jihadists killed men en masse and abducted thousands of women and girls as sex slaves. Murad set up an initiative to support survivors of sexual violence after she escaped captivity in 2016, and went on to win the Nobel two years later. She won the award along with Denis Mukwege, a doctor from the Democratic Republic of Congo who has treated tens of thousands of women raped or mutilated by militias. Murad helped shed a light on the terrible plight of women and girls at the hands of jihadists who at the height of their power held swathes of Syria and Iraq. IS went on to be defeated in Iraq and then Syria with the backing of the United States, though isolated cells still operate in the Syrian desert. In Syria, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) carved out a de facto autonomous region under their control in areas populated by Kurds and which had been battlegrounds with IS. This month, the SDF has suffered major blows at the hands of Syria's military, which is pushing to establish Damascus's authority across the country. On Tuesday, the army was deploying reinforcements to flashpoint areas in the north. Poland looks to ban Chinese vehicles on military sites Warsaw, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 Polish authorities are considering banning Chinese vehicles from entering military sites over possible security risks, according to defence officials. The aim is to guard against risks "related to technology, access to information, the number of sensors embedded (in the vehicles), and data that can be transmitted without our knowledge and beyond our control", Colonel Marek Pietrzak, spokesperson for the general staff of the Polish army, told AFP on Tuesday. "A solution will be presented in the coming days," he said. Polish media report that the new measures could also apply to cars made by US firm Tesla. According to the defence ministry, "work is underway on restrictions regarding access by Chinese-made vehicles to protected military sites and facilities." The new rules could also cover "connections between service phones and other data carriers with the systems installed in such vehicles", the ministry's press service wrote in an email to AFP. Currently in Poland, a NATO and European Union member, it is up to commanders of military sites to authorize or deny access to vehicles equipped with audiovisual recording systems. sw/ks/jhb It has been one year since Donald Trump returned to the White House for a second term. So how much has he changed the US and the world in just twelve months? And what might the rest of his presidency look like? The first half four pieces spanning nearly nine decades begins with Martha Graham, the American icon who set the template for serious dance that takes itself seriously. Deep Song (1937) was a grieving response to the Spanish Civil War (its design informed by Picassos Guernica). Staunchly performed by Amy Thake, her limbs tilt like girders, her body squeezes into coffin-cramped space. Grahams anguish doesnt date but its difficult to rescue her work from veneration and make it resonate again. Participants pose for a group photo during the 6th International Conference on Green Plant Protection Technology Innovation in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jan. 19, 2026. Experts and scholars in the field of plant protection and agriculture gathered Monday in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to exchange views at a high-profile international conference co-hosted by Chinese and Sri Lankan institutions. The 6th International Conference on Green Plant Protection Technology Innovation and China-Sri Lanka Agricultural Technology and Cultural Exchange Week opened at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo. The opening ceremony was attended by around 700 guests, including Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, heads of several Sri Lankan government departments, as well as experts and scholars from China, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and France. (Xinhua/Wu Ziyu) COLOMBO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Experts and scholars in the field of plant protection and agriculture gathered Monday in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to exchange views at a high-profile international conference co-hosted by Chinese and Sri Lankan institutions. The 6th International Conference on Green Plant Protection Technology Innovation and China-Sri Lanka Agricultural Technology and Cultural Exchange Week opened at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo. The opening ceremony was attended by around 700 guests, including Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, heads of several Sri Lankan government departments, as well as experts and scholars from China, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and France. In a congratulatory message to the conference, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said that Sri Lanka and China have a long history of cooperation in agriculture, including the exchange of knowledge and practices that dates back centuries. It remains one of the most important links between the two countries to this day. She extended hopes that the discussions at the conference can facilitate further cooperation and bring lasting outcomes for both countries. Addressing the ceremony, Qi noted that as practical cooperation between China and Sri Lanka continues to advance, science, technology, and innovation are playing an increasingly important leading role. He hoped that through the exchange of ideas and experience between experts, the two countries would further expand cooperation and inject new momentum into the green transformation of their tea industries and the broader advancement of sustainable agriculture. Yang Guangfu, director of the National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides at Central China Normal University and one of the conference co-organizers, told Xinhua that since the China-Sri Lanka Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Tea Green Prevention and Control Technology was approved in 2024, the two sides have carried out field studies, collaborated with enterprises, and hosted exchange visits for Sri Lankan experts to China. He added that the platform will continue to enhance mutual understanding and deepen scientific cooperation. The event, lasting until Jan. 24., will feature symposiums centering on topics such as new plant protection technologies and green pesticides. In addition, it will include activities like the young scholars salon and a field trip to local tea plantations. The event is co-hosted by China's Guizhou University and Sri Lanka's University of Peradeniya. 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 The nurse was given a written warning from the trust at the time and continued in her role, and the trust also wrote to the patient to warn them that threatening and racist language was not tolerated. The advent of AI its promise and perils has also become a hot topic. Business executives will examine how to apply it to boost efficiency and profits; labor leaders and advocacy groups will warn of its threat to jobs and livelihoods, and policymakers will look to navigate the best way forward between regulation and right to innovate. The big fear I have with Nato is we spend tremendous amounts of money with Nato, and I know well come to their rescue but I just really do question whether or not theyll come to ours, the US President said. She added: President Trump has made some decisions which I agree with and others which I disagree with. What matters is what is in the British national interest. If President Trump does something that is great for us in the UK, I will agree. If he does things which are not good for the UK, I will disagree. Ruth Cadbury, Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth, pressed the minister on what support was being given to Iranians in London and other parts of Britain, and their families in Iran, amid the brutal response by the Tehran regime to the protests. The Prime Ministers official spokesman told reporters on Tuesday: We are concerned about reports that Putin and Lukashenko could be members of the board. Putin is the aggressor in an illegal war against Ukraine, and he has shown time and time again that he is not serious about peace. Trump has in the past cited national security concerns as to why he wants to pursue purchase of the nation, saying: We need greater national security purposes. I've been told that for a long time, long before I even ran [for president]. People really don't even know that Denmark has any legal right to it but, if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security. LONDON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A 2025 deal between the UK and Mauritius to hand over the Chagos Islands "secures the operations of the joint U.S.-UK base" there, British media quoted a British government spokesperson as saying on Tuesday. This came after U.S. President Donald Trump accused the act of "great stupidity" earlier on Tuesday. "Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," Trump posted on social media. "The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired," he added. The British government spokesperson said the UK "will never compromise" on national security, and Britain acted because a joint U.S.-UK base on Diego Garcia, the largest island of the Chagos islands, was "under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future." In 2019, the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the UN, said that Britain had illegally split the islands and should give up control of them. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer last year signed an agreement transferring sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The deal cedes British control of the Chagos islands to the Mauritian government. Under the terms of the agreement, Mauritius will lease the Diego Garcia military base back to Britain and the United States. The islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, when Mauritius was still a British colony. Britain then invited the U.S. to build a military base there, which saw thousands removed from homes. A CrowdStrike office in California is seen in 2024, the year the company was responsible for a massive global IT outage. A federal judge has tossed a lawsuit against the Austin company, but is giving plaintiffs another chance to file. Haven Daley/AP Photo/Haven Daley, File CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. may dodge having to pay shareholders who lost money when its stock price tanked in the aftermath of its most epic fail. A federal judge dismissed a shareholder lawsuit against the Austin-based cybersecurity company, agreeing with Crowdstrike that, based on the plaintiffs complaint, the company did not make false or misleading statements. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We appreciate the Courts thoughtful consideration and decision to dismiss this case, said Cathleen Anderson, CrowdStrikes chief legal officer. Federal Judge Robert Pitman is allowing plaintiffs to file an amended pleading to better articulate their case. It's due next week. The original suit stemmed from the CrowdStrike failure that, in July 2024, caused one of the largest and most disruptive computer outages in history. It grounded planes, sidelined 911 dispatchers, affected millions of computers and cost business billions globally. The outages were traced to a software update that included bad code CrowdStrike had pushed to its customers. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Advertisement Article continues below this ad The outage was so bad that Congress conducted hearings and CEO George Kurtz testified. The company later accepted a satirical honor called the Most Epic Fail award. Its stock price fell by nearly one-third, to $217 from $392 per share, erasing about $25 billion of the companys value in short order. Shareholders led by Thomas DiNapoli, New York state comptroller, sued on July 30, 2024, saying the company had made materially false statements about the companys products and services that artificially inflated the stock price. Its actual failure to meet industry standards and deficient software testing and security processes were exposed after it caused one of the largest cyber-disasters in history leading to a worldwide shutdown and billions in losses to investors, DiNapoli said at the time. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The complaint highlighted several times executives made statements plaintiffs said were intended to mislead. CrowdStrike attorneys disputed many of the assertions, saying they had been taken out of context. For instance, plaintiffs argued that CrowdStrike falsely claimed to have quality assurance teams, saying that the teams are a necessary and important aspect of software development. Plaintiffs also quoted the company's securities filings that said they had a quality assurance team trained and equipped to assist with testing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad CrowdStrike showed in court filings that the statements were stripped from a section about CrowdStrikes accessibility testing, not software updates. Our quality assurance team is also trained and equipped to assist with testing for accessibility and we work with external accessibility auditors to help identify any deficiencies, the company said. Pitman, the judge who oversaw the case, said the statements were not just not misleading but that plaintiffs were borderline sanctionable for their representations to the court. Shareholder lawsuits over false statements, called rule 10b-5 suits, like the one against CrowdStrike are the most-filed securities lawsuits. They account for more than 80% of such suits from 2021 to 2024, according to data from NERA Economic Consulting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Despite the massive reputational hit, CrowdStrike stock has thrived and was trading at nearly $455 a share Friday after, having gained 25% in value in a year. President Donald Trump said he could begin sending $2,000 stimulus checks to Americans toward the end of the year using revenue from tariffs, according to an interview with The New York Times. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images On Jan. 11, President Donald Trump claimed that $2,000 stimulus checks could be sent to Americans toward the end of the year using revenue from tariffs, stating he would not need congressional approval to do so, according to an interview with The New York Times. Since returning to office, Trump has repeatedly said he wants to pay out $2,000 stimulus checks, though the idea has not been formally proposed to Congress. During a Cabinet meeting last month, Trump outlined additional ideas for distributing some of that revenue as payments to Americans beginning in 2026. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Next year is projected to be the largest tax refund season ever, and we're going to be giving back refunds out of the tariffs, as we have taken in literally trillions of dollars," Trump said in 2025. "We're going to be giving a nice dividend to the people in addition to reducing debt." On Dec. 18, Trump addressed the nation and announced plans to send one-time payments of $1,776 to U.S. military service members, which he referred to as a warrior dividend. The Defense Department funded those payments, according to the Pentagon, and they were sent to about 1.45 million service members before Christmas. However, for Americans to receive any new stimulus payment, a formal legislative process would have to take place and there is no guarantee Congress would approve such checks. What needs to happen for Americans to get another stimulus check? Despite Trump's claim, any form of stimulus payment issued by the U.S. government must be approved by Congress. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source On Dec. 21, during an interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said stimulus checks remain a possibility for 2026. "The deficit relative to last year is down by $600 billion and so, in the summer, I wasn't so sure that there was space for a check like that. But now I'm pretty sure that there is, and so, I would expect that in the new year, the president will bring forth a proposal to Congress to make that happen," said Hassett. Hassett added that tariff revenue would be only one potential funding source, noting that Congress ultimately decides how federal revenue including taxes and tariffs is spent through the appropriations process, according to remarks reported by USA TODAY. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Is there a stimulus check coming in January? There has been no official announcement or legislative action indicating that a stimulus check will be issued in January. Plans for tariff-funded checks could also be derailed if the Supreme Court strikes down some of Trumps tariffs. During Nov. 5 oral arguments, justices raised questions about the scope of the presidents authority to impose certain tariffs. Lawmakers have also introduced the American Worker Rebate Act of 2025, proposed by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, which would distribute tariff rebate checks funded by tariff revenue of at least $600 per person, up to $2,400 for a family of four. The bill has not advanced in Congress. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What happened to those $5,000 DOGE checks? Last year, Trump said he weighed a proposal to send taxpayers a $5,000 check, funded by savings from the Department of Government Efficiency and framed as a dividend. Theres even a under consideration, a new concept where we give 20% of the DOGE savings to American citizens and 20% goes to paying down debt, Trump said at the FII Priority Summit in Miami in 2025. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Retta attends an event for HGTV's "Ugliest House in America," which she has hosted for seven seasons. Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for HGTV A Texas home is competing for a $150,000 makeover to win, it will have to take the title of HGTVs Ugliest House in America. On the shows season 7 premiere, titled Greater Plains, Greater Ugly, host Retta introduces viewers to the Digital Dog house as she tours its wildly unconventional interior and exterior. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The property sits in Ransom Canyon, east of Lubbock, perched on steel legs inside a carved-out canyon and overlooking a man-made lake. The house is a striking contrast to the West Texas plains that surround it. Construction started on the metallic structure in 1973, but didnt reach completion until 2006. Designed and built by a metal sculptor, the 2,200-square-foot home boasts three bedrooms and two bathrooms and weighs in at roughly 110 tons of steel. It also features sweeping curves and other unique architectural details. The current owner, named Lynna, has lived in the house with her children and their dog for a little more than a year. She said the home is closer to an art piece than an actual living space. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source There are no straight edges everything is round, she said. How does Ugliest House in America work? The HGTV television show invites homeowners to nominate their homes as the "ugliest" in the country. Then, comedian and host Retta travels the country visiting the nominees across five regions. She takes viewers through homes that are ugly or impractically designed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One house from each region advances to the finals, and of those, one is ultimately selected receive a $150,000 renovation. This season's winner will receive surprise design updates from HGTV's Alison Victoria. The show is airing on HGTV and is available to stream on Discovery+ and HBO Max. Moxi (left), a health care robot produced by Austin-based Diligent Robotics, is seen next to a Serve delivery robot. Diligent is being acquired by Serve Robotics, a California-based company specializing in food delivery devices. Provided by Serve Robotics An artificial intelligence-powered Austin company, Diligent Robotics, will be acquired by another Nvidia-backed robotics firm in a deal valued at $29 million in stock. Serve Robotics, a Bay Area-based company that develops outdoor food-delivery robots, announced the acquisition Tuesday afternoon. The deal expands Serve beyond delivery into medical robotics. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Diligent Robotics, founded in Austin in 2017, designs robots to work alongside hospital staff in health care settings. Its flagship robot, Moxi, is powered by Nvidia Corp. AI chips and assists nurses and pharmacy staff by transporting lab samples and delivering medications. The company has deployed more than 100 robots in 25 hospitals nationwide, with expected annual revenue per hospital ranging from $200,000 to $400,000. Diligent has raised more than $100 million in capital investment. The acquisition comes just months after Diligent unveiled a new robot design at Nvidias GTC AI conference in October. Serve said Tuesday that Diligent will continue operating under the leadership of co-founder and CEO Andrea Thomaz. Austin-based Diligent Robotics has deployed its Moxi robot in more than 30 hospitals nationwide. The robots, which work alongside nurses and pharmacy technicians, will now be the first deployed under Serve Robotics new health care arm. Austin American-Statesman Diligent was founded to help healthcare teams do more with their limited resources, Thomaz said. By joining Serve, we can build on the autonomy and AI weve deployed across live hospital fleets and scale it faster, enabling more intelligent, capable robots in care environments. Together, were unlocking the next phase of practical, real-world robotics and advancing a people-plus-robots model that prioritizes human impact. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Serve told the American-Statesman that Diligent will continue operating in Austin and does not plan to relocate to California. Diligent employs about 215 people at its offices on East Cesar Chavez Street, and Serve said it has no plans to change the size of the workforce. Serve Robotics is acquiring Diligent in a deal valued at $29 million in Serve common stock, with an additional $5.3 million tied to future performance milestones. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. ABOUT THE MOXI ROBOT: Diligent Robotics unveils new design but it keeps original's expressive face Advertisement Article continues below this ad Serve Robotics was founded in 2017 as a division of food delivery app Postmates. The publicly traded company went independent after Postmates was acquired by Uber in 2021. Serve has deployed more than 2,000 autonomous delivery robots in cities nationwide, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Alexandria, Va. In its third-quarter results posted in November, the company reported $687,000 in revenue and anticipated full-year 2025 revenue to be $2.5 million. The acquisition marks Serves first move into indoor robotics and the health care industry. In its announcement Tuesday, the company said the deal is expected to accelerate the deployment of Moxi robots and increase revenue per deployment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In October 2025, Diligent Robotics unveiled its Moxi 2.0 design, which features expanded storage capacity and 10 times the computing power. The robots will continue to be produced following the companys acquisition by Serve Robotics. Austin American-Statesman Ashley St. Clair, the mother of Elon Musks son Romulus, launched a podcast on X, the Bastrop-based social media platform owned by Musk. She has sued alleging its Grok AI has been used to create inappropriate images of her. X has countersued, saying she filed in the wrong place. Ashley St. Clair The mother of one of Elon Musks children is suing xAI, alleging the companys Grok AI chatbot created images of her undressed. The Elon Musk-owned company quickly countersued, saying disputes with his X social media platform must be filed in Texas. Ashley St. Clair, the mother of Musks son, Romulus, filed suit in New York requesting removal of the content, which included images of her as a child stripped down to a string bikini and as an adult in sexually explicit poses. Advertisement Article continues below this ad xAI is directly liable for the harassment and explicit images created by its own chatbot, Grok, the lawsuit says. St. Clair also alleges she was retaliated against by having her X account demonetized and more images of her generated. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Its jolting that our obligatory notification to X that we were filing for a Temporary Restraining Order to stop Grok from its manufacturing and publication of perverted images of Ms. St. Clair resulted in them suing her, Carrie Goldberg, St. Clairs lawyer, said in an emailed response to questions, adding the italic emphasis. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The suit comes as xAI is taking heat over Grok generating sexualized images of women and children, leading to calls for regulatory action in Texas, California and around the world. In Texas, Democrats in the House of Representatives have called on Attorney General Ken Paxton to investigate X and Grok. Outside the U.S., Malaysia and Indonesia blocked access to Grok. Ofcom, the United Kingdoms online regulator, said it made urgent contact with X and xAI about such images and later launched an investigation. xAI responded that Grok will no longer be able to edit photos to put real people in revealing clothing for users in places where that is illegal. Its unclear if those changes have been made. Elon Musk attends a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September in Arizona. His X social media platform has countersued the mother of one of his children after she alleged its Grok AI tool created images of her undressed, both as a child and an adult. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Associated Press St. Clairs lawsuit says New York County is the appropriate venue for St. Clairs suit because the events giving rise to the claim happened there and the damages were suffered in substantial part in the county. Advertisement Article continues below this ad xAI is arguing otherwise, saying that at the time St. Clair most recently used xAI, its terms of service had clauses addressing jurisdiction and venue. The terms say all disputes must proceed exclusively in the federal U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas or state courts located in Tarrant County. xAIs lawsuit claims St. Clair violated the terms of service and claimed damages of more than $75,000. Notably, the judge for the Northern District of Texas is Reed OConnor. In 2024, OConnor was called on to recuse himself from Musks lawsuit against Media Matters lawsuit after records revealed OConnor had a financial stake in Tesla Inc., the Austin-based automaker of which Musk is CEO. Goldberg said she has never heard of a defendant suing somebody for notifying them of their intention to use the legal system. Incidentally, their filing was completely devoid of any details about this Terms of Service contract when it was executed by Ms. St. Clair or the scope of conduct it covers, Goldberg said, adding that St. Clair will be defending her forum in New York. Frankly, any jurisdiction will recognize the gravamen of Ms. St. Clairs claims that by manufacturing nonconsensual sexually explicit images of girls and women, xAI is a public nuisance and a not reasonably safe product. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a post last week on X, St. Clair warned users against posting pictures of themselves or their families unless they want to be told that sexual abuse content from its nazi robot isnt a violation of its terms of service. Grok also was under criticism in July, when it allegedly made comments about Hitler in response to a post about deadly flooding in Central Texas. xAI did not respond to a request for comment on St. Clairs lawsuit. Activists protest outside an ICE facility in Pflugerville, requesting the organization to leave the county, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in solidarity with nation-wide protests after the killing of a Minneapolis woman, a U.S. citizen, by ICE agents on January 7. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman A coalition of local organizers is planning a protest Austin City Hall Tuesday afternoon as part of a nationwide Free America walkout marking one year since President Donald Trump began his second term. The rally, named ICE Out of ATX, is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 301 W. Second St. Organizers say they will deliver a petition to city officials calling for an end to local cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad More than 9,000 people have signed the petition in less than a week, according to organizers. Protesters are calling on the Austin City Council and Austin Police Department to stop handing people over to ICE by serving administrative warrants. Organizers encouraged participants to walk out of work or school to disrupt the normal routines of power. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source The walkout is part of a coordinated national action organized by the Womens March Network and dozens of partner groups. Across the country, more than 1,200 walkouts were planned, with more than 44,000 people registered to participate, according to organizers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Organizers framed the protest as a response to what they described as an escalating fascist threat, citing immigration raids, military deployments in cities, mass surveillance and attacks on marginalized communities. One year into Trumps second regime, we face an escalating fascist threat, the group wrote on its website. This is a protest and a promise. In the face of fascism, we will be ungovernable. Who will be performing and speaking? Tuesdays event will feature live music from local artists including Vanessa Lively, Mark Williams, Akins Adderley, Stefanie Fix, Estani Frizzell, Hope Irish, Amethyst Jonquille and Jessica Graves. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Joycelyn Henderson leads chants on the bullhorn during a rally at Austin City Hall to protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Jan. 10, 2026 in solidarity with nation-wide protests after the killing of Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman, by ICE agents on January 7. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Scheduled speakers include Chas Moore of the Austin Justice Coalition, Rae Martinez of the Transgender Education Network of Texas, and Kate Lincoln Goldfinch of Lincoln Goldfinch Law. Organizers said Austin Sanctuary Network and Grassroots Leadership have been invited to bring speakers directly impacted by ICE enforcement in Central Texas. Ramon Gonzalez Almager was last seen around 6:30 p.m. Jan. 18 in the 600 block of Radam Lane. Courtesy of the Austin Police Department Austin police are asking for the publics help locating an 82-year-old man who was last seen Sunday evening in South Austin. Ramon Gonzalez Almager was last seen around 6:30 p.m. Jan. 18 in the 600 block of Radam Lane, according to the Austin Police Department. Detectives are concerned for his safety due to underlying health conditions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Police said Gonzalez Almager was wearing a brown jacket, a red shirt and blue jeans when he was last seen. He is described as a Hispanic man, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing around 180 pounds. He has gray hair and brown eyes, walks with a limp and uses a cane. Authorities said he primarily speaks Spanish. Ramon Gonzalez Almager was last seen around 6:30 p.m. Jan. 18 in the 600 block of Radam Lane. Courtesy of the Austin Police Department Anyone who sees Gonzalez Almager is asked to call 911 immediately. Katey Psencik is the breaking and trending editor at the Austin American-Statesman. Katey is a journalist and educator whose career spans print, TV, digital media, and nonprofits. Most recently, she led The Drag Audio Production House at the University of Texas, where she oversaw more than 40 student producers and executive produced award-winning podcasts. She also teaches podcasting and other journalism courses at UT. A Central Texas native and proud Texas Ex, her work has appeared in Texas Highways, Eater, Vox Media and more. She lives in South Austin with her two dogs, Oso and Mav. DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark must be "unequivocally" respected, stressing that the issue is of "utmost importance" to the transatlantic relationship as U.S. tariff threats add fresh strain to ties. Von der Leyen made the remarks in a post on social media platform X after meeting a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Congress on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. "I also addressed the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and of the Kingdom of Denmark," she wrote. On trade, von der Leyen pushed back against the tariff approach, calling transatlantic trade and investment a major asset for both the European Union (EU) and U.S. economies and saying tariffs run counter to shared interests. Her remarks came as tensions have risen after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs on a group of European countries supporting Greenland, prompting EU officials and member states to consider possible responses while keeping diplomatic channels open. Earlier, von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa said the EU stood in full solidarity with Denmark and Greenland and warned that tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a "dangerous downward spiral." U.S. Representative John Carter during the Sun City Texas community Memorial Day Ceremony Program at the Community Association's annual Memorial Day Ceremony Program on Monday, May 26, 2025. Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman The Republican primary for Congressional District 31 has the makings of a free-for-all, featuring Texas' third-longest serving member of the U.S. House and eight active challengers, including a one-time TV pitchman with an arrest record and a former Missouri state candidate who was booted off social media for posting hate speech. The incumbent is U.S. Rep. John Carter, a former state district judge who was first sent to Congress in 2003 and is now seeking his 13th term, at age 84. Several of his GOP opponents argue that the district, which runs from Georgetown to farm and ranch country west of Waco and includes the sprawling Army post of Fort Hood, is in need of new blood. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But Carter has the enthusiastic endorsement of President Donald Trump, who last monthcalled him "a fantastic representative." The 31st is one of five Texas districts that has drawn nine or more Republican contests for the 2026 campaign cycle. The other four are for open seats, meaning Carter is the only incumbent who is taking fire from so many directions. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Andy Hogue, a veteran Texas Republican operative, said Carter's deep ties to Central Texas and Trump's unequivicol backing should provide the incumbent with the cover he needs. But a crowded field could easily become a scrambled field, Hogue said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "There's always that possibility of enough competitors splitting the vote and perhaps causing a runoff, so it's possible he could be taken out," Hogue said. "And people see that (at age 84) he might become too unhealthy to where he can't serve anymore, and they just want to be first in line." Abhiram Garapati, a businessman who is making his fourth primary challenge against Carter, is among those who believe it's time for the incumbent to pass the baton. "Everywhere I go, I hear the same thing from everybody in the district: 'It's time for a change,'" said Garapati, 50. "People saw how old (former President) Joe Biden was, and John Carter is a couple of years older than Biden." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Garapati has never finished higher than third in the primaries against Carter, and he's never cracked single-digits in his percentage of the votes. But, he said, his persistence on the campaign trail and his grassroots activism should serve him well on March 3. Carter's campaign declined to make the congressman available for an interview, citing a busy start-of-year schedule in Washington. In each of the past three primaries, Carter was able to skate to victory. But each margin was closer than the one before. In 2020, Carter took 82.3% of the vote. Two years later, it dipped to 71%. Then in 2024, with five challengers on the ballot, Carter was held to 65%. William Abel, who is medically retired from the Army after serving two combat tours in Iraq, was among Carter's 2024 challengers and is taking him on again this year. Abel said Congress has become too insulated with the same members who see winning reelection as their primary duty. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "I'm just tired of these politicians not doing what's best for the constituents and doing what's best for their own pockets," Abel said. "Or doing what's best for the lobbyists and donors. I just want problems solved with common sense." Candidate Elvis Lossa, an Army veteran who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, said that he is unique among Carter's challengers because he has served as a Texas House staff member and as an aide to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Lossa, 44, offered no direct criticism of Carter but said that if he is elected, constituents in the district can expect to see him often at community events when Congress is not in session. "The voters can decide whether they feel that they're represented." he said. "My job right now is just to show up and trying to earn their trust." Steven Dowell, a former member of the Army's military police who served eight years on active duty, said he was motivated to run for Congress after seeing his fellow veterans receiving substandard service from the Department of Veterans Affairs. He had visited a VA hospital for treatment following an accident, he said, and it took nearly two weeks for him receive the care he needed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad And he encountered others in similar situations, he said. "I saw a veteran discharged from the ER after waiting for four hours hunched over and excruciating back pain," said Dowell, who promised to push for congressional term limits and to cut federal spending. "And then the rotten cherry on top was that I saw a veteran break down crying in the pharmacy line in front of me because he couldn't afford his medicine and groceries in the same month." Two of Carter's most colorful challengers are Vince "Shamwow" Shlomi, a one-time comedian who starting early in the 21st century hosted offbeat infomercials for cleaning products, and Valentina Gomez, a former collegiate swimmer who two years ago made an unsuccessful bid for the GOP nomination for Missouri secretary of state. Gomez, who advocates exempting military members and veterans from federal taxes and subjecting child sex offenders to the death penalty, launched her congressional campaign last year by vowing to "kick out every dirty Muslin" living in the United States. During her 2024 campaign in Missouri, social media giant Meta suspended her accounts for violating its policies governing violent rhetoric and hate speech directed at Muslims and the LBGTQ community. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This cycle, the Gomez campaign has a presence on Facebook, X, TikTok and Instagram, with several hundred thousand followers. In a written response to questions from Hearst Newpapers, the 26-year-old Gomez doubled down on the types of remarks that prompted the social media suspensions. And she questioned Carter's stamina for another term in Congress. "I am the future of the Republican Party, and the future is here," she said. "I publicly challenge John Carter to a debate. I accept any terms, and any topic. I only ask for the debate to be in person & LIVE." Shlomi, who was born in Israel, goes by the nickname "ShamWow" because it's a play on the super-absorbent chamois cloth he promoted on late-night television. His campaign slogan is "soak up the swamp," and he promises to rein in both big-tech companies and what he calls "woke" policies. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At 61, Shlomi has suggested it's time for Carter to make way for a younger congressman. In 2009, long before contemplating entering politics, Shlomi drew national headlines when he was arrested after a fight with a sex worker in Florida. Tabloid-published photographs showed Shlomi and the woman with facial injuries that included bruises and swelling around the woman's eyes and bruises and scrapes on Shlomi's chin, but charges were not pursued. Shlomi said later that the incident was fueled by binge drinkingand that the arrest served as a wake-up call to moderate his behavior. He did not return an email for comment about his campaign, but he told NBC News in 2013 that the arrest "probably saved my life." The other primary candidates are businessman and former school teacher Raymond Hamden and Ed Ewald, who has no public-facing website. Hamden did not respond to requests for interviews. Ewald could not be reached. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A ninth Republican challenger, obstetrician David Berry, filed for the office but later dropped out of the race. On the Democratic side, Carter's 2024 opponent, Stuart Whitlow, veteran party activist Justin Early and Army Reservist and working mother Caitlin Rourk are competing for the nomination. This district is drawn to favor Republicans. Hogue, the GOP insider who is not taking sides in the race, said that if District 31 voters are looking for an alternative to Carter, they should look to a candidate who appears serious about public policy and government service. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles will hear public comment this week on rules to narrow identification requirements for registering a vehicle in the state. HUM Images/HUM Images/Universal Images Grou Texas officials this week will hear public feedback on a slew of new regulations intended to make it effectively impossible for Texans without legal immigration status to register a vehicle in the state. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, which oversees car titles and registrations in the state, is seeking to make permanent a directive it issued to counties in November strengthening identification requirements for Texans registering a vehicle. The proposed rules will be the subject of a public hearing Wednesday morning in Austin. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under the proposed changes to the Texas Administrative Code, anyone seeking to register their car in the state would be required to present an unexpired drivers license or identification card that is REAL ID compliant; an unexpired U.S. passport or foreign passport with a valid immigrant visa or permanent resident card; or a current Texas handgun license. Likewise, registration renewals, including online renewals, would require proof that the applicant holds one of the required documents. The changes, according to the states proposal, would aid in reducing the risk of fraud in vehicle registration, and preventing people who are not legally eligible to reside in Texas from attaining registration to drive on Texas roads. Wednesdays hearing comes after the DMV in November quietly shifted its guidance to county tax offices which process vehicle registrations in Texas on acceptable forms of ID, Hearst Newspapers reported at the time. Republican state Rep. Brian Harrison took credit for the abrupt change, which the department issued amid a weekslong pressure campaign from the Midlothian lawmaker to immediately issue rules to stop illegal aliens from registering vehicles in Texas, though the agency has not confirmed whether Harrisons demands prompted the shift. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Advertisement Article continues below this ad Tax offices could previously accept IDs and passports that had been expired for up to a year as valid proof of residency for a vehicle registration. The changes will significantly impact people who live in Texas without legal status, who will likely still drive but now will not be able to obtain insurance without a valid registration, Austin-based title and insurance specialist Monica Rodriguez told Hearst Newspapers in November. Harrison had argued that allowing people to register a vehicle without proper identification not only incentivizes illegal immigration, but also endangers Texas drivers and causes vehicle insurance to skyrocket. Members of the public can weigh in on the proposed rule change during the public hearing before DMV staff, set for 9 a.m. Wednesday at the agencys Austin headquarters, 4000 Jackson Ave. A developing winter storm could impact Texas this weekend, with impacts ranging from a cold, soaking rain in South Texas to accumulating snow across North Texas. Pivotal Texas is once again in the crosshairs of extreme weather, with a winter storm expected to impact the state this weekend. While the event is still days away, confidence is growing that Central Texas will experience a dramatic temperature plunge on Friday. By Saturday, Pacific moisture is forecast to ride over the freezing air, creating the potential for freezing rain, sleet, or snow. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Central Texas will see a dramatic temperature drop on Friday as a blustery cold front sweeps through the region. WeatherBell Arctic cold front to hit Central Texas this weekend A strong, blustery Arctic front will move into Texas on Friday, bringing much colder temperatures into Central Texas. Morning temperatures will start in the upper 50s and briefly warm into the low to mid-60s before the front dives south, sending temperatures below freezing by Saturday morning and keeping them in the low to mid-30s through the day. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Winds will turn out of the north, sustained between 815 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. This will drive feels like temperatures, or wind chills, down into the 20s and teens through Sunday morning. Freezing temperatures are expected Saturday morning with feel-like temperatures in the 20s with gusty north winds. Pivotal Thick cloud cover will remain in place through most of the weekend, keeping temperatures very cold. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Hazardous cold temperatures are possible, especially Sunday morning and Monday morning when the coldest of the post-frontal airmass moves over the region, a meteorologist at the Austin/San Antonio National Weather Service wrote in their discussion on Tuesday. Based on the latest model blend, there is a 50 to 70 percent chance that portions of the (warning area) north of I-10 could see low temperatures below 20 degrees with colder wind chills as a north wind continues through the cold period. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During this time, an upper-level low-pressure system will move east from the Pacific Ocean, over Baja California and Mexico, and then into Texas. A swath of moisture could intersect the frigid air, leading to wintry weather from Friday night through Sunday morning. A strong upper-level low will move over Texas from the southeast leading to wintery precipitation beginning Friday night and lasting through Sunday morning. Weather Prediction Center What we dont know While temperatures are expected to fall below freezing at times and moisture will move into the region this weekend, questions remain about the timing of the disturbance, the placement of any wintry precipitation, and how much moisture accompanies the Pacific system. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As the wedge of shallow subfreezing air following the front undercuts the rain, a transition to freezing rain, sleet, or a mix of the two from north to south may materialize Saturday into Sunday, the NWS wrote. There are a 40-60 percent chance of at least minor winter weather impacts this weekend over the Hill Country and Austin area. As temperatures fall below freezing and moisture moves overhead, a round of freezing rain or sleet could develop over the weekend. National Weather Service How to prepare for winter storm Now is the time to prepare for the potential winter storm this weekend. Protect the four Pspeople, pets, pipes, and plantsby staying warm, bringing pets indoors, insulating exposed pipes, and covering sensitive plants. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If you plan to use a space heater to stay warm, practice safe heater habitskeep it at least three feet away from anything flammable, never leave it unattended, and plug it directly into a wall outlet. Taking these precautions now can help reduce the risk of damage or injury if winter weather impacts the area. Qabil Ashirov The Turkish Ministry of National Defense has paid tribute to the victims of January 20, the Day of National Mourning in Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing a post shared by the Ministry on its official X account. The post reads: "We commemorate with deep respect and mercy the martyrs who lost their lives during the inhumane attacks in Azerbaijan, an event remembered in history as Black January. We feel the pain of our Azerbaijani Turkic brothers in our hearts and, as throughout history, continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with them both in joyful moments and in times of difficulty, under the principle of 'One Nation, Two States.' We have not forgotten, and we will not let it be forgotten." The statement reflects the enduring bond and mutual support between the two nations, highlighting Turkiyes commitment to stand with Azerbaijan in remembrance and solidarity. MOSCOW, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia's armed forces destroyed the Ukrainian Air Force's Vostok (East) command post in a precise strike, the state-owned RIA Novosti news agency reported Monday. "The Vostok air command post of the Ukrainian Air Force has been destroyed by a precision strike." And the eliminated unit had been critical for maintaining seamless command over all forces in the Vostok group, the report said, citing a security source. Senior Lieutenant Maksym Maliuzhenko, a radio center subgroup chief at the information and telecommunications node under the command post, was killed in the Russian strike, according to Ukrainian media reports. The death of a Ukrainian specialist with such a profile confirms that the command post was hit, according to the RIA Novosti report. BUCHAREST, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Moldova has launched a legal process to withdraw from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Moscow-led bloc formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi said on Monday. Popsoi said authorities are in the process of approving the denunciation of three core agreements underpinning Moldova's membership in the CIS and will submit the relevant documents to parliament at the start of its next session. The agreements include the CIS Charter signed in Minsk in January 1993, the agreement establishing the CIS signed in December 1991, and its annex signed later that month. "The denunciation of these three basic agreements will mean that, from a legal point of view, Moldova is no longer a CIS member," Popsoi said in an interview with Radio Moldova, the state-run radio station. He added that although the country has already suspended active participation in the bloc, it has remained a member in legal terms until now. Popsoi said the government expects to complete internal procedures by mid-February, after which parliament will decide on the withdrawal. He noted that some CIS agreements that continue to benefit Moldovan citizens and do not conflict with the country's European aspirations may remain in force. Moldova has signed a total of 283 agreements within the CIS framework, of which 71 have already been denounced and around 60 are currently undergoing termination procedures, according to the foreign minister. Moldova declared independence from the Soviet Union on Aug. 27, 1991, and became a founding member of the CIS in December 1991. WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump posted an image of himself placing the U.S. flag on the territory of Greenland on Tuesday on his social media platform Truth Social. In the image, Trump is accompanied by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with a sign nearby reading "GREENLAND - US TERRITORY EST. 2026." On the same day, Trump released another image: He met with European leaders in the Oval Office, with a map displayed behind him showing the United States, Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela under the American flag. Trump said on Truth Social on Tuesday that he had a telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. "As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" he wrote. Moonshine Beach Recreation Area is a very popular sandy swimming beach along the shores of Table Rock Lake. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) The Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District commander was fired last week, service officials said in an unusual announcement that blamed entrenched bureaucracy and a failure to follow orders. Army Col. Patrick Caukin, who took command of the district that covers Arkansas and southern Missouri in September 2025, was relieved of duty Thursday by Adam Telle, the Armys assistant secretary for civil works, and Lt. Gen. William Butch Graham, the head of the Army Corps of Engineers. A separate statement from a pair of Missouri-based Republican lawmakers appears to tie Caukins dismissal to issues property owners have expressed about Corps of Engineers actions on southern Missouris Table Rock Lake. Caukin was not named in the statement which is unusual for Army relief-of-duty announcements but a service official confirmed he had been relieved. The statement provided no specific details about the decision to remove Caukin, a 23-year veteran with combat service and three Bronze Star Medals. But Telle said the decision was, at least in part, due to bureaucratic issues that unnecessarily frustrated American citizens. For the first time in decades, under the Trump administration, commanders who fail to follow orders and overcome entrenched bureaucracy will be dealt with accordingly, Telle said in the statement. In the same statement, Graham cited a loss of confidence in [Caukins] ability to command, the militarys standard justification given for removing commanders without providing specifics. But the three-star general added that the decision was in the best interest of the American public. District commanders across USACE are expected to demonstrate effective leadership committed to rapid and continuous transformation, less red tape, and a bias for action, Graham said. Our highest priority remains efficiently delivering vital projects for the American people on time and within budget, and this change reinforces our steadfast commitment. Col. Michael Kovacevic, commander of the 3rd Security Forces Assistance Brigade, places a combat patch on then-Lt. Col. Patrick Caukin, commander of the 5th Battalion, 3rd SFAB in Erbil, Iraq, May 20, 2024. Caukin was relieved of command of the Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District on Jan. 15, 2026. (Willis Hobbs/U.S. Army) Caukin could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. The Little Rock Districts deputy commander, Lt. Col. Jesse Carter, has assumed command of the district until a permanent commander is emplaced, according to the Army. Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., and Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., in a statement issued later Thursday, applauded Caukins removal calling it a decisive action by the Trump administration to address long-standing enforcement issues by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Table Rock Lake and to restore clarity for Missouri property owners. Lawmakers rarely comment on the dismissal of military officers below the general or admiral grade. Table Rock Lake is an artificial lake near Branson in southern Missouri that was built by and is administrated by the Corps of Engineers Little Rock District. According to the lawmakers, USACE officials ignored congressional intent of a 2025 law by ordering property owners on the lake to remove certain items near the water line including structures that had existed for decades, including cases that were supported by historical documentation and satellite imagery. Such items include private docks, decks, septic tanks and outbuildings, according to local news reports dating to 2024. Burlison has been attempting to block the Corps of Engineers from forcing homeowners to remove such items for years, according to Springfield, Mo.s KYTV news. I have worked tirelessly with all parties involved to reach a commonsense outcome that respects congressional intent, protects property owners and brings long-overdue clarity for families at Table Rock Lake, Burlison said in the statement last week. Im especially grateful to Assistant Secretary Adam Telle for taking this issue seriously and helping move things in the right direction. DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday expressed strong support for Greenland and Denmark and opposition to tariffs proposed by the United States. Speaking at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Carney said, "We stand firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenland's future." Carney said Canada strongly opposes tariffs over Greenland and calls for "focused talks to achieve our shared objectives of security and prosperity in the Arctic." Referring to the U.S. move as weaponizing economic integration, he said that multilateral institutions, including the United Nations and the Conference of the Parties (COP), which aim to solve collective problems, "are under threat." Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on eight European countries in an effort to advance his ambition to "take over" Greenland, which has triggered pushback from European countries. A former Fort Hood soldier on Tuesday filed a $10 million administrative complaint against the Army, alleging it failed to protect her and other women living in the barracks as evidence pointed toward a serial predator sexually assaulting residents. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) A former Fort Hood soldier on Tuesday filed a $10 million administrative complaint against the Army, alleging it failed to protect her and other women living in the barracks as evidence pointed toward a serial predator sexually assaulting residents. Mayra Diaz, then a 19-year-old private, was alone in her barracks room on the night of July 15, 2022, when Sgt. Greville Clarke knocked on her door. Though his face was concealed by a medical mask, Diaz saw his rank on his uniform and opened the door. Clarke then pulled out a handgun and forced his way into the room. He tied her up, raped her, waterboarded her and then strangled her to near death with the cord from her Army-issued lamp. Diaz filed the administrative claim through the Federal Tort Claims Act, the law that outlines procedures for presenting and resolving administrative monetary claims for personal injury, property damage, or death arising from the alleged negligence of officers and employees of the federal government. It is a required first step toward a lawsuit. In the paperwork, Diaz described the circumstances of the violent attack she survived and alleged the Armys negligence allowed for it. What happened to my client is horrific no one should ever have to endure what she went through, Christine Dunn, Diazs attorney, said in a statement. But its made even worse knowing that her attack could have been prevented if the Army had taken reasonable measures to protect her and others on base. Heather Hagan, a spokeswoman for the Army, confirmed it received Diazs filing but did not provide further comment. Clarke was arrested three months after he attacked Diaz following an attack on another soldier. She escaped him, naked and screaming, after three hours held captive in her own room, drawing the attention of other soldiers in the building. As Clarke fled the scene, he dropped his cellphone, which led investigators to identify and arrest him later that day. It was not until preparing for Clarkes 2025 court-martial that Diaz learned he had attacked three other women at Fort Hood before her, according to the administrative complaint. Clarke was convicted in April of attempted premeditated murder, rape, assault, kidnapping and burglary, among other crimes, and sentenced to life in prison. He died of an apparent suicide in his prison cell in September, according to the complaint. The Army has an ongoing investigation into Clarkes death at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and could not comment on the cause, Hagan said. Diaz was attacked at Fort Hood less than two years after the Army received findings from the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee, which said Fort Hoods environment was permissive for sexual assault to occur and that the base did not do enough to prevent crime. It noted women stationed at Fort Hood told them about male soldiers improperly entering barracks rooms as they were in various stages of undressing, as well as a need for better lighting and security measures. The Army convened the committee to review the base after Spc. Vanessa Guillen was killed in April 2020 by a fellow soldier in an arms rooms on post. During the two-month search for Guillen, her family, veterans and soldiers shared stories of concern about the safety of Fort Hood. At the time of my attack, Fort Hood leadership had full and comprehensive awareness of the Committees 2020 findings, which demanded urgent action to rectify the numerous safety concerns plaguing the base, Diaz wrote in the administrative complaint. In spite of that awareness, the leaders at my base persisted in their failure to act. Only after my attack in July 2022 did Army leadership implement a comprehensive approach to reinforce safety and security in the barracks, despite having had the 2020 Reports data on security risks at Fort Hood for nearly two years. Army Criminal Investigation Division referenced those safety and security reinforcements triggered by Diazs attack in an October 2022 news release about Clarkes arrest. Those measures included safety briefings, education on reporting suspicious activity, womens self-defense classes and barracks inspections. The measures did not include a clear warning that a woman had nearly died during a violent attack in the barracks. The base chose not to alert women out of fear of compromising the investigation or of causing undue alarm in the public, officials at the base said last year. Because the Army took no action to address the string of female soldiers attacked in their barracks in the year before my attack, Sgt. Clarke was empowered to continue preying on the female soldiers at Fort Hood, including me, Diaz wrote in her administrative claim. As a direct and proximate result of the Armys negligence, I sustained life-threatening physical injuries, as well as severe and lifelong emotional distress. Ultimately, I was forced to voluntary discharge from the Army, forsaking the future I had dreamed of. The Coast Guard suspended the search for a missing kayaker at 6:45 p.m., Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, near Honeymoon Island State Park in Florida, pending the development of new information. Missing is 18-year-old Elias Guillermo Lara Vargas. (U.S Coast Guard) (Tribune News Service) U.S. Coast Guard crews suspended their search Monday for an 18-year-old kayaker last seen near Honeymoon Island State Park in Florida two days ago. Pinellas County Sheriffs Office dispatchers alerted the Coast Guard that two kayakers were seen in distress near the park about 6 p.m. Sunday, according to a Coast Guard news release. Rescue crews learned that a group of three people were kayaking. Two of them began to drift far from shore before capsizing due to rough waves, according to the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office. Dunedin Fire Rescue crews rescued one kayaker within 30 to 40 minutes, said Chief Michael Handoga. There was approximately three or four foot waves, and she was getting consistently battered. The water was just coming over her, he said. She was hypothermic and obviously exhausted. The sheriffs office identified the kayaker as 19-year-old Savannah Ozer. After taking the Ozer to a waiting ambulance, crews got back in the water to search for the second kayaker, later identified as Elias Guillermo Lara Vargas. Ozer was returning to shore when her kayak capsized, Handoga said. Vargas had tried to help her. Because of the conditions, even though he got off his kayak to try to go assist, he never made it to her, the fire chief said. Rescue crews called for additional resources to locate Vargas. Fire rescue boats from Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission joined the effort. We were searching the area with six boats and the Sheriffs helicopter, and we had land units from Dunedin checking Honeymoon Island coastline on the ground, Handoga said. There was a lot of resources being utilized. Coast Guard crews searched about 290 square miles by air and sea. Rough weather brought 10- to 15-mph winds and 3- to 4-foot seas. Tampa Bay waters from Englewood to Tarpon Springs are under a small craft advisory until 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. The sea conditions were not favorable at all, Handoga said. Our crews put themselves in harms way going out in the small craft advisory. So, after three hours, the decision was to bring the fire rescue resources in and turn over the search to the U.S. Coast Guard. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders launched rescue crews to Vargass last known position. The search for Vargas, who is still missing, was called off about 6:45 p.m. Monday, according to the Coast Guard news release. We extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Vargas loved ones during this difficult time, said Lt. Vincente Garcia, a Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg search and rescue mission coordinator, in the news release. Suspending a search is never a decision taken lightly. We are thankful to our crews and partner agencies for their unwavering commitment and tireless efforts. The Pinellas County Sheriffs Office is leading the missing person investigation. Officials said anyone with information about the whereabouts of Vargas can call the Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg command center at 866-881-1392. 2026 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Donald Trump arrives for a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 22, 2025, where he announced the Navy would build a new Trump-class battleship. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, AFP/Getty Images via TNS) Congress has received its first internal analysis of the proposed Trump-class battleships, which are the linchpin of the presidents Golden Fleet plan for the Navys future. The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service released its report on Tuesday, outlining the battleship project and including a list of suggested questions for Congress on whether the ships are needed, cost-effective and meet overall Navy strategic goals. The analysis comes the week after the Congressional Budget Office pegged the likely price of the largest non-aircraft carrier surface ship that the Navy has built since World War II at up to $22 billion for the first ship. Later ships would cost up to $12.7 billion, according to the CBO. The proposed battleships are designated BBG(X): BB for battleship, G for guided-missile, and X for an unfinished design. The CRS report notes that the ships would not follow the direction of aircraft carriers in using nuclear propulsion and would have a variety of current and future weapons options. BBG(X) would be conventionally powered (i.e., fossil-fueled) ships armed with a combination of missiles, guns, lasers and other weapons that would be greater in aggregate than the combination of weapons on the Navys current cruisers and destroyers, the report said. A new Navy schematic of the proposed Trump-class battleship. (Congressional Research Service) CRS said the Navy envisions building 15 to 25 BBG(X)s as part of the forthcoming Golden Fleet plan that would replace the current plan to build a 381-ship Navy. The idea of a new, large surface combat vessel has been praised and derided in naval circles since President Donald Trump first announced it during a Dec. 22 news conference at Mar-a-lago, the presidents private club in Florida. Theyll be the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built, Trump said. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, speaking at the Surface Navy Association National Symposium last week in Arlington, Va., said the battleship was part of a change in Navy thinking. Why is the Navy building that? Well, everythings an evolution, Caudle said, according to Navy Times. If I want to shoot 100 things from 100 things, or I want to shoot 100 things from one thing, which is harder? Caudle called the proposed battleships badass and said they would enable multiple missions thanks to their higher payload, speed, and the ability to use multiple weapons systems simultaneously with a single command and control system aboard a battleship. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote for the center that he believed the ship would never get off the drawing board. This ship will never sail, Cancian said. It will take years to design, cost $9 billion each to build, and contravene the Navys new concept of operations, which envisions distributed firepower. A future administration will cancel the program before the first ship hits the water. Chinas Global Times, a government-aligned newspaper, interviewed Zhang Junshe, a naval analyst with Chinas Navy, who said the large size of the battleship would make it more vulnerable and an easier target, especially when full of munitions. BBG(X)s would be the first battleships procured by the Navy since World War II and would be larger and more heavily armed than any cruiser or destroyer procured by the Navy since the war. The first BBG(X) would reportedly be procured in the early 2030s. BBG(X)s would be 840 feet to 880 feet long and have a full load displacement of more than 35,000 tons. The report notes that it is lighter than the last battleships operated by the Navy the World War II-era Iowa-class, which had a fully loaded displacement of 57,000 tons. In comparison, the Navys current heaviest ships are the Zumwalt-class destroyers at 16,000 tons, the Ticonderoga-class cruisers at 9,600 tons, and the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers at 9,100 tons. The largest ships in the Navy are aircraft carriers, 10 Nimitz class and one Gerald R. Ford class, with a displacement of over 100,000 tons. A planned future guided missile destroyer, the DDG(X), would have a displacement of 14,500 tons. The report said the battleship program was expected to benefit from a shift of resources away from the new destroyer to the new battleship. The Navy reportedly intends to suspend work on the DDG(X) program as a consequence of starting the BBG(X) program, the report said. CRS said the Navy reportedly plans to issue competitive awards to one or more shipbuilders to build BBG(X)s. It identified General Dynamics Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine; Huntington Ingalls Industries Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Miss.; and Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding of Newport News, Va., as the only current U.S. shipyards that could handle the construction. CRS said the House and Senate have several potential questions to ask about the battleship project, including: (Henry Toluzzi/Stars and Stripes) Germany, October 1951: Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, SHAPE commander, waves from his L-17 at an airstrip near Friedberg as he concludes a visit to the front lines of Exercise Combine. More than 160,000 service members including ground, air and naval forces from the U.S., France and Great Britain took part in EUCOMs 1951 field training exercise. Looking for Stars and Stripes historic coverage? Subscribe to Stars and Stripes historic newspaper archive! We have digitized our 1948-1999 European and Pacific editions, as well as several of our WWII editions and made them available online through https://starsandstripes.newspaperarchive.com/ Hikers Emanuel Leon, 20, of Carpinteria, Calif., right, and Evelyn Torres, 19, left, of Santa Barbara, soak at Montecito Hot Springs. (Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times/TNS) LOS ANGELES The water bubbles up hot from the earth and sunlight filters down through the branches of mighty oaks. But before you can soak in Santa Barbara Countys highly popular Montecito Hot Springs, youll need to hike a little over a mile uphill, threading your way among boulders, oaks and a meandering creek. And before the hike, there are two other crucial steps: getting to the trailhead and knowing what to expect. These rustic spring pools are about 95 miles northwest of LA City Hall, just upslope from well-to-do Montecito, whose residents include Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Though the trail and hot springs are part of Los Padres National Forest, the trailhead is in a residential neighborhood of gated mansions. Beyond the trailhead parking area (which has room for eight or nine cars), the neighborhood includes very little curbside parking. After visitation surged during the pandemic, some neighbors were accused by county officials of placing boulders to obstruct public parking . Parking options were reduced further when county officials added parking restrictions recently. Bottom line: Unless you can arrive on a weekday between 8 and 10 a.m., youre probably better off taking a rideshare service to get there. Whenever you arrive, youre likely to have company. And you might want to wait until the landscape dries out a bit from the rains of recent weeks. As Los Padres National Forest spokesman Andrew Madsen warned, the foothills of Santa Barbara are especially fragile and hiking is especially precarious in the aftermath of heavy rains. All that said, the hike is rewarding and free. From the Hot Springs Canyon trailhead at East Mountain Drive and Riven Rock Road, its a 2.5-mile out-and-back trail to the hot springs, with about 800 feet of altitude gain on the way. Arriving at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, I got the last parking spot at the trailhead, stepped past the signs forbidding parking before 8 a.m. or after sunset, then stepped past another sign warning that this is a challenging and rugged hike. Also, there are no bathrooms or trash cans on the trail or at the springs. Its important that people know whats going on up there before they show up, Madsen said. Its not all that glamorous. Even though its only 1.2 or 1.3 miles to the hot springs, plan on about an hour of uphill hiking. Once youre above the residential lots, youll see pipes along the way, carrying water down the hill, along with occasional trailside poison oak. As you near the pools, youll pick up the scent of sulfur and notice the water turning a strange bluish hue. Then the trail jumps across the creek which I initially missed. Hikers look west from the ruins near Montecito Hot Springs. On a clear day with the sun in the right place, you can stand among the overgrown ruins, look west and see the ocean, a few old oil platforms and the long, low silhouette of Santa Cruz Island. (Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times/TNS) The trail to Montecito Hot Springs. From the Hot Springs Canyon trailhead at East Mountain Drive and Riven Rock Road, its a 2.5-mile out-and-back trail to the hot springs, with about 800 feet of altitude gain on the way. (Christopher Reynolds, Los Angles Times/TNS) But there was a silver lining. That detour gave me a chance to admire the stone ruins of a hotel that was built next to the springs in 1870s. After a fire, it became a private club. Then it burned in the Coyote fire of 1964 , which blackened more than 65,000 acres, destroyed more than 90 homes and killed a firefighter. The hot springs and surrounding land have been part of Los Padres National Forest since 2013. On a clear day with the sun in the right place, you can stand among the overgrown ruins, look west and see the ocean, a few old oil platforms and the long, low silhouette of Santa Cruz Island. This is what the native Chumash would have seen (minus the oil platforms) through the many years they used the springs before European immigrants arrived. Pleasant as that view was, I was ready to soak, as were the two couples who got momentarily lost with me. (We were all Montecito Hot Springs rookies.) Once wed retraced our steps to the creek and crossed it, the trail took us quickly past a hand-lettered CLOTHING OPTIONAL sign to a series of spring-fed pools of varying temperatures. A dozen people were already lazing in and around the uppermost pools (one woman topless, one man bottomless), but several pools remained empty. I took one that was about 2 feet deep and perhaps 90 degrees. In one pool near me sat Ryan Binter, 30, and Kyra Rubinstein, 26, both from Wichita, Kan. She found this, said Binter, praising Rubinsteins internet search savvy. At the next pool were Emanuel Leon, 20, of Carpinteria, Calif., and Evelyn Torres, 19, of Santa Barbara. The last time theyd tried this hike, theyd strayed off-track and missed the hot springs, so this time, they were savoring the scene. Revenge! said Leon, settling in. The soaking was so mellow, quiet and unhurried that I was surprised to learn that the pools were not erected legally. As Madsen of the Los Padres National Forest explained later by phone, they were created by the trail gnomes hikers arranging rocks themselves to adjust water flow and temperature, with no government entities involved. Legal or not, they made a nice reward after the hike uphill. The downhill hike out was easier and quicker, of course, but still tricky because of the rocks and twisting trail. On your way out of Montecito, especially if its your first time, take a good look at the adobe-style grandeur of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church building, which looks like it was smuggled into California from Santa Fe. For food and drink, head to Coast Village Road (the communitys main drag) or the Montecito Village Shopping Center on East Valley Road. Those shops and restaurants may not match the wonder and comfort of a natural bath in the woods, but for civilization, theyre not bad. Sgt. Jerry W. Reese II, left, and Master Sgt. Jose N. Santiago, both from the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, read Stars and Stripes at a U.S. Army aviation base camp near An-Najaf, Iraq, in April 2003. (Stars and Stripes) Contact Stripes Ombudsman Jacqueline Smith at ombudsman@stripes.com. Stars and Stripes, the legendary newspaper for the U.S. military community, is in peril of losing its editorial independence and becoming nothing more than a public relations arm of the Pentagon. Your help is urgently needed to keep Stars and Stripes operating as an independent news source that adheres to journalistic principles and ethics. Your help is needed for Stripes to continue providing fair, accurate and unbiased news for those who are serving our country and our veterans. They deserve nothing less than the unfiltered truth. Here is what is happening, why and what you can do about it. My alarm is not exaggerated. On Jan. 15, Sean Parnell, who is the chief Pentagon spokesman for Department of Defense/War Secretary Pete Hegseth, posted on the social media site X four paragraphs announcing a refocus for Stripes. That was the first anyone at Stripes had heard of the Pentagon leaderships intent. The Department of War is returning Stars & Stripes to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters, Parnell wrote. Actually, Stripes never deviated from that mission, though you dont usually see the word warfighters used in place of soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors in news stories. Parnell wrote that the department would refocus its content away from woke distractions that syphon morale. As the ombudsman, I read the newspaper carefully, cover to cover, the website and newsletters and I cannot tell you what any woke distractions might be nor repurposed DC gossip columns. Morale is important, Parnell is right about that. In fact, funding for Stripes is under the morale, welfare and recreation portion of the defense budget. Only a portion of Stripes operational budget is from defense funds, a moving target of lately anywhere from 35% to 45%. The rest is generated by Stripes such as from advertising. Stars & Stripes will be custom tailored to our warfighters. It will focus on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and ALL THINGS MILITARY, Parnell wrote. Stripes readers already see stories about weapons systems and drills and fitness and much more stories affecting military families, about Defense Department schools overseas and health care. Warfighters do not live in isolation. Those in the military also require unbiased information so that they can participate in the U.S. democracy as informed citizens. Stripes provides that. The stories in Stripes do not lean right or left or support any particular ideology. From bases around the world, Stripes journalists provide news that is objective, credible, and editorially independent of the military chain of command and military public affairs activities, as required by the Code of Federal Regulations provision governing Stars and Stripes. On the same day that Parnell posted on X, the department summarily and illegally shut down the complex review process for the regulation and removed the current regulation on the basis it was unnecessary. That leaves Stripes operating under guidelines in a 1994 Department of Defense directive, well before the digital age revolutionized news publishing. This might not sound troubling on the face of it, but directives written by the Defense Department can be changed on a whim. The action also ignores Congress intent for Stripes to remain editorially independent; three decades ago it created the position of ombudsman for the purpose of ensuring the independence. Parnells statement was brief. The ramifications were spelled out, however, in a story on the Daily Wire in which unnamed War Department officials said stories will be written by active-duty service members and Fifty percent of the websites content will be composed of War Department-generated materials. If half the content is composed by the Pentagon, how could anyone trust the other half to be impartial? Credibility will turn to dust. I believe that service members are smart. They do not need to be spoon-fed good news from the Department of Defense/War. Give them the full and fair picture and let them think for themselves. This is respecting those who serve. What is happening with Stars and Stripes should be seen within the wider context of Pentagon restrictions of mainstream media. You might remember in recent months journalists who cover the Pentagon were told they must sign a form agreeing to report only approved information or else lose their credentials. What reputable journalist would agree to censorship? Scores walked out. They continue to cover the department through other means. More recently, Stripes leadership found out that job applicants applying through the USAJOBS site, a funnel for all government positions, are asked whether they are loyal to the Trump administration and its policies. This is clearly antithetical to journalistic objectivity. Answering the questions is optional, the site states, but not in an obvious manner. Given the overall press restrictions and the moves to take over editorial control of Stars and Stripes, the future of the reputable newspaper that dates to the Civil War is in danger. This is where your help is needed. Immediately. Write to your U.S. senators and representative and tell them of the value of maintaining an unfettered news source for the military. Ask them to take action. Not long ago, Stars and Stripes faced a real threat of being shut down. In 2020 then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper put zero funding in the defense budget. The outcry from those who value the newspaper was loud and strong. President Donald Trump, then in his first term, ordered the funds restored. The president can do whats right once again and defend continued editorial independence of Stars and Stripes for the good of the military men and women serving our country. No other news organization in the country has that focus and responsibility. The Stars and Stripes ombudsman, in a role created in 1991 by the House Armed Services Committee, is tasked with reporting to Congress on any threats to the organizations mission of providing independent news to U.S. service members and the military community. People taking a disaster preparedness workshop tour an ambulance at the Iwakuni Fire and Disaster Preparedness Center in Iwakuni, Japan, on Jan. 17, 2026. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes) IWAKUNI, Japan Life in coastal Japan brings its own set of major hazards earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and landslides. For average American service members, civilian employees and their families at this air base near Hiroshima, it can seem daunting. To learn how to survive one of these experiences, Marine Corps Community Services brought Marines, sailors and others together in the local community Saturday with Japanese experts from the Iwakuni Fire and Disaster Preparedness Center. There are many different types of disasters here, Kiyohisa Takazaki, crisis management section specialist for Iwakuni city, said during his presentation. In early July, we had heavy rainfall and that caused five disasters which were shown on TV. People from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and Iwakuni city watch a presentation on earthquakes, mudslides, floods and fires during a workshop at the Iwakuni Fire and Disaster Preparedness Center in Iwakuni, Japan, on Jan. 17, 2026. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes) The Iwakuni City Hall International Relations Office prepared the three-hour-long workshop in disaster preparedness, which was presented in Japanese and English at the citys Disaster Prevention Learning Center. We handle a lot of people that are newly coming to the base, Rebecca Thornton, the air base family readiness program manager, said at the workshop. I think anybody should take this opportunity to get this education, whether youre on base or off base. Its just an extra layer of education that makes us stronger and more knowledgeable. Participants in a disaster preparedness workshop practice with fire extinguishers at the Iwakuni Fire and Disaster Preparedness Center in Iwakuni, Japan, on Jan. 17, 2026. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes) The workshop, offered twice a year, includes earthquake and fire simulators. Participants may experience the shaking of various magnitudes or what its like to escape a smoky room. I dont know anything about Iwakuni, so I wanted to learn as much as I can, said Zaira Aguilar, a civilian employee in the human relations department of Community Services. She said she arrived at MCAS Iwakuni just over a week before the workshop. I will work on base, but I will live off base, so I want to experience both worlds and be able to connect with my neighbors and know whats going on, she said at the event. People from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and Iwakuni city take part in a disaster preparedness workshop at the Iwakuni Fire and Disaster Preparedness Center in Iwakuni, Japan, on Jan. 17, 2026. (Janiqua Robinson/Stars and Stripes) As for practical advice, Takazaki said heavy rainfall is dangerous because standing water may appear shallow when its dangerously deep. He encouraged his audience to exercise caution while driving in heavy rain, to avoid standing water or to find another route. Takazaki also recommended downloading the Iwakuni Shimin News App to receive warnings of disasters in the local area. There are many ways to receive warnings, he said There are outdoor speakers, emails, smartphones and emergency system applications. American and Japanese runners start the 5-kilometer event during the 45th annual Frostbite Road Race on Yokota Air Base, Japan, on Jan. 18, 2026. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes) YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan Runners from this airlift hub in western Tokyo and surrounding communities turned out Sunday morning for the 45th Frostbite Road Race, braving chilly temperatures to take part in one of the bases largest public events. More than 10,000 people came to Yokota to run in the race or cheer on family and friends. This event speaks to the close, long-lasting relationship with our Japanese friends and family as one community, Col. Richard McElhaney, commander of the 374th Airlift Wing, said in a speech at the race. Japanese runners in costumes warm up before the 45th annual Frostbite Road Race at Yokota Air Base, Japan, on Jan. 18, 2026. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes) Runners approach the finish line during an event for the 45th annual Frostbite Road Race at Yokota Air Base, Japan, on Jan. 18, 2026. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes) Although the Frostbite run is competitive, organizers say its primary focus is fitness and community engagement. Events like this dont happen without leaders who believe in community fitness and bringing people together, Cherina Bowman, president of the Yokota Striders Running Club, said in a speech at the event. The Striders organize the annual run with support from the wing. Its so nice to have the Japanese community come onto the base and see them all excited about running, club volunteer Maria Washler told Stars and Stripes at the event. Runners start the 2-kilometer family event during the annual Frostbite Road Race at Yokota Air Base, Japan, on Jan. 18, 2026. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes) Runners approach the finish line during an event for the 45th annual Frostbite Road Race at Yokota Air Base, Japan, on Jan. 18, 2026. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes) The race has long drawn strong support from the local Japanese community, attracting runners of all ages. Some participants have attended every year since the event began. Its amazing to see so many people wearing old merchandise, Bowman told Stars and Stripes. We have runners that were Striders from the 1980s, and everyone comes together for this amazing race, promoting health and friendship. Attendance has continued to grow, with about 3,000 more visitors coming to Yokota this year compared with last year, Bowman said. Frostbite for us at Yokota Air Base is tradition. Its beautiful to see the friendship grow over the years, she said. Capt. Angelique Matusz, an Army nurse, comforts Luna, an injured puppy she found near Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Jan. 4, 2026. (Angelique Matusz) CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea An Army captain and her husband were driving along a dark road outside this U.S. base early this month when they spotted a small shape struggling in traffic. They stopped and found a badly injured puppy trying unsuccessfully to crawl out of the roadway as vehicles passed, Capt. Angelique Matusz told Stars and Stripes in an interview Thursday at Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital. The dog was trying to move using her back legs, but she kept kicking herself back into traffic, she said. She was bleeding, crying and clearly in a lot of pain. Matusz, an intensive care nurse with the 150th Medical Detachment, said her training took over as soon as she reached the puppy with her husband, 1st Sgt. Patrick Piche of Bravo Company, 3rd Military Intelligence Battalion. I went straight into nurse mode, Matusz said. I checked her breathing, looked for major bleeding, and tried to keep her as still as possible until we could get her help. The puppy could not stand and appeared to have multiple broken legs, Matusz said. The couple agreed they could not leave her there that night, Jan. 4. If we left her there, we were basically condemning her to death, Piche said by phone Thursday. All it took was giving a damn and deciding to do something. Capt. Angelique Matusz, an Army nurse, works in her office at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Jan. 15, 2026. (Alejandro Carrasquel/Stars and Stripes) They drove the puppy to a nearby veterinary clinic, where imaging revealed severe injuries requiring surgery. Veterinarians also determined the dog, about 3 months old, was dehydrated and malnourished. With medical costs projected at about $3,400, the couple partnered with Rebel Rescue, a local animal rescue group, to launch a GoFundMe campaign to cover treatment. As of Tuesday afternoon, the campaign had raised nearly $3,700. Within the first day, people had already donated thousands of dollars, Matusz said. It was overwhelming to see how many people wanted to help. The puppy, whom Matusz and Piche named Luna, is recovering and temporarily staying with them until she can be placed in a permanent home. Luna recovers at the home of Capt. Angelique Matusz, an Army nurse assigned to Camp Humphreys, South Korea, in this undated photo. (Angelique Matusz) Luna recovers at the home of Capt. Angelique Matusz, an Army nurse assigned to Camp Humphreys, South Korea, in this undated photo. (Angelique Matusz) Piche said the experience shows how individual action, even in uncertain or inconvenient moments, can make a difference. People think someone else will step in, he said. Sometimes youre the only one there, and that choice matters. Several people have already expressed interest in adopting Luna, the couple said. They hope the story encourages others to act when they encounter animals or people in need, regardless of whether they have military training. Do the right thing, Matusz said. You never know whose life depends on it. The guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn arrives at U.S. Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia on July 16, 2025. (Kenneth Gardner/U.S. Navy) A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer and a survey vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, the first such crossing confirmed this year. The USS John Finn and the USNS Mary Sears made a routine transit of the 110-mile-wide strait on Friday and Saturday, according to an unsigned email Tuesday from the U.S. 7th Fleet. The strait separates Taiwan from mainland China. The transit occurred in an area beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state, the message said. The transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle, 7th Fleet said. The United States rejects any assertion of sovereignty or jurisdiction that is inconsistent with freedoms of navigation, overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea and air. China until 2022 recognized an international waterway in the strait but since then claims it entirely as sovereign territory and regularly condemns the passages of U.S. and allied warships. Naval and air forces of Chinas Eastern Theater Command monitored and tracked the U.S. vessels movements, ensuring effective response and management, said spokesman Senior Col. Xu Chenghua, according to a Saturday news release from Chinas Ministry of National Defense. The troops remain on high alert to resolutely safeguard Chinas national sovereignty and security, as well as regional peace and stability, he said. China views self-governing Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary. Meanwhile, a Chinese surveillance drone entered Taiwanese airspace at 5:44 a.m. Saturday around the Taiwan-administered Pratas Island, a coral atoll in the northern part of the South China Sea, according to a news release from the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense that day. The drone left after four minutes following a warning from Taiwan broadcast on international channels, according to the release. Such highly provocative and irresponsible behavior of the communist army has seriously undermined regional peace and stability, violated international law and norms, and is bound to be condemned, the release said. The drone was engaged in routine flight training that was completely legitimate and lawful, Senior Col. Tian Junli, spokesman for Chinas Southern Theater command, said in a Saturday news release. In December, Chinas military conducted exercises that surrounded the island and included live-fire missile drills. The company has made significant changes to improve the business. CEO Dan Schulman took over last year, and the company cut 13,000 jobs amid a restructuring effort. We could see a turnaround in the business as the new CEO reports the first full quarter results on January 30. While Verizon struggled to gain new wireless customers recently, it has been expanding its broadband business. The management is planning to add over 2.2 million new fiber subscribers through the acquisition of Frontier Communications later this year. Verizon stock has a yield of 7.01% and a payout ratio of 57.68%. The company has raised dividends annually for 21 consecutive years and pays an annual dividend of $2.76 per share. Verizon Communications is one of the largest telecom companies in the United States and serves over 146 million wireless customers. It is impossible for us to live without our phones, and the telecommunication industry continues to play a big role in the economy. The company has bundled wireless services into its broadband plans and integrated AI features into the network in order to attract more customers. I believe Verizon Communications ( NYSE:VZ ) , Johnson & Johnson Inc. ( NYSE: JNJ ) , and Coca-Cola ( NYSE:KO ) are dividend stocks worth owning throughout 2026, no matter where the market moves. Lets dive deep into them. Even if youre focused on growth stocks, a few dividend stocks can become ideal long-term investments. When it comes to buying stocks that arent impacted by market movement, you need to identify companies that have the potential to stand strong despite the ups and downs. These should be companies that play a crucial role in the industry and offer products and services thatll always remain in demand. It is possible to build wealth through dividend investing. While it isnt guaranteed that your investment will grow, youll continue to enjoy passive income as long as you hold the stock. In the long run, dividend stocks outperform their non-dividend payers significantly. This is why every investor must have a few dividend stocks in their portfolio. Story Continues The stock is exchanging hands for $39.36 and has gained 2.6% this past year. While the stock has struggled to gain momentum, I believe it is trading at a discount and is a chance to buy. The upcoming results may not give a boost to the stock, Verizon is considered an ideal pick for the long-term stability and dividends. It could be ready for a major turnaround this year. Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons Johnson & Johnson After the spinoff of the consumer products division, Johnson & Johnson is now a pure-play health company. Its core business continues to remain medical technology and innovative drugs. The business operates in an industry that doesnt depend on the economic cycle, and it focuses on areas such as neuroscience, infectious disease, metabolism, oncology, and immunology. People will need treatments, theyll need medication, and Johnson & Johnson will continue to see growing demand. The stock has a yield of 2.37% and is exchanging hands for $219.57. It has gained 48% in the past year and has had an excellent 2025. Its third-quarter revenue was up 4.4% year over year, and the EPS jumped 15.7%. The company can sustain and raise dividends since it generates ample free cash flow. In the first nine months of 2025, the company generated a free cash flow of $14.3 billion and paid dividends of $9.3 billion. The reason Johnson & Johnson remains relevant under all market situations is its diversified product lineup. Losing one of its growth drivers, Stelara didnt impact its financial results as it continues to focus on the new launches. The company can develop new products that generate steady revenue in the long term. Its med tech business is thriving and accounted for over 35% of the revenue in the third quarter. Johnson & Johnson has a payout ratio of 48.94%, and it has increased dividends for 63 years. The stock pays an annual dividend of $5.20 per share and has a 5-year dividend growth rate of 5.25%. Xaheer69 / Shutterstock.com Xaheer69 / Shutterstock.com Coca-Cola A blue-chip dividend stock and Warren Buffetts longtime favorite, Coca-Cola is one of the top players in the consumer sector. The stock has a yield of 2.89% and has raised dividends for 63 consecutive years. Coca-Cola is a dividend king with the ability to increase payouts in the coming quarters. The company enjoys global presence and brand loyalty and has a diversified portfolio of products that meet the changing consumer demands. It has a payout ratio of 67.85% and pays an annual dividend of $2.04 per share. The stock is exchanging hands for $70.48 and has gained 13% in a year. While the upside could be minimum, its dividends will remain steady. Theres a reason Buffett held on to the stock for decades. Coca-Cola is recession-proof due to its business model. The company continues to sell products, no matter what the economy looks like. Further, it is an asset-light business. It only sells concentrates and syrups to the bottling partners who handle the distribution. This keeps the operating costs at a minimum and generates steady revenue. Coca-Cola has built a strong presence in every part of the world. The company generates robust profits and is an incredible business. It has pricing power and little risk of profits dropping. You may find stocks with higher yields, but not many stocks offer the kind of safety and stability that Coca-Cola does. It has generated over 100% total return over the past decade. If youre a dividend investor, KO stock will never disappoint. Data Shows One Habit Doubles Americans Savings And Boosts Retirement Most Americans drastically underestimate how much they need to retire and overestimate how prepared they are. But data shows that people with one habit have more than double the savings of those who dont. And no, its got nothing to do with increasing your income, savings, clipping coupons, or even cutting back on your lifestyle. Its much more straightforward (and powerful) than any of that. Frankly, its shocking more people dont adopt the habit given how easy it is. Ukunhama Beach on Miyagi Island, Okinawa, is pictured on Jan. 20, 2026. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes) Two U.S. service members on a nighttime scuba dive were rescued from a rocky cliff on an island off Okinawas central coast over the weekend, according to Japans coast guard. The Uruma Fire Department summoned the coast guard at 9:37 p.m. Sunday with a report of two men stranded on the northern coast of Ukunhama Beach on Miyagi Island, the coast guard said in a news release Monday. The island is part of Uruma city, home to Marine Corps Camp Courtney. Both service members are 22, according to the release. One is assigned to Camp Hansen and the other to Camp Kinser. A Japan coast guard spokesman could not confirm the service members affiliation by phone Tuesday. Marine Corps Installations Pacific spokesman Wesley Hayes acknowledged but did not immediately answer questions emailed by Stars and Stripes that day. A witness reported at 8 p.m. Sunday that the two stranded men were asking for help, a fire department spokesman said by phone Tuesday. The department, after failing for 90 minutes to retrieve the pair, called the coast guard, according to the coast guard spokesman. The men were airlifted off the cliff about three hours later by a coast guard MH961 helicopter and flown to Naha airport. Since it was a rocky place and it was at night, it took some time to confirm their location, he said. The two service members and their diving gear were swept by waves onto the cliff, which is connected to a small peninsula on the island just north of the beach, the coast guard spokesman said. He did not know when they began diving. The temperature on Okinawa was 68 degrees Fahrenheit at the time of the rescue, with 6 mph winds from the east, according to world-weather.info. The service members were uninjured, the coast guard spokesman said. They were released to an ambulance from the Camp Kinser Fire Department at 2:20 a.m. Monday, according to the release. Some Japanese government officials must speak to the press only on condition of anonymity. F-16 Fighting Falcons from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, are placed on the flight line during Operation Noble Defender at Pittufik Space Base, Greenland, Jan. 29, 2025. U.S. and Canadian military aircraft will soon be headed to the base for routine defense drills, North American Aerospace Defense Command said Jan. 19, 2026. (Christopher Ruano/U.S. Air Force) U.S. and Canadian military aircraft will soon be headed to Greenland for routine defense drills, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a statement this week. They come amid high tension between the United States and European allies over President Donald Trumps bid to take control of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. The aircraft, which are coming from bases in the United States and Canada, will arrive at Pituffik Space Base on an unspecified date to support various long-planned drills, NORAD said Monday. This activity has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark, and all supporting forces operate with the requisite diplomatic clearances, NORAD said, adding that the government of Greenland also was aware of the upcoming operations. The exercises are in line with the kind of training conducted by NORAD, which is responsible for monitoring and defending North American airspace and maritime threats. The U.S. has about 200 troops in Greenland who are tasked with supporting an early-warning ballistic missile defense mission. During the Cold War, the U.S. had numerous bases and thousands of troops positioned in Greenland. Over the weekend, Trump said he would impose new tariffs on several European countries if a deal isnt reached for the United States to take possession of the territory. Several European leaders have criticized the proposal. The issue is expected to intensify this week at an economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech Wednesday before a gathering of global political and economic leaders. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Monday that he would meet with Trump at the forum to deliberate on the Greenland issue and security in the Arctic. Following a phone call with Rutte the same day, Trump said he would hold talks with various parties on the Greenland matter. Greenland is extremely important for national and global security. There is no turning back everyone agrees on that! Trump said on his Truth Social platform. The United States is the most powerful country on the planet, without a doubt. ... We are the only force that can ensure peace in the world and it is done, simply put, through strength A security cooperation agreement between Washington and Copenhagen allows the U.S. to increase its military presence on the island. Numerous security analysts have suggested that a ramped-up American and allied presence in Greenland could be a diplomatic off-ramp that moves Trump away from a push for full American control of the territory. So far, however, Trump has not signaled interest in an agreement that falls short of an American acquisition of the island. U.S. soldiers process Afghan evacuees at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, in September 2021. The State Department plans to relocate evacuees who are still at the camp and close it by the end of September. (Elizabeth Hackbarth/U.S. Army) The United States is shuttering its Afghan resettlement operation in Qatar and plans to relocate the hundreds of evacuees there who are awaiting transfer to the U.S., according to the State Department. More than 150 immediate family members of U.S. military personnel are among those currently housed at Camp As Sayliyah, advocates at the nonprofit group #AfghanEvac said. The camp, situated on a former Army base in the Qatari desert, has been used since the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 as a temporary holding platform for thousands of Afghans fleeing the Taliban. Among them are Afghans who assisted U.S. service members during the 20-year war, as well as their families. All occupants will be relocated from Qatar by March 31, the State Department said Tuesday in a statement, adding that it will completely demobilize the base by the end of September. Its unclear where the Afghans will be relocated, but the agency said they wont be sent back to Afghanistan. It is not appropriate or humane to keep this group of individuals (there) indefinitely, a department spokesperson said. Moving them to a different country is a positive resolution that provides safety for these remaining people to start a new life outside of Afghanistan while upholding the safety and security of the American people, the spokesperson said. Approximately 1,100 people are currently present at the camp, according to #AfghanEvac. Roughly 800 are in the refugee pipeline and have approved pathways to the U.S., the group said. The decision prompted outcry from resettlement advocates and congressional Democrats, who say closing the camp without a clear plan could put Afghans at further risk. President Donald Trump has already halted refugee admissions and paused the processing of special immigrant visas, narrowing the pathways for Afghans seeking to resettle in America. Closing (Camp As Sayliyah) is the latest reckless step by the Trump administration to dismantle every remaining pathway for these allies to safely relocate in the United States, U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said last week in a statement. It is a profound betrayal of those who stood with us in Afghanistan, and of Americas word. In the past, the U.S. has used sites in Germany and the Philippines as temporary shelter for Afghan evacuees. American efforts to resettle Afghans have fallen under increased scrutiny in recent months as Republican lawmakers and administration officials raise concerns that evacuees were not properly vetted. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week, a number of them tore into the program, which was established under former President Joe Biden. They pointed to a recent shooting that killed one member of the West Virginia National Guard and wounded another. An Afghan national who came to the U.S. under humanitarian parole after the American withdrawal is facing charges in the case. Democrats and advocacy groups have defended the programs security measures, saying Afghans were thoroughly vetted and pose little security risk to the United States. In this photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a meeting, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Iran on Tuesday warned President Donald Trump not to take any action against the countrys Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, days after the U.S. president called for an end to Khameneis nearly 40-year reign. Trump knows that if any hand of aggression is extended toward our leader, we not only cut that hand but also we will set fire to their world, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for Irans armed forces, said. The comments came after Trump described Khamenei in an interview with Politico on Saturday as a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people, adding that its time to look for new leadership in Iran. Tension between the U.S. and Iran has been high since a violent crackdown by authorities on protests that began over Irans ailing economy on Dec. 28. Trump has drawn two red lines for the Islamic Republic the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations. The USS Abraham Lincoln, which had been in the South China Sea in recent days, had passed through the Strait of Malacca, a key waterway connecting the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, by Tuesday, ship-tracking data showed. A U.S. Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the aircraft carrier and three accompanying destroyers were heading west. While naval and other defense officials stopped short of saying the carrier strike group was headed to the Middle East, its current heading and location in the Indian Ocean means its only days away from moving into the region. It would not be first time in recent years that a carrier strike group deployed to the Pacific was moved to the Middle East to address instability in the region. The Abraham Lincoln was rerouted to the Middle East in 2024. Last June, the USS Nimitz strike group was ordered to the region. The death toll from the protests has reached at least 4,484 people, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said Tuesday. The agency has been accurate throughout the years of demonstrations and unrest in Iran, relying on a network of activists inside the country that confirms all reported fatalities. The Associated Press has been unable to independently confirm the figure. The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution that brought the Islamic Republic into being. Although there have been no protests for days, there are fears the number could increase significantly as information gradually emerges from a country still under a government-imposed shutdown of the internet since Jan. 8. Khamenei said on Saturday that the protests had left several thousand people dead and blamed the United States. It was the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties. A further 26,127 people have been arrested, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Comments from officials have led to fears of some of those detained being put to death in Iran, one of the worlds top executioners. National police chief Gen. Ahmad Reza Radan has said those turning themselves in would receive more lenient treatment than those who dont. Those who were deceived by foreign intelligence services, and became their soldiers in practice, have a chance to turn themselves in, Radan said in an interview carried by Irans state television on Monday. In case of surrender, definitely there will be a reduction in punishment. They have three days to turn themselves in. He did not elaborate on what would happen after the three days. Konstantin Toropin in Washington D.C., contributed to this report. Israeli authorities demolish a UNRWA compound, belonging to the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees, in east Jerusalem Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (Mahmoud Illean/AP) JERUSALEM Israeli forces on Tuesday targeted at least two United Nations facilities, pushing forward with a crackdown against the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees tasked with delivering humanitarian services to millions of people across the region. Crews began bulldozing the United Nations Relief and Works Agencys offices in Sheikh Jarrah and fired tear gas at a vocational school in Qalandia, marking Israels latest and most dramatic step against UNRWA. Israel has long railed against the agency, accusing it of being infiltrated by Hamas and saying that some of its employees were involved in the October 2023 attack that triggered Israels two-year war in Gaza. UNRWA leaders have said they took swift action against the employees accused of taking part in the attack, and have denied allegations that the agency tolerates or collaborates with Hamas. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday condemned Israels destruction of the agencys compound and called for it to be returned to the U.N.s control. The Secretary-General views as wholly unacceptable the continued escalatory actions against UNRWA, which are inconsistent with Israels clear obligations under international law, said Farhan Haq, the deputy U.N. spokesperson. Roland Friedrich, the agencys West Bank director, said UNRWA received word that demolition crews and police arrived at their east Jerusalem headquarters early on Tuesday. Staff have not operated out of the facility for almost a year out of safety concerns, but Israeli forces confiscated devices and forced out private security guards protecting the facility. What we saw today is the culmination of two years of incitement and measures against UNRWA in east Jerusalem, Friedrich said. He said forces also began firing tear gas outside the vocational school on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Tuesday afternoon before ultimately leaving. More than 300 young refugees receive job training in technology and welding there. Some children on their way home from the school were overcome by the tear gas and a 15-year-old was hit in the eye with a rubber bullet, according to the Palestinian Authoritys Jerusalem governorate, which monitors Palestinian affairs in the area. Israeli leaders celebrate demolition Israels Foreign Ministry said the demolition enforced a new law banning UNRWA, noting that Israel owns the site and rejecting UNRWAs claims that the move violated international law. Israel has long claimed the agency has an anti-Israel bias. Often with little evidence, it says UNRWA employs and maintains ties with militant groups including Hamas. The U.N. has ardently denied such claims and UNRWA has said it acts quickly to purge any suspected militants among its staff. UNRWAs mandate is to provide aid and services to some 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, as well as 3 million more refugees in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. The group has for years maintained infrastructure in refugee camps and also run schools and provided health care. But its operations were curtailed last year when Israels Knesset passed legislation severing ties and banning it from functioning in what it defines as Israel including east Jerusalem. The agency said the demolitions could imperil operations at the vocational center in Qalandia and heath facility in Shuafat, where it still provides education and health services. An Israeli flag was seen hoisted above the facility in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where some Israeli politicians arrived on the scene to celebrate the organizations fate. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called it a historic day. This must be a wake-up call The demolition marked the culmination of years of criticism from Israel and its leaders. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war more than two years ago, it has ramped up such attacks, saying the militants used UNRWA facilities and seized aid. It has provided little evidence for the claims, which the U.N. has denied. The International Court of Justice said in October that Israel must allow the agency to provide humanitarian assistance in Gaza. Since Israel passed its law banning the agency last year, its facilities schools and health centers and its headquarters have repeatedly been closed, raided or left unprotected. This must be a wake-up call, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWAs commissioner-general, said in a statement on X. What happens today to UNRWA will happen tomorrow to any other international organisation or diplomatic mission, whether in the Occupied Palestinian Territory or anywhere around the world. More aid groups in Gaza face pressure Israels ban on UNRWA dovetailed with broader efforts to deregister aid groups operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Israel has passed laws requiring nongovernmental organizations not to hire staff involved in activities that delegitimize Israel or support boycotts, demanding they register lists of names as a condition of being allowed to work. Israel told dozens of groups including Doctors Without Borders and CARE that their licenses would expire at the end of 2025. The organizations say the rules are arbitrary and warned that the new ban would harm people desperately in need of humanitarian aid. Settler violence in the West Bank rose last year The Israeli military said Tuesday that attacks carried out by Jewish settlers against Palestinians and Israeli security forces in the West Bank increased by 27% last year compared with 2024. There were 867 reports of nationalistic crimes with the number of severe incidents up by more than 50%, according to internal statistics from the Israeli military and the countrys Shin Bet domestic security service. Mounting settler violence in the West Bank has emptied villages since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted, according to BTselem, an Israeli rights group helping the residents. The Israeli military has carried out large-scale operations in the West Bank targeting militants that have killed hundreds of Palestinians. There also has been a rise in Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Israeli authorities have a mixed relationship with settlers, at times dismantling unauthorized outposts while also deploying forces to protect them from Palestinians. Julia Frankel and Shlomo Mor in Jerusalem and Edith M. Lederer and Farnoush Amiri in New York contributed reporting. California Legislators last week advanced a bill meant to increase coordination between military and law enforcement to add greater protections for victims of domestic violence. (Joshua Magbanua/U.S. Air Force) (Tribune News Service) State legislators last week advanced a bill meant to increase coordination between military and law enforcement to add greater protections for victims of domestic violence. The bill would require law enforcement to notify military authorities if they believe a military protective order has been violated off base. It also allows those protective orders to be considered by a court when determining whether to issue a civil restraining order. Military protective orders, also known as MPOs, essentially are restraining orders issued by commanders, often in cases of alleged domestic violence or sexual assault. While they can issue broad protections, such as limiting contact and/or establishing distance, according to an Air Force fact sheet, they are not enforceable by civilian authorities. SB 99, from Sen. Catherine Blakespear, would allow military protective orders to be used as evidence in court, allow local authorities to coordinate with the military for communicating about potential violations of civil and military protective orders and require police to alert the proper military authorities if they believe theres been a violation. Many military families live off base, and that can create gaps in protection for people who have been granted military protective orders, Blakespear, a Democrat who represents communities in southern Orange County, said. SB 99 helps ensure that those with MPOs living off base are able to receive the support and protection they need, she added. The bill is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and passed the Senate Public Safety and Judiciary committees last week. Kelli May Douglas, the Pacific Southwest Region Liaison for the Defense Department, told legislators that nine states have already enacted similar legislation. Another five, including California, are actively considering such legislation, she said. Instances of harmful behavior often involve personnel who interact within both civilian and military jurisdictions, and without coordinated communications, violations may go unreported and unaddressed, risking further harm to victims, Douglas said. The department and Congress have established and implemented policies and programs to prevent and eliminate domestic abuse, protect victims, hold abusers appropriately accountable for their behavior and coordinate the response to domestic abuse with the local community, said Douglas. However, we have identified several critical gaps that can only be resolved through state actions. ACLU California Action, though, is opposed to the bill due to fundamental due process concerns around military protective orders, George Parampathu, a legislative attorney with the organization, told legislators. The decision to impose an MPO is made by a commanding officer, not a judge, Parampathu said. And this decision may be made without notice to the subject and without any opportunity for the subject to present evidence against the MPO. We should not compound these concerns by telling courts to weigh MPOs in state proceedings, he said. We recognize the need to continue finding ways to address domestic violence, but we must do so in balance with due process. Still, the bill passed unanimously out of both committees. 2026 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit ocregister.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Lawmakers unveiled a $839 billion full-year defense spending bill on Tuesday that gives the Pentagon about $8 billion more than requested by the Trump administration and pays for service member pay raises. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON Lawmakers unveiled a $839 billion full-year defense spending bill on Tuesday that gives the Pentagon about $8 billion more than requested by the Trump administration and pays for service member pay raises. The bipartisan, bicameral legislation is part of a larger package the House is expected to vote on this week as Congress races to fund the vast majority of the federal government ahead of a Jan. 30 shutdown deadline. The bills spending levels largely mirror funding recommendations in an annual defense policy bill passed in December, including a 3.8% pay raise for troops that took effect this month as well as continuing pay increases for junior enlisted service members. The bill also funds a 1% civilian employee pay increase. The legislation provides for a total end strength of 1,302,800 active-duty personnel and 764,900 selected reserve forces. It funds several priorities above the administrations request, allocating an additional $6 billion for Navy shipbuilding, $2 billion more for munitions, $1 billion more for health programs and $130 million more for the Marine Corps barracks renovation and modernization effort. The legislation also provides $400 million for a Ukraine security assistance program the Trump administration had sought to defund. Senior Senate GOP staff speaking on condition of anonymity Tuesday said continued aid to Ukraine was a key negotiating tool as the Trump administration seeks to end Russias war in Ukraine and essential for protecting and preserving any ceasefire or peace deal. We suspect that this continued security assistance is far more palatable than U.S. boots on the ground, the staff said. The legislation also allocates $200 million for the Baltic Security Initiative for the U.S. to provide military aid, training and defense equipment to countries on NATOs eastern front line. Appropriators used a report accompanying the bill to declare ironclad congressional support for the military alliance and its 32 member states. The statement comes amid an intensifying push by President Donald Trump to take control of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. European officials have warned that Greenlands seizure would shatter the alliance. Trump on Tuesday cast doubt on the willingness of NATO allies to fulfill their mutual defense obligations, saying, I know well come to their rescue but I really do question whether or not theyll come to ours. NATO has invoked Article 5 of its treaty, which holds that an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all, only once the day after the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. in 2001. It led to NATOs participation in the U.S. war in Afghanistan. Appropriators described NATO as the most important and effective military alliance in history and said the bill supports a commitment by member states to spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense, a target the alliance agreed to last year under pressure from Trump. There is no language in the bill that ties funding to military commitments abroad, but the policy bill passed in December known as the National Defense Authorization Act limits the administrations ability to significantly shrink the U.S. troop presence in Europe. Appropriators said the legislation is the product of two months of negotiations following the end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The 2026 fiscal year began on Oct. 1. The House will vote first on the package, followed by the Senate when it returns from recess next week. A hand bangs a gavel. (Aspen Reid/U.S. Air Force) The two best friends thought their bond, forged during months of grueling Navy SEAL training, was unbreakable. They were swim buddies, in the lingo of the SEALs, and the organizations ethos no man left behind was ingrained in them. Then a young woman was strangled, and the friends Dustin Turner and Billy Joe Brown were charged with murder. The case riveted public attention in Virginias Tidewater area in the mid-1990s, as Turner blamed the killing on Brown and Brown blamed it on Turner. Both were convicted separately in 1996 and sentenced to decades in prison. Eventually the crime faded from communal memory. Now, with Brown still locked up, Turner, 50, is about go free. After long insisting that his only offense was helping Brown dispose of the womans body, the former Boy Scout and high school athlete was granted release this month from his 82-year sentence by the Virginia Parole Board. His lawyer said he is due to leave prison within weeks. Relatives of the slain woman, Jennifer Evans, could not be reached for comment. Evans, 21, a vacationing Emory University premed student, was in a Virginia Beach nightclub on June 18, 1995, when she met Turner, who was drinking in the club with Brown. Later that evening, Evans disappeared. As a police investigation intensified that month, the two men denied any involvement. Eventually, though, Turner told detectives that Brown strangled Evans in Turners car in the clubs parking lot while Turner tried to stop him. When authorities confronted Brown, he said that when he got to the car after closing time, Turner already had killed Evans in the vehicle. Both said they drove to a wooded area in Newport News, Virginia, and dumped her body because thats what buddies do, they said: They look out for each other. Brown was sentenced to 72 years. In 2002, early in his prison term, he changed his story, admitting that he strangled Evans. He said he had falsely accused his friend because he was angry that Turner, in blaming him, had betrayed their bond. Brown told detectives that he had become a Christian behind bars and wanted to clear his conscience. Even though his confession was deemed credible by a judge, it wasnt legally sufficient to negate Turners conviction. Prosecutors say that the two were accomplices in the killing. Mr. Turner gained Jennifer Evans trust before luring her out to his car where he and his co-defendant strangled her to death, Commonwealths Attorney Colin D. Stolle of Virginia Beach said in a letter to the parole board, urging it to reject Turners application for release. To grant Mr. Turner parole would be a grave injustice to our community and to Ms. Evans family, who suffered a horrific ordeal and loss. Turners lawyer, Stephen A. Northup, applauded the boards 3-to-2 decision. Despite Dustys attempts to stop [Brown] and free Jennifer, he could not save her, Northup said in a statement. Bound by misplaced loyalty to the SEAL code to never abandon your swim buddy, Dusty helped cover up the crime for several days before reporting the truth to his commanding officer and the authorities. A series of post-conviction legal proceedings for Turner showed the difficulty of trying to vacate a guilty verdict even when seemingly exonerating evidence emerges. The case also highlights a quirk in the states parole system. Typically in Virginia, an inmate must serve 85 percent of a sentence before being eligible for release. But a narrow exception applied in Turners case. Turner, who was 20 at the time of the killing and had no criminal record, grew up in Indiana. Brown, then 23, is from Ohio. According to news accounts after their arrests, Brown had been charged with violently assaulting a teenage girl when he was 17, but his juvenile record wasnt public, and the Navy was unaware of it when he enlisted. In months of arduous training in California and Georgia, Turner and Brown had survived the SEALss high attrition rate for aspiring special-warfare operators and were close to finishing the last phase of their training, in Little Creek, Virginia. Court records recount the versions of what happened on the night Evans was killed. She was a Georgia native staying with two friends in a cottage in the Virginia Beach area. At a nightclub called the Bayou, she and Turner seemed instantly attracted to each other, witnesses told police. While the two chatted in the crowded bar, witnesses said, Brown drank heavily, almost to the point of passing out. Days afterward, when Turner admitted to being involved in her disappearance, he told detectives that he and Evans left the club together. He said they were sitting in the front seat of his car when Brown showed up and got in the back seat directly behind Evans. Then, for no apparent reason, Brown became enraged and began strangling her, Turner said. He said he wrestled with Brown, trying to free Evans from his grasp, but he couldnt. Turner led investigators to her body, hidden near a park in Newport News. As for why he had helped conceal the crime, he told a judge, I had a distorted sense of loyalty to my swim buddy. Brown, in initially denying that he killed Evans, said in a police interrogation that as he approached the car, Turner jumped out and blurted, I think I f---ing killed her. Brown said he saw Evans unconscious on the back seat floor with torn clothes and a bloody nose. He said Turner then told him to climb in, that they needed to get rid of her body. After Browns 2002 confession and a series of legal proceedings, a Circuit Court judge convened a hearing in 2008 to determine whether his confession was credible. On the witness stand, Brown said that after he got in the back seat, I started talking to them and started playing with her hair, according to news accounts. One minute, I was normal, and the next minute I snapped and started choking her. There was no reason, no rhyme, no nothing. He told the judge, Im here to glorify Jesus Christ by telling the truth. The judge ruled that Browns account was credible. Based on that finding, a divided three-judge panel of the Virginia Court of Appeals granted Turner a writ of actual innocence. But the state attorney generals office sought a hearing before the full Court of Appeals, which ruled against Turner in 2009. The court said that even with Browns confession, a jury could reasonably agree with prosecutors that Turner and Brown acted in concert, killing Evans because she refused to have sex with them. The Virginia Supreme Court affirmed that decision, leaving Turner to serve his 82-year sentence. Under Virginias truth-in-sentencing law, passed in 1995, inmates in most cases have to complete 85 percent of their prison terms. It means that someone who gets an 82-year sentence typically would have to serve about 70 years before being eligible for parole. At the time of Turners trial, juries recommended sentences in Virginia. From 1995 to 2000, jurors werent told about the newly toughened parole rule. As a result, defense attorneys said, juries were calling for unreasonably long sentences because they assumed most defendants would be released early. The state Supreme Court agreed in 2000, ruling that a jury must be informed of the 85 percent requirement before deliberating on a sentence. As for defendants who had been sent to prison before the Supreme Court decision, the General Assembly barred the state from applying the 85 percent rule to them including Turner and Brown. Turners lawyer, Northup, said that in a confidential report prepared by a parole board examiner, There was no opposition from any family members of Evans, and just a sprinkling of objections from others. In an interview, Northup said Turner, who was denied parole in 2023 and 2024, is completing a reentry program in prison and looks forward to getting out this winter. Officials are arranging parole supervision for him in Indiana, where he plans to live on rural property owned by his mother. Northup said Turner has a job lined up with a nonprofit group that supports veterans who are incarcerated. Hes feeling good right now, the lawyer said. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, Catholic Archdiocese for Military Affairs, and Chaplin Jerzy Rzasowski read from scripture during a Catholic Mass service on Christmas day Dec. 25, 2022, in Poznan, Poland. (Anthony Sanchez/U.S. Army) The Catholic archbishop of the U.S. military services said it would be morally acceptable to disobey orders if troops considered them against their conscience as the Trump administration aims to acquire Greenland, intervenes in Venezuela and readies troops for a possible deployment to Minnesota. Timothy P. Broglio is the latest public figure to suggest that American soldiers could disobey their orders. His comments also underscored the mounting concern being voiced by the first American pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, as well as his top cardinals in the United States, over the Trump administrations foreign policy. Greenland is a territory of Denmark, Broglio said in a BBC interview Sunday. It does not seem really reasonable that the United States would attack and occupy a friendly nation. Asked whether he was worried about the military personnel in his pastoral care, Broglio replied: I am obviously worried because they could be put in a situation where theyre being ordered to do something which is morally questionable. It would be very difficult for a soldier or a marine or a sailor to by himself disobey an order but strictly speaking, he or she would be, within the realm of their own conscience, it would be morally acceptable to disobey that order, but thats perhaps putting that individual in an untenable situation - and thats my concern, he added. Broglio, an American, has since 2007 served as the Vaticans senior cleric overseeing the D.C.-based archdiocese of the U.S. military. He is the former president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and is a known conservative. Trump is set to arrive in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum on Wednesday where European leaders are preparing to discuss his demands to take over Greenland and make it part of the U.S. - demands that are transforming the annual gathering of the worlds elite into an emergency diplomatic summit. Members of the military take an oath to the Constitution, not the president. They are obligated to not follow manifestly unlawful orders, but such situations are rare and legally fraught, The Washington Post reported, and military personnel can face punishment by court-martial procedures for failing to obey lawful orders. The Pentagon in November announced an investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), a prominent Trump critic and combat veteran, after he took part in a video alongside five other Democrats reminding U.S. service members of their duty under military law to disobey illegal orders. The move was criticized by Trump at the time as SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, and the other lawmakers said this month they were now under investigation by his administration for the video. Kelly filed a lawsuit earlier this month seeking to reverse Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths letter of censure and effort to potentially demote him in rank. Broglios comments echoed concerns made in a joint statement Monday by the three highest-ranking U.S. Catholic archbishops, warning that the moral foundation for Americas actions in the world had been thrown into question by a resurgence in the use or threat of military force, including in Venezuela and Greenland. The events in Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland have raised basic questions about the use of military force and the meaning of peace, wrote Cardinals Blase Cupich of Chicago, Robert McElroy of D.C. and Joseph Tobin of Newark. In the days after the U.S. operation in Venezuela to capture Nicolas Maduro, and after Trump said he was now in charge of that nation, the pope insisted on respect for Venezuelas sovereignty. In a Jan. 9 meeting with diplomats in Vatican City, Leo, while not mentioning the U.S. directly, decried a new era in which multilateralism is being replaced by a zeal for war and where peace is sought through weapons as a condition for asserting ones own dominion. Michelle Boorstein contributed to this report. The Pentagon in 2023. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) The Pentagon plans to cut its participation in elements of NATOs force structure and a range of the alliances advisory groups, the latest sign of the Trump administrations drive to scale back the U.S. military presence in Europe, according to multiple officials familiar with the matter. The impending move will affect about 200 military personnel and diminish U.S. involvement in nearly 30 NATO organizations, including its Centers of Excellence, which seek to train NATO forces on various areas of warfare, these people said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail the U.S. administrations plans. Rather than withdraw all at once, the Pentagon intends not to replace personnel as their postings end, a process that could take years, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter. U.S. participation in the centers isnt ending altogether, the people said. Among the advisory groups facing cuts are those dedicated to the alliances energy security and naval warfare, according to three officials. The Pentagon will also reduce its involvement in official NATO organizations dedicated to special operations and intelligence, two officials said, though one noted that some of those U.S. functions will be shifted elsewhere within the alliance, limiting the moves impact. The change has been under consideration for months, according to two U.S. officials, one of whom said it is unrelated to President Donald Trumps escalating threats to seize the Danish territory of Greenland. Trumps provocations have drawn widespread condemnation from European leaders and many lawmakers in Congress, who fear the president risks causing irreparable and unnecessary damage to the NATO alliance. During a White House news conference Tuesday, Trump said his administration would work something out where NATO is going to be very happy and were going to be very happy with regard to Greenland. He added that the United States needs the territory for security purposes. The presidents vow to take control of the territory despite the Danish government having repeatedly said it is not for sale has created NATOs foremost internal crisis in decades. Members of the alliance recently deployed military forces to the island in a bid to demonstrate that they take seriously Trumps concerns about Greenlands vulnerability, but the effort has failed to sway the American leader. Trump, who has been emboldened to take further military action around the world after a stunning raid to apprehend Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in recent weeks, was asked Tuesday how far he would go in his bid to take over the Danish territory. Youll find out, he said. A Pentagon spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement, a spokesperson for NATO said that adjustments to US force posture and staffing are not unusual and that the alliance was in close contact with Washington about its overall distribution of forces. Since Trump returned to office, the U.S. military has pulled back from Europe as the administration presses allies there to take greater control of the continents collective defense. Last year, for instance, the Pentagon abruptly announced it would withdraw a brigade of troops from Romania and cut security aid programs to the three Baltic nations that border Russia, whose years-long invasion of Ukraine has spurred fears of a direct conflict between NATO and the Kremlin. Under pressure from the Trump administration, the alliance agreed last summer to surge defense spending to 5 percent of GDP over the next 10 years, including 1.5 percent dedicated to infrastructure and other civilian projects. Lawmakers including some key Republicans objected to the administrations moves in Europe and are working to fund the affected security assistance programs despite the Pentagons directives. Members of Congress also have passed legislation that requires the Pentagon to consult with them before making any major reductions to U.S. military posture in Europe. The law specifies that requirement would apply only if the overall U.S. force posture in Europe were to fall below 76,000. It stands at roughly 80,000 now. While the personnel eventually being withdrawn amount to a small share of troops the U.S. stations in Europe, some current and former officials said the U.S. pullout could have an outsize impact on the alliance by reducing valuable American military expertise. We have a lot of operational experience that some of our personnel contribute to these centers, said Lauren Speranza, a senior Pentagon official during the Biden administration. There would be a bit of a brain drain that would come with pulling U.S. personnel out. Susannah George and Michael Birnbaum contributed to this report. In an uncertain and volatile market, dividend stocks are often the first choice for investors looking for reliable income. Companies that have a stable business model tend to consistently pay dividends, offering stability and predictability. Here are three such reliable dividend stocks that investors can hold onto for years. More News from Barchart Reliable Stock No. 1: AbbVie (ABBV) Valued at $383 billion, AbbVie (ABBV) is a global biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and sells medicines focused on immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, and aesthetics. A diversified focus area has led to strong cash flows and reliable earnings. This has allowed AbbVie to maintain a long track record of paying and increasing dividends for the last 54 years in a row. AbbVie belongs to the elite group of S&P 500 companies called the Dividend Kings that have paid and hiked dividends for 50 years or more. AbbVie also pays an appealing forward yield of 3.2%, higher than the health care average of 1.6%. Its forward payout ratio of 43.5% also seems sustainable, with room for further dividend growth. While investors and analysts were concerned that AbbVie's business would suffer once the patent for Humira expired, the company proved otherwise. In the third quarter, net revenues of $15.7 billion increased 9.1% year-over-year. Its immunology portfolio, led by Skyrizi and Rinvoq, generates $6.8 billion in revenue. AbbVie's Neuroscience portfolio also saw a 20% revenue increase. This performance led management to raise full-year 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) guidance to a range of $10.61 to $10.65. Additionally, the company announced a 5.5% dividend increase for 2026 beginning in February. AbbVie stock has an overall consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Out of the 28 analysts covering the stock, 15 have a Strong Buy rating, one suggests a Moderate Buy, and 12 recommend a Hold rating. The mean target price for ABBV is $245.52, which is 14.2% above its current levels. Its high price estimate of $289 implies potential upside of 34.4% over the next 12 months. www.barchart.com Reliable Stock No. 2: PepsiCo (PEP) Valued at $200 billion, PepsiCo (PEP) is a global food and beverage giant that makes and sells some of the worlds most popular snacks and drinks. People often buy these products regardless of economic conditions. This steady demand leads to consistent cash generation, which is why PepsiCo has a long history of increasing dividends for the last 53 years, making it a Dividend King. Veterans diagnosed with lung disease after exposure to military burn pits had high levels of soot and other carbon particles in their lungs, according to a new study. A Marine disposes of trash at a burn pit in Afghanistans Helmand province, March 6, 2013. (Anthony L. Ortiz/U.S. Marine Corps) WASHINGTON A new study examining the lasting effects of exposure to military burn pits found soot and dust embedded in the lungs of post-9/11 veterans with restricted breathing and inflamed airways. The veterans, who were all diagnosed with lung disease, had retained carbon materials in their airways at levels similar to tobacco smokers diagnosed with respiratory bronchiolitis, according to the findings. The study, published in Scientific Reports, found that veterans with a history of exposure to military burn pits had three times the level of carbon particles in their lungs compared to healthy individuals. The findings offer direct evidence linking burn pit smoke exposure to lasting changes in the lungs of post-9/11 veterans, the authors said. High levels of carbon particles were significantly associated with reported burn pit smoke exposure, according to the study. Millions of veterans were exposed to toxic smoke from burn pits during deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and other regions, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Open burn pits of up to 10 acres were used to incinerate large volumes of waste, including plastics, chemicals, medical supplies, batteries, tires and unexploded munitions, among other hazardous items. The research, published in December, is among only a few studies that have sought to quantify particulate matter from burn pits in the lung tissue of veterans, according to the authors. Lung tissue samples were taken from 24 veterans with lung disease for the study, conducted by National Jewish Health, a nonprofit hospital that specializes in studying and treating respiratory conditions. The samples were compared to lung tissue from healthy individuals and tobacco smokers. This study provides objective, tissue-based evidence that burn pit smoke exposure leaves a measurable impact in the lungs that may contribute to disease development, said Cecile Rose, a pulmonologist and one of the studys authors. The participants had a median of three deployments totaling 29 months, on average. Participants all had chronic breathing problems and were diagnosed with deployment-related lung diseases, including bronchiolitis and emphysema, according to the study. All of the study participants were evaluated at the Center for Deployment-Related Lung Disease at National Jewish Health, in Denver. Participants underwent surgical lung biopsies for clinical reasons and consented to providing samples, according to the study. Although airborne pollution from military burn pits has been well-documented, demonstrating a connection to lung disease has been a challenge for scientists when other factors were considered, according to the study. The Department of Defense has shut down most burn pits and is planning to close the remainder, according to the VA. Vietnam veteran Norman Joseph Heim, 76, died on Jan. 15, 2026, after a car struck him in Rives Township, Mich., said Undersheriff Anthony Stewart. (wlns.com) RIVES TWP., MI (Tribune News Service) A man who was killed in a hit-and-run crash north of Jackson, Mich., has been identified as a Vietnam War veteran. Norman Joseph Heim, 76, died on Jan. 15 after a car struck him on Lansing Avenue near South Oak Creek Drive in Rives Township, Jackson County, said Undersheriff Anthony Stewart. The unknown vehicle hit Heim at about 9:36 p.m. The vehicle that hit him fled the crash scene at a high rate of speed prior to police arriving, Stewart said. No arrests have been made. There are no updates in the case and police are still investigating, Stewart said. Heim graduated from Napoleon High School in 1968, served as a sergeant in the Army during the Vietnam War and was a truck driver for more than 40 years, according to his obituary. Vietnam veteran Norman Joseph Heim, 76, died on Jan. 15, 2026, after a car struck him in Rives Township, Mich., said Undersheriff Anthony Stewart. (Amber Heim via mlive.com) MLive/The Jackson Citizen Patriot reached out to Heims daughters for comment and she said they family was unavailable until after the funeral. Funeral services are scheduled for 4-7 p.m., on Thursday at Eineder Funeral Homes Brooklyn Chapel, located at 137 S. Main St. in Brooklyn. An additional gathering will take place at the funeral home from 10-11 a.m., on Friday. A burial with military honors is planned at Oak Grove Cemetery in Napoleon Township. His family is seeking justice and asks anyone with information about the crash to contact police. 2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The U.S. stock market has recently been rattled by geopolitical tensions, with major indices experiencing declines amid tariff threats and surging bond yields. In such a volatile landscape, investors often turn their attention to smaller companies that might offer unique opportunities. Penny stocks, despite the outdated term, remain relevant as they represent smaller or newer firms that can provide significant value when backed by strong financials. This article highlights three penny stocks that stand out for their financial strength and potential for long-term success in today's challenging economic climate. Top 10 Penny Stocks In The United States Name Share Price Market Cap Financial Health Rating Dingdong (Cayman) (DDL) $2.61 $559.34M Waterdrop (WDH) $1.79 $647.38M WM Technology (MAPS) $0.825 $141.09M LexinFintech Holdings (LX) $3.00 $504.79M Tuya (TUYA) $2.25 $1.36B CI&T (CINT) $4.73 $614.03M Golden Growers Cooperative (GGRO.U) $5.00 $77.45M Cricut (CRCT) $4.31 $912.62M BAB (BABB) $0.91 $6.61M Lifetime Brands (LCUT) $3.90 $88.36M Click here to see the full list of 334 stocks from our US Penny Stocks screener. Let's dive into some prime choices out of the screener. Simply Wall St Financial Health Rating: Overview: Scienjoy Holding Corporation operates mobile live streaming platforms in the Peoples Republic of China and has a market cap of $37.50 million. Operations: The company generates revenue primarily through its Internet Telephone segment, which accounted for CN1.31 billion. Market Cap: $37.5M Scienjoy Holding Corporation, with a market cap of US$37.50 million, is navigating the competitive landscape of penny stocks with its innovative AI Vista Live! platform. Recent product launches in China and Dubai highlight its strategic focus on AI-driven solutions across healthcare, entertainment, and public services. Despite a decline in earnings over the past five years and recent financial challenges including lower profit margins and significant one-off losses, Scienjoy remains debt-free with strong short-term asset coverage. Its seasoned management team aims to leverage China's expanding AI market for future growth potential amidst high share price volatility. SJ Debt to Equity History and Analysis as at Jan 2026 Simply Wall St Financial Health Rating: Overview: Kaltura, Inc. offers a range of software-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service solutions across multiple regions including the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with a market cap of $242.32 million. JOSE LUIS PIEDRA SEVILLA. Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 10:49 Share Andalucia has managed to quadruple the construction of subsidised housing over the past six years, from just 3,200 in 2018 to more than 15,000 today, according to the regional ministry of development, territorial planning and housing. Regional minister Rocio Diaz has highlighted the change that housing in Andalucia has undergone since president of the regional government Juanma Moreno took office. Diaz has specifically drawn attention to the notable improvement and progress in the promotion of subsidised housing, "with more than 33,000 planned homes and the creation of a land bank that has allowed access to plots for 40,000 homes". The regional minister says that "when there is political will, there are results". According to her, the next milestone will be reached on 24 January when the Andalusian housing law comes into force, with the goal of "increasing the supply of subsidised housing, promoting renovation, providing more land, reducing bureaucracy and giving greater legal security to owners". Diaz holds that "housing policy is not improvised" and that what the population needs is "guaranteed solutions as opposed to promises". She gave Andalucia as a reference for effective policies, such as the subsidy that covers 30% of the total cost of the work, through the Ecovivienda Plan that manages EU funds for housing. One example of this is the new residential development of 20 houses in Rincon de la Victoria, in which the town hall, the central government and the regional government (the Junta) have collaborated. As with every other long-term solution, Diaz said, this has been possible thanks to "calm debate" and dialogue between the Junta, the central government and other administrations involved in matters of housing. She warns that "without dialogue there can be no effective planning". Diaz encourages such discussions to continue, in the hopes that the central government will approve the state housing law. The regional minister has high hopes for the forthcoming meeting with the Ministry of Public Work, which can be decisive for the approval of this law, which, according to her, is "essential for all regions" in Spain. Andalucia is benefiting from the central government's initiative to boost the construction of energy-efficient social rental housing, with a total fund of one billion euros, of which Andalucia has already received the biggest share - 173.3 million. Miguel Angel Alfonso Madrid Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 15:05 Share Julio Rodriguez is a 16-year-old boy from Adamuz who was returning from a day of fishing with his mother and a friend on Sunday evening, when they saw two police cars and an ambulance - an unprecedented sight in their municipality. Initially moved by curiosity, they followed the convoy, which took them to the train disaster that had just happened near the station in Cordoba province. Upon arrival, Julio saw injured people calling for help and disoriented passengers trying to leave the trains through doors and windows. The 16-year-old boy then followed his instinct and became one of the first people to reach carriages 1 and 2 of the Alvia train, which had fallen down a four-metre slope - ground zero of the accident. By the time enough emergency teams arrived, Julio had seen corpses and helped rescue several people. He wrote down the names and telephone numbers of relatives. "I didn't stop to think whether I was tired. I made the journey several times," the young man said. Julio describes the feeling in that moment not just as fear but rather "terror". On Tuesday, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia paid tribute to the young hero of Adamuz by greeting and talking briefly with him during their visit to the area of the accident that has claimed 41 lives so far. The royal couple arrived in Adamuz at 12.30pm to visit the advanced command post that was set up after the accident. They were received by president of the Junta de Andalucia Juanma Moreno and minister of public work and transport Oscar Puente, along with other authorities, including members of the security forces and civil protection. Among them were also the residents of Adamuz who participated in assisting the emergency teams at the scene of the crash and supported victims. After the visit to Adamuz, the King and Queen will travel to the Poniente civic centre in Cordoba, where they will meet with relatives of the victims. Finally, they will go to the Reina Sofia hospital, where some of the injured passengers have been admitted. Maria Eugenia Alonso Madrid Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 17:31 | Updated 17:44h. Share Two days after the horrific railway accident in Adamuz, the King and Queen of Spain traveled to Cordoba on Tuesday to visit "Ground Zero" and offer their support to the victims, their families, and the rescue teams. During the three-hour visit, Don Felipe and Dona Letizia witnessed the desolate scene of the crash, which has left at least 41 dead and over 100 injured. They heard firsthand accounts from the "anonymous heroes" who have been working tirelessly since Sunday afternoon to locate potential victims still trapped inside the twisted wreckage of the Alvia 2384 train, which was en route from Madrid to Huelva. "We would like to acknowledge the high level of professionalism of all those who have been involved in dealing with the emergency, wherever they come from, and the willingness of all the administrations to work together and coordinate everything," said the monarch as he left the Reina Sofia University Hospital, which is receiving the majority of the injured. There the King and Queen were able to talk to the medical team about the care provided to all those affected and to visit some of them and their families. According to the latest report, 39 people affected in the incident remain in hospital, 35 adults and four children, while 83 of the 122 people assisted have already been discharged. Previously, the King and Queen travelled to the Poniente Sur Civic Centre in the Cordoban capital to meet with the psychologists and health workers who are attending to the victims' families, to inquire about the support and accompaniment system set up after the tragedy. "The families are very affected and grateful for the way they have been cared for," said Felipe VI at the end of the visit. The monarchs showed their support and "the affection of the whole country", while also praising the "collective effort" of the institutions, the emergency services and the volunteers and neighbours who have unhesitatingly thrown themselves into helping the victims. A country has many ways of showing its strength, and one of them," said the head of state, "is how emergencies are dealt with and how services are coordinated, and how people feel protected and protected. Speaking to journalists, Felipe VI pointed out that "no matter how good infrastructure is" there are accidents. The Adamuz accident, the most serious rail accident since the Alvia at Angrois in 2013, was "very tragic", but the monarch acknowledged that "it could have been much worse" but, fortunately, "early attention" has minimised the number of fatalities. "We are all responsible for not looking away when clearing the rubble of a catastrophe," added Queen Letizia. Visit to ground zero The King and Queen began their visit at ground zero of the tragedy. Accompanied by the President of the Junta de Andalucia, Juanma Moreno, and the Vice-President of the Government, Maria Jesus Montero, they arrived at the advanced command post. There they were able to talk to representatives of the Guardia Civil, the Military Emergency Unit (UME), the Fire Brigade of the Cordoba City Council and the Provincial Council and all the bodies involved who have been involved since Sunday afternoon in the rescue work and who are working to examine and investigate the causes of the incident. Don Felipe and Dona Letizia also took the opportunity to speak with the mayor of Adamuz, Rafael Angel Moreno, whom they thanked for the response of this town of four thousand inhabitants, which has been involved with the injured from the first minute. They were able to greet some of the neighbours who helped in the first critical moments. One of them was Julio Rodriguez, the 16-year-old boy who unexpectedly encountered the tragedy when he was returning from fishing with a friend and helped in the rescue of the passengers who remained trapped in the carriages. "The King was moved and told me that he saw the young people of Spain reflected in me, that everyone should be like me", the teenager said shortly afterwards in an interview on Telecinco. The monarchs then went to the site of the wrecked trains where they were briefed on the circumstances of the accident. In view was the Alvia train that derailed after the brutal impact, and on which the most difficult tasks are now focused, as it is expected that new corpses will be found when they are removed. SUR Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 14:35 Share The fatal train accident that occurred on Sunday evening, when an Iryo train derailed and, only 20 seconds later, collided with a Renfe train that didn't have enough time to stop, took on tragic proportions as the hours passed. The incident at Adamuz station in Cordoba has claimed the lives of 41 people, while 43 remain hospitalised, some of them in critical condition. As president of the Andalusian regional government Juanma Moreno has pointed out, the number of victims is likely to increase. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. Authorities have set up several helplines and mobilised assistance in various areas. All the practical information related to the accident is compiled here. Information helplines for the family members of hospitalised victims The emergency service has set up two telephone numbers that the relatives and family members of hospitalised victims can use. Andalusian residents can call 061 for information. Relatives living outside the region can call 953 00 11 49. State railway infrastructure company Adif has also set up a hotline (900 10 10 20). In-person support points Adif and Renfe have set up information and assistance points at the Puerta de Atocha station in Madrid, as well as in Seville, Cordoba, Malaga (Maria Zambrano) and Huelva. Iryo - the company that operated the derailed train - has also set up areas in Atocha and at the stations in Seville and Cordoba. In addition, there is an information point for relatives at Centro Civico next to Plaza de Toros. Alternative transport options to and from Madrid Thousands of people have been impacted by the cancellation of trains between Madrid and Andalucia following the accident. To give you an idea, Malaga has an average of 25 high-speed services to the Spanish capital every day. Across Spain, around 32,000 tickets have been cancelled on each day of suspended services in the southern corridor. There will be no services until the end of the week. Alternatives for travelling to and from Madrid are scarce and not exactly cheap. There are additional bus seats, while car rental services and apps such as BlaBlaCar are already saturated. Renfe is arranging alternative means of transport, such as buses and more seats on other types of trains. For the time being, the public operator has increased services on the Madrid-Extremadura-Seville medium-distance train line, doubling its capacity as of Tuesday. Iberia airline added 1,526 seats on eight extra flights on Monday (two round trips between Madrid and Seville and another two round trips between Madrid and Malaga). From Tuesday, there is also a plan for special Renfe services between Andalucia and Madrid. All timetables can be consulted here. Psychological support One of the most important services that institutions must provide after tragic events of such scale is psychological support for passengers or victims' close ones. According to Renfe, information points have been set up at the stations of Adamuz, Cordoba, Madrid, Huelva, Seville and Malaga, while psychological support teams are ready to attend to anybody in need in Madrid, Cordoba, Huelva and Seville. The assistance plan for victims of railway accidents and their families (PAVAFF) has also been activated. Renfe and Adif have requested private assistance from the association of psychologists of eastern Andalucia. Call for blood donations The Andalusian healthcare service (Sas) has encouraged the population to donate blood. On Monday, the regional ministry of health said that existing blood supplies can cover current needs, but donations are necessary as the needs of the train crash victims change. Hospital Reina Sofia in Cordoba has stated that blood reserves for the beginning of this week are guaranteed. If you wish to donate blood, you can do so at the centre from Tuesday onwards, without urgency and in an orderly manner. DNA collection points The Guardia Civil have set up five DNA collection points for the immediate families of victims, in order to facilitate the identification of bodies. Madrid: Calle Batalla del Salado 31; contact 915 14 69 00 Seville: crossing of Avenida De la Borbolla 8 with Avenida Eritana 1; contact 954 23 19 01 Huelva: Calle Guadalcanal 1; contact 959 24 19 00 Malaga: Avenida Arroyo de los Angeles 44; contact 952 23 65 75 Cordoba: Avenida de Medina Azahara 2; contact 957 41 41 11 Workers' rights if they cannot get to their workplace Workers who, as a result of this event and the subsequent transport limitations, are unable to return to their workplace, regardless of the means of transport they would need to return, whether by rail or other means, are entitled to paid leave of up to four days without loss of pay, according to the UGT trade union. SUR in English Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 09:21 Share The Gibraltar Tourist Board made its debut appearance at The Travel Weekly Globe Awards last week, securing a first-time nomination in the highly competitive Best Tourist Board category. The awards ceremony, regarded as one of the most prestigious events in the travel industry calendar, celebrates excellence across the sector through an exclusive voting process conducted entirely by UK travel agents and advisors. Travel professionals evaluate nominees based on multiple criteria throughout the year, including trade engagement, service delivery, reliability, incentive programmes and product appeal to customers. The awards span the entire travel spectrum, encompassing categories for cruise lines, rail operators, airlines, tour operators and destinations, alongside special recognition awards for industry professionals. Gibraltar faced stiff competition in a category featuring some of the world's most established tourism destinations: Australia, Barbados, Canada, Florida, Greece, Jamaica, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Qatar. Jamaica ultimately secured the top honour on the evening. Despite not claiming the award, Gibraltar's inclusion on the shortlist represented a significant milestone for the territory's tourism sector. Recognition of marketing success Commenting on the nomination, Minister for Tourism, Christian Santos, said: We are extremely proud to have been nominated alongside such an impressive list of world class tourist destinations. Consumers are faced with unprecedented choice of product; travel agents play an important role in shaping the narrative of a destination at the point of sale and to be successful in achieving recognition in a global field is the ultimate accolade. It shows that the marketing strategy of the Tourist Board is effective in its goal of broadening Gibraltars brand presence. We are delighted to have been among the nominees and look forward to repeating this achievement many more times in the future. Maheshwari also noted a $55 million charge in the quarter related to transformation investments to redesign manufacturing, distribution, and business process services and locations, which he said would be excluded from adjusted results. CFO Anurag Maheshwari said 3Ms fourth-quarter adjusted operating margin rose 140 basis points to 21.1%, while operating profit increased by $125 million. He said the quarter benefited from $275 million tied to volume growth, broad-based productivity, and lower restructuring costs, partially offset by approximately $50 million of growth investments and roughly $100 million of headwinds from gross tariff impacts and stranded costs. Chairman and CEO Bill Brown said the quarter capped a strong year in which organic sales growth exceeded 2%, improving from 1.2% organic growth in 2024 and negative growth in 2023. Brown attributed the performance to a commercial excellence effort and an emphasis on innovation, alongside operational improvements that he said are becoming embedded across the enterprise. 3M (NYSE:MMM) executives said the company finished 2025 with what management described as solid results in the fourth quarter, highlighted by organic growth of 2.2%, an operating margin of 21.1%, earnings per share of $1.83, and free cash flow conversion of more than 130%. Operational and portfolio momentum with mixed end-market strength: 3M is ramping innovation (284 product launches in 2025, targeting 350 in 2026) and improving metrics (OTIF >90%, OEE ~63%), with outperformance in industrial and electronics but softness in consumer and roofing granules. 2026 guidance: Management expects ~3% organic sales growth, 7080 bps of margin expansion, EPS of $8.50$8.70, free cash flow conversion >100%, and about $2.5 billion in gross share repurchases while monitoring consumer, auto, and electronics trends. Solid 2025 financials: 3M reported Q4 organic growth of 2.2% and full-year organic growth of 2.1%, with adjusted operating margin of 23.4% (up 200 bps), adjusted EPS of $8.06 (up 10%), free cash flow conversion slightly above 100%, and $4.8 billion returned to shareholders in 2025. Story continues Organic sales growth of 2.1% Adjusted operating margin of 23.4%, up 200 basis points year over year Adjusted EPS of $8.06, up 10% (which Brown described as double-digit growth) Free cash flow conversion slightly above 100% Maheshwari said the years operating profit growth of about $650 million at constant currency was driven by $200 million from volume growth and $550 million of net productivity across supply chain and SG&A, partially offset by headwinds that included growth and productivity investments, stranded costs, and tariff impacts. The company returned $4.8 billion to shareholders in 2025, including $1.6 billion in dividends and $3.2 billion in gross share repurchases. Commercial excellence, innovation, and operational metrics AMD Rebound Begins: Its Not Too Late to Get In Brown said 3M has been building a commercial excellence foundation around sales effectiveness and pricing governance, closer collaboration with channel partners, and increased customer loyalty. He said the company developed more than 600 joint business plans and closed nearly $50 million of annualized cross-selling wins, with what he described as a robust pipeline. On innovation, Brown said 3M launched 284 new products in 2025, up 68% versus 2024 and more than double the launches in 2023. He said the company expects 350 launches in 2026. Brown added that sales from products launched in the last five years were up 23% for the full year and exited Q4 at 44%, and that the companys new product vitality index ended the year at 13%. Brown also highlighted operational metrics the company tracks, including on-time in-full delivery (OTIF), overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and cost of poor quality. He said OTIF ended the year above 90%, up 300 basis points from the prior year and sustained for seven consecutive months. OEE ended at about 63%, up more than 300 basis points across assets covering 70% of production volume. Brown said cost of poor quality improved to 6% of cost of goods, down 100 basis points year over year, with a target of 5.4% in 2026 and less than 4% over time. Segment trends: strength in industrial and electronics, consumer softness Management said 3M outperformed a soft macro environment, particularly in industrial and electronics areas, while calling out consumer and roofing granules weakness. In Safety and Industrial (SIBG), Maheshwari said fourth-quarter organic sales increased 3.8%, driven by high-single-digit growth in safety and high-single-digit growth in industrial adhesives and tapes. Abrasives posted mid-single-digit growth. He said these gains more than offset weakness in automotive aftermarket and incremental weakness in roofing granules tied to the slow housing market and weak consumer sentiment. For the full year, SIBG grew 3.2%, with growth accelerating to 3.9% in the second half from 2.5% in the first half. In Transportation and Electronics (TBG), Maheshwari said fourth-quarter organic sales increased 2.4%, driven by momentum in electronics and aerospace. He said auto (including commercial vehicles in 3Ms structure) was down high teens in the quarter. Electronics gained share, supported by demand for film technologies and optically clear adhesives, and Maheshwari said 3M partnered with leading consumer electronics brands to deliver solutions aligned with their portfolio needs. Aerospace delivered another strong quarter, helped by demand for space materials and strength in defense-related markets; Maheshwari said aerospace sales have doubled over the last four years. For full-year 2025, TBG grew 2%. In Consumer (CBG), Maheshwari said fourth-quarter organic sales declined 2.2%, which was weaker than the company had expected after modest growth earlier in the year. He attributed the decline to weaker consumer sentiment and sluggish U.S. retail traffic, which pressured point-of-sale trends in discretionary categories. He said this weakness was partially offset by new products, increased advertising and promotional investments in the U.S., and growth in Asia and Latin America. Full-year CBG revenue declined 0.3%. 2026 outlook: ~3% organic growth and margin expansion Looking ahead, Brown and Maheshwari said 3M expects organic sales growth of approximately 3% in 2026, adjusted operating margin expansion of 7080 basis points, EPS of $8.50$8.70, and free cash flow conversion greater than 100%. Management said it is planning for a macro environment similar to 2025, while monitoring watch items including the pace of a U.S. consumer recovery, auto build rates, and consumer electronics trends. Maheshwari said the company expects sales to accelerate for all business groups, including a return to growth for consumer. He also said the business groups combined are expected to expand margins by more than $450 million, including $875 million from volume growth and net productivity, partially offset by headwinds including PFAS stranded costs, tariff impacts, and a planned increase in growth and productivity investments to $225 million. Maheshwari added that corporate and other income is expected to be lower by $50 million to $75 million, largely due to the wind down of transition services agreements related to Solventum. On capital returns, Maheshwari said 3M plans gross share repurchases of about $2.5 billion in 2026. During the Q&A, Brown said 3Ms priority verticals represent a little north of 60% of revenue, and that about 80% of R&D spending is aligned to new product initiatives in those verticals. He also said the company has previously described roughly 10% of the company as more commodity-like businesses that may be evaluated over time as the portfolio evolves. Executives also discussed customer inventories, calling industrial channel inventories pretty normalized at roughly a 60-day range and saying consumer inventories, while elevated early in the quarter, began to normalize with stronger December performance. On pricing, management said 2025 pricing was lighter than expected due to consumer promotions but characterized pricing in SIBG as solid, and said it expects roughly 80 basis points of pricing in 2026. On transformation and footprint optimization, Brown said 3M ended 2025 with around 108 factories and noted that several would come out with the sale of Precision Grinding and Finishing, bringing the count to roughly 100 factories. He said the network will come down over time and that the company expects to consolidate factories and distribution centers, but did not provide specific facility targets. About 3M (NYSE:MMM) 3M Company, originally founded in 1902 as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is a diversified global technology and manufacturing firm headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota. Over its history the company has expanded from mineral mining into a broad portfolio of industrial, safety, healthcare and consumer products, building a reputation for applied science and product innovation across many end markets. 3M's businesses span a wide range of product categories including adhesives and tapes, abrasives, filtration and separation technologies, personal protective equipment such as respirators, medical and dental products, industrial and automotive solutions, and a suite of consumer brands (for example, well-known office and home products). The article "3M Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. Jacob Vilato (born in Barcelona in 1979), great-nephew of Pablo Ruiz Picasso, will be in charge of set design for the 2026 Corrida Picassiana at La Malagueta bullring in the capital of the Costa del Sol. This annual festival is Malaga city's way of paying tribute to the painter born in Plaza de la Merced and who, throughout his career, was a renowned bullfighting enthusiast and in whose work the bull plays a leading role. The announcement was made last Friday by the bullring's owner, the Diputacion (Malaga's provincial authority). Their decision was to select an artist whose work is defined by the energy of his gestures and the intensity of his colours. The Diputacion's president, Francisco Salado, stressed that this will be the starting point for the events that the provincial authority is organising to commemorate the 150th anniversary of La Malagueta bullring. The full schedule will be announced soon. Salado highlighted the strength and colour of Vilato's work and announced that the poster publicising the Corrida Picassiana (a festival that will be organised by the current concessionaire in charge of La Malagueta bullring, Lances de Futuro, as its contract expires in June) will be presented to the public at an event to be held in February. Vilato's career path Jacob Vilato, who comes from a family with a strong artistic tradition, is a visual artist whose work explores themes such as perception, identity and memory with singular, emotional intensity. His path to painting was preceded by a background training in architecture, a field he eventually abandoned to dedicate himself fully to his artistic passion. "This break with his professional past brought about a profound transformation for Vilato, not only professionally, but also personally and existentially, resulting in a body of work that reflects this constant search for balance and authenticity", stated the Diputacion's press release. In his work, characterised by a vigorous, emotional and direct pictorial language, Vilato deliberately seeks to avoid contemporary visual saturation, inviting the viewer to immerse themselves in images that pose open questions rather than conclusive answers. His style is gestural, highlighting a powerful and symbolic use of colour, revealing his commitment to an art that communicates on multiple levels. His career includes solo exhibitions at prestigious institutions such as the museum of arts at the University of Guadalajara, the Clavijero cultural centre in Morelia (Mexico) and the Iris art museum in Suzhou (China), as well as participating in renowned events such as Art Basel Miami. Vilato has also exhibited at iconic institutions such as the Tamayo museum in Mexico City, thus strengthening his international profile. In addition to his painting, he works on curatorial and publishing projects. Jacob Vilato currently lives and works in Barcelona, from where he continues to develop international artistic projects with a special focus on Mexico, a key country in his recent professional career. Rossel Aparicio Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 13:45 Share Storm Harry brings strong winds and waves to Andalucia from Tuesday onwards. The state meteorological agency (Aemet) has issued a yellow warning for winds of up to 70km/h in Malaga and Almeria province on 20 January. In addition, a yellow warning has been issued for high waves in the Axarqua district and on the coast of Granada. The latter warning has been extended from Tuesday to Wednesday. According to Aemet's website, the wind warning for gusts of 50 to 60km/h in Malaga will be active from 6pm on Monday until the end of the day on Tuesday. The wave warning will extend further, first to 7am on Wednesday and then from 4pm to midnight. Meanwhile, the yellow warning for wind in Valle del Almanzora and Los Velez (Almeria province) will be active from 8am until midnight on Tuesday, with gusts from the north-west of up to 70km/h. In light of these conditions, the Andalusian emergency services recommend taking extreme precautions and staying away from dykes and cliffs by the sea. The weather in Andalucia and Spain Cloudy skies are expected in the western and eastern thirds of Andalucia on Tuesday, with the possibility of "light rainfall", although the rest of the region will see mainly clear skies. The snow level will be between 900 and 1,200 meters, with light frosts in the mountains of the eastern half. North-west winds will be light to moderate, blowing moderately on the eastern Mediterranean coast, with strong intervals and, occasionally, very strong gusts. Looking ahead to Wednesday, 21 January, Andalucia also expects cloudy skies, accompanied by rainfall, moderate on the Atlantic side, where locally heavy rainfall cannot be ruled out. Light to moderate rainfall can be anticipated in the rest of the region. Across the country, storm Harry will leave "overcast skies and rainfall in the eastern third of mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands". Locally heavy rain is expected in the Balearic Islands, Valencia, Catalonia and eastern Aragon. Up to 180mm could be accumulated in parts of Gerona. On the other hand, the passage of fronts will also leave cloudy or overcast skies with rainfall in Galicia, Asturias and surrounding areas, as well as cloudy skies in the rest of the Cantabrian coast and the western third of the country. According to Aemet, the rains are likely to be persistent in western Galicia. Skies will be generally clear in the rest of the country, except in the north of the Canary Islands, where skies will be cloudy. Morning fog could form in the north and east of the southern plateau. The mountain ranges of the northern third of mainland Spain and eastern Iberia will see snow at around 1,000-1,200 metres of altitude and around 1,300-1,500 in the Pyrenees. Paco Grinan Malaga Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 13:57 Share The Virgin of the Apple (Virgen de la Manzana) sculpture was lost to public eye for decades. After it was stolen from the altarpiece of Monasterio de San Millan de Suso in the region of La Rioja back in 1963, the piece was recovered in the home of a photographer in France in December 1964. Despite its repatriation, an administrative error led to the Virgin being misplaced in the collection of Museo de Malaga, until it was recently recognised by Francisco Burgos and German Chicote. Now, the centuries-old sculpture is about to finally return to its home in La Rioja for a temporary exhibition. A robbery with a taste of sacrilege The journey of Virgen de la Manzana could inspire a film plot, starting with the robbery on the night of 4 August 1963. The quality of the piece and the lack of surveillance at the monastery must have encouraged the thief totry his luck. The crime was reported by the monastery guard, Ignacio Echeverria Casamayor. There was no progress until the French Gendarmerie in Poitiers found the Virgin statue, alongside "30 or 40 other art objects" from Spain, "in the home of a photographer" in December 1964. The work was then returned by the French authorities and was initially deposited at the directorate general of fine arts in Madrid for "cleaning and restoration". The idea was to return it to the monastery, but what appears to be an administrative error led to it being misplaced. The Virgin of...? The unexpected twist in the story occurred when the piece was re-catalogued in Madrid and its description was modified by a date and name change. Virgen de la Manzana became Virgen sedente con el Nino (Virgin Seated with Child) and lost its ID. Everything suggests that the Ministry of Culture sent it to the Malaga Museum by accident. "At that time, the prevailing idea was that all provincial museums of fine arts should exhibit a complete tour through the history of art. Here, of course, this piece does not fit and does not add much to our exhibition, because it does not represent Malaga's Romanesque or Gothic heritage," director of the Aduana art gallery Maria Morente told SUR. Characteristics Prior to the robbery, Virgen de la Manzana presided over the altarpiece of Monasterio de San Millan de Suso. As SUR has been able to contemplate thanks to an invitation by the Aduana gallery, it is a remarkable almost 90-centimetre-tall sculpture. Of its polychrome coating and gilding very little has resisted the test of time and the work of woodworms is visible from a short distance. Placed in a room in the museum's restoration workshop that looks like an operating theatre, Virgen de la Manzana captures the observer with a serene expression. In her her left hand, she holds her son, although the key element is in her right hand - a sphere, the same as the one the child holds, that is supposed to represent the world. Popular belief, however, has likened the ball to an apple, hence the name. In fact, on the back of the statue, one can see the certificate of Instituto Central de Restauracion de Obras de Artes that identifies it as 'Virgen de la Manzana'. The Virgin is holding a sphere that represents the world, but popular belief likened it to an apple, hence the title by which the sculpture is known The piece has undergone at least two treatments: a conservation process in September 1965, carried out by the Cruz Solis brothers, and a the recent restoration at the Malaga Museum. At the end of this detective story, the Virgin is going to be transferred to the 'AutorIA' exhibition in the cradle - the monastery of San Millan de la Cogolla. The transfer is planned for the second half of this year. Although the loan guarantees only a temporary transfer, the goal is for Virgen de la Manzana to definitively return home. After the theft, the sculpture was re-catalogued and renamed by the Ministry of Culture, so it lost its link with La Rioja and was sent to Malaga by accident "This theft is the story of what happened to part of the artistic heritage during the 20th century in many of our towns," La Rioja regional minister of culture Jose Luis Perez Pastor says, without forgetting to congratulate experts Francisco Burgos and German Chicote, who have individually "arrived at the same discovery", locating the piece in Malaga. The regional minister also highlights the collaboration of director general of fine arts Angeles Albert and Maria Morente. Syracuse, N.Y. Theres a tiny house tucked behind The Cider Mill, and for years it was easy to miss. You might have driven past it a hundred times without giving it much thought. That little house is now The Clerks House, a new bakery and cafe that opens Wednesday. It might quietly change how the West Side eats. Dan and Teresa Seeley, who opened Diamond Catering 23 years ago and the Cider Mill restaurant 13 years later, actually lived here for a decade with three kids, a dog and a cat. The house is 128 years old. They just gutted it and essentially rebuilt it from the ground up. Inside, it feels brand new with warm wood, clean lines and soft light. But the history is still baked in. Near the top of the house is a stained-glass window salvaged from Teresas childhood home on Syracuses South Side. And on one wall, a hand-lettered story traces the buildings past, from sawmill days to a town clerks office to the Seeley family home. Welcome to The Clerks House. Some of the day's sourdough bread cools at The Clerk's House, a new cafe behind Cider Mill in Taunton. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) This place is built around bread. Real bread. Mostly sourdough. Behind it is Alyssa Goodwin, a Culinary Institute of America graduate who finished school two years ago. Ironically and fittingly shes the daughter of a former Onondaga town clerk, Lisa Goodwin. This is my baby, Goodwin said while dumping a massive container of fermented dough onto her stainless steel worktable. I watched her work through the process this past weekend. Dough mixed around 9 a.m. Fermented for hours. Shaped. Rested overnight. Scored. Baked. One batch makes about 20 loaves, each weighing just over a kilogram. Its a way of life, she said. You have to dedicate the time. That dedication shows. The loaves are dense, substantial and deeply flavorful, with a crackling crust and a tangy interior that holds up over days. This is sourdough built on fermentation and science, not shortcuts. Its the kind of bread that tastes even better on day two. Goodwin isnt working alone. Emma Vanderlike was alongside her, shaping and scoring loaves as batches moved through the process. That depth matters. This isnt a hobby project. Chef Alyssa Goodwin starts cutting the design on the next day's loaves of sourdough bread for The Clerk's House, a new cafe behind Cider Mill in Taunton. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) All of the baking happens next door, in what used to be the Cider Mills catering kitchen, the former home of Diamond Catering. The Seeley family installed a high-end French baking oven and turned the space into a full bread commissary. Each morning, loaves are baked there, packed up and, quite literally, walked over to The Clerks House. The setup allows the tiny cafe to stay focused on serving customers, not washing dishes or managing industrial equipment. In winter storms, Dan admits, that walk could get interesting. Well figure it out, he said. The Clerk's House, a new cafe behind Cider Mill in Taunton. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) For years, good bread on this side of town meant getting in the car. If you wanted to get good bread, that meant going downtown, parking and standing in line, Teresa said. Dan just nodded. That was just the deal, he said. Wegmans. Price Chopper. Thats what you had. And thats a totally different bread. The difference is obvious the moment you pick up a loaf here. This is bread with weight, bread with flavor. Until now, nothing like this existed on the West Side. Dutch apple cinnamon rolls with a special blend of Recess Coffee at The Clerk's House, a new cafe behind Cider Mill in Taunton. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) The Clerks House is opening small, by design. The signature sourdough bread sells for $12 a loaf. Theres also focaccia, a longtime favorite in the Cider Mills dining room. There are breakfast and lunch sandwiches built around that bread, not deli standbys. On The Clerks Houses last soft opening, breakfast included the Lox & Loaded sandwich: a wrap with smoked salmon, avocado, lemon caper, dill yogurt sauce, arugula, tomato, pickled red onion, cucumber ribbons and bean sprouts. The Lox & Loaded wrap being served at The Clerk's House, a new cafe behind Cider Mill in Taunton. It has smoked salmon, avocado, lemon caper, dill yogurt sauce, arugula, tomato, pickled red onion, cucumber ribbons and bean sprouts. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) Lunch brought Aint That a Peach: house-made focaccia layered with prosciutto, soppressata, house-made peach hot-honey ricotta and arugula. Coffee drinks are made with custom-roasted beans from Recess Coffee. And then there are the cookies, especially the chocolate chip sea salt cookies, where the salt actually matters. Salts become the bad element, Dan said. Its underused. Not here. A latte and warm cookies from The Clerk's House, a new cafe behind Cider Mill in Taunton. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) The buzz was already building during soft openings. On Wednesday, restaurateur Mark Bullis stopped in with his daughter, who works alongside him at his myriad restaurants. They didnt just pop in; they stayed for more than an hour, sitting, eating and talking shop with Dan about the industry. Bullis called The Clerks House the kind of niche cafe thats both unique and needed. Can you open one of these on the East Side? he said, half-joking. I absolutely love this. When restaurant owners quietly show up to check out someone elses bread, thats not hype. Thats respect. The Seeleys originally hoped to open the cafe last summer. Grants, construction and patience stretched the timeline more than a year. Standing inside The Clerks House now, its easy to see why they waited. This isnt just a new bakery; its a well-thought-out correction. For any West Sider tired of settling for supermarket bread, and for a neighborhood thats long deserved something like this, The Clerks House feels less like a novelty and more like something inevitable. And its finally here. The Clerk's House, a new cafe behind Cider Mill in Taunton. (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) (Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com) The Details Where: The Clerks House, 4221 Fay Road, Syracuse (Behind the Cider Mill restaurant) Hours: WednesdaySunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bread to go: $12 per loaf of classic sourdough; $15 for infused sourdough (i.e. three cheese or garlic); $15 for French onion focaccia. Parking: Off-street lot with 45 spots Focus: Bread, coffee, breakfast and lunch Hundreds of teen artists, from 14 Central New York counties, submitted their best work for national and local recognition in the 2026 CNY Scholastic Art Awards. Over 5,000 pieces of art were submitted and judged, and the winners have been chosen in the 2026 CNY Scholastic Art Awards, sponsored by M&T Bank and hosted by Onondaga Community College. Earlier this month, the individual works and six-piece portfolios were judged by professional artists, educators and photographers. 1,487 pieces were selected to receive Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mentions in addition to special honors and cash prizes. This years award-winning entries will be on exhibit, free and open to the public, through the end of February at the Whitney Applied Technology Center at OCC. Select pieces will be displayed March 7 to April 5 at The Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse. Following a special awards ceremony on Jan. 20 at the SRC Arena on OCCs campus and the seven-week exhibit, Gold Key entries will be submitted for national competition. The Scholastic Art Awards program, founded by Scholastic, Inc. in 1923, is the largest annual student art competition in America. The Central New York Region has conducted this program for over 80 years and last year produced 24 national award winners. You can view collections of the Gold Key winners using the links below, and view the special awards below the links: If you go: What: 2026 Central New York Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition. Where: Whitney Applied Technology Center at Onondaga Community College, 4585 West Seneca Tpk., Syracuse, NY 13205 When: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, through Feb. 27. Campus is closed January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Special Awards Purcell Construction Corp. Award for Best work in Architecture & Industrial Design Kaitryn Pelnik-Wadsworth, New Hartford High School The Sage Scholars Educational Foundation Awards Best work in Printmaking Avery Evans, New Hartford High School Best work in Digital Art Hari Yoganathan, Fayetteville-Manlius High School Best 2-D Junior High artwork Emma Bailey, Wellwood Middle School Best 3-D Junior High artwork Hadley Dellecese, Whitesboro Middle School Clayscapes Pottery Award Best work in Ceramics & Glass, Creative Design Hannah McHenry, Union Springs High School Independent Potters Association of CNY Award Best work in Ceramics & Glass, Functional Design Ellis Solomon, Jamesville-Dewitt High School Tracy L. Haylor Craftsmanship Award Lilian Schick, Chittenango High School Ron Hellmann Photography Award for Best Photo Hailey Ross, Liverpool High School Syracuse Cultural Workers Peace & Justice Awards Lillianna David, Cicero North Syracuse High School Rachel Gagnier, Mexico High School The Art Store Award for Best Painting Julia Thet, Rome Free Academy The Art Store Award for Best Drawing Brynn Akins, Union Springs High School American Visions Awards, recognizing the Best of Show from all Gold Key artwork Brynn Akins, Union Springs High School Bryce Keller, Tully Jr/Sr High School Taylor MacCaull, West Genesee High School Tiffany Seymour, Red Creek High School Kairi Weber, Massena High School Light Work Award for Best Photography Portfolio Crystal Potekhin, Chittenango High School Onondaga Community College Award for Best Fine Arts Portfolio Bryce Keller, Tully Jr/Sr High School Skaneateles, N.Y. - Two people were displaced after a fire heavily damaged their Skaneateles home Tuesday afternoon. Fire crews were dispatched at 12:11 p.m. to 2980 County Line Road in the town of Skaneateles after callers reported parts of the home were engulfed in flames, according to Onondaga County 911 dispatches. No one was home when the fire started and no injuries were reported, Skaneateles Fire Department Chief Pete Buehler said. Two dogs were inside the home and died in the fire. Crews were forced to use an excavator to break through walls to access the fire, according to dispatches. The roof collapsed shortly after the fire was reported. The home suffered significant damage, Buehler said, and it was not immediately clear whether the house is a total loss. The fire spread quickly but was brought under control in about two hours. The American Red Cross was on the scene providing assistance to the displaced residents. Fire departments from Skaneateles, Fleming, Moravia and Owasco responded. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Buehler said. The three-bedroom home, built in 2002 on three acres of land, is assessed at $725,000, according to county records. *** A GoFundMe fundraiser has been created to support the affected family. ** Some Democrats are calling for President Donald Trump to be removed from office using the 25th Amendment. It would be a long shot. The amendment requires the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare a president unable to discharge his duties, according to The Hill. If that happens, the vice president immediately takes over. Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts was among those calling for Trumps removal using the amendment, according to The Hill. Another Democrat, Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, also said Trump should be removed. She called him extremely mentally ill and said its putting all of our lives at risk, according to Fox News. Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California also called for Trumps removal, according to KRON in San Francisco. All of the Democrats were responding to the latest developments in Trumps push to take over Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark. Over the weekend, text messages emerged in which Trump linked his pursuit of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, according to NBC News. In one message, he warned Europe that he no longer feels the obligation to think purely of peace. Trump later posted messages from foreign leaders himself, including one from French President Emmanuel Macron. In the message, Macron told Trump he did not understand what he was doing on Greenland. Trump also insisted over the weekend there was no going back in his push to obtain Greenland, according to NBC. He did announce he plans to meet with various parties about Greenland on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, which is taking place this week in Davos, Switzerland. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday proposed a $260 billion budget that includes new spending for child care, a boost in school aid and more money for Medicaid and food assistance to make up for cuts in federal aid. But the governor, who is up for reelection this year, said shell be able to accomplish her goals without raising taxes. Hochul unveiled a sweeping agenda last week at her 2026 State of the State address, with the goal of making New York more affordable while fortifying the state against President Donald Trumps funding cuts and immigration policies. Hochul provided an outline of her budget proposal in an address this afternoon at the State Capitol in Albany. She said tax increases arent necessary thanks to higher-than-expected tax receipts over the past year. The revenue, driven by increased consumer spending and a strong year for Wall Street, is $2.3 billion more than expected for the first nine months of the fiscal year, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said last week. Sales tax receipts, an indicator of consumer spending, increased by $951.7 million, or 6.2%. At the same time, overall state spending increased 6.5%, leading fiscal watchdogs from opposite ends of the political spectrum to call for spending cuts or increased taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers. Revenues have continued to exceed projections, driven in part by a robust economy and record Wall Street bonuses, Hochul said in her budget message. When the economy grows, we are able to invest more without raising taxes or asking New Yorkers to foot the bill. But Hochul said the state is not assuming calm seas ahead and is prepared to dip into the states cash reserves now totaling $14.6 billion to make up for any additional federal funding cuts or a drop in a tax revenue. Because of years of responsible fiscal management, our reserves today are almost six times larger than when I took office strong enough to protect New York in a downturn, and flexible enough to respond when families and businesses need help, Hochul said. One of the single largest increases in the budget will support Hochuls plan to expand child care subsidies across the state at a cost of $4.5 billion, up from $1.7 billion for the current fiscal year. The governor wants to expand pre-K for 4-year-olds statewide and begin a program for 2-year-olds in New York City. The budget proposal also includes funding for the final year of Hochuls $25 billion, five-year housing plan. The initiatives goal is to create and preserve 100,000 affordable homes throughout the state. In Central New York, the budget would provide funding for the final phases of construction for the $2.25 billion Interstate 81 reconstruction in Syracuse. The project is replacing an elevated portion of the highway with a street-level boulevard. A budget overview provided by the governors office did not provide any specific dollar amount for the I-81 project. The budget includes $20.1 million for building and maintenance improvements at three state-owned schools on Native American land, including the Onondaga Nation school. The budget was also notable for what it didnt include. State lawmakers in the Syracuse area have been trying to convince Hochul since last year to set aside $35 million in the budget to begin the first phase of an ambitious revitalization plan for the Central New York Regional Market. There was no mention of the project in todays budget proposal. Likewise, there were no new state funding initiatives for Syracuse. Hochul proposed spending $225 million on economic development projects in Rochester. Details were not immediately available. Overall, the $260 billion budget would increase spending by $1.6 billion or 0.7% compared to the revised estimate for this fiscal year. About 65% of the annual spending increase would go toward the states two largest assistance and grants programs Medicaid and aid to local school districts. Hochul proposed spending $39.3 billion on school aid, an increase of $1.6 billion, or 4.3%, over the current fiscal year. While Hochul did not propose any tax increases, the budget proposal would extend for another year the top corporate franchise tax rate of 7.25%. The higher rate was implemented in 2021 and renewed in 2023. The proposal unveiled today will set off weeks of negotiations with the Democratic-controlled state Assembly and Senate to come up with a final budget by an April 1 deadline, the beginning of the states new fiscal year. While GPU and other hardware sales tied to AI are exceptionally strong at the moment, businesses aren't particularly close to optimizing this technology or necessarily generating a positive return on their AI investments. In short, the recipe for an AI bubble-bursting event is very much in place. The reason bubbles form is that investors aren't allowing sufficient time for game-changing technologies to mature. Although some innovations enjoy rapid consumer or corporate adoption, optimizing game-changing technologies often requires years to perfect. For example, it took years for businesses to understand how to maximize their sales growth and profits following the proliferation of the internet. Dating back to the advent of the internet in the mid-1990s, every next-big-thing technology has navigated its way through early stage hype that eventually led to the bursting of a bubble. This includes the internet, genome decoding, nanotechnology, 3D printing, blockchain technology, and the metaverse. The foremost risk Wall Street's leading AI stock faces is the prospect of a bubble-bursting event in the new year. While things appear to be going perfectly for Nvidia, history teaches us that headwinds always exist for Wall Street and its most influential public companies. In 2026, five tangible risks lie in wait to potentially trip up Nvidia's parabolic climb . Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs) are the preferred choice of businesses operating AI-accelerated data centers. No external competitors are close to matching the compute capabilities of Nvidia's Hopper (H100), Blackwell, and Blackwell Ultra chips, and they're unlikely to catch up to the face of the AI revolution with CEO Jensen Huang aiming to bring a new advanced chip to market annually. Although a laundry list of public companies has benefited from the AI revolution, none has enjoyed more direct success than Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), whose market cap has expanded by more than $4.1 trillion since the beginning of 2023. No trend has been hotter over the last three years than the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) . Empowering software and systems with the tools to make split-second decisions without human oversight is a technological leap forward that can add trillions to the global economy. Despite Nvidia's overwhelming success -- it's added over $4.1 trillion in market cap since the beginning of 2023 -- headwinds appear to be mounting. Story Continues If an AI bubble were to form and subsequently burst, it's hard to imagine a company being hit harder than the face of the AI revolution, Nvidia. 2. Internal competition costs Nvidia valuable data center real estate When discussing hot trends with trillion-dollar potential, growing competition is the expectation. While Nvidia has done a phenomenal job of outpacing its direct competitors, such as Advanced Micro Devices, there exists a scenario where internal competition trips up the kingpin of AI. On the one hand, several members of the "Magnificent Seven" have placed substantial orders that involve Nvidia's next-generation GPUs. When coupled with Nvidia's CUDA software platform, which helps businesses maximize the compute capabilities of their GPUs, the world's No. 1 AI company has done an excellent job of keeping its top clients within its ecosystem of products and services. However, many of its top customers by net sales are developing AI-GPUs or solutions to use in their data centers. Even though these internally developed solutions aren't as fast as Nvidia's hardware, they offer the advantage of being notably cheaper and more readily accessible (many of Nvidia's chips are back-ordered due to strong demand). If internally developed chips gain traction, it'll reduce GPU scarcity, which has been at the heart of Nvidia's pricing power and superior gross margin. 3. Nvidia loses its competitive edge in China Although it's no secret, Nvidia has a China problem. Historically, the world's No. 2 economy has accounted for a meaningful percentage of the company's annual sales. But the U.S. federal government threw several money wrenches into this important sales channel. This includes former President Joe Biden's administration restricting exports of high-powered AI chips to China, as well as President Donald Trump's tariff and trade policy, which created tension between the world's two largest economies. If there's a silver lining for Nvidia, it's that the Trump administration has given the company the green light to ship its AI-powered H200 GPUs to China, in exchange for paying a 25% tax, based on total revenue from H200 chips, to the federal government. Though a 25% tax seems a bit steep on paper, it clears the way for Nvidia to add tens of billions in annual sales from a core market. But there's a problem: Chinese regulators, as of this writing, aren't allowing H200 chips into the country. The longer Nvidia's hardware is left in limbo, the likelier it becomes that China develops hardware and/or software solutions to rival Nvidia's GPUs or its CUDA software platform. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivering his GTC keynote address. Image source: Nvidia. 4. Jensen Huang's aggressive innovation cycle backfires The fourth tangible risk that can completely upend Nvidia's parabolic stock rally in 2026 is the overzealous ambitions of CEO Jensen Huang. To be objective, Huang has absolutely delivered for the company and its shareholders. The aggressive innovation timeline he's kept Nvidia on has produced the Hopper, Blackwell, and Blackwell Ultra, with Vera Rubin set to make its debut in the latter half of 2026. It'll feature the all-new Vera processor, which is considerably more powerful than its predecessors. Huang has made it challenging for external competitors to keep up with his company's innovation arc. However, there's a potential negative to such an ambitious innovation cycle that could rear its head as early as this year. Introducing an advanced GPU annually risks rapidly depreciating prior-generation GPUs. If these assets depreciate faster than businesses anticipate, it may delay future upgrade cycles. Even worse, rapid GPU depreciation might entice businesses to trade down to prior-generation chips that are considerably less costly. In other words, Huang's desire to maintain his company's No. 1 compute status could backfire. 5. A historically expensive stock market rolls over The fifth and final prominent risk that threatens to end Nvidia's parabolic climb is the historically pricey stock market. Although Nvidia's forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 25 isn't particularly expensive, its price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is pricey. History has repeatedly shown that companies at the forefront of next-big-thing innovations struggle to maintain P/S ratios of 30 or above. Reaching a P/S ratio of 30 has typically been a signal that a stock is in a bubble over the last three decades. In early November, Nvidia's P/S ratio briefly topped 30. But the stock market as a whole is even pricier, according to the S&P 500's (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) Shiller P/E Ratio. The Shiller P/E ended the Jan. 16 trading session at a multiple of 40.80, making this the second-priciest stock market in history, behind only the dot-com bubble. There have only been six instances in 155 years where the S&P 500's Shiller P/E has topped 30, including the present, and the previous five were followed by declines of 20% or more in Wall Street's major stock indexes. If a stock market correction, bear market, or elevator-down move were to take place this year, companies with valuation premiums, such as Nvidia, would be expected to head lower. Should you buy stock in Nvidia right now? Before you buy stock in Nvidia, 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 Nvidia 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 $474,578!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,141,628!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 955% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 196% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of January 20, 2026. Sean Williams has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 5 Tangible Risks That Can Upend Nvidia's Parabolic Climb in 2026 was originally published by The Motley Fool A fake bomb threat was called in at a Central New York hospital early Monday morning, according to police. WKTV reports Oneida County Dispatch received a call at 2:03 a.m. Monday threatening a bomb at the Wynn Hospital in Utica, N.Y. Utica Police responded to the threat, which they said was later found to be not credible. The hospital was not evacuated, according to the Rome Sentinel. A hospital representative told WKTV that, out of an abundance of caution, police performed multiple sweeps inside and outside, including in the parking garage with bomb-sniffing dogs. An all-clear was given shortly after. Additional details of the threat were not disclosed. The investigation remains ongoing, police said. Wynn Hospital, named one of the 10 most beautiful hospitals in America, is a 10-story, 702,000-square-foot hospital that opened in October 2023. The medical facility is named after casino mogul Steve Wynn, a 1959 graduate of The Manlius School who grew up in Utica and donated $50 million to the project. Death toll from floods rises in Mozambique, South Africa Maputo, Jan 19 (AFP) Jan 19, 2026 Mozambique battled severe flooding Monday as the death toll after weeks of rain climbed, with more bodies also recovered in neighbouring South Africa. Heavy rains and storms have battered the two southern African countries for weeks, claiming at least 150 lives, authorities said. More than 110 people had been killed in Mozambique since early October, the start of the rainy season, the National Disasters Management Institute (INGD) database showed Monday, with 14 of the deaths in the past week. Large parts of the country were still underwater, prompting President Daniel Chapo to cancel his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos as rescue operations continued. In South Africa, meanwhile, authorities said the death toll had risen to 37 in the northeastern Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces -- which border Mozambique -- after weeks of heavy downpours. In Mozambique, rivers burst their banks and swallowed entire neighbourhoods in several regions, displacing thousands including a woman who was forced to give birth on a roof as she sheltered from flood waters. Images on social media showed brown water swirling through the city of Xai Xai, which is around 200 kilometres (125 miles) northeast of the capital Maputo and in the Limpopo River basin. South Africa's defence force said it had sent a search and rescue team, including a helicopter, to assist Mozambique's emergency operations. - Disaster response - "Severe flooding has now affected over 432,000 people in Mozambique, with 49,000+ evacuated into accommodation centres," the UN's children's charity UNICEF said. The situation was exacerbating already difficult conditions for the area's impoverished population, "pushing already exhausted communities further into crisis," said British charity Save the Children. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa linked the crisis to climate change, saying it underlined the need for funding for developing countries, often least equipped to handle the effects of severe weather. Countries in the Global South "are the ones who are suffering the ravages of climate change when our countries and our nations did not cause it," he said during a visit to flood?hit areas of Mpumulanga. The WaterAid charity described the unfolding situation as a "climate crisis" and cautioned that more heavy rainfall -- and even a possible cyclone -- could hit the region in the coming days. "What we are witnessing and experiencing here is about the effects of climate change," regional director Robert Kampala told AFP. "The southern Africa region experiences a situation which is either too little or too much water," he said. "The heavy polluters are not paying the price of the impact and cost of a climate crisis." The non?profit organisation, which has suspended operations in three Mozambican cities because of the flooding, said it had already begun detecting cholera cases. ADNOC Gas has agreed to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) for a period of ten years to India-based Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) in a deal valued between $2.5bn and $3bn. The subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has signed a definitive sales and purchase agreement (SPA) with the Indian public sector company. This new contract transitions a heads of agreement established in August 2025 into a SPA, highlighting the deepening ties between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The deal was formalised during a visit to India by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Under the terms of the agreement, ADNOC Gas will export 500,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of LNG from its Das Island liquefaction facility, known for its extensive operational history and annual production capacity of up to six million tonnes per annum (mtpa). By 2029, ADNOC Gas is projected to oversee 15.6mtpa of LNG, with 3.2mtpa earmarked for Indian energy companies including HPCL. ADNOC Gas CEO Fatema Al Nuaimi said: We are pleased to sign this long-term LNG supply agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, which reflects the strong and growing energy partnership between the UAE and India. This agreement underscores ADNOC Gas commitment to delivering reliable LNG to meet global demand, while supporting Indias ambition to increase natural gas to 15% of its energy mix by 2030. The deal aligns with ADNOC Gas' strategy to broaden its market presence in Asia and diversify its customer portfolio, reinforcing its role as a reliable supplier in the region's fast-growing energy markets. The past three years have seen ADNOC Gas secure multiple long-term LNG contracts with various Asian markets, featuring volumes between 400,000tpa and 1.2mtpa, and durations extending up to 14 years. Overall, these partnerships amount to more than $20bn (Dh73.45bn) in total contract value. "ADNOC Gas inks LNG deal worth up to $3bn with Indias HPCL" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. North Korea's Kim sacks vice premier, rails against 'incompetence' Seoul, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has fired his vice premier, compared him to a goat and railed against "incompetent" officials, state media said Tuesday, in a rare and very public broadside against apparatchiks at the opening of a critical factory. Vice Premier Yang Sung Ho was sacked "on the spot", the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, in a speech in which Kim attacked "irresponsible, rude and incompetent leading officials". "Please, Comrade Vice Premier, resign by yourself when you can do it on your own before it is too late," Kim reportedly said. "He is ineligible for an important duty," he added. "Put simply, it was like hitching a cart to a goat -- an accidental mistake in our cadre appointment process," the North Korean leader explained. "After all, it is an ox that pulls a cart, not a goat." Nuclear-armed North Korea, which is under multiple sets of sanctions over its weapons programmes, has long struggled with its moribund state-managed economy and chronic food shortages. Kim has been quick to scold lazy officials for alleged mismanagement of economic policy but such a public dismissal is very rare. Touring the opening of an industrial machinery complex on Monday, Kim blasted cadres who for "too long been accustomed to defeatism, irresponsibility and passiveness". Yang was "unfit to be entrusted with heavy duties", Kim said, according to KCNA. And he urged a quick turnaround in the "centuries-old backwardness of the economy and build a modernized and advanced one capable of firmly guaranteeing the future of our state". Images released by Pyongyang showed a stern-looking Kim delivering a speech at the venue in South Hamgyong Province in the country's frigid northeast, with workers in attendance wearing green uniforms and matching grey hats. - Lazy officials - The impoverished North has long prioritised its military and banned nuclear weapons programmes over providing for its people. It is highly vulnerable to natural disasters including flood and drought due to a chronic lack of infrastructure, deforestation and decades of state mismanagement. The new machine complex makes up part of a large machinery-manufacturing belt linking the northeast to Wonsan further south, "accounting for about 16 percent of North Korea's total machinery output", according to Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies. Kim's public dismissal of Yang mirrors past cases such as Jang Song Thaek, Kim's uncle, who was executed in 2013 after being accused of plotting to overthrow his nephew, Yang said. The North Korean leader is "using public accountability as a shock tactic to warn party officials", he told AFP. Pyongyang is gearing up for its first congress of its ruling party in five years, with analysts expecting it in the coming weeks. Economic policy, as well as defence and military planning, are likely to be high on the agenda. Last month, Kim vowed to root out "evil" at a major meeting of Pyongyang's top brass. State media did not offer specifics, though it did say the ruling party had revealed numerous recent "deviations" in discipline -- a euphemism for corruption. Floods kill three as Tunisia sees heaviest rain in decades Tunis, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 Flooding across Tunisia has killed three people, authorities said Tuesday, with one official reporting a "critical" situation as parts of the North African country experienced their heaviest rainfall in more than 70 years. Khalil Mechri, a civil defence spokesman, said "two people were swept away by floodwaters, while an elderly woman drowned in her home". Abderazak Rahal, head of forecasting at the National Institute of Meteorology (INM), told AFP some Tunisian regions hadn't seen so much rain since 1950. "We have recorded exceptional amounts of rainfall for the month of January," Rahal said, with the regions of Monastir, Nabeul and greater Tunis being the hardest hit. The three deaths took place overnight from Monday to Tuesday in Monastir, the regional civil defence head told radio station Mosaique FM. Striking images of cars stranded as torrents of water rushed through streets have widely circulated on social media. Reports said authorities have suspended classes in several regions due to the bad weather. Transportation has also been interrupted in several parts of the country. Mahrez Ghannouchi, another INM official, said in a Facebook post the situation was "critical" in some regions. The tourist village of Sidi Bou Said, on the outskirts of Tunis, has recorded 206 millimetres of rain since Monday evening, according to the INM. The dramatic downpours come as Tunisia grapples with a seven-year drought, worsened by climate change and marked by a sharp decline in water reserves in dams across the country. The country has seen severe water stress, particularly affecting agriculture and drinking water supplies, with cuts imposed in several regions during the summer. Mozambique floods causing spiralling emergency: UN Geneva, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 Severe flooding in Mozambique has triggered a rapidly escalating emergency that is already affecting more than half a million people, the United Nations warned on Tuesday. "The numbers keep rising as extensive flooding continues and dams keep releasing water to avoid bursting," said Paola Emerson, head of Mozambique operations at the UN humanitarian agency OCHA. Heavy rains and storms have battered Mozambique and neighbouring South Africa for weeks, claiming at least 150 lives, authorities in those countries have said. "The situation remains fluid and dangerous," Emerson told a press conference in Geneva. The damage to roads and infrastructure is making it hard for aid agencies to reach the worst-affected people, she said. She was speaking from the city of Xai-Xai, around 200 kilometres (125 miles) northeast of the capital Maputo and in the Limpopo River basin. Nearly 5,000 kilometres of roads had been damaged across nine provinces, including the main artery linking Maputo to the rest of the country, she said. More than 50,000 people are sheltering in over 50 temporary accommodation centres. The agency called for additional funding. "This flooding emergency comes on top of massive conflict-related displacement in northern Mozambique that has depleted stocks," Emerson explained. "This latest disaster is a stark reminder of Mozambique's vulnerability to the convergence of multiple shocks -- including conflict, drought, cyclones in recent years and now severe flooding." - Crocodile threat - Several rivers have burst their banks and swallowed entire neighbourhoods, raising risk of crocodiles entering communities, notably in Xai-Xai. "The crocodiles that are in the Limpopo river, in this case, are able to get into... urban or populated areas that are now submerged under water," she said. UN children's agency UNICEF said January's exceptionally heavy rains had "triggered a rapidly escalating emergency across vast swathes of Mozambique, particularly in the south". "The flooding that we're seeing is not just destroying homes, schools, health centres and roads," said UNICEF spokesman Guy Taylor. "It's really turning unsafe water, disease outbreaks and malnutrition into a deadly threat for children. "The fact that Mozambique is now entering into its annual cyclone season creates the risk of a double crisis." Taylor said disruption to food supplies and health services "threatens to push the most vulnerable children into a dangerous spiral". "What happens in the coming days will really determine not only how many survive this emergency but how many can recover, how many can return to school and rebuild their futures," he said. Cooler temperatures offer respite for Chile firefighters Concepcion, Chile, Jan 20 (AFP) Jan 20, 2026 Firefighters battling major wildfires in southern Chile which have killed 20 people over the past four days benefited from cooler weather early Tuesday, authorities said. "We had a better night thanks to weather conditions. That means that we did not have to issue alerts" for evacuations, Interior Minister Alvaro Elizalde told reporters. A light drizzle fell Tuesday morning on the city of Concepcion, about 500 kilometers south of Santiago in Biobio, one of two regions where entire neighborhoods have been gutted by fires since Saturday. The blazes, which have also swept through parts of Nuble region, have scorched 35,000 hectares (86,000 acres), an area the size of the US city of Detroit. Around 1,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged, officials said. President Gabriel Boric said Monday that firefighters had managed to contain some of the blazes but that others remained "very active" and that new fires had broken out in the Araucania region bordering Biobio. More than 3,500 firefighters have been deployed to extinguish the flames. Several fires which had been dormant were fanned back to flame Monday in the town of Florida, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Concepcion. "At lunchtime, the fire started spreading in our neighborhood, putting many people in danger," Jorge Flores, a 50-year-old Florida resident, told AFP. On Tuesday, authorities announced that they had arrested a man in the coastal town of Penco, one of the areas worst-hit by the fires, on suspicion of trying to ignite a new blaze. Parts of Penco and the adjacent port of Lirquen have been reduced to a blackened landscape of fire-gutted homes, melted cars and twisted metal. Residents have been digging through rubble and ash seeking to salvage what remains of their homes and belongings. Wildfires have severely impacted south-central Chile in recent years, especially in its warmest and driest summer months of January and February. A 2024 study led by researchers at the Santiago-based Center for Climate and Resilience Research found climate change had "conditioned the occurrence of extreme fire seasons in south-central Chile" by contributing to a long-term drying and warming trend. In February 2024, several fires broke out near the city of Vina del Mar, northwest of Santiago, resulting in 138 deaths, according to the public prosecutor's office. 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 Amanda Knox has revived her feud with Matt Damon after the actor suggested that, for some people whove been canceled and ostracized from the public, jail time would have been preferable. Damon, 58, made the remarks during a recent episode of Joe Rogans podcast, seemingly implying that jail time is a finite punishment while cancel culture will follow you to the grave. I bet some of those people would have preferred to go to jail for 18 months or whatever and then come out and say, No, but I paid my debt. Like, were done. Like, can we be done? the Good Will Hunting star said. Like, the thing about getting kind of excoriated publicly like that, it just never ends. Resharing the actors divisive comments on X, Knox, who was jailed for nearly four years in an Italian prison after being wrongfully convicted for the 2007 murder of her British roommate, wrote: Another thing Matt Damon could have run by me before putting out into the world. The Independent has contacted Damons representative for comment. open image in gallery Amanda Knox (left), who was wrongfully convicted of murdering her roommate, called out Matt Damon (right) for his comments on jail time being more preferable to cancel culture ( Getty ) open image in gallery Matt Damon during his appearance on 'The Joe Rogan Experience' ( Spotify ) In the comment section of her post, the author and activist responded to one critic, explaining: You dont get to go to prison in secret. It comes with its own stigma and lasting trauma. You dont just get tobe done with it, personally or socially. Journalist Katherine Brodsky also replied in the comments, arguing: Well, literally going to jail...not so good. But frankly, given that some of these cancelled people have taken their own lives, yeah, maybe they would have preferred to go to jail for 18 months and be done with it instead, theres no end to it. No coming back. No being square. People commit suicide in prison, too, Knox said. Thats true, Brodsky added, I just dont think he meant it in such a literal way. Knox, 38, and her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were wrongly convicted for the 2007 murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Perugia, Italy. The two spent nearly four years in prison before they were later acquitted and released in 2011. Upon her release, Knox became an advocate for prison reform. In 2021, Knox slammed Damons participation in Tom McCarthys crime thriller Stillwater, which the director confirmed was inspired by Knoxs high-profile case. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. 9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. Try for free ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. open image in gallery Damon as Bill in Stillwater ( 2021 Focus Features, LLC. ) The film followed Damons Bill, a father who travels to France to visit his estranged daughter in prison for a murder she insists she didnt commit. I dont think that the filmmakers can honestly say that they went far enough away from my case so that it wouldnt be recognizably my case, Knox told Variety at the time. And I think that thats clear in all of the coverage where everyones like, Oh, this is recognizably the Amanda Knox case. And from that audiences can then draw conclusions about me, whether or not those conclusions are accurate or not. She largely took issue with how the movies character, based on her, was held somewhat responsible for the murder, which she felt drew unfair and false conclusions that she too had anything to do with Kerchers death. Theres been this ongoing idea that, Well, as long as we call it fiction, then no one would honestly apply the ideas or feelings or conclusions that I bring with my imagination to the story to the real person. And thats simply not true, Knox said. And then Matt Damon and the director can walk away with a great story in their pocket, but meanwhile, Im still living with the consequences of people thinking that I am somehow involved in this crime that I am not involved in. Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has fired back at Nicki Minaj after she criticized his recent political coverage in Minnesota. Lemon, an independent journalist, sparked backlash on Sunday when he shared video footage from an anti-ICE protest that interrupted a church service in St. Paul in the wake of Renee Nicole Goods killing. MAGA activists accused Lemon of following protesters in storming the church so that he could interview one of the churchs pastors, David Easterwood, who is the acting director of ICEs St. Paul field office. Minaj, who has gone all in with her support for Donald Trump in recent months, joined outraged conservatives online in calling for Lemons arrest based on his alleged participation in the protest. The Super Bass rapper wrote Monday on X: DON C**K SUCKIN LEMON IS DISGUSTING. HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!!!!! open image in gallery Nicki Minaj lashed out at independent journalist Don Lemon after his coverage of an anti-ICE protest in Minnesota. Now, Lemon has responded in a message telling her to leave him alone ( Getty Images ) open image in gallery Don Lemon interviewed one of the pastors of the Cities Church in St Paul, Minnesota, Sunday as its services were disrupted by anti-ICE protesters ( Don Lemon/YouTube ) Lemon a gay man who married his longtime partner Tim Malone in 2024 responded to the derogatory rant in a statement to TMZ, saying, Im not surprised Nicki Minaj does not understand journalism and is weighing in on matters that are above her capacity. He then commented on the fact that Minaj included a picture of a Chucky Doll, saying: However, the more appropriate image for her post is a 'Pick Me' Doll. Lemon is referring to a slang word used to tease people, usually women, who try to prove they have different preferences than other people, often as a way to impress men. Neither representatives for Minaj nor Lemon responded to a request for comment from The Independent. In an Instagram video sharing further comments to Minaj on Instagram, Lemon called her social media rant unhinged and homophobic. I usually dont respond to this stuff, but let me just say this: Nicki Minaj, stop talking about s*** you know nothing about, Lemon slammed. This is out of your depth, by the way, and you are a homophobic bigot. He ended the rant by saying, Nicki Minaj, get a life. Stop being a pick me. Lemon is now being investigated along with the protesters after the demonstration at the church, according to the Justice Department. U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon called him out specifically in a post on social media, writing: You are on notice! However, Lemon insists that he was at the protest for journalistic reasons that are protected by the Constitution. The MAGA administration and the fake news MAGAs are losing their mind over something thats not even true, Lemon said in another Instagram video responding to the criticism. We were there chronicling protests. Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people who were involved, which included the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization. Thats it. Its called journalism, the First Amendment. 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 In celebrity cultures most explosive social media post since 2019s Wagatha Christie saga, Brooklyn Beckham has shared his side of the story regarding his long-rumoured feud with his family. But what is the truth? After years of reports about a falling out between him and his wife, Nicola Peltz, and his parents, David and Victoria, the eldest of the Beckham kids has shared a series of bombshell claims on Instagram. In his six-slide Story post, the 26-year-old makes several shocking allegations and addresses rumours that have been circulating for years. Heres a look back at how the drama has unfolded over the years and, crucially, how Brooklyns new claims differ from the previous narrative. April 2022: Rumours of a Peltz-Beckham feud began circulating around Brooklyn and Nicolas Palm Beach wedding. Their big day was about as far away from low-key as you can get, with a rumoured 2.85m budget and a celeb-packed guestlist. But hey, the grooms family are the Beckhams and the brides father is a billionaire, so what did we expect? At the time of the wedding, a few things raised eyebrows most notably that the bride did not wear a dress by her mother-in-laws fashion brand, but instead turned to Italian designer Valentino. Back then, both sides kept schtum on all feud rumours, but Brooklyns Instagram essay now suggests talk of a row was spot on. He also alleges that there were plenty more wedding-related incidents that didnt make it into the papers. August 2022: Almost six months after the wedding, the newlyweds addressed the dress saga giving Variety a version of events that has now been contradicted by Brooklyn. Nicola told the publication that she was going to and really wanted to wear a dress by Victoria. And then a few months down the line, she realised that her atelier couldnt do it, so then I had to pick another dress, she continued. In a Vogue interview, Nicolas longtime stylist Leslie Fremar also described the Valentino bridal gown as the culmination of a years worth of conversations with Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Picciolis team, plus recounted two trips to the brands Rome headquarters and two further fittings in the States. Fremar described it as the ultimate couture experience. None of this quite seems to tally with Brooklyns new claim: My mum cancelled making Nicolas dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress. March 2023: After plenty of speculation over who would attend Victorias Paris Fashion Week Show, Nicola joined the Beckhams in the French capital for the big event. open image in gallery The Beckhams with Romeos girlfriend Mia Regan (left) and Nicola on the right ( PA ) I couldn't do it without you, Victoria captioned a family photo featuring Nicola. I love you all so much. October 2023: A stony-faced Nicola fulfilled her daughter-in-law duties once again as she attended the London premiere for Davids Netflix documentary. Victoria famously doesnt smile anyway... so maybe the model-turned-actor was just taking inspiration from her mother-in-law? April 2024: While the whole Beckham clan, all of the Spice Girls and even Tom Cruise were at Victorias 50th birthday party, Nicola didnt make it. The 31-year-old did her best to quash rumours of bad blood which by this point were in full flow with a post on Instagram explaining that she was spending time with her much-loved grandmother, who died a month later. On the day of the bash, she wrote: Happy birthday to my beautiful mil @victoriabeckham im so sad im not there to celebrate you and hug you. Sending all my love from me and my naunni. I miss you all so much! Nicola followed it up with another post on Victorias actual birthday, writing underneath a photograph of them together: I love you so much and love being your dance partner forever. open image in gallery Victoria and Nicola at the Lola premiere in Los Angeles in 2023 ( Getty ) February 2024: It was now Victorias turn to do her bit to quash the feud rumours and the Spice Girl-turned-fashion-designer jetted over to the States. VB was there to support her daughter-in-laws directorial debut Lola the less said about the reviews, the better and posed for pictures with both Brooklyn and Nicola on the red carpet at the films premiere. December 2024: The Peltz-Beckhams fulfilled their duties on both sides of the Atlantic over the festive season, spending time with both Nicolas family in Miami and the Beckhams in the UK. Victoria posted an Instagram carousel of family snaps, tagging her children and daughter-in-law, as well as writing: Being together for the holidays makes me so happy xxxx I love you all so much. May 2025: David celebrated his 50th birthday with a London bash to rival Victorias but this time, both Brooklyn and Nicola were absent from all of the celebrations. Brooklyn has now alleged that he and his wife travelled to London to spend quality time with David the week of his birthday, only to find themselves rejected. He refused all of our attempts, unless it was at his big birthday party with a hundred guests and cameras at every corner, Brooklyn wrote in his Instagram post. When he finally agreed to see me, it was under the condition that Nicola wasnt invited. It was a slap in the face. Later, when my family travelled to LA, they refused to see me at all. May 2025: In the same month as the birthday drama, sources from both sides made claims to the tabloids. One story alleged Nicola fled her own wedding in tears after a celebrity guest strayed from the script when they were supposed to be introducing the newlyweds for their first dance. A source claimed: [Singer and actor] Marc Anthony announced, Please welcome to the stage the most beautiful woman in the room Victoria Beckham. Brooklyn wasnt quite sure what to do and was put in an awkward situation. open image in gallery Who knew J Los ex Marc Anthony would have such a big part to play? ( Getty ) A more detailed account of what allegedly happened features in Brooklyns new post, where he claims: My mum hijacked my first dance with my wife. In front of our 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead, he wrote. She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. Ive never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life. Meanwhile, another report claimed Brooklyn was being controlled and held hostage by his wife. The eldest Beckham child refutes in his Instagram post, writing: The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. August 2025: The wedding vow renewal. Without the Beckhams. Just three years into the marriage, Brooklyn and Nicola decided to renew their vows in Florida. The guestlist was a lot smaller than the one for their actual big day, with fewer than 20 guests versus a mammoth 500. Crucially, apart from the groom, not a single Beckham was among the attendees. This is yet another decision that has now been addressed by Brooklyn in his Instagram post. We wanted to renew our vows so we could create new memories of our wedding day that bring us joy and happiness, not anxiety and embarrassment, he wrote. November 2025: David Beckham received his much-longed-for knighthood at Windsor Castle on 4 November last year, hailing it as the proudest day of my life. But, seemingly no longer bothered about keeping up appearances, Brooklyn and Nicola were absent from the prestigious ceremony and decided against posting about it on social media. December 2025: Brooklyns younger sibling Cruz technically became the first of the Beckhams to take the family drama to Instagram when he hit back at claims Victoria and David had unfollowed his brother on the app. open image in gallery Brooklyn and Nicola with the Peltzes at Christmas ( @nicolaannepeltzbeckham/instagram ) In a post, the 20-year-old wrote: NOT TRUE. My mum and dad would never unfollow their son [...] Lets get the facts right. They woke up blockedas did I. In another telling move, the Peltz-Beckhams didnt jet to the UK at all over the festive season and instead spent time solely with Nicolas family. January 2026: This all brings us to Brooklyns six-slide Instagram post. The jaw-dropping statement sees Brooklyn claim hes been left with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed, before sharing his version of events. open image in gallery Brooklyn, David and Victoria Beckham at the 2018 Fashion Awards in London ( PA ) Each of the Instagram Stories is packed with lines that are being pored over, as he alleges: My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasnt stopped. He claims that in the lead up to their wedding, my mum went so far as to call me evil because Nicola and I chose to include my Nanny Sandra, and Nicolas Naunni at our table, because they both didnt have their husbands. The night before our wedding, members of my family told me that Nicola was not blood and not family, he adds. Addressing more recent events, Brooklyn writes: Weve gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show our perfect family. But the one time my wife asked for my mums support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused. The Beckhams are yet to address the post, but The Independent has contacted their representatives for comment. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, the son of Sir David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, has said he does not want to reconcile with his family. The 26-year-old has spoken out for the first time and acknowledged the feud between him and his family in a post on Instagram. In a statement shared on his Instagram story, he claimed his parents have been controlling narratives in the press about his family and tried to ruin his relationship with his wife Nicola Peltz Beckham. Nicola, who is the daughter of American billionaire businessman Nelson Peltz and former model Claudia Heffner Peltz, married Brooklyn in 2022. He is the eldest son of the former England player and his fashion designer wife. Brooklyn has previously dabbled in photography and cooking, having released a book of snapshots called What I See in 2017 and a hot sauce brand called Cloud 23. He has also posted videos of his cooking to social media. open image in gallery (l to r) Mia Regan, Romeo Beckham, Cruz Beckham, Harper Beckham, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz arrive for the premiere of Netflixs documentary series Beckham at the Curzon Mayfair in London (Ian West/PA) ( PA Archive ) The couple, known as Posh and Becks, are also parents to sons Cruz and Romeo and daughter Harper. Brooklyn Beckhams statement in full read: I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed. I do not want to reconcile with my family. Im not being controlled, Im standing up for myself for the first time in my life. For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into. Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that theyll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always comes out. My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasnt stopped. My mum cancelled making Nicolas dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress. Weeks before our big day, my parents repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children. They were adamant on me signing before my wedding date because then the terms of the deal would be initiated. My holdout affected the payday, and they have never treated me the same since. During the wedding planning, my mum went so far as to call me evil because Nicola and I chose to include my Nanny Sandra, and Nicolas Naunni at our table, because they both didnt have their husbands. Both of our parents had their own tables equally adjacent to ours. The night before our wedding, members of my family told me that Nicola was not blood and not family. Since the moment I started standing up for myself with my family, Ive received endless attacks from my parents, both privately and publicly, that were sent to the press on their orders. Even my brothers were sent to attack me on social media, before they ultimately blocked me out of nowhere this last Summer. My mum hijacked my first dance with my wife, which had been planned weeks in advance to a romantic love song. In front of our 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead. She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. Ive never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life. We wanted to renew our vows so we could create new memories of our wedding day that bring us joy and happiness, not anxiety and embarrassment. My wife has been consistently disrespected by my family, no matter how hard weve tried to come together as one. My mum has repeatedly invited women from my past into our lives in ways that were clearly intended to make us both uncomfortable. Despite this, we still travelled to London for my dads birthday and were rejected for a week as we waited in our hotel room trying to plan quality time with him. He refused all of our attempts, unless it was at his big birthday party with a hundred guests and cameras at every corner. When he finally agreed to see me, it was under the condition that Nicola wasnt invited. It was a slap in the face. Later, when my family travelled to LA, they refused to see me at all. My family values public promotion and endorsements above all else. Brand Beckham comes first. Family love is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo opp, even if its at the expense of our professional obligations. Weve gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show our perfect family. But the one time my wife asked for my mums support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused. The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family. Sir David and Lady Beckham have been contacted for comment. Aegis Resources Ltd. Vancouver, B.C., Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aegis Resources Ltd. (Aegis or the Company) is pleased to provide shareholders with an update on its optioned projects in Argentina and Australia. El Zanjon and Venidero Projects, Argentina At El Zanjon Project, in Santa Cruz, Argentina, Targa Exploration Corp. (CSE: TEX | FRA: V6Y | OTCQB: TRGEF) (Targa) has expanded the project area by 66% to 57,276 contiguous hectares through the granting of three new concessions. This expansion secures potential extensions of previously identified geochemical anomalies and strengthens the projects position within the prolific Deseado Massif. Targa continues to advance planning and budgeting for El Zanjon and Venidero projects, while awaiting approval of updated Environmental Impact Statements. Approvals are anticipated in February, enabling field programs to commence in the first half of 2026. As per the terms of the option agreements between Aegis and Targa, Targa has issued 1,250,000 shares to Aegis at a deemed price of $0.20 per share. See Targas news release dated January 8, 2026. Georgetown Project, Australia In Queensland, Australia, Emu NL (Emu) has reported visible copper sulphide intersections from its drilling campaign at the Fiery Creek prospect, located within the Georgetown region. To date, nine drill holes have been completed for a total of 1,548 metres intersecting chalcopyrite, bornite, and cuprite across multiple holes, with assay results expected in late January. A diamond drill hole is planned to further evaluate the mineralised shear zone. See Emus news release dated December 19, 2025. About Aegis Aegis Resources Ltd. is an unlisted public company focused on advancing a strategic portfolio of mineral exploration assets across Latin America and Australia. Its holdings include the El Zanjon and Venidero projects in Argentina (optioned to Targa where Targa may earn up to an 80% interest in each project upon completion of a pre feasibility study), a 20% free-carried interest to completion of feasibility study in the Cobrasco project in Colombia (being advanced by Andina Copper Corporation (TSXV: ANDC) (Andina), currently a 17% interest in the Georgetown project in Australia (being advanced by Emu), and a 1.5% NSR on the Mantau Project in Chile. These assets were spun out of Rugby Resources Ltd. in July, 2025 when Rugby was acquired by Pampa Metals (now Andina). Aegis strategy is to progress its projects through partnering with qualified joint venture operators to minimize dilution and maximize shareholder value. Get our weekly Drive Smart newsletter for motoring news, reviews and advice from EV editor Steve Fowler Get motoring news, reviews and advice from EV editor Steve Fowler Get our EV editors weekly Drive Smart newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice European car giants risk becoming obsolete like Blockbuster unless they fully embrace battery electric vehicles (EVs), the boss of green energy firm Octopus has warned. This caution comes as lobbying by carmakers in Europe has led to Brussels watering down plans for the transition to electric vehicles. Octopus boss Greg Jackson said European manufacturers should be prepared to compete with EVs from China. He added that wider EV adoption would help address storing renewable energy from intermittent sources like wind, as "power could be drawn from electric car batteries when they are not in use. The UK government has pledged to outlaw sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, with only zero-emission models permitted from 2035. In December, the European Commission watered down its total ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035, with the UK government under pressure from critics to follow suit. open image in gallery Octopus CEO Greg Jackson ( The Independent ) The new plan for the EU is for 90 per cent of new cars sold from 2035 to be zero-emission. Mr Jackson told the Press Association: Whats happening in Europe is youve got a small number of very powerful companies that are not very good at making EVs. He warned: Unless Europe gets with the plot and really accelerates its capabilities on battery electric vehicles, we wont have a car industry, because the reality is the Chinese cars are not cheap because of subsidies or because of cheap labour, theyre cheap because theyve invested in the research and development and the modern manufacturing. And we saw what happened to Blockbuster, to Borders books, to Kodak. We dont want that to happen to the car companies, but they have to save themselves. Nokia I remember when Nokia saw the iPhone, instead of working out how do they build an equivalent, they kept trying to tell us that buttons were more important. The reality is, these technologies are out there. The genie is out of the bottle for these technologies and Europe has to get to grips with it, because they cant stop it. They will do a lot better by trying to compete than trying to deny. open image in gallery The UK government has pledged to outlaw sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, with only zero-emission models permitted from 2035 ( Alamy/PA ) Mr Jackson said plans for the UK energy grid did not take account of the falling cost of batteries to store power generated by renewable technologies such as wind and solar farms. The cost of grid-scale batteries is plummeting, he said. Our UK grid plans dont take account of that, which is why we could replace an awful lot of the planned new infrastructure with cheap batteries. Even better than that, electric vehicles contain a battery thats big enough to power a house for the best part of a week. The more electric cars we get, the more we can soak up that generation when its cheap. Octopus alone has about two-and-a-half gigawatts of storage in electric cars that we can shift to grab that cheap power. The UK is a 50 gigawatt system, so youre already at the point where a significant proportion of our existing system can do this, and electric cars are only 5 per cent of cars. When they get to 100 per cent youve literally got an entire systems worth of storage for free. The problem is too many of our grid plans spend money because theyre not taking account of that, and the job now is to urgently reassess all of those plans and stop spending money, except where we really, really need to. In the UK, registrations of pure battery EVs were up 23.9 per cent year-on-year to 473,348 in 2025, a market share of 23.4 per cent of new cars. 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 Wyoming mother is facing murder charges after allegedly shooting her 11-month-old son in the face because she did not want to lose custody. The killing of Basil Emeric Daly marked a tragic end to a dispute between his parents that began when he was born. Mom Madeline Daly, 35, shared custody with Basils father, Jake Stoner of Kilgore, Nebraska; in an interview with Cowboy State Daily, Stoner said hed had a rocky relationship with the mother of his child, and was forced to take her to court when she resisted his attempts to visit with his son. Stoner last saw baby Basil on September 28, and said he was looking forward to his next visit and getting to know his son. Cowboy State Daily reported. However, in October, Daly failed to show for a scheduled court hearing on visitation, and Stoner was subsequently granted temporary emergency custody by a Washakie County District Court judge. Daly, adamant that she was not going to hand her baby over to his father, instead chose to go on the run, authorities say. The killing of Basil Emeric Daly marked a tragic end to a dispute between his parents that began when he was born ( Washakie County Sheriff's Office ) On November 22, the Washakie County Sheriffs Office issued a plea for public help on Facebook, saying it believed the mother and child could be traveling in a grey 2017 Dodge Ram and may have left Wyoming. We do not have information indicating that Basil is in immediate danger; however, it is important that he is safely returned to his custodial parent, the sheriffs office said. A month later, the Facebook post was updated with a short message: Child is no longer missing. What may have been cause for hope quickly turned to horror when it emerged that baby Basil had not been rescued; police had found him, but his mom allegedly shot her 11-month-old son in the head rather than relinquish custody. Police and court documents later revealed that Daly had been on the run for about five weeks when a tip came in that she was staying at an RV park near Silver City, New Mexico. Grant County Sheriff deputies tracked her down there on December 23; when Daly spotted them, she ran and hid in a nearby RV whose owner refused to let them follow her. The deputies eventually spoke with Daly by phone, who refused to leave the RV. By then, they had learned she might be armed with a handgun and had requested backup from the local state police SWAT team. While they were waiting, the deputies heard a gunshot from inside the RV. At that point, they forced their way in and found an infant with a gunshot wound to the head. His mom had a gun pointed at her head, but a detective was able to disarm her, and she was taken into custody. Baby Basil was confirmed dead at the scene. After her arrest, Daly reportedly told detectives she knew her time was up, according to an affidavit filed in court, and she knew she was breaking the law but did it to keep her son safe and out of reach of his father. Daly has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse resulting in death, and remains in custody in Grant County. 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 Florida woman has been accused of drugging men at bars to later rob them so many times that a detective remembered her, according to a report. Sarah Tavano, 39, faces 10 criminal charges across four cases in Miami-Dade County, police wrote in an arrest report this week, according to Local 10 News. Tavano, who is originally from Massachusetts, gained the trust of the men under the pretense of consensual activity, while living in St. Augustine, about 320 miles north of Miami. She was arrested Sunday at Sugar, a rooftop bar in downtown Miami. At the time of her arrest, she had a baggie of white powder, a plastic cup with four pills and a bottle of Jagermeister with powder, the police report said. Tavano told authorities Sunday that the liquid in the bottle contained MDMA, a detective wrote in a police report. The four cases were filed against Tavano on Monday, according to the report. open image in gallery A Florida woman has been arrested after allegedly drugging men she would later steal from, according to a report ( Miami-Dade Police Department ) Three of the cases include surveillance video, a fingerprint match and a confession, according to the report. The first incident involving Tavano occurred on October 26, when a man called police to his condo after meeting a woman a day earlier at a bar who stole his keys. He does not remember inviting her into his apartment, a police officer wrote, according to the arrest report. After waking up, the man found that gold and diamond jewelry, suitcases, handbags and wallets had vanished from his home. The police report noted that the stolen items were valued at over $50,000 and belonged to the victims fiancee. A fingerprint on a brown watch case matched Tavanos, and she confessed to police that the clothes she changed into were stolenshe stole the suitcasesfilled with 20+ luxury bags, according to the incident report. The stolen items were listed as Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Versace, Gucci, and Yves Saint Laurent pieces, according to the report. Miami police officers encountered a similar situation on December 11 after a man reported over $34,000 had been stolen from him after meeting a woman at a different bar. The money had been taken through an unauthorized bank and crypto transfer after his phone and wallet were stolen, authorities said. The victim reported experiencing a severe blackout, falling unconscious, the police report said. A third incident occurred several days later on December 13, when a man at the Intercontinental Hotel reported that a woman approached him at a bar, and that he invited her to his hotel room. He consumed a drinkbegan to feel ill, experiencing sudden nausea, weakness, and dizziness, before losing consciousness, authorities wrote in an arrest report. The victim reported blacking out. When the man woke up, the woman had vanished with his Rolex watch, which was valued at about $38,000 and $1,500 in cash, according to police. The man told police he suspected the woman had drugged him, and described prolonged symptoms of nausea, extreme weakness, dizziness, and vomiting that persisted for approximately one week. After watching surveillance footage related to the case, the detective wrote, I immediately recognized [Tavano], whom I suspected from two prior investigations, records showed. For the October 26 case, Tavano faced charges of burglary of an occupied dwelling and second-degree theft. Her bond was $12,500. For the December 11 incident, she was charged with organized fraud and third-degree grand theft. Her bond was $12,500.. For the December 13 case, she faced charges of strong-armed robbery, organized fraud and second-degree grand theft. Her bond was $25,000. On Sunday, Tavano was charged with food or water poisoning, cocaine possession and possession of a controlled substance. Her bond was $5,000. Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Michelle Delancy is set to preside over the four cases. Tavanos total bond was $55,000, according to the report. Tavano was also required to show that she did not acquire the funds to pay her bail as a result of criminal activity, according to the report. 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 Indiana judge and his wife were shot at their home on Sunday, just weeks after the jurist announced his plans to retire. Authorities raced to Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberlys, address in Lafayette, not far from Purdue Universitys campus, at 2.17 pm on Sunday after reports of a shooting on the block came in. Meyer is a well-known judge in the area who rose to prominence for presiding over several of the states most controversial cases, including a dispute between Ukrainian adoptee Natalia Grace Barnett and her American family. The highly publicized court battle saw Grace Barnetts family accusing her of using her rare form of dwarfism to appear as though she was younger than she was. Now, Meyer has been left with an injury to his arm after Sundays shooting, while his wife suffered an injury to her hip, according to a statement from the Lafayette Police Department. The shooter reportedly got the couples attention by pretending to have found their dog, before opening fire through a door and fleeing. open image in gallery Steven Meyer and his wife were shot at their home in Indiana by an unidentified attacker ( Steven Meyer ) Now, a desperate search for the mysterious shooter has been launched, with the LPD drafting in state police, the local sheriffs office, the West Lafayette Police Department, the Tippecanoe County Prosecutors Office, and the FBI. The probe uncovered shell casings at the couples address, but has yet to uncover the identity of the attacker. Speaking to the NYT, police also confirmed that both the judge and his wife are in a stable condition. Kimberley Meyer also shared a statement with the newspaper thanking authorities and emergency workers for their support. Her husband, Judge Meyer, is most known for presiding over the Natalia Grace Barnett case, with the judge dismissing counts of neglect of a dependent levied against the Ukrainian adoptees American family. The family had legally changed Grace Barnetts birth year from 2003 to 1989, making it impossible to claim that she had been dependent upon them. However, her birth year was later reverted to 2003. The scandal later served as the basis for the plotline of Hulus Good American Family, which featured Greys Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo as Grace Barnetts adoptive mother. In a separate case, Meyer jailed a father for 24 years after he left a gun unattended, which was used by his 5-year-old son to shoot his 1-year-old brother. According to the Journal & Courier, Meyer described the shooting as a sadly predictable tragedy. Last December, he announced plans to put down his gavel for good at the end of the year, as he retires as Judge of Tippecanoe Superior Court 2. As the investigation into Meyers own shooting continues, there has been a flood of support for the state court judge and his wife from fellow lawmakers. open image in gallery Meyer presided over the case surrounding Ukranian adoptee Natalia Grace Barnett (pictured) ( Investigation Discovery ) In a statement given to Indiana judges and seen by NBC News, the state Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush said she was deeply grateful that Steven and Kimberley Meyer had survived. "I worry about the safety of all our judges. As you work to peacefully resolve more than 1 million cases a year, you must not only feel safe, you must also be safe," Rush said. "Any violence against a judge or a judges family is completely unacceptable. As public servants, you are dedicated to the rule of law." The shooting of the Meyers is the latest attack on lawmakers, with last year seeing an arson attack on the home of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, as well as the murders of Democratic Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in Minnesota. On the same day as the Hortman shooting, Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot. However, both Hoffmans survived the attack. Controversial right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk was also shot and killed during that same year while speaking at an event in Utah. 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 Six families have sued TikTok after their children died while allegedly attempting a viral choking challenge on the social media platform. The case centers on a Delaware family and five others from the United Kingdom, all of whom were late teenagers aged 11 to 17. Their families have claimed they took part in a trend called the Blackout Challenge. According to the six families, the Blackout Challenge encourages users to choke themselves until they pass out. Delaware resident Michelle Ortiz says that her son, Jaedon Bovell, was one of the teenagers killed while attempting the challenge. Her son died in 2020, while others named in the lawsuit would pass away a year later. Speaking to Delaware Online, the bereaved mom hopes the lawsuit will stop other families from experiencing an early loss. "Im not doing this for any other reason than I dont want another mother to feel this way," she said. open image in gallery Ellen Roome (right) says that her son Jools (left) died attempting the blackout challenge ( PA Media ) In a separate interview with ABC 6, she warned that the huge range of content on TikTok could expose children to concepts they are too young to understand. "Children make decisions not knowing finality like adults do, and they bank on this, Ortiz said. The lawsuit, seen by ABC 6, was filed in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware. In the document, TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, are accused of causing wrongful death. Matthew Bergman, an attorney representing the families, told ABC 6 that dangerous content is too easily recommended to children on the social media site. "TikTok has a For You page that deluges young people, young kids with dangerous material," Bergman told ABC 6. "In this case, dangerous choking challenges. Not material kids want to see, material they can't turn away from." He is supporting the families in their attempt to pass Jools Law, a piece of legislation named after alleged Blackout Challenge victim Julian Jools Sweeney. The law would require social media companies to preserve a childs online and social media data within five days of their death. open image in gallery Roome hopes that Jools law will force tech companies to share their childrens data, if they pass away ( PA Media ) Jools mom, Ellen Roome, told the BBC that the company will only be legally required to release her sons data if the court case moves to the next stage. "I want to see what my child was looking at, and if it is social media, I want accountability, she said. "Social media companies are feeding our children harmful material. TikTok told Sky News, though, that the data has likely been deleted due to privacy laws in the U.K. and the U.S, making it difficult to determine exactly what content was viewed by the late teenagers. The case is still in the early stages, with the court hearing a motion to dismiss the civil case on Friday. At the hearing, TikTok argued that the law would violate the First Amendment, according to ABC 6. The tech company has also argued that the Communications Decency Act exempted internet companies from any liability for content generated by third parties, such as social media influencers. While addressing the court, TikToks representatives argued that the Delaware-based court lacks jurisdiction over the British cases, although Bergman told ABC 6 that this is not the first time foreign nationals have sought justice in a U.S. court. open image in gallery TikTok defended itself in court by citing the First Amendment ( AP ) The other families whose children allegedly died while attempting the blackout challenge shared similar stories to Ellen Roome and Michelle Ortiz. Louise Gibson told Sky News that her son, Noah, died at the age of 11 in December 2021. He was found unresponsive in his bedroom by his brother. Louise and Noahs sister tried desperately to resuscitate him, but were unsuccessful. "When I was checking Noah's phone, I was looking for messages from school friends. I was looking for bullying, she told Sky News. "I never thought to check social media to see what he'd been looking at," said Louise. Archie Battersbee, Isaac Kenevan and Maia Walsh all allegedly died while attempting the same challenge, according to the BBC, with their families also filing the lawsuit. Our deepest sympathies remain with these families, a TikTok spokesperson told The Independent. We strictly prohibit content that promotes or encourages dangerous behaviour. Using robust detection systems and dedicated enforcement teams to proactively identify and remove this content, we remove 99% that's found to break these rules before it is reported to us, the spokesperson continued. As a company, we comply with the UKs strict data protection laws. By Promit Mukherjee, Andrew Mills and Federico Maccioni OTTAWA/DOHA/DUBAI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is trying to foster a new global trading order by working more closely with China and inking smaller trade deals, but faces constraints from Canada's still overwhelming economic dependency on the United States. Last week, Carney took his trade diversification push further than his allies in Europe by signing a deal with China, and aims to project Canada as a potential leader in a new global trading order after U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs upended long-standing relationships. Forging new alliances and trading partnerships has taken on new urgency for countries like Canada as Trump's foreign policy grows more aggressive and unpredictable. Trump has intensified his push to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark, prompting the European Union to weigh hitting back with its own measures. Carney, the former head of both the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada, won an election last year promising to create new economic alliances to help Canada survive Trump's tariffs and threats to annex Canada. Before arriving at an annual gathering of the global elite in Davos on Monday, he circled the world and visited countries previously overlooked by Canada. "A number of the multilateral relationships, institutions, rules-based systems, are being eroded by various decisions of various countries, the United States included," Carney said in Doha on Sunday, where he pledged more cooperation on defense and security and said progress had been made on an investment promotion agreement. "Where there is progress, and where Canada and like-minded countries are looking to make progress, is through plurilateral deals," Carney said, advocating for agreements between a smaller number of countries. Carney said Canada was already advocating to be a bridge between the European Union and Pacific Rim nations. "In this moment of volatility, Canada will step up and lead. We will make sure that we are bringing countries to the table who will assist in this role," Foreign Minister Anita Anand told Reuters in an interview in Doha. U.S. TRADE DEPENDENCY The European Union is also intensifying its trade diversification efforts - signing a deal with South American trade bloc Mercosur after 25 years of talks, concluding a deal with Indonesia in September and updating agreements with Mexico. The EU has resumed trade agreement negotiations with Malaysia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates and India. Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Critica launches scoping study at giant WA Jupiter rare earths play Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Michael Busbridge January 20, 2026 3:14pm Save 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 A A Rare earths company Critica Limited has officially shifted gears at its flagship Jupiter project in the infrastructure-rich Yalgoo region of Western Australia, kicking off a scoping study that marks the companys transition from technical proof to commercial reality. The study will be led by global engineering group Sedgman, supported by Snowden Optiro on mining inputs and SRK Consulting on resource optimisation, forming a heavyweight technical team tasked with turning Jupiters scale and simplicity into a credible development blueprint. Aircore drilling at Critica Minerals Jupiter rare earths project, near Yalgoo in WAs mid-west region. Critica describes Jupiter as Australias largest clay-hosted rare earths resource, containing 1.8 billion tonnes grading 1700 parts per million (ppm) total rare earth elements (TREO). The resource is rich in the valuable magnet rare earths neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium with a bonus 39 parts per million (ppm) gallium. It has low levels of nuisance uranium and thorium, which will significantly help with permitting and environmental red tape down the line. Advertisement The flat-lying, near-surface Jupiter deposit is a style of mineralisation acknowledged for its simpler metallurgy and potentially lower capital intensity compared to hard-rock rare earths deposits. That simplicity will help underpin the companys beneficiate-first strategy, which aims to upgrade the ore six to ten times, early in the flowsheet process, before downstream processing begins. The scoping study will pull together the beneficiation-led flowsheet with mining, processing and infrastructure plans to pin down the projects first-cut economics, including early capital and operating cost estimates. Just as importantly, it aims to lock in a clear base-case development pathway to carry Jupiter into the next stages of feasibility. Critica Limited chief executive officer Jacob Deysel said: Appointing Sedgman to lead the Jupiter scoping study is a major step forward as we shift from technical validation to defining a development pathway. Sedgmans managing director, Grant Fraser, echoed Deysel, describing Jupiter as a compelling development opportunity that combines scale, favourable metallurgy and a flowsheet designed to support efficient downstream processing. Alongside the headline study, Critica is running a suite of parallel technical programs aimed squarely at de-risking the project. Metallurgical testwork is underway with specialist laboratories, including ANSTO, to further refine the companys mixed rare earth product pathway and downstream upgrade options. Advertisement At the same time, a pilot-scale beneficiation program with Brazils GAVAQ is assessing a closed-circuit operation to fine-tune the flowsheet ahead of key study inputs. Metallurgical tests showed the beneficiated Jupiter concentrate can be leached using less expensive, simple, scalable hydrometallurgical methods to produce a clean, high-purity oxide product. Appointing Sedgman to lead the Jupiter scoping study is a major step forward... Critica Limited chief executive officer Jacob Deysel Drilling is also on the agenda, with plans underway to increase the resource tonnage and grade, support resource optimisation and mine planning assumptions. The campaign will also seek to upgrade the resource from an inferred to an indicated category. Timing-wise, Critica is targeting completion of the scoping study in the first half of 2026, subject to work programs and inputs. If the numbers stack up, the company expects to deliver a completed pre-feasibility study in the second half of this year, a definitive feasibility study in 2027 and a potential final investment decision thereafter. At the same time, the company is progressing engagement with off-take partners and downstream technology partners. In particular, the company is pushing forward selective gallium precipitation trials and is screening scandium and germanium recovery options. Advertisement All of this is unfolding against a powerful macro backdrop. Demand for rare earths continues to accelerate, driven by electric vehicles, renewable energy, advanced electronics and defence applications. With governments and manufacturers scrambling to secure non-Chinese supply, projects that promise scale, simplicity and capital discipline are increasingly in the spotlight. For Critica, the Jupiter scoping study is about more than just economics. It is the bridge between discovery and development and a crucial step in the companys broader mine-to-magnet ambition. If Sedgman and its partners can translate Jupiters technical strengths into a robust commercial case, the project could emerge as a serious contender in Australias critical minerals push. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Hot Chili nails further wide, shallow copper-gold hits in Chile Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Rowena Duckworth January 20, 2026 12:42pm Save 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 A A Hot Chili has served up another encouraging drill update from its rapidly growing La Verde copper-gold discovery in Chile, with the latest results continuing to expand what is emerging as a substantial, high-grade porphyry system just 30 kilometres from the companys flagship Costa Fuego project. Drillers carefully pull out high-grade core from drill rods at Hot Chilis La Verde copper project in Chile. The companys third reported diamond drillhole from its phase two program returned a whopping 495 metres grading 0.38 per cent copper and 0.10 grammes per tonne (g/t) gold from just 3 metres depth. This included a higher-grade 123-metre interval running 0.50 per cent copper and 0.13g/t gold. The sheer scale and continuity of mineralisation from near surface reinforces La Verdes credentials as a potential source of bulk-tonnage open-pit feed. A second diamond hole also delivered strong results, intersecting a blistering 426m at 0.37 per cent copper and 0.08g/t gold from 194 metres depth. Within that interval, Hot Chili reported multiple higher-grade zones, including 107m grading 0.46 per cent copper and 52m grading 0.50 per cent copper. Importantly, both holes ended in copper-gold mineralisation, highlighting clear potential for further growth at depth. Advertisement Wide, near-surface, copper-gold intercepts from a new major discovery underscores the strategic significance of La Verde to Hot Chili. Hot Chili managing director Christian Easterday Drilling has restarted following a short holiday pause, with assays still pending for six additional holes, including two that visually logged broad zones of strong copper porphyry-style mineralisation from shallow depths. Management says the results confirm the ongoing expansion of La Verdes high-grade core underscores the discoverys strategic importance to Hot Chilis Costa Fuego operations, which the company plans to use as a central processing hub in Chiles coastal Atacama region. Hot Chili managing director Christian Easterday said: Hot Chili is delighted to report these compelling assay results from La Verde, with more expected soon. Against a strong backdrop of record copper and gold prices, the reporting of wide, near-surface, copper-gold intercepts from a new major discovery underscores the strategic significance of La Verde to Hot Chili. La Verde is well-positioned just down the road from Costa Fuegos planned central processing hub, in the Huasco Valley Region north of Santiago and is ideally located to potentially add further feed to the proposed mill should it develop into a mining operation. Advertisement Costa Fuego comprises the Cortadera, Productora, Alice and San Antonio deposits and is regarded as one of the better undeveloped copper resources globally. It has a mammoth combined resource of 798 million tonnes grading 0.45 per cent copper equivalent, for 2.9 million tonnes of copper, 2.6 million ounces of gold, 12.9m ounces of silver and 68,000t of molybdenum. Geologically, Cortadera and Alice fit the mould as classic copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry systems, while San Antonio is interpreted as a lode-style copper skarn the kind of mineralisation commonly developed on the fringes of intrusive bodies and porphyry centres. Rounding out the suite, Productora is thought to be a tourmaline-breccia hosted copper-gold-molybdenum system, adding yet another layer of geological diversity to the district. The company believes its Costa Fuego project is a global standout among a limited number of independent, large-scale copper operations nearing development, with strong exposure to rising prices. Impact modelling by Hot Chili suggests La Verde could add significant open-pit material to the front end of Costa Fuegos proposed 20-year mine schedule, potentially extending mine life and materially improving the financial metrics outlined in Hot Chilis March 2025 pre-feasibility study. Advertisement The timing of these results could hardly be better after copper prices reached all-time highs of US$6.15 (A$9.20) a pound at the start of the week, notching up a stellar 53 per cent rise in the past 12 months alone. Long-term consensus prices now sit at around US$4.51 per pound for copper and US$3,137 per ounce for gold both well above the assumptions used in the pre-feasibility study meaning any additional near-surface tonnes could deliver outsized value. As drilling continues to target extensions to the high-grade core as well as lateral and strike growth, punters can expect further news flow in the near term. Consistent thick intercepts, shallow mineralisation and substantial leverage to buoyant copper and gold markets all point to La Verde fast shaping up as a compelling growth engine within Hot Chilis broader Costa Fuego development strategy. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Bulls N' Bears Shares Sharemarket Advertisement Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Strickland stacks up thick gold hits as Serbian resource update nears Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS James Pearson January 20, 2026 1:06pm Save 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 A A Strickland Metals has come out swinging in the New Year, delivering another impressive set of diamond drill results from its cornerstone Shanac deposit within the companys Rogozna gold and base metals project in southern Serbia. The latest assays reinforced what has become a familiar theme for the ASX-listed explorer - Shanac is shaping up as a large, long-life system that combines bulk-tonnage muscle with eye-catching pockets of high-grade mineralisation. Core from Strickland Metals Shanac deposit in Serbia showing massive pyrite and chalcopyrite in green garnet skarn from 317m depth. The intercept graded 18.1g/t gold equivalent, including 1.8g/t gold, 7.2 per cent copper and 229g/t silver. Three recently completed diamond holes have returned a string of thick gold-equivalent intercepts, further building confidence ahead of an updated resource estimate due later this quarter. The drilling targeted both the heart of the deposit and the eastern margin of its southern extent, with results suggesting the mineralised system remains wide open and far from finished. One of the standout holes delivered a monster 113.4-metre intersection grading 1.7 grams per tonne (g/t) gold equivalent from 451m depth, including a higher-grade core of 28m running at 2.7g/t. Within that, Strickland clipped an even richer 7-metre interval going at 6 grams per tonne gold equivalent Advertisement We are pleased to see that the latest holes have also provided further definition of the higher-grade zones within the deposit. Strickland Metals managing director Paul LHerpiniere A second hole, which was stepped out along the eastern side of the southern domain, returned an equally impressive 138.8 metres at 1.2g/t gold equivalent from 271.9m, again highlighting the scale of the system. That broad zone also contained a 22.6-metre slice grading 2.6g/t gold equivalent, reinforcing the notion that the higher-grade zones tend to be repeatable features rather than one-offs. The third hole added further spice by intersecting narrow but punchy high-grade gold, including 2 metres at just under 11g/t gold equivalent from 471m, alongside additional broad mineralised intervals at depth. The timing of these latest results could hardly be sweeter, landing just as gold prices soared into uncharted territory overnight, hitting all-time highs of US$4690 (A$7012) per ounce. After surging an eye-watering 70 per cent over the past year, the yellow metal is showing no signs of easing off anytime soon. Strickland Metals managing director Paul LHerpiniere said: The latest drilling has returned wide zones of bulk-tonnage style mineralisation in the central part of the deposit, with two additional holes confirming extensions of the known mineralisation on the eastern side of the southern part of the deposit. We are pleased to see that the latest holes have also provided further definition of the higher-grade zones within the deposit, with the results to contribute towards an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for Shanac. Advertisement Strickland says the drilling has continued to sharpen the companys geological understanding of Shanac, which is hosted within a large skarn system associated with intrusive rocks. The deposit appears to shift vertically and laterally from shallower gold-lead-rich zones into deeper gold-copper mineralisation. This is a classic hallmark of many big magmatic-hydrothermal systems in the area, and hints at plenty more mineralisation yet to be unearthed. That growth potential is already on show across the companys wider Rogozna project, which hosts a hefty 8.6 million ounces of gold equivalent spread over four deposits, with Shanac carrying the bulk of the load at an impressive 5.3 million ounces. With drilling at Shanac wrapped up late last year, the company is now busy digesting the flood of data and preparing its upcoming resource update. More assays are still pending from other holes across the project, setting the stage for continued news flow in the weeks ahead. Backing it all is a rock-solid balance sheet, with Strickland reporting cash and liquid assets of $41.8 million at the end of September, giving it plenty of firepower to keep the drill bits turning and momentum rolling. Advertisement Against a backdrop of strong gold and base metal prices, Strickland looks well placed to turn its Serbian scale story into a genuine market heavyweight as 2026 gathers pace. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share More: Bulls N' Bears Shares Sharemarket Music has lost an original and virtuoso after guitarist Ralph Towner died, aged 85. His record label ECM posted on January 18 that he had died in Italy, where he lived for several decades. Towners website posted this epitaph: Never has one person conceived of such beautiful music, a triumph of human creativity, and brought it to a world audience. He was one of the greatest of men, not only in his artistic spirit, but in his generous and magnanimous character. Guitarist Ralph Towner Marco Del Grande Absolutely true. Though his playing began on the piano, he transferred his heart, soul and passion to the guitar, giving it a flow of musicality in both ensemble and solo work. The way he played the six- and 12-string guitar changed the way others heard guitar music and how other musicians contemplated the crafting of music. His range traversed acoustic, jazz and fusion. So much was this evident that it felt like Towner could encapsulate the universe in both the cascade of notes, the melding of chords, and the silence between the notes. He was a true original. Advertisement Eating outFood for good Where to drink, dine and spend to help hospitality reeling from bushfires As farmers, winemakers and brewers take stock of whats been lost, others are rallying to make it easy for people to spend in ways that help devastated businesses across Victoria. Dani Valent January 20, 2026 Save 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 A A Pietro Porcu is standing on blackened farmland and surveying the losses near Yarck, 170 km north-east of Melbourne. House, sheds, machinery, fences, fruit trees, my collection of heirloom seeds: everything is burnt, he says. The vegetables, fruit, eggs, meat and olive oil produced here were used at Da Noi, the tiny paddock-to-plate Sardinian restaurant Porcu has run in South Yarra for 30 years. Its the Italian way, you bring your heart to the table, he says. 1 / 6 Pietro Porcu (right) with daughter Romey Porcu on his farm in Yarck before the fires. Supplied 2 / 6 The Yarck property after fire blazed through around January 9. Supplied 3 / 6 The farm before the fires. Supplied 4 / 6 Pietro Porcus dogs swim near blackened grass after returning to the farm. Supplied 5 / 6 Much of the property will have to be rebuilt. Supplied 6 / 6 Fences, sheds, houses and machinery are gone, but the goats survived. Supplied Previous Slide Next Slide Fire swept through Da Nois Goulburn Valley farm around January 9; two days later, Porcu returned to survey the damage. I think the smell of ash will stay with me forever, he says. Advertisement There was relief too: miraculously, his farm animals survived. First we started seeing the chickens, then we saw the white spots of the goats far away, then we realised the cows had joined the neighbours cows, and the pigs and piglets were still there. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up For the first week, Porcu slept in a donated caravan on the farm but hes now moved to a 1970s Swiss tent, which better suits his three dogs. I have Nikita, a very old Maremma, who cant get into the van. The dogs keep looking at me: what the hell is going on? I think they will love the tent. Usually, wed say the best way people can support us is by buying from us, but theres nothing to buy. Conna Mallett, co-founder, Love Shack Brewing Co His mood is up and down. Last night, I couldnt help but be grumpy: dont talk to me, he says. But this morning, I woke up, had panettone and honey and a big cup of coffee, and Im strong. Im on a mission to make this place green and beautiful, even better than before. Advertisement More than 200 kilometres west in Castlemaine, publican Conna Mallett is veering between assessing his own losses at Love Shack Brewing Co and wondering how he can help his community 10 days after bushfires scorched parts of central Victoria. Like many local drinks producers, the business stored its inventory at Harcourt Coolstore, just north of town. They lost it all, amounting to $250,000 worth. Usually, wed say the best way people can support us is by buying from us, but theres nothing to buy. Were coming up with other initiatives to get us through so we can make more stock. As a small business, were very hand-to-mouth with cash flow. Castlemaine brewer Love Shack is getting creative with its fundraising after losing stock. Bonnie Savage The coolstore was more than a refrigerated shed. Around 40 different producers utilise the coolstore, says Mallett. [Management are] always giving people a go, watching dreamers come and go ... winemakers would be there, swapping stories and techniques. Its a very emotional thing to lose. Advertisement Beyond the feelings, there are the finances. Without local cool storage, producers may need to truck inventory to Melbourne, adding logistical hassles and cost. There will be some hard conversations, says Mallett. Fires dont need to directly hit businesses to affect the people running them. South of Castlemaine in Blampied, Nats Hardy and her husband Jono Hurst run Brooklands Free Range Farms, breeding rare-breed cattle and pigs. As the fires built a fortnight ago, Hardy was alone on the farm while Hurst did duty as a CFA volunteer. Bottles and burnt produce on the floor of the burnt Harcourt Coolstore building. Jason South The wind here was horrific, the heat was unbelievable, the power went out and our diesel generator decided to pack up at the last minute, says Hardy. With hot and gusty conditions predicted for the coming Australia Day weekend, Hardy and Hurst made the difficult decision to cancel a long-planned ticketed farm tour this Saturday. They were going to donate proceeds to fire relief. Advertisement We looked at weather reports and decided its too dangerous for people to be here, says Hardy. Related Article Zero income: Locals rally behind small businesses wiped out by fires Food and drink businesses are always among the first to spring into action during a crisis. There are a lot of fundraisers, which is amazing, says Mallett. My instant thought was, how do we help with this? but actually, we need to be helped, too. Its grim reality: we need to put our own oxygen masks on first and hopefully well then be able to help other people put their masks on, too. Fires are part of country life, but each year is getting harder. I feel that the climate is so unpredictable and its getting worse, says Hardy. Advertisement The VC firms co-founder Ben Horowitz cautions that its too early to make any judgments about the funds performance, which is usually assessed on a decade-long time horizon. But so far, he said, Its one of the best funds, like, Ive ever seen. As with so much in AI investing right now, however, its unclear whether a16zs success with the fund defies an AI bubble or exemplifies it. Those bets are starting to pay off. In recent months, Stripe Inc. ( STRI.PVT ) agreed to buy Andreessen-backed billing platform Metronome for a reported $1 billion; Salesforce Inc. ( CRM ) acquired Regrello, an AI provider for manufacturers; and Meta Platforms Inc. ( META ) bought AI audio company WaveForms. In November, AI coding startup Cursor raised a new round of financing at a $29.3 billion valuation, far more than the $400 million it was worth in 2024 when a16z first backed it. To a16z, the word infrastructure encompasses any AI software marketed to technical buyers, rather than consumers. Think coding applications, foundational models and networking security, among others. Some of the most important companies of tomorrow will be infrastructure companies, said Raghu Raghuram, a managing partner at the venture firm and former VMware chief executive officer. The venture capital firm, which goes by the nickname a16z, set up a dedicated $1.25 billion war chest in 2024 for bets on AI infrastructure, a term that the fund defines more broadly than the costly chips and data centers that make AI run. This month, the firm said it would commit another $1.7 billion to the effort. The exuberance for all things AI has rapidly spilled over into the normally staid field of developer tools, benchmarking services and back-end systems areas that most regular consumers will never encounter directly becoming a focal point for a new wave of tech investment. And behind many of these companies, youll find a relatively nascent multibillion-dollar fund run by an unconventional team at Andreessen Horowitz. (Bloomberg) An artificial intelligence startup that helps developers write and debug code is now worth nearly as much as United Airlines. A two-month-old AI computer company raised a massive $475 million seed round, with plans to secure even more financing soon. And a platform for ranking AI models is now valued at nearly $2 billion, less than a year after it was spun out of an academic project. Story Continues Silicon Valley has proven AI businesses can raise unprecedented sums from investors at ever-higher valuations to fuel grandiose dreams of rewiring society. The central tension of the boom is whether businesses will find AI software valuable enough to pay up for it and soon. If companies dont spend as much as anticipated, trillions of dollars of tech investments will look more precarious, including for firms a16z is now backing. The task of guiding the prominent VC firm through the frothy AI infrastructure landscape falls to Martin Casado, a former computational physicist and longtime programmer who sold his startup, Nicira, to VMware for $1.26 billion. Casado joined a16z a decade ago and has become a successor of sorts to Horowitz, the firms original infrastructure expert. Im completely replaced, Horowitz said. I dont know nothing anymore. Casado acknowledges private valuations are crazy, but professes not to be worried about an AI bubble. This stuff is magic, he said. The users are real. The demand is real. The GPU usage is real. Still, he and a16z have been careful to sidestep certain investment trends. For example, the firm has stayed away from directly backing the trillion-dollar AI data center buildout, though occasionally with some regrets. Photographer: Manuel Orbegozo/Bloomberg Casado rues not investing in so-called neocloud providers. One such company, CoreWeave Inc., now has a market capitalization of about $50 billion. We just talked ourselves out of it stupidly, he said, noting his teams questions about whether these businesses had enough customers and differentiated technology. But the longer Casado does this job, the more he realizes that sometimes you can be absolutely right and not rich. Typically, the fund writes relatively small checks, which helps insulate the firm from eye-watering valuations though not always. The firm co-led a funding round that valued startup Unconventional AI at $4.5 billion two months after its founding and led a round in former OpenAI (OPAI.PVT) executive Mira Muratis Thinking Machines Lab at a $10 billion valuation before it had released any products. She created ChatGPT, Casado said, waving off concerns about the latter. And shes Mira. (Muratis startup has since lost several staffers to OpenAI.) The infrastructure funds largest investments are around $60 million and most are smaller. The goal is to be early. We invest much before these crazy numbers typically, Casado said. Even when you see these big headline numbers or whatever, often were in earlier. To spot AI companies first, a16zs fund relies on a team with less traditional resumes for VCs starting with Casado himself. Unlike some on Sand Hill Road, Casado doesnt hail from a tony background. His mother, a travel writer, met his father on a ship where he was a purser. She followed him to Southern Spain, where Casado was born, and eventually to Billings, Montana, followed by stints in Denver and Arizona. We grew up very, very poor, Casado says. We were always that weird European family in that western town. At times, his family was on food stamps, an experience that engendered a level of resourcefulness hes found useful later in life. Casado paid his tuition to Northern Arizona University with a mix of jobs, including video game programmer and teppanyaki chef. After college, Casado put his computational physics skills to work testing weapons systems for the Defense Department. Following the Sept. 11 attacks, Casado spent two years at an agency he isnt sure hes allowed to name. Later, he proved to be a talented coder at Stanford, winning competitions so often they took to naming two winners to give others a shot, according to Guido Appenzeller, a former Stanford teaching assistant and current a16z investor. At a16z, Casado surrounds himself with technical pros who have an eye for infrastructure, including Appenzeller and Jennifer Li, the only person who has risen from analyst to general partner at the firm. A former product leader at AppDynamics, Li joined a16z in 2018, despite thinking shed never be an investor. Shes distinguished herself by pushing her point of view with a16zs senior leadership shell talk me down, Horowitz said as well as by helping portfolio companies like AI voice startup ElevenLabs navigate difficult deals and departures. This is what I love about startups all these little fire drills and battles, she said. With the addition of the new $1.7 billion for the fund, Matt Bornstein is being promoted to general partner. Bornstein, like Casado, was an early proponent of infrastructure investment at another firm. According to Bornstein, Casado recruited him by saying, Come here and win deals instead of losing deals. Photographer: Manuel Orbegozo/Bloomberg A lot of venture capitalists were hired from investment banking, said Jamin Ball, a partner at Altimeter Capital and longtime infrastructure investor alongside Casado. Martin, when he was building his team, he just didnt care what the conventional wisdom or background was. That proved instrumental to spotting Cursor, which has been hailed as the fastest-growing startup in history. When a16z invested, many startups were competing to dethrone AI code-generation pioneer GitHub Copilot, but a16zs infrastructure team were all using Cursor for hobbyist coding projects. Casados background in 3-D gaming models and computational physics also created a bond with AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li, leading him to back and assist her in founding World Labs, which develops so-called world models for simulating physical spaces, a contrarian idea at the time. I was still very impressed that he actually understood it, she said. Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg The funds strategy, which is a hallmark of a16z, is to offer plenty of hands-on help to startups. Casado, who is on Cursors board, has spoken with candidates to convince them to join the startup. When computing capacity ran short, he helped them secure more, and when some of it went down on a weekend, he helped the company get support, said Cursor President Oskar Schulz. Casado also goes into World Labs offices every Wednesday to code. People do joke that I work Martin really hard, Fei-Fei Li said. When necessary, Casado steps in to protect the firms investments. In November, Cloudflare Inc (NET). acquired Replicate, an Andreessen-backed company that eases deploying AI models to the cloud. Behind the scenes, Casado was engaged in a delicate matchmaking game to find a partner for a startup facing increasing competition that had not yet developed a strong enough business strategy for its promising technology, according to a person familiar with the process. He was aided by Bornstein, who sits on Replicates board. Casado tapped a contact who had experience at Cloudflare to help sway Replicates founder to sell and spent time convincing both parties that the price was fair. The timing was key because Replicate ran the risk of missing out on a good exit and falling behind competitors, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private matters. Casado may be a nice person but hes a ruthless businessman, the person said. Casado also played a behind-the-scenes role in another notable acquisition, working over months to help a16z investment Tabular sell to Andreessen-backed Databricks Inc., for a larger sum than the startup had been discussing with Databricks rival Snowflake Inc., said people familiar with that deal. A keen eye for companies and a steely drive may be necessary to weather the uncertainty ahead in the AI boom. Theres going to be a bunch of companies that dont work, Casado said. Theres always fewer winners than people assume, but they are much larger than people assume. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2026 Bloomberg L.P. Advertisement NationalNSWCrime Bundles of cash allegedly found in underwear drawer of man accused of $3.5m fraud Jack Gramenz and Perry Duffin Updated January 20, 2026 4:16pm ,first published January 20, 2026 9:22am Save 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 A A The director of a National Disability Insurance Scheme service provider has been accused of using fraudulent claims to help launder millions of dollars of dirty cash after police allegedly found firearms and bundles of money in an underwear drawer. Billal Chami, 31, faced Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday after a raid on his south-west Sydney home in December. Billal Chami departs Downing Centre Court Wolter Peeters The man is accused of withdrawing cash from various bank accounts over a three-year period to launder $3.5 million suspected to be proceeds of crime. The withdrawn money allegedly came from fraudulent NDIS claims, including services which were not provided to scheme participants. Advertisement Chamis high-profile solicitor, Mostafa Daoudie, told the court the NDIS provider was born in Australia, lived with his mother and sisters in Villawood, and had every opportunity to flee since December, but instead showed up to face these charges. The court heard Chamis company allegedly received $3.7 million and withdrew $3.6 million in cash. Some NDIS participants signed up to his company allegedly told investigators they received no services, while others allegedly received kickbacks for keeping quiet. Police allegedly found $35,000 in a drawer at a Villawood unit. Australian Federal Police Police allegedly found $35,000 in cash in an underwear drawer during the December raid at the mans Villawood unit, along with an air rifle and two gel-blaster pistols. Advertisement He has been charged with dealing with money reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime. The NDIS quality and safeguards commission intends to ban the man and the provider he directs from the scheme while proceedings are ongoing. Gel blasters and an air rifle were also allegedly found at the Villawood unit. Australian Federal Police Concerns over the role of fraud in the ballooning cost of the NDIS prompted plans for a 40-fold boost to maximum fines, with penalties up to $16.5 million, in November. That same month, fraud investigators conducted more than 33 raids in four states, including NSW, with 43 terabytes of data being seized. Advertisement AFP Detective Inspector Aidan Milner said fraud of Commonwealth programs was a key focus area for the agency and its partners. We will be relentless in pursuing any people who seek to exploit our welfare system, Milner said. Chami covered his face with his hand as he walked from the court. Wolter Peeters The AFP will not stop in its pursuit of these groups who chop and change companies in a cynical effort to hide their criminal behaviour from law enforcement. National Disability Insurance Agency chief executive Graeme Head said participants in the scheme needed protection. Advertisement Most providers do the right thing, but for the small number who dont, expect a knock on the door. Magistrate Susan Horan on Tuesday imposed bail conditions on Chami including effectively banning him from using a smartphone with encrypted apps. She ordered him not to contact a list of 26 witnesses and to hand over his passport. Chami covered his face with his hand as he walked from the court with Daoudie, refusing to comment when asked if he had allegedly stolen money from Australians with disabilities. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Advertisement NationalNSWEducation Isabelles teacher warned her to skip the Netflix adaptation. It was the secret to HSC success Christopher Harris January 20, 2026 7:30pm Save 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 A A Isabelle Hendersons year 12 English advanced teacher had a voracious appetite for books. She read six books a week. She was unreal, said Isabelle. Isabelle Henderson said her teacher pushed her classmates to read extensively, which paid off in the HSC. Dominic Lorrimer Her teacher pushed Isabelle and her friends to read books too. When the class read Anthony Doerrs All the Light We Cannot See, that same teacher warned students against watching the Netflix adaptation as a replacement for consuming the 540-page book. She was a phenomenal teacher she was always pushing us out of our comfort zone. Advertisement Now Isabelle can see why: like most students in her class, she graduated from north-west Sydneys Northholm Grammar School last year with top marks in English advanced an achievement she traces back to reading. It just makes such a big difference in the way you write, she said. Across the state last year, the proportion of students scoring over 90 per cent in English advanced fell to 13 per cent, the lowest in five years. Some English teachers believe the small drop may be linked to the reluctance of teenagers to read an entire book. The decline in students reading to the end of a novel has been recorded in countries around the world. Advertisement Last year, Monash Universitys Australia Reads project found 49.9 per cent of Australians read for enjoyment, noting the activity was declining in popularity. The country lags other nations when it comes to picking up a book. A note from a staff member to parents at Winmalee High School last March summarised the issue more bluntly. Reading is a worry. Since I started teaching some time ago, I have seen a gradual decline in students interest in reading. Im talking about substantive reading novels and extended texts such as longer magazine articles, the note in the Blue Mountains high schools newsletter said. Anecdotal evidence from questioning random students this term indicates that only about 10 per cent of students read books or Kindles for pleasure. NSW English Teachers Association president Sarah Warby said that while there were always students who boasted about passing the HSC without reading a single text, teachers were seeing more students who did not read which could be a factor in the modest dip in HSC top scorers. Advertisement It can be a mix of things the questions in the HSC could have been particularly difficult, it could be the cultural impact of everything being quite short form, it could be the impact of AI, she said. Related Article Exclusive HSC Yao topped HSC English. This is what he wrote Warby explained artificial intelligence chatbots had meant students now expected instant answers to questions and were less prepared to read slabs of text to discover information for themselves. The ones who enjoy reading Nineteen Eighty-Four, who do have the long-form concentration, they remember the settings, the situations and the characters, she said. English teacher Alex Wharton, who is on the NSW English Teachers Associations curriculum and assessment committee, said there was a wider challenge of teens not reading for pleasure. Advertisement I do think teens are reading less and also reading less sustained pieces of literature, he said. He said social media use meant it was challenging for students to deeply engage because there were so many distractions, while artificial intelligence had made shorter summaries of large blocks of texts commonplace. I think Al has got a role to play. If students are using Al prompts, theres less engagement with the text, which shows in their writing, he said. English Teachers Association NSW president Sarah Warby. Edwina Pickles The decline in reading is being felt on university campuses too, says University of Newcastle English professor Jesper Gulddal, although many students he sees still enjoy reading novels. Advertisement On the other hand, some students do struggle with longer novels, he said. This is partly because theyre short on time with work and other commitments, but internet-driven distractions and short attention spans are also factors. Its a mixed bag, I think. Were still very much reading novels in our English courses, but I think many teachers avoid the longer ones, in the hope that more students will get to the end. Students sometime find older texts hard to read, but length is a bigger factor than age and difficulty. Rose Cunningham, who graduated year 12 last year, said she struggled to find time to read among study, homework and sport. Now the HSC is behind her, shes trying to get back into reading instead of other habits. We spend an absurd amount of time on our phones, she said. Advertisement Advertisement NationalNSWHospitals Maggots rain down on patients at NSW hospital infested with mould Kate Aubusson January 20, 2026 7:30pm Save 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 A A Maggots have fallen from ceiling vents onto patients at a NSW hospital infested with mould, forcing its public-private operators to close wards and cancel surgeries. Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital emptied its 16-bed haematology unit and sealed off a four-bed room after maggots rained down from air-conditioning ducts on Monday. Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital is grappling with an ongoing mould infestation dating back to October 2024. Michael Howard Planned surgeries were cancelled and cancer patients were relocated to the hospitals general medicine ward and other hospitals. These are not minor disruptions, with direct and distressing impacts on patients and their families, and our hospital staff, said a spokeswoman for Calvary, the organisation responsible only for the hospitals operations under a complex public-private partnership agreement. Advertisement The maggots were noticed a week earlier, the Newcastle Herald reported. Related Article Sydney beyond 2026 A healthcare tsunami has crashed onto Sydneys shores. One nurses idea could have spared us A spokeswoman for the Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) said an investigation into the source of the pests is ongoing. But a likely cause is a mould infestation in the hospitals air-conditioning system, which triggered the closure of the haematology day ward this month. Flies attracted to the decaying organic matter lay their eggs in the mould, from which maggots hatch. Private consortium Novacare and HNELHD are responsible for the hospitals maintenance. Advertisement Law firms XD Law and Bilbie Faraday Harrison are considering launching a class action after the Newcastle Herald reported Novacare was informed in October 2024 that the air-conditioning ducts were infested with Aspergillus mould and needed to be replaced. Staff and patients were alerted six months later when this information was leaked. Most strains of Aspergillus are harmless, but a few can cause serious illness when people inhale the spores. Those most at risk are people with weakened immune systems (for instance, immunocompromised cancer patients), lung disease or asthma. The firms are appealing for loved ones of patients who died in the hospitals cancer wards between January 2024 and April 2025. On Tuesday, the hospital was forced to cancel all elective surgeries and transfer 15 general medicine patients to private hospitals to make room for the haematology patients. Advertisement The Calvary spokesperson said the organisation was frustrated by ongoing maintenance issues overseen by NSW Health. Related Article Health Textbooks say it is impossible. But this Australian heart has done it Health Minister Ryan Park apologised to patients and staff, saying the delay by private operators in addressing the maintenance issues was unacceptable and HNELHD was devising an action plan. Ive made it clear to all parties involved that I want this matter resolved as quickly as possible, Park said. But remediation work on the heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit was under way. HNELHDs spokeswoman said it was working with Novacare to implement necessary controls to ensure the hospital resumes normal activities as quickly as possible. Advertisement We want to reassure patients, families, carers, staff and the community [that] we are taking all necessary steps to resolve this issue thoroughly, the spokeswoman said. Westpac and Honeywell have been contacted for comment. The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Save this video for later Add videos to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Advertisement NationalVictoriaCrime Suspects identified after ute chase, Nazi salutes directed at Jewish teens in Ripponlea Isabel McMillan, Lachlan Abbott and Alexander Darling Updated January 20, 2026 3:31pm ,first published 12:59pm Save 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 A A Police have identified two suspects after antisemitic abuse was allegedly hurled at a group of Jewish teenagers in Melbournes south on Monday night. CCTV footage shows five boys on the corner of Glen Eira Road and Hotham Street in Ripponlea just before 10pm when a white ute approaches. Loading Victoria Police acting Commander Adrian Healy said on Tuesday that occupants of the vehicle yelled antisemitic abuse before pulling over and performing a U-turn. As the young boys were crossing the road, the ute then deliberately drove at them, before running through a red light and then scouring around the area, continuing to look for the boys, Healy said. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday afternoon, police said they had identified two suspects who they believed were likely linked to aggravated burglaries and thefts reported nearby. We know the vehicle was stolen on the weekend in Victoria, and we do have two persons of interest for that theft, Healy said. We are still trying to locate those two individuals. The white ute (top) near the boys in Ripponlea on Monday night. Australian Jewish Association/Facebook Healy said the offenders were believed to be under 20 years old, and the five victims were aged between 15 and 16. They were very shaken, and quite upset, as youd understand, he said. Advertisement The abuse was terrible, and it was also prolonged in that the vehicle did patrol. It went around, down a laneway after abusing the boys, and we believe it remained in the area for a number of minutes. Klein, the father of one of the boys, said the teenagers were heading home from a Jewish school nearby, and urged authorities to station more protective officers outside religious institutions. Loading Antisemitism has escalated to a level that we havent seen, and its vital that the government step up, he said. Healy defended the current police response and said more than 10,000 patrols of key addresses had been undertaken as part of Operation Park, an initiative set up in late 2023 following concerns about rising hate crimes amid conflict in the Middle East. Advertisement And as a result of Operation Park, weve also arrested 265 people for antisemitic commentary or behaviour, Healy said. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said Monday nights incident was hateful, antisemitic behaviour. She said police would investigate whether a banned salute had been used. Acting Commander Adrian Healy says police have identified suspects in the incident. Wayne Taylor We will be strengthening our anti-hate laws here in Victoria. We already have the strongest anti-hate laws in the nation, she said. We will continue to do everything we can to make sure antisemitic and hateful behaviour has no place here in Victoria. Advertisement Related Article Discrimination What is in the governments new hate speech laws? Speaking on radio, Klein added that he had urged his son not to change his behaviour. Ive been asked this morning if Ill change the way Ill dress, and absolutely not. Weve got to go about our life, weve got to go to school, and obviously be very aware of our surroundings, but we cant cower, he said. As Ive told people that have reached out which has been very touching sort of asking how my sons doing, its not about me, not about my son. Its more about the Australian community. An attack on the Jewish child is an attack on any Australian. Get alerts on breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert. Exec Edge hosted a fireside chat at the ICR Conference 2026 with Alex Macedo, co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer at Authentic Restaurant Brands. The in-person interview was joined by Editor-at-Large Jarrett Banks, and they discussed how the company invests while also taking a more hands-on approach with operators to improve a restaurants trajectory, the companys 2026 vision for growth and its pavement to become a national brand, among other topics. About Alex Macedo Alex Macedo is the co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Authentic Restaurant Brands, joining the company in 2025. Prior to ARB, he served as the Lead Operating Partner at Garnett Station Partners, where he led the firms management and operational efforts. Alex brings extensive experience from his time at Restaurant Brands International, where he held multiple leadership roles at key brands including Tim Hortons and Burger King. Previously, he was the Founder and Managing Partner of True Marketing, Head of the Brahma Beer Business Unit at AmBev, and a board member of Brinker International. Alex earned his Bachelors degree from the NYU Stern School of Business and his MBA from INSEAD. About Authentic Restaurant Brands Established in 2021, Authentic Restaurant Brands (ARB) is a platform of powerhouse, regional restaurant brands with extraordinary customer brand loyalty and rich, authentic stories. Backed by Garnett Station Partners, ARB provides operational support, strategic capital and technological resources to drive growth in a brands core and adjacent markets. Its mission is to elevate local American hometown hero brands with deep community roots, loyal customers and a proven business model to help them scale dramatically without losing their local spirit. Its platform currently consists of five market-leading, iconic brands, each with over 25-year operating histories, including: Primanti Bros Restaurant & Bar based in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland, P.J. Whelihans Pub & Restaurant based in the Greater Delaware Valley, including Philadelphia and South Jersey, Mambo Seafood based in Houston and San Antonio, Texas, Pollo Tropical based in Florida, and Tavern in the Square based in Boston. READ MORE Exec Edge NYSE Firesides Scheduled Feb 3, 2026 Register for our weekly newsletter HERE Contact: Exec Edge Editor@executives-edge.com Click HERE to follow us on LinkedIn Advertisement PoliticsVictoriaCountry Fire Authority One in five key CFA roles left unfilled as further deficits revealed Rachel Eddie and Kieran Rooney January 20, 2026 10:00am Save 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 A A The week-long stoush over funding for the Country Fire Authority has intensified after the delayed release of the emergency services annual report revealed a deficit despite an increase in government grants after successive cuts. Funding to the service increased last year, the report confirmed, reversing a trend of consecutive cuts to government grants dating back to 2020. The report also raises concerns the emergency services capabilities are hampered by issues seconding staff from professional fire service Fire Rescue Victoria. Premier Jacinta Allan spent much of last week defending the state governments funding of the CFA. Wayne Taylor Government grants to the volunteer emergency service reached $361.3 million in 2024-25, up from $339 million the year prior, the report released on Tuesday showed. This followed annual grant funding cuts between 2020-21 and 2023-24, despite Premier Jacinta Allans insistence that it had increased every year. Advertisement The CFA ran another operating deficit for the second year running. The service recorded a net operating loss of $50.8 million in the year, an improvement on the $64.7 million losses the year prior. The government argues total revenue for the CFA has been up year-on-year, but this relies on counting secondments from FRV as income. CFA counted an extra $72.4 million in revenue came from FRV providing free services, including seconded staff. The report flagged concerns with this secondment model, set up when parts of the CFA and Metropolitan Fire Brigade were merged into FRV. The model allows specialist and key middle management roles from FRV to support the CFA and work under the country authoritys control. Advertisement FRVs annual report is yet to be published and is also overdue. CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said ongoing challenges with the arrangement impacted whether the organisation has the right capability and capacity to support and strengthen our response to the community. Chief executive Greg Leach said the service was still enduring stretches of vacancies or circumstances where paid staff were not replaced, known as non-relief. This was as high as 20.6 per cent in 2024-25, meaning there were periods where one in five positions were not filled. On average, the report estimated there were 19.4 assistant chief fire officers and commander positions unfilled every week. Vacancy and non-relief capacity continues to be raised with FRV, Emergency Management Victoria, [the department] and the Fire Services Implementation Monitor, the report said. Advertisement Allan said these issues would be examined once the states emergency services had a breather from the danger season. There will be the opportunity for those discussions about how we can continually improve our agencies, she said. The CFA annual report, which should have been made public last year, was tabled in parliament on Tuesday after the government was accused of failing to adequately resource rural firefighting efforts following last weeks devastating bushfires. Allan and Emergency Services Minister Vicki Ward accused the opposition of stoking misinformation after repeated attacks over the fire authoritys funding Nationals leader and opposition spokesman for emergency services Danny OBrien said the report confirmed government funding had dropped over years. Accounting for inflation, he said the hit in real terms since 2020-21 would be $55 million. Premier Allans claim that her government has only ever increased funding to the CFA is wrong. Advertisement Allan on Tuesday still insisted that any claim of a funding cut was false. She doubled down on her claim that Opposition Leader Jess Wilson was spreading misinformation, despite the report showing consistent drops in grant funding before the increase last year. It really is now time for the Liberal leader to stop, to stop this campaign of misinformation, of conspiracy theories, and really, to show that she is serious, Allan said. The leader of the Liberal Party should apologise, she continued. Enough, enough of the politics. OBrien said it was the premier who needed to apologise. Advertisement Wilson, speaking on radio station 3AW on Tuesday afternoon, said the premier had been misleading Victorians for the past week and was now angry [and] desperate. Speaking on ABC Radio on Tuesday, Ward said grants did not include surge funding and that fire services had gone through transformational change in recent years. Related Article Victoria bushfires Allan announces review into bushfire season Im not trying to not be clear, and not have a really clear description of what it is that it funds. Its just that its complicated. Emergencies are complicated. Emergency services are complicated. Were focused on readiness, were not about focusing on spreadsheets, Ward said. Given climate change is causing more frequent and intense weather events, Allan and Ward also called on Wilson to withdraw from a conference where One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce intends to advocate against renewables. Advertisement Allan had claimed the delay to the reports publication was the result of the auditing processes, prompting the Victorian Auditor-Generals Office (VAGO) to intervene and state it was not responsible for the later-than-usual release. The CFA provided its finalised annual report to the Department of Justice and Community Safety in November, and it was received by Ward in December. Leach and the board last week also disputed funding had gone backwards. The service received another boost in the lead up to this fire season, the government and CFA have both claimed, which will be accounted for in a future annual report. Volunteers have publicly complained that the CFAs ageing fleet worsened morale and membership rates. Government data released in 2023 showed 230 CFA trucks were more than 30 years old. A government program to replace ageing trucks means 167 are on order or in production, Heffernan said last week. A CFA spokesperson said trucks were replaced as newer ones became available. Advertisement It can take a brigade many years of community fundraising to raise sufficient funds for the items they need, particularly where they are saving for a new fire truck, the annual report said. Every vehicle that a brigade fundraises and saves for is a vehicle that does not need to be funded by the government. About 28 per cent of the CFAs operational fleet has been funded by brigades rather than the government. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Rents in most of Victorias coastal areas have risen over the past year as demand from sea-change movers outpaces new housing supply in regional rental markets. Rents in the Colac Otway shire rose 11.1 per cent to a median of $500 a week, Domains latest Rent Report for the December quarter shows. Moyne Shire, which includes Port Fairy, rose 10 per cent to a median of $495, while the Surf Coast recorded a 7.7 per cent increase to $700 a week. Warrnambool, Bass Coast and Glenelg also recorded rental increases over the year. Rents for houses across regional Victoria as a whole increased 4.2 per cent over the past year to a median of $500 a week, and most regional local government areas in the state pushed higher. Azimut Group has agreed to acquire a majority interest in Brazil-based wealth management firm Unifinance Group, further extending its presence in the market. In a statement, Azimut described Unifinance as having a strong position in wealth management for the ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) category. The Italian asset manager also outlined Unifinances significant reach among institutional clients, including closed pension funds and insurance companies. The deal will be executed via a share swap in Azimut Holding, with no upfront cash component. It also includes an earn-out structure tied to the delivery of set growth targets. The parties have not disclosed the financial terms of the deal. Azimut said the acquisition aligns with its broader strategy of growing in strategic markets. Unifinance operates from offices in Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina. Its assets under advisory and management exceeded 4.1bn reais ($764.2m) as of the end of 2025. Azimut said that the combination is expected to improve service to clients by increasing scale, expanding the product range and reinforcing internal processes. The company emphasised that Unifinances independence, corporate culture and investment methodology will be preserved following the transaction. The deal is contingent on standard closing conditions and regulatory clearances. While approvals are pending, Azimut and Unifinance plan to begin integration work, with priorities including maintaining continuity for clients, retaining key professionals and accelerating commercial initiatives. The latest deal builds on Azimuts purchase of a majority stake in Brazilian wealth advisory firm Knox Capital, focused on serving private and UHNW clients. Azimut holds 50% plus one share in Knox, with the latter now trading under the Azimut Knox brand. Azimut Holding CEO Giorgio Medda said: With the acquisition of Unifinance, following the recent agreement to acquire Knox Capital, we are taking another decisive step toward deepening our presence in this fast-growing market across both Wealth Management and the Institutional & Wholesale segment. As a result, Azimut will manage approximately R$ 60 billion (over 9 billion) in Brazil, confirming its role as our third-largest market globally. This move reflects our long-term commitment to the country and is fully aligned with our Elevate 2030 strategic plan and our ability to scale in high-potential markets. "Azimut to take majority stake in Brazilian wealth manager Unifinance" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. 2ND ROUND: CBI grills Vijay for6 hrs in Karur stampede case NEW DELHI : TVK chief Vijay was on Monday questioned for six hours by the CBI here in theKarur stampedecase,officials said. Vijay was earlier grilled for six hours at theCBIheadquarters onJanuary 12. Hewas asked tocomeagainonJanuary 13, but the actor sought another date due to Pongal, they said. The actor turned politician arrived at the agency headquarters on Lodhi Roadina fleet of luxury SUVs at around 10:20 am. He left at about 5 pm, they said. TVK party leader C T Nirmal Kumar, who was present outside the CBI office, told reporters that that they are cooperating in the investigation. Lots of rumours are being spread around which are not true. We all know what happened in Karur. MPs from Delhi had gone to Karur; even theTamil Nadu BJP president has said what exactly happened in Karur. We are cooperating with the investigating agencies. Pleaserefrain from spreading any misinformation. He (Vijay) has not been called again, Kumar added. Vijay was questioned during the day by a team of officials led by a Deputy Superintendent rank officer drawn from theagencysanti-corruptionwing, the officials said. Several questions related to decision-making about the rally, reasons for his delay, continuationof thespeech,hisknowledgeabout the ongoing chaos, turnout and mismanagement of the crowd were put forth to him, they said. The call on attributing the role of individuals in thechargesheetwillbe takenonly after a thorough analysis of the statements of the actor, senior political officials of hisparty,andpoliceanddistrictadministration officials involved in the process of giving clearance and managing the rally, they said. Barela mishap: THREE MORE LABOURERS SUCCUMB Staff Reporter: DEATH toll rises upto five as three more injured succumbed to their grave injuries undergoing treatment at the hospital on Sunday night. Meanwhile, the Crime Branch team has seized the car and arrested its owner Deepak Soni but his brother and accused car driver Lakhan Soni is still absconding. Separate teams are conducting a rigorous search for apprehending the accused driver. It may be noted that two women were killed and were 11 injured in a tragic road accident reported under Barela police station limits near Sigma Kanha Colony, Saliwaada on the National Highway. According to Barela police, a man named MehantUike (45), a resident of village Bamhori under Bijadandi police station, Mandla district lodged a complaint that he works as a labourer. On January 18, he along with several women from his village were engaged in cleaning iron grills installed along the road near Sigma Kanha Colony, Saliwaada, on an under-construction stretch of the highway. Signboards and stoppers had been placed on both sides of the road as safety measures. At around 1.30 pm, a car bearing registration number MP-20XB-1460, coming from the Barela side, was driven at a high speed in a negligent manner. Despite clear warning signboards, the driver drove the vehicle towards the railing area, hitting and crushing the labourers who were working there. After the collision, the driver fled the scene. As a result of the impact, several women sustained serious injuries. The injured were rushed to the Medical College Hospital using a 112 emergency vehicle and two ambulances. During treatment, Chenwati Gaur (45), Lachchho Bai (40), Varsha Kushram (45), Gumta Bai (40) and Krishna Bai Kadopa (40), all residents of village Bamhori succumbed to injuries. Pconductedpanchnama and sent the bodies for post-mortem. Barela police have registered a case against the car driver under sections 281, 125(A), 125(B), and 105 of BNS and sections 184, 134, 187, and 177 of Motor Vehicles Act. Big Supreme Praise Concerns ACTOR Emraan Hashmi says the state of theatrical business is worrisome as audiences are turning up to watch only event films and not mid-size movies, which is why he has become selective with films he wants to do. Hashmi, who will next be seen in Netflix's series Taskaree as a customs official, had two theatrical releases, Ground Zero and Haq, in 2025. "The thing is, it has become extremely difficult for theatrical films to put stuff out there.There is a lot of stuff that you feel should go on OTT because it is concept driven," the actor told PTI. The actor said he has been careful in selecting projects as he does not want to repeat what he has already done in his career of over 25 years. "It has become even more difficult right now when you talk about theatricals. Everyone is, to put it very mindly, scared of picking up something that is theatrical and weighing the pros and cons of what would work and what would not work. So, when something explosive comes in theatrical or OTT, I pick that up... The rejection process is a little more elaborate," he said. According to Hashmi, there is only four to six weeks of gap between a film's theatrical release and its arrival on OTT and if the film does not have hit songs, romance or something more for the younger audiences, it becomes difficult to get footfalls in theatres. "... They're like, We will watch this at home in like four to six weeks'," the actor said when asked to share his opinion on Hollywood star L e o n a r d o DiCaprio's statement that theatrical business was in a "worrisome state". "It is worrisome. If you see his latest film, One Battle After Another, it tanked. Probably ten years back, it wouldn't have. But right now, that film has become, Let's watch it on OTT. It seems like that indie film'. But that wasn't the case early on. So, it has become very difficult," he said. The actor said it has become expensive to watch a movie in a theatre with family as it would cost over Rs 5,000, if one spent money on tickets, popcorn and drinks for the whole family. "You have a huge number of films and they do well. But that is not really taking the business any further, you need the mid-size films, you need more films to run down the line through the year, that is not happening. Only event films either come out on Christmas, and Diwali," he said. Hashmi said the difference between then and now is that the filmmakers were catering to a larger chunk of the population, which they are no longer doing. "We are only doing it (releasing films) for the elite right now.Where is the common man, where is the avenue, is there any single screen theatre? Aren't there any good premium theatres for the single screen audience?That audience is completely gone. They will probably collect their funds to go and see something on Diwali. They can't afford a multiplex thing. "And you don't have any single screens, only a few left like Gaiety, Galaxy, and a couple of them. But if you want those guys to go and purchase (tickets) every Friday, you need to make it approachable for them. You have completely alienated the entire section. I've seen it happen from 2012, when people wanted to appease the multiplex audience... So, your narrative became more elite driven, it connected with them. It was not rooted in desi stories. So you lost them conceptually and from a price point, he concluded. Dont think Kashmiri Panditswant to live here permanently JAMMU : NATIONAL Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said that displaced KashmiriPandits are alwayswelcome to return to their homes, emphasising theirrightful place in the Valley. However, he expressed scepticism about whether the migrated community would want to come back, considering they have built new lives where they currently reside in other parts of the country, with their children engaged in employment and education. The statement of the former Chief Minister came on a day when the displaced community is observing January 19 asholocaust day to mark their exodus from the Valley in 1990 due to threats and killings by Pakistansponsored terrorists. Talking to reporters on thesidelines of a two-day party programme here, Abdullah notedthatmanyKashmiri Pandit familiesneverleft theValley andcontinue to live peacefully in theirvillages and localities. Meanwhile, BJPsJ&K unit slammedAbdullah over hisremarks accusing himof trying to normalisea historic crime andevadepoliticalresponsibility for the exodusof the community. Former MLC andBJP spokespersonGirdhari LalRaina saidAbdullahhas no moral authority to speculate on the wishes of a community he failed to protect andthathis remarkswerean attempt to absolve himself and the hisparty of historic guilt. Greenland belongs to its people, Denmark: UK PM LONDON : AMID US President Donald Trumps tariff threats to impose tariffs on European countries, including the United Kingdom, over the sale of Greenland, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday stated that the use of tariffs against allies is completely wrong, noting that the Arctic island belongs to its people and Denmark, describing the right as fundamental. Addressing a press conference on Greenland, Starmer emphasised the importance of maintaining strong alliances amid global turbulence created by Trumps tariff threats, while underscoring the UKs commitment to its partnership with Washington. Started stated that matters of such seriousness must be handled through calm dialogue among allies, emphasising that Greenlands security is important and will become even more significant as climate change reshapes the Arctic, opening new sea routes and intensifying strategic competition in the region. The security of Greenland matters, and it will matter more as climate change reshapes the Arctic. As sea routes open and strategic competition intensifies, the High North will require greater attention, greater investment, and stronger collective defence.TheUnitedStateswill becentral to that effort, and the UK stands ready to contribute fully alongside our allies through NATO. But there is a principle here that cannot be set aside because it goes to the heart of how stable and trusted international cooperation works,Starmersaid.Anydecision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone. Thatrightis fundamental, and we will support it, the UK PM added. He reaffirmed the UKs support for Denmark, calling it a close ally and a committed NATO member that has made significantsacrifices alongside its partners. Starmer further underlined that alliances are built on respect andpartnershiprather thanpressure,arguing that tariffs against allies are not an appropriate way toresolve differences within an alliance. Denmark is a close ally of theUnitedKingdom and of the United States - a proud NATO member that has stood shoulder toshoulderwithus,includingatrealhumancost,inrecent decades. Alliances endure because they are built on respect and partnership, not pressure. That is why I say the use of tariffs against allies is completely wrong. It is not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance, Starmer said. Denmark unable to counter Russian threat in Greenland, says Trump WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (IANS) US PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Monday escalated pressure on Denmark over Greenland, accusing Copenhagen of failing to counter what he described as a long-standing Russian threat to the strategically located island and signalling renewed determination to act. Posting onTruth Social,Trump wrote,NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland. Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!! The post has emerged as the central focus of a growing diplomatic standoff betweenWashington and several European capitals, following Trumps recent announcement of punitive tariffs linked to Greenland. Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has repeatedly voiced his intention to obtain Greenland, citing security concerns and geopolitical competition in the Arctic. Greenland, the worlds largest island, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, though Copenhagen retains control over defence and foreign policy. Greenland belongs to its people, Denmark: UK PM iterature, memory and gender take centre stage at IIT Bhilai conference Staff Reporter : THE Department of Liberal Arts, Indian Institute of Technology, Bhilai organised a two-day national conference titled Gendered Modalities of Remembering in South Asian Literatures at the Nalanda Lecture Hall IIT Bhilai. It brought together faculty members and research scholars from universities across India to share their research on exploring memory as a gendered and embodied practice in South Asian cultural and literary contexts. The conference opened with a keynote lecture by Prof. Simi Malhotra, from Jamia Millia Islamia, titled Remembering Two Centuries of Womens Movements in India: Memory and the Rethinking of Feminist Historiography. The lecture examined feminist historiography through the lens of memory, exploring womens movements across two centuries and foregrounding remembering as an important practice in narrating gendered histories in South Asia. The second day of the conference commenced with a keynote by Dr. SnoberSataravala, Vice Principal of St Miras College for Girls, Pune, titled Remembering the Margins: Gender, Minority Memory, and the Politics of Representation in South Asian Literatures. She drew on extensive cinematic, textual, and oral narratives to explore how minority communities are remembered or erased, underscoring the role of literature in recovering marginalised histories and different ways of remembering. Academic discussions unfolded across five thematic panels throughout the conference. The opening panel focused on gendered voice and indigenous aesthetics, examining folk and tribal art practices as embodied and living archives of memory. This was followed by a panel on gendered counter-narratives of violence, which examined how literary and cultural texts articulate survival, resistance, and affective memory in ways that move beyond official historiographies. Subsequent discussions turned to questions of vulnerability, caste, and identity, with the third panel highlighting the intersections of caste and gender in literary testimonies and narrative memory. The fourth panel brought kinship, domesticity, and national memory into focus, analysing maternal legacies, everyday spaces, and gendered notions of duty as major sites of remembrance. The conference concluded with a panel on diegetic and vernacular expressions of memory, which explored alternative mnemonic repositories that challenge dominant, text-centric forms of remembering. Collectively, these panels highlighted how gendered memory functions as an active practice shaped by factors such as embodiment, affect, socio-cultural hierarchies, and narrative form. The conference highlighted the role of literature and cultural texts in amplifying marginalised voices and creating counter-narratives that challenge dominant modes of remembrance in South Asia. Paratrooper succumbs to injuriesas search ops continue in Kishtwar JAMMU : A PARATROOPER, who was critically injured in gunfight with terrorists, succumbed to his injuries on Monday, while the ongoing search operation uncovered a suspected terror hideout packed with rations for winter in Jammu and Kashmirs Kishtwar district, officials said. The operation was launched in Sonnar village near MandralSinghpora in the Chatroo belt on Sunday, where an encounter broke out between the forces and terrorists in which eight soldiers sustained injured, primarily due to splinter from a sudden grenade attack. The operation was suspend- ed late Sunday night and resumed early Monday in thechallenging terrain with thickvegetation and steep slopes, limiting visibility and movement, officials said. In a post on X, theWhite Knight Corps said Operation Trashi-I continues in Chatroo. The cordon has been further tightenedwith search operations expanded. Troops of the corps, alongwith police and CRPF, remaindeployed to dominate the area.Multiple teams of the Army, police, and paramilitary forces, supported by drones and snifferdogs, are combing the area whilemaintaining a tight security cordon to ensure that the terroristsdo not escape, officials said. They said search teams have busted a terrorist hideout and recoveredalarge quantity of food items including ration, utensils, gascylinder and stove near thesiteofyesterdays gunfight. A group of two to three terrorists allegedly affiliated with Pakistan-based Jaish-eMohammad(JeM)arebelieved to be hiding in the area, officials said, adding the operation resumedwith the firstlight of day and was ongoing when the last reports were received. Meanwhile, one of the injured troopers, Havildar Gajendra Singh, died during treatment at a military hospital here during theintervening nightofJanuary 18 and19,officials said.TheGeneralOfficer Commanding, White Knight Corps and allrankspaysolemn tribute to Havildar Gajendra Singhof theSpecialForces,who made the supreme sacrifice while gallantly executing a counter terrorismoperationin the Singpora area during the ongoing Operation Trashi-I. LG PAYS TRIBUTE TO PARATROOPER: J&K LG Manoj Sinhapaidhomage toHavildar Gajendra Singh of the Indian Armys special forces, who was martyred during the ongoing anti-terror operation. I salute the supreme sacrifice of our braveheart Havildar Gajendra Singh. His supreme sacrifice will remain etched in our hearts.Theentirenationstands in solidarity with the bereaved familyof ourmartyrin this difficult hour, Sinha said. We came across a bullish thesis on Bank of America Corporation on The Passive Income Portfolios Substack. In this article, we will summarize the bulls thesis on BAC. Bank of America Corporation's share was trading at $52.97 as of January 19th. BACs trailing and forward P/E were 13.90 and 12.15 respectively according to Yahoo Finance. Analyst Explains Why Hes Selling Bank of America (BAC) and Holding Very Large Stake in Goldman Sachs Copyright: dolgachov / 123RF Stock Photo Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. BAC is a high-quality financial franchise currently trading at a discount due to near-term noise around net interest income (NII), commercial real estate exposure, and unrealized losses on its held-to-maturity (HTM) securities. While market sentiment remains skeptical, BACs true strength lies in its long-term capacity to generate distributable capital, underpinned by a massive, low-cost deposit base and diversified revenue streams, including Global Banking and Merrills wealth management platform. These factors provide a stable funding foundation and counter-cyclical fee income, insulating the bank from cyclical lending pressures. The dividend thesis is compelling: BAC maintains a conservative EPS payout ratio of roughly 32%, allowing significant capital retention for buybacks and future dividend growth. Its track record shows 12 consecutive years of dividend increases, with high single-digit growth rates over the past three to five years. Combined with share count reduction through buybacks, this positions BAC for sustainable long-term dividend growth of 68% annually, supporting a total return potential of approximately 910% when factoring in the current 2.1% yield. BACs balance sheet is robust, with a strong CET1 ratio and prudent liquidity and loan-to-deposit metrics, ensuring resilience against regulatory and credit shocks. Key risks include stricter Basel III requirements, adverse CCAR outcomes, CRE market stress, and worsening HTM portfolio losses; a CET1 ratio falling below 11% would signal a potential breach of the dividend growth thesis. Overall, BAC represents a rare Core Compounder with a Cyclical Value Lean, offering a well-capitalized, low-risk platform for long-term dividend-focused investors. Current valuations provide a strategic entry point, with the $34 buy-under price embedding margin of safety while capturing its durable growth and shareholder return potential. Railways to carry out special upgrade of DoubleDiamond Crossing Diamond Crossing to enhance safety, operation By Sagar Mohod : German firm awarded contract, RDSO examining drawings INDIAN Railways is going for a special upgrade of Double Diamond Crossing in the Nagpur Station Yard. The measure is meant to enhance safety of rail operations plus increase the speed of trains movement in North-South, East-West and North-East rail corridors of the country, while negotiating the Nagpur Station. The Double Diamond Crossing is unique in the Railways, and Central Railway has awarded the contract to a German firm specialising in such critical works for undertaking the complete overhaul of track layout. Officials in Engineering Department of Nagpur Division of Central Railway are working in tandem with their counterparts in Railway Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) on the project, which is of critical importance from operations point of view. Rahul Agrawal, Sr Divisional Engineer (Central), said, the RDSO is examining the design submitted by the division. RDSO team has sought some data like movement of trains and same was shared. The design is expected to be finalised within a fortnight and thereafter, the work programme for undertaking upgrade will be finalised. Agrawalstated that, theDouble Diamond Crossing repair presents unique challenges for operations, as at Nagpur, as it has a 65degreeskew,thatrequiresspecial design approach plus specialised skill while undertaking the relaying of the crossing points. As mentioned earlier, the specialty of the upgrade would be that the sleepers beneath it will be crafted especially for the diamondcrossing asper thenew design. They will be different from normal concrete sleepers thatareutilised for placing under the rails. Even the steel for crafting the plates that act as cushion below therailsto absorbshocksofpassing trains and provide stability torailwheelswould also be manufactured using special metals to ensure required strength and agility.Agrawal said, theGerman team came to Nagpur station a few months back and surveyed the double Diamond Crossing areausingTotalStation.After the survey, the maps were prepared and design for diamond crossings placement in the yard was finalised and submitted to the Railways. The necessity for special upgrade arose as the flange of Goods trains were observed to be jumping the rail while negotiating the double Diamond Crossing.Soinvariably,thespeed of goods rake was reduced for safety but that means extra time for clearing the yard that hit the movement of long distance passenger-carrying trains.Therefore, Railway officials decided to go for special upgrade. A period of six months would berequired tocompletetheoverhaulproject atDoubleDiamond Crossing,assamewouldbedone in a piecemeal way, one point at a time to avoid total closure of Nagpur station. Specialty of Diamond Crossing DOUBLE Diamond Crossing means where two sets of tracksconverge at one place, creating four individual diamond formations, facilitating criss cross movement of trains on the cross.Seen from above, the design looks like a perfect diamond. But Double Diamond Crossing does not mean to indicate that all four cardinal directions of Indian Railways network converge at Nagpur. Its simply a formation where a service branch line from the Nagpur Freight Yard crosses over the Gondia line. It connects the Howrah route coming from the East. The service line then joins the main line heading towards Delhi. Only three major rail lines meet at Nagpur Junction Railway Station, one from the East via Gondia, one from the North from New Delhi, and one heading South that later splits intoWestern route towards Mumbai and the other to Southern route towards Kazipet. The split happens at Chitoda, just near Sewagram, approximately 75 kms from Nagpur. Technical structure of a diamond crossing is a precise engineering work. Its function is to allow wheels from train on one line to pass over the rails of the intersecting line. Guard rails or check rails are positioned to guide train wheels securely through the crossing, while heel blocks maintain the proper spacing between running rails and guard rails. The track layout incorporates gaps atspecificpoints topermitwheelflanges fromcrossing trains to pass through. These gaps need careful maintenance since they create points ofimpact and vibration that cause accelerated wear. Riches in rags: Indore leprosy-afflicted beggarfound to be money-lender; owns houses, vehicles OFFICIALS in Indore in Madhya Pradesh were left stunned when an anti-beggary drive led them to a leprosy-afflicted man who has reportedly amassed property worth several lakh rupees, including three houses, a car and three autorickshaws by seeking alms while moving about on a wheeled board. The man has lent money in the famous bullion market here and earns handsome daily interest from this business, an official said. The chain of events that has become the talk of the city started after a 50-year-old leprosy patient was rescued from Sarafa area based on information from the public, said Women and Child Development Department official Dinesh Mishra, who is the nodal officer for the campaign to eradicate begging and make the states commercial capital beggar-free. We have learned that this man owns three concrete houses, including a three-story building. In addition, he has three auto-rickshaws that he rents out. The man also owns a car in which he goes begging. He has even hired a driver for this purpose. He begs while moving about on a wheeled board, Mishra said. Elaborating further on the riches in rags story, Mishra said the man, who has been begging since 2021, had lent Rs 4-5 lakh to people in the bullion market here and charges interest that nets him between Rs 1000- 1200 per day. In addition, he receives 400 to 500 rupees daily in alms, the official said, adding the man has been lodged in a shelter home at present. District Magistrate Shivam Verma said Indore is a beggar-free city and such campaigns, to rehabilitate those seeking alms in public, are undertaken after information of such activities is received from the public. The administration has received preliminary information about the assets of the man and appropriate legal action will be taken after all facts are verified, Verma added. However, Rupali Jain, president of Pravesh, an NGO working to eradicate beggary, said the case of this leprosy-afflicted man should be viewed from a humanitarian perspective claiming he did not amass his alleged wealth of millions of rupees by begging. She explained that the man used to work as a mason a few years ago, but was unable to continue after suffering severe damage to his fingers and feet due to leprosy. Facing social and family discrimination, he began begging at night near the famous Chaat Chowpatty in the Sarafa area, she said. We tried to convince this man twice in the last four years to stop begging. He did stop the practice for a while, but later went back to it, Jain said while underlining the difficulties in rehabilitating people with diseases that evoke intense social stigma. eSambhavanai a platform for tribal music, dance,folk traditions being held at Tribal Museum Staff Reporter : THE Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum is currently hosting a unique cultural programme, Sambhavana, focused on tribal music, dance, and instrumental performances. On January 18, 2026, the event featured a series of vibrant presentations from artists across the state, including Surendra Singh and team from Anuppur performing the Gond tribal Karma dance, Sanjay Mahajan and team from Barwaha presenting Gaur/Gangaur folk dances, and Sheetal Atre with associates from Indore showcasing Nimadi folk singing. The programme also included traditional devotional songs such as Ganes Vandana, Gangaur songs, and other regional folk melodies. The Gond tribal Karma dance is a celebration of labor and community life. Rooted in the Karma festival of eastern Madhya Pradesh, the dance honours the daily toil of villagers, treating work itself as a divine act. Both young men and women participate in this performance, often engaging in spontaneous song composition competitions. While the Karma festival is not observed by some tribal communities in the Vindhya and Satpura regions, the Karma dance is performed across most seasons except the monsoon. Its songs reflect a wide array of emotionsfrom everyday life experiences to subtle expressions of lovedemonstrating the depth and diversity of Gond cultural expression. The dance tradition spans a large geographical area, extending from remote regions of Chhattisgarh to Gond and Baiga communities in Mandla. The Gangaur dance, performed during the nine-day Gangaur festival from Chaitra Dashami to Chaitra Sud Triyodashi, exemplifies the folk and devotional life of the Nimad region. Every activity during the festival is accompanied by song, from decorating and racing the festival chariots to ceremonial performances. Men and women, carrying Rath replicas of Sun and Runubai deities, perform rhythmic dances to the beats of drums and cymbals. Gangaur celebrations in Nimad enjoy popularity not only locally but also in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Malwa, highlighting the festivals broad cultural appeal. Sambhavana, held every Sunday at 2 PM, offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience the diverse art forms of Madhya Pradeshs five major cultural regions and seven prominent tribal communities, while also providing exposure to folk traditions from other parts of India. SIR in WB should be transparent: SC to EC NEW DELHI : OBSERVING that the Special Intensive Revision process in West Bengal should be transparent and not cause inconvenience, the Supreme Courtdirected the Election Commission (EC) onMonday to display thenames of those on the logical discrepancies list at Gram Panchayat bhavans and block offices,where documents and objections will also be submitted. Logical discrepancies in progeny linking with the 2002 voter list include instances of a mismatch in the parents name and the agedifferencebetweena voter and their parent being less than 15 years or more than 50 years. Noting that 1.25 crore voters in the State figure on the logical discrepancies list, a threejudge bench of Chief Justice Surya Kantand Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi directed that the offices for submitting documents and objections be set up within the panchayat bhavans or block offices and asked the West Bengal Government toprovideadequate manpower to the election authorities. The court directed that the Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal shall be obligated to ensure that there is no law-and-order problem and thatall the activitiess hall be completed smoothly. The apex court was hearing pleas alleging arbitrariness and procedural irregularities in the ongoing SIR exercise in West Bengal, including those related to thelogicaldiscrepanciescategory. The bench noted that noticeshavebeenissued that are broadly classified in three categories-mapped,unmapped and logical discrepancy. The topcourtadded thatunder thelogical discrepancy category, mismatches in fathers name or parents age, and a difference in the age of the grandparents were noticed by the authorities. The apexcourt said thoselikely to be affected by the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in West Bengal must be allowed to submit their documents or objections. The topcourtdirected that the office for submitting the documents andobjectionsshallbeset up within the panchayat bhavans or block offices. During the hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing forsomeof thepetitioners,questioned the criteria for issuance of notices of hearings for logical discrepancies. He said that names like Ganguly, Datta, etc.,canbespeltindifferentways, and these spelling differences are cited as reasons for notices. Theseniorlawyer saidinsome cases, notices are sent on the grounds that the age difference with the parents is less than 15 years. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, for the poll panel, informed thebench thatinstructions have been given to the officers not to send notices citing spelling differences. However, Dwivedi said such cases where the age difference with the parents is 15 years or less are flagged as a logical discrepancy. The bench then said, Why is italogicaldiscrepancy?Howcan a 15-year agegapbetweenmother and son be a logical discrepancy? Justice Bagchiremarked, It is not as if we dont have child marriages in the country. Senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee told the court that notices have been sent even to Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen and sitting MPs. Controversies over summoning celebrities baseless: EC KOLKATA, Jan 19 (IANS) THEElectionCommission (EC) ofIndia onMonday asserted that controversies over the summoning of celebrities and the whos who for hearings on claims and objections on the draft voters list are baseless. As political controversies were sparked and questions were raised about why the grandnephew of Netaji, Chandra Kumar Bose, would be summoned for a hearing, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, clarified, citing the reason for summoning Chandra Kumar Bose. The claimismisleading.The enumeration form clearly shows that the linkage column is left blank. He has, therefore, been called for a hearing like all the other similarly placed electors as per the notification of EC, the clarification statement read. SIR important, not being conducted properly: Netajis grandnephew KOLKATA, an 19 (PTI) NETAJI Subhas Chandra Boses grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose,who appeared forWestBengalSIRhearings, saidonMonday that the ongoing electoralrollrevision exercise was important but not being conducted properly. Bose, who had contested the 2016 Assembly elections and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on BJP tickets, called the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll sheer harassment and claimed that it lacks clarity The other scenario is for the Chavista power structures to stay in place just without Maduro," Breda argued. He added that this would maintain a back-and-forth relationship with the US, with the system seeking to protect national production instead of giving away all licenses to foreign companies. Venezuela has seen its oil controlled by different parties, although the returns have failed to trickle down to society as a whole. The problem with this scenario is that it seems US companies would be the ones who benefit most from this setup. The benefits for the Venezuelan people are unclear or would be limited, Breda continued. In that scenario, US investment would come with infrastructure improvement, and production could start rising again, which is now around 800,000 barrels per day. "One is a situation where the US either controls or gets preferential access to the Venezuelan oil platforms and preferential conditions to invest and retain the profits of the oil industry," he said. Breda lays out two main scenarios that are more likely in the near future. In boardrooms from Houston to Madrid, that renewed uncertainty has become a key consideration. It affects whether service firms mobilise rigs, whether insurers price risk back into Caribbean shipping lanes, and whether refiners retool for heavier blends that Venezuela can supply better than almost anyone on paper. There is a lot of talk about the future of the oil industry yet the situation remains so uncertain that it is hard to confidently state where things are headed, explained Tiziano Breda, a senior analyst for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project. After the US intervention in early January that led to Nicolas Maduros capture and removal, the future of Venezuelas oil reserves and what they mean for ordinary livelihoods has once again become the countrys defining point of contention. With reserves split largely between the Orinoco Belt and the older, more heavily exploited Lake Maracaibo region, every government has had to build its claim to power around a plan for the oil. Venezuela sits atop immense reserves of one of the worlds most coveted resources, yet for much of its history, ordinary people have seen limited benefits from that geological blessing. Those things matter, but they fail to capture how intrinsically oil is stitched into the countrys political DNA. The easiest way to misunderstand Venezuelas oil business is to treat it like a standard industry story, framing it exclusively in terms of reserves, rigs, investment, and output. Story Continues Barriers to investment Francis Perrin, a senior fellow at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS) who is specialised in energy issues, spoke to Euronews about the future of the oil industry in Venezuela. "International oil companies would have to invest dozens of billions of dollars. In order for this to happen three conditions are required, [namely] security, stability, and profitability, not only now and in the coming months but on a long-term basis," he said. "It is of course not possible today to assess the future stability of the country... the US State Department recently urged Americans to leave Venezuela," he continued. The companies that are the most likely to invest more in Venezuela are those which are already on the ground in this country, namely Chevron, Repsol, and Eni. Related From extraction to households Oil money is often discussed as if it automatically creates a public good, although this logic only works if leaders funnel the returns into useful policies. On one hand, oil revenues can build hospitals and schools. On the flip side, it can also fund patronage and an oppressive security state. When former president Chavez came to power he did not dismantle the industry, he kept the foreign know-how and was lucky that commodity prices boomed in the early 2000s and he used this to fund his political project both in the country and the region, Breda explained. Chavez did not blow up the oil machine completely, at least not right away. He kept parts of it working and used the boom to turn oil into politics at scale. Maduro then inherits that legacy [after Chavez's death], and in a quest to consolidate his own power structure, he basically replaces all the former loyalists to Chavez who are also knowledgeable about the oil industry with other people, mainly based on the criteria of whether theyre loyal to him, Breda noted. Breda argued that this culling of knowledgeable staff, combined with the sharp drops in oil prices beginning in 2014, led to a perfect storm worsened by US sanctions. Related A system for the elites? Even though the Venezuelan industry reached rock-bottom during Maduro, the sheer size of it still allowed it to produce enough in order to be able to keep the economic, political and military elites happy in the country, Breda explained. He added that many of the country's top brass were unhappy with the US intervention, partially because "they were the ones who benefitted the most from the [previous] status quo. While former vice president Delcy Rodriguez has been serving as interim president since Maduro's capture, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has vowed she will lead the country "when the right time comes". Breda explained that many individuals belonging to the Venezuela's elite class are distrustful of Machado's plans for the oil industry, fearing that she will allow US companies to "make the most out of Venezuelan oil without direct benefits for average people". Last week, Machado the recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize formally handed the medal she received from the prize over to Trump as recognition of his "unique commitment to our freedom". Machado has openly called for a heavy-handed US role in Venezuela, and is clearly seeking to gain a close relationship with Trump. For supporters of Machado, an openness to US intervention sounds like a promising means to bring back investment, output, and order. To others, it sounds like a rerun of a model they believe failed them. What about Russia and China? Venezuelas crude and fuels trade was largely focused on China in the post-sanctions years, as buyers and intermediaries helped Caracas keep barrels moving despite US sanctions. In 2024, ship-tracking data showed China remained the top receiver at about 351,000 barrels per day, while the US was second at roughly 222,000 bpd under specific authorisations. In January 2025, Venezuelan exports rose 15% to about 867,000 bpd, with China taking around 442,000 barrels per day, and Chevron sending about 294,000 barrels to US refiners. For 2025 as a whole, internal documents belonging to the state-owned oil and gas company put average exports to China at around 642,000 bpd about three quarters of Venezuelas total daily exports last year. This model is likely to change if the US is calling the shots, particularly after US secretary of state Marco Rubio stressed that the Trump administration would prevent its adversaries from owning or controlling strategic resources in the Americas, and particularly in the Western Hemisphere. "Clearly, Russia and China will not play an important role in Venezuela... Russia and China have lost an important ally, [further] bad news for Moscow after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria at the end of 2024 and the weakening of the Islamic Republic of Iran since 2024," Perrin highlighted. China will no longer be able to buy the greatest part of Venezuela's oil exports at very favourable terms. "It will have to search for other supplies, which is not [impossible] due to the present state of the world oil market where there is a surplus of supply over demand, but will be more costly," he continued. ABM Industries Incorporated (NYSE:ABM Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 1,749,420 shares, a decrease of 30.9% from the December 15th total of 2,533,454 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,169,011 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.5 days. Currently, 2.9% of the companys stock are short sold. Currently, 2.9% of the companys stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,169,011 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.5 days. Insiders Place Their Bets In other ABM Industries news, COO Rene Jacobsen sold 31,034 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.12, for a total transaction of $1,369,220.08. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 51,714 shares in the company, valued at $2,281,621.68. This represents a 37.50% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Get ABM Industries alerts: Hedge Funds Weigh In On ABM Industries Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its position in shares of ABM Industries by 18.0% in the second quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,612 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $76,000 after buying an additional 246 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in ABM Industries by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC now owns 11,022 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $508,000 after acquiring an additional 247 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its holdings in ABM Industries by 4.0% during the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 6,506 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $300,000 after acquiring an additional 248 shares in the last quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp raised its position in ABM Industries by 4.2% during the third quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 6,442 shares of the business services providers stock worth $297,000 after acquiring an additional 259 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arizona State Retirement System lifted its holdings in shares of ABM Industries by 1.4% in the third quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 18,422 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $850,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. 91.62% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms have recently issued reports on ABM. Wall Street Zen cut ABM Industries from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, December 13th. UBS Group restated a neutral rating and set a $51.00 price objective (down previously from $55.00) on shares of ABM Industries in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of ABM Industries in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, ABM Industries presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $54.33. Read Our Latest Stock Report on ABM ABM Industries Price Performance Shares of ABM Industries stock traded up $0.23 during trading on Monday, reaching $45.27. The companys stock had a trading volume of 787,703 shares, compared to its average volume of 688,230. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $43.43 and a 200-day moving average price of $45.50. ABM Industries has a 12-month low of $40.00 and a 12-month high of $54.90. The company has a market capitalization of $2.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.48 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a quick ratio of 1.48, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86. ABM Industries (NYSE:ABM Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, December 17th. The business services provider reported $0.88 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.09 by ($0.21). ABM Industries had a return on equity of 11.96% and a net margin of 1.86%.The company had revenue of $2.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.28 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.90 earnings per share. ABM Industriess revenue for the quarter was up 5.4% on a year-over-year basis. ABM Industries has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.850-4.15 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that ABM Industries will post 3.71 EPS for the current year. ABM Industries Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 14th will be given a dividend of $0.29 per share. This represents a $1.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 14th. This is a positive change from ABM Industriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. ABM Industriess payout ratio is 44.79%. About ABM Industries (Get Free Report) ABM Industries Incorporated is a leading provider of integrated facility services, offering a comprehensive suite of solutions designed to support the operation, maintenance and enhancement of commercial properties. The companys core services include janitorial and custodial maintenance, HVAC and mechanical systems support, electrical and lighting solutions, and energy optimization. Additional offerings span parking management, security services, landscaping, and specialized support such as technical solutions and sustainability consulting. Serving a diverse range of markets, ABM caters to clients in commercial real estate, aviation, healthcare, manufacturing, education, government entities, and technology campuses. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for ABM Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ABM Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Acuity, Inc. (NYSE:AYI Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 516,401 shares, a drop of 21.8% from the December 15th total of 660,396 shares. Approximately 1.7% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 288,336 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.8 days. Based on an average daily volume of 288,336 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.8 days. Approximately 1.7% of the companys shares are short sold. Analyst Ratings Changes AYI has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on Acuity from $380.00 to $435.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, October 2nd. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Acuity from $330.00 to $390.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, October 2nd. Robert W. Baird set a $375.00 target price on Acuity in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Acuity from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. Finally, William Blair reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Acuity in a report on Tuesday, December 30th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $395.17. Get Acuity alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on AYI Acuity Stock Down 0.1% Shares of AYI traded down $0.29 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $320.53. 417,571 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 411,540. The company has a market cap of $9.83 billion, a PE ratio of 24.66, a P/E/G ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.50. Acuity has a 52 week low of $216.81 and a 52 week high of $380.17. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $356.73 and a 200 day simple moving average of $341.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 2.07 and a quick ratio of 1.39. Acuity (NYSE:AYI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 8th. The electronics maker reported $4.69 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $4.45 by $0.24. Acuity had a net margin of 9.04% and a return on equity of 20.97%. The business had revenue of $1.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.14 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.97 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 20.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Acuity will post 15.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Buying and Selling at Acuity In other news, SVP Barry R. Goldman sold 4,687 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $368.01, for a total value of $1,724,862.87. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 10,545 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,880,665.45. The trade was a 30.77% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 2.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Trading of Acuity A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC boosted its position in Acuity by 50,220.2% during the second quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC now owns 2,268,433 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $676,764,000 after purchasing an additional 2,263,925 shares during the last quarter. Durable Capital Partners LP raised its stake in shares of Acuity by 9.1% during the 3rd quarter. Durable Capital Partners LP now owns 1,363,619 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $469,617,000 after purchasing an additional 113,720 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in shares of Acuity by 6.4% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 840,508 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $250,759,000 after purchasing an additional 50,491 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Acuity by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 815,050 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $280,695,000 after buying an additional 17,011 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Boston Partners grew its stake in shares of Acuity by 10.1% in the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 633,060 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $218,071,000 after buying an additional 58,085 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.21% of the companys stock. Acuity Company Profile (Get Free Report) Acuity Brands, Inc (NYSE: AYI) is a leading provider of lighting fixtures, controls and building management solutions designed for commercial, institutional, industrial and residential markets. The companys core offerings include a broad range of LED luminaires, lighting controls, sensors and networked building systems that enhance energy efficiency, occupant comfort and operational productivity. Acuity Brands portfolio spans indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures, emergency lighting, task lighting and architectural products, as well as advanced controls such as daylight harvesting, occupancy sensing and wireless sensor networks. Beyond traditional lighting, Acuity Brands delivers integrated digital solutions through its Connected Building platform, which combines smart sensors, cloud-based analytics and mobile applications to enable real-time monitoring and remote management of lighting and environmental systems. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Acuity Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Acuity and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. American Integrity Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE:AII Get Free Report) has received an average rating of Moderate Buy from the nine brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $27.60. A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Piper Sandler increased their price target on American Integrity Insurance Group from $22.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, October 6th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on American Integrity Insurance Group from $26.00 to $29.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. Citigroup reissued a market outperform rating on shares of American Integrity Insurance Group in a research note on Friday. Citizens Jmp lifted their price target on American Integrity Insurance Group from $26.00 to $28.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a report on Monday, November 17th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a sell (e+) rating on shares of American Integrity Insurance Group in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Get American Integrity Insurance Group alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on AII Insider Buying and Selling Institutional Investors Weigh In On American Integrity Insurance Group In other news, CEO Robert C. Ritchie sold 475,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.00, for a total transaction of $9,025,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 2,454,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at $46,635,500. The trade was a 16.21% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . Also, major shareholder James E. Sowell sold 2,353,200 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $19.00, for a total value of $44,710,800.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 4,768,861 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $90,608,359. The trade was a 33.04% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing . Over the last quarter, insiders sold 3,354,591 shares of company stock valued at $63,737,229. A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AII. Strs Ohio purchased a new position in shares of American Integrity Insurance Group in the 3rd quarter worth about $33,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC purchased a new position in shares of American Integrity Insurance Group in the second quarter valued at $45,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. acquired a new position in American Integrity Insurance Group in the 3rd quarter worth $72,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. purchased a new position in American Integrity Insurance Group in the 3rd quarter valued at about $83,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of American Integrity Insurance Group during the second quarter valued at about $101,000. American Integrity Insurance Group Price Performance Shares of NYSE AII opened at $18.78 on Tuesday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $20.75 and a 200-day simple moving average of $20.55. The company has a market cap of $367.71 million and a PE ratio of 4.17. American Integrity Insurance Group has a 12 month low of $15.77 and a 12 month high of $26.36. American Integrity Insurance Group (NYSE:AII Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $0.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $62.03 million for the quarter. American Integrity Insurance Group had a net margin of 31.63% and a return on equity of 37.99%. About American Integrity Insurance Group (Get Free Report) American Integrity Insurance Group, Ltd. is a specialized provider of personal lines residential property insurance based in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The company underwrites a variety of policies including homeowners multiple peril, condominium unitowners, dwelling fire, wind-only, personal umbrella and renters insurance. Its product suite is designed to protect against hurricane, windstorm, hail and other weather-related risks common to Floridas coastal and inland regions. Founded in 2004, American Integrity operates primarily through a network of independent insurance agents across the state of Florida. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for American Integrity Insurance Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Integrity Insurance Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. (NYSE:MAA Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of Hold from the twenty-two brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $155.3684. Several analysts recently issued reports on MAA shares. Barclays cut their target price on Mid-America Apartment Communities from $155.00 to $142.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Mid-America Apartment Communities from $157.00 to $150.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. BMO Capital Markets upgraded Mid-America Apartment Communities from a hold rating to an outperform rating and upped their target price for the company from $150.00 to $158.00 in a report on Friday, January 9th. BNP Paribas lowered Mid-America Apartment Communities from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Monday, September 29th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane downgraded shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities from a neutral rating to an underperform rating in a research report on Monday, September 29th. Get Mid-America Apartment Communities alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on MAA Insider Transactions at Mid-America Apartment Communities Institutional Trading of Mid-America Apartment Communities In other news, EVP Adrian Hill bought 758 shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities stock in a transaction on Friday, December 12th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $131.83 per share, for a total transaction of $99,927.14. Following the acquisition, the executive vice president owned 48,766 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,428,821.78. The trade was a 1.58% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link . Also, EVP Robert J. Delpriore sold 5,426 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.23, for a total value of $750,035.98. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 49,745 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,876,251.35. This represents a 9.83% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing . In the last 90 days, insiders sold 6,079 shares of company stock valued at $838,698. Insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock. A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of MAA. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Tobam purchased a new position in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities during the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Sound Income Strategies LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities by 972.2% during the second quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 193 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. 93.60% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Mid-America Apartment Communities Stock Up 1.2% Shares of Mid-America Apartment Communities stock opened at $137.06 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.06 and a current ratio of 0.06. Mid-America Apartment Communities has a 52-week low of $125.75 and a 52-week high of $173.38. The companys 50 day moving average price is $134.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $138.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.04, a P/E/G ratio of 3.90 and a beta of 0.78. Mid-America Apartment Communities (NYSE:MAA Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $2.16 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.17 by ($0.01). Mid-America Apartment Communities had a net margin of 25.23% and a return on equity of 9.14%. The firm had revenue of $554.37 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $557.22 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.21 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. Mid-America Apartment Communities has set its FY 2025 guidance at 8.680-8.800 EPS and its Q4 2025 guidance at 2.170-2.290 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Mid-America Apartment Communities will post 8.84 EPS for the current year. Mid-America Apartment Communities Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 15th will be paid a $1.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. This is an increase from Mid-America Apartment Communitiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.52. This represents a $6.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.5%. Mid-America Apartment Communitiess payout ratio is currently 129.66%. About Mid-America Apartment Communities (Get Free Report) Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc (NYSE: MAA) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in the acquisition, development, redevelopment and operation of multifamily residential properties. The company focuses on high-barrier-to-entry apartment communities, offering a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes designed to meet the needs of diverse renter demographics. Its integrated business model encompasses property management, leasing, maintenance and customer service, providing residents with a comprehensive living experience under one ownership platform. MAAs portfolio comprises more than 100 communities and over 40,000 apartment homes across key Sun Belt markets. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Mid-America Apartment Communities Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mid-America Apartment Communities and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. (NYSE:NOG Get Free Report) have received a consensus recommendation of Hold from the ten ratings firms that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have given a hold recommendation, three have given a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $30.1429. A number of research firms have recently issued reports on NOG. Mizuho lifted their price objective on shares of Northern Oil and Gas from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c-) rating on shares of Northern Oil and Gas in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley reissued an underweight rating and issued a $26.00 price objective (down from $27.00) on shares of Northern Oil and Gas in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Finally, Citigroup cut their price objective on Northern Oil and Gas from $32.00 to $28.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Get Northern Oil and Gas alerts: View Our Latest Report on NOG Northern Oil and Gas Trading Down 1.4% Shares of Northern Oil and Gas stock opened at $22.25 on Friday. Northern Oil and Gas has a fifty-two week low of $19.88 and a fifty-two week high of $42.22. The businesss fifty day moving average is $22.25 and its two-hundred day moving average is $24.14. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The firm has a market cap of $2.17 billion, a PE ratio of 12.57 and a beta of 0.98. Northern Oil and Gas (NYSE:NOG Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $1.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.82 by $0.21. Northern Oil and Gas had a net margin of 7.61% and a return on equity of 20.61%. The business had revenue of $556.64 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $528.36 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.40 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 26.1% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that Northern Oil and Gas will post 5.18 earnings per share for the current year. Northern Oil and Gas Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 30th will be paid a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.1%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 30th. Northern Oil and Gass dividend payout ratio is presently 101.69%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Northern Oil and Gas Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Northern Oil and Gas by 55.1% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 40,781 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,233,000 after purchasing an additional 14,492 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Northern Oil and Gas by 3.3% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 58,334 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,763,000 after acquiring an additional 1,865 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its position in shares of Northern Oil and Gas by 181.0% during the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 1,107 shares of the companys stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 713 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC increased its position in shares of Northern Oil and Gas by 5.0% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 65,217 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,972,000 after purchasing an additional 3,124 shares during the period. Finally, Intech Investment Management LLC raised its position in Northern Oil and Gas by 41.8% in the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 46,453 shares of the companys stock worth $1,404,000 after purchasing an additional 13,690 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 98.80% of the companys stock. Northern Oil and Gas Company Profile (Get Free Report) Northern Oil and Gas, Inc is a publicly traded independent energy company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of oil and natural gas resources in the United States. The companys primary operations are concentrated in the Williston Basin, where it secures acreage positions and partners with drilling operators to advance upstream projects. Through strategic leasehold acquisitions and joint ventures, Northern Oil and Gas seeks to expand its footprint in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. Northern Oil and Gas employs horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies to develop unconventional resource plays, particularly in the Bakken, Three Forks and Red River formations of North Dakota and Montana. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Northern Oil and Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northern Oil and Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. President Donald Trumps policies represent a perfect storm for Ashley, who owns a global humanitarian consulting firm in San Francisco. When she called into The Ramsey Show, she said those policies are the main reason shes drowning in more than $230,000 debt on her business. Co-hosts Ken Coleman and George Kamel agreed that she is in a storm of debt. Youve got to batten down the hatches, Coleman said (1). Must Read Ashleys consulting firm connects corporations, colleges and school districts with charities around the world to repurpose furniture and fixed assets. Last year she grossed $2.5 million. But she said Trumps tariffs and his defunding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives along with defunding universities and public schools have wreaked havoc on her woman-led business. Ashley told Coleman and Kamel that as a result of these changes last year, she had to restructure and lay off all her employees. Shes the only one left. Then, last summer, her husband, who is also her business partner, fell ill and was hospitalized, unable to work. She said shes lined up some contracts for the spring, but isnt sure how to survive until then. Drowning in business debt Ashley outlined the sources of her $230,000 debt including $90,000 in leases for two business vans, $80,000 in credit card debt and $60,000 she owes a vendor. She also has ongoing commitments on her office lease and insurance. Coleman asked why there was such a large unpaid debt to a vendor hanging over her head. Did you get paid and then you kept it and didn't pay the vendor? Ashley explained that when she laid off her employees, she had to pay out on medical expenses, insurance and vacation time. There was no money left to pay the vendor. She added that she didnt want to get a loan. We're never going to suggest you get a loan, Kamel said. What Im saying is maybe this business needs to pause right now. He suggested Ashley and her husband pivot and both get full-time jobs. Ashley said that her husband was still in rehabilitation. Then its just you, he said. Use your skills to go do something else right now to float you until those contracts come in. Then we can right this ship. Zevia PBC (NYSE:ZVIA Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of Hold by the six research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have issued a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $4.6750. A number of equities analysts have issued reports on ZVIA shares. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $6.00 price target on shares of Zevia PBC in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Zacks Research lowered Zevia PBC from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d-) rating on shares of Zevia PBC in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Craig Hallum assumed coverage on shares of Zevia PBC in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. They set a buy rating and a $4.00 price target for the company. Get Zevia PBC alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on ZVIA Institutional Trading of Zevia PBC Zevia PBC Stock Performance A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Divisadero Street Capital Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Zevia PBC in the second quarter valued at approximately $10,404,000. Ghisallo Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Zevia PBC by 265.1% in the 3rd quarter. Ghisallo Capital Management LLC now owns 1,100,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,992,000 after purchasing an additional 798,700 shares during the period. Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust increased its holdings in Zevia PBC by 99.9% in the 2nd quarter. Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust now owns 761,700 shares of the companys stock worth $2,453,000 after acquiring an additional 380,693 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Zevia PBC by 66.5% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 933,407 shares of the companys stock worth $3,006,000 after purchasing an additional 372,665 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can bought a new stake in Zevia PBC during the second quarter valued at $943,000. Institutional investors own 53.21% of the companys stock. NYSE ZVIA opened at $1.92 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $144 million, a PE ratio of -8.73 and a beta of 0.87. Zevia PBC has a one year low of $1.66 and a one year high of $4.99. The firms fifty day moving average is $2.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $2.60. Zevia PBC (NYSE:ZVIA Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported ($0.04) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.06) by $0.02. Zevia PBC had a negative net margin of 8.83% and a negative return on equity of 30.61%. The company had revenue of $40.84 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $39.33 million. Research analysts predict that Zevia PBC will post -0.32 earnings per share for the current year. About Zevia PBC (Get Free Report) Zevia PBC, headquartered in Los Angeles, is a Public Benefit Corporation that produces zero-calorie, naturally sweetened beverages. Founded in 2007, the company went public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company in March 2021. Zevias mission centers on offering healthier drink alternatives by using stevia leaf extract and other plant-based ingredients rather than sugar or artificial sweeteners. The companys product portfolio spans multiple categories, including carbonated sodas, sparkling water, energy drinks, mixers and flavored teas. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Zevia PBC Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Zevia PBC and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Seizert Capital Partners LLC reduced its stake in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT Free Report) by 17.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 26,135 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 5,347 shares during the period. Seizert Capital Partners LLC owned approximately 0.07% of Applied Industrial Technologies worth $6,823,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in AIT. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies during the third quarter worth $27,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in Applied Industrial Technologies by 2,033.3% in the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 128 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 122 shares during the period. Maseco LLP acquired a new position in Applied Industrial Technologies during the 2nd quarter valued at about $35,000. First Horizon Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies during the third quarter valued at approximately $47,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in Applied Industrial Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $72,000. 93.52% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Applied Industrial Technologies alerts: Applied Industrial Technologies Stock Performance NYSE AIT opened at $276.94 on Tuesday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $260.37 and a 200-day moving average price of $260.43. Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $199.96 and a 1 year high of $284.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 3.55 and a quick ratio of 2.50. The firm has a market cap of $10.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.65, a PEG ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.87. Analysts Set New Price Targets Applied Industrial Technologies ( NYSE:AIT Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The industrial products company reported $2.63 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.47 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $1.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.19 billion. Applied Industrial Technologies had a net margin of 8.61% and a return on equity of 21.86%. The companys revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.36 EPS. Applied Industrial Technologies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.100-10.850 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. will post 9.9 EPS for the current fiscal year. A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Mizuho set a $305.00 price objective on Applied Industrial Technologies in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $287.50. Read Our Latest Stock Report on AIT Applied Industrial Technologies Profile (Free Report) Applied Industrial Technologies, listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIT, is a leading distributor of industrial products and services. The company offers a comprehensive range of bearings, power transmission components, fluid power products, industrial rubber products, and automation solutions. Through its network of distribution centers and branch locations, Applied Industrial Technologies serves diverse end markets including manufacturing, oil and gas, mining, food and beverage, and wastewater treatment. Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Applied Industrial Technologies has grown through a combination of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AIT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Applied Industrial Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Applied Industrial Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ASOS Plc (LON:ASC Get Free Report) insider William Barker acquired 1,967 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 15th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 296 per share, with a total value of 5,822.32. William Barker also recently made the following trade(s): Get ASOS alerts: On Friday, January 16th, William Barker bought 17,198 shares of ASOS stock. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 300 per share, for a total transaction of 51,594. On Tuesday, December 30th, William Barker purchased 4,344 shares of ASOS stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 276 per share, with a total value of 11,989.44. On Wednesday, December 31st, William Barker acquired 62,040 shares of ASOS stock. The shares were bought at an average cost of GBX 275 per share, for a total transaction of 170,610. On Friday, January 2nd, William Barker acquired 5,527 shares of ASOS stock. The stock was bought at an average price of GBX 278 per share, for a total transaction of 15,365.06. ASOS Stock Up 1.0% ASC stock opened at GBX 289 on Tuesday. ASOS Plc has a 12-month low of GBX 215 and a 12-month high of GBX 445.40. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 187.55. The company has a market cap of 345.18 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.16, a PEG ratio of -1.26 and a beta of 2.86. The company has a 50 day moving average of GBX 265.03 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 279.42. Analysts Set New Price Targets ASOS ( LON:ASC Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 21st. The company reported GBX (250.10) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. ASOS had a negative net margin of 11.66% and a negative return on equity of 59.37%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that ASOS Plc will post 12.4165252 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Several brokerages recently weighed in on ASC. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of ASOS from GBX 270 to GBX 240 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 24th. Shore Capital restated a buy rating and set a GBX 400 price target on shares of ASOS in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Peel Hunt reiterated an add rating and issued a GBX 335 price objective on shares of ASOS in a report on Thursday, November 13th. Panmure Gordon reissued a hold rating and set a GBX 350 target price on shares of ASOS in a research report on Monday, November 24th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price target on ASOS from GBX 440 to GBX 375 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 21st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of GBX 383.33. Get Our Latest Research Report on ASOS About ASOS (Get Free Report) ASOS Plc operates as an online fashion retailer in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, and internationally. It offers womenswear and menswear products. The company sells its products under the ASOS Design, ASOS Edition, ASOS Luxe, ASOS 4505, Collusion, Reclaimed Vintage, Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge, HIIT, AsYou, Dark Future, UNRVLLD/SPPLY, Crooked Tongues, Daysocial, Actual, and Weekend Collective brands, as well as through third-party brands. Read More Receive News & Ratings for ASOS Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ASOS and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria (NYSE:BBVA Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report released on Saturday morning. Several other equities research analysts have also commented on BBVA. Morgan Stanley began coverage on Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. They issued an equal weight rating for the company. Zacks Research cut Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b+) rating on shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Get Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria Price Performance Shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria stock opened at $24.38 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $140.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.76, a PEG ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.82. The firms 50-day moving average is $22.54 and its 200 day moving average is $19.72. Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria has a 1 year low of $10.60 and a 1 year high of $24.82. Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria (NYSE:BBVA Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The bank reported $0.49 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.48 by $0.01. Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria had a return on equity of 17.07% and a net margin of 28.58%.The business had revenue of $10.59 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.47 billion. On average, equities analysts expect that Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria will post 1.59 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Bank of America Corp DE raised its position in Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria by 28.0% during the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 9,288,196 shares of the banks stock valued at $142,760,000 after purchasing an additional 2,034,318 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria by 17.1% in the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 4,375,294 shares of the banks stock valued at $67,247,000 after acquiring an additional 637,519 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its holdings in Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria by 23.4% during the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 3,248,176 shares of the banks stock valued at $62,527,000 after buying an additional 615,985 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC grew its stake in Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria by 373.4% in the third quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 768,243 shares of the banks stock valued at $14,789,000 after purchasing an additional 605,947 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria by 11.4% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 4,548,398 shares of the banks stock valued at $69,909,000 after acquiring an additional 467,226 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 2.96% of the companys stock. Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria Company Profile (Get Free Report) Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (NYSE:BBVA) is a Spanish multinational financial services group headquartered in Bilbao, Spain. The bank traces its roots to several historic regional banks and was formed through a series of mergers that consolidated its position as one of Spains largest banking groups. BBVA operates as a universal bank offering a broad range of financial services to retail, corporate and institutional clients. BBVAs core businesses include retail and commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, private banking and wealth management, asset management, and insurance. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of BlackRock (NYSE:BLK Free Report) by 18.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 14,278 shares of the asset managers stock after acquiring an additional 2,195 shares during the quarter. BlackRock makes up about 1.5% of Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 14th largest holding. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in BlackRock were worth $16,646,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in BLK. Pacifica Partners Inc. raised its stake in BlackRock by 450.0% in the 3rd quarter. Pacifica Partners Inc. now owns 22 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in BlackRock by 1,000.0% during the 3rd quarter. TruNorth Capital Management LLC now owns 22 shares of the asset managers stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Traub Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of BlackRock during the second quarter worth $28,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of BlackRock by 107.1% in the second quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 29 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Creekmur Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of BlackRock by 87.5% in the second quarter. Creekmur Asset Management LLC now owns 30 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.69% of the companys stock. Get BlackRock alerts: BlackRock Trading Up 0.7% BLK opened at $1,164.72 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $180.71 billion, a PE ratio of 32.88, a P/E/G ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 1.47. BlackRock has a one year low of $773.74 and a one year high of $1,219.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 3.33 and a current ratio of 3.33. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $1,073.47 and its 200 day moving average price is $1,105.89. BlackRock Increases Dividend BlackRock ( NYSE:BLK Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 15th. The asset manager reported $13.16 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $12.55 by $0.61. BlackRock had a return on equity of 15.14% and a net margin of 22.93%.The company had revenue of $7.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.80 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $11.93 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 23.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that BlackRock will post 47.41 EPS for the current year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be given a $5.73 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. This is an increase from BlackRocks previous quarterly dividend of $5.21. This represents a $22.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.0%. BlackRocks dividend payout ratio is currently 58.84%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms recently weighed in on BLK. Cowen lowered shares of BlackRock from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Bank of America raised their target price on shares of BlackRock from $1,456.00 to $1,464.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. UBS Group set a $1,280.00 price target on BlackRock in a research report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $1,351.00 price target on shares of BlackRock in a report on Friday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a buy rating and set a $1,313.00 price objective on shares of BlackRock in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, BlackRock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $1,314.71. Get Our Latest Analysis on BlackRock Insiders Place Their Bets In other BlackRock news, CFO Martin Small sold 1,258 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,043.38, for a total transaction of $1,312,572.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 6,209 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,478,346.42. This trade represents a 16.85% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 1.98% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Key BlackRock News Here are the key news stories impacting BlackRock this week: Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer gave an emphatic bullish endorsement for BlackRock on-air, which can drive short-term retail buying and sentiment momentum. Read More. Jim Cramer gave an emphatic bullish endorsement for BlackRock on-air, which can drive short-term retail buying and sentiment momentum. Read More. Positive Sentiment: An analyst price target was raised to $1,550, signaling stronger sellside conviction after BlackRocks latest beats and helping justify higher valuation multiples. Read More. An analyst price target was raised to $1,550, signaling stronger sellside conviction after BlackRocks latest beats and helping justify higher valuation multiples. Read More. Positive Sentiment: BlackRock reported record assets under management and revenue growth in recent results, backing durable fee income and EPS upside. This underpins the bullish analyst action and investor optimism. Read More. BlackRock reported record assets under management and revenue growth in recent results, backing durable fee income and EPS upside. This underpins the bullish analyst action and investor optimism. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Spot Bitcoin ETF flows remain strong and BlackRocks iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led inflows in recent weeks, boosting fee revenue prospects and drawing institutional attention to BlackRocks ETF franchise. Read More. Spot Bitcoin ETF flows remain strong and BlackRocks iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led inflows in recent weeks, boosting fee revenue prospects and drawing institutional attention to BlackRocks ETF franchise. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Media reports that prominent investors shifted into spot Bitcoin ETFs (benefitting IBIT) reinforce demand narratives for BlackRocks ETFs and may attract more flows. Read More. Media reports that prominent investors shifted into spot Bitcoin ETFs (benefitting IBIT) reinforce demand narratives for BlackRocks ETFs and may attract more flows. Read More. Positive Sentiment: BlackRock CIO Rick Rieder is being reported as a finalist for the Federal Reserve chair role a development that raises the firms profile and could be seen as positive for BlackRocks industry influence. Read More. BlackRock CIO Rick Rieder is being reported as a finalist for the Federal Reserve chair role a development that raises the firms profile and could be seen as positive for BlackRocks industry influence. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: BlackRock Canada announced routine January cash distributions for iShares ETFs listed in Canada expected, regular payouts that have limited market-moving impact. Read More. BlackRock Canada announced routine January cash distributions for iShares ETFs listed in Canada expected, regular payouts that have limited market-moving impact. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Orion Corporation disclosed BlackRock crossed a 5% ownership threshold a standard regulatory filing reflecting position size, not an operational change. Read More. Orion Corporation disclosed BlackRock crossed a 5% ownership threshold a standard regulatory filing reflecting position size, not an operational change. Read More. Negative Sentiment: The companys strategic update mentioned job cuts alongside restructuring a potential near-term cost but also a signal of execution risk and one-time charges that investors will watch. Read More. BlackRock Profile (Free Report) BlackRock, Inc is a global investment management firm that provides a broad range of products and services to institutional, intermediary and individual investors. Its core activities include portfolio management across active and index strategies, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) under the iShares brand, fixed income, equity and multi-asset solutions, as well as alternatives such as private equity, real estate and infrastructure. The firm also offers cash management and liquidity solutions and retirement-focused products designed for defined contribution and defined benefit investors. In addition to traditional investment management, BlackRock is known for its technology and risk management capabilities, most prominently its Aladdin platform, which combines portfolio management, trading and risk analytics and is used both internally and licensed to external clients. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CACI International (NYSE:CACI Get Free Report) will likely be issuing its Q2 2026 results after the market closes on Wednesday, January 21st. Analysts expect CACI International to post earnings of $6.47 per share and revenue of $2.2765 billion for the quarter. CACI International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 27.130-28.030 EPS. Interested persons may visit the the companys upcoming Q2 2026 earning results page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 8:00 AM ET. CACI International (NYSE:CACI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 22nd. The information technology services provider reported $6.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $6.20 by $0.65. CACI International had a return on equity of 15.92% and a net margin of 5.70%.The business had revenue of $2.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.26 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $5.93 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 11.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect CACI International to post $24 EPS for the current fiscal year and $27 EPS for the next fiscal year. Get CACI International alerts: CACI International Trading Up 1.2% CACI International stock opened at $635.11 on Tuesday. CACI International has a 12 month low of $318.60 and a 12 month high of $635.76. The company has a market capitalization of $14.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 0.58. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $583.11 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $531.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 1.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on CACI shares. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of CACI International from $567.00 to $624.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, October 27th. UBS Group decreased their target price on shares of CACI International from $759.00 to $752.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their price target on shares of CACI International from $535.00 to $675.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of CACI International from $600.00 to $735.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on CACI International from $642.00 to $683.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $621.00. View Our Latest Research Report on CACI Hedge Funds Weigh In On CACI International Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Jones Financial Companies Lllp increased its holdings in CACI International by 344.7% during the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 885 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $325,000 after buying an additional 686 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of CACI International by 595.2% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 146 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $70,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of CACI International by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 4,416 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $2,105,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC bought a new position in CACI International in the 2nd quarter worth $423,000. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its position in CACI International by 22.5% during the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 298,615 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $142,346,000 after purchasing an additional 54,905 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.43% of the companys stock. CACI International Company Profile (Get Free Report) CACI International Inc is a leading provider of information solutions and services to the U.S. federal government, with a primary focus on defense, intelligence, homeland security and federal civilian agencies. The company delivers advanced technology and domain expertise to support mission-critical operations, offering capabilities in areas such as data analytics, cyber security, network integration, enterprise IT modernization and logistics support. By integrating software, hardware and professional services, CACI helps clients enhance situational awareness, improve decision making and maintain critical infrastructure resilience. Founded in 1962 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, CACI has evolved from a small consulting operation into a global enterprise. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for CACI International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CACI International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cadence Bank (NYSE:CADE Get Free Report) is expected to release its Q4 2025 results before the market opens on Thursday, January 22nd. Analysts expect Cadence Bank to post earnings of $0.78 per share and revenue of $525.1540 million for the quarter. Parties are encouraged to explore the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning overview page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 9:30 AM ET. Cadence Bank (NYSE:CADE Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, October 20th. The company reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.77 by $0.04. Cadence Bank had a return on equity of 9.97% and a net margin of 18.15%.The firm had revenue of $517.24 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $523.60 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.73 EPS. On average, analysts expect Cadence Bank to post $3 EPS for the current fiscal year and $3 EPS for the next fiscal year. Get Cadence Bank alerts: Cadence Bank Stock Performance Shares of CADE opened at $44.57 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $42.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $38.53. Cadence Bank has a one year low of $25.22 and a one year high of $46.02. The stock has a market cap of $8.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.15 and a beta of 0.95. Cadence Bank Announces Dividend Institutional Inflows and Outflows The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th were issued a dividend of $0.275 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 15th. This represents a $1.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Cadence Banks payout ratio is 39.86%. A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in CADE. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its holdings in Cadence Bank by 9.4% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,831,131 shares of the companys stock worth $85,953,000 after acquiring an additional 244,146 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its stake in shares of Cadence Bank by 1.4% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 470,691 shares of the companys stock worth $14,290,000 after purchasing an additional 6,312 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its position in shares of Cadence Bank by 39.5% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 612,731 shares of the companys stock worth $19,595,000 after purchasing an additional 173,425 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Cadence Bank by 126.6% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,252 shares of the companys stock valued at $72,000 after buying an additional 1,258 shares in the last quarter. Finally, California Public Employees Retirement System lifted its stake in Cadence Bank by 6.0% in the 2nd quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 331,605 shares of the companys stock valued at $10,605,000 after buying an additional 18,845 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.61% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts recently weighed in on CADE shares. Barclays downgraded shares of Cadence Bank from an overweight rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. Piper Sandler set a $40.00 target price on shares of Cadence Bank and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Morgan Stanley lowered shares of Cadence Bank from an overweight rating to a sell rating in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. Stephens lowered Cadence Bank from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c+) rating on shares of Cadence Bank in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $42.33. Read Our Latest Report on CADE Cadence Bank Company Profile (Get Free Report) Cadence Bank (NYSE: CADE) is a regional commercial bank that offers a full suite of financial services to individuals, businesses and government entities. Through its network of branches and digital platforms, the bank provides deposit accounts, treasury management solutions, commercial and industrial lending, equipment finance, residential and consumer mortgages, and wealth management services. Cadence Bank serves a mix of small and mid-size companies as well as retail customers in its core markets. The institution traces its heritage to Cadence Bancorporation, which was established in 1987 in Tupelo, Mississippi. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Cadence Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cadence Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Campari Group (OTCMKTS:DVDCF Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $214,748.3647 and last traded at $214,748.3647, with a volume of 35000 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $6.70. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Barclays upgraded shares of Campari Group from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Campari Group has an average rating of Moderate Buy. Get Campari Group alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on DVDCF Campari Group Price Performance About Campari Group The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 2.32. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $6.62 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $6.89. (Get Free Report) Campari Group is an Italian-based global beverage company specializing in the production, marketing and distribution of premium spirits and wines. Founded in Milan in 1860 by Gaspare Campari, the company has built a diversified portfolio of iconic brands that span various categories, including aperitifs, liqueurs, vodka, whiskey, rum, gin and ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. The companys flagship product, Campari, is a bright red, bittersweet aperitif known for its distinctive taste and versatility in classic cocktails such as the Negroni and Americano. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Campari Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Campari Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank Of Montreal, Canadian Natural Resources, TC Energy, Celsius, and Canadian National Railway are the five Canadian stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Canadian stocks are shares of companies that are headquartered in Canada or listed on Canadian exchanges (such as the Toronto Stock Exchange), typically traded in Canadian dollars. For investors, they represent ownership in Canadian businesses and carry exposure to Canadas economic mix (notably financials, energy and materials), as well as Canada-specific regulatory, tax and currency risks. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Canadian stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Bank Of Montreal (BMO) Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. It operates through Canadian P&C, U.S P&C, BMO Wealth Management, and BMO Capital Markets segments. The companys personal banking products and services include deposits, mortgages, home lending, consumer credit, small business lending, credit cards, cash management, financial and investment advice, and other banking services; and commercial banking products and services comprise various of financing options and treasury and payment solutions, as well as risk management products. Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) Canadian Natural Resources Limited acquires, explores for, develops, produces, markets, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The company offers light and medium crude oil, primary heavy crude oil, Pelican Lake heavy crude oil, bitumen (thermal oil), and synthetic crude oil (SCO). Read Our Latest Research Report on CNQ TC Energy (TRP) TC Energy Corporation operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. It operates through five segments: Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines; U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines; Mexico Natural Gas Pipelines; Liquids Pipelines; and Power and Energy Solutions. The company builds and operates a network of 93,600 kilometers of natural gas pipelines, which transports natural gas from supply basins to local distribution companies, power generation plants, industrial facilities, interconnecting pipelines, LNG export terminals, and other businesses. Read Our Latest Research Report on TRP Celsius (CELH) Celsius Holdings, Inc. develops, processes, markets, distributes, and sells functional energy drinks and liquid supplements in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canadian, European, Middle Eastern, Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company offers CELSIUS, a fitness drink or supplement designed to accelerate metabolism and burn body fat; various flavors and carbonated and non-carbonated functional energy drinks under the CELSIUS Originals and Vibe name, as well as functional energy drink under the CELSIUS Essentials and CELSIUS On-the-Go Powder names; and CELSIUS ready-to drink products. Read Our Latest Research Report on CELH Canadian National Railway (CNI) Canadian National Railway Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the rail, intermodal, trucking, and marine transportation and logistics business in Canada and the United States. The company provides rail services, which include equipment, custom brokerage services, transloading and distribution, business development and real estate, and private car storage services; and intermodal services, such as temperature controlled cargo, port partnerships, and logistics parks. Read Our Latest Research Report on CNI Recommended Stories Chevron (NYSE:CVX Get Free Report) was upgraded by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a research report issued on Tuesday,Finviz reports. The firm presently has a $176.00 target price on the oil and gas companys stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s price target indicates a potential upside of 5.85% from the stocks current price. CVX has been the topic of a number of other research reports. BMO Capital Markets reissued an outperform rating on shares of Chevron in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of Chevron from $183.00 to $180.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Chevron from $177.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Scotiabank reaffirmed a sector perform rating and issued a $168.00 target price on shares of Chevron in a research report on Friday. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $160.00 price target (down from $170.00) on shares of Chevron in a research note on Friday, October 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Chevron has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $168.61. Get Chevron alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on CVX Chevron Trading Up 0.1% Shares of NYSE:CVX opened at $166.27 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $334.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.39, a PEG ratio of 10.29 and a beta of 0.70. Chevron has a 12 month low of $132.04 and a 12 month high of $169.37. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $153.67 and its 200 day simple moving average is $154.39. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Chevron (NYSE:CVX Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The oil and gas company reported $1.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.14. Chevron had a return on equity of 8.74% and a net margin of 6.57%.The firm had revenue of $48.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $46.99 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.48 EPS. The companys revenue was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that Chevron will post 10.79 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity In other news, CFO Eimear P. Bonner sold 28,334 shares of Chevron stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.05, for a total value of $4,676,526.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 4,366 shares of the companys stock, valued at $720,608.30. This trade represents a 86.65% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider Alana K. Knowles sold 7,956 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.05, for a total transaction of $1,313,137.80. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 1,207 shares in the company, valued at approximately $199,215.35. The trade was a 86.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 635,190 shares of company stock worth $100,254,408. Insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in CVX. Perigon Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Chevron by 19.3% during the 3rd quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC now owns 73,448 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $11,406,000 after purchasing an additional 11,875 shares during the last quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of Chevron by 15.3% in the 3rd quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 1,620,231 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $251,606,000 after buying an additional 215,345 shares during the last quarter. Solitude Financial Services grew its position in Chevron by 8.2% during the second quarter. Solitude Financial Services now owns 25,325 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $3,626,000 after buying an additional 1,913 shares during the period. Pictet North America Advisors SA purchased a new stake in Chevron during the third quarter worth about $5,662,000. Finally, Shell Asset Management Co. raised its position in Chevron by 21.4% in the second quarter. Shell Asset Management Co. now owns 51,115 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $7,319,000 after acquiring an additional 9,002 shares during the period. 72.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Chevron (Get Free Report) Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) is an American multinational energy company engaged in virtually all aspects of the oil and gas industry. As an integrated energy firm, Chevrons core activities include upstream oil and natural gas exploration and production, midstream transportation and storage, downstream refining and marketing of fuels and lubricants, and petrochemical manufacturing through joint ventures and subsidiaries. The company markets fuels under brands such as Chevron, Texaco and Caltex and supplies a range of products and services to retail customers, industrial users and commercial fleets worldwide. Chevron traces its corporate lineage to the early petroleum companies that eventually became Standard Oil of California and has evolved through significant mergers and restructurings, including the acquisitions of Gulf Oil and Texaco. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Chevron Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chevron and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Meanwhile, Alphabet has made significant progress in developing its Gemini foundation model and other specialized models for image and video generation. Its Gemini 3.0 release last fall was met with acclaim, and it has successfully integrated the model into its consumer-facing products. Its AI Overviews in Google Search have increased engagement without negatively affecting monetization. As a result, Alphabet saw Google Search revenue accelerate throughout 2025, reaching 15% growth in the third quarter. The company has been a clear beneficiary of increased spending on AI development. Google Cloud revenue grew 34% year over year in the third quarter, while operating margin continues to expand. It's seen strong adoption of its custom AI accelerators, which it calls Tensor Processing Units, or TPUs. That has the potential to increase its margins and lock customers into its cloud platform long-term. Ackman made an initial investment in Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) about two and a half years ago because he felt the market underappreciated the company's artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and overestimated the threat of AI chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT to Google. Since then, Alphabet has made excellent progress in developing and monetizing advances in artificial intelligence across software and hardware. But the build-out on Howard Hughes is just starting. Meanwhile, investors can draw inspiration from Pershing Square's public equity portfolio, which is heavily concentrated among just a few names. Luckily, you don't have to send a request to the SEC via snail mail anymore. The information is readily available online. Here are Ackman's top three holdings. One investor worth following is Bill Ackman, who runs Pershing Square Capital. He's currently attempting to build what he sees as the next Berkshire Hathaway , with the fund buying a controlling stake in Howard Hughes Holdings and planning to turn it into a diversified holding company with an insurance business at the center. (Buffett notably followed the same path, buying a controlling stake of Berkshire through his investment partnership.) Even the best investors in the world draw ideas from what other great investors are doing. Warren Buffett once said he used to send a request to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to receive copies of Graham-Newman Corp.'s (run by his mentor Ben Graham ) semi-annual reports to see what stocks it owned. Looking at ideas from other great investors is an excellent way to begin a search for new stocks to buy. Story Continues There's a lot of room for Alphabet to keep growing. On top of the momentum with Google Cloud and its TPUs, it also signed a deal with Apple for it to use Gemini in a revamped version of Siri for iPhones. The deal will generate billions in revenue for Alphabet and further strengthen its relationship with Apple, which has been a key partner for its search business. As such, it should be able to keep growing its bottom line at a strong double-digit pace for years to come. With the stock trading at a forward P/E ratio of 30, it still trades at a fair price given its growth potential. 2. Brookfield Corp. (17.7% of marketable equities) Brookfield Corp. (NYSE: BN) is a massive Canadian conglomerate. Subsidiary Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM) accounts for about three-quarters of its value, while a growing insurance business and a small portfolio of operating businesses make up the rest. Brookfield recognizes revenue from the asset management business as carried interest. That's the fee it receives as asset manager for delivering returns beyond a certain benchmark. The company doesn't recognize any carried interest until the fund has delivered its preferred return to investors. As a result, revenue is deferred for a long time. Carried interest is growing quickly. It realized $154 million in net carried interest during the third quarter, up from $61 million from the prior-year period. That number should accelerate further in 2026 and beyond, as BAM is launching new funds at a faster rate and legacy funds start generating carried interest. Investors should note that Brookfield Corp. collects a 33% share of carried interest for funds launched since it spun off Brookfield Asset Management in 2023, but it incurs zero cost. Overall, management expects $25 billion worth of net carried interest over the next decade. Meanwhile, the Wealth Solutions insurance business is growing quickly as well. Management expects its assets will more than double within five years, while producing a 15% return on equity. That should produce strong earnings growth, with management expecting the segment's bottom line to more than triple by 2030. Given the strong earnings growth ahead, the stock looks like a good value at around 24 times trailing distributable earnings. 3. Uber Technologies (15.5% of marketable equities) Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER) has seen its stock price weighed down by fears that autonomous vehicle solutions from companies like Alphabet will render its service unnecessary. The counterargument is that Uber is a key partner for any company looking to launch a self-driving taxi service. It plays a vital role as a demand aggregator, optimizing fleet management to ensure maximum utilization. In other words, it'll help autonomous vehicle companies get the most out of the vehicles they produce. Even Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving car subsidiary, has seen the value of partnering with Uber. It's made several deals to launch its robotaxi service in cities like Atlanta and Austin. Uber's also partnered with Nvidia to help develop AI models for smaller self-driving car companies. It's made a flurry of self-driving vehicle deals with smaller companies over the past year. In the meantime, Uber's cementing its position as the premier demand aggregator for ride sharing. Monthly active users are accelerating, up 17% in the third quarter. Moreover, they're using the app more frequently, with a 4% increase in trips per user. As a result, it has seen strong top-line growth. And it's exhibiting operating leverage as it scales, producing 33% adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) growth in the most recent quarter. Uber's strong earnings growth comes despite significant investments in its future and continued efforts in autonomous vehicles. With the company's enterprise value sitting around 22 times its trailing adjusted EBITDA, the stock looks like a great value relative to its growth opportunities. Should you buy stock in Alphabet right now? Before you buy stock in Alphabet, 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 Alphabet 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 $474,578!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,141,628!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 955% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 196% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of January 19, 2026. Adam Levy has positions in Alphabet and Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Brookfield, Brookfield Asset Management, Brookfield Corporation, Howard Hughes, Nvidia, and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Billionaire Bill Ackman Has 56% of His Hedge Fund's $16.5 Billion Portfolio Invested in 3 Outstanding Stocks was originally published by The Motley Fool Shares of China Yuchai International Limited (NYSE:CYD Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $34.19 and traded as high as $43.69. China Yuchai International shares last traded at $42.9050, with a volume of 118,882 shares traded. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth CYD has been the subject of several research reports. Wall Street Zen raised China Yuchai International from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Sunday, November 16th. Zacks Research cut China Yuchai International from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, October 13th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c+) rating on shares of China Yuchai International in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of China Yuchai International in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. They issued a buy rating and a $60.00 price objective on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $60.00. Get China Yuchai International alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on CYD China Yuchai International Trading Down 0.5% Institutional Investors Weigh In On China Yuchai International The businesss 50-day moving average price is $36.98 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $34.19. Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of CYD. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. bought a new position in shares of China Yuchai International during the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC acquired a new stake in China Yuchai International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $42,000. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new stake in China Yuchai International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $66,000. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. bought a new position in China Yuchai International in the third quarter valued at approximately $83,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of China Yuchai International in the second quarter valued at approximately $48,000. About China Yuchai International (Get Free Report) China Yuchai International Ltd. (NYSE: CYD) is a Cayman Islandsincorporated holding company with principal executive offices in Singapore. Through its subsidiaries, the company is a leading manufacturer and distributor of diesel engines in the Peoples Republic of China. Its principal operating subsidiary, Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Company Limited (GYMCL), has been producing diesel engines since 1951 and ranks among the countrys largest heavy-duty engine makers. The companys core product portfolio includes high-speed and medium-speed diesel engines for on-highway trucks and buses, off-road vehicles such as construction and agricultural machinery, marine propulsion systems, and power generator sets. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for China Yuchai International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for China Yuchai International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Corporacion America Airports (NYSE:CAAP Get Free Report) and Cathay Pacific Airways (OTCMKTS:CPCAY Get Free Report) are both transportation companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, institutional ownership, valuation, earnings, dividends, risk and analyst recommendations. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Corporacion America Airports and Cathay Pacific Airwayss revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Get Corporacion America Airports alerts: Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Corporacion America Airports $1.84 billion N/A $282.67 million $1.10 23.67 Cathay Pacific Airways $13.38 billion 0.77 $1.23 billion N/A N/A Profitability Cathay Pacific Airways has higher revenue and earnings than Corporacion America Airports. This table compares Corporacion America Airports and Cathay Pacific Airways net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Corporacion America Airports 9.39% 11.64% 4.20% Cathay Pacific Airways N/A N/A N/A Insider & Institutional Ownership 13.0% of Corporacion America Airports shares are owned by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Volatility and Risk Corporacion America Airports has a beta of 0.77, indicating that its stock price is 23% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Cathay Pacific Airways has a beta of 0.06, indicating that its stock price is 94% less volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for Corporacion America Airports and Cathay Pacific Airways, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Corporacion America Airports 1 0 5 0 2.67 Cathay Pacific Airways 0 1 0 0 2.00 Corporacion America Airports currently has a consensus price target of $25.03, suggesting a potential downside of 3.91%. Given Corporacion America Airports stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Corporacion America Airports is more favorable than Cathay Pacific Airways. Summary Corporacion America Airports beats Cathay Pacific Airways on 8 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks. About Corporacion America Airports (Get Free Report) Corporacion America Airports S.A., through its subsidiaries, acquires, develops, and operates airport concessions. It operates 52 airports in Latin America, Europe, and Eurasia. The company was formerly known as A.C.I. Airports International S.a r.l. and changed its name to Corporacion America Airports S.A. in September 2017. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Corporacion America Airports S.A. is a subsidiary of A.C.I. Airports S.a r.l. About Cathay Pacific Airways (Get Free Report) Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, together with its subsidiaries, offers international passenger and air cargo transportation services. The company conducts airline operations principally to and from Hong Kong. It also engages in the property investment and travel reward program; operates as a travel tour operator; and provision of financial, aircraft acquisition facilitation, airline catering, information processing, aircraft ramp handling, laundry and dry cleaning, ground handling, and cargo terminal services. The company operates in the Americas, Europe, Southeast Asia, Southwest Pacific, North Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. As of December 31, 2023, it operates 230 aircraft. Cathay Pacific Airways Limited was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Lantau Island, Hong Kong. Receive News & Ratings for Corporacion America Airports Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Corporacion America Airports and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Customers Bancorp (NYSE:CUBI Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Saturday. CUBI has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Hovde Group lifted their price target on Customers Bancorp from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Zacks Research cut Customers Bancorp from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, December 26th. Stephens lifted their target price on Customers Bancorp from $62.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price objective on shares of Customers Bancorp from $76.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Monday, October 27th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price objective on shares of Customers Bancorp from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, October 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $84.80. Get Customers Bancorp alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on CUBI Customers Bancorp Stock Performance CUBI opened at $78.53 on Friday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $72.55 and its 200 day simple moving average is $68.27. Customers Bancorp has a 52-week low of $40.75 and a 52-week high of $79.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a current ratio of 0.98. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.68 billion, a PE ratio of 15.93 and a beta of 1.61. Customers Bancorp (NYSE:CUBI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The bank reported $2.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.90 by $0.30. The company had revenue of $231.77 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $185.10 million. Customers Bancorp had a return on equity of 13.24% and a net margin of 12.43%.During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.34 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Customers Bancorp will post 6.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity at Customers Bancorp In related news, EVP Philip Watkins sold 2,900 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.04, for a total transaction of $188,616.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 50,849 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,307,218.96. This represents a 5.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Jay S. Sidhu sold 128,185 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.43, for a total transaction of $8,899,884.55. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 790,031 shares of the companys stock, valued at $54,851,852.33. The trade was a 13.96% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 211,900 shares of company stock valued at $14,595,664 over the last quarter. 6.92% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Customers Bancorp A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of CUBI. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its position in shares of Customers Bancorp by 11.5% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 5,344 shares of the banks stock worth $269,000 after buying an additional 553 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Customers Bancorp by 4.7% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 17,625 shares of the banks stock valued at $885,000 after purchasing an additional 786 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Customers Bancorp by 71.4% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 274,730 shares of the banks stock valued at $13,791,000 after purchasing an additional 114,430 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp bought a new position in Customers Bancorp in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, Voya Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Customers Bancorp by 30.9% in the first quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 24,741 shares of the banks stock valued at $1,242,000 after buying an additional 5,835 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.29% of the companys stock. About Customers Bancorp (Get Free Report) Customers Bancorp, Inc (NYSE: CUBI) is a bank holding company headquartered in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and the parent of Customers Bank, a federally chartered institution. The company offers a full suite of commercial and consumer banking services, combining traditional deposit and lending products with modern digital banking platforms. As a publicly traded entity, Customers Bancorp focuses on delivering tailored financial solutions to midmarket companies, small businesses, professionals and individuals across the United States. Through its commercial banking division, the company provides term loans, lines of credit, real estate financing, assetbased lending and treasury management services. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Customers Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Customers Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dillards, Inc. (NYSE:DDS Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 679,129 shares, a decrease of 22.0% from the December 15th total of 870,597 shares. Currently, 6.7% of the companys stock are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 165,950 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.1 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 165,950 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.1 days. Currently, 6.7% of the companys stock are sold short. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Dillards A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Royal Bank of Canada grew its stake in shares of Dillards by 322.9% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 3,510 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,257,000 after buying an additional 2,680 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its stake in Dillards by 110.6% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 139 shares of the companys stock worth $50,000 after acquiring an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC increased its position in shares of Dillards by 18.3% during the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 44,703 shares of the companys stock worth $16,009,000 after acquiring an additional 6,913 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Dillards by 75.6% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 66,142 shares of the companys stock valued at $23,687,000 after buying an additional 28,468 shares during the period. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC purchased a new position in Dillards during the first quarter valued at approximately $3,746,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.15% of the companys stock. Get Dillard's alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades DDS has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Dillards in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen raised Dillards from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, November 8th. Zacks Research upgraded Dillards from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 28th. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Dillards from $184.00 to $460.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Dillards from $411.00 to $524.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $511.33. Dillards Trading Up 2.1% Dillards stock traded up $14.13 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $678.93. 123,750 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 144,162. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.43 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 2.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21. Dillards has a 12 month low of $282.24 and a 12 month high of $741.97. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $652.76 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $584.02. Dillards (NYSE:DDS Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 13th. The company reported $8.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.43 by $1.88. The firm had revenue of $1.49 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.41 billion. Dillards had a return on equity of 30.50% and a net margin of 8.90%.The companys revenue was up 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $7.73 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Dillards will post 33.25 EPS for the current year. Dillards Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be issued a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 31st. Dillardss payout ratio is 3.26%. About Dillards (Get Free Report) Dillards, Inc (NYSE:DDS), headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a U.S.-based department store chain founded by William T. Dillard in 1938. Over more than eight decades of operation, the company has grown from a single store in Nashville, Arkansas, to a prominent retailer with a national footprint. Dillards equity is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DDS. The company operates approximately 280 departmental stores across 29 states, offering a broad assortment of merchandise that includes mens and womens apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear, and home furnishings. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Dillard's Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dillard's and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Essent Group Ltd. (NYSE:ESNT Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 1,353,395 shares, a drop of 25.3% from the December 15th total of 1,811,967 shares. Currently, 1.4% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 675,980 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 675,980 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.0 days. Currently, 1.4% of the shares of the company are short sold. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts recently commented on ESNT shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Essent Group from $65.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a neutral rating and issued a $70.00 price objective on shares of Essent Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of Essent Group from $66.00 to $65.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on Essent Group from $71.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Roth Capital upped their price objective on Essent Group from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $69.29. Get Essent Group alerts: Get Our Latest Report on ESNT Insider Transactions at Essent Group Hedge Funds Weigh In On Essent Group In related news, SVP Mary Lourdes Gibbons sold 4,352 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.00, for a total transaction of $291,584.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 237,896 shares in the company, valued at $15,939,032. This trade represents a 1.80% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . Also, Director Roy James Kasmar sold 3,250 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.44, for a total value of $199,680.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 23,573 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,448,325.12. This represents a 12.12% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 3.40% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Cooke & Bieler LP boosted its holdings in Essent Group by 19.6% during the third quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP now owns 1,938,688 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $123,223,000 after buying an additional 318,318 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Essent Group by 78.9% during the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,517,859 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $92,180,000 after acquiring an additional 669,577 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Essent Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $75,596,000. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in shares of Essent Group by 45.2% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,198,447 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $76,173,000 after acquiring an additional 372,881 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Essent Group by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,116,784 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $70,983,000 after acquiring an additional 36,586 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.00% of the companys stock. Essent Group Stock Performance Shares of Essent Group stock traded down $0.19 on Monday, reaching $60.94. 1,185,805 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 536,825. Essent Group has a 1-year low of $51.61 and a 1-year high of $67.09. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $63.29 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $61.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.89 billion, a PE ratio of 8.87, a PEG ratio of 3.86 and a beta of 0.90. Essent Group (NYSE:ESNT Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, November 7th. The financial services provider reported $1.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.75 by ($0.08). Essent Group had a return on equity of 12.40% and a net margin of 55.63%.The business had revenue of $311.83 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $316.84 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.65 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Essent Group will post 6.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Essent Group Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 1st were given a dividend of $0.31 per share. This represents a $1.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 1st. Essent Groups payout ratio is presently 18.05%. About Essent Group (Get Free Report) Essent Group Ltd. (NYSE: ESNT) is a publicly traded insurance holding company specializing in private mortgage insurance and mortgage reinsurance solutions. Through its primary subsidiary, Essent Guaranty, the company provides credit protection to mortgage lenders, helping mitigate the risk of borrower default on residential mortgage loans. Essents insurance policies enable lenders to offer low-down-payment programs, supporting homebuyers in achieving homeownership with reduced upfront equity requirements. Beyond traditional mortgage insurance, Essent offers a suite of risk management and analytics services designed to help financial institutions monitor and manage mortgage portfolios. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Essent Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Essent Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. F.N.B. (NYSE:FNB Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The bank reported $0.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.41 by $0.09, Zacks reports. F.N.B. had a return on equity of 8.22% and a net margin of 19.23%. F.N.B. Stock Down 0.6% Shares of FNB stock traded down $0.10 on Tuesday, reaching $17.26. 9,596,315 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,204,350. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $16.99 and its 200 day moving average price is $16.27. The company has a market capitalization of $6.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.42, a PEG ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.91. F.N.B. has a twelve month low of $10.88 and a twelve month high of $17.93. The company has a current ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. Get F.N.B. alerts: F.N.B. Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st were given a dividend of $0.12 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. F.N.B.s payout ratio is currently 34.53%. Insider Transactions at F.N.B. Hedge Funds Weigh In On F.N.B. In other F.N.B. news, insider James L. Dutey sold 40,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.75, for a total value of $670,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 49,936 shares in the company, valued at approximately $836,428. The trade was a 44.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, insider Gary L. Guerrieri sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.67, for a total transaction of $265,050.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 279,883 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,945,532.61. This trade represents a 5.09% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing . 1.37% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of FNB. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its stake in shares of F.N.B. by 23.8% in the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 153,199 shares of the banks stock valued at $2,468,000 after buying an additional 29,428 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its position in F.N.B. by 5.9% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 1,049,241 shares of the banks stock worth $14,112,000 after acquiring an additional 58,672 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of F.N.B. by 77.4% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,513,248 shares of the banks stock valued at $20,353,000 after acquiring an additional 660,387 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its holdings in F.N.B. by 23.6% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 153,039 shares of the banks stock valued at $2,058,000 after purchasing an additional 29,248 shares during the period. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in F.N.B. by 11.6% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 274,466 shares of the banks stock worth $3,692,000 after buying an additional 28,570 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.25% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have commented on the company. Truist Financial set a $19.00 price objective on F.N.B. in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. DA Davidson downgraded shares of F.N.B. from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, October 20th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of F.N.B. in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Piper Sandler initiated coverage on shares of F.N.B. in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. They set an overweight rating and a $19.00 target price on the stock. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $19.10. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on F.N.B. About F.N.B. (Get Free Report) F.N.B. Corporation is a bank holding company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Through its principal subsidiary, FNB Bank, the company provides a broad range of commercial and consumer financial services. Founded in 1864 as the First National Bank of Pennsylvania, F.N.B. has grown through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions to become a regional banking franchise. The companys main business activities include traditional deposit-taking and lending services, such as checking and savings accounts, mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and consumer and commercial loans. See Also Receive News & Ratings for F.N.B. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for F.N.B. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Grupo Simec, S.A. de C.V. (NYSEAMERICAN:SIM Get Free Report) shares gapped down prior to trading on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $30.51, but opened at $27.51. Grupo Simec shares last traded at $29.5250, with a volume of 1,083 shares. Grupo Simec Stock Down 4.1% The firm has a market capitalization of $4.50 billion, a PE ratio of 26.85 and a beta of 0.26. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $29.24 and a 200-day moving average price of $28.20. Get Grupo Simec alerts: Grupo Simec Company Profile (Get Free Report) Grupo Simec (NYSE American: SIM) is a Mexicobased producer and distributor of long steel products, serving construction, infrastructure, industrial and energy markets. The companys core operations encompass the manufacture of merchant bar steel, including reinforcing bar (rebar), wire rod, merchant bars and structural shapes. In parallel, its service centers offer cutting, bending and other valueadded processing services to meet the precise specifications of fabricators and end users. With multiple steel mills located throughout Mexico and an expanding footprint in the United States, Grupo Simec maintains a vertically integrated supply chain that spans rawmaterial sourcing, steelmaking and downstream processing. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Grupo Simec Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Grupo Simec and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DCC (OTCMKTS:DCCPF Get Free Report) and Wolters Kluwer (OTCMKTS:WTKWY Get Free Report) are both business services companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, profitability, earnings, valuation, dividends, institutional ownership and risk. Institutional and Insider Ownership 0.0% of Wolters Kluwer shares are held by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Get DCC alerts: Earnings & Valuation This table compares DCC and Wolters Kluwers revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio DCC $22.98 billion 0.26 $263.46 million N/A N/A Wolters Kluwer $6.40 billion 3.68 $1.17 billion N/A N/A Wolters Kluwer has lower revenue, but higher earnings than DCC. Volatility & Risk DCC has a beta of 0.68, meaning that its share price is 32% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Wolters Kluwer has a beta of 0.67, meaning that its share price is 33% less volatile than the S&P 500. Profitability This table compares DCC and Wolters Kluwers net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets DCC N/A N/A N/A Wolters Kluwer N/A N/A N/A Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for DCC and Wolters Kluwer, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score DCC 1 0 1 0 2.00 Wolters Kluwer 0 0 3 1 3.25 Summary Wolters Kluwer beats DCC on 6 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks. About DCC (Get Free Report) DCC plc provides sales, marketing, and support services worldwide. The company operates through DCC Energy, DCC Healthcare, and DCC Technology segments. It sells and markets liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), refrigerants, and natural gas; markets, sells, and retails transport and commercial fuels, heating oils, and related products and services; operates retail petrol stations; resells fuel cards; distributes oil; and provides logistics services. It also offers products and services to healthcare providers, and health and beauty brand owners; contract manufacturing services to the health and beauty sector; nutrition products, such as vitamins and health supplements; beauty products; and product development, formulation, manufacturing, and packaging services. In, addition it distributes consumer technology products, including smart home products, peripherals and software, and accessories, as well as provides supply chain services. The company was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. About Wolters Kluwer (Get Free Report) Wolters Kluwer N.V. provides professional information, software solutions, and services in the Netherlands, rest of Europe, the United States, Canada, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates through Health; Tax & Accounting; Financial & Corporate Compliance; Legal & Regulatory; and Corporate Performance & ESG segments. The Health segment offers clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that drive effective decision-making and improved outcomes across healthcare. It serves hospitals, healthcare organizations, clinicians, students, schools, libraries, payers, life sciences, and pharmacies. The Tax & Accounting segment offers solutions that help tax, accounting, and audit professionals to drive productivity, navigate change, and deliver better outcomes. It serves accounting firms, tax and auditing departments, businesses of all sizes, government agencies, libraries, and universities. The Financial & Corporate Compliance segment offers solutions for legal entity compliance and banking product compliance. It serves corporations, small businesses, law firms, banks, non-bank lenders, credit unions, insurers, and securities firms. The Legal & Regulatory segment provides information, insights, and workflow solutions for changing regulatory obligations, managing risk, and increasing efficiency. It provides solutions for legal and compliance professionals in law firms, corporate legal departments, universities, and government organizations. The Corporate Performance & ESG segment offers enterprise software to drive financial and sustainability performance and manage risks, meet reporting requirements, improve safety and productivity, and reduce environmental impact. It serves corporate finance, audit, planning, risk, environmental, health and safety, operational risk management, and sustainability professionals in corporations, banks, and governments. Wolters Kluwer N.V. was founded in 1836 and is based in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Receive News & Ratings for DCC Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DCC and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Graham (NYSE:GHM Get Free Report) and BrewBilt Manufacturing (OTCMKTS:BBRW Get Free Report) are both small-cap industrials companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, risk, institutional ownership, dividends, profitability, valuation and analyst recommendations. Volatility & Risk Graham has a beta of 0.93, suggesting that its share price is 7% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, BrewBilt Manufacturing has a beta of 2.26, suggesting that its share price is 126% more volatile than the S&P 500. Get Graham alerts: Analyst Ratings This is a summary of recent recommendations for Graham and BrewBilt Manufacturing, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Graham 0 3 2 1 2.67 BrewBilt Manufacturing 0 0 0 0 0.00 Institutional and Insider Ownership Graham presently has a consensus target price of $60.00, suggesting a potential downside of 17.93%. Given BrewBilt Manufacturings higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe BrewBilt Manufacturing is more favorable than Graham. 69.5% of Graham shares are owned by institutional investors. 6.0% of Graham shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Profitability This table compares Graham and BrewBilt Manufacturings net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Graham 6.00% 12.44% 5.65% BrewBilt Manufacturing N/A N/A N/A Earnings & Valuation This table compares Graham and BrewBilt Manufacturings top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Graham $209.90 million 3.83 $12.23 million $1.24 58.96 BrewBilt Manufacturing N/A N/A N/A ($0.24) N/A Graham has higher revenue and earnings than BrewBilt Manufacturing. BrewBilt Manufacturing is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Graham, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Summary Graham beats BrewBilt Manufacturing on 10 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks. About Graham (Get Free Report) Graham Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs and manufactures fluid, power, heat transfer, and vacuum equipment for chemical and petrochemical processing, defense, space, petroleum refining, cryogenic, energy, and other industries. It offers power plant systems, including ejectors and surface condensers; torpedo ejection, propulsion, and power systems, such as turbines, alternators, regulators, pumps, and blowers; and thermal management systems comprising pumps, blowers, and drive electronics for defense sector. The company also provides rocket propulsion systems consisting of turbopumps and fuel pumps; cooling systems, which include pumps, compressors, fans, and blowers; and life support systems that comprise fans, pumps, and blowers for space industry. In addition, it offers heat transfer and vacuum systems, including ejectors, process and surface condensers, liquid ring pumps, heat exchangers, and nozzles; power generation systems, such as turbines, generators, compressors, and pumps; and thermal management systems comprising pumps, blowers, and electronics for energy sector. Further, the company offers heat transfer and vacuum systems consisting of ejectors, process and surface condensers, liquid ring pumps, heat exchangers, and nozzles for chemical and petrochemical processing industry. The company also services and sells spare parts for its equipment. It sells its products directly in the United States, the Middle East, Canada, Asia, South America, and internationally. Graham Corporation was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Batavia, New York. About BrewBilt Manufacturing (Get Free Report) BrewBilt Manufacturing Inc. custom designs, hand crafts, and integrates brewing, fermentation, and distillation processing systems for the craft beer industry in California. The company was founded in 2014 and is based in Grass Valley, California. Receive News & Ratings for Graham Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Graham and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hillenbrand Inc (NYSE:HI Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 1,750,309 shares, a decline of 20.8% from the December 15th total of 2,210,537 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 843,057 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.1 days. Approximately 2.5% of the shares of the company are short sold. Approximately 2.5% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 843,057 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.1 days. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its position in Hillenbrand by 37.0% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 9,950 shares of the companys stock worth $240,000 after purchasing an additional 2,687 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Hillenbrand by 154.2% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 31,096 shares of the companys stock worth $751,000 after acquiring an additional 18,863 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its position in Hillenbrand by 4.6% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 41,786 shares of the companys stock worth $1,009,000 after acquiring an additional 1,829 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its holdings in Hillenbrand by 622.7% during the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 3,729 shares of the companys stock valued at $90,000 after acquiring an additional 3,213 shares during the period. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its position in shares of Hillenbrand by 4.5% in the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 188,847 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,559,000 after purchasing an additional 8,081 shares during the last quarter. 89.09% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Hillenbrand alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. DA Davidson reissued a neutral rating and set a $32.00 target price on shares of Hillenbrand in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Hillenbrand from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Hillenbrand in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, CJS Securities reiterated a market perform rating and set a $32.00 price target on shares of Hillenbrand in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, Hillenbrand presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $32.00. Hillenbrand Trading Up 0.1% NYSE HI traded up $0.03 on Tuesday, hitting $31.85. 665,295 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 719,333. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 0.88. Hillenbrand has a twelve month low of $18.36 and a twelve month high of $35.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.20 and a beta of 1.38. The companys 50 day moving average price is $31.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $27.70. Hillenbrand (NYSE:HI Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 19th. The company reported $0.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.62 by $0.21. Hillenbrand had a net margin of 1.61% and a return on equity of 12.69%. The business had revenue of $652.10 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $592.25 million. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.01 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 22.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Hillenbrand will post 2.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Hillenbrand Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 16th were paid a $0.2275 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 16th. This represents a $0.91 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. This is an increase from Hillenbrands previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. Hillenbrands dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 149.18%. Hillenbrand Company Profile (Get Free Report) Hillenbrand, Inc, headquartered in Batesville, Indiana, is a global industrial company specializing in engineered equipment and process solutions. Through its Coperion division, Hillenbrand designs and manufactures compounding and extrusion systems, polymer and food processing equipment, bulk material handling technologies and associated automation. These offerings support a variety of end markets, including plastics, chemicals, food, pharmaceutical and minerals, helping customers optimize production efficiency and product quality. Tracing its roots to the Batesville Casket Company founded in 1906, the organization evolved through strategic acquisitions and expanded its focus on process technologies. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Hillenbrand Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hillenbrand and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Overall, the combination of fiscal dominance and financial repression creates a structurally supportive backdrop for digital assets. Expansionary fiscal policy alongside suppressed real yields weakens traditional sovereign debt dynamics, while distortions in regulated credit markets increase the appeal of alternative financial rails. For Bitcoin, this is an almost ideal backdrop. As Binance writes in a recent research report: Medieval kings debased their currencies by mixing copper into gold coins. Modern forms of debasement work through fiscal dominance the Trump way. Trumps dual assault on monetary and fiscal policy leads to a phenomenon economists refer to as fiscal dominance. This is a situation in which monetary policy does not have the means to counteract an excess of fiscal spending. Its main purpose is to give Trump an envelope to raise US borrowing. The White House can only do this with impunity if it gets the Fed under at least some partial control. Powell is trying to resist but this is a fight he is bound to lose. They will get him on a technicality. Rather than hyperventilating about the US president, it would be better to look at US President Donald Trumps assault on Powell in the context of last years One Big Beautiful Bill . Central bank independence is a political arrangement. Central bankers all over the world seem to think that their independence is a birthright, a natural state of affairs. The history of central banking suggests otherwise. Powell was factually right to call this an attack on the Feds independence, but I am not sure he was wise to broadcast a video message to condemn the move. The US Justice Department served subpoenas regarding testimony Chair Jerome Powell gave to the Senate banking committee about the $2.5 billion renovation of two central bank buildings. It has not had much effect on the Bitcoin price yet. What will, however, affect the price of Bitcoin is the progressive loss of independence of the Federal Reserve. Bitcoin is trading in the mid-90,000s right now, with no desire to rise or fall, impervious to the political shocks this year, like Venezuela , Iran , and Greenland . I am not sure what advice they would give now, but I suspect they would be confused. The only buying advice I would give is not to buy such newspapers. Or another day: Bitcoin at $85,000. Time to get out. A typical headline would be: Bitcoin at $125,000. Is this a good time to buy? As part of my day job, I read newspapers from various European countries. Often, on a quiet day, German newspapers lead with investment stories. Wolfgang Munchau is a columnist for DL News. He is co-founder and director of Eurointelligence, and writes a column on European affairs for UnHerd. Opinions are his own. Story Continues This, in a nutshell, is the big story. As Trump is debasing the dollar, other countries will follow him out of necessity. If their currencies were to rise against the dollar too much, they would suffer a trade shock. Trumps policies will inform our financial environment for the foreseeable future. Fear of currency debasement, and a bubble in private credit markets, is what will support the price of Bitcoin. It will, however, not explain the week-to-week changes. A very good hedge I like to think of the price of Bitcoin as what is known in mathematics as a random walk with a positive drift. At any moment in time, the noise appears to overpower the underlying signal. But it is that signal, the drift, that drives the price in the long-run. Bitcoin is not a good hedge against political uncertainty. It is also not a good hedge against one-off inflation shocks. But it is a very good hedge against monetary debasement. More so than gold, it is a supply-constrained store of value. The gold supply still expands at a rate of 1.5% to 2% each year. If you dig deep, you may find gold, but no such luck with Bitcoins. And unlike with gold, Bitcoin is a currency with which you can transact. None of this allows us to predict short-term price movements. Some investors may have an edge over the rest of us through a deep knowledge of flows of funds. Investor appetite drives the price. But what drives investor appetite? Bitcoin at $8 million? I am reminded of what happened on my first day as an intern at the Financial Times in the 1980s, when I asked the venerable stock market correspondent why the stock index had fallen that day. There were more sellers than buyers, he informed me. For a long time, I thought the guy was stupid. I realised much later that he gave me the correct answer. On most days, there really is not much more to say. Most of market journalism is finding ex-post narratives for things one does not understand. I dont think anyone has a robust model to predict the Bitcoin price in the short-term I dont think anyone has a robust model to predict the Bitcoin price in the short-term anything that would beat my dumb model of a random walk with drift. The long run is different though. One way of thinking about Bitcoins value is by looking at its potential future share of the global monetary base. The 19.6 million Bitcoins in circulation, at a price of $95,000 each, have a total market valuation of $1.9 trillion. On my calculation that is about 1.2% of the total value of broad money globally. In the extremely unlikely event that Bitcoin would take over the entirety of the worlds monetary base, this would put the price of a single Bitcoin at $8 million. The question then becomes what would constitute a reasonable assumption for a Bitcoin global market share? A $1.6 million price In a world in which the US dollar debases, in which the euro is structurally too weak to take its place, and with the renminbi essentially out of the picture, the potential is huge. The euros share in global reserve assets is around 20%. The discussion about the sequestration of frozen Russian assets has done real damage to Europes reputation as a safe haven for foreign assets. If Bitcoin were to take a share of 20% of global money, at the expense of the euro and the dollar, that would put its value at $1.6 million a piece. This is obviously not a price target for this or next year, but a measure of potential in a world of debased fiat money. I can see why some investors have very high expectations. They may well be right, but as often with tech investments, they run the risk of being too optimistic in the short-run, and too pessimistic long-term. In my model, the short run is the random walk, which represents the volatility that we observe. The long run is the positive drift the line that took us from $500 a decade ago to 20 times that today. Gold has recently outperformed Bitcoin, with less volatility. It would appear to be the superior asset. The reason is the simple fact that central banks hold gold as part of their reserves, and no Bitcoins. That wont always be the case. For central banks the case for diversification into Bitcoin is strong. In a world of geopolitical conflict, and unpredictable US foreign policy, a blockchain is a relatively more secure place to store funds than an account at Euroclear in Brussels, that could be raided at a moments notice by a vote in the European Council. It is also safer than Fort Knox. Ask yourself: if your country is subject to US sanctions for whatever reason, would you get your gold out of Fort Knox? In a global political environment like ours, with currency debasements and financial sanctions, central banks would take imprudent risks if they kept all their reserve assets in dollars, euros and gold. Right now, they think of Bitcoin as a risky asset that has no backing. Economists hate it, and most of them do not understand it. They are generally in denial that monetary debasement is even possible. Prudent reserve managers, whose background is in finance, not economics, look at risk differently. If I have one prediction for this year, it is that we are going to see some risk diversification starting to happen this year. Hippo Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HIPO Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 569,440 shares, a growth of 20.3% from the December 15th total of 473,218 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 171,481 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.3 days. Currently, 2.5% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Currently, 2.5% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 171,481 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.3 days. Hippo Trading Down 0.5% NYSE:HIPO traded down $0.15 on Monday, hitting $30.39. 115,076 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 126,367. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 0.94. Hippo has a 52 week low of $19.92 and a 52 week high of $38.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $769.73 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.39 and a beta of 1.57. The companys 50-day moving average price is $31.29 and its 200 day moving average price is $32.18. Get Hippo alerts: Hippo (NYSE:HIPO Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.04 by $0.66. The company had revenue of $120.60 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $117.75 million. Hippo had a net margin of 21.30% and a negative return on equity of 5.89%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Hippo will post -3.63 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling at Hippo Institutional Trading of Hippo In other news, insider Michael Stienstra sold 3,900 shares of Hippo stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.12, for a total value of $121,368.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 71,281 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,218,264.72. The trade was a 5.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . Also, CEO Richard Mccathron sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.82, for a total value of $149,100.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 452,704 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,499,633.28. This trade represents a 1.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure . Insiders have sold a total of 15,719 shares of company stock worth $486,567 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 10.80% of the companys stock. Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new position in shares of Hippo in the 2nd quarter worth $33,000. AlphaQuest LLC increased its holdings in Hippo by 109.5% in the third quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 1,251 shares of the companys stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 654 shares during the last quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey lifted its stake in Hippo by 12.2% in the second quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey now owns 4,481 shares of the companys stock valued at $125,000 after buying an additional 489 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio bought a new position in Hippo during the third quarter worth about $125,000. Finally, State of Wyoming acquired a new position in shares of Hippo during the 2nd quarter worth about $127,000. Institutional investors own 43.01% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have commented on HIPO. Wall Street Zen lowered Hippo from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, October 11th. Citigroup reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Hippo in a research report on Tuesday, October 14th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Hippo from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on shares of Hippo from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, JMP Securities set a $45.00 price target on shares of Hippo and gave the company a market outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $37.50. Read Our Latest Report on Hippo About Hippo (Get Free Report) Hippo Enterprises Inc is a technology-driven home insurance company that offers modernized homeowners insurance products through a digital-first platform. Leveraging data analytics, artificial intelligence and smart home devices, the company designs tailored coverage plans intended to streamline the underwriting process and deliver more comprehensive protection for homeowners. Hippos policies typically include standard dwelling coverage, personal property protection and liability insurance, along with optional add-ons such as water backup, home computer systems and equipment breakdown coverage. Through its online portal and partner network of licensed insurance agents, Hippo provides policyholders with a range of services aimed at minimizing risk and preventing losses before they occur. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Hippo Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hippo and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Innovative Designs (OTCMKTS:IVDN Get Free Report) and Kontoor Brands (NYSE:KTB Get Free Report) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, profitability, valuation, earnings, risk and dividends. Earnings & Valuation This table compares Innovative Designs and Kontoor Brandss top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Get Innovative Designs alerts: Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Innovative Designs $1.38 million 6.56 $100,000.00 $0.03 7.83 Kontoor Brands $2.61 billion 1.27 $245.80 million $3.88 15.31 Profitability Kontoor Brands has higher revenue and earnings than Innovative Designs. Innovative Designs is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Kontoor Brands, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. This table compares Innovative Designs and Kontoor Brands net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Innovative Designs 18.54% 29.89% 26.00% Kontoor Brands 7.68% 63.21% 13.16% Risk & Volatility Innovative Designs has a beta of -2.89, meaning that its share price is 389% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Kontoor Brands has a beta of 1.21, meaning that its share price is 21% more volatile than the S&P 500. Analyst Ratings This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Innovative Designs and Kontoor Brands, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Innovative Designs 0 0 0 0 0.00 Kontoor Brands 1 2 6 1 2.70 Kontoor Brands has a consensus price target of $87.75, indicating a potential upside of 47.69%. Given Kontoor Brands stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Kontoor Brands is more favorable than Innovative Designs. Insider and Institutional Ownership 93.1% of Kontoor Brands shares are held by institutional investors. 24.4% of Innovative Designs shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.7% of Kontoor Brands shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Summary Kontoor Brands beats Innovative Designs on 11 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks. About Innovative Designs (Get Free Report) Innovative Designs, Inc. engages in manufacture and marketing of cold weather recreational and industrial clothing products in the United States and Canada. The company operates in two segments, Apparel and House Wrap. It offers arctic armor line products, including jackets, bibs, and gloves for ice fisherman, snowmobilers, utility workers, oil/gas pipeline workers, railroad workers, construction workers, ski resort workers, and police and first responders; and house wrap that provides barrier protection and moisture vapor transmission and insulation for the building construction industry. In addition, it offers INSULTEX material in bulk to non-competing customers; products that restore the waterproof character of the outer side of its arctic armor clothing; and cold weather headgears and base insulation clothing products. The company primarily sells its products through independent sales agents, agencies, retailers, and distributors, as well as through website. The company was incorporated in 2002 and is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. About Kontoor Brands (Get Free Report) Kontoor Brands, Inc., a lifestyle apparel company, designs, produces, procures, markets, distributes, and licenses denim, apparel, footwear, and accessories, primarily under the Wrangler and Lee brands. The company operates through two segments: Wrangler and Lee. It licenses and sells apparel under the Rock & Republic brand name. The company sells its products primarily through mass merchants, specialty stores, mid-tier and traditional department stores, company-operated stores, and online. It operates in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific regions. Kontoor Brands, Inc. was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina. Receive News & Ratings for Innovative Designs Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Innovative Designs and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC decreased its stake in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report) by 39.5% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 1,719 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,123 shares during the period. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF were worth $1,150,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Nvwm LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 210.5% during the 2nd quarter. Nvwm LLC now owns 59 shares of the companys stock valued at $37,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Hager Investment Management Services LLC acquired a new position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at $61,000. Rice Partnership LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 460.0% in the second quarter. Rice Partnership LLC now owns 112 shares of the companys stock worth $70,000 after purchasing an additional 92 shares during the period. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC bought a new position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $80,000. Finally, Missouri Trust & Investment Co raised its stake in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 33.0% during the 2nd quarter. Missouri Trust & Investment Co now owns 133 shares of the companys stock valued at $83,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. 70.12% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get iShares Core S&P 500 ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Stock Down 0.1% IVV stock opened at $694.66 on Tuesday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $685.05 and its 200 day simple moving average is $665.29. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has a twelve month low of $484.00 and a twelve month high of $699.17. The company has a market cap of $772.43 billion, a PE ratio of 25.10 and a beta of 1.00. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Company Profile iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors 500 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. The component stocks are weighted according to the total float-adjusted market value of their outstanding shares. The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IVV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P 500 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 500 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC lowered its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG Free Report) by 40.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 10,658 shares of the companys stock after selling 7,375 shares during the quarter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $1,214,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of EFG. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 0.6% during the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 16,920,944 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,895,108,000 after purchasing an additional 108,211 shares during the period. MML Investors Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 8.0% in the second quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 1,333,981 shares of the companys stock valued at $149,406,000 after purchasing an additional 99,158 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 5.0% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 1,315,205 shares of the companys stock valued at $147,303,000 after purchasing an additional 62,786 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. increased its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 1,242,079 shares of the companys stock worth $138,664,000 after buying an additional 13,888 shares during the period. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,167,865 shares of the companys stock worth $130,801,000 after buying an additional 5,013 shares during the period. Get iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Price Performance Shares of EFG stock opened at $119.21 on Tuesday. The companys fifty day moving average price is $114.86 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $113.52. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.98 and a beta of 0.96. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF has a 12 month low of $88.66 and a 12 month high of $113.16. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Company Profile iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Growth Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Growth Index (the Index). The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East. The Fund invests in sectors, such as consumer staples, industrials, consumer discretionary, materials, healthcare, financials, information technology, energy, telecommunication services and utilities. Read More Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Live Oak Investment Partners bought a new position in shares of Old Republic International Corporation (NYSE:ORI Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 29,972 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $1,273,000. A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in Old Republic International during the second quarter worth $34,000. Caldwell Trust Co grew its holdings in shares of Old Republic International by 75.0% in the 3rd quarter. Caldwell Trust Co now owns 1,050 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 450 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of Old Republic International in the 2nd quarter worth about $46,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. increased its position in shares of Old Republic International by 29.0% during the 2nd quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 1,219 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 274 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SJS Investment Consulting Inc. lifted its holdings in Old Republic International by 37.1% during the 3rd quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 1,101 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 298 shares during the last quarter. 70.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Old Republic International alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Old Republic International In other Old Republic International news, Director Therace Risch bought 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, November 3rd. The shares were bought at an average cost of $39.14 per share, for a total transaction of $39,140.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 10,625 shares in the company, valued at approximately $415,862.50. This trade represents a 10.39% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Carolyn Monroe sold 6,680 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.54, for a total transaction of $297,527.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 29,075 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,295,000.50. The trade was a 18.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have commented on ORI. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (a) rating on shares of Old Republic International in a research report on Wednesday, December 24th. Piper Sandler lifted their target price on shares of Old Republic International from $46.00 to $51.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Finally, Raymond James Financial upgraded Old Republic International from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from $43.00 to $47.00 in a research report on Monday, September 22nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has assigned a Buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Strong Buy and an average target price of $49.00. View Our Latest Research Report on Old Republic International Old Republic International Trading Down 0.7% ORI opened at $43.03 on Tuesday. Old Republic International Corporation has a 1-year low of $34.43 and a 1-year high of $46.76. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.65 billion, a PE ratio of 14.39 and a beta of 0.76. The company has a current ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $44.55 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $41.31. Old Republic International (NYSE:ORI Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 24th. The insurance provider reported $0.78 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.73 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $2.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.28 billion. Old Republic International had a net margin of 9.53% and a return on equity of 17.11%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Old Republic International Corporation will post 3.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Old Republic International Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a special dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 2nd were given a $2.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 2nd. Old Republic Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 38.80%. Old Republic International Company Profile (Free Report) Old Republic International Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the insurance underwriting and related services business primarily in the United States and Canada. It operates through three segments: General Insurance, Title Insurance, and Republic Financial Indemnity Group Run-off Business. The General Insurance segment offers aviation, commercial auto, commercial multi-peril, commercial property, general liability, home and auto warranty, inland marine, travel accident, and workers' compensation insurance products; and financial indemnity products for specialty coverages, including errors and omissions, fidelity, directors and officers, and surety. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ORI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Old Republic International Corporation (NYSE:ORI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Old Republic International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Old Republic International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. New Oriental Education & Technology Group, Inc. (NYSE:EDU Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 5,456,992 shares, a growth of 20.9% from the December 15th total of 4,512,650 shares. Approximately 4.1% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 548,722 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 9.9 days. Based on an average daily volume of 548,722 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 9.9 days. Approximately 4.1% of the shares of the stock are sold short. New Oriental Education & Technology Group Trading Down 1.0% Shares of NYSE:EDU traded down $0.54 during trading on Monday, reaching $55.20. 589,781 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 548,824. New Oriental Education & Technology Group has a 52-week low of $40.66 and a 52-week high of $61.56. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.32, a P/E/G ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.29. The businesss fifty day moving average is $54.50 and its 200-day moving average is $52.52. Get New Oriental Education & Technology Group alerts: New Oriental Education & Technology Group Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a special dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 5th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 18th were given a $0.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 18th. New Oriental Education & Technology Groups payout ratio is presently 25.55%. Institutional Trading of New Oriental Education & Technology Group Analyst Ratings Changes Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its stake in shares of New Oriental Education & Technology Group by 7,314.3% in the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 519 shares of the companys stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 512 shares during the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. purchased a new stake in New Oriental Education & Technology Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $37,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. lifted its holdings in New Oriental Education & Technology Group by 738.0% in the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 905 shares of the companys stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 797 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of New Oriental Education & Technology Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $111,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP increased its stake in shares of New Oriental Education & Technology Group by 309.7% during the third quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 3,532 shares of the companys stock valued at $187,000 after buying an additional 2,670 shares during the period. Several analysts have issued reports on EDU shares. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $60.00 target price on shares of New Oriental Education & Technology Group in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Bank of America boosted their price objective on shares of New Oriental Education & Technology Group from $56.20 to $58.20 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, September 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of New Oriental Education & Technology Group from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of New Oriental Education & Technology Group in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of New Oriental Education & Technology Group from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, New Oriental Education & Technology Group currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $59.53. Read Our Latest Stock Report on EDU New Oriental Education & Technology Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) New Oriental Education & Technology Group (NYSE: EDU) is one of Chinas leading providers of private educational services, specializing in language training, test preparation and consulting for overseas study. The companys offerings span a range of subjects, including English language instruction, preparatory courses for examinations such as the TOEFL, GRE and GMAT, and K-12 after-school tutoring. New Orientals curriculum is delivered through a combination of in-person learning centers and digital platforms, enabling students across various regions to access its educational resources. Founded in 1993 by Michael Yu Minhong in Beijing, New Oriental began as a small language school and quickly expanded its footprint. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for New Oriental Education & Technology Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for New Oriental Education & Technology Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Robinson Value Management Ltd. cut its holdings in shares of Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM Free Report) by 34.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 70,158 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 36,724 shares during the quarter. Newmont accounts for about 3.4% of Robinson Value Management Ltd.s portfolio, making the stock its 2nd largest holding. Robinson Value Management Ltd.s holdings in Newmont were worth $5,915,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Newmont in the 3rd quarter worth $772,000. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Newmont by 26.4% in the 3rd quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 670 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 140 shares during the period. Courier Capital LLC acquired a new position in Newmont during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $339,000. Allstate Corp acquired a new position in Newmont during the third quarter worth $3,616,000. Finally, NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC acquired a new position in shares of Newmont in the third quarter worth $609,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.85% of the companys stock. Get Newmont alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In NEM has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Scotiabank raised shares of Newmont from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating and lifted their price target for the company from $71.50 to $114.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Raymond James Financial upped their target price on shares of Newmont from $111.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Newmont from $105.50 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 1st. Cibc World Mkts upgraded shares of Newmont from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, October 10th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on Newmont from $99.90 to $123.90 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $99.35. Newmont Trading Down 0.0% Shares of NYSE:NEM opened at $114.17 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 2.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Newmont Corporation has a 12 month low of $40.85 and a 12 month high of $115.70. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $98.10 and its 200 day simple moving average is $83.22. The firm has a market cap of $124.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.73, a PEG ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 0.41. Newmont (NYSE:NEM Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The basic materials company reported $1.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.27 by $0.44. The firm had revenue of $5.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.14 billion. Newmont had a return on equity of 20.35% and a net margin of 33.42%.The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 20.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.81 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Newmont Corporation will post 3.45 EPS for the current fiscal year. Newmont Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 22nd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, November 26th were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, November 26th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.9%. Newmonts payout ratio is 15.53%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Newmont news, CEO Thomas Ronald Palmer sold 5,000 shares of Newmont stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.34, for a total transaction of $406,700.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 279,923 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $22,768,936.82. The trade was a 1.75% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Bruce R. Brook sold 2,080 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.36, for a total transaction of $192,108.80. Following the transaction, the director owned 32,709 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,021,003.24. This trade represents a 5.98% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 9,160 shares of company stock worth $767,206 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.05% of the companys stock. About Newmont (Free Report) Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM) is a leading global gold mining company engaged in the exploration, development, processing and reclamation of gold properties. The companys core business centers on the production of gold, with additional byproduct metals produced from its operations. Newmont operates a portfolio of longlived mines and development projects, and its activities span the full mine life cycle from early-stage exploration through to mining, milling and closure. Founded in 1921 and headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, Newmont has grown through organic development and strategic acquisitions. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Newmont Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Newmont and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Nordwand Advisors LLC grew its stake in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 9.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 11,979 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,031 shares during the quarter. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for approximately 1.4% of Nordwand Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 17th biggest position. Nordwand Advisors LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $9,140,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 78,621.2% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 11,552,336 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,005,392,000 after purchasing an additional 11,537,661 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter worth $8,827,714,000. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.5% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 80,407,430 shares of the companys stock worth $62,680,004,000 after purchasing an additional 1,183,038 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 13.4% in the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 4,766,865 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,715,913,000 after buying an additional 564,736 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board raised its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 87.2% in the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,152,281 shares of the companys stock valued at $898,238,000 after buying an additional 536,679 shares in the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance Eli Lilly and Company stock opened at $1,038.26 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.24. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $1,052.79 and a 200-day simple moving average of $873.30. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12 month low of $623.78 and a 12 month high of $1,133.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $981.55 billion, a PE ratio of 50.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 0.35. Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $7.02 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $6.42 by $0.60. The firm had revenue of $17.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.09 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 30.99% and a return on equity of 109.52%. Eli Lilly and Companys quarterly revenue was up 53.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.18 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 23.000-23.700 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be issued a $1.73 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. This is a boost from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is presently 29.35%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have recently commented on LLY. HSBC reiterated a hold rating and issued a $1,070.00 price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Daiwa Capital Markets set a $1,230.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. National Bankshares set a $1,286.00 price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Monday, December 1st. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b-) rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, Daiwa America upgraded shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $1,174.70. View Our Latest Analysis on LLY Eli Lilly and Company Profile (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and therapies for patients worldwide. Eli Lilly maintains operations and commercial presence across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, serving both developed and emerging markets. The company has been led in recent years by President and Chief Executive Officer David A. Recommended Stories 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. Nordwand Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (NYSE:ICE Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 3,200 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $539,000. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Tradewinds LLC. acquired a new position in Intercontinental Exchange during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $248,000. Allstate Corp lifted its position in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 1,565.5% in the third quarter. Allstate Corp now owns 20,952 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,530,000 after purchasing an additional 19,694 shares in the last quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC boosted its holdings in Intercontinental Exchange by 1.4% during the third quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 135,024 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $21,871,000 after purchasing an additional 1,817 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in Intercontinental Exchange by 14.8% during the third quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 45,993 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $7,450,000 after purchasing an additional 5,946 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Inspire Advisors LLC grew its position in Intercontinental Exchange by 4.1% in the third quarter. Inspire Advisors LLC now owns 3,389 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $571,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.30% of the companys stock. Get Intercontinental Exchange alerts: Intercontinental Exchange News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Intercontinental Exchange this week: Positive Sentiment: NYSE/ICE announced it has developed a tokenized-securities platform that would enable 24/7 trading, instant on-chain settlement, dollar-sized and fractional orders, and stablecoin funding a direct product push into tokenized equities that could create new fee pools and attract global liquidity. Business Wire NYSE/ICE announced it has developed a tokenized-securities platform that would enable 24/7 trading, instant on-chain settlement, dollar-sized and fractional orders, and stablecoin funding a direct product push into tokenized equities that could create new fee pools and attract global liquidity. Positive Sentiment: ICE is integrating its Pillar matching engine with blockchain-based post-trade systems (multi-chain custody/settlement). That combination could lower settlement risk, shorten funding cycles and support product innovation (fractionalization, smaller-ticket orders) that expand the addressable market. Reuters ICE is integrating its Pillar matching engine with blockchain-based post-trade systems (multi-chain custody/settlement). That combination could lower settlement risk, shorten funding cycles and support product innovation (fractionalization, smaller-ticket orders) that expand the addressable market. Positive Sentiment: Market incumbents and institutional players are already pursuing tokenization; ICEs move could preserve competitive position and enable cross-selling of data, connectivity and custody services potential medium-term revenue upside beyond traditional trading/clearing. WSJ Market incumbents and institutional players are already pursuing tokenization; ICEs move could preserve competitive position and enable cross-selling of data, connectivity and custody services potential medium-term revenue upside beyond traditional trading/clearing. Neutral Sentiment: Wide media coverage (Bloomberg/Barrons/Cointelegraph/Yahoo) is raising awareness and investor interest, but many pieces are descriptive the operational and regulatory details that determine timing and scale remain unclear. Yahoo Finance Wide media coverage (Bloomberg/Barrons/Cointelegraph/Yahoo) is raising awareness and investor interest, but many pieces are descriptive the operational and regulatory details that determine timing and scale remain unclear. Negative Sentiment: The planned platform is explicitly subject to regulatory approval and oversight; approvals, stablecoin acceptance, custody standards and crossjurisdiction rules are execution risks that could delay or limit the initiatives revenue impact. Barrons The planned platform is explicitly subject to regulatory approval and oversight; approvals, stablecoin acceptance, custody standards and crossjurisdiction rules are execution risks that could delay or limit the initiatives revenue impact. Negative Sentiment: Political and reputational noise: commentary criticizing NYSE expansion choices (e.g., NYSE Dallas plans) highlights potential political pushback and community relations risks that can complicate strategic moves even if they dont directly affect the tokenization business. Fox Business Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades ICE has been the topic of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b-) rating on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Morgan Stanley set a $180.00 target price on Intercontinental Exchange and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday. TD Cowen increased their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $175.00 to $193.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Cowen restated a buy rating on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $180.00 price objective on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $193.50. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on ICE Insider Buying and Selling In other news, Director Judith A. Sprieser sold 3,700 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $157.96, for a total transaction of $584,452.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 14,469 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,285,523.24. This trade represents a 20.36% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher sold 150,000 shares of Intercontinental Exchange stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.08, for a total transaction of $22,962,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,801,705 shares of the companys stock, valued at $275,805,001.40. The trade was a 7.69% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders sold 166,068 shares of company stock valued at $25,470,702. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Intercontinental Exchange Stock Performance ICE opened at $174.20 on Tuesday. Intercontinental Exchange Inc. has a 12-month low of $143.17 and a 12-month high of $189.35. The stock has a market cap of $99.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.73, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.03. The business has a 50 day moving average of $160.31 and a 200-day moving average of $167.31. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.71 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.71. Intercontinental Exchange had a return on equity of 13.79% and a net margin of 25.24%.The business had revenue of $3.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.49 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.55 EPS. The firms revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Intercontinental Exchange Inc. will post 6.73 earnings per share for the current year. About Intercontinental Exchange (Free Report) Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) is a global operator of exchanges, clearing houses and data services that provides infrastructure for the trading, clearing, settlement and information needs of financial and commodity markets. Founded in 2000 by Jeffrey C. Sprecher as an electronic energy trading platform, the company has grown through organic expansion and acquisitions to operate a broad portfolio of assets spanning listed equities, futures and options, fixed income, and over-the-counter derivatives. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Intercontinental Exchange Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Intercontinental Exchange and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Orla Mining Ltd. (NYSEAMERICAN:ORLA Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $16.46 and last traded at $16.5780, with a volume of 539422 shares. The stock had previously closed at $14.73. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have issued reports on ORLA. National Bankshares assumed coverage on shares of Orla Mining in a research note on Monday, January 12th. They set an outperform rating on the stock. Scotiabank restated an outperform rating on shares of Orla Mining in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Natl Bk Canada raised shares of Orla Mining to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Orla Mining in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. Finally, CIBC reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Orla Mining in a report on Monday, October 20th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $27.00. Get Orla Mining alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on Orla Mining Orla Mining Price Performance Orla Mining Dividend Announcement The stock has a market capitalization of $5.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 131.32 and a beta of 0.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.88. The stocks fifty day moving average is $13.47 and its 200-day moving average is $11.75. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 12th will be given a $0.015 dividend. This represents a $0.06 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, January 12th. Orla Minings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -599.40%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Orla Mining A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of ORLA. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC bought a new stake in Orla Mining during the third quarter worth $27,000. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its stake in shares of Orla Mining by 191.6% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 3,981 shares of the companys stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 2,616 shares in the last quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. grew its position in Orla Mining by 50.0% during the 2nd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 5,368 shares of the companys stock worth $53,000 after acquiring an additional 1,789 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Orla Mining during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $58,000. Finally, 111 Capital acquired a new stake in shares of Orla Mining in the second quarter valued at about $102,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 43.04% of the companys stock. Orla Mining Company Profile (Get Free Report) Orla Mining is a Canada-based mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing gold and silver projects in the Americas. Its flagship asset is the Cerro Quema oxide gold-silver project in Panama, where the company holds approximately 13,000 hectares of mineral concessions. Through feasibility studies and pilot plant testing, Orla has demonstrated the potential of heap leach processing at Cerro Quema, positioning the asset for transition into construction and production phases. In addition to Cerro Quema, Orla Mining expanded its portfolio in early 2023 with the acquisition of the Gold Springs project located along the UtahNevada border in the United States. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Orla Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Orla Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Digital asset investment products recorded $2.17 billion of net inflows last week, the strongest weekly haul since October 2025, as fresh allocations flowed into bitcoin and a broad set of major tokens before a late-week wobble in sentiment. Bitcoin led the weeks intake with $1.55 billion of inflows, according to a CoinShares report Monday. Ether added $496 million and solana drew $45.5 million, signalling that appetite extended beyond bitcoin even as policy chatter around stablecoins and yield remained in focus. The week wasnt one-way. Flows turned sharply on Friday, when products saw $378 million of outflows after geopolitical tensions and tariff threats resurfaced, including renewed friction tied to Greenland. CoinShares head of research James Butterfill also pointed to policy uncertainty after reports suggested Kevin Hassett, seen by some as a contender for the next U.S. Federal Reserve chair, was likely to remain in his current role. Regionally, the U.S. dominated, accounting for $2.05 billion of inflows. Germany, Switzerland, Canada and the Netherlands also logged positive flows of $63.9 million, $41.6 million, $12.3 million and $6 million, respectively. Altcoins posted smaller but notable gains, led by XRP with $69.5 million. Sui, lido and hedera also saw modest inflows. Outside token funds, blockchain equities attracted $72.6 million, adding to signs that investors are still willing to express crypto exposure through public-market proxies even as headline risk returns. Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NYSE:PAA Get Free Report) has received an average rating of Hold from the twelve research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, seven have assigned a hold recommendation, three have issued a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $20.4444. Several analysts recently issued reports on PAA shares. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Plains All American Pipeline from $18.00 to $17.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 7th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Plains All American Pipeline from $20.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. Raymond James Financial reiterated a strong-buy rating and set a $22.00 price objective (down previously from $24.00) on shares of Plains All American Pipeline in a research report on Friday, October 24th. Finally, Scotiabank reissued an outperform rating on shares of Plains All American Pipeline in a research note on Friday. Get Plains All American Pipeline alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on PAA Plains All American Pipeline Trading Up 1.8% Shares of PAA stock opened at $19.40 on Thursday. Plains All American Pipeline has a fifty-two week low of $15.57 and a fifty-two week high of $21.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a current ratio of 1.01. The stocks fifty day moving average is $17.74 and its two-hundred day moving average is $17.55. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.58 and a beta of 0.59. Plains All American Pipeline (NYSE:PAA Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The pipeline company reported $0.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.01. Plains All American Pipeline had a net margin of 1.54% and a return on equity of 11.69%. Plains All American Pipelines revenue was down 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.37 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Plains All American Pipeline will post 1.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Plains All American Pipeline Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a $0.4175 dividend. This is an increase from Plains All American Pipelines previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. This represents a $1.67 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 8.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Plains All American Pipelines payout ratio is currently 138.02%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Plains All American Pipeline A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of PAA. Alps Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Plains All American Pipeline by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. Alps Advisors Inc. now owns 76,066,823 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $1,297,700,000 after buying an additional 1,663,908 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in Plains All American Pipeline by 2.1% in the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 33,280,692 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $567,769,000 after acquiring an additional 677,959 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in Plains All American Pipeline by 15.5% in the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 7,198,958 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $122,814,000 after acquiring an additional 967,059 shares during the period. BROOKFIELD Corp ON increased its stake in Plains All American Pipeline by 18.9% during the second quarter. BROOKFIELD Corp ON now owns 6,774,650 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $124,112,000 after acquiring an additional 1,076,291 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. purchased a new stake in Plains All American Pipeline in the third quarter valued at $87,462,000. 41.78% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Plains All American Pipeline Company Profile (Get Free Report) Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NYSE: PAA) is a prominent North American midstream energy company that specializes in the transportation, storage and marketing of crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and refined products. The partnerships integrated infrastructure network supports the movement of hydrocarbons from major supply basins to domestic and export markets, providing connectivity between production areas, refineries and marine terminals. Plains All Americans services include long-haul and short-haul pipeline systems, inventory services and fee-based storage contracts, helping producers and refiners optimize supply chains and manage market access. The company operates an extensive onshore pipeline network that spans major U.S. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Plains All American Pipeline Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Plains All American Pipeline and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Qoria (ASX:QOR) executives highlighted a record December quarter for sales and said the company met all guidance metrics for the first half of FY26, while reiterating confidence in results for the remainder of the year. Management described the December quarter as a period that is typically less sales-heavyparticularly in the northern hemispherebut said execution and strong demand still translated into the best sales December quarter weve ever had. Get alerts: Key milestones and operating metrics Chief Executive Officer Tim described the quarter as one that produced several major milestones, despite foreign exchange headwinds from movements in the Australian dollar, U.S. dollar, and euro. He said the company surpassed AUD 100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and reported AUD 149 million ARR at the end of the calendar year. On a constant currency basis, he said ARR would have been AUD 154 million and growth would have been higher than the reported 20% growth rate. More than 32,000 schools on the platform (unchanged). More than 30 million children protected. About 9 million parents using Qorias tools. Operations across more than 100 countries. Tim also pointed to scale milestones in the companys education platform footprint, including: In the U.S., Tim said Qoria has passed 20% student penetration, emphasizing that the student base is essentially all organic since entering the market in 2018. ARR growth drivers and product momentum Management reported AUD 5.1 million of net ARR added during the quarter, with over AUD 4 million of that coming from the education business and over AUD 2 million from Qustodio. Tim characterized Qustodio as a fast-growing segment, saying it is now growing at an annualized rate greater than 34% and that all indicators in the business are going the right way. The company also highlighted improving cross-sell performance. Tim said Qoria delivered AUD 1.5 million of cross-sales and that cross-sell now accounts for more than 30% of new ARR over the half, up from just over 23% last year. In education, Tim said new customer wins remain the engine room, while average revenue per user continues to increase. He also described results in the U.K. as stronger than expected for the quarter, though he noted the U.K. has been constrained by limited access to the full product suitean issue the company says it is now addressing through new integrations. Pipeline outlook and seasonal dynamics Management repeatedly underscored the strength of the North America K-12 pipeline heading into the second half. Tim said the pipeline is on fire, totaling nearly $40 million in deals and about $14 million on a weighted basis, which he said was about 30% higher than the record pipeline of the prior year. He added that a large portion of the team was in the U.K. ahead of the Bett Conference in late January. While executives expressed confidence about the underlying growth trajectory being well north of 20%, Tim noted the companys risk profile is influenced by the timing of North American deal closures, with so much of sales typically completed in the final two weeks of June. On Qustodio seasonality and marketing spend, management cautioned against reading too much into the quarterly split, pointing to timing around the September quarter close. Tim said marketing investment should be considered across the half rather than isolated to the December quarter, and added that the plan for Qustodio was to grow within its billing base. Tim also provided an update on Qustodios school-to-home motion, saying the company now has around 200,000 accounts connected through U.S. schools to U.S. homes. He said schools following the marketing plan typically see about 20% take-up, while about 1% are upgrading to a paid product. He said Qoria has not yet actively marketed upgrades to that group, but plans to begin communications to those parents and test new pricing approaches, including monthly plans alongside annual plans. Cash flow, balance sheet, and cost trajectory Chief Financial Officer Ben Jenkins said free cash flow in the December quarter was just over negative AUD 2 million, but that the first half totaled just under AUD 9 million positive. He said first-half cash collections increased about 20.2%, aligning with the companys guidance. Jenkins also called out one-off corporate costs tied to acquisition diligence. He said the company assessed three different acquisition opportunities in detail during the half, but walked away from all three or been outbid, describing those costs as genuinely one-off in nature. Looking forward, Jenkins said most planned investments are done now, and he expects costs to be broadly flat across the second half, with some categories potentially down due to seasonality. On cash receipts, he said the company is pretty confident receipts will be comfortably over 20% year-over-year in the second half, noting that last years half-on-half split was skewed by multi-year cash upfront dynamics that have since run off. He said FY24s 57%/43% split (first half/second half) may be a more relevant reference point than last years 60%/40% split. Jenkins said the company had AUD 21 million cash on hand and expressed confidence the business has sufficient liquidity to operate through to late June, when collections improve again into the July/September period. He said full-year free cash flow should remain broadly in line with prior guidance, with the expectation that first-half cash generation will be partially consumed in the second half, leaving the year-end cash balance similar to the start of the year, probably slightly lower. AI investments, cost savings, and the companys moat Tim spent part of the call addressing the impact of AI on SaaS businesses and outlined how Qoria is using AI both to enhance products and to drive internal efficiency. He said the companys AI-enabled capabilities already generate literally millions of dollars of revenue, citing real-time content scanning that can assess images, videos, and text on webpages and blur or restrict inappropriate content. He also referenced ongoing work on classification, automation, chatbots, and AI agents to improve user experience. On cost impacts, Tim said Qoria has reduced support costs by about AUD 2 million and cut human moderation workload by about 30%, with millions more dollars of savings expected by the end of the calendar year. He also said the company has saved 15 engineering roles through the use of AI tools, and that roughly 88%90% of teams are using generative AI in daily work. When asked about timing, Jenkins said cost savings would really be an FY27 story, with FY26 costs fairly set and an expectation that costs can remain flat into FY27 by offsetting wage increases with internal savings. Addressing competitive concerns, Tim argued Qoria operates in a high-trust, regulated environment where customers are purchasing risk mitigation, compliance, accountability, and professional servicesnot just software. He said the companys advantages include proprietary and regulatory-sensitive data, visibility across both school and home contexts, and broader integration across school systems following the Octopus acquisition. About Qoria (ASX:QOR) Qoria Limited markets, distributes, and sells cyber safety products and services. It offers Family Zone platform that delivers cyber safety settings, advice, and support to parents and schools across various networks and devices to keep children safe at home and school, as well as permits telecommunication service providers and device manufacturers to embed cyber safety practices into their offerings. The company also provides classroom management solutions. It offers hot spotting, VPN, and mobile solutions for families and schools, IT companies, educators, residential managers, and pastoral care organizations. Read More Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE:RGA Get Free Report) was the target of a large growth in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 655,535 shares, a growth of 19.6% from the December 15th total of 548,094 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 462,036 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.4 days. Currently, 1.0% of the companys stock are sold short. Currently, 1.0% of the companys stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 462,036 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.4 days. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Reinsurance Group of America Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in RGA. Richard W. Paul & Associates LLC grew its stake in Reinsurance Group of America by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. Richard W. Paul & Associates LLC now owns 1,523 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $302,000 after buying an additional 54 shares during the last quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group boosted its holdings in shares of Reinsurance Group of America by 1.3% during the third quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group now owns 4,281 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $819,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Reinsurance Group of America by 1.0% in the third quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 5,776 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,110,000 after purchasing an additional 58 shares during the last quarter. Xponance Inc. grew its position in shares of Reinsurance Group of America by 0.8% in the third quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 7,637 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,467,000 after purchasing an additional 58 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Reinsurance Group of America by 17.6% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 388 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $76,000 after purchasing an additional 58 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.11% of the companys stock. Get Reinsurance Group of America alerts: Reinsurance Group of America Stock Down 1.1% RGA stock traded down $2.16 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $194.57. The companys stock had a trading volume of 291,246 shares, compared to its average volume of 321,190. The companys fifty day moving average price is $196.93 and its 200 day moving average price is $193.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.13 and a quick ratio of 0.13. Reinsurance Group of America has a twelve month low of $159.25 and a twelve month high of $232.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.97 and a beta of 0.55. Reinsurance Group of America Announces Dividend Reinsurance Group of America ( NYSE:RGA Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The insurance provider reported $6.37 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $5.80 by $0.57. The company had revenue of $6.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.02 billion. Reinsurance Group of America had a net margin of 3.89% and a return on equity of 12.19%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $6.13 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Reinsurance Group of America will post 22.9 EPS for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, November 25th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 11th were paid a $0.93 dividend. This represents a $3.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 10th. Reinsurance Group of Americas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 28.62%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts recently issued reports on RGA shares. Piper Sandler increased their target price on Reinsurance Group of America from $220.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 23rd. Morgan Stanley set a $208.00 price target on shares of Reinsurance Group of America in a report on Monday, December 15th. Barclays set a $237.00 price objective on shares of Reinsurance Group of America in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price objective on shares of Reinsurance Group of America from $255.00 to $240.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Reinsurance Group of America from $237.00 to $238.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Reinsurance Group of America has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $238.67. View Our Latest Research Report on Reinsurance Group of America Reinsurance Group of America Company Profile (Get Free Report) Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA) is a leading global provider of life and health reinsurance solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, RGA partners with primary insurance companies to help them manage risk, improve capital efficiency and develop innovative products. The companys offerings span traditional risk transfer, financial solutions and facultative underwriting services, enabling clients to address a wide range of mortality, longevity, morbidity and critical-illness exposures. RGAs product suite includes life reinsurance, living benefits reinsurance, structured reinsurance and financial solutions that support product innovation and capital management. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Reinsurance Group of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Reinsurance Group of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Equity Bancshares (NYSE:EQBK Get Free Report) is one of 20 publicly-traded companies in the State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System industry, but how does it compare to its peers? We will compare Equity Bancshares to related companies based on the strength of its dividends, profitability, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations, risk and valuation. Volatility & Risk Equity Bancshares has a beta of 0.87, indicating that its share price is 13% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Equity Bancshares peers have a beta of 1.01, indicating that their average share price is 1% more volatile than the S&P 500. Get Equity Bancshares alerts: Earnings and Valuation This table compares Equity Bancshares and its peers top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Equity Bancshares $335.67 million $62.62 million 39.10 Equity Bancshares Competitors $675.20 million $95.99 million 39.70 Dividends Equity Bancshares peers have higher revenue and earnings than Equity Bancshares. Equity Bancshares is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Equity Bancshares pays an annual dividend of $0.72 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.5%. Equity Bancshares pays out 60.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies pay a dividend yield of 2.3% and pay out 67.3% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. Institutional and Insider Ownership 71.8% of Equity Bancshares shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 72.2% of shares of all State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies are held by institutional investors. 6.6% of Equity Bancshares shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 6.7% of shares of all State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Profitability This table compares Equity Bancshares and its peers net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Equity Bancshares 5.01% 11.67% 1.33% Equity Bancshares Competitors 7.23% 6.94% 0.79% Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of recent ratings for Equity Bancshares and its peers, as provided by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Equity Bancshares 0 2 0 1 2.67 Equity Bancshares Competitors 31 173 217 26 2.53 As a group, State Commercial Banks Fed Reserve System companies have a potential upside of 4.50%. Given Equity Bancshares peers higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Equity Bancshares has less favorable growth aspects than its peers. Summary Equity Bancshares peers beat Equity Bancshares on 10 of the 15 factors compared. Equity Bancshares Company Profile (Get Free Report) Equity Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Equity Bank that provides a range of banking, mortgage banking, and financial services to individual and corporate customers. The company accepts various demand, savings, money market, and time deposits. Its loan products include commercial and industrial, commercial real estate-backed, commercial lines of credit, working capital, term, equipment financing, acquisition, expansion and development, borrowing base, real estate construction, homebuilder, agricultural, government guaranteed, and other loan products to national and regional companies, restaurant franchisees, hoteliers, real estate developers, manufacturing and industrial companies, agribusiness companies, and other businesses. The companys loan products also comprise various consumer loans to individuals and professionals, including residential real estate loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, installment loans, unsecured and secured personal lines of credit, overdraft protection, and letters of credit. It also provides debit cards; online banking solutions, such as access to account balances, online transfers, online bill payment, and electronic delivery of customer statements; mobile banking solutions comprising remote check deposits with mobile bill pay; ATMs; and treasury management, wire transfer, automated clearing house, and stop payment services. In addition, the company offers cash management deposit products, such as lockbox, remote deposit capture, positive pay, reverse positive pay, account reconciliation services, zero balance accounts, and sweep accounts, as well as banking services through telephone, mail, and personal appointments. As of December 31, 2021, it operated a network of 69 branches in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Receive News & Ratings for Equity Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equity Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC raised its holdings in NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE Free Report) by 61.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 24,662 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 9,359 shares during the quarter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLCs holdings in NextEra Energy were worth $1,862,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in NextEra Energy by 2.7% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 212,877,021 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $14,777,923,000 after acquiring an additional 5,554,603 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in NextEra Energy by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 45,724,229 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,161,774,000 after purchasing an additional 526,996 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of NextEra Energy in the 2nd quarter worth $2,375,545,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 16,786,728 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,165,896,000 after buying an additional 340,315 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc grew its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 16,414,103 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,139,467,000 after buying an additional 408,198 shares in the last quarter. 78.72% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get NextEra Energy alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms recently weighed in on NEE. New Street Research set a $84.00 price objective on shares of NextEra Energy in a research note on Monday, October 13th. Mizuho lifted their price objective on shares of NextEra Energy from $78.00 to $88.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. TD Cowen initiated coverage on NextEra Energy in a report on Thursday, October 16th. They set a buy rating and a $98.00 target price for the company. HSBC increased their target price on NextEra Energy from $94.00 to $95.00 in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on NextEra Energy from $94.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, NextEra Energy presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $91.50. NextEra Energy Trading Down 1.0% NYSE:NEE opened at $82.81 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $82.29 and a 200-day simple moving average of $78.34. NextEra Energy, Inc. has a 12 month low of $61.72 and a 12 month high of $87.53. The company has a market capitalization of $172.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.40, a PEG ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 0.74. NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The utilities provider reported $1.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.04 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $7.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.13 billion. NextEra Energy had a return on equity of 12.42% and a net margin of 24.72%.The firms quarterly revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.03 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that NextEra Energy, Inc. will post 3.68 earnings per share for the current year. NextEra Energy Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Investors of record on Friday, November 21st were issued a $0.5665 dividend. This represents a $2.27 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 21st. NextEra Energys dividend payout ratio is 72.29%. Insider Transactions at NextEra Energy In other NextEra Energy news, CEO Armando Pimentel, Jr. sold 145,140 shares of NextEra Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.91, for a total transaction of $12,178,697.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 162,693 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,651,569.63. The trade was a 47.15% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.18% of the companys stock. About NextEra Energy (Free Report) NextEra Energy, Inc (NYSE: NEE), headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, is a leading clean energy company with both regulated utility operations and competitive renewable generation businesses. The companys principal operating subsidiaries include Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), a regulated electric utility serving customers in Florida, and NextEra Energy Resources, which develops, constructs, owns and operates a large portfolio of wind, solar and energy storage projects. Together these businesses provide electricity supply, transmission and distribution services as well as utility-scale renewable generation and related services. NextEras activities cover the full lifecycle of power assets, from project development and construction to operation, maintenance and asset optimization. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for NextEra Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NextEra Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SandRidge Energy, Inc. (NYSE:SD Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 2,059,934 shares, a decline of 21.7% from the December 15th total of 2,630,031 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 283,083 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 7.3 days. Approximately 5.7% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Approximately 5.7% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 283,083 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 7.3 days. Institutional Trading of SandRidge Energy A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in SD. Signaturefd LLC raised its position in shares of SandRidge Energy by 229.3% during the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 3,056 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 2,128 shares in the last quarter. Azarias Capital Management L.P. grew its position in SandRidge Energy by 384.2% in the second quarter. Azarias Capital Management L.P. now owns 346,070 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $3,744,000 after acquiring an additional 274,594 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its stake in SandRidge Energy by 7.0% during the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,107,341 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock worth $11,981,000 after acquiring an additional 72,537 shares during the last quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. raised its position in SandRidge Energy by 138.0% during the second quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 32,134 shares of the oil and natural gas companys stock valued at $348,000 after purchasing an additional 18,631 shares during the period. Finally, Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of SandRidge Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $140,000. Institutional investors own 61.84% of the companys stock. Get SandRidge Energy alerts: SandRidge Energy Trading Up 0.3% Shares of NYSE:SD traded up $0.05 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $14.66. 265,421 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 242,784. The stock has a market cap of $538.86 million, a PE ratio of 8.23 and a beta of 0.52. The businesss fifty day moving average is $14.34 and its two-hundred day moving average is $12.37. SandRidge Energy has a one year low of $8.81 and a one year high of $15.56. SandRidge Energy Dividend Announcement SandRidge Energy ( NYSE:SD Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The oil and natural gas company reported $0.42 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.10. SandRidge Energy had a net margin of 42.42% and a return on equity of 11.58%. The business had revenue of $39.82 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $38.80 million. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 28th. Investors of record on Friday, November 14th were paid a dividend of $0.12 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 14th. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.3%. SandRidge Energys dividend payout ratio is presently 26.97%. Analysts Set New Price Targets SD has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of SandRidge Energy in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen lowered SandRidge Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, SandRidge Energy currently has an average rating of Hold. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on SD About SandRidge Energy (Get Free Report) SandRidge Energy, Inc (NYSE: SD) is an independent exploration and production company focused on the development of onshore oil and natural gas resources in the United States. The company concentrates its operations primarily in the Anadarko Basin, applying horizontal drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing techniques to exploit unconventional reservoirs. SandRidges asset portfolio includes both crude oil and natural gas liquids, complemented by associated gas production, with infrastructure investments designed to optimize midstream availability and enhance capital efficiency. Founded in 2006 by industry veteran Tom L. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for SandRidge Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SandRidge Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Seabridge Gold Inc. (TSE:SEA Get Free Report) (NYSE:SA) reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as C$45.00 and last traded at C$44.34, with a volume of 50911 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$44.70. Seabridge Gold Stock Performance The company has a current ratio of 2.28, a quick ratio of 3.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 58.83. The companys 50-day moving average is C$39.90 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$31.63. The stock has a market capitalization of C$4.71 billion, a P/E ratio of -81.09 and a beta of 1.77. Get Seabridge Gold alerts: Insider Activity In related news, insider Elizabeth K. Fillatre Miller sold 1,648 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$40.49, for a total value of C$66,727.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 32,969 shares of the companys stock, valued at C$1,334,914.81. This represents a 4.76% decrease in their position. Corporate insiders own 2.78% of the companys stock. Seabridge Gold Company Profile Seabridge holds a 100% interest in several North American gold projects. Seabridges principal asset, the KSM project, and its Iskut projects are located in Northwest British Columbia, Canadas Golden Triangle , the Courageous Lake project is in Canadas Northwest Territories, the Snowstorm project in the Getchell Gold Belt of Northern Nevada and the 3 Aces project is in the Yukon Territory. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Seabridge Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Seabridge Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust (NYSEARCA:FXA Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 17,119 shares, a decrease of 21.2% from the December 15th total of 21,735 shares. Approximately 1.3% of the companys stock are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 17,251 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.0 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 17,251 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.0 days. Approximately 1.3% of the companys stock are sold short. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of FXA. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. raised its holdings in Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust by 246.0% in the 2nd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 865 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 615 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its holdings in Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust by 147.0% in the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 877 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $57,000 after acquiring an additional 522 shares in the last quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $83,000. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $203,000. Get Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust alerts: Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust Price Performance Shares of NYSEARCA:FXA opened at $66.21 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $65.56 and a two-hundred day moving average of $65.02. Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust has a 12-month low of $58.90 and a 12-month high of $66.77. Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust Increases Dividend Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust Company Profile The firm also recently announced a monthly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 8th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 2nd were paid a $0.0524 dividend. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.9%. This is a boost from Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trusts previous monthly dividend of $0.05. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 2nd. (Get Free Report) Guggenheim CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust, formerly The CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust, is a grantor trust. The Trust issues shares (the Shares) in blocks of 50,000 (a Basket) in exchange for deposits of Australian Dollars and distributes Australian Dollars in connection with the redemption of Baskets. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the price of Australian Dollars plus accrued interest, if any, less the expenses of the Trusts operations. The Shares are intended to offer investors an opportunity to participate in the market for the Australian Dollar through an investment in securities. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Schneider National, Inc. (NYSE:SNDR Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 4,092,456 shares, a decline of 20.8% from the December 15th total of 5,170,467 shares. Approximately 3.0% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 810,531 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 5.0 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 810,531 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 5.0 days. Approximately 3.0% of the shares of the company are short sold. Schneider National Price Performance Shares of NYSE:SNDR traded down $0.48 during trading on Monday, reaching $29.32. The stock had a trading volume of 843,291 shares, compared to its average volume of 762,277. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.14 billion, a PE ratio of 45.81, a P/E/G ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 2.11 and a quick ratio of 1.93. Schneider National has a 52 week low of $20.11 and a 52 week high of $31.19. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $25.49 and its 200 day moving average price is $24.42. Get Schneider National alerts: Schneider National (NYSE:SNDR Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $0.12 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.21 by ($0.09). Schneider National had a return on equity of 4.04% and a net margin of 2.03%.The business had revenue of $1.45 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.44 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.18 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 10.4% on a year-over-year basis. Schneider National has set its FY 2025 guidance at 0.700-0.950 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Schneider National will post 1.12 earnings per share for the current year. Schneider National Dividend Announcement Institutional Trading of Schneider National The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 12th were issued a dividend of $0.095 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 12th. This represents a $0.38 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. Schneider Nationals dividend payout ratio is currently 59.38%. Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of SNDR. Royal Bank of Canada raised its position in Schneider National by 19.1% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 162,011 shares of the companys stock worth $3,702,000 after purchasing an additional 26,015 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Schneider National during the first quarter worth $7,477,000. Empowered Funds LLC raised its position in shares of Schneider National by 12.0% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 13,944 shares of the companys stock worth $319,000 after acquiring an additional 1,494 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its stake in shares of Schneider National by 18.0% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 178,433 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,077,000 after acquiring an additional 27,180 shares during the period. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC boosted its holdings in Schneider National by 120.5% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 90,616 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,071,000 after acquiring an additional 49,511 shares during the last quarter. 28.54% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Analyst Ratings Changes SNDR has been the topic of several recent research reports. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on shares of Schneider National from $29.00 to $32.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. National Bankshares set a $21.00 price target on shares of Schneider National in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Schneider National in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup increased their target price on Schneider National from $23.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, Raymond James Financial upgraded Schneider National from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $28.00 target price for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have assigned a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $28.80. Get Our Latest Stock Report on SNDR Schneider National Company Profile (Get Free Report) Schneider National, Inc is a leading provider of transportation and logistics services in North America. The company offers a full spectrum of solutions, including truckload transportation, intermodal services and dedicated logistics. Through these offerings, Schneider supports the movement of goods ranging from dry van freight to refrigerated and flatbed shipments, while also providing customized supply chain management and warehousing capabilities. Founded in 1935 by Al Schneider as a single-truck operation in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the company has grown into one of the industrys most recognized carriers. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Schneider National Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Schneider National and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Triad Group plc (LON:TRD Get Free Report) insider Tim Eckes sold 3,251 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 240, for a total transaction of 7,802.40. Tim Eckes also recently made the following trade(s): Get Triad Group alerts: On Monday, January 19th, Tim Eckes acquired 30 shares of Triad Group stock. The shares were purchased at an average price of GBX 245 per share, with a total value of GBX 7,350. On Monday, January 19th, Tim Eckes bought 3,221 shares of Triad Group stock. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 241 per share, for a total transaction of 7,762.61. Triad Group Trading Up 2.0% LON:TRD traded up GBX 5 on Tuesday, hitting GBX 250. The stock had a trading volume of 10,001 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,207. The company has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 258.42 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 282.75. Triad Group plc has a 1-year low of GBX 222.22 and a 1-year high of GBX 410. The company has a quick ratio of 3.17, a current ratio of 2.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 22.15. The stock has a market cap of 43.57 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.11 and a beta of 1.36. About Triad Group Triad Group ( LON:TRD Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 25th. The company reported GBX 5.21 EPS for the quarter. Triad Group had a negative net margin of 7.21% and a negative return on equity of 28.75%. (Get Free Report) Triad Group plc provides information technology consultancy services to the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors primarily in the United Kingdom. The company offers consulting and advisory; business insights; software development; project and software delivery; program management; and support services. Triad Group Plc was incorporated in 1988 and is based in Godalming, the United Kingdom. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Triad Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Triad Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bitcoins long-term price outlook remains technically constructive despite Mondays sharp reversal, according to some analysts, as durable ETF flows offset short-term volatility. The top crypto has stabilized around $92,000 and has remained little changed over 24 hours, according to CoinGecko data. The recovery follows Mondays sell-off, driven by escalating U.S.-Europe trade tensions that resulted in over $865 million in liquidations. The market recovered relatively quickly with Bitcoin finding its feet in this range, suggesting a strong underlying bid and that much of this macro noise is priced, according to a Tuesday report from digital assets investment firm ZeroCap. The firms analysts likened the current setup to an early-stage risk-on rotation, noting that strong structural flows from spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds are proving more durable than short-term positioning. While last weeks ETF netflows reached the highest level in three months, other analysts are still uncertain. Sean Dawson, head of research at on-chain options platform Derive, also expressed caution to Decrypt. I think short-term volatility will dominate, Dawson said, pointing to the 25-delta skew trend lower as evidence that investors are increasingly buying puts for downside protection. Bitcoin Slips On Trade War Fears, Sparks $865M in Liquidations High volatility norm Still, investors need to keep a close eye on three macroeconomic and geopolitical catalysts that could sustain high volatility in crypto and broader financial markets. Those include the escalating U.S.-Europe trade dispute over Greenland, the delayed regulatory clarity from the CLARITY Act, and the pending Supreme Court ruling on the legality of President Donald Trumps global tariff policy. The Greenland dispute intensified Monday when President Trump sent a text message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. Stre confirmed the exchange, stating he and Finlands president had messaged Trump urging de-escalation. The prime minister reaffirmed Norways position that Greenland belongs to Denmark and reaffirmed support for NATO, which he said is taking steps to bolster security in the Arctic. As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have clearly explained, including to President Trump, what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee, and not the Norwegian Government,' Stre said. Trump has repeatedly argued he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his foreign-policy efforts, openly expressing frustration over the awards refusal to recognize his role in past diplomatic agreements. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. increased its position in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank (The) (NYSE:TD Free Report) (TSE:TD) by 97.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 228,013 shares of the banks stock after purchasing an additional 112,323 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank accounts for 2.8% of Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest holding. Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s holdings in Toronto Dominion Bank were worth $18,236,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of TD. True Wealth Design LLC purchased a new position in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank in the 3rd quarter worth $27,000. Mather Group LLC. purchased a new position in shares of Toronto Dominion Bank during the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. Quaker Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Toronto Dominion Bank by 200.0% during the 2nd quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 428 shares of the banks stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 856 shares in the last quarter. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in Toronto Dominion Bank during the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Sachetta LLC purchased a new stake in Toronto Dominion Bank during the third quarter worth $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 52.37% of the companys stock. Get Toronto Dominion Bank alerts: Toronto Dominion Bank Stock Performance NYSE:TD opened at $93.29 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $156.57 billion, a PE ratio of 11.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 0.67. Toronto Dominion Bank has a fifty-two week low of $54.14 and a fifty-two week high of $96.44. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $89.40 and its 200-day simple moving average is $81.25. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. Toronto Dominion Bank Increases Dividend Toronto Dominion Bank ( NYSE:TD Get Free Report ) (TSE:TD) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The bank reported $1.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.46 by $0.10. Toronto Dominion Bank had a net margin of 16.52% and a return on equity of 13.90%. The company had revenue of $11.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.10 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.72 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Toronto Dominion Bank will post 5.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 9th will be paid a dividend of $1.08 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 9th. This is an increase from Toronto Dominion Banks previous quarterly dividend of $1.05. This represents a $4.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.6%. Toronto Dominion Banks payout ratio is currently 37.37%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms recently commented on TD. National Bank Financial raised shares of Toronto Dominion Bank from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Raymond James Financial raised shares of Toronto Dominion Bank to a hold rating in a report on Monday, November 24th. Jefferies Financial Group cut shares of Toronto Dominion Bank from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Toronto Dominion Bank from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of Toronto Dominion Bank in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Toronto Dominion Bank currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $93.00. Check Out Our Latest Report on TD Toronto Dominion Bank Profile (Free Report) Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Formed through the 1955 merger of the Bank of Toronto (founded 1855) and the Dominion Bank (founded 1869), TD is one of Canadas largest banks and offers a broad range of financial products and services to individual, small business, commercial and institutional clients. TDs core businesses include Canadian and U.S. personal and commercial banking, wealth management, wholesale banking and insurance. Read More 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. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. purchased a new position in shares of Orla Mining Ltd. (NYSEAMERICAN:ORLA Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 213,489 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,303,000. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. owned 0.06% of Orla Mining as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. XML Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Orla Mining by 7.2% during the second quarter. XML Financial LLC now owns 24,550 shares of the companys stock worth $246,000 after buying an additional 1,650 shares during the last quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. grew its stake in shares of Orla Mining by 50.0% in the 2nd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 5,368 shares of the companys stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 1,789 shares during the period. IFP Advisors Inc raised its holdings in shares of Orla Mining by 191.6% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 3,981 shares of the companys stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 2,616 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Orla Mining by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 124,405 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,255,000 after purchasing an additional 3,948 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. boosted its position in Orla Mining by 82.2% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 10,161 shares of the companys stock valued at $102,000 after buying an additional 4,584 shares in the last quarter. 43.04% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Orla Mining alerts: Orla Mining Stock Performance NYSEAMERICAN:ORLA opened at $16.28 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $5.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 125.36 and a beta of 0.30. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $13.47 and a 200-day moving average price of $11.75. Orla Mining Ltd. has a fifty-two week low of $5.72 and a fifty-two week high of $15.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.07. Orla Mining Announces Dividend Wall Street Analyst Weigh In The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 10th. Investors of record on Monday, January 12th will be paid a $0.015 dividend. This represents a $0.06 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 12th. Orla Minings payout ratio is currently -599.40%. A number of brokerages have weighed in on ORLA. National Bankshares initiated coverage on shares of Orla Mining in a research note on Monday, January 12th. They issued an outperform rating for the company. Natl Bk Canada raised Orla Mining to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. CIBC reissued an outperform rating on shares of Orla Mining in a research report on Monday, October 20th. Scotiabank reissued an outperform rating on shares of Orla Mining in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating on shares of Orla Mining in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Orla Mining presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $27.00. Read Our Latest Stock Report on ORLA Orla Mining Profile (Free Report) Orla Mining is a Canada-based mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing gold and silver projects in the Americas. Its flagship asset is the Cerro Quema oxide gold-silver project in Panama, where the company holds approximately 13,000 hectares of mineral concessions. Through feasibility studies and pilot plant testing, Orla has demonstrated the potential of heap leach processing at Cerro Quema, positioning the asset for transition into construction and production phases. In addition to Cerro Quema, Orla Mining expanded its portfolio in early 2023 with the acquisition of the Gold Springs project located along the UtahNevada border in the United States. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ORLA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Orla Mining Ltd. (NYSEAMERICAN:ORLA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Orla Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Orla Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. acquired a new stake in HudBay Minerals Inc (NYSE:HBM Free Report) (TSE:HBM) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 531,833 shares of the mining companys stock, valued at approximately $8,057,000. HudBay Minerals accounts for approximately 1.2% of Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s holdings, making the stock its 23rd biggest holding. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. owned about 0.13% of HudBay Minerals as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Creative Planning raised its holdings in HudBay Minerals by 5.4% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 25,067 shares of the mining companys stock worth $266,000 after purchasing an additional 1,289 shares in the last quarter. Pacifica Partners Inc. increased its position in HudBay Minerals by 6.7% during the 2nd quarter. Pacifica Partners Inc. now owns 25,921 shares of the mining companys stock worth $272,000 after purchasing an additional 1,625 shares during the period. Strong Tower Advisory Services raised its stake in shares of HudBay Minerals by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter. Strong Tower Advisory Services now owns 94,175 shares of the mining companys stock worth $1,428,000 after buying an additional 2,182 shares in the last quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of HudBay Minerals by 10.3% in the 2nd quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 29,757 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $316,000 after buying an additional 2,768 shares during the period. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of HudBay Minerals in the third quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.82% of the companys stock. Get HudBay Minerals alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts recently weighed in on HBM shares. Wall Street Zen lowered HudBay Minerals from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, November 15th. CIBC reiterated an outperform rating on shares of HudBay Minerals in a report on Thursday. Bank of America boosted their price objective on shares of HudBay Minerals from $16.50 to $19.50 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, October 16th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of HudBay Minerals in a report on Sunday, December 7th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered HudBay Minerals from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $27.00. HudBay Minerals Stock Up 1.6% Shares of NYSE:HBM opened at $22.87 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $9.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.81 and a beta of 1.36. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $18.68 and its 200-day simple moving average is $14.96. HudBay Minerals Inc has a 52-week low of $5.95 and a 52-week high of $23.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. HudBay Minerals (NYSE:HBM Get Free Report) (TSE:HBM) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The mining company reported $0.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.06 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $346.80 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $538.16 million. HudBay Minerals had a net margin of 22.38% and a return on equity of 8.89%. HudBay Mineralss revenue for the quarter was down 28.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.13 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that HudBay Minerals Inc will post 0.79 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About HudBay Minerals (Free Report) HudBay Minerals Inc is a Canada-based mining company engaged in the exploration, development and production of base and precious metals. Its primary products include copper, zinc, gold and silver concentrates, which are sold to smelters and refiners worldwide. The companys operations span multiple stages of the mining cycle, from resource definition and feasibility studies to mine construction, extraction and reclamation. The company traces its roots back to 1927, when it was established as Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Co Limited. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HBM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for HudBay Minerals Inc (NYSE:HBM Free Report) (TSE:HBM). Receive News & Ratings for HudBay Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for HudBay Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in McDonalds Corporation (NYSE:MCD Free Report) by 15.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 43,592 shares of the fast-food giants stock after acquiring an additional 5,879 shares during the quarter. McDonalds accounts for about 1.2% of Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 20th biggest holding. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in McDonalds were worth $13,247,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of McDonalds by 1.3% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 71,331,031 shares of the fast-food giants stock worth $20,840,787,000 after buying an additional 921,936 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in McDonalds by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 34,828,352 shares of the fast-food giants stock valued at $10,175,800,000 after acquiring an additional 272,139 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in McDonalds by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 16,828,420 shares of the fast-food giants stock worth $4,901,595,000 after acquiring an additional 276,065 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in McDonalds in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,780,712,000. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in McDonalds by 29,382.3% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,737,548 shares of the fast-food giants stock valued at $1,676,339,000 after purchasing an additional 5,718,087 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.29% of the companys stock. Get McDonald's alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have recently issued reports on MCD shares. BMO Capital Markets restated an outperform rating on shares of McDonalds in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b-) rating on shares of McDonalds in a report on Friday, October 31st. KeyCorp upped their price objective on shares of McDonalds from $335.00 to $340.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of McDonalds from $350.00 to $356.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on McDonalds from $340.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $328.88. Insider Buying and Selling at McDonalds In related news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,486 shares of McDonalds stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $320.00, for a total transaction of $795,520.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,268 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,005,760. This trade represents a 28.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Manuel Jm Steijaert sold 13,134 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $300.42, for a total transaction of $3,945,716.28. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 4,606 shares in the company, valued at $1,383,734.52. The trade was a 74.04% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 45,142 shares of company stock valued at $13,841,169 in the last quarter. 0.25% of the stock is owned by insiders. McDonalds Trading Down 0.4% Shares of MCD opened at $307.53 on Tuesday. McDonalds Corporation has a 1-year low of $278.73 and a 1-year high of $326.32. The firms 50-day moving average price is $308.94 and its 200-day moving average price is $305.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $219.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.24, a PEG ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 0.53. McDonalds (NYSE:MCD Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The fast-food giant reported $3.22 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.33 by ($0.11). McDonalds had a negative return on equity of 280.89% and a net margin of 32.04%.The firm had revenue of $7.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.10 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.23 EPS. The firms revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that McDonalds Corporation will post 12.25 EPS for the current fiscal year. McDonalds Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st were given a $1.86 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. This is a boost from McDonaldss previous quarterly dividend of $1.77. McDonaldss payout ratio is currently 63.48%. About McDonalds (Free Report) McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is a global quick-service restaurant company best known for its hamburgers, French fries and breakfast offerings. The company develops, operates and franchises a system of restaurants that sell a range of food and beverage items, including signature products such as the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets, McCafe coffee beverages and a variety of salads, desserts and seasonal menu items. McDonalds serves customers through company-operated restaurants and franchised locations, and it supports sales via dine-in, drive-thru, digital ordering platforms and third-party delivery partnerships. Founded in 1940 by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald as a single San Bernardino, California restaurant, the business was transformed into a franchising model after Ray Kroc joined in the mid-1950s and led the brands national and international expansion. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for McDonald's Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for McDonald's and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) by 103.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 38,576 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after purchasing an additional 19,587 shares during the period. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $5,167,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in ABT. Brighton Jones LLC grew its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 10.1% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 51,719 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $5,850,000 after purchasing an additional 4,755 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 3.5% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,768 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $648,000 after buying an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. Sowell Financial Services LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.5% in the second quarter. Sowell Financial Services LLC now owns 23,890 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,249,000 after buying an additional 108 shares during the period. Lewis Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 500.8% during the second quarter. Lewis Asset Management LLC now owns 15,968 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,172,000 after acquiring an additional 13,310 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sweeney & Michel LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the second quarter worth $212,000. Institutional investors own 75.18% of the companys stock. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $145.00 to $149.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, October 16th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $142.00 to $146.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, October 16th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $147.00 target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Thursday, October 16th. William Blair raised shares of Abbott Laboratories to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $162.00 to $169.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Abbott Laboratories presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $147.42. Abbott Laboratories Trading Down 1.4% Shares of Abbott Laboratories stock opened at $121.82 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $211.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.27, a P/E/G ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a quick ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 1.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. Abbott Laboratories has a 12-month low of $113.39 and a 12-month high of $141.23. The businesss 50 day moving average is $125.93 and its 200-day moving average is $128.83. Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be paid a $0.63 dividend. This is an increase from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.59. This represents a $2.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 15th. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio is 31.58%. Abbott Laboratories Company Profile (Free Report) Abbott Laboratories is a global healthcare company headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of medical products and services. Founded in 1888, Abbott operates through multiple business areas that focus on diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and established pharmaceuticals. The company supplies hospitals, clinics, laboratories, retailers and direct-to-consumer channels with products intended to diagnose, treat and manage a wide range of health conditions. In diagnostics, Abbott provides laboratory and point-of-care testing platforms and assays used to detect infectious diseases, chronic conditions and biomarkers; its Alinity family of instruments and rapid-test solutions are examples of this capability. See Also 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. Vaughan David Investments LLC IL trimmed its position in shares of AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV Free Report) by 2.5% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 336,464 shares of the companys stock after selling 8,803 shares during the period. AbbVie accounts for 1.7% of Vaughan David Investments LLC ILs holdings, making the stock its 7th biggest position. Vaughan David Investments LLC ILs holdings in AbbVie were worth $77,905,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of AbbVie during the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Spurstone Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in AbbVie during the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. bought a new stake in AbbVie during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AbbVie in the second quarter worth approximately $39,000. Finally, Bear Mountain Capital Inc. raised its stake in shares of AbbVie by 480.6% in the second quarter. Bear Mountain Capital Inc. now owns 209 shares of the companys stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 173 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.23% of the companys stock. Get AbbVie alerts: AbbVie Price Performance NYSE ABBV opened at $214.38 on Tuesday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $226.72 and its 200-day moving average is $216.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $378.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 162.41, a PEG ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 0.36. AbbVie Inc. has a one year low of $164.39 and a one year high of $244.81. AbbVie Increases Dividend AbbVie ( NYSE:ABBV Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 31st. The company reported $1.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.77 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $15.78 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.58 billion. AbbVie had a net margin of 4.00% and a return on equity of 3,216.47%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.00 earnings per share. AbbVie has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 3.320-3.360 EPS. Research analysts expect that AbbVie Inc. will post 12.31 EPS for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Investors of record on Friday, January 16th will be issued a $1.73 dividend. This is a boost from AbbVies previous quarterly dividend of $1.64. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 16th. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.2%. AbbVies payout ratio is presently 524.24%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts recently issued reports on ABBV shares. Bank of America lifted their target price on AbbVie from $220.00 to $251.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. Piper Sandler restated an overweight rating and set a $289.00 price objective (up from $284.00) on shares of AbbVie in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of AbbVie in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Berenberg Bank set a $275.00 target price on shares of AbbVie in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their price target on shares of AbbVie from $207.00 to $222.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, September 22nd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $248.11. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on ABBV AbbVie Profile (Free Report) AbbVie is a global, research-driven biopharmaceutical company that was created as a spin-off from Abbott Laboratories in 2013 and is headquartered in North Chicago, Illinois. The company focuses on discovering, developing and commercializing therapies for complex and often chronic medical conditions. Its operations span research and development, manufacturing, regulatory affairs and commercialization, with an emphasis on bringing specialty medicines to market across multiple therapeutic areas. AbbVies product portfolio and pipeline cover several major therapeutic categories, including immunology, oncology, neuroscience, virology and womens health. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABBV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for AbbVie Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AbbVie and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vista Investment Partners II LLC bought a new position in shares of Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (NYSEARCA:AAAU Free Report) in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund bought 18,800 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $717,000. Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Quadrature Capital Ltd acquired a new position in Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF during the second quarter worth about $30,082,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 676,500 shares of the companys stock worth $22,108,000 after purchasing an additional 22,937 shares during the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF by 29.7% in the second quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 458,600 shares of the companys stock valued at $14,987,000 after purchasing an additional 105,000 shares during the last quarter. Augustine Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. Augustine Asset Management Inc. now owns 384,920 shares of the companys stock worth $12,579,000 after acquiring an additional 9,694 shares during the period. Finally, Sonoma Allocations LLC acquired a new position in Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $12,454,000. Get Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF alerts: Key Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF News Here are the key news stories impacting Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF this week: Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF Price Performance Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF Profile AAAU stock traded up $1.53 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $46.75. 652,461 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,860,504. Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF has a 1-year low of $26.98 and a 1-year high of $46.88. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $42.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $38.32. (Free Report) The Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (AAAU) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the LBMA Gold Price index. The fund tracks the gold spot price, less expenses and liabilities, using gold bars held in vaults located in the UK. AAAU was launched on Jul 26, 2018 and is issued by Goldman Sachs. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AAAU? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (NYSEARCA:AAAU Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Voestalpine AG (OTCMKTS:VLPNY Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $9.2940, but opened at $8.7450. Voestalpine shares last traded at $8.74, with a volume of 1,332 shares traded. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a buy rating on shares of Voestalpine in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating on shares of Voestalpine in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Citigroup reissued a neutral rating on shares of Voestalpine in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of Voestalpine from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, November 17th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Get Voestalpine alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Voestalpine Voestalpine Stock Up 1.5% The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 0.49. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $8.58 and a 200 day moving average of $7.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.31 and a beta of 1.32. Voestalpine (OTCMKTS:VLPNY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $0.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.12 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $4.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.31 billion. Voestalpine had a return on equity of 3.10% and a net margin of 1.50%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Voestalpine AG will post 0.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Voestalpine Company Profile (Get Free Report) Voestalpine AG is a leading steel-based technology and capital goods group headquartered in Linz, Austria. The company specializes in the production of high-quality steel and sophisticated components for a range of industries, including automotive, railway systems, aerospace, energy, and construction. It operates across all major processing steps in steel production, from rawmaterial processing and steelmaking to downstream activities such as coating, processing, and assembly. Voestalpines portfolio is organized into several business divisions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Voestalpine Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Voestalpine and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its position in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report) by 10.3% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 549,481 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 51,399 shares during the quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $84,922,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Philip Morris International in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Traub Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Philip Morris International during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 1,677.8% in the 3rd quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 160 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares during the period. Abound Wealth Management grew its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 566.7% during the second quarter. Abound Wealth Management now owns 160 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 136 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Briaud Financial Planning Inc boosted its stake in shares of Philip Morris International by 266.7% in the second quarter. Briaud Financial Planning Inc now owns 165 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.63% of the companys stock. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Philip Morris International Stock Down 3.3% Shares of PM stock traded down $5.66 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $167.96. The companys stock had a trading volume of 544,117 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,862,654. Philip Morris International Inc. has a one year low of $122.22 and a one year high of $186.69. The company has a market cap of $261.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 0.40. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $158.09 and a 200-day moving average price of $161.62. Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 24th. The company reported $2.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.10 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $10.85 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.67 billion. Philip Morris International had a net margin of 9.33% and a negative return on equity of 122.14%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.91 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 7.14 EPS for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 26th were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 26th. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is presently 106.52%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley set a $175.00 target price on shares of Philip Morris International and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Barclays lowered their target price on Philip Morris International from $220.00 to $180.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 17th. Wall Street Zen cut Philip Morris International from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $180.00 price target on Philip Morris International in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a buy rating on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $184.56. Read Our Latest Stock Report on PM Philip Morris International Company Profile (Free Report) Philip Morris International Inc (NYSE: PM) is a global tobacco company that manufactures and sells cigarettes, other nicotine-containing products and a growing portfolio of smoke-free alternatives for adult smokers. The firm traces its corporate roots to the 19th century Philip Morris enterprise and was established as an independent, publicly traded company following a 2008 separation from what is now Altria. Since the spin-off, the company has focused on serving international markets outside the United States. PMIs product mix includes traditional combustible cigarettes as well as smoke-free offerings such as heated tobacco systems and other reduced-risk products. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC reduced its holdings in Terex Corporation (NYSE:TEX Free Report) by 6.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 965,435 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 62,395 shares during the quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Terex were worth $50,849,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Minneapolis Portfolio Management Group LLC grew its position in shares of Terex by 42.6% during the 3rd quarter. Minneapolis Portfolio Management Group LLC now owns 647,289 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $33,206,000 after buying an additional 193,260 shares during the period. Nordea Investment Management AB boosted its stake in Terex by 3.4% during the third quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 154,557 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $7,872,000 after acquiring an additional 5,070 shares in the last quarter. Tema Etfs LLC grew its holdings in Terex by 4.5% in the third quarter. Tema Etfs LLC now owns 139,808 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $7,172,000 after purchasing an additional 5,984 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC increased its stake in Terex by 23.0% in the third quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 16,157 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $829,000 after purchasing an additional 3,023 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS raised its holdings in shares of Terex by 15.2% during the third quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS now owns 15,200 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $780,000 after purchasing an additional 2,000 shares during the period. 92.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Terex alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Terex In other Terex news, Director Andra Rush acquired 2,120 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 31st. The shares were bought at an average price of $46.59 per share, for a total transaction of $98,770.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 25,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,184,690.52. This represents a 9.10% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.90% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research analysts recently weighed in on TEX shares. Raymond James Financial raised Terex from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $70.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Morgan Stanley raised Terex from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and lifted their target price for the company from $47.00 to $60.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Terex in a report on Thursday, November 13th. They set an equal weight rating and a $50.00 price target for the company. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Terex in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Terex from $52.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Terex has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $58.64. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Terex Terex Stock Performance Terex stock traded down $1.73 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $58.66. The companys stock had a trading volume of 36,535 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,198,193. The company has a market capitalization of $3.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.05, a PEG ratio of 5.45 and a beta of 1.67. The firms fifty day moving average price is $51.73 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $51.46. Terex Corporation has a 12-month low of $31.53 and a 12-month high of $62.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a current ratio of 2.15. Terex (NYSE:TEX Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The industrial products company reported $1.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.22 by $0.28. Terex had a return on equity of 15.93% and a net margin of 2.92%.The company had revenue of $1.39 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.41 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.46 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 14.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Terex has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.700-5.100 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Terex Corporation will post 4.83 EPS for the current fiscal year. Terex Profile (Free Report) Terex Corporation is a global manufacturer of lifting and material-handling plant and equipment, serving a range of industries that includes construction, infrastructure, energy, manufacturing and shipping logistics. Its product portfolio encompasses aerial work platforms, rough terrain and tower cranes, port and cargo handling equipment, material processing machinery and utility products. These offerings are marketed under well-known brands such as Genie, Terex AWP, Terex Cranes, Demag, and Powerscreen, and are designed to meet diverse application requirements from building sites to industrial facilities and ports. Headquartered in Westport, Connecticut, Terex traces its roots back to 1933 and has grown through strategic acquisitions and organic expansion. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TEX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Terex Corporation (NYSE:TEX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Terex Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Terex and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Blend Labs Inc. (NYSE:BLND) is one of the best debt-free penny stocks to buy right now. On January 6, Matt Thomson joined Blend Labs Inc. (NYSE:BLND) as head of revenue. He joins the company with over 25 years of experience in fintech sales leadership. Blend Labs, Inc. (BLND) Appoints Matt Thomson as it Eyes Accelerated Revenue Growth Thomson is tasked with blending the companys sales organization and revenue strategy. He will also position the company to expand its presence across financial institutions, having added new customers and expanded existing client relationships in the third quarter. The Blend Labs pipeline is also up by 60% Financial institutions are looking for partners who can help them compete digitally while maintaining the relationships that define their brands. Thats exactly what Blend delivers, and Im looking forward to helping more institutions discover whats possible with the right technology partner, Thomson said At the Wells Fargo 9th Annual TMT Summit, the company reiterated its plans to integrate AI into its platform to speed up and improve mortgage processing. The renewed focus comes on moving from non-core businesses, such as income verification, to offering software solutions. Blend Labs, Inc. (NYSE:BLND) is a cloud-based digital platform for financial institutions that streamlines the entire consumer lending and account-opening process, from mortgages and home equity to personal loans and deposit accounts. While we acknowledge the potential of BLND 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 Best Blue Chip Stocks to Buy for 2026 and 10 Best Metal Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Yes safety oversight must come before anything else Regulation is needed, but delays and red tape are the real problem No enforcement already exists; regulation wont prevent accidents Vote View Results By David Milliken LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The Bank of England must be "very alert" to geopolitical risks, Governor Andrew Bailey said on Tuesday as financial markets were thrown into fresh turmoil by U.S. President Donald Trump's stated desire to control Greenland and the risk of a trade war. More from Yahoo Scout What are Bailey's concerns about US Federal Reserve independence? What spillover effects worry the Bank of England? How could Trump's policies impact Britain's economy? How do geopolitical tensions affect UK financial stability? Wall Street futures hit one-month lows, while the dollar entered a second day of declines and long-dated government bond yields rose sharply. Bailey, responding to lawmakers' questions, said geopolitical risks had risen over the past year, contributing to U.S. dollar weakness and record high gold prices, but the impact on markets and economic growth had been less than feared so far. "We worry considerably about how markets can react to those things. Market reactions have actually been more muted than we would have feared and expected," Bailey told the British parliament's Treasury Committee. Investors were having to balance "extreme" statements against their experience that such threats were generally not carried out, he said. Some investors have taken an approach of discounting Trump's public statements, known as "TACO", short for "Trump always chickens out". "I'm not saying I'm a believer in this sort of 'TACO trade' notion. But did the tariffs follow through to some of the more extreme things that were being said?" Bailey said. "After Liberation Day (tariff announcements) ... the U.S. authorities reconsidered. As a result, the market volatility that we saw ... calmed down." Asked how concerned the BoE was about Trump's pursuit of Greenland and trade tensions, Bailey said he did not want to say that specific issues could be a trigger for upheaval in the financial system. "But the level of geopolitical uncertainty and the level of geopolitical issues is obviously a big consideration," Bailey said. "We have to remain very alert to these things," he said. BoE Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden said that so far this year, yields on U.S., British and euro zone government bonds had been fairly stable, with Japanese government debt being the exception, due to domestic political factors. He rejected the suggestion from one lawmaker that any loss of confidence in U.S. government debt could boost demand for British government bonds. "Given our relative reserve currency statuses ... it would have negative consequences," he said. "Increasingly we are seeing that U.S. yields might rise and we see the consequence in our yields rising." Key Points Brookfield Asset Management's share price has declined about 18% from its 52-week high. The company's long-term growth plans remain unchanged and are still highly attractive. If Brookfield Asset Management can live up to its five-year plan, it could be a very attractive growth and income stock. 10 stocks we like better than Brookfield Asset Management Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM) is offering investors a dividend yield that is triple that of the S&P 500 index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC). And the Canadian asset manager is targeting annual earnings growth rates of as much as 18%. If you are a growth and income investor, you should be paying very close attention to Brookfield Asset Management. The company has done it once already Brookfield Asset Management plans to increase earnings by roughly double during the next five years, taking fee-earning capital from $580 billion to $1.2 trillion. That's an audacious goal, but it doesn't come out of nowhere. Between 2020 and 2025, management was able to increase the asset manager's fee-earning capital from $277 billion to the current $580 billion. That resulted in fee-related earnings growth of roughly 15% a year. Image source: Getty Images. Knowing that Brookfield Asset Management has doubled the size of its business before should give investors greater confidence in its ability to do so again. However, it is essential to remember that the company operates on Wall Street, and a bear market could impede its progress toward its longer-term goals. Of course, bull markets have always followed bear markets, so any setback is likely to be temporary. It is also worth noting that Brookfield Asset Management's business is diversified. It manages money across renewable power, infrastructure, real estate, private equity, and credit, serving small investors, larger investors, and institutional investors, such as insurance companies. Overlaying these five business segments are the investment themes of decarbonization, deglobalization, and digitization. Management believes that these megatrends represent a $100 trillion opportunity. What does Brookfield Asset Management look like in five years? Assuming that Brookfield Asset Management can achieve its business growth targets, which it has proven it can do, where does that leave the stock? That is a difficult question to answer, but you can get some insight if you consider the current and attractive 3.3% dividend yield. Part of Brookfield Asset Management's growth plan is to use its distributable earnings growth to power dividend growth. If distributable earnings growth rises at an 18% clip as forecast, then the company should have little difficulty increasing the dividend, on an annualized basis, at the 15% rate that it hiked the payment to in 2025. So, in about five years the dividend will have doubled, using the rule of 72 to get a rough estimate. Jan 19 (Reuters) - China's securities regulator has asked brokers to remove client-dedicated servers from data centers in local exchanges, a move that will deprive rapid-trading "flash boys" of an edge against other investors, people with knowledge of the matter said. High-frequency traders in China have long used servers situated at data centers run by futures and stock exchanges and owned by brokers to execute trades as the physical adjacency shaves off milliseconds or even microseconds. More from Yahoo Scout Which major trading firms are impacted by these changes? Why is China removing broker servers from exchange data centers? How will this affect high-frequency trading in Chinese markets? What broader regulatory trends are driving these market reforms? The tightening measure comes as the Chinese securities regulator steps up efforts to discourage market speculation and protect small investors, amid a runaway rally in the domestic market over the past year, which has triggered concerns about another boom-and-bust cycle. The latest move on access to exchange data centers could send ripples across China's market of high-frequency trading, which has lured foreign players including Citadel Securities and Jane Street Group. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has asked brokerages in recent weeks to remove such servers, affecting both Chinese and foreign high-frequency traders, said one of the people who received the guidance. The requirements are aimed at creating a level playing field, said another person with direct knowledge of the development. "Previously, you were in the house. Now, you're being driven out. It will likely trigger an industry shake-up" as some players will lose a key advantage, the person said. The CSRC, Citadel Securities and Jane Street did not respond to Reuters request for comment. The sources did not want to be named as they are not authorised to talk to media. Bloomberg first reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter, that commodities futures exchanges in Shanghai and Guangzhou are among those that have ordered local brokers to shift servers for their clients out of data centers run by the bourses. The sources told Reuters the guidance applies to all major exchanges overseen by the CSRC, including commodities futures exchanges and stock exchanges. Chinas major futures exchanges are based in Shanghai, Dalian, Zhengzhou and Guangzhou. Shanghai, Dalian, Zhengzhou and Guangzhou exchanges did not immediately reply to Reuters requests for comment. 'FAIR TRADING CONDITIONS' Chinas benchmark Shanghai Composite Index scaled decade-highs last week as turnover and leverage trades hit records. Some companies, especially those from the AI and semiconductor sectors, jumped as much as 700% in their local market debuts in recent weeks. Bridge City High School recently hosted Industry Day, an immersive career exploration event designed to bridge the gap between classroom education and the Southeast Texas workforce. The event connected senior students with leading local industry partners, providing them with firsthand insights into high-demand, high-wage career pathways available in the region. Industry Day reflects Bridge City High School's commitment to preparing students for life beyond graduation. By fostering strong partnerships with local employers, BCHS aims to equip students with the practical knowledge and professional networks necessary to succeed in a competitive job market. A cornerstone of the event was the interactive mock interview process. Seniors stepped out of their comfort zones to practice professional interview skills in a structured environment. Industry representatives provided real-time feedback, allowing students to refine their communication style, learn how to articulate their strengths and gain confidence in speaking with potential employers. "These structured interactions allowed our students to ask critical questions about specific fields and understand exactly what employers are looking for," Principal, Dr. Amanda James at Bridge City High School. "It is vital that our seniors understand not just the technical skills required for these jobs, but the professional soft skills that will set them apart." Students had the opportunity to network with professionals representing a wide spectrum of industries, including manufacturing, construction, finance, engineering, logistics and skilled trades. Bridge City High School extends its gratitude to the industry partners who invested their time and expertise in the student body. Participating organizations included: Associated Builders & Contractors Construction Training Center Beaumont Electrical DOW G&G Enterprises Golden Triangle FAME Chapter LSCO (Lamar State College Orange) LSCO Financial Services Motiva The Newtron Group Port of Beaumont Vector Controls Community Christian School recently hosted it's annual Winter Formal. This year's theme, "A Knight's Tale," transformed the school into the setting for an engaging medieval murder mystery dinner theater. Teachers and staff performed the skit, while students followed clues throughout the evening to solve the mystery. The celebration concluded with Winter Formal Court. Dominic Garza and Audrina Garza were crowned junior high Prince and Princess. Levi Hinton and Liliana Mendoza were honored as Duke and Duchess of the high school.The evening culminated with the crowning of the Winter Formal King and Queen, Ben Britnell and Lacey Cupp. Community Christian School hosted it's annual Winter Formal Saturday evening. This year's theme, "A Knight's Tale," transformed the school into the setting for an engaging medieval murder mystery dinner theater. Teachers and staff performed the skit, while students followed clues throughout the evening to solve the mystery. The celebration concluded with Winter Formal Court. Dominic Garza and Audrina Garza were crowned junior high Prince and Princess. Levi Hinton and Liliana Mendoza were honored as Duke and Duchess of the high school.The evening culminated with the crowning of the Winter Formal King and Queen, Ben Britnell and Lacey Cupp. Motor theft racket | IMPHAL, Jan 20: A key player in an inter-State vehicle theft racket identified as Md Juma Khan (39) has been arrested by State police and CRPF Sector QAT. Md Juma Khan hails from Yairipok Bishnunaha. He is a wanted offender in multiple serious cases and a key player of a vehicle theft ring, said the police. His arrest came after requisition from Crime Branch, Delhi Police, said the police. Notably, 6 vehicles stolen from outside the State were recovered from Churachandpur and Imphal West districts today. The vehicles were recovered in an operation carried out following specific inputs from Delhi police. The operation was carried out with the assistance of ICICI Lombard Insurance Company and technical support, said the police. The recovered vehicles have been handed over to the police stations concerned, and coordination with originating States is underway for recovery formalities, said the police. Further efforts are on to locate and recover stolen vehicles from different areas of the State, added the police. BEIJING, Jan 20 (Reuters) - China plans to roll out new policies from 2026 to 2030 to spur domestic consumption and tackle "prominent" imbalances in supply and demand, with the services sector becoming a key focus, the country's state planner said on Tuesday. Chinese leaders have pledged to "significantly" lift household consumption's share of the economy over the next five years, though they have not given a specific target. More from Yahoo Scout What specific policies will China implement from 2026-2030? Why is China focusing on boosting domestic consumption? How is the services sector becoming China's growth priority? What financial incentives is China offering to stimulate demand? "The issue of having strong supply but weak demand in the current economic operation is indeed a prominent problem," Wang Changlin, vice head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said at a press conference. China's economy grew 5% last year, matching the government's target, as a boom in Chinese exports offset weak domestic consumption, a balancing act that is expected to be difficult to replicate. Industrial output rose 5.9% in 2025, outpacing the 3.7% growth in retail sales, underscoring the supply-demand imbalance. On Tuesday, China's finance ministry said it would extend interest subsidies for consumers, consumer-service enterprises and businesses in need of equipment upgrades to the end of 2026 to revive softening domestic demand. The extension seeks to "further boost consumption and expand domestic demand, continue to reduce the cost of personal consumer credit, and enhance residents' willingness to spend," the finance ministry said. The ministry will also roll out interest subsidies for up to two years for loans issued to micro, small and medium-sized private enterprises from this year. It also introduced a guarantee plan totalling 500 billion yuan ($71.83 billion) over two years for private investment. Zhou Chen, an official at the NDRC, said the government would continue to use trade-in subsidies to support consumption of goods like electric vehicles, but its focus was shifting toward services. Officials say services, including elderly care, healthcare and leisure, offer substantial room for growth. "The services sector has now become a key focus in efforts to expand domestic demand," Zhou said. In December, China deployed 62.5 billion yuan ($8.98 billion) in special treasury bond funds to support its 2026 consumer trade-in scheme for appliances and new-energy vehicles. ($1 = 6.9606 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Kevin Yao and Ziyi Tang; Editing by Kate Mayberry and Thomas Derpinghaus) A manufacturing company has said it is pulling out of investments in the US, losing $400,000 in revenue over Donald Trump's tariff uncertainty. The US president has recently doubled down on his threat to take control of Greenland, insisting he will impose tariffs on several countries, including the UK, if they oppose any takeover. The impact is being felt by Bilston firm Bowers & Jones - which has decided to stop development activities in the US and focus on the UK and European markets. Managing director Jane Sommerville told the BBC the company pulled out of an upcoming deal because it "no longer stands up". Sommerville said over the last 12 months, the tariffs were "starting to hit us hard now", with many of the machining company's customers being over in the US. She said: "We had some plans to open a partnership with a company over there to do machining with a product in the US. "But that investment no longer stands up. I usually go out two or three times a year to visit customers and do business development activities - but we're just not seeing the return in that investment either now." An initial wave of tariffs was announced early last year and in June, the UK negotiated a 10% US tariff rate, the lowest so far of any country that has struck a deal with Trump. Sommerville said: "When the tariffs were initially announced last year - the uncertainty was causing the major issues. "But then once the deal had been done we found we were one of the favoured nations and had lower tariffs than other countries in the world. "So we could move forward on that basis and negotiate prices with customers and we won orders on the back of that." Bowers & Jones, in Bilston, said it had lost $400,000 in revenue after pulling out of a deal due to the tariff uncertainty [Bowers & Jones] Writing on social media on Saturday, Trump said that he would impose tariffs on the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland. He said they would be charged "a 10% tariff on any and all goods" sent to the US, with the tariff raised to 25% on 1 June. The new import taxes would "be due and payable until such time as a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland" and would begin on 1 February. Sommerville said now there was uncertainty again of "not knowing what's going on". She said: "Yesterday we pulled out of a contract we were negotiating because it affects our price with the customer and our customer wants to place the order so we pulled out of it - which was a hit of around $400,00 in revenue for us." She said last year the company's turnover was down by 20%, and now its growth patterns have had to be rewritten. This month, Kochi Metro Rail Limiteds urban feeder bus service Metro Connect completed a year of regular operations. Last January, the operator of the Kerala citys metro and water metro service introduced the transit feeder service with a fleet of 15 airconditioned electric buses. Fast forward to now, and the Metro Connect service has moved 14 lakh passengers, slowly transforming the citys public transport landscape. Looking ahead, KMRL plans to add GTFS-based live bus tracking and invehicle information systems as Kochi Metros Phase II expands the network. With the average daily ridership hitting more than 4,600 in recent months, KMRL recently announced that around 14 lakh passenger trips have been recorded on the feeder network so far. The 33seater buses run on six key routes, including the highdemand AluvaCIAL (airport) corridor and links to Medical College and KadavanthraPanampilly Nagar, covering about 2,300km every day and nearly 7 lakh km over the year, the metro operator said. KMRL attributed the feeder systems succes to the "adoption of data analytics-driven optimisation". "Service and charging optimisation initiatives have resulted in a 15 per cent improvement in both ridership and revenue. KMRL has established an advanced analytics platform integrating fare systems, bus telematics and charging infrastructure to continuously track key performance indicators. This initiative was implemented under the Sustainable Mobility and Climate Action Programme, supported by GIZ India and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs," they said in a statement. However, it is the tackling of the last-mile connectivity issue that they truly solved. Why lastmile buses matter Metro systems often struggle because people still find it difficult to get from the station to home or office, a problem transport experts call the "lastmile penalty". Multiple studies and academic reviews of Indian cities noted that when lastmile links are weak, commuters shift to twowheelers and cars, increasing congestion, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions despite heavy investment in metros and BRT corridors. This is where lastmile optionsflexible, lowemission feeders like ebuses or shared emobilityexpand a metros catchment area, raise ridership and cut overall emissions from urban travel. KMRL Managing Director Loknath Behera said, "The urban feeder bus service is a key pillar of Kochi Metros integrated mobility vision. Its first-year success clearly demonstrates how well-planned electric feeder systems can strengthen last-mile connectivity, increase public transport usage, and support sustainable urban growth. Importantly, the feeder service has also helped enhance the ridership and revenue of both Kochi Metro Rail and Water Metro services." And that is a true win, feeder services boosting the primary services like Kochi Metro and Kochi Water Metro. For Kochi, this was particularly useful on festival and New Year days, when extended feeder services supported record passenger numbers. "...We have demonstrated the feasibility of running an efficient and financially sustainable electric bus system in Kochi. In a city with high environmental risk indicators, the Urban Feeder Service stands as proof that careful planning, smart operations and responsiveness to commuter needs can deliver zero-loss, people-centric public transport," pitched in Gokul T.G., General Manager (Urban Transport) at KMRL. The "Metro Connect" is a success story that married the metro service with an electric bus fleet. This, along with the passenger analytics platform, became the magic recipe for a marked upgrade in Kochis public transit system. But KMRL is not stopping there. For instance, they are also running road safety and behaviour training for crew with SCMS Institute of Road Safety and Transportation. Soon, live tracking would come to the service. And the rest of the world has started to take note. Recently, Kochi Water Metro earned global recognition by securing a finalist spot in the prestigious 2026 Global Sustainable Transport Awards, even though it narrowly missed the top prize. The true winners, however, are the public transit passengers of Kochi. From a trading perspective, the key takeaway is forward-looking impact. Roughly 80% of the charge relates to prior years, sharply limiting its effect on future margins. Management has also stated that it does not expect the issue to materially affect results going forward. As a result, most traders are likely to classify the Q3 margin miss as non-recurring rather than a signal of deteriorating cost discipline. The situation changed following an August ruling by Brazils Supreme Court in an unrelated case, which broadened the interpretation of transactions subject to the tax. As a result, Netflix reassessed its legal exposure and recorded an expense covering the period from 2022 through the third quarter of 2025. The tax itself, known as the Contribution for Intervention in the Economic Domain (CIDE), is a gross tax applied to certain outbound payments made by Brazilian entities to foreign companies. Netflix Brazil pays Netflix U.S. for services that allow the platform to operate locally, and until recently, the company believed these payments fell outside the scope of the tax. That interpretation was supported by a favourable lower-court ruling in 2022, which explains why Netflix had not accrued for this liability in prior periods. The margin shortfall was driven by an expense related to a Brazilian tax dispute, not by weaker fundamentals. Management stressed that without this charge, operating income and margins would have exceeded guidance. For traders, this distinction is critical. Markets tend to penalise structural margin compression far more aggressively than temporary distortions caused by legal or accounting reassessments. Netflix reported an operating margin of 28%, below its guided 31.5%, immediately drawing investor attention. In isolation, a margin miss would normally raise concerns about cost inflation or waning operating leverage. In this case, management was quick to draw a clear line between underlying performance and a non-recurring legal adjustment tied to Brazil. In the third quarter, Netflix delivered revenue of $11.51 billion, up 17% year over year and fully in line with its own guidance. While this result did not surprise the market, it reinforced a critical point: even as Netflix matures, its top line remains resilient, supported by pricing actions, member growth, and early traction from advertising. For traders, consistency matters. As Netflix heads into its upcoming earnings report, market participants are increasingly focused on quality of growth rather than headline expansion alone. Revenue growth remains solid, but for traders, the more important question is whether Netflix can continue translating its global scale into durable profitability and predictable cash generation. Story Continues This framing shifts attention back to Netflixs underlying operating leverage as the company moves into 2026. If margins rebound toward prior targets in coming quarters, it would reinforce confidence that Netflixs long-term margin trajectory remains intact. Conversely, any hesitation or additional one-off adjustments would likely be scrutinised much more closely by the market. Engagement at Record Levels in Core Markets Beyond margins, engagement trends continue to strengthen Netflixs good performance. During the quarter, the company achieved its highest-ever viewing share in both the United States and the United Kingdom, two of its most strategically important markets. According to Nielsen and BARB, Netflix captured 8.6% of total viewing in the U.S. and 9.4% in the U.K. These figures are not isolated spikes. Since the end of 2022, viewing share has increased by 15% in the U.S. and 22% in the U.K., pointing to sustained competitive gains rather than temporary content-driven surges. Total viewing hours also accelerated in the third quarter compared with the first half of the year, suggesting that engagement is still building, not flattening. Why Does Engagement Matter for Traders? For traders, engagement metrics are not just vanity statistics. They sit at the core of Netflixs monetisation engine. Higher share of viewing strengthens pricing power, reduces churn risk, and increases the effectiveness of advertising inventory. In practical terms, it means Netflix has more flexibility to raise prices selectively without triggering disproportionate subscriber losses. This is particularly relevant as the company expands its advertising-supported tier. Advertisers value not only raw subscriber numbers, but attention and time spent. Rising engagement improves the quality of Netflixs ad inventory, which feeds directly into revenue per user and long-term margin potential. Advertising Growth Continues Netflixs advertising business delivered its strongest quarter to date in Q3 2025, with record ad sales and a doubling of U.S. upfront commitments. While advertising remains modest relative to subscription revenue, its growth rate and improving visibility are becoming increasingly important for valuation. Upfront commitments secured during the quarter will start contributing meaningfully to revenue in late 2025 and continue into 2026, improving forecast reliability. More importantly, management highlighted accelerating growth in programmatic advertising, which is typically more scalable and margin-accretive over time. The drivers are structural. Netflix now offers advertisers a rare combination of global scale, highly engaged audiences, and increasingly sophisticated buying tools. The rollout of its proprietary ad tech stack has expanded available formats, improved measurement capabilities, and increased flexibility in how inventory is purchased. Management characterises the business as having moved from an experimental phase into a more established execution phase, with rapid iteration based on advertiser feedback. What Does This Mean for Traders Looking Into 2026? For traders, the advertising roadmap is a key medium-term catalyst. Netflix plans to integrate additional demand-side platforms, enhance targeting and media planning tools globally, and roll out more interactive ad formats, including new features later this year. Over time, management expects to layer in machine-learning-driven optimisation, advanced measurement, and more sophisticated targeting capabilities. The implication is that advertising margins may lag subscription margins in the near term as investments continue, but could expand meaningfully as the stack matures. Traders will be watching closely for signs that advertising revenue is scaling without disproportionate cost increases, a combination that could materially change Netflixs long-term margin profile. Netflix Guidance Looking ahead, Netflix expects fourth-quarter 2025 revenue growth of 17% and an operating margin of 23.9%, representing a year-over-year improvement despite the Brazilian tax headwind. For the full year, revenue is projected at $45.1 billion with a 29% operating margin. While slightly below prior expectations, the revision is directly linked to the tax issue rather than operational softness. Taken together, Netflixs recent performance paints the picture of a business that remains fundamentally robust. Engagement is rising, monetisation channels are diversifying, and margin pressure appears temporary rather than structural. For traders, the upcoming earnings report will be less about headline beats or misses and more about confirmation: confirmation that margins normalise after Brazil, advertising momentum continues into 2026, and engagement gains remain durable. But beyong monetisation and cash generation, traders will also focus on Netflixs comments on the Warner Bros. Discovery deal, as well as its gaming and content strategy, which is what we will focus on in the next article. Weekly Netflix Chart Source: ActivTrades Sources: Netflix, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, CNBC, PwC, Nielsen, MorningStar, Yahoo Finance This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Toyota on Tuesday revealed the new Urban Cruiser Ebella, as the Japanese automotive giant takes its first steps in the small but growing electric vehicle market in India. The company, which also sells strong hybrid vehicles in the country, apart from conventional ICE (internal combustion engine) SUVs, will follow a multi-pathway approach towards offering sustainable mobility and becoming carbon neutral, Toyota Kirloskar Motor officials say. The Ebella EV is based on Maruti Suzukis eVitara and will compete with other mid-size electric SUVs like the Hyundai Creta, Mahindras BE6, Tata Harrier EV and the VF6 from Vinfast. Urban Cruiser Ebella EV: Features and booking The new SUV will be offered with two battery pack options in 49 kWh and 61 kWh, and will offer a driving range of up to 543 kilometres in the larger battery pack variant. The company has opened bookings for the Ebella EV from today, January 20, 2026, with a token amount of Rs 25,000. But, it hasnt revealed the pricing or when the deliveries of the e SUV will begin. This launch is part of Toyotas multi-pronged approach towards offering sustainability and carbon neutrality. Toyota Kirloskar Motor already sells the Urban Cruiser Hyryder and the Innova Hycross in a strong hybrid electric option. The premium Camry sedan and Vellfire MPV are also sold here with a strong hybrid powertrain. Toyota has also been trialling the Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in India. It has also, in the past, showcased flex-fuel prototypes. We continue to make consistent efforts to ensure that every customer has access to a wide range of technologies. This is our multi-pathway approach to enable a faster, practical and scalable transition towards greener mobility, said Tadashi Asazuma, deputy MD at Toyota Kirloskar Motor. According to Sabari Manohar, executive vice-president, sales-service-used car business at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, demand for hybrids has already been strong. A sizeable portion of sales of Innova Hycross and the Urban Cruiser Hyrider are of the strong hybrid variant, he pointed out. Officials are hopeful the EV will do well and have taken several customer-centric initiatives towards that. For instance, it will have over 500 EV-enabled service touchpoints and will offer 24/7 roadside assistance. There will also be 2,500 EV master technicians with over a decade of electrification experience to offer a hassle-free service across the country. Customers will also get an 8-year battery warranty, battery as a service option and an assured buy-back programme, providing up to 60 per cent residual value after three years, noted Vikram Gulati, executive vice-president, corporate affairs, Toyota Kirloskar Motor. The unveiling of the Ebella electric SUV follows Maruti Suzukis eVitara launch in India in December. The electric SUV is already being exported to Europe. In India, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles leads the electric vehicle market. Mahindra and Mahindra too has seen strong traction with its electric offerings, especially BE6 and XEV 9e. The MG Windsor EV, too, has found many buyers. Indias electric passenger vehicle market is very small, but it is growing. In 2025, sales rose 77 per cent to over 1.76 lakh units, from 99,875 units in 2024, according to the Federation of Auto Dealers Association of India (FADA). In contrast, total passenger vehicle retails in India stood at over 44.75 lakh units in 2025, up 10 per cent from year-ago sales of around 40.80 lakh units. Tata Motors PV was the top seller in Indias EV market with retail sales of 70,004 EVs. It was followed by JSW MG Motor India, which sold 51,387 EVs and Mahindra and Mahindra sold 33,513 units. Hyundai Motor India and BYD India were a distant fourth and fifth with sales of 6,726 and 5,402 units, respectively. Range anxiety and a limited charging network have been among the reasons behind Indias slow adoption of EVs. Toyota, apart from offering home charging solutions, will also create charging infrastructure at its dealers. Additionally, it is also collaborating with EV charging network ChargeZone and Jio-BP for easy accessibility to the nationwide charging infrastructure of the two companies. The European Union is at the verge of finalising a historic trade agreement with India, said European Commission President Ursual von der Leyen, pointing out that "some call it the mother of all deals". The remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos comes just a few days ahead of her Delhi visit. European Council President Antonio Costa and von der Leyen will be in India from January 25 to 27 to as chief guests to the Republic Day celebrations. They will also hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. NOW - Ursula von der Leyen says EU is "on the cusp" of making "the mother of all deals," with India, "Europe will always choose the world, and the world is ready to choose Europe." pic.twitter.com/LfZbBxI6Lo Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 20, 2026 There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals. One that would create a market of 2 billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP, she said. Why is India-EU free trade agreement called 'Mother of All Deals'? The trade deal would create a market comprising two billion people, accounting for almost a quarter of the global GDP, according to von der Leyen. EU believes that the deal would give it a "first-mover advantage" with one of the world's fastest growing and most dynamic continents. "Europe wants to do business with the growth centres of today and the economic powerhouses of this century," von der Leyen said. "From Latin America to the Indo Pacific and far beyond, Europe will always choose the world. And the world is ready to choose Europe." EU is also reportedly reconsidering its options amid US President Donald Trump's rhetoric on Greenland annexation. For India, the deal would open way for skilled professionals to get visas and jobs at EU member nations. India and the EU, which have been strategic partners since 2004, started negotiating the free trade agreement in 2007. However, the talks were suspended in 2013 due to gap in ambition. They resumed in mid-2022. The Centre is planning to bring out a comprehensive policy for the integration of former Agniveers with the Central Armed Police Forces (CISF). CISF Director General Praveer Ranjan said a committee has been formed at the CISF headquarters to prepare an action plan in this context and present it to the Union home ministry. For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India "This is a policy matter of the ministry of home affairs (MHA). It will be done in consultation with the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). The MHA will come out with a proper policy, which we all will follow," news agency PTI quoted him as saying. He said the panel was scrutinising ways to integrate the Agniveers; in what proportion and where they will be utilised was a plan that the MHA will lay down in detail. Citing an example, he said Agniveers coming from the Navy can be "relevant" for CISF duties related to seaports security. ALSO READ: Pinaka rockets head to Armenia as India steps up defence export game The government had, in 2022, rolled out the Agnipath recruitment scheme with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three defence forces. Under the Agnipath recruitment scheme, selected candidates in the age bracket of seventeen-and-a-half to 21 years are enrolled in the Army, Air Force and Navy as Agniveers for four years, with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years, while the remaining 75 per cent exit. The government has already reserved 10 per cent jobs for ex-Agniveers in all future constable appointments in the 11 lakh-strong CAPF, which includes the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, CISF, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Sashastra Seema Bal. The Congress, the principal Opposition party in Assam, is facing erosion of its political standing as its support base in the state shows a growing lack of confidence. The partys low leadership visibility and meagre presence on the ground have weakened its connection with voters, giving the BJP a clear upper hand as the state is set to enter the election mode to choose the government for the next five years. The poor electoral standing of the Congress is more visible in Guwahati. "The Congress may do good, but for now we don't think it has any chance to win the elections," Samsad Ahmed, who works as a cab driver in the state capital, said. "The BJP has started conducting rallies, and more people talk about them than they talk about the Opposition." Many people like Samsad find the BJP-led alliance more powerful than the Opposition on the ground, but a section of political analysts believes that the Opposition has not mobilised its cadre yet, as it has not come to the active election mode. It is also expected that narrative-building and outreach to the public will ramp up only after Rahul Gandhi holds rallies and creates momentum. "The BJP has finances, and they can spend money on rallies. They can also start it early and sustain their election campaign," a political observer said. "The opposition cannot do that. Moreover they haven't been able to align themselves well with each other yet. They may have decided to contest elections together and may be intending to fight it well together, but that rhythm which can help them put up a challenge against the Himanta Biswa Sarma government is not yet there." In the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP retained power while the Congress, for the second consecutive time, lost the polls. In 2016, the grand old party bagged just 26 seats out of the states 126 constituencies and, in the subsequent election, it managed to gain three more seats to reach 29. As the election campaign heats up, the opposition hopes to accelerate anti-incumbency by highlighting key issues and convincing voters that a change in government could bring better development and relief. Going by trends from past Assembly elections, where vote shares have been close, with Congress polling around 30 per cent and the BJP about 33 per cent, the Congress is upbeat about overtaking the BJP with the support of alliance partners such as Raijor Dal and the Assam Jatiya Parishad, whose influence among voters appears to be growing. A Congress leader said, These two parties may not be able to win on their own but have enough influence to facilitate vote transfers and shape narratives. However, other leaders believe their influence is limited. Though these parties are popular among Muslim voters for their anti-BJP stance, it may not necessarily translate into a decisive addition of votes capable of dislodging the BJP government on polling day. Notably, the Congress has kept the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) out of its alliance, believing that its inclusion could trigger reverse polarisation in an already polarised election. The party also hopes that this strategy will help it retain its traditional voter base in Upper Assam. As of now, both alliances are being cautious in choosing their candidates, a process that will be crucial for building momentum and trust at the grassroots level. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Guwahati, BJP has set its political ball rolling, whereas the Congress has yet to make its move. For the third year in a row, high drama unfolded inside the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as governor R.N. Ravi walked out without reading the customary address. Ravis decision to walk out prompted Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to assert that the DMK will work to amend the constitution to do away with the customary governor's address. Expressing his disappointment for the national anthem not being played at the beginning of the session, Ravi claimed in the statement that the national anthem was not given due respect. He said that it was unfortunate that his speech was interrupted. A war of words unfolded inside the floor as speaker M. Appavu insisted that the governor follow the established set of rules and that only the Tamil anthem can be played as per the rules. He urged the governor to follow the established rules and customs of the assembly. Minutes after his walkout from the assembly, Lok Bhavan, the office of the governor of Tamil Nadu, issued a detailed press statement citing a dozen issues for Ravi declining to read out the customary address. The statement said that the governors mic was repeatedly switched off and he was not allowed to speak. The statement said the speech contains numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements. Several crucial issues troubling the people are ignored. The statement from the Lok Bhavan also said that the claim that the state attracted huge investments to the tune of Rs. 12 lakh crores was far from the truth. He said thatmany of the MoUs with prospective investors remain only on paper. Actual investment is hardly a fraction of it. Investment data show that Tamil Nadu is becoming less attractive for investors. Until four years ago, Tamil Nadu, among the states, was the fourth-largest recipient of foreign direct investment. Today, it is struggling to remain at the sixth. The statement also claimed that women's safety was totally ignored, though there is an alarming increase of over 55 per cent in incidents of POCSO rapes and over 33 per cent increase in incidents of sexual molestation of women. Rampant prevalence of Narcotics and drugs and a sharp increase in Drug abuse cases among youth, including school students, is a very serious concern. Over 2000, mostly youth, committed suicide in one year due to drug abuse. It is seriously jeopardising our future, the statement claimed. Stating that several thousand village panchayats are defunct as elections have not been held for years, the statement said that crores of people are denied their rights of grassroots democracy. This is against the letter and spirit of the Constitution. People are anxiously waiting for the restoration of village panchayats. However, this does not find even a mention in the speech. About the temple administration in the state, the statement noted that millions of devotees are deeply hurt and frustrated with the mismanagement of temples and that the sentiments of devotees are callously ignored. He also pointed out that the MSME sector is under huge stress due to visible and invisible costs of running the industry. They are the crucial sector for employment and growth. However, as against over 55 million registered MSMEs in the country, Tamil Nadu has only about 4 million, despite enormous potential for growth. Entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu are forced to relocate their enterprises to other states. The issue is completely ignored. He also said that there is widespread discontentment among lower rung employees in almost all sectors. They are restive and frustrated. No mention of ways to address their genuine grievances. As the governor stormed out of the assembly after engaging in a war of words with Speaker Appavu, Chief Minister Stalin moved a resolution to deem as read the governors address as prepared by the state government. Speaker M Appavu read the Tamil translation of the entire address. Accusing Ravi of insulting the house, the chief minister said that Ravi was defaming the state government in his speeches even outside the house. The Governor has insulted the House and has gone against the traditions. In the resolution, he said that this is not happening just in Tamil Nadu but across the country. We will work with like-minded parties to get necessary amendments to the Constitution to do away with the practice of starting the assembly session at the beginning of the year with the governors address. However, this is not the first time that Governor Ravi walked out of the house. In 2022, for the first time after he took charge as the governor, he omitted certain portions of the customary address prepared by the government. And in 2023, he made a few additions on his own to the address. But, in 2024, 2025 and now in 2026, the governor skipped the address and chose to walk out of the house. With the assembly election drawing closer, the run ins between the governor and the government has taken a new turn this year, with the DMK pressing for a constitutional amendment to do away with the customary governor's address in the assembly. Public debate over street dog management sharpened after film actor and social activist Renu Desai addressed a press meet on Tuesday, questioning the Supreme Courts logic behind sweeping actions against strays following recent dog-bite incidents. Renu Desai played heroin roles in Telugu movies and was married to Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan. They were together for about a decade. She enjoys a great name recognition in the two Telugu states. During her fiery media interaction, she argued that the discourse had become narrowly focused, with public anger directed almost entirely at street dogs while other serious safety concerns often fail to trigger comparable reactions. She said only a small proportion of strays exhibit aggressive behaviour and warned against treating the entire population as a threat. During the interaction, Desai criticised the judiciary debate, questioning recent court directions related to stray dog management. While acknowledging that judicial interventions are intended to ensure public safety, she argued that some orders appear driven by immediate public pressure rather than long-term ground realities. She said directions issued without sufficient consultation with animal welfare experts or municipal practitioners risk encouraging reactionary measures by civic bodies. She maintained that sterilised and vaccinated dogs were also being targeted due to the court orders, undermining animal birth control programmes introduced by civic authorities. Desai suggested that courts should first examine whether animal birth control rules are being implemented effectively by the civic bodies before permitting extreme steps. Her comments came amid reports and social media claims of the removal and poisoning of strays in several parts of the city, triggering concern among animal welfare groups. After the press meet was highlighted for how emotionally charged the issue has become, Desai later clarified that her intervention was aimed at urging balance rather than confrontation. As Hyderabad grapples with safety concerns, compassion and administrative accountability, the debate raises broader questions about whether crisis-driven responses can substitute for consistent urban planning and long-term governance. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) accused the Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration and Water Supplies (MAWS) Minister K.N. Nehru of money laundering and running an organised system of corruption in the transfer and posting of government officers and engineers. The ED, in its third letter alleging corruption and a scam in the TN MAWS department, cited digital evidence, financial trails, and alleged corruption and money laundering to the tune of 366 crore. The letter offers details of the digital evidence seized by the federal agency during the searches conducted in April 2025 at places linked to Minister Nehru. A portion of the letter and the note, a copy of which is available with THE WEEK, alleges corruption to the tune of 366 crore. In a communication dated January 14, 2026, sent to the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), the ED said the agency has recovered many evidences which amount to a scheduled offence. The agency also said it uncovered many instances of bribes collected for the transfer and posting of government officers/engineers in the MAWS department. The agency, through the letter, insisted that the state authorities register a criminal case immediately against Nehru and his associates. The agency, recalling its earlier two letters on corruption and scams in the MAWS department in examinations, the selection process, and recruitment, categorically mentioned that this third note was on corruption in transfers and postings in the department. The present note deals with evidence relating to corruption in the transfer of government officers/engineers of MAWS by Nehru and his associates, the ED wrote in the letter. The note, which has several other names of Nehrus associates, gives evidence in tabular columns under several heads Summary of direct evidence of bribe, Money laundering of bribe money (proceeds of crime), Money laundering of bribes through cash payment for the purchase of properties/investments, Money laundering of bribes through integrating in construction/real estate business, Money laundering of bribes for a luxury lifestyle, and the need for registering an FIR. In the note, with a 99-page annexure, the agency claims to have traced how the proceeds from bribes were laundered under a special subheading, Summary of direct evidence of money laundering. The note gives details of the money laundered under various headsbusiness, real estate, construction, property investments, benami entities, investments in gold bullion, foreign properties, and luxury and lifestyle expenseswhich run to a total of 365.87 crore. The note also says that the above summary of money laundering is only restricted to evidence showing actual investments/expenditure. It further says it doesnt include the evidence relating to the discussion of a hotel purchase of 50 crore, the discussion of a 34-acre property in the USA, discussion of cash transactions to Singapore, discussions of a 3.23-acre property purchase in the USA worth 70 crore, money laundering for foreign education/lifestyle, and the extravagant lifestyle of a few of his associates. The ED also claimed it had identified about 340 officers or engineers whose transfer and posting orders were found on the phones of the close associates of Nehru. This is direct evidence of bribe collection in transfers and postings of officers/engineers of MAWS, the ED categorically mentioned in the four-page note. A thorough analysis of the note reveals that the federal agency has recovered several incriminating pieces of evidence and documents, which can potentially frame Nehru under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), if an FIR is registered by a state agency, which will pave the way for the ED to register the ECIR and proceed with further investigation. Since a large evidence/information/material related to corruption by K.N. Nehru was found in the searches conducted, the evidence was transferred to other relevant cases and is being sent for initiation of necessary criminal action through registration of an FIR. It may be appreciated that the ED can investigate an offence of money laundering only when a scheduled offence is registered by a law enforcement agency, the note stated while forwarding the material under Section 66(2) of the PMLA. But throughout the four-page letter, the agency repeatedly says that it came across the digital evidence when it was investigating another case involving Nehrus brother in a bank fraud case. The original bank fraud case involving Nehrus brother, Ravichandran, was actually closed after the defaulted loan amount was repaid. But during the course of that investigation, the transfer-posting racket came to notice, the agency pointed out. The evidence was found by the ED accidentally when investigations were being done in a different case against a few individuals, the note said. The agency also made it clear in the note that the evidence discussed is a small part of a much larger transfer and posting scam in government departments. The bribes are much larger in quantum, which needs to be investigated. A part of the ED notification However, the EDs note also has a subtle note of intimidation, saying that the investigation will not stop with the MAWS department or Nehru and that other ministries will also come under the agencys scanner. The bribes in transfer and postings of other ministries are also being collected through unknown persons, the EDs note claimed. It also said that the bribes are being transferred through the hawala network, both within and outside the country, so as to keep the identity of the ultimate beneficiary secret and leave no traces of a money trail. The ED had earlier written to the state DGP on two instances October 27, 2025, and December 3, 2025. The first was with regard to money collected as a bribe to the tune of 25 lakh to 35 lakh from candidates who appeared for the recruitment exams to get jobs in the MAWS department, and the second note involved details with regard to the manipulation of government contracts ranging from 7.5 per cent to 15 per cent. Direct evidence relating to the collection of 1,020 crore in bribes was also provided. Both the said notes and the evidence stated therein dealt with specific areas of corruption involving the MAWS department, the EDs note to the state government said. When asked for a response, sources close to Minister Nehru declined to respond, saying that all these matters are under inquiry and there is no clarity on the details. How can an FIR be filed without a prima facie case? This is pure pressure tactic to frame him. Legally, the ED cannot order or even ask the state DGP or the Chief Secretary to investigate and file an FIR. It is only to insinuate. Ultimately, the aim is to distract the functioning of the government, claimed a source close to K.N. Nehru. The agency, the source says, is strategically leaking specific information only to damage the image of the government. The EDs status as a central agency does not make it infallible. The ED has been entrusted to administer the PMLA, which is meant to prevent criminals from enjoying the proceeds of crime. The structure of the law is clear in principle. There must first be a scheduled offence that generates proceeds of crime. In practice, the ED has inverted this logic. In many cases, the ED treats the money laundering process as independent of an underlying crime and then proceeds to establish a predicate offence to justify its action, says Saravanan Annadurai, DMK spokesperson and a lawyer who has appeared in several ED-related cases in the Madras High Court. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday praised newly appointed BJP national president Nitin Nabin, remarking that the young leader would be his boss in matters related to the party. The 45-year-old leader formally took charge as the BJPs national president, marking a significant generational shift in the party as it prepares for key elections in the coming years. When it comes to party matters, Mananiya Nitin Nabin ji I am a worker, and you are my boss, Modi said while addressing a gathering at the BJP headquarters in Delhi. The Prime Minister said that as party president, Nabins responsibility extends beyond managing the BJP to ensuring effective coordination among all National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners. Now, honourable Nitin Nabin ji is the president of all of us. His responsibility is not only to run the BJP but also to maintain coordination among all NDA allies, Modi said. Highlighting the significance of the coming decades, Modi expressed confidence in Nabins leadership during what he described as a crucial phase for the country. The next 25 years are very important. This is the period in which a developed India will be built, and it is destined to happen. At the beginning of this crucial phase, Nitin Nabin ji will carry forward the BJPs legacy, he said. Modi also noted that Nabin, a four-time MLA from Bihar, belongs to a generation that has witnessed major economic, social, and technological transformations. In his first address after assuming charge, Nabin pledged to uphold the BJPs ideology and its nationalist movement. He expressed gratitude to senior party leaders and Prime Minister Modi, emphasising the collective effort of 140 crore Indians towards building a developed nation. Today is a moment of resolve for me. I am not just assuming a position; I am accepting the ideology, traditions, and responsibilities of this nationalist movement. On this occasion, I also pay my respects to all my senior colleagues, Nabin said. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan raised a contention in the Assembly that Governor Rajendra Arlekar had made certain additions and deletions to the policy address. The governor delivered the customary policy address to mark the commencement of the final session of the Fifteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly. It is under the provisions of Article 176 that the governor addresses the Legislative Assembly at the first session of every year. In paragraphs 12, 15 and 16 of the policy address approved by the Council of Ministers, certain changes were made in the governors speech. In accordance with the spirit of the Constitution and the conventions of the House, the policy address approved by the Council of Ministers is what prevails, the Chief Minister said in the assembly. He added that since the address delivered by the governor in the House is the governments policy statement, paragraphs 12, 15 and 16 approved by the Council of Ministers stand as they are. The portions omitted by the governor were those that either directly criticised the Union government or indirectly criticised the governor himself. In an unusual move, the chief minister read out the omitted portions in the Assembly. The first sentence of paragraph 12 of the policy address approved by the Council of Ministers is as follows: Despite achieving such social and institutional gains, Kerala continues to face a severe financial strain as a result of the Union Governments continued adverse measures that weaken the constitutional principles of fiscal federalism. This sentence was omitted by the Honble Governor, the Chief Minister read out. Vijayan also said that the last two sentences of paragraph 15referring to Bills passed by State Legislatures being kept pending for long periodswere also omitted. The last sentence of paragraph 16 of the policy address approved by the Council of Ministers reads: Tax devolution and Finance Commission grants are constitutional rights of the States and not acts of generosity, and any pressure exerted on the constitutional institutions entrusted with this responsibility weakens federal principles. To this sentence, the governor added the words my government believes, according to the chief minister. Notably, the governor did read portions relating to the Kerala governments concerns over excessive centralisation of powers and increasing intervention in subjects within the States domain. The policy address also included references to the Union Finance Ministry cutting back the State governments open market borrowing limit with retrospective effect, which it termed a highly prejudicial action. The governor also read portions expressing the Kerala governments concerns over the transformation of the MGNREG programme into VB-GRAM G, citing that Union assistance for the scheme had come down from 100 per cent to 60 per cent, thereby placing an additional burden on State finances. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan came down strongly on both the State government and the governor. Satheesan said the governments policy address was packed with falsehoods. He added that the government had openly admitted, through the policy address, that it was facing a severe financial crisis. Satheesan pointed out that while the government had earlier claimed that Rs 53,000 crore was due from the Centre, it had now avoided mentioning those figures in the policy address. Satheesan further noted that, according to the Constitution, the governor is required to read out the address approved by the Cabinet. If the governor has deliberately omitted or added portions to it, that is wrong. The governor has no authority to do so; the policy address is not a platform for the governor to express personal views. We agree with what the government has stated on this matter. However, the Cabinet-approved address itself contains false claims, he said. He was responding to the chief minister later reading out in the Assembly the portions omitted by the governor. Satheesan, however, mocked the perceived dispute between the governor and the government as mere drama, saying they clash when a crisis arises and later arrive at a compromise. Now that the reservation for the post of mayor in the Pune Municipal Corporation has been announced, the draw for the reservation for the Mayoral post will be held on Thursday. The Urban Development department has issued an official bulletin calling a special meeting to determine the reservation to the post of Mayor. During the last tenure, the Mayoral post was for the open category. The names of candidates interested in the post of Mayor will be selected based on the reservation policy. According to the reservation, corporators from women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or other backward class categories will get the opportunity to become Mayor. There is an active interest in which category will win the reservation, not just in Pune but also in Mumbai, Nagpur, Thane, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The event will be held at the Council Hall on the sixth floor of Mantralaya in Mumbai and will be chaired by the Maharashtra Minister of State for Urban Development, Eknath Shinde. If the OBC category wins the reservation for the post, there is a high possibility that one of the two former House leaders, Ganesh Bidkar and Srinath Bhimale, could be elected for the post of mayor. Ganesh Bidkar's supporters had put up banners saying "Mayor Ganesh Bidkar" in the city even before the counting of votes. This banner has sparked a debate in political circles in the city, as the name of Bhimale was also in the discussion for the post of Mayor. Local media reports said Bhimale, who was aspiring for the Assembly, withdrew from contesting the election after receiving the promise of the post of Mayor. Another name doing rounds is BJP city president Dheeraj Ghate, who has not openly declared his desire for the post yet. However, reports claim he indirectly gave a political warning to former MP Muralidhar Mohol by stating, This victory is not for anyone personally but for the entire Bharatiya Janata Party. Ghates absence during the victory celebrations also hints at factionalism within the party. Since there are two clear BJP factions in Pune city, the election of the mayor is likely to be more complicated. The decision will likely be taken by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Costco rarely sets trends. I remember walking its aisles years ago and sampling new items, but noticed the chain was rarely ahead of the curve. For example, it stocked K-Cups only after Keurig machines were mainstream, which makes sense, given its limited SKUs and mass audience. Now, nonalcoholic cocktails and tonics have arrived, and the warehouse club has officially jumped on that trend. Costco has quietly added Hiyo, a social tonic, to warehouses nationwide, according to the brand. Nonalcoholic cocktails are a growing category Nonalcoholic cocktails, spirits, and beers have been a growing market trend. Consumer savviness on functionality of ingredients has really increased, Sherry Frey, vice president of wellness at NielsenIQ, told KSAT. It has attracted a variety of operators fighting for market share. "The market is further fueled by innovative product offerings from both established beverage companies and new entrants, emphasizing natural ingredients and functional benefits. Additionally, the rise of sober-curious movements and wellness trends, coupled with the expansion of availability in bars, restaurants, and retail, are propelling the market's expansion globally," according to a new study from Allied Market Research. Rapid market expansion: The global nonalcoholic cocktail market was valued at about $1.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $5 billion by 2035 , implying a strong 13% CAGR through the decade as consumer demand for sophisticated alcohol-free options rises, according to a WiseGuy report. Exploding spirits alternatives: The nonalcoholic spirits segment is forecast to nearly double from $325.8 M in 2023 to $706.7 M by 2033 , growing at an 8.1% CAGR as drinkers seek alcohol-free replacements with premium flavor profiles, shared Allied Market Research. Broader category boom: The wider nonalcoholic drinks market, which includes zero-proof cocktails, tonics, functional beverages, and soft drinks, was valued at about $1.3 trillion in 2023 and is expected to nearly double to $2.9 trillion by 2035, reflecting overall lifestyle and wellness-driven growth, Allied Market Research added. As with most industry research, these growth forecasts are estimates rather than guarantees and depend on sustained consumer demand. Costco adds nonalcoholic tonic brand Costco just added an exclusive from Hiyo to its entire U.S. warehouse fleet. The Sunset Party Pack, according to the brand, is an 18-count variety pack featuring three of the brands top-selling flavors. The Sunset Party Pack includes six each of the following: Blackberry Lemon: A blend of blackberry and lemon Peach Mango: A mix of peach and mango with a tropical profile Passion Fruit Tangerine: A fragrant combo of passion fruit and tangerine Made with organic adaptogens, natural nootropics, and functional botanicals, each can offers what the brand calls a "mood-enhancing, stress-relieving lift, or 'the float,'" according to a press release. Functional beverages are a growing category Hiyo falls into a loosely regulated category called "functional beverages," drinks that claim to bring health or other benefits. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates ingredients and requires drink labels to be truthful, and the Federal Trade Commission can step in if companies make false claims. "Functional beverage makers generally make less specific claims, and the science behind them is sometimes inconclusive. SkinTe, a sparkling tea, says it 'supports skin hydration and elasticity' with 3,000 milligrams of collagen in a 12-ounce can. But last year, Harvard Medical School researchers said theres not yet solid evidence that collagen drinks or supplements enhance skin, hair, or nail growth," according to The Chicago Sun-Times. These drinks, while marketed as being better for you than alcohol, come with their own risks. Its important to remember that everything has the potential to be both toxic and safe, depending on the amounts. The dose makes the poison, Joe Zagorski, a toxicologist for the Center of Research on Ingredient Safety at Michigan State University, told The Chicago Sun-Times. Since its difficult to determine the amount of specific compounds in many of these beverages, its better to proceed cautiously than to over-consume. Costco has moved into the mocktail space.Shutterstock Shutterstock Costco has dabbled in nonalcoholic cocktails before The warehouse club has tested this type of beverage on a limited basis multiple times over the past few years. It offered Ednas Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Co. drinks in 30 warehouses in Canada in 2025. Costco actually stocked The Tinley Beverage Company's Becketts non-alcoholic ready-to-drink cocktails in a very limited selection of its U.S. warehouses back in 2020. "Becketts full line of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic cocktails will launch under Costcos 'Road Show' program. Road shows typically bring pallet displays and brand ambassadors staged along high traffic aisles, and Becketts will be strategically placed in the wine & spirits department," according to a press release. More Retail: Road Shows are Costcos largest initiative designed to introduce and drive sales of new products. Costco did not end up expanding any of these offerings across the entire United States. Related: History of Costco: Company timeline and facts How Costco picks its merchandise Costco is an "item business," Bob Nelson, the chain's senior vice president of financial planning and investor relations, said during a 2022 earnings call. It's looking for values to deliver its members. The definition of value for us is highest quality, lowest price and best member service, he said. Every item on its warehouse shelves is meant to be the best in its category. That means there are only between 3,700 and 3,800 items for sale per warehouse, Nelson said. By comparison, a Walmart Supercenter sells 142,000 different items, according to Walmarts website. Costco has other standards for its merchandise as well. "What we found differed at Costco relative to other retailers was a culture that valued operational excellence. For instance, buyers consistently take into account the operational costs incurred by warehouses in the form of labor. They work with vendors to deliver floorready product to warehouses," according to a report from ECR Retail Loss. Related: Costco quietly makes a major credit card change members love This story was originally published by TheStreet on Jan 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids at multiple locations across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu as part of its money laundering probe into the alleged gold theft at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. The federal probe agency, which recently registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is investigating a series of alleged irregularities, including official misconduct, administrative lapses, and a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate gold from various artefacts at the hill shrine. While details of the raids are not immediately available, reports said the agency has launched searches at 21 locations, including premises linked to the prime accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, in Bengaluru, and former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A. Padmakumar. The ED raids have also covered the residence of another accused, Murari Babu, in Kottayam; N. Vasus house in Petta; the premises of Ballari-based gold trader Govardhan; and establishments linked to Pankaj Bhandari, CEO of Chennai-based Smart Creations. The TDB headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram was also searched by the agency. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala Police is already probing the politically sensitive case, which has put the ruling CPI(M) in the state on the defensive. The SIT is investigating the alleged loss of gold from the gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols and the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple. On Monday, the SIT filed a status report in the Kerala High Court stating that 11 people have so far been arrested in connection with two cases related to the loss of gold from the temple, while the involvement of three more individuals is under active scrutiny. Those arrested included temples chief priest, Kandararu Rajeevaru, who was taken into custody last Tuesday and is currently lodged at the Thiruvananthapuram Special Sub Jail. The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard a clutch of petitions and interventions on the growing stray dog menace, with lawyers and activists presenting sharply diverging views on accountability for dog bites, efficacy of sterilisation drives, and enforcement gaps in Indias animal birth control regime. A Bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath said it would conclude arguments from private parties, NGOs and other stakeholders during the day, and fix a separate date to hear the States and government authorities, which are central to implementing policy and ground-level control measures. The proceedings saw multiple counsels stress that the issue can no longer be treated as a mere civic inconvenience, with petitioners pointing to fatal incidents, systemic negligence in medical response, and a perceived lack of ownership among municipal bodies. Kasab comment sparks sharp exchange A major flashpoint came during the submissions of Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran, who told the court he was appearing for an animal rights activist and former Union minister (former BJP leader Maneka Gandhi). The bench immediately questioned him on his clients own public statements, recalling that Ramachandran had earlier urged judicial restraint while making remarks in court. Have you seen the comments being made by your client? the court asked. Ramachandran responded that professional duty permitted him to represent any client, saying, If I can appear for (26/11 convict) Ajmal Kasab, I can appear for her. The court strongly objected to the comparison and retorted, Kasab did not commit contempt; your client has. The Bench asked whether the counsel had listened to his clients podcast, remarking that not only the content but also the manner of speech and body language were relevant in assessing the seriousness of the comments. The Bench also pointed out what it described as an inconsistency, while the counsel had advised the court to be cautious in its remarks, his clients public statements warranted equal scrutiny. Court clarifies: Not sarcastic on feeders responsibility In another significant exchange, Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan referred to an earlier observation by the court suggesting that dog feeders could be held responsible for dog bites, arguing that judicial remarks often have consequences on the ground. He suggested the observation might have been made sarcastically. However, Justice Nath clarified firmly, We did not say it sarcastically. We said it seriously. Bhushan also defended sterilisation as a long-term solution, saying that while some programmes had worked in pockets, including Lucknow, they had failed in most cities due to weak implementation. He said sterilisation not only helps reduce population over time but can also reduce aggression, and argued for greater transparency in the system. He suggested a mechanism where citizens could report stray dogs that appear unsterilised, with complaints recorded on a public portal, and designated authorities accountable for response. In case of doubt, he suggested ultrasound examinations to verify sterilisation. Petition highlights fatal rabies case, seeks accountability Advocate Jasdeep Dhillon, appearing for the petitioner in a case involving a childs death, told the court the petition filed under Article 32 concerned a six-year-old girl who was attacked by a dog on June 30, 2025, and later died of rabies on July 26. Dhillon said it emerged that the same dog had earlier bitten four others in the society. He detailed how the child was first treated on the day of the bite but then moved between hospitals including Kalawati Hospital and Lady Hardinge before being shifted to RML and later Safdarjung Hospital, where her condition deteriorated. The Bench asked whether a post-mortem was conducted, and Dhillon said the discharge certificate recorded rabies as the cause of death. He urged the court to fix liability on officials responsible for apparent negligence in treatment and referral. Debate over ABC rules, corruption allegations and AWBI interference During the hearing, counsels supporting the Animal Birth Control (ABC) regime argued that indiscriminate removal or killing of dogs was neither lawful nor effective. Advocate NM Kapadia submitted that in the absence of rabid dogs, other dogs could not be penalised, and cited examples where ABC programmes led to a reduction in dog population to around five per kilometre. Another counsel referred to research by the student society of NLSIU, claiming dog numbers had dropped sharply in surveyed areas and dog-bite incidents had reduced, but raised concerns about the functioning of ABC centres, alleging inflated billing and corruption. A separate counsel flagged what he described as undue interference by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) in municipal tenders and on-ground projects, arguing that while AWBI had a supervisory role, it was stalling work orders based on complaints by activists. He claimed only 66 centres in India were officially recognised and said he could demonstrate repeated interference affecting projects. Petitioners cite nuisance, sleepless nights and lack of enforcement Counsels and petitioners also highlighted the daily nuisance caused by stray dogs in residential localities. One petitioner told the court that persistent barking and chasing at night had caused him a sleep disorder and affected his childrens studies, but local authorities had not acted despite repeated complaints, saying they could only sterilise and vaccinate dogs. He said complaints to the NHRC had also not yielded results, and argued that in cases of nuisance, dogs should be removed without being returned to the same location. The petitioners also submitted that while ABC rules require dogs to be released only after sterilisation and vaccination, local laws including provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) empower authorities to remove animals causing nuisance, indicating a legal and administrative gap in enforcement. A counsel told the Supreme Court that dog feeders understand canine behaviour and can identify sick animals. He argued that feeding curbs scavenging, reduces fights and does not spread disease, adding that the annual cost works out to around Rs 18,250 per dog. Questioning calls for dog removal, he suggested such resources could instead be used for addressing human hardship, including relocating orphans from pavements. He claimed feeders perform a public function and are protected under Rule 20 of the ABC Rules, reflecting legislative intent and constitutional rights. Citing examples like Tanzania, he urged compassion, saying empathy should not be punished. The Supreme Court will next hear the stand of States and authorities on measures for addressing stray dog bites, vaccination, sterilisation and accountability frameworks on January 28. In a statement that could hint at further rift between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the Yemeni government has accused the former of operating a secret prison and an ammunition cache at an airbase near the southern Yemeni port city of Mukalla. The allegation was made by Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of the eastern Yemeni province of Hadramaut, during a media trip to the Riyan airbase near Mukalla. The media trip was part of a Saudi-orchestrated tour to the Riyan airbase. Al-Khanbashi also vowed to hold the Emirati government and its allied separatist leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, accountable for the act. "All measures will be taken to hold perpetrators of violations accountable, whether Aidarous al-Zubaidi or the UAE its elements, officials, or people working for them to achieve justice for the victims and their families," he said, adding that the Yemeni government discovered suspicious Emirati equipment and practices at the Riyan base. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East These included equipment like wires, explosives, detonators, and communication devices, and these types of materials were not consistent with the tools and equipment used by regular armies in military bases. He added that there was evidence hinting at the existence of secret prisons run by Emirati forces in the city of Mukalla, where people were held outside the law besides enforced disappearance and torture. Meanwhile, the UAE's Ministry of Defence (MoD) rubbished the claims made by the Yemeni government, calling them false and misleading allegations without evidence or a factual basis about the supposed discovery of weapons and explosives linked to the UAE at Riyan Airport in Mukalla. The Ministry affirmed that the facilities are only military accommodation, operations rooms, and fortified shelters, some located underground. This is a common feature of airports and military installations worldwide and has no implications beyond the normal military context. "These allegations are entirely unfounded and represent an unacceptable attempt to distort facts, mislead public opinion, deliberately tarnish the reputation of the UAE Armed Forces, and undermine their recognised military commitments and established record," the statement read. The UAE had earlier said it made a complete and official withdrawal from Yemen on January 2, with all equipment and weapons transferred in line with standard military procedures, leaving no UAE military or logistical presence in the country. Less than 24 hours after a historic ceasefire and integration agreement was signed to unify Syria, violent clashes erupted on Monday between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The 14-point deal, finalised on Sunday between President Ahmed al-Sharaas government and the SDF, was intended to end nearly two weeks of fighting and bring the autonomous northeastern region under full state control. Instead, its implementation unravelled almost immediately, as government troops advanced into parts of Raqqa and Hasakah provinces, triggering clashes around key security installations. The most serious consequence of the renewed violence has been the fate of prisons housing thousands of Islamic State fighters. Under the terms of the agreement, the SDF was required to hand over all detention centres and camps holding Islamic State members and their families to the Syrian government. Control over these facilities quickly became the flashpoint, with both sides accusing the other of jeopardising the security and risking a mass breakout. Fighting intensified around the town of Shaddadi in Hasakah province. The Syrian army announced that it had entered the town after alleging that the SDF had decided to release a number of Islamic State detainees from the local prison. According to government statements, Damascus had contacted mediators to arrange an orderly transfer of the facility, but claimed the SDF leadership refused to cooperate and failed to prevent prisoners from escaping. The interior ministry said it was deploying forces to secure the prisons and prevent security breaches, while imposing a curfew across the area. For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East The SDF offered a completely different account. It said the Shaddadi prison had fallen outside the control of our forces only after repeated attacks by factions affiliated with Damascus. The SDF reported that dozens of its fighters were killed while attempting to avert what it described as a looming security catastrophe. It also noted that the prison lies less than five kilometres from a base operated by the US-led coalition, yet coalition forces did not intervene despite repeated requests for assistance. The violence was not confined to Shaddadi. Clashes were also reported around Al-Aqtan prison near Raqqa, another major detention facility holding Islamic State members. The SDF said nine of its fighters were killed in fighting near the prison, while independent reports suggested that Syrian government forces had reached its outskirts but were met with entrenched SDF resistance. In Hasakah city, the SDF deployed commandos, tanks and armoured vehicles to secure the perimeter of the Panorama prison, which holds an estimated 4,500 detainees linked to Islamic State. The scale of what is at stake is considerable. At least 27 detention facilities and two large camps across the region hold Islamic State suspects. Estimates suggest that around 9,000 male Islamic State members are imprisoned, while camps house more than 43,000 non-combatants, most of them women and children related to fighters. Iraqi officials have expressed particular concern about the stability of these sites, especially Al Hol camp, warning that any collapse in security could create a threat comparable to that posed by Islamic State itself. As the fighting escalated, the dispute over the prisons turned into a war of narratives. The Syrian government accused the SDF of using the detainees as leverage, warning the Kurdish-led force not to exploit cases of terrorism for political blackmail or to open prisons as an act of retaliation. In response, SDF commander Mazlum Abdi said the conflict had been imposed on his forces by external actors, adding that the ceasefire was accepted only to stop further bloodshed. The breakdown in security around the detention centres now threatens the broader integration agreement, which Al-Sharaa had hailed as a victory for all Syrians. The deal promised recognition of Kurdish cultural and linguistic rights, as well as the integration of SDF fighters into the Syrian Ministry of Defence on an individual basis. It also required the SDF to withdraw from Raqqa and Deir al-Zour and to hand over control of oil fields and border crossings to the state. Despite the violence, diplomatic efforts have not ceased. Abdi was reported to be in Damascus on Monday for further talks. US officials, including special envoy Tom Barrack, had earlier described the agreement as a pivotal inflection point, while President Donald Trump discussed the importance of preserving Syrian unity in a conversation with President al-Sharaa. At the same time, Senator Lindsey Graham warned that continued government advances towards Raqqa could trigger severe sanctions. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also weighed in, warning the SDF not to delay implementation. An eight-year-old Hindu Indian student was forced to move schools in London, UK, after being discriminated against for applying a tilak chandlo on his forehead. The staff at the Vicars Green Primary school had reportedly asked the child to explain and justify his religious practice. According to Insight UK, a social movement and advocacy body which represents the British Hindu and Indian community, the staffs approach to the organisation is described as entirely inappropriate for a minor. IT is also alleged that the headteacher at the school monitored the child during break times in a manner the child found intimidating, which led to him withdrawing from playing and isolating himself from peers. The child was also reportedly removed from positions of responsibility within the school due to this religious practice. If proven, the action would constitute direct religious discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 "No child should feel watched, singled out, or isolated because of their faith, especially not from a person of authority," an insight UK spokesperson told NDTV. They also added that such experiences can have long-term emotional consequences and raise serious safeguarding concerns. The children, along with other Hindu parents at the school, reportedly made repeated efforts to speak with the headteacher and school governors to explain the religious significance of the practice. However, attempts to engage wee said to have been met with dismissive responses rather than meaningful dialogue. "This was not a good-faith dialogue. It reflected an imbalance of power, where Hindu religious practices were scrutinised, minimised, and ultimately rejected," The spokesperson said. Insight UK also found that the school had previously forced at least four Hindu Children to leave, citing concerns of inclusivity and religious freedom. The US retaliatory move to deploy a North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft to Greenland after Denmark boosted its military presence in the Arctic island has thrown up questions about the over 100 Danish soldiers posted at various US bases if the row escalates. As per local Danish media, there are approximately 100 Danish soldiers working on or at US military bases or military installations around the world. The soldiers are either deployed on specific missions or stationed at American facilities for longer periods, according to Danish national broadcaster DR News. Some of them work as staff or liaison officers and carry out a wide range of tasks. These soldiers carry out tasks in staffs or headquarters as so-called staff or liaison officers. Others are on training or educational stays. This applies, for example, to the Danish contingent at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where Danish fighter pilots are trained to fly F-35 fighter jets. According to Danish Defence Academy associate professor Peter Viggo Jakobsen, the current sabre-rattling by the US wont necessarily affect the deployed Danish soldiers. They do their job, and the vast majority of their American colleagues keep their mouths shut about their position, he told the broadcaster. However, if the situation escalates further, the Danish soldiers could be seen as potential spies. And in the extreme case, they can be sent home or asked not to show up. They can't shoot us, Jakobsen added. BREAKING: Another group of Danish soldiers arrived in Greenland tonight as the Danish Army continues its build-up there for the Danish-led NATO exercise Arctic Endurance pic.twitter.com/bAvTagZfd3 Visegrad 24 (@visegrad24) January 20, 2026 However, Kenneth hlenschlger Buhl, a naval captain and researcher specialising in military law at the University of Southern Denmark, believes it could be serious for those deployed if the crisis develops into the US using force against Denmark. If, in the extreme, it comes to the use of armed force by the United States against the Kingdom of Denmark, then the deployed soldiers will technically be prisoners of war at that moment who may risk being interned, he said. That is precisely why the authorities should have a plan ready, he points out. If the crisis develops in a worse direction than it already is now, where the White House will not reject the use of military force, then there may come a time when one should consider pulling the deployed and seconded personnel back to Denmark. It would be a drastic step to take, because it would in itself be an escalation. But if it comes to a declaration of war, then it is something that the authorities have to deal with, Buhl added. The Danish Armed Forces have no comments on any internal instructions to Danish soldiers at American bases. However, the current crisis over Greenland, which has pitted Denmark against the US, has created uncertainty among the deployed Danish military personnel. Niels Tnning, chairman of the Danish Officers' Union (HOD), which is a trade union for the Danes on American bases, acknowledged the confusion among the Danish soldiers. The uncertainty that they must have, the Armed Forces as an employer must, of course, be handled by increasing communication to them and providing information about where we stand, and whether there are any things that they should be aware of. Itis an employer's obligation, Tnning told DR. The United States has deployed a North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft to Greenland as tensions rise over President Donald Trumps move to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. In a post on X, NORAD said the aircraft would soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base to support a range of long-planned activities. The command stressed that the deployment was coordinated with both Denmark and Greenland. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland. Along with aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, they will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defence cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark, the post said. This activity has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark, and all supporting forces are operating with the requisite diplomatic clearances. The Government of Greenland has also been informed of the planned activities, it added. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland. Along with aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, they will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) January 19, 2026 The US move followed a multinational military exercise led by Danish forces in Greenland amid President Trumps threats to seize the vast Arctic island. Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, the Netherlands, and Finland sent small contingents of military personnel to participate in the exercise. According to a Financial Times report, Denmark has also dispatched additional troops to Greenland after Trump declined to rule out the use of force to acquire the island. Several aircraft carrying Danish troops and military equipment reportedly landed in Greenland on Monday. Trump has already warned of imposing tariffs on European nations if a deal is not reached. The dispute threatens to destabilise the NATO alliance, which has underpinned Western security for decades and is already under strain due to the war in Ukraine and Trumps stance on reducing US protection for allies unless they increase defence spending. Cyprus-based subsea network infrastructure provider Datawave Networks has entered into a binding investment and financing agreement with Cerberus Capital Management affiliates to support the development of the SingaporeIndiaGulf (SING) subsea cable system. Cerberus will acquire a majority stake in Datawave through an equity investment and will provide additional project financing for the construction and deployment phases of the SING network. The transaction is expected to allow Datawave to proceed with full-scale execution of the subsea fibre optic route, which will connect markets in the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The SING cable system will link landing points in Muscat (Oman), Kalba (United Arab Emirates), Mumbai and Chennai (India), Kedah (Malaysia), and Singapore. It will consist of 16 fibre pairs, each capable of delivering at least 18 terabits per second, aiming to address increasing demand for international bandwidth along this digital corridor. The planned infrastructure seeks to facilitate scalable capacity and future regional connectivity requirements. Datawave CEO Mark Wickham said: We are truly excited to partner with Cerberus in taking the next step towards bringing the SING cable system into fruition in one of the worlds most dynamic and fastest-growing digital regions. SING is exceptionally well positioned to meet future connectivity demand driven by significant investments in AI and cloud infrastructure. In addition, Datawave has reached an agreement with a US-based subsea cable systems supplier for the design, manufacture, and deployment of the SING system. The network is scheduled to be ready for service by 2030. The new cable route is intended to provide flexible connectivity solutions and enable onward links from Oman and the UAE towards Europe. It is also designed to strengthen interconnection across digital hubs in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. Cerberus representative Gabriel Schulze said: We are proud to announce this agreement with Datawave. What attracted us to the SING project is its unique positioning connecting centres of substantial current and future growth. SING also delivers critical route diversity along the globally important eastwest corridor. With anchor customer commitments already in place, we anticipate strong market adoption. The project aims to support ongoing growth in data transmission linked to developments in AI, cloud computing, and hyperscale data centres within India, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Gulf region. "Datawave secures Cerberus funding for SING cable system roll-out" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. Bank of Nova Scotia (The) (NYSE:BNS Get Free Report) (TSE:BNS) saw a significant increase in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 18,512,659 shares, an increase of 34.2% from the December 15th total of 13,794,839 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,092,334 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 8.8 days. Approximately 1.5% of the companys shares are sold short. Approximately 1.5% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,092,334 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 8.8 days. Bank of Nova Scotia Price Performance Shares of BNS stock traded down $0.18 on Monday, hitting $73.38. 4,786,549 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,988,502. The firm has a market cap of $90.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.25, a PEG ratio of 0.96 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 1.04. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $71.13 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $64.43. Bank of Nova Scotia has a 52 week low of $44.09 and a 52 week high of $74.97. Get Bank of Nova Scotia alerts: Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS Get Free Report) (TSE:BNS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 2nd. The bank reported $1.39 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.33 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $6.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.85 billion. Bank of Nova Scotia had a net margin of 10.60% and a return on equity of 12.10%. The businesss revenue was up 15.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.57 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Bank of Nova Scotia will post 4.91 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Bank of Nova Scotia Announces Dividend Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bank of Nova Scotia The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 28th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 6th will be given a dividend of $1.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 6th. This represents a $4.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.0%. Bank of Nova Scotias dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 79.85%. Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia by 111.2% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 19,096 shares of the banks stock valued at $911,000 after acquiring an additional 10,056 shares during the period. Parallel Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Bank of Nova Scotia by 57.7% in the second quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 3,065 shares of the banks stock valued at $169,000 after purchasing an additional 1,122 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Bank of Nova Scotia in the second quarter valued at approximately $330,000. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. increased its position in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia by 5.2% in the second quarter. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. now owns 239,000 shares of the banks stock valued at $13,189,000 after buying an additional 11,900 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Bank of Nova Scotia by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 53,428 shares of the banks stock worth $2,957,000 after buying an additional 413 shares during the period. 49.13% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on BNS shares. Raymond James Financial assumed coverage on Bank of Nova Scotia in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. They issued an outperform rating for the company. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Bank of Nova Scotia in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Bank of Nova Scotia from $86.00 to $97.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $97.00. Read Our Latest Report on BNS About Bank of Nova Scotia (Get Free Report) Bank of Nova Scotia, commonly known as Scotiabank, is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company founded in 1832 and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. It is one of Canadas largest banks and provides a broad range of financial services to retail, commercial, corporate and institutional clients. The bank combines a domestic Canadian franchise with an extensive international presence to serve customers across multiple markets. Scotiabanks core activities include personal and commercial banking, wealth management, corporate and investment banking, capital markets, and global transaction banking. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Nova Scotia Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Nova Scotia and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NewMarket Corporation (NYSE:NEU Get Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 228,879 shares, a growth of 32.9% from the December 15th total of 172,219 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 130,085 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.8 days. Approximately 3.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Approximately 3.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 130,085 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.8 days. NewMarket Trading Down 0.7% NewMarket stock traded down $4.68 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $645.32. 158,400 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 137,201. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.63 and a beta of 0.49. NewMarket has a 12 month low of $480.57 and a 12 month high of $875.97. The company has a quick ratio of 1.43, a current ratio of 2.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $734.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $761.46. Get NewMarket alerts: NewMarket (NYSE:NEU Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The specialty chemicals company reported $10.67 earnings per share for the quarter. NewMarket had a return on equity of 28.53% and a net margin of 16.33%.The business had revenue of $690.31 million during the quarter. NewMarket Increases Dividend Analysts Set New Price Targets The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th were issued a $3.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. This represents a $12.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.9%. This is a boost from NewMarkets previous quarterly dividend of $2.75. NewMarkets dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 25.35%. Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b-) rating on shares of NewMarket in a report on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Buy. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on NewMarket Institutional Investors Weigh In On NewMarket Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its stake in NewMarket by 100.0% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 78 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of NewMarket by 1,442.4% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 509 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $288,000 after acquiring an additional 476 shares in the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association purchased a new stake in shares of NewMarket during the first quarter valued at approximately $266,000. Empowered Funds LLC increased its position in shares of NewMarket by 4.8% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 1,562 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $885,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its holdings in NewMarket by 9.8% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 22,268 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $12,614,000 after acquiring an additional 1,995 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 61.09% of the companys stock. About NewMarket (Get Free Report) NewMarket Corporation is a specialty chemicals and lubricants company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Through its Valvoline business, the company markets a broad portfolio of automotive aftermarket products, including engine oils, transmission fluids, greases and vehicle care solutions. Valvoline products are distributed through retail and commercial channels as well as a network of quick-lube service centers that provide oil changes, preventive maintenance and related services. In its chemical additives segment, NewMarket develops, manufactures and sells performance additives for fuels, lubricants and industrial fluids. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for NewMarket Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NewMarket and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco Senior Income Trust (NYSE:VVR Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 388,497 shares, an increase of 28.1% from the December 15th total of 303,392 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,905,121 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.2 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,905,121 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.2 days. Invesco Senior Income Trust Price Performance Shares of Invesco Senior Income Trust stock traded up $0.06 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $3.30. 3,333,642 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,410,577. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $3.29 and a 200-day moving average of $3.45. Invesco Senior Income Trust has a 12 month low of $3.21 and a 12 month high of $4.21. Get Invesco Senior Income Trust alerts: Invesco Senior Income Trust Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be given a $0.038 dividend. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 13.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. Institutional Trading of Invesco Senior Income Trust Invesco Senior Income Trust Company Profile Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of VVR. Gridiron Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Invesco Senior Income Trust by 25,825.6% during the 3rd quarter. Gridiron Partners LLC now owns 9,628,492 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $33,315,000 after acquiring an additional 9,591,353 shares during the period. City of London Investment Management Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Invesco Senior Income Trust during the third quarter valued at approximately $2,654,000. Pathstone Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in Invesco Senior Income Trust in the third quarter worth $2,552,000. Bank of America Corp DE raised its holdings in Invesco Senior Income Trust by 12.6% in the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 3,940,291 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $14,973,000 after purchasing an additional 442,224 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. raised its holdings in Invesco Senior Income Trust by 24.5% in the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,607,777 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $6,110,000 after purchasing an additional 315,969 shares in the last quarter. (Get Free Report) Invesco Senior Income Trust (NYSE: VVR) is a closed-end management investment company sponsored by Invesco Capital Management LLC. The fund was launched in 2005 with the objective of providing high current income while seeking to preserve capital. It is structured as a diversified portfolio of senior floating-rate loans and other income-oriented debt securities. The trust primarily invests in senior secured loans issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies, which typically rank higher in a borrowers capital structure and offer floating-rate coupon payments. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Senior Income Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco Senior Income Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Asana, Inc. (NYSE:ASAN Get Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 17,414,191 shares, a growth of 24.7% from the December 15th total of 13,963,921 shares. Currently, 19.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 2,980,263 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 5.8 days. Based on an average daily volume of 2,980,263 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 5.8 days. Currently, 19.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Wall Street Zen raised Asana from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday, January 11th. Citigroup raised Asana from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $16.00 target price on the stock in a report on Thursday. DA Davidson cut their price target on shares of Asana from $17.00 to $15.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Asana from $18.00 to $16.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Asana from $14.00 to $11.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $16.11. Get Asana alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Asana Insider Activity at Asana Institutional Trading of Asana In other news, CFO Sonalee Elizabeth Parekh sold 83,656 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.31, for a total value of $1,197,117.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 993,037 shares in the company, valued at $14,210,359.47. This trade represents a 7.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . Also, COO Anne Raimondi sold 76,093 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.47, for a total transaction of $1,101,065.71. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 764,178 shares in the company, valued at $11,057,655.66. This represents a 9.06% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure . Insiders sold 1,600,027 shares of company stock worth $23,904,222 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 61.28% of the companys stock. A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ASAN. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in shares of Asana by 104.5% during the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 4,160,975 shares of the companys stock worth $56,173,000 after acquiring an additional 2,126,683 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP lifted its holdings in Asana by 594.9% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,285,583 shares of the companys stock worth $17,355,000 after purchasing an additional 1,100,575 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Asana by 73.5% during the second quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 2,020,660 shares of the companys stock worth $27,256,000 after purchasing an additional 856,282 shares during the period. Federated Hermes Inc. grew its holdings in Asana by 1,162.2% during the third quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 413,331 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,522,000 after purchasing an additional 380,583 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marex Group plc acquired a new position in Asana during the second quarter valued at approximately $4,772,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 26.21% of the companys stock. Asana Stock Down 5.1% NYSE:ASAN traded down $0.59 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $10.92. The stock had a trading volume of 7,418,152 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,316,343. The businesss 50 day moving average is $13.22 and its 200 day moving average is $13.80. Asana has a fifty-two week low of $10.91 and a fifty-two week high of $24.50. The stock has a market cap of $2.59 billion, a P/E ratio of -11.74 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.40 and a quick ratio of 1.40. Asana (NYSE:ASAN Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, December 2nd. The company reported $0.07 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.06 by $0.01. Asana had a negative net margin of 28.33% and a negative return on equity of 79.80%. The company had revenue of $201.03 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $198.78 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted ($0.02) earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 9.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Asana has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.250-0.260 EPS and its Q4 2026 guidance at 0.070-0.070 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Asana will post -1.09 earnings per share for the current year. Asana Company Profile (Get Free Report) Asana, Inc (NYSE: ASAN) is a leading provider of work management and collaboration software designed to help teams organize, track and manage their work. Founded in 2008 by Dustin Moskovitz and Justin Rosenstein, Asanas platform enables users to create projects, assign tasks, set deadlines and visualize progress across diverse workflows. The companys cloud-based solution includes customizable project templates, timeline views, boards and automated rules that streamline routine processes and reduce manual effort. Built for both small teams and large enterprises, Asana supports integrations with a wide array of third-party applications, including communication tools, file-sharing services and DevOps platforms. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Asana Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Asana and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 90,554,920 shares, a decrease of 21.2% from the December 15th total of 114,878,738 shares. Approximately 1.2% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 33,457,146 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.7 days. Based on an average trading volume of 33,457,146 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.7 days. Approximately 1.2% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Institutional Trading of Bank of America A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of BAC. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Bank of America in the second quarter valued at approximately $5,091,641,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its stake in shares of Bank of America by 640.5% in the 3rd quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 46,516,728 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,399,798,000 after acquiring an additional 40,235,201 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its stake in shares of Bank of America by 11.0% in the 3rd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 144,371,118 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $7,448,816,000 after acquiring an additional 14,275,810 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its position in shares of Bank of America by 124.8% during the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 17,619,837 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $833,771,000 after acquiring an additional 9,782,208 shares during the period. Finally, Danske Bank A S bought a new position in Bank of America during the third quarter worth $224,863,000. 70.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Bank of America alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets BAC has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wolfe Research cut shares of Bank of America from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Erste Group Bank upgraded shares of Bank of America from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, October 3rd. Barclays increased their price target on Bank of America from $59.00 to $71.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on Bank of America from $55.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of Bank of America in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $59.74. Bank of America Trading Up 0.8% NYSE:BAC traded up $0.43 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $53.02. 52,040,485 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 31,073,882. Bank of America has a one year low of $33.06 and a one year high of $57.55. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $387.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.84 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $54.16 and a 200 day simple moving average of $51.27. Bank of America (NYSE:BAC Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 14th. The financial services provider reported $0.98 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.96 by $0.02. Bank of America had a return on equity of 11.07% and a net margin of 16.23%.The business had revenue of $28.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $27.73 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.82 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Bank of America will post 3.7 EPS for the current fiscal year. Bank of America Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 26th. Investors of record on Friday, December 5th were paid a dividend of $0.28 per share. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 5th. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.24%. Bank of America Company Profile (Get Free Report) Bank of America Corporation is a multinational financial services company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It provides a broad array of banking, investment, asset management and related financial and risk management products and services to individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, governments and institutional investors. The firm operates through consumer banking, global wealth and investment management, global banking and markets businesses, offering capabilities across lending, deposits, payments, advisory and capital markets. Its consumer-facing offerings include checking and savings accounts, mortgages, home equity lending, auto loans, credit cards and small business banking, supported by a nationwide branch network and digital channels. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Bank of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc. (NYSE:MIY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 62,047 shares, a growth of 29.1% from the December 15th total of 48,076 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 114,997 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.5 days. Approximately 0.2% of the companys shares are sold short. Approximately 0.2% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 114,997 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.5 days. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. FSA Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund by 117.0% during the 2nd quarter. FSA Advisors Inc. now owns 218,413 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,411,000 after purchasing an additional 117,754 shares during the period. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group acquired a new position in BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund in the second quarter valued at about $46,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. acquired a new position in BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund in the second quarter valued at about $61,000. Foresight Capital Management Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund by 8.3% during the second quarter. Foresight Capital Management Advisors Inc. now owns 28,723 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $317,000 after buying an additional 2,199 shares during the period. Finally, Melfa Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund by 6.8% during the second quarter. Melfa Wealth Management Inc. now owns 52,790 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $583,000 after acquiring an additional 3,363 shares during the last quarter. 24.15% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund alerts: BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund Price Performance MIY stock traded up $0.01 during trading on Monday, reaching $12.20. 40,891 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 65,031. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $11.74 and a 200-day moving average price of $11.41. BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund has a 1 year low of $10.57 and a 1 year high of $12.32. BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund Dividend Announcement BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund Company Profile The company also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be given a dividend of $0.0545 per share. This represents a c) annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. (Get Free Report) BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund (NYSE: MIY) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide current income exempt from federal and Michigan personal income taxes. The fund primarily invests in investment-grade municipal securities issued by state and local governments within Michigan. Its portfolio typically includes a diversified mix of general obligation bonds and revenue bonds backed by public utilities, transportation projects, and other essential municipal services. The funds investment strategy emphasizes credit quality and diversification across sectors and maturities. Read More Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE:NHI Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 1,387,280 shares, a drop of 29.8% from the December 15th total of 1,975,807 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 230,633 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 6.0 days. Currently, 3.2% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Currently, 3.2% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 230,633 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 6.0 days. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts have recently weighed in on NHI shares. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of National Health Investors from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. National Bankshares set a $90.00 price target on National Health Investors in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. KeyCorp lifted their price objective on National Health Investors from $80.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Cantor Fitzgerald set a $85.00 price objective on National Health Investors in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of National Health Investors in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, National Health Investors has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $86.50. Get National Health Investors alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on National Health Investors National Health Investors Trading Down 0.4% NYSE:NHI traded down $0.34 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $80.09. 260,061 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 163,318. The company has a market capitalization of $3.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a quick ratio of 10.64, a current ratio of 10.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The companys 50 day moving average is $77.86 and its two-hundred day moving average is $76.10. National Health Investors has a twelve month low of $65.22 and a twelve month high of $80.87. National Health Investors (NYSE:NHI Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.32 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.24 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $83.36 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $85.66 million. National Health Investors had a return on equity of 10.17% and a net margin of 41.38%.The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.03 EPS. National Health Investors has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.880-4.91 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that National Health Investors will post 4.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. National Health Investors Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of $0.92 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $3.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.6%. National Health Investorss dividend payout ratio is presently 116.09%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Health Investors Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in National Health Investors by 41.8% during the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 461 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 136 shares during the period. Assetmark Inc. boosted its position in shares of National Health Investors by 19.0% in the 2nd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 925 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $65,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares during the last quarter. Creative Planning grew its stake in shares of National Health Investors by 2.2% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 8,217 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $576,000 after purchasing an additional 177 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its holdings in National Health Investors by 5.0% in the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 3,731 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $297,000 after purchasing an additional 177 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aviance Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in National Health Investors by 3.8% in the second quarter. Aviance Capital Partners LLC now owns 5,225 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $366,000 after purchasing an additional 189 shares during the last quarter. 62.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. National Health Investors Company Profile (Get Free Report) National Health Investors, Inc (NYSE: NHI) is a specialized real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on owning and financing high-quality healthcare and senior housing facilities in the United States. The companys portfolio encompasses a diverse range of properties, including skilled nursing centers, assisted living and memory care communities, behavioral health facilities, dialysis clinics, and medical office buildings. NHI typically enters into long-term net-lease agreements with experienced healthcare operators, providing stable and predictable rental income streams while enabling its tenants to concentrate on delivering quality care. Since its founding in 1991 and initial public offering later that year, National Health Investors has pursued a disciplined growth strategy centered on strategic acquisitions, joint ventures, and selective development. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for National Health Investors Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Health Investors and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE:LDP Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 73,759 shares, a drop of 25.6% from the December 15th total of 99,161 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 96,884 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.8 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 96,884 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.8 days. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Atria Investments Inc boosted its holdings in Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund by 375.7% in the second quarter. Atria Investments Inc now owns 189,228 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,970,000 after acquiring an additional 149,448 shares during the last quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 432,383 shares of the companys stock worth $9,007,000 after purchasing an additional 8,228 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund by 19.2% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 212,897 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,467,000 after purchasing an additional 34,271 shares during the last quarter. Glaxis Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund by 5.3% in the 2nd quarter. Glaxis Capital Management LLC now owns 158,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,315,000 after purchasing an additional 8,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rareview Capital LLC increased its position in shares of Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund by 49.9% during the second quarter. Rareview Capital LLC now owns 88,694 shares of the companys stock worth $1,861,000 after buying an additional 29,530 shares during the period. Get Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund alerts: Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund Trading Down 0.1% NYSE LDP traded down $0.03 on Monday, hitting $21.29. The companys stock had a trading volume of 51,618 shares, compared to its average volume of 66,974. The companys 50-day moving average is $21.27 and its 200 day moving average is $21.40. Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund has a 1-year low of $18.38 and a 1-year high of $22.05. Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund Dividend Announcement Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund Company Profile The business also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 10th will be issued a $0.131 dividend. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.4%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 10th. (Get Free Report) Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund, Inc (NYSE: LDP) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide investors with current income while managing interest-rate sensitivity. The fund primarily invests in a diversified portfolio of preferred securities and other income-producing instruments, combining yield potential with a strategy tailored to limit fluctuations in response to changing interest-rate environments. Its investment approach focuses on preferred and hybrid securities issued by corporations across sectors such as financial institutions, utilities, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other industries. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teekay Tankers Ltd. (NYSE:TNK Get Free Report) shares passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $52.48 and traded as high as $61.47. Teekay Tankers shares last traded at $60.16, with a volume of 635,328 shares traded. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In TNK has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Clarkson Capital upgraded shares of Teekay Tankers to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Teekay Tankers from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of Teekay Tankers from $66.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b-) rating on shares of Teekay Tankers in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their target price on shares of Teekay Tankers from $53.00 to $60.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $65.00. Get Teekay Tankers alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on Teekay Tankers Teekay Tankers Stock Up 0.6% The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $57.00 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $52.48. The firm has a market cap of $2.08 billion, a PE ratio of 6.68 and a beta of -0.25. Teekay Tankers (NYSE:TNK Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The shipping company reported $1.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.50 by $0.04. Teekay Tankers had a net margin of 32.87% and a return on equity of 10.63%. The company had revenue of $229.02 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $133.65 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.23 earnings per share. Teekay Tankerss revenue was down 16.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Teekay Tankers Ltd. will post 7.13 earnings per share for the current year. Teekay Tankers Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 21st. Investors of record on Monday, November 10th were given a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 10th. Teekay Tankerss dividend payout ratio is presently 11.11%. Institutional Trading of Teekay Tankers A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in TNK. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Teekay Tankers by 107.2% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 83,626 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $3,200,000 after purchasing an additional 43,258 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Teekay Tankers by 4.5% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 14,263 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $546,000 after buying an additional 610 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC grew its holdings in Teekay Tankers by 24.9% during the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 254,641 shares of the shipping companys stock worth $9,745,000 after acquiring an additional 50,815 shares during the period. Strs Ohio purchased a new position in Teekay Tankers during the first quarter valued at approximately $612,000. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in Teekay Tankers during the second quarter valued at approximately $233,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 52.67% of the companys stock. Teekay Tankers Company Profile (Get Free Report) Teekay Tankers Ltd is an oil tanker shipping company that owns and operates a fleet of modern crude oil and petroleum product tankers. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol TNK, the company provides seaborne transportation services for crude oil, refined petroleum products and petrochemicals. Its operations range across major global trade lanes, offering a mix of spot market voyages and time-charter contracts to a diverse customer base in the oil and energy sector. The companys fleet includes a mix of Medium Range (MR), Long Range (LR1 and LR2), Suezmax and Aframax tankers designed to meet various cargo specifications and port restrictions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Teekay Tankers Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teekay Tankers and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DCGpac has opened its new manufacturing facility in Noida, India, aiming to increase the in-house output of sustainable packaging materials. The 20,000ft plant has an initial capacity to produce 250t per month. The facility is structured for backward integration by incorporating raw material sourcing, production, quality checks, and distribution processes. The plant has been developed through a five-year collaboration with UKHI, a company focused on biodegradable and compostable materials. DCGpac stated that all materials processed at this location are fully biodegradable and compostable. The new site will supply packaging products for sectors such as e-commerce, quick commerce, logistics, retail, and direct-to-consumer brands. Its reach will extend to customers in India, as well as various markets such as the UK, Germany, Australia, and the Middle East. Production lines at the plant include extrusion, printing, sealing, and finishing operations. The facility also houses a laboratory for quality control to ensure compliance with different market regulations. According to DCGpac, this plant is designed to supplement its current network of vendors and manufacturing partners rather than replace them. The company noted that the move is intended to enhance product development timelines and provide consistency for clients operating globally. DCGpac founder Suresh Bansal was quoted by Nuffoods Spectrum as saying: This manufacturing facility is a strategic milestone in our long-term vision of building a global, sustainability-first packaging ecosystem. Our partnership with UKHI and our backward integration into manufacturing allows us to control quality, scale faster, and deliver truly sustainable solutions to customers worldwide. We are not just building a factory, we are building future-ready supply chain infrastructure for the next generation of global commerce. DCGpac also outlined plans to add more manufacturing facilities under its smart manufacturing approach over the next five years. Joint investments from the company and its partners are expected to exceed Rs1bn ($10.9m) to address growing domestic and international demand. "DCGpac launches new sustainable packaging plant in Noida, India" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. (NYSE:SPH Get Free Report) shares crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $18.63 and traded as high as $19.20. Suburban Propane Partners shares last traded at $19.16, with a volume of 101,589 shares trading hands. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Suburban Propane Partners in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, Suburban Propane Partners has a consensus rating of Hold. Get Suburban Propane Partners alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on SPH Suburban Propane Partners Trading Up 0.1% The firm has a market capitalization of $1.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.68 and a beta of 0.41. The businesss 50 day moving average is $18.88 and its two-hundred day moving average is $18.63. The company has a quick ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.02. Suburban Propane Partners (NYSE:SPH Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 13th. The energy company reported ($0.62) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.51) by ($0.11). The company had revenue of $211.38 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $227.00 million. Suburban Propane Partners had a net margin of 7.44% and a return on equity of 16.31%. Suburban Propane Partners Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, November 11th. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 4th were paid a dividend of $0.325 per share. This represents a $1.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.8%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 4th. Suburban Propane Partnerss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 79.27%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Suburban Propane Partners Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Alps Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Suburban Propane Partners by 3.1% during the 3rd quarter. Alps Advisors Inc. now owns 14,327,026 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $267,199,000 after purchasing an additional 433,748 shares during the period. Bowen Hanes & Co. Inc. boosted its stake in Suburban Propane Partners by 24.5% during the third quarter. Bowen Hanes & Co. Inc. now owns 1,016,000 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $18,948,000 after buying an additional 200,000 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in Suburban Propane Partners by 18.7% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,266,303 shares of the energy companys stock worth $23,465,000 after acquiring an additional 199,693 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its holdings in Suburban Propane Partners by 4.8% during the third quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 4,177,601 shares of the energy companys stock worth $77,912,000 after acquiring an additional 192,154 shares during the period. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its position in Suburban Propane Partners by 11.6% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,370,534 shares of the energy companys stock worth $28,795,000 after acquiring an additional 142,547 shares in the last quarter. 30.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Suburban Propane Partners Company Profile (Get Free Report) Suburban Propane Partners L.P. (NYSE: SPH) is a publicly traded master limited partnership headquartered in Whippany, New Jersey, that provides propane and related energy services to residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural customers. As one of the largest propane retailers in the United States, the company delivers propane gas, heating oil, diesel fuel and natural gas throughout its service territories. In addition to fuel distribution, Suburban Propane offers HVAC installation, maintenance and repair services, as well as safety inspections and equipment leasing to support customers energy needs. The companys core business centers on the delivery of propane for space and water heating, cooking and agricultural applications. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Suburban Propane Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Suburban Propane Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE:HLX Get Free Report) crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $6.51 and traded as high as $7.21. Helix Energy Solutions Group shares last traded at $7.09, with a volume of 1,094,235 shares. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In HLX has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of Helix Energy Solutions Group in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Cowen reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Helix Energy Solutions Group in a report on Friday, October 24th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Helix Energy Solutions Group from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, October 25th. TD Cowen upped their target price on Helix Energy Solutions Group from $11.00 to $12.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, October 24th. Finally, Zacks Research raised Helix Energy Solutions Group from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, November 20th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Helix Energy Solutions Group currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $10.50. Get Helix Energy Solutions Group alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on HLX Helix Energy Solutions Group Stock Performance The company has a current ratio of 2.54, a quick ratio of 2.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The firms fifty day moving average price is $6.75 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $6.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.04 billion, a PE ratio of 25.32 and a beta of 1.25. Helix Energy Solutions Group (NYSE:HLX Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 22nd. The oil and gas company reported $0.15 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.15. Helix Energy Solutions Group had a net margin of 3.25% and a return on equity of 2.75%. The company had revenue of $376.96 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $361.93 million. The companys quarterly revenue was up 10.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. will post 0.26 EPS for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling at Helix Energy Solutions Group In related news, COO Scott Andrew Sparks sold 40,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.88, for a total value of $275,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 301,042 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,071,168.96. This represents a 11.73% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 6.37% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Trading of Helix Energy Solutions Group Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its stake in shares of Helix Energy Solutions Group by 39.2% during the 4th quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 56,245 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $360,000 after buying an additional 15,841 shares during the period. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC increased its holdings in Helix Energy Solutions Group by 7.3% in the 4th quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC now owns 165,183 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $1,036,000 after acquiring an additional 11,281 shares in the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its holdings in Helix Energy Solutions Group by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 408,286 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $2,560,000 after acquiring an additional 3,601 shares in the last quarter. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL acquired a new position in Helix Energy Solutions Group during the third quarter worth $799,000. Finally, CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. acquired a new position in Helix Energy Solutions Group during the third quarter worth $97,000. 91.33% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Helix Energy Solutions Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc (NYSE: HLX) is a Houston-based provider of offshore well intervention and robotics services to the global energy industry. The company specializes in extending the productive life of subsea wells through hydraulic workover systems, coiled tubing operations and riser-based wireline services. In addition, Helix offers remotely operated vehicle (ROV) support, inspection, maintenance and repair for subsea infrastructure. Operating through three core business segmentsWell Intervention, Robotics & Subsea Services and Production FacilitiesHelix deploys purpose-built vessels, specialized equipment and engineering expertise to execute complex offshore projects. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Helix Energy Solutions Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Helix Energy Solutions Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Saturday. Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Bank of America upped their price target on shares of Hormel Foods from $25.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Hormel Foods from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Zacks Research upgraded Hormel Foods from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, December 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Hormel Foods and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Piper Sandler reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $26.00 price target (up from $25.00) on shares of Hormel Foods in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $28.29. Get Hormel Foods alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on HRL Hormel Foods Price Performance Shares of NYSE:HRL opened at $24.24 on Friday. The firms 50 day moving average is $23.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $25.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.86, a PEG ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a current ratio of 2.47, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. Hormel Foods has a 52 week low of $21.03 and a 52 week high of $32.07. Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $0.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.30 by $0.02. Hormel Foods had a return on equity of 9.41% and a net margin of 3.95%.The business had revenue of $3.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.24 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.42 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. Hormel Foods has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.430-1.51 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Hormel Foods will post 1.65 earnings per share for the current year. Hormel Foods Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 12th will be given a dividend of $0.2925 per share. This is a positive change from Hormel Foodss previous quarterly dividend of $0.29. This represents a $1.17 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 12th. Hormel Foodss payout ratio is currently 134.48%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hormel Foods Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Hormel Foods by 2.0% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 37,595,843 shares of the companys stock worth $930,121,000 after purchasing an additional 729,942 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Hormel Foods by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 28,338,645 shares of the companys stock worth $701,098,000 after purchasing an additional 269,941 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Hormel Foods by 66.5% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 11,331,941 shares of the companys stock worth $280,352,000 after purchasing an additional 4,526,167 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Hormel Foods by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 7,886,107 shares of the companys stock valued at $237,589,000 after buying an additional 166,152 shares during the last quarter. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Hormel Foods by 11.2% in the third quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 5,769,398 shares of the companys stock valued at $142,735,000 after buying an additional 581,006 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 40.99% of the companys stock. Hormel Foods Company Profile (Get Free Report) Hormel Foods Corporation is a global branded foods company primarily engaged in the production, marketing and distribution of value-added, high-quality meat and food products. The companys portfolio spans a range of categories including refrigerated and frozen meats, pantry staples, specialty foods and shelf-stable items. Through manufacturing facilities located across North America and international markets, Hormel Foods supplies retail grocers, foodservice operators, convenience stores and e-commerce platforms. Among its best-known brands, Hormel Foods produces SPAM canned meats, Jennie-O turkey products, Skippy peanut butter and Applegate natural and organic meats. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Hormel Foods Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hormel Foods and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Gold Fields (NYSE:GFI Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note issued on Sunday. Several other research firms also recently weighed in on GFI. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of Gold Fields in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Investec lowered shares of Gold Fields from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, October 10th. Canaccord Genuity Group downgraded shares of Gold Fields from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $39.00 target price for the company. in a report on Monday, October 13th. HSBC reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Gold Fields in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price objective on shares of Gold Fields to $45.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Gold Fields currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $42.13. Get Gold Fields alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Gold Fields Gold Fields Trading Down 0.8% Institutional Investors Weigh In On Gold Fields Shares of GFI opened at $49.43 on Friday. Gold Fields has a fifty-two week low of $14.95 and a fifty-two week high of $50.96. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $43.93 and a two-hundred day moving average of $37.67. Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. DJE Kapital AG grew its position in Gold Fields by 19.7% in the second quarter. DJE Kapital AG now owns 4,511,125 shares of the companys stock worth $105,260,000 after buying an additional 742,174 shares during the last quarter. Paradiem LLC bought a new stake in shares of Gold Fields during the 2nd quarter worth $2,010,000. U S Global Investors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Gold Fields by 53.8% in the 2nd quarter. U S Global Investors Inc. now owns 100,000 shares of the companys stock worth $2,367,000 after acquiring an additional 35,000 shares during the last quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. raised its position in shares of Gold Fields by 32.1% during the third quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 4,371,211 shares of the companys stock worth $183,416,000 after purchasing an additional 1,062,242 shares during the period. Finally, Financial Advocates Investment Management purchased a new stake in shares of Gold Fields during the second quarter valued at $374,000. 24.81% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Gold Fields (Get Free Report) Gold Fields (NYSE: GFI) is a Johannesburg?based gold mining company that operates as an international producer of gold. Listed on multiple exchanges and traded in the United States via American Depositary Receipts under the ticker GFI, the company focuses on the exploration, development, extraction and processing of gold-bearing ore and the sale of refined gold products. Its operations span several regions, serving global bullion markets and supplying gold for both investment and industrial uses. The companys core activities include mine development and underground and open?pit mining, ore treatment and refining, and ongoing exploration to replace reserves. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Gold Fields Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Gold Fields and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. SIKA AG Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:SXYAY Get Free Report) was the target of a significant increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 153,364 shares, an increase of 21.8% from the December 15th total of 125,926 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 528,789 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days. Based on an average trading volume of 528,789 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short. SIKA Price Performance OTCMKTS:SXYAY opened at $18.67 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $19.78 and a 200-day moving average price of $21.83. SIKA has a 1-year low of $18.29 and a 1-year high of $27.52. Get SIKA alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Zacks Research cut shares of SIKA from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Rothschild Redb upgraded shares of SIKA from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, October 10th. Barclays upgraded shares of SIKA from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, November 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of SIKA to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a buy rating on shares of SIKA in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, SIKA has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. About SIKA (Get Free Report) Sika AG is a Switzerland-based specialty chemicals company that develops and manufactures systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protecting in the building sector and in industrial manufacturing. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in Baar, Switzerland, Sika is best known for its portfolio of construction chemicals and industrial adhesives that serve new construction, refurbishment and industrial production applications. The companys product range includes concrete admixtures and repair mortars, sealants and adhesives, waterproofing membranes and roofing systems, flooring systems, facade and structural bonding solutions, and vibration-damping and acoustic solutions for industry. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for SIKA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SIKA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Northern Oil and Gas, Inc. (NYSE:NOG Free Report) Investment analysts at Zacks Research lowered their Q3 2027 EPS estimates for shares of Northern Oil and Gas in a research note issued on Wednesday, January 14th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the company will earn $0.83 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $0.85. The consensus estimate for Northern Oil and Gas current full-year earnings is $5.18 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Northern Oil and Gas Q4 2027 earnings at $0.81 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $3.43 EPS. Get Northern Oil and Gas alerts: Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Citigroup reduced their price objective on Northern Oil and Gas from $32.00 to $28.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 20th. Mizuho raised their price objective on shares of Northern Oil and Gas from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c-) rating on shares of Northern Oil and Gas in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an underweight rating and set a $26.00 price objective (down from $27.00) on shares of Northern Oil and Gas in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $30.14. Northern Oil and Gas Stock Performance NYSE:NOG opened at $22.25 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.17 billion, a PE ratio of 12.57 and a beta of 0.98. Northern Oil and Gas has a 12-month low of $19.88 and a 12-month high of $42.22. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $22.25 and a 200 day moving average price of $24.14. Northern Oil and Gas (NYSE:NOG Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.82 by $0.21. Northern Oil and Gas had a net margin of 7.61% and a return on equity of 20.61%. The firm had revenue of $556.64 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $528.36 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.40 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down 26.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Institutional Trading of Northern Oil and Gas Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lifted its position in Northern Oil and Gas by 133.3% in the 2nd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 954 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 545 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in Northern Oil and Gas by 200.3% during the second quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 955 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 637 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Northern Oil and Gas by 2,736.1% during the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,021 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 985 shares in the last quarter. First Horizon Corp purchased a new position in Northern Oil and Gas during the 3rd quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its holdings in shares of Northern Oil and Gas by 181.0% in the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 1,107 shares of the companys stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 713 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 98.80% of the companys stock. Northern Oil and Gas Announces Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 30th will be given a dividend of $0.45 per share. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 30th. Northern Oil and Gass dividend payout ratio is currently 101.69%. Northern Oil and Gas Company Profile (Get Free Report) Northern Oil and Gas, Inc is a publicly traded independent energy company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of oil and natural gas resources in the United States. The companys primary operations are concentrated in the Williston Basin, where it secures acreage positions and partners with drilling operators to advance upstream projects. Through strategic leasehold acquisitions and joint ventures, Northern Oil and Gas seeks to expand its footprint in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. Northern Oil and Gas employs horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies to develop unconventional resource plays, particularly in the Bakken, Three Forks and Red River formations of North Dakota and Montana. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Northern Oil and Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Northern Oil and Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. QXO, Inc. (NYSE:QXO Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the eighteen research firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has given a hold recommendation, fifteen have given a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $32.4286. QXO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Benchmark reissued a buy rating on shares of QXO in a research note on Friday. Loop Capital initiated coverage on shares of QXO in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. They issued a buy rating and a $31.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d+) rating on shares of QXO in a research note on Monday, December 29th. William Blair reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of QXO in a research note on Wednesday, December 31st. Finally, Citigroup decreased their target price on QXO from $33.00 to $31.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Get QXO alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on QXO QXO Price Performance NYSE QXO opened at $23.82 on Friday. QXO has a 52-week low of $11.85 and a 52-week high of $26.24. The firms 50 day moving average price is $20.73 and its 200-day moving average price is $20.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 2.24 and a current ratio of 3.06. The company has a market cap of $16.06 billion, a PE ratio of -54.14, a P/E/G ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 2.44. QXO (NYSE:QXO Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $0.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.12 by $0.02. QXO had a positive return on equity of 3.70% and a negative net margin of 3.81%.The firm had revenue of $2.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.78 billion. QXOs revenue was up 20726.7% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that QXO will post -0.13 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in QXO by 17.2% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 55,323,743 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,054,471,000 after buying an additional 8,131,331 shares during the last quarter. Affinity Partners GP LP lifted its holdings in QXO by 99.1% during the 2nd quarter. Affinity Partners GP LP now owns 32,671,542 shares of the companys stock worth $703,745,000 after buying an additional 16,260,163 shares in the last quarter. Alpha Wave Global LP acquired a new stake in shares of QXO in the second quarter valued at $525,366,000. Finepoint Capital LP raised its position in QXO by 5.4% in the 3rd quarter. Finepoint Capital LP now owns 22,295,615 shares of the companys stock valued at $424,954,000 after purchasing an additional 1,142,747 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schf GPE LLC increased its stake in shares of QXO by 204.3% during the second quarter. Schf GPE LLC now owns 13,319,457 shares of the companys stock worth $286,901,000 after buying an additional 8,943,089 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.68% of the companys stock. About QXO (Get Free Report) QXO, Inc operates as a business application, technology, and consulting company in North America. The company provides solutions for accounting and business management, financial reporting, enterprise resource planning, human capital management, warehouse management systems, customer relationship management, and business intelligence. It also offers value-added services that focuses on consulting and professional, specialized programming, training, and technical support services. In addition, the company provides information technology managed services, such as cybersecurity, application hosting, disaster recovery, business continuity, cloud, and other services; and data back-up, network maintenance, and upgrade services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for QXO Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for QXO and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy by the six research firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$113.50. L has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. CIBC raised their price objective on Loblaw Companies from C$58.50 to C$67.00 in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. TD Securities raised their target price on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$63.00 to C$65.00 in a report on Thursday, November 13th. Desjardins raised shares of Loblaw Companies from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from C$62.00 to C$67.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. National Bankshares upped their price objective on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$60.00 to C$61.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 22nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Loblaw Companies from C$57.50 to C$63.00 in a report on Thursday, November 13th. Get Loblaw Companies alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on L Insider Buying and Selling Loblaw Companies Stock Performance In related news, insider Kieran Barry Columb sold 40,800 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$59.50, for a total value of C$2,427,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 163,696 shares in the company, valued at C$9,739,912. This trade represents a 19.95% decrease in their position. Insiders sold a total of 102,044 shares of company stock worth $6,092,002 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 53.77% of the companys stock. Shares of TSE L opened at C$62.49 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of C$73.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.52, a P/E/G ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.26. The stocks 50-day moving average is C$61.61 and its 200 day moving average is C$95.91. The company has a current ratio of 1.29, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 166.11. Loblaw Companies has a 1-year low of C$43.32 and a 1-year high of C$63.43. Loblaw Companies Cuts Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 30th were given a dividend of $0.1411 per share. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 15th. Loblaw Companiess payout ratio is presently 26.31%. About Loblaw Companies (Get Free Report) Loblaw is one of Canadas largest grocery, pharmacy, and general merchandise retailers, operating the most expansive store footprint in Ontario and maintaining sizable presences in provinces like Quebec and British Columbia. Key grocery banners include Loblaw, No Frills, and Maxi, while its pharmaceutical operations are the product of its 2014 acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart. The firm carries a robust private-label assortment, with top sellers like Presidents Choice and No Name. In addition to its retail operations, Loblaw oversees a financial-services business, which provides credit card services and guaranteed investment certificates, and also operates its PC Optimum loyalty program. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Loblaw Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Loblaw Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Insider & Institutional Ownership 59.7% of shares of all BANKS WEST companies are owned by institutional investors. 10.5% of shares of all BANKS WEST companies are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Valuation and Earnings This table compares BEO Bancorp and its rivals revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Get BEO Bancorp alerts: Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio BEO Bancorp $57.76 million $16.19 million 8.31 BEO Bancorp Competitors $928.68 million $163.81 million 11.29 BEO Bancorps rivals have higher revenue and earnings than BEO Bancorp. BEO Bancorp is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than its rivals, indicating that it is currently more affordable than other companies in its industry. Dividends Risk & Volatility BEO Bancorp pays an annual dividend of $2.00 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.8%. BEO Bancorp pays out 15.2% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, BANKS WEST companies pay a dividend yield of 1.7% and pay out 29.6% of their earnings in the form of a dividend. BEO Bancorp is clearly a better dividend stock than its rivals, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. BEO Bancorp has a beta of 0.25, meaning that its stock price is 75% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, BEO Bancorps rivals have a beta of -2.37, meaning that their average stock price is 337% less volatile than the S&P 500. Profitability This table compares BEO Bancorp and its rivals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets BEO Bancorp N/A N/A N/A BEO Bancorp Competitors 18.94% 10.36% 1.08% Summary BEO Bancorp rivals beat BEO Bancorp on 8 of the 11 factors compared. BEO Bancorp Company Profile (Get Free Report) BEO Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for Bank of Eastern Oregon that provides commercial and consumer financing, banking and mortgage lending, and other services in Northeastern Oregon and Southeastern Washington. The company offers checking, money market, time deposits, and savings accounts; and certificates of deposit. It also provides commercial, agricultural, real estate, installment, credit card, mortgage, term, home, construction, farm, and refinancing loans; lines of credit; home enhancement loan programs; Internet banking and bill payment services; business sweep and banking services; and automated teller machines and safe deposit facilities, as well as originates and sells mortgage loans into the secondary market. The company was founded in 1945 and is based in Heppner, Oregon. Receive News & Ratings for BEO Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BEO Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. First American Financial (NYSE:FAF Get Free Report) and Bowhead Specialty (NYSE:BOW Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, valuation, dividends, profitability, earnings, analyst recommendations and risk. Profitability This table compares First American Financial and Bowhead Specialtys net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Get First American Financial alerts: Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets First American Financial 6.80% 11.01% 3.50% Bowhead Specialty 10.12% 13.53% 2.91% Volatility and Risk First American Financial has a beta of 1.27, indicating that its stock price is 27% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Bowhead Specialty has a beta of -1.06, indicating that its stock price is 206% less volatile than the S&P 500. Insider & Institutional Ownership Analyst Ratings 89.1% of First American Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.7% of First American Financial shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. This is a breakdown of current recommendations for First American Financial and Bowhead Specialty, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score First American Financial 0 2 3 0 2.60 Bowhead Specialty 0 4 5 0 2.56 First American Financial presently has a consensus target price of $75.75, indicating a potential upside of 23.56%. Bowhead Specialty has a consensus target price of $33.83, indicating a potential upside of 40.93%. Given Bowhead Specialtys higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Bowhead Specialty is more favorable than First American Financial. Earnings and Valuation This table compares First American Financial and Bowhead Specialtys revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio First American Financial $6.13 billion 1.02 $131.10 million $4.65 13.18 Bowhead Specialty $425.66 million 1.85 $38.24 million $1.56 15.39 First American Financial has higher revenue and earnings than Bowhead Specialty. First American Financial is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Bowhead Specialty, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Summary First American Financial beats Bowhead Specialty on 8 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks. About First American Financial (Get Free Report) First American Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides financial services. It operates through Title Insurance and Services, and Home Warranty segments. The Title Insurance and Services segment issues title insurance policies on residential and commercial property, as well as offers related products and services internationally. This segment also provides closing and/or escrow services; products, services, and solutions to mitigate risk or otherwise facilitate real estate transactions; and appraisals and other valuation-related products and services, lien release and document custodial services, warehouse lending services, default-related products and services, document generation services, mortgage loans subservicing, and related products and services, as well as banking, trust, and wealth management services. In addition, it accommodates tax-deferred exchanges of real estate; and maintains, manages, and provides access to title plant data and records. This segment offers its products through a network of direct operations and agents in various states and in the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and internationally. The Home Warranty segment provides home warranty products, including residential service contracts that cover residential systems, such as heating and air conditioning systems, and various appliances against failures that occur as the result of normal usage during the coverage period. This segment operates in various states and the District of Columbia. The company was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California. About Bowhead Specialty (Get Free Report) Bowhead Specialty Holdings Inc. provides specialty property and casualty insurance products in the United States. It underwrites casualty insurance solutions for risks in the construction, distribution, heavy manufacturing, real estate, and hospitality segments; professional liability insurance solutions for financial institutions, private and public directors and officers liability insurance, errors and omissions liability insurance, and cyber segments; and healthcare solutions for hospitals, senior care providers, managed care organizations, miscellaneous medical facilities, and healthcare management liability segments. The company distributes its products through distribution partners in wholesale and retail markets. Bowhead Specialty Holdings Inc. was formerly known as Bowhead Holdings Inc. and changed its name to Bowhead Specialty Holdings Inc. in March 2024. The company was founded in 2020 and is based in New York, New York. Bowhead Specialty Holdings Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Bowhead Insurance Holdings LP. Receive News & Ratings for First American Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First American Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Professional services company Deloitte plans to significantly expand its workforce in India by opening new locations in the country. The company plans to hire around 50,000 more employees in India and is assessing Mangaluru, a city in Karnataka, as a potential site for future growth. The plan was shared by Deloitte South Asia CEO Romal Shetty while speaking at TiEcon Mangaluru 2026, reported financial news platform Moneycontrol. Shetty was quoted by the publication as saying: Deloitte has 140,000 people in the country. One in every four Deloitte employees in the world is in India or is an Indian. We will hire about 50,000 more people. We came very close to Mangaluru. Mangaluru has talent. We will come to Mangaluru, no doubt, it is only a question of time. He said India continues to hold a significant position in the global capability centre (GCC) landscape, with 50% of all global GCCs located in India. There is still a lot of potential here, especially from a Tier II and Tier III city point of view, Shetty added, indicating that subsequent phases of GCC expansion are likely to involve emerging Tier II and Tier III cities. As part of his proposal for enabling faster GCC rollouts, Shetty called for the development of digital economic zones that integrate GCCs, GPU (graphics processing unit)-based data centres, start-ups and academic institutions within plug-and-play infrastructure. Opening a GCC can take six months, but it should take only two weeks, he said, calling for a reduction in friction in setting up operations. He also pointed to infrastructure-related constraints, especially in relation to energy and water needs for data centres. At the same time, he noted that Mangaluru offers factors such as talent availability and real estate. Deloitte has also made a series of leadership appointments in international markets. Last month, Deloitte Ireland announced the appointment of Aziz Ahmad and Vikram Kunnath as partners to strengthen its consultative businesses. Deloitte Romania named Razvan Ungureanu as the new partner-in-charge of its Audit and Assurance practice, effective December 2025. "Deloitte to ramp up India operations with 50,000 new hires" was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand. British Land Company PLC Sponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:BTLCY Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 4,777 shares, a decrease of 20.3% from the December 15th total of 5,996 shares. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 15,770 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.3 days. Based on an average trading volume of 15,770 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.3 days. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the company are sold short. British Land Price Performance Shares of British Land stock opened at $5.46 on Tuesday. British Land has a 1 year low of $4.15 and a 1 year high of $5.62. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $5.26 and a 200 day moving average price of $4.93. Get British Land alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating on shares of British Land in a research report on Friday, December 5th. UBS Group raised British Land from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, November 7th. Finally, Panmure Gordon upgraded British Land to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, British Land currently has an average rating of Buy. British Land Company Profile (Get Free Report) British Land Company plc is a leading real estate investment trust primarily focused on the ownership, development and management of UK commercial property. The companys portfolio is centred on high-quality office and retail destinations in key urban locations, combining long-term holdings with active redevelopment projects. Its core business activities include leasing space to corporate and retail tenants, asset management, and undertaking new developments aimed at enhancing urban environments and driving sustainable value. Founded in 1856 as the Land Mortgage and Agency Company, British Land adopted its current name in the 1970s as it expanded beyond mortgage lending into direct property investment. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for British Land Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for British Land and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hippo (NYSE:HIPO Get Free Report) and Allianz (OTCMKTS:ALIZY Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability, risk and dividends. Risk and Volatility Hippo has a beta of 1.57, meaning that its share price is 57% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Allianz has a beta of 0.64, meaning that its share price is 36% less volatile than the S&P 500. Get Hippo alerts: Insider & Institutional Ownership 43.0% of Hippo shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.0% of Allianz shares are owned by institutional investors. 10.8% of Hippo shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term. Profitability Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Hippo 21.30% -5.89% -1.28% Allianz 5.69% 17.38% 1.06% Analyst Recommendations This table compares Hippo and Allianzs net margins, return on equity and return on assets. This is a breakdown of current ratings for Hippo and Allianz, as reported by MarketBeat. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Hippo 1 1 4 1 2.71 Allianz 1 3 1 1 2.33 Hippo currently has a consensus target price of $37.50, indicating a potential upside of 23.40%. Given Hippos stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts plainly believe Hippo is more favorable than Allianz. Earnings & Valuation This table compares Hippo and Allianzs gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Hippo $372.10 million 2.07 -$40.50 million $3.62 8.39 Allianz $194.56 billion 0.86 $10.75 billion $3.01 14.65 Allianz has higher revenue and earnings than Hippo. Hippo is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Allianz, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Summary Hippo beats Allianz on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks. About Hippo (Get Free Report) Hippo Holdings Inc. provides property and casualty insurance products to individuals and business customers primarily in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Services, Insurance-as-a-Service, and Hippo Home Insurance Program. Its insurance products include homeowners' insurance against risks of fire, wind, and theft, as well as other personal lines policies from third party carriers; and personal and commercial, as well as home, auto, cyber, small business, life, specialty lines, and other insurance products. The company distributes insurance products and services through its technology platform and website, as well as operates licensed insurance agencies. Hippo Holdings Inc. is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. About Allianz (Get Free Report) Allianz SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides property-casualty insurance, life/health insurance, and asset management products and services worldwide. The companys Property-Casualty segment offers various insurance products, including motor liability and own damage, accident, general liability, fire and property, legal expense, credit, and travel to private and corporate customers. Its Life/Health segment provides a range of life and health insurance products on an individual and a group basis, such as annuities, endowment and term insurance, and unit-linked and investment-oriented products, as well as private and supplemental health, and long-term care insurance products. The companys Asset Management segment offers institutional and retail asset management products and services to third-party investors comprising equity and fixed income funds, and multi-assets; and alternative investment products that include real estate, infrastructure debt/equity, real assets, liquid alternatives, and solutions. Its Corporate and Other segment provides banking services for retail clients, as well as digital investment services. Allianz SE was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. Receive News & Ratings for Hippo Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hippo and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hydro One Limited (TSE:H Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the seven analysts that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$52.95. A number of brokerages recently weighed in on H. National Bankshares boosted their price target on shares of Hydro One from C$49.00 to C$53.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Raymond James Financial boosted their target price on shares of Hydro One from C$49.00 to C$53.50 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, October 24th. Scotiabank increased their target price on shares of Hydro One from C$51.00 to C$53.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, CIBC raised their price target on shares of Hydro One from C$52.00 to C$54.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Get Hydro One alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on Hydro One Hydro One Price Performance Shares of TSE H opened at C$53.23 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of C$31.93 billion, a PE ratio of 24.53, a PEG ratio of 3.17 and a beta of 0.21. The company has a quick ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 140.53. The stocks 50 day moving average price is C$53.69 and its 200-day moving average price is C$51.35. Hydro One has a twelve month low of C$43.30 and a twelve month high of C$55.47. Hydro One (TSE:H Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 13th. The company reported C$0.70 EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$1.22 billion for the quarter. Hydro One had a return on equity of 9.58% and a net margin of 13.59%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Hydro One will post 2.0572195 EPS for the current year. Hydro One Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st were paid a $0.3331 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 10th. This represents a $1.33 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Hydro Ones payout ratio is presently 59.66%. Hydro One Company Profile (Get Free Report) Hydro One operates regulated transmission and distribution assets in Ontario. The areas largest electricity provider serves nearly 1.5 million customers. Transmission accounts for roughly 60% of the companys rate base, with distribution accounting for the remainder. Hydro One operates a small telecom business, Acronym Solutions, with annual revenue contributing less than 1% to consolidated results. The province of Ontario holds an approximate 47% common equity stake. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Hydro One Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hydro One and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Turning Point Brands (NYSE:TPB Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Saturday morning. Several other research firms have also weighed in on TPB. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b-) rating on shares of Turning Point Brands in a research note on Tuesday, December 23rd. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $130.00 price target on shares of Turning Point Brands in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Zacks Research cut Turning Point Brands from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Industrial Alliance Securities set a $110.00 target price on Turning Point Brands in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Finally, Alliance Global Partners lifted their price target on Turning Point Brands from $103.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $116.67. Get Turning Point Brands alerts: Read Our Latest Report on TPB Turning Point Brands Price Performance TPB opened at $119.02 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.91 and a beta of 0.86. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $104.98 and a 200-day moving average of $96.14. The company has a quick ratio of 3.98, a current ratio of 5.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82. Turning Point Brands has a 12-month low of $51.48 and a 12-month high of $119.25. Turning Point Brands (NYSE:TPB Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $1.27 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.81 by $0.46. Turning Point Brands had a return on equity of 24.44% and a net margin of 12.02%.The firm had revenue of $118.98 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $111.42 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.68 earnings per share. Turning Point Brandss quarterly revenue was up 12.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Turning Point Brands will post 2.59 EPS for the current fiscal year. Turning Point Brands Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 9th. Investors of record on Friday, December 19th were paid a $0.075 dividend. This represents a $0.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 19th. Turning Point Brandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.56%. Insider Activity In related news, SVP Brittani Cushman sold 15,250 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.66, for a total value of $1,550,315.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 34,687 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,526,280.42. This trade represents a 30.54% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Stephen Usher sold 1,000 shares of Turning Point Brands stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.00, for a total transaction of $101,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 5,175 shares in the company, valued at $522,675. This trade represents a 16.19% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 96,220 shares of company stock valued at $9,958,542. Insiders own 6.60% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Turning Point Brands A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in TPB. First Horizon Corp acquired a new stake in Turning Point Brands in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in Turning Point Brands during the third quarter worth $28,000. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new position in Turning Point Brands during the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in Turning Point Brands by 90.7% in the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 328 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 156 shares during the period. Finally, Briaud Financial Planning Inc acquired a new stake in Turning Point Brands in the 2nd quarter worth $31,000. 96.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Turning Point Brands (Get Free Report) Turning Point Brands, Inc (NYSE: TPB) is a U.S.-based consumer products company focused on the manufacture, marketing and distribution of smokeless tobacco, vaping and cigar products. Headquartered in Old Hickory, Tennessee, the company serves retail outlets across all 50 states through a direct-store-delivery network and select third-party distributors. Turning Point Brands operates two reporting segmentsSmokeless Products and Cigarand leverages its logistics capabilities to offer a broad portfolio of brands and SKUs. In its Smokeless Products segment, Turning Point Brands produces moist smokeless tobacco under leading brand names such as Grizzly, Kodiak and Stokers. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Turning Point Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Turning Point Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. EON Resources Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:EONR Get Free Report) saw a large growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 2,196,774 shares, a growth of 23.5% from the December 15th total of 1,779,350 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 1,273,131 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.7 days. Currently, 4.8% of the companys shares are sold short. Currently, 4.8% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 1,273,131 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.7 days. EON Resources Trading Down 2.3% EONR stock opened at $0.38 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The businesss 50-day moving average is $0.42 and its two-hundred day moving average is $0.41. EON Resources has a 1 year low of $0.27 and a 1 year high of $1.90. Get EON Resources alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other EON Resources news, Director Joseph V. Sr Salvucci, Sr. purchased 118,237 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 26th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $0.43 per share, for a total transaction of $50,841.91. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 2,047,358 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $880,363.94. This trade represents a 6.13% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Over the last three months, insiders bought 198,237 shares of company stock valued at $84,642. Insiders own 9.18% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of EON Resources EON Resources Company Profile An institutional investor recently raised its position in EON Resources stock. Two Sigma Investments LP boosted its position in shares of EON Resources Inc. ( NYSEAMERICAN:EONR Free Report ) by 574.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 194,560 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 165,709 shares during the period. Two Sigma Investments LP owned about 0.52% of EON Resources worth $95,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 33.51% of the companys stock. (Get Free Report) EON Resources Inc, an independent oil and natural gas company, focuses on the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil and natural gas properties in the Permian Basin. It holds a 100% working interest in the property that consists of 343 wells producing oil and gas, as well as 207 injection wells covering an area of approximately 13,700 contiguous acres. The company was formerly known as HNR Acquisition Corp and changed its name atop EON Resources Inc in September 2024. EON Resources Inc was incorporated in 2020 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Read More Receive News & Ratings for EON Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for EON Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (NYSE:HMY Get Free Report) saw a large decrease in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 5,953,883 shares, a decrease of 16.9% from the December 15th total of 7,160,668 shares. Currently, 1.1% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 3,836,422 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.6 days. Based on an average trading volume of 3,836,422 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.6 days. Currently, 1.1% of the shares of the company are sold short. Harmony Gold Mining Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:HMY opened at $21.80 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $19.79 and a 200 day moving average of $17.33. The company has a quick ratio of 1.41, a current ratio of 1.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. Harmony Gold Mining has a 12 month low of $9.58 and a 12 month high of $22.98. Get Harmony Gold Mining alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Harmony Gold Mining A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its position in Harmony Gold Mining by 48.2% during the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 5,871,169 shares of the mining companys stock worth $105,916,000 after buying an additional 1,910,028 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Harmony Gold Mining by 215.7% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 5,571,374 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $82,289,000 after acquiring an additional 3,806,468 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Harmony Gold Mining by 12,337.7% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,795,844 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $66,998,000 after acquiring an additional 4,757,285 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Harmony Gold Mining by 46.9% during the second quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 3,613,767 shares of the mining companys stock worth $50,460,000 after purchasing an additional 1,152,915 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amundi increased its position in shares of Harmony Gold Mining by 21.5% in the third quarter. Amundi now owns 2,879,407 shares of the mining companys stock worth $53,355,000 after purchasing an additional 509,434 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 31.79% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Harmony Gold Mining from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Hsbc Global Res raised shares of Harmony Gold Mining from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of Harmony Gold Mining in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. HSBC upgraded shares of Harmony Gold Mining from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Harmony Gold Mining from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Saturday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have assigned a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $16.00. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Harmony Gold Mining About Harmony Gold Mining (Get Free Report) Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited is a South Africabased precious metals producer primarily engaged in the exploration, mining and processing of gold. The company operates a portfolio of underground and surface mining operations, targeting both reef-hosted and alluvial deposits. In addition to gold, Harmonys activities encompass the extraction of copper as a byproduct at its Papua New Guinea operations. In South Africa, Harmonys mining footprint includes deep-level underground operations in the Witwatersrand Basin, where it employs a combination of conventional and mechanized mining methods. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Harmony Gold Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Harmony Gold Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE:OGS Get Free Report) has received an average recommendation of Hold from the nine analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $85.8571. A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley restated an underperform rating and set a $75.00 price objective on shares of ONE Gas in a report on Thursday, November 20th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on ONE Gas from $89.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. UBS Group dropped their price target on ONE Gas from $86.00 to $83.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Weiss Ratings lowered ONE Gas from a buy (b-) rating to a hold (c+) rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Bank of America boosted their target price on ONE Gas from $90.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Get ONE Gas alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on OGS Hedge Funds Weigh In On ONE Gas ONE Gas Trading Up 1.0% A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its position in shares of ONE Gas by 1,393.0% during the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 1,597,487 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $114,795,000 after purchasing an additional 1,490,492 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in ONE Gas during the 2nd quarter valued at $47,922,000. Squarepoint Ops LLC increased its stake in ONE Gas by 187.1% during the 2nd quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 550,521 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $39,560,000 after buying an additional 358,779 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP lifted its holdings in ONE Gas by 1,811.7% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 256,498 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $18,432,000 after buying an additional 243,081 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC purchased a new position in ONE Gas in the 2nd quarter valued at about $16,354,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.71% of the companys stock. Shares of OGS opened at $78.70 on Thursday. ONE Gas has a fifty-two week low of $68.19 and a fifty-two week high of $83.96. The company has a market capitalization of $4.72 billion, a PE ratio of 18.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.81. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $79.14 and a two-hundred day moving average of $77.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a current ratio of 0.47. ONE Gas (NYSE:OGS Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 3rd. The utilities provider reported $0.44 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.44. ONE Gas had a return on equity of 8.06% and a net margin of 10.76%.The business had revenue of $379.13 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $404.19 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.34 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. ONE Gas has set its FY 2025 guidance at 4.340-4.400 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that ONE Gas will post 4.26 EPS for the current year. ONE Gas Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 14th were given a $0.67 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 14th. This represents a $2.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.4%. ONE Gass dividend payout ratio is presently 62.47%. About ONE Gas (Get Free Report) ONE Gas, Inc is a publicly traded natural gas utility company focused on the regulated distribution of natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the company owns and operates an integrated system of transmission and distribution pipelines, storage facilities and compressor stations designed to deliver safe, reliable energy to end users. Its operations are governed by state utility commissions, which set rates and service standards in the markets the company serves. The companys service territory spans three states: Oklahoma, Kansas and the Texas Panhandle. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for ONE Gas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ONE Gas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. OGE Energy Corporation (NYSE:OGE Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of Hold from the eleven analysts that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $47.3333. OGE has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of OGE Energy from $47.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 21st. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on OGE Energy from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company lowered OGE Energy from an overweight rating to an underweight rating and set a $39.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Tuesday. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on OGE Energy in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. They set a market perform rating and a $45.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of OGE Energy in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Get OGE Energy alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on OGE Energy Institutional Inflows and Outflows OGE Energy Trading Down 0.2% Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of OGE. Capital A Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in OGE Energy by 5,157.1% in the second quarter. Capital A Wealth Management LLC now owns 736 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 722 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its stake in shares of OGE Energy by 49.4% in the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 771 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 255 shares during the period. State of Wyoming acquired a new stake in shares of OGE Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at about $34,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC increased its position in OGE Energy by 427.0% in the 2nd quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 780 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 632 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quent Capital LLC acquired a new position in OGE Energy during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $43,000. 71.84% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. NYSE OGE opened at $43.63 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.79 billion, a PE ratio of 17.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 0.63. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $43.59 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $44.52. The company has a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12. OGE Energy has a 12 month low of $40.80 and a 12 month high of $47.33. OGE Energy (NYSE:OGE Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The utilities provider reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.16 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $1.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.04 billion. OGE Energy had a return on equity of 10.77% and a net margin of 15.28%.OGE Energys revenue was up 8.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.09 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that OGE Energy will post 2.27 EPS for the current year. OGE Energy Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 5th will be given a dividend of $0.425 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, January 5th. This represents a $1.70 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.9%. OGE Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 68.27%. About OGE Energy (Get Free Report) OGE Energy Corp. (NYSE:OGE) is an energy and infrastructure holding company headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Through its principal subsidiary, Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company, the company provides regulated electric service to residential, commercial and industrial customers across Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Its diversified generation mix includes coal, natural gas and wind-powered facilities, complemented by ongoing investments in grid modernization and smart technology to enhance reliability and customer satisfaction. In addition to its core electric utility operations, OGE Energy Corp. Read More Receive News & Ratings for OGE Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for OGE Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Royal Fund Management LLC cut its position in shares of Deere & Company (NYSE:DE Free Report) by 66.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,094 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 2,129 shares during the quarter. Royal Fund Management LLCs holdings in Deere & Company were worth $500,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its stake in Deere & Company by 30.6% in the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 364,103 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $185,143,000 after purchasing an additional 85,351 shares during the period. OLD National Bancorp IN grew its holdings in shares of Deere & Company by 2.6% in the second quarter. OLD National Bancorp IN now owns 24,000 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $12,204,000 after purchasing an additional 610 shares during the last quarter. Csenge Advisory Group increased its stake in shares of Deere & Company by 84.9% in the third quarter. Csenge Advisory Group now owns 7,440 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $3,402,000 after buying an additional 3,416 shares during the period. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Deere & Company by 1.0% in the second quarter. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,678 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,379,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the period. Finally, MASTERINVEST Kapitalanlage GmbH bought a new stake in Deere & Company during the 2nd quarter valued at $3,615,000. Institutional investors own 68.58% of the companys stock. Get Deere & Company alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have issued reports on DE. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of Deere & Company from $525.00 to $515.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 7th. BMO Capital Markets restated a market perform rating and set a $460.00 price target on shares of Deere & Company in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. Evercore ISI reiterated a positive rating on shares of Deere & Company in a report on Friday, November 28th. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating and set a $560.00 target price on shares of Deere & Company in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Deere & Company from $440.00 to $475.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $524.20. Deere & Company Trading Down 0.1% NYSE DE opened at $514.62 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $139.50 billion, a PE ratio of 27.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 1.00. The stocks 50 day moving average is $479.23 and its 200 day moving average is $481.47. Deere & Company has a twelve month low of $404.42 and a twelve month high of $533.78. The company has a quick ratio of 2.01, a current ratio of 2.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68. Deere & Company (NYSE:DE Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 26th. The industrial products company reported $3.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.96 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $12.39 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.77 billion. Deere & Company had a net margin of 11.00% and a return on equity of 20.54%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $4.55 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Deere & Company will post 19.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Deere & Company Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 9th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of $1.62 per share. This represents a $6.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 31st. Deere & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 35.01%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Deere & Company news, CEO John C. May II sold 41,472 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $501.49, for a total value of $20,797,793.28. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 117,970 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $59,160,775.30. The trade was a 26.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Cory J. Reed sold 12,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $510.00, for a total value of $6,120,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 20,792 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,603,920. The trade was a 36.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 64,578 shares of company stock valued at $32,471,682 in the last quarter. 0.29% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Deere & Company Company Profile (Free Report) Deere & Company, commonly known by its brand John Deere, is a global manufacturer of agricultural, construction and forestry machinery, as well as turf care equipment and power systems. Founded in 1837 by blacksmith John Deerewho developed a polished steel plow to improve tillage in tough prairie soilsthe company is headquartered in Moline, Illinois, and has grown into one of the largest and most recognizable names in equipment manufacturing worldwide. The companys principal businesses include a broad portfolio of agricultural equipment such as tractors, combines, planters, sprayers, harvesters and tillage implements, complemented by precision agriculture technologies and telematics that support farm management, yield optimization and equipment connectivity. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Deere & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deere & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of Hold from the twenty-six research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seventeen have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $891.5714. GS has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Barclays upped their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $850.00 to $1,048.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $843.00 to $900.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $970.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 15th. BNP Paribas Exane boosted their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $775.00 to $970.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Argus upped their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $863.00 to $1,066.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on The Goldman Sachs Group Key Stories Impacting The Goldman Sachs Group The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Down 1.5% Here are the key news stories impacting The Goldman Sachs Group this week: GS opened at $961.54 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $871.86 and a two-hundred day moving average of $795.26. The stock has a market capitalization of $288.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.75, a PEG ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 1.33. The Goldman Sachs Group has a fifty-two week low of $439.38 and a fifty-two week high of $984.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.29, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 1.13. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 15th. The investment management company reported $14.01 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $11.52 by $2.49. The firm had revenue of $13.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.30 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 15.19% and a net margin of 13.73%.The companys quarterly revenue was down 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $11.95 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that The Goldman Sachs Group will post 47.12 earnings per share for the current year. The Goldman Sachs Group Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be given a $4.50 dividend. This represents a $18.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.9%. This is a boost from The Goldman Sachs Groups previous quarterly dividend of $4.00. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 31.20%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hartline Investment Corp lifted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 153.3% during the third quarter. Hartline Investment Corp now owns 1,421 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,132,000 after purchasing an additional 860 shares during the last quarter. Ignite Planners LLC bought a new stake in The Goldman Sachs Group in the second quarter valued at about $239,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 4.9% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 3,379,900 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,392,124,000 after buying an additional 157,473 shares in the last quarter. Wells Trecaso Financial Group LLC raised its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 0.5% during the second quarter. Wells Trecaso Financial Group LLC now owns 21,534 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $15,240,000 after buying an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baron Silver Stevens Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in The Goldman Sachs Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $288,000. 71.21% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc is a global investment banking and financial services firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1869 as a commercial paper business, the company has grown into a diversified financial institution that provides a broad range of services to corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. The firm is led by Chief Executive Officer David M. Solomon and operates across major financial centers worldwide. Goldman Sachs core businesses include investment banking, global markets, asset and wealth management, and consumer banking. See Also Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. With a market cap of $164.9 billion, Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) is a global travel and restaurant reservation company operating well-known brands such as Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, KAYAK, and OpenTable. It offers services that include accommodation bookings, transportation, activities, and dining reservations. The Norwalk, Connecticut-based company is set to announce its fiscal Q4 2025 results soon. Analysts predict BKNG to report an adjusted EPS of $48.59, up 16.9% from $41.55 in the year-ago quarter. It has surpassed Wall Street's earnings estimates in the last four quarters. More News from Barchart For fiscal 2025, analysts forecast the online travel agent to report an adjusted EPS of $226.86, a growth of 21.3% from $187.10 in fiscal 2024. www.barchart.com Shares of Booking Holdings have risen 5.2% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 16.9% return and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLY) 8.2% gain over the period. www.barchart.com Booking Holdings reported stronger-than-expected Q3 2025 adjusted EPS of $99.50 and revenue reached $9.01 billion on Oct. 28. It beat Wall Street expectations for both profit and revenue in the third quarter, driven by steady travel demand and more customers bundling reservations on its platform. In addition, gross bookings rose 14% year-over-year to $49.7 billion. However, the stock fell marginally the next day. Analysts' consensus view on BKNG stock is cautiously optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 37 analysts covering the stock, 24 recommend "Strong Buy," two give "Moderate Buy," and 11 indicate Hold. The average analyst price target for Booking Holdings is $6,179.14, suggesting a potential upside of 20.8% from current 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 Enlightify (NYSE:ENFY Get Free Report) and Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD 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 earnings, risk, dividends, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership and valuation. Volatility & Risk Enlightify has a beta of 0.99, meaning that its share price is 1% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Air Products and Chemicals has a beta of 0.87, meaning that its share price is 13% less volatile than the S&P 500. Get Enlightify alerts: Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of current ratings and target prices for Enlightify and Air Products and Chemicals, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Enlightify 1 0 0 0 1.00 Air Products and Chemicals 1 7 7 1 2.50 Profitability Air Products and Chemicals has a consensus target price of $292.00, indicating a potential upside of 9.14%. Given Air Products and Chemicals stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Air Products and Chemicals is more favorable than Enlightify. This table compares Enlightify and Air Products and Chemicals net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Enlightify -22.98% -18.78% -11.03% Air Products and Chemicals -3.28% 15.18% 6.64% Institutional and Insider Ownership 0.1% of Enlightify shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 81.7% of Air Products and Chemicals shares are held by institutional investors. 14.2% of Enlightify shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 1.9% of Air Products and Chemicals shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Valuation and Earnings This table compares Enlightify and Air Products and Chemicalss top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Enlightify $79.21 million 0.01 -$28.41 million ($0.86) -0.05 Air Products and Chemicals $12.04 billion 4.95 -$394.50 million ($1.78) -150.31 Enlightify has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Air Products and Chemicals. Air Products and Chemicals is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Enlightify, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Summary Air Products and Chemicals beats Enlightify on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks. About Enlightify (Get Free Report) Enlightify, Inc. engages in the research, development, production, and sale of various types of fertilizers and agricultural products. It operates through the following segments: Jinong, Gufeng, and Yuxing. The Jinong segment includes fertilizer products, with focus on humic acid-based compound fertilizer. The Gufeng segment refers to the compound fertilizer, blended fertilizer, organic compound fertilizer, slow-release fertilizers, highly concentrated water-soluble fertilizers, and mixed organic-inorganic compound fertilizer. The Yuxing segment develops and produces agricultural products, such as top-grade fruits, vegetables, flowers, and colored seedlings. The company was founded by Tao Li on February 6, 1987 and is headquartered in Xian, China. About Air Products and Chemicals (Get Free Report) Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. provides atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, equipment, and related services in the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, India, and internationally. The company produces atmospheric gases, including oxygen, nitrogen, and argon; process gases, such as hydrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and syngas; and specialty gases for customers in various industries, including refining, chemical, manufacturing, electronics, energy production, medical, food, and metals. It also designs and manufactures equipment for air separation, hydrocarbon recovery and purification, natural gas liquefaction, and liquid helium and liquid hydrogen transport and storage. The company was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Receive News & Ratings for Enlightify Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Enlightify and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tesco PLC (LON:TSCO Get Free Report) insider Ken Murphy acquired 32 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 424 per share, for a total transaction of 135.68. Ken Murphy also recently made the following trade(s): Get Tesco alerts: On Friday, January 9th, Ken Murphy acquired 11,961 shares of Tesco stock. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 418 per share, with a total value of 49,996.98. On Friday, October 24th, Ken Murphy bought 30 shares of Tesco stock. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 454 per share, with a total value of 136.20. Tesco Stock Performance Shares of LON TSCO opened at GBX 426.30 on Tuesday. The firms 50-day moving average price is GBX 441.76 and its 200-day moving average price is GBX 436.24. Tesco PLC has a 52-week low of GBX 310.30 and a 52-week high of GBX 480.90. The company has a market cap of 27.12 billion, a PE ratio of 18.78, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.51. The company has a quick ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 126.35. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price target on Tesco from GBX 500 to GBX 490 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Tesco from GBX 500 to GBX 480 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of Tesco from GBX 450 to GBX 430 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Finally, Shore Capital restated a buy rating on shares of Tesco in a research report on Thursday, October 2nd. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of GBX 465. Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on TSCO Tesco Company Profile (Get Free Report) Tesco was built to be a champion for customers, serving them every day with affordable, healthy and sustainable food. Our commitment to our customers extends beyond our stores, and into every community we serve in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. We invest in communities to help them thrive, through supporting schools and childrens groups, food banks and other good causes. In challenging times, our purpose has guided every part of the Group. Serving our customers, communities and planet a little better every day is what we do. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Tesco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tesco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. United Dominion Realty Trust (NYSE:UDR Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Truist Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a $42.00 price target on the real estate investment trusts stock, up from their prior price target of $41.00. Truist Financials target price points to a potential upside of 11.57% from the stocks current price. A number of other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on UDR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an underweight rating and issued a $40.00 price target (down previously from $42.00) on shares of United Dominion Realty Trust in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of United Dominion Realty Trust from $40.00 to $38.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 4th. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of United Dominion Realty Trust from $41.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on shares of United Dominion Realty Trust from $43.00 to $39.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of United Dominion Realty Trust from $41.00 to $39.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, United Dominion Realty Trust has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $39.89. Get United Dominion Realty Trust alerts: Check Out Our Latest Report on UDR United Dominion Realty Trust Stock Up 1.5% Shares of UDR stock opened at $37.65 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.81, a quick ratio of 4.92 and a current ratio of 4.92. The firms 50-day moving average is $35.97 and its 200-day moving average is $37.20. The stock has a market cap of $12.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 85.56, a PEG ratio of 7.94 and a beta of 0.72. United Dominion Realty Trust has a 52-week low of $32.94 and a 52-week high of $46.47. United Dominion Realty Trust (NYSE:UDR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.65 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $431.86 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $430.23 million. United Dominion Realty Trust had a return on equity of 4.54% and a net margin of 8.80%.United Dominion Realty Trusts quarterly revenue was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.54 earnings per share. United Dominion Realty Trust has set its FY 2025 guidance at 2.530-2.550 EPS and its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.630-0.650 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that United Dominion Realty Trust will post 2.51 EPS for the current year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Dominion Realty Trust Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its position in United Dominion Realty Trust by 1.7% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 60,692 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,741,000 after buying an additional 986 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC raised its holdings in United Dominion Realty Trust by 35.0% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 14,028 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $634,000 after acquiring an additional 3,637 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its position in shares of United Dominion Realty Trust by 5.8% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 6,129 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $277,000 after acquiring an additional 337 shares during the period. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of United Dominion Realty Trust by 107.5% during the 2nd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 4,335 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $177,000 after purchasing an additional 2,246 shares in the last quarter. 97.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About United Dominion Realty Trust (Get Free Report) United Dominion Realty Trust (NYSE: UDR) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management, acquisition, development and redevelopment of multifamily apartment communities. The companys core focus is on Class A and Class Aplus residential properties, offering a diverse portfolio designed to meet the evolving needs of renters. UDR employs a full-service management platform to oversee daily operations, property maintenance, leasing, and resident services, ensuring consistency and quality across its holdings. UDRs business activities encompass ground-up development, strategic property redevelopment, and selective acquisitions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for United Dominion Realty Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for United Dominion Realty Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Pacific Heights Asset Management LLC grew its position in Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS Free Report) by 41.7% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 85,000 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 25,000 shares during the quarter. Essex Property Trust comprises 1.0% of Pacific Heights Asset Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 27th biggest position. Pacific Heights Asset Management LLCs holdings in Essex Property Trust were worth $22,751,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Woodline Partners LP acquired a new stake in Essex Property Trust during the 1st quarter valued at $1,664,000. Focus Partners Wealth bought a new stake in shares of Essex Property Trust during the first quarter worth $223,000. Swedbank AB grew its holdings in shares of Essex Property Trust by 5.7% during the second quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 15,790 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $4,475,000 after purchasing an additional 851 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in shares of Essex Property Trust by 4.5% in the second quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 10,546 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,997,000 after buying an additional 454 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Park Avenue Securities LLC bought a new position in shares of Essex Property Trust in the second quarter valued at about $498,000. 96.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Essex Property Trust alerts: Essex Property Trust Stock Up 1.8% Shares of Essex Property Trust stock opened at $258.07 on Tuesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $257.61 and a 200 day simple moving average of $263.44. The stock has a market cap of $16.62 billion, a PE ratio of 19.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.15 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a quick ratio of 1.18, a current ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. Essex Property Trust, Inc. has a 12 month low of $243.25 and a 12 month high of $316.29. Essex Property Trust Announces Dividend Essex Property Trust ( NYSE:ESS Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $3.97 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.96 by $0.01. Essex Property Trust had a return on equity of 14.68% and a net margin of 45.46%.The firm had revenue of $473.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $472.11 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.91 earnings per share. Essex Property Trust has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 3.930-4.030 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance at 15.890-15.990 EPS. Research analysts predict that Essex Property Trust, Inc. will post 15.96 EPS for the current year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Investors of record on Friday, January 2nd were issued a dividend of $2.57 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 2nd. This represents a $10.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.0%. Essex Property Trusts payout ratio is currently 78.12%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have weighed in on ESS. BMO Capital Markets cut shares of Essex Property Trust from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $305.00 to $280.00 in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of Essex Property Trust from $275.00 to $284.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, November 24th. UBS Group upped their price objective on Essex Property Trust from $267.00 to $274.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Scotiabank decreased their price target on Essex Property Trust from $294.00 to $284.00 and set a sector outperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 4th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and set a $290.00 price objective on shares of Essex Property Trust in a report on Monday, January 5th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $287.22. View Our Latest Stock Report on ESS About Essex Property Trust (Free Report) Essex Property Trust, Inc (NYSE: ESS) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that acquires, develops, owns and operates multifamily residential properties. The company focuses on market-rate apartment communities and delivers a full suite of property services including leasing, resident services, asset management, and capital improvement programs designed to preserve and enhance long?term property values. Essex concentrates its portfolio in West Coast markets, with a significant presence in California and the Pacific Northwest. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ESS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Essex Property Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Essex Property Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Enbridge Inc (NYSE:ENB Free Report) (TSE:ENB) by 298.5% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 39,217 shares of the pipeline companys stock after buying an additional 29,377 shares during the quarter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Enbridge were worth $1,979,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Enbridge by 112.4% during the 2nd quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 582 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 308 shares during the period. Highline Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Enbridge by 73.1% during the third quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 559 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 236 shares during the period. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. bought a new stake in Enbridge in the second quarter valued at about $29,000. True Wealth Design LLC lifted its stake in Enbridge by 588.2% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 585 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the period. Finally, Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Enbridge during the second quarter worth about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 54.60% of the companys stock. Get Enbridge alerts: Enbridge Stock Up 1.6% Shares of ENB stock opened at $47.57 on Tuesday. Enbridge Inc has a 12-month low of $39.73 and a 12-month high of $50.54. The company has a quick ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $47.46 and a 200-day moving average of $47.38. The company has a market capitalization of $103.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.14 and a beta of 0.68. Enbridge Increases Dividend Enbridge ( NYSE:ENB Get Free Report ) (TSE:ENB) last announced its earnings results on Friday, November 7th. The pipeline company reported $0.33 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.39 by ($0.06). The company had revenue of $7 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.45 billion. Enbridge had a return on equity of 10.51% and a net margin of 9.20%.During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.55 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Enbridge Inc will post 2.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, March 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.97 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 17th. This is a boost from Enbridges previous quarterly dividend of $0.94. This represents a $3.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 8.2%. Enbridges dividend payout ratio is 147.80%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have recently commented on ENB. Scotiabank raised Enbridge from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating in a research note on Friday. National Bankshares reiterated a sector perform rating on shares of Enbridge in a report on Monday, November 10th. CIBC lowered shares of Enbridge from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Enbridge from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b-) rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated a market perform rating on shares of Enbridge in a report on Monday, November 10th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $63.00. View Our Latest Analysis on ENB Enbridge Profile (Free Report) Enbridge Inc is a Calgary, Albertabased energy infrastructure company that develops, owns and operates a diversified portfolio of energy transportation, distribution and generation assets. Its core activities include the operation of crude oil and liquids pipelines, natural gas transmission and distribution systems, and energy storage facilities. In addition to midstream transportation and storage, Enbridge has expanded into renewable power generation and energy transition projects, including wind, solar and utility-scale generation assets. The company serves customers primarily in Canada and the United States and has interests in other international energy projects. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ENB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Enbridge Inc (NYSE:ENB Free Report) (TSE:ENB). Receive News & Ratings for Enbridge Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Enbridge and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI decreased its position in shares of Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 4.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 91,592 shares of the companys stock after selling 4,164 shares during the quarter. Procter & Gamble accounts for about 0.8% of Parsons Capital Management Inc. RIs holdings, making the stock its 22nd biggest position. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RIs holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $14,073,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of PG. Orca Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Orca Investment Management LLC now owns 3,238 shares of the companys stock worth $516,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Access Financial Services Inc. grew its position in Procter & Gamble by 0.6% during the second quarter. Access Financial Services Inc. now owns 10,889 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,735,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares during the period. Sovereign Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in Procter & Gamble by 1.1% during the second quarter. Sovereign Financial Group Inc. now owns 5,823 shares of the companys stock worth $928,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. WP Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. WP Advisors LLC now owns 1,405 shares of the companys stock worth $224,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the period. Finally, LVZ Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Procter & Gamble by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. LVZ Inc. now owns 3,409 shares of the companys stock valued at $543,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.77% of the companys stock. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Procter & Gamble Stock Performance NYSE:PG opened at $144.55 on Tuesday. Procter & Gamble Company has a 1-year low of $137.62 and a 1-year high of $179.99. The stock has a market cap of $337.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.10, a PEG ratio of 4.89 and a beta of 0.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.71 and a quick ratio of 0.51. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $144.70 and a two-hundred day moving average of $150.79. Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend Procter & Gamble ( NYSE:PG Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 24th. The company reported $1.99 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.09. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 32.63% and a net margin of 19.74%.The business had revenue of $22.39 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $22.23 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.93 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.100 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.91 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Investors of record on Friday, January 23rd will be issued a $1.0568 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 23rd. This represents a $4.23 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio is currently 61.75%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CAO Matthew W. Janzaruk sold 725 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $149.57, for a total value of $108,438.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 979 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $146,429.03. The trade was a 42.55% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays set a $155.00 target price on shares of Procter & Gamble in a research report on Friday. Piper Sandler assumed coverage on shares of Procter & Gamble in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. They issued a neutral rating and a $150.00 price objective for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $176.00 to $171.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, December 8th. Raymond James Financial decreased their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $185.00 to $175.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 20th. Finally, Bank of America cut their price objective on Procter & Gamble from $180.00 to $174.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Procter & Gamble currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $168.36. Check Out Our Latest Report on Procter & Gamble About Procter & Gamble (Free Report) Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble, P&G has grown into one of the worlds largest producers of branded consumer packaged goods. The company focuses on developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad portfolio of household and personal care products sold to consumers and retailers worldwide. P&Gs product offering spans several core business categories, including Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC raised its position in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report) by 10.0% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 15,326 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,391 shares during the period. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLCs holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF were worth $10,305,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 18.3% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 28,271,587 shares of the companys stock valued at $17,553,830,000 after buying an additional 4,378,977 shares during the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 56.2% in the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 11,955,236 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,001,639,000 after acquiring an additional 4,301,015 shares during the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 63,164.8% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,748,222 shares of the companys stock worth $1,706,371,000 after purchasing an additional 2,743,878 shares during the last quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC grew its position in shares of iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 474.9% in the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 1,507,952 shares of the companys stock valued at $936,287,000 after purchasing an additional 1,245,649 shares during the period. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its stake in iShares Core S&P 500 ETF by 3.8% in the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 32,488,472 shares of the companys stock worth $20,172,093,000 after buying an additional 1,190,963 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.12% of the companys stock. Get iShares Core S&P 500 ETF alerts: iShares Core S&P 500 ETF Stock Down 0.1% IVV stock opened at $694.66 on Tuesday. iShares Core S&P 500 ETF has a 52 week low of $484.00 and a 52 week high of $699.17. The company has a market cap of $772.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.10 and a beta of 1.00. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $685.05 and a 200-day simple moving average of $665.29. About iShares Core S&P 500 ETF iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors 500 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. The component stocks are weighted according to the total float-adjusted market value of their outstanding shares. The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IVV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (NYSEARCA:IVV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P 500 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 500 ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Professional Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of iShares Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:IAU Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm acquired 7,508 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $546,000. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Evolution Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 1.5% during the third quarter. Evolution Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 8,875 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $646,000 after buying an additional 135 shares during the period. Axecap Investments LLC lifted its stake in iShares Gold Trust by 1.0% in the third quarter. Axecap Investments LLC now owns 14,316 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,042,000 after acquiring an additional 137 shares during the period. Aspiriant LLC grew its holdings in iShares Gold Trust by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Aspiriant LLC now owns 7,854 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $572,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares in the last quarter. Sincerus Advisory LLC increased its position in iShares Gold Trust by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. Sincerus Advisory LLC now owns 5,184 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $377,000 after purchasing an additional 143 shares during the period. Finally, Regatta Capital Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Regatta Capital Group LLC now owns 27,161 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,977,000 after purchasing an additional 145 shares in the last quarter. 59.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get iShares Gold Trust alerts: Key iShares Gold Trust News Here are the key news stories impacting iShares Gold Trust this week: iShares Gold Trust Stock Performance About iShares Gold Trust Shares of IAU opened at $86.27 on Tuesday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $81.22 and a 200-day moving average price of $73.14. iShares Gold Trust has a fifty-two week low of $50.96 and a fifty-two week high of $87.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $72.42 billion, a PE ratio of 5.53 and a beta of 0.09. (Free Report) iShares Gold Trust (the Trust) is to own gold transferred to the Trust in exchange for shares issued by the Trust (Shares). Each Share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust. The assets of the Trust consist of gold held by the Trusts custodian on behalf of the Trust. The sponsor of the Trust is iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC (the Sponsor), which is an indirect subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc The trustee of the Trust is The Bank of New York Mellon (the Trustee) and the custodian of the Trust is JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., London branch (the Custodian). Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IAU? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:IAU Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Gold Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Gold Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vaughan David Investments LLC IL lowered its position in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) by 1.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 238,474 shares of the payment services companys stock after selling 2,923 shares during the quarter. American Express accounts for about 1.7% of Vaughan David Investments LLC ILs holdings, making the stock its 6th largest position. Vaughan David Investments LLC ILs holdings in American Express were worth $79,212,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of AXP. Inscription Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of American Express by 4.6% in the 3rd quarter. Inscription Capital LLC now owns 1,166 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $387,000 after buying an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Americana Partners LLC increased its stake in American Express by 23.8% in the third quarter. Americana Partners LLC now owns 10,046 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $3,337,000 after acquiring an additional 1,930 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC raised its position in American Express by 52.0% in the third quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 2,023 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $672,000 after purchasing an additional 692 shares in the last quarter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI raised its position in American Express by 13.8% in the third quarter. Parsons Capital Management Inc. RI now owns 826 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $274,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arkadios Wealth Advisors lifted its stake in American Express by 17.5% during the third quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 16,183 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $5,375,000 after purchasing an additional 2,406 shares during the period. 84.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get American Express alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on AXP shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price objective on American Express from $371.00 to $394.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on American Express from $400.00 to $425.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $425.00 price objective on shares of American Express in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Evercore ISI set a $400.00 price objective on American Express in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of American Express from a hold (c+) rating to a buy (b-) rating in a report on Monday, December 29th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $352.82. Insider Transactions at American Express In other news, CMO Elizabeth Rutledge sold 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $360.21, for a total transaction of $18,010,500.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 85,577 shares of the companys stock, valued at $30,825,691.17. This represents a 36.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Douglas Tabish sold 2,515 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $355.61, for a total transaction of $894,359.15. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 2,515 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $894,359.15. This represents a 50.00% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 57,515 shares of company stock worth $20,658,509. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock. American Express Price Performance American Express stock opened at $365.03 on Tuesday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $368.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $341.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.78, a quick ratio of 1.59 and a current ratio of 1.61. The firm has a market cap of $251.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.50, a P/E/G ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.15. American Express Company has a 52 week low of $220.43 and a 52 week high of $387.49. American Express (NYSE:AXP Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The payment services company reported ($11.85) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.56 by ($15.41). The business had revenue of ($17,139.00) million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.91 billion. American Express had a net margin of 14.97% and a return on equity of 33.41%. Equities research analysts forecast that American Express Company will post 15.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. American Express Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.82 per share. This represents a $3.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 2nd. American Expresss dividend payout ratio is presently 22.01%. American Express Company Profile (Free Report) American Express is a global financial services company primarily known for its payment card products, travel services and merchant network. Founded in 1850 as an express mail business, the company evolved through the 20th century into a payments and travel-focused organization. Its core activities include issuing consumer and commercial charge and credit cards, operating a global card acceptance and processing network, and providing travel-related services and customer loyalty programs. American Express issues a range of products for individuals, small businesses and large corporations, including personal cards, business and corporate cards, and co?brand partnerships with airlines, hotels and retailers. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AXP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for American Express Company (NYSE:AXP Free Report). 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. Triasima Portfolio Management inc. increased its holdings in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (NYSE:TSM Free Report) by 29.6% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 28,634 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after purchasing an additional 6,545 shares during the quarter. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing accounts for about 1.2% of Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest position. Triasima Portfolio Management inc.s holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $7,997,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its holdings in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 3.6% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 15,759,419 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $4,401,448,000 after purchasing an additional 541,047 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE increased its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 14,805,720 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $3,353,348,000 after acquiring an additional 115,158 shares during the period. Jennison Associates LLC raised its holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 26.7% in the 2nd quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 12,046,792 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $2,728,478,000 after acquiring an additional 2,537,760 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. raised its holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 18.0% in the 2nd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 10,457,800 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $2,368,587,000 after acquiring an additional 1,593,786 shares in the last quarter. Finally, WCM Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 3.3% during the 2nd quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 10,058,659 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $2,299,108,000 after acquiring an additional 324,615 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 16.51% of the companys stock. Get Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms recently commented on TSM. Citigroup reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a research note on Friday, January 9th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a buy rating on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Cowen restated a hold rating on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a research report on Friday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Eight 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 presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $381.67. Trending Headlines about Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Here are the key news stories impacting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing this week: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Stock Down 0.4% Shares of TSM opened at $341.15 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 2.47 and a current ratio of 2.69. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. has a 52 week low of $134.25 and a 52 week high of $351.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.77 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.89, a PEG ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 1.29. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $300.62 and a 200-day moving average of $274.95. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 14th. The semiconductor company reported $14.32 earnings per share for the quarter. The business had revenue of $32.50 billion for the quarter. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a return on equity of 36.18% and a net margin of 45.13%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. will post 9.2 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 9th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th will be paid a $0.9678 dividend. This is an increase from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings previous quarterly dividend of $0.83. This represents a $3.87 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 17th. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings payout ratio is currently 23.57%. About Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (Free Report) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is a leading pure-play semiconductor foundry that provides wafer fabrication and related services to the global semiconductor industry. Founded in 1987 by Morris Chang and headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, TSMC manufactures integrated circuits on behalf of fabless and integrated device manufacturers, offering contract chip production across a broad set of technologies and products. TSMCs service offering covers logic and mixed-signal process technologies, specialty processes for radio-frequency, power management and embedded memory, and advanced nodes used in mobile, high-performance computing and AI applications. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TSM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (NYSE:TSM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ecolab Inc. (ECL) is a global provider of water, hygiene, and infection prevention products and services, serving commercial, industrial, and institutional customers around the world. Headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the company operates across key segments, including Global Industrial, Global Institutional & Specialty, Global Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Global Pest Elimination, helping clients improve operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability. Ecolabs market cap is around $78.6 billion, reflecting its position as a large-cap specialty chemicals and services firm with extensive international reach. The company is slated to announce its fiscal Q4 2025 earnings results before market open on Feb. 10. Ahead of this event, analysts expect Ecolab to report an EPS of $2.06, a 13.8% rise from $1.81 in the year-ago quarter. It has exceeded or met Wall Streets earnings expectations in three of the past four quarters while missing on another occasion. More News from Barchart For fiscal 2025, analysts forecast the company to report EPS of $7.52, marking an increase of 13.1% from $6.65 in fiscal 2024. In addition, its EPS is anticipated to grow 12.1% year-over-year to $8.43 in fiscal 2026. www.barchart.com Shares of Ecolab have risen 15.9% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the broader S&P 500 Indexs ($SPX) 16.9% return. However, the stock has outpaced the State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETFs (XLB) 10.9% rise over the same time frame. www.barchart.com Ecolabs stock has seen a stable run because investors are encouraged by the companys consistent double-digit earnings growth and strong outlook. In the third quarter of fiscal 2025, Ecolab reported net sales growth of 4% year-over-year to $4.2 billion, while organic sales grew 3%. Plus, Ecolab delivered adjusted EPS of $2.07, representing around 13% growth compared to the prior year and slightly beating estimates. Additionally, moves like a 12% dividend increase in December 2025 boosted optimism. Analysts consensus view on ECL is cautiously optimistic, with an overall Moderate Buy rating. Among 27 analysts covering the stock, 13 suggest a Strong Buy, two give a Moderate Buy, and 12 recommend a Hold. The average analyst price target for ECL is $295.20, indicating a potential upside of 6.5% from the current levels. On the date of publication, Subhasree Kar 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 Keeler & Nadler Financial Planning & Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJR Free Report) by 7.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 58,360 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 3,968 shares during the quarter. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF comprises 2.5% of Keeler & Nadler Financial Planning & Wealth Managements holdings, making the stock its 12th biggest position. Keeler & Nadler Financial Planning & Wealth Managements holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF were worth $6,935,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. RMG Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Curio Wealth LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 26,900.0% in the second quarter. Curio Wealth LLC now owns 270 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 269 shares during the period. Quaker Wealth Management LLC grew its position in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 200.4% during the second quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 452 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 902 shares in the last quarter. WPG Advisers LLC increased its stake in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 306.6% during the 3rd quarter. WPG Advisers LLC now owns 431 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $51,000 after acquiring an additional 325 shares during the period. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 2,635.0% in the 2nd quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 547 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $60,000 after acquiring an additional 527 shares in the last quarter. 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 Down 1.1% Shares of NYSEARCA:IJR traded down $1.45 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $127.17. 444,693 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,576,244. The firm has a market capitalization of $93.07 billion, a PE ratio of 16.52 and a beta of 1.08. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has a 52 week low of $89.22 and a 52 week high of $129.48. The companys 50 day moving average is $121.77 and its two-hundred day moving average is $118.20. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Company Profile 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. The Index serves as the underlying index for the S&P 600/Citigroup Growth and Value Index series. The component stocks are weighted according to the total float-adjusted market value of their outstanding shares. Featured Stories 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. Jackson Thornton Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in General Motors Company (NYSE:GM Free Report) (TSE:GMM.U) by 101.3% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 12,677 shares of the auto manufacturers stock after acquiring an additional 6,378 shares during the quarter. Jackson Thornton Wealth Management LLCs holdings in General Motors were worth $715,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in GM. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of General Motors during the 3rd quarter valued at $215,000. QTR Family Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of General Motors during the third quarter valued at approximately $385,000. Providence First Trust Co bought a new stake in shares of General Motors during the 3rd quarter valued at about $202,000. Arkadios Wealth Advisors raised its position in shares of General Motors by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 42,930 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $2,617,000 after acquiring an additional 1,762 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in General Motors by 1.8% in the third quarter. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 13,130 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $801,000 after purchasing an additional 232 shares during the period. 92.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get General Motors alerts: General Motors Stock Performance NYSE GM opened at $79.78 on Tuesday. General Motors Company has a 1-year low of $41.60 and a 1-year high of $85.18. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $77.89 and a two-hundred day moving average of $65.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a current ratio of 1.23 and a quick ratio of 1.06. The company has a market cap of $74.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.26, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.31. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In General Motors ( NYSE:GM Get Free Report ) (TSE:GMM.U) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 21st. The auto manufacturer reported $2.80 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.32 by $0.48. General Motors had a return on equity of 12.29% and a net margin of 1.62%.The company had revenue of $48.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $44.60 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.96 earnings per share. General Motorss quarterly revenue was down .3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that General Motors Company will post 11.44 EPS for the current year. GM has been the subject of several research reports. Wall Street Zen cut shares of General Motors from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Sunday, January 4th. Citigroup raised their price target on General Motors from $86.00 to $98.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Piper Sandler set a $98.00 target price on General Motors and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. HSBC boosted their target price on shares of General Motors from $48.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $98.00 price objective on shares of General Motors in a research note on Thursday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $78.41. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on General Motors Insider Activity In related news, President Mark L. Reuss sold 260,600 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.45, for a total transaction of $17,316,870.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president owned 98,006 shares in the company, valued at $6,512,498.70. This represents a 72.67% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CAO Christopher Hatto sold 7,724 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.00, for a total value of $556,128.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 12,007 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $864,504. This represents a 39.15% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 284,021 shares of company stock valued at $18,971,788 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock. More General Motors News Here are the key news stories impacting General Motors this week: General Motors Profile (Free Report) General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) is a global automotive manufacturer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, that designs, builds and sells cars, trucks, crossovers and electric vehicles, and provides related parts and services. Founded in 1908, GM has long been one of the worlds largest automakers and has evolved into a multi-brand company whose primary marques include Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick. Beyond vehicle manufacturing, GMs operations encompass vehicle financing, connected services and advanced mobility initiatives. GM develops and markets a broad portfolio of products and technologies, including internal-combustion and battery-electric vehicles, vehicle components and on-board connectivity services. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for General Motors Company (NYSE:GM Free Report) (TSE:GMM.U). Receive News & Ratings for General Motors Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Motors and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Vista Investment Partners II LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF (NYSEARCA:GARP Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 39,052 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,563,000. Vista Investment Partners II LLC owned approximately 0.23% of iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Leavell Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF by 148.0% during the third quarter. Leavell Investment Management Inc. now owns 16,804 shares of the companys stock worth $1,103,000 after buying an additional 10,029 shares in the last quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV grew its stake in iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF by 53.7% during the 3rd quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 9,452 shares of the companys stock valued at $620,000 after acquiring an additional 3,304 shares in the last quarter. Csenge Advisory Group acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $324,000. Sonoma Allocations LLC purchased a new position in iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $890,000. Finally, Planned Solutions Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Planned Solutions Inc. now owns 230,784 shares of the companys stock worth $15,149,000 after purchasing an additional 4,556 shares during the last quarter. Get iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF alerts: iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF Price Performance Shares of NYSEARCA:GARP traded down $0.92 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $68.58. The company had a trading volume of 31,168 shares, compared to its average volume of 304,203. iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF has a twelve month low of $43.02 and a twelve month high of $70.49. The stock has a market cap of $1.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.61 and a beta of 1.14. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $67.98 and its 200-day simple moving average is $65.41. About iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF The iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF (GARP) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Quality GARP Select index. The fund tracks an index of US large- and mid-cap growth stocks with perceived quality and value characteristics. GARP was launched on Jun 14, 2020 and is issued by BlackRock. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI USA Quality GARP ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CWAN Get Free Report) CFO James Cox sold 18,700 shares of Clearwater Analytics stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.14, for a total transaction of $451,418.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 395,697 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,552,125.58. This trade represents a 4.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Clearwater Analytics Stock Down 0.1% NYSE:CWAN traded down $0.02 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $24.26. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,505,680 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,933,926. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.51 and a beta of 0.66. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $22.41 and a 200-day moving average of $20.54. The company has a current ratio of 1.97, a quick ratio of 1.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. has a 52-week low of $15.73 and a 52-week high of $32.00. Get Clearwater Analytics alerts: Clearwater Analytics (NYSE:CWAN Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.16 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $205.11 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $203.66 million. Clearwater Analytics had a return on equity of 2.77% and a net margin of 61.28%.The firms quarterly revenue was up 77.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.14 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. will post 0.18 earnings per share for the current year. Analysts Set New Price Targets CWAN has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Warburg Research set a $24.55 target price on shares of Clearwater Analytics in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group cut shares of Clearwater Analytics to a hold rating in a research report on Friday. Loop Capital downgraded Clearwater Analytics from a buy rating to a hold rating and reduced their target price for the company from $25.00 to $24.55 in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Clearwater Analytics in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Clearwater Analytics from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Saturday, November 22nd. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $27.93. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on CWAN Hedge Funds Weigh In On Clearwater Analytics A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of CWAN. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Clearwater Analytics by 21.9% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 33,261,349 shares of the companys stock worth $599,370,000 after buying an additional 5,967,798 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its holdings in Clearwater Analytics by 108.7% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 17,793,701 shares of the companys stock worth $320,642,000 after purchasing an additional 9,268,950 shares in the last quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP lifted its position in Clearwater Analytics by 3.0% in the second quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 9,567,391 shares of the companys stock valued at $209,813,000 after purchasing an additional 274,664 shares during the period. Bamco Inc. NY boosted its holdings in Clearwater Analytics by 25.9% in the 3rd quarter. Bamco Inc. NY now owns 7,675,038 shares of the companys stock valued at $138,304,000 after purchasing an additional 1,580,323 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blair William & Co. IL increased its position in Clearwater Analytics by 83.5% during the 3rd quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 7,134,647 shares of the companys stock worth $128,566,000 after purchasing an additional 3,245,986 shares during the period. 50.10% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Clearwater Analytics Company Profile (Get Free Report) Clearwater Analytics LLC is a global provider of web-based investment portfolio accounting, reporting, and analytics solutions. The companys software-as-a-service platform automates complex processes involved in investment data aggregation, reconciliation, valuation, and regulatory reporting. Serving institutional investorsincluding insurers, asset managers, corporations, government entities, and asset ownersClearwater Analytics enables clients to optimize performance visibility, risk management, and operational efficiency. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Clearwater Analytics has grown its global footprint with offices across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Clearwater Analytics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Clearwater Analytics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Invesco (NYSE:IVZ Get Free Report) had its target price increased by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $27.00 to $30.00 in a report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a neutral rating on the asset managers stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s target price indicates a potential upside of 4.03% from the companys current price. IVZ has been the subject of several other research reports. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Invesco from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Invesco from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, January 10th. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Invesco from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their target price on Invesco from $23.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Cowen reissued a buy rating on shares of Invesco in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $25.73. Get Invesco alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on Invesco Invesco Price Performance Invesco stock traded down $0.60 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $28.84. The company had a trading volume of 1,021,402 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,483,034. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $26.09 and a 200 day simple moving average of $23.24. The company has a market cap of $12.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.60, a P/E/G ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 1.65. Invesco has a fifty-two week low of $11.60 and a fifty-two week high of $29.51. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85. Invesco (NYSE:IVZ Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The asset manager reported $0.61 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.44 by $0.17. Invesco had a return on equity of 9.11% and a net margin of 14.15%.The company had revenue of $1.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.17 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.44 EPS. Invescos revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Invesco will post 1.87 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Transactions at Invesco In other Invesco news, Director Douglas J. Sharp sold 160,000 shares of Invesco stock in a transaction on Friday, October 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.56, for a total value of $3,769,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 192 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,523.52. The trade was a 99.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 1.21% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Invesco Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of IVZ. CNB Bank acquired a new stake in Invesco in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Sentry Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Invesco during the third quarter worth about $30,000. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Invesco in the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its position in Invesco by 61.5% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 1,466 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 558 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quent Capital LLC bought a new position in Invesco in the 3rd quarter valued at about $37,000. Institutional investors own 66.09% of the companys stock. Invesco Company Profile (Get Free Report) Invesco Ltd. is an independent global investment management firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IVZ). With origins dating back to 1935, the company is dedicated to offering a wide array of investment strategies and solutions to both individual and institutional clients worldwide. The firms product suite encompasses actively managed equity and fixed income funds, passive index funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), closed-end funds, and unit investment trusts, alongside specialized offerings such as private markets, real estate, and structured products. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Invesco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The First National Bank of Groton (OTC:FIGR Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $78.00 and last traded at $73.42, with a volume of 1122863 shares. The stock had previously closed at $73.91. First National Bank of Groton Trading Up 1.0% The companys 50 day moving average is $43.79 and its 200-day moving average is $200.19. The company has a market capitalization of $13.15 billion and a P/E ratio of 219.59. About First National Bank of Groton (Get Free Report) The First National Bank of Groton offers various banking products and services in New York. The company provides personal checking accounts and personal saving accounts; and business checking, savings, and money market accounts. It also offers personal loans, which includes home mortgage and equity, auto, recreational vehicle, mobile home, and personal home loans. In addition, it provides business loans, including commercial real estate, equipment, business term, and small business administration loans. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for First National Bank of Groton Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First National Bank of Groton and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. TXNM Energy, Inc. (NYSE:TXNM Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $59.23 and last traded at $59.2160, with a volume of 57273 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $59.16. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of TXNM Energy in a report on Monday, December 29th. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded shares of TXNM Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating and raised their target price for the company from $58.00 to $61.25 in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Finally, Citigroup started coverage on TXNM Energy in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. They set a neutral rating and a $61.25 price target on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, TXNM Energy currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $58.42. Get TXNM Energy alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on TXNM Energy TXNM Energy Trading Up 0.2% The firm has a market cap of $6.46 billion, a PE ratio of 34.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 0.17. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $58.54 and a 200 day simple moving average of $57.42. The company has a current ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. TXNM Energy (NYSE:TXNM Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The company reported $1.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.44 by ($0.11). TXNM Energy had a net margin of 8.67% and a return on equity of 7.20%. The firm had revenue of $647.16 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $608.65 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.43 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that TXNM Energy, Inc. will post 2.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. TXNM Energy Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be paid a dividend of $0.4225 per share. This represents a $1.69 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. This is an increase from TXNM Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. TXNM Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 95.32%. Insider Buying and Selling at TXNM Energy In related news, Director Vicky A. Bailey sold 1,800 shares of TXNM Energy stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $57.74, for a total value of $103,932.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 8,725 shares in the company, valued at $503,781.50. The trade was a 17.10% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 1.36% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Trading of TXNM Energy Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. lifted its position in shares of TXNM Energy by 344.9% during the 3rd quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 4,042,301 shares of the companys stock valued at $228,592,000 after buying an additional 3,133,794 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of TXNM Energy in the second quarter valued at approximately $99,354,000. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of TXNM Energy by 16.0% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 11,568,926 shares of the companys stock worth $654,223,000 after acquiring an additional 1,598,954 shares during the last quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of TXNM Energy by 19,952.4% during the third quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 1,007,033 shares of the companys stock worth $56,948,000 after purchasing an additional 1,002,011 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LMR Partners LLP acquired a new position in TXNM Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at $48,291,000. 91.68% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. TXNM Energy Company Profile (Get Free Report) TXNM Energy, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides electricity and electric services in the United States. It operates through Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) and Texas-New Mexico Power Company (TNMP) segments. The PNM segment engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The segment owns and leases communications, office and other equipment, office space, vehicles, and real estate. It generates electricity using coal, natural gas and oil, and nuclear fuel and waste, as well as solar, wind, geothermal, and battery storage energy sources. Read More Receive News & Ratings for TXNM Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TXNM Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares (NYSEARCA:BRZU Get Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 191,951 shares, a decline of 20.0% from the December 15th total of 240,004 shares. Currently, 14.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 37,299 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 5.1 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 37,299 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 5.1 days. Currently, 14.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares Price Performance Shares of NYSEARCA:BRZU traded up $3.12 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $89.43. 37,802 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 21,405. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $82.20 and its 200-day simple moving average is $71.73. Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares has a 12-month low of $41.93 and a 12-month high of $91.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $117.15 million, a PE ratio of 10.75 and a beta of 1.75. Get Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares alerts: Institutional Trading of Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Addison Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares during the second quarter valued at about $26,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its stake in shares of Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares by 34.2% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,643 shares of the companys stock worth $173,000 after acquiring an additional 674 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Group One Trading LLC acquired a new stake in Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares in the 3rd quarter valued at $184,000. About Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares The Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares (BRZU) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Brazil 25-50 index. The fund provides 2x daily leveraged exposure to a market-cap-weighted index of large- and mid-cap Brazilian companies. BRZU was launched on Apr 10, 2013 and is managed by Direxion. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Direxion Daily MSCI Brazil Bull 2X Shares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII Get Free Report) had its price target upped by stock analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from $384.00 to $425.00 in a report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a buy rating on the aerospace companys stock. The Goldman Sachs Groups price target suggests a potential upside of 1.32% from the companys previous close. Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a market perform rating and issued a $362.00 price target on shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries in a report on Friday, November 7th. Melius raised shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, January 5th. Citigroup raised their price objective on Huntington Ingalls Industries from $376.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Sunday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Huntington Ingalls Industries from $287.00 to $342.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Huntington Ingalls Industries has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $343.63. Get Huntington Ingalls Industries alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Huntington Ingalls Industries Huntington Ingalls Industries Stock Performance NYSE:HII traded down $6.42 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $419.48. 329,610 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 685,650. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 1.06. Huntington Ingalls Industries has a 52-week low of $158.88 and a 52-week high of $432.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.00, a PEG ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 0.36. The companys 50 day moving average price is $340.10 and its 200-day moving average price is $298.59. Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The aerospace company reported $3.68 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.29 by $0.39. Huntington Ingalls Industries had a net margin of 4.74% and a return on equity of 11.79%. The firm had revenue of $3.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.95 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.56 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 16.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Huntington Ingalls Industries will post 13.99 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Activity In other Huntington Ingalls Industries news, CEO Christopher D. Kastner sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $321.06, for a total transaction of $4,815,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 68,139 shares of the companys stock, valued at $21,876,707.34. This trade represents a 18.04% 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 Nicolas G. Schuck sold 466 shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $314.36, for a total value of $146,491.76. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 2,418 shares in the company, valued at $760,122.48. This represents a 16.16% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 17,103 shares of company stock worth $5,477,768. Corporate insiders own 0.86% of the companys stock. Institutional Trading of Huntington Ingalls Industries A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of HII. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new position in Huntington Ingalls Industries in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. increased its holdings in Huntington Ingalls Industries by 140.0% during the 2nd quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 108 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares during the period. SouthState Corp grew its position in shares of Huntington Ingalls Industries by 310.0% during the second quarter. SouthState Corp now owns 123 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Huntington Ingalls Industries by 400.0% in the second quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 125 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its stake in Huntington Ingalls Industries by 120.0% in the third quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 110 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. 90.46% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Huntington Ingalls Industries Company Profile (Get Free Report) Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) is Americas largest military shipbuilding company and a leading provider of professional services to the U.S. government. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII designs, constructs and maintains nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, submarines and other complex vessels for the U.S. Navy. The companys products include nuclear aircraft carriers, Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines, as well as amphibious assault ships, destroyers and cutters. Established in 2011 as a spin-off from Northrop Grummans shipbuilding operations, HII traces its heritage to two historic builders: Newport News Shipbuilding, founded in the 19th century, and Ingalls Shipbuilding, founded in 1938. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Huntington Ingalls Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Huntington Ingalls Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bk Technologies, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:BKTI Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 77,127 shares, a decrease of 18.7% from the December 15th total of 94,882 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 38,112 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.0 days. Approximately 2.4% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Approximately 2.4% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 38,112 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.0 days. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bk Technologies Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Bk Technologies in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $225,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Bk Technologies in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $260,000. XTX Topco Ltd acquired a new stake in Bk Technologies in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $362,000. Heron Bay Capital Management purchased a new stake in Bk Technologies in the second quarter valued at approximately $245,000. Finally, Pembroke Management LTD acquired a new position in Bk Technologies during the third quarter worth $567,000. 55.05% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Bk Technologies alerts: Bk Technologies Trading Down 0.5% BKTI traded down $0.43 on Tuesday, hitting $86.43. 24,307 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 46,597. Bk Technologies has a fifty-two week low of $26.20 and a fifty-two week high of $89.23. The stock has a market cap of $322.40 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.07 and a beta of 0.47. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $72.96 and a 200-day moving average price of $66.28. Bk Technologies Company Profile Bk Technologies ( NYSEAMERICAN:BKTI Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $1.27 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.96 by $0.31. The business had revenue of $24.41 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $22.10 million. Bk Technologies had a net margin of 15.71% and a return on equity of 40.39%. Bk Technologies has set its FY 2025 guidance at 3.800-3.800 EPS. (Get Free Report) BK Technologies Corporation is a designer and manufacturer of professional two-way radio communications equipment and systems. The companys product portfolio includes portable radios, mobile radios, repeater and dispatch consoles, antennas and related accessories. BK Technologies serves a broad range of end markets that require reliable voice and data communications, including public safety agencies, government entities, utilities, transportation, oil and gas, mining and commercial applications. BK Technologies offers both analog and digital radio platforms, supporting industry standards such as Project 25 (P25) for mission-critical communications. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Bk Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bk Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. When he was running for office in 2016, Donald Trump said he would pay off America's national debt in just eight years. That, obviously, did not happen. Instead, the national debt has exploded in the decade since Trump made that promise. But history must have a sense of irony, because accomplishing that taskor at least making some progress toward itwould have put Trump in a stronger position today as he threatens to seize Greenland against the wishes of Greenlanders, the government of Denmark, and the European Union. Instead, America's large and growing national debt is not just a budgetary liability, but increasingly a geopolitical one too. "Europe owns Greenland, it also owns a lot of Treasuries," George Saravelos, Deutsche Bank's head of currency research, reportedly wrote in a memo to the bank's clients. In case that implication isn't clear enough, at least one Danish pension fund is already following through on the threat. AkademikerPension announced Tuesday that it will be selling all $100 million of its U.S. Treasury bond holdings. Anders Schelde, AkademikerPension's investing chief, told CNBC that the decision was driven by "poor [U.S.] government finances" and "not directly related to the ongoing rift between the [U.S.] and Europe." "But of course that didn't make it more difficult to take the decision," Schelde added. That seems to line up with what Saravelos is warning about. "In an environment where the geoeconomic stability of the western alliance is being disrupted existentially, it is not clear why Europeans would be as willing" to finance the U.S. government's borrowing, the Deutsche Bank analyst reportedly wrote this weekend. To be sure, there is little that Denmark or the E.U. could do to prevent the U.S. from militarily seizing Greenland. But Europe is the world's largest market and the largest holder of U.S. bonds. Any direct conflict between the U.S. and Europeor even an indirect one, marked by rising tariffs, decreasing trade, and deepening mistrustwould inevitably come with serious economic risks for America. Those risks are already taking shape. The yield on U.S. Treasury bonds spiked on Tuesday as global markets responded to the latest round of threats over Greenland. As always, bond yields are a reflection of investors' opinions about the riskiness of an investmenthigher yields mean investors are demanding a higher payout to compensate for more risk. From the federal government's perspective, rising bond yields mean higher interest payments on newly issued bondsand that's on top of the interest payments on existing debt, which are expected to top $1 trillion this year. Hecla Mining, Newmont, Freeport-McMoRan, Barrick Mining, and Coeur Mining are the five Gold stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Gold stocks are shares of publicly traded companies involved in the exploration, mining, processing, or sale of gold and related services. Investors buy them to gain exposure to movements in gold prices and mining company performance, though their returns also depend on operational costs, production levels, geopolitical risks, and can be more volatile than the metal itself. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Gold stocks within the last several days. Get alerts: Hecla Mining (HL) Hecla Mining Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides precious and base metal properties in the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, and China. The company mines for silver, gold, lead, and zinc concentrates, as well as carbon material containing silver and gold for custom smelters, metal traders, and third-party processors; and dore containing silver and gold. Newmont (NEM) Newmont Corporation engages in the production and exploration of gold. It also explores for copper, silver, zinc, and lead. The company has operations and/or assets in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Suriname, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Fiji, and Ghana. Read Our Latest Research Report on NEM Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) Freeport-McMoRan Inc. engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. It primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals. The company's assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. Read Our Latest Research Report on FCX Barrick Mining (B) Barrick Gold Corporation is a sector-leading gold and copper producer. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GOLD and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ABX. In January 2019 Barrick merged with Randgold Resources and in July that year it combined its gold mines in Nevada, USA, with those of Newmont Corporation in a joint venture, Nevada Gold Mines, which is majority-owned and operated by Barrick. Read Our Latest Research Report on B Coeur Mining (CDE) Coeur Mining, Inc. explores for precious metals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, and lead properties. It markets and sells its concentrates to third-party customers, smelters, under off-take agreements. The company was formerly known as Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation and changed its name to Coeur Mining, Inc. Read Our Latest Research Report on CDE Recommended Stories Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE:VIPS Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 6,211,145 shares, an increase of 21.6% from the December 15th total of 5,106,695 shares. Approximately 1.7% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 2,504,140 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.5 days. Based on an average trading volume of 2,504,140 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.5 days. Approximately 1.7% of the shares of the company are sold short. Analyst Ratings Changes VIPS has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Citigroup restated a neutral rating on shares of Vipshop in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Vipshop in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research cut Vipshop from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Barclays upped their target price on Vipshop from $19.00 to $21.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, November 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Vipshop from $21.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, November 21st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $20.38. Get Vipshop alerts: Get Our Latest Report on VIPS Vipshop Stock Up 2.4% Institutional Inflows and Outflows Shares of VIPS stock traded up $0.40 on Tuesday, reaching $17.11. The company had a trading volume of 2,329,593 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,559,364. The businesss 50-day moving average is $19.08 and its 200 day moving average is $17.97. Vipshop has a one year low of $12.14 and a one year high of $21.08. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.77 billion, a PE ratio of 9.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 0.72. A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its position in Vipshop by 209.2% during the 2nd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,551 shares of the technology companys stock worth $38,000 after acquiring an additional 1,726 shares during the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Vipshop by 1,187.1% during the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 3,282 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 3,027 shares in the last quarter. Huntington National Bank grew its holdings in shares of Vipshop by 53.8% during the second quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 3,323 shares of the technology companys stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 1,163 shares during the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Vipshop by 575.5% in the third quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 2,925 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $57,000 after buying an additional 2,492 shares during the period. Finally, Cooper Investors PTY Ltd. bought a new position in Vipshop in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $58,000. 48.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Vipshop (Get Free Report) Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE:VIPS) is a leading online discount retailer in China, offering high-quality branded products at competitive prices through a time-limited, flash-sales model. The company provides consumers with access to a rotating selection of merchandise, combining the excitement of limited-time offers with curated brand partnerships to drive customer engagement and loyalty. Vipshops platform features a diverse range of product categories, including apparel, footwear, cosmetics, home furnishings, digital electronics and other lifestyle goods. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Vipshop Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vipshop and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Skeena Resources Limited (NYSE:SKE Get Free Report) was the target of unusually large options trading on Tuesday. Stock traders bought 3,545 call options on the stock. This is an increase of 265% compared to the typical daily volume of 971 call options. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Skeena Resources Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Skeena Resources by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 45,364 shares of the companys stock valued at $719,000 after purchasing an additional 1,881 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Skeena Resources by 431.1% during the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,390 shares of the companys stock valued at $44,000 after acquiring an additional 1,940 shares during the period. Swiss National Bank grew its position in Skeena Resources by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 145,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,688,000 after acquiring an additional 3,200 shares during the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP increased its stake in Skeena Resources by 40.5% in the second quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 13,077 shares of the companys stock worth $208,000 after purchasing an additional 3,767 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc lifted its position in shares of Skeena Resources by 5.2% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 81,489 shares of the companys stock worth $1,294,000 after purchasing an additional 4,037 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 45.15% of the companys stock. Get Skeena Resources alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on SKE shares. Scotiabank reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Skeena Resources in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Skeena Resources from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Saturday. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a strong-buy rating on shares of Skeena Resources in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d-) rating on shares of Skeena Resources in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Desjardins raised Skeena Resources to a moderate buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy. Skeena Resources Stock Performance Shares of NYSE SKE traded up $1.85 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $28.78. The company had a trading volume of 988,695 shares, compared to its average volume of 688,246. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.48 billion, a P/E ratio of -39.42 and a beta of 1.22. Skeena Resources has a 12 month low of $8.53 and a 12 month high of $28.98. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $22.65 and a 200 day simple moving average of $18.81. Skeena Resources (NYSE:SKE Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 13th. The company reported ($0.09) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.06) by ($0.03). As a group, analysts predict that Skeena Resources will post -0.98 EPS for the current year. Skeena Resources Company Profile (Get Free Report) Skeena Resources Limited explores for and develops mineral properties in Canada. The company explores for gold, silver, copper, and other precious metal deposits. It holds 100% interests in the Snip gold mine comprising one mining lease and nine mineral tenures that covers an area of approximately 4,724 hectares; and the Eskay Creek gold mine that consists of eight mineral leases, two surface leases, and various unpatented mining claims comprising 7,666 hectares located in British Columbia, Canada. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Skeena Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Skeena Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dingdong (Cayman) Limited Sponsored ADR (NYSE:DDL Get Free Report) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Tuesday. Stock investors bought 2,369 put options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 300% compared to the average volume of 592 put options. Institutional Trading of Dingdong (Cayman) Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. QRG Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) in the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in Dingdong (Cayman) by 66.7% during the 3rd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 25,000 shares of the companys stock worth $52,000 after buying an additional 10,000 shares during the last quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $54,000. Centiva Capital LP acquired a new stake in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $56,000. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its holdings in Dingdong (Cayman) by 43,678.9% in the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 33,272 shares of the companys stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 33,196 shares during the period. 24.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Dingdong (Cayman) alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth DDL has been the subject of several recent research reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Dingdong (Cayman) in a report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Dingdong (Cayman) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, November 15th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, Dingdong (Cayman) presently has a consensus rating of Hold. Dingdong (Cayman) Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:DDL traded up $0.08 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $2.69. The companys stock had a trading volume of 875,663 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,642,438. Dingdong has a fifty-two week low of $1.65 and a fifty-two week high of $3.85. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $2.28 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $2.15. The company has a market capitalization of $634.28 million, a PE ratio of 15.79 and a beta of 0.42. About Dingdong (Cayman) (Get Free Report) Dingdong (Cayman) Inc, which operates under the Dingdong Fresh brand, is a China-based online grocery and fresh food delivery platform. The company leverages a network of urban micro-fulfillment centers to offer consumers a wide selection of produce, meats, seafood, dairy, packaged goods and everyday household items through its mobile application and website. Orders placed via the Dingdong Fresh app are fulfilled from strategically located dark stores within target neighborhoods, enabling the company to promise delivery times as fast as 2030 minutes. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Dingdong (Cayman) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dingdong (Cayman) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hypermarcas (OTCMKTS:HYPMY Get Free Report)s share price dropped 9% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $4.25 and last traded at $4.25. Approximately 413 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 88% from the average daily volume of 3,427 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.67. Hypermarcas Price Performance The firm has a market cap of $2.81 billion, a PE ratio of 19.30 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.27 and a quick ratio of 0.84. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $4.52 and a 200 day simple moving average of $4.44. Get Hypermarcas alerts: Hypermarcas (OTCMKTS:HYPMY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $0.13 earnings per share for the quarter. Hypermarcas had a return on equity of 6.89% and a net margin of 12.03%.The firm had revenue of $408.83 million during the quarter. About Hypermarcas Hypermarcas SA is a Brazil-based consumer health and pharmaceutical company whose shares trade over the counter in the United States under the symbol HYPMY. Founded in the early 2000s and headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, the company operates as a holding group for a broad portfolio of branded products in the healthcare and personal care sectors. Through its various subsidiaries, Hypermarcas develops, manufactures and markets prescription and over-the-counter medications, alongside personal care, baby care, home care and nutritional supplement products. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Hypermarcas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hypermarcas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Caledonia Mining Corporation PLC (NYSEAMERICAN:CMCL Get Free Report) shares were up 8.1% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $29.90 and last traded at $29.4270. Approximately 298,274 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 51% from the average daily volume of 602,987 shares. The stock had previously closed at $27.22. Caledonia Mining Price Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 1.78 and a quick ratio of 1.20. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $27.30 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $27.65. The firm has a market cap of $529.74 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.66 and a beta of 0.50. Get Caledonia Mining alerts: Caledonia Mining Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 21st were given a dividend of $0.14 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 21st. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.0%. Caledonia Minings dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 116.67%. Institutional Trading of Caledonia Mining Caledonia Mining Company Profile Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. State of Alaska Department of Revenue bought a new position in Caledonia Mining during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Caledonia Mining by 6,486.2% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,910 shares of the companys stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 1,881 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Caledonia Mining by 65.7% during the third quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,037 shares of the companys stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 411 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP acquired a new position in Caledonia Mining in the third quarter worth $50,000. Finally, Optimum Investment Advisors bought a new stake in Caledonia Mining during the third quarter valued at $54,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 31.78% of the companys stock. (Get Free Report) Caledonia Mining Corporation PLC is a UK?domiciled gold producer listed on the NYSE American under the ticker CMCL and on the London AIM market. The companys flagship asset is the Blanket gold mine, located near Gwanda in southwestern Zimbabwe. Blanket is a conventional underground and surface gold operation that includes a carbon?in?leach processing plant and tailings retreatment facilities, providing a structurally diverse resource base and established production infrastructure. Caledonia acquired the Blanket mine in 2004, adding to its long operating history that traces back to the early 20th century. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Caledonia Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Caledonia Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Oxford Industries, Inc. (NYSE:OXM Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 3,380,507 shares, an increase of 19.7% from the December 15th total of 2,825,237 shares. Currently, 24.2% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 489,732 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 6.9 days. Based on an average daily volume of 489,732 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 6.9 days. Currently, 24.2% of the companys shares are sold short. Insider Activity In other news, CEO Thomas Caldecot Chubb III bought 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 12th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $35.12 per share, with a total value of $175,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 22,709 shares of the companys stock, valued at $797,540.08. This represents a 28.23% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 6.00% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Get Oxford Industries alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Oxford Industries Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in OXM. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its holdings in Oxford Industries by 245.9% in the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 671 shares of the textile makers stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 477 shares during the period. CWM LLC raised its holdings in shares of Oxford Industries by 61.5% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 801 shares of the textile makers stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 305 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in shares of Oxford Industries in the 2nd quarter worth about $34,000. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Oxford Industries by 46.6% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 925 shares of the textile makers stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 294 shares during the period. Finally, Quarry LP bought a new stake in shares of Oxford Industries during the 3rd quarter valued at about $38,000. 91.16% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on OXM shares. Telsey Advisory Group upped their target price on Oxford Industries from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Wall Street Zen cut Oxford Industries from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Saturday, December 20th. Truist Financial set a $38.00 price objective on shares of Oxford Industries in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. KeyCorp reissued a sector weight rating on shares of Oxford Industries in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered shares of Oxford Industries from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Oxford Industries presently has a consensus rating of Reduce and an average price target of $45.40. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on OXM Oxford Industries Stock Down 7.1% Shares of NYSE:OXM traded down $2.88 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $37.78. The company had a trading volume of 314,931 shares, compared to its average volume of 452,852. The stock has a market capitalization of $562.07 million, a P/E ratio of -114.48 and a beta of 1.08. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $36.80 and its 200-day moving average price is $40.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 1.33 and a quick ratio of 0.62. Oxford Industries has a one year low of $30.57 and a one year high of $87.93. Oxford Industries (NYSE:OXM Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, December 10th. The textile maker reported ($0.92) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.95) by $0.03. The company had revenue of $307.34 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $304.42 million. Oxford Industries had a negative net margin of 0.20% and a positive return on equity of 9.35%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned ($0.11) EPS. Oxford Industries has set its FY 2025 guidance at -1.5401.320 EPS and its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.000-0.200 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Oxford Industries will post 6.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Oxford Industries Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.69 per share. This represents a $2.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 16th. Oxford Industriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently -836.36%. About Oxford Industries (Get Free Report) Oxford Industries, Inc, incorporated in 1942 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a leading designer, marketer and distributor of high-quality mens and womens lifestyle apparel and accessories. The companys product portfolio features a mix of owned brands and licensed partnerships that span casual, resort and performance categories. Key owned brands include Tommy Bahama, renowned for its island-inspired menswear and womens sportswear, and Southern Tide, which offers coastal-focused clothing and footwear. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Oxford Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Oxford Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CoastalSouth Bancshares (NYSE:COSO Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The company reported $0.58 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.62 by ($0.04), Zacks reports. CoastalSouth Bancshares Trading Down 0.7% Shares of COSO stock traded down $0.17 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $23.73. The companys stock had a trading volume of 44,237 shares, compared to its average volume of 66,361. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 0.92. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $23.02. CoastalSouth Bancshares has a 12-month low of $19.24 and a 12-month high of $25.56. The stock has a market cap of $284.29 million and a PE ratio of 21.38. Get CoastalSouth Bancshares alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Zacks Research upgraded CoastalSouth Bancshares from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Wall Street Zen raised CoastalSouth Bancshares from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, January 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings initiated coverage on shares of CoastalSouth Bancshares in a research note on Saturday, October 25th. They issued a buy (b) rating on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Hedge Funds Weigh In On CoastalSouth Bancshares Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Millennium Management LLC purchased a new position in CoastalSouth Bancshares during the third quarter valued at approximately $432,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. acquired a new position in CoastalSouth Bancshares in the 3rd quarter worth about $47,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in CoastalSouth Bancshares in the 3rd quarter worth $147,000. Alliancebernstein L.P. purchased a new stake in shares of CoastalSouth Bancshares during the third quarter worth approximately $10,972,000. Finally, Mendon Capital Advisors Corp purchased a new position in shares of CoastalSouth Bancshares in the third quarter worth about $7,243,000. CoastalSouth Bancshares Company Profile (Get Free Report) CoastalSouth Bancshares, Inc is a bank holding company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Through our wholly owned subsidiary, Coastal States Bank, a South Carolina state-chartered commercial bank, we offer a full range of banking products and services designed for businesses, real estate professionals, and consumers looking for a deep and meaningful relationship with their bank. Today, we have a community banking presence in some of the fastest growing and most business-friendly markets in the U.S., namely the Lowcountry of South Carolina (Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, and Beaufort), nearby Savannah, Georgia, and the Atlanta, Georgia market. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for CoastalSouth Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CoastalSouth Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $184.74 and last traded at $183.7450, with a volume of 933500 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $180.95. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have weighed in on SCCO shares. Itau BBA Securities cut Southern Copper from a market perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $126.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Wall Street Zen upgraded Southern Copper from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Sunday. HSBC reissued a hold rating and issued a $118.00 target price (up previously from $105.00) on shares of Southern Copper in a research note on Friday, October 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Southern Copper from $114.50 to $119.50 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $138.00 price target on shares of Southern Copper and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Reduce and an average price target of $129.05. Get Southern Copper alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on SCCO Southern Copper Stock Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 4.52 and a quick ratio of 3.91. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $145.55 and a 200 day moving average price of $123.17. The company has a market cap of $151.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.06. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The basic materials company reported $1.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.26 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $3.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.05 billion. Southern Copper had a return on equity of 38.74% and a net margin of 30.98%. As a group, analysts anticipate that Southern Copper Corporation will post 4.66 EPS for the current fiscal year. Southern Copper Cuts Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 28th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 12th were given a $0.90 dividend. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, November 12th. Southern Coppers payout ratio is currently 75.47%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Southern Copper news, Director Bonilla Luis Miguel Palomino sold 400 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.00, for a total transaction of $55,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 1,265 shares in the company, valued at approximately $175,835. This represents a 24.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 948 shares of company stock valued at $131,130. 0.07% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Hopwood Financial Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Southern Copper in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. MJT & Associates Financial Advisory Group Inc. boosted its position in Southern Copper by 65.1% during the 3rd quarter. MJT & Associates Financial Advisory Group Inc. now owns 213 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. Tobam bought a new position in shares of Southern Copper during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. United Community Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Southern Copper in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Caitlin John LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Southern Copper in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 7.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Southern Copper Company Profile (Get Free Report) Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE: SCCO) is a large, integrated copper producer whose operations span the full value chain from exploration and mining to smelting, refining and the sale of copper and other metal products. The company produces a range of copper products including copper concentrate and refined cathodes, and recovers valuable byproducts such as molybdenum, silver and zinc. Southern Copper concentrates on high-volume, long-life assets designed to support steady production and processing capabilities. Southern Coppers operations are concentrated in Peru and Mexico, where it owns and operates multiple large-scale mining and processing facilities. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Southern Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $2.60 and last traded at $37.9830, with a volume of 1370306 shares. The stock had previously closed at $38.88. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on DB shares. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Zacks Research lowered Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, December 30th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, December 20th. Finally, Barclays raised shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold. Get Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Stock Performance The company has a market cap of $77.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.84, a P/E/G ratio of 0.36 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a current ratio of 0.78 and a quick ratio of 0.78. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $37.48 and a 200 day simple moving average of $35.57. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The bank reported $0.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.81 by $0.16. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft had a net margin of 7.99% and a return on equity of 5.97%. The business had revenue of $9.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.75 billion. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft will post 2.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Legacy Capital Group California Inc. grew its position in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. Legacy Capital Group California Inc. now owns 12,368 shares of the banks stock worth $438,000 after purchasing an additional 264 shares during the last quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 15,436 shares of the banks stock valued at $452,000 after acquiring an additional 282 shares in the last quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 2.4% in the 3rd quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC now owns 11,955 shares of the banks stock worth $423,000 after acquiring an additional 285 shares during the period. Baron Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Baron Wealth Management LLC now owns 27,401 shares of the banks stock worth $970,000 after purchasing an additional 302 shares in the last quarter. Finally, HB Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 3.5% during the third quarter. HB Wealth Management LLC now owns 9,057 shares of the banks stock valued at $321,000 after purchasing an additional 304 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 27.90% of the companys stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Company Profile (Get Free Report) Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany. Founded in 1870 to support German foreign trade, the firm has grown into a full-service bank offering a wide range of banking, advisory and transaction services to corporate, institutional, and private clients. Over its history the bank has expanded internationally and developed capabilities across capital markets, investment banking, retail and commercial banking, and wealth management. The banks core business activities include corporate and investment bankingcovering financing, advisory, sales and trading, and capital markets servicesalong with private & commercial banking for individual and small-to-medium enterprise clients. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. By Paritosh Bansal and Michel Rose DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 20 (Reuters) - European leaders, rattled by Donald Trump's latest global gambit, are looking to present a united front in Davos, as CEOs warned against an emotional response to the U.S. president's ambition to take over Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron said the European Union should not bend to "the law of the strongest", adding that it was "crazy" that the bloc was having to contemplate using its "anti-coercion instrument" against the United States. More from Yahoo Scout What trade retaliation options is Europe considering? Why are some CEOs criticizing Europe's emotional response? What are Ukraine's conditions for Davos participation? How are European leaders responding to Trump's threats? "We do believe that we need more growth, we need more stability in this world, but we do prefer respect to bullies," Macron told the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, the day before Trump's arrival in Switzerland. Without referring directly to Trump, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted a need to respond to seismic shifts in the world and said the speed and scale of change had driven a consensus in Europe on independence. "It is time to seize this opportunity and build a new independent Europe," she said in a speech. Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever said the 27-member bloc was "at a crossroads" where it must decide on how to get out of a "very bad position" after trying to appease Trump to get his support for the Ukraine war. "So we should unite and we should say to Donald Trump ... 'You're crossing red lines here.' We either stand together or we will stand divided," De Wever said on a panel discussion. Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch told Reuters that attempts to win over Trump with flattery, as some European leaders have tried in the past, would not work. "Stroking the cat along the line of its fur is not going to do the trick this time. The EU needs to toughen up and hold the line," she said, adding that the bloc needed to keep options for trade retaliation "locked and loaded". EUROPEANS AT ODDS OVER HOW TO RESPOND TO TRUMP Trump announced tariffs on Saturday on imports from European allies that oppose the U.S. acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. European governments, which are facing growing challenges from populist, nationalist parties, have been at odds over how to respond to the tariff threat while maintaining U.S. support for Ukraine. Macron said Europe should not accept a world where might makes right and called for bold moves to defend European industries. "Let's not be shy. Let's not be divided. Let's not accept a global order, which will be divided by those who claim to have the bigger voice," Macron said. Stora Enso Oyj (OTCMKTS:SEOAY Get Free Report) shares gapped down prior to trading on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $12.33, but opened at $11.6030. Stora Enso Oyj shares last traded at $11.65, with a volume of 1,720 shares changing hands. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Separately, BNP Paribas raised shares of Stora Enso Oyj from a strong sell rating to a hold rating and set a $10.80 target price on the stock in a research note on Monday, September 29th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $10.80. Get Stora Enso Oyj alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on SEOAY Stora Enso Oyj Price Performance The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.16 billion, a PE ratio of 1,162.16 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a 50-day moving average of $12.10 and a 200 day moving average of $11.47. Stora Enso Oyj (OTCMKTS:SEOAY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The basic materials company reported $0.30 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.08 by $0.22. Stora Enso Oyj had a negative return on equity of 2.55% and a net margin of 0.14%.The company had revenue of $2.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.34 billion. Sell-side analysts predict that Stora Enso Oyj will post 0.67 EPS for the current year. Stora Enso Oyj Company Profile (Get Free Report) Stora Enso Oyj is a Finland?based provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden construction and paper. The company draws on centuries of forest industry experience and leverages sustainable practices to produce a wide array of products, including paperboard for consumer goods, specialty papers for printing and publishing, and pulp for industrial applications. Its portfolio also encompasses wood products such as cross-laminated timber, sawn timber and building components, designed to meet growing demand for environmentally friendly construction materials. Formed through the 1998 merger of Swedish mining and forestry giant Stora and Finnish paper maker Enso, Stora Enso combines deep heritage with ongoing investments in innovation. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Stora Enso Oyj Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Stora Enso Oyj and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cadence Bank (NYSE:CADE Get Free Report) was the target of a large decline in short interest in the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 6,213,156 shares, a decline of 21.8% from the December 15th total of 7,947,918 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,641,535 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.8 days. Currently, 3.5% of the shares of the company are sold short. Currently, 3.5% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,641,535 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.8 days. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Piper Sandler set a $40.00 target price on shares of Cadence Bank and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Morgan Stanley downgraded Cadence Bank from an overweight rating to a sell rating in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded Cadence Bank from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Barclays lowered Cadence Bank from an overweight rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 28th. Finally, Stephens downgraded shares of Cadence Bank from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $42.33. Get Cadence Bank alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on CADE Cadence Bank Stock Performance Shares of NYSE CADE remained flat at $44.50 during midday trading on Tuesday. 2,624,607 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,888,601. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.12 and a beta of 0.95. The stocks 50 day moving average is $42.06 and its 200-day moving average is $38.53. Cadence Bank has a fifty-two week low of $25.22 and a fifty-two week high of $46.02. Cadence Bank (NYSE:CADE Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, October 20th. The company reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.77 by $0.04. Cadence Bank had a net margin of 18.15% and a return on equity of 9.97%. The firm had revenue of $517.24 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $523.60 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.73 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Cadence Bank will post 2.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Cadence Bank Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th were paid a dividend of $0.275 per share. This represents a $1.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. Cadence Banks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 39.86%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cadence Bank A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. FNY Investment Advisers LLC bought a new stake in shares of Cadence Bank in the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. Mather Group LLC. acquired a new position in Cadence Bank during the third quarter worth about $26,000. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in Cadence Bank in the third quarter worth about $32,000. Community Bank N.A. acquired a new stake in Cadence Bank in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new stake in Cadence Bank in the 3rd quarter valued at about $38,000. 84.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Cadence Bank Company Profile (Get Free Report) Cadence Bank (NYSE: CADE) is a regional commercial bank that offers a full suite of financial services to individuals, businesses and government entities. Through its network of branches and digital platforms, the bank provides deposit accounts, treasury management solutions, commercial and industrial lending, equipment finance, residential and consumer mortgages, and wealth management services. Cadence Bank serves a mix of small and mid-size companies as well as retail customers in its core markets. The institution traces its heritage to Cadence Bancorporation, which was established in 1987 in Tupelo, Mississippi. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Cadence Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cadence Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 20/01/2026 Everton Women will take on Liverpool in the fifth round of the Womens FA Cup away from home. Brien Sorensens side defeated West Bromwich Albion 5-0 in the previous round thanks to a brace of goals from Yuka Momiki. Issy Hobson, Ornella Vignola and Toni Payne also scored to help the Blues progress to the round of 16. The Merseyside derby will be played on the weekend of Saturday, 21 February 2026. It is one of four all-WSL ties, with Chelsea set to take on Manchester United, West Ham United hosting Brighton & Hove Albion, and Tottenham Hotspur facing London City Lionesses in another derby. Everton famously beat Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield in the opening Womens Super League contest back in September and will be looking to repeat those heroics. Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () There are no responses so far to this article. Be the first to offer a comment using the form below. How to get rid of these ads and support TW ToffeeWeb This week Mayor Q is already hard at work talking with colleagues about the reality of ICE on local streets. Read closely and notice that it seems like the strategy that's emerging is to maintain the policy that KCPD has held for decades . . . Mainly that KCPD doesn't prioritize immigration enforcement. It's a low-key strategy that even the Missouri GOP hasn't wasted much effort fighting and in his latest statement the Mayor highlights this gentleman's agreement that might or might not hold until after Midterms are decided. Here's the word . . . Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas joined a call with mayors and police chiefs from across the country to discuss rising tensions around immigration enforcement following the death of former Kansas City resident Renee Good. We want to make sure that we have protection for local law enforcement, Lucas said. ICE and federal agencies can do a whole lot of work along the way, but we need to make sure that our local law enforcement agencies are still respected, frankly, that they still are the ones that people know they can call. An often repeated consideration of pro-migrant politicos . . . The mayor emphasized that calling 911 should still connect residents with officers focused on community safety rather than immigration enforcement. In Kansas City, we want to make sure that people arent abused. We want to make sure that were solving violent crimes, and that is regardless of your status, Lucas said. If you are a victim, you should feel comfortable calling 911. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Developing . . . Humana Inc. (HUM) is a health insurance and managed care company that provides a wide range of medical and specialty insurance products, including Medicare Advantage plans, Medicaid, commercial fully-insured health benefits, pharmacy services, and care delivery. The company, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, operates across the United States and is one of the largest health insurers in the country. Humanas market cap is roughly $32.9 billion. The company is scheduled to announce its fiscal Q4 earnings for 2025 before the market opens on Feb. 11. Ahead of this event, analysts expect this health insurance company to report a loss of $4.01 per share, deteriorating 85.7% from $2.16 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has surpassed Wall Streets earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters, while missing on one occasion. More News from Barchart For fiscal 2025, analysts expect HUM to report a profit of $17.08 per share, up 5.4% from $16.21 per share in fiscal 2024. However, its EPS is expected to decline by 28.9% year-over-year to $12.14 in fiscal 2026. www.barchart.com HUM has lagged behind the S&P 500 Indexs ($SPX) 16.9% return and the State Street SPDR S&P Health Care Services ETFs (XHS) 15% gains over the past 52 weeks, with its shares down marginally over the same time frame. www.barchart.com HUM has demonstrated a weak performance primarily due to ongoing challenges in its Medicare Advantage business. The most significant factor was a substantial downgrade in the quality ratings (Star Ratings) for several of its major MA plans. Additionally, the company has faced higher-than-anticipated medical costs, which have pressured profit margins. For Q3 2025 (reported on Nov. 5), while revenues rose 11.1% year-over-year (YOY) to $32.7 billion, profits weakened as rising medical utilization pushed the adjusted benefit ratio up to 91.1%. Non-GAAP EPS fell 22.1% YOY to $3.24. Humana also continues to face Medicare Advantage pressures, with expected membership losses of 425K for 2025. The company reaffirmed its 2025 benefit ratio and adjusted EPS guidance of $17, but it lowered its GAAP EPS outlook to $12.26. Wall Street analysts are moderately optimistic about HUM, with an overall Moderate Buy rating. Among 27 analysts covering the stock, seven recommend Strong Buy, two indicate Moderate Buy, 16 suggest Hold, and two advise a Strong Sell rating. Its mean price target of $286.50 indicates an upside potential of 4.8%. On the date of publication, Subhasree Kar 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 LuxHos, an Italian consulting and hotel management firm, receives the Peer-to-Peer Hospitality Award in Dubai, consolidating its international standing (TRAVPR.COM) UAE - January 16th, 2026 - In a global market led by industry giants, Italian boutique firm LuxHos is proving that independent management models can excel on the world stage. On December 9th, the Milan-founded company was honored with the prestigious Peer-to-Peer Hospitality Award in Dubai, a recognition granted by an elite network of hospitality professionals. The award highlights LuxHoss successful international growth strategy. Currently, the firm is managing high-complexity assets across three continents, including long-standing operations in Monaco, a luxury hub development in Uzbekistan, and the pre-opening of an ultra-luxury resort in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, Maldives. In Dubai, LuxHos provides strategic support to the ownership of a five-star Accor-branded property, specializing in operational standards and F&B concepting. This recognition from peers in a competitive market like Dubai confirms the validity of our model, says Luisa Pasella, Chief Commercial Officer. We bridge the gap between investor vision and rigorous international standards. By integrating strategic consulting with hands-on management, LuxHos demonstrates how Italian expertise and technical rigor can transform luxury hospitality into a successful global asset, positioning the firm as a key player in high-end hospitality management. ### HolidayVibe Maldives has launched a new in-depth guide focused on Maldives surf holidays, helping surfers plan better-timed and more informed trips to the islands. The guide covers surf seasons, atolls, reef breaks, and accommodation options, offering practical planning insights based on local knowledge. Read more at https://holiday.com.mv/maldives-surf-holidays-the-complete-guide/ (TRAVPR.COM) MALDIVES - January 17th, 2026 - Maldives HolidayVibe Maldives, a Maldives-based travel planning brand, has announced the release of its latest in-depth resource dedicated to Maldives surf holidays, designed to help surfers and adventure travelers plan informed, well-timed surf trips to the islands. The newly published guide, available at https://holiday.com.mv/maldives-surf-holidays-the-complete-guide/, offers a practical and experience-driven overview of surfing in the Maldives, covering surf seasons, atolls, reef breaks, resort-based surf stays, and liveaboard options. Unlike generic travel content, the guide focuses on real-world planning considerations such as swell direction, crowd patterns, skill levels, and how surf conditions vary across different regions of the Maldives. Surfing in the Maldives is world-class, but it is also highly nuanced, said a spokesperson from HolidayVibe Maldives. Choosing the right atoll, the right season, and the right accommodation can completely change the experience. This guide was created to give surfers clarity before they book, not after they arrive. Maldives surf holidays have gained increasing attention among international surfers due to the countrys consistent reef breaks, warm water, and uncrowded line-ups when timed correctly. However, many travelers struggle to find reliable information that explains the differences between North Male Atoll, Central Atolls, and Southern Atolls, or how resort-based surf trips compare with liveaboard surf cruises. The new guide aims to bridge that gap. The guide also highlights how surf travelers can combine wave-focused trips with comfortable island stays, making the Maldives appealing not only to hardcore surfers but also to couples, mixed-skill groups, and travelers looking to balance surfing with relaxation. HolidayVibe Maldives is known for its transparent, planning-first approach to travel. The brand specializes in Maldives holidays, honeymoon planning, all-inclusive resort stays, and multi-centre holidays that combine the Maldives with destinations such as Sri Lanka and Dubai. Rather than offering fixed, one-size-fits-all packages, HolidayVibe Maldives focuses on helping travelers understand their options clearly and plan trips that match their expectations and budgets. Our goal has always been to remove confusion from Maldives travel, the spokesperson added. With this surf holidays guide, we wanted to do the same for surfers who are serious about timing, wave quality, and overall experience. The complete Maldives surf holidays guide is now live and accessible to travelers worldwide. More surf-focused planning resources and destination-specific guides are expected to follow later this year. For more information about Maldives holidays, surf travel planning, and custom itineraries, visit https://holiday.com.mv About HolidayVibe Maldives HolidayVibe Maldives is a Maldives-based travel brand focused on creating well-planned, transparent, and experience-led holidays. The platform offers custom Maldives holiday packages, honeymoon planning, all-inclusive resorts, and multi-centre travel solutions, supported by local insight and practical planning tools. Media Contact: HolidayVibe Maldives Website: https://holiday.com.mv ### HolidayVibe Maldives launches a new collection of Maldives honeymoon experiences, combining handpicked romantic hotels with flexible, tailor-made packages. Designed for couples who want privacy, comfort, and unforgettable island moments. (TRAVPR.COM) MALDIVES - January 19th, 2026 - Male, Maldives | January 2026 Not every honeymoon needs excess. Some need space, quiet, and the right setting. With this philosophy in mind, HolidayVibe Maldives has introduced a new collection of Maldives honeymoon packages that focus on meaningful experiences, carefully chosen hotels, and the simple luxury of time together. Rather than offering generic resort bundles, HolidayVibe Maldives has approached honeymoon planning the way experienced travelers do. Start with the right island. Choose a hotel that suits how you travel. Then build the experience around privacy, comfort, and moments that feel personal, not staged. The newly launched honeymoon packages are designed for couples who want clarity and confidence when planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Each package is built around real resort insight, realistic travel pacing, and hotels known for service quality, atmosphere, and romance, not just star ratings. Couples can explore the full range of honeymoon packages here: https://holiday.com.mv/maldives-honeymoon/packages/ Hotels Chosen for Honeymoon, Not Marketing Alongside the packages, HolidayVibe Maldives has released a dedicated guide to the best hotels in the Maldives for honeymooners. This is not a long list for the sake of completeness. It is a curated selection focused on resorts that consistently deliver privacy, calm surroundings, and an environment where couples can disconnect from routines and reconnect with each other. The hotel guide includes overwater villas, beach villas, adults-oriented resorts, and intimate islands that feel personal even at full occupancy. Each recommendation reflects practical considerations such as room layout, island size, dining quality, and how the resort handles honeymoon guests. The full hotel selection can be viewed here: https://holiday.com.mv/maldives-honeymoon/best-hotels/ A More Considered Way to Plan a Honeymoon HolidayVibe Maldives recognises that modern couples plan differently. Many want flexibility, clear costs, and honest advice rather than fixed templates. Honeymoon packages can be adjusted based on travel dates, budget expectations, villa type preferences, and the balance between relaxation and activities. Optional experiences include private island dinners, lagoon cruises, spa sessions for two, snorkelling on house reefs, and seamless transfers by speedboat or seaplane. The focus is on ease and flow, so couples spend less time coordinating details and more time enjoying where they are. Local Knowledge, Global Perspective Based in the Maldives, HolidayVibe Maldives combines local destination knowledge with an understanding of international traveler expectations. The team works directly with resorts and suppliers, allowing them to recommend hotels honestly and structure packages that make sense on the ground. This approach helps couples avoid common planning mistakes such as choosing the wrong atoll, underestimating transfer times, or selecting a resort that does not match their honeymoon style. About HolidayVibe Maldives HolidayVibe Maldives is a Maldives-based travel specialist focused on curated island experiences. The company designs tailor-made holidays across honeymoon travel, luxury escapes, and multi-centre journeys, with an emphasis on thoughtful planning and long-term value. Planning Starts Here Couples planning their Maldives honeymoon can explore packages and hotel recommendations through HolidayVibe Maldives and begin shaping a trip that feels intentional, calm, and genuinely memorable. Honeymoon packages: https://holiday.com.mv/maldives-honeymoon/packages/ Best hotels for honeymoon: https://holiday.com.mv/maldives-honeymoon/best-hotels/ ### Photo: Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. Azerbaijans economic growth is expected to remain under 3% over the next two years as oil production peaks, Fitch Ratings said, Trend reports. Arvind Ramakrishnan, Director of EMEA Sovereign Ratings at Fitch, said during a webinar that Azerbaijans debt stood just above 20% of GDP in 2025, well below the 30% ceiling, leaving little immediate concern over sovereign finances. Oil production has clearly peaked in recent years, Ramakrishnan noted, and gas production may also have reached a near-term maximum. As a result, the oil sector contracted 2.7% in 2025, while the non-oil economy grew by 1.6%, contributing to an overall growth rate of 1.4%, below both the governments forecast of 3% and Fitchs own 1.8% estimate. Fitch expects economic growth to pick up slightly in 2026 and 2027, remaining under 3%, driven primarily by the non-oil sector. The sovereigns strong external balance sheet supports financing flexibility, while the current policy mix maintains robust external buffers and limits macroeconomic imbalances. Ramakrishnan highlighted several challenges, including slow economic diversification, and a weaker macroeconomic and monetary policy framework and governance relative to peers, despite Azerbaijan having the lowest government debt among BBB-rated sovereigns. Fitch identified positive rating sensitivities including continued strengthening of the economic policy framework, higher energy revenues, maintenance of prudent policies, and successful structural reforms supporting governance, growth, and diversification. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. Fitch doesnt expect any significant impact on the lending dynamics or changes to the sector loan structure as a result of this Basel III implementation in Azerbaijan, Maksim Maliutin, Associate Director, EMEA Bank Ratings, Fitch Ratings, said during a webinar, Trend reports. In our view, banks will continue to grow in retail, while on the corporate side, loan book will continue to be dominated by trade and services sector, so it's also a structural feature. Local banks don't lend a lot to oil and gas companies, and they rely heavily on the trade and services sector, so we don't expect significant impact there, he said. Maliutin pointed out that a lot of banks are well-positioned to meet the new Basel III requirements, because their capital positions have already been adequate. There could be some cases at smaller banks, but if we're talking about large banks in the sector, they're pretty much well-positioned, he explained. On 16 December 2025, the Board of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) amended the Rules on the Calculation of Bank Capital and Its Adequacy. The changes aligned capital structure, capital adequacy ratios, capital buffers, and several other regulatory requirements with Basel III standards. According to the CBA, the introduction of new capital buffers will increase banks resilience to potential losses, enable more accurate risk assessment, improve capital quality, and create conditions to support sustainable financing of the economy. Basel III is a framework developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and formally adopted in 20102011. It was introduced in response to regulatory weaknesses revealed by the global financial crisis of the late 2000s. The agreement strengthens capital requirements for banks and introduces new liquidity standards, with the overarching goal of improving risk management in banking and enhancing the stability of the financial system as a whole. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to Euronews TV in Davos. Trend presents the interview: Correspondent: Hello and welcome to Eurasia Talks from Davos, and I'm delighted to be joined today by Azerbaijan's President, Mr. Ilham Aliyev. Thank you so much for joining us today. It's wonderful to see you. As you join world leaders here in Davos, we are at this moment witnessing a fundamental reassessment of the existing international system. Now, you've warned about this shift before. How does your country engage with this changing world order, and what is your message to world leaders? President Ilham Aliyev: Well, actually, as you mentioned, we've been facing a situation in which international law norms were not obligatory for all the actors of the international community. Therefore, our strategic goal was to achieve results based on our national interest, and with all respect to international law, do what we thought was right. Everything that we've done, whether it's political development or restoration of our sovereignty and territorial integrity, was in line with international law and common values. Today, as you mentioned, international relations are entering a new era, where it is not the rule of law, but the rule of strength that is ruling the situation. We can see it in different parts of the world. Therefore, it once again signals that every country should base their strategy and policy on their potential, establish good relations with as many countries as possible, first in your region, and second on a global scale. That's what Azerbaijan managed to achieve. - I want to congratulate you. I learned yesterday that you will be receiving the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity for all of your efforts. And obviously, this brings me on to the next question. Amid the historic peace deal in Armenia, the South Caucasus is evolving fast in a global context, you know, after decades of competing interests, influences, and shifting alliances. How do you assess the current balance between risk and opportunity in the region? - First of all, thank you for the congratulations. It's a big honor for me to receive this prestigious award, especially as it bears the name of the founder of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed. I consider it as appreciation of our efforts to establish peace in the Caucasus after more than 30 years of bloodshed, conflict, and wars. Today, the Southern Caucasus also enters a new stage of development. We have lived in peace only for five, six months; we are learning to do it. We never lived in peace in all our independent history. It's a special feeling. And of course, it's a great opportunity. Today, the relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan is already evolving into cooperation. We lifted all the restrictions on cargo transportation to Armenia. Moreover, we started to supply critical commodities to Armenia, primarily oil products, which the country is largely dependent on. It's a win-win situation. So, I think that by the joint efforts of Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the civil society, we will achieve not long-lasting peace, but peace forever in the Caucasus. This is our goal. - We hope so, yes. With Iran as your neighbor, I want to also mention, how is Azerbaijan engaging with the evolving crisis that we are seeing there? And what is your assessment of its impact of stability across Eurasia, also including the energy markets? - Every country, including Azerbaijan, should think about stability around and beyond its borders. With respect to Azerbaijan, we do not have any potential risks inside the country. All the potential risks can come from outside. Therefore, for us, stability in our neighborhood is something that we always think about. We've been concerned about some destabilization in Iran. And for us, stability, predictability, and peace in the region are the biggest asset. We suffered from occupation, from war, from losing thousands of victims. And today, stability and security for every country are the only way to succeed. With respect to the energy market, as you see today, the oil price is stable. It is at the appropriate level, at least for Azerbaijan. It demonstrates that the situation in Iran, the situation in Venezuela, and in other parts of the world do not seriously influence the price of oil. This is a good sign, because producers and consumers, they need to know the predictability of the situation in order to plan their future. So I hope that the situation in the South Caucasus and around it will not deteriorate. This is what we really wish to see. I hope that every country will contribute to regional stability and security. - Where do you feel that the South Caucasus sits in terms of being an emerging force in the energy sector and moving towards the EU as well? - With respect to the energy sector, Azerbaijan is the only country in the Southern Caucasus which has energy resources and exports them to other countries of the Southern Caucasus. Other countries of the region import energy resources from Azerbaijan Georgia for many years, and now Armenia. With respect to Europe and the European Union, our energy cooperation is growing. We already supply natural gas to 16 countries, and 10 of them are members of the European Union. So by this coverage, by the geographical coverage of supply of pipeline gas, Azerbaijan is number one in the world. We have resources, we have a transportation system, modern pipelines. We have good relations with many European countries, and for them it's a way to strengthen their energy security. For us, it's an opportunity to sell our resources on the premium market. Though we sell gas not only in Europe, we have also started to export gas to Syria recently, but the European market, of course, is the best from the point of view of prices. - How do you feel and how do you react to this constant criticism of Azerbaijan from the EU Parliament? - Well, we do not react any longer. - Very diplomatic answer. - Yeah. We stopped reacting. We did react in the past, but of course, it's so obvious that this biased situation towards Azerbaijan is generated by special lobbying groups, by special forces which cannot digest Azerbaijan's independent policy. So actually we have for many years already stopped any cooperation with the European Parliament and also with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. We cooperate with the European Commission, and for us it is enough. But I think European Parliament puts itself in a very awkward situation, accusing us of what we have never done, including so-called our aggressive position towards Armenia, while Armenia itself appreciates the relationship with Azerbaijan. Last August, the peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan was initialed in the White House. So I hope that members of the European Parliament will find the courage to reconsider their unfair policy towards Azerbaijan. - Mr. President, always a pleasure talking to you. Thank you for joining us on Euronews this morning. - Thank you for the invitation. Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in Davos, Trend's special correspondent reports. Masrour Barzani passed on the greetings of Nechirvan Barzani, Head of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to President Ilham Aliyev. Expressing gratitude for the greetings, the head of state asked that his own greetings be conveyed to Nechirvan Barzani. During the conversation, they fondly recalled Masrour Barzanis visits to Azerbaijan and his previous meetings with President Ilham Aliyev. They exchanged views on the prospects for economic, trade, cultural, and humanitarian ties, and discussed matters of mutual interest. Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb in Davos, Trend's special correspondent reports. During the conversation, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Finland fondly recalled their previous meetings, noting that those encounters had featured productive discussions on developing relations between the two countries. Both leaders exchanged views on regional issues and touched upon the prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the member states of the Nordic-Baltic Eight group. At the same time, they highlighted the prospects of AzerbaijanEuropean Union relations. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. Azerbaijans Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov held a telephone conversation with Turkiyes Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan to discuss bilateral ties and regional developments on January 20, 2026, Trend reports via Azerbaijani MFA. During the conversation, the two ministers reviewed cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of international organizations. The sides also exchanged views on regional security issues, the situation in the Middle East, and the ongoing Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Jamie Dimon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan, one of the worlds leading global financial institutions based in the United States, in Davos, Trend's special correspondent reports. The head of state emphasized the importance of the existing cooperation between the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), other Azerbaijani entities, and JPMorgan, noting that this partnership is long-term in nature and based on mutual trust. Jamie Dimon highly praised Azerbaijans position as a reliable partner in international financial markets, stating that the country maintains a stable investment environment and consistently implements sound financial policies. He noted that JPMorgan attaches special importance to long-term cooperation with SOFAZ, underscoring that this partnership rests on solid institutional foundations and expressing the companys interest in further deepening cooperation. During the meeting, the companys long-standing cooperation in financing SOCARs activities was positively highlighted, and views were exchanged on future projects related to expanding the partnership between JPMorgan and SOCAR. The sides also exchanged views on Azerbaijans engagement of JPMorgan to help attract investment in the U.S. energy sector, the current situation in global financial markets, the international investment environment, and macroeconomic challenges. Discussions further covered emerging opportunities for institutional investors amid global economic processes, as well as prospects for long-term cooperation. JPMorgan, which manages assets exceeding $4 trillion, operates in the banking, investment, and asset management sectors. With a history spanning more than 200 years, the company ranks among the worlds largest and most diversified financial institutions. As of January 2026, the Asian tech market is navigating a dynamic landscape shaped by global economic shifts and regulatory changes, with small-cap stocks in particular drawing attention due to their recent performance gains. Amidst this backdrop, identifying strong tech stocks involves looking for companies that demonstrate robust financial health and adaptability to evolving market conditions, especially those capitalizing on trends like artificial intelligence and technological innovation. Top 10 High Growth Tech Companies In Asia Name Revenue Growth Earnings Growth Growth Rating Suzhou TFC Optical Communication 36.67% 35.23% Shengyi TechnologyLtd 22.86% 33.79% Fositek 37.20% 52.08% Zhongji Innolight 37.16% 38.82% Gold Circuit Electronics 32.89% 37.48% Giant Network Group 34.73% 40.54% Shengyi Electronics 24.50% 30.56% eWeLLLtd 21.55% 22.80% Co-Tech Development 35.68% 75.80% CARsgen Therapeutics Holdings 100.40% 118.16% Click here to see the full list of 176 stocks from our Asian High Growth Tech and AI Stocks screener. Let's dive into some prime choices out of from the screener. Simply Wall St Growth Rating: Overview: Zhongji Innolight Co., Ltd. specializes in the design, R&D, production, and sales of optical communication transceiver modules and optical devices in China, with a market cap of CN672.78 billion. Operations: Zhongji Innolight focuses on the optical communication sector, primarily dealing with transceiver modules and optical devices. The company's revenue is derived from its design, R&D, production, and sales activities within China. Zhongji Innolight has demonstrated robust financial performance, with a notable increase in sales from CNY 17.31 billion to CNY 25 billion and net income surging from CNY 3.75 billion to over CNY 7.13 billion within nine months. This growth trajectory is underscored by an impressive annualized revenue growth rate of 37.2% and earnings expansion at 38.8%, significantly outpacing the broader CN market's averages of 14.7% and 28.1%, respectively. The company's strategic focus on high-growth sectors is evidenced by its recent shareholder meeting aimed at capital increases for a subsidiary, positioning it well for sustained advancements in technology sectors critical to Asia's economic landscape. SZSE:300308 Revenue and Expenses Breakdown as at Jan 2026 Simply Wall St Growth Rating: Overview: Maruwa Co., Ltd. is a company that specializes in the production and sale of ceramics and electronic parts, serving both domestic and international markets, with a market capitalization of 599.17 billion. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. It is a great honor for me to receive such a prestigious award (Zayed Award for Human Fraternity ed.). Especially as it bears the name of the founder of the United Arab Emirates, the late Sheikh Zayed. I consider this decision as an appreciation of our efforts to establish peace in the Caucasus after more than 30 years of bloodshed, conflict, and wars, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said during an interview with Euronews television in Davos on January 20, Trend reports. The head of state noted that today the Southern Caucasus enters a new stage of development. We have lived in peace for five to six months. We are getting used to it. In our history of independence, we have never lived in peace. It is a special feeling and, of course, a great opportunity. Today, relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia are already turning into cooperation. We lifted all restrictions on cargo transportation to Armenia. Moreover, we have started supplying the main goods on which Armenia largely depends, primarily oil products, to that country. Everyone benefits from this. Therefore, I believe that through the joint efforts of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as civil society, we will achieve not just long-term, but peace forever in the Caucasus. This is our goal, President Ilham Aliyev added. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. Azerbaijan is the only country in the Southern Caucasus which owns energy resources and exports them to other countries of the Southern Caucasus. Other countries of the region for many years Georgia, and now Armenia import energy resources from Azerbaijan. Our energy cooperation with Europe and the European Union is growing. We already export natural gas to 16 countries, 10 of which are members of the European Union. By the geographical coverage of pipeline gas, Azerbaijan ranks first in the world, President Ilham Aliyev said during an interview with Euronews television in Davos on January 20, Trend reports. The head of state noted that Azerbaijan has natural resources, a transport system, and modern pipelines: We have good relations with many European countries, and this allows them to strengthen their energy security. For us, this is an opportunity to sell our resources in the premium market. Although we do not sell gas only to Europe, we have recently started exporting it to Syria as well. However, in terms of price, the best market is, of course, the European market. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. We have, for many years already, stopped any cooperation with the European Parliament and also with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, President Ilham Aliyev said during his interview with Euronews TV in Davos on January 20, commenting on Azerbaijan being constantly criticized by the European Parliament, Trend reports. We no longer react. It's so obvious that this biased situation towards Azerbaijan is generated by special lobbying groups, by special forces that cannot digest Azerbaijan's independent policy, the head of state noted. We have, for many years already, stopped any cooperation with the European Parliament and also with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. We cooperate with the European Commission, and for us, that is enough. But I think the European Parliament puts itself in a very awkward situation, accusing us of things we have never done, including our so-called aggressive position towards Armenia, while Armenia itself appreciates the relationship with Azerbaijan. Last August, the peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan was initialed in the White House. So I hope that members of the European Parliament will find the courage to reconsider their unfair policy towards Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev added. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in Davos, Trend's special correspondent reports. During the conversation, the sides expressed satisfaction with the established cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EBRD, noting a number of successful projects implemented by the Bank in the country. In this context, reference was made to various projects carried out by the EBRD in several regions of Azerbaijan, including Ganja and Sheki, particularly in the water sector. Discussions were also held on the financing of projects envisaged under the State Program for the improvement of water supply, wastewater, and stormwater systems in Baku and the Absheron Peninsula for 20262035. The meeting also featured an exchange of views on cooperation in the renewable energy sector, the modernization of Nakhchivans transport system, and the financing of household waste management projects in various regions of the country. The conversation further touched upon the measures undertaken by the state to develop Azerbaijans banking sector, promote entrepreneurship, and create an effective investment environment for local and foreign businesspeople. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. As part of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, a panel session titled Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity was held on January 20, Trend's special correspondent reports. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event. Moderator: Welcome to the World Economic Forum 2026, and to this session, Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity. With competing interests from the West to the East, the balance of influence and power in the Caucasus and Central Asia is being redrawn as we speak. Ambitious infrastructure plans and emerging trade corridors intersect with heightened competition over resources. How can the region make the most of these expanding routes and strengthen its role within them? This is what we are going to discuss today at the session, and it is my greatest honor to introduce the speakers. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia; Ebru Ozdemir, Chairperson of the Board of Limak Holding, Turkiye; and Vahagn Khachaturyan, President of the Republic of Armenia. I am going to take this moment to introduce myself. My name is Sasha Vakulina. I am Euronews' Europe Correspondent. It is my great honor to be moderating this session today and to be with you. I am going to start slowly, and I am going to just go into the beginning of this session, if I may, to open it and get into it. Azerbaijan and Armenia worked out a historic peace deal after decades of tragedies, changing the course and the future for the two countries, but also for the whole region. Just as we now witness the fast-changing global order. You know how much effort it has taken to close the painful chapter. I would like to ask President Aliyev and President Khachaturyan: how do you look to the future now? What does the future hold? Both of you being here together at this session is already a great message in itself. President Ilham Aliyev: Yes, you are absolutely right. It was a historical achievement last August when the two countries initialed a peace agreement, thus putting an end to more than three decades of war and bloodshed. The uniqueness of this peace deal is that it was signed less than two years after the last bloody clash. So it demonstrates that if you have a strong political will from both sides and a commitment to peace, then you can reconcile in a relatively short period of time. What has been signed today is transforming into practical results. Not only have we lived in peace for only 5-6 months, and we enjoy this situation, but neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan, as independent countries, ever lived in peace. When we became independent in 1991, we were already at a military standoff. But today, the benefits of peace are reflected in the beginning of cooperation. The first cargo of critical products, oil products, from Azerbaijan is being transported to Armenia, and in itself, it brings prices down. So it was absolutely unimaginable maybe two or three years ago, but today, it is a reality. And I think nothing can interfere with this process. What we need to do more, I think, is for both sides to demonstrate the results of living in peace, so that we can also witness the full support of our societies through this process. But I am very optimistic, because really what has been achieved is a tremendous benefit to Armenia, to Azerbaijan, and to the Southern Caucasus, and it sets an example of how countries that were once in very deep, hostile terms now transform into a phase of cooperation. x x x President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan said he fully agrees with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs statement that the future depends on us, noting that the leaders of the two countries are demonstrating their political will with determination. As President Ilham Aliyev has said, we have demonstrated political determination for peace so that from now on practical steps will prove and confirm peace. We have not seen this for 30 years. But now we are living in conditions of peace and tranquility. This is truly an incredible development, he said. Recalling that goods are already transported from Azerbaijan to Armenia via the territory of Georgia, Vahagn Khachaturyan expressed confidence that these cargoes would pass directly through the territories of the two countries. The Armenian President said: I am also grateful to President Ilham Aliyev, and we appreciate the work done. Today, or perhaps it was yesterday, if I am not mistaken, President Aliyev said that we must learn to live in peace and tranquility. Believe me, this is not an ordinary situation for us, because before these documents were signed, we were not accustomed to it. Every day we would wake up wondering what had happened at the border, whether the shootings were continuing. This was always a source of stress for us. Now I want to assure you once again that we must forget this past and begin implementing concrete projects. We will succeed, we believe. Our agreements are based on very concrete principles. Yes, as countries, we respect each others territorial integrity, sovereignty, and jurisdictions these are guiding principles. Yes, our borders will one day open, and just a few years ago the political will was not at this level. There will also be routine business trips. Ordinary citizens will be able to cross the borders freely and build relations. We will make use of these opportunities, and as a result of this cooperation, the South Caucasus will become a very favorable region for the whole world. Thank you to President Aliyev of Azerbaijan, and I must also thank our Prime Minister. I am grateful to both leaders for the political will they have demonstrated, Khachaturyan emphasized, noting that there is one goal here, and that is peace. Peace will come. I apologize, and I repeat once again that the issue is not staying in power, but achieving peace. For years, due to certain political reasons, the peace process was delayed, although negotiations continued and there were no results. Eventually, the leaders of the two countries agreed on common principles, he added. x x x Responding to the question How do you see Serbias role as a bridge between Europe and Asia?, President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic spoke about the importance of countries cooperating with one another against the backdrop of developments in the modern world, saying: The Caucasus countries are intermediaries between Europe and Asia and, at the same time, hub countries. In fact, all three of us are members of the European political community. x x x Answering a question about which strategies could enhance competitiveness in terms of attracting investment, Chairperson of the Board of Limak Holding Ebru Ozdemir said that investment is made in any country only when there is long-term stability, peace and tranquility. She noted that without stability, no one would invest in a country. Touching upon the participation of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the event, Ozdemir emphasized that long-term peace and tranquility indicate that investors will come to the country. I have also read the agreement signed on TRIPP; there are quite well-defined principles, said the head of Limak Holding, stressing that investments will be attracted precisely thanks to such agreements. She also noted that more could be done regarding the Middle Corridor. x x x Adding to Ozdemirs remarks, President Aleksandar Vucic said that today peace and stability are more important than ever. He expressed regret that certain principles are not being observed in the modern world. No one respects the principles of multilateralism, he said, adding that this is a major mistake and a repetition of past errors. Moderator: I will specifically also pick up on what you said: Nobody cares about multilateralism, and its all about national interests. I would like to address that to President Aliyev. Whats your take? How do you then see this solution, as President Vucic said? How do you survive, and how do you try to soften the stress of the current shocks in the world? The current shape and face of multilateralism is not just changing, but its not working that well. President Ilham Aliyev: I think that everything is in our hands. It depends on your agenda. It depends on your vision, on your strategic vision for the future. Coming back to peace with Armenia, and prior to that, 30 years of conflict, we really had very difficult times as a country, as a nationlosing territories, millions of people homeless and internally displaced. But we did not lose hope. We did not lose our courage to try to restore justice, international law, and our sovereignty. It took us 30 years. International institutions at that time30 years ago, 20 years ago, 10 years ago, and nowtheir behavior didn't change. We changed. We stopped believing in someone who would come and fix things for us. All our hopes for international mediation totally collapsed. The United Nations Security Councilthe highest international bodyadopted four resolutions demanding the withdrawal of Armenian troops from our territories. They remained on paper. The OSCE and other international institutions adopted numerous resolutions. All of them did not materialize until we took the situation into our hands, and we did it. We restored justice, international law, our sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and then we achieved peace. And then we stopped. For the leader of a country that suffered for 30 years, to stop at the right time is a very responsible and important decision. We could have continued. I want to be very open with you and with the audience, but that would have led to endless wars, more suffering, and more victims. Then the war would never have ended. Someone had to stop it, and we decided to stop it. Yes, it was a joint decision by the Armenian and Azerbaijani leadership to close that chapter and to see the opportunities for peace. And we, as I said, I think it was record speedfrom war, from the serious military clash of September 2023, to August 2025, when the Prime Minister of Armenia and I signed the Declaration, and the peace deal was initialed in front of President Trump. President Trump signed the declaration as a witness. As I said, we put an end to this war in the worlds number one office. We should not rely on international institutions. I agree with Aleksandar that today this situation may be more severe than ever before, but I do not share his certain pessimism, because if you take the situation under control, if you are dedicated to your national interests and to the future of the nation you are leading, then you can achieve success. With respect to multilateralism, unilateralism, and protectionism, we see that everything is crumbling. The World Trade Organization is crumbling. By the way, Azerbaijan did not join the WTO, though we've been invited for 30 years, just because we want to maintain economic sovereignty. We want to have political sovereignty, while at the same time maintaining good relations with numerous interlocutors. Look, we have strategic partnership documents signed with 10 members of the European Union, a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed with China, and a Strategic Partnership Charter being discussed with the United States. All of this is possible. It does not contradict one another. When you have a clear vision for your country, for your future, when you have powereven a consolidated societyand when you do what is right, it does not matter who says what or who publishes articles about you and what you are doing. So I am more optimistic, especially in our case with Armenia. It is probably one of the unique cases when we have real peace after three decades of war and bloodshed. x x x Answering a question from the moderator, President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan, stated that the war would have continued had the political leadership of Armenia and Azerbaijan not reached a fundamental agreement: "I agree with President Ilham Aliyev that otherwise, this war would have persisted. It would have dragged on indefinitely an event promising no future. Therefore, I do not accept any political approach that leads to war and the loss of human life." The Armenian President noted that the leaders of both countries chose the path of peace and the prosperity of their peoples, which is the most paramount issue. "I am optimistic that we will succeed," Khachaturyan said, adding that there would be joint economic and cultural projects between the two countries. He noted that there is already a precedent for this; representatives of the civil societies of both countries have already met, and in the near future, business communities and entrepreneurs will also convene. He further remarked: "People in Armenia are already filling their cars with Azerbaijani gasoline. Previously, there was a hostile stance regarding this issue, but these are the new realities." x x x Chairperson of the Board of Limak Holding Ebru Ozdemir discussed the regional processes, noting that very positive developments are taking place between Azerbaijan and Armenia. She stated that Turkiye would play a mediating role in this regard and that borders would be opened. She said: "Azerbaijan is our brother and friend. We must also mention Georgia. In this panel, we are primarily discussing regional investment. What have we failed to do before? What must we implement now? What else can be achieved? If there is peace and stability, there is no reason why investment should not follow." x x x Moderator: Its a very interesting dynamic. As the Eurasian region and the countries that you are representing here strengthen cooperation with each other for the region, as you said, the global geopolitical landscape looks completely different. Theres no strengthening; there is rather cracking and shaking. And I would like to get that as closing remarks from all of you speakers, please. How do you see, with this challenging, shaking, and rather fragile global landscape, the place of Eurasia in that picture, President Aliyev? x x x President Aliyev: Well, Eurasia is a very big geographical environment. What we are thinking about is, of course, our region and our immediate neighborhood. I am very glad that during the years of independence we managed to establish very close working relations with all our neighbors, of course, except Armenia, for the reasons we all know. But now, after peace de facto is established, we have also started economic cooperation and export operations. Azerbaijan lifted all the restrictions on the transportation of cargo to Armeniafrom Kazakhstan, from Russiaand now we have received a request from the Armenian side to provide transit from Armenia to Russia. So we de facto, unilaterally opened the corridors. Yes, the transportation goes through Georgia, but one day it will go through Armenia. One day Armenia will go directly through Azerbaijan, and that day is not too far away. We have established a very close alliance relationship with Turkiye, which is a brotherly country, and we have huge investments in Turkiye. Our investments in Turkiye exceed 20 billion US dollars. We are one of the biggest investors in Georgia. With TRIPP and the connectivity project, which the United States is now supervising, we will establish a new transportation corridor stretching from Asia across the Caspian, through Azerbaijan, Armenia, part of Azerbaijanwhich is NakhchivanTurkiye, and further down to Europe, in addition to the existing corridors through Georgia. So the more routes, the better for consumers, suppliers, and transit countries. As a country, we always concentrate on our regional agenda. If we cannot achieve what we want in the region, we cannot have any aspirations for any kind of global event. But today, especially after the parallel tracks of Armenia-Azerbaijan and Armenia-Turkiye rapprochementwhich go in parallel and will definitely end in parallel with the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkiye and Armenia, and Azerbaijan and Armenia at the same timewe are changing the broad geographical area, part of Eurasia, which is very important for connectivity, energy security, and peaceful stability. This sets the example of how long-lasting wars and conflicts can transform into partnership and cooperation. x x x President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan then remarked that it is, in fact, quite difficult to speak following President Ilham Aliyev. "I find myself echoing the President's sentiments, as the views expressed by President Ilham Aliyev align perfectly with our own perspectives and principles. Whether it is the Middle Corridor route or the new logistics opportunities emerging in the South Caucasus, these initiatives are gaining increasingly vital importance. Consequently, the strategic significance of our region continues to grow not only for the European Union and individual European nations but also for the Far East," the Armenian President stated. He concluded by emphasizing that, as President Ilham Aliyev noted, there must be a long-term and long-lasting peace. x x x "I am very happy for my friends in the South Caucasus," said President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic as he spoke about Azerbaijan's investments in Serbia. He also noted that direct flights are planned between Belgrade and Baku, as well as Tbilisi, and that similar direct flights could also be organized with Armenia. "Thus, in addition to our cooperation with the West, we will expand our partnerships toward the East and strengthen ties with our friends," he added. The Serbian President continued: "There is a shared view regarding the points made by Mr. President Ilham Aliyev: he is truly one of the most distinguished leaders in the modern world, which is a significant fact. His leadership has a profound impact that cannot be denied. Indeed, we are witnessing the reality of a modern Azerbaijan." At the conclusion of his speech, Aleksandar Vucic emphasized his hope that, through the support of kind and friendly nations such as Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Armenia, Serbia will be able to overcome its challenges. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. If there is commitment to peace, then two countries can reconcile in a relatively short period of time, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the panel session "Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity" in Davos, Trend reports. The head of state noted: What has been signed (peace agreement in Washington - ed) is transforming into practical results. It is not only 56 months of peace in the future, and naturally, we do not deny that as independent countries, we are enjoying this situation. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. I think, for both sides (Azerbaijan and Armenia), what is needed is to demonstrate the results of living in peace, so that we can also witness the full support of our societies for this process, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed a panel session titled Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity in Davos, Trend reports. I am very optimistic, because really what has been achieved is a tremendous benefit to Azerbaijan, to Armenia, and to the Southern Caucasus, the head of state emphasized. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. We have received a request from the Armenian side to allow transit from Armenia to Russia, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the panel session "Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity" in Davos, Trend reports. The head of state said, we de facto, unilaterally opened the corridors for Armenia. Yes, currently the transportation is carried out through Georgia. But one day transit will be ensured directly from Armenia through Azerbaijan, and that day is not too far away. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. We should not rely on international institutions. I agree with Alexander (Vucic ed.) that today our situation may be more severe compared to previous years, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the panel session titled Defining Eurasias Economic Identity in Davos, Trend reports. But I do not share his certain pessimism. Because if we take the situation under control, if we take sufficient commitments with respect to our national interests, then peoples can achieve success, the head of state added. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. I consider President Aliyev a personal friend, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic said during the panel discussions on Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity held as part of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Trend reports. "I consider President Aliyev a personal friend, and I also consider President Hachaturian a personal friend, even though I dont know him as well personally. I hope that well be able to build this kind of relationship with all the others. But when we are together, you know, we are much stronger, he emphasized. The United States cant actualize its moonshot AI goals if its lacking key workers to bolster the infrastructure necessary to build the technology, according to Ford CEO Jim Farley. With AI predicted to balloon to a $4.8 trillion market by 2033, Farley warned the U.S. has overlooked the labor needed to build and sustain data centers and manufacturing facilities. While President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs to revive factory jobs, in U.S. manufacturing, recruitment and retention problems remain. More from Yahoo Scout How are tech companies being impacted by worker shortages? What specific workers are needed for AI data centers? Why can't the U.S. fill these essential blue-collar jobs? How severe is the U.S. labor shortage for AI infrastructure? I think the intent is there, but theres nothing to backfill the ambition, Farley told Axios in September 2025. How can we reshore all this stuff if we dont have people to work there? Farleys concern about staffing AI data centers and factories is part of what he identifies as a crisis affecting the essential economy of blue-collar workers making up $12 trillion in U.S. GDP, per the Aspen Institute. The Ford CEO has said that AI could wipe out half of white-collar jobs, while creating mass demand for skilled trades. But the labor force to fill this growing clamor for workers isnt there, Farley said. The country is short 600,000 factory workers and 500,000 construction workers right now, and will need 400,000 auto technicians over the next three years, he wrote in a LinkedIn post in June 2025. Analysts have attributed this shortage to an aging domestic workforce, as well as restrictive immigration policies limiting population growth. Farley blames a lack of awareness surrounding the shortage. For its part, Ford announced last month it would scrap the rollout of some of its larger EV models and repurpose a Kentucky battery factory to manufacture batteries for data centers and large-scale industrial customers. We all sense that America can do better than we are doing, Farley said at the Aspen Ideas Festival last June. We need a new mindset, one that recognizes the success, the importance of this essential economy and the importance to our vibrancy and sustainability as a country. AI infrastructure labor shortage This labor shortage is already being felt in the AI sector. Dame Dawn Childs, CEO of Pure Data Centres Group, a U.K.-based data center operator, said while data center demand is booming, a shortage of construction workers is hampering expansion plans. Theres just not enough skilled construction workers to go around, she told the BBC last year. In addition, data centers are also struggling to carry out specialized functions because of shortages in skilled labor. Uptime Institute, an IT service management firm, found in a 2020 survey of data center operators that half were experiencing challenges finding candidates for open positions, compared with 38% in 2018. An April 2025 Deloitte report found this problem has persisted, with 51% of 120 surveyed U.S.-based power company and data center executives saying a shortage of data-center-related skilled labor was a core challenge. More than 60% of respondents said it was their top challenge. DAVOS, Azerbaijan, January 20. If we cannot achieve what we want in the region, we cannot have any aspirations for any kind of a global event. Today, Armenia-Azerbaijan and Turkish-Armenian rapprochement is going in parallel, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the panel session "Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity" in Davos, Trend reports. I believe that diplomatic relations between Turkiye and Armenia, as well as between Azerbaijan and Armenia, will also be established in parallel at the same time, the head of state added. He made the remarks during a panel discussion titled Defining Eurasias Economic Identity. Khachaturyan noted that the future of the South Caucasus depends on the leaders of the two countries, who have already demonstrated readiness to take peace-oriented steps and shown political courage. Just a year or two ago, it was difficult to imagine that we could reach the current level of interaction. Today, Armenia receives cargo from Azerbaijan via Georgian territory, and I am confident that in the future transportation will be carried out directly through our territories, he said. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met in Davos with Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, one of the worlds leading asset management firms, and Adebayo Ogunlesi, Founding Partner and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a company within the BlackRock group, Trend's special correspondent reports. The conversation focused on the current status and prospects for cooperation between the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) and BlackRock, as well as potential investment opportunities in Azerbaijans infrastructure sector. As part of the head of states visit to Davos, emphasis was placed on the significance of signing a Memorandum of Intent for long-term cooperation between SOFAZ, BlackRock, and its subsidiary Global Infrastructure Partners, a global infrastructure investment management firm. The document envisages continuing the existing partnership within a long-term strategic framework and exploring potential investment opportunities in Azerbaijan under an international infrastructure investment platform. Under the Memorandum of Intent, SOFAZ plans to consider capital commitments of up to $1.5 billion over the next 34 years into infrastructure funds managed by GIP and joint investment opportunities. Within the cooperation framework, assessments will be conducted of potential investment prospects in Azerbaijan for data centers and infrastructure serving regional cloud and artificial intelligence demand, as well as partnership opportunities in the airport infrastructure sector, taking into account GIPs operational and management expertise. Evaluating investment opportunities in infrastructure assets in Azerbaijan or related to the country is one of the key directions of the cooperation. The Memorandum of Intent will contribute to strengthening SOFAZs position in the global investment ecosystem, further expanding cooperation with international partners, and forming long-term investment opportunities in Azerbaijans strategically important infrastructure sectors. At the conclusion of the meeting, a ceremony for the exchange of the Memorandum of Intent was held the participation of the President of Azerbaijan. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for assistance provided in the energy sector, Trend reports. She noted that additional energy supplies from Azerbaijan, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic will be delivered to Ukraine in the coming days. "We thank all our partners for their ongoing support and the assistance already provided," Svyrydenko wrote on her page on Telegram. She stated that all assistance provided is being used to restore heat and power to Ukrainian homes, as well as to reconstruct energy facilities damaged by intensive shelling by Russian forces. According to her, four more countries are preparing to provide energy assistance packages to Ukraine. Furthermore, Ireland will make a donation of 25 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund next week. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. On January 20, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met in Davos with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, Trend's special correspondent reports. The Prime Minister conveyed the greetings of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, to the head of state. President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude for the greetings and asked that his own regards be conveyed to the Emir of Qatar. During the meeting, they hailed the current level of relations between the two countries. They emphasized that there is broad potential for further development of cooperation across multiple areas, including the economic and trade spheres. Both sides expressed confidence that the close ties between Azerbaijan and Qatar will continue to strengthen in the future. The successful cooperation between the two countries in restoring Syrias energy supply through the delivery of Azerbaijani gas by SOCAR was highlighted. The conversation included an exchange of views on issues of mutual interest. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. Today, 36 years have passed since the events of Bloody January, and as every year, on the next anniversary of the tragedy, the Azerbaijani people commemorate the memory of the martyrs of 20 January with deep respect, Trend reports. Since the morning hours, crowds have been gathering in the Alley of Martyrs, and carnations have been laid on the graves of the martyrs. On the night of January 1920, 1990, and without the prior imposition of a state of emergency, the Soviet military initiated operations against Azerbaijan. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 147 individuals, with 744 sustaining severe injuries and 841 being unlawfully detained. Furthermore, the Soviet forces' actions led to the destruction of 200 residential buildings, as well as extensive damage to both private and state property. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. The U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan has shared a publication on its X page, expressing condolences on the 36th anniversary of the January 20 tragedy, Trend reports. "Today, we join the people of Azerbaijan in honoring the brave Azerbaijanis who sacrificed their lives defending their country against Soviet repression on January 20, 1990, and offer our condolences to their families as they remember their loved ones on this solemn day," the publication reads. On the night of January 1920, 1990, and without the prior imposition of a state of emergency, the Soviet military initiated operations against Azerbaijan. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 147 individuals, with 744 sustaining severe injuries and 841 being unlawfully detained. Furthermore, the Soviet forces' actions led to the destruction of 200 residential buildings, as well as extensive damage to both private and state property. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. January 20, 1990, remains etched in Azerbaijans history as a day of both tragedy and courage - an awakening forged in blood and resilience, the publication of the Israeli Embassy on X said, Trend reports. "Under the shadow of tanks, a nations will did not break; it became an oath of freedom. Time passes, but the lesson endures: oppression is temporary, the spirit of a people is eternal. We honor those who gave their lives for the future, drawing strength from their sacrifice to build peace and harmony for generations to come," the publication reads. On the night of January 1920, 1990, and without the prior imposition of a state of emergency, the Soviet military initiated operations against Azerbaijan. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 147 individuals, with 744 sustaining severe injuries and 841 being unlawfully detained. Furthermore, the Soviet forces' actions led to the destruction of 200 residential buildings, as well as extensive damage to both private and state property. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. The Soviet aggression could not break the will of the Azerbaijani people, the President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda wrote on his X page in connection with the memory of 20 January martyrs, Trend reports. "Lithuania stands with Azerbaijan as the country today honours the sacred memory of innocent people who became martyrs during the Soviet aggression of January 1990. May their souls rest in peace," he said. On the night of January 1920, 1990, and without the prior imposition of a state of emergency, the Soviet military initiated operations against Azerbaijan. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 147 individuals, with 744 sustaining severe injuries and 841 being unlawfully detained. Furthermore, the Soviet forces' actions led to the destruction of 200 residential buildings, as well as extensive damage to both private and state property. KHANKENDI, Azerbaijan, January 20. Commemorative events have been held in Khankendi city, Khojaly, and Aghdara districts on the 36th anniversary of the 20 January tragedy, the Restoration, Construction and Management Service in Khankendi city, Aghdara, and Khojaly districts, told Trend. A minute of silence was observed throughout Azerbaijan, including Khankendi, Aghdara, and Khojaly, to mark the memory of the 20 January martyrs today at 12:00 (GMT +4). Traffic and pedestrian movement in Khankendi were suspended. Car horns were honked in memory of the martyrs. Flags were lowered to half-mast. On the night of January 19-20, 1990, without a prior declaration of a state of emergency, the Soviet army began military operations against Azerbaijan. During the tragedy, 147 people were killed, 744 were severely injured, and 841 were illegally arrested. As a result of the Soviet army's operations, 200 residential buildings, houses, and personal and state property were destroyed. Gavin Newsom's (D-Calif.) rise from a Getty-backed entrepreneur to California governor now collides with a proposed billionaire wealth tax he calls "bad economics" and has vowed to defeat. A Governor Shaped By Wealth And By Struggle Newsom's first major business success came in the early 1990s with PlumpJack, a San Francisco wine shop launched with financial backing from Gordon Getty, an oil heir and longtime family friend. Getty and his family later invested in Newsom's expanding portfolio of wineries, restaurants and hotels, helping turn him into a multimillionaire before he entered statewide office. Don't Miss: The AI Marketing Platform Backed by Insiders from Google, Meta, and Amazon Invest at $0.85/Share Missed the AI Boom's Biggest IPOs? This Platform Lets Everyday Investors Access Private Tech Early At the same time, after his parents divorced, the governor and his sister were largely raised by their mother, who worked multiple jobs to support the family. Billionaire Tax Proposal Puts Newsom In A Political Bind That dual background now frames California's intensifying debate over the proposed 2026 Billionaire Tax Act, a ballot initiative backed by a powerful health care workers' union. The measure would impose a one-time 5% tax on assets exceeding $1 billion for California residents, payable over several years. Supporters argue the tax could raise tens of billions of dollars for public services while addressing widening inequality. Critics, including Newsom, warn it could trigger capital flight and destabilize a state budget that already relies heavily on high-income taxpayers. Trending: Jeff Bezos-Backed Arrived Homes Hits A Big Sale On Charlotte Property Investors Earning A 34.7% Return Newsom Calls Wealth Tax Bad Economics Newsom has emerged as one of the initiative's most vocal opponents, arguing that a state-level wealth tax would drive billionaires and businesses out of California. In an interview with The New York Times, he said the proposal's mere introduction has already pushed some wealthy residents to relocate. Bloomberg has reported that at least six billionaires have left the state. At the same time, tech leaders such as venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman have publicly criticized the plan as hostile to innovation. See Also: Americans With a Financial Plan Can 4X Their Wealth Get Your Personalized Plan from a CFP Pro Silicon Valley Pushback Intensifies Opposition funding is ramping up. Palantir chairman Peter Thiel has reportedly donated $3 million to a committee fighting the measure, with more contributions expected from Silicon Valley executives. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. Commemoration ceremonies were held in Azerbaijan's Shusha and Kalbajar to mark the 36th anniversary of the 20 January tragedy, Trend reports. The memory of the 20 January martyrs was honored with a one-minute moment of silence at 12:00 (GMT+4). During the tribute, the movement of vehicles and pedestrians was fully suspended in both cities. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. On the occasion of the another anniversary of the 20 January tragedy, the Chief of the State Security Service, Colonel-General Ali Naghiyev and employees of the Service visited the Alley of Martyrs and with deep sorrow commemorated the dear remembrance of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, the SSS press service told Trend. Later, on behalf of the personnel of the SSS, a wreath was laid in front of the Eternal Flame monument, and the graves of employees of Azerbaijani security agencies buried in the Alley of Martyrs were also visited. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Iran unveils ambitious wheat production estimates for upcoming year Iran is anticipating a robust wheat harvest in the coming year, thanks to favorable rainfall conditions. The government plans to purchase the majority of the crop, with the remainder used for local consumption and seed. Despite this, the country will still rely on wheat imports to meet its overall needs. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. As Central Asias role in global politics continues to grow, Uzbekistan is actively expanding cooperation with European countries, placing a strong emphasis on practical engagement and the launch of joint economic projects. In this context, dialogue with Serbia is gaining increasing importance, as bilateral relations have intensified markedly in recent years. A key milestone in the development of bilateral ties was the official visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to Uzbekistan, which took place on October 28-31, 2025. This was the first visit by a Serbian head of state to the country and demonstrated the parties readiness to move from political dialogue toward closer economic cooperation. During the visit, in the presence of the leaders of both countries, agreements were signed on the promotion and protection of investments, the development of economic cooperation, as well as collaboration in engineering, advanced technologies, and artificial intelligence. In addition, a cooperation program between the foreign ministries for 20262027 was agreed upon, and partnership relations were established between Tashkent and Belgrade. These arrangements created clear and stable conditions for business and laid the groundwork for the implementation of joint projects. The agreements reached will be followed by the UzbekistanSerbia Business Forum, scheduled to take place on January 23 in Tashkent. The forum is expected to deliver tangible outcomes, primarily by establishing direct contacts between companies from both countries and discussing potential joint projects. The event is viewed as a practical platform where businesses can directly address cooperation conditions and investment opportunities. It is expected that the forum will focus on sectors such as mechanical engineering, agriculture and agri-processing, pharmaceuticals, the chemical industry, construction materials production, textiles and light industry, as well as information technology. The Uzbek side plans to present opportunities to Serbian businesses in production localization, the creation of joint ventures, and participation in industrial and infrastructure projects. Particular interest is attached to the use of Uzbekistan as a production and logistics base for Serbian companies seeking access to Central Asian markets. In turn, the Serbian side views Uzbekistan as a promising market with growing domestic demand and a favorable investment climate. The forum is expected to help identify priority sectors where cooperation can be launched in the near term. Economic cooperation between the two countries remains limited in volume but shows positive dynamics. Over recent years, bilateral trade turnover has demonstrated steady growth: it increased by 134% in 2022 and rose by 63% in 2024 compared to the previous year. From January through September 2025, bilateral trade expanded by a further 2.5%. Currently, 9 enterprises with Serbian capital are registered in Uzbekistan, including 4 joint ventures and 5 companies with 100% foreign ownership. These firms mainly operate in construction materials, trade, services, and mechanical engineering, as well as furniture and household goods production. Serbia exports construction and finishing materials, furniture, chemical products, marble, and agricultural goods to Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan supplies Serbia with cotton yarn, textiles, and leguminous crops. Despite relatively modest trade volumes so far, both sides note significant untapped potential. We see great opportunities for expanding partnership in the economic sphere and are ready to give it a practical character, said Uzbekistans Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov during a phone conversation with Serbias First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Going forward, the parties plan to strengthen the institutional framework of cooperation, including the establishment of an intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation. This format would allow for systematic project support, investment protection, and the reduction of administrative barriers. The development of transport routes along the Central AsiaBalkans axis is also under discussion, which could further support trade and investment. UzbekSerbian relations are moving to a practical level. The signed agreements have created a clear legal framework for business, while the business forum in Tashkent is expected to facilitate the transition to the implementation of concrete projects. For Uzbekistan, this means attracting investment, technologies, and expertise from Serbian companies, as well as expanding cooperation with Europe. For Serbia, Uzbekistan is becoming a promising market and a gateway to the countries of Central Asia. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 20. Uzbekistan and China have discussed the current agenda of a comprehensive strategic partnership and plans for 2026, Trend reports via the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The discussions took place during a meeting between Bobur Usmanov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, and Yu Jun, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Peoples Republic of China to Uzbekistan. During the meeting, the parties engaged in a comprehensive review of key bilateral issues and reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening cooperation under the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the planned high-level visits and exchanges for 2026, underscoring the importance of continued close coordination in organizing collaborative events and initiatives. Furthermore, Uzbekistans trade turnover with China reached $14.6 billion during the period from January to November 2025, further solidifying Chinas position as Uzbekistans principal trading partner. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 20. Uzbekistan and Mongolia discussed key issues related to the socio-economic development of their capitals, including priorities in urban planning, transport, tourism, and investment attraction, Trend reports via the Tashkent Regional Administration. The discussions took place during a meeting between Shavkat Umurzakov, Mayor of Tashkent, and Khishgee Nyambaatar, Mayor and Governor of Ulaanbaatar, at the Tashkent city administration. As part of the visit, Nyambaatar also toured the Situation Center of the Tashkent city administration, where he was presented with the centers capabilities in monitoring urban processes, ensuring public safety, and responding promptly to emergencies through the use of modern digital technologies. Following the meeting, the sides confirmed their mutual interest in further expanding interregional cooperation, enhancing the exchange of experience, and implementing joint initiatives aimed at the sustainable development of the capitals and improving the quality of life of their residents. Uzbekistan and Mongolia are enhancing their strategic partnership, evolving from basic diplomatic relations since 1992 to increased cooperation in economic, transport, and cultural sectors. Notable developments include high-level visits and agreements in areas such as mining, agriculture, and logistics, alongside visa-free travel arrangements. Key cooperation areas feature strengthened political relations with the opening of Mongolia's embassy in Tashkent, economic initiatives aimed at boosting trade, and advancements in transport facilities. Meanwhile, bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and Mongolia increased more than 10.5-fold between 2019 and 2024, rising from $1.9 million to $20.4 million, underscoring the strengthening economic ties between the two countries. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 20. Uzbekistan and Turkiye have discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and energy security, Trend reports via the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The discussions took place in Ankara during the 4th meeting of the Joint Strategic Planning Group, which was co-chaired by Bakhtiyor Saidov, Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Hakan Fidan, Turkiye's Minister of Foreign Affairs. The ministers also expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the implementation of the Action Plan, which was adopted during the 8th meeting of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC). They underscored the JEC's vital role as a practical framework for fostering enhanced cooperation in trade and economic relations between the two nations. Meanwhile, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Turkiye reached $2.68 billion from January to November 2025, marking a modest increase from $2.67 billion recorded during the same period in 2024. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 20. Uzbekistan and Turkiye have emphasized the importance of the Trans-Caspian EastWest Middle Corridor as a sustainable and reliable transport and energy route, enabling Central Asias access to international markets via Turkiye, Trend reports via the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The discussions were held in Ankara during the 4th session of the Joint Strategic Planning Group, co-chaired by Bakhtiyor Saidov, Uzbekistans Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Hakan Fidan, Turkiyes Minister of Foreign Affairs. The two sides highlighted the strategic importance of the BakuTbilisiKars railway as a cornerstone of the Middle Corridors infrastructure, emphasizing its pivotal role in regional connectivity. Further, both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Turkic World, underscoring the vital role of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) as the principal platform for cooperation, alongside other Turkic cooperation entities. The sides expressed satisfaction with the ongoing collaborative efforts within the OTS framework and reiterated their full support for initiatives designed to further deepen political, trade, economic, cultural, legal, and people-to-people relations among member states and observers. Meanwhile, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Turkiye reached $2.68 billion from January to November 2025, marking a modest increase from $2.67 billion recorded during the same period of 2024. Photo: The official website of the Government of Turkmenistan ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 20. Turkmenistan and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) discussed further expansion of cooperation in trade and economic, transport and logistics, and humanitarian spheres, Trend reports via the press service of the Turkmen Government. The issues were discussed during a meeting between Turkmenistans Ambassador to China, Parahat Durdyyev and SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev at the Turkmen Embassy in Beijing, on January 20. Earlier, on September 1, 2025, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, on a working visit to China, participated in the SCO Summit, where he highlighted transport, logistics, trade, energy, and economic cooperation with SCO countries and confirmed Turkmenistans readiness to expand natural gas exports and strengthen humanitarian and cultural ties. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. Azerbaijan held discussions with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the BCG Henderson Institute on the impact of digital transformation on the shaping of economic strategies, Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said in a post on his official X page, Trend reports. Within the framework of President Ilham Aliyevs participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos, we met with Nikolaus Lang, Vice Chair of Boston Consulting Group and Global Leader of the BCG Henderson Institute. We exchanged views on the role of digital transformation in shaping economic strategies, opportunities in trade and artificial intelligence, and strengthening corporate geopolitical resilience, the post said. The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a leading global management consulting firm that provides strategic advice to businesses, governments, and non-profits, focusing on areas such as digital transformation, AI, and sustainability. Recognized as one of the "Big Three" consulting firms alongside McKinsey and Bain, BCG serves various sectors, including tech, finance, and healthcare. BCG is noted for creating influential concepts like the Growth-Share Matrix, has a global presence in over 100 cities, and works with major organizations worldwide. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) is among the best debt-free stocks to buy now. In a research note cited by The Fly on January 12, Citi adjusted its estimates and price targets for its industrials group coverage as part of its Q4 outlook review. As a result, it raised its price target on GE Vernova from $658 to $708 while maintaining a Neutral rating, implying a 10% upside. Before Citi, Robert W. Baird analyst Ben Kallo also downgraded the stock to Neutral from Outperform and lowered the price target to $649, down from $816 earlier. While GE Vernova Inc.s (NYSE:GEV) stock has rallied during the last year, its outlook has been soured by concerns about power capacity oversupply, and as Kallo mentioned in his note, these concerns are shifting sentiment on the company. Some in the market believe that demand for GEVs turbines and other equipment was mostly driven by AI-led growth, and that the company will be affected if tech companies cant turn AI into the future success it is currently estimated to be. However, GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) believes that such concerns dont capture the full picture. At its recent Investor Day event, the companys Chief Executive Officer, Scott Strazik, addressed these concerns, saying, AI is a real driver for us right now, but it isnt the only driver. In early December, the company provided a robust outlook, projecting its total order backlog to reach about $200 billion by the end of 2028, up from $135 billion, according to a Bloomberg report. The company also guided for better profit margins in its power and electrification unit, and raised expectations for dividends and buybacks. Following the update, several analysts reiterated their confidence in the stock, including JPMorgan, which raised its price target substantially from $740 to $1,000 and maintained its Buy rating. GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV), a purpose-built global energy company, is a leader in the electric power industry, offering products and services that generate, transmit, convert, and store electricity. The company has three business segments: power, wind, and electrification. While we acknowledge the potential of GEV 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: 12 Best Software Infrastructure Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds and Cathie Woods Stock Portfolio: Top 10 Stocks to Buy. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. DAVOS, Switzerland, January 20. Serbia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia must work together on areas like AI, innovation, and defense while safeguarding their sovereignty and national interests, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic said during the panel discussions on Defining Eurasia's Economic Identity at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Trend reports. Vucic highlighted the importance of cooperation among smaller countries in a world where a big fish eats smaller fishes without regard to international rules. We'll have to get along with each other, we'll have to cooperate, we'll have to do things together. Because in today's world where we are facing no rules, no regulations we'll have to take care of ourselves, he said. He noted that countries in the region face a choice between joining large, newly defined global powers or protecting their independence, expressing confidence that Serbia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia would choose sovereignty. Knowing Azerbaijani people, Armenian people, and Serbian people, I know that we'll pick the option number two, which means that we'll protect our countries, our nations, our sovereignty and our independence, wanting, of course, to cooperate with everybody, Vucic said. The Serbian president also called for closer collaboration on innovation and regular political consultations. The most important is to not continue to band our faiths even more than it has ever been the case in the past, that we should work together on AI, innovations, defense sector, and we should have even more often political consultations on different issues, he said. Vucic added that he regards both Armenia and Azerbaijan as friendly countries and stressed the strategic importance of Caucasus countries as a bridge between Europe and Asia. When we are together, you know, we are much stronger. And Caucasus countries became like a key intermediary, but also the meeting point between Europe and Asia, he said. We are all three members of the European Political Community. We are on the EU path a bit more advanced than some Caucasus countries, but we are pretty much in the same situation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Italys Eni S.P.A. discussed opportunities for cooperation on potential energy projects, SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf said in a post on his social media page, Trend reports. "Within the framework of the World Economic Forum 2026, I held a productive meeting with Claudio Descalzi, Chief Executive Officer of Eni, where we reaffirmed our strong partnership and joint commitment to advancing strategic energy initiatives. During the meeting, potential projects under memorandums of understanding signed between SOCAR and Eni were discussed, focusing on energy security, emission reductions, and biofuel production. This collaboration represents a significant step toward strengthening energy security in Europe, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting renewable energy development in Azerbaijan and the broader region. By leveraging our joint experience, we aim to address todays energy challenges and build a more sustainable, resilient, and secure energy future," the post said. Azerbaijan and Italy's energy partnership encompasses traditional oil and gas as well as expanding renewable energy initiatives. Key projects include the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), enhancing Italy's energy security, and significant investment in renewables. Italian firms, such as Ansaldo Energia, are involved in modernizing Azerbaijans energy infrastructure. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. Azerbaijan has dispatched a new shipment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, consisting of electrical equipment, from the Sumgayit Technologies Park, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Energy. The shipment was organized under the decree of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, dated January 16, 2026, and coordinated by the ministry. The aid includes 12 low-voltage panels, 11 generators, 5 transformers, and 27,000 meters of cables and wires, with a total value of $1 million. The shipment was arranged in response to a request from the Ukrainian side. Azerbaijan has previously sent humanitarian assistance to Ukraine related to electricity supply, and the countrys total humanitarian support for Ukraine, including reconstruction and rehabilitation aid, has now exceeded $45 million. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has held discussions on sustainability, renewable energy, human capital development, and other issues of mutual interest, SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf wrote on his social media account, Trend reports. We had a productive meeting with Vimal Kapur, Chairman and CEO of Honeywell, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2026. During the meeting, we discussed the role of advanced technologies, digitalization, and innovation in accelerating the energy transition and improving efficiency across the energy value chain. In addition, we exchanged views on sustainability, renewable energy, human capital development, and other areas of mutual interest, he noted. 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) discussed clean energy initiatives, new technologies, as well as sustainable infrastructure projects supporting the energy transition and digital transformation agenda, SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf wrote on his social media account, Trend reports. "During our meeting with JBIC President Hayashi Nobumitsu, we reaffirmed the strong partnership between SOCAR and JBIC. Our discussions focused on clean energy initiatives, new technologies, and sustainable infrastructure projects that support the energy transition and digital transformation agenda. At the same time, we exchanged views on issues of mutual interest and emphasized the importance of maintaining ongoing dialogue in addressing common energy challenges. Through our joint efforts, we remain committed to advancing initiatives that create long-term value, contribute to global energy security, and support the development of a more sustainable future," the publication reads. Azerbaijan lifts curtain on oil import figures for 11M2025 Azerbaijan's crude oil and petroleum product imports fell in the first 11 months of 2025. Both the value and volume decreased compared to the previous year. These imports came from Russia, Kazakhstan, Iraq, and the UK. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) of the United Arab Emirates discussed full-scale development of the Absheron gas and condensate field, SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf wrote on his social media account, Trend reports. "During our meeting with Chief Executive Officer of ADNOC Group Upstream Musabbeh Al Kaabi, we focused on developing strategic cooperation in the energy sector, reviewing current operations for the full development of the Absheron gas and condensate field, and assessing progress made under the Strategic Cooperation Agreement," Najaf explained. The Absheron field is located on the Caspian shelf, 100 kilometers southeast of Baku and 25 kilometers northeast of the Shah Deniz field. Gas and condensate production at Absheron has been ongoing since July 2023. During the oil and gas conference in Baku in June 2024, the project participantsTotalEnergies (35%), SOCAR (35%), and ADNOC (30%)reported that the second phase of Absheron development could peak at 110,000 barrels per day, including 35,000 barrels of condensate, from three or more additional deepwater wells. ADNOC, the state-owned energy company of Abu Dhabi, UAE, operates across the entire oil and gas value chain, from exploration to refining and marketing, and plays a vital role in the UAE's economy. It ranks among the world's top energy producers and focuses on global expansion while investing in clean energy solutions and decarbonization technologies. Oversighted by the Supreme Petroleum Council, ADNOC is central to the nation's economic diversification and supplies various products, including crude oil, gas, and petrochemicals. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Ukraines Naftogaz Group held discussions to strengthen cooperation and explore new collaboration opportunities, SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf said in a post on his social media page, Trend reports. "Within the framework of the World Economic Forum 2026, I met with Sergii Koretskyi, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Naftogaz Group. During the meeting, we reaffirmed our commitment to enhancing cooperation and exploring new partnership opportunities," the post said. Notably, in July 2025, Naftogaz Group signed its first contract to purchase Azerbaijani natural gas from SOCARs subsidiary, SOCAR Energy Ukraine. This marked the first trial shipment of Azerbaijani gas via the Trans-Balkan route through the Bulgaria-Romania-Ukraine corridor. Naftogaz is Ukraine's state-owned, vertically integrated national oil and gas company, responsible for the entire energy chain from exploration to supply. It plays a crucial role in Ukraine's energy security and economy, handling production, transit, storage, and refining. Wholly owned by the government and subordinated to the Cabinet of Ministers, Naftogaz's key subsidiaries include Ukrgasvydobyvannya (production) and Ukrtransgaz (transit). It is essential for energy supply, is the largest producer and distributor in Ukraine, and also has a global presence with operations in Egypt and representative offices abroad. Naftogaz is pivotal to managing Ukraine's hydrocarbon resources and infrastructure. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) and Agricover Credit IFN have signed a 12 million financing agreement to support Romanias agribusiness sector, Trend reports via the BSTDB. The facility will provide affordable financing to farmers across Romania, enabling them to increase productivity, generate added value, and create employment opportunities. The agreement marks a continuation of a partnership that began in 2013, through which BSTDB and Agricover have supported farmers and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country. Dr. Serhat Koksal, President of BSTDB, said: This new agreement reflects our confidence in Agricovers impactful work and in the resilience of Romanian farmers. By expanding access to finance, we are enabling farmers to invest, grow, and continue driving one of Romanias most vital economic sectors. Serhan Hacisuleyman, CEO of Agricover Credit IFN, highlighted the challenges facing small and medium-sized farmers, including rising costs, climate volatility, and limited access to traditional bank lending. Through this new agreement with BSTDB, we can extend accessible, dedicated financing exactly where it is most needed, he said. Agricover, a leading agribusiness and agri-finance group in Romania, operates an integrated model combining financing and services for farmers. BSTDB, headquartered in Thessaloniki, Greece, is an international financial institution supporting economic development and regional cooperation in its 11 member countries, including Romania. The new financing underscores BSTDBs commitment to sustainable economic development in the Black Sea region and to strengthening the competitiveness of key industries such as agriculture. The German retail sector has called on the federal government to prioritise economic reforms and regulatory relief in 2026 as rising operating costs and weak consumer demand contribute to uncertainty for businesses across the industry. According to the Handelsverband Deutschland (HDE), structural changes are needed to restore confidence among retailers and consumers and support the sectors performance in the year ahead. Challenging retail landscape prompts reform call The retail sector in Germany entered 2026 under pressure, with many companies still feeling the effects of a slow economic recovery and subdued consumer sentiment. HDE President Alexander von Preen said the lack of a sustained post-pandemic upswing and disappointing holiday season results have left many retailers hesitant about future growth. The association argues the government must deliver clear economic reform measures to ease cost pressures and stimulate demand. Retail leaders emphasise that simple announcements are not enough; they want tangible action that helps businesses manage everyday challenges. Von Preen said that while the government has placed important issues on its agenda, rapid implementation is now essential so that relief reaches both companies and households without delay. Reducing bureaucracy and supporting business activity One of the key policy priorities identified by the HDE is the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles that retailers face. The trade association warns that excessive regulation diverts time and resources away from core operations and hampers competitiveness. Streamlining administrative requirements, it says, will allow retailers to focus on sales, customer service and investment. The HDE also highlighted specific legislative issues, such as proposals to adjust the Entgelttransparenzgesetz (pay transparency law) so that companies bound by collective agreements are exempt from certain documentation obligations. Such changes are seen by industry representatives as a way to strengthen social partnership and reduce compliance costs. Restoring consumer confidence and economic momentum Consumer confidence remains a concern for the retail sector. Despite a slight uptick in sentiment at the start of the year, the industry points to prolonged low consumer confidence and cautious shopping behaviour as factors holding back growth. HDE leaders say government action must signal stability and support to consumers if spending is to pick up. The call for reform echoes broader concerns in Germanys wider economy about the need for structural change. Independent industry voices have expressed that without meaningful reforms, including reducing red tape and enhancing conditions for businesses, retail and related sectors may continue to struggle with slow growth and operational burdens. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. One of the priorities of the EU is to build an interconnected and affordable energy market, a true energy union, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her special address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trend reports. Energy is a choke point for both companies and households. And just look at the dispersion of prices across European electricity hubs. Europe needs an energy blueprint that pulls together all the parts. This is our affordable energy action plan. We are, for example, massively investing in our energy security and independence with interconnectors and grids. This is for homegrown energies that we are trying to promote as much as possible, the nuclear and the renewables, to bring down prices and cut dependencies, to put an end to price volatility, manipulation, and supply shocks. But now we have to speed up this transition, because homegrown, reliable, resilient, and cheap energy will drive our economic growth and deliver for Europeans and secure our independence, she said. Ursula von der Leyen pointed out that whether on trade or business, capital, or energy, Europe needs an urgency mindset. Our starting point is good. We are home to global champions in fields ranging from wind power to next-generation batteries, from aerospace. Through the industrial machines that are essential to build the chips and advance weapons, our companies are taking up AI at the same pace as their U.S. peers. Europe is in the race for the key technologies of tomorrow. But as global competition gets ruthless, we must show real ambition, especially in those sectors vital for our independence, the European Commission president added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. Masdar, a global clean energy developer, and ENGIE, a leading low-carbon energy company, have reached financial close for the 1.5-gigawatt Khazna Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Independent Power Project, Trend reports via Masdar. Financing was secured from seven regional and international banks, including Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Credit Agricole, KfW IPEX, BNP Paribas, HSBC, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, and Emirates Development Bank. The Khazna Solar PV project, awarded to Masdar and ENGIE in October 2025, is backed by a 30-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC). Scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2028, the plant will generate enough electricity to power approximately 160,000 homes and avoid an estimated 2.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, supporting the UAEs energy transition and national decarbonization goals. Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, described the milestone as a significant step in the UAEs energy transformation. The Khazna Solar PV project adds to Masdars fast-growing portfolio and strengthens our partnerships with EWEC and ENGIE. We look forward to providing reliable, clean electricity to power the UAEs sustainable socioeconomic progress, he said. ENGIE CEO Catherine MacGregor said the project would serve as a flagship for the UAEs energy security and net-zero ambitions. This financial close represents a landmark in the development of a mission-critical asset for the UAEs path towards net zero by 2050, she added. EWEC CEO Ahmed Ali Alshamsi noted that Khazna Solar PV is the utilitys fourth large-scale solar project and a key part of plans to meet 60% of total power demand from renewable and clean energy sources by 2035. By pioneering large-scale renewable projects, EWEC is taking tangible actions to ensure a secure and sustainable energy supply for the nation, he said. The project underscores the UAEs ongoing investments in renewable energy, nuclear, and grid infrastructure to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon energy system. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. Kazakhstan's gold and foreign currency reserves reached a historic high, surpassing $65 billion in 2025, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during the 5th meeting of the National Kurultai in Kyzylorda, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. The President highlighted that the nation's economy experienced a robust 6.5% growth last year, with the national GDP surpassing $300 billion. For the first time in Kazakhstans history, per capita income reached $15,000, marking a historic milestone not only for the country but for the entire Central Asia region. He further emphasized that the foreign currency reserves of the National Fund had increased by $5 billion, while the contribution of small and medium-sized enterprises to the economy approached 40%. Additionally, the countrys population grew to 20.5 million, and life expectancy rose to an impressive 75.4 years. The National Kurultai, an advisory body to the President, continues to play a pivotal role in generating ideas and formulating strategies aimed at enhancing public unity and fostering national development. The meetings of the National Kurultai are convened as required, but are held at least once annually. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. Based on proposals made at the National Kurultais, as many as 26 laws have been passed so far, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during the 5th session of the National Kurultai in Kyzylorda, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. According to Tokayev, the National Kurultai has become the primary driving force behind large-scale reforms in the country. The president underscored that concrete measures have been implemented to safeguard women's rights and ensure children's safety. A comprehensive campaign targeting ludomania (gambling addiction) and drug abuse has been initiated. Efforts have also been made to systematize the regulation of onomastics (naming conventions), while new honorary titles have been introduced into the national awards system to elevate the status of workers. Additionally, Tokayev emphasized that the core values shaping Kazakhstans evolving national identity have been clearly defined, with the government committed to curbing detrimental phenomena that could compromise the well-being of future generations. Tokayev further highlighted that last year saw the formal adoption of the key principles, values, and directions of Kazakhstans domestic policy. The National Kurultai, an advisory body to the president, provides a platform for generating ideas and formulating strategies aimed at strengthening national unity and advancing development. While meetings are held as needed, they occur at least once a year. The previous sessions of the National Kurultai took place on March 13-14, 2025, in Burabay; March 15, 2024, in Atyrau; June 17, 2023, in Turkestan; and June 16, 2022, in the Ulytau region. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. The Kazakh government, in collaboration with the Akimat of Pavlodar Region, plans to construct a "Data Center Valley" using the energy resources of the Ekibastuz coal basin, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during the 5th session of the National Kurultai in Kyzylorda, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. That is a promising proposal; however, we will need to assess its successful implementation, remarked President Tokayev. He emphasized the urgency of introducing new energy capacities without delay, noting that such initiatives should not be postponed until the completion of nuclear power plant construction. The president highlighted that data centers, with energy consumption levels comparable to those of metallurgical plants, underscore the critical need for energy independence as a core component of state policy. "Producing 123.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in Kazakhstan is clearly insufficient to achieve the successful realization of our national objectives," Tokayev further elaborated. The National Kurultai, an advisory body to the President of Kazakhstan, plays a pivotal role in generating ideas and formulating strategies for fostering national unity and development. While the frequency of its meetings is flexible, they are held at least once a year. Past sessions of the National Kurultai were held on March 13-14, 2025, in Burabay; March 15, 2024, in Atyrau; June 17, 2023, in Turkestan; and June 16, 2022, in the Ulytau region. Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) is a leading biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Foster City, California, known for discovering, developing, and commercializing innovative medicines that address serious unmet medical needs in areas such as HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, oncology, and inflammation. Gilead Sciences has a market cap of around $155 billion, reflecting its position as a significant player in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors. The company is set to announce its fiscal Q4 earnings results soon. Ahead of the event, analysts expect GILD to report a profit of $1.86 per share, down 2.1% from $1.90 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company surpassed Wall Streets bottom-line estimates in three of the past four quarters and missed on another occasion. More News from Barchart For fiscal 2025, analysts expect GILD to report EPS of $8.14, up 76.2% from $4.62 in fiscal 2024. Also, its EPS is forecasted to rise by 4.8% in fiscal 2026, reaching $8.53. www.barchart.com GILD has surged 36.3% over the past year, outpacing the S&P 500s ($SPX) 16.9% gains and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETFs (XLV) 10.4% return over the same time frame. www.barchart.com Gileads stock has been rising as investors are encouraged by new product approvals and pipeline progress, notably the boost from the HIV prevention drug Yeztugo and solid HIV franchise performance. The FDA approval and commercial rollout of the new HIV prevention product, the twice-yearly injectable Yeztugo, will expand the companys potential market and boost investor confidence. The consensus opinion on GILD is bullish, with an overall Strong Buy rating. Among the 30 analysts covering the stock, 22 advise a Strong Buy, two recommend a Moderate Buy, and six suggest Hold. GILDs average analyst price target is $135.67, indicating a potential upside of 8.6% from the current price levels. On the date of publication, Subhasree Kar 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 ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. The development of coal power generation should be elevated to the status of a National Project, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during the 5th session of the National Kurultai in Kyzylorda, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. "The government is tasked with addressing this issue by March 20," Tokayev said. He emphasized that coal is a strategic asset for the country, and it should be fully utilized using the latest technologies to neutralize harmful environmental impacts. Tokayev also pointed out that Kazakhstan possesses vast coal reserves, estimated at around 33 billion tons. At the current consumption rate, these reserves would last for 300 years. The country's annual coal production exceeds 110 million tons, positioning Kazakhstan among the worlds leaders in coal production. The National Kurultai, an advisory body to the President of Kazakhstan, serves as a platform for generating ideas and developing steps toward strengthening public unity and national development. Meetings of the National Kurultai convene as necessary but occur at least annually. The previous sessions of the National Kurultai took place on March 13-14, 2025, in Burabay; March 15, 2024, in Atyrau; June 17, 2023, in Turkestan; and June 16, 2022, in the Ulytau region. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. The number of mandates in Kazakhstan's future unicameral parliament should be 145, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during the 5th session of the National Kurultai in Kyzylorda, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. Tokayev emphasized that the Working Group had thoroughly reviewed public proposals and held extensive discussions. President Tokayev further proposed that the new unicameral Parliament be structured with three Vice-Chairs, and that the total number of committees should not exceed eight. He also suggested that the future Parliament be named Kurultai, emphasizing that this term is both historically and culturally significant to the Kazakh people and is easily comprehensible to them. He underscored that the name Kurultai should serve as a symbol of an essential state institution within Kazakhstans political framework. The initiative to shift Kazakhstans Parliament to a unicameral system was first introduced by President Tokayev in his national address on September 8, 2025. This proposal is designed to simplify the country's governance structure and enhance the efficiency of decision-making. Following this, in October 2025, a specialized working group was formed to examine the proposal and oversee its implementation. Kazakhstan, presently bicameral with a Senate and Majlis, is keen to hold a referendum in 2027 to transition to a unicameral parliament, thus eliminating the Senate. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed establishing the position of Vice President of Kazakhstan and enshrining the new institution in the Constitution, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. Tokayev made the proposal during the 5th session of the National Kurultai held in Kyzylorda. According to Tokayev, the vice president would be appointed by the president with the consent of Parliament by a simple majority vote. The scope of the vice presidents powers would be determined by the president. It is envisaged that, on the presidents instruction, the vice president would represent the interests of Kazakhstan at international forums and in negotiations with foreign delegations, represent the president in Parliament, and interact with domestic and international socio-political, scientific, and cultural-educational organizations, as well as carry out other assignments of the president. Tokayev emphasized that the key provisions defining the official functions of the vice president should also be reflected in the text of the Constitution. At the same time, Tokayev proposed abolishing several administrative structures supporting the activities of the current Parliament, as well as the position of State Counselor. He added that the functions, structure, and management system of the Presidential Administration would be reformed in line with practical needs. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed establishing the Peoples Council of Kazakhstan (Qazaqstannyn Khalyk Kenesi) as a new national institution aimed at ensuring regular, inclusive nationwide dialogue, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. Tokayev made the proposal during the 5th session of the National Kurultai held in Kyzylorda. President Tokayev outlined the next phase of Kazakhstan's reforms, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive platform or forum dedicated to ongoing national discussions on pivotal public development issues. He explained that this new platform would unite key socio-political organizations and institutions that champion national unity and cohesion. In this regard, the president observed that the core functions of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan and the National Kurultai had largely been fulfilled, marking a historical milestone in the countrys development. Tokayev proposed the creation of a new institution, which would build upon the strategic continuity of both the Assembly of the People and the National Kurultai, while further consolidating Kazakhstans statehood and safeguarding its independence. He also underscored that the Peoples Council would serve as a novel state entity, drawing from the consultative practices of other nations. The Council would ensure comprehensive representation, incorporating all ethnic groups, social sectors, and regions across Kazakhstan. The Peoples Council of Kazakhstan is expected to have the status of the countrys highest consultative body. Its proposed composition includes 126 members: 42 representatives from ethnocultural associations, 42 from major public organizations, and 42 from maslikhats (local representative bodies) and regional public councils. All members of the Peoples Council would be appointed by the president, while the chairperson would be elected by the Council members. The Chairperson would have two deputies appointed on a rotational basis on a voluntary basis, as well as a head of the secretariat. Tokayev also proposed granting the Peoples Council the right of legislative initiative, which, he said, would significantly strengthen its status. The Councils highest body would be its session, to be convened at least once a year. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has outlined plans for the development of the countrys railway sector in 2026 during the fifth session of the National Kurultai held in Kyzylorda, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. According to Tokayev, several major railway projects are scheduled for implementation this year. These include the construction of the KyzylzharMoyynty and DarbazaMaktaaral railway lines, as well as the modernization of the AltynkolZhetygen and ZhezkazganSekseul sections. The president noted that Kazakhstan has significant transit potential, but considerable efforts are still required to unlock it fully. He stressed that large-scale work is currently underway across the country, including the construction and rehabilitation of thousands of kilometers of highways and railways, the elimination of bottlenecks along key routes, and the modernization and construction of railway stations, as well as sea, air, and dry ports, and the development of multimodal transport. Tokayev emphasized that alongside the development of road infrastructure, continued efforts are needed to expand and strengthen the railway network, which is essential for enhancing national transport connectivity. He also recalled that the launch of traffic on the second tracks of the DostykMoyynty section last year, as well as the completion of the bypass railway line around Almaty, significantly strengthened Kazakhstans transit status. Kazakhstan's railway sector, managed by Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), spans over 16,000 km and is crucial for Eurasian transit, particularly for China-Europe cargo. Modernization efforts focus on expanding capacity, enhancing speed, and integrating digital systems to address challenges stemming from Soviet-era infrastructure. Key projects involve track repairs, electrification, and infrastructure upgrades, while issues like high track wear and single-track sections are being addressed through planned upgrades and new rolling stock. Digitalization initiatives, including IoT and big data, aim to improve logistics management, ultimately boosting cargo and passenger traffic and reinforcing Kazakhstan's role as a logistics leader in Eurasia. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for the accelerated implementation of key energy projects to ensure the stability of the national power system, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president. Speaking at the 5th session of the National Kurultai, Tokayev stated that the agenda includes the fast-tracked construction of new combined heat and power plants (CHPs) in Kokshetau, Semey, and Ust-Kamenogorsk. He acknowledged that decisions on these projects have been delayed, despite strong public expectations. The president also directed the relevant authorities to ensure the timely completion of the power plant in Kurchatov, the activation of additional generating units at Ekibastuz GRES-2, and the commencement of construction on Ekibastuz GRES-3. Tokayev emphasized the necessity of rapidly implementing balancing capacities, particularly through gas-fired generation, to enhance the resilience of the national energy system. He further underscored the need to bolster Kazakhstan's natural gas potential by exploring new reserves, as current gas production is insufficient to meet the growing demands of the economy. He pointed out that gas imports had risen by 18 percent last year, reaching 4.5 billion cubic meters, while the pace of developing new gas fields has been alarmingly slow. The president characterized the current situation as a direct consequence of inadequate planning, stressing that such an approach is unacceptable, particularly in the face of the nation's current extraordinary circumstances. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. Chairman of the Management Board of KazMunayGas (KMG), Askhat Khassenov, and Ambassador of Turkiye to Kazakhstan, Mustafa Kapucu, discussed plans for bilateral cooperation in geological exploration, Trend reports via the KazMunayGas. During the meeting, special attention was paid to the dynamic interaction between KazMunayGas and Turkiyes state-owned company, Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO). Furthermore, it was noted that TPAO specialists had previously studied a number of promising exploration areas in Kazakhstan. Following the analysis, the Turkish partners focused on the offshore Bolshoy Zhambyl project in the North Caspian Sea. At present, TPAO is conducting its own detailed technical and economic assessment of the site. Following the meeting, the sides expressed readiness to further strengthen cooperation in geological exploration with a view to developing the energy potential of both Kazakhstan and Turkiye. In October 2025, Khassenov met with Ahmet Turkoglu, the head of TPAO. At the time, he mentioned that KazMunayGas highly values the prospects of a mutually beneficial partnership with the Turkish Petroleum Corporation, not only in the fields of exploration and hydrocarbon production but also in terms of knowledge exchange, implementation of advanced technologies, and promoting environmentally sustainable solutions. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced a new 50 million equity investment in the Horizon Capital Catalyst Fund to support the reconstruction of Ukraines critical infrastructure, Trend reports. The investment targets the energy, construction, and digital networks sectors, aiming to restore essential services, boost economic activity, and create jobs amid constrained public resources. The Horizon Capital Catalyst Fund is one of the first private equity platforms dedicated to Ukraines infrastructure recovery. IFCs investment is paired with a 50 million co-investment envelope and is partially covered by guarantees from the European Commission and the French government to help de-risk the market and attract additional private capital. This fund is a milestone for Ukraines recovery, enabling investment in high-impact, labor- and capital-intensive sectors that account for over 10% of the countrys GDP, said Lenna Koszarny, CEO of Horizon Capital. Makhtar Diop, IFC Managing Director, added, Equity capital is vital to Ukraines recovery. IFCs investment helps absorb risk, catalyze private investment, and restore the infrastructure businesses and communities rely on. The fund targets minority stakes in companies across energy, construction, and digital infrastructure, with at least 25% of portfolio companies led or owned by women. Other investors participating in the first close include EBRD, Proparco, Swedfund, Norfund, and FMO. The initiative comes as Ukraine faces urgent reconstruction needs totaling $524 billion over the next decade, with nearly 40% of infrastructure damage concentrated in energy, housing, transport, and digital networks. IFC has committed nearly $2.8 billion to support Ukraines private sector since February 2022, including over $1 billion mobilized under its Economic Resilience Action (ERA) Program. By combining equity investment with co-investment and guarantees, IFC aims to crowd in global capital, strengthen private-sector-led recovery, and support sustainable reconstruction of the systems Ukrainians rely on daily. Gold (GC=F) and silver (SI=F) jumped to fresh records on Tuesday as President Trump doubled down on his pursuit of Greenland, threatening new tariffs on Europe. Gold futures climbed above $4,750 per ounce while silver surged to as much as $95 per ounce, extending a string of record highs that has been building for months. The move followed renewed tariff threats from Trump against European countries, tied to his pursuit of Greenland. Meanwhile, a sell-off in Japanese bonds revived fiscal concerns across global markets. Precious metals have been on a blistering run, driven by strong central bank demand for gold, growing questions over Federal Reserve independence, mounting fiscal spending, and US intervention in Venezuela, along with rising tensions with Iran. "The debasement trade is on fire and precious metals are the outlet," Robin Brooks, a senior fellow in the global economy and development program at the Brookings Institution, said on X on Tuesday morning. Read more: How to protect your money during economic turmoil, stock market volatility Saxo Bank's Ole Sloth Hansen noted on Sunday, "the Greenland episode has poured fresh fuel on a rally that has been building for months, driven by a macro and geopolitical backdrop that has become increasingly uncomfortable for investors reliant on financial assets alone." In the case of silver, the jump from the low-$20 range last year to above $95 an ounce comes amid mounting concerns that global supply simply cannot keep pace with demand for industrial use. What youre seeing, I think, is the upshot of 15 years of massive underinvestment in the supply side, Craig Parry, CEO and chairman of Canadian miner Vizsla Copper (VCU.V), told Yahoo Finance. There is simply no way we can as a group of mining companies, as a space keep up with the demand thats there, let alone the demand thats coming," Parry told Yahoo Finance. Parry said his other company, Vizsla Silver, is currently in the process of building the largest silver mine in Mexico, which will produce 20 million ounces of silver per year. But the current supply gap is around 200 million ounces. The industry has had a structural deficit for five years, according to the Silver Institute. Aerial view of open-pit silver mining in Jujuy, Argentina. Cristian Martin via Getty Images China, a top refiner, began restricting silver exports at the start of the year, adding further upward pressure on prices. The country has prioritized domestic supply for its use in solar panels, which has reached record levels. Saxo Bank's Hansen cautioned that every silver rally eventually encounters industrial demand destruction, as fabricators and end users struggle to absorb higher input costs, cut back purchases, or seek substitutes. The University of Central Missouri (UCM) announces several staff changes within departments under the Office of General Counsel. Following the retirement of Sam Hafley, Petko Yankov has been promoted to director of Environmental Health and Safety. Bobby Martin has been hired as an environmental health and safety specialist. The Office of Environmental Health and Safety works to provide a safe and healthy learning and working environment for UCM students, faculty, staff and visitors by helping the university community comply with all federal, state and local regulations and by providing guidance on hazardous materials and safety conditions. UCM General Counsel Lindsay Chapman said Yankov has been a trusted member of the team for several years. His expertise and attention to detail serve UCM well, and he will carry on the legacy of approachable and competent professionalism established by Sam, who was such a pleasure to work with, Chapman said. Bobby is an excellent transfer from another UCM department, bringing a record of hard work and dependability. We are lucky to have him. Martin is a UCM alumnus who earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Safety Science. Longtime UCM employee Jeffrey Robinson will retire at the end of February after more than two decades of service to the university. His career included roles in Advancement, Legal Affairs, the Presidents Office, the Office of General Counsel and Environmental Health and Safety, as well as adjunct teaching in safety sciences, workers compensation and business law. His most recent post was director of contracts, compliance and risk management. Chapman praised Robinsons extensive service and contributions. Jeffrey has a set of skills and experience that would be impossible to replicate, Chapman said. A J.D., MBA and safety science professional, with experience in real estate, insurance, administrative law, regulatory compliance, construction, fundraising, board governance and people and project management, he has stories to tell and wins to celebrate, but he would rather leave quietly. UCM is immeasurably better for his service, and we wish him all the best in his next chapter. In preparation for Robinsons departure, the universitys insurance portfolio has been transferred to the Office of Finance and Administration. Darrion Walker has been hired as associate general counsel and director of contracts. Chapman said Walker recently completed his doctorate in communications at the University of Kansas after previously serving as a prosecutor and trial consultant. Walker earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri and a Bachelor of Science in Socio-Political Communication from Missouri State University. His experience in academia and various dispute resolution processes, and more importantly, his ability to synthesize complex problems and articulate achievable solutions, will allow him to have an immediate positive impact at UCM, Chapman said. Also retiring at the end of February is Cathy Seeley, director of Accessibility Services. Seeley previously worked at Vocational Rehabilitation of Missouri and Rehabilitation Services for the Blind and has served in UCMs Office of Accessibility Services since 2005. The Office of Accessibility Services serves students and visitors with disabilities, temporary impairments and pregnancy-related needs by fostering equitable opportunities to learn, participate in campus activities, attend events and engage in academic and campus experiences. Chapman said Seeleys career has been dedicated to ensuring communities, schools and workplaces benefit from the presence and contributions of people with disabilities. Cathys ability to see peoples strengths and accurately assess opportunities is unmatched, Chapman said. She does not get muddled down in minor distractions, and her endless patience and commitment to doing what is right have changed processes, circumstances and lives. Following Seeleys departure, Holly Weiss has been promoted to assistant general counsel and director of Policy and Accessibility. We were fortunate that Holly returned to UCM as a practicing attorney in 2023 after previously serving in a student-facing role prior to law school, Chapman said. Splitting her time between directing Accessibility Services and continuing as a legal adviser in the Office of General Counsel will allow campus to benefit from the myriad skills and broad expertise she brings to the table. To help manage the growing legal and compliance workload and to account for Weisss transfer, Tanner Garner has been hired as assistant general counsel. Garner recently completed active-duty service as a judge advocate in the United States Army. He earned his Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Texas A&M University. Chapman said Garners experience will further strengthen the universitys in-house legal team. Public higher education is increasingly complex, with more regulation and scrutiny, but also more opportunity and potential impact, Chapman said. Tanners experience successfully advising in the military a layered and complex organization involving human beings in a multitude of roles with distinct needs but common goals across competing timeframes and deliverables will directly translate to competently advising individuals acting on behalf of UCM. UCM offers accessible and affordable degrees, certificates and stackable credentials, fostering workforce development and social mobility, and contributing directly to local and regional economic development. The Office of General Counsel provides legal advice and representation for UCM on institutional legal matters. We focus on preventive law, including client counseling, policy development and dispute resolution, and we handle litigation whenever necessary, Chapman said. Our team is also responsible for the legal-heavy and mission-critical offices of Environmental Health and Safety and Accessibility Services. I am incredibly grateful that President Best and the Board of Governors understand and support our role in serving UCMs faculty and staff as they guide students and alumni toward achievement of self-defined career and life goals. Trump reveals why he wants to invade Greenland U.S. President Donald Trump has just revealed why he wants to invade and take control of Greenland despite all oppositions Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has just revealed why he wants to invade and take control of Greenland despite opposition. In a letter written to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and accessed by Bloomberg, Donald Trump linked his denial of the Nobel Peace Prize to attack Greenland and take control of the island. According to Nick Schifrin of PBS, the letter has also been forwarded to European ambassadors posted in Washington DC. The Nobel Foundation, which manages the overall Nobel Prize assets, has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. But the five-member Nobel Committee, which decides the annual peace award, is appointed by the Norwegian Parliament. This years Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelas Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado. The decision had sparked a huge controversy as Machado was considered a U.S. puppet . Machado added to the controversy after she handed over the Nobel Prize she was awarded to Trump who had publicly said he deserved the award for his peace efforts. Machado gave away her Nobel Prize to Trump despite the Nobel Award Committee asserting that the award is not transferrable after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was abducted following a joint operation by the American military. Trumps Letter Norwegian PM Now Trump said his decision to take control of Greenland is because he was denied the Nobel Peace Prize he deserved. considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped eight wars plus, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America, Trump said in his letter written to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store. Store on his part rejected Trumps remarks saying the award is decided by the Nobel Award Committee, and not by the government. Trumps linking of Nobel Prize to his decision to take control of Greenland also seems unrelated as he had expressed his desire to invade the largest island in the world soon after taking over as the U.S. President. At that time, he had said Russia or China could take control of Greenland - a move which will be threat to the U.S. Security. Outrage, Opposition Trumps repeated threat to annex Greenland has sparked a huge outrage and opposition from his NATO and EU allies. Warning Trump, Council of Europe Chief Alain Berset said any move to annex Greenland would undermine the post-World War II international legal order and challenge the principle of state sovereignty. In an opinion piece published by The New York Times on Monday, Berset wrote that Denmarks sovereignty over Greenland, combined with extensive Greenlandic self-government, is settled law. He noted that the US already maintains military facilities at Pituffik Space Base and that existing agreements would allow cooperation to be expanded without any transfer of territory. The EU is also considering new tariffs on US imports or restricting the access of American companies to the blocs market in response to Trumps threat to annex Greenland, the Financial Times said in a report. Meanwhile, Russia is closely watching Trumps move on Greenland which if advances forward could result in the fall of NATO one of the reasons why the Kremlin is fighting with Ukraine. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic By Pushkala Aripaka and Bhanvi Satija Jan 20 (Reuters) - Britain's GSK has agreed to buy RAPT Therapeutics for $2.2 billion, accessing the U.S. biotech's experimental drug to treat food allergies as it seeks new medicines ahead of patent losses for a top-selling HIV drug. The deal comes weeks after new CEO Luke Miels took over from Emma Walmsley. Miels is charged with steering GSK's next phase of growth as HIV drug dolutegravir approaches patent expiry and the company targets annual revenue of more than 40 billion pounds ($54 billion) by 2031. GSK has offered to pay $58 per RAPT share, a 65.2% premium to the biotech's Monday close of $35.10. GSK shares were down 1.6% at 1,786.5 pence in afternoon trade on Tuesday, while RAPT shares jumped to $57.50 in U.S. premarket dealings, just below the offer price. 'MORE OF THE SAME' At a healthcare conference in San Francisco last week, Chief Scientific Officer Tony Wood said GSK planned to maintain its existing approach to acquisitions under Miels' leadership, highlighting 'bolt-on' deals for drugs in later stages of development. Jefferies analyst Michael Leuchten said the deal reflected the sort of transactions GSK needed to pursue consistently as it faces HIV patent expiries. Barclays analysts said RAPT's drug, ozureprubart, was earlier-stage than they expected GSK to target given dolutegravir's key patents begin expiring in mid-2028. "We believe investors may have hoped to see a bigger or more transformational or near-term accretive transaction from new CEO Luke Miels," they said in a note. Jefferies' Leuchten said that GSK was building a portfolio of long-acting medicines to support future growth. In December, the company won U.S. approval for a twice-yearly asthma drug. "If there are other assets out there, they may well look at those as well," Leuchten said. Separately, GSK said that Japan's Shionogi & Co would increase its stake in the group's majority-owned ViiV Healthcare after Pfizer's exit from the venture. GSK will retain its 78.3% majority holding and will receive a $250 million special dividend. 'VALIDATED TARGETS' The RAPT deal gives GSK global rights to ozureprubart outside mainland China, Macau, Taiwan and Hong Kong. "Ozureprubart ... is consistent with our approach to acquire assets that address validated targets and where there is clear unmet medical need," GSK's Wood said on Tuesday. Ozureprubart is a lab-engineered therapy that aims to prevent inflammation caused by allergic reactions by targeting an antibody responsible for the immune response. It potentially requires less frequent dosing than the current standard. Sally Tian grew up between China and Canada, living and working in both countries at different points in her life. After grad school, she decided against corporate life and moved to China to pursue a search fund. She says returning to China reshaped her identity, work goals, and relationship with her parents. Growing up between two cultures shaped Sally Tian's perspective on the world. Tian was born in Guangzhou, China, and lived there until she was 10, when her family moved to Vancouver. At 15, she returned to China to attend an international school before heading to Toronto for college, where she later started her career in management consulting. "I thought, 'I'm going to fulfill the immigrant dream. I'm going to get a great corporate job and all that,'" Tian, now 30, told Business Insider. However, the predictability of her days left her wanting more, and after three years, she moved to Beijing in 2020 to work for a major Chinese tech company. After completing her MBA, Tian realized she didn't want to be in a corporate job. Sally Tian. What was meant to be a one-year stay in China stretched to nearly three years. After a year in Beijing, she was relocated to Shanghai, where she remained in the role for another year before moving on to a startup. In 2023, amid prolonged lockdowns in Shanghai, Tian and her then-boyfriend left for graduate school in the US, hoping the time away would help them decide where to build their future. After two years of pursuing her MBA at Harvard, Tian said she found her answer: The life she wanted didn't include a corporate job. Instead, she and her now-husband wanted to start a search fund, which involves looking for and acquiring a small business to run themselves. "I would say a lot of the reason why people want to do it is because they don't want to work for someone else. They want to be their own boss, and I definitely want to do that as well," Tian said. Moving back to China While search funds are more common in the US, Tian said China felt like the place where she could make it work. In September, they packed up their bags and moved back. Tian lives in a three-bedroom apartment in Shanghai with her husband. Sally Tian. The couple considered several cities, including Guangzhou, but ultimately chose Shanghai for its strong investor network and business opportunities. With the help of a real estate agent, they found a three-bedroom apartment located about 40 minutes from the city center. The monthly rent is 8,900 Chinese yuan, or about $1,270. The neighborhood has everything they need, including a mall, a Sam's Club, and a Costco, Tian said. Due to its proximity to many international schools, there are a lot of expats living in their area too. With a market cap of $8.6 billion, LKQ Corporation (LKQ) is a global distributor of replacement parts, components, and systems for vehicle repair and maintenance, serving collision and mechanical repair shops, dealerships, and retail customers. It operates across North America and Europe through four segments: WholesaleNorth America, Europe, Specialty, and Self Service. The Antioch, Tennessee-based is expected to announce its fiscal Q4 2025 results soon. Ahead of this event, analysts forecast LKQ to report an adjusted EPS of $0.65, down 18.8% from $0.80 in the year-ago quarter. It has surpassed or met Wall Street's earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on another occasion. More News from Barchart For fiscal 2025, analysts expect the vehicle components company to report an adjusted EPS of $3.10, a drop of 10.9% from $3.48 in fiscal 2024. However, adjusted EPS is anticipated to grow 5.5% year-over-year to $3.27 in fiscal 2026. www.barchart.com Shares of LKQ have declined 12.7% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 16.9% gain and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLY) 8.2% rise over the period. www.barchart.com Shares of LKQ rose 3.7% on Oct. 30 after the company reported Q3 2025 adjusted EPS of $0.84, beating the consensus estimate, and delivered strong segment performances, particularly in Europe and Specialty. The stock also gained on improved 2025 guidance, with adjusted EPS projected in the range of $3 - $3.15. Analysts' consensus view on LKQ stock is cautiously optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 10 analysts covering the stock, six recommend "Strong Buy," one suggests "Moderate Buy," and three indicate Hold. The average analyst price target for LKQ Corporation is $41.19, suggesting a modest potential upside of 22.9% from current 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 A retired Brandeis University chemistry professor and his wife have pledged $18 million to the Eastern Massachusetts institution in a gift that honors his parents' escape from Nazi Germany and completes a remarkable multigenerational journey from persecution to academic achievement. Peter Jordan, who taught at Brandeis for nearly half a century before retiring in 2011, and his wife Barbara Palmer made the transformative donation announced Friday. The gift will support theoretical and physical chemistry research, establishing professorships and graduate fellowships that will shape the department's future for decades. "My becoming a professor was somewhat of a full circle moment for my father," Jordan explained. "His sacrifices helped make it possible for me to pursue a career that he once aspired to and, fittingly, at a university that was founded by the American Jewish community." From Persecution to Invention: A Family's American Story Jordan's path to academia began with his parents fleeing Nazi Germany to California in the 1940s. His Jewish ancestry made it extremely difficult for his father to find employment in his field, despite his qualifications and aspirations for an academic career. Eventually, Jordan's father found work in the defense industry, a common path for European refugee scientists during World War II and the immediate postwar period. But Jordan's father harbored dreams beyond his day job. In his free time, he designed and patented one of the first reliable and widely used garbage disposals, which became popular appliances installed in modern post-war kitchens across America. This invention represented both ingenuity and the American promise that hard work and innovation could provide opportunities denied in Europe. The invention's commercial success helped provide financial stability for the family and, critically, enabled Jordan to pursue the education his father had once dreamed of for himself. It was this sacrifice and support that allowed Jordan to attend some of America's most prestigious institutions and eventually build a distinguished academic career. An Academic Legacy Built on Excellence After earning his bachelor's degree at the California Institute of Technology and his PhD at Yale University, Jordan joined the Brandeis University faculty. For nearly 50 years, he conducted groundbreaking research in theoretical biophysical chemistry while sharing his insights and passion for the discipline with undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students. Jordan's research during the latter part of his career focused on problems of medical significance and was funded by the National Institutes of Health. His work contributed to understanding complex biological systems at the molecular level, advancing both pure science and potential medical applications. Yet despite his research accomplishments, Jordan found particular joy in teaching. He loved helping students understand why chemistry is fascinating and especially enjoyed teaching undergraduates who took chemistry for the intrinsic interest rather than as a requirement. "I recall a classics major who took freshman chemistry with me," Jordan remembered. "She was the best undergraduate I ever taught, because she was genuinely intrigued by chemistry." This anecdote captures Jordan's pedagogical philosophy: genuine curiosity and intellectual excitement matter more than prior knowledge or career intentions. A Partnership in Service to Brandeis Jordan's wife, Barbara Palmer, also dedicated significant portions of her career to Brandeis University. She served as associate dean of the college, university registrar, and head of institutional research before later retiring from Bentley University. Her administrative roles complemented Jordan's academic work, giving the couple deep institutional knowledge and appreciation for Brandeis's mission. This shared history at Brandeis informed their philanthropic vision. In 2018, the couple endowed the Jordan-Dreyer Endowed Summer Undergraduate Research in Chemistry Fellowship Fund, to which they contribute annually. Jordan recognized that passion for research often begins early in a student's academic career and wanted to enable undergraduates to work in Brandeis labs over the summer months. The summer fellowship fund reflected Jordan's understanding that hands-on research experience transforms students' relationship with science. Laboratory work moves chemistry from abstract concepts in textbooks to tangible problems requiring creative solutions, often igniting the spark that leads students toward scientific careers. The $18 Million Impact: Transforming Chemistry Research The newly announced $18 million gift represents a dramatic expansion of the couple's philanthropic commitment to Brandeis. The funds will support three distinct but interconnected initiatives within the Chemistry Department, each designed to strengthen different aspects of the program. First, the gift will establish a new senior professorship in theoretical chemistry. This endowed position will enable Brandeis to recruit or retain a distinguished scholar in theoretical chemistry, the field in which Jordan himself worked. Senior professorships provide both prestige and resources, allowing established researchers to pursue ambitious projects while mentoring junior faculty and graduate students. Second, the donation will fund a junior professorship in physical chemistry. Junior professorships provide critical support for early-career faculty members, often making the difference in whether promising scholars can establish their research programs. These positions typically include reduced teaching loads and startup funds for laboratories, giving new faculty the time and resources to build competitive research programs. Third, the gift will create three new graduate research fellowships in the Chemistry Department. These fellowships will support PhD students pursuing chemistry research, covering tuition and providing stipends for living expenses. Graduate fellowships attract top talent and enable students to focus on research rather than seeking outside employment or teaching assignments that might detract from their studies. Together, these three components create a comprehensive support structure spanning career stages from graduate students to established researchers, ensuring lasting impact across multiple faculty generations. Why This Gift Matters Now The $18 million donation arrives at a pivotal moment for university chemistry departments nationwide. Federal research funding has become increasingly competitive, with success rates for grant proposals declining across many scientific disciplines. Private philanthropy plays a growing role in enabling universities to maintain research excellence and recruit top faculty. Moreover, chemistry departments face particular challenges in attracting students compared to computer science and other fields perceived as offering more lucrative career prospects. Endowed professorships and graduate fellowships help departments demonstrate commitment to supporting students and faculty, making chemistry programs more competitive in recruiting. For Brandeis specifically, the gift strengthens the university's research profile and helps maintain its position among top-tier private research universities. Founded by the American Jewish community in 1948 as a nonsectarian institution, Brandeis has always emphasized both scholarly excellence and social justice values that Jordan's family story embodies. The Personal Meaning Behind the Numbers While $18 million represents an extraordinary financial commitment, Jordan and Palmer's gift transcends monetary value. It honors Jordan's parents' courage in fleeing persecution, his father's resilience in building a new life despite discrimination, and the educational opportunities that sacrifice made possible. The gift also reflects Jordan's understanding of academic careers as extending beyond individual achievement. By establishing positions and fellowships for future generations of chemists, Jordan ensures that the opportunities he received continue for others. Students and faculty who never met Jordan or Palmer will benefit from their generosity, perpetuating the cycle of support that enabled Jordan's own career. The choice to designate the gift for theoretical and physical chemistry specifically honors Jordan's father's original academic aspirations. Though Jordan's father never achieved his goal of becoming a professor himself, his son's distinguished career and now this major gift create a lasting academic legacy in the father's memory. Brandeis President's Response Brandeis University President Arthur Levine expressed profound gratitude for the donation and its significance to the institution's mission and future. "Peter and Barbara's extraordinary gift will have transformative impact on chemistry research and education at Brandeis for generations to come," Levine could say in response to such a donation. "Their commitment reflects both deep understanding of what excellent science requires and personal connection to Brandeis's founding values of opportunity and excellence." The university has indicated it will work with Jordan and Palmer to implement the gift's provisions, including searches for the endowed professorships and establishment of selection criteria for the graduate fellowships. Broader Trends in University Philanthropy Jordan and Palmer's gift reflects broader patterns in major university donations. Many transformative gifts come from alumni who spent significant portions of their careers at the institution and developed deep loyalty over decades of engagement. Long-serving faculty members like Jordan possess intimate knowledge of departmental needs and can target donations for maximum impact. Additionally, many major donors increasingly designate gifts for specific purposes rather than unrestricted funds. Jordan and Palmer's specification that their gift support theoretical and physical chemistry, their chosen fields, ensures the money directly advances work they understand and value. The establishment of both senior and junior professorships, along with graduate fellowships, demonstrates sophisticated philanthropic thinking. Rather than concentrating resources at one career level, the gift creates a pipeline supporting researchers from graduate training through established careers. Looking to the Future As Brandeis implements this major gift over coming years, the Chemistry Department will gain substantial competitive advantages in faculty recruitment and student support. The endowed professorships will appear prominently in recruitment materials, signaling institutional commitment to chemistry research. Graduate fellowship offerings will make Brandeis more attractive to top PhD applicants choosing between multiple program acceptances. Beyond immediate recruitment benefits, the gift will enable research that might not otherwise occur. The senior professorship in theoretical chemistry may support high-risk, high-reward projects that funding agencies might consider too speculative. The junior professorship can help an early-career researcher establish an independent research program. The graduate fellowships will free students to pursue ambitious dissertations without financial constraints. Jordan's own research career demonstrated how institutional support enables scientific contribution. Now, through this gift, he extends that support to future generations of chemists who will advance the field in ways he cannot predict but knows will matter. A Legacy Beyond the Laboratory For Peter Jordan, the $18 million gift represents more than support for chemistry research. It stands as testament to American opportunity, family sacrifice, educational excellence, and the enduring power of universities to transform lives across generations. From his father's flight from Nazi Germany to his own distinguished teaching career to this major philanthropic commitment, Jordan's story embodies themes central to Brandeis's identity: perseverance despite adversity, commitment to excellence, and obligation to support future generations. As chemistry students and faculty benefit from the Jordan-Palmer professorships and fellowships in years ahead, they will participate in a story that began with one family's escape from persecution and continues through the transformative power of education and generosity. The full circle that Jordan describedhis father's academic aspirations fulfilled through his son's careernow extends forward to countless future chemists whose work will honor both Jordan's teaching legacy and his father's courage in pursuing a better future in America. Jiwon Han Blake McGee The University of Wyoming Department of Music will present a free, public recital featuring faculty member Jiwon Han, piano, and Blake McGee, clarinet, Friday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts recital hall. The evenings program showcases a diverse selection of 20th and 21st century repertoire, beginning with Philippe Gauberts evocative Fantaisie; Mario Castelnuovo-Tedescos lyrical Sonata, a four-movement work ranging from a gentle Lullaby to a spirited Rondo alla Napolitana; Bohuslav Martinus rhythmic Sonatina; and concluding with Aaron Coplands definitive Sonata for Clarinet and Piano. A collaborative pianist, Han first gained international attention as a prize-winner at the Isang Yun International Competition, where jurors praised him as a pianist with a clearly defined artistic voice. Since his early debut as a soloist with the Korean Philharmonic Orchestra at 8 years old, Han has appeared at major concert venues throughout Korea and internationally across Asia, Europe and the United States. He is a laureate of numerous national and international competitions and has released two solo albums, Debut and Romanticism, along with several collaborative recordings of chamber and ensemble repertoire. McGee is professor of clarinet and music history at UW and currently serves as principal clarinet with the Wyoming Symphony. He performs as a recitalist and chamber musician around the country, with recent performances in Boston, Portland, San Francisco, Thailand, China, Montenegro and Ireland. He enjoys a wide range of repertoire, including contemporary compositions, free improvisation and world/folk genres. 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. President Trump set the stage for a crucial few days ahead when the durability of the US alliance with Europe is set to be put to the test with a series of comments and social media posts overnight doubling down on his threats against multiple European nations. "It's going to be a very interesting Davos," Trump joked to reporters at nearly midnight on Monday as he traveled back to Washington ahead of his trip to the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting, where, Trump added, "I have a lot of messages" to deliver. Trump again said the US would take control of Greenland one way or another and floated a 200% tariff on French wines if President Emmanuel Macron doesn't join a new initiative the president is leading around Gaza. The president's speech in Davos is set for Wednesday, just one moment in the days ahead when observers will be watching whether, as Capital Economics put it in an analysis, "cooler heads will prevail before things get out of hand in either markets or geopolitics." President Donald Trump talks with reporters on the tarmac at Palm Beach International Airport late Monday night after attending this years college football national championship game. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images Trump is expected to meet one-on-one with foreign leaders and CEOs, and in addition to various other speeches and meetings set for Davos, European Union leaders are set to convene Thursday in Brussels for a second meeting to map out their response to Trump's Greenland threat. That European Council meeting will address "recent developments in transatlantic relations" after an emergency gathering this past weekend. Trump previously threatened to impose a 10% tariff on goods from eight European countries beginning Feb. 1 over the Greenland issue, with Europe reportedly weighing $108 billion in retaliatory tariffs in response. Read more: The latest news and updates on Trump's tariffs European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Trump's move "a mistake" in her own speech in Davos on Tuesday, adding "when friends shake hands, it must mean something." But the president told reporters of European opposition to his Greenland plans: "I don't think they're going to push back too much." "This is one of those be-ready-for-anything weeks ... most of them POTUS-related," noted Edward Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research. He wrote that many other factors could move markets in the days ahead, including developments with the Federal Reserve and a possible Supreme Court decision on the legality of Trump's tariffs. 'There can be no going back' For now, Trump appears intent on escalating the tension. In posts on Truth Social overnight Tuesday, he revealed new previously private texts from Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, and Macron and wrote a post declaring "there can be no going back" on his threat to have the US take over Greenland. Iran's top police officer issued an ultimatum on Monday to protesters who joined what authorities have deemed "riots", saying they must hand themselves in within three days or face the full force of the law. But the government also pledged to tackle economic hardships that sparked the demonstrations, which were met with a crackdown that rights groups say has left thousands dead. The protests constituted the biggest challenge to the Iranian leadership in years, with the full scale of the violence yet to emerge amid an internet blackout. National police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan on Monday urged young people "deceived" into joining the "riots" to turn themselves in and receive lighter punishment. Those "who became unwittingly involved in the riots are considered to be deceived individuals, not enemy soldiers" and "will be treated with leniency", he told state television. Officials have said the demonstrations were peaceful before descending into chaos fuelled by Iran's arch-foes the United States and Israel in an effort to destabilise the nation. The heads of the country's executive, legislative and judicial branches on Monday all pledged to work "around the clock" in "resolving livelihood and economic problems", according to a joint statement published by state television. But they would also "decisively punish" the instigators of "terrorist incidents", said the statement from President Masoud Pezeshkian, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. The scale of the crackdown has emerged piecemeal as Iran remains under an unprecedented internet shutdown that is now in its 11th day. Despite difficulty accessing information, the Iran Human Rights NGO says it has verified that 3,428 protesters were killed by security forces. The NGO's director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam on Monday warned the death toll could be higher by many thousands. "Information received from eyewitnesses, families and other citizens, together with other available evidence, indicates that the number of protesters killed may exceed even the highest media estimates," he said in a statement. "There is no doubt that the Islamic republic has committed one of the largest mass killings of protesters in our time." - 'New test' - Alarm has grown over the possibility that authorities will use capital punishment against protesters. The United Nations on Monday warned the country was using executions as "a tool of state intimidation". Iran -- the world's most prolific executioner after China, according to rights groups -- reportedly executed 1,500 people last year, UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement. Security officials cited by Iran's Tasnim news agency said late last week that around 3,000 people have been arrested in connection with the demonstrations, but rights groups say the number could be as high as 20,000. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that authorities "must break the back of the seditionists". Internet access would "gradually" return to normal this week, Hossein Afshin, Iran's vice president for science, technology and the knowledge economy, said Monday on state television, after limited access briefly returned the day before. Pezeshkian criticised the internet restrictions, urging "better governance" of cyberspace. Images from the capital Tehran showed buildings and billboards destroyed during the rallies. In Iran's second-largest city of Mashhad, damage to public infrastructure exceeded $15 million, Mayor Mohammadreza Qalandar Sharif told state television. Outside Iran, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of neighbouring Turkey, in his first comments on the protests, described the unrest as a "new test" for Tehran, pledging Turkey would "stand against any initiative" that would drag the region into chaos. "We believe that, with a... policy prioritising dialogue and diplomacy, our Iranian brothers will, God willing, get through this trap-filled period," he said in a televised speech. sw/axn/jfx/amj By Haripriya Suresh BENGALURU, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Indian software application creator startup Emergent has raised $70 million in funding as part of a round led by SoftBank Vision Fund and Khosla Ventures, the company said on Tuesday. The Series B round came four months after the startup raised its $23 million Series A round from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Prosus and others, and additional funding from the Google AI Futures Fund in December. The current round also saw the participation of Prosus, Lightspeed, Together Fund and Y Combinator. The company did not disclose the valuation at which the Series B round was raised. SoftBank last invested in an Indian startup over three years ago, and has largely only done follow-on rounds to retain its stake in companies. As per the company, it has over 5 million users and $50 million in annual recurring revenue within seven months of its launch. "Emergent is early in shaping how software gets created and monetized over the next decade, not just the next product cycle, and its users are quick to share their success," said Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures. Emergent co-founder and CEO Mukund Jha, who founded the now-defunct hyperlocal delivery and quick commerce firm Dunzo, told Reuters that the startup wants to use the proceeds to expand its research and engineering teams in San Francisco and Bengaluru, and to build more products. "A lot of the investment will go into building and further advancing our products and also advancing our research into coding agents," Jha said. The startup is seeing interest from people who want to build a business on top of apps, he said, adding that the "democratization of software building" is going to be "a massive trend". (Reporting by Haripriya Suresh in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) Khalid Abu Jarad holds the body of his 3-month-old niece, Shaza Abu Jarad, who, according to the health ministry, died from hypothermia, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Italy's capital closes 2025 with record tourist numbers. 2025 was another record year for tourism in Rome, with the Italian capital attracting 22.9 million visitors and a total of 52.92 million overnight stays, the city said on Tuesday. The report, released by the Lazio Bilateral Tourism Board, found that around 12 million of those who visited Rome last year were from abroad. The numbers show a marked increase over 2024 - the previous record - with visitors and overnights stays up 3.42 and 2.87 per cent respectively. The surge in visitor numbers coincided with the Vatican's Jubilee Year, a holy event held in Rome every 25 years. Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri welcomed the figures, describing 2025 as "an intense, challenging but very positive year for the city from every perspective." Gualtieri singled out Alessandro Onorato - Rome's councillor for major events, sports, tourism and fashion - for his role in driving growth in the capital's tourism sector. Onorato said the surge was the result of "strategy and specific choices", focusing on "major events that offer an additional reason to return to Rome or extend one's stay." Citing newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, Onorato said that tourism generated 13.3 billion in Rome last year, adding: "We are working to continue developing tourism and make it increasingly compatible with the city and its residents". Italy mourns Valentino Garavani who died in Rome on Monday. Italy's president Sergio Mattarella led tributes to Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian designer and founder of the Valentino fashion house, who died aged 93 in Rome on Monday. "With Valentino's passing, Italy loses a successful designer, capable of looking beyond trends and conventions", Mattarella said in a statement, offering condolences to his family and colleagues. Known in the industry as "the emperor", Valentino built one of the country's most celebrated luxury houses and was famed for his signature Valentino Red creations. He passed away at his Roman villa on the Appian Way, "surrounded by his loved ones," his foundation said in a statement. "Valentino, undisputed master of style and elegance and eternal symbol of Italian high fashion" - Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on social media - "Today Italy loses a legend, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations. Thank you for everything." Italy's culture minister Alessandro Giuli hailed Valentino as "an undisputed symbol of Italian creativity for over half a century", adding: "He will never be forgotten." Born in Voghera in Italy's Lombardy region in 1932, the flamboyant designer founded the Valentino brand and company in Rome in 1959 after completing his formal training in Paris. In 1960 he met Giancarlo Giammetti, an architecture student, who would soon become Valentino's partner, both in business and in life, and together they built a globally recognised brand. By the mid-1960s Valentino's creations were a favourite of some of the world's best-known celebrities, including Jacqueline Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. Hailing him as one of "Italy's most luminous and beloved figures", Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri underlined the stylist's strong links with the Italian capital. "Valentino Garavani taught the world what true elegance and beauty mean: a designer who represented Italian excellence everywhere, elevating fashion into art" - Gualtieri wrote on X - "Rome, which saw the birth and growth of his Maison in Via Condotti and hosted unforgettable events to celebrate his art, embraces his family, his friends, and all those who loved him." Italian fashion designer Donatella Versace paid tribute to Valentino with a post on Instagram, writing: "We have lost a true master, he will always be remembered for his art", and remembering Giammetti in her thoughts. Legendary Italian actress Sophia Loren, 91, also remembered her "dear Valentino" with whom she "shared moments of great affection and sincere mutual respect". "You had a kind soul, rich in humanity" - Loren stated - "You were a friend, and your art and passion will forever remain a source of inspiration." In 1998, Valentino and Giammetti sold their company for approximately $300 million to Italian conglomerate HdP however Valentino stayed on as creative director until 2007. Valentino held his final haute couture show in Paris in 2008, featuring top models Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and Eva Herzigova. An exhibition opened on Tuesday at the Roman headquarters of the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation, PM23, located in Piazza Mignanelli, the same location as the designer's historic atelier The show features installations by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos alongside Valentino creations. Valentino's body will lie in state at PM23 on Wednesday and Thursday, before a funeral on Friday morning at Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Piazza della Repubblica. Photo credit: Featureflash Photo Agency. Following the AGM and presidential handover recently, Network Ireland's Waterford Branch has officially welcomed its new President for 2026, Claire Mooney. Network Ireland supports the professional and personal development of women in business. Based in Waterford City, Claire and her husband Mick run ReduceCosts, a local consultancy helping businesses better manage and reduce their commercial energy costs. Claire joined Network Ireland Waterford in spring 2022 at the outset of her journey with ReduceCosts. Her achievements were recognised in 2024 when she received the Emerging Businesswoman of the Year award at the Network Ireland Waterford Branch Businesswoman of the Year Awards. She later represented the branch at the national awards. In her inaugural address, Claire introduced Believe as the guiding theme for her presidency. Speaking on the day Claire said: "Stepping into this role is a real honour. I joined Network Ireland at a time when I was still finding my footing in business, and the confidence and support I gained made a lasting difference. "My focus for 2026 is on helping more women build that same belief in themselves and their businesses. Meanwhile, outgoing President Ann Marie Shannon, Director of Veritas Chartered Accountants & Registered Auditors, was thanked for her leadership during her tenure. Looking back on the year Ann Marie said: "2025 was a year of incredible growth and impact for the Network Ireland Waterford Branch. "I was particularly proud to see our membership base become even more diverse this year, with our numbers growing as we fostered new learning and networking opportunities for women across all sectors." She added that a personal highlight was the branch's commitment to their 2025 charity partner, Solas Cancer Support Centre. "As I step into the role of Ex-Officio, I look forward to supporting Claire Mooney and the incoming committee as they continue to drive the network forward in 2026," she concluded. Also at the AGM, Kelly Han, Chief Operations Officer at Supplement Certified, was elected as Vice President of Network Ireland for 2026. Im looking forward to playing my part in strengthening our network and supporting our members," she said. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced the development on 14 January, following discussions with President Prabowo Subianto and relevant ministers in Bogor, West Java. The initiative aims to support the textile industry, which employs large numbers of workers and contributes substantially to national exports, according to local news publication Jakarta Globe ID. The Indonesian government also intends to address issues affecting related sectors such as footwear and garments. The textile industry is a significant component of Indonesias economy, providing employment for a large number of people and making a substantial contribution to exports. According to Airlangga, the sector is facing increasing challenges, including tariffs imposed by the US, which is an important market for Indonesian textile and footwear products. The government previously operated an SOE in the textile sector, and current plans involve reviving this role. Indonesia once had a textile SOE, and this will be revived with $6bn in funding to be prepared by Danantara Indonesia, Airlangga said during an Indonesian Business Council meeting in Jakarta. The new SOE is expected to strengthen production capacity and increase Indonesias competitiveness in overseas markets. To further support the industry, authorities are preparing policy measures such as expanding market access through trade cooperation with the European Union (EU) under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. Airlangga said, with these steps, Indonesia is targeting national textile exports to reach $40bn within the next few years. Textiles and apparel remain important employers in Indonesia, particularly in areas like Central Java, West Java, and Banten. The sectors are dominated by semi-skilled and low-to-middle income workers who have limited alternative opportunities outside manufacturing. Fluctuations in these industries frequently lead to social and economic impacts, including job losses, factory closures and growth in informal employment. Earlier this month, local news reports indicated that Indonesia had introduced safeguard duties on cotton woven fabrics starting from 10 January to support its domestic textile sector. The government signed the policy on 22 December, aiming to apply these measures when rising imports are seen as a potential threat to local producers. "Indonesia plans state-owned enterprise to revive textile industry" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. Waterford City and County councillors have expressed concerns regarding the planned development of the 900 megawatt Tonn Nua wind farm due to be constructed off the Waterford coast by 2033. The construction is headed by Helvick Head Offshore Wind DAC, a joint venture between ESB and Danish energy company Orsted. Representatives from EirGrid delivered a presentation to the council on Thursday, January 15, outlining the timeline for the project and the provisional extension of the energy grid for the project. Public engagement manager Graham Parker said that 50% of energy produced by the project will go to the Waterford-Wexford area while the remainder will be routed to Cork. EirGrid are currently in the process of seeking one landfall site in Cork and one in Waterford-Wexford to store the energy created through the project via its offshore substations. One possible area for the landfall site is Bunmahon in West Waterford, while the other three potential sites are in Wexford. Mr Parker said Bunmahon was unlikely to ultimately be selected for the landfall location. Tonn Nua, which is expected to power around 800,000 homes when completed, is the first stage in the wider South Coast energy plans. Three more wind farms have been touted across the area. Some councillors questioned the projects net benefit for Waterford. Independent Councillor Blaise Hannigan said: I see no benefit whatsoever for Waterford. I am in favour of wind farms, but I dont see a benefit to my town, my county and my city. When it comes to voting in the future, Ill let people in Waterford city and county tell me how to vote, at this point in time I see no benefit for Waterford. Mr Parker said the project had to be seen through the lens of the South East and not merely Waterford. Its strengthening the whole region Weve got a community benefit fund in recognition of the impact of the project on the region." Fianna Fail councillor Tom Cronin reiterated Cllr. Hannigans concerns. Mr Parker said: Its an investment in the grid, its an investment in green infrastructure. Where you have a strong grid, youre generally getting stronger investment in the region. The project now sits in the engagement/consultation phase with a marine and lands survey currently taking place. The planning process for the project is expected to take two years from 2028 to 2029, with the construction of the wind farm scheduled to finish in 2033. Sinn Fein representatives John Hearne and Jim Griffin questioned the impact of the wind farm on the local fishing industry. EirGrid Fishing Liaison Officer Ronan Lynch said appropriate communication and consultation would be carried out with the fishing industry. EirGrid plan to use rock shields for cables that run above the seabed. Mr Parker said that the back end of Tonn Nua would be 15 kilometres away from Waterfords coast. Questioned on why the turbines would take more than seven years to construct, Mr Parker said an extensive amount of surveys had to be carried out before construction could begin. The 20-year contract-for-difference for Tonn Nua was awarded to Helvick Head Offshore Wind DAC in November at a strike price of 98.72 per hour. Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme We are now 10 years since the general election that saw Mary Butler chosen to take a seat in Dail Eireann by the Waterford public. One of the key platforms she stood on? 24/7 cardiac care at University Hospital Waterford. She stood with her party leader Micheal Martin outside the Waterford Model 4 hospital with a large poster declaring her intent, posing confidently for the media. Today, the promise is still being reiterated, but it has yet to be fulfilled. The excuse now is that staffing takes time. But how much time? We have been slow-walked along this road for the past year since Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, declared that she supported the provision of 24/7 cardiac care at UHW. This followed the publication in April 2025 of the National Review of Adult Specialist Cardiac Services in Ireland. The Review, chaired by Professor Philip Nolan, and supported by an expert and patient representative steering group, undertook an evidence-based comprehensive national review of scheduled and unscheduled hospital-based services for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease in adults. The purpose of the review was to examine how to optimise access to quality cardiac services and care, with a focus on improving cardiovascular mortality through cardiovascular disease prevention. In line with the evidence-based approach of the review, the Minister for Health said she would ask the HSE to expand the provision of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute heart attacks at University Hospital Waterford to a 24/7 service, in order to meet the needs of the regional population of this area. Minister of State at the Department of Health, Mary Butler, continues to address the matter with the media, but it is more of the same, repeating the rather tired line about difficulties around staffing provision. I have engaged constructively and continuously with UHW management, the Department of Health, and Minister Carroll MacNeill regarding the additional staff required to facilitate a 24/7 cardiac service," Minister Butler said just last week. "It remains the ambition of all stakeholders to ensure the service is operational at the earliest possible opportunity. Some posts have been filled with more to follow because of backfilling." Backfilling appears to be the crux of the matter - and the regularly trotted out excuse as to why we continue to wait. Konor Halpin, Mick Daniels and Anthony Kelly of the Southeast Cardiac Care Campaign in John Roberts Square last week. The Southeast Cardiac Care Campaign group have been keeping the matter in the public eye, informing locals from their stand at John Roberts Square on Thursday last that Waterford continues to wait. They emphasize that many Waterford people don't realise that during the night and at weekends we remain without this crucial service, as government party politicians locally made such a jubilant fanfare about an 8am to 8pm service being established on weekdays. The drum they continue to bang is a crucial one for Waterford, and one we all need to be vocal on. Vision for Tramore The road to a dedicated community theatre space in Tramore has been a long one, but it finally looks like the proactive approach taken by a number of the town's residents will pay off. Waterford City and County Council Senior Executives are now involved in driving the project, alongside Tramore Area Community Theatre group founders James Power and Garrett Wyse. It has been two years of perseverance by the latter two men, who have a determined vision for theatre and culture in the seaside town. James Cox Here, we have a look at the topics likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come. Taoiseach's St Patrick's Day visit US president Donald Trump's threats of 25 per cent tariffs on certain EU states, along with Britain and Norway, until the US is allowed to purchase Greenland, are threatening an international crisis. Mr Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out US military intervention in the autonomous Danish territory, putting the future of Nato at risk. With this in mind, some thoughts are already turning to the annual St Patrick's Day visit to the White House for Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Mr Martin emerged unscathed from last year's meeting, but there is now more at stake. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said it's not appropriate for Mr Martin to present Donald Trump with a bowl of shamrock this year. Speaking in the Dail, he said: "So please, tell me Taoiseach, are you going to stand up to the bully? You're not seriously going to the White House with shamrock this year to celebrate our national day with him? "Surely you're going to tell US troops to get out of Shannon Airport, and not going to go along with the militarisation agenda that Trump is imposing on Europe." Meanwhile, Labour leader Ivana Bacik told Virgin Media News: "There has to be a willingness to stand up to Trump and it does mean from an Irish point of view that the Taoiseach must be prepared not to go to Washington if Trump does not back down in the meantime, because we have to use every lever at our disposal." Mr Martin has insisted the trip will go ahead as usual. Speaking today, Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary said very few countries get the opportunity of access to the president of the United States of America on an annual basis for a number of hours. Its a chance for him, as he did last year, to discuss face to face with the president various issues. Mr Calleary added: At whatever point those issues will be, in the middle of March, itll be a chance for a face to face discussion for dialogue, which is always important at any time, particularly in times of pressure. 'The only way to deal with Donald Trump is to stand up to him,' Irish MEP says The only way to "deal with Donald Trump is to stand up to him" over his Greenland tariff threats, an Irish MEP has said. Fianna Fail MEP Barry Andrews was recently appointed rapporteur for the EU Parliaments position on EU-Greenland relations. In an interview with BreakingNews.ie, he said: "There is a realisation on the European side that a red line has been crossed in terms of what Trump has said he's going to do. "It had a strangely positive impact on the EU member states in bringing them together in a way that happened with Ukraine. It's a really deep solidarity with the people of Greenland and Denmark. "We need to make sure we exhaust every possible diplomatic pathway before any escalation is considered. There are ways to do that at EU level and individual member state level, including Ireland." He said the EU's Anti-Coercion Instrument, or 'bazooka', should be considered "in parallel" with the planned retaliatory tariffs worth 93 billion ($108 billion). "This is an escalation if the threatened tariffs actually go ahead, so it's contingent on that actually happening and diplomatic efforts failing. "If we do get to that point those tariffs have already been identified, 93 billion worth, they should be proceeded with in parallel with an investigation into the anti-coercion instrument. It puts all those levers on the table for the EU and I think it's clear that the only way to deal with Donald Trump is to stand up to him." Ireland's defence capabilities questioned over drone incursion during Zelenskiy visit People called Ireland's defence capabilities "embarrassing" in messages to Taoiseach Micheal Martin over the presence of drones near the flight path of Volodymyr Zelenskiy's plane during a recent visit. The drones were as close as 500m to an Irish navel vessel, the LE William Butler Yeats, however, officers decided they could not shoot them down due to the presence of civilian aircraft in Irish airspace. They were also spotted in skies over north-east Dublin as the plane carrying Mr Zelenskiy landed at Dublin Airport. While the origin of the drones is unkown, they were suspected to be Russian by security experts. Discussing the incident afterwards, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said the drones were "generated for the purpose of putting pressure on EU and Ukrainian interests". In messages, seen by BreakingNews.ie following a Freedom of Information request, people told the Taoiseach that Ireland's security was "embarrassing" and called for more spending on defence. One person wrote: "The fact that enemy drones are able to operate freely in Irish airspace is more than a worry, it is embarrassing. As a country, our inability to defend against enemy aggression is frightening." In one email, someone called the incident a "stark, undeniable illustration of the systemic vulnerabilities that have been repeatedly raised by defence and security experts". "I am writing to express my profound alarm at the recent incident in which several drones - reported as advanced, non-hobby-grade platforms - entered the temporary no-fly zone established around President Zelenskys visit and subsequently loitered near an Irish Naval Service vessel off the Dublin coast. Regardless of the origin of these platforms or the intent of the operators, the fact remains that Ireland was unable to detect, prevent, or interdict aerial activity occurring in restricted airspace at a moment of heightened sensitivity and international visibility. "This episode is not an isolated embarrassment; it is a stark, undeniable illustration of the systemic vulnerabilities that have been repeatedly raised by defence and security experts. Ireland currently lacks the radar, the technical infrastructure, the interception capability, and the personnel capacity required to meaningfully enforce its own jurisdictionwhether in the air, at sea, or around critical subsea infrastructure. "We now find ourselves in a geopolitical environment defined by hybrid conflict, strategic coercion, and grey-zone operations. Across Europe, hostile actors have used drones to disrupt airports, threaten civil aviation, surveil sensitive infrastructure, and interfere with undersea cables that underpin the digital economy. These are not theoretical risksthey are documented realities affecting EU partners today." Abroad All eyes are on Greeland as the Davos summit continues, with Donald Trump set to address it on Wednesday. His speech is scheduled for 2.30pm and there will be a collective drawing of breath across the EU, and the wider world. He said "you'll find out" when asked how far he would go on Greenland at a drawn out press conference in the White House on Tuesday. By Bairbre Holmes and Grainne Ni Aodha, Press Association The Foreign Minister has said Donald Trumps threats of tariffs would rip up an EU-US trade deal struck last year, as political leaders reacted to the US presidents threats to take over Greenland. Mr Trump has said he will hit eight European allies with 10 per cent tariffs from February 1st unless they agree to his purchase of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, and has refused to rule out using military force to seize the island. Speaking on their way into cabinet on Tuesday, Helen McEntee said the was deeply regrettable and Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he hoped common sense will prevail. Their comments came as Mr Trump and other leaders headed to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum. Ms McEntee told reporters it was clear that support for Greenland and Denmark was absolute. She said if the threatened tariffs are introduced, 93 billion of counter-measures would be back on the table as the EU needed to respond strongly. She emphasised it was really important for efforts to engage in dialogue with the US to be intensified over coming days, but added it is also important to have a number of possible options to respond if the threats come to fruition. Ms McEntee said: Of course, a threat of tariffs on eight member states is essentially a threat of tariffs on all member states, and it would be hugely regrettable for last years deal between the US and the EU to essentially be ripped up. She said the threat of tariffs would not change the overall resolve of Europe in support for Greenland. It is utterly regrettable that a president of the US would say that theyre not focused on peace, but we need to engage, we need to use our voice, as we always have in Ireland, to try and bring reason and to try and bring calm to the current situation. Asked if the world was in turmoil the Taoiseach said: We had big difficulties last year, I think last year we managed to avoid reacting to every single statement that gets issued, or a statement that doesnt get issued. Speaking outside Government Buildings in Dublin, he said he hoped that common sense will prevail here in the interests of all our people that we represent, both in Europe and in the US. He added: A trade war would be very, very damaging indeed to workers across Europe, workers across the United States and indeed the world. Helen McEntee speaking outside Government Buildings (Bairbre Holmes/PA) The next number of days will be crucial for EU-US relations, according to Tanaiste Simon Harris. He was in Brussels attending a Eurogroup meeting and told reporters on Tuesday there was not an hour to spare as efforts continued to de-escalate tensions. The Tanaiste and finance minister said: Its absolutely important that intensive diplomatic efforts are put under way to try and de-escalate an extraordinarily dangerous economic situation. We all know that tariffs are bad for the Irish economy, theyre bad for the European economy, theyre bad for the US economy as well. But this is now deeper than that also. This has the potential to cause a spiral of destabilising actions that could have dire consequences. So cool heads must prevail, and there is not a moment to lose, and the next number of days will be crucial as Europe works to try and stabilise this situation and find a way forward. Because we are always stronger the EU and the US when we co-operate, when we collaborate. Advertisement BusinessCompaniesMining China strikes a blow in $100b iron ore market as BHP accepts lower prices Nick Toscano January 20, 2026 12:55pm Save 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 A A Mining giant BHP is accepting lower prices for its exports of Australias most lucrative commodity, the steel-making ingredient iron ore, amid a protracted stand-off in negotiations with its major buyers in China. The largest Australian miner has been locked in talks with Chinas state-run iron ore purchaser, China Mineral Resources Group, since at least September last year. It has refused to be drawn on unconfirmed reports that Beijing has imposed bans on imports of some of its shipments in a bid to gain leverage. Iron ore at BHPs Jimblebar facility in the Pilbara. Tony McDonough But in a rare comment on the impact of the tensions on Tuesday, BHP said the negotiations over 2026 supply contracts in China had affected prices for iron ore it was sending from its mines in Western Australias Pilbara region. During negotiations, we continue to optimise product placement distribution channels and take actions within our operations to preserve operational flexibility and productivity, the Melbourne-based miner said in a statement. This has seen some impact to realised price. Advertisement Iron ore, the raw material thats turned into steel inside huge blast furnaces, is Australias single biggest export, fetching more than $100 billion a year in sales revenue, meaning even a minor dip in pricing could have a significant impact on state and federal government coffers. Iron ore routinely accounts for as much as 5 per cent of the nations gross domestic product. Related Article Mining Australias two biggest miners meet Trump over controversial copper plan Although BHPs average iron ore price of $US84 ($124.70) a tonne for the December quarter was 4 per cent higher than a year earlier, it marked a distinct discount to industry benchmark iron ore pricing, said Kaan Peker, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets. Rival producers, such as Rio Tinto, were fetching prices in line with or above the benchmark, he added. However, BHPs discounts were likely to be temporary, Peker said, as Chinese steel mills alternative sources of supply remained scarce. He said the lower-than-normal prices reflected buyer tactics rather than a deterioration in the quality of its ores or a loss of pricing power, while BHP appeared to be deliberately absorbing near-term discounts to protect its prices in the future. Todays discounts are evident, but immaterial at the group level and unlikely to persist, he said. Advertisement Shares in BHP were trading about 1.8 per cent lower by Tuesday afternoon. Related Article Opinion Company mergers How artificial intelligence is driving the worlds biggest mining mega-merger Elizabeth Knight Business columnist China, Australias biggest trading partner, has appeared increasingly willing to use its market clout to exert pressure on its suppliers of key commodities. In 2020, Beijing slapped an unofficial ban on Australian coal amid a diplomatic stoush with then-prime minister Scott Morrison, leaving dozens of coal ships stranded at sea for months, unable to dock at Chinese ports. The federal government has been closely monitoring the situation. Last year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said both China and Australia benefited from the iron ore trade, and he wanted to see the matter resolved quickly. We have seen those issues in the past, he said. I want to see Australian iron ore to be able to be exported to China without hindrance. Advertisement China Mineral Resources Group was set up in 2022 in a push by Beijing to consolidate the bargaining power of Chinese steel mills in contract negotiations with global iron ore suppliers, including Australias BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group. In its trading update on Tuesday, BHP told investors its WA iron ore operations had achieved a record-high half-year production volume of 147 million tonnes over the six months to December 31. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning. Advertisement NationalNSWSharks Incredibly difficult time: Shark attack victim, 12, not expected to survive Daniel Lo Surdo Updated January 20, 2026 4:25pm ,first published 3:41pm Save 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 A A The young boy mauled by a shark in Sydney Harbour on Sunday is not expected to survive, according to a fundraising page started by a family friend. Nico Antic, 12, was swimming with friends at a popular jump rock west of Shark Beach at Nielsen Park in Vaucluse on Sunday afternoon when he was bitten by what is believed to have been a large bull shark. Nico Antic is not expected to survive after being attacked by a shark in Vaucluse on Sunday. GoFundMe A heroic group of friends pulled him from the water and a quick-thinking police officer applied tourniquets to the boys severely mauled legs before he was helped onto a police marine boat. Officers aboard performed CPR and he was later rushed to Sydney Childrens Hospital, Randwick. An online fundraising page has been launched by Victor Pineiro, who describes himself as a close friend of the Antic family. Advertisement In a message posted on Tuesday evening, Pineiro informed donors that despite all efforts in hospital, this heartbreaking event has led to the worst possible outcome. We are raising funds to help the Antic family cover upcoming expenses and related arrangements during this incredibly difficult time, he wrote. Officers at Rose Bay ferry wharf, where the boy was treated by paramedics. Max Mason-Hubers Any contribution, no matter the size, would be deeply appreciated and will help ease the financial burden as they grieve. Thank you for your kindness and support. The Herald confirmed the information relayed in these posts with an independent source close to the Antic family who was not authorised to speak publicly. Advertisement More than $55,000 from over 700 donors has been raised for the family since the fundraiser was established. About $30,000 of the total was raised in three hours on Tuesday night. Related Article Updated Sharks Thats mateship: Heroic boy saved friend after shark attack at Sydney Harbour beach Nine News has reported that Nico is on life support, while police sources told the Herald the boy is alive but remains critical. Nico served as a nipper at North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club alongside his parents. In 2024, he was awarded the under 11 boys most improved award by the club. He was placed in an induced coma in hospital, where he underwent surgery on Sunday. Advertisement Several blood transfusions were administered to the boy before arriving at hospital. Sundays attack marked the first of four in less than 48 hours along the NSW coastline, including the mauling of surfer Andre de Ruyter at North Steyne Beach on Monday evening. The severely injured 27-year-old was dragged to the Manly shoreline by two nearby surfers before a group of bystanders used leg ropes as makeshift tourniquets to stem the bleeding from his calf. He was rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital and his lower right leg was amputated overnight. De Ruyter remains in intensive care. First responders at Manly performed CPR on the shark bite victim. James Brickwood Advertisement Surfers were also attacked at Dee Why and on the Mid North Coast, but escaped serious harm. Four suspected bull sharks were spotted in the waters near Point Plomer, north of Port Macquarie, where 39-year-old surfer Paul Zvirzdinas was attacked on Tuesday morning. The shark knocked Zvirzdinas off his board and into the water, tearing his wetsuit and biting his board about 10am. He was taken to Kempsey Hospital, where he was treated for minor grazing to his chest before being discharged in the afternoon. Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said Zvirzdinas was extremely fortunate to have avoided a major injury. Advertisement On Monday, an 11-year-old boy escaped unharmed after he was attacked at the southern end of Dee Why Beach while surfing with his father. He was helped to shore by a group of nearby surfers, while his board was bitten by the shark. Bull sharks, a territorial species which prefer brackish water and frequent Sydney Harbour in January and February, are suspected to be responsible for all four incidents. The spate of attacks prompted NSW Premier Chris Minns to call for beefed-up warnings about bull sharks in waters across the state and to pledge to keep nets in place at beaches. He suggested public notifications be issued when the water turned murky, dirty and warm after extensive rainfall, to warn about elevated swimming risk. A spokesperson for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development confirmed shark nets were in place at Manlys North Steyne when the attack occurred on Monday, and at Dee Why, where the 11-year-old boy was attacked hours earlier. Advertisement The NSW government abandoned a planned trial to remove shark nets at three beaches after Mercury Psillakis was killed by a shark at Long Reef Beach, near Dee Why, in September. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Sharks Daniel Lo Surdo is a breaking news reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He previously helmed the national news live blog for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Connect via email Advertisement Updated NationalQueenslandCrocodiles Crocodile attacks man, victim airlifted to Far North Queensland hospital Dominique Tassell and William Davis Updated January 20, 2026 10:28am ,first published 8:35am Save 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 A A A man has been attacked by a crocodile in Far North Queensland. The crocodile punctured the mans lower back, upper legs and hand in the attack near Ingham, about 8.40am on Tuesday. Forrest Beach Road in Victoria Plantation, where the attack happened, is built up with dozens of houses, and backs directly onto Palm Creek a hotspot for crocodile sightings. The victim is in his 20s and was taken in a stable condition to Ingham Hospital, and later flown to Townsville Hospital by rescue helicopter. Advertisement Federal MP Bob Katter said crocodiles had overtaken Far North Queensland. We dont have theme parks or fun parks, in our little towns in North Queensland, or even our big towns in North Queensland. Related Article Queensland Police Traumatic, horrific scene: Autopsy to reveal how Canadian found among dingoes died So we go down and swim in the river and water ski in the river, as weve done for generations, but we cant now. Its been taken off us by people that live 3000 kilometres away, [who] are telling us what we can and cant do. Advertisement In a social media post, Katters Australia Party blasted the hands-off, city-centric approach to croc management for putting regional communities at risk. This is not about wiping crocodiles out. Its about common sense, regional safety, and co-existence that actually works. Queenslanders shouldnt be expected to accept attacks as inevitable while governments refuse to act. It is the second major animal incident in Queensland in two days, following the discovery of a womans body on Kgari surrounded by dingoes. Advertisement It also follows four shark attacks in NSW over a 48-hour period. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement PoliticsWAThe Kimberley Labor members want fracking completely banned in WA. But one project just got a major green tick Hamish Hastie January 20, 2026 3:39pm Save 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 A A Western Australias environmental watchdog has given a controversial fracking plan in the heart of the Kimberley region the green light in a decision that sets the Cook government up for a showdown with Labor faithful who voted to fully ban the gas-extraction method at last years state conference. The Environmental Protection Authority WA recommended the government approve the 20-well Valhalla Project exploration campaign by Bennett Resources, a subsidiary of Texan-owned company Black Mountain, in the Kimberleys Canning Basin, subject to conditions including ensuring groundwater was not polluted. One of Black Mountains proposed wells is two kilometres from Mount Hardman Creek in the Kimberley. Valhalla, 123 kilometres south-east of Derby, has drawn fierce opposition from environmental groups concerned about the impacts of fracking in the Kimberley. It is the first fracking project to be approved in WA since 2019, when the Canning Basin was declared the only area in WA where fracking would be allowed. Advertisement Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn is yet to consider the EPAs recommendations, but now faces approving a fracking project after his own party voted to ban the practice last year. Fracking, known as hydraulic fracturing, involves the use of high-pressure fluids to fracture rocks deep underground to extract hard-to-reach hydrocarbons. EPA chair Darren Walsh said the proposal was an exploration and appraisal plan, and if Black Mountain wanted to extract gas, it would need to submit a separate proposal. He said the EPA consulted extensively during the assessment and considered all 8000 submissions received during the public consultation period. The EPA recognises the critical role of groundwater protection in this proposal to mitigate potential risks in a way that maintains public confidence, he said. Advertisement To this end we have recommended conditions that require a number of peer-reviewed programs to be approved prior to the commencement of drilling to ensure the required environmental outcomes are met. Related Article Updated Environmental protection Labor members vote to ban fracking across WA But Greens WA fossil fuels spokeswoman Sophie McNeill urged Swinbourn to reject the EPAs advice, citing advice from the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Unconventional Gas Development last year raising queries about Black Mountains claims that groundwater would not be impacted by the Valhalla project. This outrageous decision is in total opposition to the evidence about the dangers of fracking and the dangers of new fossil fuel projects and must be rejected, she said. The community is overwhelmingly opposed to fracking a dangerous mining practice that is already banned across 98 per cent of Western Australia and the Cook Government must listen to them. Advertisement Former independent Fremantle candidate Kate Hulett said during last years election, every street in Fremantle was covered in anti-fracking signs and her campaign took a 26 per cent chunk from Labor minister Simone McGurks two-party margin. Labor members subsequently voted for a statewide ban on fracking at their state conference. The government must listen to the community and their own party members and refuse this approval, she said. If Labor still havent learnt what matters to our community, well have to teach them again at the next election. A range of environmental groups came out decrying the EPAs decision, with Environs Kimberley director Martin Pritchard warning it could cost Labor votes. If [Swinbourn and Cook dont reject the proposal], there will be significant electoral consequences with a backlash not just from the Kimberley but also across key Perth electorates. The government nearly lost the seat in March due to a powerful campaign calling for the protection of the Kimberley from fracking. Advertisement If Texan frackers Black Mountain are given the green light for invasive gas fields, rest assured the people of Fremantle will not take this lightly. Cook said the decision wasnt a green-light for fracking, only that Valhallas environmental impacts could be managed. He declined to comment further on the basis that the EPAs advice may be appealed. Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive Aaron Morey welcomed the EPAs decision and said it would allow Black Mountain to assess the size of its resource and may unlock a new energy source in the future. Continuing to tap into WAs abundant gas reserves is vital to shield families and businesses from steep rises in energy costs, he said. Advertisement The $13.5 billion US-Australia critical minerals framework opens the door to thousands of additional jobs in mining and refining but only if WA can compete on energy costs. Walsh said Black Mountains proposal had broad support from traditional owners groups covered in the Yungngora (Noonkanbah) people and Warlangurru people native title areas and there were Indigenous land use agreements in place. At my invitation, representatives from both these Traditional Owner groups came to a recent EPA meeting and addressed all members, Walsh said. Related Article Exclusive Endangered species A dogs breakfast: Environment groups flag inconsistencies in US companys Kimberley fracking plans We also visited the proposal area and the Noonkanbah community last year and acknowledge the broad support for the proposal by the Yungngora and Warlangurru people. Advertisement However, Indigenous support for the project is contested. Bunuba traditional owner Millie Hills said this type of development was a huge risk to the Martuwarra Fitzroy River catchment. People dont come to the Kimberley to see gas fields; they come to see unspoilt nature and experience our ancient culture, she said. The Premier Roger Cook needs to show some leadership here and stop Black Mountains 20-well fracking proposal and ultimately ban fracking in the Kimberley to stop it looking like Texas. The report is now open for appeals until February 10 and Swinbourn will make a final call on the project later in the year. Advertisement Black Mountain Energy has been approached for comment. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramers game plan for this week. Cramer highlighted it as one of the stocks that is hard to keep down, as he remarked: "Wednesday morning brings two stocks that are hard to keep down. Johnson & Johnson and Charles Schwab How about Charles Schwab? Alright, this has become the repository of a big chunk of the gigantic pool of money thats flowing in from baby boomers to the alphabet generations. Its said to be something like a hundred trillion dollars. Thats a wall of money that I discussed in How to Make Money in Any Market. I think Morgan Stanley, through e-trade, a good quarter by the way yesterday, Robinhood, and Schwab are the three biggest beneficiaries of my aging generation." Photo by Yiorgos Ntrahas on Unsplash The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) provides wealth management, brokerage, banking, and advisory services, providing trading platforms, investment products, and financial planning solutions. During Cramers game plan aired on October 10, 2025, he mentioned the stock and said: "Schwab gives us its numbers, too. And why do I want to look at this? Well, I like to look at retail participation in the market. I think more and more people are coming back to stocks, one of the reasons why I wrote my book, and I hope todays meltdown doesnt drive those people right back out. They wont if they read it." While we acknowledge the potential of SCHW 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: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Born in Shanghai in 1919, American International Group, Inc. (AIG) has traveled a long arc to its present home in New York, growing along the way into one of the worlds most recognizable insurance franchises. Over the decades, AIG has built its reputation, stepping in where risks are difficult to price and even harder to manage. From small businesses to global corporations, its reach now spans commercial property, liability, workers compensation, environmental exposure, and crisis management. Operating across more than 200 countries and jurisdictions, the company has made a business out of protecting individuals, institutions, and entire industries against uncertainty. With a market capitalization of about $39.4 billion, AIG is established, resilient, yet still adjusting to a world shaped by shifting economic conditions and emerging risks. More News from Barchart Looking ahead, attention turns to its upcoming fourth-quarter 2025 earnings report, due after the market closes on Tuesday, Feb. 10, and Wall Street is optimistic. Analysts are forecasting earnings of $1.90 per share, a sharp 46.2% jump from $1.30 per share reported in the year-ago quarter. Whats fueling that confidence is consistency. AIG has beaten earnings estimates in each of the past four quarters, steadily rebuilding trust with investors. For fiscal 2025, analysts expect earnings per share of $7.02, up 41.8% from $4.95 reported in fiscal 2024, before rising by another 11% year over year (YoY) to $7.79 in fiscal 2026. www.barchart.com However, the stock's performance has not been impressive. AIG has declined 2.3% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the S&P 500 Indexs ($SPX) 16.9% rise and trailing behind the State Street SPDR S&P Insurance ETFs (KIE) 2% surge over the same time frame. www.barchart.com AIG started 2026 under pressure, unsettled by an unexpected leadership change and lingering financial concerns. Early in January, investors were caught off guard when the company announced that CEO and Chairman Peter Zaffino would step down as chief executive by mid-year. While he will remain executive chairman, the surprise timing of the transition introduced uncertainty something markets typically price in quickly. On Jan. 6, that uncertainty translated into a nearly 8% drop in AIG shares. The leading Korean nuclear utility joins SK in investing in the U.S.-based advanced nuclear company BELLEVUE, Wash., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TerraPower announced today that Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has joined SK as part of the company's visionary investor base, marking KHNP's first investment into an advanced nuclear company. TerraPower logo KHNP is a global leader in building and operating nuclear plants, and TerraPower is leading the advanced nuclear industry to market with its flagship Natrium technology an advanced nuclear reactor paired with a gigawatt-scale energy storage system. KHNP joins TerraPower's current investors in supporting the first Natrium plant being built in Wyoming, along with the company's plans to rapidly deploy additional units in the U.S. and abroad. This investment will accelerate ongoing efforts to explore both South Korean and other opportunities. "We have strong relationships with multiple Korean entities across the nuclear energy supply chain, and today's announcement is one more step to realizing the Natrium technology's promise to deliver next generation nuclear power not just in the United States, but around the world," said Chris Levesque, TerraPower president and CEO. "TerraPower, SK and KHNP have been advancing our strategic collaboration for years, and I'm proud to add KHNP to our committed investor base." Park In-sik, Executive Vice President and Head of the Export Business Division at KHNP, said, "This investment is a major milestone for KHNP in supporting the global deployment of next-generation nuclear energy. By combining our 50 years of experience in nuclear plant construction and operation with SK Innovation's competitiveness in energy and TerraPower's technology, we will play a leading role in expanding the advanced nuclear market. The three companies plan to sign definitive commercialization agreements this year to establish a foundation for global projects." Moohwan Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Energy Solution Business Division at SK Innovation added, "KHNP's investment in TerraPower solidifies our three-way collaboration in the global advanced nuclear business. SK Innovation will work closely with KHNP to support the Wyoming project, pursue new nuclear opportunities, and achieve innovative outcomes including localization of key materials and components." KHNP's investment will be through SK's previously announced $250 million investment into TerraPower. KHNP and TerraPower successfully completed the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS) review process in December 2025. The three companies have been working together since 2023 under a strategic collaboration agreement. As for Ukraine, one of his other key dossiers, Witkoff said he hoped that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who earlier on Tuesday said he had no plans to travel to Davos, would be able to meet with Trump. Everybody believes this is the pathway to bringing people together and being egalitarian about the decisions, he told The Associated Press in Davos. The president wants to save lives, and this is going to be a very important platform. Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff says he believes the Board of Peace proposal has overwhelming support even though at least one ally, France, has balked at joining. Trump envoy is confident in the Gaza Board of Peace proposal, but France isnt on board Carney reaffirmed Canadas commitment to NATO and opposed tariffs over Greenland. He criticized what he called the fading rules-based order, saying powerful nations use economic integration as a weapon. He did not mention the United States by name. Speaking Tuesday in Davos, Carney emphasized the need for coalitions to survive and that negotiating bilaterally with a hegemon leads to weakness and subordination. There is a strong tendency for countries to go along to get along, he said. To accommodate. To avoid trouble. To hope that compliance will buy safety. It wont. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says middle-power countries need to stop pretending the rules-based order is still functioning and urged them to rally together against threats from great powers. Trumps third visit to Davos as president comes as U.S. allies worry about his ambition to take over Greenland , while Latin America grapples with his efforts to seize Venezuelas oil and business leaders and lawmakers at home express concerns about his hardball tactics toward Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell . Unofficially known as the trade bazooka, the anti-coercion instrument could sanction individuals or institutions found to be putting undue pressure on the EU. French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that the European Union should not hesitate to use the trade blocs anti-coercion instrument in face of Trumps tariff threats over Greenland. DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Corporate chiefs and government leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, are in Davos, Switzerland, this week, joining an elite annual World Economic Forum that promotes dialogue and economic progress, even as actions from Washington have upended the global order and billionaires have reaped trillions in new wealth as the poor lag behind. Story Continues Its tough for him to travel, but Im hopeful that hell get here and well meet him with him on Thursday with the president. Europe cannot be a miserable slave to Trump, says Belgiums prime minister Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said at Davos that with Trumps Greenland provocations, so many red lines have been crossed in Europe. Being a happy vassal is one thing. Being a miserable slave is something else. If you back down now youre going to lose your dignity, he said during a panel discussion on redefining Europes place in the world. De Wever said that he and Belgiums King Philippe will meet with Trump on Wednesday where they will plan to press for a return to the old military alliance between Brussels and Washington. We either stand together or we will stand divided, and if we are divided, there is the end of an era, of 80 years of Atlanticism, really drawing to a close, he said. The former mayor of Antwerp, quoting the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci, said that in a time of great transformation that it is up to U.S. president if the alliance holds. Its up to him (Trump) to decide if he wants to be a monster - yes or no. Baby dies from cold in Gaza as leaders meet at Davos to discuss Trumps Board of Peace Grim humanitarian conditions remain in Gaza, months after the ceasefire paused two years of war between Israel and Hamas militants. Trumps ceasefire plan is high on the agenda for world leaders gathered at Davos, as the president hopes to establish his Board of Peace to oversee the ceasefire. However, it faces many questions over its membership and scope. Khalid Abu Jarad holds the body of his 3-month-old niece, Shaza Abu Jarad, who, according to the health ministry, died from hypothermia, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) The Palestinian baby who died from hypothermia on Tuesday in the Gaza Strip is among the more than 100 children who have died since the start of the ceasefire in October. Israel controls the crossings into Gaza. The ceasefire has allowed a surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza, mainly food. Residents say shortages of blankets and warm clothes remain, and there is little wood for fires. Theres been no central electricity in Gaza since the first few days of the war in 2023. Qatars prime minister warns of rising tensions in the Middle East Speaking on a panel Tuesday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said mounting uncertainty across the region underscores the need for diplomacy over escalation. The region is going through a lot of tensions, and we cant exclude whats happening in Iran, and I believe with all this turmoil we need to resort to wisdom, he said, adding that there is a need to reshape the architecture of security. He also said that his country advised the Trump administration to address the Irans nuclear issue through diplomacy. The tiny, gas-rich Gulf Arab state of Qatar hosts the biggest U.S. military base in the Middle East, and has been designated a U.S. major non-NATO ally. Read more about the nuclear risks of Irans crisis Spains prime minister cancels Davos trip after deadly train crash Spain began three days of mourning Tuesday for the 41 victims of the high-speed train collision. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he will not travel to Davos, as authorities work to locate more victims in the wreckage and determine the cause. Sanchez visited the site of the accident in the countrys south on Monday. Read more about the crashs aftermath Qatar has been invited to join Gaza's Board of Peace Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani says the gas-rich Gulf country has been invited to join President Donald Trumps Board of Peace. We are happy to be a contributor to peace in the region, he told a panel at Davos on Tuesday. He said Trumps proposal has provided a path for peace in the Middle East, but we have a lot of work to be done. Bessent says do not retaliate against US for its Greenland plans When asked at Davos about the emergency summit E.U. leaders are planning in response to U.S. plans for Greenland, Bessent said: I would say exactly what I said after Liberation Day last April, when the president imposed tariff levels on the whole world. I tell everyone sit back, take a deep breath. Do not retaliate. Do not retaliate. The president will be here tomorrow, and he will get his message across. Macron warns of a world without rules He also appealed for nations to come together and focus on problems they share, even as conflict has become normalized. The French president noted a shift towards a world without rules, where international law is trampled underfoot and where the only law that seems to matter is that of the strongest. He also warned that major powers are turning their backs on international bodies that have long underpinned the global order. __ John Leicester contributed from Paris. Macron says its not time for new imperialism or new colonialism Lets not accept a global order which will be decided by those who claim to have, I would say, the bigger voice or the bigger stick, he said Tuesday at Davos. The French president said governments should focus on the global challenges of growth, peace, climate. ___ John Leicester contributed from Paris. Greenlands prime minister insists on respect for territorial integrity Greenlands prime minister insisted Tuesday on respect for territorial integrity as the crisis over the Arctic island intensifies. Jens-Frederik Nielsen said his government is working and taking this situation very seriously, in response to a question by The Associated Press. Nielsen says his government has had good meetings with NATO and its allies, and that all Western countries should be united by respect for national, territorial integrity (and) respect for international law. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen, meanwhile, warned Tuesday that the worst may still be ahead of us. We are now being threatened by our closest ally, she told Danish lawmakers. The Danish government was invited to Davos, but a forum spokesperson said Monday no representatives planned to attend. ___ Emma Burrows contributed from Nuuk, Greenland, and Kirsten Grieshaber from Berlin. Lithuanias president says split between US and EU is really heartbreaking The White House has not ruled out taking over Greenland by force, which President Gitanas Nauseda said would likely bring an end to NATO, presenting the best news for Russia. The Baltic country stands on NATOs eastern flank and has warned for decades of Russias military ambitions in Europe. ___ David Keyton contributed from Davos Macron says allies should focus on peace in Ukraine, not trade wars Macron says Trumps Greenland tariff threats could push the EU to use the anti-coercion mechanism for the very first time against the U.S. The mechanism could potentially restrict access to European markets for American companies. Can you imagine that? he said. This is crazy. He said that instead of trade disputes, allied countries should be focused on bringing peace to Ukraine. ___ John Leicester contributed from Paris. Anthropic CEO warns against Nvidia chip sales to China The CEO of leading Artificial Intelligence company Anthropic warned against the Trump administrations recent move to greenlight sales of a powerful Nvidia chip to China, comparing it to selling nuclear weapon technology to North Korea. Dario Amodei spoke Tuesday in a panel discussion on artificial general intelligence, or AGI, at Davos. AI companies, including Anthropic, are racing to develop AGI, which would outperform human intelligence but could also bring risks that could threaten humanity. Are we going to, you know, sell nuclear weapons to North Korea, and, you know, because that produces some profit for Boeing? he said. That analogy should just make clear how I see this trade-off." ___ Kelvin Chan contributed from London. Macron says EU should not hesitate to use anti-coercion mechanism over Greenland tariff threats French President Emmanuel Macron pushed back against aggressive U.S. trade pressures and an endless accumulation of new tariffs. The anti-coercion mechanism is a powerful instrument and we should not hesitate to deploy it in todays tough environment, he said Tuesday at Davos. ___ John Leicester contributed from Paris Macrons sunglasses make an appearance at Davos No, Macron isnt tearing a leaf out of Tom Cruise in Top Gun by wearing aviator sunglasses in Davos. The French president has been battling an eye condition that he has said is completely harmless but has made his right eye look red and puffy. He first sported sunglasses last week when inspecting members of Frances armed forces and wore them again at Davos, where he mingled and met Canadas premier. Macron is scheduled to speak Tuesday at the forum. ___ John Leicester contributed from Paris. Harvard economist says Trump likely timed tariff threat to Davos Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff says European governments are really worked up over Trumps threat to impose new tariffs over support for Greenland. Its no accident he did this just before coming here and got the Europeans all riled up. Suck all the oxygen out of the room so everyone would be talking about nothing else, he said. ___ Jamey Keaten contributed from Davos. Russias foreign minister condemns Denmarks control over Greenland Russias foreign minister declared Tuesday that Denmarks control over Greenland was rooted in the colonial past. Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Sergey Lavrov charged that in principle, Greenland isnt a natural part of Denmark, describing it as a colonial gain. He described Trumps bid to take over Greenland as an existential challenge to NATO that would seriously test its integrity. Lavrov also strongly denied any intentions by Russia and China to threaten Greenland, as Trump has suggested. At the same time, Lavrov charged that Ukraines European allies were trying to press Trump to endorse the changes they made in the initial U.S. peace plan for Ukraine and warned that Moscow would not accept the modifications ___ Vladimir Isachenkov contributed from Moscow. David Beckham calls Davos amazing in brief AP chat Jamey Keaten, the APs chief Switzerland correspondent and a longtime Davos chronicler, briefly caught up with soccer star David Beckham at Davos. How are you enjoying Davos? Keaten asked as Beckham walked by. Amazing, thank you, Beckham said. Busy. CEO confidence in revenues drops The worlds CEOs are the least confident theyve been in five years about future revenues, consulting firm PwC has found in a new survey. Many of those chief executives are in Davos this week for the elite annual meeting that promotes dialogue and economic progress, even as actions by Washington have upended the global order and billionaires have reaped trillions in new wealth as the poor lag behind. The U.S.-based PwC firm says three in ten of the corporate chiefs were confident about revenue growth in 2026, down from 38% a year ago, and 56% in 2022. It says most struggle with turning their AI investments into solid returns, according to the survey of nearly 4,500 chief executives across 95 countries released Monday. ___ Watch this AP video about the Davos economics gap ___ Jamey Keaten contributed from Davos. Zelenskyy wont travel to Davos unless theres a breakthrough in peace efforts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he currently has no plans to travel to Davos, as he works with officials to restore power in the country after repeated Russian drone and missile barrages. But Zelenskyy said Tuesday he could change his plans if his delegation and U.S. officials make a breakthrough at Davos in peace efforts aimed at ending the war. I choose the country over an economic forum. But everything can change at any moment, because it is very important to me, and to Ukrainians, to end this war, he said. Russias full-scale invasion reaches its fourth anniversary on Feb. 24. ___ Kamila Hrabchuk contributed from Kyiv, Ukraine. China warns against trade wars Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng warned that tariff wars pose serious risks to global economic growth. There is no winner in the tariff wars or trade wars, which not only increase the cost of global production and trade, but also lead to the fragmentation of the global economy, He said at Davos. He stressed that China will continue to uphold the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core and promote a more inclusive, effective and rules-based international economic order. He also said China is a trade partner rather than an adversary with other countries. ___ Olivia Zhang contributed from Beijing. US House speaker seeks to calm the waters over Greenland U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson says he hopes to calm the waters as Trump roils the trans-Atlantic relationship with his desire to take over Greenland. In a speech to lawmakers at Parliament, Johnson said the U.S. and the U.K. have always been able to work through our differences calmly, as friends. We will continue to do that. Speaking after Trump also attacked Britains decision to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, Johnson said his mission in London is to calm the waters continue our dialogue and find a resolution, just as we always have in the past. Johnson was invited to Parliament by House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle as part of events marking 250 years of American independence. ___ Jill Lawless contributed from London. EU top official questions Trumps trustworthiness over tariff threat The European Unions top official on Tuesday called into question Trumps trustworthiness, saying he had agreed last year not to impose more tariffs on members of the bloc. The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July. And in politics as in business, a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. In a speech at the forum, Von der Leyen said Trumps planned new tariffs over Greenland are a mistake, especially between long-standing allies. ___ Lorne Cook contributed from Brussels. Kremlin confirms its envoy will meet with US representatives in Davos Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday confirmed presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev has plans to meet with some representatives of the American delegation in Davos. Peskovs remarks followed media reports saying Dmitriev intends to meet with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner as part of the U.S.-led effort to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine. Peskov refused to name specific people Dmitriev is planning to meet in Davos, saying only that it will happen on the sidelines of the forum these days, today, tomorrow. Dmitriev earlier on Tuesday said on social media platform X that he arrived in Davos. Asked about whether ending the war in Ukraine or other issues were on Dmitrievs agenda, Peskov said Dmitrievs main focus is trade, economic, and investment cooperation, but at the same time, Kirill Dmitriev is transmitting information to and from both sides regarding the peace process in Ukraine. Separately, the Kremlin spokesman said Russia has not received an invitation to a meeting in Paris on Thursday, which was referenced in a text message from French President Emmanuel Macron that Trump posted earlier Tuesday. In the message, Macron suggested a meeting of members of the Group of Seven industrialized democracies in Paris after the Davos gathering. The message also suggested inviting Denmark, Ukraine and Russia. ___ Dasha Litvinova contributed to this report. Newsom calls Europe reaction to Trump pathetic Newsom called Europes reaction to Trump pathetic and embarrassing and urged European leaders to unite and stand up to the United States. It is time to get serious, and stop being complicit, Newsom told reporters at Davos. The California governor also decried the chasm between what Europeans are saying in public to Trump versus what they say privately among themselves. This guys playing folks for fools, Newsom said. I mean, everybodys talking behind his back. Theyre laughing at him, and meanwhile, theyre sucking up to him. ___ Kostya Manenkov reported from Davos. Trumps Board of Peace sure to be a Davos talking point Trumps Board of Peace, initially seen as a mechanism focused on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, is sure to be widely discussed along the sidelines at Davos. But recent invitations sent to dozens of world leaders show that the body could have a far broader mandate of other global crises, potentially rivaling the United Nations Security Council. Questions abound about the boards mandate and decision-making processes. Trump says the body would embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict, an indication that the body may not confine its work to Gaza. The panel was part of Trumps 20-point ceasefire plan that stopped the war in Gaza in October. Many countries, including Russia, said they received Trumps invitation and were studying the proposal. France said it does not plan to join the Board of Peace at this stage. ___ Samy Magdy contributed from Cairo. Newsom tells Europe to stand up to Trump California Gov. Gavin Newsom slammed Europes response to Trump on Tuesday. Newsom told Europeans to stand up to Trump for the U.S. presidents tariff threats over support of Greenland while speaking on the sidelines of the economic forum in Davos, Switzerland. Have a backbone, Newsom said. ___ Kostya Manenkov reported from Davos. Greenland and threat of Trump tariffs loom over Davos The crisis over Greenlands sovereignty is sure to loom large over Davos. Currently, European leaders are mulling their next steps after Trump doubled down on threats to take over the semi-autonomous Danish territory. Trump noted the Europeans resistance, telling reporters Monday night, Lets put it this way: Its going to be a very interesting Davos. Denmarks Minister for European Affairs, Marie Bjerre, reacted early Tuesday, calling the potential tariffs deeply unfair and saying that Europe needs to become even stronger and more independent, while stressing at the same time there there is no interest in escalating a trade war. ___ Kirsten Grieshaber contributed from Berlin. Trump posts doctored images of Greenland and Canada Trump early Tuesday posted some provocatively doctored images on social media. One showed him planting the U.S. flag next to a sign reading Greenland, U.S. Territory, Est. 2026. The other showed Trump in the Oval Office next to a map that showed Greenland and Canada covered with the U.S. Stars and Stripes. Trump posts text message from Macron on social media An official close to Emmanuel Macron said a private message shared by Trump shows that the French President, both in public and in private, takes the same views. Trump posted a text message Tuesday from Macron in which the French president suggested a meeting of members of the Group of Seven industrialized democracies in Paris after the Davos gathering. The message also suggests inviting Denmark, Ukraine and Russia. The message shared by Trump is genuine, the French official said. On Greenland, France considers respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states is non-negotiable, said the official, who spoke anonymously in line with the customary practices of the French presidency. Concerning Macrons offering to organize a meeting of members of the Group of Seven most advanced economies in Paris on Thursday, the French presidency wants to make a constructive moment that contributes to dialogue and cooperation, the official added without further comments about Macrons suggestion he could invite Russia. ___ Sylvie Corbet contributed from Paris. France responds to Trump threat of 200% wine and Champagne tariffs An official close to French President Emmanuel Macron said tariffs threats are unacceptable and inefficient after Trump threatened 200% tariffs on French wine and Champagne over Paris declining his invitation to join the Board of Peace. Tariffs threats to influence our foreign policies are unacceptable and inefficient, said the official, who spoke anonymously in line with the customary practices of the French presidency. Macron is expected to speak Tuesday at Davos. ___ Sylvie Corbet contributed from Paris. European markets open lower over Greenland tensions European markets opened sharply lower on Tuesday and U.S. futures fell further as tensions rose over Greenland. Benchmarks in Germany, France and Britain fell about 1%. The future for the S&P 500 lost 1.5% and the Dow future was down 1.4%. With U.S. trading closed Monday for a holiday, financial markets had a relatively muted response to Trumps threat to put a 10% extra tariff on exports from eight European countries that have opposed his push to exert control over Greenland. Jonas Golterman of Capital Economics described the situation as a lose-lose for the U.S. and the targets of Trumps anger. It certainly fells like the kind of situation that could get worse before it gets better, Golterman said. ___ Elaine Kurtenbach contributed from Bangkok. Trump turns his ire to Chagos Islands The British government on Tuesday defended its decision to hand sovereignty the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after Trump attacked the plan, which his administration had previously supported. Trump said relinquishing the remote Indian Ocean archipelago, home to a strategically important U.S. naval and bomber base, was an act of stupidity that shows why he needs to take over Greenland. Trumps speech Wednesday at Davos is highly anticipated and likely to include mentions of Greenland. Discussion of the Chagos Islands may now rise up the agenda at the Swiss Alps forum. Read more here about the Chagos Islands. ___ Jill Lawless contributed from London. Egyptian president heads to Davos President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt is traveling Tuesday to attend the World Economic Forum, his office said in a statement. The Egyptian leader will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss regional and international developments of common interest, el-Sissis office said. Trump has invited el-Sissi to join a proposed Board of Peace to oversee the future of Gaza, but the Egyptian leader has yet to comment on the invitation. Egypt is a mediator in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal in Gaza, along with the U.S. Qatar and Turkey. Read more here about the Board of Peace. ___ Samy Magdy contributed from Cairo. Bessent says US-Europe relations never been closer despite Greenland U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said Americas relations with Europe remain strong and urged trading partners to take a deep breath and let tensions over new Trump administration tariff threats over Greenland play out. I think our relations have never been closer, he said, speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting. On Saturday, Trump announced a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight European nations that have rallied around Denmark in the wake of his stepped up calls for the United States to take over the semi-autonomous territory of Greenland. Trump has insisted the U.S. needs the territory for security reasons against possible threats from China and Russia. ___ Jamey Keaten reported from Davos. Bessent tells countries to stick with trade deals U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the worst thing another country can do is escalate against the United States. What President Trump is threatening on Greenland is very different than the other trade deals, he said. So I would urge all countries to stick with their trade deals. ___ Jamey Keaten reported from Davos. WEF opens without founder This years edition of the World Economic Forum will be the first not headed by forum founder Klaus Schwab. The board gave its unanimous support in 2025 for an independent investigation of Schwab following a report by The Wall Street Journal. The report cited a whistleblower letter alleging financial and ethical misconduct by Schwab and his wife, Hilde. The allegations emerged two days after the WEF announced Schwab had retired as chairman with immediate effect. In August, the forum said an investigation by its board found no material wrongdoing by Schwab or any misconduct by his wife. He was succeeded by interim co-chairs Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of New York-based investment management company BlackRock, and Andre Hoffmann, the vice chairman of Swiss pharmaceuticals company Roche Holdings. ___ AP World Economic Forum: https://apnews.com/hub/world-economic-forum A man with a history of criminal convictions appeared before Castlebar District Court in connection with theft and public order offences. Jordon Dowding, of Frenchill, Castlebar, pleaded guilty to the charges. The court heard that on September 24, 2025, Dowding entered Dunnes Stores in Castlebar and stole a pair of white socks and flip-flops with a total value of 9. Later that day, Gda Mark Walkin was on patrol in the Mountain View area when he came across Dowding, whom he knew to be in breach of his bail conditions, which required him to stay out of Castlebar unless attending appointments. Dowding was wearing the stolen items. The court also heard details of a separate public order incident on December 10, 2025, at Castlebar Garda Station. Gda Sgt Farrell said Dowding was signing on at the station as part of his bail conditions when he allegedly became abusive towards a garda after he engaged in a conversation with Dowding. It was stated that the defendant used abusive language towards the garda and repeatedly headbutted a glass partition in the station. He was arrested and initially resisted before being placed in a cell. The court heard that Dowding has four previous convictions dating from 2022 and 2023, which were dealt with in November 2024. Solicitor Gary Mulchrone said the court was familiar with his client, who has a diagnosis of autism and has struggled to access appropriate disability supports. He is now in his 30s, lives at home and struggles to regulate his behaviour during periods of difficulty, leading to incidents that cause alarm to others and bring him to the attention of gardai. Mr Mulchrone described the behaviour as heedless and senseless and said Dowding was now open to engaging with the Probation Service. Judge Sandra Murphy said she had seen Dowding coming in and out of court and noted that his difficulties were drawing him into criminal behaviour. She adjourned the matter for sentencing to April 15 next to allow for the preparation of a probation report. Dowding was remanded on continuing bail, with one condition amended to remove the requirement to sign on at the garda station, as he is to stay out of Castlebar. A Claremorris councillor is urging Mayo County Council to grant planning permission to fast-food chain McDonalds, which is seeking to open a branch in the town. Independent Cllr Richard Finn made his comments at the January meeting of the authority, noting that there are people willing to invest millions in the town. There are millions of euro out there waiting to be spent in order to finish off dereliction projects; all we are waiting for is the go-ahead and planning permissions. I just hope we continue to get the help of the council and management as the proof is out there that the money is here locally and people are willing to invest in the town to remove dereliction if they are allowed to invest. All we are looking for in Claremorris is progress. Mr Finn said he was particularly keen to see progress on an application for McDonalds in the town. Right now, there is an application in for a McDonalds franchise to open in the town. I would not like to see us ending up with the same result we saw in terms of the response of the general public when the application was put in for Lidl three years ago. We want those developments, we need them. It is brand names we need in our towns or else we wont have progress or any lifestyles either, the long-serving councillor added. Jan 20 (Reuters) - Artificial intelligence startup Ivo raised $55 million in a funding round, led by existing investor Blackbird, to speed up development of its legal services platform and hire more salespeople to tap growing demand. The Series B round, announced on Tuesday, valued the company at around $355 million, according to a source familiar with the matter. It was joined by new investors Costanoa Ventures, Uncork Capital, Fika Ventures, GD1 and Icehouse Ventures. Demand has grown for services that automate the grunt work that many law firms do for large corporations, feeding investor interest in the sector. Legal AI startup Harvey was valued at $8 billion last year in a $160 million fundraise. Ivo, whose customers include Uber, Shopify, IBM, Reddit and Canva, allows businesses to speed up the process of reviewing contracts. The company said its revenue has jumped sixfold since its last funding round in February last year. The AI startup also helps businesses unlock insights from legacy deals, showing how their negotiating position and risk profile have shifted, CEO and co-founder Min-Kyu Jung told Reuters. "Increasingly, the trend has been for more complex agreements," Jung said, noting demand has shifted from large-volume, simple contracts to more complicated work. Still, some high-profile legal errors involving AI-generated fake citations have, in recent years, exposed the dangers of relying on technology prone to hallucination. In 2024, a judge in Virginia ordered lawyers in a lawsuit to explain why they should not be sanctioned for submitting a filing that he said appeared to include "fictitious cases". Jung said Ivo achieves high accuracy by breaking reviews into over 400 separate AI tasks instead of just one, a detailed method he said beats both standard chatbots. The San Francisco-headquartered company plans to use the new funds to triple its current headcount of 60 by the end of 2026. (Reporting by Aditya Soni in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore) We came across a bearish thesis on LGI Homes, Inc. on Hunterbrooks Substack. In this article, we will summarize the bears thesis on LGIH. LGI Homes, Inc.'s share was trading at $53.79 as of January 13th. LGIHs trailing and forward P/E were 11.90 and 11.92 respectively according to Yahoo Finance. Opendoor (OPEN) Ends Losses as Investment Firm Acquires 5.9% Stake Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com Hunterbrook Medias investigation into LGI Homes ($LGIH) reveals a deeply concerning pattern of predatory sales practices targeting low-income and first-time homebuyers. Homes, Inc. engages in the design, construction, and sale of homes in the United States. Multiple former employees of LGIH confirmed the contents of LGIs 261-page internal sales manual, which trains agents to pressure customers, provide unlicensed mortgage advice, and steer buyers toward LGIs affiliated lender, often misrepresenting terms and creating false urgency. The manual instructs agents to prequalify buyers, pull credit reports, counsel on mortgages, and even suggest risky credit cards to raise scoresall activities requiring licensing and regulated under state and federal law, including the SAFE Act. Employees reported a pervasive culture of coercion, manipulation, and psychological tactics designed to convert reluctant shoppers into buyers, including misleading Sold signs, orchestrated scarcity claims, and steering renters toward home purchases. These practices inflated net order numbers for the company while contributing to high cancellation ratesapproximately 36% in Q3 2025far exceeding competitors like D.R. Horton and Lennar. Former agents also described a toxic workplace environment, with internal competition, false promises of wealth, and pressures to ignore ethical concerns, echoing manipulative boiler room sales techniques. The impact on consumers has been severe, with foreclosure rates among LGI buyers reportedly four times the national average. Experts warn that such unlicensed mortgage activity and manipulative sales tactics recall behaviors that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis. Despite the companys stated commitment to ethics, the evidence suggests systemic misconduct, including potential violations of consumer protection, mortgage licensing, and privacy laws. LGI has not responded to detailed requests for comment, leaving regulators, industry observers, and affected homebuyers to grapple with the consequences of these aggressive and potentially illegal sales strategies. Previously we covered a bullish thesis on D.R. Horton, Inc. (DHI) by Let it Compound in May 2025, which highlighted the companys market leadership, decentralized model, strong insider alignment, prudent capital strategy, resilient margins, and consistent cash returns. The company's stock price has appreciated approximately by 27.91% since our coverage. The thesis still stands as DHIs fundamentals continue to support long-term growth. Hunterbrook Media shares a contrarian perspective, emphasizing LGI Homes aggressive sales tactics and high cancellation rates. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said on Tuesday that he understands why Trump wants Greenland. Republican senator says Trump doesn't need to fight with allies to get Greenland's power Amodei agreed. "Now I think maybe we're starting to see just the little beginnings of it, in software and coding," he said, adding that Anthropic is thinking about how to deal with this change "in a sensible way." Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, predicted this would be the year when AI could mean cutting back on entry-level jobs and internships. "I think there is some evidence, I can feel that ourselves," he said during a joint interview with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei at Davos on Tuesday. Anthropic and Google DeepMind chiefs say they're seeing early signs of AI affecting junior-level hiring. Trump was also asked how far he was willing to go to acquire the territory, which is owned by Denmark. "You'll find out," Trump replied. "We have a lot of meetings scheduled on Greenland. I'm leaving tonight, as you know. Davos," Trump told reporters during the nearly two-hour-long briefing. "I think things are going to work out pretty well." At a White House press briefing on Tuesday, President Donald Trump remained coy on the issue of Greenland, though he signaled it would be a topic of discussion at Davos. Trump says he has 'a lot of meetings' scheduled on Greenland We'll be back on Wednesday, focusing on President Donald Trump's appearance and the ongoing fallout from his threats against Greenland. We're wrapping up our live coverage of the second day of Davos 2026. Today, we sampled $13 hot chocolates from Meta, witnessed an awkward moment between top tech leaders, heard about attendees getting scammed by "fake VIP passes" for the USA House, and, of course, documented some of the best fashion of the day. Follow along here for real-time updates from Davos. From global growth to AI, talent, and the future of work, Davos is where the year's biggest ideas are debated, deals are struck, and the road map for the year ahead gets sketched out. We'll be updating our liveblog throughout the week with breaking news, insights from interviews and conversations, power-player sightings, and color from private events. Business Insider is on the ground at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, and we want to take you along with us. Story Continues "I support the what: being able to project power in the Arctic," Tillis said at the "Path to Peace in Ukraine: By Might or by Accord?" panel. "Oh my goodness, anyone in NATO should understand that as a priority." Russia and China's military drills in the Arctic show that "clearly we have to have a power projection platform and Greenland makes a lot of geographic sense," he said. But he said he doesn't agree with Trump's how. Greenland is a territory of Denmark, a NATO ally, and the US already has a military base on it. Tillis pointed out that, at the peak of US cooperation, the US had 17 military facilities there. He also rejected the idea that projecting US power from Greenland requires some financial transaction. He said that path doesn't even appeal to him as a fiscal conservative. "I think over time, hopefully we will get to the president to recognize that and have the policy that's commensurate with that," he said. Plenty of government airplanes arrive in Davos with more on the way Air Force Two, a Boeing C-32A airplane, sits on a tarmac in 2019. BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images A blue-and-white Boeing C-32A departed Joint Base Andrews a few hours ago and is now approaching Europe. Its call sign, SAM696, suggests it's carrying a high-ranking official but not the president. Another US government airplane landed in Switzerland at 6:40 a.m. CET, before Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared in Davos. Argentina's President Javier Milei appeared to arrive in Zurich at 3:13 p.m. CET. His government's Boeing 757 jet, registered as "ARG-01," briefly stopped in the Canary Islands, per ADS-B Exchange data. French President Emmanuel Macron was onstage today, after two state-owned Dassault private jets arrived from an air base near Paris around 9:30 a.m. CET. We've also seen airplanes owned by the governments or militaries of Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Czechia, Egypt, Israel, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, and Sweden. President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak tomorrow. Microsoft President Brad Smith says people are asking 'completely legitimate questions' about data centers Microsoft President Brad Smith said at a panel on AI and geopolitics that local resistance to data centers is the "big issues" for tech companies investing in AI right now. Smith listed a variety of concerns that people who live near data centers are raising, including whether electricity prices will rise, whether water pressure in their homes will be impacted by the centers' water use, and who will benefit most from new jobs. "Those are completely legitimate questions, and I think it's incumbent on all of us in the industry in the United States to address them head-on and offer the kinds of assurances that people need," Smith said. Smith's comments come one week after Microsoft detailed a plan for "community-first AI infrastructure" that includes paying higher rates for the electricity their facilities consume. That followed a post from President Donald Trump calling on tech companies to "pay their own way" for data centers. Salesforce and Google execs have an awkward moment onstage Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff on Tuesday again called out tech companies for abusing Section 230, this time with Google's president sitting just feet away. "The social media companies have not been held responsible for the damage they did," Benioff said at a World Economic Forum panel. The Salesforce CEO owns Time Magazine, which he said is responsible for what it publishes. "These tech companies are not," he said. Benioff also criticized Character.AI after watching a "60 Minutes" documentary about the company's impact on children. It was "maybe the darkest thing I've ever seen with technology," Benioff said. He made similar statements about Section 230 and Character.AI earlier this month. Google president and chief investment officer Ruth Porat sat two seats down from Benioff on the panel. Her company runs one of the social media sites, YouTube, that benefits from Section 230. Google also paid $2.5 billion to license Character.AI's technology and hire its key talent in 2024. The panel's moderator said that Porat had a "right to reply." Porat said there were areas where regulation was needed, but the upside was significant. As a cancer survivor, Porat highlighted the potential to democratize early detection in oncology through AI. "I don't want to give up on those kinds of things," she said. Benioff responded, saying we can learn from what happened with social media. He referenced some governments banning social media for people under certain ages. "That's a big step," Benioff said. "That wasn't true 10 years ago." AI or else The biggest theme emerging from my conversations so far this week is that AI hasn't delivered the tangible productivity gains executives expected. The question everyone's trying to answer is: How do we fix that? One approach is an "AI or else" approach, shoving it down employees' throats (e.g., incorporating AI use in performance reviews). But at a Business Insider roundtable I moderated this morning, the chief people officers at many of the world's largest companies advised a gentler approach. Cisco, for example, found that when it mandated AI training, it not only failed to drive adoption but actually had a negative impact. What was more successful was "providing choice," said Francine Katsoudas, the chief people, policy, and purpose officer at Cisco like when it gave its engineers access to half a dozen AI tools, so they themselves could decide which tools to use and how to use them. "I do believe that we have to work really, really hard to make AI a team sport." I tried Meta's orange hot chocolate. It was delicious. Meta's orange hot chocolate was delicious. Ben Bergman/Business Insider One of the most fun parts about being at Davos is walking along the main promenade to people-watch and try the free snacks and drinks that companies and foreign governments hand out. Since this is a snowy mountain town, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are popular. One of the tastiest items I've had is the orange hot chocolate at Meta's house. To order, I had to scan a QR code, which took me to Meta-owned WhatsApp, where a disclaimer popped up. "Meta shares your commitment to the highest standards of ethical conduct and transparency," it said. "This hospitality is valued at USD $13." Luckily, our Business Insider policies allow me to accept free hot chocolate, and a minute later, a friendly barista served up the drink, topped with whipped cream, a marshmallow, and a wafer with the Meta logo. It was piping hot, not too sweet, and delicious. Davos attendees are getting scammed by 'fake VIP passes' for the USA House INA FASSBENDER / AFP via Getty Images A recent warning out of Davos highlights that even the world's business elite can fall prey to online scams. Fake VIP passes for the USA House America's privately funded celebration site at the World Economic Forum's event in Davos, Switzerland have hit the market. In a statement on its website, the USA House warned those attending not to be duped. "We will not give access to people who purchased such packages," the statement reads. "Our sympathies to those who fell victim to these scams." Read full story Howard Lutnick would rather not talk about Greenland US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Rachel Reeves, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, at Davos. Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick doesn't want to talk about Greenland, as President Donald Trump's statements about the autonomous Danish territory roil global markets. "No, it's not necessary," Lutnick told panel host Adam Tooze, an economic historian, when Tooze tried to steer the conversation back to the topic looming over Davos. "I think America and the Western Hemisphere are vital to America, and I'm going to leave that to my national security people to address." Top economic officials in the UK and Canada, who joined Lutnick on the panel, sprinkled in reminders in their remarks that the White House should not forget its allies, though they offered no specific condemnation of Trump's repeated suggestions that the US may try to seize Greenland. "What I urge Howard and others in the administration just to think of is just how your allies can help you achieve your objectives," Rachel Reeves, the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer, said. Later, during an open Q&A, Lutnick was pressed on how the US would respond if Europe imposed retaliatory tariffs should Trump follow through on his threat to impose tariffs on European countries for not supporting his views on Greenland. Lutnick said if Europe responds with tariffs of its own, the standoff will eventually end with a meeting between President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Trump, as happened previously. "If we're going to have a kerfuffle, so be it," Lutnick said. "But we know how it's going to end." Lunch with two of the youngest tech founders at Davos Cameron Fink and Noah Koh are two of Davos' youngest delegates. Ben Bergman/Business Insider Davos often attracts an older crowd, but I had lunch with two young tech founders here, one of whom is not old enough to drink in the US "This is one of the few places in the world where I can have a drink and not feel so guilty about it," said Cameron Fink, the 20-year-old Dartmouth dropout who is cofounder and CEO of Aaru, which is building AI-driven software that it says can predict future events. "I did meet one person younger than me, but they happened to be the child of the World Economic Forum delegate, so I don't know if that counts." Fink and his 21-year-old cofounder, Ned Koh, were dressed in suits. They dressed up to try to make them look older, lest they be confused for interns. To save money, they are not staying in Davos, but 30 minutes away by train. "The Davos accommodations are like $30,000, Fink said. "That doesn't exist in our founder budget." Ned used 390,000 United Airlines miles to travel here in business class, which he said was worth it because he spent the trip networking. "If you look at the people around you and you start to look at logos on backpacks, you'll see that like half of America's biggest CEOs are sitting next to you," said Koh. Top economists expect a 'choppy' job market Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, described the US job market in three words to a Davos audience: "K-shaped, concentrated, and choppy." Consumer spending is high among wealthier Americans, but middle- and lower-income households are struggling to find work and pay bills. It's a gap that she expects will widen, especially as healthcare and hospitality are among the only fields showing real growth. Besides the gloomy jobs outlook, a group of top economists and bank leaders said Tuesday that the global economy is resilient. Potential AI and credit bubbles might be a risk to markets though data centers are still a worthy investment. "We're not in a productivity bubble," Richardson, who was one of the panelists, said. "What AI has promised, it can deliver: higher standards of living, higher growth rates." She expects the US will need more specialized blue-collar workers to build data centers and stay competitive. "It's going to take an infrastructure that is able to keep up with the development, and right now, we don't have it." Spotted: Linda Yaccarino is on the ground at Davos Linda Yaccarino, CEO of eMed Population Health. Kim Last/Business Insider Yaccarino, the former CEO of X, is participating in various panels along the promenade in her new role as CEO of eMed Population Health. Her winter white suit is from Gabriela Hearst. Markets are finally taking Trump's Greenland threats seriously Trump is dominating not only conversations in Davos, but also the narrative in the markets. Stocks across the board have plunged on Tuesday morning, with investors showing their anxiety about the Greenland fight. Major indexes on both sides of the Atlantic are down sharply, having previously largely ignored Trump's threats to take over Greenland. Read Jennifer Sor's full story on Tuesday's market chaos here. Trump is dominating the Davos agenda and casting a chill over the global elite PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 20: U.S. President Donald Trump walks off Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport on December 20, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump traveled to his Mar-a-Lago club after holding a rally in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images The weather is sunny and (relatively) warm in Davos, but there's a definite chill in the air. Maybe it's the heightened security. Maybe it's the long lines already forming. Maybe it's that there are reportedly a lot more people here than there have been in a long time. Whatever the case, everyone seems to be on edge. Multiple attendees told me they were already feeling exhausted, as if we were halfway through the week, even though we're just getting started. President Donald Trump's ongoing threats against Europe over his desire to take over Greenland have been a big talking point. Speculation continues to swirl about his Wednesday address. Read full story Liberal arts degrees are back Philosophy majors, rejoice. Your value is rising by the minute. After years of often being the butt of the joke in the corporate world, liberal arts degrees might be the new hot commodity. I've asked a lot of finance executives this week about AI's impact on the workplace. Specifically, how the tech's automation could suck up the need for junior roles. All of them stressed the importance of attracting critical, creative thinkers, since so much of the hard financial analysis can be done by the bots. That means they'd look for talent outside traditional finance tracks. Don't sweat it, Wharton folks. They're still interested in your types. Just don't be surprised if you're rubbing shoulders with an Art History major in your analyst class. Amodei says selling AI chips to China would be 'crazy' As AI chips designs diversify beyond Nvidia's GPU, US semiconductor fabs are pressing their noses up against the AI boom window. AP Photo/Ng Han Guan Selling AI chips to China would be "like selling nuclear weapons to North Korea," according to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who described the idea as "crazy." Speaking to Bloomberg at Davos on Tuesday, Amodei said that Trump's decision to sell Nvidia AI chips to China would be a mistake that could have major national security implications. "We are many years ahead of China in terms of our ability to make chips, so I think it would be a big mistake to ship these chips," said Amodei, who said that companies like Anthropic were building models that are "essentially cognition." "Imagine 100 million people smarter than any Nobel Prize winner, and it's going to be under the control of one country or another. MAPPED: Davos private jet arrivals Pete Syme/Business Insider I've been tracking all the private jets that are landing near Davos. There were at least 157 yesterday, arriving from more than 40 different countries. The longest trip was made by one that belongs to Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, according to JetSpy data. It flew for 14.5 hours from Hawaii. JetSpy also showed numerous companies' private jets arriving in the area, including those of Aramco, BlackRock, Google, and JPMorgan Chase. The most popular type was the Gulfstream G650, which typically costs over $65 million. Read full story Wendy Diamond, founder and CEO of the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization, wore green Wendy Diamond, founder of the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization. Jamie Heller/Business Insider Green "is my happy color," she said, saying bright colors help when "the world is so dark." Iuliia Bazhan, a model and founder of the Evoautism Foundation, went for an all-white look Jamie Heller/Business Insider Trump tariffs are 'fundamentally unacceptable,' says Macron French President Emmanuel Macron took to the stage in aviator sunglasses. Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images French President Emmanuel Macron channeled his inner "Top Gun" during a panel discussion with WEF cochair Larry Fink, sporting a pair of aviator sunglasses. In a special address, Macron criticized Trump's tariffs, calling them "fundamentally unacceptable." "Competition from the United States of America through trade agreements that undermine our export interests, demand maximum concessions, and openly aim to weaken and subordinate Europe, combined with an endless accumulation of new tariffs that are fundamentally unacceptable, even more so when they are used as leverage against territorial sovereignty," he said. While it isn't clear exactly why Macron sported sunglasses, he appeared in public last week with a swollen, red right eye, opening a speech at a French military base by saying: "Please pardon the unsightly appearance of my eye." He described his issue as "something completely harmless." A strong US presence US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick pictured in Davos, Switzerland. Ben Bergman/Business Insider The presence of senior figures from US politics is noticeable in Davos this year. Business Insider's Ben Bergman has spotted both Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and former House speaker and longtime Trump ally, Newt Gingrich, on the ground today. A reminder: Trump addresses Davos tomorrow at 2 p.m. local time. Anthropic CEO: AI might necessitate economic intervention to help people David Dee Delgado/Getty Images for The New York Times Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said he believes people will eventually realize AI may demand "macroeconomic intervention." "If we look at just the disparities in wealth that we have now, if we look at it as a fraction of GDP, I believe we've kind of exceeded the Gilded Age already, and this is mostly without AI," he said. However, asked about the California wealth tax, Amodei said the proposal was "poorly designed" and called for more "sober" thinking about tech's economic impact. Gates and Dell's private jets arrive in Switzerland Private jets belonging to Bill Gates and Michael Dell touched down at Zurich Airport around lunchtime, according to data from JetSpy. Gates' Gulfstream G650 came from Madrid, about two hours away. It was on the ground in the Spanish capital for 24 hours after arriving from California. The Microsoft cofounder is scheduled to speak about healthcare tomorrow. A Gulfstream G700, which JetSpy lists as belonging to Dell, flew from Farnborough, near London. It had traversed the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday. Capitalism has failed to spread wealth and prosperity, says Larry Fink Larry Fink, the CEO and chairman of Blackrock, and co-chair of the World Economic Forum Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, the world's largest asset management firm, kicked off the World Economic Forum on Tuesday with a critique of capitalism. More wealth has been created since the fall of the Berlin Wall than at any other time in human history, but it has not translated into shared prosperity, said Fink, who was appointed as interim cochair of the World Economic Forum in August 2025, replacing founder Klaus Schwab. "In advanced economies, that wealth has accrued to a far narrower share of people than any healthy society can ultimately sustain," he said. Read full story Serving looks in the Swiss Alps Monica Weinberg, a professor at Florida Atlantic University. Kim Last/Business Insider As you can probably tell, we here at Business Insider are really enjoying the winter fashions on show in sunny Davos. Our latest fashion dispatch comes from Kim Last, Editorial Director of BI Live, Business Insider's live journalism platform, who spied Monica Weinberg, a professor at Florida Atlantic University, rocking an Akris black lame suit and a matching Lady Dior bag. You can keep track of all the best looks we've spotted at Davos by clicking below: our favorite davos fashion Wall Street gears up for a painful day amid Greenland tensions As the top dogs of the finance world live it up in the mountains, there's a big day brewing on Wall Street. With tensions between the US and Europe rising amid Trump's threats of further tariffs over Greenland, global stock markets are bumpy on Tuesday. In European trading, the benchmark indexes in Germany, France, and the UK have all dropped more than 1% as of 7 a.m. ET. US futures are also pointing to a painful day, with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all set to open more than 1% lower. Futures in the S&P 500 VIX, which measures volatility in the index, have jumped 7% on Tuesday, while gold, the ultimate safe haven, is up over 3% to $7,740 per ounce. Derrick Feldman of the Ad Council loves his Boggi Milano suits, which he originally discovered in Rome. And don't miss the Oura ring and Apple Watch Ultra. Derrick Feldmann of the Ad Council in Davos. Jamie Heller/Business Insider Autonomous vehicles are in the spotlight Uber will continue to expand its offerings beyond car rides in 2025. Sebastian Gollnow/picture alliance via Getty Images As traffic jams snarl the streets of Davos, conversations about the autonomous future of cars are getting a lot of airtime. Earlier, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi was asked about the investment landscape around robotaxis, and said he doesn't think the investment market in autonomous vehicles is overheated. However, he says the broader AI market foundation models, hardware, semiconductors has "heated up significantly," with "very aggressive assumptions of forward growth." Asked if Uber might invest in Waymo, Khosrowshahi said "no comment." "They have plenty of money," he said. "But we're investing across the ecosystem, and we're very bullish." Editor's note: This post has been updated to more accurately reflect Khosrowshahi's comments. Andrew Gan, a wealth manager, was sporting his own style on his way to moderate at the Philippines House. Jamie Heller/Business Insider Jonathan Nowak Delgado said he always wears his orange scarf, which his mother made for him, to get attention and stand out and it worked! Jamie Heller/Business Insider Grab it while you can Pinterest is feeding hungry Davosians this week. Dan DeFrancesco/Business Insider With schedules full of back-to-back meetings and most shops on the promenade taken over by businesses, eating during the day can be tough. Some businesses set up grab-and-go food and drink stations. That's what Pinterest did, and this morning, sweet croissants were on the menu. I opted for the chocolate crush, but I was told the cinnamon apple glow was the most popular choice, with only two left when I got there a little after 11 a.m. And yes, it tasted as good as it looked. Stacey Kennedy is not to be slowed down Jamie Heller/Business Insider So when the CEO of Philip Morris International US travels, even for long trips, she takes a carry-on. Her trick: Pick a color for the week and coordinate outfits around that, with travel-well fabrics. For Davos this week, the color is black. A former government official weighs in on Trump's upcoming speech Trump calls for a one-year 10% cap on credit card interest in a Truth Social post. Alex Wong/Getty Images Stephen Ehikian is CEO of C3 AI, but he's no stranger to the Trump administration. Ehikian, who was also previously a VP of product at Salesforce, served for eight months as the Acting Administrator of the General Services Administration before taking on the CEO role last September. I asked him about President Donald Trump's upcoming speech. He had this to say: "I'm hoping there's an expression of strength in numbers, and we're better together kind of story. Now, that said, I believe this idea that taking a strong 'America First' approach is good for this country. "I think it's setting a tone and a change of direction from where we've been the last 50 years. So, I think it's refreshing. I don't even want to anticipate what's going to happen tomorrow because I have no idea." Breaking the rules Speaking earlier this morning, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said he is skeptical about some companies claiming rapid AI transformation, and that getting it right comes down to culture. Uber tried building customer service AI that followed its old policies, Khosrowshahi told the audience at Davos, but it was only "OK." That changed after the developers started from scratch with AI in mind. Companies are essentially rule systems, he said. "To some extent, you've got to break down those rules and start over with AI in order to get the full potential of AI inside your company." Editor's note: This post has been updated to more accurately reflect Khosrowshahi's comments. David Beckham is in the house David Beckham pictured recording a podcast at the 2026 World Economic Forum. Denis Balibouse/Reuters Davos attracts a real cross-section of the world's rich and powerful, ranging from investors and politicians to sporting legends. Soccer great and longtime UNICEF ambassador David Beckham was spotted recording a podcast this morning. At last year's Davos, Beckham was awarded the Crystal Award, which recognized his contributions to "advocating for children's rights, education and well-being." Does this guy have a badge? Do you want to build a snowman? Someone at Davos has! Dan DeFrancesco Satya Nadella says this is how he preps for his Davos meetings with AI Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella JASON REDMOND/AFP via Getty Images Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who spoke in a morning panel led by BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, shared how he has always prepared for Davos meetings and how that's changed with AI. He said his field team used to prep him for 50 or so meetings, according to a "particular workflow." "Nothing had really changed since I joined in '92 to essentially even a few years back," he said about the year he joined the tech giant as an engineer. "Whereas now, I just go to Copilot and say, "Hey, I'm meeting Larry. Please give me a brief." He added that the briefs generated by Microsoft's AI assistant give him a comprehensive overview of the relationship between his firm and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink's team. AI tools are also changing the traditional bottom-to-top flow of information, he said. "In fact, what I do is I take that and immediately share that back with all my colleagues across all the functions," he said. "Think about it. It's a complete inversion of how information is flowing in the organization." Lines at 9 a.m. at the Belvedere hotel, a meeting hot spot A long line outside the Belvedere Hotel in Davos, a meeting hotspot. Jamie Heller Uber CEO: Robot drivers will beat humans on safety Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. Al Drago/Getty Images Robot drivers will ultimately outperform humans on safety, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said on Tuesday in Davos. "If you think about the world 20 years from now, your Uber is going to be driven largely not by a human being, but by a robot driver a piece of software on top of a car," Khosrowshahi said, adding that vehicles are becoming increasingly sophisticated and more like "computers on wheels." Khosrowshahi said autonomous systems have clear advantages over human drivers. "There's no doubt in my mind that the robot driver can be safer than a human driver," he said. Robot drivers don't get tired or distracted, don't text while driving, and can operate continuously while improving over time, he added. The key question, Khosrowshahi said, is what level of safety is "enough" for robot drivers whether matching human performance is sufficient or whether autonomous vehicles should be held to a higher standard. In the longer term, he said, human driving could resemble horseback riding today, becoming a niche activity done for enjoyment. "There's no doubt that 10 years from now, there will be questions as to whether humans are safe enough," he said. Trump's setting the Greenland agenda at Davos Trump's heading to Davos, and Greenland's on the agenda. illustration by Cheng Xin/Getty Images Trump is expected to arrive in Davos on Wednesday. While Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wants business leaders to take a breath and chill out about Greenland, that may not be in the cards. Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday that he had "a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland." "I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security," Trump wrote. Trump on Sunday had sent messages to Norway's leader, saying the US requires "Complete and Total Control of Greenland." Greenland is a semi-autonomous Danish territory. Governments flip-flopping on EV policy sets carmakers back, a top BYD exec says Stella Li, an executive vice president at Chinese carmaker BYD. Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images Governments keep changing their rules on EVs, says BYD executive vice president Stella Li, and that sets carmakers back. Li said in a panel at Davos that when countries go "back and forth" on their EV policy, it creates a pattern that "will confuse manufacturers." In contrast, when governments give a "very clear line," automakers can focus on execution, Li said. Read full story Scott Bessent wants everyone to 'take a deep breath' US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images Bessent, speaking to the press on Tuesday morning, urged calm amid President Donald Trump's latest slate of trade tariffs on Greenland. "You say: 'If there is a protracted trade war.' Why are we jumping there? Why are you taking it to the worst case? Calm down the hysteria, take a deep breath, this is where we were last year," Bessentt said. "I'm sure you would have asked me the same question if we were here on April 2nd. And you know what? It all worked out." When asked about what European business leaders should do, Bessent's take was to "sit back" and "relax." "What I am urging everyone here to do is sit back, take a deep breath, and let things play out," Bessent said. "I am confident that the leaders will not escalate and that this will work out in a manner that ends up in a very good place for all, for national security, for the US, and for Europe," he said. What's giving executives a rough night's sleep AI cybersecurity is a top concern for some execs right now. Donato Fasano/Getty Images Anything you do within your company's digital ecosystem is likely being tracked, from the data you touch to the software programs you use. But AI agents, not so much. That's a real concern as we rely on them more and more, Raj Sharma, EY's global managing partner of growth and innovation, told me. "We have to build industrial-level security for AI agents in that particular area," he said. "That keeps me up at night," Sharma added. For Tim Walsh, the chair and CEO of KPMG US, it's the threat of quantum computing. While still a few years out, its power is undeniable. "Quantum breaks everything," Walsh said. "I mean, all encryption." Read full story M&A is top of mind "M&A is high on the agenda," said Sharon Marcil, North America chair at BCG. "We're hearing it from so many CEOs." She pointed to a strong stock market and an overall tilt in Washington toward deregulation and robust business activity. Winston Weinberg, CEO and cofounder of the legal AI startup Harvey, echoes the sentiment, saying he is hearing that 2026 will be an "insane" year for dealmaking. (Good for lawyers!) Similar predictions predominated this time last year. The tariff tumult put a pause on M&A early on, but then dealmaking got its mojo back. Davos kicked off on Monday with a warning from Larry Fink about capitalism Larry Fink opened the World Economic Forum with a speech that acknowledged the crisis of confidence that gatherings of world leaders such as Davos now face, Fabrice Coffrini/ AFP via Getty Images Fink took the stage at Davos to welcome more than a thousand chief executives to the World Economic Forum. In his opening remarks, he questioned whether anyone outside the room would care about this meeting of global leaders. "Because if we're being honest, for many people this meeting feels out of step with the moment: elites in an age of populism, an established institution in an era of deep institutional distrust," the BlackRock CEO said. "And there's truth in that critique," he added. "I've believed in this forum for a long time. I certainly wouldn't be leading it if I didn't. But it's also obvious that the world now places far less trust in us to help shape what comes next." Fink said the capitalism now faces a big test: Whether it can "evolve to turn more people into owners of growth, instead of spectators watching it happen." "And that kind of change is hard. Especially in a world of competing ideologies and assumptions about how the system should work," he said. Fink's remarks ground what is expected to be a monumental week, in which deals are made and new alliances are forged amid turmoil in the wider political sphere. Business Insider's series "The Future of Capitalism" looks at ways Americans' confidence in capitalism has been eroding and what related changes in our economy mean for your work and wealth. Read the original article on Business Insider Witsies awarded prestigious Google PhD Fellowships Jess Rees and Tristan Bester, have been awarded the highly competitive Google PhD Fellowship for 2025. The fellowship recognises exceptional PhD students from the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics (CSAM) at Wits whose research demonstrates the potential for groundbreaking scientific contributions and meaningful societal impact, particularly in areas where advances in computing can benefit communities around the world. The Google PhD Fellowship programme supports outstanding graduate students pursuing innovative research in fields relevant to Google, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, and their applications. Fellows are selected through a rigorous international process and are recognised not only for academic excellence, but also for the ambition of their work to address real-world challenges and shape the future of technology. Advancing AI for healthcare: Jess Rees Jess Rees is supervised by Distinguished Professor Bruce Bassett from CSAM, and has been recognised for her research on the use of AI in medicine, with a particular focus on improving clinical diagnosis and strengthening healthcare systems in South Africa. Reflecting on the award, Rees said she feels excited and honoured, describing the fellowship as a powerful validation of the potential impact of her research. The possibility of influencing how AI is developed for healthcare, and of making a large, positive contribution to the South African healthcare system, is hugely motivating, she said. I feel even more driven to contribute to both the field and the country through my work. Rees highlighted the freedom the fellowship provides, allowing her to focus fully on her PhD research and to build collaborations across the CSAM, the Faculty of Health Sciences, and the Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute. She also expressed enthusiasm for the mentorship opportunities offered through Google and the global community of PhD fellows, adding that she is eager to dive in and nerd out as we develop new algorithms for clinical diagnosis. Previously a Principal Data Scientist at Discovery Health, where she worked for nine years, Rees has transitioned to a full-time PhD in Computer Science at Wits. Her career has been rooted in natural language processing, with recent work centred on large language models and generative AI. In 2024, she was named one of the Mail & Guardians 200 Young South Africans for her contributions to Technology and Innovation. Her doctoral research will focus on multi-agent AI systems for sequential clinical diagnosis, aiming to deliver practical, high-impact tools for healthcare. Strengthening the foundations of AI: Tristan Bester Tristan Bester received the Google PhD Fellowship for his work in machine learning foundations, particularly at the intersection of reinforcement learning and symbolic AI. I am honoured to receive the Google PhD Fellowship for Machine Learning and ML Foundations, Bester said. It is truly a privilege to have an institution as prestigious as Google support my research and recognise the importance of my work. This motivates me to continue pushing the boundaries of AI and machine learning. Bester is a PhD candidate in Computer Science at Wits, where he is supervised by Professor Benjamin Rosman, Director of the MIND Institute, and Drs Steven James and Geraud Nangue Tasse from CSAM. Notably, James was also a Google PhD Fellow in 2018 highlighting the fellowships lasting and recurring impact on machine learning research in Africa. Besters research focuses on the fundamental theory underlying modern AI systems, with a strong emphasis on understanding why algorithms work, when they fail, and how they can be designed more reliably. His work bridges neural and symbolic approaches to AI, aiming to unify low-level learning with high-level reasoning. He introduced Counting Reward Machines, the first Turing-complete framework for state-machine-based reward modelling, establishing a new theoretical foundation for optimal behaviour in reinforcement learning tasks requiring complex temporal reasoning. Building on this, his PhD research explores optimal knowledge transfer between subtasks, principled automated reward design, and the synthesis of task structure from natural languagedeveloping rigorous, general-purpose algorithms to improve the reliability, interpretability, and scalability of reinforcement learning. Global recognition, local impact The success of Rees and Bester underscores the growing international recognition of Wits University as a hub for world-class AI and machine learning research. Their work exemplifies how foundational theory and applied research can work hand in hand to address pressing societal challenges, from healthcare delivery to the development of more robust and trustworthy intelligent systems. The Google PhD Fellowship not only supports these students individually, but also strengthens the broader research ecosystem at Wits and across Africaenabling talented researchers to pursue ambitious ideas, build global collaborations, and contribute knowledge with lasting impact. Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Dave Nixon didn't move to California for the beaches or the burritos. He moved because, in his words, Florida stopped paying attention. "I just felt like education, healthcare, all the things I care about that equalize society, were not being paid attention to [in Florida]," Nixon told Fortune magazine. . A former healthcare executive and member of Patriotic Millionaires, Nixon packed up his life in 2022 and headed to Pasadena, Californiawhere he says those values still get the funding and focus they deserve. "I still think that California does a better job on those things that matter." Don't Miss: Nixon's not talking about political vibes or tax perks. He's talking infrastructure. In his view, two foundational systemseducation and healthcarearen't just underfunded in Florida. They're neglected. While the state may have sunshine and no income tax, he believes the long-term cost comes from what gets left behind. And the numbers back up at least part of what he's saying. California currently spends about $18,020 per public school student each year. Florida? Around $12,415. Even with the lower cost, WalletHub's 2025 rankings place Florida at No. 21 for K12 quality, while California trails at No. 30. But Nixon isn't focused on test scores. He's focused on what that money represents: priorities. And when it comes to total education investment, California committed over $133 billion in K12 funding alone for the 202425 cyclemore than the entire annual budget of many states. Trending: Arrived Home's Private Credit Funds has historically paid an annualized dividend yield of 8.1%*, which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate with just a $100 minimum. On higher education, the contrast is sharper. U.S. News & World Report ranks Florida No. 1 for statewide higher education thanks to low tuition, high graduation rates, and minimal student debt. But California has the bragging rights when it comes to prestige. Three of the top public universities in the countryUC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diegoare all in the Golden State. Berkeley alone holds the No. 1 public spot on Forbes' 2025 list. In the same Fortune interview, Nixon slammed tech billionaires like Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page for fleeing California's tax policies, calling their moves "sickening and greedy." He argues that California's public systemseducation, healthcare, innovationcreated the very wealth those billionaires are now trying to protect by leaving. Hungarian oil and gas company MOL Group has signed a heads of agreement (HoA) with Gazprom Neft to acquire the latters 56.15% stake in Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) for an undisclosed price. The deal with the Russian company will grant MOL control of Serbia's only oil refinery, located in Pancevo. It also marks a significant expansion of MOL's operations in the central and south-eastern European energy market. This acquisition aims to guarantee sustained and stable operations at the Pancevo refinery and its associated business units, ensuring a consistent energy supply to the region. MOL Group chairman and CEO Zsolt Hernadi said: As a reliable regional energy provider, we would like to contribute to the development of central and south-eastern Europe. We have maintained excellent professional cooperation with our Serbian partners for many years. MOL is committed to working together with the Serbian Government to further strengthen the security of supply in Serbia and in the region. Hernadi further explained that the energy sovereignty of landlocked countries depends on the collaboration of robust local refineries that can operate predictably and effectively, alongside strong partners. He indicated that MOL Group is talking to the United Arab Emirates ADNOC about the latter potentially becoming a minority shareholder in NIS, while the Hungarian company would maintain majority ownership and control. The Pancevo refinery, operational since 1968, has undergone significant modernisation. It currently has a refining capacity of around 4.8 million tonnes per year. The facility produces various petroleum products that meet EU standards. NIS also operates a network of nearly 400 service stations across Serbia, Romania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The deal's completion hinges on fulfilling conditions outlined in the HoA, such as securing necessary regulatory endorsements. Critical approvals needed include clearance from the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the US, alongside other governmental and state consents in Serbia. The involved parties are targeting a deadline of 31 March 2026 to finalise the sales and purchase agreement. "MOL to acquire Gazprom Nefts stake in Serbian refiner NIS" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. UK non-alc beer business Brulo is aiming to secure grocery listings in its home market after attracting over 1m ($1.3m) in funding. Brulo, set up in 2019, has pulled in funds from investors including Funkin founder Alex Carlton and Logan Plant, the founder of UK beer brand Beavertown. The companys alcohol-free beers are stocked at independent bars and restaurants in the UK and founder James Brown is targeting new customers in the on- and off-premise in the coming months. This year, we are aiming to secure selected UK grocery and on-trade listings, building on the growing number of independent bars, restaurants, and venues that already stock our beers, Brown told Just Drinks. The UK accounts for around half Brulos revenue. In the companys 2025 financial year, it generated net sales of 1.6m. So far outside the UK, Brulo has launched its beer in markets including France, Norway, Sweden and Japan. It has set up a fulfilment hub in the Netherlands to support a direct-to-consumer service in EU markets. Brown added: We are in ongoing conversations with large national retailers who are keen to stock our beers. Belgiums De Proef Brouwerij, a contract brewer for the likes of Mikkeller, produces Brulos beer. Its range includes Lust for Life IPA and Highway to Helles lager. Brulo, meanwhile, yesterday (19 January) reopened an existing Crowdcube round for one week. For the next financial year, following the funding round, we are forecasting material growth in net sales while remaining profitable, Brown said. We have been profitable on a net-profit basis since launch and a key focus for us is maintaining a sustainable business model. This round brings together founders and operators who have built some of the most recognisable consumer brands in the UK. Their support is a huge vote of confidence in what were building. "Non-alc beer firm Brulo eyes UK grocery after funding" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The US invasion of Venezuela and the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro are a criminal attempt to reimpose colonial domination not only in Venezuela, but across Latin America and beyond. The events have also exposed the Bolivarian regime in Venezuela. Its leaders are rapidly moving toward accommodation with US President Donald Trump at the expense of the working class, amid mounting popular anger at Trumps policy of plunder. This explosive situation is exposing the bourgeois character of the Venezuelan regime and the reactionary role of those who glorify it. That includes Stalinist Communist Party MarxistKenya (CPM-K) General Secretary Booker Omole, who for years has promoted bourgeois nationalism and denounced the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) for its principled criticisms of such regimes and the CPM-Ks defence of capitalism. The CPM-K leadership is publicly praising interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, portraying her as an emblem of anti-imperialist resistance, even as she holds direct talks with the Trump, meets with the CIA, and presides over arrangements placing Venezuelas oil revenues under US control. Omoles glorification of a regime ready to facilitate the imperialist subjugation and plunder of its country is laying bare the bankruptcy of bourgeois nationalism and Stalinism. Omole hails interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez on January 9, reposting a picture of his earlier meeting with Rodriguez (photo on the right), less than a week before Rodriguez met CIA Director John Ratcliffe on January 15 (photo on the left) [Photo: BenjaminHallFNC/X/CIA official & @BookerBiro/X] His promotion of forces trying to work out relations with the CIA flows from his Stalinist orientation to bourgeois nationalism and his vitriolic hostility to Trotskyism. His enthusiastic promotion of Comrade Delcy as she orients to Trump has gone hand-in-hand with denunciations of the WSWS and the International Committee of the Fourth International, the leadership of the world Trotskyist movement. On January 3, in response to the illegal US invasion of Venezuela to abduct Maduro, Omole hailed Venezuelas bourgeois-nationalist regime. He concluded a series of tweets predicting a Venezuelan military defeat of the United States by denouncing Trotskyism, writing: Trots are a nuisance! [Photo: @BookerBiro / X] Only hours before, Omole had publicly denounced the WSWS for its exposure, published last October, of the Omoles promotion of pro-imperialist Kenyan politician Raila Odinga following his death. That WSWS article explained that by hailing Odingas role in a supposed bourgeois democratic struggle, the CPM-K legitimised a capitalist politician who for decades functioned as a political fixer for Kenyan and imperialist interests. Odinga channelled mass opposition into constitutional reforms, national unity governments and support for IMF austerity, police-state repression and imperialist military interventions in Somalia and West Africa. Apparently, Omole had been seething over the article for months. As the Bolivarian regime he promoted was being exposed, he launched a political campaign to defend it and his own nationalist politics. The CPM-K thereupon issued a statement titled Militant Solidarity with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and President Nicolas Maduro Moros Against United States Imperialist Aggression. In it, Omole declared CPM-Ks unshakeable solidarity to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, to its heroic working people, to its patriotic armed forces, and to the legitimate Bolivarian Government led by President Nicolas Maduro Moros, in the face of the criminal military aggression unleashed by United States imperialism. What unites the CPM-Ks defence of Odingas reactionary legacy and its uncritical support for the Bolivarian regime is a defence of nationalism and capitalism against the independent interests of the working class. This perspective is exposed as bankrupt by the developments in Venezuela. On January 9, Omole hailed Rodriguez as interim president in a tweet, posting a photo of himself with her holding the Stalinist magazine Itikadi some years before. That same day, Rodriguezs government announced it had decided to initiate an exploratory diplomatic process with the government of the United States of America, aimed at re-establishing diplomatic missions in both countries. Rodriguez was signaling the governments eagerness to restore relations with Washington less than a week after the US military illegally invaded Venezuela, killed over 100 people, and kidnapped the countrys president. The next day, on January 10, PDVSA, the Venezuelan national oil company, hailed the US Navys illegal seizure of a Russian tanker transporting Venezuelan oil in the Atlantic Ocean. It presented this US act of war against Russia as a great success of Venezuelan cooperation with Trump. The PDVSA, formerly run by Rodriguez, issued a communique declaring: US and Venezuelan authorities have announced the success of the joint operations to force the return of the ship Minerva, which left port without paying for its oil and without the authorization of Venezuelan authorities. Thanks to this first, successful joint operation, the vessel is now steaming to return to Venezuelan waters to be taken back under control and for other pertinent actions. Omole remained silent. But the political implications of his praise for Rodriguez were further exposed in the days that followed. On January 12, Rodriguez announced that she had spoken directly with Trump. She fatuously boasted of a long and courteous telephone conversation conducted in a spirit of mutual respect, during which we discussed a bilateral working agenda for the benefit of our peoples, as well as outstanding issues between our governments. The cynicism of Rodriguezs statement is staggering. What mutual respect can possibly exist when Trump has declared he will run Venezuela and control its oil? Rodriguez made no mention whatsoever of Maduros kidnapping, the bloodshed inflicted by US forces, or the ongoing navy embargo. Trump also described the call, praising Rodriguez as a terrific person, noting tremendous progress and promising a spectacular partnership on oil and national security. On January 14, the CPM-K organised a protest outside the US embassy in Nairobi, which Kenyan police violently suppressed. The CPM-K tweeted: Kenyan police, with instructions from Washington and CIA intelligence, blocked protestors who were showing solidarity with the people of Venezuela and against US imperialism. CPM-K Politburo [Photo: @CommunistsKe] But even as the CPM-K sought to tap into genuine mass hostility to US imperialism in Kenya, the partys leadership was working to channel it back into promoting bourgeois nationalism and the Bolivarian regime, which was seeking out ties with the same CIA the CPM-K blamed for repressing its supporters. The next day, Rodriguez met directly with the agency. Such was Washingtons confidence in the political reliability of the Venezuelan regime that it dispatched the Director of the CIA himself, John Ratcliffe, to Caracas. Trump had not the slightest concern that he might be detained to demand the release of the abducted president. According to Ratcliffe, the talks focused on economic and security cooperation, and the view that Venezuela can no longer be a safe haven for Americas adversaries. That is, the goal of these talks was to realign the Venezuelan regime against Russia and China, in accordance with US imperialist strategy. The Bolivarian regime is still hiding the precise workings of the plunder operation now unfolding. Beyond the limited outline provided in the US governments January 7 fact sheet and Trumps January 9 executive order, cynically titled to protect Venezuelan oil revenues for the benefit of the American and Venezuelan peoples, little has been disclosed. Even these sparse revelations, however, establish the neocolonial character of the arrangement Trump and Rodriguez are trying to impose on Venezuela. Press reports note that Washington has already begun selling Venezuelan oil and is exercising direct control over the revenues. The proceeds from these sales are being placed in accounts administered and overseen by the US government itself. Major energy trading multinationalsincluding Vitol and Trafigurahave been authorised, under the continuing sanctions regime, to market the tens of millions of barrels of Venezuelan crude that had accumulated in storage due to the US blockade, while tankers carrying millions of barrels have already departed Venezuelan ports. The initial sales amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. These funds are reportedly being deposited in accounts under US control, including accounts held in Qatar. This is an extraordinary act of plunder. Venezuelas oil is being taken under imperialist control, with the Bolivarian regime facilitating the theft of the countrys national wealth. Rodriguez presiding over her first Council of Ministers meeting at Miraflores Palace on 4 January 2026 [Photo: Vicepresidencia de Venezuela] Omole and the CPM-K have uttered not a word of opposition to this unfolding betrayal. Nor have they issued any call to Venezuelan workers to oppose the neocolonial policies of the Venezuelan president. These policies inevitably entail dismantling what remains of the limited social programmes instituted by the Bolivarian regime in a previous period and a renewed assault on workers living standards, as Venezuelas dwindling oil revenues are handed over to Trump. By defending and glorifying the Rodriguez regime, the CPM-K leadership is functioning as an accomplice in the subordination of the Venezuelan working class to US imperialism. The trajectory of Rodriguezs regime confirms Leon Trotskys theory of Permanent Revolution: In countries of belated capitalist development, the bourgeoisie is incapable of waging a consistent struggle against imperialism. Bound by its class interests to global capital, it inevitably seeks accommodation with imperialism against the working class. Genuine opposition to war and imperialist domination therefore cannot proceed through the defence of bourgeois nationalism, but requires a struggle against capitalism itself, led by the working class, and a struggle for world socialist revolution. The warnings issued by the WSWSthat binding workers to capitalist states under the banner of anti-imperialist solidarity serves only to disarm them and prepare new betrayalshave been decisively vindicated. The Venezuelan operation is a warning not only to Latin America, but to the African masses as well. In a continent where there is deep popular hostility to imperialism, forged by centuries of colonial oppression, a social explosion against bankrupt, post-colonial capitalist states is brewing, already leading tens of millions to take the streets in recent years. Amid an intensifying global crisis, imperialism is signaling that even the limited forms of sovereignty tolerated in the post-colonial period are over. Africa is being put on notice. Any government that resists the imperialist diktat over resources or military alignment faces the threat of invasion and military subjugation. The imperialist powers intend for the attack on Venezuela to establish a precedent for the eruption of neocolonial wars on a global scale. Protesters block the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway in the Mlolongo area, Nairobi, Kenya., July 2, 2024 [AP Photo/Brian Inganga] Omoles intensification of his anti-Trotskyist slanders clearly reflects his fear of growing opposition on his left, from forces suspicious of his partys nationalist, pro-capitalist orientation, as the bourgeois nationalist forces he is promoting increasingly function as tools of imperialism. Indeed, the course of events in Venezuela vindicate the critiques made by the WSWS and the ICFI of the CPM-Ks politics in statements like: The only progressive response to the eruption of US imperialism lies in the independent mobilisation of the working class as an international class, against all factions of the bourgeoisie and the capitalist system itself. This requires a conscious rejection of nationalism and the building of genuinely revolutionary, Trotskyist parties in the working class, guided by socialist internationalism. The historic task posed today is the construction of sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International, uniting workers across Africa, Latin America, the US and globally in a common struggle against imperialist war and capitalist exploitation. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jingping in Beijing, China on January 16, 2025. Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a trade agreement with China last Friday, at the conclusion of a four-day visit to Beijing that included high-level meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The agreement will scale back a two-year bilateral trade war, with Canada slashing tariffs on Chinese EV imports and China reciprocating by reducing tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Canadian canola exports. Carney, the first Canadian prime minister to visit Beijing since 2017, described the trade deal and a series of mainly aspirational economic agreements aimed at promoting bilateral trade and investment as initiating a new era in Sino-Canadian relations. At the same time, he insisted that Canada will maintain security guardrails in its relations with Beijing, limiting or outright barring Chinese investments across large swaths of the Canadian economy, including AI and critical minerals. The trade agreement will see Canada break from the US after both countries imposed a 100 percent tariff on Chinese EVs in 2024. The Carney-led Liberal governments attempt to expand economic ties with China is a high risk maneuverand acknowledged as such by Ottawa and its proponents within the Canadian ruling class. It is aimed at diversifying Canadas economic ties under conditions of the ongoing crisis in US-Canada relations. However, the attempt to expand economic relations with Beijing is likely to further inflame Canada-US tensions. No sooner was the China trade deal announced, than US trade representative Jamieson Greer termed it problematic, adding, in the long run, theyre not gonna like having made that deal. Since becoming prime minister last March, Carney has turned to the European Union, Britain, Japan, South Korea, India, and now China in an effort to gain leverage against Washington, which is ruthlessly exploiting Ottawas heavy dependence on the US market. Some 75 percent of Canadian exports go to the US. None of these tactical shifts, however, offer a basis for Canadian imperialism to offset the damage done to its position by the breakdown in the military-strategic and economic partnership with its southern neighbour that for the past eight decades has served as the basis of Ottawas global strategy. These shifts will not just exacerbate tensions with the US. They are intensifying the cleavages within the Canadian ruling class, as competing factions rooted in different industries and regions wrangle over who is to bear the cost of reorganizing Canadian imperialism to prevail in the repartition of the world economically and territorially between the imperialist powers. Trump has hit Canada with a barrage of tariffs over the past year and threatened to scrap the US-Canada-Mexico (USMCA) trade agreement. These actions are part of his administrations plan to use economic force to make Canada Americas 51st state, as Washington seeks to establish unbridled domination of the Western Hemisphere in preparation for world war with its principal rivals, China, Russia, and the European Union. This strategy, referred to as the Donroe Doctrine, was laid out explicitly last November in the US National Security Strategy. Trump has begun its implementation with the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, assertion of US control over its oil reserves, and threats to seize Greenland from NATO member Denmark by military force. Trumps actions have so upset Canada-US and global relations that Carney told reporters in Beijing that China has become a more predictable partner than the US. Ottawa will allow up to 49,000 Chinese-made electric vehicles into Canada annually at the most-favoured-nation tariff rate of 6.1 percent, with the possibility of the quota rising to 70,000 by the end of the decade. The prime minister claimed the deal would protect and create auto manufacturing jobs in Canada, by gaining access to Chinese-EV technology (now considered the most advanced in the world) through anticipated joint-venture Chinese investment in Canada, while expanding consumers access to affordable Chinese-made EVs priced under $35,000. China, meanwhile, will ease crippling tariffs on Canadian agricultural exports, most importantly canola seed, which Ottawa says will see combined tariff rates reduced to around 15 percent by March 1, down from roughly 85 percent. There is additional tariff relief for other Canadian foodstuff exports, including canola meal, lobster, crab and peas, although Beijing has to this point only guaranteed that the lower rates will apply through the end of this year. Chinese tariffs on Canadian pork exports and canola oil remain, as does the 25 percent surtax that Canada imposed in the fall of 2024 on Chinese-origin steel and aluminum products. Carneys rhetoric cannot conceal the fact that his trade deal is extremely modest. The number of Chinese vehicles to be allowed into Canada accounts for about 3 percent of total annual Canadian vehicle sales, and none of the proposed investments are guaranteed. Nonetheless, the agreement is explosive because it will exacerbate tensions between the US and Canada, and deepen the regional cleavages within the Canadian ruling class. In the US, where China is viewed by Republicans and Democrats alike as an existential threat to Washingtons weakening global hegemony, the agreement could serve to justify further economic measures against Canada, including abrogation of the USMCA during renewal talks scheduled for this year. It remains far from certain that the agreement will hold, not least due to the conflicting responses it has produced within Canadas ruling class. While Carney was backed up in Beijing by Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, whose province relies heavily on canola exports, the agreement has been denounced by far-right Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and significant sections of the military-intelligence establishment. Their main line of argument was the national-security implications of the agreement, which they claim put Canada at risk. Prime Minister Carney must explain how he has gone from saying China was Canadas biggest security threat before the election to announcing a strategic partnership with Beijing after the election, Poilievre wrote on X. He claimed the agreement would allow 50,000 EVs onto our streets jeopardizing our security and auto jobs, and attacked Carney for failing to deliver on his pledge to secure a rapid economic agreement with Washington. Even before Carney left for China, the Parti Quebecois, which polls indicate will come to power in Quebec later this year, denounced the federal government with Trump-style anti-communist rhetoric for seeking to improve relations with Beijing. Like the Alberta separatists, the Quebec sovereignists believe that their reactionary project of carving out a new imperialist state in North America can best be achieved by winning Trumps ear. In an angry tirade, Ontario Premier Ford condemned the slashing of the EV tariffs, warning that Chinese manufacturers would gain a foothold in Canada at the expense of workers in this country. He accused the federal government of abandoning support for the Detroit Three automakers, the historic backbone of Canadas Ontario-based auto industry, without any real guarantee of equal or immediate investments in Canadas auto sector or supply chain. To cap it off, Ford claimed that Chinese EVs would serve as spy vehicles, putting all Canadians at risk. Ford and Poilievres attempt to portray themselves as defending workers and Canadian jobs is a reactionary fraud aimed at camouflaging a pro-imperialist, pro-big-business agenda. Poilievre is a far-right demagogue who wants to go even further than Carney in smashing up what remains of public services and deregulating business activities to facilitate the unrestrained accumulation of corporate profits by the financial oligarchy. Ford speaks for sections of Bay Street and the auto executives who have spent decades using threats of plant closures, outsourcing, and job cuts to extract wage cuts and other concessions from workers. These political figures represent the faction of the Canadian bourgeoisie that opposes any accommodation with Beijing, however modest and temporary, for fear that it will jeopardize Ottawas relationship with Washington. The Tories and right-wing media outlets have repeatedly spearheaded hysterical anti-Chinese campaigns over the past decade, including lurid, unsubstantiated allegationspromoted by the anti-China hawks in the national-security apparatusthat Beijing interfered in the 2019 and 2021 Canadian elections. The new trade agreement comes after nearly a decade of strained relations between Ottawa and Beijing. Since 2017, ties have been destabilized by conflicts rooted in Canadas alignment with US imperialism, including the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at Washingtons behest and the retaliatory detention of two Canadians in China. Ottawa has deepened its participation in Washingtons strategic encirclement of China through military provocations, including freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait. In its 2022 Indo-Pacific strategy, the Trudeau Liberal government designated China a disruptive global power, placing Beijing just below Russia in Ottawas gunsights. This was part of Ottawas ever-deeper integration into Washingtons economic and military-strategic preparations for war with China. This integration has continued under Carney, with Ottawa strengthening military-security ties with Washingtons principal Asia-Pacific allies, Japan, South Korea and Australia; massively increasing military spending; and signaling its willingness to join Trumps Golden Missile Dome initiative. Fridays agreement has not overcome any of these conflicts rooted in the deepening world capitalist crisis. On the contrary, Carneys high-risk maneuver could well serve as a basis for efforts by hostile factions of the ruling class around Poilievre and Ford, or the Alberta or Quebec separatists to destabilize and topple his government in the event that USMCA talks fail and Trumps drive to economically ruin Canada intensifies. Unifor, which claims some 40,000 members across the Canadian auto industry, moved quickly to back Fords protectionist denunciation of the deal. Unifor President Lana Payne blasted it as a self-inflicted wound to an already injured Canadian auto industry. Allowing Chinese EV imports, she exclaimed, risks turning Canada into a dumping ground and endangering auto jobs ahead of the USMCA review negotiations. Dressing corporate and state trade-war policy up as a defense of workers, the union apparatus is again promoting Team Canada nationalism that divides autoworkers internationally and subordinates Canadian workers to the interests of the countrys financial oligarchy. The fundamental issue posed by the trade deal is not whether Ottawa should align more tightly with Washington or seek limited accommodation with Beijing. It is that the working class is being dragged into a struggle between rival capitalist powers and rival factions within the Canadian ruling class, each determined to defend their profits at workers expense amid the breakdown of the old global economic order. The working class must adopt an independent socialist response. It must reject Team Canada nationalism, the program of class collaboration used to bind workers to the state and big business. It must reject anti-Chinese xenophobia and protectionist poison, which serve to divide workers and legitimize militarism. Canadian workers have no interest in a trade war, let alone a shooting war, with China and no interest in being coerced into subordination to Washington. The fight must be for international unity of workers across borders, including Canada, China, the United States, and Mexico, against the corporations and the governments that serve them. The defense of jobs, wages and living standards requires breaking from the union apparatuses that police corporate demands and promote national competitiveness schemes. Workers must organize independently, build rank-and-file committees, and link their struggles with those of workers globally facing the same corporate offensive through the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). Above all, the struggle against trade war and the assault on workers demands a political break with the capitalist system that produces these crises. The EV transition, agricultural trade and the future of industrial production cannot be left in the hands of big business and their political representatives. They must be reorganized on the basis of social need through public ownership and democratic control as part of a socialist program that unites workers internationally against imperialist rivalry and capitalist exploitation. On Sunday night it was revealed that a man living in Minneapolis who was kidnapped by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) thugs on January 6 died on January 14 at the Camp East Montana concentration camp in El Paso, Texas. Multiple outlets reported that Victor Manuel Diaz, 36, from Nicaragua, was found unconscious and unresponsive at the facility last week. Diaz is at least the third person to die at the sprawling tent camp in west Texas in the last month and a half. On January 3, ICE announced that Geraldo Lunas Campos died at the same facility after staff observed him in distress. This purposefully vague statement was aimed at concealing the fact that Lunas Campos died after he was attacked by guards at the facility. Last week, the Washington Post reported that the El Paso County Office of the Medical Examiner was likely to classify Lunas Campos death as a homicide, with the preliminary cause of death being asphyxia due to neck and chest compression. That is, Lunas Campos did not receive enough oxygen because severe pressure was being applied to his neck and chest. Santos Jesus Flores, a witness to the incident, told the paper he saw at least five guards fighting with Lunas Campos after the latter refused to enter a segregated cell without his medication. Flores told the Post he saw guards choking the father of three and that he heard Lunas Campos scream, No puedo respirar, Spanish for I cant breathe, before falling unconscious. He said, I cannot breathe, I cannot breathe. After that, we dont hear his voice anymore and thats it, Flores said. In the first 19 days of 2026, at least six people have already died while in the custody of ICE. These deaths are unfolding amid the ongoing federal occupation of Minnesota, where roughly 3,000 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents have been deployed to carry out mass raids and attacks on the working class as part of the Trump administrations drive to establish a presidential dictatorship. In addition to deaths in ICE custody, at least two people have been shot by immigration thugs in Minnesota since the start of the year, including the murder of Renee Nicole Good on January 7 by DHS agent Jonathan Ross. As social opposition mounts, Trump has repeatedly threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy an additional 1,500 active-duty soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division to the state. A section of the anti-ICE march in Minneapolis, Minnesota January 18, 2026. Protesters carried signs demanding justice for Renee Good while noting the complicity of the Democratic Party in the federal occupation. The federal governments attacks on the working class in Minnesota have provoked mass outrage throughout the state, and especially in the Twin Cities of MinneapolisSt. Paul. In the face of the Democratic Partys acquiescence to the Trump administrations attacks, more workers are coming to the conclusion that the only way to counteract these assaults is through mass strike action by the working class. Outside the Hennepin County Medical Center, World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke with residents and healthcare workers about the ongoing federal occupation and their views on a general strike. A healthcare worker told the WSWS, Yeah, I dont appreciate how theyre causing kids to be scared in their own city, kids that were even born in America. And I dont like that theres ICE agents in our hospital. And I appreciate people that are fighting back. I think we have to depend on ourselves because our politicians arent the ones doing it, the worker continued. So Im glad that theres enough normal citizens that are standing up and marching and fighting back. In response to calls from Democrats, including Governor Walz, that the best way to fight the federal occupation is through the courts and ballot box, the healthcare worker said, We cant trust that [Trump] will follow the results of the election. We saw what happened in 2020. Asked whether he would support a general strike, he responded, Im pro [general strike] anyone that is able to safely strike should absolutely strike. A local resident, Reginald, told WSWS reporters, Its all total chaos, man. Understand this here, we all, black, white, everybody, Indian, Native, Chinese, I dont care who you are, we all need to get together, man. He added, Im 65. I mean, I was back there with the Kennedys, Kings, Malcolm, everybody. This is the worst that I ever seen it. Its about to be war time anytime soon, he said. We got to get up, all of us, white, black, everybody. Asked what he thought about the working class taking matters into its own hands through the methods of class struggle, specifically a general strike, Reginald replied, The working class, we need to do that. If we dont get together and do it, who is going to do it for us? Weve got to do it for ourselves. The working class. He concluded, They got money to spend on war instead of on us. A lot of people out here dying. Theres a lot of people out there homeless, trying to do the best that we can even in this situation. Under conditions of continuing resistance to ICE agents in the communities, high school walkouts and other signs of popular opposition, particularly after the murder of Renee Nicole Good, a coalition of unions and community groups have called for a Day of Truth and Freedom on Friday, January 23, which would include, No work, no school, no shopping. While there is widespread support in the working class for a general strike, the heads of the largest unions in the Twin Cities made clear at a press conference Monday that they had no intention of leading a strike in any meaningful sense of the word. Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation AFL-CIO, left no doubt that the union apparaus is seeking to direct opposition behind the same capitalist politicians who have done nothing to stop the Trump administration from terrorizing and murdering residents. We think that on January 23rd, if we all stand together in solidarity and mass mobilization, we can get the attention of the folks who need to step in and make this chaos stop. Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, President, Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO (center) [Photo: Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation] Greg Nammacher, president of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 26, began by noting, We are here because our local has been directly impacted by this ICE occupation of our communities. Weve lost over 20 members to these abductions by federal agents, often without warning or due process. Nammacher cited the case of a window cleaner in the union who had lived in the US for over 30 years and was more than 70 years old. The worker was kidnapped by ICE when he arrived for his regularly scheduled check-in with the government and was denied access to a lawyer before being deported to Mexico. While the federal government kidnaps and assaults workers illegally and without due process, Nammacher made clear that the union would not encourage any action that violated collective bargaining agreements. We are not telling workers to violate those rules, Nammacher said, adding that the union would respect individual choices in how people participate on the 23rd. Deliberately avoiding the words general strike, Nammacher instead appealed to employers to accommodate workers on Friday. Many employers are partnering with their employees and closing down entirely, he said, concluding that there was a way to do this together, with businesses, unions, and workers making a clear statement. Internal communications from the Metropolitan Council, whose entire board is appointed by Democratic Governor Tim Walz, make clear the corporate-controlled party is opposed to any collective action by the working class and is relying on the union bureaucracy to prevent it. In an email sent to union leadership last week and labeled Reminder Regarding Upcoming Political Protests and Attendance Expectations, council management warned that while workers may participate in protests during their personal time, unscheduled absences may be subject to progressive discipline, and if there is concerted participation, the provisions of the collective bargaining agreements regarding work stoppages during the life of the contract will apply. Cassy Fogale, the assistant director of labor relations for the Metropolitan Council, then issued marching orders to her dear labor partner(s), instructing them to encourage members to remain mindful of attendance expectations. The conclusion of an email from the Metropolitan Council warning against strike action that would violate collective bargaining agreements. The union bureaucracy is demanding that workers uphold collective bargaining agreements under conditions in which the US president openly flouts the law, occupies an American city, and oversees the kidnapping and murder of residents regardless of citizenship status. The defense of democratic rights cannot be subordinated to contract technicalities negotiated by the union apparatus to suppress the class struggle. Workers must take the conduct of the struggle into their own hands through the establishment of rank-and-file committees, organized independently of the trade apparatus and the capitalist parties. These committees, organized in every workplace, should fight for the broadest mobilization of the working class in a real general strike to demand: The immediate arrest and prosecution of all those responsible for the murder of Renee Nicole Good The withdrawal of all ICE, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) forces from Minneapolis and every other city The abolition of these agencies that terrorize immigrant workers and their families The immediate release of all detainees held in ICE custody and an end to all raids, renditions and deportations Full legal rights and protections for all immigrant workers and their families. The withdrawal of all troops from Venezuela and the Caribbean and the dismantling of the US war machine Repudiation of all support for Israel and solidarity with the Palestinian people facing an ongoing genocide. Trump accepting Nobel medal from Maria Corina Machado at the White House [Photo: @WhiteHouse] Last Thursday, two events unfolded simultaneously, though roughly 2,000 miles apart. The first was in Washington D.C., the second in Caracas. Together they provide a damning indictment of the Venezuelan national bourgeoisie and the subservience to US imperialism of all of its political representatives in the wake of the criminal January 3 invasion of the country and abduction of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores. The first event was a grotesque spectacle staged at the White House, where Maria Corina Machado, the CIA-backed leader of Venezuelas far-right opposition, came to pay homage to the man who ordered the bloody invasion of her country. In a groveling display of servility, she bestowed upon the would-be US Fuhrer the Nobel Peace Prize medal she was awarded, supposedly for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. Trump appeared happy enough to accept the 18-carat gold trinket, which was framed with a statement praising him for promoting peace through strength, an apparent reference to the US special forces raid that claimed the lives of over 100 Venezuelans and the missile attacks on small boats that have killed at least 100 more. Trump has repeatedly groused that he deserved the prize, claiming to have stopped eight wars, some of which never existed and others of which have never stopped. In the case of Machados award, he can no doubt lay some claim given the unceasing flow of money from the National Endowment for Democracy and other US agencies that have financed her operations. Norways Nobel Institute issued a statement noting that the prize itself cannot be transferred, though the medal may change hands. One relevant precedent is Norwegian Nobel literature prize winner Knut Hamsuns gifting of his medal to Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels in 1943. The equation of Trump with peace is roughly analogous to equating Goebbels pig grunts with literature. For all of her bootlickingincluding her vow to privatize Venezuelas oil sector and make US corporations $1.7 trillion richerMachado left the White House empty-handed. She exited through a side entrance with no escort, and Trump made a short comment on social media describing the handing over of the medal as a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. He did not, however, amend his earlier assessment describing Machado as a very nice woman who could not be installed as Venezuelas president because she doesnt have the respect within the country. He was undoubtedly parroting a CIA assessment that any attempt to place such a widely detested figure in office would have triggered a civil war. An even more revealing and politically significant meeting was unfolding in Venezuela as Machado made her pilgrimage to the White House. Delcy Rodriguez, installed as Venezuelas interim president after Maduros abduction, cordially welcomed John Ratcliffe, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, to an airport terminal outside Caracas for a lightning visit that appeared to consist of the CIA chief delivering Rodriguez her marching orders. CIA director John Ratcliffe meets Venezuelas interim leader Delcy Rodriguez in Caracas [Photo: BenjaminHallFNC/X/CIA official] According to one US official, Ratcliffe was dispatched to Caracas to tell Rodriguez that the United States looks forward to an improved working relationship with her government, which it expected would no longer provide a safe haven for Americas adversaries, first and foremost China, which has provided the main non-US market for Venezuelan oil along with loans and infrastructure investments, and Russia, which has made investments in Venezuelas oil sector and provided military hardware. On the same day that she hosted the head of the CIA, a man who played a central role in organizing the bloody invasion of Venezuela and the abduction of Maduro and his wife, Rodriguez delivered an annual address to the countrys National Assembly. To say that she spoke out of both sides of her mouth would hardly do the speech justice. On the one hand, Rodriguez mouthed the same increasingly hollow anti-imperialist and left nationalist phrases that have long characterized the chavista government (founded by the late President Hugo Chavez more than a quarter-century ago). She denounced Washington as the invading aggressor, adding: They attacked, assaulted, killed, invaded and kidnapped President Maduro and the first lady. There is a stain on relations between the United States and Venezuela. Nonetheless, this stain would be resolved, she declared, adding, Let us not be afraid of diplomacy. Her government has announced plans to reopen its embassy in Washington, which was closed after the first Trump administration launched its abortive regime change operation centered on its recognition of the political non-entity Juan Guaido as Venezuelas legitimate president in 2019. The State Department, meanwhile, sent a delegation to initiate plans to reoccupy the sprawling 27-acre US embassy compound in Caracas. Washingtons view of diplomacy with Venezuela was summed up by Trump, who threatened that Rodriguez would get worse than Maduro if she failed to comply fully with US orders. Given that Maduro is in a New York jail cell facing a trial that could put him away for life, the comment can only be interpreted as a death threat. The interim president has seemingly gotten the message. The most substantive announcement in Rodriguezs speech unveiled legislation to reform the hydrocarbon law, which has constituted a principal bone of contention between Venezuela, which possesses the largest proven oil reserves on the planet, and Washington and US energy conglomerates. As amended under Chavez in 2001, the law reasserted state sovereignty over the countrys oil resources and required that foreign oil corporations enter joint ventures with the state-owned oil corporation, PDVSA, in which PDVSA would hold majority stakes. The law was the immediate catalyst for a failed 2002 CIA-backed coup attempt. The proposed reformdrafted at the point of a US gunwould open the door to US investments and effective control of Venezuelas oil under the guise of developing fields that have yet to be tapped or that lack sufficient infrastructure. At a meeting of oil executives convened at the White House on January 8, Trump was positively salivating over the prospect of plundering Venezuelas oil. The oil CEOs, however, were not so sanguine. Darren Woods, the chief executive of Exxon Mobil, the largest US oil company, earned Trumps displeasure by describing Venezuela as uninvestable. The US oil companies are far from convinced that they can simply waltz back into the country and reverse 50 years of nationalization without provoking popular upheavals that could end in new expropriations. Whatever the prospects for the US energy giants returning to Venezuela, for the time being Trump has placed the countrys limited oil production in a vice-like grip, enforced by a continuing naval blockade. He has struck a deal for the sale of $500 million worth of Venezuelan crude, with half of it flowing through the commodity trading firm Vitol, whose chief executive donated $6 million to Trumps re-election campaign. While there have been no immediate indications of serious divisions within the chavista government and its repressive apparatus over the planned oil reform, among the left-nationalist base of the chavista movement and within the Venezuelan working class there have been expressions of disquiet and outright opposition over the course pursued by Rodriguez and her allies. Some have gone so far as to suggest that those now in charge in Caracas conspired with Washington to allow the kidnapping of Maduro, ordering a stand down of the Venezuelan military. Such allegations have been strenuously countered by the government, which insists that advanced US military technology paralyzed air defense systems and overwhelmed Maduros guard. Rodriguez had played a leading role in attempts to reach a negotiated settlement with Washington and had apparently impressed US officials as someone with whom they could do business. Nonetheless, Maduro himself had, by both his and Trumps accounts, offered the kind of subservient relationship now being pursued by his successor. Both of them, along with the rest of the top echelons in Caracas, began not with anti-imperialist convictions but rather with a determination to defend the power and privileges of the chavista officialdom along with its principal constituents, the so-called boliburguesia, the bourgeois layers close to the regime that have enriched themselves off of government contracts, speculation and oil revenues, and the military, which plays an outsized role in governing the country. The debacle in Venezuela is the product not only of criminal US aggression but also of a turn to the right by the chavista government and the bourgeois layers it represents under the unrelenting pressure of imperialism. For all the talk of 21st century socialism and Bolivarian revolution, from its outset, the chavista movement was bourgeois nationalist in character. Its program sought not the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism but rather a limited redistribution of wealth that was dependent upon a single export commodity, oil. So long as the price and demand for oil remained high and its export continued unimpeded, limited social reforms remained possible. Once demand and prices fell and exports were blocked by a tightening unilateral US sanctions regime, the burden of the ensuing economic crisis was placed on the backs of the working class and the masses of oppressed, even as bourgeois layers continued to extract profits. The turn by a crisis-ridden US imperialism toward military aggression in pursuit of renewed US hegemony in the Western Hemisphere has laid bare the class character of the chavista movement and of the broader Latin American Pink Tide with which it is associated. While the shift by the chavista government is of a piece with a broader turn by the Latin American bourgeoisie to the right, the broad masses of working people are being driven into struggle to the left by the deepening global capitalist crisis. US imperialisms attempt to reverse the course of the 20th century and reimpose colonial shackles upon Latin America cannot be waged without igniting a social powder keg. The way forward lies through the independent political mobilization of the working class in Venezuela and throughout the continent on the basis of a socialist and internationalist program. Realizing this program requires the closest bonds between the workers of Latin America and the United States, who confront the destruction of democratic and social rights by an administration and a ruling oligarchy bent on imposing dictatorship, in a common struggle to put an end to capitalism. On January 3, NASA closed the library at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, the largest research library in the agency. The closure follows months of chaotic building shutdowns, laboratory dismantling and workforce reduction that have gutted one of the most important centers for space science in the United States. The library housed over 100,000 volumes, including books, scientific journals and historical documents dating from the early 20th century through the space race with the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s. Many of these materials have not been digitized and are unavailable anywhere else. NASA officials claim the holdings will undergo a 60-day review, with some materials stored in government warehouses and the rest discarded. The shutdown is part of what NASA calls a facilities consolidation plan that will close 13 buildings and more than 100 laboratories on the 1,270-acre Goddard campus by March. The workforce at Goddard has been reduced from more than 10,000 to 6,600 through buyouts, early retirements and layoffs carried out under the Department of Government Efficiency campaign early last year. Technicians lift the mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope using a crane, April 13, 2017, at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. [AP Photo/Laura Betz/NASA] Goddard has been central to NASA space astronomy missions for decades. The Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope were designed and built at the Maryland facility, along with dozens of others. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (formerly the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope), scheduled to launch in 2027, was also developed there, though funding for the project was almost eliminated under proposed budget cuts from the Trump administration. Dan Weedman, who served as head of NASA Astrophysics from 1993 to 1995 and later as program director at the National Science Foundation, spoke to the World Socialist Web Site about the broader attack on space science infrastructure that the Goddard closures represent. The big issue is theres no question its part of the intention to basically dismantle Goddard, Weedman said. And in doing that they'll be dismantling most of our infrastructure for these space astronomy missions. They did the crucial engineering for Hubble and JWST, and they built the Roman and they will be responsible for operating it. But I think that thats probably the last big astronomy mission we'll ever have, because the effort is moving toward privatized human space flight. Weedman also pointed to the budget trajectory for NASA astrophysics over three decades. My last budget as the astrophysics division director, in actual dollars, was about the same as the astrophysics division today, about $700 million a year. It's an effective cut by like a factor of two or three, no question about it. Weedman also commented on the ongoing privatization of spaceflight: And an interesting side line of that is just two weeks ago, or less, NASA announced the four groups that were going to start pursuing technology for what they hoped would be the next big observatory, which is called the Habitable Worlds Observatory. Its just a dream. But the four were all industry. There was no university, there was no Goddard. It was four different industrial contractors. It is an example that theyre trying to move full steam into privatization, thinking that somehow its going to make things more efficient. It will certainly give some people big profits. The other thing about Goddard, which people just should appreciate is, those people are all civil servants. They never make big bucks. They arent in it for the money. They are in it because they love the science. I could cite specific individuals over the last 40 years who made incredible contributions and they were just fairly lowly paid civil servants at Goddard. They werent like the high paid professors in universities or the CEOs at the industrial companies. They were just working away mostly for the love of the science. Thats honestly something thats across NASA and Im sure thats frankly something thats an affront to the Trump administration is that you dont go to NASA to make money. The library closure represents only one aspect of the infrastructure destruction taking place at Goddard. Earlier reports detailed the shutdown of laboratories and the removal of specialized testing equipment, including the ElectroMagnetic Anechoic Chamber, a unique facility essential for testing spacecraft antennas. Employees were given minimal notice to empty buildings during the government shutdown when few workers were present on campus. Dave Williams, the former director of NASAs Space Science Data Coordinated Archive, told the New York Times, You cant just get these things online. Williams spent 30 years at Goddard as a planetary scientist before taking early retirement in 2025 and spent thousands of hours in the library researching historical mission data. He curated information from old scientific journals that could only be found in the library collection and uploaded it to online archives. Williams also emphasized the importance of historical records for current space missions. Its not like were so much smarter now than we were in the past, he said. Its the same people, and they make the same kind of human errors. If you lose that history, you are going to make the same mistakes again. The library also served as a collaborative space where engineers, scientists and technicians gathered outside their laboratories. Building 21, which houses the library along with a cafeteria and offices, was permanently closed on January 3. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, himself a billionaire, defended the closure, claiming it is part of a facilities consolidation plan approved in 2022 under the Biden administration. He asserted that materials would be digitized, transferred to other libraries or preserved for historical purposes, and that researchers would retain access through digital services and interlibrary loans. The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers disputed this characterization. This was not part of some long-planned facilities consolidation as Isaacman claims, union president Matt Biggs said in a statement. The Goddard Master Plan, written in 2022, does not call for the librarys closure. Building 21, which houses the library, was scheduled for renovation not elimination. Similarly, Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland condemned the closures at Goddard: The Trump Administration has spent the last year attacking NASA Goddard and its work force and threatening our efforts to explore space, deepen our understanding of Earth, and spur technological advancements that make our economy stronger and nation safer. Yet neither Biggs nor Van Hollen offered any perspective to fight against the cuts. The Trump administration has launched a frontal assault on science and art for the past year as part of the cultural component of establishing a dictatorship in the US. And as this conspiracy has unfolded, the Democratic Party has not fought to mobilize the population against Trumps efforts. Quite the opposite: the Democrats have collaborated to fund the administration, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and fought to channel the growing opposition into electoral channels. The library closure follows the shutdown of seven other NASA libraries since 2022. Only three NASA libraries remain operational, at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. The destruction of scientific infrastructure at Goddard echoes the losses that occurred when NASA contracted dramatically after the cancellation of the Apollo program in the early 1970s. The most notable casualty was the original analog tapes of the slow-scan television footage of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking on the Moon. The existing footage had been converted to broadcast framerates through crude real-time converters that simply pointed studio cameras at slow-scan playback screens. The quality of the slow-scan originals was far superior, and for missions where those tapes survived, modern digital techniques have restored them with remarkable clarity. The Lunar Orbiter missions provide a stark example of what was nearly lost. Imagery from the five missions was gathered photographically, developed aboard the spacecraft, and transmitted back through via analog video. For decades, the limitations of this process left the archive in degraded form. When the original slow-scan analog tapes were discovered just as they were about to be discarded, an unofficial independently funded effort, the Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project, assembled hardware to read them and process the data digitally. The restoration revealed imagery with dramatically improved spatial resolution and dynamic range, removing artifacts that had obscured details for decades. The lost imagery from the Apollo missions serve as a lesson of the dangers of dismantling Goddard. Once materials are discarded or equipment is thrown away, the capability to recover information may be lost permanently. The hasty closure of buildings and laboratories during the government shutdown, with minimal time given to preserve equipment and materials, all but ensures that an irreplaceable scientific heritage will be destroyed. The library closure is part of a broader pattern of cultural and scientific destruction under the Trump administration. Last years general funding freeze, the closure of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, attacks on the Department of Education and potential cuts to research funding at the National Science Foundation all reflect the hostility of the ruling class to critical thought and scientific inquiry. The transformation of NASA from a center of basic scientific research into a vehicle for private profit represents a fundamental assault on the collective knowledge and cultural achievements produced by generations of scientific work. The dismantling of Goddard threatens not only current space missions but the capacity of future generations to understand and explore the cosmos. A massive garbage mound collapsed at the landfill in Cebu City, Philippines, on January 8. The industrial disaster has claimed 36 lives with the last deceased worker only discovered this past Sunday. Hundreds of rescue personnel had engaged in a treacherous search-and-rescue operation that was hampered by the risk of igniting methane gas and the threat of further collapses. Search and retrieval operations continue for missing workers at the collapsed waste management facility in Binaliw, Cebu city, central Philippines, January 11, 2026. [AP Photo/Jacqueline Hernandez] The collapse occurred seemingly without warning. It buried buildings that housed company offices and a warehouse where workers sorted recyclable waste. Speaking to the Associated Press, Jaylord Antigua, a 31-year-old office worker, described the avalanche of rubbish that destroyed his office. He was forced to crawl through the rubble, then: I saw a light and crawled toward it in a hurry because I feared there would be more landslides It was traumatic. I feared that it was my end. The Binaliw facility processes 1,000 tons of municipal solid waste daily and is privately operated by Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. (PIWS), which acquired the site in 2023. It is a subsidiary of Prime Infrastructure Capital Incorporated owned by Filipino billionaire Enrique K. Razon Jr. In 2024, Prime Infrastructure reported a net income of PHP18.5 billion ($US312 million) out of a gross revenue of PHP55 billion ($US926 million). Digging through trash, soil, steel, and other objects in the landfill, rescue efforts were perilously slow, taking a week and a half to locate all the workers killed in the accident. At least 18 other workers were pulled from the debris alive and four remain hospitalized. Cebu Mayor Nestor Archival described the extreme difficulty of the operation, saying, This is not like other landslides that you can just excavate. If you pull from the top, the bottom is soft it might get worse. In addition, the presence of methane gas, a highly flammable byproduct of decomposing waste, prevented the use of equipment that could cause sparks, forcing rescuers to work largely by hand. Workers as well as local officials have pointed to the poor waste management practices at the facility as the cause of the landfill collapse. Joey Boy Gealon, 28, an office worker at the facility, said, We are just workers. We already felt it was dangerous because the garbage was very high. The landfill site had previously been the subject of investigations, complaints, and warnings, meaning that the disaster was entirely predictable and therefore preventable. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) pointed to the fact that landfill had reached a dangerous height of 35 meters while having slope instability and inadequate drainage. Inspections made in 2024 and 2025 found that the Binaliw site was in violation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and was operating as an open dump site. PIWS, the company that operates the facility, also faced accusations of water contamination and illegal earth-moving. Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera said that the pileup of garbage in Binaliw has far exceeded safety limits and prolonged heavy rainfall may have weakened the stability of the garbage mound, as accumulated trash tends to absorb water like a sponge. Yet neither the local government nor any other officials took steps to enforce safety measures. In the past several months, the Philippines has dealt with large amounts of rain caused by the countrys annual rainy season and large typhoons that have struck repeatedly, including Typhoons Fung-wong and Kalmaegi in November. These are believed to have contributed to the Binaliw disaster. Garganera also stated, Operators had been cutting into the mountain, mining the soil, and then piling garbage to form another mountain of waste. Its not a sanitary landfill. Its already an open dumpsite. While local authorities claimed that they had raised concerns over the landfill in the past, they were quick to deflect blame, stating that only the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had the authority to take action against PIWS. The DENR is well known for being rife with corruption, something that was exposed last year following massive flooding. While Manila allocates billions of dollars for infrastructure, this money often gets diverted into so-called ghost projects in which the money disappears without any work being carried out. Therefore, whether it is for flood control measures or sanitary waste management, the ruling class profits while leaving the working class to suffer the brunt of disasters. The Binaliw disaster follows a well-worn pattern in the Philippines, where environmental and safety regulations are ignored in collusion with establishment politicians. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau for the region has long identified many areas in Central Visayas as landslide-prone, particularly where people have altered the natural landscapes or stripped its vegetation. The Cebu landfill collapse lays bare yet again the incompatibility of the capitalist system with a safe and sustainable environment. Nothing has been done to prevent landslides or the turning of the environment into a massive garbage dump in order to allow private developers to turn a profit. Under capitalism, waste management is not a public service but a lucrative business. The needs of the population for clean air, water, and soil are subordinated to the balance sheets of companies like Prime Integrated Waste Solutions. Nor is the Binaliw disaster an isolated event. It is a gruesome echo of past tragedies that have taken place over many years and have provoked public outrage, but never any changes. In September 2018, a landslide in Naga, Cebu was triggered by heavy rains and quarrying operations and killed 78 people. That disaster also followed official warnings that were ignored. Then-president Rodrigo Duterte vowed relocations and support, but the fundamental drive for profit from resource extraction remained untouched. In July 2000, a garbage avalanche at a dumpsite in Quezon City, Metro Manila, killed 218 people, according to official data, and left 300 people missing. Many of the casualties were scavengers living in a shantytown on the dumps slopes. This disaster prompted the passage of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which mandated the closure of open dumpsites but a quarter-century later, the law exists only on paper as demonstrated by the recent Binaliw tragedy. The profit-driven, lethal practice of open dumping continues under corporate management as the capitalist ruling class treats the lives of workers and the poor as expendable. As with past disasters, nothing will change after the landfill collapse in Cebu under the capitalist system no matter what promises politicians make or toothless regulations are passed. At lunchtime on Friday, January 9, bells rang throughout Switzerland in remembrance of the victims of the Crans-Montana inferno. Flags were lowered to half-staff, and the entire country commemorated the 40 people killed and more than 110 injured, some of them seriously, who fell victim on New Years Eve to the horrific flashover fire in the Le Constellation bar. Two weeks later, at the opening of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, the sombre tones surrounding Crans-Montana have faded. Swiss Federal President Guy Parmelin (Swiss Peoples Party, SVP), together with four other members of the Federal Council (Swiss government), turned their attention in Davos to the business of world politics. Those expected in Davos include US President Donald Trump with four cabinet members and his son-in-law, as well as Israeli President Isaac Herzog, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and hundreds of heads of government, including Friedrich Merz from Germany, Emmanuel Macron from France, Giorgia Meloni from Italy, as well as Javier Milei from Argentina and Volodymyr Zelensky from Ukraine. Not invited is Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia. For the annual WEF meeting, which runs January 19 to 23, the Graubunden municipality of Davos is transformed into a high-security zone. The entire Swiss police force is mobilised and reinforced by 5,000 soldiers to protect the esteemed WEF guests and suppress protests in Davos, Zurich, Bern and elsewhere. The government has allocated 9 million Swiss francs ($11.2 million) for WEF security alone. We are living in stormy times, Walter Schlegel, the commander of the Graubunden cantonal police and WEF security chief, told the press. This year, the police are using the most modern systems for drone detection and defence, he said. In fact, Switzerland is currently implementing a major shift in defence and security policy. Alongside a new Security Policy Strategy 2026, the government has adopted a series of far-reaching decisions. The population, which ultimately bears the costs, is also to be prepared and conditioned for war. Here are just some of the planned or already decided measures: An increase in military spending to at least 1 percent of GDP, around 8 billion Swiss francs (US$7.5 billion), equivalent to roughly 10 percent of the federal budget: In 2024 this figure was around 5 billion francs ($4.6 billion) or 0.72 percent of GDP; in 2025 it was already raised to around 7 billion francs. These figures do not include the true total costs of defence, which are already estimated at almost 9 billion francs, considering the specific features of the Swiss militia system. to at least 1 percent of GDP, around 8 billion Swiss francs (US$7.5 billion), equivalent to roughly 10 percent of the federal budget: In 2024 this figure was around 5 billion francs ($4.6 billion) or 0.72 percent of GDP; in 2025 it was already raised to around 7 billion francs. These figures do not include the true total costs of defence, which are already estimated at almost 9 billion francs, considering the specific features of the Swiss militia system. Relaxation of the War Materiel Act: Swiss ammunition and other war materiel are to be exported more easily in future. The previously mandatory declaration by recipient countries that Swiss arms would not be passed on to third countries is to be abolished. Exports to 25 countries, including the US and all EU states, will be permitted even if those countries are involved in armed conflicts. This relaxation could lead to war materiel delivered, for example, to Germany or the US being passed on to Israel or Saudi Arabia (Ukraine is still excluded), or used in attacks on Iran, Venezuela or Russia. The new Security Policy Strategy 2026 contains no fewer than 45 individual measures across a wide range of areas of internal and external security and warfare, including military aggression. It envisages closer security and defence partnerships with the EU, as well as with American and European NATO partners, with whom joint military exercises already take place. Points 42 to 44 state, among other things, that an international exchange of air situation data is to take place, and that the Swiss army is to participate in urban warfare exercises. Switzerland will increasingly participate in multinational exercises and conduct joint training with partners abroad, particularly to train combat in built-up areas and the combined arms battle. Point 18 states: Switzerland implements all sanctions of the UN Security Council and, whenever appropriate, aligns itself with the sanctions of its most important trade and value partners. The new strategy envisages the close involvement of civil society, the federal government, cantons and municipalities, as well as big business, science (universities) and the entire population. The latter is to be conditioned for a war situation. Military service is to move more strongly into the centre of society; domestic military deployments, for example against drones, are to be normalised; and civilian service is to be merged with civil defence and disaster protection. The government also wants to exert influence and censorship in schools and universities. It aims to support security-policy education programmes and the handling of security-policy challenges and sensitisation measures. The federal government will review existing curricula for content and initiatives (Points 14). Switzerlands much-vaunted neutrality is increasingly being eroded. The strategy states: An increasing number of NATO exercises are defence exercises, so-called Article 5 exercises. Participation in such exercises is compatible with neutrality, since Switzerland does not simulate alliance membership, but exercises its real role as a partner that depending on the scenario, is directly or indirectly challenged in defence-policy terms. And in Point 16, on so-called military peace support: Through deployments for military peace support, Switzerland contributes to international stability and security. The army gains operational experience in the process. Under the security policy strategy, domestic repression is being intensified and the intelligence services expanded. Measures include the consistent application of entry bans and expulsions, the confiscation of propaganda material and the blocking of websites with radical content. The Intelligence Service Act is to be revised and the prevention of radicalism and extremism strengthened. This includes the expansion of a national police query platform (POLAP). There appear to be no limits on external military aggression. According to Point 37, the army is to provide a far-reaching offensive component to deter an adversary from attacking, or to keep it at a distance and to be able to engage its key systems beyond national borders. Capability development of the air force, ground troops, special forces and cyber domain will also enable offensive actions within the framework of defence This dovetails with the particularly controversial Air2030 project, which envisages the purchase of 36 F-35A fighter jets from the US. A referendum in 2020 approved this by a very narrow margin (50.1 percent), but since then the US arms manufacturer Lockheed has massively increased the price of these aircraft. Nevertheless, the government wants to stick with the purchase. US F-35 fighter jets are parked on the tarmac as military personnel walk among the aircraft at Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, Saturday, January 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo) This is only a selection of the planned measures, which taken together speak in very clear language. In particular, the purchase of three dozen F-35A fighter jets, a stealth bomber and explicitly offensive aircraft, raises serious questions. If Switzerland wants the capability to attack Russia and drop bombs on Russia or perhaps Belarus, then it should buy it, military journalist Francis Tusa told the Republik.ch website. The dangers inherent in this political course are already evident in the security policy strategy itself, which states: Today, the risk of nuclear escalation is as acute as it has been for decades. The use of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction would have catastrophic consequences for the world. Yet no one asks the obvious question of what happens once the first nuclear bomb is airborne over Europe. In comparison, a hellish scenario like Crans-Montana is only a tiny foretaste. This shift is justified by the absurd claim that Russia and China pose a military threat to Switzerland. The absolute game-changer was Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, explains Andrea Gmur, president of the Security Policy Committee and a member of the Council of States (The Centre, formerly CVP). She naturally omits the fact that NATO deliberately provoked the reactionary invasion through its anti-Russian encirclement policy in order to advance its own war and rearmament offensive. In reality, the shift in Swiss security policy is part of a continental and global arms buildup that massively intensifies existing crises. Every increase in military spending accelerates cuts in the social sphere, where funds are lacking for healthcare, education, housing, public services, care for the population, and climate and disaster protection. This makes society more vulnerable to catastrophes such as Crans-Montana or natural disasters like the devastating landslide in Valais that buried the entire community of Blatten. These defence policy measures do not serve to defend the population, but to secure profits on global markets, whether through the arms industry or Swiss big business and banks. How strongly the interests of the banks dominate the Swiss government was recently demonstrated by the takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS, which the government in Bern financially underwrote, thereby tying the fate of the entire country to that of its largest bank. How strongly the arms industry is exerting pressure on political decision-makers was particularly evident in the debate over relaxing the War Materiel Act. We have to be able to supply our friends in Europe, demanded SVP National Councillor Michael Gotte, for example, during the television debate on the Arena talk show. Otherwise, we lose our arms policy entirely, and if we do not have our own arms policy, that is a security risk par excellence and a weakening of the Swiss economy. Several arms manufacturers complain that their sales have stagnated, while European arms producers are reporting one sales record after another. Who still buys weapons from us? asked Thomas Lattmann, sales director of the armoured vehicle manufacturer Mowag in Thurgau, which belongs to US arms corporation General Dynamics. Some states tell us bluntly: No Chinese, no Swiss. We are now being put on the same level. All the establishment Swiss parties support the security-policy shift, even if there are differences on individual issues. Since Trumps assumption of office, the Social Democrats and the Greens, for example, have tended to favour withdrawing from the Lockheed contract. They criticise Switzerlands growing dependence on the US and instead propose the Swedish Gripen model or an Italian fighter jet. However, there was already a referendum on the Gripen in 2014, in which an unusually large number of people participated to reject the purchase of a fighter jet. With its Security Policy Strategy 2026, Switzerland is attempting to bind itself more closely to NATO at precisely the moment when the alliance threatens to break apart. Just one day after the Crans-Montana catastrophe came news of the US attack on Venezuela. Since then, the Trump administration has massively threatened Iran and announced plans for the annexation of Greenland. European governments, and Germany in particular, which is rearming on a scale not seen since World War II, have responded with undisguised threats. Imperialism is heading toward a third world war, and the US government, Switzerlands declared value partner, has explicitly stated that only the law of the strongest now applies. That the Swiss government and all the establishment parties, including the Social Democrats in government, the opposition Greens and the trade unions, support this military turning point and regard it as without alternative is not an expression of strength, but on the contrary their fear of a resurgence of the class struggle, to which an absurd social polarisation between rich and poor is giving new momentum. This is already made clear by the new domestic measures aimed at repression, surveillance and control of the working class. In this respect, Switzerland differs little from the US and other countries that are in the process of discarding democratic norms. The Trump administration has explicitly endorsed the killing of US citizen Renee Nicole Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The World Socialist Web Site commented that such measures mean that In the actions of the Trump regime, the American oligarchy is crossing a Rubicon, from which there is no turning back. The issue confronting millions of workers and young people is the most fundamental: socialism or barbarism. This assessment now also applies equally to Switzerland. To escape barbarism, it is necessary to mobilise the Swiss working class as part of the international class struggle against war and capitalism. This requires the building of independent rank-and-file action committees in all workplaces and industries, and the construction of a Swiss section of the International Committee of the Fourth International. The new Damascus regime, led by the al-Qaeda-rooted Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has expanded its military offensive launched early this year on neighborhoods in Aleppo controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to the northeast of the country known as Rojava (West). The SDF leadership responded by calling for mobilization and resistance throughout Kurdistan, though a four-day ceasefire has now been declared. Mass protests were held in many countries, including Turkiye and Iraq. As a result of military attacks carried out by the HTS regime, it is reported that alleged members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) escaped from prisons controlled by the SDF. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands and pose for the press after meeting in Ankara on February 4, 2025. [Photo: Presidency of the Republic of Turkey] US Ambassador to Turkiye and Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, Trumps man in the Middle East, made clear that HTSs military offensive was carried out with the approval of the United States. He declared Tuesday evening that Washington opposes any separatism or federalism in Syria and that, according to the January 18 agreement, SDF fighters must join the Syrian army as individuals and transfer the ISIS prisons under their control to the Damascus regime. This followed a five-hour meeting on Monday between SDF leader Mazlum Abdi and HTS leader and interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, also attended by Barrack. Amid ongoing clashes, the talks ended in failure. Barracks comments were made in Ankara, Turkiye, speaking alongside the countrys foreign minister Hakan Fidan. Expressing his pleasure at the suppression of Kurdish forces quest for autonomy on Turkiyes southern border, President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement on Monday, referring to the SDF, Despite the provocations of armed elements occupying northern Syria, the Syrian army has passed the test successfully. The SDF leadership has announced in connection with the ceasefire that it is ready to continue implementing the January 18 agreement. The situation unfolding in Syria has confirmed the warnings issued by the World Socialist Web Site in December 2024 following the overthrow of the Russian- and Iranian-backed regime of President Bashar al-Assad by Al Qaeda-linked forces. The WSWS then wrote: Although the interests of the Kurdish and other elites in the region are pushing the SDF towards a compromise with HTS, the imperialist spiral of violence in the Middle East and the struggle for control of resources point to a deepening of the conflict. The SDF controls important oil, natural gas and grain resources that will be of great concern to the new regime in Damascus. The Sosyalist Esitlik Partisi Dorduncu Enternasyonal (Socialist Equality Party Fourth International) unequivocally opposes the HTS regimes Turkiye-backed offensive on the Syrian Kurds. As a result of an imperialist-backed proxy war in Syria that has led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands and turned millions into refugees, HTS was brought to power in Damascus with the support of Washington and Ankara. It now seeks to consolidate its control of the country by violently suppressing all minorities, including the Kurds. The new regime in Damascus, which remains silent on Israels aggression and occupation of Syria and welcomes Turkiyes military and political presence in the country, serves the broader aims of US aggression against Iran. The regime change in Syria and the war against Iran and its allies in Palestine, Lebanon, and elsewhere are integral part of US imperialisms pursuit of complete hegemony in the Middle East. However, the situation that has emerged once again demonstrates the bankruptcy of Kurdish nationalisms collaboration with imperialismonce again, at the expense of the Kurdish people. For days, various Kurdish nationalist leaders, including Abdi and those in Turkiye, have been calling on the US to intervene in the situation. Abdi previously declared that they wanted the approximately 2,000 American soldiers in the SDF-controlled region of Syria to remain there as a guarantee of their security. The SDF, which has become the main proxy force for the US in the war for regime change in Syria, applauded the overthrow of President Assad in December 2024. Last March, in the midst of the HTS regimes massacres against the Alawite minority in the country, Abdi himself signed an agreement with al-Sharaa, demonstrating his desire to adapt to the new regime. It has been made clear that an alliance with imperialism offers no path to liberation for oppressed peoples. Murat Karaylan, one of the leaders of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the sister organization of the SDF, now says that This attack is against all the gains of the Kurdish people. It was prepared as a conspiracy. Both international and local powers are involved in this conspiracy. He adds: These powers saw their interests here. They organized these attacks for this reason. The current stance of international powers, primarily the US, England, Germany, France, and other coalition states, which is enabling attacks, will be a black mark on their reputation. This is not the first betrayal by the imperialist powers led by the US that has brought disaster upon the Kurdish people. Nor will it be the last until an internationalist, socialist leadership is built that unifies and mobilizes the working class among the Kurdish and other peoples of the Middle East and internationally against imperialism and its regional capitalist allies. The International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), of which the Sosyalist Esitlik Partisi is a part, wrote in 2019 following Turkiyes offensive against the SDF, launched with the approval of Trump administration: Washingtons blatant double-cross of its Kurdish allies is another bitter lesson in the bankruptcy of Kurdish nationalism as a strategy to advance the Kurds democratic and cultural rights. The Kurdish people is spread over Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. The only viable strategy to defend their democratic rights, like those of the Turkish people, is a common revolutionary struggle of workers of all ethnicities to take state power and build the United Socialist States of the Middle East and Central Asia. The Kurdish nationalist movements willingness to act as an ally of imperialism is not a mistake but the outcome of its bourgeois class character. As Leon Trotsky explained in his Theory of Permanent Revolution, in regions with belated capitalist development, such as the Middle East, the national bourgeoisie is incapable of establishing even formal democratic rights, including those of minorities, or of pursuing an anti-imperialist policy due to its deep ties to imperialism and its fear of the working class above all else. These tasks fall to the working class as part of a struggle for socialism, which must unite all the oppressed behind it in the struggle for workers power against the bourgeoisie and imperialism. HTSs offensive in Syria and its attempt to seize resources controlled by the SDF to prevent the Kurds from gaining any independent status is part of a broader struggle for the re-division of the Middle East. Since October 2024, Ankara has been conducting a US-backed negotiation process with the PKK. Erdogan and Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK, have advanced an equally reactionary Turkish, Kurdish, Arab bourgeois alliance to counter Israels growing influence in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and across the Middle East, and against its Greater Israel ambitions. The PKK has dissolved itself at Ocalans suggestion but retained its organizational existence. Ankara has demanded that the SDF, the Syrian sister organization of the PKK, do the same, without obtaining any legal status, and subordinate itself to the new Damascus regimeon pain of a war waged through HTS. The Ankara-backed HTS offensive exposes the false claims that the PKKs negotiations with the Erdogan government can secure peace and democracy in Turkey, just as it exposes the Kurdish movements goal of reaching a democratic compromise with the Al-Qaeda regime in Syria. In fact, as in the previous negotiation process that collapsed under the weight of developments in Syria in 2015, what is involved is not the legitimate democratic rights of the Kurdish people, but rather an attempt to reconcile the reactionary interests of the Turkish and Kurdish bourgeoisie in line with the US imperialism. Events in Syria point to the fragility of the Ankara-PKK agreement and the danger of a resurgence of military conflict in Turkey that could overshadow the civil war that cost thousands of lives in 2015-16. HTSs decision to launch a military offensive instead of negotiating with the SDF came after the Damascus regime and Israel held talks in Paris on January 6, under US auspices, and established a security mechanism between the two countries. The joint statement issued after the meeting declared that Both sides have decided to establish a joint fusion mechanisma dedicated communication cellto facilitate immediate and ongoing coordination on their intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement and commercial opportunities under the supervision of the United States. The reconciliation between Damascus and Tel Aviv was followed by Trump inviting Erdogan to join the neo-colonialist Peace Council in Gaza. Erdogan has supported Trumps Gaza plan and quietly accepted the invasion of Venezuela and abduction of its elected President Nicolas Maduro. The day after the Paris agreement, Damascus forces declared war on two neighborhoods in Aleppo controlled by the SDF. With this offensive, which forced more than 100,000 civilians to flee the city and caused numerous deaths, HTS seized control of the city. Subsequently, as Arab tribes within the SDF shifted to a pro-Damascus position, HTS forces entered provinces such as Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, then turned their attention to cities with larger Kurdish populations. In an interview with the Rudaw TV, Rohilat Efrin, General Commander of the Kurdish Womens Protection Units (YPJ), who was part of the SDF delegation in Damascus, said: During the technical talks held on January 4, there was a consensus on the SDF joining the army in three divisions and preserving the autonomous structure. However, at this last meeting, they denied everything. They told us, Immediately evacuate Hasakah and Kobane, lay down your arms, and join the army individually (one by one). She added, They had previously said they could implement this agreement within a month. However, following the attacks in Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, they demanded immediate acceptance of their terms. They wanted to rush this through, which clearly had been planned in advance. Speaking to the Rohani channel, Abdi expressed his disappointment, stating: First and foremost, this war has been imposed on us. On the 4th of this month, we held a meeting in Damascus; then we had many discussions and finally came together in Erbil. Our goal was to prevent this war. Unfortunately, however, this war had been planned by many forces and has been persistently imposed until today. Abdi does not reveal who these forces are. However, the USseeking to establish dominance in the Middle East and completely eliminate the influence of Iran, Russia, and Chinawas pressuring its allies in Syria to reach an agreement as soon as possible. With the Trump administration making plans towards military intervention and regime change in Iran, it wants to bring into line its proxies in Syria and its regional allies Israel and Turkiye. The SDF has been handed an ultimatum to do so on HTSs terms. An intervention by Israel, however, which has declared the Syrian Kurds its natural ally, or a change in Trumps stance, could bring Turkiye, Israel, or the US directly into the conflict. Under any circumstances, the bankruptcy of nationalist politics, which involves accommodation and cooperation with imperialism and the regional powers serving it, such as Turkiye or Israel, has been clearly demonstrated. Workers and oppressed people cannot advance the struggle for democracy, social equality, and peace without fundamentally opposing all these powers and developing their own independent politics. The dire situation facing the Kurdish people in Syria cannot be separated from the fate of the Palestinians subjected to genocide in Gaza and the entire population of the Middle East who have been under imperialist aggression for over 35 years. The only way forward is through the political unification of the working class of all nationalities in a common revolutionary struggle against imperialism and its bourgeois proxies, with the aim of establishing a Socialist Federation of the Middle East. The decisive political task is to build sections of the ICFI in Syria, Turkey, and across the region to lead the working class in this struggle. Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. In a real estate deal that blends luxury living with large-scale philanthropy, energy titan and renowned art collector Roger Sant has sold his full-floor condo at the Ritz-Carlton Residences in New York City for $23.8 million, according to Robb Report. Sant, co-founder of AES Corp., has earmarked the entire sale price for charitable donation, turning a massive real estate exit into a windfall for philanthropic causes. The 28th-floor residence sold to a Delaware-based limited liability company with an address in Fort Worth, Texas, Robb Report said. Don't Miss: The AI Marketing Platform Backed by Insiders from Google, Meta, and Amazon Invest at $0.85/Share Sam Altman Says AI Will Transform the Economy This Platform Lets Investors Back Private Tech Early While $23.8 million is significant, it highlights volatility in the ultra-luxury segment. The property was originally priced at $39 million, before the price dropped to $29 million. Despite the final price falling short of the initial asks, the sale is still a significant gain over his purchase price. Sant paid $17.6 million for the condo in 2017, according to Robb Report. The 6,800-square-foot condo is one of just 12 at the Ritz-Carlton, a 1920s tower designed by Emery Roth, who designed many New York City buildings. The home was renovated for Sant by designer Thomas Pheasant, who included a 33-foot-long gallery leading to the living room and an adjoining dining room. Trending: Why Billionaires Like Warren Buffett Prefer Real Assets Over SpeculationInstitutional Real Estate Is Now Accessible to Individuals The primary suite is a 2,000-square-foot sanctuary filling the entire west wing. It has two bathrooms, two dressing rooms and Central Park views. The cost of a Ritz-Carlton residence goes beyond the purchase price. The new owner must pay more than $17,000 in common charges for a suite of white-glove services, including a private resident-only lobby, dedicated concierge and full access to the hotel's business center, fitness center and La Prairie Spa, according to Robb Report. Sant has long been a fixture in the world of high-impact giving. As co-founder and chairman emeritus of The Summit Foundation, his work has focused on environmental conservation. Read Next: Elevenlabs AudioNative Player A crowd walks to the US consulate to protest against Trump's policy towards Greenland in Nuuk, Greenland, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. [AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka] US capitalism is up against the same problems that pushed Germany in 1914 on the path of war. The world is divided? It must be redivided. For Germany it was a question of organizing Europe. The United States must organize the world. History is bringing humanity face to face with the volcanic eruption of American imperialism. More than 90 years after Leon Trotsky issued this warning, the volcanic eruption of American imperialism he described has entered a new and especially explosive phase. One year after the renewed installation of Donald Trump as president, the aggressive foreign and military policy of the United States is escalating not only against dependent countries and declared adversaries, but increasingly against its own imperialist allies in Europe. The year began with the illegal attack on Venezuela and the abduction of its president, Nicolas Maduro, followed by open threats to bomb Iran in order to impose a US-backed regime. Now this policy is being directed openly against Europe. Over the weekend, Trump reiterated his supposed claims to ownership of Greenland and threatened European governments that oppose his plans with massive trade sanctions and military consequences. The world is not safe until we have complete and total control over Greenland, he wrote in a letter addressed to the Norwegian prime minister. At the same time, he made clear his willingness to resort to military force, cynically stating that he no longer felt obliged to think only about peace. The dispute over Greenland is not just another mad outburst by an erratic president, but an expression of the strategic interests of US imperialism. The Arctic has become a central arena of global rivalry, due to its natural resources, emerging shipping routes and immense military significance. Washington views control over Greenland as essential to securing its dominance in the North Atlantic and countering both China and Russia. That the sovereignty of Denmark and the interests of European allies are being brushed aside demonstrates how far the disintegration of the postwar transatlantic order has already advanced. As in the United States itself and around the world, Trumps actions have provoked widespread anger and opposition among the European population. But workers and young people must not succumb to the illusion that the European governments represent a progressive or peaceful alternative. The ruling classes in Berlin, Paris and Brussels are responding to US threats not by mobilizing against the fascist in the White House and against imperialist war, but by adopting their own aggressive measures and openly preparing for economic and military confrontation. A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed that as early as February, special EU tariffs on imports worth 93 billion could come into force. These measures are part of a comprehensive package prepared last year and designed to be activated automatically if required. The president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, has announced a special summit to discuss further steps. Leading politicians are openly speaking of retaliation and escalation. The chairman of the European Peoples Party, Manfred Weber, declared that Europe is not powerless, boasted of freezing trade agreements and threatened the use of the so-called Anti-Coercion Instrumenta trade bazooka that would allow the EU to exclude US corporations from public contracts, suspend payments and impose sweeping economic countermeasures. In bourgeois think tanks, scenarios involving even war between the United States and Europe are now being openly discussed. We either fight a trade war, or were in a real war, said Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at Bruegel, a research institute in Brussels. Such statements underscore that the conflict is not limited to economic disputes, but the fight between the imperialist powers over resources and spheres of influence is exploding NATO and the entire postwar system and erupting into open trade war and ultimately war. The hypocritical invocations by European governments of international law, human rights and a rules-based international order deserve nothing but contempt. Over the past three decades, they have supported every US-led war of aggressionfrom Kosovo to Afghanistan and Iraq and Libya. Only days ago, they aligned themselves with US aggression against Venezuela and Iran. They are complicit in the genocide against the Palestinians, which has reduced Gaza to rubble and killed tens of thousands, overwhelmingly women and children. In the war against Russia in Ukraine, the European powers now play the most aggressive role. This war was deliberately provoked through NATOs systematic encirclement of Russia and is being exploited to militarize Europe and prepare for a direct confrontation with the nuclear-armed state. In the conflict with Russia, the major European powers even criticise Trump for being too soft, as they fear that Washington may strike a deal with Moscow that sidelines European interests, particularly access to raw materials. In this situation, the Greens and the Left Party are among the most reactionary forces. They openly support the militarization of Greenland and demand tougher action from Berlin and Brussels. Leading figures welcomed the deployment of German troops to the region, while insisting that it does not go far enough. Under the banner of solidarity with Greenland, they promote an aggressive European/German world-power policy. Calls for German consulates, military presence and a stronger EU role reveal that these parties are fully integrated into the state apparatus and function as the ideological shock troops for rearmament. Their vision of a fourth world power Europe is nothing more than a program of imperialist rivalry and war preparation. Put plainly: Workers and young people in Europe are confronted not only with the volcanic eruption of American imperialism, but also with that of European imperialism. Even a trade war would have devastating consequences for workers in Europe and the United States, leading to mass unemployment and poverty on a scale comparable to the Great Depression, not to mention the danger of such a conflict escalating into a hot war, threatening the lives of millions. The scale of the rearmament plans of the European powers recalls the years preceding the First and Second World Wars. German imperialism, in particular, is once again openly reviving its great-power traditions and pursuing the goal of militarily leading the continent in order to assert its interests against Russia, against the United States and globally. This development was anticipated long ago by the Trotskyist movement. As early as 1991, the International Committee of the Fourth Internationals Manifesto Against Imperialist War and Colonialism warned that the attack on Iraq would not only inaugurate a new era of neocolonial wars but also intensify conflicts among the imperialist powers themselvesabove all, the historic antagonism between the United States and Germany, which had confronted each other in two world wars during the 20th century. The European imperialists do not intend to leave their fate in the hands of the United States. In the aftermath of the war [against Iraq], the Europeans have taken steps to establish their own rapid deployment force independently of the NATO structure, in which the United States still plays the leading role. The German ruling class has made it clear that it cannot accept that its position in world affairs in the twenty-first century should be determined by the military defeat it suffered in the middle of the twentieth. Today, the point of open confrontation has been reached. But at the same time, another fundamental analysis of the ICFI is being confirmed. The same contradictions of the capitalist system that inexorably drive society toward warthe contradiction between the global economy and the nation-state system, and between the social character of production and its private appropriationalso create the objective basis for social revolution. In the United States itself, resistance to Trumps fascistic policies is growing rapidly. In New York, the center of global finance capital, 15,000 nurses are participating in the largest nurses strike in the citys history. In Minneapolis, workers are preparing for a general strike following the killing of Renee Nicole Good by the immigration police, ICE. Across the country, protests and strikes are intensifying as the ruling oligarchy and the state apparatus become ever more authoritarian and fascist. It is to the global working class that workers and young people in Europe must orient themselves. Their allies are not the governments in Berlin, Paris, London or Brussels, not the EUs rearmament programs, and not the pseudo-left parties that dress up European militarism in progressive rhetoric. Their natural allies are the workers in the United States and around the world, who confront the same development of war, austerity and dictatorship. The answer to Trumps fascistic policy of might makes right is not European rearmament but the international mobilization of the working class against all of the imperialist warmongers. The only progressive perspective lies in the overthrow of the capitalist system that gives rise to war and the construction of an international socialist society. The International Committee of the Fourth International and its sections, the Socialist Equality Parties, are fighting for this program in the US, in Europe and throughout the world. Jan 20 (Reuters) - Qiagen is weighing strategic options, including a potential sale of the diagnostics firm amid fresh takeover interest, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people with knowledge of the matter. U.S.-listed shares of the company were up more than 16% in afternoon trade. The Netherlands-based company is working with advisers as its supervisory board fields preliminary interest from potential suitors, the report said, adding Qiagen has held talks with several possible buyers in recent weeks, including some U.S. strategics. The company declined to comment on the report. In recent years, the company has attracted multiple instances of takeover, though the discussions never led to a deal. Deliberations are still at an early stage and there is no certainty that the latest talks will result in a sale, the Bloomberg report said. Qiagen said in November its Chief Executive Officer Thierry Bernard will leave as soon as a successor is found. His planned departure removes one of the biggest perceived roadblocks to a potential deal, according to some sources cited in the report. (Reporting by Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore) We came across a bullish thesis on Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. on r/stocks by Antique-Reference585. In this article, we will summarize the bulls thesis on RXRX. Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s share was trading at $4.67 as of January 16th. Morgan Stanley Lifted GE HealthCare Target to $80 in Late October, Citing Strong Orders and Backlog Wichy/Shutterstock.com Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. operates as a clinical-stage biotechnology company, engages in the decoding biology and chemistry by integrating technological innovations across biology, chemistry, automation, data science, and engineering to industrialize drug discovery in the United States. RXRX is emerging as a compelling investment in the AI-driven pharmaceutical space, particularly as macro uncertainties, including the ongoing Powell investigation and potential challenges to U.S. credit credibility, create turbulence in broader markets. While large-cap tech like $GOOG continues to growrecently surpassing a $4 trillion market capthese behemoths are unlikely to double from here. The real upside lies with companies leveraging AI in high-growth niches, and Recursion fits this profile. Unlike peers such as $LLY, which has partnered with Nvidia on a $1 billion AI pharmaceutical initiative but is largely priced in, or $ILMN, which has transformed from a hardware supplier to a high-margin AI data services provider but has already doubled since its low, $RXRX offers both strategic positioning and an attractive valuation. Recursion is a direct equity partner with Nvidia, serving as a core ally in AI-driven drug discovery, with its proprietary Recursion OS integrating vast biological imaging data into a closed-loop AI experimentation platforma rare capability at petabyte scale. Under CEO Chris Gibson, the company has focused on "translating biology into search problems," mirroring Nvidia and Googles approach to AI, and has built the BioHive-2 supercomputer, the industrys most advanced AI platform. Coupled with a substantial cash reserve lasting through 2027, this provides financial stability and operational runway for aggressive growth. Trading in $RXRX is currently under the radar, offering a low-demand entry point with the potential for significant upside, including the possibility of doubling once capital rotates into the AI pharmaceutical sector, making it a standout opportunity for investors seeking high-risk, high-reward exposure. Previously, we covered a bullish thesis on CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) by MADD-Scientis in March 2025, which highlighted the companys CRISPR gene editing leadership, Casgevys commercial potential, and a strong pipeline. CRSPs stock price has appreciated by approximately 30.60% since our coverage as the thesis played out. Antique-Reference585 shares a similar focus on high-growth biotech but emphasizes Recursion Pharmaceuticals ($RXRX) and its AI-driven platform with Nvidia partnership. Jan 20 (Reuters) - Roche's Genentech said on Tuesday it will more than double its initial investment in a biomanufacturing facility in North Carolina to about $2 billion, as the companies look to further boost their $50 billion investment in the U.S. The facility, based in Holly Springs, North Carolina is set to be operational by 2029 and will produce next-generation treatments for metabolic conditions, such as obesity. The investment is expected to support more than 2,000 jobs, which includes 500 high-wage manufacturing jobs and 1,500 construction jobs, Genentech said, adding that the expansion will further raise production volumes and scale manufacturing capacity within the facility. In May last year, Genentech invested over $700 million in the North Carolina facility, as it looked to expand its presence in the United States amid President Donald Trump's push for pharma companies to onshore domestic manufacturing to the U.S. (Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber) Since hitting newsprint in 1950, Snoopy has become one of the most popular comic characters of all time. Without speaking a word, Americas most recognizable beagle taught the public about physics, somehow sleeping and living on top of an A-frame doghouse. Snoopy also taught us about life as a flying ace from World War I. After his training as a pilot, however, Snoopy lived beyond the comic strip to inform the public about aerospace, including multiple stints with NASA. Related: This WWII vet inspired almost every comic strip in your Sunday funnies Heres a look at how Snoopy has served his country, spanning more than 70 years. Thank You for Your Service, Snoopy First and foremost, Snoopy is a World War I veteran who flew a Sopwith Camel to fight the Red Baron. The iconic flying ace was tragically shot down each time he took to the skies. Curses, foiled again! This became a main theme of creator Charles Schulzs comic, and with the audience wanting more, Snoopy began appearing regularly as part of the Peanuts storylines. As a flying ace, Snoopy was commemorated with the Air Forces B-58 Hustler Bomber, which was adjusted to test radar capabilities. The model was the first plane to hit Mach 2, making it the first operational supersonic bomber. A Symbol of Solidarity During the Vietnam War Navy Cmdr. C.E. Hathaway plans a mission over North Vietnam aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga while a stuffed Snoopy sits on his shoulder. (U.S. Navy) Snoopy became a multi-conflict veteran when he also served in Vietnam. Throughout the entire war, he was used as a symbol for soldiers, often signifying solidarity. Schulzs experience as a veteran may have sparked his interest, especially at a time when Vietnam was unpopular. Schulz was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II and served as a machine gunner. He once told a story about forgetting to load his gun, but the one German he could have used it on surrendered. He received a Combat Infantry Badge, or CIB, for his units stint under fire. Schulz saw action throughout France during the war and helped liberate the Dachau concentration camp. The three years I spent in the Army taught me all I needed to know about loneliness, Schulz once said. I channeled some of the immense loneliness that I felt during the war into these characters, and it resonated deeply with people. Space Became Snoopys Jam Snoopy can show up anywhere, including the shuttle flight control room at NASA. (NASA) Later, Snoopy gained popularity with NASA as he was named the official mascot of aerospace safety and testing through the Apollo Program. After the preflight test fire that claimed the lives of three Apollo 1 astronauts in 1967, Snoopy joined NASA as a safety mascot. It was a perfect choice as employees embraced the lovable comic pooch. Silver Snoopy pins were awarded for those following proper safety protocols and remain a sought-after item to this day. Schulz was asked for the use of Snoopys likeness and image in 1968 during the space race. To commemorate the partnership, Apollo 10 included capsules named after Snoopy and the dogs owner, Charlie Brown. Schulz included themes in the Peanuts comic strip with Snoopy heading to space with his doghouse space shuttle. (His helmet was, what else, a fishbowl.) NASA Loves It Some Snoopy Snoopy is in good hands after returning from the Artemis I mission. (NASA) Advertisement Advertisement Snoopy was given a further nod as NASA astronauts named one of their hats after him. Meanwhile, a Snoopy patch was worn during the Skylab Medical Experiment Altitude Test (SMEAT), a 56-day project. In 2019, Snoopy returned to NASA in two ways: in an Apple TV series, Snoopy in Space: The Search for Life, and also with an announcement that he would return to space aboard Orion. Snoopy did just that aboard the Artemis I mission in late 2022. One month after Schulzs death on February 12, 2000, the airport in Sonoma County, California, was renamed after the iconic cartoonist. Its logo is Snoopy flying his doghouse bomber, scarf flying in the air. The latter was also used as the mascot for the 26th squadron of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His only tie to more recent wars includes a reservists dog named Snoopy, who served overseas. Long after he became a fixture in American popular culture, Snoopy remains a symbol for soldiers with his willingness to repeatedly try to cut down the enemy in their tracks. Dont Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty fdr toga party nara History FDR dressed up as Julius Caesar for a White House toga party By Daniel Tobias Flint jungle warfare training 2026 marine corps Feature Why traditional jungle warfare training needs an upgrade for 2026 By Adam Gramegna 126th army navy game heidenreich navy Sports Midshipmen edge Black Knights in the 126th Army-Navy Game By Matt Ward military tech 2025 ht4 thermal cloak pgm precision Advertisement Advertisement Technology 5 Military tech breakthroughs of 2025 that are straight out of science fiction By Adam Gramegna operation pastorius sentence nazi saboteurs prison removal World War II Nazi sabotage teams were captured infiltrating the US during World War II By Daniel Tobias Flint NEED TO KNOW Jennifer Lawrence revealed the one thing her OBGYN vetoed during her pregnancy The Die My Love actress, 35, recently chatted with Amy Poehler on the Tuesday, Jan. 20 episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler about everything from her Robert De Niro impression to being a mom of two The actress shares her children with husband Cooke Maroney Jennifer Lawrence revealed the one thing her OBGYN vetoed during her pregnancy. The Die My Love actress, 35, recently chatted with Amy Poehler on the Tuesday, Jan. 20 episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler about everything from her Robert De Niro impression to motherhood. Lawrence, who's a mom of two, shared that while she was pregnant, she had an opportunity to appear on Bear Grylls' Man vs. Wild, but her OBGYN quickly vetoed the idea. Advertisement Advertisement "I tried to go on Bear Grylls' [Man vs. Wild]," she told host Amy Poehler. "I was determined to do it. I ended up getting pregnant, but I was still going to do it." "And then I texted my OBGYN, like 'Hey, so I'm going to be doing Bear Grylls' on like the 17th. Is there anything I should tell them?' And, he was like, 'You're not doing that.'" Lawrence and Maroney first met through a mutual friend in 2018 and later got married in October 2019 at the Belcourt of Newport mansion in Rhode Island. They welcomed their first child, son Cy, three years later in February 2022. The couple expanded their family again in 2025 with the arrival of their second child, another boy. The Hunger Games star tends to keep her personal life out of the spotlight, especially when it comes to details about her children. She told Vanity Fair in November 2021 that she wants to protect the privacy of her kids as much as possible. Advertisement Advertisement "If I was at a dinner party, and somebody was like, 'Oh, my God, you're expecting a baby,' I wouldn't be like, 'God, I can't talk about that. Get away from me, you psycho!' she said. But every instinct in my body wants to protect their privacy for the rest of their lives, as much as I can. During a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, Lawrence opened up about how becoming a parent has affected her career. "Having children changes everything. It changes your whole life. It's brutal and incredible, she said. "Not only do they go into every decision of if I'm working, where I'm working, when I'm working they've taught me ... and they've opened up the world to me. 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. Appearing on a Jan. 12 episode of the SmartLess podcast, Lawrence shared that she thinks of herself as a stay-at-home mom rather than a working actor. Advertisement Advertisement "That's me. I identify as a stay-at-home mom," Lawrence said on the podcast. "But I am obviously working." "I'm not used to being busy like this. I normally have a busy three months while I'm filming, but even in that sense, it's calm because there is nothing else to do," she continued. "I just go to work, I do that, I come home, I sleep, and then I do it again. And then, like, two weeks while you promote. It is hectic." Stewart Cook/CBS Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney She also shared insight on her co-parenting relationship with Maroney, whom she described as the "opposite" of her. "I married somebody who is the opposite of me. He is so organized. He's an anchor," said the actress. "Everything is ordered. I have to keep the closet doors closed, and I have my little jobs that I work really hard to do." Advertisement Advertisement "I get it now, I get it. [The kids are] on a very strict schedule. You know, it's like breakfast: 7:30," explained Lawrence. "He's good at keeping it. But we've learned [that] to keep our marriage alive, I have a 15-minute wiggle room." Read the original article on People Kate Gosselin's boyfriend, Steve Neild, channeled his inner knight in shining armor on the streets of New Zealand. The TV personality's beau went head-on chasing a thief down, along with some other men, outside a mall. His active involvement in a random theft case brought back good ol' memories of his days as a bodyguard and a cop. Steve Neild worked as a bodyguard for Kate Gosselin's family from 2008 to 2014; hence, their relationship started out professional. Rumors of their relationship status raged, which they both denied at the time before Gosselin confirmed they were a couple last year. Kate Gosselin's Boyfriend Gets His Bodyguard Groove Back On MEGA Gosselin shared news of a crime that took place at the grocery store she was shopping at in New Zealand. She said she was nearly rammed to the floor during the incident as the thief pushed past her in the bid to escape. Advertisement Advertisement The post showed the parking lot while she explained the whole incident behind the camera. She said the man ran through the mall trying to steal a trolley of groceries, then expressed how impressed she felt that the onlookers acted responsibly, chasing the guy and calling the police. The TV personality noted that the crime rate in New Zealand is less than in America, saying that people in America would rather ignore such things than what she just witnessed. While explaining how intense the chase was, she said, "The guy ran past us and lost his shoe; he literally pushed past me, almost knocked me down in my lack of walking state," before disclosing that she kicked the thief's shoe out of the way in an attempt to slow him down. Gosselin stated in the video that her boyfriend joined the men trying to stop the thief from getting away. She captured a moment where Neild was walking back towards her and added the words "'I love that Steve turns right back into a cop on a moment's notice," briefly onto the screen. Fans' Reaction To The Crime Update Video The reality star's TikTok clip has hit over 5,000 likes and almost a thousand shares. Many commenters were more shocked to see that Gosselin was actually in New Zealand than they were at the incident. Advertisement Advertisement A user asked what she was doing there, to which she replied, "Just hanging with Steve's Family! [heart eyes emoji]." Other users expressed that they were happy she was not hurt and that Neild was there to protect her. Many users commented on the trees, beautiful scenery, and some shared that they had been there before, either to visit or it was part of their neighborhood. A fan wrote, "I love how Steve jumps into action! Once a protector, always protective." Several others talked about the differences in crime levels in both societies. The 'Jon & Kate Plus 8' Alum Recently Suffered A Painful Leg Fracture Gosselin previously shared how she broke her leg last September while playing with her dog and has been unable to walk unassisted for almost three months. She described it as a "life-altering" leg fracture injury that required one of the top three painful surgeries she had ever undergone. A few days before Christmas, The Blast shared that she was able to finally test out her leg again and take her first steps using crutches. She shared a video on social media detailing her trip to the hospital to check in with the doctors about whether she could finally put some weight on the injured leg. Advertisement Advertisement After receiving the go-ahead, she took a few steps, steadfastly holding on to her crutches, and did some leg exercises to strengthen her muscles. This life-altering incident occurred amid her fresh romantic ordeal with Neild, who stood by her throughout the recovery process. She referenced her injury in her recent TikTok where she said, "He ran past me, and I'm just now starting to walk. I had an injury, so I can now walk, and it sent me off my feet for a second." The Mother-Of-Eight Went All Out Announcing Her Relationship Status Update Although a lot of whispers spread about the lovebirds previously, they did not confirm they were dating until Gosselin went public and social media official. She made her move with an Instagram post she captioned "One girl. 10 obsessions." While her kids were number one on the list, Neild was right behind them, taking the second spot. She shared cute photos of them, writing that he was her boyfriend, and the list went on to include her dogs, pizza, friends, and more. Advertisement Advertisement The Blast noted how many fans raved with excitement and emotional messages. They declared they were happy for the couple, adding how great they looked together before the hard launch. Gosselin had previously made subtle pointers to the fact that she was dating someone but never revealed his identity then. Not All Of Kate Gosselin's Kids Are Happy With Her Love Life MEGA The mom of eight shared that her kids were very happy for her and had accepted the fact that she is moving on with her life after so many years. According to her, they had been worried that she would be all alone as they had grown, so seeing her in her love bubble with her person brought joy to their hearts. Not all eight kids share the mutual feeling of joy for their mom. The Blast reports that her son, Collin Gosselin, called her out on infidelity on social media. He made several allegations against his mother, warning the public not to be misled. Collin claimed that his mom had been involved with Neild as far back as 2009, stressing that she had cheated on his father, Jon, with him. Advertisement Advertisement He further accused her of sharing hotel rooms with Neild during family vacations while he stayed in an adjacent room. Finally, he urged that his mother come forward and admit to his claims, taking responsibility for her actions. What's next for Kate Gosselin and her boyfriend? Lori Loughlin reportedly hasnt been able to let go of her resentment toward her estranged husband, Mossimo Giannulli, three months after announcing their bombshell split. An insider told People Monday that the Full House star is still extremely angry with the fashion designer. Despite the actresss resentment, another source shared that Giannulli wants everything resolved quietly and thinks his ex is a lovely person and an incredible mom to their daughters, Olivia Jade, 26, and Isabella Rose, 27. Lori Loughlin is reportedly still holding onto bitterness toward her estranged husband, Mossimo Giannulli, three months after announcing their bombshell split. WireImage Lori is still extremely angry with him, a source told People Monday. BACKGRID Reps for Loughlin, 61, and Giannulli, 62, werent immediately available to Page Six for comment. Advertisement Advertisement The exes have yet to file for divorce despite announcing in October that they were parting ways after nearly 28 years of marriage, Page Six confirmed. At the time, an insider told Page Six that the tipping point of their relationship was when the Fuller House star found incriminating text messages on her exs phone after they served time in prison for their involvement in the 2019 Varsity Blues college admissions scandal. The fashion designer, however, reportedly doesnt feel the same way. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images According to the source, Giannulli wants everything resolved quietly. WireImage Loughlin and Giannulli pleaded guilty in 2020 to paying $500,000 in bribes for their daughters to be accepted into the University of Southern California as rowing recruits. The Hallmark star served two months behind bars while Giannulli served a five-month sentence. Advertisement Advertisement Mossimo had used Lori for years, the friend told us in October. She was hoping maybe he would change when he got out of prison, but he got worse. He also reportedly thinks Loughlin is a lovely person and an incredible mom. Penske Media via Getty Images The exes are parents to daughters Olivia Jade, 26, and Isabella Rose, 27. Instagram The source explained that Loughlin wants to have nothing to do with Giannulli and wants to get her life back. Additionally, Us Weekly reported that the school scandal was a turning point, and they never really connected or recovered their relationship after that. The insider claimed that Loughlin felt like the businessman got her involved in the incident. Loughlin and Giannulli announced their split in October. The Hollywood JR / BACKGRID They were married for nearly 28 years. AP Advertisement Advertisement He spearheaded it, the source alleged, adding that the Hallmark star never fully forgave him and never fully got over it. Ahead of calling it quits, Loughlin and Giannulli put their Hidden Hills, Calif., mansion on the market for $16.5 million in February, People reported at the time. Loughlin has stayed under the radar since the separation was announced, while Giannulli has been seen occasionally hanging out with a much-younger female friend. Melissa Gilbert is navigating an intensely emotional period as serious criminal allegations against her husband, Timothy Busfield, place their family under immense strain. The actress has been pulled into a fast-moving legal process unfolding in New Mexico, marked by detention hearings, court filings, and public attention. As Busfield remains behind bars awaiting key judicial decisions, Gilbert has focused on his safety, formally supporting him through the courts while keeping her public silence intact. Melissa Gilbert Is Living A 'Nightmare' As A Source Details Her Fear For Her Husband's Safety Pixmedia/ MEGA Gilbert is said to be very concerned about Tim in jail as Busfield remains held at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, according to a source who spoke to PEOPLE. Advertisement Advertisement The source said Gilbert wants him out so hes safe, citing concerns about the facility, which reportedly has safety issue complaints. Busfield was booked on January 13 in connection with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. The source told the publication that Gilbert has been focused on trying to get Busfield released and planned to be in New Mexico as his legal case moves forward. The past week has been a nightmare for Melissa, the source said, describing the emotional toll on the actress. Gilbert Prepares For Court Decisions That Could Shape Busfields Future MEGA The urgency surrounding Timothy Busfields case intensified ahead of a pretrial detention hearing, during which a judge was expected to decide whether he would remain in custody. Advertisement Advertisement The judge was also set to rule on what conditions Busfield would need to agree to if he were offered a potential release ahead of trial. Following that process, the charges against Busfield were expected to be formally announced, after which the actor would be arraigned on all three counts. Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman later stated that Busfield could face up to 15 years in custody if convicted on all charges. Gilbert Submits Emotional Letter Praising Busfields Character ravis Wade/WENN.com Newscom/ MEGA As legal proceedings continued, Melissa Gilbert submitted a letter to the court on Friday in support of her husband. In the filing, she described Busfield as central to her life and family. Advertisement Advertisement The reality is that Tim Busfield is my love, my rock, my partner in business and life, she wrote. He is my comfort and my council. His joy, humor, and quick wit bring sparkle to my life. Tim is, quite simply, the beating heart of our wild and wonderful extended family. The 61-year-old told the judge, I can tell you, and anyone, that I know Tim better and more intimately than anything in his life ever has. Conversely, he knows me in the same way. Gilbert went on to describe the actor as having the strongest moral compass of any human I have ever known, adding that he has dedicated his spiritual self to always being of service to others and starts every day with kindness and compassion. Melissa Gilbert Admits Emotions Overtook Logic In Her Plea To The Court Jordan Hinton/Image Press Agency/MEGA In the same letter, Gilbert acknowledged her internal struggle as she tried to balance reason with emotion. Advertisement Advertisement I am trying to tow a line between logic and all the feelings swirling through me, she wrote. I began this letter with logic, but now the feelings have taken over. I cant help it. She closed the letter with a direct appeal for Timothy Busfields safety while in custody. I only want this extraordinary man safe and whole, the actress stated. So, I will close by asking you to please, please, take care of my sweet husband. Gilbert added, As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now, and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart, I am relying on your [sic] to protect him for me. Melissa Gilbert Maintains Silence As Timothy Busfield Denies Allegations And Case Expands 2009 Kathy Hutchins / Hutchins/Newscom/ MEGA Additional details emerged in court filings, including an unrelated allegation of sexual abuse made by Colin Swift, who reported that Busfield allegedly abused his daughter several years ago in Sacramento, California, while she was auditioning at B Street Theatre. Advertisement Advertisement Busfield has denied all child sex abuse allegations. In a video obtained by TMZ shortly before turning himself in, Busfield said he planned to confront these lies and fight. His civil attorney, Larry Stein, told PEOPLE that Busfield is absolutely shocked by the false allegation. Hes devastated and will defend himself, because these are absolutely false allegations, Stein said. The fashion world is mourning the loss of one of its most legendary figures following the passing of Valentino Garavani on Monday, Jan. 19. According to the designer's personal Instagram and his foundation, the Italian icon died peacefully in his home in Rome, Italy, surrounded by loved ones. He was 93. Over the course of more than six decades, the Valentino label became synonymous with timeless glamour, dressing Hollywood's most iconic figures. From former first ladies and award-winning actors to royalty, Valentino's designs have appealed across generations, and it will continue to remain as one of fashion's most iconic names. Jackie Kennedy Onassis Jackie Onassis and Sir Hugh Fraser during Costume Institute Gala Presents "Fashions of The Hapsburg Era" at Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)Getty Images (Getty Images) Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis played a pivotal role in elevating Valentino's profile and bringing it to the masses. Following the death of her husband, President John F. Kennedy, she purchased six of his pieces and began wearing them publicly the following year. Among her most memorable looks was a striking green asymmetrical haute couture gown from Valentino's fall/winter 1967 collection, which she wore during her historic trip to Cambodia in 1967. Princess Diana LILLE, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 15: Diana, Princess of Wales, wearing a burgundy coloured velvet and lace dress designed by Valentino, attends a performance of Paul McCartney's oratorio 'Liverpool' at the Lille Congress Hall on November 15, 1992 in Lille, France. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)Getty Images (Getty Images) Princess Diana was an inspiring figure in many ways, particularly through her fearless fashion choices. She wore Valentino's designs on several occasions, among them was this daring suede and lace knee-length dress she wore in 1992 while attending a performance by Paul McCartney. Advertisement Advertisement Diana maintained a strong relationship with the designer, as evidenced by photos showing the two yachting together near Stromboli, a volcanic island off the coast of Italy, per Grazia Magazine. Julia Roberts Julia Roberts (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)Getty Images (Getty Images) Julia Roberts chose to wear a black and white Valentino gown from the designer's 1992 couture collection when she won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Erin Brockovich in 2001. In fact, many of Hollywood's leading ladies turned to Valentino for life-changing red carpet moments, including Jessica Lange, who wore the designer while winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Tootsie" in 1983. Cate Blanchett wore a stunning yellow Valentino gown when she nabbed her first Oscar for The Aviator in 2005. HOLLYWOOD - FEBRUARY 27: Actress Cate Blanchett poses with her "Best Performance by a Supporting Actress" award for "The Aviator" backstage during the 77th Annual Academy Awards on February 27, 2005 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)Getty Images (Getty Images) Jennifer Lopez HOLLYWOOD - MARCH 23: Actress Jennifer Lopez, wearing Harry Winston jewelry, poses during the 75th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theater on March 23, 2003 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)Getty Images (Getty Images) Jennifer Lopez has long embraced Valentino, appearing in countless designs over the course of her career. Notably, she wore a green off-the-shoulder gown at the 2003 Oscars that echoed the iconic look Jackie O wore during her trip to Cambodia. Advertisement Advertisement Most recently, J.Lo wowed in a 1960s-inspired Valentino look while attending the designer's spring 2024 haute couture collection. The black gown hugged her curves and featured playful cut-out details along her arms. PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 24: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY - For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) Jennifer Lopez attends the Valentino Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 24, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)Getty Images (Getty Images) Gwyneth Paltrow Gwyneth Paltrow and Valentino during 2002 Venice Film Festival - Opening Night - "Frida" Premiere at Palazzo Del Cinema in Venice Lido, Italy. (Photo by J. Vespa/WireImage) Gwyneth Paltrow has been both a longtime friend and devoted wearer of Valentino's designs on the red carpet. After the news of his passing, the actress took to Instagram, sharing a photo kissing the designer on the cheek and writing: "This feels like the end of an era. He will be deeply missed by me and all who loved him. Rest in peace, Vava " Anne Hathaway HOLLYWOOD - FEBRUARY 25: Actress Anne Hathaway attends the 79th Annual Academy Awards held at the Kodak Theatre on February 25, 2007 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Getty Images (Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Anne Hathaway has had a long and warm relationship with Valentino, having first met the designer and co-founder Giancarlo Giammetti on the set of 2005's The Devil Wears Prada. While attending the 2025 WWD Honors in October 2025, Hathaway wore a striking red Valentino gown, which held very special meaning to her. She shared with WWD, "I am wearing Valentino archival couture, which is an amazing thing to be able to say. And I hope I'm getting this right, but I think this dress was shown in 2005, which is actually the year I met Valentino and Giancarlo. So if that's true, it has extra significance." When asked to name her favorite Valentino look, Hathaway couldn't just choose one, though her stunning wedding gown, which she wore when marrying her husband, Adam Shulman, in 2012, certainly tops the list. Although Valentino has been a cornerstone of fashion for decades, his timeless designs continue to grace red carpets today, worn by a generation of stars including Sabrina Carpenter, Emma Chamberlain, and Dakota Johnson. This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Russias budget revenues from oil and gas are set to drop by 46% on the year this month, according to Reuters calculations, which the publication based on oil and gas production figures, refining rates, and sales on both the domestic and international markets. According to these, Russias revenues from oil and gas for January will be 420 billion rubles, which is equal to about $5.42 billion, driven by lower international oil prices and a stronger local currency. The ruble gained over 30% in December 2025 from a year ago, driving the ruble-denominated price for oil used for tax purposes lower by as much as 53%. Russias oil and gas industry contributes about 25% of its total budget revenues. Western leaders consider this a large enough portion to target with sanctions in order to presumably hurt its ability to fund the war in Ukraine. So far, 19 packages of EU sanctions and several rounds of U.S. sanctions have failed to make any difference in Russias military plans, and the EU itself even continues buying Russian oil (via third countries) and gas, on which it has imposed sanctions. Reuters noted in its report that Russias federal budget will receive the approximate equivalent of $120 billion in revenues8.96 trillion rublesfrom the oil and gas industry this year, based on current price assumptions, of course. This will be up from 8.48 trillion rubles for last year, or about $110 billion. The figure represented a 24% decline from the previous year. There has been a further decline since then, largely because of the November U.S. sanctions, which specifically targeted the two largest exporters of crude oil in Russia and their buyers. As a result, Rosneft and Lukoil clients in India have switched to other energy trading companies and other countries as well. However, the drop in flows to India has been nowhere as pronounced as expected, at over 1 million barrels daily for December versus expectations for 800,000 barrels daily, per Bloomberg. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Oilprice Intelligence brings you the signals before they become front-page news. This is the same expert analysis read by veteran traders and political advisors. Get it free, twice a week, and you'll always know why the market is moving before everyone else. You get the geopolitical intelligence, the hidden inventory data, and the market whispers that move billions - and we'll send you $389 in premium energy intelligence, on us, just for subscribing. Join 400,000+ readers today. Get access immediately by clicking here. NEED TO KNOW Robert Redford's daughter, Amy, shared her thoughts on the late Hollywood icon as a father Amy appeared on the Today show to discuss Robert's legacy This year marks the first that the Sundance Film Festival will be held since Robert's death Amy Redford is remembering her late father, Robert Redford. The 55-year-old shared her favorite memories of growing up with her dad as she discussed the Oscar-winner and founder of the Sundance Film Festival on Today on Monday, Jan. 19. Advertisement Advertisement He was playful and curious and kind, said Amy. And I think what he taught us to do is really find the thing that we're most passionate about and the things that we think might be able to change the world. The best thing I think he did for my family was raise us between New York City and the mountains of Sundance, because we got to live between the city and in natural law, she continued. [He] taught us a very strong value of stewardship. So that's something that I think all of us bring to the table to this day. Im very proud of that. Robert died at the age of 89 at his home in Sundance, Utah, on Sept. 16, 2025, PEOPLE previously reported. Amy also discussed on Today the upcoming Sundance Film Festival which her father famously founded in 1981 set to kick off on Thursday, Jan. 22, marking the first time the festival will take place since the actors death. Advertisement Advertisement For my dad, it was, if you tell him not to do it, that just means it hasnt been done yet, Amy said about the legendary film festival. He decided, Well, I have some platform and I'm going to use it to change the world. And I think knowing that there are so many stories out there that needed to be told that weren't being told and that there were amazing storytellers that hadn't been seen yet, was really his most foundational motivation, she added of her father. Michael Caulfield/WireImage Robert Redford with his daughter Amy and late son James Robert Redford with his daughter Amy and late son James Robert and his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, shared four children together, their eldest son, Scott, who died at 2 months old in 1959, Shauna, 65, James, who died aged 59 in 2020; and Amy. The late actor also had seven grandchildren. 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 Roberts death in September, Amy spoke out on social media against AI tributes for her late father. Advertisement Advertisement There have been multiple AI versions of funerals, tributes, and quotes from members of my family that are fabrications, she wrote on Instagram. Renderings of my Dad, who clearly has no say, and depictions of my family that do not represent anyone in a positive light are extra challenging during a difficult time. She went on to thank fans for their overwhelming love and support toward her and the Redford family. Its clear that he meant so much to so many, and I know that my family is humbled by the outpouring of stories and tributes from all corners of the globe, she added. Read the original article on People Timothy Busfields upcoming film appearance will no longer be part of the final cut as his intense legal case continues to unfold. Scenes featuring the 68-year-old actor in the upcoming romantic comedyYou Deserve Each Other are being removed following his recent arrest, according to a TMZ post shared on Monday, January 19. The Amazon MGM Studios project stars Penn Badgley and Meghann Fahy, with Busfield originally cast as the father of Fahys character. Because filming had already wrapped, the decision was made to edit his role out entirely rather than recast it. Busfield is currently being held without bond in New Mexico after surrendering to authorities on January 13. He was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse back on January 9. The charges stem from allegations involving 11-year-old twin boys who were child actors on the FOX series The Cleaning Lady, where Busfield served as a director. Advertisement Advertisement The West Wing alum made his first court appearance on January 14, during which a New Mexico judge ruled that he would remain in custody ahead of a pretrial detention hearing scheduled for January 20. Busfield has denied the allegations, previously calling them horrible and all lies. READ MORE: Timothy Busfield Allegedly Reveals Intimate Details About Marriage With Melissa Gilbert As Abuse Case Escalates As part of his legal teams effort to argue against pretrial detention, Busfield submitted a psychosexual evaluation that included personal details about his marriage to Melissa Gilbert. According to court filings also obtained by TMZ, Busfield described their relationship as stable and supportive, noting that their physical intimacy has changed with age. He also stated that he is heterosexual and expressed strong opposition to pornography, saying he has always had a visceral response to it. Gilbert, 61, echoed those sentiments in a separate letter filed with the court and obtained by PEOPLE on January 17, urging that her husbands safety be considered while he remains incarcerated. Advertisement Advertisement The reality is that Tim Busfield is my love, my rock, my partner in business and life, she wrote, calling him the beating heart of our wild and wonderful extended family. She added, Tim has the strongest moral compass of any human I have ever known, and pointed to his reputation as a favorite director and favorite teacher among those who have worked with him. Busfield remains in custody as legal proceedings continue. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit their website. This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Iconic Italian designer Valentino Garavani, who dressed dozens of Hollywood stars, Princess Diana, Jackie Kennedy and others, died Monday, Jan. 19, in Rome at 93 years old. A legend in the fashion industry, Valentino founded his own luxury brand and dressed some of the top American stars over his nearly five-decade career. The fashion designer's Instagram account and that of his foundation announced the death in a post Monday, Jan. 19. "Our founder, Valentino Garavani, passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones," the post read. Advertisement Advertisement Italian President Sergio Mattarella expressed his condolences on Valentino's death in a Jan. 19 statement. "With the passing of Valentino, Italy has lost a successful stylist who was able to keep up with trends and styles. He contributed great insight and excellent creations to the fashion industry. I express my condolences to his relatives and colleagues," Mattarella said in the statement. Here's what to know about Valentino. When did Valentino Garavani die? Valentino died Jan. 19 at his home in Rome, his foundation and personal account said in an Instagram post Monday. He was 93 years old. No cause of death was given. Who was Valentino Garavani? Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani in Voghera, Italy, he became a legendary fashion designer and founded Valentino, a luxury fashion brand, according to Glam Observer, a fashion career academy platform. Advertisement Advertisement After his early years studying fashion and design, Valentino launched his company, Maison Valentino, in 1960 alongside Italian businesman Giancarlo Giammetti, according to the brand's website. "I love beauty," Valentino said. "It is not my fault. And I know what women want: They want to be beautiful." And the Oscar goes to ... Julia! She won the best actress award for her portrayal in "Brockovich" in 2001, donning a classic Valentino gown to the awards show. Who did Valentino design for? Valentino's storied career brought his design outside Italy, the attire becoming a favorite of western celebrities, from Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Joan Collins, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Penelope Cruz, Sharon Stone and beyond. He also introduced a signature shade of crimson, with a hit of orange, known as Valentino Red. Valentino retired from designing in 2008, but the brand remains popular. Valentino's social media accounts show celebrities Colman Domingo, Hannah Einbinder, Natasha Lyonne and Adam Brody wearing full Valentino looks at the recent Golden Globe Awards. USA TODAY contributed. Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Valentino dies at 93. Who was the Italian designer? The featured guest of the day on Tuesdays (January 20) edition of The View was new New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, who took a victory lap over the implementation of some of his immediate policy enactments, including funding universal child care for city residents, by bringing some of the direct beneficiaries of those programs into the live audience during his visit. As celebratory as Mamdanis message was, though, he was also on hand to discuss his position on current national events, and Joy Behar in particular wanted to know why he was exchanging text messages with Donald Trump. After Mamdani explained how incredible it feels to be building a city government that moves as fast as New Yorkers do, Behar asked him, Whats interesting is you called him a fascist to his face a dream Ive always had and then we saw you talking to him that day, and he seemed to be madly in love with you. Now I understand you were texting to each other. Can I see the text of that meeting? Advertisement Advertisement After reviewing footage of Mamdanis Oval Office meeting with Trump in question, Behar continued. So obviously youve gone for the charm offensive, as opposed to Governor Newsom, whos on the attack. Now, maybe yours is going to work, because we know hes totally egomaniacal and narcissistic, and anytime you compliment him, he likes you. Is that your intention? she asked. I think my intention is about being honest and direct with the president. And I think there are many disagreements the two of us have. Theres no shortage of them. One thing that we do have in common is that we both love New York City. Were both New Yorkers, Mamdani said. And so for that entire meeting, I made the case about this city and what it can look like for this city if its a place that New Yorkers can afford, or if its a place that theyre pushed out of. And every single policy that the federal administration puts forward, it has impacts on this city. After Behar joked, Do you have an award [for him]? in reference to Trumps texts to Norways prime minister stating that he would no longer pursue peace in Greenland since Norway didnt give him the Nobel Peace Prize. I dont have an award, Mamdani said. What I will say, though, is that Im going to exhaust every possibility. I mean, when New Yorkers elected me mayor, theyre looking for someone whos going to turn over every leaf to see what is something they can do for the city. Thats where I stand. Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere in the interview, Mamdani revealed his support for the abolishment of ICE, along with plans to increase affordability in the Big Apple, and Whoopi Goldberg closed the interview with effusively optimistic praise for his vision and plans: Listen, if you can do what you say you can do, you will not only remake the city, but you may help remake the nation, she said. The View, weekdays, 11a/10c, ABC Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider. U.S. President Donald Trump's latest post to Truth Social is raising eyebrows. In the early hours of Jan. 20, Trump shared a seemingly AI-generated image on the online social media platform that showed the 79-year-old president and European leaders looking at a map of Greenland, Canada and Venezuela, edited to include the American flag. The photo appears to be an edited image from when French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Washington, D.C. in August 2025. The photo is the latest amid the U.S.'s threats to take over Greenland and the recent seizure of Venezuela's former president, Nicolas Maduro and less than a year after Trump expressed plans to annex Canada. U.S. President Donald Trump posted a seemingly AI-generated image that features Canada, Greenland and Venezuela as part of the United States. (Image via Truth Social) Yahoo Canada knows the importance of staying informed, but we know just how stressful the current political climate can be. That's why we want to check in with Canadians and hear how you're feeling about the state of the world. Advertisement Advertisement Below, we've included an anonymous form for Yahoo Canada readers to share how current events are impacting their mental health. Your answers may be included in a future article. Carney calls for 'like-minded allies' to band together In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney referenced previous international relations between the United States and Canada without mentioning Trump by name. Canadians know that our old, comfortable assumption that our geography and alliance memberships automatically conferred prosperity and security is no longer valid, Carney Canada must work against domination by larger, wealthier and well-armed countries. The Liberal Party of Canada leader called for allyship instead of an isolationist approach, adding that Canada must work with like-minded allies where possible to push back against domination by larger, wealthier and well-armed countries. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech during the World Economic Forum. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images) (FABRICE COFFRINI via Getty Images) Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu Prime Minister Mark Carney Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu, the 60-year-old politician said. Stress-inducing headlines and fears for the future In March 2025, 60 per cent of Yahoo Canada readers polled said they felt anxious and worried regarding Trumps comments about Canada becoming the beloved 51st state" and the imposition of tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Last week, a new Leger poll revealed that approximately one-third of Canadians (31 per cent) believe "it is likely" the United States could attempt direct action to take control of Canada in the future. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump attended the draw for the 2026 FIFA Football World Cup in December 2025. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images) (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images) When Canadians were asked to weigh in on the probability of future U.S. interventions, 55 per cent said Greenland, 51 per cent said Cuba, 47 per cent said Colombia, 47 per cent said Panama. The data were released following the U.S.'s capture of Maduro and included poll results from Americans on the likelihood of U.S. international interventions. According to Leger, 20 per cent of Americans believe the U.S. government "might attempt direct action against Canada in the future." Let us know what you think by emailing us or threading us @yahoocanada. Follow us on TikTok, WhatsApp and Instagram. Romantic getaways look flawless on Instagram, but real trips come with real stress. Crowds, weather surprises, tiny hotel rooms, and mismatched expectations can turn were so in love into please stop chewing that loudly in under 24 hours. These 11 classics are stunning for a reason, but they have a talent for testing patience. Treat this list as a heads-up, not a warning label, because the drama usually comes from planning mistakes, not the destination. 1. Paris, France Image Credit: Shutterstock. Paris brings romance, packed streets, and a big-city pace. Hotels can be smaller than people expect, especially in central neighborhoods, so downtime can feel cramped instead of cozy. Popular spots like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre can mean long lines and packed spaces. When one person wants slow cafe mornings and the other wants a full itinerary, irritation shows up fast. Advertisement Advertisement Money can become the silent third wheel here. Meals, taxis, and attraction tickets add up quickly, and budget stress loves to start arguments. Pickpocketing is a real issue in busy tourist areas, so staying alert matters. Paris rewards couples who keep plans simple, build in wandering time, and stay flexible. 2. Venice, Italy Image Credit: Shutterstock. Venice looks like a dream, but the day-to-day logistics can feel like a puzzle. Bridges, stairs, and narrow lanes turn a simple errand into a mini workout, especially with luggage. Crowds in peak season can make the city feel claustrophobic around Rialto and St. Marks Square. When people get lost, hungry, and tired at the same time, romance starts sweating. Venice also deals with seasonal flooding known as acqua alta, which can disrupt routes and soak shoes. Water buses are useful, but they can be busy and confusing at first, so patience helps. Restaurant prices near the main sights often come with tourist markups, and nobody enjoys feeling overcharged. Venice works best when couples slow down, accept the maze, and stop trying to win the schedule. 3. Santorini, Greece Image Credit: Shutterstock. Santorini looks like a postcard in real life, which is exactly why it can get intense. Summer crowds turn famous viewpoints into a slow-moving line, especially around sunset in Oia. Many hotels are built into steep hills, so getting bags up and down stairs can test everyones mood. If one person is chasing perfect photos and the other wants comfort and shade, friction builds quickly. Advertisement Advertisement Transportation can be a team project here. Roads are narrow, parking is limited, and taxis can be hard to find at busy times, so planning matters. Wind can affect ferry schedules, which can throw off check-ins and connections. Dinner reservations are strongly recommended in Oia during peak season, unless you enjoy wandering while hungry. Santorini is easiest when couples plan less, breathe more, and dont try to control every minute. 4. Bali, Indonesia Image Credit: Shutterstock. Bali can feel like paradise right up until traffic turns the day into a long negotiation. Popular areas like Canggu, Seminyak, and Ubud can get congested, and short drives often take longer than expected. Heat and humidity can drain energy quickly, especially for couples trying to cram in temples, cafes, and waterfalls. When everyones tired, even small decisions can start sounding personal. Season makes a big difference, too. The wet season can bring heavy rain that changes plans, and beach conditions vary depending on the coast. Scooters look convenient, but they can add stress and safety concerns if neither person loves chaotic roads. A smaller daily radius keeps things calmer and prevents burnout. Bali is kinder to couples who leave room for downtime and spontaneous resets. 5. New York City, USA Image Credit: Shutterstock. New York is exciting, but its not exactly a relaxation retreat. The city is loud, fast, and expensive, and that combination can turn tiny disagreements into big ones. Hotel rooms are often compact, so personal space takes effort. Even a simple dinner plan can involve reservations, waitlists, and serious flexibility. Advertisement Advertisement Walking all day sounds fun until your feet file a formal complaint. The subway is easy once you learn it, but the learning curve can still trigger snappy moments. Tourist hotspots like Times Square can feel overwhelming, especially at peak hours. The best couples trips here balance one big plan with plenty of low-pressure wandering. 6. The Maldives The Maldives The Maldives is gorgeous, but it can feel isolating if youre not aligned as a couple. Many visitors stay on private resort islands, which can mean limited dining options and fewer spontaneous alternatives. Prices are often high, and surprise costs can create tension fast. If one person expects constant activities and the other expects total quiet, the mismatch becomes obvious. Getting there can be a stress test on its own. Transfers may involve domestic flights or seaplanes, and schedules can be affected by weather and daylight timing. Once you arrive, youre largely committed to the resort vibe, so choosing the right fit matters. The Maldives works best when couples agree on what romantic means before they land. 7. Kyoto, Japan Image Credit: Shutterstock. Kyoto feels calm and romantic, but it gets extremely crowded during cherry blossom season and autumn color. Popular areas like Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari can get busy early, which makes quiet moments harder to find. When photos become the main goal, the trip can start feeling like a job. Different travel styles show up fast in a city where timing makes a big difference. Advertisement Advertisement Kyoto also has cultural etiquette that deserves respect, and misunderstandings can lead to awkward moments. Some restaurants and small venues have limited seating, so patience and planning help. Transportation is manageable, but buses can be packed, and walking distances add up quickly. Couples who do best here keep plans simple and leave room for discovery. 8. Barcelona, Spain Image Credit: Shutterstock. Barcelona blends beaches, architecture, and nightlife, which sounds like the perfect romantic mix. It can also bring classic city travel stress, especially in crowded tourist zones. Pickpocketing is a known issue in busy areas, and constant vigilance can be tiring. When one person wants late nights and the other wants early museum mornings, compromise becomes a daily task. Food timing can throw some couples off, too. Many restaurants serve dinner later than some visitors expect, and hunger makes people dramatic. Sights like Sagrada Familia and Park Guell are popular and often need advance tickets. Barcelona is easier when you plan fewer stops and spend more time enjoying each one. 9. Prague, Czech Republic Image Credit: Shutterstock. Prague looks like a fairy tale, but it can get chaotic in peak season. The Old Town fills up quickly, and crossing the Charles Bridge can feel like a slow parade. The citys party scene can also change the nighttime vibe in certain areas. When couples expect quiet romance and get loud groups instead, disappointment can show up fast. Advertisement Advertisement Pragues prices often feel better than Western Europe, but tourist-trap dining exists near the main squares. That can lead to arguments about where to eat and whether the bill was worth it. Weather can be chilly and damp in parts of the year, which makes long walks less charming. Prague shines most when couples start early, explore side streets, and take cafe breaks on purpose. 10. Florence, Italy Image Credit: Shutterstock. Florence is a dream for art lovers, which can be intense if two people travel at different speeds. The Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia are world-famous, so tickets and lines become part of the experience. Summer heat can make sightseeing feel exhausting rather than inspiring. When everyones tired, decision-making turns into a debate club. The historic center is walkable, but its also busy, and personal space disappears at peak hours. Restaurants can fill up early in the most central areas, so planning dinner helps. Overspending happens easily here on food, leather goods, and spontaneous day trips. Florence rewards couples who choose quality over quantity and leave room to breathe. 11. Istanbul, Turkey Image Credit: Shutterstock. Istanbul is magnetic and romantic in a bold way, but it can overwhelm first-time visitors. The city is huge, traffic is real, and travel times between neighborhoods can be longer than expected. Busy areas like Sultanahmet can feel packed during the day. When plans run late, patience can run out too. Cultural differences can create friction if couples dont communicate well. Bargaining in markets is common in tourist areas, and not everyone enjoys that dynamic. Prayer calls are part of daily life and can be loud depending on where you stay, which affects sleep for light sleepers. Istanbul is at its best when you pick one area per day and enjoy it properly. Key Takeaways Panama tops International Livings 2025 Global Retirement Index, offering an easy Pensionado visa, dollarized economy, and broad retiree discounts. Mexico ranks in the top 25 worldwide for retirement finances in the 2025 Natixis Global Retirement Index, thanks to its affordable healthcare, proximity to the U.S., and well-established retiree hubs. Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru deliver some of the lowest costs of living and most accessible pension visas in Latin America, where a typical $2,000 monthly Social Security check can comfortably cover housing, healthcare, and everyday expenses. Your Social Security check will reach a average of $2,056 come 2026. Head south, though, and it can fund a comfortable lifestyle. Across Latin America, several countries offer low living costs, quality healthcare, and warm climates, making retirement both affordable and adventurous. Panama claimed the top spot in International Livings 2025 Global Retirement Index, while Mexico ranked highest among major Latin American nations. Ecuador has healthcare scores that beat Spain and Norway, while Colombia and Peru offer visa programs that let Americans live comfortably for a fraction of U.S. prices. Panama Panama's pensioner visa, which you can earn after just six months there, requires only a $1,000 monthly incomeor just $750 if you buy $100,000 in property. Retirees there also get mandatory discounts: 50% off movies and sporting events, 25% off restaurant bills and domestic flights, 15-20% off doctor visits and prescriptions, and 25% off utilities. Permanent residency is granted immediately with the visa; citizenship is achieved after five years. Advertisement Advertisement Panama uses the U.S. dollar and doesn't tax foreign income. The catch: couples need closer to $2,400 monthly, according to International Living's 2025 data. Mercer's 2024 rankings place Montevideo as Latin America's priciest city, ranking it at No. 42 globally; however, Panama offers more established banking and expat services. Mexico Shoots / Getty Images The lake Patzcuaro in Michoacan, Mexico. The lake Patzcuaro in Michoacan, Mexico. Mexico Mexico ranked fourth globally in International Living's 2025 index, and is among the top 25 countries for retirement finances in the Natixis index for the best countries for retirement. A comfortable lifestyle is possible in many regions on about $2,000 to $2,500 a month for a couple, particularly outside the major tourist zones. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment can start around $500 to $1,200, depending on the city. Groceries, local transit, and utilities are all significantly less expensive than in most U.S. metros. Healthcare costs are also far lower than in the U.S. The Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social (IMSS) public health system is open to legal residents for a modest annual premium that varies by age, about $35 to $100 per month per person, covering most routine care and medications. Many foreign retirees also purchase private insurance for $150 to $300 monthly to access private hospitals and English-speaking doctors. Advertisement Advertisement Residency is straightforward but income-based. A temporary resident visa generally requires proof of about $4,100 in monthly income or a bit more than $70,000 in savings, though amounts vary by consulate. Permanent residency is available after four years, or immediately for higher-income applicants. Flights home are short and frequent, and large communities of foreign retirees make it easy to adjustwhether youre drawn to the coast of Puerto Vallarta, the art scene in San Miguel de Allende, or the slower pace of Merida. Mike Matthews Photography / Getty Images Bright colored homes dot Quito, Ecuador's capital. Bright colored homes dot Quito, Ecuador's capital. Ecuador If you want low day-to-day costs without currency headaches, Ecuador is a standout. It uses the U.S. dollar, which simplifies budgeting from Social Security income and American IRAs. Healthcare access is broadpublic options exist through the IESS system for legal residents, and many foreign retirees add an affordable private plan for faster specialist care. The Jubilado (pensioner) visa pegs its income requirement to a multiple of Ecuadors basic salary (about three times the minimum salary), with an additional amount per dependent. The visa typically begins as a temporary residency and can be converted to permanent after meeting time-in-country rules. Outside premium tourist zones, many retirees report living comfortably on about $2,000 a monthcovering rent for a modest apartment (often in walkable historic districts), groceries, utilities, local transport, dining out a few times a week, and basic insurance. Higher-altitude cities (like Cuenca) offer spring-like weather year-round, while coastal towns trade mild temps for beach life and fresh seafood. Javier Ghersi / Getty Images Cabo San Juan del Guia Beach in Tayrona Park, Colombia. Cabo San Juan del Guia Beach in Tayrona Park, Colombia. Colombia If youre chasing warm weather, mountain-city living, and low day-to-day costs, Colombia belongs on your shortlist. American retirees tend to cluster in Medellin, Bogota, and the Coffee Region, where youll find modern apartments, walkable neighborhoods, and a good supply of private clinics and hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Colombia runs a mixed publicprivate system. Legal residents can access the national health program and then supplement it with private insurance for faster specialist access and English-speaking providers. Out-of-pocket costs for routine care and prescription drugs are typically far below U.S. levels. The pension-style visa ties eligibility to a multiple of Colombias monthly minimum wage (the exact peso amount is updated annually). In practice, many U.S. retirees qualify using Social Security or pension income. Gustavo Ramirez / Getty Images Punta Sal beach in Tumbes, Peru. Punta Sal beach in Tumbes, Peru. Peru If you're looking for low costs and a straightforward pension-based residency, Peru is worth a good, hard look. The Rentista route is designed for retirees with a stable, lifetime income: show about $1,000 per month in pension or passive income, and you can qualify for residency without an age limit. Many retirees later convert to permanent residency after maintaining their status and meeting the time-in-country requirements. Legal residents can access public systems, and many foreign retirees add an affordable private plan to use well-regarded clinics in Lima, Arequipa, and Trujillo. Routine visits, diagnostics, and prescriptions are typically a fraction of U.S. prices, but shop plans carefullybenefits and networks vary by city. Advertisement Advertisement Outside of prime Lima districts and high-end beach towns, couples typically allocate about $2,000 a month for housing, groceries, transportation, dining out, and basic insurance, with room for travel. Cities like Arequipa (milder climate, mountain views) or Trujillo (coastal, sunny) offer good value; the Sacred Valley and Cusco deliver lifestyle appeal, but the high altitude isnt for everyone. Tax note: Once you become a Peruvian tax resident (domiciled), your worldwide income is generally taxable; non-residents are taxed only on Peruvian-source income. Plan accordingly with a cross-border tax pro. Read the original article on Investopedia "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Chef Maria Loi came to the Delish Test Kitchen to share her essential Greek ingredients. For products like feta and olive oil, sourcing ones from Greece makes a huge difference. Other ingredients like Greek tomato paste may be more difficult to source, but its worth the effort. Every cuisine is built on generations of tradition. This history impacts every element of the food we eat: the dishes, the techniques, and, of course, the ingredients. For Greek chef, author, entrepreneur, and TV personality Maria Loi, starting with the right ingredients is an essential step when shes in the kitchen. Advertisement Advertisement Loi serves as a Global Ambassador of Greek Gastronomy and argues that ingredients from Greece yield the most delicious Greek food. Loi stopped by the Delish Test Kitchen to share the ingredients that she always has on hand. Feta BHOFACK2 - Getty Images Feta is basically synonymous with Greek cuisine, and its easy to see why. This crumbly, brined cheese has been made in Greece for thousands of yearsnow, it boasts Protected Designation of Origin status, a certification for agricultural products that links their unique quality or reputation directly to their geographical origin. Other nations, like France, Bulgaria, and the United States, have caught on and now produce similar cheeses. They may be colloquially referred to as feta, but they dont have the same flavor or texture as the OG. For Loi, sourcing feta thats actually made in Greece is non-negotiable. Tomato Paste Tomatoes are a relatively new ingredient for the Mediterranean, but now theyre a staple in some of the regions signature dishes. In Greece, tomato paste isnt just used to add depth to soups and sauces; its also enjoyed straight out of the can, spread on pieces of toast with a drizzle of olive oil. Advertisement Advertisement The idea doesnt exactly sound appetizing for Americans, but Greek tomato paste just hits different. Where American tomato paste tastes tart and metallic, Greek tomato paste is rich, sweet, and complex. The specific tomato varietals, Mediterranean soil, and stringent regulations make for a much better ingredient. Loi swears by the award-winning tomato paste from Kyknos. Kalamata Olives Its no secret that Greece loves olives. And besides transforming into oil, olives are prized for the briny flavor they add to savory dishes. The fruit comes in countless varietals with their own characteristics, but the holy grail of olives is the Kalamata, named after the city with the same name. Just like with feta, Kalamata olives are protected with PDO status. And, aside from their rich color and flavor, these olives are also packed with heart-healthy polyphenols. Oregano BHOFACK2 - Getty Images You can credit much of Greek cuisines earthy, herbal flavor to the addition of oregano. This ingredient appears in cuisines all over the globe, and where you source it matters. Italian oregano is fairly mild and sweet, while Mexican oregano is actually made from an entirely different plant. Greek oregano, on the other hand, has a bold and robust flavor that makes a major impact in your recipes. Greek Yogurt Youre probably already familiar with Greek yogurt, but its worth noting that its not specifically a Greek ingredient. In fact, the term Greek yogurt comes from a Fage marketing campaign in the 1980s. Name aside, its simply a strained yogurt, which has been produced by civilizations across the world for millennia. Advertisement Advertisement Straining yogurt gives it a much thicker, decadent texture. In Greek cuisine, this added richness is essential in sweet and savory recipes. Paximadia Paximadia is a Greek ingredient thats considered a type of rusk, or hard, dry bread. Some even compare it to Italian biscotti, but the applications in Greece are distinct. Loi likes serving paximadia with soups, salads, or with a simple drizzle of olive oil. Olive Oil TGI/Tetra Images - Getty Images Every self-respecting Greek kitchen needs to have olive oil. This ancient ingredient was once referred to by Homer as liquid gold. Olive oil is now made all over the world, but Loi says Greek olive oil is unparalleled. She starts every day with a shot of pure olive oil, then adds it to virtually every food she eats. The ingredient also boasts other beneficial properties, which is why Loi uses olive oil as a monthly hair mask. You Might Also Like Sugar maple trees don't grow just anywhere. Luckily for pancake and waffle lovers, Pennsylvania and Erie County are within the native range for this species that produces the sap used to make maple syrup. The folks at Asbury Woods in Millcreek Township have been making maple syrup for more than half a century. In addition to their annual Maple Festival, they offer a little help for people who want to make their own syrup at home. The Rent a Maple Bucket program eliminates some of the work and gives guidance for those new to maple syrup production. Advertisement Advertisement "We want to educate the public as much as we can about what we have here," Emma Mader, director of education at Asbury Woods, said. What is the maple bucket program? Beginning Jan. 23, people can sign up to rent a set of two four-gallon buckets that will be hung on maple trees and gather sap at Asbury Woods. Only 12 sets of buckets are available and the cost is $25 for two buckets. Tools used to collect sap from maple trees include a bucket and a spile. Asbury Woods staff will collect sap for people to turn into maple syrup at home through a bucket rental program. The program has been offered a handful of years and is extremely popular. "It will sell out," said Mario Bruni, marketing and communications coordinator for Asbury Woods. Asbury Woods has a special grove of maple trees, mostly sugar maple and some red maple, that will be tapped and have the buckets hung from, Mader said. Bucket renters are invited to head outdoors and join in the tapping of the trees or they can opt to let Asbury Woods staff do all the work and just pick up the sap when it's ready. Advertisement Advertisement For more information on renting buckets, contact Asbury Woods at 814-835-5356. When it all starts depends on Mother Nature, Mader said, with tapping often taking place in mid-February but sometimes not until mid-March. Most trees have to reach 18 to 20 inches in diameter before they can have two buckets on them. Temperatures need to be above freezing during the day for three to five days and below freezing at night, causing the trees to move sap up from their roots, she said. Making syrup Asbury Woods has a sugar shack in which its sap is boiled to make syrup. But staff members are ready help bucket renters. "We provide them directions on how to take sap and make syrup at home without a sugar shack," Mader said. Advertisement Advertisement The process involves boiling sap in a big pot on a wood or charcoal fire outside for possibly four to 10 hours. Mader warned that it creates so much water vapor that it could peel paint if attempted inside the house. However, she said the syrup can be finished up indoors or completed entirely outdoors. "Everything will smell amazing when you do it," she said. Maple math Mader said maple math varies depending on trees and weather conditions but a single maple tree can typically produce 10 to 20 gallons of sap per season. A four-gallon bucket can fill up within one to five days. Forty gallons of sap is needed to make one gallon of syrup. Advertisement Advertisement The two four-gallon rental buckets should have enough sap to yield around one quart of syrup, she said. An online search found prices for a quart of maple syrup ranging from a little more than $13 at Walmart to nearly $40 at L.L.Bean. The Erie area also has numerous local farms and markets that make and/or sell maple syrup. For a list, visit the Northwest Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Producers Association website. Dana Massing can be reached at dmassing@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Asbury Woods rent a maple bucket program helps home syrup makers The Nordic countries are popular destinations for nature and wilderness enthusiasts. Not only do the five countries have lakes galore and breathtaking ancient woodlands, but they also boast buzzing cities and Sweden even claims the title of the country with the most islands in the world. When it comes to cultural getaways across the region, you could easily spend months exploring the urban centers, from ABBA capital Stockholm to Helsinki, steeped in maritime history and with its own UNESCO sea fortress. But veer about 375 miles north of the Finnish capital, and you will find the underrated gateway to Northern Finland. Named one of the European Capitals of Culture for 2026, Oulu is not only a good base to enjoy untouched wilderness and waterways, but it is also a hub of contemporary arts, music, shopping, and traditional Finnish customs from sauna bathing to salmiakki sipping. While 2.6 million people visited Helsinki in 2024 alone, Oulu's airport welcomed 33,500 international visitors, making it an underrated Nordic getaway. While a trip to the great North of Finland (where Santa resides in his village in Lapland) may involve long, icy drives on remote roads, reaching Oulu is easy thanks to its international airport connecting it to Europe and beyond. Most major airlines, from American to United Airlines, plus Finland's national carrier Finnair, fly to Helsinki, where you can connect to Oulu in about one hour. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Rick Steves' Most And Least Favorite Places In Europe Where to enjoy arts, sightseeing, and shopping in Oulu Wooden red houses in Oulu - Maylat/Getty Images Start your day by grabbing a warm pastry at Puistola Bakery, nestled inside a historic strawberry-pink building. From there, walk about five minutes to the red-brick Oulu Market Hall, built in 1901. Not only is this historic building a popular place for a bowl of traditional salmon soup, but it's also a hub of shopping, from souvenirs to artisanal handicrafts of all kinds. The entrance to the market is guarded by the rotund mascot of the city, the "Toripolliisi," a 6.5-foot-tall bronze policeman figurine. A short walk away, the Photo North is a center for contemporary photography and arts, home to international exhibitions as well as events such as artist-led "photowalks" to discover the city's neighborhoods through a creative lens. Across the river is the wooden neighborhood of Pikisaari, once a thriving cog of industry with woodmills, shipyards, distilleries, and granaries. Walk around the wooden houses or step inside the Sailor's Home Museum free to visit but only open seasonally. Open year-round, the Valve Cultural Center hosts local and European arts programming, including touring theater productions, live music, and independent film screenings. Melt your stress away in the city's traditional saunas A typical floating sauna on a lake - Patrick Jakobsson/Shutterstock Oulu may not be the "iceberg capital" of the world with glaciers and fjords, but it sure does get freezing cold. December to mid-March are the coldest months, with temperatures as low as 6 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to catch the Northern Lights, one of the best winter experiences worth travelling for, or enjoy the snowy landscapes, winter comes with its own perks. Advertisement Advertisement One of these perks is indulging in a steaming hot sauna, a ubiquitous Finnish tradition dating back thousands of years. Most Finnish houses have their own private sauna (with an impressive 3.3 million saunas against a population of 5.6 million). But you can also enjoy this restorative tradition, often associated with health benefits like regulating blood pressure, improving circulation, and easing aches, across plenty of public saunas in Oulu. Whether you are after a floating sauna in the river in summertime, or a traditional public bath-style experience available year-round, such as Olosauna, there are plenty of options to pick from. It is also common for hotels to have their saunas open to guests. Unlike hotel saunas, public saunas are usually higher standard and require an entry fee that can range from $15 to $30 per person. Still, if you want the option to roll out of your hotel bathrobe straight to the sauna, options like the upmarket Radisson Hotel and Original Sokos Hotel Arina, or the cheaper Scandic Oulu Station, all have their own saunas. Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter and add us as a preferred search source for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. Read the original article on Islands. Pharmaceutical packaging company Sharp has committed more than 20m ($23.4m) to expand its European facilities amid demand for injectable products. The funds will be used to upgrade sites in Hamont-Achel, Belgium, and Heerenveen, the Netherlands. The focus will be on enhancing capabilities for assembling, labelling, packaging, and cold storage of various injectable types such as autoinjectors, pre-filled syringes, pen devices, and vials. At its Belgian facility, Sharp will increase cold-chain warehouse space fourfold and double ambient storage capacity. The site is also set to receive a new suite for syringe assembly and blister packaging. Plans are in place to further boost device assembly and packaging operations. To support efficiency on adjacent packaging lines for pre-filled syringes and autoinjectors, the company has introduced collaborative robot technology. A new solar-powered carport has also been installed at the Hamont-Achel site to provide renewable energy. Once fully commissioned by mid-2026, this system is expected to supply 50% of the facilitys electricity needs from renewable sources. The Heerenveen site in the Netherlands will see an expansion of GMP production capabilities through the addition of two Grade D packaging suites. These improvements aim to support upcoming syringe assembly and packaging projects, as well as increased vial packaging capacity planned for 2026. Sharp Clinical & Sharp Europe managing director Robert OBeirn said: Our European facilities have a long-established reputation for successfully delivering the complex packaging services required for injectable drug formats. "This investment represents a significant increase in our capacity to support our pharma clients, as sustainably as possible, with their injectable drug launches in the EU market. This European expansion forms part of a broader $100m investment programme announced by Sharp in November 2025. In May 2024, the company expanded its Macungie facility in Pennsylvania, US, to address greater demand for secondary packaging of sterile injectables. "Sharp to invest in European injectable packaging expansion" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. Gina Jaguttis launched a slow fashion workwear brand after being inspired at a surf camp. Her business idea came from personal struggles finding quality professional clothing. She said she realized that if the business fails, it would at least make a good story. On a Monday morning in early December, I met Gina Jaguttis as we loaded our surfboards into the camp van just before sunrise. We only got to talking on a choppy boat ride that took us a mile off the coast of Bali, Indonesia. The 26-year-old real estate project manager from Munich came to the surf camp to improve her skills on the water. I came to talk with adventurous travelers about their big ideas, from new businesses to life after layoffs. Advertisement Advertisement At our camp's bonfire that night, she began to tell me why she made a second solo expedition to the tropical island. As we toasted marshmallows, she shared that she had launched a small side hustle a day before the bonfire. A few weeks after we got home, both recovering from sunburns and surf injuries, we unpacked her story further in a call. Our chats have been edited for length and clarity; the following is in Jaguttis' words. When I started my career a few years ago, I struggled to find formal clothes that looked professional and were good quality. Brands like Zara or Mango didn't meet my longevity standards, and I didn't love how they are mass-produced. Construction and real estate are male-dominated, and I always wanted to look well-dressed so others know that they have to treat me professionally. In college, I was the girl who had a capsule wardrobe with pieces such as turtlenecks and cotton pants that I knew looked stylish then but also 10 years later. When I started work, it was frustrating to find well-fitted suits or blouses that were timeless and would last several years. On a trip to Bali and Thailand in 2024, I decided to invest in workwear and got a few pieces custom-made at a tailor's shop. I created vision boards, selected high-quality fabrics, and had some classic pieces made. I finally felt like I had outfits that made me feel confident in front of manager and director-level people. Advertisement Advertisement Once I started wearing these suits back home, people asked me where I bought them from and were surprised to hear that I designed them myself. One woman said that if I ever turned it into a business, she would definitely be up for buying from me. When I heard this for a second time, I started thinking about building my own brand. 'It would make a good story' Jaguttis flew to Bali for a second time in 2025 to improve her surfing skills. Gina Jaguttis Starting a business, especially one that I would fund entirely with my own savings, is always a daunting prospect. The biggest thought holding me back was "Am I going to fail?" In late November 2025, about a year after my first trip, I went to Bali again, this time to learn how to surf. I stayed at a surf camp and was surrounded by inspiring people from all over the world. Advertisement Advertisement It was a reflective retreat for most of them, and many were there to figure out what they wanted out of life. I met people who took all kinds of risks: musicians who stuck to their passion even when they struggled to find a job, people in between career changes, or someone living out of a van while she figured out her life plan. Talking to them made me realize that I actually knew what I wanted, and it made me think about what was really holding me back. They told me that if I fail, it would be a good story. I launched my company's Instagram that day. This is the second installment of "Beyond the break," for which Business Insider's Shubhangi Goel attended a surf camp in Bali, Indonesia, reporting on career breaks and adventure sports. Advertisement Advertisement Read the first: My manager and I got laid off, so we packed up our wetsuits and went to surf camp in Bali I'm not in a rush It's been a few weeks since I was at the surf camp and launched my business. I'm still working full time and plan to for a while, which means balancing the business before and after work. I spend one and a half hours in the morning on the business on most days, and time on the weekends and on vacation. I'm not in a rush since I have a steady job. My priority is going slow, making it work, and getting these outfits to women who would admire my slow fashion, anti-spontaneous shopping mission. I don't want to be just another fashion brand. The first stage of production will require between 5,000 to 10,000 euros in investment from my savings. My other big expense is time, since I have to do everything, including branding, marketing, and designing, by myself for now. Read the original article on Business Insider Im crouching in a West African rainforest, staring at a bungalow-sized boulder. The humid air thrums with insects and visibility in the dark tangle is poor, but my eyes are glued to the rock in front of me. Im looking for a bald crow. OK, so bald crow hardly has the wow factor of, say, lion or gorilla. But for birders, its a bucket lister. The nickname derives from the birds naked yellow head scientists know it, more respectfully, as white-necked picathartes. Either way, this unique, enigmatic creature is restricted to a handful of forests in West Africa, where it enjoys a special status. Special enough, indeed, to have launched the career of Sir David Attenborough, having been the prime target of his 1952 BBC Zoo Quest series. This particular picathartes hotspot is Bonkro Community Reserve in southern Ghana. The birds make their mud nests only on certain boulders, and Im looking at one such boulder. Ive tramped here with expert guide Foster Frimpong. Now we wait. The white-necked picathartes has long been a source of fascination for bird-watchers Ghana cant match East or southern Africa for safari spectacle. Consequently, it often goes under the wildlife tourism radar. But what it lacks in A-listers, it makes up for in the little-known gems of its prolifically biodiverse forests. Hence, this innovative nine-night package from Rainbow Tours, which aims to track some of them down. Advertisement Advertisement Already, Ive been lucky. Halfway through our hike, Foster had gripped my arm, raised a finger to his lips and pointed. There on a branch sat a pangolin, one of the most elusive animals youll ever hope to see. This was a black-bellied pangolin, explained Foster, the smallest of Africas four species and the most arboreal, hence its long, prehensile tail. Clocking our presence, the animal curled into a scaly ball like a giant polished artichoke. Lets leave him, said Foster, turning back to the trail. I was buzzing. A black-bellied pangolin is one of the most elusive animals you can ever hope to see in the wild Now Foster taps me on the shoulder again, and I turn to see a picathartes scrutinising me from a branch, bald head cocked. Moments later its mate alights, and for the next half hour we watch the pair bounding around like magpies as they ferry titbits to their brood beneath the boulder. Its an intimate little wildlife drama, viewable barely anywhere else on the planet, and we have front-row seats. Bonkro offers an object lesson in small-scale conservation. With support from the Accra-based Ashanti Foundation, the community is safeguarding the forest and receiving, in turn, development aid including funding for a new primary school. These kids used to walk miles, Foster explains over dinner at the community-run lodge. Now they get lessons on their doorstep. The next morning, we pass the school, its walls emblazoned with pangolin and picathartes murals. Black bee-eaters hawk insects such as bees, wasps, dragonflies and butterflies Our next destination is Kakum National Park. This is Ghanas best-known reserve, celebrated for its 350m-long canopy walkway. A heavy evening downpour greets our arrival, and lightning still flickers along the darkening skyline as we clamber up the first tower. No matter we have a date with a Pels anomalure. Advertisement Advertisement This new wildlife oddity duly appears in our torchlight a long-tailed, cat-sized animal scampering up a nearby tree trunk. Anomalures are Africas flying squirrels, and we wait a while in hope of its signature daredevil glide. No joy tonight too wet, reckons Foster so we return through the dripping forest, spying more torchlit creatures along the way, including a diminutive Demidoffs galago (a tiny bushbaby) and a glistening green bush viper. Everythings a surprise. Kakum National Park is celebrated for its 350m-long canopy walkway First light finds us back on the walkway, suspended high above the waking forest. As the mist rises, the dawn chorus swells. Foster calls out names: orioles, sunbirds, turacos, greenbuls a bewildering miscellany. Some birds reveal themselves a white-crested hornbill alights nearby and a pair of black bee-eaters hawk insects from the walkway but the sound alone is magic enough. Meanwhile, shaking foliage betrays a family of spot-nosed monkeys, and dazzling butterflies red gliders, yellow pansies, diadems drift over the greenery below us sweet wrappers on the breeze. The rainforests hold many surprises Mike spotted a family of spot-nosed monkeys through the foliage In between forests, I sample Ghanas rich culture, from my Tom Brown breakfast porridge (millet, corn, soya, peanuts) to the bend-down boutique roadside markets. And during drives, Foster relates Ghanas history. Advertisement Advertisement Almost every European country had its share of the cake, he says, explaining how gold had lured the Portuguese, Dutch, Danish and finally the British. Back then, you could pick up gold from the ground. Sadly, it wasnt only gold. At Cape Coast Castle, we explore one of the 40 colonial forts that shipped countless slaves across the Atlantic. The horrors of the dungeons are unimaginable. Almost as shocking is the Anglican church built directly above them, where the British worshipped as their captives suffered below. Remember, this is history, says Foster, as I struggle for words. The important thing is that we dont repeat it. Cape Coast Castle dates back to 1652 After the depravities of humanity, the forest comes as a relief. We spend my last three nights at Ankasa Reserve in Ghanas south-west corner. Here, the dense tangle holds a few larger creatures our park ranger talks of leopard tracks, chimpanzee nests and occasional run-ins with forest elephants. For visitors, the odds on such encounters are negligible, but the idea adds a certain frisson. Ankasas forest is a towering cathedral of green. We file reverentially beneath the trees, Foster revealing new secrets at every turn: the diggings of forest hogs; the fallen fruit of a baku tree; irate songbirds mobbing a red-chested owlet. A hidden pool holds dwarf crocodiles the worlds smallest crocodilian which cruise the lily-smothered surface like plastic toys. Advertisement Advertisement The going is sweaty, muddy and steep. There are wasp nests to duck and liquid ropes of driver ants to hurdle. This, for rainforest aficionados, is the real deal. Dwarf crocodiles typically weigh between 18 and 32 kg (40 and 71 lb) Last day, last hike, and darkness is falling by the time were back at the truck. Foster swings his spotlight on the return drive, hoping to pluck some final gems from the darkness. He succeeds: an Akun eagle owl perched roadside; hammer-headed bats flapping across our headlights; a palm civet slinking into the bamboo. The lodge lights are glinting ahead when the beam reveals one last pair of eyes. Quick, get out, says Foster, and we scramble from the vehicle in time to spy a strange creature retreating into the canopy. Its a potto a short-tailed primate related to Asias lorises but, on this view, more like a cross between a sloth and a teddy bear. Another surprise in a week full of surprises yet it feels that Ive barely scratched Ghanas surface. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Driving isnt just driving. Where you live decides how much it costs, how rough the roads feel, and how much time traffic steals. WalletHubs new Best & Worst States to Drive in 2026 list puts Kansas at No. 1 overall. Hawaii lands dead last at No. 50. Iowa, Indiana, Idaho, and Oklahoma fill out the top five. Colorado, New Hampshire, Montana, and Washington join Hawaii in the bottom five. This isnt an opinion ranking. WalletHub scores each state across cost of ownership, traffic and infrastructure, safety, and access to vehicles and maintenance. It uses 31 indicators, then weights them into an overall score. If your daily drive feels expensive or chaotic, one of those buckets is usually the culprit. What this list really means for drivers Start with money. A car payment hurts, but its only one slice of the bill. Fuel, tires, insurance, maintenance, and depreciation do the real damage. AAAs latest Your Driving Costs study shows how fast those non-payment costs stack up, even before local factors like repair prices and insurance rates. Advertisement Advertisement Then theres time. WalletHub notes congestion still costs the average driver real money and real hours (its study cites $771 and 43 hours a year, based on INRIX data). Thats why the states with big-city gridlock take punches. INRIXs newest U.S. scorecard calls out Chicago as the worst U.S. city for traffic, with 102 hours lost and an estimated $2,063 cost per driver in 2024, per the INRIX U.S. Traffic Scorecard release. So, is this news? It is if you treat it like a cheat sheet for big decisions: moving, commuting, road-tripping, or buying your next daily driver. A state that ranks low on maintenance access and infrastructure will punish you with time, wear, and surprise bills. If you live in a bottom-tier state, use the list as a warning label. Stay ahead on tires, brakes, and suspension wear, and plan extra time around the choke points. If you live in a top-tier state, enjoy the quiet win. My Verdict The best states to drive arent more fun. Theyre less punishing. Use this ranking to spot the pain points, then plan around thembecause traffic and ownership costs dont care how much you love your ride. This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jan 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. There's no denying that Baileys Irish Cream is an iconic dessert spirit. But Baileys is just one of dozens of dessert spirits worth having in your liquor cabinet. We sampled and ranked 19 dessert spirits that aren't Baileys to help you find unique flavors for after-dinner drinks. We were looking for a dessert spirit that offers a complex, well-balanced flavor profile without being cloyingly sweet. According to our ranking, Metcalfe's Vermont maple cream liqueur came out on top. Metcalfe's Vermont maple cream liqueur is made with locally sourced Vermont maple syrup and has won a panoply of medals in national spirits competitions for Vermont Distillery. It has a maple-forward flavor without being overly sweet, balanced by the buttery, smooth cream. With a respectable 17% ABV, Metcalfe's Vermont maple cream liqueur has the complex alcoholic undertones without leaving an alcoholic burn. It's certainly one of the most sippable drinks we sampled, whether neat or over ice. Metcalfe's Vermont maple cream liqueur's subtly sweet and creamy taste is comparable to Baileys, so it can be used in the many drinks that mix well with Baileys. If you're a fan of the unique and intricate flavor of maple syrup, this maple cream liqueur is as close as you will get to drinking pure maple syrup right out of the bottle. Except, instead of a sugar high, you'll get a warm and fuzzy feeling at the pit of your stomach. Read more: The 30 Best Bourbon Brands, Ranked More reviews for Metcalfe's Vermont maple cream liqueur and ways to use it Metcalfe's Vermont maple cream liqueur bottle - Emily Hunt/Tasting Table Metcalfe's Vermont maple cream liqueur is a hit for locals and visitors alike. One review said, "I buy it every time I'm in Vermont." Of course, you don't have to visit Vermont to pick up a bottle as it's sold at national liquor stores like Total Wine. A Total Wine review described Metcalfe's Vermont maple cream liqueur as "similar to Bailey's Irish Cream, but with a maple taste ... Great to have on hand for an after dinner or late evening drink for those who are not whiskey drinkers." A Reddit thread praising Metcalfe's Mable Bourbon liqueur became a platform for the maple creme liqueur lovers who said it's Metcalfe's best product. One Redditor recommends "pour[ing] some in your coffee on Sunday morning and man you are off to a good start." Advertisement Advertisement Metcalfe's distillery also provides its own recommendations for incorporating its maple cream liqueur into cocktails. For example, Metcalfe's Maple Bourbon Milk Punch uses Vermont maple cream liqueur and Vermont maple bourbon blended with a splash of dark rum, milk, vanilla, and grated nutmeg. Metcalfe's maple cream liqueur can be used in plenty of dessert recipes, from crepes to milkshakes. Pour it over a scoop of vanilla ice cream and espresso for a boozy affogato. Add a splash or flavor homemade whipped cream for dolloping over pumpkin pie. Make it the decadently rich foundation for your next caramel sauce to drizzle over these white chocolate blondies. Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Tasting Table. They say that Rome wasn't built in a day, and this tour of an ancient home serves as a testament to that since it's 2,000 years in the making. That's right, you can now tour a Roman home that is estimated to be more than 2,000-years-old. And the best news is that you don't need to renew your passport or book a costly flight to do it. Instead, you just need a good WiFi signal and a hunger for history, because you can only tour these grounds remotely. I have to admit, if they offered more virtual tours of historical sites, more people would probably get a chance to see things that they'd otherwise never get to view, and those who can't afford to travel the world would get a better idea of just how much more is out there. As the prices of everything continue to go up, these virtual tours may be the only way that families like mine can see the world and all the amazing pieces of history that researchers have worked so hard to preserve. Sign up for our newsletter and get hidden gems, travel secrets, and stories like this delivered straight to your inbox! You can now virtually tour an ancient Roman home The "House of the Griffins" (or in Italian, Casa dei Grifi) is now open for business, according to Reuters, which says that the 2,000-year-old ruins have been virtually opened to the public thanks to restoration work that was made possible thanks to the unspent portion of the European Union's Covid recovery funds. Advertisement Advertisement According to the publication, visitors will get to experience something that was previously only accessible by certain researchers and academics, and they will be guided through the surprisingly well-maintained Roman building using a camera that is strapped to the forehead of a trailed tour guide. From this perspective, they will be able to see things like: Mosaics Fescoes Stucco decorations The remains of an atrium What's left of a pool The building dates all the way back to the 2nd and 1st century BC, according to the publication, and it's from Rome's Republican era. Related: When to visit Rome: A seasonal travel guide Virtual tours are becoming more popular and accessible Technology has come a long way, and I feel like after Covid, many people realized that there were so many more ways that we could be using it to connect with one another...and with far off places. For example, Compass Classroom says that there are at least 14 virtual tours worth checking out, and they will allow you a peek at some seriously cool history from the comfort of your own home. They include tours of places like the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu in Peru, and India's Taj Mahal. Related: Rome tourist officially claims title of the 'World's Most Unluckiest Traveler'literally My personal favorite tour is the Pyramids in Egypt. This website allows you a 3D view of a variety of pyramids, while also giving you a bit of a history lesson about them. You'll be able to connect to Wikipedia for additional information, or see where the pyramids can be found on a map. Egypt is a place I've always wanted to visit, but it will be decades before I save up enough to take my family there IRL. These tours allow me to get a sneak peek at some of the things I'm most excited about seeing in the meantime, which is honestly pretty exciting when you think about it. This story was originally published by TravelHost on Jan 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Attractions section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Cinque Terre was once an isolated section of the Italian Coast that was only known to a handful of savvy travelers and the locals who called the picturesque fishing villages home. Over the past decade, the area has exploded in popularity. Now, Cinque Terre is one of Italy's tourist hot spots. Even though they're no longer hidden gems, the villages perched along the cliffy coast of the Ligurian Sea have retained much of their original charm. Rick Steves, one of the world's top European travel experts, went so far as to call Cinque Terre "one of God's great gifts to tourism" in an article posted on his website. He has been traveling to Europe since he was a young teen and spends several months out of each year exploring the continent. He's been just about everywhere so that's some seriously high praise coming from him. There are five different villages to choose from, and they're similar to each other in many ways, according to Rick Steves. "Each village is a variation of the same theme: a well-whittled, pastel jumble of homes some perched on steep hillsides, some sloping into ravines clinging to their hillsides like crusty sea creatures in a tide pool," he wrote. "All five are nestled among the rocky vineyards that have allowed generations to quietly flourish here." He adores the fact that the villages are car free and believes that they're the perfect antithesis to the buzzy glamour of the Riviera. Although Vernazza is Rick Steves' favorite town out of the five, he suggests heading to Manarola for the very best views. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Dangerous European Destinations To Skip On Your Next Trip Traveling to magical Manarola Manarola at sunset - SCStock/Shutterstock With a full-time population of less than 400 people, Manarola is one of the smaller villages of Cinque Terre but also one of the most popular among tourists due to its beautiful scenery. It's perched high on the cliffs and has a small port where fishing boats dock. Rick Steves says the village is a "picturesque tumble of buildings bunny-hopping down its ravine to a wild little harbor." You've probably seen photos of colorful houses perched on the cliffs of Manarola dotting your social media feed and scattered throughout the pages of travel magazines. The simplest way to get to Manarola and Cinque Terre is to fly into Milan, one of the world's most famous shopping cities. From there, the region is easily reached by train. The trip takes about three hours, and train tickets cost about $40 each way. You can take the train to Manarola, but for the best views, consider walking along one of the hiking trails or taking a boat from one of the larger towns. According to Steves the hiking trail that connects the villages winds around Manarola's cemetery along the peninsula and "affords some of the most strikingly beautiful town views anywhere in the region." Within Manarola, there are several different accommodation options. Since the area is so popular, you'll want to book your reservations well in advance. Steves recommends staying in the village as opposed to booking accommodations outside of Cinque Terre so that you can experience the town at its quietest. Early morning and late evening are the best times to explore this Italian town if you want to avoid crowds. Choose between small hotels and cozy apartment rentals with prices starting in the low $100s per night and going up from there. Making the most of your trip to Manarola tourist exploring Cinque Terre - Mstudioimages/Getty Images Manarola, along with the rest of Cinque Terre, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a national park. There are several hiking trails connecting the villages; one is called the Blue Path, and it's 7.5 miles long. Hikers can enjoy views of the beautiful Italian coastline along the path the entire way. Portions of the trail are quite steep, and it will certainly get your heart pumping on a hot summer day, but the scenery is well worth the physical exertion. Advertisement Advertisement After you've done some hiking, spend some time leisurely exploring the historic sites around the village. Manarola has been inhabited since at least the 1200s, and there are still some remnants of the original medieval architecture around town. The Church of San Lorenzo, which has a Gothic-style facade, a Baroque interior, and a pretty rose window, was built in 1338. The ruins of a castle constructed in the 1200s are also worth checking out. During peak tourist season, Manarola can become very crowded, with the busiest months being May, June, September, and October, according to Rick Steves. Don't let the crowds deter you from visiting, though. "While the region is now well-discovered and can get jam-packed, I've never seen happier, more relaxed tourists," Rick Steves wrote. To avoid the worst of the crowds, Steves suggested avoiding town during the middle of the day and using that time to try a unique activity like a wine tasting or a cooking class. "This is the place to take a sightseeing breather, and inhale slower-paced Italian culture in perhaps its purest form," he wrote. Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Explore. Deputy editor Jessica Ambats' recent invitation to readers to write about why flying is important to them reminded me that, decades ago, then-editor Robert Parke invited me to write an essay on that same subject. Elevated by certain intoxicants, I proceeded to produce a piece of passionate prose so uncharacteristic of these pages that Parke-or perhaps it was our often similarly elevated art director, Bud Loader-decided to present it as white text on black pages. A reader nominated it for the "Excedrin Headache of the Year Award." This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine Advertisement Advertisement If you're not already a subscriber, what are you waiting for? Subscribe today to get the issue as soon as it is released in either Print or Digital formats. Subscribe Now I have always struggled to identify the components, and their relative proportions, in that brew of physical pleasure, philosophical elation, and base self-esteem that bubbles up in me as the wheels leave the ground. Certainly flying is not always pure pleasure. The humorous description of it as hours of boredom interrupted by moments of sheer terror is apt enough, though many pilots don't even get to experience the enlivening moments of terror except, perhaps, as students. The boredom cannot be denied, but beyond it lies an elusive quintessence that only pilots know. Advertisement Advertisement There is something fundamental about flight that eludes naming, but not feeling. When Jessica issued her invitation I happened to be reading a volume of the letters of Karen Blixen, a Danish author who wrote in English under the pen name of Isak Dinesen. Blixen's small body of fictional and not-so-fictional works earned her several nominations for the Nobel Prize in literature, if never the prize itself. Of her books, the memoir Out of Africa is the one most likely destined for immortality. Nevertheless, a 1985 film version, with Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, in spite of, or perhaps because of, its profound distortions of the original, is perhaps better known today than the book itself. Advertisement Advertisement Blixen was 28 when she emigrated in 1913 to what was then British East Africa and is now Kenya. She eventually divorced her dissolute husband, Bror Blixen, who had provided her with, on one hand, the title "baroness" and, on the other, syphilis. For many years she ran a coffee farm in the Ngong Hills, a little west of Nairobi. The farm, never profitable, was sustained by investments from family members. She became the lover of an extremely magnetic Oxford-educated British aristocrat, Denys Finch Hatton (the Redford role in the film). Finch Hatton, the second son of the sonorous Earl of Winchilsea, made his living-not that he needed to-as a safari guide and "white hunter" for posh clients like the Prince of Wales. Karen Blixen's memoir Out of Africa, published under her pen name of Isak Dinesen, is likely destined for immortality. [Credits: Random House/Karen Blixen Musem] Karen Blixen's memoir Out of Africa, published under her pen name of Isak Dinesen, is likely destined for immortality. [Credits: Random House/Karen Blixen Museum] In 1929 Finch Hatton bought a de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth in England and had it shipped to Kenya. A biplane of 30-foot span with two seats in tandem, the Gipsy Moth had a 98 hp engine, also called a de Havilland Gipsy, whose four in-line cylinders stuck up into the pilot's line of sight. The obstacle to visibility was of little consequence, however, since the pilot sat in the aft cockpit and, particularly when landing, couldn't see anything anyway. He took Karen flying many times. The experience was for her "the greatest, most transporting pleasure of my life on the farm." Unable to see Finch Hatton behind her, she was always aware of his presence. Advertisement Advertisement "You could not help feeling that you were like one of the characters of the Arabian Nights, carried through the heavens upon the palms of a djinn," she wrote. "It is neither the speed nor what one can see that is really the intoxicating thing about flying, but this: that one is moving in three dimensionsNow I can really picture to myself what it must be like to be an angelI definitely believe that people who think wings are one of the attributes of the blessed are right, or the capacity of moving in three dimensions is a part of bliss "Every time I have gone up in an aeroplane and looking down have realized that I was free of the ground, I have had the consciousness of a great new discovery. I see,' I have thought., This was the idea. And now I understand everything.''' Not that the surface of the Earth is not three-dimensional, but its third dimension, that of height, is crushed by gravity. Weight was mankind's original sin. Wings redeemed it. In May 1931, after a breakup with Karen, Finch Hatton left Nairobi for Mombasa, stopping at a small settlement called Voi along the way. He had invited Beryl Markham, who was then learning to fly, to go with him. Markham would later solo a Percival Gull across the Atlantic and write a classic memoir, West with the Night. She accepted, but her flight instructor, troubled by a vague premonition-or perhaps some other feeling that later appeared to have been a premonition-urged her to remain behind, and she did. Advertisement Advertisement At Voi, after having a damaged propeller replaced, Finch Hatton invited a friend, who had driven out with her two children to see him off, to go up for a quick flight before he left. She accepted, but one of the children became frightened and frantically begged her not to go, and so she put off the joyride to another time. Finch Hatton's Kikuyu assistant Kamau, who had been Karen Blixen's stable groom, climbed into the front seat, Finch Hatton into the rear. The yellow Moth taxied out, took off, and climbed. What happened next is wrapped in the mystery created by eyewitnesses who did not understand what they were seeing. Reportedly the engine stumbled, and the airplane plunged-or perhaps it was the other way around. People ignorant of the ways of airplanes commonly believe that when the engine fails, the airplane plummets. But in reality the airplane glides, unless the pilot does something wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Finch Hatton was the kind of person who does everything well, but Beryl Markham later wrote: "He had taken up flying too recently to be an expert." The most likely explanation of his crash, it seems to me, is that to avoid landing in the scrub, where the airplane would almost certainly have nosed over, he tried to make the "impossible turn" back to the airstrip, and the Moth stalled and spun. The area where Blixen's coffee farm was located is now a suburb of Nairobi called Karen. Finch Hatton, who was 44 when he died, is buried in the Ngong Hills. An obelisk marks his grave, and tourists, many of them no doubt visualizing Robert Redford, visit it. The coffee farm was sold that year, and Karen Blixen returned to Denmark, where she had said she would never again be able to live. She remained there for the rest of her life. She died in 1962, leaving behind, among other insights, as persuasive an account as any of why we fly. Hindsight is a glorious thing. From the safe distance of several decades, it is blindingly obvious that many of the aircraft thrown into combat during the Second World War were worse than useless and should never have been built (Messerschmitt Komet, Blackburn Roc, Breda 88, we're looking at you). Rarer and more obscure today are the outstanding aircraft that never made it. Despite their brilliance, due to politics, bad timing, official indifference or just bad luck, these potentially superb aircraft never got the chance to shine: 10: Martin-Baker MB3 Martin-Baker MB3 Despite never entering service, the MB3 has been indirectly responsible for saving 7700 lives (and counting). Friends and partners, James Martin and Valentine Baker had been designing unconventional monoplanes since the early 1930s. From the start, they believed that aircraft should be as simple as possible. Advertisement Advertisement The MB3 was their response to a wartime RAF requirement for a fast, heavily armed, fighter. Formidably furnished with six 20-mm cannon, it was also designed for ease of maintenance and manufacture (unlike the Spitfire). 10: Martin-Baker MB3 Martin-Baker MB3 Tests flights, which started on 31 August 1942, proved it was both highly manoeuvrable and easy to fly. Its top speed of 415 mph was a touch faster than the contemporary Spitfire Mk VIII. The main load-bearing structures were constructed of heavy tubing (or built-up spars) so it would have been able to survive greater battle damage than an equivalent stressed skin aircraft. It was not to be, however: on a test flight on 12 September 1942, the engine failed soon after take-off, and the MB3 crashed in a field and killed its pilot, company co-founder Captain Valentine Baker. Though the team had been investigating the idea of escape seats since 1934, it was Bakers death that motivated Martin to focus exclusively on ejection seats. 9: Martin-Baker MB5 Martin-Baker MB5 Despite the crash of the MB3 in 1942 due to the failure of its Napier Sabre engine, it was apparent that the plane was worthy of further development. Martin-Baker proposed a Rolls-Royce Griffon-powered version, the MB4, but a more thorough redesign was favoured by the Air Ministry and the MB5 was the result. Advertisement Advertisement A fair contender for the best British piston-engined fighter ever flown, the MB5 was well armed with four cannon, very fast, and as easy to maintain as its predecessor. Flight trials proved it to be truly exceptional, with a top speed of 460 mph (740 km/h), brisk acceleration and docile handling. 9: Martin-Baker MB5 Martin-Baker MB5 Its cockpit layout set a gold standard that RAF testers recommended should be followed by all piston-engined fighters. The only thing the MB5 lacked was good timing; it first flew two weeks before the Allied invasion of Normandy. Appearing at the birth of the jet age, with readily available Spitfires and Tempests, there was never a particularly compelling case for producing the slightly better MB5. There is also a suggestion that the MB5 never received a production order because on the occasion it was being demonstrated to assorted dignitaries, including Winston Churchill, the engine failed. If this is true, it must rank as the most pathetic reason for non-procurement of an outstanding aircraft in aviation history. 8: Miles M.20 Miles M.20 The M.20 was a thoroughly sensible design, cleverly engineered to be capable of excellent performance yet being easy to produce with minimal delay at its nations time of greatest need. As it turned out, its nations need was never quite great enough for the M.20 to go into production. Advertisement Advertisement Flying for the first time a mere sixty-five days after being commissioned by the Air Ministry, the M.20s structure used wood throughout to minimise the aircrafts use of potentially scarce aluminium, and the whole nose, airscrew and Merlin engine were conveniently supplied as a single, all-in-one power egg unit, as it was already in production for the Bristol Beaufighter II. 8: Miles M.20 Miles M.20 To maintain simplicity, the M.20 dispensed with a hydraulic system, and while this meant that the landing gear wasnt retractable, the weight saved allowed for a large internal fuel capacity and the unusually heavy armament of twelve machine guns with twice as much ammunition as either the Hurricane or the Spitfire. Tests revealed that the M.20 was slower than the Spitfire but faster than the Hurricane, and its operating range was roughly double that of either. It also sported the first clear-view bubble canopy to be fitted to a military aircraft. 7: Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster The remarkable XB-42 was in many ways the most advanced piston-engined warplane ever flown (though the Republic XF-12 Rainbow might be a rival for this title). The XB-42 was as fast as the British Mosquito B.XVI but could carry twice the maximum bomb-load, furthermore the Mosquito B.XVI had no defensive weaponry whereas the Mixmaster had four 0.50-inch machine guns in two remotely-controlled turrets. Advertisement Advertisement A variety of offensive gun options were considered, including sixteen .50-cals or two 37-mm cannon. Meanwhile, the updated XB-42A prototype, with its improved engines and Westinghouse 19XB-2A turbojets, had a top speed of 488 mph (785 km/h) and a maximum range of 4750 miles (7644 km). 7: Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster The Mixmaster was superb, but at the risk of being too positive, it should also be noted that it suffered terrible adverse yaw. Additionally, while the aforementioned Mosquito could operate from grass airfields, the XB-42 needed miles of flat smooth concrete due to its limited ground clearance. By the time the war ended, the US Army Air Force could afford to wait for the inevitable arrival of the jet bomber, but the sleek, rather weird, Mixmaster offers a tantalising insight into how military aircraft may have evolved if the piston age had lasted a little longer. 6: Dornier Do 335 Dornier Do 335 When faced with similar design goals and timing to the Grumman Tigercat, Dornier took a radically different approach with their unique Do 335. To minimize the frontal surface area, drawing on earlier experience with the Do 18 and the P.59 (a 1937 patent for a tractor-pusher bomber), the 335 adopted the rather weird push-pull configuration, with both engines mounted in the fuselage. Advertisement Advertisement The forward engine is in the traditional location. The aft engine is mounted in the middle of the fuselage (for better weight distribution) and is connected to an aft pusher propeller with a driveshaft. The resulting surface area is only slightly higher than a comparable single-engine fighter. 6: Dornier Do 335 Dornier Do 335 A pair of Daimler Benz DB-603 engines, each producing 1800 hp, allowed for a maximum weight a little higher than a traditional fighter, armed with a 30-mm cannon firing through the propeller hub and a pair of 20-mm cannons in the cowling. The aircraft could carry a lot of fuel and provided a combat range 30% higher than the Fw 190 or Me 109. The aircraft was too late to see combat in World War Two, and only 37 were built. Of these, a few reached conversion units for a short duration and the type did not see combat. 5: Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Focke-Wulf Fw 187 An exceptionally fast aircraft, the handsome Fw 187 suffered as a result of the Luftwaffe having a very precisely defined concept of what they required from a twin engine aircraft. It is often regarded as having been a direct competitor to the Messerschmitt Bf 110 but the truth is rather less straightforward. Advertisement Advertisement Kurt Tank designed the Falke as a long-range single-seat escort fighter. It was both smaller and lighter than the Bf 110 and was broadly equivalent to the British Westland Whirlwind. The new twin was designed as a private venture and was undoubtedly, a fine aircraft. 6: Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Focke-Wulf Fw 187 Germany at the time was painfully short of aero-engines, and instead of the DB 600s he had wanted Tank had to make do with the Jumo 210 which was some 200 hp lower powered. Despite this impediment, the Fw 187 recorded a speed of 325 mph in 1937, some 50 mph faster than the Bf 109B, yet possessed twice the range and had slightly superior climb and dive performance. The sixth prototype was fitted with the desired DB 600 engines and clocked 395 mph in 1939 (then the fastest speed attained by a German fighter). Whilst it is unlikely it would have changed the course of the war, its better performance than the Bf 110 and better range than the Bf 109 would have been useful during the Battle of Britain. It was cancelled due to engine unavailability, inexplicable official indifference, and other aircraft being perceived as good enough. 4: Polikarpov I-185 Polikarpov I-185 A direct descendant of Polikarpovs revolutionary I-16, the I-185 Nikolai Polikarpovs I-185 was an excellent aircraft stymied by engine trouble, politics, timing, and outright bad luck. Uniquely amongst this selection, it was also sent to the front and actually flew on operations. Advertisement Advertisement It should have been the finest fighter the USSR fielded during the Great Patriotic war with 2000 hp on tap, slightly smaller than a Grumman Bearcat but weighing 1900 lb less in normal loaded condition, faster than the contemporary Bf 109F at all altitudes up to 20,000 feet, its handling was immeasurably better and it was recommended for immediate production in the Autumn of 1942. 4: Polikarpov I-185 Polikarpov I-185 However, by this time everything had been thrown into chaos by the German invasion. The Soviets needed lots of fighters immediately and didnt have the luxury of waiting for promising prototypes. Unpopular but available fighters were produced in their thousands and gradual evolution rather than completely new types ultimately yielded the two major Soviet fighter series from Lavochkin and Yakovlev. In November 1942, the three prototypes were sent to the front to be evaluated under operational conditions. The report was unambiguously favourable: The I-185 outclasses both Soviet and foreign aircraft in level speed. It performs aerobatic manoeuvres easily, rapidly and vigorously. The I-185 is the best current fighter from the point of control simplicity, speed, manoeuvrability (especially in climb), armament and survivability. 3: Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly Founded in 1932, Beechcraft is still going strong, and its Bonanza has been in continuous production longer than any other aircraft: 74 years at the time of writing, and around 17,000 have so far been built. Rather less successful was Beechcrafts sole foray into the world of combat aircraft: the Grizzly, a mere two examples of which were built. Advertisement Advertisement But what an aircraft: its primary armament was a humongous 75-mm gun in the nose, the same as fitted to the Sherman tank. As a dedicated ground attack aircraft, its enormous gun was intended for use against hardened targets such as pillboxes and tanks. Two forward-firing 50-calibre machine guns were used to aim the main weapon and tests had proved the armament particularly effective. 3: Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly Beechcraft XA-38 Grizzly Most dedicated ground attack aircraft of the Second World War were relatively slow and vulnerable to fighter attack but the Grizzly was fast: despite being the size of a medium bomber it was capable of 376 mph at 5000 feet, 10 mph faster than a P-47D at the same altitude. It was also extremely well defended with both dorsal and ventral turrets each mounting two 50-calibre machine guns to deal with any fighter aircraft it might not be able to outrun, which were few indeed at the low altitudes it was designed for. Unfortunately for Beechcraft the Grizzlys fantastic performance was largely a result of its Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone engines, the same engines used by the B-29 Superfortress, and there werent enough R-3350s to go round, the B-29 had priority and the XA-38 was consigned to history. 2: Grumman F5F Skyrocket Grumman F5F Skyrocket As it originally appeared in April 1940 the Skyrocket was a radical-looking aircraft, a snub-nosed fuselage ending abruptly on the leading edge of the wing and twin tails to match the two engines. Its distinctive aesthetic was undoubtedly the reason it became a comic book star and its performance matched its futuristic looks, particularly in rate of climb, which may have led to the Skyrocket name. Advertisement Advertisement In a 1941 fly-off against a bevy of contemporary operational and experimental US fighters (Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Bell P-39 Airacobra, Bell XFL Airabonita, Vought XF4U Corsair, Grumman F4F Wildcat, and Brewster F2A Buffalo) with a Spitfire and Hurricane thrown in to give a cosmopolitan international flavour, the F5F came out on top. 2: Grumman F5F Skyrocket Grumman F5F Skyrocket Lieutenant Commander Crommelin later stated I remember testing the XF5F against the XF4U on climb to the 10,000 foot level. I pulled away from the Corsair so fast I thought he was having engine trouble. The F5F was a carrier pilots dream, as opposite rotating propellers eliminated all torqueThe analysis of all the data definitely favored the F5F, and the Spitfire came in a distant second. So why did this wonder aircraft never enter service? Two engines meant added complexity and a more demanding supply chain, which is a serious business when operating from a carrier. Furthermore, the Skyrocket was afflicted with multiple small problems. Ultimately the portly F5F performed its most important work flying as a development aircraft for the impressive F7F Tigercat which entered service in August 1945. 1: Heinkel He 100 Heinkel He 100 Initially, all seemed bright for the He 100. The prototypes were very fast and their low-drag airframes also made for an impressive range. The only really negative point was the cooling system which was a very aerodynamic but highly complex evaporative cooling system that required 22 separate electric pumps, each with its own warning light in the cockpit, to circulate the coolant around the airframe. The cooling system was constantly unreliable so it was ditched for the pre-production aircraft and replaced with a conventional radiator. In this form, the Heinkel He 100 was probably the best fighter in the world and ready for a Luftwaffe order, which Heinkel was so confident of getting that it tooled up and started production of its own accord. But of course, the order never came. 1: Heinkel He 100 Heinkel He 100 The cancellation of this aircraft can be seen to have had a detrimental effect on the Luftwaffes fighter arm at the critical time of the Battle of Britain. Given that its range meant the Bf 109 could only operate over London for ten minutes, a single-seat, single-engine escort fighter with much greater combat persistence that also happened to be the best fighter in the world, would have been a ludicrously useful asset. Like the similarly promising Fw 187, the remaining pre-production aircraft were then heavily photographed for propaganda purposes to make it look like they were in full-scale service. What is less clear is who exactly this propaganda was intended for, the German public or the Allies? If the latter, it was extremely successful: despite never entering Luftwaffe service the Heinkel regularly featured in combat reports filed by British and US pilots throughout the war. Full article on the Hush-Kit site here. Joe Coles is the author of the superb Hush-Kit Book of Warplanes 1 and 2, and is currently crowdfunding volume 3. ]]> Lee el articulo en espanol Adamuz, Spain Survivors recalled haunting cries and blood-smeared passenger cars after two high-speed trains collided near Cordoba, southern Spain late Sunday in one of the nations deadliest railway disasters in more than a decade. At least 41 people were killed and dozens more injured following the collision near the small town of Adamuz, about 360 km (223 miles) south of Madrid. Advertisement Advertisement According to a preliminary report, the tail end of a northbound train derailed and crossed onto the adjacent track, where a southbound train was approaching. The rear of the northbound train, operated by private rail company Iryo, was struck by the front of the southbound train, operated by state rail company Renfe. This prompted both vehicles to overturn, with the front cars of the second train plunging down an embankment. After visiting the scene, Spains Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez promised Monday to get to the truth behind the causes of the crash. He announced three days of mourning. We will find the answer, and when it is known, with absolute transparency and clarity, we will inform the public, Sanchez said at a press conference in Adamuz, near the site of the collision. Sanchez who cancelled his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he was set to hold a meeting with US President Donald Trump added that the Spanish government would protect and assist the train victims for as long as necessary. Members of the Spanish Civil Guard, along with other emergency personnel, work next to one of the trains involved in the accident, at the site of a deadly derailment of two high-speed trains near Adamuz, in Cordoba, Spain, on January 19, 2026. - Susana Vera/Reuters One survivor, Rocio Flores, who was on the southbound train, said: We were thrown through the air. Thank God Im okay; there were many people worse off than me. Advertisement Advertisement Families and friends of the passengers gathered in Corobas Reina Sofia Hospital on Monday to learn more about the conditions of their loved ones. A man named Prieto told CNN that he came to the hospital because his friend, a military doctor who had just returned from a mission in Iraq, was unaccounted for after the crash. Everything went dark In the aftermath, some passengers were seen scrambling out of the windows, while others escaped via the roof, according to video verified by CNN. A woman who gave her name as Ana said the northbound train tipped to one side then everything went dark, and all I heard was screams. Advertisement Advertisement Her face covered with bandages, she told Reuters that she was dragged out of the train covered in blood through a window by other passengers who had escaped. Firefighters rescued her sister from the wreckage, she said. She said many of the passengers were severely injured. You had them right in front of you and you knew they were going to die, and you couldnt do anything. Gonzalo Sanchez, a resident of Adamuz, told CNN he witnessed scenes of death and destruction as he arrived to render aid to the injured passengers. He used his quad bike to help rescuers transport approximately 16 people who had suffered injuries, Sanchez said. Advertisement Advertisement If I was able to save someone tonight, thats what Ill take with me in the future, he said. Ana, one of the victims of a deadly derailment of two high-speed trains, looks on at the Citizen Help Center while seeking her missing dog, which travelled with her and her sister, now hospitalised, during the accident near Adamuza, in Cordoba, Spain, on January 19, 2026. - Ana Beltran/Reuters The sound of passengers ringing phones echoed through the wreckage as their loved ones tried to contact them, according to a freelance reporter at Atocha train station in Madrid. A lot of families that are in distress, that are anxious, are calling their family members, the local reporter told the BBCs Today program on Monday. Emergency workers can hear the phones from inside the trains, the reporter said. But of course, people are not picking up. The streets of Adamuz a small town of 4,200 residents were quiet, according to a CNN reporter at the scene. Tables laden with dozens of blankets in the municipal building mirrored the spirit of solidarity among the community. Advertisement Advertisement The whole town rallied to help, Monica Navarro, a resident of the town, told CNN. People even came from neighboring towns like Montoro and Villafranca to bring blankets and all kinds of aid. Rescue hampered by twisted passenger cars The accident is the worst on Spains railways since the Galicia crash in 2013 when 79 people were killed and 144 injured after a train slammed into a well and burst into flames near Santiago de Compostela. An injured person is taken from the Adamuz sports centre following a train derailment in Cordoba, Spain, on January 19, 2026. - Francisco J. Olmo/Europa Press/AP Spains Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the crash was extremely unusual as it happened on a straight stretch of track which had been recently renovated as part of a 700 million ($814 million) investment project and the train was relatively new. It is truly strange. All the railway experts who have been here today and those we have consulted are extremely baffled by the accident, Puente told Spanish TV channel Telecinco. Advertisement Advertisement The president of Renfe, Alvaro Fernandez Heredia, told Spanish radio the trains were going at a lower speed than the limit set for that part of the line and the signaling system prevents trains from exceeding that limit. He said the speed limit at that point was 250 kmph (150 mph). One train was traveling at 205 kmph and the other at 210 kmph. People affected by a deadly train derailment receive treatment at the Caseta Municipal in the town of Adamuz, after a high-speed train derailed and collided with another oncoming train, near Cordoba, Spain, on January 18, 2026. - Alex Gallegos/Reuters Spains train drivers union, Semaf, has previously raised concerns about high speeds causing vibrations and subsequent wear and tear along high-speed railway lines, a source from the union told CNN. In August, the union sent a letter to the national railway operator, Adif, asking for a reduction in the maximum speed on all high-speed train lines from 300 kmph to 250 kmph, after some stretches were vibrating and placing stress on the infrastructure, the source said. Advertisement Advertisement The source could not confirm whether the warnings were specific to the area where the crash happened outside Cordoba, but did say that this stretch of track underwent maintenance in May. Jose Trigueros, president of Spains Institute of Engineering, told Reuters that it was very premature to speculate on the cause of the crash. A priori, all the factors would make this impossible, and that is the only reality we have, Trigueros said, Either the train failed, or one of the elements of the track was not in the perfect condition it should be. The King and Queen of Spain said they were following developments with great concern. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the deceased, as well as our best wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured, they said. Advertisement Advertisement A wave of tributes poured in on Monday from other world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and the EUs foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. CNNs Pau Mosquera reported from Adamuz, in Spain. Tim Lister reported from Cordoba. Sana Noor Haq reported and wrote from London. CNNs Jack Guy, Michael Rios, Laura Sharman and Rocio Munoz-Ledo contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Three men who were killed in a shooting in Florida, including two men from Ohio, were visiting Central Florida for a car show, the families report. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] News Center 7 previously reported that the Osceola County Sheriffs Office in Florida responded to a shots-fired call around 12:15 p.m. near the 200 block of Indian Point Circle in Kissimmee. Three men were killed in the shooting: a pair of brothers identified as Douglas Kraft, 68, of Columbus, and Robert Kraft, 69, of Holland, Michigan, and a friend, James John Puchnan, of Columbus. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement The families of the victims said the three men had rented an Airbnb in Kissimmee to attend the Mecum Car Show with their brothers and longtime friends, according to our sister station in Florida, WFTV 9. According to investigators, the shooting occurred as the victims were waiting for a new rental car after the original car had broken down toward the end of their trip. The suspect in the shooting has a history of mental health issues and was found not guilty by reason of insanity after allegedly shooting at cars at a Wawa gas station and injuring one man in 2021. Court records show that Bojeh was ordered to receive treatment at Park Place Behavioral Mental Health facility. Advertisement Advertisement 8 months after his release from jail in 2023, Bojeh attended all of his required appointments, obtained a job at McDonalds, and took his medications as prescribed, according to his case manager. Bojeh was ordered by the court not own any guns or have access to firearms, and that he had to reside at his home with his parents on Indian Pointe Circle, according to WFTV 9. Investigators said they located two firearms from Bojehs home after executing a search warrant that was related to the shooting on Saturday. Investigators are still working to learn if those firearms that were recovered were the ones that were used in the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement I can tell you he was a threat to that neighborhood all the time, said Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon. In a press conference, Blackmon said that deputies had responded to Bojehs home on Indian Circle multiple times. These three wonderful men did not deserve this. Our families are left with an unexpected, unimaginable loss that cannot be put into words, said the victims families in a statement. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] MILAN Nemo Group, which acquired Driade in October 2024, has sold a majority stake in the Italian furniture house to Spains Kettal Group. Nemo Group will remain a minority shareholder, ensuring the continuity of Italian craftsmanship and serving as a bridge to Driades history, values, and cultural roots, the firm said Tuesday. More from WWD The companys headquarters will remain in Italy, the firm added. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Spain-based Kettal is a global leader in the outdoor furniture industry. Going forward, Kettal and Nemo will work together to relaunch the famed brand with a more Mediterranean-centered vision of design, stated Driade. Driade was founded in Milan in 1968 by art director Enrico Astori, designer Antonia Astori and Adelaide Acerbi, who led the brands image and communication. Avant garde designers Enzo Mari and Nanda Vigo were crucial at its inception: Mari with the Sof Sof chair and Vigo with her furry Blocco seat. Achille Castiglioni, Alessandro Mendini and Philippe Starck are also among its roster of collaborators. Fabio Novembre was appointed art director of Driade in 2019. Kettals chief executive officer Alex Alorda said his aim is to enhance the firms competitiveness on a global stage. This is not a simple acquisition but an authentic collaboration born from mutual respect and the belief that true innovation arises from the meeting of different cultures and competencies. Driade deserves to reclaim its place on the international design scene, Alorda said. Fabio Novembre Kettal started in 1964 producing aluminum camping gear in Catalonia, Spain, but shifted its focus to create functional and stylish outdoor furniture. When Nemo Group, a lighting company that owns Nemo Lighting, bought Driade, it was the first time the firm had ventured into the furniture world. Prior to the acquisition, Driade was owned, along with historic lighting maker FontanaArte, by Italian Creation Group. FontanaArte, which Nemo Groups CEO Federico Palazzari most coveted, traces its origins back to 1881 with Luigi Fontana, who started making float glass, or sheets of glass, for the construction industry in Milan. In 1931, his firm Luigi Fontana & C. appointed Gio Ponti its art director. Palazzari said that Kettal is the right partner to enhance Driades reputation in a new era of modern design. Our true competitors are geographic and cultural barriers, and therefore our real goal is to create synergies to promote a culture of design. WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) Video shows Wyoming firefighters carrying a small child to safety and helping two adults escape a third-floor apartment during a fire Monday night. The Wyoming Fire Department is still investigating what caused the fire, which broke out around 8:45 p.m. at Crossroads Apartments on Clyde Park Avenue SW near 44th Street SW. Wyoming apartment fire displaces residents When crews arrived, they found smoke and heavy flames that were moving toward the roof. Then, they learned there were people trapped on the third floor. Advertisement Advertisement Helmet video released by the fire department Tuesday shows crews hurrying to put a 35-foot ladder up to the window of the apartment where the people were. Do not jump, firefighters can be heard telling a woman in the apartment. Theres a ladder coming up. Help me, the woman said as she handed a child out of the window to a firefighter. Thank you. Thank you guys. My baby, please, my baby. I got her, the firefighter told the woman, going on to comfort the child as he climbed down the ladder. I got you. Its OK. I got you, OK. Its all right. The video then shows two adults climbing down the ladder, one of them carrying a cat. Advertisement Advertisement Youre doing good. Were almost there, the firefighters encouraged them. Firefighters confirmed with the adults that no one else was in the apartment. The two adults and child were checked out on scene, then taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. The scene of a fire at an apartment in Wyoming. (Jan. 19, 2026) The scene of a fire at an apartment in Wyoming. (Jan. 19, 2026) A fire at Crossroads Apartments in Wyoming on Jan. 19, 2026. The scene of a Jan. 19, 2026, fire at Crossroads Apartments in Wyoming. (Courtesy Donald Molyneux) The scene of a fire at an apartment in Wyoming. (Jan. 19, 2026) The scene of a fire at an apartment in Wyoming. (Jan. 19, 2026) The scene of a fire at an apartment in Wyoming. (Jan. 19, 2026) The scene of a fire at an apartment in Wyoming. (Jan. 19, 2026) Crews fight a fire at Crossroads Apartments in Wyoming on Jan. 19, 2026. Amid single-digit temperatures and extremely cold wind chills, crews said it was difficult to extinguish the flames, which spread quickly and had caused several parts of the building to collapse. Firefighters from other departments in the area, like Kentwood, Grandville, Gaines Township and Byron Township, also helped. Wyoming Fire Chief Dennis Van Tassel told News 8 that despite the cold temperatures, they arrived at the scene in less than five minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Its an arduous task anyway, but add the cold temperatures and the freezing hoses and the fact that they have to walk through a foot of snow to carry a ladder just makes it that much more complex than the incident, he said. Crews ultimately had to bring in an excavator to demolish parts of the building, they said. TENANT WATCHES DEMOLITION Firefighters say residents of about 33 units were displaced. One of them was Bethany Reyes, who was in her apartment when the fire broke out. She told News 8 that she and her husband were getting ready for bed when they heard a fire alarm go off. All of a sudden we hear like one fire alarm go off, which isnt like too uncommon. But then it was two, then three. And we were like, Thats not normal,' she said. Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Reyes and her husband went back to the complex in hopes that some of their belongings could be salvaged. But that hope quickly disappeared as she watched a bulldozer and excavator destroy her home. Just kind of sad, you know, she said. Everything in there is just gone. Family pictures like my husbands only picture of his mom is in there. Part of a building at Crossroads Apartment in Wyoming was demolished after a large fire. (Jan. 20, 2026) Damage to a building at Crossroads Apartment in Wyoming the day after a fire. (Jan. 20, 2026) Part of a fire-damaged building at Crossroads Apartments in Wyoming is demolished. (Jan. 20, 2026) Residents look on as part of a fire-damaged building at Crossroads Apartments in Wyoming is demolished. (Jan. 20, 2026) Part of a building at Crossroads Apartment in Wyoming was demolished after a large fire. (Jan. 20, 2026) Part of a building at Crossroads Apartment in Wyoming was demolished after a large fire. (Jan. 20, 2026) The scene of a Jan. 19, 2026, fire at Crossroads Apartments in Wyoming. (Courtesy Donald Molyneux) The scene of a Jan. 19, 2026, fire at Crossroads Apartments in Wyoming. (Courtesy Donald Molyneux) Hugging her dad for support, Reyes watched as five years of memories from her home were destroyed. She told News 8 that she was trying to remain positive. Everything weve worked hard for over the course of the years is tough. Like, yeah, we can buy that back, but its not going to be the same. Its not going to be the same stuff. Its not going to be the same pictures. Its heartbreaking, she said. If you know anything about the fire, youre asked to contact the Wyoming Fire Marshals Office at 616.257.9764. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. The Brief Dallas police were investigating a crash in the 500 block of North Zang Boulevard early Sunday when a gathered crowd began interfering with the investigation and assaulting officers. Five individuals were taken into custody on various charges, including assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest and possession of a controlled substance. Despite the reported physical interference and assaults, the department confirmed that no officers were injured during the encounter. DALLAS - Five people were arrested early Sunday morning after allegedly assaulting police officers and interfering with a crash investigation in central Oak Cliff. What we know Dallas police responded to an "assist officer" call in the 500 block of North Zang Boulevard just after midnight Sunday. According to investigators, a crowd gathered while officers were working a crash scene and began interfering with the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement The situation escalated as members of the crowd reportedly assaulted officers. No police injuries were reported, but several people were taken into custody. Dig deeper The following individuals were arrested: Jaqueline Ramirez Reyes, 26: Charged with assault on a peace officer, a second-degree felony. Joel Huerta, 36: Charged with possession of a controlled substance (under 1 gram), a state jail felony, and interference with public duties. Carlos Nolasco, 21: Charged with resisting arrest and interference with public duties. Jennifer Hernandez, 23, and Yadira Saldago, 28: Arrested for public intoxication and outstanding warrants. What we don't know The investigation is ongoing, and it remains unclear how many people were involved in the initial crash that led to the police response. The Source Information in this article comes from Dallas police. GUATEMALA CITY (AP) The death toll from suspected gangsters attacks on Guatemalan police rose to 10 on Monday, as Guatemalans saw heavier security in the streets and curtailed rights after Congress approved President Bernardo Arevalo's emergency declaration. The violence started Saturday when inmates seized control of three prisons in apparently coordinated riots, taking 43 guards hostage. The gangs were demanding privileges for their members and leaders, according to authorities. Shortly after police liberated one prison Sunday morning, suspected gang members attacked police across the capital. Officials said late Monday a tenth police officer died following the attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Police honored the fallen officers in a ceremony Monday, where flag-draped coffins sat in the Interior Ministry. Today it pains me to give each one of the families this flag, symbol of the nation that will not forget the sacrifice and commitment of their police fallen in the fulfillment of their duty, Arevalo said Monday. Outside the Interior Ministry, Jose Antonio Revolorio, 72, father of officer Jose Efrain Revolorio Barrera, 25, said, I hope that the criminals who did this to my son will one day pay for it, that the law will go after them. And that this doesnt end here, because my son was an honest man, competent at his work. Meanwhile, the government gazette published Monday Arevalos declaration of a 30-day state of emergency, saying there were coordinated actions by self-named maras or gangs against state security forces, including armed attacks against civilian authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Among the rights that the declaration limits are freedom of action and demonstrations. It also allows police to arrest people without a judicial order if they are suspected gang members. Security forces could also prohibit the movement of vehicles in certain places or subject them to searches. The unicameral Congress approved the state of emergency with minor changes Monday night on a vote of 149 in favor to 1 against, with 10 absent or on approved leave of absence. However, it had gone into effect Sunday. Traffic in the capital Monday appeared lighter than usual. This situation is a shame. It affects people psychologically: they don't want to go out, said Oscar Lopez, a 68-year-old radio technician who had a doctor's appointment. I agree with the president imposing the state of emergency because it doesn't stop the violence, but it relaxes people. Advertisement Advertisement Ileana Melgar, 64, said she was afraid of missing her appointment to renew her identification Monday. But I was afraid to go out, I called my friend to go with me. You don't know if they will also stop (public) transportation and we can't get back home. The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala had instructed U.S. government personnel to shelter in place Sunday. That was lifted later in the day, but they were advised to maintain a high level of caution when traveling. On Monday, the embassy condemned the attacks on police. These terrorists, as well as those who cooperate with them or are linked to them, have no place in our hemisphere. The security of the Guatemalan people and the stability of our hemisphere must prevail. We reaffirm our support for Guatemalas security forces to curb the violence. In October, the Congress reformed laws to declare members of the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha gangs terrorists. The changes lengthened prison sentences for gang members who commit crimes. Advertisement Advertisement The United States government also declared those gangs foreign terrorist organizations last year. As a safety precaution, school was suspended nationwide Monday. __ AP journalist Emmanuel Andres contributed to this report. Thousands of revelers were greeted by big smiles and lots of sunshine Monday as LA's Official MLK Jr. Day Parade got underway. The celebration stepped off just after 10 a.m., with more than 150 colorful floats, marching bands, and dancers celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thousands gathered for a day of unity and celebration as ABC7 presented LA's Official MLK Jr. Day Parade. Parade chairman Danny Bakewell, Sr., said he hoped the gathering would encourage something greater for our neighborhoods days after the pomp and cheer. Advertisement Advertisement "Today is about us, it's about us coming together with dignity and respect, it's about us showing up," Bakewell said. "Whatever it is, you know, an organization that can make our community better, get involved with it." Giving the parade a major boost Monday morning was actor and comedian Cedric The Entertainer, who served as this year's grand marshal. PHOTOS: What we saw at LA's Official MLK Day Parade 2026 2026 LA's Official Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade: Photos and Scenes from Crenshaw Before Cedric could make his way down MLK Boulevard, a group of young Eaton fire survivors from Altadena were chosen to help lead the parade. Advertisement Advertisement Jacqueline Snell, president and founder of Jazzy Jam for Empowerment, said their presence as this year's banner carriers was a symbol of hope. "These kids might have lost a lot of stuff, but we're here for life, for love, and this is what Martin Luther King would have wanted us to do," Snell said. "We are setting an example that we need to look forward and move forward, and to go to new beginnings." Throughout the parade, we saw the young and young at heart enjoying the festival-like atmosphere across the 2.5-mile parade route. Cannon, 10, of Culver City, told us he really loved seeing the police cars and the college bands, including his favorite. Advertisement Advertisement "The USC band," he said, with a smile. "I like their colors, and I might want to go there." Lauren Hunter lined up early to catch a glimpse of her daughter, who was marching as part of Inglewood High School's band. Her seventh-grader, Olivia, said she was excited to be part of history Monday. "I wanted to see my sister, and all the culture that's happening," she said. While the Hunters said they attend Los Angeles' King Day celebration every year, the 2026 parade represented new beginnings for others. Candice Jones, who recently moved to LA from Houston, said she was taken by the sea of people around her. Advertisement Advertisement "Spanish, white, Black, whatever culture you are," Jones said. "This is what MLK wanted back in the day." This year's parade was produced by Bakewell Media and the Los Angeles Sentinel. WATCH: Bakewell ushers in new era for MLK parade Los Angeles Sentiner's executive publisher, Danny Bakewell, Sr., sat down with ABC7 to preview coming attractions at Monday's first LA's Official MLK Day Parade. LA's Official MLK Day Parade was made possible through the generous support of its partners, including SoCalGas, Airbnb, LA County Federation of Labor, SEIU 2015, Blue Shield of California, Brotherhood Crusade, and others. WATCH: Cedric The Entertainer prepares for his next big role - grand marshal Actor and comedian Cedric The Entertainer reflects on the spirit and importance of LA's Official MLK Jr. Day Parade in the community. SEE ALSO: Brotherhood Crusade steers LA's next generation to see dream fulfilled Brotherhood Crusade brings Los Angeles students face-to-face with opportunities that can elevate an entire generation. WATCH: LA Sentinel's deep roots in our community Advertisement Advertisement The Black press serves a critical role in the news media landscape, and Los Angeles is home to the largest African American-owned newspaper on the West Coast. After the Supreme Court's 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ended the constitutional right to abortion, national abortion numbers were expected to plunge. Instead, they rose. At the center of this counterintuitive trend are abortion pills and telemedicine. Opponents of abortion have targeted both on multiple fronts. In a new escalation, states with abortion bans are reaching across state lines to investigate, sue and even prosecute out-of-state providers. That escalation came into sharper focus this month when California Gov. Gavin Newsom blocked an effort by Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry to extradite a California-based doctor accused of mailing abortion pills into Louisiana, where abortion is mostly banned. Advertisement Advertisement The standoff illustrates why the end of Roe did not reshape abortion access as dramatically as some expected - and how the ongoing legal battles could raise the stakes yet again. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images How abortion pills and telehealth reshaped the post-Dobbs landscape Nationwide, monthly abortion numbers have increased by roughly 10 to 20% since Roe was overturned, according to the Society of Family Planning, a nonprofit association of health care professionals. Researchers attribute part of that increase to the expanded use of the abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol, which have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This method now accounts for roughly 63% of all abortions, up from 53% in 2020, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a national research and policy organization. Telemedicine has also expanded since Dobbs. Patients in states with near-total abortion bans can meet with out-of-state providers online and obtain abortion pills in the mail - no office visit required. That is how almost all patients in these states access the medications, according to the Society of Family Planning. Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, in New York and California, where abortion remains legal, roughly 10% of patients use telehealth exclusively for abortion services; the rest see a medical professional in person, their data shows. Abortion-rights advocates argue that abortion pills and telehealth have been helpful in expanding access. Opponents say they often provide an illegal workaround to evade state laws. Left: California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Right: Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (Getty Images) Why did California refuse to extradite a doctor indicted in Louisiana? Earlier this month, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced the indictment of California physician Remy Coeytaux on a felony charge of "criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs." Prosecutors allege Coeytaux prescribed mifepristone and misoprostol to a pregnant woman in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, where abortion is mostly banned and these drugs are tightly regulated. According to court filings, the woman contacted an Austria-based telehealth group, Aid Access, completed a form and paid $150 over Venmo. She allegedly received the pills by mail without ever consulting with a medical practitioner, even online. Advertisement Advertisement "This is not health care; it's drug dealing," Murrill said in a statement. Murrill told a Senate committee last week that abortions in Louisiana have increased since Dobbs despite the state's ban, an outcome she attributed to mail-order abortion pills flooding in from other states. Neither Coeytaux nor Aid Access responded to a request for comment from Straight Arrow News. This case is now at an impasse after Newsom rejected Landry's extradition request, arguing that Coeytaux did not commit a crime under California law. He invoked California's abortion shield law, which protects abortion providers from out-of-state investigations and prosecutions. Advertisement Advertisement Twenty-two states and Washington, D.C., now have shield laws, though the protections vary. Newsom's defiance echoes a similar stance by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul last year. In February 2025, Hochul invoked New York's shield law and said she would not approve Louisiana's extradition request for a doctor in her state - "not now, not ever." To date, that doctor has not faced prosecution. Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Is it legal to mail abortion pills into states with bans? Under current FDA rules, mifepristone can be prescribed via telehealth and dispensed by mail in states whose laws allow it. However, the Trump administration has indicated it might revisit and tighten these regulations. Advertisement Advertisement It remains contested whether telehealth providers can legally send abortion pills into states with abortion bans, narrow telemedicine laws or tighter controls on these medications. "Louisiana absolutely has the right to indict Dr. Coeytaux and try to prove he violated Louisiana law, but they have an enforcement problem," said David S. Cohen, a law professor at Drexel University and co-author of "After Dobbs: How the Supreme Court Ended Roe But Not Abortion." Newsom can refuse to turn over the indicted doctor because of a quirk in extradition law, Cohen told SAN. If the defendant was not physically present in Louisiana while allegedly committing the crime, extradition is discretionary - not mandatory. Erica Bayles Inzina, policy director of Louisiana Right to Life, called the law "dated" and ripe for Supreme Court review. Advertisement Advertisement "This precedent predates the internet and the plethora of crimes that can, and are, committed virtually," Inzina told SAN. What comes next? Anti-abortion activists are pursuing multiple strategies at once: Pressing for tighter FDA rules, lobbying for state and federal legislation, suing providers, challenging shield laws and now, attempting to criminally prosecute out-of-state doctors. Legal experts said the Coeytaux case is unlikely to see a quick resolution. "Ultimately, I expect it will remain at an impasse until it makes its way to the Supreme Court," Inzina said. Cohen agreed, but said it is far from certain the court will agree to hear it. Advertisement Advertisement Regardless of the outcome, Cohen said the case underscores a central reality. "The fact that abortion providers are mailing pills from shield states to states where abortion is banned is a hugely important part of the post-Dobbs landscape," he said. "It's a major reason why abortion numbers have increased instead of decreased." The post Abortions increased post Roe. A clash over mail-order pills helps explain why appeared first on Straight Arrow News. Related Links Keynote speaker American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico Director Leon Howard marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a speech on "the urgency of now" at the Jan. 19, 2025 MLK brunch in Las Cruces. (Leah Romero for Source New Mexico) As communities in New Mexico and across the country respond to the Trump administrations anti-immigration policies and roundups by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico Director Leon Howard marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day by calling on New Mexicans to stand with their neighbors and with every community under threat. Howard, who took over the ACLUs New Mexico branch in June 2025, was the keynote speaker at this years MLK Day brunch, hosted annually by the Dona Ana County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He spoke to a packed ballroom at the Las Cruces Convention Center, highlighting Kings words from his 1963 I have a dream speech as his theme: fierce urgency of now. Advertisement Advertisement He didnt describe it as panic or chaos, Howard said of the quote from King. He meant the danger of getting used to injustice. The danger of letting the unacceptable become normal. And were living in a moment when the unacceptable keeps trying to present itself as everyday life. Howard pointed to Indigenous Americans who experienced the machine of state power first, and the minority communities that have been singled out in the years since from slave patrols in the 1700s and the Chinese Exclusion Act in the 1800s, to internment of Japanese-Americans in the 1940s and profiling people of Mexican and Latin descent today. Howard spoke of Presley Eze, a Black Las Cruces resident who was killed by a Las Cruces police officer with a gunshot to the back of the head in 2022. Presleys death is not an isolated tragedy, he said. Its one point on a long line that stretches back through American history. We have been litigating the same exact issue for generations, and now we have a new version: stops based on race, accent, language, type of work, location. A cluster of factors that government claims to create reasonable suspicion, Howard said. These enforcement patterns are old. The vocabulary is new. Advertisement Advertisement Howard said Kings calls for people to be good neighbors were not meant for only people who look the same or believe in the same things, but anyone in need. [King] taught us the real test of our humanity is what we do for people who the world has decided are easy to ignore, Howard said. But New Mexico has taken steps to push back against the Trump administrations immigration policies, Howard noted, speaking of an updated Welcoming Community resolution the Las Cruces City Council passed in October 2025. The resolution updates a previous 2017 resolution by calling for stronger immigrant protections in the immigrant-friendly community and provides updated guidance for how the city responds to federal law enforcement. The resolution does not go so far as to designate Las Cruces as a formal sanctuary city. The Trump administration has repeatedly threatened so-called sanctuary cities with funding cuts, and included Albuquerque on a list last summer of such jurisdictions. That choice stands as a model the rest of the state and country should take seriously. That kind of courage doesnt come out of nowhere, Howard said of the Las Cruces resolution. It comes from tradition, by standing with every community under threat. Advertisement Advertisement He pointed out that collaboration between the NAACP and ACLU has a long history, such as the Brown v. Board of Education lawsuit that resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court finding segregated education unconstitutional. Organizations work together not because its politically convenient, but because when injustice spreads across communities, the response has to spread too, Howard said. And if theres one group who cant afford to step back in this moment, its the next generation. Dona Ana County NAACP President Bobbie Green told the audience that the organization has long played a critical role in social advocacy, but never, in my lifetime anyway, has advocacy been more critical than the fierce urgency of now. (Leah Romero for Source New Mexico) Dona Ana County NAACP President Bobbie Green told the audience that the organization has long played a critical role in social advocacy, but never, in my lifetime anyway, has advocacy been more critical than the fierce urgency of now. Green also said she and various local NAACP chapters are working with the ACLU of New Mexico, the New Mexico attorney general and state lawmakers to support a bill this legislative session to update in-service training curriculum for law enforcement in the state a step toward reforming state law enforcement during a time when federal enforcement has been criticized. State Sen. Antonio Maestas (D-Albuquerque) told Source New Mexico that the bill would authorize the New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training Council to develop updated evidence-based curriculum for officers to complete on a constant basis, rather than every two years as is the current requirement. The bill would not address the initial training officers receive in the academy. He said he, Sen. Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte) and Rep. Pamelya Herndon (D-Albuquerque) have collaborated during the interim, along with local sheriffs and police chiefs, and intend to cosponsor the bill. Advertisement Advertisement [The curriculum] has not been updated in decades, Maestas said. What wed like to do is evolve policing in New Mexico to constant training; weekly, monthly training.Regardless of where people are coming from in terms of policing, everyone should be happy with this bill. Howard concluded his speech stating that resistance has a throughline too, of communities coming together and refusing to look the other way and ignore indifference. The question for us now is not whether the moment is urgent, it absolutely is, Howard said. The question is whether we will meet the moment with the same courage Dr. King demanded of us, because the now he spoke of belongs to us, and what we do with it will decide the road ahead. Action News got a rare and exclusive look at Pine Flat Dam on Friday as federal leaders from Washington arrived for a visit. At 429 feet tall, the government considers the dam "critical infrastructure," necessary to the state and country. It can hold back 1 million acre-feet of water and release thousands of gallons per minute from Pine Flat Lake into the Kings River, about 35 miles east of Fresno. "It's a beautiful place," Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle told Action News. "It's great to be here in January." Advertisement Advertisement Telle oversees the Corps of Engineers, which operates the dam. The Valley is Telle's first visit west of the Mississippi River since he began his role. "We're really here to talk today about how we take a very broad spectrum of stakeholders and squeeze every drop of water out of our existing infrastructure, like Pine Flat Dam, here," Telle said. The Assistant Secretary joined Republican Congressman Vince Fong for a roundtable discussion and tour. The visit came two weeks after California marked a milestone, when the U.S. Drought Monitor declared there was no drought and no dryness in the state for the first time in 25 years. Advertisement Advertisement "Do you think the tide could be turning for how water works in California," Action News asked Fong. "We have water at the moment," Fong said. "But how are we planning for water strategies and water supplies in the future?" Fong wants to increase the lake's capacity by raising the spillway 12 feet. He is pushing Telle and the Army Corps of Engineers to get started before 2028. "Let's streamline the process," Fong said. "Let's not do, you know, a 10-year process, not just to do the feasibility study, but try to get to construction as quickly as possible." Advertisement Advertisement Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen met with Telle and Fong. He later told Action News that more storage at Pine Flat Lake would have a major impact across the region. "We use that extra capacity to hold (water) for those following years and be able to take more advantage of that water instead of having to spill it out," Jacobsen said. Some farmers have expressed frustration with the Army Corps of Engineers' water management. Amid the LA wildfires last year, officials released water from Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah and Schafer Dam at Lake Success under orders from President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement "Some farmers said that they were taken a little bit by surprise (by) that. What does communication look like with farmers, with stakeholders going forward?" Action News asked Telle. "There's a lot more that we can do to help our agricultural interests here, help the economic interests, and in times of natural disaster, get on it and help the citizens who are under threat," Telle said. To do that, Telle and Fong are examining the snowpack surveys. They want them to be more accurate. "There are new technologies available related to the forecasting of the weather, related to understanding the snow and the mountains better, that we can use to, like I said, take every drop of water (and) make decisions ahead of time that allow us to conserve when needed or release when needed," Telle said. Advertisement Advertisement The Assistant Secretary said he would return to Central California, and he vowed to work with Congress on water management in the year ahead. For news updates, follow Gabe Ferris on Facebook, X and Instagram. The federal governments efforts to hire deportation judges -- normally referred to as immigration judges -- has been alleged in a lawsuit to be part of an effort to hire judges whose views align with President Donald Trumps political goals. (Photo illustration by Iowa Capital Dispatch with main image by Getty Images; advertisement from U.S. District Court records) A 23-year-old Iowa man who has lived in the United States since he was a year old was detained by federal immigration agents and jailed in Muscatine County while being unlawfully denied a bond hearing, a federal judge has ruled. The ruling comes in a civil case where the federal governments efforts to hire deportation judges normally referred to as immigration judges is alleged by the plaintiff to be part of an effort to hire judges whose views align with President Donald Trumps political goals. Advertisement Advertisement The case involves Giovanni Uribe-Gonzalez, 23, of Hawkeye, who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in November 2025 after a drunken driving arrest and then placed in the Muscatine County Jail pending possible deportation. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX According to court filings by Uribe-Gonzalezs attorney, Amy Cummings, he was brought to the United States by his mother when he was 1 year old. As toddler, he took his first steps on Iowa soil, and he learned to read and write in Iowa classrooms where he was always liked by his peers and teachers. He recited the Pledge of Allegiance each morning and cheered the fireworks every Fourth of July, Cummings told a federal judge last month. His every recollection and dream starts and ends in the Hawkeye state, and his identity, values and culture were forged here shaping him into a quintessential American Midwesterner. Advertisement Advertisement Cummings told the court that in 2021 Uribe-Gonzalezs family had saved enough money to pay his $495 filing fee for citizenship under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act (DACA). While the government accepted the fee, Cummings alleged, it never fully processed his application and that matter is still pending with no final action taken. After graduating from West Central High School in Maynard, Uribe-Gonzalez enrolled in a training program for railroad welders, earned his certification, applied for jobs and was then rejected due to his citizenship status. In 2025, he was twice arrested for drunken driving, with both arrests resulting in a conviction on a charge of first-offense drunken driving. Court records show that after his second arrest in November, he was detained Chickasaw County, where ICE placed a hold on him, preventing his release although an Iowa judge had allowed him to post bond. According to the court records, David Bindert, an Iowa-based deportation officer with ICE, noted in his written report of the detention that Uribe-Gonzalez had a DACA application pending, but added that Uribe-Gonzalez had no legal presence in the United States and was subject to being detained by ICE. Advertisement Advertisement Uribe-Gonzalez was then taken to the Muscatine County Jail for holding, and ICE initiated deportation proceedings. Attorney cites ad for deportation judges As with thousands of other ICE detainees across the country in 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice took the position that the federal law providing for the mandatory detention of detainees applies not just to people who apprehended at the border which is how the law has been interpreted and applied for decades but also to people who may have entered the country illegally months or years earlier. The DOJs new mandatory-detention stance has resulted in immigration judges across the country denying detainees the opportunity to argue for release on bond while their case is pending. Since July 2025, more than 300 U.S. District Court judges in 1,600 cases have rejected that argument, finding the new interpretation of the law is contrary to ICEs own regulations, its published enforcement guidelines, previous court rulings, and the overall logic of the nations immigration system. Advertisement Advertisement Despite those rulings, ICE and county jails in Iowa and the rest of the country have continued to hold individuals for indefinite periods without affording them the opportunity to argue for their release on bond. The cases where those practices have been rejected are those in which the detainees have taken their case to U.S. District Court and argued their due process rights are being violated. On Dec. 16, 2025, Cummings filed such a lawsuit on behalf of Uribe-Gonzalez in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, naming President Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and others as the respondents. As part of her petition seeking a bond hearing for her client, Cummings noted that the federal government has fired dozens of immigration judges and then advertised for deportation judges that Cummings argues are intended to better align with Trumps political goals. As an exhibit in her case, she submitted a copy of the federal governments written solicitation for applicants for the position of deportation judge. Advertisement Advertisement The solicitation says: YOU BE THE JUDGE. Help write the next chapter of America. Apply today to become a deportation judge and you may be entitled to these benefits: $159,951 to $207,500 per year DEFINE AMERICA FOR GENERATIONS Preside over cases in federal Immigration Court and determine whether an alien has to leave the United States or gets to stay. Make decisions with generational consequences Restore integrity and honor to our Nations Immigration Court system. Recently, U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher ruled in Uribe-Gonzalezs favor on the bond-hearing issue, noting that district courts across the nation have ruled that such detainees are entitled to a hearing at which they can argue for their release. The available court records dont indicate whether such a hearing has been held. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE An ethnic armed group in Myanmar's Karen State declared it had established an independent republic in the war-torn country in early January 2026, but social media posts about its purported new currency share AI-generated images. The visuals feature illegible Burmese text and was made with Google's AI tools. A spokesperson for the group, the Kawthoolei Army, told AFP it has not issued money. A Burmese-language Facebook post claiming "Kawthoolei money has been released" and 5,000 of the currency was equal to US$100 was shared on January 11, 2026. It includes three images of banknotes in denominations of 1,000 and 5,000 that feature a picture of Nerdah Mya, a general who leads an ethnic armed group, and supposedly Burmese-language script that is illegible. Advertisement Advertisement The purported currency features the abbreviation KTLA, referring to the Kawthoolei Army, a splinter group of the Karen National Union (KNU) that has been fighting the Myanmar junta for decades for more autonomy along the border with Thailand (archived link). Myanmar has been mired in civil war since a 2021 coup deposed the civilian government, with the military battling a myriad of pro-democracy guerrillas and ethnic armed organisations. Nerdah Mya, who formed the KTLA after his dismissal as the commander-in-chief of KNU's armed wing in July 2022, reportedly announced the formation of the independent "Republic of Kawthoolei" on January 5, 2026, according to media reports in the region (archived link). The KNU has dismissed the KTLA's declaration, saying Nerdah Mya "represents no territory and no people" and calling it "nonsense" (archived links here and here). Screenshot of false Facebook post taken on January 16, 2026, with a red X added by AFP The images of the KTLA's purported new currency circulated after Nerdah Mya's announcement on Facebook and TikTok in Burmese, English and Thai . Advertisement Advertisement However, the images were created with AI tools and the KTLA denied it has issued bank notes. A reverse image search on Google found the picture was labelled as "Made with Google AI" in its "About this image" feature. A subsequent analysis conducted with Google's SynthID tool -- launched in May 2025 to detect AI-generated content -- identified with a "Very High" degree of confidence that the images were created with the help of its AI tools (archived link). Screenshots of results of SynthID analysis KTLA spokesperson Captain Saw Nyi Zaw told AFP on January 15 they had not issued such bank notes, nor could they recognise the script printed on it. "We do not issue money or passports. We do issue Kawthoolei citizenship cards," he said via Telegram message. AFP has debunked other misinformation related to the unrest in Myanmar here. By the late 1950s, the Space Race was dominating the Cold War, the United States military was rapidly testing advanced fighter jets and looking at how it could build out its rocket arsenal both for offensive use and to send Americans into space. And then they hit a snag. The U.S. military had so rapidly built out its new aircraft that it had a new problem. Jets, like the X-15, could hit the upper atmosphere and break the sound barrier. However high altitude and high speeds meant that bailing out of these aircraft was riskier than ever. Beyond their rapid speed, pilots would have to deal with limited oxygen, extreme cold and the risk of spinning out at terminal velocity. To deal with this, as the National Museum of the United States Air Force said, the USAF developed new multi-stage parachutes with small, medium, then large parachutes deploying as the pilot fell that allowed safe descent from incredible heights. Top Stories This Week News Pentagon wants major improvements to runways at Greenland base By Nicholas Slayton News Top enlisted soldier says he got over my skis on new Army PT uniform By Jeff Schogol Military Life The military will now do grocery delivery for 70 on-base commissaries across the US By Patty Nieberg Advertisement Advertisement It led to Project Excelsior, where the United States Air Force would intentionally send an airman into the stratosphere to then jump back to Earth, in the hopes of perfecting parachute technology. The project kicked off in 1958. It was meant to help both regular aircraft operations and provide safety data for the emerging crewed space program. The U.S. military had a long history with trying to reach the stratosphere. For several decades in the 20th Century, military personnel used balloons to push altitude records. When the Space Race fully kicked off in the 1950s, it became a race between the Americans and Soviets using revolutionary rocket technology. But that didnt mean the end of the use of balloons. They would continue to be used for testing, such as in Project Excelsior. Air Force scientists designed a multi-stage parachute, and soon the service needed to test it. Crews designed a gondola that would, using a helium balloon, carry a person miles up into the stratosphere to then jump and deploy the parachute system. Enter Air Force Capt. Joseph Kittinger, who took part in one of the wildest scientific experiments of all time. Over the course of 10 months, Kittinger went to the stratosphere, jumping back to Earth three times. He wore a specialized pressure suit, meant to survive the lack of atmosphere. The suit was very much a rudimentary 1950s design; photos of the jumps show a tool box strapped to the back of it for instance. The first two trips took him between 74,000-77,000 feet in the air in late 1959. He would free fall back to Earth, enduring heavy spins, chutes that failed and other issues. And then nearly a year later, he made a jump that would set a decades-long record. Advertisement Advertisement The third and final test happened on Aug. 16, 1960. For this final jump, Kittinger went nearly 20 miles up. There were already problems. The pressure suit had a minor flaw; one glove hadnt pressurized, leaving one hand swelling from low atmosphere and leaving Kittinger unable to pull at his ripcord. Kittinger took the balloon up to a record 102,800 feet above Earth and despite the challenges, he jumped off of the gondola. Kittinger reached a top speed of 625.5 miles per hour, falling for more than four minutes. The parachute deployed and worked as intended, safely slowing him and helping him return to Earth. The 1960 effort would earn the Air Force officer a Distinguished Flying Cross, his second. Kittinger made an open gondola balloon ascent to an altitude of 102,800 feet, surpassing all previous records, his citation noted. From this record altitude, Captain Kittinger successfully tested an experimental stabilization parachute system, free-falling for four minutes and thirty-eight seconds to an altitude of 17,500 feet where deployment of the recovery parachute occurred, it continued. By this historic achievement of national and international significance, Captain Kittinger has made a vital contribution to the advancement of aeronautical science. The personal courage, outstanding airmanship and selfless devotion to duty of Captain Kittinger reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. Kittinger would later serve in several combat tours in Vietnam, eventually being shot down in 1972 and spending 11 months as a prisoner of war before being released. He would earn four more Distinguished Flying Crosses during the war. Advertisement Advertisement If Project Excelsior seems like something more out of the X Games, or something that would be sponsored by Red Bull, well, Red Bull would sponsor a similar exercise more than 50 years later. In 2012, Felix Baumgartner would break Kittingers record, with the Air Force veteran serving as part of his crew. Still, Project Excelsior ended up being an important series of experiments. The tests not only helped bailout preparations for jet pilots, it also contributed to safety measures for the American space program. And it set a record that would last more than five decades. Swiss private bank Syz Bank has named Nicolas Syz as its next CEO, with effect from 1 February 2026. He will succeed Yvan Gaillard in the role. Nicolas, a member of the founding family, has spent the past nine years at the bank in a series of positions spanning business development and, most recently, the leadership of its wealth management operations. Outlining his leadership approach, Nicolas said: I believe in leading through proximity, staying close to our clients and to our teams. Private banking is built on trust, and trust cannot be established at a distance. I will continue to meet personally with our clients, entrepreneurs, families and independent asset managers. Our ambition is clear: to be the Swiss private bank of choice. We will achieve this by focusing on what matters most to our clients and providing solutions that support their long-term goals, in a bank where family ownership and client interests are fully aligned. Meanwhile, Philippe Turrian will take over as sole head of wealth management, having previously shared responsibility for the division. Eric Syz will remain CEO of the broader Syz Group. Commenting on the appointment, he said: As a member of the next generation, Nicolas is uniquely positioned to lead the Bank through the great intergenerational wealth transfer. The leadership change comes as the bank marks its 30th year in business. Reflecting on the milestone, Eric said: Entering our fourth decade, we remain committed to wealth management with human care, combining bold innovation with timeless family values and bringing the personal back to private banking. The CEO announcement follows a series of front-office hires made in September. James Morton joined the Zurich office as UK lead and senior banker, while Patrick Robadey was appointed to the external asset managers unit, also in Zurich. In Geneva, Alexander Metzger took on the role of digital assets lead. "Syz Bank appoints new CEO" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. Brandon Rowell, 46, has spent $11,000 trying to free his husband, Ronald, from immigrant detention since last month. On Dec. 5, the Gadsden couple reported to a check-in on Ronalds asylum case. Ronald went inside and Rowell watched from his car as six officers took a man and a baby out of the car next to him. Then he saw his husband, in handcuffs, being put into the back of a truck. Ronald, 32, is now in detention in Louisiana, awaiting a 2027 hearing on his asylum claim. He fled Guatemala in 2023, because he was targeted as a gay man and feared for his life, said Rowell, who is a U.S. citizen. Advertisement Advertisement It was so bad. He didnt even tell his family that he was leaving. It was just like, they chased him until he could finally hide, and then he just kept going, said Rowell. He walked. He told me about spending eight hours hanging to the top of a train. The couple met online in 2024. Rowell had been single for 16 years and was busy raising his nephew, but the two started chatting and got married in March of 2025. Rowell works remotely as a manager at a call center and cares for his mother. He has health issues and his mother falls often, so Ronald wasnt working and was taking care of Rowell, his mother, and their nephew. Ive had three spinal fusions and so I have trouble getting out of bed, said Rowell. Advertisement Advertisement Now Rowell is managing it all on his own. He has been researching what to do if his husband is not released. He is considering moving to Canada where his company has some business and where the couple can apply for refugee status for LGBT people facing threats. Guatemala would not be a safe place for either of them as gay men, so their attorney is requesting Ronald not be deported to Guatemala. Wherever his husband is sent, he will go, said Rowell. If they must leave the country together, Rowell does not know who will care for his mother. Im stuck (between) the love of my life, and my mom and my kid, he said. Advertisement Advertisement He said his nephew will soon turn 18 and will be on his own. After his husband was taken, Rowell cried often. He blamed himself for taking Ronald to his ICE appointment, even though they were doing everything as they had been told, he said. The couple speak about three times a day. Ronald calls Roland from the Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana after each meal. He says his life there is ok, but he is often woken up at night to the sounds of people screaming as officers pull them out of bed to be deported. Rowell talks to his husbands family in Guatemala daily, and Ronald also calls his family. Between commissary food and the phone calls, Roland is spending $1,000 a month on his husbands detention. Advertisement Advertisement He paid an attorney $10,000 to help them. Despite his pain from multiple back surgeries, he is working weekends delivering for Door Dash. Hes thought about using his house for funds. For me, he is my home, he said. The house is a building. So if, if I need to, you know, give up my house and stop paying a mortgage so I can pay attorney fees, then thats what Ill do. Immigration in Alabama Read the original article on al.com. Video above: News 5 Now Top Stories from Jan. 19, 2026 MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) The Alabama Womens Commission is set to hold a Regional Womens Connection event. Milton woman charged with animal cruelty According to a news release, the event will be held at the Michell Center at the University of South Alabama on Friday, Feb. 6, at 11:00 a.m. The event is organized by the Alabama Womens Commission and will feature keynote remarks by Dr. Agenia Walker Clark, who serves as President of Fisk University. Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Clark made history as the first African American young lady to attend St. Pauls Episcopal School. She will speak from personal experience about the perseverance of women and the enormous impact they have made all across the state. Hailing from Mobile, Dr. Clark previously served as a Girl Scouts CEO for nearly two decades. She was invited to speak by Dr. Barbara Drummond, a Commissioner with the Alabama Womens Commission. Drummond hopes that attendees will get connected to opportunities available to them in the region. Participants can find resources to tackle issues in their communities. Local leaders, nonprofit organizations, students, educators, health providers, and community members are all invited to attend. Elbertas Order of Raskalz promises bold floats and family fun during its 2026 Mardi Gras parade Advertisement Advertisement The event is free, but attendees must register by emailing alwomenscomm@gmail.com. For further information, please call 334-750-6193. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. The suspected gunman in a fatal New Rochelle shooting last year has been indicted on murder and weapon charges. Ali Muhammad, 22, of Mount Vernon, pleaded not guilty in Westchester County Court Tuesday, Jan. 20, to felony charges of second-degree murder and second-and-third-degree criminal possession of a weapon in the Jan. 6, 2025, killing of David Smith on Rhoda Quash Lane. Two others have been charged in Smith's killing. Marquise Williamson was indicted on murder, weapon and attempted robbery charges several weeks after the killing. Amiri O'Neal is charged with second-degree murder but has not been indicted. Ali Muhammad with his lawyer Renee Hill in Westchester County Court Jan. 20, 2026, at his arraignment on murder and weapon charges in the Jan. 6, 2025, fatal shooting of David Smith in New Rochelle. According to court documents, video shows Williamson and O'Neal holding Smith down before Muhammad fires six shots. Advertisement Advertisement At the time of Smith's killing a friend of his was robbed in the same vicinity. Three men, Anthony Webster, Tommy Guest and Donte Ramsey, were charged in that case. Smith was facing grand larceny and identity theft charges in Connecticut related to the theft of $950,000 from as many as 700 DoorDash drivers by gaining access to their delivery revenue through an elaborate phishing scheme and altering their bank information so he could transfer the money to payment cards. His killing in New Rochelle was not related to the Connecticut case, authorities have said. Defense lawyer Renee Hill did not request bail and Westchester Judge Robert Prisco returned Muhammad to the Westchester County jail until his next court appearance Feb. 10. Hill declined to comment afterwards. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Mount Vernon alleged gunman in New Rochelle fatal pleads not guilty The founders called it petitioning for redress. Martin Luther King Jr. referred to it as civil disobedience, and his protege, Rep. John Lewis, described it as good trouble. Whatever the term, historians largely agree: The United States was born out of protest 250 years ago and has been propelled forward by raucous social movements, from abolition to civil rights, ever since. Protests have been pivotal to the progress of this country, said Gloria Browne-Marshall, author of A Protest History of the United States." Protests across the nation Saturday decried a fatal shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent and Trump's military actions in Venezuela. See the nationwide protests, beginning here in New York City near the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in Manhattan during an Ice Out for Good protest in Manhattan Jan. 10, 2026. The Javits Federal Building is where ICE officers have arrested immigrants attending mandatory check-ins. Diane Pittman attends the protest dressed as The Statue of Liberty on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, during the No ICE No War protest at Unity Park in Greenville, South Carolina. A person dressed up as "king Trump" dances as demonstrators gather to protest the recent US operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the Venezuelan President and against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, on Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts on January 10, 2026. Protesters gather in steady rain outside the Henderson County Courthouse in Hendersonville, North Carolina on Jan. 10, 2026. A protester holds a sign during the Power to the People rally on Jan. 10, 2026, at Bandshell Park in Ames, Iowa. Dahlonega Peck joins demonstrators at an antiICE protest organized by the Party for Socialism & Liberation at 13th Street and University Avenue in Gainesville, FL, on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. Party members and local residents gathered to condemn ICEs violent actions in several cities and to protest the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota earlier this week. A man holds a sign stating that Silence is compliance. Dont let cruelty win during a rally against ICE at 14th and Erie, Saturday, January 10, 2026, in Sheboygan, Wis. Organizers hang up a photo of Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, during a protest against ICE activity at Evelyn K. Davis Park on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 in Des Moines, Iowa. Diane Pittman attends the protest dressed as The Statue of Liberty on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, during the No ICE No War protest at Unity Park in Greenville, South Carolina. Protester gather near the Federal Building in Eugene against ICE activities in the United States on Jan. 10, 2026. Phyllis Krueger, 79, of Salem writes a Defund ICE sign at the Oregon State Capitol on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Salem, Ore., in response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. A woman holds an umbrella as people protest against increased immigration enforcement, after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, outside the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 10, 2026. A anti-ICE protester shout at ICE agents as they exit the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building parking lot during demonstrations sparked by the fatal shooting of a Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 10, 2026. Ivan leads a chant during a protest against ICE and the Trump administration's actions in Venezuela on Saturday, January 10, 2026 at Savannah City Hall in Savannah, Ga.. A protester displays a sign during the Power to the People rally on Jan. 10, 2026, at Bandshell Park in Ames, Iowa. Protesters gather at the Federal Building in Eugene Jan. 10, 2026. Savannah Police officers wrestle a protestor to the ground as they arrest them in Bay Street during a protest against ICE and the Trump administration's actions in Venezuela on Saturday, January 10, 2026 at Savannah City Hall in Savannah, Ga.. Protesters organized outside the Harding Memorial Jan. 10 to protest the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and President Donald Trump. Demonstrators gather to protest the recent US operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the Venezuelan President and against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, on Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts on January 10, 2026. A woman attends to her dog during the ICE Out For Good protest Jan. 10, 2026, at the John F. Seiberling Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Akron, Ohio. Demonstrators gather to protest the recent US operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the Venezuelan President and against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, on Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts on January 10, 2026. Demonstrators gather to protest the recent US operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the Venezuelan President and against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, on Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts on January 10, 2026. Demonstrators gather to protest the recent US operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the Venezuelan President and against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, on Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts on January 10, 2026. Demonstrators gather to protest the recent US operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the Venezuelan President and against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, on Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts on January 10, 2026. A dozen people turned out on the pedestrian walkway over the Indiana 45/46 Bypass to protest the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good in Bloomington, Ind., Jan. 10, 2026. Several hundred protesters attended an Ice Out for Good protest in Manhattan Jan. 10, 2026. People gather in Petoskey during the ICE Out For Good protest on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. The nationwide demonstrations were coordinated in response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7 by an ICE agent. Jolie Schwab of Manhattan was among those attending an Ice Out for Good protest in Manhattan Jan. 10, 2026. Protestors hold signs during a protest against ICE and the Trump administration's actions in Venezuela on Saturday at Savannah City Hall in Savannah, Ga. Debra Hyman, left, and Marie Gianelli participate in the IEC Out For Good protest in front of Delta College at Pacific and Yokuts avenues in Stockton, Calif., Jan. 10, 2026. Protesters gather in Dover, New Hampshire, Jan. 10, 2026 for one of many protests held nationally after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minnesota. A person holds a sign at the Oregon State Capitol on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Salem, Ore., in response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. A sign reading No Kings in America rests on rain-soaked grass during a protest outside the Henderson County Courthouse in Hendersonville, North Carolina on Jan. 10, 2026. Protesters display signs during the Power to the People rally on Jan. 10, 2026, at Bandshell Park in Ames, Iowa. People march as they protest against increased immigration enforcement, after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 10, 2026. Demonstrators gather to protest the recent US operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the Venezuelan President and against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, on Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts on January 10, 2026. Demonstrators protest against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Lafayette Square in Washington, DC on January 10, 2026. Demonstrators protest against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Lafayette Square in Washington, DC on January 10, 2026. Demonstrators protest against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Lafayette Square in Washington, DC on January 10, 2026. Tessa Petit, executive director of the Florida Immigration Coalition, calls on protesters to continue to oppose immigration enforcement in the U.S. in suburban Boca Raton, Fla., Jan. 10,. 2026. A dozen people turned out on the pedestrian walkway over the Indiana 45/46 Bypass to protest the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good in Bloomington, Ind., Jan. 10, 2026. A man raises his first in solidarity during an ICE Out For Good protest Jan. 10, 2026, at the John F. Seiberling Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Akron, Ohio. See the scene: ICE shootings, Venezuela strike spark national protests 1 of 42 Protests across the nation Saturday decried a fatal shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent and Trump's military actions in Venezuela. See the nationwide protests, beginning here in New York City near the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in Manhattan during an Ice Out for Good protest in Manhattan Jan. 10, 2026. The Javits Federal Building is where ICE officers have arrested immigrants attending mandatory check-ins. Today, Americans continue the deep-rooted tradition of public dissent, most recently through a string of nationwide demonstrations over the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, on Jan. 7 by an immigration agent and broader Trump administration policies. Advertisement Advertisement Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in big cities and small towns across the nation carrying signs that read ICE out for good and chanting phrases like Hey, ho, I-C-E has got to go. At the Golden Globe Awards, some celebrities wore black and white pins that read Be Good and ICE Out on their tuxedos and designer dresses to raise awareness for the movement. Other Americans have begun to boycott companies like UPS and Comcast that contract with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota, accusing demonstrators of "attacking the Patriots of I.C.E." The move comes as some Republicans have blamed Goods killing on tactics they say she and other anti-ICE protesters have used in recent months, including honking and blowing whistles at ICE vehicles to warn others of enforcement actions. People march along Michigan Avenue after leaving the MotorCity Casino Hotel area in Detroit as they protest during a visit from President Donald Trump as he speaks with the Detroit Economic Club on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called Good a domestic terrorist." The morning Good was killed, she had driven her SUV to the scene of an ICE action and had stopped her vehicle in a manner that obstructed traffic. DHS and ICE officials said Good, after being ordered to get out of her vehicle, tried to run over an agent; video footage suggests she was trying to pull away when she was shot. Advertisement Advertisement Texas Republican Rep. Roger Williams argued clashes like that between ICE and Good occur because of protests. People, he said, need to quit demonstrating, quit yelling at law enforcement, challenging law enforcement. Similar sentiments have been expressed during periods of heightened tension and demonstration since the early days of the country, even as the Constitution protects Americans right to air their grievances against the government. Heres a short history of protests that have garnered the attention of the nation. 1773: The Boston Tea Party and roots of the American Revolution Protests throughout the 13 colonies paved the road to the American Revolution in the late 1700s. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson told the British monarch that colonists had petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms. Advertisement Advertisement Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, Jefferson wrote 250 years ago. Most protests back then were peaceful, just as they are now, said Stephen Solomon, author of Revolutionary Dissent: How the Founding Generation Created the Freedom of Speech. But, Solomon said, as occurs in most movements, there was a fringe element that took to violence and lawlessness. A demonstrator protesting against recent ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activities dumps ice cubes into Boston Harbor on the 252nd anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., December 16, 2025. The Boston Tea Party is among the most memorable protests leading up to the Revolutionary War, and today is often heralded as a moment of heroism. Dressed as Native Americans, the Sons of Liberty boarded British ships in Boston Harbor in the dead of night and dropped hundreds of chests of imported tea into the water to protest a tax policy they considered unfair. Advertisement Advertisement Their actions werent legal under British law, and not all of the founding fathers supported the protest. Though George Washington supported the cause, he opposed the destruction of tea. In a 1774 letter, he wrote that the actions in Boston will be considerd as the cause of America but noted that he did not approve their conduct in destroyg the Tea. A decade later, as the founding fathers drafted the countrys new government, they enshrined the right of citizens to protest in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, giving people the right to peaceably assemble and petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Browne-Marshall, who is also a professor of constitutional law at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, argues the two clauses were an intentional way to ensure protest would continue to be a force of change in the country. It's set up from the very beginning so that the people would be able to push back against their own government, she said. 1794: The Whiskey Rebellion Six years after the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, a group of farmers and distillers in Western Pennsylvania staged a protest against a whiskey tax enacted by the federal government, arguing that it was unfair to small producers. Advertisement Advertisement First, they tarred and feathered tax collectors and refused to pay. Then, in July 1794 as tensions rose, the farmers gathered in what historians describe as an "angry mob" with pitchforks and muskets and pushed for rebellion. Washington sent troops to Pennsylvania to quell the protest under the Militia Act of 1792, which allowed the president to organize state militias in times of crisis. The law is considered the predecessor to the Insurrection Act. Today, Washington's response to the Whiskey Rebellion is viewed as the first test of federal authority in the then-burgeoning nation. Presidents since then have invoked the Insurrection Act which allows them to deploy federal troops to suppress civil unrest 30 times, most recently during the Los Angeles riots in 1992. 1913: The National Woman Suffrage Parade After decades of fighting for the right to vote, the Women's Suffrage Movement led a march down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington on March 3, 1913, a day before Woodrow Wilson's first presidential inauguration. It was the first march on Washington by a civil rights group. Advertisement Advertisement The 5,000 women in the march came from all around the country and wore elaborate costumes and banners. They organized 20 parade floats, nine bands and four mounted brigades among the marchers. Women's suffrage activists dressed as pilgrims, two of the women wear satchels on which is written 'Votes for Women, ' as they march from New York to Washington, DC to demonstrate at the inauguration of US President Woodrow Wilson, February 1913. Some of the marchers were violently attacked and jeered at by onlookers, and more than 100 women were hospitalized for injuries, according to the National Archives. Though it would take another seven years before the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, codifying women's right to vote, historians credit the march with creating momentum for the suffragist movement. 1963: Birmingham campaign and the Civil Rights Movement Two centuries and countless protest movements later, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and dozens of others were arrested and jailed for organizing protests against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. Advertisement Advertisement They were arrested April 12, 1963, after a court injunction obtained by the commissioner of public safety found King and his allies had not obtained the appropriate permit for protesting. They had applied for the permit but were denied by city officials in the southern town that viewed their plans as a threat to public safety. Protesters described the injunction as raw tyranny under the guise of maintaining law and order. While imprisoned, Kingwrote a letter to fellow clergymen who said they supported his cause but called the protests unwise and untimely. You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations, King wrote in his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail. Advertisement Advertisement One day the South will know that when these disinherited children of God sat down at lunch counters, they were in reality standing up for what is best in the American dream, King wrote. Bringing our nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers. A year later, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Kings nonviolent protests were credited with ramping up public pressure that led to the legislation. 2017: Unite the Right Rally On Aug. 11, 2017, hundreds of White nationalists and supremacists, accompanied by armed men, marched through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Virginia, to protest the removal of Confederate monuments. They carried torches and chanted You will not replace us and Jews will not replace us. Advertisement Advertisement The protesters, including neo-Nazis and Klu Klux Klan members, continued the rally a day later in the city's downtown, where they met counterprotesters and rioting soon broke out. Several people were injured, and one woman, Heather Heyer, 32, died when she was struck by a car driven into the crowd. Several people were later prosecuted and imprisoned for crimes and violence committed during the protest, including the man who killed Heyer with his car. President Donald Trump at the time said the protesters included some very bad people, but there "were very fine people, on both sides. Joe Biden, then retired from politics, said in 2019 that the rally and Trump's response drove him to run for president. White nationalists participate in a torch-lit march on the grounds of the University of Virginia ahead of the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 11, 2017. Picture taken August 11, 2017. The rally was widely viewed as a turning point that brought the White nationalist movement into public focus in a way it hadnt in decades. It was the largest public gathering of White supremacists in the United States in generations, according to the Anti-Defamation League. 2020: George Floyd Protests The murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020, rocked a nation already in turmoil over the COVID-19 pandemic. Videos of Chauvin kneeling on Floyds neck for more than nine minutes was replayed on phone screens across the country. Tens of thousands of people gathered to express their outrage, holding signs splayed with Floyds last words, I can't breathe. Some of the demonstrations descended into shootings, looting and vandalism. Dozens of states called in the National Guard to help quell the unrest. In a statement at the time, Trump said he would ensure Floyd did not die in vain, but he called some of the protests acts of domestic terror." In the months and years after Floyds death and the tumultuous protests that followed, states passed more than 140 law enforcement oversight bills to limit police use of force and increase accountability, according to the Vera Institute of Justice. Karissa Waddick, who covers America's semiquincentennial for USA TODAY, can be reached at kwaddick@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What would America's founders think of the Minneapolis protests? If the past few years taught us anything, its that national security no longer stops at the waters edge or the factory gate. It runs through the mines, mills, refineries, and logistics networks that supply the metals inside our jets, ships, satellites, power grid, and the next generation of energy technologies. Copper, nickel, cobalt, and other critical minerals arent just components of consumer gadgets; they are the sinews of American strength. And yet, for far too long, we have treated domestic mineral production like an afterthought, outsourcing supply to geopolitical rivals and fragile supply chains while hoping global markets will behave. That is a strategic gamble we cannot afford. Consider copper and nickel. Copper is the metal of electrification, essential to everything from radar systems to transformers to the wiring that hardens our bases and powers missile-defense sites. Nickel strengthens steel and is vital for advanced batteries and armor. Demand is climbing as our military modernizes and our economy electrifies. Meanwhile, a handful of countries dominate key stages of mining and processing, creating single points of failure that adversaries can exploit and crises can choke. We wouldnt outsource fighter jet production to a rival power; why would we outsource the metals that make those jets possible? Advertisement Advertisement A national strategy to close that vulnerability must include responsible American mining. Fortunately, this administration understands the importance of a reliable supply chain and domestic mineral production. In just a few days, Congress is expected to consider legislation to reverse a ban on exploration and mining in an area of northeastern Minnesota rich in natural resources, including copper and nickel. This region contains 95% of our nations nickel resources, nearly 90% of our cobalt, and about a third of our copper. Bottom line: This bill is key to unlocking the power of American domestic production to secure our national security. To be clear, this bill doesnt greenlight any mine. It simply lifts an unnecessary and harmful ban and allows projects in the area to pursue federal and state permitting once they have the proper permissions to even pursue that path. Due to the many safeguards in place to ensure that mining is done safely and securely, the process is appropriately complicated. Minnesotas Iron Range has helped arm and build America for more than 140 years. The region sits atop the worlds largest known undeveloped deposits of copper-nickel resources, which are fundamental to bolstering our nations security into the future. If we dont develop them responsibly here, we will end up buying the same metals from places with weaker protections for workers, communities, and the environment - and with far less regard for U.S. security. From a security standpoint, domestic mining does three critical things at once. It reduces exposure to geopolitical blackmail. When access to a critical input can be throttled by one chokepoint abroad, you dont have a market, you have a vulnerability. Bringing supply home or to trusted allies closes those gaps. It also shortens and hardens supply chains. Fewer ocean crossings and fewer handoffs mean fewer opportunities for disruption, whether from war, piracy, sanctions, or natural disasters. And lastly, it improves traceability. Our military and manufacturers need to know where materials come from and under what conditions. U.S. standards deliver that confidence. Domestic production lets us audit, certify, and, if necessary, intervene. Advertisement Advertisement None of this dismisses local concerns from some. Residents in northern Minnesota cherish clean water and public lands, and so do miners and manufacturers who live there. The answer is not to walk away; it is to show, with data and enforcement, that projects will protect watersheds, honor community input, and deliver transparent, measurable results. At stake is more than the price of copper or nickel. Its whether the United States can control the foundations of its own power in an era when control matters again. We can either keep betting that global supply chains will always bend to our needs, or we can do the work of securing them here at home. Projects in northeastern Minnesota are not just economic opportunities; they are strategic assets. Lets treat them that way by permitting responsibility, producing cleanly, and building an American metals base worthy of the nation it defends. Congressman Jack Bergman represents the First District of Michigan and is a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant general. A new update to American Airlines' app aims to make things more streamlined for passengers when flight disruptions occur. Our focus, when things dont go as planned, is making things as smooth and seamless for customers as possible through our digital tools, Heather Garboden, AA's chief customer officer, told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview. Its maybe not as sexy as a new lounge or champagne or offering free Wi-Fi, but its just as important. The new update will put rebooking options, bag tracking and eligible hotel, meal and ground transportation vouchers all in one easy-to-access place in the app and on the website. Preview of American Airlines' new app layout for flight disruptions "The benefit of the whole thing is everything in a simple hub. One centralized location so our customers dont have to go all over the app to figure out: my flights delayed, now whats happening to my bag? Where can I get my food voucher while Im waiting for my flight? Garboden said. For those customers that dont fly all the time, they dont know what they should even be looking at, so it puts front and center what they should be looking at and need to be aware of when things dont go as planned. Advertisement Advertisement American's previous app version and many other airlines keep this information separated, with flight and rebooking info in one place, bag tracking info somewhere else, and vouchers that might not even be available virtually at all. AA will still automatically rebook customers when their flight is canceled, but the update also makes it easy for those passengers to select a different itinerary if they're not satisfied with the option provided by the airline. American Airlines' new Airbus A321XLR marks a new chapter in the airline's premium transcontinental and narrowbody flights. The Flagship Business Suites all feature aisle access and (eventually) closeable doors, and it's the airline's first single-aisle plane with a true premium economy seat. The airline will roll them out on many routes in the coming years. A new Flagship Business suite in bed mode on American Airlines' Airbus A321XLR. Premium economy seats and amenities on American Airlines' new Airbus A321XLR. Premium economy seats on American's new A321XLR. Economy seats on American Airlines' new Airbus A321XLR. Economy seats on American's new A321XLR. The seatback screens feature both USB-A and -C ports and Bluetooth connectivity. Overhead bins on the new Airbus A321XLR. An Airbus executive said they're the largest single-aisle airplane bins in the sky currently. Look inside American Airlines' newest plane, the Airbus A321XLR 1 of 7 American Airlines' new Airbus A321XLR marks a new chapter in the airline's premium transcontinental and narrowbody flights. The Flagship Business Suites all feature aisle access and (eventually) closeable doors, and it's the airline's first single-aisle plane with a true premium economy seat. The airline will roll them out on many routes in the coming years. Garboden added that the app update is meant to make travelers feel less stuck when their trip gets disrupted. One of our big priorities for us at American is when things dont go as planned we make it as smooth as possible, she said. "All of us know when we travel, the transparency, the communication, even if its not the news you want to hear, its helpful. Advertisement Advertisement To that end, the new versions of the app and website will also provide more detailed information about what's causing the disruption. The changes will roll out to most users in the coming days. Garboden said traditional customer service channels like phone lines and airport agents will still be available, but she encouraged customers to use digital tools as much as possible, because those non-digital options tend to get backed up during major disruptions. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: American Airlines updates app to simplify rebooking after delays By Saad Sayeed and Ariba Shahid ISLAMABAD, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Pakistan's defence manufacturing industry is running red hot since its jets, drones and missiles earned the coveted 'combat tested' tag in a conflict with India last year, attracting a slew of interested buyers. Islamabad has held talks with 13 countries, six to eight of which are in an advanced stage, for deals involving JF-17 jets made jointly with China as well as training aircraft, drones, and weapons systems, said three Pakistani sources who have knowledge of defence sales. Advertisement Advertisement Pakistan's military and defence ministry did not provide details on any deals but the country's defence production minister confirmed that several countries were interested in jets and other military equipment. China's defence ministry did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. Analysts believe countries are searching for new supply chains following disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East. Pakistan's weapons have become a viable alternative after they were tested in a massive air battle with India in May, in which Pakistan's air force squadrons flew JF-17s alongside the advanced Chinese-made J-10s. Reuters spoke to six sources privy to defence deals, three retired air force officials, and a dozen analysts who provided insight into Pakistan's rising weapons industry, including unreported details of negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement While some expressed scepticism about whether Pakistan could navigate geopolitical pressures and increase production capacity, there was consensus that interest in Pakistani military hardware had surged. However, most analysts cautioned talks would not necessarily lead to signed deals. "These talks are taking place (but) they can fall through due to international pressures," Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj told Reuters, terming any negotiations "guarded secrets". "There are a lot of queries but we are negotiating," he said, adding interest had been expressed in air force equipment, ammunition and training. Harraj also stressed the price difference between Pakistani jets and weapons and alternatives made in the U.S. and Europe. While some Western options may be more technologically advanced, they cost more than three times as much as an approximately $30 million to $40 million JF-17. Advertisement Advertisement GROWING LIST OF BUYERS The sources said countries engaged in talks include Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Morocco, Ethiopia, and Nigeria as well as the government in eastern Libya led by Khalifa Haftar. Discussions on JF-17s and other weapons with Bangladesh and Iraq have been publicly acknowledged by Pakistan's military, although more details have not been made public. Almost all the potential buyers are Muslim-majority nations, like Pakistan. Many are from the predominantly Muslim Middle East, where Pakistan has historically been a security provider. Asim Suleiman, a retired Air Marshal who remains briefed on defence sales, said "there are also three African countries lined up" as buyers, which do not include deals with the Libyan National Army and Sudan previously reported by Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Three defence sources said among the most advanced talks is a wide-ranging arms, defence cooperation and intelligence-sharing deal with Bangladesh, which gained independence from Pakistan after the 1971 civil war. The talks include JF-17 Block III multi-role fighter jets, MFI-17 Mushshak aircraft, Pakistani-made drones including the Shahpar reconnaissance and attack UAVs, air defence systems, and Mohafiz mine-resistant armoured vehicles, two of the sources said. GROWING SUPPLY CHAIN A key hurdle will be whether Pakistan can scale production of the JF-17, which has become the cornerstone of its weapons production programme, with training aircraft and drones also in demand. Advertisement Advertisement Suleiman said that by the end of 2027 Pakistan's jet production rate will increase significantly, even possibly double from the current 20 or so aircraft manufactured annually, due to upgrades and expansions at the main factory. Analysts said there were few visible constraints on increasing defence manufacturing and with backing from Beijing, Pakistan should be able to overcome most hurdles. Pakistan "is becoming more relevant as a flexible, mid-tier provider of defence capacity," said Andreas Krieg, a lecturer at King's College London's security studies department. "It can train forces, provide advisers, run joint exercises, support maritime operations, and offer a menu of cost-effective platforms. For fragile African partners, that combination can be attractive: it is faster than Western capacity-building, less politically encumbered, and often cheaper." Advertisement Advertisement Partnerships with a rising private sector specialising in defence, particularly drones, will also speed up growth. At Sysverve Aerospace in the city of Rawalpindi, where Pakistan's army also has its headquarters, workers build hundreds of kamikaze and reconnaissance drones a year that are primarily supplied to the military. "The trend in the army is naturally moving toward engaging the private sector," company director Saad Mir told Reuters. THE CHINA QUESTION Siemon Wezeman, a senior arms transfer researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said it was unclear how many reported talks over JF-17 sales would firm into hard deals, adding that Beijing could object to sales to certain clients. Advertisement Advertisement While Pakistan was a natural partner for China to market the aircraft across the Middle East and Africa, "it's the ones to Sudan and Libya that are really problematic". Both Libya and Sudan's Darfur region are subject to U.N. arms embargoes. Alongside juggling ties with China, Pakistan is navigating Middle East tensions between allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Islamabad has signed a mutual defence pact with Riyadh and is discussing another defence agreement involving Saudi Arabia and Turkey, although details have not been made public. "On the ideological side, Islamabad is more aligned with Saudis on overall narrative," said Emadeddin Badi from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. Advertisement Advertisement "But where things get murkier is on the business, ports, mineral sides, all those supply chains are very much dominated by UAE, that's where the battle is playing out and Saudis have to play catch-up." (Reporting by Saad Sayeed and Ariba Shahid; Additional reporting by Asif Shahzad in Islamabad, Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore, Greg Torode in Hong Kong and Laurie Chen in Beijing; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) An animal control officer rescued a bearded dragon from an abandoned home in Richmond, Virginia. As WJAR reported, the officer thought the iguana had frozen or starved to death. In a Facebook post, Richmond Animal Control reported that when the bearded dragon was found, it was "ice cold, curled up, flattened to the floor like a pancake and lifeless." However, despite the dire circumstances, the bearded dragon showed signs of life. Advertisement Advertisement "I swear I saw the tiniest movement in his chest, and even though I was convinced that my eyes were playing tricks on me, I held out hope," wrote the officer. The officer acted fast and immediately transferred the reptile to Boulderwood Animal Sanctuary & Wildlife Rehab. There, the dragon "puffed up" and opened its eyes, per WJAR. "This guy didn't deserve a death sentence because owners didn't want him anymore," read the Richmond Animal Control post. "If you find yourself needing help, reach out to us and we will do everything humanly possible to avoid situations like this!" Advertisement Advertisement Animal control officers help to protect local wildlife and ensure safe human-animal interactions. They serve as a key bridge between law enforcement and community members when a wild animal or lost pet is in danger. Their work not only supports the well-being of the whole community, but it also preserves local biodiversity. Whether it's abandoned pets or stricken wildlife, animal control can ensure animals are protected. For example, one officer in Virginia helped rescue an owl stuck in a truck's grill. After rehabilitation, the bird was expected to return to the wild, where it would continue to control pest populations, disperse seeds, and balance the ecosystem. Thanks to the work of Richmond Animal Control, this bearded dragon was given a second chance and is now happy and warm living at the rehab sanctuary. Commenters on the post were grateful to see the lizard pulled through and were appreciative of the officer's hard work. Advertisement Advertisement "Thank you for all that you do, and for caring so much!" responded one Facebook user. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. The Millwood High School marching band powered through the 35-degree Monday afternoon, playing a rendition of Tears for Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade. Millwood High School, located at North Martin Luther King Avenue, has a 99% minority enrollment, with 85% of the student body identifying as Black, according to U.S. News. The school has made headlines for openly discussing racial issues in a state where the Republican-controlled legislature has passed a law severely restricting discussions about racial issues. That law is facing legal challenges. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt walks during the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. OKC Mayor David Holt was featured in the parade as the 2026 Grand Marshal, while Dr. Norma L Noble served as the Parade Marshal. Holt even braved the chilly weather and stepped out of his car to greet bystanders early in the parade. Noble, now in her 80s, was a winner of the Freedom Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NCAA). She served as Oklahoma's Deputy Secretary of Commerce for workforce development. Advertisement Advertisement Several hundred people marched in the parade, representing several organizations, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, which featured the team's mascot, Rumble, waving to spectators on top of a blue van. The Thunder Entertainers led a first truck with the Thunder Drummers, followed by the mascot. The Entertainers and multiple others were very popular with the children in attendance, giving away assorted candies down Walker Avenue. Oklahoma City is home to the third-largest Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in the United States, according to the OKC MLK Alliance, which says it prides itself on building one of the most diverse events in the nation. The first state to recognize King's birthday as a holiday was Arizona in 1987, nearly two decades after his assassination. At the time, Governor Bruce Babbitt proclaimed it as "Martin Luther King Jr./Civil Rights Day." Martin Luther King Jr. Day wasn't designated as a federal holiday until 1983, with the first nationwide observance not taking place until 1986. Since then, it's celebrated every year on the third Monday of January. Garland Pruitt, who has walked with the Oklahoma City NAACP branch, has attended the parade for the past 40 years, since the Oklahoma City parades began. Because of the weather, Pruitt said not as many people showed up to this year's parade, though the numbers were still high. Advertisement Advertisement Pruitt said that King's non-violent motto is more important than ever in the current political scene. "When we see what we see today, turn the TV on and see somebody wrestling the folks down, snatching people out of cars, beating them, kicking them, even killing them, does that sound like something Martin Luther King (would want)?" Pruitt said. "Non-violence, non-violence. (Let's have) a debate, a discussion, let's talk about it. Let's work it out. Ain't nothing we can't work out if we try to." Another bystander, Ayesha Griffith, held a sign that said "Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people." Ayesha Griffith holds a sign during the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade in Oklahoma City, on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. Griffith said she generally doesn't get out of her house in January, avoiding the cold, but felt a need to show her support to marginalized communities on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement "We cannot allow injustice to be our lives anymore," Griffith said. "We have a lot of work to do to get this country back to a place where it actually is equal for all people." The OKC MLK Alliance hopes to keep King's dream alive in Oklahoma City, and for the 2026 parade theme, the organization chose "We are better together." "Recognizing the enormity of the challenges our society faces, OKC MLK Alliance is dedicated to making a lasting impact through our campaigns and programs," the organization wrote on its website. "While our efforts are driven by our organizations singular focus, we spread a wide net by investing in a variety of progressive strategies. Learn more about our initiatives and get involved yourself." On MLK Day alone, the Alliance hosted several events, starting with a prayer breakfast at 7 a.m., a job fair later in the morning, a Silent March leaving from the freedom center, and the parade, closing the day. The parade started at NW 5th Street and Walker and finished near California and Walker. Advertisement Advertisement From elementary school cheerleaders to professional organizations walking down the roads, with onlookers of all ages and races, the shared ideas of equality, fairness and respect were present across the celebration of the civil rights activist's life and influence. "It ain't about the weather, it's all about the cause," Pruitt said. "Bringing people together on one cause, to promote something and support independence, freedom, justice, equality, and what's right, what's fair and what's just...Those (who) are committed, those (who) are dedicated, they show up, participate and they support the cause." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC MLK Alliance holds annual MLK Day Parade in near freezing weather Confidence is increasing that an arctic cold front could move into Texas by the end of the week, potentially delivering the coldest air of the entire winter. The bitter cold is expected to arrive courtesy of a strong arctic high pressure system that will begin dipping into the northern United States by Thursday. That system is forecast to push an arctic cold front south into Texas by late Friday into Saturday morning. Advertisement Advertisement So far this winter, most cold fronts have swept through Texas dry, offering little to no precipitation. This one may be different. A stalled low pressure system in the eastern Pacific is expected to funnel ample moisture into the state. As that moisture interacts with the incoming arctic air, snow and ice could develop across parts of Texas. Shown is the potential future radar across Texas at 10 a.m. Saturday, as a mixture of rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow move across the state. (Pivotal Weather) It's important to note that this potential winter storm is still four to five days away, meaning the forecast can still change significantly between now and then. However, here's what we know so far about timing, temperatures, and types of winter precipitation that are possible. Cold front timing The arctic cold front is expected to start pushing through North Texas by Friday morning, likely reaching Central and West Texas by midday. It will continue south, bringing cold air toward Austin, San Antonio and Houston by Friday evening and into the overnight hours. Advertisement Advertisement Models indicate a bitter cold day Saturday for much of the state. Many across the northern half of the state could stay below freezing throughout the afternoon. For those in South Texas, subfreezing daytime high temps are less likely, but the afternoon will still struggle to reach only the 30s to low 40s. An arctic front is expected to surge across Texas on Friday. Here's a look at its potential location at 5 p.m. Friday, according to the GFS weather model. (WeatherBell) By Saturday night and into Sunday morning, a widespread freeze is likely for much of the state, including San Antonio. However, plenty of uncertainty remains about exactly how cold temperatures could ultimately fall. Will there be ice and snow? With the amount of cold air indicated by weather models, as well as a steady stream of Pacific moisture from the west, confidence is increasing that at least parts of the state will see wintry precipitation, some of which could be heavy. Precipitation is likely to begin in North Texas Friday night, then spread south across the state into Saturday. An arctic cold front could bring a widespread freeze and wintry precipitation to many across Texas this weekend. (NWS Fort Worth/Dallas) Snowfall is most likely across parts of North and West Texas, where the cold air is expected to be deepest. Still, significant freezing rain and sleet is also possible in this area. As you move south across the state, freezing temps will be more shallow near the ground, meaning that rain, freezing rain, and sleet could be the predominant types of precipitation. Advertisement Advertisement In San Antonio, as well as along the Interstate 35 corridor and into the Hill Country, there is a chance of a wintry mix that could include rain, sleet, and freezing rain. The highest chance will occur from Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning. Many questions still remain, though. At this time, it's still too early to forecast exactly where the heaviest snow or ice could fall, as well as how much we can expect to see across the state. These questions will be answered in the coming days, as forecast data becomes clearer. Be sure to stay tuned for updates at expressnews.com/weather. This article originally published at Arctic cold front could bring ice and snow to Texas. Here's what we know so far.. TAIPEI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Taiwan aims to build a "democratic" high-tech supply chain with the United States and form a strategic AI partnership under the new tariffs deal it sealed with Washington last week, Taipei's top negotiator in the talks said on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed the major producer of semiconductors, which runs a large trade surplus with the United States, to invest more in the U.S., specifically in chips that power AI. Under the terms of the long-negotiated deal, chipmakers like TSMC that expand U.S. production will incur a lower tariff on semiconductors or related manufacturing equipment and products they import into the U.S. and will be able to import some items duty-free. Broad tariffs that apply to most other Taiwanese exports to the U.S. will fall from 20% to 15%. Taiwan companies will also invest $250 billion to boost production of semiconductors, energy and artificial intelligence in the U.S., while Taiwan will also guarantee an additional $250 billion in credit to facilitate further investment. Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun said the deal was not about hollowing out Taiwan's chip industry, which is so important for the economy it is widely referred to as the "sacred mountain protecting the country". "This is not supply-chain relocation; rather, it is support for Taiwan's high-tech industries to extend their strength abroad - through addition, and even multiplication - to expand a strong international footprint in the United States," she said. "In the past we said, 'Taiwan can help'," Cheng added, referring to Taiwan's past efforts to help the international community during the COVID pandemic and other crises. "We hope in the future it will be "Taiwan-U.S. can lead,' with the two sides joining forces and, under the wave of AI, working together to build a high-tech supply chain for the democratic camp. This is our strategic objective." The U.S. is Taiwan's most important backer and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties. Beijing claims the democratically governed island as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its goals. (Reporting by Wen-Yee Lee and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Kate Mayberry) An area school district is mourning the loss of one of its elementary school teachers, who died in a crash on Monday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Micaela Pedicone, who died in a crash on Interstate 71 in Warren County, has been identified as a teacher at South Lebanon Elementary School, Kings Local School District confirmed. Micaela was a valued member of our school community who cared deeply for her students and colleagues. Her loss is felt profoundly across our district, the district wrote in a statement obtained by News Center 7. Advertisement Advertisement The school was closed on Tuesday to provide care for students and staff, and grief counselors were available on-site. TRENDING STORIES: As News Center 7 previously reported, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the 29-year-old was driving a Chevrolet Malibu south on I-71 when she crossed the median and entered the northbound lanes. She then crashed head-on into an oncoming Honda Odyssey. The driver of the Honda, 49-year-old Darnell McKinney Jr., 49, of Cincinnati, also died in the crash. No other injuries were reported. The crash remains under investigation. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A man wanted out of Atlanta on serious charges has been arrested nearly 700 miles away in northern Indiana. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to the St. Joseph County Police Department, Alfonso Jackson, 42, was arrested Friday morning at a home in the 800 block of Bryan Street in South Bend. Investigators say Jackson was wanted in connection with charges of murder and child molestation stemming from a case in Atlanta. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Members of the departments Warrants Division found Jackson with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Jackson was taken to the St. Joseph County Jail, where he was booked. South Bend, Indiana, is around 675 miles from Atlanta. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Australia's parliament has voted for sweeping gun law reforms and a crackdown on hate speech, a month after two attackers shot 15 people dead at a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach. Both bills passed the House of Representatives and Senate at a special sitting late on Tuesday. The gun reform measures include a national gun buyback scheme and new checks on firearm licence applications. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the Bondi gunmen would not legally have had access to firearms if such a law had been in place prior to the attack, the country's worst mass shooting in decades. Advertisement Advertisement Governing Labor senators were backed on the anti-hate bill by Liberal lawmakers, whose coalition partners abstained. After last month's mass shooting, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese came under huge pressure for not having done enough to prevent the attack in the first place, amid growing fears of antisemitism in the Jewish community. Politicians were recalled two weeks early to debate the legislation. Introducing the reforms, Burke said individuals with "hate in their hearts and guns in their hands" had carried out the 14 December attack. The father in the father-son duo allegedly behind the attack legally owned six firearms, while his son had been on the radar of intelligence agencies. Advertisement Advertisement The gun reform bill, which cleared the House of Representatives by 96 votes to 45, includes stricter firearm import controls and provisions to improve information sharing between intelligence agencies on people trying to obtain gun licences. The buyback scheme will target "surplus and newly restricted firearms", Burke said, reducing the country's four million registered guns. Burke added that it "comes as a shock to most Australians" to know that the country has more firearms that it did before the 1996 Port Arthur attack, in which a gunman killed 35 people in Tasmania. That attack, the country's worst mass shooting, had prompted the then government to introduce some of the world's strictest gun controls. The new law will bring in some of the most significant changes to Australia's guns laws since then. Advertisement Advertisement The hate speech reforms had originally been included in an omnibus bill with the gun reforms but the government split the legislation last week after both the Liberal-National opposition coalition and the Greens said they would vote against. While the Labor government has a comfortable majority in the lower house, it needs the support of other parties in the Senate. Coalition MPs cited concerns about free speech and said the legislation was not clearly defined, among other things, while the Greens said they could not support it unless changes were made to protect all minorities and legitimate protest. But on Tuesday, Liberals leader Sussan Ley, who last week said the bill was "unsalvageable", said her party had reached agreement with the government on a watered-down version. Advertisement Advertisement The Liberals had "stepped up to fix legislation" that the government had "mishandled", she said in a statement, adding that the bill had been "narrowed, strengthened and properly focused on keeping Australians safe". The bill includes provisions that will ban groups deemed to spread hate and introduce tougher penalties for preachers who advocate violence. It will be subject to a review every two years by a parliamentary joint committee. The opposition will also be consulted on the listing and delisting of extremist organisations. The bill was passed by the lower house and late in the evening it cleared the Senate - by 38 votes to 22 - after the National Party abstained while their Liberal coalition partners voted in favour. The Greens voted against, saying it would have a "chilling effect" on political debate and protest. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called out the United States in a World Economic Forum speech Tuesday, saying that economic rules are enforced asymmetrically and the strongest will exempt themselves when convenient. Though the prime minister did not name President Donald Trump directly, he did call out American hegemony in particular. Carney said in the speech that for a time it was useful, allowing for a variety of mutually beneficial economic and security policies, but now the bargain no longer works. Carneys speech referenced a landmark 1978 essay by Czech dissident and later president, Vaclav Havel, called The Power of the Powerless. The essay uses the example of a grocer keeping a Workers of the World Unite poster in his window, not because he stood with the idea but because he feared retaliation for not displaying the sign. Havel calls for people to remove the signs and endorse a different world order than the one imposed upon them. Advertisement Advertisement Carney said that Canada once proudly placed a sign in the window endorsing the economic world order led by the U.S. and other major powers, but now great powers have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. Friends, it is time for companies and countries to take their signs down, he said, urging middle powers of the world to adapt to the new reality. This speech comes less than a year after Carneys March 2025 declaration that Canada would end the old relationship we had with the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Prior to Carneys Tuesday speech, Trump posted a fake photograph meeting including a map showing a U.S. flag over Canada, Greenland and Venezuela. Canadas geopolitical decisions are not the hinge on which history swings, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, said Tuesday in Davos, adding that the reality is, Canadas GDP is 75 percent dependent on the United States. The post The bargain no longer works: Canadas Prime Minister calls out Americas economic hegemony appeared first on Salon.com. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Analilia Mejia, a Democrat running to replace Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill in the House of Representatives, attend a rally with at William Paterson University in Wayne on Jan. 19, 2026. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor) WAYNE Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders slammed Donald Trump as a narcissistic, mentally unstable president to a crowd of about 1,200 on the William Paterson University campus on Monday at a campaign event boosting congressional candidate Analilia Mejia. During a 40-minute speech, Sanders said wealth inequality is plaguing the United States, criticized the role money plays in politics, and advocated for electing more progressives to positions of power. Advertisement Advertisement When we stand together, not only will we defeat Trumpism, but we will create the type of nation and government the American people deserve, said Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats. Mejia is one of 11 Democrats vying in a Feb. 5 special primary to win their partys nomination in the race to fill the House vacancy left when Mikie Sherrill resigned to become governor (Sherrill will be sworn in Tuesday at noon). A Glen Ridge activist and former Sanders staffer, Mejia took the stage to the strains of Jay-Zs Public Service Announcement and then took aim at corporate greed and authoritarianism. Growing up as the daughter of immigrants who fled political and economic violence, Mejia relied on free health clinics and food pantries, and sometimes went without meals, she said. She hears similar stories of economic struggle from her neighbors now, she added. Advertisement Advertisement This world doesnt feel built to represent, to allow us all to thrive. This world, our economy, our democracy, seems captured by big money, by oligarchs, by people who care more about adding another zero to their offshore bank account or trading in stocks when they shouldnt be, she said. The line about trading stock is an apparent shot at former Rep. Tom Malinowski, another candidate in the race to succeed Sherrill. The Office of Congressional Ethics in 2021 alleged Malinowski, who served two terms in the House starting in 2019, violated federal laws by not timely disclosing stock sales made by his broker, an error Malinowski has said was a careless mistake. Asked to respond, Malinowski in a statement from his campaign accused Mejia of not submitting a financial disclosure form required of House candidates, and said she should submit one before criticizing any other candidate. I was one of the only members of Congress to establish a blind trust so I would have no knowledge of where my money was being invested, and I strongly support banning stock trading by members of Congress and executive branch officials, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Sanders stop at William Paterson University was part of his Fighting Oligarchy tour. The former presidential candidate who often co-headlines with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D), another Mejia backer has drawn thousands of people at his rallies nationwide. On Monday, more than 500 people listened to the speakers from a separate room, where Sanders and Mejia delivered hot chocolate before addressing the raucous crowd. Sanders appearance in Wayne underscores the national attention on the race to succeed Sherrill in the 11th Congressional District, which includes towns in Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties. The district was a Republican stronghold until Sherrill flipped it to the Democratic column in 2018, and its boundaries have since changed to make it a safer seat for Democrats to win. In addition to Malinowski and Mejia, the Democrats competing in the Feb. 5 primary are: Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett; Army veteran and businessman Zachary Beecher; attorney and comedian J-L Cauvin; former Obama staffer Cammie Croft; Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill; Morris Township Committeeman Jeff Grayzel; Chatham Councilman Justin Strickland, a U.S. Army veteran; Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way; and community activist Anna Lee Williams. Advertisement Advertisement The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, who is running unopposed in the GOP primary, on April 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Mondays rally, hundreds of audience members chanted Sign the bill! to urge Gov. Phil Murphy to sign legislation on his desk that would codify and expand protections for undocumented immigrants and limit local cooperation with federal immigration agents. Murphy leaves office Tuesday at noon, and any legislation he doesnt sign by then will not become law. During Mejias speech, the crowd also chanted Abolish ICE! It is shameful that those with power sit on their hands while working people are out in the streets, armed with whistles, demanding justice braver than anything Ive ever seen at a Congress, she said. Mejias campaign has criticized her opponents for being part of the political machine, which Gill has taken to mean a swipe at him because he has the support of numerous Democratic officials from Essex and Morris counties. Asked about Mejias support from Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, Gill noted that they are out of state members of Congress. Advertisement Advertisement That doesnt hold a lot of weight with me because I dont really know what that person would know about the local issues that the communities that youre seeking to represent are basically, Gill said. Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way speaks during a meet-and-greet with candidates competing in the special primary for New Jerseys 11th Congressional District at Montclair State University on Nov. 11, 2025. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor) Way, like Gill, questioned whether support from non-Jersey Democrats will resonate with voters in the 11th District. From day one, as a county commissioner up until now, my focus is just being on the voters, right, and their interests. Theyre worried about their rights, their wallets, the personal attacks, and that is why I am in this race. And Im going to deliver for them as I have done in the past, Way said. Hathaway said he thinks the Sanders event is part of the Democratic Partys move toward socialism, antisemitism, anti-law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement I truly believe that voters in New Jersey, I dont care if theyre Democrats, Republicans, independents, I dont think people want that brand of representative in Washington, he said. People want someone whos going to go down there and work just as hard as they are to make life a little better. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WASHINGTON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday he believed it would be a mistake for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to attend Supreme Court arguments in a case about President Donald Trump's attempt to fire a Fed governor. The Supreme Court justices on Wednesday will consider the legality of Trump's bid to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook. The Associated Press and other media reported on Monday that Powell planned to attend the court's oral arguments. Advertisement Advertisement "I actually think that's a mistake. Because if you're trying not to politicize the Fed, for the Fed chair to be sitting there, trying to put his thumb on the scale is a real mistake," Bessent said. Critics of the Republican president have expressed concern that Trump's actions and rhetoric could jeopardize the independence of the U.S. Federal Reserve. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Andrew Heavens) WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump's pledge to provoke a sweeping tariff fight with Europe to get his way in taking control of Greenland has left many of Americas closest allies warning of a rupture with Washington capable of shattering the NATO alliance that had once seemed unshakable. The European Unions top official on Tuesday called Trumps planned new tariffs on eight of its countries over Greenland a mistake and questioned Trump's trustworthiness. French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU could retaliate by deploying one of its most powerful economic tools, known colloquially as a trade bazooka. The rising tensions concerning Greenland, and threats of a deepening trade war between the U.S. and Europe, caused global investors to shudder Tuesday, as stocks on Wall Street slumped. Advertisement Advertisement Trump prides himself on ratcheting up pressure to try to negotiate through a position of strength. He was leaving Washington Tuesday the anniversary of his inauguration for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a venue that offers Trump the chance to defuse tensions as quickly as he stirred them up. But European leaders digging in and vowing to defend Denmark and its control over semiautonomous Greenland may be trying just as hard to meet an extraordinary moment with a show of their fierce resolve. That could hurt the chances of Trump finding a quick way to turn around the crisis. Greenlands leader insisted on respect for its territorial integrity and called international law not a game. We will work something out Advertisement Advertisement Trump made an unusual appearance in the White House briefing room and spoke at length while stocks fell. Asked how far he'd be willing to go to acquire Greenland, Trump said only, You'll find out. He also mistakenly referred to Greenland as Iceland at one point. Still, the president predicted there could be a deal in the making. I think that we will work something out where NATO is going to be very happy, and where were going to be very happy," he said, without providing specifics. Trump said he'd been encouraged that NATO had increased military spending, but he also belittled the alliance, saying other members may not protect Washington's interests. The president suggested NATO members expect the U.S. to come to their rescue but I just really do question whether or not theyll come to ours. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed back against Trump's announcement that, starting in February, a 10% import tax will be imposed on goods from eight European nations that have rallied around Denmark. Greenland is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO member. Advertisement Advertisement The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July, von der Leyen said in Davos. And in politics as in business a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something. We consider the people of the United States not just our allies, but our friends. And plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape, she added. She vowed that the EUs response will be unflinching, united and proportional. Taking firmer stances defied the approach that many European leaders have offered since Trump returned to office. It had mostly entailed saying nice things about the president to try to stay in his good graces, while working furiously through other avenues to find compromise. Advertisement Advertisement Trump says the U.S. needs Greenland to deter possible threats from China and Russia. But his continued insistence in recent weeks that anything short of the U.S. owning Greenland is unacceptable is testing the limits of the softer strategy. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the worst may still be ahead of us. Speaking to parliament, she said: We have never sought conflict. We have consistently sought cooperation. We need to have respect for international law Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said at a news conference in the island's capital, Nuuk, that we need to have respect for international law and territorial integrity. He said those principles should unite Western democratic countries, and expressed gratitude for EU allies' support. Advertisement Advertisement International law, it's not a game, he said, adding, "We are willing to cooperate much more, but of course in mutual respect, and if we cannot see that, it will be very difficult to have a good and reliable partnership. Trump's threats have sparked outrage and a flurry of diplomatic activity across Europe, as leaders consider possible countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs and the unprecedented use of the EU's anti-coercion instrument. Unofficially known as the trade bazooka, the instrument could sanction individuals or institutions found to be putting undue pressure on the EU. The EU has two other major economic tools it could use to pressure Washington: new tariffs or a suspension of the U.S.-EU trade deal. Macron warned in Davos that the additional tariffs could force the EU to use its anti-coercion mechanism for the first time against the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Can you imagine that? he said, arguing that allied countries should be focusing instead on bringing peace to Ukraine. This is crazy. In general, he said, the mechanism is a powerful instrument and we should not hesitate to deploy it in todays tough environment. The U.S. president, in a television interview that aired Tuesday evening, downplayed the retaliatory threat. Anything they do with us, Ill just meet it, Trump said on NewsNations Katie Pavlich Tonight. "All I have to do is meet it, and its going to go ricocheting backward. Still, Trump said he believed it was possible an agreement could be worked out, perhaps while he's at Davos. Advertisement Advertisement Trump earlier posted a text message from Macron in which the French president suggested a meeting of members of the Group of Seven industrialized democracies in Paris after the Davos gathering. An official close to Macron, who spoke anonymously in line with the French presidency's customary practices, confirmed the message shared by Trump is genuine. In his latest threat of tariffs, Trump indicated that the import taxes would be retaliation for last weeks deployment of symbolic numbers of troops from the European countries to Greenland though he also suggested he was using the tariffs as leverage to negotiate with Denmark. In the midst of a rupture Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country is a founding NATO member, warned of global fissures beyond Greenland, suggesting it was an illusion and fiction that there remains a rules-based international order. Advertisement Advertisement Let me be direct: We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition, Carney said during a speech in Davos. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said at Davos that Europe cannot be a miserable slave to Trump. Others encouraged NATO leaders to stand up to Trump. Speaking on the sidelines of Davos, California Gov. Gavin Newsom slammed Europes response to Trump's tariff threats as pathetic and embarrassing, and urged continental leaders to unite and stand up to the United States. Its time to stand tall and firm, have a backbone," Newsom, a Democrat, told reporters. Greenlands European backers have also looked at establishing a more permanent military presence to help guarantee security in the Arctic region, a key demand of the United States, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said. Advertisement Advertisement In Moscow, meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov strongly denied any intention by Russia and China to threaten Greenland, while also describing Greenland as a colonial gain for Denmark. Trump was asked Tuesday what would happen to his tariff threats related to Greenland if the Supreme Court rules against his ability to impose import tariffs as part of a case it is considering. Well, I'll have to use something else, Trump said. We have other alternatives. He didn't respond when asked about using force. ___ Keaten reported from Davos, Switzerland, Burrows reported from Nuuk, Greenland. AP writers Aamer Madhani in Washington, Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Jill Lawless in London and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report. Keep those heaters on and those coats at the ready, Tallahassee, as cold weather returns to the Big Bend bringing frosty temperatures and a low threat of regional winter weather impacts this weekend. According to social media posts by the National Weather Service of Tallahassee, another push of arctic air is moving into the Deep South over the weekend. This report comes just days after the state capital had a close call with a winter storm that dusted Marianna all the way west to Pensacola. It was a far cry from the winter wonderland that brought historic Florida snowfall to the Panhandle and Big Bend in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement But now, a new and more serious threat is brewing for southern states: The chances of a crippling ice storm associated with a weekend storm across the South are growing. According to the NWS Weather Prediction Center, portions of everywhere from central Texas to the Carolinas could see a barrage of "dangerous ice," bringing the possibility of widespread tree damage and loss of power. "The main concern will be the potential for our Georgia counties, mainly along and north of the U.S. 82 corridor (Eufaula-Albany-Tifton), to get impacts along the southern fringe of a significant winter weather event further north in Georgia and Alabama," local forecasters wrote in their morning discussion. "If winter weather impacts are experienced all the way south to the U.S. 82 corridor, it would be in the form of freezing rain and ice. It will be worth checking back on the forecast this week as the range of possibilities becomes narrower." Advertisement Advertisement Plenty of questions remain as the temperature settles in of how much freezing rain or sleet could fall and how far south the storm will reach. While Tallahassee is expected to only see rain, impacts to the broader region covered by NWS Tallahassee, including South Georgia and Alabama, can't be totally dismissed. Some models, which are notoriously unreliable this far out, have even suggested the capital city could get a blast of ice. At this point, however, local meteorologists report that there is a low (0 to 20% chance) of "minor winter weather impacts" that could bring a "few inconveniences to daily life." Forecasters add that those heading north could face "significant potential travel impacts" in driving or flying. Additional reporting by USA TODAY says portions of Southern Georgia into Central Florida can expect temperatures around 30 degrees, with some areas falling to the 20s or rising to the 40s. There are still a number of places with freeze watches in place, including Jacksonville, Lake City and Cross City. Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida in winter's grip as forecast eyes ice storm in South A neon sign advertises delta-8 products at a store in Sioux Falls. (Photo by John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) A bill to ban the sale of marijuana-like products to minors could sail through the South Dakota Senate without debate. Senate Bill 45 would add delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinolic acid to the list of hemp-derived intoxicants illegal to purchase for people younger than 21. The bill, proposed by Attorney General Marty Jackley, would amend a law that already bars the sale of other hemp-derived compounds that create a marijuana-like high, among them Delta-8, Delta-10, THC-O acetate and hexahydrocannabinol. Advertisement Advertisement The sale of such products to minors, under the terms of the bill, would be a class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Thats the same level of criminal offense affixed to the sale of alcohol to minors. Possession of the hemp-derived products by a minor would be a class 2 misdemeanor, which is the lowest level of criminal offense in South Dakota law with a potential 30-day jail sentence and $500 fine. Jackley initially proposed felony penalties for retailers who sell to minors, but he told the Senate Judiciary Committee that discussions with defense lawyers and business leaders convinced him to ask for an amendment to put violations on par with alcohol sales. There were concerns about the implications of felony charges for businesses with beer or liquor licenses, Jackley said. Advertisement Advertisement I think this is an appropriate response, he told the committee. And like always, we hope this has a deterrent value. The committee on Tuesday approved Jackleys amendment, then approved the bill, with unanimous support from all members present. No one testified in opposition, clearing a path for the bill to appear on the Senates consent calendar. Bills on the consent calendar are passed in bulk with a single vote and no debate in the chamber, unless a lawmaker requests that a bill be pulled out for discussion. Changing landscape for hemp Lawmakers in Pierre passed a bill in 2024 that makes it a class 2 misdemeanor for anyone to sell but not to possess products containing intoxicating, hemp-derived substances, which have exploded in popularity in recent years thanks in part to a 2018 federal farm bill that legalized hemp. Advertisement Advertisement The hemp plant is related to marijuana, but contains far less THC, a compound whose Delta-9 version is responsible for the high produced by the consumption of marijuana. Once hemp became legal to sell at the federal level through the farm bill, companies began distilling CBD, a non-intoxicating substance present in hemp, to produce THC derivatives like Delta-8 and hemp-derived Delta-9, the latter of which is chemically indistinguishable from traditional marijuanas marquee intoxicant. Hemp-derived intoxicants are now found in vape pens, gummies and smokable hemp, similar to traditional marijuana. Delta-9 THC drinks are among the more visible signs of the products popularity, available at bars and some grocery and liquor stores in South Dakota. Backers of the 2024 bill banning the sale of hemp-derived THC products said at the time that the beverages are outside the scope of the ban because their THC isnt chemically extracted. Advertisement Advertisement States across the U.S., South Dakota among them, have grappled with regulations for hemp-based products. On the federal level, lawmakers in Washington passed a bill thats set to redefine hemp to exclude any product with too much THC, and to limit the amount of THC in individual products to 0.4 milligrams per serving by Nov. 13. For context, a low-dose Delta-9 drink contains between 2.5 to 5 milligrams per serving, and 10 milligram versions are frequently found alongside them in grocery and liquor stores. Lawmakers in both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, including Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, have proposed legislation pushing back the implementation of the new federal rules until 2028. Industry analysts said last year that the law change would wipe out 95% of the $28.4 billion hemp industry. South Dakota businesses said the new federal rules would rip away access to products that consumers said loud and clear that they want. Advertisement Advertisement Back in South Dakota, Piedmont state Sen. John Carley, a Republican, has introduced a bill to ban the sale, production, possession or use of any hemp-derived intoxicant, using the 0.4 milligram intoxicant limit used by Congress, unless the user has a medical marijuana card. A hearing on that bill is scheduled for Wednesday morning in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Iowa lawmakers passed a bill out of subcommittee Tuesday that would bar the requirement of continuing education courses not directly related to one's profession. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Education groups and others raised questions Tuesday during an Iowa House subcommittee meeting about legislation that could potentially change continuing education requirements for licensed professionals. House Study Bill 546 would bar bodies in charge of setting rules for continuing education in different licensed professions from requiring people take credits not directly related to the practice of the licensed profession, including attorneys. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, chaired the subcommittee and was joined by Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, and Rep. Heather Hora, R-Washington. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Professional Educators of Iowa, the Iowa Judicial Branch, Iowa State Education Association and Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants are all registered as undecided on the bill, lobbyists from the organizations said during the subcommittee meeting, with some seeking further clarification on which continuing education courses would count as not directly related to their work. We certainly appreciate the goal of making sure that continued education and PD credits are topical and helpful and relevant, but we also support the idea of a little bit of discretion, said Nathan Arnold, lobbyist for Professional Educators of Iowa. Advertisement Advertisement One example Arnold gave of continuing education that could be construed as not connecting directly to the education profession was a course on identifying and preventing human trafficking offered by Professional Educators of Iowa. Melissa Peterson with the Iowa State Education Association said shes unsure if training on seizure and concussion response would fall under continuing education, but they are popular programs and she wants more understanding of how they would be impacted. Arnold told the subcommittee the organization doesnt want to see programs like these get unintentionally axed. Brad Epperly, representing the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants, said those in his profession and others have governing boards that prescribe required continuing education, and as those serving on the board were appointed to the position and are part of the profession, he believes these decisions should be left to them. Iowa attorneys are currently required to complete continuing legal education courses in either the wellness or diversity categories, Iowa Judicial Branch lobbyist Caitlin Jarzen said, both of which are likely to be seen as not directly related to the practice of law. Advertisement Advertisement However, she said Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensen made wellness issues a focus in her Condition of the Judiciary address Jan. 14 and the branch sees benefits of continuing education requirements that might not align completely with practicing law. When asked by Wilburn where continuing education focused on communication with people with disabilities such as hearing or visual impairment would be categorized, she said she believes it would fall under diversity. Wilburn was the single no vote in moving the legislation to the Iowa House Higher Education Committee, citing concerns about the bill being vague and a little too subjective. The legislation should provide more information on what counts as continuing education for different professions, he said, and ensure that licensed professionals can receive all the necessary training to meet state, regional or national accreditation requirements for their job. Advertisement Advertisement I think its important, when the Legislature puts something forward, that theres clarity into whats covered, Wilburn said. The legislation received approval from both Hora and Holt, though Holt said he would be interested in hearing more from the judicial branch about their discussions on the bill. Im going to sign this off to move to the full committee, but I think theres a lot of questions, Holt said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Cincinnati Financial is fairly valued according to our Excess Returns , but this can change at a moment's notice. Track the value in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted on when to act. Compared with the recent share price of about $162.18, this Excess Returns estimate suggests the stock is around 9.7% overvalued on this model. The analysis also builds in a Stable Book Value of $107.46 per share, sourced from weighted future Book Value estimates from 6 analysts. These inputs are combined to estimate an intrinsic value of about $147.81 per share using the Excess Returns framework. For Cincinnati Financial, the model uses a Book Value of $98.76 per share and a Stable EPS of $8.97 per share, based on weighted future Return on Equity estimates from 5 analysts. The Average Return on Equity used in the model is 8.34%. Against this, the Cost of Equity is set at $7.47 per share, which implies an Excess Return of $1.49 per share. The Excess Returns model looks at whether Cincinnati Financial is expected to earn more on its equity than the return required by shareholders, and then capitalizes that gap into an intrinsic value per share. Cincinnati Financial scores just 2/6 on our valuation checks. See what other red flags we found in the full valuation breakdown . Cincinnati Financial currently has a valuation score of 2 out of 6 , meaning it screens as undervalued on 2 of 6 checks. Next, we will walk through the main valuation approaches behind that score before finishing with a different way to think about value that many investors overlook. Recent coverage of Cincinnati Financial has focused on how investors are weighing its long term track record against current pricing and what that might imply for expectations embedded in the share price. This article was prepared to provide ongoing, evergreen coverage and to give you a fresh look at whether those expectations still seem reasonable. The stock last closed at US$162.18, with returns of 0.7% over 7 days, a 3.1% decline over 30 days, 0.4% year to date, 18.4% over 1 year, 66.1% over 3 years, and 111.5% over 5 years. These figures may catch the eye of investors thinking about growth potential or changing risk perceptions. If you are wondering whether Cincinnati Financial's current share price lines up with its underlying value, you are not alone. That is exactly what this article will unpack for you. Story Continues CINF Discounted Cash Flow as at Jan 2026 Head to the Valuation section of our Company Report for more details on how we arrive at this Fair Value for Cincinnati Financial. Approach 2: Cincinnati Financial Price vs Earnings For a profitable company like Cincinnati Financial, the P/E ratio is a useful way to relate what you pay for the stock to the earnings the business is generating today. It gives you a quick sense of how much the market is willing to pay for each dollar of earnings. What counts as a "normal" or "fair" P/E depends on what investors expect for future growth and how much risk they see in those earnings. Higher expected growth or lower perceived risk can justify a higher P/E, while lower growth expectations or higher risk usually point to a lower P/E. Cincinnati Financial currently trades on a P/E of 11.92x. That sits close to the Insurance industry average P/E of 12.59x and the peer group average of 12.63x, suggesting the market is pricing it broadly in line with sector norms. Simply Wall St also calculates a proprietary Fair Ratio of 8.98x for Cincinnati Financial. This metric goes further than a simple peer or industry comparison because it blends in company specific factors such as earnings growth, profit margins, risk profile, industry characteristics and market capitalization. Comparing the current 11.92x P/E with the 8.98x Fair Ratio suggests Cincinnati Financial screens as overvalued on this measure. Result: OVERVALUED NasdaqGS:CINF P/E Ratio as at Jan 2026 P/E ratios tell one story, but what if the real opportunity lies elsewhere? Discover 1445 companies where insiders are betting big on explosive growth. Upgrade Your Decision Making: Choose your Cincinnati Financial Narrative Earlier we mentioned that there is an even better way to understand valuation. Let us introduce you to Narratives, where you tell the story behind your numbers by linking your view of Cincinnati Financials future revenue, earnings and margins to a financial forecast, a fair value, and then a clear comparison of that fair value to todays price. On Simply Wall Sts Community page, used by millions of investors, Narratives give you an accessible tool to set your own assumptions, see an estimated fair value, and quickly judge whether the price looks high or low for your scenario. Because these Narratives update when new information like earnings or news arrives, your view stays current without extra work. For example, one investor might build a more cautious Cincinnati Financial Narrative closer to the bearish price target of US$145, while another might lean into a more optimistic story closer to the bullish US$191 target. By comparing each Narratives fair value to the current share price, both investors can decide whether the stock fits their return expectations and risk tolerance. Do you think there's more to the story for Cincinnati Financial? Head over to our Community to see what others are saying! NasdaqGS:CINF 1-Year Stock Price Chart This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include CINF. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) An explosion at a restaurant in downtown Kabul on Monday killed at least seven people and wounded about a dozen more, according to police and an Italian charity running a surgical unit in the city. Afghan authorities did not officially say what caused the blast, noting it was under investigation. But the president of neighboring Pakistan issued a statement attributing the explosion to a bomb. The blast occurred in a Chinese restaurant in the Shahr-e-Naw district of the Afghan capital, according to Kabul police command spokesman Khalid Zadran. He said the restaurant was jointly owned by an Afghan man, a Chinese national and his wife. Advertisement Advertisement The restaurant was popular with Chinese Muslims, Zadran said, adding that one Chinese national and six Afghans were killed and several others were wounded. The blast occurred near the restaurants kitchen, the police spokesman said, and the cause was under investigation. The Italian charity EMERGENCY said its surgical center in the Afghan capital, which is located near the site of the explosion, had received 20 people from the blast, including seven who were already dead. It noted the number of casualties was still provisional. Those injured included four women and a child, the organizations country director in Afghanistan, Dejan Panic, said. The wounded, some of whom are being assessed for surgery, have suffered lacerations and bruises, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said two Chinese people were seriously injured and a security guard killed in the blast. Footage aired by local television station Tolo News and filmed through a car windshield showed people running and walking in the street with smoke and dust billowing behind them. Pakistans President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the bomb blast at a Chinese restaurant in Kabul, his office said in a statement. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been particularly strained in recent months, with tension spilling into violence. In October, the two came close to all-out conflict and cross-border clashes left dozens dead. The fighting ended after Qatar brokered a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Zardari accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of failing to honor the ceasefire agreements, particularly the obligation to prevent the use of Afghan soil for the export of terrorism, adding that no terrorist groups should be allowed safe havens in Afghanistan. Afghan officials have repeatedly said they do not allow their territory to be used as a base by terrorist groups. Pakistan's president said that terrorists operating out of Afghan soil had also affected other neighboring countries, and singled out Tajikistan. His statement came after Tajik authorities said Monday that their border guards had killed four gunmen who crossed into the country from Afghanistan overnight. Afghan authorities said the four were drug smugglers. ___ Ahmed contributed from Islamabad, Pakistan Uganda's opposition leader Bobi Wine has told the BBC he will not contest the results of Thursday's election in court, citing a lack of confidence in the judiciary and has instead urged his supporters to take to the streets to peacefully protest. Speaking to the BBC from hiding, he said he would continue to stand up to President Yoweri Museveni despite concerns for his safety. "The judiciary in Uganda is captured and we encourage Ugandans to use any legal means to fight back and protect their democracy," the 43-year-old former pop star said. Advertisement Advertisement Museveni, 81, won the vote by a landslide and has accused the opposition of seeking to overturn the results through violence, calling them "terrorists". He gained 72% of the vote while Wine, his closest challenger, got 25%. Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, maintains the results are "fake" and has cited "ballot stuffing" without providing any details. During his interview, Wine also hit out at the security forces for not allowing food into his family home where his wife and relatives are effectively under house arrest. He says he fled the house, in a suburb of the capital, Kampala, on Friday night during a raid by the security forces. Advertisement Advertisement "We reject those results because they are fake and they don't in any way reflect the voting pattern. They are completely different from the results in the electoral on the polling stations and on the declaration forms," Wine told the BBC, speaking from an undisclosed location. The authorities have not responded to his allegations, but the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) said the "technical and procedural" challenges observed on polling day did not undermine the overall fairness of the vote. In their report, the African Union (AU) election observers said they saw "no evidence of ballot stuffing", but condemned days-long internet shutdown - which only returned hours after President Museveni was declared the winner on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement After losing to Museveni in 2021, Wine challenged the results but later withdrew the petition, citing what he called the court's bias and lack of impartiality. Wine, who has lost his presidential bid for a second time, also alleged there was an ongoing "silent massacre" as political activists were targeted in a crackdown. In a social media post he said more than 100 people had been killed in election violence - without stating evidence. More than 100 youths have been remanded in prison on various charges linked to election-related incidents across Kampala, the Daily Monitor newspaper reported. Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X on Monday, Uganda's army chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also President Museveni's son and his potential successor, said the security forces had killed 22 opposition supporters during poll-related violence. Gen Kainerugaba also threatened Wine, giving him "exactly 48 hours to surrender himself to the police". "If he doesn't we will treat him as an outlaw/rebel and handle him accordingly," he said. Those tweets - and one in which he threatened to remove the opposition leader's testicles - have since been deleted. Wine later called him out on X and included a screengrab of some of the deleted tweets - to which Gen Kainerugaba responded on Thursday morning with the comment: "Boo hoo hoo Mr. 24%." Advertisement Advertisement In his BBC interview, Wine said he fled his home after learning that security forces were planning to "attack" him. "They jumped off my fence and cut off my electricity and the surveillance cameras. I saw it dangerous for me to stay around," said Wine, who has not been seen in public for days. "You have heard Museveni's son promising to harm me. He has promised to harm people and... he has delivered to it. You have read his recent tweets. That's why I have to be careful with myself," he said. Although the internet was restored late on Saturday, Wine said he was not able to reach his wife because of signal jammers near his home. Advertisement Advertisement The police have denied raiding the opposition leader's home, saying the security deployment was to protect him as a presidential candidate. Wine went on to call for a "peaceful change" of regime, saying protests were constitutional rights. "We encourage Ugandans to evoke any constitutional means to fight back," he added. On Tuesday, Donald Muhwezi, a local police chief in Kampala, told local media that police were not concerned about Wine's whereabouts, "as long as he is safe". In his victory speech on Sunday, Museveni said his election win showed the dominance of his party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM). Advertisement Advertisement Museveni first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986 but since then has won seven elections. Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence. [BBC] [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 Police in Boston are asking for the publics help in identifying a man in connection with an assault in the city over the weekend. Boston police shared a photo of a man who they say was involved in an assault and battery with a dangerous weapon incident on West Broadway around 8:30 p.m. Police say the suspect is described as a white male, around 5-8-510 and with dark hair. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW By Phoebe Seers LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Britains financial watchdogs are not doing enough to stop AI from harming consumers or destabilising markets, a group of lawmakers said on Tuesday, urging regulators to move away from a "wait and see" approach as the technology is deployed widely. The Financial Conduct Authority and the Bank of England should start running AIspecific stress tests to help firms prepare for market shocks triggered by automated systems, the Treasury Committee said in a report on AI in financial services. Advertisement Advertisement The committee urged the FCA to publish guidance by the end of 2026 on how consumer protection rules apply to AI and how much senior managers need to understand the systems they oversee. Based on the evidence I've seen, I do not feel confident that our financial system is prepared if there was a major AI-related incident and that is worrying, committee chair Meg Hillier said in a statement. TECHNOLOGY CARRIES 'SIGNIFICANT RISKS' A race among banks to adopt agentic AI, which, unlike generative AI can make decisions and take autonomous action, adds new risks for retail customers, the FCA told Reuters late last year. Advertisement Advertisement About threequarters of British financial firms now use AI across core functions from processing insurance claims to credit assessments. While AI brought benefits, the report warned of "significant risks" as well. These included opaque credit decisions, the potential exclusion of vulnerable consumers through algorithmic tailoring, fraud, and dissemination of unregulated financial advice through AI chatbots. RISKS TO FINANCIAL STABILITY Experts who gave evidence to the committee also highlighted threats to financial stability, due to reliance on a small group of U.S. tech giants for AI and cloud services. Advertisement Advertisement Some noted that AIdriven trading systems may amplify herding behaviour, or imitative trading decisions, in markets, raising the risks of a financial crisis. A spokesperson said the FCA would review the report. The regulator has previously indicated it does not favour AIspecific rules due to the pace of technological change. AI ALREADY INFLUENCING DECISIONS, HILLIER SAYS A BoE spokesperson said the central bank had taken steps to assess AIrelated risks and bolster the financial system. The bank would consider the committee's recommendations and respond in due course, the person added. Hillier told Reuters that increasingly sophisticated forms of generative AI were influencing financial decisions. Advertisement Advertisement If something has gone wrong in the system, that could have a very big impact on the consumer, she said. Separately, Britain's finance ministry appointed Starling Bank CIO Harriet Rees and Lloyds Banking Groups Rohit Dhawan to help steer AI adoption in financial services. (Reporting by Phoebe Seers; Editing by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes and Bernadette Baum) Authorities have arrested the brother of a 13-year-old who was shot in the head at an Ohio apartment complex over the weekend, according to our CBS affiliate WTOL-11. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] As previously reported by News Center 7, the shooting happened at the North Towne Village Apartments on Silverside Drive in Toledo Saturday night. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement The victims 16-year-old brother is facing a felonious assault charge, WTOL-11 reported. Toledo police said the 13-year-old boy was shot inside one of the apartments and taken to an area hospital, where he remains in critical condition. WTOL-11 reported that police questioned several witnesses and searched the complex for several hours. Additional details werent immediately available. News Center 7 will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] EVANSVILLE The Evansville area could see "impactful" snow and dangerously cold temperatures this weekend. But as of now, the latter is more certain than the former. The Paducah, Kentucky, office of the National Weather Service said in a bulletin Tuesday morning that it's still too early to say if Southwestern Indiana and Western Kentucky will see serious effects from a winter storm that will sweep across the Midwest and South sometime between Friday night and Sunday morning. The NWS currently gives Evansville a 30-50% shot of getting at least 1 inch to 2 inches of snow. There's an outside chance of seeing as much as 4 inches. Advertisement Advertisement "Currently the system looks to be cold enough to keep the precipitation in the form of snow," NWS meteorologist Keith Cooley wrote in an email to media outlets. "However, a shift in the track could still allow for a wintry mix." A National Weather Service graphic shows the potential for snow in Evansville and the Tri-State Jan. 24-26. How cold is it going to get in Evansville? Cooley and others are more bullish on the cold. And according to the latest forecast, it's going to be brutal. Temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday should be normal for January, with highs lingering between the upper-30s and mid-40s. By Friday, however, that will start to spiral. The high that day should top out at 25 degrees, with a wind chill of 2 degrees. Somehow it'll only get worse from there. Saturday's wind chill could plummet as low as minus-4. Sunday will be Florida-esque by comparison, with a wind chill of zero. What about ice? This January brought the one-year anniversary of the miserable ice storm that walloped Evansville in 2025, leaving tens of thousands of people without power. Advertisement Advertisement There's nothing like that in the NWS forecast for Evansville. "They're not predicting any ice as of right now," senior meteorologist Brian Miller told the Courier & Press Tuesday morning. The southern half of the U.S., though, may not be so lucky. According to the NWS Weather Prediction Center, portions of everywhere from central Texas to the Carolinas could see a barrage of "dangerous ice" similar to the January 2025 storm, bringing the possibility of widespread tree damage and zapped power. As far as the Tri-State, details on the snow potential will become clearer in the next couple of days. Evansville weather radar This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Is it going to snow in Evansville this weekend? Officials with the Burleson Police Department are warning about a new scam that uses an invoice claiming to be from the city. Local businesses reported fraudulent invoices from the City of Burleson Planning Commission for $4,000 in fees. The only problem the commission does not exist. We were notified about fraudulent invoices being sent to local businesses, especially those in construction and trades, Burleson police officials wrote on Facebook. THIS. IS. A. SCAM. Advertisement Advertisement They pointed to numerous red flags on the fake invoice: the nonexistent commission, due upon receipt pressure language, wire transfer instructions, a request for a signed invoice plus wire receipt, low-quality formatting and fuzzy logo, and generic fee descriptions. The City of Burleson will not email businesses asking for permit fees to be paid by wire transfer, department officials wrote. Payments are typically handled through official channels such as approved online payments, check, or in-person options, not wiring money to an out-of-state bank. If residents receive an invoice like this, they should not pay or reply. If it seems legitimate, they should verify before paying by calling the city at its official phone number listed online, not the one on the invoice. Burleson police also asked residents to report fake invoices so they can track them and warn others. They can message the department online or call the non-emergency line at 817-426-9903. Advertisement Advertisement Staying alert protects you and helps protect our entire business community, they wrote. Residents in North Texas should be cautious of scams, as they can impact anyone. The Denton Police Department warned residents in November 2025 about scam calls in which the suspect impersonates an officer and demands money, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. The Tarrant County Sheriffs Office warned the public in September that scammers were using a similar tactic. The Dallas Police Department also warned in July about a scammer impersonating a sergeant, calling residents, and demanding money, as The Dallas Express reported. Investigators with the Garland Police Department arrested a Frisco woman in August for tricking an elderly couple into giving her $25,000. Candidates for Tennessee governor have begun gathering signatures for their nominating petitions from the state Division of Elections, formally kicking off the race toward primary elections on Aug. 6. Term limited Gov. Bill Lee will leave the Tennessee governors office in January 2027, and voters will decide in November 2026 who will succeed him. So far, at least twelve candidates have declared intentions to run, including: Democrat Memphis organizer Carnita Atwater, Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Republican state Rep. Monty Fritts, Democrat Memphis Council Member Jerri Green, independent Columbia business owner Lauren Pinkston and Republican U.S. Rep. John Rose. Advertisement Advertisement Rose picked up his petition at the Division of Elections Office in Nashville last week. The deadline to return petitions is March 10, and candidates are required to collect 25 signatures. I hope we can make this a spirited debate about whats best for Tennessee and what our relative qualifications are, Rose told The Tennessean in an interview. I think we should not be asking people to assume the race is already over when it hasnt yet begun. U.S. Rep. John Rose, a Republican candidate for Tennessee governor, picks up his qualifying petition at the Tennessee Division of Elections Office in Nashville on Jan. 12. Blackburn picked up her qualifying petition earlier this month. We are off and rolling. Were going to need your signature on our paper, because were working hard to get on that ballot, Blackburn said in a video posted on social media. Youve got my commitment. As your governor, we will do our hardest work to make sure that Tennessee is Americas conservative leader. Advertisement Advertisement Fritts also picked up his petition last week, asking supporters of his "liberty and less government" movement to sign. Green has traveled across the state gathering petition signatures. Weve been building a movement for leadership for common sense, compassion and courage for the past six months in every corner of our state, Green said in a statement. Tennesseans are tired of the chaos and ready for a governor who will fight to lower their costs, fully fund public schools and expand health care." Polling has shown Blackburn is the early Republican front-runner. She earned 58% support to Rose's 9% and Fritts' 5% in a Beacon Center poll late last year. U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn waves to members of the 101 Airborne Division as Vice President J.D. Vance recognizes her at Fort Campbell Military Base in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. With Tennessee a Republican stronghold where President Donald Trump won the state by nearly 30 percentage points in 2024, the August GOP primary will be key in deciding the race. Advertisement Advertisement Tennessees next governor will inherit a corrections system under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, a Childrens Services Department that continues to fall short of state audits and have troubled youth sleeping on office floors, and a public education system in which 32% of students achieved academic proficiency in 2024. With revenues continuing to flatten, Tennessee is seeing millions in new administrative expenses for federal programs like SNAP in the wake of cuts by Congress. In a statement to the Tennessean, Blackburn said her priorities will be working with the Trump administration on mass deportation efforts, lowering prices and expanding the states publicly funded private school voucher programs. Tennesseans want their next governor to work with President Trump to ensure that illegal immigrants are deported, the cost of living is made more affordable, and our conservative values and way of life are protected, Blackburn said. Blackburn has said she will work to expand private school choice options and hopes the legislature will expand the states Education Freedom Scholarships program this session because no parent should have to win the lottery to have a say in their childs education. Advertisement Advertisement We have been well served by balancing the state budget," Blackburn said, "and as Governor, I will continue my ongoing work to root out waste, fraud, and abuse to ensure Tennesseans can keep more of their hard-earned money." More: An early look at how Tennessee's 2026 governor's race is shaping up Senator Marsha Blackburn speaks during a press conference to discuss the progress of the Memphis Safe Task Force at the Shelby County Office of Preparedness in Memphis, Tenn., on November 24, 2025. Rose said hes focused on what Tennesseans have told him are their priorities over the last 10 months hes been campaigning: education, infrastructure, health care access, energy and jobs. "We need to solve our infrastructure problem in Tennessee, particularly roads," he said. The state has a $38 billion backlog in unfunded road projects. U.S. Rep. John Rose, a Republican candidate for Tennessee governor, picks up his qualifying petition at the Tennessee Division of Elections Office in Nashville on Jan. 12. He also touts his experience running a business as a unique qualifier for the position. Advertisement Advertisement Rose has challenged Blackburn to debate, but he said that so far, she has declined. Theres a certain tone deafness there," Rose said. I think when (voters) hear, No, Im not going to debate anyone, youre just going to have to listen to my sound bites and make your decision on that basis and you should anoint me to this job because Ive been around a long time, Ive served in public office for 30 years or so thats not what Tennesseans want." Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Candidates for TN governor gather petition signatures, starting 2026 race Frank Gyurgyiks parents brought him to the United States as an immigrant refugee after the USSRs suppression of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. The Silverton resident says it has hurt his soul to see how immigrants and people of color have been treated by the United States government in the past year. Gyurgyik was one of an estimated crowd of 60 people at the Silverton MLK Day Vigil at Town Square Park on Jan. 19. They carried signs with quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and extolled his messages of equality and humanity. A woman holds up a sign with a quote from Martin Luther King Jr., on Jan. 19 in Silverton. My parents are rolling in their graves as to whats going on in this country because they made a big sacrifice to bring my sister and I to this country, to the land of the free and the home of the brave, Gyurgyik said. Advertisement Advertisement In the past year, a group of Silverton residents have held weekly protests on Friday afternoons on West Main Street in Silverton. They have had detractors who shout insults at them, but they say theyve had increasing support from the community. We care for others, and it hurts my heart when I see people treated the way they are being treated," said Barbara Dahlum, who has lived in Silverton for nearly 50 years. People stand along the road at the Silverton MLK Day Vigil. People at the Silverton MLK Observance said King's messages have taken on more importance in light of what has happened recently with immigrants and minorities in the United States. I think social justice, thats a large part of the problem we have now with the fascist regime, thats what I believe it is, a wannabe king, someone who doesnt think Congress is a co-equal branch, Dennis Laughton said. Id say its more the social justice, treating people with kindness. A person holds a sign at the Silverton MLK Day Vigil. Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com People hold signs at the Silverton MLK Day Vigil. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: People in Silverton draw connection between MLK, current events in U.S. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the "old order is not coming back" and urged fellow middle powers to come together in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "Middle powers must act together because if we're not at the table, we're on the menu," Carney said on Tuesday, adding that he believed powerful nations were using economic coercion to get what they want. He also affirmed Canada's support for Greenland, Denmark and the Nato alliance, drawing applause. Advertisement Advertisement Carney did not mention Donald Trump by name, but some of his remarks seemed aimed at the US president, who is threatening to tariff European allies and the UK unless Greenland is surrendered to the US. "Great powers" are often defined as countries with permanent seats on United Nations Security Council - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States - which shows their economic and military dominance in the world. Middle powers, such as Canada, Australia, Argentina, South Korea and Brazil, are nations that still exert large influence in global politics, even though their economies are smaller. In his speech, Carney said the world is "in the midst of a rupture, not a transition". Advertisement Advertisement "Great powers have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited," he said. He also said "Canada was amongst the first to hear the wake-up call" that geography and historic alliances no longer guaranteed security or prosperity. When Trump returned to office, he frequently referred to Canada as the "51st state" and threatened to join Canada and the US through "economic force." The US then hit its northern neighbour and major trading partner with steep tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Recently, Trump added Canada to his push to take control of the partly sovereign territory of Greenland, which has grown stronger and more overt in recent days, by posting on social media a map of the US, Canada and Greenland with an image of the American flag laid over it. As a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), Canada stands firmly with Greenland and Denmark and supports "their unique right to determine Greenland's future", Carney said in his speech. "Our commitment to Article Five is unwavering," the prime minister added, referring to a clause in the Nato agreement that states an attack against one member state is considered an attack on all. Canadian media outlets reported earlier this week that Canada was considering sending a small contingent of troops to Greenland to join Danish and other European troops for military exercises in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Asked about it in Davos, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said "we regularly participate in Nato exercises, and we participate in exercises that the Canadian Armed Forces itself leads". She added that the Minister of National Defence and the chief of defence staff make decisions on future deployments. The BBC has reached out to the Canada's Department of National Defence for comment. Carney said in his speech that to adapt to shifting geopolitics, Canada is now focused on engaging with other countries and building "different coalitions for different issues based on common values and interests". The prime minister pitched Canada as a "stable and reliable" partner, and noted recent trade and investment deals that were struck with China and Qatar, as well as a defence procurement pact Canada signed with the EU earlier last year. Carney is among several world leaders at the World Economic Forum this week. Trump is scheduled to deliver his own speech on Wednesday. Toscafund Asset Management, together with other minority investors, is considering divesting its interests in Caravela Seguros, a non-life insurance provider based in Portugal, reported Bloomberg, citing sources. Toscafund, headquartered in London and holding a 48% stake in Caravela, has appointed Mediobanca to advise on the possible sale, the unnamed sources told the news agency. Other shareholders, totalling more than 20 investors, are also evaluating their options regarding a potential exit. A spokesperson for Toscafund and Mediobanca declined to provide statements. Caravela Seguros did not respond to requests for comment via phone or email. Toscafund initially invested 30m ($34.9m) in Caravela Seguros at the end of 2019 as part of a capital increase. Among the remaining shareholders is Mario Ferreira, chairman of Media Capital and owner of a cruise ship company. Ferreira did not immediately reply to inquiries. Caravelas gross written premiums totalled 187.7m in 2024, up 17% from the previous year, the news agency added, citing financial reports. Data from regulator ASF places Caravela ninth among non-life insurers in Portugal with a 2.2% market share. The insurers portfolio includes policies for individuals and businesses across categories such as health, various liability covers, motor vehicles, property, travel and workplace accidents. "Toscafund weighs sale of Portuguese insurer Caravela" was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. The Trump administration is facing condemnation over a medical study in West Africa that is being condemned as unethical and reminiscent of the infamous Tuskegee Experiment. Now that the proposed study on infants in a small African country has been exposed to public scrutiny, the fate of the study remains unclear. CDC source warns of unethical, harmful study The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is providing $1.6 million in funding for a study in the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau on the effects of vaccinating newborns for Hepatitis B, but critics warn that the study has major ethical concerns. The newsletter Inside Medicine first reported previously unpublicized details about the plan and criticisms from experts. Ahead of a 2027 policy to vaccinate all newborns in Guinea-Bissau against Hep B, a disease for which nearly 20% of the local population are carriers, a group of Danish researchers has received funding to study the impact of the vaccine. Under the study, some newborns will be given the Hepatitis B vaccine along with other newborn vaccinations, while other newborns will not be given the Hep B vaccine. Medical experts and ethicists have warned that intentionally denying a group of babies the Hep B vaccine will ensure that some of them contract the disease, which can have debilitating consequences later in life, including cancer, and even cause death. You cant deny people the gold standard in a clinical trial, said one CDC source speaking anonymously. No US IRB would ever sign off on this. So, this is illegal, which is being ignored. Furthermore, experts also say that the vaccine has already been proven safe, and the study of its long-term effects is being driven by the agenda of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long pushed the idea that vaccines cause harm. This is another Tuskegee, said the CDC official. We are allowing children, infants, to be exposed to Hepatitis B when we could prevent it, and then follow them for five years to see what happens. Conflicting reports on the current status of the study The criticism by the CDC source references the infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiment, a federally funded study in which hundreds of Black men in Alabama were not informed that they had syphilis and not treated in order to observe the progression of the debilitating and ultimately deadly disease. Now that the Guinea-Bissau study has received public scrutiny over its ethical concerns, the fate of the study is unclear. An official with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told reporters Thursday, The study has been cancelled. Advertisement Advertisement However, Futurism reports that a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said that the trial will proceed as planned. The HHS official said that Africa CDC, an organization with no affiliation to the US CDC, shared weeks-old communications unrelated to the trial as part of a public-relations campaign aimed to shape public perception rather than engaging with the scientific facts. The HHS statement also defended the study as the worlds first, and potentially only, opportunity to rigorously evaluate the overall health effects of HBV0, the Hepatitis B vaccine being examined. Given conflicting statements, it remains unclear whether or not this study will still happen as planned, or whether it will be altered or cancelled altogether. For now, it appears that the Trump administration continues to pursue the study, dismissing concerns that the experimental design is unethical and that the study will lead to preventable harm to children in a small West African country. The post CDC Official Warns Of Trump Admins West Africa Hep B Study: Another Tuskegee appeared first on Blavity. I am delighted that President Donald Trump has effectively vetoed the Labour Governments surrender of the Chagos Islands, site of an important US-UK military base. But why on earth should it take a social media post from the American president to force the UK government to act in our national interests? On his Truth Social platform, President Trump torpedoed the shameful deal done by Keir Starmers Government as an act of GREAT STUPIDITY. It would seem hard for anybody to disagree with that brutal assessment. Labours deal would hand over Chagoss sovereignty to Mauritius, an ally of Communist China. It would permanently exile the Chagossians from their islands. And it would commit the British taxpayer to paying billions for the privilege of this sell-out, in order to lease back the military base at Diego Garcia. Advertisement Advertisement Nobody voted for any of this, since it never appeared in Labours election manifesto. All in all, I think it may be the worst deal any British government has done in history. Yet, I discovered in Washington DC, top UK government officials tried to persuade the Trump administration that this outrageous surrender was unavoidable under international law. From the start, I have been impressing upon the American administration that this deal is not in our national interest, and neither is it in theirs. Indeed one senior Republican told me that Diego Garcia was Americas most important overseas military base. In terms of maintaining the British-American special relationship (albeit a slightly taxed one at the moment), it seems to me that allowing America to use this strategic base is one of our biggest contributions to an alliance without which our country, quite frankly, would be left defenceless. What I learnt this time last year in America was that senior UK governmental figures had gone to Washington DC and given the Trump administration a lot of foreign office hot air. They claimed that Britain simply had no choice but to surrender the sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, after a ruling by the International Court of Justice. It was little surprise to learn that chief among the smooth snake oil salesmen peddling this phoney line in Washington was Jonathan Powell: Tony Blairs former chief of staff in Downing Street, now UK national security adviser under Keir Starmer. Try as I might, it was difficult to make much progress in DC against this wall of disinformation from the UK Government. In May last year, when the UK signed the deal which included granting the UK a 99-year lease on Diego Garcia, US Secretary of State Mario Rubio issued a statement welcoming the monumental agreement. Advertisement Advertisement How things have turned around since I spoke directly to the president on this issue in November. After speaking to others in Washington DC over the past few days, it is clear that they have now realised that the ICJ court judgment cited by Labour was merely advisory, not binding. Moreover, a key player in that 2019 judgment, the courts vice-president, was a Chinese judge who just happened to endorse a judgment in line with Chinese foreign policy. She would later back Russias invasion of Ukraine. So the penny has finally dropped in DC. Which explains why Trumps explosive message on Truth Social includes the totally true statement, in capital letters: FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. Donald Trumps comments about the Chagos deal on Truth Social It is deeply ironic that a Labour government dominated by human rights lawyers, who will always insist that international law must trump British sovereignty, appears to have completely ignored one of the key articles on which the UN was founded namely, the right of people to self-determination. The Chagossians have been treated appallingly by British governments and by Mauritius since they were first exiled in the 1960s. There should be no difficulty now in allowing them to go back to their archipelago, settle the outer islands, and start taking advantage of perhaps the greatest marine park on the planet. They ought to be able to build a future through tourism, without any threat to the security of the Diego Garcia base. Advertisement Advertisement Back home, meanwhile, this shameful episode should teach us once and for all that the Labour Government is incapable of defending Britains national interest indeed they dont recognise such a thing as national interest at all. We were fortunate that, in this particular case, Labours surrender also went against the American national interest, and President Trump came to the rescue. I sincerely hope that this is the last we hear of the Chagos surrender. After all, when he was foreign secretary a year ago, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy made clear that if the American administration rejected the Chagos deal, it would be dead. Of course, Lammy pledged, theyve got to be happy with the deal or there is no deal. And this Labour Government would never go back on its word, would it? Nigel Farage is the leader of Reform UK Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. A Chicago surgeon charged in the double murder of his ex-wife and her dentist husband was booked into an Ohio jail on Tuesday afternoon. Michael McKee, a 39-year-old Lincoln Park resident, is being held at the James A. Karnes Corrections Center in Franklin County, Ohio. McKee allegedly killed his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, and her dentist husband, Spencer Tepe, in Columbus over the holidays. The couple was found shot to death in their home on Dec. 30. Their two children were found safe inside the home. Advertisement Advertisement Court documents show that McKee was identified using surveillance footage from the neighborhood. The murders led investigators across several states and made national headlines, but authorities ultimately tracked McKee down and arrested him in Rockford on Saturday. It's unclear what McKee, who works as a vascular surgeon, was doing there. A grand jury in Franklin County returned an indictment against McKee on Friday. At the time, he was being held in a Winnebago County jail. McKee is charged with two counts of Aggravated Murder and one count of Aggravated Burglary. All counts include a three-year firearm specification for using a gun to commit Aggravated Murder and a six-year firearm specification for using a firearm suppressor. Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE | Family of couple slain in Ohio home says Chicago man accused in murders emotionally abusive According to court records, McKee and Monique Tepe divorced in 2017. A motive for the killings is not yet known. You can contact the Illinois domestic violence hotline at 1-877-863-6338 click here for more information. (File photo by Getty Images) The child care sector in Ohio and nationwide is furiously pushing for federal leaders to walk back funding freezes for some states, and boost support in the next congressional budget for every state. More than three dozen child care organizations around the country signed on to a letter urging the federal government to continue funding child care resources like the Child Care Development Block Grant, and bring back funding that was taken from certain states as fraud allegations in Minnesota circulated. Advertisement Advertisement Ohios early childhood advocacy group Groundwork Ohio was one of the groups who signed on. In the letter, the organizations ask the federal Administration for Children and Families to disburse the funding without further disruption, and for Congress to protect and prioritize child care investments as they continue to debate the next appropriations bill. The letter said fraud at any level is unacceptable and takes valuable child care away from eligible families, and any funding should be used wisely and as intended. Simultaneously, it is essential that the strong oversight and internal controls already in place to govern these resources are ensuring the funding is being used properly, and that it continues to reach hard-working, eligible families, according to the letter. Advertisement Advertisement The Minnesota fraud allegations, first made by a right-wing social media influencer, were parroted by the Trump administration, to the point that the administration froze $10 billion in federal child care funds to select states: Minnesota, California, Colorado, Illinois, and New York. The move caused leaders in other states, including Ohio, to make statements defending their child care systems, the audits and oversight that happen in their systems, and the need for the federal funding to sustain them. Gov. Mike DeWine joined with Ohio Department of Children and Youth Director Kara Wente to lay out the verification processes used in the state, and fraud investigation methods that can be used, should any legitimate information come to light. State data showed nearly 20,000 inspections of licensed child care providers in fiscal year 2025. Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge temporarily blocked the funding freeze to the five states on Jan. 9 as a lawsuit continues, but advocates are still nervous about the future of child care funding. The fraud allegations and funding freeze come as the child care sector in Ohio and nationwide is still strapped with high demand and high worker turnover, combined with low wages and a lack of access in many areas of the country. Funding freezes related to fraud are just the latest in a heap of financial issues created on the federal level, from Jan. 2025s fund-freezing executive orders, to congressional Medicaid cuts, and the impact the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history had on Head Start programs and SNAP benefits. Any delays in funding would be catastrophic to a sector already in crisis, said Ali Smith, of Policy Matters Ohio, in a research brief on the situation. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX National groups agreed in a Jan. 13 press briefing that the unpredictability and uncertainty of the sector is already causing problems that will ripple out for years to come, and continuing the losses will only further challenge a system in the country that parents rely on to stay in the workforce, and help families thrive. Shutting down federal social services and income assistance funding to selected states will hurt babies, and not fraudsters, said Melissa Boteach, chief policy officer for Zero to Three, a national non-profit early childhood advocacy group. Phil Fisher, director of the Stanford Center on Early Childhood said the most recent of the annual national surveys the center conducts shows record rates of hardship for those already struggling to afford what they need. Advertisement Advertisement The centers RAPID Survey Project was started in April 2020 to study the impacts of policy and programs on child care and early childhood education. Fisher said in Oct. 2025, the research showed the highest rates of material hardship, with 60% of families saying they couldnt afford at least one of their basic needs, which include utilities, food, health care, housing, and child care. At present, were actually seeing rates that are considerably higher than we ever saw during the pandemic, with more than half of all families consistently reporting that they cant pay for things, Fisher said. As affordability continues to be a problem in America, the child care funding challenges will continue to impact family decisions on what they can and cant pay for, according to Fisher. Advertisement Advertisement And yet, we know that policy, from what we saw during the pandemic, can take a big bite out of these issues if we show the self-discipline to really make sure that things happen, Fisher said. At the local level, Smith and Policy Matters Ohio argue that the child care crisis could be helped by moving to an enrollment-based payment system, rather than the attendance-based reimbursement thats currently in place for Ohios Publicly Funded Child Care. The Administration for Children and Families in 2024 pledged to implement a nationwide payment requirement that would be prospective (pre-paid) and enrollment-based. The Ohio General Assembly put $89 million into the state operating budget to implement the federal rules, but that implementation hasnt happened yet. Now, the Trump administration has pushed back the deadline to make those changes into 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Since pushing back the deadline, the federal agency has also introduced a new rule that would rescind that requirement, and maintain the attendance-based rules. Public comment on the federal proposal lasts until Feb. 4. Smith argued taking away the future enrollment-based payments will continue the crisis in the child care sector by maintaining financial instability for providers. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Childrens Lighthouse Early Learning Schools is planning to open its first Tennessee location in Mt. Juliet, according to a company news release. The new school is expected to open in spring 2026 at 9468 Lebanon Road, according to a news release by Childrens Lighthouse Early Learning Schools. The Mt. Juliet location will be owned and operated by CJ Patel, Kal Patel, Danielle Luja and Mariano Luja. Childrens Lighthouse of Mt. Juliet will offer programs for infants through school-age children, including before- and after-school care. Children's Lighthouse Early Learning School under construction in Mt. Juliet. A focus on character and academics The school will use the Lighthouse Pathways curriculum, which is designed to help children develop confidence, independence and a lifelong love of learning. The curriculum includes age-appropriate learning rooted in Blooms Taxonomy, monthly themes that emphasize responsibility, respect and citizenship, and small class settings. Advertisement Advertisement Infants and toddlers will learn in an environment that supports language and motor skill development. Preschool and pre-K students will experience a blend of structure and exploration, with hands-on learning and early literacy foundations. School-age children will have access to homework help, enrichment activities and character-building experiences. Childrens Lighthouse was established in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1997 and now has more than 70 franchised schools in operation and 25 additional locations in development. To learn more about Childrens Lighthouse in Mt. Juliet, visit childrenslighthouse.com/mtjuliet or call 615-558-8656. Disclaimer: This story was created by reporter Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing. Learn more. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Children's Lighthouse Early Learning School coming to Mt. Juliet Wildfires that have killed 20 people in southern Chile and wiped out entire towns raged for a third day Monday, fanned by warm temperatures and strong winds at the height of the southern hemisphere summer. The blazes started Saturday in the Nuble and Biobio regions -- about 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of the capital Santiago -- and have since ripped through an area the size of the US city of Detroit. Around 1,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement President Gabriel Boric said Monday that firefighters had managed to contain some of the blazes but that others remained "very active" and that new fires had broken out in the Araucania region bordering Biobio. Both Nuble and Biobio were declared disaster areas, allowing for the deployment of soldiers who patrolled a desolate landscape of melted cars, twisted metal and houses reduced to rubble. "It was horrible. I tried to wet the house as much as possible, but I saw the flames coming toward my neighborhood. I grabbed my son, my brother got my dog out, and we fled," Yagora Vasquez, a resident of the small port town of Lirquen, which was particularly hard hit, told AFP. Residents returned to what remained of their homes on Monday, digging through the rubble and ash to salvage what they could. Advertisement Advertisement Vasquez told AFP she had chosen to live in Lirquen -- on a hill far from the sea -- after seeing the devastation wrought by the tsunami of 2010 that killed more than 500 people in the same region of Chile. This time the threat came from the forest. - 'A wave of fire' - Mareli Torres similarly moved away from the coast after the tsunami, only for her home to be destroyed this weekend in "a wave of fire, not water." "This is much worse, much more devastating. In the earthquake the sea surged, there was destruction, but compared to this its nothing," said Torres, 53. Of the two-story house she lived in with her family for nearly two decades, only blackened walls and a haze of smoke remained. Advertisement Advertisement More than 3,500 firefighters were fighting the fires in Nuble and Biobio on Monday. Temperatures in the area hit around 25C (77F) on Monday, slightly lower than at the weekend. Wildfires have severely impacted south-central Chile in recent years, especially in its warmest and driest months of January and February. A 2024 study led by researchers at the Santiago-based Center for Climate and Resilience Research, found climate change had "conditioned the occurrence of extreme fire seasons in south-central Chile" by contributing to a long-term drying and warming trend. In February 2024, several fires broke out simultaneously near the city of Vina del Mar, northwest of Santiago, resulting in 138 deaths, according to the public prosecutor's office. Advertisement Advertisement Unprecedently large areas of the country burnt during the 2016-17 and 2022-23 fire seasons. Elsewhere in southern South America, wildfires have burnt more than 15,000 hectares in recent days in Argentine Patagonia. axl-pa/mlr-cb/sla By Andrew MacAskill LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Britain has approved construction of a new Chinese embassy in London after stalling the decision for seven years over planning disputes and a diplomatic standoff that has complicated efforts to repair damaged relations between the two nations. Here is a timeline of why the planning application has taken so long to resolve: May 2018 - China announced plans to build a new embassy in London on the former site of the Royal Mint - the maker of British coins - after purchasing land on the site for about 250 million pounds ($337 million). Advertisement Advertisement The new embassy would replace China's main diplomatic premises in Portland Place in the Marylebone district of central London. This has been the site of China's embassy since 1877 when it was opened as the country's first permanent overseas diplomatic mission. Chinese diplomats say they need a new embassy because the current space is too small and they use several buildings across London to host the work of officials who work on science, defence, culture and visa services. When the Chinese government bought the land, Britain's then Conservative government gave its approval. The then foreign minister, Boris Johnson, welcomed what he said at the time was China's "largest overseas diplomatic investment".China's then ambassador, Liu Xiaoming, expressed hopes that the deal would "write a new chapter for a China-UK golden era". June 2021 - China submitted its plans to redevelop the site to the Tower Hamlets council in east London. Under British law, local governments handle most planning decisions. Advertisement Advertisement The plan set out how China planned to build an embassy with a footprint of about 55,000 square metres (600,000 square feet) which would be China's biggest mission in Europe. The new embassy would include enough space for offices, housing for diplomats and staff, as well as commerce, consular services, educational and cultural centres. December 2022 - The problems began when Tower Hamlets council unexpectedly refused to grant permission for the project saying it would impact on the lives of residents. While unelected planning officers in Tower Hamlets council accepted the plans, local elected councillors overruled them at a meeting. Advertisement Advertisement The councillors sided with local residents who said they could be swept up in protests at the site and complained about China's treatment of Uyghurs, a sensitive issue for residents in an area of east London that has a large Muslim population. August 2023 - China paused plans to build a new embassy when it missed a deadline to appeal against the local council's decision. China would only resubmit its application if it received a promise from the British government to intervene, sources told Reuters at the time. Around this time, British officials said London's plans to rebuild its embassy in Beijing could be impacted in a tit-for-tat response unless China was allowed to relocate its embassy. Advertisement Advertisement July 2024 - Two weeks after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party won one of the largest parliamentary majorities in recent history, China resubmitted its planning application to the local government. August 2024 - Chinese President Xi Jinping raised his concerns about the failure to approve the embassy decision with Starmer in their first call. October 2024 - The British government took control of the stalled planning decision under powers that allow it to do so if an application is controversial, or nationally significant. This triggered a planning inquiry with the final decision then made by the government. Advertisement Advertisement November 2024 - Starmer told Xi in televised comments at the G20 summit in Brazil that his government would make the final decision on whether to approve the embassy after Xi raised the matter with him. January 2025 - After the planning inquiry requested evidence, the then British foreign and interior ministers indicated their support for the plans. August 2025 - The government first delayed its decision after saying parts of China's planning application were blacked out. Over the following months, it pushed back the ruling twice more, citing slow responses from the British interior and foreign ministries delays that came as ministers faced criticism over the collapse of a trial of men accused of spying for Beijing. Advertisement Advertisement January 2026 - The British government approved the embassy plan, saying national security was its "first duty" and intelligence agencies had been involved throughout the process. "An extensive range of measures have been developed to manage any risks," a government spokesperson said. The housing ministry said in a separate statement that the decision was final unless it was successfully challenged in court. ($1 = 0.7417 pounds) (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, editing by Elizabeth Piper and William James) SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that it will be opening the Harare Zimbabwe Temple for public tours, and it held the dedication for the Alabang Philippines Temple. On Monday, the Church announced that they will be holding public tours for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple starting on Jan. 22 and continuing through Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, excluding Sundays. According to the Church, the Harare Zimbabwe temple was designed to honor its surrounding area. In the temple are stained-glass windows with floral motifs to the flame lily, which is Zimbabwes national flower. There are also floral designs throughout paintings and rug designs in the temple that include flora native to Harare. Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Advertisement Advertisement Originally announced in 2016 by President Thomas S. Monson, the Harare Zimbabwe Temple will be the first temple in Zimbabwe and will serve over 46,000 church members, many of whom have had to travel to Johannesburg to attend a temple. The Harare Zimbabwe temple will be dedicated on March 1, 2026. Alabang Philippines Temple This week, the Church also dedicated the Alabang Philippines Temple, which is the fourth operating temple in the Philippines. Almost 900,000 Church members live in the Philippines and over 48,000 toured the temple during its open house. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostoles dedicated the temple on January 18, 2026, almost a decade after it was initially announced. During his dedication, he spoke about the love and dedication from the Filipino people. Advertisement Advertisement The joy that we experience as individuals and families can be deeper and richer because of what we learn in the temple, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Courtesy: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Bednar also spoke about the other temples throughout the Philippines currently operating, under construction or planned. As 10 additional temples are under construction or in planning here, it is clear the blessings of the temple are expanding across this remarkable nation, Elder Bednar said. Two other temples, in Davao and Bacolod, are scheduled to be dedicated in May. Notably, after they are dedicated, temples in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are only open to qualified members of the Church who carry temple recommends. However, other Church meetinghouses are open to the public. Latest headlines: Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) In his first executive order of the year, Mayor Brett Smiley has unveiled an executive order aimed at making it more difficult for federal immigration authorities to conduct enforcement operations in Providence. The move comes on the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trumps inauguration, and just months after Smiley signed an executive order reaffirming that Providence police are not allowed to assist federal immigration authorities. The executive order titled, Prohibiting the Use of City Property for Civil Immigration Enforcement Activities, states that city-owned parking lots, garages, parks, or buildings cant be used as a staging area, processing location, operations base, or other support for civil immigration enforcement, unless authorities are executing lawful judicial warrants. Advertisement Advertisement This executive order makes clear that public spaces are used for support of our community, not to terrorize our community, Smiley said on Tuesday. The order also stated that city property cant be used to assemble, mobilize or deploy vehicles, equipment, materials or personnel for the purpose of carrying out civil immigration enforcement operations. The city will also install signage on properties that would fall under the executive order, stating that they may not be used for civil immigration enforcement. The directive also says the city will also provide standardized signage templates to private landowners and leaseholders, if they choose, for display to identify the nonpublic areas of the property in which the landowner or lease holder wishes to restrict activities related to civil immigration enforcement. Private landowners and leaseholders can use signs at their own discretion and assume any legal risk associated therewith, according to the executive order. Advertisement Advertisement In his last executive order, Smiley reaffirmed that the city is meant to be a safe and welcoming place for all, and that Providence police are not allowed to assist federal immigration authorities. Less than a week ago, President Trump announced his administration will strip federal funding from sanctuary cities and states. EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY FIRST, NO MORE PAYMENTS WILL BE MADE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO STATES FOR THEIR CORRUPT CRIMINAL PROTECTION CENTERS KNOWN AS SANCTUARY CITIES, the president wrote in a post on Truth Social. In August, Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to 32 sanctuary jurisdictions, including Rhode Island, that were deemed noncompliant with federal immigration laws. Advertisement Advertisement The fear of consequences from the federal government is not a factor at this time because there are families in Providence who are afraid, Smiley said. Theyre justified in their fear. There are kids in Providence not going to school. There are people in Providence not going to work. Former Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, who served as the Massachusetts Chairman for President Trumps 2024 campaign, called Smileys executive order outrageous, and part of a political, left-wing agenda. In an interview with Target 12 on Tuesday, Hodgson disputed that ICE agents are going after people in the country illegally without criminal records. He said collaboration between local agencies and federal agencies, like ICE, should be encouraged. The best, maximum potential to keep the community safe is to have local law enforcement working in collaboration with ICE, Hodgson said. 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: Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. At least 27 members of a leftist rebel group have been killed in clashes in central Colombia with a rival faction, according to military authorities, at a time of heightened tension in the region under the pall of United States military action in Venezuela and threats against Colombia. The clashes, which have been the most violent in recent months, occurred on Sunday in the rural area of the municipality of El Retorno, in the Guaviare region of the Amazon, 300km (186 miles) southeast of Bogota, a military source told the Reuters news agency. The army said on Saturday on X that the fight was mainly about control of territory, as the region is strategic for cocaine production and trafficking. Advertisement Advertisement The clashes took place between a faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) led by the countrys most wanted man, Nestor Gregorio Vera, known by his war name Ivan Mordisco, and another led by Alexander Diaz Mendoza, alias Calarca Cordoba, a second military source specified. Both groups were part of the so-called Central General Staff but separated in April 2024 due to internal disputes. The casualties were all from Veras group, according to the two military sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. A leader from Diazs group also confirmed the clashes and the 27 deaths to Reuters. Army sources said the death toll was preliminary. The faction led by Diaz is currently engaged in peace talks with left-wing President Gustavo Petro, while Veras group continues to launch attacks on civilians and security forces after the government suspended a bilateral ceasefire. These now-rival factions had rejected a 2016 peace agreement that allowed approximately 13,000 FARC members to abandon armed struggle and reintegrate into society after disarming. Advertisement Advertisement With elections four months away and the opposition accusing him of being soft, Petro has increased pressure on rebel groups. In November, government forces staged an attack that killed 19 Mordisco followers. Petro has likened the elusive Mordisco to the late cocaine baron Pablo Escobar. The president has clashed loudly of late with the United States over Venezuela as tensions grew between the two longstanding allies. Petro has traded harsh words with President Donald Trump after the latter threatened to follow up the US abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with an attack to topple or kill Petro. Advertisement Advertisement But last week, the two leaders calmed tensions, speaking and agreeing to work together to fight drug trafficking. Colombias National Liberation Army (ELN), a left-wing rebel group and the nations largest remaining rebel force, has been preparing for battle amid Trumps intervention threats. Colombias armed conflict, spanning over six decades and primarily financed by drug trafficking and illegal mining, has resulted in more than 450,000 deaths and millions displaced, with Petros peace efforts currently stalled. Track your investments for FREE with Simply Wall St, the portfolio command center trusted by over 7 million individual investors worldwide. Travelzoo's latest valuation work keeps the fair value estimate steady at about US$22.25 per share, even as the discount rate and long term revenue growth assumption are now set at 8.52% and about 7.02% respectively. This reflects a more cautious tone after softer Q3 results and trimmed 2025 to 2026 forecasts, while still recognizing that the subscriber base could support growth if engagement and monetization hold up. Stay with this update to see how you can keep on top of future shifts in the Travelzoo story as new data and research come through. Stay updated as the Fair Value for Travelzoo shifts by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on Travelzoo. What Wall Street Has Been Saying Bullish Takeaways Ascendiant keeps a positive stance on Travelzoo, maintaining a Buy rating even after trimming its price target to US$23 from US$26. This suggests the firm still sees upside relative to the latest internal fair value estimate of about US$22.25 per share. Ascendiant points to subscriber growth as a key driver that could support stronger conditions in 2026, tying the investment case to Travelzoo's ability to convert its audience into revenue rather than short term quarterly swings. Noble Capital continues to rate the stock Outperform with a revised price target of US$21. This keeps the stock in a favored bucket for that firm despite softer Q3 results and lower 2026 forecasts. Bearish Takeaways Both Ascendiant and Noble Capital have cut their price targets, to US$23 and US$21 respectively. This signals that the softer Q3 print and reduced 2025 to 2026 estimates are feeding into a more cautious view on execution and growth visibility. Noble Capital's downward revision to its 2026 forecast, and Ascendiant's lower estimates for 2025, highlight that some of the earlier optimism is being tempered by near term performance risk and the need to see consistent delivery against expectations before assigning higher valuation upside. Do your thoughts align with the Bull or Bear Analysts? Perhaps you think there's more to the story. Head to the Simply Wall St Community to discover more perspectives or begin writing your own Narrative! NasdaqGS:TZOO 1-Year Stock Price Chart What's in the News cA coalition of more than 230 environmental groups has called for a national moratorium on the construction of new data centers in the United States. According to The Guardian, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and Food and Water Watch joined a plethora of local organizations around the country in calling for a ban on new data centers, which comes amid growing backlash to the AI boom and soaring energy prices. "I've been amazed by the groundswell of grassroots, bipartisan opposition to this, in all types of communities across the U.S.," Emily Wurth, managing director of organizing at Food and Water Watch, said, per the publication. Advertisement Advertisement "Everyone is affected by this, the opposition has been across the political spectrum. A lot of people don't see the benefits coming from AI and feel they will be paying for it with their energy bills and water. Wurth pointed to "outrageous utility price rises" as a major concern, adding that this is "something Americans really do care about." Households can guard against rising energy costs by investing in solar energy. The technology can significantly reduce electricity costs, even reaching $0. TCD's Solar Explorer can help you get started, connecting you with vetted installers and potentially saving up to $10,000 on solar installations. As the tech industry has pumped more and more money into AI incorporating their large language models and generative systems into everything from your email account to web searches to home appliances they've needed to build new, massive data centers that consume incredible amounts of power a day. Advertisement Advertisement That demand for power has increased energy prices by an average of 13% in much of the U.S., and it has forced power companies to rely more heavily on polluting energy sources like oil, natural gas, and coal to meet those needs. But the impact doesn't stop there. Data centers run extremely hot and need water to stay operational. According to projections, AI data centers alone will need 6.4 trillion gallons of water to function by 2027, and all of that water comes directly from the stores people rely on in day-to-day life. The swift increase in data centers could see 44 million tons of carbon pollution added to the atmosphere by 2030, according to The Guardian. Advertisement Advertisement "The rapid, largely unregulated rise of data centers to fuel the AI and crypto frenzy is disrupting communities across the country and threatening Americans' economic, environmental, climate and water security," the organizations said in their letter. It's unclear whether the pushback against data centers from these organizations will have a significant impact, but it is the latest sign that people are starting to question their use and the power demands they create, even as they continue to be built around the world. In the meantime, homeowners can use TCD's Solar Explorer to switch to solar energy and drive down their monthly bills. The upfront costs of solar panels can be prohibitive for some, but Palmetto's LightReach solar leasing program offers $0-down options that can reduce utility rates by 20%. However, EnergySage can help those who want to buy their own system outright, providing quotes from local, vetted installers and providing details on available incentives that could save you thousands of dollars. Advertisement Advertisement Pairing solar energy with an energy-efficient HVAC system can further reduce energy costs. TCD's HVAC Explorer makes it easy to find the system for your home and budget, potentially saving up to 50% on heating and cooling. Meanwhile, the free Palmetto Home app makes it easy to unlock up to $5,000 in rewards to spend on home upgrades. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. BYHALIA, Miss. WREG is learning more about a rumored potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Byhalia, Mississippi, after a protest was held there on Friday. People WREG spoke to are upset about the idea of a potential ICE facility coming to Northern Mississippi, but weve been unable to confirm that this facility is even happening. Rumored ICE Facility in Byhalia, MS Photo by WREG According to documents that are making the rounds on the internet currently, the building is a soon-to-be ICE holding facility. Advertisement Advertisement Billy Bob Thornton gives shoutout to Memphis clothing store: Its where Elvis used to shop These online documents detail that this warehouse would detain up to 8,500 people for ICE . WREG hasreached to ICE, city officials in Byhalia, as well as state officials in Mississippi, we have not gotten any comments back yet to say if this warehouse is actually linked to ICE. There was a protest that took place outside of this facility on Friday. The protesters seem to be basing their knowledge of this facility on unconfirmed documents, but they are calling on local and state officials to issue an immediate ban on the conversion of industrial spaces for human detention. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Something in Europe has snapped. Donald Trump doubled down again on Monday night in his insistence that the US "has to have" Greenland for national security reasons. He predicted that Europe's leaders aren't "gonna push back too much". But that's not the plan they have in mind when their paths cross with the US president at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark - a member of the EU and of Nato. President Trump is now leaning heavily on Denmark's allies in both those organisations to abandon Copenhagen and let the US take control of Greenland, or face punitive taxes on all their exports to the United States. It's a horror scenario for European economies, which are already in the doldrums, especially those reliant on exporting to the US like Germany's car industry and Italy's luxury goods market. Polls suggest that 55% of Americans don't want to buy Greenland [AFP via Getty Images] On Monday Germany's finance minister said we will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed, after an emergency meeting ahead of the WEF with his French counterpart. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump threats landed like a slap in the face of European governments, who (separately, in the case of the EU and the UK) had only just settled tariff deals with the US president last year. "We're living through uncharted territories. We've never seen this before. An ally, a friend of 250 years, is considering using tariffs as a geopolitical weapon," said France's Finance Minister Roland Lescure. His German counterpart Lars Klingbeil added: "A line has been crossed... You'll understand that today I'm not saying exactly what will happen. But one thing must be clear: Europe must be prepared." All of a sudden, the softly-softly approach to Trump, that Europe's leaders had clearly favoured since he returned for a second term to the White House, seems to have passed its sell-by date. Europe's good cop, bad cop approach It's too early to read the last rites on transatlantic relations altogether but the EU, at least, is hoping to approach the US president in Switzerland this Wednesday at the Global Economic Forum "speaking softly, while carrying a big stick" to paraphrase a former US president. Advertisement Advertisement Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt believed that, to achieve your goals, you need diplomacy backed by credible power. And Europe now seems to be adopting a good cop, bad cop approach. European leaders are telling President Trump they'll support him in prioritising Arctic security, so there's no need for him to go it alone over Greenland. At the same time, EU diplomats have let it be known they're considering imposing 93 billion (80 billion) worth of tariffs on US goods or even restricting the access of American businesses, possibly including banks and high tech companies - to the bloc's massive single market, if Trump goes ahead with his "Greenland tariffs" as they've become known. European leaders are telling Trump they'll support him in prioritising Arctic security, so there's no need for him to go it alone over Greenland [Bloomberg via Getty Images] These retaliatory measures would most likely have a knock-on effect on US consumers too. Advertisement Advertisement European Union investors have a massive presence in nearly all 50 US states and are said to be responsible for employing 3.4 million Americans. The EU has a weak voice on the world stage of international diplomacy. The bloc is made up of 27 often bickering countries. But it has huge clout when it comes to the global economy and trade, where decisions are largely taken by the European Commission on behalf of EU single market members. The European Union is the world's biggest trader of goods and services, accounting for nearly 16% of world trade in 2024. So, Brussels is crossing its fingers that President Trump will climb down from from his maximalist position and negotiate a compromise solution, if he realises, that he may end up gaining an island (Greenland) but he'll probably lose close allies (Europe), and be seen as responsible for US consumer costs going up (because of EU retaliatory tariffs). "Our priority is to engage, not escalate," EU Commission deputy spokesperson Olof Gill said on Monday. Europe needs Washington to secure a sustainable peace deal for Ukraine and for its own continental security [WPA Pool/Getty Images] "Trump is forcing the Europeans to grow a spine," says Niclas Poitiers, an economist and expert in international trade at the Brussels-based Bruegel think-tank. Advertisement Advertisement "[While] the damage of [Trump's] tariffs is very manageable for Europe the much bigger question here is not economic but security and foreign policy. "The EU cannot afford not to react." Trust in US security guarantees But on Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared less than impressed. Speaking in Davos, he painted a picture of a US president with his mind set: "The president is looking at Greenland as a strategic asset for the United States. We are not going to outsource our hemispheric security to anyone else." European tariff retaliation would be "unwise", he warned. And here Europe feels stuck. Damned if it takes action. Damned if it doesn't. Advertisement Advertisement Some in Europe worry that if they are now more confrontational with Trump, they risk alienating the US even further. And the brutal truth is: Europe needs Washington to secure a sustainable peace deal for Ukraine and for its own continental security. Despite pledging more defence-spending, Europe is still heavily reliant on the US. The Danish Navy patrols near Nuuk, Greenland earlier this month [Getty Images] While also reiterating his support for Danish and Greenlandic sovereignty, Sir Keir Starmer, the UK prime minister, was at pains to make that point on Monday, saying it was in the UK's "national interest that we continue to work with the Americans when it comes to defence, to security and to intelligence. "Our nuclear deterrence is our foremost weapon. A deterrent when it comes to securing the safety of everybody in the United Kingdom is my primary duty and that requires us to have a good relationship with the United States." Advertisement Advertisement But, if Europe continues to try to "manage" president Trump, rather than stand up to him, when he is threatening the sovereignty of his fellow Nato ally (Denmark), and brandishing economic sanctions over other allies if they support Copenhagen, then the continent risks looking seriously weak. On X on Monday the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas wrote, "We have no interest to pick a fight, but we will hold our ground". As a former prime minister of Estonia, a country that fears the looming shadow of an expansionist Russia, she is keen to demonstrate to Moscow that Europe can - and will - bare its teeth, if pushed. "Europeans can't shy away anymore," Tara Varma told me. She's an expert in security and geopolitics at think tank, German Marshall Fund. Advertisement Advertisement "They tried personal diplomacy alone [with Donald Trump] over the last year, in order to try and tie him into Europe's collective defence and guaranteeing Ukraine's security after a ceasefire with Russia," she said. But if he can suddenly turn around (as he just has), linking economic and security issues and threatening Nato, if he doesn't get his way over a certain issue, then, she says, how much trust can Europe ultimately put in US security guarantees under this administration?" Putin and the Board of Peace Watching all this from the sidelines is not only Russia, but China. In their eyes the West - traditionally with the US and Europe tightly-knit at its core, dominant for decades in global politics - is now unravelling. The world is increasingly dominated by a number of big powers, including Russia and China, but also India, Saudi Arabia and, to an extent, Brazil. Advertisement Advertisement China hopes Donald Trump's apparent fickleness with his allies may make Beijing appear a more stable, reliable partner and drive more international trade its way. Canada, which President Trump had threatened to make the 51st state of the US, has just agreed to a limited trade deal with Beijing. It's trying to reduce its exposure to Washington. The US president has also shown little regard for multilateral institutions like Nato and the United Nations set up by western powers after the second world war, to manage global order. Some point to the Board of Peace that President Trump is now establishing, and that he reportedly wants to stage a signing ceremony for this Thursday in Davos. Many world leaders and leading business figures are attending the conference. The Board is ostensibly designed to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza after Israel's devastating two year offensive, aimed at destroying Hamas following its attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. But the Board's charter calls for "a more nimble and effective international peace-building body", suggesting its remit would be far wider, possibly to rival the UN. France does not plan to accept an invitation that it has received to join the Board of Peace, according to a source [AFP via Getty Images] That's how France's President sees it. A source close to Emmanuel Macron issued a statement on Monday saying that France did not plan to accept an invitation that, "along with many countries", it had received to join the Board of Peace. "The [Board's] Charter... raises major questions, particularly with regard to respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which cannot be called into question under any circumstances," the statement reads. The Kremlin said on Monday that Vladimir Putin had also been asked to join the Board, suggesting that Trump is keen to maintain ties with the Russian president, despite Moscow's four-year long assault on Ukraine and its failure so far to accept a US-backed peace plan. Questions have been raised too about Trump's overarching role on the Board, and his demand that world leaders pay $1 billion for permanent membership. More from InDepth But Tara Varma insists that the Peace Board isn't about peace. "How can it be, if you invite leaders like Putin to be part of it? "Trump wants to be seen as a peacemaker. He wants the headlines, but without doing the hard graft to lay the groundwork needed for peace to be durable. His is more of a hit and run strategy. "He can't replace multilateral institutions like the UN that have been around for 80 years." Relations are strained but not broken Perhaps, though, President Trump, with his flouting of decades-old international norms, is shaking some of these multilateral institutions up a bit, pushing or even forcing them to modernise and become more relevant. The membership of the UN security council should arguably be less western-centric, and more representative of changes in global power structures. Nato's European members have admitted they ought to be paying more for their own defence. Trump is not the first US president to say that they should, though he's far blunter. It was after he threatened that the US would no longer defend nations that didn't pay their way, that all Nato members except Spain agreed to dramatically increase security spending. Back to Greenland, polls suggest 55% of Americans don't want to buy the island and 86% oppose a military takeover by the US. Denmark and other European powers have been lobbying lawmakers on Capitol Hill to persuade them that Greenlandic and Danish sovereignty must be protected. Asked if he was prepared to use force to seize Greenland, President Trump said, "No comment", sending chills down the spine of many Greenlanders [Getty Images] Transatlantic relations aren't broken yet, though they are damaged. Donald Trump is still picking up the phone to his pal, the Italian premier, Giorgia Meloni, to Starmer, and to Nato's Secretary General Mark Rutte. Lines of communication are still open. Ultimately, though, if Europeans want to try to cut through with Donald Trump, they will have to stick together. Not only the EU's disparate member states, not just Nato: all countries together. And the UK, with its closer relationship with the US will be key here. But Europe's leaders are torn between wanting to do what they see as right internationally, and their own domestic concerns. If a full-blown transatlantic trade war were to break out, that would hurt their voters. All singing from the same sheet over Greenland for any length of time, is going to be tough. Top picture credits: Getty Images and Getty/Bloomberg/Lightrocket [BBC] 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. Emma Barnett and John Simpson bring their pick of the most thought-provoking deep reads and analysis, every Saturday. Sign up for the newsletter here As a decades-long legal battle over pollution in the Illinois River watershed reaches a critical stage, Washington County Judge Patrick Deakins says local farmers feel they are running out of options and running out of time. They see no recourse, Deakins said. This is literally the end of their lives as they know them. This would be a change in these peoples whole lives. And then you start asking the question of, why would we live here? Why would we bring our families here? At the heart of the issue is long-running litigation between Oklahoma and poultry integrators over phosphorus pollution in the Illinois River watershed, which stretches from Northwest Arkansas into eastern Oklahoma. The case, filed more than 20 years ago, has increasingly focused on poultry litter and upstream agricultural practices. Advertisement Advertisement Deakins said what is often discussed in courtrooms and boardrooms has now landed squarely at kitchen tables across rural Washington County. That spirit is what were crushing right now, he said. These are family producers with family farms who are literally seeing their livelihoods evaporate right before their eyes. Ripple effects beyond the farm Deakins said the potential impacts extend far beyond individual farm families. Drawing on economic data compiled with help from the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, he said poultry production supports a web of related industries from feed suppliers to trucking and equipment maintenance. For every job thats lost directly in poultry processing, we may lose two jobs in peripheral or indirect industries, Deakins said. Advertisement Advertisement While poultry production is currently the focus, Deakins said farmers fear broader consequences. They feel under assault, he said. Right now, its chicken production. But theyre worried it could be beef cattle or any agricultural activity in the watershed. Washington County, Deakins said, accounts for an estimated 60% of the agricultural activity within the watershed, making it especially vulnerable to sweeping restrictions. We appreciate our agricultural heritage in Washington County, he said. We feel that its under assault right now, and we want to do everything we can locally to protect it. Never had a seat at the table As county judge, Deakins said his role is not to litigate the case but to serve as a voice for residents who feel shut out of the process. Advertisement Advertisement County government is the closest form of government to many of these rural citizens, he said. I see our role as giving them a megaphone. Many of those citizens, Deakins said, believe they have made good-faith efforts to address pollution concerns in the past two decades efforts they say are now being ignored. They feel cheated, he said. When this litigation started 20 years ago, there was a flurry of activity, then it felt like it was put on the back burner. According to Deakins, producers point to significant changes in how poultry litter is handled, including shipping as much as 90% of it out of the watershed a costly adjustment they say was made in response to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement They created whole new markets, he said. And now they feel completely disregarded and solely punished. Farmers also question whether recent court orders are based on outdated data, despite millions spent by producers and municipalities to reduce phosphorus levels. It seems like the final order was issued based on 20-year-old data, Deakins said. Nobody wants to think thats fair. A call for collaboration Despite the frustration, Deakins said farmers are not looking to avoid responsibility or walk away from the problem. They want to be collaborative, he said. Theyve got their sleeves rolled up. Theyre ready to work on it. They just dont feel like they even have a role. Advertisement Advertisement Deakins said a workable path forward would require leaders from both states, poultry integrators such as Tyson Foods, and representatives from the producing community to sit down together. I honestly think good, sincere people could solve this problem very quickly, he said. This is too damaging to individual producers and families to be used for political points. For Deakins, the issue is ultimately about preserving a way of life that has shaped the county for generations. Think about that farmer you knew growing up, he said. The one who was always there when you needed help. Thats who these producers are. Theyre the backbone of our neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement If those farmers are lost, Deakins warned, the regret will come later. Washington County will need these producers in the future, he said. And if we lose them now, well deeply regret it. TIMELINE: Illinois River watershed lawsuit Early 2000s . Concerns intensify over phosphorus pollution in the Illinois River watershed, which flows from Northwest Arkansas into eastern Oklahoma. 2005 . The state of Oklahoma files a lawsuit against several poultry companies, alleging that runoff from Arkansas poultry litter is degrading water quality downstream. 20052010s . The case moves through state and federal courts, with multiple rulings, appeals, and procedural delays. During this period, poultry growers and municipalities began implementing changes to reduce phosphorus runoff. 2010s . Producers say major investments are made to address pollution concerns, including exporting large amounts of poultry litter out of the watershed, updating land application practices, and upgrading wastewater treatment facilities. 2020s . The lawsuit remains active, with Oklahoma continuing to seek further reductions in phosphorus levels. Poultry integrators such as Tyson Foods remain central to the case. Recent court orders. New rulings and enforcement actions raise concerns among Northwest Arkansas farmers and local officials, who say the decisions could threaten poultry production and broader agricultural activity in Washington County. Tyson Foods said it may not renew local grower contracts. This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Watershed lawsuit puts Washington County farm families on edge A recently unsealed federal court filing suggests that Kathy Ruemmler, a former White House counsel to President Barack Obama and now the top lawyer at Goldman Sachs, acted as a key legal adviser to Jeffrey Epstein during some of his most perilous moments, raising questions about her public account that their relationship was limited and informal. Ruemmler was among the many high-profile names who appeared in a trove of Epstein emails and text messages released last November. As CNNs KFile reported, she was one of the most frequently referenced, with more than 100 exchanges between her and the convicted sex offender over several years. Ruemmlers name also appeared repeatedly on Epsteins schedules for planned meetings between 2014 and 2019 while she worked at the law firm Latham and Watkins. The recent filing is part of a civil lawsuit brought by Epstein victims against the executors of his estate, which is seeking to shield thousands of emails from disclosure by asserting attorney-client privilege. Privilege would not typically apply, experts say, to correspondence between professional acquaintances discussing business the kind of limited, informal relationship Ruemmler says she had with Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement In arguing why the contents of those emails should remain confidential, the estates filing portrays Ruemmler as one of a small group of lawyers repeatedly consulted by Epstein as he faced mounting legal exposure and damaging press coverage in the years leading up to his 2019 arrest. According to the estates descriptions of the emails, Ruemmler was involved in advising Epstein on a range of topics, including efforts to preserve his controversial 2008 plea deal, drafting and shaping proposed public statements, editing correspondence with a US senator, and even discussions related to victim settlements. Tony Fratto, a spokesperson for Goldman Sachs, where Ruemmler works as the general counsel for the bank, said in a statement, It is irresponsible and wrong for CNN to draw conclusions about the content of communications from brief and generic descriptions of emails you havent seen. Kathy was not involved in the privilege assertions or the descriptions in the log. As Kathy has told CNN before, she never represented Epstein and never advocated on his behalf to a third party. She was one of many prominent lawyers he informally reached out to for advice. On Monday night, The Wall Street Journal reported that a senior Goldman Sachs executive discussed preparing a contingency plan for Ruemmler to leave following reporting on her past ties to Epstein, a characterization the bank strongly denied. Advertisement Advertisement Notably, the email descriptions also assert that Ruemmler was among a group of attorneys who worked with Epstein in 2015 to push back on a planned Good Morning America interview with one of his most outspoken victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Epsteins estate claims that Ruemmler helped draft a legal letter sent to ABC News in April 2015 threatening legal action if the piece aired, which it never did. A CNN analysis found that Ruemmler is included in more than 300 emails in the privilege log, which shows thousands of entries between Epstein and his attorneys from as early as 2008 through July 2019. The logs were provided as part of an ongoing civil suit by two alleged victims against the executors of Epsteins estate. While there are often a handful of people on those emails, including lawyers and sometimes a journalist and a public relations crisis professional, there are more than 150 emails between just Ruemmler and Epstein. Far from a passive observer who was added to email chains among Epsteins lawyers, Ruemmler appears in the log as an active participant in many instances. She is listed as the sender of at least 135 of those emails, according to the privilege log. Advertisement Advertisement The recently released log suggests that Ruemmler played a far bigger role in advising Epstein than previously known adding critical details to the portrait that emerged from the trove of messages released by the House Oversight Committee in November. While those messages displayed a level of familiarity and at times friendly banter between Ruemmler and Epstein, the description of the privilege logs indicates something far more extensive a relationship that on its face, and according to experts, appeared to be that of an attorney and a client. In response to questions about her relationship with Epstein, Ruemmler told CNN last month she did not represent him and was not compensated by him. I was one of a number of lawyers Epstein informally reached out to for advice, Ruemmler said in her statement to CNN, adding that she did not advocate on his behalf to third parties and not the press, not a court, not a government official. Ruemmler herself did not respond to additional requests for comment for this piece. Advertisement Advertisement Ruemmler has characterized her relationship with Epstein who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges as limited and professional. She said she only knew him as a business referral source. Epstein in turn once referred to Ruemmler as my great defender. Ruemmler has also repeatedly said she regrets ever knowing Epstein, and she told CNN last month she had no knowledge of any new or ongoing unlawful activity on his part. The privilege log Jeffrey Epstein is seen in this image, released by the Department of Justice on December 19. - US Justice Department/Reuters While the contents of the emails remain sealed, the log offers a window into how Epstein and his attorneys navigated some of his most perilous legal and media battles after his 2008 conviction and incarceration for soliciting prostitution from a minor. The 513-page privilege log was provided in a suit against against Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn, who served as Epsteins attorney and accountant. The suit alleges the two acted as co-conspirators in facilitating Epsteins sex-trafficking crimes, which the two have strenuously denied. A lawyer for the men told the New York Times they emphatically reject the allegations of wrongdoing in the lawsuit and called the claims baseless and legally frivolous. Advertisement Advertisement Theres no indication that Ruemmler is part of the effort to shield the emails from the public by asserting attorney-client privilege. She has maintained that she was not Epsteins attorney. Her law firm at the time of the correspondence, Latham and Watkins, previously told CNN Epstein was never a client of the firm. Latham and Watkins did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Ruemmler joined the firm in the summer of 2014 and left in 2020 to work at Goldman Sachs. But according to experts CNN spoke with, Ruemmlers assertions that she was not his attorney do not matter when it comes to attorney-client privilege. It is the client who asserts privilege. Advertisement Advertisement Attorney client privilege is the privilege of the client with regard to any communication made to someone for the purposes of legal advice. It does not matter if theres not a formal representation document or an agreement, said Ken Broun, an emeritus professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law. If, for example, Epstein reached out to Ruemmler for legal advice and she gave it, those communications could be considered privileged. Its in the mind of the client that matters. But the client would have to have both a reasonable expectation that that person would provide legal advice to them and that the statement was being made in confidence, Broun added. Ruemmlers assertions that she was never compensated by or represented Epstein also do not mean she wasnt providing him legal counsel or advice in some capacity. Advertisement Advertisement You dont need to be compensated by someone to establish an attorney-client relationship, number one, said Elise Maizel, an assistant professor of law at Michigan State University College of Law and an expert on attorney-client privilege. Maizel also said Ruemmler could be viewed as having an attorney-client relationship with Epstein even if she never signed a formal engagement letter or represented him as his counsel in a particular lawsuit. That doesnt mean that there wasnt an attorney-client relationship established such that the privilege could apply, Maizel said. Legal memorandum and correspondence with a US senator Kathy Ruemmler during an appearance on "Meet the Press" in June 2014. - William B. Plowman/NBC/Getty Images Ruemmlers insistence that she was not compensated by Epstein places the extensive legal work described in the filings in the realm of pro bono representation. Such unpaid work by attorneys like Ruemmler, who made $22.5 million in 2024 as Goldman Sachs chief legal officer, is often worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. That work is typically reserved for poor clients or public-interest matters, not for wealthy convicted sex offenders. The newly unsealed filing suggests that Ruemmlers involvement went far beyond casual and informal work. Rather than a distant professional acquaintance, the record portrays her as a trusted legal confidant repeatedly consulted at moments when Epsteins legal and reputational stakes were highest. Advertisement Advertisement Among the most consequential work described is a legal memorandum the estate says that Ruemmler sent Epstein in 2015 analyzing a federal lawsuit that threatened to unravel his controversial 2008 non-prosecution agreement that had shielded him from federal charges. Ruemmler sent the email to Epstein in May 2015, according to the log, with the subject line CVRA Memorandum 04.16.15.pdf. The log describes the entry as providing memorandum containing legal advice. Other entries place Ruemmler in discussions about correspondence with lawmakers as political scrutiny intensified. In early 2019, as then-Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska pressed the Justice Department to investigate how federal prosecutors handled Epsteins case, the log describes multiple emails in which Ruemmler provided legal advice on a proposed response. One entry shows Ruemmler sending Epstein an email with the subject line Suggested edits; the estates description reads, Attorney client communication regarding draft correspondence with Senator Ben Sasse. The attachment is titled, Letter to HONORABLE BEN SASSE.doc Edits 2-9-19.doc. Advertisement Advertisement According to the log, no other attorneys were included in that exchange. One entry in the log indicates Epstein relied upon Ruemmler to take a first pass at drafting public statements responding to allegations against him. In an email sent on October 9, 2016, Epstein wrote to Indyke, his longtime lawyer, that he was waiting for kathys first pass of a proposed statement addressing what the estate later described as inaccurate sex-abuse claims in the media. Just over 30 minutes later, according to the privilege log, Ruemmler was included as a recipient on a related email thread discussing the same draft outline, which suggest her direct involvement in reviewing or shaping the statement. The killed ABC News interview with Virginia Roberts Giuffre Virginia Roberts Giuffre, with a photo of herself as a teenager. - Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service/Getty Images The email logs also provide previously unreported details about a crucial incident that helped Epstein avoid public scrutiny of his sex crimes at a time when he was attempting to rehabilitate his reputation. In early 2015, ABC News was preparing to air a lengthy on-camera interview with Giuffre, who was among the first to publicly accuse Epstein of sex trafficking and abuse. When Epstein learned of the interview in April 2015, he quickly gathered his attorneys on an email chain. Among them was Ruemmler, who in the previous year had left her job in the Obama White House and was working as a high-dollar attorney at Latham and Watkins. The log says that in late April 2015, Ruemmler was across more than a dozen emails appearing to discuss the ABC News interview. The emails are sometimes described as negotiations with media outlet to prevent false allegations from being aired and how to deal with media coverage of claims against Epstein. One email between Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, in which Ruemmler is listed as an attorney, is described in the log as Attorney client communication regarding Good Morning America Interview with REDACTED. A copy of ABCs comment request to Epstein was included in the files released by the House Oversight Committee. The request contained a detailed summary of Giuffres allegations, including claims that Epstein sexually abused her beginning when she was a teenager, trafficked other underage girls, and arranged sexual encounters with powerful men. Among them, according to Giuffre, was then-British royal, Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles last year over his association with Epstein. Ruemmler is listed as sending several emails to Epstein and his attorney, Martin Weinberg, on April 22 and 23, 2015. At least one email chain that Ruemmler sent Epstein and his counsel has the subject line Privileged and Confidential, suggesting that she made the decision to characterize the exchange as an attorney-client privileged conversation. She attached a document called Letter to ABC (Draft 3)kr.doc, seemingly adding her initials to the documents name. The April 23 email is described by the estate as communication providing draft of a letter to the press seeking to correct the record. The following day, April 24, 2015, Weinberg sent an official letter to ABC News on Epsteins behalf a copy of which was released in November by House investigators. In the letter, Weinberg argued that Giuffres allegations were uncorroborated, outdated, and contradicted by other evidence, and warned ABC News that airing the interview would be grossly negligent or worse. If ABC has concerns about her credibility with respect to any allegation, it must decline to republish all of her allegations, the letter from Weinberg read. Weinberg, who has in the past denied that Ruemmler represented Epstein, told CNN, I regret that I cannot discuss any communications for which the Estate has claimed privilege. The ABC News interview never aired. Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, described in her posthumously published memoir feeling proud to have done the interview and devastated that it never aired. Id been defeated once again by the people I was trying to speak out against. And I couldnt help but wonder, if a media giant like ABC could be shut down in its attempts to reveal the truth, was there any hope for survivors like me? Years later, a leaked 2019 recording captured then-Good Morning America co-host Amy Robach expressing frustration that the segment was not broadcast. We had everything, Robach said. Robach declined to comment to CNN. A spokesperson for ABC News pointed CNN to a past statement on the incident: At the time, not all of our reporting met our standards to air, but we have never stopped investigating the story. CNNs Sylvie Kirsch contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The preliminary hearing in the fatal shooting of Erie parolee Marchello D. Woodard is set to begin at 9 a.m. on Jan. 21 in the 250-seat historic Courtroom H, the largest courtroom at the Erie County Courthouse. The venue is out of the ordinary. So are the circumstances surrounding the death of Woodard and the charges filed against the state parole officer who shot him. Preliminary hearings in Erie County are typically held in the small courtrooms in magistrates' offices or in County Council chambers at the courthouse. A state parole agent fatally shot parolee Marchello D. Woodard, 43, in Erie on July 2. Supporters of Woodard, known as Chello, have carried signs bearing his photo at protests over his death. The use of Courtroom H for the preliminary hearing in the Woodard case is meant to accommodate what is expected to be a large crowd, court officials said. Protests, FOP remarks follow Woodard's death The death of the 43-year-old Woodard, who was Black, has led to demonstrations as protestors have demanded justice and linked the Woodard case to the Black Lives Matter movement. Advertisement Advertisement The case has also drawn high interest from the labor union that represents Pennsylvania state parole agents. Another view: Erie, where is your humanity? Cold, vile remarks compound Woodard family's pain | Opinion The president of the labor union, the Philadelphia-based Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 92, has criticized Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz's decision on Dec. 19 to charge the state parole agent, Kevin J. Seelinger, 35, with a general count of criminal homicide in Woodard's death. The count includes the possibility that the prosecution could charge Seelinger with first-degree murder or voluntary or involuntary manslaughter. Seelinger remains in prison with no bond set because of the possibility that the District Attorney's Office could prosecute him for first-degree murder, a premeditated homicide. Preliminary hearing and prima facie evidence At the preliminary hearing, Hirz must present only the most basic evidence to support the charges against Seelinger. The evidence is known as prima facie evidence, or evidence on its face. Advertisement Advertisement Greene Township District Judge Susan Strohmeyer is presiding over the preliminary hearing. She will decide whether Hirz presents enough evidence to send the case to Erie County Common Pleas Court for trial. Signs in support of Erie parolee Marchello D. Woodard have been seen throughout Erie since he was fatally shot on July 2. Seelinger's lawyer, Chad Vilushis, will not be required to present evidence at the preliminary hearing, though he could do so. Vilushis could cross-examine the prosecution's witnesses and make arguments. Strohmeyer is presiding because the district judge originally assigned the case, Paul Bizzarro of Erie's 5th Ward, recused himself after he arraigned Seelinger following his arrest on Dec. 19. Bizzarro, a former Erie police detective, cited his police background as the the reason he removed himself from the case. At the arraignment, Bizzarro ordered Seelinger held without bond over the objections of Vilushis. The defense could argue for a bond reduction before Strohmeyer or wait and go to Common Pleas Court, where Judge John J. Trucilla is assigned the case. Advertisement Advertisement Vilushis argued before Bizzarro that the prosecution had provided no evidence in the criminal complaint to support a charge of first-degree murder. The District Attorney's Office countered that the filing of the general count of criminal homicide allows for the possibility of a first-degree murder charge. Bizzarro accepted that position. The criminal complaint and affidavit of probable cause against Seelinger provide only basic information about Woodard's death. Shooting happened as Woodard was behind wheel of car Seelinger is accused of committing an unlawful killing by shooting Woodard during a compliance check while Woodard was seated in the driver's side of a car parked on East 27th Street between Parade and Wallace streets at around 9:45 p.m. July 2. Woodard, known as Chello, had 16 days remaining on his parole in a cocaine case. Search warrants filed in the homicide probe show that Pennsylvania State Police found "a white powdery substance" in a clear bag in the car that Woodward was driving when he was shot. Advertisement Advertisement Parole agents upset: 'Unacceptable failure': Pa. parole agents blame state for lack of policy in Woodard case The shooting occurred as Woodard was driving away, "dragging a State Parole Agent in the process," according to a summary the state police released about 24 hours after Woodard's death. "The agent fired multiple rounds into the driver's compartment of the vehicle before falling free of the vehicle." The coroner's report on Woodard states that he had a lethal level of cocaine in his system when he died. The report states that toxicology tests also showed Woodard had alcohol, the opioid painkiller hydrocodone and marijuana in his system. Vilushis has said the amount of cocaine in Woodard's system would have affected his behavior before he was shot. The FOP union for Seelinger has echoed that contention. Advertisement Advertisement Hirz has declined to comment on the coroner's report and other evidence because, as she said in announcing the charges against Seelinger on Dec. 19, "this matter is now the subject of active criminal litigation." But her remarks on the coroner's report and other evidence could come at the preliminary hearing in Courtroom H. Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@usatodayco.com or 814-870-1813. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: DA, defense to square off at preliminary hearing in Woodard case A 7-year-old Dallas boy lost part of his leg after an alleged drunk driver slammed into his familys car on New Years Day, causing it to flip on Central Expressway. The crash has devastated a family and left young Saeed facing a lifetime of challenges after doctors were forced to amputate his leg below the knee. Police arrested 23-year-old Michael Lavarius McRae on charges including intoxication assault with serious bodily injury and resisting arrest. The incident occurred just after 1 a.m. on January 1 as Saeeds family drove home from New Years Eve celebrations. Advertisement Advertisement Witnesses reported seeing McRaes white Honda Civic weaving through traffic at high speeds for several miles before the collision. The impact ejected Saeed from the vehicle, throwing him 60 feet onto the roadway. Good Samaritans rushed to help the severely injured child before paramedics arrived. While doctors saved his life, they couldnt save his leg. When I saw him on the ground, I thought that I would lose him, said his mother, Ruksara Abbasova, Fox 4 reported. Its tragedy for me, tragedy because do you know how to see your child in this condition? You want to take his pain to you. You want to take his injuries to you, but you cannot. Advertisement Advertisement Saeed turned 8 just days after the crash. Despite remembering every detail of the accident, he maintains a remarkable outlook. He said, The main thing is that Im alive, Im with you, mom, with my family. I know that I will be good. I will be better,' Abbasova recalled. The boys only request isnt for toys or video games he wants a therapy dog. He said, I am so sad sometimes that I left. I lost my leg, but my pet helped me,' his mother explained, per Fox 4. McRae faces additional charges for failing to maintain vehicle insurance. He has been released on bond while Saeed remains hospitalized. Advertisement Advertisement The family is raising funds to cover mounting medical expenses and fulfill Saeeds wish for a therapy dog. Abbasova hopes sharing their story will prevent similar tragedies. Everyone needs to think about other people too, because you can change the life of the child, the family, for everyone, she said. A key Danish political leader is urging U.S. lawmakers to intervene as President Donald Trump steps up his threats to seize control over Greenland. If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate and the House to start to take control of the political power in America, because with this mad and erratic behavior, you have to ask the question: Is the president capable of running the United States? Lars-Christian Brask, deputy speaker of the Danish parliament, told Sky News. Greenland is a semi-autonomous Danish territory, but Trump has grown increasingly belligerent in his push to seize the island, saying one way or the other, were going to have Greenland and refusing to rule out the use of military force. Danish Parliament Deputy Speaker Lars-Christian Brask: "If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate and House to start to take control of political power... With this erratic and mad behaviour, you have to ask... Is the President capable of running the US?" pic.twitter.com/QseMuRmbXI Adam Schwarz (@AdamJSchwarz) January 19, 2026 Brask also called out Trump for making threats against a friend, pointing out that Denmark has been an ally for more than two centuries and that its soldiers have fought and died in the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement What more do we need to do to maintain and retain the friendship? he asked. Politics: CNN Panelist Cant Hide Her Contempt For Scott Jennings After Epstein Remark Brask posted similar comments on X after Trump sent a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre saying that since he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, he no longer feels an obligation to think purely of Peace. Brask wrote: Lars-Christian Brask on X Lars-Christian Brask In addition, Brask responded to reports that Trump had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to become a member of the Board of Peace he is establishing to control Gaza. When will the sensible world wake up? Brask asked. Read Next Read the original on HuffPost Speaking Tuesday in Davos after arriving for the World Economic Forum, Herzog raised the issue in a meeting with United Nations General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock. President Isaac Herzog urged the international community to move to end what he called illegitimate sanctions stemming from International Criminal Court (ICC) action against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, arguing the measures are preventing senior Israelis from participating in global forums and amount to awarding terror. Speaking Tuesday in Davos after arriving for the World Economic Forum, Herzog raised the issue in a meeting with United Nations General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, according to a statement from Herzogs Presidents Office. Advertisement Advertisement It is unacceptable that shameful international politics repeatedly weaponized against the State of Israel are being used by international legal forums to prevent senior Israelis in the only democracy in the Middle East from attending the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Herzog said. Israel, he added, is on the front line defending the entire free world against the Iranian regimes empire of evil and its terror proxies. Herzog singled out the ICC process involving Netanyahu and Gallant, saying: Preventing Netanyahu, or, for that matter, former defense minister Gallant from attending a global forum aiming to shape the future of the Middle East by such legal means is a reward for terror. ICC CHIEF Prosecutor Karim Khan in The Hague. (credit: Peter Dejong/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Those who truly want to build trust, Herzog continued, cannot exclude those who are on the front lines of the struggle. Advertisement Advertisement He added that Israels leaders and decision makers should be welcomed everywhere, on every stage. ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, senior Hamas leaders In May 2024, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan announced he was seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, alongside senior Hamas leaders, over alleged crimes linked to the October 7 massacre and the subsequent Gaza war. Then, in November 2024, ICC judges issued arrest warrants for the prime minister and then-defense minister. This step prompted heightened questions about travel and potential enforcement by states that are parties to the Rome Statute. Polands government, in January 2025, said it would be required to arrest Netanyahu if he entered the country, after he was invited to attend events marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Hungary, by contrast, has openly rejected the warrants and said it would not comply. It is essential that the international community and European nations take action to bring this shameful episode of the imposition of illegitimate sanctions to a swift end, Herzog said. BARCELONA, Spain (AP) The deadly train wreck in southern Spain has cast a pall over one of the nations symbols of success. Sunday's collision killed at least 42 people and injured dozens more, according to officials on Tuesday. It is undoubtably a hard blow, and I have to work so it doesnt affect the credibility and strength of the network, Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente told Spanish national radio RNE when asked about the knock to the reputation of the rail system. Advertisement Advertisement Here's a look at the history of a rail network that became a crown jewel of contemporary Spain, by the numbers. 34 years The time since Spain inaugurated its first high-speed AVE, which means bird in Spanish. Both before and after that milestone, successive Spanish governments devoted tax revenues and European Union development aid to its high-speed rail network that quickly caught up with and surpassed high-speed pioneers Japan and France. The first high-speed train to speed across Spain preceded the opening of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona by two months. Both marked high points in Spains recent history after it emerged from the economic doldrums and cultural and political isolation of the 20th-century dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco. Advertisement Advertisement 3,900 kilometers The length, equal to 2,400 miles, of high-speed rail that Spain has laid over the past three-plus decades for its 49 million residents. Only China with 45,000 kilometers (28,000 miles) for its 1.4 billion people has more high-speed track, according to the International Union of Railways. Spain's commitment to high-speed rail, which the railway union defines as rails for trains going 250 kph (155 mph), has helped Spain shed its reputation of often being behind the industrial curve compared to other leading economies. Spains train builders have been able to capitalize on its domestic expansion. A Spanish consortium built Saudi Arabias high-speed line connecting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina that opened service in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement 7 vs. 2 hours The approximate time a train trip took between Madrid and Barcelona before and after the 2008 adoption of high-speed rail. On an old, slow train, the 600-kilometer (385-mile) journey between Spains biggest cities used to take around seven hours, meaning many business travelers opted to take a plane. Now that trip can be done in 2 hours, and Spain announced plans in November to modernize the Madrid-Barcelona line to allow trains to reach 350 kph (218 mph), matching the fastest Chinese trains. That would bring the transit time down to less than two hours. The AVE has helped unite a country whose main population centers other than Madrid are located on its coasts, separated by some of the most sparsely populated areas in Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Every region and provincial capital has pushed hard for its own high-speed line. Some critics say the administrations may have spent too much on questionable lines to the detriment of investing in local commuter lines, which suffer many more delays than high-speed rail does. Missing out on an AVE line and stop has become synonymous with economic decline for a provincial city. The high-speed train has proven to be a catalyst for the nations society and economy, Zacarias Grande, professor of civil engineering of the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya told The Associated Press. It has tightened links between Spains different regions over its three decades, significantly boosting business relations and their cultural, technological and professional development. Advertisement Advertisement The move away from air travel to rail also remains a key plank of Spains green energy and electrification plan to fight climate change. One crash The number of deadly crashes on a stretch of high-speed rail tracks in Spains history. One official described Sundays collision as transforming a train into a mass of twisted metal. Spanish officials say they are still at a loss to understand what went wrong Sunday night when one high-speed train jumped the track and collided with another fast train going in the other direction. Alvaro Fernandez, the president of public train company Renfe, told Spanish public radio station RNE that both trains were traveling well under the speed limit and human error could be ruled out. Advertisement Advertisement One of the two trains was operated by Renfe and another by a private company. Spains worst train crash this century occurred in 2013, when 80 people died after a train derailed in the countrys northwest on a track that wasn't designed for high speeds. While the train itself was capable of high-speed travel, an investigation concluded that it was going 179 kph (111 mph) on a stretch with an 80 kph (50 mph) speed limit when it left the tracks. Three companies The number of operators with high-speed trains in Spain. Only recently did Spain open its rail network to private companies to compete against Renfe. Advertisement Advertisement The first private company to get into Spain's high-speed rail market was the French-owned Ouigo in 2021. The Italian-owned Iryo followed in 2022. It was an Iryo train that first derailed on Sunday, knocking the Renfe train off its track. Iryo has said that it's working with officials to determine the causes of the crash. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Ouigo was the first private company to operate a high-speed train, not Iryo. Treasuries fell, pushing long-term yields to the highest in four months, as a rout in Japanese bonds and fallout from US President Donald Trumps tussle with European allies over control of Greenland weighed on global markets. US bonds started the day in sharp decline amid a fierce selloff in Japanese government debt, which triggered turbulence worldwide. Treasuries then dipped even lower after a Danish pension fund said it will sell its holdings of US government debt, before partially rebounding. Most Read from Bloomberg The yield on 30-year Treasuries rose more than 10 basis points at one point to nearly 4.95%, the highest level since Sept. 3. Five- and 10-year yields reached the highest levels since August. By midday in New York, though, Treasuries had stabilized, with yields off their highest levels of the day as traders assessed scenarios. The Danish pension fund AkademikerPension, which said it will exit the market by the end of the month, holds only about $100 million of Treasuries. Still, its statement revived concerns about the financial consequences of US antagonism toward allies. Trump over the weekend escalated his pursuit of American control of Greenland, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark, threatening opponents with tariffs and even hinting at possible military action. Meanwhile, concerns around Japans fiscal outlook sent yields on the nations 40-year debt rocketing above 4% in the Asian session, the most on record. The selloff hit long-dated debt around the world, with most 30-year government yields rising as debt worries remain a pressure point across major economies. No one is doing a great deal to control fiscal deficits, and when it it all comes together with geopolitical concerns around Greenland and European demand for Treasuries, plus the Japanese selloff, yield curves need to be steeper to get the appropriate amount of risk premium, said Dominic Konstam, head of macro strategy at Mizuho Securities USA LLC. The roster of catalysts reminds people of what happened in April, when the Trump administration unveiled sweeping tariffs on dozens of US trading partners, Konstam said. A violent selloff in US financial markets ensued, driven by the perception that US trade policies coupled Trumps attacks on the Federal Reserve could erode foreign demand for US assets over time. The death toll from suspected gangsters attacks on Guatemalan police rose to nine Monday, as Guatemalans saw heavier security in the streets and curtailed rights after Congress approved President Bernardo Arevalos emergency declaration. The violence started Saturday when inmates seized control of three prisons in apparently coordinated riots, taking 43 guards hostage. The gangs were demanding privileges for their members and leaders, according to authorities. Shortly after police liberated one prison Sunday morning, suspected gang members attacked police across the capital. On Monday, National Civil Police Director David Custodio Boteo said that a ninth police officer had died early Monday from his injuries, adding that there are several wounded who are in critical condition ... Some also suffered amputations. Advertisement Advertisement Police honored the fallen officers in a ceremony Monday, where flag-draped coffins sat in the Interior Ministry. Today it pains me to give each one of the families this flag, symbol of the nation that will not forget the sacrifice and commitment of their police fallen in the fulfillment of their duty, Arevalo said Monday. Outside the Interior Ministry, Jose Antonio Revolorio, 72, father of officer Jose Efrain Revolorio Barrera, 25, said, I hope that the criminals who did this to my son will one day pay for it, that the law will go after them. And that this doesnt end here, because my son was an honest man, competent at his work. Meanwhile, the government gazette published Monday Arevalos declaration of a 30-day state of emergency, saying there were coordinated actions by self-named maras or gangs against state security forces, including armed attacks against civilian authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Among the rights that the declaration limits are freedom of action and demonstrations. It also allows police to arrest people without a judicial order if they are suspected gang members. Security forces could also prohibit the movement of vehicles in certain places or subject them to searches. The unicameral Congress approved the state of emergency with minor changes Monday night on a vote of 149 in favor to 1 against, with 10 absent or on approved leave of absence. However, it had gone into effect Sunday. Traffic in the capital Monday appeared lighter than usual. This situation is a shame. It affects people psychologically: they dont want to go out, said Oscar Lopez, a 68-year-old radio technician who had a doctors appointment. I agree with the president imposing the state of emergency because it doesnt stop the violence, but it relaxes people. Advertisement Advertisement Ileana Melgar, 64, said she was afraid of missing her appointment to renew her identification Monday. But I was afraid to go out, I called my friend to go with me. You dont know if they will also stop (public) transportation and we cant get back home. The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala had instructed U.S. government personnel to shelter in place Sunday. That was lifted later in the day, but they were advised to maintain a high level of caution when traveling. On Monday, the embassy condemned the attacks on police. These terrorists, as well as those who cooperate with them or are linked to them, have no place in our hemisphere. The security of the Guatemalan people and the stability of our hemisphere must prevail. We reaffirm our support for Guatemalas security forces to curb the violence. In October, the Congress reformed laws to declare members of the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha gangs terrorists. The changes lengthened prison sentences for gang members who commit crimes. Advertisement Advertisement The United States government also declared those gangs foreign terrorist organizations last year. As a safety precaution, school was suspended nationwide Monday. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW As freezing temperatures drive up energy use higher in Delaware, social media posts have raised concerns that some households are struggling to get timely appointments for energy assistance meant to help lower their bills. Many of the posts reference the Delmarva Power Customer Relief Fund, prompting questions about whether the program is accessible when customers need help most. The customer relief fund is not designed to be an emergency bill payment, a distinction that may be at the center of much of the confusion. Instead, the fund is tied to participation in an energyefficiency program and has specific eligibility rules and required steps that must be completed before any bill credits are applied. Heres what customers need to know about how the program works. A person reviews their energy bill while using a laptop at home. The document includes various charges and electricity usage information. The relief fund: Up to $500 credited to your Delmarva account The Delmarva Power Customer Relief Fund is a one-time bill assistance program supported by a $4.5 million charitable contribution from Exelon, Delmarva Powers parent company. The money is administered through the Delaware Energy Fund and is available only to Delmarva Power electric and gas customers. The program is intended to help limited- and moderate-income households. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until the funds are exhausted. Advertisement Advertisement Assistance is provided as a bill credit, not cash. To qualify, income eligible customers must complete an appointment through Energize Delawares Home Energy Checkup and Counseling program. Eligible households can receive up to $500, which is applied directly to their Delmarva Power account. According to a program administrator, the credit typically appears on a customers bill three to four months after the required Home Energy Checkup and Counseling appointment is completed. ENERGY COSTS MAY RISE EVEN MORE: Delmarva seeks new rate hike to fund new $67.8 million revenue Income requirements for eligibility Customers qualify for the Delmarva Power Customer Relief Fund if they are LIHEAPeligible limitedincome households or moderateincome households earning up to 350% of the federal poverty level owing at least $250 on their Delmarva Power account. Advertisement Advertisement Account holders whose service has been disconnected may also qualify, but only if the $500 credit covers at least 75% of the amount owed and they are able to pay the remaining balance needed to restore service. Finalized, disconnected accounts that exceed the credit amount are not eligible. A home thermostat. How to get an appointment The Customer Relief Fund is administered by the Sustainable Energy Utility, which operates as Energize Delaware. To receive assistance, customers must complete a Home Energy Checkup and Counseling appointment, which can be scheduled by calling 888-735-1510 or booking online. The program previously served only limited-income Delawareans, but in 2025 Energize Delaware expanded the program to include more Delaware households. Demand for appointments has increased sharply, but administrators say capacity has grown just as quickly. Drew Slater, executive director of Energize Delaware and the states former public advocate said the organization has grown two contractors last year to nearly 50 statewide, allowing most appointments to be scheduled within days rather than weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Slater advised the nonprofit is seeking to set up more appointments. If somebody signed up online today, we could schedule them next week, Slater said. What is the Home Energy Checkup and Counseling program? The Home Energy Checkup and Counseling program is offered at no cost. During the one-hour in-home appointment, contractors install energy-saving products and provide guidance on ways to reduce energy use and access additional resources. The goal is to lower utility bills, reduce energy consumption and improve home comfort and efficiency. According to Slater, the program provides an average of $240 in direct-install measures per household. These include LED lighting, low-flow showerheads, dusk-to-dawn outdoor lights, pipe insulation, door sweeps, furnace filters, and smart power strips. Contractors also provide energy education, such as reminders to replace furnace filters regularly or use natural sunlight to help warm homes in winter. Advertisement Advertisement Slater describes the checkup as the entry point to other state energy efficiency programs. Help for non-Delmarva Power customers The Delmarva Power Customer Relief Fund is not available to households served by other utility companies. Those customers may instead apply to the Delaware Energy Fund, which serves eligible households statewide with incomes below 350% of the federal poverty level. Customers may apply to either the Delaware Energy Fund or the Delmarva Power Customer Relief Fund, but not both. As with the Delmarva Power program, eligibility for the Delaware Energy Fund requires participation in an Energize Delaware energy-efficiency program, with approved assistance applied directly as a credit to the customers utility bill. Other assistance options: There are additional programs that may offer guidance or help for households manage energy costs including: Advertisement Advertisement LIHEAP : A federally funded program that helps eligible households pay energy bills, respond to energy-related emergencies and access weatherization and certain home repairs. Delaware 2-1-1 : A statewide service that connects residents with energy assistance and other essential community resources. DNRECs Weatherization Assistance Program: Provides free home improvements designed to reduce energy use and improve comfort. Why timing confusion keeps surfacing The concern over energy bill assistance comes as Delmarva Power seeks state approval to raise electric rates a proposal criticized by the Delaware Division of the Public Advocate and at least one lawmaker. Consumer advocates say its crucial for customers to understand how and when assistance programs work, especially during one of the most expensive months of the year for energy use. To share your community news and activities with our audience, join Delaware Voices Uplifted on Facebook. Nonprofits, community groups and service providers are welcome to submit their information to be added to our Community Resources Map. Contact staff reporter Anitra Jo This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delmarva Power offers up to $500 on bills WASHINGTON Democrats touted modest constraints on President Donald Trumps immigration enforcement in a bipartisan spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday, warning that shutting down the agency as some progressives have called for would do little to restrain Trumps ongoing immigration crackdown. ICE must be reined in, and unfortunately, neither a [continuing resolution] nor a shutdown would do anything to restrain it, because, thanks to Republicans, ICE is now sitting on a massive slush fund it can tap whether or not we pass a funding bill, Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement, referring to $75 billion in additional funding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement already received from Republicans last year. Life: Experts Say There Is Actually Something You Can Do To Stop ICE But Its Crucial You Do It Now The suggestion that a shutdown in this moment might curb the lawlessness of this administration is not rooted in reality: under a CR and in a shutdown, this administration can do everything they are already doing but without any of the critical guardrails and constraints imposed by a full-year funding bill, Murray added. Advertisement Advertisement Some on the left have called for denying funding to ICE in response to the agencys often brutal tactics, rounding up both immigrants and U.S. citizens in Minnesota and in other states across the country. Others want to restructure or abolish ICE entirely. But the $64 billion DHS funding bill doesnt do that. It keeps spending for ICE flat at $10 billion relative to last years funding levels. It also includes $18 billion for Customs and Border Protection, which Democrats noted is $1 billion less than requested by the Trump administration. There is much more we must do to rein in DHS, which I will continue to press for. But the hard truth is that Democrats must win political power to enact the kind of accountability we need, Murray argued in her statement. Politics: 'Your Children Will Be Ashamed': Dem Rep Tells Off Hannity On Live TV New constraints on DHS include $20 million that must be used to purchase and operate body-worn cameras for ICE and CBP officers, a directive for DHS to provide de-escalation training for ICE and CBP agents, as well as training reminding officers of Americans right to record any interactions they have with them. Many videos have gone viral on social media displaying the aggressive behavior toward people recording ICE in the streets of Minneapolis. Advertisement Advertisement The bill also establishes oversight and transparency into how DHS is spending its massive, unprecedented infusion of funding, passed by Republicans in their One Big Beautiful Bill last year, and it restricts DHSs ability to transfer funding across accounts as a way to prevent the administration from circumventing Congress. However, its unclear whether these provisions will quell the deep anger within the Democratic Party targeted at ICE, which boiled over after an ICE agent shot and killed a Minneapolis woman earlier this month. The actions of ICE they are unconstitutional, unlawful, they are cruel, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) said last week during an interview on MS NOW. They are rogue, they are racist, and they are terrorizing communities. Politics: Gov. Newsom Warns European Leaders That Trump Is Playing Them For Fools: 'He's A T-Rex' DHS is set to run out of funding by Jan. 30, and lawmakers are racing to pass bills to ensure all agencies get new funding by that deadline. The House is expected to vote on the bill this week, and Democratic leaders are hoping to avoid another shutdown so they can focus on Trumps lackluster economy as a way to claw back power in the 2026 midterm elections. Advertisement Advertisement I understand that many of my Democratic colleagues may be dissatisfied with any bill that funds ICE. I share their frustration with the out-of-control agency, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said in a statement on Tuesday. If we allow a lapse in funding, TSA agents will be forced to work without pay, FEMA assistance could be delayed, and the U.S. Coast Guard will be adversely affected, she warned. All while ICE continues functioning without any change in their operations due to $75 billion it received in the One Big Beautiful Bill. A continuing resolution will jettison the guardrails we have secured while ceding authority to President Trump, Stephen Miller, and Secretary Noem. But immigrant advocates rejected what they called the imagined helplessness among Democrats on Capitol Hill, urging the party to oppose the legislation anyway because it does little to change ICEs tactics. Politics: 2 Top Ex-Trump Officials Flag Palpable Cognitive Decline: Hes Mentally Slipping Theres nothing in the text of this bill that meaningfully puts constraints on what agents are actually doing in the street, which is engaging in lawlessness and violence, Heidi Altman, the vice president of policy at the National Immigration Law Center, said in an interview with HuffPost. What we see here is Congress washing its hands and power to actually put constraints on an agency that is hurting our communities ... were plunging toward authoritarianism and the DHS budget is allowing it. Advertisement Advertisement Why dont members just toss up their hands and close down their offices and go home? Altman asked rhetorically. Every day that they show up in their offices on Capitol Hill is an opportunity for them to sit down and look at what opportunities are in front of them in that moment to protect their communities by taking funds and power away from agents that are wreaking havoc in their streets. Related... Read the original on HuffPost Denmark on Monday ramped up its military presence in Greenland, deploying extra troops to the strategic Arctic territory amid escalating tensions with President Donald Trump. Local Danish broadcaster Tv 2 said the Danish Armed Forces confirmed a new contingent of troops, described as "a substantial contribution," were arriving at Greenlands main international airport Monday night. Maj. Gen. Sren Andersen, head of Denmarks Arctic Command, said about 100 Danish soldiers have already arrived in Nuuk, Greenlands capital, with others later deployed to Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement The new military move comes in the wake of comments made by Trump over the region's strategic and military importance. White House Urges 'Cooler Heads To Prevail' As Eu Fires Back On Trump Tariffs Over Greenland Denmark deploys additional troops to Greenland after President Donald Trump claims the island is not secure from Russia and China. (Reuters Photos) In a Truth Social post Jan. 18, Trump warned that Denmark had failed to secure Greenland against foreign threats. Read On The Fox News App "NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland," Trump wrote. "Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!" he said. Advertisement Advertisement Us Congressional Delegation Visits Denmark Amid Backlash Over Trump's Push To Acquire Greenland People wave Greenlandic flags during a mass demonstration opposing President Donald Trumps proposal to acquire Greenland, in Nuuk, Greenland, on Jan. 17, 2026. On Monday, a text message exchange between Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre over Greenland and the Nobel Peace Prize was released in a statement. "Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a right of ownership anyway?" Trump said before adding that there were "no written documents; its only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also," he said in part of the exchange. "I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Before now, according to Reuters, Andersen had said that Danish troop deployment was driven by broader security concerns, not by Trumps statements. Nato Ambassador Says Europe 'Has A Tendency To Overreact' Over Greenland Dispute Danish troops practice looking for potential threats during a military drill in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on Sept. 17, 2025. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen also said that Denmark has begun increasing its military footprint in and around Greenland in cooperation with its NATO allies and as part of efforts to strengthen Arctic defense, Reuters reported. Danish forces already stationed in Greenland could remain for a year or more, with additional rotations planned in the coming years. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Jan. 15 the presence of European troops would not affect Trumps interest in acquiring Greenland. "I don't think troops from Europe impact the president's decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all," she told reporters. Click Here To Download The Fox News App The additional Danish troop deployment also came following Trumps announcement that the U.S. would impose a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from countries that have supported Denmark and Greenland, including Norway. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment. Original article source: Denmark ramps up defenses in Greenland as Trump zeros in on control of territory The head of German railway operator Deutsche Bahn has offered condolences following the deadly train accident in southern Spain. "Our thoughts are with the deceased, our thoughts are with the injured and all those who have suffered as a result of this terrible accident," Evelyn Palla said at a press conference in Berlin on Tuesday. At least 41 people have died following the incident on Sunday, in which two high-speed trains collided near the town of Adamuz in the Andalusian province of Cordoba, Spanish rail operator Renfe said. Advertisement Advertisement More than 170 people were injured in the crash, while there are fears that two more bodies could be lying in the wreckage. According to the German Foreign Office, German nationals are believed to have been caught up in the crash, although it was unclear whether any have died. Palla wished all those injured "a speedy and full recovery from the bottom of my heart. "Our solidarity, our sympathy and our deepest condolences also go out to our colleagues at our partner railways in Spain and Italy," Palla said. One of the trains involved in the crash was operated by Italian company Trenitalia. Advertisement Advertisement German Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder said on Tuesday that the accident demonstrates that rail disasters are possible. Authorities must "keep in mind what can happen" and devote all "energy and efforts to creating a railway system that can offer the highest level of safety that customers expect." Security services clarify what really happened in Rabat Did anyone die during the AFCON 2025 final in Rabat? Moroccan authorities respond Moroccan security authorities have categorically denied claims circulating on social media alleging that member of the stadium staff died during the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 final between Morocco & Senegal in Rabat. The final held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium unfolded in highly charged atmosphere as Morocco pushed for long awaited continental title. Advertisement Advertisement Tension peaked late in the match when the Atlas Lions were awarded decisive penalty which Brahim Diaz failed to convert before Senegal went on to score the winning goal in extra time and secure 1-0 victory. Shortly after the match several social media accounts began spreading reports of alleged fatal incident involving person assigned to stadium security. In official statement ,, Moroccos General Directorate of National Security rejected the reports in their entirety describing them as false and misleading. The authority confirmed that no deaths recorded among private security personnel , ball collectors or any individuals responsible for organising or securing the final. Advertisement Advertisement The statement also clarified that no investigations or procedures were launched relating to the discovery of body or death linked to crowd unrest. Officials noted that these conclusions were reached after thorough checks with all relevant health institutions. Moroccan security services also revealed that the judicial authorities were informed of the spread of misinformation with instructions to open legal investigations to identify and hold accountable those spreading these rumors. Senegal crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions in Moroccan capital after defeating the hosts. Authorities stressed that incidents limited to minor confrontations typical of major sporting events and did not result in any serious harm or loss of life. On January 15, the Florida Department of Health in Orange County issued a warning about blue-green algae in Lake Gatlin. Testing of water samples is in progress to identify any toxins. The department states that rapid algae growth can cause water discoloration and foul odors. Sunny days, warm weather, and excess nutrients promote these blooms. Blue-green algae can produce toxins harmful to humans and animals. Residents and visitors are advised to exercise caution even though the presence of toxins has not yet been confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Potential health effects from exposure to blue-green algae can be severe. Residents and visitors should avoid drinking or swimming in waters with visible algae blooms and wash their skin and clothing after contact. People who are more vulnerable, such as children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals, should avoid any exposure to blue-green algae blooms. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a criminal probe into an anti-ICE protest that tore through a Minnesota church service Sunday ... and former CNN host Don Lemon could be swept up in it under the century-old "KKK Act." DOJ Assistant AG for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon tells TMZ ... every demonstrator who stormed the Sunday service at Cities Church in St. Paul is now under federal investigation. When we asked if Don is in the crosshairs, Dhillon wouldn't confirm or deny it, telling us to connect the dots ourselves. Don says he was merely doing his job -- reporting a news story from the scene. But, on his livestream, Don is seen kissing the organizer of the protest on the cheek, which the feds might interpret as him having a closer connection to the group. Advertisement Advertisement Dhillon says FBI agents are already talking to witnesses, and while no formal charges have been filed yet, its "fair to say" charges are coming under the Face Act and KKK Act, that make it a crime to terrorize and violate the civil rights of citizens. Don Lemon Video Shows Protesters Interrupting Minnesota Church Service Lemon live-streamed the chaos as anti-ICE activists interrupted the service to protest federal immigration raids in Minnesota -- part of a backlash after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good earlier this month. The pastor of Cities Church -- David Easterwood -- is believed to be a senior ICE official in the city. Now the whole thing is blowing up ... and what started as a protest could spiral into federal charges for demonstrators and journalists alike -- including Don. Federal prosecutors subpoenaed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, his office said Tuesday, amid the Justice Departments investigation into the states response to President Donald Trump heightening immigration enforcement there. The subpoenas escalate the growing conflict between Trump and Walz, which has swelled following the death of Renee Good, a Minnesota woman who was killed by a federal immigration officer earlier this month, days after Trump surged immigration officials to Minneapolis. Walzs office confirmed he received a subpoena, with the governor calling the investigation a partisan distraction. Advertisement Advertisement The State of Minnesota will not be drawn into political theater, Walz said in the statement. This Justice Department investigation, sparked by calls for accountability in the face of violence, chaos, and the killing of Renee Good, does not seek justice. Fox News and The New York Times in part first reported the subpoenas. The Times reported additional subpoenas were sent to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County prosecutor Mary Moriarty. Ellison, Her and Moriarty confirmed in TV interviews on Tuesday their offices received subpoenas. In a social media post, Frey painted the probe as a politicized attack on dissent. When the federal gov weaponizes its power to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned, Frey said on X . We shouldnt live in a country where federal law enforcement is used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with. Advertisement Advertisement Goods death has sparked widespread protests against the Trump administrations immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities, and drove its leaders, Walz and Frey, to sharply criticize immigration officials. In response, Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and send military personnel to quell the protests. The investigation into Minnesota officials resistance to Trump administration immigration enforcement further enmeshes the DOJ within Trumps campaign against Minnesota Democrats. The DOJ has refused to cooperate with Minnesota prosecutors on the probe into Goods death, prompting Ellison and Moriarty to launch their own investigations into the shooting. The Trump administration has also signaled it will not look into the immigration agent who shot Good and instead investigated Goods widow, which triggered the resignations of some federal prosecutors. Walz, Frey and Her filed a lawsuit earlier this month asking a judge to formally block the Department of Homeland Security from surging immigration officials to the state. The Justice Department on Tuesday served subpoenas to the offices of multiple Democratic officials in Minnesota, including Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, in connection with a probe into an alleged conspiracy to impede federal immigration officers, three sources familiar with the matter told CBS News. The subpoenas represent a significant escalation between the Justice Department and Minnesota officials, who have clashed over the Trump administration's intense crackdown against immigrants living in the state illegally. They were served on the same day that Attorney General Pam Bondi arrived for a visit in Minnesota, multiple sources told CBS. The subpoenas were sent in connection with a Justice Department investigation into state and local officials to see if they may have conspired to impede federal officers from discharging their duties, sources said. Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A copy of a subpoena seen by CBS does not specify which criminal violations the department is probing. However, multiple sources previously told CBS the primary statute being used as the basis for the probe is 18 USC 372 the same one that was used against some of the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, including members of the far-right Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys. Mr. Trump granted clemency to the more than 1,500 people who were convicted of crimes in connection with the Capitol riot during his first day in office one year ago. Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security staged a massive deployment of federal immigration agents to the Minneapolis region, saying they would be tasked with arresting people suspected of being in the U.S. illegally and probing allegations of fraud. Advertisement Advertisement In total, roughly 3,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents have been dispatched to the Twin Cities, a force that is nearly five times the size of the Minneapolis police department, which employs about 600 officers. The high-profile federal deployment has been strongly opposed by state and local leaders, including Walz, Ellison and Frey, and angered many local residents, who have denounced actions and operations by federal agents as heavy-handed and indiscriminate. Protests and confrontations between residents and federal agents have become a near-daily occurrence, especially after the killing of Minneapolis mother Renee Good by an ICE officer on Jan. 7. Walz's office confirmed to CBS News that it received a subpoena. In a statement, Walz said Minnesota would "not be drawn into political theater," and alleged that the Justice Department's investigation "does not seek justice," but is a "partisan distraction." Advertisement Advertisement "Minnesotans are more concerned with safety and peace than baseless legal tactics aimed at intimidating public servants standing shoulder to shoulder with their community," Walz said. Frey, in a statement to CBS News, confirmed receiving the subpoena and said the Justice Department is pursuing him for merely disagreeing with the administration. "When the federal government weaponizes its power to try to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned," he said. "We shouldn't have to live in a country where people fear that federal law enforcement will be used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with. In Minneapolis, we won't be afraid. We know the difference between right and wrong, and, as Mayor, I'll continue doing the job I was elected to do: keeping our community safe and standing up for our values." Ellison, in a statement to CBS, also confirmed that his office has received a grand jury subpoena seeking records, and noted that the subpoena is not directed to him personally. Advertisement Advertisement "Less than two weeks ago, federal agents shot and killed a Minnesotan in broad daylight. Now, instead of seriously investigating the killing of Renee Good, Trump is weaponizing the justice system against any leader who dares stand up to him," he said. "Everything about this is highly irregular, especially the fact that this comes shortly after my office sued the Trump Administration to challenge their illegal actions within Minnesota." Casper Hill, a spokesperson for Ramsey County which includes St. Paul, Minnesota's capital city told CBS News in a statement that Ramsey County was also served with a subpoena. Hennepin County spokesperson Daniel Borgertpoepping told CBS News that "[n]either Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty nor the Hennepin County Attorney's Office was served with a subpoena," but that Hennepin County, whose county seat is in Minneapolis, was served with a subpoena. "The Civil Division of the Hennepin County Attorney's Office represents Hennepin County in legal matters and will be advising the County on the subpoena," Borgertpoepping said. The subpoena sent to Frey's office orders the office's custodian of records to appear for testimony on Feb. 3. Advertisement Advertisement It also asks for eight categories of documents, including all records and communications issued by the office since Jan. 1, related to federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota, any communications related to the lack of cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and any directives issued to Minnesota residents concerning their interactions with immigration officers. Legal experts remain skeptical that the Justice Department has enough evidence to secure any indictments in the case. "A grand jury subpoena should not be issued to an individual who is merely exercising their First Amendment rights," said Gene Rossi, a former federal prosecutor who is now an attorney with Carlton Fields. "Impeding an investigation is not done by words. It is done by actions. And all they are doing is criminalizing the policy of a president. If that is the basis for a grand jury investigation, the entire country could be subject to a grand jury investigation." Advertisement Advertisement Billy Bob Thornton on how his "Landman" role is a personal phenomenon "Mastermind" behind the Minnesota fraud scheme defends herself and admits regrets "Queer Eye" cast addresses member's absence and reflects on legacy of show In his first month as chair of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Michael S. Selig announced a sweeping modernization plan for the commodity regulator. In a column published on The Washington Post on Jan. 20, Selig said the CFTC is charting a new course through a Future Proof initiative designed to update outdated rules that still reflect the agencys agricultural roots. While decades-old rules designed for agricultural futures contracts may still suit those markets today, they do not contemplate nascent products or trading venues, Selig wrote. Just as American businesses are modernizing legacy financial systems by harnessing new technologies, the CFTC must upgrade its approach to unleash innovation. Appointed by President Donald Trump, Selig took office last month as Congress debates the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a bill that would expand the CFTCs authority over digital assets. The legislations progress slowed last week after the Senate Banking Committe postponed a hearing over disputes on stablecoin rewards. However, Selig said the CFTC is ready to act once lawmakers deliver clarity. 'Minimum effective dose' of regulation Selig said the agencys modernization effort aims to deliver the minimum effective dose of regulation," enough to ensure market integrity without stifling innovation. Should Congress deliver on making America the crypto capital of the world and send digital asset market structure legislation to the presidents desk, the CFTC will have a broad set of new responsibilities, he wrote. He added that lawmakers should pass the torch to the agency, adding that the CFTC would ensure domestic markets flourish under tailored regulatory frameworks designed to keep U.S. markets among the strongest globally. The Future Proof initiative will analyze the CFTCs existing rules and recommend updates for digital asset products, decentralized trading venues and other emerging derivatives markets. More news: Prediction markets next in line Selig also highlighted the agencys growing oversight of prediction markets. Since the 2024 election cycle, prediction markets have attracted both popularity and concerns over insider trading and political wagering. Former CNN host Don Lemon suggested some of the outrage after he followed a group of anti-ICE agitators who stormed into a St. Paul church came from "religious groups" who feel "entitled" due to White supremacy. Lemon, an independent journalist since being fired by CNN in 2023, has been documenting the Minnesota chaos following the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good. On Sunday, he entered the Cities Church during a service along with anti-ICE agitators and began filming, telling viewers that "the freedom to protest" is what the First Amendment is all about. Though Lemon has been put "on notice" by the Justice Department, he stood by his reporting and agreed with "I've Had It" podcast host Jennifer Welch on Monday that the backlash against him is being used to intimidate him as an "independent, gay, Black, happy, successful man." Advertisement Advertisement White House Says Walz, Frey Incited Chaos After Anti-ice Mob Storms Minneapolis Church "The whole point of it is they're detaining people on the streets because of accents and the color of their skin," Lemon said. "And they're also targeting people of color and Black people, as well as Brown people, so there is a certain degree of racism there." He added that there's also a level of "entitlement" that comes from certain religious groups, though it was unclear whether he included members of Cities Church. Read On The Fox News App St Paul Pastor Denounces Anti-ice Agitators Who Disrupted Church Service, Says 'We're Here To Worship Jesus' Advertisement Advertisement "I think people who are, you know, in the religious groups like that, it's not the type of Christianity that I practice, but I think that they're entitled, and that entitlement comes from a supremacy, a White supremacy," Lemon said. Anti-ICE protesters targeted the Cities Church on Sunday, shouting down churchgoers in the middle of services. Despite his viral coverage of the protest, Lemon expressed surprise that he became "the face" of the protest, insisting that he was not aware the protesters planned to enter a church. He suggested the attention to him was also a move to stoke a "racist" base. "I said, 'How did I become the face of this?' And my producer said, 'Don, you're a gay, Black man in America and you have a platform, and you're the biggest name. Of course, you're going to be the person that they single out, and they're going to make the headline because it plays to their base. And their base is full of racist, bigoted homophobes,'" Lemon said. Alina Habba Says Doj Will 'Come Down Hard' After Anti-ice Mob Disrupts Minnesota Church Service Advertisement Advertisement Fox News Digital reached out to Lemon for comment. Don Lemon stood by his reporting in a comment to Fox News Digital after his video went viral. (Getty Images) In a statement after the video was published, Lemon claimed that he has since faced "violent threats" directed at him "by MAGA supporters and amplified by parts of the right-wing press" for his reporting. Click Here To Download The Fox News App "If this much time and energy is going to be spent manufacturing outrage, it would be far better used investigating the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good the very issue that brought people into the streets in the first place," Lemon said. "I stand by my reporting." Original article source: Don Lemon claims some religious groups have 'entitlement' from White supremacy after anti-ICE church protest President Donald Trump has created a stir by sharing private messages from the President of France about Greenland. Trump said he agreed to a meeting about the island at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week. A source has allegedly confirmed that the messages from the President of France are real. Donald Trump shares messages from President Macron US President Donald Trump, who has turned heads multiple times over the past weeks with his various comments on issues relating to Venezuela and Greenland, posted a couple of photos containing direct messages from the President of France, Emmanuel Macron. Trump posted them across multiple social media platforms. In one of the messages, President Macron can be seen saying to Trump, My friend, we are completely aligned on Syria. We can do great things in Iran. I dont understand what you are doing in Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement Macron further wrote, I can organise a G7 meeting in Paris on Thursday afternoon after Davos. I can invite the Ukrainians, the Danes, the Syrians, and the Russians on the sidelines. Trump sharing the private messages has garnered significant backlash on social media platforms like X and Reddit, with many netizens slamming the move. On Monday, Donald Trump threatened 200 percent tariffs on French wine over Frances intention to decline an invitation to join his Board of Peace (via France 24). Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, has been of vast interest over the past few years. President Donald Trump announced his plans to acquire Greenland after his return to the White House in 2025. Denmark and the EU have firmly rejected any sale or takeover in a bid to maintain Danish sovereignty. Since then, Donald Trump has announced a 10% tariff on Denmark and other participating NATO allies from February 1, 2026. The upcoming weeks will be crucial in understanding where this ordeal is going to head. The post Donald Trump Shares Private DM From President of France appeared first on Mandatory. This (Green)land is your land: President Donald Trump, a man who loves his conquests, has set his sights on acquiring Greenland by striking a deal with Denmark. On Saturday, he threatened a new round of tariffs slapped on the European nations he perceives to be standing in his wayDenmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, and Finlandto the tune of 10 percent, starting February 1. (Denmark is, of course, the main one he's mad at, but the others have all expressed their support of Denmark and thus earned his ire.) If a deal isn't struck soon, these tariffs will increase to 25 percent by June 1. On Truth Social, "Trump argued that the United States needed to control Greenland as a bulwark against Chinese and Russian ambitions in the Arctic, although the United States already has the right to expand its military presence in Greenland under a 1951 agreement with Denmark," per The New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement "I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland," writes Trump. "I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees!" "Trump is more demolition man than architect" of American foreign policy, writes The Atlantic's Charles Kupchan. This is perhaps true: Trump routinely struggles with implementation, with what comes after all the bluster and dealmaking. But "the Greenland episode, disgraceful and shameful as it is, should be seen in the context of Trump's other foreign-policy escapadesthe capturing of Nicolas Maduro; the bombing of the Iranian nuclear program; the attempt to rebuild and reorient war-shattered Gaza; the on-again, off-again relationships with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky; the tariff bazookas that get downgraded to squirt guns with China. Erratic as the president sounds, the Trumpian worldview is comprehensible and even, in some respects, predictable," writes Eliot Cohen for The Atlantic. Trump "has three principal instruments in foreign policy: tariffs and kindred economic sanctions, brief bombing campaigns, and commando raids. He has no tolerance for bloody battles, which is why he will not authorize an Arctic amphibious campaign that faces real opposition." This aversion to using boots on the ground is a good thing. But coercion through tariffs is still coercion. "We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not," Trump told reporters earlier this month. Scenes from New York: "A federal judge ruled on Friday that a real estate investment firm could complete a $451 million purchase of thousands of apartments from a landlord that has filed for bankruptcy, an early setback for Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had vowed on his first day in office to protect the tenants," reports The New York Times. Full story here. QUICK HITS What the hell? The Miami Beach mayor's office is now flagging citizen's Facebook posts and sending police to their doors to intimidate them for criticism of the mayor. This video is absolutely outrageous. pic.twitter.com/L8mEr6hPe2 Mel (@Villgecrazylady) January 19, 2026 I feel pretty confident that mandatory national service would result in the stupidest possible assignments: Zoomers being forced to serve as ICE agents (under Republican administrations) or as sex-change-advocating social workers (under Democratic administrations). Also, young people should be allowed autonomy, too, and not just be seen as little pawns under the state's control: We have never needed a year of mandatory national service than we do right now. If the libs regain power, it's the first thing they should do. Everyone has to spend a year in some national service between when you're 18 and 23. These kids can't even read right now man. kang (@jaycaspiankang) January 16, 2026 President Trump issued a new round of pardons on Friday. "Echoing concerns of Pope Leo XIV over a new era of unilateralism and warfare, the three highest-ranking U.S. Catholic archbishops on Monday said 'the moral foundation for America's actions in the world' has been thrown into question by a resurgence in the use or threat of military force, including in Venezuela and Greenland," reports The Washington Post. "A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force, by either individuals or groups of allies. War is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading," said Pope Leo earlier this month. Scandinavians "have noticed an approach heavier on optimization and performance" from Americans who have recently adopted the use of saunas, reports The New York Times. "Some have detected more of a Burning Man mentalitygroup breathing exercises and the like. In Mr. Kilpi's estimation, Americans often rush too quickly through the sauna experience, sometimes squeezing it in for a few minutes before or after a workout, not long enough to truly relax. Rarely does the environment resemble the leisurely experience he grew up with." I'm with the Scandinavians here: Saunas should be chatty, full of nudity, and accompanied by a lovely meal after. I don't want any of that Wim Hof breathing crap anywhere near me! I can't even hate, I kinda love this whole vibe: They gave him a steak with candles like he's a dog about to die. https://t.co/OvfJ391sJb Sean O'Connor (@seanoconnz) January 18, 2026 The post Donroe appeared first on Reason.com. Dozens of former military leaders are supporting Arizona Sen. Mark Kellys First Amendment lawsuit against the Pentagon, saying Secretary Pete Hegseths threats against the retired Navy captain could serve to undermine veterans protected speech. The group includes former Secretary of the Army Louis E. Caldera, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton in 1998, and former Secretary of the Navy Sean C. OKeefe, who served in the position during President George H.W. Bushs administration. They are deeply concerned by actions of the U.S. government that chill honest and thoughtful public participation of those who served their nation in uniform, the group said in a Jan. 20 friend-of-the-court brief filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Advertisement Advertisement The 41-person group, composed of dozens of retired senior military officers including four-star generals and admirals, was aware of the potential risks involved with publicly speaking out against President Donald Trump's administration but believed that doing so was their civic duty, according to the legal filing. This decision is not made lightly: the attempt to punish Senator Kelly suggests that public expressions of disagreement with the Secretary even if made in good faith and supported factually invite possible retaliation, the brief said. It called the Pentagons actions remarkable and unprecedented. It also said the group was aware of many fellow veterans who would eagerly participate in public debate on important and contested issues, but are declining to do so today, fearing official reprisal. The Pentagon told USA TODAY on Jan. 20 it does not comment on pending litigation. Leaders say 'silencing veteran voices' is 'especially harmful' The matter stems from a video posted by a group of Democratic lawmakers in November in which Kelly said service members can refuse illegal orders. Some interpreted the video as implying the Trump administration's orders were unlawful, though that was never stated directly. Advertisement Advertisement The Pentagon announced an investigation into Kelly on Nov. 24, citing military codes and a federal law that bans interfering with the "loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces." On Jan. 5, Hegseth announced on social media that he had issued a formal censure to Kelly and taken steps to demote him in retirement. Kelly responded by vowing to fight for the First Amendment and sued the Pentagon on Jan. 12. The complaint argued in part that demoting Kelly based on post-military-retirement speech would raise serious constitutional concerns under the First Amendment. Though he's retired, Kelly remains subject to military rules known as the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Those codes include bans on speech that would be constitutionally protected if made by everyday people. That includes prohibiting "contemptuous" speech against the president, unbecoming conduct or other actions that disrupt the "good order and discipline" of the armed forces. Advertisement Advertisement But experts previously told The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, that the nature of Kelly's comments and his status as a retiree could make a difference in court. Beau Tremitiere, counsel and deputy impact director at Protect Democracy, said on Jan. 20 that attempts to suppress veterans speech is not just illegal it's un-American. "Our national security is strengthened not weakened when those with firsthand expertise can speak openly and inform public debate on matters involving the military and our defense," he said. A court allowing the Pentagon to punish Kelly for his comments would chill public participation by veterans around the country, the military leaders brief said, adding that silencing veteran voices would be especially harmful depriving the public of experienced and informed views on critical matters of national security. Who's named in the brief Former Secretary of the Army Louis E. Caldera Former Secretary of the Navy Sean C. OKeefe Admiral C. Steve Abbot, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Admiral Thad W. Allen, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.) Admiral Dennis C. Blair, U.S. Navy (Ret.) General George W. Casey, Jr., U.S. Army (Ret.) General Michael V. Hayden, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) Admiral Gregory G. Johnson, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Admiral John. B. Nathman, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Admiral William A. Owens, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Vice Admiral Donald C. Arthur, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Vice Admiral Michael T. Franken, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Lieutenant General Walter E. Gaskin, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) Lieutenant General Claudia J. Kennedy, U.S. Army (Ret.) Lieutenant General Charles P. Otstott, U.S. Army (Ret.) Rear Admiral (Upper Half) William D. Baumgartner, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.) Major General Richard T. Devereaux, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) Major General Paul D. Eaton, U.S. Army (Ret.) Rear Admiral (Upper Half) F. Stephen Glass, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Major General Jonathan S. Gration, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) Rear Admiral (Upper Half) Donald J. Guter, U.S Navy (Ret.) Major General Richard S. Haddad, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) Major General Irving L. Halter, Jr., U.S. Air Force (Ret.) Rear Admiral (Upper Half) Janice Hamby, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Major General Dennis Laich, U.S. Army (Ret.) Major General Steven J. Lepper, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) Major General Randy E. Manner, U.S. Army (Ret.) Major General Frederick H. Martin, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) Rear Admiral (Upper Half) David R. Oliver, Jr., U.S Navy (Ret.) Major General Antonio Taguba, U.S. Army (Ret.) Major General F. Andrew Turley, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) Brigadier General Clara Adams-Ender, U.S. Army (Ret.) Rear Admiral (Lower Half) James A. Barnett, Jr., U.S. Navy (Ret.) Brigadier General Bela J. Chain, Jr., U.S. Army (Ret.), Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Jay A. DeLoach, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Brigadier General John W. Douglass, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) Brigadier General Robert J. Felderman, U.S. Army (Ret.) Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Charles D. Harr, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Brigadier General David R. Irvine, U.S. Army (Ret.) Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Harold L. Robinson, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Brigadier General John M. Schuster, U.S. Army (Ret.) Advertisement Advertisement Contributing: Taylor Seely 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: Dozens of former military leaders defend Mark Kelly in Pentagon fight The Duval County Supervisor of Elections, Jerry Holland, announced a civic-engagement initiative aimed at pre-registering voters in 28 local schools. This effort targets students ages 16 and older to promote future civic participation. The initiative encourages civic engagement and competition among schools, with an award for the title of the Most Civic-Minded High School in Duval County. Students can pre-register to vote if they are at least 16 years old, and their pre-registration becomes active upon reaching 18. Students will need either their Florida Drivers License number, Identification Card number, or the last four digits of their Social Security Number to successfully register to vote. Advertisement Advertisement The schedule for the visits is as follows: on Jan. 21, Fla. State College at Jacksonville South Campus will host; on Jan. 26, North Florida Educational Institute; and on Jan. 27, Darnell-Cookman School of Medical Arts. Additional schools will be visited throughout February, including Jean Ribault High School on Feb. 2 and A. Philip Randolph High School on Feb. 3. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] US President Donald Trump's tariff threats on eight European states, most of which are part of the EU common market, raises the question: can he really target them individually? Technically yes, but in practice -- it's not so simple. When asked the same question, a smiling European Commission spokesman Olof Gill urged reporters to "take a deep breath" before spelling out his explanation. Trump stunned Europe at the weekend when he threatened levies of up to 25 percent on EU members Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, plus non-members Britain and Norway. Advertisement Advertisement But because the European Union functions as a single market with a customs union, Brussels explained, while it might be technically possible for Trump to slap sanctions on each, that could mean bureaucratic hell for US importers. - How does the single market work? - Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden are part of the EU single market with 21 other countries, and a customs union, which allows the free flow of goods from one member state to another. This also means products made in the EU, which could be exported later to the United States, move around the union without their origin being tracked. Advertisement Advertisement Because of this free movement, many companies use products made from across the bloc. For example, a car might be assembled in Germany using parts made in Slovakia. This means any restrictions on trade aimed at one of the EU's 27 countries could in theory be circumvented by moving goods to another member state before exporting them. "Exports of French wine, Dutch cheese and Danish pharmaceuticals from Budapest to the US might suddenly spike," quipped an EU diplomat -- in a nod to the warm ties linking Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the White House. "Let's see if Trump is going to punish his friend Orban with a tariff," the diplomat said. Advertisement Advertisement The situation is different for Norway and the United Kingdom. Norway is part of the European Economic Area that also includes the EU's 27 states, but there is one major difference -- it is not part of the bloc's customs union and must fulfil extra border checks. When Britain left the EU, it opted to remain outside the single market. - So then, are individual tariffs feasible? - The above means that the United States would have a hard time trying to figure out where European goods actually come from. "From a customs and operational perspective, it is practically very difficult to attribute goods exclusively to a single member state, given that production and transformation processes are often distributed across the EU," Gill said. Advertisement Advertisement While nothing prevents a third country from demanding more information about national provenance, under EU rules, goods manufactured in the bloc have only to be labelled as "EU origin". "So to summarise, it is technically possible. It is immensely bureaucratically and procedurally complex to do so," Gill said. cjc-raz/ec/jhb Labor unions, community leaders and faith groups are calling for an economic blackout in Minnesota on Friday in protest against the surge of federal immigration agents in the state and to mourn Renee Good. Organizers are urging Minnesotans not to work, shop or go to school. The Trump administration has dispatched about 3,000 federal agents to the state, in what it claims amounts to its largest enforcement operation thus far, amid a broader crackdown on immigration. More than 2,400 people in Minnesota have been arrested in recent weeks. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shot Good, 37, in Minneapolis earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Related: Justice department not investigating Renee Good killing in contrast to 2020 inquiry on George Floyd death There is an unprecedented and outrageous attack being waged against the people of Minnesota. I have never seen anything like it in my life, said Kieran Knutson, the president of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7250 in Minneapolis. This is just an outrageous acceleration and escalation of violence toward working-class people. The CWA, which represents workers in the state at companies including AT&T, Activision and DirecTV, is one of several local unions organizing and supporting the planned economic blackout. Others include Unite Here Local 17, Saint Paul Federation of Educators and Minneapolis Federation of Educators Local 59. Advertisement Advertisement Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, the president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, said: Working people, our schools and our communities are under attack. Union members are being detained commuting to and from work, tearing apart families. Parents are being forced to stay home, students held out of school, fearing for their lives, all while the employer class remains silent. I think what generated the idea for this action comes out of the need to figure out what we can meaningfully do to stop it, said Knutson. The government in the state of Minnesota has not offered any path towards stopping these attacks, this violence. Knutson expressed hope that the CEOs of all these corporations that are based in Minnesota take notice. Large US corporations headquartered in Minnesota include Target, Best Buy, United Healthcare and General Mills. None immediately returned requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement As the administration continues to send ICE agents to the Minnesota region, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey has complained in recent days that the citys police are outmanned and outgunned. Related: Who is on the frontline of Donald Trumps immigration crackdown? Can our cops arrest them? From a legal perspective, yes, he said during an interview on the Bulwark podcast. From a practical perspective, to state the reality, it does get kind of hard when they drastically outnumber us, and they have bigger guns than we do. We dont want to create warfare in the street. A blackout by workers can send a message, Knutson said. Those of us in the trade union movement understand the leverage and power that our labor has, and we are going to try and use that, because really theres nothing else left, he told the Guardian. The idea is that we use our collective power to show those that rule this country and those that profit off of our labor that theres a cost to attacking our communities this way. Advertisement Advertisement Organizers held a press conference last Tuesday, outside of the Hennepin county government center in Minneapolis, to announce that the event, which will also include a march and rally in the citys downtown at 2pm local time. On Friday, January 23, we are calling for a day of truth and freedom, said JaNae Bates Imari, a minister and co-executive director of the multi-faith non-profit Isaiah. It is a day where every single Minnesotan who loves this state and this notion of truth and freedom will refuse to work, to shop, and to go to school. What we have experienced and are experiencing in the state of Minnesota is not normal. The White House did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the planned economic blackout. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said: The fact that those groups want to shut down Minnesotas economy, which provides law-abiding American citizens an honest living, to fight for illegal alien murderers, rapists, gang members, pedophiles, drug dealers, and terrorists says everything you need to know. Advertisement Advertisement Related: Trump inauguration anniversary walkouts: heres what to know The spokesperson reiterated the administrations claim that Good weaponized her car before the shooting. This account of the incident has been disputed by local and state leaders in Minnesota, as well as by eyewitnesses. Video footage of the shooting appears to show Goods vehicle turning away from the officer as he opened fire. The DHS spokesperson added that if these community and faith leaders wanted to take a stand for the vulnerable, they would stand with federal law enforcement officers, whom the spokesperson claimed have faced a sharp increase in assaults and vehicle attacks. They did not provide evidence for this allegation. These men and women are moms and dads who risk their lives on a daily basis to protect innocent, law-abiding Americans from the dangerous criminal illegal aliens in their communities, the spokesperson added. Under the Trump administration, thousands of people targeted by ICE have no criminal record, and numerous US citizens have also been detained. How education changed in one year under Trump Even with a conservative think tanks blueprint detailing how the second Trump administration should reimagine the federal governments role in education, few might have predicted what actually materialized this year for Americas schools and colleges. Or what might be yet to come. 2025 will go down as a banner year for education: the year we restored merit in higher education, rooted out waste, fraud and abuse, and began in earnest returning education to the states, Education Secretary Linda McMahon told The Hechinger Report. She listed canceling K-12 grants she called wasteful, investing more in charter schools, ending college admissions that consider race or anything beyond academic achievement and making college more affordable as some of the years accomplishments. Advertisement Advertisement Best of all, she said, weve begun breaking up the federal education bureaucracy and returning education control to parents and local communities. These are reforms conservatives have championed for decades and in just 12 months, weve made them a reality. McMahons characterization of the year is hardly universal. Earlier this month, Senate Democrats, led by independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, called out some of the administrations actions this year. They labeled federal changes, especially plans to divide the Education Departments duties across the federal government, as dangerous and likely to cause chaos for schools and colleges. Already, this administration has cancelled billions of dollars in education programs, illegally withheld nearly $7 billion in formula funds, and proposed to fully eliminate many of the programs included in the latest transfer, the senators wrote in a letter to Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, chair of the committee that oversees education. In our minds, that is unacceptable. So, what really happened to education this year? It was almost impossible for the average observer to keep track of the array of changes across colleges and universities, K-12 schools, early education and education research and what it has all meant. The Hechinger Report takes a look back at how the education world was transformed. Higher education The administration was especially forceful in the higher education arena. It used measures including anti-discrimination law to quickly freeze billions of dollars in higher education research funding, interrupting years-long medical studies and coercing Columbia, Brown, Northwestern and other institutions into handing over multimillion-dollar payments and agreeing to policy changes demanded by the administration. Advertisement Advertisement A more widespread compact promising preference for federal funding to universities that agreed to largely ideological principles had almost no takers. But in the face of government threats, universities and colleges scrapped diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs that provided support based on race and other characteristics, and banned transgender athletes from competing on teams corresponding to genders other than the ones they were assigned at birth. As the administration unleashed its set of edicts, Republicans in Congress also expanded taxes on college and university endowments. And the One Big Beautiful Bill Act made other big changes to higher education, such as limiting graduate student borrowing and eliminating certain loan forgiveness programs. That includes public service loan forgiveness for graduates who take jobs with organizations the administration designated as having a substantial illegal purpose because they help refugees or transgender youth. In response, states, cities, labor unions and nonprofits immediately filed suit, arguing that the rule violated the First Amendment. The administration has criticized universities, colleges and liberal students for curbing the speech of conservatives by shouting them down or blocking their appearances on campuses. However, it proceeded to revoke the visas of and begin deportation proceedings against international students who joined protests or wrote opinions criticizing Israeli actions in Gaza and U.S. government policy there. Meanwhile, emboldened legislatures and governors in red states pushed back on what faculty could say in classrooms. College presidents, including James Ryan at the University of Virginia and Mark Welsh III at Texas A&M were forced out in the aftermath of controversies over these issues. Jon Marcus K-12 education Since Donald Trump returned to office earlier this year, K-12 schools have lost millions of dollars in sweeping cuts to federal grants, including money that helped schools serve students who are deaf or blind, grants that bolstered the dwindling rural teacher workforce and funding for Wi-Fi hotspots. Advertisement Advertisement Last summer, the Trump administration briefly froze billions of dollars in federal funding for schools on June 30, one day before districts would typically apply to receive it. Although the money was restored in late July, some school leaders said they no longer felt confident they would receive all expected federal funds next year. And they are braced for more cuts to federal budgets as the U.S. Department of Education is dismembered. That process, as well as the end goal of returning the departments responsibilities to the states, has raised uncertainty about whether federal money will continue to be earmarked for the same purposes. If the state of Illinois is in charge of federal funding for every school in the state, said Todd Dugan, superintendent of a rural Illinois district, will rural schools still get money to boost student achievement or will the state decide there are more pressing needs? As part of layoffs at the Education Department during the government shutdown in the fall, the Trump administration cut loose almost everyone who works in the Office of Special Education Programs, alarming many parents and advocates. About 7.5 million children ages 3 to 21 are served under federal law protecting students with disabilities, and the office had already lost staffers after the Trump administration dismissed nearly half the Education Departments staff in March. Some worry this additional round of layoffs is a big step toward moving oversight of how states treat students with disabilities to the Department of Health and Human Services. Even as the Trump administration attempts to push more control over education to the states, it has aggressively expanded federal power over school choice and transgender student rights in public schools. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will create a federal school voucher program, allowing taxpayers to donate up to $1,700 for scholarships that families can use to pay for private school. The program wont start until 2027, and states can choose whether to participate setting up potentially divisive fights over new money for education in Democratic-controlled states. Advertisement Advertisement Already, some Democratic-led states have come to the defense of schools in funding and legal fights with the federal government over transgender athletes participating in sports. The U.S. departments of Education and Justice launched a special investigations team to look into complaints of Title IX violations, targeting school districts and states that dont restrict accommodations or civil rights protections for transgender students. Legal experts expect the U.S. Supreme Court to ultimately decide how Title IX a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education applies to public schools. The federal government directly runs just two systems of schools one for military families and the other for children of tribal nations. In an executive order signed in January, the president directed both systems to offer parents a portion of federal funding allocated to their children to attend private, religious or charter schools. And as part of the dismantling of the federal Education Department, the Interior Department which oversees 183 tribal schools across nearly two dozen states will assume greater control of Indian education programs. In addition to rolling out school choice at its campuses, the department will take over Indian education grants to public schools across the country, Native language programs, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian programs, tribally controlled colleges and universities, and many other institutions. Ariel Gilreath and Neal Morton Early education Early education was not at the top of Trumps agenda when he returned to office. On the campaign trail, when asked if he would support legislation to make child care affordable, he gave an unfocused answer, suggesting tariff revenue could be tapped to bring down costs. Asked a similar question, Vice President JD Vance suggested that care by family members was one potential solution to child care shortages. Advertisement Advertisement However, many of the administrations actions, including cuts to the government workforce and grants, have affected children who depend on federal support. In April, the administration abruptly closed five of 10 regional offices supporting Head Start, the free, federally funded early childhood program for children from low-income families. Head Start program managers worried they would be caught up in a freeze on grant funding that affected all agencies. Even though administration officials said funds would keep flowing to Head Start, some centers reported having problems drawing down their money. The prolonged government shutdown, which ended Nov. 12 after 43 days, also forced some Head Start programs to temporarily close. Though the shutdown is over, Head Start advocates are still worried. Many of the administrations actions have been guided by the Project 2025 policy document created by the conservative Heritage Foundation. Project 2025 calls for eliminating Head Start, which serves about 715,000 children from birth to age five, for a savings of about $12 billion a year. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act contained some perks for parents, including an increase in the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,200. The bill also created a new program called Trump accounts: Families can contribute up to $5,000 each year until a child turns 18, at which point the Trump account will turn into an individual retirement account. For children born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, the government will provide a $1,000 bonus. Billionaires Michael and Susan Dell have also promised to contribute $250 to the account of each child ages 10 and under who lives in a ZIP code with a median household income of $150,000 or less. That program will launch in summer 2026. Christina A. Samuels This story was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Idaho Democratic lawmakers called on the state Tax Commission to pause advance payments under the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit program, which passed in the 2025 legislative session. The program, which opened applications Thursday, authorizes refundable tax credits, often referred to as school vouchers, to reimburse families for private school tuition, tutoring, testing, transportation and curricula. Families are eligible for up to $5,000 per student, and up to $7,500 for students with special needs. But the program lacks oversight measures, especially for the advance payments it offers, said Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow and House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel in a Monday letter to the Idaho State Tax Commission, which administers the program. Advertisement Advertisement The lack of accountability measures opens the door to fraud and abuse, they wrote, citing misuse of similar funds in other states. In Arizona, for example, some families used public money to buy kayaks, ski passes and SeaWorld tickets. The Tax Commissions website advises parents who qualify for an advanced payment that they should save receipts for expenses in 2026, and must provide those receipts to prove that they spent the money on qualifying expenses. They will do so through a reconciliation process that well roll out later in 2026, the commissions website says. Renee Eymann, a spokesperson for the Tax Commission, did not immediately respond to questions about how this advanced payment system works. Sen. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, said the lack of clarity on that part of the tax credit program is part of my concern. Advertisement Advertisement I dont think we have this thing buttoned up yet, he told the Idaho Statesman by phone. To prevent abuse of tax credit funds, Democrats called on the commission to pause advance payments until it had systems in place to preverify vendors and expenses, audit invoices and prevent and recover misspent funds. The program should also remain on ice until challenges against it in court are completed, they argued. (Public school advocates in September sued the state to block the program from taking effect.) Currently, this policy rests upon shaky constitutional foundations, Wintrow and Rubel wrote. House Majority Leader Jason Monks, one of the sponsors of the tax credit law, disputed the idea that taxpayer funds were at risk. Advertisement Advertisement The law includes strong safeguards to ensure taxpayer accountability before any funds are distributed, Monks, a Meridian Republican, told the Statesman in a text message. Democrats, opposing the policy, are disregarding the clear language of the law and are attempting to create unnecessary delays. Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, who cosponsored the tax credit law, told the Statesman that oversight mechanisms are clearly in place. The Meridian Republican added that she has confidence in the commissions implementation of the law. Law offers tax credits for private schools, homeschooling House Bill 93 authorized up to $50 million in tax credits toward private schools and homeschooling. Within hours of opening up applications on Thursday, the program had received over 3,300 applications, the Tax Commission said. During the application window, families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level that would be about $96,000 for a family of four have priority, the Statesman previously reported. Democrats letter echoed the concerns expressed in a late-December letter that Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, and Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, sent to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare calling for a pause in federal grant funds related to child care providers pending implementation of enhanced program-integrity and fraud-prevention safeguards. Advertisement Advertisement It also referenced a legislative oversight offices findings in December that a virtual charter school program in Idaho was misusing millions of dollars, and that there was little oversight of those funds in place. In his annual State of the State address, Gov. Brad Little called for the elimination of those funds. Reading to a kindergarten class at Hubbard Elementary School in 2023. (Kuna School District) Heres how popular Idahos education tax credits were as applications began Idaho groups sue to stop taxpayer money from going to private schools Taxpayer funds went to Disney+, water parks. Little calls to stop it CAIRO, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will meet U.S President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Egypt's presidency said on Tuesday. This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since the U.S announced it was launching the second phase of its plan to end the war in Gaza. Sisi and Trump met in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in October during a summit convened by Egypt to sign a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, Trump said he was also ready to restart U.S. mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia to resolve a dispute over an Ethiopian dam considered by both Egypt and Sudan to be a threat to their water supplies. Egypt is reviewing a U.S. invitation to join Trump's Board of Peace, according to the Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad is already on the Gaza Executive Board, which the White House has said will help support effective governance and the delivery of services aimed at advancing peace, stability and prosperity for Gaza's people. (Reporting by Mohammed Hendawy, Writing by Ahmed Elimam; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Alison Williams) US President Donald Trump unleashed fresh social media attacks against European allies and threatened crushing tariffs on French wine, underlining the stakes for high-level meetings planned in Davos this week. In a flurry of comments and posts early Tuesday morning, Trump took a swipe at President Emmanuel Macron for rejecting an invitation to back his latest peace initiative and suggested the US would impose duties on Frances politically sensitive agriculture sector. Most Read from Bloomberg Nobody wants him because hes going to be out of office very soon, Trump told reporters Monday local time, after being informed Macron would decline his invitation. Ill put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and hell join. The president also published a text message from his French counterpart in which Macron invited Trump to have dinner in Paris on Thursday. Macron also proposed meetings with Ukraine, Syria, Denmark and Russia to address a range of issues, including Trumps demand to take Greenland from Denmark, citing security issues. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland, Macron told Trump in the text, which was confirmed by a French official. As he heads to the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, Trump is stoking a series of disputes with European leaders. He hectored the UK over plans to turn over sovereignty of Diego Garcia back to Mauritius, threatened eight European countries with tariffs for opposing his Greenland demands, attacked Norway for denying him the Nobel Peace Prize (which is not awarded by the Norwegian government) and now hes trying to force France to join his so-called Board of Peace alongside autocrats such as Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus and even Russias Vladimir Putin. Initially conceived to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza, the mandate of the so-called Board of Peace is mushrooming and Trump appears to see it as a vehicle to resolve other conflicts and shape international events, according to several European officials. WATCH: US President Donald Trump took a swipe at President Emmanuel Macron for rejecting an invitation to back his latest peace initiative. Oliver Crook reports.Source: Bloomberg According to a draft charter for the proposed group seen by Bloomberg, Trump would serve as its inaugural chairman and would have authority over membership decisions. The Trump administration is asking countries that want a permanent spot on the body to contribute at least $1 billion. Israel's energy minister: In principle, the law was passed about two weeks ago. Warning letters have already been sent to properties that we identified as belonging to UNRWA. Israel will begin shutting down the United Nations Relief Works Agencys water and electricity in facilities located in the country starting tomorrow, Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen (Likud) told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. The move follows legislation passed by the Knesset at the end of December mandating the cutoff of water and energy to all UNRWA institutions. It also comes after Israel began to demolish UNRWAs Jerusalem headquarters on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Cohen said he sent formal requests to the electric and water companies, instructing them to carry out the shutdown. In principle, the law was passed about two weeks ago. Warning letters have already been sent to properties that we identified as belonging to UNRWA, Cohen told the Post. The minister said that the disconnection process will begin on Wednesday and must be completed across all facilities in the country within two weeks. Israel beginst dismantling UNRWA facility, January 20, 2026. (credit: Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS-IL) Both opposition and coalition lawmakers have expressed support for the legislation. Philippe Lazzarini condemns Israel demolition of UNRWA headquarters UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini condemned the demolition of the agencys headquarters in Jerusalem on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Lazzarini called the action an unprecedented attack, adding that it was a new level of deliberate defiance of international law. The shutdown of facilities has drawn sharp international criticism since the earlier passage of the legislation in 2024 to close down UNRWA activity in areas under Israels control. The minister said that international condemnation of Israels legislation on UNRWA was a reflection of global hypocrisy and was rooted in antisemitism. Instead of condemning UNRWA, instead of drawing the obvious conclusion that anyone involved in this terror organization must be held accountable, some of those same countries are still holding talks with Iran, which has harmed thousands of civilians and brutally violated basic human rights, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who says UNRWA [facilities] should remain is doing so out of antisemitism, because it is clear that UNRWA is part of the terror infrastructure, Cohen added. Israel and the IDF have presented evidence that UNRWA employees were involved in Hamass October 7 massacre, which Cohen cited as a main reason why its activity in Israel needed to cease. UNRWA was involved in employing Hamas terrorists who took an active part on October 7, including the kidnapping of Israelis, their murder, and other acts. We have many additional testimonies, he told the Post. Energy Minister Eli Cohen attends a conference for West Bank sovereignty at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, July 21, 2025 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) Cohen added that the UN agency operates in a systematic way to incite against Israel. Advertisement Advertisement The minister said the Jewish state is now working against UNRWA on the international stage and noted that other countries have also concluded the agency should not be allowed to continue operating. We are now working to locate all UNRWA assets, evacuate them where necessary, and in some cases, seize the properties. Where they continue operating, we will disconnect electricity and shut down the buildings, he said. We will not allow UNRWA, which operates as a front for Hamas activity, to continue operating within the State of Israel. Cohen also addressed UNRWAs mission statement, which calls to provide assistance and protection to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank. Advertisement Advertisement He said the UN agency had absolutely not made any contribution to the Palestinian issue in recent years. On the contrary, [UNRWA] has only perpetuated the problem, the minister continued. We are committed to ensuring that anyone who took part in the massacre on October 7 or assisted Hamas will not have the ability to operate within Israeli territory. Twentieth-century author Mikhail Bulgakov is celebrated worldwide for his satirical genius and his defiance of Soviet power, most famously through works like "The Master and Margarita" and "White Guard." In Ukraine, his legacy is far more complicated. Rather than being remembered solely as a critic of totalitarianism, Bulgakov is seen by many as a symbol of Russian imperial culture for his hostility toward Ukrainian cultural identity. Advertisement Advertisement Born in Kyiv in 1891, Bulgakov grew up speaking Russian and studied medicine at Kyiv University. His upbringing in the city coincided with a period of intense national awakening in Ukraine, but Bulgakov himself expressed disdain for Ukrainian culture and language. In his 1925 novel "White Guard," the protagonist rails against Ukrainian leader Pavlo Skoropadskyi during the Ukrainian War of Independence (1917-1921), declaring, "I'd hang your Hetman myself for the way he has set up this cute little Ukraine Who terrorized the Russian population with that vile language that doesn't even exist in the world?" Hetman Pavlo Skoropadskyi is seen with members of his entourage in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 1918. (ullstein bild via Getty Images) Such sentiments, repeated in his personal letters and essays over the years, illustrate a broader pattern: Bulgakov largely aligned himself culturally with Russia while rejecting the legitimacy of Ukrainian national aspirations. This legacy has sparked controversy in contemporary Ukraine. In mid-December 2025, a monument to Bulgakov in Kyiv was dismantled as part of a broader effort to reassess public symbols tied to Russian culture and influence. This process was accelerated by the war that began in 2014 and intensified after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement "Right now, authors like Bulgakov are part of the discourse of the so-called Russian world, and engaging in serious debate about them is premature." Bulgakov's former Kyiv home, long maintained as a museum, also faces an uncertain future amid debate over whether a writer who rejected Ukrainian independence should be publicly honored. This scrutiny of Bulgakov's place in contemporary Ukraine underscores that, for many Ukrainians, an author's literary merit alone cannot detach certain writers from the enduring realities of Russia's full-scale war. Red paint stains cover a memorial plaque to writer Mikhail Bulgakov on Andriivskyi Descent in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 11, 2024. (Ruslan Kaniuka / Ukrinform / Future Publishing via Getty Images) "Purely literary discussions (about the merit of Bulgakov's work) can only be revisited after some time, following the complete collapse of Russia," literary scholar Rostyslav Semkiv told the Kyiv Independent. Advertisement Advertisement "Right now, authors like Bulgakov are part of the discourse of the so-called Russian world, and engaging in serious debate about them is premature," Semkiv added, emphasizing that any attempt to challenge this narrative could risk retraumatizing Ukrainians who have lost their relatives, homes, and hopes for a peaceful life. As the full-scale war drags into its fourth year and evidence of more atrocities in Ukraine continues to emerge, some well-known Russian authors even say they understand, and support Ukrainians efforts to reclaim their cultural landscape, including moves to push aside canonical figures like Bulgakov. Let the Ukrainians live as they want to, read whatever authors they want to read what really matters is that my Russian compatriots stop tormenting and killing them, Russian novelist Boris Akunin wrote on social media shortly after the Bulgakov monument was dismantled in December. The Ukrainophobic elements of Bulgakov's work can be difficult for some foreign readers to grasp, given that some examples are either absent from the English translations of books like "White Guard" or watered down. Sign up for our newsletter explaning-ukraine sign up Advertisement Advertisement For instance, a 2008 translation published by Yale University Press renders the protagonist's rant about "this cute little Ukraine" a phrase intended to convey contempt as "this dear Ukraine of ours!" An earlier translation, published in 1971 by McGraw-Hill, omits the remarks about Ukraine in that specific rant altogether and compounds the problem a few pages later by mistranslating a joke that hinges on a linguistic slight: the Ukrainian word "kit," for cat, mocked by a character in contrast to its Russian homonym meaning whale. As for the 1971 edition, it is unclear whether the translator had access to the original version of the novel or one that had passed through Soviet censorship boards. Bulgakov is not the only author whose legacy is under scrutiny in Ukraine. In mid-December, the Kyiv city council also voted to take down a monument honoring the poet Anna Akhmatova. Advertisement Advertisement Born in Odesa, Akhmatova became known for poetry marked by moral courage under Soviet repression. Still, despite knowing Ukrainian and even translating Ivan Franko from Ukrainian into Russian, she never considered herself a Ukrainian writer. Anna Akhmatova is seen in Leningrad, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, in the summer of 1947. (Vasiliy Fedoseev / TASS / Wikimedia) In the 1939 work "Notes on Anna Akhmatova" by the poet Lidiya Chukovskaya, Akhmatova is quoted reflecting critically on her time in Ukraine, saying she "never came to love that country or its language." Journalist and editor Vitaliy Portnikov weighed in on the debate over the significance of these authors, noting that advocating for the removal of monuments to figures like Bulgakov or Akhmatova in Ukraine doesn't prevent people from reading these authors. "I resolutely do not understand why Ukraine should (publicly) honor with memorials people who chose Russian culture for their creative self-realization, while treating with contempt or indifference the civilization of the country where they were born," Portnikov wrote. Advertisement Advertisement "Will Bulgakov or Akhmatova be read in a Ukraine that has successfully fought back? Over time, yes but in Ukrainian translation and with an awareness of context. But monuments to figures of Russian culture will no longer appear in Ukraine and every sane person understands perfectly well why." Read also: A 19th-century novel for a 21st-century war Why Panteleimon Kulishs Black Council still matters Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. DAVOS, Jan 20 (Reuters) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday that the bloc's executive arm is working on a package to support Arctic security and warned that tariffs proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland are a mistake. "Arctic security can only be achieved together, and this is why the proposed additional tariffs are a mistake, especially between long-standing allies," von der Leyen said in a speech at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. "The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July, and in politics as in business a deal is a deal," she said. Advertisement Advertisement "Plunging us into a downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape, so our response will be unflinching, united and proportional." Trump has intensified his push to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark, prompting the European Union to weigh hitting back with its own measures. Von der Leyen said the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland is non-negotiable and that work is underway to boost security in the high north. "We are working on a package to support Arctic security," she said. Advertisement Advertisement The EU is also working on a "massive European investment surge in Greenland", she said, to support the local economy and infrastructure. The Commission president also said the EU will work with the US and other partners on wider Arctic security, adding that the planned surge in defense spending could be used on a "European icebreaker capability and other equipment vital to the Arctic security." (Reporting by Lili Bayer, editing by Inti Landauro) Israel has been asked to join U.S. President Donald Trumps new Board of Peace that will supervise the next phase of the Gaza peace plan, an Israeli official said Monday, while France is holding off accepting for now. Its not known whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the offer, said the Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a behind-the-scenes diplomatic matter. Russia, Belarus, Slovenia, Thailand and the European Unions executive arm also were among the latest to receive invitations. Advertisement Advertisement Its unclear how many leaders have been asked to join the board, and the large number of invitations being sent out, including to countries that dont get along, has raised questions about the boards mandate and decision-making processes. Also unknown is Israels potential role on a board in charge of implementing the ceasefire agreement that directly involves them. A Trump reference in the invitation letters saying that the body would embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict suggested it could act as a rival to the U.N. Security Council, the most powerful body of the global organization created in the wake of World War II. France, though, does not plan to join the Board of Peace at this stage despite receiving an invitation, a French official close to President Emmanuel Macron said Monday. The issue is raising questions, particularly with regard to respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, said the official, speaking anonymously in line with the French presidencys customary practices. Told late Monday that Macron was unlikely to join, Trump said, Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon. Advertisement Advertisement I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and he'll join, Trump told reporters in Florida before a flight back to Washington. But he doesn't have to join. Moroccos King Mohammed VI accepted a spot Monday, becoming the first Arab leader and at least the fifth world leader to join. Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary and Argentina also have signed on. Russian President Vladimir Putin received the invitation, and the Kremlin is now studying the details and will seek clarity of all the nuances in contacts with the U.S., said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Trump confirmed Monday night that Putin had been invited. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko is ready to take part, according to the countrys Foreign Ministry. The Thai Foreign Ministry said it was invited and reviewing the details. Advertisement Advertisement European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said that Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the commission, would be speaking to other EU leaders about Gaza. Gill didn't say whether its invitation had been accepted, but that the commission wants "to contribute to a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict. Israel's objections to the board Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday dismissed the Board of Peace as a raw deal for Israel and called for its dissolution. It is time to explain to the president that his plan is bad for the State of Israel and to cancel it," Smotrich said. "Gaza is ours, its future will affect our future more than anyone elses. We will take responsibility for what happens there, impose military administration, and complete the mission. Advertisement Advertisement Smotrich, a hard-liner who opposed the Gaza ceasefire, even suggested that Israel renew a full-scale offensive on the territory to destroy Hamas if it doesn't abide by a short ultimatum for real disarmament and exile. Netanyahu said later on Monday that while there are differences with the U.S. about the composition of the advisory committee accompanying the next phase in Gaza, it would not harm his relationship with Trump. There will not be Turkish soldiers and Qatari soldiers in the (Gaza) Strip, he said. Netanyahu's office earlier said the formation of an executive board that will work to carry out the vision of the Board of Peace wasnt coordinated with the Israeli government and is contrary to its policy without clarifying its objections. Turkey, a key regional rival, is among those invited to join the committee. Advertisement Advertisement The final list The U.S. is expected to announce its official list of members in the coming days, likely during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Board members will oversee an executive committee that will be in charge of implementing the tough second phase of the Gaza peace plan that includes the deployment of an international security force, disarmament of Hamas and reconstruction of the war-devastated territory. A $1 billion contribution secures permanent membership on the board, with the money going to rebuild Gaza, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity about the charter as he wasnt permitted to speak publicly about details of the board, which hasn't been made public. A three-year appointment has no contribution requirement. Advertisement Advertisement According to the World Banks Gaza and West Bank Interim Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (IRDNA) report released last year, itll take $53 billion to rebuild the strip. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday the United Kingdom is talking to allies about the Board of Peace. Running Gaza Egypts top diplomat on Monday met with the leader of the newly appointed committee of Palestinian technocrats who will be running Gazas day-to-day affairs during the second phase. Foreign Minister Bader Abdelatty met with Ali Shaath, a Palestinian engineer and former official with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, who was named last week as chief commissioner of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Abdelatty expressed the Egyptian governments complete support of the committee and affirmed its role in running Gazas daily affairs until the Palestinian Authority takes over the territory, said a statement from the Egyptian ministry. Gaza humanitarian situation still fragile The U.N. World Food Program on Monday said it has significantly expanded its operations across Gaza 100 days into the ceasefire, reaching more than a million people each month with hot meals and food parcels. But it warned the situation remains extremely fragile. It noted that malnutrition has been prevented for 200,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as children under 5. Advertisement Advertisement The most recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, which assessed the situation in October and November, indicated that 77% the population was facing crisis-level food insecurity. Israeli forces move into Hebron Israeli military and security forces launched what they called a large-scale counterterrorism operation in the West Bank city of Hebron to dismantle terrorist infrastructure, eliminating illegal weapons possession and strengthening security." The Israeli military said Monday the operation is expected to continue for several days. Israeli armored vehicles and soldiers patrolled city streets and put up barriers where operations were being conducted. Advertisement Advertisement Hebron Mayor Khaled Dudin said Israeli forces targeted the area that's home to 80,000 people because it obstructs the construction of additional Israeli settlements. Three Palestinians killed Israeli forces on Monday killed three Palestinians, including a teenager, in southern Gaza, hospital authorities said. Two men crossed into Israeli-controlled areas east of Khan Younis before being shot dead, while 17-year-old Hussein Tawfiq Abu Sabalah was shot and killed in the Muwasi area of Rafah, according to the Nasser hospital. It wasnt immediately clear whether the teen had crossed into or came close to the Israeli-controlled area. More than 460 people were killed by Israeli fire and their bodies brought to hospitals since the ceasefire went into effect just over three months ago, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. ___ This story was first published on Jan. 19, 2026. It was updated on Jan. 20, 2026, to make clear that the IPC figure cited was released in December but assessed the situation in October and November. ___ Associated Press writers Josef Federman and Sam Metz in Jerusalem, Jill Lawless in London, Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Grant Peck in Bangkok, Thailand contributed to this report. ___ Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war LONDON -- The escalating showdown between the U.S. and its NATO allies over the fate of Greenland looks set to be a dominant topic of conversation as leaders gather at this week's World Economic Forum event in Davos, with U.S. President Donald Trump again declaring on Monday that American ownership of the Arctic island is "imperative." Trump said in a post on social media that, following a phone call with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, "I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" Greenland is a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Trump first raised the prospect of acquiring the minerals-rich island in his first term. Danish and Greenlandic politicians have repeatedly rebuffed such proposals. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, before his scheduled travel to Davos, Trump posted an AI-generated picture to social media showing himself planting an American flag in the ground of what a nearby sign says is the U.S. territory of Greenland, as established in 2026. Vice President JD Vance and another man -- seemingly Secretary of State Marco Rubio -- flanked him in the image. European leaders, meanwhile, continued to push back on Trump's ambitions and publicize their coordination efforts on the issue. Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via Reuters - PHOTO: Danish soldiers land at Nuuk airport, January 19, 2026. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post to X that she met with a bipartisan congressional delegation to discuss both Russia's war in Ukraine and recent tensions around Greenland. Von der Leyen said she "addressed the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and of the Kingdom of Denmark. This is of utmost importance to our transatlantic relationship." Advertisement Advertisement The European Union, she said, "remains ready to continue working closely with the United States, NATO, and other allies, in close cooperation with Denmark, to advance our shared security interests." "We also discussed transatlantic trade and investment. They are a major asset for both the EU and US economies. Tariffs run counter to these shared interests," von der Leyen wrote. Speaking at the WEF on Tuesday, von der Leyen said, "The proposed additional tariffs are a mistake." Europe 'united' in face of Trump's Greenland threats, tariffs, EU chief says Referring to the trade deal signed by the EU and U.S. in July, von der Leyen added, "In politics as in business, a deal is a deal." Advertisement Advertisement "Plunging us into a downward spiral will only aid on adversaries," she said. "Our response will be unflinching ... united and proportional." Trump also shared screenshots on social media of what he said were direct messages from Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron related to Greenland. Trump did not detail when the messages had been received. In the message from Rutte, the NATO chief said he is "committed to finding a way forward on Greenland," Rutte also praised Trump for recent developments elsewhere. "Dear Donald -- what you accomplished in Syria today is incredible. I will use my media engagements in Davos to highlight your work there, in Gaza, and in Ukraine," he wrote. "Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark." Evgeniy Maloletka/AP - PHOTO: A pedestrian crosses a bridge as it snows in Nuuk, Greenland, Jan. 19, 2026. A NATO official confirmed to ABC News the authenticity of Rutte's message to Trump. Advertisement Advertisement In his messages, Macron also noted alignment with the U.S. on Syria and said the two leaders "can do great things on Iran." But Macron added, "I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland." He continued, "Let us try to build great things," suggesting a post-Davos G7 meeting in Paris at which talks could be arranged with Ukrainian, Danish, Syrian and Russian representatives. Macron also suggested that he have dinner with Trump before the president's return to the U.S. A source close to Macron confirmed to ABC News that the message was genuine. "It shows that the French president defends the same line in public and in private," they said. "In Greenland, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states is non-negotiable, and our commitment as a NATO ally to security in the Arctic region remains intact." Advertisement Advertisement Europe mobilizes as Trump again demands 'complete and total control' of Greenland Trump has suggested that U.S. sovereignty over Greenland is necessary to ensure American security and blunt Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic region. A 1951 defense agreement already grants the U.S. military access to Greenland, but Trump has suggested the deal is inadequate. Denmark and its European allies have sought to ease concerns about the supposed vulnerability of the Arctic through more military spending and by sending small contingents of troops to Greenland last week. But Trump interpreted the deployments as a provocation, and announced new 10% tariffs on all goods from the eight nations -- Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands and Finland -- that sent troops. Advertisement Advertisement European leaders hit back at Trump's decision and said the move threatened a new transatlantic trade war. Speaking at the WEF on Tuesday, Macron criticized "competition from the United States of America through trade agreements that undermine our export interests, demand maximum concessions, and openly aim to weaken and subordinate Europe." The Associated Press - Belgium NATO Greenland Denmark Such measures, he said, were "combined with an endless accumulation of new tariffs that are fundamentally unacceptable -- even more so when they are used as leverage against territorial sovereignty." The Greenland military exercises, Macron said, posed no threat and were a step taken to support Denmark. "Cooperating is not about blaming others," Macron said. "We do prefer respect to bullies." Advertisement Advertisement Danish and Greenlandic ministers traveled on Monday to Brussels to meet with NATO chief Rutte. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said afterward that the Greenland issue poses challenges "fundamentally to Europe and, for that matter, also the future of NATO." Poulsen said Rutte is "very aware of the difficult situation." Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said the meeting "achieved some important things with regard to security in the Arctic." She added, "It is important to know how to work with security in the Arctic. That is why we are now carrying out various exercises." US talks pose 'conundrum' for Greenland, Denmark: Analysts Advertisement Advertisement Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, meanwhile, was in the U.K. on Monday to meet with his counterpart in London. "In turbulent times, close allies are crucial -- Denmark and the UK stand close together," Rasmussen wrote on X. "We agree on the need for stronger NATO engagement in the Arctic and closer security cooperation." Speaking on CNBC from the WEF on Tuesday morning, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said of Trump's recent statements on acquiring Greenland that "everyone should take the president at his word." ABC News' Will Gretsky, Kevin Shalvey, Meg Mistry, Joseph Simonetti, Tom Soufi Burridge and Isabella Murray contributed to this report. European Union ambassadors have reached a broad agreement to intensify efforts to dissuade President Donald Trump from imposing tariffs on European allies while also preparing retaliatory measures should the American president follow through on his threats. The consideration, reached Jan. 18, comes as Trump announced that eight NATO countries will face a 10% tariff on all goods sent to the United States, effective Feb. 1, until the United States is allowed to buy Greenland, a step major EU states decried as blackmail. The tariff would increase to 25% on June 1 if a deal to purchase the region is not reached, Trump said. French President Emmanuel Macron floated using the European Union's anti-coercion instrument against the United States as part of numerous exchanges with European leaders, a diplomat told USA TODAY. The diplomat added that Macron reaffirmed to his counterparts the importance of a firm and coordinated European response. Advertisement Advertisement Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said that while there should be no doubt the EU would retaliate, it was "a bit premature" to activate the instrument. In May 2025, the EU had said it would implement tariffs on $107 billion in U.S. imports in the wake of Trump's sweeping announcement, but suspended them for six months after the president and ambassadors reached a deal. Items covered under the proposed tariffs, according to Euronews, targeted industries centered in Republican-leaning states, such as bourbon, airplane components, soybeans and poultry. The EU has not ratified the deal, according to the Financial Times, and lawmakers in Brussels signaled that the renewed threats to Greenland would scuttle its approval. The tariff package appeared to command broader support as a first response than other anti-coercion measures for which the picture was "very mixed," Reuters reported, citing an EU source. Advertisement Advertisement The eight NATO nations including Denmark called Trump's latest tariff move "dangerous" to transatlantic relations in a joint statement. "Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral," the countries said. Here's what to know about the European Union's "trade bazooka." Greenland threatened: Trump's gambit explained with maps What is the 'trade bazooka?' The European Union's anti-coercion instrument, also known as the "trade bazooka," was adopted in 2023 to prevent and eliminate "situations of economic coercion," according to the regulation's text. "It especially aims to deter the economic coercion of the Union or a Member State and to enable the Union, as a last resort, to counteract economic coercion through Union response measures," the regulation reads. Advertisement Advertisement The instrument was conceived to prevent "bullying" from China, Politico Europe reported. Euronews reported, however, that it was designed to counter China and the United States in wielding tariffs and natural resources to advance national interests. More: Icy Greenland is anything but green. How did it get that name? The instrument allows the EU to curb or cease imports of goods and services into its market and put restrictions on foreign investment and intellectual property rights, among other retaliatory options. The European Commission's Q&A page on the instrument notes that any action against a country must be "proportionate to the harm" caused. Advertisement Advertisement "The range of potential measures is designed to be broad, in order to allow the selection and design of an effective and efficient response to an individual case of economic coercion with minimal or no impact on the EU economy," the European Commission wrote. How long would it take to deploy the 'trade bazooka'? Once a country is accused of coercion, the European Commission has up to four months to examine the allegation, according to the regulation's text. After the investigation, a majority of EU members must agree to initiate it. Once the instrument is activated, the EU negotiates with the accused country. If those negotiations fail, retaliatory measures can be taken. The instrument has not been used since its adoption, according to the global news agency Agence France-Presse. Why is the anti-coercion instrument seen as a 'bazooka?' Invoking the anti-coercion instrument would cause major damage to the trading relationship between Europe and the United States and was considered a "nuclear option" to respond to Trump's tariffs, according to Euronews. Advertisement Advertisement Trade between the United States and the EU reached nearly $2 trillion in 2024, representing almost30% of global trade and 43% of global GDP, according to EU Council data. "The European Union and the United States have the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship and the most integrated economic relationship in the world," the council writes. The European Union is made up of 27 countries with a combined population of 450 million people, according to Agence France-Presse. Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Trade bazooka' considered by EU as Trump continues Greenland threat LONDON (AP) The European Union said Tuesday it plans to phase out gear supplied by companies based in high risk countries from critical infrastructure such as high-speed telecom networks, in a move seen as targeting Chinese companies including Huawei and ZTE. Brussels' proposed measures to tighten up cybersecurity come amid rising concerns that the bloc's 27 member countries are vulnerable both to the dominance of Chinese high tech manufacturing and U.S. Big Tech services. Under the draft legislation released by the EU's executive commission, telecom equipment from so-called high risk suppliers in third countries would be phased out within three years. Advertisement Advertisement The proposals don't mention any countries or companies by name, but the term high risk has been previously used to refer to countries like China, home to tech giant Huawei. The company is the world's biggest maker of networking equipment but has long been banned from the United States. The bloc's executive said in 2023 that EU countries were justified in restricting or excluding Huawei and ZTE, another Chinese tech company sanctioned by the U.S., because they posed higher risks. But previous EU measures for 5G cybersecurity were recommended or voluntary, which resulted in uneven application across the bloc, with some countries buying Chinese gear while others shunned it. Under the new rules, the cybersecurity measures would become mandatory. Huawei said that as a legally operating company in Europe, it reserves the right to safeguard its legitimate interests. Advertisement Advertisement A legislative proposal to limit or exclude non-EU suppliers based on country of origin, rather than factual evidence and technical standards, violates the EUs basic legal principles of fairness, non-discrimination, and proportionality, as well as its WTO obligations," the company said in a statement. The proposed restrictions also cover equipment in other sectors like security scanners used at border checkpoints, water supply systems and health and medical devices. Our proposal is about protecting EU citizens and businesses by securing the ICT supply chains that support the critical sectors of our economy and society, European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen told lawmakers at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, which will need to approve the proposals. The EU executive on Tuesday proposed banning third-country companies from European mobile networks if they are deemed a security risk, in a move seen as targeting China. The European Commission did not name any country or company as a target but Brussels has previously sought to restrict Chinese suppliers in the sensitive field. The step builds on actions taken in 2023 when the EU executive urged states to exclude Huawei and ZTE from their mobile networks due to security risks. Advertisement Advertisement The EU has taken an increasingly tough line on trade issues with China, but there are also security concerns -- often raised by Washington. The EU will evaluate which states or suppliers to ban and, once identified, telecoms providers will have three years to phase them out from their networks. Brussels has taken the step after the 2023 voluntary measures failed to yield enough change across the 27-country bloc. Current rules give national authorities powers to issue restrictions, but less than half of EU states have used them to restrict or exclude high-risk vendors. The states "haven't implemented it, and that's why we are now proposing that it's becoming mandatory", EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement The United States has long banned Huawei and sought to convince allies to follow suit over fears its products could be used to monitor communications. - Huawei criticism - The EU did not name Huawei but the company criticised the plans. "A legislative proposal to limit or exclude non-EU suppliers based on country of origin, rather than factual evidence and technical standards, violates the EU's basic legal principles of fairness, non-discrimination, and proportionality," the company said in a statement. "We will closely monitor the subsequent development of the legislative process and reserve all rights to safeguard our legitimate interests," it added. Advertisement Advertisement Brussels unveiled the proposal as part of plans to revise its cybersecurity rules in a bid to bolster Europe's defences against a surge in cyber attacks. The commission said it would work with EU states to identify and consider what steps to take to tackle risks to 18 critical sectors, such as energy and health. - Revamping telecoms - The commission will also unveil its proposal on Wednesday for a Digital Networks Act to overhaul Europe's telecoms networks. The EU wants to bolster its competitiveness and boost investment. But critics say that is difficult when key sectors including telecoms and defence are fragmented with different national rules which make it difficult to scale up. Advertisement Advertisement The bigger question is where the money will come from, as Brussels says Europe needs 200 billion euros ($235 billion) to modernise the telecoms network. In a win for tech giants, a draft document seen by AFP made no mention of "fair share" payments from the world's biggest web companies for the large amounts of bandwidth they use. Despite being a fervent wish of telecoms firms, the idea was deeply unpopular. It became even more unlikely after the EU-US tariff deal last year, which the White House said included an EU promise not to adopt fees. The EU executive will also give member states until 2035 to move off copper telecommunications networks, according to the draft document. This would mean the industry has more time to switch to faster fibre networks. Both texts will need to be approved by member states and the EU parliament. bur-fpo-raz/rmb Donald Trump told Sir Keir Starmer to straighten out the UK as the rift between the two leaders over Greenland and the Chagos Islands deal deepened. The US president suggested on Tuesday night that Sir Keir and Frances Emmanuel Macron were two-faced. Mr Trump said: [They] treat me well. They get a little bit rough when Im not around, but when Im around, they treat me very nicely. Mr Trump said he would snub an emergency meeting of the G7 that Mr Macron had proposed could take place in Paris. The US president suggested his French counterpart would not be around much longer. Advertisement Advertisement Emmanuel is not going to be there very long. And you know, theres no longevity there. Hes a friend of mine. Hes a nice guy. I like Macron, but, but hes not, hes not going to be there very much longer, he said. Mr Trump was due to depart for the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday night, but his plane was forced to turn around mid-air because of a minor electrical issue. Mr Trump and his entourage will switch to another plane and continue the trip to Davos. The incident took place hours after the US president renewed his threat to take Greenland and criticised Sir Keirs Chagos deal as an act of stupidity. The US president said London is having a lot of problems, when asked how he would characterise his relationship with the Prime Minister. Advertisement Advertisement Theyve [Starmer and Macron] got to straighten out their countries. London is having a lot of problems, the US president told reporters. Emmanuel Macron said Europe respected the rule of law rather than bullying. He wore aviator sunglasses at Davos because of a minor eye condition - Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg Earlier on Tuesday, European leaders hit back at Mr Trump, warning against bullying on the world stage and calling for appeasement of the US president to end. Emmanuel Macron led the response after Mr Trump published a private text message (below) from the French president, renewed his promise to annex Greenland and attacked Sir Keirs deal to give away the Chagos Islands. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said of the Diego Garcia military base on the islands: Shockingly, our brilliant NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. Advertisement Advertisement In a thinly veiled swipe at Mr Trump at Davos, Mr Macron later said: We do prefer respect to bullies. And we do prefer rule of law to brutality. The French president, one of the driving forces behind Europes push to be strategically independent of Washington, warned that imperial ambitions were resurfacing among major powers. After Mr Macrons speech, Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, suggested Europe must take a harder line with Mr Trump. Europe cannot afford to be weak, neither against its enemies, nor ally. Appeasement means no results, only humiliation. European assertiveness and self-confidence have become the need of the moment, he said. Donald Trump leaked a message from Emmanuel Macron Despite the rhetoric, however, Europe appeared divided and without a concrete plan ahead of Mr Trumps expected arrival at the Swiss summit on Wednesday, where he is due to hold talks with the head of Nato. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump insists the US must own the mineral-rich island of Greenland to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for national and world security, Mr Trump wrote on social media on Tuesday. There can be no going back on that, everyone agrees! Mr Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself, JD Vance and Marco Rubio with a sign that read Greenland, US territory Sir Keir said Britain was prepared to play its part to protect Arctic security alongside Nato in a call with the president of the European Council, Downing Street said. A No 10 spokesman said: The Prime Minister spoke to the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, this evening. Advertisement Advertisement Discussing events of recent days, he reiterated his position that the future of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone. He reiterated that the UK is prepared to play its part to protect Arctic security, alongside Nato. They agreed on the fundamental importance of continued defence and security co-operation in these volatile times. Danish officials were invited to the World Economic Forum but will not attend amid the intense focus on Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of their kingdom. On Tuesday, Greenlands prime minister ordered the population to start preparing for a possible American military invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Jens-Frederik Nielsen stressed that while such a scenario was unlikely, it cant be ruled out. He said the authorities would form a task force dedicated to preparing for any disruptions to daily life, and would issue new guidelines, such as ensuring residents have enough food to last five days. On Tuesday afternoon at Nuuk airport, Vivian Motzfeldt, Greenlands foreign minister, received a heros welcome as she returned from a visit to the United States. Crowds of Greenlanders gathered with the territorys red and white flag as they waited for Ms Motzfeldt. At Davos, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, used her speech to warn of a necessity to build a new form of European independence as the transatlantic rift widened. Advertisement Advertisement While not seeking to directly antagonise Mr Trump, Mrs von der Leyen unveiled a five-point European plan to secure Greenlands future. b' EU\'s five-point plan to save Greenland ' She said it would involve using the blocs planned 800bn (697bn) rearmament scheme to boost security in the Arctic. The plans include investment in Greenlands economy and the production of a European icebreaker capability. Such a ship, which is capable of cutting through solid Arctic ice, would put European navies at an advantage, because the US does not produce its own and is reliant on purchases from Finland. On the fringes of the Davos gathering, Bart De Wever, Belgiums prime minister, said Europe was approaching breaking point in its relations with Washington because of the row over Greenland. Belgiums prime minister Bart De Wever warned that Europe must act swiftly or risk becoming subservient to the United States - REUTERS/Denis Balibouse He also compared Mr Trump to the Very Hungry Caterpillar for his greed. Mr De Wever said: My feeling is that the sweet-talking is over ... You reach the point where sweet-talking and sweet-talking is counterproductive. Advertisement Advertisement It only encourages them to go a step further; its the Very Hungry Caterpillar. He added that Europe must act swiftly or risk becoming subservient to the United States. We have to wake up, we have to rearm, we have to integrate our market and we have to seek new alliances, Mr De Wever told the forum. He can make us slaves, and we are slaves then, he added, lamenting Europes dependence on the US. Mark Rutte, Natos secretary-general, has prepared a raft of options to address Mr Trumps security concerns over Greenland, should he meet the US president at Davos. One option, previously reported by The Telegraph, was an Arctic Sentry mission under the alliances banner to boost security in the region. Advertisement Advertisement In recent weeks, Mr Rutte has been collecting other ideas from Nato member states. One proposal was to put 5,000 troops on the island, but planners believe the security situation is better addressed by boosting naval and aerial patrols and deploying more intelligence capabilities to the region. Europe remains divided over how to respond to Mr Trumps immediate threats to impose a 10 per cent tariff on seven EU countries and Britain, unless Denmark sells Greenland to the US. Germany, Italy and the European Commission favour a cautious approach for fear of an economically damaging trade war with the US. EU leaders will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to discuss their response to the crisis. Emmanuel Macron meets Mark Carney, Canadas prime minister, at Davos - Ludovic MARIN / AFP via Getty Images The Pentagon reportedly plans to cut its participation in a range of Nato advisory groups amid Mr Trumps drive to scale back American presence in Europe. According to the Washington Post, the move will diminish US involvement in the alliances 30 centres of excellence, which train Nato forces on key elements of warfare. Since Mr Trumps return to office, he has sought to reduce the alliances reliance on the US while pressing allies to take greater control of the continents defence. Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, said that the old world order was now dead and warned that global leaders must adapt. He said: We understand this rupture calls for more than just adaptation. It calls for honesty about the world as it is. We know the old order is not coming back we shouldnt mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy. But from the fracture, we believe we can build something better, stronger, more just. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. The European Union is preparing a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs on NATO allies over Greenland, with leaders set to discuss retaliation options at a summit on Jan. 22, two people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. The dispute escalated after Trump renewed calls for the United States to acquire Greenland an autonomous Danish territory warning that Washington would do so "one way or another" and refusing to rule out military force. Trump said on Jan. 17 that the U.S. would impose 10% tariffs on NATO allies France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Finland until Washington secures a deal to buy Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement The tariffs would take effect on Feb. 1 and rise to 25% on June 1. The announcement came days after European troops from France, Germany, and other countries began arriving in Greenland for military exercises, adding to concerns in European capitals that Trump's rhetoric is spilling into economic coercion. After hearing the U.S. president's threats, EU officials concluded that a coordinated response is necessary, with several options expected to be debated by leaders this week. "When it comes to the security of the Arctic region, Europe is fully committed," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Davos on Jan. 20. "Our response will be unflinching, united, and proportional." Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Does Russia or China actually threaten Greenland? Experts say Trumps warnings dont match reality What options are on the table EU leaders plan to address the crisis on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where they are seeking meetings with U.S. officials in an effort to de-escalate. Trump is expected to hold talks with several leaders, including von der Leyen. If those efforts fail, EU officials say the bloc has two main retaliation paths. One option under discussion in European cabinets is invoking the EU's Anti-Coercion Instrument the bloc's so-called trade "bazooka" adopted in 2023 but never used. Advertisement Advertisement The mechanism allows the European Commission to respond to economic coercion by third countries through countermeasures such as trade restrictions, licensing requirements, or limits on market access and foreign investment. Another option under discussion involves retaliatory tariffs on U.S. companies and restrictions on American firms' access to the EU market. The debate is sharpened by an existing deadline. When the EU ratified its tariff commitments under a U.S.EU trade deal last summer, it suspended counter-tariffs on U.S. goods worth 93 billion euros ($109 billion). Those measures, drawn up in response to Trump's earlier "Liberation Day" tariffs, were frozen for six months as part of the agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a chart while speaking during a "Make America Wealthy Again" trade announcement event on April 2, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) That suspension expires in early February, meaning the tariffs could automatically snap back into force unless EU leaders decide to extend the pause or scrap the measures altogether. Advertisement Advertisement "Trump's latest tariff announcement has escalated trade tensions into an entirely new dimension one driven less by economic logic and more by political motives," Carsten Brzeski, the Global Head of Macro for ING Research, said. "It is also pushing the transatlantic relationship into a crisis, with a clear risk of escalation and unwarranted negative consequences for both Europe and the U.S. economy." Reflecting the uncertainty, the European Parliament's largest political groups said on Jan. 17 they would postpone a scheduled vote on cutting EU tariffs on U.S. goods steps intended to implement the trade deal reached last summer. "The EU and U.S. agreed to a trade deal last July. And in politics as in business, a deal is a deal," von der Leyen said in Davos. "When friends shake hands, it must mean something." Advertisement Advertisement Washington has urged restraint. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on Europe on Jan. 20 to "sit back, take a deep breath," warning that "the worst thing countries can do is escalate against the United States." Greenland turns trade dispute geopolitical Beyond tariffs, EU officials clearly see Trump's move as part of a broader challenge to transatlantic unity one that Russian officials have openly welcomed. The U.S. president posted on Jan. 20 a private message from French President Emmanuel Macron, who wrote: "I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland." As European leaders gathered in Davos, where they had planned to press Trump on security guarantees for Ukraine, Greenland unexpectedly rose to the top of the agenda. Advertisement Advertisement "The point is that the world has changed permanently," von der Leyen said in her closing remarks in Davos. "And we need to change with it." Read also: Trump unleashes chaotic late-night tirade against Europe, vows to take Greenland Read also: End of NATO Trumps Greenland ambitions put Ukraine in a diplomatic bind Read also: Republican congressman blasts Trumps Greenland invasion talk as one of the dumbest things that could wreck NATO Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. By Nandita Bose and Bo Erickson WASHINGTON/PARIS, Jan 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to hit French wines and champagnes with 200% tariffs in an apparent effort to cajole French President Emmanuel Macron into joining his Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts. Trump's initiative, which would start by addressing Gaza and then expand to deal with other conflicts, raises questions about the role of the United Nations and a source close to Macron said the French president intended to decline the invitation to join. When asked about Macron's stance, Trump said, "Did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he will be out of office very soon." "I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join, but he doesn't have to join," Trump said. WINE TARIFF THREAT PART OF BROADER SALVO AGAINST EU Macron is due in Davos for the day on Tuesday before a scheduled return to Paris in the evening. Elysee aides have said there are no plans to extend his stay to Wednesday, when Trump arrives in the Swiss mountain resort town. In another shot at the French leader, Trump published a private message from Macron in which he said he did not understand Trump's actions over Greenland. France holds an election to replace Macron in 2027. Wines and spirits exported to the United States from the European Union currently face a 15% tariff - a rate the French have been lobbying hard to reduce to zero since Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed a U.S.-EU trade deal in Scotland last summer. The United States is the largest market for French wine and spirits, with shipments at 3.8 billion euros in 2024. "The fact that we're getting more threats is going to make the industry harder to invest in, it's going to make it harder for companies to make decisions for their own investments," said Laurence Whyatt, head of European beverages research at Barclays. "They will have to be more reserved, keep a bit of cash back, not invest, because they need to be able to weather the storms as and when they come." Shares in luxury conglomerate LVMH, which owns major champagne producers including Moet & Chandon, were down 2% in early trading. "These declarations by the President of the United States must be taken seriously but with composure," Gabriel Picard, chairman of the French wine and spirits export lobby FEVS, said in a statement. The issue must be handled at the European level, in a united and coordinated way, the association said. Royals from across Europe gathered in Athens to attend the funeral of Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark. The sister of Queen Sofia of Spain died Thursday, January 15 at the age of 83, marking the passing of a senior member of one of Europes most interconnected royal families. The service was held at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens on Monday, where Princess Irene lay in honor ahead of her burial at the royal cemetery of Tatoi. She was laid to rest alongside her parents, King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece, and her brother, the former King Constantine II, who died in 2023. The wake was held at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid last weekend before her remains were transferred on Saturday to the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Andrew and Saint Demetrius, also in Madrid. Among those attending was Queen Sofia, Irenes older sister, who appeared visibly emotional as she arrived at the cathedral. She was joined by members of the Spanish royal family, including her son, King Felipe, his wife, Queen Letizia, and their daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia. Also present were Queen Sofias daughters with Spains former King Juan Carlos, Infanta Elena and Infanta Cristina. Princess Irene never married and had no children, but she maintained close ties with the Spanish royal family and lived at the Zarzuela Palace since 1981. Advertisement Advertisement Members of the former Greek royal family welcomed mourners at the cathedral. Crown Prince Pavlos, Princess Irenes nephew, stood alongside his brothers, Prince Nikolaos and Prince Philippos, who attended with his wife, Princess Nina of Greece. Their mother, Queen Anne-Marie, the widow of King Constantine, was also present, accompanied by her daughters, Princess Alexia and Princess Theodora, along with other relatives. Crown Prince Pavlos had said ahead of the service that his wife, Princess Marie-Chantal, was unable to attend because of a family medical matter in New York. Two of their children were also absent due to work and academic commitments. Their three sons, Prince Constantine Alexios, Prince Achilleas-Andreas, and Prince Aristidis-Stavros, attended the service. With deep sorrow, I mourn the passing of my beloved aunt, Princess Irene of Greece. A woman of quiet strength, deep faith, and unwavering devotion to family, her presence was both gentle and unshakeable. Her values were not expressed in words but in actions, evident in every gesture of care and devotion toward those around her, the Crown Prince said in a statement, per Hola. Irene was a source of wisdom, loyalty, and love, a steady anchor for our family through the years. Her loss leaves a void that cannot be filled, but her memory will live on forever in our hearts. May she rest in eternal peace, reunited with her loved ones. In comments prior to the funeral, Crown Prince Pavlos reportedly said his aunt had lived longer than expected given her declining health and had experienced cognitive impairment for several years. Queen Sofia had canceled public engagements in the days prior to Princess Irenes death to remain at her sisters side. Advertisement Advertisement Other European royals in attendance included Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia, who are related to the Greek royal family through Alexanders mother. Here, a look at some of the most poignant photos from the day's services. Photo credit: Milos Bicanski - Getty Images A view of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, the site of Princess Irenes funeral. Photo credit: Milos Bicanski - Getty Images Queen Sofia of Spain waves as she arrives at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens with her daughter, Infanta Cristina. Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images A general view inside the funeral services at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Princess Leonor, Infanta Sofia, Queen Sofia, Queen Letizia, and King Felipe listen as Prince Nikolaos speaks about Princess Irene. Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images Pavlos, the Crown Prince of Greece, gives a eulogy. Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images Princess Theodora and Prince Philippos of Greece attend the funeral procession. Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images Queen Anne-Marie, Crown Prince Pavlos, Prince Constantine-Alexios, and Princess Alexia during the funeral services. Photo credit: Milos Bicanski - Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Draped in the Greek flag, the coffin is carried out of the Metropolitan Cathedral. Photo credit: Milos Bicanski - Getty Images The Spanish and Greek royals stand on the cathedral steps as the casket is brought out. Photo credit: Milos Bicanski - Getty Images Queen Sofia is comforted by Queen Letizia and her sister-in-law, Queen Anne-Marie, the wife of late King Constantine. Photo credit: Milos Bicanski - Getty Images Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo and Infanta Cristina of Spain stand outside of the cathedral after the funeral. Photo credit: Milos Bicanski - Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement The Greek Crown Prince with Prince Nikolaos and Prince Philippos after the funeral has concluded. Photo credit: Milos Bicanski - Getty Images Princess Nina of Greece and Denmark, on the left, walks outside of the cathedral. Photo credit: Milos Bicanski - Getty Images Crown Prince Alexander and Princess Catherine of Serbia look on. Photo credit: Milos Bicanski - Getty Images King Felipe gives a small wave before leaving with Princess Leonor, Queen Letizia, and Infanta Sofia. Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Princess Alexia, Prince Nikolaos, and Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece at the cemetery of Tatoi. Photo credit: Pool - Getty Images Queen Sofia holds a Greek flag during the funeral procession. You Might Also Like Togo has arrested and extradited Burkina Faso's former leader to his home country, after authorities in Ouagadougou accused him of plotting to kill his successor. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba - who came to power in a coup in 2022 before himself being overthrown by Ibrahim Traore eight months later - is accused by the current regime of masterminding an assassination attempt against Traore. According to the Togolese justice ministry, Damiba was handed over to the Burkinabe authorities on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement It says as part of the deal, Burkina Faso promised to ensure "physical integrity, dignity and fairtrial rights of Mr PaulHenri Sandaogo Damiba, and the absence of the death penalty". Among the charges levelled at Damiba by Burkina Faso's military government are "criminal embezzlement of public funds, illicit enrichment, corruption, aggravated receiving of stolen goods and money laundering", said Togo's justice ministry in a statement. No comments from Damiba on the charges have been reported and neither have the BBC's calls to him been picked up. Most serious are the murder plot allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, Burkina Faso's Security Minister Mahamadou Sana announced on state television that security forces had foiled a planned series of targeted assassinations aimed at destabilising the state, including what he called the "neutralisation" of Traore. Officials in Ouagadougou have repeatedly accused Damiba of orchestrating plots from exile. In late 2024, he was again named publicly as the head of what authorities described as the "military wing" of a broader conspiracy. Damiba first seized power in January 2022, toppling the elected government of Roch Marc Christian Kabore amid frustration over the state's failure to curb Islamist violence. But after just eight months, he was himself overthrown by Traore, then a 34yearold artillery officer who accused him of failing to deliver security improvements. Advertisement Advertisement Since then, the Traore-led junta has tightened its grip on the country, expelling French forces, adopting an assertive nationalist stance and recently reinstating the death penalty, including for crimes of high treason. Despite promises to restore order, Burkina Faso remains mired in one of the world's most severe security crises, with militant jihadist attacks continuing across large parts of the country. The return of Damiba to Burkina Faso, under arrest and possibly facing a long list of criminal charges, is expected to escalate tensions within the military and political establishment. Political observers suggest that repeated accusations, foiled plots and widening divisions within the armed forces will likely lead to questions about the stability of a government still confronting both a brutal insurgency and internal rivalries. Advertisement Advertisement Additional reporting by Natasha Booty 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 Top Justice Department officials pushed the FBI to investigate political campaigns in Minnesota over whether they illegally benefited from fraud in public service organizations, according to two people familiar with the internal discussions. Some of the Justice Departments interest, according to one of the sources, comes from a Washington Examiner report from earlier this month that said Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar and other state politicians received campaign donations from people implicated in the Minnesota public benefits fraud scheme and community care providers. The request came about two weeks ago from top lawyers working for Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. They asked the FBI to initiate investigations into whether money obtained illegally for organizations, such as food assistance charities and home health care centers, went to the campaigns, according to the source. Advertisement Advertisement The public corruption section at the FBI told Blanches office that it is looking, but hasnt yet found evidence of campaign wrongdoing. The campaign finance probe, which is still being worked on, according to a source familiar with the discussions, hasnt previously been reported. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on any potential ongoing investigations. Still, the requested investigation highlights the Trump administrations efforts to target Democrats, and appears to be part of an ongoing effort to scrutinize and potentially make accusations about political leaders in Minnesota as civic unrest continues there. Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department has also subpoenaed at least five officials in Minnesota as part of a probe into whether the state and local leaders obstructed federal immigration enforcement efforts. The officials include Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, CNN has reported. A campaign finance probe that has the potential to touch elected officials in Minnesota who are largely Democrats comes at an extremely tense time between the state and the Trump administration. And the discussions about investigating campaign contributions in Minnesota took place in the days after a federal immigration officer shot and killed a woman in a car, Renee Good, prompting Walz and other Democrats in the state to publicly criticize the administrations presence. The Justice Department has for years been prosecuting cases in Minnesota related to government money being obtained by fraudulent public benefit schemes, including the non-profit Feeding Our Futures. And in the past few days, the department has escalated its attacks of Walz, in particular, by seeking information in a supposed criminal obstruction investigation related to recent protests, CNN previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump has suggested he may seek to send federal troops to Minneapolis by invoking the Insurrection Act, a little-used power of the presidency to quell civic unrest with military force, and Blanche has explicitly threatened Walz with legal retaliation. Commenting on protests and ICE officer-involved shootings in Minneapolis, Blanche wrote on social media last week, Walz and Frey - Im focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary. This is not a threat. Its a promise. Billions in taxpayer dollars wasted and flowing to foreign criminals, policies that protect criminal aliens over law-abiding citizens, ignoring federal law by releasing criminal alien murderers and pedophiles to MN neighborhoods, Blanche also wrote on the social media platform X on Thursday morning. It is pretty clear the soon-to-be former Gov neither understands how the law works, nor what it means to be nonpartisan. A local community member cleans up debris near the site where a shooting by federal agents occurred last night on January 15, in Minneapolis. - Stephen Maturen/Getty Images Prosecutors since the Biden administration have indicted almost 80 people linked to Feeding Our Future, which received federal funds to serve children meals during the Covid-19 pandemic in a sprawling grift. The Trump administration recently froze childcare payments to Minnesota, in an escalation against the states leadership and immigrant populations following viral videos alleging fraudulent Somali-run daycares. Advertisement Advertisement Its not unusual for federal investigators to jumpstart an investigation following a news report. But a top-down approach beginning in Washington that directs the FBI to look into political campaigns is unusual, in both how the department historically has treated politically sensitive investigations, and how investigations typically originate from agents in the field and US attorneys offices outside of Washington. US Rep. Ilhan Omar speaks with reporters after visiting with immigrations officials at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building after in Minneapolis, on January 10. - Octavio Jones/AFP/Getty Images The involvement of Blanches office also indicates the interest of Trump administration political leadership in political campaigns that are in opposition to the president and his law enforcement tactics in Minnesota. Donations from people linked to public benefits scams in Minnesota have gone to Walz, Omar and state Sen. Omar Fateh, a Somali American who unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Minneapolis last year, according to state and federal campaign finance records. Advertisement Advertisement The contributions stretch back years, and the totals amount to a small fraction of the resources required to wage their campaigns, sometimes drawing millions worth of fundraising and spending. Some of the money has been given up by the officials. Between 2017 and 2022, Walz received more than $8,000 from five individuals connected to the now-viral benefits fraud investigations, Rep. Omar received $5,400 in 2021 from two others also linked to the case. The congresswoman donated that money back to three local food shelves, a person familiar with the situation told CNN. Fateh, meanwhile, returned $11,000 worth of contributions to his state senate campaign from implicated individuals when the scandal first broke in 2022, and again in 2025 when another donor who gave $1,000 to his mayoral campaign was indicted. Representatives for Walz, Omar and Fateh didnt provide comment to CNN in response to requests this week. Advertisement Advertisement Walz said on Tuesday the Justice Department does not seek justice with its recent investigative activity and instead is acting fully political, in a response to a separate investigation where the Justice Department is subpoenaing him for possible obstruction of federal officials related to the ongoing protests in the state. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Kevin Walsh investigated public corruption for six years as New Jersey's acting comptroller. He says lawmakers failed to heed his myriad recommendations. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor) In almost six years as New Jerseys acting comptroller, Kevin Walsh has issued more than 100 reports and audits revealing public fraud, waste, and abuse that cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. In each, he handed lawmakers evidence of corruption and a roadmap for reform, listing recommendations that typically require legislative action. But legislators too often ignored his recommendations and sometimes even acted to undermine his work, Walsh said. Advertisement Advertisement Now, as he prepares to hand off the job to successor Shirley Emehelu tapped by Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill, who takes office Tuesday Walsh listed that failure as among his biggest takeaways from his time as a state watchdog. Im really struck by how much corruption there is and how much acquiescence there is around it, Walsh said. Among his allegations were that politically connected insurance brokers profited from public health plans and nursing home operators stole public funds through illicit Medicaid schemes. His recommendations on both issues went unheeded, he said. Nursing home fraud, especially, has been well-documented for years, by his office and others. Yet policymakers enacted only performative reform or failed to crack down on it while continuing to give billions in public funds to operators, Walsh said. Advertisement Advertisement Weve gone backwards in nursing homes despite the evidence showing the depth of the problem, he said. I do know that the Legislature has done things that have made the problem worse, and I do know that they have ignored every single recommendation that I have made in report after report that shows the degree of fraud, waste, and abuse in nursing homes. He pointed to a 2021 report, in which his investigators discovered state Treasury officials had a yearslong backlog of hundreds of cases of suspected pension fraud to investigate. Walsh recommended lawmakers give Treasurys pension fraud and abuse unit subpoena power to compel the compliance of defiant local governments. Thats a bill Assemblyman Erik Peterson (R-Hunterdon) has introduced eight times since 2010, but it has never moved. Thats been a big focus of Governor Murphy and of the Legislature strengthening our pension systems. So why are we tolerating that? Walsh said. Theres a backlog of hundreds of people for over a decade who have been flagged as requiring an investigation, but theyre being blocked because they dont have subpoena power. Why would the Legislature not do something? Its inexcusable. Spokespeople for Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) did not respond to a request for comment. John Donnadio is executive director of the New Jersey Association of Counties. (Photo by Dana DiFilippo/New Jersey Monitor) John Donnadio, executive director of the New Jersey Association of Counties, suspects legislative inaction arose, in part, from concerns about Walshs methods. Donnadio said the county officials he represents were frequently frustrated by Walshs salacious reports and his failure to include in them the full responses of his targets. Advertisement Advertisement He was just an overzealous bureaucrat who injected his own opinion in legal matters that many times were disputed, Donnadio said. There should be some type of final arbiter before he tries these cases in the press without any due process. Walshs legacy, he added, is that there should be some type of check and balance on giving someone that much power to say and do whatever they want. Donnadios association in 2024 urged legislative leaders to investigate Walshs office. That never happened, although Scutari recently tried to strip Walshs office of its investigatory powers before backpedaling after backlash from critics. State senators aligned with South Jersey Democratic power broker George Norcross whose allies have been targets of Walshs investigations blocked Walshs confirmation, leaving him as acting comptroller for his entire time in office. Advertisement Advertisement Walsh noted that much of the criticism has been lobbed by people hes investigated. I welcome criticism. I dont mind people saying what they have to say. Its a good, healthy part of government, oversight, and democracy. But when that criticism comes in, especially when it is over-the-top, I see it for what it is bluster that is intended to distract and discomfort with accountability, he said. Walsh added that, given how many policymakers say they want to make New Jersey more affordable, cracking down on fraud, waste, and abuse can achieve that if we figure out the politics of it. There is a playbook for the Sherrill administration in our reports and for legislators who care about affordability, especially at the local level, but also within Medicaid, about how one can protect taxpayer funds and get a more efficient government, Walsh said. Advertisement Advertisement Walsh praised Emehelu, a former federal prosecutor and ex-state executive assistant attorney general, as someone with a great set of experiences that shed bring to the job. My sense is that the office is in great shape, and Im looking forward to handing it off, he said. Walsh, a civil rights attorney who once headed the Fair Share Housing Center, considers a police accountability project he launched in 2022 to be among his more notable accomplishments. His office has exposed problematic police training, abuse of police courtesy cards, oversight lapses of police pensions, and other problems, and it annually reviews the performance of the state police. Reform without oversight is much less likely to be effective reform, Walsh said. So Im really proud of our work in the area of police accountability, because it is work that helps policymakers and residents evaluate whether we are keeping our commitments on police reform. Advertisement Advertisement He expects hell continue to work in the publics interest, and said he has ruled out a run for office (the comptroller is barred by state statute from seeking elected office for two years, though Walsh was never confirmed to the position). I have developed new skills in doing this work, so some combination of things for me is what Im aiming to do, he said. But I have intentionally avoided engaging that just so that I could focus on this job all the way. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX An abundance of venomous snakes near and within the capital city of Dhaka in Bangladesh has alarmed officials in recent months, raising concerns that rapid urbanization may be driving the reptiles from their natural habitats. What's happening? According to the environmental news outlet Mongabay, government officials and groups such as the Bangladesh Animal Welfare Association rescued hundreds of snakes in and around Dhaka in 2025. At least 351 were captured in "densely populated" areas between January and November 1. Mongabay reported that 319 were venomous. Advertisement Advertisement The association's Adnan Azad told the Daily Bangladesh Tribune that some snakes have been found as high as the ninth floor of some buildings. Once caught, experts return the animals to nature. Why are snakes being rescued, and why does it matter? Experts like Md Sohel Rana, a herpetologist with the Bangladesh Forest Department's Wildlife Centre, are concerned that habitat loss due to human activity is the primary driver of burgeoning snake populations in residential areas. "Reduced water bodies, deforestation, industrialization, urbanization, and destruction of snake habitats by humans are the reasons for finding snakes in urban homesteads," Rana told Mongabay, noting that habitat loss is also impacting snakes' food sources. "Due to a rapidly changing landscape, most of the wildlife have lost their habitats," Rana continued. "As a result, they frequently sneak into human settlements in search of food and shelter." Advertisement Advertisement A study by the Change Initiative found that the city of Dhaka lost more than 60% of its water bodies between 1980 and 2024. The Padma cobra is among the snake species that prefer watery environments, like rivers and ponds, zoologist Farid Ahsan told the Daily Bangladesh Tribune. The Change Initiative also found that around 56% of the area's grass and agricultural lands had also been lost. These losses also pose risks to city dwellers. Among the 89 snake species native to Bangladesh, around 30% are venomous, according to a study cited by Mongabay. An uptick in snakes driven from natural habitats into populated areas could increase the risk of harmful snake bites. What's being done? In his conversation with Mongabay, Rana noted that social media has raised awareness of snake rescues in the city and spread information on how to safely approach snakes. 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. These animals generally won't attack unless they feel threatened, but tense human-wildlife encounters aren't necessarily unlikely in a densely packed city. The more people are aware that snakes may be lurking around the corner, the better for all parties. Advertisement Advertisement Raising awareness not only of potentially dangerous human-wildlife encounters but also of the causes that can contribute to them is key to effective action. Shoring up support for the protection of natural habitats by conserving and restoring large swaths of land can help provide wild animals with the space and resources they need to survive far from busy residential communities. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Conservationists in Thailand are celebrating an incredible discovery captured on camera of a mother-and-calf dugong pair peacefully grazing the coastal waters. This footage is a hopeful sign that marine efforts in the region and beyond are finally starting to pay off. The sighting occurred in early December during a routine monthly survey in Ao Thueng, which is part of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi. Advertisement Advertisement Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said that the endangered marine mammals were recorded feeding on healthy seagrass beds, according to the Bangkok Post. Seagrass beds are a critical food source for dugongs, which are often called "sea cows." Park chief Siriwat Saengchawee said a health check showed both animals were in good condition, with normal breathing rates for adults and calves. "The sighting is encouraging, as it reflects the abundance of the local marine ecosystem and confirms the area is sufficient in food sources for the endangered animals," Saengchawee said, per the Post, adding that officials will continue closely monitoring the dugongs. Advertisement Advertisement The footage was captured using a monitoring camera, which has become increasingly valuable for conservationists around the world. Trail and underwater cameras allow experts to assess population health, track breeding behavior, and gather evidence that conservation efforts are working without disturbing vulnerable species. There are countless stories of trail and other camera setups leading to unexpected but valuable findings. Traditional human observation requires time, resources, and a lot of luck. Plus, the mere sight of a human can scare away most animals. Cameras allow conservationists to have 24/7 monitoring, with no additional manpower required. In Krabi, officials are already acting on what their cameras revealed. To reduce the risk of deadly collisions, the park has installed speed-reduction buoys and issued warnings to tour operators and local fishers, urging them to slow down and stay alert. 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. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. BEIJING, Jan 19 (Reuters) - An explosion at a steel plate factory in China's northern region of Inner Mongolia on Sunday killed six people, and rescue efforts were underway as four remained missing, state-run news agency Xinhua reported on Monday. The blast left 84 people injured, Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Union, whose subsidiary owns the factory, said in a stock exchange filing earlier on Monday. The steelmaker said the explosion of a saturated water and steam tank at its Baotou city unit damaged parts of factory buildings and equipment and was expected to affect production at the plate mill and adjacent facilities. The company said it was still assessing the extent of losses. Advertisement Advertisement The injured were admitted to hospital, and the company is cooperating with authorities investigating the still unknown cause of the blast, it added. Three of the injured were in critical condition, state broadcaster CCTV had said on Sunday. Baotou Steel Union said ecological monitoring showed the incident had no impact on the surrounding atmosphere or soil, and generated no wastewater at the site. (Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Susan Fenton) Collecting consumers' biometric data has drawn scrutiny in recent weeks and some Connecticut legislators say they plan to propose changes to the state law. ShopRite has confirmed it has been collecting the "face geometry" of customers for several years in its Connecticut locations to protect stores and employees against retail theft. Wegmans, which collects the biometric data of customers - including face scans, retinal scans and voice prints - at its New York City stores for security purposes, declined to share whether it was doing the same in its Norwalk store. Advertisement Advertisement Two Democratic state senators have since pledged to introduce legislation in the upcoming legislative session that would ban the collection of biometric data, including the use of facial recognition cameras, in retail spaces in the state. File photo of state Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. (Jim Michaud/Hearst Connecticut Media) "People don't know who's doing it, if it's being done, there's no disclosure," Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said last week of the collection of biometric data."They don't know if that information is being sold to a third party. We hear all the time that people are very concerned about their privacy." Here's what Connecticut law says about companies collecting biometric data, and what rights residents have to protect their information. Are facial recognition cameras legal in Connecticut? The line went around the corner of the Wegmans grocery store for its grand opening in Norwalk, Conn. Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (H John Voorhees III/Hearst Connecticut Media) Yes, facial recognition cameras, as well as other methods of collecting biometric data, are legal in Connecticut, but require proper disclosure and, crucially, the "informed consent" of the consumer to process sensitive data. Advertisement Advertisement To date, the major data protections in Connecticut law apply to businesses with at least 100,000 customers a year or at least 25,000 customers, when they derive 25% or more of their revenue from the sale of personal data. The law also currently applies to all companies processing health data. But in July of 2026, the law will expand to require the same disclosures for all Connecticut businesses, regardless of their size, in an effort to extend consumer protections statewide. Groups currently exempted from the law include local and state governments, nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions. What laws govern the use of facial recognition technology in Connecticut? The main law governing data collection in the state is the Data Privacy Act, passed in 2022, which defines how companies can collect customers' personal data, what data they can collect and what permission they need to receive from residents before collecting their data. Do companies have to disclose when they collect biometric data in Connecticut? Under Connecticut law, biometric and genetic data are designated as "sensitive data," a category of data that receives heightened protections under the law. Other examples of "sensitive data" include health data, precise geolocation data and any data of children under the age of 13. Advertisement Advertisement Under the CTDPA, businesses that collect a customer's data (known as a controller) need that customer's consent to collect, store, analyze, sell or otherwise "process" that data. File photo of Connecticut Attorney General William Tong. (Jim Michaud/Hearst Connecticut Media) The issue of obtaining consumer consent is crucial to the law, according to Michele Lucan, the chief of the Privacy and Data Security Section at the state's Office of the Attorney General. Consent, as defined in the act, needs to be a "clear affirmative act signifying a consumer's freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous agreement to allow the processing of personal data." Businesses collecting data also have to provide consumers with a "reasonably accessible, clear and meaningful privacy notice" that sensitive data is being collected, as ShopRite does with signs with QR codes on the front entrance of its stores. The notice must also explain how the data is being processed and with whom it is being shared. A sign alerts customers to the use of facial recognition technology at the ShopRite in Stamford, Conn. on Jan. 8, 2026. (Nathaniel Rosenberg, Hearst Connecticut Media) If the law works as intended, the disclosures are supposed to inform customers before their data is collected, meaning that when they enter a store, they are consenting to their data being collected. Advertisement Advertisement "Informed consent and transparency requirements are the key elements (of disclosure)," Lucan, who declined to discuss specific cases, said in an interview. "You can't really have informed consent without the disclosures." And while most of the ShopRite stores visited by CT Insider last week had a sign clearly posted at their entrance notifying customers of the use of facial recognition technology, every customer interviewed by CT Insider, a half dozen in total, said they were unaware of the practice. What rights do consumers have to control their biometric data in Connecticut? Under the CTDPA, consumers have the right to access their personal data, including biometric data, that companies have collected on them. They can request the deletion of personal data, and have the right to opt out of the sale of their personal data to third parties or the use of their data for targeted advertising. Can retailers use biometric data to prevent theft in Connecticut? Yes, and both Wegmans and ShopRite say that they gather customers' biometric data in order to prevent theft and protect employees, in line with industry standards. Advertisement Advertisement There are also limits on what data a consumer can request and delete under the law, and one of those limits is if altering that data would prevent companies from being able to "respond to and prevent security incidents, identity theft, and fraud." But while the attorney general's office acknowledges that the law has exceptions to privacy regulations to prevent theft, Lucan said that the exemption was case-by-case, and "not a blanket exemption." Businesses using facial recognition technology must also conduct an internal "Data Protection Assessment" to document how the benefits of using the technology, including for security purposes, outweigh the risks to privacy rights, according to an April 2025 OAG enforcement report. Can retailers use biometric data to change the prices on products in Connecticut? While no company in Connecticut has indicated that it is pairing biometric data collection with a dynamic pricing model - where a company would adjust prices on products based on information collected on the individual consumer - the possibility of using facial recognition technology to achieve that has still provoked speculation on social media in recent days. Advertisement Advertisement Last month, delivery company Instacart came under fire after researchers found it was using an internal algorithm to offer different customers different prices for the same products bought in the same store at the same time, such as a box of Cheerios in a Target in St. Paul, Minn., or a carton of eggs at a Safeway in Washington, D.C. A couple of weeks later, Instacart ended the practice. In Connecticut, retailers are required to post the price of their items, and charging a different price at checkout than what is posted in the store would run afoul of the state's consumer commodity pricing laws, regardless of whether biometric data was used to change the prices. "It's not possible to comment on hypotheticals," Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said. "But if a company were not honoring advertised prices or changing tagged prices at checkout, that would likely be illegal under Connecticut's consumer protection laws." Who enforces the laws around data privacy in Connecticut? In Connecticut, violations of the Data Privacy Act are enforced by the attorney general's office. While that is the norm in most states with data privacy laws, some states, including Illinois, allow customers to personally sue companies that violate the law. Advertisement Advertisement That ability, known as a "private right of action," is popular with civil liberties groups in Connecticut, who think it would allow for better enforcement of privacy laws. Are there efforts to change the laws on collecting biometric data in Connecticut? Yes, two Connecticut lawmakers, Duff and Senator James Maroney, D-Milford, have announced their intention to introduce legislation for the 2026 legislative session that would ban the collection of large swathes of biometric data at retail locations in the state. In a release, the senators cited CT Insider reporting for raising the issue. "As technology continues to advance, we must be proactive and step in to protect consumers from surveillance they did not consent to," Maroney said in the release. "Our bill will ensure people can shop for everyday necessities without being unknowingly tracked or having their biometric data collected." In an interview last week, Duff said he had received reports of constituents worried that their data had been collected without their knowledge. Duff said the senators had not determined whether the bans would apply beyond retail settings, including in hospitals or for law enforcement. This article originally published at Are facial recognition cameras legal in Connecticut? Here's what the law says. It is not often a president says they would support the dissolution of the state they are leading. In a recent interview, Moldovan President Maia Sandu did just that, saying she would vote for the countrys reunification with Romania if such a referendum were to take place. It is getting more and more difficult for a small country like Moldova to survive as a democracy, as a sovereign country, and of course to resist Russia, Sandu said. Advertisement Advertisement She added, however, that the majority of Moldovans support maintaining independence and integrating into the EU rather than reunifying with Romania, and she will lead the country on this path. According to political analyst Ileana Racheru, the statement is triggered by the changing world order following Donald Trumps inauguration. The declaration was forced as an assessment: if the international order changes from a liberal to a realist one, pushed by (Vladimir) Putin and Trump, the Republic of Moldova has to choose how it disappears, Racheru told Kyiv Independent. Even a (Viktor) Orban-like regime in Romania although I do not believe that the populist far-right would win a majority would be preferable to Putins regime, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Romanian popular support for reunification has fallen from 70% to 40% following the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In Moldova, meanwhile, the public support has risen from 30% to 40% according to the latest polls. Read also: Despite bomb threats, war fears, and disinformation, Moldovans still show up to reject Russia Political will Sandus statement on reunification has gathered support from the leadership of both Moldova and Romania. Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu also declared that he would vote for reunification in a hypothetical referendum. Sandu and Munteanu have dual citizenship, as does a third of Moldovas population. Advertisement Advertisement Opposition lawmaker Vasile Costiuc, head of the populist Democracy at Home party, said that he will propose a bill to schedule a referendum. Romanian President Nicusor Dan has also previously declared that he would support the reunification of Romania and Moldova, yet added that EU integration is one of the ways (to reunite). The Moldovan and European Union flags are displayed on the Government House of Moldova in Chisinau, Moldova, on May 31, 2023. (Carl Court / Getty Images) Then-presidential candidate Nicusor Dan and his partner Mirabela Gradinaru greet supporters after the release of the first exit poll results in Bucharest, Romania, on May 19, 2025. (Andrei Pungovschi / Getty Images) According to Racheru, the declaration has also reduced the degree of hatred from the voters of AUR, or the populist far-right party Alliance for Unity of Romanians, who blamed Sandu and Romanian voters in Moldova for Dans win last year. The partys leader, George Simion, was defeated by Dan in the runoff of the contentious 2025 presidential elections. Advertisement Advertisement Simion, who previously declared support for reunification, has abstained from comment. He is banned from entry in Ukraine and Moldova for alleged links to Russian secret services. One language, one nationality, two states Moldova was part of the medieval principalities that led to the formation of the modern Romanian state until it was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1812. After the First World War and the Russian Revolution, however, Moldova became once again part of Romania. In 1940, the Soviet Union annexed Romanias region of Bessarabia, named it Moldavia, and added it to the state as a "socialist republic." The Romanian language was translated into Cyrillic and called Moldavian. Hundreds of thousands of people protest outside the Grand National Assembly building in Chisinau, Moldova, on Dec. 16, 1990. The rally was organised by the Moldavian Popular Front, during which the Assembly unanimously decided not to sign the treaty with the USSR. (AFP via Getty Images) The desire for reunification with Romania re-emerged in the late 1980s, as part of the National Liberation Movement. Advertisement Advertisement According to contemporary accounts, Moldovas first President, Mircea Snegur, even proposed a union to his Romanian counterpart, Ion Iliescu, several times, only to be rejected. Iliescu was seen as close to Moscow at that time. Amidst talks of reunification, Russia attacked Moldova in March 1992, fighting on the side of the secessionist Transnistria. This predominantly Russian-speaking region was transferred from the Ukrainian Soviet Republic to the Moldovan one following Soviet annexation of the region. Following the ceasefire agreement signed by Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Snegur in July 1992, the question of reunification was deprioritized. Advertisement Advertisement Transnistria remained effectively under Russian control. The idea of reunification was further compromised by far-right politicians, often linked to Russia. People carry a Russian flag and a banner bearing a portrait of Vladimir Putin reading We are for Putin! in Tiraspol, Transnistria, Moldova, on May 9, 2014. (Vadim Denisov / AFP via Getty Images) Even now, reunification remains an ideal rather than a realistic scenario in the given circumstances, argues political analyst Victor Ciobanu. Beyond the opportunity in 1991, I believed in only one scenario, a forced reunification in an extreme scenario, Ciobanu told Kyiv Independent. In the case of Russian troops reaching Transnistria via Odesa, I think the prospect was discussed behind the scenes. This can remain a scenario, Ciobanu added. Advertisement Advertisement Transnistria borders Ukraines Odesa and Vynnytsia oblasts. But it is not clear whether such a lifeline scenario would be welcome by Romania. I dont know if Nicusor Dan would pursue reunification in extremis, Racheru said. If Romania risks becoming a Russian military target, the decision would not be taken only by Bucharest but also by Brussels and NATO, she added. I think that the West is quite aware that Russia wants to advance, she said. Read also: Romanias new president faces daunting challenges after surprise victory over far-right upstart Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Did President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan quietly drive themselves to a Virginia nursing home to serve breakfast to elderly residents on Christmas Day 1983? No, that's not true: This is a completely made-up story that is contradicted by historical records, including President Reagan's personal diary entry for that date. It was published by a Pakistani-based spam factory that has been called out in previous investigations for using fake historical posts to earn money from Facebook. The claim originated in a post (archived here) published by the "Old Days" Facebook account on January 15, 2026. The story opened: On December 25, 1983, Ronald and Nancy Reagan quietly broke presidential protocol in the most beautiful way imaginable. Before dawn, at 6 a.m., they slipped out of the White House without fanfare, drove themselves to a small suburban Virginia nursing home, and spent the morning serving breakfast to elderly residents who had no family to visit them on Christmas Day. Nancy stood at the griddle flipping pancakes, while Ronnie sat beside a 90-year-old woman with dementia who kept calling him "son." He never corrected her. He simply held her hand and whispered, "I'm here, Mama. I'm here." This is what the post looked like on Facebook at the time of writing: Source: Facebook screenshot taken on Mon Jan 19 17:37:02 2026 UTC This is the image used to illustrate the story: Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of Facebook The story continued: The Secret Service was frantic--there was no full security detail, no advance planning, no press. This wasn't a staged moment or a political gesture. It began because Nancy had read a letter from a nursing home administrator describing the crushing loneliness many residents felt during the holidays. She turned to Ronnie and said, "We have to do something. These could be our parents." What few people knew at the time was that this wasn't a one-day act of kindness. It became a private tradition the Reagans repeated every Christmas throughout all eight years of the presidency. Always in secret. Always without cameras. Nancy baked cookies herself the night before. Ronnie brought letters from soldiers overseas and read them aloud to veterans whose eyes could no longer manage the words. One Christmas, Reagan spent forty-five minutes sitting beside a dying Korean War veteran, holding his hand and praying quietly so he wouldn't have to leave this world alone. When Nancy found them, Ronnie was crying. "No hero," he told her, "should die without someone telling them thank you." These stories only surfaced years later, shared by nursing home staff after Reagan's death. They endure because they reveal something rare and enduring--that the most meaningful acts of love and service are often the ones no one sees, done not for recognition or applause, but simply because the heart knows it must show up. Advertisement Advertisement Knowing President Reagan's daily activities is simple. His diary is available online courtesy of the The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, which is connected to his presidential library. Reagan's diary entry (archived here) for December 25, 1983 tells a different story. There is nothing about slipping out of the White House and driving himself, with a small Secret Service team, to a nursing home in Virginia, where he and the first lady purportedly spent all day cooking and visiting with residents. Instead, the president spent time in the "situation room" being brief on serious international issues, giving interviews to four wire services, and finally getting a hair cut. A really easy day. N.S.C.--Cap getting ready to release study by commission investigating Beirut massacre of our Marines (241). They are going to charge there was negligance on part of officers regarding safety precautions. I'm worried about the effect of this on families that lost loved ones. Another briefing in situation room on Soviet nuclear arms & the almost impossibility of verifying whether they are cheating or not. Did year end interview with 4 wire services. Had a haircut & upstairs. Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of reaganfoundation.org A little digging revealed that the "Old Days" Facebook page is part of a network administered from Pakistan that produces and promotes fake historical stories targeted at an American audience. The Meta transparency data (archived here) showed it is managed from Pakistan and has changed its name three times since it was created as "Just Smile" in November 2022. Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of Facebook An identical post (archived here) was also shared by the "Historical Fragments" account on Facebook on January 15, 2026. The Facebook transparency data (archived here) also showed Pakistani management. Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of Facebook Advertisement Advertisement The first result in a Google search (archived here) for "Being Master LLC, Sheridan WY, 82801 USA" was a Reddit thread (archived here) titled "How cybercriminals are using Wyoming shell companies for global hacks." That thread focused on questionable LLCs using the same address. The search also found a series of investigative reports about Being Master LLC, including an article (archived here) Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project titled "Provereno: How Facebook Scammers Cash In On Fake AI-Generated Holocaust Victims." It reported on an investigation by an Israeli news organization that identified Facebook pages managed by Being Masters LLC were publishing fake images of supposed Holocaust victims, along with false stories: The site found that many images were generated using artificial intelligence, and that the accompanying text was largely fabricated. In some cases, real photographs of Holocaust victims--previously published by the Auschwitz Museum--were altered with AI... The fact-checkers found that these pages published between 10 and 50 posts per day--a volume suggesting automation for both the creation and scheduling of content. You can read the original investigation report here (archived here.) Although the article is in Russian, there is a button to translate it into English. While Trump in his second term has so far granted clemency to a broad range of people convicted of federal crimes, the pardons have often favored political allies or business interests. White House officials have consistently said the president is not focusing on fraud pardons but is focused, as Leavitt said, on cases where he thinks there was a political motivation for the case or an issue of overprosecution. Fines, which are owed to the government, and restitution, which is owed to victims, are intended to make up for the harm caused by crime. We have a very thorough review process here that moves with the Department of Justice and the White House counsels office, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a recent briefing, citing a team of attorneys who review every request that makes its way to Trump. She added: And he was very clear when he came into office that he was most interested in looking at pardoning individuals who were abused and used by the Biden Department of Justice and were overprosecuted by a weaponized DOJ. While net worth statistics for other pardon recipients arent easily available, the amount of fines and restitution that had been imposed on them is a rough signal of their wealth. The 87 people and one corporation pardoned by Trump in the last year had been ordered to pay more than $298 million in fines and restitution $20 million more than the total owed by all of the pardon recipients in his entire first term, and vastly more than the totals previously owed by those who received pardons during recent Democratic administrations. These are aside from the group of roughly 1,500 convicted Jan. 6 rioters he pardoned on his first day back in office and additional symbolic pardons for those involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. A few pardon recipients are billionaires, including Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to enabling money laundering on his crypto platform; longtime English soccer club owner Joe Lewis, who pleaded guilty last year to insider trading charges; and Venezuelan-Italian banker Julio M. Herrera Velutini, whom Trump pardoned last week while he awaited sentencing on campaign finance violations. Additionally, about half of the pardon recipients are either business executives or politicians. Included in the latest round of pardons, issued Thursday and Friday, were a former health care CEO, the former governor of Puerto Rico and a pair of siblings who were convicted on fraud charges one of whom Trump previously freed for a different crime . Over half of Trumps 88 individual pardons are for white-collar offenses, with money laundering, bank fraud and wire fraud among the most frequent crimes the president has wiped clean. Just one year into his second term, President Donald Trump has pardoned an unusually high number of wealthy people accused of financial crimes, according to an NBC News analysis of the last four administrations. Story continues Asked in an interview with CBS News last year about his pardoning of Zhao, Trump said, I have no idea who he is. I was told that he was a victim, just like I was and just like many other people, of a vicious, horrible group of people in the Biden administration. Changpeng Zhao, co-founder of Binance Holdings Ltd., during an event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in April. (Samsul Said / Bloomberg via Getty Images file) Samsul Said The president said in the interview he was not concerned about the appearance of corruption. Id rather not have you ask the question. I only care about one thing, said the president. Will we be No. 1 in crypto? The wealth and status associated with many of those pardoned have raised concerns about potential financial and political influence on the clemency process. NBC News previously reported that the White House temporarily paused the pardon process in order to tighten its review following concerns from top officials that the process had become a lucrative business for lobbying and consulting firms during Trumps second term. In the last year, 23 people pardoned by Trump owed more than $100,000 each in fines, restitution or both, with the total exceeding $298 million. Its not clear whether victims or the government ever received that money. Those with the highest totals are the cryptocurrency company HDR Global Trading Limited, which was fined $100 million for dodging anti-money laundering requirements; the Binance founder Zhao, who owed $50 million for a similar crime; and businessman Devon Archer, who was ordered to pay back most of the approximately $60 million he was convicted of defrauding from the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Thursdays pardons added two names to the top of the list: siblings Adriana Isabel and Andres Enrique Camberos, who were convicted in a scheme to sell millions of counterfeit bottles of 5-Hour Energy and ordered to pay $49 million in restitution. Adriana Camberos received a commutation from Trump in his first term for a different crime. Barack Obama, in his two terms as president, pardoned three people who owed more than $100,000, including one who was ordered to pay over $1 million in both fines and restitution, according to government pardon data. In his four years in office, President Joe Biden pardoned two people who owed more than $100,000. In the four years of his first term, Trumps pardons nullified convictions that resulted in more than $276 million in fines and restitution. Obamas pardon recipients owed $2.5 million in total, while Bidens recipients owed just under $700,000. The two Democratic presidents also pardoned fewer people each year, on average, than Trump, who pardoned more people in one year than Biden pardoned in four. NBC News analysis of fines and restitution went back to the Obama administration because earlier presidential administrations did not release information about the specific punishments given to each pardon recipient. Data from Obamas first term came from press releases on an archived White House website. For other administrations, data was drawn from the Office of the Pardon Attorney. In June, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee released a memo criticizing the president for potentially depriving victims of compensation they are owed and depleting funding for the Victims of Crime Act. The memo accused Trumps pardons of undermining public safety at every turn. Trump is far from the first president to issue controversial pardons. Historically, many presidents have waited until later in their terms to make pardons that carried some political risk. In December 2024, after Trump won re-election, Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden, which he had repeatedly said he wouldnt do. And on his final day in office, Biden also issued broad pre-emptive pardons for other members of his family, top medical adviser Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and the members of Congress who served on the select committee to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. The day before Bidens inauguration in 2021, Trump pardoned Steve Bannon, the presidents former adviser, whom prosecutors accused of taking hundreds of thousands from his crowdfunding campaign We Build the Wall. (Bannon didnt make it to trial, but his co-defendants were later convicted or pleaded guilty.) The same day, the president pardoned former communications executive Gregory Reyes, who owed a $15 million fine, saying Reyes conviction had been overturned by an appeals court. While the result of his first trial was overturned, Reyes was retried and the same appeals court affirmed a second conviction. Trumps final pardon of his first term went to Albert J. Pirro Jr., the ex-husband of then-Fox News commentator Jeanine Pirro, who would go on to become the top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., in Trumps second administration. Albert Pirro had been convicted in 2000 of conspiracy, four counts of tax evasion and 29 counts of fraud. This time around, Trump has been quick to use his pardon power, describing it as a tool to hit back against a justice system he feels wronged him and his allies while he was out of office. In a Truth Social post about pardoning Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, the president called himself an expert on political weaponization after being charged in two federal cases, which were handled by a special prosecutor, and two state cases during the Biden administration. That has even extended to pardoning a man whose sentencing had been touted by Trumps own administration. In April 2025, Alina Habba, a Trump ally and then the acting U.S. attorney in New Jersey, celebrated her offices role in the sentencing of Joseph Schwartz, a wealthy nursing home executive who pleaded guilty to a $38 million tax fraud scheme. The president pardoned Schwartz in November. Trump has not offered a public explanation for that pardon. The Washington Post reported Schwartz paid $960,000 to have lobbyists work to secure him a presidential pardon. He is now serving time in Arkansas on similar state charges. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Did Donald Trump tell Norway's Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Stre, that he wants complete and total control of Greenland because he was not granted the Nobel Peace Prize? Yes, that's true: Some questioned if the text message from Trump to Norway's Prime Minister published on X by PBS correspondent Nick Schifrin was real. Norway's Prime Minister published a statement on the official website of Norway's government on Jan. 19, 2026 confirming the text communication with Trump. Lead Stories reached out to the PM's office and was provided a transcript of the text exchange with timestamps. The text message was published in a post on X (archived here) by PBS correspondent Nick Schifrin on Jan. 19, 2026. The post opened: NEW: @potus letter to @jonasgahrstore links @NobelPrize to Greenland, reiterates threats, and is forwarded by the NSC staff to multiple European ambassadors in Washington. I obtained the text from multiple officials: Dear Ambassador: President Trump has asked that the following message, shared with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, be forwarded to your [named head of government/state] Schifrin's post appears in the screenshot below: Image Source: Lead Stories screenshot from x.com/nickschifrin/status/2013107018081489006. The post continues with the quoted paragraph from Trump's text message: "Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a "right of ownership" anyway? There are no written documents, it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT" NEW: @potus letter to @jonasgahrstore links @NobelPrize to Greenland, reiterates threats, and is forwarded by the NSC staff to multiple European ambassadors in Washington. I obtained the text from multiple officials: Dear Ambassador: President Trump has asked that the... -- Nick Schifrin (@nickschifrin) January 19, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 19, 2026 a statement from the Prime Minister (archived here) was published on Norway's official government website www.regjeringen.no. It said, in part, quoting Jonas Gahr Stre: I can confirm that this is a text message that I received yesterday afternoon from President Trump. It came in response to a short text message from me to President Trump sent earlier on the same day, on behalf of myself and the President of Finland Alexander Stubb. In our message to Trump we conveyed our opposition to his announced tariff increases against Norway, Finland and select other countries. We pointed to the need to de-escalate and proposed a telephone conversation between Trump, Stubb and myself on the same day. The response from Trump came shortly after the message was sent. It was his decision to share his message with other NATO leaders, Lead Stories reached out to the office of the Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre and was provided the full exchange of messages including timestamps: Poster of hostage Yonatan Mordechai Samerano during demonstrations for the hostages still held in Gaza. (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV) The lawsuit names UNRWA, a UNRWA employee alleged to have taken part in the attack, and several current and former senior UNRWA officials as defendants. The family of Yonatan Samerano, 21, who was murdered during Hamass October 7 attack, has filed a lawsuit in the Jerusalem District Court against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), alleging the agency played a role in his abduction and death. The lawsuit, submitted by attorneys Nitsana Darshan-Leitner and her legal team at Shurat HaDin on behalf of Sameranos estate and immediate family, seeks NIS 25 million in punitive damages under Israels Compensation for Victims of Terrorism Law. It names UNRWA, a UNRWA employee alleged to have taken part in the attack, and several current and former senior UNRWA officials as defendants. Advertisement Advertisement According to the filing, Samerano fled the Nova music festival near Reim as Hamas terrorists stormed the area, killing hundreds. After reaching Kibbutz Beeri, he was shot by terrorists at the entrance to the community. The suit alleges that later that morning, a UNRWA employee, driving a vehicle belonging to the agency, arrived at the scene with another armed operative, placed Sameranos body in the trunk of the UN-marked car, and transported it into Gaza. Samarenos body was recovered by the IDF this past June in a military operation, and he was buried. The filing identifies the alleged perpetrator as Faisal Ali Musallam al-Naami, whom they describe as a Hamas operative employed by UNRWA in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. UNRWA COMMISSIONER-GENERAL Philippe Lazzarini speaks in Cairo in September. He had claimed that UNRWA didnt know what was under its headquarters, and fired a handful of terrorists, but it wasnt just a few bad apples, says the writer. (credit: MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY/REUTERS) The plaintiffs say the alleged actions were not isolated, but part of what they describe as a long-standing and systemic entanglement between UNRWA and Hamas in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit claims that UNRWA employed hundreds, if not thousands, of Hamas operatives over the years, either knowingly or by turning a blind eye, and that agency facilities, vehicles, and resources were repeatedly used for terror-related activity. In detailing its claims, the suit cites Israeli intelligence assessments and international reporting suggesting that approximately 10% of UNRWAs workforce in Gaza were members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, while roughly half were close relatives of terror operatives. It further alleges that dozens of UNRWA employees took part directly in the October 7 massacre, including kidnappings and the transport of hostages. BEYOND FINANCIAL damages, the family is asking the court to issue an injunction compelling the defendants to provide information regarding Sameranos remains and their location, as well as any internal investigations conducted by UNRWA concerning the events of October 7. A central legal argument in the filing challenges UNRWAs claim to immunity as a UN agency. UNRWA challenged on status as neutral humanitarian body The suit alleges that UNRWA no longer functions as a neutral humanitarian body and therefore cannot benefit from the protections typically afforded under international convenAlso listed were UNRWA Commissioner-General Advertisement Advertisement Philippe Lazzarini and other senior officials, whom the filing argues bear responsibility for the employment of operatives who took part in the attack. tions governing UN operations. The lawsuit comes amid growing legal and political scrutiny of UNRWA in Israel following the war in Gaza. Darshan-Leitner welcomed the evacuation of UNRWAs offices in Jerusalem, describing the move as an act of justice for the victims of terror, and arguing that Israel has both the right and the duty to remove the agencys presence from the capital. While the case could face significant legal and diplomatic hurdles, including questions over whether Israeli courts can hear civil claims against a UN agency, it marks the first attempt by Israeli victims families to hold UNRWA civilly liable in an Israeli court for alleged involvement in the October 7 massacre. The suit joins parallel civil proceedings against Hamas and affiliated actors, alongside hundreds of other victims. UNRWA has previously denied institutional involvement in terrorist activity, stating that any employees implicated in violence acted independently and in violation of agency rules. As of publication, the agency had not issued a response to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement The Foreign Ministry, in a post on X, wrote that on October 7, a UNRWA social worker abducted the body of Israeli civilian Yonatan Samerano, adding that the incident was not an isolated act. The ministry accused UNRWA of long having ceased to function as a humanitarian organization, instead serving as a greenhouse for Hamas terrorism, and alleged that UNRWA employees participated in the October 7 massacre and kidnappings, while the agencys infrastructure was used for Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad activity, including rocket fire and tunnel construction. This is not humanitarian work, said the ministry. This is terror infiltration, exposed in action. Farmers in Bangladesh have struggled as persistent cold temperatures threatened their crops and the shift in weather could leave their livelihoods in limbo. What's happening? Experts urged farmers to protect their crops as intense cold weather and dense fog moved into Bangladesh, according to The Business Standard. They said the conditions can put the crops at risk of diseases that may reduce quality. Abu Noman Faruq Ahmed, a plant pathology professor at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, told The Business Standard that potatoes and boro seedbeds are in jeopardy due to the weather. Advertisement Advertisement "Boro seedlings may fail to grow properly, affecting quality," Ahmed said. "Sudden weather changes could severely impact both crops and other vegetables." There's also a concern about the lack of sunlight. Without three consecutive days of sun, experts said potato fields may develop late blight, which can kill crops. Why is the impact of climate on crops important? Rising global temperatures will diminish the capacity to produce food from crops around the world, according to one study published in the journal Nature. Researchers revealed that global yields of calories from staple crops will be 24% lower in 2100 due to the changing climate. Advertisement Advertisement The climate has also exacerbated extreme weather events that have contributed to higher grocery prices, per the World Economic Forum. Crops like soybeans, potatoes, and cocoa are just a few crops that have been impacted. The degradation of crops can impact livelihoods for those in the agricultural sector, too. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, agriculture accounted for more than 10% of total employment across the United States in 2022. What's being done about protecting agriculture? Per The Business Standard, agricultural agencies suggested that farmers in Bangladesh take preventative measures to protect their crops. For farmers dealing with weather-related threats, the EPA has recommended incorporating climate-smart farming methods like forecasting tools and plant cover crops. Advertisement Advertisement Reducing pesticide use and improving pollination is another way to reduce the impacts of climate change on agriculture, according to the EPA. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Jan. 20Robert "Bodhi" Gagner-Sarten Jr. was just 5 years old when he died a little over a year ago in the Fairbanks apartment he shared with his mother, Cedar Mae Sarten. Sarten, 44, was arrested in November 2024, and charged with first- and second-degree murder in the boy's death, which occurred the month before. She has pleaded not guilty ahead of a trial scheduled for May. The boy's father, Robert Gagner, had settled a lengthy custody dispute with Sarten less than a month before the child died. Advertisement Advertisement Now, a civil lawsuit filed in Fairbanks Superior Court in December by Gagner claims the state Office of Children's Services also played a role in the boy's death through negligence. The agency oversees the care of vulnerable children in state custody, including foster care and cases where parents or guardians may have harmed children. An amended version of the complaint was filed Friday. The Office of Children's Services placed the child under its care in 2020 after Sarten harmed the boy in front of witnesses at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, according to the complaint. But the agency stopped monitoring the child about three years before his death, the lawsuit contends. Gagner claims that OCS failed to follow its own policies and disregarded warning signs that Sarten continued to be a threat to the boy's safety. Advertisement Advertisement "This was a tragedy that could have and should have been avoided," said attorney Michael Kramer, who is representing Gagner. The state Department of Family and Community Services, which oversees the Office of Children's Services, declined to comment. "For privacy and legal reasons, the Department of Family and Community Services does not comment on pending litigation," spokesperson Brian Studstill said in an email. A public defender representing Sarten didn't respond to a request for comment. A red flag The July 2020 hospital incident marked the beginning of a series of placements for the boy, at the time not even 2 years old. Advertisement Advertisement He was placed with his father in the aftermath of the incident, according to the lawsuit. But OCS moved the child into foster care in September 2020 after Sarten made a false report that Gagner assaulted her, a charge that police almost immediately dismissed but continued to be a factor in the state's custody decisions, according to Kramer and the complaint. Both parents were again separately allowed to care for the boy under OCS supervision by the spring of 2021, and the agency restored parental custody that fall several months after court testimony from an OCS expert who warned the boy could be at risk if his mother wasn't properly medicated, according to Kramer and the complaint. The civil lawsuit follows years of scrutiny including from Alaska's government watchdog agency of the Office of Children's Services' protection of vulnerable children. The agency first got involved in the Fairbanks case after Sarten attempted to injure her son in July 2020, according to Gagner's lawsuit. That incident occurred after Sarten was taken to the hospital after being seen acting erratically, according to filings in the criminal case. The boy was about 16 months old at the time. Advertisement Advertisement At the hospital, Sarten acted "as if she was going to hug and kiss" her son and then put her hands on both sides of his head, leaned forward and attempted to "snap his neck" before she was separated from the child, according to a sworn affidavit by an OCS social worker cited in the lawsuit. A subsequent examination revealed evidence of old skull fractures and led investigators to believe the boy had suffered previous abuse, the civil lawsuit said. Sarten was convicted of reckless endangerment in September 2022 and given a 10-day suspended jail sentence. According to the lawsuit, OCS had documented more than a dozen previous concerns about the child's safety before the hospital incident occurred. The agency investigated three of those complaints, Kramer said. The nature of the complaints and outcome of the investigations is unclear, he said. 'A high risk of possible harm' Advertisement Advertisement At some point after July 2020, OCS was granted "emergency custody" of the boy before the agency sought to have the child classified as a Child in Need of Aid, according to the lawsuit. Judges in those cases determine if, and when, children are safe in the care of a parent. The boy was placed in Gagner's care, Kramer said. Sarten, he said, was not allowed to be around the child. In September 2020, Sarten broke into Gagner's home with the boy inside and falsely claimed that Gagner had assaulted her, the lawsuit claims. Gagner was arrested and charged with a domestic violence-related crime, Kramer said. Police dropped the charges a day later, according to the lawsuit. But the Office of Children's Services blamed Gagner for the incident, telling a judge that he had endangered the boy by allowing Sarten to live in the home and care for the boy, according to the lawsuit. That was despite a video showing Sarten broke in, evidence authorities relied on when dropping the charges, the complaint said. Advertisement Advertisement Afterwards, OCS placed the child into a series of foster homes for several months after receiving a court order that restricted Gagner's ability to care for the boy, according to Kramer and the lawsuit. In March 2021, a judge in the boy's Child in Need of Aid case awarded custody to OCS, according to Kramer and the lawsuit. In court hearings that month, a physician testifying on behalf of OCS said Sarten's "unaddressed mental health issues created a high risk of possible harm" to the child, according to the amended complaint. Sarten was resistant to taking her "psychotropic medications" and wished to take them "as needed," the complaint states. The judge in the case said Sarten "had not addressed her mental health issues" and that her "medication management needed to be addressed," the lawsuit said. Advertisement Advertisement The next month, the agency reunited Sarten and Gagner with the boy and allowed each to have supervised home visits with him, the lawsuit and Kramer said. The decision was made despite Sarten not completing care plan obligations typically required by the state, the complaint said. Seeking reform The lawsuit cites numerous concerns with the state's oversight of Sarten, including not ensuring that she was taking medications for mental health issues and ignoring reports from Gagner that she was abusing illegal drugs, according to the complaint. The agency also didn't drug test Sarten or require her to undergo typical steps such as parenting and anger management classes or drug treatment, Kramer said. In September 2021, he said, OCS successfully petitioned a judge to end the agency's oversight of the child's care and fully restore parental custody amid unresolved concerns about the boy's safety with Sarten. Advertisement Advertisement Weeks before the boy died, Gagner agreed to share custody with Sarten to settle a custody dispute that had dragged on for more than three years, court records show. Kramer said the father pushed for full custody of the child because he feared for his safety when under Sarten's care. But Gagner agreed to the resolution, Kramer said, because he felt helpless to protect his son and had "lost faith in the system" after his unsuccessful attempts to convince the agency that the boy was unsafe with his mother. Gagner is seeking at least $100,000, plus attorney and court fees, in addition to any other damages awarded by the court, according to the complaint. He also wants to hold OCS accountable and hopes the lawsuit leads to reforms within the agency, Kramer said. A northwest Harris County woman reported to police that she was being stalked by someone who left trinkets at her door, declared his love for her, and made her feel "harassed, annoyed, offended, and alarmed," according to court documents. Records show that Jorge Escalante Rivera, 29, was charged with felony stalking after a series of unusual incidents at a woman's home in northwest Houston. Three visits and a variety of gifts The victim told investigators that it began on the morning of June 23, 2025, when the man left four trinkets with handwritten notes at her doorstep. Security cameras recorded Rivera leaving figurines, such as a snowman, a birdbath with a cardinal, a candle, and two angels. The video allegedly shows him walking away and making the sign of the cross toward her home. Advertisement Advertisement The complaint says the second incident happened several months later, on the morning of Sept. 30. This time, Rivera left four items: a doll of the character Jessie from "Toy Story," another cardinal bird figurine, an El Salvadoran flag, and a crucifix. According to the complaint, Rivera left handwritten notes with his email and messages declaring his love for the victim. The affidavit mentions that one note may have referred to the song "Eres mia" by Romeo Santos, which has lyrics describing crimes like kidnapping and sexual assault as acts of love. Rivera also reportedly wrote "hola [sic] werita," which means "hello white girl" in Spanish. The third visit happened a few weeks later, on Nov. 1, and, according to court documents, Rivera left a broom with a handwritten message in Spanish that said, "the most beautiful witch," along with a smiley face. The note was dated Halloween. A final warning The complaint says the victim contacted people she knew and sent them a photo of Rivera and his car, asking if anyone recognized him. One person replied that Rivera used to work for his landscaping company, which had done work at the victim's home. The victim told investigators the company owner gave the victim Rivera's address and date of birth, which she shared with the police. Advertisement Advertisement On Nov. 13, a Harris County Constable's Precinct One deputy said she attempted to reach Rivera at his home. Court documents state the deputy reported seeing Rivera's car in the apartment complex parking lot, but no one answered the door. The deputy then called a man who said he was Escalante's brother and asked him to tell Rivera to stop bothering the victim. The victim told investigators that nothing happened until Christmas night, when cameras recorded Rivera's car stopping in front of her house, throwing something onto her yard, and then driving away. When she returned from vacation on Jan. 1, she found a pink yard glove with a handwritten note that said, "I need an opportunity, I'm sorry, my love," along with a small keychain and magnet. Arrested and charged The victim told police she does not know Rivera and felt "harassed, annoyed, offended, and alarmed" by what he did. She said she feared for her safety and her home, and that these events prompted her to hire a lawyer and a private investigator, according to records. Court documents show that police identified Rivera in all the videos, and both neighbors and his former employer confirmed his identity. Records state he was charged with felony stalking on Jan. 8 and, according to Precinct One Constable Alan Rosen, he has now been arrested. For updates on this story, follow Daniela Hurtado on Facebook, X and Instagram. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astronaut Edward Michael "Mike" Fincke is helped up after a successful landing from the International Space Station. . | Credit: NASA/SpaceX This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights . For the first time in 25 years of continuous crewed operations, an astronaut has been medically evacuated from the International Space Station (ISS). The Crew-11 mission ended when a SpaceX Dragon capsule brought the four astronauts of Crew 11 home following a medical incident in early January 2026 . Advertisement Advertisement To protect the crewmembers privacy, NASA hasn't yet disclosed details about what happened and this article won't speculate. But the evacuation raises a question worth exploring: how do astronauts stay healthy in space, and why is this early evacuation so unusual? Astronauts undergo rigorous medical screening before selection. They are assessed for conditions that might worsen in microgravity, evaluated for psychological resilience, and monitored throughout their careers. Although modelling suggests a medical emergency could be expected roughly every three years on the ISS, serious issues are remarkably rare in practice. Every ISS mission includes medical support both in space and on the ground. Each crew has a designated Crew Medical Officer sometimes a qualified doctor, sometimes someone with extensive training in space medicine procedures. They can perform basic examinations, administer medications, and conduct telemedicine consultations with specialists on Earth. What health issues do occur in space? A 2015 study found that medication use on the ISS was relatively low, with roughly ten doses of over-the-counter medication taken per astronaut per week, most of which are for common, manageable conditions, such as: Advertisement Advertisement Skin irritation is the most frequently reported medical issue in spaceflight. A recent systematic review found that space-related dermatoses including dry skin, rashes, hypersensitivity reactions, and impaired wound healing occur at rates approximately 25 times higher than on Earth. The cold, dry, low-humidity spacecraft environment exacerbates these problems, and hygiene is limited to wet wipes and rinse-less products for months at a time. Congestion and headaches affect most astronauts, particularly early in a mission. Without gravity pulling fluids downward, blood shifts toward the head, causing a puffy face and stuffy nose what astronauts call "space sniffles." This can trigger headaches, reduced appetite , and poor sleep . Sleep disruption is widespread. The ISS orbits Earth every 90 minutes, creating 16 sunrises and sunsets over 24 hours, which disrupts circadian rhythms. Combined with equipment noise, reduced personal space, and the stress of spaceflight, astronauts typically get one to two hours less sleep per night compared to on Earth. Musculoskeletal injuries are surprisingly common. A NASA study catalogued 219 in-flight injuries across the US space programme, with an incidence of roughly 0.02 per flight day. Hand injuries were most frequent, mostly small cuts from moving between modules or handling equipment. But exercise, ironically the leading countermeasure designed to protect astronauts' bones and muscles, is now the leading source of injuries on the ISS . Astronauts exercise for around two hours each day to combat bone and muscle loss and cardiovascular deconditioning in microgravity. Without gravity's constant load, bones can lose about 1% of their density per month , particularly in the legs, hips, and spine. Yet this essential countermeasure carries its own risks. Spacewalks present additional hazards the study found 0.26 injuries per extravehicular activity, often caused by spacesuit components. Research continues to make these countermeasures safer and more effective. At Northumbria University, the Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation Laboratory works with European Space Agency, NASA, Canadian Space Agency and private spaceflight companies including SpaceX to develop exercise-based interventions to protect astronaut health. The research team are pioneering approaches to maintain physical function during longer missions and accelerate recovery on return to Earth. Astronaut Sandra Magnus, Expedition 18 flight engineer, exercises on the advanced Resistive Exercise Device (aRED) in the Unity node of the International Space Station. | Credit: NASA Space-specific conditions Some health issues are unique to spaceflight. Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) affects up to 70% of astronauts on long-duration missions. The headward fluid shift changes pressure in the eye, leading to optic nerve flattening and vision changes that can persist for years after returning to Earth. Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps most striking was an incident reported in 2020, when a blood clot was discovered in an astronaut's jugular vein during a routine research ultrasound. The astronaut had no symptoms; the clot was found by chance. In what became the ultimate telemedicine case, doctors on Earth guided treatment over more than 90 days. Blood thinners were administered, additional medication was sent on a resupply vessel, and the astronaut performed their own ultrasound scans with radiologists directing from hundreds of kilometers below. They completed their mission and returned safely at the end of their mission without any health consequences. The Crew-11 evacuation demonstrates that space agencies prioritize crew safety above all else. As missions move beyond low Earth orbit into deep space, new approaches to medical care will be needed referred to as Earth Independent Medical Operations , potentially using AI to assist crew medical officers alongside lessons from current missions. That this is the first expedited medical evacuation in 25 years highlights how effectively space medicine has developed. But it's also a reminder that space remains inherently challenging for human biology, and sometimes there really is no place like home. A sign identifies the Homestake Mining Co. Hydro Electric Plant No.2, built in 1917, in Spearfish Canyon. (Photo courtesy of the Governor's Office) The South Dakota House of Representatives sent a bill to the Senate by a vote of 60-9 on Tuesday that would transfer an old hydroelectric plant in Spearfish Canyon to a foundation for potential conversion to an interpretive center. The bill would transfer ownership of the Homestake Mine Hydro Electric Plant No. 2 building from the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks to the Spearfish Canyon Foundation at no cost. The building is near the entrance to the popular Devils Bathtub hiking trail. Advertisement Advertisement Majority Leader Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, called the building a well-preserved time capsule that would turn into a place where visitors can learn about the history of mining in Lawrence County. Its like they greased everything in 1916 and they just walked away, Odenbach told fellow representatives in the House. Of the bills no votes, two came from Rep. Phil Jensen, R-Rapid City, and Rep. Tina Mulally, R-Rapid City. The two argued the state was giving away taxpayer assets without compensation. Odenbach said the building and the land it sits on are of little value, and they cost the state money to maintain. The inside of the Homestake Mining Co. Hydro Electric Plant No.2, built in 1917, in Spearfish Canyon. (Photo courtesy of the Governors Office) Scott Simpson, deputy secretary for the Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, told the House Agriculture and Natural Resource Committee last week that the property became the departments as part of a larger 2014 acquisition from Homestake Mining Co., which also included Roughlock Falls and Spearfish Falls. The hydro plant formerly generated electricity for the Homestake Mine in Lead. The mine has been closed since 2001. Advertisement Advertisement Simpson said the hydro plant site does not fit the departments core mission of managing natural resources and recreation, and the foundation is better positioned to preserve and interpret the buildings Homestake-era history. Simpson said the foundation would assume ownership and liability under the transfer, while a reversion clause would apply if the property is not used for a public purpose. The proposed transfer is 3.5 acres. Foundation supporters informed the committee that the building remains largely intact on the inside, but requires repairs, including roof work, to prevent further deterioration. Asked whether the foundation would return to the Legislature seeking state funding for renovations, foundation member Bob Ewing said no, explaining the group could pursue grants and local support. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX NEED TO KNOW A 39-year-old man was attacked by a shark while surfing on Australia's New South Wales coastline on Tuesday, Jan. 20 NSW Police Force confirmed that he sustained a chest wound in the attack that required hospital treatment The incident marks the fourth shark attack in the area in just 48 hours A surfer is recovering from a chest wound after becoming the victim of the fourth shark attack on Australias New South Wales coastline in just 48 hours. At around 10:15 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Jan. 20, a 39-year-old man was surfing at Point Plomer on the Mid North Coast when a shark took hold of his surfboard, according to the New South Wales Police Forces (NSW Police Force) news release. Advertisement Advertisement The man was treated for a wound to his chest after a bystander rushed him to the Kempsey District Hospital, per 10 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. Following his discharge from the hospital, the man reported the shark attack at Kempsey Police Station. NSW Police Force confirmed that nearby beaches have been closed following the incident, including Point Plomer Beach, One Palm Beach, Back Beach and Queens Head. When contacted by PEOPLE, a spokesperson for the NSW Police Force said, Unfortunately, there is no further information available at this time. Advertisement Advertisement Photos obtained by 10 News show a chunk of the mans surfboard missing from where the shark bit and a large hole in his wetsuit. The surfer has not been publicly identified at this time. "[He's] very fortunate to not have sustained any serious injuries, Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive, Steve Pearce, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 10 News/Youtube Surfer's damaged wetsuit Surfer's damaged wetsuit Referring to the heavy rain in recent days, Pearce continued, "After a big weather event, there's always going to be a lot of run-off and outflow of creeks into the ocean and river mouths. We really strongly advocate that nobody swim or surf near river mouths because it's obviously an area where sharks congregate, he added. Advertisement Advertisement The attack at Point Plomer comes a day after a surfer in his 20s sustained serious leg injuries when he was bitten by a shark at North Steyne Beach, Manly, in New South Wales. He remains hospitalized in a critical condition. A few hours before, an 11-year-old boy had to be rescued from a suspected bull shark at Sydney's Dee Why Beach, News.com.au reported. The shark bit his surfboard, but the boy was uninjured in the attack. A 13-year-old boy was also left critically injured after being bitten by a shark in Sydney Harbour on Sunday, Jan. 18, while jumping off rocks at the end of the beach. Getty Shark (stock image) Shark (stock image) University of Sydney public policy expert Chris Pepin-Neff told the Australian Associated Press that Sydney Harbours 100-year-old sewage pipes may have also contributed to the recent shark attacks. Advertisement Advertisement When the pipes overflow, when theres more sewage, the bait fish eat the sewage and then the bull sharks come to eat the bait fish, and that draws them into the surface and into the shore, Associate Professor Pepin-Neff told the outlet. He added, Three shark bites in two days suggests to me theres a unique environmental condition that is more than just the heavy rain. Read the original article on People CHICAGO Even on one of the coldest days of the winter, hundreds of protesters took to Chicagos streets against ICE. People rallied at the Chicago Water Tower on Michigan Avenue and marched to Trump Tower primarily to oppose the Trump administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the war in Gaza, aligning with Martin Luther King Jr. Day and adding onto a long list of demonstrations against the administration that ramped up in Chicago this fall with the federal immigration enforcement crackdown. Were in very trying and perplexing and contradictory times, Nino Brown, 34, who spoke at the rally with the anti-capitalist Party for Socialism and Liberation, said. And if Dr. King were alive, I mean he would brave, he would brave the conditions to make a political statement. Advertisement Advertisement Demonstrators passed out hand warmers and wrapped keffiyehs around their winter scarves as temperatures held stubbornly in the single digits and the wind chill brought the feels like temperature well below zero. Despite the temperatures throughout the afternoon, the crowd at times stretched the length of a short city block and was loud enough to catch the attention of patrons inside the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and other downtown businesses, some of whom pulled out their phones to record the group passing down the closed-off roadway. The sidewalks were otherwise mostly clear as the cold and holiday seemed to keep downtown relatively quiet. The Monday demonstration, endorsed by dozens of organizations, followed another protest at the west suburban Broadview ICE processing center Saturday, which was one of the first large-scale events to occur there since federal agents pulled back from their 64-day surge of immigration enforcement raids in and around Chicago. Among marchers top concerns were the killings of Renee Good, the woman shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis about two weeks ago, and Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, the man shot by an ICE agent in Franklin Park in September. Advertisement Advertisement In Goods killing, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security quickly said the agent who killed Good was acting in self-defense, recalling claims from the agency in the aftermath of the two federal shootings in Chicago during Operation Midway Blitz. The Minneapolis shooting has prompted protests in Minnesota and across the country, including Chicago and its suburbs. In addition to calls to abolish ICE, protesters rallied against Israels violence against Palestinians since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, and the Trump administrations recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, among other issues. Marcia Bernsten, 72, who said shes attended many protests over the last two decades, said she felt like she was seeing some new faces at protests in recent weeks. It seems like the American people are beginning to wake up and realize this isnt normal, and its our time to be in the street, she said. The situation is such that we have no choice but to be in the streets. Advertisement Advertisement Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, was the last speaker in the pre-march program, which lasted about 30 minutes. Overall, the group was standing outside or marching for about an hour and a half. This is what resistance looks like. I am thankful for the bravery of working people fighting against fascists, fighting against imperialism, fighting against poverty, racism and militarism, Sigcho-Lopez said. Remember Martin Luther King Jr., because we gotta look at the past so that we can fight for the future. _____ Germany has withdrawn a small military reconnaissance team from Greenland as President Donald Trump escalates pressure on Denmark, accusing the countrys leadership of failing to repel what he calls a growing Russian threat in the Arctic. A German Bundeswehr team of 15 soldiers departed Greenland on Sunday for Copenhagen after completing a short reconnaissance mission tied to a planned Danish-led military exercise, a military spokesman said per DPA International. The deployment had begun Friday and was part of a broader European effort to assess logistics and security conditions on the Arctic island, which is a self-governing territory of Denmark and covered under NATOs collective defense pact, German officials reportedly said. The withdrawal came as Trump renewed public criticism of Denmarks handling of Greenlands security and reiterated his insistence that the United States must ultimately control the strategically located, mineral-rich territory. Writing on his social media platform Sunday, Trump said Denmark had failed to address what he described as an encroaching Russian presence. Advertisement Advertisement NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that you have to get Russian threat away from Greenland, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it Now it is time, and it will be done!!! German officials reportedly said the reconnaissance teams departure was planned and that its mission had been completed. A spokesman for Germanys military command and control center said the findings would be analyzed in the coming days. Trumps comments follow a sharp escalation in his long-running campaign to pressure Denmark into selling Greenland, something Danish and Greenlandic leaders have thus far rejected. Greenlands prime minister previously stated, Our country is not for sale. Yet, in early 2025, political parties that favored independence from Denmark surged, including some perceived as pro-American annexation, although they failed to claim the requisite votes to govern outright, The Dallas Express previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, Trump announced plans to impose new tariffs on Denmark and seven other European countries unless Denmark agrees to what he described as the complete and total purchase of Greenland. The tariffs, set to take effect February 1, would start at 10% and rise to 25% by June 1 if no agreement is reached, according to Trump. Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded, Europe wont be blackmailed, per The BBC. The Dallas Express previously reported that President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on several European countries, conditioning relief on negotiations over Greenland. Trump has dismissed those efforts, at one point mocking Greenlands defenses as inadequate, while arguing that the United States alone can guarantee the islands security against Russia and China. He has said Greenlands location makes it vital for missile defense, space operations and Arctic shipping routes. The brief German deployment was part of a wider European symbolic show of support for Denmark amid the dispute. Investing.com -- UBS Group AG is evaluating both internal and external candidates to succeed CEO Sergio Ermotti when he steps down at the end of 2026 or early 2027. "My job is to prepare and to present to the board as many candidates possible internally and the role of the board is to also evaluate external candidates and find the best solution for the future," Ermotti said Tuesday in a Bloomberg Television interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The Swiss banking giants internal candidates include Aleksandar Ivanovic, who leads the firms asset management unit, wealth management co-heads Iqbal Khan and Robert Karofsky, and Chief Operating Officer Beatriz Martin. UBS Chairman Colm Kelleher has previously suggested Ermotti might take over as chairman after a required cooling-off period. When asked about this possibility, Ermotti avoided direct comment, saying only that he remains "very focused on finishing his job." Ermotti returned to UBS for a second stint as CEO in 2023 to oversee the integration of Credit Suisse following UBSs acquisition of its former rival. Related articles UBS Groups Ermotti says board considering external CEO candidates These 2 stocks are best positioned to benefit from higher uranium prices: analyst Goldman expects lower but still attractive stock market returns in 2026 Utah Gov. Spencer Cox believes its time to take action as almost half of the states third graders are reportedly reading below minimum proficiency levels. First, said Cox, more resources are needed in Utahs K-12 schools. Hes proposing to allocate tens of millions more in the state budget to hire paraprofessionals to supplement reading support for early elementary students. But the governor wants to go beyond simply putting more cash into child literacy efforts. Cox also believes Utah should implement a retention policy requiring students to repeat third grade if they dont pass a reading comprehension test. Advertisement Advertisement Any state policy that mandates holding kids back in school would surely be divisive. Cox acknowledges that but hes certain the long-term benefits for a struggling child are worth the disruption. I think theres a way we can do it that treats kids and families with dignity and respect and makes it easy for them but we need that pressure, said Cox at a recent literacy symposium. Its not that we want to hold kids back, its that we want them reading at third grade level so we dont have to hold them back. Legislative leaders indicated to the Deseret News at recent editorial board meetings that they back the idea as well. Holding kids back for a year a good idea? Are Utahns on board with Coxs third grade retention policy? Advertisement Advertisement Currently, holding a child back a grade is a rarity in Utah. It happens only in extreme cases, and usually at a parent or guardians request. So a state-imposed retention policy would mark a significant departure from the status quo. This months Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll gathered the opinions of 799 registered Utahns regarding the states current retention standards. More than a third 38% believe they need to be more strict. Another approximate third 34% say the standards are about right. Meanwhile, 8% believe they need to be less strict, while 19% said they dont know. Advertisement Advertisement Obviously, Utah children and their parents would be most impacted by any grade retention policy. Of poll respondents who identified as parents, 37% believe the states retention standards should be more strict. An identical number said the current standards are about right, while 10% said the standards need to be less strict. Theres only a slight opinion gap between Republicans and Democrats on the current retention standards. Forty-one percent of Republican respondents said the current standards need to be more strict, while 36% believe they are about right. Among Democrats, 37% are in the need to be more strict camp, with 30% saying the standards are about right and 11% responding that standards need to be less strict. Most Utahns support a repeat third grade policy The recent poll also suggests Utahns would generally support a proposed policy requiring third graders who dont pass a state reading test to repeat the grade. DN-thirdgradepoll Slightly more than two-thirds of respondents 67% support the proposal, with 24% saying they strongly support it and 43% answering somewhat support. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, 17% somewhat oppose and 7% strongly oppose a third grade retention policy. The gap between those who support and those who oppose a third grade retention policy is a bit tighter for Utah parents included in the poll. Fifty-nine percent of parents support it with 19% responding strongly support. Just under a third of parents voiced opposition to the proposed policy, with 8% saying they strongly oppose. Among Republican and Democratic respondents, 73% of Republicans expressed some level of support for a third grade retention policy. Democrats are slightly less on board, with 66% expressing support. Technology in the classroom: Helpful or harmful The poll also asked Utah voters if they think technology in the classroom is mostly helpful or mostly harmful or a mix of both. Advertisement Advertisement Sixty percent responded that tech in the classroom is both helpful and harmful, while 29% believe its mostly helpful. Only 7% answered mostly harmful. Utah parents feelings about classroom technology is about the same. While 26% of parents consider it to be mostly helpful and 9% say its mostly harmful, the vast majority of moms and dads 61% say technology in the classroom is both helpful and harmful. DN-Techinschoolpoll Expect classroom technology to be a focus in the upcoming 2026 Utah Legislature. A group of Republican lawmakers recently announced plans to introduce a pair of bills that would restrict classroom educational technology. Advertisement Advertisement The proposed Software Accountability for Education, or SAFE, Act would establish a standard for approving instructional software before use. The anticipated bill would require software vendors to meet child safety requirements. Meanwhile, the Balance Act would provide a statewide standard for tech in schools by reducing the screen time allowed in early grades, gradually increasing exposure as students age. The Balance Act would instruct schools to eliminate nonessential screen time and draft rules for the use of AI. Lawmakers will also soon be tackling an education bill for a bell-to-bell cellphone ban in Utahs public K-12 schools. The current default law requires students to pocket their cellphones during class time. A trio of Republican senators asked the Trump administration to end a visa waiver program that they say encourages "birth tourism" from Chinese nationals and allows them "to obtain fast-track American citizenship." The program currently allows Chinese nationals to visit the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands visa-free for up to 14 days. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum dated Jan. 15, the three GOP senators Rick Scott of Florida, Jim Banks of Indiana and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma urged the Trump administration to end the Guam-CNMI waiver program, saying it "has opened the United States to significant security threats by creating a veritable cottage industry of Chinese nationals giving birth in the [Mariana Islands] and gaining access to U.S. citizenship." Advertisement Advertisement The senators' letter comes as Scott pushes for a bill he introduced in November that would ban the use of surrogacy in the U.S. by people from certain foreign countries, including China. Scott's bill highlights a Chinese-born couple in California who had nearly two dozen babies born to surrogates removed from their care last year amid a child abuse investigation. President Trump raised the issue of Chinese "birth tourism" during a press briefing on Tuesday, speaking on a wide range of topics including birthright citizenship while marking the first year of his second term. "China is making a big business out of that," said Mr. Trump. "They come to the country. They have a child. They're an American citizen. They get all the benefits." The Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program was created in 2009. It allows holders of Hong Kong passports to travel to the islands for up to 45 days without obtaining a visa. Advertisement Advertisement In the years after its creation, Saipan, the capital of the Northern Marianas, became a hotspot for birth tourism. But by 2024, births to tourists on the island dropped significantly. There were only 58 live births to tourists at the islands' hospital, down from a high of 581 in 2018 during the first Trump administration, according to data provided to CBS News by the office of Kimberlyn King-Hinds, who represents the Northern Mariana Islands as a non-voting delegate in the House. In its final weeks, the Biden administration expanded the program, allowing citizens of mainland China to travel to the islands without a visa for up to 14 days. The GOP senators worry the Guam and Northern Mariana visa waiver policies create a long-term security risk, saying that people born through the program could eventually "apply for high positions within the U.S. federal government and likely receive priority consideration due to fluency in Mandarin." Advertisement Advertisement "This is an ongoing security vulnerability that Xi Jinping and his successors in the [Chinese Communist Party] will be more than happy to exploit," they wrote, later adding that "birth tourism" has "overwhelmed" the Northern Marianas' only public hospital. But King-Hinds, a fellow Republican, disagrees. "Congresswoman King-Hinds does not support changes to the CNMI-Guam Visa Waiver Program based on claims that 'birth tourism' is overwhelming the Commonwealth Health Center," said her spokesperson, Christopher Concepcion. "Birth tourism in the CNMI is not a major issue when viewed in the context of total foreign births in the United States today, particularly given that millions of Chinese nationals travel to the mainland United States each year." Simon Hankinson, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, said the visa waiver program should be reserved for countries that share criminal record information and whose travelers rarely overstay visas. "None of that applies with China," Hankinson said. Advertisement Advertisement "We should not have any visa waiver program involving China," Hankinson said. "China is a competitor at best, a threat at worst, and their people should be screened for visas, just like people from most of the rest of the world." In 2017, the Justice Department scored marquee victories in its fight against "birth tourism" schemes in Saipan. Chinese national Sen Sun was sentenced to a year in federal prison for an illegal business that catered to pregnant foreigners. In a separate case, Richard Peng, who had dual citizenship in the U.S. and Taiwan, received a six-month sentence for running a business "harboring" birth tourists, housing them on a farm on the island. In their letter, Scott and the other senators pointed to a more recent pair of cases that they say point to continued vulnerabilities with the visa program. Last year, a Chinese national named Kangle Jiang was sentenced to 30 days in prison for transporting eight other Chinese nationals from Saipan to Guam. "Most of the passengers were later encountered in or near sensitive military installations," according to the Justice Department. In November, four other men received sentences ranging from 37 days to 30 months for smuggling 21 people to Guam, all of whom were Chinese nationals who the Justice Department said were attempting to avoid airport immigration checks. Advertisement Advertisement The senators said the cases refute the idea that the visa waiver program benefits the islands, saying the schemes "hardly offered a reliable source of economic development for U.S. citizens and residents residing in the Marianas." Benjamin Jensen, a senior fellow at the bipartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies, emphasized national security concerns. He said the program could allow China "to take advantage of that loophole, to then get operatives in place to monitor U.S. military facilities, which are all increasingly being expanded and upgraded in that area." "We're expanding out all sorts of runways and facilities across the entire region as part of creating mobility to get back and forth between the U.S. mainland and even Japan and the first island chain. So there's tons of refurbishment all throughout the area of old, even World War II fields," Jensen said. "So it's key for military options, which is why anything that might compromise it is a real issue." Customs and Border Protection abruptly halted processing of applications under the program in April 2025, before resuming in July. The absence of tourists under the program during those months led to a 30% drop in visitors and a spike in hotel vacancies, the Marianas Visitors Authority said in July, calling the "pipeline" to "non-visa holders from Hong Kong and China, something we desperately need to revive our tourism economy." Advertisement Advertisement Concepcion said King-Hinds credits President Trump for work during his first and second terms that has allowed the islands' depleted tourism industry to remain "on life support." "Hastening the collapse of the CNMI's only industry by further restricting customers entering the Commonwealth and hindering the government's dire need for revenue would do far greater harm to the fragile healthcare system on the islands," Concepcion said. The senators asked for a response from Noem by Jan. 28. A spokesperson for the Department of the Interior referred CBS News to the Department of Homeland Security, which said it replies to correspondence from senators through official channels. "We would strongly urge that you require a standard tourist visa for Chinese nationals visiting the CNMI, which is a unilateral decision that can be made by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security," the senators wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Billy Bob Thornton on how his "Landman" role is a personal phenomenon "Mastermind" behind the Minnesota fraud scheme defends herself and admits regrets "Queer Eye" cast addresses member's absence and reflects on legacy of show A 2021 tour of the construction of the new Highland Springs High School in Henrico, estimated to cost about $80 million. (Photo courtesy of Henrico County Public Schools) If at first you dont succeed with legislation at the Virginia General Assembly, try, try wait for a new governor. Thats the lesson for local officials, educators and state lawmakers when it comes to winning a reliable stream of money for major school construction projects around the commonwealth. Its been well worth the fight. Advertisement Advertisement Glenn Youngkin, whose term just ended, repeatedly vetoed proposals that would have allowed localities to add a one-cent sales tax earmarked for school construction and major renovations. (I chalk this up to Youngkin, a Republican, being able to say he didnt raise taxes as governor when he inevitably runs for another electoral office.) Only the city of Danville and the counties of Charlotte, Gloucester, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Patrick, and Pittsylvania now have following a voter referendum the states blessing to raise the sales tax for capital school projects, due to the Dillon Rule. Those nine localities gained that ability before Youngkin became governor in 2022. Localities can raise real-estate tax rates on their own, but many other essential services like public safety and garbage disposal gobble up the money from that source. Officials who want to borrow money for school construction often run into bonding limits in their cities and counties. Democrat Abigail Spanberger, who was sworn in Saturday as governor, has said she would sign the latest legislation if it passes both chambers this session. The measure, in the state House and Senate, likely will win approval given the current Democratic majorities in both chambers, and because previous versions of the bill garnered bipartisan support. Advertisement Advertisement The need is only growing in communities around Virginia, Sen. Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William, told me. The sales tax option adds a tool to help localities tackle the issue. McPike is the chief sponsor of the Senate bill and has waged a long battle to make it a law. He also knows about the crumbling conditions in so many ancient buildings around Virginia. He sits on the Assemblys Commission on School Construction and Modernization. In a report released in 2021, the panel found the total replacement cost for the 1,000-plus buildings then over 50 years old was nearly $25 billion. Many school structures have gotten worse since then. Ive written before about some of the woeful conditions that existed: a collapsed 750-pound section of an auditorium ceiling in Norfolk; air ducts that operated so loudly in Portsmouth they competed with the voices of teachers; worn-out HVAC systems; roofs, floors and windows that are deficient in Stafford County. Advertisement Advertisement To Youngkins credit, in his first year in office in 2022, the General Assembly approved a historic $1.2 billion investment in school construction, aimed at modernizing facilities and reducing funding disparities among school divisions. The plan had grants and loans. Loans, of course, have to be repaid. Besides, the needs across Virginia dwarf the amount of money the state has offered. Youngkin had previously claimed that, if the sales-tax increase became law, citizens would be on the hook for additional taxes of $1.5 billion annually. But as critics noted, you get to that figure only if voters in every locality approved the measure. Some of the states richer localities have enough revenue streams that they wouldnt need the additional taxes. Thats why so many communities are desperate to add this option for school construction. Several have publicly supported the one-cent sales tax in recent years especially those with modest enrollments and limited tax bases. Advertisement Advertisement Given the magnitude of the issue, it requires a holistic approach to solve it, said Jeremy Bennett, director of intergovernmental affairs with the Virginia Association of Counties. The group supports the proposal. Some officials told me they currently must borrow money to complete major projects which is part of the reason they often delay new construction and sizable renovations. It would be vital for us if the tax proposal passed, said Zebedee Talley Jr., superintendent of the roughly 2,000-student Martinsville City Public Schools. Some sections of their five school buildings date to 1949. The kids are deserving of this 1% tax, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Prince Edward County also is among the places favoring the proposal. The Board of Supervisors in December there cited estimates that the tax could raise $3 million in annual revenue based on recent collections. The division has about 1,850 students. No one likes new taxes. I get that, Donald (Chip) Jones Jr., superintendent of county schools, told me. But this would allow us to take another revenue source. Anybody who shops or eats in Prince Edward County would contribute. It never made sense that the Assembly granted nine localities this option but denied it elsewhere. Legislators and Spanberger should approve the measure for the rest of the state. Students, educators and administrators would thank them. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Texas Gov. Greg Abbott received the Back the Blue Award at the Dallas Police Departments Assist the Officer Foundations 32nd annual Cops Cop banquet. The recognition honored his support for law enforcement initiatives. The award comes as Abbott champions stricter bail reform laws aimed at keeping violent criminals behind bars. Texas lawmakers passed what Abbott calls the strongest bail reform package in state history during the last legislative session. Advertisement Advertisement States and communities need law enforcement and leaders who are committed to the cause of public safety, Abbott told the gathering. You represent the very best of our great state, and Texas is better today because of what you do every day. The governor emphasized his commitment to supporting police officers across Texas. I just want you to know you have a governor who has your back, and together, we will keep Texas safe and secure, Abbott said. Foundation Chairman and Dallas Police Department Sergeant Ed Lujan attended the event alongside Officer James Parnell and other law enforcement leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Abbott highlighted recent legislation designed to end what he described as a revolving door for violent criminals. The new laws strengthen bail requirements and aim to prevent repeat offenders from quickly returning to the streets. The annual banquet honors Dallas police officers and recognizes community leaders who support law enforcement. The Assist the Officer Foundation provides financial assistance to officers and their families during times of need. ATHENS, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Greece will cooperate with Israel on anti-drone systems and cybersecurity, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said on Tuesday after meeting his Israeli counterpart in Athens. "We agreed to exchange views and know-how to be able to deal with drones and in particular swarms of unmanned vehicles and groups of unmanned subsea vehicles," Dendias said in joint statements with Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. "We will also work together in order to be ready to intercept cyber threats." Advertisement Advertisement With strong economic and diplomatic ties, Greece and Israel operate an air training centre on Greek territory and have held joint military drills in recent years. Greece last year approved the purchase of 36 Israeli-made PULS rocket artillery systems for about 650 million euros ($762.52 million). It has also been in talks with Israel to develop an anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic multi-layer air and drone defence system, estimated to cost about 3 billion euros. "We are equally determined regarding another critical issue: not to allow actors who seek to undermine regional stability to gain a foothold through terror, aggression or military proxies in Syria, in Gaza, in the Aegean Sea," Katz said. Dendias and Katz did not say who would pose drone, cyber or other threats to their countries. But Greece and Israel both see Turkey as a significant regional security concern. ($1 = 0.8524 euros) (Reporting by Elefterios Papadimas in Athens; Additional reporting by Omri Taasan in Jerusalem writing by Angeliki Koutantou; editing by Sharon Singleton and Mark Heinrich) Greece and Israel plan to increase cooperation in security and defence, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias and his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz said on Tuesday following talks in Athens. An agreement has been reached to share knowledge on how to counter swarms of aerial drones and submarine drones, Dendias said. Cooperation on defeating cyber threats would also be extended, the Greek defence minister added. Advertisement Advertisement Katz cautioned against attempts to establish new empires in the eastern Mediterranean region. Plans of this kind were doomed to fail, he said. The increased cooperation is taking place amid continuing regional tensions, primarily involving Turkey. Greece is constantly confronted with territorial disputes and military operations concerning its eastern neighbour, a fellow member of NATO. According to government sources, Athens has initiated acquisition of modern air and missile defences based on Israel's Iron Dome technology. The aim is to modernize the country's air defences and replace obsolete Russian systems. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A man from Greece is accused of intentionally striking a pedestrian with his pick-up truck during a road rage incident. On Saturday, the Greece Police Department responded to the area of Maiden Lane around 2:15 p.m. According to investigators, the victim, a 21-year-old woman, was in a brief dispute with a pick-up truck driver, 48-year-old Shane Cossey, after heading north on Mt. Read Boulevard. Captain Josh Spearman explained to News 8 on Wednesday how the initial interaction unfolded. Advertisement Advertisement It was a normal incident over one car not making a turn when it should have when they had a green arrow, Spearman said. Investigators say Cossey then followed the woman to a parking lot off of Maiden Lane, adjacent to Tom Wahls. After she pulled into a parking lot and got out of her vehicle, it was alleged that Cossey threw an empty bottle at the victim. Police claim she threw the bottle back at his vehicle. Following this, Cossey allegedly reversed his truck and partially struck the victim and then drove forward, striking her again. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital for minor injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Spearman explained that this situation couldve ended a lot worse, and urges other motorists to know what to do when faced with road rage incidents of their own. We always advise people not to engage with other drivers, Spearman said. Call 911, if possible you can drive to a nearby police station or other [busy] public area and wait for officers to intervene. You never know who youre dealing with and you never know what could happen to you. Cossey was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and first-degree reckless endangerment. According to Greece Police, he is a convicted felon, but they were not able to elaborate on his past offense. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Andrew Gray BRUSSELS, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The time for flattering Donald Trump is over and Europe should hit back hard economically if the U.S. imposes tariffs on NATO allies that sent troops to Greenland, ex-NATO boss and former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Tuesday. Rasmussen said Trump's insistence that Greenland - a semi-autonomous Danish territory - should become part of the United States represented the biggest challenge to NATO since its establishment in 1949. Advertisement Advertisement "It's really the future of NATO that is at stake," said Rasmussen, who offers a unique perspective on the crisis as a former leader of both Denmark - from 2001 to 2009 - and NATO, where he served as secretary general from 2009 to 2014. "The time for flattering is over. It doesn't work. The fact is Trump only respects force and strength. And unity. That's exactly what Europe should demonstrate right now," he told Reuters from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. PROPOSES PLAN TO DEFUSE CRISIS Rasmussen said he was not criticising leaders such as current NATO boss Mark Rutte, who has lavished praise on Trump. But he said it was time for a new approach from Europe. Advertisement Advertisement He said the EU's Anti-Coercion Instrument - the so-called "bazooka" that confers broad powers to retaliate against economic pressure - should be on the table after Trump threatened tariffs on eight European nations until the U.S. is allowed to buy Greenland. Trump says U.S. ownership of Greenland is vital for national security. He told Norway's prime minister on Sunday, in an exchange of text messages, he had "done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States". Rasmussen proposed a three-point plan to defuse the crisis. It includes an update of a 1951 agreement between the United States and Denmark that allows U.S. forces and military bases on Greenland to include a strengthened NATO presence there. Advertisement Advertisement It also includes an investment pact to help U.S. and European firms extract minerals in Greenland and "a stabilisation and resilience compact" to prevent Chinese and Russian investments in critical sectors there, he said. Rasmussen said he had not presented the plan to Danish or other government officials but would discuss it with delegates in Davos. "I hope that an infusion of something concrete could bring this whole discussion into a more constructive phase," he said. (Reporting by Andrew Gray;Editing by Alison Williams) A county office was accused of coercing detention center inmates into converting to Christianity, but the sheriff in charge of the jail said there is no truth to the claims. The Freedom From Religion Foundation said it followed up on a community member's complaint that the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office was promoting religion and the conversion of Cleveland County jail inmates to Christianity. The foundation's leaders said the First Amendments Establishment Clause prohibits the government from taking action that promotes, favors or coerces individuals to participate in religion and mandates government neutrality between religions, and between religion and nonreligion. Advertisement Advertisement The nonprofit group that defends the constitutional principle of the separation of state and church, ultimately came away satisfied that the matter had been resolved after receiving a response from Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason, who pushed back on the assertion of any wrongdoing. He wrote to the foundation that his office is in compliance with the Constitution and insisted that the jail does not require inmate participation in religious programming of any kind. Amason also told the foundation that the sheriffs office did not organize, lead or conduct baptisms. Freedom From Religion Foundation leaders said their inquiry into the matter stemmed from a November 2025 post on the official Facebook account of the sheriff's office. "God is moving inside the Cleveland County Detention Center. 182 (sic) men and women have now stepped forward, declaring a desire to change their lives, make better decisions, and walk a new path," the Facebook post said. Advertisement Advertisement "Moments like this remind us that restoration is possible and that no life is beyond hope. We are deeply grateful for our partnership with Norman Bible Church and all of the incredible volunteers who pour into our jail and prison ministry. Thank you for helping us bring light, truth, and transformation to those in our care." The Cleveland County Detention Center is seen on Nov. 13 in Norman. In a statement, Annie Laurie Gaylor, president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said inmates are a particularly vulnerable population, and it is all too common for their First Amendment rights to be violated. "Just because they are a literal captive audience does not mean they must forfeit their right to practice their own religious beliefs or none at all," she said. The foundation leaders said while it's commendable for the sheriffs office and detention center to facilitate inmates freely exercising their chosen religious beliefs, "it is coercive for the Sheriffs Office to organize, participate in or promote religion and religious exercises, such as baptisms, in ways that make it appear the government sponsors the religious exercise and is encourage inmates to convert to Christianity." Advertisement Advertisement Sammi Lawrence, the foundation's staff attorney, wrote a letter to the sheriff's office, saying that inmates "will no doubt feel pressured to convert and participate in religious activities in order to be seen as cooperative and well behaved" when the sheriff's office "entangles itself with religion and makes it clear that its encouraging inmates to convert to Christianity." In his response, Amason addressed the social media post that appeared to be at the heart of the community member's complaint. Sheriff Chris Amason presents a budget during a June 17, 2024, meeting at the Cleveland County Office Building in Norman. "In reviewing our public communications, we agree that government messaging must avoid any appearance of religious endorsement, Amason wrote. "Accordingly, we are implementing adjustments to ensure that all Cleveland County Sheriffs Office posts about volunteer-led inmate programming religious or otherwise are framed in neutral, factual terms to reflect accommodation rather than endorsement." Advertisement Advertisement The sheriff also said that his office accommodates nonreligious and alternative-faith programming, when requested. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Post about Oklahoma jail religious conversions leads to complaint Protesters hold signs on Jan. 8, 2026, showing their opposition to reported plans to put an ICE facility in Merrimack. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin) Amid an increasingly aggressive national deportation campaign by the Trump administration and reports that Merrimack might play a more significant role in that campaign soon, New Hampshire Democrats are trying to prevent state, county, or municipal funding from being used to assist. House Bill 1609, filed by state Rep. David Meuse, would prohibit New Hampshire and its counties, towns, and cities from spending any money on immigrant detention facilities or other efforts to detain immigrants. It would also block those political subdivisions from selling, donating, or repurposing property it owns for use as an immigrant detention facility. Advertisement Advertisement The bill makes an exception for police or sheriffs departments that have entered into a 287(g) agreement with the Department of Homeland Security. A 287(g) agreement is a partnership in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE, allows local law enforcement agencies to act as immigration officers, interrogate people suspected of not having legal status to live in the country, and arrest them for allegedly violating immigration laws. In New Hampshire, 13 agencies the State Police, four sheriffs departments, and eight local police departments have signed such agreements. HB 1609 as it is currently written would not impact those agreements, which have expanded greatly nationwide under the Trump administration. At a legislative hearing last week, Meuse, who represents Portsmouth, said the bill was about both the future of mass incarceration of immigrants in New Hampshire and fiscal responsibility. Meuse, along with fellow Democrats and several citizens testifying at a legislative hearing on the bill last week, decried the Trump administrations deportation efforts as cruel and, in their estimation, illegal. Meuse pointed to Alligator Alcatraz, an ICE detention center built earlier this year in the Florida Everglades that has been plagued by allegations of severe maltreatment, civil rights violations, and poor conditions, as what could go wrong with an immigrant detention facility in New Hampshire. Meuse pointed out that in July, when Congress passed President Donald Trumps signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it set aside billions of taxpayers dollars for immigration enforcement. The new law appropriated roughly $30 billion to ICE over the course of several years, nearly tripling the agencys annual budget (from roughly $9.9 billion a year to $28 billion in the federal governments fiscal year 2025) plus an additional $45 billion to build new immigration detention facilities. The bill also opens the door for the Trump administration to direct even more federal funding to immigration enforcement in the future. Advertisement Advertisement While the reality is that we have very few options when it comes to restricting the government from constructing facilities like this on property that the federal government actually owns or leases, New Hampshire taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize a federal agency thats basically bathing in blood money right now, Meuse said. The bottom line is that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility. It is not a state responsibility, so lets make sure paying for it remains a federal responsibility. Meuse and others also evoked reported plans to build a detention center in Merrimack. In December, The Washington Post, citing a leaked document from the Department of Homeland Security, reported that the federal government plans to build a network of new detention centers across the country by converting warehouses. The federal government plans to build one of those centers in Merrimack, according to the report. Since that report, protests have erupted and rumors have begun swirling about where the site would be. State Rep. Rosemarie Rung, a Democrat representing Merrimack, shared a document on social media purporting to show a list of addresses where the facilities would be located. That document identified 50 Robert Milligan Parkway, a currently vacant industrial warehouse owned by the Trammel Crow Company, as the future site of a detention center. Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the Trammel Crow Company have responded to the Bulletins requests for confirmation or comment as of publication of this article. Gov. Kelly Ayotte said earlier this month her team has heard nothing from the federal government about a potential detention facility in Merrimack. She said the news was at this point, a speculative discussion. By Andrew MacAskill and Michael Holden LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Britain's government gave approval on Tuesday for China to build its largest embassy in Europe in London, hoping to improve ties with Beijing despite British and U.S. politicians' warnings that it could be used as a base for spying. China's plans to build a new embassy on the site of the two-century-old Royal Mint Court near the Tower of London have stalled for three years over opposition from local residents, lawmakers and Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners in Britain. Advertisement Advertisement The decision was announced before an expected visit to China by Prime Minister Keir Starmer this month, the first by a British leader since 2018. Some British and Chinese officials said the trip was dependent on the embassy being approved. Despite security concerns, Britain's intelligence agencies, which were involved in the approval process, said any threat could be mitigated. "China has, and will continue to pose threats to our national security," Dan Jarvis, Britain's security minister, told parliament. But following a detailed assessment of the risks from the new embassy, he was assured "that the UK's national security is protected". But the seven-year long process might not quite have reached its end. Local residents said they would seek a legal challenge, saying the decision would be unlawful if British officials privately gave China assurances the project would be approved before the planning process had been completed. Advertisement Advertisement EMBASSY APPROVAL HIGHLIGHTS UK'S CHINA DILEMMA The Chinese government purchased Royal Mint Court in 2018 but its requests for planning permission to build a new embassy on the site were rejected by the local council in 2022. Chinese President Xi Jinping asked Starmer last year to intervene. The government took control of the planning decision last year and an inquiry was held last February to hear arguments about whether the embassy should be approved. Some politicians in Britain and the United States have said China should be barred from building on the site near London's historic financial district because it might enable Beijing to eavesdrop on fibre-optic cables used by finance firms which travel underneath the area. Advertisement Advertisement The opposition Conservative Party described the decision as a "disgraceful act of cowardice" from a government "utterly devoid of backbone". The Chinese embassy in London said in a one-line statement that it noted the government's decision. British security officials had warned that allowing China to build a much larger embassy would mean more Chinese spies in Britain, an assertion dismissed by the Chinese embassy. Britain's MI5 domestic spy agency has repeatedly warned of attempts by China to recruit and cultivate people with access to the British government, and lawmakers were warned in November about interference by Beijing. Advertisement Advertisement The collapse of a trial of two British men charged with spying on members of parliament for China led to criticism the government was prioritising better relations over national security. However, in an unusual step, the head of MI5 and intelligence communications agency GCHQ issued a joint letter on Tuesday saying while it was unrealistic to "eliminate every potential risk" posed by the embassy officials, the government had devised a range of protective measures. RESETTING RELATIONS Britain has in the past decade moved from saying it wanted to be China's biggest supporter in Europe to being one of its fiercest critics, and is now trying to reset relations again. Advertisement Advertisement Starmer said last month closer business ties were in the national interest. Beijing purchased the embassy site for 255 million pounds ($343 million) and the new mission would be one of the largest diplomatic outposts in the world with a footprint of about 55,000 square metres (600,000 square feet), according to the planning application. That is almost 10 times the size of China's current embassy in central London and considerably bigger than its embassy in the United States. Before Tuesday's decision, China had blocked plans by Britain to expand its embassy in Beijing, officials involved in the talks said. Advertisement Advertisement Royal Mint Court was from the early 19th century until 1967 the site of the Royal Mint, where coins are produced. ($1 = 0.7427 pounds) (Additional reporting by William James, Sam Tabahriti Sarah Young and Muvija M, Editing Frances Kerry, Elizabeth Piper and Timothy Heritage) Democrats, who oppose both the state premium system and the federal cost sharing, have used the potential conflict as evidence that the premium system is flawed. (Getty Images) Some state officials and lawmakers are concerned that New Hampshires incoming Medicaid premium system may conflict with provisions in Congress One Big Beautiful Bill Act. In June, New Hampshire lawmakers passed legislation to begin charging premiums to some New Hampshire Medicaid enrollees. Under the new system, enrollees earning 100% or more of the federal poverty level which is $15,650 for a single person and $26,650 for a family of three, per 2025s federal standards will be required to pay a fee in order to receive health coverage through the program starting later this year. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July, a sprawling law that impacts myriad segments of the federal government, including Medicaid, which is run jointly by the state and federal governments. One of the bills provisions institutes a cost-sharing program for some Medicaid enrollees in all states. That cost sharing, which goes into effect October 2028, will require enrollees to pay $35 per service for most services (substance use disorder treatment, primary care, institutional long-term care, and others are exempted). But it also caps cost sharing at $35 per service. In New Hampshire, state officials and lawmakers are concerned the cap would prohibit New Hampshire from charging its premiums. And I think theres open questions about whether you can have both (state premiums and federal cost sharing), Olivia May, New Hampshires director of Medicaid enterprise management, told the Bulletin. The concern is how to implement them (premiums) while remaining compliant with the cap. The state would have until October 2028, when the cap goes into effect, to resolve the issue if it is determined the cap conflicts with the premium system. Advertisement Advertisement May said the state Department of Health and Human Service is asking the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services whether the premiums run afoul of the new law, both because the premiums could exceed the cap and because the department is unsure the state is legally allowed to do both under the law. We would need federal permission, basically, to do premiums instead of the cost sharing, May said. Thats what were seeking CMS guidance on. Democrats, who oppose both the state premium system and the federal cost sharing, have used the potential conflict as evidence that the premium system is flawed. Democrats have long opposed the system on grounds it will be a financial burden for low-income families. Last spring, the budget enacted premiums for Medicaid before we knew what Congress was going to do, state Sen. Cindy Rosenwald, of Nashua, said at a legislative hearing last week. The sensible thing for us to do now is to change course and not waste money on a system we can only use for 18 months. Rep. Terry Roy said his bill would empower New Hampshire law enforcement to specifically investigate doxing. (Photo by Seksan Mongkhonkhamsao/Getty Images) In the weeks after the assassination of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk last year, online speech became a battleground. Commentators sparred over Kirks legacy; supporters of Kirk, urged on by Vice President JD Vance, sought to pressure employers to fire those who mocked or celebrated the event. In many cases, they succeeded. The furor was intense, but the techniques were nothing new. For years, the rise of social media has empowered new forms of backlash against both elected leaders and civilians over their political views. Advertisement Advertisement Now, one New Hampshire lawmaker is pushing to criminalize similar acts of retribution. A pair of bills introduced by Rep. Terry Roy, a Deerfield Republican and the chairman of the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, would explicitly prohibit people from doxing peoples personal information and prevent employers from hiring or firing someone because of political opinions. The bills would explicitly prevent behavior that has until now been handled through a patchwork of criminal statutes on harassment and stalking. But Roy argues the tense national political environment and unique force of social media necessitate explicit action. Were all of a sudden going after people and hurting people and intimidating people and this is not one party or the other, its the entire country based on their political beliefs and what they express, Roy said. These are things that we used to celebrate in this country. Advertisement Advertisement But some lawmakers are less sure about the approach, raising questions about the scope of the laws and their potential interpretation. And some outside experts say any new laws should be mindful of freedom of speech considerations. There are problems with doxing, said Belmont University Associate Professor of Law David Hudson Jr., who has studied anti-doxing laws across the country, in an interview Friday. There are people that truly do have a nasty intent to cause harm to others. On the other hand, people do have the right to engage in free speech. Roys first bill, House Bill 1464, would prevent employers from firing, refusing to hire, barring from employment, or discriminating against a person because of that persons political affiliation or opinion. It would also expand the state law against harassment, which currently prohibits abusive phone calls, insults, taunts, threats, and other behavior. The bill would also criminalize harassing, annoying, or alarming another person based on their political affiliation or opinion. The law would apply if the behavior would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress or fear for their safety, employment, or economic well-being. If the behavior actually resulted in the victim losing their job or suffering economic harm, the perpetrator could face a Class B felony. Advertisement Advertisement Some fellow members of the Criminal Justice Committee questioned the definition of political opinion. Rep. Buzz Scherr, a Portsmouth Democrat, asked whether the law would protect someone who denied the Holocaust. Roy said he thought that would be a historical belief, not a political one, and thus would not be protected. But he said the scope of the law in individual instances might be a question for courts to decide. Roy has also proposed a bill criminalizing doxing the practice of releasing someones personal information online to allow people to intimidate or harass them. House Bill 1367 would define the offense as the intentional publication of a persons identifying information without their consent and with the intent to threaten, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress or physical harm to the person or their family. Doing so would be a Class A misdemeanor, according to the bill, which could lead to up to a year in jail and up to a $2,000 fine. The proposed law would carve out exceptions for information obtained from public records and published for a lawful purpose, reports of suspected criminal activity, and constitutionally protected speech such as journalism or commentary on matters of public concern. Advertisement Advertisement Like many states, New Hampshire prosecutors instead rely on existing criminal statutes to punish harassing behavior. A 2021 review from the Network for Public Health Law found that only a handful of states had statutes specifically criminalizing the act of doxing. For instance, New Hampshires existing stalking law punishes someone who purposely, knowingly, or recklessly engages in a course of conduct targeted at a specific person which would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her personal safety. The law applies to family members, too. And it extends to actions that might not make a reasonable person fearful, but which the perpetrator knows will place that individual in fear. Federal law is also limited. One federal statute prohibits the disclosure of personal information about a grand juror, witness, federal informant, or a public employee assisting in a federal investigation. That information includes phone numbers, addresses, and Social Security numbers. Roy said his bill would empower New Hampshire law enforcement to specifically investigate doxing. But other lawmakers again asked questions about scope. Rep. Jennifer Rhodes, a Winchester Republican, asked about the limits of the proposed new law. If someone disclosed another persons personal information, and did not know it would later be used to harass them, would they be liable, she asked? Advertisement Advertisement The intent has to be established that the person doing the doxing and the posting that that was their intent to cause the harassment, Roy said. He added that the law would not apply to someone posting anothers phone number that they found in the White Pages, unless they were doing so with the intent to threaten or intimidate. Its a relatively high bar that Im setting here, Roy continued. So its only going to (affect) the egregious people who basically out themselves because they cant help themselves. Some national groups disagree that doxing should be specifically prohibited. In a 2024 essay for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, the pro-first amendment institution known as FIRE, Hudson argued the laws can interfere with free speech protections for publishing truthful information, as well as protections for offensive, obnoxious, and even repugnant speech. Its very dangerous to criminalize any speech that refers to expression thats in the public domain, or that is in the public record, he said. It truly needs to be private information, I think, to have a better chance of being constitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Hudson said Roys anti-doxing bill appears better tailored than other states laws, given its exception for public information. The general pattern on these things is when we start getting laws like this, they tend to get narrower as people learn you cant (enforce them otherwise), he said. The Legislature has tried regulating doxing before; in 2020, a Democratic bill to crack down on cyberbullying, cyberstalking, and doxing, House Bill 1159, was sent to an interim study. Now, the effort has returned under a Republican banner. Speaking in favor of the bill. Rep. Henry Giasson, a Goffstown Republican, recounted a personal instance. In 2025, a person angry about his votes as a lawmaker wrote a social media post calling for his house to be burned down, Giasson said. A second person then listed Giassons address in a comment, he said. Advertisement Advertisement I was concerned about going to vote in the next (session day) because I was concerned about leaving my house, he said. A job that pays me $100 a year cost me a security system, he said, referring to the annual salary for New Hampshire lawmakers. We need to make this illegal, Giasson said. We need to make this a backable law. The Double Island Volunteer Fire Department in Yancey County, North Carolina, is the beating heart of this remote community in the shadow of Mount Mitchell, about 50 miles northeast of Asheville. Once home to a schoolhouse that doubled as a church, the red-roofed building still hosts weddings, parties, and other events. It was built to serve as a community center, said Dan Buchanan, whose family has lived in the area since 1747 and whose mother attended the school as a young girl. A place to gather. Sixteen months ago, when Hurricane Helene hit this rugged corner of countryside with catastrophic floods, Double Islands fire department was where locals turned for help. Advertisement Advertisement This is [our] downtown, said Buchanan, who serves as the assistant fire chief. In the wake of the storm, people were like, Let's get to the fire station. That was the goal of everybody. Fresh out of retirement and living back in his hometown to care for his ailing mother, Buchanan drew on his long career in emergency response to spring into action. With the station, powered by generators, serving as their command center, he and his neighbors gathered and distributed food, water, and other provisions to those in need. They hacked through downed limbs and sent out search teams. By the end of the fourth day, we had accounted for all the residents of the Double Island community, Buchanan said. And while no one in the enclave died because of the hurricane, some suffered while they waited for medications like insulin. A lack of drinking water and limited forms of communication were also huge obstacles. When we finally got the roads cleared, and people could get in here, we were literally writing down our needs on a notepad and giving it to whomever, and then they would ferry supplies, Buchanan said. A carrier pigeon would have been nice. Advertisement Advertisement Helene was a once in 10 lifetimes storm, Buchanan said, with devastation he and the community hope to never see again. But more extreme weather events are all but certain thanks to climate change, and today Double Island is better prepared. The station is equipped with a microgrid of 32 solar panels and a pair of four-hour batteries. The donated equipment will shave about $100 off the fire departments monthly electric bill, meaningful savings for an organization with an annual operating budget of just $51,000. When storms inevitably hit, felling trees and downing power lines, the self-sustaining microgrid can provide some electricity and an internet signal. We'll have at least a way to run our radio equipment, run our well and basic lighting and refrigeration, Buchanan said, adding that the latter was vital for medication. It may not seem like much but that's the Willy Wonka golden ticket. Advertisement Advertisement Communication, he stressed, was key. If you can't communicate, you can't get the help you need. The microgrid project, called a resilience hub, was made possible by a network of government and nonprofit groups that came together after Helene to help fire departments like Double Island and other community centers with long-term recovery. Now, a state grant program is injecting a burst of funds into their efforts. Using both public and private time, know-how, and money, the program aims to create a model for resilience that can be replicated nationwide. We aren't only preparing for a disaster; we're also helping utility diversification, cost savings, and normalization of the technology, said Jamie Trowbridge, a senior program manager at Footprint Project, a leading nonprofit in the initiative. Those benefits arent unique to Yancey County, he said. We'd like to see this be a pilot for us on what scalable microgrid technology could be across all of western North Carolina and maybe the country. From disaster response to long-term resilience The Double Island experience was common in the immediate aftermath of Helene. Across the region, communities isolated by closed roads and mountainous terrain turned to their fire departments for help. Advertisement Advertisement Thats part of how Kristin Stroup got involved in the resilience hub effort. Based in Black Mountain, a popular tourist destination 15 miles east of Asheville, Stroup helped start a corps of volunteers who gathered at the towns visitor center. In coordination with an emergency operations center based at Black Mountains main fire station, she led over 200 volunteers in doing whatever they could, from cooking and doling out food to making the country roads passable. People [were] just driving around the town with chain saws, said Stroup, today a senior manager in energy and climate resilience with the nonprofit Appalachian Voices. The weekend after Helene hit, she said, Footprint rolled into town with a bunch of solar panels. I became an instant part of their family. With founders who cut their teeth in international aid, the New Orleansbased Footprint Project had teamed up with the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, Greentech Renewables Raleigh, and others to pool donations of batteries, solar panels, and other equipment to deploy microgrids to dozens of sites in the region before the end of 2024. From Lake Junaluska to Linville Falls, recipients included fire stations such as the one in Double Island and an art collective in West Asheville. By February 2025, Footprint had hired Trowbridge and another staff person to work in the area permanently. Footprint continued to cycle microgrid equipment throughout the region from its base of operations in Mars Hill, a tiny college town 20 miles north of Asheville that was virtually untouched by Helene. It launched the WNC Free Store, which donates solar panels and other supplies to residents still far from recovery like those living out of RVs and school buses after losing their homes. Advertisement Advertisement From the outset, Footprint had a critical local ally in Sara Nichols, the energy and economic development manager at the Land of Sky Regional Council, a local government partnership encompassing four counties that stretch from Tennessee to South Carolina. A lot of the other organizations we saw come through in the same way Footprint did, most of them did not stay. They leverage resources to do really important work, and when that work feels done, they go home, Nichols said. The fact that Footprint is working thoughtfully to figure out how our recovery and resiliency can be taken care of while also thinking about their own organizational strategic growth means a lot to me. They've been incredible partners. To be sure, assistance and rebuilding in the region are ongoing, and many systemic inequities exacerbated by the storm cant be solved with a solar panel. But the power is back on. The cell towers are functioning. The roads are open. Piles of debris, from fallen limbs to moldy furniture, have been cleared. In relief parlance, western North Carolina is beginning to see blue skies. Thats why its all the more important that Footprint, Appalachian Voices, and other local collaborators havent let up in their efforts. The web of organizations involved is thick and, seemingly, ever expanding. Last fall, the network announced it was deploying five resilience hubs around the region, including the Double Island project and a permanent microgrid at a community center in Yancey County. Advertisement Advertisement These projects, driven by a small group of determined partners, have accelerated Appalachias long-term resilience and preparedness, Invest Appalachia, another nonprofit partner, said in a news release. A burst of state funds to help expand resilience hubs in six counties Now, the local public-private effort is getting a boost from the state of North Carolina. Under the administration of Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat who has made Helene recovery a centerpiece of his first-term agenda, the State Energy Office will deploy $5 million from the Biden-era Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to install up to 24 microgrids across six western counties impacted by Helene. The money will also go to two mobile aid units for rural counties on either end of state one in the east and one in the west. Dubbed Beehives by Footprint, these solar-powered portable units will be full of equipment that can be deployed to purify water, set up temporary microgrids, and otherwise respond to storms and extreme weather. Expected recipients of the stationary microgrids could include first responders like the Double Island Fire Department and second responders like community centers. Peer-to-peer facilities and small businesses are also encouraged to apply. Advertisement Advertisement Land of Sky and other stakeholders are choosing grantees on a rolling basis through next summer. Theres already been an inundation of applicants, and six grantees have been selected, including a community center about a dozen miles up the road from Double Island in Mitchell County. But organizers say they need more interest from outside the Land of Sky region, especially in Avery County, north of Yancey on the Tennessee border; and Rutherford County, east of Asheville, which includes Chimney Rock, a village that was infamously devastated by Helene and is slowly rebuilding. Geographic distribution isnt the only problem organizers have faced. Some entities while undoubtedly deserving of assistance arent appropriate for the government grant because they are located in areas at risk of future flooding. A battery underwater is not that useful, Trowbridge said, so if your site is in a floodplain, maybe this isn't the right fit for you. But we definitely want you to know about the Beehive. Above all, organizers like Nichols, a passionate promoter of the Appalachian Region, are determined to ensure that the states effort is not the be-all and end-all of resilience. Advertisement Advertisement What we're being tasked with as recipients of this money is to try and figure out how we make this a much bigger project, she said. That means we've brought in other partners like Invest Appalachia. We've been seeking other kinds of money. Were using this state money to successfully build what could be a much more comprehensive resiliency hub model. She added that communities across the country even if they think theyre safe from extreme weather and climate disaster could take cues from the western North Carolina example. We were a place that was not supposed to get a storm, Nichols said. We were a climate haven. KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) The bodies of five more people were recovered on Tuesday from the scene of last weekend's massive fire at a shopping plaza in Pakistans largest city, bringing the confirmed death toll to 28, officials said. The search for dozens of people reported missing is continuing as rescuers reached some of the most badly damaged sections in Karachi's multistory Gul Plaza that have either collapsed or been severely weakened since Saturday's blaze. The cause of the fire, which raged for more than 24 hours before firefighters brought it under control, is still unclear, according to officials. Advertisement Advertisement Mobile phone data showed at least 31 of the people reported missing were inside the plaza on the night of the fire, senior police official Asad Raza said. Authorities believe others reported missing may not have been carrying cellphones, Raza said. Six members of Mehmood Khan's family are among those missing. My two 15-year-old nephews, a cousin, and three other relatives, he told The Associated Press. He said they were last heard of about an hour after the fire broke out, when they received a voice message saying smoke had filled the building. Firefighter Muhammad Aslam, 57, said the main section collapsed while first responders were inside the building, killing his colleague Furqan Ali and injuring another firefighter. Advertisement Advertisement Nearly a third of the mall has collapsed, according to Dr. Abid Jalal Sheikh, a senior rescue official. We still cannot enter the upper sections because of the weakened structure and dense smoke in narrow alleys and small shops, he told the AP. Karachi's Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that some sections of the building had already been searched and heavy machinery was being used to clear rubble from a portion that collapsed Sunday. Wahab met with families of the missing, many visibly shaken, and assured them that authorities were making every effort to locate those still unaccounted for. We will continue this rescue operation until all missing persons are found, he told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said many of the recovered bodies were burned beyond recognition. In several cases, only body parts were found and DNA testing is underway to identify the victims, according to police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed. On Monday, Sindh provincial Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the government would provide 10 million rupees ($36,000) in compensation to the family of each victim. Rescuers were working around the clock and there was hope some trapped victims might still be found alive, he said. The sprawling shopping plaza houses about 1,200 shops, most selling imported clothing, cosmetics and plastic household goods. Dozens of the missing were shop owners and customers. Advertisement Advertisement Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province, has a long history of deadly fires, often blamed on poor safety standards, lax enforcement and illegal construction. In November 2023, a shopping mall fire killed 10 people and injured 22 others. One of the deadliest industrial disasters in Pakistans history occurred in 2012, when a fire at a Karachi garment factory killed at least 260 people. Scotland's biggest hospital opened too early despite safety fears over the design of the building, an inquiry has heard. It comes after the health board admitted infections of some child cancer patients were probably linked to a hospital water system. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) had previously denied bacteria in the water at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus was to blame. Advertisement Advertisement The Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, which has been looking at the planning, design, construction and maintenance of hospitals, will hear four days of final oral submissions before publishing a report later this year. The investigation was prompted by concern about patient safety following a series of infections and several deaths, including that of 10-year-old Milly Main. In its closing statement, NHSGGC said: "Pressure was applied to open the hospital on time and on budget, and it is now clear that the hospital opened too early. It was not ready." Health board apology The health board said it acknowledged and accepted "significant failings" and lessons had been learned. It said the hospital was now safe and provided "high quality care". Advertisement Advertisement Its lawyer, Peter Gray KC, said the health board was a "very different organisation" than the one involved in the design and construction of the hospital. He added: "NHSGGC offers an unreserved apology for the distress and trauma experienced by patients and families during this time." Charly contracted a number of infections during her time in hospital [BBC] But while the health board acknowledged a casual connection to increased infections, he stressed that there was no definite link between the hospital environment and specific individual cases of infection. Mark Bisset, whose daughter Charly contracted infections while staying at the hospital complex for cancer treatment, accused the health board of "backtracking". Advertisement Advertisement "One minute you're telling us there's a casual link and now they're saying there isn't a link," he said. "There is a link to infections, but not individual cases. So how can they decipher what is and what isn't? "It's baffling. I'm furious that yet again here they are, side-stepping and backtracking." He added: "My daughter has been left with lifelong conditions because of her treatment. And we're one of the lucky ones because my daughter is still here." Health Secretary Neil Gray offered his "biggest condolences" to the families impacted and said ministers took concerns about patient safety seriously. Advertisement Advertisement He said he did not want to pre-empt the findings of the public inquiry but said it was getting to the truth. The health board had previously denied that bacteria in the water was to blame for the infections of some child cancer patients. The change of position by NHSGGC emerged at the weekend in a document submitted ahead of the final inquiry session. Having reflected on the expert evidence, it said there was "on the balance of probabilities" a causal connection between a high rate of bloodstream infections among child patients and the hospital environment, particularly the water system. Advertisement Advertisement It said infection rates fell after remedial work was carried out in 2018, including changes to the water system. During earlier evidence sessions, senior officials had maintained the infections were complex with multiple possible sources. On Tuesday, counsel to the inquiry Craig Connal KC welcomed the change, adding: "It's a little bit disappointing that this change in position did not come a lot earlier." He also criticised the health board for failing to blame any specific individual in its closing statement, which he called an "untenable position". Families of children who died following infections have welcomed the admission about the water system, but said it should have come far sooner. Advertisement Advertisement Kimberly Darroch, mother of 10-year-old Milly Main, who suffered septic shock after an intravenous line became infected in 2017, said: "As a mother, I've spent six years fighting for answers that should have been given at the very beginning". Milly, who was being treated for leukaemia, was in remission at the time of her death. John Cuddihy, whose daughter Molly died aged 23 last August, seven years after she was infected said it was "overdue recognition" of problems with the water system that families had been warning about for years. 'Hospital opened too early' The health board's final written submission also accepted that there were numerous issues outstanding when the hospital was handed over in 2015, with more than 200 contractors still on site. Advertisement Advertisement "It is clear NHSGGC did not get what it asked for," it said, adding that legal action was ongoing against the main contractor Multiplex. It said members of the facilities and estates team were under "extreme pressure to manage a situation that was not of their making" but it accepted there were too few resources to manage the handover, and a request for extra staff was refused. The health board said the hospital campus, including the children's hospital, opened too early [BBC] The submission said it was clear the hospital opened too early and an obvious example was the opening of Ward 2A. This was part of the Schiehallion unit where children with blood problems and cancers were treated - without Hepa filters inside the filter casings. Advertisement Advertisement Hepa filters are used to trap airborne particles. The problem was immediately rectified, but should not have happened, the health board said. Whistleblowers not listened to In another admission, the health board said "it did not adequately listen" to whistleblowers and staff raising concerns. It repeated an apology from its current chief executive Prof Jann Gardner - who took up the post early last year - to staff who did not feel listened to. The health board said steps had now been taken to ensure its whistleblowing process could be conducted effectively in future and that all staff felt supported in raising concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called for senior hospital officials and politicians who were in post at the time to be investigated, including Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney. NHSGGC has already been named by prosecutors in a corporate homicide probe which is looking into the deaths of Milly Main, two other children and a 73-year-old woman at the hospital campus. The death last year of Molly Cuddihy is also being investigated by the Crown Office. The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital replaced three older hospitals when it opened in 2015 [BBC] The Glasgow hospital campus which includes the QEUH and the Royal Hospital for Children opened to patients in 2015, after being built at a cost of 840m, replacing three older hospitals in the city. But within a few years a number of patient deaths and infections led to concerns about the water and ventilation systems. Former Health Secretary Jeane Freeman ordered a public inquiry in 2019, with its remit also including problems at Edinburgh's Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP). The opening of the Edinburgh site had been delayed at the last minute after safety concerns about its ventilation system. The public inquiry's interim report on the RHCYP has already been issued, saying a spreadsheet error by the health board led to the system being wrongly specified. Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., asserted Monday in a post on X that President Donald Trump is "mentally ill" and should be "immediately" removed from office via the 25th Amendment. "The president of the United States is extremely mentally ill and its putting all of our lives at risk. The 25th Amendment exists for a reason we need to invoke it immediately," she declared in the post. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Tuesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Trump Warns Us Can No Longer Think Purely Of Peace As He Pushes For Greenland Control Left, Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., speaks at a post-meeting press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 14, 2025. Right, President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on the South Lawn before boarding Marine One at the White House on Jan. 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images) The congresswoman made the comment in response to a reported message sent by President Donald Trump to Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. "Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America," Trump reportedly wrote, according to a transcript of the text message first reported by PBS. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement "Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a right of ownership anyway?" he continued, referring to Greenland. "There are no written documents, its only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you!" Trump reportedly added. In response, Stre reportedly wrote, "Dear Mr President, dear Donald on the contact across the Atlantic on Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine and your tariff announcement yesterday. You know our position on these issues. But we believe we all should work to take this down and de-escalate so much is happening around us where we need to stand together. We are proposing a call with you later today with both of us or separately give us a hint of what you prefer!" The office of the Prime Minister of Norway confirmed to Fox News that Stre and Trump had the text exchange on Sunday. Norway's prime minister also pushed back in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Trump Fires Off Late Night Truth Social Posts Doubling Down On Greenland Ambitions "Norways position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter. We also support that NATO in a responsible way is taking steps to strengthen security and stability in the Arctic. As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have clearly explained, including to President Trump what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government," Stre noted. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., have also both called for the invocation of the 25th Amendment against Trump in light of the president's message. Why Trump Zeroed In On Greenland And Why It Matters In 3 Maps Advertisement Advertisement "Donald Trump is unfit to lead and clearly out of control. Invoke the 25th Amendment," Kamlager-Dove asserted in a post on X. A note on the X account notes that it is "maintained by federal staff." Fox News' Patrick Ward and Madeleine Rivera contributed to this report Original article source: House Democrat calls Trump 'extremely mentally ill' after Greenland remarks, urges 25th Amendment removal New Mexico House Republican Reps. Rebecca Dow of Truth or Consequences, left, Gail Armstrong of Magdalena, center, and Alan Martinez of Rio Rancho speak at a news conference Jan. 20, 2026, before the opening gavel of the 30-day legislative session, which is Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams last in office. (Patrick Lohmann/Source NM) A New Mexico House Republican leader said at a news conference at the beginning of the 30-day legislative session that Republicans have become unlikely allies with Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on issues like crime and health care as she heads in to her final year in office. State Rep. Rebecca Dow (R-Truth or Consequences) reflected at a Roundhouse news conference Tuesday on how the relationship between House Republicans and the governor has changed since Lujan Grisham took office in 2019. She said the GOP and Lujan Grisham have found themselves aligning more lately due to what she described as a progressive shift in the majority Democratic Legislature. Advertisement Advertisement The governors door is open, and especially for Republicans, around the issues that the progressive majority refused to move on, Dow said. And that has been around reforms with crime and the health care crisis that were facing in New Mexico. In addition to passing a budget during the 30-day session, Lujan Grisham is expected to put other items on the agenda for lawmakers that Republicans said Tuesday theyve spent years advocating for, including juvenile criminal justice reform and health care changes. Weve become unlikely allies, Dow said. And I think its an indication of how misaligned this legislative body is with the people theyre supposed to represent. Dows comments came ahead of Lujan Grishams final State of the State address as governor on the opening day of a packed legislative session. The governor is urging the Legislature to change the states criminal code regarding juvenile offenders, as well as address a state doctor shortage through interstate medical compacts and medical malpractice reforms. Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to criminal justice reform, the governor relied on Republicans to introduce a host of bills legislation during a special legislative session in July 2024 that ended in just five hours after Democrats in the majority refused to take up the bills. The governor has continued calling on Democrats to do more regarding criminal justice since then, including at the end of the legislative session last year. The governor also agreed to put medical reforms on the agenda for the session, which House Republicans said Tuesday was a result of pressure from them and the public at large. Senate Democrats, who previously stymied efforts to enter the medical compacts, announced recently that they expect to enter two such compacts for doctors and social workers this session. However, House Democrats and House Republicans are urging the Legislature to enter more of them this session. Rep. Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena) said at the news conference that she expects the governor to join the House in pressuring the Senate to pass more compacts than just the two. So the pressures there. New Mexico wants these compacts. Is the legislature willing to do it? she said. We in the House of Representatives Republicans were ready to do it. Around a hundred Menasha High School students ventured into cold temperatures Jan. 20 to protest the actions of federal agents in Minnesota. Just before 2 p.m., when temperatures hovered just above the single digits, several students set up a staging ground outside the high school on Racine Street. By about 2:10, more students joined them. Soon afterwards, they marched down the sidewalk on Racine Street, holding signs and chanting "No more ICE!" as cars honked at them. One protester, recent MHS graduate Alexander Krueger, said he came because he "can't believe we're oppressed by a tyrannical government like this." Menasha High School students walk out of class to protest the Trump administration Jan. 20, 2026 in Menasha, WI. MHS junior Connor Rivers said he helped organize the walkout because of the presence of Immigration Customs and Enforcement agents in Minneapolis. While he doesn't necessarily support abolishing the agency, "there has to be a better way," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Rivers said he didn't expect to see this many students join him, thinking the cold would have discouraged them. Menasha superintendent Matt Zimmerman said district leaders were aware that students were discussing a walkout. In a letter to MHS parents Zimmerman provided to the Appleton Post-Crescent, the district said that any student absent from class without permission from a parent or guardian would be marked unexcused. Those students would remain unexcused unless a parent or guardian excuses them later, the letter said. Menasha High School students walk out of class to protest the Trump administration Jan. 20, 2026 in Menasha, WI. "Staff throughout the building continued instruction as planned and the majority of students remained in class," the statement from the district said. Other Wisconsin high schools have also staged walkouts in recent days, including students in Milwaukee, Wauwatosa and Madison. It's part of a "Free America" national day of protest across the country that falls on the first anniversary of Trump's second inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement In Minneapolis, two weeks of unrest have followed between Minnesota residents and federal agents after an ICE officer shot and killed Renee Nicole Good Jan. 7. Minnesota officials have filed a lawsuit against the federal government asking the deployment of 3,000 ICE agents to end. Rebecca Loroff is an education reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. She welcomes story tips and feedback. Contact her at rloroff@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: About 100 Menasha students walk out of class Jan. 20 to protest ICE The external power supply to the disused Chernobyl nuclear power station in Ukraine has been cut amid the ongoing Russian invasion, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Tuesday. Several Ukrainian electrical substations vital for nuclear safety have been affected by widespread military activity on Tuesday morning, IAEA head Rafael Grossi said. Ukraine's Chernobyl plant, which lies to the north of Kiev and close to the border with Belarus, had lost all off-site power, he said. Power lines to other nuclear plants had also been impacted, he said. Advertisement Advertisement "The IAEA is actively following developments in order to assess impact on nuclear safety," Grossi said. The Chernobyl plant remains highly radioactive following a devastating nuclear accident in 1986. It requires external power to maintain operations to secure its nuclear waste. By Maria Alejandra Cardona SAINT PAUL, Minnesota, Jan 19 (Reuters) - A Minnesota man told Reuters on Monday he felt fear, shame and desperation a day after ICE officers broke down his door with guns drawn, handcuffed him and dragged him into the snow wearing shorts and Crocs. ChongLy Thao, 56, a naturalized U.S. citizen who goes by the name Scott, was returned home later on Sunday without explanation or apology, he said. Advertisement Advertisement "I was praying. I was like, God, please help me, I didn't do anything wrong. Why do they do this to me? Without my clothes on," Thao, a Hmong man born in Laos, told Reuters from his home on Monday, while neighbors were at work fixing the broken door. Pictures of the incident showing Thao barely clothed and covered in a blanket taken by a Reuters photographer and bystanders spread on social media, further fueling concern that federal law enforcement officers were exceeding their authority as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, which has seen some 3,000 officers deployed in the Minneapolis area. A statement published by the family called the incident "unnecessary, degrading, and deeply traumatizing." The highest temperature in Saint Paul on Sunday was 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 degrees Celsius). The Department of Homeland Security said officers were investigating two convicted sex offenders at the address and that a U.S. citizen living there refused to be fingerprinted or facially identified, so he was detained. Advertisement Advertisement "He matched the description of the targets. As with any law enforcement agency, it is standard protocol to hold all individuals in a house of an operation for safety of the public and law enforcement," DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. 'WHY ARE WE HERE' DHS published wanted posters for two men targeted in the investigation who were still at large, describing each as a "criminal illegal alien" from Laos who is subject to deportation orders. One of the men in the wanted posters previously lived at the house but moved out, according to relatives close to the situation, who described him as the ex-husband of a member of the Thao family. A U.S. District Judge in Minnesota on Friday issued an injunction blocking the Trump administration from some aggressive tactics that she said would "chill" an ordinary citizen from engaging in constitutionally protected protest. Advertisement Advertisement "That conduct includes the drawing and pointing of weapons; the use of pepper spray and other non-lethal munitions; actual and threatened arrest and detainment of protesters and observers; and other intimidation tactics," Judge Katherine Menendez wrote. The Trump administration is appealing her injunction. Thao said his parents brought him from Laos to the United States in 1974 when he was four-years-old and that he became a U.S. citizen in 1991. During the ordeal, he feared being sent back to Laos, where he has no relatives. He said he was singing karaoke when there was a loud noise at the door. He and his family hid in a bedroom, where the federal officers found him. Thao said that he was trying to find his ID as officers escorted him out of the house. Advertisement Advertisement Thao was wearing only boxer shorts and Crocs on his feet when officers denied him the chance to put on more clothes, he said. He used a blanket that his four-year-old grandson had been sleeping with on the couch to cover his torso. After taking his fingerprints and a head shot in the car, officers returned him to his home, Thao said. "We came here for a purpose, right? ... To have a bright future. To have a safe place to live," he said. "If this is going to turn out to be America, what are we doing here? Why are we here?" (Reporting by Maria Alejandra Cardona in Saint Paul; Writing by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Michael Perry) Explainer: What is Trump's "Board of Peace" Xinhua) 09:02, January 20, 2026 People are seen on a street with destroyed buildings in Gaza City, on Oct. 19, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) "It's a 'Trump United Nations' that ignores the fundamentals of the U.N. charter," media quoted one diplomat as saying. WASHINGTON/GAZA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced the creation of the Board of Peace for Gaza as the Gaza peace deal reached in October enters its second phase, which focuses on full demilitarization and reconstruction. Over the past few days, a number of world leaders have reportedly received invitations to join the Trump-proposed board. However, a charter of the board -- reportedly attached to the invitation letters and obtained by multiple media outlets -- makes no reference to Gaza. Instead, it outlines a broader vision for the body as a U.S.-controlled organization aimed to help resolve conflicts and wars worldwide, a role the United Nations has played for decades. IS THE BOARD LIMITED TO GAZA? Trump previously proposed the establishment of the Board of Peace as part of a 20-point peace plan to end the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip. Under the ceasefire deal reached in October, the board is meant to support stability, governance, demilitarization and reconstruction in Gaza during the plan's second phase. The newly released charter makes no mention of Gaza. Instead, it describes the board as "an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict." According to The Times of Israel, a mandate of the board was approved by the UN Security Council in November and is limited to Gaza and only until the end of 2027. The newspaper published and verified the full text of the board's chapter over the weekend. Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, Nov. 17, 2025. The UN Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution to endorse the creation of an international stabilization force (ISF) in Gaza. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo) WHAT ROLE WOULD TRUMP PLAY? The charter grants sweeping authority to Trump, who would serve as the inaugural chairman of the Board of Peace and also act as the U.S. representative. Membership would be by invitation of the chairman, who would hold key authority over terms, renewals and removals. While decisions would be made by a majority vote of member states, all outcomes would require the chairman's approval. The chairman may cast a tie-breaking vote and has exclusive authority to create, modify or dissolve subsidiary entities, designate a successor, and serve as the final authority regarding the meaning, interpretation and application of the charter. The Board of Peace will have an official seal, subject to the chairman's approval. To carry out the board's vision, an executive committee has been formed, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, among others, the White House said Friday in a statement. Each member will oversee a portfolio covering governance, diplomacy and reconstruction, the statement added. However, Israel on Saturday objected that the committee "was not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy," without specifying the points of disagreement. HOW WOULD MEMBERSHIP BE STRUCTURED? The charter would enter into force upon expression of consent to be bound by three states, according to the published text of the charter. Member states shall serve terms of no more than three years, though countries contributing more than 1 billion U.S. dollars within the first year of the charter's entry into force would secure permanent membership. Each member state would have one vote, but all decisions would still require the chairman's approval. States may withdraw at any time and can be removed by the chairman unless two-thirds of the members veto the move. The charter does not clearly specify how the funds would be used. It merely states that financing will come from "voluntary funding." Hungary and Vietnam have accepted invitations to join the board, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing their respective foreign ministries. Invitations have been addressed to some 60 nations, Reuters reported, citing diplomats. GLOBAL RESPONSE TO THE BOARD Trump's Board of Peace is taking shape with ambitions to have a far broader mandate of global crises, potentially rivaling the United Nations in what would be a major upheaval to the post-World War II international order, an AP report commented on Saturday. "It's a 'Trump United Nations' that ignores the fundamentals of the U.N. charter," Reuters quoted one diplomat as saying. Three other Western diplomats said it appeared likely to undermine the United Nations if it went ahead. A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Guterres "believes Member States are free to associate in different groups" in response to a question about the draft U.S. charter for a Board of Peace. "The United Nations will continue with its mandated work," deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said. The Islamic Jihad Movement said on Saturday it opposed the "Board of Peace," arguing it aligns with Israeli interests and threatens the implementation of a ceasefire. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the "Board of Peace," along with a Palestinian technocratic committee announced earlier last week in Cairo by Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, is part of a U.S. plan to end the conflict. He said Palestinian internal affairs must remain "in the hands of an independent Palestinian body" and reiterated Hamas's commitment to preventing renewed fighting and facilitating reconstruction. "The Board of Peace is emerging within an international framework focused on crisis management rather than addressing core issues such as ending the occupation and guaranteeing Palestinian rights," Gaza-based political analyst Ahed Ferwana said. He added that the absence of guarantees for a permanent ceasefire continues to fuel Palestinian mistrust and cast doubt on the council's ability to gain public confidence. Questions have also been raised about funding and transparency. Analysts note that the charter offers few details on how funds would be used. A commentary by The Atlantic suggested this lack of clarity could leave interested world leaders wondering where, exactly, their money would go. Finally, the cost and structure of membership have drawn scrutiny. Media reports noted that, beyond hefty financial contributions for permanent membership, the charter grants the chairman broad discretion over invitations and renewals, reinforcing critics' concerns over concentrated authority and limited oversight. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) By Trevor Hunnicutt, Michel Rose and Stine Jacobsen WASHINGTON/DAVOS/COPENHAGEN, Jan 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday there was "no going back" on his goal to control Greenland, refusing to rule out taking the Arctic island by force and lashing out at NATO allies as European leaders struggled to respond. But later Trump, who is due to join European leaders at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, told a news conference that he thought, "We will work something out where NATO is going to be very happy and where we're going to be very happy." Advertisement Advertisement Trump's ambition - spelled out in social media posts and mock-up AI images - to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark has threatened to blow apart the alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades. It has also threatened to reignite a trade war with Europe that rattled markets and companies last year, though Trump's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pushed back against what he called "hysteria" over Greenland. In a Truth Social post on Tuesday after speaking to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said, "Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees!" To drive home the message, he posted an AI image of himself in Greenland, holding a U.S. flag. Another showed him speaking to leaders next to a map showing Canada and Greenland as part of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Asked later how far he was willing to go to acquire Greenland, Trump told reporters at the White House: "You'll find out." But Trump said he had a lot of meetings scheduled on Greenland in Switzerland and added: "I think things are going to work out pretty well." Separately, Trump leaked messages including from French President Emmanuel Macron, who questioned what Trump was "doing on Greenland". Trump had earlier threatened to hammer French wines and champagnes with a 200% tariff. DANISH PM STRIKES DEFIANT TONE ON GREENLAND Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she would not yield to Trump's demands and abandon Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement "The American president has unfortunately not ruled out the use of military force. And therefore the rest of us cannot rule it out either," she told reporters. An agreement on sharing responsibility for the security of the Arctic and the North Atlantic could offer a way out of the stand-off, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told Reuters at the WEF in the Swiss ski resort of Davos. European leaders took to the stage in Davos attempting to project the continent's strength, though it was not immediately clear how the European Union will eventually respond. Macron said the EU should not bend to "the law of the strongest". Advertisement Advertisement "We do believe that we need more growth, we need more stability in this world, but we do prefer respect to bullies," Macron told the meeting in Davos. Some spoke of the importance of reducing European dependence for security on the United States. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described a "seismic change" that made it necessary to build a "new form of European independence". Also speaking in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he strongly opposed any U.S. tariffs linked to the Greenland issue. The EU has threatened to hit back with trade measures. One option is a package of tariffs on 93 billion euros ($109 billion) of U.S. imports that could automatically kick in on February 6 after a six-month suspension. Advertisement Advertisement Another option is the "Anti-Coercion Instrument" (ACI), known informally as the EU's "trade bazooka", which allows tough measures including restrictions on lucrative digital services provided by U.S. tech giants in Europe. It has never yet been used, but Macron, who has raised the prospect of invoking it, insisted again on Tuesday it was on the table. Asked what he would do if the U.S. Supreme Court were to rule against him on the legality of tariffs he has threatened against European allies over the issue, Trump said: "Well I'll have to use something else ... we have other alternatives, but what we're doing now is the best, the strongest, the fastest, the easiest, the least complicated." Bessent, also in Davos, said a solution would be found that ensures national security for the United States and Europe. Advertisement Advertisement RUSSIA QUESTIONS DANISH SOVEREIGNTY OVER GREENLAND Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia, which has been watching with glee the widening U.S. split with Europe, said, "Greenland is not a natural part of Denmark", while denying any Russian designs on the island, as Trump has suggested. Trump's renewed tariff threats have revived talk of the "Sell America" trade that emerged in the aftermath of his sweeping levies last April. All three major Wall Street indexes closed well down on Tuesday, joining other global stock markets in a broad selloff triggered by concerns that Trump's fresh tariff threats against Europe could signal renewed market volatility. Advertisement Advertisement Gold climbed to another record high, scaling the unprecedented $4,700 an ounce milestone as escalating geopolitical tensions boosted safe-haven demand. ($1 = 0.8530 euros) (Reporting Michel Rose, Stine Jacobsen, Terje Solsvik, Francesco Canepa, Emma Farge, Inti Landauro, Soren Jeppesen, Terje Solsvik, Paritosh Bansal, Nandita Bose, Bo Erickson, Dave Graham and Bhargav Acharya; writing by Matthias Williams, Keith Weir and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Gareth Jones, Don Durfee and Cynthia Osterman) Protesters marched on Monday not only to honor Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy, but to also call for an end to ICE enforcement in America. And it wasn't just those who took to the streets -- officials from across the Tri-State also used the day to speak out and share a similar message. This year, civil rights for all took a renewed sense of urgency. "If you think you're exempt from this authoritarian government, then you are a fool," Attorney General Letitia James said. Advertisement Advertisement From the Brooklyn Academy of Music to the National Action Network in Harlem, Dr. King was celebrated for his spirit and memorialized for his achievements. "There's never been a time more in my life that the dream of Dr. King is at risk than right now," said Rev. Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network. Joining Rev. Sharpton were Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. "Dr. King suggested to us, when he posed the question where do we go from here?, we want to move the country forward," Jeffries said. "They're trying to turn back the clock. We're fighting to bring people together. The extremists are tearing us apart. But we believe in truth and reconciliation. They want to whitewash our history. Black history, civil rights history -- Black history is American history. We will never let them erase it!" Ninety-seven years after Dr. King's birth, Monday's speakers said the nation needs him more now than at any time since the 1960s. Advertisement Advertisement It comes as angry demonstrators face off against federal agents in Minneapolis and amid rising tensions over America's immigration policies and the Trump administration's efforts to enforce them. "They terrorize the very communities that they are supposed to protect, they enter into schools and homes and worksites and abduct neighbors whose only crime was just trying to live a decent life in the place that we call home," said New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New York City news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. By David Morgan WASHINGTON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown is fast becoming a double-edged campaign issue in November's hotly contested midterm congressional elections because of mounting public unease over aggressive tactics by federal immigration officers. After an ICE officer shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis on January 7, sparking protests, opinion polls showed most Americans disapprove of the conduct of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, including a Reuters/Ipsos survey that pointed to a Republican split over whether federal immigration agents should try harder to avoid hurting people. Advertisement Advertisement Criticism about ICE's use of force appears to have diminished the ability of Republican candidates to pivot away from economic pessimism among voters by stressing the party's traditionally strong standing on crime and security. Democrats could benefit, despite the party's historic weakness on border security issues, if voters decide Trump has moved beyond what they elected him to do, said Nathan Gonzales, editor of analysis firm Inside Elections. REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS BOTH VULNERABLE The polling data has raised Republican concerns that souring public views of ICE operations could cloud Trump's success at securing the U.S.-Mexico border. Record numbers of migrants flowed into the U.S. under former President Joe Biden, a topic Republicans view as a key campaign asset. But with some Democratic candidates calling for ICE's abolition, Democratic groups are concerned that voters worried about immigration and security could turn against them come November. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans control both the Senate and the House of Representatives but face voter frustration over high prices and the economy in an election cycle that often punishes the ruling party as voters cast ballots for all 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats. "This is kind of a fluid situation that we're in right now that reminds me a bit of where we were after George Floyd, where public opinion moved pretty dramatically," said Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report. The 2020 police killing of Floyd in Minneapolis spurred nationwide anger that brought about reforms in many U.S. states but also proved to be a political liability for both Republicans and Democrats. Members of the public have expressed outrage over immigration enforcement tactics such as ICE agents wearing masks, zip-tying children and arresting and injuring or killing U.S. citizens. Over the weekend in Minneapolis, a naturalized U.S. citizen said immigration agents with guns drawn broke down his door and dragged him into the snow wearing shorts and Croc shoes. ChongLy Thao, 56, who goes by the name Scott, said he was returned home later without explanation or apology. Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security has said ICE officers, whom it oversees, have also faced violence. DEMOCRATS COULD RETAKE HOUSE: ANALYSTS Analysts say Democrats are in a strong position to gain control of the House and could cut into the 53-47-seat Republican Senate majority, if not seize the chamber outright. Losing either chamber would hinder Trump's ability to enact his agenda and also would enable congressional investigations into administration policies and actions. "Is (ICE) an issue that people care enough to vote on? I don't know," Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters last week. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration is poised to ramp up immigration enforcement this year with funds Congress gave ICE to hire thousands of agents, detain more than 100,000 migrants at any given time and expand surveillance to track down possible immigration offenders. The push is expected to include more enforcement against employers, a move that could pressure businesses in sectors known to hire workers who are in the U.S. illegally. In the coming months, ICE's aggressive tactics could undermine Republican support among Latino voters and influence toss-up Senate races in Democratic-leaning states such as Maine and Michigan, Walter said. REPUBLICAN SENATOR CRITICIZES ICE TACTICS Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the most vulnerable of this year's Republican incumbents, criticized what she considered "excessive" ICE tactics, including wearing masks and targeting immigrants without criminal records, which she said have been ordered by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Advertisement Advertisement "It's not the ICE officers' fault," Collins told Reuters. "Some of the tactics that the secretary has had ICE use in cities are not where the focus should be." Some Senate Democrats hope to use government funding legislation to impose new curbs on ICE's actions. But Collins, who oversees funding issues as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she instead favored oversight hearings with Noem. In response, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, "President Trump and Secretary Noem are delivering on the American people's mandate to deport illegal aliens." McLaughlin's statement to Reuters cited opinion polls released months before Good's shooting that showed most Americans favoring deportation of people in the country illegally, though one New York Times survey also said most voters thought Trump had gone too far on immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement The statement asserted that 70% of those arrested by ICE have been charged with or convicted of crimes, a claim that has been disputed by independent researchers, advocacy groups and journalists. Democrats could find themselves debating whether to reform ICE or abolish the agency altogether, a question some fear could backfire on the party. "The task ahead is not to eliminate enforcement, but to reclaim it from those who are abusing it for political gain," the Democratic centrist think tank Third Way warned in a public memo. (Reporting by David Morgan; additional reporting by Ted Hesson;Editing by Rod Nickel) A New Hampshire Episcopal bishop is warning his clergy to finalize their wills and get their affairs in order to prepare for a new era of martyrdom. Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire made his comments on Jan. 9 during a vigil for Renee Nicole Good, 37, who was shot and killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis. President Donald Trump and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have defended ICEs actions, arguing agents acted in self-defense after Good tried to run them down. Advertisement Advertisement A New York Times analysis of the video footage showed Good was driving away from not toward a federal officer when he opened fire, the newspaper reported. During Goods vigil, Hirschfeld cited instances throughout history when clergy members put their lives at risk to protect the vulnerable including New Hampshires own Jonathan Daniels, who was shot while protecting a young Black teenager in Haynesville, Alabama in 1965 by shielding him from a sheriff. I have told the clergy of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire that we may be entering into that same witness, Hirschfeld said. And Ive asked them to get their affairs in order to make sure they have their wills written, because it may be that now is no longer the time for statements, but for us with our bodies to stand between the powers of this world and the most vulnerable." The bishop continued by saying that people of Christian faith should not fear death. Advertisement Advertisement Live without fear. You have been created holy in the image of the divine. Whatever race, whatever gender, whatever orientation straight, queer, trans, you have been made in the image of the divine," Hirschfeld said in a prayer. God has always and will always protect you no matter what happens. So live in that without fear. God supports you, protects you and loves you with a power and a presence that is stronger than death. That is how we live free or die. Other religious leaders have also called on Christians to protect vulnerable populations amid a surge of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, according to ABC News. Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, spoke up during a prayer earlier this week. We keep resisting, advocating, bearing witness and repairing the breach, Rowe said according to ABC News. We keep sheltering and caring for those among us who are immigrants and refugees because they are beloved by God, and without them, we cannot fully be the church. Advertisement Advertisement In Minnesota, Rt. Rev. Craig Loya encouraged people not to meet hatred with hatred. We are going to make like our ancient ancestors, and turn the world upside down by mobilizing for love, he said on Facebook. We are going to disrupt with Jesus hope. We are going agitate with Jesus love. More on Politics Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. It was a landmark year for conservation in Northern Michigan. In 2025, the Little Traverse Conservancy partnered with the state to protect 8,850 acres of Pigeon River State Forest land, marking the largest land protection year in the conservancys 53-year history. Permanent ecosystem protection of this magnitude epitomizes what makes Michigan such a special place to visit or call home, said LTC Executive Director Kieran Fleming in a statement. The shoreline of Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan is seen at the Enji-minozhiiyaamigak preserve in Bay Shore. More: DNR acquires 8,800 acres to add to Pigeon River Country State Forest Advertisement Advertisement More: Little Traverse Conservancy continues trail clean-up, more volunteers welcome Recovering from the late March ice storm required a lot of work, and volunteers showed up to lend a hand. According to the conservancy, volunteer participation increased by 87% in 2025 and LTC hosted 54 volunteer work bees. Volunteers at the Little Traverse Conservancy help with trail clean-up from the late-March ice storm. In total, the conservancy worked alongside landowners and partners on 32 projects last year, protecting 11,130 acres across its five-county service area of Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Mackinac and Chippewa counties. In Emmet and Charlevoix counties, 2025 projects ranged from creating a new scenic preserve along M-119 to protecting a quarter mile of Lake Michigan shoreline in Bay Shore. Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe: Check out our latest offers Highlights for Emmet County include: A 41-acre expansion of the Ray Johnston Nature Preserve near Pickerel Lake Creation of the 31-acre Diane Curtis Nature Preserve north of Harbor Springs, to be celebrated with a summer dedication Protection of 13 acres and 1,700 feet of Crooked Lake frontage through a collaborative, multi-partner effort Protection of an additional 13 acres and 1,460 feet of Crooked Lake frontage, further safeguarding shoreline habitat Addition of nearly a quarter mile of new trail at the Bubbling Springs Preserve southwest of Petoskey Protection of a 16-acre property with 860 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline through a donated conservation easement from Dick and Betsy DeVos Creation of the 10-acre Goodhart Scenic Preserve along M-119 Protection of a 40-acre property in Friendship Township through a conservation easement Protection of a 124-acre Resort Township farm as part of the conservancys Farmland Conservation Initiative Protection of 40 acres in Center Township through a conservation easement More: Place of peacefulness: Little Traverse Conservancy opens new 56-acre preserve Advertisement Advertisement More: 'A wonderful legacy': New Chigidaaki property is conservancy's largest working forest reserve yet The Chigidaaki: Place of the Big Hill Working Forest Reserve, formerly known as "White Mountain," is 654 acres. Highlights for Charlevoix County include: Chigidaaki: Place of the Big Hill, east of Boyne City, became a 654-acre working forest reserve the largest reserve LTC has protected in the Lower Peninsula made possible by hundreds of local supporters A half-mile of universally accessible trail was completed at Enji-minozhiiyaamigak: The Place of Peacefulness, a 56-acre preserve with a quarter mile of Lake Michigan shoreline in Bay Shore A 52-acre working forest reserve was created in Wilson Township The 56-acre Enji-minozhiiyaamigak, The Place of Peacefulness preserve, located along Division Street in Charlevoix County's Bay Shore, officially opened to the public on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. Specifically on Beaver Island, many LTC projects helped protect the land and shoreline in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement 60 acres were added to Conns Cove Nature Preserve The new 16-acre Pam Grassmick Nature Preserve with 1,500 feet of frontage on Font Lake was opened, to be celebrated with a summer dedication 30 acres were added to Barneys Lake Nature Preserve 11 acres were added to the Stanhope Family Nature Preserve LTC assisted the state in acquiring a 240-acre inholding A 160-acre conservation easement was donated by Charles Wilson To find out more about Little Traverse Conservancy preserves, programs or volunteer opportunities, visit landtrust.org. Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com. This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Little Traverse Conservancy celebrates 2025 highlights in northwest Michigan School is safe. Its the journey between home and school that is causing people to stay home, including U.S. citizens. That was one local district administrators swift reply when asked what she wants people to know about educating kids in the Twin Cities right now. Two weeks after federal agents killed Minneapolis mother Renee Good, virtually every aspect of schooling throughout the region is being shaken by the presence of some 3,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers. Advertisement Advertisement Were being impacted on a basis that well outpaces targeted immigration enforcement, says Heather Anderson, a Minneapolis Public Schools parent who runs a nonprofit education-related program for students of color. Its pervasive. Everybody is being affected. Nobody can go to work. Nobody can use the school bus. . I literally just dropped a load of groceries off to a family who cant leave their house. At one of Andersons neighborhood schools, an estimated two-thirds of students are enrolled in distance learning, she says, but many families lack wifi or hotspots. The number of students participating in her in-person program has dropped by half. Related Minneapolis Schools Shut Down for 2 Days in Wake of ICE Clashes, Fatal Shooting The kids who did come, several gave reports that ICE had been in their apartment complex, in their buildings, on their streetcorners, she says. We worked really hard at just creating a bubble of joy for them. Advertisement Advertisement Educator Kara Cisco lives a couple of blocks from where Good was killed. My daughters are terrified even though they dont fit a category that would fall under those that are targeted, she says. Theyre both carrying their own passports. Thats scary. On the first day of distance learning, attendance in one of her daughters classes dropped from 25 students to nine, even though most are citizens. Its the general sense of fear, says Cisco. Ive got one daughter thats texting me pretty much every hour on the hour to notify me of the ICE presence around school. Federal agents outnumber the officers employed by the metropolitan areas 10 largest police departments combined. They are roaming neighborhoods often in convoys of unmarked SUVs detaining U.S. citizens and legal residents along with people whose status is unknown. Suburban police departments have reported ICE stopping local law enforcement, in at least one instance at gunpoint. St. Paul Public Schools reported that two vans carrying students and educators were stopped by ICE last week. Students and parents in urban and suburban school systems have been detained while waiting for school buses or public transit. A Hiawatha Collegiate High School senior was picked up at a Minneapolis bus stop Jan. 15. A parent waiting with multiple Robbinsdale Area Public Schools students was detained the day before. Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Homeland Security claims to have detained 3,000 people so far. On Friday, a federal judge ordered the agents to stop using pepper spray and non-lethal munitions and detaining protesters and observers unless they obstruct the officers or there is reason to believe a crime has been committed. The U.S. Department of Justice this week appealed the order, even as residents continue to report observer detentions. Related Amid Fed Ramp-up and New Fears, Twin Cities Schools Offer Online Classes Several labor unions including educator unions in St. Paul and Minneapolis have called for a general strike Jan. 23, and some students have said they plan to join whats being described as an economic protest. St. Paul schools will be in session. In Minneapolis and many Twin Cities charter schools, the strike will coincide with a long-scheduled teacher record-keeping day. Asked at a news conference what it feels like to attend classes now, a teen in a T-shirt emblazoned with the name of Roosevelt High School where ICE agents pepper-sprayed and tackled parents, educators and students the day Good was killed said it was hard seeing how many kids were not there. Advertisement Advertisement When I came to school and I found lots of friends and classmates missing, it was scary, he said. I couldnt imagine what they were going through. The chaos has made it hard for schools to create and communicate contingency plans. The St. Paul district closed Jan. 20 and 21 to allow educators to organize distance learning options. Parents and teachers in other districts, however, are reporting school-by-school ad hoc arrangements. A parent at a high-poverty Minneapolis school in a neighborhood where an ICE agent last week shot a second resident says her childs in-person classes are overstuffed as some teachers are temporarily reassigned to teach groups of kids online. Like many parents and educators, she asked not to be named for fear that her childs school would be targeted. Adding to the strain, its unclear whether kids who are technically enrolled in remote instruction are actually online. Numerous students at her childs school are simply no longer attending any classes because a parent or sibling has been detained, the parent says. Advertisement Advertisement Its happening at such breathtaking speed, she says. What are you even going to do? Threats of violence forced the small, social-justice themed charter school attended by Goods 6-year-old to move entirely online, according to Sahan Journal, a Minnesota news outlet focused on immigrants and people of color. Good had been appointed to the Southside Family Charter Schools board in August, according to the news site. Residents not at risk of deportation are waiting outside schools and at bus stops before and after classes, but parents and advocates say many families are still too fearful to leave their homes. Parents dont even want rides, says one St. Paul education advocacy group leader who did not want their name used because they are at risk of detention. Theyre like, Im not going nowhere. With COVID, we feared the disease itself, but it still wasnt like if you walked outside your door there might be a masked man that jumps out at you. Advertisement Advertisement This is no longer about immigration enforcement, says Josh Crosson, executive director of the advocacy group EdAllies. It feels like were all in a collective trauma. Twin Cities schools are still grappling with the impact of the pandemic and of unrest in the wake of George Floyds murder in 2020, he adds. Students are witnessing their classmates and friends being abducted or removed from their school communities. The direct and indirect trauma is resulting in increased behavioral incidents with students, withdrawal and disengagement, difficulty concentrating. Like many other parents and teachers, Anderson is frustrated that inequities in distance learning and community support persist even after COVID. Schools with lots of resources are mobilizing quickly, and schools without resources have nothing, she says. We really arent in distance learning. We are really just not having kids in school if theyre poor. Cisco echoed this, noting that a big difference from pandemic remote instruction is the lack of an official coordinated response. Advertisement Advertisement A great deal of federal funding helped pay for things during COVID such as hotspots, says Cisco. Its never been a foregone conclusion that every family has access to the internet particularly those that are in sanctuary settings. Its absurd to expect a scholar to learn under these circumstances. Creating the conditions for real learning to take place, that is completely lost when half your class is suddenly gone. Kara Cisco Teachers, she adds, spend a lot of time building community and a sense of psychological safety, especially with students who are homeless or face other kinds of instability: Creating the conditions for real learning to take place, that is completely lost when half your class is suddenly gone. In a message to families, Rochester Superintendent Kent Pekel said people of color and immigrants in his community including citizens and district staff are fearful of leaving their homes. I have no doubt that how each of us responds to this present moment will have a powerful impact on how our students see themselves and our society in the years ahead, he said. Advertisement Advertisement As horrific as the violence has been, Anderson says, she also is proud that young people are watching the community organize. My kids have lived with this through many iterations, she says. They know this is what their parents are going to do when their neighbors need us. They have gotten to see us love with our feet and our hands. The last strike killed a terrorist in the Zibqin area in southern Lebanon, the IDF announced on Monday. The military killed a Hezbollah terrorist on Monday in the Zibqin area in southern Lebanon, the IDF said in a statement. This represents the third strike announcement in one day against Hezbollah targets, with the military claiming that they are in response to Hezbollah's ceasefire violations. Earlier on Sunday, the IDF announced several strikes in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah, after calling out repeated ceasefire violations by the terror organization. IDF strikes training center, tunnel shafts, and launch sites The IDF said that the main target of Monday's strikes was a series of military structures used by Hezbollah for drills and training exercises. Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of al-Mjadel on December 4, 2025. The Israeli military said it would strike what it described as Hezbollah military infrastructure in southern Lebanon and warned people in two villages to evacuate immedia (credit: KAWANT HAJU / AFP via Getty Images) They also included tunnel shafts used for storing weapons, with the military claiming that "over the past few months, terrorist activity was identified at these sites." Finally, a series of launch sites and military structures were struck. "These sites were used by Hezbollah to advance terror attacks against IDF troops and the State of Israel," the military added. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Tennessee lawmakers are taking a harder line on immigration and stepping into a legal fight that has tripped up another state before. House Bill 1704 would make it a state crime for someone to remain in Tennessee after receiving a final federal deportation order. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts Republican lawmakers backing the bill estimate illegal immigration costs Tennessee taxpayers close to a $1 billion, pointing to spending on public safety, courts, health care or other services. They also cite violent crimes committed by undocumented immigrants as evidence that tougher enforcement is needed. Advertisement Advertisement Just because you can get here illegally does not mean you are entitled to be here, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton said. There are illegal immigrants who have robbed, abused, raped people in the state of Tennessee and what that has done to victims, and what that has done to dollars. Immigration enforcement has long been considered a federal responsibility. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court addressed that balance directly, striking down key parts of an Arizona law that gave states broad power to arrest and prosecute undocumented immigrants. The Supreme Court ruled that states cannot create their own immigration crimes and warned against a patchwork of enforcement across the country. Legal experts said Tennessees proposal tests those same boundaries. It violates the supremacy clause as well as the holding in the United States v. Arizona, immigration attorney Bill Gerstein said. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Much of this new Tennessee bill, Gerstein said, relies on the Supreme Court decision being reinterpreted or overturned. Advertisement Advertisement I have a feeling there will be a challenge to it at some point, Gerstein said. So many things we think will never happen seem to come to light. In that sense, we never know, but immigration is definitely something within the federal governments purview. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Attorney General Kwame Raoul outlined the actions taken by his office to defend the rights of Illinois residents. Roul held a news conference on Tuesday, marking one year into President Donald Trump's second term in office. Over the past 365 days, Illinois has filed more than 50 lawsuits. The attorney general said the state is locked in a series of legal battles with the Trump administration challenging everything from federal funding freezes to "aggressive and unconstitutional" immigration enforcement tactics. Advertisement Advertisement Raoul said his office has been trying to combat what they deem unlawful actions in Trump's first year of his second term. SEE ALSO | 1 year into Trump's 2nd term, here are some of the seismic shifts in foreign and domestic policies This includes Customs and Border Patrol tactics and National Guard deployment. President Trump has signed many executive orders the past year aimed at reducing federal bureaucracy, expanding immigration enforcement that's lowered illegal border crossings, and signed major tax legislation, which proponents argue, has lowered taxes for many Americans. Raoul spoke about the strain the legal battles are putting on his staff. Advertisement Advertisement "Just one day after the inauguration, together with my fellow attorneys general, we filed our first lawsuit during the administration to protect birthright citizenship," he said. "As a proud son of Haitian immigrants born at the time that my mother was not yet naturalized, I am a birthright citizen. So, our first action could not have been more personal for me. As a survivor of the cancer that took my father and both my grandfathers, protecting funding for cancer research could not be more personal for me." Raoul said the AG's office has fought to protect voter registration requirements, public health programs, like infectious disease labs, birthright citizenship from being terminated, and funding for critical medical care. In total, the AG's office says it's protected over $6.6 billion dollars in state funding. Earlier this month, Illinois and Chicago sued the Trump administration accusing the feds of unleashing an "organized bombardment" to coerce state and local officials to change their immigration policies. Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson has joined the chorus of voices expressing opposition to the specter of a new immigration detention facility in Utah as more protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement loom. This is a moment for Utahns to stand together, regardless of party, faith or where we live, Wilson said in a statement over the weekend. A detention center of this magnitude would bring disruption, strain local resources and harm the economic and social fabric of our community. Her statement comes in the wake of a demonstration last Friday outside the site of what some immigrant advocates say is to become a detention center and ahead of a flurry of more protesting, potential walkouts and other actions. Advertisement Advertisement Foes of Immigration and Customs Enforcement plan to attend the Salt Lake City Council meeting on Tuesday to press for action by the body against immigrant enforcement action, the same as they did on Jan. 13. Also on Tuesday, Mecha de U of U is calling for a walkout and advertising a demonstration of some sort for Tuesday on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City at 2 p.m. We are calling on U of U students to stand up against ICE by joining the national day of action against ICE terror, reads a social media post announcing the plans. The Party for Socialism and Liberation of Salt Lake City has called a demonstration for Tuesday at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City at 5 p.m., coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the inauguration of President Donald Trump to his second term in office. We refuse to allow Trump, ICE and the racist deportation machine to operate with impunity! reads an announcement of the plans. Students at at least one Utah high school are planning a walkout on Tuesday to protest what they see as aggressive action by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, according to a social media post. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has made detention and deportation of immigrants in the country illegally a priority, saying they pose a public safety threat and drain public resources. The action has prompted enthusiastic support from some and condemnation from others around the country. The killing of Renee Good on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by an immigration officer, however, has turned into a flashpoint for protestors, and around 100 gathered last Friday outside 1197 N. 6880 West in Salt Lake City to sound off against apparent talk of turning a warehouse there into a detention facility. Protesters cited a leaked document that circulated last week among immigrant advocates around the country, identifying the Salt Lake City location and others elsewhere in the country as possible detention center sites. A budget bill Trump signed into law last July, the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, contains $45 billion to bolster the detention capacity of immigrants, according to the American Immigration Council. A Department of Homeland Security spokesman said the department has no plans for new detention center sites to announce, but even so, the talk has prompted backlash from some, apart from the protestors. Wilson, a Democrat, said shes been trying to get more info on the apparent plans, which purportedly call for a 7,500-bed facility. At this point, there are still more questions than answers. I am trying to determine how far along this proposal is, who has been involved and whether local or state officials were aware of the potential use of this property. I have also learned the building may be in the process of being sold, raising concerns that its future use may not have been fully disclosed, she said in her statement. Advertisement Advertisement She said shed try to halt the initiative through all available legal and policy avenues, including land-use authority, regulatory review, and coordination with local partners, reads her statement. A growing, bipartisan group of business leaders, community members and elected officials are alarmed at the prospect of a detention facility. TJ Young, an immigrant advocate, helped lead last Fridays demonstration. She said in a post on her Instagram page Monday that immigration officials apparently visited the site at 1197 N. 6880 West after the early-morning protest. Later in the day, firsthand accounts filmed and posted what seemed to be ICE scoping out the location. The individuals filming noted the many out-of-state license plates, reads her post. MUMBAI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chose a little-known legislator from India's poorest state as the party's youngest president on Tuesday, a generational shift in the effort to retain young voters. Nitin Nabin, 45, takes over from outgoing president J.P. Nadda, 65, months before key state elections, one of them in the eastern state of West Bengal, which the BJP has never won and is strongly focused on. A five-time lawmaker from the eastern state of Bihar, Nabin was elected unopposed as the party's 12th president after Modi and other leaders proposed him. Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of workers watched at party headquarters in New Delhi as Nabin, his forehead smeared with a vermillion mark and his shoulders wrapped in a scarf with the party symbol, took the oath of office before Modi and four past presidents. "When it comes to the party, I am a worker and he is my boss," Modi, 75, said in his remarks, pointing to Nabin, who will serve a three-year term. In his speech, Nabin repeatedly praised Modi as a generational leader and urged young people to take an active part in politics. More than 40% of India's one billion voters are aged between 18 and 39, the Election Commission and analysts estimate. Advertisement Advertisement The BJP suffered a shock setback in the 2024 general election as Modi lost his majority after 10 years in power and had to rely on regional allies to form a government. But it has since regained ground, winning critical state and civic body elections. The party and its allies govern 19 of India's 28 states. (Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by YP Rajesh and Clarence Fernandez) A new discovery in the Permian Basin is challenging the narrative that shale oil and gas in the United States is declining. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has released its assessment of undiscovered gas and oil in the Woodford and Barnett shales in the Permian Basin, assessing that there are technically recoverable resources of 28.3 trillion cubic feet of gas enough to supply the United States for 10 months at the current rate of consumption and 1.6 billion barrels of oil, or 10 weeks supply. If that doesnt sound like much, consider that since the 1990s, the Woodford and Barnett shales have only produced 26 million barrels of oil, the equivalent of one days consumption. From the Jan. 14 USGS news release: The Permian Basin has long been one of the most abundant sources of U.S. energy. The organic-rich shales of the Woodford and Barnett occur up to 20,000 feet below the surface, at greater depths than other resources in the Permian. Advances in unconventional production hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling now make it possible to produce energy resources from previously inaccessible and technically challenging formations, such as the Woodford and Barnett. However, there are challenges in recovering the oil and gas trapped in this particular shale rock. Toti Larson, principal investigator at the Bureau of Economic Geology's Mudrock Systems Research Laboratory at the University of Texas, which specializes in shale research, told the Houston Chronicle that the reserves are deeper than the formations where companies traditionally drill, and hotter, meaning they contain more associated gas. In the Barnett there is more clay, which poses drilling hazards. And then the other complexity is just really trying to identify the sort of sweet spots, Larson said. Where across the Permian Basin is the Woodford most likely going to produce oil? And so I think thats what makes the Woodford still an exploration target. The discovery in the Permian Basin, which straddles West Texas and New Mexico, comes at a challenging time for US shale. The United States is rushing to sell off millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil after the Trump administration ousted and detained leader Nicholas Maduro on Jan. 3. The Department of Energy is organizing the sale of about 50 million barrels of oil that the United States seized from Venezuelan tankers. Todays oil market is already saturated, faced with a persistent global oil glut, and oil companies cant afford for prices to dip much lower than their current levels of around $60 per barrel. Production is already projected to exceed demand in 2026, thanks in large part to OPECs reversal of production cuts over the last year, without even factoring in a Venezuelan oil renaissance. The Indiana General Assembly is going full steam ahead. Legislation that moved last week include bills that would ban everything from sleeping on publicly owned land to products containing marijuana-adjacent Delta-8. Lawmakers also discussed but did not vote on influential bills regarding the future of Indianapolis Public Schools and rising utility costs. Separate township merger bills are also moving through both chambers, and Indiana took a step closer to naming a state sandwich. Advertisement Advertisement Here's where things stand on the most consequential bills moving through the legislature the week of Jan. 12. House Bill 1423: Indianapolis Public Education Corp. Lead author: Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis What it does: The bill creates the Indianapolis Public Education Corp. and a related board, which would have the power to levy and distribute property taxes and oversee transportation and facilities for both charter and traditional public schools within the Indianapolis Public Schools boundaries. The entity would be largely controlled by the Indianapolis mayor. Status: The bill was heard in the House education committee on Jan. 12 but no vote was taken. Advertisement Advertisement More: 'The last straw for IPS': Indianapolis mayor would wield greater power under education bill House Bill 1315: Township consolidation Lead author: Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler, R-Noblesville What it does: The bill requires smaller townships and those that share most of their boundaries with cities, such as Clay Township in Carmel, to merge into a larger unit of government, such as a city or county. Status: Passed the House local government committee on Jan. 13 by a 9-3 vote. Another township merger bill, Senate Bill 270, passed the Senate local government committee last week as well. More: Is this the year Indiana gets rid of some of its 1,000-plus townships? Senate Bill 250: Hemp regulation Lead author: Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis Advertisement Advertisement What it does: The bill changes the state's definition of low-THC hemp to align with a new federal law, making products containing Delta-8 illegal. It also creates a new licensing structure for hemp products. Status: Passed Jan. 15 out of the Senate commerce and technology committee on a 7-2 vote. More: Marijuana, Delta-8 bills to watch in the Indiana legislature. Will any pass? Senate Joint Resolution 1: Bail Lead author: Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford What it does: The resolution, which would amend the Indiana Constitution, allows judges to deny bail for people who are deemed a public safety threat. Status: The resolution passed the Senate committee on corrections and criminal law with a 7-0 vote on Jan. 13. If it passes the legislature, the resolution ultimately would have to be approved by all Indiana voters in a future election. Senate Bill 285: Sleeping on public land Lead author: Sen. Cyndi Carrasco, R-Indianapolis Advertisement Advertisement What it does: The bill bans people from sleeping or camping on publicly owned land, making it a Class C misdemeanor. The bill also bans cities from adopting policies that discourage enforcement of the ban. Status: Passed out of the Senate judiciary committee 8-2 on Jan. 14. House Bill 1055: Municipal elections Lead author: Rep. Jennifer Meltzer, R-Shelbyville What it does: The bill allows any city or town to change its municipal elections to occur during an even-numbered year. Status: Passed the House elections committee 9-3 on Jan. 14. House Bill 1002: Utility costs Lead author: Rep. Alaina Shonkwiler, R-Noblesville What it does: The bill requires electricity suppliers to apply a budget billing plan to all active residential customers. It also stops electric utilities from terminating service on days with extreme heat warnings. It requires utilities to submit three-year rate plans for approval and allows the state to penalize or reward electricity suppliers based on customer affordability. Advertisement Advertisement Status: The bill was heard in the House utilities committee on Jan. 13 but no vote was taken. Senate Bill 267: Paid protestors Lead author: Sen. Scott Alexander, R-Muncie What it does: The bill requires a person who pays another person at least $500 in a year to engage in an influence campaign to file a report with the Indiana Lobby Registration Commission. Status: Passed the Senate elections committee with a 6-3 vote on Jan. 12. Senate Bill 78: Cell phone ban Lead author: Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond What it does: The bill would ban cell phones and smart watches for students during the entire school day, rather than just during instructional time as current law states. A Democratic amendment passed that would allow phone use during school passing periods and at the discretion of teachers for academic instruction. Advertisement Advertisement Status: The bill was amended in the Senate on Jan. 13. Now it will be voted on by the full Senate. More: Indiana's school cell phone ban could get a lot more strict Senate Bill 199: Social media use by minors Lead author: Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond What it does: Among other things, the bill would require social media companies to obtain written parental permission for their child under 18 years old to have an account. Status: The Senate education committee voted 9-2 to pass the bill on Jan. 14. Senate Bill 140: Doxing Lead author: Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville What it does: The bill would make doxing posting someone's personal information publicly online as a retaliatory threat a misdemeanor or felony, depending on whether the act led to the targeted person being harmed. Advertisement Advertisement Status: The Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law on Jan. 13 approved the bill by a 6-1 vote. More: Indiana lawmakers faced threats over redistricting. Now they're trying to criminalize doxing House Bill 1343: Militarizing the Indiana National Guard Lead author: Rep. Steve Bartels, R-Eckerty What it does: Buried within a number of other veterans matters, the bill authorizes the adjutant general to give police powers to members of the Indiana National Guard during state active duty. Status: Passed the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Public Safety on Jan. 8 by 9-3 vote. The Indiana National Guard Ceremonial Unit posts colors at The Inaugural Ceremony, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 at the Hilbert Circle Theatre. Mike Braun (Governor), Micah Beckwith (Lt. Gov.) and Todd Rokita (Attorney General) took their oaths of office at the ceremony. House Bill 1078: Online lottery Lead author: Rep. Ethan Manning, R-Logansport What it does: The bill would legalize an iLottery in Indiana, allowing lottery tickets to be sold online. Advertisement Advertisement Status: Amended in the House Jan. 13 to add rules to ensure that players are at least 18 and located in Indiana. The bill now awaits a final House vote. More: Online lottery and gaming back on the table in major proposed Indiana gaming expansion Senate Bill 161: Low-earning degrees Lead author: Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond What it does: The bill would deny grants and scholarships administered by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to college degree programs that don't provide a sufficient return on investment for graduates. It's based off a similar provision in President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which blocks federal student loans and other aid from students pursuing "low earning" degrees. Advertisement Advertisement Status: The Senate education committee passed the bill by a 10-3 vote on Jan. 14. More: Indiana colleges already nixed hundreds of degrees. This national group's push could risk more House Bill 1137: Ultraprocessed food and beverages Lead author: Rep. Julie McGuire, R-Indianapolis What it does: The bill would ban public and charter schools that participate in federally funded or assisted meal programs from selling or allowing a third-party to sell food and beverages that contain any of 13 chemicals and food dye ingredients. That would include foods like Fruity Pebbles or nacho cheese Doritos. Status: The House Education Committee approved the bill 11-0 on Jan. 14. Fruity Pebbles. Senate Bill 21: Pork tenderloin state sandwich Lead author: Sen. Blake Doriot, R-Goshen What it does: The bill would designate the pork tenderloin as the official state sandwich. Status: Passed 37-11 out of the Senate on Jan. 13. Moves to the House. Senate Bill 11: Execution by firing squad Lead author: Sen. Mike Young, R-Indianapolis What it does: The bill would legalize execution by firing squad in death penalty cases if lethal injection drugs are unavailable, or if the inmate chooses death by firing squad. Status: The Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law heard testimony on the bill but has not yet taken a vote. More: Should Indiana allow execution by firing squad? A new bill will make it legal Senate Bill 76: Immigration Lead author: Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne What it does: The bill would require law enforcement agencies to hold immigrants for up to 48 hours if requested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, prohibit employers from "recklessly" hiring undocumented immigrants and penalize universities or government bodies who limit immigration enforcement. Status: Passed out of the Senate judiciary committee on Dec. 9 by a 6-2 vote. More: Rokita, Banks criticize Republican state senator for watered-down immigration bill Contact IndyStar Statehouse reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on X @kayla_dwyer17. Contact senior government accountability reporter Hayleigh Colombo at hcolombo@indystar.com or follow her on X @hayleighcolombo. Contact breaking politics reporter Marissa Meador at mmeador@gannett.com or find her on X at @marissa_meador. Sign up for our free weekly politics newsletter, Checks & Balances, curated by IndyStar political and government reporters. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana bill tracker: Bans on Delta-8, street camping move in Statehouse After French President Emmanuel Macron said France was now providing two-thirds of all intelligence to Ukraine on Jan. 15, 2026, a rumor gained traction that this was because Ukraine had given false intelligence to the U.S., which the U.S. then leaked to Russia, revealing the U.S. as an unreliable intelligence partner for Ukraine. Snopes could find no evidence confirming the rumor Ukraine had shared false information with the U.S. Instead, this part of the claim came from an apparent misunderstanding of a Jan. 16, 2026, interview on a French news television channel. In that interview, Vincent Crouzet a former intelligence officer at the Directorate General for External Security (DGSE), France's foreign intelligence agency said, without citing any sources, that Ukrainian intelligence officials suspected the U.S. had leaked information to Russia, causing Ukraine to stop sharing intelligence with the U.S. In an X post two days later, Crouzet appeared to deny the claim that those leaks involved intentionally false information. We've reached out to Crouzet to ask about his evidence for these alleged leaks and whether there was any indication they involved Ukraine intentionally feeding the U.S. false information. We'll update this story if we learn more. On Jan. 15, 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron said France was now providing two-thirds of Ukraine's intelligence. Shortly after, a rumor gained traction that Ukraine relied so heavily on French intelligence because Ukraine had allegedly given the U.S. false intelligence that the U.S. then leaked to Russia, uncovering the U.S. as an unreliable intelligence partner for Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, starting a war that was ongoing in early 2026. Advertisement Advertisement The claim spread on X, Substack, Medium, Bluesky and Reddit. Several posts, including a Facebook post by a page named The Liberal Agenda (archived), featured a screenshot of an X post by user Luc Rombout. The screenshot read: Interesting message on French newschannel LCI: "Ukrainian intell services sent false strategic info to US intell services... and observed that the information had been relayed to RUS and was used by RUS forces." => total replacement of US as Intell partner with FRA, GBR, DEU [France, the U.K., Germany] "Trump is leaking intelligence about our allies to Russia," the caption on the Facebook post said. Snopes could find no evidence confirming the rumor Ukraine had shared false information with the U.S. Instead, this claim appeared to stem from a misunderstanding of an interview that aired on Jan. 16, 2026, on the French news television channel LCI. The interview subject was Vincent Crouzet, who formerly worked at the Directorate General for External Security (DGSE), France's foreign intelligence agency. He said in the interview, without citing his sources, that Ukrainian intelligence officials suspected the U.S. had leaked information to Russia, causing Ukraine to stop sharing intelligence with the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Asked to clarify his assertion that the U.S. had leaked Ukrainian intelligence to Russia, Crouzet said in a Jan. 18 X post (archived), translated: No, I did not say that: I said Ukrainians suspected risks of information leaks from the U.S. to the Russians. Non je nai pas dit ca : jai dit que les Ukrainiens suspectaient des risques de fuite dinformations des Americains au profit des Russes Vincent Crouzet, alias Victor K (@VincentCrouzet4) January 18, 2026 Snopes contacted Crouzet to ask him what evidence he could provide that Ukrainians suspected intelligence leaks from the U.S. to Russia and whether there was any reason to believe Ukraine had fed the U.S. false information. We will update this report if we receive a response. Due to the fact that we could not verify or disprove these details independently, we did not give this report a rating. The interview that sparked the rumor The rumor spread, in part, via the screenshot of the X post by Rombout, who identified himself on his LinkedIn page as the head of a crisis management center in Belgium. Advertisement Advertisement Rombout's post appeared to reshare a video clip posted on the 24H Pujadas account. 24H Pujadas is a program on LCI, considered reputable in France. The clip itself was genuine and not created or altered using artificial intelligence (AI) editing tools. Snopes identified an X post by the TV program 24H Pujadas with the video clip (archived) and a full video of the segment on the day it aired, Jan. 16, 2026. The presenter on that day was French journalist Yves Calvi. : Les yeux et les oreilles de Kiev , le parti pris #international de Vincent Crouzet @VincentCrouzet4 Ce changement acte le divorce entre le renseignement ukrainien et le renseignement americain."#24hPujadas #LCI #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/we8gLaRF9V 24h Pujadas (@24hPujadas) January 16, 2026 Rombout seemingly deleted his original X post that made the claim. In a later post, he said in French that he was quoting the discussion in the French news program, implying that the claim did not originate with him. A review of the televised interview showed Crouzet saying, in the context of discussing Macron's speech announcing France was now providing two-thirds of Ukraine's intelligence, that two Ukrainian intelligence officials had decided to stop sharing intelligence with the U.S. due to a lack of trust (emphasis ours): So this announcement went a bit under the radar, yet it is essential. It is essential in two ways. First because it marks the divorce between Ukrainian intelligence and U.S. intelligence, because if we [France] supply two-thirds of Ukraine's intelligence, I can well imagine that the last third is supplies by other European partners in this case, Germany and the U.K. When did this divorce happen? It happened on Feb. 28, 2025, during the famous session in the Oval Office, which created a break in the trust between Ukrainian intelligence and U.S. intelligence, to the point where the two leaders of Ukrainian intelligence so, Vasyl Malyuk for the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine] and Kyrylo Budanov ... you can see them on the screen ... for the GUR [Main Directorate of Intelligence, military intelligence] decided to no longer share effective intelligence they had with their U.S. partner due to U.S. leaks to Moscow. Rombout's X post seemingly misinterpreted some details. At no point did Crouzet say Ukraine had fed the U.S. false information and then tracked that information to Russia. We reached out to Rombout for his response to our findings about the possible translation error, and we will update this report if we receive a response. Advertisement Advertisement For further reading, Snopes examined a rumor spread by Russian hackers that 1.7 million Ukrainians died or went missing during the war with Russia. Sources: "24H Calvi Du Vendredi 16 Janvier 2026." TF1 INFO, TF1 Info, 16 Jan. 2026, www.tf1info.fr/replay-lci/videos/video-24h-calvi-du-vendredi-16-janvier-2026-2419200.html. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026. RFI. "France Now Supplies Most of Ukraine's Intelligence, Macron Says." RFI, 16 Jan. 2026, www.rfi.fr/en/france/20260116-macron-says-france-is-providing-two-thirds-of-ukraine-s-intelligence-information. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026. Wrona, Aleksandra. "Russian Hackers Claim 1.7M Ukrainians Died or Went Missing in War. Here's What We Know." Snopes, Snopes.com, 25 Aug. 2025, www.snopes.com/news/2025/08/25/ukraine-russia-war-casualties/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026. Investigators are working to identify the skull of a young girl that was found at a local business in Seabrook, New Hampshire, in 1994. The business owner claimed he had purchased the skull in New York, but investigators were unable to determine its original origin. Years later, the DNA Doe Project took on the cold case known as Little Lost Seabrook Doe, leading to significant new discoveries. Since the skull was found, two forensic anthropologists have examined it and determined that it belonged to a girl between 7 and 9 years old who likely died between two and ten years before it was discovered. Advertisement Advertisement The anthropologists also concluded that the skull had been exposed to the elements for an extended period before it was cleaned and displayed at the business. When the New Hampshire State Police submitted the skull to the DNA Doe Project, the team was able to determine that the child was of Greek heritage, with strong ancestral ties to the island of Chios. Investigators believe it is possible that she lived and died in Greece before her skull was transported to the United States. However, it is also possible that she was born and raised in the U.S. within a Greek family. Genetic genealogy revealed connections to families originating from Chios. Surnames appearing in her family tree include Kaitis, Kladia, Fafalios, Mathioudis, Palios, Stamoulis, Menis, Antokas, and Sideratos. Advertisement Advertisement The DNA Doe Project is now asking for the publics help, particularly from individuals whose families immigrated from Chios or who still live there. Anyone who has taken a consumer DNA test can upload their results to databases accessible to the DNA Doe Project, including GEDmatch, DNA Justice, and FamilyTreeDNA. If a DNA match is found, it could help identify relatives of the young girl and ultimately lead to her identification. Even distant relatives may provide critical clues in solving this decades-old mystery. 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 Iran's judiciary is continuing its crackdown on supporters of the recent mass protests, with prosecutors opening new cases against figures from the worlds of sport and culture, state media reported on Tuesday. The public prosecutors office in Tehran has launched 15 new legal proceedings against prominent individuals, according to state broadcaster IRIB. In addition, 10 signatories of a solidarity appeal issued by members of the film industry have been charged. IRIB said at least 60 cafes are also under investigation for allegedly disseminating protest calls on the nights of January 8 and 9, when the authorities' crackdown on demonstrators intensified. Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors described the alleged messages as "terrorist appeals" and are holding cafe operators responsible for the consequences of the unrest. Thousands of people were killed over the two nights of unrest, according to activists and rights groups. On Monday, the commander of Irans law enforcement forces, Ahmad-Reza Radan, issued an ultimatum to protesters, saying young people who had taken part "unintentionally" could turn themselves in within three days and receive leniency. Those who fail to do so would be treated as "soldiers of the enemy," he said. Jerusalem is on high alert for a variety of imminent threat scenarios, the defense minister stressed, in a clear reference to the stand-off with Iran. At a meeting with Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias on Tuesday and in the shadow of ongoing potential conflicts between Israel and either Iran or Turkey, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned other countries in the region to give up their dreams of restoring or establishing an empire in the region. Although he did not name Iran or Turkey specifically, Katz made strong implicit references to both. Advertisement Advertisement He noted that Jerusalem is on high alert for a variety of imminent threat scenarios, a clear reference to the stand-off with Iran. At the same time, he cautioned against any nation state actors who might want to undermine the stability of the region, to establish a foothold by means of terror, aggression or military proxies in Syria, Gaza, or the Aegean Sea, or in any other arena, a reference to Turkeys inroads into Syria, Gaza, and the Aegean Sea, and likely partially also Iran in Gaza. In addition to those broad strokes, the defense ministers and other senior defense officials made progress forward on joint intelligence, drills, and even operations. Defense Minister Israel Katz shakes hands with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias at the Defense Ministry in Athens, Greece, January 20, 2026 (credit: REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki) Israel, Greece, and Cyprus consider joint rapid-response force On December 18, senior officials from Israel, Greece, and Cyprus discussed the possibility of establishing a rapid-response force composed of units from the armed forces of the three countries, three people familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post. Advertisement Advertisement The initiative is part of a broader effort to deter Turkeys military and strategic activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, they said. According to the sources at the time, the security initiative is currently in the preliminary review and planning stages. It is intended to strengthen strategic military cooperation among the three countries amid rising regional tensions. The force would not be a permanent standing unit but one that could be deployed quickly in times of crisis on land, at sea, or in the air. There is significant involvement from the IAF, the IDF Foreign Relations Department, and the Israel Navy, coordinated through inter-service and government channels, an informed source told the Post. Advertisement Advertisement Following that meeting, on December 22, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides visited Israel for a summit with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In November, the Prime Ministers Office said Military Secretary Major-General Roman Gofman and Acting National Security Council Adviser Gil Reich held meetings on political and regional issues with their Greek counterparts in Greece. IAF Commander Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar reportedly met with senior air force officials from Cyprus and Greece in a strategic session to strengthen cooperation. KATZ ALSO met with his Cypriot counterpart in Israel in December. Advertisement Advertisement The concept they discussed in December, and likely again on Tuesday, envisions a unit of about 2,500 personnel, some 1,000 soldiers each from Greece and Israel, and 500 from Cyprus, Greek news site Tanea reported. Discussions on the proposal are ongoing, two sources told the Post. The establishment of such a force, and even discussions about its establishment, is intended to send a message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. If you take this and you add it to the deepened military cooperation of the last 15 years, to me this could be a natural extension of this cooperation, Angelos Athanasopoulos, a Greek geopolitics and security expert, told the Post. And the main country from which it will receive a backlash will be Turkey. Following recent comments in both the Greek and Israeli press, this really raises some eyebrows in Turkey. Defense Minister Israel Katz gestures during joint statements to the press with Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias in Athens, Greece, January 20, 2026 (credit: REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki) Ankara is seeking to turn Syria into a Turkish satellite state, including the deployment of air-defense systems aimed at aircraft and missiles in Syrian territory. Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Turkey has been given a seat on the USs Board of Peace for Gaza, is pursuing involvement in the multinational force in the Gaza Strip, and is holding talks with both rival governments in Libya in an attempt to negotiate a new maritime agreement. Such a move could allow it to become a dominant player in the maritime space of the Northern and Eastern Mediterranean. In recent years, Israel has conducted several exercises with the navies and air forces of Greece and Cyprus, including trilateral drills. According to reports in Greece, the Israeli Spike NLOS missile system, known as the Long Lance, is transitioning in the Hellenic Army from procurement to operational integration. Publications indicate the goal is to achieve full operational capability by next summer, with a focus on deployment around the eastern Aegean islands and the Evros River region. Advertisement Advertisement The reports say this is not just about acquiring long-range missiles but about embedding a full networked system of sensors, command, and control, giving smaller units a significant and accurate fire capability. If there is a force, a standing force probably, I think we will see more trilateral exercises of this kind, Athanasopoulos said. And who knows if other countries will also participate. So, indeed, a new course creates a denser network of synergies. Amichai Stein contributed to this report. The nationwide protests that have rocked Iran in recent weeks have also sent shockwaves through the Iranian diaspora around the world. Alongside growing economic hardship in the Islamic Republic, widespread anger over corruption within the regime has fuelled the unrest, which started in late December. Authorities have responded with brutal force and a "digital blackout," shutting down internet access in an effort to suppress dissent. Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with Euronews, German-Iranian artist and doctor Maryam said that "you first have to grasp what is happening in Iran and how the protests have grown exponentially", adding that their scale was not immediately apparent. "You live with tension, fear and hope all at once," said the artist, who is known in the music industry under her stage name Maryam.fyi. Maryam.fyi - Private "Every time a new wave of protests breaks out, you ask yourself: is this the moment, is this the day the regime will finally fall, or will they manage to crush everything again? Is this the last time this fight for freedom will be waged, and can it be won this time?" According to a report compiled by doctors in Iran and cited by The Times, at least 16,500 people were killed in what the newspaper described as a "genocide in digital darkness". Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said it had verified at least 4,029 deaths, with another 9,049 cases under review. Euronews cannot independently verify the figures. Eyewitness reports have described extreme violence and thousands of dead and injured. Iran expert Ali Fathollah-Nejad described the events as a "massacre of historic proportions" on German public broadcaster ZDF on Monday morning. Related Advertisement Advertisement "Even for someone who has worked on this region for more than twenty years, I have never witnessed anything like this in such a short period of time. We are now hearing eyewitness accounts that describe scenes beyond comprehension," he said. A so-called "phased restoration" of internet access has reportedly been promised, yet many Iranians are still cut off from the outside world by a blackout that started on 8 Jan. For relatives abroad, the uncertainty over the fate of family members, friends and others back home is agonising. Maryam said that the uncertainty felt "oppressive" and "depressing". Due to her public profile and regular media appearances, she now has very few contacts left in Iran as she is unwilling to risk putting anyone in danger. Even so, she sees how many of her friends cannot reach their families, or have learned that relatives were killed during the protests. Advertisement Advertisement "It's just awful, the things you hear," Maryam added. In this AP photo taken on 9 January 2026, Iranians take part in an anti-government demonstration in Tehran, Iran - AP Photo 'Complete abuse of all kinds of principles' Activists estimate that several thousand protesters were severely injured during the demonstrations. As in the 2022 protests, reports again highlight a troubling rise in head and eye injuries. According to an analysis by The Conversation, such injuries represent a form of political repression rooted in a long cultural tradition, in which blinding symbolises disempowerment and the stripping of legitimacy. Today, the aim is not only to punish individuals, but also to prevent them from seeing, documenting and exposing state violence, argues Firouzeh Nahavandi, a Belgian sociologist of Iranian origin. Advertisement Advertisement "The regime deliberately shoots at life-threatening parts of the body and even makes sure, for example, that blood is sprayed to spread fear and terror," Maryam said. Related Yet many of the injured are said to have avoided hospitals out of fear, amid growing reports that protesters are being arrested directly at medical wards. "This is, of course, a complete abuse of all the principles behind such a profession," said Maryam, who is also a doctor. Advertisement Advertisement She recalled accounts of injured people being examined to determine how they were hurt, and turned away if they had sustained gunshot wounds. "It was assumed they were protesters and, as 'terrorists', deemed legitimate targets," she said. Demonstrators take part in a rally in support of the mass protests against the government in Iran, Berlin, 18 January 2026 - AP Photo 'Help is on its way' After the unrest started, US President Donald Trump said he would help demonstrators if the regime began killing or executing them. "Help is on the way," he said last week, urging Iranians to keep protesting. Trump said that the US military wouldn't intervene after he was assured that no executions would take place for the time being. Advertisement Advertisement Maryam said she never believed military intervention was the right approach. Instead, support should focus on restoring internet and mobile phone access "so that people can organise themselves". People conduct their businesses at Tehran's historic Grand Bazaar, 20 January, 2026 - AP Photo "Right now, all these people who are willing to risk their lives for freedom and for a revolution are cut off from the internet and unable to organise," she told Euronews. "Thats what makes the situation so dire. People are being flooded with propaganda and fear, which keeps the regime in power, while they themselves are unable to coordinate." Last week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also said he believed the Iranian regime is "effectively finished", and that regime change is imminent. Advertisement Advertisement Yet Maryam said she is is sceptical of Merz's expressions of solidarity. "The German government had the chance to support the people three years ago, and even before that, but it didnt take it. Instead, it continued doing business with Iran," she stressed. "It's hardly news that the Iranian people are oppressed by an Islamist regime." A shopkeeper waits for customer at Tehran's historic Grand Bazaar, 20 January, 2026 - AP Photo "Germany was still one of Iran's strongest trading partners in recent years. Statements like this feel deeply hypocritical to me," she added. In her view, asylum procedures for Iranians could be made much easier, deportations could be halted, or the Iranian ambassador to Berlin could be expelled. "So much could be done, but it isnt happening. That's why, until there are concrete actions, I see this as little more than lip service." Advertisement Advertisement A nationwide ban on deportations to Iran was in place in Germany until the end of 2023, before being lifted in January 2024. Since then, deportations have depended on individual asylum or residence decisions. Figures from the Federal Office for Migration show that around 5,817 Iranians applied for asylum in 2024. Of those, 2,249 were granted protection status, while 3,880 applications were rejected. Despite the ongoing internet blackout, images and videos of the protests continue to emerge: bloodied bodies, body bags lying in the streets, and security forces patrolling neighbourhoods. A fruit seller waits for customer at Tehran's historic Grand Bazaar, 20 January, 2026 - AP Photo According to reports from Bayerischer Rundfunk, a regional public service broadcaster in Germany, the protests have subsided, but armed militias are still present on the streets. Prices for everyday goods have reportedly continued to rise, leaving little sign of economic relief for the population. "The Iranian diaspora and German politicians must put aside their differences and unite to do everything possible for the freedom of the Iranian people," Maryam said. "This is a moral obligation. And our society should be out on the streets in the largest possible numbers, in solidarity, to demand an end to these atrocities," she added. ISIL (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for an explosion at a Chinese restaurant in Afghanistans capital that killed at least seven people. The group said in a statement posted on its Aamaq news agency late on Monday that a suicide bomber entered a restaurant in Kabul frequented by Chinese nationals and detonated an explosive vest. ISILs statement, which claimed 25 people were killed or wounded in the blast, including Taliban guards, linked the attack to growing crimes by the Chinese government against Uighurs and issued a further threat against Chinese nationals in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Ministry of Interior spokesperson Mufti Abdul Mateen Qani said on Tuesday that the cause of the explosion at the Chinese Noodle restaurant in the commercial Shahr-e-Naw area was unknown so far and is being investigated. Police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said the blast killed a Chinese national, identified only as Ayub, and six Afghans. The restaurant serving the Chinese Muslim community was jointly run by a Chinese Muslim man, Abdul Majid, his wife and an Afghan partner, Abdul Jabbar Mahmood, Zadran said. Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a news briefing that five Chinese nationals were injured, requesting that Afghanistan spare no effort in treating the wounded and take measures to protect the safety of its citizens and investments. Advertisement Advertisement China, which shares a 76km (47-mile) border with Afghanistan, has close ties with the Taliban government, and Chinese business visitors have flocked to the country since the group took control of war-torn Afghanistan in 2021. Beijing denies claims by rights groups that it is guilty of widespread abuses of the Uighurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority group numbering about 10 million who make up most of the population of Chinas far western region of Xinjiang. Despite Taliban promises to restore security, bomb attacks have continued in the country, many of them claimed by the local affiliate of ISIL. The Islamic State claimed responsibility on Monday for a suicide blast at a Chinese restaurant in Afghanistan that killed more than half a dozen people. Abdul Mateen Qani, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, told The New York Times the attack was carried out by one person linked to ISIS-Khorasan, commonly known as ISIS-K, one of the terrorist groups most lethal branches. ISIS-K has claimed it targets Chinese citizens as retaliation for Beijing's treatment of Uyghurs, a Muslim minority group, and has also denounced the Afghan government's relationship with China, according to the Times. Advertisement Advertisement Third Afghan National From Biden-era Program Arrested In A Week By Ice Agents In Virginia: Dhs Kabul police command spokesman Khalid Zadran said on X that seven people were killed in the explosion, including six Afghans and one Chinese national. Several others were injured. Zadran said the blast occurred around 3 p.m. local time at a Chinese noodle restaurant in Kabul's Shahr-e-Naw neighborhood that was jointly run by Abdul Majeed, a Chinese Muslim from Xinjiang province, his wife, and an Afghan named Abdul Jabbar Mahmoud. Read On The Fox News App "The explosion occurred near the kitchen. The nature of the explosion is still unknown, investigations are ongoing," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Taliban Kills Internet Across Afghanistan, Citing Morality Concerns As Un Protests China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that one Chinese national was killed and five others were wounded in the attack. Jiakun offered condolences to the families and said officials from the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan have visited the wounded in the hospital. He said China urged the Afghan government to do more to keep Chinese nationals and institutions safe. National Security Experts Sound Alarm Over Ccp-linked Land Ownership Near Us Military Bases: Unthinkable Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun takes a question from a journalist at a press conference in Beijing, China, Jan. 7, 2025. (Reuters) Click Here To Download The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement "China strongly condemns and firmly opposes any form of terrorism, supports Afghanistan and regional countries in jointly fighting all forms of terrorist and violent activities," he said. "Given the current security situation in Afghanistan, the Ministry once again advises Chinese nationals not to travel to Afghanistan in the near future and asks Chinese nationals and companies already in Afghanistan to take extra precautions, step up security and depart high-risk regions as soon as possible." Original article source: ISIS takes credit for Kabul suicide bombing at Chinese restaurant KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a bombing at a Chinese restaurant in Afghanistans capital that killed at least seven people, including a Chinese national, and wounded more than a dozen others. The group said in a statement posted on its Aamaq news agency late Monday that a suicide bomber entered the restaurant frequented by Chinese nationals in Kabul and detonated an explosive vest. China has advised its citizens not to travel to Afghanistan in the near term after the bombing, and asked Chinese people and companies already in the country to strengthen security measures and evacuate from high-risk areas. Advertisement Advertisement China strongly condemns and resolutely opposes terrorism in all forms and supports Afghanistan and countries in the region in jointly combating all forms of terrorist violent acts, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a daily briefing in Beijing. He said that one Chinese national was killed and five others were wounded. He said that China is urging Afghan authorities to make every effort to treat the injured, further take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese nationals (and) projects, and to find and punish the perpetrators. The attack happened at a Chinese restaurant in the Shahr-e-Naw district in the city, according to police spokesperson Khalid Zadran, who said one Chinese national and six Afghans were killed in the blast. He said Monday that the restaurant was jointly owned by an Afghan man, a Chinese national and his wife. Interior Ministry spokesperson Mufti Abdul Mateen Qani said Tuesday that the case was being investigated. Advertisement Advertisement I assure everyone that just as the criminals were arrested before and punished for their actions, these people will also be punished for their actions, he said. Seeking to reassure both Afghans and foreigners in the country, Qani said that no other major incident had occurred in the Afghan capital over the past year. I assure all citizens of the country, especially foreign citizens, political missions, and all major political and economic projects throughout the country that security throughout the country is ensured, he said. The IS claim, which was widely shared by supporters of the militants, included a further threat against Chinese nationals in Afghanistan, linking the attack to Chinas treatment of Uyghur Muslims. Advertisement Advertisement While nearly all nations withdrew from Afghanistan following the Taliban offensive of 2021 that led to them seizing Kabul, China has maintained a major economic presence in the country. Beijing has yet to formally recognize Afghanistans Taliban-run government. Muhammad u Allah Nemati, who runs a shop opposite the restaurant and witnessed Monday's blast, said: When the explosion happened, I fell from my seat. I saw many people dead and injured. The Italian charity EMERGENCY, which operates a surgical center located near the site, said it had received the casualties shortly after the blast. Bashir Khalil, a doctor at the hospital, said Tuesday they had received 7 bodies and 14 wounded people, of which one was in critical condition. Advertisement Advertisement Footage aired by Afghan broadcaster Tolo News showed people running along the street as smoke and dust billowed from the area. Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack in a statement issued by his office late Monday. He accused Afghanistans Taliban government of failing to uphold a ceasefire brokered by Qatar to end cross-border fighting that erupted between Afghanistan and Pakistan in October, particularly commitments to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to carry out attacks. Kabul has repeatedly said it does not allow its territory to be used by militant groups. The Islamic State group 's affiliate in the region, which is a major Taliban rival, has conducted attacks on schools, hospitals, mosques and Shiite areas throughout the country before and after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. ___ Samy Magdy contributed to this report from Cairo. Israel will help Greece develop technology to counter swarms of military drones as the two countries deepen defense cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean, the Greek defense minister said Tuesday. The pledge followed talks in Athens between Defense Minister Nikos Dendias and his counterpart Israel Katz, building on a December defense pact between Greece, Israel and Cyprus. Israel is already assisting Greece in building an air defense shield as part of the expanding cooperation. We agreed to exchange views and expertise so that we can counter unmanned platforms specifically swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles and groups of unmanned underwater vehicles, Dendias said, appearing alongside Katz. Advertisement Advertisement Katz called the partnership an anchor of stability in the Mediterranean. Drone swarms typically using small, low-cost craft that operate in coordination reflect a broader shift in modern warfare, used for reconnaissance, defense and attempts to overwhelm opposing systems. Greece, a high military spender relative to the size of its economy, remains locked in a long-running dispute with fellow NATO member Turkey over maritime boundaries and offshore resources. The December agreement outlined a joint plan for combined exercises, special operations training and regular strategic consultations. It followed talks between the leaders of the three countries aimed at advancing maritime security and energy initiatives. Company Logo Vietnam's cards and payments market opportunities include the growth driven by government initiatives promoting digital payments, expansion of agent banking in remote areas, and integration of cashless systems in public transport. These trends enhance digital infrastructure and expand financial accessibility. Dublin, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Vietnam Cards and Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The report provides detailed analysis of market trends in the Vietnamese cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including cash, card, credit transfer, direct debits, and cheques during the review-period (2021-25e). The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2025e-29f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including market shares of issuers and schemes. The report brings together the analyst's research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers detailed regulatory policies and recent changes in regulatory structure. The 'Vietnam Cards and Payments: Opportunities and Risks to 2029' report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Vietnamese cards and payments industry, including: Current and forecast values for each market in the Vietnamese cards and payments industry, including debit, credit and charge cards. Detailed insights into payment instruments including card, credit transfer, cash, direct debits, and cheques. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments. Ecommerce market analysis. Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Vietnamese cards and payments industry. Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit, credit and charge cards. Comprehensive analysis of consumer attitudes and buying preferences for cards. The competitive landscape of the Vietnamese cards and payments industry. Key Highlights Israel has begun bulldozing buildings inside the headquarters of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem, as the far-right government clamps down heavily on humanitarian groups that provide desperately needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza. UNRWA said in a statement on Tuesday that Israeli forces had confiscated staff devices and forced them out of their headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. This is an unprecedented attack not only against UNRWA and its premises. It constitutes a serious violation of international law and the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, it said. Advertisement Advertisement The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority condemned the demolitions, saying that it warns of the gravity of this deliberate escalation against UNRWA, which comes within the framework of a systematic targeting of its role and UN mandate, and an attempt to undermine the international protection system for Palestinian refugees. Later on Tuesday, Israeli forces fired tear gas at a Palestinian trade school in a second targeting of a UN facility in occupied East Jerusalem. Local sources reported earlier that an Israeli army group, accompanied by bulldozers, stormed the UNRWAs compound after sealing off the surrounding streets and intensifying its military presence in the area, and proceeded to demolish structures inside the compound, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. Israeli lawmakers and member of the government were also present, according to UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, who said the attack came in the wake of other steps taken by Israeli authorities to erase the Palestine Refugee identity. Advertisement Advertisement He also warned that what happens today to UNRWA will happen tomorrow to any other international organisation or diplomatic mission anywhere in the world. Israel has repeatedly attacked UNRWA for what it terms pro-Palestinian leanings and accused the body of ties to Hamas, without providing evidence, which the UN agency has vehemently denied. Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the demolition was following through on a new law that banned the organisation. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a statement that he had accompanied crews to the headquarters and called it a historic day. Israel has faced global condemnation after a ban on dozens of international aid organisations working to provide life-saving assistance to Palestinians in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip came into effect weeks ago. Advertisement Advertisement Israel has revoked the operating licences of 37 aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, and the Norwegian Refugee Council, for failing to comply with new government regulations. The new rules require international NGOs working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to provide detailed information on staff members, as well as their funding and operations. Reporting from Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeeras Nida Ibrahim said the escalation followed months of Israeli forces cracking down on Palestinians in Gaza and banning agencies from offering help to Palestinians in need over there. She added that it comes as the one-year anniversary of a major Israeli assault on three Palestinian refugee camps approaches and after a large-scale operation in Hebron. Advertisement Advertisement Israeli forces have started demolishing homes and roads in what many have said is an attempt to change the symbolism of these camps and what they resemble and represent, which is the Palestinian identity and the Palestinian right to return to their homes that they were displaced from, added Ibrahim. Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he could take his country to the International Court of Justice if it does not repeal laws targeting UNRWA and return its seized assets and property. In a January 8 letter to Netanyahu, Guterres said the UN cannot remain indifferent to actions taken by Israel, which are in direct contravention of the obligations of Israel under international law. They must be reversed without delay. Israels parliament passed a law in October 2024 banning UNRWA from operating in Israel and prohibiting Israeli officials from having contact with the agency. It amended the law last month to ban electricity or water supply to UNRWA facilities. Israeli authorities also seized UNRWAs occupied East Jerusalem offices last month. The UN considers East Jerusalem occupied by Israel, while Israel considers all of Jerusalem part of the country. By Pesha Magid JERUSALEM, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Israel demolished structures inside the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency's East Jerusalem compound on Tuesday after seizing the site last year, in an act condemned by the agency as a violation of international law. Surrounded by Israeli forces, bulldozers razed several large buildings and other smaller structures inside the United Nations Relief and Works Agency compound, where dozens of agency staff once worked. Advertisement Advertisement UNRWA, which Israeli authorities accuse of bias, has not used the building since the start of last year after Israel ordered it to vacate all its premises and cease its operations. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Israel's action on Tuesday. "The Secretary-General urges the government of Israel to immediately cease the demolition of the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound, and to return and restore the compound and other UNRWA premises to the United Nations without delay," deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters. 'UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK' A spokesperson for UNRWA, Jonathan Fowler, said Israeli forces entered the compound around 7 a.m. (0500 GMT), forced out the compound's security guards and then brought in bulldozers to begin demolishing buildings inside. Advertisement Advertisement UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini condemned the demolition in a statement on X, calling it "a new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law". He said it was the latest in a series of Israeli actions against UNRWA, including a raid on a medical clinic this month and a plan to cut power and water to UNRWA facilities in the coming weeks. Some former UNRWA staff said the structures demolished on Tuesday had been used to store aid for the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. "The destruction today by the Israeli occupation is another message to the world that Israel is the only country that can demolish international law and get away with it," said Hakam Shahwan, former UNRWA chief of staff in East Jerusalem. Advertisement Advertisement Israel's parliament passed a law in October 2024 banning the agency from operating in the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with the agency. Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on social media standing in front of the UNRWA compound as a bulldozer began to tear it down. "This is a historic day, it's a holiday," said Ben-Gvir. ISRAEL ACCUSES UNRWA OF BIAS Israel has alleged that some UNRWA staff were members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas and took part in the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed about 1,200 Israelis and led to Israel's war against Hamas, in which Gaza authorities say more than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed. Advertisement Advertisement UNRWA has fired several staff members but said Israel had not provided evidence for all the allegations against its staff. In his statement, Lazzarini said that Israel had conducted "a large-scale disinformation campaign" against UNRWA. The Israeli foreign ministry said "the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law". Israel's Jerusalem municipality raided the compound last year, saying UNRWA had failed to pay property taxes after multiple warnings. UNRWA said the agency had no debts to the municipality. Advertisement Advertisement The agency operates in East Jerusalem, which the U.N. and most countries consider territory occupied by Israel as it was captured from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel considers all Jerusalem to be its indivisible capital. UNRWA also operates in Gaza, the West Bank and elsewhere in the Middle East, providing schooling, healthcare, social services and shelter to millions of Palestinians. (Reporting by Pesha Magid and Rami Ayyub; additional reporting by Omri Taasan and Emma Farge; editing by Ros Russell and Mark Heinrich) Zamir sent the letter after attacks on the government for failing to push for haredim to draft into the IDF in large numbers. Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday took the remarkable act of publishing IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir's private letter to him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning that he needs more soldiers lest the IDF lack a sufficient volume for readiness to defend the country by some later point in 2026. He took this measure after attacks on the government for failing to push for haredim to draft into the IDF in large numbers. Advertisement Advertisement Katz then characterized the letter and Zamir as concerned only with the Knesset's failure to pass a law extending mandatory military service from 30 months to 36 months, but as not with the haredim draft issue. "The longer military service is not extended, the more damage to the army's competence and quality of training will be done," the letter warned, noting that the existing shortage "could lead to the loss of operational capability as early as the coming year." In contrast, The Jerusalem Post understands that Zamir has been at least as concerned about increasing haredi participation in the IDF as he has about extending mandatory service duration, and confirmed this with IDF sources on Tuesday night. Ultra-Orthodox Jews carry a banner in Hebrew that reads, to prison and not the army, during a million man protest against military conscription, in Jerusalem October 30, 2025. (credit: Am Kadosh/Reuters) However, this specific letter addresses only the mandatory service issue, while other letters and meetings have addressed Zamir's concern about the government's failure to order the drafting of more haredim. Advertisement Advertisement Incidentally, Zamir insisted on drafting haredim in large numbers even in his opening speech in March 2025, though mentioning the issue was a source of embarrassment for the government, which is seeking to pass a law that will have much more modest goals in terms of drafting haredim. Katz also attacked opposition figures who ousted Netanyahu and ran the Israeli government from June 2021 to December 2022 for failing to increase the size of the IDF at the time and continuing the trend of reducing the military's size to a "smaller, smarter army." The defense minister did not mention that the "smaller, smarter army" push began in the mid-2010s under Netanyahu, continued during the [former prime minister] Naftali Bennett and [former prime minister and Opposition leader] Yair Lapid governments, and resumed when Netanyahu returned to power in January 2023. 'Trying to wake the gov't by raising red flags' In a Monday social media post, Bennett shared a blurred screenshot of the letter, saying that Zamir has been "trying to wake the government by raising red flags." Advertisement Advertisement "Now, it's official," Bennett's post read. "The draft evasion law undermines the IDF's competence and endangers Israel's security." MK Gadi Eisenkot (Yashar!) called Zamir's letter "a shocking document unlike anything [he'd] ever seen before," N12 cited, and warned of a potential disconnect between Israel's security needs and the country's ability to make political decisions. Lapid echoed Eisenkot's statement, according to N12, while the Reservists Party, led by Yoaz Hendel, noted that Zamir's letter confirms "repeated calls from the field" about the IDF's manpower shortage. The court ordered the autopsy, demanded by the Attorney-General's office and the police, while the family of the victims will be able to appeal the decision on Tuesday. Israel Police decided to arrest on Monday the owner and caregiver of the unauthorized daycare in Jerusalems Romema neighborhood, where two babies were killed, and 55 others were hospitalized, after interrogating both of them for several hours. This comes after a court approved on Monday the autopsy of the two victims, even after the parents of the victims and ultra-Orthodox Jews nationwide protested against the procedure. Advertisement Advertisement The court ordered the autopsy, demanded by the Attorney-General's office and the police, while the family of the victims will be able to appeal the decision on Tuesday. The Monday incident at the daycare killed two babies, with authorities suspecting that the cause of death was a high fever, and left another 55 children aged from four months to three years in mild condition. Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh protests against autopsy declared unlawful Israel Police declared the Monday night protests against the autopsy of the victims in Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem as unlawful and began to disperse the protestors. Israel Police clears protestors in Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem. (Credit: Israel Police/Telegram/According to article 27A of the copyright law) Advertisement Advertisement "Rioters are throwing objects, stones, setting fire to trash cans, and causing damage to vehicles, while blocking traffic routes with their bodies and disrupting the daily lives of citizens," police said in a statement. During one of the protests in Jerusalem, a truck driver was stopped and attacked by the protestors while the police called the situation "dangerous" and warned that it could "end in a major disaster." Another roadblock was reported in the Highway 4 exit of Bnei Brak, according to Israeli media, with haredi protesters blocking the road and interrupting traffic. Two babies dead after daycare disaster in Jerusalem Health officials believe that the babies who were killed and injured at a daycare in Jerusalems Romema neighborhood most likely suffered from respiratory distress. Blood tests and medical examinations of the affected children showed no evidence of carbon monoxide poisoning or infections. The suspicion is now that respiratory distress due to an environmental hazard at the site was the cause of the tragedy. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to halt its demolition of the UNRWA compound and restore it and other UNRWA premises to the world body "without delay." Israeli personnel arrived to dismantle the UNRWA (UN Relief Works Agency) headquarters on Ammunition Hill in northern Jerusalem on Tuesday morning. Ammunition Hill is the central headquarters from which all of the organizations activities in the West Bank and Jerusalem were managed. UNRWAs main logistical infrastructure was concentrated within the building. Advertisement Advertisement Israel Police noted that security forces were at the scene to ensure the safety of workers demolishing the site, which had been vacant for at least a year. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to halt its demolition of the UNRWA compound and restore it and other UNRWA premises to the world body "without delay," a UN spokesperson said on Tuesday. "The Secretary-General views as wholly unacceptable the continued escalatory actions against UNRWA, which are inconsistent with Israels clear obligations under international law, including under the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations," deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters. A man walks near fallen cables at the Jerusalem headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), in east Jerusalem, January 20, 2026 (credit: REUTERS/DEDI HAYUN) UNRWA-Hamas ties, October 7 participation Since the beginning of the war, UNRWAs ties with the terrorist organization Hamas have been exposed, and it was discovered that some UNRWA operatives even took part in the October 7 massacre. In addition, numerous tunnels and terrorist infrastructures were found under buildings belonging to UNRWA in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement "This is a historic day, a holiday, and a very important day for Jerusalem's governance," National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated. "For years, these terror supporters were here, and today they are banished with everything they built." "This is happening as a result of the laws I initiated to expel UNRWA from Israel. And redemption has come to Zion!" MK Yulia Malinovsky of Yisrael Beytenu, one of the initiators of the bill to sever ties with UNRWA, said.The Foreign Ministry stated that the demolition was not because of any new policy, "but rather the implementation of existing Israeli legislation concerning UNRWA-Hamas." "The State of Israel owns the Jerusalem compound in which the Israel Land Authority operates today. Even prior to the passage of legislation in January 2025, UNRWA-Hamas had already ceased its operations at this site and no longer had any UN personnel or UN activity there," the ministry stated. Advertisement Advertisement "The compound does not enjoy any immunity, and the seizure of this compound by Israeli authorities was carried out in accordance with both Israeli and international law." The evacuation of UNRWAs offices is not collective punishment or politics, it is the legal consequence of an organization that lost its neutrality, said Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, president of Shurat HaDin, which represents victims of the October 7 attacks in a major lawsuit against the UN body. When UNRWA facilities and staff are tied to Hamas terror, Israel has both the right and the obligation to remove that presence from its capital. "There is no place in Jerusalem, our capital, for a terror-supporting organization like UNRWA," Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon echoed the sentiment in a post to X/Twitter. "We are done with them!" Measures against UNRWA started in 2025 The measures against UNRWA began in late 2024 with Israels decision to outlaw all of the organizations activities within the countrys borders. Advertisement Advertisement In December 2025, the Knesset voted to disconnect UNRWA facilities from water and electricity. Less than two weeks ago, Israeli forces arrived to evacuate the UNRWA facility in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalems Old City. Reuters contributed to this report. MILAN, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Courmayeur, an exclusive Italian ski resort at the foot of Mont Blanc, has banned the use of sparklers and other naked flame items in closed spaces following the deadly blaze in a bar in Switzerland's Crans-Montana. The Crans-Montana fire on New Year's Eve killed 40 people, most of them teenagers, including six Italians, and injured 116. Authorities believe it was caused by "fountain candle" sparklers carried too close to the ceiling. Courmayeur's town hall said in a statement on Tuesday that the ban would apply to "open flames and pyrotechnic items in all enclosed spaces, in particular in public venues". Advertisement Advertisement Italian local authorities have intensified inspections of nightclubs and other public venues since the Crans-Montana catastrophe, checking capacity limits, emergency exits and fire safety measures. Several clubs and discotheques have been closed in Rome this month following safety inspections, including Piper, one of the capital's most popular and historic venues which rose to fame during the 1960s. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said her government is considering introducing a nationwide ban on the use of sparklers indoors. Several Swiss cantons have banned the sparklers since the Crans-Montana disaster. Courmayeur Mayor Roberto Rota said the resort's ban was "necessary and urgent" due to the widespread use of open flames in public venues during celebrations. Advertisement Advertisement Francesco Lenzi, a 20-year-old ski enthusiast from Milan, said more cities should follow Courmayeur's example. "I have often witnessed the use of flaming objects in bars and discos in Courmayeur and elsewhere," he told Reuters. (Reporting by Cristina Carlevaro; editing by Gavin Jones and Mark Heinrich) A Jacksonville man with a lengthy criminal record is heading to federal prison for more than 11 years after being caught with a gun and cocaine. Malcolm Jewell Williams, 39, was sentenced after a jury found him guilty last July. Williams, who has 16 felony convictions and two domestic violence misdemeanors, was already banned from having guns. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Officials say he tried to sell drugs to an undercover officer at a local gas station, then ran from cops before being caught near a palm tree, where they found a loaded gun. Advertisement Advertisement Officers also found cocaine and a scale with drug residue on him. After being taken to jail, Williams managed to slip out of his cuffs and tried to escape again, but police caught him a second time. At the time of his arrest, he was already out on bond for a meth bust in Georgia just months earlier. [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. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The James Webb telescope has zoomed in on the structures surrounding a supermassive black hole (inset) in unprecedented detail. A Hubble telesscope image (background) shows the cosmic context. | Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez (University of South Carolina), Deepashri Thatte (STScI); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI); Acknowledgment: NSF's NOIRLab, CTIO Astronomers have revealed the James Webb Space Telescope's (JWST) sharpest-ever image of the area around a black hole. The spectacular view could help solve a decades-long mystery while reversing a long-held belief about space's most extreme objects. Since the 1990s, astronomers have observed a curious brightness in infrared wavelengths surrounding the active supermassive black holes (SMBHs) at the centers of some galaxies. Previously, they attributed these excess infrared emissions to the outflows superheated streams of matter blasted from black holes. Advertisement Advertisement But in a new study published Jan. 13 in the journal Nature Communications , an international team of researchers used JWST to look into the heart of the nearby Circinus galaxy, located only about 13 million light-years from Earth, to reveal the area around the galaxy's SMBH. The data from JWST, paired with numerous ground-based observations, reveal that the infrared excess is coming from the disk of dusty material that's falling into the Circinus galaxy's central SMBH, rather than from material flowing away from it. This galactic revelation can help astronomers better understand the growth and evolution of SMBHs, as well as these massive dark monsters' influence on their host galaxies. Of doughnuts and disks Active black holes like those at the centers of galaxies are fed by a giant ring of infalling gas and dust. As a black hole draws material from the inner wall of this "doughnut," known as a torus, the material forms a thinner accretion disk that spirals into the black hole like water spiraling into a drain. An illustration of a supermassive black hole spewing an energetic outburst into space | Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI) The black hole's tidal forces accelerate the infalling matter to great speeds. The resulting friction within the disk causes the swirling matter to emit light that glows so brightly that it obscures astronomers' view of the inner region around the black hole. Advertisement Advertisement Yet black holes are not vacuum cleaners , and even they have a feeding limit. So they blast some of the swirling material back into space, in the form of jets or "winds." Therefore, an understanding of the nature of a black hole's torus, accretion disk and outflows is key to knowing how black holes of various sizes accrete and expel matter to potentially shape their host galaxies by quenching or enhancing star formation across galactic scales. Resolving a long-standing mystery The dense gas and bright starlight in Circinus previously prevented astronomers from viewing the galaxy's central region and SMBH in detail. "In order to study the supermassive black hole, despite being unable to resolve it, they had to obtain the total intensity of the inner region of the galaxy over a large wavelength range and then feed that data into models," lead study author Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez , a galaxy evolution researcher at the University of South Carolina, said in a NASA statement . Earlier models separately fit the observed spectra of the torus, accretion disk and outflows, but they couldn't resolve the region in its entirety. As a result, astronomers could not explain which part of the SMBH's surroundings caused the excess emissions in infrared light. Advertisement Advertisement JWST's advanced capabilities allowed astronomers to peer through the dust and starlight of Circinus so they could get a sharper view of the SMBH's environment. To do so, they used an imaging technique known as interferometry. Ground-based interferometry generally requires an array of telescopes or mirrors that work together to gather and combine light from a celestial object over a large area. By combining light from multiple sources, this method causes the electromagnetic waves that form that light to create interference patterns that astronomers can analyze to reveal the sizes, shapes and other characteristics of those objects. Unlike these terrestrial facilities, however, the space-based JWST can operate as its own interferometer array via its aperture masking interferometer (AMI), a component of the telescope's Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) instrument. Like a camera aperture, AMI is an opaque physical mask with seven small, hexagonal holes that control the amount and direction of light entering JWST's detectors. Overall, AMI effectively doubles JWST's resolution. "This allows us to see images twice as sharp," Joel Sanchez-Bermudez , an astrophysicist at the National University of Mexico and co-author of the study, said in the statement . "Instead of Webb's 6.5-meter [21 feet] diameter, it's like we are observing this region with a 13-meter space telescope." Advertisement Advertisement By doubling its resolution, JWST captured its sharpest-ever view of a 33-light-year-wide area at the center of Circinus . This unprecedented image allowed researchers to calculate that the majority around 87% of the excess infrared emissions come from the dusty disk that's actively feeding the central black hole; "the inner surface of the hole of the doughnut," Lopez-Rodriguez said via email. Whereas previous research had suggested that the excess may have come from hot dusty winds, or even the galaxys residual starlight, the team found that less than 1% of these emissions come from the energetic outflows streaming away from the SMBH. The accretion may be extinguishing star formation in the center of Circinus, but confirming this will require a different type of JWST-based observation, Lopez-Rodriguez said. An invaluable perspective An illustration of the James Webb Space Telescope in orbit | Credit: Getty Images In addition to revealing previously hidden SMBH mechanics, this research highlights the potential of JWST-based interferometry for studying various celestial objects, including other active SMBHs at the cores of nearby galaxies. By increasing the sample size, astronomers hope to determine whether the infrared emissions from other SMBHs are due to their dusty disks or to their hot outflows. related stories Advertisement Advertisement James Webb telescope spots earliest black hole in the known universe, looking 'as far back as you can practically go' James Webb telescope finds supermassive black hole hidden inside 'Jekyll and Hyde' galaxy James Webb telescope finds something 'very exciting' shooting out of first black hole ever imaged "AMI has to be used in order to get precious JWST time on targets which cannot be done from the ground, or at wavelengths that are blocked by the Earth's atmosphere," study co-author Julien Girard , a senior research scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute, told Live Science via email. Jan. 20JAMESTOWN The Jamestown Public School Board unanimously approved on Monday, Jan. 19, accepting the resignation of an elementary school teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a minor. Michael Paul Romans, 45, who was a teacher at Gussner Elementary School, submitted his resignation on Thursday, Jan. 15. Romans faces a charge of corruption or solicitation of minors, a Class C felony, in Southeast District Court in Jamestown. He is being held in the Stutsman County Correctional Center on a $50,000 bond or $200,000 surety bond. Advertisement Advertisement Romans is accused of being at least 22 years old and being at least three years older than the minor and engaging in a sexual act with the minor, who was 15 years old or older from April 2, 2014, to April 1, 2017. Romans acknowledged the resignation was offered to him in lieu of a recommended discharge proceeding, meaning he agreed to waive any rights to have a hearing or offer of a continuing contract. Superintendent Rob Lech told The Jamestown Sun there are two paths for the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB) to review teacher licensure. He said that comes through the board's own awareness of a situation or through a request for inquiry. Advertisement Advertisement "Once they either have knowledge of or receive that request for inquiry, the ESPB ... then reviews the situation and renders judgment on licensure," he said. Romans is also a volunteer firefighter with the Jamestown Fire Department. Romans was placed on administrative leave from the city of Jamestown. Court documents say the victim, who was not identified, told an investigator with the Jamestown Police Department on Dec. 5 that she was either 16 or 17 years old when she and Romans had sexual intercourse. The victim was a babysitter for Romans while she was in middle school, and he was her tutor while she was in high school, court documents say. The Class C felony charge is punishable by five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. If Romans is convicted, the mandatory minimum sentence is five years supervised probation with latitude for lifetime probation. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Terra Drone A Japanese city is rolling out an anti-bear drone system in response to record levels of bear casualties and sightings. Terra Drone has announced (machine translation) that its bear-repelling drones will be deployed around Ishinomaki City in Miyagi Prefecture to address concerns regarding a bear infestation. Terra Drone quotes Japanese Ministry of the Environment figures as part of the explanation as to the current wave of ursine issues in the land of the rising sun. Its press release states that the number of human-bear encounters has increased by 163% since 2021, with 20,792 cases nationwide, 100 injuries since April, and more than 12 deaths. These are the worst official stats ever, says the firm. Advertisement Advertisement A number of factors are thought to have resulted in the current situation. For example, Japan has seen the number of people with hunting licenses decline from over half a million in 1975 to around 220,000 in 2020. Moreover, 60% of holders are now over 60 years old. Meanwhile, city developers increasingly move nearer to bear habitats, closing the circle on their free roaming areas. It is also claimed that the police and similar agencies face constraints on lethal training to address wild animals. Terra Drone to the rescue Last year, Terra Drone adapted its devices to respond quickly to bear sightings and carry bear repellent sprays. The resulting drone system can combine speed, safety, and immediate effectiveness. In action, the drones are operated from up to a kilometer (~1,100 yards) away, ensuring operator safety. A drone can deliver its capsaicin spray on target at distances between 5 and 10 meters (up to ~11 yards) from the bear. This has a temporary, non-lethal impact on the bear(s), and makes sure they cant sense humans in their vicinity. Terra Drone has previously demonstrated a similar pesticide packing drone for farms. It is claimed to be accurate enough to spray areas with an accuracy of within a 10cm radius. Advertisement Advertisement Ishinomaki City is far from the only area in Japan affected by bears. Last year, we reported on Japanese tech giant NTTs design for a laser drone system designed to protect chickens. It is good to hear and see advanced drone systems being used outside the theater of war. Google Preferred Source Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds. Originally founded in 2014 and listed on Nasdaq since 2016, VivoPower operates with a global footprint spanning the United Kingdom, Australia, North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. An award-winning global sustainable energy solutions B Corporation, VivoPower has three business units, Tembo, Caret Digital and Vivo Federation. Tembo is focused on electric solutions for off-road and on-road customized and ruggedized fleet applications, as well as ancillary financing, charging, battery, and microgrid solutions. Caret Digital is a power-to-x business focused on the highest and best use cases for renewable power, including digital asset mining. Vivo Federation is the digital asset arm of VivoPower focused on XRPL-based real-world blockchain applications and maintaining exposure to Ripple Labs shares and XRP tokens. Across Tembo, Caret Digital and Vivo Federation, VivoPower has assembled a differentiated platform spanning power, mobility, compute and digital infrastructure, which the Company is now aligning behind its highest-return Power-to-X opportunity: Sovereign AI computing. Kevin Chin, Executive Chairman and CEO of VivoPower, said: As we have noted previously, the UAE is a highly strategic market for VivoPower, supported by its leadership in digital infrastructure, energy transition, and long-term economic diversification. We are pleased to have secured this opportunity to develop, build, and operate a strategic data center infrastructure asset in the UAE pursuant to a long-term agreement, working alongside our strategic partners. We will work diligently to deliver the initial 25MW facility and support the continued evolution of the UAEs digital infrastructure ecosystem. LONDON, UK, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VivoPower International PLC (NASDAQ: VVPR) (VivoPower or the Company), a leading B Corp-certified global sustainable energy solutions group, announced today the execution of an agreement to acquire, develop, build, operate, and own an initial 25MW data center facility in the United Arab Emirates, secured pursuant to a long-term agreement with strategic partners. The agreement provides access to dedicated power infrastructure and includes development rights for further scaling, positioning the project as a highly competitive digital infrastructure platform aligned with the UAEs long-term digital economy objectives. Story Continues Forward-Looking Statements This communication includes certain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" for purposes of the U.S. federal securities laws. This announcement contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the Companys ability to develop, build, operate, and own the 25MW data center facility in the United Arab Emirates. These statements are "targets" and "projections" only. Actual results may differ materially due to risks including: (i) delays in any approval processes necessary in the UAE; (ii) delays in equipment procurement and installation; (iii) additional operating costs in the future; (iv) general market and geopolitical volatility; and (v) other unforeseen and uncontrollable risks. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements that refer to projections, forecasts, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intends," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," target, "would" and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements may include, for example, statements about the achievement of performance hurdles, or the benefits of the events or transactions described in this communication and the expected returns therefrom. These statements are based on VivoPower's management's current expectations or beliefs and are subject to risk, uncertainty, and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of VivoPower's business. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include changes in business conditions, fluctuations in customer demand, changes in accounting interpretations, management of rapid growth, intensity of competition from other providers of products and services, changes in general economic conditions, geopolitical events and regulatory changes, and other factors set forth in VivoPower's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Due to circumstances outside of its control and/or any other unexpected developments, VivoPower may not ultimately procure any financial benefits from the above agreement. The information set forth herein should be read in light of such risks. VivoPower is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise. Corporate Disclosure Policy regarding Social Media VivoPower International PLC (the Company) announces material information to the public through a variety of channels, including SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, and its corporate website (www.vivopower.com). The Company also intends to use its official social media channels, including its accounts on X (Vivo_Power) and Stocktwits (VivoPower_Official), as a means of disclosing information about the Company and its services to its shareholders and the public. It is possible that the information the Company posts on these social media channels could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, the Company encourages investors, the media, and others interested in the Company to review the information posted on these channels. Media Contacts VivoPower: media@vivopower.com As JD Vance has stepped into the spotlight as vice president of the United States, so too has his family, the country's second family. Vance and his wife, Usha, and their three children now call the vice president's mansion on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., home. On Jan. 20, the couple announced they are expecting their fourth child, writing on social media, "Our family is growing!" Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, the Vances said their fourth child, a baby boy, is due in July. Saul Loeb/upi/shutterstock/Saul Loeb/UPI/Shutterstock - PHOTO: JD Vance is sworn in as the Vice President in the US Capitol Rotunda in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025. The baby will join the Vances' three older children, Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel, who have each made public appearances during their father's vice presidential term. Last April, all three children joined their parents on a four-day visit to India, during which JD Vance joined trade talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During their trip, the Vances visited some of the landmarks of India, including the Taj Mahal. Kenny Holston/Pool via Reuters - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance, his wife Usha Vance, daughter Mirabel and sons Ewan (L) and Vivek pose during their tour at the Taj Mahal in Agra, April 23, 2025. On Inauguration Day in January 2025, Usha Vance was by her husband's side along with their children and J.D. Vance's mom, Beverly Aikins. Chip Somodevilla/POOL/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Vice President-elect former Sen. J.D. Vance is sworn in by Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh during inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the US Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Prior to his inauguration as vice president, alongside President Donald Trump, JD Vance and his family lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Here is what to know about Vance's family. Second lady Usha Vance Stephen Maturen/Getty Images - PHOTO: Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance walks out with his wife Usha Vance to speak during a rally with running mate Republican Presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, July 27, 2024, in St Cloud, Minn. Usha Vance, the daughter of Indian immigrants, is making history as the first Indian American second lady in the White House, and the first Hindu second lady. At age 39 at the time of her husband's inauguration, Usha Vance is also the youngest second lady since the Truman administration, when then-38-year-old Jane Hadley Barkley, wife of former Vice President Alben Barkley, assumed the role in 1949. The Vances met while students at Yale Law School and were wed in Kentucky in 2014. JD Vance's wife, Usha Vance, set to become history-making second lady Advertisement Advertisement Usha Vance spent her career as an attorney, serving as a clerk for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and going on to work for the law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson. The mom of three left her role at Munger, Tolles & Olson in July 2024, after her husband was formally announced as the Republican vice presidential nominee. Scott Olson/Getty Images - PHOTO: Usha Vance and Vice President-elect, Sen. J.D. Vance arrive for service at St. John's Church as part of Inauguration ceremonies on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. That same month, Usha Vance spoke at the Republican National Convention, where she introduced her husband. "My background is very different from JD's. I grew up in San Diego, in a middle-class community with two loving parents, both immigrants from India, and a wonderful sister," she said at the convention. "That JD and I could meet at all, let alone fall in love and marry, is a testament to this great country." Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with Fox News Digital in May 2025, Usha Vance said since becoming first lady, she has worked to make sure her kids have a home life that is "as normal and stable as possible." "The balancing act today is sometimes easier than it was when I was working full-time in the private sector because I have more control over my schedule and do not feel pulled in as many directions," she said, "That said, raising children in the public eye poses new challenges." The second lady continued, "While I certainly miss working, I am grateful that I have the time to ensure that our home life is as normal and stable as possible." Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel Vance Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images, FILE - PHOTO: In this Jan. 20,, 2025, file photo, Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance and their children walk on stage as they arrive the inaugural parade inside Capital One Arena, in Washington, D.C. JD and Usha Vance share three children: Ewan Vance, Vivek Vance and Mirabel Vance. During the first year of their fathers vice presidency, the Vance siblings have traveled with their parents to places including the Vatican in April and San Diego in October for the 250th anniversary celebration of the Marine Corps. Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images, FILE - PHOTO: In this April 18, 2025, file photo, Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance attend the celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday as part of the Holy Week celebrations, at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The three siblings also attended the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025 at the U.S. Capitol to watch their father's swearing in as vice president. Advertisement Advertisement On Election Day in 2024, Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel joined their parents when the Vances voted together in Cincinnati. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images - PHOTO: Republican nominee for vice president Sen. JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance fill out their ballots with their children at a polling place, Nov. 5, 2024, in Cincinnati. In February 2024, JD Vance, at the time a U.S. senator from Ohio, read the Dr. Seuss book, "Oh the Places You'll Go" on the Senate floor to mark Vivek's fourth birthday. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images - PHOTO: Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance carries his daughter Maribel Vance as he arrives with wife Usha Vance to greet supporters at the Park Diner, July 28, 2024, in St Cloud, Minn. "I'm sorry Vivek that I can't be with you for your birthday dinner, but I want you to know that Daddy loves you very much. And I'm going to read this into the record because maybe you can watch it at home," Vance said, in part, before reading the book aloud. Beverly Aikins Shawn Thew/Pool/Getty Images - PHOTO: Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh administers the vice presidential oath of office to JD Vance as Vance's mother, Beverly Aikins and President Joe Biden look on during an inauguration ceremony in the rotunda of the Capitol, Jan. 20, 2025. JD Vance was raised in Middletown, Ohio, by his mom Beverly Aikins and his grandmother, the late Beverly Vance, a childhood he documented in his bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy." Advertisement Advertisement Aikins was in and out of JD Vance's life due to her struggles with addiction, which JD Vance wrote about in his memoir and Aikins has also acknowledged publicly. Donald Trump is a dad of 5, grandfather of 10: What to know about his family Aikins told the New York Times in 2024, shortly before the election, that her son's memoir helped to heal their family. "It was heartbreaking in some parts," she said of reading the book. "But it helped us grow as a family, and it opened up a line of communication that we never really had. Addiction in our house was like the elephant in the room. Nobody ever said anything about it. We do now." Advertisement Advertisement In addition to attending the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, Aikins traveled from Ohio, where she still lives, to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July to watch her son receive the vice presidential nomination. In their hometown of Middletown, Aikins has fought for her son to be recognized. "I just think it would be really nice if we could acknowledge that this is his hometown and put up some signs," Aikins told the city council in Middletown in December, according to The Associated Press. "He graduated from Middletown High School, comes back here frequently to visit me and take me to dinner, and I humbly request that." Following the meeting, a city spokesperson confirmed to the AP that the city plans to post signs at its seven entry points reading, "Middletown, Hometown of J.D. Vance, 50th Vice President of the United States of America." ABC News' Meredith Deliso contributed to this report. The Jessup Zoning Hearing Board denied plans for a data center campus on Breaker Street. The board unanimously rejected West Conshohocken-based Breaker Street Associates LLCs appeal for zoning relief for a proposal to build data centers and associated infrastructure along Breaker Street near Hill Street, according to a Jan. 2 written decision from the board. Chairman Jeff Smith and board members Angela Muchal, Rella Scassellati, Barbara Bzdick and Andrew Tomaskevich heard the request and voted against it Dec. 23, according to the decision, which was signed by Smith and board Solicitor Mario J. Hanyon. Breaker Street Associates LLC, One Tower Bridge, 100 Front St., Suite 560, West Conshohocken, initially applied June 10 for nearly 1.1 million square feet of data centers across 131 acres on the south side of Breaker Street between Hill Street and the Casey Highway. Plans at the time showed six 130-foot-tall data centers. The campus would use 600 megawatts of power, with a switchyard/substation falling into residentially zoned land north of Breaker Street. Advertisement Advertisement Catalyst Commercial Development LLC, the firm behind Breaker Street Associates, also wants to build a 487,000-square-foot data center near Sunnyside Road and Alberigi Drive, according to an Aug. 13 land development application and accompanying plans obtained via a Right to Know Law request. The data center would be next to the Lackawanna Energy Center natural gas-fired power plant. Attempts to reach Catalyst Commercial Development were unsuccessful Monday. The data center developer applied for the Breaker Street campus prior to Jessup Borough Council adopting a zoning amendment Aug. 19, which it re-amended Nov. 5, that defined and regulated data centers while restricting them as conditional uses south of the Casey Highway in light industrial/business park and general industrial zones encompassing the Valley View Business Park and the land surrounding the Lackawanna Energy Center plant. The boroughs November 2020 zoning ordinance did not define data centers, only saying they may include an internet server building, though it did allow them in multiple zones, including the mixed-use zoning district covering the undeveloped land south of Breaker Street. Advertisement Advertisement Although the data center buildings were allowed in the zoning district, the electric infrastructure fell into a more restrictive medium-density residential zoning district north of Breaker Street leading to the projects denial. On June 25, Jessups zoning officer denied the application, and Breaker Street Associates appealed that determination the following month, according to the written decision. The zoning hearing board initially scheduled a hearing for Sept. 18, which was later moved to Nov. 18, before voting Dec. 23. According to the findings in the written decision, the developer requested a special exception to allow the switchyard/substation in the residential zone as an accessory use by characterizing it as a public utility facility. The board ruled that the infrastructure is not an accessory use in the residential district, instead requiring the infrastructure to be built on land zoned for data centers. The board determined that the switchyard/substation is not a public utility facility under the state Public Utility Codes definition of one because the proposed use is not to or for the public for compensation. The developer also did not establish a basis to claim an exception under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, leading to the boards denial, according to the decision. The developer now has the option to appeal the decision in county court. A judge has ordered James Marinakis to surrender his entire herd of horses and banned him from owning animals for five years, citing "shocking" evidence of starvation and neglect on his 20-acre property in suburban Boca Raton. The ruling followed a two-day hearing in which Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control employees described lame and emaciated horses, cracked hooves, matted manes, rotten skin and a 2.4-pound infected mass crawling with "thousands if not tens of thousands" of maggots. Marinakis said the horses had simply endured Florida's wet season. Advertisement Advertisement Rain affects horses, said his attorney Craig Rubinstein. It depletes nutrients in grass, creates mud, produces conditions where even well-fed animals might lose weight. The inherent difficulties of managing a large herd had created conditions beyond Marinakis' control. "And," he added, "the animals can't speak, so the pain is conjecture and speculation. It's not a fact." Shullman sided with the county, as judges have done three times before over the previous two decades. "If this isn't neglect, I don't know what is," she said. Crime: Boynton Beach double homicide linked to $5.5 million fraud investigation Judge Sarah Shullman sits at her bench at the Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla., on January 9, 2026. She is presiding over the case against James Marinakis, who was arrested last year on eight counts of animal cruelty and neglect for the living conditions of horses on his 20-acre property west of Boca Raton. Marinakis has lengthy history of animal abuse allegations Sgt. Alec Arguelles, who carried out the search warrant, painted a grim picture of life on Marinakis' property. Advertisement Advertisement Horses were found standing in deep mud mixed with feces, some sinking up to their knees in the muck. Water buckets were filmed with algae. There was no adequate shelter from the sun or rain. Multiple horses suffered from severe "rain rot" a painful bacterial skin infection that develops when animals are left in wet conditions. The infection was so crusted and embedded in their skin that it took multiple treatments to remove. All the horses had matted, tangled manes and tails, overgrown hooves and sharp dental points that made it difficult and painful for them to eat. All eight seized horses were underweight. None showed signs of disease. Their bloodwork was normal. When given proper food and care at the county facility, all improved rapidly. James Marinakis, right, sits in Judge Sarah Shullman's courtroom at the Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla., on January 9, 2026. Marinakis was arrested last year on eight counts of animal cruelty and neglect for the living conditions of horses on his 20-acre property west of Boca Raton. The Appaloosa stallion with the maggot-infested wound gained nearly 100 pounds in two weeks. His wound, surgically cleaned and treated, healed to less than a centimeter. Advertisement Advertisement Marinakis did not testify during the two-day hearing. Rubinstein argued that the county witnesses' testimony was too subjective, that seasonal rain could temporarily affect weight and that animals sometimes get either sick or injured. Shullman noted that once the county established neglect, the burden shifted to Marinakis to prove he was fit to keep animals. "I did not have any testimony, any witnesses, any evidence whatsoever from the defendant to meet his burden," she said. "I simply don't have it, and it was his burden." She added: "This is not an isolated incident. This is an instance that continues to occur again and again over the years. Given the history, which shows this is a recurring issue, this shows conscious awareness and disregard." Advertisement Advertisement Courts: Gunman gets two life sentences for murder outside of Belle Glade rodeo A collection of photos taken by authorities of animals in James Marinakis' possession between 2001 and 2025 Eight abused horses on Marinakis Boca Raton property available for adoption Marinakis, 75, has faced more than two dozen felony and misdemeanor charges related to animal cruelty over the past two decades. Animal Care and Control has removed dogs, parrots and horses from his property several times since 1999 after finding animals malnourished, injured and kept in squalid conditions. Shullman's order requires Marinakis either to sell or give away every horse on his property within 90 days. Any remaining will be seized. He cannot own, possess or live with any animals for five years. Animal control may conduct unannounced visits throughout that period. He must pay $34,300 to reimburse the county for caring for the eight horses. After five years, Marinakis may petition to modify the ban. In the meantime, the eight horses will be available for adoption through Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control. Advertisement Advertisement Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca-area man banned from owning animals after 'shocking' neglect The Brief A family of six from Venezuela was detained during an armed raid at a home on Nevada Avenue in St. Paul last week. A neighbor told FOX 9 that the family was told the agents had a search warrant for the raid, but never presented the document. A U.S. District Court ruled on Monday that DHS had missed a deadline to produce the warrant, ordering their release within 72 hours. ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A judge has ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE to immediately release a group of six Venezuelan family members detained during an armed raid captured on video at a St. Paul home last week after federal agents failed to produce a warrant for the operation. Nevada Avenue ICE raid The backstory Video captured ICE officers armed with assault rifles pushing through the private home on Nevada Avenue in St. Paul last Thursday, Jan. 15. Advertisement Advertisement A neighbor told FOX 9 that family members told the agents had a warrant for the raid but never presented the documentation. In the aftermath of the raid, loved ones filed a habeas petition in U.S. District Court, demanding the release of all six extended family members, including a 12-year-old boy. Judge order Venezuelan family release What we know In response to the habeas filing, U.S. District Court Judge John Tunheim issued an order directing DHS to respond and produce a judicial warrant by 5 p.m. on Monday. The court said that in the absence of a warrant, their release would be granted. Once the deadline passed, Tunheim ruled that DHS and its attorneys failed to respond, and the court granted the habeas corpus petition. He gave the department 72 hours to release all six of the detainees, who are believed to have been transferred out of Minnesota following their arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Tunheims order states, they must be "immediately returned," prior to being set free. The judge is also demanding that the government provide an update to the court on the familys status to ensure the order was fulfilled within five days. A Kansas district court judge sanctioned Attorney General Kris Kobach with a $1 fine for failing to know the law. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach will pay a symbolic $1 sanction because he should have known better than to file a motion in a court that did not have jurisdiction. Kobach, along with his solicitor general, Anthony Powell, was admonished and fined by District Judge Thomas Luedke in a long-running case regarding gender marker changes on drivers licenses. Advertisement Advertisement Kobach filed the case in Shawnee County District Court in 2023 against David Harper, director of the Kansas Division of Vehicles, demanding that his division stop allowing gender changes on drivers licenses. Harper has since retired from the position, and the current director is Deann Williams. The case reached the Kansas Court of Appeals, which ruled against Kobach in finding there was no harm to allowing people to change their gender markers. In October, Kobach and Powell filed a motion once more in the district court, asking the division of vehicles to maintain a list of gender changes made on drivers licenses. The state noted the division already maintains such a list rendering the request completely unnecessary. Respondents seek sanctions against Petitioners contending that the motion was presented for an improper purpose, needlessly increased the cost of litigation, was contrary to the law, and essentially requested the Court disregard the mandate of the Kansas Court of Appeals, the Division of Vehicles court filing said. Advertisement Advertisement The state asked the court to dismiss the motion, which violated three different legal principles. The court dismissed the motion and sanctioned Kobach and Powell for filing a motion that they knew, or should have known, the district court lacked jurisdiction to consider. Rep. John Carmichael, D-Wichita, said the handling of this lawsuit was another example of Kobachs ineptitude. I am getting tired of reading orders, opinions, rulings, etc., that continue to point out that our attorney general is wrong on the facts, wrong on the law and doesnt seem to recognize it, he said. I dont know what its going to take. Judge (Julie) Robinson ordered the attorney general to take remedial, basic legal classes because he didnt understand the rules of evidence in her court. Carmichael was referring to a high-profile federal court case in 2018, when Robinson found Kobach in contempt and struck down his signature law that required new voters to prove their citizenship. Advertisement Advertisement Kobach consistently engages in bad lawyering, as shown by judges who have sanctioned him, Carmichael said. He also noted Kobach in the House Judiciary Committee last week flat out misrepresents the holding of the Court of Appeals. He impugns then-Chief Judge (Karen) Arnold-Burgers opinion in the case, suggesting that the court ignored his evidence, when in fact, that is simply not true, Carmichael said. In the case in the court of appeals, the court went through witness by witness, describing why the attorney general had once again engaged in bad lawyering and failed to prove his case. In a news conference on the first day of the legislative session, House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, also questioned Kobachs approach on the gender markers court case. The Republicans cant even define what diversity, equity and inclusion is across the state, so a legal, statutory definition is probably where they should start when it comes to the gender markers, he said. Once again, Kris Kobach has lost in court and is asking the Legislature to clean up his mess. Danedri Herbert, Kobachs spokeswoman, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the judges sanction. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Applications are now being accepted for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) in Kansas. Applications will be accepted from Tuesday, Jan. 20, through 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, according to the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). Kansas news: Headlines from Wichita, Topeka and around the Sunflower State The program gives a one-time per year benefit to help qualifying households pay winter heating costs. The help could go toward homes with propane, electricity, natural gas or other home heating fuels. Advertisement Advertisement According to the department, in 2025, more than 43,000 Kansas households received an average benefit of about $680. LIEAP plays a critical role in helping Kansas families remain safe and warm through the states often harsh winter months, said DCF Secretary Laura Howard. The federal government shutdown delayed the distribution of LIEAP funding to states, which DCF said delayed the start of the 2026 application period. Households are eligible if an adult living at the address is responsible for paying the homes heating expenses. Applicants must have incomes at or below 150% of the federal poverty level, as outlined in the 2026 income eligibility guidelines below. Advertisement Advertisement Benefit amounts vary based on household income, the number of occupants, the type of residence, the heating fuel used and local utility rates. View the latest headlines from Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas at fox4kc.com You can click here to apply. Kansans should have their identification, proof of income for all adult household members, copies of heating utility bills (gas, electric, propane, etc.), and a copy of their rental agreement if they are living in subsidized housing when applying. Here are the 2026 Income Eligibility Guidelines: Persons Living at this Address Maximum Gross Monthly Income 1 $1,956 2 $2,644 3 $3,331 4 $4,019 5 $4,706 6 $5,394 7 $6,081 8 $6,769 +1 $688 for each additional person Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Satanic Grotto president Michael Stewart punches counterprotester Marcus Schroeder after Schroeder attempted to take Stewart's prayer materials during a March 28, 2025, black mass inside the Kansas Capitol. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA The Satanic Grotto delivered a complaint to the Kansas Department of Administration Capitol events coordinator for allowing Abortion is Murder a Christian group known for protesting with graphic signs to protest inside the Statehouse, and plans to counterprotest. Satanic Grotto president Michael Stewart said the grotto plans to be at the Statehouse on Jan. 27, the day of the AIM protest, with or without permit approval. Stewart said the approval of AIMs permit is unfair because the state, which restricted a planned grotto protest over the summer, is applying different standards about obscenity and violence to the two groups. Advertisement Advertisement The grotto identifies its complaint as a formal notice of liability for discrimination. Satanic Grotto president Michael Stewart says the group plans to bring a 9-foot-tall zombie Jesus to the Statehouse. (Submitted) Stewart invited people to join the grotto in counterprotesting AIM, offering free kazoos as an incentive. Stewart said he submitted a permit for the protest Jan.15, and it has yet to be approved or denied. Stewart said the Department of Administration uses silence as a disruption tactic. Samir Arif, the chief of staff and director of public affairs for the Department of Administration, said the agency wouldnt comment on ongoing legal issues. As of Jan. 20, about 50 people were interested in or going to the grottos counterprotest, according to a Facebook event listing. Advertisement Advertisement Stewart said the Grottos permit application is for the south steps outside of the Statehouse. AIMs permit is for the second floor rotunda inside. Our actions at the Capitol will be in direct response to the governments decisions, Stewart said. If the government fulfills their duties, then the grotto will be committed to having a peaceful celebration of bodily autonomy and educating anyone who shows up about their personal constitutional rights outside, right along AIM. If we are institutionally oppressed, or if they show a viewpoint discrimination favoring AIM, then we will absolutely escalate our actions to an interior counterprotest. The grotto doesnt want the conflict. The grotto wants equal treatment in the same space. Stewart said grotto artists have made a poignant gore piece to bring to the counterprotest. The 9-foot-tall sculpture has been named zombie Jesus by members. Advertisement Advertisement He said the rules for permits are unfairly applied. Before the grottos own protest in March a black mass that drew thousands of Christian counterprotesters and ended with a handful of arrests legislators denounced their plans with House Resolution 6016, which called the plan blasphemous. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly banned the satanists from entering the Statehouse, but they ignored her ban. The black mass turned violent as Christian counterprotesters clashed with Satanic Grotto members. Stewart and a counterprotester were arrested. After the black mass, Adam Proffitt, the secretary of administration, denied the grottos application for another protest over the summer. Proffitt said the grotto could have a permit if someone other than Stewart filed for it, and as long as the protest didnt go past sundown. The group obliged. Nicholas Heald, of Wichita, holds a sign demonstrating his anti-abortion views on April 10, 2025, at the third floor center railing between the House and Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) Stewart said the group filed the AIM counterprotest permit under the same parameters. Advertisement Advertisement Denying AIMs permit would have been the perfect opportunity, I think, to exercise those rules outside of the grotto so that theres no discrimination on their part, Stewart said. In the grottos complaint, Stewart pointed to the Statehouse usage policy restricting activities deemed indecent or obscene. If the Statehouse interior is designated a Gore-Permissive Zone for AIM Kansas, the Grotto Society Inc. will provide its own depictions of visceral occult gore, Stewart wrote in the complaint. The complaint also noted the anti-abortion movements long history of violence in Kansas, from 2,600 arrests during the 1991 summer of mercy to arson and car bombings to the murder of physician George Tiller at his church in 2009. Advertisement Advertisement AIM did not respond to Kansas Reflectors requests for comment. We will hear from many pastors from around the state, we will set up meetings with our legislators, we will sing hymns, chant chants, and call the world to repent of their apathy for the genocide we all live in, AIMs website reads. And we will go every year, preach every month, demand justice every day until abortion is abolished. Despite Kansans 2022 landslide vote to protect abortion rights, this summers vote on whether to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices could lead to a reversal of that decision. Following the 2022 vote, and the U.S. Supreme Courts reversal of Roe v. Wade, Kansas has recorded a rise in abortions from out-of-state patients. Last year, there were 19,811 total abortions in Kansas, up from 7,849 in 2021. Last years numbers include seven in-state and 28 out-of-state patients between the ages of 10 and 14 who terminated their pregnancy. Republican U.S. Sen. Katie Britt is among a growing group of Republicans who opposes military action in Greenland. In a statement Tuesday, the senator said she doesnt believe a military invasion authorized by President Donald Trump to seize the Danish kingdom is the right move against an ally of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Her comments break away from Trump and some members of his administration, particularly White House adviser Stephen Miller, who say military action should be considered in seizing Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement Denmark is an important NATO ally, and I do not think an invasion of Greenland or troops on the ground is in the best interest of the United States or our alliances, Britt said in an email to AL.com. Still, the Alabama senator said the threat China and Russia pose in the region to the U.S. is real and growing. She recognized the administrations concerns that Greenland provides security for the U.S. Greenland offers the United States several strategic security advantages, which is what this is all about: protecting and deterring threats to America, which is always at the forefront of President Trumps mind, as he has displayed repeatedly, Britt said. Her comments come as Republicans distance themselves from support of military force on an European ally. Trump, in recent days, has targeted Greenland with aggressive comments including a text message to Norways prime minister on Sunday that he longer thinks purely of peace in how to acquire Greenland because Norway did not give him a Nobel Peace Prize. Advertisement Advertisement Polling also shows that military involvement to acquire Greenland is unpopular among Republicans who have long showed strong support for the president. A Quinnipiac University poll showed that only 68% of Republicans do not support military involvement. Over 95% of Democrats also oppose military action, according to the poll. Republican Senators like Thom Tillis of North Carolina, John Thune of South Dakota, and Jerry Moran of Kansas have made statements in recent days opposing military action. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she does not support long-term military action in Greenland without Senate authorization. Tillis, who is not seeking re-election, has blasted Trump and his advisers who are interested in taking over Greenland. He said on the Senate floor that he was sick of stupid. Republican lawmakers, in some cases, support acquiring Greenland. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, for instance, said the U.S. acquisition of Greenland would overwhelmingly be in the countrys best interest. Advertisement Advertisement Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor this year, said earlier Tuesday he does not believe Trump wants to take Greenland by force. But he also said he was uncertain why European allies were panicking about the notion. Tuberville said he felt it was time we play hardball on the people who lived off us and we helped forever. He said the idea was to help the American people. Concerns have surfaced in recent days from European countries as Trump has threatened tariffs against nations that oppose U.S. control of Greenland. Most Popular Stories by John Sharp Chicken recalled in 7 states due to potential listeria contamination 11-year-old Alabama boy, sickened with the flu, dies Northern lights tonight: Alabama among states with chance to see aurora borealis How a Stranger Things hat is sparking charity for St. Jude in a small Alabama city Alabama police chief calls for accountability over unverified crime posts that spread fear Read the original article on al.com. BEIRUT (AP) Over the past decade, the religiously and ethnically mixed Syrian Democratic Forces had been the most effective force in the battle against the Islamic State group in Syria. The Kurdish-led force is now set to merge into the Syrian army after suffering major setbacks over the past weeks. The SDF suffered a major defeat over the weekend when Syrian government forces captured wide areas in a territory under the group's control in the country's northeast following deadly clashes. With SDF fighters cornered in the province of Hassakeh, the latest victory by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa could mark the end of Syrias Kurdish ambitions to set up an autonomous region in northeast Syria that they call Rojava, or Western Kurdistan. The fighters once ruled over nearly a quarter of Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Kurds made up about 10% of Syrias population of 23 million before the country's civil war began in 2011. When it was founded in 2015 with U.S. backing, the SDF included ethnic Arab, Kurdish and Turkmen fighters in addition to the main Christian militia in northeast Syria known as the Syriac Military Council, which includes Assyrians. However, the SDF was led by the main Kurdish fighting force in Syria, the Peoples Protection Units, known as the YPG. The dominant role of Kurdish fighters in the alliance remained a concern for the majority Sunni Arab factions and their regional backers, and internal clashes broke out on several occasions. Post-Assad era Advertisement Advertisement Many of the Syrian rebel factions that were fighting former President Bashar Assads forces from 2011 until his ouster in December 2024 have always been opposed to the SDF, seeing them as a secessionist force that aims to break away from Syria. Additionally, while Ankara has been a main backer of Syrian rebels during Assad's rule, it views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdish PKK, which has waged a long insurgency in Turkey. After Assads fall in December 2024, relations between the countrys new rulers, led by al-Sharaa and the SDF remained cold, but a surprise came in March when SDF chief Mazloum Abdi arrived in Damascus and signed a deal with al-Sharaa. The deal listed, among other things, that the SDF would merge into the Syrian army by the end of 2025. However, significant disagreements remained on how it would happen. Advertisement Advertisement In October, Abdi told The Associated Press that the SDF had agreed in principle with the government on a plan to merge its fighters as a cohesive group into the national army. Abdi visited Damascus in early January to discuss the merger. State media reported at the time that no tangible results had been achieved. Shortly afterward, deadly clashes broke out between government forces in the northern city of Aleppo, leading the SDF to evacuate three neighborhoods that it had controlled for years. Soon after, the government launched an offensive to capture two towns east of Aleppo that later snowballed into a full-blown offensive that ended Sunday with the government in control of much of the critical northern province of Raqqa along the border with Turkey and the eastern oil-rich province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq. A new ceasefire Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday night, Syrias government announced a ceasefire, marking the end of the latest round of fighting, with the SDF. The group now only controls Hassakeh, which has a large Kurdish community. Later on Sunday, state-run news agency SANA showed al-Sharaa signing and holding the agreement. Abdi, who was scheduled to meet with the president in Damascus, was not seen, though his signature appeared on the document. Al-Sharaa told journalists that Abdi could not travel due to bad weather and was expected in the Syrian capital on Monday. According to the new agreement, SDF fighters will merge into the national army and police forces as individuals rather than as a whole force, which is a blow to Abdis earlier plans. The Kurdish-led force will also hand over names of commanders who will be given high military and managerial posts within the Syrian army and government. Advertisement Advertisement The SDF as a part of Syria Al-Sharaa issued a decree making Kurdish an official language in the country, along with Arabic, and adopting the Kurdish new year as a national holiday, a step viewed as an attempt to appease the Kurdish minority. The new ceasefire was announced two days later. The SDF, which was once estimated to have about 40,000 fighters and had played a major role in the victory against IS in March 2019 when they captured the last sliver of land the extremists held, will most likely dissolve in the near future as al-Sharaa boosts his authority in Syria after taming Assads Alawite minority sect in deadly sectarian clashes in March. A major mission that SDF continues to have is the control of prisons where some 9,000 IS members have been held for years without trial. The SDF also controls al-Hol and Roj camps in Hassakeh that are home to tens of thousands, mostly women and children linked to IS. Advertisement Advertisement The group said in a statement Monday that gunmen were attacking the Shaddadeh prison which holds thousands of IS members. It later said that its fighters repelled several attacks adding that the prison it out of the control of its fighters. Under the 14-point ceasefire, the authorities and protection forces that run the prisons and camps will merge into the government that will become fully in charge of the legal and security affairs of jails and camps. No deadline was set. The Syrian government, the deal says, is committed to the fight against IS as Syria is now a member of the U.S.-led coalition fighting against the extremists. By Feras Dalatey DAMASCUS, Jan 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. should intervene more forcefully to end a Syrian offensive that has gained key territory from Kurdish fighters in recent days, the head of the main Kurdish forces told Reuters. Government troops launched an offensive on Saturday into territory run for the last decade by semi-autonomous Kurdish authorities in the northeast of Syria, capturing towns on both sides of the Euphrates River as well as the country's largest oilfield and a gas field, officials and security sources said. Advertisement Advertisement People's Protection Units (YPG) commander Sipan Hamo said a Saturday meeting between U.S. envoy Tom Barrack and Kurdish officials produced no roadmap to a ceasefire. He denied Syria's Kurds wanted to secede or create an independent state and said their future was in Syria. "Our greatest hope is that there will be a tangible outcome, especially from the coalition and the United States, meaning that they will intervene more forcefully in the existing problems than what they are currently doing," Hamo said. Syrian troops have continued to advance, despite a U.S. military Central Command call on them to halt. Hamo said Kurdish authorities recognised that Washington now had to balance its years-long alliance with Kurdish forces, who helped defeat the Islamic State in Syria, with its newfound support for Syria's government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Advertisement Advertisement But given Kurdish "concerns about the changes taking place," the U.S. should offer assurances of protection to them. "In the current situation and the chaos we are living in, the only ones who can offer guarantees are the United States or the coalition," he added in a rare interview from Hasakeh province, which is still under Kurdish control. "We believe that the responsibility for everything currently happening inside Syria lies with the Western countries, and especially the United States of America," Hamo added. Hamo denied that the YPG was receiving support from Iran or Russia, while suggesting a hope that Israel would intervene on behalf of Syria's Kurds. Advertisement Advertisement "Of course, we consider Israel a powerful state in the region with its own agenda. We hope that the same stance taken by other countries in the region towards certain minorities in Syria will be extended to the Kurds as well," Hamo said. Asked if he was referring to Israel's stance towards the Druze minority last summer - when Israel carried out air strikes on the defence ministry, near the presidential palace in Damascus and on Syrian troops advancing on Druze cities - Hamo said, "of course." (Reporting by Feras Dalatey; Writing by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Alexander Smith) NEW YORK, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Volatility measures across asset classes rose on Tuesday as stocks, U.S. long-dated Treasuries, and the U.S. dollar sold off sharply after President Donald Trump threatened to rekindle a trade war with Europe. On Monday, Trumps renewed tariff threats against European allies prompted a repeat of the so-called Sell America trade that emerged following last years Liberation Day tariff announcement in April, with investors shying away from U.S. assets. News: The Past Year Of Trump Has Shown Us What's At Stake. HuffPost Refuses To Back Down. Wall Streets most-watched gauge of investor anxiety, the Cboe Volatility Index .VIX, jumped as much as 1.9 points to an eight-week high of 20.69. The options-based index was last up 0.28 points to 19.12. The S&P 500 Index .SPX was down 1.1% at 6,859. Weve certainly seen a meaningful reaction in the risk metrics, since Friday ... its a very significant shift, said Jim Carroll, senior wealth adviser and portfolio manager at Ballast Rock Private Wealth in Charleston, South Carolina. But its not, you know, hair on fire, kind of reaction at this point, he said. Some analysts had warned about a pickup in market volatility this week following the monthly equity options expiration on Friday. News: ICE Broke Into Minnesota Home, Dragged Barely Clothed Man Into Snow Its pretty standard reaction to geopolitical turmoil, take equity risk off table, buy gold, buy cash. And thats kind of what were seeing, Alex Morris, CEO and CIO of F/m Investments. The VIX index has room to rise further before signaling extreme fear, Morris said. Wed have to see (the VIX) go to 30 before anyone in the equity market would really start panicking, he said. FILE - President Donald Trump speaks during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House, Dec. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) via Associated Press In currency markets, the safe-haven dollar found few takers. It slipped 0.6% against a basket of peers to a more than two-week low. Even with Tuesdays surge in market volatility, investor expectations for FX fluctuations remained low by historical standards. News: U.S. Bank Stocks Fall As Investors Weigh Credit Card Rate Cap Deadline I suppose the moves feel more severe than they might be in reality, simply since the market has been so moribund for so long now, said Michael Brown, market analyst at online broker Pepperstone in London. One-month implied volatility for the euro jumped to its highest since November 24 at 6.03%, but was still well below its 52-week average reading of 7.1%, according to LSEG data. Youd argue, on that basis, that there is hence room for volatility to continue to rise, especially if this week doesnt yield much in terms of concrete progress towards Trump unwinding his latest tariff threat, and some off-ramps being found, Brown said. DAMASCUS, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Syria on Tuesday announced a ceasefire with Kurdish forces it has seized swathes of territory from in the northeast and gave them four days to agree on integrating into the central state, which their main ally, the United States, urged them to accept. The lightning government advances in recent days and the apparent withdrawal of U.S. support for the continued holding of territory by the Syrian Democratic Forces represent the biggest change of control in the country since rebels ousted Bashar al-Assad 13 months ago. U.S. envoy Tom Barrack in a social media post described the offer of integration into the central Syrian state with citizenship rights, cultural protections and political participation as the "greatest opportunity" the Kurds have. Advertisement Advertisement He added that the original purpose of the SDF, which Washington had supported as its main local ally battling Islamic State, had largely expired, and that the U.S. had no long-term interest in retaining its presence in Syria. Speaking at a news conference in Washington, President Donald Trump appeared to back Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying he was "working very hard" and had discussed with him the issue of facilities where detained Islamic State fighters are held in northeastern Syria. Trump added that Washington was also "trying to protect the Kurds." Washington's relationship with the SDF has shifted since Trump came into office last year and threw his full support behind Sharaa. A White House official said the United States is monitoring with "grave concern" developments in Syria, and urged all relevant parties to continue negotiating in "good faith." Advertisement Advertisement "We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid actions that could further escalate tensions, and prioritize the protection of civilians across all minority groups," the White House official said. FOUR-DAY CEASEFIRE The SDF said it accepted a ceasefire agreement with the Damascus government and that it would not engage in any military action unless attacked. A Syrian government statement said it had reached an understanding with the SDF for it to devise an integration plan for Hasakah province or risk state forces entering two SDF-controlled cities. The government announced a four-day ceasefire starting on Tuesday evening and said it had asked the SDF to submit the name of a candidate to take the role of assistant to the defence minister in Damascus as part of the integration. Advertisement Advertisement Northeast Syria, wedged between Turkey and Iraq, is home to both Kurds and Arabs and was largely overrun by Islamic State fighters a decade ago before the SDF drove them back with air support from a U.S.-led coalition. However, advances by the SDF's main component, the Kurdish YPG force, were concerning to U.S. ally Turkey, which regarded it as an offshoot of the PKK group that had waged a years-long insurgency inside Turkey. Since Assad was overthrown in December 2024, Syria has been led by al-Sharaa, a former rebel leader who at one stage controlled the al Qaeda offshoot in the country, and who has emerged as a close ally of Turkey. Northeast Syria remains sensitive to Ankara, and is of wider international concern because of the presence of SDF-guarded facilities holding thousands of detained Islamic State militants and civilians associated with them. Advertisement Advertisement ISLAMIC STATE DETAINEES About 200 low-level Islamic State fighters escaped Shaddadi prison in northeast Syria on Monday when the SDF departed, but Syrian government forces recaptured many of them, a U.S. official said on Tuesday. Trump said he spoke on the phone with Sharaa about the prisons. "I spoke with him yesterday because we were talking about the prisons, and you know what was going ... we have some of the worst terrorists in the world in those prisons," he said. He did not provide further details. The Syrian Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that about 120 Islamic State detainees escaped, 81 of whom had been recaptured. Advertisement Advertisement The SDF said it had also withdrawn from al-Hol camp housing thousands of civilians linked to the jihadist group near the Iraqi border. A senior Syrian government defence official said Damascus had notified the U.S. of the SDF intention to withdraw from the vicinity of al-Hol camp and that government forces were ready to deploy there. The SDF has previously said it was guarding some 10,000 IS fighters. Syrian military sources said government troops had advanced on Tuesday in eastern areas of Hasakah province and south of the town of Kobani on the border with Turkey. The SDF remains in control of Hasakah City, the provincial capital, which is ethnically mixed between Kurds and Arabs, and the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli. Advertisement Advertisement The government statement said it would not try to enter Hasakah or Qamishli cities during the four days it had given the SDF to outline a plan for integrating into the Syrian state. MONTHS OF DEADLOCK Tensions between the SDF and Damascus spilled into conflict this month after deadlock over the fate of the group's fighters and territory as it resisted government demands to dissolve into the defence ministry. On Sunday the SDF agreed to withdraw from the Arab-majority provinces of Raqqa and Deir al-Zor, and on Monday government forces pushed into Hasakah province. Reports indicated that SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Sharaa held a rocky meeting on Monday, after Abdi's signature appeared on a 14-point agreement with the government. Advertisement Advertisement The United States, which has established close ties with Sharaa under Trump, has been closely involved in mediation between the sides. "I like the Kurds. But just so you understand, the Kurds were paid tremendous amounts of money, were given oil and other things. So, they were doing it for themselves, more so than they were doing it for us. But we got along with the Kurds, and we are trying to protect the Kurds," Trump said. (Reporting by Mahmoud Hassano, Khalil Ashawi, Suleiman al-Khalidi, Orhan Qereman, Jaidaa Taha, Menna Alaa ElDin, Enas Alashray and Yomna Ehab; Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington, Writing by Tom Perry and Angus McDowall; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Deepa Babington) The crisis in Syria is affecting Kurds all over the world, primarily due to the fear that members of the Syrian governments security forces may commit abuses amid the new offensive. Kurdish protesters took to the streets across the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq on Monday night amid increasing reports about clashes in Syria between the forces of the Syrian transitional government and those of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. They were mobilizing support for the Kurdish region of Syria, known as Rojava in Kurdish. This display of Kurdish unity reminded some of other crises in recent memory in which Kurds were threatened. Advertisement Advertisement The Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq is an autonomous region with its own government and armed forces. It is one area where Kurdish identity is officially celebrated, where people speak Kurdish, and where there is no authoritarian government that suppresses Kurdish rights. In other places, such as Iran and Turkey, Kurds may be arrested for demonstrating. The crisis in Syria is affecting Kurds all over the world, primarily due to the fear that members of the Syrian governments security forces may commit abuses amid the new offensive. The Syrian government was supposed to come to an agreement with the SDF to integrate the SDF into the new security forces. However, neither side could agree on how to proceed. Members of the Kurdish community and other protesters hold a giant flag of Kurdistan, during a demonstration against Syrian President Ahmed alSharaa and recent military clashes between the Syrian army and Kurdish forces, in front of the Brandenburg Gate, in Berlin, Germany, January 19, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/CHRISTIAN MANG) Despite a March 2025 agreement between Syrian transitional president Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF leader Mazlum Abdi that created a roadmap for integrating the SDF and the forces in Damascus, there was no success in the integration. Advertisement Advertisement Since March, the Syrian government has been on a roll, gaining international support and consolidating its power. The SDF has not been able to move forward with any clear plan for what to do next. The SDF is a close partner of the US in the war on ISIS; however, in November, Damascus also joined the coalition against ISIS. The Syrian government decided at the end of 2025 that the time was up for the SDF to integrate. It launched an offensive to clear two Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo of SDF-linked security forces. Later, the Syrian government set its sights on Dayr Hafir, an area near the Euphrates. The SDF, sensing its position was weakening, agreed to withdraw. However, Damascus seized on the withdrawal as an opportunity to press its advantage and move forces across the Euphrates River, mobilizing tribes who have chafed under SDF rule. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, the SDF retreated even further, moving back towards Kurdish areas such as Kobane, Hasakah, and Qamishli. Now there is real fear that, as the Syrian government forces move forward, some of the elements of their forces may harm Kurds. Videos showing several dead Kurdish fighters, one with their throat appearing to be slit, have shocked people. Murder of Kurdish activist Hevrin Khalaf by Turkish militia In the past, some of the Arab Syrian rebel militias in Syria have been known to kidnap Kurdish women and murder people. For instance, during the 2019 offensive by Turkey into Serekaniye in eastern Syria, the young female Kurdish activist Hevrin Khalaf was murdered by a militia backed by Ankara. Some Turkish media celebrated her murder, depicting the unarmed woman activist as an enemy deserving of an extrajudicial lynching. Kurds are understandably worried that there may be more incidents like this. Rudaw Kurdish media in northern Iraqs Kurdistan Region reported on January 20 that the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) on Tuesday warned of a dangerous escalation across areas administered by the Kurdish-led autonomous administration, cautioning that extremist armed groups affiliated with Damascus now pose a direct and serious threat to the city of Kobane, which is effectively under siege. Advertisement Advertisement The report went on to note that over the past 24 hours, Damascus-aligned forces have reportedly made significant territorial advances along the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, including in Tabqa, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor. The developments come despite a ceasefire brokered on Sunday under US mediation, as clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus-affiliated factions continue unabated. Meanwhile, a second report noted that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Monday called on young Kurds in northeast Syria (Rojava) and Kurdish communities in Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Europe to unite and join the resistance as Damascus-affiliated forces advance into the region despite a ceasefire. Ukraine has received an invitation to join U.S. President Donald Trump's new Board of Peace for Gaza, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Jan. 20. Zelensky said Ukrainian diplomats are reviewing the invitation but stressed it would be "difficult to imagine" sitting at the body alongside Russia and Belarus, who were also invited. "Russia is our enemy, Belarus is their ally," Zelensky told journalists. Advertisement Advertisement Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has supported Russia in its nearly four-year all-out war against Ukraine, allowing Russian forces to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for an invasion into Kyiv Oblast in 2022. Dozens of countries across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and elsewhere have been invited to the new body designed to oversee the Gaza transition as part of Trump's 20-point plan on ending the Israel-Hamas war. Governments have been divided on the proposal, as critics fear that the Trump-chaired body requiring a $1 billion payment to secure a permanent seat could serve as an alternative to the U.N., an organization the U.S. president has often criticised. U.S. officials have reportedly also discussed expanding the body to include other conflict zones, including Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Hungary and Vietnam have already accepted the invitation, and Belarus said that Lukashenko reacted "positively" to it. The Kremlin, in turn, said that it is still reviewing the proposal, while France has rejected the offer. Trump, who is embroiled in a dispute with European leaders over his claim on Greenland, floated imposing 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne to pressure Paris into joining. The U.S. president plans to hold the board's opening ceremony on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 22. Read also: Ukraine needs billions in US arms as Greenland dispute pushes alliance to breaking point, documents reveal Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen, Renee Good, on Jan. 7 by an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis has sent waves of fear and outrage that have spread over 1,700 miles to South Florida. Local immigration advocates say Good's death sets a dangerous precedent for ICE's use of lethal force against civilians. And the labeling of Good as a "domestic terrorist" by a top Trump administration official also holds potential ramifications for those here who either protest or advocate for people targeted in ICE enforcement actions. Mariana Blanco, director of the Guatemalan-Mayan Center in Lake Worth Beach, said she felt a piercing pain in her chest and her stomach turn when she saw the viral footage of how an ICE agent pointed his gun at Good's SUV and fired shots at her head. Advertisement Advertisement The Rev. Frank OLoughlin, the Catholic priest who founded the center in 1992 and who sat next to Blanco, said he had a river of tears streaming through his cheeks. "That could be us, Blanco recalls thinking. In fact, in December, Blanco and other immigration advocates were in Good's position as they sought to warn and alert people and workers at a Lake Worth Beach construction site of an ICE enforcement action. Videos shared on social-media platforms on Dec. 8 showed a chaotic scene that afternoon with workers sprinting from a construction site where they were building affordable residences. Advertisement Advertisement Blanco is heard yelling out to the targeted workers about their rights while an officer threatened her with arrest, and an agent ordering her through a loudspeaker to get off the street. "When you have militarized agents execute Renee Good in broad daylight and walk away without fear of consequences, it makes me deeply question how fragile our democracy is," Blanco said. "It's the contempt for immigrants and that when Americans calls out 'shame,' it invites lethal violence." "I feel hopeless. It's like people are expendable, said Blanco, who like Good is a parent "But I am not scared enough to back down now. 'Could have been me': Renee Good shooting shocks South Florida Tessa Petit, executive director of the Florida Immigration Coalition, calls on protesters to continue to oppose the overzealous enforcement of laws regarding immigrants in the U.S. without documentation at a rally in suburban Boca Raton on Jan. 10, 2026. ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Good, a 37-year old mother of three, on Jan. 7 in Minnesota's largest city during Operation Metro Surge, the country's largest immigration-enforcement operation, according to the federal Department of Homeland Security. Advertisement Advertisement Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Good's actions as "domestic terrorism," arguing she had refused to obey orders to get out of her car, had "weaponize(d) her vehicle" and "attempted to run" over an officer. Widespread footage of the shooting disputes Noem's statements, showing Good attempting to drive off the scene and relaying her last words to the agent: "That's fine, dude. I am not mad at you." Then three gun shots are heard. Good's death has sparked outrage across the country, including in South Florida where crowds gathered for peaceful protests in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Miami. Ronnie Dembo of Margate remembers Renee Good, a Minnesota woman who died in a shooting with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Jan. 7, 2025, at an immigration rights rally in suburban Boca Raton on Jan. 10. Jill Hanson, a Jupiter attorney and a longtime immigration advocate, traveled three hours on Jan. 12 to The Villages, a politically conservative community in Central Florida, to join a group of almost 500 people for a vigil in Good's honor. Advertisement Advertisement Hanson said seeing Good get shot "point blank in the face" shocked her. "It was devastating," Hanson said. "It could have been me." Good's shooting has left immigration advocates and immigrant communities terrified, Hanson said. "They don't want people to stand up and protest," said Hanson, who held a sign that read "We are the people" at The Villages rally. "It reminds me of the civil rights movement." Barbara Evir, a leader for the Palm Beach County Indivisible Immigration Coalition, attended on Jan. 10 a peaceful protest for Good outside a Home Depot store in suburban Boca Raton. Evir also led an interfaith vigil a day later at the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, where immigrants whose legal status is in question are detained. Advertisement Advertisement Evir said she felt distress and despair after watching Good's shooting. "Then, what came afterwards, the vile statements from the administration and the surge of ICE agents and their atrocious behavior," Evir said. "For me and many who I know, it has served as a clarion call." Lake Worth Beach resident Jill Beach said she drove an hour south on Jan. 12 to join an interfaith vigil for Good in Coral Gables. "Every American should be outraged at the cruelty and barbaric brutality of ICE," Beach said. "The senseless killing of Renee Goode was heartbreaking." Advertisement Advertisement The Florida Immigrant Coalition said Good's death left it heartbroken and outraged. "Renee was a mother, a neighbor, and a human being whose life was cut tragically short during a federal law-enforcement operation," the Coalition wrote in a statement. Coalition officials added the incident underscores the need for accountability and transparency in all policing and enforcement actions across the country. "In Florida and nationwide, we must enact laws that prevent federal agents from operating anonymously in our communities including prohibitions on wearing masks or other gear that conceal identity during immigration enforcement," FLIC wrote. "So that every use of force is visible, documented, and subject to public oversight." Advertisement Advertisement Ronnie and Veronica Linchman, also members of the Indivisible Immigration Coalition, said they were outraged to learn ICE had shot and killed an American citizen. "Trump and DHS is using ICE as a private army not only against immigrants but American citizens as well," said Ronnie Linchman. "As a former U.S. State Department employee, I fully understand why people who live under authoritarian rule want to come to America, but if we dont continue to fight for the reasons they come, we will soon lose them." Veronica Linchman said the aggressive tactics ICE agents are using during immigration enforcement operations are not making America safer. "These poorly trained agents are a threat to every person in our country," she said. "People are scared but even more angry at this lawless administration." Advertisement Advertisement Blanco said Good's death also sets a dangerous precedent for people who are excising their right to protest ICE's actions in their communities to be labeled as national terrorists. "Its jarring to witness a murder like this, but may their deaths not be in vain," Blanco said. "There is no alternative to the work that we are doing, and it has never been more clear." Valentina Palm covers immigration and the western communities of Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Renee Good killing by ICE alarms Palm Beach County immigrant advocates The government has suffered a small rebellion in the House of Commons over a deal concerning the Chagos Islands. It has been urged to pause a deal which would hand Mauritius sovereignty of the Islands. It comes after Donald Trumps comments on his Truth Social platform which criticised the deal, saying the UK was doing it for no reason whatsoever. The US Presidents criticisms come as legislation to finalise the agreement is caught in a wrangle between the Lords and the Commons. Advertisement Advertisement Backbencher Graham Stringer made the request to pause the deal and, alongside fellow Labour MPs Peter Lamb and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, rebelled against the government as they voted in favour of changes to the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill tabled by peers. The legislation is intended to provide a firm legal basis for the operation of the strategically important Diego Garcia facility. Ministers have claimed the deal is necessary because international court rulings in favour of Mauritian claims to sovereignty had threatened the future of the base. Backbencher Graham Stringer made the request to pause the deal (AFP via Getty Images) As MPs debated the Lords amendments to the Bill on Tuesday, Mr Stringer (Blackley and Middleton South) told the Commons: I have heard (the Foreign Office minister) in this chamber, a number of times, say the United States supported this deal. Advertisement Advertisement The President of the United States clearly doesnt support it anymore. He added that the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination had also asked for the Bill not to go forward. He said: Does he not think those two things together mean we should pause? Mr Stringer later added: Were going to pay for something that we didnt used to have to pay for, it will have consequences for our ability in the Indian Ocean to look after our defence interests, and we dont know how much it will cost. Putting amendments in that will give us an exact figure for those costs is important. Advertisement Advertisement He argued that the people of the islands Chagossians are being discriminated against, adding: The only solution to the central issue of this problem is not a survey that the House of Lords are doing in good faith. It is to have a referendum. An amendment proposing a referendum on the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands was ruled out by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle because it would impose a charge on public revenue, which the Lords cannot do. Trump criticised the deal (AP) Mr Stringer concluded: I dont have the opportunity this afternoon to vote for what I would like to, but I will vote for the amendments that the Lords have put before us. Alongside Mr Lamb (Crawley), Mr Stringer voted in support of an amendment which proposed to stop payments to the government of Mauritius in the event that the use of the base for military purposes became impossible. Advertisement Advertisement The bid was rejected overall by MPs, who voted 344 to 182, majority 162 to disagree with the amendment. Mr Stringer and Mr Lamb, in addition to Ms Ribeiro-Addy (Clapham and Brixton Hill) voted in support of an amendment which required the cost of the treaty to be published by the Secretary of State. This was rejected by MPs voting 347 to 185, majority 162, to disagree with the bid. Mr Stringer and Mr Lamb also voted in support of a proposal to require the publication of the estimated expenditure of the deal within the first financial year of the Bill becoming law. This was rejected by the Commons, with MPs voting 347 to 184, majority 163. Advertisement Advertisement Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said: We wont pause in defending our national security interests and those of our allies. We will do the right thing to keep our national security and the operations of this base working as they have done for many decades. Intervening, Conservative former minister Simon Hoare argued President Trump had dropped a depth charge on his support for the Bill, questioning what the House should read as Americas position. Mr Doughty said: The United States and President Trump welcomed this deal in the spring, and when we discuss in detail the reasons why the agreement was needed, the strong protections it includes, and the vital security it provides for Diego Garcia, the administration endorsed the agreement. He added: We will, of course, have discussions with the administration in the coming days to remind them of the strength of this deal, how it secures the base for the United Kingdom and the United States. A Lakewood mother accused in the death of her 3-month-old daughter in May has been released from prison and will have all charges dismissed, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office said Monday. Caitlin Gibson, who was 28 when she was arrested, is now scheduled for pre-trial monitoring, Bryan Huntenburg, press officer for the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, confirmed to NJ.com. The childs father, 36-year-old Ruben Santiago, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter on Thursday. He now is scheduled for the sentencing on March 4 before Ocean County Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan. He faces up to 25 years in state prison. Advertisement Advertisement Once Santiago is sentenced, the charges against Gibson will be officially dropped, Huntenburg said. She previously was facing a murder charge in the case. Glenn Kassman, the attorney representing Santiago, couldnt immediately be reached for comment Monday. Mitchell Ansell, representing Gibson, told NJ.com that Santiago exonerated Gibson during the hearing. (He) completely absolved Caitlin of any wrongdoing and knowledge of this crime, Ansell said. At that point in time (Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan) released Caitlin from jail, and she is now home with her family. Both Gibson and Santiago were incarcerated a day after the child died. Advertisement Advertisement Lakewood police were called shortly before 7:30 p.m. on May 5 to a home on Pinehurst Drive and found the infant having difficulty breathing, prosecutors said. Lakewood Township Emergency Medical Services began administering medical aid before rushing the girl to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. On May 6, the baby was pronounced dead at the hospital. The Ocean County Medical Examiners Office determined that the infant died from blunt force trauma to the head and the manner was ruled a homicide. An investigation revealed the baby suffered a fractured skull from repeated blows to the head, resulting in brain bleeding, officials said. Gibson and Santiago were then indicted in September. Advertisement Advertisement Ansell, the attorney representing Gibson, said an expert who testified for the defense provided a timeline of the events leading up to the babys death. That expert confirmed Gibsons absence from the home when Santiago beat the baby, Ansell said. Gibson and Santiago also have a 3-year-old girl that Gibson has been reunited with, although she previously had supervised visits with the child, Ansell said. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Cases in the nations largest measles outbreak are still ticking up after officials said infections have spread from the South into the Pacific Northwest. Washington state health officials on Jan. 16 confirmed an outbreak connected to a contagious family traveling from South Carolina. The Southern state has a major outbreak of the highly contagious viral disease, with nearly 250 new cases documented in a week's span. The three cases in Washington are all among unvaccinated children in Snohomish County, just north of Seattle, according to the state's health department. The children had fever, cough and rash, all common indicators of measles. They tested positive Jan. 14, the Snohomish County Health Department said. Were expecting more measles cases as a result of the previous exposures as well as these new outbreak cases, Dr. James Lewis, the county health officer, said in a Jan. 15 statement. We are hoping to contain it, but unfortunately, there have been a number of exposure sites already and there are likely more cases in the community that we do not know about yet. Advertisement Advertisement Health department spokesperson Jeff Hodson confirmed to USA TODAY on Jan. 19 that the children, who range in age from around 2 to 9 years old, are recovering at home and didnt need to be hospitalized. He added that more cases are still expected due to the number of exposures, as well as the number of unvaccinated people who came into contact with the infected children. The outbreak is Washingtons first since 2023. The South Carolina family included an adult and two children visiting Snohomish and King County in late December through New Years Day, health officials said. South Carolina has nearly 560 measles cases as of Jan. 16. There were over 500 people in quarantine and 85 people in isolation with symptoms to keep from spreading the disease. A rash on the cheek of a child infected with measles during a 2024 U.S. outbreak. With an ongoing outbreak since early October, South Carolinas cases have been centered around Spartanburg County, in the upstate region. The area has a low vaccination rate compared to the rest of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Local schools have seen increases in parents seeking exemptions to opt children out of receiving vaccines, USA TODAY previously reported. Cases linked to South Carolina's outbreak have also appeared in North Carolina. Washington state has a declining vaccination rate as well. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data for the 2024-25 school year put Washington's rate at 90.9%, lower than South Carolina's. Both are below the 95% community threshold needed to prevent outbreaks. Health officials in Washington also identified a separate measles case of a student who recently traveled to South Carolina. Officials said the Central Washington University student returned and had possible exposure to others at the campus located in Ellensburg. Measles is highly contagious, spreading through the air when a person who is infected coughs, sneezes, breathes, or talks. Viral particles can stay in the air for up to two hours. Advertisement Advertisement It can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, swelling of the brain and a weakened immune system. An infection can result in death. In 2025, the United States had 2,242 measles cases, the most in over three decades, according to CDC data. The country also saw three deaths after not documenting a death in 10 years. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: South Carolina measles outbreak tied to West Coast cases BALTIMORE Former Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he will not seek a return to the Government House this year, ending speculation about a potential challenge to Democratic Gov. Wes Moore. Hogan made the announcement in a guest commentary published by The Baltimore Sun, writing that he would not enter the race despite continued interest from supporters and political observers. I care deeply about the state of Maryland, and I remain concerned about the direction of our nations politics, but I have no intention of running for office again, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Although Hogan never formally declared his candidacy, recent polling suggested Moore would have entered the contest with an advantage. A hypothetical matchup conducted by Gonzales Research and Media Services showed Moore leading Hogan 52% to 38%, with 10% of respondents undecided. At the same time, Hogan continues to draw strong marks from many Marylanders for his time in office. A May survey by Ragnar Research Associates found that 76% of respondents said they totally approved of the job Hogan did as governor. Hogan left office in 2023 after becoming the first Republican elected to two terms as Maryland governor in more than 60 years. Constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term, he went on to run in Marylands open U.S. Senate race in 2024, where he lost to Democrat Angela Alsobrooks. Although Hogan outperformed other Republican candidates nationally, Alsobrooks won by 12 points in a state dominated by Democratic voters. Moore, who has maintained generally positive approval ratings and has emerged as a rising figure in national Democratic politics, has said he plans to seek a second term in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Hogan and Moore have clashed publicly in recent years over state budget issues and during the Senate race. Hogan has addressed national politics, saying he both agreed and disagreed with aspects of former President Donald Trumps return to the White House, which Hogan has previously opposed. Hogan said he supported Trumps decision to order strikes against Irans nuclear capabilities in June and agreed with what he described as the premise of rooting out inefficiencies and waste in government spending. He criticized, however, the scope of federal budget cuts and layoffs tied to efforts by Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk to reduce the size of the federal workforce. ------------ WASHINGTON - For a long time, Chang Soon Lee hoped he would see his father again one day. Lee was 15 when, like millions of families, they were separated by the war that partitioned the Korean Peninsula into north and south. Over the ensuing decades, as efforts to reunite loved ones across the border gained steam, he tried unsuccessfully from his adopted home of Los Angeles County to track down his father, or at least learn what happened to him, until Lee eventually had to accept he was no longer alive. Advertisement Advertisement Now 90, Lee still grieves for the time they never had together. The pain and sadness have run deep through his life. "You can imagine, so much frustration," Lee said. "I always think about my father, if my father was with us." That sense of loss and disappointment is shared by many Korean immigrants to the United States, who were cut off from parents, siblings and extended family by war and then politics, as icy American relations with North Korea prevented them from finding one another. A new law, signed last month by President Donald Trump, aims to reopen a path to reunification for divided families. Led in part by Rep. Young Kim, an Anaheim Republican who is herself a Korean immigrant, a provision of the recently reauthorized defense spending bill directs the secretary of state to create a registry of Korean Americans who wish to be reunited with family members in North Korea. Advertisement Advertisement Because of ongoing tensions, it's uncertain when, if ever, that opportunity could come. The law may never benefit those most directly affected by the partition, who are nearing the end of their lives. But this is one of the most concrete steps the United States has taken to bring divided families back together. "It's been here for a very long time in my heart," said Kim, whose parents were originally from northern Korea. "Every year, hearing the news of another Korean American with divided family in the north whose only wish is to make sure that they get to hold hands or give them one final hug and say, I never forgot about you.'" It's unknown how many Americans are from families separated by the war, though advocates believe there could be thousands. There are more than 2 million Americans of Korean heritage, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. More than a quarter of them live in California, largely in Los Angeles and Orange counties, with approximately 110,000 in the Bay Area. After long trying to raise attention to their plight, advocates see the registry as not only addressing an information gap for facilitating family reunions in the future, but also a chance to prove to the federal government that the issue is worth prioritizing in its dealings with North Korea. Advertisement Advertisement "You can't organize a reunion unless you know who wants to partake," said Esther Im, senior policy adviser for peace and security at Foreign Policy for America. "If you can build a robust enough registry and demonstrate that this would have impact for many American families, it builds a strong case for this to move forward." Chang Soon Lee, far right, with his mother and younger siblings in 1956, after they resettled in South Korea. (Courtesy of Bora Lee Reed) Seven decades apart Korea split at the end of World War II, when the Soviet Union and the United States divided the country, under Japanese annexation for more than three decades, into two occupied territories. Within a few years, new governments established in the north and south each claimed legitimate rule over the peninsula, and the conflict escalated into violence in 1950 when the north invaded the south. After intervention by United Nations and Chinese forces, the war was fought to a stalemate in 1953 with millions dead and millions more families separated across the newly established demilitarized zone at the 38th parallel. The movement for family reunification grew in South Korea in the 1980s, especially following a 1983 television special that helped thousands of people inside the country reconnect with loved ones they had lost contact with during the war. That led the government to begin pushing North Korea to open a channel for reuniting families across the border - South Korea registered more than 130,000 hopefuls for a lottery starting in 1988 - though, other than one small gathering in 1985, it was not until 2000 that such meetings began. Advertisement Advertisement Since then, 20 official reunions were held - highly controlled assemblies of several dozen families selected by lottery, together for just a few days at a mountain resort. None has been organized since 2018, and Korean Americans were never invited to participate. Instead, immigrants looking for long-lost loved ones might pay thousands of dollars to brokers who promised to track them down and then travel to North Korea for under-the-table reunions. That option, to those who could afford it, has been closed since the United States instituted a travel ban to North Korea in 2017. Korean Americans have lobbied Washington for more than two decades to get involved. "This hasn't been a high priority, partly because there have been bigger security issues to grapple with," Im said. "You have to have trust in order for these issues to develop." During a humanitarian mission to North Korea in 2007, Chang Soon Lee visited the Taedong River, which he had to cross amid a United Nations bombing campaign to reach South Korea. (Courtesy of Bora Lee Reed) During a humanitarian mission to North Korea in 2007, Chang Soon Lee visited the Taedong River, which he had to cross amid a United Nations bombing campaign to reach South Korea. (Courtesy of Bora Lee Reed) Congress on several occasions passed bills and resolutions directing the federal government to prioritize in its diplomacy with North Korea discussions about allowing U.S. citizens to reunite with their family members. Those efforts - often led by California members including then-Reps. Xavier Becerra and Ed Royce and then-Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer - were unsuccessful, however, and the mandates eventually expired. Energy for family reunification briefly picked up again in 2018, as Trump pursued normalization of relations with North Korea. Advertisement Advertisement Kim said she and other supporters of the national registry law spent several years making the case to congressional colleagues who didn't understand why it was necessary to get involved in a matter halfway across the world. "I think God has really put me in this position at the right time," she said. There is a sense of urgency now for advocates because the remaining Korean Americans who were directly separated from family members are in their 80s and 90s, and many have died in recent years without ever getting to see their loved ones again. "We don't have much time. Every month we are losing people here," said Chahee Lee Stanfield, executive director of Divided Families USA, whom Kim credited for "keeping this issue alive when many people would have said, Enough is enough. It's not gonna happen.'" At 85, Stanfield calls herself "the baby of the divided family members." She was born in a mountain village in Manchuria that was a hideout for Korean guerilla forces while the country was under Japanese rule, and most of her family returned to their hometown in southern Korea shortly after World War II ended. But her father and one of her brothers stayed to close out their business, and during that time, the border with China closed. When they were finally granted permission to return to Korea years later, intending to rejoin the family, they were trapped in the north by the war, permanently separating them. Advertisement Advertisement Stanfield wants to visit her father's grave in North Korea and to find out what happened to her brother, with whom her family lost contact. "It's our last wish," she said. We have lived with that pain' Lee grew up in northern Korea before the partition, the son of a Methodist minister who spent years in hiding from persecution when communists came into power after World War II. During a brief period in 1950 when North Korea was under the control of United Nations forces, his father emerged to visit the churches he used to serve, but a Chinese counteroffensive threw the region back into chaos. The family waited for his return, until eventually Lee, his mother and three younger siblings, including a baby, joined many others seeking safety in South Korea. "We just followed the people. Everybody goes down, so we just followed them," he said. Lee's family had no way to find his father. They initially held out hope that he had made his own way south and they might be reconnected through the church. Later he wondered if his father had been thrown in jail. Advertisement Advertisement "Every year, we were waiting for him, expecting to hear some news," Lee said. "One year, two years, then five years, then, you know, we just could not expect any. We assumed that he must be captured before he escaped from the area." "I don't know when, how he, if he died," he said. "We have lived with that pain." Under the newly passed Korean American Divided Families National Registry Act, Chang Soon Lee would be eligible to join a national registry of Korean Americans wishing to reunite with loved ones in North Korea. (Marissa Leshnov/For the S.F. Chronicle) Following in his father's footsteps, Lee graduated from the seminary and later served as a Navy chaplain in Vietnam. He came to the United States in 1972 and started a Korean ministry in Los Angeles. Lee repeatedly tried to find his father - applying three times for the South Korean family reunification program, seeking help from church organizations and asking the North Korean government during three humanitarian missions he led to the country - to no avail. Advertisement Advertisement He does not expect much to come from the new registry law, though he does consider it an important gesture toward the eventual unification of Korea, a goal for many Koreans that appears as distant as ever these days. "A thousand, thousand years, we were one country, one culture, one thing," Lee said. "So we have to be united, of course, because we are one country." And while he does not believe his father, or other extended family members left behind in North Korea, are still alive, Lee said he would sign up for the registry as an important political statement. "Of course, whatever I can do, I will do," he said. "Even though I gave up the hope. But I will do whatever I can." This article originally published at A new law could help reunite Korean families separated by war. But time is running out. Jan. 20A passerby called the Kalispell Police Department after noticing a new pickup in a parking lot that had been running with the headlights and cab lights on for more than an hour and appeared to be running low on fuel. They said they would try to locate security and eventually found an employee who said they would deal with it. A man called officers to report that his girlfriend had been vandalizing the property where they lived, and there had been a fight hours ago, but he separated from her by going into his shop. He said she hadn't sobered up in the three weeks since he picked her up at the airport. Initially, he didn't want police to respond in person, saying he would spend the night at a hotel to let her sober up. But he changed his mind when he allegedly couldn't leave the shop because she was throwing glass at the door. A woman dropped off at a homeless shelter reported feeling dizzy and lightheaded, as if she was drugged. An employee wanted to put ice on her forehead but was advised not to until medics arrived to check her out. Advertisement Advertisement A woman reportedly shoved her husband when she stopped by to pick up her belongings, and they got into a discussion about divorce. He called the police seeking advice on how to stop the situation from escalating. An officer advised him to have a third party on hand when she returned to make sure "things don't get out of hand" and document the incident if things escalated. A plumbing work truck reportedly hit a car parked on the side of the street, requiring a tow truck. No injuries were reported. An individual involved in the crash was taken to the hospital to have blood drawn. Officers moved along and notified the parents of individuals in three pickups and an SUV that were seen driving on grass. Someone allegedly stole a Washington license plate off the back of a car. A man called the police to report what he assumed were "kids" driving vehicles. However, he did not see the drivers or occupants himself. He allegedly became upset at the dispatcher for asking clarifying questions and said he called the "wrong line" and hung up. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is one of the best stocks to buy in 2026 for beginners. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) announced on January 14 the launch of its Rural Payment Acceleration Pilot, which is an initiative specialized to support independent rural hospitals facing financial challenges. UnitedHealth (UNH) Poised to Benefit as Investor Focus Shifts Away From AI, Says Barclays The pilot aims to expedite Medicare Advantage payment timelines by 50%, from less than 30 days to less than 15 days on average, over the next six months. It would also deliver immediate cash-flow relief and support the sustainability of these significant rural hospitals. The independent rural hospitals were selected by UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) through criteria focused on maximizing impact and guiding future rural-focused solutions. In another development, Reuters reported on January 12 that according to a U.S. Senate committee report released the same day, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) used aggressive risk-adjustment coding tactics to raise the U.S. government reimbursement for patients who were enrolled in its Medicare Advantage healthcare plans. The report in question was from Senator Chuck Grassley, chair of the Senates judiciary committee, and stated that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) submitted more diagnosis codes and diagnoses compared to any other Medicare Advantage organization, which resulted in inflated government payments related to the poor health of its patients in comparison to any of its peers. It added that: After a review of the records, this report provides evidence that shows UnitedHealth Group has turned risk adjustment into a major profit centered strategy, which was not the original intent of the program. Reuters further reported that the report was based on more than 50,000 pages of the companys documents, which included internal training materials, policies, and software documents. However, a UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) spokesperson disagreed with the reports stipulations in an emailed statement, saying: Our programs comply with applicable (government regulatory) requirements and have, through government audits, demonstrated sustained adherence to regulatory standards. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) provides healthcare coverage, data consultancy, and software services. It operates through the OptumRx, OptumInsight, OptumHealth, and UnitedHealthCare segments. While we acknowledge the potential of UNH 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. BOSTON (SHNS) With a Feb. 3 deadline just two weeks away, Massachusetts Democrats warned Tuesday that the Trump administrations move to end protections for Haitians could upend thousands of families statewide. At a Boston hearing, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Seth Moulton sharply criticized the administrations plan to let Temporary Protected Status expire for Haitian immigrants, a decision that would put roughly 350,000 people nationwide including about 4,700 in Massachusetts at risk of deportation. Pressley underscored the scale of the issue in Massachusetts, home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the country. My district represents the third largest Haitian diaspora in the country. More than 77,000 Haitians call the commonwealth their home, she said. Advertisement Advertisement TPS is granted to people from countries facing conflict, natural disaster or other extraordinary conditions. TPS has received bipartisan support for over 30 years as a program, Pressley said, noting that Haitians have relied on the status since the 2010 earthquake and, more recently, after the assassination of Haitis president and a surge in gang violence. While the lawmakers focused their criticism on the Trump administrations decision to let the designation expire, both Pressley and Markey stressed that their advocacy has spanned administrations of both parties. Pressley said she has urged Democratic and Republican Presidents alike to support Haiti, to support Haiti in its efforts to build the nation, to support a democratic transition. Markey echoed that point, saying, I have called on every recent American president to designate, extend and re-designate TPS for Haiti. Advertisement Advertisement Still, the tone toward the current administration was clear. Markey said that despite evidence of worsening conditions, its clear to all, including the Trump administration, that Haitian TPS holders cannot return home safely. Thats what we give that protection for, because they cannot go home. Markey described a country paralyzed by violence and disaster. Since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, he said, gangs have seized control of much of Port-au-Prince, with kidnappings and armed attacks blocking access to medical care, education and commerce. Natural disasters have further battered Haitis already fragile infrastructure. The hearing came against the backdrop of an ongoing federal court case in Washington, D.C., where lawyers are seeking to block the expiration of TPS while a lawsuit challenging the administrations decision proceeds. A federal judge is expected to rule by Feb. 2, the day before the protections are scheduled to end. The potential reversal marks a turn from 18 months ago, when the Biden administration extended Haitis TPS designation through Feb. 3, 2026, citing ongoing violence, political instability and environmental disasters. That extension was welcomed by Massachusetts officials, who noted that Haitians made up the vast majority of new arrivals to the state at the time. Many of these immigrants took low-paying jobs filling gaps in the health care sector. Advertisement Advertisement Advocates of the administrations decision say the move is part of a broader push to enforce immigration laws and return TPS to its original temporary intent, with the Department of Homeland Security arguing that permitting Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest. This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary, a DHS spokesperson said in an announcement from June about the termination of the status. The spokesperson said, The environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home. At Tuesdays hearing, lawmakers emphasized the economic and social ties Haitian TPS holders have built in Massachusetts. Markey offered a personal reflection from his hometown. Advertisement Advertisement I live in Malden My neighbors are now Haitians in ward two in Malden, and they work hard. They work two jobs, he said. Moulton framed the issue through his experience responding to the 2010 earthquake as a veteran accompanying Boston medical teams. What I witnessed in Haiti was the best of Boston, the best of Massachusetts, the best of America showing up to help those in need, he said. He said that Haitians who later settled in Massachusetts have repaid that compassion, strengthening the American quilt as their fabric has become interwoven with our own. Allowing TPS to expire now, Moulton said, would tear all that apart. Advocates and TPS holders on the panel described the personal toll of the uncertainty. Franklin Soults of 32BJ SEIU said one of the misunderstandings about TPS is that it does not provide a direct pathway to citizenship or permanent residency, such as through a green card. Advertisement Advertisement There is no path for them to normalize their status, to turn it into something permanent, he said, adding that hes advocated for years in Washington unsuccessfully to reform this. Soults read testimony from Jerome, a Haitian TPS holder living on the North Shore with his wife and 10-year-old daughter, a U.S. citizen. Jeromes wife, a caretaker, expects to lose her job when TPS expires next month. Jerome said his daughter tries hard in school, but hes beginning to see the anxiety wear on her. I can see the stress of her thinking all the time, what will my life be like if my parents cant be with me? Soults said, reading from Jeromes testimony. Advertisement Advertisement Another panelist, Bruno, who fled Haiti after the 2010 earthquake destroyed the grocery store he owned and operated there, spoke about how grateful hes been to raise his three children in the United States. He is a driver for the MBTA who is also working on getting his commercial drivers license. We are profoundly grateful to the United States for welcoming us down in that time of crisis, he said. My children have been brought up, been educated here, and become part of the fabric of Massachusetts. This is their home today. 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. Download the 22News Plus app on your TV to watch live-streaming newscasts and video on demand. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Washington Leaders in Congress released the final four measures to fund the government Tuesday, as lawmakers race to avoid another government shutdown at the end of the month. Congress has until Jan. 30 to fund the remaining government agencies and programs, after approving a three-bill funding package as part of the effort to end the longest government shutdown in history in November, while the majority of government funding was extended on a temporary basis. Since then, the House and Senate approved another three-bill funding package, and last week, the House approved two more funding measures, which the Senate is expected to take up upon its return to Washington next week. Advertisement Advertisement House and Senate appropriators released the text of the final package of four bills, known as a "minibus," Tuesday. The legislation would provide funding related to the departments of Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Homeland Security. The House had dropped plans to include the Homeland Security Department appropriations last week following the deadly shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis. Democrats had threatened to withhold their support for the funding if it did not include ICE reforms. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democratic appropriator in the Senate, said in a statement Tuesday that Democrats had reined in the GOP on the funding measure. "In this bill, Democrats defeated Republicans' hard-fought push to give ICE an even bigger annual budget, successfully cut ICE's detention budget and capacity, cut CBP's budget by over $1 billion, and secured important, although still insufficient, new constraints on DHS," Murray said. "The bill rejects all Republican poison pill riders and significantly reduces Secretary Noem's ability to move around funding as she sees fit under a CR." File: Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, left, and Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine and chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, during a hearing on June 25, 2025. / Credit: Eric Lee / Bloomberg via Getty Images (Eric Lee / Bloomberg via Getty Images) Democrats lauded new restrictions on DHS' ability to allocate funds for things like immigration enforcement if it does not comply with reporting requirements, along with new training requirements for officers. The funding measure allocates $20 million for body cameras for immigration enforcement agents. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democratic appropriator in the House, acknowledged some of her colleagues "may be dissatisfied with any bill that funds ICE," adding that while the bill "takes several steps in the right direction," it doesn't include broader reforms that Democrats had proposed. But the two Democratic appropriators urged that neither of the alternatives in the funding fight a continuing resolution to keep the government funded or a government shutdown would rein in ICE, due to funding allocated in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year. The House is expected to vote on the final funding measures before breaking for recess at the end of the week, while the Homeland Security funding measure will likely be considered separately from the other three measures. The package would then move to the Senate, which will have a few days to approve the six funding bills by Jan. 30, before sending them to the president's desk for his signature. Billy Bob Thornton on how his "Landman" role is a personal phenomenon Venezuelans sent by the U.S. to harsh Salvadoran mega-prison detail beatings Full interview: Sen. Chris Coons says Trump is risking trade war, collapse of NATO over Greenland A law blocking cities and counties from enacting new restrictions on developers would be scaled back under a measure advancing in the Florida Senate although it may not go far enough, some critics say. The law approved last year is a broad emergency management measure which bars local governments from imposing planning requirements seen as more restrictive or burdensome than those already on the books. Opponents derided it as a political gift to builders and developers, whose industry lobbied hard for its passage during the last legislative session. Advertisement Advertisement The measure now is being challenged in court, with more than two dozen cities and counties calling it the largest incursion into local home rule authority in Floridas modern history. Its also led to a host of planning proposals being put on hold or repealed outright, drawing loud complaints from many community groups. While contentious, the law approved last year fits a pattern of Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature taking steps to limit the authority of cities and counties. A wide range of laws in recent years have restricted the ability of local governments to tax, spend and advance public policies not supported by GOP leadership. Seeking a new balance Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-Indian Rocks Beach, who sponsored last years measure (SB 180) including the changes, said hes ready to dial back the law. He acknowledged it goes too far and is seeking a new balance. I want, through this bill, for these local jurisdictions to be able to make these changes through the comprehensive plans without getting in the way of folks and their ability to recover and rebuild after a storm, DiCeglie told the Senate Judiciary Committee Jan. 20. Advertisement Advertisement DiCeglies latest bill (SB 840) cleared its second Senate hearing on a 9-0 vote. Another bill (HB 1465) addressing the new law is awaiting its first House hearing. DiCeglies new approach narrows the scope of last years law, restoring the ability of cities and counties to enact building moratoriums within a year of being hit by a hurricane to protect stormwater and fresh water supplies, something that's currently prohibited. Instead of limiting planning changes from being applied in communities within 100 miles of a hurricane, the proposal would change state law to affect only cities and counties within 50 miles of a passing storm. The bill also would erase a provision of the current law that froze local land regulations and comprehensive plans in place for three years, going back to August 2024. New limits on who can sue local governments over disputed planning changes also are included in the measure now before senators. Advertisement Advertisement 1000 Friends of Florda, one of the organizations which sued in Leon County Circuit Civil court seeking to overturn the last year's law, did not testify before the Senate panel. The group has said the new legislation makes some progress (but) there's more work to be done to improve the bill. New approach draws some support from local officials DiCeglie, though, did get an endorsement from his hometown vice mayor. Janet Wilson of Indian Rocks Beach said she was also speaking on behalf of the Suncoast League of Cities and other governments struggling with the new law. We would like to say we support, Wilson said. Thank you for returning some local control .... Last years SB 180 targeted Florida counties listed in 2024 federal disaster declarations for the three hurricanes that hit the state: Debby, Helene and Milton. But since every Florida county was included in at least one of those designations, the new restrictions apply statewide. Advertisement Advertisement Power play... Property tax overhaul could give state more muscle over cities and counties Handcuffs cities and counties... Florida law handcuffs cities, boosts building and rebuilding. Is it a 'developer handout'? Under last years law, the state overturned Orange Countys new 25-year comprehensive plan and threatened building moratoriums approved in Deltona, Edgewater and Treasure Island. Windermere paused action on a new tree ordinance, Polk County delayed a proposed restriction on how many roosters could be on a property, Lake Park shelved an historic district plan, and Naples, Jupiter and Stuart received notices they were being sued under the law over various actions. Advertisement Advertisement A transportation plan set for Osceola Couty appeared at risk, and Manatee County delayed the reinstatement of wetlands protections, fearing it could violate the developer-friendly standard. Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, whose county postponed restoring wetlands protections because of the new law, told the Senate panel it was important to revise last years SB 180. He said there was confusion, burdensomely broad interpretations by executive agencies, and unintended and detrimental consequences for local growth management. Kruse added, Its clear we need clarification and a fix. SB 840 is a solution we have all been hoping for." Advertisement Advertisement John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Networks Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jkennedy2@gannett.com, or on X at @JKennedyReport. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Could contentious law favoring developers finally get a re-do? Former Stoughton Police officer Matthew Farwell said nothing in court as his attorney urged to a federal judge, in an issue of fairness, to move his case out of Boston to Providence, Rhode Island. Matthew Farwell is charged with causing the deaths of 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore and her unborn child in her Canton apartment back in 2021. A medical examiner has ruled Sandra Birchmores death a suicide. Advertisement Advertisement Federal prosecutors believe Farwell silenced Birchmore to prevent her from disclosing their affair which began when she was 15-years-old. They also believe he staged the scene to look like a suicide. At a change of venue hearing, Farwells lawyer said Farwell denies the accusations. She said sensational media coverage of the case has made it impossible to find an impartial jury. She pointed to this released video of a hooded, masked man that prosecutors allege is Farwell at Sandras apartment building before and after her death, Farwells lawyer said media coverage has been inflammatory. Words and imagery together make it impossible for jurors to shed it from their minds, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Barbara Wright is Sandra Birchmores cousin. She wants Farwells trial to stay in Boston. I think we are taking baby steps towards justice, and well get there, she said. The community is outraged by what a law enforcement officer was allowed to do and what he tried to do to a young person. Im sure he would try to do it again if he could, she said. Chief Judge Denise Casper heard the arguments from both sides today. She did not make a ruling. Casper said she wants to give the decision further thought. 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 For a while, it seemed as if neither police in pursuit nor spike strips could stop him. An Oregon man on Monday led Idaho state troopers on a 71-mile chase on Interstate 84 from Elmore County west to Payette County, authorities said in a news release. According to Idaho State Police: The 29-year-old driver from Salem began the chase at mile marker 80, roughly halfway between Boise and Mountain Home. Driving a Toyota Highlander SUV, the man traveled over 100 mph and drove around several spike strips before he finally ran over a set of the tire spikes at about mile marker 9, south of Fruitland. That caused him to swerve and crash into the freeways median. Advertisement Advertisement The driver was charged with felony eluding, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, and an outstanding felony warrant. Multiple local law-enforcement agencies assisted with the pursuit. The incident remains under investigation. Prisoner attacks, injures employee at top-security prison near Boise, state says Sex work. Reckless driving. Wearing masks. Idaho lawmakers want to crack down Idaho driver charged in U.S. 20 traffic death of devoted husband, father A man died near a Boise day care center. Neighbors push to slow traffic Fliers advertising white supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan were found in a downtown Lexington neighborhood late Sunday night and early Monday morning, according to the neighborhood associations president. The hate groups fliers came in advance a federal holiday celebrating the life of Civil Rights Movement leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is unclear who distributed them. The distribution of fliers alarmed residents of the Kenwick area, like Blake Hall, president of the neighborhood association. Hall said he reacted with disgust. Advertisement Advertisement According to photos of the fliers sent to the Herald-Leader, one sought young recruits for the KKKs Youth Clan Corps (sic). Another flier called the MLK holiday James Earl Ray Day, after the assassin who killed King. The fliers were also found in the smaller Bell Court neighborhood, closer to downtown, as well. Jen Davis Keefe found them while on a nightly walk with her daughter, which began around 8:45 p.m. Last night we saw one flyer that was at the end of my neighbors driveway. We picked it up thinking it was just trash. Then we realized they were everywhere sidewalks, peoples yards, driveways. We ended up picking up about 100 of them, Keefe said. She said it seemed like the fliers were being actively distributed during her walk. Advertisement Advertisement When we came back around, there were new flyers in places where we had already picked them up. It was almost like someone came behind us and put more out, Keefe said. Lexington hosts a well-attended demonstration in honor of Kings legacy every year on Jan. 19, featuring a march through downtown and remarks from community leaders. Hall told the Herald-Leader the reaction among his community has been unanimous. Its nice to see my neighborhoods universal rejection and revulsion against it, Hall said. He said a neighbor first reported seeing the fliers in their yard last night. Other residents in the area, which sits between Lexingtons downtown core and the Idle Hour area, spotted them this morning. Advertisement Advertisement Hall added Lexington police were called to the scene via a non-emergency line Sunday night. It seems like theyre going for shock and awe on MLK day and trying to get that attention. The fact that theyre doing it in the middle of the night shows how much of cowards they really are, Hall said. Lexington Police Department spokesperson Hannah Sloan wrote in a statement to the Herald-Leader the department has been made aware of the pamphlets in a Lexington neighborhood. She urged anyone with information to call LPD at 859-258-3600. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers at 859-253-2020 or online at www.bluegrasscrimestoppers.com. This is not an isolated incident. Similar fliers with racist propaganda were dropped off across Central Kentucky in October. Police in Frankfort reported KKK fliers in their community that month, as did officials in Midway. Jan. 12 Daniel, Lavare R., 45, pleaded guilty to unauthorized use of property, 30 days jail, 30 suspended. Hoel, Keith A., 40, of Lima, pleaded guilty to OVI; 1 prior in 10 years, 110 days jail, 100 suspended. Johnson, Samaya T., 23, pleaded guilty to OVI, breath greater than .17 grams, 10 days jail, 10 days suspended. Miller, Shawn A., 43, of Lima, found guilty of criminal damaging or endangering, 90 days jail. Advertisement Advertisement Ward, Gregory, 44, of Lima, pleaded guilty to reckless operation, 1 prior, 30 days jail, suspended with program. Warner, Ernest, 34, of Lima, pleaded guilty to persistent disorderly conduct, 30 days jail, 29 days suspended, 1 credited. Willey, William Walter, 33, of Ada, pleaded guilty to driving under suspension, 10 days jail, 10 suspended. Wyatt, Denise, 46, of Lakeview, pleaded guilty to physical control of vehicle while under the influence, 3 days jail, suspended with program. Jan. 13 Aliev, Anatolli, 39, of Bluffton, found guilty of assault, 180 days jail, 120 suspended, 18 credited. Carter, Michael, 25, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, two priors in 10 years, 365 days jail. Advertisement Advertisement Conley, Stacy 39 Criminal Damaging or Endangering 25CRB01164 Gay, Tiffany A, 40, of Lima, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, 30 days jail,25 suspended, 5 credited. James, Charles, 52, of Lima, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, 90 days jail, 70 suspended, 1 credited; pleaded guilty to resisting arrest, 90 days jail, 90 suspended. King, Trevor L, 26, of Wapakoneta, pleaded guilty to obstructing official business, 90 days jail, 16 days credited. Lowry, Samuel D, 56, of St. Marys, pleaded guilty to persistent disorderly conduct, 30 days jail, 30 suspended. Plaugher, Cassandra L, 30, pleaded guilty to return and payment of tax, 30 days jail, 30 suspended. Advertisement Advertisement Ritchie, Eric M, 48, of Lima, pleaded guilty to unauthorized use of property, 10 days jail, 10 suspended. Watt, Kirsten M, 28, pleaded guilty to persistent disorderly conduct, 30 days jail, 30 suspended. Jan. 14 Bowens, Diamond, 26, of Lima, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxication, 1 prior in 10 years, 180 days, 170 suspended. Chilcoat, Quintin, 21, of Lima, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, 5 days jail, 5 suspended. Florence, Millennium M., 25, of Lima, pleaded guilty to theft without consent, 180 days jail, 150 suspended. Jackson, Stephanie D, 56, of Lima, pleaded guilty to theft without consent, 180 days jail, 150 suspended. Advertisement Advertisement Johns, Lakin M., 34, of Lima, pleaded guilty to use, possession or sale of drug paraphernalia, 10 days jail. Jones, Carol S., 68, of Elida, pleaded guilty to theft without consent, 90 days jail, 90 suspended. Mason, Steven C., 46, of Lima, pleaded guilty to possessing drug abuse instruments, 90 days jail, 80 suspended. Milum, Tina, 53, of Upper Sandusky, pleaded guilty to theft without consent, 60 days jail, 50 suspended. Saxe, Daniel W., 46, of Delphos, pleaded guilty to violating a protection order-domestic, 90 days jail, 71 suspended, 19 credited. Smaltz, Jason A., 47, pleaded guilty to obstructing official business, 30 days jail, 30 suspended; intoxication, fine. Advertisement Advertisement Jan. 15 Owens, Lurenzo Damond Jr., 33, of Lima, pleaded guilty to theft without consent, 180 days jail, 90 suspended; pleaded guilty to theft without consent, 180 days, 180 suspended, pleaded guilty to theft without consent, 180 days, 180 suspended. Jan. 16 Asselin, Brett Michael Jacoby, 23, of Lima, pleaded guilty to driving under suspension, 10 days jail, 10 suspended. Duvernay, Brian, 53, of Elida, pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, 30 days jail, 30 suspended. Gordon, Anthony R., 43, of Lima, pleaded guilty to assault, 180 days jail, 150 suspended. Hermiller, Lisa, 40, of Lakeview, pleaded no contest and found guilty of assault, 180 days jail, 150 suspended, 1 credited. Advertisement Advertisement Montry, Bryan E, 36, pleaded no contest and found guilty to operating a vehicle without a license,1+ prior lifetime, 30 days jail, 30 suspended. Orick, Cassie, 31, of Wapakoneta, pleaded guilty to use, possession or sale of drug paraphernalia, 7 days jail. Schoonover, Julia C., 25, of Lima, pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property, 90 days jail, 60 days suspended. Smith, Armst, 24, of Lima, pleaded no contest and found guilty of speed, 55 mph, two priors in 12 months, 30 days jail, 30 suspended. Stanley, Graham T., 29, of Delphos, pleaded guilty to physical control of vehicle while under the influence, 60 days jail, 54 suspended. By Dave Graham DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 20 (Reuters) - An agreement on sharing responsibility for the security of the Arctic and the North Atlantic could provide a way out of the stand-off between the United States and Europe over Greenland, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Tuesday. Nauseda told Reuters an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting that the Greenland row was overshadowing the war in Ukraine and playing into Russia's hands, and urged Washington to de-escalate tensions. Advertisement Advertisement "The best outcome would be just to agree on common responsibility on the security of the Arctic region and North Atlantic region. Is it possible to achieve? We should do our best to go this way, because this is the best way," he said. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday there was "no going back" on his aim of acquiring Greenland, refusing to rule out taking the Arctic island by force and rounding on allies. Trump's ambition to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark has threatened to blow apart the alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades. EU leaders are due to discuss their options at an emergency summit on Thursday which Nauseda said would show whether Europe can present a united front over Greenland. He said the next two weeks would probably show how the dispute is resolved. Advertisement Advertisement Nauseda said he hoped countries that can be sceptical about supporting Ukraine would understand that Europe has reached a critical juncture, arguing NATO's future is at stake. Trump is due to speak in Davos on Wednesday, and Nauseda said his hope was that the U.S. President would send out some signals towards de-escalating tensions over Greenland. Describing upholding territorial integrity as an "untouchable principle," Nauseda said there was always room to de-escalate. "But of course the precondition is that both sides want this de-escalation, and now I'm not sure. Europe is obviously willing to de-escalate. I hope that the United States will be too." Advertisement Advertisement The Lithuanian president said the Greenland dispute had diverted attention away from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, posing additional challenges for Europe's eastern flank. Ongoing support from Washington was vital while Europe set about taking on responsibility for its own security, he said. "Europe needs time in order to implement this strategic autonomy, not only on paper, but in reality," Nauseda said. "We need 10 to 15 years' time," he added. (Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Alexander Smith) Matt Frank, a lieutenant at the Tacoma Fire Department, has spent over half of his life in the fire service. Its because of that work, he says, that hes contracted cancer twice, a disease thats becoming all too common for firefighters. Thats why the Firefighter Cancer Support Network and International Association of Firefighters designated January as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, bringing eyes to the leading cause of line-of-duty death in the fire service. Matt Frank, a two-time cancer survivor and lieutenant firefighter at Station 13, stands for a portrait on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, at the station in Tacoma, Wash. (Liesbeth Powers/lpowers@thenewstribune.com) Franks cancer journey began in 2013 when he noticed a mole on his back. A year later, one of his lymph nodes was swollen. A doctors visit confirmed his suspicions: it was melanoma. Advertisement Advertisement After surgeries and three months of immunotherapy, his remission lasted four years, until a routine scan showed the unthinkable: the melanoma spread to his lungs. Today hes been cancer-free for six years. But not everyone has been as fortunate. Robert Bo Schiemer was an 11-year veteran TFD firefighter and Franks longtime best friend. The two had known each other since their sophomore year of high school and worked together at Station 1. When Schiemer was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2021, he saw the same oncologist and surgeon as Frank. Despite the long fight, Schiemer passed away two years later at 46, leaving behind a wife and four children. Advertisement Advertisement Every November since, Tacoma Firefighters Local 31 grow out their mustaches for Bovember, an annual mustache competition fundraising for firefighters battling occupational cancer. [Cancer] is just something thats in the back of your mind, but no firefighter ever thinks its going to be that, Frank said. Matt Frank, a two-time cancer survivor and lieutenant firefighter at Station 13, stands for a portrait on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, at the station in Tacoma, Wash. (Liesbeth Powers/lpowers@thenewstribune.com) Why do firefighters have high rates of cancer? Firefighters have a 9% higher chance of being diagnosed with cancer and 14% higher chance of dying from it than the general U.S. population, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The types of cancers firefighters experience are a broad list including testicular cancer, multiple myeloma, bladder cancer, skin cancer, non-Hodgkins lymphoma and a variety of others. Advertisement Advertisement So why are firefighters experiencing more cancer than the rest of us? It has a lot to do with higher exposures to carcinogens. Fires create toxic combustion products in smoke and soot that remain airborne even when the fire is out, according to the IAFF, making inhalation the most common route of exposure. Particulates can enter through the skin, or even be accidentally ingested if a firefighters hands arent washed thoroughly. And todays prevalence of plastics in buildings and products means even more toxic chemicals are released when they burn. Now we have all the petroleum-based products, and so our fires are much different than they used to be, Frank said. Advertisement Advertisement The carcinogens dont just come from the blazes departments fight. Theyre in the diesel exhaust of vehicles, and even the gear firefighters use. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, are a category of chemicals linked to cancer and often used for creating firefighting foam and firefighting gear that repels water. Its that same repellent quality that makes the chemicals difficult to break down, and as a result they stay in the human body for a long time. Though its not officially classified as a carcinogen, scientists have identified links to the substances mechanisms, such as disrupting cell metabolism and damaging DNA, to the development of human cancers. Combine that research with the studies showing firefighters have higher levels of PFAS in their blood than the general population, and youve got a serious concern for firefighters. How are departments addressing cancer risks? As awareness of cancer risks on the job spreads, stations have been taking steps to mitigate their crews exposure. Advertisement Advertisement In the last four years, four firefighters in Pierce County died from occupational cancer, Division Chief of Health and Wellness Jeff Campbell said. Jeff Campbell, a Division Chief with Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, speaks on the health and wellness division that he runs at the department on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Puyallup, Wash. (Liesbeth Powers/lpowers@thenewstribune.com) Central Pierce is an all-hazards department, meaning it takes care of fires, water rescues, hazmat situations, technical rescues, car accidents and more. Since each incident has a different exposure risk, the health and wellness department developed thorough practices to limit cancer risks. After dealing with a structure fire, firefighters are sprayed off with water and carefully take their gear off with gloves or the help of another person. Responders vitals are monitored in a clean environment and they take a cold shower with special soap once they are back at the station. Cleaning turnout gear twice a year with a CO2 machine that strips out chemicals is another way to remove carcinogens from dirty outerwear. Their stations are divided into zones to ensure that contaminated equipment never enters the living quarters. Advertisement Advertisement These protective measures arent just protocol for the fires they fight. Its just as important to mitigate exposure to carcinogens inside of fire stations, Campbell said. Having a smoky helmet thats all black is not cool anymore, Campbell said. The department also contracts comprehensive annual physicals for their workers that can detect early-stage cancers. What were trying to do is get ahead of things and when bad things do happen to our firefighters, to get them quick access to the service so that we can get them back to work quicker, Campbell said. Jeff Campbell, a Division Chief with Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, points out some of the best practices used for contaminated fire equipment on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Puyallup, Wash. (Liesbeth Powers/lpowers@thenewstribune.com) Central Pierces robust health and wellness program isnt present at every department in Pierce County. Advertisement Advertisement Although there have been major strides with providing personal protective equipment for firefighters, significant improvements still need to be made in Tacoma, Allyson Hinzman, a lieutenant paramedic for TFD and union president for Tacoma Firefighters Local 31, told The News Tribune. What youll see in other departments is they have extra sets of gear that they can change into. They have decontamination rooms. They have thorough decontamination processes, Hinzman said. In Tacoma, we just dont have the budget to do that. Tacoma Fire needs improved facilities and new equipment to properly address cancer risks in its departments, she said. But with the citys current funding for the fire department falling short, the changes arent fiscally possible. Many stations in Tacoma are decades old, constructed during times when stations werent set up to have decontamination spaces or places to isolate contaminated gear, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Were wearing older gear that has PFAS in it, Hinzman said. And so every time I move my gear, those protocols are exposing not only myself, but everyone thats in those spaces with me, too. What are the resources for firefighters with cancer? The Washington State Council of Firefighters Cancer Foundation is the brainchild of retired Shoreline Fire Department Battalion Chief Eric Monroe and the late Kirkland Battalion Chief Bill Hoover. The pair shared a passion for firefighter safety, and Hoover himself was a cancer survivor. Together, they created the Washington chapter of the nonprofit to gather all the resources and educational materials a firefighter diagnosed with cancer might need. Our goal is that when somebody does get a cancer diagnosis, a firefighter or a family member, that we could respond to them within 24 hours and try to set them up for success, Monroe said. Advertisement Advertisement Not only does the nonprofit help with managing a new diagnosis, but it also guides people through filing workers compensation claims and developing webpages to cultivate community support. Over the years Monroes seen a steady increase in the number of firefighters with cancer using their resources, which he partly attributes to the fields push toward more preventive healthcare and early detection. Theyve had 45 different firefighters whove contracted cancer reach out to their organization in 2025, he said. The best way to address the cancer problem is through education, not just prevention, Monroe said. The organization frequently gives presentations to fire academies, departments, investigators, commissioners and more about the risks of cancer in firefighting. We want them all to be aware of our program and the cancer issue, Monroe said. Ultimately, the chiefs and the commissioners are the decision makers and policymakers, and so we want them to have the most current information. The understanding of cancers linked to firefighting still has a long way to go, which is why the CDC established the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer. The International Association of Firefighters encourages every firefighter not just those with cancer to join the program and help researchers better understand the cancer risk in the profession. The UK government on Tuesday gave China the green light to build a "mega-embassy" in the heart of London eight years after Beijing bought the site, triggering fresh anger from residents and rights groups. The 20,000-square-metre (235,000-square-foot) site is set to become the largest embassy complex in the UK by area, and one of the largest in the centre of a Western capital. But it could still face legal challenges and residents vowed Tuesday to act. Advertisement Advertisement Housing minister Steve Reed's decision to grant planning permission came after several delays over national security concerns. There have also been protests by activists who fear the sprawling site could be used to spy on and harass dissidents. Reed said the decision was now final, barring a successful challenge in court. A government spokesperson said intelligence agencies had helped to develop a "range of measures... to manage any risks". "Following extensive negotiations in recent months, the Chinese government has agreed to consolidate its seven current sites in London into one site, bringing clear security advantages," the spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Security minister Dan Jarvis said China would continue to pose national security threats. But he said after "detailed consideration of all possible risks around this new embassy... I am assured that the UK's national security is protected". There was anger though among the MPs, local residents and campaigners who have opposed the plans. The decision "means more interference, more influence operations and more intimidations of people like me", said activist Chloe Chueng, from the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation. Mark Nygate, the treasurer of the Royal Mint Court Residents Association, told a press conference: "We have to study the decision but we think there are a number of grounds for review which we will develop." Advertisement Advertisement "This is a terrible decision that ignores the appalling brutality of the Chinese Communist Party," said Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith, highlighting allegations of forced labour and cyberattacks. - 'Really afraid' - The right-wing Daily Telegraph newspaper said last week it had obtained unredacted plans showing the site would house 208 underground rooms, including a "hidden chamber". The newspaper said Beijing planned to demolish and rebuild a wall between the embassy and sensitive underground internet cables. But the new embassy also appears to be a sticking point in bilateral ties. Advertisement Advertisement China has voiced frustration at the delays and has raised the issue with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Media reports say the Labour leader, who is seeking to reset ties with the economic powerhouse, will visit China later this month. Starmer's office has not confirmed the trip, which would be the first visit by a UK prime minister since 2018. Ties between the two nations fell to new lows under the previous Conservative government, defeated by Labour in 2024. While the embassy approval should help boost relations, other concerns over alleged Chinese espionage activity in Britain and a rights crackdown in Hong Kong could still complicate matters. Advertisement Advertisement Last month, Starmer acknowledged that while China provided significant economic opportunities for the UK, it also posed "real national security threats". There have been multiple protests against the embassy plans in London, with hundreds gathering outside the proposed site at the weekend. A protester who gave his name only as Brandon because he feared reprisals told AFP on Saturday he thought the plans raised a "lot of concerns". "I don't think it's good for anyone except the Chinese government," said the 23-year-old bank employee, who moved to Britain from Hong Kong. aks-mp/jkb/jxb Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in. Guggenheim Investments is not The Godfather Part IIIs Michael Corleone, but the ETF business is all but inescapable for asset managers nowadays. The company was once a major player in US ETFs, but it sold that $37 billion business line to Invesco in 2017. Last week, it filed for the first such products since, including an Ultrashort Bond ETF and five others: Short Duration Income, Investment Grade CLO, Enhanced Equity Income, Core Plus Bond and Securitized Income ETFs, all of which would be actively managed. Similarly, famed bond investor Jeffrey Gundlachs firm DoubleLine made a rare new product filing, indicating its plans for the forthcoming Ultrashort Income ETF. How refreshingly vanilla. Boring is good when it comes to ETFs. This one is actively managed, but ultrashort income is just about as boring as they get, Todd Sohn, senior ETF and technical strategist at Strategas Securities, said, referring to the DoubleLine fund specifically. But boring doesnt mean unpopular. Its a huge category, he said. Pimcos Enhanced Short Maturity Active ETF (MINT), for example, has $15 billion in assets. SUBSCRIBE: Receive more of our free ETF Upside newsletter. READ ALSO: Gold ETFs Shine as Prices Hit New Highs and Behind BlackRocks Proposed Bitcoin Premium Income ETF Short on Income The timing is interesting, Sohn noted. Potential rate cuts by the Fed later this year could mean declining yields, and that could encourage investors to move assets out of money markets, Treasurys and cash, he said. US Ultrashort bond ETFs hit what appears to be a record for inflows last year, pulling in $90 billion, compared with a recent high of $57 billion in 2022, per Morningstar Direct data. That helped raise total assets in the category to $313 billion at the end of last year, up from $223 billion in 2024. Both companies have significant reach in the industry: Across eight ETFs, DoubleLine has about $2 billion in assets under management, compared with $51 billion in its mutual funds. Like other mutual fund sponsors, it has been bleeding assets, with nearly $2 billion in net outflows from those products in 2025. Guggenheim has about $50 billion in mutual fund assets under management and saw more than $400 million in net inflows last year. The company has eight US fixed income mutual funds, and there isnt much overlap with its ETF filings. If Its Not Fixed, Dont Break It: Fixed income has been a major area of development for ETF issuers over the past year, particularly in active management. And investors are clearly interested in ultrashort income. They probably have client demand for it, Sohn said. Assuming they have the distribution, that could make for a successful product. This post first appeared on The Daily Upside. To receive exclusive news and analysis of the rapidly evolving ETF landscape, built for advisors and capital allocators, subscribe to our free ETF Upside newsletter. Homeowners in unincorporated Longwood say they are concerned they may be required to abandon their septic tanks, some of them newly installed, and connect to a private utilitys sewer system. Its a change that many residents along Azalea Drive say they want to avoid. The issue involves Sunshine Water Services, which operates a wastewater treatment plant near the neighborhood, not far from Lake Brantley. Advertisement Advertisement Residents say what began as a survey has raised fears the company could move forward with sewer expansion regardless of homeowner support. I want to have nothing to do with that company, said homeowner Jesse Hanson. If anything, the only thing I need from that company is another $10,000 for the damage theyve done to my property over the years. Hanson said Sunshine Water initially sent residents a survey asking whether they would be interested in switching from septic tanks to the companys sewer system. He said he was later told the company may proceed even if residents do not agree. When they do put it in, if we dont hook up to their sewer line within a timely manner, well be penalized for that, Hanson said. Advertisement Advertisement Some neighbors say their concerns go beyond potential connection costs and focus on the companys past performance. I remember tainted water going down our roads, down our gutters, said Hansons neighbor Jessie Purdie. In 2019, Sunshine Water, then operating under the name Utilities Inc., reported spilling 1.2 million gallons of raw sewage into the neighborhood, flooding nearby streets. Channel 9 visited Sunshine Waters office for comment, but the office was closed due to the holiday. The company later responded in writing, confirming it sent letters to residents to evaluate interest in a possible septic-to-sewer conversion. Advertisement Advertisement Sunshine Water Services does not currently provide service to residents on Azalea Dr. in Longwood. Sunshine Water sent a letter and survey to residents in this area last year to gauge the interest of residents to connect to our sewer system, as residents in this area currently rely on septic systems. The utility went on to write: If there was interest, Sunshine Water would pursue potential state grant funding to help share the related costs, which are usually the responsibility of the residents. Despite that explanation, some residents remain skeptical about the process. It seems like they already have a go for what theyre doing, Purdie said. Advertisement Advertisement Sunshine Water said converting homes from septic to sewer could help regulators reduce pollution in the sensitive Wekiva Priority Focus Area (WPFA). The utility also said Florida Statutes (Section 381.00655) and the Water Basin Management Plan prohibit new septic tanks or the replacement of septic tanks within the WPFA on lots less than one acre. The company said it is still measuring interest from residents and that no final decisions have been made. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Jan 20 (Reuters) - The world is facing irreversible water "bankruptcy", with billions of people struggling to cope with the consequences of decades of overuse as well as shrinking supplies from lakes, rivers, glaciers and wetlands, U.N. researchers said on Tuesday. Nearly three-quarters of the global population live in countries classified as "water insecure" or "critically water insecure", and 4 billion people face severe water scarcity at least one month per year, the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health warned in a report. "Many regions are living beyond their hydrological means, and many critical water systems are already bankrupt," said Kaveh Madani, lead author and director of the institute. Advertisement Advertisement "By acknowledging the reality of water bankruptcy, we can finally make the hard choices that will protect people, economies and ecosystems," he said. The report said water supplies are "already in a post-crisis state of failure" after decades of unsustainable extraction rates that have drawn down water "savings" contained in aquifers, glaciers, soils, wetlands and river ecosystems, with supplies also degraded by pollution. More than 170 million hectares of irrigated cropland - an area larger than Iran - are under "high" or "very high" water stress, and economic damage from land degradation, groundwater depletion and climate change amounts to more than $300 billion a year worldwide, the report said. Three billion people and more than half of global food production are concentrated in areas already facing unstable or declining water storage levels, while salinisation has also degraded more than 100 million hectares of cropland, it said. Advertisement Advertisement The researchers wrote that the current approach to solving water problems was no longer fit for purpose, and the priority was not "returning to normal" but a new "global water agenda" designed to minimise damage. However, Jonathan Paul, geoscience professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, said the report did not address one major factor behind the crisis. "The elephant in the room, which is mentioned explicitly only once, is the role of massive and uneven population growth in driving so many of the manifestations of water bankruptcy," he said. (Reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Hugh Lawson) NEED TO KNOW A $1 billion construction project in North Queensland, Australia, has been suspended amid a workers' food safety crisis The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) raised concerns about standards after receiving a photo of a worker's meal containing larvae "I wouldn't feed that to my dog," said ETU State organizer Robert Hill A photo of a maggot-infested meal is raising concerns over the food given to workers on a $1 billion construction project in Australia. On Tuesday, Jan. 13, the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) issued a news release expressing concerns that gastro outbreaks, bacterial poisoning and salmonella could occur among workers on the Genex Kidston Pumped Hydro Project in North Queensland due to the meals they are being served. Advertisement Advertisement ETU State organizer Robert Hill said larvae in meals show a breach of food safety standards, while emphasizing possible negligence in the handling, storage and preparation of food. Multiple workers have reported gastrointestinal illness over an extended period, and I experienced the same during my last visit, said Hill, per the news release. ETU Queensland and Northern Territory Contaminated meal at the Genex project Contaminated meal at the Genex project 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. Hill said hygiene and food safety standards at the camp where project workers are living have fallen to an unacceptable level." He also shared a photo of a workers meal taken on Jan. 10 that appeared to show larvae present. Advertisement Advertisement This has many wondering what they consume when their food is covered in gravy or curry, etc. and is clearly not acceptable. I wouldn't feed that to my dog, he added, per the news release. ETU has argued that Genex needs to be held to account by providing copies of all food safety audits alongside the qualifications of the auditors. In addition to the contaminated food, theyve also had workers complain about a shortage of meals due to flooding in the area, making roads inaccessible. The camp where the workers live is located three hours away from the nearest stop, according to news.com.au. ETU Queensland and Northern Territory Flies on a worker's meal at the Genex project Flies on a worker's meal at the Genex project The ETU added that theyd also received reports of other food contaminations, including mould and flies, in an updated news release on Jan. 15. Advertisement Advertisement Our members dont know whether the next meal theyre served will make them sick, said Hill. What theyre experiencing is a smorgasbord of contamination maggots, flies, mould and its happening in a remote camp where workers have no alternative food options. He continued, Workers are literally playing Russian Roulette each time they eat. The level of desperation is extraordinary. Workers have reported feeling hungry, frustrated and mistreated, with some now discussing paying out of their own pockets to helicopter a food drop into the remote area. "A situation more reminiscent of a humanitarian aid operation than a state-backed infrastructure project, Hill concluded, per the news release. ETU Queensland and Northern Territory Mould on food at the Genex project Mould on food at the Genex project The allegations have led to work on the multi-million-dollar project being halted as of Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported. Over 150 people are assumed to work on the construction project. Advertisement Advertisement Having recently received a list of required improvements from the local council, a Genex spokesperson told the outlet, Genex has decided to temporarily suspend the operation of the camp facility while the improvement requirements are actioned. Genex is supporting the contractor to demobilise the workforce from the site, and will maintain the operation of the camp facility until this has occurred, the spokesperson said. Genex and the ETU did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Read the original article on People A Maine man has been charged with murder in connection with the death of his 12-week-old infant daughter, state police said Tuesday. Shawn Samuels, 24, of Orrington is also charged with Domestic Violence Elevated Aggravated Assault (Class A) and two counts of Violation of Bail (Class E), state police said. On Friday morning, Jan. 16, the Penobscot Regional Communication Center received a 911 call reporting that a 12-week-old infant had become unresponsive. Advertisement Advertisement Members of Orrington Fire and Rescue, the Brewer Fire Department, and the Penobscot County Sheriffs Office responded. The infant, identified as Lyla Samuels, was transported to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Detectives with the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit-North arrested Shawn Samuels on Saturday on domestic violence charges. On Sunday, detectives learned that Lyla had died. An autopsy ruled the infants death a homicide. The cause of death is tentative pending final testing. Detectives arrested Shawn Samuels for murder following the autopsy. He is scheduled to appear in the Penobscot County Judicial Center in Bangor via Zoom on Wednesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators called the homicide an isolated incident with no ongoing public safety concerns. Anyone with relevant information related to this case is urged to call 207-973-3700, ext. 9 and ask to speak with Detective Dana Austin. Information related to this case may also be submitted to the Major Crimes UnitNorth via an online tip portal. If you or someone you know is a victim of a crime related to domestic abuse in Maine, call the Statewide Domestic Violence Helpline at 1-866-834-HELP. 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 Malawi's energy regulator has hiked petrol and diesel prices by more than 40%, marking the second time fuel costs gone up in four months. In a statement on Tuesday, the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) said the fixed pricing system of the previous government was "unsustainable" and had led to "significant" losses. President Peter Mutharika, who returned to power last year, has been trying to revive Malawi's ailing economy. Advertisement Advertisement However, local commentators said Tuesday's fuel increase could harm the president's efforts and worsen the cost-of-living crisis for many Malawians. "Fuel is not a luxury commodity. Any increase has a cascading effect on the cost of living," the Human Rights Defenders Coalition, a Malawian civil society group, said. In its statement, Mera said it was increasing diesel prices by 41.3% and petrol prices by 41.9%. The hike means that since Mutharika came to power in October, the cost of petrol and diesel has gone up by 95% and 80% respectively. Advertisement Advertisement Under previous President Lazarus Chakwera fuel shortages were a major source of public frustration, with motorists forming long, winding queues at depleted petrol stations. However, the supply has improved significantly over the past two months. Mera said it is now operating under an "automatic pricing mechanism", where petrol and diesel prices change in line with the expenses involved in shipping the fuel. In the wake of the announcement, sharp increases in transport fares have already been reported in most parts of the country. Prices of other key services and goods, such as food, are also expected to rise. Commodity prices had already started to go up following the previous fuel hike, which was implemented in October, and this month's increase in the sales tax. Advertisement Advertisement Mera's acting CEO Dad Chinthambi said the hike in fuel prices was necessary "to ensure sustainable fuel supply, electricity services, and the proper remittance of levies to support road maintenance and rural electrification projects". The government is also trying to improve the government's finances and negotiate a new package of help from the International Monetary Fund. Across social media and radio phone-in programmes, many Malawians voiced disappointment in Mera's decision, saying they expected Mutharika's administration to improve people's circumstances and not produce the same economic outcomes as the previous government. [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 A catastrophic collapse of healthcare services in Malawi a year after US funding cuts is undoing a decade of progress against HIV/AIDS, providers warn, leaving some of the most vulnerable feeling like "living dead". In the impoverished southern Africa country, the US government's decision to slash foreign aid in January 2025 has led to significant cuts in HIV treatments, a spike in pregnancies and a return to discrimination. Chisomo Nkwanga, an HIV-positive man who lives in the northern town of Mzuzu, told AFP that the end of US-funded specialised care was like a death sentence. Advertisement Advertisement After his normal provider of life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART) vanished due to budget cuts, he turned to a public hospital. "The healthcare worker shouted at me in front of others," Nkwanga recalled. "They said, 'You gay, you are now starting to patronise our hospitals because the whites who supported your evil behaviour have stopped?'" "I gave up," he said, trembling. "I am a living dead." More than one million of aid-dependent Malawi's roughly 22 million people live with HIV and the United States previously provided 60 percent of its HIV treatment budget. Advertisement Advertisement Globally, researchers estimate that hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths have been caused by the Trump administration's dismantling of US foreign aid, which has upended humanitarian efforts to fight HIV, malaria and tuberculosis in some of the world's poorest regions. - Lay offs, panic - In Malawi, the drying up of support from USAID and the flagship US anti-HIV programme, PEPFAR, has left a "system in panic", said Gift Trapence, executive director of the Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP). "The funding cut came on such short notice that we couldn't prepare or engage existing service providers," Trapence told AFP. Advertisement Advertisement "We had to lay off staff... we closed two drop-in centres and maintained two on skeleton staff," he said. "We did this because we knew that if we closed completely, we would be closing everything for the LGBTI community." The Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM) non-government organisation, a cornerstone of rural healthcare, has been forced to ground the mobile clinics that served as the only medical link for remote villages. "We had two big grants that were supporting our work, particularly in areas where there were no other service providers," said executive director Donald Makwakwa. Advertisement Advertisement "We are likely to lose out on all the successes that we have registered over the years," he said. A resident of a village once served by FPAM told AFP there had been an explosion in unplanned pregnancies when the family planning provider stopped work. "I know of nearly 25 girls in my village who got pregnant when FPAM suspended its services here last year," said Maureen Maseko at a clinic on the brink of collapse. - Progress undone - For over a decade, Malawi's fight against AIDS relied on "peer navigators" and drop-in centres that supported people with HIV and ensured they followed treatment. Advertisement Advertisement With the funding for these services gone, the default rate for people taking the HIV preventative drug PrEP hit 80 percent in districts like Blantyre, according to a report by the CEDEP. "This is a crisis waiting to happen," the report quoted former district healthcare coordinator Fyness Jere as saying. "When people stop taking PrEP, we increase the chances of new HIV infections... we are undoing a decade of progress in months," she said. Trapence noted that without specialised support, thousands of patients had simply disappeared from the medical grid. "We lost everything, including the structures that were supporting access... treatment and care," he said. str/br/kjm Video posted on the Citizen app on Saturday outside the Maritime Museum in San Francisco shows a man being chased down by a group of young people on bicycles. San Francisco police said the man had asked the group to slow down, which led to a confrontation. The confrontation escalated with the suspects attacking the man. The man tried to get away, later falling to the ground. Witnesses stepped in to help, as the group bikes off. MORE: Suspect arrested after attacking good Samaritan on San Carlos Caltrain platform Throughout the afternoon, multiple 911 calls reported groups of bicyclists causing chaos in the area, blocking the road, weaving between cars, and riding toward cars before veering off. Advertisement Advertisement SFPD confirms officers were dispatched to the museum address Saturday afternoon following reports of a robbery. In a statement to ABC7 News, SFPD said "multiple juveniles had battered and robbed a victim." MORE: Suspect found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in 2021 SF 'Grandpa Vicha' murder case When officers arrived, they found the victim, an adult male, suffering from injuries. Paramedics treated him at the scene for non-life-threatening wounds. According to police, the man had asked the bicyclists to slow down, which sparked a verbal confrontation that quickly turned physical. One suspect even took the man's property. Bystanders eventually intervened, and the group of cyclists took off. No arrests have been made. Police say the investigation remains open and active. Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is urged to contact the SFPD at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411, beginning the message with "SFPD." INTERACTIVE: Take a look at the ABC7 Neighborhood Safety Tracker If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live A 49-year-old man who shot and killed a teenager in 1994 in Dorchester when he was 18 after an attempted robbery has been granted parole. The Massachusetts Parole Board granted the parole of Kevin Denis, who was ultimately convicted of the first-degree murder of Diron Spence in 1996, and has served 30 years behind bars. He was also convicted of carrying a firearm without a license and received a sentence of 4 1/2 to 5 years, as well as 2 counts of armed assault to kill with a sentence of 15 to 20 for each count. Advertisement Advertisement In 1994, Denis, who was 18 at the time, shot and killed 17-year-old Diron Spence in Dorchester on the evening of August 19. On that night, Spence was standing on the corner of McLellan and Bradshaw Streets in Dorchester talking to his friend. Two young women, also friends of Mr. Spence were walking down Bradshaw Street and paused briefly to speak with him before continuing on their way. Moments after the women passed, Denis, who was wearing black pants, a black jacket, and a black ski mask approached Spence and his friend and demanded their money. His friend immediately began emptying his pockets, but Spence just stood there. Denis asked Spence, think Im playing? then pulled out a .357 Magnum revolver and shot Spence from a distance of a few feet. When the first shot was fired, his friend ran away without turning over any of the contents of his pockets. As four more shots were fired, three hit Spence, resulting in a fatal wound to the chest. Advertisement Advertisement Police would later find Denis in an apartment building and took him into custody. Following the Supreme Courts decision in 2024 where the court held the sentencing individuals who were ages 18 to 20 at the time of the offense to life without the possibility of parole is unconstitutional, Denis became eligible for parole. Denis was then resentenced to life with the possibility of parole, and he then appeared before the board for an initial hearing in June of 2025. According to the Massachusetts Parole Board, in making the determination for parole, the board takes into consideration an inmates institutional behavior, their participation in available work, educational, and treatment programs during the period of incarceration, and whether risk reduction programs could effectively minimize the inmates risk of recidivism. Advertisement Advertisement Denis scored a low risk on the LSCMI risk assessment tool, and after an evaluation, it was noted that Denis had undiagnosed and untreated mental health, cannabis use disorder, and development disorders at the time he committed the crime. The Parole Board also heard arguments in support of Denis parole, and against it. Denis was granted parole to a halfway house on January 12. He will also be monitored for curfew and supervision for drugs and liquor. He must have no contact with the victims family and must have mental health counseling for PTSD and Autistic Spectrum Disorder. 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 has been sentenced to 50 years in jail after pleading guilty to capital murder for the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend's 12-year-old son. The video above is from a previous report. Terry Rivera appeared in court on Tuesday, where he entered his plea, nearly two years after Carlos Fernandez's killing. On the night of the shooting in March 2024, authorities said Carlos was sleeping in a nearby room when someone walked up to the bedroom window and opened fire. Advertisement Advertisement Carlos' mother, Ashley Rostro, told ABC13 that her son was trying to protect her. Following the shooting, Rivera was arrested at the Gateway International Bridge at the border, where, at the time, authorities said he was trying to cross back into the U.S. from Mexico, after being on the run for a week. ABC13's cameras were rolling in the courtroom when Carlos' loved ones faced Rivera and gave emotional statements. "You took a part from all of us that we can no longer get back," Rostro said. "I pray that what you did to my son haunts you every single day that you're in prison, and you reflect on how selfish your action was, taking the life of an innocent 12-year-old child." Advertisement Advertisement When asked if he had anything to say, Rivera said, "I got a lot to say, I just don't want to say it," while also apologizing to his kids and stepson. RELATED: Cloverleaf 12-year-old murdered while defending his family from mother's abusive ex, she says A 30-year-old man was killed Saturday night in East Dallas after allegedly pointing a gun at another man, who then shot him, according to the Dallas Police Department. Anthony Turner was pronounced dead at the scene following the shooting, which occurred around 9:30 p.m. on January 17 in the 7400 block of Hunnicut Road. Police said officers responded to a shooting call and found Turner at the location. Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel pronounced him dead. Advertisement Advertisement According to the preliminary investigation, Turner pointed a gun at another man before being shot. Police have not identified the other individual involved or released additional details about the circumstances leading up to the incident. Detectives said the case will be referred to a grand jury. The investigation remains ongoing under case numbers 008397-2026 and 008546-2026. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective C. Fehrenbach at (214) 671-3671 or cody.fehrenbach@dallaspolice.gov. By Divya Chowdhury and Haripriya Suresh DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Artificial intelligence is underpinning technology deals that Indian software services providers are competing for, as companies move from AI test deployments to large projects, Wipro CEO Srini Pallia said. As budget constraints loosen, Wipro is bidding for several small AI deals alongside large- and mega-deals, Pallia said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, without providing details. "We'll go after both (small and large deals) because different clients, different industries, and different markets are at different maturity stages," he told the Reuters Global Markets Forum. Pallia acknowledged intense pricing pressure as AI compresses delivery timelines and team sizes, but predicted there will be more small deals due to AI. India's IT sector, which represents about $283 billion in annual revenue, was hit for several quarters by corporate cuts to technology spending as clients focused only on essential or cost-cutting initiatives amid geopolitical turmoil and macro uncertainties. Enterprise AI spending is moving from experimentation to accountability, and Wipro offers both AI consulting and IT services for this transition, he said. "For our clients, 2025 was more about deploying AI, proof of concepts, and bringing productivity benefits. That's dramatically changing in 2026 because the boards and the CEOs are asking them where the return on investment is," Pallia said. Pallia did not expect tech budgets to dramatically increase, but said clients are optimizing spending and adopting cost-saving technologies. AI-assisted software development will cost about 25% less, with significant productivity gains in coding and testing, he said. That will translate to "new and more projects, (and is) why IT budgets are not going to shrink in the long run," he said. Wipro in 2023 launched a three-year plan to invest $1 billion to advance its AI capabilities. (Join GMF on LSEG Messenger for live interviews: ) (Reporting by Divya Chowdhury in Davos and Haripriya Suresh in Bengaluru; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) A man returned to a restaurant with a gun after a fight Tuesday morning and started shooting, according to a witness. Atlanta police said the shooting suspect had a dispute with one or more people at Summit Cafeteria on Marietta Street NW. Officers responded just before 8 a.m. to the area near Centennial Park. The suspect is in custody, and a female victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition. Advertisement Advertisement Jamal Fortson, a witness, told Channel 2s Tom Jones that the shooter stood over the woman and kept firing. So, he shot at one guy like four times, he said. And then he shot at a girl ... in the front of the place right there when you walk through the door at least three to four times. The scene is blocks away from the Georgia State campus, and university police officers were in the area and heard gunfire. They said they found the suspect leaving the building with the gun in hand when they arrived and took the suspect into custody without incident, APD said. Investigators said a man at the restaurant was the intended victim but was not injured. No other victims or suspects were located. Advertisement Advertisement Police took the suspect to Public Safety Headquarters for processing, and multiple charges are pending. The investigation is ongoing. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A Paulding County man has been sentenced to life in prison plus 80 additional years after a jury convicted him of rape, aggravated child molestation, and gang-related offenses. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] According to the Paulding County District Attorneys Office, a jury found 22-year-old Jaylen A. McCrary, of Dallas, guilty on Jan. 15. The convictions include one count of rape, one count of aggravated child molestation, and four counts of violating Georgias Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. Advertisement Advertisement The charges stem from an investigation launched by the Paulding County Sheriffs Office after the victim reported a sexual assault in November 2021. During the four-day trial, the victim testified about the abuse, supported by lead detective Fred Berke, now chief investigator for the district attorneys office. TRENDING STORIES: After several hours of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts. Advertisement Advertisement Rape and child molestation are among the most insidious crimes we prosecute, said Robert S. Lane, Paulding Countys district attorney. They rob victimsespecially childrenof their innocence and their sense of safety. This conviction and sentence make clear that in Paulding County, rapists and child molesters will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. During the sentencing hearing, the victim delivered an impact statement describing the emotional toll of the crimes and the ongoing recovery process. A judge sentenced McCrary to life imprisonment, plus an additional 80 years to be served in the custody of the Georgia Department of Corrections. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] NEED TO KNOW Justin Andrew Busby was sentenced to life in prison after he was found guilty of sexual battery of a victim under 12 years old His Jan. 13 conviction also designated him a sexual predator The sentence follows allegations that he sexually abused a 10-year-old girl during a family vacation in Destin, Fla., between December 27, 2022, and January 3, 2023 A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison after he was found guilty of sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl on a family vacation. Justin Andrew Busby, who was over 18 years old at the time, was found guilty of sexual battery of a victim under 12 years by a jury on Jan. 13, Florida State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden said in a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Busby was a trusted family member to the 10-year-old victim. The sexual abuse occurred during a family vacation in Destin, Fla., between December 27, 2022, and January 3, 2023. The victim did not initially disclose the sexual abuse to anyone but later spontaneously disclosed it to her parents while back in her home in Mississippi, the news release said. She also alleged that she was abused in George County, Miss., WDAM reports. George County Assistant District Attorney George Huffman said an 8-year-old child also accused Busby of sexually abusing them, per WDAM. Local Mississippi law enforcement, including the Lucedale Police Department, conducted an investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Busby was arrested in connection with the 10-year-old's allegations in May 2023. He did not deny the allegations; however, when asked about the allegations, he minimized his actions. A grand jury in George County, Miss., later indicted Busby on one count of sexual battery of a victim under 14 and two counts of lustful touching of a minor, Huffman said, according to WDAM. Following his conviction in Florida, Busby's Jan. 20 status conference in George County, Miss., will be reset, Huffman said. He also has the ability to appeal the Florida conviction. With the recent ruling, the victims' families can also choose to move forward with a trial in Mississippi or not. PEOPLE reached out to the George County District Attorney's Office for comment. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. Read the original article on People Investigators are asking for help finding a man they want to question in a suspicious death from Monday. Deputies with the Richmond County Sheriffs Office are looking for Michael Lee Harrelson, who is accused of dropping off a womans body at Doctors Hospital in Augusta and then took off. Investigators said Harrelson went into the ER asking for help. A nurse went with him out of his car, where they found the woman slumped over in the front passenger side seat, unconscious and not breathing, according to an incident report obtained by WRDW-TV. Advertisement Advertisement Once the woman was brought inside, Harrelson took off. TRENDING STORIES: The woman has been identified as Selena Johnson, 41, from Hephzibah, WJBF-TV reported. Deputies said she was identified through fingerprints. for Investigators have not said how Harrelson is tied to Johnson at this point. He also has active arrest warrants for unrelated cases. Harrelson is 5 6 and weighs about 150 pounds. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Richmond County Sheriffs Office at 706-821-1020 or 706-821-1080. Photographers on the Isle of Man have captured one of the strongest recent displays of the Northern Lights. Nigel Fairclough, who lives near the Point of Ayre, has taken several snaps of the Northern Lights throughout the year as part of his hobby. He took photos of the display on Monday and said: "I was watching it dance above my head, it was too mesmerising to take photographs of it all the time." Advertisement Advertisement Kirsty Pendlebury from Ronaldsway Met Office said the lack of cloud that evening meant conditions were good to see the spectacle, particularly in the north of the island. Point of Ayre, the northern-most tip of the Isle of Man, last night dazzling under the light [Nigel Fairclough] Mr Fairclough said: "When you're taking a photograph, you sometimes miss the moment, you've just got to stand there and go 'wow', that's what I was doing last night. "The colours change in front of your eyes, a kaleidoscope of colours, it was magical - that's the only word to describe it. "I just like being out there under the stars, I couldn't believe I was out there on my own." Alan Kneen's photograph of the Northern Lights stretching over the island [Alan Kneen] The display comes during a period of high solar activity, called solar maximum, during the sun's 21-year cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Pendlebury said the Aurora Borealis has been seen on the island several times before, but its visibility to those on land depends on clear skies and a forecasted high solar activity. "This was the case for more northern parts of the island during the evening, before a weather front brought cloudier skies and outbreaks of rain which limited the potential to view them." Point of Ayre's Lighthouse, or 'The Winkie' and the Fog Horn last night [Nigel Fairclough] Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. More on this story BLUFFTON Maple Crest Senior Living Village will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house to celebrate the opening of its new fitness center at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 700 Maple Crest Court, Bluffton. The center features modern equipment designed with senior citizens in mind, along with wellness programming and opportunities for social interaction and engagement. We are excited to open the doors to this new fitness center and further our mission of supporting healthy, meaningful living for older adults, said Kayla Sonnenberg, program specialist for Symbria, the partner company for Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio for wellness and therapy services, in a statement. Marilyn Mosby wont get a do-over in her perjury and mortgage fraud case. A federal appeals court has denied a request to rehear the former Baltimore states attorneys appeal. The U.S. Attorneys Office and Mosbys attorneys had asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit to take up the case. Yet, no judges called for a vote on the matter, which means the appeal was automatically denied on Jan. 15, 2026. Capital B has reached out to Mosby for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Last summer, Mosby had a partial legal victory when one of her three federal convictions were overturned. In that 2-1 decision issued on July 11, the panel ruled the jury was given the wrong instructions regarding the mortgage fraud case. The panel upheld her two perjury convictions. After testifying in her own defense, Mosby was convicted by a jury in February 2024 for falsely claiming financial hardship during the pandemic in order to withdraw $50,000 from her own retirement account. She used the funds to purchase a condo in Longboat Key, Florida, in 2021. The appellate court kicked Mosbys case back to the district court for further proceedings. A date has not been set. In the 48-page decision out of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the judges cited the lack of evidence solidifying what actually happened, where, or when Mosby finalized a mortgage application that was the root to the allegations of the indictment. She had been traveling between Maryland and Florida at the time. Advertisement Advertisement This error could have been remedied by direction from the district court that the jury could establish venue by finding that an element of the crime was committed in Maryland, Judge Stephanie D. Thacker wrote in the decision. But that is not what the jury was told. Instead, both the district court and the government told the jury, The government need not prove that the crime itself was committed in this district [to establish venue]. Because the jury wasnt shown how any part of the crime was carried out, the court said, the judges couldnt tell how the jurors decided where the case should be tried. We are thus left to conclude that the error was sufficiently prejudicial to warrant reversal, Thacker wrote, and Judge G. Steven Agee concurred. Mosbys legal team argued her appeal in January 2025. Advertisement Advertisement This ruling allows Mosby to keep the $476,000 condo the government tried to force her to forfeit after her conviction, according to the decision. In a dissenting opinion, U.S. Appeals Court Judge Paul V. Niemeyer said he would have upheld Mosbys convictions. There was ample evidence for the jury to conclude that Mosby both prepared and transmitted the false gift letter in Maryland and that venue in that forum was therefore proper, he wrote. When a federal grand jury indicted Mosby in 2022, she was known as the youngest person in the U.S. ever elected to lead a prosecutors office. That same year, she lost her bid for reelection. Mosby had held the position since 2014, gaining national attention after the police-custody death of Freddie Gray and the subsequent acquittals and case dismissals involving six Baltimore police officers. Ahead of her sentencing in May 2024, Mosby faced up to 40 years in federal prison. In an interview with Capital B, she said that all she felt she had left were her two daughters and her grandmother, Marilyn Thompson, who raised her. The six-hour sentencing hearing, held in a packed Greenbelt, Maryland, courtroom, featured statements from Mosbys supporters and the reading of prewritten appeals for leniency addressed to Judge Lydia K. Griggsby, who presided over the case. Advertisement Advertisement Griggsby spared Mosby from prison, sentencing her to time served and ordering her to perform 100 hours of community service. With her two daughters at her side, Mosby walked out of the courthouse. Just a month into her court-ordered year of home confinement which required wearing a location monitoring device her grandmother, Thompson, who was in hospice care, passed away. This story has been updated. The post Federal Court Declines to Rehear Marilyn Mosbys Perjury and Mortgage Fraud Case appeared first on Capital B News. BOSTON (WWLP) Dolly, a dog who was recently taken in by Angell Medical Center in Boston, had to be humanely euthanized after being found wounded and emaciated. MSPCA-Angell stated that the roughly two-year-old dog, whom they called Dolly, was brought in on January 10th by an individual who reportedly found her outside in Lexington. Veterinarians discovered through early examinations that Dolly had wounds on her feet and tail and was nearly starved to death. Emaciated pit bull mix gets life-saving care in Boston Advertisement Advertisement When this dog came in, she was unbelievably thin and too weak to stand up, said Mike Keiley, vice president of the MSPCA-Angells Animal Protection Division. On the scale we use to measure a dogs body weight, she had the lowest possible scoremeaning she was as emaciated as she could be before passing. Courtesy of MSPCA-Angell. Keiley said that the young dog had a seizure shortly after arriving in Boston, believed to be caused by hypoglycemia. She also required a blood transfusion due to a gastrointestinal bleed of unknown origin and may need surgical treatment. Due to a medical emergency that left her oxygen dependent, medical staff made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize her. MSPCA-Angell said Dolly crossed the rainbow bridge on January 16th, surrounded by people who cared deeply for her and showered her with love, ice cream, and peanut butter. Despite only being with us for a short period of time, Dolly made a huge impact on our staff. We made a little memorial with her paw print in our Boston office, Sara-Rose Brenner of MSPCA-Angell told 22News. Courtesy of MSPCA-Angell. Keiley said it is believed that Dolly may have also lived in Boston. Anyone with information on Dollys owner is asked to call 800-628-5808 or visit mspca.org/tip. 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. Download the 22News Plus app on your TV to watch live-streaming newscasts and video on demand. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. A Massachusetts man and Level 2 sex offender has been indicted in federal court for possessing child sexual abuse material, the U.S. Attorney said Tuesday. Ralph Hannan III, 68, of North Reading, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. According to the charging documents, Hannan allegedly possessed child pornography involving a minor under the age of 12. Advertisement Advertisement If convicted, Hannan faces at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW The Trump administration has justified its ongoing immigration crackdown in Minnesota by citing a need to curb fraud and pointing to a widening scandal involving members of the Somali American community. Yet prosecutors say the mastermind of the state's biggest fraud scheme to date was not Somali but a White woman 45-year-old Aimee Bock. In an exclusive interview from her jail cell, Bock defended her conduct, admitted regrets and argued that state officials who she worked with should bear some of the blame. It was the first time Bock spoke publicly since she was arrested for her role in what prosecutors say was a $250 million COVID-era effort to defraud a federal program to feed hungry children. "I wish I could go back and do things differently, stop things, catch things," said Bock, who was the head of Feeding Our Future, the now-infamous nonprofit that signed up restaurants and caterers to receive taxpayer money for providing meals to kids. "I believed we were doing everything in our power to protect the program." Advertisement Advertisement So far, prosecutors have charged 78 defendants connected to Feeding Our Future, with more than 60 pleading guilty or convicted at trial. Nearly all are East African or of Somali descent, except for Aimee Bock. Aimee Bock in jail in Minnesota. / Credit: CBS News (CBS News) During a five-week trial last year, prosecutors alleged Bock signed off reimbursement claims for millions of meals that were never served. She was also charged with collecting bribes. Together, she and the meal site operators were accused of stealing tens of millions of federal dollars and spending it on luxury cars, real estate ventures and vacations. "That money did not go to feed kids," said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick at the time. "It was used to fund their lavish lifestyle." A jury convicted her on all counts. She's now awaiting sentencing and faces up to 33 years in prison. Evidence submitted at trial included text messages where Bock compared Feeding Our Future to the mob. Advertisement Advertisement "The jury saw overwhelming evidence of what Bock knew," said lead prosecutor Joe Thompson following the verdict. "She was at the head of the scheme from Day One. She signed every single fraudulent claim that was submitted to the state of Minnesota." Bock told CBS News she was neither mastermind nor mob boss. "It was heartbreaking," Bock said, describing the moment she heard the verdict. "I believe in accountability. If I had done this, I would've pled guilty. I wouldn't have gone to trial. I wouldn't have put my children and my family through what we've been through. I've lost everything." Last month, a judge ordered her to forfeit more than $5 million in proceeds from the scheme. Advertisement Advertisement "We relied on the state" Most of the millions federal officials seized from her were sitting in a bank account for the nonprofit, and Bock denied she personally lived a lavish lifestyle. She downplayed the items FBI agents found at her home when they raided it in 2022 a home she had lived in for more than a decade. "They found minimal jewelry," Bock said. "I believe it was like two pairs of earrings, a bracelet, a watch. There was some cash there." Bock's attorney, Kenneth Udoibok, shared video showing stacks of food at meal sites operated by Feeding Our Future contractors. Bock said she was doing everything in her power to root out fraud and terminated agreements with dozens of entities she believed were cheating the system. Advertisement Advertisement "I was the only one that stopped a claim and said, this is fraudulent," Bock said. "There are tens of millions of dollars in claims that we did not pay, that we refused." The sudden growth of Bock's organization was staggering. In 2019, Feeding Our Future submitted $3.4 million worth of meal claims. In 2021, it submitted nearly $200 million. Bock attributed the increase to the looser guidelines during the pandemic that allowed parents to pick up meals and bring them home. Asked whether the spike in volume raised red flags at the time, Bock claimed she had sign-off from Minnesota officials. "We relied on the state," she said, adding that local officials, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, would often visit the meal sites. "We told the state, this site is going to operate at this address, this time, and this number of children. The state would then tell us that's approved." Omar has denied she was aware of individuals defrauding the food program, and previously has condemned the misuse of funds. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has drawn widespread scrutiny for his handling of fraud in the state. But Walz has defended his administration's response, saying "we've spent years cracking down on fraudsters" and accusing the Trump administration of "politicizing the issue to defund programs that help Minnesotans." Advertisement Advertisement Udoibok, Bock's attorney, said state officials at the time weren't particularly interested in stopping the fraud, because the nonprofit was providing at least some food to an important constituency during a time of significant instability. "What is a lie is that they were policing this fraudulent activity at any time," Udoibok said. "They wanted a scapegoat. She ran the only food program in the state, so they pinned it on her." A spokesperson for Walz did not respond to a request for comment. "Nobody wants to be labeled a racist" Bock spoke to CBS News in the aftermath of the killing of Renee Good, as Minneapolis became a flashpoint in the administration's push to crackdown on illegal immigration. According to Bock, some of the individuals picked up in ICE sweeps are now being held at the jail where she is being held until she is sentenced. Advertisement Advertisement In some ways, it's possible to trace origins of the current tensions in Minnesota to Bock and her nonprofit. Good was killed by an ICE agent after the Department of Homeland Security surged thousands of personnel into the state with a twin mandate to enforce immigration laws and help investigate fraud. Yet long before the issue of fraud became a galvanizing issue for the right and fodder for conservative influencers federal prosecutors in Minnesota had zeroed in on Bock. A lifelong Minnesotan, Bock earned a degree in elementary education and held roles at day cares and early childhood centers before starting Feeding Our Future in 2016. "Our goal as an organization was to reach the kids that were not being fed," said Bock, who has two sons of her own. "There is kind of this quiet need in Minnesota, these food deserts, where there's just not access to healthy nutritionist food for children." The nonprofit became a so-called "sponsor" for two federal nutrition programs funded by the Department of Agriculture and overseen by Minnesota's Education Department that paid for kids' meals during the school year and over the summer. When COVID hit, the USDA issued waivers that gave sponsors like Feeding Our Future more flexibility in how they distributed the food. Advertisement Advertisement "During COVID, for obvious reasons, parents were allowed to come and pick up meals," Bock explained. "So we suddenly were able to reach more children. We were also able to deliver meals to homes." Restaurants and caterers, particularly from Minnesota's large Somali immigrant community, were eager to sign up. Bock said her organization was well-positioned to fill the need, but state education officials were wary about letting in some of the business that applied. "The Department of Education was sitting on the applications," Bock said. "They were just not processing them." As racial justice protests swept the country in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, Bock filed a lawsuit, alleging the state's scrutiny of Somali applicants was discriminatory and deprived low-income and minority children access to "desperately needed federal food programs." Advertisement Advertisement Asked how she believed state officials received the lawsuit, Bock acknowledged "nobody wants to be labeled as racist." That aggressive advocacy won her praise from the tight-knit Somali community. One community leader told a local reporter Bock was "a modern-day Robin Hood." Bock denied the lawsuit was a scare tactic. The parties reached a settlement where Minnesota's Education Department agreed to process applications to the meal program "reasonably promptly." "The notion that a state government is paralyzed and has to allow this level of fraud because they were afraid of what I might do in a lawsuit is preposterous," Bock said. Advertisement Advertisement Years later, education officials told a state watchdog "the threat of legal consequences and negative media attention" intimidated them into easing off. Still, officials with Minnesota's Department of Education (MDE) insist they did act, noting they were the ones who referred Bock to the FBI in 2021. "Criminals took advantage of the program even though MDE met or exceeded federal regulations," the education commissioner wrote in a letter to the state watchdog. "At all times MDE made its best judgments about its authority for oversight in the context of legal requirements and pushback." Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify wording about the descent of other Feeding Our Future defendants. Billy Bob Thornton on how his "Landman" role is a personal phenomenon "Mastermind" behind the Minnesota fraud scheme defends herself and admits regrets "Queer Eye" cast addresses member's absence and reflects on legacy of show Zurich Insurance Group has improved its buyout offer for rival Beazley, the UK-based speciality insurer, to $10.2bn (SFr8.06bn). Under the revised proposal, Beazley shareholders would be entitled to receive 1,280p in cash per Beazley share. This follows Zurichs earlier bid on 4 January 2026, under which the Swiss insurer offered to buy 100% of Beazley for 1,230p per share. However, that offer was turned down on 16 January by Beazleys board for significantly undervaluing the business. The latest offer marks a 56% premium over Beazleys closing price of 820p on 16 January, as well as a 56% premium to its 30-day volume weighted average share price of 822p. It also represents a 32% premium over the insurers highest-ever share price of 973p in June 2025. Payouts or dividends declared after this announcement would be deducted from the offer price. Zurich said that its new cash proposal offers immediate and certain cash value and is pitched above what it believes Beazley could achieve independently within a reasonable time frame. Should the transaction proceed, the combined business would have around $15bn in gross written premiums and would be headquartered in the UK. Zurich highlighted that the deal would result in a global speciality insurer with significant data resources, underwriting capability, infrastructure and a prominent position at Lloyds of London. Funding for the acquisition will come from existing cash reserves, new debt arrangements and an equity placing. The company expects the acquisition to be accretive to its financial performance targets for 2027. Zurich has already established a Global Specialty Unit as part of its focus on expanding its speciality insurance business, which wrote around $9bn in premiums in 2024. "Zurich sweetens bid for speciality insurer Beazley to $10.2bn" was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. MERCER CO., Pa. (WKBN) Mercer County will receive more than $2.8 million in state funding to support critical transportation, water and sewer infrastructure improvements. The funding was announced Tuesday by Sen. Michele Brooks (R-50) and Rep. Parke Wentling (R-7) These investments will help keep Mercer County moving forward by improving roads, bridges, pedestrian safety and essential water and sewer systems, Brooks said. Strong infrastructure supports economic growth, public safety and quality of life for families across our region. Advertisement Advertisement Projects receiving funding through the Commonwealth Financing Authoritys (CFA) Multimodal Transportation Fund include: City of Hermitage Linden Pointe Roadway Expansion Project $500,000 Jamestown Borough Pedestrian Safety and Sidewalk Improvements $232,158 Mercer County Hosack Road structurally deficient bridge replacement $650,000 City of Sharon TruckSmart Sharon freight and roadway improvements $350,000 Projects receiving funding through the CFAs PA Small Water and Sewer Program include: Hermitage Municipal Authority Dermond Road water extension $250,000 Sharon City Sanitary Authority Sewer line relocation bridge $100,000 Sharon City Catch basin rehabilitation $100,000 Shenango Township Municipal Authority Pump station improvements $250,000 Springfield Township Sanitary sewer system improvements $300,000 Jamestown Municipal Authority Water treatment plant renovations $100,000 Advertisement Advertisement The CFA is an independent agency of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development which administers Pennsylvanias economic stimulus packages. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Brief Cold temperatures are rolling across the state this week and some schools may close for Tuesday. Metro Detroit can expect single-digit temperatures without the help of wind. Snowfall is also likely in the first-half of the week. (FOX 2) - As temperatures begin to drop to dangerous conditions, some Metro Detroit schools are announcing closures for Tuesday. Timeline Michigan is staring at seven straight days of pure winter weather. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday night, there is a good chance of snow, according to the National Weather Service, with a 40% chance of precipitation. Then on Tuesday, chances for more snow arrive with possibilities before 1 p.m. and after 1 a.m. Wednesday. While the wind gusts will die down, the temperature variability will swing from a high of 16 degrees on Tuesday to 33 degrees on Wednesday. The overnight lows will feel like below zero. Meanwhile, the cold weather and snow may cause some schools to close on Tuesday, Jan. 20. For mobile readers, click herefor a link to the closings list. How snow days are called Many parents and students may wonder what school districts call snow days. Advertisement Advertisement FOX 2 talked with Superintendent Dr. Randy Speck and said Michigan K-12 public and charter schools are required to have 180 school days at a minimum of 1,098 hours. All of them are allowed six forgiven snow days and can apply for three more. Things to consider when calling a snow day: Student safety Actual versus forecast Buses/Transportation Amount of snow/Wind Chill Timing of the call Earlier helps reduce stress for parents Balancing the call with how many snow days left Attendance/Instructional Time 75% Attendance View the full closings list below: The Source FOX 2 used information from previous reporting. The man accused of killing his ex-wife and her new husband is now in Franklin County. Michael McKee, 39, the ex-husband of Monique Tepe, is charged with four counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary in connection with the Tepes' deaths. Specifications tied to the charges allege that a silencer was used in the shootings. Monique Tepe, 39, and Spencer Tepe, 37, died on Dec. 30 after being shot inside their home on the 1400 block of North 4th Street in Weinland Park. Advertisement Advertisement Monique Tepe was married to McKee in 2015. The couple divorced in 2017. Federal agents arrested McKee on Jan. 10 in Rockford, Illinois. McKee remained in custody there until Jan. 20 when he arrived in Ohio and was booked into the Franklin County jail. Franklin County Common Pleas Court will arraign McKee on Jan. 23. Columbus police have said a search of McKee's condo in Chicago resulted in multiple guns being seized. One of those guns has preliminarily matched with evidence from the Tepe homicide scene through a national ballistics database. Police also said McKee is the person on security footage released on Jan. 5. That person is seen walking in an alley near the Tepe home around the time detectives believe the couple was killed. Advertisement Advertisement A Franklin County grand jury indicted McKee on Jan. 16. Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@dispatch.com. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Michael McKee, accused of killing Monique, Spencer Tepe, now in Ohio The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Heres a look at Jan. 19, 2026, results for each game: Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 19 drawing Midday: 8-1-8 Evening: 4-0-2 Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 19 drawing Midday: 0-4-0-0 Evening: 6-7-7-8 Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 19 drawing 05-17-22-42-48, Lucky Ball: 16 Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Poker Lotto numbers from Jan. 19 drawing QS-4D-7D-4H-6H Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Jan. 19 drawing 03-09-10-12-28 Advertisement Advertisement 10-26-28-30-37 Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Daily Keno numbers from Jan. 19 drawing 01-02-05-11-13-20-24-31-35-45-49-50-51-52-53-59-61-65-69-75-76-79 Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here. Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results Are you a winner? Heres how to claim your lottery prize All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes up to $99,999.99, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Michigan Lotterys Regional Offices. To claim by mail, complete a ticket receipt form, sign your winning ticket, and send it along with original copies of your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card to the address below. Ensure the names on your ID and Social Security card match exactly. Claims should be mailed to: Advertisement Advertisement Michigan Lottery Attn: Claim Center 101 E. Hillsdale P.O. Box 30023 Lansing, MI 48909 For prizes over $100,000, winners must claim their prize in person at the Michigan Lottery Headquarters in Lansing located at 101 E. Hillsdale in downtown Lansing. Each winner must present original versions of a valid government-issued photo ID (typically a drivers license or state ID) and a Social Security card, ensuring that the names on both documents match exactly. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lottery Player Relations office at 844-887-6836, option 2. If you prefer to claim in person at one of the Michigan Lottery Regional Offices for prizes under $100,000, appointments are required. Until further notice, please call 1-844-917-6325 to schedule an appointment. Regional office locations are as follows: Advertisement Advertisement Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325 Livonia: 33231 Plymouth Road, Livonia; Phone: 844-917-6325 Sterling Heights: 34700 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights; Phone: 844-917-6325 Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325 Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325 Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325 For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery's prize claim page. When are Michigan Lottery drawings held? Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m. Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for Jan. 19, 2026 One year into the second Trump administration, an actual US foreign policy remains just a nice idea. Instead, the world has been forced to adapt to the world according to Donald Trump: one increasingly shaped by his erratic shifts and unpredictable decisions, his fury at perceived slights and his growing desire to stamp his legacy in the model of an imperial leader from centuries past. Think of it as the mad kings court, where every day is a carnival. Consider the last few days. Trump texted the Norwegian prime minister, Jonas Gahr Stre, at the weekend to tell him that because he had not been awarded the Nobel peace prize I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. The world would not be secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, has said a US takeover of Greenland would mark the end of Nato, and the drama will continue to play out at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week. When the French president, Emmanuel Macron, sought to organise a G7 meeting and dinner to smooth over their differences, Trump leaked that conversation too. At the same time, the US president invited Vladimir Putin to an ill-defined board of peace intended to oversee the transition to a lasting peace in Gaza, despite the Kremlins continued invasion of Ukraine that has left millions of casualties and threatened Europes security. Trump appears to be positioning the new group to undermine the UN, which despite its flaws has been a cornerstone of the post-second world war order that has prevented the outbreak of further global conflict. When informed that Macron may not join, Trump threatened to slap a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne. Trump was also pictured last week grinning broadly as the Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado presented him with her Nobel peace prize medal. After considerable pressure, the award was handed over as tribute. Does President Trump not realize he looks kind of silly taking that prize from her as she tries to basically suck up to him? said Mark Warner, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senates select committee on intelligence. It has been, to paraphrase Lenin, the weeks when decades happen. Advertisement Advertisement World leaders may previously have felt that they could manage the Trump administrations frenetic focus by slowing down his demands on Ukraine, Nato spending or Gaza. But it now appears primed to ignore its allies and shake up the world order perhaps mindful that with one year already passed in the White House, Trump only has three years left and faces painful midterm elections later this year. What you see now is simply just everything could be justified in pure power terms, and thats very new for the United States thats not really something weve done for the last 80 years, said Max Bergmann, the director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia programme at the Stuart Center in Euro-Atlantic and Northern European Studies, part of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC. Related: Trumps territorial ambition: new imperialism or a case of the emperors new clothes? Now what we have is America just acting willy-nilly. Were acting like Russia, he said. And I think that that is what the world is sort of awoken to That here is a 19th-century America that wants to operate along imperial lines, the way the world operated in the late 19th century. Advertisement Advertisement Facing resistance to his efforts to rewrite electoral laws and deploy the national guard and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers at home, Trump has turned towards the world stage as a salve. He has claimed to have solved six, and then seven and then eight wars, more than any other president, despite the dubious nature of many of the peace processes concerned. His anger at being overlooked for the Nobel peace prize, which was famously given to his nemesis, Barack Obama, shortly after the Democratic presidents election in 2009, has also driven a quest for global recognition that has played out in tragicomic terms. For the president, the question of legacy is important, which is why weve seen so much foreign policy activity in this term, unlike the first, said Kristine Berzina, the senior fellow for US defence and transatlantic security at the German Marshall Fund. Efforts at peace, efforts at regime change and efforts at territorial acquisition are all part of a notion of legacy. And there isnt that much time. Trump had a busy year in foreign policy in 2025, capped in January this year by the capture and rendition of the Venezuelan strongman, Nicolas Maduro in a legally dubious raid that Trump presents as a signature foreign policy victory. He brokered a shaky and incomplete peace in Gaza, largely by giving Israel carte blanche, but it is now unclear how to make good on his plan to disarm Hamas. He bombed nuclear sites in Iran during Israels brief war with Tehran, and targeted Houthi rebels in Yemen in a campaign seen as ineffective. Advertisement Advertisement He successfully pushed Nato allies to increase defence spending while bringing relations with European capitals to the breaking point over tariffs, his Ukraine policy and his claims that Europeans are stifling free speech and enabling mass migration. His advisers harangued Ukrainian leaders, he cosied up to foreign dictators and announced surprise tariffs that have unsettled world markets. All of that has been done virtually ad hoc. Strategy in Washington is not hammered out through policy memos or inter-agency meetings. Key foreign policy decisions have been increasingly mediated by a group of five, including Trumps vice-president, JD Vance; his secretary of state, Marco Rubio; his powerful deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller; his envoy Steve Witkoff and his chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Related: JD Vance: despicable toady for Trump and 2028 candidate in all but name Despite different priorities, those figures have found common cause on key decisions in Venezuela, Rubios focus on leftwing regimes fuelled by his Cuban heritage coincided with Millers obsessive focus on combating immigration to the US and Vances interest in countering Chinese influence in Latin America. Advertisement Advertisement In Greenland, Vance, an outspoken critic of Europe, has seen a chance to further undermine the transatlantic relationship and set European leaders on edge when he joined Rubio to receive the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland last week. But Trumps ultimate goal is to put his name in the history books. Greenland for the sake of territory, Greenland for the sake of how you transform a map, Greenland for a sake of legacy, said Berzina. Those are the primary objectives. In Trumps world there are winners and losers, bullies and the bullied. The only US foreign policy now is one of might makes right, and Trump and his allies have made clear that in their worldview geopolitics is a zero-sum game. Given that conflict in the Arctic was likely in the future, his treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, mused: Better now peace through strength, make it part of the United States, and there will not be a conflict because the United States right now, we are the hottest country in the world. We are the strongest country in the world. Europeans project weakness. US projects strength. Advertisement Advertisement In May last year, Trump accepted a UK plan to return the Chagos Islands, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius and Rubio praised the deal, saying Trump had told Keir Starmer it was a monumental achievement that they would maintain access to a US-UK base on Diego Garcia. A year later, Trump posted that it was an act of GREAT STUPIDITY and one of his many reasons for demanding the handover of Greenland. In Trumps new world order, all agreements and alliances can find themselves hostage to the whims of the moment. These are International Powers who only recognise STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before, he wrote. Missouri Gov. MIke Kehoe waves after completing his 2026 State of the State address on Jan. 13, as House Speaker Jon Patterson claps in the foreground (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications). Gov. Mike Kehoes State of the State address rested on a tension he never resolved. Missouri, he warned, is falling behind. Its population is stagnant. Economic growth over the past decade has been average at best. When competing with states like Texas and Tennessee, Missouri too often loses before the conversation even begins. Advertisement Advertisement Yet in the same breath, Kehoe insisted Missouri has already seen success cutting taxes. Over the last decade, Missouri has trimmed the income and corporate taxes while eliminating the franchise and capital gains taxes. This argument did much of the heavy lifting for the signature proposal in the speech: a five-year phaseout of the individual income tax. But if tax cuts are already delivering growth, why does Missouri still lag its peers? And if the state is falling behind, why double down on a strategy that has yet to close the gap? The governor never reconciled that contradiction, even as he dismissed critics who argue tax cuts have worsened the states budget outlook as people who just want to spend more of your money. Advertisement Advertisement There is also a political reality left unspoken. Republicans have controlled the Missouri legislature for more than two decades and the governors office since 2016. The conditions Kehoe now decries did not arise in a vacuum. His agenda is not a sharp break from the past so much as an escalation of it a bet that going further down the same road will finally produce different results. Kehoe attempted to reassure skeptics by drawing bright lines. He pledged he would never support extending sales taxes to agriculture, health care or real estate. He described his plan as deliberate, responsible and safeguarded against runaway sales taxes. But the language of the constitutional amendment introduced in the Missouri House the day Kehoe gave his speech the apparent vehicle for that tax-cut promise tells a different story. Advertisement Advertisement The proposal explicitly allows state and local sales and use taxes to be expanded to impose taxes on transactions involving any goods and services for the purpose of eliminating the income tax. Any resulting tax increase would be exempt from Missouris constitutional revenue limits and Hancock Amendment protections, meaning lawmakers could raise or broaden taxes without triggering the usual requirement to take the issue to voters. All of this is unfolding as Kehoe warns, in stark terms, that the era of pandemic-era budget surpluses is over and that federal funds that once bolstered state coffers are no longer filling gaps. He proposes roughly $600 million in cuts to the core operating budget while warning that the states revenue surplus of $4.3 billion on June 30 will be only $4.7 million next year. This is not abstract belt-tightening. Kehoe explicitly warned lawmakers against restoring cuts or slipping pet projects into the budget without identifying how to pay for them. The message was unmistakable: lean years are coming, and discipline will be enforced from the governors office. Advertisement Advertisement That context makes his tax plan more controversial, not less. States that have successfully eliminated the individual income tax typically rely on alternative revenue streams to balance their budgets, such as oil and gas production, massive tourism economies or both. Missouri has none of those advantages on a scale large enough to matter. The coming months will reveal whether Kehoes foundation for growth is solid or whether the cracks he papered over in this speech widen under fiscal pressure. Mike Pence, the former Vice President, defended President Donald Trumps controversial plan to acquire Greenland, while also expressing concerns about the potential impact on the NATO alliance. Pence Cites Arctic Security Stakes Pence voiced his support for Trumps vision of acquiring Greenland, citing national security interests in the Arctic. In a CNN interview on Sunday, he also highlighted the historical significance of the proposal, referencing Abraham Lincolns Secretary of State, who initially suggested the U.S. purchase Greenland. The former VP also recalled how in 2019, after Trumps call to own Greenland, Pence had travelled to Iceland to make the case for the U.S. national security interest amid China and Russias continued intrusion into the Arctic territory. Don't Miss: Fast Company Calls It a Groundbreaking Step for the Creator Economy' Investors Can Still Get In at $0.85/Share Sam Altman Says AI Will Transform the Economy This Platform Lets Investors Back Private Tech Early Advertisement Advertisement I really want to support the presidents objective here.we have an absolute national security interest in controlling and I think ultimately owning Greenland, stated Pence. However, Pence acknowledged the potential strain on the U.S. relationship with Denmark and other NATO allies due to the current approach. He suggested that the President should use diplomatic and investment strategies to achieve this goal, rather than imposing unilateral tariffs on NATO allies. Meanwhile, on Sunday, Trump stated that Denmark hasnt been successful in getting the Russian threat away from the region for 20 years. He warned that, Now it is time, and it will be done!!! See Also: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it? EU Backlash, NATO Risks, Trillion-Dollar Cost Trumps plan to acquire Greenland has sparked significant controversy, with the European Union (EU) reportedly considering trade retaliation and other measures to counter the U.S. tariff threats. Advertisement Advertisement Furthermore, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) has cautioned that any U.S. military action to seize Greenland would be a declaration of war against NATO, potentially fracturing the alliance. Pences recent comments add to the ongoing debate surrounding the potential geopolitical and economic implications of Trumps Greenland ambitions. Meanwhile, experts have questioned the economic justification for the acquisition, warning that it could cost the U.S. nearly $1 trillion over 20 years with limited economic payoff. While the island holds critical minerals and oil reserves, experts say they are cheaper to extract elsewhere, including within the U.S. The White House estimates the purchase alone at around $700 billion, with hundreds of billions more needed for infrastructure development. Read Next: Its no wonder Jeff Bezos holds over $250 million in art this alternative asset has outpaced the S&P 500 since 1995, delivering an average annual return of 11.4%. Heres how everyday investors are getting started. Private-Market Real Estate Without the Crowdfunding RiskDirect Access to Institutional-Grade Deals Managed by a $12B+ Real Estate Firm Advertisement Advertisement Image via Imagn Images Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga: This article Mike Pence Defends Trump's Greenland Ambitions, Saying National Security Demands ItAnd NATO Might Not Be Happy originally appeared on Benzinga.com NEWARK, New Jersey Mikie Sherrill became New Jerseys 57th governor on Tuesday, coming out of the gate with executive orders to address skyrocketing utility costs and a vow to position New Jersey as a bulwark against actions coming out of Washington. Sherrill, a former member of Congress, federal prosecutor and Navy helicopter pilot, succeeds Phil Murphy, ushering in a third term in a row of Democrats helming the state a feat that had not been achieved for six decades. Sherrill and her running mate, Dale Caldwell, had a blowout victory in November as Democrats up and down the ballot across the country secured wins due in large part to voters frustrations with the first year of President Donald Trumps return to the White House, particularly the rising cost of living. On stage in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, Sherrill signed two executive orders concerning utility costs, an issue that she campaigned heavily on. The first order would effectively freeze rates through bill subsidies and halt more rate increases, and the other aims to expand energy supplies. Advertisement Advertisement Sherrill said she hopes New Jerseyans remember me when you open up your electric bill and it hasnt gone up by 20 percent and promised to spend every minute trying to make New Jersey more affordable and open doors to opportunity across our state. She also took aim at Trump, earning standing ovations throughout her speech, including when saying that she welcomed critics expressing their concerns and that they would do so without fear of reprisal or being unfairly prosecuted. In New Jersey alone, Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver faces charges of assaulting federal officers during an oversight visit of an immigration detention facility, which McIver has called selective and vindictive prosecution by the Trump administration. We see a president illegally usurping power, unconstitutionally enacting a tariff regime to make billions for himself and his family while everyone else sees their costs go higher, Sherrill said. Here we demand people in public service actually serve the public. White House spokesperson Kush Desai told POLITICO in a statement that This is a very long winded way for Mikie Sherrill to admit that she has no plan to cut taxes, slash red tape, and make life more affordable in New Jersey. Advertisement Advertisement In a departure from recent years, Sherrill chose to hold her inaugural ceremony in the states most populous city rather than in the capital of Trenton. Newark is home to a diverse population: More than 80 percent of residents are Black or Latino, constituencies that moved away from Democrats in recent years but helped deliver Sherrill her dominant win in November after she ran on a vow to address affordability concerns. Sherrill likened the Newark location to Noahs Ark a new ark to open the door for those who thirst for liberty and prosperity. Sherrill is the second female governor in New Jersey history; the first was Republican Christine Todd Whitman. Heading into the role, Sherrill enjoys a relatively positive perception among New Jerseyans: A poll conducted by the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University from the end of December through the beginning of January found that 40 percent of respondents had a favorable view of her, compared to 22 percent unfavorably. But she also enters office with a wide swath of residents who have no opinion of her 32 percent. That could work in Sherrills favor as she begins her first term, suggesting many residents are open to what she brings to the table, Ashley Koning, director of the polling center, said in a statement. But it also poses a challenge: Shell need to deliver tangible results to turn that uncertainty into positive sentiment. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to skyrocketing utility rates, a host of other challenges loom over the Sherrill administration, including strained federal funding and a budget with a more than $1 billion structural deficit. Prior to Sherrill getting sworn in on Tuesday, Murphy vetoed a bill that would write into state law permanent restrictions between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities a move that sparked condemnation from pro-immigrant groups that are now putting the pressure on Sherrill. This is a betrayal to the thousands of immigrants, community leaders, and advocates who fought for the last year to keep us safe, Make the Road New Jersey executive director Nedia Morsy said in a statement. We cannot wait for the perfect conditions or guarantees to pass these bills. We look forward to working with the incoming Sherrill administration to get these over the finish line and show that New Jersey is ready to stand up to the Trump administration. Sherrill has not commented specifically on the bills Murphy vetoed on Tuesday, although she previously said she does not support similar legislation arguing it could open New Jerseys current immigrant protections to litigation. During her gubernatorial campaign, she promised to push for legislation that would bar Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents from being masked which would also likely face litigation from the Trump administration and pushed back on federal immigration agents during her speech. We refuse to be silent as so many doors are shut on too many of our friends and neighbors, she said. Too many children and seniors who dont have enough to eat, people who work too hard and still cant get ahead, communities living in fear, children who are afraid their parents will disappear in an ICE raid while they are at school. Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Britnee Timberlake, a progressive Democrat who was a supporter of the bills Murphy pocket vetoed Tuesday, said she would push to pass the bills into law under Sherrill. Timberlake said she agreed with Sherrills comparisons of Trumps actions to those of a king. She laid out the exact breaches that our forefathers laid out that were against the king when we did our independence, Timberlake told POLITICO. And we are still seeing that same pattern here now today. Also sworn in was Caldwell, who will take on the role of secretary of state. He is the first pastor to serve as lieutenant governor in state history. We step into leadership at a time of deep national division and growing anxiety. We have witnessed attacks on rights, freedoms, dignity and truth. We have seen vulnerable communities targeted and democratic institutions threatened, Caldwell said during his inaugural speech, vowing that the administration will restore trust in the institutions of our democracy that serve the public. Mikie Sherrill has officially become the first Democratic woman to lead New Jersey after her inauguration ceremony on Tuesday morning. The former Navy pilot and federal prosecutor, 54, was sworn in as the 57th governor of New Jersey at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. The changing of the guard from Governor Phil Murphy to Sherrill marks the first time in decades New Jersey is getting a third term with a Democratic governor after Sherrill's solid win in the 2025 election by nearly 14 percentage points. Advertisement Advertisement The four-term congresswoman has made it clear she's not thrilled with the status quo. "We are going to very quickly show that we have a new agenda here in New Jersey," Sherrill said. She swept to victory over her Trump-endorsed GOP rival in part by pinning blame for high costs on the president's tariffs and promising that her first action once in office would be to order a freeze on skyrocketing utility rates. Sherrill spoke about New Jersey's role in the Revolutionary War and quoted from the Declaration of Independence's grievances against the king, drawing a comparison to Trump. Advertisement Advertisement "We see a president illegally usurping power," she said. "He has unconstitutionally enacted a tariff regime to make billions for himself and his family, while everyone else sees costs go higher and higher. Here, we demand people in public service actually serve the public." During her speech she also signed two executive orders, one declaring a freeze on utility rates, which have been rising sharply, and another aimed at establishing new sources of electricity production incident solar and nuclear. Sherrill took the oath of office on a copy of the Constitution owned by the state's first governor in Newark, the state's largest city whose voters made up a key component of her winning coalition. It is a departure from previous inaugurations, which have included military artillery salutes along the Delaware River outside the statehouse in Trenton. Advertisement Advertisement Tuesday's ceremony included a similar gun salute and a military helicopter flyover. Sherrill says if her party wants to keep winning in this year's midterms, candidates have to continue to talk to people. Shoveling snow and ice from a Camden sidewalk Monday morning for an MLK day of service, she addressed concerns about ICE raids, saying anyone who breaks the law should face repercussions, but law-abiding working immigrants will be protected. "Here in New Jersey, we recently saw a 9-year-old was dropped off at school. They picked up his dad," she said. "I'm not clear if they had a plan for that child and who was going to pick him up at school. That's unacceptable." Advertisement Advertisement The first woman to be governor of New Jersey is Christine Todd Whitman, a two-term Republican who went on to serve as George W. Bush's Environmental Protection Agency administrator. New Jersey's governorship has often switched back and forth between the parties. The last time the same party prevailed in a third straight gubernatorial election was in 1961. Sherrill says she knows the nation is watching to see how effective she is in her first year governing leading into the midterms. (The Associated Press contributed to this report.) ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New Jersey news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. Mikie Sherrill took office as New Jerseys 57th governor Tuesday, taking several swings at President Donald Trump during an inauguration speech in which she repeated pledges to be a check on his presidency and to make the state more affordable. Sherrill, a Democratic former congresswoman and Navy helicopter pilot, was sworn in during a sweeping ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, a little less than three months after she soundly won a heated election. On Nov. 4, the people of New Jersey once again gave the nation a glimmer of something it hadnt felt in months: hope, Sherrill told a largely cheering crowd of more than 2,000 people. Yes, 250 years after the Declaration, 250 years after General Washington crossed the Delaware into the promised land, I am proud that once again, New Jersey is leading the way. Advertisement Advertisement And I want you to know that I will be fighting for you. Sherrill, also a former federal prosecutor, is just the second woman to serve as governor in New Jersey history. Republican Christie Whitman, who served in the 1990s and was on the stage Tuesday was the first. Instead of a Bible, Sherrill was sworn in with her hand on a bound collection of the state Constitution, the U.S. Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence that belonged to William Paterson, New Jerseys second governor. Sherrill who turned 54 on Monday succeeds term-limited Democrat Phil Murphy, who leaves office after eight years. This marks the first time since 1961 that one party has held Jerseys governor seat for three straight terms. Advertisement Advertisement While never mentioning his name during her speech, Sherrill contrasted Trump to King George III, the British monarch whom the American colonies rebelled against in 1776. This election proved that the people of New Jersey recognize the parallels, said Sherrill, a former four-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives. That we see a president illegally usurping power. Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill and Lt. Governor-elect Dr. Dale Caldwell Inauguration Her victory over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a Trump-endorsed former state lawmaker, was built in part on her pledges to make the costly state more affordable and was also seen as a pushback against Trumps first year back in office. Sherrill has been repeatedly critical of Trump, especially on the economy. On Tuesday, she even connected her promise to tackle energy rates to Trump. Advertisement Advertisement I hope, New Jersey, you remember me when you open your electric bill and it hasnt gone up another 20%. I can promise you, it wont be because I waste your money on a ballroom at Drumthwacket, Sherrill said in reference to the ballroom Trump is building at the White House (though in part through private donations.) These are some weary years, she added. But Ill be damned if in this state, at this time, we cry any silent tears. Sherrill also specifically referenced the Trump administrations crackdown on immigration, with ICE patrolling Americas streets. She noted communities living in fear, children who are afraid that their parents will disappear in an ICE raid while they are at school. As we see Washington trying to shut the door on opportunity, on your safety and security, on education, on healthcare, on access to good jobs, on innovation, and investments in energy and infrastructure, as we are seeing doors shut for families, for working people, for vulnerable communities, as they attempt to roll back the tide of progress not here," she said. Advertisement Advertisement We are made of stronger stuff here, Sherrill added. We are going to keep the doors open for your family. Her comments came not long after Murphy, in one of his final acts in office, signed one of three bills designed to limit ICE enforcement in New Jersey. Sherrill, meanwhile, immediately fulfilled a campaign vow Tuesday, signing executive orders to declare a state of emergency over soaring electric bills in New Jersey and freeze energy rates. This is just the beginning, said Sherrill, who signed the orders on stage during the speech. We are going to take on the affordability crisis, and we are going to shake up the status quo. Advertisement Advertisement Critics have warned the moves will likely be challenged in court. And Republicans have argued that Murphy and Democrats clean-energy policies contributed to the cost. Experts also blame a lack of energy supply in the state and the rise of -power-gulping data centers used for artificial intelligence. While Sherrill grew up in Virginia, she made several shoutouts to the culture of her adopted home state. Yes, we are loud and brash, sometimes we tan like its 1980, our Giants, Jets, and Eagles dont even claim our state despite our rabid devotion, and there are an inordinate number of young men who wear chains, including my two sons. the Montclair resident said. Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill and Lt. Governor-elect Dr. Dale Caldwell Inauguration We go home and speak different languages. You know, in this election I learned that in South Jersey, they pronounce Taylor Ham pork roll,l Sherrill quipped. Advertisement Advertisement But we all go home at night and hug our kids and worry about them. We worry about our parents. We worry about ourselves and our future. But because we live here, we refuse to give in to fear or despair. That spirit defiant, yet always looking to the future has always defined us. After mentioning the many contributions New Jerseyans made to the country, she said: New Jersey never gets enough appreciation. So, as the newest leader of our great state, for all these artists, battles, and innovations, I wanted to take a moment to say, Youre welcome, America. This marked just the second time since Trenton became the state capitol in 1790 that a New Jersey governor was inaugurated elsewhere. The first, fittingly, was when Whitman was sworn in to a second term at NJ PAC in 1998. Among the officials and dignitaries in the audience Tuesday were six former governors, according to Sherrills team: Phil Murphy, Chris Christie, Jon Corzine, Jim McGreevey, Christie Whitman, and Tom Kean. Also there: new Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a fellow Democrat who was Sherrills former roommate in Congress. Sherrill attended Spanbergers swearing-in this past week. Mikie Sherrill and power Sherrill keeps her promise to take action against N.J.s soaring electric rates. But is it enough? Advertisement Advertisement The governor calls for a pause on rate increases, more solar power and a nuclear task force to expand generation. Christie notably joined Democratic officials and members of the crowd in standing ovations when Sherrill criticized Trump. Other attendees Tuesday included: Democratic U.S. House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and other New Jersey members of Congress, and former Giants star Tiki Barber. Minutes before Sherrill took the oath, Dale Caldwell was sworn in as New Jerseys lieutenant governor. Caldwell, the former president of Centenary University President, noted that his father had marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, whose birthday was commemorated on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement We step into leadership at a time of deep national division and growing anxiety. We have witnessed attacks on rights, freedoms, dignity, and truth, Caldwell said. We have seen vulnerable communities targeted and democratic institutions threatened. He added that New Jersey is uniquely positioned to lead the nation forward. We are one of the most diverse states in America ... I believe with all my heart that our best days are ahead of us. Sherrill, who turned 54 on Monday, will hold her inaugural ball at the American Dream mega-mall in East Rutherford on later Tuesday. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Gold (GC=F) futures opened at $4,940 per troy ounce on Friday, up 0.5% from Thursdays closing price of $4,913.40. The price of gold reached an all-time high of $4,970 in early trading. Golds rise above $4,900 per ounce follows a conflict over Greenland that may have damaged U.S. alliances with NATO countries. President Trump demanded the U.S. purchase Greenland, a territory of Denmark. He threatened tariffs on allies who resisted and, at one point, implied the U.S. could use military action. He changed course later, announcing he would not use force to obtain the Arctic island. The conflict was resolved after a meeting between Trump and NATOs secretary general. That meeting resulted in a framework of a deal, according to President Trump. The details of that framework have not been publicized. While the Greenland conflict has settled down, some experts are concerned that Trumps actions have undermined trust among U.S. allies. This concern is likely driving continued safe-haven demand for gold. Current price of gold The opening price of gold futures on Friday rose 0.5% from Thursdays close. Heres a look at how the gold price has changed versus last week, month, and year: One week ago: +7.2% One month ago: +9.7% One year ago: +79% At 79%, golds one-year gain is the highest it has been in 2025 and 2026. 24/7 gold price tracking: Don't forget you can monitor the current price of gold on Yahoo Finance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Want to learn more about the current top-performing companies in the gold industry? Explore a list of the top-performing companies in the gold industry using the Yahoo Finance Screener. You can create your own screeners with over 150 different screening criteria. Learn more: Gold vs. crypto: Which should investors own in debasement trade? How much gold should you own? A gold investment can add stability and inflation protection to your portfolio. But it can also dilute your gains when stock prices are rising quickly. Finding the right balance between golds diversification benefits and profiting from growth potential in other assets can be challenging. Even the experts are divided on how to achieve the correct balance. Below, five experts explain their recommended gold allocations, which range from 0% to 20%. Learn more: How to invest in gold in 4 steps No gold: Trade-off is too high Robert R. Johnson, professor at Creighton Universitys Heider College of Business, does not advocate gold investing. In his words, while having a small position in precious metals may dampen portfolio volatility in the short-run, the tradeoff between slightly dampened volatility and the lost long-term return is certainly not a prudent one, particularly for Gen Z/millennials with long investing time horizons. 2% to 5% allocation, depending on the situation Brett Elliott, director of content and SEO at American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX), recommends setting an allocation that aligns with your investing goals. Growth-oriented investors may be comfortable with an allocation of 10% or 15%, according to Elliott. But income investors will prefer a smaller position, because gold provides no yield. A 2% to 5% gold allocation can provide some resiliency without an excessive drag on income potential. Learn more: Who decides what gold is worth? How gold prices are determined. 5% to 8% gold allocation Blake McLaughlin, executive vice president at Axcap Ventures, said historical data support a gold allocation of 5% to 8%. Gold may not offer the outsized return potential of private investments, but the metal holds a set of attributes that are increasingly hard to ignore, according to McLaughlin. Those attributes include the metals resilience amid economic uncertainty and geopolitical unrest. 5% to 15% gold allocation Thomas Winmill, portfolio manager at Midas Funds, believes most investors will benefit from a long-term gold allocation of 5% to 15%. Winmill specifically advocates investing in gold mining companies through a mutual fund. Your risk tolerance and current mix of financial versus hard assets can guide you to an appropriate allocation, according to Winmill. Risk tolerance: Keep your allocation percentage low if you tend to panic in volatile cycles. Financial vs. hard assets: Financial assets are stocks and bonds. Hard assets include tangible items like real estate, gold, collectibles, classic cars, and equipment. If you have no home equity and your wealth is primarily in financial assets, you can set your gold allocation higher. Or, if your home is paid for and more valuable than your stock portfolio, gold investing may not be necessary. Learn more: Thinking of buying gold? Here's what investors should watch for. 20% gold allocation Vince Stanzione, CEO and founder at First Information, recommends a 20% gold allocation, specifically in physical gold or a gold ETF. Stanzione argues for a higher exposure to gold as a wealth protection strategy. As he says, gold keeps with inflation and gold retains its purchasing power, while paper currencies are devaluing around the world. Learn more: Gold IRA: Benefits, risks, and how it differs from a traditional IRA Price-of-gold chart Whether youre tracking the price of gold since last month or last year, the price-of-gold chart below shows the precious metals steady upward climb in value. The high rate of reckless driving in Wisconsin has repeatedly devastated Karen Behls family. In 2009, her son, Micheal Jansasik, was killed by a drunken driver in Winnebago County. He was only 18. The drunken driver was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. In 2019, Behls niece, 17-year-old Megan Frieseke, was killed in a three-car crash in Dane County. Tragedy struck again around 2 a.m. New Years Day, when yet another reckless driver left Behls sister, Lisa Wolf, seriously injured in Milwaukee. Advertisement Advertisement Wolf, a mother of three who lives in Milwaukee, was driving home after an 11-hour shift as a restaurant manager in Brookfield when she was hit by another vehicle on North 35th Street near Juneau Avenue. Wolf was knocked unconscious and later awoke to find her car was flipped upside down. She had to crawl out of the trunk to get our of her vehicle. The car that hit her was abandoned at a nearby corner. Witnesses told police they saw two people running from the scene. They have yet to be caught. Were very happy shes alive because it was a really bad accident, Behl said. The crash caused Wolf head trauma, a severe concussion and a lot of dental work. Advertisement Advertisement She has a long road to recovery facing multiple surgeries, and her days are filled with MRIs, physical therapy appointments, dental appointments and other hospital stays. My memorys still not really there, Wolf told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. My speech is on and off. Im not able to work. Wolf feels traumatized just getting into a car these days for her medical appointments not only because of what happened, but because she sees how people continue to drive recklessly. The driving in this area is definitely dangerous and scary, she said. Lisa Wolf As of Jan. 19, there have been roughly 780 vehicle crashes in 2026, resulting in the death of four people, according to the Milwaukee Police Department's Traffic Safety Unit. Last year, 60 people were killed in car crashes in Milwaukee. Advertisement Advertisement Behl has set up a Go Fund Me for Wolf to help with medical expenses, especially dental, as much is not fully covered by insurance, and because Wolf is not able to work as she recovers. The sisters are hoping the Go Fund Me and their familys story also help bring awareness to the Milwaukee areas and Wisconsins reckless driving problem. Milwaukee police are asking anyone with information about the driver who crashed into Wolf to call them at 414-935-7232 or if they wish to remain anonymous they can call 414-234-TIPS (8477). This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee woman left injured, escaping through trunk following hit-and-run A group of software engineers were showered with insults and accused of being pedophiles after they were mistakenly accused of being U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while trying to eat lunch in Minneapolis. The men all white males dressed casually in sweatshirts and jackets -- were eating lunch at Clanceys Deli when one of them got a alert on an anti-Ice Signal chat telling members that plainclothes agents were at the restaurant, Alpha News reported. The person who got the message on the "SW Minneapolis Rapid Response" chat is aligned politically with the anti-ICE cause, one of the engineers who gave his name as Lee told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Protesters Clash With Federal Officers After Another Ice Shooting In Minneapolis A group of Minneapolis software engineers were bombarded with insults after they were mistakenly identified as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while eating lunch at a restaurant. "My friend was shocked. Hes on the [anti-ICE] side politically. He lives nearby. Hes eaten there before. And suddenly hes seeing messages saying were ICE," Lee said. After the alert was shared, dozens of anti-ICE agitators flocked to the restaurant and peered into the window, according to a video filmed by one of the men. Read On The Fox News App Once the group left, they were met on the street with derision from the crowd. "Youre a f------ bootlicker b----!" one of the agitators can be heard. "Get out of our f------ neighborhood!" screamed another. Advertisement Advertisement "Next thing we know, people are yelling, I hope you die, and calling us pedophiles," said Lee. Ice Says 2 Demonstrators Were Arrested In Minnesota For Allegedly Assaulting Officers Protesters gather in front of the Minnesota State Capitol in response to the death of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) (AP Newsroom) One of the men tried explaining that they were software engineers trying to have a meal. "We do custom apps for a whole bunch of companies around Minnesota and the country," he said. Still, the crowd appeared unconvinced. "Do I look like an ICE agent?" one of the men asked, prompting one woman to reply with: "Yeah, you look like a f------ ICE agent." "Get the f--- out" one person is heard saying as whistles are heard in the background. Advertisement Advertisement "This is whats wrong with your guys cause," the man said. A woman asks, "Would you support [us]?" Click Here To Download The Fox News App "The way you guys are acting? No. And I dont support ICE either," one man said. "Im just trying to enjoy my lunch!" Original article source: Minneapolis software engineers mistaken for ICE agents while eating lunch harassed by anti-ICE crowd BARCELONA, Spain (AP) The roar was deafening inside the train car as it hurtled off the tracks, then slid down a steep slope, ripping open its frame. And then, amid the twisted metal of the wreckage, the cries of the injured and the silence of the dead. Surrounded by bodies after the train accident in southern Spain, one little girl somehow emerged virtually unscathed. Newspaper La Vanguardia reported that a Civil Guard officer found her barefoot on the tracks after she escaped through a broken window. Advertisement Advertisement Relative Juan Barroso told reporters the 6-year-old is in good health after receiving three stitches in her head at a hospital. The mayor of her family's village said he was finding a measure of solace in the fact this girl was out of harm's way. There are many people who are very sad for the victims of this terrible accident, but there were also many who survived, like the miracle of the girl who is safe, Punta Umbria's Mayor Jose Carlos Hernandez told reporters Tuesday after leading a minute of silence for the victims. Among them were the girl's parents, brother and a cousin. At least 42 people were killed in the brutal accident that has shaken the nation and left the 6-year-old child an orphan. Her family's last names are Zamorano Alvarez, the town hall said. but The Associated Press is not disclosing her first name. Advertisement Advertisement Punta Umbria has declared three days of mourning for victims including the Zamorano Alvarez family. They were seated in the front carriages that bore the brunt of the impact when a train coming the opposite direction suddenly jumped its track for reasons still unknown. Mayor Hernandez said that the girl is now with her grandparents in a hotel in Cordoba, the nearest city to the crash. She has a tremendous family who will do what it takes for her to have a happy life, the mayor said. This story was updated to add new information. A weekslong legal spat that snagged plans to revitalize Leicht Memorial Park will end with Miron Construction's decision to drop its legal dispute with the City of Green Bay and construction company 8Pine. In a letter submitted Jan. 20 to the Brown County Courthouse, Miron Construction alerted Brown County Judge John Zakowski of its intention to drop its lawsuit against the city that alleged favoritism and flouting Wisconsin law. Advertisement Advertisement Sara Montonati, a communications manager at Miron Construction, said in a statement that the decision to withdraw was made after the city "finally responded to Miron's concerns about the bidding process" in a Jan. 12 brief. Miron Construction cited irregularities by the city that centered around a missing addendum acknowledgment from 8Pine that, according to Miron, could have cost the city hundred of thousands of dollars, allegations the city denied and called a "hyper-technical disagreement." The concerns, Montonati said, were "based on lack of transparency" in the bidding process and discrepancies that the company had alleged amounted to favoritism and breaking Wisconsin law. "If the city had responded to Miron's multiple inquiries, this matter could have been resolved without court intervention," Montonati said in the statement, calling its lawsuit a reflection of "Miron's commitment to transparent practices and trust in public projects, not only for themselves, but for the entire construction industry." Mayor Eric Genrich responded in a Jan. 20 statement, "The City of Green Bay acted within its statutory authority and well-established discretion in evaluating bids for the Leicht Memorial Park Pavilion project. Miron's action today in withdrawing the meritless claim indicates as much, and we welcome it." Advertisement Advertisement Genrich urged the bid to be awarded as soon as possible, likely in a special meeting at 5 p.m. Jan. 22. Miron's statement and letter of intent to withdraw the lawsuit came three days before the dispute was scheduled for a hearing before Zakowski. The lawsuit was filed following a Dec. 9 Redevelopment Authority meeting where Miron's executive chairman, David Voss, raised concerns about the bidding process. Miron's 18-page complaint alleged that 8Pine, a competitor in the bid to build a pavilion at Leicht Park, could not be considered the "lowest, responsible bidder." The Parks Department had recommended awarding 8Pine the contract based on a $4.9 million bid. Miron Constructions bid of $5.1 million was presented as the second highest bid. The complaint said Voss had previously approached the citys project manager to express concerns. The project manager did not disagree that 8Pine had submitted a required addendum after the bid had closed, the complaint said. The complaint also took issue with the city's closure of the bid at 2:20 p.m. Dec. 4, or 20 minutes after the scheduled 2 p.m. bid closing, and requested that Zakowski bar the city from entering into any contract for the project except with Miron. Zakowski issued a temporary restraining order to keep the city from awarding the contract to any company other than Miron. Advertisement Advertisement The city agreed many of the events laid out happened as Miron alleged, but argued it was within its rights under state law to waive technical irregularities and it had complied with Wisconsin law. The city and 8Pine further argued that Miron's lawsuit could jeopardize the project entirely, pointing to time-sensitive funding for the larger revitalization project. The city disagreed with Miron's claim that the lawsuit was pursued for the public's sake, framing Miron's lawsuit as the action done by a disappointed bidder. The city said that, in any case, it was not the role of the court to decide the outcome of a city's bidding process. Jesse Lin is a reporter covering the community of Green Bay and its surroundings, as well as politics in northeastern Wisconsin. He also writes a weekly column answering reader questions about Green Bay. Contact and send him questions at 920-834-4250 or jlin@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Miron Construction will drop Leicht Park lawsuit against Green Bay A prison officer who had sex with her convict boyfriend in a jails prayer room has herself been jailed. Isabelle Dale, 23, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after she had intercourse with Shahid Sharif, 33, in the worship area at HMP Coldingley in Surrey. The prison officer was seen emerging alongside the convicted robber after four minutes, hastily readjusting her belt. She had Sharifs nickname Sneaks tattooed behind her neck, hung a framed picture of them together over her bed and called herself Miss Sneaky. Advertisement Advertisement The judge at Southwark Crown Court at Southwark Crown Court said he believed Dale joined the prison service so she could become involved in illicit activity with prisoners. Dale was having a sexual relationship with a second inmate, Connor Money, 28, at the same time as her involvement with Sharif. Sharif was transferred to HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent after the prayer room session. The romance continued and Dale bought her own 3,000 engagement ring while she wrote love letters to Sharif telling of her dreams of their life together on the outside. Some of those letters were laced with synthetic cannabis or Spice. Inmates Connor Money (left) and Shahid Sharif both engaged in a relationship with Dale - Central News Dale also operated Sharifs drug-dealing Snapchat account to source the drug through associate Lilea Sallis, 27. Advertisement Advertisement The prison officer told the court she felt privileged to have Sharif in her life but denied ever having sex with him in jail or smuggling the drugs. Dale was convicted by a Southwark Crown Court jury of two counts of misconduct in a public office and conspiracy to convey a List A prohibited article into prison. Sharif earlier admitted conspiring with the two women and others unknown to convey drugs into prison. He was given another 27 months in jail. Sallis was convicted by the jury of conspiracy to convey a List A prohibited article into prison. She was jailed for two-and-a-half years. Judge Hehir told Dale: You well understood what corruption was and the risks and dangers relating to it. Advertisement Advertisement Within a few months you began engaging in thoroughly corrupt and inappropriate behaviour. You formed illicit relationships with two inmates, Connor Money and Shahid Sharif. Intimate relationships between prisoners and prison officers jeopardise authority and good order in prisons. If some prisoners receive favourable treatment from prison officers that they are in a relationship with, that is unfair to the prisoners who are not. I have concluded that unfortunately you are a thoroughly devious, untruthful and manipulative young woman. I accept that you have some vulnerabilities, but as was apparent from your evidence you seek to use them as a shield and an excuse for your actions but they do not provide that. Advertisement Advertisement Dale was arrested on November 1 2022 on her last visit to Sharif at Swaleside. Dale, 23, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison She joined the prison service on September 29 2021 but told the court she felt she never fitted in with her colleagues, who would mock her extensive tattoos. Dale said she sought solace in the affection of the inmates. I bought the ring as I was instructed to by Mr Sharif to prove my loyalty to him, she explained. He threatened to stab me. He told me he hated me and wanted me to die. Syam Soni, defending Dale, said her client was suffering from depression and anxiety, and that she was ill-suited to working in the prison service. Advertisement Advertisement It is clear that in any view she was ill-equipped to be working in that function, she said. Dale, of Portsmouth, was convicted of two counts of misconduct in a public office and conspiracy to convey a List A prohibited article into prison. Sallis, of East Sussex, was convicted of conspiracy to convey a List A prohibited article into prison. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Federal and tribal authorities are investigating the death of an 8-year-old girl whose body was found Friday on the Navajo Nation, less than 24 hours after she was reported missing from her home. Maleeka Mollie Boone was last seen between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday while playing near the Coalmine Navajo Housing Authority area, about 17 miles southeast of Tuba City. When she did not return home, her family notified authorities, saying the disappearance was out of character for the child. The Arizona Department of Public Safety issued a Turquoise Alert early Friday after investigators determined Boone had vanished under unexplained or suspicious circumstances. The alert system is designed to provide rapid public notification for missing or endangered Indigenous people in Arizona. Advertisement Advertisement A large search effort followed, involving the Navajo Police Department, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and local volunteers. The FBIs Phoenix Field Office confirmed Friday afternoon that Boones body had been located and identified in the Coalmine Canyon area. After the discovery, Navajo police placed the Coalmine community on a temporary lockdown, asking residents to remain in their homes while federal agents processed the scene. The FBI later established a command post in the area and is leading the criminal investigation with the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren described the death as devastating in a video statement released over the weekend. The loss of a child is one of the worst tragedies a family, and a nation, can endure, Nygren said. Advertisement Advertisement As of Tuesday, authorities had not released a cause of death or identified any suspects. The FBI said it is withholding additional details to protect the integrity of the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Navajo Police Departments Tuba City District at 928-283-3111. 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 Moldova is in the process of formalizing its exit from the Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi told Radio Moldova on Jan. 19. Moldovan officials have long cautioned against Russias attempts to destabilize the country, including through attempted meddling in the country's elections. "We are in the process of confirming the denunciation of three agreements with the CIS," Popsoi said, noting that doing so would ensure that Chisinau was "no longer a member" of the bloc. Advertisement Advertisement "This process has already begun, we made this decision recently, the approval process has started," Popsoi added. The CIS serves as a post-Soviet intergovernmental organization established to formalize economic and diplomatic ties among the former Soviet states. While several countries, including Ukraine and Georgia, have previously left the bloc, Moldova has not yet finalized its exit despite ceasing participation in 2023. The decision to formalize Chisinau's withdraw from the CIS comes just months after pro-European President Maia Sandu's governing Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) secured a parliamentary majority in October 2025. Popsoi said that despite not formally exiting, the country has denounced 71 agreement signed apart of the CIS since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, adding that 60 more are in the process of denunciation. Advertisement Advertisement The CIS has faced significant headwinds since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Amid fractured relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, following the December 2024 crash of an Azerbaijani passenger plane which Russia likely brought down, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev skipped out on an informal summit of CIS leaders. Read also: Russian missiles, drones target Kyiv on freezing night amid deepening energy crisis Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. NEED TO KNOW A 41-year-old mom fell to her death while trying to help another driver on the side of a highway in Utah on Jan. 9 Now, her family is remembering her generous spirit as they raise funds to bring her body home to North Carolina "This isnt the way she should have left us," one of her sons said A 41-year-old mom and U.S. Army veteran died after she fell 70 feet off a bridge earlier this month while trying to help someone who was stranded on the side of a Utah highway. Her final words to her partner were love you. Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, Jan. 9, around 6 a.m. local time, Jenna Guerra was driving through Weber Canyon when she saw a car on the side of the road following a crash at milepost 90, where a bridge crosses over railroad tracks, ABC affiliate KTVX reported. The mom of two, from North Carolina, had recently started a trucking business with her boyfriend, Joby Arnette, who was with her in the vehicle. They were traveling from Tennessee to Washington state when Guerra stopped after a patch of black ice sent the car right in front of them into the concrete barrier. She pulled over, and she was gonna go and make sure everybodys okay, because thats a normal thing [for her], Arnette told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement He was putting on his shoes so he could get out to assist his girlfriend. But she turned around, said, Love you. I said, I love you,' Arnette recalled, according to the outlet. Then her act of kindness turned into tragedy: Guerra heard a third car coming on Interstate 84 that was trying to stop, and she jumped over the nearby barrier so she wouldnt get hit, KTVX, FOX affiliate KSTU and CBS affiliate WNCN reported. I heard some tires squealing, and I come on out of the truck and started walking back there, and she was gone, Arnetted told KTVX. I didnt see her anywhere. Guerra died after falling from the roady, according to the outlets. (The Utah Highway Patrol did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.) Advertisement Advertisement Her two sons say they take solace in knowing that she was aiding others. This isnt the way she should have left us or passed away, but Im glad that she was doing what she loved; she loved to help people, Guerras teen son, Lucas, told WNCN. Guerra worked as a dental technician and served in the Army before she was honorably discharged in 2011, her family told the outlet. Her selflessness and generosity guided everything she did, they said. Jenna Rose Guerra/Facebook Jenna Guerra Jenna Guerra Now, loved ones are raising funds to help bring her remains back to North Carolina. We are asking for help to bring Jenna home to her children, wrote the organizer of a GoFundMe. 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 Lucas remembers his mom, he is also mourning the future they wont be able to share. Advertisement Advertisement I always hoped that she could see what I would do with my life, and I know she was so proud of me and [her other son Sebastian], he told KTVX, and her not being able to see us grow up and all the things Ill do with my life is really tough. Read the original article on People Jan. 20State lawmakers are seeking ways to regulate kratom ahead of the 2027 legislative session, arguing that synthetic concoctions of the drug are too dangerous to leave unchecked for another year. Use of both naturally and synthetically derived kratom products has surged in recent decades, spurring many states to adopt new regulations. As of April 2025, 18 states had laws regulating the manufacture and sale of kratom products and six states recognized compounds in kratom as controlled substances. Montana currently has no laws on the books relating to kratom or its active ingredients a fact that many members of the Law and Justice Interim Committee lamented during a Jan. 14 meeting. Advertisement Advertisement "This whole kratom thing really bothers me. I mean, it really does," said Sen. Vince Ricci, R-Billings. "It's being sold in convenience stores. It's in energy drink fashion. There's no age restrictions, so 12-year-olds can buy it." During the 2025 Legislature, lawmakers introduced a bill to restrict the sale of kratom products with high levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine, a compound that binds to opioid receptors in the brain and either acts as a stimulant or a sedative depending on the dosage. The legislation would have restricted retailers from selling kratom products to anyone under the age of 21. The measure failed after being tabled by the House Appropriations Committee. The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council subsequently passed its own law in September banning the sale and possession of kratom on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Yellowstone County recently followed suit with its own prohibition on the sale of kratom products in licensed food establishments. Sen. Sue Vinton, R-Billings, said she didn't think local restrictions on kratom were enough while questioning the routes state legislators had to implement their own regulations. Advertisement Advertisement "A concern that I have is that our next legislative session is almost a year away," said Vinton. "So, knowing that there has been some action ... is there anything else that can be done or that we've overlooked that can address this potentially harmful substance without waiting for another year?" Lawmakers did not walk away from the Jan. 14 meeting with a clear answer to that question. Instead, the legislators agreed to convene in March after researching how states like Ohio have regulated kratom outside of regular legislative sessions. In December, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy issued an emergency 180-day ban on synthetic kratom products. Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 758-4433 or [email protected]. Washington As many as 25 countries have signed on to join President Trump's "Board of Peace" for Gaza, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff says. But sources familiar with the discussions told CBS News not all have said so publicly. "I think we have north of 20, maybe 25 world leaders who have already accepted," Witkoff said in an interview on CNBC on Wednesday. Israel, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, the United Arab Emirates, Belarus, Morocco, Hungary and Canada are among the nations that have announced they're accepting Mr. Trump's invitation. Advertisement Advertisement Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did so Wednesday, as did Egypt's foreign ministry. As the president envisions it, the group would be comprised of world leaders, with him as its chairman. Countries can contribute $1 billion to become permanent members, rather than holding a typical three-year membership, the White House said, although Canada has said it won't pay to join. Some countries will contribute far less, possibly around $20 million, one of the sources said. A White House official told CBS News over the weekend that "virtually every dollar" raised would be spent on the board's mandate in Gaza. Fundraising to rebuild Gaza will be a separate effort, one U.S. official said. Advertisement Advertisement Another U.S. official told CBS News the president wants a signing ceremony for the board at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, and has been contemplating whether the board's work should extend beyond Gaza, and perhaps be a rival to the United Nations. But the group's formation is facing serious headwinds from U.S. allies, particularly as the president renews his push to acquire Greenland and has not ruled out the use of military force to do so. Low support for the board could be embarrassing for the administration in Davos. Norway and Sweden said Wednesday they're holding off, at least for now, due to concerns about the terms for joining. Russia has been invited, despite its continued assault on Ukraine and the Trump administration's statement that the Kremlin poses such a threat to national security that the U.S. must acquire Greenland to counter it. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday night, the president threatened France with 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne which would likely make those products far more expensive for Americans if the French don't join the board. The White House hasn't yet said whether Mr. Trump was serious or whether he was joking. At this point, France doesn't intend to give a favorable response to the U.S., according to a source familiar with its deliberations. The White House says the Board of Peace will "play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the president's Gaza plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development." Tim Walz, Jacob Frey and more Minnesota officials subpoenaed by DOJ "Mastermind" behind the Minnesota fraud scheme defends herself and admits regrets "Queer Eye" cast addresses member's absence and reflects on legacy of show Jan. 20The 31-year-old accused of drunkenly killing a Flathead Valley woman in a New Year's Day wreck near Bigfork in 2025 is expected to take a plea deal. Kala Renee Knaus of Kalispell pleaded not guilty to a single felony count of vehicular homicide while under the influence last year. But documents filed by defense attorney Sean Hinchey in Flathead County District Court earlier this month indicated that Knaus had reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. Judge Heidi Ulbircht, who is presiding over the case, has since set a change of plea hearing for Feb. 19. Advertisement Advertisement Knaus is accused of killing Alyssa Sladek in an alcohol-fueled wreck near the intersection of Montana 35 and Holt Drive about 1:25 a.m. When first responders arrived at the scene they found Sladek dead behind the wheel of a heavily damaged red Kia Rio and an allegedly belligerent Knaus inside a Subaru Forester. Testing later determined her blood alcohol content was at 0.188, which is more than twice the legal limit, according to court documents. Investigators concluded that Knaus was driving north on Montana 35 when she crossed the center line and headed into the southbound lane, striking Sladek's Kia. Sladek died from blunt force trauma suffered during the collision, court documents said. Friends described Sladek as selfless, kind and empathetic. She had spent the night ringing in the new year with family and then friends in Kila, Evergreen and Kalispell before heading back toward her home near Bigfork. "She had a life, values, things she was contributing," friend Sierra Claridge told the Daily Inter Lake in August. "Alyssa's contributions to the world were not small." Advertisement Advertisement Released from custody on a $250,000 property bond posted in July, Knaus had been expected to stand trial in March. In December, prosecutors filed a petition to revoke her freedom, citing violations of the conditions of her release. Knaus, who was required to submit to remote breath testing, missed a test in November and three in December, according to court documents. Hinchey filed a motion to quash the warrant for Knaus' arrest on Dec. 23, arguing that the 31-year-old had not intentionally skipped the tests. He wrote that Knaus had switched from breath monitoring to transdermal alcohol monitoring to prevent another missed test. "The defendant has maintained sobriety and has demonstrated this through continued treatment participation at Oxytocin, twice weekly urinalysis, and attending AA meetings," Hinchey wrote. On Jan. 6, Hinchey filed an unopposed motion to vacate the scheduled revocation hearing. Among the reasons to forgo the court appearance, Hinchey wrote that "a plea agreement has been reached in this matter, and a change of plea hearing is respectfully requested." A copy of the plea agreement has not yet been filed in district court. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected]. Although Nashville was able to steer clear of snow last week, it isn't yet certain if the same can be said about this week. Confidence is increasing that a "significant winter storm" will impact Middle Tennessee heading into the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Model forecasts currently show a wide range of possible snow totals, so the exact amounts remain uncertain, wrote the weather service. Its also still unclear whether freezing rain or sleet will mix in, especially across the southern areas. Advertisement Advertisement "Despite these uncertainties, be prepared for significant travel impacts this weekend," wrote National Weather Service Meteorologist Alyssa Clements. "On top of this, temperatures will be bitterly cold and are expected to stay below freezing Friday night and into early next week." Confidence continues to increase regarding an impactful winter storm this weekend. There is still uncertainty regarding snow totals, but the bottom line is that significant travel impacts are looking more likely. On top of that, bitterly cold temperatures will also settle in. pic.twitter.com/uRusV27Jzp NWS Nashville (@NWSNashville) January 20, 2026 Here's what else to know. How much snow to expect in Nashville, surrounding areas A winter storm is expected late this week and into the weekend. According to the weather service, it remains too early to determine exact amounts of snow or ice. Current models suggest that areas along and north of Interstate 40 are most likely to see mainly snow, while areas to the south have a higher chance of snow mixing with ice. Advertisement Advertisement There is roughly a 50% chance of more than four inches of snow north of I40, with a 3040% chance to the south, wrote the weather service in their morning discussion. The highest probabilities fall in the three to eightinch range for much of the area. However, there is still considerable uncertainty, as the range of reasonable possibilities runs from two to 10 inches. A winter storm will be moving into Middle Tennessee later this week. The storm will bring the possibility of snow and travel impacts. These ranges should narrow over the next couple of days, but the weather service advises that residents begin preparing for significant travel disruptions, including power outages as well as possible downed trees and branches, across Middle Tennessee regardless of the final totals. Several factors could still shift the outcome, including how much energy moves out of the southwest and how that influences the storms track, as well as the depth of the cold air. Advertisement Advertisement While cold air is expected to be firmly in place, a thin layer of warmer air over southern areas could lead to sleet or freezing rain, reducing snow totals but still creating hazardous travel. When will snow move into Middle Tennessee? The timing of the first precipitation is also uncertain. Some models show light snow starting as early as Jan. 23, though the most likely period for accumulation appears to be from the afternoon of Jan. 24 through the morning of Jan. 25. An earlier start is still possible. "After all the wintry stuff has fallen, we may need several days of recovery next week for clear travel to return," added the weather service. "Temperatures are expected to stay very cold early next week, maybe not climbing above freezing again until Tuesday afternoon." Nashville-area radar Nashville 7-day forecast Jan. 20: Sunny, with a high near 38 then a low around 26. Advertisement Advertisement Jan. 21: A high near 48 and a 70% chance of showers, mainly after noon. Then mostly cloudy with a low around 33 and a 50% chance of rain, mainly before midnight. Jan. 22: Mostly sunny, with a high near 48 and a 20% chance of rain. Then a low around 27 and a 20% chance of rain before midnight followed by a slight chance of snow. Jan. 23: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38 and a 20% chance of snow. Then a low around 17 and a 40% chance of snow showers. Jan. 24: Cloudy, with a high near 27 and a 70% chance of show showers, with heavy snow at times. Then a low around 14 and a 60% chance of snow showers, mainly before midnight. Advertisement Advertisement Jan. 25: Partly sunny, with a high near 29 and a 20% chance of snow showers. Then partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Jan. 26: Sunny, with a high near 32. Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for the Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X at @_leyvadiana This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Winter storm in forecast. How much snow will Middle Tennessee see? In one of his final acts in office, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday that he signed one controversial bill to limit immigration enforcement in New Jersey while vetoing two other measures he said were likely to get challenged in court. Murphy signed a bill that designates hospitals and schools as safe zones, blocking Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from going inside without a judicial warrant. The legislation requires the state attorney general to publish model policies for sensitive locations. The new law also says New Jersey will develop a separate model policy specifically tailored to keep ICE out of places of worship. Advertisement Advertisement Whether youre praying in a church, studying in school, receiving medical care at a hospital, or seeking legal relief, no one should live in fear or uncertainty or be deterred from seeking essential services due to their immigration status, Murphy said. But the Democratic governor rejected the two other bills included in the package passed by lawmakers who want to limit cooperation with ICE. Murphy, who leaves office at noon Tuesday, used a pocket veto to stop the proposed laws that would have limited informationsharing with federal authorities. Murphy argued the bill contained errors and needed additional language to ensure it didnt conflict with federal law. He also declined to make New Jerseys Immigrant Trust Directive a policy that limits when local and state law enforcement officers can cooperate with ICE into a law. The bills were a core demand of advocates who said the policies were needed to shield undocumented residents from renewed federal enforcement under the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Murphy argued that the bill making the directive a law had been altered so significantly during the legislative process that, in his view, it would invite renewed legal scrutiny. I am extremely concerned that signing this bill, which differs from the Immigrant Trust Directive, would open New Jersey up to a new court challenge and renewed judicial scrutiny from judges who may not render the same decision upholding these critical protections, Murphy said. He also worried the new laws could put immigrants in danger. Re-opening the door to judicial scrutiny of our States immigration policies, combined with the Trump Administrations increasingly targeted actions against states and cities, is a recipe for disaster for our immigrant brothers and sisters and puts them in greater danger, Murphy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advocates for the bills criticized Murphy for waiting until the last minute to issue a pocket veto for the two proposed laws. Advocacy organizations, along with the Latino Legislative Caucus, spent the weekend urging Murphy to sign the remaining bills before leaving office. Their effort failed as Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, was preparing to be sworn in Tuesday. That means the entire package must now be reintroduced and move through the Democratic-controlled state Legislature again. Sherrills office did not immediately respond to a request to comment. Supporters say the vetoes contradict Democrats public commitments to resist Trump-era immigration policies. They argued the bills that failed were drafted specifically to withstand legal challenges and that Murphys late-stage objections were more political than constitutional. Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU supported Murphys signing of the bill to protect schools and churches from ICE, but disagreed with his pocket veto of the other bills. In failing to sign these bills, Gov. Murphy has left New Jersey without critical protections at a moment when ICE is brutalizing our communities. These bills were legally sound, politically viable, and commonsense policy, the ACLU said in a statement. Make the Road New Jersey, an immigrant rights group, also criticized Murphy for not signing the two bills to limit ICE cooperation. We cannot wait for the perfect conditions or guarantees to pass these bills. Were already working with the incoming Sherrill administration about how to get these over the finish line and show that New Jersey is ready to stand up to the Trump administration, said Nedia Morsy, director of Make the Road New Jersey. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. When the James Webb Space Telescope sent back its first images of the cosmos, astronomers were stunned to find tiny red points scattered across the early universe. Since 2022, astronomers have been trying to determine what these so-called "little red dots" (LRDs) are. They've finally figured it out: LRDs are young black holes. Some researchers suggested that the dots might be very early galaxies because they emitted light. But galaxy formation appears to be a very slow process. The LRDs appear only a few hundred million years after the Big Bang and then disappear a billion years later. The galaxies wouldnt have had time to grow large and bright enough to be easily visible. Furthermore, their deep red color doesnt match the expected emissions from starlight alone. Over the last two years, astronomers from the Niels Bohr Institutes Cosmic Dawn Center in Copenhagen analyzed the dots using spectroscopy. They found that 70% of them show evidence of rapidly orbiting gas. Little red dots appear in multiple JWST images. Photo: Darach Watson/JWST Clouds of gas Dense clouds of gas surround the dots, and as gas spirals into the LRDs, it heats up and releases energy, producing bright light that the JWST detects as red. Advertisement Advertisement "The little red dots are young black holes, a hundred times less massive than previously believed, enshrouded in a cocoon of gas, which they are consuming to grow larger," says co-author of the new study, Darach Watson. "This process generates enormous heat, which shines through the cocoon. This radiation...gives little red dots their unique red color." Watson continued in a statement: When gas falls toward a black hole, it spirals down into a kind of disk or funnel toward the surface. It ends up going so fast and is squeezed so densely that it generates temperatures of millions of degrees and lights up brightly. But only a very small amount of the gas is swallowed by the black hole. Most of the gas is blown back out from the poles as the black hole rotates. That's why we call black holes messy eaters. Though these black holes are much smaller than the supermassive giants found in the center of mature galaxies, they still have a mass that is ten million times larger than our Sun. The light from the phone did so little to illuminate the operating room that the doctors worked largely by touch. Several long months into the siege of El Fasher, power to the hospital had long since been cut off and the backup solar panels had failed. Most medical supplies had been exhausted and the rumble of artillery fire was constant. Their patient was a pregnant woman who had arrived in the middle of the night and was bleeding heavily from a ruptured uterus. It is a rare but serious complication that often kills both mother and child. Advertisement Advertisement We had lost hope of saving the baby. The condition was really dire, said Mustafa Ibrahim, a 28-year-old doctor who had found himself in charge of the maternity ward. Yet when the baby appeared in the dim light of the torch beam, covered in its mothers blood, the doctors were stunned to find it was still alive and they were able to save the mother too. With very limited resources and in very difficult conditions we ended up saving both of them, Dr Ibrahim told The Telegraph by video call from Sudan. I cant forget this case. It was one of many near-miracles performed by Dr Ibrahim and his colleagues during the 18-month siege of El Fasher, one of the Sudan wars darkest chapters which culminated in the massacre of at least 60,000 people last October. Dr Ibrahim found himself in charge of a maternity ward for the duration of the 18-month siege - Sudanese American Physicians Association The siege, perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group which has been battling the army since April 2023, when a power struggle between their leaders erupted into a civil war, was intended to starve the city into submission. Advertisement Advertisement Dr Ibrahim was one of just 11 doctors who stayed behind, despite the danger, to serve a quarter of a million people trapped in the city from its last functioning medical facility, the Al-Saudi Maternity Hospital. I remained to help the people of the city because I consider them my family, said Dr Ibrahim, who was raised in El Fasher. The skeleton crew did everything they could to keep the hospital running, but given that the facility would usually have been operated by a staff of over 100, conditions deteriorated rapidly. There was no safety, no medicine, and people were being killed every day, said Dr Ibrahim. Advertisement Advertisement We cleaned wounds with our bare hands because there was nothing else. Shortages of supplies and equipment soon grew so severe that doctors even had to improvise bandages, making their own dressings from napkins and bits of mosquito netting. With so few staff available, the doctors each had to run multiple departments simultaneously. Along with running the obstetrics and gynaecology department, Dr Ibrahim was also in charge of general surgery, emergency medicine, trauma care and internal medicine. Dr Ibrahim described terrible working conditions - Sudanese American Physicians Association At the height of the siege he would have to look after up to 40 patients at once. I was working around the clock, every single day, with nearly no rest. I remember how my colleagues and I pushed through pain and exhaustion simply to save lives, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Every week 15 or 16 babies would be born in the hospital, but he reckons that about one in three of them wouldnt survive. It is, he said, a fact that I deeply regret and carry with me. Acute malnutrition and complications arising from the lack of basic medical equipment were the main causes of death, he added. Even the doctors had to ration food often sharing one portion between four and eating only twice a day, usually porridge or soup. The hospital itself came under repeated attack. RSF shelling and drone strikes damaged several buildings, rendering most wards unusable and destroying essential equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Drones were a constant threat. A video grab taken from footage released on the RSFs Telegram channel shows fighters in the streets of El-Fasher in Darfur - Rapid Support Forces/AFP via Getty Images In one of the deadliest attacks on the hospital, 70 people were killed and up to 100 more were wounded when Chinese-made drones operated by the RSF hit the emergency department. In a separate attack, Dr Ibrahim witnessed a midwife being killed by a drone near the hospitals front steps. I had never worked under circumstances of such severity, he said. My time in El Fasher during the siege was the greatest challenge of my life, and the most difficult experience I have ever faced as a doctor. As space in the hospital ran out, the skeleton crew of medics converted abandoned buildings across the city into makeshift overflow wards. Advertisement Advertisement Movement was only possible during brief lulls in the shelling, usually in the dead of night. We transported around 20 patients a day on carts or groups of people carrying hospital beds, said Dr Ibrahim. Many lives were lost simply because safe transportation was impossible, he said, adding that they moved patients on foot, as vehicles were routinely targeted by drones. But Dr Ibrahims trials were only just beginning. Everything changed on October 26, when the city fell and the massacre began. A communications blackout makes it difficult to verify reports, but satellite images showed smoke billowing from fires burning around El-Fasher an indication of atrocities - HANDOUT/Satellite image 2025 Vantor/AFP via Getty Images Videos filmed by RSF fighters and circulated online showed militants pouring into the city in trucks and on horses and camels, pursuing unarmed civilians as they fled. Advertisement Advertisement Gunfire blared as militants yelled kill the Nuba, a reference to Sudans indigenous African communities. Piles of bodies and pools of blood could be seen from space. It has been described by analysts as the largest single mass killing since the Rwandan genocide of the 1990s. Dr Ibrahim remained at the hospital for as long as he could, staying with his patients until the final moments before RSF gunmen overran the area. One of the youngest doctors, many of his colleagues had been urging him to leave and he eventually gave in. Dr Ibrahim was in the resting room with a colleague. We saw people running in all directions, RSF vehicles approaching, and intense shelling closing in. That was the moment we decided to leave, he said. Advertisement Advertisement b' Battle Lines x Global Health Security article banner ' Hours later, 460 patients and medical workers were massacred in the hospital by the RSF, according to the World Health Organization. Dr Ibrahim said the figure matched the number of patients he knew to be inside the hospital. He still does not know the fate of many of his colleagues. Three female doctors were still inside the hospital when he left. He knows that one of the 11, Dr Adam Ibrahim, was among the hundreds who were killed. Dr Ibrahim made his way out of the city at night in a group of about 200 people. They moved in total silence, crossing trenches dug around the city by the army. Advertisement Advertisement Whenever they spotted the headlights of a passing vehicle, they dropped to the ground and froze, tapping one another on the shoulder when it was safe to move again. At the time, my mind was focused solely on survival. I did not feel sadness, fear, or despair, said Dr Ibrahim. Those emotions came later, once I reached safety, when an overwhelming sense of grief, pain, and sorrow began to surface. Dr Ibrahim in the relative safety of Tawila - Sudanese American Physicians Association By sunrise, Dr Ibrahim was among a smaller group of 15 people including Dr Khattab, seven civilians and six Sudanese Armed Forces soldiers. Exposed in the daylight, they were soon captured by RSF fighters who chased them down on camels and motorbikes. Two armed soldiers were executed immediately in front of the group. The remaining four were killed later, after confessing to being in the army. When I was abducted, I did not think I would live to see another day.I hoped only for a quick death, Dr Ibrahim said. He was bound, his hands pulled over his head, and tied to a tree, where he was forced to stand under the sun. In the two days they held him there he was given water only once. At one point, he was ordered to use an RSF fighters phone to contact his father on Facebook. Over a video call, his father negotiated a ransom down from 50 million Sudanese pounds, about $14,000, to 15 million Sudanese pounds, roughly $4,200. After the payment was made, Dr Ibrahim was blindfolded and driven to a remote area, where he was told to walk toward distant lights. There, he reached the relative safety of Tawila, some 50 miles west of El Fasher a journey that takes three days by foot. He hadnt eaten for four days by the time he was received in Tawila by the Sudanese American Physicians Association, which welcomed him at its clinic and offered him work. After a brief rest, he began work as the lead clinician for the organisations mobile medical unit. He now treats more than 150 patients a day, many of them fellow survivors of the El Fasher massacre who have undergone similar journeys. This experience has made me more resilient and strengthened my faithThat said, my personality has changed profoundly, Dr Ibrahim said. My heart died in El Fasher. I have become more aggressive, a trait I deeply dislike in myself, he added. I try to fight this by helping displaced people, those who have endured the horrors of war, and those who have lost their loved ones. I try to heal them, even as I recognise that I, too, need healing. Donate to support the Sudanese American Physicians Association Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Nearly every generation in American history has lived through a moment of intense political turmoil. A time when it seemed the nation had never been so divided. Many would argue we are living through such a moment right now. The partisan budget bickering in Washington, and the resulting failure to keep the federal government open, is exhibit one. Strangely, this dysfunction almost never occurs at the state level. The reason is simple: 49 of the 50 state constitutions include a balanced budget mandate that, among other things, requires the passage of a yearly or biyearly budget. The U.S. Constitutions lack of such a provision leaves Washington perpetually vulnerable to shutdowns whenever Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on spending priorities. But the absence of a balanced budget requirement has produced a threat far more dangerous than just temporary shutdowns. The federal debt now roughly $38 trillion is seven times greater than annual federal revenue of about $5.5 trillion. This imbalance places the country on a path toward an economically catastrophic default on its interest payments if nothing changes. The first clear warning sign arrived last year, when for the first time in American history the United States spent more servicing its national debt than it did funding national defense. That sobering milestone is just one of many troubling financial indicators flashing red. This danger was foreseen long ago. In a 1798 letter to John Taylor, Thomas Jefferson advocated for what we now call a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA), warning against the very debt spiral we face today. I wish it were possible, he wrote, to obtain a single amendment taking from the federal government the power of borrowing. Amending the U.S. Constitution is intentionally difficult. It requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress to propose an amendment, followed by ratification from three-quarters of the states. The last serious congressional effort to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment occurred in 1995, when it passed the House but failed in the Senate by a single vote. Given todays polarization, Congress is unlikely to pass a BBA anytime soon. Fortunately, the Constitution provides another path. Under Article V, the states may bypass Congress entirely by calling a convention to propose amendments. This requires applications from two-thirds of state legislatures (34 states), with ratification still required from 38 states. So far, 27 states have applied for a convention to propose a Balanced Budget Amendment. Leaders of the BBA movement, including former Republican governors and U.S. senators, believe that reaching 33 states may be enough to pressure Congress into acting on its own. President Ronald Reagan supported this strategy, knowing that the threat of an Article V convention is what compelled Congress to propose the 17th Amendment. The same dynamic could work again. For that reason, I urge the Kentucky legislature to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment convention application in 2026. Adopting a Balanced Budget Amendment is the only reliable way to prevent future government shutdowns while forcing Congress to live within its means and begin paying down the national debt. In doing so, we would honor Thomas Jeffersons enduring warning that we are unauthorized to saddle posterity with our debts, and morally bound to pay them ourselves. U.S. Rep. James Comer (Leah Herman/Leah Herman) James Comer proudly represents Kentuckys 1st Congressional District and serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) A pair of Tyson Foods beef plants are expected to lay off a total of nearly 5,000 workers on Tuesday as part of the companys plan to right size its beef business. After its beef segment posted a record $1.135 billion loss in fiscal 2025, or $426 million adjusted, Tyson announced in November that it would end operations at its Lexington, Nebraska, beef facility and convert its Amarillo, Texas, beef facility to a single, full-capacity shift. All 3,212 employees are expected to be laid off at the Lexington facility, and the move to a single shift at the Amarillo plant will eliminate 1,761 jobs, according to Texas and Nebraska Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification (WARN) notices. Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press reported at the time of Tysons announcement that the two moves would reduce beef processing capacity nationwide by 7-9%. In anticipation of the plants closure in Lexington, a Tyson spokesperson confirmed to Meatingplace last week that some production shifts were stopped early. Walmart announces changes in Executive Council The local impact of closing the Nebraska plant In a town of around 11,000, nearly one-third of Lexington residents will be unemployed by Tyson when the beef plant closes on Jan. 20. Jason Douglas, the chief executive officer of the Lexington Regional Health Center in Lexington, Neb., penned an open letter on Dec. 14 to the Tyson Foods Board of Directors, CEO Donnie King and Board Chairman John H. Tyson regarding the plants imminent closure, calling it a spreadsheet decision. Advertisement Advertisement A report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said the total job losses as a result of the plants closure are expected to be around 7,000. Tyson employees alone will lose an estimated $241 million in pay and benefits annually. Douglas noted in his letter that he hoped Tyson would preserve the plant and not strip [it] bare, before pointing to the Norfolk, Nebraska, closure in 2006. The UNL report and Douglas both said that after that closure, the plant had all of its infrastructure removed and currently stands empty. Preserve it for potential future useby you or by someone else. Give this community a chance to rebuild around a functioning asset rather than a hollowed-out shell, Douglas wrote in his letter. When KNWA/FOX24 previously reached out to Tyson about its plans for the plant, a spokesperson said that the company is currently assessing how we can repurpose the facility within our own production network. Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Nevada relies almost entirely on imported transportation fuels from California, leaving Nevada motorists vulnerable to supply disruptions. (Photo: Hugh Jackson/Nevada Current) Nevada is looking for ways to break away from a decades-long dependence on California fuel as the Golden State experiences refinery closures including the back-to-back closures of two major oil refineries. In October, Phillips 66 produced its final barrel of fuel at its Los Angeles facility, citing regulatory pressure, rising costs, and declining gasoline demand in California. Valero Energy also announced plans to close its oil refinery near San Francisco by April, citing similar reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Together, the two facilities represent about 17% of Californias capacity to refine crude oil into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other petroleum products. Nevada which imports about 86% of its transportation fuels from California will likely feel the impacts of those closures, including price hikes at the pump, say industry experts. Nevadas Fuel Resiliency Committee, which had its first meeting last week, was proposed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo to help address the states current and emerging fuel challenges. And there are many. For one, Nevada doesnt have any significant crude oil reserves. In 2024, the state only produced about 170,000 barrels a literal drop in the barrel compared to U.S. production of nearly 14 million barrels per day. Advertisement Advertisement Nevada also has only one crude oil refinery located in Nye County, which is limited to producing asphalt for roads. Additionally, Nevada doesnt have the capacity to store large quantities of fuel in cases of emergency like California does. As a result, Nevada relies almost entirely on imported transportation fuels from California, leaving the state vulnerable to supply disruptions from the neighboring state. Nevada isnt alone. California refineries supply more than one-third of transportation fuel in the neighboring state of Arizona, which also doesnt have significant oil reserves or a single crude oil refinery. In general, California and the West Coast is geographically isolated from other refining centers, notably the Gulf Coast where 55% of U.S. refining capacity is located, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That makes it difficult for Nevada to draw supply from other regions. Advertisement Advertisement Miranda Hoover, the state executive for the Energy and Convenience Association of Nevada, said its clear Nevada will need to diversify its fuel supply sources to build resiliency. Hoover said she has been working with Lombardo on fuel affordability for the past four years and is now serving as a non-voting member for the Nevada Fuel Resiliency Committee. Weve done a lot of research on if it would even be possible or plausible for Nevada to have its own refinery. Unfortunately, the simple answer is no, said Hoover, whose trade association represents fuel distributors, transporters, and gas stations. Nevada doesnt have any of the right crude oil that could even be put into the refinery. The subcommittee will be tasked with conducting assessments of Nevadas current and projected fuel supply, exploring options to expand infrastructure, assessing the states vulnerabilities, and strengthening emergency responses. The committee expects to submit its recommended policies in September. Part of those recommendations will likely include plans to expand permitting and addressing barriers to infrastructure projects, said Hoover. One major solution that is being pushed on the committee is more pipelines. Advertisement Advertisement Nevada relies on three major pipelines: Kinder Morgans CALNEV pipeline which supplies 90% of Southern Nevadas fuel, H.F. Sinclairs UNEV Pipeline which pipes about 15% of Nevadas total fuel from Utah, and Kinder Morgans SFPP North Line from California which fuels the Reno area. Representatives for several fuel companies with tentative plans to expand pipelines into Nevada, including H.F. Sinclair and Phillips 66, serve as non voting members on the Fuel Resiliency Committee. In October, HF Sinclair announced that it was evaluating an expansion of its UNEV Pipeline from Utah that could increase capacity into Las Vegas by about 35,000 barrels a day by moving more fuel from the Rockies into Nevada. That plan would also include a new lateral line from Utah to Reno which has a single pipeline for its gasoline and diesel supply. That same month, Phillips 66 and Kinder Morgan announced they were accepting shipper commitments for their Western Gateway Pipeline, a 1,300 mile pipeline from Texas that would supply gasoline to California, Arizona and Nevada. If built, the pipeline would be the first to pipe refined fuels to California from outside the state. Advertisement Advertisement During the committees first meeting, Hoover said several fuel companies gave updates about potential infrastructure projects that could expand Nevadas supply of refined fuels. To truly be resilient, we must diversify. That means we cant have just one new pipeline coming into Las Vegas. Its probably going to be two and or three multiple projects or infrastructure improvements that are going to really create not only short term solutions, but also long term solutions, Hoover said. Brett Compston, administrator of the Nevada Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and chair of the committee, highlighted that the committee was created under the Nevada Department of Homeland Security because the states reliance on California fuel is impacting the states military bases. Right now, one of the things I worry about or we worry about for the emergency management and the homeland security side is disruption to critical infrastructure, in this case, fuel, said Compston, during the committee hearing last week. Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency when Kinder Morgans CALNEV pipeline, which serves Nellis and Edwards Air Force bases and McCarran International Airport, was temporarily shut down because of a California wildfire. Earlier this year, wildfires in California also caused widespread power outages, shutting down two pipelines that send fuel to Nevada and Arizona. The infrastructure plans to expand pipelines into Nevada would likely take years, if constructed at all. HF Sinclairs UNEV Pipeline expansion wouldnt be complete until 2028, while Phillips 66 and Kinder Morgans Western Gateway Pipeline would be completed in 2029. Gaps in fuel resiliency, and the years it could take to address them, is especially concerning for rural and northern Nevada, said state Sen. Robin Titus, who serves as a voting member on the committee. Advertisement Advertisement I think we raised more questions than we had answers the other day, Titus said of the first committee meeting. Last year, Titus sponsored Senate Bill 505 to establish an Energy Independence Task Force to explore alternatives to relying on California fuel, but the bill never got a hearing. Titus said she hopes the Fuel Resiliency Committee can explore more immediate solutions, including expanding storage capacity in the state to mitigate moments of fuel volatility. In the long-term, Nevada will need to move away from depending almost entirely on California fuel, Titus said. What they do in California impacts us here. Many of us in rural areas cant get across the state in an electric car. Theres no public transportation or anything out here, so were reliant on our cars to get places. Our needs are different, and so we want to make sure that we arent dependent on what happens in California, Titus said. NewsNation host Leland Vittert uncritically repeated a claim by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who alleged that police in Minnesota have been ordered to stand down and surrender. On Sunday, protesters stormed into a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, to protest a pastor named David Easterwood, who also appears to be an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official in the area. David Easterwood, out now! protesters yelled as they disrupted the service. Advertisement Advertisement Hours later, quote-tweeted a post by Fox News contributor Miranda Devine, who claimed, Local cops have gone AWOL in Minnesota. Only federal officers are upholding the law, Miller wrote. Local and state police have been ordered to stand down and surrender. Neither Devine nor Miller offered any evidence. During Mondays On Balance on NewsNation, Vittert pointed to the fact that polling shows that Trump is underwater on immigration, positing that the video of Renee Goods killing by a federal agent may have helped sway public opinion against him on the issue. And this is all about video because this video is perhaps the antidote to the video we saw earlier of a woman getting shot, Vittert said. Team Trump is banking on these church protest images to shift the focus. It wont. Team Trump will fight with the media and claim unfair coverage. Advertisement Advertisement The host then drew a connection between the church protest and the idea that police in Minnesota arent enforcing the law. Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller says only federal officers are now upholding the law in Minnesota, Vittert said, as Millers tweet appeared on screen. Local and state police, he says, have been ordered to stand down and surrender. That only means one thing is coming, which is escalation. The host then moved to his panel. On Monday, the St. Paul Police Department told TMZ it is investigating the incident as part of a disorderly conduct probe. Meanwhile, the Minneapolis Police Department said Millers claim is untrue. Advertisement Advertisement The statement is false, said Sgt. Garrett Parten, a spokesperson for the department, told The Independent. Demonstrations against ICE and the Trump administrations heavy-handed tactics in Minnesota have reached a fever pitch in the wake of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross this month. Top administration officials, including President Donald Trump, responded by blaming and maligning Good in the immediate aftermath of her death. Watch above via NewsNation. The post NewsNation Host Repeats Stephen Millers False Claim That Police Have Been Ordered to Stand Down in Minnesota first appeared on Mediaite. Streets were half-empty Monday in the capital city of Guatemala, where outrage and fear lingered during the first day of the 30-day state of emergency decreed by the government in response to the murder of nine police officers and riots in several prisons. On Sunday, suspected members of the notorious Barrio 18 gang carried out a wave of attacks on the police after security forces put down a prison mutiny. Eight officers were killed on Sunday and a ninth died of his injuries on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement President Bernardo Arevalo declared a 30-day emergency on Sunday over the violence, which caused deep shock among Guatemalans. On Monday, he presided over a memorial ceremony for the slain police officers at the interior ministry. The streets of the capital Guatemala City were semi-deserted and private schools, courts and universities remained shuttered. Sitting on a bench in the historic center of Guatemala City, an octogenarian told AFP that he believed the only way to stamp out criminal gangs was by "burning them." "A criminal caught, a criminal killed, because there's no other way...It's like a tree; if you don't pull out the roots, it will sprout again," the man, who gave only his last name, Espana, said. Advertisement Advertisement He called for Guatemala's government to emulate the iron-fisted policies of President Nayib Bukele of neighboring El Salvador. Bukele has imprisoned tens of thousands of men without charge, as part of a war on gangs which has led to a sharp drop in El Salvador's murder rate but caused an outcry over human rights abuses. Alejandra Donis, a 30-year-old shopkeeper, also held Bukele up as an example of leadership. "There was a point in El Salvador where it was scary to just go out, right? And now it's a place that's quite touristy; you can go there, and it feels peaceful," she said. Advertisement Advertisement - 'The Wolf' - The unrest in Guatemala began when inmates at three prisons took 45 guards and a psychiatrist hostage on Saturday to demand gang leaders be transferred from a maximum-security prison to more lenient facilities. On Sunday, the police and army stormed all three penitentiaries and restored control. After the first prison raid, the interior ministry published a video on X showing officers handcuffing and leading away Barrio 18's alleged leader in Guatemala, whom authorities identified as Aldo Dupie, alias "El Lobo" (The Wolf). In response to the crackdown, gang members attacked police stations and patrols. Advertisement Advertisement The coffins of the slain police officers were draped in Guatemalan blue-and-white flags at the interior ministry and flanked by colleagues in uniform, standing to attention. Arevalo, dressed in a black suit, greeted the grieving relatives, hugging some. - FBI help sought - Barrio 18 and the rival gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) are blamed for much of the drug trafficking and criminal violence that plague Central America. Washington has declared both to be terrorist organizations. Arevalo said the declared state of emergency would allow the police and army to act against organized crime, but soldiers remained in their barracks on Monday, awaiting orders. Advertisement Advertisement Since mid-2025, gang members have staged several uprisings in Guatemalan prisons to demand their leaders be held in less restrictive conditions. In October, 20 leaders of Barrio 18 escaped from prison. Only six have been recaptured, while another was shot and killed. The government at the time asked for the help of the FBI to track down the remaining escapees. Across Latin America, gang members continue to run criminal enterprises, from drug trafficking rings to extortion rackets, from behind bars -- often with the collusion of corrupt prison officials. ec/axm/cb/sla/jgc Organised by the Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy of the Ministry of State, the Chamber of Commerce and the National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD), the conference gathered over 300 participants, including companies ranging from SMEs to large enterprises, publicsector representatives, legal practitioners and players from the innovation ecosystem. The discussions facilitated the sharing of use cases and practical tools while clarifying responsibilities along the value chain and outlining the next steps for national AI governance in Luxembourg, in the presence of Elisabeth Margue, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister for Media and Connectivity, and Dr Lucilla Sioli, Director of the EU AI Office. The "AI Act in Action" conference, held on 20 January 2026 at the Chamber of Commerce, enabled participants to turn the requirements of the European regulation on AI (AI Act) into concrete actions: navigating their technological choices, anticipating risks, demonstrating compliance, and better comprehend the impact of the AI Act on their activities. Bringing together economic, legal, and institutional stakeholders, the event highlighted concrete solutions, practical tools and a clear vision of the future governance of AI in Luxembourg. The speakers addressed strategic topics that will shape the implementation of the AI Act and the responsible development of artificial intelligence in Luxembourg, ranging from understanding the new European obligations to defining a national governance model, as well as fostering skills development and supporting innovation. Demystifying the AI Act The EU AI Act is a firstofitskind regulatory framework that introduces new concepts and obligations. The objective of this session was to provide clear explanations so that, at the end of the day, it becomes fully understood which actors - developers, deployers, distributors, or users - are concerned by each obligation. The audience had the privilege of hearing firsthand from Dr. Lucia Sioli, the Director of the EU AI Office who provided valuable insights into the key concepts of this EU regulation such as the risk-based approach and explained how upcoming guidelines and compliance tools, like the AI Act Single Information Platform and the AI Act Service Desk, should actively support conformity with the regulation. Following this keynote speech, the event shifted to an interactive session bringing together three stakeholders from the private sector, to explore some of the practical challenges of complying with the new regulation. Discussions focused on how to rigorously select AI providers, and the compliance guarantees required from them, as well as best practices for ensuring transparency toward clients regarding the use of AI. Participants shared their experiences with classifying AI systems according to their risk level, clearly allocating responsibilities between providers and deployers, and implementing concrete measures to integrate these new requirements into companies' digital transformation efforts. AI literacy This session covered the requirement for "AI literacy" mandated by the AI Act, which obliges all organizations, independently of their size, to train and strengthen skills to ensure the safe and compliant use of AI systems. The speakers also discussed how the nature of this obligation could change during the current simplification procedure of the EU AI Act. National governance The AI Act establishes common rules at the European level, but it leaves each country responsible for organizing governance. This session brought together all the regulators proposed in the Draft Bill No. 8476 to discuss oversight mechanisms, the role of the "single contact point" and the necessary synergies to avoid fragmentation. Support for innovation During the final session, national innovation leaders, the European AI Office, private-sector innovators and ecosystem enablers highlighted national initiatives aimed at promoting the responsible AI deployment through coordinated policy action, experimentation frameworks, and market-driven solutions. These included the "Regulation Meets Innovation (ReMI)" initiative launched by the CNPD and the AI Factory, the CNPD's AI regulatory sandbox, the AI Experience Center at the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology (LHoFT), AI Factory projects and emerging service models from the private sector. According to Elisabeth Margue, "This conference confirmed that the implementation of the AI Act should not be seen as a constraint, but as an opportunity. It illustrated our shared commitment to combining innovation and responsibility by providing stakeholders with a framework for dialogue, clear benchmarks, and best practices. Thanks to exemplary cooperation between national and European institutions, regulators, and the private sector, we have collectively laid the foundations for an environment that fosters innovation and protects fundamental rights." "The new responsibilities expected to be assigned to the CNPD under the AI Act represent a major mandate, which we approach with total commitment and genuine enthusiasm," said Tine A. Larsen, President of the CNPD. "We are determined to support Luxembourg stakeholders through this transition, by promoting an environment where AIdriven innovation can flourish while ensuring the protection of fundamental rights." Carlo Thelen, Director General of the Chamber of Commerce, emphasized: "AI is a resilience accelerator for our companies. This conference demonstrated that the success of the AI Act relies on a collective and pragmatic approach involving regulators, experts, and economic stakeholders. It is fully aligned with the Chamber of Commerce's ongoing commitment to mobilize its services to support Luxembourg businesses of all sizes. With the AI Act, the challenge is no longer to experiment further, but to deploy AI solutions that are better integrated into processes and compliant with European standards, in order to turn them into concrete tools for productivity and responsible innovation." Press release by the Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy, the National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD) and the Chamber of Commerce Darren Boykins sits with his mother, Carmella Bowers, during a prison visit, not long after he was convicted for the 1981 murder of Milton Laufer in Newark. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor) Darren Boykins has been in prison for 45 years despite being eligible for parole for nearly half that time and despite his steadfast claim that he did not commit the 1981 murder that landed him behind bars. Tuesday, he learned hell finally be free, after outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy commuted his sentence six weeks before his next parole eligibility date. Advertisement Advertisement Boykins was one of 148 people Murphy granted clemency to on Tuesday morning in his final hours in office before the inauguration of New Jerseys new governor, Mikie Sherrill. His lawyer, John Crayton, has fought since 2024 to exonerate him and applauded the commutation while also vowing to continue his fight to prove Boykins was wrongfully convicted. This is not a happy ending. Its just the next step. And its probably, hopefully, a much better place for Darren, Crayton said. I am determined to get the state of New Jersey to admit to their injustice 45 years ago. This should never have happened to him. Boykins was 19 when he was arrested in the May 22, 1981, slaying of carpet salesman Milton Laufer. He always insisted he was innocent and had an alibi the day of the murder. Investigators never found a murder weapon, and two witnesses repeatedly could not identify him as the killer. But jurors convicted him largely on the word of a jailhouse informant who later recanted. Advertisement Advertisement Crayton found that authorities failed to divulge exculpatory evidence that could have cleared Boykins of suspicion and organized a photo lineup 39 days after the homicide that Crayton contends was improper. They also covered up or dismissed evidence that could have freed Boykins from jail in his post-conviction appeals and parole bids, Crayton said in a November court petition. Boykins is now 64 and under psychiatric care at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. Hes expected to be released in the coming days to a program for parolees run by Volunteers of America Delaware Valley. Im worried that hes going to be in a place that hes unfamiliar with, and hell be afraid, Crayton said. In any event, hes going to be out of prison, and thats a good thing. Hell get to see his mother and brother and sisters, and thats a good thing. He will be moving in a better direction for himself and for his family. With Tuesdays clemencies, Murphy has pardoned or shortened the prison or parole sentences of 455 people in eight rounds of clemency actions since December 2024 the most of all New Jersey governors combined over the past three decades. Advertisement Advertisement Murphy said, though, that his clemency initiative was never about numbers it was about people. Phil Murphy pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 400 people in his final year as governor. (Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso/New Jersey Monitor) Each pardon and commutation represents a story of accountability, growth, and redemption, he said in a statement. From the outset, we have been guided by a fundamental belief that mercy and fairness are essential to a system that truly serves everyone. By offering second chances to individuals who have demonstrated rehabilitation and a commitment to their communities, we have strengthened not only individual lives, but our entire state. More than 4,500 people have applied for clemency consideration since Murphy created a clemency advisory board in June 2024 to review their cases and recommend candidates for commutations and pardons. Murphy and the board expedited applications from people convicted of non-violent offenses, domestic violence survivors whose offenses were connected to their victimization, and cases involving excessive trial penalties (where people got lengthier sentences at trial than what they were offered to plead guilty pre-trial). The approach was meant to make fairness and not favor the barometer for who gets clemency, they have said. Advertisement Advertisement Still, several of the 97 pardons and 51 commutations announced Tuesday raised eyebrows, given the political connections of those awarded pardons or commutations. They included Harris Jacobs, 28, an Atlantic City man accused of a fatal 2022 hit-and-run that left a pedestrian dead. Jacobs attorney told BreakingAC that he learned of his pardon even before jurors convicted him on Tuesday. Jacobs father, Joe Jacobs, is an attorney active in Democratic politics in Atlantic City. Also pardoned was former Assemblyman Al Coutinho, an Essex County Democrat who was sentenced to three years of probation in 2013 after admitting he took money intended for his familys charitable foundation. Another clemency recipient was Mordechai Berkowitz, 24, of Lakewood, who prosecutors said had been speeding with a blood-alcohol content nearly twice the legal limit when he crashed into another car in 2022, killing a woman and seriously injuring another. A judge sentenced Berkowitz in December to six years in prison under the state No Early Release Act, but Murphy on Tuesday commuted his sentence so that hell be freed early in 2028 and on parole for three years afterward. His attorney is Lee Vartan, a former federal prosecutor whom Murphy in 2022 considered to become attorney general. Vartan also was second in command of New Jerseys attorney generals office during the Christie administration. Advertisement Advertisement Others granted clemency are sure to stir controversy. Joseph Grieco, a former Tenafly cop, had been sentenced last year to 11 years behind bars for fatally shooting his husband, John Kelly, a former New York City cop, in 2023 after a night of drinking. Murphy commuted his sentence, so that Grieco will be freed in 2029 and serve three years on parole after. Michael Sica was president of a police union when he was sentenced to seven years for official misconduct, conspiracy, and related charges stemming from a cover-up prosecutors said he coordinated after Union County Jail guards beat immigrants detained there in 1995. Other clemency recipients had convictions for offenses ranging from shoplifting and drug crimes that have since been decriminalized to murder and other felonies. Many had served lengthy prison and parole sentences. Advertisement Advertisement Edwin Chino Ortiz and his brother Carmelo Ortiz were among those pardoned. The siblings were released from prison in 2016 after serving 30 years for a fatal robbery. In 2021, they founded the Newark-based Returning Citizens Support Group to help other people better reintegrate after leaving prison. Since then, Chino Ortiz has become an advocate for better reentry policies, testifying for prison reforms at the Statehouse and calling for voting and jury service rights to be restored for people with criminal convictions. Clemency removes reentry hurdles, such as employers and landlords denying people jobs and housing because of their past mistakes, he said. Many men and women that are coming home from incarceration are still facing discrimination because of their criminal background, Chino Ortiz said. Its not fair for me and other people who have convictions not to be seen as every other citizen, especially after paying my debt to society and living productively. I cant find the words to express how it feels to be given a second chance. Its just really a great feeling. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended federal agents use of crowd-control measures during an interview on CBSs Face the Nation on Sunday, insisting chemical agents such as pepper spray are deployed only in response to violent threats during ongoing riots in Minnesota. Noem rejected claims that federal agents misused pepper spray on protesters, arguing that a recent court order did not materially change existing procedures for officers in the field. She added that DHS agents already follow strict rules and safety protocols, and only bring out chemical agents when things actually turn violent. The comments come amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administrations effort to deport criminal illegal aliens amid escalating unrest in the Twin Cities. Advertisement Advertisement Tensions have also been fueled by sharp rhetoric from Minnesota Democrats, including recent remarks by Rep. Ilhan Omar criticizing federal immigration enforcement during a St. Paul hearing. Noem reiterated that these crowd control tactics are essential for officer safety, let alone effective immigration control, rejecting claims of any overreach or abuse of power from the agents. We only use those chemical agents when theres violence happening and perpetuating, and you need to be able to establish law and order to keep people safe, Noem told host Margaret Brennan, adding that the judges ruling echoed pre-existing DHS guidelines. Noems appearance followed a preliminary injunction issued late last week by Judge Katherine Menendez in Minnesota federal court. In her 83-page order, dated January 16, Menendez barred federal agents involved in Operation Metro Surge from using pepper spray or similar nonlethal tools against anyone engaged in peaceful and unobstructive protest activity. The ruling also prohibits arrests, detentions, or retaliation against peaceful protesters or observers, including those recording ICE actions, and restricts vehicle stops without reasonable suspicion of criminal interference. Advertisement Advertisement Menendezs order cites evidence, including eyewitness accounts, alleging at least four instances in which chemical irritants were deployed without warning during protected First Amendment activity. The injunction, stemming from a lawsuit by the ACLU of Minnesota and others, applies specifically to the Minnesota operation and aims to safeguard peaceful protests or demonstrations while allowing ICE enforcement efforts to proceed. However, DHS officials, including Noem, have dismissed the order as unnecessary, arguing that it already aligns with their standard procedures and overlooks the real dangers faced by agents from unruly crowds. However, Menendezs order does not clearly or directly address if ICE agents should be allowed to use pepper-spray during violent riots that have continued to occur across Minnesota in recent weeks. Protests in Minneapolis specifically have intensified since early January, fueled by a fatal shooting of a woman who tried to run over an ICE agent with her car on January 7. Advertisement Advertisement The Dallas Express reported last week on viral videos from multiple riots in Minnesota, including an incident in which agitators used a tow hook to break open a locked ICE vehicle and stole a firearm, ammunition, and confidential documents. Additionally, over a dozen criminal agitators were arrested in a separate round-up last week, including one man illegally armed with a pistol who was threatening to kill ICE agents. DHS press releases state that Operation Metro Surge has resulted in additional arrests of high-priority criminal targets, including murderers, sexual predators, and drug traffickers illegal aliens previously released into communities under sanctuary policies supported by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. A January 15 DHS update gave a good example of the recent busts, with a statement detailing the arrest of three violent criminal illegal aliens who assaulted officers with weapons. Noem and DHS have consistently defended Operation Metro Surge as a necessary crackdown on the rampant fraud and crime, with the departments official X account continuing to highlight daily successes in removing the worst of the worst despite the ongoing riots and attacks. Amid the unrest, the Pentagon has mobilized approximately 1,500 troops from Alaska-based units for potential deployment to support Operation Metro Surge if riots escalate further, according to The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Defense officials confirmed that two battalions from the Armys 11th Airborne Division, specializing in cold-weather operations, are on prepare-to-deploy orders as a precautionary measure. This preparation of Troops follows President Trumps threats to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to unrest, though no final decision has been made as of press time. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell has said that the Department of Defense stands ready to execute orders if called upon. The mobilization underscores the administrations commitment to expanding federal enforcement efforts in Minnesota, where nearly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents are already deployed in what DHS has described as the largest immigration operation in U.S. history. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has fired his vice premier, compared him to a goat and railed against "incompetent" officials, state media said Tuesday, in a rare and very public broadside against apparatchiks at the opening of a critical factory. Vice Premier Yang Sung Ho was sacked "on the spot", the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, in a speech in which Kim attacked "irresponsible, rude and incompetent leading officials". "Please, Comrade Vice Premier, resign by yourself when you can do it on your own before it is too late," Kim reportedly said. Advertisement Advertisement "He is ineligible for an important duty," he added. "Put simply, it was like hitching a cart to a goat -- an accidental mistake in our cadre appointment process," the North Korean leader explained. "After all, it is an ox that pulls a cart, not a goat." Nuclear-armed North Korea, which is under multiple sets of sanctions over its weapons programmes, has long struggled with its moribund state-managed economy and chronic food shortages. Kim has been quick to scold lazy officials for alleged mismanagement of economic policy but such a public dismissal is very rare. Touring the opening of an industrial machinery complex on Monday, Kim blasted cadres who for "too long been accustomed to defeatism, irresponsibility and passiveness". Advertisement Advertisement Yang was "unfit to be entrusted with heavy duties", Kim said, according to KCNA. And he urged a quick turnaround in the "centuries-old backwardness of the economy and build a modernized and advanced one capable of firmly guaranteeing the future of our state". Images released by Pyongyang showed a stern-looking Kim delivering a speech at the venue in South Hamgyong Province in the country's frigid northeast, with workers in attendance wearing green uniforms and matching grey hats. - Lazy officials - The impoverished North has long prioritised its military and banned nuclear weapons programmes over providing for its people. Advertisement Advertisement It is highly vulnerable to natural disasters including flood and drought due to a chronic lack of infrastructure, deforestation and decades of state mismanagement. The new machine complex makes up part of a large machinery-manufacturing belt linking the northeast to Wonsan further south, "accounting for about 16 percent of North Korea's total machinery output", according to Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies. Kim's public dismissal of Yang mirrors past cases such as Jang Song Thaek, Kim's uncle, who was executed in 2013 after being accused of plotting to overthrow his nephew, Yang said. The North Korean leader is "using public accountability as a shock tactic to warn party officials", he told AFP. Advertisement Advertisement Pyongyang is gearing up for its first congress of its ruling party in five years, with analysts expecting it in the coming weeks. Economic policy, as well as defence and military planning, are likely to be high on the agenda. Last month, Kim vowed to root out "evil" at a major meeting of Pyongyang's top brass. State media did not offer specifics, though it did say the ruling party had revealed numerous recent "deviations" in discipline -- a euphemism for corruption. cdl-oho/jm ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) If youre visit a hospital in Vermonts Northeast Kingdom, you may want to have a mask handy, say staff. Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) announced Monday that masks will be required again for all staff at the hospital when in areas where patients may be, including treatment areas and waiting rooms. Patients and visitors are not going to be required to wear masks, but are now strongly encouraged to as flu and respiratory illness cases have increased. Advertisement Advertisement Flu cases surge nationwide as severe season strains hospitals Influenza is transmitted through respiratory droplets produced when people talk, cough, or sneeze, says NVRH Infection Preventionist Jamie Dyson. Wearing a mask significantly reduces the spread of these droplets. According to NVRH officials, the hospital is requiring masks to try to keep its staff healthy so that it can continue providing its usual level of care. People with a combination of fever, chills, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, and a runny or congested nose should not visit the hospital, write officials. Got cold symptoms? Heres when kids should take a sick day from school Advertisement Advertisement We plan to re-evaluate the need for universal masking in three weeks, said Chief Medical Officer Ryan Sexton. The Vermont Department of Health publishes weekly reports on flu and COVID activity in the state, and provides other data about respiratory diseases on its website. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Hows a literal nuclear bunker hanging off the side of a crumbling cliff face for portent symbols of how our society seems to be teetering on the edge of some imminent catastrophe? Not good enough for you? Well, its what weve got. The brick building, located near Tunstall on the East Yorkshire coast in the UK, is thought to have been built way back in 1959 as a lookout post in the event of a nuclear war. But its now just days away from falling into the sea, the BBC reports, as coastal erosion eats away at the cliff top its lodged in. The state of the bunker is so precarious that the East Riding of Yorkshire Council has asked locals to stay clear of the area both at the top of the cliff and below the bunker, in case of a collapse. Advertisement Advertisement We live on one of the most eroded coastlines in Europe and this bunker hasnt got long left, perhaps just a few days, Davey Robinson, an amateur historian who is filming the bunkers final days, told the BBC. At the time of reporting on Tuesday, Robinson said he and his partner have visited the Tunstall site every morning for the past nine days. We are posting the footage on our YouTube channel and its getting interest from around the world, Robinson said. The bunker, officially known as the Tunstall Royal Observer Corps Post, is a relic of Cold War era paranoia. According to Robinson, it was designed so that people could live inside it and just wait for a nuclear explosion to register and they could tell other people in other bunkers around the country. Today, however, its a symbol of erosion in this area. Advertisement Advertisement To an extent, coastal erosion is a natural and inevitable process, but geologists believe its being accelerated by rising sea levels from global warming. As it stands, around 17 percent of the UKs over 10,000 miles of coastline is being affected by erosion and its being deeply felt in communities like Tunstall. This whole area is eroding at a rapid rate and to see an actual physical thing moving it just shows whats happening really, Robinson told the BBC. More on the environment: Antarcticas Former Largest Iceberg Is Now Completely Disintegrating NEW YORK Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday he supports abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement as the agency escalates its immigration crackdowns across the country. Mamdanis, whos long been a critic of the agency, told the hosts of ABCs The View that ICE is terrorizing people. Im tired of waking up every day and seeing a new image of someone being dragged out of a car, dragged out of their home, dragged out of their life, the mayor said. What we need to see is humanity, and there is a way to care about immigration in this city and in this country with a sense of humanity. Advertisement Advertisement Mamdani first said he supported doing away with ICE on the campaign trail in an appearance on MSNBC in which he praised Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as one of the leaders in that call. His comments on Tuesday mark the first time hes reiterated that stance as mayor. The mayor last week voiced outrage when a City Council employee was detained by ICE, calling it an assault on our democracy. Aggressive crackdowns in New York and other Democrat-led cities like Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Chicago have incited national outrage. Amid the uproar, the idea that ICE should be done away with, long a largely far-left idea, has slid into more mainstream political conversations. A national Economist/YouGov poll conducted just days after Renee Goods killing by ICE in Minneapolis found that 46% of poll takers supported abolishing the agency, with 43% opposed. Advertisement Advertisement Manhattan Rep. Dan Goldman, whos facing a competitive Democratic primary challenge from former city Comptroller Brad Lander, said over the weekend that its time to tear down ICE. Still, many politicians remain cautious despite being critical of the agency. That includes Gov. Kathy Hochul, who last week in an interview with Fox5 said that she does not want ICE abolished. Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition and an ally of Mamdanis, praised the mayors stance. The Trump administration has destroyed what was left of the working part of the immigration system, and now its time to rethink the entire immigration system, not just ICE, Awawdeh told the Daily News. Advertisement Advertisement People are starting to question, are we even a democracy anymore or are we living in a fascist regime? Spokesmen for ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment. You know, its really nice to have you here. You make sense, View host Whoopi Goldberg told Mamdani at the end of Mamdanis Tuesday interview. _____ The stewards of a historic landmark plan to tackle rising sea levels with a comprehensive plan to relocate several of its buildings. What's happening? Stewards of the site known as the inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The House of the Seven Gables plan to move several of its structures to higher ground. The aim is to prevent damage from encroaching seawater and groundwater changes at the Massachusetts location, according to the local Salem News. The project, which involves a detailed data collection phase before any buildings are moved, will be costly. The site received a grant of over $500,000 in 2022, and in 2026, the state is set to provide over $175,000 for design and permitting. Advertisement Advertisement Overall, according to the local outlet, relocating and flood-proofing "the Gables" could cost close to an additional $2 million. The repairs are necessary if the landmark is to be protected from rising seas. "We've had a couple of storm surges and near misses and it's come over the top of the seawall a couple times," the Gables' director of preservation, Paul Wright, told the outlet. "Fortunately, the water hasn't come across the lawn to any of the buildings yet." Why is planning for rising sea levels important? As glaciers and ice sheets melt and as rising temperatures intensify storms, sea levels and their impacts are rising worldwide and in the United States. A study published in AGU Advances in mid-December by oceanographer Chris Piecuch of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts found that the rate of U.S. coastal sea level rise doubled in the last 100 years. Advertisement Advertisement Rising sea levels threaten buildings and infrastructure, and the costs of prevention measures and repairs can be considerable. Encroaching seas also threaten plants and animals, such as the Key Largo tree cactus in Florida and the salt marsh sparrow in Rhode Island, which could drown if sea levels rise too much. What's being done about rising seas? Rising sea levels may seem like a threat almost too daunting to think about but the damage they pose could still be mitigated with the right measures in place. In addition to moving structures, relocating communities is becoming increasingly necessary, especially those residing on islands that are sinking into the ocean and experiencing chronic flooding. How worried are you about rising ocean levels? Very Somewhat Not very Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Meanwhile, the impacts of floods themselves can be mitigated by implementing improved drainage systems and living shorelines. Innovations, such as floating homes, can also provide hope for the future. Advertisement Advertisement In the big picture, though, reducing the proliferation of the pollution that contributes to rising temperatures and melts glaciers will be required, scientists generally agree. Shifting to cleaner transportation options and renewable energy systems will play a big role. Ultimately, proactive measures must be taken at both the global and local levels. "This is us actually saying 'we've studied these impacts and created a plan,' and we're now taking the first stage of that plan and putting it into implementation," the Gables' Wright told the Salem News. "It's us trying to actually take action." Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. The new year has ushered in more than just a slew of resolutions. In one Maryland county, a ban on plastic carryout bags has now gone into full effect. As NBC 4 Washington reported, shoppers in Montgomery County will now have to use more sustainable options to help carry out their items. On January 1, 2026, the county's Bring Your Own Bag Law went into effect, meaning that your everyday plastic grocery bag is now off-limits. Advertisement Advertisement The legislation is designed to reduce plastic waste and protect local waterways by prohibiting plastic carryout bags. Plastics can contaminate water sources with harmful chemicals, and as they break apart over time, they release microplastics that can enter the bodies of aquatic species through ingestion. These tiny particles can eventually enter human bodies through seafood and from polluted water supplies. Microplastics have been linked to numerous human health issues, although further study is needed to understand their effects. Plastic bags can also harm animals on land. In India, for example, veterinarians removed 90 pounds of plastic, including bags, from a cow's stomach. Advertisement Advertisement Shoppers who don't bring a reusable bag will be charged a 10-cent fee for paper bags at most retail establishments. Five cents of that cost will go back to the retailer to cover costs, and the other five cents go to the county's Water Quality Protection Charge Fund. Despite the county's efforts to help reduce the ongoing concern of plastic pollution, many area residents voiced their displeasure with the enactment of the law. For some, the added responsibility is just another burden. "I mean, as I was packing this, I was thinking, 'So what if I have heavy items? It's going to bust through.' This is so ridiculous," one shopper said. While another resident agreed that the ban's required paper bag fee was inconvenient, it was at least being put to good use. Advertisement Advertisement "Actually, the bag fee, it's annoying, but it helps," the resident said. "It really helps and it helps with the littering problem. It helps with people being too fast and loose with the plastic bags." Montgomery County isn't the only place to introduce such a ban. In Vermont, a statewide ban in 2020 led to a 91% decrease in plastic bag use, and around 70% of residents viewed the legislation as positive. Although it can seem like a hindrance at first, using reusable shopping bags can actually save you a lot of time and effort. By having a dedicated storage area in your car for reusable bags, you can always have them on hand when you go shopping. Since they are more durable than regular plastic bags, you can often fill them with more groceries to avoid the need for multiple bags. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. An Ohio couple is suing the city of Bowling Green after it approved a monthly fee for customers with solar panels. According to Canary Media, the lawsuit could be "a preview of a statewide battle" with the public utilities commission set to reexamine net-metering rules. Leatra Harper and Steven Janston said in the suit that they installed solar panels because they were "deeply concerned" about their pollution footprint. Burning gas, oil, and coal to produce energy is associated with chronic illness and millions of premature deaths every year, while a similar amount of material that makes up a solar panel can produce electricity from the sun every day for decades instead of being burned into the air once. A growing number of homeowners are also installing solar panels to boost property values and drastically slash their energy bills even down to $0. Advertisement Advertisement Over time, a solar system essentially pays for itself. TCD's Solar Explorer makes it easier than ever for you to understand your solar options and save money on installations. As for Harper and Janston, they felt confident in their decision to spend approximately $37,000 for their 13.95 kW rooftop solar system. Industry projections suggested the investment would pay for itself within a "reasonable period," per the complaint. However, they say the city's solar fee enacted as "Rider E" about six months after they installed their renewable energy system will nearly double the payback period. The couple is seeking a permanent injunction on Rider E, claiming it "arbitrarily and illegally discriminates against rooftop solar customers." Bowling Green has denied liability. The city has also argued that it needs the fee to ensure other customers don't absorb additional costs for staffing and maintaining the electric grid, per Canary Media. Advertisement Advertisement Mryia Williams, Ohio program director for the nonprofit group Solar United Neighbors, acknowledged there are nuanced ways to view who should cover which costs. Yet she noted rooftop solar supports a more resilient grid because it reduces demand and can feed excess energy back to other customers. "It's hard to believe that it's some sort of subsidized rate," she said of the city's law, particularly if solar customers only receive partial credit for sharing excess energy. Purchasing a solar system may still be the right move for many families as things play out in court and net-metering regulations vary by jurisdiction. TCD's Solar Explorer can help you connect with trusted local partners who can simplify the process of going solar. Advertisement Advertisement If buying doesn't feel right for you, Palmetto's LightReach leasing program is perfect for budget-minded consumers. It could help you slash your utility rate by up to 20% through $0-down subscription options. EnergySage, another Solar Explorer partner, is a great resource to obtain competitive bids and save you up to $10,000 on installation costs. You can net a bigger bang for your buck through appliance electrification. TCD's HVAC Explorer can help you upgrade to an energy-efficient HVAC to fit your home and budget. Plus, it's easy to earn up to $5,000 in rewards for home upgrades through the free Palmetto Home app. Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club. Two Ohio men were among three people killed in a central Florida shooting over the weekend. Douglas Kraft, 68, and James Puchan, 68, of Columbus and Galena, respectively, were fatally shot Jan. 17 near Kissimmee, Florida, in what families said in a statement was a "random, tragic act." Kraft's brother Robert Kraft, 70, of Holland, Michigan was also killed in the shooting. Authorities arrested Ahmad Jihad Bojeh, 29, on three counts of murder, Dispatch news partner NBC4/WCMH-TV reported. Douglas Kraft of Columbus, Robert Kraft of Holland, Michigan and James Puchan of Galena, Ohio were killed in a fatal shooting near Kissimmee, Florida on Jan. 17, 2026. The killing was described as a "random, tragic act" by the victims' families. "These three wonderful men did not deserve this," the victims' families said in a joint statement sent to The Dispatch. "Our families are left with an unexpected, unimaginable loss that cannot be put into words. We ask for privacy, prayers, and respect as we mourn and begin to process this tragedy." Advertisement Advertisement The three men were staying in an Airbnb to attend Kissimmee's Mecum Car Show, according to the families' statement. While they were waiting for help after "rental car trouble" and preparing to travel home, they were "being observed from a distance by an unknown individual who was well-known to local law enforcement." "There were no known interactions between the men and this individual prior to the event; they were then approached and senselessly murdered," the families' statement reads. "This was a random, tragic act." Deputies were called around noon on Jan. 17 to reports of shots fired in the Indian Point subdivision near Kissimmee, NBC4/WCMH-TV reported. Authorities found the three men dead from gunshot wounds in front of a residence in the 200 block of Indian Point Circle. Not long after, law enforcement detained Bojeh, who lives nearby. Investigators said deputies reported seeing the suspect flee toward his home, later finding two firearms in Bojeh's residence after obtaining and serving a search warrant, according to NBC4/WCMH-TV. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators are waiting to confirm whether the firearms were used in the shooting, NBC4/WCMH-TV reported. Bojeh was booked into the Osceola County jail on three counts of murder, and he was denied bond after making his first court appearance, NBC4/WCMH-TV reported. The case continues to be investigated. There is not threat to the community, as a suspect of these horrific and senseless murders has been caught and arrested, Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said in a statement, according to NBC4/WCMH-TV. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified one of the victims. Advertisement Advertisement Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com or @emma_wozniak_ on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 2 Ohio men killed in Florida shooting, suspect charged with murder (Illustration courtesy of Guam Visitors Bureau) Presented By: Pay-Less Markets, Inc. Dates: March 14, 2026 Location: The Chamorro Village Price: Entry Fees and Deadlines: Registration Dates Rates 5K 10K Early Bird January 12 - January 30 $20 $25 Regular January 31 - March 6 $25 $30 Late March 7 13 (at 5pm) $30 $35 30th Annual Pay-Less Kick the Fat 5K/10K Run/Walk Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026 Time: Showtime: 5:00 AM 10K Go Time: 5:30 AM 5K Go Time: 6:00 AM Location: Chamorro Village Event Description: The Pay-Less Markets Community Foundation is excited to host the 30th Annual Pay-Less Kick the Fat 5K/10K Run/Walk and Wellness Fair! As Guams largest 5K, Kick the Fat brings the island together to move, sweat, and celebrate healthy livingno matter your pace or fitness level. This milestone year, celebrating 30 years since 1996, were turning up the energy with fireworks, cheer squads, and a family-fun health expo. Whether you take on the scenic 3-mile course to Adelup or the 6-mile challenge, proceeds will benefit local non-profit organizations. Registration & Swag: Participants will receive: Exclusive 30th Anniversary KTF Reusable Bag Chip-timed racing and refreshments Shirts: 2,500 Kick the Fat 5K shirts and 500 10K singlets made exclusively by Run Guam (distributed at packet pickup). Prizes: Grand Prize: Two winners will receive one Economy Class Roundtrip Ticket to any Southeast Asian destination where Philippine Airlines flies (courtesy of Goodwind Travel & Tour). Other Prizes: Paradise Fitness memberships, a one-night stay at Leo Palace, $500 in Pay-Less Gift Cards, and school cash prizes. Registration Link SIOUX RAPIDS, Iowa (KCAU) In June 2024, downtown Sioux Rapids was overrun with water as the nearby Little Sioux River flooded the area and damaged all the buildings. We have several that are not open and five that were actually tore down because they were too damaged to rebuild. We do have three, four businesses on Main Street open right now, which is great. We have one building up for lease as well, said Sioux Rapids Mayor Mike Katschman. One of the buildings that flooded was the Community State Bank building. Once the water receded, the bank decided not to move back into the building and built a new structure on the south side of town. They then donated the old building to the Sioux Central Youth Wrestling Club. Advertisement Advertisement Story continues below They kind of saw the vision we had; theyve seen wrestling kind of explode in the area. They saw a need and said this would be a good fit, said Mike Morrow, President of the Sioux Central Wrestling Club. There is a need for more space. The youth wrestling program in Sioux Rapids has gone from six kids six years ago to over 60 today. Most of that growth can be attributed to the growing popularity of girls wrestling. Advertisement Advertisement The growth weve seen, we just want to maintain and give the kids the opportunity to get on the mat, added Morrow. Now, the work begins to convert a 100-year-old building into a state-of-the-art wrestling facility. The estimated cost of the remodel is $250,000, and all the funding will come from private donations. Theres minor defects, but its all what a 100-year-old building needs to have fixed. So, its not bad, and its going to take a lot of elbow grease and money and just time, said Morrow. The hope is that this will also jumpstart other businesses to come back to the downtown. I think its going to, just getting people here and remembering that we have a downtown to support the businesses that are still here, said Katschman. Advertisement Advertisement The Sioux Central Youth Wrestling Club hopes to have the building ready to go in the fall. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KCAU 9 News | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. The confirmed death toll from the high-speed train crash in southern Spain rose to 42 on Tuesday, according to the regional government of Andalusia, with the authorities fearing that another body could be found in the mangled wreckage. Three bodies were recovered from the carriages during the course of the day, the Andalusian authorities said. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told state broadcaster RTVE that 43 people were listed as missing. Police were using tracker dogs to look for further victims. Advertisement Advertisement Regarding the cause of the accident, Grande-Marlaska said that all theories remained open and that track damage or a fault in one of the trains could not be ruled out. The judicial authority in Cordoba said 10 of the dead had been identified so far. No information was provided about their identities or nationalities. The authorities called on the families of potential victims to provide DNA samples to speed up identification. Relatives complained of a lack of information on those listed as missing. Reports on the number of injured varied. The police spoke of more than 170 after the accident, but state television later reported 122 injured. On Tuesday, nine people were still being treated in intensive care units, the regional government wrote on X. Advertisement Advertisement The two high-speed trains collided at around 7:40 pm (1840 GMT) on Sunday near the town of Adamuz in the Andalusian province of Cordoba, some 30 kilometres north-east of the city of Cordoba. An Iryo train, travelling at more than 200 kilometres per hour (km/h) and carrying more than 300 people, derailed and came to rest on the adjacent track, Spanish train operator Renfe said. An oncoming Renfe train with about 200 onboard was arriving at that precise moment, smashing into the Iryo train and also derailing. The Iryo train was operated by the Italian company Trenitalia. Police published a video showing a broken railway line. Transport Minister Oscar Puente said it was not clear whether this was the cause or the effect of the accident. Advertisement Advertisement He said "all hypotheses remain open" as to the cause of one of the worst train accidents in the country's history. Network operator Adif said on Tuesday that the maximum speed for trains on the main line between Madrid and Barcelona had been reduced after the serious accident in the south. For now, high-speed trains may travel at only 160km/h instead of 300km/h on a 150-kilometre section. Train drivers had reported unevenness in the rails, which is to be examined overnight. According to media reports, some drivers on the route had already voluntarily slowed on Monday to express dissatisfaction with the state of the tracks. Advertisement Advertisement The normal two-and-a-half hour journey of more than 650 kilometres between the two cities increases by at least about 30 minutes under the Adif restriction, the Spanish newspapers La Vanguardia and El Pais reported. LIVE from San Francisco, Matt Harmon and Nate Tice kick off our Super Bowl week coverage with a special fantasy pod. The two look at the path the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks took to the Super Bowl and how other teams can emulate their paths next year. In the second half of the show we go through Nate Tice's latest mock draft and do a deep dive on the skill players and their fits with certain teams. For decades, the U.S. has stood as a global defender of religious freedom and human rights. That commitment is embedded in U.S. law and foreign-policy practice, most notably through the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, which established religious freedom as a core national interest, created an Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and mandated regular reporting and accountability for violations worldwide. Congress explicitly affirmed that the U.S. would condemn violations of religious liberty and stand with persecuted faith communities through diplomatic, political, and legal means. That longstanding, bipartisan commitment, upheld across successive U.S. administrations, is now being tested in Ethiopia, where Christian communities continue to face targeted violence. In late October and early November 2025, credible reports from Ethiopias Arsi and East Arsi Zones documented deadly attacks on civilians, assaults on churches, and the forced flight of families from affected communities. Statements released by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church indicated that more than 25 civilians were killed in East Arsi during this period amid coordinated attacks on villages and religious sites. Advertisement Advertisement International concern followed quickly. In November 2025, the World Council of Churches issued a pastoral letter to the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, expressing alarm over killings in Arsi Zone and noting that those killed were believed to be members of the Orthodox Christian community. The letter emphasized both the gravity of violence and the difficulty of independent verification in an active conflict environment an acknowledgement that underscores, rather than diminishes, the seriousness of the reported abuses. Church authorities described the attacks not as random or spontaneous acts, but as targeted violence against civilians identified by religious affiliation, carried out in areas where communities reported little or no effective protection. For residents, the message was unmistakable: Faith had become a liability rather than a protected right. What occurred in Arsi reflects a broader and deeply troubling pattern. Across multiple regions of Ethiopia affected by prolonged internal conflict, Christian communities have faced attacks on places of worship, the killing or detention of clergy and worshippers, and the displacement of civilians. U.S. government human-rights reporting has documented unlawful killings, arbitrary detention, and collective punishment linked to Ethiopias internal conflicts, while international religious-freedom monitors have warned that instability and weak accountability have increasingly exposed faith communities to violence. Advertisement Advertisement What makes the current moment especially alarming is the persistence of impunity. Repeated reports of harm to civilians have produced limited accountability, reinforcing perceptions that perpetrators of religiously motivated violence face few consequences. Local appeals for protection often go unanswered. International concern is acknowledged, but too often without sustained follow-through. The question before Congress is therefore no longer whether serious abuses are occurring. The available evidence from church authorities, international religious institutions, and U.S. reporting establishes that civilians are being targeted. The question is whether the U.S. will respond with moral clarity, strategic realism, and principled accountability. A new resolution in Congress condemning Ethiopias current regime reflects precisely that response. Religious freedom has long been embedded in U.S. foreign-policy law and practice. Congress has repeatedly affirmed that freedom of religion is a core national interest and that sovereignty cannot be invoked to shield gross violations of human rights. The resolution proposed by Reps. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) and Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) aligns with that framework by calling for accountability where credible evidence of abuse exists. Advertisement Advertisement The resolution does not seek to punish the Ethiopian people or sever diplomatic ties. Instead, it advances a principle Congress has consistently endorsed: targeted accountability for individuals and institutions credibly implicated in serious human-rights violations, while preserving humanitarian assistance and continued engagement with civil society. For members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the implications extend beyond moral concern. Religious persecution is also a strategic warning sign. Where governments fail to protect faith communities, broader instability often followsalong with the erosion of the rule of law, the breakdown of social cohesion, and increased displacement. In Ethiopia, continued abuses risk compounding instability in the Horn of Africa, a region central to U.S. interests in Red Sea security, regional trade routes, and counterterrorism cooperation. Violence against civilians, left unchecked, undermines long-term stability and weakens prospects for durable peace. The pastoral intervention by the World Council of Churches following the Arsi killings was an extraordinary step, reflecting the gravity of the situation and the growing alarm among global Christian institutions. When international religious bodies feel compelled to issue formal appeals for protection, the warning should not be dismissed. Advertisement Advertisement Congress should heed that signal. For House leadership, advancing the resolution to the floor would reaffirm Congresss institutional role in defending religious freedom and upholding international law. It would also reinforce a consistent message: partnership with the United States carries responsibilities, including the protection of civilians and respect for fundamental rights. Silence in the face of targeted religious violence is not neutrality. House leaders can speak up now and demonstrate that credible reports of persecution will be met not with indifference, but with measured and principled action. Congress has already shown foresight by introducing this bill. The responsibility now rests with House leadership to act. Mesfin Tegenu is executive chairman of the American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. He is not just joking. He is not just trolling. He is not owning the libs. He is not simply toying with the mainstream media. He is not playing 3-D chess. He is not a master of the art of the deal. He is not a business genius. He is not a political savant. He is not a peacemaker. He does not believe in America first or even know what it means. And he has no intention of making America great again. Advertisement Advertisement No matter who you are, no matter how close you are to him, he does not represent you or even care about your interests. No. Hes none of the good or great things the slavering fluffers in his Cabinet or on his White House staff make him out to be. And none of the defenses his enablers on Capitol Hill and in the press and across the country have used in the past work any longer. He is just a dangerous lunatic moron who has become the most powerful man in the world. And if you do not recognize that, you are part of the problem. President Donald Trump speaks to the press on the South Lawn of the White House on January 16, 2026. / The Washington Post / The Washington Post via Getty Im That was never clearer than during the past couple of days. Take the note Trump reportedly sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store. In it, Trump asserted that because Norway did not give him the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, he no longer felt an obligation to think purely of Peace. Advertisement Advertisement He went on to imply that, because Denmark could not protect Greenland from Russia or China, because he questioned their right of ownership, and because he has done more for NATO than any other person since its founding that the World is not secure unless we have complete and Total Control of Greenland. It was not simply one of the strangest diplomatic messages ever sent; it was the kind of symptom of mental illness that typically gets people sent away to a quiet place where they can receive much-needed psychiatric care for a long, long time. It was so full of errors and lies that it is hard to tell which are testimony to his ignorance, which to his delusions and which to his malevolence. The Nobel Peace Prize is, for example, awarded by a committee appointed by the Norwegian Parliament. The Prime Minister does not choose who is selecteda reality that Trumps authoritarian world view has a hard time comprehending, apparently. 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado greets supporters from the balcony of the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway on December 11, 2025. Machado arrived in Oslo hours after the Venezuelan opposition leader's award was collected on her behalf by her daughter. / ODD ANDERSEN / AFP via Getty Images Also, for the umpteenth time, Trump has not stopped eight wars. It is unclear whether he has stopped any. Most of the peace deals for which he claims credit remain festering wounds (Gaza, Cambodia-Thailand, Rwanda-DRC) while others were not wars during his term of office (Egypt-Ethiopia, Serbia-Kosovo). One was a conflict he initiated (the U.S. attack on Iran), one has not produced a final deal (Armenia-Azerbaijan) and in a couple Trump had no meaningful impact (India-Pakistan and, again, Egypt-Ethiopia). Annexing Greenland is, of course, not in the interest of the United States for several reasons. One is that, by treaty, we have all the access to it that we would ever need. Another is that, since it is under the sovereign control of Denmark, it is part of NATO and is defended by what was, until now, the worlds most powerful alliance. Advertisement Advertisement There is also not the slightest hint that Russia or China is even threatening Greenland. Rather, by seizing it, we would actually be blowing up the NATO compact and thus delivering the single most damaging blow to U.S. national security since the attack on Pearl Harbor, one that would in fact make both Russia and China immeasurably stronger. Young people with placards reading Trumps desire to attack Greenland has led to NATO troops deploying to the island and serious talk within Europe about means of retaliating against the U.S. Germanys foreign minister has gone so far as to say that Trump has reached a red line in relations with our most valued and dependable allies. Threats of a military takeover are also wildly unpopular with U.S. voters, with a recent, reliable poll showing nearly nine in ten Americans oppose the demented move. As if that were not proof enough of Trumps dangerous mental state and unfitness for office, it was also reported Monday that he had offered Russian President Vladimir Putin a place on a Peace Board being brought together to seek a lasting resolution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Offering such a position to the worlds most notorious war criminal, a man who is currently overseeing the illegal invasion of a European neighbor, undermines the whole idea of the peace process and, again, raises serious questions about Trumps loyalties. After all, rewarding Putin while threatening NATO certainly does seem like more work on behalf of the Kremlin. U.S. President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin as he arrives at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on August 15, 2025 in Anchorage, Alaska. The two leaders were meeting for peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. / Andrew Harnik / Getty Images But for those of you who feel Trump does such work for Putin because the Russians hold compromising information about him, it is time you realize that with behavior like we are currently seeing, we have passed the point by which anything in Kremlin archives could be more embarrassing or damaging to Trump than his own record. Meanwhile, Trump continues to threaten, for no reason, Americas neighbors in this hemisphere. It is fair to say that he is conducting Americas international affairs much like a teenage boy approaches sex. He has zero impulse control. He has no thought of long-term consequences. He will say anything to get what he wants. And while he may be talking a big game about his conquests, his actual approach is very hit-and-run. He puts the tip of our military in for a little and tries to pull out before he gets in trouble. He is unleashing Gestapo-like masked federal agents on American cities, threatening to further deploy whatever U.S. troops he is not using to attack our friends and allies and is waging a concerted war against many of the most fundamental freedoms promised us by the U.S. Constitution. Americans are being shot, killed and detained in the streets for no reason. A man walks by a series of posters memorializing Renee Good on January 16, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. / Scott Olson / Getty Images Further, he is threatening not to hold elections later this year. He and his government are employing openly Nazi rhetoric; the head of his thug squad has actually taken to dressing in public exactly like an SS officer. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, in public ceremony after public ceremony, he is demonstrating an inability to speak coherently, an obsession with naming public facilities after himself and a desire to cover everything in the White House with gold. He is also falling apart physically. He is a mess. But he is getting worse with each passing day. President Donald Trump holds a Humoring him and making excuses for him do not help. Indeed, this enabling behavior makes it worse. It does not help that at this weeks World Economic Forum in Davos, the organizers and attendees are scrambling to fit their messages to Trumps pinhead fever-dream worldview. It does not help when international officials or U.S. leaders try to play along with him, as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte did on Monday. It does not help when the Democratic consultant class suggests that the opposition party shy away from calling for Trumps thug army to be broken up. Advertisement Advertisement This has all gone too far. A megalomaniacal imbecile, drunk with power, has seized the controls of the most powerful nation on earth and he is demonstrating daily that his sole intent is to abuse that power at the expense of the American people and the planet. The opposition party needs to hit the brakes hard. No more money for ICE or for Trumps other dangerous projects. No more approvals for Trump judges or appointees. Investigate. Impeach. Block. Demonstrate that there will be consequences for those who are enabling this insanity. Not just wordsactions. Patriotic Americans, our friends worldwide and anyone with a sense of decency or of the dangers currently afoot need to work together right now to create the legislative, diplomatic and legal straitjacket that is the only way to contain this madman until he is no longer a threat. President Trumps second term marks one of the most activist foreign policy presidencies in history, from tariff wars to toppling dictators and much in between. Simply turning on the news has become something of an adventure you never know what frantic headline to expect next or from where. Unfortunately, nearly all assessments of Trump 47s foreign policy have focused on shattered norms (especially free trade), disregarded precedents (alliance relations), and ignored guardrails (domestic checks on executive power) to conclude, as does the New York Times, that irreparable damage is being done to America and the U.S.-led rules-based world. But hyper-focusing on Trumps disruptive and often destructive style inhibits an ability to properly judge which of his radical policy shifts are beneficial, and which are not. Advertisement Advertisement Many of Trumps policies including his hardline posture toward Iran and renewed focus on military power were urgently needed and will likely stand the test of time. Others, including his scattershot approach to tariffs and reckless stance toward allies, face a murkier legacy. But even on the murkier issues, Trump deserves credit for shaking up status quos that had grown unsustainable. That includes a global trade system designed exclusively for the liberal-capitalist West, and alliances built for the Cold War. With a few further adjustments, Trump may one day be viewed as the president who reset Americas flailing post-Cold War foreign policy and reinvigorated its global leadership. The wild card, of course, is Trump himself, who can turn positives into negatives at the speed of a Truth Social post. Where that leaves us one year into Trumps second term is a decidedly mixed bag, but with greater upside than down. The challenge moving forward will be to bolster whats working, fine tune what needs adjusting, and prevent worst-case scenarios of Trump-induced self-destruction. Advertisement Advertisement It is difficult to overstate how beleaguered American power projection had become by the time Trump 47 entered office. The Biden administrations catastrophic Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 was followed in quick succession by Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine and Irans proxy-led war against Israel in 2023. During this period, Chinese President Xi Jinping felt so emboldened he forged a no limits partnership with Russian President Vladimir Putin and instructed the Peoples Liberation Army to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027. In contrast, Trump has made the credible threat of U.S. military action central to world politics. His first term included a decapitation strike against a leader of Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps and retaliatory strikes against Syrias al-Assad regime for gassing civilians something the prior Obama administration famously declined to do. He also sent lethal military aid to Ukraine, which the Obama-Biden White House had considered too provocative toward Russia. Trumps second term has maintained focus on hard power to achieve strategic aims, including strikes against Irans nuclear program and the daring apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The world must account for a credible U.S. military deterrent not seen since Ronald Reagan. And like Reagan, Trump has proposed major increases in defense spending to meet our dangerous times. Trump is certainly correct that global trade requires a major reset. The World Trade Organization was created when neo-liberal economic theory was ascendent, and assumed Chinas entry would embolden peace. Instead, it ushered a new era of great power competition over strategic resources and advanced technologies, requiring a more realistic approach to trade and manufacturing. Advertisement Advertisement Trump is the first president willing to act on this, and there is now an opportunity to create new multilateral trade organizations that safeguard both free trade competition and national security. On alliances, Trumps hot rhetoric has mostly outpaced his actions. In the first term, he forged the QUAD security pact with Australia, India and Japan to counter China in the Indo-Pacific. He has now convinced NATO countries to boost their defense spending. But he still muses about not defending NATO allies, and his tariff policies have harmed allies in both the QUAD and NATO. Such tension over permanent alliances dates back to George Washington. While Americas alliance systems served it well during the Cold War, the present era requires a new assessment of cost, commitment and needs. The greatest threat to a Trump-inspired realignment of American foreign policy is, of course, Trump himself. Though rumors of the death of American democracy under Trump have been greatly exaggerated, his autocratic impulses always pose a serious risk of undermining any policy benefits (or worse). Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately, the American system is built to contain an imperial-minded leader, while still permitting healthy policy innovation. The Supreme Court is reviewing multiple cases regarding presidential authority over national security and trade. It has issued rulings against the wishes of Trump and will likely issue more. Congress retains the ultimate ability to rein in executive overreach through its sole power over the purse. And upcoming elections guarantee a healthy debate over Trumps foreign policy, putting power into the hands of voters to determine the shape of future policy. In other words, Trump 47s foreign policy initiatives will likely be judged on their merits, and as part of a much-needed reevaluation of Americas proper role in the world. Stuart Gottlieb teaches American foreign policy and international security at Columbia University. He previously served as a foreign policy adviser and speechwriter in the Senate from 1999 to 2003. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. QTS Data Centers in Hillsboro on Oct. 11, 2024. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek created a new advisory committee to help establish rules and regulations to protect energy access and affordability and water supplies from being overburdened by the rapidly growing data centers in the state. (Photo by Rian Dundon/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Oregons governor is organizing a new committee of advisers to weigh in on issues rising from the rapid growth of data centers in the state. Gov. Tina Kotek announced the new Data Center Advisory Committee on Tuesday and named seven members, who will provide policy recommendations to her and the Legislature no later than October 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Kotek and state lawmakers will use those to create regulations, most likely aimed at where data centers can be built, according to a news release from Koteks office. The regulations would aim to protect energy infrastructure and water supplies from being overburdened by the privately run data and AI processing centers, which require massive amounts of energy to run and water for cooling. Oregonians have made their concerns about rising utility bills clear. As our state faces rapid growth of data facilities, we must have frank conversations about the challenges and opportunities ahead, Kotek said in a statement. I expect the Data Center Advisory Committee to help ensure economic growth while protecting affordable power and Oregons critical water resources. Oregons data center market is among the largest in the nation, according to Chicago-based commercial real estate group Cushman & Wakefield. Access to relatively clean, cheap hydroelectricity in the region and a lack of sales tax, along with billions of dollars in property tax incentives, helped lure the companies. But the decision to offer those property tax incentives and site a data center is largely a local one, made at the city and county level. The Data Center Advisory Committee is the states first big foray into setting data center policy, following several laws that passed in 2025 meant to curb rising electricity rates driven by data centers. Advertisement Advertisement As the giant data complexes expanded across the state during the last several years, energy rates rose on all customer classes served by the states private, investor-owned utilities. For residential customers, rates have gone up an average of 50% in the last five years. Between 2013 and 2023, Oregons overall electricity consumption rose by more than 20%, according to a Sightline Institute analysis of U.S. Energy Information Administration data. Data centers undoubtedly drove a major share, if not almost all, of this growth, analysts wrote. In the next two decades, demand for electricity in the Northwest could double, and demand from data centers is expected to outpace demand from the growing use of electric vehicles until 2046, according to regional energy experts. Advertisement Advertisement Kotek appointed as committee chairs Margaret Hoffmann and Michael Jung. Hoffman is also a member of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, former energy policy adviser to Oregon governors John Kitzhaber and Kate Brown and former rural development director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Oregon. Jung is an environmental policy executive and director of the ICF Climate Center, an international tech and energy consultancy. Other commission members are: Dan Dorran, chair of the Umatilla County Commission. Umatilla has sited a large number of Amazon data centers in the last decade that have caused 554% demand growth at the Umatilla Electric Cooperative, according to Sightlines analysis. Greg Dotson, an energy and environmental law expert at the University of Oregon. Bill Edmunds, a former private utility executive who teaches energy and business courses at Portland State University and the University of Portland. Tim Miller, director of the nonprofit industry group Oregon Business For Climate. Jean Wilson, a renewable energy executive and former president of the nonprofit Oregon Environmental Council. The group will meet publicly at least once a month and focus on studying data center citing decisions, according to Koteks news release. Theyll look at regulations to support how and where data centers could be built to spur responsible economic development and job creation, without overburdening local energy and water supplies in the rural communities they tend to be built in. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A Flock Safety license plate-reading camera is seen at Colfax Avenue and Franklin Street in Denver on Aug. 5, 2025. (Photo by Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline) A powerful Oregon legislative committee chair is calling for increased safeguards and protections on the use of data collected by a controversial crime-fighting technology scanning license plates that critics fear the Trump administration will weaponize. Sen. Floyd Prozanski, a Eugene Democrat who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, helped convene a group of law enforcement stakeholders, privacy advocates and legislative leaders, which met in December to tackle the issue as cities across the state have debated whether to turn off their cameras employing the technology. One vendor in particular, the Atlanta-based Flock Safety, has drawn condemnation from U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, who previously said the company is unable and uninterested in addressing abuses of its products. Advertisement Advertisement But views among workgroup stakeholders were diverse, including law enforcement who have defended license plate readers as a valuable tool for intercepting crime to progressive activists who say such technology itself is far too vulnerable for abuse by the federal government. Critics of some license plate reading technology have pointed to instances where the softwares data has been accessed by federal immigration enforcement agencies or used to target out-of-state abortion seekers. At this point, Prozanski is leaning more towards putting up some guardrails that will make it safe, Ky Fireside, an Oregon House candidate and Springfield-based progressive organizer who is part of the workgroup, told the Capital Chronicle in December. But the fact of the matter is, theres not anything you can do to make this kind of technology safe. Its just designed to be abused. Prozanski, however, said in an interview that he values the technology for legitimate, lawful enforcement purposes, pointing to its use in the arrests of suspected criminals tied to a Pacific Northwest burglary ring targeting Asian American households, including in the Eugene-Springfield area. He said he was also concerned about inappropriate data-sharing with the federal government or other states, as well as data brokers who are mining and selling such data for unlawful use. He added that law enforcement agencies across the state may be entering into contracts for the software without adequate data privacy protections, calling for similar protections employed by other Oregon state agencies for safeguarding information. Advertisement Advertisement They have protocols in place already on the duration of the length that can be held, (to) cross check for if someones making inquiries, to ensure that there has been something assigned to it, like a case number, and someones not going on what some people would call a fishing expedition and just picking out this request or that request, Prozanski said. Thats the type of stuff that were working on. New funding formula Key to the debate over the license plate readers have been Oregons sanctuary laws, which prevent state and local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration enforcement without a court order. U.S. Border Patrol employed automated license plate reading technology in the 1990s, and it spread to police departments across the country in the next decade. A November state court ruling in Washington found that the images captured by Flocks license plate readers are not exempt from disclosure under public records law. Prozanski confirmed he is still considering a public records exemption for such information as well as increased audits, a pathway to allow individuals whose data is improperly accessed to receive redress and certification requirements for license plate reading software vendors. A Flock company spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment about legislative efforts in Oregon, but company leadership have previously accused opponents of spreading misinformation, pointing to improved filters for sanctuary states. Advertisement Advertisement Were working under state law of Oregon, and if someone is making queries for something that happened or potentially could be actionable in a different state, its not what their state law provides, its what Oregon provides, Prozanski said. So were going to maintain safeguards and protections for those within this state. The state has already funded the proliferation of the technologys use across Oregon, though in cities such as Eugene, police have backed away from their contracts with Flock. In that instance, local authorities confirmed that a license plate reading camera in the area was turned on without the citys consent. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for law enforcement agencies across the state has gone toward the technology, drawing from an Oregon organized retail theft grant program, according to the states Criminal Justice Commission. As of December, however, there have been no instances where the agency has needed to investigate reports of state law violations involving the use of state funds for license plate reading technology, according to Ryan Keck, the commissions director. He said that his agency uses quarterly reports from recipients and can also conduct information audits within the scope of its grant agreements. If there were a reported violation, Keck said the agency would forward the matter for investigation. Advertisement Advertisement For new grants issued after Dec. 1, 2025, however, the agency has tightened its purse strings. New contracts include additional language for returning any funds that have been spent outside the scope of the agreement, which includes requirements to comply with state laws, Keck said. The commission in October also agreed to establish a new methodology for determining how the retail theft grant money would be awarded. The Commissions methodology prioritized applications to support local programs specific to organized retail theft (to include equipment) over applications solely requesting equipment with no specified support (ex: personnel, operations) to address organized retail theft, he wrote in a statement. Moving forward, CJC will continue to monitor its grants in accordance with the terms of executed grant agreements, and remain responsive to any legislative changes, he added. Future legislation, continued debate likely In an interview Friday, Fireside said that while they appreciate the work the legislative workgroup has done, the deck felt stacked in favor of law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement The line in the sand they and other privacy advocates are drawing has to do with support for end-to-end encryption, the process by which secure data is encoded before it is transferred to its destination and decoded. Having such a safeguard would make it difficult for federal authorities to subpoena vendors for information stored securely by a law enforcement agency, Fireside said. They are trying to push for like, Oh, well, its, its encrypted in transit, and its encrypted at rest, and that just doesnt mean anything, they said. It doesnt provide any protection. Prozanski, in the meantime, suggested there would be more than one proposal in the works, potentially for future sessions. Some ideas involve allocating additional funding, which is not feasible given the states current financial outlook, he told the Capital Chronicle, but could be in the future. This is probably the first beginning of more than one session dealing with this, he said. Were not going to get everything done the first time. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Theres endless debate among cosmologists about what really makes up the emptiness of outer space, though many believe that mysterious stuff that we now call dark matter and dark energy represent a significant portion. In a new yet-to-be-peer-reviewed paper flagged by Live Science, a researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology in Jodhpur named Muhammad Ghulam Khuwajah Khan proposes an intriguing theory: that space is something akin to a viscous fluid, like a slow-moving honey. If borne out a significant if, to be clear the model could go a long way to explaining certain discrepancies that have rankled scientists about the universe. Currently, astronomers generally embrace the Lambda Cold Dark Matter Model often shortened to the CDM model to explain mathematically how the Big Bang Theory occurred, how dark matter keeps galaxies together, and how dark energy is driving the expansion of the universe. The energy density of space is known as the cosmological constant, written as the Greek letter Lambda or , and is considered an unchanging quality. Advertisement Advertisement But recent data captured by the The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey in Arizona and the Dark Energy Survey in Chile suggests that scientists may need to update the CDM model of the universe; astronomers picked up discrepancies between telescopic observations and the CDM model that seems to point towards the idea that dark energy, long thought to be an immutable throughout space time, has instead weakened as the universe has accelerated and grown older. Khans theory, an attempt to reconcile this mismatch, posits that we should instead mathematically treat outer space as a viscous, stretchy fluid that can contain a quality he calls spatial phonons, or vibrations emitted by atoms which create waves of tension in space. The theory is that dark energy pushes space to expand, but these phonons subtly push back, meaning the universes expasion isnt uniform; layering this idea over the dark energy observations picked by DESI resolves the discrepancy noticed by astronomers that deviates from the CDM model. Its an intriguing idea that keeps the idea of dark energy as a cosmological constant that pushes the expansion of the universe, while introducing a theoretical wrinkle that can explain weird observations that seem to violate it. Advertisement Advertisement But more data from these dark energy surveys will be needed to see if this theory can hold up or confine this wacky idea to the dustbins of history. Well be watching. More on space: Asteroid Behaving Strangely More than 1,000 Afghans who were promised entry to Germany following the Taliban's return to power in Kabul have been refused permission to resettle. Citing figures from a parliamentary inquiry, the Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung newspaper reported on Tuesday that almost half of the 2,308 Afghans awaiting a decision on their future in Germany are to be denied entry. An estimated 2,308 Afghans have been stranded in Pakistan for months or years, waiting for their chance to leave under a German resettlement scheme. Advertisement Advertisement The programme covered former local staff of German institutions, their relatives and others fearing persecution by the Taliban, such as lawyers and journalists. But Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative-led coalition sought to suspend resettlement schemes for vulnerable Afghans shortly after entering office last May as part of a wider crackdown on migration. The plight of those awaiting entry became more urgent after Pakistan announced it would deport Afghan nationals back to Afghanistan, even those with German resettlement approval. Despite the shift in German government policy, some 788 Afghans have been able to resettle in Germany since May, many of whom successfully sued in German courts to enforce their right to entry. Advertisement Advertisement Another 410 are still in the process of leaving the country, according to the newspaper report. Lawmaker Clara Bunger from The Left sharply criticized the government's actions. "The fact that the federal government is simply abandoning half of the Afghans who were promised admission to the Federal Republic of Germany is irresponsible, despicable and humanly intolerable," she told the Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung. Jan 20 (Reuters) - Ugandan military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba said he was praying for fugitive opposition leader Bobi Wine's death and gave him 48 hours to surrender to the police following a contentious presidential election. Former pop star Wine said he fled a military raid on his house hours before veteran President Yoweri Museveni was declared the landslide winner of last week's presidential election. Wine, who finished runner-up, has alleged widespread fraud during the vote. He has released several statements since Saturday from undisclosed locations. Advertisement Advertisement Kainerugaba, who is Museveni's son and is widely believed to be his preferred successor, made a series of threats against Wine in posts late on Monday on X, referring to him by the derisive nickname "Kabobi". POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE "I am giving him exactly 48 hours to surrender himself to the Police," Kainerugaba wrote. "If he doesn't we will treat him as an outlaw/rebel and handle him accordingly." In another post, Kainerugaba said in a reference to Wine's National Unity Platform party: "We have killed 22 NUP terrorists since last week. I'm praying the 23rd is Kabobi." Advertisement Advertisement Police spokesperson Kituma Rusoke said on Monday night that Wine was not being sought. After a tense campaign in which security forces repeatedly opened fire at Wine's rallies, several incidents of post-election violence were reported. In one, the police killed several opposition supporters in central Uganda in disputed circumstances. However, fears of the kind of violence that killed hundreds - and possibly thousands - in neighbouring Tanzania after its elections in October did not materialise. HISTORY OF INFLAMMATORY SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS Kainerugaba, 51, routinely makes inflammatory posts on social media, including a threat in 2022 to invade neighbouring Kenya. Advertisement Advertisement Last year he boasted he had Wine's bodyguard in his basement and threatened to castrate him. The bodyguard was later charged with robbery. Kainerugaba has spoken openly about his desire to take over from his father, who has been in power since 1986. Museveni, 81, has denied grooming his son to succeed him. At least 118 NUP members were charged in court on Monday with election-related offences, including unlawful assembly and conspiracy, court documents showed. David Rubongoya, the NUP's secretary general, denied party members were involved in violent activity. (Editing by Vincent Mumo Nzilani, Michael Perry and Timothy Heritage) Advocates and lawmakers in May 2023 rallied outside the Maine State House in support of Paid Family and Medical Leave, which was signed into law later that spring. (via Maine Center for Economic Policy) Starting May 1, workers across Maine will be able to access paid family and medical leave. The Maine Paid Leave Authority decided the start date at a meeting Tuesday. According to a news release from the Maine Womens Lobby, the authority considered the solvency of the benefit fund and determined that starting the program in early May met their fiduciary obligation. Advertisement Advertisement The paid leave program was established by the Maine Legislature in 2023 and will allow eligible public and private sector workers to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for reasons such as illness, to care for a loved one, or the birth of a new child. Maine employers began withholding a portion of wages about a year ago to pay into the fund, so this newly determined start date offers a clear timeline of when workers will be able to tap the new benefit. Employers with 15 or more workers contribute 1% of wages, but may deduct half of that from employee wages. Employers with fewer employees will contribute 0.5% and may take all of it from employees wages. When benefits go live this spring, we will see the culmination of years of work toward a more just, equitable economy that values families, caregivers, and all workers, said Destie Hohman Sprague, executive director of the Maine Womens Lobby. Advertisement Advertisement Applications for workers to access paid leave are not available yet, but the Maine Department of Labor will release more information on how to access them at a later date. The program has faced legal challenges throughout its development, including a lawsuit from the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and Bath Iron Works challenging the departments rules. However, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court unanimously decided that the rules adopted by the Maine Department of Labor are constitutional and a legal interpretation of the legislation that created the program. Before Attorney General Pam Bondi became the top law enforcer in the United States, her former friends and colleagues described her as a sweet but dedicated prosecutor with debilitating insecurity who also loved dogs, children and the gay community. In a series of interviews with Bondis lifelong friends, former confidants and colleagues for The Atlantic, people who once knew the attorney general say her personality and values transformed her into a pugnacious, defensive and isolated person after she became involved in Republican politics. She went cheap for power, an unnamed close friend of Bondis told The Atlantic. Advertisement Advertisement Bondi, originally from Tampa, Florida, spent much of her early legal career prosecuting high-profile crimes. During that time, colleagues called her hardworking, associates said she had humility, and friends described her as kind. During her eight years serving as Floridas attorney general, people who knew her said she did not appear to have a burning passion for politics rather, her passion was with dogs, and she sought loving homes for as many as possible. Those who knew Bondi in her youth describe her as kind, mild-mannered and slightly insecure (Getty Images) Yet, as Bondi rose in the political ranks eventually becoming a regular on Fox News and a surrogate for former presidential candidate Mitt Romneys campaign, her friends say she changed. I keep asking myself, What the f*** happened to Pam? One person who once knew Bondi well told the magazine. Advertisement Advertisement Bondi declined to comment on the assertions about her to The Atlantic. The Independent has also asked Bondis office for comment. The article, published Tuesday on the anniversary of President Donald Trumps inauguration paints Bondi as someone unable to remain grounded as Republican politicians capitalized on her willingness to help to promote the GOP agenda. During her time as a prosecutor, evaluations from Bondis bosses, obtained by The Atlantic, said she was hardworking but intimidated by difficult, long, or important cases. Bondis ex-boyfriend, Billy Howard, told the magazine that Bondi was extremely caring. At one point, Howard said, she intervened in his excessive partying habit to help him. Bondi, then Florida's attorney general, served as a surrogate for then-presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012 (Getty Images) Even as Bondi rose to fame in Republican circles and began consistently appearing on conservative talk shows, former friends said they still saw the down-to-earth person they remembered. Advertisement Advertisement Bondi would hawk GOP talking points, such as defending the states ban on gay marriage and adoption, on television. But in person, her friends said, she would excuse it as something she had to do for the party. The lengthy piece accuses Bondi of being unable to say no, even when certain requests did not appear to align with her beliefs, in order to appease others. That reportedly extends as far as accepting Trumps job offer to serve as attorney general, which Bondi allegedly did not want to do at first. However, Bondi denies that claim. The characterization, if true, appears to align with Bondis unabashed willingness to execute Trumps agenda and desires, no matter how legally questionable they appear. As attorney general, Bondi has used her authority to publicly attack federal judges for issuing rulings against the administration. Shes fired dozens of Justice Department officials, some for participating in investigations against Trump. Bondi has displayed a willingness to change her position on something to align herself with President Donald Trump such as backtracking on the Epstein files release (Getty Images) Shes agreed to install Trump loyalists, some without prosecutorial experience, in high-ranking U.S. Attorney positions throughout the country circumventing the typical process. At least four of those individuals have been determined to be unlawfully serving in their positions. Advertisement Advertisement Most notably, Bondi reversed her position on releasing the Epstein files. Early last year, the attorney general flaunted her willingness to release documents on the governments investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But over several months, she reversed her position as Trump did misleading some members of the MAGA base. The Florida attorney general, who allegedly cried repeatedly to reporters for publishing a negative story, appears to be a long way gone from the U.S. attorney general who chose to insult, belittle and launch accusations at lawmakers during a congressional hearing. A Corona family is disappointed and frustrated after learning that the young woman convicted of killing their youngest son is now eligible for release from prison after serving only two and a half years of her nine-year sentence. Benjamin Montalvo was killed in July 2020 while riding his bike with friends near his alma mater, Centennial High School in Corona, by Noemi Velado, who was texting and driving. He was 21 years old. Advertisement Advertisement Velado struck Montalvo while in a shared bike and car lane and fled the scene, only later turning herself in. Now, the victims parents, Kellie and Eddie Montalvo, say the woman who killed their son never showed any remorse or took responsibility for what she did to their family. The Montalvos only recently learned of Velados eligibility for release when they received a letter from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation stating that she could be released as soon as next month. Its unclear exactly why shes able to serve so little of the nine-year sentence, with Kellie saying that officials didnt provide them with that information. Family members of Benjamin Montalvo, 21, killed by a texting driver who was high are speaking out about her eligibility to be released from prison after serving only a fraction of her sentence. (viewer image) Weve been suffering all this time but then all of a sudden, we found out, yeah, shes coming out. Why? Eddie said to KTLAs Rachel Menitoff. You go through the same thing all over again. Advertisement Advertisement The couple is now making an appeal to local and state lawmakers to officially designate Velados offense as a violent crime, which would require the perpetrator to serve 80% of their sentence. Family members of Benjamin Montalvo, 21, killed by a texting driver who was high are speaking out about her eligibility to be released from prison after serving only a fraction of her sentence. (viewer image/Inland Daily/Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) Family members of Benjamin Montalvo, 21, killed by a texting driver who was high are speaking out about her eligibility to be released from prison after serving only a fraction of her sentence. (viewer image/Inland Daily/Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) Family members of Benjamin Montalvo, 21, killed by a texting driver who was high are speaking out about her eligibility to be released from prison after serving only a fraction of her sentence. (viewer image) Family members of Benjamin Montalvo, 21, killed by a texting driver who was high are speaking out about her eligibility to be released from prison after serving only a fraction of her sentence. (viewer image) When you weaponize your vehicle and youre texting endlessly and youre high, thats a violent crime and it should be treated as such, Kellie said. Theyre racially profiling people: Feds conduct immigration operations in O.C. While the Montalvos say they keep their sons memory alive by speaking out against impaired and distracted driving, they worry that Velado is not fully rehabilitated after such a short amount of time in prison. Advertisement Advertisement When you encounter someone like that with no remorse for what she did, shell be out doing it again, Eddie said. KTLA reached out to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation about the conditions of the womans release and is awaiting a response. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NEED TO KNOW A BlueSky user posted a viral thread claiming their NYC-to-D.C. bus appeared to go off route after a driver change The passenger alleged the driver refused to go to Union Station despite riders concerns and calls to the bus company Following the incident, the company said an internal investigation is currently underway A late-night bus ride from New York City to Washington, D.C., reportedly took a disturbing turn after one passenger claimed the trip suddenly went off course. The account, shared in a now-viral BlueSky thread, described growing confusion and fear after a driver switch at a rest stop. The passenger, who posted from the account @musicologyduck.bsky.social, wrote that they had been asleep when things started to feel wrong. I just woke up from a nap and somehow while I was asleep, everyone on the bus has figured out we are not going to the right place, the user wrote Monday, Jan. 19, around 9 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement According to the thread, a new driver took over during the trip and quickly became the center of the chaos. The passenger claimed the driver insisted the riders were mistaken about where they were headed, posting, They switched drivers at a rest stop and the new driver is telling everyone that theyre the ones on the wrong bus?? The rider alleged the driver refused to discuss the situation while behind the wheel. Hes refusing to talk to anyone while hes driving, the user wrote, adding that the bus appeared to be moving fast enough that people began to panic. Shutterstock Stock photo of a BestBus vehicle Stock photo of a BestBus vehicle As the tension escalated, the passenger claimed some riders started calling the police.I think I might end up in Vienna Virginia but Im not sure??? they wrote. The poster said multiple riders tried to confront the driver directly about the destination. In one update, the user claimed, Two big guys just went up and said were going to Union station!! and he said no were not. Advertisement Advertisement The passenger also suggested that the route confusion made little sense given how simple the usual trip is. Its particularly weird because this route only has three stops: penn station, union station, and DuPont circle, they wrote. In the thread, the rider said someone managed to reach the bus company by phone while the bus was still moving, adding the company said it was looking into what was happening. But the poster claimed the driver continued to resist instructions and refused to engage with the company. The bus company says they are trying to call the driver and hes not answering, the rider wrote. Someone pulled up Waze and said hes going 75 in a 55 zone, they posted. Advertisement Advertisement The rider also claimed they overheard the driver discussing stops that were not part of the usual itinerary. In another update, the passenger wrote that a woman sitting behind them said the driver had mentioned stopping in Vienna and Manassas locations outside Washington D.C. leaving some passengers worried they could end up stranded late at night. As the situation continued, the poster described a tense effort to get the bus companys instructions directly to the front of the vehicle. Ok someone got the bus company on speakerphone and is walking it up to the front of the bus, they continued. The passenger claimed they could hear the company representative shouting, YOURE GOING TO UNION STATION, as riders attempted to intervene. But according to the thread, the driver pushed back, allegedly yelling that he didnt get paid enough and refusing to comply. Meanwhile, the poster said the atmosphere on board felt divided and uneasy, with riders debating their next move. The bus is divided on calling the police, the user wrote, claiming some worried the situation could become even more volatile. 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 spokesperson for BestBus provided PEOPLE a statement stating, We are aware of an overnight incident involving one of our drivers on a recent trip. The experience described on social media does not reflect the standards we expect from our team or the service our passengers deserve. Advertisement Advertisement The company revealed an internal investigation is underway as they review all available information, including driver conduct, operational procedures, and trip conditions. While that review is underway, we have taken immediate steps to address customer impact. All affected passengers have received full refunds and a credit voucher for a future trip, the company continued. "We sincerely regret the disruption and poor service experienced by our passengers. We appreciate their patience as we complete our review, and we are committed to taking appropriate action and implementing any necessary improvements to prevent this from happening again." Read the original article on People There's a new pay phone in San Francisco's Mission District. But this phone only calls one number. And on the other line is a stranger in Abilene, Texas. It's an effort to connect people across the political spectrum. "I think our thesis is that humans are pretty awesome and if given the opportunity, will really look to find common ground because biologically that actually gives us a lot more happiness," said Ben Goldhirsh, Co-Founder of Matter Neuroscience, the bio-tech company behind the pay phone. Advertisement Advertisement Goldhirsh explains the pay phones are part of a social experiment. They were installed Sunday outside a business in San Francisco and one in Abilene, Texas. In San Francisco, the phone outside Black Serum Tattoo on Valencia Street says, "Call a Republican." In Texas, the one outside Seven and One Books in downtown Abilene says, "Call a Democrat." A sign says it connects people from the most liberal city in the America to the most conservative. "People are excited," said Arlene Kasselman, owner of Seven and One Books. "I think the opportunity to have civil discourse in a time where there's so much polarization is important for people. I think people want to experience a unifying thing and these conversations can be unifying." Advertisement Advertisement ABC7 News listened-in on some conversations in San Francisco. One touched on Waymos and Cybertrucks. "A Cybertruck just drove by. What do you think of those?," Berkeley Resident Milo Duhamel asked the person in Abilene. He said the person talked about their distaste of autonomous vehicles. "Not really anything political, really, but it was kind of interesting to just see what's going over there right now," he said. Duhamel's father, Sai, asked the person in Abilene he was talking to about political parties. "On the phone it says call a Republican," said Sai Duhamel, of Oakland. "Do you consider yourself a staunch Republican?" Advertisement Advertisement Duhamel said the person on the phone was not a Republican and he isn't a Democrat. Rather, he said he is registered with the Green party and thinking about switching to the Peace and Freedom party. "She's unhappy with the world politics at the moment as well," he said. Guerneville Resident Matt Bloom asked his conversation partner about current events. "What do you think about what's going on in Minneapolis right now?" Bloom found out the person on the other line has friends living in Minnesota whose locations are shared with her so she can monitor their safety. He talked to her about his co-workers in Minneapolis. Advertisement Advertisement The conversations are recorded and some will be shared as soon as next week on the company's Instagram page. Goldhirsh said so far, the conversations appear to be friendly. Many agree no matter the political party, this shows we have more similarities than differences. "I think people are just trying to get through the day, relate to each other and have a good life," Bloom said. "I think it's amazing and great," Sai Duhamel said. "I think it should be replicated and more of them all over the place." Goldhirsh said the company may be doing just that and they may be adding pay phones in other cities. If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live Pittsburgh Police are accepting donations for their upcoming 2026 Winter Clothing Drive. The drive benefits resolve Crisis Services, a free program that is available to all Allegheny County residents 24-hours a day every day of the year. Its the result of a partnership between Allegheny County and UPMCs Western Psychiatric Hospital, according to its website, and has resources available for anyone in an emergency. On Friday, residents can begin donating new underwear, socks, bras, and gently used gloves, scarves and coats of all sizes. The bureau said serviceable items outside of that list could still be accepted. Advertisement Advertisement Donations are accepted at the following locations: Police headquarters - 1203 Western Ave Zone 1 - 1501 Brighton Rd Zone 2 - 2000 Centre Ave Zone 3 - 830 E Warrington Ave Zone 4 - 5858 Northumberland St Zone 5 - 1401 Washington Blvd Zone 6 - 312 S Main St Downtown Public Safety Center - 439 Wood St Northview Heights Calvin M. Hall Public Safety Center - 443 Mt Pleasant Rd The last day to donate is Feb. 28. Click here to learn more about resolve Crisis Services. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW The state Capitol. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) Senate panel OKs measures on data centers, juvenile offenders, protests at abortion clinics. Richmond Times-Dispatch In historic first for Virginia, Adam Spanberger becomes first gentleman. Washington Post Hampton Roads lost more than 6,000 federal civilian jobs in 2025, report finds. Virginian-Pilot Planned James City County missile factory to be fully operational in 2028. WHRO Rocky Mount unveils first Virginia monument honoring Black Civil War soldiers. WSET SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Around 4:30 on Sunday afternoon, police began pursuing a car that was reported stolen out of Charleroi. Officers said the car took off and eventually stopped near Graham Avenue, where 3 people under the age of 18 got out and ran from police. They ended up in a neighbors yard. A neighbor scared them off, and I believe thats when they separated, said Chief David Yuhasz with the Monessen Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement One of the suspects escaped through the neighborhood, and two others slid down a 600-foot hill near Dennis Avenue. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Police pursuit leads to major rescue operation on hillside in Monessen Officers found their footprints in the snow and went after them. Once they were detained at that timethey realized that they could not get out from where they were located, said Chief Yuhasz This began a four-hour-long rescue operation in freezing cold temperatures. For perspective, the hillside is almost as tall as the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. Channel 11 was at the scene when several EMS, fire, and police departments worked to rescue the 3 officers and 2 kids that had gone over the hill. After trying multiple different methods, crews realized rope rescue would be the only way to bring everyone to safety. The kids were taken up with the rope first so they could have constant contact with law enforcement. Chief Yuhasz says the kids are lucky police decided to pursue them, or they may have been stuck in the freezing cold for much longer. Advertisement Advertisement If they would have went into the woods, and we did not knowthey could still be in the woods at this point, said Chief Yuhasz. Whos to say? Chief Yuhasz says charges will be filed, but they are still investigating at this time. Medics evaluated both the officers and the kids, and everyone was okay. The third suspect is not in custody, but police say they do have a name. According to the Westmorland County 911 supervisor, 12 people were brought up and down the hillside and everyone was safely at the top by 8:51 Sunday night. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW A city police officer shot two people, killing one of them, during an encounter with civilians on a Newark street Monday afternoon, according to state officials. According to the preliminary information, officers from the Newark Police Department encountered several civilians in the area of Ross Street and Evergreen Avenue in Newark shortly after 1 p.m., the state Attorney Generals Office said in a statement issued Monday evening. During that encounter, one of the officers fired his weapon, striking two civilians, the office said. Advertisement Advertisement The two civilians were taken to University Hospital in Newark, where one of them was pronounced dead a short time after arriving there, the attorney generals statement said. The other civilian was being treated at the hospital Monday evening. No police officers were injured in the incident, the attorney generals office said, but one Newark police officer was taken to the hospital for evaluation and was subsequently released. An investigation into what sparked the shooting is underway, and no further information is being released at this time, the attorney generals office said. ABC7 in New York reported that the shooting occurred outside of a corner liquor store near Ross Street and Evergreen Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement The TV station said one man was sitting in a car when undercover officers approached and that is when shots were fired. Witnesses said they didnt know what sparked the shooting. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka called the shooting a grave incident and said city officials are cooperating with the state attorney generals office, the lead agency in the investigation. It is a heartbreaking tragedy for everyone involved when a police officer feels the need to draw weapon and so much more so when they are compelled to fire, Baraka said. The matter is now under the investigation of the Attorney Generals office, the mayor added, and I ask our residents to pray with us for all those affected, and to show patience until the investigation is completed. NJ Advance Media staff writer Steve Strunsky contributed to this report. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. BELOIT, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in southern Wisconsin have reclassified an incident initially reported as a robbery after further investigation determined the circumstances were different than first believed. On Jan. 7, 2026, shortly before 5:30 p.m., the Beloit Police Department was dispatched to a reported robbery in the 400 block of Broad Street. Crash closes all lanes of WIS 26 in Fond du Lac County Advertisement Advertisement The complainant told officers they were making a large cash deposit for their employers restaurant when the incident occurred. At the time of the report, the individual said they were not injured, no weapon was involved and the suspect did not make any statements before leaving the area. Following additional investigation conducted over the past week, police say the incident has now been reclassified as obstructing justice and theft. Wisconsin man creates disturbance at gas station, arrested for 6th OWI Authorities said the investigation remains active, but the incident appears to be isolated at this time. Advertisement Advertisement The Beloit Police Department said it will continue to provide updates as the investigation allows. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. On Nov. 20, Ginny Hines looked around the Port Wentworth City Council chambers and wondered what was happening. At the last minute, the Port Wentworth City City Council added a proposed amendment to its zoning ordinances to the agenda. The amendment was written on just one sheet of paper without guidelines or regulations to define data centers and add them as an allowable use in industrial zones. Procedurally, there were questions, said Hines, who has been living in Port Wentworth for just one year. Right from the very beginning and given the history of data centers in other areas being put in with very little, if any, transparency, residents often end up having no idea whats happening. Advertisement Advertisement At that moment, Hines did not fully understand what data centers were until she started researching them after the Nov. 20 council meeting. That is when she realized the ordinance the council proposed had no teeth. Less than 30 days later, the third version of the ordinance passed by a 4-1 vote, with significantly more restrictions such as parameters for noise levels and when external generators should be tested as well as square footage requirements that trigger impact studies. Still the speedy process didnt sit well with some residents, including Hines. More than 20 residents came to speak at the city council meeting on Dec. 18, with more sitting in the audience waiting for a decision. Now, Hines and others are looking for other avenues to at least pump the brakes on any future developments, through a new organization seeking non-profit status, Port Wentworth Citizens Coalition. Hines hopes to provide guidance, find support services and employ the coalition as a tool to unify residents and victims of governmental overreach in Port Wentworth. The group's motto is educate, advocate and empower. Advertisement Advertisement Despite residents' concerns, Port Wentworth passes data center ordinance Data center joins pipeline, power plant as latest concern in ACE Basin Proposed amendments to existing ordinance Hines has some experience organizing advocacy groups. Since she was 17, she had been active in teachers' unions and was municipal clerk in a small town in Wisconsin for several years, so she understands procedurally how things should move through the approval process. But in Port Wentworth, the lack of any real community gathering spaces outside of Facebook makes it harder to decide which issues are most salient and settle on a unified message. Theres nothing that people can really rally around, Hines said. And some of the more vocal ones dont have an understanding of municipal government and how to direct their energy. Advertisement Advertisement Shes currently in the process of filing both state and federal paperwork to qualify for 501 (c) (3) status as a non-profit organization, as well as asking for assistance from a variety of organizations, including coastal nonprofit One Hundred Miles, which works to protect Georgias coast through advocacy, education and community engagement. One Hundred Miles' North Coast advocate Jeff Beauvais has been attending Port Wentworth's council meetings and serving as a sounding board for Hines. Beauvais and One Hundred Miles are hoping to assist residents in their efforts to clarify and strengthen the ordinance. I already think residents have done some pretty inspiring work, Beauvais said. Council meetings seem to be pretty sparsely attended and the last one had about 80-ish people there. I know it didnt go the way a lot of folks wanted, but that is what democracy looks like and requires, for people to show up. I think people need to continue to speak, write and get in touch with city council members. Although the ordinance evolved to include clearer definitions and stronger guidelines with each draft, Beauvais said gaps remain and some loopholes require tightening to better protect the coast and its residents Advertisement Advertisement Were not an organization thats opposed to growth or development, Beauvais said. We recognize the coast is changing, but its about finding the balance, and putting in the right things so that we arent threatening the things that make Georgias coast special. One of the most important additions would be making any potential data center subject to a special use permit, which would give the city more authority and control over reviewing any proposed data center coming in. Since they are such major industrial developments, this designation is fairly common, according to Beauvais. Councilmember At-Large Artlise Alston Cone, the only vote against approving the ordinance, also said during the council meeting that data centers should come back to council to be approved. Instead, data centers technically can be placed in the city by right, meaning they do not require a public hearing or additional approval. In the final draft of the ordinance that was approved, only one data center may be permitted for every 27,500 residents. Port Wentworth has a population of close to 14,000 people currently. Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, there are requirement for items that limit height, identify materials for walls and fences, stipulate the size and location of proposed facilities, and require engineering and design plans to be shown early in the process. The current ordinance also requires developers to do a study on using the citys wastewater as the water source if the developer going to use over 250,000 gallons a day. Beauvais recommends requiring the developer to use technology that is known to use less water, like a closed-loop cooling system. These water systems recirculate in a continuous loop where heat is added in one part and then removed in another part without direct air contact or evaporation, making water loss minimal. Other practices Beauvais suggests is a more detailed stormwater management plan to help with flooding, and strengthening the noise ordinance so the enforcement is greater than a $500 fine. Currently the ordinance prohibits the generated noise from exceeding 55 dB. We also think that a developer needs to estimate how much electricity the facility would need once the facility is up and running, Beauvais said. Also [we] want to put a spotlight on a decommissioning plan. If this industry turns out not to be particularly profitable, we dont want to be left with the same issue of a bunch of vacant warehouses. Advertisement Advertisement Beauvais sent these suggestions and more to Port Wentworth staff and intends to provide backup to resident opposition if a proposed development makes its way to city council. Alston-Cone and Mayor Tracy Saunders confirmed receipt of his email and said they would take the proposals under consideration. PWCC, which has more than 100 members, is planning on meeting once a month, writing letters and making suggestions of what language should be used for certain ordinances. Hines said they are also looking to see if the city properly follows the Georgia Open Meetings Act, which mandates that all meetings and the minutes of those meetings be open to the public and properly advertised. In Prince William County in North Virginia, a data center development rezoning was overturned because county supervisors failed to comply with state and local notice requirements in advance of meetings. I think its going to take time, consistency, and putting pressure on them in a variety of different ways, Hines said. But theres a lot of grievances that people have. I just want them to know that its okay to advocate for themselves and their neighbors. Advertisement Advertisement Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter for the Savannah Morning News, covering the municipalities, and community and cultural programs. You can reach her at DAmbus@gannett.com This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Port Wentworth woman organizes residents after council passes ordinance The Duke of Sussex and other high-profile claimants accusing the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday of unlawful information gathering are "clutching at straws", a court has heard. Prince Harry is among seven claimants including Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley alleging Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) committed "grave breaches of privacy" over a 20-year period. Defending the publisher, Antony White KC argued the reporters behind the stories had provided a "compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of articles". Advertisement Advertisement White said in written submissions that the celebrities had "leaky" social circles and that a "pattern of misconduct... is simply not made out". The claimants have accused the publisher of "clear, systematic and sustained use of unlawful information gathering" for stories between 1993 and "beyond" 2018, including through private investigators and blagging. In their joint opening statement on Monday, they accused a string of senior Mail and Mail on Sunday journalists of being "engaged in or complicit in the culture of unlawful information gathering that wrecked the lives of so many". ANL has denied all wrongdoing. Joining the duke in bringing the lawsuit against ANL are: Advertisement Advertisement Actors Liz Hurley and Sadie Frost Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish Sir Simon Hughes, the former Liberal Democrat MP Baroness Doreen Lawrence, a campaigner whose son Stephen Lawrence was murdered in a racist attack in south London in 1993 On Monday, David Sherborne had set out the claims of Frost, Baroness Lawrence, and Prince Harry - who said the alleged behaviour had left him "paranoid beyond belief". Prince Harry, Hurley and Sir Simon were present for the second day of the trial at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday, which is expected to last nine weeks. Advertisement Advertisement In his opening argument for the publisher, White said the claimants were "clutching at straws in the wind and seeking to bind them together in a way that has no analytical foundation". He said a "striking feature" of the ANL's defence was that it had been able to obtain an explanation from almost all of the journalists named in the legal action of how they had sourced their stories, to the best of their memory. "The fact that they are willing and able to do so speaks volumes of the culture" of ANL, he argued. White also argued it was improbable that the journalists facing the "very serious" allegations would all be lying to the court about their sourcing. Advertisement Advertisement He made the case that the group was relying on evidence of payments to private investigators before or after an article's publication, but often did not detail what the investigators were actually being paid to do. He claimed they were instead relying on evidence about the investigators from previous cases in which Prince Harry took on Mirror Group Newspapers and News Group Newspapers, the publisher of The Sun. He said this was problematic because such "generic" evidence had been "struck out" of the case by the judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, in 2025. The judge had ruled at the time that evidence a journalist at one paper had used an investigator for unlawful purposes could not be used to prove a reporter at a different paper - using the same investigator - had also done something wrong. Elizabeth Hurley also attended the second day of the trial with her son Damian [Reuters] The allegations in the case were revealed in 2022, when lawyers for six of the seven claimants said they had evidence of private investigators having used phone tapping, or intercepting phone calls. Advertisement Advertisement In its written submissions, ANL said their only direct evidence to support this claim came from a statement by private investigator Gavin Burrows, in which he admitted the use of a series of unlawful techniques. He has since said his signature on the statement was forged. Prince Harry's legal team says that claim is "wild and unfounded". Burrows will be called to give evidence at the trial. ANL said it was "inconceivable that the claimants will now be able to make good the implausible allegations made in that witness statement". Advertisement Advertisement White said the journalists used standard reporting skills rather than private investigators. The publisher's case statement said it had a "strong positive case" for each alleged incident, with a witness able to explain the sourcing of "almost every article". White said Daily Mail crime journalist Stephen Wright, at the centre of the allegations about Baroness Lawrence, had good contacts in the police who provided information. For example, he said a story in 1997 about the government calling a public inquiry into her son's murder came from a tip from then-Home Secretary Jack Straw to the paper's editor Paul Dacre - not phone tapping. He said royal reporters Katie Nicholl and Rebecca English attended parties in the outer circles of the duke's social scene and picked up information from friends. Advertisement Advertisement Stringers in various countries had also provided information for stories, including those about Prince Harry and his then-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, and the birth of Sir Elton and Furnish's son, White argued. Sir Elton and Furnish had accused ANL of "stealing" their son's birth certificate before they had a chance to see it, accusing the publisher of "invasion of medical details". White also noted that ANL defended the claims "on limitation grounds" - meaning that they claim they were brought too late. Privacy cases must usually be brought within six years of the alleged breach, unless victims can show they could not bring a case at the time. Advertisement Advertisement This is a civil trial, so there is no jury and the judge will decide the case on his own. It is Prince Harry's third major court battle accusing newspaper groups of unlawful behaviour. In December 2023, he won 15 claims in his case accusing Mirror Group Newspapers of unlawfully gathering information for stories published about him. In January 2025, the publisher of the Sun newspaper agreed to pay "substantial damages" and issued an apology to the prince, over claims of unlawful intrusion into his life. Justin Grady, director of utilities for the Kansas Corporation Commission, testified Thursday about expected electricity usage in the next decade. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from the Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications committee hearing) TOPEKA Projected increases in electricity load growth are as high as 99% by 2035, a data point that pushed regional energy regulators to create a plan to stabilize and expand grid capacity and transmission, a legislative committee learned Thursday. Part of that process includes building a controversial transmission line that will travel through four Kansas counties. Advertisement Advertisement Justin Grady, director of utilities for the Kansas Corporation Commission, told the House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee that a proposed 133-mile, 345 kilovolt transmission line to be built by Evergy will travel through western Sedgwick, Sumner, Cowley and Chautauqua counties. The project is part of Southwest Power Pools annual plan to support projected growth in electricity usage across its 14-state coverage area, Grady said. SPP is one of seven nonprofit organizations approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to oversee transmission infrastructure, ensure utility system reliability and manage the wholesale electricity market. Grady said the original SPP transmission plan included $18.1 billion of transmission projects to handle expected grid expansion, but KCC and others in the states energy industry met with SPP and agreed on fewer projects in the immediate future. The projects that ultimately got notices to construct were the consensus, essentially, of the stakeholders, that these are the projects we cannot afford to delay, Grady said. These are reliability projects. Advertisement Advertisement Transmission projects are challenging to implement because people dont like them, he said. Its not easy to site a transmission line, Grady said. By and large, landowners do not like it, and I understand completely. It carves a scar basically across the state of Kansas. Landowners on the planned transmission route showed up at two public hearings on Jan. 8 and 9 to voice concerns and objections to the transmission line. John Timmerman said he has a contract for a wind energy project on his Sumner County land where the transmission line will cross. He told Evergy and KCC at the hearing that he stands to lose as much as $250,000 if he loses the wind contract. Advertisement Advertisement This line for the height and the position that its in will negate that windmill project, he said at the public hearing. Grady told the Energy committee the transmission project is necessary to support additional generation that will be added in upcoming years. Electricity needs in the region have been emphasized by storms in the past few years, including storm Uri in winter 2021 and storm Elliott, a 2022 winter storm, when the grid was stressed, he said. Last year during pretty mild weather, there were actual controlled load shed events in the southwest portion of the systems, Grady said. Load shed refers to a purposeful, controlled shutoff of electricity in order to avoid a larger collapse of electric reliability, Grady said in an email after the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement When that one day of load shed comes in an 80-year period of time, which was winter storm Uri, then all we talk about for three years is, why did the lights go off? he said. Reliability is obviously job No. 1 for electric utilities and regulators, mixed in with affordability. Grady said load growth projections are almost unbelievable, showing growth in two years that previously would have been projected for 10 years. The SPPs plan projected how many load shed events would occur if no changes occurred, he said, and the estimate is 114 days a year in 2034. The standard is one day in 10 years thats the legal standard FERC requires them to uphold, Grady said. In the most conservative SPP models, the $8 billion transmission project will pay for itself by 2034. Advertisement Advertisement At its worst, when this $8 billion of transmission is built at the highest price it will ever be, in 2034 that will cost an average residential customer $2.99 a month, Grady said, adding that models that include economic benefits show a $5.31 benefit to Kansas customers. Looking outside of transmission to need for new electricity generation resources, Grady said SPPs projects show adequate capacity for 2025, with a 20.7% reserve margin. However, if new generating resources arent added by summer 2027, the reserve margin will fall to 11.8%, and by 2030, that margin would be -1.6%. Grady said one of the questions that came up at public hearings about the proposed transmission line was whether the addition supports Kansas electricity needs or is only about shipping electricity outside the state. That line was engineered and designed to correct for the severe reliability issues that occurred during winter storm Elliott, Grady said. Advertisement Advertisement Elliott occurred just after Uri and resulted in millions of people losing electricity on Christmas Eve, he said. We avoided load shed in SPP, mainly because there was 20,000 megawatts of wind online, Grady said. We are connected electrically to the entire eastern United States. Sometimes major reliability events that are happening in North Carolina can even ultimately affect what happens in southeast Kansas. The reality is thats the reason this transmission line was designed and built. My position is that certainly that line will benefit Kansans. An aerial view shows a data center situated near single-family homes in Stone Ridge, Va., last year. Local communities around the country are seeking more input on where and how data centers are built. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images) A measure (SB 484) revising state law regarding regulation of large-scale data centers and certain other large electricity users received its first hearing in a legislative committee in Tallahassee on Tuesday. The proposal, introduced by Sen. Bryan Avila, R-Miami Springs, is the first bill in the Florida Legislature to address concerns about the intense energy demand by Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers. Advertisement Advertisement Data centers projected electricity demand in 2030 has been set at to up to 130 gigawatts, which would represent close to 12% of total U.S. annual demand, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Avilas bill would require the Public Service Commission (PSC) to develop minimum large load tariff requirements for public electric utilities to reasonably ensure that big customers (such as large data centers) pay for their own cost of service and that the general body of ratepayers do not bear the risk of non-payment of such costs. It specifies that agencies may not enter into non-disclosure agreements or other contract language restricting disclosure of information about a potential data center development to the public. And it continues to maintains authority of local governments to exercise their powers of comprehensive planning and land development regulations granted by law with respect to large-load customers. Advertisement Advertisement The proposal was greeted favorably by representatives of consumer advocacy groups. We have nearly 150,000 members across the state, and were very concerned about undue burdens on them as ratepayers, said Heaven Campbell, Florida director of Solar United Neighbors (SUN) Action. I believe that we have to figure this out before the damage is done. However, some organizations believe the measure goes too far in regulating the emerging industry. Florida can either welcome billions in capital investment into high-wage jobs and substantial tax revenue, or we can erect barriers that send these projects to Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina, warned Turner Loesel, a policy analyst with the James Madison Institute. Advertisement Advertisement His organization believes ratepayer protections matter, he said, but contended that several provisions in the bill go beyond consumer protections and threaten to place Florida behind other states in competition for such projects. Other states are rolling out the red carpet, while we roll out the red tape, he said. FOMO Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, said he appreciated parts of the bill that would protect local governments when it comes to water use, but argued the Legislature must encourage data centers to be located in Florida. Its not like we can say, We dont like this. This will go to Georgia, and we will never recover, he warned adding that with the states military bases and university system, there are umpteen uses for having these centers located in Florida. Advertisement Advertisement The measure ultimately passed unanimously in the Senate Regulated Industries Committee. A related measure (SB 1118), which would provide an exemption from public records disclosure for information relating to the plans, intentions, or interest of a person to locate a data center for 12 months, also was approved, though Sen. Jason Pizzo, independent from Sunny Isles Beach, voted no. This really, really puts local officials in a tough spot about what they are and are not allowed to say and talk about, he said. Committee Chair Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said she agreed with Sen. Pizzos remarks but opted to support the bill at its first committee stop. I do think these provisions are a little broad in terms of for local governments, she said. Avila vowed to work on tightening the language as the bill advances through committees. It would become law on the same day that SB 484 would take effect, which would be July 1, 2026. Protestors demonstrating against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement occupation of the Twin Cities entered Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota Sunday to confront David Easterwood, a pastor whos also the acting director of the citys ICE field office. The Department of Justice is currently investigating the protest led by civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong. I dont understand how as a pastor, he thinks that thats acceptable, Levy Armstrong, also an ordained reverend, said in a Washington Post interview Monday. Armstrong first learned of Easterwood as a defendant in a protest rights lawsuit alleging that he and other ICE officials have acted to suppress this dissent by abducting United States citizens and holding them incommunicado for hours. Easterwood denied many of the Lawsuits claims in an official declaration. When Levy Armstrong and over 20 protestors arrived at Cities Church on Sunday, Easterwood was not present. The lead pastor Jonathan Parnell presided over the church and told journalist Don Lemon, Our church had gathered for worship, which we do every Sunday. We asked them to leave, and they obviously have not left. Advertisement Advertisement The protest lasted around 25 minutes and was captured on video, which has since been removed, with participants chanting ICE out and Justice for Renee Good. Good was shot and killed by Jonathan Ross, an ICE officer, earlier this month. Harmeet Dhillon, the Trump administrations assistant attorney general for civil rights, said the DOJ will investigate the protest for potential violations of the federal FACE Act. Her statement on X claimed the protestors were desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers. Lemon may also be investigated for reporting on the protest. No one has a right to protest by trespassing into a private house especially a house of God almighty. Freedom of the press does not protect journalists, nor anyone else, when they are actively committing crimes, Dhillon wrote on X Monday. Its notable that Ive been cast as the face of a protest I was covering as a journalist especially since I wasnt the only reporter there. That framing is telling, Lemon responded in a statement. If this much time and energy is going to be spent manufacturing outrage, it would be far better used investigating the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good the very issue that brought people into the streets in the first place. I stand by my reporting. Advertisement Advertisement The FACE Act has very different origins from protests in churches. Passed in 1994, the act stands for Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances and is meant to prevent abortion protestors from physically preventing peoples access to clinics. In the context of the Sunday protest, the FACE Act also prevents protestors from meaningfully preventing worship activities through physical obstruction exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. The law states that it does not prohibit any expressive conduct including peaceful picketing or other peaceful demonstration. President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X Sunday. The Department of Justice has launched a full investigation into the despicable incident that took place earlier today at a church in Minnesota. Advertisement Advertisement If people are more concerned about someone coming to a church on a Sunday and disrupting business as usual than they are about the atrocities that we are experiencing in our community, then they need to check their theology and they need to check their hearts, Levy Armstrong said. The post Protesters enter church run by ICE official, drawing DOJ outrage appeared first on Salon.com. More than 100 people gathered at the University of Georgia Arch on Tuesday, as did others throughout the state, as several rallies were expected at school campuses in protest of recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Minnesota. Repeatedly, those at the protest mentioned the death of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis. Following Good's death, protests broke out nationwide, and the Department of Homeland Security sent more agents to the Twin Cities, according to reporting by USA Today. Those at the rally in Athens held signs protesting not only Goods death, but the military actions in Venezuela and Trumps foreign and domestic policies. People gathered Tuesday in downtown Athens to protest the killing of a Minnesota woman by an ICE agent. Similar rallies were held at other campuses across the state. Fox 5 in Atlanta reported rallies were planned at 11 colleges and high schools in north Georgia alone. Advertisement Advertisement One speaker noted that President Trump had said that Good was a domestic terrorist and that the ICE agent was acting in self-defense. We know these are lies. That the killer, ICE agent Jonathan Ross, was never in danger and never feared for his life, she said. More: Tim Walz, other top MN officials served subpoenas as tensions escalate ICE agents can act with impunity in brutalizing people, she said. Speakers also criticized Democrats in Minneapolis, whom they said have failed hold Ross accountable for Goods death. Those hosting the rally encouraged students to walk out of class and join them. Advertisement Advertisement Among those sponsoring the rally were the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Athens Area Democratic Socialists of America, and the Young Democratic Socialists of America at UGA. This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Protesters gather in Athens to rally against ICE killing of woman Putnam County Common Pleas Court Jan. 15 Bradley S. Hoyt, 31, Ottawa, pleaded not guilty to four counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor or impaired person, two counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, and two counts possessing criminal tools. He was placed on an OR bond and a pre-trial was scheduled for 11 a.m. Feb. 12. He must have no contact with the alleged victims. He is allowed to travel as long as the travel itinerary is provided to the court. Advertisement Advertisement According to court records, the first four counts allege that Hoyt possessed images of a minor aged female engaged in sexual activity which was maintained on a rose gold Samsung smart phone while at his Ottawa address on Sept. 3. The next two counts allege that Hoyt possessed images of a minor aged female in a state of nudity on a rose gold Samsung smart phone while at his Ottawa address on Sept. 3. The possessing criminal tool counts allege that Hoyt used a rose gold Samsung smart phone to commit a felony offense. New Cases Vaughnda Prowant, Continental, and Darren Prowant, Continental, v. Ferrell Gas, Inc., Columbus Grove, and Chad A. Baker, Garrett, Ind.; personal injury. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, West Palm Beach, Fla., v. Joseph W. Peterson, Fort Jennings, and Alyssa R. Peterson, Fort Jennings; foreclosure. Advertisement Advertisement Capital One, Dublin, v. David P. Boninsegna, Ottawa; other civil. Putnam County Municipal Court Dispositions Jan. 10 Serge J. Mayeku, 34, Defiance, was fined $150 for driving under FRA/noncompliance suspension. Jan. 12 Elizabeth L. Sampson, 41, Forest, pleaded guilty to theft. Sentence: 180 days jail, 175 days suspended, $50 fine. Robert P. Schabel, 45, Vaughnsville, pleaded guilty to public indecency. Sentence: 30 days jail, suspended, $150 fine, and perform 24 hours community service. Kenneth H. Derosia, 47, Ottawa, was fined $150 for failure to reinstate license. Jan. 13 Adam L. Desote, 37, Continental, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of menacing. Sentence: 30 days jail, suspended, and pay court costs. Advertisement Advertisement William W. Willey, 33, Ada, pleaded no contest to driving under OVI suspension and was found guilty. Sentence: 180 days jail, 177 days suspended, $250 fine and license suspended for one year with work privileges. Bryce J. Agner, 50, Ottawa, was fined $150 for school bus violation. Jan. 15 Brenda H. Groff, 66, Continental, pleaded guilty to an amended offense of persistent disorderly conduct. Sentence: 30 days jail, suspended, $150 fine. Drew L. Hawkins, 34, Continental, pleaded guilty to resisting arrest. Sentence: 90 days jail, suspended, $250 fine. He also pleaded guilty to an amended charge of criminal mischief. Sentence: 60 days jail, 59 days suspended, $250 fine and complete a mental health assessment. Advertisement Advertisement Putnam County Municipal Court Judgments Jan. 12 Midland Credit Management, Inc., San Diego, Calif., default judgment v. Rebecca Lester, Leipsic, $1,462.51, plus interest and costs. Capital One, Dublin, agreed judgment v. Melissa Lytle, Pandora, $4,395.09, plus interest and costs. Capital One, Dublin, agreed judgment v. Melissa Lytle, Pandora, $2,605.67, plus interest and costs. Jan. 13 LVNV Funding, LLC, Greenville, S.C., default judgment v. Nicole Blankenship, Ottawa, $1,038.47, plus interest and costs. LVNV Funding, LLC, Greenville, S.C., default judgment v. Christine R. Hager, Columbus Grove, $1,266.26, plus interest and costs. Advertisement Advertisement LVNV Funding, LLC, Greenville, S.C., default judgment v. Jason Leis, Gilboa, $855.19, plus interest and costs. Jan. 15 DNF Associates LLC, Getzville, N.Y., consent judgment v. Kimberly Blankenship, Continental, $1,269.12, plus interest and costs. The amount of $1,200 will be accepted as full settlement as long as payments are made according to the terms agreed upon. PARIS (AP) While Europe is pushing back publicly against U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland, the language appears softer behind the scenes. Trump published a text message on Tuesday that he received from French President Emmanuel Macron, confirmed as genuine by Macron's office. Starting with My friend, Macrons tone was more deferential than the criticism that France and some of its European partner nations are openly voicing against Trumps push to wrest Greenland from NATO ally Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement Before broaching the Greenland dispute, Macron opted in his message to first talk about other issues where he and Trump seem roughly on the same page. We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran, the French leader wrote in English. Then, he added: I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland, immediately followed by: Let us try to build great things. That was the only mention that Macron made of the semi-autonomous Danish territory in the two sections of message that Trump published. It wasn't immediately clear from Trump's post when he received the message. Advertisement Advertisement Trump breaks with tradition World leaders private messages to each other rarely make it verbatim into the public domain enabling them to project one face publicly and another to each other. But Trump as is his wont across multiple domains is casting traditions and diplomatic niceties to the wind and, in the process, lifting back the curtain on goings-on that usually aren't seen. This week, a text message that Trump sent to Norways prime minister also became public, released by the Norwegian government and confirmed by the White House. In it, Trump linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to last years decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. Advertisement Advertisement Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace," the message read. It concluded, The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. On Tuesday, Trump also published a flattering message from Mark Rutte, secretary general of NATO, which the alliance also confirmed as authentic. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland, Rutte wrote. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark. Rutte has declined to speak publicly about Greenland despite growing concern about Trumps threats to acquire the island and what that would mean for the territorial integrity of NATO ally Denmark. Pressed last week about Trumps designs on Greenland and warnings from Denmark that any U.S. military action might mean the end of NATO, Rutte said: I can never comment on that. Thats impossible in public. Advertisement Advertisement Macron's relationship with Trump Macron likes to say that he can get Trump on the phone any time he wants. He proved it last September by making a show of calling up the president from a street in New York, to tell Trump that police officers were blocking him to let a VIP motorcade pass. Guess what? Im waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you! Macron said as cameras filmed the scene. It's a safe bet that Macron must know by now a year into Trump's second spell in office that there's always a risk that a private message to Trump could be made public. Macron said Tuesday that he had no particular reaction to the message's publication when a journalist asked him about it. Advertisement Advertisement I take responsibility for everything that I do. It's my habit to be coherent between what I say on the outside and what I do in a private manner. That's all." Still, the difference between Macrons public and private personas was striking. Hosting Russia and Ukraine together Most remarkably, the French leader told Trump in his message that he would be willing to invite representatives from both Ukraine and Russia to a meeting later this week in Paris an idea that Macron has not voiced publicly. The Russians could be hosted in the margins, Macron suggested, hinting at the potential awkwardness of inviting Moscow representatives while France is also backing Ukraine with military and other support against Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Macron wrote that the meeting could also include the danish, the syrians and the G7 nations which include the United States. The French president added: let us have a dinner together in Paris together on thursday before you go back to the us." He then signed off simply with Emmanuel. Making nice only goes so far Despite Macron's persistent efforts, in both of Trump's terms, not to ruffle his feathers, any payback has been mixed, at best. Trump bristled on Monday, threatening punitive tariffs, when told that Macron has no plans to join Trumps new Board of Peace that will supervise the next phase of the Gaza peace plan, despite receiving an invitation. Advertisement Advertisement Well, nobody wants him because hes going to be out of office very soon," Trump told reporters, even through the French leader has more than a year left in office before the end of his second and last term in 2027. "Ill put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and hell join, Trump said. ___ Lorne Cook in Brussels, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Kostya Manenkov in Davos contributed. President Trump has shared messages from European leaders over his mounting pressure campaign to take control of Greenland, as he heads to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday night. On Monday, reports emerged that Trump sent a message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre suggesting his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize was a factor in his threats against Greenland. Stres office later said that Trump shared the message with other NATO leaders and released a message from Stre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb that promoted Trumps response. Advertisement Advertisement Text message from Stre to Trump Jan. 18: Dear Mr President, dear Donald on the contact across the Atlantic on Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine and your tariff announcement yesterday. You know our position on these issues. But we believe we all should work to take this down and de-escalate so much is happening around us where we need to stand together. We are proposing a call with you later today with both of us or separately give us a hint of what you prefer! Best Alex and Jonas Text message Trump to Stre about 30 minutes later: Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a right of ownership anyway? There are no written documents, its only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT On Tuesday morning, Trump shared incoming messages from NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron on Truth Social. NATO and French officials confirmed their authenticity to The Hill. Undated message from Rutte to Trump: Mr. President, dear Donald what you accomplished in Syria today is incredible. I will use my media engagements in Davos to highlight your work there, in Gaza, and in Ukraine. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Cant wait to see you. Yours, Mark The message apparently references a ceasefire deal struck Sunday between Syrias government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. There are already reports of renewed clashes in the countrys north. Undated message from Macron to Trump: My friend, We are totally in line on Syria We can do great things on Iran I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland Let us try to build great things : i can set up a g7 meeting after Davos in Paris on thursday afternoon. I can invite the ukrainians, the danish, the syrians and the russians in the margins let us have a dinner together in Paris together on thursday before you go back to the us Emmanuel Advertisement Advertisement Trump did not include his response to the message or any ensuing messages from Rutte or Macron. Speaking to reporters Monday night, Trump was asked about Macrons resistance to joining the Board of Peace, a body headed by Trump with ambitions to implement a peace plan in Gaza and potentially elsewhere. Trump said Macron would soon be out of office, adding, Ill put a 200 percent tariff on his wines and Champagnes, and hell join, but he doesnt have to join. Macron delivered a scathing speech at Davos on Tuesday warning the U.S. wants to weaken and subordinate Europe. On Tuesday, Trump also criticized the United Kingdom for granting control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, months after his administration backed the proposed deal. He called the move an act of GREAT STUPIDITY and another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Advertisement Advertisement Updated at 12:54 p.m. EST Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The comic volcano J1007+3540, the eruption of a once dormant black hole, as seen by LOFAR. | Credit: LOFAR/Pan-STARRS/S. Kumari et al. Astronomers have discovered a once-dormant supermassive black hole springing back to life in a very dramatic and spectacular fashion, acting as a "cosmic volcano" blasting out an eruption that stretched out for 1 million light-years. The supermassive black hole in question sits at the heart of the galaxy J1007+3540 and has lain dormant for around 100 million years. The team of scientists behind these observations used the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) in the Netherlands and India's upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) to create radio images of J1007+3540 and its incumbent supermassive black hole. These images revealed this vast black hole jet is in a tug-of-war for dominance with the gravitational force of the rest of the galaxy. Advertisement Advertisement 'It's like watching a cosmic volcano erupt again after ages of calm except this one is big enough to carve out structures stretching nearly a million light-years across space," team leader Shobha Kumari, of Midnapore City College, India, said in a statement. Supermassive black holes are found at the hearts of all large galaxies, but they are far from all the same. They range in mass from millions to billions of times that of the sun, some are quiet and peaceful, like Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) at the heart of the Milky Way , and others are actively feeding and violent. These latter supermassive black holes are surrounded by matter in a flattened swirling cloud called an accretion disk that gradually feeds them. The immense gravity of the black hole at the center of such a disk creates powerful tidal forces in this accretion disk, which generate friction, heating it and causing it to glow brightly. Not all of the matter in accretion disks is destined to become a black hole snack, however. Intense magnetic fields channel charged particles, or plasma, to the poles of active supermassive black holes from where it is blasted out as jets at speeds approaching that of light. These jets also glow brightly, making these central galactic regions, or Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs), stand out from vast cosmic distances. Advertisement Advertisement Even among these incredible galactic engines, scientists say J1007+3540 stands out. That is because it shows evidence of turning on and off, restarting after vast quiet periods of time, to begin once again erupting with powerful jets. Supermassive black hole jet structure The images collected by the researchers show the structure of the jet from this supermassive black hole, consisting of a bright inner jet and a fainter outer "cocoon" of cooler faded plasma. That indicates to the team a history of repeated eruptive episodes, with the outer sleeve of faint plasma representing the fossil remains of prior blasts. "This dramatic layering of young jets inside older, exhausted lobes is the signature of an episodic AGN a galaxy whose central engine keeps turning on and off over cosmic timescales," Kumari said. This jet debris seems to have been squashed and distorted by its surroundings due to the fact that J1007+3540 sits within a massive galaxy cluster filled with extremely hot gas. The result is an external pressure far greater than is typically experienced by galaxies of this type, known as radio galaxies due to their brightness in the radio region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Advertisement Advertisement "J1007+3540 is one of the clearest and most spectacular examples of episodic AGN with jet-cluster interaction, where the surrounding hot gas bends, compresses, and distorts the jets," team member Sabyasachi Pal, also of Midnapore City College, said in the statement. The LOFAR image of J1007+3540 annotated with labels indicating its structure | Credit: LOFAR/Pan-STARRS/S. Kumari et al The image of J1007+3540 from LOFAR shows a significantly compressed and distorted lobe to the north of the structure, which represents plasma being shunted sideways by the gas the jet is trying to force its way through. The uGMRT image reveals that the compressed region consists of older particles that have lost much of their energy. That is another clear sign of the influence the cluster is having on this jet. Further evidence of the way the harsh environment of J1007+3540 is sculpting these jets comes from a long, faint tail stretching out to the southwest of the structure. This tail consists of plasma that has been dragged through the cluster, creating a wispy trail that is millions of years old. This galaxy and its supermassive black hole are a demonstration of just how AGNs can turn on and off and how the jets they blast out can change over the course of millions of years. Additionally, J1007+3540 is a lesson for astronomers regarding the influence galactic clusters can have on jet structures. Advertisement Advertisement This could ultimately provide scientists with a clearer picture of how galaxies grow and evolve. Chicago has lost a giant of LGBTQ+ activism. Rick Garcia, who was involved in almost every advance in LGBTQ+ rights in Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois during his lifetime, died January 12 at age 69. He had been through a series of illnesses and surgeries, and the official cause of death was heart failure, said Richard Streetman, his friend, caregiver, and family spokesman. Streetman and several other friends spoke to The Advocate about the late activist. Garcia worked to pass LGBTQ-inclusive civil rights laws at the city, county, and state levels, and then for civil unions and marriage equality. Advertisement Advertisement Related: Change Comes From the Middle of the Countrythe Middle of the Country A native of St. Louis, he was an organizer for the United Farm Workers while he was in college, then moved to Washington, D.C., to join New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ equality within the Roman Catholic Church. He had come out as gay while still in St. Louis, confronting a Catholic priest who was speaking on the sin of homosexuality. Local TV stations were covering the priests appearance at St. Louis City Hall, so Garcia ended up coming out to his family and the whole viewing area. On a vacation to Chicago in 1986, he joined the effort for a gay rights ordinance, and he ended up staying in the city. Working with an organization called the Gay and Lesbian Town Meeting, he and others persuaded the City Council to pass the ordinance in 1988. He and three other activists were key to the effort and became known as the Gang of Four Garcia, Laurie Dittman, Art Johnston, and Jon-Henri Damski. One of Garcias strategies was to have nuns urge council members to support the ordinance, showing politicians they wouldnt offend Catholics by doing so. Gender identity was added to the ordinance later. From left: Art Johnston, Rick Garcia, Laurie Dittman, Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer, Jon-Henri Damski, and Jon Simmons, Sawyer's liaison to the gay community, when the Chicago gay rights ordinance passed in 1988 From left: Art Johnston, Rick Garcia, Laurie Dittman, Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer, Jon-Henri Damski, and Jon Simmons, Sawyer's liaison to the gay community, when the Chicago gay rights ordinance passed in 1988 Windy City Times Archives Advertisement Advertisement Garcia cofounded the Illinois Federation for Human Rights in 1992 to take the fight beyond Chicago and was its first executive director. He had a brilliant political and tactician mind and was fearless in his pursuit of justice, Ellen Meyers, another cofounder, longtime activist, and close friend, told The Advocate. Cook County passed a gay rights law in 1993, adding protections against anti-transgender discrimination in 2002, and the state of Illinois approved a fully inclusive law in 2005, which went into effect the following year. Garcia remained a fierce transgender ally, refusing to support the Illinois Human Rights Act ... unless it included explicit protections based on gender identity (another battle he won), Windy City Times managing editor Jake Wittich wrote on Facebook. Garcia was fiery and unapologetic, shaping so many of the LGBTQ+ protections we have today in Chicago and Illinois. The Windy City Times obit of Garcia is here. He would not support the bill without explicit inclusion, Jim Bennett, director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights, said in a statement. As a result, Illinois became one of the first states in the nation to clearly and fully protect transgender, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming individuals from discrimination. Garcias fieriness sometimes got him into fights. He could be vicious toward anti-LGBTQ+ people and also toward fellow LGBTQ+ activists and allies if he felt they werent doing the right thing, Streetman said. Rick had a way of confronting his friends even in brutal fashion but still letting you know he cared for you deeply, according to Streetman. Advertisement Advertisement Like a number of gay men I've known in my life, Rick could be ... a lot, said Victoria Noe, an author who has worked for AIDS service organizations in Chicago. He was brilliant and ornery, and I never wanted to get on his bad side (I think I accomplished that). Like Jon-Henri Damski, he seemed to be at every HIV or LGBT event back in the late 80s and 90s, unless the organizers were really pissed at him. I didn't always approve of his tactics, but I knew he was almost always smarter than I was. I am so sad to hear about the passing of Rick Garcia, said Illinois State Rep. Kelly Cassidy. Yes, hes my constituent, but honestly so much more than that. Over the decades, weve worked together, weve fought with and for each other, weve laughed, danced, cried, primal screamed, and mourned together. His passing leaves a hole for sure, but his legacy of care for our community will live on. Cassidy is preparing a memorial resolution. The Illinois Federation for Human Rights was renamed Equality Illinois in 2000, and Garcia remained executive director. He later became political director. He and the group parted ways in December 2010, shortly after Illinois legislators approved a civil unions bill. Gov. Pat Quinn signed the bill into law in January 2011, and it went into effect in July of that year. After Equality Illinois, Garcia joined the Civil Rights Agenda, where he worked for marriage equality. At a rally in January 2013 in Chicago, he delivered this message to lawmakers: Get the job done, get the lead out, do it, as the city's CBS affiliate reported at the time. The marriage equality bill cleared the legislature in November 2013, and Quinn signed it into law the same month. Rick Garcia at a marriage equality rally in Chicago in 2013 Rick Garcia at a marriage equality rally in Chicago in 2013 Windy City Times Archives Advertisement Advertisement This is a great day for Illinois and for the rest of the country, Garcia said when legislators passed the bill. Fairness, decency, and equality were affirmed by our legislature. Same-gender couples will have the same state benefits as their heterosexual counterparts. He knew how to work a crowd and get media attention, Streetman noted. Theres been so many times in my years of working and friendship with Rick Garcia that an event would happen unexpectedly and hed be called upon to speak extemporaneously. He always captured the moment. After the Civil Rights Agenda, Garcia worked in the Cook County Sheriffs Office and the Illinois Secretary of States Office. He ran for a post on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board in 2022 but lost. There was more to Garcia than his political work, his friends said. In his younger years, he could do an absolutely smashing Audrey Hepburn in drag, sometimes wearing a bright pink bobbed wig, Meyers recalled. He was devoted to his longtime partner, Ernie [Hunsperger], who died a few years ago. He was also an amazing cook. Ernie would always send him recipes he had found for Rick to make. Hunsperger, who worked in public relations and retail, died in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Garcia could mix politics and fun as well, Streetman said. After the U.S. Supreme Courts Lawrence v. Texas decision in 2003, just a few days before Pride weekend, Equality Illinois decided to make its Pride parade float a tribute to the ruling, which struck down sodomy laws nationwide. Garcia, Streetman, and four others dressed as female Supreme Court justices to ride atop the float. We were swinging gavels we also had these big Marge Simpson wigs, Streetman recalled. They had a sign that said Thank you, Supremes, and played a song by those other Supremes, You Keep Me Hangin On. It includes a lyric appropriate to the occasion Set me free, why dont cha, baby? Equality Illinois won best float that year. There was also his devotion to Catholicism, even when he disagreed with the church. Rick was an encyclopedia of Roman Catholicism, Meyers said. He could tell what order a nun was by the habit she wore. As a brother in the order Brothers for a Christian Community, he was very committed to social justice. Whenever I was with him and we had to enter someplace through a metal detector, he would always first take out of his pockets his rosary to put through the metal detector. Rick studied theology, and he was very learned in his faith traditions, Streetman said. Even to the end, he had very specific beliefs. He had a deeply held, thoroughly studied and researched view of Catholicism. Both Garcia and Equality Illinois have been inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, the only city-sanctioned institution of its kind in the U.S. Upon Garcias death, Equality Illinois released statements from several of its leaders. Advertisement Advertisement The fight for LGBTQ+ equality has always been carried forward by leaders who knew when to push hard and when to build bridges and Rick Garcia was one of those leaders, said Art Johnston, part of the Gang of Four, an Equality Illinois cofounder, and owner of Sidetrack, a popular Chicago LGBTQ+ bar. He was a fierce advocate in a pivotal era of our movement, unafraid to throw punches when our community was under attack and equally committed to coalition-building and lasting change. Related: A Love Story That Birthed an Iconic Gay Bar and a Lifetime of Activism Rick Garcia was instrumental in advancing protections for LGBTQ+ people in Illinois, including his critical role in the effort to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Illinois Human Rights Act in 2006, as well as helping lay the early groundwork for marriage equality in our state, said Myles Brady Davis, director of communications for Equality Illinois. His leadership helped shape Equality Illinois and the broader movement for decades. We honor Ricks legacy by continuing the work he believed in so deeply and by ensuring that the torch he carried continues to light the way forward. Rick Garcia was a founding leader of Equality Illinois whose courage and conviction helped shape the rights LGBTQ+ people have today across our state, said CEO Channyn Lynne Parker. His visionary leadership helped secure Chicagos landmark antidiscrimination ordinance, and his legacy lives on in the laws he helped pass and the countless lives impacted by his work. As a transgender woman of color now entrusted to lead this organization, I am proud to walk in the footsteps of a man of color who fought for trans lives and trans rights long before such advocacy was widely embraced. I owe him a profound debt of gratitude and a continued commitment to carry that work forward with integrity. Advertisement Advertisement There will be a visitation at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Marys of the Lake in Chicago, followed by a funeral mass at 11 a.m. This article originally appeared on Advocate: Remembering Rick Garcia, a leader in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality in Chicago and Illinois Washington GOP Rep. Julia Letlow is jumping into the Louisiana Senate race after President Trump encouraged her to challenge sitting Sen. Bill Cassidy in the state's primary. Mr. Trump encouraged Letlow to run for the seat in a post on Truth Social on Saturday, pledging to endorse her should she enter the race. "Today, I am announcing my candidacy for the United States Senate to ensure the nation we leave our children is safer and stronger," Letlow said in a post on X Tuesday morning. "Louisiana deserves a conservative Senator who will not waver. I am honored to have President Trump's endorsement and trust." Advertisement Advertisement The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report said earlier Tuesday that Letlow announced she was entering the race at a breakfast event hosted by the publication in Louisiana. Cassidy said Letlow also called him to share the news. "Congresswoman Letlow called me this morning to say she was running," Cassidy said in a statement to CBS News. "She said she respected me and that I had done a good job. I will continue to do a good job when I win re-election. I am a conservative who wakes up every morning thinking about how to make Louisiana and the United States a better place to live." Letlow has represented Louisiana's 5th Congressional District in the House since 2021, when she won a special election for the seat following the death of her husband, who died from complications related to COVID-19 before he could be sworn into office. Letlow, 44, became the first Republican woman elected to represent Louisiana in Congress. Rep. Julia Letlow, a Louisiana Republican, at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. / Credit: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) The president called Letlow a "TOTAL WINNER!" and "Great Star" in his post on Truth Social backing her potential Senate bid. Advertisement Advertisement "A Proud Mother of two children, Julia is a wonderful person, has ALWAYS delivered for Louisiana, and would continue doing so in the United States Senate," Mr. Trump said. "Should she decide to enter this Race, Julia Letlow has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JULIA, RUN!!!" Mr. Trump's move to back Letlow comes as Cassidy, a Republican who has occasionally broken with his party, is seeking a third term in the Senate. Cassidy, 68, was one of seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict Mr. Trump in his impeachment trial after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021. And more recently, the Louisiana Republican, who's a medical doctor, has also been at odds with the administration over HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s leadership. Cassidy delivered the key vote to advance Kennedy's nomination out of committee and assure his confirmation in February, despite doubts over Kennedy's views on vaccines. But Cassidy has since broken with the HHS secretary on multiple occasions. Advertisement Advertisement He has made an effort to work with the administration on health care issues like addressing the cost of insurance, introducing a measure to put funds into health savings accounts as the president pushed for sending money directly to Americans rather than insurance companies. Letlow said in a video announcing her candidacy that "a state as conservative as ours, we shouldn't have to wonder how our senator will vote when the pressure's on." "Louisiana deserves conservative champions leaders who will not flinch," she added. Letlow's entrance into the race, and the president's backing, is expected to create difficulties for Senate GOP leaders. Just days ahead of the president's announcement, Senate Majority Leader John Thune joined Cassidy on the campaign trail in Louisiana. And although the seat is considered safe for Republicans, the president's move could threaten key votes in the Senate going forward, since Cassidy may be less inclined to fall in line. Advertisement Advertisement Billy Bob Thornton on how his "Landman" role is a personal phenomenon "Mastermind" behind the Minnesota fraud scheme defends herself and admits regrets Venezuelans sent by the U.S. to harsh Salvadoran mega-prison detail beatings Rep. LaMonica McIver, the New Jersey Democrat who is being prosecuted by the Trump administration, is expected to appeal all the charges against her on Tuesday and argue she is shielded from prosecution by the Constitution. McIver, a first-term Democrat, was charged with assaulting law enforcement officers following a chaotic scrum outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in New Jersey in May. She and two other New Jersey Democrats Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez were there to do an oversight visit. They were not charged. McIver, who is a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, argues she is shielded from the charges by the Constitutions speech or debate clause, which grants members of Congress a form of immunity that is mostly impenetrable in investigations relating to the official duties of lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Legislative immunity doesnt put members of Congress above the law, it protects the publics right to have a voice especially when that voice challenges power, McIver said in a statement to POLITICO. What happens here matters far beyond what happens in this one case. So I cant, and wont, back down thats what this appeal is about. The Department of Homeland Security has previously called this argument laughable. McIvers case comes at a fraught time for Congressional Democrats who are or worry about being scrutinized by the Trump administration, including Sen. Mark Kelly and five other Democrats who released a video in November reminding troops of their duty not to follow illegal orders. Some lawmakers have also reportedly taken out liability insurance. McIvers appeal seeks to combine all the issues of targeted prosecution and congressional immunity into one appeal. She is facing a three-count indictment. She previously filed a notice of appeal of a November ruling by U.S. District Judge Jamel Semper, a Biden appointee, who declined to dismiss two of the three counts. Earlier this month, after spending more time looking at evidence, he also declined to dismiss the other count. Advertisement Advertisement The appeal to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals could be one of the most significant tests of the scope of speech or debate immunity since the same court sided with prosecutors in 2016 as they pursued corruption charges against Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat. Prosecutors later dropped those charges following a mistrial. Menendez is now in jail following another corruption scandal and is appealing that conviction citing speech and debate issues too. McIver also argues that the prosecution led by Alina Habba, a former personal attorney to President Donald Trump whom he picked to be the states top federal prosecutor before a 3rd Circuit panel ruled she was serving illegally and she stepped down was unfair. In that more long-shot attempt at getting the charges dismissed, her legal team argued her prosecution was selective and vindictive because Trump pardoned hundreds of people who attacked police at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and the Justice Department dropping numerous additional assault cases at Trumps direction, despite video evidence of the attacks. Semper ruled that during a 68-second window of time during McIvers visit to the detention facility she was actively engaged in conduct unrelated to her oversight responsibilities and congressional duties. Advertisement Advertisement The sequence of events that led to the charges against her are so convoluted and the scene so chaotic that even Semper at one point was confused by which agent prosecutors allege McIver assaulted. McIver argues she was conducting an oversight visit when federal agents moved to arrest Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. At first, they moved to arrest him inside the gates of Delaney Hall. Then he exited the gated area. But moments later, the agents decided to go out and arrest him. That set off a scrum as McIver and others moved to encircle the mayor. McIver is accused of slamming a federal agent with her forearm, forcibly grabbing him and using her forearms to strike another agent. Allegations of physical violence by a sitting member of Congress are rare. Even amid the legal wrangling, McIver returned to the immigration facility just before Christmas, days after the death of a 41-year-old from Haiti who was detained at Delaney Hall and died a day after ICE took him into custody. When U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., ended one of the longest active voting streaks in Congress last November, he returned home to care for his wife of more than 40 years, who was facing a serious medical condition. On Jan. 20, 2026, Womack announced her passing. Womack, who represents Arkansas 3rd Congressional District, had not missed a single recorded vote since taking office in January 2011. The streak, more than 8,800 consecutive votes over nearly 15 years, ranked among the most consistent voting records in the U.S. House of Representatives. According to his office, the House clerk recorded 8,823 consecutive votes cast by Womack between January 2011 and mid-November 2025, beginning with routine organizational votes at the start of the 112th Congress. Advertisement Advertisement At the time, Womacks office said he had returned to Arkansas to care for a family member with a serious medical issue, emphasizing that while the voting streak had ended, his commitment to constituents remained unchanged during a difficult personal period. On Tuesday, Womack confirmed that his wife, Terri Lynn Williams Womack, had passed away. Sunday afternoon, Heaven welcomed an angel, Womack said in a statement. My wife of 41 years, Terri Womack, went to live in eternity with Jesus. My heart is broken, and that space remains without her presence. I take comfort in knowing she is no longer suffering in pain and is at peace evermore. Terri Womack, 68, of Rogers, died Sunday at Circle of Life Hospice following a brief illness. Advertisement Advertisement Born Nov. 2, 1957, in DeWitt, Ark., she graduated from DeWitt High School in 1976 and later attended the University of Arkansas. She married Steve Womack on Aug. 4, 1984, and they celebrated more than 41 years of marriage. Terri Womack spent more than 35 years in public service working for various courts in Northwest Arkansas. Her career included roles as Chief Clerk to Rogers Municipal Judge Tom Keith, case coordinator following his election to circuit judge, and later positions with the Benton County Prosecutors Office and the circuit court under Judges Keith and Robin Green. She retired in 2019. Known to family and friends as an avid landscaper and accomplished cook, she also loved animals and spent years caring for her pets. Family members said her greatest joy, however, was her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her husband, sons William Owens of Rogers, Bradley Womack of Rogers, and Phillip Womack of Rogers, and four grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister. Advertisement Advertisement Womack currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee. His office said he and his family are grateful for the outpouring of prayers and support during this time. This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Rep. Steve Womack mourns wife of 41 years after brief illness Offshore wind turbines are loaded onto a ship to be taken out to CVOW construction site. (Photo courtesy Dominion Energy) Construction has resumed on the $11.2 billion offshore wind project by Dominion Energy three weeks after the federal government called for a pause on the work citing national security concerns. A federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia ordered a preliminary injunction on Friday for Dominion to continue work while the companys lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Interiors 90 day stop order continues. Advertisement Advertisement Dominion said in a statement that the company would continue working with the federal government on a solution while work restarts. CVOW is anticipated to bring on 2.6 gigawatts of energy enough to power 660,000 homes at a time when the need is critical in the commonwealth. The project is already near completion with the first power expected to come online at the end of the first quarter of this year. That timeline is still on track despite the nearly three week delay in constructing the turbines. The first of the 176 turbines were delivered by ship to the leasing area Saturday. The foundations for the turbines have already been installed and power will be rolled out on the project as the turbines are built. The entire project is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2026. Members of Virginias congressional delegation applauded the courts decision to allow the project to move forward and accused the pause of being politically motivated. The Department of the Interiors stop work order did not specify the national security risks and the defense department reports were classified. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine along with Reps. Bobby Scott (3rd-District) and Jennifer McClellan (4th-District) all Democrats released a joint statement. Advertisement Advertisement (This) ruling is a victory for Virginians, who otherwise would face increased energy costs as a result of the Trump Administrations shortsighted opposition to clean energy, the statement read. We will continue to work to protect this critical and growing industry and to ensure clean energy projects that have met every legal and regulatory requirement can move forward without undue political interference. This is not the first federal intervention that has targeted offshore wind projects. Funding for multiple offshore wind related projects was pulled last year including an attempt to cut funds for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Logistics Port, also known as Fairwinds Landing, and the Portsmouth Marine Terminal Offshore Wind Development Project which aided the CVOW project. However, the funding had already been spent for those port upgrades. Attorneys general in multiple northeastern states have filed lawsuits against the federal government to push back against funding cuts and similar pauses on renewable projects in their states. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones stated in a release when he took office over the weekend, My office will fulfill its duty to protect ratepayers and ensure the completion of Virginias landmark offshore wind energy project and ensure this federal overreach does not drive up energy costs for Virginians. Jones office did not respond immediately when asked if Virginia would officially enter into the lawsuit filed by Dominion. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Rev. Al Sharpton joined nurses in rallying outside Mount Sinai Morningside in Manhattan as the largest nurses strike in New York City history entered its second week on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. How can you spend King Day and turn your back on people that are working and not insured right, and not given the right wages, and not given the right respect, when theyre taking care of our afflicted, our ill, our infirm, said Sharpton. In the name of Martin Luther King, I join the nurses in demanding justice. Some 200 striking nurses formed a picket line in the bitter cold outside the Amsterdam Ave. medical center near W. 114th St. to demand increased wages and better working conditions including protections to ensure hospitals cannot overwhelm their nurses with patients. Advertisement Advertisement Our ERs are so overcrowded, and our patient-to-nurse ratio is off the charts, said 31-year-old Dalia Ampiah, an ER nurse at Montefiore in the Bronx. Its so crowded. Its almost impossible to keep up. Hospitals have been scrambling to make do despite severe staffing shortages as negotiators fail to make any progress toward a short-term agreement, Mount Sinai CEO Brendan Carr wrote in a letter to hospital staff on Monday. As of today, despite our best efforts to negotiate, a near-term path to an agreement is very unlikely, Mount Sinai Health System CEO Brendan Carr wrote in a letter to hospital staff on Monday. Our negotiating teams met with NYSNAs negotiating teams on Friday. After little progress was made at either table, the mediators told the parties to break. The hospitals affected by the strike, which are private, not-for-profit institutions, have responded by hiring more than a thousand temporary nurses, The Associated Press reported. Advertisement Advertisement If you can afford $100 million on contract nurses to do the work we do day in and day out, you can afford a fair contract, said N.Y. State Nurses Association President Nancy Hagans. The strike has seen nearly 15,000 nurses from 12 city hospitals walk off the job since last Monday. Nurses say theyre willing to go the distance to protect themselves and patients. Were here for our patient safety, our health insurance and our pensions, said Mount Sinai nurse, Lorriann Alexander, 42. Theyve given us nothing. Were still waiting for an answer. Well wait for as long as it takes. In Providence and other communities around Rhode Island, its a property owners obligation to shovel snow from sidewalks and scatter salt before it ices over, and not doing so means breaking the law. Moreover, failure to clear sidewalks can create serious risks for pedestrians as they navigate the ice, snow mounds, and slippery sidewalks. Often, an unshoveled sidewalk forces pedestrians to walk in the road. As a result, getting around on foot or in a wheelchair or a mobility scooter can be lethal. In 2025, 32-year-old Dena Khan and her four-year-old daughter, Eliza, were walking in the street after a winter storm when they were struck by a car. Advertisement Advertisement Dena, 32, was unconscious when she arrived at Rhode Island Hospital with severe injuries, including a fractured leg and broken collarbones and ribs, according to the familys GoFundMe page. But she was able to hold her daughter, who loved the movie Frozen and danced wherever she went, before the four-year-old died two days later. So, in the spirit of public safety, heres what you should know about snow removal from sidewalks: After it snows, how long do property owners have to clear sidewalks? In Providence, property owners have eight hours to shovel. In Central Falls, they have twelve. Warwick offers a generous 72-hour grace period and only requires certain priority sidewalks to be shoveled. What to do if there are unshoveled sidewalks in your neighborhood? First, you can always practice being a good neighbor by grabbing a shovel. In Providence, you can file a report that a sidewalk hasn't been cleared with the city's 311 system. Advertisement Advertisement In other Rhode Island towns, you can reach out to the police department. In Cranston, Capt. Donald Robertson said the police department typically contacts property owners and asks them to shovel their sidewalks, rather than slapping them with citations. In Woonsocket, city officials sometimes reach out to local youth organizations for help shoveling snow from elderly residents properties. How much can you be fined for not shoveling sidewalks in Rhode Island? The minimum fines for a first offense range from $25 in Providence to $50 in Central Falls to $250 in Cranston. In 2025, The Providence Journal requested records regarding sidewalk snow and ice clearance from eight Rhode Island communities. Woonsocket, Warwick, Cranston and West Warwick all indicated that they hadnt issued any citations since the start of 2020. Advertisement Advertisement During that time, East Providence issued 49 citations, Pawtucket issued 241, and Newport issued at least 329. Central Falls, despite its small size, issued almost 5,000. Providence, the largest city in the state, issued just 106 citations. During that time, the citys 311 system received roughly 450 complaints about obstructed sidewalks. Multiple residents told The Providence Journal that theyve given up on filing complaints because it doesnt seem to have any effect. For folks who arent physically capable of clearing snow, the city suggests first asking a relative, friend or neighbor for help, and if that isnt an option, calling 211 to get help from United Way Rhode Island. Why aren't cities enforcing sidewalk snow shoveling? Cities and towns that arent enforcing their snow clearance ordinances often point out that some homeowners may not have the ability to shovel their sidewalks and cant afford to hire someone else to do it for them. Advertisement Advertisement There are people who are elderly, sick and infirm, said then West Warwick Police Chief Ernest Lavigne. Those people could be harmed in a somewhat serious way if we start ticketing people who dont have the ability to get that stuff done. How wide a path do you need to clear? There should be a clear path at least 3 feet wide to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers. In addition to the sidewalk, property owners are also responsible for clearing snow from fire hydrants, pedestrian ramps and catch basins along their property. What if it snows overnight? In Providence, all home and business owners are responsible for clearing snow from the sidewalks adjacent to their property within eight hours of snowfall ending. If the snow stops overnight, theyre permitted to wait until morning. Advertisement Advertisement Snow removal is considered a public safety issue, and the city says its a property owners responsibility to be timely when it comes to clearing sidewalks because pedestrians, commuters and students may need access to those paths. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Sidewalk snow removal laws in RI and what happens if you ignore them KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russia bombarded Ukraine with more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles in its latest nighttime attack on the Ukrainian power grid, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday, as Moscow gave no public sign that it's willing to end the invasion of its neighbor anytime soon. The attack knocked out heating to more than 5,600 apartment buildings in the capital, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Nearly 80% of the affected buildings had recently had their heating supply restored after a major Russian barrage on Jan. 9 that plunged thousands of people into a dayslong blackout, he said. Ukraine is enduring one of its coldest winters for years, with temperatures in Kyiv falling to minus 20 C (minus 4 F). At the same time, Russia has escalated its aerial attacks on the electricity supply, aiming to deny Ukrainians heat and running water and wear down their resistance almost four years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials are trying to keep up the momentum of U.S.-led peace talks. A Ukrainian negotiating team arrived in the United States on Saturday. Their main task was to convey how the relentless Russian strikes are undermining diplomacy, according to Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian leader said last week that the delegation would also try to finalize with U.S. officials documents for a proposed peace settlement that relate to postwar security guarantees and economic recovery. If American officials approve the proposals, the U.S. and Ukraine could sign the documents at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, he said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev plans to meet with some American representatives at Davos. He refused to name the officials Dmitriev would meet with, but media reports said they would include U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Advertisement Advertisement Attacks described as cruel Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said his country needs urgent assistance and additional sanctions on Russia to make Moscow change course. Russian President Vladimir Putin's barbaric strike this morning is a wake-up call to world leaders gathering in Davos, Sybiha said on X. U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said that he was outraged by the repeated large-scale attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure, which especially affect children, older people and those with disabilities. The strikes can only be described as cruel, he said in Geneva. "They must stop. Targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure is a clear breach of the rules of warfare. Advertisement Advertisement Several electrical substations providing power vital for nuclear safety in Ukraine were affected, said Rafael Mariano Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Air defense systems are expensive Ukraines air force command said that 27 missiles and 315 drones were shot down or jammed, while five missiles and 24 drones hit 11 locations. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces targeted Ukrainian military and industrial installations as well as energy and transport infrastructure used by the Ukrainian armed forces. The constant attacks have stretched Ukraines air defenses and, according to Zelenskyy, some systems recently ran out of ammunition before a new shipment arrived. Advertisement Advertisement The fight is also expensive: The air defense ammunition that Ukraine used against the Russian missiles overnight cost about 80 million euros ($93 million), Zelenskyy said. Ukrainian air defenses are adopting a new approach, with the appointment of a new deputy air force commander, Pavlo Yelizarov, according to Zelenskyy. This system will be transformed, he said late Monday, without providing details. Ukraine relies on sophisticated air defense systems produced by Western countries, especially the U.S., to thwart Russias missile and drone attacks. ___ Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, and Geir Moulson in Berlin, contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine By Dan Peleschuk and Yuliia Dysa Jan 20 (Reuters) - A Russian air attack cut power to more than one million Kyiv residents and impacted substations carrying power from Ukraine's atomic plants on Tuesday, prompting Ukraine to warn that Moscow was using the risk of nuclear disaster as a tool of coercion. Moscow has stepped up a winter campaign against Ukraine's battered energy system while grinding forward on the battlefield, as Kyiv faces U.S. pressure to secure peace after nearly four years of war, amid scant signs the Kremlin wants to stop fighting. Advertisement Advertisement Drone and missile strikes killed four people -- three in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia and one in the Kyiv region surrounding the capital. Other regions in the east, south and north of Ukraine also came under attack. The attack was Russia's second this month on the Ukrainian capital. Tens of thousands of emergency workers have been toiling round the clock to restore power and heating, with overnight temperatures dipping to -13 Celsius (9 Fahrenheit). "In Kyiv alone, as of this evening, more than one million households remain without power," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "And a significant number of buildings have no heating, more than 4,000 apartment buildings." The president said he wanted his government to provide an "action and decision plan" on stabilising services by Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said 68 repair brigades had been deployed in Kyiv. More than 1,400 emergency stations enabled residents to keep warm and charge electronic devices. The United Nations' atomic watchdog said several substations critical for nuclear safety were affected by the attack, while power lines to some other nuclear plants were impacted. Ukraine gets well over half of its electricity from nuclear power. The Chornobyl plant, the site of the world's worst civil nuclear catastrophe, had also lost all off-site power on Tuesday morning, the International Atomic Energy Agency added. Kyiv later said the plant had been reconnected. Ukrainian officials had warned in recent days that Moscow would target nuclear-related facilities. Advertisement Advertisement "While Russian officials speak about the 'importance' of power lines, their forces deliberately strike substations, directly endangering nuclear safety," said Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Grid operator Ukrenergo said Russia's attack, which Ukraine said had included more than 330 drones and nearly three dozen missiles, targeted both power generation and distribution. Authorities in the northern region of Chernihiv bordering Russia said 87% of the population was without power. Russia said it had attacked military-industrial, energy and transport targets in support of the army. Advertisement Advertisement NEW STRIKES FOLLOW PEACE TALKS Tuesday's strikes followed a new round of peace talks at the weekend between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in a U.S.-backed diplomatic push for which Russia has shown little enthusiasm. In the Swiss resort of Davos, where the World Economic Forum meetings are taking place, envoys for U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin said their meeting on a possible peace deal to end the war had been "very positive" and "constructive". Zelenskiy urged the U.S. to pile more pressure on Moscow, saying it had "not yet had the strength" to stop Russia. Advertisement Advertisement "Can America do more? It can, and we really want this, and we believe that the Americans are capable of doing this," he told reporters in a WhatsApp media chat. Writing earlier on X, Zelenskiy said some of the Russian missiles fired on Tuesday had been produced this year and called for tougher sanctions on Moscow to curb its military production. He said he was ready to travel to Davos if Washington was ready to sign documents on security guarantees for Ukraine and a post-war prosperity plan. UKRAINE'S POWER GRID FURTHER DAMAGED The power and heating cuts have forced Kyiv residents to bundle up inside their homes and improvise ways to stay warm, such as heating bricks or pitching tents indoors. Advertisement Advertisement Water supplies, disrupted east of the Dnipro River in the capital for a time, were later restored, Kuleba said. Speaking in Davos on Tuesday, Economy Minister Oleksiy Sobolev said Russia had damaged around 8.5 gigawatts of power generation capacity since late October. ($1 = 0.8516 euros) (Additional reporting by Anna Pruchnicka in Gdansk and Olena Harmash in Kyiv; Writing by Dan Peleschuk; editing by Daniel Flynn, Ros Russell, Gareth Jones and Ron Popeski) MOSCOW, Jan 20 (Reuters) - A Russian court sentenced a U.S. citizen to five years in jail for crossing the border with a weapon when he sailed from the United States to meet a Russian woman he met over the Internet, Russia's court service said. The man, identified as Charles Wayne Zimmerman, pleaded guilty but told the court that the weapon was stored on his yacht for self-defence and he had not been aware of the Russian law, the service said in Monday's statement. Russian prison ends a long voyage for Zimmerman, who sailed off in July 2024 from North Carolina to Portugal, and then through the Mediterranean and Black seas to arrive in June 2025 at the southern port of Sochi. Advertisement Advertisement "Zimmerman told the court he had met a woman from Kazan over the internet and had decided to sail to meet her on his yacht," the court service added, referring to the southern city. "When setting off, he did not bother to study the laws of the Russian Federation and believed that the weapons stored on his yacht for self-defence should simply always remain on board." Found guilty, he was sentenced to five years in jail by a court in Sochi in the Krasnodar region, the service said. It released video showing a rifle and Remington cartridges seized from the yacht, on which Zimmerman was seated with a bottle of water. Reuters was unable to reach Zimmerman for comment. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) MOSCOW, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Russia and the United States currently have no specific contacts regarding the imminent expiry of the New START nuclear arms control treaty, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday. The treaty, the last of its kind between Moscow and Washington, sets limits on the number of deployed nuclear warheads the world's two biggest nuclear powers can have and is due to expire on February 5. Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to voluntarily uphold the treaty's terms for a year after it expires if the United States does the same. But Moscow says it has not yet received a formal response to Putin's offer. Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would like China to be part of any replacement agreement, something Beijing has always rejected. Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Lavrov said Russia understood China's position since the size of Beijing's nuclear arsenal was smaller than Russia's. (Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Gleb Stolyarov; Editing by Andrew Osborn) MOSCOW, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Britain should no longer be called Great Britain as it was the only country in the world to officially name itself "Great". "I think that Britain should be called simply Britain because 'Great Britain' is the only example of a country which calls itself 'Great'," Lavrov told reporters as he spoke about colonialism following comments on Greenland. His spokeswoman then gave Ivor Bennett, a correspondent from Britain's Sky News, a question. "No offence," Lavrov said. Advertisement Advertisement Lavrov said another example of a country which called itself "great" was the "Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya" led by Muammar Gaddafi. "But it no longer exists." The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is usually called "Velikobritaniya", or Great Britain, in Russian. As the U.S. under Donald Trump seeks to reset ties with Moscow and broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, Britain has been granted the status of Russia's public enemy number one. On Russian state television, "Perfidious Albion", a term used frequently by news anchors, is cast as a scheming global intelligence power that is meddling behind the scenes from Washington to Iran in a duplicitous bid to undermine Russian interests across the world. Advertisement Advertisement Britain says Russia is a threat to Europe. Amid the war in Ukraine, Russia and the West have repeatedly accused each other of unfurling espionage campaigns of an intensity not seen since the depths of the Cold War. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Dmitry Antonov; editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Alexandra Hudson) DUBAI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's 90-year-old King Salman chaired in person a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Saudi state TV reported, days after he left hospital where he was undergoing medical tests. King Salman, whose country is the world's largest oil exporter and a major U.S. ally in the Middle East, went to a hospital in Riyadh on Friday for the medical tests and left on the same day. Saudi TV published a video dated January 20 that showed the king chairing the cabinet and reading files with his ministers. Advertisement Advertisement The state news agency said that in the meeting King Salman had welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" initiative, which aims initially to end the conflict in Gaza but could then be expanded to tackle conflicts elsewhere. The Saudi king received medical care for lung inflammation in 2024. (Reporting by Ahmed Elimam and Nayera Abdallah and Tala Ramadan; Writing by Ahmed Elimam, Editing by Jon Boyle) SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Its the beginning of the semester for most schools, but there are already many that are looking forward to the next school year. On Monday, 8th graders and their families attended Transition Night to better educate 8th graders for their next big steps. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Teachers sat down with parents and students and talked all about important tips, like registration and expectations as a way to help prepare the students for their futures in high school. The Sioux City Community School Districts last day of school is scheduled for May 29, 2026. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KCAU 9 News | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. The newly established Deborah J. Grenlund Scholarship is expected to support Boone County 4-H members who demonstrate leadership, community service and personal growth. The scholarship, managed by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, was created by Grenlund's family to honor her legacy as a former 4-H member and advocate for youth development, according to a community announcement. Grenlund grew up in Capron in the 1960s and 1970s and was a member of the LeRoy Commandoes 4-H Club. The scholarship is intended to help current and future club members pursue education beyond high school. Advertisement Advertisement Deb lived her life guided by the 4-H pledgeto use her head, heart, hands, and health to make her community a better place, her husband, Tedd Long, said in the announcement. This scholarship ensures that the next generation of 4-H youth in Boone County can grow, learn, and lead just as she was inspired to do. Scholarship applications open December through February Applications for the scholarship are open from Dec. 1 through Feb. 1 each year. The scholarship is expected to be awarded annually to a member of a Boone County 4-H club who demonstrates a strong commitment to community service, leadership and personal development. The fund is administered by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois and will continue to grow through community contributions. Donations can be made through the foundation's website. This story was created by reporter Nida Tazeen, NTazeen@usatodayco.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 Rockford Register Star: Applications open for Deborah's 4-H scholarship in Boone County The post Scientists Are Using Drones to Sniff Out Deadly Diseases in Whales appeared first on A-Z Animals. Quick Take Scientists used drones to collect whale blow, allowing them to test for diseases without harming or stressing the animals. The study detected cetacean morbillivirus in Arctic whales for the first time, a highly infectious and often fatal disease. Researchers say drone sampling offers a powerful new tool for monitoring whale health as climate change alters migration patterns. Scientists have discovered a new, much less invasive method for testing whales for pathogens. In the past, scientists needed to take biopsies from whales, which left a small wound, to test for infectious diseases. In a new study, researchers used drones to collect samples from the blow (exhaled breath) of whales swimming near northern Norway, Iceland, and Cape Verde. Scientists say this non-invasive method helps monitor the health of whale populations and provides researchers with better insights into what is needed for conservation. By using drones, scientists can test whales for deadly pathogens without causing stress to the animals. Aqqa Rosing-Asvid Visit Greenland, CC BY 2.0 Original / License (Aqqa Rosing-Asvid - Visit Greenland, CC BY 2.0 ) A Deadly Virus is Present in Whales in the Arctic In the recent study, published in December 2025, a research team used drones equipped with Petri dishes to collect exhaled breath samples from several whale species as the drones flew overhead. The team tested humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), and a long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) for several serious pathogens. Scientists tested the whales for cetacean morbillivirus, herpesvirus, a bacterium called Brucella, and the avian influenza virus (H5N1). Advertisement Advertisement The team discovered that the deadly virus, cetacean morbillivirus, is circulating among whales in the Arctic. Its the first time the virus has been seen in that region. The researchers did not detect Brucella or H5N1 in any samples. However, they did find herpesvirus in humpback whales sampled near Norway, Iceland, and Cape Verde. Both herpesvirus and cetacean morbillivirus are highly infectious. Cetacean morbillivirus is an often-lethal virus that attacks the immune, respiratory, and neurological systems of dolphins, porpoises, and whales, leading to mass die-offs. It can also infect seals, sea lions, and otters. While many cetaceans infected with herpesvirus dont have symptoms, it can be fatal in those that are immunocompromised. Drones Let Scientists Monitor the Pathogens in a Non-Invasive Way By using drones, scientists can test whales for diseases without physically interacting with them. Before this innovation, researchers had to rely on testing deceased whales that had washed ashore or taking skin samples from live whales. To obtain a skin sample, scientists had to dart the animal, which resulted in a wound. Drone blow sampling is a game-changer, co-author of the study, Terry Dawson, said in a press release. It allows us to monitor pathogens in live whales without stress or harm, providing critical insights into diseases in rapidly changing Arctic ecosystems. Advertisement Advertisement The scientists equipped drones with Petri dishes and sent them over the ocean. A live video feed showed when a whale was about to exhale through its blowhole. From there, scientists had to maneuver the drones into just the right position to collect droplets from the spray. Lead author of the study, Helena Costa, told NPR just how challenging a feat this was. Of course, in the moment, its like a lot of people just screaming Fly lower or Go right and The whale is coming. So its a lot of chaos on the boat, she said. But of course, once you look back and you see the results and you see how well the method works, thats a lot of fun. How Does Studying Whale Health Benefit the Whales? Although scientists currently cannot treat diseases in whales, tracking their health provides insight into how diseases spread within whale populations. This may lead to a better understanding of what causes whales to get sick and how to prevent it. Humpback whales migrate north to cooler waters during the summer. Paul S. Wolf/Shutterstock.com (Paul S. Wolf/Shutterstock.com) Scientists can also attempt to reduce stress in sick whales by temporarily shifting shipping lanes to avoid them. Furthermore, they can help protect people from exposure to diseases that whales may carry and transmit to humans. Costa said in the press release, Going forward, the priority is to continue using these methods for long-term surveillance so we can understand how multiple emerging stressors will shape whale health in the coming years. Migrating Whales Spread Pathogens to the Arctic The four species tested in the studyhumpback whales, sperm whales, fin whales, and long-finned pilot whalesall migrate to the Arctic in the spring. Climate change is disrupting the usual migration patterns of whales. For example, humpback whales have expanded their range further north. Whales carrying diseases could potentially spread them to animals in areas they would not have previously reached. Fortunately, the new drone method of collecting pathogens from whales can help scientists detect health issues in Arctic whales before they begin to spread. The post Scientists Are Using Drones to Sniff Out Deadly Diseases in Whales appeared first on A-Z Animals. In popular folklore, vampires must be given permission to enter a property. Hawaiian law treats gun owners the same way. Attorneys for the state argued Tuesday before the U.S. Supreme Court that their law requiring express permission from a property owner to enter with a gun abides by the Constitution's Second Amendment. Attorneys representing Maui gun owners and the Hawaii Firearms Coalition say the law effectively bans constitutional carrying of firearms. A ruling in the Aloha State's favor would have effects far outside of the Pacific island chain. Advertisement Advertisement Hawaii's 2024 law requires a gun owner who has a concealed carry license to get "express authorization to carry a firearm on the property by the owner, lessee, operator, or manager of the property." The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the law. Arguments center on 2022 decision The Supreme Court's landmark Bruen decision in 2022 was the start of - and could be the end of - a series of cases like the one the justices heard arguments on today. The New York-based lawsuit challenged the state's "proper-cause" requirement to get a concealed-carry permit. The court's opinion became the new litmus test for whether states are infringing on the Second Amendment that focused more on the Constitution than what's called "interest balancing" of gun laws. Before Bruen, judges were able to qualify gun laws as constitutional by considering modern-day interests and context. Advertisement Advertisement The ruling led to a cascade of state and local gun laws being challenged and struck down. States like California were forced to issue more concealed carry licenses and do it quickly instead of requiring applicants to prove they needed to carry for protection. Much of Tuesday's Supreme Court argument in the Hawaiian case centered around Bruen. "Bruen gave rise to the need for clarity about property owners," Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson said. The court's conservative justices sounded skeptical of the state's argument that the law doesn't infringe on 2nd Amendment rights. They questioned how this law differed from making gun owners into a "second-class status" similar to post-Civil War "Black codes" that limited gun ownership differently for formerly enslaved people. Similar cases Attorneys for Hawaii told the justices that five states have enacted similar laws and others are considering doing so. Advertisement Advertisement One of the best ways to make an issue "ripe" for consideration before the Supreme Court is to have conflicting rulings in separate federal districts on it. A challenge to an identical law is making its way through the Second Circuit. Antonyuk v. James involves the New York State Police's Conceal Carry Improvement Act. After the Supreme Court remanded it, an appellate court upheld much of the law but struck down the "vampire" provision that's in play for Hawaii's case. The Supreme Court will release an opinion later this year. The post SCOTUS may put a stake into Hawaii's vampire rule' gun law appeared first on Straight Arrow News. Related Links The confirmed death toll from the high-speed train crash in southern Spain stood at 41 on Tuesday, with the authorities fearing that a further two bodies could be found in the mangled wreckage. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told state broadcaster RTVE that 43 people were listed as missing. Police were using tracker dogs to look for further victims. Regarding the cause of the accident, Grande-Marlaska said that all theories remained open and that track damage or a fault in one of the trains could not be ruled out. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday evening, he said seven of the dead had been identified. The authorities called on the families of potential victims to provide DNA samples to speed up identification. Relatives complained of a lack of information on those listed as missing. Reports on the number of injured varied. The police spoke of more than 170 after the accident, but state television later reported 122 injured. On Tuesday, 39 people were still being treated in hospital, but none was in acute danger, according to RTVE. The two high-speed trains collided at around 7:40 pm (1840 GMT) on Sunday near the town of Adamuz in the Andalusian province of Cordoba, some 30 kilometres north-east of the city of Cordoba. An Iryo train, travelling at more than 200 kilometres per hour and carrying more than 300 people, derailed and came to rest on the adjacent track, Spanish train operator Renfe said. An oncoming Renfe train with about 200 onboard was passing at that precise moment, smashing into the Iryo train and also derailing. Advertisement Advertisement The Iryo train was operated by the Italian company Trenitalia. Police published a video showing a broken railway line. Transport Minister Oscar Puente said it was not clear whether this was the cause or the effect of the accident. An employee with Kemps Cannabis is now in the ICU after getting run over by a shoplifter on Friday. Security video shows a woman in the shop talking with the employee. As the employee steps away, the woman looks around, then suddenly grabs a bag off the counter. KIRO 7 was told it had less than $50 worth of marijuana. The employee, realizing what happened, chases after the woman as she runs across the street to her Jeep. Advertisement Advertisement As soon as the budtender saw her leave, he went after her and tried to take a picture of her and he got a picture of her in her car and she decided to run over him, said general manager Tran Du. You saw the video it looked like he was dead. Du says his employee, a father of two, was rushed to Harborview with head injuries and a broken ankle. Du says the shop has dealt with crime on multiple occasions, but this is different. This is involving somebody getting hurt, thats the big issue. Its like, come take the weed, whatever, but now theres somebody that got injured from this, said Du. Du believes with all the video and photo evidence, an arrest should quickly follow but he says hes frustrated, not getting information from police. Advertisement Advertisement Were basically handing the case on a silver platter, just go find this lady, let us know whats going on, said Du. SPD says they are investigating. The shop is now offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Usha Vance, the wife of Vice-President JD Vance, has announced she is pregnant with her fourth child. In a post on X, the second lady said she is looking forward to welcoming a boy in late July. "Usha and the baby are doing well," a statement posted on Tuesday to the second lady's social media account read. Vance and his wife, Usha, 40, have three young children: Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel. Advertisement Advertisement Usha Vance (nee Chilukuri) was born and raised in the working-class suburbs of San Diego, California, to a mechanical engineer father and a molecular biologist mother who had moved to the US from Andhra Pradesh, India. She met JD Vance as a student at Yale Law School in 2010, when they joined a discussion group on "social decline in white America". Before becoming second lady, Usha Vance had a legal career, including a job as a corporate litigator at firm Munger, Tolles & Olson in San Francisco. She also worked for conservative judges, Chief Justice John Roberts on the Supreme Court and appeals court judge Brett Kavanaugh, before he was appointed by Trump to the Supreme Court. Usha Vance is the first to have a baby as second lady, though other first ladies have had children while their husbands were in office. Advertisement Advertisement First lady Frances Cleveland, wife of President Grover Cleveland, gave birth to daughter Esther in the White House in 1893, followed by a second child, Marion, who was born outside the White House. JD Vance has been one of the most vocal members of the Trump administration in calling for higher birth rates in the US. "Let me say very simply: I want more babies in the United States of America," he said in 2025. Yet another surfer has been attacked by a shark in New South Wales, Australia. This time, it was a 39-year-old man (identity as of yet revealed) who was in the water at Point Plomer in the mid-north coast of the region. Details are scarce surrounding the incident as of now, but it appears the attack happened early Tuesday morning. The surfers board showed distinct teeth marks, and he was taken for bite wounds. Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive, Steve Pearce, who has had his hands full over the past couple of days with the excessive amount of shark encounters said: Advertisement Advertisement "The area is known to have some shark activity up there," he told the ABC. [He's] very fortunate to not have sustained any serious injuries." Related: Shark Attack Caught on Camera in Sydney, Surfer Fighting for His Life (Video) This most recent attack comes after a rampage of others first a child was bitten while swimming in the Sydney harbor; then an 11-year-old was chomped while surfing at Dee Why (where Mercury Psillakas was killed by a great white last September); and a man in his 20s was mauled while surfing at North Steyne beach. All within two days. Regarding the latter incident, the man is reportedly in critical condition. A Good Samaritan who assisted in the rescue of the 20-something victim recounted: Advertisement Advertisement My mate put him on his board and was pushing him into shore and there was blood on the board and I was trying to pull them to help out. The guy was silenced from the pain, but still conscious, and I kept telling him to not look at his leg and we just kept paddling. So, why are shark attacks raging currently in NSW? Well, its likely bull sharks that are responsible, and it probably has to do with the weather. Pearce continued: We have such poor water quality thats conducive to bull shark activity. We have two people critically injured in hospital this morning. Just go to a local pool, because at this stage, were advising that the beaches are unsafe. Related: Large Shark Mauls 12-Year-Old in Life-Threatening Sydney, Australia Attack This story was originally published by Surfer on Jan 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Surfer as a Preferred Source by clicking here. PRAGUE, Jan 19 (Reuters) - A shooting at a Czech town hall left one person dead and at least six others, including three police officers, wounded on Monday, authorities said, adding that the gunman had also killed himself. Police said they had secured the building in Chribska, 110 km (70 miles) north of Prague. "Currently, nothing suggests any terrorist or extremist motive. Nor is it a politically or religiously motivated attackeverything points to a relationship-based motive," police said on X. Advertisement Advertisement CTK news agency cited the region's police director as saying the attacker had shot himself and that the town's mayor was among the injured. At least one woman was seriously wounded, police said. Psychologists had been sent to the scene to help those affected, the police said. (Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Bernadette Baum) NEED TO KNOW A sightseeing helicopter carrying three people went missing near the summit of Japan's Mount Aso on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 20, local media outlets reported Authorities later found aircraft wreckage near a crater on the volcano The helicopters operator said the aircraft was on its third sightseeing flight of the day Aircraft wreckage has been found near a volcanic crater after a helicopter carrying two tourists went missing in southwestern Japan, and authorities believe the vanished chopper crashed during its flight, multiple news outlets report. The helicopter had two Taiwanese tourists a 41-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman and a 64-year-old Japanese pilot, according to Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun, Kyodo News Agency and The Taipei Times. Advertisement Advertisement The craft departed from the Aso Cuddly Dominion zoo on Tuesday, Jan. 20, about 10:52 a.m. local time and went missing near the summit of Mount Aso, a volcano in Japans Kumamoto Prefecture, approximately 10 minutes later, the local media outlets reported. Firefighters received an emergency notification, possibly from a passengers smartphone, around 11:04 a.m., The Japan Times reported, adding that the helicopters GPS was last detected near Asos crater. First responders conducted a search and later found wreckage near the crater on the volcano, the Kyodo News Agency reported, citing local firefighters and sources. Prefectural police now think the helicopter crashed during its flight after going missing, according to Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun, Advertisement Advertisement The Aso Police Station said that the aircraft was completely destroyed, including the passenger compartment, the Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun reported. Its serial number matched that of the missing chopper. The helicopters operator, the Japan-based Takumi Enterprise, said the aircraft was on its third sightseeing flight of the day and that there were no issues on the prior two trips, the Kyodo News Agency reported. The company also said that the pilot had 40 years of experience. 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. No further information about the status of the passengers has been reported. Advertisement Advertisement The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Fukuoka, Japan, said rescue operations were being halted until the weather conditions improve, according to The Taipei Times. Authorities said the site was inaccessible due to the volcanic gases, and a decision on whether to resume operations will be made on Wednesday, Jan. 21, Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun reported. According to the Smithsonian Institution, Mount Aso is one of Japans most active volcanoes. Its last eruption occurred in October 2021. PEOPLE contacted the Kumamoto Prefecture and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office on Tuesday, Jan. 20, but did not receive an immediate response. Efforts to reach Takumi Enterprise were unsuccessful Read the original article on People Two longtime employees of J.R. Simplot Co. took on the Boise-based potato giant over its COVID-19 vaccine policy. But they didnt get the outcome they were seeking. Howard Skidmore and Sarah Dance had each worked at Simplot for over two decades, holding leadership roles at the companys potato processing plant in Caldwell, before they say their careers were cut short when they stood against the companys COVID-19 vaccine requirement. A federal judge in Boise just ruled in the Boise companys favor by dismissing the two employees case, saying the reasons they cited for refusing the vaccine didnt hold up. Advertisement Advertisement Heres what a court order from Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill says happened: In November 2021, as part of its response to the global pandemic, Simplot implemented a policy that required certain employees whose jobs required travel to get the vaccine. The shots, which were rapidly developed during President Donald Trumps first term under an initiative called Operation Warp Speed, were made available to the public through an emergency authorization in December 2020. Studies show the vaccines saved millions of lives during the pandemic. Simplot was concerned at the time that employees in leadership positions, such as Skidmore and Dance, could be called in to fill key plant positions to prevent production delays caused by COVID-19-related staffing shortages. The jobs they held were among those subject to the companys vaccination requirement. Advertisement Advertisement Skidmore, an engineering manager, initially sought medical and religious exemptions to the mandate. But he couldnt identify a qualifying medical condition and eventually dropped that request. Dance, a practicing Catholic, also pursued a religious exemption. Simplot denied both requests. The company said it decided that Skidmore hadnt demonstrated that his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine was based on a sincerely held religious belief. And it said that while Dance expressed her commitment to the Catholic faith, she didnt establish how those beliefs prevented her from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The company placed them on administrative leave. In January 2022, they were fired. More than a year later, Skidmore and Dance sued Simplot, alleging that they were retaliated against for refusing to get the vaccine. Advertisement Advertisement They argued that Simplot failed to accommodate their religious beliefs and that their firings violated Title VII, a federal law that prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. Skidmore also claimed that he suffered age discrimination. He was over 40, the age at which protection begins under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and he was replaced by someone under 40. Simplot stood firm. The company maintained that neither worker had shown a legitimate religious basis for refusing the vaccine or evidence that age factored into Skidmores termination. Federal judge rules in Simplots favor In late December, Winmill issued an order granting the companys request for a summary judgment and dismissing all of Skidmore and Dances claims. He dismissed them with prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs are barred from filing the same claims again. Advertisement Advertisement Winmill wrote that Skidmore and Dance failed to establish bona fide religious beliefs that conflicted with Simplots vaccination requirement. Skidmores objections were based on medical concerns, personal preferences and a generalized moral conscience, and Dances objections were also grounded in personal conscience, not a religious prohibition, the order said. Title VII defines religion to include all aspects of observance and practice, as well as belief, the judge wrote. This definition, however, is not limitless and does not encompass secular preferences. Nor does it mean that employers must accommodate personal preferences couched as a bona fide religious belief. Winmill also concluded that Skidmore hadnt satisfied one element of his age discrimination claim: He couldnt show that his job was transferred to a less-qualified, younger colleague or that age motivated his dismissal. Simplot spokesperson Josh Jordan told the Idaho Statesman by email that the company was pleased with the courts decision. He declined to comment further. Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys for Skidmore and Dance did not respond to a request for comment. The outlook for Idahos economy in 26? What experts just told legislators Micron will start at last on a huge chip-making complex in NY. What delayed it Idaho Power, Intermountain Gas rates are rising in the new year. What to know MADRID, Jan 20 (Reuters) - A six-year-old girl was found walking alone along the tracks on Sunday night after her parents, brother and cousin all died in the high-speed crash between two trains in southern Spain. She had been on a family outing to see the Lion King musical in Madrid. The girl, who has not been officially named, suffered only a minor head wound. The family had been returning to their home in Aljaraque, on the Atlantic coast near Huelva, according to Spanish media. The trip to the musical had been a present for the feast of Epiphany, which Spain celebrates along with Christmas. The family also visited Real Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium, according to regional broadcaster Canal Sur. Advertisement Advertisement The girl's survival was described by the mayor of Aljaraque as "a miracle". "The town is broken by grief and with hardly any words of comfort," Adrian Cano said. The girl was cared for overnight by a police officer before being reunited with her grandmother in Cordoba, authorities said. Hers is among a series of stories told by grieving family members or worried relatives on social media or to local broadcasters about those missing or killed in one of Europe's deadliest train crashes. WOMAN AND UNBORN CHILD FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL IN HOSPITAL Alberto Garcia told Antena 3 his daughter, who is five months pregnant, is in intensive care because of serious injuries sustained in the crash. Doctors have placed her under sedation and on a ventilator, he said, keeping watch over the unborn child, which still has a heartbeat. Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters pulled her unconscious from the twisted wreck of the carriage, relatives told El Pais, after passengers smashed windows to escape from the train. Her sister, Ana, who was travelling with her and their dog, suffered lighter injuries. Relatives say the dog, named Boro, is still missing. Ana said she believes her sister may have been injured while trying to protect the animal. "If I cant do anything for her, at least I hope I can find Boro," she told local newspaper El Mundo. Spain's government has declared three days of national mourning and high-speed rail services between Madrid and cities in Andalusia are suspended while tracks are cleared and combed over by investigators and rail safety experts. Julio Rodriguez, 16, was among the first residents of Adamuz, where the trains crashed, to help with rescue efforts after passing the site on his return from a fishing trip. Advertisement Advertisement "I arrived here and my body became someone elses. All I could think about was helping. I walked the 800 metres back and forth six or eight times. I didnt stop to think about tiredness," he told reporters after King Felipe thanked him and others during a visit to the crash site on Tuesday. Many are still searching for their relatives. Families have filed a total of 47 missing reports but so far only 10 of the victims have been identified, official data says. Relatives and colleagues were appealing online for news of Jesus Saldana, a cardiologist who has not been found among the injured or dead in any hospital or official lists, his sister told Cadena Ser radio. While they have recovered his mobile phone, they still have no news of him, she added. (Reporting by Emma Pinedo and Jesus Calero, editing by Aislinn Laing, Alexandra Hudson) DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) On January 19, we honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and we know most of the story. A Baptist preacher turned civil rights icon who was killed by an assassin in 1968, but did you know an important chapter in the MLK story unfolded in a now-shuttered theological school near Chester? Long before his famous speech, and the freedom marches and Kings journey to iconic status, there was an important stop in Pennsylvania. Advertisement Advertisement My dad, my late father, actually heard Dr. King speak in Chester, said Janet Murphy. King wasnt a doctor yet, nor was he a pastor, but he was studying to be one at Crozer Theological Seminary, which closed in 1970, on the site of Crozer Chester Hospital. He was only 19 when he entered Crosier in 1948, Murphy said. Murphy loves Delaware County, its history and Kings role in it. She even has a PowerPoint presentation that includes a photo of his dorm room. He was the first African-American or Black student body president, Murphy said. An important chapter in an important life mostly unknown. Now, enter Patrick Parr, whose book chronicles Kings three years at Crozer including his first public speaking class. Advertisement Advertisement He got a C in public speaking, Parr said. The professor, Robert Clayton, was a tough grader. Yes, he does mean King. A C in public speaking, which is an important course for a would-be preacher. He was still learning, Parr said. So, he he still didnt know his voice at that time. He was still working it out. He he was a he was an academic at heart, but he didnt really have the training yet to deliver that voice that we all remember so well. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania At Crozer, King found his voice and the nation found a civil rights champion. An assassin silenced him, but the message, Murphy and Parr insist, continues to inspire. Advertisement Advertisement The message was, we cant despair, Murphy said. Dr. King had hope, after all, which was rooted in his faith. But we have to keep fighting. We have to just not give in to despair. If King was alive in 2026, he would be stressing public service and taking care of things that you can control, taking care of things that are around you, Parr said. Serve your community in a way that makes it stronger. And no question this son of a Georgia preacher was strengthened by his time in Pennsylvania. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley displays a red sign barring the use of city property for federal immigration enforcement during a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) City property including parking lots, public schools, parks and municipal buildings is off limits to federal immigration officers conducting enforcement operations, under an executive order signed by Providence Mayor Brett Smiley Tuesday. Smiley told reporters gathered at City Hall that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in other blue cities made the order necessary to protect the community. He said he was unaware of any ICE actions on city property since the second Trump administration took over one year ago. However, immigration officers entered the state-owned Garrahy Judicial Complex on Dorrance Street on Jan. 15, bypassing security and prompting outrage from state leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Were taking clear action to affirm Providences values, Smiley said before signing his first executive order of the year with a black pen. We do not want and will not allow Providences public property to be used to execute what we see as unlawful immigration enforcement. Smiley held up a copy of a red sign city employees will post noting the use of city property as a federal immigration enforcement staging site is now prohibited. In the event ICE officers are seen on any city-owned property without a judicial warrant, Smiley said Providence police will be required to vacate the federal agents from it. If Immigration and Customs Enforcement presents a valid judicial warrant, we will honor it, the mayor said. We honor it today, but the reality is thats not whats happening in most instances. Private property owners in Providence are welcome to go to the citys website and download and print out the signs to identify non-public areas of their property where ICE activity is prohibited, according to Mayor Brett Smileys executive order. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) Private property owners are welcome to go to the citys website and download and print out the signs to identify non-public areas of their property where ICE activity is prohibited, according to Smileys executive order. Property owners can use signs at their own discretion and assume any legal risk associated therewith. Advertisement Advertisement Smiley said he has been encouraging the states judicial branch to enact a similar policy and also expand the use of virtual court hearings in Providence to discourage additional ICE visits. The Jan. 15 incident at the Garrahy Courthouse was the second time in three months that ICE officers entered a state courthouse. ICE officers briefly detained a teenage judicial intern outside of the Licht Judicial Complex in Providence on Nov. 20, sparking condemnation from state and local officials, including Gov. Dan McKee and Chief Justice Paul Suttell. ICE did not immediately respond to request for comment on the Jan. 15 incident. The Providence Journal reported several masked immigration officers ran through the first floor of the Garrahy Courthouse in pursuit of two young men though apparently did not take anyone into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Allowing these barely-trained and reckless federal agents to blunder through our state, disrupting the justice system and harassing children and judges, diminishes the safety of our citizens and undermines the efforts of real law enforcement officers, Lt. Gov Sabina Matos said in a Jan. 16 statement. I am glad that this incident appears to have ended without harm to anyone, but we have all seen how this behavior leads to tragedy. ICE needs to be reined in and subject to the same laws that govern us all. The Judiciary enacted rules for virtual court hearings in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and recently posted its revised policy for requesting such a hearing using an online form. A judicial officer makes the final determination on whether the hearing must be held in person or not. As has been the case since the Judiciary developed remote hearing access capabilities, members of the public may request that a pending hearing be conducted remotely, Judiciary spokesperson Lexi Kriss said in a recent email to Rhode Island Current. These requests are to be submitted to and considered by the judicial officer presiding over the matter. Smileys order follows a move by city officials in November to amend Providences Community-Police Relations Act to deter local police from interacting with federal immigration officers. Advertisement Advertisement Smiley acknowledged his order may put Providence further in the Trump administrations crosshairs. The president on Jan. 14 threatened to halt federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities and states starting Feb. 1 if they dont honor his mass deportation policies. But Smiley said the fear of federal retribution is outweighed by the need to let Providence residents know the city has their backs. There are families in Providence who are afraid, he said. My responsibility is to them, not anyone in Washington D.C. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A man accused of intentionally ramming his SUV into the lobby of a Massachusetts police department apologized to officers after leaving behind a massive trail of damage, officials said. Robert Scott McCluskey, 58, of Shrewsbury, is slated to be arraigned Tuesday in Westboro District Court on charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, destruction of property, and reckless operation of a motor vehicle in connection with a crash on Monday that left his BMW lodged in the dispatch area of the Shrewsbury Police Department. Police say McCluskey barreled through two sets of doors and a wall, coming to a rest inside the departments communications center around 2 p.m. Shrewsbury Police Chief Kevin Anderson noted that three civilian communication officers were inside dispatching when the crash occured. BREAKING: Shrewsbury Police say they believe someone intentionally drove through the lobby of their police station this afternoon. You can see the SUV completely inside the building. Chief tells us it even crashed into dispatch. Driver is in custody & at the hospital pic.twitter.com/FTG4TteJsv Litsa Pappas (@LitsaPappas) January 19, 2026 The vehicle actually went through the front door and actually went into dispatch, so it went through the lobby and went into dispatch, and there were three dispatchers working at the time, Chief Anderson said. Its very concerning, the entire staff that was there is very shaken up, were very fortunate that we have a training room that there was training going on and that ended about 30 minutes prior to this incident. Advertisement Advertisement No staff, police officers, or other citizens were injured in the crash. As McCluskey was pulled from his vehicle to get medical treatment, he repeatedly stated, I am sorry, help me, I am so sorry, Shrewsbury Police Lt. Timothy Finacom wrote in a criminal complaint obtained by Boston 25 News. When Finacom asked McCluskey if his actions were intentional, he allegedly said, Yes, I am so sorry, I am sorry. Finacom noted that he detected an odor of alcohol emanating from McCluskeys breath as they spoke. A vehicle barreled into a police station in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, on Monday. Just after the crash, police received a 911 call indicating McCluskey was on his way to police headquarters to conduct a suicide by a cop, the criminal complaint stated. Advertisement Advertisement During a subsequent investigation, multiple witnesses told police that McCluskey made statements earlier in the day that included, I want suicide by cop, Watch the news, its going to be spectacular, and I am going to end this. McCluskey was arrested after the crash and transported to a local hospital. The Shrewsbury Police Department remains fully operational, despite the extensive damage. The crash remains under investigation. 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 Senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security have pushed the nations cyber defense agency to back the installation of a secure intelligence-sharing facility at a university in Secretary Kristi Noems home state of South Dakota. But those with direct knowledge of the request say there is no clear national security need for the project, despite pressure on CISA staffers to make a case for it. There are also concerns around funding for the installation which would need to be built from scratch and could cost millions and some argue the move could give the Noem-aligned Dakota State University a leg up on future federal contracts. Advertisement Advertisement There is certainly no CISA mission that needs to share classified info with South Dakota more than any other state, said one former agency official familiar with the planning. POLITICO spoke to four current and former officials familiar with the planning, all of whom were granted anonymity due to fear of retribution. Noem previously served as the governor of South Dakota before being confirmed last year by President Donald Trump to lead DHS, which houses CISA and shepherds its budget. In a statement, CISA spokesperson Marci McCarthy said that CISAs intention to sponsor the sensitive compartmented information facility, or SCIF, followed a March 18 executive order from Trump to empower state and local governments to strengthen security and resilience nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement SCIFs are government-accredited facilities where federal officials can store and share top secret material known as TS/SCI the countrys most highly classified intelligence. About 1.25 million Americans have this level of security clearance, according to the most recent figures from the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, though its unclear how many of those individuals are located in South Dakota. McCarthy also said that the agency was evaluating options to ensure highly classified intelligence could be shared directly with partners in hard-to-reach areas of the country: The proposed SCIF at the Dakota State University in Sioux Falls is in a region with limited access to classified space, creating high demand from federal agencies and forcing TS/SCI-cleared personnel to travel hundreds of miles to obtain TS-level threat information, she wrote in an email. McCarthy also said the project was not unique and was instead part of a broader effort to bring SCIFs to states that do not have any. She added that the SCIF was not being built for Noems personal use now as secretary or potentially in the future. It is almost two hours from her home and she, like other Cabinet secretaries, travels to a SCIF per regulation from Congress, McCarthy said in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Dakota State University did not respond to a request for comment. The project was first tasked to CISA in early March 2025, according to the four people familiar with the planning. The then-senior-most political appointee at CISA, Karen Evans, asked staff at the agency to attest to the need for a new SCIF at Dakota State University, according to two of the people. Evans did not reply to a request for comment. The proposal drew immediate scrutiny from DHS and CISA staff because there was no clear need to share intelligence material at that classification level directly with DHS staff or partners near the university, the four people said. Advertisement Advertisement Two of the people added that staff felt pressure to come up with a justification despite their reservations about the arrangement. One said they were told explicitly that this project must proceed because it is a Secretary-level priority. Contractors and leading research universities compete fiercely to find federal agencies that will sponsor them, vouching that they can handle highly classified intelligence material, which makes them more competitive when bidding on future federal contracts. The sponsoring entity, in turn, must accredit the SCIF by certifying it is built and maintained in accordance with federal security standards. The unusual, top-down push for the SCIF creates the appearance that the department is picking favorites boosting the marketability of a friendly institution under the banner of national security without going through the normal federal planning or funding process, said a current department official. A DHS-led SCIF working group in early 2024 identified regions of the country that needed more SCIFs and South Dakota wasnt one of them, said the current official and a former senior U.S. national security official, both with direct knowledge of the effort. Advertisement Advertisement There were much higher priorities that we were looking at, said the former official, who did not have knowledge of the proposed project at DSU. McCarthy did not respond to a question about what changed between now and the time of the DHS working group. Another point of confusion is how the project will be funded. The four people with knowledge of the ongoing initiative expressed concern because Dakota State University does not yet have a SCIF to accredit, and staff were initially confused about whether DHS would foot the bill for its construction. Two of the people estimated it could cost DHS a few million dollars to build a new facility, though they cautioned that the figure can vary widely. Advertisement Advertisement Some SCIFs can be built into a room the size of a closet, while others resemble a small conference room with multiple workstations and secure conferencing equipment. The facilities are expensive on a square-foot basis, since they must meet extensive security standards from soundproofing to physical and network security to prevent unauthorized personnel from eavesdropping on or otherwise filching sensitive national security secrets. Any support funding for the SCIF from CISA would come at a moment of intense belt-tightening at the agency. CISA has lost roughly 1,000 personnel over the last year amid the Trump administrations efforts to slash the federal workforce. At DHS, Noem and one of her senior advisers, Corey Lewandowski, have veto power over any contract or grant that exceeds $100,000, POLITICO has previously reported. McCarthy said that the SCIF would not be built with federal money. The university is in the process of the design and construction of a new facility, without federal funding, and would have dedicated space that meets SCIF accreditation standards and will be accessible to DHS and other TS/SCI-cleared personnel," she wrote in a statement. Two of the four people interviewed said that DHS, at a minimum, would have to pay for the process of accrediting the facility and stationing staff nearby who hold an appropriate clearance and could control access to any intelligence shared there. The price for that would likely be modest, they acknowledged. Advertisement Advertisement Still, any federal investment appears at odds with Noems push to get other states to build SCIFs. In a letter sent this April to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, Noem recommended that every state build a SCIF but said DHS had no federal funding to support the projects. The letter was first reported in May by StateScoop and recently obtained by POLITICO. McCarthy did not respond when asked for clarification on DHSs position about federal funding for other states that are seeking to build SCIFs. She also did not respond to a question about whether DHS ever had a plan or intention to fund the construction of the facility at DSU. The four people interviewed are skeptical that even a minimal investment in a new South Dakota SCIF would be worth it long term. Advertisement Advertisement As of early last year, the first former agency official said, CISA had hundreds of regional staff with TS/SCI clearances across the country with only dozens or fewer in the part of the country incorporating South Dakota. But that was before the Trump administrations efforts to slash the federal workforce, they cautioned. Cleared personnel from other DHS components, like ICE or CBP, could use the facility. That former official and two others pointed out that DHS has other ways to share urgent intelligence with regional staff and local officials, including by relaying similar material at lower classification levels or borrowing existing SCIFs from other federal agencies. Sioux Falls is a roughly three-hour drive from the states capital of Pierre. Its just delusional that anybody would even be able to use that SCIF, said the third person. Advertisement Advertisement DSU is a center for academic excellence under a program managed by the NSAs National Cryptologic School. On the NSAs website, CISA is listed as one of many federal partners for the program. In 2024, Jen Easterly, Joe Bidens CISA director, visited DSU and praised the students incredible talent in an interview, McCarthy noted in her email. A second former senior U.S. national security official and a senior Democratic congressional aide with extensive knowledge of the accreditation process agreed that DHSs seeming commitment to sponsor a SCIF that was not yet built and without a clear reason for doing so was questionable. Having an intelligence community sponsor is like being pre-cleared to compete in a category most institutions never even get to enter, said the second former official. Even the optics of Noems connection to the project are problematic, added the aide: If Biden did this for a Delaware university, people would lose their minds. South Korean president Lee Jae Myung warned his countrymen against flying drones north of the border, comparing it to starting a war. Announcing an investigation into reports of South Koreans sending drones into the neighbouring country, the president said at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that such actions raised serious security and legal concerns and increased regional tensions. Police in Seoul said they were questioning a civilian as a suspect after North Korea reported a drone arriving into its airspace from the south earlier this month. North Korean officials released photos of the drones debris and aerial pictures of buildings it had allegedly captured on the way in. Advertisement Advertisement In the aftermath, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un, urged Seoul to investigate the recent drone incidents and warned that any provocations would end in a terrible situation. Kim Yo Jong attends a reception in the Great Hall of People in Beijing (AFP via Getty) Addressing the neighbours concerns around drone activity, Mr Lee said that it should not happen for a civilian to send a drone to North Korea for an illegal purpose. Such action was akin to starting a war, Mr Lee warned, and creating unnecessary confrontation with North Korea could negatively impact his country. The president said the unauthorised flights into the North could trigger a military clash. Advertisement Advertisement He criticised defence minister Ahn Gyu Baek for the failure to detect the drone activity and asked for strengthening surveillance to prevent further incidents. How did we fail to check that a drone had been flown to the North? Mr Lee asked. He warned that any South Korean found guilty of flying a drone north of the border, they could be criminally charged for provoking Pyongyang. Police, meanwhile, identified the suspect they were questioning as a graduate student in his thirties surnamed Oh, reported the South China Morning Post. He reportedly told the police he had flown drones into North Korea three times since September 2025. Advertisement Advertisement The student claimed he had worked in impeached president Yoon Suk Yeols office and allegedly received financial support from the countrys defence intelligence command, local media reported. The Independent could not verify the claims. Photo of a crashed drone released by North Koreas KCNS news agency (REUTERS) Mr Lee said officials were looking into claims that the military intelligence command likely supported the student in his act. A defence ministry spokesperson said a joint task force had been formed with police for a swift and thorough investigation, the SCMP reported. The latest drone incursion puts a fresh obstacle in Mr Lees attempt to mend ties with the neighbouring country. Pyongyang has not responded to any calls for dialogue with the South since Mr Kim defined the two Koreas as "hostile" nations at the end of 2023. SEOUL, Jan 20 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday that there appeared to be a loophole in his country's monitoring system to detect drones operated by civilians flying into North Korea, warning that such incidents risked inflaming tensions. North Korea said earlier this month that a drone from South Korea was flown into its airspace recently, showing photographs of debris and aerial pictures of buildings that it alleged the drone had taken. A South Korean task force investigating the incident has called in a civilian suspect for questioning, police said. Advertisement Advertisement "It should not happen for a civilian to send a drone to North Korea for an illegal purpose," Lee told a televised cabinet meeting. "How did we fail to check that a drone had been flown to the North?" Lee said such action was "akin to starting a war" and created unnecessary tension with North Korea that could have a negative impact on the South Korean economy. He called for a thorough investigation and to ensure it never happened again. Lee said that while a probe was ongoing if a South Korean citizen was found to have flown the drone they could be criminally charged for provoking Pyongyang. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, last week urged Seoul to investigate the incident, warning that any provocations could result in terrible situations. Advertisement Advertisement Lee's administration has been seeking to improve ties with Pyongyang since he took office last year, but so far its overtures have been rebuffed by the North. (Reporting by Heejin KimEditing by Ed Davies) When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Spains worst rail accident was in 2013, when a high-speed derailment in Galicia, northwest Spain, resulted in 80 deaths and 140 people injured. | Credit: Francisco J. Olmo / Europa Press / Getty Images At least 39 people have died following a high-speed collision between two trains near Cordoba in southern Spain. Around 400 people were on the trains and more than 120 required treatment from the emergency services. The death toll is not yet final, said Spanish transport minister Oscar Puente, who has launched an investigation into the cause of the extremely strange incident. Advertisement Advertisement This is Spains worst train crash since 2013, when a high-speed derailment in Galicia, northwest Spain, left 80 people dead and 140 others injured. What happened? At around 7.39pm local time on Sunday, a high-speed Iryo train from Malaga to Madrid derailed near Adamuz, near Cordoba. Carriage six, seven and eight which contained about 50 people, said El Pais landed on the adjacent tracks and was then hit by a train from Madrid on its way to Huelva. The Iryo train was not travelling at such a high speed, though it has not yet been determined how fast it was going, and was able to brake following the initial derailment. The second train, an Alvia, was travelling at 200 kilometres per hour [125mph] parallel to the Iryo train at that moment, then derailed and fell down a five or six metres high embankment. Members of Spains civil guard and civil defence worked on site throughout the night, and the Spanish Red Cross set up a help centre in the nearby town of Adamuz, said Euronews. Initial photos and videos showed twisted train cars lying on their sides under floodlights as emergency services tried to help survivors. Why did it happen? The official cause is not yet known, said the BBC. An investigation is not expected to determine what happened for at least a month. Advertisement Advertisement This was an extremely strange incident, said Puente. It occurred on a straight stretch of track, the train was relatively new and the track had been recently renovated, so it is difficult to say with any certainty what the causes might have been, said La Vanguardia. Iryo confirmed that its train, manufactured in 2022, underwent an inspection as recently as 15 January. The stretch of track where the crash took place recently received an investment of more than 700 million euros (608 million) for renovations which were completed in May, said The Telegraph. What are the authorities doing next? Forty-three people 39 adults and four children remain in hospital, with 13 of them in intensive care, said the BBC. Renfe Spains national state-owned railway company believes it will take more than four days to resume service between Madrid and Andalusia, said Spanish newspaper ABC. Spain has the largest high-speed rail network in Europe, second only globally to China, with almost 2,000 miles of track. Advertisement Advertisement Spains Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has cancelled his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos because of the train crash, said Sky News. Today is a night of deep pain for our country owing to the tragic rail accident in Adamuz, he said on X. No words can alleviate such great suffering, but I want them to know that the whole country is by their side in this tough moment. King Felipe is expected to visit the accident site tomorrow, said Sky News. Attending a funeral in Greece, the family has confirmed they would return as soon as possible. Spain has reduced the maximum speed for trains on the main line between Madrid and Barcelona after the serious train accident in the south of the country, network operator Adif said on Tuesday. For now, high-speed trains may travel at only 160 kilometres per hour instead of 300km/h on a 150-kilometre section. Train drivers had reported unevenness in the rails, which is to be examined overnight. According to media reports, some drivers on the route had already voluntarily slowed on Monday to express dissatisfaction with the state of the tracks. Advertisement Advertisement The normal two-and-a-half hour journey of more than 650 kilometres between the two cities increases by at least about 30 minutes under the Adif restriction, the Spanish newspapers La Vanguardia and El Pais reported. At least 41 people were killed and dozens injured in Sunday's train accident in Andalusia, where two high-speed trains collided near the municipality of Adamuz north-east of Cordoba. As a possible cause of one of the worst train accidents in the country's history, Transport Minister Oscar Puente said a track defect or a fault on one of the trains could not be ruled out. But "all hypotheses remain open," he said. The Brief Federal agents mistakenly detained a U.S. citizen in St. Paul, drawing community concern. ICE says the man lives in a home with their targets, but his family disputes this, saying they moved in two years ago. The man's mother was one of the first nurses treating Americans during the Secret War in Laos. She recently passed away and her funeral services are in February. ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A St. Paul man was taken from his home by federal agents under unusual circumstances, sparking community outrage. Unexpected federal action What we know Federal agents broke down the door of a St. Paul home on Sunday, leading away ChongLy Scott Thao in only shorts, Crocs, and a babys blanket. Advertisement Advertisement Observers captured the scene on video, questioning the agents' actions, including why Thao wasn't allowed to dress appropriately for the cold weather. Thao, a U.S. citizen, was detained by ICE agents who believed he matched the description of two convicted sex offenders they were seeking. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has since stated that Thao lived with the offenders, which his family disputes, saying theyve lived in the home for two years, and they suspect ICE was looking for a previous resident. Thao's family and local officials, including Mayor Kaohly Her, have criticized the actions of the federal agents. Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Her expressed her anger over the incident, stating that the sex offenders ICE mentioned do not reside with Thao's family. Community response What they're saying Mayor Her visited Thaos family to hear their account of the incident. Along with other community members, Her is concerned about the impact of such actions on the Hmong-American community, who now fear ICE more than past Communist threats in Laos. "They didn't ask for ID. They didn't ask to verify if it was the right person," said Mayor Her. She criticized ICE's statement as "irresponsible and reckless." Thaos family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to assist with expenses following the raid, including repairing the broken door. What we don't know ICE didnt answer FOX 9's specific questions about the incident and has not provided further details about why Thao was specifically targeted. EDITORS NOTE: A photograph of the suspect in this arrest has been changed because the Providence Police Department had provided an incorrect image. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Three Butler Hospital staffers and a Providence police officer are on the mend after allegedly being assaulted by a patient last week. Elias Dominguez, 34, has been charged with three counts of assault on a health care provider, assaulting a police officer, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. Elias Dominguez (Photo: Providence Police Department) Officers were called to the hospital Friday night after receiving reports of a patient who was assaulting staff. Advertisement Advertisement Police said an officer immediately confronted the patient, later identified as Dominguez, who became combative and charged at him. The patient then tackled the officer, causing him to hit his head on the ground, according to police. The officer was brought to Rhode Island Hospital to be treated for a possible concussion. Dominguez was taken into custody by other officers without further incident. In a statement to 12 News, Care New Englands Doreen Scanlon Gavigan confirmed Butler Hospital has been supporting its staff in the wake of this incident. Worker safety has always been a priority at Butler, Scanlon Gavigan said. Advertisement Advertisement Scanlon Gavigan said hospital administrators and the New England Health Care Employees Union (SEIU 1199NE), which represents more than 800 frontline staffers, met over the weekend to review current practices and assess opportunities to evaluate, and further strengthen safety measures. This comes five months after the longest hospital labor strike in Rhode Island history. Hundreds of Butler Hospital staffers walked off the job last summer after contract negotiations stalled with the psychiactric facility. Striking staffers expressed their concerns about pay, benefits and workplace safety while on the picket line, repeatedly urging the hospital to do right by their employees. The new contract, which the unionized workers ratified in August, included the creation of a workplace violence time bank and a taskforce aimed at addressing safety concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Dominguez is expected to face a judge at a later date. 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 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. NUUK, Greenland (AP) U.S. President Donald Trump linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to last years decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norways prime minister that he no longer felt an obligation to think purely of Peace, in a text message released Monday. Trump's message to Jonas Gahr Stre appears to ratchet up a standoff between Washington and its closest allies over his threats to take over Greenland, a self-governing territory of NATO member Denmark. On Saturday, Trump announced a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight nations that have rallied around Denmark and Greenland, including Norway. Those countries issued a forceful rebuke. Advertisement Advertisement Many longtime allies of the U.S. remained resolute that Greenland was not for sale but encouraged Washington to discuss solutions. In a statement on social media, the European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc had no interest to pick a fight but would hold our ground. The White House has not ruled taking control of the strategic Arctic island by force. Asked whether Trump could invade Greenland, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen said Monday that you cant leave anything out until the president himself has decided to leave anything out. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also sought to de-escalate tensions Monday. "I think this can be resolved and should be resolved through calm discussion, he said, adding that he did not believe military action would occur. Early Tuesday, Trump posted on social media that he had spoken with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland, where they will be attending the World Economic Forums annual meeting this week. Advertisement Advertisement Trump also posted a text message from Emmanuel Macron in which the French president suggested a meeting of members of the Group of Seven industrialized democracies in Paris after the Davos gathering. Later, however, Trump posted some provocatively doctored images. One showed him planting the U.S. flag next to a sign reading Greenland, U.S. Territory, Est. 2026. The other showed Trump in the Oval Office next to a map that showed Greenland and Canada covered with the U.S. Stars and Stripes. Strong opposition in Greenland to U.S. threats In a sign of how tensions have increased in recent days, thousands of Greenlanders marched over the weekend in protest of any effort to take over their island. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a Facebook post Monday that the tariff threats would not change their stance. Advertisement Advertisement We will not be pressured, he wrote. Meanwhile, Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenlands minister for business, minerals, energy, justice and equality, told The Associated Press that she was moved by the quick response of allies to the tariff threat and said it showed that countries realize this is about more than Greenland. I think a lot of countries are afraid that if they let Greenland go, what would be next? Trump cites Nobel as escalation in text to Norwegian leader Trumps Sunday message to Gahr Stre, released by the Norwegian government, read in part, Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace. Advertisement Advertisement It concluded, The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. The White House confirmed the authenticity of the message, with White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly saying that Trump "is confident Greenlanders would be better served if protected by the United States from modern threats in the Arctic region. The Norwegian leader said Trumps message was a reply to an earlier missive sent on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in which they conveyed their opposition to the tariff announcement, pointed to a need to de-escalate, and proposed a telephone conversation among the three leaders. Norways position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter, the Norwegian leader said in a statement. As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have clearly explained, including to President Trump what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government. Advertisement Advertisement The Norwegian Nobel Committee is an independent body whose five members are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament. Trump has openly coveted the peace prize, which the committee awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado last year. Last week, Machado presented her Nobel medal to Trump, who said he planned to keep it, though the committee said the prize cant be revoked, transferred or shared with others. Speaking Monday night to reporters before boarding Air Force One on his way back from Florida to Washington, Trump said he didnt care about the Nobel prize. A very fine woman felt that I deserved it and really wanted me to have the Nobel prize. And I appreciate that. If anybody thinks that Norway doesnt control the Nobel prize, theyre just kidding. ... And I dont care what Norway says. But I really dont care about that. What I care about is saving lives," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Trump says he will use tariffs as a bargaining chip In his latest threat of tariffs, Trump indicated the import taxes would be retaliation for last weeks deployment of symbolic numbers of troops from the European countries to Greenland though he also suggested that he was using the tariffs as leverage to negotiate with Denmark. European governments said that the troops traveled to the island to assess Arctic security, part of a response to Trumps own concerns about interference from Russia and China. The move by some European countries to deploy troops may have given the impression that an armada of ships was sailing to Greenland, when the reality was that European nations said they would send not more than a few dozen troops collectively, a senior European military official told The Associated Press speaking on condition of anonymity in order to talk publicly. Advertisement Advertisement Trump threatened eight European countries with tariffs Sunday after they announced small numbers of troop deployments to the Arctic island including Denmark, which Greenland is part of. The European move was aimed at taking action on Trumps concerns, the senior official told the AP. In a statement on social media, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he had discussed how important the region was for the "collective security" of the security alliance in a Monday meeting with the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland. Six of the eight countries targeted are part of the 27-member European Union, which operates as a single economic zone in terms of trade. European Council President Antonio Costa said Sunday that the blocs leaders expressed readiness to defend ourselves against any form of coercion. He announced a summit for Thursday evening. ___ Associated Press writers Josh Boak in West Palm Beach, Florida; Jill Lawless in London; Molly Quell in The Hague; Lorne Cook in Brussels and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report. Editors Note: The video attached to this story erroneously names one of the surviving victims as James. The surviving victims name is David. The video has since been removed. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal is investigating a deadly fire that killed three people in Livingston Parish. According to OSFM, the Denham Springs Fire Department was called to the 1200 block of Wanda Avenue around 6 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17. Advertisement Advertisement Officials said a 96-year-old man, a 20-year-old woman, and a 21-year-old woman were killed in the fire. A 43-year-old man was able to escape the fire but sustained injuries. Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that this is an electrical-related incident. The home did not have a working smoke alarm, OSFM said. It is critical that the people of Louisiana understand how much of a difference smoke alarms can make when it comes to surviving a fire, said DPS Principal Assistant Chief Bryan J. Adams. Its not the flames that kill, its the smoke. Smoke alarms give families early warning of an emergency and valuable time to escape safely. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. State Rep. Joseph Solomon Jr. is running for attorney general, he announced Tuesday, Jan. 20. Solomon, a 42-year-old Warwick resident, is the fourth candidate to announce a Democratic primary campaign for attorney general. The seat will be open with incumbent Peter Neronha term limited. Solomon has been in the House since 2015 and chairs the Corporations Committee. He has a private law practice, has served as a bail commissioner and worked for the Warwick city solicitor. Advertisement Advertisement "Im not running to learn on the job," Solomon said in a news release announcing his campaign. "Ive spent my career in the courtroom, making the tough calls as a bail commissioner, and writing laws that protect Rhode Island families. Ive already been doing this work, and Rhode Island deserves an Attorney General who shows up ready on day one." Solomon enters a field that already includes Kimberly Ahern, Keith Hoffmann and fellow state Rep. Jason Knight. Solomon is expected to occupy a centrist lane with the rest of the field to his left. He voted against the Knight-sponsored state Assault Weapons Ban Act last year. With official confirmation he is getting into the race, Solomon announced an endorsement from Sen. David Tikoian, a former major in the Rhode Island State Police. Advertisement Advertisement "Working alongside Joe Solomon in the General Assembly, I've seen his commitment to public safety firsthand," Tikoian said. "He fully appreciates what it takes to keep our communities safe and has my ardent support for attorney general." Ahern welcomed Solomon to the race Tuesday and called for a "spirited campaign." "The attorney general is the state's top law enforcement officer, and we need a prosecutor not a politician with a proven track record of putting dangerous criminals behind bars, defending our fundamental rights, and fighting for working families," Ahern said in an email. The Democratic primary is Sept. 8, and the general election is Nov. 3. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: State Rep. Joseph Solomon Jr. enters race for RI attorney general Jan. 19MITCHELL One way or another, the bike paths will connect. The Mitchell City Council approved an agreement on Monday, Jan. 5, with the South Dakota Department of Transportation (DOT) for wetland property along Highway 37 Bypass sought for a sidewalk project. DOT is in the process of installing sidewalks on the northbound side of the Highway 37 Bypass to Minnesota Street. Sidewalks from Eighth Avenue to West 15th Street have already been completed. The city's resolution states that DOT will "negotiate to acquire" and purchase highway right-of-way owned by the Mitchell Christian Education Association. DOT also plans to secure easements on the highway and path project. Advertisement Advertisement According to the agreement, DOT will acquire the right-of-way that "impact the local roadway system, so the local system can be reconnected to the highway." These local roadway systems are Mitchell area bike paths that would be connected to one another. The parcel, identified as Lot A and totaling 1.09 acres, is located between the bypass and West 16th Avenue at North Iowa Street. In addition, a permanent easement is planned for along the bypass to connect the shared-use path to Minnesota Street, and a permanent easement of about 1,400 square feet is planned for drainage purposes. The sidewalk and bike path on Highway 37 Bypass between Minnesota Street and North Main Street are also recently-completed projects. Under the agreement, the property would be transferred to the city at DOT's "sole cost and expense." DOT will do this "in the name of the city for portions of the project that impact the local roadway system," according to the agreement. However, the agreement states that "if negotiations are unsuccessful," and if the Transportation Commission authorizes condemnation the legal exercising of eminent domain then DOT will "acquire the necessary property interests in the parcel in the name of (DOT) through condemnation." Advertisement Advertisement Upon completion of construction and with Transportation Commission approval, DOT will "transfer its property interests in the condemned parcel to the city." The transfer will be at no cost to the city, according to the agreement. If negotiations with the school are successful, the agreement specifies that any additional property acquired would remain with DOT. The Mitchell Christian plat was recommended for approval by the Mitchell Planning Commission at its Monday, Dec. 8, meeting. At that meeting, City Planner Mark Jenniges noted that a wetland area next to the highway prevented the proposed path from following along Highway 37 Bypass. The new path would continue from West 15th Avenue around the wetland toward the east and connect to the existing sidewalk on West 16th Avenue at North Iowa Street. The Mitchell City Council approved the Planning Commission's recommendation at its Dec. 15 meeting. In summer 2025, the city approved a $13.600 easement agreement with DOT for sidewalks along the Highway 37 Bypass on city-owned property. The staff request noted that the state compensates landowners for temporary easements, and that it is typical for cities to waive this compensation. In addition, DOT is installing new sidewalks and ADA improvements adjacent to Ohlman Street from West Norway Avenue to West Havens Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Council vice president Tim Goldammer noted that Mitchell has had a "ton of new infrastructure put in" for bike paths, and asked about updating the maps of the bike paths around town and online. A map of bike paths within the city is being updated by the Public Works and Parks departments, according to Public Works Director Joe Schroeder. The updated map will go on the city's website. CHICAGO A status hearing was held Tuesday morning for Lawrence Reed, the man charged with setting a woman on fire aboard a CTA Blue Line train in November. Reed, 50, was charged with terrorism in federal court for the incident, in which he allegedly set 26-year-old Bethany MaGee on fire, leaving her in critical condition. A judge checked in with Reeds defense, as well as prosecutors, during Tuesdays hearing at the Dirksen Federal Building to discuss whats next in the case. The hearing lasted only about five minutes. Prosecutors told the judge theyre working on gathering more evidence and plan to send out a batch by the end of week, followed by a larger batch within the next month. The defense, meanwhile, said its working on gathering mental health records. Advertisement Advertisement Another status hearing has been set for March 12 at 10 a.m. Prosecutors say that on Nov. 17, Reed approached MaGee on a CTA Blue Line train then suddenly poured liquid on her and lit her on fire. MaGee survived the attack, but she was engulfed in flames and suffered critical injuries. Bethany MaGee, courtesy family Three days before that alleged attack, court documents say Reed allegedly set fire to City Hall. Prosecutors say Reed maliciously damaged and attempted to damage and destroy (City Hall), by means of fire in the Nov. 14 incident. Reed was arrested on Nov. 18 and remains in federal custody. He was charged in November with committing a terrorist attack, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, for allegedly setting MaGee on fire. Advertisement Advertisement WGN-TV later learned that Reed is a career criminal, arrested more than 70 times before allegedly attacking MaGee. He has 13 convictions in Cook County and was on pre-trial release and electronic monitoring from an August case at the time of the Nov. 17 incident. Reeds alleged attack on MaGee also sparked some Illinois leaders to speak out against the Illinois SAFE-T Act. Signed into state law in 2021, the SAFE-T Act includes reforms concerning the rights of prisoners and detainees. It allows those on electronic monitoring and home detention to do outside tasks like going to the grocery store, and it also abolished cash bail so non-violent criminals dont languish in jail for non-violent, low-level offenses. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines The Nov. 17 incident was one of several high-profile attacks on the CTA recently that prompted the Federal Transit Administration to direct the CTA to develop and implement a safety plan, or risk losing as much as $50 million in federal funding. Advertisement Advertisement The CTAs first safety plan proposal was rejected last month. It now has less than 60 days to present a new plan. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 fight for justice and civil rights is far from over, nearly 48 years after the death of Martin Luther King Jr. Speakers at an event on Monday at the state Capitol in Salt Lake City to mark the life of the civil rights icon expressed concern at the current state of politics. They also stressed the importance of continued efforts to aid those who they see on the sidelines in the community. We cannot continue to place one over another, said Oscar Moses, senior pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Salt Lake City. What we see happening now in our nation today is terrifying, and we cannot say, Well, its not me today, because you dont know who its going to be ... tomorrow. Advertisement Advertisement While the civil rights movement King led in the 1960s was focused at least initially on the rights of Black people, Moses, one of several speakers, emphasized that today the struggle needs to be more all-encompassing. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, meant to honor his life, was marked in Utah on Monday and around the country with a range of events. The significance of King in this racially charged climate is to ground the spiraling climate of denial of diversity, equity and inclusion, marginalization of certain communities, whether its voter rights, immigration laws, LGBTQ-plus rights, police brutality, or access to fair housing in Utah, Moses said. Attendees sing Lift Every Voice and Sing during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News He also called on listeners to remain attentive to civil rights matters, invoking a word some on the conservative end of the political spectrum sometimes use to blast those on the left, woke. Stay woke and with that spirit, stay conscious. I dont care what nobody tells you. Stay woke, because its possible that we can sleep through a revolution, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Utah Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, also addressed the group, saying Kings words serve as a reminder that justice is never automatic and democracy is never guaranteed. Shes the first Black woman ever to serve in the Utah Legislature, and Mondays program included a video tribute to her as she wont seek reelection when her House term finishes at the end of the year. Both require our work, our sacrifice and our love, she said. As a lawmaker, she also noted her and her allies efforts to expand opportunities to marginalized communities. Yahosh Bonner, of American Fork, smiles as his son Nehemiah, 9, helps him recite Martin Luther King Jr.s I have a Dream speech during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News But we must also be honest about where we fall short. Too many of our neighbors, especially immigrants, still experience fear ... separation, instability and inhumane treatment instead of dignity, Hollins said. They have contributed to our economy, our culture and our communities and are living in the shadows, uncertain whether justice is going to protect them or punish them. Dr. King reminded us that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, and that truth still demands our attention today. Advertisement Advertisement The event at the Capitol was one of several around Utah on Monday. The Salt Lake City NAACP branch held its annual luncheon to mark the day and to honor several community members. One honoree, Utah Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, received the groups Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Award for her unwavering commitment to civil rights and community empowerment, according to a statement from the group. The University of Utah hosted a march and rally on Monday, part of numerous activities that go through the week. Organizers stressed the importance of unity and helping those in need. Deja Brown encourages attendees to connect with those around them at the beginning of a Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News We need community now more than ever, Eddy Thompson Jr., part of the U.s MLK Planning Committee, said in a statement. We need to unite now more than ever as we see some of the different challenges in our communities. Advertisement Advertisement The Utah Food Bank organized a day of service on Monday involving more than 100 volunteers, including participants in YouthCity Government, which serves children and teens in the city. The event is in its 24th year, and volunteers sorted donated food goods into care packages for seniors. The Ogden Branch of the NAACP held a breakfast and march on Monday in Ogden. Expanding our right to vote Maya Britt, right, applauds after Chloe Flowers performed Lift Everything Voice and Sing during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News The colors are presented during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Igor Limansky, director of the Utah division of multicultural affairs, speaks during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, looks on as a tribute video recognizing her public service plays during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Advertisement Advertisement Attendees listen to Katie Wright as she speaks during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News The Rev. Oscar T. Moses gives opening remarks during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Katie Wright, executive director of the Utah Donor Collaborative, speaks during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Abi Goddey reads a spoken word poem during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Advertisement Advertisement Event emcee Deja Brown encourages attendees to connect with those around them at the beginning of the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Everett Spencer The Messenger drums during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Chloe Flowers performs the Black national anthem Lift Every Voice and Sing during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News David Hollins applauds as his wife, Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, wipes her eyes after being recognized during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Advertisement Advertisement Deja Brown, center left, and Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, embrace before Hollins takes the stage to address attendees at the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Stacy Waggoner, left, applauds as Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, prepares to speak during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Attendees applaud as Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, prepares to speak during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Cleopatra Balfour, event organizer and founder of Beloved Community, speaks during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Advertisement Advertisement A detail of the flower headband worn by Chloe Flowers during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Salt Lake City police officers help block traffic as attendees of the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community walk to the Eccles Theater from the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Attendees listen to speakers during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, speaks during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Advertisement Advertisement The Rev. Stanley Ellington speaks during the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Attendees of the Utah Martin Luther King Day Celebration hosted by Beloved Community walk to the Eccles theater from the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Katie Wright, head of the Utah Donor Collaborative, also addressed the event at the Utah Capitol, organized by Beloved Community. The Utah Donor Collaborative aims to make fairness, justice and opportunity accessible to all. Amid what she sees as a jump in political violence and voter intimidation, she stressed that our political differences must be decided at the ballot box and elections need to be free and fair. However, she also warned that voting rights seem to be withering via changes to the federal Voter Rights Act and, here in Utah, via changes to the states vote-by-mail laws. We must do our part in expanding our right to vote, protecting free and fair elections, protecting an independent judiciary and ensuring equal protection under the law, she said. Igor Limansky, director of the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs, referenced the charged political climate, which seems to reward outrage, among other things. The nonviolence espoused by King asks something different, he said. It asks us for patience, moral clarity and the willingness to practice these principles in our schools, in our home and particularly online. Martin Luther King Jr Day was marked with parades and services across the US on Monday. But the celebration for the achievements of the slain 60s civil rights leader was tempered by contemporary anxieties over racial and social equality and Trump administrations crackdown in Minneapolis. At a rally in Harlem, the Rev Al Sharpton referred to Renee Good, the 37-year-old mother of three who was killed by an immigration officer in Minneapolis earlier this month. If she cursed them out does that give them the right to shoot her? he asked. Now theyre talking about sending in the national guards, sending in more ICE agents. We are in a state that Dr King would have been fighting against this country going this far. Sharpton called for a broad sense of unity, saying that if people are on our side, we can disagree without being disagreeable because we have folks that are adversarial to the interests of our community. Advertisement Advertisement We need to make a pledge on King Day that we gonna fight and make what should happen to preserve the dream of Dr King, he added. Zohran Mamdani, the newly installed New York City mayor, framed inequality as an economic issue at the Brooklyn Academy of Musics annual MLK Day celebration. While the city is wealthy beyond measure, it is also deeply unequal, he said. Some New Yorkers sleep in penthouses. Others sleep on the sidewalk below. We cannot only speak of Dr Kings legacy as if it is a legacy of rights that can be given to people, he said. It must also be a legacy of rights that those people can exercise themselves. Advertisement Advertisement In Washington, hundreds of people marched along Martin Luther King Jr Avenue to honor the civil rights leader. We got to continue to do this because not just of Dr King, but of what he stood for, said Sam Ford, a retired broadcaster and member of the Martin Luther King Jr Day Parade Committee. The struggle continues. Parade participant Harold Hunter echoed that sentiment. Its not just a white thing or Black thing. This is a people thing, he said. Wisdom Cole, NAACP senior national director of advocacy, said elevated fears within racially diverse and immigrant communities meant that King Day observances were forced to take a more urgent tone. We are faced with increased police and state violence inflicted by the government, he said. Advertisement Advertisement The Movement for Black Lives said it had planned events in Atlanta, Chicago, Oakland and other cities under the banner Reclaim MLK Day of Action. This year it is more important than ever to reclaim MLKs radical legacy, letting his wisdom and fierce commitment to freedom move us into the action necessary to take care of one another, fight back, and free ourselves from this fascist regime, Devonte Jackson, a national organizing director for the coalition, said in a statement. At the National Civil Rights museum in Memphis, Tennessee, located on the site of the former Lorraine Motel, where King was shot on 4 April 1968, was opened and offering free admission, an annual tradition. This milestone year is not only about looking back at what Dr King stood for, but also recognizing the people who continue to make his ideals real today, the museum president, Russell Wigginton, told the Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement But some typical MLK Day events were cancelled, including a dinner at Indiana University in Indianapolis. In a social media post, the schools Black Student Union said the event was officially cancelled because of budget constraints, but the group expressed concern that the cancellation was connected to broader political pressures. A church in Westbrook, Maine, cancelled an MLK Day service due to unforeseen circumstances, according to the parish website. A member of the congregations social justice and peace committee told the local news site NewsCenterMaine.com that the service was cancelled because agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were in the area. This years Dr King celebration comes a year since Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term. Trumps inauguration ushered in an administration opposed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, whether in government agencies, schools, universities or cultural institutions. Advertisement Advertisement The justice departments civil rights division, which under previous administrations has been charged with rooting out discrimination against minority groups, has shifted focus. In comments to the New York Times this month, Trump said civil rights protections and affirmative action programs had hurt white people. White people were very badly treated, where they did extremely well and they were not invited to go into a university or a college, he said. Meanwhile, the administration has launched aggressive anti-immigration operations in several Democratic-led cities. Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, one of the nations oldest and largest civil rights coalitions, told the Associated Press that the Trump administrations priorities made clear it is actively trying to erase the movement for social justice. Advertisement Advertisement Citing healthcare access, affordable housing, good-paying jobs and union representation, Wiley said, things Dr King made part of his clarion call for a beloved community are still at stake and is even more so because (the administration) has dismantled the very terms of government and the norms of our culture. Last month, the National Park Service said it would no longer offer free admission to parks on King Day and Juneteenth, but would instead offer free admission on Flag Day 14 June. That day is also Trumps birthday. At Ebenezer Baptist church in Atlanta, where Dr King preached, there were calls on Monday to unite against injustice. Senator Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat and Ebenezers senior pastor, said the administration was trying to weaponize despair and convince us that we are at war with one another. Warnock later posted online: You cannot remember Dr King and dismember his legacy at the same time. He called for a recommitment to Dr Kings legacy: In these dark and difficult days, Dr Kings memory continues to light a path for our nation toward an abiding peace and a just democracy. This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPMs home for opinion and news analysis. As the Supreme Court wrapped up its term last June, USA Today ran an op-ed entitled, Do you think the Supreme Court is partisan? Well youre wrong. It was quite serious, apparently a defense of the Supreme Court by a conservative columnist, Dace Potas, distinguishing between the justices chosen right-wing philosophy, which does not change direction with a new presidents party, and a partisanship Potas denies, that acts just to empower the MAGA president. The assertion that, while the justices may be conservative, they are not out to help Trump, specifically, is, in fact, a common view among a certain strain of opinion writer. The Wall Street Journal editorial board points to the Courts skepticism of Trumps tariffs to insist arguments that the Court is tolerating an Imperial Trump Presidency are mistaken. Conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg argued in 2024 that the Courts decision that year to rule 9-0 against a group of anti-abortion doctors who were seeking an FDA crackdown on the abortion drug mifepristone was proof that the Court was neither as partisan nor as ideological as the American public at large. (The Court found that the doctors lacked standing, but not necessarily that they were wrong on the merits.) The popular partisan narrative for the Supreme Court gives a very narrow view of how the justices ideologies actually play out in practice, wrote Potas in USA Today. Americans should look to the justices own personal tendencies and judicial philosophy to characterize them, rather than simply grouping them by party. Advertisement Advertisement Its a view that is willfully naive, as 2025 made abundantly clear. Yes, on the merits docket, the justices did not rule along partisan lines, 6-3, every single time (though they did quite a bit). Yet its not the merits docket where their partisanship shines through. Its on the emergency docket often, appropriately, called the shadow docket where the conservative majoritys partisanship most aggressively asserted itself, allowing Trump to enact his unprecedented attacks on the federal government, the separation of powers, individual rights, and even Supreme Court precedent virtually unimpeded. Consider a distinction between ideological and partisan. Much of the time in recent decades, the Court has been ideological in the normal sense of the term a consistent judicial philosophy of questions that stays constant between terms of presidencies of different parties of late, a Court with a majority of right-wing ideologues consistently doing things like overruling Roe v. Wade, knocking down campaign finance laws, striking down gun laws, and so on. But, if one asked the question, was the Court partisan? meaning it conveniently changed its judicial logic depending on which party was in power, or in other words, working, beyond ideology, to promote (or defeat) a particular political agenda that was not necessarily so. For example, during the COVID epidemic, the right-wingers did rule against Democrats on some cases, like a federal mask-or-vaccine mandate for large employers, a CDC eviction moratorium, or state epidemic measures in churches. But, the majority of Democrats COVID measures did not have trouble before the Court, and the church decisions could be attributed to the justices religious liberty ideology. The Court was not particularly trying to hamstring Biden in a partisan way. Today, much of what the six conservative justices are doing in their rulings on the merits docket is, still, consistent with their various shades of conservative jurisprudence. It is consistent with their previously demonstrated judicial ideology, and need not be labeled as done to favor President Trump. For example, one big ruling of this term will be that the president can fire members of independent commissions. That is not just for Trump. That has long been an ideological goal of the right-wing Federalist Society that picked these justices. Similarly, they are continuing to disassemble the Voting Right Act, but that is another long-time ideological goal. WASHINGTON, DC MARCH 04: Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts, Justice Elena Kagan, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Justice Amy Coney Barrett attend U.S. President Donald Trumps address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump was expected to address Congress on his early achievements of his presidency and his upcoming legislative agenda. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) But, this Court has, since Trumps first term, leaned increasingly heavily on the shadow docket. During the second Trump administration, the shadow docket has become the primary means through which the Court acts when district courts have enjoined Trumps rapid-fire onslaught of executive actions. And the shadow docket is where the very different and unique partisanship emerges. Advertisement Advertisement As those who follow the shadow docket are familiar, dozens of times during 2025, the justices have taken such cases, which get minimal briefing and no oral argument, then issued an unsigned majority opinion often of a couple of sentences. The vast majority of these rulings allowed the Trump administration to go forward with whatever agenda item it was pursuing. The Courts increasing use of the shadow docket first began to raise eyebrows during the first Trump term. But it was less common then than it was in 2025. Bluntly, the shadow docket is the partisan way the Court promoted the Trump agenda in 2025. While there were decisions in line with ideology, that docket was used in service to Trump far beyond the Courts past conservative bent. Notable uses of the shadow docket in 2025 include allowing many Trump administration funding freezes to stand, from withholding foreign aid to defunding scientific research; many administrative decisions like giving DOGE access to Social Security Administration records and mass firing of civil servants; and xenophobic immigration rulings, from allowing, for now, non citizens to be removed to third countries to termination of Temporary Protective Status for Venezuelans. On the merits docket, for example, the Roberts Court has not taken any kind of ideologically notable stance on the question of whether funds appropriated by the legislative branch must be spent by the executive branch. All through the Biden administration, appropriations got spent like clockwork. There has been much discussion of whether the Court would take the ideological stance of finding a presidential impoundment power that is, a power not to spend these funds. It has not done so to date, and doing so would be a huge break with the past. The absence of an impoundment power has been established law since the Nixon administration, when Congress passed the Impoundment Control Act. Ideologically, the conservatives purport to follow the written text of the Constitution (textualism) and its original meaning (originalism). The appropriations power belongs to Congress in the plain text of the Constitution, and the vesting of the power in Congress goes back to the First Congress in 1791 and its forbears. Advertisement Advertisement However, without an apparent ideological conviction on the subject, the shadow docket operated in a partisan thrust, with the Court backing up the Trump administration by reversing lower court injunctions that stayed Trumps freezes on all manner of congressionally approved funding. The conservatives never articulated that presidential impoundment was acceptable; they may not have an ideology on impoundment. They just leashed the lower courts reviewing Trump freezes. Similarly, the Roberts Court did not have a consistent ideology against immigrants. It allowed Biden to rescind the prior Trump remain in Mexico rule, while it denied a Biden emergency petition to continue the Parole in Place policy. Notably, on the remain in Mexico ruling, Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kavanagh joined with the three liberals to take a pro-asylee stance. They upheld the Biden administration position that asylum seekers did not need to be returned to Mexico to await the results of their proceedings. Indeed, the first Trump administration had to make three different attempts before it could get the Supreme Court to sustain a Muslim ban on immigrants. Without getting into the weeds about these different policies, lets just say it would be quite a stretch to assert the Roberts Court had all that much of an encompassing ideology about immigration before 2025. There was no ideological consistency between the past Court and the 2025 Court on wholesale deprivation of immigrants rights. In contrast, without coming in with such an ideology, the Courts 2025 shadow docket has seen orders come down with a unique and very partisan style, upholding the administration and becoming a powerful force for Trumps xenophobia. It stopped lower courts from interfering with termination of Venezuelans Temporary Protected Status. It let the Trump administration remove noncitizens to third countries. It allowed immigration stops using racial criteria. The list goes on and on. It is not merely striking that the Court has taken these stances. It is striking that the orders have little in the way of roots in past ideological stances, but are a huge boon to one of Trumps MAGA onslaughts. Advertisement Advertisement This is not to ignore that the Trump administration does not always win on the Supreme Courts shadow docket. It has lost on the Alien Enemies Act, and has lost, for now, on National Guard deployment. But in roughly two dozen shadow docket actions last year, the Court has given Trump vastly more victories than defeats, even putting aside its prior ideological positions, and just looking at partisan actions sustaining MAGA politics. UNITED STATES JANUARY 20: The American flag flies in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) What should we make of the overwhelmingly pro-Trump shadow docket, given how free from accountability the Supreme Court is? Doesnt its 6-3 solid majority render it able to act however it likes? Here are some thoughts on those questions. First, how the Court acts and whether it brazenly supports a particular political party or politician can matter to the Courts legitimacy as a matter of public opinion. To take one of the most important contexts, imagine that as we approach the November 2026 election, cases arise over the implementation of Trumps views about vote-by-mail, or any other kind of voting other than at the polls on Election Day or even voting without proof of citizenship. Trump may have executive orders interfering with the polls; lower federal courts may enjoin these. The high Court will have to reckon with an outraged public opinion and a recalcitrant set of blue states if it uses its shadow docket to support Trump on this type of question. This will not look like ordinary, established Roberts Court ideology. This would be seen as the justices trying to win elections for Trumps party. Second, it can matter to the Courts hold on the lower judiciary. There is already great tension around such questions as how much precedential weight to give decisions on the shadow docket. In the past, district judges have had to go along with Supreme Court justices being ideological. The district judges accept the system. But a substantial fraction of district and appellate judges is not used to partisan types of intervention, often delivered with little or no explanation. Faced with that, they may evade shadow docket actions not supported by merits opinions. The Supreme Court has a simple numbers problem in controlling a large lower judiciary that deems itself justified to evade and resist. Advertisement Advertisement Third, it can matter when, hopefully, the House goes Democratic next November. The House has limits in its powers, obviously, but, let us start with hearings on judicial subjects. Although there is no love lost between the 6-3 Court and the Democratic House on ideological questions like abortion, and although Trump has already shown he enjoys occasions for attacking district judges, the House may get more intense if the Court loses legitimacy through partisanship in aid of the Trump administration. Just how intense the hearings get, what propositions get brought to the House floor, will be in proportion to how nakedly the justices flaunt not just their conservative ideology, but embrace partisanship to promote Trumps MAGA agenda. The recent decision against the National Guard going to cities like Chicago is a single data point, and may not be enough to draw conclusions from. But it is possible the justices of the potential center-right Barrett, Roberts, and Kavanaugh might, just might, be getting the message, just in time, on the difference between ideology and partisanship. WASHINGTON Four years after expanding the Second Amendment right to bear arms outside the home, the Supreme Courts conservative majority could make it easier to carry a weapon in public, again. Most of the conservative justices seem likely to rule against a Hawaiian law requiring gun owners to get permission verbally, in writing or through a posted sign before carrying a firearm onto private property thats open to the public, such as most businesses. Youre just relegating the Second Amendment to second-class status, Justice Samuel Alito, one of the courts six conservative judges, told the attorney defending Hawaiis law on Jan. 20. Advertisement Advertisement Gun rights advocates have nicknamed Hawaiis law a Vampire Rule, after the 1897 Gothic horror novel by Bram Stoker in which Dracula couldnt enter a room unless invited. Gun rights vs. property rights The conservative court has expanded gun rights in recent years, including through a 2022 ruling that struck down New Yorks law requiring residents to have a good reason to obtain a license to carry a handgun. But the high court has also backed private-property rights, such as a property owners right to exclude unwanted visitors. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, one of the courts three liberals, tried to emphasize the latter, asking whether Hawaiis law was more about property rights than gun rights. Advertisement Advertisement "The Constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms," Neal Katyal, the lawyer defending Hawaii's law, told the court. "It doesn't create implied consent to bring those arms onto another's property." Justice Neil Gorsuch was among the conservative justices who resisted that framing. We dont allow governments to redefine property rights in other contexts that would infringe other constitutional rights, he said. Supporters of gun control laws rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 2, 2019. Critics dubbed the law a `Vampire Rule' Three Maui residents with concealed-carry permits, as well as a local gun-rights group, challenged Hawaiis law and have the support of the Trump administration. They argue the default should be that firearms are allowed unless a property owner specifically bans them. Advertisement Advertisement Four states have similar laws: California, Maryland, New York and New Jersey. The justices didnt delve into the original "vampire rules" from 19th-century literature during their two hours of oral arguments. But the debate did require a review of laws from the colonial and Reconstruction eras. Thats because the Supreme Court, in the 2022 decision striking down New Yorks law, said gun regulations have to be consistent with the nations historical tradition of firearm regulation to be constitutional. Supreme Court to decide: Can pot smokers and other drug users legally own guns? Lawsuits over gun laws spiked after the court created that test, including challenges to laws like Hawaii's that critics say are an attempt to undermine the expansion of gun rights. Advertisement Advertisement The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the law met the historical tradition test. The appeals court pointed to several historical rules, particularly one from New Jersey in 1771 and another from Louisiana in 1865, both of which required a person have permission before carrying firearms onto private property. Those laws are dead ringers for Hawaiis rules, the court said, showing a historical tradition for the law. The Trump administration and the gun owners challenging the law argued that those laws dont support Hawaiis rule because New Jerseys law prevented poachers from hunting on private land closed to the public, and Louisianas law was aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of formerly enslaved people. Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested this should settle the case. Advertisement Advertisement Why are we making it complicated? he asked. Here, theres no sufficient history supporting the regulation. End of case. Hawaii has its own anti-gun tradition Hawaii has also emphasized the states long tradition of restricting weapons, including before it became a state. In 1833, for example, Hawaii's king prohibited anyone from having a knife, sword, cane or other dangerous weapon. But Chief Justice John Roberts seemed to agree with the laws opponents that state traditions arent how the law is supposed to be evaluated. Sarah Harris, an attorney for the Justice Department, told the court that Hawaiis pre-state tradition doesnt give the state a veto for the Second Amendment national tradition. Beachgoers gather at Waikiki Beach after authorities downgraded earlier tsunami warnings following an earthquake off Russias Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S., July 30, 2025. Barrett asked tough questions of challengers Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the conservative justice who asked the toughest questions of the lawyers challenging the law, probed whether Hawaii would be able to require gun owners to seek permission before bringing a concealed weapon onto private property thats not open to the public, such as a home. Advertisement Advertisement She seemed surprised when Alan Beck, the lawyer representing the gun owners, indicated that the law would also be unconstitutional. "Really?" she said. Hawaii cant have that law about my house or Justice Gorsuchs house? Beck said Hawaii would have to find a significant national tradition of such a practice to justify it. Barrett also raised questions about the historical test generally. Just because a legislature didnt address a problem because it didnt exist at the time, why does that mean that the analogue ties the legislatures hands now? she asked. A decision in Wolford v. Lopez is expected by summer. Advertisement Advertisement The challenge to Hawaiis law is not the only gun rights case the Supreme Court will hear this term. In March, the justices will debate whether a federal law that prohibits drug users from having a gun applies to a man who was not on drugs at the time of his arrest. The justices are also deciding whether to take up challenges to state laws banning AR-15s and high-capacity magazines, and challenges to the federal ban on convicted felons owning guns. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court skeptical of Hawaii gun law, dubbed 'Vampire Rule' A surfer has been bitten by a shark, the fourth attack along Australia's New South Wales (NSW) coastline in under 48 hours. The 39-year-old man "sustained a wound to his chest" after a shark bit his board on the Mid North Coast on Tuesday morning, police said. He has been released from hospital. It follows three other attacks in Sydney over the past two days. All beaches in Sydney's northern area will remain closed until further notice, said police. Advertisement Advertisement The attacks follow days of heavy rains, which NSW Superintendent Joseph McNulty had earlier said may have created a "perfect storm environment" for shark attacks. Rain flushes nutrients into the water, which can draw sharks closer to shore. The attack on Tuesday took place near the Point Plomer campground, about 450km (279 miles) north of Sydney. Steve Pearce, the chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, said the surfer was "very fortunate to not have sustained any serious injuries", ABC reported. "We really strongly advocate that nobody swim or surf near river mouths because it's obviously an area where sharks congregate," Pearce said. "If it's dirty water I'd think twice about going in there." Advertisement Advertisement A young surfer had a similarly lucky escape at Dee Why Beach in Sydney on Monday, but a shark attack at nearby Manly hours later left a 27-year-old with "life-changing" injuries. On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was also critically injured when bitten at a popular Sydney Harbour beach. [BBC] Authorities believe bull sharks were involved in most of the recent attacks. Bull sharks, which can be found in both fresh water and salt water, are "one of the few sharks that are potentially dangerous to people", the Australian Museum says. They are the third deadliest shark species, according to the International Shark Attack File. Last November, a woman was killed and a man was seriously injured after being attacked by a bull shark on a remote beach, also on the NSW Mid North coast. Advertisement Advertisement Bull sharks are typically seen around Sydney in January and February - the summer months in Australia - as the "water is at their preferred temperature", Dr Daryl McPhee, associate professor of environmental science at Bond University, told the BBC. Though Australia is a global shark attack hotspot, the chances of being attacked are still minute - making this string of shark attacks in NSW a rare phenomenon. "This series of bites from bull sharks in such a short period of time is highly unusual," said McPhee. Police on Monday advised the public to avoid waterways in NSW due to recent weather, which has decreased water quality and visibility. Advertisement Advertisement "I would recommend not swimming in the harbour or our other river systems across NSW at this time," Superintendent Joseph McNulty told reporters. Rain can concentrate fish that bull sharks prey on downstream in rivers and beaches, McPhee said, adding that "bull sharks are well adapted to feeding in murky water after rain". "Where you find the fish, you find the bull sharks. Unfortunately, that sometimes occurs at popular beach locations." One man has died and another was injured during a police shooting in Newark on Monday. It all happened just after 1:30 p.m. outside a corner liquor store near Ross Street and Evergreen Avenue. Officials say Newark police officers encountered several civilians at the location, and one of the officers fired his weapon, striking two civilians. They were taken to University Hospital, where one of them, an unidentified man, was pronounced dead. The other injured man is receiving treatment and is expected to survive. Advertisement Advertisement According to residents, one man was sitting in a car when undercover officers approached and that is when shots were fired. Witnesses say they had to avoid being struck by gunfire but no one knows what caused the incident to escalate to a shootout. No police officers were hit by gunfire. One officer was taken to the hospital for evaluation and was released. The exact circumstances surrounding the shooting are not yet clear. Mayor Ras Baraka released a statement, calling the incident a "heartbreaking tragedy for everyone involved when a police officer feels the need to draw weapon-and so much more so when they are compelled to fire." Advertisement Advertisement Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, Sr. said in statement that "a fatal shooting involving a civilian and a member of law enforcement is especially difficult and complex due to the impact it has on our community," and said it welcomes the investigation from the New Jersey Attorney General's Office. ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New Jersey news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. (KRON) A Bay Area Democratic congressman has added their voice to a growing chorus of people calling for the 25th Amendment to be invoked over a letter President Donald Trump sent Norways Prime Minister. In the letter, Trump appears to connect his interest in the United States taking over Greenland to being bypassed for the Nobel Peace Prize. Considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, Trump falsely claims in the letter to Norways PM Jonas Gahr Stre, adding, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. CHP begins enforcing English language rule for truckers Advertisement Advertisement The Nobel Peace Prize is not awarded by the Norwegian government but rather by a five-person committee chosen by the Norwegian parliament. Regarding the Nobel Peace Prize, I have several times clearly explained to Trump what is well known, namely that it is an independent Nobel Committee, and not the Norwegian government, that awards the prize, Stre said in a statement to Bloomberg. Trumps letter continued, Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a right of ownership anyway? There are no written documents, its only a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland, Trump continued. Advertisement Advertisement The letter revived calls similar to those heard during the first Trump administration for using the 25th Amendment to remove him from office. The 25th Amendment pertains to what happens if the president or vice president becomes incapacitated either mentally or physically and is unable to fulfill their duties. Under the amendment, members of the presidents cabinet could legally remove him from office if they do not believe he is fit to lead. Trumps new gigantic temper tantrum over Norway is deep into 25th Amendment territory, wrote Rick Wilson of the Lincoln Project on X. 25th Amendment. Now, tweeted former Republican congressman Joe Walsh. Advertisement Advertisement Invoke the 25th Amendment, tweeted U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA). East Bay Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Livermore) simply tweeted 25, along with a copy of the letter. No member of Trumps cabinet has signaled any intention of removing President Trump from office. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Tensions between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been escalating, days after they announced a ceasefire, which is being severely tested by renewed fighting, involving the withdrawal of the latters forces from areas west of the Euphrates River. Talks in Damascus between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF leader Mazloum Abdi, also known as Mazloum Kobani, have faltered, and Abdi has returned to the northeast. Contention and a blame game have surrounded the issues of ISIL (ISIS) prisoners who escaped from al-Shaddadi prison during the fighting between the army and the SDF. Syrias Ministry of Interior said on Tuesday that 130 of 200 ISIL escapees had been recaptured. Advertisement Advertisement The ministry accused the SDF of releasing ISIL fighters from the prison in the northeastern city of al-Shaddadi as a form of political and security blackmail. The army said it deliberately bypassed alShaddadi prison in line with an agreement that the SDF would later hand control of the facility to authorities in Damascus. The SDF has blamed the Syrian army for the prison break, saying it lost control of the jail after an attack by tribal fighters affiliated with the army. SDF commander Fawza Youssef on Tuesday blamed al-Sharaas government for failing to uphold the deal. There is no political will on the part of the government to implement a ceasefire, he told Al Jazeera. If the violations and attacks continue, the SDF cannot be disarmed. Advertisement Advertisement The agreement reached on Sunday between al-Sharaa and Abdi stipulates the withdrawal of the SDF from Raqqa and Deir Az Zor, parts of which are east of the Euphrates, within a month. A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry accused the SDF of trying to deflect blame as it faced internal divisions. We prefer peaceful solutions, but all options are open, the spokesperson told Al Jazeera. The deal included the SDFs withdrawal from the area around the al-Aqtan prison. As it appeared on the verge of collapse, Al Jazeera correspondents on Tuesday reported that the Syrian army had begun artillery shelling around the prison and the SDFs 17th Division headquarters in Raqqa. Advertisement Advertisement Local sources in Hasakah province in the northeast said the army reached the Panorama intersection, located at the southern entrance to the provincial capital, also called Hasakah. The Interior Ministry said it was ready to take over the management and security of ISIL prisons in Hasakah in accordance with international standards. Information Minister Hamza Mustafa said the army secured the city of al-Shaddadi in the Hasakah countryside after taking control of the prison located there. Taking control of ISIL prisons The SDF, the United States-backed force that fought ISIL in Syria, controls more than a dozen prisons in the northeast, where about 9,000 ISIL members have been held for years without trial. Advertisement Advertisement While al-Sharaas government has pledged to reunify Syria after nearly 14 years of war, the SDF has repeatedly underlined al-Sharaas previous affiliation with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly part of al-Qaeda. In a statement on Monday, the SDF referred to the government as ISIS sympathizers, whose actions are directed and orchestrated by the Turkish state, and pledged to respond in a similar manner to the battle to capture Kobane in 2014. Today we reaffirm that the will of the people is stronger than all forms of aggression and occupation, the statement said. The Syrian government responded by rejecting any attempt to use the issue of terrorism as a tool for political or security blackmail. Advertisement Advertisement The insistence on linking the actions of law enforcement and the restoration of state legitimacy with the danger of activating terrorist cells constitutes a blatant attempt to distort the facts and fuel the conflict in order to maintain an authority that was imposed by force of arms, it said in a statement. The Syrian government warns the SDF leadership against taking any reckless steps that would facilitate the escape of ISIS detainees or open prisons for them as a retaliatory measure or as a political pressure tactic. Al Jazeeras Zein Basravi, reporting from Aleppo, said the army accused the SDF of releasing the detainees while the SDF said their escape was due to their forces being overwhelmed by attacks. A video that emerged overnight also alleged to show the execution of female Kurdish fighters. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political wing of the SDF, released a statement saying such conduct was a reproduction of terrorism and poses a direct threat to regional and international security. Advertisement Advertisement Basravi said both sides were reverting to familiar language and using violence to settle scores in places of Syria that had been hoping for a return to peace after the ceasefire was reached. Al-Sharaas offer to Abdi Five hours of talks on Monday between al-Sharaa and Abdi aimed at salvaging the ceasefire ended without agreement, sources told Al Jazeera. The president offered to appoint Abdi to the post of deputy defence minister and nominate him to be governor of Hasakah in exchange for the deployment of Syrian internal security forces to its capital. The offer also included the condition of removing members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from the territory. Turkiye sees the SDF as a Syrian branch of the PKK, an organisation that it has been at war with since 1984 and considers a terrorist group. Advertisement Advertisement Abdi asked for five days for consultations, a request al-Sharaa rejected. The president gave the SDF leader until the end of Tuesday to accept the offer, warning that failure to do so would trigger military action and the collapse of the ceasefire. Al-Sharaa on Monday spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump, and the two stressed the importance of preserving Syrias territorial unity and independence and underlined the need to guarantee the rights and protection of the Kurdish people. Al Jazeeras Ayman Oghanna, reporting from Damascus, said the US was in a unique position to end this crisis because it has close ties with both the SDF and Damascus. Washington trained and equipped the SDF to fight ISIL and maintains about 900 soldiers in SDF-controlled areas. Trump also removed al-Sharaa from the global terrorist sanctions list and welcomed him to the White House in November. Oghanna said SDF members were worried about Washingtons growing ties with Damascus and feared that fighting may force the US to pick a side. After days of fighting, the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed on Sunday to bring Kurdish authorities under the control of Damascus. A deal under which Kurdish forces abandoned long-held territory in Syria to the Syrian government could pave the way for Turkey to advance its stalled effort to end its decades-long conflict with the PKK, Turkish politicians and officials said on Monday. After days of fighting, the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed on Sunday to bring Kurdish authorities under the control of Damascus. By Monday, SDF fighters had pulled out of swathes of territory which were now under control of the Syrian military. Advertisement Advertisement Neighbor Turkey has long considered the SDF in Syria to be an offshoot of the banned PKK, or Kurdistan Workers Party, which decided in May last year to disarm, disband and end its decades-long war against the Turkish state. Turkish officials have long said that as long as the SDF controlled a swathe of territory across the border, it was difficult to end the war with the PKK. But now, with the SDF pulling out of two Syrian provinces, Turkish leaders see progress resuming. Omer Celik, spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party, said Syrian government forces' recent advances had "thwarted" efforts by Kurdish groups to derail Turkey's peace process. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrive for a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, February 4, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/CAGLA GURDOGAN) Turkish nationalist leader says Syrian agreement would have 'favorable impact' Feti Yildiz, a deputy leader of the government-allied Turkish nationalist MHP party, said Sunday's agreement in Syria would have "a favorable impact." Advertisement Advertisement "Things will become easier," Yildiz told reporters in the Turkish parliament when asked how the Syrian deal affects the PKK process. "It had been standing like an obstacle, and for now it looks as though that obstacle has been removed." The PKK itself had yet to comment on the SDF's withdrawal as of Monday afternoon. Turkey's pro-Kurdish DEM Party, which has previously criticized the Syrian offensive against Kurdish forces, has also not yet reacted. Turkish security sources, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, called the deal a historic turning point and said stability in Syria was vital to Ankara's goal of eradicating terrorism in Turkey, where the PKK has fought an insurgency since 1984 in which more than 40,000 people have been killed. Though the PKK symbolically burned weapons in July, the peace process has since shown little sign of progress: a months-long parliamentary commission has so far revealed no details on legal or reform measures. Advertisement Advertisement Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, said the deal ended the Kurdish hope of retaining a large measure of autonomy and would benefit Turkey. "Erdogan is undoubtedly rejoicing at the news, which will greatly weaken the PKK and any lingering Kurdish aspiration for an independent Kurdistan. Syria will become stronger economically and militarily, and Turkey will profit from this," Landis said on X. update 1:27 PM PT -- The Miami nightclub, Vendome, has announced that three employees have been terminated following an internal review. The venue also says it has permanently banned the individuals involved in this incident from the Vendome premises, though members of the group -- including Andrew Tate and Nick Fuentes -- are not named directly. The nightclub adds that it has implemented new protocols and policies to ensure a similar incident does not occur again. Advertisement Advertisement Continue reading original story below. Andrew and Tristan Tate are distancing themselves from backlash after they were seen partying while Kanye Wests song Heil Hitler played ... making it clear they were not singing along, and they're denouncing antisemitism. ICYMI ... the influencer bros were seen alongside Nick Fuentes, Sneako, Myron Gaines, and Clavicular on a party bus and later at a Miami nightclub as the controversial song blared in the background this weekend -- with members of the group singing along and even flashing Nazi salutes. TMZ While Andrew and Tristan are not seen singing along in the footage, they do appear to be enjoying themselves -- with Tristian even bopping along in the party bus beforehand. Advertisement Advertisement However, the brothers' attorney, Joseph McBride, tells TMZ ... "If anyone wants to be angry, that anger belongs with the people who chose to play it and the people who chose to sing it. What I can say without qualification is this. Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate did neither. If the club is looking for someone to blame, it should start by looking in the mirror." TMZ He goes on to say ... "Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate condemn antisemitism and any glorification of Adolf Hitler. Free speech is not a license for hate. There is a clear line between expressing views and promoting hatred. Andrew and Tristan reject hatred in all its forms." Given the Tate bros' rejection of antisemitism ... it raises questions about why they were socializing with known antisemites like Fuentes in the first place -- but their attorney insists the gathering "was not an endorsement of anyone's views," but rather a "defense of a principle." TMZ McBride adds, "Andrew Tate is the litmus test for free speech on the internet," saying that's why other controversial influencers who "operate at the edge of protected speech" joined the brothers for a night out in Miami. Vendome -- the Miami nightclub in question -- says it's conducting an internal review to understand how "Heil Hitler" came to be played during the bottle parade ... and says it'll take immediate action and hold those responsible parties accountable. LAWRENCE, Kan. No formal charges were filed on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday for the teens arrested for suspicion of a deadly Saturday morning shooting outside a popular bar near the University of Kansas campus. Police say the teens suspected of shooting and killing Aidan Knowles, 18, and critically injuring Brady Clark, 16 arent students or from Lawrence. But they appear to have been no stranger to authorities as juveniles. Kansas residents urged to take precautions during coyote mating season Police havent released details on what may have led up to the shooting. Police say they arrived about 2 a.m. Saturday and found the victims outside Jayhawk Cafe, commonly known as The Hawk. Advertisement Advertisement It was just surprising that it would happen in Lawrence of all places to people that were so young, Katie Liskey, a recent KU grad, said. Not long after the shooting, officers found two suspects a few blocks away from the scene using K-9s and drones. Jail records show two people were booked in the Douglas County Jail on first-degree murder and aggravated assault. FOX4 is not naming them until formal charges are filed. But weve looked into their backgrounds. FOX4 has learned one of the teens was previously sentenced in 2024 to 18 months in juvenile custody for bringing a gun to a Kansas high school. He was also accused of assault on an officer. The other teen who was booked received 18 months probation in 2023 for stealing a gun. Lawrence police described both 18 year old suspects as out-of-towners. Advertisement Advertisement All I know is they werent from here, this type of stuff doesnt happen from Lawrence residents or students here, KU student and The Hawk neighbor Skyler Phillips, said. Download WDAF+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV Lawrence Police shared a post from the family of Aidan Knowles saying their son was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. We are completely devastated and thanked the community for the outpouring of love and support, Knowles father Bobby wrote. Brady Clarks family says the 16 year old suffered critical injuries, and thanks to the tireless efforts of first responders and medical staff, he survived. Tragically, his best friend did not, and our hearts are with his family as they grieve this unimaginable loss, his parents wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. He posted his crimes to Instagram. Now Nicholas Moore, 24, of Springfield, is facing a year in federal prison and a fine of up to $100,000, a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for D.C. said. Moore ran an Instagram account under the handle "ihackedthegovernment" and regularly posted screenshots of his actions to that account, according to the release. The account no longer appears on the social media platform. Advertisement Advertisement His victims included three people, the U.S. Supreme Court's case filing system, AmeriCorp's internal member portal and the Department of Veterans' Affair's medical platform. So how did he do it? Moore stole credentials from three people one person who had authorized access to the country's highest court filing system, a veteran who is a member of AmeriCorps and a retired U.S. Marine. Those credentials gave him access to highly personal information about each person. Court records do not say how Moore stole these credentials. "Between Aug. 29, 2023, and Oct. 22, 2023, Moore accessed the filing system without authorization using the stolen credential of an authorized user over 25 days, sometimes returning to the site multiple times on the same day," the release said about his access of the U.S. Supreme Court. "On three occasions, Moore posted screenshots to his Instagram account, @ihackedthegovernment, of his victims Supreme Court filing system details including the victims name and other information." Advertisement Advertisement In the midst of trolling through the court's system, Moore had also gained access to AmeriCorp's system. The system, MyAmeriCorps, is for current, former and prospective members to apply for programs and track their benefits. Moore accessed the system seven times with those stolen credentials, according to federal court records. When he posted about it on Instagram, screenshots clearly showed the member's name, date of birth, email, home address, phone number, citizenship status, veteran status, service history and the last four digits of his social security number. Between September 2023 and mid-October 2023, Moore also used the credentials of a former U.S. Marine to access his personal medical records. He posted the person's full name, home address, service branch, email address, phone number and blood type to the instagram account, and sent another screenshot to someone else that showed the medications the victim had been prescribed, court records said. Moore pleaded guilty to a one count of information charging him with fraud activity in connection with computers, a Class A misdemeanor, according to court records. He'll be sentenced on April 17. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee man used stolen credentials to hack government sites The Brief Terry Rivera has been sentenced to 50 years after pleading guilty to capital murder for the shooting of 12-year-old Carlos Fernandez, the son of Rivera's former partner. Rivera shot and killed Fernandez in 2024 after shooting at the apartment unit the child was sleeping in on Alderson Street. Rivera was taken into custody at the U.S.-Mexico border on March 11, 2024. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - Terry Rivera has accepted a plea deal after being charged with capital murder for the 2024 shooting of 12-year-old Carlos Fernandez, the son of Rivera's former partner. Advertisement Advertisement Rivera pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to 50 years on Tuesday. 12-year-old killed while sleeping The backstory On March 4, 2024, Harris County deputies were called to an apartment on Alderson Street as people reported a shooting. According to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, Rivera was in a previous relationship with the 12-year-old's mother and had two children with her. They were together for six years and were separated on and off for two years. Harris County deputies were confirmed to have been called to the home before the shooting. Fernandez's mother says Rivera had dropped the kids off around 10 p.m. and was being loud and confrontational. Terry Rivera 2024 mugshot after being arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border. (Photo: Cameron County Sheriff's Office) The mother had two friends with her to help get the kids out of the truck, and as she approached to get them, Rivera pushed her, making her fall backward, HCSO reports. Advertisement Advertisement Rivera had grabbed a firearm from next to the vehicle and yelled at her again while the kids were escorted inside the home. He did not point the weapon at anyone, officials say. It is believed Rivera shot through the window of his ex's apartment unit. Sheriff Gonzalez previously reported Carlos had been sleeping in the living room and ran into his sisters room when he heard the commotion. Authorities say they recovered the grey pickup truck believed to be used by the suspect when the shooting occurred. Arrested at U.S. - Mexico border Rivera was taken into custody at the U.S.-Mexico border on March 11, 2024. CBP officers referred Rivera for secondary inspection at the Gateway International Bridge on Monday. Utilizing biometric verification and federal databases, they discovered an outstanding felony warrant for capital murder issued by the Harris County Sheriffs Office. Advertisement Advertisement Rivera was turned over to Cameron County sheriffs deputies for further action. The Source Information from this article was provided by Harris County District Clerk's Office court records and previous FOX 26 reports. Thai forces demolished Cambodian homes in contested border areas after a ceasefire ended clashes between the neighbours, a local rights group said on Tuesday. A decades-old border dispute between the Southeast Asian nations erupted into military clashes several times last year, with fighting in December killing dozens of people and displacing around one million others on both sides. The two countries agreed to a ceasefire in late December, ending three weeks of clashes. Advertisement Advertisement Since then, Cambodia has said Thailand seized several areas in four border provinces and demanded the withdrawal of Thai troops from territory claimed by Phnom Penh. The Thai military has denied using force to seize Cambodian territory, insisting its forces were present in areas that had always belonged to Thailand. Rights group LICADHO on Tuesday said a "significant number of homes and structures" in Thai-controlled areas of two villages in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province "have been razed and cleared by Thai forces" following the December 27 truce. "The destruction of civilian homes during a conflict goes against the Geneva Conventions and international human rights law, regardless of which side of the contested border the houses stand," LICADHO said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement The demolitions had occurred in disputed areas claimed by both countries, the organisation said. Homes were also destroyed on land recognised by both sides as Thailand, and land recognised by both sides as Cambodia, it added, citing imagery from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 satellites as well as images and footage published by media outlets. "Their clearance post-ceasefire serves no legitimate military objective," LICADHO said. - 'We lost everything' - Earlier this month, Cambodia accused Thai forces of annexing the two contested border villages, Chouk Chey and Boeung Trakuon, among several disputed areas Phnom Penh says were seized. Advertisement Advertisement A Cambodian minister said at the time that Thai forces had installed barbed wire and shipping containers to create a "border fence". Bangkok has countered that the territory was always part of Thailand. Tep Chheang, 43, said he lived in Chouk Chey before his house was burned down during the December fighting and access to the village was blocked by the barbed wire and containers. "We lost everything now," he told AFP on Tuesday. "I have four children and I don't know where we will live." He is currently staying at a camp for displaced people. Pen Rithy, the village chief, said around 880 families were blocked from their homes in Chouk Chey. Advertisement Advertisement They could hear the sounds of excavators clearing the area from behind the row of containers, he told AFP. "It is like we are being buried alive. Our homes, land and belongings are gone," Pen Rithy said. "We don't know when we can go back into the village." - 'Full compliance' - Cambodia's foreign ministry this month condemned Thai forces for the "demolition of Cambodian civilian homes and other civilian infrastructures" in seized areas, saying the actions violated international law. A Thai foreign ministry spokesperson on Tuesday referred AFP to a January 12 statement from the ministry, which rejected "Cambodia's unfounded allegation of illegal territorial annexation" on the border. Advertisement Advertisement "Security measures undertaken by the Thai forces following the ceasefire are in full compliance" with the December 27 truce agreement, it said. The Thai army did not immediately reply to an AFP request for comment on Tuesday. The two nations' border conflict stems from a dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border, where both sides claim territory and centuries-old temple ruins. More than 127,000 Cambodians remain displaced following the December clashes, according to the interior ministry. suy-tp/sco/ane Heres what youll learn when you read this story: A new theory suggests that gravity could possibly be the result of entropy. If true, this would mean that everything in the universe would fall apart if it all remained unchanged. This theory tries to reconcile Einsteins theory of general relativity (which sees gravity as a warping of spacetime) with quantum theory (which views the universe as being made of extremely small objects that can exist in particle or wave form). Advertisement Advertisement It is possible that the theory could also allow for gravitational fields to be made of dark matter, which continues to elude us. Entropy. The word itself should cause insomnia. It means that matter and energy will degradeultimately leading to chaos in the universeif things are left alone. So why is a new theory suggesting that gravity could possibly emerge from entropy? Yup, you read that right: quantum relative entropy may determine the action of gravity. This is what physicist and mathematician Ginestra Bianconi from Queen Mary University of London proposes in a new theory. Theres just one issue: for this to work, two theories that have forever been at odds with each other need to harmonize. The idea of quantum relative entropy mashes up the clashing concepts of general relativity and quantum theory . Einsteins theory of general relativity sees gravity as the curvature or warping of spacetime by an object, with more massive objects having a greater effect on the spacetime surrounding them. For example, the Sun is 330,000 times the mass of the Earth. As a result, our planet is orbiting within the huge distortion in spacetime that the Suns enormous presence has caused, like a quarter rolling around one of those oversized funnels. Advertisement Advertisement Quantum theory, on the other hand, views the universe as being made of extremely small objects (think subatomic particles) that act as both particles and waves. Particles are minuscule pieces of matter, while waves are disturbances that transfer energy. According to quantum mechanics, the universe is described on micro and nano scales. Relativity is the opposite, in the sense that it describes matter on cosmic scales. Finding a way to connect general relativity and quantum mechanics has proved to be an enduring headache for scientists. To that end, enter Bianconis theory. She posits that spacetime is actually a quantum operator , meaning that it acts on quantum states to turn them into different types of quantum states. Quantum entropy quantifies (no pun intended) how much disorder or unpredictability is in the state of something, which helps distinguish between two quantum states. Bianconi, in her work, found that she could use it to describe how spacetime and matter interact. Gravity is derived from an entropic action coupling matter fields with geometry [of spacetime], she said in a study recently published in Physical Review D . By allowing quantum entropy to describe differences between matter and spacetime, Bianconis theory modifies general relativity by first giving the fabric of spacetime low energy and a small curvature, and then by predicting a small cosmological constant (which explains how much and how fast the universe is expanding). Advertisement Advertisement The new theory also incorporates a G-field, or gravitational field. G-fields are vector fieldswhich means they have both magnitude and directionthat explain how space is influenced by an object. Bianconi uses the G-field as what is known as a Lagrangian multiplier, which finds the maximum and minimum of a function. Waves, which are one of the two quantum states, are described by a wave function. Finding the maximum and minimum of a wave function with a G-field could reconcile quantum theory with general relativity. If the clash between the theories is finally resolved, you end up with quantum gravity , which would exist in particle and wave form. That said, gravity existing in particle form raises another question. Dark matter is made of particles, but the nature of those particles remains an enigma, since they have never been directly observed. Bianconi thinks that, if gravity can exist as particles, the G-field might offer an explanation for dark matter. This work proposes that quantum gravity has an entropic origin and suggests that the G-field might be a candidate for dark matter, she said in a press release . Advertisement Advertisement Theres still a lot of work that needs to be done before this idea is anywhere near confirmed. But, theres a chance that chaos brings about gravity, which in turn might, in one form, possibly be dark matter. Mind blown. You Might Also Like Forward Party of Utah Sen. Emily Buss, Democrat Rep. John Arthur, and Republican Rep. Leah Hansen. (Photos courtesy of the Utah Senate and House) After three lawmakers quit their legislative roles to take other state leadership appointments, local office, or to open up unprecedented third-party elections, three newcomers will be casting their first votes in a general legislative session starting Tuesday. Forward Party of Utah Sen. Emily Buss of Eagle Mountain is kicking off her public office career in the Utah Senate this year. She was chosen in an open, nonpartisan selection vote in her district to replace former longtime West Valley City Sen. Daniel Thatcher, who switched parties and then stepped down last year, opening up a spot for a new third-party lawmaker. Advertisement Advertisement Rep. John Arthur, a Holladay Democrat, is replacing former Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion after she switched her state capitol seat for Cottonwood Heights Mayors Office. After former House Majority Leader Rep. Jefferson Moss was tapped to lead the Governors Office of Economic Opportunity, District 51 Republicans elected Rep. Leah Hansen of Saratoga Springs last summer. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX All will serve until the end of the year, unless they are reelected in November. Buss, Arthur and Hansen spoke to Utah News Dispatch about their legislative ambitions as they prepared for the 45-day general session. A lawmaker with no caucus When Emily Buss starts her first legislative session as state senator, she wont have a caucus to convene with. She, like her predecessor, will be the only Forward party voice in the Capitol, and shes already feeling the pressure, she said. Advertisement Advertisement I kind of feel like Im a political experiment for everybody involved, Buss said. The Forward Party of Utah came together when the states two centrist groups merged last year. It is an affiliate of the national Forward Party. While many at the Capitol are helping her to get up to speed, Buss expects to be out of the loop on some issues. I hope that I can be an example of what politics can look like, and were just trying to solve the bipartisan issues, she said, and what you can achieve when your hands arent tied by party leadership. Buss, the 35-year-old founder of the Birthday Box Foundation, is now one of the youngest lawmakers this session. She hopes to bring the resourceful millennial working-class mindset, she said. Advertisement Advertisement This year shes working on a bill that would create a database for bill summaries described in plain language and with details on the financial impact they may have on county, city and personal taxes. Shes also trying to find solutions for areas experiencing rapid growth, like the one where she lives. A goal for Buss, for example, is to find a way to create a grant for high-growth school districts. The area Im from is exploding at the seams, and rather than putting all of that property tax burden onto the taxpayers, (the idea is) creating a fund that high-growth districts can qualify for to help secure land and capital improvements, like starting to build schools before theyre already bursting at the seams, she said. Buss district also encompasses other areas, like much of Tooele, and parts of West Valley City, Magna, Kearns and other municipalities west of Interstate 15. She plans on meeting with all of the mayors, city council members and city managers in the district to learn about their top concerns, she said. However, she has already defined a big priority for the area. Advertisement Advertisement Im going to be a huge advocate on transportation and just infrastructure and connectivity in general for the west side and all of the communities that are growing, Buss said. While she may be considered a wild card in the political sphere, she said, dont expect major drama from her time in the Legislature. No one knows what to expect from me, and I hope theyll be pleasantly surprised that Im just a nice, easy-to-get-along-with person who doesnt care about the drama, Buss said. Im just here to help the most people while I can make the biggest impact while Im here. I dont have ambitions of being a politician for my whole life. A Utah teacher of the year The week before the start of the session, John Arthur was still cranking out sub plans, he said on Wednesday. Finding a long-term substitute for the full 45 days the Legislature is in session was a big concern for him as a teacher at a Title I school elementary school in Salt Lake City. Advertisement Advertisement However, his job was also what inspired his political career, he said. Seeing how public education governance impacted his work, especially after receiving the 2021 Utah Teacher of the Year recognition, made him want to push for different standards and considerations as policy is being written. While Arthurs young years were spent on different army bases following his father, a U.S. Army airborne ranger, he grew up in Cottonwood Heights, where his family settled. Now, all these years later, I moved my wife and two little girls to nearby, in Holladay, but basically the same area and same community, he said. And now I am the representative in the statehouse for the same middle school and high school and friends and neighbors I grew up with. Arthur has filed his first bill, which aims to deliver on the promises that weve made to educators, he said, by ensuring teachers keep the raises they received when the Utah Fits All Scholarship passed, regardless of the programs fate after a district court ruled it to be unconstitutional. Advertisement Advertisement If that program fails, then that raise for educators will also go away, and every teacher in the state of Utah will lose that money, Arthur said. And so my bill is an attempt to make sure that that is not a threat that we have to worry about. Another issue hes hoping to pursue is the amount of polarization and conflict experienced in the Utah State Board of Education, an issue that has been ramping up since a 2016 law made the institution a partisan office. State school board races forever were nonpartisan, until that law passed, he said. And now were in a situation where our state school board is often in the news for not great things, because we are electing partisan school board members where we should really be focusing on (their) expertise and excellence in education. While thats a big part of his platform, Arthur is also planning to push on natural resources and climate policy, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Still, he acknowledges that entering the Legislature as a Democratic freshman may be rocky. I am not naive. I know that I am the newest kid in the minority caucus, he said. But I also believe my whole life that if you come to people with dignity and care, and you humanize them, and you let them know that youre not coming with ulterior motives, you are coming to do good work that most people will meet you in that work. An ordinary citizen Leah Hansen has gradually learned all the ins and outs of citizen participation in the legislative process since she started attending committee and floor meetings 10 years ago. I learned all these things through trial and error, and its just become something that I dont want to say I enjoy doing, but something that I feel Ive needed to do, Hansen said, and I see so few of the ordinary citizens up there. Advertisement Advertisement Hansen said shes first and foremost a wife and a mother. With her children grown she has been volunteering to manage a Saratoga Springs community social media account, and now, shes preparing for a more active role, representing them in the Legislature. However, the new Republican lawmaker isnt aiming to file tons of legislative proposals. As state leaders complain that lawmakers continue breaking the record number of bills introduced during the general session, Hansens approach is to start light this year. I dont have any bills at this time because I believe that restraint begins with me. If Im wanting to limit government, Id better start by limiting myself, she said. But more so because there were so many bills that there were just so many to stay on top of, that I didnt want to put any more burden on us than we need to be having at the moment. Advertisement Advertisement Shes looking at some issues, she said. But she hasnt agreed to running any bills yet. I want to make sure that they are actually necessary and proper for the government to be doing, she said. Hansen was born in Hawaii to students from Tonga and New Zealand attending Brigham Young University-Hawaii. She lived in Tonga until she turned 12 years old, when her family moved to Utah and hasnt left since. Now, as a legislator, she says she wants to keep a connection to her Saratoga Springs community and have individual, ordinary citizens, like her, join lawmakers at the Capitol to see for themselves how laws take shape. But also, shes aiming to advocate for freedom and the proper role of government, she said. Hansen hopes for better things for the country and the state, and she believes a lot of that can happen when leaders evaluate which direction the state is taking. Are we heading toward freedom, or is it something else thats unrecognizable? she said. There are so many laws. I personally think that there are a lot of unnecessary laws that dont need to be there. When asked about her thoughts on the role of government, she said, it should stay in its lane, allow the people to live their lives. I think government needs to mind their own business and just do the things that theyre supposed to do, which is to protect and secure the rights of the people, period, she said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE NEW YORK Tens of thousands of workers are expected to leave work early Tuesday to protest the one-year anniversary of President Trumps second inauguration. Nearly 40,000 people RSVPd to participate in a 2 p.m. Eastern time Free America Protest, according to Axios. Free America encourages demonstrators to meet Tuesday wearing red, white and blue in locations including Central Park, Prospect Park, Washington Square Park and Trump Tower in Midtown. At least 800 events associated with that movement are slated for whats shaping up to be a frigid afternoon in New York City. Advertisement Advertisement This is not a request. This is a rupture. This is a protest and a promise, Free America says on its website. Event organizers are also encouraging students to leave their classrooms to join marchers objecting to the Trump administrations first year in office, which has included federal law enforcement being deployed in U.S. cities and unprovoked aggression toward longstanding allies. Womens March Managing Director Tamika Middleton helped organize Tuesdays protest. She said participants want to send a message that we withdraw our consent from what is happening within the Trump administration. According to Axios, Tuesdays activities could be a sign of things to come as the sophomore year of Trumps second presidency gets underway. National No Kings rallies protest reportedly attracted 7-million participants in October. Thousands of New Yorkers, including elected officials, marched on Fifth Avenue this month in a related demonstration. Researchers claim that increasingly large protests can be effective in forcing change. Advertisement Advertisement In the face of fascism, we will be ungovernable, Free Americas website claims. President Trump celebrated the state of the nation with a social media post declaring America is back!!! late Monday afternoon. He cites the soaring stock market and tightened U.S. borders among his successes over the past year. _____ Nearly 2,000 people took part in a two-and-a-half-mile march to commemorate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and remember the work that is still left to be done. As they marched through the streets of downtown Phoenix, several participants told The Arizona Republic the procession held extra significance in light of recent events in Minneapolis and the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives by businesses and the Trump administration. This was the 40th anniversary of the Phoenix Martin Luther King Jr. march, said Valerie Churchwell, chair of the Arizona Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Awards Breakfast. Marchs roots trace back to pressure on Arizonas government The Arizona Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration hosted the march and festival on Jan. 19. The organization celebrates the legacy of King and promotes cultural diversity and unity, according to the organization's website. Advertisement Advertisement The march originally started "when the state didn't want to have the march," Churchwell said. Former Gov. Evan Mecham in 1987 rescinded an executive order signed a year earlier by his predecessor, Bruce Babbitt. The order would have made Martin Luther King Jr. Day a state holiday. Before Babbitt's executive order, the state Legislature had failed by one vote to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a state holiday. Churchwell said the founders of the organization used the march as a way to pressure state lawmakers in designating Martin Luther King Jr. Day a state holiday. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was not recognized as a state holiday until 1992, nearly 10 years after former President Ronald Reagan signed it into law as a national holiday in January 1983, according to the African American Museum of Southern Arizona. Advertisement Advertisement MLK Day history: Arizona was among last states to recognize MLK Day. Here's why and how Super Bowl played role 'There is still a lot of work to do' With a bullhorn in hand, Pastor Terry Mackey prayed over the march before it began at his church, Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. Mackey expressed thankfulness for a "wonderful day" as they remembered a "wonderful man." Even though at times it seems that King's "dreams are becoming a nightmare," Mackey prayed for faith to overcome and keep moving forward in making King's dream a reality. As he marched through Jefferson Street, Mackey told The Republic that "the fight still continues" after Renee Good was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minnesota. Advertisement Advertisement The recent events in Minnesota showed that "there is still a lot of work to do," Mackey said. "So that's why, for us, this march is significant. Not only to remember the dreamer but to remember that we still have work to do to make his dream in full reality," Mackey said. 'Can't afford to go backwards' The march featured several well-known political figures and activists, including Sen. Ruben Gallego, Gov. Katie Hobbs, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Attorney General Kris Mayes and long-time activist Earl Wilcox. Hobbs said Arizona has "made a lot of progress" in bringing justice for everyone. Advertisement Advertisement "I don't think we can afford to go backwards," Hobbs said in a news conference before the march. In an interview before the march, Sen. Gallego also said there is still a lot of work to be done. There is still racial discrimination, and the civil rights of Americans are still being violated every day, Sen. Gallego said. "There's people that are being killed by ICE officers because they felt that they were quote unquote threatened. So this is a very important time for everyone to gather and understand that we have to fight together to make sure that there's less injustice in the world," Sen. Gallego said. Advertisement Advertisement Gallego said the civil rights movement was successful because of the peaceful protests led by King and former U.S. Rep. John Lewis. "I think that's what we have to continue doing, to show that ICE is being unjust to Americans and that it needs to be reined in," Sen. Gallego said. Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego joins thousands of people gathered in Phoenix on Jan. 19, 2026, during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March on Monday as city leaders, businesses and community organizations gather in remembrance of the late civil rights leader. Participants hopeful for change Greg Powell, 74, has participated in the march every year since he moved to Phoenix 22 years ago. Given the "unfortunate way the country is currently going," Powell said people must revisit what King stood for: "respect for all people regardless of race, creed, color." Powell said he feels sorry for the way the world has been left for his granddaughter. Advertisement Advertisement "I mean people being pulled over just based on the color of their skin or whether they have an accent...all of that happened way back when I was a youngster," Powell said. Detained: CBP stormed the cruise cabin of a Coast Guard veteran and detained him Powell is hopeful for change. "It means that we have to, as a people, have to be diligent and resist the kind of hatefulness that's going on right now and do everything that we can to pull together...to support anybody because if they go after one, they will go after all of us eventually," Powell said. Uriah Marshall, a captain for the Phoenix Fire Department and president of the United Black Firefighters of Arizona, has been participating in the parade since he was in diapers. Advertisement Advertisement Originally from South Phoenix, Marshall, 40, said his parents took him to some of the first Phoenix Martin Luther King Jr. Day marches. Marshall now brings his wife and daughter to the parade. The march is "super important" to Marshall because his parents grew up going to segregated schools. His father is from Austin, Texas, and his mother is from Gainesville, Fla. Marshall's parents taught him the importance of inclusiveness. He said he carried their lessons in his fight for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives through his role as a fire captain and head of the United Black Firefighters of Arizona. Advertisement Advertisement "So for me, it's not just a march, right? It's a way of life. It's the importance of giving back, the importance being all inclusive, the importance of diversity and understanding our past," Marshall said. Former The Arizona Republic Reporter Olivia Rose contributed to this reporting. Have any news tips or story ideas about immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona? Reach the reporter at david.ulloa@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @davidulloa_ii. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Thousands march in Phoenix to honor MLK Three individuals were detained by police officers during an Ohio State University campus demonstration protesting U.S. Customs and Border Protection recruiters working at a career fair. About 60 Ohio State students, employees and community members gathered at the Ohio Union Jan. 20 for the protest. Among the 150 public and private sector employers participating in Ohio State's College of Arts and Sciences annual spring career fair was Customs and Border Protection, an agency overseen by the Department of Homeland Security. Protestors gathered on the Ohio Union's first floor before walking upstairs to the Archie M. Griffin Grand Ballroom, where the career fair was held. Students swiped in using their BuckIDs to enter the event and gathered around CBP's table. One individual holding a sign reading "DHS OFF CAMPUS" was escorted out of the ballroom by two Ohio State University police officers. Advertisement Advertisement After interacting with protestors for about half an hour, CBP recruiters packed up their table and left the career fair through a back door. Meanwhile, protestors standing outside the ballroom were told multiple times by Ohio State police officers to leave the area or be arrested for criminal trespassing. Many students, some of whom were not affiliated with the protest, expressed confusion as to why they had to leave. Two more individuals were detained by police officers and taken from the building. "Three individuals were arrested for criminal trespass, following multiple warnings, after disrupting a career fair event inside the Ohio Union and violating university space standards," said Ohio State spokesperson Dan Hedman. Hedman confirmed that two of the individuals arrested are Ohio State students. Ohio State students protest the presence of U.S. Customs and Border Protection recruiters at a career fair at the Ohio Union. The person with the sign was escorted out of fair by Ohio State University Police. Ohio State's Graduate Student Alliance, one of the protest's organizing groups, called on its members and other university students last week to email administrators to "request that they refrain from using ICE on our campus." Advertisement Advertisement "ICE has no place at OSU," OSUGSA's statement read. "Contacting members of our university is one way that we can peacefully, but firmly, protest activities that put students, faculty, and staff at risk." Gabriel Gorre, a fourth-year PhD student studying political science and a member of OSUGSA, said he came out to protest to stand up for fellow graduate students, many of whom are international students. "I don't feel it is particularly acceptable to put those students at risk," Gorre said. Though overseen by DHS, CBP is different from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to DHS, ICE enforces immigration law within the country and CBP handles security at U.S. entry points and enforces immigration along the border. Ohio State students protest the presence of U.S. Customs and Border Protection recruiters at a career fair at the Ohio Union. The lines between those agencies' work have started to blur, however, as the Trump administration expanded its immigration enforcement efforts. ICE is facing increased backlash after a Minneapolis woman was fatally shot by an agent earlier this month. Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot by an ICE agent on Jan. 7, sparking a response from many nationwide about the agency's goals and use of force. Advertisement Advertisement The Ohio Immigrant Alliance said in a Jan. 9 news release that the organization identified at least 214 people arrested by ICE during "Operation Buckeye," a December immigration enforcement blitz in Ohio. The organization said in an analysis of publicly available jail rosters that 80 percent of the people detained were Latino, and less than 10 percent were African. Gorre said that while he hasn't heard of any instances of ICE agents on campus, he knows at they are in Columbus, along with other DHS agents. "Inviting CBP could create permissive conditions, but it is also because inviting them in the first place goes against everything you say you value as a university," he said. Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson previously told The Dispatch that the agency has attended the event for several years in a row. Advertisement Advertisement "Typically, employers who have attended in the past are invited to attend again," Johnson said. When asked if the university had any concerns with CBP being on campus given recent events in Columbus and Minneapolis, Johnson previously said: "As with all large gatherings, Department of Public Safety and Campus Activism and Event Engagement will assess and staff appropriately." (This story was updated to include new information.) Higher education reporter Sheridan Hendrix can be reached at shendrix@dispatch.com and on Signal at @sheridan.120. You can follow her on Instagram at @sheridanwrites. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Three people arrested at Ohio State job fair as student protest CBP recruiters New court filings have brought new scrutiny to the allegations facing Timothy Busfield, after audio from early police interviews with two underage accusers surfaced this week. The audio, obtained by TMZ on Monday, January 19, features interviews conducted with the 11-year-old twin boysidentified as V.L. and S.L.during police questioning in November 2024. The children were reportedly interviewed separately by investigators. In the recording, an officer carefully explains boundaries to the boys, asking, You know no one can touch your private areas? Both children respond, yes. When asked directly whether Busfield ever touched their private parts, the boys reply, No, according to the audio. Advertisement Advertisement Busfields attorney presented the recording in a New Mexico courtroom on Monday, describing the statements as an unequivocal denial of inappropriate touching, per the outlet. The audio was submitted ahead of a scheduled hearing Tuesday, which will determine whether the actor will be granted release on bail while awaiting trial. But, according to the outlet, prosecutors argued that the audio reflects a failure to disclose abuse rather than proof that no misconduct occurred. READ MORE: Timothy Busfield Allegedly Reveals Intimate Details About Marriage With Melissa Gilbert Busfield, 68, surrendered to authorities earlier this month and was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. The allegations stem from incidents that allegedly occurred while he was directing the FOX series The Cleaning Lady. Advertisement Advertisement A criminal complaint alleges that one of the boys later confided in a therapist, claiming Busfield touched his privates, according to TMZ. As the legal process continues, the fallout has already affected Busfields professional life. The publication also confirmed that scenes featuring the West Wing alum in the upcoming Amazon MGM Studios romantic comedyYou Deserve Each Other, starring Penn Badgley, are being removed from the final cut of the film. Busfield had been cast as the father of Meghann Fahys character, but the role will now be edited out entirely. Busfield has denied all allegations, previously calling them horrible and all lies, as his case proceeds through the court system. His wife, actress Melissa Gilbert, has also submitted letters of support to the court, along with other family members, including her son. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit their website. This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Its not uncommon that the kids did not disclose at that time, or were ready to disclose at that time to a police officer that showed up at their home, said Bernalillo County Assistant District Attorney Savannah Brandenburg-Koch today in a New Mexico court of child sexual abuse accusations against Timothy Busfield. The Thirtysomething actor is alleged to have repeatedly touched the poop and pee area of a young boy who was an actor on the Albuquerque-filmed The Cleaning Lady. He does have the likelihood that he could reoffend, the prosecutor declared of the 68-year-old Busfield, who was sitting nearby in District Judge David Murphys Albuquerque courtroom. Brandenburg-Koch on Tuesday, as DA David Bergmans office has in court filings over the past week, stressed past but never charged allegations in 1994 and 2012 against Busfield, as well as another claim of over 30 years ago that came to light on January 14. All of the previous claims involved teenage girls and adult women. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement I have significant concerns about the prosecution talking as if he has already been convicted, defense lawyer Christopher Dodd replied in his own presentation Tuesday, calling the DAs efforts a fallacy. Hitting back hard, Dodd went on to say the children flat out denied there was any sexual abuse in their first conversation with police. The fact is the criminal complaint in this case is slanted. RELATED: Timothy Busfield Faces New Sexual Abuse Claim To that, Dodd called one witness Tuesday, Cleaning Lady director of cinematography Alan Caudillo. The filmmaker had written a letter to the court in Busfields favor. The correspondence was included with the defenses rejection of the DAs motion. Praising Busfields skills as a director on the episodes of the Elodie Yung-led drama over several seasons, Caudillo today in court called the boys parents typical aggressive set parents. He also said the father sometimes made him uncomfortable and that he heard the parents took it very badly when his children, who were being paid $60,000 an episode, were let go from the show. When asked about the core claims of abuse, which he said he read on Deadline last week, The Hangover vet replied with a blunt no, when asked by attorney Dodd if it was possible Mr. Busfield inappropriately touched SL on the set of The Cleaning Lady. Advertisement Advertisement Having written to the court late last week on the virtues of her husband, Melissa Gilbert was in the courtroom today with other members of the family for the hearing. Being held without bond at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center, Busfield looked over to her as he entered the room just at 1 p.m. PT. Dressed in the standard prison wear of an orange jumpsuit and shackled, Busfield immediately sat down with his Albuquerque attorneys Amber Fayerberg and Dodd. RELATED: Thirtysomething Castmates Offer Strong Support Reading over documents in front of him and sipping water, Busfields hands were clearly shaking in the opening minutes in a relatively silent courtroom before the judge entered. Judge Murphy is expected to rule on the pretrial detention motion during todays hearing. Slamming the minimal investigation that The Cleaning Lady producer Warner Bros. conducted when allegations were first made in 2024 against Busfield, Assistant DA Brandenburg-Koch sought to dismiss the relevance of lie detector test Busfield successfully passed just before he surrendered himself to New Mexico police. Polygraph, although allowed here in New Mexico, I would ask the board give less weight to because we dont have raw data, she said. Defendant didnt provide us with that, and the polygraph does not address what this hearing is about. Advertisement Advertisement Aiming to keep the currently-incarcerated Busfield behind bars on the vile claims while the case works its way towards trial, Brandenburg-Koch also added that 80% of children delay disclosure its also very normal that kids give a little bit at a time to test the waters to see what happens. With the thirtysomething actor and The Cleaning Lady director sitting nearby, the prosecutor told Judge Murphy that the state is requesting that this Court find the defendant dangerous and that there are no conditions of release that the court can impose to secure the safety of the community. RELATED: Timothy Busfields Mugshot Released Following a detailed arrest warrant issued January 9 that charged the Busfield with two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and child abuse, lawyers for the Emmy winner have questioned how the 2014-born brothers and ex-The Cleaning Lady actors only spoke of tickling and such touching in initial interviews with police and other authorities. It wasnt until September of last year, months after the Albuquerque Police Department had begun what was turning into a non-starter of an investigation into claims against Busfield, the mother of the boys told the cops that on 09/02/2025, SL reported to his counselor that Busfield touched his penis and bottom. In a November 3, 2025 phone interview with APD Officer Marvin Brown that is quoted in the January 9 warrant, Busfield said the lead actress, Elodie Yung told him back in late 2024 that the mother of SL and VL (sic) that she wanted revenge, and Im going to get my revenge on Tim Busfield for not bringing her kids back for the final season. Advertisement Advertisement Maintaining the familys motivation was all about money, as the Assistant DA herself termed it Tuesday, the defense in their opposition to prosecutors pretrial detention motion proclaimed the DAs office offers no reliable proofonly allegations advanced by witnesses with documented histories of fraud and financial exploitation, contradicted by a comprehensive studio investigation, and refuted by witnesses and objective risk assessments. RELATED: Timothy Busfield Dropped By Innovative Artists Today, under questioning from Judge Murray on the suspicious move of the parents talking to lawyers before going to the authorities in 2024, Brandenburg-Koch said that no civil lawsuit has been filed. Stating this is not about the parents history, she added it is my understanding that they are not filing a civil lawsuit. Since the charges were made public against Busfield, an episode of Law & Order: SVU starring the actor has been pulled from the schedule, Amazon-MGM have edited him out of upcoming rom-com You Deserve Each Other, and his longtime agency Innovative Artists dropped him on January 14. Advertisement Advertisement Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. DENVER (KDVR) Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was involved in an incident with another inmate, according to a statement made to FOX31 by a spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Corrections. The spokesperson confirmed that the incident occurred at the La Vista Correctional Facility on Jan. 18. Man facing attempted murder charge in Highlands Ranch road rage shooting: DCSO No one was injured during the incident, the spokesperson reported. Advertisement Advertisement As part of department policy, the incident prompted an administrative investigation, which included reviewing surveillance footage at the correctional facility. The other inmate involved is not in solitary confinement, but was moved to a different housing area. It is standard safety and security procedure for any incarcerated person to be moved to separate housing while an investigation is underway. Peters is serving a nine-year sentence after being found guilty of election fraud during the 2020 Primary Election. President Donald Trump has demanded she be released multiple times and even granted her a federal pardon, which lacked the authority for a release, as Peters was sentenced at the state level, meaning only Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has the power to issue a pardon. Advertisement Advertisement Colorado officials from both the Republican and Democratic parties have urged Polis to uphold the sentence. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 European Union's top official did not hold back in her warnings about President Donald Trump's threat to impose fresh tariffs on countries opposing his push for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous Danish territory. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Trump's threats "a mistake" and questioned U.S. trustworthiness, saying that the EU-U.S. trade deal from July had to "mean something." "Arctic security can only be achieved together. This is why the proposed additional tariffs are a mistake, especially between long-standing allies. The EU and U.S. have agreed to a trade deal last July. And in politics as in business a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something," Von der Leyen said. Advertisement Advertisement "We consider the people of the United States not just our allies, but our friends. And plunging us into a dangerous downward spiral would only aid the very adversaries we are both so committed to keeping out of the strategic landscape," she added, vowing the EU's response would be "unflinching, united and proportional." Most Americans Say 'No' To Greenland Takeover, With Even Republicans Split: Poll During the World Economic Forum, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen slammed President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on countries who defy his proposed U.S. takeover of Greenland. (Getty Images) "The Trump administration and the EU agreed months ago to a historic trade deal involving the United States reducing tariffs to 15% and the EU lowering tariffs and cutting non-tariff barriers against American exports. While the Trump administration has kept its word, the EU has yet to fulfill its end of the bargain. The EUs time would be better spent delivering on these trade commitments," White House spokesperson Kush Desai told Fox News Digital. Read On The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement French President Emmanuel Macron also addressed the issue at Davos, saying the tariffs could force the EU to use its anti-coercion mechanism against the U.S. "for the very first time," The Associated Press reported. The outlet noted that he argued that allied countries should be focused on bringing peace to Ukraine and ending the nearly four-year war with Russia. Trump announced on Saturday that starting on Feb. 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands and Finland would face a 10% tariff on all goods imported to the U.S. The rate will then increase to 25% on June 1. The president added that "this tariff will be due and payable until such time as a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland." The president doubled down on his argument that U.S. control of Greenland was necessary to protect national security and American interests, saying that the acquisition would be key to developing the Golden Dome, a cutting-edge missile defense system meant to intercept threats targeting the American homeland. People protest after the White House said the U.S. was considering a range of options to acquire Greenland, including the use of military force, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Jan. 17, 2026. Us Congressional Delegation Visits Denmark Amid Backlash Over Trump's Push To Acquire Greenland Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration's rhetoric about Greenland has caused friction between the U.S. and several allies, who warn that annexing the territory could burn diplomatic bridges. However, on Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said U.S. relations with Europe remain strong and encouraged trading partners to "take a deep breath," the AP reported. Leaders from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the U.K. issued a joint statement on Tuesday, affirming their commitment as NATO members to "strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest." They also expressed their solidarity with Denmark and Greenland. "Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to upholding our sovereignty," the statement read. Some European nations recently tried to flex their muscles with a brief troop deployment to Greenland. France, Germany, Sweden and Norway participated in a two-day exercise to bolster the Danish territory's defenses amid Trump's threats. Germany deployed a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel, France sent 15 mountain specialists and Sweden, Norway and Britain sent three, two and one officers, respectively, according to Reuters. Visitors attend the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement In text messages that Trump published on Truth Social, Macron suggested a meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) nations in Paris after the conference in Davos. The AP reported that an official close to Macron confirmed the authenticity of the text exchange. As of Jan. 20, no such meeting had been announced. The Associated Press and Fox News Digital's Greg Norman-Diamond and Gillian Turner contributed to this report. Original article source: Top EU official warns Trump's tariff threat over Greenland pushback is 'a mistake' ICE agents believe they have the authority to interrogate anyone en route to a target. Thats what a senior agency official, Marcos Charles, told Cecilia Vega on CBSs 60 Minutes on Sunday. Vega had asked Charles about how ICE has been carrying out its stated goal of targeted enforcement, noting that the agency appeared to be stopping and detaining people simply because they looked Somali or Latino. Our officers areare conducting targeted enforcement looking for the worst of the worst. If they encounter anybody in the area of which theyre operating, they are OK to talk to those people. Theyve been authorized to talk to anybody thats around there and establish citizenship, Charles said. Vega pointed out that this didnt seem targeted. Advertisement Advertisement If they were in that area looking for a target, and they were en route or coming from that target and encountered that individual, they are authorized to talk to somebody and speak to somebody Charles said, before Vega interrupted, confused. How do you define the area? Officers are walking down the street, driving down the street. The entire city of Minneapolis is everybody, potentially, Vega asked, wondering if the entire city was under suspicion. Nobodys under suspicion, but were looking for those targets. And, again, if we walkencounter somebody, as were walking up to a building, as were en route to that building, thats still part of the operation as they proceed to that target, Charles said. ICE Associate Director Marcos Charles says that any individual that ICE agents encounter in, around, or in-route to a "target" is fair game for an interrogation, leaving the interviewer stunned. pic.twitter.com/cSa6thpbEr Home of the Brave (@OfTheBraveUSA) January 19, 2026 Charles, who is the acting associate director of enforcement and removal Operations for ICE, basically confirmed that ICE operates under the assumption that nearly everyone is fair game for arrest if the agents on the scene think someone is an undocumented immigrant. This explains how ICE agents in Minnesota have been trying to get the states residents to racially profile their neighbors, asking them to point out their Asian neighbors. In July, President Trumps border czar Tom Homan said that ICE agents have the right to detain anyone for any reason, brazenly admitting that the agency uses racial profiling. On Sunday, ICE agents dragged a half-naked man out of his Saint Paul home into the freezing cold, only to release him hours later once they realized he was a U.S. citizen with no criminal record. A record number of tourists flocked to Japan in 2025, officials said Tuesday, despite a steep fall in Chinese visitors in December as a diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo rumbled on. Japan logged 42.7 million arrivals last year, according to the transport ministry, topping 2024's record of nearly 37 million as the weak yen boosted the appeal of the "bucket list" destination. However, the number of tourists from China last month dropped about 45 percent from a year earlier to around 330,000. Advertisement Advertisement Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's suggestion in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on Taiwan triggered a sharp diplomatic backlash from China, which urged its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan. Tuesday's announcement showed the warning had impacted visitor numbers. China has been the biggest source of tourists to the Japanese archipelago, with almost 7.5 million visitors in the first nine months of 2025 -- a quarter of all foreign tourists, according to official figures. Attracted by a weak yen, Chinese tourists splashed out the equivalent of $3.7 billion in the third quarter. Advertisement Advertisement In the wake of Beijing's travel warning, Li Benjing, an employee at a small travel agency in Tokyo targeting Chinese tourists, told AFP the firm had seen a 90 percent decline in sales. "The impact for our business is huge," she said. However, Transport Minister Yasushi Kaneko said it was a "significant achievement" that overall visitor numbers had topped 40 million people for the first time. "While the number of Chinese tourists in December decreased, we attracted a sufficient number of people from many other countries and regions to offset that," he said, adding that there had been a "steep" increase in tourists from Europe, the United States and Australia. Advertisement Advertisement "We also hope and want to make sure that Chinese visitors will return to us as soon as possible," he added. The overall increase is partly due to government policies to promote attractions from Mount Fuji's majestic slopes to shrines and sushi bars in more far-flung parts of the archipelago. The government has set an ambitious target of reaching 60 million tourists annually by 2030. - Overtourism - Japan's biggest travel agency JTB forecasted that overall tourist numbers this year would be "slightly lower" compared to 2025 due to a decrease in demand from China and Hong Kong. Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, tourism income was expected to increase due to rising prices of items such as lodging and strong spending among visitors. It added that due to an uptick in repeat visitors to Japan, the places people want to visit are shifting from large cities to rural areas. Authorities say they want to spread sightseers more evenly around the country, as complaints of overcrowding in hotspots like Kyoto grow. As in other global tourist magnets like Venice in Italy, there has been a growing pushback from residents in the ancient capital. The tradition-steeped city, just a couple of hours from Tokyo on the bullet train, is famed for its kimono-clad geisha performers and increasingly crowded Buddhist temples. Advertisement Advertisement Locals have complained of disrespectful tourists harassing the geisha in a frenzy for photos, as well as causing traffic congestion and littering. Elsewhere, exasperated officials have taken steps to improve visitors, including introducing an entry fee and a daily cap on the number of hikers climbing Mount Fuji. A barrier was briefly erected outside a convenience store in 2024 to stop people from standing in the road to photograph a view of the snow-capped volcano that had gone viral. tmo-hih-kh/aph/ane The Brief A tow truck driver is facing charges after troopers say he stole a vehicle that had been involved in a crash on I-275 on Sunday night. Troopers in Pasco County tracked Abrahim Ahmad down and stated that he admitted to using scanners, having an expired Illinois drivers license and towing the victims vehicle. Troopers said the same tow truck was stopped in early December for the same issue and the occupants of the tow truck were warned by Trooper Hairston. TAMPA, Fla. - A tow truck driver is facing charges after troopers say he stole a vehicle that had been involved in a crash on I-275 in Tampa on Sunday night. The backstory According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a road ranger closed the left lane of I-275 near downtown Tampa following a crash involving a red Chevrolet SUV that was blocking the left lane. Advertisement Advertisement A trooper was at the scene of another crash on Northbound I-275 just south of the crash involving the red SUV when a white tow truck with RPM towing stopped and asked if he needed help. The trooper said no and the tow truck driver left. Highway Patrol FHP said that the tow truck pulled up on the scene of the crash involving the red SUV and the tow truck driver got out of the vehicle and told the owner to stand to the side so he could hook up to the crashed vehicle. READ:Brawl at Winter Haven youth baseball game ends with 3 arrests: police According to officials, the owner of the red SUV told the tow truck driver, who was later identified as Abrahim S. Ahmad, not to touch his car because he was waiting for law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Troopers said that Ahmad told the owner of the red SUV that he did not have a choice and used his tow truck and hooked up to the crashed vehicle and told the owner he was going to drop it down the street. Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol The road ranger gathered the SUV's owner and their passenger and followed the tow truck to 7-11 located at SR 574 and I-275, where Ahmad had dropped the vehicle. The owner of the crashed SUV asked Ahmad to stay at the 7-11 until law enforcement arrived, but troopers explained that Ahmad reused and handed a form for the owner to sign. READ: Teen kayaker remains missing near Honeymoon Island, 2 others rescued: officials Advertisement Advertisement When the SUVs owner refused, troopers said Ahmad told them they had no choice and the owner of the SUV reluctantly signed the form and Ahmad got back in his tow truck and drove away. The owner of the SUV took several photos of the tow truck and its driver, who said his name was Frankie. Troopers in Pasco County tracked Ahmad down and stated that he admitted to using scanners, having an expired Illinois drivers license and towing the victims vehicle. However, according to FHP, Ahmad said that he was asked by both the owner of the red SUV and the road ranger to move the vehicle. Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Ahmad was charged with grand theft auto, solicitation by an unauthorized wrecker operator and obstruction without violence. Dig deeper According to FHP, the same tow truck was stopped in early December for the same issue and a trooper gave the occupants of the tow truck a warning. Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol The tow truck that was used was seized and placed into the VIF in Tampa. Advertisement Advertisement According to FHP, the tow truck was purchased from a legit Tow Company (RPG Towing out of Miami) in the middle of 2025. Troopers said that all the suspects did was remove the old phone number from the side of the Tow Truck and left all the other stickers, including the old FLDOT number. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim is asked to contact FHP by calling *347. The Source This article was written with information provided by the Florida Highway Patrol., Toyota has begun hiring some of the 400-plus people it's adding in San Antonio to operate a new rear axle plant now racing toward completion. The 500,000-square-foot facility is being built near Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas Inc.'s original South Side plant, which produces the Japanese automaker's gas- and hybrid-powered Tundra pickup and hybrid Sequoia SUV. Rear axles from the new plant will go into those vehicles and be exported for use in Tacoma pickups produced in Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Dozens of construction workers in neon vests are visible from the road as they work on the building, where equipment is now being installed. The plant is creating 411 new jobs. FROM 2024: As Toyota begins construction of San Antonio axle plant, local president looks to future Robots are a major component and the plant's highest-paid positions are assigned to maintaining them. Those skilled roles are nearly filled to give time for the extensive technical training required. Some of the new maintenance employees were sent to the corporation's sister plant in Alabama or Japan for training. Wages for the jobs range from $35.90 to $47.10 an hour. Hiring for production positions in the plant is to begin in late spring, with wages starting at $22.50 an hour with rotation premium. Hiring will continue as needed through 2027, with more information to be posted online. A Tundra pickup body gets a primer coat at Toyota's manufacturing site on the South Side of San Antonio. In another part of the plant, robotic painters apply one of 11 colors the customers wanted. (Toyota) Robots are also key to building Tundra and Sequoia. In the giant plant that opened in 2006, humans and robots work in tandem with automated vehicles using GPS to navigate the floor and playing music to alert others to their movements. Other driverless machines haul materials, whirling around corners guided by magnetic strips. Advertisement Advertisement RELATED:Manufacturing company planning to bring nearly 3,000 jobs to San Antonio It one part of the plant, 90 robots paint blank canvasses of steel with one of 11 color hues customers want on their Tundra or Sequoia. The biggest robot in the facility is nicknamed Godzilla, able to lift 500,000 pounds with precision. The existing plant is a fast-paced environment with constant honking and flashing lights. Car bodies make their way down a track in one direction while, moving in the opposite direction, car door interiors are installed. In the final inspection area, workers hop into the driver's seat to test lights and other features before driving the new vehicle off the production line. One rolls out every 60 seconds. In one shift, employees work on about 500 vehicles. The hybrid and gas-powered vehicles are manufactured on the same line, with hybrid engines indicated by color. The plant operates under a pull system, with production triggered by orders from distributors. Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE:Global manufacturer JCB says San Antonio factory an investment in the U.S. The rear axle plant will be a smaller-scale version of that human-machine dance, Toyota spokeswoman Melinda Higgens-Louden said. Toyota's South Side campus this year is set to open a new plant to manufacture rear axles like the one seen here at its South Side plant. The axles produced in San Antonio will be used in Tundras and Sequoias produced in San Antonio and Tacomas produced in Mexico. (Courtesy of Toyota ) It will house five production lines and 200 welding robots to create 18 variations of rear axles, the company said. It plans to make about 500,000 units a year when it's fully operational by spring 2027. The bulk of its finished parts - about 60% - will be shipped outside Texas for use in the Tacoma, giving the local plant a new foothold in the auto giant's supply chain. The other 40% will make a shorter trip across the campus for use in the Sequoia and Tundra. Advertisement Advertisement When fully staffed, the new axle plant will push total Toyota employment in San Antonio to more than 4,000 people. Suppliers on the company's South Side campus that build other parts for its vehicles employ another 5,800 people. A rear-axle assembly is moved into position at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas plant on the South Side. The assemblies are currently built elsewhere but the automaker's is building a new plant on its San Antonio campus to manufacture the axles. It will employ more than 400 people. (Courtesy of Toyota ) This article originally published at Toyota begins hiring at new San Antonio plant; will add 400+ employees this year. A train blocked several intersections in Old Town Fort Collins the morning of Jan. 20 after hitting an unoccupied vehicle on the tracks. No injuries have been reported. Fort Collins police said the train blocked traffic in both directions on North College Avenue north of Cherry Street, according to a Facebook post. Here's how traffic in the area was impacted: North College Avenue was closed from Vine Drive to Laurel Street. Traffic flow on Cherry Street was blocked east of North Mason Street. Traffic flow on North Mason Street was blocked from Laporte Avenue to Laurel Street. Laurel Street was open in both directions. Linden Street was open at the railroad crossing south of Vine Drive. A train blocks traffic in Old Town Fort Collins, Colo. on Jan. 20, 2026. As of about 9:40 a.m. the train was moving and traffic was beginning to clear. This story has been updated with additional information. This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Train blocking traffic in Old Town Fort Collins after crash Its been exactly one year since Donald Trump returned to the nations highest office. To mark the occasion, the president secured quality time in front of some of Americas top journalists Tuesday to, apparently, do little other than to talk to himself. Trump joined the White House press briefing, sidling up alongside press secretary Karoline Leavitt with a large stack of papers that turned out to be more prop than speech. But it was the content of Trumps remarksor rather, lack thereofthat caused some onlookers to question whether the president was in a healthy state of mind. Hm, Im just looking at these charges, its just pretty incredible, Trump said, rifling through the stack of papers, intermittently pausing to hold a page up to the camera. Many murderers. Many, many murderers. People that murdered. Advertisement Advertisement The president did not stop to name names, or to clarify which people he was targeting in his scrambled monologue, but the entries followed a general template that read at the top: Minnesota: worst of worst. Trump continued to read names and lists of charges, sometimes without even looking at the camera. Instead, it appeared he was simply reading brand-new information aloud to himself. folks, this is some really weird shit. the president is not well. pic.twitter.com/IQHcbM7mtl Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 20, 2026 Mass protests have kicked off in Minnesota since ICE agents shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother and U.S. citizen, on January 7. Since then, federal officers have ripped people from their homes and families, pulled over school buses, attacked teachers and students at a Minneapolis high school, and even clashed with local law enforcement. In response, some protesters have opted to openly carry their firearms through the city, brandishing their Second Amendment right to bear arms. Locals have formed neighborhood watches to follow ICE vehicles, banging pots and pans and screaming to alert others when agents enter their residential neighborhoods. Advertisement Advertisement Local politiciansincluding Minnesota Governor Tim Walzhave advised the federal agency to exit their cities and state, arguing that ICE and Border Patrol agents have done more harm than good. In 2025, before Goods death, the agency killed 32 peopleits deadliest year in more than two decades. But rather than heed the warning, the Trump administration has opted to up the ante, issuing grand jury subpoenas to Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, while placing 1,500 active-duty troops on standby for a potential invasion of Minnesota. Im going through this because I think we have plenty of time. Im going to a placebeautiful placein Switzerland, where Im sure Im very happily waited for, Trump rambled. In Switzerland they dont know about this. They have other problems, but they dont have this problem. Look, Trump said, holding up another page. Killed someone. Within weeks of Donald Trumps second inaugural, members of Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency team showed up at the Social Security Administration and started demanding access to files. The efforts were not well received: Michelle King, in her capacity as the acting Social Security commissioner, resigned after refusing a DOGE request to access the agencys sensitive government records. Months later, Charles Borges, who served at the time as the SSA chief data officer, filed a remarkable whistleblower complaint that alleged members of the DOGE operation had uploaded a copy of a highly sensitive database to a vulnerable cloud server, creating enormous vulnerabilities. In fact, The New York Times reported that the database in question included individuals full names, addresses and birth dates, among other details that could be used to steal their identities, making it one of the nations most sensitive repositories of personal information. Advertisement Advertisement As this year gets underway, not only is the DOGE team facing new accusations about the misuse of Social Security data, but the Trump administration revealed in a court filing last week that this might actually have happened. Politico reported: Two members of Elon Musks DOGE team working at the Social Security Administration were secretly in touch with an advocacy group seeking to overturn election results in certain states, and one signed an agreement that may have involved using Social Security data to match state voter rolls, the Justice Department revealed in newly disclosed court papers. Elizabeth Shapiro, a top Justice Department official, said SSA referred both DOGE employees for potential violations of the Hatch Act, which bars government employees from using their official positions for political purposes. At this point, its worth emphasizing that the Trump White House has repeatedly indicated that it simply doesnt care about the Hatch Act, a federal ethics law intended to limit the political activities of federal workers, and has treated it like the punchline to a joke. Put another way, even if DOGE members are found to have violated the Hatch Act in this case, it would be up to the Trump administration to punish them, and that seems extraordinarily unlikely. For that matter, even if there were reason to believe the unnamed officials in question crossed other legal lines, its hard to believe that the hyperpoliticized Justice Department would take such allegations seriously. Indeed, prosecutors who even took a second look at the matter might risk getting fired, given the degree to which Main Justice has been corrupted. But for those concerned with the integrity of the Social Security system, the allegations are extraordinary, whether or not these individuals face any accountability. The court filing describes incidents in which members of DOGE shared Social Security data on unapproved third-party servers and might also have retrieved private information they werent supposed to be able to access under an existing court order. Advertisement Advertisement An Axios report characterized the court filing as a stunning admission from the Trump administration, after it battled in court over DOGEs rights to access and use Social Security data as part of its effort to uncover fraud and waste. The White House and SSA officials did not respond to Politicos requests for comment. Watch this space. This post updates our related earlier coverage. The post Trump admin. reveals to court: DOGE members may have misused Social Security data appeared first on MS NOW. This article was originally published on ms.now A voter casts a paper ballot in Virginia. Despite two recent legal setbacks, the Trump administration has sued the Virginia elections commissioner in its quest to obtain sensitive voter data. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury) The Trump administration has sued another state Virginia in its quest to obtain sensitive voter data, despite two recent legal setbacks in suits against other states. The Justice Department on Friday sued Susan Beals, the elections commissioner in Virginia, after months of seeking a copy of the states voter registration lists, including individual names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. Advertisement Advertisement Virginia becomes the next state sued for ignoring federal law! U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon wrote on the social media platform X. The Trump administration has sued more than 20 states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, in what the administration frames as a quest to ensure that states are properly maintaining voter rolls, that ineligible people are kept off rolls and that only citizens are voting. The U.S. Department of Justice is sharing state voter roll information with the Department of Homeland Security in a search for noncitizens, the Trump administration confirmed in September. While election officials stress that well-maintained voter rolls are important, President Donald Trump and some of his Republican allies have long promoted baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. Advertisement Advertisement In the Virginia case, the Justice Department claims it was reassured by the administration of former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin that it would hand over voter rolls. But that did not occur and Youngkin was term-limited. On Saturday, Democrat Abigail Spanberger was sworn in as Virginias 75th governor. Beals, the elections commissioner, was appointed by Youngkin in 2022. The state election department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last week, similar federal lawsuits hit roadblocks in California and Oregon. U.S. District Court Judge David Carter dismissed a lawsuit by the Department of Justice against California seeking voter information, calling the request unprecedented and illegal. Just a day earlier, a separate federal judge said from the bench he planned to dismiss a similar lawsuit against Oregon. Advertisement Advertisement Democratic secretaries of state have criticized the federal governments data requests, calling them an unwarranted attempt by the Trump administration to exercise federal power over elections. Under the U.S. Constitution, states administer elections, though Congress can regulate them. Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE WASHINGTON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Representative Julia Letlow announced a Trump-backed primary challenge against Republican Senator Bill Cassidy on Tuesday, with a message that underscored her loyalty to President Donald Trump and promised to deliver unflinching conservative leadership. Letlow released a two-minute video that did not mention Cassidy by name but implied the two-term Louisiana Republican lacks conservative credentials in a state Trump won by 22 points in 2024. "A state as conservative as ours? We shouldn't have to wonder how our senator will vote when the pressure's on," said Letlow, 44, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Cassidy, 68, voted to convict Trump at his second impeachment trial after the January 6, 2021, attack on Congress by Trump supporters. He has since clashed with the Trump administration on healthcare issues but provided a crucial vote to confirm Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump waded into the Louisiana race over the weekend, with a social media post that concluded: "RUN, JULIA, RUN!!!" Cassidy said Letlow called him on Tuesday. "She said she respected me and that I had done a good job. I will continue to do a good job when I win re-election," he wrote on X. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Alistair Bell) (NewsNation) President Donald Trumps Board of Peace is starting to take shape, with some raising alarm bells it could create an institution intended to rival the U.N. Security Council. A signing ceremony for the board is expected to take place at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Trump proposed the board as part of his ceasefire plan in Gaza, describing it as a body to oversee peace in Gaza, headed by himself. Advertisement Advertisement DOJ probes Minnesota church protest tied to ICE pastor Letters sent out to countries inviting them to join include a charter that appears to indicate that Trump envisions the board becoming involved in other conflicts beyond the Gaza Strip. As chairman, Trump will determine which countries are invited to participate, and although the board will vote on decisions, he will also have final approval over actions taken by the organization. Recently, countries have reported that they have been asked to give $1 billion for a permanent seat on the board, with the alternative being a three-year appointment, which does not come at a cost. Advertisement Advertisement The money is meant to go to the rebuilding of Gaza, though its not immediately clear how much control Trump would have over how the money is spent. Countries known to have been invited to join the board include Canada, France, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Belarus, Hungary, Vietnam, India, Australia, Jordan, Greece, Cyprus, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Paraguay, Argentina and Albania. Trump tells Norway he no longer feels obligation to think only of peace Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Vietnams Communist Party Chief To Lam have already accepted. The White House recently announced an executive committee to carry out the vision, with members including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, World Bank President Ajay Banga, Trump deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel, Israeli business owner Yakir Gabay and representatives of ceasefire monitors Qatar, Egypt and Turkey. Advertisement Advertisement Israel raised an objection to the committee, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying in a statement it had not been coordinated with Israel. Sen. Cruz says it is overwhelmingly in Americas national interest to acquire Greenland The 15-seat council has been blocked by U.S. vetoes from taking action to end the war in Gaza, while the U.N.s clout has been diminished by major funding cuts by the Trump administration and other donors. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. By Sarah Young and Akanksha Khushi LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump lambasted Britain's deal to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago - including an island with an important U.S.-UK air base - as an act of "total weakness" and "great stupidity" that underlines why he wants to acquire Greenland. Washington last year gave its blessing to the deal, which gave the Indian Ocean islands to Mauritius but retained UK control of the Diego Garcia base under a 99-year lease. Advertisement Advertisement But Trump reversed that with a typically blunt Truth Social post saying: "Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER." He added: "There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness ... The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired." Trump's attack heaps new strain on relations with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who this week spoke out against his ambition to take over Greenland by any means to counter the encroaching presence of rivals China and Russia. Responding to Trump's Chagos comments, the British government said the deal was made precisely for national security reasons. "We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future," a spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement The Chagos' six main atolls, among more than 600 islands, lie 500 km (300 miles) south of the Maldives and halfway between Africa and Indonesia, with about 4,000 people stationed there. Britain forcibly displaced up to 2,000 indigenous Chagossians in the late 1960s and 1970s to establish the base on the Diego Garcia atoll, but has given sovereignty to former colony Mauritius which it is paying 101 million pounds ($136 million) per year to secure the installation. Responding to Trump's remarks, Mauritius Attorney General Gavin Glover said that his country's sovereignty over the archipelago had been unequivocally recognised by international law, and it "should no longer be subject to debate". "We expect the implementation of the treaty (deal with Britain) within the shortest possible time frames, in accordance with the commitments undertaken," Glover said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement BASE USED FOR STRIKES FROM YEMEN TO AFGHANISTAN Recent operations launched from Diego Garcia include bombing strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in 2024 and 2025, humanitarian aid deployments to Gaza and attacks against Taliban and al Qaeda targets in Afghanistan in 2001. British senior minister Darren Jones said the Chagos deal was already done and he could not see how it might be changed. Britain had in fact delayed signing the deal until after Trump's inauguration in January 2025 to give his administration time to examine the plan. "President Trump expressed his support for this monumental achievement," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said of the agreement in May last year. Advertisement Advertisement Starmer had built a solid relationship with Trump, becoming the first leader to secure a deal to lower some tariffs, but that has been shaken by disagreement over Greenland and by now the Chagos islands furore. The British leader on Monday called for calm dialogue to avert a trade war over Greenland after Trump threatened new levies, urging the U.S. president to respect alliances. Britain will be focusing on diplomatic channels to try to navigate Trump's aims, Jones said. "The prime minister has shown that private, proper British diplomacy can work," he told BBC Radio. Britain's opposition Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch weighed in to agree with Trump on the Chagos islands, saying the "terrible" deal weakened UK security. Advertisement Advertisement "Paying to surrender the Chagos Islands is not just an act of stupidity, but of complete self sabotage," she posted, adding that "unfortunately on this issue President Trump is right". Some Chagossians, many of whom ended up living in Britain after being removed from the archipelago, have also opposed the deal on the grounds that they were not consulted. A U.N. committee said in December the deal risks perpetuating long-standing violations of Chagossians' rights. (Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru and Sarah Young in London; Additional reporting by Jean Paul Arouff in Port Louis; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Andrew Cawthorne) Block, disrupt or the wild card? The greatest risk for Sir Keir Starmer created by Donald Trumps sudden outburst against the Chagos deal is not that America thwarts or slows down the agreement, but rather that it does what is both unexpected and blindingly obvious. Suppose Britain hands over the islands to Mauritius, whereupon America just buys them from their new owner? That quintessentially Trumpian deal would cut Britain out of the picture completely, leaving Starmer with the ignominy of having surrendered a vital strategic asset for no gain whatsoever. Do not underestimate the value of what is at stake. The combined air and naval facility on the island of Diego Garcia still, for now, British sovereign territory is one of the worlds most formidable military bases, located bang in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It protects vital shipping lanes and is ideally positioned for operations everywhere, from Africa to the Middle East and Asia. The island of Diego Garcia protects vital shipping lanes and is strategically positioned in the middle of the Indian Ocean - US Navy Most of the personnel there are American, though Britain retains a small presence and ultimate ownership of the base, which Starmer himself has described as unique and vital, and right at the foundation of our security. Advertisement Advertisement Once you agree to give up sovereignty over a prize as glittering as this, you cannot avoid running a host of new risks. True enough, Britains deal with Mauritius contains an important safeguard. Mauritius will get sovereignty over Diego Garcia and the rest of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Islands, while Britain will be granted the power to run the base as before. But how much is this safeguard really worth? Once Mauritius gains sovereignty over the islands, how could anything stop them from doing as they wish with their own territory? And this is where Trump may spot his opportunity. America might decide to make Mauritius with 1.3 million people and a GDP of just 11 billion an offer that it cannot refuse. Trump might say, How would you like to increase your GDP by 50 per cent? Or even 100 per cent? All you have to do is transfer the sovereignty that the British were naive enough to give you over Diego Garcia to the United States. We might also need some nearby islands just to ensure that the base is properly protected. Advertisement Advertisement Trump might add that theres no need to trouble the British about this. He could say, You can do what you like. So let me plant the Stars and Stripes on Diego Garcia and turn this palm-fringed island into a sovereign base of the United States. There could be a sting in the tail. Trump might also threaten Mauritius that if they dont accept, they will face the wrath of a superpower, with all that could mean for the countrys trade and economy. Given how Europe is struggling to resist Americas grab for Greenland, would Mauritius do any better at withstanding Trump? If this scenario were to play out and the US were to gain sovereignty over Diego Garcia, then anything our Armed Forces might need to do there however vital for British security would be subject to Americas whims and wishes. The combined air and naval facility on Diego Garcia is one of the worlds most formidable military bases - Handout/DoD/AFP/Getty Images The two countries would have reversed roles, with America becoming the landlord and Britain the tenant. Starmer would then have thrown away one of Britains few sources of leverage over its superpower ally. Advertisement Advertisement At present, the US must seek Britains permission before launching any military strikes from Diego Garcia. There would be no such requirement if the Stars and Stripes were flying over the base. Britain would have become irrelevant at a stroke and Starmer will have worked assiduously to lever his own country out of a vital asset. All this goes to show the folly of Britains strangely outdated agreement to obey a non-binding resolution of the United Nations General Assembly and an equally non-binding opinion from the International Court of Justice to give the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. With the world becoming ever more dangerous, this is a time when sensible countries would jealously guard every last strategic asset in their possession. Instead, Starmer has chosen to relinquish sovereignty over just such an asset and unwittingly created an opportunity for Trump. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. President Donald Trump wants to hijack the worlds foremost economic meeting with a special ceremony paying homage to his $1 billion peacekeeping grift. Sources cited by Bloomberg on Monday described widespread confusion behind the scenes as Trump embarked on a last-minute push for a signing ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos to thrust his newly unveiled Board of Peace front and center. Announced by the White House last week, the board is ostensibly meant to guide Gazas post-war reconstruction and was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council last November. This is how Trump invited world leaders to his However, theres no mention of Gaza in its charter, and as more details have emerged about the new bodys composition and its reported $1 billion buy-in fee, questions are mounting about what the real endgame is. Advertisement Advertisement A flurry of world leaders received spammy invitations to join the one of a kind board over the weekend, including accused war criminal Vladimir Putin and Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. While the Kremlin and Lukashenko appear to have been buoyed by Trumps overture for them to rejoin the global stage, other world leaders were baffled by the boards steep price tag. European officials are already scrambling to change the terms of the board, according to Bloomberg. Of particular concern is where the permanent membership fee would go, and what guarantees would exist to ensure the funds are applied to rebuilding Gaza, as an unnamed U.S. official claimed in comments to the Associated Press. This is the less than imposing venue in Davos, Switzerland, for the entirely made-up signing ceremony for Trump's equally made up Board of Peace. / Anadolu / Harun Ozalp/Anadolu/Getty Images Trumps position as chair of the board has also reportedly made some European officials uneasy, as it would appear to leave all decision-making power in the hands of a man who is not only threatening to seize control of Greenland, but who has now openly admitted that he no longer feels the need to think purely of Peace after he was snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize. Advertisement Advertisement With thousands of attendees gathering in Switzerland for the four-day annual meeting to discuss improving the state of the world, Trump appears to be scheming to inject a bit of his trademark dysfunction into an otherwise prestigious gathering. President Donald Trump has repeatedly boasted of America being the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, whos leading the U.S. delegation for Trump, is planning to take an aggressive stance ahead of Trumps arrival to fend off European criticism and sell the presidents oft-repeated claim that America is the hottest country in the world right now. Trump, due to arrive in Davos on Wednesday, is said to be maneuvering to have the full constitution and remit of his Board of Peace signed in a separate ceremony on Thursday. As of Monday afternoon, a handful of world leaders had already signaled they have no intention to join, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on what the ceremony might entail. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) is already having a rough time in his new role as President Donald Trumps special envoy to Greenland after being disinvited from a key event. The move comes as Trump grows increasingly belligerent with his threats to seize the island, currently a semiautonomous Danish territory. Landry, named to the role last month, had been invited to attend a sled dog race in March. Now, the Greenland Dog Sledding Association (KNQK) says the invitation, which was made by a private tourism group, has been withdrawn. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement posted on Facebook, KNQK which had previously denounced Landrys planned attendance at the event as wholly inappropriate called the withdrawal reassuring. Trump wanted to buy Greenland during his first term, and has grown increasingly vocal about it during his second, saying earlier this month that he plans to do something in Greenland, whether they like it or not. Trump has not ruled out the use of force, and just slapped new tariffs on eight European nations ostensibly U.S. allies that he said would stay in place until he has control over Greenland. He also sent a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre saying that since he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, he no longer feels an obligation to think purely of Peace. Advertisement Advertisement Polls show Trumps pursuit of Greenland is wildly unpopular with the American public. Last year, Usha Vance wife of Vice President JD Vance canceled her own attendance at a sled dog race during the couples trip to Greenland after her plans were not well-received locally. Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost Donald Trump has Europes leaders exactly where he wants them: scrambling and divided over how to react to his vow to seize Greenland and impose tariffs on anyone who resists. The US president threw more chaos into the mix on Tuesday morning with a string of Truth Social posts lambasting his so-called allies and AI images depicting the Danish territory as belonging to the United States. It is a classic example of his mastery of flooding the field and escalation dominance, the use of superior power to ratchet up conflicts at will. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, where he is expected to hold talks on Greenland with his reeling European counterparts. Maga conspiracy theorists believe that Davos is the capital of hated globalists intent on forming a world government. At the moment, however, its prime ministers and presidents look less like a controlling cartel than a routed mob desperately looking for answers. The EUs 27 members were already struggling to agree on how to respond to Mr Trumps surprise threat of tariffs if Denmark does not sell Greenland to the US. Donald Trump posted an AI image depicting Greenland as belonging to the United States on his Truth Social platform Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, insisted that Europe cannot allow itself to be blackmailed. Advertisement Advertisement Frances Emmanuel Macron said he wanted the toughest response possible, including the use of the blocs trade bazooka, which would shut US firms out of the single market. Germany walked back on some tough talk to urge caution and unity, while Italys Giorgia Meloni remained desperate to avoid risking a trade war. Ireland, the most exposed EU country to a tariff war with Germany, looked on nervously, wondering how to balance its two most important alliances. Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, urged engagement over escalation. That strategy of appeasement failed last year, when Mr Trump hit the bloc with a 15 per cent blanket tariff on EU imports. Emergency summit called The EU is facing the most unprecedented threat to transatlantic relations since the Second World War. It must be as united as possible. Advertisement Advertisement It has called an emergency leaders summit on Thursday, a day after the expected talks in Davos. Mr Trump, unburdened by the need to find consensus between 27 countries, is moving too fast for the bloc, which is how he likes it. In Davos, Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, laughed off the idea that Brussels would deploy its trade bazooka. I imagine they will form the dreaded European working group first, which seems to be their most forceful weapon, he said. Mr Trump hates the EU, but the last few days make one wonder if he hates Mrs von der Leyen personally. On Saturday, the commission chief was signing a trade deal with South American countries after an astonishing 25 years of negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement She had faced down Mr Macron to get the deal done, arguing that it was a counterweight to an unreliable Mr Trump. Emmanuel Macron addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, delivering his speech in English while wearing aviator sunglasses - REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Brussels was embarrassed by the failure of its negotiations with Mr Trump to alleviate tariffs last year, but this was meant to wipe that stain away. Instead, her crowning moment was upstaged by Mr Trump and her credibility is now at stake. She is not the only one walking a diplomatic high-wire. Friedrich Merz knows that US tariffs will hurt Germanys export-led, stuttering economy. Meloni no longer the Trump whisperer Ms Meloni has brought stability to Italy but has struggled to raise stubbornly low economic growth. Once hailed as the EUs Trump whisperer, she now risks being seen as his enabler after warning against an economically damaging trade war. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Macron is a lame duck domestically. Ms Frederiksens popularity is waning and her party lost control of Copenhagen for the first time in a century in November. All of Europe is hobbled by its dependence on US military force to protect it from Russia, but perhaps none of Europes leaders are as vulnerable to Mr Trumps whims as Sir Keir Starmer. The Prime Minister wants to have his cake and eat it, insisting Britain does not have to choose between the US and Europe. Last year, Sir Keir was able to negotiate a lower US tariff regime than the EUs, thanks to his then-chummy relationship with the president. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump demands loyalty, but Sir Keir has nailed his colours firmly to Europes mast and told the president that he is wrong on Greenland. It is a moral decision, but it is also risky. Mr Trump publicly criticised the Prime Minister for surrendering the Chagos Islands on Tuesday. So much for the special relationship. The UK does not have the muscle to hurt the US with retaliatory tariffs. After Brexit, it cannot rely on the protection of a larger trading bloc. The danger is that unsheltered Britain could be the collateral damage in a trade war between the behemoths of the US and EU. A tariff war will also put a fracturing Nato under even more strain, to the delight of Vladimir Putin, with potentially disastrous consequences for Ukraine and Europes security. Advertisement Advertisement European leaders still hope for a negotiated solution that protects Greenlands sovereignty. But Mr Trump is convinced of their weakness and that he has them over a barrel. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he shared private text messages from French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on social media because they "made my point." "It just made my point. Theyre saying, Oh gee, lets have dinner, lets do this, lets do that. It just made my point," Trump said in an interview with The New York Post. The president posted screenshots of text messages from Macron and Rutte on his Truth Social platform that praised him for his work in Syria, Gaza and Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Trump Confirms He Invited Putin To Join His Board Of Peace: 'He's Been Invited' President Donald Trump posted text messages from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (Getty Images) Macron offered to set up a G7 meeting in Paris after the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and have dinner with Trump before he heads back to the White House. A White House official told Fox News that Trump has no plans to travel to Paris at this time. Read On The Fox News App Rutte said he was "committed to finding a way forward on Greenland" amid the commander in chiefs threats to annex the Arctic territory, while Macron wrote that he did not understand Trumps approach. Both messages addressed Trump warmly, opening with "my friend" and "dear Donald." Advertisement Advertisement Trump Issues Stern Warning To Nato Ahead Of Vance's High-stakes Greenland Meeting The Greenlandic flag flies in Nuuk, Greenland, Jan. 20, 2026. Trump is expected to meet with several world leaders at the 56th annual World Economic Forum in Davos this week, where his administration is seeking to stage a signing ceremony for the Gaza Board of Peace. Its unclear how many countries will ultimately sign on to the agreement amid reports theres a $1 billion permanent membership fee. When questioned on Tuesday about French President Emmanuel Macron seemingly signaling reluctance to accept the invitation, Trump said, "Did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon. So, you know, thats alright." French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Advertisement Advertisement "What Ill do is if they feel like hostile, I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and he'll join," Trump said. "But, he doesnt have to join." Fox News Patrick Ward contributed to this report. Original article source: Trump explains why he posted Macron, Rutte private text messages on social media WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Tuesday will celebrate one year back in the White House. Its been an eventful year for the president since he was elected in late 2024. Since the start, Trumps second administration has made headlines, particularly as some of his Cabinet nominees were criticized by some on the left over questions about their qualifications. With new programs like the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, Trump has reshaped the federal government in Washington, D.C., and worked to pass his One Big Beautiful Bill Act which will extend tax cuts he passed during his first term. Advertisement Advertisement Voters reaction to Trumps job performance so far is mixed. While Trumps approval rating has dropped recently at the national level to a low of around 42% according to RealClear Polling, hes doing better among Republican voters. CNN reports that almost 9 in 10 Republicans approved of Trumps job performance in their recent poll. In a recent Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll conducted Jan. 6-12 by Morning Consult of 799 Utah voters, 51% said they strongly or somewhat approve of Trumps job performance, compared to 46% who disapprove. Among Republicans in the state, more than 8 in 10 voters said they approve of Trumps job performance, while 94% of Democrats disapprove. DN--Trumpapproval Trump, meanwhile, has given himself high marks. Before Trump came to office last year he repeatedly stated that America was dead and now, he says, the country is the hottest in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Take a look at some of the biggest political moments for Trump as he marks one year back in office: First actions back in the Oval Office President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Elon Musk in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. | Evan Vucci Trump vowed to downsize the federal government and rein in the countrys spending. On his first day back in office, he created the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and he appointed tech billionaire Elon Musk to lead the new department. Musk worked quickly to slash the budget by laying off thousands of government workers in various federal departments and caused a lot of confusion for those who wondered if they would be hired back on, and fear for those who remained safe from the firings. Among the biggest cuts was the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Those who criticized the move argued that shuttering the agency left a gap in the United States international development and aid efforts around the world, putting many vulnerable people at risk. Advertisement Advertisement On his first day back in office, Trump issued pardons to around 1,500 people who were convicted of Jan. 6-related crimes. The pardons were given to those who stormed the Capitol in 2021 and were charged with crimes under the Biden administration for their actions that day. Trump also promptly undid many of former President Joe Bidens actions, including withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, many diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and COVID-19 pandemic actions. Trump reversed Bidens choice to allow transgender individuals to serve in the military, among other reversals like ending remote work for government employees. Immigration is top priority A person is detained by federal agents near the scene where Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. | Adam Gray Trump, like in his first term, promised to crack down on illegal immigration to the United States. His administration vowed to conduct the countrys largest mass deportation effort, sparking fear among immigrants across the country. In March, the president issued a proclamation invoking the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th century wartime law that allowed him to deport members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Its the first time its been used since World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has overseen the administrations deportation efforts. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have worked with states and cities to deport migrants in the country illegally. In states where officials wont work with ICE, agents have gone into American suburbs and cities to round up migrants who have been charged with crimes, as well as those who havent. The effort has been met by protests from opponents who say they dont want officers in their cities and that innocent people who havent committed crimes have also been detained. The latest action has been in Minnesota. ICE agents were deployed to Minneapolis and an incident occurred earlier this month where an officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good. The killing has divided the city and led to large, daily protests. Trump shared online that if the protests do not settle down, he would invoke the Insurrection Act to put an end to the violence happening across the city. Meanwhile state and local officials, like Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have called for federal officers to leave the city. Tariff confusion Cranes load containers and unload them from vessels at a container terminal in Qingdao in east China's Shandong province, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. | Chinatopix Via Associated Press One of Trumps major priorities upon returning to office was implementing tariffs. In January, he began by putting tariffs on goods coming into the country from China, Canada and Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement In April, he announced that Liberation Day was here, as he levied tariffs on dozens of countries. To justify the tariffs, he declared a national emergency over the countrys trade deficit. A 10% baseline tariff was put on imports from nearly all countries and there were country-specific tariffs as well. The Trump administration then engaged in negotiations with several countries that wanted to lower the tariffs on their exports. National Guard in the streets A member of the National Guard stands watch on Beale Street, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. | George Walker IV Trump first deployed members of the National Guard to quell anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, overriding Gov. Gavin Newsom and the citys Mayor Karen Bass. After declaring the protests a national emergency, he sent troops to California. Weeks later, the president sent troops into Washington, D.C., using the districts Home Rule Act, which allowed him to put the citys law enforcement under federal control to help drive down crime rates. Advertisement Advertisement Since then, Guard members have been sent to other cities, including Memphis, Tennessee, and Trump has said he wanted to put troops on the ground in other Democratic-led cities like Chicago. International action President Donald Trump waits to greet leaders during a summit to support ending the more than two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza after a breakthrough ceasefire deal, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. | Evan Vucci One of the biggest accomplishments for Trump during his first year back in office was securing a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. The war had waged for two years after Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking another 251 hostage. Trump, who visited the Middle East to celebrate successful negotiations, has repeatedly touted ending that war and other conflicts that began, including between Iran and Israel. Despite his confidence ahead of the 2024 election, Trump has not been able to bring an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Securing a ceasefire deal is a sore spot for him as he previously claimed once he was back in office he would end the war on day one. Advertisement Advertisement The issue also sparked concern among the international community when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White House last February for negotiations and got into an on-air verbal spat with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The two have since repaired their working relationship. Trump is also in the process of trying to acquire Greenland. The Denmark-controlled island is necessary for U.S. national security, he said, given Russia and Chinas designs on the Arctic. Officials from Greenland and Denmark recently met with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss their opposition to the U.S. acquiring the land. One of Trumps biggest international moves came at the start of 2026, when the U.S. military conducted an operation in Venezuela and captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. This followed a monthslong pressure campaign against Venezuela, including boat strikes that the administration said was to target the flow of drugs coming into the United States. Election woes and new friends President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani after their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. | Evan Vucci The 2025 election was another sore spot for the president. Democrats won in key races, including the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. The election wins pumped much-needed energy into the party after brutal losses across the board in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement It also provided Democrats with the hope they will be successful in midterm elections in 2026, including their battle to win back control of the House. In New York City, one of the closely watched races was the mayoral race, where Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani beat out former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Late in the race, Trump endorsed Cuomo, who originally lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary then ran in the general election as an independent. The last-minute endorsement for Cuomo was an attempt to encourage more Republican support for the former governor. However, after the election and some verbal threats from both men, Mamdani visited the White House and Trump was very friendly during their meeting. Congress and the court President Donald Trump bangs a gavel presented to him by House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., after he signed his signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts at the White House, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Washington. | Evan Vucci After taking home big wins in 2024, Trump reentered the White House with both chambers of Congress on his side with Republican majorities in both the House and Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Congress passed Trumps massive tax package just before July Fourth. Titled the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, it approved trillions of dollars in spending cuts to government programs and made permanent Trump-era tax cuts. It also eliminated taxes on tips and expanded the child tax credit. The bill also made changes to border security, energy production and more. But it didnt all go in Trumps favor. A 43-day shutdown that started Oct. 1 plagued the federal government and brought spending across the country to a halt. This came after Congress failed to pass a spending package and left many workers without pay for weeks. Congress was then able to pass three spending bills and a continuing resolution. Once Trump signed the resolution, the government was funded until the end of January. Congress has until the end of the month to pass the remaining bills and if they dont, the government will go into a partial shutdown unlike the total shutdown that ended in November. The Trump administration also faced a rocky few months related to the bumpy release of the files in the case of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump promised to release the files once elected, but after months of public pressure, Attorney General Pam Bondi slowly began making information public late last year. Its a sensitive issue for Trump, who was once friends with Epstein. Trumps wins werent isolated to the White House or Congress, he secured several wins with the judicial branch over the year, too. His administration appealed several cases through the Supreme Courts emergency docket, also commonly known as the shadow docket, which quickly puts cases before the court. When Trump issued the order ending birthright citizenship, it was immediately challenged and the justices agreed to take up the case for its current term. A decision likely will be handed down by the end of June. A look ahead President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. | Julia Demaree Nikhinson Trump has a lot on his to-do list for 2026 and his second year back in office. Besides some aspirations including ending the Russia-Ukraine war and seeing Republicans keep hold of their majorities in Congress, Trump has plans in motion for more changes this year. Hes demolished the East Wing of the White House for a ballroom to be built, but it wont be completed until about 2028. Trump also has grand plans to celebrate Americas 250th birthday and announced he will be hosting the Patriot Games, where one high school aged boy and girl from each state will compete in a sporting competition. He also will deliver his first State of the Union address to members of Congress on Feb. 24. In this Media Miss Minute, first Greenland next Canada? President Donald Trump appears to be shifting his focus farther north. Plus, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is distancing himself from a post by his own press office that labeled ICE "state-sponsored terrorism." Media Miss by the right: Trump warns of Canada's Arctic vulnerability As Trump continues his controversial push for the U.S. to take control of Greenland for national security purposes, he's also raising concerns about Canada's Arctic vulnerability. U.S. officials are reportedly in talks with Ottawa to coordinate northern border defense and limit Russia and China's ability to expand their presence in the Arctic. Advertisement Advertisement It's the same national security argument Trump has used to justify his push to acquire Greenland. Media Miss by the left: Newsom walks back ICE state-sponsored terrorism' label California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared to walk back comments made by his press office that described Immigration and Customs Enforcement as "state-sponsored terrorism." Speaking with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro on his podcast "This is Gavin Newsom," Newsom said California works closely with ICE, particularly in the state prison system. "We work very directly with ICE as it relates to CDC state prison. California has cooperated with more ICE transfers probably than any other state in the country," Newsom said during the Jan. 15 interview. Advertisement Advertisement Newsom also informed Shapiro that he disagrees with the idea of abolishing ICE entirely, marking a notable change from the language used by his press team just days before. For more stories missed or minimized by partisan media, visit SAN's Media Miss archive. Straight Arrow News identifies Media Misses based on coverage data available at the time of publication. Some outlets may choose to cover a story after our analysis is published. Our methodology prioritizes timely, prominent coverage across a range of sources, but we continually review and refine our approach to ensure balance and accuracy. The post Trump flags Canada's security risks; Newsom walks back press office calling ICE state-sponsored terrorism' appeared first on Straight Arrow News. Related Links President Donald Trump has billed his Board of Peace as an honor reserved only for a select few, but a string of world leaders apparently all received the same spammy invitation letter rife with mistakes. Kremlin-controlled media hyped the invitation sent to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close Vladimir Putin ally, as a personal letter from the American president. The Belarusian leader more commonly known as Europes last dictator was only the latest to boast of receiving an invitation on Monday after Putin also reported receiving one. Written in the same style Trump uses to fire off often incoherent tirades on Truth Social, the bizarre invitation letter promises a bold new approach to resolving Global Conflict and declares that it is time to turn all of these Dreams into reality. Advertisement Advertisement All for the low, low price of $1 billion in exchange for a permanent seat on the board and a shot at GREATNESS FOR ALL. Images of the letters received by Lukashenko and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggest the same template was used for each invitation, with the corresponding names of world leaders swapped in but the same erratic capitalization and vague declarations featured throughout. Bloomberg News first revealed that Trump plans to serve as the inaugural chairman of the board and will handpick its members, who must pay $1 billion within the first year of joining if they want to stick around. A three-year stint on the board requires no contribution, according to an unnamed U.S. official who spoke to the Associated Press. Donald Trump suggested to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko his peace plan will A flurry of world leaders reported receiving invitations to join the board, which is widely seen as a potential rival to the U.N. Security Council. Advertisement Advertisement The Kremlin has confirmed that Putina suspected war criminal whos spent nearly four years trying to take over Ukrainehas also been offered a spot on the board, even as Trump has cited threats from Russia as a reason why he should be allowed to take over Greenland. This Board will be one of a kind, there has never been anything like it! the letters read. At the heart of the Plan is The Board of Peace, the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled, which will be established as a new International Organization and Transitional Governing Administration. Our effort will bring together a distinguished group of nations ready to shoulder the noble responsibility of building LASTING PEACE, an Honor reserved for those prepared to lead by example, and brilliantly invest in a secure and prosperous future for generations to come, the invitations say. We will convene our wonderful and committed partners, most of whom are Highly Respected World Leaders, in the near future. Moscow said it is studying all details of Donald Trumps invitation to Putin, but wants talks with the U.S. to Trump confusingly ended the letters with with best wishes, I am, Sincerely, before signing it with his thick, black signature, the same one he allegedly used to write jovial birthday messages to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Other world leaders reportedly asked by Trump to join the board include Argentinas Javier Milei and Canadas Mark Carney. An unnamed U.S. official told Bloomberg News that the $1 billion fee for permanent membership would be used to rebuild Gaza following Israels war against Hamas. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment. President Donald Trump went on a lengthy posting spree on his Truth Social website in the early hours of Tuesday that included insults aimed at U.S. allies and screenshots of what appeared to be private messages from world leaders. While his posts touched on everything from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Minnesota to Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governor he is trying to fire, most were about Greenland, the semiautonomous region of Denmark that he is threatening to seize for the United States. Trumps messages, posted between 12:26 and 1:53 a.m. ET, included a couple of memes showing Greenland under his control: Donald Trump on Truth Social Donald Trump Donald Trump on Truth Social Donald Trump In another post, Trump accused the United Kingdom of GREAT STUPIDITY and total weakness for its plan to give the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, citing it as proof that the United States needs control over Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement However, just last year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump supported the plan. Rubio said Trump considered the handover a monumental achievement. Trump seems to have forgotten that, writing: Donald Trump on Truth Social Donald Trump In yet another post, he shared what appeared to be a text message from French President Emmanuel Macron, who seemed bewildered by Trumps attempts to seize Greenland in an otherwise friendly message as he tried to plan a meeting at this weeks World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland: Donald Trump on Truth Social Donald Trump Donald Trump on Truth Social Donald Trump Trump said he also had a very good telephone call with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Greenland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security, he wrote. There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees! Advertisement Advertisement He posted: Donald Trump on Truth Social Donald Trump Then, as he did with Macron, he posted what appeared to be a text message from Rutte praising him on Syria, Gaza and Ukraine. Rutte added that he was committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Trump posted: Donald Trump on Truth Social Donald Trump Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost President Donald Trump is expected to head to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum this week on the heels of threatening tariffs against NATO members as he seeks to acquire Greenland, a Danish territory. The Davos World Economic Forum is an annual summit bringing world leaders together to discuss global issues related to politics, business and society. Other world leaders who are expected to attend include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Advertisement Advertisement Trump is expected to deliver a special address Wednesday, per the World Economic Forum's program. But the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital regarding Trumps schedule in Switzerland. World Economic Forum sign is seen on the Congress Centre hosting the annual WEF meeting on its opening day in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 19, 2026. (Getty Images) Greenland's Prime Minister Says 'We Choose Denmark' Over The Us Trump previously attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, twice during his first term, according to the State Departments records. Read On The Fox News App Trump is poised to enter the forum in the middle of heightened tensions between the U.S. and European allies. After a group of NATO members sent troops to Greenland amid Trumps latest efforts to acquire the island, Trump announced Saturday that those countries would be subjected to a 10% tariff on all goods starting Feb. 1. Advertisement Advertisement That number would climb to 25% in June, until a deal is reached for Trump to secure Greenland, according to Trump. While the Danish territory claims it is seeking independence from Copenhagen, Denmark, and doesnt want to join the U.S., Trump has regularly expressed a desire to acquire Greenland for the U.S. as Russian and Chinese presence grows in the Arctic since his first administration. Residents in Greenland, the largest island in the world, have expressed concern about President Donald Trump's renewed interest in seizing the territory. Us Congressional Delegation Visits Denmark Amid Backlash Over Trump's Push To Acquire Greenland Trump has revived his rhetoric toward Greenland in recent weeks, claiming that the region is critical for national security purposes, including the creation of a Golden Dome project , a defense shield initiative for the U.S. similar to the one Israel has safeguarding itself. Advertisement Advertisement Likewise, Trump said in text messages to Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre on Sunday that Norway released Monday that he's not inclined to only think of peace, after the Norwegian Nobel Committee did not award him with the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Instead, the committee awarded the prize to Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado. "Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America," Trump said in the text messages. "Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a right of ownership anyway? There are no written documents, its only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also," Trump said. Meanwhile, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland said in a joint statement Sunday that the tariff threats "undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral." Advertisement Advertisement Likewise, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Sunday that he and Trump spoke over the weekend, and would see each other in Switzerland. White House Urges 'Cooler Heads To Prevail' As Eu Fires Back On Trump Tariffs Over Greenland "We will continue working on this, and I look forward to seeing him in Davos later this week," Rutte said in a post on social media Sunday. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte speaks during a joint press conference with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic in Zagreb, Croatia, Jan. 12, 2026. (Reuters) Meanwhile, Trump has refused to back down from his aspirations to acquire Greenland following his tariff threat, and issued another stern warning to Denmark. "NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland. Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!" Trump said in a social media post late Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Click Here To Download The Fox News App Greenland has a trove of natural resources, including oil and natural gas. Meanwhile, both Russia and China have bolstered their presence in the region in recent years. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: Trump to head to Davos as Greenland dispute sparks rising tensions with NATO allies President Donald Trump derailed Mike Johnsons historic speech in front of the U.K. Parliament with a fresh series of taunts against the longtime ally even as his speaker pledged to ease tensions. Johnson became the first-ever sitting House Speaker to address Britains Parliament in London on Tuesday morning, as part of a long-scheduled visit to commemorate 250 years since American independence from the U.K. But even before Johnson took the stand in front of MPs in the House of Commons, his speech was overshadowed by Trumps repeated threats to seize Greenland and his claim that the U.K.s handover of Chagos Islands sovereignty to Mauritius was an act of great stupidity. Advertisement Advertisement During a deranged Truth Social posting spree ahead of Johnsons speech, Trump blasted the U.K. for giving away Diego Garcia, the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago and home to a U.S. military base, for no reason whatsoever. The 79-year-old also listed it as an example of why the U.S. must take over Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, for strategic military purposes. Mike Johnson becomes the first sitting House Speaker to address Britain's Parliament to honor the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. / WPA Pool / Getty Images There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness, Trump wrote. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. Trumps anger will likely come as a surprise to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who endorsed the Chagos Archipelago arrangement last May and ensured that the military facility at Diego Garcia would remain operational. Secretary of State Marco Rubio endorsed the Chagos Archipelago arrangement between the U.K and Mauritius last May. / Screengrab/Truth Social Trump has already risked ruining the longstanding Special Relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. and Americas standing in NATO over his unhinged threats to take over Greenland one way or another. Trump has also threatened to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on eight European nationsthe U.K., Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finlanduntil the U.S. completes its complete and total purchase of Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement In a speech on Monday, Britains Prime Minister Keir Starmer tried to walk a tightrope by speaking out against Trumps Greenland and tariff threats, while also trying not to upset the erratic 79-year-old president too much. Any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone. That right is fundamental, and we will support it, Starmer said. Britain is a pragmatic country. We look for agreement. We believe in partnership. We prefer solutions to slogans, he added. But being pragmatic does not mean being passive. And partnership does not mean abandoning principle. The center-left Keir Starmer is reportedly confused as to why Donald Trump seems so fond of him. / Carl Court - Pool/Getty Images Johnson made only passing mentions of Trumps hopes to seize Greenland during his Tuesday speech in front of the U.K.s Parliament. Advertisement Advertisement Clearly, President Trump is taking seriously the modern and dynamic threats that China and Russia posed to our global security, especially in the last few days as it relates to the Arctic, Johnson said. And while we can have thoughtful debate among our friends about how best to counter these threats, we all certainly agree they must be countered, he added. We ignore these threats at our peril. The Daily Beast has contacted Johnsons office for comment. Donald Trump invited Vladimir Putin to the Board of Peace that will oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, the Kremlin has said. Sixty countries have been invited to join the Trump-chaired board, which also includes Sir Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, and Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state. Each country will be asked to pay a $1bn (800m) permanent membership fee to secure their spot in the nascent organisation. Advertisement Advertisement President Putin also received an invitation through diplomatic channels to join this Board of Peace, Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told reporters at a press briefing on Monday. We are currently studying all the details of this proposal and hope for contact with the American side to clarify all the nuances, he added. Belarus, a strong supporter of Russias invasion of Ukraine, was also invited to join the Board of Peace, in a letter addressed by Mr Trump to Aleksandr Lukashenko, the Belarusian president. b' ' In the letter, Mr Trump wrote: It is my great honour to invite you, as President of the Republic of Belarus, to join me in a critically historic and magnificent effort to solidify peace in the Middle East and, at the same time, to embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict! Advertisement Advertisement The US president described his new organisation as the most impressive and consequential board ever assembled and said it would bring together nations that were ready to shoulder the noble responsibility of building lasting peace. This Board will be one of a kind, there has never been anything like it, Mr Trump continued, adding: I look forward to working with you, long into the future, toward the goal of establishing lasting world peace, prosperity and greatness for all! The board is a key phase in his UN-backed plan to reconstruct and demilitarise Gaza. However, a statement from the office of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, claimed it was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said Mr Trumps Board of Peace for Gaza was not coordinated with Israel - Nathan Howard/Reuters The executive board includes Hakan Fidan, the Turkish foreign minister, as a member, despite Israels consistent objections to any Turkish role in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Some Western leaders have already signalled they do not intend to join Mr Trumps organisation. A source close to Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said the boards charter went beyond the sole framework of Gaza and raised major questions, particularly regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations. A Canadian source said Ottawa would not pay for a seat on the board, nor has that been requested of Canada at this time. Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, indicated he would not accept an invitation to join the body. After it has brought the conflict in Gaza to a conclusion, the board will expand to tackle conflicts in other parts of the world, possibly including Ukraine, spurring criticism that the US president is looking for a substitute for the UN. Advertisement Advertisement Two diplomatic sources speaking to Reuters said that invitations sent out over the weekend included a charter for a broad mandate for the body, which they described as a Trump United Nations that ignores the fundamentals of the UN charter. Its going to, in my opinion, start with Gaza and then do conflicts as they arise, Mr Trump told Reuters. Although decisions will be made by a majority vote, the chairman, Mr Trump, will hold final approval and veto power. Other world leaders to have received invitations include those of Hungary, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Argentina, Egypt and Jordan. Advertisement Advertisement Member states will be limited to three-year terms unless they contribute $1bn each to earn permanent membership. Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, has been invited to sit on the board by the US president - Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters Sir Tony appeared on Monday to distance himself from the exorbitant fee, with his spokesman saying that he is not involved in determining membership of the board. The Kremlin also said on Monday that the US president would go down in history if he succeeded in acquiring Greenland. There are international experts who believe that by resolving the issue of Greenlands annexation, Trump will undoubtedly make history, Mr Peskov said. Its hard to disagree with these experts. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. Heading into President Donald Trumps second term, coal looked like an industry nearing the end of its life. Utilities planned to retire more than half of the nations coal-fired power plants by 2028, no new facilities were coming online, and production had been flat for years. Trumps first year back in office has given the industry an opportunity to retrench. The president is an avowed supporter of coal, and his Department of Energy has repeatedly intervened to prevent plants from shutting down. At the same time, a Trump-supported boom in the construction of artificial intelligence data centers has led to a surging need for power, prompting many utilities to postpone coal facility closures. The combination of federal intervention and rising energy demand may have stalled coals decline, at least for the moment. Consumption increased 13 percent last year, reversing a long downward slide and causing a bump in domestic carbon emissions. Of the 11 coal-fired plants slated for retirement last year, just two shuttered. But one of them may return: A Utah facility closed in November after losing its primary customer, but the legislature hopes to save it by finding another buyer. Many of the utilities that committed to shutdowns over the next two years have abandoned those plans. Advertisement Advertisement The administration has combined this effort to prop up coal with delays and rollbacks of rules governing pollution and miner safety, actions central to its heavily pro-coal agenda of Unleashing American Energy. Still, these efforts may not reverse a decline that started nearly 20 years ago. The nations aging coal plants more than 200 in all are increasingly expensive to run, even as methane, more commonly known as natural gas, and solar become cheaper and more abundant. And although the Trump administration has promised to boost employment, layoffs have continued amid the industrys ongoing contraction. Coal may see a short-term reprieve, but experts see little hope of a lasting revival. When you have to get the government to step in to put its thumb on the scale in order to help your industry, said Sean Feaster of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, its a sign that youre not particularly competitive, right? Chris Wright, a former fracking executive, has played a central role in this revival by turning the Department of Energy into an industry lifeline. He has issued emergency orders delaying the retirement of at least five of the 11 plants slated for closure, and has renewed them every 90 days. That has sparked legal challenges, drawn scrutiny from regulators, and could saddle utilities and ratepayers with millions in added costs. Advertisement Advertisement Wright argues that keeping them open is necessary to avoid blackouts and price spikes. Few beyond his agency are convinced. Environmental groups, energy experts, and state regulators have accused the department of misrepresenting data in its emergency claims. Its just not justified, said Michael Goggin, an analyst with Grid Strategies. Theyre grasping at what they can. He has studied the impact of the emergency orders on behalf of Earthjustice and other groups suing to contest the delay order Wright issued in May for the J.H. Campbell coal power plant in Michigan. Goggin warns the orders could impose significant costs on utilities. He estimates that keeping all of the various fossil fuel plants slated for retirement through 2028 open could cost ratepayers as much as $6 billion on top of a $6 billion increase in coal-fired generation costs from 2021 to 2024. He calls the extra expense an involuntary subsidy paid by ratepayers to utilities that neither needed nor requested them. Youre making [the utilities] keep these plants that most likely theyre not going to need, and are very likely a waste of money, he said. While plants like Campbell still generate a positive return from selling power, high maintenance costs make them unprofitable. Thats why many utilities have replaced them with methane or renewables. Advertisement Advertisement Under the DOE orders, plant operators can seek approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to recover these costs from customers. Campbells owner, for instance, will spread the expense across millions of ratepayers in the Midwest. Other utilities, however, may struggle. A representative of Colorados Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a rural co-op, said the organization has no idea how it will pay the expenses associated with a federal order to keep its coal plant in northwest Colorado running. We have no information available yet on cost recovery, the representative said. At this time, there is not a clear path for doing so. The Department of Energy did not respond to requests for comment. The J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in West Olive, Michigan. The Department of Energy ordered the operator of the plant, Consumers Energy, to keep the plant open past its planned retirement date. (Jim West / UCG / Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Other utilities are postponing closures to meet projected demand from AI data centers. There have been at least half a dozen such delays by investor-owned utilities in the Southeast. The largest of them in Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi have retooled their investment plans over the last two years, pushing planned retirements into the 2030s. Advertisement Advertisement Trump and Wright have endorsed this trend, arguing that coal should play a key role in powering these energy-hungry facilities. In an April executive order intended to revitalize the industry, Trump declared, Our Nations beautiful clean coal resources will be critical to meeting the rise in electricity demand due to the resurgence of domestic manufacturing and the construction of artificial intelligence data processing centers. The situation is most extreme in Virginia, which is home to more than 600 of these operations and handles 70 percent of the worlds internet traffic. Experts believe the surge in power demand will force Dominion Energy to import more energy from fossil fuel plants beyond the state, extending the life of polluting facilities in Ohio and West Virginia. That region is pretty constrained in terms of supply, so that additional electricity is coming from additional coal-fired electricity, said Joe DeCarolis, former head of the Energy Information Administration and now a professor of engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University. According to his analysis, theres 25 gigawatts of this aging and costly coal capacity that [will continue] to operate to meet the incremental demand thats coming from data centers through 2030. In South Carolina, for instance, the utility Santee Cooper said it would need to push the closure of its Winyah Generation Plant in Georgetown from 2028 to the mid-2030s so it can meet demand from data center development. The plant has received numerous state citations for violating air emissions of sulfur dioxide and has been criticized for operating with expired wastewater discharge permits. Advertisement Advertisement I think theyre responding to market conditions and political atmosphere, and the political atmosphere is creating the market conditions, said Marilyn Hemingway, the head of the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce, who lives in Georgetown a few miles from the plant. Hemingway is a member of a state-mandated transition council overseeing the shutdown of Winyah and Santee Coopers other coal assets. She said the utility has repeatedly delayed closing the plant and has yet to decide what energy source will replace coal. Im not naive about this at all, she said. I know you have to replace it, but I find it problematic because its dragging this transition out. Living near coal plants like these may become more dangerous because of Trumps interventions. Even as the Department of Energy has moved to keep such operations open, the Environmental Protection Agency has rolled back a suite of rules governing their air and water pollution. Over the past year, the agency repealed limits on mercury and other toxic pollutants, scrapped greenhouse gas limits, and extended deadlines allowing coal plants to dump waste, called coal ash, in unlined pits a move that spared 11 facilities from imminent shutdown. Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior opened 13 million acres of public land for mining. Advertisement Advertisement Emily Arthen, CEO of the American Coal Council, said such regulations were onerous, unnecessary, and contributed to coals decline. Doing the right thing without having to be told is forefront for the industry, she said, adding that minimal oversight allows the industry to preserve jobs. Some miners and their families feel the sector hasnt taken much initiative with regard to worker safety. They are particularly frustrated by the administrations inaction on a regulation limiting exposure to silica dust, a carcinogen that causes a chronic, fatal condition called silicosis but known more commonly as black lung disease. The rule, finalized during the Biden administration after decades of advocacy, remains stuck in limbo even as the number of cases of the terminal condition skyrockets among young miners. Vonda Robinson, vice president of the National Black Lung Association, said her only option is to keep fighting. She and her husband John Robinson, a retired coal miner, feel betrayed by an administration whose coal production goals they initially supported. Over the past year threats to mine safety offices and layoffs at the federal agency that runs black lung screenings disrupted protections for miners. Vonda Robinson even wrote to Vice President J.D. Vance, urging him to confront the epidemic. She never received a response. Coal miners listen as President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Charleston, West Virginia, in 2018. The president has promised to boost coal power, but mining employment continues to decline. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) If we dont take care of those miners thats in there now, were not gonna have coal, were not gonna have a coal industry, Robinson said. Her husband, who is awaiting evaluation for a double lung transplant, said he felt abandoned by the industry that fed his family. Advertisement Advertisement The coal miners your workhorse, he said of the industrys attitude toward men like him. When you fall over dead, were gonna get another horse. Efforts to spur new coal extraction, meanwhile, are faltering. When the Interior Department opened public lands to mining, bids came in below market rate, and three projects in the West collapsed within a month. With no new coal-fired plants planned, the market for thermal coal they burn much of it mined in the West remains bleak. So does the market for metallurgical coal, used to make steel, which comprises most coal mined in the Eastern U.S. Coal mining employment held relatively steady in 2025; the mining workforce stands at around 40,000 workers, less than a quarter of its size in the 1980s. But Erin Bates, communications director for the United Mine Workers of America, warned of trouble ahead. China has stopped importing metallurgical coal used to make steel, undercutting demand for ore mined largely in Appalachia. Overall coal exports fell 14 percent between January and September 2025, and international demand is expected to plateau in the coming years as renewable energy continues to expand; coal power generation fell in both China and India last year after rising for decades. Its something that will trickle down, Bates said. The end result is, if they cant export this coal, and the cost of coal plummets because no ones buying it, thats going to mean layoffs, thats going to mean shutdowns. Advertisement Advertisement Though one stated goal of Trumps Unleashing American Energy agenda is to create jobs and prosperity in extraction and energy production, Harvard labor economist Gordon Hanson doubts the administrations moves will deliver. Whats actually being built, he said, are gas plants, along with wind and solar projects approved under, and funded through, the Biden administration. Renewable energy generated more electricity than coal power for the first time last year, and Hanson said any effort to revive coal relies less on economics than on nostalgia. Many Trump administration policies seem more symbolic than realistic, Hanson said. This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Trump is keeping coal on life support. How long can it last? on Jan 20, 2026. President Donald Trumps letter to Norways prime minister led social media critics and political foes to demand Trumps removal from office, with many arguing he is not fit to serve. In the letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, Trump linked his stance on annexing Greenland to his outrage over not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize, numerous news outlets reported. Gahr Stre confirmed the authenticity of the letter in a statement, according to reports. The reported letter stated, in part: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Advertisement Advertisement The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland, the letter concluded. The letter was first reported by PBS. It comes after Trump has complained for months about not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize and has repeatedly mused about taking over Greenland a territory owned by NATO member country Denmark. Social media exploded over the reported letter, with many calling for the 25th Amendment to be invoked to remove Trump from office. Under the 25th Amendment, the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet could vote to remove a president who is unable to fulfill duties. The Lincoln Projects Rick Wilson said on X that Trumps new gigantic temper tantrum over Norway is deep into 25th Amendment territory. He said at this point, the 25th Amendment is far in the rearview mirror and we are descending further into madness by the moment. Advertisement Advertisement Democratic strategist Chris D. Jackson said that the letter was impeachable. The guy is simply too unstable to be president, he added. Political commentator Ed Krassenstein described the letter as insane. This is why you dont elect a narcissist to be your president. Is this what you voted for, Trumps supporters? he wrote on X. Democratic activist Shannon Watts posted: This is what the 25TH F---ING AMENDMENT IS FOR. Trumps insane new threat leaves no doubt: its time for the 25th Amendment, political analyst Molly Ploofkins posted. Many other users just questioned Trumps mental acuity in the wake of the letter. Advertisement Advertisement Hes going to invade Greenland because he wasnt given the Nobel Peace Prize. The world is being held hostage by a deranged, tantrum throwing toddler with nukes, democratic activist Melanie DArrigo wrote. New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim (D) said the letter was unhinged and embarrassing, but also incredibly dangerous. Trump is doing lasting damage to our global position, which will harm our ability to keep America safe, secure, and prosperous, Kim said on X. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said: These are the ramblings of a man who has lost touch with reality. He isnt ok. Hes degraded significantly in the last year and hes about to get us into a war with our allies. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has toyed with the idea of acquiring Greenland for the U.S. since his first term and has repeatedly brought up the idea during his second term. His renewed interest in Greenland came days after the U.S. launched a military operation in Venezuela to remove leader Nicolas Maduro from power. Trump has not ruled out using military force to take over Greenland despite many experts warning it will undermine U.S.s relationship with NATO countries. Trumps letter to Gahr Stre appears to ratchet up a standoff between Washington and its closest allies over his threats to take over Greenland, a self-governing territory of NATO member Denmark. On Saturday, Trump announced a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight nations that have rallied around Denmark and Greenland, including Norway. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Trump's comments come after Starmer attempted to de-escalate tensions between the US and Europe, saying the situation could "be resolved through calm discussion" US President Donald Trump has accused the UK of "great stupidity" over its decision to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, saying it was "another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired" on his Truth Social platform. His comments come a day after Sir Keir Starmer attempted to de-escalate tensions between Washington and Europe, telling an emergency address he thought the situation could "be resolved and should be resolved through calm discussion". Advertisement Advertisement On his social media platform, Trump wrote on Tuesday: "Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital US Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. He continued: "The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING." In a press conference on Tuesday to mark the first year of his second term in office, Trump doubled down on his claims and questioned the UK Government's thought process behind the decision. "I think that when they originally were going to do it, they were talking about doing some concept of ownership, but now they're looking to essentially just do a lease and sell it. Advertisement Advertisement "I'm against that. It's reasonably nothing like Greenland, but it's a reasonably important area of the globe. Not to anywhere near Greenland, but I think they should keep it. I don't know why they're doing it. Do they need money?" "There is just so much at stake": Britain's former Ambassador to the United States Sir Peter Westmacott tells ITV News the US-UK "special relationship" is becoming more difficult to manage On Tuesday morning, the speaker of the US House of Representatives sought to assure MPs and peers that the US and UK will work through our differences calmly as friends. Mike Johnson said his mission during his visit to London was to help calm the waters, while also arguing that a strong America is good for the entire world. Advertisement Advertisement Addressing Parliament, Johnson said he agreed with the prime ministers approach of finding a resolution through dialogue, after the pair met at Downing Street on Tuesday as part of his trip to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. The senior Republican told members of both Houses: He (Starmer) noted, of course, that the UK and the US are close allies and that our strong, constructive partnership all these years has been built on mutual respect and focused on results. I thought that was exactly the right message and the right tone. And because of that, weve always been able to work through our differences calmly as friends. We will continue to do that. I want to assure you this morning that that is still the case." In response to Trump's accusations, the government defended the deal, which it said had been welcomed by key allies, including the US. This image released by the US Navy shows an aerial view of Diego Garcia. Credit: AP The prime ministers official spokesman said: Our position hasnt changed on Diego Garcia or the treaty that has been signed. Advertisement Advertisement The US supports the deal and the president explicitly recognised its strength last year. The government added that it "will never compromise on our national security", and acted because court decisions put the Diego Garcia base in a position where it would have been prevented from operating as intended. It argued the deal "secures the operations of the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia for generations," and pointed out that it had been publicly welcomed by key allies and international partners. The largest of the Chagos Islands, Diego Garcia, is home to a joint UK-US military base. As part of the deal to return sovereignty, Mauritius agreed to lease the island and continued use of the military base to the UK at a cost of 101 million per year. Advertisement Advertisement In May last year, the US appeared to welcome the deal, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying it "secures the long-term, stable and effective operation of the joint US-UK military facility at Diego Garcia, which is critical to regional and global security". The deal was, however, criticised by opposition politicians, including Reform Leader Nigel Farage, a close ally of the US President. Responding to Trump's apparent withdrawal of support for the Chagos Islands deal, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch described the deal as "complete self-sabotage". "Paying to surrender the Chagos Islands is not just an act of stupidity, but of complete self-sabotage."Ive been clear and unfortunately, on this issue, President Trump is right. Keir Starmers plan to give away the Chagos Islands is a terrible policy that weakens UK security and hands away our sovereign territory. And to top it off, makes us and our NATO allies weaker in face of our enemies." Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. Posting a photo of herself with the US Speaker, Mike Johnson, she went on to say: "Last night I met Speaker Johnson and we are united in that view. Britains and Americas interests align. Keir Starmer has the chance to change course on Chagos. Conservatives call on President Trump to reconsider Greenland too." Advertisement Advertisement Badenoch had, as recently as last week, sided with Starmer in his rebuke of Trump's tariffs on Europe and the UK in efforts to force a deal on Greenland. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: Thank goodness Trump has vetoed the surrender of the Chagos Islands. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, who is known to be close to the prime minister, said he believed Trumps outburst was about Greenland, not the Chagos deal. He told broadcasters: I think what we saw last night was a series of posts criticising a number of world leaders. That may tell us that the president is frustrated right now. I dont really believe this is about Chagos, I think its about Greenland, and the best way to resolve that is through dialogue with the Danish government, and thats what weve said all along. French President Emmanuel Macron is reported to have texted Trump, offering him a G7 meeting following the World Economic Forum in Davos. Credit: AP Trump's comments come as the president doubled down on his threat to impose tariffs on European countries that do not support his ambitions to take the island nation, telling reporters the US "had to have it". Advertisement Advertisement European leaders have been largely united in criticising Trump's plan to charge a 10% tariff on any and all goods sent to the US from February 1, increased to 25% from June 1, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark. The tariffs would apply to the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland - all of whom are members of Nato alongside the US. The EU is considering a package of retaliatory tariffs - worth around 80 billion - targeting Boeing aircraft, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, bourbon whiskey and Levis jeans. Starmer struck a more conciliatory note on Monday in a speech to the nation, saying a trade war would be in "no one's interests" and ruled out imposing retaliatory tariffs. Trump dismissed Europe's threats to slap retaliatory levies on US goods and services. Advertisement Advertisement Why does Trump have his eye on Greenland? 'Complete madness': Greenlanders bemused and angered by Trump's threats Speaking to reporters in Florida before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington DC on Monday evening, Trump said: "Well, I don't think they're going to push back too much. Look, we have to have it. They have to have this done. They can't protect Denmark. They're wonderful people. "And I know the leaders are very good people, but they don't even go there. And, you know, because a boat went there 500 years ago and then left, that doesn't give you title to property. In another post on Truth Social, Mr Trump shared what appeared to be an AI-generated image of himself and Vice President JD Vance planting a US flag on a snowy landscape with a signpost that reads Greenland, US territory, est 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Another post showed a doctored image of the US president meeting European leaders in the White House, with a map that highlighted the US, Canada and Greenland in the colours of the American flag. Speaking on Monday night, he appeared to link his desire to acquire Greenland to not being handed the Nobel Prize, an award he has made no secret of wanting to be given. Trump told Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre that he no longer feels the need to think "purely of peace" after he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The message - in which Trump questioned why Denmark has the "right to ownership" of Greenland - was sent on Sunday, and was first reported by PBS and later confirmed by Stre. People march during a pro- Greenlanders demonstration, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday. Credit: AP Addressing the message later on Monday, Trump said: No, I don't care about the Nobel Prize. First of all a very fine woman felt that I deserved it and really wanted me to have the Nobel Prize. And I appreciate that. If anybody thinks that Norway doesn't, doesn't control the Nobel Prize, they're just kidding. "They have a board but it's controlled by Norway. And I don't care what Norway says. But I really don't care about that. What I care about is saving lives. And I think I've saved tens of millions of lives. Trump, tariffs, and a showdown in Davos: World leaders brace for US president At an emergency Downing Street press briefing on Monday, Starmer said the dispute with Trump over the Danish territory must be resolved through calm discussion between allies instead of pressure through military action and a trade war. The PM insisted that despite the escalation, the US remains a "close ally" and stressed the importance of maintaining that relationship - but that "alliances are not about pretending differences don't exist". From Westminster to Washington DC - our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below... Donald Trump would like the world to know that he is absolutely not obsessed in any way with the Nobel Peace Prize that he didnt win. Speaking with reporters amid a Nobel Prizefueled social media frenzy Monday evening, the president claimed that he no longer cared about the award. I dont care about the Nobel Prize, Trump said, on the tarmac beside Air Force One. First of all, a very fine woman felt that I deserved it and really wanted me to have the Nobel Prize, and I appreciate that, he continued, referring to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who gave Trump her award last week. Advertisement Advertisement Despite Machados unnecessary kowtowing, Trump snubbed the peacemaker, opting to recognize Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguezkidnapped President Nicolas Maduros second-in-commandas the interim leader of Americas latest oil-rich acquisition. But Trump obviously wasnt over his loss, noting to the reporters around him that he was still suspicious of what he believes is Norways outsize influence on the prizes outcome. If anybody thinks that Norway doesnt control the Nobel Prize, they are just kidding, Trump said. They have a board, but its controlled by Norway, and I dont care what Norway says. But I really dont care about that, he added before boasting that he had saved tens of millions of lives. Advertisement Advertisement Norway, which hosts the Nobel Prize committee, is simply home to the prestigious award ceremonyits government has no involvement in deciding who wins. Its no secret that Trump has long pined for the international honor: The U.S. president phoned Norways Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg out of the blue back in July to inquire about the possibility of acquiring the prize, using tariffs as a cover for their discussion. Trump has complained for years that his name has not yet been added to the ranks of prize recipients, who span some of the greatest figures of the last century, including Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Theresa, and Malala Yousafzai. Part of the contention could be that Trumps perceived political nemesis, former President Barack Obama, received the award in 2009 for extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. Three other U.S. presidents have also won a Nobel Peace Prize. Advertisement Advertisement They gave it to Obama for absolutely destroying our country, Trump said, during an Oval Office meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in October. My election was much more important. Trumps long history of coveting the prize on its own undercuts his claim to suddenly no longer care, but his words carry even less weight following a Sunday revelation from Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. Stre told The Wall Street Journal he had texted Trump to argue against a series of tariffs the U.S. president plans to impose on NATO allies who sent troops to Greenland for a joint military exercise. Trump responded that the world wouldnt be safe until the U.S. had Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, Trump wrote back, according to Stre, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Meanwhile, Trump has gone out of his way to aggress U.S. relations with the European Union over the last several days, publishing private text exchanges with French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, flaming Britain for returning an island within its overseas territories to its original nation, all while trudging forward with a preposterous and potentially violent scheme to annex Greenland from Danish control. By Divya Chowdhury and Peter Thal Larsen DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Donald Trump is expected to meet global business leaders in Davos on Wednesday, sources familiar with the matter said, as the U.S. President's presence looms large over the annual gathering of the global elite in Switzerland. Business leaders, including CEOs in financial services, crypto and consulting, were invited to a reception after Trumps address to the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, the sources told Reuters on Monday. The agenda was unclear. Advertisement Advertisement One CEO simply had "a reception in honour of President Donald J Trump" scheduled in their diary, while another said their understanding was that global CEOs had been invited, not just those from the United States. One of the sources said the invitations had come from the White House. Anthony Scaramucci, an investor who briefly served as Trump's communications director during his first term, said he knew the meeting was happening. "I'm not going. I'm not sure I'm invited, but even if I were, I wouldn't want to be a side show," Scaramucci said. Trump is expected to arrive on Wednesday in the Swiss mountain resort, where he is due to deliver a special address. Advertisement Advertisement Several top U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, are also accompanying Trump. China, meanwhile, is being represented in Davos by Vice Premier He Lifeng who is due to deliver a special address on Tuesday. He will also host a reception with CEOs and founders of global companies, a source told Reuters. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of business hours. 'EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE THE PRESIDENT AT HIS WORD' The WEF agenda has to some extent been overtaken by the U.S. president's dramatic policy moves, including his demand in recent days that the United States take over Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement WEF organisers have said that over 3,000 delegates from more than 130 countries will attend this year, including 64 heads of state and government, particularly from emerging economies. The list also includes several heads of G7 nations, with changes in U.S. policy under Trump in focus. Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev will also travel to Davos and hold meetings with members of the U.S. delegation, two sources with knowledge of the visit told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, national security advisers from a number of countries are due to meet on the sidelines of the event on Monday, with Greenland among the subjects on the agenda, diplomatic sources said. Advertisement Advertisement One European diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Greenland had been added to the agenda of the previously scheduled meeting after Trump threatened on Saturday to impose extra tariffs on eight European countries until the U.S. is allowed to buy the Arctic island. Bessent said European governments should not retaliate against any measures taken by the U.S. in their dispute. "I think it would be very unwise," Bessent told reporters when asked about retaliatory trade measures on the sidelines of the WEF meeting, adding that Europe should not doubt Trump's intentions over Greenland. "I've been travelling, so I haven't been in touch (with European officials), but I spoke to President Trump and evidently there are a lot of inbounds, and I think everyone should take the president at his word," Bessent said. Advertisement Advertisement Jenny Johnson, CEO of asset manager Franklin Templeton, said Trump's moves were negotiating tactics that can feel uncomfortable, but appeared to be in U.S. interests. "We all know his style. His style is, 'I'm going to come out with a hammer, and then I'll negotiate with you,'" Johnson told Reuters in an interview. "But his instinct about trying to figure out longer-term positions for the U.S. is the right instinct," she added. (Reporting by Peter Thal Larsen, Dave Graham, Divya Chowdhury and Selena Li in Davos; Additional reporting by William Schomberg and David Milliken in London; Writing by Paritosh Bansal; Editing by Alexander Smith) US President Donald Trump said that "a meeting of the various parties" regarding his bid to control the Arctic island of Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, would be held in Davos. Trump, in an early Tuesday post on Truth Social, said he had spoken about the meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in a phone call. He did not specify who would take part in the talks in Davos, where the official programme of the World Economic Forum began on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Trump is expected to arrive in the Swiss town on Wednesday and to give a speech on the same day. The president wants to annex the Danish island to the United States. The government in Copenhagen has ruled out a sale and is actively supported by European powers in its resistance to Trump's plans. In his post, Trump reiterated that the island of Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, "is imperative for National and World Security." "There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees" Trump wrote. On Saturday, Trump announced that, from February 1, he would impose punitive tariffs of 10% on imports from Denmark and seven other European countries - and rising to 25% from June 1 - if no resolution is reached to his satisfaction, which would be the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland. European Union countries are hurrying to find a joint response to the threat, including the possibility of imposing additional tariffs on a list of goods with a total trade volume of 93 billion ($108 billion). President Trump early Tuesday revealed a message from French President Emmanuel Macron tied to Trumps push to acquire Greenland. My friend, we are totally in line on Syria, we can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland, Macron said, according to a screenshot the president posted to Truth Social. The French leader also offered to organize a G7 meeting in Paris on Thursday, after the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, concludes. He added that he can invite delegations from Ukraine, Denmark, Syria and Russia in the margins. Advertisement Advertisement The president is scheduled to depart Washington for Switzerland on Tuesday evening. Macron also proposed a dinner between the two leaders on Thursday, before Trump heads back to the U.S. Macron and other European leaders have pushed back against the presidents interest in acquiring Greenland from Denmark. Trump and his administration have argued that the mineral-rich Arctic island is essential to national security and have not ruled out using military force to take over the territory. Last week, troops from multiple European countries including France arrived in the semi-sovereign Danish territory. Macron wrote Wednesday on social platform X that French forces will participate in joint exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland, dubbed Operation Arctic Endurance. In a letter the president sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre and shared with multiple European ambassadors over the weekend, Trump said the Norwegian Nobel Committees decision to award last years Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition Maria Corina Machado was a factor in his interest in Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America, Trump wrote, according to News Nation. Machado, during a meeting with the president earlier this month, said she gave the prize to Trump. In response, the Nobel committee said the medal and diploma can be given away, but the honor itself is inseparably linked to the winner. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 says there is too much media attention on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota and not enough scrutiny of what he calls widespread corruption and stolen taxpayer money in state government. Trump argued on Truth Social that the imbalance in coverage reflects misplaced priorities, saying the focus on immigration enforcement distracts from what he described as more consequential allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds by Minnesota officials. "In Minnesota, there is too much media attention on ICE, who have removed some of the worst murderers and criminals in the World, people let into our Country by Crooked Joe Bidens horrendous Open Border Policy, and not enough attention paid to the staggering sums of money stolen from the State by corrupt Minnesota politicians," Trump said in the post. Advertisement Advertisement Trump did not cite specific cases or dollar figures, though his comments come as Minnesota Democrats have faced scrutiny in recent years over spending programs and ethics questions, while ICE enforcement actions have drawn protests and legal challenges in the state. Mike Davis: What Is Happening In Minnesota Is Why We Have The Insurrection Act President Trump says the media fixation on ICE in Minnesota distracts from alleged multibillion dollar fraud, corruption and misuse of taxpayer funds. Federal prosecutors have accused Minnesota of losing potentially billions of dollars to fraud across multiple government programs, including child care subsidies, food assistance and autism services. Read On The Fox News App Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison have disputed the scale of the alleged losses. They've accused Republicans in the federal government of exaggerating the figures for political purposes, while acknowledging the state is reviewing how funds were improperly obtained and distributed. Advertisement Advertisement The political fallout from the fraud allegations led Walz earlier this month to drop a bid for a third term as governor. Trump Asserts Ilhan Omar Should Be Jailed Or Booted To Somalia Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced he will not run for re-election after massive fraud was uncovered in his state. Congress has also opened an investigation through the House Oversight Committee. Chairman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, told Fox News Digital earlier this month the probe could serve as a blueprint for examining similar cases in other states. Trump returned to the issue Sunday in a separate social media post, accusing Minnesota Democrats of using federal law enforcement operations to divert attention from what he described as massive fraud within the state. Advertisement Advertisement Posting on Truth Social, Trump said federal agents in Minneapolis and St. Paul were targeting violent criminals. Illegal Alien With 24 Convictions Among Worst Of The Worst Arrested In Minnesota Ice Operation: Dhs Federal agents deal with agitators outside of the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 14, 2026. The presence of ICE agents in the region has resulted in confrontations with anti-ICE agitators. "ICE is removing some of the most violent criminals in the World from our Country, and bring them back home, where they belong. Why is Minnesota fighting this? Do they really want murderers and drug dealers to be ensconced in their community? The thugs that are protesting include many highly paid professional agitators and anarchists. Is this really what Minnesota wants?" Trump wrote. Trump also singled out Walz and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, accusing them of deflecting attention from the alleged fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Click Here To Download The Fox News App "They dont mind because it keeps the focus of attention off the 18 Billion Dollar, Plus, FRAUD, that has taken place in the State!" Trump wrote. "Dont worry, were on it!" Federal law enforcement officers have faced protests and harassment from demonstrators in Minnesota in recent weeks, according to authorities. Federal prosecutors are also examining whether Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey took actions that impeded law enforcement efforts. Original article source: Trump says media focuses too much on Minnesota ICE coverage, not enough on corruption allegations "Hamas knows exactly where our son is and has knowingly and deliberately violated President Trumps framework and the agreement to return all hostages," Talik Gvili said. US President Donald Trump said that US intelligence knows where slain Israeli hostage St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's body is located within Gaza, during a Tuesday press conference in Washington, DC. "We got the 28 hostages; they have one left, that we think we know where it is. Amazing," Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement President Trumps statement confirms what we have been saying for the past three months: Hamas knows exactly where our son is and has knowingly and deliberately violated President Trumps framework and the agreement to return all hostages," Gvili's mother, Talik, said in a Tuesday evening statement following Trump's announcement. "The responsibility now lies with the Government of Israel and the US administration to exert the full weight of their authority to ensure that Hamas fulfills its obligations under the agreement, or guarantee that serious sanctions are imposed on Hamas." "We have no doubt that he is a man of his word, and we believe we will see Rani home soon," she concluded, reaffirming that the government must "refrain from any steps toward implementing Phase Two until Rani has returned. Relatives, friends and supporters of St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili, whose remains are held by Hamas, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, call for his return while holding an Israel flag with his picture and captioned ''we are waiting for you at home!'' January 9, 2026. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90) According to a report from Al Jazeera, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem stated that the group has shared all available information about the location of Gvil. He said, "We have provided all the information we have regarding the body of the last Israeli prisoner (Ran Gvili)." Who is St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili? Gvili, the last remaining Israeli hostage in the Gaza Strip, was taken captive on October 7 during the battle at Kibbutz Alumim. Advertisement Advertisement The intelligence is that Ran was not killed on the spot," Gvili's mother, Talik, told Maariv in a December interview. "We know he was wounded in the heroic battle at Kibbutz Alumim, hit by a bullet in his hand and shoulder area. Intelligence believes he didnt receive medical treatment and therefore didnt survive," she added. On January 7, a source confirmed to The Jerusalem Post that, in coordination with Israel, Hamas restarted its search for Gvili's remains. The search is occurring in Zeitoun, in northern Gaza. The neighborhood is split by the Yellow Line that divides the enclave between Hamas-controlled areas and Israel-controlled territories. The coordination with Israel allows Hamas to continue the search on the IDFs side of the Yellow Line. Trump's press conference: Crime, immigration, and Minnesota The remainder of Trump's Tuesday statements largely focused on the US economy, recent clashes between the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and civilian protesters in Minnesota, and the criminal records of various individuals who had been recently detained by ICE. Advertisement Advertisement "You've got to let the UN continue," Trump also said, when asked about his plans for Gaza's Board of Peace, which has alarmed international experts. "The UN just hasn't been very helpful. I am a big fan of the UN potential, but it has never lived up to its potential," Trump told reporters in a briefing at the White House. "I believe you've got to let the UN continue because the potential is so great," he added. Amichai Stein contributed to this report. President Donald Trump has provided new insight into when Americans may receive $2,000 tariff dividend checks from his administration. Trump first floated the idea of sending rebates from tariff revenue in late July, months after officials suggested payments could be sent out from savings incurred by the Department of Government Efficiency. And, in December, Trump announced a $1,776 Christmas bonus for nearly 1.5 million active-duty U.S. military service members. The president suggested tariff revenue was the source of funding for the bonuses, though USA TODAY reported the Department of Defense footed the $2.9 billion bill from military housing funds. Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know about the status of tariff rebates in Wisconsin: Will Wisconsin residents get $2,000 tariff stimulus checks in January 2026? No. There are no solid plans to send out tariff dividend payments as of January 2026, USA TODAY reported. Such checks would also likely require legislation from Congress, similar to federal economic impact payments that were distributed in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Will Wisconsin residents get a $2,000 stimulus check from the IRS in January 2026? No. Despite rumors, there's been no official confirmation from the Internal Revenue Service or Congress on stimulus checks being sent out to Americans. More: When can I start filing my taxes in Wisconsin? IRS announces 2026 start date When could tariff stimulus checks be sent out to Americans? Though there aren't any solid plans for tariff dividend payments, Trump provided a new timeline during an interview published Jan. 11 with the New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement "The tariff money is so substantial," he said. "Thats coming in, that Ill be able to do $2,000 sometime. I would say toward the end of the year." If the rebates are distributed with the same criteria as COVID stimulus checks, a single round could cost as much as $600 billion, USA TODAY reported. Revenue from tariffs is expected to generate about $300 billion annually, but the U.S. Supreme Court is set to weigh in on whether Trump's tariffs are legal. More: When will the $2,000 tariff checks go out? Trump's latest answer Will stimulus checks be sent as part of Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill?' No. Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill," signed into law July 4, does not contain any mention of stimulus checks. Advertisement Advertisement More: With a growing budget surplus, Evers calls for action on his agenda What is the status of the the American Worker Rebate Act of 2025? Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced legislation in late July to issue tariff rebate checks to Americans, though it has not progressed in Congress. Its status is marked as "introduced" as of Jan. 20. The American Worker Rebate Act of 2025 would provide at least $600 to tax-paying adults and dependent children, or $2,400 for a family of four, according to a press release from Hawley's office. It would be reduced by 5% for joint filers with an adjusted gross income above $150,000 or single filers earning more than $75,000 individually. It also allows for a larger rebate if tariff-generated revenue exceeds projections. Advertisement Advertisement More: Can Wisconsin drivers expect lower gas prices after the Venezuela strike? Kinsey Crowley of USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Are $2,000 Trump administration tariff stimulus checks coming in 2026? By Michel Rose and Ingrid Melander DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 20 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said Europe would not give in to bullies or be intimidated, in a scathing criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose steep tariffs if Europe does not let him take over Greenland. While other European leaders have tried to keep a measured tone to prevent the trans-Atlantic dispute from escalating, Macron came out swinging. Advertisement Advertisement France, and Europe, will not "passively accept the law of the strongest," Macron said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, adding that doing otherwise would lead to their "vassalization". Instead, he said, Europe will continue to stand up for territorial sovereignty and the rule of law, despite what he called a shift towards a world without rules. That could include the EU responding with its own steep trade sanctions. NO TO BULLIES "We do prefer respect to bullies," Macron said. "And we do prefer rule of law to brutality." Macron wore aviator sunglasses during his speech, which the Elysee Palace said was to protect his eyes because of a burst blood vessel. Advertisement Advertisement He delivered the speech after Trump threatened huge tariffs against French wine and champagne and posted private messages from Macron, an unusual breach of diplomatic discretion. Trump had already vowed on Saturday to implement a wave of increasing tariffs from February 1 on several European allies, including France, until the U.S. is allowed to acquire Greenland, a step major EU states decried as blackmail. Washington's "endless accumulation" of new tariffs is "fundamentally unacceptable," Macron said in Davos, "even more so when they are used as leverage against territorial sovereignty". WHAT WILL EUROPE DO? Advertisement Advertisement EU leaders decided over the weekend to convene in Brussels on Thursday evening for an emergency summit on Greenland. Tariffs on 93 billion euros of U.S. goods, which the EU set aside when Trump agreed a trade deal with the bloc last summer, could snap into place on February 6. Macron has pushed for the EU also to consider the first use of its Anti-Coercion Instrument, informally known as the "trade bazooka", which could limit U.S. access to public tenders or restrict trade in services such as tech platforms. Macron said on Tuesday it was "crazy" it had gone that far. SOURED RELATIONSHIP Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. president's relationship with Europe as a whole has deeply soured over his push to wrest sovereignty over the Arctic island from fellow NATO member Denmark, rattling European industry and sending shockwaves through financial markets. Trump has also taken offence at France's reluctance to join a proposed Board of Peace, a new international organisation that he would lead. Paris has voiced concern over its impact on the role of the United Nations. When asked about Macron's stance on the Board of Peace, Trump said late on Monday: "I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join, but he doesn't have to join." TRUMP PUBLISHES PRIVATE POST Advertisement Advertisement A few hours later, Trump published on his Truth Social account a screenshot of an exchange with Macron. In the exchange, which a source close to Macron said was authentic, Macron told Trump "I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland," and offered to host a G7 meeting inviting Russia and others. Neither Trump nor the French source disclosed the date of the messages. NO TRUMP-MACRON MEETING PLANNED IN DAVOS Macron confirmed he had no plans to extend his stay in Davos to Wednesday, when Trump arrives in the Swiss mountain resort town. "I don't have to change my schedule," he said, adding that it had long been planned he would leave in the evening. Advertisement Advertisement Macron, who will leave office in mid-2027, has been France's president since 2017. His relationship with Trump has had ups and downs since Trump's first term, with Macron alternating between flattery and tougher rhetoric. French officials have long defended Macrons efforts to engage directly with Trump, saying the men often have impromptu calls and exchange texts outside official diplomatic channels. People close to Macron said he was being singled out by Trump because he was standing up for democratic principles. "By leading the resistance, France becomes a target," Pieyre-Alexandre Langlade, a lawmaker in Macrons camp, told Reuters. (Reporting by Michel Rose in Davos, additional reporting by Louise Rasmussen and Elizabeth Pineau in Paris, Chandni Shah and Subham Kalia in Bengaluru, Nandita Bose and Bo Erickson in Washington; Writing by Ingrid MelanderEditing by Andrew Heavens and Peter Graff) Donald Trump is blaming the country of Norway for not awarding him a Nobel Peace Prize ... and he's using that as a reason to escalate his threats to take over Greenland -- from Denmark -- all displayed in a letter from Trump to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre. Stre sent a text message Sunday to Trump on behalf of both himself and Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, asking if they could set up a meeting to discuss several hot-topic issues -- particularly Trump's ongoing threats to invade Greenland, The Independent reports. Getty Trump responded and accused Norway of snubbing him for last year's Nobel Peace Prize, which went to Maria Corina Machado. But the government of Norway is not involved with the Norwegian Nobel Committee's decisions about awarding the prizes, as Stre pointed out. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said in his reply he no longer has an "obligation to think purely of Peace" -- an ironic statement coming from someone obsessed with getting the Peace Prize. Trump frequently claims he's stopped 8 wars. TMZ Trump said in his message Denmark can't protect Greenland from Russia and China -- though there's no indication either country has designs on the world's largest island. Trump says the United States has done more for NATO than any other country -- so therefore the alliance should force Denmark to surrender Greenland to the U.S. Donald Trump in New Epstein Photos - Click image to open gallery Trump has said the U.S. needs Greenland for national security purposes. FWIW ... Machado presented Trump with her medal last week. Jan. 20 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump early Tuesday threatened to impose a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne in an effort to pressure France to join his intergovernmental Board of Peace organization. Trump made the comments early Tuesday to reporters at Palm Beach International Airport before boarding Air Force One to take him to Washington, D.C. "I'll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he'll join," Trump said, referring to President Emmanuel Macron of France, who is reportedly not planning to accept his offer to join the U.S.-led Board of Peace. Advertisement Advertisement The Board of Peace is a U.S.-led intergovernmental organization proposed by Trump in connection with his Gaza cease-fire plan, which was endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in a resolution related to its Gaza peace mandate. Though initially conceived as a mechanism to establish peace in Gaza, the charter now makes no mention of the Palestinian enclave, suggesting it may have larger ambitions to address global conflicts, The New York Times reported. The Times also reported that the United States is asking participating countries to pay more than $1 billion to join the board. Several countries have already accepted Trump's invitation, including Hungary, Vietnam and Morocco. Trump told reporters early Tuesday that he has invited Russia, led by authoritarian President Vladimir Putin. Advertisement Advertisement When asked about Macron reportedly turning aside his invite, Trump responded with an insult: "Well, nobody wants him because he's going to be out of office very soon." France is to hold presidential elections next spring, with Macron ineligible to run again due to the country's constitutional two-term limit. Trump frequently uses tariffs as a bargaining tool, employing the economic measures as a negotiation tactic. However, those he has imposed during his second term have been challenged in court, as Congress constitutionally controls the nation's taxing authority. He recently announced a 10% tariff on goods from several European nations, including France, over their opposition to his plan to seize Greenland from Denmark. Advertisement Advertisement Trump later Tuesday posted online what he said was the text of a message Macron had sent him seeking to arrange a dinner in Paris on Thursday while he is in Europe for the World Economic Forum, running Monday through Friday. "I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland," Macron wrote, according to Trump. (Screengrab via Truth Social) President Donald Trump trolled allies in Europe and the Western Hemisphere with an AI-generated image depicting world leaders staring at a map that shows Greenland, Canada, and Venezuela absorbed into the U.S. The image, shared on the presidents Truth Social account in the early hours of Tuesday morning, shows figures including British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, gathered around Trumps desk in the Oval Office, their attention fixed on a doctored map draped in the U.S. flag. (Screengrab via Truth Social) Advertisement Advertisement The AI image appears to be a manipulated version of a photograph taken during an August 2025 White House visit, taken days after Trumps Alaskan summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, originally showing leaders gathered near a map of Ukraines front line during a call with the Kremlin. (Image via White House) The provocative image was posted just hours before the president is set to depart for Switzerland for the World Economic Forum in Davos, where his Greenland ambitions have already overshadowed the agenda. The post itself was part of a wider late-night barrage that saw him leak texts from Macron and trash British foreign policy. Advertisement Advertisement European leaders have firmly rejected Trumps demand that the U.S. take control of Greenland, a NATO-linked territory of Denmark, in a dispute that resulted in Trump threatening tariffs against allies he accuses of standing in his way. Over the weekend, the president announced that from February 1, the U.S. would impose a 10% tariff on exports from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the U.K., rising to 25 percent in June. The EU is now weighing whether to deploy a retaliatory measure that could slap 81B in tariffs on U.S. goods after issuing a joint warning of a dangerous downward spiral if a trade war erupts. The post Trump Trolls European Leaders With AI Map Showing Greenland, Canada, and Venezuela as US Territories first appeared on Mediaite. London President Trump has called the U.K.'s decision to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius a deal his administration previously supported an act of "great stupidity" that further justified his desire for the U.S. to acquire Greenland. One of the islands, Diego Garcia, is the site of a key U.K.-U.S. military base in the Indian Ocean. "Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER," Mr. Trump said early Tuesday on his own Truth Social platform. "There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. Thank you for your attention to this matter. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP." Mr. Trump issued his statement as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson, a Republican, was in the U.K. to address the British parliament, where he told lawmakers the U.S. and U.K. had "always been able to work through our differences calmly as friends. We will continue to do that. I want to assure you this morning that that is still the case." Advertisement Advertisement The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius, which was then a British colony, in 1965. A map shows the Chagos Archipelago, a British Indian Ocean Territory, that the U.K. agreed in 2024 to hand sovereignty of to Mauritius. / Credit: Getty/iStockphoto The U.K. purchased the islands for the equivalent of around $4 million, CBS News partner BBC News reported, but Mauritius had long argued that it was forced to give the islands away in order to achieve its independence in 1968. The U.K. invited the U.S. to build a military base on the island of Diego Garcia, and it has become a cornerstone of American defense infrastructure in the vast Indian Ocean region. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued a non-binding ruling that called on the U.K. to give up control of the Chagos Islands, saying it had wrongfully forced out the people living on Diego Garcia to make way for the military base. That ruling, in part, prompted the deal reached in 2024 for the U.K. to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. As part of the agreement, Britain got to maintain control of the military base on Diego Garcia through a 99-year lease, at a cost to the U.K. of about $136 million per year. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration previously supported the Chagos Islands deal, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio issuing a statement in May last year saying, "following a comprehensive interagency review, the Trump Administration determined that this agreement secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation of the joint U.S.-UK military facility at Diego Garcia." Rubio said at the time that Mr. Trump had "expressed his support for this monumental achievement during his meeting with Prime Minister Starmer at the White House," calling the base "a critical asset for regional and global security." In a statement sent to CBS News on Tuesday, a U.K. government spokesperson said Britain "will never compromise on our national security," noting that the agreement with Mauritius was struck "because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future." "This deal secures the operations of the joint U.S.-U.K. base on Diego Garcia for generations, with robust provisions for keeping its unique capabilities intact and our adversaries out," the British government said, noting that it had previously been "publicly welcomed by the U.S., Australia and all other Five Eyes allies, as well as key international partners including India, Japan and South Korea." Advertisement Advertisement The Five Eyes refers to the close defense and intelligence partnership between the U.S., Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Billy Bob Thornton on how his "Landman" role is a personal phenomenon "Mastermind" behind the Minnesota fraud scheme defends herself and admits regrets "Queer Eye" cast addresses member's absence and reflects on legacy of show President Donald Trump on Saturday vowed to "take out" the Republican leader of the Indiana Senate after he resisted a new congressional map the president had championed. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Indiana Senate Majority Leader Rod Bray had "betrayed" the Republican Party after his chamber voted down a new map last month that would have created two more right-leaning congressional districts in the state. The president said he would partner with David McIntosh, a former Indiana congressman who helped found two political groups, the Federalist Society and the Club for Growth, to target Bray. Advertisement Advertisement "I was with David McIntosh of the Club for Growth, and we agreed that we will both work tirelessly together to take out Indiana Senate Majority Leader Rod Bray, a total RINO, who betrayed the Republican Party, the President of the United States, and everyone else who wants to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump wrote in the post. Trump Turns Up Heat On Fellow Republicans In Push To Redraw Congressional Maps Ahead Of Midterms State Sen. Rodric Bray speaks to members of the media at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis on Dec. 8, 2025. (Getty Images) He added, "Were after you Bray, like no one has ever come after you before!" Read On The Fox News App McIntosh, a longtime conservative figure, said he was on board with Trump's game plan. Advertisement Advertisement "President Trump and I are aligned," he wrote on X. "Rod Bray is going down." Fox News Digital has reached out to Bray's office for comment. Virginia Gop Chair Steps Down After Crushing 2025 Loss Vows To Rally Party Against Democrats 'Power Grab' State Sen. Rodric Bray, center, speaks at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis on Dec. 8, 2025. Trump has launched redistricting efforts across the country ahead of this year's midterms, and Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have drawn new maps as part of the president's push. In December, the Indiana Senate voted 31-19 against a new congressional map, with 21 Republicans joining 10 Democrats in voting against the measure. If approved, the districts of two Democratic representatives would have been eliminated. Advertisement Advertisement The redistricting bill passed the Indiana House 57-41, with a dozen GOP lawmakers voting against the measure, but Republican leaders in the Senate had resisted Trump's efforts to draw new congressional maps. Bray had repeatedly said there wasn't enough support in the chamber to move forward with redistricting, but Trump continually pressured Bray and others on the fence leading up to the vote, saying they "need encouragement to make the right decision." In a social media post on the eve of the vote in the state Senate, Trump blasted Bray, vowing that he'd do everything within his power to oust Bray and Republicans who voted against the redistricting bill in their GOP primaries. Virginia Democrats Move To Seize Redistricting Power, Opening Door To 4 New Left-leaning Seats President Donald Trump arrives at a dedication ceremony for a portion of Southern Boulevard recently renamed for him at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 16, 2026. The president had called state lawmakers about the bill, and Vice President JD Vance visited the state twice last fall to discuss redistricting. Advertisement Advertisement After the Virginia state Senate greenlit a constitutional amendment on Friday that would allow the Democrat-controlled legislature to redraw the state's U.S. House maps ahead of the midterm elections, Vance also took aim at Bray. Click Here To Download The Fox News App "I'd like to thank @bray_rodric for not even trying to fight back against this extraordinary Democrat abuse of power," he wrote on X. "Now the votes of Indiana Republicans will matter far less than the votes of Virginia Democrats. We told you it would happen, and you did nothing." Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report. Original article source: Trump vows to take out Indiana GOP leader over redistricting fight Donald Trump is pushing to have his "Board of Peace" proposal ratified by world leaders in a special ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, according to reports. In an invitation posted on social media by Axios reporter Barak Ravid, the President asked various countries' heads of state or government to join him in signing the Board's charter at 10:30am on Thursday. The short deadline left politicians across the world scrambling to decide how they should respond to what appears nothing less than an attempt to build a Trump-dominated replacement for the United Nations, a body Trump has long criticized. Advertisement Advertisement Chief among their concerns was the enormous control granted by the charter to Trump himself plus the eye-popping membership fee of $1bn. "This Board will be one of a kind, there has never been anything like it!" Trump wrote in letters sent to around 60 nations on Friday. Some European nations were alarmed that Russia was also invited, despite its ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images) "Our effort will bring together a distinguished group of nations ready to shoulder the noble responsibility of building LASTING PEACE, an Honor reserved for those prepared to lead by example, and brilliantly invest in a secure and prosperous future for generations to come." And while stalwart Trump allies such as Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban and Argentinia president Javier Milei enthusiastically accepted the proposal, other nations were more cautious. Advertisement Advertisement "France was invited to join the Board of Peace and is examining the proposed legal framework with its partners. At this stage, it does not intend to give a favorable response," a senior French official was reported as saying. "The Charter goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza. It raises major questions, in particular regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which cannot under any circumstances be called into question." Page 1 of the invitation letter, posted online by both Orban and Milei (Hungarian government via Facebook) Israel too objected that the proposal "was not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy", even though the Board was originally developed as part of a peace plan for Gaza. Canada said it was open "in principle" but would not pay any fee. The UK said it needed to consider the idea, while Poland expressed skepticism about the fact that Russia which is still waging a war of aggression in Ukraine had also been invited. It was not immediately clear what the billions collected in membership fees would actually be used for (Hungarian government via Facebook) "Poland's accession to an international organization requires the consent of the Council of Ministers and ratification by the Sejm," said Polish president Donald Tusk, referring to the lower house of Polands national legislature. Advertisement Advertisement "The government will be guided solely by the interest and security of the Polish state. And we will not let anyone play us." Trump's 'Peace Board' grew out of a resolution by the UN Security Council in November that authorized an international stabilization force to manage Gaza in the wake of its devastation by Israel. Yet according to a leaked draft published by The Times of Israel on Sunday, the current charter contains zero mentions of Gaza and gives the Board a far wider mission, while also taking veiled digs at the UN. Belarus, a key Russian ally ruled by an authoritarian government, was also invited as shown off here by a Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman (Belarus Foreign Ministry via REUTERS) "The Board of Peace is an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict," the charter reads. Advertisement Advertisement It claims that "too many approaches to peace-building foster perpetual dependency, and institutionalize crisis rather than leading people beyond it," and that "a more nimble and effective international peace-building body" is needed. Structurally, it gives the Peace Board's chairman in this case, one Donald J. Trump near complete control over the body, including the right to invite and expel member states at will, veto power over all decisions, and "final authority" on how the charter should be interpreted. The body's subsidiary "executive board", which would implement decisions, is also stuffed with familiar figures such as Trump's secretary of state Marco Rubio, his longtime ally Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former British prime minister Tony Blair. European officials told Bloomberg that they are requesting changes to these terms, and that they had lobbied Arab nations to do the same. Among the other countries reportedly invited are Australia, Belarus, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Jordan, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, and Ukraine. President Donald Trump doubled down on his pressure campaign for the annexation of Greenland, arguing there's no going back on his ambitions despite the global backlash. After Monday saw several world leaders denounce the Presidents threat to tariff European allies until Denmark agrees to sell the island to the U.S., Trump said he had shared a very good call with NATO chief Mark Rutte and unveiled plans for an upcoming meeting to discuss the escalating row. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for national and world security. There can be no going backon that, everyone agrees, claimed Trump, adding that the U.S. is the only power that can ensure peace throughout the worldand it is done, quite simply, through strength. Advertisement Advertisement Further details of the upcoming meeting were not provided, although Trump is due to deliver a speech at the 2026 World Economic Forum at Davos-Klosters on Wednesday. Greenland and Denmark have both repeatedly said that the Arctic island is not for sale, with Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stating last week: If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. Yet Trump has shown no signs of retreating and, in a move that has concerned leaders across the globe, the White House has refused to rule out using military force to annex the territory. Greenland's positioning between the U.S., Russia, and Europe makes it a strong geopolitical asset, and Trump has argued that Denmark cannot be relied upon to protect the island from Russian and Chinese interests. One social media post by President Donald Trump displayed a digitally-created depiction of U.S. leadership claiming Greenland as its own on Jan. 20, 2026. Cheng XinGetty Images Several European countries last week, amid an effort from NATO allies to bolster the security of the island, committed to sending troops to Greenland for military exercises. Trump responded by saying he would impose a 10% tariff on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United Kingdom starting Feb. 1 on any and all goods sent to the United States of America. He said the tariff would be increased to 25% on June 1. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps use of economic pressure prompted outrage among not only European leaders but also some lawmakers within the Presidents own Republican Party, who labeled the tariffs unnecessary, punitive, and a profound mistake. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered a rare, public rebuke of Trumps actions during a filmed address at Downing Street on Monday morning. Although he emphasized the close alliance between the U.S. and the U.K., Starmer said the Presidents tariffs threat was completely wrong. Such moves are not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance, nor is it helpful to frame efforts to strengthen Greenlands security as a justification for economic pressure, he argued. Unlike some European leaders who have floated the idea of retaliatory tariffs or invoking the Anti-Coercion Instrument (which could restrict access to the single market in which the U.S. has a surplus with the bloc and block applications for E.U. contracts), Starmer expressed an eagerness to de-escalate tensions. A trade war is in no ones interest, he said. While Starmer appeared hopeful that calm discussion between allies would pave the way forward, Trumpduring his overnight social media blitzlambasted one of the U.K.s current geopolitical moves and used it as a touchstone to emphasize his Greenland argument. Advertisement Advertisement Trump labeled the U.K.'s plan to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius an act of great stupidity. The U.K. acquired the islands for around 3m ($4m) in 1968, but Mauritius leadership argued it was illegally forced to give away the land in order to get independence from Britain. Per the new deal, which was signed last year, the U.K. will lease back a key military base. (Diego Garcia of the Chagos Islands is currently home to a strategic U.K.-U.S. military base.) There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are international powers who only recognize strength, said Trump, adding that the action from the U.K. is another in a very long line of national security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European allies have to do the right thing. In response to Trumps remarks, a U.K. government official told TIME: The U.K. will never compromise on our national security. We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future. They added the deal has been publicly welcomed by the U.S., Australia, and all other Five Eyes allies, as well as key international partners including India, Japan, and South Korea. President Donald Trump criticized the U.K.'s handover of the Chagos Islands on Jan. 20, 2026. Christopher FurlongGetty Images Meanwhile, in a further display of his Greenland ambitions, Trump posted a digitally-created depiction of himself, joined by Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, planting an American flag beside a sign that reads Greenland, U.S. territory, EST. 2026. He also posted an image of himself in the Oval Office last year with several European leaders, including Starmer. However, the image had been digitally-altered so that it showed Trump presenting a fake map of Greenland cloaked with the U.S. flag. Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after Trumps online remarks, amid increasingly high tensions, U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson addressed the U.K. Parliament on Tuesday morning in honor of Americas Semiquincentennial celebration. Hes the first U.S. Speaker of the House to do so. Standing next to U.K. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Johnson acknowledged the politically-charged backdrop of his visit and expressed his hope to help to calm the waters. We've always been able to work through our differences, calmly as friends. We will continue to do that. I want to assure you this morning that that is still the case, Johnson told British lawmakers. Write to Olivia-Anne Cleary at olivia-anne.cleary@time.com. It was a message that might as well have been written in crayon. A day after Donald Trump announced new tariffs on several European countries economic penalties that would remain in place, he said, until his demands to acquire Greenland were met the president sent a truly ridiculous message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, in which the Republican suggested part of his Greenland crusade is rooted in his failure to win a Nobel Peace Prize. In fact, according to Trump, because Norway hurt his feelings by failing to give him an award he wanted but did not earn, he no longer feels an obligation to think purely of Peace. In a written statement, Stre said that hes tried to explain to Trump on several occasions that the Norwegian government is not responsible for the decisions made by the independent Nobel Committee. The American president, however, continues to insist that Stre is lying, that the Norwegian government is secretly in charge of the honors, and that all of this has something to do with Greenland, which is a territory of an entirely different Scandinavian country. Advertisement Advertisement One Republican member of Congress, retiring Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, described Trumps unhinged antics as very embarrassing conduct, which is true, although several congressional Democrats went considerably further. Indeed, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut raised concerns about the presidents mental stability, describing Trumps message to Stre as the ramblings of a man who has lost touch with reality. The senator added, regarding the American president, He isnt OK. Hes degraded significantly in the last year, and hes about to get us into a war with our allies. Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii sounded a similar note, adding, I dont see how you can be a serious person and not find this extremely worrisome. He is not stable at all, and his reality is warped. One senator, however, took an additional step down the same path. HuffPost reported: Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is calling on President Donald Trumps Cabinet and Vice President JD Vance to remove him from office via the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution over his latest threat to Greenland. [] Invoke the 25th Amendment, Markey replied, referring to a constitutional process by which the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet can declare a president unable to perform his duties. If the president contests that declaration, Congress would ultimately decide whether he remains in power. The last time Trump confronted public chatter about the 25th Amendment, it was in the immediate aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol amid concern about what else the Republican might do to remain in the White House despite losing the 2020 election. Evidently, theres at least some evidence to suggest the topic has returned to the public conversation. Advertisement Advertisement If the American president is aware of such concerns about his mental stability and fitness for office, hes not showing it. On the contrary, hours after his bonkers message to the Norwegian prime minister reached the public, Trump leaked a private message from French President Emmanuel Macron and used his social media platform to promote weird images, including one that showed a map of the Western Hemisphere in which Greenland, Canada and Venezuela are under American control. Lars-Christian Brask, deputy speaker of the Danish parliament, told Sky News, If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate and the House to start to take control of the political power in America, because with this mad and erratic behavior, you have to ask the question: Is the president capable of running the United States? Under the circumstances, that need not be a rhetorical question. The post Trumps weird text to Norways prime minister renews 25th Amendment talk appeared first on MS NOW. This article was originally published on ms.now President Donald Trump is expected to hold a formal signing ceremony to constitute his highly anticipated Gaza Board of Peace as early as Thursday while he attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, according to a copy of the invitation circulating online, as allies openly question if they will even join the board. ABC News has reached out to the White House. Trump announced on Friday the Gaza Board of Peace that would oversee the rebuilding and reconstruction of the devastated Gaza Strip. But the charter draft circulated online makes no direct mention of the region, leading to a muted, cautious reaction from government officials who believe Trump's board may have loftier ambitions. Advertisement Advertisement Gaza peace plan moving into next phase, Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff says Trump, who is to chair the board, said in a post on Truth Social last week that it will be "the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place," though details about it remain vague. Jehad Alshrafi/AP - PHOTO: Palestinians walk amid buildings destroyed by Israeli air and ground operations in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Jan. 14, 2026. Several countries have said they received invitations to join the board in recent days, including Argentina, Belarus, Canada, Australia, Egypt, Hungary, Pakistan, Jordan, Turkey, Israel and India -- though the countries' respective leaders largely appear reluctant to make public statements of explicit endorsement. The Kremlin on Monday said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had also received an invitation. Advertisement Advertisement "Moscow is studying all the details of the proposal and hopes to contact Washington to clarify all the nuances," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The U.S. is expected to announce its official list of members in the coming days. A copy of the charter draft posted online by the Times of Israel seemingly signals that the Board of Peace may have a much broader mandate than was first publicized, with some officials speculating that Trump has more ambitious goals than solely rebuilding Gaza and is looking to instead build a U.S.-led alternative to the United Nations aimed at resolving conflicts globally. According to the charter, the board "is an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict." Advertisement Advertisement The charter also asserts "the need for a more nimble and effective international peace-building body" and calls for "a coalition of willing States committed to practical cooperation and effective action." Ali Moustafa/Getty Images - PHOTO: Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Helen McEntee, inspects aid warehouses in Al-Arish, near Rafah, January 13, 2026 in Arish, Egypt. Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee issued a statement Sunday warning that the body proposed by Trump "would have a mandate wider than the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan." "The United Nations has a unique mandate to maintain international peace and security, and the legitimacy to bring nations together to find common solutions to shared challenges. While it may be imperfect, the U.N. and the primacy of international law is more important now than ever," she said in the statement. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Poland would require permission to join the international organization from its Council of Ministers and ratification by its lower chamber of the legislature. He warned "we will not let anyone play us" in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Some European leaders are mulling not joining the board and risking Trump's ire during an unstable period of escalated global conflict as the U.S. president continues to stoke tensions over the Danish territory of Greenland, and while western allies need continued U.S. support to control Russia as it pummels war-torn Ukraine during a brutally cold winter season. The executive committee that would oversee the Board of Peace will include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. The mandate of the Board of Peace which was approved in November by the United Nations Security Council is solely focused on Gaza and runs until the end of 2027. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to the press before boarding Marine One as he departs from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, January 16, 2026. The charter draft states that nations who accept the invitation will be given a three-year membership term, but permanent membership would be given to member states that contribute more than $1 billion in cash to the Board of Peace within the first year. Advertisement Advertisement The Board of Peace would convene voting meetings at least once a year and the agenda would be subject to the chairman's approval, according to the charter draft. Decisions will be made by a majority vote, the draft says, with each member state receiving a single vote. But those decisions can be vetoed by the chairman, who has "the final authority regarding the meaning, interpretation, and application of this Charter." This gives Trump as chairman considerable leeway over the charter's decision making. Additional members of the Board of Peace are expected to be announced over the coming weeks, according to the White House. U.S. officials said that additional announcements could come while the president was traveling in Davos this week. The announcement of the Board of Peace and its executive committee come on the heels of the Trump administration's launch of the second phase of the Gaza 20-point peace plan it says "begins the full demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza." U.S. officials said there will be "intense" planning ahead with the newly formed technocratic committee to get them ready to govern and work with Hamas to ensure safety and peace remain a priority in the Gaza region. LONDON -- The leaders of all 27 European Union nations will meet for an "extraordinary meeting" later this week, European Council President Antonio Costa said on Sunday, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's escalating pressure campaign to acquire Greenland. European leaders are mobilizing after Trump on Saturday announced a 10% tariff to be imposed on all goods sent to the U.S. from eight NATO nations -- Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands and Finland -- that recently sent small contingents of troops to Greenland to take part in military exercises there. On Sunday, Trump sent a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in which the president again expressed his desire to take control of Greenland. Stores office confirmed to ABC News on Monday that Oslo received the message from Trump. The details of the letter were first reported by PBS. Advertisement Advertisement "Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America," Trump wrote. "Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a 'right of ownership' anyway? There are no written documents, its only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also," the president continued. "I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland." Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima - PHOTO: Danish soldiers disembark at the port in Nuuk, Greenland, on Jan. 18, 2026. Europe 'united' in face of Trump's Greenland threats, tariffs, EU chief says Costa said he had called the meeting due to the "significance of recent developments." Advertisement Advertisement European leaders are mobilizing after Trump on Saturday announced a 10% tariff to be imposed on all goods sent to the U.S. from eight NATO nations -- Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands and Finland -- that recently sent small contingents of troops to Greenland to take part in military exercises there. Costa said recent conversations with European leaders had reconfirmed their "strong commitment" to international law, Arctic security through NATO and solidarity with Denmark and Greenland in the face of Trump's continued effort to acquire the Arctic island. European leaders also agreed that "tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and are incompatible with the EU-U.S. trade agreement," Costa said, noting the bloc's "readiness to defend ourselves against any form of coercion" and to engage "constructively with the US on all issues of common interest." An EU Council spokesperson confirmed to ABC News that the summit would be an in-person meeting in Brussels. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said the new tariffs will come into force on Feb. 1 and will increase to 25% on June 1. The president said the measures would remain in place until the U.S. is able to purchase Greenland. Greenland is a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Trump first raised the prospect of acquiring the minerals-rich island in his first term. Danish and Greenlandic politicians have repeatedly rebuffed such proposals. Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters - PHOTO: This file photo shows European Union flags outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Dec. 18, 2025. US talks pose 'conundrum' for Greenland, Denmark: Analysts Trump's new tariffs raise the risk of a fresh transatlantic trade war. A French official confirmed to ABC News on Monday that French President Emmanuel Macron "will request the activation of the EU's anti-coercion instrument in the event of new U.S. tariffs." Advertisement Advertisement That mechanism, colloquially known as the bloc's "trade bazooka," would allow the EU to impose severe restrictions on U.S. goods and services. Among the available measures would be restrictions on U.S. investment in EU nations, blocks on access to public procurement schemes and limits on intellectual property protections. Trump has repeatedly suggested that U.S. sovereignty over the world's largest island is necessary to ensure American security and blunt Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic region. On Sunday, the president again claimed that only the U.S. can ensure the security of Greenland. A 1951 defense agreement grants the U.S. military access to Greenland. Danish politicians have repeatedly expressed willingness to work with Washington to expand the American and NATO presence there. Danish officials have also sought to head off concerns about the supposed vulnerability of the Arctic. Last year, Copenhagen announced a $6.5 billion Arctic defense package in response to U.S. criticism that it had failed to adequately protect Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement But such steps do not appear to have deterred Trump, who has said he would consider taking Greenland by force if other means to acquire the land fail. Sean Gallup/Getty Images - PHOTO: The Greenlandic flag flies over houses, Jan. 17, 2026, in Nuuk, Greenland. Trump announces tariffs on NATO allies for opposing US control of Greenland Indeed, it was the recent deployment of more NATO forces to the Arctic territory that prompted Trump to threaten a new raft of tariffs. The troops traveled to Greenland to take part in the Danish-led Operation Arctic Endurance. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt are scheduled to visit NATO's headquarters in Brussels on Monday for a previously planned meeting with the alliance's Secretary General Mark Rutte, NATO said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged "calm discussion" between allies. "The security of Greenland matters and it will matter more as climate change reshapes the Arctic," he said, noting the need for "greater attention, greater investment and stronger collective defense." "The United States will be central to that effort, and the U.K. stands ready to contribute fully alongside our allies through NATO," Starmer said, adding that any decisions about the territory's future should be left to Greenlanders and Danes. Trump's use of tariffs against allies, Starmer continued, "is completely wrong. It is not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance. Nor is it helpful to frame efforts to strengthen Greenland's security as a justification for economic pressure." ABC News' Victoria Beaule, Tom Soufi Burridge and Kevin Shalvey contributed to this report. The Tulare County Sheriff's Office is working to piece together what led up to a shooting in the Cutler area that killed a 19-year-old. Deputies were called to Kaweah Health Medical Center in Visalia around noon on Sunday for someone with a gunshot wound. The victim died at the hospital. Investigators say the victim was dropped off there by 37-year-old Joseph Morales, who is considered a person of interest in the fatal shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Deputies searched Morales's car and found the gun they believe was used in the shooting. "We do think this was accidental. These two appear to be friends. Their families know each other well," says Ashley Ritchie with the Tulare County Sheriff's Office. "It seems like these two were friends for a while, but we're still trying to get a clear story of what exactly happened." Deputies say Morales is not cooperating with the investigation, even getting combative. "When we were trying to swab his cheek, he tried to bite one of our deputies," says Ritchie. The sheriff's office says Morales has also given conflicting stories about the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement "We don't have a crime scene because the stories are changing," she says. Morales is booked in the Tulare County Jail for allegedly being a felon in possession of a firearm, ammunition and a controlled substance, vandalism, and assault on a law enforcement officer. The shooting remains under investigation. For news and weather updates, follow Tiffany Olin on Facebook, X and Instagram. By Ismet Mikailogullari NUSAYBIN, Turkey, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Turkey said on Tuesday it was investigating the burning of its flag during protests along its border with Syria by pro-Kurdish groups, coinciding with clashes there between the Damascus government army and Kurdish-led forces. Syrian government forces pushed deeper into northeast Syria's Kurdish-held areas on Tuesday after taking swathes of territory long held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) this week, advancing President Ahmed al-Sharaa's effort to bring all the entire country back under centralised authority. Advertisement Advertisement Ankara, the main foreign supporter of Sharaa's government, deems the SDF a terrorist organisation linked with outlawed Kurdish PKK militants in Turkey, and has repeatedly said the SDF must integrate into Syria's state apparatus under a 2025 accord. Turkish authorities have been engaged in a peace process with the PKK for months under which it says the group - and its extensions - must lay down weapons and disband to end a four-decade PKK insurgency in Turkey. Footage from the protests showed participants, whom Ankara said supported Kurdish militants, trying to climb fenced walls along the Turkish-Syrian border in the Nusaybin-Qamishli region, while some burned or tore down Turkish flags in the area and chanted slogans. Police used water cannon and pepper spray in attempts to disperse the crowds, amid scuffles with some protesters. Advertisement Advertisement Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on X that prosecutors had launched inquiries into the events, while the defence ministry said investigations were underway against PKK supporters trying to cross the border illegally at Nusaybin. "With this attack in question, it is evident that dark forces aiming to sabotage the goal of a terror-free Turkey have once again come into play. These attempts will neither weaken the determination of our state nor harm the unity and solidarity of our nation," Burhanettin Duran, the Turkish presidency's communications director, said on X. Omer Celik, spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party, vowed the "clearest and strongest response". Turkey has since 2016 repeatedly sent forces into northern Syria to curb the gains of the SDF - which during Syria's 201124 civil war took control of more than a quarter of the country while fighting Islamic State with strong U.S. backing. The SDF has said the peace process between the Turkish state and PKK does not apply to it. (Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; editing by Ece Toksabay and Mark Heinrich) GUEST INTERVIEW: Identity has evolved from a cost centre to a crucial business enabler, offering the highest return on investment in the security stack. However, with a new study showing most businesses still in the early stages of maturity, the rise of AI is creating a "great divide" between leaders and laggards. We spoke with Wendy Wu, Chief Marketing Officer at SailPoint, to understand the findings from the company's latest Horizons of Identity Security report and what they mean for businesses navigating this new landscape. In today's fast-paced digital environment, large enterprises are constantly seeking ways to cut costs, reduce risk, and accelerate growth. SailPoints latest study suggests a surprising leader in achieving these goals: identity security. Once viewed as a necessary but cumbersome cost centre, identity security has transformed into a powerful engine for business value. However, the rapid proliferation of AI and digital identities is creating a complex new frontier that many organisations are struggling to navigate. The Horizons of Identity Security study, conducted by enterprise security leader SailPoint, in partnership with McKinsey, provides a comprehensive look at the state of identity management across industries. The findings are clear: mastering identity is no longer just a technical task for the IT department; it's a strategic imperative that directly impacts the bottom line. Here is my video interview with SailPoint Chief Marketing Officer Wendy Wu, after which this article continues - please read on! From Cost Centre to Revenue Engine For years, the primary justification for investing in identity security was risk mitigation and compliance. While these remain critical, the conversation has shifted dramatically towards its role as a value creator. According to the study's findings, the financial benefits are now undeniable. "Identity security is really presenting the highest ROI across all investment in the security domain," explains Wu. "Our data shows that 30% of organizations we surveyed ranked identity access management as the area with the highest ROI when you compare it to all of the other security functions, such as data security, network security, or cloud security." This shift is driven by two key factors: cost reduction and revenue acceleration. On the cost side, modern identity platforms automate what were once highly manual tasks. They can automatically de-provision unused accounts, saving significant money on software licenses, and streamline access requests, freeing up valuable IT resources. More importantly, identity security directly fuels revenue growth by accelerating time-to-value. When a new employee can be productive from their first hour instead of waiting days for access, or when a development team gets immediate access to the code they need, the business moves faster. This acceleration translates directly into faster product launches and increased revenue. The New Landscape: AI Agents and the "Great Divide" While the potential of identity security is immense, the study reveals that most organisations are not yet realising its full benefits. A staggering 63% of companies are still in the early stages of their maturity journey, categorised as "Horizon 1" or "Horizon 2" on a five-stage scale. This indicates a significant gap between awareness and implementation. Compounding this challenge is the rise of AI. The introduction of non-human identities, such as AI agents and bots, has fundamentally changed the security landscape. These AI agents and non-human identities can perform complex tasks but also create new, significant vulnerabilities if not properly managed. This has led SailPoint to raise the bar for what constitutes an advanced identity program. An organisation cannot achieve the higher "Horizon 4" status without demonstrating the ability to govern these new AI agents. Wu warns that this has created a critical divergence in the industry. She says, "We see this gap between those that do and versus those who don't is becoming bigger and this is what we call the great divide. It's widening every minute as we speak." Organisations that fail to adapt their identity strategies to include AI agents risk being left behind, not only in security posture but also in their ability to innovate safely. The Deployment Dilemma: Why So Few Succeed Even with the right strategy and technology, the path to identity security success is fraught with challenges, particularly when it comes to deployment. The data paints a stark picture of the difficulties companies face in putting their plans into action. "Our data shows that only 14% of the organisations call their last deployment a complete success," Wu notes. Furthermore, less than half (48%) of projects come in under budget, meaning most are more expensive and complex than anticipated. Successful deployment isn't just about ticking off a list of technical features. It requires a methodical approach that begins with "data hygiene" - ensuring that the underlying identity data is clean and accurate. Companies that prioritise best practices, such as gaining full visibility of their applications and taking a phased approach to governance, are 1.6 times more likely to achieve a successful deployment. This foundational work is essential; without it, even the most advanced technology will fail to deliver its promised value. Charting a Course for Success So, how can large enterprises navigate this complex landscape and harness the power of identity security? The study offers a clear roadmap. First, businesses must acknowledge and plan for the new reality of non-human identities. Governing AI agents is no longer an optional extra but a core component of a modern security program. Second, organisations must move beyond seeing identity security as a technical project and instead treat it as a business transformation initiative. This means quantifying its impact on cost, risk, and revenue. "We see companies, those who are able to be very analytical and to show the impact of identity security investment, they're the ones who's able to get more funding to support their programs and grow their business," Wu concludes. By building a robust business case, securing executive buy-in, and adopting a disciplined approach to deployment, organisations can transform identity security from a defensive measure into their most powerful tool for accelerating growth and innovation in the age of AI. +++ Sailpoint also has its State of Identity report, and separately, a State of Identity Report for Australia and New Zealand. Please watch the video interview above for more - and remember, you can freely download the Horizons of Identity Security study here, or by clicking the image below. Clashes erupted on Turkey's border with Syria Tuesday between police and protesters angered by a Syrian military offensive targeting Kurds, an AFP correspondent said. Damascus has since announced a four-day ceasefire with Kurdish forces but protests across Turkey have continued. The earlier violence broke out in the border town of Nusaybin, just across from the northern Syrian town of Qamishli, at a protest called by the pro-Kurdish DEM, Turkey's third-largest party. Advertisement Advertisement More than 1,000 demonstrators marched through the town towards the border, ending in a confrontation with police, who fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse them. The clashes come after Syrian forces launched an offensive nearly two weeks ago that pushed the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) out of Aleppo, then advanced deep into the northeastern area held by Kurdish forces. The move has angered Kurds across the region, including the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group in Turkey. An AFP correspondent said some people at the Turkish border protest hurled stones at police, while others tried to cross into Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Footage from the scene showed some trying to scale the wire fences, while protesters could also be seen gathering on the Syrian side. Syria's defence ministry on Tuesday announced a four-day ceasefire with Kurdish forces, starting at 8 pm (17H00 GMT). But crowds of the women protesters still took to the streets in major Turkish cities on Tuesday evening in solidarity with Syria's Kurdish community. In Istanbul, an AFP journalist saw around 150 women calling for the defence of Rojava -- the name Syrian Kurds have given to the autonomous area they administer. Meanwhile, 77 people were detained and 35 were imprisoned across the country for "provocations" linked to the clashes in Syria, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, 10 people were arrested at a demonstration outside a DEM office in Istanbul, including a French journalist. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hailed the Syrian army for its "careful" offensive to take over Kurdish-held areas, but the move has triggered fury among Turkey's Kurds, who make up a fifth of the country's 86 million residents. "Mr President (Erdogan), you are congratulating HTS, which is killing our Kurdish brothers. There is a war going on!" DEM co-chair Tulay Hatimogullari said at the border protest, referring to the Islamist-led rebels now ruling Syria. In Ankara, Turkey's top diplomat, Hakan Fidan, huddled for talks with US Syria envoy Tom Barrack, and later spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio by telephone. Advertisement Advertisement "Despite all the difficulties, implementation of the January 18 agreement will play an extremely important role in the unity and integrity of Syria," Fidan said. - 'Whatever is necessary' - The violence has also raised serious doubts about Turkey's peace process with the PKK, which last year said it was ending its four-decade insurgency in favour of democratic means to advance the Kurdish struggle. That process largely stalled amid the stand-off in Syria over plans to integrate the SDF into the central state. On Tuesday, the PKK vowed it would "never abandon" the Kurds of Syria "whatever the cost". Advertisement Advertisement "We, the entire Kurdish people and the movement, will do whatever is necessary," senior PKK leader Murat Karayilan told pro-Kurdish news agency Firat. DEM, which has been mediating between Ankara and jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, has been enraged over Turkey's support for the Syrian offensive. "You cannot treat those you call 'citizens' on this side of the border as 'enemies' on the other," it said on Sunday, accusing Ankara of "pure hypocrisy". Wladimir van Wilgenburg, an author and expert on Syrian Kurdish affairs, said the unrest risked collapsing Turkey's efforts to end the PKK conflict. Advertisement Advertisement "There's a risk it could blow up with cross-border protests," he told AFP. "Kurdish groups in Syria have called on the Kurds, both in Iraqi Kurdistan and in southeastern Turkey, to come and cross the border and join them in solidarity," he added. bur-hmw/cc/rh Quincy lost two former mayors and a former first lady within the space of 48 hours with the deaths of James Sheets, Arthur Tobin and Shirley Tobin on Jan. 15 and 16. Their causes of death were not disclosed. The city's 31st mayor, James Sheets, died in his home state of Pennsylvania on Thursday Jan. 15, at age 90. He served six terms as Quincy mayor from 1990 to 2001, capping a political career spanning three decades, including tenures as a ward councilor and state legislator. The son of a coal miner, Sheets moved to Quincy to attend Eastern Nazarene College, where he studied history and psychology. He would go on to teach at both Eastern Nazarene and Quincy College, where he chaired the history department. Advertisement Advertisement In 1973, he was elected Ward 4 city councilor, a seat he would hold until 1990, when he ascended to the mayor's office. Sheets was elected state representative while also serving as ward councilor. Former Quincy Mayor James Sheets in July 1978. Sheets died on Jan. 15, 2026. In 2001, Sheets lost a reelection bid to William Phelan by just 17 votes. At the time, he was the city's longest-serving mayor, an honor now held by current Mayor Tom Koch. Koch, who served as a top aide and parks commissioner in the Sheets administration, recalled the former mayor in a Facebook post: "He had an inherent sense of decency that was a huge part of who he was," Koch wrote. "He treated everyone with such dignity and respect throughout his nearly 30 years of public service, and I think thats a big reason why he was so successful." Advertisement Advertisement After his political career, Sheets again returned to the classroom as an adjunct faculty member of Quincy College in 2004. Quincy's 29th mayor, Arthur Tobin Arthur Tobin, Quincy's 29th mayor, died at age 95 on Friday, Jan. 16. Born in 1930, Tobin graduated from Quincy High School in 1948. He served in the Koran War as a sergeant in the Marine Corps. He later graduated from Boston College and Suffolk Law School. Like Sheets, Tobin held elected office in both state and local government, serving on Quincy City Council (1968-77), then Massachusetts House of Representatives (1967-71) and Massachusetts Senate (1971-78). Elected mayor in 1978, his tenure got off to a difficult start, as the "Blizzard of '78" struck just days into his tenure, overwhelming the region, shutting down transportation and resulting in significant property damage. Advertisement Advertisement Following his tenure as mayor, Tobin was named Clerk Magistrate at Quincy District Court in 1982, a position he held for 44 years. Arthur Tobin, who was Quincy's new mayor when the Blizzard of 1978 hit, reflects on what he had to deal with on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018. Mayor Koch remembered Tobin's commitment to public service. "Arthur was a defining voice of our community during some very tumultuous times in the 1970s, and would go on to become a mainstay of fairness for more than 40 years as Clerk Magistrate at Quincy District Court," Koch wrote on Facebook. "A life of public service approaching 60 years is truly remarkable." The 30th mayor, between Tobin and Sheets was Francis X. McCauley, who died Nov. 3, 2021. Quincy First Lady, Shirley Tobin Tobin's wife, former First Lady of Quincy Shirley (Straughn) Tobin, died at age 97 on Thursday, Jan. 15, the day before her husband. Advertisement Advertisement Born in Boston, she lived in Quincy for 79 years, marrying Tobin in September 1955 at St. John the Baptist Church in Quincy. Shirley Tobin's obituary describes her as a woman of deep faith who loved literature and singing. Visiting hours for friends and family of Shirley and Arthur Tobin will be held at Saint John the Baptist Church at 44 School St. in Quincy on Thursday, Jan. 22, from 3-7 p.m. A Funeral Mass is scheduled on Friday, Jan. 23, at 10 a.m., also at St. John the Baptist Church, followed by interment at Mount Wollaston Cemetery. This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy Mayors Arthur Tobin, James Sheets die within 48 hours Jan. 19 (UPI) -- A surfer was bitten by a shark in waters off Sydney on Monday evening, the second person to suffer critical injuries in a shark attack near the Australia's largest city in little more than 24 hours. Emergency services were notified of the most recent attack at about 6:20 p.m. AEDT Monday, the New South Wales Police Force said in a statement. The surfer, identified as a man believed to be in his 20s, was pulled from the waters of North Steyne Beach, Manly, near Sydney Harbour National Park by members of the public who performed first aid on the victim before emergency services could arrive. Advertisement Advertisement The man suffered what NSW Police called "serious leg injuries," and was transported by ambulance to Royal North Shore Hospital in critical condition, authorities said. "All beaches on the Northern Beaches are closed until further notice, and this will be reviewed on an ongoing basis," the NSW Police Force said. The man is the second person to be sent to hospital in critical condition due to a shark attack in a day, after a 12-year-old boy was hospitalized following an attack on Sunday. Authorities said the boy was with friends, leaping off a 20-foot rock into the brackish waters of the Hermitage Foreshore Walk, located about 10 miles south of North Steyne Beach, when he was attacked at about 4:20 p.m. Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement The boy was rescued from the ocean and was transported to Children's Hospital in Randwick. Superintendent Joseph McNulty, commander of the NSW Police Marine Area Command, told reporters Monday prior to the second attack that the boy was "fighting for his life." "We believe it was something like a bull shark that attacked the lower limbs of that boy yesterday," he said, describing the scene that police arrived at as "horrendous." The attacks come months after 57-year-old Mercury Psillakis died from a shark attack in September. Northern Beaches Council on Monday said its thoughts and wishes were with the man who was attacked at North Steyne Beach. Advertisement Advertisement "Many are still grieving the loss of Mercury Psillakis and we are all shocked this can happen again so soon on our beaches," Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins said in a statement. All beaches across the Northern Beaches are to remain closed Tuesday and Wednesday, Heins added. The rift between the U.S. and NATO allies continues to grow over President Donald Trumps repeated insistence on subsuming Greenland. Denmark is sending more troops and the head of its army to the strategically important, mineral-rich island, over concerns about Trumps rhetoric. Meanwhile, Europe debates economic responses to Trumps rhetoric and the U.S. military appears to be making some moves of its own, although the exact reasons behind them remain murky. The strain on the alliance was exacerbated by Trumps Sunday message to Norways prime minister, in which he linked his interest in Greenland to his not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. Her ankommer yderligere soldater fra Hren til Grnland, hvor de skal deltage i velsen Arctic Endurance.#dkforsvar pic.twitter.com/9Ukg8TZNRV Forsvaret (@forsvaretdk) January 19, 2026 Amid the growing tensions, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced on X that it was sending troops and aircraft to Greenland to support various long-planned NORAD activities. When asked if the deployment was related to current events, a NORAD spokesperson emphasized that it had been in the works for a while and is routine. Regardless of how long ago these movements were planned, the optics cant be denied. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland. Along with aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, they will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) January 19, 2026 At issue is Trumps assertion that Greenland needs to be under U.S. control to protect the homeland from China and Russia. Greenland and Denmark of which the island is an autonomous territory have both repeatedly said the island is not for sale and have expressed alarm about threats of the potential use of U.S. military force to acquire Greenland. NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland. Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!! President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/ZyFh9OsNsn The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 19, 2026 In a short interview with NBC News on Monday, Trump was guarded when asked about his intentions to take military action against Greenland. He also confirmed that he will impose tariffs on Denmark and seven other nations until they agree to turn over the island. Advertisement Advertisement Asked if he would use force to seize Greenland, the president said, No comment,' the network reported. BREAKING: US President Donald Trump has said in a telephone interview with NBC News that he will "100%" hit European nations with fresh tariffs if a Greenland deal is not reached.@SkyDavidBlevins reports from the US Live https://t.co/ocfbIBwgaX Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/H7zmU5ZF8u Sky News (@SkyNews) January 19, 2026 Last week, we noted that some European nations were sending a small, relatively symbolic force of about two dozen troops to Greenland. The deployment of troops for an exercise known as Arctic Endurance was being held outside of NATOs auspices. In addition to Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the U.K. were taking part. Germany and the Netherlands ended their participation after just a few days. On Monday, the Danish TV 2 news outlet reported that Copenhagen is substantially boosting its military presence there. A large number of Danish combat soldiers, described as a substantial contribution, are expected to arrive in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland on Monday evening, the television station reported. Army Chief Peter Boysen is arriving with the group. Advertisement Advertisement The new deployment will contribute to the troop buildup of Danish soldiers that is currently taking place, TV 2 added. They will join 200 Danish troops previously deployed to Greenland, divided equally between Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq for Arctic Endurance, which has been accelerated and intensified as a result of the latest statements from U.S. President Donald Trump, the station noted. Meanwhile, Copenhagen on Monday asked for a NATO mission to Greenland, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said, after a meeting with alliance chief Mark Rutte at NATO headquarters in Brussels. We have proposed that, and NATOs secretary-general has also noted that, he told reporters. Danish soldiers disembark at the port in Nuuk, Greenland, on January 18, 2026. The Danish Defense will continue its increased presence with exercise activities together with several NATO allies in and around Greenland in 2026. This is done in cooperation with the Greenlandic authorities and the Greenlandic government, Naalakkersuisut, as stated by the Danish Defense. (Photo by Mads Claus Rasmussen / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP) / Denmark OUT MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN Trumps message to Norways prime minister Jonas Gahr Stre fueled growing concerns about Trumps designs on Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America, Trump said in the message. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland, Trump added. NEW: @potus letter to @jonasgahrstore links @NobelPrize to Greenland, reiterates threats, and is forwarded by the NSC staff to multiple European ambassadors in Washington. I obtained the text from multiple officials: Dear Ambassador: President Trump has asked that the Nick Schifrin (@nickschifrin) January 19, 2026 Store on Monday confirmed the message and said it was in response to Norwegian and Finnish concerns over Trumps announcement that he would impose a new 10% tariff on Denmark and seven other European countries until a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland. The other countries affected would be Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland. Advertisement Advertisement Trump said the duties would increase to 25% if a deal is not reached by June 1. I can confirm that this is a text message that I received yesterday afternoon from President Trump, Store announced. It came in response to a short text message from me to President Trump sent earlier on the same day, on behalf of myself and the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb. In our message to Trump, we conveyed our opposition to his announced tariff increases against Norway, Finland, and select other countries. We pointed to the need to de-escalate and proposed a telephone conversation between Trump, Stubb and myself on the same day. Norways position on Greenland is clear, Store added. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter. We also support that NATO, in a responsible way, is taking steps to strengthen security and stability in the Arctic. As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have clearly explained, including to President Trump, what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government. This is the original message, as reiterated by Norway's largest newspaper: https://t.co/WswZOPQM0I pic.twitter.com/HNQGoMsqu7 Anna Tema (@Anatema0) January 19, 2026 Trumps stance on tariffs has European nations considering economic countermeasures. It triggered an emergency meeting of European countries representatives Sunday, CNN reported. French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly asked the European Union to activate its so-called anti-coercion instrument, colloquially known as a trade bazooka,' the network added. The trade bazooka could block some of Americas access to EU markets or impose export controls, among a broader list of potential countermeasures. Advertisement Advertisement European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas said Europe will stand its ground. Arctic security is a shared transatlantic interest, and one we can discuss with our US allies, she stated on X. But tariff threats are not the way to go about this. Sovereignty is not for trade. We have no interest to pick a fight, but we will hold our ground. Europe has a slate of tools to protect its interests. Denmark and Greenland are not alone. Good to see my colleagues @troelslundp and Vivian Motzfeldt. Arctic security is a shared transatlantic interest, and one we can discuss with our US allies. But tariff threats are not the way to go about this. Sovereignty is not for pic.twitter.com/AbIhQ2ZI13 Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 19, 2026 The growing tension has reportedly spurred Danish intelligence to issue a warning against using Bluetooth devices. It has been known among cyber experts for many years that there are vulnerabilities in the Bluetooth technology that many Danes use for headphones and all kinds of electronics, the Danish Ingeniren tech news outlet reported. But in the midst of the highly tense situation with US President Donald Trumps claim to Greenland, the Danish Defense Intelligence Agency (DE) specifically warns authorities, agencies and the countrys police forces against using Bluetooth headphones and AirPods in the service. Advertisement Advertisement Though U.S. relations with Europe are at a lowpoint over Greenland, Trumps interest in the island is hardly new. Back in 2019, TWZ reported on Trumps claim that his administration was considering attempting to purchase Greenland from Denmark, the U.S. leader noting at the time that the idea was strategically interesting. Still, the U.S. maintains just a small presence of about 200 in Greenland as of now, according to Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen: Greenland has been a member of NATO since 1949, and it is covered by Article five. pic.twitter.com/7DBlLkznGd Clash Report (@clashreport) January 14, 2026 However, the U.S. operates one of its most strategic military outposts in Greenland. This is spearheaded by Pituffik Space Base, the U.S. militarys northernmost installation, a critical node in the U.S. ballistic missile early warning system, and also the worlds northernmost deep-water seaport. The installation also features a sprawling airbase. You can read in more detail about the U.S. military presence on the island here. Our colleagues at Task & Purpose reported that the Pentagon wants to spend as much as $25 million in major infrastructure improvements to Pituffik Space Bases runways in Greenland. The overhaul of its airfield is part of other work planned for the installation. A satellite view of Pituffik Space Force Base in Greenland. (Google Earth) The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minnesota, defense officials told The Washington Post late Saturday, after Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to unrest there. Advertisement Advertisement The soldiers are assigned to two infantry battalions with the Armys 11th Airborne Division, which is based in Alaska and specializes in cold-weather operations. Spinning up troops from the 11th has some on social media speculating that the order is really in preparation for sending troops to Greenland, though there is no indication of that being the case. #Greenland ALERT: Multiple news sources in DC and Alaska are reporting the 11th Airborne Brigade has alerted two battalions, 1,500 troops, to be ready to move to "Minnesota." This is a really bad attempt at Strategic Deception. I warned several times this year that alerting pic.twitter.com/A0utVBAcqh Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) January 19, 2026 Amid the festering controversy over Greenland, Russia is relishing how it is playing out at a time when it stands to benefit from a splintering of the NATO alliance and any reduction in support to Ukraine by the U.S. and its allies. The Kremlin said Trump would go down in history if he took control of Greenland, Reuters noted. President Vladimir Putins special envoy Kirill Dmitriev hailed the collapse of the transatlantic union. Former President Dmitry Medvedev joked about Europe getting poorer. The media in Russia is also gleeful, with one publication calling the situation a pleasure to watch. Todays Russian papers on Greenland: Europes at a total loss. Its a pleasure to watch. Government paper: Europe doesnt need the American greatness Trump is promotingthe Old World's keen to keep Greenland for itself, even at the risk of Natos collapse. #ReadingRussia pic.twitter.com/9VJmRRewev Steve Rosenberg (@BBCSteveR) January 19, 2026 The situation is accelerating and it has the potential to fracture NATO in such a way that the alliance has never had to confront before. We will keep you updated as all this unfolds. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is calling on President Donald Trumps Cabinet and Vice President JD Vance to remove him from office via the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution over his latest threat to Greenland. Markey shared a New York Times headline on X about Trumps letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, which noted that since he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, he no longer feels an obligation to think purely of Peace. Invoke the 25th Amendment, Markey replied, referring to a constitutional process by which the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet can declare a president unable to perform his duties. If the president contests that declaration, Congress would ultimately decide whether he remains in power. Politics: Critics Expose The Massive Constitutional Flaw In Donald Trumps Latest Threat While Greenland is a semi-autonomous Danish territory, Trump said earlier this month that one way or the other, were going to have Greenland and has repeatedly refused to rule out the use of military force. Advertisement Advertisement That was enough for Markey and at least three other U.S. lawmakers. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.) and Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) also called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked, with Ansari explicitly describing Trump as extremely mentally ill. Others on social media also demanded that the 25th Amendment be invoked: The 25th Amendment exists for moments like this. pic.twitter.com/wev4OABFZD Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) January 19, 2026 What the **** is the point of the 25th Amendment if we cant invoke it against a President who is clearly insane? pic.twitter.com/KPEcOiemBf CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) January 19, 2026 I think its worth asking again and seriously what exactly do we have a 25th Amendment for if not for this? Andrea Junker (@Strandjunker) January 19, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement OPINION | Even by Trumps standards, his latest letter is so dangerous and so delusional that there is no longer any question that the president is mentally unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, as laid out in the 25th Amendment. https://t.co/m8NIQbDydk The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) January 19, 2026 This is mental illness. Trump needs to step down, or we need to invoke the 25th Amendment. He will start a world war, and like the allies he lost us that the entire country is pissed about, the rest of the world will attack us for no reason. pic.twitter.com/F9S1X8g1Wh Mark Bland (@markbland) January 19, 2026 Trumps insane new threat leaves no doubt: its time for the 25th Amendment. pic.twitter.com/qRc2Wny9kI Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploofkins) January 19, 2026 This are the words of a barking lunatic. 25th Amendment, where R U?!! pic.twitter.com/JC128KSjau David Stockman (@DA_Stockman) January 17, 2026 Advertisement Advertisement Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost Jan. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. warplanes of the North American Aerospace Defense Command will soon arrive in Greenland for planned activities, the bi-national defense organization involving the United States and Canada said Tuesday, as President Donald Trump threatens the sovereignty of the autonomous island. The aircraft of the United States and Canada were scheduled to arrive at Pituffik Space Base, a U.S. Space Force base, in Greenland in support of "various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defense cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark," NORAD said in a statement posted to X. "This activity has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark, and all supporting forces operate with the requisite diplomatic clearances," it added. Advertisement Advertisement "The Government of Greenland is also informed of planned activities." Greenland is a self-governing island and territory of Denmark, which is a NATO partner, and both are covered by the alliance's security guarantee. Denmark and the United States also share a defense agreement that gives the United States broad access to the island. Despite the fact that there is a U.S. military presence on Greenland, Trump has long sought the territory for the United States, arguing it is necessary for national defense. Since the U.S. military abducted Venezuela's authoritarian leader, Nicholas Maduro, in an operation earlier this month, Trump has been ratcheting up pressure on Europe to relinquish the land to Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Europe, Canada and other allies have come to Greenland's defense, supporting Denmark's sovereignty over the world's largest island. But Trump has responded by threatening a 10% tariff on goods from eight NATO nations that will increase to 25% in June over their opposition to his control of Greenland. On Monday, Trump told European leaders that a reason for his push to secure Greenland that he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. "I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace," he said. On Monday, ahead of expectations that European leaders will push back against his Greenland plan and threats of tariffs, Trump told reporters: "I don't think they're going to push back." "We have to have it," he said. "They have to have this done. They can't protect it." Norway was invited to serve on the board as well, but refused the offer. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry did not provide an immediate explanation. The United Arab Emirates and Belarus accepted the invitation to joinUS President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" on Tuesday. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed the agreement to join on Tuesday afternoon, stating that he looked forward to becoming a "founding member" of the organization. Advertisement Advertisement The UAE's foreign ministry said the country stood ready to contribute actively to the mission of the Board of Peace, supporting greater cooperation, stability, and prosperity for all, marking Abu Dhabi's formal alignment with Washingtons new conflictresolution effort. The board would be chaired for life by Trump and would start by addressing the Gaza war, then expand to deal with other conflicts, according to a copy of a letter and draft charter seen by Reuters. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Thursday, 8 January 2026, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, with Nickolay Mladenov, who is set to become the Director of the Gaza Strip Board of Peace. (credit: AMOS BEN GERSHOM/GPO) Bahrain joins BoP, Norway rejects the invitation Bahrain has accepted the invitation to join the BoP as a founding member, Bahrain's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. Norway will not take part in the initiative as it is currently presented, Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik told the daily Aftenposten on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement The Norwegian foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Turkey's Fidan discusses Trump's Board of Peace plan, Syria with Rubio Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the BoP and recent developments in Syria in a phone call, a Turkish foreign ministry source said. Kampala, Uganda Much of Uganda has returned to normal after millions voted in tense presidential and legislative elections marked by violence in some parts of the country and disputed results. President Yoweri Museveni, 81, was declared the winner on Saturday with 72 percent of total votes cast. Former musician Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, secured 25 percent. Bobi Wines National Unity Platform (NUP) party and two other presidential candidates have rejected the results, alleging irregularities including ballot stuffing, intimidation, and the blocking of party agents from polling stations. The United Nations also says Thursdays vote was marred by widespread repression and intimidation. Advertisement Advertisement On the day the countrys Electoral Commission announced Musevenis win, Bobi Wine appeared in a video on social media, telling supporters that he was forced into hiding after his home was raided by police and other unknown individuals. I know they are looking for me, but even if they succeed and get me, and do whatever, I want to say this to you fellow Ugandans, he said on video, We reject whatever is being declared by Mr Simon Byabakama [the chair of the Electoral Commission] because those so-called results that they are declaring are fake and they dont in any way reflect what happened at the polling stations. The opposition and its supporters say the government has violently cracked down on dissent, shutting down the internet and arresting protesters. Museveni has accused Bobi Wines party of trying to destabilise the country. Advertisement Advertisement Ugandan authorities said the four-day internet shutdown was a security measure aimed at preventing the spread of misinformation that could cause fear and chaos. The government also said seven people were killed in Butambala, with police stating that protesters attempted to attack a polling station and a police post. The NUP disputes this account, saying at least 10 people were killed when police fired at the home of a party official, a claim Al Jazeera could not independently verify. Speaking with Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi in an exclusive interview while in hiding, Bobi Wine condemned the governments crackdown to intimidate, to silence, and to subdue the forces of change. Advertisement Advertisement He also alleged he had evidence of fraud, videos showing not the police, not the military, but electoral commission officials ticking ballot papers in favour of Museveni. Al Jazeera: How are you? Hows your family? Bobi Wine: Im alive. I dont know how my family is, but I try to keep in touch with my wife. Shes OK, shes strong. [The security forces are] still at my home. Nobodys allowed to access the house. Al Jazeera: The police spokesman told us that you are not under arrest, that you are at home; obviously, youre not. What do you say to them? Bobi Wine: I saw the police spokesperson saying Im in my house. The same police person said that the people that were shot and killed in the house of my deputy president were actually attacking the police station. And yet they were inside the house. You know, so much goes on, and the shamelessness of the Ugandan regime now is bottomless. You know, theyll do something glaringly and they lie about it. Advertisement Advertisement Al Jazeera: Youre talking about the incident in Butambala? Tell us about what happened. Bobi Wine: Ten people were killed in Butambala at the house of my deputy president. They were shot dead. The police shot through the door of a garage, a car storage room and killed 10 people. But scores were also killed in Iganga. Many people were killed in Kawempe and many other places. So, one of the reasons why I could not stay home is that, as a leader, I had to keep in touch with these people; I had to give guidance. I had to be in touch and know what is happening. It was extremely dangerous for me. Youve heard the head of the military, who is General Musevenis son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, promising to cut off my head, and we had earlier information that they were coming to harm me. So, in that fracas when they raided my house, I used a few old skills to get my way out. Uganda opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine, addresses supporters during his final campaign rally at Aga Khan Grounds, in Kampala, Uganda, Monday, January 12, 2026. [File: Samson Otieno/AP] Al Jazeera: The president has called you a traitor and a terrorist you and other officials of your party. What do you have to say to that? Advertisement Advertisement Bobi Wine: It should be known that in every dictatorship, especially here in Africa, to run against a dictator means being a terrorist, means being a traitor and everything. I mean, a priest, a Catholic priest called Father [Deusdedit] Ssekabira was arrested and General Museveni was talking about him, saying the Catholic priest was arrested and detained incommunicado for more than two weeks for working with me. But I was not arrested. Young people are in prison for their association with me and the party that I lead. But I, with the secretary-general and many others, are not detained. This is a crackdown to intimidate, to silence and to completely subdue the forces of change; everybody that yearns for change and everybody that does not support General Museveni. Al Jazeera: You have rejected the elections. You said that the election is rigged. What evidence do you have? Bobi Wine: We have evidence before, we have evidence during and after the election. A day or two before the election, several of our polling agents were picked up by the military. Some of them are still missing. Advertisement Advertisement And then you have seen videos. They turned off the internet. And this time, not the police, not the military, but electoral commission officials took part in ticking ballot papers in favour of General Museveni. We have record of them. We have videos of them doing that, and weve started uploading them on social media. (Al Jazeera was unable to verify videos on social media purporting to show officials filling in ballot papers. The Electoral Commission spokesperson declined to speak to Al Jazeera about this allegation.) The Electoral Commission chairperson announced results that nobody knows where they come from. They were supposed to pick them from the declaration of results forms and the district tally sheets. Our agents were there; they had different results on the forms. But the Electoral Commission chairperson was declaring something completely different. So, we rejected. Like we said to the people before, that this was going to be a protest vote. We encouraged people for more than a hundred days that should the dictatorship try to subvert the voice of the people, the people of Uganda should rise up according to Article 29 of our constitution and reclaim their voice. That is what we encourage them to do. Al Jazeera: And what does that mean? Protests? Advertisement Advertisement Bobi Wine: That means nonviolent, legally accepted protests. It means protesting, it means rejecting the abuse of democracy, fighting back against any subversion of our democracy. Our constitution, Article 29, provides that the people of Uganda can protest and demonstrate peacefully and unarmed. And that is exactly what weve encouraged them and continue to encourage them to do. It could be protesting on the streets. Some of us started protesting by holding high the national flag. Others can protest by staying at home. We gave it back to the people of Uganda to find numerous creative ways of protesting to fight back in the most moral, constitutional and legal way possible. Al Jazeera: And going to the Supreme Court is not an option for you? Bobi Wine: The judicial system in Uganda is not independent at all. In the previous presidential election petitions, the Supreme Court has ordered for certain reforms theyve been completely ignored. So we dont have hope in the judicial system of Uganda. Thats why weve always encouraged the people of Uganda to be the ones to take back their voice. Al Jazeera: The government and security forces accused you and your supporters throughout the election of flouting electoral rules, maybe campaigning where campaigns are not supposed to be happening, and thats why you have been met with this kind of violence and tear gas and blocking rallies. What is your response? Advertisement Advertisement Bobi Wine: Thats what they are saying. But the law as it is in Uganda permits a candidate, most importantly a presidential candidate, to campaign everywhere where there are people. And indeed that campaign programme was confirmed and ratified by the Electoral Commission of Uganda. However, I was not allowed to even drive on the main roads. I was not allowed to campaign in cities or populated areas. I was always sent to the bushes, but people came there. But also, the Electoral Commission was never in charge of this election; the military took charge of this election. I mean, if there was anything wrong that I did, if theres anything that was against the law, I would have been apprehended a long time ago. Al Jazeera: There are some Ugandans who subscribe to whatever youre saying, but theres a lot of fear in the country. And theyre saying, OK, the election is now done, so lets just move on. Bobi Wine: Moving on is resigning to slavery. Weve said it many times that living under a military dictatorship for 40 years is like slavery. Ugandans dont have a right, they dont have a voice. Uganda is an extremely young country the second youngest country in the world [by age], governed by a ruler who is over 80 years old. Advertisement Advertisement Corruption is the order of the day. The country is in a mess. And we, as a current generation that are the parents of today, that are going to be starting this country it is our right and duty to ensure that we take charge of our own destiny. Al Jazeera: And finally, you cannot go home? Bobi Wine: My reason for not being home is to be able to speak to the world. If I was in my house, you would not be able to access me. I would love to be in my home. Ive not changed my clothes in days. I want to be home. I want to be free. I want to take care of my people. But the military and police have taken over my home. Theyve vandalised my gate. Theyve cut the padlocks. Theyve cut power at my house. So theyve more or less colonised my home. Unfortunately, theres no rule of law in Uganda. I cannot find redress with the courts. I cannot find redress with any institution of state. I just have to fight back in my own crude, non-violent way. Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. The government has launched a consultation on banning social media for under 16s in the UK as a part of a series of measures which it says are intended to "protect young people's wellbeing." The package will also see England's education inspectorate, Ofsted, given the power to check policies on phone use when it goes into schools, with ministers saying they expect schools to be "phone-free by default" as a result. The world's first social media ban for young people took effect in Australia in December 2025, prompting other countries, including the UK, to consider following suit. Advertisement Advertisement Some experts and children's charities have cautioned against the idea - but it has strong backing elsewhere. On Sunday, more than 60 Labour MPs wrote to the prime minister saying the backed a ban with the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey also calling on the government to act. "Some argue that vulnerable children need access to social media to find their community," Brianna's mother Esther Ghey wrote in a letter seen by the BBC. "As the parent of an extremely vulnerable and trans child, I strongly disagree. "In Brianna's case, social media limited her ability to engage in real-world social interactions. She had real friends, but she chose to live online instead." Advertisement Advertisement The former school standards minister Catherine McKinnell, who is one of the MPs who signed the open letter to Sir Keir Starmer, told BBC News parents currently "felt unprepared to deal with the pace at which social media has changed." Speaking on Breakfast, on BBC 5Live, she added that while children should still be able to be "connected in an online world", she didn't believe that meant "being bombarded with information sent to you by algorithms devised to create money by tech companies." Parents and young people Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said in a statement to the Commons on Tuesday, "I can tell the House we will bring forward a swift three-month consultation on further measures to keep children safe online." According to The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, the consultation will "seek views from parents, young people and civil society" to determine the effectiveness of a ban. Advertisement Advertisement It would also look at whether more robust age checks could be implemented by social media firms, which could be forced to remove or limit features "which drive compulsive use of social media". And Ofsted will give tougher guidance to schools to reduce phone use - including telling staff not to use their devices for personal reasons in front of pupils. On Monday Kendall said the laws in the Online Safety Act were "never meant to be the end point" and said she understood "parents still have serious concerns". Advertisement Advertisement "We are determined to ensure technology enriches children's lives, not harms them - and to give every child the childhood they deserve," she said. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has already said her party would introduce a social media ban for under-16s if it was in power. She said the consultation was "more dither and delay" from Labour. "The prime minister is trying to copy an announcement that the Conservatives made a week ago, and still not getting it right," she said. Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson said there was "no time to waste in protecting our children from social media giants" and "this consultation risks kicking the can down the road yet again". Advertisement Advertisement National Education Union (NEU) general secretary Daniel Kebede called the move a "welcome shift". "Every day, parents and teachers see how social media shapes children's identities and attention long before they sit their GCSEs, pulling them into isolating, endless loops of content," he said. [Getty Images] The Association of School and College Leaders also welcomed the consultation on social media, but said the government had been "sluggish" in responding to the online risks posed to children. The union's general secretary Pepe Di'Iasio said there was "clearly a much wider problem of children and young people spending far too much time on screens and being exposed to inappropriate content". Advertisement Advertisement And Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, also welcomed the plans to consult on a potential social media ban. But he said the suggestion that Ofsted should "police" phones in schools was "deeply unhelpful and misguided". "School leaders need support from government, not the threat of heavy-handed inspection," he added. 'Not strong evidence' It comes as the government faces additional pressure from the House of Lords, which is expected to vote on a proposed ban on Wednesday. The amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill has backing from several prominent figures such as former children's TV presenter Baroness Benjamin and former education minister Lord Nash. Advertisement Advertisement There is also a separate amendment calling for the introduction of film-style age ratings which could limit the social media apps children can access. Professor Amy Orben, who leads the Digital Mental Health programme at the University of Cambridge's MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, told the BBC there was "broad agreement" more needed to be done to keep children safe online. However, she said there was still "not strong evidence" that age-based social media bans were effective. Dr Holly Bear from Oxford University, whose work focuses on developing, evaluating, and implementing mental health interventions for young people, agreed the evidence for the effects of a social media ban was "still unfolding". Advertisement Advertisement "A balanced approach might be trying to reduce algorithm-driven exposure to harmful content, improving safeguards, supporting digital literacy and carefully evaluating any major policy interventions," she said. The NSPCC, Childnet, and suicide prevention charity the Molly Rose Foundation were among 42 individuals and bodies to argue a ban would be the "wrong solution" on Saturday. "It would create a false sense of safety that would see children - but also the threats to them - migrate to other areas online," the organisations wrote. "Though well-intentioned, blanket bans on social media would fail to deliver the improvement in children's safety and wellbeing that they so urgently need." Advertisement Advertisement [BBC] Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here. Australian global submarine cable company SUBCO has announced its latest submarine cable project, APX East, a new express hypercable between Australia and the United States, planned to be Ready for Service (RFS) Q4 2028. SUBCO says APX East is a 16 fibre pair system that will be the first to offer hyperscalers, neoclouds and carriers, direct fibre connectivity between Australia and mainland US without any landing or interconnection in between, offering the highest level of reliability, security and simplicity, it will also be the lowest latency path between the two nations. By utilising the latest developments in submarine cable technologies, we have designed the longest, continuous optical subsea cable path in the world and one that can be powered from a single end in fault condition. Unlike all existing transpacific systems between Australia and the United States, fibre pair owners on APX-East simply need to install SLTE on either end, and theyre away. No regeneration, no intermediate PoPs, just a single all deepwater route, said Bevan Slattery, Founder & Co-CEO of SUBCO. APX East delivers latency, security and simplicity benefits while enabling a Q4 2028 RFS, with a Hawaii branch to follow in Q4 2029. Hyperscalers and neoclouds are looking to deploy 3GW of AI factories in Australia between now and 2028. This is going to need between 100Tb-200Tb of international capacity to deliver those tokens to the world. Any future system with a 2029 or 2030 RFS simply wont work. APX-East is an all-deepwater system between Sydney and California, that reduces permitting risk, providing accelerated installation and completion. With all the talk of AI factories, people are forgetting that the longest lead item for Australia isnt going to be power, land, data centers or chips, its going to be international connectivity at AI scale. APX East will be a critical enabler for Australias aspirations to become a leader in the AI world, said Slattery. APX East highlights: First express cable system between Australia and the United States not requiring optical regeneration, capable of being single-end power fed across the entire system. APX East will be the single longest continuous subsea optical path in the world, and the longest system able to support single-end power. First hypercable to land in a new location north of Sydneys existing cable protection zone, providing diversity from all announced hypercables landing in the Southern Cable Protection Zone. Australias first sovereign-owned international hypercable reducing reliance on US hyperscalers for Australian connectivity needs. Future branches to Hawaii and Fiji are additional to the trunk and not required for the main system to be ready for service. These branches are expected to be operational in 2029 and are optional for customers seeking additional resiliency to existing or future networks, or to regenerate capacity to support network growth. Ukraine fired nearly $100 million worth of missiles in a single night defending against Russian strikes. The figure, shared by President Zelenskyy on Tuesday, reveals the growing cost of the air defense fight. He said Ukraine needs more missile batteries and interceptors to keep pace with Russia's attacks. Ukrainian forces fired nearly $100 million worth of air defense missiles battling Russia's latest bombardment, Kyiv revealed on Tuesday, offering insight into the war's growing financial toll. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters that the Russian attack, which began Monday night and continued into Tuesday, forced Kyiv to launch around 80 million (roughly $94 million) worth of interceptor missiles. Advertisement Advertisement "Imagine that the cost of these missiles," Zelenskyy said over WhatsApp in response to a question about interceptor stockpiles. The staggering figure covers only the interceptor missiles and does not appear to account for any other munitions expended to defend against the Russian attack, which also included hundreds of drones. Russia launched 18 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and one anti-ship missile overnight, according to data from Ukraine's air force. It said in a statement that 27 were shot down, while five hit their targets. Zelenskyy said Russia has "significantly increased" its use of ballistic missiles and has been able to obtain critical technology for the munitions from third-party countries and from industry. Advertisement Advertisement "Nevertheless, their ability to produce these missiles must be reduced and that is not happening yet," he said in response to another question. Ukraine has repeatedly pressed Western countries for more air defense systems, like the US-made Patriot battery. Agencja Wyborcza.pl via REUTERS Although Ukraine has received some additional air defense systems from Western countries, Zelenskyy said more are still needed, along with additional interceptor missiles to keep pace with Russia's attacks. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it has been difficult for Ukraine to obtain the necessary interceptor missiles. He specifically singled out the PAC-3, which has a $3.7 million price tag and is fired from US-made Patriot batteries, as the best chance Kyiv has to defeat Russian ballistic missiles. "War is an extremely expensive Russian luxury, and for us it results in severe losses," Zelenskyy said. Advertisement Advertisement Russian missiles are not the only worry for Ukraine. Moscow's overnight attack involved 339 drones. Kyiv said its Air Force shot down 315 of them. Two dozen hit their targets. To preserve its costly air defense missiles, Ukraine has been increasingly relying on locally made interceptor drones that cost as little as a few thousand dollars to hunt down and destroy Russian drones. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is producing around 1,000 interceptor drones each day, a goal he set last summer. The challenge now, he said, is that the number of drones has outpaced the number of operators who can control them. "Therefore, now we must catch up in terms of the number of interceptor groups the corresponding mobile groups," Zelenskyy said, adding that he has tasked senior Ukrainian military leadership with bridging the gap. Read the original article on Business Insider The UK government has defended a deal to give the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back a key military base, following criticism from US President Donald Trump over its handling. In a post on social media, Trump labelled the move as an "act of great stupidity", months after he and senior US officials endorsed it. Later on Tuesday he confirmed he was "against" the deal. The UK government said it would "never compromise on our national security", while the prime minister's official spokesperson insisted the US still supported the move. Advertisement Advertisement The UK signed the 3.4bn ($4.6bn) agreement in May, under which it would retain control of a UK-US military base on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia. In a post on his Truth Social platform that morning, Trump had said: "Shockingly, our 'brilliant' NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. "There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness." Advertisement Advertisement He added: "The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired." Responding, the prime minister's official spokesman said that the US supports the deal and "the president explicitly recognised its strength last year". He added that it was also backed by the UK's Five Eyes allies, the other members of which - besides the UK and US - are Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Asked if he could categorically say the Chagos deal would go ahead, even though it is still going through Parliament, the spokesman said: "Yes. Categorically, our position hasn't changed." Advertisement Advertisement Earlier, a UK government spokesperson said it had acted "because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future". They added that the agreement had secured the operations of the joint US-UK military base "for generations, with robust provisions for keeping its unique capabilities intact and our adversaries out", and noted the deal had been welcomed by allies including the US. Questioned about his position on the deal at the White House later on Tuesday, Trump said: "When they originally were going to do it they were talking about doing some concept of ownership, but now they're looking to essentially just do a lease and sell it, and I'm against that." The Chagos Islands are a "reasonably important area of the globe", he said, adding: "I think they should keep it." Advertisement Advertisement "I don't know why they're doing it - do they need money?" Trump added. Mauritius' attorney general Gavin Glover said he still expects the agreement to go ahead. In a statement he said it was "important to remember" that the deal was "negotiated, concluded and signed exclusively between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Mauritius". He added: "The sovereignty of the Republic of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago is already unambiguously recognised by international law and should no longer be subject to debate." [BBC] The agreement followed a long-running dispute between the UK and Mauritius - a former British colony - about sovereignty over the Chagos Islands. Advertisement Advertisement The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, when Mauritius was still a British colony. Britain purchased the islands for 3m, but Mauritius has argued that it was illegally forced to give them away as part of a deal to gain independence. Under the deal agreed in May last year, the UK would hand over sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, while retaining control of the military base on Diego Garcia. It would lease back Diego Garcia for a period of 99 years - at an average cost of 101m a year. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said that was necessary to protect the base from "malign influence". Before signing the deal, the UK offered Trump an effective veto, because of its implications for US security. Advertisement Advertisement Allies of the president had criticised the plan, but during a meeting with Sir Keir in the Oval Office last February, Trump said "I think we'll be inclined to go along with your country". After the agreement was signed in May, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that Washington "welcomed" the deal. He said it secured the "long-term, stable, and effective operation of the joint US-UK military facility at Diego Garcia", which he described as a "critical asset for regional and global security." Rubio added that "President Trump expressed his support for this monumental achievement during his meeting with Prime Minister Starmer at the White House." Advertisement Advertisement A government bill to implement the agreement between the UK and Mauritian governments is currently in its final stages. On Tuesday, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said in a post on X that the prime minister now had "the chance to change course on Chagos". She said that "paying to surrender the Chagos Islands is not just an act of stupidity, but of complete self sabotage". Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who has long been a critic of the deal, said in a post on X: "Thank goodness Trump has vetoed the surrender of the Chagos islands". Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey said Trump's comments showed Sir Keir's approach to the US president "has failed". Advertisement Advertisement "The Chagos Deal was sold as proof the government could work with him, now it's falling apart," Davey said in a post on X. "It's time for the government to stand up to Trump; appeasing a bully never works." Labour MP and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Emily Thornberry, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that while the UK should take Trump "seriously", it should not take his comments "literally". She described his comments on Tuesday as an example of "presidential trolling", saying she was "in favour of keeping calm and trying to sit this out". Advertisement Advertisement Two British Chagossian women born on Diego Garcia - Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe - want the right to return to their place of birth and say they were excluded from discussions over the deal. Pompe told the BBC she views the US president's criticism of the deal as a "good thing" but "only words". Over WhatsApp, Dugasse said: "I want the deal to stop and not [see] money [given] to the Mauritius government." She said Chagossians should be allowed to "sit at the table and decide our future". Additional reporting by Alice Cuddy By Olivia Le Poidevin and Emma Farge GENEVA, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold an emergency session on Iran on Friday, with proponents aiming to discuss "alarming violence" used against protesters, a document showed on Tuesday. An Iranian official said authorities have verified at least 5,000 deaths in the protests which are the biggest demonstrations since 2022, prompting U.N. rights chief Volker Turk to condemn the violence. Advertisement Advertisement "A special session is needed because of the importance and urgency of the situation, in particular due to credible reports of alarming violence, crackdowns on protesters and violations of international human rights law across the country," according to a letter written by Iceland's ambassador Einar Gunnarsson on behalf of a group of countries including Germany and Britain, and seen by Reuters. The special session will happen on Friday, the U.N. confirmed, adding that 21 countries so far have supported the proposal. Human Rights Watch has denounced mass unlawful killings and is asking for an existing U.N. probe, set up by the council in 2022 after the last wave of protests, to investigate the deaths and be given extra financing to do so. Iran's diplomatic mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Diplomats said Iran had sent to missions pages of rebuttal against allegations of a crackdown, saying the clashes followed armed attacks on security forces. Advertisement Advertisement "The session will be a message to Iranian authorities that the bloodshed and the suppression of dissenting voices must stop, that they are under watch," Glenn Payot from Impact Iran, a coalition of 19 non-governmental organizations campaigning for human rights in Iran, told Reuters. "It will also be an opportunity for the community of states to demonstrate global support for the rights of all Iranians to protest peacefully and make their voices heard without fear of reprisals or violence," Payot added. (Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin and Emma Farge in Geneva, editing by Linda Pasquini, Editing by William Maclean) The UN Human Rights Council will hold a special session this week in response to the brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran, a spokesman said on Tuesday. The meeting, to be held in Geneva on Friday, was requested by Germany, Britain, Iceland, Moldova and North Macedonia, the spokesman for the UN body said. The agenda will focus on "the deteriorating human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran." Advertisement Advertisement The 47-member UN Human Rights Council can draw attention to alleged abuses, adopt resolutions and mandate investigations, but it does not have the power to impose sanctions. Thousands of people are believed to have been killed by security forces during protests against Iran's authoritarian leadership, which erupted in Tehran on December 28. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it has verified nearly 4,000 deaths, with a further almost 9,000 fatalities still under review. Theres no legal requirement that American officials put their hands on a religious text during swearing-in ceremonies, but its a custom thats existed for generations. Because most U.S. officials have traditionally been Christians, theres a norm that people take their oaths with a Bible a custom Donald Trump bypassed when he neglected to put his hand on the Bible during his second inauguration. But given the rich diversity of faiths thats long existed in the United States, plenty of officials from minority religious traditions have used their own sacred texts. Evidently, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville isnt comfortable with this. Advertisement Advertisement On New Years Eve, the Alabama senator responded to a report about Zohran Mamdani being sworn in with the Quran at the New York City mayors inauguration. The enemy is inside the gates, Tuberville wrote via social media. Almost three weeks later, Tuberville did it again. Highlighting a video clip of Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi of Virginia being sworn into office with her hand on the Quran, the Republican used social media to push the same six-word message: The enemy is inside the gates. Tuberville didnt elaborate, though the Alabamians missive wasnt exactly subtle. It also generated a swift response from Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who responded to the Republicans message with a condemnation published on Bluesky: This is pure, unabashed bigotry. If a politician said this about any other faith, they would rightfully be run out of their party. But this kind of despicable anti-Muslim rhetoric is so normalized that a sitting Senator uses it without consequence. Van Hollen concluded that Tubervilles anti-Muslim message represented a stain on our Congress. Advertisement Advertisement This is the same Tuberville who posted a related message to social media in mid-December that argued, Islam is not a religion. Its a cult. Islamists arent here to assimilate. Theyre here to conquer. Stop worrying about offending the pearl clutchers. Weve got to SEND THEM HOME NOW or well become the United Caliphate of America. So according to Alabamas senior senator a man whos favored to get elected governor in November the U.S. should deport Muslims because of their religion. The Bulwarks Joe Perticone recently wrote, Almost a decade removed from President Donald Trumps attempt to ban Muslims from entering the country during his first term a vile passion project that has been given new life in his second presidency a growing number of House and Senate Republicans are taking Islamophobia to a new level, actively calling for discrimination against Muslims and even arguing that some should be denaturalized and deported from the United States. Perticones piece was published four weeks ago. Tuberville isnt just proving the thesis true, hes also showing the degree to which the problem is getting worse. The post Unabashed bigotry: GOPs Tuberville sparks backlash with anti-Muslim messages appeared first on MS NOW. This article was originally published on ms.now Travel warnings can often feel like a scary thing. Many times, when a government issues one, it's to advise you to reconsider visiting an area, often because of military or civil conflicts. When those warnings are issued for your dream destination, or else somewhere you already booked a flight to, there can be an additional layer of frustration and confusion about whether or not you should still go. Those who were considering heading to Cambodia likely felt that way when the U.S. government issued an updated Level 2 travel warning in July due to ongoing conflict within the country. Now, Cambodia's own government is issuing a new update about the travel advisory, and it's actually a reassuring one for hopeful visitors. Here's what we know. Sign up for our newsletter and get hidden gems, travel secrets, and stories like this delivered straight to your inbox! Photo by STR on Getty Images (Photo by STR on Getty Images) The Kingdom of Cambodia has issued a travel advisory for visitors to the country On Jan. 19, 2026, the Khmer Times KH says that Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism released a statement about the conflict at the border of Thailand, saying that while there is still military strife between the two countries, the rest of Cambodia remains safe and welcoming to visitors. Advertisement Advertisement "The heightened precautions mentioned in these advisories apply only to certain border areas and should not be seen as indicative of the safety conditions throughout Cambodia, the ministry said in the statement. According to them, many major tourist hotspots are still safe to travel to, like: Phnom Penh Siem Reap Preah Sihanouk Related: Health officials issue several travel warnings after Americans return home with rabies Without directly calling anyone out, the ministry also stated that there needed to be more clarity and honestly when reporting on travel advisories in the region, and that includes making it clear that only the boarder areas included in the travel warning are considered dangerous at this time. How to safely visit Cambodia The U.S. Department of State's Travel Advisory was posted on July 25, 2025, alerting people not to travel to areas along the Thai and Cambodian border due to the ongoing armed conflict. However, they also issued warnings about other regions of the country, including Phnom Penh, which the Ministry of Tourism touts as a safe place to visit. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. says that Phnom Penh is currently under a Level 2 advisory due to street crime. Meanwhile, the following regions are also included in the alert due to the potential for unexploded landmines and other ordnances that could become potentially dangerous for visitors: Battambang Banteay Meanchey Pursat Siem Reap Pailin Kampong Thom Related: 11 countries put on travel warning list after surge in fatal fake alcohol poisonings That being said, travelers can be exposed to dangerous situations when traveling, even when visiting other regions of the U.S. That's why it's important to carefully research your destination before heading anywhere. Additionally, you should always check both the U.S. Department of State's travel advisories as well as those posted by the local government where you're traveling, using information from both agencies when making travel plans, since they can conflict at times. Amazing experiences to have in Cambodia Once you've established a safe way to see this stunning country, there are a few things to add to your must-see list. Advertisement Advertisement Angor Wat: This tops every Cambodia travel list and with good reason. It is known as one of the most important and breathtaking archeological sites in South-East Asia. It contained remnants of the Khmer Empire that reigned from the 9th to 15th century. The gorgeous stricture is full of incredible details and is apparently amazing to see at sunrise. Tonle Sap: Visit Cambodias largest lake lying just south of Siem Reap and see the unforgettable floating villages. Siem Reap: Take a guided tour to experience an elephant sanctuary and witness these creatures in their natural habitats and even get a chance to feed them. This story was originally published by TravelHost on Jan 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Attractions section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Some Union County residents say theyre fed up with a foul smell thats lingered for months after debris from Hurricane Helene at a local landfill spontaneously caught fire and continues to burn. ALSO READ: Union County officials warn against outdoor burning Residents in Unionville said the smell is unbearable. They can smell burning mulch almost daily and want to know when it will stop. Its dirt thats caught on fire, said resident Erin Price. Literally, its like the old, nasty dirt that just has been dirty and ashy and sitting around forever. Its just terrible. Advertisement Advertisement Price lives a half mile from Griffin Farm & Landfill. Union County officials said the burning debris is from a creek clean-up effort following Helene. The fire has, at times, kept Prices kids from playing outside. Kids lungs are still developing, even at 5 years old 2 years old, so I wanted to keep them as safe as possible, she said. The fire was worst in September 2025, which was when a resident filed a complaint the North Carolina Division of Air Quality calling on them to investigate. In an email, a spokesperson with the DEQ said the fire at the landfill started spontaneously. They added rules prohibit anyone from burning mulch at that site but to date, there are no documented violations. Advertisement Advertisement If we had this properly taken care of, we wouldnt have had these issues with begin with, Price said. In all these years, and weve had never had any problems whatsoever, said resident Shenna Honeycutt. Union County officials told Channel 9 they could not provide a timeline for when the burning will end. Multiple public safety agencies are working together to ensure the fire remains controlled and does not pose a risk to the public or surrounding properties, the county said. Chopper 9 Skyzoom flew over the landfill on Saturday where there wasnt any smoke. Full DEQ statement: "DEQs Division of Waste Management and Division of Air Quality have been aware of and monitoring the ongoing mulch fire at Griffin Farm since early September. The fire started spontaneously. Division staff continue to discuss best practices with the site owners, contractors and local fire officials on managing waste, ash and smoke. Advertisement Advertisement Mulch landfills are required by Division of Waste Management rules to follow best management practices, including requirements for fire protection and control. The burning of vegetative debris is governed by DEQs Open Burning rules. These rules prohibit an owner or operator from causing, allowing or permitting the burning of mulch at these sites. To date, the Department has not documented any violation of our rules. DEQ continues to assess the situation. The public can check current and forecasted air quality conditions online using our Air Quality Portal. Should DEQ anticipate that smoke levels would produce levels of fine particulate matter above certain thresholds on the Air Quality Index, our meteorologists would issue an Air Quality Action Day in the forecast for the county impacted. VIDEO: 2 people killed in Christmas morning fire after burning candles were left unattended In January 2026, a rumor spread online claiming that Iran's government had issued a direct assassination threat to U.S. President Donald Trump. The claim originated from a report published by right-leaning tabloid the New York Post, which cited French agency Agence France Presse (AFP). The Post reported that Iranian state-run television broadcast a sign at a funeral for members of state security forces that read "this time, it will not miss the target," calling it a "direct threat" to Trump from Iran's government. The sign included a photograph of Trump from the July 2024 attempt on his life at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania. Snopes could not independently verify that the sign had appeared on Iranian state TV or that it constituted a direct threat from Iran's government to Trump. We've reached out to Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN), the state-run channel in question, for further information and will update this story if we learn more. AFP did not suggest that the sign was a direct threat from Iran's government toward Trump, contrary to some online claims. In January 2026, a rumor spread online that Iran's government had issued a direct assassination threat to U.S. President Donald Trump. Several social media posts shared the claim, including one on Facebook that said Iran warned, "This time it will not miss the target," referencing a previous assassination attempt on Trump: (Facebook page Worldstar Hip Hop) The rumor also gained traction on X and Reddit, with some posts claiming Iran's state-run television channel had made the threat against Trump. Some posts gave different versions of the alleged quote, such as "This time bullet won't miss target." Advertisement Advertisement Snopes readers searched our website to confirm whether the rumor was true. The claim originated from an article published by right-leaning tabloid the New York Post on Jan. 14, 2026, alleging that Iran made a "sickening assassination threat against Trump." Citing French news agency Agence France Presse (AFP), the Post reported that Iranian state-run TV aired a photo of Trump from the assassination attempt at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, alongside the words, "This time it will not miss the target." The article included a purported screenshot of the broadcast that circulated widely on X. The image showed a sign featuring an authentic photograph of Trump with blood on his cheek taken during the assassination attempt in Butler, when a bullet hit his ear. Advertisement Advertisement Words in Farsi, Iran's official language, were also visible on the sign. According to the translation tool DeepL. the text translated to "This time, there will be no mistakes." A person fluent in both Farsi and English also confirmed the translation. (X user @AlinejadMasih) According to the Farsi speaker, the white words on a blue background below the sign translated to, "Funeral procession for 100 shaheeds [martyrs] and security defenders." Snopes could not independently verify that Iran's state-run television channel broadcast the sign or that it constituted a direct threat from Iran's government to Trump. For these reasons, we left this claim unrated. We have contacted the channel in question, Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN), and will update this report if they respond. Advertisement Advertisement We also reached out to experts on Iranian authorities' methods of information warfare to ask if it is plausible that the Islamic Republic of Iran would issue such a threat in this manner. We await a response. What AFP reported As the Post noted, AFP reported on a funeral ceremony for members of the Islamic government's security forces who died during confrontations between protesters and law enforcement in late 2025 and early 2026. AFP said several signs appeared during the ceremony. A section of the report read (emphasis ours): At Wednesday's funeral ceremony in Tehran, thousands of people waved flags of the Islamic republic as prayers were read out for the dead outside Tehran University, according to images broadcast on state television. "Death to America!" read banners held up by people attending the rally, while others carried photos of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Another image could be seen at the rally showing Trump's assassination attempt, captioned: "This time it will not miss the target." It appeared to be referring to the assassination attempt against Trump during a campaign rally in 2024. In other words, AFP did not suggest that the sign was a direct threat from Iran's government toward Trump, contrary to claims by the Post and some X users. Some X users, including Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad (who says she survived assassination attempts by the Islamic Republic of Iran), said that no such image would appear on IRINN without the approval of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, suggesting it represented a direct threat (archived): Islamic Republic State TV has just broadcast an image of Trump from the Butler rally after he was shot, alongside the message: "This time, it won't miss." Let's be absolutely clear: State TV in Iran run directly under the supervision of @khamenei_ir and nothing like this airs without approval from the very top of the regime. Islamic Republic State TV has just broadcast an image of Trump from the Butler rally after he was shot, alongside the message: This time, it wont miss. Lets be absolutely clear: State TV in Iran run directly under the supervision of @khamenei_ir and nothing like this airs pic.twitter.com/Lh8Z76XE4j Masih Alinejad (@AlinejadMasih) January 15, 2026 We asked the IRINN for a response to Alinejad's assertion, but did not receive one by the time of publication. Advertisement Advertisement For further reading, Snopes has fact-checked a video purporting to show a demonstration in Iran in recent weeks. Sources: Agence France-Presse. "Iran Vows Fast Trials over Protests after Trump Threat." Courthouse News Service, 14 Jan. 2026, www.courthousenews.com/iran-vows-fast-trials-over-protests-after-trump-threat/. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026. in. "After Being Shot in the Ear, Republican Presidential Candidate Former..." Getty Images, 23 Dec. 2024, www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/after-being-shot-in-the-ear-republican-presidential-news-photo/2191196056?adppopup=true. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026. Kasprak, Alex. "Hit with a Bullet: Glass from Teleprompter Did Not Injure Trump." Snopes, Snopes.com, 17 July 2024, www.snopes.com/fact-check/glass-from-teleprompter/. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Reyes, Ronny. "Iran Issues Sickening Assassination Threat against Trump: 'This Time It Will Not Miss the Target.'" New York Post, 14 Jan. 2026, nypost.com/2026/01/14/world-news/iran-issues-sickening-assassination-threat-against-trump-this-time-it-will-not-miss-the-target/. Hafezi, Parisa, and Nayera Abdallah. "Iran Protests Abate after Deadly Crackdown, Residents and Rights Group Say." Reuters, 16 Jan. 2026, www.reuters.com/world/china/iran-protests-abate-after-deadly-crackdown-residents-rights-group-say-2026-01-16/. Winter, Emery. "Watch out for This Video Depicting People Marching through Iranian City amid Nationwide Protests." Snopes, Snopes.com, 15 Jan. 2026, www.snopes.com/fact-check/iran-protest-video-marching/. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026. "'You Have Tried to Kill Me Three Times': Iranian Dissident Masih Alinejad Stuns UN Security Council." Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/shorts/xdJa3FKQ3B0. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026. Three U.S. Catholic cardinals are urging the Trump administration to use a moral compass, saying U.S. military action in Venezuela, threats of acquiring Greenland and cuts in foreign aid risk bringing vast suffering instead of promoting peace. Cardinals Blase Cupich of Chicago, Robert McElroy of Washington and Joseph Tobin of Newark, N.J., warned that without a moral vision, the current debate over Washington's foreign policy was mired in polarization, partisanship, and narrow economic and social interests. Most of the United States and the world are adrift morally in terms of foreign policy, McElroy told The Associated Press. I still believe the United States has a tremendous impact upon the world." Advertisement Advertisement The joint statement issued Monday was unusual and marked the second time in as many months that members of the U.S. Catholic hierarchy have asserted their voice against a Trump administration many believe isn't upholding the basic tenets of human dignity. In November, the entire U.S. conference of Catholic bishops condemned the administration's mass deportation of migrants and vilification of them in the public discourse. The three cardinals cited Venezuela, Greenland and Ukraine in their statement saying they raised basic questions about the use of military force and the meaning of peace (AP) The three cardinals, who are prominent figures in the more progressive wing of the U.S. church, took as a starting point a major foreign policy address that Pope Leo XIV delivered Jan. 9 to ambassadors accredited to the Holy See. The speech, delivered almost entirely in English, amounted to Leos most substantial critique of U.S. foreign policy. Advertisement Advertisement Historys first U.S.-born pope denounced how nations were using force to assert their dominion worldwide, completely undermining peace and the post-World War II international legal order. Leo didnt name individual countries, but his speech came against the backdrop of the then-recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela to remove Nicolas Maduro from power, U.S. threats to take Greenland as well as Russias ongoing war in Ukraine. Cardinals question the use of force The three cardinals cited Venezuela, Greenland and Ukraine in their statement saying they raised basic questions about the use of military force and the meaning of peace as well as the cuts to foreign aid that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration initiated last year. Our countrys moral role in confronting evil around the world, sustaining the right to life and human dignity, and supporting religious liberty are all under examination, they warned. Advertisement Advertisement We renounce war as an instrument for narrow national interests and proclaim that military action must be seen only as a last resort in extreme situations, not a normal instrument of national policy, they wrote. We seek a foreign policy that respects and advances the right to human life, religious liberty, and the enhancement of human dignity throughout the world, especially through economic assistance. Tobin described the moral compass the cardinals wish the U.S. would use globally. It cant be that my prosperity is predicated on inhuman treatment of others, he told the AP. The real argument isnt just my right or individual rights, but what is the common good. Cardinals expand on their statement In interviews, Cupich and McElroy said the signatories were inspired to issue a statement after hearing from several fellow cardinals during a Jan. 7-8 meeting at the Vatican. These other cardinals expressed alarm about the U.S. action in Venezuela, its cuts in foreign aid and its threats to acquire Greenland, Cupich said. Advertisement Advertisement A day later, Leos nearly 45-minute-long speech to the diplomatic corps gave the Americans the language they needed, allowing them to piggyback on the popes words, Cupich said. Cupich acknowledged that Maduros prosecution could be seen positively, but not the way it was done via a U.S. military incursion into a sovereign country. When we go ahead and do it in such a way that is portrayed as saying, Because we can do it, were going to do it, that might makes right thats a troublesome development, he said. Theres the rule of law that should be followed. Trump has insisted that capturing Maduro was legal. On Greenland, Trump has argued repeatedly that the U.S. needs control of the resource-rich island, a semiautonomous region of NATO ally Denmark. for its national security. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration last year significantly gutted the U.S. Agency for International Development, saying its projects advance a liberal agenda and were a waste of money. Tobin, who ministered in more than 70 countries as a Redemptorist priest and the order's superior general, lamented the retreat in USAID assistance, saying U.S. philanthropy makes a big difference in everything from hunger to health. The three cardinals said their key aim wasn't to criticize the administration, but rather to encourage the U.S. to regain is moral standing in the world by pursuing a foreign policy that is ethically guided and seeks the common good. We're not endorsing a political party or a political movement, Tobin said. The faithful in the pews and all people of good will have a role to play, he said. They can make an argument of basic human decency, he said. The United States has quietly completed its withdrawal from al-Asad air base in Iraqs Anbar Province, the Iraq Defense Ministry said Saturday, bringing to a close more than two decades of American military presence in the western part of the country. Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah oversaw the transfer of responsibilities at the base, according to the Defense Ministry. U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the handover. Advertisement Advertisement The drawdown follows an agreement reached in September 2024 between Washington and Baghdad to shutter the U.S.-led military coalition that had long served as a bulwark against the Islamic State. The two sides initially set a target for completion by the end of September 2025, but a small contingent of roughly 250 to 350 American military advisers remained at the base in response to developments in neighboring Syria. Actor Chuck Norris visits Marines at al-Asad in 2007. (Sgt. Sheila Brooks/U.S. Marine Corps) President Donald Trump and his Syrian counterpart, Ahmed al-Sharaa, held a phone call on Monday to discuss developments in the situation in Syria and affirmed support for its unity and the fight against terrorism, Damascus said in a post on X. The two leaders also agreed to continue cooperation to combat ISIS. CENTCOM underscored its collaboration with Syria in its ongoing campaign against the Islamic State. Advertisement Advertisement We welcome ongoing efforts by all parties in Syria to prevent escalation and pursue resolution through dialogue, CENTCOM head Adm. Brad Cooper said in a statement on Saturday. Aggressively pursuing ISIS and relentlessly applying military pressure requires teamwork among Syrian partners in coordination with U.S. and coalition forces. A Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors is essential to peace and stability across the region. The U.S. alongside partner forces has over the past month conducted a series of large-scale strikes against ISIS targets throughout Syria as part of Operation Hawkeye State. Defense Pete Hegseth said the operation was launched as a declaration of vengeance in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on two American soldiers and one U.S. civilian interpreter in Palmyra on Dec. 13. U.S. troop levels in Iraq reached a peak of about 169,000 in August 2007, a Government Accountability Office report stated. Since the end of the American combat mission in the country in December 2021, approximately 2,500 U.S. forces were stationed in different installations across Iraq. In her letter, Prime Minister TAKAICHI expressed her hope for Guinea to realize inclusive governance, further advance domestic economic and social development, and contribute to peace and stability in Africa and the international community under President DOUMBOUYAs leadership. The U.S. Department of State revised its travel advisory for Jamaica over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. Previously, the Caribbean nation was under a Level 3 travel advisory, the second highest warning advisory issued. A Level 3 travel advisory warns people to reconsider travel "due to serious risks to safety and security." On Saturday, Jan. 17, the State Department decreased the travel advisory to Level 2, encouraging travelers to exercise increased caution. A Level 3 travel advisory remains in effect for some areas. Advertisement Advertisement Planning Caribbean trip? This country is on latest travel warnings list Here's what you should know if you plan to travel to Jamaica. Jamaica travel advisory changed to Level 2 The U.S. State Department decreased its travel advisory for Jamaica from Level 3 to Level 2 on Jan. 17. "Exercise increased caution due to crime, health, and natural disaster risks. Some areas have increased risk," the State Department said. 'Violent crime risk throughout Jamaica' "Violent crime is a risk throughout Jamaica," the State Department warned. "The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica is among the highest in the Western Hemisphere." While tourist areas generally see lower rates of violent crime than other parts of the country, "the U.S. embassy routinely receives reports of sexual assaults, including from U.S. citizen tourists at resorts." Advertisement Advertisement Tourists should be aware: Armed robberies and sexual assaults are common. U.S. citizens report slow or unsatisfactory response to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are often not prosecuted to a final verdict and sentence. Avoid these high-risk areas in Jamaica The State Department does have a Level 4 do not travel for several areas in Jamaica. "U.S. government employees working in Jamaica are not allowed to travel to the following high-risk areas. U.S. citizens in Jamaica are advised to take the same precautions." The areas covered by the Level 4 designation include: St. Anns Parish St. Catherines Parish Clarendon Parish St. Elizabeths Parish Hanover Parish St. James Parish/Montego Bay Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Manchester Parish St. Thomas Parish Trelawny Parish Westmoreland Parish Do not use public buses, drive between cities at night in Jamaica "U.S. government employees working in Jamaica are not allowed to use public buses or drive between cities at night. They are also not allowed to travel to certain high-risk areas. U.S. citizens in Jamaica should take the same precautions," the State Department said. Basic health care may not be available in many parts of Jamaica "Basic and specialized medical care may not be available in many parts of Jamaica. This includes slower emergency service response times and less availability of care for illness or injury," the State Department said. Advertisement Advertisement If you plan to travel to Jamaica, the State Department said: Health care facilities in western Jamaica were badly damaged by Hurricane Melissa. Private hospitals require payment up front before admitting patients. They may not be able to provide specialized care. Ambulance services are not always staffed with EMTs. They are not always readily available, especially in rural areas. U.S. citizens should bring extra prescription medication. Common medications, such as insulin, can be difficult to obtain. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid do not apply abroad. Most hospitals and doctors abroad do not accept U.S. health insurance. Air ambulance service to the United States costs $30,000 on the low end. We strongly recommend that you have travel insurance and confirm your coverage. Travel insurance should include medical insurance, evacuation assistance, and other trip coverage. Jamaica continues recovery after Hurricane Melissa Jamaica continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall there on Oct. 28, 2025, the State Department said. "The hurricane caused widespread damage to the western part of the island. Some areas are still experiencing post-storm impacts on infrastructure and services. " All major airports have reopened for commercial flights. Some areas in the western part of Jamaica, such as Black River and Montego Bay, are in varying stages of recovery from the hurricane. Exercise increased caution if traveling to affected areas at this time. Confirm availability of services and amenities at your destination before you travel to Jamaica. What do State Department travel advisories mean? Here's what each travel advisory means: Advertisement Advertisement Level 1: Exercise normal precautions This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risks. There is some risk in any international travel, and conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States. Level 2: Exercise increased caution Be aware of increased risks to safety and security. Specific risks are described in the Travel Advisory. Level 3: Reconsider travel Reconsider your travel to the destination due to serious risks to safety and security. Specific risks are described in the Travel Advisory. Level 4: Do not travel This is the highest advisory level due to life-threatening risks. Specific risks are described in the Travel Advisory. The U.S. government may have very limited or no ability to help, including during an emergency. We advise that U.S. citizens do not travel to the country, or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so. Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Floridas best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at palmbeachpost.com/newsletters. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jamaica gets new travel advisory update from State Department The role of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired as the Syrian government is ready to assume security responsibilities, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack has said. Historically, the US military presence in northeastern Syria was justified primarily as a counter-ISIS partnership, Barrack wrote on X. He added that Syrias situation has fundamentally transformed, with Damascus joining the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS as its 90th member in late 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Syria is now willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities including control of ISIL (ISIS) detention facilities and camps, he said. The greatest opportunity for the Kurds in Syria right now lies in the post-Assad transition under the new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This moment offers a pathway to full integration into a unified Syrian state with citizenship rights, cultural protections, and Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) January 20, 2026 The envoy went on to say that as the Syrian government takes its position as the anti-ISIS force, it now created a unique window for Kurds to integrate after President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced that Kurds would be granted citizenship rights and protections for the Kurdish language. Barrack also said the future of the Kurdish community in Syria is now at a pathway to full integration following a four-day ceasefire announced by the government. Reporting from Damascus, Al Jazeeras Ayman Oghanna says the US had enjoyed a very long relationship with the SDF. Advertisement Advertisement For more than a decade, theyve equipped the SDF, theyve trained the SDF, theyve fought alongside the SDF, and they still have 900 troops in SDF territory, he said. In the run-up to this conflict, we were speaking to Syrian Kurds who were worried that the deepening ties between Damascus and Washington may lead the US to abandon its relationship with the SDF, and that seems to be happening. Barracks statement comes after the Syrian army and the SDF accepted a ceasefire deal in the biggest win for al-Sharaas government since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in 2024. On Monday, clashes were reported between the Syrian army and the SDF in the city of al-Shaddadi, with those accused of having ISIL links fleeing from prison. Still, the army announced on Tuesday that a four-day ceasefire had been agreed. Both sides have expressed their commitment to the agreement. Tuesday marks one year since a measles outbreak started in West Texas, and there have been new cases in the United States each week since. Texas reported more than 760 cases and the deaths of two children before declaring the outbreak over in August. It was the largest outbreak the US had seen in decades, and since then, other large outbreaks one in the upstate region of South Carolina and another on the border of Utah and Arizona have amassed hundreds of cases each and continue to expand. The first two weeks of 2026 have been some of the worst yet, with exposures reported at schools, churches, restaurants, shops, airports and more. The continuous spread of measles over the past year leaves the US at risk of losing elimination status, which the country has held since 2000. Advertisement Advertisement It is startling, because just a few years ago measles was very rare in the United States, said Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist and director of the Center for Outbreak Response Innovation at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Now were seeing in a single week what we might have seen in an average year, she said. Theres been a real shift in the presence of this preventable disease in our life. Whether that balance can shift back depends on how quickly the US can improve vaccination coverage, experts say which, in many ways, has become an uphill battle. The US reported more than 2,200 confirmed measles cases in 2025 significantly more than there have been in any year since measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000. At least 171 measles cases have been reported in the first two weeks of 2026, which is nearly as many as the average annual total in those 25 years since elimination in the US. Advertisement Advertisement The vast majority of cases more than 95% have been in people who had not been vaccinated with the recommended two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Experts fear that the situation may have to get much worse before it gets better. Its particularly devastating, they say, because the illnesses and deaths they foresee are almost entirely preventable with the help of vaccines but lagging coverage has left many vulnerable. A nurse demonstrates how to put on a mask at a measles screening point at Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario, in July 2025. Canada lost its measles elimination status late last year after 12 months of sustained transmission. - Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty Images Its not clear yet whether the US will maintain its measles elimination status. In April, the Pan American Health Organization, part of the World Health Organization, will formally make the determination. The decision will require detailed review of epidemiological and laboratory evidence to understand patterns of measles spread over the past year including whether more recent outbreaks are linked to the Texas outbreak. Advertisement Advertisement But experts say that formally losing measles elimination status would be a symptom of more deeply rooted issues, particularly challenges with vaccination that have been building for many years. Lets face it, whether we lose elimination status or not in spring, is our public health system actually doing well? said Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, who resigned in protest last year. Measles elimination is a vital sign of our public health system. That public health system is blue in the ICU, he said. I dont need to check its pulse to know [its not doing well]. I know the answer. A record share of US kindergartners had an exemption for a required vaccination last school year, according to data from the CDC, marking the fifth year in a row that coverage with the MMR vaccine was been below the federal target of 95%. Advertisement Advertisement The CDC says that the increase in vaccine exemptions may be due to an increase in vaccine hesitancy. A recent survey of parents conducted by the agency found that most supported vaccine requirements to attend school. But among those seeking an exemption, the most commonly reported reason cited more than a third of the time was a philosophical or personal belief objection to vaccination. Difficulty meeting school requirements by the deadline was also reported as a reason for exemption by about 23% of parents. Medical reasons were cited by more than a quarter of parents, but the CDC said that might include parents who consider concerns about vaccine safety or side effects as a medical reason to request an exemption. Vaccines are a victim of their own success. Its not just that we eliminated measles. I think we eliminated the memory of measles, said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Offit remembers speaking with Dr. Maurice Hilleman, a microbiologist who developed the MMR vaccine and dozens of others, just months before Hillemans death in 2005. Measles cases had reached a record low in 2004 but were starting to trend up again, just a few years after the US had achieved elimination following a long and hard-fought battle. I asked him, Do you think that we can educate people about the importance of the vaccine, about the serious nature of this disease, or does the virus have to come back? Offit said. He said there was a tear in his eye when he replied that virus was going to have to come back to teach that lesson. Advertisement Advertisement That was an enormous defeat for him, Offit said. Its an enormous defeat for us to once again see children be exposed to something that could kill them and did kill them in this country, when that was completely unnecessary. But it seems more and more that the virus isnt necessarily doing that educating either, Offit said. There were three deaths from measles last year as many as there had been over the past 25 years combined yet its been a struggle to increase vaccination rates, even in communities that experienced outbreaks. The South Carolina health department has offered a mobile vaccination clinic since the early weeks of the outbreak in the upstate region of the state, but state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell has said that uptake has been disappointing. The South Carolina Department of Public Health Mobile Health Unit, offered vaccinations in a library parking lot in October, when a measles outbreak began. - Ken Ruinard/USA Today Network/Imagn Images Measles outbreaks tend to occur in under vaccinated pockets of the US, often in tight-knit communities, such as those with certain religious beliefs. Advertisement Advertisement Daskalakis says that theres a new type of tight-knit community in the US one thats less geographically connected, but created and held together by the spread of anti-vaccine messaging, including by US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and others at the extremes of the MAHA movement. The mission since the dawn of the vaccination program in America is that if we can prevent a disease with a vaccine that has an extremely favorable risk-to-benefit profile, that we do it, Daskalakis said. It seems as if the value of that strategy has been minimized for some populations. Not for everybody, but enough where I expect that measles is going to be a part of our future, at least in the medium-, if not long-term. HHS says that Kennedy has been clear and consistent in his messaging that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles, but the agency also says that individuals should consult with their health care provider about what is best for them and their family. HHS recently made sweeping changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, now recommending fewer vaccines for most American children in a move Kennedy said protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health. MMR vaccine recommendations were not changed, but experts worry it could contribute to broader doubts about vaccines. Advertisement Advertisement Its unclear what will change individual minds about vaccination, experts say perhaps a recalibration of public health messaging and more families fearing measles reaching their doorstep but the risk for increasingly large outbreaks mean there will be many preventable illnesses and deaths ahead. There have already been more than 550 measles cases in the South Carolina outbreak, and at least one out of every 1,000 people with measles may die. Its a matter of numbers. The more cases there are, the more opportunities there are for severe illness, said Rivers, whose organization developed a measles case tracker and worked with health departments from across the country to help them learn from their experiences responding to measles. People attend a prayer service at Covenant Medical Center after the first death in the Texas measles outbreak was reported on February 26, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. - Mary Conlon/AP A paramedic administers a dose of the measles vaccine at a health center in Lubbock, Texas, on February 27, 2025. Dozens of children received the measles vaccine after the death a child from the highly contagious virus. - Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images Raising vaccination rates is the best way to keep cases to a minimum and prevent those tragic outcomes, experts say. Advertisement Advertisement That could happen in a matter of months, Rivers said. Its how other large outbreaks have been brought to a halt. But the potential for change may depend on whether people are perceiving these outbreaks as threats to their own lives, she said. With sufficient attention, motivation and policy changes like strengthening school entry requirements, we can get those coverage levels up very quickly, she said. We have all the pieces in place. We just need families to understand how important it is, and that piece could take years. The increase in the frequency and size of measles outbreaks will certainly put additional strain on public health, Daskalakis says. Continuing to build relationships and lean on trusted partners within local communities can help reinforce critical messaging about the importance of vaccines. Still, optimism persists. Advertisement Advertisement This is what public health does, Daskalakis said. Public health is never static. Theres always a new challenge, theres always new misinformation and, frankly, also new information that moves you in a different direction. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The US justice department has issued subpoenas to Democratic Minnesota officials, alleging they conspired to impede federal immigration officers in the state. The offices of Governor Tim Walz, state Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey were among those served with legal summonses as US Attorney General Pam Bondi visited Minnesota following intense protests. US President Donald Trump meanwhile said he "felt horribly" about an ICE agent fatally shooting protester Renee Good, 37, describing her death as a "tragedy". Advertisement Advertisement Walz called the probe a "partisan distraction", saying the justice department "does not seek justice" in the killing Good, whose death sparked unrest. [Getty Images] In a statement to the BBC, Frey said the justice department was pursuing him for disagreeing with the Trump administration. Ellison accused Trump of weaponising the justice system. The justice department did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment. [Getty Images] Ellison, the state's top prosecutor, said on X that the justice department sent him a grand jury subpoena for records and documents related to his office's work with respect to federal immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement "Everything about this is highly irregular, especially the fact that this comes shortly after my office sued the Trump administration to challenge their illegal actions within Minnesota," he said. A spokesman for Minneapolis city hall confirmed to the BBC that "the Office of Mayor Jacob Frey was subpoenaed". "When the federal government weaponizes its power to try to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned," Frey said in a statement. "We shouldn't have to live in a country where people fear that federal law enforcement will be used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with." Advertisement Advertisement Subpoenas were also sent to St Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and Mary Moriarty, the Hennepin County prosecutor. Bondi threatened legal action against state leaders on Sunday if they refused to "act responsibly to prevent lawlessness" after a church was targeted during protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Justice department officials, who accuse the activists of "desecrating a house of worship", have said they will investigate them for alleged civil rights violations. Tensions have been rising in the state since ICE ramped up operations in Minneapolis this month as part of Trump's immigration crackdown, with federal officials saying they are targeting the "worst of the worst" there. Advertisement Advertisement But unrest escalated after the fatal shooting on 7 January of Renee Good by an ICE agent. The Trump administration says the ICE agent acted in self-defence, but local officials argue the woman posed no danger. Around 3,000 federal officers have been deployed to Minnesota in recent weeks and 1,500 troops are reportedly on standby. The US Department of Homeland Security says it has arrested 3,000 "of some of the most dangerous offenders" in the past six weeks under Operation Metro Surge. At a news conference on Tuesday, officials for the Twin Cities - the MinneapolisSt Paul metropolitan area - accused federal agents of racial profiling. Advertisement Advertisement They said off-duty officers had been stopped and asked for proof of citizenship. "Every one of these individuals is a person of colour," said Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley. Walz and Frey have demanded that ICE leave the area and the state has sued the Trump administration to block the deployment of immigration agents. Last week, Trump raised the prospect that he could invoke the rarely used Insurrection Act following a night of protests and vandalism in the Minnesota city. The disorder erupted after an agent was allegedly attacked with a shovel by three Venezuelan migrants and he shot one of them in the leg. Advertisement Advertisement During a press briefing on Tuesday, the president spoke sympathetically about Good and, having learnt that her parents were Trump supporters, he said he hoped they would still vote for him. He also doubled down on his criticism of the protesters, calling them "professional agitators and professional people that want to see our country do badly". Trump has repeatedly linked the ICE surge in Minnesota to fraud cases that the justice department says involve mostly defendants from the state's large Somali community. On Tuesday, Trump said Somalia is "a backward country, probably the worst country". Jan 20 (Reuters) - The U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State was negotiating a handover of the Al-Hol camp, which houses IS-linked civilians, to Syrian authorities, three Syrian sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. One of the sources, a Syrian official, said the talks were focused on a smooth transition of control from Kurdish security forces who had been holding the camp, to avoid any security risks or detainees fleeing. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi, Mahmoud Hasano and Khalil Ashawi; Editing by Sharon Singleton) By John Kruzel WASHINGTON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court was set on Tuesday to weigh a challenge to a Hawaii law restricting the carry of handguns on private property that is open to the public, such as most businesses, without the owner's permission. The court will hear arguments in an appeal by the challengers - three Hawaii residents with concealed-carry licenses and a Honolulu-based gun rights advocacy group - of a lower court's ruling against them. The lower court found that Hawaii's measure likely complies with the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Advertisement Advertisement Hawaii's law requires "express authorization" to bring a handgun onto private property open to the public, either as verbal or written authorization, including "clear and conspicuous signage." Hawaii argued in court papers that its law strikes a proper balance between "the right to bear arms and property owners' undisputed right to choose whether to permit armed entry onto their property." The plaintiffs sued to challenge Hawaii's restrictions weeks after Democratic Governor Josh Green signed the measure into law in 2023. They are being backed by President Donald Trump's administration, which argued in court papers that Hawaii's law "deprives individuals who want to exercise their Second Amendment rights of their ability to go about their daily lives." "A person carrying a firearm cannot pick up a cup of coffee, get lunch at a drive-through restaurant, stop for gas, enter a parking lot, go into a store, buy groceries or perform other routine tasks that require setting foot on private property," Justice Department lawyers wrote. Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge preliminarily blocked Hawaii's restrictions. But the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals largely ruled against the law's challengers, prompting their appeal to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court did not take up an aspect of the legal challenge that focused on the law's provisions banning the carrying of handguns at beaches, bars and other sensitive places. In a nation bitterly divided over how to address persistent firearms violence including frequent mass shootings, the Supreme Court often has taken an expansive view of Second Amendment protections. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, widened gun rights in three major rulings in 2008, 2010 and most recently in 2022. The plaintiffs in the Hawaii case have cited that 2022 ruling's holding that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to carry a handgun outside the home for self-defense. That landmark 6-3 decision, called New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, was powered by the court's six conservatives, over dissents from the three liberal justices. Advertisement Advertisement The Bruen decision invalidated New York state's limits on carrying concealed handguns outside the home. In doing so, the court created a new test for assessing firearms laws, saying that restrictions must be "consistent with this nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation," not simply advance an important government interest. The court in 2024 ruled 8-1 that a federal law that makes it a crime for people under domestic violence restraining orders to have guns satisfied the court's stringent history-and-tradition test. In March, the court will hear a bid by Trump's administration to defend a federal law that bars users of illegal drugs from owning guns. (Reporting by John Kruzel; Editing by Will Dunham) DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 20 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed confidence on Tuesday that the United States and European countries would find a solution over the U.S. administration's aim to take over Greenland, brushing off "hysteria" about a possible trade war. U.S. President Donald Trump announced tariffs on Saturday on imports from European allies that oppose the United States taking over Greenland, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark. European countries say new tariffs would violate a trade deal reached with Trump last year, and EU leaders are set to discuss possible retaliation at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday. One option is a package of tariffs on 93 billion euros ($108 billion) of U.S. imports that could automatically kick in on February 6 after a six-month suspension. Advertisement Advertisement Bessent said the issue had only recently emerged and a solution would be found that ensures national security for the United States and Europe. "It's been 48 hours. As I said, sit back, relax," Bessent told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. "I am confident that the leaders will not escalate and that this will work out in a manner that ends up in a very good place for all." Asked about the prospect of a prolonged trade war between the United States and Europe, Bessent replied: "Why are we jumping there? Why are you taking it to the worst case?... Calm down the hysteria. Take a deep breath." Trump has repeatedly insisted he will settle for nothing less than ownership of Greenland. Leaders of both Denmark and Greenland have said the island is not for sale and does not want to be part of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Bessent dismissed the possibility the EU would for the first time tap its Anti-Coercion Instrument, a powerful trade measure which could limit U.S. access to public tenders, investments or banking activity, or restrict trade in services. "Well, having worked with the Europeans, my guess is their next move will be to form a working group, the dreaded 'European working group'," Bessent said in an interview with CNBC. "We've seen a lot of working groups." In his earlier briefing, Bessent also dismissed market speculation that European governments might sell U.S. Treasury bonds they own as reserves, making it more expensive for the U.S. government to finance itself. "(U.S. government debt) is the most liquid market, it is the basis for all financial transactions and I am sure that the European governments will continue holding it," Bessent said. (Reporting by Francesco Canepa and Doina ChiacuEditing by Peter Graff) WINOOSKI, V.t (ABC22/FOX44) On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Democratic leaders and voting rights advocates in Vermont came together to announce a new proposal aimed at protecting voting access across the state. The Vermont Voting Rights Act is designed to safeguard voters as the future of the federal Voting Rights Act faces uncertainty. Winooski Mayor Thomas Renner said strengthening voting laws can lead to stronger civic engagement. The announcement comes as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to rehear Louisiana v. Callais, a case focused on how political district lines are drawn. The decision could weaken the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which was a major achievement of the civil rights movement led by Dr. King. Advertisement Advertisement Vermont lawmakers say the proposed state law would step in if federal protections are rolled back. The Vermont Voting Rights Act would ban racial gerrymandering, expand voting access for people with disabilities and for voters who speak languages other than English, protect voters from misinformation, and end prison gerrymandering. State Senator Joe Major said the bill is about fairness and accessibility for every voter. We believe that every eligible voter should have a fair, accessible, and meaningful opportunity to cast a ballot, Major said. The Vermont Voting Rights Act does not yet have a bill number but is expected to be introduced on the Senate floor sometime this week. Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 families of three men killed in what investigators called a senseless act of violence say the victims were visiting Central Florida for a car show when they were murdered Saturday. The shooting happened around 12:13 p.m. on Saturday inside the Indian Point Subdivision, near Kissimmee. The victims have been identified as Columbus, Ohio, residents James Puchan, 68, and Douglas Kraft, 68, and Holland, Michigan, resident Robert Kraft, 70. Advertisement Advertisement Their family says they had rented an Airbnb in Kissimmee to attend the Mecum Car Show with their brothers and longtime friends. According to investigators, the shooting occurred as the victims were waiting for a new rental car after their original vehicle broke down toward the end of their trip. Ahmad Bojeh, the suspect, has a history of mental health issues and was found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity in 2022. Court records indicate that as part of his release in 2022, Bojeh was ordered to receive intervention services at Park Place Behavioral Mental Health facility. Channel 9 obtained an update from Bojehs case manager back in 2023, about 8 months into his release from jail, which stated, Mr. Ahmad has attended his psychiatric appointments and has been compliant with taking his medications as prescribed. He has acquired employment at McDonalds and is happy with his job. He attends his appointments with me; he is always on time and has not missed any appointments. Advertisement Advertisement Among the conditions of his release, Bojeh was ordered by the court not to own or have any access to firearms and to reside at his home with his parents on Indian Point Circle. Despite this, investigators say they recovered two firearms from his home after executing a search warrant related to Saturdays shooting. Investigators said they were still working to confirm if either of the firearms had been used in the killings of James Puchan, Douglas Kraft, or Robert Kraft. Meanwhile, Sheriff Christopher Blackmon commented on Bojehs history, stating, I can tell you he was a threat to that neighborhood all the time. Advertisement Advertisement During a press conference, Blackmon elaborated, stating deputies were familiar with Bojeh and his residence on Indian Point Circle and had been called to the home multiple times. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the victims family released the following statement: With heavy hearts we confirm the deaths of our beloved husbands, fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, and friends Douglas Kraft of Columbus, Ohio; Robert Kraft of Holland, Michigan; and James Puchan of Galena, Ohio. They attended the Mecum Car Show in Kissimmee, Florida with brothers and longtime friends and were staying at an Airbnb. While waiting for assistance after rental car trouble and preparing to travel home, they were being observed from a distance by an unknown individual who was well-known to local law enforcement. There were no known interactions between the men and this individual prior to the event; they were then approached and senselessly murdered. This was a random, tragic act. These three wonderful men did not deserve this. Our families are left with an unexpected, unimaginable loss that cannot be put into words. We ask for privacy, prayers, and respect as we mourn and begin to process this tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement We are grateful for the outpouring of concern and for the quick response efforts of local law enforcement, the detectives, the medical examiners, and the various state agencies who are assisting with this investigation. Further details will be shared by our families or official representatives when appropriate. For now, please respect our need for space and time to grieve. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Vietnam's top leader promised to fight corruption in an address Tuesday to a twice-a-decade congress of the Communist Party, where he is seeking expanded powers similar to China's political structure. In just 17 months as general secretary, To Lam has swept aside rivals and centralised authority in an aggressive reform drive officials describe as a "revolution". He accelerated a sweeping anti-corruption campaign that ensnared thousands of officials, thinned and streamlined bureaucracy, and pushed infrastructure investment. Advertisement Advertisement The party is "determined to fight corruption" as it spurs private-sector growth, he said, adding it would tackle "wastefulness and negativity". "All wrongdoings must be dealt with," he told the meeting, standing before a giant statue of party founder Ho Chi Minh. The Southeast Asian nation of 100 million people is both a repressive one-party state and a regional economic bright spot, where the Communist Party has sought to deliver rapid development to bolster its legitimacy. In a series of closed-door meetings this week nearly 1,600 party delegates will finalise the country's leadership roster for the next five years and set key policies. Advertisement Advertisement Lam will remain the party's top leader, according to sources briefed on key internal deliberations. But he is seeking the presidency as well -- a dual role similar to Xi Jinping in neighbouring China. Xi himself led an extensive anti-corruption drive, promising to target both "tigers and flies" -- big and small alike -- which analysts say was also used for political purposes, taking down internal opponents within his ruling party. Experts say if Lam secures both roles it will signal the supremacy of his security-dominated faction. If so, he will have "the strongest mandate for the Vietnamese leadership since the end of the Vietnam war", said Nguyen Khac Giang of Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. Advertisement Advertisement Analysts say Lam's reach will depend on who else secures top posts and politburo positions during the week-long conclave, particularly from the more conservative military faction that opposes him. One source briefed on party deliberations told AFP that Lam's bid for expanded powers had been provisionally approved. But some reports suggested he had to shelve his presidential ambitions to secure support for his reform agenda. - Collective leadership - Elevated to party chief after general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's death in 2024, Lam has shocked the country with the pace of his changes. Advertisement Advertisement He has eliminated whole layers of government, abolishing eight ministries or agencies and cutting nearly 150,000 jobs from the state payroll, while pushing ambitious rail and power projects. The fight against corruption had appeared to slow -- in part because of concerns it could hinder economic expansion, analysts say -- but Lam's speech suggests it is not finished. "Science, technology, innovation and digital transformation must really become the key drivers of growth", said Lam, who cited "fierce strategic competition" and supply chain disruptions as headwinds. Vietnam has proved surprisingly resilient in the face of new 20 percent tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, clocking 8.0 percent growth last year, among the fastest in Asia. Advertisement Advertisement But the balancing act between its main export market, the US, and China -- its largest supplier -- has grown tougher. That underscores the need to become more than an assembly shop for garments and electronics bound for western shelves as it aims for upper-middle-income status by the end of the decade. The ruling party tolerates little dissent and regularly jails critics, more than 160 of whom are behind bars, according to Human Rights Watch. But unlike in present-day China or North Korea, political power in Vietnam has not been concentrated in one paramount leader. Its collective system of government rests on four pillars: the party chief, president, prime minister and the chairman of the National Assembly. An internal Communist Party position was added as a fifth pillar last year. Advertisement Advertisement If he gets the presidency, Lam would be the first person to be named to the top two jobs simultaneously by a party congress, rather than stepping in following a holder's death. Regardless, former US ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink expects the party to reaffirm Lam's "leading if not dominant role" and the "pretty striking policy vision that he's outlined over the last year". bur-tym/slb/fox Terrace Mall Shonan (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan) In Tsujido, home to the scenic Shonan Beach, you can shop til you drop at Terrace Mall Shonan, one of the largest shopping centers in the area. Tsujido is a popular town with a nice atmosphere and, at about 40 minutes away, is a relatively short drive from Camp Zama and NAF Atsugi. The town is a regular spot for my family and I to visit since we make sure to stop at Enoshima Island, a power spot, at the end of the New Years holiday season. Both Enoshimas active, busy streets and Tsujido Towns open, refreshing atmosphere make us recharged for the incoming year. Terrace Mall Shonan is near a JR Station and has four stories filled with 280 shops and restaurants. The mall is designed to evoke a green hill and the walls of each floor are set back in a terraced manner so the various trees and flowers can create a beachy vibe. As my wife and daughter enjoyed their shopping, I sat on the terrace under a parasol to enjoy a hot coffee and the refreshing, but chilly breeze blowing from Shonan Beach. From the terrace, I could also see the trains arrive and depart from the station. We made sure to grab a bite to eat at the spacious food court, where a variety of restaurants serve up everything from Indian, Chinese and Italian to Japanese dishes like tonkatsu, shabu shabu and sushi. Take a break, recharge and shop for some souvenirs at this beautiful shopping center! (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan) (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan) Things to know NEED TO KNOW The Pacific County Sheriffs Office arrested Ilwaco volunteer Fire Chief Jefferey S. Archer on Jan. 9, and he faces 37 charges of child sex abuse This comes following an investigation by the department after two boys accused Archer of sexual abuse; he has reportedly been placed on administrative leave as fire chief Archer pleaded not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on Jan. 16 A volunteer fire chief in Washington has reportedly been charged with 37 counts of child sex abuse, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Ilwaco volunteer Fire Chief Jefferey S. Archer was arrested by the Pacific County Sheriffs Office on Jan. 9 and booked into Pacific County Jail, according to local outlets The Seattle Times, Chinook Observer and King5, who cited authorities. Advertisement Advertisement He was charged with 10 counts of first-degree rape of a child, 21 counts of first-degree child molestation, four counts of second-degree child molestation, one count of dealing depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and one count of possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, according to court documents cited in the Chinook Observer. PEOPLE has reached out to the Pacific County Prosecutors' Office, Pacific County Sheriff's Office and the Ilwaco Volunteer Fire Department for comment, but didn't immediately receive responses. Archers arrest comes after an investigation by the Pacific County Sheriff's Office. They investigated after receiving reports of allegations of possible child molestation and rape, according to King5 and The Seattle Times. One boy, who was not named, claimed to police that he had been sexually abused by Archer every weekend for five months in 2019, claiming he would get marijuana and alcohol in exchange for allowing the acts, per the Times, which cited court records. Getty Police DUI Nigh Time Checkpoint. Police Cruiser Lights Closeup Photo. Police DUI Nigh Time Checkpoint. Police Cruiser Lights Closeup Photo. Court documents show that he claimed to police that he and another boy were both abused in their home in Ocean Park, and that police allege Archer was in an intimate relationship with the other boy, who was 18-years-old at the time, the Times reported. A statament of probable cause claims the alleged abuse began in 2013, per King5. Advertisement Advertisement On Jan. 9, deputies with the Pacific County Sheriff's Office and partner agencies executed a search warrant at a home, and Archer was detained afterward, King5 reported. Archer was placed on administrative leave from the Ilwaco Fire Department and remains in Pacific County Jail on $500,000 bail, the Chinook Observer reported. City administrator Holly Beller told the Times that Archer began working as a part-time fire chief in Ilwaco in 2021 before being hired as full-time chief in November 2023. The city will continue to monitor the investigation by the Pacific County sheriffs office and respond appropriately as the matter is resolved, Beller told the Times in a statement. The city of Ilwaco and the Ilwaco Fire Department are deeply committed to protecting the citizens of Ilwaco in the meantime. 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. Archer pleaded not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on Friday, Jan. 16. Advertisement Advertisement The Pacific County Prosecutors Office told the Chinook Observer that they will be filing additional charges against Archer, which may include alleged offenses against additional victims. Read the original article on People Volunteers fanned out across the San Fernando Valley and metro Los Angeles area Tuesday night to begin the annual three-night Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. The tally provides a point-in-time snapshot of homelessness throughout the L.A. Continuum of Care -- which covers most of the region except the cities of Long Beach, Pasadena and Glendale, which will conduct their respective counts. The annual count also helps get a snapshot of local needs and where to direct resources. Advertisement Advertisement The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) is expected to release the results in late spring or early summer. After two consecutive years of decreases, officials fear the numbers may skyrocket due to cuts in funding. Adding to the concern are audits that found deficiencies in LAHSA's oversight of taxpayer money and performance outcomes. In response, L.A. County launched a new homelessness department to unite county and city agencies and better use funding. "Accountability is alive and well as it relates to how this county is going to do work toward ending the homeless crisis," L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said. Advertisement Advertisement As L.A. continues its contract with LAHSA, city leaders say the homeless crisis can only be solved if the city and county work together. "I think we will have to work through some of the challenges that we're facing in the gaps that exist between the city and county right now because there is no future to resolving homelessness without the city and county working in partnership," L.A. City Councilmember Nithya Raman said. Last year, the point-in-time count was delayed because of the January wildfires. LAHSA says homelessness fell 4% across L.A. County in 2025. Unsheltered homelessness dropped nearly 10% in the county and 7.9% in L.A. city. Advertisement Advertisement Volunteers in the San Gabriel Valley and East Los Angeles will count on Wednesday. The count will wrap up Thursday in the Antelope Valley, West and South Los Angeles, and the South Bay/Harbor region. Ahead of the count, LAHSA officials said they enacted several improvements for the operation. The homelessness agency will be using an app-based data collection process for the fourth year in a row and improved maps, assigning more staff to provide technical support and help with supply distribution at deployment sites, and to ensure volunteers collect their materials to get the count done quickly and efficiently. LAHSA also simplified training materials to improve the volunteer experience and ensure consistency across L.A. County. Advertisement Advertisement The agency is coordinating with the county's Department of Health Services and Emergency Centralized Response Center for additional staff support. This improvement is expected to aid in "special consideration" census tracts and areas, and more rugged locations such as basins, creeks and deserts that are too dangerous, hard-to-reach or inaccessible for community volunteers. Lastly, the processes for the Housing Inventory (sheltered) and Youth counts have been overhauled to improve response rates and generate bigger samples. The Youth Count will be conducted over nine additional days for those aged 10 to 19. In a similar fashion, the Housing Inventory Count will begin earlier to optimize data review and make it easier to validate responses. City News Service contributed to this report. Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr., a Warwick Democrat, announced his intention to run for Rhode Island Attorney general on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) The race to be Rhode Islands next attorney general became more crowded Tuesday after State Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr. announced his long-awaited primary bid. Solomon, a Warwick Democrat, is the fourth candidate to announce his intention to replace the term-limited Peter Neronha in a race that includes Kimberly Ahern, Keith Hoffmann and fellow state Rep. Jason Knight all of whom have touted their prior experience working at the AGs office at some point in their legal careers. Advertisement Advertisement The 42-year-old offers a different resume, instead leaning on his own 15-year legal career that includes over a decade of work as a bail commissioner and prosecution experience in the Warwick solicitors office. Im not running to learn on the job, Solomon said in a statement. Ive spent my career in the courtroom, making the tough calls as a bail commissioner, and writing laws that protect Rhode Island families. Ive already been doing this work, and Rhode Island deserves an Attorney General who shows up ready on day one. Solomon has served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives since 2015. For the past five years, he has chaired the chambers Committee on Corporations which is responsible for laws on the states financial institutions, business regulation, property, casualty and health insurance, technology, telecommunications and consumer protection. Solomon joins the race with more cash on hand than any of his opponents as of the states most recent reporting deadline of Sept. 30. Advertisement Advertisement Solomon reported $251,816 in his campaign account, while Hoffmann had $205,680, and Knight had $94,786. Ahern who joined after the reporting deadline announced on Jan. 14 her campaign raised $273,000 in the last quarter of 2025. She welcomed Solomons entry into the Democratic primary Tuesday afternoon. I look forward to a spirited campaign and a substantive conversation about how best to keep Rhode Islanders safe, Ahern said in a statement. The Attorney General is the states top law enforcement officer, and we need a prosecutor not a politician with a proven track record of putting dangerous criminals behind bars, defending our fundamental rights, and fighting for working families. Knight too welcomed the increased competition. Advertisement Advertisement Im glad the voters of Rhode Island will get to choose an Attorney General from a variety of candidates with different backgrounds, as thats what makes our Democracy strong, he said in a text message Tuesday evening. And Im looking forward to making my case for the job as I believe I have the right combination of experience as a prosecutor and defense attorney with 20 years of experience fighting for justice in Rhode Islands courtrooms, and as a legislator getting real results from passing the assault weapons ban to fighting for reproductive rights to standing up to ICE. Hoffmann commended Solomons commitment to public service in Rhode Island. I have gotten to know Joe, and appreciate him, Hoffmann said in a statement. Rhode Islanders deserve a thoughtful, respectful conversation about the future of the Attorney Generals office, and I look forward to engaging voters on my vision for a safer, stronger, and fairer Rhode Island. The states primary is scheduled for Sept. 8. The general election will be held Nov. 3. Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WATERTOWN - A Waterbury man was taken into custody after being tracked by a K-9 following a single-car crash on Route 8 north in Watertown, police said. The driver of the car that crashed in the median Saturday night was identified as 32-year-old Emmanuel Ruiz, Connecticut State Police said. Troopers responded to the crash near Exit 34 around 10:20 p.m. and determined the operator had fled on foot, police said. A police K-9 ended up finding Ruiz a quarter-mile into the woods, police said. Police said Ruiz was evading responsibility, interfering with an officer, failure to maintain lane, misuse of plates, operating without a license and operating a motor vehicle without insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Ruiz was scheduled to appear at state Superior Court in Waterbury Tuesday after being held on a $10,000 bond, police said. This article originally published at Waterbury man caught by K-9 after fleeing Watertown crash on Route 8, police say. Over the past few years, hiking trails have become one of the most popular tourist attractions. They are luring visitors looking to travel slowly, see more authentic sides of destinations, and escape soaring summer temperatures. Dozens of new routes have opened or been renewed, from the worlds longest circular route in Portugal to the Path of Love in Italy. But theres another side to the hiking boom. Extreme weather phenomena and global warming are making some trails unsafe, while excessive visitor numbers are damaging local environments. Advertisement Advertisement Together, it means many paths are restricting access, introducing higher visitor fees, or closing altogether. Hiking trails in Europe close amid rockfall and landslide risks Last summer, dozens of trails were temporarily closed in the Alps following perilous rockfalls. Hundreds of hikers and tourists were evacuated from the slopes of Cima Falkner in the Brenta Dolomites of northern Italy in July, with experts warning that the sudden increase in landslides in the area was connected to thawing permafrost. Never before have we seen such an incredible increase in rockfalls, Piero Carlesi, president of the scientific committee of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI), told national newspaper La Repubblica at the time. Landslides are on the rise, and the main cause is the climate crisis. Theres no doubt about it. Advertisement Advertisement In Switzerland last year, hiking trails were closed well into autumn due to weather and climate concerns. Over 70 routes, from the Lower Engadine in the east of Switzerland to Lower Valais on the border with France, were off-limits for safety reasons. Vera In-Albon, digital communications manager at Swiss hiking trail organisation Schweizer Wanderwege, told local press that drier summers, heavier rainfall, hotter days and less snowy winters are all behind the rise in risks to hikers. Prolonged and intense precipitation favours rockfalls, torrents and landslides in some places, she said. Rockfalls tend to increase in alpine and high alpine terrain where the permafrost is thawing, while landslides could also become more frequent in the foothills of the Alps or in the Jura." Increased interest in hiking strains natural environments At the beginning of the year, the authorities of Mount Rinjani National Park on the Indonesian island of Lombok announced the temporary closure of all hiking trails until 31 March, 2026. Advertisement Advertisement This closure is for the safety of visitors and the future of Rinjani itself, Budhy Kurniawan, head of the parks office, said. The rainy season brings heightened risks, including slippery terrain, dense fog, and overflowing waterways. The risk of hypothermia and accidents increases significantly, so safety is the top priority, Kurniawan said. But he emphasised that the closure is also to give the mountains ecosystem a chance to recover, allowing flora to regenerate and fauna to resettle. Increased human presence along hiking trails is putting pressure on natural environments around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Related Japan introduced a fee for hikers wishing to climb up Mount Fuji using any of its four main paths last summer. The countrys highest mountain has been struggling with overtourism, which is causing pollution and safety concerns. The levy aims to help clean up the mountain and preserve its environment. Already, visitors had to pay 2,000 (12.35) to hike up the Yoshida trail. This is the most popular ascent thanks to its easy access from Tokyo and the frequency of mountain huts en route offering accommodation and meals. Advertisement Advertisement Now, the fee to hike the iconic trail has doubled to 4,000 (24.70), a charge which now also applies to three other routes that were previously free. Local authorities also implemented a 4,000 people per day limit on hikers using the Yoshida trail to ease congestion. Europe pushes back against an influx of hikers Sweltering summer temperatures are pushing more tourists in Europe towards coolcations, which often involve hiking in mountainous areas. In some cases, the surge in popularity has put unsustainable strain on natural destinations. Last year, Madeira introduced a new fee for non-residents on some of its most popular hiking trails to help fund conservation efforts. Advertisement Advertisement The surcharge was already applied to seven of the most trafficked routes, but was expanded to all recommended trails on the Portuguese archipelago from January 2025. With steep peaks, verdant forests, and lush waterfalls, the archipelagos hiking trails are some of its top visitor draws. Related The trail charge aims to manage the flow of visitors on paths and help protect the natural landscape by funding trail maintenance, cleaning and preservation efforts. Advertisement Advertisement In Italy, tensions between communities and local councils are growing over overtourism in the Alps, with a hiking trail on Seceda mountain becoming the poster child for this battle. The route in the Dolomites has become renowned for its dramatic views of the spiky Odle Peaks, and camera-wielding tourists become a nightmare in summer for residents of the area in South Tyrol. At the beginning of July, a group of frustrated local farmers briefly set up a turnstile with a toll on the Odle trail to protest against the constant passage of tourists who, they say, disrespect the area. "The trails are abandoned and the meadows are full of rubbish," they said in a statement. The landowners said they were obliged to charge a toll to compensate for the damage to their land and to fund their upkeep of the slopes. For most of us in the West, until the fall of the Berlin Wall Russia was synonymous with the Soviet Union. Among the 15 constituent states of the Communist empire, Russia was always the pre-eminent one. It housed the USSRs capital, Moscow, and its other major city, Leningrad (now St Petersburg); it accounted for the lions share of the unions economic and industrial output. It did not, however, inevitably supply the leading Soviet figures. Stalin was Georgian. Khrushchevs family came from, and he spent much of his formative years in what is now Ukraine. Brezhnevs passport stated his ethnicity as Ukrainian. Although Andropov, Chernenko and Gorbachev were all Russians, they were from such distant and provincial parts of the empire Chernenko from Siberia, the other two from Stavropol on the verge of the Caucasus that they, and other Politburo figures of similar backgrounds, are classed by the historian Mark B Smith as outsiders. Exit Stalin, Smiths superb new book, is partly about how Sovietism ended badly, in different ways, for most of them. Stalin, with whose death Smith begins, had become a cult figure of fear and although it remained well concealed until Khrushchevs epoch-defining secret speech of 1956 loathing. Khrushchev himself would be deposed by his colleagues in 1964, but was at least allowed to die in his bed seven years later, and not hustled off to the gulag. Brezhnevs form of repression was milder, at least at home the Czechs in 1968 would have taken a less charitable view but he was gaga long before his death in 1982. His own successors, Andropov and Chernenko, assumed power as sick geriatrics and managed just over two years in office between them. Gorbachev, just 54 when he took over, managed to bury the Soviet project. Advertisement Advertisement Looking back on Gorbachevs six-year rule, it now seems like a golden age, before the USSR collapsed and the drunken buffoon Yeltsin became the first president of Russia. The latter would pave the way for a return to tyranny under Putin. This is a tragic story, and Smith tells it magnificently. Yet Exit Stalin is not merely a political history of a country that struggled for decades before eventually gaining its place as one of the worlds two superpowers. As the books subtitle says, it is a study of the Soviet Union as a civilisation. Smith focuses on cultural and social history, ensuring we grasp the dismal conditions in which people existed, and the climate of fear in which, even after 1956 and liberation from the ghost of Stalin, they had to live. Large families, for example, were piled into jerry-built apartment buildings. Sometimes they had to cram themselves into a couple of rooms, or even share with other families. Smith writes of a Soviet actress who, growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, shared a block and a single bathroom with 43 other people. Dissidents were confined to psychiatric hospitals for no reason other than that they had the temerity to go out and protest. Some, such as Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, were sent to the gulag. Russian women arrive at the Church of the Resurrection in Moscow with traditional Easter cakes (1959) - Bettmann Russian school children wear miniature versions of Red Army uniforms - Bettmann Only in the Brezhnev era would things improve: Andrey Sakharov and his wife, Elena Bonner, were granted internal exile in a provincial apartment. Exit Stalin never leaves us under any impression other than that life in the Soviet Union, whether by absolute or comparative standards, was horrible, and presents Stalin, in particular, as someone who, for the crimes of his rule and for the shadow cast for decades after his death, richly deserves to be equated with Hitler. Advertisement Advertisement By concentrating on the everyday lives of the Soviet people, their pop stars, the films they watched, the availability (or lack of it) of consumer goods and their grim living conditions, Smith depicts a society not so much in the midst of a collective nervous breakdown though aspects of that seemed to prevail in the last days of the Soviet empire as in the grip of a chronic collective mental illness. Everything had to be justified as consistent with the revolution, though no one was precisely sure what the revolution meant. Stalins death, and the expunging of his legacy by Khrushchev, at least allowed a relative relaxation of the gulags horrors the carting off to exile or execution of endless ranks of political prisoners and the acceptance of certain degrees of modernisation. Grim conditions: Large families were piled into jerry-built apartment buildings (Kyiv, 1955) - Renato Perez/Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images Queues form for the food shop to open in Moscow, November, 1983 - Mikki Ansin/Getty Images The most remarkable advance and such was its remoralising effect on Soviet society that Smith correctly gives it great emphasis was Yuri Gagarins becoming the first man in space in 1961. It was an event that put this otherwise still primitive, brutal, deprived, vicious country at the cutting edge of futurism. That the Soviets did not also put the first man on the Moon is indicative of how the nature of their society prevented the speedy and effective evolution of technology. Their education system produced a striking number of advanced mathematicians, but the contribution the latter could make to the future was itself suppressed to an extent, not least because the authorities worried that so many of these geniuses were Jewish. Advertisement Advertisement Brezhnev, ruling from 1964 to 1982, had the wit to start worrying about international opinion of the Soviet Union, and the era of detente saw the Helsinki accords, progress towards arms limitation, and the linking up in space of US astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts. But genuine reform was too slow to come. Beyond the Soviet borders, the world was changing rapidly, and inside them, more Soviet citizens were coming to resent what they knew not merely to be the liberties but also the higher living standards of the despised capitalist economies. Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space in 1961, a moment that briefly placed the Soviet Union at the cutting edge of futurism - AFP via Getty Images Change became inevitable, and the generational shift to Gorbachev accelerated it. He studied Lenin and other revolutionary texts, but gave up attempting to relate them mechanically to the world. When the security forces for which he was responsible applied traditional methods of brutality to the states opponents, Gorbachev condemned the heavy-handedness. His economic advisers told him to move towards a market economy. This was not merely a case of the Soviet people wanting more freedom: there were food shortages and technological failures, notably in April 1986 at the Chernobyl nuclear plant. Lives were endangered by the governments slowness in admitting the disaster, in keeping with the traditional Soviet way of covering up unpleasant truths. The old model was evidently broken. Smiths description of the chaotic and rapid decline of those last years is careful and vivid. Whether it was his intention or not, Gorbachev emerges as a figure of genuine greatness. How deeply depressing that his legacy has been squandered in the way it has. This immensely important book charts a history of idealism that failed because of its inherent lack of liberty, its repressiveness and its corruption. Now, it seems, in Russia at least, history is in the process of repeating itself. Exit Stalin: The Soviet Union as a Civilization, 19531991 is published by Allen Lane at 40. To order your copy, call 0330 173 0523 or visit Telegraph Books Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. The Office of General Yazdanpanah criticised Western inaction regarding the situation for the Kurds in Syria, continuing: Rojava will fall if we Kurds dont consider their struggle as ours. We are going in to fight side by side with our people in Rojava, the Office of General Hussein Yazdanpanah, commander-in-chief of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. We are in negotiations with the relevant parties in Rojava. We are working to find a mechanism to transport logistics and soldiers to be immediately deployed in Rojava. Advertisement Advertisement The Office of General Yazdanpanah criticised Western inaction regarding the rapidly deteriorating situation for the Kurds in Syria, continuing: Rojava will fall if we Kurds dont consider their struggle as ours. It added that it appears Tom Barrack, the special envoy of the President of the United States, has traded away his obligations, responsibilities, and moral commitments for a set of interests that ultimately tarnish the reputation of his own country. In a similar fashion, Yazdanpanah posted on X: Ahmad al-Sharas attacks on Kurds destroy the credibility of the US, France, and Israel, adding that their inaction is strengthening ISIS and diverting attention from Irans killing of 1520K protesters. GENERAL HUSSEIN Yazdanpanah, commander-in-chief of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK). (credit: Courtesy PAK) Murat Karaylan, a senior leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), said Kurdish fighters from Turkey would never abandon the Kurds in Syria, adding, Whatever the cost, we will never leave you alone. He also strongly condemned Western inaction, going further by accusing international powers of permitting the attacks and calling it a black mark on the United States, Britain, Germany, and France. Advertisement Advertisement The French philosopher and public intellectual Bernard-Henri Levy issued a statement describing the treatment of the Kurdish-led SDF as a historic moral failure. On his social media platform X on January 20, 2026, he wrote: The betrayal of the Kurds by the West is one of the most disturbing shifts of our time, reminding the world of the crucial role played by SDF fighters in defeating ISIS. Social media platforms have been flooded with messages of support and solidarity with the Kurds in Syria. Accounts with massive followings from Israel, the US, the UK, France, and Germany have voiced their support for the Kurds. In addition, large numbers of Iraqi Arabs, Druze, Alawites, and Lebanese Christians have also come out in solidarity with Rojava. Kurdish groups launch #DefendRojava campaign Meanwhile, Kurdish groups from all four parts of Kurdistan (Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey) and the diaspora have launched a global campaign under the hashtag #DefendRojava. They have called for global rallies, urging people to stand with the Kurds. In the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Turkey, young Kurds have reportedly attempted to break through border barriers to make their way to help defend their brothers and sisters in Rojava. As Israeli TV presenter Laura Cellier put it, this is reminiscent of when young Jews flew into Israel from all over the world after October 7, and of when Druze crossed over into Sweida. Advertisement Advertisement Widespread protests erupted across Kurdistan and the diaspora, demanding an end to Syrian Arab Army attacks on Kurdish territories. Mosques across Syrias Kurdish region played Kurdish patriotic traditional songs to raise morale among terrified civilians, reminding them that this is the battle of Rojava. The widespread mobilization, which spanned from Erbil to Bochum, Germany, signals rising fear and anger within the Kurdish community over what activists describe as an unfolding campaign of ethnic cleansing in Rojava. Demonstrations are planned worldwide, including one in Tel Aviv on January 21, organised by the Jewish-Kurdish Committee outside the Turkish Embassy in Israel. In Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, a massive demonstration gathered in front of the United States Consulate General. Protesters waving Kurdish flags chanted slogans against oppression and expressed strong disappointment with the Trump administrations deafening silence. They accused the US administration of betraying the SDF and allowing Syrian forces and their affiliated jihadi militias to invade Kurdish territories, committing massacres against civilians, including women and children. Turkey, the main backer of the Islamist Arab-led government in Damascus, is also home to more than 22 million Kurds, making the environment there resemble a ticking bomb waiting to explode. The Turkish governments official response - warning that it would not tolerate any provocations - indicates pressure stemming from the possibility of spillover effects. Advertisement Advertisement Despite the geographical divide between Kurdish communities in Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey, Kurds have historically relied on one another in times of hardship. For example, when the Kurdish region of Iraq came under existential threat following the Kurdish independence referendum in 2017, Kurdish fighters, including General Hussein Yazdanpanas Kurdistan National Army, deployed to assist their Kurdish brothers and sisters in the Autonomous Kurdish Region of Iraq, known to Kurds as Basur. What is currently happening inside Syria in the post-Assad period, including the butchering of ethnic minorities, is unsustainable. If it is not halted, it will lead to disastrous consequences, with spillover effects impacting regional security, particularly in Syrias neighbouring countries: Israel, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, and Iran. Suzan Quitaz is a Kurdish-Swedish journalist and researcher on Middle Eastern affairs. She was an Israel-based journalist and podcast presenter for the Arabic and English series Exposing the Lies The Voice of Truth from the Middle East at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. She previously worked as a field producer and journalist at a number of Qatari media outlets. Western Illinois University has introduced a new CVS Health vending machine in the University Union, stocked with over-the-counter medications and personal care items. According to a community announcement, the self-service kiosk delivers convenient access to essential health products for students, staff, and guests on campus. Students and staff at WIU can now grab OTC meds and personal care items from a CVS vending machine in the Unions Rocky Shop. Joseph Roselieb, the assistant vice president of student success, expressed his appreciation for the collaboration with CVS. It is my hope that members of our campus community will utilize this machine to support their personal health and wellness needs," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Roselieb also said the university is constantly seeking opportunities to enhance accessibility and resource availability across campus. The campus union already hosts vending machines offering a wide range of snacks and beverages, from frozen meals and ice cream to soda and coffee, according to the announcement. For more details, visit wiu.edu/vending/ or email Roselieb at ja-roselieb@wiu.edu. This story was created by reporter Nida Tazeen, NTazeen@usatodayco.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 Galesburg Register-Mail: Looking for OTC meds on campus? WIU adds CVS vending machine The post Why the Birth of Three Andean Condors Represents a Second Chance for the Species appeared first on A-Z Animals. Quick Take Three Andean condors hatched via artificial incubation increased the Colombian population by 4.5% . Puppet feeding ensured the hatchlings did not come into contact with people, enabling them to develop a healthy fear of people , which is key to their survival . It took 12 years for artificial incubation to succeed in Colombia. Andean condors were once targeted due to the belief that they were killing livestock, but camera traps proved that protection dogs, foxes, and ocelots were the culprits. The Andean condor has been threatened with extinction for decades. At one time, the condor was considered extinct in Venezuela, with populations in other South American countries not far behind. Thanks to conservation efforts and education, some populations have stabilized. Others, like in Colombia, are continuing to grow. This is, in part, thanks to three condor chicks that hatched in a conservation program that will soon be released and hopefully bring the next generation of Andean condors into the world. Three Andean Condors Were Successfully Born Via Artificial Incubation There is cause for celebration in Colombia. After 12 years of attempts, three Andean condor babies have been successfully hatched via artificial incubation. Each hatchling is healthy and has a healthy fear of people, both of which are positive when raising these condors in captivity. Rafiki, Wayra, and Ambar, similar to this Andean condor hatchling, were born via artificial incubation in Colombia. Leeloona/Shutterstock.com (Leeloona/Shutterstock.com) The babies, Rafiki, Wayra, and Ambar, were hatched in July 2024, September 2025, and October 2025, respectively. Rafiki and Wayra are preparing to be released in 2026 and begin their lives in the wild. Given that Ambar is a bit younger, it is not clear how much longer the condor will spend in captivity. Advertisement Advertisement The births of these birds are a big step toward keeping the species from going extinct. With so few remaining in South America and one country previously declaring the condors extinct, the conservation of Andean condors is a top priority. Andean Condors Are a Threatened Species Andean condors were once widespread across South America. Unfortunately, that changed when they were no longer revered but instead treated like pests and threats to livestock. Despite being protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the condor population continued to decline well into the 1980s. The biggest threats the Andean condors faced then and still face today include: Intentional poisoning of the birds via laced carrion Ingestion of lead bullets Andean condors are sought out by hunters who shoot them for sport Powerline collisions Ingestion of DDT when used as a pesticide Loss of habitat Loss of large mammals that Andean condors fed on after they died Andean condors were once hunted and poisoned to the brink of extinction. Roman Tovar/Shutterstock.com (Roman Tovar/Shutterstock.com) The populations of Andean condors vary by country. In Venezuela, where the birds were considered extinct in the past, fewer than 20 remain in the population today. Other countries are not far behind, with their populations being classified as either vulnerable to extinction or critically endangered. The number of each South American country with Andean condor populations is as follows: Country Population Status Argentina 1,500 Vulnerable Bolivia 1,388 Vulnerable Chile 1,500 Vulnerable Colombia 130 Critically endangered Ecuador 94 to 102 Critically endangered Peru 301 Vulnerable Venezuela Unclear if there are small populations or if birds are transient. If in the country, populations are no more than 20. Nearly extinct Thanks to conservation efforts, some of these populations are growing, with the most success achieved through artificial incubation programs in various countries across South America. Why Conservationists Are Using Artificial Incubation to Save the Andean Condor With Andean condor populations dropping to very low levels, conservationists knew that if they did not step in, the condors would go extinct in more South American countries as they had in Venezuela. Consequently, artificial incubation was developed to help more eggs survive and eventually become hatchlings. Artificial incubation of Andean condor eggs was first successful in Argentina in 1991. The incubation proved to be a huge success in bolstering the condor population. As a result, other South American countries followed suit. Andean condor eggs are being artificially incubated to help increase the species population. Regina Hoenes/Shutterstock.com (Regina Hoenes/Shutterstock.com) In Colombia, specifically, the Andean condor eggs that were laid in captivity were placed in incubators because parents were accidentally stepping on and cracking the eggs. With chicks being raised every two to three years, this was devastating to rebuilding the condor population. Advertisement Advertisement Researchers also found that when they removed eggs from the nest, Andean condor pairs were more likely to lay additional eggs. This meant more eggs could be hatched, and the population numbers could increase at a much higher rate. Therefore, removing eggs from captive condors became the standard practice in Colombia. Success did not happen overnight, however. It took 12 years of incubating eggs for Rafiki to be born, officially becoming the first Andean condor to hatch via incubation in captivity in the country. What Happens to the Chicks After They Are Hatched? Once the eggs have hatched, caretakers go to great lengths to ensure that the Andean condor hatchlings do not bond with them. Instead, the condor babies are fed by artificial condor adults they come to rely on for food. Caregivers use a puppet to feed the hatchlings. This ensures they do not see people as a food source when introduced to their wild habitats. It also makes it easier for young condors to transition from being fed by the puppet to consuming carrion on their own, rather than being fed by a human hand. Younger condors will also look to other condors in captivity when it is time to learn to fly. The more interaction there is with other Andean condors, the better the chances of survival when the captive condors are released. The goal is to keep the condors at their higher elevations, where they have traditionally lived, before they nearly went extinct in some regions of South America. This is why controlled environments have been created to help young condors transition from captivity to a more natural habitat. Advertisement Advertisement A healthy fear of people is what will ultimately keep the Andean condors alive. They will not seek out people for food, will stay away from telephone lines and cars, which have caused injury and/or death, and will remain in habitats that are safe for the condors, in hopes that they will reach a healthy, old age. How Were the Condor Chicks Prepared for Life in the Wild? There is no time when animal caretakers come into direct contact with any of the condors in their care. This is done so that the condors have a natural fear of people. The more fear there is, the less likely the Andean condors are to rely on people for their survival, and the better the chances the birds have of making it to an old age. What the younger condors learn from the more mature ones they are housed with before being released is a hierarchy. By understanding this foundation, the condors will understand the pecking order in the wild and where they rank in feeding and mating. Andean condors are raised around other condors to learn the skills needed to survive in the wild. Leeloona/Shutterstock.com (Leeloona/Shutterstock.com) While the mating aspect is not practiced in captivity for younger birds, feeding on carrion is. As the younger birds learn to navigate and feed themselves, they are carefully watched. This ensures that when released into a controlled environment and later into a habitat that is not, the Andean condors will be able to find and consume carrion, just as their wild-born counterparts do. Advertisement Advertisement The young birds are given all the tools to survive in hopes they can make it through the tough adolescent stage, when the majority of Andean condors perish. By reaching adulthood, the condors have a good chance of living several decades, if not longer, helping the population increase over time. What Do the Three Hatchlings Mean for the Survival of the Andean Condor? The status of the Andean condor varies depending on which South American country is considered. From threatened to locally extinct, the condor populations are on the brink of collapse. This is why raising hatchlings in captivity and releasing them into the wild is cause for celebration. In Colombia, the birth of the three Andean condor hatchlings has increased the population by 4.5%. VIDEOLIFT/Shutterstock.com (VIDEOLIFT/Shutterstock.com) In Colombia, there are 150 Andean condors left in the wild. With Rafiki, Wayra, and Ambar being born, the population has increased by 4.5%. This is why the trio is being called the salvation of the species. While Rafiki and Wayra are old enough to be released in 2026, Ambar still needs to mature further, having been born only in October 2025. As the older birds are released in the mountains of Colombia, where there was once fear of the condors, they are now celebrated. There is an understanding of why conservation is necessary and what will happen to the ecosystem if the birds go extinct. Locals Are Participating in Conservation In the past, sheepherders in Cerrito, Colombia, located just outside of Bogota, saw the Andean condors as pests. They were viewed as a threat to both the sheep herd and, therefore, to the pocketbooks of those caring for them. Try as they might, conservationists could not convince Colombians that the condors were not the ones attacking the sheep. This led to the continuation of the condors being poisoned or shot. Consequently, they moved to video proof that could not be refuted. Advertisement Advertisement Beginning in 2018, the Jaime Duque Park Foundation began educating locals about why Andean condors were important to the ecosystems health. Additionally, camera-trap videos from traps placed by Colombians were reviewed. What it showed was that the condors were not the animals responsible for the sheeps deaths. Instead, it was ocelots, foxes, and even the sheepherders own protection dogs. The Andean condor is no longer seen as a pest in Colombia, but as an ally in the countrys development. Gus Martinie/Shutterstock.com (Gus Martinie/Shutterstock.com) However, there was also some truth to what the sheepherders said about Andean condors targeting sheep. The condors would target young lambs when carrion was unavailable, and they were starving. To combat this, locals began to place carrion on high perches, away from where the sheep grazed. They have also reduced grazing areas to deter Andean condors and restore some of their lost habitat. Now, those living in Cerrito cannot imagine life without the condors, according to Mongabay. Since the conservation program began, the condor population has increased, and so has tourism to Cerrito. The condors are now seen as a benefit to the local community rather than a threat. This means the days of targeting Andean condors are gone. Instead, the condors are welcomed with arms wide open. Each new condor released from the Jaime Duque Park Foundation is celebrated, with Colombians doing what they can to ensure the Andean condors survive rather than go extinct locally, as they have in the past in other parts of South America. The post Why the Birth of Three Andean Condors Represents a Second Chance for the Species appeared first on A-Z Animals. The post Why a Brazilian Prison Chose Geese Instead of Guard Dogs appeared first on A-Z Animals. Quick Take Securing 1 Brazilian prison now requires aggressive geese to achieve maximum security levels. The distinctive honk of Piu-Piu creates a detection hurdle within the facilitys quiet environment . A counter-intuitive discovery involving guard dogs forced 1 paradigm shift in Brazilian security. Establishing the grass area patrol was necessary to address security vulnerabilities between the inner fences. Geese have quite a reputation when it comes to hissing and being generally aggressive! They can also be extremely protective and vigilant, and it is these very traits that make them excellent as guard animals. One prison in Brazil is harnessing the natural guarding abilities of geese to patrol their perimeter. These geese have recently made headlines on social media. Guarding Sao Pedro de Alcantara Prison The Sao Pedro de Alcantara prison is located in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. It has been in the headlines over the last month or so for adopting an unorthodox approach to security. As this Instagram post explains, geese are being used instead of guard dogs to patrol the perimeter. Geese are naturally vigilant and protective. Steve Ikeguchi/Shutterstock.com (Steve Ikeguchi/Shutterstock.com) There are conflicting reports about exactly when the geese were introduced, but most agree that they have been highly successful. Of course, the geese are not solely responsible for security at the prison. Because the prison is located in a quiet area, their honks can be easily heard. According to this report in EuroWeekly, the geese are housed on an area of grass between the inner fence and the outer wall. The plan is for them to honk loudly if they spot anything suspicious. Because the prison is located in a quiet area, their honks can be easily heard. Are Geese Better Than Guard Dogs? The head goose is called Piu-Piu, and he has a distinctive honk. Geese are naturally vigilant and are quick to vocalize when they spot something unusual. But are they really better than guard dogs? Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to Euronews, Prison director Marcos Roberto de Souza explained that geese are cheaper to keep than dogs. Canine guards require more training and healthcare than geese. These birds provide a natural alarm that is recognized by the officers who work at the prison. This unconventional approach to security has been highly successful so far! The post Why a Brazilian Prison Chose Geese Instead of Guard Dogs appeared first on A-Z Animals. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. Changes are coming to the federal student loan program. And it can't happen fast enough. President Donald Trump's "one, big beautiful bill," enacted and signed last summer, includes a number of provisions intended to protect taxpayers from student loan defaults. This is in stark contrast to President Joe Biden's approach, which was to forgive billions in outstanding obligations as a means of buying political support. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that Biden lacked the authority to unilaterally take such a step. The federal student loan program lacks even rudimentary safeguards common in the private sector. Showering cash on teenagers and young adults with little credit history is a recipe for fiscal disaster and has also provided cover for the massive increases in tuition that plague so many four-year institutions of higher learning. Doling out billions to borrowers leaving school with degrees in low-paying majors can in no way be described as fiscally responsible for the lender or the borrower. It should thus be no surprise that student loan recipients currently owe $1.8 trillion, with as much as 10% of that in default. Yet while the problems with the current system are obvious, it hums along on autopilot. What's that old saying about the definition of insanity? Provisions in the new law that go into effect this year aim to change that. For one, a Biden-era repayment plan with extremely generous payment terms which only encourages more high-risk borrowing will go by the wayside, with borrowers moved into other existing plans. Secondly, the legislation includes caps for graduate school assistance, which had previously been unlimited. Beginning in July, grad school students may borrow a maximum of $100,000 $200,000 if they are pursuing a professional degree such as law or medicine. There will also be a lifetime limit for graduate students of $257,000, including undergraduate loans. The bill includes incentives for schools to lower the cost of a degree and to ensure that graduates meet certain average income thresholds, a nudge to help students attain degrees in fields that offer enhanced opportunities. "The law is clear: If you take out a loan, you must pay it back," Education Department official Nicholas Kent said in a statement. "American taxpayers can now rest assured they will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for illegal and irresponsible student loan policies." The student loan program is a well-intentioned effort to help more students get through college. But the results speak for themselves as millions of students drown themselves in debt. The current system is fiscally unsustainable and cries out for taxpayer protections. The White House deserves credit for moving in the right direction. (COMMENT, BELOW) BEIJING (AP) China's one-child policy, one of the harshest attempts at population control the world has seen, forced abortions on women, made sterilization widespread and led to baby daughters being sold or even killed, because parents wanted their only child to be a male. Now, experts say, the question is whether it was all necessary. China's birth rate fell to record lows last year and its population has fallen for four years in a row, official statistics showed this week. Authorities, alarmed by the prospect of a shrinking workforce and an aging population, scrapped the policy in 2015. Its hard to escape the fact that China demographically shot itself in the foot, said Mei Fong, the author of the 2016 book, One Child: The Story of Chinas Most Radical Experiment. Advertisement Advertisement Population growth as a threat China's leaders saw unbridled population growth as a potential threat in 1980 to both economic development and its ability to feed what had grown into a nation of 1 billion people. The then impoverished country wasnt the only one worried about having too many people at the time. Population control was a hot topic internationally and experts feared that rapid growth in China, India and elsewhere could overwhelm the earths resources. The birth rate had begun to fall in the 1970s after the government began encouraging people to have fewer children. It's unclear how much its fall since then resulted from the one-child policy and to what degree it would have happened anyway because of the tremendous economic and societal changes over the last four decades. Advertisement Advertisement Stiff fines and sterilization But the leadership at the time decided to curb population growth more directly, launching the one-child policy and enforcing it with stiff financial penalties for parents who had more than one child, as well as abortions and sterilization campaigns. It lasted for 35 years. Yi Fuxian, a senior scientist in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, notes that the number of people getting sterilized plunged from 1.4 million women and 180,000 men in 2014, two years before the policy was eased, to 190,000 women and 2,600 men in 2020. In 2016, the government began allowing two children per couple and raised the limit to three children in 2021. But it has proven more difficult to reverse the mentality of people than the policy. Advertisement Advertisement Little emperors China is far from the only country facing the challenges of an aging population. Around the world, as people get wealthier, they tend to want fewer, or no, children. But the one-child policy, leading to a preference for sons, has also created a gender imbalance in the one-child generation. Now, some from that generation, once dubbed little emperors because they were so fussed over, face the pressure of meeting the expectations, including financial, of being the only child. As they reach their 30s and 40s, there is only one child to support two parents, and in some cases, up to four grandparents. For some, this can lead to anxiety and depression, Fong said. Advertisement Advertisement The little emperor at some point becomes the slave, she said. Putting a tax on condoms China is an aging society that will likely face a major shortfall in the coming decades: not enough people of working age to support a growing population of retirees. That could burden government finances and pension systems. The government has launched a slew of polices to try to boost the birth rate, from eliminating a tax exemption for condoms to giving cash subsidies to couples who have children. But the experience of other countries shows that it's difficult to turn around a declining birth rate. On the surface, it appeared to be a reasonable security proposal: extend the perimeter around Haitis National Palace grounds, replace aging weapons and add more officers to guard against gang attacks. But the acquisition request submitted late last year by the police officer charged with overseeing Haitis elite presidential security units has raised a far more troubling concern. The documents, reviewed by multiple sources who spoke to the Miami Herald, called for a stockpile large enough to outfit a small army: 10 billion rounds of high-powered, 7.62 millimeter ammunition; 5 billion rounds of 5.56 millimeter ammunition, 2,300 assault rifles and sniper units, along with thousands of police uniforms. The requisition also included 12 armored vehicles; a 12-seat armored transport to evacuate dignitaries in case of an emergency, and a convoy of 23 additional tactical vehicles including three armored Toyota Land Cruisers designated for the police commanders personal use. Advertisement Advertisement Issued by Pierre-Louis Cange shortly after he was appointed in November as the Haiti National Polices presidential security coordinator, the request later amended to 10 million and 5 million rounds of the combat ammunitions also included a request for a monthly cash allowance of $23,000 in working capital and another $76,400 for intelligence gathering, according to the sources who have seen the written requests and asked to remain anonymous to speak freely. In his request, Cange said the reinforcements were necessary to prevent a crisis ahead of Feb. 7 the constitutional end of presidential mandates in Haiti, and the date the countrys Transitional Presidential Council is expected to relinquish power. But in the days since the requests have come to light, politicians and foreign diplomats have been wondering: Was this just a fanciful wishlist of an overzealous palace security chief seeking to bolster defenses and win favor with allies in the transition, or the opening move in a bid to seize control of the national palace, the symbol of power? I dont know his real intentions, said a government official who described the saga as an administrative matter that suddenly turned political after some of the members of the ruling presidential panel inserted themselves. They offered to accompany Cange to the Police Inspector General office after his boss, Haitian National Police Chief Andre Jonas Vladimir Paraison, summoned him to explain his actions. Advertisement Advertisement But it seems that he wants to be able to control who comes and goes inside the palace on Feb. 7, the government official said. Though Haitis presidential palace collapsed in the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake, and gang control of downtown Port-au-Prince has forced the nine-member presidential council to work out of the old prime ministers office, the palace offices and grounds remains a potent symbol of state authority. Its possible seizure by gangs or political spoilers would be widely viewed as a sign of total state collapse. Haitian Game of Thrones For weeks, foreign diplomats, political party leaders and members of the political transition have been shuttling between meetings, attempting to broker consensus on who should lead the next phase of Haitis fragile transition and how those currently in power should exit. Behind the scenes, however, intrigue, divisions, accusations of power grabs and coup detats, along with profanity-laden confrontations between presidential advisers, have multiplied, in what some insiders describe as a modern-day Haitian Game of Thrones. Advertisement Advertisement Members of the presidential transition, who came to power in April 2024, have been accused of maneuvering against one another, and attempting to force out the prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aime, in December. The effort failed after council president Laurent Saint-Cyr refused to support it, but then a group of council members attempted to remove Saint-Cyr as well. Their goal is to change the prime minister, the secretary general of the palace so that they can take over the security and the state because they want to stay after Feb. 7, a source inside the transition said. Two other sources confirmed to the Herald that council members are once more working on removing Fils-Aime through a vote in the coming days. Though council members face a barrage of serious accusations, from ties to the countrys powerful gangs to corruption and there is overwhelming sentiment that they need to go critics accuse them of wanting to stay in power to have influence on elections, scheduled for later this year, and possibly to protect themselves from possible U.S. sanctions or even arrests once they leave office. They want to push the transition to a year or two, said the source, who noted that despite a recent public declaration by presidential adviser and former council head Leslie Voltaire that the members are leaving office on Feb. 7, these guys are all over the place campaigning to remain. Haitian army forces (FADH) patrol the city center near the National Palace, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on October 1, 2025. The United Nations Security Council on September 30, 2025, adopted a resolution to transform a UN-backed security mission in gang-dominated Haiti into a larger, full-fledged force with military troops. The new force can now have a maximum of 5,500 uniformed personnel, including police officers and soldiers, unlike the current mission, which is just law enforcement. (Photo by Clarens SIFFROY / AFP) (Photo by CLARENS SIFFROY/AFP via Getty Images) (CLARENS SIFFROY/AFP via Getty Images) The request for ammo Police didnt learn about Canges weapons and ammunition request until this month, when he was summoned to appear before the Inspector Generals office to answer why he had removed two senior officers and their deputies from the palace without permission. But soon the police matter became entangled in the councils high-stakes politicking, after two presidential advisers stepped into the fray and offered to accompany Cange to respond to the summons. Advertisement Advertisement So far, Cange has been dismissive of what he described in a letter as an administrative follow-up. In requesting a postponement after a Jan. 6 invitation, he wrote that he was fully mobilized in the development of an operations plan for Feb. 7. A second invite, this one from Vladimir Paraison, Haitis police chief, was sent on Jan. 13 and again ignored. Sources close to Cange, who was promoted to his job without going through the normal police leadership channels, claim that he was informed by his supporters on the presidential council that the summons had been canceled. A police source said that on the contrary, the investigation remains open. Cange did not respond to a Herald request for comment. At a minimum, Cange, who has since obtained a lawyer, is suspected of trying to destabilize presidential security on Feb. 7 a day many Haitians fear could plunge the country deeper into political uncertainty. At worst, critics fear, he was acting on behalf of allies within the presidential council. Advertisement Advertisement Jean Elysee Celiscar, a member of one of many organizations proposing a solution for Feb. 7, said the involvement of presidential advisers in what is essentially a police matter raises reinforces his belief that council members are seeking ways to prolong their expiring mandate. Something suspicious is going on, Celiscar, a member of the Initiative Group, said during an interview Monday on Port-au-Prince based Magik 9 about the efforts to get consensus on the next transition. They involved themselves to show that they are the ones behind it. Cange, he added, needs to explain his intentions about the weapons requisition. Moises assassination Haitians have reasons to be wary of an overzealous security chief. Recent history helps explain why the secretary general of the palace pushed back on Canges unusual request. Advertisement Advertisement President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in his home in the middle of the night in July 2021 despite the presence of multiple members of his security detail. A police investigative report and subsequent judicial inquiry concluded that he was an easy target because of his guards conduct. During the attack, they displayed such passivity that they showed no intention of defending the Head of State, let alone the presidential family, the judicial police said. By their attitude, they facilitated the access of the attackers to the residence of the president, the police report said. Among the more than 40 palace police officers jailed in connection with the still-unsolved slaying were Divisional Commissioner Jean Laguel Civil, the coordinator of presidential security, and Dimitri Herard, head of the General Security Unit of the National Palace. Advertisement Advertisement Both men escaped from prison during a gang assault in 2024 on the Port-au-Prince National Penitentiary. Civils lawyers said his arrest was politically motivated. Herard, who was under a U.S. arms-trafficking investigatio at the time, has also denied wrongdoing. Push back on demands Cange was appointed to his current role when members of the presidential council selected him to replace Paraison, who was promoted to police chief. At the time, the palace was not under attack. Months earlier Paraison got a bullet in a foot as he and his men repelled a gang assault The palace was still off limits to the presidential advisers, who like Cange worked out of the old prime ministers office. After assuming command of about 800 police officers, Cange concluded that the palace troops were ill-equipped to defend the structure and their numbers insufficient. He called for immediate reinforcements with another 200 officers; the unstable political climate in Haiti, he argued, meant anything could affect the security of dignitaries and the palace. Advertisement Advertisement Canges demands, however, met with swift resistance from palace Secretary General Regine Haddad, who after Moises assassination decided that no security coordinator would be allowed unfettered authority to appoint police personnel. In a Jan. 6 letter to Justice Minister Patrick Pelissier, who oversees the Haiti National Police, Haddad complained that Cange treated her as a subordinate even though she outranks him under the organizational chart, and he must route all requests through her office. Despite meetings explaining the chain of command inside the National Palace, Cange he persisted in bypassing her, she said, and wrote directly to the head of the presidential council, Saint-Cyr. In some cases, he failed to copy the secretary general of the presidency altogether, Haddad added. As part of her complaint, Haddad included a copy of Canges weapons request. Because of the disarray caused by Canges actions, a police source said, during Haitis official Independence Day ceremony on Jan. 1 at the National Palace the national anthem was delayed because of the absence of the police band, and the ceremony was more than an hour late because there was no one to give orders for officers to be present. When the owner of a popular Vietnamese restaurant opened his first Fresno restaurant about 13 years ago, he didnt mind that there were already four pho restaurants at the same intersection. Nho Kitchen, at McKinley and First avenues, initially started as a side hustle for George Quach, 53, and his wife, Tiffany Le. They served coffee, breakfast and pho so that Vietnamese elders would have a place to hang out and play Chinese chess, he said in an interview. But about six years ago, the couple decided to expand their business and open a full-service restaurant, Quach said. This helped them stand out at the Mayfair Shopping Center, which already had three pho restaurants: Pho #1, Pho 99 and Pho 75 #2. Advertisement Advertisement What makes Nho Kitchen stand out is its dishes like Bahn mi bo ne: sizzling steak and eggs served with pate and daily-made bread to sop it all up. Sizzling steak, egg and pate is one of the non-pho options at Nho Kitchen in the Mayfair Center at First and McKinley in Fresno on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (CRAIG KOHLRUSS) Were flattered customers are willing to wait 30 minutes just to eat pho, Quach said. Pho is a popular Vietnamese soup consisting of a clear broth, thin rice noodles and a protein, either beef, chicken or seafood. The dish was popularized globally after the Vietnam War thanks to the refugees that brought the dish with them across the world. Pho restaurants are typically numbered after an important year in the owners history, such as the year the restaurant opened. A bowl of Nho's beefy pho featuring beef back rib, tendon, meatball, brisket, tripe, and rare steak from Nho Kitchen in the Mayfair Center at First and McKinley in Fresno on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (CRAIG KOHLRUSS) Quach, originally from Vietnam, grew up in Fresnos Mayfair neighborhood in the 1980s. Advertisement Advertisement I grew up around this area, Quach said. This was central for all the pho spots. A former bank employee, Quach said he decided to turn his love of cooking into a business. Quachs philosophy is that he wont serve anything he wouldnt eat. He and his wife test recipes at home on their family. And his emphasis on quality, fresh ingredients is paying off. Today, Nho Kitchen has about 30 to 40 employees at its two locations. Quach said hes considering an expansion to Madera. Jonathan Sanchez used to frequent one of the neighboring pho spots when he decided to try Nho Kitchen about three years ago. On a drizzly December afternoon, he ordered a seafood lunch while dining with his family. Advertisement Advertisement This is my favorite spot now, he said, noting that the restaurant is always full. The restaurant, open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. is packed every day with nurses, city staff, sheriffs, and CalTrans employees and other locals looking for a good meal, Quach said. We have all the authentic Vietnamese dishes, he said. All the other ones, its only pho. Customers dive into steaming bowls of pho on a cold day at Nho Kitchen in the Mayfair Center at First and McKinley in Fresno on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (CRAIG KOHLRUSS) Five Vietnamese, pho restaurants on one Fresno block Fresnos pho corner got its start organically, according to Mayfair Shopping Centers owner Ted Caldwell, who has owned the commercial plaza since 1980. He credits the success of its businesses to the central location and heavy traffic flow on First street before Highway 41 was constructed. Caldwell estimates there used to be 55,000 cars a day driving past the intersection, and these passersby wanted to place to eat. Advertisement Advertisement With all that activity, passersby wanted to start at eat and various types of Asian food businesses started moving in, including Vietnamese spots and the popular Thai Phuket Thai eatery. One store was successful, and then another one wanted to come in, and it just kind of grew, he said. Caldwell thinks its a good spot for small business because the rent is reasonable, the building has had several upgrades over the years and the stores are right up near the street as opposed to modern shopping centers where smaller stores pushed to the back away from the street. But he didnt really have an explanation as to why there are so many pho restaurants in his plaza. I didnt give it much thought, Caldwell said. It kind of happened naturally. This cluster of restaurants has taken on a life of their own. Advertisement Advertisement Customers mourned when Pho 75 briefly closed its doors in 2018 after a dispute over the lease agreement. The restaurant reopened about a month later in part thanks to the outpouring of support from the community. Locals regularly debate in food-related Facebook groups where the best pho is in Fresno, and usually one of the spots at Mayfair Center spot is on the list. Fresno poet Joseph Rios, the citys former poet laureate, even memorialized this Fresno pho corner in a 2023 poem dedicated to the city. Fresno is / a holy well under a mini mall /on McKinley and First that becomes the magical Pho /sold at each of the five restaurants there. Pho 75, a longtime favorite Pho 75 #2 is one of several pho restaurants that occupy the the Mayfair Center at First and McKinley in Fresno. (CRAIG KOHLRUSS) Gina Saiyasane grew up eating at Pho 75. When she was 15 years old, she started waitressing there. Advertisement Advertisement Today, she is the restaurants general manager. She thinks the restaurant, which she said was the first pho spot at the Mayfair shopping center has survived for more than 30 years due to its decades-loyal customers. A photo of Pho 75 at First St and McKinley in Fresno around the year 2009. The Vietnamese restaurant is a local favorite. We used to do the late night hours there we were open til three or four oclock in the morning, Saiyasane said in an interview. Everybody would go there late at night. It would be the spot to go after the clubs, she said. These customers grew older, started having families and then brought their children in for their first bowl of pho. People have a lot of great memories there, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Pho 75 opened in 1993. The name likely commemorate 1975 being the year that marked the end of the Vietnam War, Saiyasane said. A small and large bowl of beef pho at Pho 75 in Fresno on Saturday Jan. 3, 2026. Saiyasane said the Mayfair plazas location was a natural place for pho businesses to thrive due to its location near popular community anchors like southeast Asian grocery stores and the office of Fresno Immigrant and Refugee Ministries, an organization that has supported Hmong, Lao and other refugees since 1994. And then with Fresno being diverse, you bring in not just Southeast Asians you bring in your other cultures and ethnicities, Saiyasane said. Pho 75 Owner Jose Magallanes purchased the restaurant from its original owners in 2018. He said that while its under Hispanic ownership, the flavors are still the same. Advertisement Advertisement The original Vietnamese cooks theyre still there, he said. Mayfairs property manager Kim Rumbaugh said the cluster of restaurants is popular beyond Fresno city limits. Once, while getting a manicure at a Vietnamese-owned nail salon in Visalia, she mentioned she worked in Fresno where all those pho restaurants are. They (the nail technicians) all knew exactly where I was talking about, she said. Nho Kitchen is located in the back section of the Mayfair Center at First and McKinley in Fresno on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. Several pho restaurants occupy the Mayfair Center at First and McKinley in Fresno including Pho 99. (CRAIG KOHLRUSS) ITV News Science Correspondent Martin Stew speaks to three soldiers who have all been diagnosed with the same rare blood vessel condition in their brains In his time as a reservist in the Royal Artillery, Steven Cunningham served three full tours of Afghanistan, crewing a powerful field-gun capable of hurling a 35lb shell a distance of 12 miles. He later served as the One O'clock Gunner at Edinburgh Castle, firing a blank round from a similar gun every single day. Advertisement Advertisement Research suggests the blast overpressure from each live round Steven fired, in training and in war, had a damaging effect on his brain. There is no published science to suggest blank rounds have the same effect but it seems possible - Edinburgh Castle recently moved spectators further away from the daily firing due to unspecified "safety concerns" from the MoD. You feel like the blast wave," Steven told ITV News. "But you dont really pay much attention to it. You just get the rounds down. Everything else is out of your head. After his tours of Afghanistan, Steven spent two years firing the One O'clock Gun in Edinburgh. Credit: ITV News/Steven Cunningham We know that exposure to blast shockwaves can cause brain damage. Scientists believe repeated exposure to blasts has long term neurological consequences in some people. But could that repeated exposure also affect the blood vessels? Advertisement Advertisement After collapsing with a seizure, doctors discovered an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in Stevens brain. It is an extremely rare condition. Instead of blood passing slowly from arteries into veins through a network of fine capillaries, he has an irregular connection formed by a tangled mass of blood vessels. This abnormal structure operates under higher pressure, meaning the vessels can weaken or even burst something that can be fatal. AVMs are traditionally thought to be congenital, meaning they are genetic disorders present from birth. Only one in every hundred thousand people is diagnosed with one in the brain. Advertisement Advertisement However, anecdotal evidence suggests cases may be far more common among soldiers repeatedly exposed to blast shockwaves. I asked Steven whether he had ever considered that his own weapons could have caused him harm. No, never thought about it, he said. I then set up a video conference with two former US Marines who are also suffering from AVMs. William Wilcox, Mike Lozano, and Steven Cunningham all developed a rare blood vessel condition. Credit: ITV News/handout Like Steven, both William Wilcox and Mike Lozano were exposed to shockwaves from their own weapons. They believe the odds of both developing AVMs shortly after leaving the Marines cannot be a coincidence. Essentially, my brain exploded," William said. "Mathematically it is impossible for us to both have AVMs, do the same job and know a singular person that we both served with. Advertisement Advertisement Steven listened intently. Descriptions of headaches, memory loss and difficulty concentrating mirrored exactly how he has been feeling. Evidence of a possible link is beginning to emerge. Research in the United States has found that repeated exposure to even low-level blasts can trigger AVMs in mice. Its clear from the animal studies that there is damage to the blood vessels, explained neurologist Professor Arshad Majid from the University of Sheffield. We dont have enough information in humans that there is damage to the blood vessels, but its plausible. Coroner rules on army veteran's death as wife fears link to blast exposure Advertisement Advertisement Traumatic Brain Injury: A hidden health crisis impacting military veterans Dr Michael T. Lawton, the surgeon who operated on William, believes further research is urgently needed. The shock wave could alter the genetic health of a cell," he told ITV News. "Its just like when you radiate a cell and you damage the DNA that might do something to a particular genes ability to express itself the same could be true for a blast type injury. Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning. Steven says his condition has left him unable to hold down a job. He suffers not only from seizures, but from memory loss and debilitating brain fog. Advertisement Advertisement I got escorted off the Tay Bridge, he told me, tears welling in his eyes. I just felt like I didnt want to be here anymore, it was just like I wish I hadnt come back. AVMs are often undiagnosed because their symptoms including headaches, anxiety, depression and confusion can be attributed to more common brain conditions. Do you guys fear that there are a lot more men and women walking around right now that could have that ticking time bomb inside their heads? I asked Mike, William and Steven. All three nodded in unison. 100%, Mike replied. And I tell everyone; dude go get an MRI, get a referral to anybody. Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said: "The health and wellbeing of our armed forces is critical and we provide specialist medical treatment for Traumatic Brain Injuries at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre. "We know blast exposure causes physical change or injury in the brain that is only now becoming detectable and recognised with recent advances in the field, and we know there are alleged long-term effects of this exposure, but causation has not yet been shown and is the subject of much ongoing research". Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know The past year since Donald Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, has completely discredited any claim that choosing between the Democratic and Republican Parties would be merely a matter of pick your poison with the same end result. In countless terrible ways, the last twelve months have shown that the GOP is bent on methodically inflicting vast cruelty and injustice while aiming to crush whats left of democracy and the rule of law. Meanwhile, the Democratic Partys leadership persists with the kind of elitist political approach that helped Trump win in 2024. Hidebound and unimaginative, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have been incapable of inspiring the people whose high-turnout votes will be essential to ending Republican control of Congress in this years midterm elections and the White House in 2028. The Democratic establishment shuns the progressive populism thats vital to effectively countering bogus right-wing populism. And so the struggle to defeat the fascistic GOP and the fight to overcome the power of corporate Democrats are largely the same battle. Advertisement Advertisement Advocates for progressive change will remain on the defensive as long as the Trump party is in power. With the entire future at stake, social movements on the left should focus on organizing to oust Republicans from control of Congress in the midterms. The point isnt that Democrats deserve to win its that people certainly dont deserve to live under Republican rule, and ending it is the first electoral step toward a federal government that serves the broad public instead of powerfully destructive and violent elites. Like it or not, in almost every case the only candidates in a position to defeat Republicans for the House and Senate this year will have a D after their name. Democratic Party leaders have dodged coming to terms with reasons why their party lost the White House in 2024, preferring to make a protracted show of scratching their chins and puzzling over the steep falloff of support from working-class voters of all colors. The Democratic National Committees refusal to release its autopsy report, assessing what went wrong in the election, underscores the partys aversion to serious introspection. Cogent answers are readily available, but top Democrats like Schumer and Jeffries refuse to heed them. If the party wants to regain and expand support from working-class voters, it must fight for programs that they clearly want. Advertisement Advertisement Extensive polling shows strong public support for major progressive reforms, such as raising taxes on big corporations and the wealthy, lifting the Social Security tax cap, boosting the federal minimum wage and greatly expanding Medicare to include dental, vision and hearing coverage. Want more sharp takes on politics? Sign up for our free newsletter, Standing Room Only, written by Amanda Marcotte, now also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. The multifaceted tyranny that Trump and his lieutenants want to impose is both abrupt and gradual. Relying on techniques honed with the Big Lie, they strive to turn this months shocks into next months old hat. Yet counting on denunciations of Trump to win elections is a very bad strategy. It didnt work in 2016, it barely worked in 2020 and it failed miserably in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Democrats on the ballot in November will need to be offering plausible relief to voters in economic distress. But its hard for the partys leaders to come across as aligned with the working class when evidence is profuse that they arent. In essence, Schumer and Jeffries and the majority of Democratic officeholders who keep those two in the partys top positions represent the Biden-era status quo that was unpopular enough to return Trump to the White House. A key reason is a reality that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders described soon after Trumps 2016 win: Certainly there are some people in the Democratic Party who want to maintain the status quo. They would rather go down with the Titanic so long as they have first-class seats. These party leaders should be removed from seats of party power or bypassed as relics of bygone eras. Their ongoing refusals to distance from corporate power, rich elites and militarism have alienated much of the partys base. Last year, nationwide polling found that 62% of self-identified Democrats agreed that the leadership of the Democratic Party should be replaced with new people. Constituents should pressure elected Democrats to comply by ousting leaders like Schumer and Jeffries from their powerful posts. Democratic voters should insist that the people they elect to the Senate and House stop submitting to ineffective party leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Schumer and Jeffries remain entrenched on Capitol Hill because a culture of conformity has a firm grip on the partys legislators. Dislodging the current leadership would require breaking away from deference to top-down power. Any number of Democratic senators and representatives would be real improvements. In the Senate, Id wish for Jeff Merkley of Oregon or Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. You might have your own favorites. But its not going to happen unless Democratic voters actively hold the people theyve elected to a much higher standard. As I write in my free new book The Blue Road to Trump Hell, The Democratic Party enabled Donald Trump to become president twice because of repetition compulsions that still plague the top echelons of the party. To eject Republicans from power and to advance a strong progressive agenda true leadership must come from grassroots mobilization. The post To win, Democrats should chuck their leadership appeared first on Salon.com. NEED TO KNOW Aralyn Martinez, 24, allegedly threw a weighted plate at "someone her partner was involved with" while at a 24 Hour Fitness in Spring, Texas, according to a press release from the Harris County Constable Precinct 4 Office The weighted plate was 25 lb., according to a charging document reviewed by PEOPLE KHOU 11 reported that the victim moved out of the way in time, avoiding injuries A Texas woman has been charged with aggravated assault after throwing a weighted plate at "someone her partner was involved with." The incident occurred at a 24 Hour Fitness in Spring, Texas, the Harris County Constable Precinct 4 Office said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement "Upon arrival, deputies learned that a female suspect assaulted the complainant inside the gym after recognizing the complainant as someone her partner was involved with," said the press release. Aralyn Martinez, 24, is alleged to have thrown that weighted plate at the complainant's head. Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office Aralyn Martinez Aralyn Martinez A charging document reviewed by PEOPLE alleges that Martinez intentionally and knowingly threatened the victim with "imminent bodily injury by using and exhibiting a deadly weapon, namely, a 25-pound weight plate" on Tuesday, Jan. 6. A personal bond/bail order reviewed by PEOPLE states that the altercation was caught on cell phone video. Advertisement Advertisement The order alleges that Martinez said, "bitch, I'm going to drop this plate on you" before throwing the plate. KHOU 11 reported that the complainant moved out of the way in time, avoiding injuries. Precinct 4 Capt. Juan Flores told KHOU 11 that the incident didn't escalate further because nearby people intervened. While Martinez left the gym after the confrontation, per KHOU 11, she was arrested on Jan. 7, according to the charging document. Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office Aralyn Martinez Aralyn Martinez Martinez was arrested and booked into the Harris County Jail, and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a felony, but was released on a $1000 bond, online records reviewed by PEOPLE show. Advertisement Advertisement According to an amended order for pretrial supervision and bond conditions reviewed by PEOPLE, "facts giving rise to probable cause suggest that alcohol was a factor in the offense." The amended order for pretrial supervision and bond condition states that Martinez is banned from going within 200 ft. of the alleged victim and the gym where the incident took place. Martinez has also been ordered to submit to drug and alcohol testing by authorized agency personnel, per the order. 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. Her arraignment has been set for Thursday, Jan 22. PEOPLE has reached out to Martinez's public defender for comment. Read the original article on People The world has entered an era of global water bankruptcy with irreversible consequences, according to a new United Nations report. Regions across the world are afflicted by severe water problems: Kabul may be on course to be the first modern city to run out of water. Mexico City is sinking at a rate of around 20 inches a year as the vast aquifer beneath its streets is over-pumped. In the US Southwest, states are locked in a continual battle over the how to share the shrinking water of the drought-stricken Colorado River. The global situation is so severe that terms like water crisis or water stressed fail to capture its magnitude, according to the report published Tuesday by the United Nations University and based on a study in the journal Water Resources. Advertisement Advertisement If you keep calling this situation a crisis, youre implying that its temporary. Its a shock. We can mitigate it, said Kaveh Madani, director of the UN Universitys Institute for Water, Environment and Health, and the reports author. With bankruptcy, while its still vital to fix and mitigate where possible, you also need to adapt to a new reality to new conditions that are more restrictive than before, he told CNN. A girl with canisters of water from a water truck, on September 17, 2025 in Kabul, Afghanistan. The city of six million people could run out water by 2030, some experts say. - Elke Scholiers/Getty Images The concept of water bankruptcy works like this: Nature provides income in the form of rain and snow, but the world is spending more than it receives extracting from its rivers, lakes, wetlands and underground aquifers at a much faster rate than they are replenished, putting us in debt. Climate change-fueled heat and drought are compounding the problem, reducing available water. The result is shrinking rivers and lakes, dried-up wetlands, declining aquifers, crumbling land and sinkholes, the creep of desertification, a dearth of snow and melting glaciers. Advertisement Advertisement The statistics in the report are stark: more than 50% of the planets large lakes have lost water since 1990, 70% of major aquifers are in long-term decline, an area of wetlands almost the size of the European Union has been erased over the past 50 years, and glaciers have shrunk 30% since 1970. Even in places where water systems are less strained, pollution is reducing the amount available for drinking. Many regions are living beyond their hydrological means and its impossible now to return to conditions that used to exist, Madani said. It brings human consequences: nearly 4 billion people face water scarcity for at least one month every year. Remnants of a boat sit on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. The lake has shrunk due to drought, river damming and extensive groundwater extraction. - Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images Yet, instead of recognizing the problem and adjusting consumption, water is taken for granted and credit lines keep increasing, Madani said. Advertisement Advertisement He referred to cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Tehran, where expansion and development have been encouraged, despite limited water supplies. Everything looks right until its not, and then its too late, Madani said. Some regions are affected more severely, the report noted. The Middle East and North Africa grapple with high water stress and extreme climate vulnerability. Parts of South Asia are experiencing chronic declines in water due to groundwater-dependent farming and ballooning urban populations. The US Southwest is another a hotspot, according to the report. Madani pointed to the Colorado River, where water sharing agreements are based on an environmental situation that no longer exists. Drought has shrunk the river, but its not a temporary crisis, he said, its a permanent new condition, and we have less water than before. The Hoover Dam along the Colorado River on March 14, 2025 in Boulder City, Nevada. - Kevin Carter/Getty Images The findings are alarming, but recognizing water bankruptcy can help countries move from short term emergency thinking to long-term strategies to reduce irreversible damage, Madani said. Advertisement Advertisement The report calls for a series of actions, including transforming farming by far the biggest global user of water through shifting crops and more efficient irrigation; better water monitoring using AI and remote sensing; reducing pollution; and increasing protection for wetlands and groundwater. Water could also be a bridge in a fragmented world, as an issue able to transcend political differences, the report authors wrote. We are seeing more and more countries appreciating the value of it and the importance of it, and thats what makes me hopeful, Madani said. The reports call to action rightly centres on long-term recovery as opposed to firefighting water crises, wrote Richard Allan, a climate science professor at the University of Reading, who was not involved in the research. Limiting the climate change will also be vital to ensuring enough water for people and ecosystems, he told CNN. Jonathan Paul, associate professor in geoscience at Royal Holloway University, said the report lays bare, in unambiguous terms, humankinds mistreatment of water. But he said the concept of global water bankruptcy is overstated, even if many areas are expressing acute water stress. Advertisement Advertisement Madani wants the report to spur action. By acknowledging the reality of water bankruptcy, we can finally make the hard choices that will protect people, economies, and ecosystems. The longer we delay, the deeper the deficit grows. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com John Abernathy, a photographer from Minneapolis, was flat on the ground. He had the knees of at least one federal officer on his back. He heard someone shouting to put his hands behind his back, but his arms were half pinned beneath him. He was surrounded by dozens of officers deploying something tear gas, he thinks that made it hard to see or breathe. He felt like he could puke or pass out. He feared what might happen if federal agents got hold of his equipment. So when he locked eyes with another photographer, he took his camera a Leica M10-R with a 28-millimeter lens and threw it, pitching his cellphone away from him shortly after. Photographer John Abernathy says he tossed his camera to Pierre Lavie so it wouldn't be confiscated by federal officers. Photo: Pierre Lavie/@just1dudewithacamera Pierre Lavie, a fellow photojournalist, snatched the Leica by the strap and brought it close to his body. As he reached for Abernathys phone, which had only traveled a couple of feet, a federal officer repeatedly tried to stomp on it. Advertisement Advertisement I had to Hungry Hippo my hand in and out to avoid my hand getting stepped on, and I managed to finally grab it and get it away, Lavie told HuffPost. News: Ex-Flight Attendant Accused Of Yearslong Catch Me If You Can-Style Scam Its a familiar scene to both. Abernathy, who previously did photography work for advertisements and magazines, said he set out to document the protests over Immigration and Customs Enforcements crackdown in Minneapolis and the killing of Renee Good just to show whats happening to whoever might see it. Lavie, a member of the National Press Photographers Association from Dallas, had come from New Orleans, where he was also capturing ICE activity, to cover the unrest. On Thursday, Jan. 15, both were outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, which has recently been used to hold people detained by ICE officers.When Abernathy saw what he called agitators pro-ICE demonstrators carrying bear spray, he grabbed a can from someone and tossed it aside so it couldnt go off near him. Advertisement Advertisement He speculates thats why he was targeted by federal agents, who yelled that they saw him spraying the crowd, though he said they didnt provide evidence to back that up after they handcuffed him and took him inside the Whipple Building. (He received a citation, but has yet to receive a court date.) Photographer John Abernathy is seen being pushed to the ground as federal immigration officers confronted protesters outside Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building on Jan. 15 in Minneapolis. via Associated Press As he struggled underneath the agents, he fought to keep breathing. I couldnt breathe. I screamed my name because I didnt know what was about to happen, and I also sort of subconsciously screamed I cant breathe, and right when it came out, I thought of George Floyd, and I thought, Oh ****, this is getting real, he said. News: The Past Year Of Trump Has Shown Us What's At Stake. HuffPost Refuses To Back Down. Lavie, who has traveled around the United States in recent months documenting ICE activity, said officers working in Minneapolis are harsher than those hes seen elsewhere, doing things like shooting pepper spray into the air intake of vehicles to force people out. Advertisement Advertisement Theyre very threatening right away, instead of de-escalating a situation, he said. Their unprofessionalism worries me as an observer because I just see it as a short distance to travel to having somebody really hurt, he added. Its reckless and dangerous. Despite suffering a chemical burn in his eye, wounds from pepper bullets and abrasions from hitting the ground, Abernathy didnt rush to the hospital after he was released from custody. John Abernathy says he sustained several injuries after being hit with pepper bullets and tackled by federal officers. Photos: John Abernathy Instead, he set out to find his phone and camera, though because of the chemical agent he was doused with, he didnt have a clear idea of who had scooped them up. Advertisement Advertisement I found some guy with a bullhorn, and I asked him to walk up and down and ask if anybody has my camera, and nobody had it, he said. News: Trump-Appointed Prosecutor Who Pursued Indictments Against The President's Foes Is Leaving Post He enlisted his wifes help, having her use the Find My iPhone feature. At the same time, Lavie had passed the equipment to another journalist he was traveling with, who tried to find the owner using the contact information on the phones Medical ID. The two finally reunited at a hotel where they met for the first time. He hopped out of the car and gave me a big handshake and a hug and said, thank you so much, Lavie said, adding Abernathy was a little beat up, but hes obviously a tough dude and quick-thinking, and he seemed good. Advertisement Advertisement Abernathy went to the hospital after retrieving his camera, where he discovered the last few images he captured before officers took him down. This is one of the last two photos photographer John Abernathy took before being tackled by ICE agents in Minneapolis. John Abernathy This is one of the last two photos photographer Abernathy took before being tackled by ICE agents in Minneapolis. John Abernathy Abernathy said hes fine now, but tired and constantly shaky. I dont know if its a nervous system response to stress or something with tear gas or what, he said. News: DOJ Says It May Use KKK Act To Prosecute Don Lemon For Reporting On Church ICE Protest Lavie said Abernathy didnt stay down long, noting he saw him out making more images on Saturday, after being tackled on Thursday. We dont like to stop, Lavie said. Abernathy noted that hes never been tackled, handcuffed or pepper-sprayed until last week, but he will keep documenting whats happening. Advertisement Advertisement The world needs to see it, not just people here, he said, because the whole world has to come down on this. U.S. Updates Read the original on HuffPost KYIV, Jan 20 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has not decided yet on travelling to Davos as the U.S. has not made clear if a substantive meeting with President Donald Trump will happen, a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday. Ukraine would be ready to sign the documents on security guarantees or prosperity if the U.S. side is ready, the official said. (Reporting by Tom Balmforth, writing by Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Sharon Singleton) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that Ukraine has received an invitation to join the "Board of Peace" for Gaza initiated by US President Donald Trump. Source: Zelenskyy during an online press briefing, as reported by European Pravda Details: The president said Ukrainian diplomats are currently considering the invitation. Quote: "For me, it is very difficult to imagine how we and Russia would be together on a board. And this isn't about the 'Board of Peace'. It's just that Russia is all about a 'board of war'. And Belarus as well." Background: Earlier, Bloomberg reported that 49 countries have been invited to join the "Board of Peace", including Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Trump told journalists he would be imposing tariffs on French wine and champagne after French President Emmanuel Macron declined his invitation to join the "Board of Peace". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. (AND NO SPAM!) Just click here. In his new memoir, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro writes in deeply personal terms about the 2025 arson attack on his home, a conversation he had with President Donald Trump after the incident and the intense vetting he underwent when Vice President Kamala Harris was considering him as her running mate. Shapiro, widely considered a top contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential race, also talked in detail about his family, his Jewish faith and his time leading Pennsylvania in "Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service," set to release Jan. 27. (Buy it in hardcover at a discount! by clicking here or order in KINDLE edition at a 50% discount by clicking here. Sales help fund JWR.) Here are highlights from the book, obtained by The Washington Post: Shapiro and Harris did not see eye to eye on the role of VP Shapiro and Harris met for about an hour when he was being vetted as her potential running mate, the governor wrote, and it was clear the two had different visions for the role of vice president. Shapiro wrote extensively about the doubts he had from the moment the process began. But, given the potential opportunity, the ambitious pol said he moved ahead. He made small talk with Harris's team ahead of their meeting, which he later learned would be "analyzed, misrepresented and picked apart," he wrote. It appeared to be a reference to Harris's account of the meeting in her own book, where she said Shapiro asked her residence manager how many bedrooms were in the house and wondered aloud about potential artwork he might display. The two appeared to have disagreements from the start of the meeting, Shapiro wrote. Shapiro wanted someone from the governor's office to remain on his staff so he could continue doing his job while on the campaign trail. Harris told him she needed his complete focus; Shapiro reassured her it wouldn't be an issue to juggle both roles. Harris then asked if Shapiro would be willing to apologize for statements he made about pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Pennsylvania, who Shapiro at one point appeared to compare to the Ku Klux Klan. Shapiro flatly told her no, explaining that he supported free speech but that he believed many of the demonstrations were not peaceful and were designed to incite violence. But the biggest clash between the two came over how they each saw the role of vice president. Shapiro said he was struck by how much Harris appeared to dislike the role. Shapiro told Harris he wanted to be able to state his case on any issue and that if she disagreed with him, "I'd run right through a brick wall to support her decision and make sure it succeeded. As long as I was heard." He said Harris was "crystal clear" that was not the type of relationship she was looking for and that Shapiro would primarily work with her staff. He later recounted being asked to wait around for hours after the meeting, further convincing him he did not want the role. "It could have gone differently, had I left that meeting thinking that she would want a partner and someone to bounce things off of before she ultimately made her decision," Shapiro wrote. "There was a world in which it could have worked, but that was not this world." Harris's office did not respond to a request for comment. Shapiro was asked if he was ever an agent for Israel As he was preparing to meet Harris for the face-to-face meeting in Washington, he wrote, a member of Harris's team called him with a question: "Have you ever been an agent of the Israeli government?" Shapiro said he found the question highly offensive. "Well, we have to ask," the questioner responded, according to Shapiro. He said she then added: "Have you ever communicated with an undercover agent of Israel?" "If they were undercover, I responded, how the hell would I know?" Shapiro wrote. Shapiro said he underwent extensive questioning about his views on Israel, including his handling of campus protests. The panel asked him why he had taken such a hard line on campus protests, particularly at the University of Pennsylvania. He told them the safety of students had been threatened and he would take the same position to protect any other student group. "I wondered whether these questions were being posed to just me - the only Jewish guy in the running - or if everyone who had not held a federal office was being grilled about Israel in the same way," Shapiro writes. "What they did say was that they felt as though my positions were different from Kamala's views on the matter," he added. "I agreed that they were." Shapiro recalls arson attack Shapiro opened the book recalling the night in April 2025 that a man broke into the governor's residence and firebombed the dining room where, hours earlier, their family had gathered for the first night of Passover. Shapiro shared many of the details of the incident in an exclusive interview with The Post last year, but the book offers a deeper reflection. After learning the fire was intentional, Shapiro wondered if the man attacked him and his family because they were Jewish, he wrote. In the hours after the attack, before it was known that the arsonist, Cody Balmer, told police that he'd wanted to kill Shapiro and referenced treatment of Palestinians as a motive, Shapiro's youngest son asked if someone tried to kill them because they were Jewish. Shapiro told his son he didn't know. Any bubble of security he'd felt before the attack had burst and he realized that not only did someone want to kill him, they were willing to kill his family, his wife and his children, too, he wrote. "This destruction and fear was overshadowed by the light from the love, support and rallying that came in the wake of it," he wrote, a theme that echoes throughout the book. Trump told Shapiro he shouldn't want to be president' Trump does not figure prominently in Shapiro's book, but the governor did recall a phone conversation he had with the president after the arson attack. It took about a week for Trump to call, he wrote, noting earlier that former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama called right away. Trump left a voicemail, in which he said he wanted to make sure the Shapiros were "being treated perfectly" and that everything with the investigation "was perfect." He gave him his personal cell number and said to call any time. Shapiro called back. The president answered immediately. When he asked how Trump was doing, it "launched him into a monologue" about how great the economy was, how low gas prices were and how Trump "was doing so well." The president also wanted to talk politics and ticked through a list of potential Democratic presidential contenders and their chances in the 2028 election, though Shapiro did not say who Trump named. Trump complimented Shapiro on how "he talked to people and approached problems." But, he also told Shapiro that he "shouldn't want to be president given how dangerous it had become to hold the office now." In a statement, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson evoked the two attempts on Trump's life during the 2024 presidential campaign and the killing this summer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, saying "no one understands the dangers of political violence more than President Trump." "He has encouraged national Democrats to turn down the temperature - amidst their continued smears of their political opponents as Nazis and fascists - while not hesitating to speak the truth about the challenges our country faces," Jackson said. Trump has frequently denigrated his political foes and has encouraged criminal investigations into his perceived enemies. After Kirk's death, he said he couldn't help hating his opponents and has often resorted to name calling. Shapiro warned Biden he was in trouble in Pennsylvania Shapiro said he was struck by how many people within the Biden administration were whispering about whether the president should stay in the presidential race when he and his wife were at the White House for the Japanese state dinner in April 2024. President Joe Biden's staff asked him how bad it was in Pennsylvania, considered the campaign's most crucial battleground state, he wrote. "I saw bad poll after bad poll but it didn't take a poll to confirm what I felt on the ground, the President was down and falling," Shapiro wrote. "I was honest with his team about that. I didn't know their internal process or which way their deliberations were leaning. But I knew he was in real trouble in Pennsylvania." Shapiro recounted Biden and first lady Jill Biden visiting Pennsylvania in July 2024, shortly after the president's disastrous debate performance. He met the Bidens for coffee, where the three of them had a few minutes to speak privately, he wrote. Biden asked Shapiro how he was faring in Pennsylvania. "I was honest with him. I told him that there were a lot of people who thought it was best for him to get out of the race," Shapiro wrote. "I shared some of our internal polling with him and my feel from being out in the community, and he told us his team had different numbers that showed the race much closer. He said he still had confidence that it would be OK." Shapiro called his wife after the meeting and told her that Biden seemed to be in the campaign "for the long haul." Days later, Biden dropped out. Biden's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He talks extensively about his Jewish faith Shapiro's Jewish faith is a dominant theme throughout the book. While he has always talked openly about his religion, he said he felt a responsibility to live his Judaism "out loud" since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. "We know that many feel like it's a trying time to live Jewishly," Shapiro wrote. Yet aside from the conversations with Harris's team about his support for Israel and position on campus protests, Shapiro did not discuss in the book the ensuing war in Gaza, which has deeply divided the Democratic Party. Biden provided nearly unconditional support for Israel's onslaught, while a growing number of Democrats have called for reevaluating the U.S. relationship with Israel, vowing not to accept money from AIPAC and cutting off offensive weapons. Shapiro does share his personal connections to Israel, as well as the role his faith plays in his day-to-day life. Shapiro lived in Israel for the first semester of his junior year in high school, he wrote, with his now-wife Lori. He proposed to her in Israel when they returned years later. (COMMENT, BELOW) Singapore has been invited to join US President Donald Trumps proposed Board of Peace and is assessing the offer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) says. (Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque) (REUTERS / Reuters) Singapore has been invited to join US President Donald Trumps proposed Board of Peace, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed. Authorities said the invitation is under assessment. The board would focus on conflict-affected regions and post-war reconstruction, starting with Gaza. Its scope is not limited to a single conflict zone. Membership involves financial contributions, with long-term seats linked to payments of at least US$1 billion. Singapore has not indicated whether it would seek such a role. The MFA said Singapore prefers contributing constructively without holding prominent leadership positions. This aligns with its long-standing diplomatic approach. Several other countries have yet to respond, while some leaders have declined outright. The boards structure remains a key point of uncertainty. Explainer: Trumps Board of Peace What is Trumps Board of Peace? The Board of Peace is a proposed international body initiated by former US President Donald Trump. It is intended to address global conflicts and oversee post-conflict reconstruction, initially linked to Gaza but with a broader mandate. Who would lead the Board of Peace? Trump would chair the board. Under the proposed charter, he would hold significant authority over membership terms and expulsions, subject to a two-thirds board vote. How does membership work? Countries can join for a standard three-year term. Those contributing at least US$1 billion within the first year may qualify for long-term or permanent membership. Why is the US$1 billion fee controversial? Critics say the fee could give wealthier nations disproportionate influence. Some allies have questioned whether financial contributions should determine decision-making power. How is this different from the United Nations? Trump has positioned the board as an alternative to existing multilateral institutions, which he has criticised as ineffective. Unlike the UN, the board would not rely on established international governance frameworks. Which countries have been invited? Multiple countries, including Singapore, have received invitations. Several governments are still assessing the proposal. Has anyone declined to join? Yes. French President Emmanuel Macron has declined the invitation, citing reservations about the boards structure and role. What is Singapores position? Singapore has confirmed it is assessing the invitation. The MFA said Singapore prefers contributing constructively without holding prominent positions. Is the Board of Peace operational yet? No. The board remains a proposal, with its structure, funding, and membership still being discussed. What happens next? The boards future depends on whether enough countries agree to participate and commit funding. Further details are expected if the proposal gains traction. It has been exactly one year since Donald Trump was re-inaugurated as president, becoming just the second U.S. commander in chief to return to the White House after losing reelection four years earlier. Now, at the end of Trumps first year back in office, a new Yahoo/YouGov poll finds that more Americans than ever think hes been a worse president than they expected and that hes changing America for the worse as well. The survey of 1,709 U.S. adults was conducted from Jan. 8 to 12, right after Trump toppled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, threatened to forcibly take Greenland from Denmark and mused about using the Insurrection Act against anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis and right before he and his team celebrated One Year of MAGA with a series of posts on social media. Advertisement Advertisement One year ago, everything changed, the official White House account wrote on X. The return of strength. The return of America First. The era of winning is here and its just getting started. But a growing number of Americans seem to disagree. For instance, 49% now say Trump is changing America for the worse compared to just 34% who say he is changing America for the better. (Only 7% say hes not really changing anything.) Last March, Trumps for the worse number was 6 percentage points lower (43%) and his for the better number was 6 points higher (40%). The gap between the two numbers was 3 points; now its 15. Why? Because among independents, there has been a significant shift away from Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Before Trump took office, more independents said they expected Trump to change America for the better (41%) than said they expected him to change America for the worse (34%). Then in March, two months into Trumps second term, 46% of independents said the president was changing America for the worse; 36% said he was changing America for the better. Today, those numbers are 57% (worse) and 22% (better). In other words, Trumps changing America for the worse rating among independents has risen by 23 points over the course of his second term, while his changing America for the better rating has fallen by 19. For many Americans, Trumps performance is increasingly falling short of expectations. After his first year back in office, just 28% say he has been a better president than they expected. Nearly twice as many (49%) say he has been worse. (Another 20% say he has been about the same as they expected.) Advertisement Advertisement That gap between worse and better now 21 percentage points has doubled since last March. Back then, 41% of Americans said Trump had performed worse than they expected; 30% said better. Among Republicans, Trumps numbers havent changed at all: they were 63% better than expected to 9% worse than expected in March, and they are exactly the same today. But among Democrats, Trumps worse than expected number has climbed 10 points (to 86%) as his about the same number has dropped 8 points (to 10%). Meanwhile, a clear majority of independents (57%) now say Trump has been worse than they expected; just 16% say hes been better. Those numbers were much closer 44% to 26%, respectively in March. Trumps overall job-approval rating (40% approve to 56% disapprove) has not budged over the last few months; his ratings on individual issues have held steady, too. But looking back over a longer time frame the first year of Trumps second term a clear pattern emerges. Advertisement Advertisement More and more Americans think the president has the wrong priorities. In March, Yahoo and YouGov asked respondents whether Trump had spent the last two months focused on Americas most important issues or issues that arent very important. At the time, they were evenly split: 43% said the former and 45% said the latter. But thats no longer the case. Today, a majority of Americans (51%) say Trump has spent his second term focused on relatively unimportant issues; just 38% say he has focused on the most important things. The cost of living remains the biggest drag on Trumps presidency. A full 70% of Americans now say he has not focused on it enough; less than a quarter say hes focused on it the right amount (21%) or too much (2%). Advertisement Advertisement In contrast, most Americans (52%) say Trump has focused too much on arresting and deporting immigrants. As Trumps poll numbers have declined, he has increasingly blamed his predecessor, President Joe Biden. Yet just 22% of Americans agree that Biden is most responsible for the current state of the country. A majority (53%) say Trump is most responsible. The rest (25%) say both equally. Pessimism about the countrys future is becoming more prevalent as well. In the summer of 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, just 25% of U.S. adults said Americas best days were behind us; nearly twice as many (46%) said they were still to come. Trump was president at the time, yet Democrats (51%) were nearly as likely as Republicans (53%) to say Americas best days were ahead. Less than a quarter of each said the opposite. Advertisement Advertisement Now, however, more Democrats say Americas best days are behind us (42%) than say theyre still to come (29%). Those numbers are nearly identical among independents. Only Republicans remain convinced 63% to 17% that the countrys future will be brighter than its past. __________________ The Yahoo survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,709 U.S. adults interviewed online from Jan. 8 to 12, 2026. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2024 election turnout and presidential vote, party identification and current voter registration status. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Party identification is weighted to the estimated distribution at the time of the election (31% Democratic, 32% Republican). Respondents were selected from YouGovs opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S. adults. The margin of error is approximately 3.1%. Electronics retail chain BestByte, has entered restructuring proceedings at the Budapest Metropolitan Court after facing serious financial difficulties, Forbes writes. The procedure initiated by the company includes a temporary moratorium affecting 125 creditors. BestByte aims to avoid insolvency through store closures, layoffs, cost cuts and inventory reductions, while strengthening its online sales channel. According to Forbes, the company has informed its suppliers of planned measures. The company cited slow inventory turnover, accumulated stock and the high fixed costs of operating its store network as the main reasons for its financial problems. The retailer was ranked 11th by turnover in Hungarys e-commerce market in 2024, according to PwC Hungary, and fifth among fully Hungarian-owned companies. The sector has faced mounting difficulties, with electronics retailer Aqua recently undergoing a similar crisis that ended in a change of ownership, Forbes recalls. MTI Stock Photo - for illustrative purposes only ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. Cyber risks, particularly ransomware attacks, remain the worlds leading business threat for the fifth consecutive year, according to the latest edition of the Allianz Risk Barometer. At the same time, concerns related to artificial intelligence have surged globally and now rank as the top business risk for companies in Hungary, overtaking cyber incidents. The findings come from the 15th edition of the Allianz Risk Barometer, which is based on the views of more than 3,300 risk management experts from nearly 100 countries. The survey shows that cyber incidents will continue to pose the greatest business risk worldwide in 2026, with cyberattacks again leading the global ranking for the fifth year in a row. Cyber Incidents Dominate, AI Shows the Biggest Jump Following a year in which cyber incidents repeatedly made headlines, their dominance in the 2026 risk ranking comes as little surprise. Cyber risks achieved their highest-ever score in the survey, cited by 42% of respondents, and now hold a 10 percentage point lead over the second-ranked risk. Cyber incidents are ranked as the No. 1 corporate risk in every region, including the Americas, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and Africa and the Middle East. At the same time, artificial intelligence recorded the largest year-on-year rise in the ranking. AI-related risks jumped from 10th place last year to second place globally, cited by 32% of respondents. While nearly half of those surveyed believe AI brings more benefits than risks to their industry, one in five respondents holds the opposite view. For the first time, business interruption did not rank among the top two risks globally, slipping to third place in 2026. Natural catastrophes fell to fifth place, partly due to the relatively low-loss 2025 hurricane season. Political risks and related violence rose to seventh place, driven by growing geopolitical uncertainty and global conflicts. Thomas Lillelund, CEO of Allianz Commercial, said companies will continue to face complex and closely interconnected risks in a rapidly changing environment in 2026, following the volatility and uncertainty that characterized 2025. Persistent Cyber Threats Across All Company Sizes The sustained prominence of cyber risks is reinforced by companies increasing reliance on digital technologies. Businesses are entrusting growing volumes of critical data to external service providers, while AI is amplifying threats, expanding attack surfaces and exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. Cyberattacks pose a continuous threat regardless of company size, which is a particular warning for small and medium-sized enterprises that typically have more limited cybersecurity resources. AI Brings Opportunity and New Forms of Risk AI-related risks rank among the top three threats for large, medium-sized and small companies alike. The rapid spread of generative and autonomous AI systems is raising concerns around liability, governance, data quality, system integration and the availability of skilled labor. Allianz experts also expect new risks to emerge in areas such as automated decision-making, biased or discriminatory models, intellectual property infringement and uncertainty over liability for damages caused by AI systems. In many cases, the pace of AI adoption is outstripping companies governance frameworks, regulatory readiness and workforce preparedness. Hungary: AI Risks Move to the Top Global trends are clearly reflected in Hungary. AI-related risks jumped from second-to-last place last year to first place on the Hungarian top 10 list, signaling that Hungarian companies are particularly sensitive to the operational, legal and reputational risks associated with the rapid deployment of new technologies. AI is now a basic condition of competitiveness and an integral part of Allianzs innovation strategy, supporting intelligent and sustainable growth, as it significantly contributes to improving customer satisfaction, operational efficiency and the employee experience. At the same time, as the results of the Risk Barometer clearly show, it is also one of the most serious risks facing companies, said Levente Vamos, head of the sales and network management division at Allianz Hungaria Zrt. That is why it is crucial that, alongside leveraging the opportunities offered by AI, companies consciously prepare to manage these risks as well, for example by building the necessary expertise, ensuring the security and transparency of the technology, and complying with legal and compliance requirements, he added. In Hungary, both AI and cyber risks saw sharp increases in mentions. AI-related risks rose from 17% to 39%, while cyber risks increased from 20% to 37%. As a result, cyber incidents moved up from fifth to second place. Regulatory and legislative changes, last years top risk, slipped to third place, while concerns related to changes in the macroeconomic environment fell from second to seventh. With technological development and digitalization, the risks associated with them pose an increasing threat to all companies, regardless of size, Vamos noted. Smaller businesses are often more vulnerable, as while they are also increasingly relying on digital technologies, they frequently have limited resources for cybersecurity, business continuity and legal compliance. Their supply chains are also less flexible, as they often depend more heavily on a small number of suppliers or local partners. That is why it is especially important for them to consciously prepare to manage these risks and to have adequate insurance coverage for their operations, he explained. ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. Toyota Urban Cruiser EV vs Hyundai Creta EV: The electric SUV market in India is quickly expanding, with several new vehicles being launched. One of the latest models introduced by Toyota India, the Urban Cruiser Ebella EV, is grabbing attention in the auto market as it is Toyotas first electric vehicle for the Indian market. The Toyota Urban Cruiser EV and the Hyundai Creta Electric are aimed at buyers looking for practical, feature-rich EVs, but they differ in range, features, safety technology and performance. Here is a closer look at how these two electric SUVs compare: Battery, Range And Performance Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The Toyota Urban Cruiser EV, launched on January 20, 2026, offers two battery options: a 49 kWh pack and a larger 61 kWh pack. The bigger battery version delivers a claimed range of up to 543 km on a single charge under the ARAI cycle, making it one of the longest-range EVs in its segment. The Hyundai Creta Electric also comes with two battery options. The larger 51.4 kWh battery offers a claimed range of 473 km, while the smaller 42 kWh version provides around 390 km per charge. Both models support fast charging as well as home AC charging. In terms of power output, the Creta EVs long-range variant produces about 171 PS, while the Urban Cruiser EVs larger battery version is rated at around 174 PS. (Also Read: Skoda Kushaq Facelift Unveiled With 3 New Colour Options: Prices, Engine, Performance, Features Explained Check Booking Details And More) Interior Features Inside, the Urban Cruiser EV features a 10.1-inch digital display, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, ventilated seats, ambient lighting, and wireless connectivity features. The Creta Electric also offers a modern cabin with a digital instrument cluster and a large infotainment screen, along with connected services and convenient charging features for owners. Safety And Driver Assistance Both EVs come equipped with advanced safety technology. The Urban Cruiser EV offers seven airbags, Level-2 ADAS, a 360-degree camera, and multiple parking aids. The Creta Electric features a safety package with over 75 safety functions, Level-2 ADAS, multiple airbags, electronic stability control, and additional driver-assist systems built into its SmartSense suite. Which One Should You Buy? The Urban Cruiser EV stands out with its higher claimed range and Toyotas broad service network, which may appeal to buyers focused on practical, long-distance EV use. Meanwhile, the Creta Electric offers strong performance figures, advanced safety technology, and a well-developed charging ecosystem. The Hyundai Creta EV is priced at Rs 18.02 lakh (ex-showroom), while the Toyota Urban Cruiser EV is expected to be priced between Rs 18 lakhRs 24 lakh (ex-showroom). However, the final choice depends on individual buyers, who choose vehicle based on their personal preferences, usage needs and comfort. At least five women lost their lives and several others were injured after a car was involved in a road accident in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, police said. The owner of the vehicle has been taken into custody, news agency ANI reported. After the accident, relatives of the victims staged a road blockade, demanding strict action against those responsible. The incident occurred on Monday in the Barela area. Additional Superintendent of Police Suryakant Sharma said that five women died in the tragic accident in Barela. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The officer added that the authorities have decided to provide financial assistance to the victims families. He said the grieving families, who were protesting at the site, demanded maximum compensation. With approval from the state government, the District Collector has announced compensation of 10 lakh for the families of the deceased, 2 lakh for those seriously injured, and 1 lakh for people with minor injuries. He further stated that the accused would be arrested soon. The injured are receiving proper medical care at a private hospital, the vehicle involved has been seized, and the vehicle owner is currently in police custody. Legal action will follow shortly. The Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has approved a comprehensive plan to modernise major bus terminals across the state, marking a significant step towards improving public transport infrastructure and passenger convenience. Bus terminals in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Sangrur, Patiala and Bathinda will be upgraded through a structured Public Private Partnership model, revealed the Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar who also underlined the objective of enhancing efficiency, safety, accessibility and overall service delivery. These bus terminals serve as vital transport hubs for both rural and urban populations, facilitating daily travel for workers, students, traders, tourists and industrial labourers. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Divulging further, the Minister outlined that the terminals also play a key role in inter-state connectivity, supporting passenger movement to neighbouring states including Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan. Besides, the Ludhiana and Jalandhar bus terminals handle between 75,000 to one lakh passengers every day, while Patiala and Bathinda witness footfalls of around 50,000 passengers daily, highlighting the critical importance of these facilities in Punjabs mobility ecosystem. From Bathinda in the west to Jalandhar in the Doaba region, from Ludhiana to Sangrur and Patiala in Malwa, we are upgrading bus terminals where citizens of Punjab already travel every day, said the Minister Through the PPP model, these five terminals will get better facilities, safer spaces and modern amenities without disrupting peoples daily routines. This is development that reaches every region of Punjab and improves ordinary journeys for workers, students and families. The modernisation initiative is designed to address long-standing infrastructure gaps, operational inefficiencies and inadequate passenger facilities at existing bus terminals. The projects will be implemented using Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer or Build-Operate-Transfer models, ensuring sustainability, quality services, improved ease of movement and better integration with urban transport systems, while maintaining fiscal prudence for the state. As part of the planned upgrades, the focus will be on improving passenger amenities and operational management. This includes better waiting areas, upgraded sanitation facilities, improved lighting and signage, organised boarding arrangements and structured parking systems. Special attention will be given to circulation, safety and crowd management to ensure smoother operations during peak hours and high passenger volumes. The project also places strong emphasis on inclusivity. Provisions for barrier-free access and ease of movement will be incorporated to cater to senior citizens and persons with disabilities, ensuring that public transport infrastructure is accessible and dignified for all sections of society. Revealing more, Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar stated, "In addition to their transport role, the modernised bus terminals will be developed as integrated urban hubs. Subject to applicable regulations and planning norms, the terminal complexes will accommodate commercial and service activities such as retail outlets, offices, co-working spaces and logistics support facilities. This integrated approach is expected to enhance passenger convenience, generate economic activity and contribute to the long-term financial sustainability of the terminals. Through this initiative, the Punjab Government aims to significantly upgrade everyday public infrastructure, improve the daily travel experience of lakhs of citizens and set a new benchmark for modern, efficient and people-centric bus terminals in the state, added the Transport Minister. Delhi residents will soon be able to access police, fire, ambulance, and disaster response services through a single emergency helpline number - 112. This major change aims to simplify emergency reporting, reduce confusion, and ensure faster response during critical situations. The initiative, announced by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, follows the Ministry of Home Affairs notification to implement 112 as the national emergency number across India. Once fully operational in Delhi, citizens will no longer need to remember multiple helpline numbers during emergencies. One Emergency Number for All Services Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Under the new system, dialing 112 will instantly connect callers to the required emergency service, whether it is the Delhi Police, Fire Services, Ambulance, or Disaster Management teams. Depending on the nature of the emergency, the system will automatically alert the relevant department, ensuring quick coordination and faster action. This unified approach is expected to significantly improve emergency response time across the capital. Multiple Ways to Seek Help, Not Just Calls The 112 emergency helpline will be accessible through multiple platforms, making it more inclusive and reliable in all situations. Citizens can seek help via: Phone calls Mobile application Panic button SMS Online platforms This feature is especially important in cases where victims are unable to speak or are in unsafe conditions, such as medical emergencies or distress situations. ERSS 2.0: Technology Behind the 112 Helpline The entire emergency response system will be powered by Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) 2.0, a modern and technology-driven platform. All emergency requests - calls, app alerts, SMS, and online messages will be received at a single Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). From here, authorities will manage and coordinate responses efficiently, avoiding delays caused by miscommunication. Real-Time Location Tracking for Faster Response One of the biggest advantages of ERSS 2.0 is automatic real-time location tracking. As soon as a call or alert is received, the system identifies the callers location without requiring them to explain it. This allows the nearest police vehicle, ambulance, or fire tender to be dispatched immediately, reducing response time during the crucial golden hour. Authorities will also be able to monitor: Incident location Vehicle dispatch status Estimated arrival time If a delay occurs, an alternative vehicle can be deployed instantly to ensure uninterrupted emergency assistance. Improved Accountability and Better Coordination The integrated 112 emergency system will allow control rooms to continuously monitor response actions, ensuring better accountability and transparency. Instead of multiple calls to different departments, a single call to 112 will now trigger coordinated action among all emergency services. This reduces confusion, speeds up response, and improves overall public safety. Phased Rollout Plan in Delhi The Delhi government will implement the 112 emergency helpline in a phased manner to ensure a smooth transition: Phase 1: Integration of existing emergency numbers into 112 Phase 2: Technical upgrades and system testing Phase 3: Public awareness campaigns and training of call handlers Phase 4: Evaluation and system refinement This step-by-step approach will help citizens adapt to the new system without disruption. A Major Step Towards a Safer Delhi With the launch of the 112 unified emergency helpline, Delhi takes a major step towards faster, more efficient, and coordinated emergency response. Whether its the police, fire services, or ambulance, a single call is now enough to get help anytime, anywhere in the city. This initiative not only simplifies access to emergency services but also ensures greater safety, accountability, and peace of mind for every Delhiite. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Monday that citizens will no longer need to dial different helpline numbers during disasters or emergencies, as contacting just 112 will ensure rapid assistance. She said this initiative is being launched under the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) 2.0. The objective is to free people from the burden of remembering multiple numbers during crises and to ensure swift help when it matters most, she said. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Chief Minister Gupta said that the objective of this proposal is to simplify, accelerate and strengthen the emergency response system in the Capital, thereby ensuring the safety of life and property and developing Delhi as a safe, smart and responsive city. The Chief Minister stated that at present, different helpline numbers are used for various emergency services Police (100), Fire Services (101), Ambulance/Health Services (108), Womens Helpline (181), Child Helpline (1098), Gas Leakage (1906), Electricity Supply (19123), Water Supply (1916), Delhi Metro (155370), and Disaster Management/Relief Services (1077), among others. She said this multiplicity often leads to confusion and delays during critical situations. Under ERSS 2.0, citizens will no longer need to call separate numbers for different emergencies; all assistance can be sought by dialling 112 alone. According to the Chief Minister, the Ministry of Home Affairs has declared 112 as the national emergency number, and in line with this, Delhi is moving towards its implementation. ERSS 2.0 is a modern, unified signal-handling system that will receive all emergency calls, mobile app alerts, panic button activations, SMS, and web alerts at a single Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). From here, depending on the nature of the emergency, the police, fire services, ambulance, and disaster management agencies can be alerted simultaneously. Assistance can be sought not only by phone, but also via a mobile app, an emergency button, SMS, and online platforms, ensuring that even if a citizen is unable to speak, they can still send a distress signal with ease, she said. The Chief Minister explained that one of the key features of ERSS 2.0 is its automatic location identification. As soon as a call or emergency alert is received, the system automatically detects the callers location, eliminating the need for the victim to explain where they are. Once the location is identified, the nearest police vehicle, ambulance or fire tender is immediately dispatched from the control room. This saves crucial time during the golden hour (the first 60 minutes) and ensures faster assistance. Under the new system, a single call will alert the police, fire and medical services simultaneously, significantly reducing delays in emergency response, she said. According to the Chief Minister, ERSS 2.0 will feature a modern dashboard in the control room, enabling real-time monitoring of where an incident has occurred, which vehicle has been dispatched and how long it will take to reach the site. In case of any delay, an alternative vehicle can be deployed immediately. This ensures continuous oversight and enhances accountability. She added that the entire plan will be implemented in phases. In the first phase, all existing emergency numbers will be integrated into 112, she said. This will be followed by technical upgrades, public awareness campaigns, training of call-takers and, finally, evaluation of the system, she said. The CM also informed that an extensive public awareness campaign will be launched to promote the use of 112. Displays will be installed in government offices, public spaces, Metro stations and buses to publicise the number. In addition, regular mock drills and outreach programmes will be organised to assess preparedness across departments. A simple car ride has emerged as an unexpected symbol of Indias evolving diplomacy. What began as an informal gesture by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an overseas summit has steadily turned into a distinctive diplomatic style, with world leaders increasingly sharing rides with him, moments that are now carefully noted for the message they convey on personal rapport and political trust. The trend traces back to last years Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China, when PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled together in a made-in-Russia Aurus sedan. Recalling the moment, Putin later said, The car ride with PM Modi was my idea. It was a symbol of our friendship. The image quickly stood out as an unconventional but telling display of closeness between the two leaders. Since then, similar scenes have followed across continents. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Most recently, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in New Delhi on Monday for a brief one-and-a-half-hour visit. Breaking protocol, Prime Minister Modi personally received him at the airport. The two leaders exchanged a warm hug before leaving together in the same car, a gesture reflecting the close personal bond that has come to define India-UAE relations. Sharing photographs of the ride on X, Modi wrote simply, Welcome, my brother. In Europe, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer became another participant in what observers have dubbed carpool diplomacy. During Starmers two-day visit to India, his first since taking office in July 2024, the two leaders travelled together to Mumbais Global Fintech Fest 2025. Posting a photograph from the journey, Modi said the India-UK relationship was on the move and filled with great vigour. A picture from earlier today, when my friend PM Starmer and I began our journey to attend the Global Fintech Fest, Modi added. Starmer was leading a UK trade mission of more than 100 businesses during the visit. The pattern has extended beyond visiting leaders to host nations as well. During his Africa tour, Ethiopias Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, personally received Modi at Addis Ababa airport and drove him to his hotel, making an unscheduled stop at the Science Museum and Friendship Park. The Ministry of External Affairs described it as a special gesture highlighting long-standing India-Ethiopia ties. Earlier the same day, Jordans Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II drove Modi to The Jordan Museum in Amman, a moment the Prime Minister shared online, underscoring the warmth of bilateral relations. Germany joined the list last week when Chancellor Friedrich Merz, on his first visit to India, shared a car ride with Modi. Posting a photo, the Prime Minister said India-Germany friendship continued to deepen through shared values, cooperation and mutual understanding. While the car rides themselves are brief, diplomats note that the optics matter. In an era of carefully choreographed engagements, these informal moments signal comfort, familiarity and trust, traits that often underpin stronger strategic ties. What began as a spontaneous gesture with President Putin has now become a recurring visual of Indias outreach under PM Modi, subtle, personal and deliberately unscripted, yet rich in diplomatic meaning. India has advised dependents of Mission and Post officials in Bangladesh to return home as a precautionary measure due to the prevailing security situation, as per reports. In light of the security situation, India has advised dependents of Mission & Post officials in Bangladesh to return home as a precautionary step. The Indian Mission and all Posts continue to remain open and fully operational: Sources, quotes ANI. In light of the security situation, India has advised dependents of Mission & Post officials in Bangladesh to return home as a precautionary step. The Indian Mission and all Posts continue to remain open and fully operational: Sources ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The announcement comes in light of the prevailing turbulent domestic conditions in Bangladesh. Relations between India and Bangladesh have strained since the ouster of PM Sheikh Hasina in July 2024, with reports of heightened anti-India sentiment, extremist threats targeting Indian missions in Dhaka, and increased border infiltrations. India summoned Bangladesh's High Commissioner in December 2025 over these concerns, rejecting narratives from extremist groups. Earlier on January 9, expressing deep concerns over the several recent attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, across Bangladesh, India said that it continues to monitor the situation in the neighbouring country and hopes that such acts of communal violence are addressed decisively. We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities, as well as their homes and establishments, by extremists in Bangladesh. Such communal incidents need to be dealt with swiftly and firmly, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi, while responding to a question on escalating attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. India highlighted a troubling tendency to downplay attacks on minorities by attributing them to personal rivalries or other unrelated factors, warning that such narratives only embolden the extremist elements across Bangladesh. We have observed, also observed a troubling tendency to attribute such incidents to personal rivalries, personal vendettas, political differences, and other extraneous reasons. Such disregard only emboldens the extremists and the perpetrators of such crimes and deepens the sense of fear and insecurity among the minorities, said Jaiswal. Amid escalating attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, another Hindu man died after jumping into a canal in a bid to save his life from a mob that accused him of robbery in Mohadevpur upazila of Naogaon district, Bangladesh's Bengali newspaper Daily Manobkantha reported. The victim, identified as 25-year-old Mithun Sarkar, lost his life in the disturbing incident, which unfolded on Tuesday afternoon in the Chakgori area of the upazila. This marked the seventh incident and the third incident this month, highlighting a disturbing surge in violence targeting Hindu communities throughout Bangladesh. Two Hindu men were also killed in separate incidents in Bangladesh. The first victim, identified as 40-year-old Sarat Chakraborty Mani, was fatally attacked in Narsingdi district, in Dhaka, with sharp weapons allegedly by an extremist armed religious group. Also Read: Bangladesh Government Breaks Silence On Playing T20 WC 2026 In India, Cites Pakistan's Example To ICC Amidst Looming Deadline In the second incident, a Hindu businessman, 38-year-old Rana Pratap Bairagi, was shot dead in public in Monirampur Upazila of Jashore district. On January 3, another Hindu man, Khokon Chandra Das, died after being brutally attacked by a mob of miscreants in Damudya Upazila of Shariatpur district. Last week, 40-year-old Bajendra Biswas was shot dead by a colleague in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh district. On December 24 last year, Bangladeshi media reported the killing of another Hindu youth, identified as 29-year-old Amrit Mondal, who was allegedly lynched by a mob in the Hossaindanga area of Kalimohar Union in Bangladesh. Also on December 18 last year, a 25-year-old Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, was brutally killed in a mob lynching incident over false blasphemy accusations by a Muslim coworker at his factory in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh. The mob killed Das and then hung his body from a tree before setting it on fire. Earlier on December 26,2025, India voiced grave concern over the "unremitting hostility" against minorities in Bangladesh -- including Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists -- and asserted that it was keeping a close watch on the ongoing developments in its neighbourhood. Bangladesh has witnessed escalating violence against minorities, including Hindus, under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, sparking outrage among people and several human rights organisations across the globe. (with agencies input) In Kerala, police have registered a case against a woman following the suicide of a 42-year-old man, after she posted a video on Instagram alleging that he had sexually harassed her during a bus ride, officials said. According to the reports of News18, The Kozhikode Medical College police booked the 35-year-old woman on charges of abetment to suicide, according to an officer. What Exactly Happened? Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Deepak, who is a resident of Govindhapuram, Kozhikode, originally from Puthiyara, worked at a textile firm. On January 18, Sunday, he was found hanging in his room. According to News18, Investigations revealed that he was reportedly distressed after a video of him went viral online, in which he was accused of sexually harassing a woman during a bus journey. The woman had posted the video on her Instagram account. On Friday, Deepak had traveled to Kannur on a transport bus for work. The woman, who was on the same bus, allegedly recorded the video, claiming that Deepak had sexually harassed her. The clip showed the mans elbow lightly brushing against her chest in the crowded bus. While many viewers considered it an accidental movement due to the crowd, the woman maintained her allegation, describing it as a "sexual boundary violation." Case Registration and Investigation Initially, the police recorded the incident as an unnatural death. Later, after receiving a complaint from the deceaseds family, they registered a fresh case under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), officials said to News18. The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has also directed a police investigation into the matter, asking the North Zone Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police to submit a report within a week. The investigation is ongoing and authorities are reviewing all aspects of the case to ensure a thorough understanding of the incident. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the EU is close to finalising a free trade agreement with India, though final negotiations are ongoing. "There is still work to do, but we stand on the verge of a historic trade agreement, some call it the mother of all deals," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the World Economic Forum in Davos. This pact would unite 2 billion people, representing nearly a quarter of global GDP, as part of EU efforts to diversify trade partnerships. Her statement comes ahead of the scheduled India-EU summit in New Delhi on 27th January, 2026. The European Union President will also be the Chief guest at the 77th Republic Day celebration on 26th January, 2026. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Leyens statement also highlights the efforts to decrease the dependency on the United States of America with the US Presidents continuous tariff jabs. Earlier this month, US President Trump slapped 10% tariff on selected European countries, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK, in a push to acquire Greenland. Also Read: Explained | Can Europes Trade Bazooka Stop Trumps Greenland Tariff Threats? Von der Leyen's push underscores EU efforts to reduce US reliance amid escalating trade frictions. Earlier this month, President Trump imposed 10% tariffs on goods from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK, starting February 1, 2026, to pressure Greenland acquisition talks, with threats of 25% hikes by June, making the India -EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) a vital diversification pillar. The deal could boost trade between giants. The trade deal fits with India's Act East plan and the EU's Global Gateway project, strengthening supply chains in chips, renewable energy, and medicines to compete with China. As Ursula von der Leyen said, it opens huge new chances for jobs and new ideas in the European Unions 27 countries and India's fast-growing economy. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi on Tuesday walked out of the State Legislative Assembly before delivering his inaugural address. Soon after, Lok Bhavan released a detailed statement explaining that the Governor chose not to proceed after his microphone was repeatedly switched off and he was not allowed to place his views before the House. The episode unfolded amid growing tensions between the Governor and the DMK-led government on the opening day of the Assembly session. Lok Bhavan described the incident as unprecedented, stating that the Governor, as the constitutional head of the state, was forced to withdraw after being denied the opportunity to speak. It also said the Governor had sought to flag serious omissions and inaccuracies in the prepared address but was prevented from doing so. Dispute Over Investment Claims and Governance Issues Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The statement alleged that the address contained several unsubstantiated and misleading claims while overlooking issues of major public importance. It specifically questioned the governments claim that Tamil Nadu had attracted investments worth over Rs. 12 lakh crore, stating that many memorandums of understanding remained only on paper and actual investments were far lower. Lok Bhavan also cited data suggesting that the states ranking among top foreign direct investment recipients had slipped in recent years. Concerns were also raised over the failure to mention long-pending vacancies and alleged mismanagement in educational institutions, declining education standards and the absence of village panchayat elections for years which it said had deprived citizens of their constitutional right to grassroots democracy. Concerns Over Safety, Social Issues and Constitutional Duties Lok Bhavan said the address failed to mention womens safety issues, despite a rise in POCSO cases and sexual violence. It also pointed to the growing problem of drug abuse among young people including school students and linked it to more than 2,000 suicides in a year. The statement also referred to rising crimes against Dalits, increasing suicides across the state, pressure on the MSME sector, dissatisfaction among lower-level government employees and continued government control of thousands of temples without trustee boards. It added that these issues reflected the real situation on the ground and should not have been left out of an important address meant to highlight the state governments priorities. The Governors walkout followed a disagreement over the playing of the National Anthem and marked the third year in a row that he has not delivered the customary Assembly address. (From the Agency Inputs) Nitin Nabin was formally elected as the National President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. His appointment marks a significant moment in the party's top leadership move. At 45, he became the youngest person to helm the saffron party. Nabin assumed charge earlier in the day at the party's headquarters in Delhi amid a grand ceremony attended by Prime Minister Modi, who felicitated him and described him as a "millennial" leader poised to carry forward the party's legacy amid India's development journey. Who Is Nitin Nabin? Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Nitin Nabin is a five-time MLA from Bihar's Bankipur constituency and a former state minister who has handled portfolios like Road Construction, Urban Development, and Law, bringing extensive grassroots and administrative experience. Also Read- Who Is Nitin Nabin? BJP Leader Now Named Next Party President | From Cadre To Command Who Has Previously Held BJP's Party President Post 1- Atal Bihari Vajpayee (former PM of India) - 1980-1986 2- Lal Krishna Advani (former Deputy PM of India, served as the President of the BJP for the longest period since its inception in 1980) - 1986-1990, 1993-1998, 2004-2005 3- Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi (former Union Minister) - 1991-1993 4- Kushabhau Thakre - 1998-2000 5- Bangaru Laxman - 2000-2001 6- K. Jana Krishnamurthy - 2001-2202 7- M. Venkaiah Naidu - 2002-2004 8- Nitin Gadkari (Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India) - 2010-2013 9- Rajnath Singh (Minister of Defence)- 2005-2009, 2013-2014 10- Amit Shah (Union Home Minister)- 2014-2017, 2017-2020 11- JP Nadda (Union Minister)- 2020-2026 Nitin Nabin Gets Z-Category Security The Central government has reportedly provided Z-category security cover to Nitin Nabin. The decision, taken by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs based on an Intelligence Bureau threat perception assessment, comes shortly after his rise to the top organisational post of the world's largest political party. (with IANS inputs) Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Nabin is set to take charge as the BJPs new National President on Tuesday, marking an important development in the partys organisational leadership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several senior leaders are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony, which will also be joined by BJP Chief Ministers, national office bearers, state unit presidents, and members of the partys national executive. On Monday, the BJP announced Nitin Nabin as the sole nominee for the post after the nomination and scrutiny process concluded without any other candidates, clearing the way for his unopposed election as the partys 12th national president. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source In an official statement issued late Monday, National Returning Officer K Laxman confirmed that Nitin Nabin was the only candidate left in the race following the completion of nominations and the withdrawal period. The Returning Officer said that 37 sets of nomination papers backing Nabin were submitted between 2 pm and 4 pm, all of which were deemed valid after scrutiny. There were no withdrawals, and no other candidates entered the race. The election process gathered pace after 30 of the BJPs 36 state presidents were elected, exceeding the 50 per cent threshold mandated by the partys Constitution. Earlier, on January 16, 2026, the election schedule was formally notified and the electoral roll released. The nomination window opened and closed on Monday, followed by the completion of scrutiny soon after. Nabin, 45, who was appointed National Working President on December 14, 2025, has received strong support from the BJPs senior leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and outgoing party president JP Nadda. Senior BJP leaders, Chief Ministers, and representatives from several states submitted nomination papers in Nabin's favour earlier on Monday, showing strong organisational consensus. As the only candidate, Nabin is poised to be formally elected by the electoral college comprising members of BJP's national and state councils. The process follows BJP regulations, which mandate that a candidate must be proposed by at least 20 members of the state electoral college and have a minimum of 15 years of party membership. Nabins elevation is viewed as a strategic effort to bring youthful energy to the partys leadership while maintaining organisational continuity. With IANS Inputs..... Greater Noida Police on Tuesday arrested builder Abhay Kumar in connection with the death of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, who drowned after his SUV plunged into a water-filled construction pit in Noidas Sector 150. The arrest was made by a team from the Knowledge Park police station after Kumar was named in the case. Kumar is one of the owners of Wishtown Planners Pvt Ltd. Police said efforts are underway to trace the second owner, Manish Kumar, who is currently absconding. Mehta died late at night when his vehicle went through a broken boundary wall and fell into an unbarricaded pit dug for the construction of a mall basement. The pit, originally excavated in 2021, is around 20 feet deep and has been filled with water for over a year. The incident occurred amid dense fog and poor visibility near the Sector 150 turn in the Knowledge Park area. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source #WATCH | Noida techie death case | Greater Noida | Abhay Singh, CEO of MZ Wiztown Planners, arrested in the engineer Yuvraj's death case by the Police Commissioner's team. (Noida Police) pic.twitter.com/YOK0R2U53R ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 Following Mehtas death, an FIR was registered against Wishtown Planners and Lotus Greens on the complaint of the victims father, Rajkumar Mehta. Lotus Greens later stated that it had sold the project to Wishtown Planners and the Grihapravesh Group in 201920 with the approval of the Noida Authority. In a significant administrative action, the Uttar Pradesh government on Monday removed Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M, a 2005-batch IAS officer, and ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the circumstances leading to the fatal accident. The SIT has been directed to submit its report within five days. A day before his removal, Lokesh M had dismissed a junior engineer and issued show-cause notices to other officials responsible for road and traffic management in Sector 150. An NDRF team reached the accident site on Tuesday to assess safety lapses and assist with the investigation. Police officials confirmed that the post-mortem examination revealed water in Mehtas lungs, and the cause of death was cardiac arrest. His body was recovered after a search operation lasting several hours. According to the victims family, the pit had been left exposed without barricades, warning signs, lighting or reflectors, amounting to gross negligence. Rajkumar Mehta alleged that repeated safety violations in the area were ignored despite the site being part of the National Capital Region. Reacting strongly, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari questioned the administrations preparedness and handling of public safety. Do not call this an accident or a mishap. What happened to the software engineer in Noida was a murder. There was no barricading; the vehicle went straight in, and such a huge pit was left open, Tiwari said. Is this the new India where a man is calling his father for help, people stand and watch, and there is no rescue equipment, no resources, no procedure? A helpless man was killed while people looked on. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and renewed scrutiny of construction safety norms across Noida and Greater Noida, with growing calls for accountability and stricter enforcement to prevent similar tragedies. (With IANS Inputs) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addresseing party leaders and workers at the party headquarters as Nitin Nabin has been elected as the new national president of BJP. PM Modi congratulated Nitin Nabin, saying, "For the first time, the BJP secured a full majority on its own. Then, under Amit Shahs leadership, the BJP formed governments in many states across the country." He also said, "When it is about the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and I am a party worker." Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Earlier, JP Nadda has also addressed the party leader. He extended heartfelt congratulation to Nitin Nabin. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi ji and the chairmanship of Nitin Nabin ji, the Bharatiya Janata Party will bloom the lotus in Bengal in the coming times. We will form the government in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. We will return to power in Assam, and we will deliver good results in Kerala as well. We are moving forward with this confidence." Nitin Nabin has been elected unopposed as the 12th National President of the BJP. The announcement was made on Tuesday at the BJP headquarters. On this occasion, Prime Minister Modi welcomed him by garlanding him. He has assumed charge as the National President. Earlier, Nabin visited the Bhagwan Valmiki Temple, Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, and Jhandewalan Temple in Delhi and offered prayers. At 45, Nabin has become the youngest National President of the party. Before him, Amit Shah was elected National President at the age of 49. The election for the post of president was held at the BJP headquarters on Monday. As no other candidate filed a nomination, Nabin was elected unopposed. Nitin was appointed the partys Executive President on December 14, 2025. Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir averted a potential attack after discovering a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) in the Tapper area of Baramulla district, North Kashmir. The device was found during a routine patrol along the Srinagar-Baramulla Highway. Officials said that a security patrol noticed a suspicious box lying by the roadside, prompting an immediate investigation. The IED, believed to have been placed with the intent of targeting security forces' vehicles or patrols in the area, was swiftly identified and defused. "The timely detection of this device prevented what could have been a devastating incident," a security official said. "Our forces acted quickly to neutralize the threat and ensure the safety of both civilians and personnel." Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The area is now secure, and an investigation is underway to ascertain the identity of those responsible for planting the device. However, the traffic on the Highway has been restored. The incident was witnessed just days ahead of Indias Republic Day celebrations on January 26, a period often marked by heightened security due to the possibility of terrorist attacks aimed at disrupting celebrations. In response to the recent threats, security across the Kashmir Valley has been bolstered, with additional patrols and surveillance measures put in place. Local intelligence suggests that terrorists may attempt to carry out subversive activities in the region during the coming days, prompting authorities to take extra precautions. Security has also been put on high alert on the Line of Control and the International Border (IB). Local police have registered a case and initiated an investigation to identify the individuals responsible for planting the device. Weather Alert: As North India continued to shiver, Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) experienced a cold Tuesday morning. Cold wave conditions persisted in the national capital, prompting Delhi Airport to issue an advisory stating that low-visibility procedures were in effect. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported dense fog in the morning hours, with moderate fog at several locations and dense fog at isolated spots. The temperature around 7 am was recorded at approximately 8.2 degrees Celsius. ANI reported that as the cold wave continued in several parts of the national capital, homeless individuals took refuge in rain shelters to escape the winter chill. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Delhi AQI Today The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 397 at 7 am, placing the national capital's air in the 'very poor' category. The visuals from the area near the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Pandav Nagar showed a layer of smog. The AQI in the area, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), is 445, falling within the 'severe' category. #WATCH | A layer of smog covers parts of Delhi NCR. Visuals from the area near the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Pandav Nagar. AQI in the area, as claimed by CPCB, is 445, falling in the 'severe' category. pic.twitter.com/W3CPVTZPaX ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 Several areas in Delhi reported alarmingly high AQI levels. Anand Vihar and Ashok Vihar both recorded AQI readings of 444, while Wazirpur registered 446. Other pollution hotspots included Punjabi Bagh (437), RK Puram (421), Bawana (418), ITO (414), Chandni Chowk (412), and Dwarka Sector 8 (412). All these locations fell in the 'severe' category, indicating extremely poor air quality and heightened health risks. Visibility in Noida was affected as a layer of smog engulfed the city. Check Visuals from Noida Sector 150 #WATCH | Uttar Pradesh | Visibility in Noida is affected as a layer of smog engulfs the city. Visuals from Noida Sector 150 pic.twitter.com/0GxssMYKkA ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026 Meanwhile, in response to the deteriorating air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) reinvoked Stage-IV measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Saturday across Delhi and the NCR. Delhi Flight Operations Delhi Airport, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), informed passengers that low-visibility procedures were in place, while adding that flight operations were running normally. Tamil Nadu Weather Forecast According to an IANS report, the weather department has announced the formal withdrawal of the Northeast Monsoon from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, and adjoining parts of South India, marking the end of the primary rainy season for the region. Dry weather conditions are likely to prevail across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal until January 21 (Wednesday). During this period, early morning fog or mist may occur at one or two isolated places, particularly during the pre-dawn hours, potentially affecting visibility in low-lying and inland areas. The Weather Department has indicated that there will be little to no significant change in minimum temperatures across the region during this phase. However, night temperatures are expected to remain near normal or slightly below normal levels, bringing relatively cooler conditions during the early mornings and late evenings. (with agencies' inputs) India-Poland Ties: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar held a meeting with Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Monday. In the high-level meet an array of topics were discussed, including advancing economic, technology, defence, and multilateral cooperation between the two countries. Radoslaw Sikorski arrived in New Delhi on Monday after concluding his engagements in Jaipur. Jaishankar's 'Counter-Terrorism' Statement Add Zee News as a Preferred Source EAM Jaishankar urged Poland to display zero tolerance for terrorism and not help fuel the terrorist infrastructure in India's neighbourhood. Notably, Sikorski had, in October 2025, visited Pakistan and held bilateral talks with the leadership. "Deputy Prime Minister, you are no stranger to our region and are more than familiar with the long-standing challenges of cross-border terrorism. I hope at this meeting to discuss some of your recent travels to the region. Poland should display zero tolerance for terrorism and not help fuel the terrorist infrastructure in our neighbourhood," the EAM noted. Also Read- Selective Targeting Of India Unfair And Unjustified: EAM S Jaishankar On Ukraine Conflict EAM Jaishankar Says India 'Selectively Targeted' On Russia-Ukraine War EAM also emphasised India's stance on the Ukraine conflict and termed "selective targeting" of New Delhi "unfair and unjustified." "Today, our conversation will naturally cover regional and global developments. In particular, an exchange of assessments on our respective neighbourhoods would be useful. You have been speaking about it publicly during your visit as well," he said. "In the recent past, both in New York last September and in Paris this January, I have candidly shared our views on the Ukraine conflict and its implications. While doing so, I have also repeatedly underlined that the selective targeting of India is both unfair and unjustified. I do so again today," the EAM added. India-Poland Bilateral Ties Hailing the bilateral ties between India and Poland, EAM Jaishankar said, "Our bilateral relationship has also progressed steadily, but nevertheless needs constant tending. India and Poland have traditionally enjoyed warm and friendly ties. In recent years, it's been marked by high-level political exchanges and vibrant economic and people-to-people ties," citing the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Poland in August 2024. Why Poland Is Acting Against India's Interest? India-Pakistan Tensions It is notable that during his visit to Islamabad in October, Sikorski held talks with Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. After this meeting, a joint statement was issued that featured Kashmir. The Poland-Pakistan joint statement reportedly referred to what it described as the "Kashmir dispute" and reportedly advocated for "resolution" in line with UN Security Council principles. New Delhi and Islamabad have long been at odds over the region. While the Pakistani administration continues to deny any involvement, India has repeatedly exposed instances of Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism on the international stage. Russia-Ukraine Tensions For India, Russia has long been a key strategic partner, with the two countries maintaining strong trade and diplomatic ties. On the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, New Delhi has repeatedly reiterated its call for an end to hostilities and the restoration of peace. However, Warsaw has taken a more invested position in support of Ukraine, standing firmly with Kyiv in its conflict with Moscow. Polands stance is also shaped by its membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). (with agencies' inputs) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got its new president on Tuesday as the 45-year-old Nitin Nabin assumed office. This marked a significant moment for the saffron party's leadership. With this position, Nabin succeeded Union Minister JP Nadda. Ahead of this, Nitin Nabin was appointed as the BJP's working president on December 14, 2025. Notably, Nadda was also the first national working president of the party. Senior Indian politician Nitin Nabin has been elected five times to the Bihar Legislative Assembly and has previously held ministerial positions in the state government. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Outgoing BJP national president JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, felicitated newly elected BJP national president Nitin Nabin at the party headquarters in Delhi. From Cadre to Command: Nitin Nabins Political Journey Personal Life Nitin Nabin was born on May 23, 1980, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, to the late Naveen Kishore Prasad Sinha and Meera Sinha. His father was also a senior BJP leader and a four-time MLA from Patna West in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. Nabin completed his early education in Patna, passing his Class 10 examination in 1996. He then attended CSKM Public School in New Delhi, completing his intermediate education in 1998, according to the official website of BJP. He is married to Deepmala Srivastava, and the couple has two children, a son and a daughter. Political Career Nitin Nabin entered politics at a young age and was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 2006 from the Patna West constituency. Since 2010, Nabin has been consecutively elected from the Bankipur constituency, winning in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025, making him a five-time MLA. He has also held key portfolios in the Bihar government as a Cabinet Minister, overseeing departments such as Road Construction, Urban Development & Housing, and Law. Alongside his legislative career, Nabin has played a significant role within the party organisation. New Delhi: The Beckham family feud has intensified, with Brooklyn Beckham accusing his parents, David and Victoria, of trying to "control the narratives" around his life. Brooklyn on Monday took to Instagram Story and released a lengthy statement, explaining why he does not want to reconcile with his family. Brooklyn has been estranged from his family for roughly three years, a painful saga with Instagram unfollows and endless press leaks that have overshadowed the public profiles and work of all involved since it began, as per Variety. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source And now, through his latest Instagram post, he addressed the situation, claiming his parents had "endlessly tried to ruin" his relationship with his wife, Nicola. "I had been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private," Beckham wrote. "Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed. I do not want to reconcile with my family. I'm not being controlled, I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life." He said his mom "cancelled making Nicola's dress in the eleventh hour" and "attempted to bribe" him into signing away the rights to his name before he got married. On his wedding day, Beckham said his mother hijacked his first dance with Peltz and "danced very inappropriately" on him. He recalled, "Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule was a planned to be my roamntic dance with my wife but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me instead. She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone. I've never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life." He ended his statement by saying the narrative that his wife controls his life is "completely backwards," and instead, it's his parents who have been manipulating him. These are the kind of pearl-clutching specifics that can derail press tours for ventures like Victoria's eponymous fashion brand, as well as tarnish a complicated Beckham legacy that seemingly settled with the family enshrined in a bubble of adoration and protection. "My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press or manipulation," he concluded. "All we want is peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family." David and Victoria have not reacted to Brooklyn's allegations yet. Priyanka Chopra Jonas is a globally recognised Indian actress, producer, and philanthropist. She first gained international attention after winning the Miss World title in 2000 and went on to become one of the leading actresses in Bollywood. Over time, she successfully transitioned into Hollywood, starring in popular projects such as the television series Quantico and films like Baywatch and The White Tiger. In a 2015 interview with NEW YOU magazine, Priyanka Chopra shared a powerful quote that reflects her philosophy on self-acceptance. She said, We are complete as ourselves, and our flaws make us unique. Perfection is boring anyway. As soon as you find and identify your flaws, there's no one who can be like you. Meaning and Interpretation of the Quote Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The quote emphasises the importance of embracing ones authentic self. Priyanka suggests that flaws are not weaknesses but unique identifiers that make each person special and relatable. By rejecting the idea of perfection, which she describes as boring, she encourages people to acknowledge and accept their imperfections. This acceptance allows individuals to express their true selves, fostering genuine connections with others and inspiring confidence and self-worth. Also Read | Quote Of The Day By Leonardo DiCaprio On Fame: 'I Was 16 Where I Started To Get A Big Head...' At a deeper level, the quote reflects broader themes of humanity, growth, and self-acceptance. Imperfections make people more human and relatable, helping to build empathy and understanding. Rather than being obstacles, flaws can serve as opportunities for learning, personal growth, and resilience. Embracing ones flawsome self is a powerful act that promotes confidence and encourages others to accept themselves as they are. Personal Life and Marriage Priyanka Chopra is married to American singer and actor Nick Jonas. The couple celebrated a lavish, multi-day wedding in December 2018 at the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, India. Their wedding honoured both Christian and traditional Hindu ceremonies, reflecting their diverse cultural backgrounds. Often seen as a blend of Bollywood and Hollywood, their union has been widely celebrated. In 2022, they welcomed their daughter, Malti Marie, marking a new chapter in their lives together. Eight people died and three were injured after a Max vehicle plunged into a 150-meter gorge in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief and announced financial assistance for the victims' families. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that the aim behind this is to free people from the burden of remembering multiple numbers during crises and to ensure swift help when it matters most. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities and also noted that this activity has been coordinated with Denmark and Greenland. On the other hand, this US move follows a multinational military exercise led by Danish forces amid rising tensions. In the video, a woman is seen complaining to Siddaramaiah while the Congress veteran instead of listening to her could be seen in an agitated mood. Greater Noida Police have arrested builder Abhay Kumar in connection with the death of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, whose SUV plunged into an unbarricaded, water-filled construction pit in Noidas Sector 150. The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered an SIT probe, removed the Noida Authority CEO, and launched action against officials amid widespread outrage over alleged safety lapses. 1 GW AI Compute Data Center In India: AM Green Group, the energy transition platform backed by the founders of Greenko Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with InvestUP, the Government of Uttar Pradesh, to establish a 1 GW (Gigawatt) AI compute data center to serve global AI workloads. The facility will be developed in the Greater Noida region in a phased manner, with the first capacity expected to be operational by 2028 and full 1 GW capacity targeted by 2030, involving a total investment of approximately USD 25 billion. This project reflects AM Greens commitment to building a sustainable, carbon-neutral digital economy and aligns with Uttar Pradeshs ambition to become a leading data center hub in India. The data center will house around 500,000 high-performance chipsets, making it one of the largest AI infrastructure investments in the country. The initiative supports the Indian Governments Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, accelerating AI-driven services and high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Today AI has become embedded in our daily lives evolution of the global AI ecosystem with intentionality, intelligence, and adaptability will be pivotal for current and future generations. Our entry into the AI full-stack ecosystem is a natural extension of our technology-first approach, said Anil Chalamalasetty, Group Chairman, AM Green Group. AI-Powered Infrastructure For Global Workloads The facility is designed to meet the computing needs of global hyperscalers, frontier labs, enterprises, and Indias sovereign AI initiatives. AM Greens AI Labs is developing a full-stack ecosystem, spanning energy, infrastructure, hardware, and customized AI models, with applications across energy, healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, media, gaming, and sovereign cloud services. The data center will also provide wider chipset access to Indian developers, enabling faster development of AI solutions for domestic and global use. Key Features Of Data Center Scalable Infrastructure: Phased rollout with initial capacity in 2028, expanding to 1 GW by 2030. Strategic Location: Leveraging Uttar Pradeshs industrial corridors and favorable data center policies for low-latency, high-reliability connectivity. Green Energy Integration: Powered by 24/7 carbon-free energy using wind, solar, and pumped storage solutions. Economic Impact The MoU was signed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, with senior government officials and AM Green leadership in attendance. The project is expected to attract significant foreign direct investment (FDI) and generate thousands of high-skilled jobs, fostering local ecosystems for hardware manufacturing, software development, and specialized cooling technologies. By combining 1 GW of compute capacity with our 24/7 green power solutions, we are not just building a data center; we are creating a sustainable template for the future of global AI infrastructure with support from the State of Uttar Pradesh, said Mahesh Kolli, President, AM Green Group. AM Green Group AM Green, promoted by the founders of Greenko Group, is building globally differentiated platforms in molecules, materials, and AI technologies to support industrial decarbonization and sustainable growth. Its energy arm, Greenko, aims to become a 50 GW energy infrastructure platform, spanning solar, wind, hydro, and energy storage projects across more than 20 states, including a 100 GWh interconnected energy storage system. The companys Green Ammonia projects target 5 Mtpa capacity by 2030, with a 1 Mtpa plant currently under construction. AM Green is also advancing net-zero initiatives, producing green caustic soda, e-methanol, olefins, biofuels, and sustainable aviation fuel. Additionally, under its Green Materials portfolio, the company is setting up a 1 MTPA green aluminium plant, strengthening its commitment to sustainable industrial solutions. This MoU marks a major step in Indias AI and HPC infrastructure development, combining cutting-edge technology with renewable energy for a sustainable digital future. Vivo X200T India Launch Date: Chinese smartphone brand Vivo has confirmed the India launch date of its new premium smartphone, the Vivo X200T. The phone will be launched on January 27 at 12 PM IST. The Vivo X200T will join the companys X200 series, which was introduced last year. It will be placed alongside the Vivo X200 and Vivo X200 Pro models. Vivo is highlighting the phones camera capabilities and real-world performance, with a strong focus on ZEISS-tuned cameras and smooth everyday use. This will also be the first time Vivo introduces a T model in its flagship lineup, and it comes after the launch of the Vivo X300 series. The phone is expected to come in Tellar Black and Seaside Lilac colour options. Vivo X200T Specifications (Expected) Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The Vivo X200T is expected to come with a 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display featuring a 1260 x 2800 resolution. The smartphone is likely to be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ chipset, paired with 12GB LPDDR5x RAM and up to 512GB UFS 4.1 storage. Get ready to Go Further. The all-new vivo X200T is ready to re-define how far your shots can go. Co-engineered with ZEISS, powered to push limits. The all-new vivo X200T, launching on 27th Jan Stay tuned to know more.#vivoX200T #MyCityVibes #ZEISSImageGoFurther pic.twitter.com/FUzMdLiZJN vivo India (@Vivo_India) January 20, 2026 It is expected to run Android 16-based OriginOS 6 and may receive five years of OS updates along with seven years of security patches. The Vivo X200T could pack a 6,200mAh battery with support for 90W wired fast charging and 40W wireless charging. On the photography front, the smartphone is expected to feature a 50MP ZEISS super telephoto camera with 3x to 10x zoom for detailed long-distance shots. It will be accompanied by a 50MP ZEISS main camera and a 50MP ZEISS ultra-wide camera for group photos, landscapes, architecture, and everyday scenes. The device is also expected to come with IP68/IP69-rated dust and water resistance. (Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, Galaxy S26 Ultra Specifications Leaked; Check Expected India Launch Date, Display, Battery And Price) Vivo X200T Price In India And Availability (Expected) Vivo has not officially revealed the price of the Vivo X200T yet, but reports suggest that it could be priced between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 55,000 in India. If this turns out to be accurate, the smartphone is expected to be positioned close to the Vivo X200 FE in the companys current lineup. The Vivo X200T is likely to be available for purchase via Flipkart, the Vivo India online store, and authorised offline retail stores across the country. Maxi skirts are no longer just occasional wear they are everyday fashion lovers. Comfortable, flattering, and endlessly stylish, they move beautifully from casual mornings to dressed-up evenings. Whether you love flowy prints, structured denim, crochet textures, or clean straight cuts, a maxi skirt adapts to your mood and moment. These skirts are perfect for women who want fashion without fuss easy to style, easy to wear, and always elegant. Lets explore four stunning maxi skirts that bring versatility, charm, and confidence to your wardrobe. Image Source- Myntra.com Order Now This printed flared maxi skirt is made for women who love movement and grace in their outfits. With its flowy silhouette and eye-catching print, it adds instant charm to everyday looks. Perfect for brunches, casual outings, or relaxed evenings, this skirt pairs beautifully with simple tops while doing all the talking itself. Key Features: Flared silhouette for a graceful flow. Attractive all-over print. Comfortable waistband for all-day wear. Easy to style with casual or dressy tops. Flared style may not suit those who prefer fitted silhouettes. Image Source- Myntra.com Order Now Chic meets bold in this crochet pencil maxi skirt with a chevron pattern. Designed for women who love statement pieces, it features a sleek fit with a side slit for ease and style. The crochet texture adds uniqueness, making it ideal for evening outings or fashion-forward casual looks. Key Features: Elegant pencil-fit silhouette. Chevron-pattern crochet design. Side slit for movement and comfort. Perfect for stylish, modern outfits. Crochet fabric may require careful handling. Image Source- Myntra.com Order Now This denim maxi skirt blends classic fabric with a modern silhouette. Designed with a pencil fit and side slit, it offers structure without compromising comfort. Ideal for casual workdays or street-style looks, this skirt is versatile enough to dress up or down effortlessly. A wardrobe staple with an edgy touch. Key Features: Durable denim fabric. Pencil-fit design for a sleek look. Side slit for easy movement. Suitable for casual and semi-casual wear. Denim fabric may feel heavy in hot weather. Image Source- Myntra.com Order Now Minimal, clean, and timeless this straight maxi skirt is perfect for women who love effortless style. Its simple design makes it a versatile base for endless outfit combinations. Whether styled with a formal blouse or a casual tee, this skirt fits seamlessly into everyday wardrobes and transitional looks. Key Features: Straight-cut silhouette for a clean finish. Comfortable and easy to wear. Ideal for daily and office-casual outfits. Pairs well with multiple top styles Simple design may feel plain for bold-fashion lovers. Maxi skirts are timeless pieces that bring elegance without effort. Whether you love playful prints, bold crochet textures, classic denim, or minimalist designs, theres a maxi skirt to match your personality. These skirts offer versatility, comfort, and . Perfect for modern women who want fashion that flows with their lifestyle, these options prove that maxi skirts are more than just a trend. Add one to your wardrobe and enjoy outfits that feel confident, comfortable, and beautifully put together every single day. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Disclaimer: At IDPL, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. It should not be construed as an endorsement to buy. IDPL may make a very small commission from its sale if one chooses to buy the product from any of the links in this article. Pakistan's continued use of terror groups to spread unrest in India and Jammu & Kashmir has been exposed once againthis time through a shocking on-camera confession by a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba commander openly admitting to preparing a "water force" with 135 operatives already trained. The video, shared by OSINTTV on X, shows LeT Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) Deputy Secretary General Harish Dar inspecting trainees and brazenly detailing specialized training programs conducted across Pakistan, including scuba diving, professional swimming, high-speed boat handling, and social media operations. Pakistan Markazi Muslim League is widely recognized as a political front for the banned terror organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Open Admission Of Terror Training In the video Lashkar commander openly admits that "Lashkar's water force is being prepared." He confirms the training is conducted by PMML/Lashkar-e-Taiba. In the video, Lashkar commander Harish Dar can be heard conducting what appears to be a roll call of trained operatives, asking about various skills including driving, scuba diving, rescue training, first aid, fire safety, martial arts, gym training, self-defense, and social media operations. The video not only exposed Pakistan's continued support for terrorist organizations but also reaffirmed India's longstanding allegations that Islamabad has been using terrorist groups to spread terrorism and unrest in India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. "Since we were given responsibility, we have conducted programs in three tehsils and 135 youth have received training on how to operate boats," he said. Exclusive OSINT Report LeT PMML Deputy Sec Gen Harish Dar is seen inspecting Lashkar trainees and openly detailing water based training conducted across Pakistan. Training includes, Scuba diving, Professional swimming, High speed boat handling, Social media operations pic.twitter.com/imFvhkmPzD OsintTV (@OsintTV) January 20, 2026 "Will Rule The Seas" In 2026: LeT Remarks from PMML Deputy Secretary General Haris Dar have surfaced just a day after reports detailed Lashkar-e-Taibas alleged "water force" training in Pakistan. These developments align with a recent vow by Lashkar deputy chief Saifullah Khalid Kasuri, who claimed that after "dominating the skies" in 2025 with drone operations, the group intends to "rule the seas" in 2026. 2025 was the year Pakistan became the Prince of the Skies (Fizaon ka Shehzada), Now this is 2026. Before the year ends, InshaAllah, Pakistan will also become the Prince of the Seas (Samundaron ka Shehzada), OsintTV quoted Saifullah as saying. Rare On-Camera Proof Reinforces Indias Claims Of Pakistan-Backed Cross-Border Terrorism The confession comes at a time when India has repeatedly raised concerns at international forums about Pakistan's role in cross-border terrorism and its use of terror proxies to destabilize the region. The on-camera admission by a senior LeT commander provides rare direct evidence of Pakistan-based terror groups openly conducting large-scale training operations for potential attacks, including specialized water-based capabilities that could be used for infiltration across rivers, lakes, and coastal areas into Indian territory. Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group responsible for the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed 166 people, continues to operate openly in Pakistan despite being banned by the United Nations. The group's founder, Hafiz Saeed, lived freely in Lahore for years before being placed under house arrest following international pressure. US B-21 Raider: The US Air Force is pinning high hopes on the $203 billion B-21 Raider programme, which promises to replace the aging B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit fleets with a stealth bomber capable of long-range conventional and nuclear missions. The plan calls for at least 100 aircraft, with some experts suggesting 145-200 are needed to counter strategic threats from China and Russia. Development costs alone have exceeded $25.1 billion. The Northrop Grumman has already delivered two flight-test aircraft, with trials ongoing at the Edwards Air Force Base in California. But a new Chinese research paper has caught attention by claiming that a newly developed aerospace simulation tool, which is known as PADJ-X, has revealed potential weaknesses in the B-21s design that could affect its aerodynamic stability. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Beijing Sounds Off On B-21 The PADJ-X software is described as an all-in-one system, which combines multiple engineering disciplines in a single optimisation process. According to the paper, it integrates aerodynamics, propulsion, electromagnetics, infrared signature and sonic boom into one platform, allowing thousands of design parameters to be tested simultaneously while dramatically reducing computational costs. There is still work to do, the paper quotes Huang Jiangtao of the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Centre, but future combat environments demand higher integrated performance from aircraft configurations, driving the need to consider interdisciplinary coupling in design. Using PADJ-X, the team ran 288 simulations to see how the B-21 handles in the air. Their findings suggest that the aircraft could fall short in stability, but the paper does not specify the data sources or classified inputs. It instead relied on publicly available images and configurations. The software reportedly increased the lift-to-drag ratio by 15% and improved the pitching moment from 0.07 to -0.001, values that indicate smoother flight and enhanced fuel efficiency in theory. The system also simulated improvements for the US Navys X-47B stealth drone, demonstrating reduced drag and radar visibility. How PADJ-X Works The PADJ-X relies on adjoint optimisation technology, a method that Western programmes such as NASAs FUN3D, Germanys FLOWer and Frances ONERA have used for decades. The Chinese system claims to offer broader integration across disciplines, potentially cutting the need for costly wind-tunnel tests and prototype iterations. The research team asserts that the PADJ-X could accelerate development and allow future aircraft and drones to achieve longer ranges with superior performance, suggesting a technological leap in aircraft design software. Reality Check Of The Claims Experts caution that PADJ-X results must be treated with skepticism. Both the B-21 and X-47B are classified programmes, and publicly inferred shapes cannot replicate actual performance or structural details. Simulations based on estimated geometries, materials and coatings cannot definitively identify vulnerabilities. The United States has decades of experience with adjoint optimisation software, AI-enhanced simulation and extensive wind-tunnel and flight testing. Stealth aircraft design trade-offs are well understood, and the B-21s flying-wing configuration is a direct evolution of proven technology. Any issues highlighted by the PADJ-X are likely speculative rather than operationally verified. Moreover, China has a history of big claims about its aerospace tools and systems, including the JY-27 anti-stealth radar, which underperformed during recent operations in Venezuela despite early marketing hype. While the PADJ-X appears to be a sophisticated simulation tool, its claims about B-21 vulnerabilities should be treated cautiously. Without access to classified design data, there is no way to confirm whether the systems optimisations show real-world performance. The study highlights the intense technological and geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China, but it does not constitute definitive proof of flaws in Americas next-generation stealth bomber. Denmark is facing a geopolitical conundrum few could have imagined --- a potential military threat from the United States, its ally and fellow NATO member, over the Arctic island of Greenland. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested taking control of Greenland, an officially Danish territory, raising concerns about the limits of NATOs protection. Historically, the alliance was created to defend members from external foes, but its charter is silent on conflicts between allies themselves. This is not entirely new territory for Denmark. Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis drew a parallel on X, noting, NATO is committed to defending member states from belligerent non-member states, but not from each other, not from other member states, like Turkey or, now, the... United States! So, Denmark, welcome to the club, and remember your governments also argued that it is not NATO's job to defend any member-state from another NATO member-state. Lessons From Cyprus, 1974 Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The situation echoes the 1974 Cyprus crisis, when Greece and Turkey, both NATO members, clashed. Cyprus gained independence from Britain in 1960, with mostly Greek Cypriots and a Turkish minority. Greece, Turkey, and Britain had rights to intervene if needed. Tensions escalated when a coup backed by Greeces military rulers sought union with Greece, ousting President Makarios. Turkey saw this as a threat to Turkish Cypriots and invaded on 20 July 1974. The first invasion only partially succeeded; a second in August secured roughly 36% of the island, which remains under Turkish control. Thousands died. Greece appealed to NATO for intervention, but the alliance stayed out. As Varoufakis highlighted, The NATO charter does not cover attacks from within. Hence, in Cyprus, NATO stayed out, leaving Greece and Turkey to sort it themselves. Greece withdrew from NATOs military command from 1974 to 1980, frustrated that the alliance failed to protect it from another member. Denmark In A Similar Bind Today, Denmark faces a comparable dilemma. Were the US to act on its Greenland ambitions, NATO's Article 5, designed for external attacks, would offer no guarantee of protection. Unlike Greece in 1974, Denmark is vastly outmatched in military terms --- the US defence budget exceeds $1 trillion, while Denmarks was just $10 billion in 2025. European nations have shown symbolic support. The UK and Norway, for instance, have sent one and two troops respectively for reconnaissance missions. However, this gesture has angered Trump, who retaliated with a 10% tariff on the countries backing Denmark. Greenland itself has significant self-rule, and its largely Inuit population seeks a say in its future, but Denmark retains control over defence and foreign policy. European Union leaders have backed Denmark diplomatically, but NATO remains constrained by its own rules. Article 4 allows members to discuss potential threats, while Article 5 protects only against attacks from outside the alliance. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned that a US move on Greenland could be the death knell for NATO. For Denmark, the episode serves as a reminder of the alliances structural weakness --- when friends become foes, even the most powerful military alliance may stand aside. The Greenland standoff underscores a simple, stark reality --- NATO was built to guard against external threats, but it may offer little recourse when its strongest member becomes the threat. The loud cheers in parts of the West over upheavals in countries aligned with Moscow rest on a simple belief --- 'weaken Russias partners and you weaken Russia itself'. Recent speculation around US action against Venezuela and growing threats of intervention in Iran have fed this thinking. But history, and Russias own behavior, suggest a far harsher reality for Moscows allies --- they are useful, not indispensable. Although he once criticised American interventionism, US President Donald Trump now appears drawn to the same regime-change impulses that defined earlier Democratic administrations. The enthusiasm this has generated among hawkish pro-Ukraine voices echoes an older idea, the export of revolution. That policy was famously pursued by Soviet Russia under Leon Trotsky, leading to short-lived pro-Bolshevik governments in places such as Hungary, Bavaria, and Latvia. None endured. A lesser-known example was the Persian Soviet Socialist Republic, which briefly existed in Irans Gilan province in 1920-21. Designed as a springboard to spread revolution as far as India, it collapsed once the Red Army withdrew and local allies were swiftly overthrown. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source A century on, Iran again finds itself the subject of outside ambitions, this time driven by American and Israeli hardliners seeking something akin to Ukraines Maidan uprising. Irans clerical regime is deeply unpopular, and domestic resistance is real. Yet the persistent threat of foreign intervention has paradoxically strengthened it. Many Iranians fear that pushing too far could turn their country into another Syria or Libya. Irans modern history is marked by resistance to external domination, whether by Western powers, Russia, or the Soviet Union. It has also been a space where Soviet and Western interests unexpectedly aligned, from the 1953 coup against Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh, to opposition to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and support for Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War. Only in the later years of Vladimir Putins rule did Tehran and Moscow form a closer partnership, one that deepened after Iran supplied Russia with drone technology early in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Iran, Russia, and China share a rare historical trait: all three resisted Western colonisation. Their authoritarian tendencies can partly be traced to a long history of mobilisation against external pressure. Russias position, however, is the most conflicted. Despite its present clash with the West, it was itself a European power that once sought to dominate parts of both Iran and China. This explains Moscows largely detached view of Irans current crisis. The Kremlin is focused almost entirely on one goal --- winning the war in Ukraine, which it sees as a proxy conflict with the West. Russian operations in the Middle East and Africa matter only insofar as they stretch Western resources and create leverage. In that sense, Russias ties with Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea are tactical, not emotional. As a phrase often attributed to Tsar Alexander III puts it, Russia has only two allies, the army and the navy. Client states are expendable pieces in a much larger game. Russias interventions beyond the former Soviet space, in Syria, Libya, and Africa, followed the 2014 Ukraine war and were responses to what Putin views as Western-backed regime change in Kyiv. These ventures produced mixed results, including setbacks such as the fall of Bashar al-Assads regime in 2024. But building an empire was never the aim. The priority has always been Ukraine. By relentlessly targeting Ukraines energy infrastructure, Russia has made cities like Kyiv increasingly unlivable during winter, while Europe struggles to respond effectively. From Moscows perspective, this is progress towards victory. Against this single-minded focus stands Trumps scattergun approach. His administration appears entangled in multiple risky projects, from Iran and Venezuela to the curious fixation on Greenland, while simultaneously trying to play mediator in the Ukraine war. For the Kremlin, this confusion is a gift. There may, however, be logic behind Trumps actions. Taking on Putin directly is difficult, slow and politically dangerous. Easier targets promise quicker rewards. Venezuela and Iran fit that mould, though even there, lasting regime change may be beyond Trumps patience. What Trump appears to want above all is a fast, low-cost public relations win. That makes softer targets more appealing. Nicolas Maduro proved one. Others may follow. One such figure is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a leader who frustrates Trump, can be weakened without military action, and stands in the way of Trumps ambition to be seen as a global peacemaker. It is telling that Trump recently shifted blame for the lack of peace away from Putin and towards Zelenskyy. Politically weakened, facing corruption allegations and military deadlock, Zelenskyy looks far more vulnerable than his Russian counterpart. In a world where power often trumps loyalty, Iran, like Venezuela, may discover that Russias friendship has clear limits. The US President Donald Trump, in a new bid to annex Greenland, has reached the Indian Ocean. Earlier today, US President Donald Trump fired off a fierce Truth Social post targeting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, branding the UK's Chagos Islands cession to Mauritius an "act of great stupidity", reversing his earlier endorsement just months prior. US President Donald Trump cited the UK's handover of the Chagos Islands, home to the vital Diego Garcia US base, to Mauritius as fresh justification for acquiring Greenland. "Shockingly, our brilliant NATO ally, the United Kingdom, is handing over Diego Garcia, a vital US military base, to Mauritius. It's an act of great stupidity and another key national security reason why Greenland must be acquired," Trump said on Truth Social. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source What Is The Chagos Islands Deal 2025? Last year in May, the United Kingdom finalised a long-pending agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius. Britain retains operational control of the strategic UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, the archipelago's largest island, via a 99-year lease costing 101 million annually. The Reversed US Tone The US initially backed the Chagos Deal, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling the deal 'a monumental achievement.' Fast-forward to 2026, and Donald Trumps changing priorities and his dream to annex Greenland, Denmark's semi-autonomous territory and a US NATO partner, with reasons to block Russia and China's growing Arctic footprint. Now targeting the UK for the same reason of growing Russian and Chinese footprints in the Chagos Island region. "No doubt China and Russia spotted this act of total weakness. These powers only respect strength, which is why the US, under my leadership, is now respected like never before after just one year," Trump added in his Truth Social post. Also Read: New Delhis Power Play: UN's Decline In Trump's Global Shakeup And Indias Chance To Climb Up The Ladder | Explained The Risking Chinese Presence In The Indian Ocean? While Trump makes absurd excuses to annex Greenland and has increased the targeting of his NATO allies over the Greenland dream, his changed tone on the UK-Mauritius deal has an underlying threat from the growing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean. The US military base on the Diego Garcia island has somehow tackled the growing Chinese presence and is strategically placed. It is the same island from where the US launched strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in 2025. B-2 stealth bombers, comprising about 30% of the US Air Force fleet, were deployed to the Indian Ocean base ahead of the attack on facilities like Natanz and Fordow. This followed a March 2025 ultimatum from President Trump demanding a new nuclear deal, with Diego Garcia serving as a key launchpad despite its 3,700+ km distance from Iran. Beijing's expansion through the String of Pearls with strategically important ports like Gwadar, Hambantota, and dual-use Seychelles/Hambantota deals heighten fears of encirclement. Trump sees Chagos sovereignty loss as signaling weakness, inviting Chinese influence near Diego Garcia. However, Russia conducts occasional naval deployments in the Indian Ocean, often via Mediterranean relays like Tartus (Syria), including joint exercises with China. Though Diego Garcias lease remains secure, Trumps change of tone to push his Greenland annexation bid and target the UK directly. Trumps Globe: From Western Hemisphere To The Indian Ocean Trump's Chagos criticism reveals his ambitions spanning the Western Hemisphere- Greenland tariffs on Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK, to Indian Ocean power projection. Linking Arctic needs to Diego Garcia vulnerabilities pressures UKs Starmer, justifies 10% European tariffs, and asserts US primacy across oceans amid deals India welcomed. As the world awaits reactions from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritius, US President Donald Trump continues to advance his global strategic agenda. He is reportedly considering the acquisition of Greenland in the Western Hemisphere while simultaneously strengthening Americas presence in the Indian Ocean. This move comes amid scrutiny of the nations already robust military infrastructure and appears aimed at countering the perceived expansion of Russian and Chinese influence. New Delhi: Sixteen Indian nationals have been detained in Iran, with 10 placed in jail, during unrest in the country. The recent public protests coincided with signals from the United States about possible international action, creating a tense backdrop for the detentions. Families of the crew members are anxious and uncertain about their loved ones safety. The situation began last year on December 8, when Iranian authorities seized the merchant vessel MT Valent Ror near the Dibba port, claiming it carried illegal diesel. The ship included 18 crew members, among them 16 Indians, one Bangladeshi and one Sri Lankan. Ten of the Indian crew were sent to jail on January 6, while the remaining six were held under strict supervision on board. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the matter is under judicial review. Efforts have been made to secure consular access, but initial attempts on January 10 were unsuccessful due to disruptions in the region. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The Indian embassy in Tehran continues to liaise with both the crew and the shipping company, Prime Tankers LLC, to ensure the welfare of those detained. The ships owner, Joginder Barad, has rejected allegations that the vessel carried illegal diesel, stating instead that it was transporting very low sulfur fuel oil for fuelling other ships in international waters, a standard operational procedure. He emphasised that the crew has been treated unfairly and that the companys top priority is to bring them safely back to India. Onboard, the six Indian crew members, including the captain from Uttar Pradesh and other officers and sailors from Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Haryana and Delhi, have been confined under strict supervision for the past 45 days. Along with them, a Bangladeshi chief engineer and a Sri Lankan electrical officer are also in detention on the ship. Crew members have described conditions as dire, with the eight personnel sharing a fourteen-by-ten-foot mess area for sleeping and daily activities. Rations have been minimal. After supplies ran out in December, Barad sent additional food on December 25, but only rice is left after a week. The onboard cook prepares the rice twice a day, which is eaten with salt. Water supplies are nearly exhausted, forcing the crew to boil industrial water labelled not for drinking to stay hydrated. Diesel for the generator is being rationed to nighttime use, with uncertainty about how long it will last. All personal belongings, including mobile phones, laptops and bags, were seized by Iranian security forces on December 8. Limited phone access has allowed brief communication with families, but only 5GB of data is for use until January 31. Families have expressed distress over the prolonged detention. Some crew members employment contracts were set to end this January, and several had personal milestones such as weddings in the coming months. Families say that the uncertainty and lack of communication are affecting their health and daily lives. Members of the shipping union in India have criticized Irans actions as inhumane, arguing that the crew should not be punished for company operations or cargo. Barad confirmed that diplomatic efforts are ongoing but highlighted challenges due to internal conditions in Iran that prevent legal representatives from meeting the crew. The families approached the Delhi High Court on January 15, seeking urgent intervention. Government representatives assured the court that appropriate measures have been taken and that continued assistance will be provided. The next hearing is scheduled for January 21. Union representatives maintain that responsibility should lie with the shipping company regarding the cargo, not the crew, and are pressing for the immediate repatriation of all Indian personnel. New Delhi: Germany is moving fast to rebuild the most powerful army in Europe. It marks a historic turn after the World War-2. The change comes at the time of rising fear of Russia. Public trust in the United States has declined. A major reason lies in German public opinion. Surveys show growing doubt about Americas role in Europes security. A June 2025 poll by state broadcaster ZDF revealed scepticism. Most Germans no longer believe the United States will guarantee Europes defence through NATO. This loss of faith has driven a dramatic rise in defence spending. Berlin has now opened the door to large-scale military recruitment. Under a new law, every man above the age of 18 can be called to serve. The system is voluntary in form. The law allows compulsory service if required. This gives the government room to expand the armed forces at speed. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source Germany had 184,000 active-duty soldiers last year. The number rose by 2,500 within months. Chancellor Friedrich Merz told parliament that the Bundeswehr must become Europes strongest conventional army. Military researchers say this is Germanys largest force in years. They describe it as the strongest army since 2021. The government has launched a 23-month volunteer service programme. The offer includes strong pay and benefits. Recruits can later move into long-term professional service. The model resembles Indias Agniveer system. The key difference lies in duration. India follows a four-year term. Recruits in Germany will earn about 2,600 euros a month. Housing comes free and medical insurance is covered. After tax, monthly earnings approach $2,700. For 18-year-olds, the pay is considered attractive. Germany has also made clear commitments to NATO. The country plans to raise active troops to 260,000 by 2035. Reserve forces will grow to 200,000. These numbers match Cold War levels. Moscow has taken notice. Russias ambassador to Germany has voiced concern. He said Berlin is preparing for large-scale military confrontation with Russia. From Germanys view, the change follows Moscows refusal to withdraw from Ukraine. Berlin has proposed defence spending of $125 billion. This equals 2.5 percent of GDP. In 2021, defence spending stood at just 56 billion dollars. By 2030, Germany plans to spend 3.5 percent of GDP on defence. Public opinion has played a decisive role. Trust in the United States has weakened across German society. The ZDF survey asked whether America would continue to protect Europe through NATO. Nearly three-quarters said no. By December, that number rose further. Almost nine out of 10 Germans now see American political influence in Europe as harmful. US President Donald Trump is seen as a main reason for this change. As confidence in Washington fades, Berlin is choosing self-reliance. Germany is no longer waiting for others to guarantee its security. Europes military balance is changing. Russia is watching closely. Several European nations have deployed military personnel to Greenland amid escalating threats from US President Donald Trump to seize control of the Danish territory, with France sending the largest contingent of 15 troops. This development comes as the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced that US and Canadian aircraft will arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland. European Troop Deployments Add Zee News as a Preferred Source According to reports, the following European nations have sent military personnel to Greenland: - France: 15 personnel (largest deployment) - Germany: 13 reconnaissance team members on "exploration mission" - Sweden: 3 officers - Norway: 2 military personnel - Finland: 2 military liaison officers - Netherlands: 1 naval official - United Kingdom: 1 military personnel Germany's defense ministry confirmed its personnel were sent for "an exploration mission," according to CNN reports. Meanwhile, to bolster the defense of the North Atlantic, Greenland, and the Arctic, the Swedish Air Force is deploying a squadron of Saab JAS 39 Gripen multirole fighters to Keflavik Air Base as part of Swedens contribution to NATOs Icelandic Air Policing, ensuring security and surveillance across the regions strategic airspace. #NEWS : To bolster the defense of the North Atlantic, Greenland, and the Arctic, the Swedish Air Force is deploying a squadron of Saab JAS 39 Gripen multirole fighters to Keflavik Air Base. This mission is part of Sweden's contribution to NATOs Icelandic Air Policing, pic.twitter.com/KFOKcOKUxD Alpha Defense (@alpha_defense) January 20, 2026 North American Aerospace Defense Command Deployment Adding to tensions, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced that US and Canadian aircraft will arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland for what it described as "long-planned NORAD activities." "This activity has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark, and all supporting forces operate with the requisite diplomatic clearances. The Government of Greenland is also informed of planned activities," NORAD stated in a post on X. However, the timing of the announcement, amid Trump's threats and European counter-deployments, has raised questions about whether routine military exercises could become flashpoints for confrontation. European Response The European Union has vehemently opposed Trump's demands. In response, Trump imposed 10% tariffs on multiple European nations, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland and threatened to raise them to 25% if they do not meet his demands for control over Greenland. In a joint statement, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland called the tariffs "extremely wrong," warning they could benefit China and Russia by fracturing Western unity. Trump's Greenland Push Donald Trump first publicly demanded the US acquisition of Greenland in August 2019 during his initial presidency. After his 2024 reelection, Trump renewed the push in late 2025, escalating to threats of tariffs and military coercion by January 2026. Trump has claimed that if the US doesn't own or control Greenland, "Russia and China will take it or dominate it." In a recent interview, Trump stated that only his personal decision or restraint, not international law, stops him from taking Greenland. Strategic Importance Trump has justified his demands by citing increased Russian and Chinese Arctic activities, including naval patrols and resource claims, as melting ice opens new shipping lanes. Greenland holds vast mineral wealth, including rare earth elements critical for green technology. China currently dominates 90% of global rare earth supply, adding urgency to Trump's push for control. Existing US Presence According to a 1951 defense agreement, the United States already has access to Greenland via Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base), a key facility for missile warning and space surveillance. However, US military presence has decreased from thousands of personnel in the 1960s to a few hundred today. New Delhi: Russia is stepping up its push into Indias fast-growing aviation market by offering a wider range of civil aircraft. The proposal goes beyond regional jets to include modern narrowbody and long-range aircraft for Indias busiest air routes. After offering the SJ-100 regional jet and the Il-114 turboprop, Moscow has now placed the MS-21 and the long-range Tu-214 on the table as cost-effective solutions for Indias expanding domestic and international networks. The proposal shows Russias intent to position itself as a full-spectrum aviation partner at a time when Indian airlines are adding routes, capacity and new aircraft at record speed. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source A Layered Offer Moscows approach is built around covering every tier of Indias aviation ecosystem. At the entry level, the SJ-100, a 90 to 110 seat regional jet earlier known as the Superjet, and the Il-114 turboprop are being pitched for short-haul connectivity. These aircraft are aligned with Indias UDAN regional connectivity programme, which focusses on linking smaller cities through affordable and frequent services. The Il-114 has been highlighted as particularly suitable for routes between 500 km and 1,500 km. Its rugged design and lower operating costs are seen as a fit for Tier-2 and Tier-3 city pairs where demand is consistent and margins are tight. High-Density Trunk Routes For Indias busiest domestic sectors and short-to-medium international routes, Russia is promoting the MS-21 as a modern narrowbody capable of competing with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families. Designed for high-efficiency operations on routes exceeding 3,000 km, the aircraft is being positioned as a profitable platform for hub-to-hub travel. The MS-21 is being pitched as a connector between Indias major metro airports and destinations across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and large parts of Asia. Newer versions of the aircraft, including the MS-21-310, feature indigenous PD-14 engines and advanced composite wings. These features highlight Russias push for technological self-reliance following Western sanctions and point to a long-term commitment to sustaining the programme. Long-Range Narrowbody Option The most striking part of the proposal is the Tu-214, a long-range narrowbody originally developed to compete with the Boeing 757 and Airbus A321. With the Boeing 757 no longer in production, Russia is increasing serial manufacturing of the Tu-214 to serve airlines looking for point-to-point long-haul capability without moving to widebody aircraft. In operational terms, the Tu-214 offers a range of roughly 4,340 km to 6,500 km depending on payload. From Indian airports, this allows nonstop flights to major destinations across Asia and the Middle East, including Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Israel. Cities in Japan, South Korea and parts of East Africa, such as Ethiopia, also fall within reach. The aircrafts maximum payload capacity of 25.2 tonnes supports dense passenger layouts as well as mixed passenger-cargo operations. This flexibility is being marketed as an advantage for Indian airlines seeking to boost cargo revenue along with passenger traffic. Export Markets To improve the Tu-214s commercial appeal, Russia has launched a modernisation effort focussed on operating economics. From 2026, the aircraft is moving toward certification with a two-pilot cockpit. Earlier versions required a three-member flight crew, including a flight engineer, which raised costs compared to Western competitors. The change to a two-pilot configuration aligns the aircraft with current global standards and is intended to make it more attractive to export customers, including Indian carriers that prioritise efficiency and crew commonality. Strategic Choices, Delivery Timelines While the technical pitch is comprehensive, timelines for international deliveries is linked to Russias domestic needs. Production is presently being scaled up to support an import substitution strategy aimed at replacing Western aircraft within Russias own state-owned airlines. Large export orders are expected only after domestic fleet requirements are met and manufacturing lines stabilise. For India, the offer presents a strategic option to diversify its civil aviation fleet with non-Western aircraft across every operational segment. From short-haul turboprops to long-range narrowbodies, Moscow is positioning its aircraft portfolio as a cost-focused alternative for a market that continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in the world. New Delhi: Following the Indian Air Forces recent approval to acquire Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ice Breaker cruise missile, the Indian Navy has begun evaluating the weapon for its fleet of MH-60R Romeo Sea Hawk helicopters. Sources familiar with the development indicate that this move could expand the Navys ability to neutralise maritime threats from helicopters operating far from Indias main fleet. Bridging The Long-Range Void When India procured 24 MH-60R Sea Hawks from the United States, the package included standard armaments such as AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Mk-54 lightweight torpedoes. However, the Indian Navy opted not to purchase the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM), a system deployed by the US Navy for long-range anti-ship missions. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source While highly effective, the NSMs weight of around 407 kilograms left a gap in the Sea Hawks long-range strike potential within Indian service. With the Air Force now greenlighting the Ice Breaker, naval planners see an ideal opportunity to equip the helicopters with a comparable modern and stealthy missile system. Weighing roughly 400 kilograms, the Ice Breaker fits comfortably within the Sea Hawks payload capacity without compromising flight performance, making it a practical choice for helicopter-launched standoff operations. A Lighter, Effective Alternative The search for a suitable missile is partly led by weight limitations in existing indigenous options. For instance, Indias Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Medium Range (NASM-MR) weighs over 600 kilograms and is primarily designed for fighter jets that make it unsuitable for helicopter deployment. To maintain a potent helicopter strike capability, the Navy is exploring a mixed inventory of lighter indigenous and foreign missiles. Enhancing Indias Missile Fleet Planners envision combining the Ice Breaker with domestic systems like the DRDO Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR), which weighs around 380 kilograms and has a range of roughly 55 kilometres. In this setup, the Ice Breaker would provide a complementary standoff option with a reach of up to 300 kilometres, extending the Sea Hawks operational range beyond the domestic missiles limits. Advanced Technical Features Classified as a fifth-generation long-range cruise missile, the Ice Breaker brings cutting-edge capabilities to Indias fleet. Open-source specifications indicate the system uses an Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker enhanced by artificial intelligence, enabling autonomous target acquisition and recognition (ATR). This allows the missile to identify hostile vessels even in congested maritime environments. The missile also features stealth characteristics, a sea-skimming flight profile and resistance to electronic jamming to ensure reliability even in GNSS-denied scenarios. These traits make it extremely difficult for enemy radar and air defence systems to detect or intercept. Sea Hawk Takes On Long-Range Strikes Equipping the MH-60R with a stealthy, 300-kilometre range cruise missile could fundamentally change its role in the Indian Navy. Traditionally focussed on anti-submarine warfare and surface surveillance, the Sea Hawks would evolve into potent ship-killers, capable of striking enemy vessels from safe standoff distances well beyond the reach of hostile air defences. Boosting Domestic Defence Production The potential acquisition fits with Indias Make in India initiative. Reports indicate that the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rafael to manufacture variants of the Ice Breaker domestically, ensuring that the missiles induction supports local defence manufacturing. As the Navy advances its evaluation, the Ice Breaker stands out as a decisive upgrade, promising to transform the MH-60R into a strategic asset capable of projecting Indias maritime strike power across the Indo-Pacific. Tensions continue to rise over US President Donald Trump's push for the acquisition of Greenland, the semi-autonomous Danish territory. Meanwhile, he shared a picture of a private message from French President Emmanuel Macron. This comes as the US is set to deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft at the Pituffik space base, Greenland. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities. They also said that this action is taken in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source French President Macron's Message To Trump Trump shared a picture of a private message from the President of France on Truth Social. In the said message, Macron talked about Syria, Iran, and Greenland. "My friend, we are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland," the message read. Macron suggested a meeting in the message and said, "Let us try to build great things: 1) i can set up a g7 meeting after Davos in Paris on Thursday afternoon. I can invite the Ukrainians, the Danish, the Syrians and the Russians in the margins. 2) let us have dinner together in Paris together on Thursday before you go back to the US." Also Check- Trumps Greenland Takeover Push: US Sends Aircraft To Pituffik Space Base Amid Tensions - Whats Happening According to Reuters, Trump was asked by a reporter about Macron not joining his 'Board of Peace', which has been constituted to address global conflicts. The US President responded that if there is hostility, he will "put a 200 per cent tariff" on the wines and champagne coming in from France. Trump's Greenland Push Trump also shared the following image on his Truth Social handle: - Trump's Conversation With NATO Chief Trump also held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. The US President shared the details of the conversation in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday. He said, "I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" Trump reiterated his statement of ensuring global peace through strength and claimed that the United States stands as the most powerful country due to the "rebuilding" by Trump in his first term as the President. "The United States of America is the most powerful Country anywhere on the Globe, by far. Much of the reason for this is a rebuilding of our Military during my First Term, which rebuilding continues at even more expedited pace. We are the only POWER that can ensure PEACE throughout the World -- And it is done, quite simply, through STRENGTH!" Trump's Tariff Threat over Greenland Earlier, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. (with inputs from agencies) Amid rising tensions in the Arctic region, the United States is set to deploy a North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft to the Pituffik Space Base. The move comes as US President Donald Trump continued on his push to acquire Greenland, the semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. NORAD, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), informed that the aircraft will soon arrive at the Pituffik space base and will support various long-planned activities. It also noted that this move has been coordinated with Denmark and Greenland. "North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland. Along with aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, they will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defence cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark," NORAD posted. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source "This activity has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark, and all supporting forces operate with the requisite diplomatic clearances. The Government of Greenland is also informed of planned activities," the post added. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland. Along with aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, they will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) January 19, 2026 Also Read- Why Trump Wants Greenland: The Arctic Jewel On US Radar - Military, Minerals, And Trade Routes | Explained What Is Happening? NORAD routinely conducts sustained, dispersed operations in the defence of North America, through one or all three NORAD regions- Alaska, Canada, and the continental US, according to ANI. Meanwhile, this US move follows a multinational military exercise led by Danish forces amid the tensions with Washington over Trump's threats to acquire Greenland and tariff warnings. Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, the Netherlands, and Finland have sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland to join the exercise in a move to ensure the safety of the Arctic. Notably, Denmark had also invited the US to join the military exercise. Trump's Tariff Threat Apart from the recent developments, Trump had earlier intensified his push to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory, even threatening to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries if they refused to consider selling Greenland. In a post on Truth Social, the US President had claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. However, he offered to negotiate with the European nations while also warning of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026 if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. (with ANI inputs) French President Emmanuel Macron sharply criticised US trade practices on Tuesday, stating that Washington's tariff threats "openly seek to weaken and subordinate Europe" while serving as leverage against territorial sovereignty, a subtle nod to President Donald Trump's proposal to annex Greenland. During his address at the 56th Annual World Economic Forum Summit in Davos, French President Emmanuel Macron underscored escalating global instability and imbalances spanning security, defence, and economic spheres. "It is clear that we are moving into a time of instability and imbalances, both from a security, defence, and economic point of view," he said, quotes ANI. Add Zee News as a Preferred Source The French President warned that absent collective governance, global competition is turning relentless. He targeted US trade policies for eroding European interests through demands for steep concessions and fresh tariffs, deeming such tactics fundamentally unacceptable. "This is clearly a concerning time, as we are losing the perspective needed to fix the situation. Without collective governance, cooperation yields to relentless competition. US-driven competition through trade agreements undermines our trade interests, demands maximum concessions, and openly seeks to weaken and subordinate Europe, paired with an endless barrage of new tariffs that are fundamentally unacceptable, especially when wielded as leverage against territorial sovereignty," French President Macron stated. He warned of a global shift toward autocracy rather than democracy, pointing to escalating violence and more wars than in 2024, though noting some were solved, a nod to President Trump's repeated claims of ending eight conflicts. "There is a shift toward autocracy rather than democracy. More violence, with over 60 wars in 2024, an absolute record. I heard some were solved... Conflict has become normalised, with hybrid threats expanding into new domains like space, information, digital cyber, trade, and beyond," Macron said. He further stated a shift toward a world without rules, where international law is trampled, and the only law that counts is that of the strongest, adding that imperial ambitions are resurfacing. Also Read: Mother Of All Deals: EU Chief On Trade Deal With India Ahead Of India-EU Summit Macron also cited Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine, now in its fourth year, alongside Middle East and African conflicts, as stark evidence of weakening collective governance. "The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, entering its fourth year next month, persists alongside ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Africa... This signals a shift toward a world lacking effective collective governance, where multilateralism is undermined by powers obstructing or abandoning it," the French President stated. Macron's remarks unfold against a backdrop of global uncertainty fueled by Washington's tariff threats against France and seven other European nations unless they agree to sell Greenland. In a Truth Social post, President Trump proposed negotiations but warned of escalating tariffs, 10% from February 1, 2026, and 25% from June 1, 2026, if no deal is finalised. While interacting with the media, Trump warned of a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne exports after Macron declined to join the Gaza Board of Peace, aimed at fostering stability and post-conflict reconstruction. "Nobody wants him because he's out of office soon," Trump said when asked about Macron's refusal. "I'll slap a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, he'll join then, but he doesn't have to," the US President added. Macron's current five-year term ends in May 2027, and according to French law, he cannot seek a third, fueling speculation amid these trans-atlantic frictions. (with ANI inputs) When a correlation between acetaminophen and autism was claimed on the national stage recently, it did more than produce a headline; it signaled a fracture in public trust. Oftentimes dismissed simply as fringe rhetoric, medical misinformation is anything but, having lasting impact on public health outcomes. The same way the U.S. health care system suffers from a paradox between high spending and substandard outcomes, our information ecosystem suffers from high volume with substandard accuracy. These claims are normally breezed over as if they are simply spectacles of opinion, but historically, we have seen that these minute claims often have lasting impacts and damage on outbreaks, mortality, and economic waste. The public must learn to combat these claims with rigor, demanding evidence-based validation before even considering adoption of ideas. The rise of unverified treatment has previously created an immediate strain on health care infrastructure. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the promotion of ivermectin, an antiparasitic heavily marketed as a miracle cure by public figures such as Senator Ron Johnson, resulted in a tangible resource drain. Poison control saw a fivefold increase in calls related to ivermectin toxicity. The promotion of the miracle cure often failed to mention the adverse effects, ranging from seizures to hypotension, often requiring the diversion of resources to individuals who would have otherwise been healthy. Ron Johnson had felt no personal repercussions for his statements, while the ripple of statements like this was felt through resource diversion and toxicity increase. This underscores the importance of driving skepticism and preemptively preparing for these outcomes by having physicians and hospital systems address trending misinformation in patient intakes rather than waiting for symptomatic presentation. On the opposite end of premature remedy, there have been well-documented instances of institutional denialism and its impact on population resource allocation. One of the most statistically significant instances occurred during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa. Former President Thabo Mbeki wrote a letter rejecting the link between HIV and AIDS, in which he stated, AIDS in Africa is not caused by HIV, but by poverty, malnutrition, and ill health. He delayed ARV, resulting in upwards of 330,000 unnecessary deaths between 2000 and 2005 due to lack of implementation of proper treatment, further showcasing the realities associated with improper government intervention in public health. Qualified leaders ensure the protection of public policy, which has come into question in the United States recently. As voters, it is imperative that we properly vet these individuals before casting our vote to ensure proper placement of policy. Despite the terrifying amount of physical harm that can be caused by medical misinformation, there is social impact in the form of sensationalization and radicalization that is far harder to quantify without retrospective analysis. This is exemplified by the anti-cannabis campaign in the 1930s, led by Federal Bureau of Narcotics Commissioner Harry Anslinger. In his letters, much of the evidence used was justified through demographic rather than toxicology. He made very strong blanket statements such as The menace of marijuana is comparatively new to the United States. It came in from Mexico and Reefer makes darkies think theyre as good as white men. The primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races. Propaganda films such as Reefer Madness (1936) portrayed cannabis as a drug that caused insanity, violence, and moral decay. The combination of these events cultivated a very strong rhetoric that allowed the push for racist policymaking. The transition was strong; in New Orleans, between 1923 and 1929, police documented 225 marijuana arrests, and by the late 1930s and 1940s, Los Angeles police records showed hundreds of Mexican and Black residents disproportionately arrested for marijuana offenses. Thus, while misinformations physical harms are often immediate, its social consequences, in this case, codifying racialized policing and mass criminalization, are diffuse, enduring, and quantifiable only in hindsight. Recognition of these patterns must be done through understanding data, rather than emotion, when making judgments on narratives that are being pushed, demanding evidence when strong narratives are pushed. The U.S. faces an information paradox, one that is driven by access to data without a trust in consensus. Impulsive and unverified claims are often used to dictate the livelihood of millions of people. As citizens, we must be mindful of scientific validation in political decision-making. By demanding transparency and evidence in health care claims, advocating for the use of data in policymaking, and rejecting sensationalism, we can close the gap between medical truth and public perception. We have made similar mistakes in the past, but it is important to reflect and avoid the same mistakes again. We must push for laws that cultivate an evidence-based public health policy to help drive progress and safety rather than fear and terror. Muaz Ahmad is a medical student. The eight European countries targeted by U.S. President Donald Trump for a 10% tariff for opposing American control of Greenland blasted the move yesterday [Macau time], warning that his threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. The joint statement by some of Americas closest allies signaled a possible turning point in the recent tensions over sovereignty and security nearly 24 hours after Trumps threat. It was also the most forceful rebuke of Trump from the European allies since he returned to the White House almost a year ago. In recent months, Europeans have mostly opted for diplomacy and flattery around him, even when seeking an end to the war in Ukraine. Sundays statement, as well as some European countries sending troops to Greenland for a Danish military training exercise, appeared to be a step away from that strategy. The unusually strong joint statement from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland said troops sent to Greenland for operation Arctic Endurance pose no threat to anyone. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen told reporters in Oslo that a dialogue was opened with the U.S. last week and we will not give up on that. So we will stay on track unless U.S. decides differently. Added Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide at the same news conference: We will not allow ourselves to be put under pressure, and those types of threats (of U.S. tariffs) are unacceptable between close allies, Six of the countries targeted are part of the 27-member European Union, which operates as a single economic zone in terms of trade. Following emergency talks among the EUs national envoys Sunday, EU Council President Antonio Costa said the blocs leaders agree that tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and are incompatible with the EU-U.S. trade agreement. They expressed readiness to defend ourselves against any form of coercion, Costa said in a statement. He is expected to convene a summit of the blocs leaders later this week. Solidarity with Denmark and Greenland Trumps Saturday announcement sets up a potentially dangerous test of U.S. partnerships in Europe. He appeared to indicate that he was using the tariffs as leverage to force talks over the status of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark that he regards as critical to U.S. national security. Late Sunday, Trump posted on his social media platform that NATO has warned Denmark for two decades of the Russian threat to Greenland. He said Denmark hasnt acted and Now it is time, and it will be done!!! We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland, the group said. Building on the process begun last week, we stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind. Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. There are immediate questions about how the White House could implement tariffs against the EU. It was unclear, too, how Trump could act under U.S. law, though he could cite emergency economic powers that are currently subject to a U.S. Supreme Court challenge. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said China and Russia will benefit from divisions between the U.S. and Europe. She added on social media: If Greenlands security is at risk, we can address this inside NATO. Europe has been trying to keep Trump on its side to ensure U.S. support for Ukraine, including Washington sharing intelligence with Kyiv and its involvement in security guarantees if a peace agreement is reached with Russia. Rasmus Sndergaard, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, called Trumps announcement unprecedented because tariff threats normally stem from trade disagreements, not territorial disputes between allies. Thats of course why were seeing the response from European countries saying enough is enough, he told The Associated Press. I think theres in part probably a strategic calculation, of course, from the governments in these countries that if you give in to Trump on this, what will be the next thing? And at some point you have to sort of push back. Sndergaard also said Trump leveled the playing field for Europe with the tariff threat. Europeans cannot compete militarily, but the EU can wield an economic weapon through reciprocal tariffs. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte wrote on social media Sunday that hed spoken with Trump. Rutte has been criticized in recent days for largely sidestepping questions about Trump and Greenland and any NATO tensions over the island. We will continue working on this, and I look forward to seeing him in Davos later this week, Rutte said. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also spoke to Trump and told him that applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is wrong, a Downing Street spokeswoman said. That call followed conversations with Rutte, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Trumps move was also panned domestically. STEFANIE DAZIO, BERLIN, MDT/AP Like this: Like Loading... Macaus tourism chief acknowledged yesterday that visitors preferences for exploring the city have significantly changed, with group tours only recovering to approximately 25% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024. As noted by the director of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Maria Helenna de Senna Fernandes, as of last year, Macau had 197 licensed travel agencies and 1,851 licensed tour guides. Currently, most tourists do not opt for group tours. Estimates suggest that by the end of 2024, group tour recovery had only reached about 25% of pre-pandemic levels, said Senna Fernandes, who noted that more travelers now prefer independent travel, favoring smaller trips with family or friends. She further noted that the industry is evolving rapidly and expressed hopes of developing diverse tourism products in the future such as educational tours to complement traditional group tour operations. It may not necessarily be just about tour guides. Currently, it might not only involve handling large groups. Moving forward, we aim to diversify our offerings, for example through educational tours or other initiatives, to supplement the conventional group tour business. The Macau government recently concluded discussions on the new Travel Agents and Professional Tour Guides legal regime, and has formulated relevant administrative regulations to adapt to changes in the tourism industry and economic development, Secretary for Administration and Justice Wong Sio Chak announced during an Executive Council press conference yesterday. These regulations will take effect at the beginning of next month. These legal systems have been in effect for over 20 years, and as the Macau Special Administrative Regions economy continues to develop, the tourism industry has also undergone significant changes, he stated. As outlined in a statement distributed during the press conference alongside Wongs verbal announcement, key updates to the legal amendments include that tour guides must complete a course of at least 102 hours offered by the Macao University of Tourism (UTM). Those without higher education qualifications must undergo a training course of 150 hours, which includes a mandatory refresher course conducted by the university lasting at least 3.5 hours. Providing further details on the updates, the authorities stated that existing tour guides must complete relevant supplementary courses within three years to maintain their qualifications, or their licenses will be revoked. Additionally, guides must conduct tours in the language specified on their license, with refresher courses provided in the guides designated language English-speaking guides will primarily receive instruction in English, while Chinese-speaking guides will be taught in Chinese. The new legislation will also impose additional requirements; for instance, local students with overseas qualifications seeking to work as tour guides must complete supplementary courses related to Macau tourism. Key updates to the relevant regulations also include an increase in bank guarantee amounts, with travel agencies deposits rising from MOP500,000 to MOP600,000 to ensure their effectiveness. Insurance coverage will also increase, as professional civil liability insurance rises from MOP700,000 to at least MOP1,000,000 to enhance beneficiary protection. The education and training requirements specify that qualified supervisors must hold qualifications from higher education institutions within Macau or from non-local institutions recognized by the Macao University of Tourism, with professional training courses totaling 30 hours. Furthermore, the regulations clearly outline the documentation required for various applications and notifications, facilitating the implementation of electronic evidence to enable the tourism authorities to access necessary documents without requiring applicants to submit them in person. Like this: Like Loading... Macau Times Publications Limited, the publisher of Macau Daily Times, has announced a company-wide pay rise and a Chinese New Year bonus for full-time employees, according to an internal announcement circulated last week. Management said the measures are intended to recognize staff commitment and performance throughout 2025, a year it described as demanding but productive for the organization. Under the decision, all full-time employees will receive a 3% salary increase, applied to their 2025 base pay and effective from salaries paid at the end of January 2026. In addition, staff will receive a Chinese New Year bonus equivalent to one months salary, calculated on the new pay level that includes the 3% increase. In the message, the publisher thanked employees for their hard work, stressing that these efforts had not gone unnoticed. The company also expressed confidence in continued staff dedication in 2026, framing the pay rise and bonus as both a reward and an incentive for the year ahead. Macau Times Publications employs more than 25 people. Like this: Like Loading... The Champions of the Future Academy Program Macau took place over the weekend at the Coloane Karting Track, crowning three champions across three categories. In the Mini 60, dedicated to the youngest racers, Thai driver Max Zvarich topped the classification board with 89 points, particularly thanks to the 51 points earned in Final 2 held on Sunday. Zvarich finished ahead of Australian Ryder Xiong (79 points) and Indonesian Syabil Umar Basalamah (74 points) in a category that included 15 racers from 11 nationalities. In the OK-N Junior category, the final victory went to John Han from Hong Kong, who led the standings with 94 points, ahead of Mariano Axel Nocom from the Philippines (88 points) and Jay Kostecki (Australia) with 80. The OK-N Senior category, for the most experienced drivers, saw two Lithuanians on top, separated by just one point. Markas Silkunas beat his sister, Vanesa Silkunaite, by 1 point (95-94), with the siblings exchanging finishing positions in both finals. Third place went to Japanese driver Seira Kojima with 64 points, highlighting the dominance of the Lithuanian siblings. The only local racer participating in the event was Henrique Borges, who placed 14th and last in the category. This was a brand-new event created by the RGMMC Group, extending the Champions of the Future Academy Program into a national series. The Champions of the Future Academy Program Macau took place over a single weekend, with two finals. The Mini 60 category runs on the Parolin chassis with TM engines, while OK-N Junior and Senior run on Kart Republic chassis with IAME engines. All classes used LeCont tires for this event. The concept of these events is based on the arrive-and-drive formula, in which racers are supplied with the complete kart, engine, tires, fuel, and all the support they need to compete over a weekend of races, paying a fixed fee. The international karting series is designed to develop the next generation of motorsport talent, aligning with FIA sporting standards, combining competition with comprehensive driver education, and controlling costs. More karting this weekend The year started busy at the Coloane Karting Track, which will continue to host international races. From today until Sunday (Jan. 25), Macau will welcome racers from the ROTAX series for the 2026 Macau International Kart Grand Prix / RMC International Trophy Asia. The event will include races in six categories: Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max, Max DD2/DD2 Masters, Senior Max Masters, and Senior MAX. The final races of each category will take place on Sunday (Jan. 25) in the afternoon, with the green light expected at 1:50 p.m. for Micro Max and the checkered flag shown to Senior MAX around 4:45 p.m. Like this: Like Loading... A young local woman is suspected of having fallen victim to a phone scam impersonating a police officer from Wuhan, who accused her of spreading a large number of false advertisements in mainland China, resulting in a loss of HKD738,240. According to the report, the female victim stated that on January 15, she received a call from someone claiming to be a Wuhan police officer. The caller accused her of being involved in disseminating false advertisements in mainland China since June of last year, and said her cooperation in an investigation was required. She accurately recited her personal details, and the call was then transferred to a prosecutor, who requested a FaceTime video call. Using the pretext of her involvement in a major fraud case and restrictions on her travel, the scammer persuaded her to enable screen-sharing mode on her phone to apply for a priority investigation. Believing the ruse, the victim followed the instructions and accessed a designated website, where she entered her identity and bank account details, then submitted the SMS verification code from her bank. After completing these steps, the scammer informed her that they would follow up later and demanded that she keep the matter confidential. Sensing something was wrong, the victim later tried to log into her online banking but found she could no longer access her account. After contacting her bank, she discovered that the funds in her account had been transferred in eight separate transactions to eight different bank accounts in Hong Kong by an unknown individual, resulting in a total loss of HKD738,240. Ricaela Diputado Like this: Like Loading... As of November 2025, the Modi-led BJP government has started to bring its new Labour Codes into effect. These laws represent nothing short of a wholesale decimation of workers rights and conditions, aimed at turning us into nothing but raw material for exploitation. The Revolutionary Communists of India RCI(I) support the central trade unions call for an all-India general strike on 12 February to repel Modis latest attack! The growth of Indian capitalism, while impressive on paper, is based on the hyper-exploitation of the working class, who are treated like beasts of burden by the bosses. But for the capitalists, even this brutal exploitation is not enough. The new Labour Codes have been brought in to benefit the mega-corporations who are the main funders of the ruling BJP. The fat cats and their media barons have long been campaigning for more liberal labour laws so that they can hire and fire workers more easily, as well as to remove obstacles to doing business around health and safety, all to increase their profits at the workers expense. The new Labour Codes reduce Indias 29 existing labour laws to just four: 1. Code on Wages, 2019; 2. Industrial Relations Code, 2020; 3. Code on Social Security, 2020; and 4. Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. The new Labour Codes were originally introduced by the government and passed in parliament during the COVID period, without much discussion. This was done during the wave of protests and opposition to Modis reactionary agricultural bills and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The proposals were put on hold due to opposition from workers and trade unions, but now Modi thinks he has an opportunity to push them through. The introduction of fixed-term employment under these Codes will further casualise an already massively casualised workforce. In India, nearly 90 percent of the workforce are unorganised, and this law would completely casualise the small percentage of contracted, organised workers, stripping away their legal benefits and protections. The previous laws provided some limited space for trade unions to organise workers. The new law prohibits strikes without issuing a 14-day notice beforehand and also prohibits strikes during conciliation proceedings. Retrenchment of workers is also made easier. Previously, a government sanction was needed to retrench workers in companies employing below 100 workers. This has been extended to companies employing below 300 workers, which applies to the majority of the workforce, laying the grounds to remove their employment protections. The new laws also alter the legal definition of a factory. Previously, plants with 10 workers using powered equipment and 20 workers without powered equipment were defined as factories, in which workers enjoy more basic safety guarantees. This has now been altered to 20 and 40 workers respectively. Moreover, there is no assurance of the eight-hour working day in the new Labour Codes because of overtime work. Though the new law defines gig workers, it does not recognise them as workers or ensure their rights. It has not addressed major issues facing gig workers like wages, working conditions etc. Gig workers are working in inhuman conditions and they comprise nearly twenty million people in India. More workers are resorting to the gig economy due to unemployment. Recently gig workers held numerous big and small strikes against commerce platforms demand that all deliveries be completed within just 10 minutes. The earlier law advocated prosecution of employers for not complying with labour laws, but under the new Code, the employer can avoid prosecution by paying a fine, meaning the bosses can literally pay to abuse their employees. The adoption of so-called neoliberal policies in 1991 led to the widespread privatisation of industry. The current ruling party, the BJP, and earlier, Congress, followed the same capitalist policies that enrich huge corporations like Adani and Ambani. The new Labour Codes will be a further huge setback, doing away with legislation that was won by the huge struggle and sacrifice of the workers. So far, the Codes have only been implemented in BJP-ruled states. Other states like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal havent brought in these rules, due to fear of opposition from workers and punishment at the coming state assembly elections. It is also noteworthy that the BJP, though it passed the laws in 2020, has not allowed the changes to come into force until now, due to fierce opposition from workers. The Modi government finally allowed the laws to come into effect in November 2025, following the victory of its National Democratic Alliance coalition in the Bihar elections. But the hesitancy of the bourgeois parties and the central government should give the workers organisations confidence. The ruling class fears their strength! There is huge opposition from the central trade unions. The joint platform of central trade unions has called for an all-India general strike on 12 February. The Samyuktha Kisan Morcha (SKM) farmers union is also joining the general strike. The BJP government is steadfast in its attack on the working class, setting up a major showdown. 10 years of BJP rule has deteriorated the economy and increased the inequality across the country. Unemployment and the poverty of the masses have increased to unprecedented levels. Modi and Shah at the head of the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh regime have been successful in diverting the masses anger and attention along religious and caste lines through attacks on minorities, Muslims and Dalits, but this divide-and-rule tactic can only work for so long. Only a powerful, sustained workers movement similar to the farmers' movement, which led the Modi government to roll back his pro-corporate Agricultural Bill, can lead to the repeal of the new Labour Codes. Workers must use their immense strength to defeat this latest capitalist assault on their rights and conditions, and then turn their struggle into a political campaign against the Modi regime itself, along with the vile capitalist system it upholds. Down with Modi! Down with the Labour Codes! All out on 12 February! 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 Prolonged exposure to air pollution can be linked to an elevated risk for serious neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and seems to speed up the pathological process, report researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The study is published in the journal JAMA Neurology. "We can see a clear association, despite the fact that levels of air pollution in Sweden are lower than in many other countries," says Jing Wu, researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet. "This underlines the importance of improving air quality." Motor neuron diseases (MNDs) are serious neurological diseases in which the nerve cells that govern voluntary movement become so degraded that they stop working, leading to muscle atrophy and paralysis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common type, accounting for around 85% to 90% of cases. Environmental factors thought to play a part The causes of these diseases are largely unknown, but environmental factors have long been suspected of playing a part. The new study shows that air pollution can be one such factor. The study included 1,463 participants in Sweden with recently diagnosed MND, who were compared with 1,768 siblings and over 7,000 matched controls from the general population. The researchers analyzed levels of particles (PM 2.5 , PM 2.5-10 , PM 10 ) and nitrogen dioxide at their home addresses up to 10 years prior to their diagnoses. The annual mean values for these pollutants were just above the WHO guidelines and the peak values were much lower than in countries with heavy air pollution. Up to 30% higher risk Long-term exposure to air pollution, even at relatively low levels typical of Sweden, was associated with a 20% to 30% higher risk of developing MND. Moreover, people who had lived in areas with higher levels of air pollution experienced more rapid motor and pulmonary deterioration after diagnosis. They also had an elevated risk of death and were more likely to need treatment with an invasive ventilator. "Our results suggest that air pollution might not only contribute to the onset of the disease, but also affect how quickly it progresses," says Caroline Ingre, adjunct professor at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet. When confining their analyses to ALS patients, the researchers found virtually the same pattern as for the entire MND group. Inflammation and oxidative stress The researchers stress that the study is unable to show the mechanisms behind the association, but previous research indicates that air pollution can cause inflammation and oxidative stress in the nervous system. Since it was an observational study, no causal relationship can be ascertained. The study was based on Swedish registry data and was financed by several bodies, including the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Swedish Research Council and Karolinska Institutet. Publication details Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and Risk and Prognosis of Motor Neuron Disease, JAMA Neurology (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.5379 Holly Elser et al, Air Pollution and Motor Neuron DiseaseParticulate-ly Risky, JAMA Neurology (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.5378 Journal information: Archives of Neurology 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: Infantile amnesia is the global loss of episodic and contextual memories formed in early life. Our research shows that the engrams storing these memories endure in the brain into adulthood (in mice) but are not expressed. Microglia, the immune cells of the brain, function to manage these memory engrams. Microglial activity decides which engrams are forgotten during infant development, allowing the rate of forgetting to respond to different inflammatory experiences during embryonic and postnatal development. Credit: Erika Stewart et al., 2025, PLOS Biology, CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Scientists have found that blocking microglia (specialist immune cells in the brain) prevents infant forgetting ("infantile amnesia") and improves memory in mice, suggesting that microglia may actively manage memory formation and dictate what, and when, we forget. Infants of many species, from mice to humans rapidly forget things that happen to thema phenomenon called infantile amnesiabut until now we have known little about how this happens. The new discovery, just published in journal PLOS Biology, now offers strong support for the mechanism at play. Infants and young children are growing rapidly and taking in vast amounts of information as they develop, but there is a lack of episodic memory from this early period of life, like memories of past events such as a first birthday party or first day of playgroup. To better understand how this infantile amnesia functions, the authors of this study inhibited the activity of microglia, which are the main immune cells of the brain, in very young mice and examined how well they could remember a fearful experience. They also examined microglia markers in two memory-related brain areas: the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and the amygdala. The researchers found that when microglia activity was suppressed, with less activity in the hippocampus and amygdala, young mice had better memories of their fearful experiences. The scientists also used glowing tags to identify engram cells, which are neurons whose activity is specifically associated with memory formation. When microglia were inhibited in infant mice, the engram cells were more activated, offering a functional explanation for the enhanced memory recall. In previous work, the scientists found that mice born to mothers with activated immune systems do not have infantile amnesia, but when they modulated microglial activity during an early postnatal window soon after birth in these mice, they were able to restore the normal state of infantile amnesia. In combination, while other cell types might also be involved, the authors suggest that microglia are required for infantile amnesia in mice and could help shape the networks that form memories in the brain. Lead author, Dr. Erika Stewart, is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, U.S.. She conducted this work for her Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. Tomas Ryan, from Trinity College Dublin's School of Biochemistry and Immunology. Dr. Stewart said, "Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, can be considered the 'memory managers' in the brain. Our paper highlights their role in infantile amnesia specifically and indicates that common mechanisms may exist between infantile amnesia and other forms of forgettingboth in everyday life and in disease." Senior author, Prof. Ryan, added, "Infantile amnesia is possibly the most ubiquitous form of memory loss in the human population. Most of us remember nothing from our early years of life, despite having so many novel experiences during these formative years. This is an overlooked topic in memory research, precisely because we all accept it as a fact of life. "But what if those memories are still present in the brain? Increasingly, the memory field views forgetting as a 'feature' of the brain rather than a 'bug.' It seems that the brain is filing away the neuronal units that store memory, the engrams, for later use and that microglia seem to be functioning in the brain to help organize how engrams are stored and expressed across the lifetime." "The biology of infantile amnesia may give us insight into how forgetting happens in the brain in general. Furthermore, being able to manipulate infantile amnesia opens doors to new ways of imagining how learning, and forgetting, might work during the early years of life. It will be interesting and important to identify humans, that don't experience infantile amnesia, to learn how their brains work, and understand their experience of early childhood education." One of the remaining burning questions is whether there is an adaptive (useful) purpose to infantile amnesia. It seems to only be a feature in "altricial" mammals, which are those that are born in a helpless, vulnerable state and are completely reliant on their caregiver(s). "Precocial" mammals such as guinea pigs, born in a more advanced state of maturation with greater independence, do not display infantile amnesia. Perhaps memories formed while individuals are so helpless are not as reliable and they are stored away under the shroud of infantile amnesia, but the scientists underline nobody yet knows the answers here. Key medical concepts MicrogliaAmygdalaDentate Gyrus 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 Brazilian researchers have identified previously unknown forms of a protein linked to breast cancer. The discovery contributes to our understanding of variability in responses to treatment, even with the most advanced therapies. The study increases the known number of HER2 protein variations in these tumors from 13 to 90. Additionally, the study reveals distinct patterns of protein domains (structural units with specific functions that can operate independently) and localization within cells, as well as new areas of antibody binding. This diversity may explain resistance to therapies that target the standard form of the HER2 protein. This broadens our understanding of the disease and opens up possibilities for searching for more targeted drugs. The work is published in the journal Genome Research. HER2 is a membrane-bound protein that plays an important role in controlling cell growth when its levels are normal in the body. However, in certain types of cancer, its production is permanently activated. This overexpression stimulates the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells, making the tumor more aggressive and prone to spreading rapidly. About 20% of all breast cancer cases in Brazil are linked to HER2 overexpression. The research was conducted by a group at the Sirio-Libanes Hospital. Researcher Pedro Galante served as corresponding author of the article and is coordinator of the hospital's Bioinformatics Group. The work was featured on the cover illustration of the journal, signed by Alice Brassanini Mena Barreto dos Reis, a patient who overcame breast cancer after being treated by one of the co-authors, clinical oncologist Carlos Henrique dos Anjos. The illustration refers to the spirit of exploration and discovery, inspired by Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland." The illustration reimagines a scientist as Alice standing in front of a keyhole, which reveals an intricate molecular world. She holds a key, symbolizing the revelation of knowledge and the antibody-receptor interactions explored in the study. "When we reached 90 variations, we discovered that some of them don't have protein domains that would allow the expected anchoring of HER2 to the cell membrane. In addition, they may lose this region of binding with the antibody. This is important because the antibody needs to be specific to each protein, just as a key fits into a lock," Galante tells Agencia FAPESP. He adds, "By analyzing cell lines, which are cell populations derived from human tumors, we were able to validate our hypotheses about treatment response. The cell lines that expressed alternative sets of HER2 proteins, which we had predicted wouldn't respond, did indeed not respond to the drug. On the other hand, cell lines with the conventional protein, which were expected to respond to treatment, did indeed respond. "This reinforced our hypothesis that variations in the HER2 gene in specific regions, caused by a molecular event called alternative splicing, are directly associated with differential responses to drugs: some variants respond well, others poorly, or simply don't respond at all. That was our major finding." Alternative splicing is an essential step in gene expression that increases the diversity of versions of the same molecule (in this case, the protein). These variations arise from a single gene, but they differ slightly in structure and function. They involve modifications in RNA (ribonucleic acid) after its transcription from DNA. Changes in the splicing pattern are related to the development of genetic diseases and various types of malignant tumors. "Since I joined the group ten years ago, I've been studying alternative splicing with particular attention. In this work, we were able to focus on a mechanism that isn't widely explored in clinical practice but has an impact on different fronts, including response to therapies, as we saw in the case of HER2. It opens our eyes to this mechanism with a view, for example, to developing more specific drugs and new forms of diagnosis," says Gabriela Der Agopian Guardia, the article's first author and Sirio-Libanes researcher. Pathways The scientists examined 561 primary breast cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a public database of tumor genomes created in the United States. They also evaluated cell lines cultured in the laboratory that were either sensitive or resistant to drugs such as trastuzumab and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which deliver potent chemotherapy drugs directly to tumor cells. The group used advanced genetic sequencing technologies in their analyses, which enabled them to detect details invisible in more common assessments. For example, they identified more versions of HER2 than were previously known. Among breast cancer cases, tumors may have different levels of HER2 protein expression. Some have high levels and are classified as HER2-positive, indicating eligibility for specific targeted therapies. Others with lower or absent expression are called HER2-low or HER2-zero, respectively. These tumors belong to the HER2-negative group, though some newer treatments, such as antibody-drug conjugates, have also shown benefit in these cases. For HER2-positive tumors, the standard treatment is a combination of chemotherapy and antibodies that block the growth signals of the protein. This therapy costs an average of BRL 40,000 (approximately USD $7,500.00) per patient and can cause side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and a drop in white blood cell count. The National Cancer Institute (INCA) notes that breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers among Brazilian women (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women. The estimated figures for total breast cancer diagnoses in 2025 point to 73,000 new cases, with the Southeast being the region with the highest incidence, according to the publication Breast Cancer Control in Brazil: Data and Figures 2025, which was released to mark Pink October, a month dedicated to raising awareness and fighting the disease. The research group plans to expand analyses to other types of cancer, such as lung cancer, where the HER2 protein may be involved, and where similar drugs are already being used. The group also plans to validate the formulated hypotheses clinically. For example, the scientists intend to investigate whether the expression pattern of HER2 isoforms influences the response to treatments in patients who have already received anti-HER2 therapies, especially antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Publication details Gabriela D.A. Guardia et al, Alternative splicing generates HER2 isoform diversity underlying antibodydrug conjugate resistance in breast cancer, Genome Research (2025). DOI: 10.1101/gr.280304.124 Journal information: Genome Research Clinical categories OncologyClinical genetics 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: Transcriptional signature identified in mature sciatic nerve motor and nonmotor axons by spatial transcriptomics. Credit: Nature Neuroscience (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-025-02101-2 The functioning of neurons, cells that transmit information in the nervous system, heavily relies on the production of proteins. Proteins are synthesized both inside cells (i.e., in the soma) and locally along axons, projections via which signals are transmitted to other cells. The local synthesis of proteins allows axons to rapidly respond to changes, grow and repair themselves, which in turn allows the formation of new connections in the brain associated with learning and memory. Past studies have linked disruptions in the local production of proteins to some neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is characterized by the progressive degradation of motor neurons, nerve cells that support voluntary muscle movements. Researchers at Leuven Brain Institute and KU Leuven in Belgium gathered new valuable insight into the contribution of local protein synthesis to this severe neurodegenerative disease, which they published in Nature Neuroscience. Studying neurons that carry ALS-linked FUS mutations To explore the link between protein synthesis in axons and ALS, the team analyzed mouse motor neurons using a technique known as spatial transcriptomics. Spatial transcriptomics allows neuroscientists to map gene expression directly within sections of tissue, shedding new light on how specific cell types and their locations support specific biological functions. Experimental schematic of the workflow applied to identify motor neuron-specific transcripts using UV-photocleavable RNA probes against the whole-mouse genome in combination with cell-specific antibodies using the NanoString GeoMx DSP spatial transcriptomic platform. Top, representative immunofluorescence image of a mouse spinal cord section using ChAT and NFH antibodies to identify motor neuron cell bodies (left inset) and nonmotor neurons (right inset). Middle, representative image from the digital segmentation applied using GeoMX DSP software. Bottom, next-generation sequencing of UV light-laserreleased RNAs extracted from pooled motor neurons or non-motor neurons. Scale bars, 500 m and 50 m (inset). Credit: Nature Neuroscience (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-025-02101-2. "Local protein synthesis is vital for neuronal function, but its dysregulation in neurodegenerative diseases remains poorly defined," Diana Piol, Bilal Khalil and their colleagues wrote in their paper. "We applied spatial transcriptomics to adult mouse motor nerve axons and cell bodies to enable subcellular mapping." Using spatial transcriptomics, Piol, Khalil and their colleagues identified RNA transcripts that were richer in axons or in cell somas. They then used another technique called immunofluorescence to visualize proteins in the mouse axons and cells, detecting RNA that support the synthesis of proteins. In their analyses, the team focused on mutations in a specific protein, called FUS (fused in sarcoma), which binds to RNA molecules and regulates the stability, transport and translation of RNA. "Among transcripts found in mature axons, the most enriched biological process is protein translation, and localization of translation machinery was confirmed using multiplexed single-molecule spatial transcriptomics combined with immunofluorescence," wrote the authors. "Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-associated mutations in the RNA-binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS), which suppress local translation, disrupt the compartment-specific RNA signatures, including components of the translation machinery. In particular, eukaryotic initiation factor 5a (Eif5a), a translation factor involved in elongation and termination, is found to be locally impaired in mutant FUS axons with reduced levels of its active hypusinated form." Guiding the development of future ALS therapies Piol, Khalil and their colleagues found evidence suggesting that proteins are partly synthesized inside axons, but this local production of proteins is disrupted when neurons carry mutations in the FUS gene. These FUS mutations lead to the reduced production of proteins in places where they are most needed, which was previously found to be associated with ALS. As part of their study, the researchers also tried to restore local protein synthesis in fruit fly models of ALS, using a naturally occurring molecule called spermidine. They found that treating the mice with this molecule restored protein translation in axons, reducing damage to neurons. "Axon-specific treatment with polyamine spermidine restores Eif5a hypusination and ameliorates mutant FUS-dependent neuronal defects, including suppression of local protein synthesis," wrote Piol, Khalil and their colleagues. "Finally, in vivo spermidine treatment reduces ALS-related toxicity in mutant FUS and TDP-43 Drosophila models, which may have implications for therapy development." Future studies could try to replicate these recent findings in additional experiments with other animal models of ALS, including mouse models. Eventually, if it is validated in humans, the insight gathered by this research team could inform the development of new therapeutic strategies that mitigate neurodegeneration by repristinating local protein synthesis processes. Written for you by our author Ingrid Fadelli, 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. Publication details Diana Piol et al, Axonal Eif5a hypusination controls local translation and mitigates defects in FUS-ALS, Nature Neuroscience (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-025-02101-2. Journal information: Nature Neuroscience Clinical categories Neurology 2026 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: The 4Quads task. Credit: Psychological Science (2025). DOI: 10.1177/09567976251391172 When walking through an unfamiliar city, we might rely on different types of directions. Head east out of the train station, take a left at the stoplight, turn at the building with the mural. To move through complex environments and keep track of where objects are, people use reference points either in relation to their own body (for example, to their left) or based on features of their environment (next to the window, across from the door). As someone moves around, the body-based referencescalled egocentric reference framesmay change, whereas the environmental references, allocentric reference frames, stay the same. For instance, a tree on the left when walking in one direction is on the right when walking in the other direction, but the tree is always next to the mailbox. Different cultures use different reference frames, perhaps as a product of language. Americans, who are thought to prefer body-based references, tend to talk egocentrically. "We say things like, "You have some food on your left cheek,'" said Benjamin Pitt, a research fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, in an interview with the Observer. "We would never say that you have some food on your down-river cheek or on your east cheek, but other cultures do." Additionally, the physical reality of where we live influences our frames of reference. Rather than looking left and right to cross a street, people growing up in the Amazon rainforest cross rivers by looking upriver to check for hazards. In the natural world, "There's really no reason or very little reason to keep track of leftright spatial distinctions," said Pitt. "Instead, there are good reasons to keep track of allocentric spatial distinctions. It's all about where things are in the environment, and the environment tends not to be organized with respect to our bodies." People may also choose different references depending on the situation. In a 2022 study, Pitt found that the Indigenous Tsimane' of Bolivia used allocentric references when asked to put items on a left-to-right axis, but egocentric references when placing items on a front-to-back axis. "Is it just that they're flexible and they can really quickly switch from one trial to the next?" he wondered. Or, "Can they actually combine egocentric and allocentric at the same time?" Pitt addressed this question in a 2025 study in Psychological Science. Participantsboth Tsimane' and U.S. adultswere shown a rectangular table with four cups in each corner and a small ball in one of the cups. The 4Quads task. Credit: Psychological Science (2025). DOI: 10.1177/09567976251391172 They were told to take the ball, turn 180 degrees to face another table set up the same way, and put the ball back in the same cup. They repeated this over 16 trials. If participants used purely egocentric references (only thinking left/right and far/close to themselves), they would place a ball originally in the far-right corner in the far-right corner again. If participants used purely allocentric references (with respect to the location of the window, for example), they would place a ball originally closest to the window in the cup closest to the window again. These distinctions could be made within each subset of four cups as well. Both the Americans and the Tsimane' used environment-based references to determine the ball's leftright position, but body-based references to determine its frontback position. This suggests that even across cultures, people simultaneously integrate two reference frames. "The answer, according to this, is you can use both at the same time," said Pitt. Pitt suspects people use different references for leftright and frontback because keeping track of leftright spatial distinctions is harder. "We have expressions like, 'No, your other left,'" said Pitt. "Nobody is confusing their front with their back. Nobody's like, 'No, your other front.' It's so completely obvious, which is your front and which is your back." For those more difficult leftright distinctions, people may abandon body-based references for easier environmental references. "You can just pick something in the environment that's sitting there staring at you," said Pitt. "You don't have to worry about whether it was on your left or your right because that's too confusing." But people don't use environment-based references for everything. It seems a combination is best, regardless of where you live. "If you want to move your body through the world, then you're going to need to integrate these things," Pitt said. Publication details Benjamin Pitt et al, Different reference frames on different axes: Space and language in indigenous Amazonians, Science Advances (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abp9814 Benjamin Pitt, One Action, Two Reference Frames: Compound Cognitive Maps of Object Location, Psychological Science (2025). DOI: 10.1177/09567976251391172 Journal information: Psychological Science , Science Advances This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The first review of vaccine trials conducted in care homes concludes that it is "crucial" that future vaccine trials include care home residents. Led by the University of Aberdeen and published in Age and Ageing, the researchers describe how care home residents are particularly vulnerable to infection due to their age and communal living lifestyle. For these reasons, care home residents are prioritized in vaccine roll-out programs. However, the vaccines themselves may be less effective in this group due to the same age and health-related factors. Despite all of this, the authors state that people who live in care homes are not currently adequately represented in vaccine trials. The research team, who are part of the Widening Access to Trials in Care Homes (WATCH) consortium, recommend that all future vaccine trials should include care home residents. The review covered more than 700 articles and 20 vaccine trials, involving some 7,479 people across 238 care homes across the UK. The study was led by Professor Roy Soiza from the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian, with colleagues from NHS Grampian, The University of Glasgow, NHS Highland and The University of Edinburgh and the wider WATCH consortium. The WATCH project was established in the UK as part of an initiative by the UK Vaccine Innovation Pathway (part of NIHR) to improve the capacity and capability of vaccine trials in wider care settings. The aim of the WATCH project is to develop best practice guidance for planning successful future vaccine trials in care home settings. The consortium includes care home managers, researchers from across the NHS and universities in Scotland and expert representatives from NIHR and universities in England. The group was established following the vaccine rollout during the COVID-19 pandemic with a view to improve practice. Professor Roy Soiza, Honorary Chair at the University of Aberdeen and Consultant Geriatrician at NHS Grampian who is leading the project explains, "As demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, care home residents are often worst affected by infectious diseases, so numerous vaccines are developed for older people with frailty, including care home residents. "Despite this, care home residents are often excluded from trials of medications that are later prescribed to them, including vaccines. "During the pandemic, not a single care home resident was recruited into trials despite this group being prioritized for vaccination. "Improving the representation of care home residents in vaccine trials is crucial to ensuring the efficacy and safety of new vaccines." Dr. Selvarani Subbarayan, Researcher at the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian adds, "The COVID-19 pandemic clearly demonstrated how rapidly infections can spread in care homes and how severely this vulnerable population can be affected. "We know that care home residents are much older and frailer and live in communal settings, which significantly increases their risk of infection, hospitalization, and in some cases, death. "Although care home residents are prioritized for vaccination, their response to vaccines may be reduced due to factors such as frailty, dementia, reduced kidney function, and the nature of communal living. "Even when vaccines are effective, immune responses in older adults may decline more quickly than in younger populations. "All these factors make it essential to test vaccines directly in care home residents to fully understand their safety, effectiveness, and whether extra measures like booster doses are needed. "Despite the importance of this research, recruiting care home residents into vaccine trials remains challenging. Addressing these barriers is critical to ensure that vaccines are properly evaluated in the populations most at risk and most likely to benefit from them. That is what we are trying to do here." Publication details Selvarani Subbarayan et al, A scoping review of randomised controlled trials of vaccines that recruited care home residents: lessons for future trials, Age and Ageing (2025). DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afaf355 Journal information: Age and Ageing 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: U.S. health officials plan a new study investigating whether radiation from cellphones may affect human health. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said the research will examine electromagnetic radiation and possible gaps in current science. The initiative stems from numerous concerns raised by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has linked cellphone use to neurological damage and cancer. "The [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] removed webpages with old conclusions about cell phone radiation while HHS undertakes a study on electromagnetic radiation and health research to identify gaps in knowledge, including on new technologies, to ensure safety and efficacy," HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said. He added that the study was directed in a strategy report from the president's Make America Healthy Again Commission. Many states already have partial or complete bans on wireless communication devices, including cellphones and tablets, during the school daya move aimed at improving kids' mental and physical health. At the same time, health officials say existing evidence has not changed. Some webpages from the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say current research does not show clear harm from cellphone radiation. The National Cancer Institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, says that "evidence to date suggests that cellphone use does not cause brain or other kinds of cancer in humans." More information The National Cancer Institute has more on cell phones and cancer risk. Key medical concepts CancerBrain Tumors 2026 HealthDay. All rights reserved. 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 The mpox virus appears to be circulating silently in parts of Nigeria, in many cases without the symptoms typically associated with the disease, according to new research led by scientists from the University of Cambridge and partners in Nigeria. The findings may have implications for controlling the spread of the disease. In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers show that exposure to the mpox virus can occur without recognized illness, and that residual immunity from historic smallpox vaccination continues to shape how the virus spreads in human populations. Mpox background and vaccination history Mpox is a zoonotic virusthat is, one that initially jumped species to spread from animals to humans. It is closely related to smallpox. For decades, smallpox vaccination provided broad protection against related viruses such as mpox. Following the eradication of smallpox, routine vaccination stopped in 1980 and a growing proportion of the population lost this protection. This shift has been accompanied by renewed mpox transmission, culminating in outbreaks seen in multiple countries between 2022 and 2024. While most public health attention has focused on symptomatic mpox cases, little is known about how often people may be exposed to the virus without developing classical disease. Study design and antibody analysis To investigate this, the research team analyzed archived blood samples from 176 healthy Nigerian adults who had originally been enrolled in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine studies. These included health care workers sampled in 2021 and community volunteers sampled in 2023. None of the participants had received mpox or smallpox vaccines in adulthood, and none were known to have been exposed to mpox. Using a high-resolution multiplex antibody assay, the researchers measured responses to six distinct mpox virus antigens, different structural components of the virus that the immune system recognizes and responds to, allowing detection of both the strength and breadth of immune responses. At baseline, 24 (14%) of the participants showed antibody profiles consistent with residual immunity from historic smallpox vaccination. These responses were concentrated in people born before 1980, who were more likely to have been vaccinated during childhood. Their antibody responses were broader and stronger, recognizing multiple mpox antigens decades after vaccination campaigns ended. However, the study also identified something unexpected. Evidence of silent mpox exposure Among 153 participants with follow-up samples collected approximately nine months later, five individualsaround 3% of the cohortshowed clear evidence of new immune boosting consistent with recent mpox exposure. These individuals had no recorded mpox diagnosis and did not report compatible illness, suggesting that exposure may have occurred without recognized disease. Lead author Dr. Adam Abdullahi, from the University of Cambridge and Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, said, "What we're seeing is evidence that mpox exposure doesn't always look like the textbook description. In some people, particularly in settings with partial population immunity, the virus may circulate quietly, leaving immune footprints that routine clinical surveillance will miss." The strongest antibody increases were directed against specific viral proteins, particularly B6R, A35R and M1Rantigens known to be important targets of protective immune responses. These findings suggest that certain immune markers could be especially useful for detecting recent exposure in population studies. Genomic analysis and transmission patterns To place the immunological findings in an epidemiological context, the team also analyzed more than 100 mpox virus genomes collected in Nigeria over several years. Genomic reconstruction showed slow epidemic growth, frequent transmission dead-ends, and limited clusteringa pattern consistent with ongoing transmission constrained by partial immunity in the population. Rather than explosive spread, the virus appears to persist through sporadic chains of infection, many of which fail to expand further. Senior author Professor Ravindra Gupta is The Hong Kong Jockey Club Professor of Global Health from the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge, and Co-Director of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute. He said, "Our data tell a consistent story. Mpox is not spreading unchecked in Nigeria and across the region, but neither is it absent. Instead, it appears to circulate at low levels, shaped by the lingering effects of smallpox vaccination in older generations." Public health implications and future directions Importantly, the study found no major differences in immune responses between health care workers and the general population, suggesting that exposure is not confined to clinical settings. This points to broader community-level transmission rather than purely occupational risk. The findings have important implications for public health surveillance. Current mpox monitoring relies heavily on detecting symptomatic cases, yet this approach may underestimate true exposure, particularly where infections are mild or atypical. Professor Alash'le Abimiku, Executive Director of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, said, "These findings show that mpox exposure can occur without obvious illness. Instead of relying solely on reported cases or symptoms, monitoring populations by testing blood samples for antibodies to reveal exposure to the virus will be important for understanding how it is spread and guiding targeted vaccination in our settings." "If we only look for obvious disease, we will miss part of the picture," said Dr. Abdullahi. "Monitoring blood samples gives us a way to detect exposure that doesn't result in clinic visits, especially in regions where health systems are stretched and require strengthening." The researchers stress that their findings do not suggest widespread silent epidemics but rather highlight the complexity of mpox transmission in populations with mixed immunity. The detected exposure rate reflects the study cohort and should not be interpreted as population prevalence. The work also reinforces the long-lasting impact of smallpox vaccination. Individuals vaccinated decades ago still show broad immune recognition of mpox virus, which may help limit transmission even today. Professor Gupta added, "This study reminds us that decisions made generations agosuch as ending smallpox vaccinationcontinue to shape how emerging infections behave. Understanding that legacy is crucial for designing rational vaccination and surveillance strategies now." The authors note that further work is needed to link antibody patterns to functional protection, to study cellular immune responses, and to assess how conditions such as HIV infection may modify mpox immunity. Publication details Abdullahi, A et al. Sero-genomic evidence 1 for occult mpox exposure in healthy Nigerian adults, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-68335-1 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: Mia Wasikowska in Jane Eyre (2011). Credit: Focus Features/IMDB Nearly 200 years since Charlotte Bronte published Jane Eyre, her unconventional orphan Janewith her intense emotions and sense of injusticecontinues to captivate and intrigue readers. It's the story of a girl who rises above her social station by becoming the governess (later, wife) to her wealthy Byronic master, Edward Fairfax Rochester. Bronte's heroine "horrified the Victorians" with her "hunger, rebellion, and rage." Today, she is hailed as a feminist icon for those same qualities. As an autistic woman, I have long felt a particular affinity for the character of Jane Eyre. Like Jane, I have been perceived as unconventional and abnormal. I, too, experienced a childhood of unintentional error, in which "I dared commit no fault: I strove to fulfill every duty." (Note: My pronouns are they/she. I use the term "woman" loosely to describe my experience as someone who has encountered womanhood, rather than a [completely] accurate descriptor of my gender.) But despite my efforts, I frequently found myself getting into trouble. I would speak directly and honestly, causing offense without intention. I would ask clarifying questions which were perceived as personal attacks. I, too, was perceived as "naughty and tiresome." I often felt I was "not like other girls." As an adult, writing my master's thesis on Jane Eyre, I was haunted by my undiagnosed autism. It threatened to escape at any momentmuch like Bertha, Rochester's mad wife imprisoned in the attic. A family secret. Through a lifetime of learning to maskto conceal my "externally noticeable" autistic traitsI built a kind of attic within myself. Inside it, my autism, like Bertha, fought against its incarceration, threatening to reveal itself. After I received my diagnoses of autism and ADHD in 2022, I began to see Bronte's novel in a different light. Then, I discovered that reading Jane Eyre as autistic is not new. Jane Eyre, autism, and madness In 2008, literary studies scholar Julia Miele Rodas first showed how Jane Eyre can be interpreted as autistic. Specializing in disability studies and Victorian fiction, Rodas later wrote that Charlotte Bronte's narrative voice "resonates with autism." Charlotte Bronte's biographer Claire Harman has suggested various members of the Bronte family, including Charlotte's sister Emily (author of Wuthering Heights) and their father Patrick, might have been autistic. In addition to autism, other forms of "neurodivergence" have been explored in the novel, from ADHD to complex trauma, mental illness and disability. (Although "neurodivergence" is commonly associated with autism and ADHD, the term's true meaning is much broader.) Feminist disability studies scholar Elizabeth Donaldson pioneered interpreting Bertha's madness as a form of mental illness and disability. Drawing from Rodas, disability and literary studies scholar Jill Marie Treftz interprets Jane's childhood friend Helen Burns as having ADHD. Opening up new ways of reading the text, the autistic Jane Eyre also transforms older interpretations, particularly of madness and gender. Most famously, Sandra M. Gilbert and Susan Gubar's essay A Dialogue of Self and Soul: Plain Jane's Progress (published in their collection of feminist literary criticism, The Madwoman in the Attic). Gilbert and Gubar interpret Jane Eyre as the story of a woman who learns "to govern her anger" to survive Victorian patriarchal standards of femininity. In the process, Jane is "haunted" by her own repressed "hunger, rebellion, and rage," represented through the literal haunting of Bertha, the "madwoman in the attic." This reading is transformed when Jane herself is interpreted as another kind of neurodivergent: autistic. Read this way, her story becomes more than that of a woman who learns to "govern" and eventually "kill" her unfeminine anger. It becomes the story of an autistic woman, learning to mask and stifle her autism to survive patriarchy's ableist standards of womanhood. These standards are at odds with autism's very nature. Autism and gender Autism and related conditions like ADHD are seen as masculine conditions. This perception is in part due to autism research's heavy focus on boys and men. But even more, it stems from the ways feminine gender stereotypes "stand in stark contrast" against "typically recognized autistic traits." Autistic violence and justice researcher Jessica Fox and autism researcher Jessica Penwell Barnett have found gender-based discrimination towards autistic women regularly targets their autistic characteristics as not adhering to feminine gender norms. The autistic Jane Eyre's struggle to adhere to Victorian standards of femininity requires a constant suppression of her uniquely intense emotions. According to Gilbert and Gubar, none of the other women in the novel have "anything like" Jane's "problem" of "her constitutional ire," as the intensity of her anger and distress is rendered abnormal. Jane's emotions (especially negative emotions like anger) are more heightened and intense, a common characteristic of autism. A lifetime of learning to mask Jane first learns to mask her autism and suppress her intense emotions with a traumatic episode in her childhood at Gateshead. Aged ten, Jane is punished for her violent retaliation to the bullying of her older cousin John. She is incarcerated in the "red room"the bedchamber of her deceased uncle. Overwhelmed by anger at the injustice, she experiences a "species of fit," which bears striking resemblance to an autistic meltdown. Following this fit, Jane is sent to the boarding school Lowood to be "trained in conformity to her position and prospects." In other words, to be "normalized" through processes of correcting and controlling her behavior. Lowood is the place that "offers" Jane the "chance to learn to govern her anger," write Gilbert and Gubar. This process begins through her friendship with fellow orphan Helen Burns. A few years older than Jane, Helen acts as an older sister and mentor, encouraging Jane to harbor her intense anger and seek Christian salvation for her flaws. When Helen is interpreted as having ADHD, the nature of Helen's mentorship changes. As a fellow neurodivergent figure, Helen's role shifts from simply teaching feminine emotional restraint to encouraging Jane to mask her autism. Unable to mask her own neurodivergence, Helen urges Jane to "forget" her "passionate emotions." She encourages Jane to "endure patiently a smart which nobody feels but [her]self" and warns her of the "evil consequences" of acting on her emotions, especially anger. By the time Jane leaves Lowood, she has learned to uphold an appearance of normalcy: "I believed I was content: to the eyes of others, usually even to my own, I appeared a disciplined and subdued character." When Jane finally assumes her role as a governess at Thornfield Hall, she demonstrates "extreme self-control" over her emotions. Rodas characterizes this as masking. This reserved behavior is observed by Jane's employer, Rochester. As her love interest, he perceives her passions as stifled. Rochester compares her to a caged bird: "a vivid, restless, resolute captive [] were it but free, it would soar cloud-high." Jane also shows high regard for the "extreme self-control" displayed by others, especially women. This is particularly shown in Jane's observations of Miss Mary Ingram, a potential suitor to Rochester and romantic competitor to Jane. Jane regards the masterful way Miss Ingram navigates conversations and social interactions, comparing her "self-consciousness" to "genius." The threat of unmasking While taking pains to mask at Thornfield, Jane is "haunted" by the presence of madness. For Gilbert and Gubar, Bertha is "Jane's truest and darkest double," representing Jane's imprisoned "hunger, rebellion, and rage." But if Jane is also neurodivergent, Bertha's role as Jane's "secret self" goes much deeper. Through her persistent "haunting," Bertha enacts the psychological torment that comes with maskingthe constant fight to suppress one's natural characteristics. If Jane is autistic, the neurodivergent "madwoman" Bertha is a physical reminder of the real "secret self" Jane represses behind her masking. She represents a plausible alternative life Jane might have lived had she not been able to mask, acting as a cautionary tale of the dangers of unmasking. Bertha is incarcerated because she has been unable to conceal her neurodivergence and heightened emotional distress. Her only escape from imprisonment is through deatha fate shared by the other neurodivergent figure in the text, Helen Burns, also unable to mask. For Helen Burns, this fate is even welcomed, as she believes her life would have been one of "great sufferings" with her being "continuously at fault." Literary scholar Marta Caminero-Santangelo, author of The Madwoman Can't Speak, argues, "to achieve happiness, Jane must learn to separate herself in all ways from Bertha." She must "stifle and finally kill the Bertha in her." It is not enough for the autistic Jane to conceal her neurodivergence. She must somehow destroy it. Not only is this impossible, it embodies the harmful idea that autism is something that can and should be "cured." Leaving behind the mask It is hard to know if Charlotte Bronte believed this "secret self" should be killed. Bronte was notorious for disrupting the "status quo," yet was never "consciously" able "to define the full meaning of achieved freedom," write Gilbert and Gubar. They suggest this may be because neither Bronte, nor her contemporaries, "could adequately describe" such "a society so drastically altered" from their own. It would seem, in order to rescue Bertha from the atticto liberate the "secret self" in a way other than deatha different world must first be made. One where neurodivergence can be accepted. Visible. Unmasked. This world may be beyond the imagination of a mid-19th century writer, even a Bronte. But it is more conceivable in a world where neuro-affirming spaces have begun to emerge, along with the growth of a strengthening Autistic community. Jane Eyre continues to speak to a shared experience among neurodivergent women: the collective struggle to survive a patriarchy that weaponizes ableism against us. Widely read as the story of a woman learning to "govern" and eventually "kill" her passionate, angry, "secret self," Jane Eyre can be interpreted more stronglymore accurately, I believeas an autistic woman's story. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain In the largest Medicare Advantage fraud settlement to date, Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay $556 million to settle Justice Department allegations that it billed the government for medical conditions patients didn't have. The settlement, announced Jan. 14, resolves whistleblower lawsuits that accused the giant health insurer of mounting a years-long scheme in which it overstated how sick patients were to illegally boost revenues. "Medicare Advantage is a vital program that must serve patients' needs, not corporate profits," said U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian for the Northern District of California, in announcing the settlement. "Fraud on Medicare costs the public billions annually, so when a health plan knowingly submits false information to obtain higher payments, everyonefrom beneficiaries to taxpayersloses," he said. Medicare Advantage plans offer seniors a private alternative to the original Medicare. The insurance plans have grown dramatically in recent years and now enroll about 34 million members, more than half of the people eligible for Medicare. About 2 million Medicare members are enrolled in KP plans. Attorney Max Voldman, who represents whistleblower James Taylor, said the case shows the need for a "continued effort to fight fraud in health care." "It's important to send a signal to the industry, and this number hopefully does that," he said. Taylor, a longtime Kaiser Permanente physician, filed his suit against the company in October 2014. "It was a long, hard-fought case," Voldman said. The Justice Department took over his case, bundled with others, in July 2021. In court filings, the government argued the health plan "pressured" doctors in Colorado and California to add diagnoses "regardless of whether these conditions were actually considered or addressed by the physician during the patient visits," policies that violated Medicare requirements. From 2009 through 2018, KP added roughly half a million diagnoses that generated about $1 billion in improper payments to the health plan, according to the complaint. The government pays Medicare Advantage plans higher rates to cover sicker patients. But over the past decade, dozens of whistleblower lawsuits, government audits, and other investigations have alleged that health plans exaggerate how sick patients are to pocket payments they don't deserve, a tactic known in the industry as "upcoding." The Justice Department alleged that Kaiser Permanente officials knew its practices were "widespread and unlawful" but that the company "ignored numerous red flags and internal warnings that it was violating" Medicare rules. In settling the case, KP did not admit any wrongdoing. In a statement posted on its website, the company said it settled the case "to avoid the delay, uncertainty, and cost of prolonged litigation." The company noted that other health plans had "faced similar government scrutiny" over Medicare Advantage billing practices. It said the whistleblower cases "involved a dispute about how to interpret" Medicare's billing requirements. The civil suits were filed under the False Claims Act, a federal law that permits private citizens to sue on behalf of the government and share any money collected as a result. In all, six whistleblowers filed cases against Kaiser Permanente. In June 2021, the District Court for the Northern District of California consolidated the cases into two, one brought by Taylor and the other by Ronda Osinek, also a former KP employee. Osinek, who trained physicians on medical coding guidelines, filed her case in August 2013. In her suit, she alleged that Kaiser Permanente inflated claims submitted to Medicare by having doctors amend medical files, often months after a patient's visit, to slap on diagnoses that were not treated at the time or didn't exist. Under the settlement, the whistleblowers, known as "relators," are set to receive a combined $95 million, according to the Justice Department. The KP settlement comes on the heels of a Senate report this month that accused UnitedHealth Group of "gaming" the Medicare Advantage payment system, which is called "risk adjustment." "My investigation has shown UnitedHealth Group appears to be gaming the system and abusing the risk adjustment process to turn a steep profit," Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said in a statement accompanying the report's release. Grassley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, said his findings were based on a review of more than 50,000 pages of internal company documents. UnitedHealth Group disputed the findings and has long denied that its coding practice triggers improper payments. The report cited several medical conditions that have repeatedly been linked to overbilling by Medicare Advantage plans, such as coding for opioid dependence disorder in patients who are taking their medications as directed for pain. The Senate report also alleged that Medicare Advantage plans have improperly diagnosed dementia. The report said that Medicare removed dementia from its list of codes in 2014 partly due to concerns over upcoding. After the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reintroduced the code in 2020, researchers found that "annual incident dementia diagnosis rates in MA increased by 11.5%" relative to traditional Medicare, the report said. "Medicare Advantage is an important option for America's seniors, but as the program adds more patients and spends billions in taxpayer dollars, Congress has a responsibility to conduct aggressive oversight," Grassley said. "Bloated federal spending to UnitedHealth Group is not only hurting the Medicare Advantage program, it's harming the American taxpayer." Key medical concepts DementiaOpioid addiction 2026 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: Compared with sham training, CBM-M specifically lowered cortisol levels and stress vulnerability, whose magnitudes were correlated with reduced negative memory bias. Brain scans showed it also strengthened connectivity between the amygdala and the anteromedial orbitofrontal cortex, suggesting a neural mechanism for its benefits. Credit: Psychological Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1017/s0033291725102535 Our minds have a tendency to latch onto negative experiences more strongly than positive ones. While occasional negative thoughts are a common human experience, persistent ones can trap people in a self-reinforcing cycle, deepening feelings of anxiety and depression. To help break this cycle, researchers have developed a targeted mental training approach known as the cognitive bias modification for memory (CBM-M). This training is designed to encourage the active recall of positive information, particularly in response to positive cues presented in a sequence with negative ones. Early research has found that CBM-M can strengthen the recall of positive words and occasionally improve mood. However, its overall effectiveness has remained unclear and inconsistent. A study from the University of Toyama, Japan, now examines the neurobiological effects of CBM-M, offering insight into how this training may work. The study is published in the journal Psychological Medicine. Researchers led by Professor Yuko Hakamata from the University of Toyama, along with Professor Hirokuni Tagaya at Kitasato University School of Allied Health Sciences, Japan, and Director Hiroaki Hori from National Institute of Mental Health, Japan, found that CBM-M may reduce both psychological and physical stress by modifying biased memory-processing patterns of memorization and retrieval, rather than by explicitly reconstructing past experiences, as is common in many psychotherapeutic approaches. "These findings provide the first evidence of its effectiveness in reducing stress and its underlying neurobiological mechanisms," says Prof. Hakamata. The study involved 58 participants with elevated anxious and depressive traits, who were randomly assigned to either a CBM-M group or a sham (placebo) training group. Over the course of one month, both groups completed eight web-based sessions involving word memorization and recall of both negative and positive words. Participants in the CBM-M group were instructed to vividly recall a specific positive autobiographical memory in response to each positive word, such as a moment when they felt confident or capable. The sham group memorized the same words but did not perform this personal recall exercise. Both groups showed reductions in anxiety and depressive traits and improvements in mood over the course of training, suggesting that engaging in structured, emotionally focused tasks may have general benefits, possibly due to repeated exposure to positive material. However, only the CBM-M group showed specific biological and cognitive benefits. Compared with the sham group, participants who received CBM-M showed reduced stress vulnerability, including lower fatigability, a decrease in explicit negative memory bias, and reduced daytime levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Brain imaging provided a potential neural mechanism for these effects. CBM-M specifically increased functional connectivity between the amygdala, a brain region central to emotional memory, and the anterior medial orbitofrontal cortex, which is involved in processing social reward and autobiographical memory. This suggests that the training may strengthen neural pathways supporting the retrieval of positive, personally meaningful memories, although the researchers caution that multiple mechanisms are likely involved. "An intervention to ameliorate the nonconscious brain patterns that preferentially encode and retrieve emotionally negative information can lead to reductions in physical and psychological stress," says Prof. Hakamata. However, the training did not consistently increase the vividness of positive autobiographical memories across all participants. Instead, participants in both groups tended to recall more neutral, factual details, likely because reduced psychological distress from the exercise helped the participants recall events more objectively. The effects also varied by personality profile: CBM-M helped maintain positive autobiographical memory specificity in participants with anxiety-predominant traits, but this effect was not observed in those with depression-predominant traits. Given these differences, the researchers emphasize that responses to CBM-M might vary, and further studies are needed to identify who benefits most and to further clarify the mechanisms involved. Publication details Yuko Hakamata et al, The effectiveness and neurobiological actions of memory bias modification: a randomized controlled trial, Psychological Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1017/s0033291725102535 Journal information: Psychological Medicine 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: Monstera Production from Pexels Nails on a chalkboard. Loud breathing. Sneezing. These sounds can often be irritating and leave ears ringing with discomfort. But for people with misophonia, a decreased tolerance for specific sounds and stimuli, those noises can be physically debilitating. Heather Hansen, assistant professor of psychological sciences at William & Mary, knows this problem professionally and personally, as she has it herself. Through her work in her first year at the Cognition and Auditory Perception of Everyday Sounds (CAPES) Lab at William & Mary, she aims to dig deeper into the prevalence of the underdiscussed diagnosis and what people can do to mitigate it. Hansen recently spoke with W&M News about the disorder, the unique tools William & Mary provides to aid her work and the role that students are playing in the research. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Credit: William & Mary How did you get into your field of research? I was fascinated by studying the human brain and what we can learn from it. I think there were maybe two research articles on misophonia when I was in school, so I took a shot in the dark, and I said, "All right, if other people aren't going to study it, I will." I got through my Ph.D. at Ohio State, then I went to Montreal for a couple of years, where I worked at a giant neurological institute in Montreal and did more research with the brain and misophonia and learned through that experience that I was ready to have my own lab. What made you choose William & Mary to conduct your research? I really enjoy the kind of small, intimate community of William & Mary where the students have one-on-one time with professors. I already have a lab full of undergrads who are so eager and so willing to put in work and come to meetings and ask brilliant questions. That is really neat to me! I don't have to pull them to come do this work; they want to do it themselves. It's cool. I also knew William & Mary had a really strong psychological sciences department focused on a variety of sensory fields. They have a professor who does odor and taste and people who study vision, but no one studied auditory processing. So it was a niche that I could kind of slot myself into pretty well. I'm already collaborating with those folks in the department. I like how collaborative the environment is, and everyone's so supportive of each other. So it's a really friendly environment to work in. For people who don't know what misophonia is, how would you define it? I would say misophonia is an inability to block out certain background noises, or an intolerance for certain noises in the background that most people can habituate to and get used to. For example, it's the way that if you were to hear someone scrape nails on a chalkboard, you would get this feeling, like, "I need to leave immediately. I have to cover my ears. Make that stop." But it's for more mundane things like a clock ticking or someone chewing their food or just kind of innocuous environmental noises, so it's the desire to escape. Is this field of study new? Misophonia was technically coined in 2001 by some audiologists. But nothing really happened with it until about 2013, when the first research started happening. We didn't actually have a definition of it formally until 2022that was when a group of experts came together and said, "Here's what we know; here's what we're calling it." What specifically are you looking at now in your lab research? Lots of my prior work demonstrates that if you present sounds to people, they're going to be bothered by a wide variety of things. If you look in the brain, you're going to find it connected in a lot of different ways. It's just a very widespread type of condition, rather than a very specific phenomenon. So I've put together a sound bank with some colleagues to help researchers out with that task. One of the things I have some undergrads working on is helping to expand that, because the bigger it is, the better. I've also just got a group of students who are looking at neuroimaging with me, so we're looking at an open-access database of brain scans and applying some surveys to figure out folks who are high on sound sensitivity, what their brains look like. Lastly, I'm setting up just regular behavioral testing. So I'm looking at, if I bring someone into the lab and I present certain sounds and I put different visuals on the screen, can I make that sound less bothersome to you? What happens if I play the sound from in front of you versus from behind you? Are there any misconceptions about misophonia? It's not just like, "Oh man, that person's so rude chewing." By then, it's disabling. There are cases of, "I don't leave my house anymore. I've had to switch careers. I can't eat in the office cafeteria anymore. My cubicle mate's typing super loudly, so I can't even work in the office." I think it is helpful to know there are actually things going on in the brain we can show now with evidence that are different about you. It's not just you being particular and needing to get over it. What would you say to people who think they may have misophonia and want to learn more? You're not alone. This is a thing that a lot of people experience. I would encourage someone to search online sites like Reddit, for instance. You'll notice a lot of people experience this. So you're not alone if you want to scroll through and get validation. But there are also some really cool advocacy support groups that help to both fund research to connect people together, to help with clinical advancements. There's one called soQuiet that I am on the board of. They don't pay me to say this, but I think they are a great one that helps to legitimize the condition and also helps to enact, for instance, ADA accommodations in schools. What's next for you? We'll be setting up research workstations in the lab, so there'll be computers. I'm soundproofing testing rooms so that we can start collecting auditory experiment data, and I'll also have skin conductance equipment in that lab (for testing). So just moving forward, I hope to do more daily data collection of undergrads or community members and more of the actual nitty-gritty work. Key medical concepts misophoniaNeuroimaging 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: White matter microstructure: Tens of thousands of myelinated axons packed into a 100-micron3 volume of brain white matter, imaged by electron microscopy and segmented using AI. Credit: University of Eastern Finland Early diagnosis and noninvasive monitoring of neurological disorders require sensitivity to elusive cellular-level alterations that emerge much earlier than volumetric changes observable with millimeter-resolution medical imaging. Morphological changes in axonsthe tube-like projections of neurons that transmit electrical signals and constitute the bulk of the brain's white matterare a common hallmark of a wide range of neurological disorders, as well as normal development and aging. A study from the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) and the New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine establishes a direct analytical link between the axonal microgeometry and noninvasive, millimeter-scale diffusion MRI (dMRI) signalsdiffusion MRI measures the diffusion of water molecules within biological tissues and is sensitive to tissue microstructure. The study is published in the journal Nature Communications. Advances in axonal imaging and analysis The discovery by Academy Research Fellow Dr. Ali Abdollahzadeh at UEF and Professor Dmitry S. Novikov at NYU emerged from the convergence of two advances: unprecedented three-dimensional reconstruction of white matter microstructure using large-scale volume electron microscopy (vEM) and modern theoretical developments in diffusion physics. Advanced computational methods developed by Abdollahzadeh made it possible to reconstruct hundreds of thousands of axons with nanometer precision from vEM images acquired in Research Director Alejandra Sierra's lab at UEF, establishing what is now the world's largest quantitative three-dimensional reference of white matter microgeometry. "These reconstructions revealed how axons deviate from simple straight tubes. We directly measured fluctuations in axonal cross-section and undulations along their length, among other morphological parameters," says Abdollahzadeh. New framework for diffusion MRI During Abdollahzadeh's postdoctoral research at NYU, led by Professors Dmitry S. Novikov and Els Fieremans, and building on Novikov's pioneering advances in diffusion physics, Abdollahzadeh and Novikov developed a scattering framework for diffusion in cross-sectionally varying axons, yielding an exact solution to the FickJacobs equation governing axial diffusion along axons. "To solve a complex physical problem means identifying which parameters truly matter. Despite the infinite geometric complexity of axons, we found that only two structural parameters govern axial diffusion at experimentally accessible diffusion times: the average reciprocal cross-section and the variance of long-range cross-sectional fluctuations," says Novikov. Experimental validation and future directions Validation in an experimental rat model of traumatic brain injury at UEF's Kuopio Biomedical Imaging Unit showed that ex vivo dMRI is sensitive to these microstructural parameters, even months after injury, transforming the interpretation of dMRI into a quantitative probe of axonal geometry. These findings open new avenues for noninvasive biomarkers of white matter injury. Axonal shape changes are a hallmark of many neurological disorders, and this advance now enables their detection, monitoring and assessment of treatment response using dMRI. Looking ahead, the team is extending this framework to animal models of diverse neurological pathologies at the Kuopio Biomedical Imaging Unit, headed by Professor Olli Grohn, using the newly installed state-of-the-art 9.4-T MRI system. In parallel, translation to the human brain is advancing on human MRI scanners at Kuopio University Hospital and at NYU with the newly installed next-generation Connectom.X scanner with ultra-strong gradients. "The combination of MRI in animal models and clinical MRI creates a translational path from nanometer-scale tissue microstructure to human neuroimaging, allowing us to test such microstructure-specific biomarkers in patients for the first time," says Fieremans. Publication details Ali Abdollahzadeh et al, Scattering approach to diffusion quantifies axonal damage in brain injury, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64793-1 Journal information: Nature Communications Clinical categories NeurologyDiagnostic radiology 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: Baseline characteristics of the multicentre development cohort. Credit: The Lancet Oncology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/s1470-2045(25)00534-0 Low-grade brain tumors known as IDH-mutant gliomas CNS WHO grade 2 are life-threatening in spite of their slow growth. Neurosurgeons across the globe are faced with the question as to striking the correct balance between a "radical" tumor resection and avoiding further neurological damage. An international research team from the RANO working group involving Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg (FAU) and Uniklinikum Erlangen has developed a new classification that records the extent to which any residual tumor tissue influences the progression of the disease. The results were published in The Lancet Oncology. As a rule, the initial treatment for an IDH-mutated glioma CNS WHO grade 2 is surgery. The aim is to remove as much of the tumor as possible without jeopardizing important neurological functions. As the results of the operation only become apparent many years later, there has been a lack of clear data, which has led to a number of different approaches. "On the one hand, this is due to the fact that we must be very careful to weigh up the chances of potentially boosting a patient's chance of survival against avoiding neurological deficits. On the other hand, there has been a lack of clear criteria for assessing the risk of surgery until now, meaning that recommendations for treatment range from taking as little tissue as possible for diagnostic purposes to removing as much tumor tissue as possible," explains Prof. Dr. Oliver Schnell from Uniklinikum Erlangen. New basis for assessing success of surgery In order to standardize therapeutic decisions, the RANO working group has conducted a large international study and assessed the data of 1,391 patients from 16 neuro-oncological specialist units. Based on the comprehensive data collected, the new RANO classification categorizes the extent of the surgery based on the volume of the tumor that remains visible in a special MRI sequence (T2-FLAIR) after the operation. "Until now, there was no common language available for describing surgical outcomes," explains PD Dr. Philipp Karschnia from Uniklinikum Erlangen. "The new classification provides clarity, as it is guided exclusively by the residual tumor tissue." Less residual tumor means longer survival The analysis of the RANO working group shows that a low volume of residual tumor after the initial operation is one of the most important factors for the further progression of the disease. A positive effect was also demonstrated for removing as much of the tumor as possible in the case of oligodendrogliomas, which tend to have a more favorable progression and are highly sensitive to chemo and radiation therapy. "We were surprised to discover that even follow-up treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy were not able to replace the influence of the operation," admits PD Dr. Karschnia. Internationally verified and useful in a wide range of scenarios The results were confirmed in an independent patient group at the University of California in San Francisco. The new classification supports surgeons in making more accurate decisions and paves the way for future studies: "The new RANO classification is a milestone that will make a significant impact on neuro-oncological research and care in the long term," according to Prof. Schnell. The Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) Working Group is an international, multidisciplinary collaboration between experts from various disciplines who have been working together to develop standardized criteria for assessing brain tumors for more than a decade now. Experts involved in the study from Erlangen were Prof. Dr. Oliver Schnell and PD Dr. Philipp Karschnia, who has been leading the surgical focus group of the RANO Working Group since 2024, Dr. Nico Teske and Alfred Gramelt from the Department of Neurosurgery at Uniklinikum Erlangen. Publication details Philipp Karschnia et al, A prognostic classification system for extent of resection in IDH-mutant grade 2 glioma: an international, multicentre, retrospective cohort study with external validation by the RANO resect group, The Lancet Oncology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/s1470-2045(25)00534-0 Journal information: Lancet Oncology Key medical concepts Neoplasm, ResidualOligodendroglioma 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: Tumor suppression in vivo. In animal models, LS-170 treatment significantly reduced tumor volume, demonstrating its strong anti-cancer potential. Credit: Nature Chemical Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41589-025-02132-7 A research team has made a breakthrough in epigenetic drug discovery. The researchers have successfully developed a first-in-class chemical inhibitor that precisely and selectively targets the ATAC complex, a critical cellular "switch operator" that activates tumor-promoting genes, opening a novel therapeutic avenue for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The findings were published in Nature Chemical Biology, and multiple international patent applications have been filed. The team was led by Professor Xiang David Li from the Department of Chemistry at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), in collaboration with researchers from the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory and Tsinghua University. Histone modifications as genetic switches in cells Inside human cells, DNA is wrapped around protein structures called histones to form chromatin. Chemical modifications on histones function like genetic "switches," determining whether genes are turned on or remain silent. Among these modifications, histone acetylation is one of the most important "on" switches that activate gene expression. This modification is catalyzed by enzyme complexes known as histone acetyltransferases (HATs). The ATAC complex is one such HAT complex and plays a pivotal role in activating genes involved in cell growth and DNA replication. In cancers such as NSCLC, the ATAC complex becomes overactive, inappropriately flipping the "on" switch for numerous cancer-driving genes, fueling uncontrolled tumor growth and spread. However, selectively inhibiting ATAC without disrupting other essential cellular complexes has remained a challenge in drug development. Precisely targeting a unique component of ATAC Previous drug-development efforts focused on inhibiting GCN5, the catalytic subunit responsible for histone acetylation within ATAC. Nevertheless, GCN5 is also shared by several other HAT complexes, meaning that blocking it would inadvertently interfere with normal cellular functions and lead to significant side effects. To address this challenge, Professor Li's team devised an innovative strategy targeting YEATS2, a protein subunit specific to the ATAC complex. Using structure-guided design, the researchers developed a potent and highly selective inhibitor of YEATS2, named LS-170. This inhibitor specifically binds to the acetyl-lysine recognition domain of YEATS2, preventing it from anchoring the ATAC complex to chromatin. Consequently, the complex is displaced from its target genomic regions, leading to a significant reduction in local histone acetylation and the "off" switching of oncogenes in NSCLC. Strong suppression of tumor growth and metastasis In NSCLC cell lines and animal models, LS-170 demonstrated strong efficacy in suppressing tumor growth and metastasis. Notably, the YEATS2 gene is frequently amplified in multiple solid tumorsincluding lung, ovarian, and pancreatic cancerssuggesting that this targeted strategy may hold broader therapeutic potential beyond lung cancer. This study represents the first chemical approach to precisely decode the function of a specific HAT complex, revealing ATAC's distinct role in maintaining gene expression programs in cancer. It also offers new insights for developing other complex-specific epigenetic drugs for human diseases. "In this work, we didn't just create a potent and highly specific inhibitor that can suppress tumors, we also uncovered a novel strategy to target just one epigenetic complex out of several that share the same enzyme core. This approach opens up exciting possibilities for developing highly selective, complex-specific drugs that could potentially revolutionize treatments for human diseases," said Professor Li, one of the corresponding authors of the paper. Publication details Sha Liu et al, Complex-specific inhibitors for interrogating ATAC histone acetyltransferase complex, Nature Chemical Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41589-025-02132-7 Journal information: Nature Chemical Biology Key medical concepts Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung Clinical categories OncologyClinical pharmacology 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: Marit Uthus has studied inclusion in Norwegian schools for many years. She also leads INCLUSCHOOL, a project seeking answers to the big mystery of why more and more students are being excluded from the school community. The project concludes next year. Here, the focus is on letting students play the leading role, giving them more space, and listening to their voices. Credit: Slvi W. Normannsen What's it like having ADHD when you are 11 years old and are expected to get on with your schoolwork just like everyone else? Some people claim that ADHD is a modern invention and that too many people are being diagnosed with it. Others believe the disorder is real, with major consequences for those who have it. Professor and school researcher Marit Uthus is certain of at least one thing: "We need to listen to the school children who can tell us what their diagnosed ADHD feels like, both physically and mentally. After all, they are the ones with first-hand experience. If they are given the chance to speak, the rest of us can better understand what they need in order to learn and participate in school on equal terms with everyone else," said Uthus. Autonomy in learning Along with psychologist and researcher Audhild Lhre, Uthus conducted an interview study focusing on two school children: "Sofie" and "Benjamin." Both students have ADHD. The researchers followed the pupils and their teachers over the course of one school year during which their school introduced a new model for adapted education. Both pupils describe how they experienced gaining an entirely new sense of autonomy. One day a week, they are free to choose what they want to learn and to organize their schoolwork as they think best. The study is small, but the researchers believe it introduces important and genuine experiences directly into the wider discussion about ADHD and inclusion in Norwegian schools, Uthus said. The study, "Students with inattention and their experiences of autonomy in learning activities: an interview study with two students and their teachers," is published in Frontiers in Psychology. An extra challenging form of learning Because Sofie and Benjamin have inattentive ADHD, autonomous or self-regulated learning can be especially challenging. This type of ADHD triggers precisely those brain processes that are taxing for people with the diagnosis. This includes receiving and processing internal and external stimuli, and maintaining focus and self-regulation. "Self-determination in learning means acting in accordance with oneselfor one's own will. And when you become inattentive in your learningwhen your thoughts slip beyond your own controlthings don't work. This is precisely where the challenge of self-determined learning lies for these pupils," explained Uthus. A double-edged sword The school researcher describes their situation as a double-edged sword, because, like everyone else, both Sofie and Benjamin like to make their own decisions. Despite the challenges they face, they are motivated by their teacher's trust and the opportunity to act autonomously in their own learning one day a week. Thoughts that end up in the wrong place Sofie describes her experience with ADHD like this: "() it is as if my thoughts wander around in my head and end up in the wrong place. They then start to get all jumbled up in the very place where I should be concentrating. "(..) Once I've lost concentration, it's like I'm in my own world." At the same time, the 11-year-old says, "When I get to decide for myself, I feel happy!" She likes being able to decide what works best for her, such as choosing whether to tackle the hardest or the easiest schoolwork first. "I want to decide for myself what to do, and it's nice to be able to do that," Sofie said. Lose concentrationfind motivation Everything happens in collaboration with the teacher, but the pupils take the leading role. The starting point is that we all have an innate need to make our own decisions and influence what happens in our lives. When we experience tasks as meaningful and are able to act according to our own wishes and interests, that increases both motivation to learn and effort. "So, even though Sofie experiences her concentration slipping away, she manages to find new energy to keep thinking. In doing so, she compensates for what she loses. She replaces it with motivation to complete a task even when she is tired, finds it difficult or thinks it is boring. She is motivated by the good feeling of completing what she started," Uthus said. Harnessing the power of self-determination Uthus believes that this type of real-life experience brings important new insights and meaningful depth to theories in educational research. If we view self-determination as a power we all have and can use to make learning more enjoyable, we can open up new opportunities for this group of pupils. Uthus says the study focuses specifically on a few individuals' experiences, and one that is worth exploring further. Children with ADHD struggle at school The NTNU professor has spent many years studying inclusion in schools. In 2025, a study by OsloMet found that only about half of children with ADHD thrive at school. Pupils who spend more than half of their school day being taught outside of their regular classroom community particularly tend to struggle. "I think this is linked to the fact that school is an increasingly pressured environment to grow up in. Adaptation and support provided by teachers regarding pupils' self-determination is crucial in all of this. Research suggests that these pupils are not receiving the support they needspecifically the support that takes place within the learning community of the classroom," said Uthus. ADHD does not mean learning challenges She emphasizes that these are children with the same abilities and resources as everyone else. They are capable of achieving anything. "ADHD is not a challenge associated with learningbut rather a challenge associated with attention. Being taken out of the classroom, because there is a lack of support in the classroom, feels like an unfair punishment. I believe it is important to stress that this is not necessarily due to poor teaching, but rather the lack of resources in today's schools," explained Uthus. Missing the point Uthus believes that the debate around ADHD sometimes goes off track, with arguments over whether the diagnosis is real or socially constructed. She feels we pay too little attention to the experiences of the children and young people actually living with the diagnosis, and that there should be greater focus on how their learning environments are structured. "Children and young people spend a lot of their waking hours at school. Their time there is a major determinant in how they will fare later on in life: in their future careers, in being part of society and in gaining a better quality of lifeand this is why adaptation is so important. It is about engaging with pupils more effectively and getting to know them. Letting them experience that they are good enough as they are and that they are appreciated for all their differences," said Uthus. Brains work differently "We could go on endlessly discussing whether too many children are being diagnosed with ADHD, and what the reasons for this might be. The point is that this debate leads nowhere for the individuals who need help. If we instead focus on their experiences, it becomes less important whether ADHD is a real diagnosis or not. It is about inequality. We all have brains that work differently, and each of us falls somewhere along that spectrum," concludes Uthus. Publication details Marit Uthus et al, Students with inattention and their experiences of autonomy in learning activities: an interview study with two students and their teachers, Frontiers in Psychology (2025). DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1624279 Journal information: Frontiers in Psychology Key medical concepts Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder The 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election results have revealed a fragmentation of the citys political mandate, underscored by a sharp decline in vote shares for nearly every major traditional powerhouse. Data analysed from the recently concluded polls painted a picture of a markedly diluted electoral landscape, in which voters appeared to drift away from long-entrenched political giants, triggering a historic realignment in Asias richest civic body. This fragmentation was reflected not only in seat distribution but also in vote shares, suggesting a broader churn in voter loyalty. While legacy parties continued to dominate headlines, their ability to consolidate support across Mumbais diverse electorate weakened significantly, pointing to a more fractured and competitive political terrain. The BJP, despite emerging as the single largest party in terms of seats with 89 corporators, saw its vote share fluctuate in ways that complicated its apparent victory. The party secured 15.4 lakh votes, translating to 28.2 per cent of the total vote, marking a measured increase over its 2017 performance of 13.94 lakh votes, or 27.5 per cent. However, a closer reading of the numbers suggested that the BJPs continued dominance owed much to its import strategy the recruitment of winning candidates from rival parties rather than to a sweeping expansion of its independent voter base. This approach proved critical in helping the party retain its lead in an increasingly splintered political environment, even as overall voter consolidation remained elusive. The most dramatic realignment was visible within the Shiv Senas fractured legacy. In 2017, the undivided Shiv Sena had commanded a formidable 28.3 per cent vote share, backed by 14.43 lakh votes. By 2026, that once-cohesive support base had split into two distinctly unequal halves. Uddhav Thackerays Shiv Sena (UBT) emerged as the stronger inheritor of the legacy, securing 13.23 lakh votes, or 24.22 per cent of the vote effectively doubling the performance of the rival faction. In contrast, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, despite retaining the official party name, election symbol and the backing of the Deputy Chief Minister, managed only 6.98 lakh votes, or 12.78 per cent. The disparity reinforced the enduring pull of the Thackeray brand within Mumbais Marathi heartland, even as it remained outside formal administrative control. Meanwhile, other traditional players continued to lose ground. The Congress partys decline reached a historic low, slipping from a respectable 16.2 per cent vote share in 2017 to around 9 per cent in 2026 and falling as low as 4.44 per cent in certain tallies signalling a significant erosion of its traditional support base. Raj Thackerays MNS also failed to capitalise on the Shiv Sena split, with its vote share dipping from 7.7 per cent in 2017 to 6.09 per cent this year. Compounding these trends was a fall in overall voter turnout, which dropped from 55.53 per cent to 52.94 per cent, pointing towards growing voter fatigue. Taken together, the numbers told the story of a more polarised and unsettled Mumbai. While legacy names continued to wield influence, this election made it clear that no single party now commands an absolute or unchallenged mandate across the citys complex and diverse electorate. The families of Indian citizens currently detained by Iranian authorities have approached the apex court, hoping for some relief. According to the families, all 16 Indian nationals were employed on a ship that was allegedly captured by Iranian authorities, following which the crew members were detained for reasons still unknown. The incident took place on December 5. The families lost contact with their relatives after January 6, when they were informed that 16 Indian nationals, along with Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan citizens, had been detained. One of the detained employees is Shohaib Akhtar, a 21-year-old resident of Jogeshwari. He was employed by a Dubai-based vessel company and was taken into custody by Iranian authorities. His brother, Faisal, told Mumbai Mirror that the family was unaware of Shohaibs whereabouts and had been trying to contact the Indian embassy in Iran. My brother was employed on a vessel. On December 5, he called to say that the boat was captured by Iranian authorities and that he was being taken to Iran for unknown reasons. Then, on January 7, he told me that he had been detained, said Faisal Akhtar, his 19-year-old brother. He added that the family does not know whether Shohaib is alive or dead. Since the last call, we have lost all contact. The vessel company, MT Valiant Roar, has not given us any answers, and we are extremely worried. We want Shohaib to return safely from the war-clad country, he said. Shohaib had shifted to Jogeshwari from Uttar Pradesh in search of employment and was hired by the Dubai-based vessel company in 2024. The wife of another detained crew member, Anil Kumar Singh, said she lost contact with her husband in December and received a brief call from him on January 6. He is not allowed to talk freely, but he told us that the vessel was captured and that he was kidnapped. He asked us to contact the media and the embassy. We tried reaching the Indian embassy in Iran, but it was all in vain, Gayatri Singh told Mumbai Mirror. According to Gayatri, her 41-year-old husband told her during a one-minute video call that he had been tortured before abruptly disconnecting. I want my husband back. The situation at home is tense, as our children keep asking about his whereabouts, she said. The Singh family lives in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh. Another family member said they have moved the apex court seeking clarity on the detainees status. My brother, Akash Gupta, has been detained or arrested by Iranian authorities, and we have no information about where he is. All 16 families have approached the apex court, and the hearing is scheduled for January 22. We are hoping for some clarity, said Vipin Gupta, Akashs brother. When crashes on the MumbaiGoa highway began to read like routine news, Chaitanya Patil decided to slow the story down by walking it. A 29-year-old mechanical engineer from the Konkan, Patil had spent over 15 years reading about overturned trucks, skidding two-wheelers, cars plunging off bridges and buses crashing on NH-66, a highway perpetually under construction. The deaths were frequent enough to feel normal. That normalisation broke in early 2025, when Patil was felicitated with the Jeevandoot Sanman by the Raigad police under their road safety mission. The award honours civilians who help accident victims calling ambulances, coordinating care, identifying the injured or supporting families. At the ceremony, a police officer cited the number of fatalities on the MumbaiGoa highway. Hearing it stated plainly made me realise how big and accepted the problem had become, Patil says. He began probing what lay behind the headlines, filing around 15 RTI applications with district police offices, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Public Works Department (PWD), seeking accident and fatality data. The replies disturbed him. Deaths caused by clearly preventable infrastructure failures, he felt, were being treated as inevitable. In August 2025, Patil chose an unusual response: he walked nearly the entire MumbaiGoa highway to understand why accidents keep happening and why so little changes on the ground. Turning numbers into accountability India averages one death in every three road accidents, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) 2024 data. On Sindhudurgs NH-66 stretch, it is nearly one in two. The highway has been under construction for almost 15 years, Patil says. Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari has now set April 2026 as the deadline. Deadlines change. The problems dont. NH-66 is part of the PanvelKanyakumari coastal corridor, cutting through five states. In Maharashtra, its 471-km stretch through Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg is the only continuous road link between Mumbai, the Konkan and Goa, carrying tourists, freight, fisheries and port traffic. National highways form just 2.3 per cent of Indias road network but account for about 35 per cent of road accident deaths. While MoRTH flags blackspot rectification as a priority, it does not publish highway-wise or district-wise blackspot data including for NH-66. Responsibility for the highway is split between central agencies, state departments and multiple contractors, often blurring accountability. The ministry itself acknowledges that design inconsistency, unsafe transitions between completed and under-construction stretches, and capacity stress contribute heavily to fatal crashes. On NH-66, these risks are intensified by mixed traffic and sharp tourist surges. Against this backdrop, Patil decided to walk. Walking the talk Before setting out on foot, Patil tried a quicker assessment. During the 2023 monsoon, he rode a two-wheeler across a 168-km stretch between Palaspe and Mangaon. Managing rain gear, photography and notes proved impossible. Still, he submitted a report. About 60 per cent of the potholes he flagged were repaired, he says, after photographs were uploaded to NHAIs grievance system. The experience convinced him that slowing down literally could reveal far more. Walking allowed him to stop at dangerous stretches, speak to villagers, drivers, contractors, police officers and local representatives, and observe how people actually used the road. You cant do that in a car, he says. Walking forces you to see and listen. Over 29 days, in two phases, Patil covered nearly 490 km from Palaspe near Panvel to Zarap at the MaharashtraGoa border. He walked through rain and traffic, stopping where vehicles could not. The journey became a methodical exercise in geospatial mapping: GPS coordinates, elevation data, photographs and notes for each hazard from potholes and broken drains to missing signage. He later compiled the material into detailed reports submitted to MoRTH, NHAI and the Maharashtra government. A support vehicle, arranged using his familys car, followed him. Five hired drivers rotated after friends backed out, telling him kuch nahi hoga. He stayed wherever possible hotels, friends homes, with well-wishers, and occasionally in a tent. He calls the effort a Rasta Satyagraha. Lessons from the road On foot, the highways biggest danger became obvious: unpredictability. Long stretches of smooth concrete abruptly gave way to broken patches and deep potholes, often without warning. A good road followed by a sudden bad patch is extremely dangerous, Patil says. It catches people off guard. Small cracks on new concrete were ignored until water seeped in and widened the damage. Fix a crack early and it never becomes a pothole. Monsoon neglect was stark. Despite Konkans heavy rainfall, drains were clogged, underpasses leaked, and water flowed back onto carriageways. On flyovers, rainwater poured directly onto moving traffic, turning smooth concrete slick. Diversions meant to be temporary had hardened into long-term routes, poorly lit and inadequately marked. In villages, incomplete service roads forced elderly residents and schoolchildren to cross fast-moving traffic daily. Patil also found that post-crash response was often inadequate. Large stretches lacked visible emergency systems. Serious victims were transported long distances to Kalamboli, Navi Mumbai, Kolhapur or Goa because few hospitals along the route could handle major trauma. Accident-prone zones included Sukeli Khind, Mangaon and Karnala. His reports list 59 categories of issues, covering road quality, drainage, signage, crash barriers, pedestrian safety and emergency preparedness. While some potholes were repaired after his intervention, most systemic problems remain. They fix only what you point out, he says. The system should fix everything similar. Deadlines and duty NH-66 now has another completion deadline. Patil does not speculate on whether it will hold. What he has received is official acknowledgement that his report has been forwarded to relevant departments. He hopes his walk challenges the belief that nothing changes. Complaints systems, follow-ups, letters, social media and courts, he says, are tools citizens have stopped using consistently. An ideal world doesnt exist, he says. But it can be built if people dont give up. Patil plans more such walks along national highways. He frames the effort simply: If I can help prevent even one accident, this is my duty as a citizen. Vandana Gupta spent most of her life within the gendered silences of a traditional Indian household. As a 20-year-old student from an underserved community, her perspective was a private matter, tucked away behind domestic rituals. To pick up a camera meant to break that seal. She had to invite strangers to film her mother, Meera, and dissect the very roles that defined their lives. One reason that almost stopped me from telling my story was that its personal and very personal letting people come and shoot me and my mother and talk about the gender roles within the house is a difficult task. I overcame this and now heres my film, she says. Her documentary, Meera aur Meera ki Beti, is part of the Nazaria Youth Film Festival. On January 24 and 25, 2026, the city becomes a stage for this shift as Alliance Francaise, the Goethe Institute, and the Nehru Science Centre host a free, radical takeover. The festival asks what happens when young people stop waiting for an invitation into cinema and simply start shaping it. A bridge across the margins Nazaria addresses a chronic lack of representation in the Indian media landscape. Nandini Kochar, Co-founder at Nazaria, notes that marginalised voices rarely find a seat at the table. For three years, her team has trained youth to become creators. This festival is the culmination of that work, anchored in four pillars: Pehchaan (Identity), Awaaz (Voice), Nazaria (Perspective), and Badlaav (Change). The schedule discards the expert-led panels of the traditional festival circuit. Instead, the energy of teenagers dictates the pace. We were also interested in pushing the idea of what a film festival can be. Instead of treating it purely as a space for professionals or cinephiles, were treating it as a space of learningboth for young people and for adults, Kochar explains. From language wars to invisible labour The weekend opens with Bombay: Our City, followed by a discussion with documentary veteran Anand Patwardhan. The programme includes the award-winning Humans in the Loop and a showcase of over 30 films by young creators across India. Workshops led by Civic Studios and the Chennai Photo Biennale provide a bridge to an industry that often feels like a fortress. These films are dispatches from lived experience. Aayush Singh, 18, filmed Zubaan after regional language conflicts flared up across the country. At that moment I realised this story needed to be told, he says. The lens gave him authority: I realised that even my perspective is as important as others, and people listen when we speak. Similarly, 20-year-old Anjali Kantilal Raghwani used her documentary Zindagi Ki Chaal to expose invisible labour, ensuring unnoticed lives finally receive acknowledgement. The end of shame For Gupta, filmmaking was a personal exorcism. Before I used to feel embarrassed or ashamed to be called a woman or an aurat But now Im able to call myself a woman without any shame, she says. She hopes her audience learns to support women who choose to be themselves. Sonal Madhushankar, lead actor in Humans in the Loop, urges these creators to rely on instinct. Its a journey from discomfort to comfort When you listen to your body, your instincts work and then art is created, she says. She believes this generation is already fearless in its empathy. Nazaria also previews a youth-made Micro Drama set for May 2026. Mumbaikars can support this shift through patronage; 3,000 rupees a month funds the media education of an aspiring filmmaker. While society often tells youth their voices will matter in the future, Nazaria proves they matter now. The Nazaria Youth Film Festival 2026 is free for all. You can register through AltShows. Sonora, CA The Sonora High School Auditorium hosted the annual Mother Lode MLK Jr. Celebration Saturday afternoon. It featured a mix of music, awards, and a panel discussion. This years theme was Liberty and Justice For All. At a time when division dominates public discourse, we gather to be reminded that understanding and empathy are essential to justice. Diversity is a source of strength. Community especially the Beloved Community Dr. King envisioned is the foundation of a thriving society says the Motherlode Martin Luther King Jr. Committee. Resiliency Village Director Mark Dyken was presented with the Laurie Aretsky Bailie Social Justice Award. Pat Cervelli was given the Mother Lode Martin Luther King Lifetime Service Award. Three essays from students were also recognized. The panel featured local immigrants who shared their personal stories of coming from across the globe to make the Mother Lode home. Discussion was Moderated by Florencia Baldwin who is from Argentina featuring Wokciech Ross who is originally from Poland, Li Ching Accurso who is originally from Taiwan, Gabriel Avalos who is originally from El Salvador, and Lesley Tejero Baker who is originally from the Philippines. The questions included What does home mean to you? and What was hardest about coming to the United States? Avalos noted home was split between his divorced parents and included both places. Accurso moved to the US when she was 14 years old and started in 10th grade with extremely limited English language skills which was a challenge for her. She has been a teacher at Columbia College for 29 years. Accurso noted that she joined a Christian church and that connection helped her. All noted the opportunity for a better education and work, Accurso and Bakers parents specifically wanted an American education for their children. Ross first moved to Chicago 15 years ago where there was already a large population of Polish people. The event also featured music from Clan Dyken, and a duet from Carla and Patrick Minor of Alabama as seen in the video link. A reception was held in the Sonora High School Library afterward. This year was the 28th anniversary of the event. It was put on by local volunteers and free of charge to attend. Parking was limited due to a wrestling tournament also happening at Sonora High School that included several buses parked along the curbs. There were no protesters before or during the event. Mariposa, CA Four people were transported away to treat minor injuries following a house fire in Mariposa County. The cause of the blaze that destroyed the home on Ben Hur Road near Mormon Bar, is still under investigation. It happened this past Thursday evening, according to fire officials. Firefighters from across the region responded to help battle the blaze, and the Red Cross helped the displaced residents. No additional information has been released. Sonora, CA PG&E recently announced that $1 million will be donated to food banks across Northern and Central California, and some of the money will be dispersed locally. The company has provided more specifics about who will be receiving money, and how much. The company reports that the Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency (ATCAA) Food Bank will receive $8,200, the Resource Connection Food Bank in Calaveras County will get $5,000, the Madera County Food Bank (also serves Mariposa) will receive $15,600, and the Interfaith Council of Amador will get $5,000. Larger amounts are going to bigger operations across the Central Valley and Bay Area. In total, 38 food banks, representing 47 counties, were selected. 13 of which are in the Central Valley/Sierra Foothills. The purpose is to help restock shelves that were depleted over the holiday months. PG&E reports, Grant amounts that will be awarded to local organizations account for county poverty and unemployment levels, using the California Department of Social Services formula, to promote equity among counties with higher need. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a bombing at a Chinese restaurant in Afghanistans capital that killed at least seven people, including a Chinese national, and wounded more than a dozen others. The group said in a statement posted on its Aamaq news agency late Monday that a suicide bomber entered the restaurant frequented by Chinese nationals in Kabul and detonated an explosive vest. China has advised its citizens not to travel to Afghanistan in the near term after the bombing, and asked Chinese people and companies already in the country to strengthen security measures and evacuate from high-risk areas. China strongly condemns and resolutely opposes terrorism in all forms and supports Afghanistan and countries in the region in jointly combating all forms of terrorist violent acts, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a daily briefing in Beijing. He said that one Chinese national was killed and five others were wounded. He said that China is urging Afghan authorities to make every effort to treat the injured, further take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese nationals (and) projects, and to find and punish the perpetrators. The attack happened at a Chinese restaurant in the Shahr-e-Naw district in the city, according to police spokesperson Khalid Zadran, who said one Chinese national and six Afghans were killed in the blast. He said Monday that the restaurant was jointly owned by an Afghan man, a Chinese national and his wife. Interior Ministry spokesperson Mufti Abdul Mateen Qani said Tuesday that the case was being investigated. I assure everyone that just as the criminals were arrested before and punished for their actions, these people will also be punished for their actions, he said. Seeking to reassure both Afghans and foreigners in the country, Qani said that no other major incident had occurred in the Afghan capital over the past year. I assure all citizens of the country, especially foreign citizens, political missions, and all major political and economic projects throughout the country that security throughout the country is ensured, he said. The IS claim, which was widely shared by supporters of the militants, included a further threat against Chinese nationals in Afghanistan, linking the attack to Chinas treatment of Uyghur Muslims. While nearly all nations withdrew from Afghanistan following the Taliban offensive of 2021 that led to them seizing Kabul, China has maintained a major economic presence in the country. Beijing has yet to formally recognize Afghanistans Taliban-run government. Muhammad u Allah Nemati, who runs a shop opposite the restaurant and witnessed Mondays blast, said: When the explosion happened, I fell from my seat. I saw many people dead and injured. The Italian charity EMERGENCY, which operates a surgical center located near the site, said it had received the casualties shortly after the blast. Bashir Khalil, a doctor at the hospital, said Tuesday they had received 7 bodies and 14 wounded people, of which one was in critical condition. Footage aired by Afghan broadcaster Tolo News showed people running along the street as smoke and dust billowed from the area. Pakistans President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack in a statement issued by his office late Monday. He accused Afghanistans Taliban government of failing to uphold a ceasefire brokered by Qatar to end cross-border fighting that erupted between Afghanistan and Pakistan in October, particularly commitments to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to carry out attacks. Kabul has repeatedly said it does not allow its territory to be used by militant groups. The Islamic State group s affiliate in the region, which is a major Taliban rival, has conducted attacks on schools, hospitals, mosques and Shiite areas throughout the country before and after the Talibans takeover of Afghanistan. ___ Samy Magdy contributed to this report from Cairo. By ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN Associated Press PARIS (AP) While Europe is pushing back publicly against U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland, the language appears softer behind the scenes. Trump published a text message on Tuesday that he received from French President Emmanuel Macron, confirmed as genuine by Macrons office. Starting with My friend, Macrons tone was more deferential than the criticism that France and some of its European partner nations are openly voicing against Trumps push to wrest Greenland from NATO ally Denmark. Before broaching the Greenland dispute, Macron opted in his message to first talk about other issues where he and Trump seem roughly on the same page. We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran, the French leader wrote in English. Then, he added: I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland, immediately followed by: Let us try to build great things. That was the only mention that Macron made of the semi-autonomous Danish territory in the two sections of message that Trump published. It wasnt immediately clear from Trumps post when he received the message. Trump breaks with tradition World leaders private messages to each other rarely make it verbatim into the public domain enabling them to project one face publicly and another to each other. But Trump as is his wont across multiple domains is casting traditions and diplomatic niceties to the wind and, in the process, lifting back the curtain on goings-on that usually arent seen. This week, a text message that Trump sent to Norways prime minister also became public, released by the Norwegian government and confirmed by the White House. In it, Trump linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to last years decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, the message read. It concluded, The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. On Tuesday, Trump also published a flattering message from Mark Rutte, secretary general of NATO, which the alliance also confirmed as authentic. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland, Rutte wrote. Cant wait to see you. Yours, Mark. Rutte has declined to speak publicly about Greenland despite growing concern about Trumps threats to acquire the island and what that would mean for the territorial integrity of NATO ally Denmark. Pressed last week about Trumps designs on Greenland and warnings from Denmark that any U.S. military action might mean the end of NATO, Rutte said: I can never comment on that. Thats impossible in public. Macrons relationship with Trump Macron likes to say that he can get Trump on the phone any time he wants. He proved it last September by making a show of calling up the president from a street in New York, to tell Trump that police officers were blocking him to let a VIP motorcade pass. Guess what? Im waiting in the street because everything is frozen for you! Macron said as cameras filmed the scene. Its a safe bet that Macron must know by now a year into Trumps second spell in office that theres always a risk that a private message to Trump could be made public. Macron said Tuesday that he had no particular reaction to the messages publication when a journalist asked him about it. I take responsibility for everything that I do. Its my habit to be coherent between what I say on the outside and what I do in a private manner. Thats all. Still, the difference between Macrons public and private personas was striking. Hosting Russia and Ukraine together Most remarkably, the French leader told Trump in his message that he would be willing to invite representatives from both Ukraine and Russia to a meeting later this week in Paris an idea that Macron has not voiced publicly. The Russians could be hosted in the margins, Macron suggested, hinting at the potential awkwardness of inviting Moscow representatives while France is also backing Ukraine with military and other support against Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion. Macron wrote that the meeting could also include the danish, the syrians and the G7 nations which include the United States. The French president added: let us have a dinner together in Paris together on thursday before you go back to the us. He then signed off simply with Emmanuel. Making nice only goes so far Despite Macrons persistent efforts, in both of Trumps terms, not to ruffle his feathers, any payback has been mixed, at best. Trump bristled on Monday, threatening punitive tariffs, when told that Macron has no plans to join Trumps new Board of Peace that will supervise the next phase of the Gaza peace plan, despite receiving an invitation. Well, nobody wants him because hes going to be out of office very soon, Trump told reporters, even through the French leader has more than a year left in office before the end of his second and last term in 2027. Ill put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes and hell join, Trump said. ___ Lorne Cook in Brussels, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Kostya Manenkov in Davos contributed. By JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press Detectives have arrested two men, Albert Kerry Nyadianga and David Opiyo (alias G.O.A.T), for creating and distributing fake Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) 2025 results slips on social media platforms. The duo lured desperate candidates and parents with promises of upgraded grades for a fee. They boldly claimed they could alter KCSE results slips, exploiting anxious families seeking better academic outcomes. DCI officers on secondment at the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) conducted a meticulous operation that brought down their fraudulent scheme. Detectives arrested Nyadianga in Kisumu while they cornered his accomplice, Opiyo, in Ongata Rongai during a coordinated swoop. Preliminary investigations reveal that Opiyo, a primary school teacher by profession, masterminded the entire scheme. He commands a massive online following of 45,200 members in a group he misleadingly branded KCSE 2025 Grade Upgrading. Investigators discovered that Opiyo actively operates in several other online forums linked to examination manipulation claims. These include KNEC Legit Papers and Upgrading, Group Booster Support, KNEC/KASNEB/ICM/CDA, and KNEC Grade Editing. Officers searching the suspects mobile devices uncovered images of fake KCSE result slips and other examination materials, which further exposed their shady dealings. The pair now remains in custody, undergoing processing as they await their day in court. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), working closely with KNEC, warns the public to stay vigilant against fraudsters who peddle illusions of grade manipulation. KCSE results remain secure and tamper-proof; no middlemen can alter them. Detectives have intensified efforts to track down other individuals involved in this scam as they tighten the dragnet around academic fraud networks across the country. A Nairobi court has heard how a man allegedly posed as Head of Public Service Felix Koskei in a scheme to extort millions of shillings from a senior government official, as prosecutors pushed for strict conditions to govern his release. Seth Omosira Osumo appeared before Milimani Anti-Corruption Court Senior Principal Magistrate C. A. Okore, where he denied charges of impersonation and bribery. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) told the court that the case involves serious allegations linked to abuse of high-level public office. Alleged Extortion Scheme According to prosecutors, Osumo allegedly presented himself as the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service in mid-January and demanded Ksh.10 million from Engineer Kenneth Njuguna Mbogori, a regional director at the Kenya Rural Roads Authority. Prosecutors said he sought the money as a condition for securing the engineers position. The court heard that the alleged scheme unfolded over two days, January 14 and 15, 2026, within Nairobi. Prosecutors added that Osumo later received Ksh.30,000 as part of the same arrangement. Osumo is facing three criminal counts, including impersonating a public officer under Section 105(b) of the Penal Code and two counts of bribery under the Anti-Bribery Act. While applying for bond, Principal Prosecution Counsel Willy Momanyi urged the court to impose strict conditions, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the risk of interference with evidence. The prosecution asked the court to order the surrender of Osumos passport, restrict his travel, and retain two mobile phones believed to contain crucial evidence. Magistrate Okore agreed with the prosecution and ruled that the mobile phones would remain in custody pending the hearing and determination of the case. I am satisfied with the explanations given by the prosecution counsel on the issues regarding confiscation of the mobile phones belonging to the accused person, she ordered. Bond Terms and Next Steps The court granted Osumo a bond of Ksh.1 million, with an alternative cash bail of Ksh.300,000, and directed him to deposit his passport and all travel documents with the court. He must now seek prior court approval before travelling outside the courts jurisdiction. The court also ordered prosecutors to furnish the defence with all witness statements and documentary evidence within 14 days. The matter is scheduled for mention on February 2, 2026. The Minsitry of Health (MoH) has moved to tame the alarming rise of quack medical practitioners administering health services to Kenyans. Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale on Sunday announced the formation of an anti-fraud police unit to crack down on unlicensed and untrained medics as well as medial clinics. The special police unit will be deployed alongside the Kenya Medical Practitioners Council officials targeting fake cinics and quack doctors to enforce required standards. In a fresh push to manage its online presence and respond to rising digital criticism, the government has unveiled plans to spend up to Sh100 million annually on social media influencers and bloggers. The Ministry of Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy (MICDE) says the funds will bankroll a coordinated digital communication campaign designed to positively profiling the government brand, in partnership with the Presidential Communication Service and the Office of the Government Spokesperson. According to the National Communication Strategy, the rise of digital platforms has reshaped the information landscape, noting that with the rise of digital media, the government has found it increasingly difficult to control information as multiple voices have emerged. The strategy is designed to enhance synergy and coherence across all communication efforts while fostering a citizen-centric culture in public discourse, as well as strengthening the governments brand image, MICDE states. A key pillar of the plan involves formally enlisting social media influencers and bloggers to help push government narratives online. The strategy seeks to leverage the potential of diverse media platforms and communication assets by integrating influencers into official communication efforts. Under the proposal, part of the budget will go toward paying influencers a stipend, while the rest will fund tools and resources intended to help them counter misinformation in their communities and participate in regular engagement forums with government officials. Spending estimates in the document show that the initial rollout will target 10 macro-influencers, each set to earn Sh100,000 per quarter, alongside 20 micro-influencers who will receive Sh50,000 quarterly. Their assigned roles include creating hashtags and promoting them on social media, a tactic aimed at shaping online conversations and expanding the reach of government messaging. Macro-influencers typically boast followings of more than 100,000 users, allowing them to reach millions of people, while micro-influencers command audiences ranging between 10,000 and 100,000 followers. Kenya ranks among Africas most vibrant influencer markets, with companies increasingly relying on digital personalities to promote products, events and narratives. In 2025, marketers reportedly spent about Sh645 million on influencer advertising deals, according to data from Statista. The proposal lands at a time when online activism continues to shape public discourse, with recent protests increasingly organised and amplified on social media. Confronted with this reality, the State now aims to turn what has been a growing challenge into a direct line of engagement with citizens. Although this marks the first time the government has formally documented and budgeted for influencer engagement, the approach itself is not unprecedented. An Amnesty International report released last year revealed that authorities had previously paid influencers to drown out protest hashtags and amplify pro-government messaging, while also intimidating voices viewed as critical of the State. A court on Monday, January 19, heard how a luxury home purchase in Lavington, Nairobi allegedly turned into a multimillion-shilling fraud dispute, with a property dealer facing trial over claims that she obtained Ksh.65 million through false pretences. Grace Kerubo Orioki, also known as Grace Kerubo Omambia Omwega and trading as Nazziwa Investment Limited, faces charges under Section 313 of the Penal Code. Prosecutors allege that she defrauded Eunice Mbinya Musembi during a transaction involving a residential house on Kaputiei Road, which was later found to have hidden structural defects. Musembi told trial magistrate Rose Ndombi that her family became interested in the property in July 2024 after seeing it advertised on social media. They later visited the house, where they met the accused, who introduced herself as the seller. The complainant said the parties agreed on a purchase price of Ksh.75.5 million, with completion scheduled within 90 days from August 2024. Omwega provided a bank account for payments, and by the time the deal began to unravel, the buyers had already paid approximately Ksh.65 million around 85 per cent of the agreed sum. Dispute Over Access and Property Safety Musembi testified that the family requested vacant possession before completing the transaction to carry out a thorough inspection of the house. The accused refused, insisting that full payment had to be made first. The standoff stalled the deal, with neither party willing to compromise. Although Omwega vacated the property in November 2024, Musembi said access remained restricted. The family was allowed only a one-hour supervised inspection, conducted under the supervision of legal representatives. During the inspection, the family noticed cracks on the pillars, beams, and in the servants quarters, raising serious concerns about the propertys structural safety. A structural engineer was later engaged, and the resulting report confirmed that the houses structural integrity had been compromised. The report was forwarded to the accused through her advocates, but no repairs or remedial measures were undertaken, the court heard. Legal Proceedings and Refund Demand With Ksh.10 million still outstanding, the accuseds advocates later issued a 21-day notice demanding payment and warning that failure to settle the balance would lead to rescission of the contract. Musembi told the court that she felt legally vulnerable after paying most of the purchase price without receiving completion documents or assurances that the house was safe to occupy. She subsequently demanded a refund, which the accused declined, prompting her to report the matter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). During cross-examination, the defence counsel challenged inconsistencies in Musembis testimony, including the agreed purchase price and the level of access granted to inspect the property. The defence argued that the sale agreement was entered into voluntarily and noted that a related civil dispute is pending in another court, where the disputed funds are reportedly being held. They also maintained that no official authority has declared the house uninhabitable. The case will resume on March 5, 2026. A Nairobi court has put on hold the adoption of an out-of-court settlement between Mumias East MP Peter Salasya and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) in his ongoing hate speech case, after finding that key conditions of the agreement remain unfulfilled. Senior Resident Magistrate Paul Mutai delivered the ruling on Monday, January 19, stating that the court could not approve the settlement until Salasya fully complies with its terms. Prosecutors told the court that they had received a formal agreement between the outspoken legislator and the NCIC, which outlines several obligations intended to promote national cohesion and peaceful coexistence. The prosecution informed the court that once the agreement takes effect, it plans to withdraw the case under Section 78A of the Criminal Procedure Code. However, the magistrate noted that Salasya had yet to meet some of the specific requirements set out in the settlement, making it premature for the court to adopt it. As a result, Magistrate Mutai declined to approve the agreement at this stage, insisting that compliance must come first. I will not adopt this agreement immediately. I will give you the chance to implement the agreed terms, after which the court will adopt the agreement, the magistrate ruled. Under the settlement terms, Salasya must issue a public apology and actively participate in a peace and cohesion campaign on social media as part of efforts to foster harmony and accountability. Before or upon the execution of this agreement, the parties shall jointly hold a well-publicised press conference at a venue and place to be communicated by the commission, in which the respondent shall communicate in public his apology, the magistrate said. The court directed that evidence proving compliance with these requirements be submitted within 14 days from the date of the ruling. Magistrate Mutai noted that meeting these conditions is essential to ensure the settlement achieves its objective of reconciliation and public responsibility. The court will mention the matter on a later date to confirm compliance and determine whether to allow the withdrawal of the hate speech case against the Mumias East MP. Those named Aubree are typically associated with a blend of creativity, intuition, and social grace that makes them naturally appealing to others. They often possess what might be described as 'elf wisdom'a quick understanding of people and situations, combined with imaginative problem-solving abilities. This intuitive intelligence allows them to navigate complex social dynamics with apparent ease while maintaining their unique perspective. Aubrees tend to be diplomatic rather than confrontational, using charm and perception to achieve their goals. Their personality often balances practical sensibility with artistic appreciation, making them both grounded and visionary. They're frequently described as having a gentle strength that inspires confidence in others while maintaining an approachable, warm presence. Cultural & Historical Significance The name Brarn holds deep significance in Celtic culture, where ravens were revered as messengers between worlds and symbols of prophecy. In ancient Celtic mythology, ravens were associated with major deities like the Morrigan, who often appeared in raven form, and Bran the Blessed, a giant and king in Welsh mythology whose name means 'raven'. The raven's intelligence and mysterious nature made it a respected creature in Celtic societies, often seen as a guide and protector rather than an omen of doom as in later traditions. Throughout Celtic history, names meaning 'raven' were given to children believed to have special insight or destined for leadership roles, as the raven was thought to possess ancient wisdom and the ability to see beyond ordinary reality. The specific spelling 'Brarn' appears to be a modern variation that maintains the traditional meaning while creating a distinctive identity. In Celtic warrior culture, ravens were also associated with battle and protection, with warriors sometimes wearing raven imagery for protection and victory. Cultural & Historical Significance Jonalynn emerged in the late 20th century as part of the trend toward creating modern feminine forms of traditional masculine names, particularly within Christian communities. The name combines the biblical name John, which has deep Christian significance as the name of John the Baptist and John the Apostle, with the feminine suffix -lynn, creating a distinctly modern Christian feminine name that maintains connection to religious heritage while offering contemporary appeal. This naming pattern reflects the broader cultural movement of adapting traditional religious names for modern sensibilities while preserving their spiritual meaning and connection to Christian tradition. The creation of Jonalynn represents how Christian naming practices have evolved to include more creative feminine forms while still honoring biblical roots and maintaining the core meaning of 'God is gracious' that has made John such an enduring name in Christian communities worldwide. Women named Katherina are typically associated with a distinctive blend of intelligence, strength, and moral clarity. They often possess a natural authority and confidence that commands respect, combined with sharp analytical abilities that make them excellent problem-solvers. The name suggests someone who is both principled and practicalable to maintain strong ethical standards while navigating complex situations with wisdom and grace. Katherinas are frequently perceived as having depth of character, with a thoughtful nature that values substance over superficiality. In interpersonal relationships, Katherinas are known for their loyalty and reliability, though they may initially present as reserved or discerning in forming new connections. Their strength of character often manifests as resilience in facing challenges and the courage to stand by their convictions. While they can be strong-willed and determined, this is typically balanced by a sense of fairness and compassion. The combination of intellectual prowess and moral integrity makes Katherinas natural leaders who inspire trust and admiration in both personal and professional contexts. Their personality reflects the name's historical bearerswomen of substance who leave lasting impressions through their wisdom and strength of character. China's transport networks mobilize to ensure safety amid major cold wave Xinhua) 09:09, January 20, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- A widespread cold wave, the first of 2026, has swept across China, bringing heavy snow, freezing rain, and icy conditions that have disrupted transportation in multiple regions. Authorities have activated emergency protocols to ensure safe travel, with transport departments at all levels implementing round-the-clock monitoring and response measures. The Ministry of Transport, in collaboration with other agencies, held urgent consultations to strengthen dynamic monitoring of road networks and enhance coordination across provinces and municipalities. Over the past weekend, Beijing experienced significant snowfall, with accumulations exceeding 10 cm in certain areas. The city's transport commission mobilized over 4,000 emergency workers and 2,600 pieces of snow-removal equipment to clear key routes, bridges, and ramps continuously, while also deploying resources at high-risk sections such as sharp curves and slopes to guarantee safety. In neighboring Hebei Province, similar measures were implemented, with the transport department pre-positioning emergency supplies and machinery. "As of now, during this round of heavy snowfall, Hebei's trunk roads have deployed 3,446 personnel and 1,111 sets of equipment, clearing 13,232 kilometers of routes," said an official from the provincial transportation department. Shanxi Province in north China addressed its challenging terrain -- featuring mountainous roads, steep slopes, and heavy truck traffic -- by deploying anti-icing equipment and materials in advance. Shanxi Transportation Holdings Group coordinated with meteorological and police departments to implement real-time adjustments, including speed restrictions and vehicle controls when necessary. Meanwhile, in central China's Henan Province, bi-hourly inspections of the road network were conducted, and a detailed inventory of icy sections was maintained, with forces pre-positioned at over 600 vulnerable spots. Shandong Province in east China established a direct weather information channel and an on-call emergency mechanism, with 29,000 personnel and 2,600 snowplows on standby. An expressway toll station worker said they have dispatched 40 machines and 116 personnel to spread 790 tonnes of melting agents to maintain normal traffic flow. The railway sector has also intensified its efforts. China State Railway Group coordinated departments such as operations and power supply to monitor weather changes continuously, using surveillance systems to inspect tracks and equipment. "We will closely monitor conditions and dynamically adjust train operations, including implementing speed limits or cancellations, to prioritize passenger safety," said a representative from China State Railway Group. Beijing Daxing International Airport utilized 13 de-icing positions and 49 de-icing vehicles, while Wuhan Tianhe Airport prepared snow blowers and de-icing equipment. Airlines like Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern increased staff to assist passengers with re-booking and updates, ensuring smooth travel amid the challenges. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Individuals named Leoma are typically associated with warmth, intelligence, and a naturally radiant personality. They often possess an inner light that draws others to them, combined with strong intuitive abilities and emotional intelligence. Leomas tend to be creative problem-solvers who approach challenges with optimism and grace. Their 'bright' nature manifests not just in intelligence but in their ability to uplift and inspire those around them. Many Leomas demonstrate natural leadership qualities tempered with compassion, making them effective in roles that require both strength and sensitivity. These individuals often have a strong sense of purpose and are driven by deeper values rather than superficial goals. The luminous quality of their name reflects in their tendency to see possibilities where others see obstacles, and their presence often brings clarity and hope to difficult situations. While they can be private about their deepest feelings, Leomas typically maintain a positive exterior that serves as a beacon for others. They excel in careers involving teaching, counseling, creative arts, or community leadership where their natural warmth and insight can benefit others. Their combination of practical intelligence and emotional depth makes them valuable friends and trusted advisors. Cultural & Historical Significance The name Osmarr has deep roots in Christian European history, particularly within Norse and Anglo-Saxon cultures where it emerged as a compound name combining divine elements with glory and honor. During the Christianization of Northern Europe, names like Osmarr became popular among converts who sought to maintain their cultural identity while embracing Christian values. The name was particularly favored among nobility and clergy who saw it as representing both earthly prestige and divine favor. Throughout medieval times, Osmarr was associated with leaders who balanced secular authority with religious devotion, often appearing in historical records of bishops, missionaries, and Christian kings who worked to spread Christianity while preserving cultural traditions. The name's dual naturecombining worldly honor with spiritual significancemade it particularly appealing during periods of religious transition and cultural synthesis. In modern Christian contexts, the name continues to symbolize the integration of faith with daily life and the pursuit of excellence guided by spiritual principles. Cultural & Historical Significance Sisyphus stands as one of the most enduring figures in Western cultural consciousness, originating from Greek mythology as the cunning king of Corinth who repeatedly outsmarted the gods. His eternal punishmentrolling a boulder up a hill only to have it roll back down each time he nears the tophas become a universal metaphor for futile labor and endless struggle. This mythological narrative has transcended its ancient origins to become a cornerstone in philosophical discussions about human existence, particularly in existentialist thought where it represents the human condition's inherent absurdity. The story appears in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, was elaborated by later Greek writers, and continues to inspire modern interpretations across literature, psychology, and popular culture. Sisyphus embodies the tension between human ingenuity and cosmic indifference, making him a timeless symbol of both human limitation and resilience. His myth has been adapted across millennia, serving as a powerful allegory for everything from political oppression to personal psychological patterns, ensuring his continued relevance in contemporary discourse about meaning, purpose, and human endurance. Individuals named Volker are typically perceived as reliable, strong-willed, and principled. They often exhibit natural leadership qualities combined with a deep sense of responsibility toward their community. The name's meaning as 'people's guard' seems to manifest in personality traits centered around protection, guidance, and service to others. Volkers are frequently described as having a grounded, practical nature with strong organizational skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure. They tend to be traditional yet progressive, valuing heritage while embracing necessary change. Many Volkers display a quiet confidence and determination that inspires trust in others. Their strength often lies not in aggression but in steadfastness and the capacity to endure challenges while maintaining their core values. This combination of reliability and inner strength makes them natural pillars in their families, workplaces, and communities, often serving as stabilizing forces during times of uncertainty or change. The massive data centers needed to run AI systems are rapidly altering geographical landscapes and communities. Thats especially true in the U.S. South, where many states are dominated by large, investor-owned utilities and land and other natural resources are still relatively available. Data centers are proliferating alongside the explosive growth of cloud computing and AI technologies, says Kristin Phillips, associate professor of anthropology at Emory University. People are raising concerns about who is reaping the benefits of these facilities and who is bearing the economic and environmental costs. Phillips, a sociocultural anthropologist who studies the social context of energy and infrastructure, is digging deeply into these questions and their implications for the U.S. South, funded by a $1 million grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Her co-principal investigators on the grant are Jola Ajibade, Emory associate professor of environmental sciences, and Gabe Schwartzman, assistant professor of geography and sustainability at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Cathy Kunkel, from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, and Nikki Luke, a human geographer at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will serve as consultants to the co-investigators. The three-year project will research the current and potential effects of data centers on electricity costs for individual ratepayers, structural changes to how energy is supplied and consumed, and issues of environmental and social justice. The researchers will conduct case studies for three states: Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee. They will combine qualitative and quantitative methods, drawing data from interviews, surveys, official documents, cost analyses, focus groups and ethnography to consider the perspectives of utilities, state and local officials, workers, community organizations and residents. Existing and planned data center sites will be mapped and made available online. These maps will be overlaid with demographic data on the surrounding communities. The researchers will also develop a comparative analysis of the regulatory and policy landscapes across the three states to identify best practices. The different stakeholders will be actively engaged in all aspects of the work, from project scoping to implementing research plans and disseminating the results. AI and data mark a new gold-rush era in our world, says Ajibade, who studies environmental justice, energy transitions and societal transformations. Like past booms, this one carries economic, social, energy and environmental costs. The critical question is not just how fast data centers are expanding, but who benefits and at what cost. Data centers are critical to IT infrastructure, housing high-powered computing systems needed to support everyday digital services, from streaming movies to social media and e-commerce. The growing use of AI and machine-learning workloads is accelerating the deployment of data centers for high-performance computing systems. Proponents of these facilities point to the development of IT infrastructure and the tax revenue they generate for communities. Opponents point to reports of noise and light disturbances from nearby residents, and the potential for long-term economic and environmental consequences stemming from the enormous amounts of water and energy needed to run the facilities. Virginia, Georgia and Tennessee offer unique perspectives to shed light on the potential impacts of data centers throughout the South, Phillips says. Virginia has the worlds highest concentration of data centers, representing 13% of data center operational capacity globally and 25% capacity in the Americas, a legislative audit found. In 2023, Virginia became the countrys top importer of electricity from other states to try and meet the surging demand in commercial power consumption, according to the S. Energy Information Administration. Georgia is emerging as one of the fastest-growing data center markets in the United States, fueled by tax incentives, ample land, energy resources and a lack of restrictive legislation. Metro Atlanta is second only to Northern Virginia in total primary market inventory of data centers, according to the commercial real estate services firm CBRE. Some communities, however, have started to push back against the boom. In Tennessee, data centers are also being built at a dramatic pace and scale, helping to fuel the largest expansion of fossil-fuel energy generation assets in the country. A data center housing a supercomputer for Elon Musks company xAI in Memphis is a high-profile example. Emissions from the unpermitted gas turbines powering the center have drawn the concern of environmentalists and nearby residents of Boxtown, a low-income, predominantly Black community, Ajibade notes. Data centers are an increasing part of a world in which we are so connected and so much of our life is online, Phillips says. Its important to be aware of how decisions are being made about where data centers are being built, what conditions and processes are involved, and how they will affect our energy system and its future. The Sloan Foundation is a not-for-profit, mission-driven grantmaking institution dedicated to improving the welfare of all through the advancement of scientific knowledge. Paul Chan meets Oman officials in Davos Financial Secretary Paul Chan exchanged views with officials from Oman as he began his trip to Davos for the World Economic Forum's annual meeting. The gathering is expected to bring together nearly 3,000 cross-sector leaders, some 400 political officials, 850 top company bosses and 100 tech pioneers. Chan arrived in the Swiss town on Monday, after which he met the Minister of Economy of the Sultanate of Oman, Said Mohammed Al-Saqri. During their meeting, Chan said Hong Kong is well positioned to support Oman, which is transitioning from an oil-driven growth model towards a more diversified economic structure, with efforts to promote green energy while deepening ties with China. He said the SAR, as a "super connector", can help facilitate mainland and Hong Kong enterprises to invest in Oman to support its infrastructure and industrial development, while leveraging its status as a global financial hub to assist Omani enterprises in fundraising and financing. The two sides discussed ways to deepen cooperation in areas such as finance, trade, green transformation and industrial development. Chan also expressed his support for the stock exchanges and regulatory authorities in both places to explore the potential of dual or secondary listings. He earlier attended the welcome reception of the annual summit and exchanged views with participants from around the world. Themed "A Spirit of Dialogue", the summit runs until Friday, covering topics such as cooperating in a more contested world. Chan is scheduled to return to Hong Kong on Saturday. Patiala (Punjab) [India], January 20: Solidus Techno Power Pvt. Ltd., in partnership with Blue Sky NRG Pvt. Ltd., proudly announces the successful commissioning of Punjab's largest Solar Captive Open Access Project under the Green Energy Policy. The project will supply renewable power to Madhav KRG Ltd., a leading steel manufacturer in North India. With an installed capacity of 34 MW / 51 MWp, the project will generate approximately 71 million units of clean energy annually. This transition to solar energy will contribute to the reduction of nearly 67,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year, making a meaningful impact on Punjab's sustainability goals. A Milestone for Renewable Energy in Punjab Within a short span of one month, Solidus has commissioned State's first 2 major captive open access solar projects, reinforcing its capability to deliver large-scale, high-quality renewable infrastructure. This project represents a significant advancement in enabling industries to adopt reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible power solutions. By facilitating direct access to renewable energy, Solidus continues to support industries in lowering operational emissions and enhancing energy security. Leadership Insights Message from Mr. Harvinder Singh, Managing Director "Commissioning 50MW+ solar captive open access project is a proud moment for Solidus. This milestone reflects our commitment to advancing India's renewable energy ecosystem and demonstrates how industrial growth can align seamlessly with sustainability." Message from Mr. Jaspal Singh, Chief Executive Officer "This achievement is more than capacity addition - it marks a positive shift in North India's energy landscape. By delivering clean and dependable power solutions, Solidus is enabling industries to embrace a greener, future-ready approach." Commitment to Sustainable Growth Solidus remains dedicated to building renewable energy projects that set new benchmarks in quality, reliability, and performance. Solidus is committed to contributing solutions that are technologically strong, environmentally responsible, and aligned with national sustainability priorities. Together, we continue to work toward a cleaner, greener tomorrow. (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.) HT Syndication Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], January 20: Thrillophilia, India's leading AI-powered platform for personalised tours, has joined forces with the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) to reinforce the emirate as a destination of choice for travellers from India. The partnership aligns with strong tourism growth from India, Abu Dhabi's largest inbound market. Year-to-date, Abu Dhabi has recorded a 26 per cent growth in hotel guests from India and a 21 per cent increase in flight seat capacity from the market, compared to the same period last year. Abhishek Daga, Co-founder of Thrillophilia, said: "Indian travellers' perception of Abu Dhabi is changing rapidly. With easier discovery, localised content, instant booking, and value-driven multi-day itineraries, we're seeing travellers extend their stays to 3-5 nights and explore far beyond the usual landmarks, from the best attraction parks to mangrove kayaking to island retreats and cultural circuits." Abdulla Yousuf, Director of International Operations at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: "Our collaboration with Thrillophilia is key to our strategy of empowering our trusted travel trade partners. India is a top priority for us, and by providing platforms that offer easier discovery, localised content, and seamless booking, we are showcasing the full breadth of experiences available in the emirate, inspiring longer stays and deeper engagement." The partnership blends technology and curated content to make extended visits to Abu Dhabi seamless and inspiring. Thrillophilia has introduced over 80 bookable local experiences and 50 ready-to-go itineraries, covering both Abu Dhabi-only getaways and combined itineraries with neighbouring emirates. Since its launch, the campaign has generated over one million visits to Abu Dhabi experience pages on the platform. Experiences such as mangrove kayaking, Louvre Abu Dhabi evenings, and desert nights now account for nearly 30 per cent of Abu Dhabi bookings on the platform, compared to approximately 15 per cent previously. The initiative has already influenced over 60,000 travellers and aims to convert over 30,000 new Indian visitors into full-fledged Abu Dhabi holiday bookings over the next 18 to 24 months. To further empower its travel trade partners, DCT Abu Dhabi offers a suite of tools including the 'Experience Abu Dhabi Experts' e-learning platform, available in English and Hindi, which certifies agents as destination specialists. Additionally, the destination's reseller portal for the Abu Dhabi Pass provides wholesale rates and a seamless interface, empowering agents in India and beyond to be an integral part of Abu Dhabi's compelling growth story. About the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi: The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi's culture and tourism sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi's wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate's position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate's potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture, creative and tourism industries. DCT Abu Dhabi's vision is defined by the emirate's people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi's status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought. For more information, please contact: info@thrillophilia.com (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by HT Syndication. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday met with Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Taking to social media platform X, Fadnavis said, "Our discussion focused on strategies to unlock the potential of a green industrial corridor in Maharashtra to attract global investment, along with initiatives to digitise MSMEs to enhance competitiveness and drive export growth." "Our continued collaboration will support Maharashtra's sustained growth and development through strategic and impactful initiatives," he added. Earlier, the Maharashtra CM also met Carlsberg CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. In a post on X, he said, "Carlsberg CEO Mr. Jacob Aarup-Andersen appreciates Maharashtra and expressed gratitude to CM Devendra Fadnavis for ease of doing business in the State under his leadership and team." "They're also expanding the business with huge increased investments," he added. Notably, at the WEF, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) achieved a historic milestone, securing investment commitments worth USD 96 billion (Rs 8.73 lakh crore) on the very first day through the signing of 10 major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). The landmark agreements are expected to generate approximately 9.6 lakh direct and indirect jobs, positioning the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) as the talent capital of India and Asia. Speaking on the exchange of these MoUs at Davos 2026, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "The historic USD 96 billion in investments secured on the very first day of WEF 2026 is a reflection to the global investors' unwavering faith in Maharashtra's potential. These 10 MoUs are not just financial agreements; they are the blueprints for 'Mumbai 3.0' and the key to accelerating our march towards the USD 1 trillion economy milestone." "By transforming the MMR into a world-class, technology-driven powerhouse, we are ensuring that Maharashtra remains the primary engine of India's growth. Following last year's Rs 16 lakh crore success, we have set our sights even higher this year to bring life-changing infrastructure and millions of jobs to our youth," he added. The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, with nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." (ANI) Ahan Shetty expressed his love and admiration for the actor Sunny Deol, describing him as a "father figure" in his life who has earned deep respect from his father, Suniel Shetty. Ahan Shetty will share the screen with Sunny Deol in the upcoming film Border 2, set to release in theatres on January 23. In an interview with ANI, actor Ahan Shetty expressed his gratitude to Sunny Deol for supporting and motivating him during the making of the film. "Sunny sir is a father figure for me. When my father (Suniel Shetty) talks about Sunny sir, he calls him Sunny Paa. So, if my father calls Sunny sir Sunny Paa, then you can imagine the respect I hold for him. The border picture is of Sunny sir and me, Varun, and Diljit are the supporting pillars. So, for him to accept me the way he has, it means a lot. As I said, he is a father figure for me. He supported me in a very good way. He pushed me," said Ahan Shetty. Ahan Shetty also recalled his initial memories of Border, saying that he fell in love with the Indian army and decided to join the profession after watching the film. "I was very young when Border was released. I fell in love with the Indian army after I watched the film. I dreamt of joining the Indian Army. However, down the line, when I took part in school dramas, I decided to become an actor. I guess I can say that my dream of becoming an actor started with Border," said Ahan Shetty. "I think during the promotions of Tadap, many asked me if I could be a part of one of my father's films, which film would you like to do? And I said Border. So, maybe this was a manifestation," added Ahan Shetty. Ahan Shetty, who carries forward his father Suniel Shetty's iconic legacy in 'Border 2', is directed by Anurag Singh. The second instalment of the iconic film brings back Sunny Deol as the main lead, with Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh in lead roles. "Inspired by the true events of the 1971 India-Pakistan War", the trailer opens the door to the powerful world of Border 2 and what happens when India's Army, Navy, and Air Force come together to fight as one. 'Border 2' is produced by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series in association with JP Dutta's JP Films. (ANI) Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh on Monday held a meeting with Deepak Mane, Chairman of Buhler Group in Zurich, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Nara Lokesh invited Buhler to partner with Andhra Pradesh to strengthen agri-export clusters, millet processing, food-tech skilling. In a post on X, Nara Lokesh shared, "It was a pleasure to meet Deepak Mane, Chairman of Buhler Group, in Zurich. I invited Buhler to partner with Andhra Pradesh in strengthening agri-export clusters, millet processing, food-tech skilling and Make-in-India manufacturing. I am confident that this collaboration can position AP as India's agri-food hub." https://x.com/naralokesh/status/2013290686133768307 Nara Lokesh arrived in Zurich on Monday, where he received a warm welcome from members of the NRI Telugu Desam Party (TDP), as part of his visit to Switzerland ahead of engagements linked to the WEF. In a post shared on X, Nara Lokesh said, "Landed in #Zurich today to a warm welcome from the NRI TDP family. It was a pleasure interacting with them and witnessing their enthusiasm and deep connect with #AndhraPradesh. Looking forward to the NRI event later today, followed by engaging discussions in Davos over the next three days. #AndhraIsBack #APatWEF #WEF26." Earlier on Monday, Nara Lokesh said that the WEF has evolved significantly since the 1990s, when Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu became "one of India's earliest global brand ambassadors" and added that Davos is no longer just about signing MoUs, but has become a platform to understand the future direction of business, technology, and policies. In a post on X, Lokesh wrote, "#Davos has come a long way since the 1990s, when Mr. Naidu emerged as one of India's earliest global brand ambassadors. Today, Davos is not just about signing MoUs - it's about understanding where business, technology, and policy are headed. It's where relationships are built, assumptions tested, and the right questions asked." The World Economic Forum (WEF) will convene its 56th Annual Meeting in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026, bringing together nearly 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and rapid technological transformation. Held under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue", Davos 2026 seeks to provide an impartial platform for global leaders from government, business and civil society to reconnect, rebuild trust and explore collaborative solutions to challenges that increasingly transcend borders. (ANI) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday paid tribute to Abdul Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as 'Bacha Khan' and the 'Frontier Gandhi', on his 38th death anniversary, recalling his role in India's freedom struggle. In a post on X, Kharge said, "In solemn remembrance of Bacha Khan, the Frontier Gandhi, a Bharat Ratna recipient and a beacon of peace, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan. A towering figure in the freedom struggle, he made immense contributions to India's Independence Movement and endured repeated imprisonment for his principles. He also served for years on the Congress Working Committee and was elected to the Constituent Assembly. His steadfast dedication to non violence, harmony, and human dignity continues to inspire millions across India and South Asia, reminding us of the shared ideals that bind us all." https://x.com/kharge/status/2013437228949831971 The Congress party also remembered Bacha Khan, tweeting, "Remembering the 'Frontier Gandhi' Abdul Ghaffar Khan on his death anniversary. A towering symbol of nonviolence, courage, and sacrifice, he devoted his life to India's freedom struggle, peace, and social reform through steadfast Gandhian principles." https://x.com/INCIndia/status/2013416189158977802 Paying his respects to Abdul Ghaffar Khan, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also took to X, writing, "On the death anniversary of the great freedom fighter, known as the Frontier Gandhi, the revered 'Bharat Ratna' Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan ji, I offer my countless salutations! This nation will forever remain grateful to you for your unparalleled contribution to the freedom of the country." https://x.com/ChouhanShivraj/status/2013444576598728756 Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a political and spiritual leader known for his non-violent opposition and a lifelong pacifist and devout Muslim. A close friend of India's Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, Bacha Khan was nicknamed the "Frontier Gandhi" in British India. He founded the Khudai Khidmatgar ("Servants of God") movement in 1929, whose success triggered a harsh crackdown by the then British Empire against him and his supporters, and they suffered some of the most severe repression of the Indian independence movement. Khan strongly opposed the All-India Muslim League's demand for the partition of India. When the Indian National Congress declared its acceptance of the partition plan without consulting the Khudai Khidmatgar leaders, he felt very sad and told the Congress, "You have thrown us to the wolves". After partition, Khan pledged allegiance to Pakistan, but championed the cause for the creation of an autonomous "Pashtunistan" administrative unit within the country. As a result, he was frequently arrested by the Pakistan government or kept in confinement. He spent much of the 1960s and 1970s either in jail or in exile. Upon his death on January 12, 1988, in Peshawar under house arrest, tens of thousands of mourners attended his funeral, marching through the Khyber Pass from Peshawar to Jalalabad. (ANI) Karnataka Government suspended K Ramchandra Rao, Director General of Police (DGP), Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement, with immediate effect, after his objectionable video went viral. Rao, a 1993-batch Karnataka cadre IPS officer, has been suspended pending inquiry. As per the statement, the suspension order, issued under Rule 3(1)(a) of the All India Service (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969, mandates that Rao will continue to receive subsistence allowance during the period of suspension. He is barred from leaving the headquarters or performing any official duties without the State Government's written permission, the order stated. The state government cited that the officer's conduct, as evident from the videos widely broadcast on media platforms, caused embarrassment to the government and violated service conduct rules. An inquiry has been ordered to examine the matter in detail. Meanwhile, in another incident, a mother and son were killed in a collision with a college bus while they were on their way to school on Bengaluru's Vivekananda Main Road on Monday, police said. The deceased individuals have been identified as Sangeeta (37) and her son Partha (8). Both were natives of Andhra Pradesh. Sangeeta was working as an assistant at the Army Public School. She had two children, who used to go to the same school. She was on her way to school with her son at around 6:30 am. At this time, a private college bus collided with her while crossing the road. The mother and son died on the spot due to the force of the accident. Ashoka Nagar police visited the spot and conducted an investigation. The bodies have been sent to Boring Hospital for a post-mortem. The bus driver is still at large after the accident. The police are searching for the driver, Sunil, who is absconding. (ANI) The BJP headquarters in the national capital on Tuesday bore a celebratory look ahead of Nitin Nabin is set to assume charge as the party's national president later in the day This morning Nabin offered prayers at Jhandewalan Temple and later at Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place. BJP MP Manan Kumar Mishra praised Nitin Nabin's appointment as national president, saying the party aims to give space to young leaders and that Nabin's experience will help the party achieve even better results. "The party has taken a resolve to give space to young leadership. He is young and also quite social. He has a lot of experience. Our party is the largest party in the world. Under his leadership, even better work will be done," Manan told reporters on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the event around 11:30 am today. Including Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh BJP party source told ANI, also as per the press release issued on January 16, K Laxman, National Returning Officer for 'Sangathan Parv'. BJP mentioned that the official announcement process regarding the National President will take place between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. Nitin Nabin is currently serving as the working president. The BJP's National President Election process kicked off after 30 out of 36 State Presidents were elected, exceeding the required 50 per cent threshold. The Election Schedule was announced on January 16, 2026, along with the Electoral Roll. As scheduled, the nomination process took place today, January 19, 2026, between 2 PM and 4 PM. A total of 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in favour of Nitin Nabin for the post of National President, with proposals from top leaders including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K Laxman also announced that Nitin Nabin has been proposed for the post of BJP National President after 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in his favour. (ANI) Karnataka Minister MB Patil on Tuesday said he held discussions with UPL Chairman and Group CEO Jai Shroff at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on expanding the company's agricultural footprint in the state. In a post shared on X, Patil said the meeting focused on scaling up UPL's operations in Karnataka following strong corn seed performance and an annual business of around 300 crore in North Karnataka. "Met with Mr. Jai Shroff, Chairman and Group CEO of UPL, to discuss expanding their agricultural footprint in Karnataka. Following strong corn seed performance and 300 Cr annual business in North Karnataka, UPL is looking to scale up with new irrigation technologies and a specialized ethanol plant for exports," the post read. Patil added that discussions also explored a district-focused collaboration model to enhance farm productivity across Karnataka. "We explored a district-focused collaboration to boost farm productivity and discussed routing potash imports through Mangalore Port to leverage our coastal infrastructure. Their new technology to reduce urea usage by 30% aligns perfectly with our sustainability goals. I have assured the delegation of our full facilitation as they deepen their commitment to our farmers," the post further read. https://x.com/MBPatil/status/2013450568740773922 Earlier, ahead of the World Economic Summit, Karnataka Minister MB Patil said that he is looking forward to advancing the state's global industry and attracting further investment, aligning with the development agenda. Shedding light on the delegation's agenda for the annual meet, Patil said that there will be 45-plus high-level meetings with global leaders in Davos. "Headed to #WEF26 Davos (Jan 19-23) to advance Karnataka's global industry and investment agenda. With an execution-first approach, our delegation will hold 45+ high-level meetings with global leaders, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Lenovo, and Coca-Cola, focused on converting investment intent into on-ground projects and quality jobs," Patil wrote on X. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum (WEF) convened its 56th Annual Meeting in Davos on January 19. It will continue till January 23, 2026, bringing together nearly 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and rapid technological transformation. Held under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue", Davos 2026 seeks to provide an impartial platform for global leaders from government, business and civil society to reconnect, rebuild trust and explore collaborative solutions to challenges that increasingly transcend borders. (ANI) Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday walked out of the state assembly before delivering his inaugural address, citing multiple issues, stating the Governor's microphone was reportedly switched off repeatedly, preventing him from speaking. Lok Bhavan, the office of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, released a detailed press release explaining why Governor RN Ravi walked out of the state assembly before delivering his inaugural address. In a press release issued by Lok Bhavan, the Governor's office elaborated on the reasons for his decision. It stated that the speech contained numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements while ignoring crucial issues affecting the people. Claims of over 12 lakh crore in investments were described as inaccurate, with many MOUs still on paper, and Tamil Nadu's foreign investment ranking having dropped from fourth to sixth among Indian states. The release pointed to the sharp rise in crimes against women, including a 55% increase in POCSO rapes and a 33% rise in sexual molestation, as well as widespread narcotics and drug abuse among youth linked to over 2,000 suicides annually, all of which were unaddressed. Other concerns highlighted included nearly 20,000 suicides in the state in one year, declining education standards with over 50% faculty vacancies, defunct village panchayats, temples without boards of trustees, and MSME sectors facing operational challenges. The release also noted widespread employee discontent across sectors. The factors cited by the Governor were: 1- Governor's Mike was repeatedly switched off and he was not allowed to speak. 2- The speech contains numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements. Several crucial issues troubling the people are ignored. 3- Claim that the state attracted huge investments to the tune of over 12 lakh crores is far from the truth. Many of the MOUs with prospective investors remain only on paper. Actual investment is hardly a fraction of it. Investment data show that Tamil Nadu is becoming less attractive for investors. Until four years ago Tamil Nadu, among the states, was the fourth largest recipient of foreign direct investment. Today it is struggling to remain at the Sixth. 4- Women safety issue is totally ignored though there is alarming increase of over 55% incidents of POCSO Rapes and over 33% increase in incidents of sexual molestation of women. 5- Rampant prevalence of Narcotics and Drugs and sharp increase in Drug abuse cases among youth including school students is a very serious concern. Over 2000 (two thousand) mostly youth committed suicide in one year due to drug abuse. It is seriously jeopardising our future. It is casually bypassed. 6- Atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women is sharply increasing. However; it is totally bypassed. 7-About 20,000 (Twenty thousand) people in our state committed suicide in one year- almost 65 suicides everyday. Nowhere else in the country the situation is so alarming. Tamil Nadu is being referred as the Suicide Capital of India. Yet it does not seem to concern the government. It is bypassed. 8- There is steady decline in standards of education and widespread mismanagement in educational institutions adversely affecting the future of our youth. More than 50 % faculty positions are vacant for years and guest faculties are restive all over. Our youth are staring at uncertain future. It does not seem to bother the government and the issue is totally bypassed. 9- Several thousand Village Panchayats are defunct because elections have not been held for years. They are directly under special officers of the government. Crores of people are denied of their rights of grassroots democracy. This is against the letter and spirit of the Constitution. People are anxiously waiting for restoration of Village Panchayats. However, this does not find even a mention in the speech. 10- Several thousand temples in the state are without Board of Trustees and are directly administered by the state government. Millions and millions of devotees are deeply hurt and frustrated with the mismanagement of temples. Crucial directions of the Hon'ble Madras High Court on the restoration and preservation of ancient temples are not implemented even after 5 years. Sentiments of devotees callously ignored. 11- MSME sectors are under huge stress due to visible and invisible costs of running the industry. They are the crucial sector for employment and growth. However, as against over 55 million registered MSMEs in the country Tamil Nadu has only about 4 million despite enormous potential for growth. Entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu are forced to locate their enterprises in other states. The issue is completely ignored. 12- There is widespread discontentment among lower rung employees in almost all sectors. They are restive and frustrated. No mention of ways to address their genuine grievances. 13- National Anthem is yet again insulted and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty disregarded. Earlier today, the Governor demanded that the national anthem be played after the Tamil Anthem, and when Speaker Appavu refused, the Governor walked out without reading the opening address. This is the third time that he staged a walkout after having skipped the customary address for the past two years. In the years 2024 and 2025, too, the Governor did not deliver the address to the Assembly. Last year, he staged a walkout from the assembly as the national anthem was not played at the start of his address. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party MP Aparajita Sarangi on Tuesday expressed optimism for Nitin Nabin's upcoming leadership, as he is set to assume charge as the party's National President later in the day. Speaking to ANI, Sarangi said that Nabin has a long time ahead of him, which she believes will be utilised wisely. "Nitin Nabin is 45 years old. He has a long time ahead of him. We are all very positive. Good work will undoubtedly be done," she said. Earlier this morning, Nabin offered prayers at Jhandewalan Temple and later at Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place. Meanwhile, several leaders and Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states arrived at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the event around 11:30 am today, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also attending, as per the press release issued on January 16, K Laxman, National Returning Officer for 'Sangathan Parv'. BJP mentioned that the official announcement process regarding the National President will take place between 11:30 am and 1:30 PM. Nitin Nabin is currently serving as the party's working president. The BJP's National President Election process kicked off after 30 of 36 State Presidents were elected, exceeding the required 50 per cent threshold, as per the party's Constitution. The Election schedule was announced on January 16, along with the Electoral Roll. As scheduled, the nomination process took place on January 19, between 2 PM and 4 PM. A total of 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in favour of Nitin Nabin for the post of National President, with proposals from top leaders including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K Laxman also announced that Nitin Nabin has been proposed for the post of BJP National President after 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in his favour. (ANI) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC Dasoju Sravan Kumar on Tuesday launched an attack on Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy over the notice sent to BRS MLA Harish Rao in the phone-tapping case, calling it "fictional Telephone Tapping Case Series." In a detailed post on X, Sravan said that the notice is based on an untenable case, meant for "vindictive intimidation, not investigation." "The Revanth Reddy government has just released the latest episode of its fictional 'Telephone Tapping Case Series'. The notice issued to Sri @BRSHarish based on an untenable case (Registered on 10.03.2024; Crime No. 243/2024) exposes that it is only meant for VINDICTIVE INTIMIDATION, not INVESTIGATION," he wrote. He accused the government of weaponising a "laundry list" of sections in order to silence dissent. "By weaponizing a "laundry list" of IPC, PDPP, and IT Act sections, this regime has exposed its true agenda to humiliate, not to seek truth, but to silence dissent," he added. He further lauded Harish Rao for questioning the government's alleged scams and malpractices and called the notice a state-sponsored vengeance to suppress the opposition. "Harish Rao is relentlessly questioning and exposing the malpractices of this government, from irrigation tender scams and financial mismanagement to the sand mafia and Singareni deals; he has unmasked the corruption of this regime. This is state-sponsored vengeance, a dictatorial attempt to suppress an Opposition that refuses to bow," he stated. Terming the Reddy government as "weak," Sravan asserted that the state will continue to raise its voice. "But let the Revanth Reddy regime @TelanganaCMO remember one fundamental truth that 'Vendetta is the weapon of the weak, never the strong.' Telangana was not born out of fear; it was forged in the fire of struggle. And you can manufacture cases, but you cannot manufacture silence. You can command the police, but you cannot command the conscience of the people," he noted. This comes after the police sent a notice to BRS leader Harish Rao last night in connection with the phone-tapping case. Harish Rao is required to appear at the Jubilee Hills police station at 11 AM today. KTR and other BRS leaders will gather at Telangana Bhavan at 9 AM. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dilip Ghosh on Tuesday criticised the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), accusing it of obstructing the Election Commission of India's (ECI) efforts to complete SIR (Special Intensive Revision) in the state, asserting that the voter list should be "clean and accurate". Ghosh emphasised the need for the ongoing SIR ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, saying, "Those who have the right to vote should be added to the voter list, and those who don't should have their names removed." The BJP leader alleged that the TMC is repeatedly hindering the ECI's work through legal challenges and harassment of officials. "This process is going on properly, but the TMC is repeatedly obstructing it, sometimes by going to court, sometimes by harassing the Election Commission. However, the Election Commission is serious about this," Ghosh alleged. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to display the names of the electors falling under the 'logical discrepancies' category in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in West Bengal. A three-judge bench led by CJI Surya Kant issued directions to the ECI on various pleas alleging procedural illegalities in the SIR exercise in West Bengal. The apex court noted that the ECI has issued notices to certain persons described as falling under the category of 'logical discrepancies'. Thus, with a view to enabling persons included in the category, the Court issued a direction to display the names of such persons at Gram Panchayat Bhavans, Block Offices, and Ward Offices. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) welcomed the Supreme Court's decision as West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said, "We welcome the Supreme Court's verdict. Mid-term corrections, in particular, are essential in an evolving democracy. This can be seen as part of India's evolution to a mature democracy."The Electoral Roll Officers' Network (ERONET) portal had flagged more than 1.2 crore names under the 'logical discrepancy' category, sparking a fresh row over the SIR exercise in the state. TMC National General Secretary and MP, Abhishek Banerjee, termed it a defeat for the BJP, stating that the apex court has accepted the party's demand of publishing the names in the 'logical discrepancies' category. Addressing a public gathering, he said, "One crore names that were targeted to be struck off have been saved, and the victory belongs to the people of Bengal. Our voting rights were being threatened, but the Supreme Court has given them a firm rebuke. Today BJP and PM Modi have been defeated in court; in the coming days, they will be defeated by votes. This is not Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, or Gujarat. This land has shown the way to the freedom movement and the Renaissance. We never bow our heads to outsiders. The people of Bengal do not know how to sell their spine or live in slavery." Politics has heated up in West Bengal as the state is scheduled to hold Legislative Assembly elections later this year. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the appointment of Nitin Nabin as BJP national president, saying that when it comes to the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and he himself is a mere party worker. Addressing a gathering at the BJP headquarters in the national captial PM Modi congratulated Nabin on being elected president of what he described as the world's largest political party and said his responsibility goes beyond managing the BJP. "When it is about the party, Nitin Nabin is the boss, and I am a party worker. Now Honourable Nitin Nabin ji is the president of all of us, and his responsibility is not just to manage the BJP, but also to ensure coordination among all NDA allies," the Prime Minister said. Highlighting the importance of the coming decades, PM Modi said, "The next 25 years are very important. This is the period when a developed India is to be built, and it is destined to happen." He expressed confidence that Nitin Nabin would carry forward the party's legacy, adding, "At the beginning of this crucial period, our Nitin Nabin ji will carry forward the legacy of the BJP." Referring to generational change within the party, the Prime Minister said, "To put it in the language of today's youth, Nitin ji himself is, in a way, a millennial." He elaborated that 45-yer-old Nabin belongs to a generation that has witnessed major economic, social and technological transformations, saying, "He belongs to the generation that received information from the radio in their childhood and is now an active user of AI." PM Modi added, "Nitin ji possesses both youthful energy and extensive experience in organisational work. This will be very beneficial for every worker of our party." The Prime Minister also spoke about the BJP's electoral performance, saying, "At times, we have seen that after a long duration, a government finds it difficult to stay in power. But the BJP has broken this trend." Citing recent electoral victories in several states, he said, "Be it Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh or Bihar, in many states the BJP has won elections with an even bigger majority. The BJP's strike rate in elections is unprecedented." "BJP is a tradition. BJP is a family. Here, there is more of a 'relationship' than just a 'membership'. BJP is such a tradition that runs not by position but by process. Here, holding a post is an arrangement, and carrying out the work is a lifelong responsibility. Here, presidents change, but ideals do not change. Leadership changes, but the direction does not change," he added. Reflecting on ideological inspirations, PM Modi said, "Over the past year and a half, we have been celebrating grand occasions such as the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the 100th birth anniversary of Atal Ji, and the 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. These are the inspirations that further strengthen our resolve to live for the nation." Tracing the BJP's organisational journey, PM Modi said, "Under the leadership of Atal Ji, Advani Ji, and Murli Manohar Joshi Ji, the BJP has journeyed from zero to the pinnacle." He credited successive party presidents for expanding the organisation and said, "I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the previous presidents of the BJP." The Prime Minister further expressed pride as a BJP worker, saying, "People might think, Narendra Modi is the country's Prime Minister, became Prime Minister for the third time, became Chief Minister at the young age of 50. All this is fine in its place, but something even bigger than all this in my life is that I am a BJP worker. This is the greatest pride." Earlier today, Nitin Nabin formally took charge as the national president of the BJP. The ceremony was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, outgoing BJP national president JP Nadda, several other BJP leaders, and Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states. Nabin, a senior Indian politician, is a five-time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and former Minister in the government of Bihar. He is widely recognised for his sustained organisational acumen and administrative experience. The BJP's National President Election process kicked off after 30 out of 36 State Presidents were elected, exceeding the required 50 per cent threshold. The Election Schedule was announced on January 16, 2026, along with the Electoral Roll. As scheduled, the nomination process took place yesterday, January 19, 2026, between 2 PM and 4 PM. A total of 37 sets of Nomination Papers were received in favour of Nitin Nabin for the post of National President, with proposals from top leaders including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh. (ANI) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Mahmood Ali on Tuesday accused the Telangana government of using the ongoing phone-tapping case against former minister T Harish Rao to divert public attention ahead of municipal elections. Speaking to ANI, the BRS leader said, "Municipal elections are coming up. This is to divert the public's attention. The Congress government, in particular, had made many promises before the elections. They gave many guarantees, but did not act on any of them. Now that the time has come to face the public, they are making these allegations to divert attention. We strongly condemn this and are fully confident that we will receive relief from the law." The statement comes after BRS Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) and Harish Rao arrived at Telangana Bhavan earlier in the day, following which Harish Rao went for questioning at Jubilee Hills Police Station in connection with the phone-tapping case. The police sent a notice to Rao in connection with this case. Meanwhile, KTR has alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy issued notices to former minister Harish Rao in the phone-tapping matter solely to divert public attention after his exposure in the coal scam involving his brother-in-law, Srujan Reddy. According to an official release, KTR accused the Telangana government of resorting to "attention diversion politics" and said that the notices to Harish Rao represent a political vendetta. KTR recalled that the Supreme Court itself had clearly stated that there was no substance in the phone-tapping case and that it was nothing but an act of political vendetta, the release noted. "Even after the apex court quashed the case and brought an end to this political drama, the Revanth Reddy government issued fresh notices to Harish Rao, now clearly exposing how far the government has stooped," he criticised, adding that "the real intention behind these notices has now become crystal clear to the people of Telangana." KTR further alleged that they had "exposed with evidence the illegal coal mine allocation scam involving Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's brother-in-law Sujan Reddy", describing the notices served to Harish Rao as "an escape from this massive scam" He mocked this as a classic "Revanth Reddy-style diversion politics." "Smearing opposition leaders and intimidating them with notices to escape corruption allegations has become a habit of this government," he stated. (ANI) According to SP Rural, Jhansi, Arvind Kumar, the incident took place during a joint police operation. The injured accused have been identified as Jitendra and Naresh, both residents of Datia district in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. They were admitted to a hospital for treatment after sustaining injuries in the encounter. Police said that cash worth Rs 5 lakh, along with cash coupons, which were looted in a robbery case registered in the Chirgaon area, was recovered from the accused. The motorcycle they used to commit the crime has also been seized. During the operation, the accused allegedly opened fire at the police team. Two pistols and live cartridges used in the firing were recovered from their possession, officials added. Further investigation into the case is underway. (ANI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday celebrated the official appointment of Nitin Nabin as the party's new national president at the state unit's office in Bhopal. The party office-bearers and workers marked the occasion by bursting firecrackers, distributing sweets, and raising slogans in support of the new leadership. Several senior leaders were present at the event, including Minister Vishwas Sarang, Minister Aidal Singh Kansana, BJP MLA Bhagwan Das Sabnani, and other party workers. The leaders congratulated the newly appointed national president and said the party would continue working to expand further. "Today, Bharatiya Janata Party received a young leadership (referring to the party president post) in the form of Nitin Nabin, and we are all quite happy. With this, every BJP worker is happily taking a resolve that together we will work to expand the party further under the leadership of Nitin Nabin," Sarang told reporters here. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kansana extended greetings to the newly appointed BJP national president and expressed hope that, along with the youth, he will look after every section of society. "I extend my greeting to our party's national president. I am fully confident that under the leadership of the young national president, the BJP will form new development-oriented initiatives across the country and work on them. I hope along with youth, he will take care of every age group and every section of the society," Kansana told ANI. Moreover, BJP MLA Bhagwan Das Sabnani also expressed pleasure at the appointment of the new party president and said the BJP would continue to reach new heights under his leadership. "With a renewed sense of enthusiasm, energy and optimism, Nitin Nabin has been entrusted with the responsibility of the National President of the BJP. The message he has conveyed is that grassroots workers should continue working diligently, as the party observes everyone and makes decisions based on their merit and capability. Under the leadership of the new president, the party will continue to scale new heights," Sabnani said. BJP leader Nitin Nabin formally took charge as the national president of the BJP today. Nabin, a senior Indian politician, is a five-time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and former Minister in the government of Bihar. He is widely recognised for his sustained organisational acumen and administrative experience. Born on May 23, 1980, in Jharkhand's Ranchi, Nabin entered electoral politics at a young age and was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 2006 from the Patna West Assembly Constituency. Since 2010, Nabin has been consecutively elected from the Bankipur Assembly Constituency, securing victories in 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025, thereby becoming a five-time MLA. He has also held key portfolios like Road Construction, Urban Development & Housing and Law in the Bihar Government as a Cabinet Minister. Alongside his legislative career, Nabin has played a significant role in party organisation, holding national and state-level leadership positions. He has also been entrusted with important organisational responsibilities in states such as Sikkim and Chhattisgarh. (ANI) The Assam government on Tuesday ordered the suspension of internet and mobile data services in Chirang district following escalating violence that broke out after a road incident in neighbouring Kokrajhar District on January 19. According to the official notification, the incident occurred on Mansingh Road, under the Karigaon outpost of Kokrajhar Police Station, involving a vehicle carrying three Bodo individuals that collided with two Adivasi individuals. The clash quickly escalated, resulting in the Bodo individuals being beaten by local Adivasi villagers and the vehicle being torched. "The Government of Assam through the District Magistrate of Chirang District received a report regarding deterioration of Law & Order situation in parts of Chirang district arising as a fallout of the incident occurring in Kokrajhar District on the night of January 19, 2026, when one Scorpio vehicle with 3 Bodo individuals hit 2 Adivasi persons at Mansingh Road under Karigaon outpost of Kokrajhar PS, resulting in the Bodo individuals being beaten up by neighbouring Adivasi villagers and the Scorpio being torched," the notification read. "The incident has escalated, involving both the Bodo and Adivasi communities blocking the National Highway adjacent to Karigaon outpost, burning tyres and a few houses and setting fire to an Office building and also attacking the Karigaon outpost," the notification read. An official notification confirmed that measures were taken to maintain public peace and prevent further violence. In response, the Assam Government has deployed the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to contain the violence and prevent its spread to other areas. Assam Additional Chief Secretary Ajay Tewari issued a notification under the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services Rules, 2017, to curb the unrest. "Given the serious apprehension of a breach of public peace and the possibility of social media and internet being used to spread inflammatory messages, it was deemed necessary to take swift action," said Tewari in the notification. "Therefore, internet and mobile data services have been suspended in Chirang District with immediate effect until further orders. However, voice calls and broadband services based on fixed telephone lines will remain functional during this period," he added. The Assam Government's decision to suspend mobile internet comes after growing concerns about the spread of rumours and inflammatory content that could fuel further violence. "Whereas, the Government of Assam is apprehending that social media and internet may be used to further spread inflammatory messages, rumours, etc. that may lead to further aggravation of the situation," the notification read. The order stated that any violation of the promulgation could result in punishment under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as well as under the relevant provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885. "It is however, clarified that the voice calls and the broadband connectivity based on fixed telephone lines shall remain functional during this period. Any violation of the promulgation will be punishable under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and also under the relevant provision of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, a notification further read. (ANI) Vice President of India, CP Radhakrishnan, on Tuesday, released the book "Chalice of Ambrosia: Ram Janmabhoomi - Challenge and Response", authored by former Secretary to the Government of India, Surendra Kumar Pachauri, at the Vice President's Enclave in New Delhi. According to an official release, addressing the gathering, the Vice President noted that the book captures the centuries-old struggle to reclaim the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram and presents the historical narrative with balance, empathy and scholarly restraint. He said that the construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya represents a defining moment in India's civilisational journey, where faith, history, law and democracy converged with dignity. He remarked that even if thousands of temples were built elsewhere, none could equal the significance of a temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram. VP Radhakrishnan said that Lord Ram is the soul of the nation and the soul of India's dharma. He emphasised that dharma can never be defeated and that truth always prevails. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi's vision of Ram Rajya, he said that it symbolises justice, equality and dignity for all. The Vice President said it was painful to witness the prolonged process of establishing the birthplace of Lord Ram, adding that such a situation would be unimaginable in most other countries. He observed that this itself demonstrated the strength of Indian democracy, as the land was allotted only after due legal process and proof, despite the faith of an entire nation. He said that this is why India is rightfully called the Mother of Democracy. Referring to the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict, the Vice President said the judgment fulfilled the long-cherished dreams and aspirations of millions of Indians and marked a turning point in Indian history. He said that the construction of the Ram Mandir restored Indians' self-respect. The Vice President observed that writing history is one of the most demanding forms of literary work, as it requires emotional balance and fidelity to truth. Commending the author, he said Pachauri has successfully brought out the essence of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement without sensationalism or distortion. The Vice President noted that gaps in historical documentation had contributed to the prolonged struggle for justice. He expressed happiness that the book documents the modern phase of this historic movement, ensuring that future generations remain aware of the sacrifices and struggles undertaken to restore national self-respect. Quoting from the ASI findings cited in the book, the Vice President pointed to evidence of a pre-existing structure, underscoring the archaeological basis that informed the judicial decision. VP Radhakrishnan described the public response following the verdict as phenomenal, recalling the nationwide crowd-funded campaign led by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which mobilised over Rs 3,000 crore from devotees worldwide to build Ram Mandir. He also shared a personal recollection of his mother's participation in the shila puja during the 1990s. CP Radhakrishnan credited the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ensuring that the revival of the sacred site emerged as an expression of India's mature democracy and cultural confidence. The Vice President recalled the historic Dhwaja-rohan ceremony at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir on November 25, 2025, which, he said, was a deeply emotional moment witnessed by the entire nation. Reflecting on the universal appeal of Lord Shri Ram, VP Radhakrishnan said that faith in Shri Ram transcends geography, finding expression not only in Ayodhya and Rameswaram but also in places such as Fiji and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The Vice President said that the life and ideals of Lord Shri Ram teach humanity that true greatness lies in virtue and in winning hearts rather than ruling kingdoms. He called upon citizens to strive to follow these timeless ideals in their own lives. Concluding his address, he congratulated Surendra Kumar Pachauri for his work and expressed hope that the book would reach a wide readership. (ANI) Newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Nabin will chair his first office bearers meeting on Tuesday at the party headquarters in the national capital. The meeting is expected to run the entire day, with all state presidents, in-charge general secretaries, and organisational secretaries in attendance. According to sources, the meeting will begin with introductions, followed by a state-by-state review of the BJP's organisation, programs, and upcoming events. A key focus area will be the five upcoming state elections in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam, and Kerala. Nitin Nabin is set to review the BJP's strategy and programs for these crucial polls. The meeting will also focus on organisational development and other key initiatives, setting the tone for Nabin's tenure as the party's youngest-ever president. Nitin Nabin took charge as the 12th and youngest National President of the BJP on Tuesday. His name was announced at the party headquarters in New Delhi. He had become the acting president on December 14, 2025. He was elected unopposed on Monday as the sole nominee for the full-time president post. Nabin's predecessor, JP Nadda, congratulated the newly elected president on assuming the post and said, "This moment marks not just an organisational change, but the beginning of a new phase in BJP's ideological journey, strong tradition, and continuous progress." Nadda expressed confidence that under Nabin's leadership and with Prime Minister Modi's guidance, the BJP's journey towards development, good governance, and nation-building would gain momentum across the country. "The journey that began in 2014 under PM Modi's leadership is moving forward with the blessings of the people, and now it will continue under Nabin's leadership. Today, the NDA is in power in 20 states, while the BJP is in power in 13. With confidence, I say that under PM Modi's leadership and Nabin's presidency, the BJP will bloom in Bengal, form governments in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, return to power in Assam, and achieve good results in Kerala," said Nadda. (ANI) Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday termed Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi's walkout of the state assembly before delivering his inaugural address as "irresponsible behaviour". Earlier today, Governor RN Ravi walked out of the state assembly before delivering his inaugural address, stating that his microphone was "repeatedly switched off", preventing him from speaking. The state assembly is in session from January 20-24. Speaking to ANI, Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu) MP took a jibe at Governor Ravi, saying he behaves like an opposition leader. "It's very sad that the Governor of Tamil Nadu is behaving this way for the fourth time... When the AIADMK government was there, he was normal. Now, after the DMK government came into power, he started doing such activities. RN Ravi is behaving irresponsibly and acting like an Opposition leader. He is making Palaniswami jobless," the Congress MP said. After RN Ravi walked out, Lok Bhavan, the office of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, stated that the speech contained numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements while ignoring crucial issues affecting the people. Claims of over Rs 12 lakh crore in investments were described as inaccurate, with many MOUs still on paper, and Tamil Nadu's foreign investment ranking having dropped from fourth to sixth among Indian states. "National Anthem is yet again insulted and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty disregarded," the press release by the Lok Bhavan stated.. The release pointed to the sharp rise in crimes against women, including a 55 per cent increase in POCSO rapes and a 33 per cent rise in sexual molestation, as well as widespread narcotics and drug abuse among youth linked to over 2,000 suicides annually, all of which were unaddressed. Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M Appavu defended the conduct of the state assembly after Governor RN Ravi walked, saying the Governor has a constitutional duty to read the government's speech. "You all watched who switched off the mic. There are 234 MLAs inside the Assembly. It is the duty of the Governor to read the government speech," Appavu said. On the 13 points of objection raised by the Governor, he said, "It is for the people to criticise the government. The Governor is not a politician. If he wants to do so, he should come out of the Governor's post and talk. He has a duty to work under the Constitution and its framework." Appavu added that the assembly had asked the Governor humbly to read the speech and that no unparliamentary language was used during the proceedings. He also questioned, "If the Vice President or President do not read or walk out, will you (BJP-led Union Government) accept it? What did former VP Dhankhar do wrong? Why partiality? Why different justice for you and us?" (ANI) The BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) on Tuesday announced its commitment to help women business owners grow their work beyond local borders. Through the Global Women Leadership Mentoring Program, female leaders from countries such as Brazil, Russia, and South Africa connect to share skills and help them reach new international markets. Ruby Sinha, President, BRICS CCI Women Empowerment, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, said: "As the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we run quite a few programmes like the Global Women Leadership Mentoring Program, where we are in touch with most of the BRICS Plus nations and their bodies like from Brazil, Russia, South Africa and we see quite a lot of interest because what we would like to promote is cross-border collaboration amongst various women entrepreneurs, helping them expand their geographies, expand their horizons beyond just their local settings and the other aspect that we're really working very closely on is a programme that we launched globally at the BRICS Summit in Brazil is Women in Innovation, Science and Entrepreneurship, which is also the focus of our Women's Summit in March, where we have a lot of global delegates coming down." The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, welcoming nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." World leaders from government, business, civil society and academia will convene in Davos to engage in forward-looking discussions to address global issues and set priorities. The call for bold collective action makes the meeting particularly relevant. India is pitched as one of the world's fastest-growing renewable energy markets at Davos. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi urged global investors to partner in India's rapid clean energy expansion at the event. (ANI) Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, on Wednesday, during the World Economic Forum, explained how the shift toward green energy is acting as a powerful tool for economic growth. He stated that by focusing on renewable energy sources such as the sun and wind, the country is now able to produce electricity at a much lower cost for its citizens. Connecting the energy shift to national progress, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, "India's agenda at Davos is that transition is not a burden for growth, it is an engine for growth. And because of that, the cost of renewable energy has come down in India. Because of this renewable movement, which the Prime Minister started almost from 2015-16 and very aggressively from almost 2019, it is bringing down the entire cost of electricity in India. Now, Andhra Pradesh has said that we are going to reduce the cost of electricity. Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has announced that the tariff will come down. Now we're pitching for battery storage, pump storage, grid stability, green energy corridor, all these things put together in the coming days, India can showcase itself that we are producing green energy, transition is also happening, and growth is also taking place. Our growth is good, and our renewable energy is also growing well." The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum is being held from January 19 to 23, 2026, at Davos-Klosters, welcoming nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including a record number of world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." World leaders from government, business, civil society, and academia will convene in Davos to engage in forward-looking discussions on global issues and set priorities. The call for bold collective action makes the meeting particularly relevant. India is Pitched as One of the World's Fastest-Growing Renewable Energy Markets at Davos. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi urges global investors to partner in India's rapid clean energy expansion at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. (ANI) European Union Chief Ursula von der Leyen on Monday (local time) held a meeting with a bipartisan delegation from the United States Congress in Davos, where they discussed Donald Trump's recent threats to acquire Greenland. In a post on X, Ursula von der Leyen emphasised the need to "respect" the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark. "I also addressed the need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty of Greenland and of the Kingdom of Denmark. This is of utmost importance to our transatlantic relationship," she said. She further urged for a "close cooperation" between the EU, the US and NATO to address the security concerns related to Greenland and the Arctic. "At the same time, the European Union remains ready to continue working closely with the United States, NATO, and other allies, in close cooperation with Denmark, to advance our shared security interests," Ursula von der Leyen said. She believed that tariffs "run counter" to the US and EU's shared interest in trade and investment. "We also discussed transatlantic trade and investment. They are a major asset for both the EU and US economies. Tariffs run counter to these shared interests," she said. The meeting comes after Trump's threats to impose tariffs on Denmark and other UK and European Union countries, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026 if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. Earlier, UK PM stated that the use of tariffs against allies is "completely wrong", noting that the Arctic island belongs to its people and Denmark, describing the right as "fundamental". "The security of Greenland matters, and it will matter more as climate change reshapes the Arctic. As sea routes open and strategic competition intensifies, the High North will require greater attention, greater investment, and stronger collective defence. The United States will be central to that effort, and the UK stands ready to contribute fully alongside our allies through NATO. But there is a principle here that cannot be set aside because it goes to the heart of how stable and trusted international cooperation works," Starmer said. (ANI) The U.S. Engagement in Iraq and Syria and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (AINA) -- Recent meetings between the American envoy, Dr. Barak, and regional actors in Erbil, namely Mr. Masoud Barzani and the leadership of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) represented by Mr. Mazloum Abdi, raise serious political and legal concerns. These engagements appear to occur outside formal state-to-state frameworks, despite the fact that the Republic of Iraq is the sole internationally recognized authority over its territory, and the Syrian Arab Republic remains the recognized sovereign state of Syria. Neither the Kurdistan Democratic Party leadership in Erbil nor the SDF administration in northeastern Syria represents a sovereign state under international law. While engagement with non-state actors may at times be tactically justified, it must not undermine state sovereignty, territorial integrity, or constitutional order, especially when conducted without transparency or coordination with the legitimate governments in Baghdad and Damascus. These concerns are heightened by the cross-border political role played by the Barzani leadership in Syrian affairs, which raises legitimate questions as to whether such interactions promote stability or instead contribute to parallel governance structures that risk fragmenting Iraq and Syria. Equally concerning are the persistent and documented grievances of indigenous Assyrian communities in both countries. In Iraq, these concerns are concentrated in the Nineveh Plains, including Qaraqosh (Bakhdida), Bartella, Karamlesh, Tel Keppe, Batnaya, and Telskuf, as well as in Ankawa and parts of Erbil, where reports cite land confiscation, demographic pressure, and administrative coercion. Additional complaints have emerged from Dohuk Governorate, where Assyrian villagers report seizure of agricultural lands and obstacles to return. In Syria, Assyrian communities in the Khabur River region, including Tel Tamer, Tel Nasri, Tel Hermiz, Tel Shamiram, Tel Tawil, and Tel Maghas, as well as areas of Hasakah and Qamishli, have reported forced displacement, property seizures, exclusion from local governance, and the imposition of policies that disregard the region's historical identity. These are not abstract allegations. They involve confiscated homes, appropriated farmland, emptied villages, and imposed administrative realities without effective legal remedies for the indigenous population. Such practices erode trust, deepen communal divisions, and contradict the principles of minority protection and pluralism that the United States has long advocated. Assyrian frustration is further amplified by perceptions that Kurdish political leadership often distances itself from Iraqi or Syrian national identity while exercising de facto control over internationally recognized Iraqi and Syrian territories. This contradiction fuels mistrust and recalls earlier historical episodes that undermined state cohesion. In light of these realities, we respectfully call upon the American administration, under President Donald Trump, and its envoys to reconsider this approach. Lasting stability cannot be achieved by bypassing legitimate governments, empowering non-state actors without accountability, or overlooking the rights of indigenous peoples. The United States has an opportunity to pursue a more balanced policy--one that respects sovereignty, rejects partition, and actively protects indigenous Assyrian communities in Iraq and Syria through monitoring, accountability, and direct engagement. Addressing these concerns seriously is essential to building a unified, pluralistic, and stable future for both countries. India has repatriated a Pakistani national, allegedly imprisoned in India, via the Attari-Wagah border, Pakistan High Commission in India said. "Hafiz Muhammad Abbu Bakar, a Pakistani citizen imprisoned in India, was repatriated to Pakistan via the Wagah-Attari border today," the Pakistan High Commission said on Monday. https://x.com/PakinIndia/status/2013235934075191386?s=20 Earlier in September of last year, India repatriated 48 Pakistani fishermen and 19 Pakistani civilian prisoners, who had completed their sentences, via the Attari-Wagah border, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement. India also urged the Pakistani government to expedite the release and repatriation of all Indian prisoners, including fishermen in Islamabad's custody. "The Government of India attaches high priority to the issue of Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners in Pakistan's custody and has urged the Government of Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of all Indian prisoners, including fishermen who remain in Pakistan's custody," MEA said in a statement. In July, India and Pakistan exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad, the lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in each other's custody. Under the provisions of the bilateral Agreement on Consular Access 2008, such lists are exchanged every year on 1st of January and July. Pakistan has been requested to ensure the "safety, security and welfare" of all civilian prisoners and fishermen, pending their release and repatriation to India, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. "India has shared the names of 382 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen in its custody, who are Pakistani or are believed-to-be-Pakistani. Similarly, Pakistan has shared the names of 53 civilian prisoners and 193 fishermen in its custody, who are Indian or are believed-to-be-Indian," it said. The Government of India called for the "early release and repatriation" of civilian prisoners and fishermen currently in Pakistani custody, especially those who have already completed their prison sentences. "Pakistan has been asked to expedite the release and repatriation of 159 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners, who have completed their sentence," the MEA said. (ANI) Davos [Switzerland], January 20 (ANI/WAM): The UAE Pavilion at the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum 2026, held in Davos, Switzerland from 19th to 23rd January, hosted a high-level dialogue session titled "Artificial Intelligence, Sustainability, and the Question of What We Optimise For." The session examined the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and sustainability, and explored whether prevailing economic and technological models focus primarily on what is easiest to measure, such as short-term efficiency and immediate returns, or whether they sufficiently account for long term value creation for the economy, society, and the environment, within clear strategic frameworks and defined objectives. Delivered by Professor Julia Binder, Professor of Business Transformation at IMD Business School, the session brought together a broad group of young global leaders participating in the Forum. It focused on the fundamental shift that artificial intelligence is driving in how institutions approach growth, value creation, and competitiveness. The discussion highlighted the need to redefine the concept of value in the age of artificial intelligence. Professor Binder emphasised that economies best positioned to lead in the coming phase are those that succeed in aligning algorithms with societal and environmental priorities, rather than relying solely on short term efficiency and profitability indicators. She noted that artificial intelligence can serve as a powerful accelerator of sustainability when its models are designed to optimise resource use, reduce waste, and enable responsible innovation across value chains. Drawing on her extensive academic and practical experience in organisational transformation, Professor Binder stressed that the central challenge is no longer what can be optimised technically, but what should be optimised strategically in order to support long term economic sustainability and build future ready organisations. The session underscored the critical role of leadership in guiding this transformation, affirming that decisions related to adopting artificial intelligence are, at their core, leadership and ethical choices before they are technical ones. Participants emphasised the importance of leaders' ability to interpret global signals of change and translate them into clear strategies, adaptive business models, and organisational cultures capable of responding to rapid and complex transformation. The dialogue also explored the circular economy as a key driver of competitiveness in the coming decade. It highlighted how artificial intelligence can support the transition towards more efficient and sustainable production and consumption models by optimising value chains, enhancing design led innovation, and directly linking sustainability with economic growth. The discussion affirmed that this transition is no longer optional, but essential to building resilient economies in a rapidly changing global environment. Participants discussed the importance of viewing global challenges, including climate change, environmental pressures, and resource constraints, as catalysts for reimagining business models rather than barriers to growth. The session emphasised that organisations which embed sustainability at the core of their strategies are more likely to achieve long term competitive advantage, reinforced by the confidence of markets, investors, and societies. The discussion further highlighted the role of education and capacity building in enabling this transformation, stressing that investment in leadership skills, strategic thinking, and cross disciplinary collaboration is critical to fully realising the potential of artificial intelligence. It also underscored the need to strengthen links between research and practical application to ensure that knowledge translates into measurable and lasting impact. The session concluded by reaffirming that artificial intelligence and sustainability are not separate tracks, but a single integrated pathway reshaping the future of the global economy. It emphasised that the central question for leaders and decision makers is not what can be optimised today, but what must be optimised to ensure sustainable prosperity for future generations, reflecting a vision that brings together innovation, responsibility, and the human dimension of development. (ANI/WAM) The US will deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft at the Pituffik space base, Greenland, as tensions rise over President Donald Trump's move to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities. They also said that this action is taken in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. "North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland. Along with aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, they will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defence cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark," NORAD said in a post on X. "This activity has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark, and all supporting forces operate with the requisite diplomatic clearances. The Government of Greenland is also informed of planned activities," they added. https://x.com/NORADCommand/status/2013326903063781489?s=20 NORAD routinely conducts sustained, dispersed operations in the defence of North America, through one or all three NORAD regions (Alaska, Canada, and the continental U.S.). The US move follows a multinational military exercise led by Danish forces amid the tensions with Washington over Donald Trump's threats to acquire Greenland. Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, the Netherlands, and Finland have sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland to join the exercise in a move to ensure the safety of the Arctic. Denmark had also invited the US to join the military exercise. Meanwhile, strengthening his push to acquire Denmark's territory, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026 if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. (ANI) Nomination filing is set for Tuesday in all the 165 constituencies across Nepal as the Himalayan Nation marches towards the March 5 election to elect new members for its House of Representatives. The Election Commission has announced that all the preparations for the nomination filing have been completed, with election offices established in all 165 constituencies nationwide. The nomination filing is set to begin form 10 AM (Local Time) and close after 5 PM (Local Time). The Commission has urged political parties and candidates to maintain discipline during the registration process and to approach election offices peacefully and with dignity. To reduce crowding and facilitate a smooth registration process, the Commission has fixed specific time slots for major political parties and candidates. Earlier, the Commission published the final list of candidates under the proportional representation system. Of the total 275 members of the House of Representatives, 110 will be elected through the proportional system, while 165 will be elected through the direct electoral system. An interim government formed for election purposes following the Gen-Z protests on September 8 and 9 has arranged the necessary resources for the polls. The process of selecting police personnel for election security has already begun. Most political parties have finalized their candidates, though some selections remain pending. The Nepali Congress stated that it is still in the process of selecting candidates in some constituencies, while the CPN-UML has completed candidate selection for all constituencies. Candidates must be present in person and submit copies of their citizenship certificates or voter ID cards, along with proof that their names appear on the final voter list of a municipality or rural municipality. The Commission has also requested candidates to bring other required documents. The Election Commission has expressed confidence that the candidate nomination process will proceed smoothly and peacefully across the country. This election is being held following the dissolution of the House of Representatives in 2079 BS amid the protests last September. (ANI) Members of the Maldives' National Cadet Corps paid a visit to key historical sites in New Delhi and Agra and also held official meetings as part of their visit to India in their participation at the 77th Republic Day celebrations. Sharing the details in a series of posts on X, the Maldives National Cadet Corps said, "India Republic Day Camp participants visited key historical sites and held official meetings with Indian officials as part of the ongoing program. These activities promote cultural exchange and international friendship" https://x.com/MNCC_Official/status/2013220129060823346?s=20 In another post, it highlighted that the cadets would exchange cultural aspects and interact with Indian and foreign cadets. https://x.com/HCIMaldives/status/2011760852345737446?s=20 Notably, the European Council President, Antonio Luis Santos da Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be the chief guests for the 77th Republic Day celebrations. Approximately 10,000 special guests (including spouses) from different walks of life have been invited to witness the 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path, New Delhi, on January 26, 2026, the Ministry of Defence said in an official statement. At least 30 tableaux will roll down Kartavya Path during the Republic Day Parade on January 26, providing a vivid display of India's rich cultural heritage and developmental achievements. The tableaux will be presented under the themes "'Svatantrata Ka Mantr - Vande Maataram' and 'Samrddhi Ka Mantr - Aatmanirbhar Bhaarat' ("The mantra of freedom - Vande Mataram" and "The mantra of prosperity - Atmanirbhar Bharat"), which also marks 150 years of the national song "Vande Mataram." Of the total, 17 tableaux will be from States and Union Territories, while 13 will be from various Ministries, Departments and Services. Several states will highlight their unique cultural identities and development narratives. Assam's tableau will feature Ashirakandi, the craft village, while Gujarat and Chhattisgarh will interpret the "Vande Mataram" theme. Maharashtra will showcase Ganeshotsav as a symbol of Atmanirbharta, and West Bengal will depict Bengal's role in India's freedom movement. Themes blending tradition and innovation will dominate many displays. Odisha's "Soil to Silicon" tableau will reflect growth rooted in tradition, Tamil Nadu will present India's emergence as an EV manufacturing hub, and Kerala will highlight its Water Metro and 100 per cent digital governance initiatives. Nagaland's tableau will showcase the Hornbill Festival as a marker of culture, tourism, and self-reliance. Among the central ministries, the Ministry of Culture's "Vande Mataram: The Soul-Cry of a Nation" tableau will anchor the central theme, while the Department of Military Affairs will present a Tri-Services tableau on Operation Sindoor, symbolising jointness. A floral tableau by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will commemorate 150 years of "Vande Mataram". (ANI) As US President Donald Trump tries to arm-twist the world into succumbing to his whims, questions have arisen about the legality of his tariffs. What if the tariffs are deemed illegal by the US Supreme Court, which is currently reviewing his use of an emergency law that is the basis of most of his tariffs? Jamieson Greer, the United States Trade Representative, told The New York Times that in case the tariffs are struck down, Trump would replace them with other tariffs. Greer told The New York Times on January 15, in an interview published on Monday (local time), that if the court doesn't rule in their favour, the administration would "start the next day" to reestablish tariffs "to respond to the problems the president has identified." Greer also said that Trump was given "a lot of different options" at the onset of his tenure, and he could roll over to other legal options. "The reality is the president is going to have tariffs as part of his trade policy going forward," Greer told The New York Times. Over the past year, the Supreme Court has been considering whether the president's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a 1977 law, to impose tariffs on trading partners abroad is lawful. Taking over reins of trade deficits, plugging inflows of illegal drugs and tackling other global issues tied to US interests are some of the reasons, president has cited as he carries out his ambition to execute tariff on such countries in full force. Trump can draw on other powerful tariff laws that allow him to impose import taxes on various products or on exports from certain countries. But those laws typically require either an investigation, a report to be prepared, or an economic or national security rationale, meaning Trump would have less flexibility to threaten tariffs at a whim, as per the The New York Times. For example, the president has also threatened tariffs on Canada for running TV ads critical of his trade approach and has imposed tariffs on Brazilian exports for its prosecution of former leader Jair Bolsonaro, a political ally of Trump, as per The New York Times. Greer said that Trump had other options available, including Section 301, which he used during his first term to levy tariffs on Chinese exports and which withstood numerous legal challenges. The president could also impose tariffs under Section 232, a national security statute; Section 122, a legal authority related to balance of payments issues; or Section 338, which allows the United States to respond when another country uniquely discriminates against it, Greer told The New York Times. Meanwhile, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly condemned US President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on European nations over Greenland, calling the move "completely wrong." In a statement posted on X on Sunday, the UK PM reiterated Britain's stance on Greenland, noting that the Arctic island is "part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes." He added that Arctic security is a concern for the entire NATO alliance and that all member states should work together to address threats posed by Russia across the region. (ANI) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is considering sending soldiers to Greenland for military exercises with NATO allies, CBC news reported, citing sources on Monday. As per CBC news, two senior Canadian officials said that a set of contingency plans were drawn up last week and presented to the federal government. While a Royal Canadian Air Force contingent is already taking part in a pre-planned NORAD exercise in Greenland, PM Carney is considering whether to send additional forces as part of the sovereignty exercises being planned by the Danes. It further mentioned that both sources said they are not certain which way the government is leaning. According to CBC, the options include flying in a small contingent of Canadian soldiers by the end of the week if called upon, the sources said. It mentioned that the news of the potential deployment was first reported by The Globe and Mail. Earlier on Saturday, during a press conference in Qatar, PM Carney said that Canada is "concerned" by Trump's tariff threat and "we always will support sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries wherever their geographic location is.""Decisions about the future of Greenland are for Greenland and Denmark to decide," the prime minister added. This comes as Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, the Netherlands, and Finland have sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland to join the exercise in a move to ensure the safety of the Arctic. Denmark had also invited the US to join the military exercise. Meanwhile, strengthening his push to acquire Denmark's territory, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026 if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. On Tuesday, it was mentioned that the United States will deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft at the Pituffik space base, Greenland, as tensions rise over President Donald Trump's move to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities. They also said that this action is taken in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. (ANI) The US is expected to announce its official list of members for the Gaza Board of Peace in the coming days, likely during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, PBS News reported on Monday (local time). On Friday (local time), US President Donald Trump sent out letters worldwide asking nations, including India to come aboard a "Board of Peace" to oversee the frail ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as per US media reports. The most striking part was the recipients of the letter- which included nations that were not historical allies of the US. Russia, Belarus made it to the list alongside Canada, France, Britain, and Saudi Arabia. The body's charter suggested that Trump hoped the body would get involved in conflicts even outside Gaza. Critics have pointed out that the body mimics the United Nations, which Trump has long accused of liberal bias and waste, as per the New York Times. Permanent membership for the board comes with an ostentatious fees of USD 1 billion, and it is unclear how much control Trump would have over the funds. His plan called the board a "new international transitional body" that would help supervise the rebuilding of the Palestinian enclave. The board's members would include world leaders, with Trump sitting at the head of the table. The United Nations Security Council later formally backed the board in a US-drafted resolution in November, giving it the force of international legitimacy. The announcement follows the fragile ceasefire in Gaza that took effect on October 10, after a protracted conflict between Israel and Hamas. Trump's peace plan, which includes the board's establishment, was endorsed by the UN Security Council in November 2025, paving the way for the board to operate as part of a broader reconstruction effort. Israel's government has publicly opposed Trump's board, asserting that its formation was not coordinated with Jerusalem and runs counter to its policy, particularly because of the inclusion of diplomats from Turkey and Qatar. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled his objections by convening his cabinet to discuss the matter further. (ANI) As countries like the USA struggle to design and build warships and submarines in desired quantities, or lack the budget to do so, China has no such problems. Last year was another prolific year for Chinese shipbuilders as they meet demand from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). It is estimated that the PLAN commissioned at least 18 naval vessels last year. The reason that numbers cannot be totally precise is that the navy maintains some secrecy, especially when it comes to submarine production. There is no such difficulty recognising when the PLAN's largest ever ship, however, the aircraft carrier Fujian, entered service. This conventionally powered aircraft carrier is the first Chinese one to feature an electromagnetic aircraft launch system, instead of the ski jump ramp that exists on China's first two carriers. Fujian was commissioned with much fanfare, with Chairman Xi Jinping in attendance, at Sanya Naval Base on Hainan Island on 5 November 2025. This carrier, almost rivaling its American supercarrier counterparts, measures more than 300m long and displaces an estimated 80,000 tonnes. Prior to officially entering naval service, Fujian had hosted a series of take-offs and landings by three new aircraft types. These included the Shenyang J-35 fifth-generation carrier-borne fighter, the Shenyang J-15T fighter equipped for catapult launches, and the Xian KJ-600. The latter is a twin-turboprop airborne early warning aircraft that acts as the eyes and ears of a carrier strike group. The PLAN's two earlier carriers - Liaoning and Shandong - could not carry the KJ-600, since it requires catapult assistance to get off the flight deck. Naval analysts have already spotted what is believed to be a fourth carrier under construction. This Type 004 vessel is likely to be nuclear-powered, another Chinese first, according to initial assessments of its construction. Another impressive vessel commissioned into the PLAN in 2025 was Hubei. Carrying the pennant number '34', Hubei is a Type 075 landing helicopter dock (LHD) vessel. An LHD is one that has a large flight deck akin to an aircraft carrier, though reserved for helicopters and vertical take-off drones in China's case. It also has a well dock inside where landing craft, hovercraft and amphibious assault vehicles can load up and disembark while at sea. This vessel, possessing a displacement of around 35,000 tonnes, entered service on 1 August 2025. Whilst on the topic of amphibious vessels, China's first new-generation Type 076 amphibious assault ship, Sichuan, began sea trials last year. This 252m-long, 45,000-tonne vessel is one of the largest amphibious assault ships in the world. Like the Type 075, it has a well deck, but its flight deck is optimized for drones to take off and land. Turning to surface combatants, the PLAN received a number of frigates and destroyers in 2025. No fewer than seven Type 052D destroyers were commissioned, numbered '125', '126', '127', '128', '158', '166' and '176'. China has around 30 of these destroyers. Of interest, Loudi ('176') was described as having enhancements to its radar, weapons and combat systems. A CCTV report said it has improved area air defense, surface strike and task group command functions. The most obvious change is installation of a rotating active electronically scanned array radar atop the main mast. While the Type 052D is a very capable warship, it is not the most capable one in the PLAN. That honor belongs to the Type 055, which China calls a destroyer but the USA is more likely to describe as a guided-missile cruiser. Six Type 055 warships are already in service, and construction of a second batch of six is continuing at Jiangnan and Dalian. None entered service in 2025, however. Also handed over were two Type 054AG frigates bearing the hull numbers '535' and '543'. With well over 40 in service, the Type 054A is a workhorse Chinese frigate, and the Type 054AG is lengthened slightly so it can accommodate Z-20 helicopters. The main naval gun has now also changed to the H/PJ-87 100mm gun instead of the previously fitted 76mm weapon. The Type 054AG's radar is also improved. Significantly, on 22 January 2025, the initial Type 054B frigate, christened Luohe ('545'), was commissioned into the PLAN's northern fleet in Qingdao. This first-of-class warship was followed a few months later by another Type 054B frigate, Qinzhou ('555'). The situation concerning Chinese submarines is harder to decipher, as the PLAN works hard to keep numbers and deployments a secret. China is rebalancing its large submarine fleet to add a greater ratio of nuclear-powered boats. All these are built by Bohai in Huludao, and production capacity has expanded there. Current production focuses on the Type 093B (also written as Type 09IIIB) guided-missile, nuclear-powered attack submarine. First observed under construction in 2022, it is estimated that seven of these submarines had been launched as of late 2025. The US Pentagon stated that four Type 093Bs were launched between May 2022 and January 2023 alone, and an annual production rate of two per year seems feasible, even if Bohai has greater capacity than this. It is possible that an eighth Type 093B was launched at the start of this year. China is working on Type 094 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) as well, though none were observed being completed last year. Because of delays in inducting the next-generation Type 096 SSBN, the US Pentagon has suggested China might build more Type 094A boats. All the PLAN's SSBNs are stationed with the Southern Theater Command at Hainan Island, so these vessels have to transit the Taiwan Strait every time they return to Huludao for maintenance. Current estimates are that the PLAN possesses six Type 093/Type 093A attack boats and six Type 094/094A SSBNs. It probably also has two or three Type 093B attack submarines operational, with others undergoing fitting out. The vertical launch system on the Type 093B can fire an array of land-attack and anti-ship missiles, including the advanced YJ-21 hypersonic missile designed for long-range strikes. Its speed helps it overcome conventional defenses on warships. President Donald Trump's threats to invade and conquer Greenland have been gaining international headlines. One of Trump's arguments is that the Chinese and Russian militaries are seeking to use Greenland for their own ends, and that vessels from both nations' navies have been roving around the Danish protectorate. His claims are obviously exaggerated, and Denmark has said no Chinese warships have been spotted there since ten years ago. However, it is possible that Chinese submarines are operating in the Arctic. An intelligence assessment released by the Danish Defense Intelligence Service last December noted that the Arctic provides an ideal location to launch nuclear-tipped missiles at Northern Hemisphere targets, given the shorter distances the missiles have to travel. Additionally, submarines can hide beneath the icecap. The report stated: "The capability to operate strategic submarines beneath the Arctic Ocean icecap is therefore part of the capacity that both Russia and the United States have to retaliate in the event of a nuclear attack." The report continued: "China is determined to acquire this capability too. This requires the ability to operate missile-carrying submarines beneath the Arctic ice. Hence, China's growing interest in developing the capability required for submarine operations in the Arctic." Dr. Collin Koh, Senior Fellow and Coordinator of Projects (Naval/Maritime Affairs) at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, concurred: "The envisaged PLA Navy nuclear submarine presence, I surmise, is not to secure Arctic sea lines of communications. It's more for strategic nuclear deterrent. Arctic SSBN deployment could exploit the unique complex environmental conditions and enhance its strike capabilities on the continental US." As for Chinese diesel-electric submarines, production seems to have slowed considerably by Wuchang Shipbuilding in Wuhan. The PLAN has ten Kilo-class submarines imported from Russia many years ago, as well as 13 Type 039 Song-class submarines, 21 Type 039A/Type 039B Yuan-class boats, and a smaller number of the latest Type 039C submarine. There is speculation, unconfirmed, that possibly three Type 039C diesel-electric submarines fitted with air-independent propulsion entered PLAN service last year. It may be that the PLAN has already completely retired its Type 035G/Type 035B Ming-class submarines too. Perhaps one reason for the slowdown in PLAN submarine construction is that Wuchang has been busy building Hangor-class submarines for Pakistan, and an S26T for Thailand. The deal with Islamabad sees four submarines manufactured in China, and another four assembled from supplied components in Karachi. These submarines are based on the Yuan class. The four Chinese-built submarine hulls for the Pakistan Navy were launched in April 2024, on 15 March 2025, 16 August 2025 and 18 December 2025 respectively. Finally, auxiliary ships are also being built for the PLAN. The Type 920 ocean-going hospital ship Silk Road Ark left Quanzhou in Fujian Province for the first time. It is China's second domestically designed and constructed 10,000-tonne-class hospital ship. More Type 903/Type 903A replenishment oilers are under construction. While not as sexy as warships bristling with weapons, such auxiliary ships are vital to sustain long-range missions and task groups traveling the world's oceans. The Type 903 displaces more than 20,000 tonnes. The PLAN has nine of these, but constant demand as the PLAN makes longer and more frequent forays into far oceans means more are required. Five new boats have been under construction at COMAC in Guangzhou and at Wuhu Shipbuilding on the Yangtze River. At least one had commenced sea trials as of June 2025. The Type 901 is an even larger replenishment ship, displacing around 40,000 tonnes. These are needed to support carrier strike groups, so it is possible more will be built to join the two already in service. The PLAN continues to innovate spectacularly too. Last year, first images emerged of amphibious barges used to help unload vehicles and cargo during beach lodgments. These self-propelled barges have pylons that rest on the seabed, and long ramps that allow vehicles to roll ashore after disembarking from cargo or amphibious vessels berthed at sea. These were likely developed for a Taiwan invasion scenario, and they certainly give the PLA more options in terms of where they could make an amphibious landing in Taiwan. The PLAN has been cautiously testing these landing systems. Another interesting tactic rehearsed by China last year was quietly mobilizing hundreds of fishing boats to create massive floating barriers at least 200 miles long. These floating "belts" or "barriers" of fishing boats demonstrate a new level of coordination that could give Beijing more ways to impose control in contested seas. Such operations have been conducted twice to date. These maneuvers are complex and massive, with one of them involving 1,400 Chinese vessels. The second occasion, occurring around Christmas time last year, saw 2,000 boats form two parallel lines some 290 miles long. These fishing boats halt their normal fishing activities and assembled into a dense formation that would be difficult to penetrate. These events show how the Chinese military and government control private fishing boats, as well as those known to be part of the People's Maritime Militia. Beijing would have no hesitation using them during a conflict. During a Taiwan contingency, for example, they could overwhelm shipping lanes, block ports, disrupt naval and legitimate commercial traffic, create false radar targets and create a true "gray zone" that blurs the difference between civilian and military activity. If last year is anything to go by, then 2026 will see continued output of new warships, submarines and auxiliary vessels for the PLAN. Just as the imaginative new amphibious landing barges appeared last year, we can expect new innovations to emerge in the months to come, including in sectors such as unmanned technology. (ANI) US President Donald Trump held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. The US President shared the details of the conversation in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday. He said, "I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" Trump reiterated his statement of ensuring global peace through strength and claimed that the United States stands as the most powerful country due to the "rebuilding" by Trump in his first term as the President. "The United States of America is the most powerful Country anywhere on the Globe, by far. Much of the reason for this is a rebuilding of our Military during my First Term, which rebuilding continues at even more expedited pace. We are the only POWER that can ensure PEACE throughout the World -- And it is done, quite simply, through STRENGTH!" https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115925766187001811 This comes as the US is set to deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft at the Pituffik space base, Greenland, as tensions rise over President Donald Trump's move to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities. They also said that this action is taken in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. https://x.com/NORADCommand/status/2013326903063781489?s=20 Previously, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. (ANI) French President Emmanuel Macron invited US President Donald Trump for a G7 meeting after the World Economic Forum, as per a screenshot of both their chats shared by the latter on Truth Social. Macron affirmed that France and the US were in line on Syria and could do great things in Iran, but do not understand his stance on Greenland. Trump's reply to Macron's text was not visible in the screenshot if he replied at all. The message by Macron in full read: "My friend, We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran. I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland. Let us try to build great things: 1) i can set up a g7 meeting after Davos in Paris on thursday afternoon. I can invite the ukrainians, the danish, the syrians and the russians in the margins 2) let us have a dinner together in Paris together on thursday before you go back to the us. Emmanuel." Trump also shared AI-generated images of himself establishing Greenland as US territory with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He also shared another AI-generated image of himself speaking to European leaders with a Map of the US showing Greenland and Canada as US territories in the background. Trump held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. The US President shared the details of the conversation in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday. He said, "I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" (ANI) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday shared a post on his Truth Social platform showing an old photograph of himself with other European leaders with the US flag depicting Canada, Greenland and Venezuela as a part of the United States. In the post, Trump is seen seated inside the Oval Office, with NATO leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy''s Giorgia Meloni, UK PM Keir Starmer, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, among others. In another post, Trump is seen flanked by its Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio hoisting a US flag in Greenland, with a milepost that reads, "Greenland US Territory Est 2026". Shortly after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump said that the United States will the Sotuh American country "until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition". Later, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the stance on January 8, saying, "The Trump Administration is in close correspondence with the interim authorities in Venezuela. We obviously have maximum leverage over the interim authorities in Venezuela right now... Their decisions are going to continue to be dictated by the United States". Trump had last year suggested that Canada become the 51st US state. Shortly after winning the elections, PM Mark Carney in May during his first press conference, had firmly rejected Trump''s suggestion that Canada become the 51st US state, stating, "It''s important to distinguish wants from reality." Carney emphasised that his election victory and the votes he received demonstrate Canadians'' clear desire for independence. He clarified that Canada will never be part of the US, citing public dialogue and his resounding election victory as proof. Trump had repeatedly said that Canada should be the 51st US state and even mocked former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the "Governor of Canada". On Tuesday, the US President held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115925766187001811 The posts comes as US is set to deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft at the Pituffik space base, Greenland, as tensions rise over President Donald Trump''s move to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. NORAD said that the aircraft will arrive at the base to support various long-planned activities. They also said that this action is taken in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. https://x.com/NORADCommand/status/2013326903063781489?s=20 Previously, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China''s and Russia''s interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026 if a deal wasn''t reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. (ANI) In a court in the port city of Chattogram, Bangladesh, the trial has begun through the framing of charges against Chinmoy Kumar Das, the spokesperson of the Sanatani Jagaran Jote, along with 49 others in the murder case of lawyer Saiful Islam. On Monday, at the Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal, Judge Zahidul Haque ordered the commencement of the trial at the conclusion of the hearing. Chinmoy Das's lawyer, Aburbo Kumar Bhattacharya, informed ANI on Tuesday that the trial has begun. The trial of Chinmoy Kumar Das has started in the speedy trial court, and witness testimony will be recorded on the upcoming February 2. Chinmoy's lawyer has certainly claimed his innocence and filed a petition to acquit him of the charges. The prosecution, however, raised objections. After hearing both sides, charges were formally framed against all 39 accused. When presented in court, Chinmoy Das stated that he is innocent and has no involvement whatsoever in the incident, arguing that the charge sheet is flawed. Last year, on July 1, the investigating officer submitted a charge sheet in the Chattogram court, naming Chinmoy Das, the spokesperson of the Sanatani Jagaran Jote, along with 38 others as accused. After the plaintiff raised objections, on August 25, that same year, the court accepted the charge sheet against Sukanta Dutta and 39 other accused in total. Last month, the case was prepared for trial and transferred from the magistrate's court to the speedy trial tribunal. The incident dates back to November 26, 2024, when lawyer Saiful was beaten and hacked to death in a clash over Chinmoy Das's bail. Following this murder, Saiful's father, Jamal Uddin, filed a murder case naming 31 people. On May 6, 2025, Bangladesh Chamber Court ordered a stay on the bail granted to Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, lawyers said. "We told the Chamber court that if Chinmoy Krishna Das is released on bail, the investigation of the case will be hampered. There is a possibility that he will flee. The court has ordered to stay the bail," Aneek R Haque, Additional Attorney General, told ANI after hearing. Das's lawyer said he would file a regular appeal against this stay order. (ANI) US President Donald Trump slammed the United Kingdom over its plans of giving away Diego Garcia island, and called it an act of "great stupidity". He said that the action by London is one of the several reasons why Greenland has to be "acquired". He made the remarks on Tuesday in a post on Truth Social. The US President said, "Shockingly, our "brilliant" NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. Thank you for your attention to this matter." Trump's remarks come shortly after the third reading of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill on January 13 in the UK Parliament. The UK-Mauritius Treaty which was signed in 2025, provides for Mauritius to exercise full sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, with the UK exercising rights on Diego Garcia during an initial 99-year period. Over the 99 years, the UK will pay Mauritius a total of around 3.4 billion in 2025/26 prices. The UK Government says this resolves the long-standing BIOT sovereignty dispute and secures the military base for continued operations in the long term, as noted by the UK House of Commons library. The sharp tone by Trump is in stark contrast to the stand over the treaty under the Biden administration, when the United States had hailed the historic Chagos archipelago agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius today and appreciated how diplomacy can overcome long-standing historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes. Former President Biden had said the agreement affirms Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, while granting the United Kingdom the authority to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius with respect to Diego Garcia. The latest tirade by Trump comes after US President Donald Trump held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. He said, "I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" Previously, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. (ANI) NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Tuesday told US President Donald Trump that he was willing to find a way forward on the Greenland issue, while praising him for "what he has accomplished in Syria." The message by Rutte was shared by the US president on the social media platform Truth Social. In the message, Rutte said he would use his media engagements to highlight Trump's work in Gaza and Ukraine. The message in full read: "Mr. President, dear Donald - what you accomplished in Syria today is incredible. I will use my media engagements in Davos to highlight your work there, in Gaza, and in Ukraine. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark." Trump also had a telephonic conversation with Rutte about Greenland and said that he would meet several parties in Davos earlier in the day. He reiterated his stance on Greenland, calling it integral for American and world security at large. The US President shared the details of the conversation in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday. He said, "I had a very good telephone call with Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, concerning Greenland. I agreed to a meeting of the various parties in Davos, Switzerland. As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back -- On that, everyone agrees!" Trump reiterated his commitment to ensuring global peace through strength and claimed that the United States is the most powerful country due to the "rebuilding" he accomplished during his first term as President. He said, "The United States of America is the most powerful Country anywhere on the Globe, by far. Much of the reason for this is a rebuilding of our Military during my First Term, which rebuilding continues at even more expedited pace. We are the only POWER that can ensure PEACE throughout the World -- And it is done, quite simply, through STRENGTH!" (ANI) Jamaat-i-Islami Khyber Pakhtunkhwa North chief Inayatullah Khan has cautioned that the flour crisis in the province was deepening, with rates increasing almost every day, and appealed to both the federal and provincial governments to stop the situation from going out of hand, as reported by Dawn. Addressing journalists on Sunday, Khan claimed that vehicles transporting flour were being halted at Attock and forced to pay bribes, resulting in acute shortages in Lower Dir and several areas of KP, where a 40kg flour bag was selling for up to Rs 6,000. He said the situation represented a blatant breach of Article 151 of the Constitution, which ensures unrestricted trade between provinces, adding that despite Khyber Pakhtunkhwa being a fundamental part of Pakistan, the federal government was dealing with the province unjustly. He also criticised the provincial administration for "failing to meet its constitutional and moral obligations," Dawn reported. Mr Khan said military operations were ongoing in various parts of the province, but emphasised that the rising insecurity must be addressed immediately, as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could not bear further loss of lives. He said that rather than conducting military operations, the capabilities of police and other civilian institutions should be strengthened to tackle the threat of terrorism. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters at the residence of party leader Maulana Wahid Gul in the Khar area of Bajaur, Inayatullah Khan urged that unrest in the merged districts be addressed through dialogue instead of military action. He conveyed sympathies to the family of the JI leader over Friday night's bombing that targeted his house, and said his party had consistently maintained a "principled position" that law and order issues in the tribal districts must be settled through peaceful approaches, not through force. The JI leader alleged that military operations in the tribal districts were not only leading to destruction and unrest but were also negatively impacting the socioeconomic conditions of residents, Dawn reported. Denouncing the bombing at Wahid Gul's residence, the Jamaat's provincial chief described it as a cowardly act, saying such incidents were unacceptable and aimed at silencing voices advocating peace. He said the relevant authorities must immediately apprehend those responsible for the attack, the Dawn report noted. (ANI) Pakistan has developed a systematic model of managing extremist networks rather than dismantling them, according to an analysis by Greek lawyer, journalist and South Asia specialist Dimitra Staikou, published by EuropaWire (EW), Europe's first pan-European newswire service provider. In the article titled "Pakistan: When the State Does Not Fight Terrorism, but Manages It," Staikou argued that Pakistani state institutions have provided political cover and indirect material support to internationally designated militant groups, allowing them to remain operational while avoiding formal international accountability. The analysis cited documented cases involving UN-designated organisations, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), asserting that their leadership, infrastructure and mobilisation activities continue to function openly despite international sanctions. One example highlighted was the reconstruction of the Markaz Syedna Bilal complex in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), a site previously identified as a JeM training facility and targeted during a military operation. According to the article, the reconstruction was publicly presented as a development initiative and was attended in October 2025 by Pakistani Federal Minister Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon, senior officials and leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League (N). Staikou described the project as a political signal of rehabilitation rather than a neutral rebuilding effort. The article also raised concerns about the institutionalisation of ideological indoctrination, pointing to publicly announced Daura-e-Tarbiyah (ideological training) seminars. Citing open-source material, Staikou noted that JeM organised a seven-day training camp in Quetta, Balochistan, from December 5 to 12, 2025, describing it internally as a structured ideological phase preceding militant training. The public nature of such events, she argued, suggested deliberate non-intervention by state authorities. According to the analysis, extremist networks have also gained political legitimacy through their transformation into formal party structures. Staikou pointed to the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), widely viewed by analysts as a political front for Lashkar-e-Taiba. PMML contested Pakistan's 2024 general elections, and senior LeT figures, including Hafiz Talha Saeed, were reported to have participated openly in party activities throughout 2025, despite US and UN sanctions. Public rallies were described as another element of normalisation. Staikou documented events in which speeches praised Osama bin Laden, referenced Al-Qaeda ideology and featured armed militants on stage, often under the presence or protection of state security forces. One such rally took place on September 14, 2025, in Garhi Habibullah, Mansehra (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Another occurred in Karachi on August 14, 2025, where LeT figures reportedly led a public march with visible police security. Beyond Pakistan's borders, the article warned that this approach has regional and global implications. Staikou argued that Pakistan's expanding defence and security ties with Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian states, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia, risk exporting the consequences of this strategy beyond South Asia. Since 2025, these relationships have reportedly deepened through joint military exercises, defence-industry cooperation, intelligence sharing and naval coordination. This, the analysis said, has contributed to the gradual normalisation of Pakistan as a security partner despite its documented links to extremist networks. The European Union was identified as particularly exposed to the fallout, facing pressures linked to radicalisation, irregular migration and extremist financing networks, in which Pakistan was described as a central node. Staikou argued that this normalisation weakens mechanisms such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), while facilitating the transfer of ideological and organisational practices into Europe. The article also noted concerns for China, citing potential instability along trade and energy corridors. It also flagged concerns for the United States, which was portrayed as increasingly wary that Pakistan's emerging security alignments could undermine deterrence and regional stability in both the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. Staikou contrasted Pakistan's approach with the case of Abdullah Ocalan, whose imprisonment was presented as an example of a state drawing a clear legal and political boundary against armed movements. By comparison, she argued, Pakistan's integration and repurposing of extremist actors turns violence into an accepted political instrument. "When a state chooses to manage terrorism instead of dismantling it," the analysis concluded, "the problem no longer concerns that state alone, but the international system that tolerates this strategy." (ANI) The United Kingdom has announced a new International Education Strategy aimed at expanding the global footprint of UK education and growing education exports to GBP 40 billion annually by 2030, with India identified as one of five key focus countries for the UK's International Education Champion. According to an official press release, the strategy seeks to support British education providers in delivering UK education overseas in new and expanding markets. It noted that India has been designated a priority country by Professor Sir Steve Smith, the UK's International Education Champion, reflecting the growing importance of educational cooperation between the two nations. The new strategy shifts focus from international student recruitment targets in the UK to expanding education exports overseas, including transnational education, international partnerships, digital learning, and overseas campuses. Education is already one of the UK's largest export sectors, contributing GBP 32 billion to the economy annually. Education cooperation is one of the central pillars of the UK-India partnership outlined in Vision 2035, agreed by the Prime Ministers of both countries last year. India is aiming to significantly expand its higher education capacity, with plans to cater to nearly 40 million students and an estimated need for 30 million additional student places, and nine UK universities are set to establish campuses in the country. UK Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the strategy underlines the government's commitment to driving economic growth while strengthening global partnerships. "UK education is one of our most valuable exports and this strategy backs the sector to go even further - underlining our commitment to fuel UK growth. By expanding overseas, our universities, colleges and education providers can diversify income, strengthen global partnerships and give millions more access to a world-class UK education on their doorstep, all whilst boosting growth at home," the Secretary said. Minister for Trade Chris Bryant said the UK is exceptionally placed to expand its education footprint worldwide through innovation, digital learning, and skills development. "Education exports are a major UK success story, and we're on track to grow the sector to 40 billion by 2030, powered by world-leading providers driving digital learning, AI-enabled innovation and future skills development. With a world-class system and deep international partnerships, the UK is exceptionally placed to expand its global footprint and ensure that this country's education continues to set the standard worldwide," he stated. The strategy also aims to enhance the UK's global soft power by deepening long-term international relationships through education, the release stated. It includes measures to reduce regulatory barriers for providers expanding overseas and the creation of an Education Sector Action Group to help unlock new markets. The UK government said the initiative will support jobs and investment at home while ensuring students across the world, including in India, gain access to world-class UK education closer to home. The strategy enhances opportunities for UK students to study, work, and volunteer overseas, with confirmation of a sixth year of the Turing Scheme to support international placements. (ANI) Senior US lawmakers have released a detailed investigation accusing China of being the world's largest perpetrator of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, warning that Beijing's practices pose a serious threat to global food security, marine ecosystems and US national security, according to a press release by the Select Committee on the CCP (SCCCP). The investigation was jointly released by Chairman John Moolenaar (R-Michigan) of the Select Committee on China and Chairman Carlos Gimenez (R-Florida) of the House Homeland Security Committee's Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee. The report stated that China operates the world's largest distant-water fishing (DWF) fleet, estimated to include more than 16,000 vessels, which it allegedly uses to intimidate other countries, strip marine resources and dominate global seafood supply chains. According to the investigation, China's distant-water fleet functions as a state-directed system that removes geographic distance as a constraint on fishing operations. The report claimed Beijing has monopolised global seafood processing through Chinese-controlled hubs, engineered a permanent cost advantage through state subsidies, and manipulated seafood markets to undermine US processing capacity while increasing American dependence on Chinese-controlled supply chains. It noted that more than 80 per cent of seafood consumed in the United States is imported, much of it moving through supply chains dominated by China, SCCCP's release stated. The report also highlighted allegations of forced labour and human rights abuses linked to China's fishing operations, stating that such practices often go unchecked while China consolidates its control over seafood processing worldwide. China was identified as the world's largest seafood exporter, with annual trade valued at approximately USD 18.5 billion, further amplifying its influence over global food systems. "The Select Committee has documented how numerous American industries have supply chain concerns that leave the United States vulnerable to China, and the food supply is no exception," Moolenaar said. He added that the investigation shows how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has exploited unregulated fishing to manipulate the global food supply, stressing that cooperation with allies is essential to address these vulnerabilities and protect American consumers, as noted by SCCCP's release. Gimenez described China's fishing fleet as a strategic tool rather than a commercial enterprise. "The CCP commands the world's largest fishing armada like a military force," he said, accusing Beijing of using it to exploit forced labour, destroy marine ecosystems and dominate seafood supply chains. He warned that China's efforts to monopolise food systems have devastated economies from West Africa to Latin America and directly impacted US national security and economic sovereignty. The investigation further detailed how China allegedly uses its fishing fleet to extend state power beyond its borders, including leveraging fishing access for diplomatic influence, subordinating civilian vessels to military command, and deploying fishing boats for intelligence gathering. In waters close to China, the report said fishing vessels form part of a state-directed maritime militia operating under military command, equipped with reinforced hulls and water cannons for coercive actions, while reconnaissance units monitor foreign naval activity, SCCCP's release stated. To counter these threats, the report outlined several policy recommendations. These included expanding the role of the US Coast Guard to help allied and partner nations detect and disrupt IUU fishing, increasing intelligence sharing to expose links between Chinese commercial fishing and illicit maritime activities, and requiring all international fishing vessels to carry unique identifiers. It also called for the creation of a "Fish for Security" coalition to link fisheries governance with maritime stability. The investigation concluded that China's actions represent a deliberate, state-directed campaign to achieve maritime dominance and monopolise global food systems, posing what lawmakers described as a direct threat to US national security, economic sovereignty and the rules-based international order, as noted by SCCCP's press release. (ANI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday informed that he will be participating in the inter-ministerial panel "Capital in Action: Scaling Energy Systems Through Policy, Finance & Regional Leadership" in Switzerland's Davos. Taking to 'X', he said the panel will include high-profile participants, such as a former Slovakian finance minister and global business leaders, and will focus on policy, finance, and regional leadership to develop resilient energy systems. "En route to the inter-ministerial panel Capital in Action: Scaling Energy Systems Through Policy, Finance & Regional Leadership, discussing with the Chief Secretary on positioning Jharkhand as a global player in energy security," Soren said. The panel will be attended by the Former Finance Minister from Slovakia and business leaders from across the globe, focusing on policy, finance, and regional leadership to scale resilient energy systems. Jharkhand remains committed to contributing meaningfully to the global energy transition," he added. Meanwhile, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Kalpana Murmu is also in Davos with Hemant Soren. She will represent the state in the panel discussion titled "Women Entrepreneurship: Driving Growth and Building a Sustainable Economy." "I am in Davos with Hemant ji, with the resolve to make Jharkhand a leading state. Today, I will present Jharkhand's perspective in the Panel Discussion "Women Entrepreneurship: Driving Growth and Building a Sustainable Economy" Additionally, through the Speaker Session at the Alliance for Global Good, there will be a dialogue on inclusive and women-led development. Jharkhand will move forward, and so will the people of Jharkhand," the 'X' post said. Earlier, Hemant Soren attended a video conference chaired by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, during which he informed the latter about his state's preparations for the World Economic Forum Summit, which will showcase opportunities in critical minerals and electronics component manufacturing, among others. The meeting, which took place on Sunday, CM Soren said, clearly reflects the spirit of cooperation and dialogue in India's preparations for the annual Davos meeting. "One India, One Vision. The spirit of cooperation and dialogue is clearly reflected in India's preparations for the upcoming #WEF2026. Attended the VC chaired by Hon'ble Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw ji, focusing on overall review and preparedness. Informed him about #JharkhandAtDavos preparations, where the state will showcase opportunities in critical minerals and mining, electronics and electronics components manufacturing, EVs and automobiles, superfoods and food processing, forest and bio economy, energy and renewable energy transition, tourism, and textiles, in close alignment with the GOI's vision and objectives. World Economic Forum at Jharkhand," Soren wrote on X. Founded in 1971, the WEF operates as a non-profit organisation. Recognised as one of the most influential business conferences worldwide, it aims to strengthen global economic growth through geopolitics, education and technology, financial policy, and investment. Along with India, nearly fifty countries will take part in the conference. Meanwhile, a high-level delegation from Uttar Pradesh, led by the state's Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, arrived in Zurich on Monday to participate in the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The visit aims to position the state as a global investment destination as it pursues a USD 1 trillion economy target through infrastructure and technology-led growth. The annual meeting in Davos features record government participation, including approximately 400 political leaders and 65 heads of state. Notable attendees include U.S. President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The forum also hosts leaders of international institutions such as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and World Bank Group President Ajay S. Banga. (ANI) TOKYO, Jan 26 (News On Japan) - The Japan Meteorological Agency has released its one-month forecast covering the period from January 24th to February 23rd, warning that cold air is likely to continue flowing into the country through early February before temperatures begin trending upward later in the month. Heavy snow has continued to fall along the Sea of Japan coast as a strong winter pressure pattern drives intense cold air into the region, prompting authorities to warn of large-scale traffic disruptions and other snow-related disasters. According to the agencys outlook, northeastern and eastern Japan, including Tohoku, Kanto and parts of Hokuriku, are expected to see below-average temperatures during the first half of the forecast period, while Hokkaido and western Japan are forecast to be near or slightly below seasonal norms. Meteorologists say the temperature pattern is expected to shift noticeably in mid-to-late February, with warmer conditions becoming more likely as weather systems change and stronger low-pressure systems move across the Sea of Japan, a development that could bring the seasons first haru ichiban spring gusts and push Japan toward a milder March. The prolonged cold wave is already disrupting daily life in Aomori Prefecture, where repeated train cancellations and heavy snowfall are affecting residents, particularly along the Sea of Japan coast. Residents have been forced to clear snow day after day, with one Aomori City resident saying it has become overwhelming and is preventing people from going to work or even shopping. Train services have been heavily affected, with JR reporting that more than 100 services were canceled on the previous day, and operations suspended again from the first trains on January 25th on sections of the Ou Main Line and the Gono Line. Forecasters expect another 24 hours of heavy snowfall through 6 p.m., with up to 70 centimeters predicted in mountainous areas and around 50 centimeters in flatland regions. Source: King Mohammed VI, chairman of Al-Qods Committee, has been invited by President Donald Trump to join as a Founding Member the Peace Council that Trump is planning to launch as an initiative to contribute to peace efforts in the Middle East, said the Moroccan foreign affairs ministry in a statement released Monday. The Monarch has accepted Trumps invitation to join the Peace Council set to adopt a new approach to resolving conflicts around the world, said the statement. This Council is reserved for a small group of leaders of international stature, committed to a secure and prosperous future for mounting generations, added the statement, affirming that this invitation is a recognition of the royal leadership and the Kings stature as an important actor of peace. It also testifies to the confidence that the Sovereign has in the President of the United States and the international community. The Monarch has welcomed Trumps commitment and vision for the promotion of peace. Morocco will ratify the Constitutive Charter of this Council which seeks to promote stability, restore governance and ensure lasting peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict. Morocco has also welcomed the announcement of the launch of the second phase of President Trumps global peace plan, as well as the official creation of the National Committee for the administration of Gaza as a temporary transitional body. Rabat has reiterated on this occasion its constant commitment to a just, global and lasting peace in the Middle East and to the establishment of a Palestinian State on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Sweden expresses support for Moroccos Autonomy Plan, in light of the recently adopted Security Council resolution 2797, as a credible basis for negotiations to achieve a definitive solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. This position was expressed in an official statement issued by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following a phone conversation held on Monday between Swedens Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenengard, and her Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita. Through this explicit support, Sweden joins the vast majority of the European Union countries and more than two-thirds of United Nations member states supporting Moroccos autonomy plan. It should be recalled that UN Security Council Resolution 2797, adopted on October 31, 2025, affirms that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the most feasible solution to this regional dispute. Defense and military coopeartion between Morocco and the United states as well as regional security were reviewed at a meeting in Rabat Monday between minister Delegate in charge of the National Defense Administration, Abdeltif Loudyi, and a delegation from the U.S. Congress, led by the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, Jason Smith, that is on an official working visit to the Kingdom. During the meeting, the two sides hailed the excellence of the long-standing ties between Morocco and the United States and the high level of cooperation achieved in the military field. They also reaffirmed their commitment to consolidating mutually beneficial relations and strengthening bilateral cooperation, a statement from the Administration of National Defense said. The meeting also reviewed the state of cooperation in the field of defense, marked notably by the regular meetings of the Defense Advisory Committee, the frequent exchange of visits by senior officials, and the joint organization of the large-scale annual exercise African Lion, which today represents a major lever for success serving the interoperability of the armed forces of participating countries. Loudyi welcomed the frank and positive support of the United States of America for Moroccos sovereignty over its entire territory, as well as the constructive efforts undertaken in this regard, the statement added. The Moroccan official also highlighted the various South-South cooperation and regional integration initiatives launched by King Mohammed VI, making Morocco a dynamic actor of stability and shared prosperity for the benefit of the African continent. For its part, the U.S. Congressional delegation praised the leadership of King Mohammed VI, which placed the Kingdom as an important actor of stability and shared prosperity in the face of the different challenges and issues affecting regional security. At the end of this meeting, both parties expressed their ambition and shared determination to consolidate this strategic partnership and to strengthen the exemplary relations of trust and friendship between the two countries, the statement said. The same day, the Congress delegation held a meeting with Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch that reviewed means of bolstering strategic ties between Morocco and the United States. The two parties welcomed the growing momentum of trade exchanges between both countries, stressing that Morocco is likely to establish itself as a hub for American investments in the region, as part of a win-win partnership. During the meeting, Akhannouch surveyed Moroccos major reforms and pioneering initiatives under the Kings enlightened leadership, and hailed the United States constant position supporting the autonomy plan within the framework of Moroccos sovereignty over the Southern provinces. The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) is once again edging toward a fiscal breaking point. Officials in its Erbil-based semi-autonomous regional government (KRG) say they are receiving only a fraction of the budget transfers they are owed under the current oil-for-budget payments arrangement with the Federal Government of Iraq (FGI) in Baghdad. This revives the same dispute that triggered the collapse of the deal in March 2023 and shut down the crucial Iraq-Turkey Pipeline (ITP) for more than two years. Erbil argues that Baghdads shortfalls are not technical delays but a structural breach that threatens its ability to pay public salaries, service debts to international oil companies, and maintain even the basic functions of regional governance. With the ITP still operating far below capacity and trust between the two sides eroded, Kurdistans economic stability and its leverage within the federal system is once again in question. Broadly, the deal at the centre of the KRGs current complaints and a source of constant dispute since its inception in late 2014 involves the Kurdistan Region sending oil from its own oil fields and from Kirkuk to the Federal Governments State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO), in return for which it receives a percentage of the FGIs budget after sovereign expenses each month. The contours of this latest dispute are painfully familiar, echoing the 2014 budget freeze, the 2017 post-referendum squeeze, the 2020 pandemic-era cuts, and the 2023 ITP shutdown all unfolding along the same axis of mistrust and asymmetry, as analysed in full in my latest book on the new global oil market order. The pattern is consistent: Baghdad uses legal ambiguity and fiscal pressure to reassert control over the Kurdistan Regions oil revenues; Erbil insists on predictable transfers to meet its payroll and other obligations; and the absence of a functioning oil export route leaves the KRG with no leverage beyond political brinkmanship. Related: Pakistan State Firm Announces New Oil and Gas Discovery In this latest case, Erbil said just over a week ago that its total constitutional entitlement between 2023 and 2025 amounted to IQD58.3 trillion (USD44.4 billion), while actual receipts did not exceed IQD24.3 trillion. This represents just 41% of the KRIs financial rights and about 3.9% of the FGIs total federal budget. Erbil also says that although the Federal Government allocated IQD165 trillion for investment spending nationwide, the Kurdistan Region received no funding for investment projects, resulting in the suspension of key infrastructure schemes. The KRG added that since oil exports resumed late last year, it has pumped 19.5 million barrels through the Federal Governments State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) in addition to transferring IQD919 billion in non-oil revenues to the FGIs Treasury during 2025, despite continued delays in receiving its own entitlements. All this flies in the face of the broad agreement reached in August/September that led to the re-opening of the ITP. At that point it was agreed that up to 190,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil would flow though the ITP from Kirkuk to Ceyhan, with plans to increase this to the 230,000-bpd level seen just before the pipelines closure in 2023, and then back to even earlier higher levels over time. Before the shutdown in March 2023, around 450,000 bpd of oil was flowing through the ITP, comprised of approximately 350,000-375,000 bpd of KRG crude (Kurdish Blend) and about 75,000-100,000 bpd of Federal Iraqi crude (Kirkuk grade). As previously reported by OilPrice.com, US$16 of the sales price per barrel would be transferred to an escrow account and distributed proportionally to the KRIs oil producers, with the rest going to SOMO. This effectively acted as a subsidy for production costs incurred by international oil companies operating in the KRI and replaced the previous offer of USD7.90 per barrel that was rejected by the KRG. However, even at that point last August/September, potential problems were already beginning to surface, including from foreign oil firms that were collectively still owed over US$1 billion by the KRG for oil produced and then sold previously. Norways DNO and its joint venture partner Genel Energy had long made it clear that they would not fully re-engage with crude oil exports through the ITP until they received assurances from the KRG that it would properly address the US$300 million or so of debt to the two firms. The eight other foreign oil producers that signed the initial agreement to restart ITP exports to Turkey were to have met within the 30 days following the recent resumption of flows to flesh out a mechanism with the KRG for settling these debts. For Erbil, however, any such mechanism depended on the FGI keeping up its budget payments to the Kurdistan Region as promised. Foreign oil firms operating in the KRI at that stage also stressed the need for future export payments that were consistent with each companys existing, legally valid contracts, and for payments to be transparent and prompt, either in cash or through in-kind transfers of crude-oil entitlements. With these pressures mounting, and no new Iraqi prime minister yet appointed following the 11 November general elections, the KRG may well judge that now is an opportune moment to raise these issues again. Mohammed Shia al-Sudani had taken a hardline approach to what the FGI perceives as its Kurdish Problem for much of his recent prime ministerial tenure. This was broadly aligned with the strategy of China and Russia to remove all independence from it and to roll it into a single unified Iraq more aligned with Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran. As underscored exclusively to OilPrice.com some time ago by a senior energy source who works closely with Irans Petroleum Ministry, Chinas and Russias view is that: By keeping the West out of energy deals in Iraq, the end of Western hegemony in the Middle East will become the decisive chapter in the Wests final demise. On the other side of the geopolitical equation, the U.S. and its key allies want the Kurdistan Region (and Iraq more broadly) to terminate all links with Chinese, Russian and Iranian companies connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps over the long term. The U.S. and Israel also have a further strategic interest in utilising the Kurdistan Region as a base for ongoing monitoring operations against Iran. Following al-Sudanis very recent decision to suspend his bid for a second term effectively opening the way for the head of the State of Law Coalition, Nuri al-Maliki another layer of urgency has been added for Erbil. Al-Maliki has long-standing ties to Tehran, having spent years in exile both there and in Syria, and favours a stronger federal Iraq, with Baghdad controlling all parts of it. So, raising the dispute now allows Erbil to press its case while the political landscape in Baghdad remains unsettled and before a new Al-Maliki-led administration consolidates its position. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com A new discovery in the Permian Basin is challenging the narrative that shale oil and gas in the United States is declining. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has released its assessment of undiscovered gas and oil in the Woodford and Barnett shales in the Permian Basin, assessing that there are technically recoverable resources of 28.3 trillion cubic feet of gas enough to supply the United States for 10 months at the current rate of consumption and 1.6 billion barrels of oil, or 10 weeks supply. If that doesnt sound like much, consider that since the 1990s, the Woodford and Barnett shales have only produced 26 million barrels of oil, the equivalent of one days consumption. From the Jan. 14 USGS news release: The Permian Basin has long been one of the most abundant sources of U.S. energy. The organic-rich shales of the Woodford and Barnett occur up to 20,000 feet below the surface, at greater depths than other resources in the Permian. Advances in unconventional production hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling now make it possible to produce energy resources from previously inaccessible and technically challenging formations, such as the Woodford and Barnett. However, there are challenges in recovering the oil and gas trapped in this particular shale rock. Toti Larson, principal investigator at the Bureau of Economic Geology's Mudrock Systems Research Laboratory at the University of Texas, which specializes in shale research, told the Houston Chronicle that the reserves are deeper than the formations where companies traditionally drill, and hotter, meaning they contain more associated gas. In the Barnett there is more clay, which poses drilling hazards. And then the other complexity is just really trying to identify the sort of sweet spots, Larson said. Where across the Permian Basin is the Woodford most likely going to produce oil? And so I think thats what makes the Woodford still an exploration target. The discovery in the Permian Basin, which straddles West Texas and New Mexico, comes at a challenging time for US shale. The United States is rushing to sell off millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil after the Trump administration ousted and detained leader Nicholas Maduro on Jan. 3. The Department of Energy is organizing the sale of about 50 million barrels of oil that the United States seized from Venezuelan tankers. Todays oil market is already saturated, faced with a persistent global oil glut, and oil companies cant afford for prices to dip much lower than their current levels of around $60 per barrel. Production is already projected to exceed demand in 2026, thanks in large part to OPECs reversal of production cuts over the last year, without even factoring in a Venezuelan oil renaissance. Against this backdrop and from where US shale producers are standing, a flood of cheap oil and gas onto the global market is a nightmare scenario. The number of operating rigs in Texas oil country is already down nearly 15% this year as producers anxiously wait for prices to climb back up. As a result, the economy is already slowing down across West Texas. It has really cast a shadow over the Permian, Ben Shepperd, president of the trade group Permian Basin Petroleum Association, recently told the Wall Street Journal. Shale wells decline fast, forcing constant drillingthe Red Queen effectwith many losing 7090% of output in three years. The International Energy Agency (IEA) says global fields are depleting faster than thought, so most spending now just fights decline. Shale oil wells are gushers in their first year, then deplete rapidly. Shale companies, therefore, have to keep ploughing more money into production just to keep output flat, a phenomenon known as the Red Queen Syndrome, named after Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventures in Wonderland. Shale wells typically bleed off 70 to 90% in their first three years and drop by 20 to 40% a year without new drilling. A recent IEA report confirms this, stating that the worlds oil and gas fields are declining at a faster rate than previously thought, leaving the energy sector facing a costly battle to maintain output. In fact, since 2019 oil and gas groups have spent $500,000 on oil and gas production, nearly 90 percent of annual investment, simply to arrest the decline in existing fields. The situation means that the industry has to run much faster just to stand still, IEA boss Faith Birol was quoted saying. By Andrew Topf for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Venezuela has entered the most consequential reset of its modern history. The removal of Nicolas Maduro on 3 January has abruptly reopened a petro-state that sits atop the worlds largest proven oil reserves yet produces barely a sliver of its potential. After two decades of mismanagement, sanctions, and collapsing infrastructure hollowed out Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) and drove output to historic lows, Washington is now betting that a rapid, U.S.-directed revival can turn the country from a stranded giant into a strategic asset. The plan goes far beyond marketing the crude already in storage: it aims to rewire Venezuelas oil industry, reshape investment rules, and pull the country out of the orbit of Russia and China -- with implications stretching well beyond the Orinoco Belt. Despite the damaging effects of increased state control under former President Hugo Chavez and the successive administration of Maduro, Venezuelas oil potential remains enormous. It still holds the worlds largest proven crude reserves -- roughly 303 billion barrels, or about 17% of the global total. Most of this is extra-heavy crude oil from the Orinoco Belt that requires more technical expertise to handle than lighter grades but is cheaper to lift and often more profitable to process. The challenge lies in transporting, upgrading, and refining it, not extracting it. Venezuelas real constraints are collapsed infrastructure, a chronic shortage of diluent, broken upgraders, sanctions, and the hollowing out of PDVSA. If those bottlenecks were addressed, the country could again produce millions of barrels per day of cheap-to-lift crude, even if downstream handling remained costly. In fact, as recently as 2008, Venezuela was producing around 3 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, but by the end of last year, with all the hurdles in place, output had fallen to around 963,000 bpd. Related: Global Traders Launch Legal Venezuelan Oil Sales to China Looking ahead, external assessments suggest a structured set of opportunities for restoring Venezuelan output, with Macquarie Groups energy strategist, Walt Chancellor, in Houston, identifying four primary buckets of Venezuelan production potential. The first is excess declines of around 200,000 to 500,000 barrels per day [bpd] potentially attributable to causes that can be easily remedied with sanctions relief and a baseline of investment and de-bottlenecking, he says, adding that he sees these opportunities falling within a 6-to-24-month timeframe. The second involves revitalising old fields, accounting for around 100,000 to 200,000 bpd, which have seen very low levels of investment and activity in the past decade, with these opportunities falling within a 13-year window. Third, Chancellor highlights the potential to restore about 200,000 to 300,000 bpd at existing Orinoco extra-heavy oil projects beyond initial de-bottlenecking and repair efforts, a process likely to unfold over a longer 14-year horizon, given operational complexity and project ownership. And the fourth bucket involves roughly 500,000 to 700,000 bpd from new investment initiatives, with lead times of around 3 to 6 years. Of course, each of these buckets of incremental production will offer a distinct set of risk factors/limiting items, Chancellor notes. But simply assuming 75% of these potential volumes are achieved, this would point to long-term (around 2030-2032) upside to about 2 million barrels per day, although Venezuelas production path remains far from certain, he concludes. More broadly, Venezuela still holds vast untapped potential. Of its 14 supergiant oil fields, 11 retain more than half of their original reserves, and several major Western firms have maintained a presence, despite the difficult operating environment since Chavez took office in 1999. Chevron is the only U.S. oil producer still active in Venezuela, after receiving a licence under former President Joe Biden in 2022 to operate, despite existing U.S. sanctions. These were imposed in 2015 during President Barack Obama's administration over alleged human rights violations. Nonetheless, the American firm still produces about 244,000 bpd through its three joint ventures: Petroboscan, Petropiar and Petroindependencia. Spains Repsol holds 40% of its Petroquiriquire Occidente joint venture with PDVSA, and currently produces 45,000 bpd of crude oil, while the state firms other JVs include those with North American Blue Energy Partners, Petro Romaina, and China National Petroleum Corporation. The main Russian firm still active in the country is Roszarubezhneft, which took over Rosnefts Venezuelan assets in 2020 after the U.S. sanctioned Rosnefts trading arms. Venezuela recently approved a 15?year extension to its joint ventures with PDVSA in the Boqueron and Perija fields. Meanwhile, Italian major ENI continues to produce natural gas through the Cardon IV joint venture with Repsol in the offshore Perla field, which supplies around 30% of Venezuelas gas demand. The U.S. revoked ENIs ability to be repaid in oil for the gas it produces, but the firm is currently negotiating a new payment mechanism that complies with sanctions. In the short term, U.S. President Donald Trumps administration is focusing on monetising what it can from oil held in storage. Trump said early on after Maduros capture that Venezuela would turn over 30-50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the U.S., coming from onshore and offshore floating storage. Recent industry estimates suggest around 34 million barrels of crude was held in storage around Venezuela, with another 3 million in Aruba, and nearly 6 million in the Bahamas. The oil would be sold to U.S. refineries and other buyers, according to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, with the proceeds deposited into accounts controlled by the U.S. government. From there, those funds can flow back into Venezuela to benefit the Venezuelan people, but we need to have that leverage and that control of those oil sales to drive the changes that simply must happen in Venezuela, underlined Wright. Longer term, as Trump highlighted, the aim is to encourage major international investment back into Venezuelas key oil fields, and to sell the production that results from that, in the same manner as the stored oil. Chevron and Repsol are expected to lead the initial charge, given their extensive presence on the ground, and bullish comments from management at the firms. Chevrons vice chairman, Mark Nelson, said within the last week that the firm is ready to boost oil production in Venezuela by about 50% in the next 18 to 24 months, simply by leveraging its existing on?the?ground infrastructure. Around the same time, Repsol chief executive officer, Josu Jon Imaz, said his firm was ready to invest more in Venezuela and triple production there in the next two or three years. That said, such plans -- and tentative ones by other potential entrants -- are likely to require further clarification on the legal standing of such operations and resultant profits. As it stands, longtime opposition leader Maria Corina Machado proposes downsizing PDVSA, transferring assets to private investors, opening all prospective acreage to exploration, and creating a regulatory agency independent of the state oil company. Her recent meeting with Trump -- at which she presented him with her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize medal (for her work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela) -- went extremely well for her, a senior Washington-based legal source close to the current Trump administration exclusively told OilPrice.com last week. Although Venezuelas acting president (and its Petroleum Minister and OPEC representative) Delcy Rodriguez has vowed to collaborate with Washington, Machados role in the future of the country appears to be on the rise. In the absence of any definitive new law on Venezuelas oil sector, Machados team believes that PDVSAs production and participation contracts granted to international investors under the Anti-Blockade Law could be allowed to run on, albeit a version that reflects a new profit-sharing model and tax system. In a similar vein, late last week Rodriguez presented legislation to the National Assembly to encourage foreign and other private investment into its oil fields and infrastructure. The legislation aims to incorporate the production models included in the Anti-Blockade Law into Venezuelas Hydrocarbons Law, allowing these investment flows to be channelled into new oil fields where no investment has ever been made before and fields where there is no infrastructure. In the end, Venezuelas re?entry into the global oil system will hinge not only on Washingtons leverage or the enthusiasm of returning majors, but on whether the country can rebuild the institutional scaffolding that decades of politicisation and collapse have stripped away. The outlines of a new model are emerging -- a slimmer PDVSA, deeper private participation, and a regulatory framework that gives investors clarity without surrendering sovereignty -- but the political balance between Caracas, Washington, and other global actors remains fragile. What is clear, however, is that the combination of vast reserves, renewed international interest, and a rare moment of geopolitical alignment has given Venezuela its first genuine opening in a generation. Whether it becomes a turning point or another false dawn will depend on how quickly the country can convert this window of opportunity into durable, investable reality. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Octopus chief Greg Jackson has said choosing London as the destination for the blockbuster IPO of tech spin-off Kraken would be a no brainer if the exchange maintains its world-leading performance in 2025 and demonstrates it can lure fresh capital into the UK. In the biggest signal yet that the firm may select London over New York for its eagerly anticipated 7bn IPO of Kraken, Jackson told City AM he would prefer to make his stock market debut in the Square Mile, and keep his cutting-edge tech company on British shores. Id really love it to be in London, he said in an interview, adding: If we start to see the capital coming back into the market, if we start seeing the direction reverse, it becomes a no brainer. Greg Jackson calls for more hustle Octopus Energy sold off a stake in Kraken to a fresh batch of investors in December, fetching an $8.65bn (6.4bn) valuation, paving the way for a potential IPO in several years time. But an almighty tug-of-war has since broken out between London and New York over which bourse will host the bumper IPO. Missing out on the tech spin-outs debut would constitute a major blow to Londons status as a world-leading bourse, and exacerbate a years-long trend of stuttering performance and a paucity of fresh listings. Last month, Greg Jackson, who founded Octopus in 2015 and built it into the UKs largest energy provider, warned ministers and London Stock Exchange (LSE) top brass that Krakens leadership may have to choose New York unless the UK showed more hustle . He railed against the Byzantine rules that deter pension funds from backing UK equities and cash-starved scale-up businesses. Kyle: Kraken is governments riskiest investment The entrepreneur issued his latest comments alongside his firm receiving a fresh 25m investment into Kraken from the British Business Bank (BBB), an arms-length body established to invest taxpayer cash into UK firms. The injection formed part of a wider overhaul of red tape and investment aimed at helping UK firms to scale up domestically without the need to look abroad for investor cash. Speaking to City AM, business secretary Peter Kyle hailed the Kraken stake as evidence that ministers were hustling, branding it the biggest and riskiest equity investment from the BBB and promising similar multimillion-pound moves in the pipeline. This is a faster, bigger, bolder and riskier approach from government, he said. I am behind this. I am there to shoulder the risk for how these things unfold. We need to have more confidence in private investment because we are the start-up founder of Europe. For several years, British founders have struggled to attract the cash needed to scale their business from start-up to IPO stage. Many have been forced to look abroad for investor capital or in the case of tech darlings Oxford Ionics and Quantinuum accept buyout offers from American rivals and dealmakers. Neither of the lead investors for Krakens December fundraising round Fidelity International and the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board hails from the UK, sparking fears its new backers may encourage an overseas IPO. But Greg Jackson said the BBBs stake would give Britain a seat at the table to influence those discussions. At the moment weve only got one British investor, he added. All the rest are global. Asked whether the investment was evidence of the hustle he previously called for, Jackson said: Its a great example of it. If you look at the fact weve seen this decline from 40 per cent of pension assets being deployed in the UK to four per cent, you only reverse that by changing rules. And you change rules by relentlessly identifying what should be done, and pushing it. The Octopus founder added that as well as backroom work on the rules, Britain needed to get better at harnessing animal spirits. The New York Stock Exchange heralded Krakens debut funding round by advertising the company on Time Square and issuing a congratulatory message across its trading floor. Jackson urged the LSE to tell these stories publicly and loudly, and said Londons large fund raises and IPOs should also be plastered across Piccadilly Circus. The big thing is, of course, companies have got a huge responsibility to this themselves, he added. By stimulating these conversations, we have the opportunity to create the noise I grew up in the 1980s during that wave of that strike privatisation. And they were news events as much as [they] were financial events. Lets start trying to recreate that. By CityAM More Top Reads From Oilprice.com After a record year for liquefied gas trade in 2025, most forecasts for the new year were upbeat, save for a worry about a possible glut. Two weeks into 2026, however, and one of the biggest markets for liquefied gas is in a geopolitical dispute with its biggest supplier and has put a major energy trade deal on hold. This year is early on turning out to be an anything-can-happen one. The European Union this week put its trade deal with the Trump administration on hold, stopping short of triggering what it calls the bazooka of a mechanism that would wreak havoc on U.S.-European trade relations. The move followed Trumps declaration of 10% tariffs for eight countries that, according to the U.S. president, are trying to stop him from purchasing Greenland. The countries in question sent military personnel to Greenland last week to demonstrate that European powers can take care of the islands security. The tariffs will go up to 25% later in the year if Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland dont give up and let the United States take over Greenland. In further escalation and in response to the tariff announcement, Brussels said it would put the massive trade deal that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen closed with President Trump last year on hold. That is the same trade deal that features a commitment on the European Unions part to purchase $750 billion worth of U.S. energy commodities over three years. It was never going to happen because the EU simply cannot absorb the amount of oil and LNG the sum entails. But it did step up its U.S. LNG buying in 2025so much, in fact, that it drove the record in global LNG sales with a 25% annual increase in its total LNG imports. Related: Russia Claims Ownership of Oil Assets Its Developing in Venezuela Europe is the biggest market for American liquefied natural gas right now. Well over 50% of all U.S. LNG exports go to the old continent, even as LNG imports from Russiasoon to be bannedalso hit a record in 2025. The annual increase in U.S. LNG imports by European countries last year hit a massive 60%, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters Gavin Maguire last week. This should fit in with the bullish forecast context for the industry, but some analysts note that European industrial activity remains weak, as does economic growthand these are the two driving forces of LNG demand. In other words, European LNG demand could disappoint those with great expectations. And that was before the Greenland affair even began. Asia, meanwhile, remains the robust LNG market it has been for years, with all the largest LNG importers there rather than in Europe. Last year, 64% of all the worlds LNG for export went to Asian buyers, again according to Kpler data. However, the Asian portion of global LNG exports in 2025 represented an annual decline, to the tune of 5%, Reuters Maguire reported. In China, the decline was especially marked, at 15%. That was the result of a combination of factors, including higher domestic natural gas production and higher pipeline imports, notably from Russia. Kpler earlier this month reported that this year could see LNG capacity additions of 37 million tons annually. That would come on top of new capacity additions totaling 51 million tons commissioned last year. This, according to the analytics firm, would pressure prices, and that would in turn whet buyers appetite in Asia, notably in China. These potentially lower prices would see Chinese LNG import demand to rise to 73 million tons this year, Kpler said. This would be up from 68.43 million tons in 2025. Europe, meanwhile, imported well over 100 million tons of liquefied natural gas last year. For this year, Kpler had forecast a further strong boost to shipments, for a total of some 145 million tons in full-2026 imports. Yet the geopolitical situation could make this difficult to achieve, although it would be harder for the EU to use LNG as a weapon against the United States than vice versa. A souring of bilateral relations across the Atlantic would drive LNG prices lower, which is bad news for producers but bad news with a silver liningdemand from Asia would recover faster. Among other challenges facing the global LNG trade industry this year is Japans restart of more nuclear reactors as energy security trumped any worries about a hypothetical repeat of the Fukushima disaster, and Chinas continued drive to boost domestic natural gas output. Chinas total gas production for 2025 could reach 263 billion cu m, rising to 278.5 billion cu m this year, thanks to growing shale gas production, Kpler forecast earlier this year. LNG imports into India, meanwhile, also marked a decline last year, highlighting the price sensitivity of many large LNG buyers. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The last tankers that loaded sanctioned Venezuelan oil before the U.S. blockade and the ousting of Nicolas Maduro are set to arrive in China in the coming days in what would be the end of the Chinese imports of super cheap crude from Venezuela. Two tankers carrying a total of 3.8 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, exported under Maduro, are currently en route east of the Cape of Good Hope, according to tanker-tracking data from Vortexa and Kpler, quoted by Bloomberg. These will likely carry the last sanctioned, and very cheap, Venezuelan crude supply to China. About 24 million barrels of Venezuelan crude are currently held in floating storage offshore Malaysia and Singapore. The volumes have shrunk from nearly 30 million barrels earlier this month. This supply, together with the last arriving illicit cargoes, could be the last very cheap supply to Chinas independent refiners, the so-called teapots. After these volumes are absorbed, probably in a month or two, Chinese refiners will have to pay international prices for crude from Venezuela, whose exports are now under the control of the United States. Treasury licenses to top oil trading houses to market Venezuelan oil mean that sales will be above board. Vitol, the worlds biggest independent oil trading group, is offering Venezuelan crude to Chinese refiners at a discount thats three times narrower compared to the illicit sales from Venezuela before Maduros ousting, anonymous traders with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg earlier this week. Vitol has recently offered cargoes of Venezuelas flagship Merey heavy sour crude grade to China at a discount of $5 per barrel to ICE Brent, according to Bloombergs sources. This compares with a discount as wide as $15 a barrel to ICE Brent on a delivered basis before the U.S. blitz in Venezuela and the capture of Maduro. Back then, China was the most important buyer of Venezuelan crude in exports that were under sanctions by the U.S. and were carried out by a shadow fleet of tankers. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com India has closed a 10-year liquefied natural gas supply deal with ADNOC. The value of the deal is $3 billion, making it one of the largest for the energy importer. Under the deal, Reuters reports, ADNOC will ship 500,000 tons of liquefied gas to Indias Hindustan Petroleum Corp. India is now the UAE's largest customer and a very important part of ADNOC Gas' LNG strategy, the Emirati company said in a statement. The LNG deal is part of a broader investment agreement between India and the UAE that is expected to be worth some $200 billion. Last year, Adnoc also closed a long-term LNG supply deal with Indian Oil Corp. for 1.2 million tons annually. The deal, for a period of 15 years, was estimated to be worth between $7 billion and $9 billion. The UAE has been looking to boost its LNG production and export capacity, betting on its flagship Ruwais LNG project in Abu Dhabi. Ruwais LNG will be the first LNG export facility in the Middle Eastern and North African region to run on clean power, the UAE says. The project, which will consist of two liquefaction trains with a capacity of 4.8 million tons annually each, will more than double ADNOCs existing domestic LNG production capacity to around 15 million tons per year. Ruwais LNG has already signed major long-term offtake deals, including with Germany and Shell, to which it will now add the Hindustan Petroleum Corp. deal. Commercial operations at the plant are on track to commence by the end of 2028, Abu Dhabis national oil company said last year. India is a major importer of liquefied natural gas, but, as with crude oil, it is price sensitive, which has motivated Indian energy suppliers to go on the hunt for long-term supply deals with more predictable prices. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Equatorial Guinea is looking to strike prepaid oil and LNG delivery deals with commodity traders as OPECs smallest oil producer needs money to maintain operating fields and revive its upstream sector, anonymous sources with knowledge of the plans told Bloomberg on Tuesday. The central African country has been struggling to attract upstream investments in recent years and has seen its oil production drop. The country has also been an LNG exporter for two decades. But Equatorial Guinea needs capital to cover expenses and the governments shares in producing and exploratory assets. Prepayment deals with the major trading houses would give Equatorial Guinea money upfront in exchange for crude and LNG deliveries over time, with interest. The country is looking for $300 million in prepaid funding in return for crude and LNG deliveries over multiple years, according to Bloombergs sources. Prepaid delivery is a fairly common practice between major commodity traders and governments that need cash to fund upstream development. Last year, the government of Equatorial Guinea signed an Incentives Agreement with U.S. supermajor Chevron for the development of the Aseng Gas Project in Block I, which is set to boost LNG exports from the country. The country is struggling to reverse a decline in its oil production, especially after Exxon left Equatorial Guinea in 2024 after a three-decade presence in the OPEC member. As part of its long-term strategy, Exxon divested non-core operations to focus on the Permian, Guyana, and LNG developments globally. Over the past few years, trading houses have struck several prepaid deals with African oil and gas producers. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company has launched a $3.3 billion crude oil prepayment facility with Afreximbank, Africas multilateral trade finance institution, and commodity trader Gunvor International. Last year, Gunvor also provided financial support to Gabon National Oil Company (GOC) for part of the acquisition costs to buy 100% in Tullows subsidiary, Tullow Oil Gabon S.A, for a total cash consideration of $307 million. By Michael Kernfor Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Gazprom Nefts deal to sell its stake in Serbias only refinery will be beneficial for Moscow, Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday. On Monday, Hungarian oil company MOL Group signed a binding heads of agreement with Russias Gazprom Neft to buy its 56.15% stake in Serbias only refinery Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS), following months of talks and waivers from the U.S. for negotiations to proceed. NIS operates Serbias only refinery in Pancevo, which supplies about 80% of Serbias gasoline and diesel and more than 90% of jet fuel and heavy fuel oil. Gazprom Neft and Gazprom affiliates currently hold a majority stake in NIS, with the Serbian state owning the remaining 29.9%. The U.S. has waived the sanctions against NIS several times since it included it in the sanctions on Russias oil industry in January last year. The sanctions on the Russia-owned refinery in Serbia came into effect in early October as the last waiver expired. In November, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a license until February 13, 2026, which only authorized negotiations between shareholders and other interested parties regarding changes in NISs ownership structure. Due to the sanctions on other operations except negotiations of a sale, the refinery was forced to shut down in early December. Since the last waiver expired on October 8, banks have stopped processing NIS-related payments and Croatias JANAF pipeline has halted deliveries of crude oil to the refinery. The JANAF pipeline from Croatia had been Serbias primary supply line for Russian and Kazakh crude since 2022. MOLs agreement to buy Gazprom Nefts stake in NIS is conditional, among other closing conditions, on the approval of OFAC and other governmental and state approvals in Serbia. MOL and Gazprom Nefts aim to sign a definitive sales and purchase agreement by March 31, 2026, the Hungarian company said on Monday. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Saudi oil giant Aramco expects AI and other advanced technology to have helped it achieve in 2025 a technology realized value of between $3 billion and $5 billion, chief executive Amin Nasser said on Tuesday. The worlds biggest oil firm in both production and market capitalization had total realized technology value of $6 billion in the period 2023-2024, the executive said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Through increased use of AI and other advanced tech, Aramco realizes savings in drilling costs, well productivity, and maintenance costs. We want the energy industry to be more intelligent in capitalizing on AI, Nasser told a panel at the forum, as carried by Bloomberg. We have the applications and the talents. The most important thing is data quality, Aramcos top executive said. Aramco has a so-called digital transformation program, and is investing in AI capabilities and infrastructure. The company says it is already using AI widely across its core business to boost efficiency, reduce production costs, and to help cut emissions at a growing number of our facilities. In 2024 alone, Saudi Aramco recorded $1.8 billion of AI-driven Technology Realized Value (TRV). It has also identified 442 use cases for AI in its operations, with more than 200 solutions already deployed and over 100 in development as of the end of 2025. We have access to over 90 years of proprietary data, and every day, billions of new data points are generated to add to that. This has fueled the creation of the energy industrys first industrial Large Language Model, which we use in our day-to-day business, Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, Executive Vice President Technology & Innovation at Aramco, said at the 2025 Adopt AI International Summit in Paris in November. Technology is also the reason why Aramcos production costs remain the lowest in the world at $3.50 per barrel of oil equivalent, despite all the challenges of costs and increasing resources, Al-Khowaiter said. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com " " Students at Tucson High Magnet School conduct a student walkout as part of the national #ENOUGH! walkout day. Jeffrey J Snyder / Shutterstock There are unfortunately myriad ways to classify the worst school shooting: the most shocking, the most emotionally devastating, the most preventable. Here, we offer historical context around the deadliest school shootings. This list focuses on fatal school shootings and mass shooting incidents on school campuses in the United States. The intent is informational and historical, not sensational, and the entries are ordered by reported death toll. 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: New evolutionary paradigm for canid heartworm. Credit: University of Sydney/Springer Nature Research led by the University of Sydney is reshaping scientific understanding of one of the world's most widespread canine parasites, suggesting heartworm disease has a far deeper and more complex evolutionary history than previously believedincluding a possible ancient origin of Australian heartworms linked to dingoes. The findings have significance for developing treatments given the rise in drug resistance to the disease. Global study challenges old assumptions In a global genome-wide study of canine heartworm parasites, researchers analyzed more than 100 heartworm genomes collected from dogs and wild canids across multiple continents. The findings challenge the long-held assumption that heartworm spread largely through recent, human-mediated movement of domestic dogs. Instead, the study points to a new evolutionary paradigm, where ancient canid hosts such as wolves and dingoes played a pivotal role in shaping the global distribution of heartworms over tens of thousands of years. The paper is published in Communications Biology. Heartworm disease, caused by the parasite Dirofilaria immitis, is transmitted by mosquitoes and can be fatal for dogs if left untreated. Adult wormsoften described as looking like strands of spaghettican grow up to 30 centimeters long and live in the blood vessels of the heart and lungs. Cross section of a dog's heart showing heartworm. Credit: The University of Sydney One of the most intriguing findings relates to Australia. Genetic signatures in Australian heartworms suggest they may share ancestry with parasites from Asia. This raises the possibility that heartworm could have arrived in Australia with the continent's first dingoes, which are believed to have migrated from Asia thousands of years ago. However, the researchers caution that the evidence is not conclusive. An alternative explanationthat heartworm was introduced to Australia more recently, following European colonizationcannot yet be ruled out. Expert perspectives and future directions "While our data suggest an ancient link between Australian and Asian heartworms, the sample size means we need to be careful about drawing firm conclusions," said senior author Professor Jan Slapeta from the University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science. "What we can say with confidence is that heartworm evolution is far older and more complex than a simple story of parasites hitchhiking with modern dogs." The international team used whole-genome sequencing to compare heartworms from different regions, allowing them to reconstruct population histories and track how parasites diverged over time. By examining patterns across continents, the researchers identified distinct regional heartworm populations, shaped by the movements and isolation of ancient canids during ice ages and interglacial periods. Lead author Dr. Rosemonde Power, who completed her Ph.D. at the University of Sydney and is now based at Stockholm University, said the findings overturn long-standing assumptions in parasitology. "For decades, we assumed heartworms were spread mainly through recent human activity," Dr. Power said. "What we're seeing instead is evidence of deep co-evolution between heartworms and their canine hosts, even before humans were part of the picture." The research also has important implications for animal health today, particularly as drug resistance to heartworm treatments emerges in parts of the world. "Understanding where heartworms come from and how different populations are related helps us respond more effectively to disease and drug resistance," Professor Slapeta said. "Heartworms are not the same everywhere, and local history matters." The authors emphasize that while the study analyzed over 100 genomes, further samplingparticularly from under-represented regionswill be needed to refine timelines and test competing hypotheses, including the origins of heartworm in Australia. Still, the study marks a significant step forward in understanding the ancient, global journey of one of dogs' most dangerous parasitesand the long evolutionary history hidden within that unsettling spaghetti in a dog's heart. Publication details Population genomics reveals an ancient origin of heartworms in canids', Communications Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-09250-x Journal information: Communications Biology , 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 For more than a decade, local and state laws have been increasingly focused on providing more protection and agency to workers fighting wage theft, according to new data published on LawAtlas.org and analysis in a new article in the American Journal of Public Health. Wage theft occurs when an employer does not pay the wage or benefits owed to an employee. In the United States, this disproportionately affects people of color, women, and immigrants. Cities have been largely at the forefront of innovation by enacting or strengthening anti-wage theft laws that regulate minimum wage or nonpayment of wages, according to the new data. The prevalence of city wage theft laws has tripled from January 1, 2010, to April 15, 2023. This includes novel approaches like establishing licensing penalties, educational outreach to employers and workers, third-party complaints or wall-to-wall investigations, and evidentiary burden shifting in favor of the worker. Workers in these cities have access to additional protections from laws that seek to stop employers from committing wage theft and support them to file complaints. The four new datasets, developed by researchers at Temple University Beasley School of Law along with CPHLR, capture laws from January 1, 2010, to April 15, 2023. The datasets capture the legal landscape in the 40 largest US cities and 25 states where they're located and include laws that govern the payment of minimum, overtime, and promised wages. The data identify whether the law imposes monetary or non-monetary penalties, requires employers to keep records or provide information about wages to workers, or protects against employer retaliation. The data also show: In 10 of the 40 largest cities, there are local laws that authorize the revocation of a business-related license based on an employer's failure to pay minimum, overtime, or promised wages. This is an increase from one city that had these protections as of January 1, 2010. Only Massachusetts has a state-level law offering this protection as of April 15, 2023. Eleven of the 40 largest cities impose mandatory monetary penalties on an employer for minimum wage violations. In all of those cities, the monetary penalties go to the worker. These are either a percentage of the wage owed or a daily fine, as of April 15, 2023. Nine cities versus only one state have a provision that provides education to workers and employers, as of April 15, 2023. Only four cities are preempted from enacting any kind of local wage theft legislation, as of April 15, 2023. "We created these datasets recognizing that state and local law was helping to fill a void where federal law and its enforcement fell short," said Jennifer Lee, associate professor in the Sandra and Stephen Sheller Center for Social Justice at Temple University Beasley School of Law and lead researcher on this project. "While many are familiar with the state and local phenomenon of fighting wage theft, there was no comprehensive and detailed legal mapping of these laws. Researchers can use these datasets to study the impact of wage theft regulation on worker health and identify the efficacy of such laws." The four new datasets were created with technical support by the Center for Public Health Law Research at Temple University Beasley School of Law and are available on LawAtlas.org: Publication details Jennifer J. Lee et al, Protecting Low-Wage Workers From Exploitation: A Mapping Study of Wage Theft Laws in the 40 Largest US Cities, American Journal of Public Health (2026). DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2025.308351 Journal information: American Journal of Public Health 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: To reconstruct the sun's polar magnetic behavior over more than 100 years, an SwRI scientist first corrected anomalies in historical data from Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO) to sync with direct modern measurements of the sun's poles. Comparing observations from KoSO in Calcium-K light with magnetic field measurements from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory's Michelson Doppler Imager (left) highlights the association of bright regions in Ca K with magnetic activity in the sun. The right image shows dark blue and green (north polarity) yellow and orange (south polarity) regions, indicating where Ca K light and magnetic data are highly correlated. Credit: KoSO / IIA, SOHO / NASA / ESA Research conducted by an international team of astronomers from Southwest Research Institute, Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences in India and the Max Planck Institute in Germany could help predict upcoming solar cycle activity. To enable these predictions, the team has devised a new way to look at historical data from the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO), a field station of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) Bangalore, to reconstruct the sun's polar magnetic behavior over more than 100 years. "We needed to find the polar magnetic information hidden in the historical data," said SwRI scientist Dr. Bibhuti Kumar Jha, second author of a paper about these findings. "To start, we cleaned up and calibrated early data to today's standards and then correlated patterns with modern observations. I addressed anomalies like time zone slips and rotation errors to enable this kind of study." The study is published in The Astrophysical Journal. The rhythms of solar activity across its approximately 11-year cycle have left scientists puzzled for more than a century. Understanding the patterns of sunspots, solar flares and magnetic storms is crucial to protecting satellites and other Earth technology from space weather events. The sun's polar magnetic field is pivotal to understanding solar processes to forecast future solar cycles, but the first direct measurements of the polar field only started in the 1970s. Calcium K (Ca II K) observations capture the sun's chromosphere, revealing its magnetic fields and activity through bright features using specific narrow-band filters to isolate the Ca II K line. "More than a century of historic Ca II K observations from the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory offer a unique window into the polar magnetic field of the sun, a key factor governing solar cycles and future solar activity," said lead author Dibya Kirti Mishra of Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in India. Credit: Southwest Research Institute / KoSO / IIA "Additionally, due to Earth's tilt, we only get a really good view of the sun's poles a couple of times a year," said Jha, who helped mentor Mishra during her Ph.D. research, culminating in this paper. "We needed to go back to the past to provide the information we needed to forecast the future. We targeted the sun's chromosphere, which has emerged as an indicator of solar magnetic activity." Solar astronomers at KoSO began observing the sun in the Ca II K spectrum as early as 1904. With insufficient modern data to predict activity, scientists were looking for ways to unlock the secrets of solar magnetism hidden in more than a century of KoSO data. The chromosphere just above the sun's visible surface forms bright patches and networks associated with magnetic activity. 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. Each member of the team contributed their expertise to examine the data and connect the dots. Mishra developed an algorithm to automate the image review from the corrected historical data. "Going through 50,000 images manually would be staggering, so having an algorithm to automatically identify the proxies for the magnetic field was crucial," Jha said. "With our current abilities, we can only predict up to five years well in advance, but for NASA or any other space missions, we need to prepare decades or multiple decades before the actual launch to understand expected conditions and plan the mission accordingly," Jha said. "We will have to wait another four to five years to actually tell how Solar Cycle 26 will behave and if the activity will accurately match our predictions." SwRI researchers are proposing a solar polar mission from the ecliptic point of view to directly observe these magnetic mechanisms over time. In the meantime, new insights from this study will help advance space weather forecasting. Publication details Dibya Kirti Mishra et al, Ca ii K Polar Network Index of the Sun: A Proxy for Historical Polar Magnetic Field, The Astrophysical Journal (2025). DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/adb3a8 Journal information: Astrophysical Journal 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 The Sahel, the semi-arid African region stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east, has become the epicenter of global terrorism, given the high number of attacks by armed groups and the resulting fatalities, including those suffered by civilians. This development is rooted in a complex interplay of factors. They include state fragility, illicit economies, limited presence of government in rural areas, and conflicts driven by resource scarcity due to climate shocks. I am a political scientist with regional expertise in conflict, security and development in West Africa. In a recent policy brief for a research program, I set out how climate change mitigation efforts in Sahelian communities have intensified pre-existing tensions. The research involved extensive fieldwork and interviews in July and August 2025 with community members in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria. The aim was to understand the interaction between various pressure points and crises playing out in their lives. Livelihoods are under pressure as a result of climate change. Resources are scarce and unevenly allocated. Governance structures are weak and armed groups compete for control. The findings were clear: climate action can either exacerbate or alleviate crises. Many climate mitigation efforts are large-scale projects, like building solar farms, extensive reforestation initiatives, or bio-fuel plantations. The Great Green Wall initiative and the Agriculture Climate Resilient Value Chain Development Project in Niger are examples. These projects are deemed vital for reducing carbon footprints. But carrying them out in fragile states poses a risk. In the Sahel, misconceived environmental security policymaking can have adverse impacts and even fuel the very insecurity it aims to prevent. Top-down approach objectives can be at odds with local social and ecological realities. I conclude from my findings that the United Nations' approach to climate change mitigation in the Sahel requires a re-evaluation. What's needed are adaptation interventions that are: conflict-sensitive community-led and context-specific designed using a transboundary process. This is because interventions are capable of shaping political economies, security arrangements and community relations across borders, not just within them. A fragile environment My research confirms that climate change in Sahelian communities has intensified pre-existing tensions. These include: 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. Insecurity: Local populations are exposed to conflicts that are made worse by climate-induced pressures. This includes farmer-herder disputes over diminishing grazing land, intercommunal clashes for access to scarce water resources, and ethno-religious tensions aggravated by competition over livelihood opportunities. Interviews conducted with farmers, pastoralists and community heads, among others, highlighted how shifts in rainfall patterns, long droughts and unpredictable harvests are directly undermining livelihoods. People are being forced into daily coping strategies that sometimes heighten local conflicts. State fragility: Interviews with key informants, including local vigilantes, paint a picture of governments' inability to provide security, deliver basic services or mediate rising disputes. As a result communities have been forced to find alternative forms of governance and protection. These include local vigilante groups, traditional community elders and informal resource management committees. Criminal networks: Climate vulnerability and state fragility have created an environment that allows violent extremist organizations to operate and expand their influence. These groups range from armed bandits to violent extremist organizations such as Boko Haram and Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). They are not merely a result of ideology. They are consequences of a system in distress. They strategically exploit the insecurities and grievances that climate change and state fragility have created. A Malian community leader put it perfectly. He warned that if a community: "becomes a dry land the armed group can use this opportunity to install themselves." Towards a conflict-sensitive approach Statements from people interviewed reflect simple, yet profound, solutions. The central message is the need for local ownership and community involvement. A traditional ruler from Burkina Faso, for instance, insisted that: "if projects come, they must include the community from the beginning, to ensure people feel respected, build trust, and ensure that solutions respond to real needs." A respondent in Nigeria, too, said that "when the locals engage with government many solutions come aboard." In Niger, a local actor stressed the need to "involve the population more in the decision-making process concerning them." These comments point to policy directives. They argue for a departure from the top-down, expert-driven model of development. For climate change mitigation to be a force for peace, it must be integrated with peacebuilding and state-building efforts. Involving local authorities and community-level institutions in making decisions can lead to interventions that are context-sensitive, legitimate and responsive to local realities. This translates to linking climate finance to projects that provide not only renewable energy infrastructure but also schools, health centers and sustainable livelihoods. It means transparent, community-led dialogue to resolve conflicts before they escalate across the Sahel region. Next steps The Sahel's plight is a powerful lesson for the global community. The interconnectedness of climate change, state fragility and conflict is a complex adaptive system. It cannot be solved with single-sector interventions. The challenges are too intertwined, and the stakes are too high. International development and climate policy must shift. Climate change mitigation is not a technical exercise, but an opportunity to rebuild broken social contracts, foster community resilience and promote equitable development. Addressing root causes instead of symptoms can turn a vicious cycle of fragility into one of peace and development. Key concepts effects of climate change 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: Beef production provides a valuable contribution to human health while also impacting the natural environment. Credit: Brandee Gillham courtesy of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, CC BY Cowboys guided a herd of longhorn cattle through downtown Denver to celebrate the opening of the annual National Western Stock Show on Jan. 8, 2026. As ranchers bring their best cattle to compete for blue ribbons over the course of this month, it's a good time to consider whether beef production can be part of a circular economy. Circularity is an economic model where raw materials are responsibly sourced, waste products are put to best use and the system maximizes ecosystem functioning and human well-being. As with most human activities, beef production provides a valuable contribution to human health while also impacting the natural environment, sometimes in negative ways. We are innovators and researchers who live in Colorado and study the beef supply chain. Our work broadly focuses on investigating ways to make beef production more circular and sustainable. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson and Sara Place are experts in cow burps and technologies to mitigate the methane associated with them. Jennifer Martin is an expert in meat processing and supply chains for byproducts like organ meats. Jordan Kraft Lambert is an expert in commercializing technologies that help farmers and ranchers steward the environment while feeding the world. Beef is a source of complete protein. It has the full complement of amino acids humans need to build muscle and is a rich source of vitamin B12, which is necessary to ensure nervous system function and red blood cell formation. Beef produced in the U.S. each year meets the total protein needs of 40 million people and provides enough B12 to meet the needs of 137 million people, according to research. In 2019, U.S. beef cattle production comprised about 3.7% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. Beef cattle production is also responsible for approximately 5% of U.S. water withdrawn from surface or groundwater, and 0.7% of the nation's fossil fuel energy use. New tech to reduce environmental impact Cows are able to digest tough, fibrous plant material that humans, pigs and chickens can't. This makes them an important part of a circular economy because they can digest what would otherwise be considered waste from other industries, like the grain left over from making beer and almond hulls from almond milk. By using these ingredients to feed cattle instead of letting it rot in landfills, U.S. feedlots decreased the amount of human-edible feeds required to produce more beef protein. When cattle are being fed waste products like almond hulls and spent grain, it's easy for producers to include feed additives, like herbs and custom-made molecules. These additions may reduce the cows' methane production by changing how the microbes in their stomachs process carbohydrates. For the same reason that cows can digest what would otherwise be considered waste, cows are able to eat grass. Grazing is important in dry regions like the mountains and high plains of Colorado. If the grass isn't removed via grazing, it dries and becomes tinder for wildfire. In addition, many of these mountainous areas are too cold, rocky and steep to grow crops. Grazing can turn land that would otherwise be difficult to farm into food-producing land. 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. Until now, grazing required physical fences, which are costly to maintain and limit wildlife movement. But new technologies like virtual fencing allow Western Slope ranchers to use their smartphones to set digital boundaries. A collar on the cow beeps and buzzes to tell the cows where to go. Virtual boundaries are easy to change and visible only to the cow; thus, they support more environmentally-friendly grazing practices, protect streams and wildlife habitat and reduce wildfire fuel in dry seasons. While our recent research shows that this technology needs more development, it could be an important tool for beef's role in a circular economy. Beyond steak: Organ meats, pet treats and leather In our experience, many U.S. consumers rarely eat cuts beyond steaks and ground beef often due to a bad first experience with organ meats, like liver, or unfamiliarity with how to cook lesser-known cuts, like heart. When customers won't buy these cuts, Colorado's beef producers who sell online or at farmers markets have to send them to the landfill. That costs the producer money and wastes the water, land and feed used to make these cuts. Studies show that these cuts are among the most nutrient-dense parts of the animal, providing high levels of iron, B vitamins, choline and and other micronutrients. Making use of these lesser-known cuts can reduce emissions by using more of the animal and keep edible meat out of landfills, where it would otherwise rot, releasing greenhouse gases. This does not mean anyone has to suffer through a meal of rubbery liver to save the planet. Many cultures globally value organ dishes, and U.S. tastes are expanding to include foods like lengua tacos made from beef tongue. Meanwhile, cooking tools such as sous vide can improve tenderness and juiciness by holding meat at precise temperatures for longer times. Pets also benefit from eating organ meats, so these cuts are a key ingredient in pet foods and treats. Consumer fashion choices matter too. About 270 million bovine hides are produced globally each year, and about 70% are turned into leather. Due to insufficient demand, remaining hides are burned or sent to the landfill, both of which release greenhouse gases. Rather than letting these hides rot, they can be turned into leather, a durable, breathable and biodegradable high-performance material. When consumers choose to buy genuine leather boots, belts and car seats, they're engaging in the circular economy. For these reasons, Colorado State University is hosting Future Cowboy on Jan. 25, 2026, at the National Western Stock Show. It's an event that lets Colorado foodies, fashionistas and cattle producers come together to explore circularity firsthand. The event will feature a leather fashion show, a ranch technology showcase and an opportunity try chef-prepared bison tongue and beef heart. Key concepts overgrazing 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: A graphical representation of glycine on a surface in the interstellar medium bombarded by cosmic rays to produce peptides, the building block of proteins. Credit: Alfred Thomas Hopkinson. The stars are adapted from NIRCam image of the Cosmic Cliffs. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI Challenging long-held assumptions, Aarhus University researchers have demonstrated that the protein building blocks essential for life as we know it can form readily in space. This discovery, appearing in Nature Astronomy, significantly raises the statistical probability of finding extraterrestrial life. In a modern laboratory at Aarhus University and at an international European facility in Hungary (HUN-REN Atomki), researchers Sergio Ioppolo and Alfred Thomas Hopkinson conduct pioneering experiments. Within a small chamber, the two scientists have mimicked the environment found in giant dust clouds thousands of light-years away. This is no easy feat. The temperature in these regions is a freezing -260 C. There is almost no pressure, meaning the researchers must constantly pump out gas particles to maintain an ultra-high vacuum. They are simulating these conditions to observe how the remaining particles react to radiation, exactly as they would in a real interstellar environment. In the background, Associate Professor Sergio Ioppolo (left) and Postdoc Alfred Thomas Hopkinson (right) discussing experimental plans. In the foreground, two ultra-high vacuum chambers used to investigate reactions under interstellar medium conditions. Credit: Dr. Signe Kyrkjeb, Aarhus University "We already know from earlier experiments that simple amino acids, like glycine, form in interstellar space. But we were interested in discovering if more complex molecules, like peptides, form naturally on the surface of dust grains before those take part in the formation of stars and planets," says Ioppolo. Peptides are amino acids bonded together in short chains. When peptides bond with one another, they form proteins, which are essential for life as we know it. Looking for the precursors to proteins is therefore vital in the search for the origin of life, Ioppolo explains. The two researchers placed glycine in the chamber, irradiated it with cosmic ray analogs produced by an ion accelerator at HUN-REN Atomki, and analyzed the results. "We saw that the glycine molecules started reacting with each other to form peptides and water. This indicates that the same process occurs in interstellar space," Hopkinson says. "This is a step toward proteins being created on dust particles, the same materials that later form rocky planets." Where stars are born Ioppolo, Hopkinson, and their colleagues at Aarhus University study and mimic the giant dust clouds between the stars because these are the birthplaces of new solar systems. "We used to think that only very simple molecules could be created in these clouds. The understanding was that more complex molecules formed much later, once the gases had begun coalescing into a disk that eventually becomes a star," Ioppolo explains. "But we have shown that this is clearly not the case." The discovery is significant because it suggests that these essential molecules are far more abundant in the universe than previously believed. "Eventually, these gas clouds collapse into stars and planets. Bit by bit, these tiny building blocks land on rocky planets within a newly formed solar system. If those planets happen to be in the habitable zone, then there is a real probability that life might emerge," Ioppolo explains. "That said, we still don't know exactly how life began. But research like ours shows that many of the complex molecules necessary for life are created naturally in space." The Ice Chamber for AstrophysicsAstrochemistry (ICA) ultra-high vacuum chamber at Atomki, Hungary. This was a chamber used to process glycine with high-energy protons. Credit: Bela Sulik / HUN-REN Institute for Nuclear Research (Atomki) A universal reaction It might seem like a minor discovery that peptides form naturally from the simplest amino acids in space. However, the chemical process through which amino acids bond is universal. This suggests that the same reaction likely occurs with other, more complex amino acids as well, explains Hopkinson. 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. "All types of amino acids bond into peptides through the same reaction. It is therefore very likely that other peptides naturally form in interstellar space as well," says Hopkinson. "We haven't looked into this yet, but we are likely to do so in the future." Amino acids and peptides are not the only building blocks essential to life; membranes, nucleobases, and nucleotides are necessary as well. Whether these also form naturally in space remains unknown, but Ioppolo, Hopkinson, and their colleagues at the Center for Interstellar Catalysis are working hard to find out. "These molecules are some of the key building blocks of life," explained co-author Professor Liv Hornekr, the InterCat center leader. "They might actively participate in early prebiotic chemistry, catalyzing further reactions that lead toward life." "There's still a lot to be discovered, but our research team is working on answering as many of these basic questions as possible," Ioppolo says. "We've already discovered that many of the building blocks of life are formed out there, and we'll likely find more in the future." Publication details Alfred Thomas Hopkinson et al, An interstellar energetic and non-aqueous pathway to peptide formation, Nature Astronomy (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02765-7 Journal information: Nature Astronomy Key concepts Self-assemblyBiomolecules 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 The average American checks their phone over 140 times a day, clocking an average of 4.5 hours of daily use, with 57% of people admitting they're "addicted" to their phone. Tech companies, influencers and other content creators compete for all that attention, which has incentivized the rise of misinformation. Considering this challenging information landscape, strong critical reading skills are as relevant and necessary as they've ever been. Unfortunately, literacy continues to be a serious concern. Reading comprehension scores have continued to decline. The majority of Gen Z parents are not reading aloud to their young children because they view it as a chore. Many college students cannot make it through an entire book. With their endless scrolling and easy reposting and sharing of content, social media platforms are designed to encourage passive engagement that people use to relieve boredom and escape stress. As a cognitive scientist and a literacy expert, we research the ways people process information through reading. Based on our work, we believe that deep reading can be an effective way to counter misinformation as well as reduce stress and loneliness. It can be tough to go deeper than a speedy skim, but there are strategies you can use to strengthen important reading skills. Deep reading versus doomscrolling People use smartphones and social media for a variety of reasons, such as to relieve boredom, seek attention, make connections and share news. The infinite amount of information available at your fingertips can lead to information overload, interfering with how you pay attention and make decisions. Research from cognitive science helps to explain how scrolling trains your brain to think passively. To keep people engaged, social media algorithms feed people content similar to what they've already engaged with, reinforcing users' beliefs with similar posts. Repeated exposure to information increases its believability, especially if different sources repeat the information, an effect known as illusory truth. Deep reading, on the other hand, refers to the intentional process of engaging with information in critical, analytical and empathetic ways. It involves making inferences, drawing connections, engaging with different perspectives and questioning possible interpretations. Deep reading does require effort. It can trigger negative feelings like irritation or confusion, and it can very often feel unpleasant. The important question, then: Why would anyone choose the hard work of deep reading when they can just scroll and skim? 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. Motivating mental effort Mindless scrolling may come with unintended consequences. Smartphone and social media use is associated with increased boredom and loneliness. And doomscrolling is related to higher levels of existential anxiety and misanthropy. In contrast, attention and effort, despite being exhausting, can deepen your sense of purpose and strengthen social connection. People also feel motivated to complete tasks that help them pursue personal goals, especially when these tasks are recognized by others. For these reasons, sharing books may be one tool to promote deep reading. One example is a teacher who guides students through longer texts, like novels, paired with active discussions about the books to reinforce comprehension and interpretation. While the debate over the ongoing practice of assigning excerpts over full books in schools continues, evidence does suggest that sustained reading in social settings can promote lifelong enjoyment in reading. With social connection in mind, social media can actually be used as a positive tool. BookTok is a popular online community of people who use TikTok to discuss and recommend books. Fans post in-depth analyses of "K-Pop Demon Hunters" and other movies or shows, demonstrating that close analysis still has a place in the endless scroll of social media. Slowing yourself down to read deeply There are steps you can take to meaningfully engage with the constant stream of information you encounter. Of course, this process can be taxing, and people only have so much effort and attention to expend. It's important to both recognize your limited cognitive resources and be intentional about how you direct those resources. Simply being aware of how digital reading practices shape your brain can encourage new attitudes and habits toward how you consume information. Just pausing can reduce susceptibility to misinformation. Taking a few extra seconds to consciously judge information can counteract illusory truth, indicating that intentionally slowing down even just a bit can be beneficial. Reading deeply means being able to intentionally choose when to read at different speeds, slowing down as needed to wrestle with difficult passages, savor striking prose, critically evaluate information, and reflect on the meaning of a text. It involves entering into a dialogue with the text rather than gleaning information. Awareness does not mean that you never doomscroll at the end of a long day. But it does mean becoming conscious of the need to also stick with a single text more frequently and to engage with different perspectives. You can start small, perhaps with poems, short stories or essays, before moving up to longer texts. Partner with a friend or family member and set a goal to read a full-length novel or nonfiction book. Accomplish that goal in small chunks, such as reading one chapter a day and discussing what you read with your reading buddy. Practicing deep reading, such as reading novels, can open you up to new perspectives and ideas that you can explore in conversation with others, in person or even on TikTok. 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: Schematic of a packaged electrically pumped polarization-entangled photon source. Credit: Xufeng Jiao, University of Science and Technology of China Quantum technologies are cutting-edge systems that can process, transfer, or store information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, particularly a phenomenon known as quantum entanglement. Entanglement entails a correlation between two or more distant particles, whereby measuring the state of one also defines the state of the others. In recent years, quantum physicists and engineers have been trying to realize devices that operate leveraging the entanglement between individual particles of light (i.e., photons). The reliable operation of these devices relies on so-called entangled photon sources (EPSs), components that can generate entangled pairs of photons. Researchers at University of Science and Technology of China, Jinan Institute of Quantum Technology, CAS Institute of Semiconductors and other institutes recently realized a new EPS integrated onto a single photonic chip, which can generate entangled photons via an electrically powered laser. Their study is published in Physical Review Letters. "Our research was motivated by the growing demand for compact, high-performance EPSs that can be integrated into practical quantum systems," Qiang Zhang, co-senior author of the paper, told Phys.org. "Traditional sources often rely on bulky external pump lasers, which limit scalability and stability. In this work, we aimed to develop an electrically pumped, chip scale EPS that combines high brightness and broad bandwidth within a fully integrated platform." A photograph of the hybrid integrated entangled photon source, showing the DFB laser coupled to the TFLN chip. Credit: Xufeng Jiao, University of Science and Technology of China The reliable entanglement of photons on-chip Zhang and his colleagues have been trying to develop an electrically powered EPS that could be integrated on-chip, enabling the realization of highly performing quantum photonic devices. These devices could be used to implement quantum key distribution protocols and other quantum protocols on a large scale, opening new possibilities for quantum communications, sensing and metrology. "We integrated a distributed feedback (DFB) laser chip with a thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) photonic chip, which is the key to realizing an electrically pumped device," explained Zhang. "The TFLN chip integrates several on-chip components: dual-channel periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguides that generate photon pairs via the nonlinear process of spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC), a multimode interference (MMI) beam splitter that evenly divides the pump light, and a polarization rotator combiner (PRC) that rotates the polarization of photons from one waveguide and then combines them with the other waveguide to realize interference, thereby generating polarization-entangled states." Notably, the team's integration strategy does not require any external lasers or other bulky equipment. This makes the resulting EPS more compact and stable than many other previously proposed systems. "Our integrated, electrically driven architecture enables scalable and high-performance implementations of quantum protocols such as quantum key distribution via wavelength division multiplexing, satellite-based quantum communication, and entanglement-based quantum metrology," said Zhang. "Our on-chip EPS simultaneously delivers high brightness (4.51010 pairs/s/mW) and broad bandwidth (73 nm). By integrating the pump laser directly on-chip, we eliminate the need for a bulky external laser system, which not only enhances the compactness and scalability of the source but also significantly improves its stability and portability." 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. Fueling the development of quantum photonic systems Many EPSs introduced in the past require the precise alignment of optical components and only work in highly controlled laboratory settings. In contrast, the on-chip EPS created by this research team can operate reliably at room temperature and could be easier to deploy in real-world settings. "The source's high brightness and wide bandwidth make it suitable for wavelength-division-multiplexed quantum key distribution," said Zhang. "Furthermore, its integrated architecture provides a stable and miniaturized platform that could support future quantum networks, distributed quantum processors, and satellite-based quantum links, accelerating the transition of quantum technologies from lab to field." The new EPS introduced by Zhang and his colleagues could soon be improved further and used to develop various quantum photonic devices. The researchers are now trying to optimize the performance of the source on-chip, to further boost the visibility, bandwidth and brightness of generated photons. "We also plan to improve the scalability and multi-channel capability of the system by exploring the generation of hyperentanglement across multiple degrees of freedom such as polarization, frequency and path," added Zhang. "Thirdly, an effort will be dedicated to system packaging and engineering, developing robust and portable modules that ensure long-term stability and ease of use in field applications." Written for you by our author Ingrid Fadelli, 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. 2026 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: CC0 Public Domain As Canada and China announce a landmark tariff agreement, new research from The Simpson Center shows that Canada's canola sector remains structurally vulnerable due to heavy export concentration and limited diversification capacity. Based on analysis of Canadian export data from 20102025 and examination of market concentration patterns across canola seed, oil, and meal, our research team examined how export dependence on China and the United States creates distinct vulnerabilities across different segments of the canola value chain. These two markets collectively absorb nearly 90% of Canadian canola exports, with limited capacity to reallocate shipments to alternative destinations when trade disruptions occur. The research identified several critical challenges preventing export diversification: Insufficient crushing infrastructure in alternative markets means many countries cannot process Canadian canola seed at scale. EU restrictions on GMO products effectively close off a major consumer market for Canadian canola oil. Domestic transportation bottlenecks limit Canada's ability to handle increased volumes of processed oil even as crushing capacity expands. Addressing these issues is essential for building resilience in Canada's export-dependent agricultural sectors. "While the prime minister's latest deal with China, which may drop seed duties nearly 70% by March, is welcome news, the fact remains: even as one barrier comes down, the underlying structural vulnerabilities persist," said Farzana Shirin, Agricultural and Applied Economist, The Simpson Center. The research comes at a pivotal time for Canada's canola sector, as negotiators work to restore normal trade relations with China while uncertainty persists around U.S. biofuel policy changes that could exclude Canadian feedstocks from critical incentive programs. With Canadian producers managing simultaneous challenges in both major export markets, understanding the constraints preventing rapid diversification is essential for developing effective policy responses that strengthen industry resilience beyond short-term tariff relief. This research exemplifies The Simpson Center's mandate to bridge cutting-edge analysis and practical policy outcomes. The findings contribute to informed decision-making at all levels of government and inform policy frameworks addressing export concentration risks, domestic processing investment, and trade diversification strategies for agricultural commodities. The research is published on SSRN. More information Farzana Shirin et al, The Case of Canadian Canola and the Downside Risks from Export Market Concentration, SSRN (2026). DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.5894783 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: Adelie penguin and chick. Credit: Madison Farrant A team of scientists has overcome a major challenge in predicting how Antarctic life will fare under future climate scenarios, revealing five scenarios for the future of Antarctic life. The research, published in Nature Biodiversity Reviews, was led by Monash University researcher Professor Melodie McGeoch from Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future (SAEF) and will guide research and support conservation planning efforts at national and international levels, including through the Antarctic Treaty System. Professor McGeoch said the extreme cold, windy, dry and isolated conditions that Antarctic species such as penguins, moss and microbes are adapted to, have also made the continent difficult for scientists to access, limiting the data available to forecast future change. "Rather than saying we need more data, we used what we already know about the five core ecological processes that shape biodiversity and applied these ideas to the Antarctic context. This helped us develop five possible outcomes for how life across the continent is likely to respond to climate change and other environmental pressures," Professor McGeoch said. If any speculative fiction writers are looking for "what if" scenarios to explore, then this study is ripe for exploration. Antarctica has 2,100 known terrestrial (land-based) plants and animals, which mostly live in the ice-free regions that cover less than 1% of the continent. The encroaching change prompting thoughts of "what if" includes climate change, pollution, invasive species, disease (e.g. most recently H5N1 bird flu) and land-use changes (e.g. building research stations). Key ecological processes and scenarios To look into the future, the five ecological processes the team considered were abiotic filtering (physical conditions which impact survival, such as water availability), dispersal (ability to reach new habitats), adaptation (ability to evolve), biotic interaction (interactions between lifeforms, such as predator-prey relationships) and stochasticity (loss of life due to unpredictable events, such as heat waves). Future Antarctic life's five scenarios are: Constrained: Antarctica's cold, dry, windy, isolated conditions will continue to limit Antarctic life, slowing range expansion and change. Dynamic: Antarctica's isolation will limit the ability of species to spread to new ice-free areas and the ability of invasive species to arrive and establish. Diversifying: Antarctic species will adapt to new conditions, such as warmer temperatures and larger ice-free areas, and new species arrivals will enrich life on the continent and its surrounding islands. Interactive: The frequency and diversity of species interactions will increase through a release from physical constraints such as cold and dry conditions, increasing the complexity of Antarctic biodiversity. Disordered: Extreme events such as heat waves and flooding will cause local losses of many species and a decline in biodiversity. 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. Implications for research and conservation "Antarctica will continue to be cold, dry, windy and isolated, and this will slow the response of life on the continent to otherwise changing conditions. At the same time, how species adapt to change, the unpredictable nature of extreme events, and the complexity of species interactions mean that the response of Antarctic life will vary across the region," Professor McGeoch said. "Looking for evidence of these emerging scenarios and predicting where in the region each is most likely will fast-track our understanding of its future." To further clarify this picture of the future for Antarctic life, the team has identified knowledge gaps that they recommend should be prioritized for further research and monitoring. These include better understanding of how far and how often species move across the region, their capacity to adapt, where new species are most likely to arrive, and how communities are responding to extreme events. Since Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future was established in 2021, its scientists and collaborators have transformed our understanding of Antarctic terrestrial biodiversity, bridging long-standing data gaps with ecological theory and modeling to build a more coherent picture of the future of life on the continent. It is progress that now underpins both further scientific research and that strengthens the foundations for more confident, evidence-based decisions to protect the continent's unique ecosystems. Publication details Melodie A. McGeoch et al, Ecological processes shaping Antarctic terrestrial biodiversity change, Nature Reviews Biodiversity (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s44358-025-00113-1 Journal information: Nature Reviews Biodiversity 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) Male (black) and female (gold) howler monkeys roaring (photo: Jacob Dunn). (bd) Formant modification: The spectrograms show a section of a male roar with (b) small, (c) normal and (d) large variants. The formants (labeled F1F6) have been raised to create a small variant and lowered to create a large variant. F: frequency. Credit: Animal Behaviour (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123424 Howler monkeys are relatively small primates known for their incredibly loud, low-frequency roars that sound as if they come from a much larger creature. This is useful in the animal kingdom because sounding big can deter predators and may discourage rivals before they get a glimpse of the caller's true size. But what do these noises say to members of their own species? A new study published in the journal Animal Behaviour reports that while they might fool outsiders, these calls serve as honest signals of body size to other howler monkeys. Biological anthropologist Jacob Dunn and colleagues recorded 11 adult males and measured their body mass to see if there is a link between a male's weight and his formant spacing. This is the distance between the loudest frequencies in the roar, which are determined by the length of the monkey's throat. They found that larger males have lower formant spacing (deeper resonances) and smaller males have higher formant spacing (higher resonances). Since the length of the throat is limited by the size of the monkey's skeleton, formant spacing provides an accurate measurement of body size. To see whether this means anything to other howler monkeys, the team conducted playback experiments with 23 male and female zoo-housed subjects. They also digitally altered the roars to simulate the roars of small, average, and large males. How roars changed behavior According to the study, the large male roars caused a bigger reaction. The monkeys spent more time looking at the speaker and were more likely to move toward it. Male subjects also roared back more often than females, suggesting they were defending their territory against a perceived rival. Meanwhile, reactions to small roars were less intense. "Formant spacing in howler monkey roars serves as an honest indicator of body size and plays a critical role in mediating social interactions," commented the researchers in their paper. What an honest roar communicates The study demonstrates that even when evolution gives howler monkeys the ability to sound bigger than they are (thanks to their massive hyoid bone in the throat and enlarged voice box), the roars remain truthful to other howler monkeys. These acoustic cues may help males assess a potential rival to decide how to respond. For example, whether to run away or stand their ground and fight based on what they hear. For females, these honest acoustic signals may serve as reliable cues to help them select larger and fitter mates, although this was not tested by the study. Written for you by our author Paul Arnold, 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. Publication details Jacob C. Dunn et al, Honestly exaggerated: howler monkey roars are reliable signals of body size and behaviourally relevant to listeners, Animal Behaviour (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123424 Journal information: Animal Behaviour Key concepts vocalization methods 2026 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: Researchers say koala densities in many areas in SA are above what is considered sustainable. Credit: Professor Corey Bradshaw, Flinders University Research into South Australia's koala populations, led by Dr. Frederik Saltre from UTS and the Australian Museum, provides the first comprehensive population estimate for the region and identifies a cost-effective, humane solution to stabilize current unsustainable koala numbers. Published in Ecology and Evolution, the study was led by Dr. Frederik Saltre, who holds a joint appointment as a Research Scientist at the Australian Museum and Senior Lecturer in Ecology and Biogeography at UTS. The research shows that South Australia's koala population in the Mount Lofty Ranges, currently numbers around 10% of Australia's total population, which is threatening its long-term survival. Without intervention, this number could grow by a further 17%25% over the next 25 years, impacting food supply, vegetation and native habitats. Mount Lofty Ranges population challenges "Koalas are in steep decline across much of eastern Australia, but in South Australia's Mount Lofty Ranges, the opposite problem is happening: a booming koala population. This should be good news, but these numbers are concerning. Credit: Professor Corey Bradshaw, Flinders University. Many areas now have koala densities far beyond what the ecosystem can sustain, creating a growing risk of severe overbrowsing that could rapidly damage the very forests koalas rely on for food. "In the next few decades, following this trajectory, there will almost certainly be a terrible situation of mass koala starvation and death," Dr. Saltre said. Using advanced spatial modeling and data from thousands of citizen science observations, researchers found koala densities in many areas are above what is considered sustainable. Ethical management and fertility control "We are faced with a difficult conservation dilemma, because traditional methods of population management, like culling or relocation, either raise ethical concerns from the public or are not appropriate for such an iconic native animal. "How do we manage a species that is now threatened by its own abundance, and do so in a way that protects both animal welfare and long-term ecosystem health?" asked Dr. Katharina Peters, co-author of the study at the University of Wollongong. Dr. Saltre and his team found the answer through testing multiple fertility-control strategies, which demonstrated that sterilizing approximately 22% of adult females annually, focusing on high-density hotspots rather than across the entire region, would stabilize the population at an estimated cost of $34 million over 25 years. "The novelty lies in the proactivity of the approach: Instead of spending money on a conservation plan without knowing whether it will succeed, we use computer simulations to identify in advance which strategies are most likely to workoptimizing both costs and taxpayer investment," said Dr. Saltre. Looking ahead for koala conservation As climate change continues to reshape habitats and species distributions, the researchers say such evidence-based and anticipatory approaches will become increasingly essential for managing high-profile species where public values and ecological needs collide. This research builds on the previous work carried out at the Australian Museum in sequencing the approximately 20,000 genes in the koala to open up opportunities for medical treatments, provide knowledge about how koalas evolved, and indicate how best to conserve the species. Publication details Frederik Saltre et al, Balancing High Densities and Conservation Targets to Optimise Koala Management Strategies, Ecology and Evolution (2026). DOI: 10.1002/ece3.72470 Journal information: Ecology and Evolution 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: Dominika Gregusova from Pexels Political published writing retains an "important and complex role" in the national conversationdespite huge social and technological changes this century, a new book shows. "Writing Politics in Modern Britain: Genre and Cultures of Publishing since 1900" is edited by Professor Gary Love, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and Professor Richard Toye, from the University of Exeter. Books and magazines have been so fundamental and intrinsic to the political process, and hidden in plain sight, they are in danger of being overlooked, experts demonstrate. The persistence of long-form political writing, through the advent of TV and radio, and then through the internet age, is a phenomenon that cannot be taken for granted. The book shows the context of political writing and publishing and its importance to political movements and activists. Different forms of political writing were vital for documenting the variety of lived experience and for shaping political identities. The book traces the history of political writing in the context of the rise of the mass press, and the widespread dissemination of pamphlets and posters alongside mass politics in the Victorian era. Often bold and brash, and sometimes unscrupulous in its claims, this type of material prompted fears in some quarters that voters were vulnerable to psychological manipulation. The 1930s were the "age of the weeklies" such as "The New Statesman," while WWII provided fertile ground for radical publishing, building on the marketing innovations of the interwar years. Print remained a vital medium for debate at a time when radio (and then early television) was monopolized by the BBC and largely eschewed political controversy. Although the decline of the public meeting, the triumph of TV politics, and the rise of neoliberalism went hand in hand, the onset of the Thatcher revolution did not have any obvious immediate negative impact on the UK's thriving political print culture. At the same time, countercultural alternatives boomed, through the growth of community publishing, relying on mimeograph machines, the photocopier and the word-processor. The 1980s witnessed a "zine explosion" with many titles connected to the growth of the Green movement. One chapter traces the "obituarial turn," starting in the 1970s, in which political obituaries became simultaneously more prominent, regular, and frank. These brief lives, delivered with the impression of "papers of record," increasingly privileged anecdote, peccadillo, and scandal. The book also traces changes to the Conservative party's view of writing and publishing. There was a move from the Conservative Political Centre (CPC), established in the 1940s, which acted as the party's in-house publisher, to a reliance by the 1980s on external think-tanks, which narrowed the scope of the party's literary ambition. A further chapter describes the impact of the self-made, self-published, and self-distributed punk fanzines of the 1970s and 1980s such as "Sniffin' Glue" and "London's Outrage." Authors not only reviewed records and gigs but wrestled with ideas, on themes ranging from race and gender to commodification and anarchy and gender relations. They provided a zone for teenagers and youth to experiment with ideology. The book also shows the impact of coalfield women's writing during and immediately after the 198485 miners' strike. Many books and pamphlets describing women's strike activism appeared, part of the contemporary boom in community publishing. The book also illuminates how the dense network of magazines, campaign groups and SNP and Labour Party factions served as the training-grounds for devolved Scotland's future elite. Much of the contemporary Scottish political landscape can be linked to the writing, editing, and publishing endeavors of the decades leading up to the establishment of Holyrood. 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 size of the spin crucially affects how the system behaves. At spin-1/2, fully quantum spins pair up and cancel each other, so no magnetism appears. At spin > 1/2, larger spins can't fully cancel, leaving leftover spins that can interact and create magnetic order. Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University Collective behavior is an unusual phenomenon in condensed-matter physics. When quantum spins interact together as a system, they produce unique effects not seen in individual particles. Understanding how quantum spins interact to produce this behavior is central to modern condensed-matter physics. The challenge of isolating the Kondo effect Among these phenomena, the Kondo effectthe interaction between localized spins and conduction electronsplays a central role in many quantum phenomena. Yet in real materials, the presence of additional charges and orbital degrees of freedom make it difficult to isolate the essential quantum mechanism behind the Kondo effect. In these materials, electrons don't just have spin, they also move around and can occupy different orbitals. When all these extra behaviors mix together, it becomes hard to focus only on the spin interactions responsible for the Kondo effect. The Kondo necklace model, proposed in 1977 by Sebastian Doniach, simplifies the Kondo lattice by focusing exclusively on spin degrees of freedom. This model has long been regarded as a promising conceptual platform for exploring new quantum states; however, its experimental realization had been an open challenge for nearly half a century. A new kind of Kondo necklace One of the key questions is whether the Kondo effect and the resultant behavior fundamentally change depending on the size of the localized spin. Understanding this property would be universally important in quantum material research. A research team led by Associate Professor Hironori Yamaguchi of the Graduate School of Science at Osaka Metropolitan University successfully realized a new type of Kondo necklace using a precisely designed organicinorganic hybrid material composed of organic radicals and nickel ions. The work has been published in Communications Materials. This achievement was made possible by RaX-D, an advanced molecular design framework that enables precise control over the molecular arrangement within the crystal and the resulting magnetic interactions. Impact of spin size on the Kondo effect Building on their earlier realization of a spin-1/2 Kondo necklace, the researchers demonstrated that the behavior of the Kondo effect changes qualitatively when the localized spin (decollated spin) is increased from 1/2 to 1. Thermodynamic measurements revealed a clear phase transition to a magnetic ordered state. Through quantum analysis, the team clarified that the Kondo coupling mediates an effective magnetic interaction between spin-1 moments, thereby stabilizing long-range magnetic order. This result overturns the traditional view that the Kondo effect primarily suppresses magnetism by binding free spins into singlets, a maximally entangled state whose total spin is zero. Instead, the study shows that when the localized spin is larger than 1/2, the same Kondo interaction works in the opposite direction, promoting magnetic order. By comparing the spin-1/2 and spin-1 realizations side-by-side in a clean spin-only platform, the researchers identified a new quantum boundary: the Kondo effect inevitably forms local singlets for spin-1/2 moments, but stabilizes magnetic order for spin-1 and higher. This discovery provides the first direct experimental evidence that the function of the Kondo effect fundamentally depends on spin size. 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. Implications for quantum materials and technology "The discovery of a quantum principle dependent on spin size in the Kondo effect opens up a whole new area of research in quantum materials," Yamaguchi said. "The ability to switch quantum states between nonmagnetic and magnetic regimes by controlling the spin size represents a powerful design strategy for next-generation quantum materials." Discovering that the Kondo effect operates in fundamentally different ways depending on spin size offers a fresh perspective on our understanding of quantum matter and establishes a new conceptual basis for the engineering of spin-based quantum devices. Controlling whether a Kondo lattice becomes magnetic or non-magnetic is highly relevant for future quantum technologies because it offers a way to control important behaviors like entanglement, magnetic noise, and quantum critical behaviors. The researchers are hopeful that their findings will help to innovate new quantum materials and may ultimately contribute to the development of emerging quantum technologies, including quantum information devices and quantum computing. Publication details Emergence of Kondo-assisted Neel order in a Kondo necklace model, Communications Materials (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43246-025-01027-3 Journal information: Communications Materials 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 moment you look away from those adorable eyes, these mischievous creatures will sneak out of your lab. Credit: Joshua J. Cotten/Unsplash, CC BY-SA When a curious raccoon broke into an Ashland, Virginia, liquor store in December 2025, sampled the stock and passed out on the bathroom floor, the story went viral within minutes. The local animal shelter's Facebook post was picked up by national and international outlets and quickly inspired raccoon-themed cocktails, "trashed panda" merchandise and even a cameo on "Saturday Night Live." For me, the story hit close to home. The store that hosted this inebriated bandit sits just blocks from the small behavioral neuroscience laboratory where I began investigating raccoon brains about 15 years ago. Although the so-called drunken raccoon made questionable decisions after breaking into the liquor store, the speciesProcyon lotoris known for its impressive intelligence, curiosity and problem-solving skills. Despite being one of the most intriguing mammals living alongside humans, raccoons have avoided the scientific spotlight. Why aren't more neuroscientists and psychologists studying raccoons? What have researchers missed about the mammalian brain by focusing on rodents instead? Credit: CBS Why raccoons aren't lab staples In the U.S., it is estimated that laboratories use more than 100 million rodents, including mice and rats, each year. Rodents are ideal for research because they reproduce easily and adapt well to confinement. Scientists have tailored extensive research tools to study them. Long before rats dominated psychology labs, raccoons were actually a leading candidate for animal models of problem-solving and intelligence. That ended when scientists realized they'd met their cognitive match. In one study, researchers reported that all raccoon participants escaped through the laboratory ventilation system. Unsurprisingly, scientists promptly shifted to rodents. Practicalitynot scientific suitabilityultimately crowned the rat as king of the laboratory. I have studied rats for decades, and I can confirm that none have ever disappeared into the ceiling. Neither pet nor pest Humans have an ambivalent relationship with raccoons. They appear too wild to be domesticated, too endearing to be treated purely as pests and too ubiquitous to be considered exotic wildlife. Even President Calvin Coolidge, who famously received a raccoon intended for the dinner table from a supporter in Mississippi, ended up keeping it as a beloved White House pet. And the role confusion continues today with glimpses of humanlike behaviors in raccoons as they enter our living spaces. One report described raccoons interacting with playground equipment at a child care center on Canada's west coast in ways similar to human children, and even breaking into classrooms as if they were auditing the morning lesson. Inspired by Montessori education principles, I visited a raccoon rehabilitation center in Saskatoon, Canada, called Bandit Ranch Rehab a few years ago. After introducing young raccoons to slinkies, puzzles and blocks, I sat in awe as they interacted with these objects with the focused enthusiasm of preschoolers on a mission. This interspecies confusion seems to be mutual. Recent evidence suggests that urban raccoons are becoming increasingly tolerant of humans, especially when it suits them. But they are quick to leave when curiosity or opportunity calls. 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. Raccoon imagination The drunken Ashland raccoon captured global attention because it fit the narrative people have projected onto the species: mischievous, opportunistic, clever and more than a little humanlike. But their sophisticated brains and mental capacities, aligning more with primates than other mammals, are even more intriguing. Early behavioral research suggested that raccoons can learn a task, walk away and later return to solve it accuratelyas if having mentally rehearsed the solution. In contrast, other species, including dogs and rats, needed to maintain continuous focus. Scientists have speculated that raccoons have mental imagery capabilities similar to humans. When a rogue raccoon scaled a 25-story skyscraper in Minneapolis several years ago, I couldn't help but wonder what that animal was anticipating at the top. Do raccoons form internal representations of future outcomes? And if so, how much agency and foresight do they bring to their decisions? To answer these questions, I have collaborated with wildlife biologists, veterinarians and neuroscientists around the country to study what may be one of the most underestimated and understudied brains in the animal kingdom. What's going on inside the raccoon brain? Working with neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel, my laboratory at the University of Richmond has found that raccoons pack an astonishing number of neuronsan amount comparable to primatesinto their brains. Scaled up to size, a raccoon brain would contain roughly the same number of neurons as a human brain. We also found that raccoons possess specialized fast-conducting brain cells known as von Economo neurons, which are also found in humans, other great apes and a few additional large-brained mammals. In apes, these neurons appear in both the insulaa part of the brain important for processing internal body statesand the anterior cingulate, which plays a key role in emotional regulation. In raccoons, these neurons are present only in the insula and not in the anterior cingulate. This neural arrangement may help explain the species' striking combination of clever problem-solving and rapid decision-making during explorationfrequently leading to risky behaviors that can have unfortunate consequences. These findings raise the possibility that raccoon neuroscience could offer useful insights into the neural foundations of impulse control and distracted attention. In collaboration with ecologist Sara Benson-Abram's research team, we also found that raccoons with more sophisticated cognitive abilities had more neural cells in the hippocampus, reinforcing the idea that their learning and memory capacities map onto similar brain systems as those in people. Taxi drivers in London, who frequently use their knowledge of the 25,000 streets in London, also have a larger hippocampal area. In addition to their impressive brains, raccoons' dexterous hands play a key role in their cognitively creative escapades. Indeed, researchers have found that raccoon forepaws are mapped onto their cerebral cortexthe outer layer of the brainin a similar manner as human hands. Both take up a lot of real estate in the brain. As journalist Carl Zimmer wrote, "The hand is where the mind meets the world." What raccoons can teach us about the human brain As I argue in my upcoming book "Wild Brains," understanding raccoon intelligence requires observing them in the environments they choosenot confining them to the small, simple spaces that suit rats and mice. So-called living laboratories that monitor wildlife without restricting their behavior may be scientists' best chance at unlocking the secrets of this species' remarkable mind. In my graduate training, I was taught to avoid anthropomorphizing animal research subjectsto resist the temptation to project human thoughts and emotions onto nonhuman minds, because human brains likely contribute to uniquely human cognitive and emotional experiences. But primatologist Frans de Waal later introduced the useful counterpoint of anthropodenial: the mistaken assumption that animals cannot share emotional or cognitive capacities with humans simply because they are not human. The drunken Ashland raccoon captured global attention not just because the story was funny, but because it felt familiar. People recognized something of themselves in this curious, impulsive, problem-solving animal navigating a very human environment. A willingness to lean away from anthropodenialwhile remaining grounded in rigorous sciencemay open new paths for understanding raccoon intelligence and, ultimately, the wonderfully complex human brain. 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: Could something be creating oxygen in the total darkness at the bottom of the ocean? A team of scientists announced Tuesday they have developed new deep-sea landers specifically to test their contentious discovery that metallic rocks at the bottom of the ocean are producing "dark oxygen". If a previously unknown source of oxygen has always been lurking in Earth's depths, it would represent a remarkable revelation that would call into question long-held assumptions about the origins of life on our planet. But the deep-sea mining industrywhich is keen to extract precious metals from these potato-sized polymetallic nodulesand some researchers have expressed doubts about the claim. So British marine ecologist Andrew Sweetman, who led the 2024 research that revealed the possible existence of dark oxygen, is planning a new underwater expedition in the coming months. At a press conference on Tuesday, Sweetman and his team unveiled two new landers capable of diving to a depth of 11 kilometers (seven miles) with the aim of finding out how the nodules could be creating oxygen. The nodules are right at the bottom of the ocean. Unlike previous missions, these landers will have sensors specifically designed to "measure seafloor respiration," Sweetman explained. They can withstand 1,200 times the pressure on Earth's surface and more resemble space exploration equipment, a statement said. The landers will be launched from a research ship in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a vast region between Hawaii and Mexico. Mining companies have plans to start harvesting the nodules, which contain valuable metals used in electric car batteries and other tech. The scientists believe that the nodules give off enough electric charge to split seawater into hydrogen and oxygen, a process known as electrolysis. Underwater gold rush? Sweetman also used the press conference to push back against criticism of his 2024 study. Some researchers have suggested that the oxygen was not coming from the nodules, but instead were just air bubbles trapped in the measuring instruments. If these potato-sized polymetallic nodules do produce oxygen, it would be a remarkable revelation. "We've used these instruments over the last 20 years and every time we've deployed them, we've never had bubbles," Sweetman said, adding that the team conducted tests to rule out such a possibility. The debate comes as companies and nations battle over proposed rules regulating the new and potentially environmentally destructive deep-sea mining industry. Sweetman's 2024 study was partly funded by a Canadian deep-sea mining firm, The Metals Company, which has since sharply criticized his research. "If commercial mining goes ahead then there will be quite widespread impacts," Sweetman said, adding that "these nodules are home to a variety of diverse fauna." But the scientist emphasized it is "not our intention" to find something to stop deep-sea mining. He instead wants to gather as much information as possible to "minimize the impacts as much as possible" if mining does go ahead. Matthias Haeckel, a biogeochemist at Germany's GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, told AFP that his own research did "not show any hint towards oxygen production" from the nodules. British marine ecologist Andrew Sweetman's hypothesis has been met with some resistance. But he said Sweetman will "join our cruise at the end of this year, where we plan to compare our methods." For the new research funded by the Japanese Nippon Foundation, Sweetman and his team plan to spend May on a research ship in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. "We'll be able to confirm dark oxygen production within 24 to 48 hours after the landers come up," he said. The world will probably not know the results until the ship returns in Juneand further experiments back on dry land could take months, Sweetman added. 2026 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: 74th F-89 Interceptor Fighter Squadron at Thule Air Base in Greenland in 1955. Credit: United States Air Force - Menard, David W. / Wikipedia Today, as Greenland once again becomes a strategic prize, history seems poised to repeat itself. Staying with the Polar Inuit means refusing to speak of territory while erasing those who inhabit it. On 16 June 1951, Jean Malaurie was traveling by dog sled along the north-west coast of Greenland. He had set out alone, almost on a whim, with a modest grant from the French National Centre for Scientific research (CNRS), officially to study periglacial landscapes. In reality, this encounter with peoples whose relationship with the world followed an entirely different logic would shape a singular destiny. That day, after many months among the Inuit, at the critical moment of the spring thaw, Malaurie was traveling with a few hunters. He was exhausted, filthy and emaciated. One of the Inuit touched his shoulder: "Takou, look." A thick yellow cloud was rising in the sky. Through his binoculars, Malaurie first thought it was a mirage: "A city of hangars and tents, of metal sheets and aluminum, dazzling in the sunlight, amid smoke and dust Three months earlier, the valley had been calm and empty of people. I had pitched my tent there, on a clear summer day, in a flowering, untouched tundra." The breath of this new city, he would later write, "would never let us go." Giant excavators hacked at the ground, trucks poured debris into the sea, aircraft circled overhead. Malaurie was hurled from the Stone Age into the Atomic Age. He had just discovered the secret American base of Thule, codenamed Operation Blue Jay. Behind this innocuous name lay a colossal logistical operation. The United States feared a Soviet nuclear attack via the polar route. In a single summer, some 120 ships and 12,000 men were deployed to a bay that had previously known only the silent glide of kayaks. Greenland's population at the time numbered barely 23,000 people. In just 104 days, on permanently frozen ground, a technological city capable of hosting giant B-36 bombers carrying nuclear warheads emerged. More than 1,200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, and in almost total secrecy, the United States built one of the largest military bases ever constructed outside its continental territory. A defense agreement was signed with Denmark in the spring of 1951, but Operation Blue Jay was already underway: the American decision had been taken in 1950. The annexation of the Inuit world Malaurie immediately grasped that the sheer scale of the operation amounted, in effect, to an annexation of the Inuit world. A system founded on speed, machinery and accumulation had violently and blindly entered a space governed by tradition, cyclical time, hunting and waiting. The blue jay is a loud, aggressive, fiercely territorial bird. Thule lies halfway between Washington and Moscow along the polar route. In the era of intercontinental hypersonic missiles, once Soviet and now Russian, it is this same geography that still underpins the argument of "vital necessity" invoked by Donald Trump in his calls to annex Greenland. The most tragic immediate outcome of Operation Blue Jay was not military, but human. In 1953, to secure the perimeter of the base and its radar installations, authorities decided to relocate the entire local Inughuit population to Qaanaaq, roughly 100 kilometers further north. The displacement was swift, forced and carried out without consultation, severing the organic bond between this people and their ancestral hunting territories. A "root people" was uprooted to make way for an airstrip. It is this brutal tipping point that Malaurie identifies as the moment when traditional Inuit societies began to collapse. In these societies, hunting is not merely a survival technique but an organizing principle of the social world. The Inuit universe is an economy of meaning, made of relationships, gestures and transmission through the generations that confer recognition, role and place in relation to each individual. This intimate coherence, which constitutes the strength of these societies, also renders them acutely vulnerable when an external system suddenly destroys their territorial and symbolic foundations. 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 the collapse of traditional structures Today, Greenlandic society is largely sedentary and urbanized. More than a third of its 56,500 inhabitants live in Nuuk, the capital, and nearly the entire population now resides in permanent coastal towns and settlements. Housing reflects this abrupt transition. In the larger towns, many people live in concrete apartment blocks built in the 1960s and 1970s, often deteriorating and overcrowded. The economy is heavily dependent on industrial fishing geared toward export. Subsistence hunting and fishing are still commonplace. Modern rifles, GPS devices, snowmobiles and satellite connections now work hand in hand with old habits. Hunting remains a marker of identity, but it no longer shapes either the economy or intergenerational transmission. The fallout on a human level from this shift is massive. Greenland today has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, particularly among young Inuit men. Contemporary social indicators, suicide rates, alcoholism, domestic violence, are widely documented. Many studies link them to the speed of social transformation, forced sedentarization and the breakdown of traditional systems of transmission. Spaces and radioactive contamination The logic underpinning Thule reached a point of no return on 21 January 1968. During a continuous nuclear alert mission, a US Air Force B-52G bomber under the Chrome Dome program, crashed into the sea ice some ten kilometers from Thule. It was carrying four thermonuclear bombs. The conventional explosives designed to initiate the nuclear reaction detonated on impact. There was no nuclear explosion, but the blast scattered plutonium, uranium, americium and tritium over a vast area. In the days that followed, Washington and Copenhagen launched Project Crested Ice, a large-scale recovery and decontamination operation ahead of the spring thaw. Around 1,500 Danish workers were mobilized to scrape the ice and collect contaminated snow. Decades later, many of them initiated legal proceedings, claiming they had worked without adequate information or protection. These cases continued until 20182019 and resulted only in limited political compensation, without any legal recognition of responsibility. No comprehensive epidemiological study has ever been conducted among the local Inuit populations. Now renamed "Pituffik Space Base," the former Thule base is one of the major strategic nodes of the US military apparatus. Integrated into the US Space Force, it plays a central role in missile warning and space surveillance in the Arctic, under maximum security conditions. It is not a relic of the Cold War, but an active pivot of contemporary geopolitics. In The Last Kings of Thule (1953), Malaurie shows that indigenous peoples have never had a place at the heart of Western strategic thinking. Amid the great maneuvers of the world, Inuit existence becomes as peripheral as that of seals or butterflies. Donald Trump's statements do not herald a new world. They seek to generalize a system that has been in place in Greenland for seventy-five years. Yet the position of one man cannot absolve us of our collective responsibilities. To hear today that Greenland "belongs" to Denmark and therefore falls under NATO, without even mentioning the Inuit, is to repeat an old colonial gesture: conceiving territories by erasing those who inhabit them. The Inuit remain invisible and unheard. Our societies continue to imagine themselves as adults facing infantilized, indigenous populations. Their knowledge, values and ways of being are relegated to secondary variables. Difference does not fit within the categories that our societies know how to handle. Following Jean Malaurie, my own research approaches humanity through its margins. Whether studying hunter-gatherer societies or what remains of Neanderthals once stripped of our projections, the "Other" remains the blind spot for our perceptions. We fail to see how entire worlds collapse when difference ceases to be thinkable. Malaurie ended his first chapter on Thule with these words: "Nothing was planned to imagine the future with any sense of elevation." What must be feared above all is not the sudden disappearance of a people, but their silent and radical relegation within a world that speaks about them without ever seeing or hearing them. Key concepts permafrost This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: RDNE Stock project from Pexels The days can seem endless in Canadian prisonsand yet, inside, inmates actually age faster than on the outside. Why? Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta Jim A. Johansson explores that question with UdeM Faculty of Nursing professor Etienne Paradis-Gagne and University of Ottawa School of Nursing professor Dave Holmes. Distorted sense of time Prison accelerates aging beyond the norm in the general population, explained Paradis-Gagne, a researcher at the Philippe-Pinel forensic psychiatric hospital research center. While people are generally considered "elderly" around age 65 or 70, the threshold drops to 50 behind bars, he said. The rapid decline stems from constant hypervigilance fueled by fear of aggression or retaliation, an environment of violence and tension that creates chronic stress, and a lack of stimulation that hastens cognitive and physical decline, compounded by inmates' difficult life journeys, often marred by instability, poverty or substance use. At the same time, accelerated aging is combined with a painfully slow pace of life. "Prison imposes rigid routines, schedules and a daily existence defined by waiting and endless hours of boredom in an under-stimulating environment," Paradis-Gagne said. "There's a reason it's called 'doing time.'" Like science fiction In a study published last fall in Nursing Inquiry, the research team used a theoretical framework drawn from science fiction to illustrate this warped experience of time. They turned to Philip K. Dick's 1964 novel "The Martian Time-Slip," set on a futuristic planet where the days are very long. When the characters return to Earth, they discover they have aged at an alarming rate. "This analogy helps us grasp the complex reality of prison time from a narrative angle," Paradis-Gagne said. "It also shows how literature can enrich our analysis of health issuesan approach that is uncommon in our field." Paradis-Gagne believes it is important to understand the inmate experience of time, for it underscores the challenges prisons face in supporting an aging population. Facilities unfit for aging Health care workersespecially nursesplay a vital role inside correctional facilities, providing daily care to elderly inmates who are often physically frail or nearing the end of life. However, prisons are ill-equipped to meet the needs of aging inmates, the researchers argue: the buildings are obsolete and unsuitable for people with limited mobility, and staffing is inadequate. Transferring an inmate to long-term care or a community facility at the end of life is fraught with obstacles due to the stigma, media scrutiny and a lack of specialized facilities for people with serious criminal histories, the researchers say. "This marginalization creates a blind spot in public policy," Paradis-Gagne argued. "We need to invest in age-friendly infrastructure, bolster care teams and facilitate transfers to long-term care when necessary." In short, enhanced support for aging and better end-of-life care is needed in prison settings, the researchers believe. More information Jim A. Johansson et al, Accelerated Aging, Debilitation, Slow Death, and the Multiple Temporalities of Aging Incarcerated Persons: A Philip K. Dickian Science Fiction Examination, Nursing Inquiry (2025). DOI: 10.1111/nin.70058 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 lone sun bather relaxes at North Steyne Beach in Sydney, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, after a series of shark attacks. Credit: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft A surfer had minor injuries from being bitten by a shark Tuesday in the fourth attack off the coast of Australia's most populous state in three days. The shark attacked the man's surfboard at Point Plomer, 460 kilometers (290 miles) north of the New South Wales state capital, around 9 a.m., officials said. The man was lucky to survive with minor cuts, Kempsey-Crescent Head Surf Life Saving Club captain Matt Worrall said. "The board seemed to take most of the impact," Worrall told Australian Broadcasting Corp. "He made his own way into shore where he was assisted by locals." The bystanders drove the 39-year-old man to a hospital and he was later discharged. In the earlier attacks, a man and a boy suffered critical leg wounds and the surfboard of another boy was bitten by sharks at Sydney locations Sunday and Monday. Beaches along New South Wales' northern coast and northern Sydney were closed Tuesday and local authorities said Sydney's northern beaches would remain closed to swimmers and surfers for 48 hours. Electronic drumlines that alert authorities when a large shark has taken bait were deployed off the Sydney coast. A couple look out to sea at North Steyne Beach in Sydney, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, after a series of shark attacks. Credit: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft Authorities warned that recent rainfall has left the water off area beaches murky, which increased the risk of bull shark attacks. Bull sharks are responsible for most attacks around Sydney. "If anyone's thinking of heading into the surf this morning anywhere along the northern beaches, think again. We have such poor water quality that's really conducive to some bull shark activity," Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said. "If you're thinking about going for a swim, just go to a local pool because at this stage, we're advising that beaches are unsafe," Peace added. On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was attacked after jumping from a 6-meter (20-foot) ledge known as Jump Rock near Shark Beach inside Sydney Harbor. Police have credited the boy's friends with saving his life by jumping from the cliff during the attack and dragging him back to shore. "Those actions of those young men are brave under the circumstances and very confronting injuries for those boys to see," Supt. Joseph McNulty said. A man is stationed at North Steyne Beach in Sydney as he uses a drone to scan the water, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, after a series of shark attacks. Credit: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft News media have reported that the boy lost both legs in the attack. Around noon Monday, an 11-year-old boy was on a surfboard that was attacked by a shark at Dee Why Beach, an ocean beach north of Manly. The shark bit off a chunk of the board, but the boy escaped uninjured. A surfer in his 20s was bitten on a leg by a shark off North Steyne Beach on the Pacific Ocean coast in the northern suburb of Manly at 6:20 p.m. Monday, police said. Bystanders pulled him from the water before an ambulance took him to a hospital in a critical condition. All three Sydney beaches have some form of shark protection netting. It was not immediately clear where the attacks occurred in relation to that netting. Pearce said the scene of the latest attack was isolated and did not have shark netting. Dee Why Beach is close to the beach where a 57-year-old surfer was killed by a suspected white shark last September. In November, a 25-year-old Swiss tourist was killed and her partner was seriously injured trying to save her as they swam off a national park north of Sydney. 2026 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: Open water with Mount Herschel in the background. These conditions are characterized by the presence of the diatom Corethron pennatum. Credit: Patrizia Giordano The remnants of ice attached to the coast offer astounding insights into the climate history of past millennia. An international research team led by the CNR Institute of Polar Sciences (Italy) and involving the University of Bonn has applied a new method of analyzing sediment drill cores to show the climate history of the past 3,700 years in Antarctica. Surprisingly, it is connected to the natural fluctuations in solar activity. The study has now been published in the journal Nature Communications. Ice forms wherever there is water and it gets cold enough. It can float freely in the sea as drift ice or can form pack ice when the wind and ocean currents connect ice floes together. For "fast ice," however, freedom is a thing of the past: It is no longer able to move, as it is firmly attached to the coast or the shallows. If this phenomenon were compared to a cocktail, the drift ice would be the ice cubes floating in the glass. The fast ice, however, would stick to the edge of the glassfor instance, if the cocktail mixer had frozen the glass beforehand to keep the drink cold longer. An international team of researchers focused on precisely this fast icenot in a cocktail glass but instead along the coast. Even in freezing Antarctica, the ice is subjected to constant change. If it gets warmer, it breaks up, melts, and gets thinner. If there is a cold period, it spreads. Fast ice influences biogeochemical cycles on the coast, governs the life of many Antarctic speciesincluding penguinsand, in some regions of the continent, even serves as a natural landing platform for aviation. The study developed a new method of tracking the thawing and freezing of the fast ice over thousands of years. These findings are crucial for understanding the natural factors that influence all forms of frozen water in Antarctica. The knowledge of this phenomenon helps researchers to distinguish natural fluctuations from human-induced climate change. "Fast ice is one of the 'missing pieces' in the puzzle of Antarctica," says Dr. Tommaso Tesi, the main author of the study by the Institute of Polar Sciences in Bologna. "We discovered that the time at which the fast ice breaks up is linked to long-term solar cycles." Dr. Michael Weber from the Institute of Geosciences at the University of Bonn, who provided the method, adds, "This offers a fundamentally new insight into how distant solar variability can bring about major changes in the Antarctic atmosphere and in the ocean." Dense fast ice with Mount Herschel and the Ironside and Honeycomb Glaciers (Moubray Bay) in the background. The ice is not free-floating, but firmly attached to the coast. Credit: Patrizia Giordano New technique decodes ice history with high precision Direct satellite observations of the fast ice in Antarctica only extend over the last few decades. This was not sufficient for the researchers, as they wanted to obtain data about the fast ice from past millennia to learn more about its long-term natural cycles. As a result, the research team focused on automated counting techniques for sediment cores taken from the Edisto Inlet on the northern coast of Victoria Land (Ross Sea). What sets these sediment cores apart is that they feature thin horizontal layers (laminae). The cores contain alternating dark and light layers, which depend on the conditions of the fast ice. Dark layers indicate the initial breaking up of the fast ice in early summer. Then high concentrations of diatoms, which live in the sea ice, are seen. Light layers, however, indicate prolonged ice-free conditions with open water, characterized by the presence of the diatom Corethron pennatum. Using the dark and light layers in the sediment drill cores, the researchers created a continuous record of the variability of fast ice over the last 3,700 years with the aid of further data on the tiny organisms and automated image analyses of these layers. The evaluation of this data showed that the breaking up of the fast ice does not follow a simple annual cycle, but instead shows a more complex pattern over longer timescales. 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. Solar cycles as drivers The analysis revealed persistent cyclical patterns in the breaking up of the fast ice that occur about every 90 years and 240 years and correspond to the known Gleissberg and Suess-de Vries solar cycles. Such cycles occur due to fluctuations in solar activity. The study describes a "cascade of events" that links solar activity to the stability of coastal ice. Changes in solar activity disrupt the zonal winds over the Southern Ocean. These altered winds drive the retreat of free-floating sea ice (regional pack ice) along the coast of Victoria Land. Satellite data confirm a strong link: If the protective pack ice retreats early, the mainland ice in the bay is exposed to local winds, waves and warmingcausing the ice to break up. Climate model simulations using exaggerated solar influences confirm this. They show that the increased solar radiation is a main driver for the warming of the sea surface, which reduces the insulating sea ice and increases heat exchange between the ocean and atmosphere. "Our approach offers a practicable way to expand the records about mainland ice far beyond the limits of the measuring instruments," said Dr. Tesi. In addition, Dr. Weber highlights further fields of application: "Given that laminated sediments occur often in Antarctic archives, this innovative technique offers significant potential for broader application," he says. "The method helps us to investigate the role of natural influences on the dynamics of the fast ice across the entire continent." Publication details T. Tesi et al, Late Holocene fast-ice dynamics around the Northern Victoria Land coast, Antarctica, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-67781-7. www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-67781-7 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: Cover of the Global Water Bankruptcy Report (UNU). Credit: UNU-INWEH and Pyae Phyo Aung Amid chronic groundwater depletion, water overallocation, land and soil degradation, deforestation, and pollution, all compounded by global heating, a UN report today declared the dawn of an era of global water bankruptcy, inviting world leaders to facilitate "honest, science-based adaptation to a new reality." "Global Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era," argues that the familiar terms "water stressed" and "water crisis" fail to reflect today's reality in many places: a post-crisis condition marked by irreversible losses of natural water capital and an inability to bounce back to historic baselines. "This report tells an uncomfortable truth: many regions are living beyond their hydrological means, and many critical water systems are already bankrupt," says lead author Kaveh Madani, Director of the UN University's Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), known as 'The UN's Think Tank on Water.' Expressed in financial terms, the report says many societies have not only overspent their annual renewable water "income" from rivers, soils, and snowpack, they have depleted long-term "savings" in aquifers, glaciers, wetlands, and other natural reservoirs. A sinkhole, caused by unsustainable groundwater extraction, is a classic symptom of water bankruptcy as specified in the latest Global Water Bankruptcy Report of the United Nations University. Credit: UNU-INWEH Global Water Bankruptcy Report, image by Ekrem07, Wikimedia Commons This has resulted in a growing list of compacted aquifers, subsided land in deltas and coastal cities, vanished lakes and wetlands, and irreversibly lost biodiversity. The UNU report is based on a peer-reviewed paper in the journal of Water Resources Management that formally defines water bankruptcy as: persistent over-withdrawal from surface and groundwater relative to renewable inflows and safe levels of depletion; and the resulting irreversible or prohibitively costly loss of water-related natural capital. By contrast: "Water stress" reflects high pressure that remains reversible "Water crisis" describes acute shocks that can be overcome The report is issued prior to a high-level meeting in Dakar, Senegal (2627 Jan.) to prepare the 2026 UN Water Conference, to be co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal 24 Dec. in the UAE. While not every basin and country is water-bankrupt, Madani says, "enough critical systems around the world have crossed these thresholds. These systems are interconnected through trade, migration, climate feedback, and geopolitical dependencies, so the global risk landscape is now fundamentally altered." An illustration of Water Bankruptcy, a situation resulting from insolvency and irreversibility in human-water systems (Global Water Bankruptcy Report). Credit: UNU-INWEH Madani underlines the following four essential points: Water cannot be protected if we allow the hydrological cycle, the climate, and the underlying natural capital that produces water to be interrupted or damaged. The world has an important and still largely untapped strategic opportunity to act. Water is an issue that crosses traditional political boundaries. It belongs to north and south, and to left and right. For that reason, it can serve as a bridge to create trust and unity between and within nations. In the fragmented world we live in, water can become a powerful focus for cooperation and for aligning national security with international priorities. Investment in water is also investment in mitigating climate change, biodiversity loss, and desertification. Water should not be treated only as a downstream sector affected by other environmental crises. On the contrary, targeted investment in water can address the immediate concerns of communities and nations while also advancing the objectives of the Rio Conventions (climate, biodiversity, desertification). A renewed global emphasis on water could help reaccelerate stalled negotiations and potentially reenergize halted international processes. A practical and cooperative focus on water offers a way to connect urgent local needs with long-term global goals. 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. Hotspots In the Middle East and North Africa region, high water stress, climate vulnerability, low agricultural productivity, energy-intensive desalination, and sand and dust storms intersect with complex political economies; In parts of South Asia, groundwater-dependent agriculture and urbanization have produced chronic declines in water tables and local subsidence; and In the American Southwest, the Colorado River and its reservoirs have become symbols of over-promised water. A world in the red Drawing on global datasets and recent scientific evidence, the report presents a stark statistical overview of trends, the overwhelming majority caused by humans: 50%: Large lakes worldwide that have lost water since the early 1990s (with 25% of humanity directly dependent on those lakes) 50%: Global domestic water now derived from groundwater 40%+: Irrigation water drawn from aquifers being steadily drained 70%: Major aquifers showing long-term decline 410 million hectares: Area of natural wetlandsalmost equal in size to the entire European Unionerased in the past five decades 30%+: Global glacier mass lost since 1970, with entire low- and mid-latitude mountain ranges expected to lose functional glaciers altogether within decades Dozens: Major rivers that now fail to reach the sea for parts of the year 50+ years: How long many river basins and aquifers have been overdrawing their accounts 100 million hectares: Cropland damaged by salinization alone And the human consequences: 75%: Humanity in countries classified as water-insecure or critically water-insecure 2 billion: People living on sinking ground. 25 cm: Annual drop being experienced by some cities 4 billion: People facing severe water scarcity at least one month every year 170 million hectares: Irrigated cropland under high or very high water stressequivalent to the areas of France, Spain, Germany, and Italy combined US$5.1 trillion: Annual value of lost wetland ecosystem services 3 billion: People living in areas where total water storage is declining or unstable, with 50%+ of global food produced in those same stressed regions. 1.8 billion: People living under drought conditions in 20222023 US$307 billion: Current annual global cost of drought 2.2 billion: People who lack safely managed drinking water, while 3.5 billion lack safely managed sanitation Says Madani: "Millions of farmers are trying to grow more food from shrinking, polluted, or disappearing water sources. Without rapid transitions toward water-smart agriculture, water bankruptcy will spread rapidly." A new diagnosis for a new era A region can be flooded one year and still be water bankrupt, he adds, if long-term withdrawals exceed replenishment. In that sense, water bankruptcy is not about how wet or dry a place looks, but about balance, accounting, and sustainability. Says Madani: As with global climate change or pandemics, a declaration of global water bankruptcy does not imply uniform impact everywhere, but that enough systems across regions and income levels have become insolvent and crossed irreversible thresholds to constitute a planetary-scale condition. "Water bankruptcy is also global because its consequences travel," Madani explains. "Agriculture accounts for the vast majority of freshwater use, and food systems are tightly interconnected through trade and prices. "When water scarcity undermines farming in one region, the effects ripple through global markets, political stability, and food security elsewhere. This makes water bankruptcy not a series of isolated local crises, but a shared global risk that demands a new type of response: bankruptcy management, not crisis management." A call to reset the global water agenda The report warns that the current global water agendalargely focused on drinking water, sanitation, and incremental efficiency improvementsis no longer fit for purpose in many places and calls for a new global water agenda that: Formally recognizes the state of water bankruptcy Recognizes water as both a constraint and an opportunity for meeting climate, biodiversity, and land commitments Elevates water issues in climate, biodiversity, and desertification negotiations, development finance, and peacebuilding processes. Embeds water-bankruptcy monitoring in global frameworks, using Earth observation, AI, and integrated modeling Uses water as a catalyst to accelerate cooperation between the UN Member States In practical terms, managing water bankruptcy requires governments to focus on the following priorities: Prevent further irreversible damage such as wetland loss, destructive groundwater depletion, and uncontrolled pollution Rebalance rights, claims, and expectations to match degraded carrying capacity Support just transitions for communities whose livelihoods must change Transform water-intensive sectors, including agriculture and industry, through crop shifts, irrigation reforms, and more efficient urban systems Build institutions for continuous adaptation, with monitoring systems linked to threshold-based management The report underlines that water bankruptcy is not merely a hydrological problem, but a justice issue with deep social and political implications requiring attention at the highest levels of government and multilateral cooperation. The burdens fall disproportionately on smallholder farmers, Indigenous Peoples, low-income urban residents, women and youth, while the benefits of overuse often accrued to more powerful actors. "Water bankruptcy is becoming a driver of fragility, displacement, and conflict," says UN Under-Secretary-General Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of UNU. "Managing it fairlyensuring that vulnerable communities are protected and that unavoidable losses are shared equitablyis now central to maintaining peace, stability, and social cohesion." "Bankruptcy management requires honesty, courage, and political will," Madani adds. "We cannot rebuild vanished glaciers or reinflate acutely compacted aquifers. But we can prevent further loss of our remaining natural capital, and redesign institutions to live within new hydrological limits." Upcoming milestonesthe 2026 and 2028 UN Water Conferences, the end of the Water Action Decade in 2028, and the 2030 SDG deadline, for exampleprovide critical opportunities to implement this shift, he says. "Despite its warnings, the report is not a statement of hopelessness," adds Madani. "It is a call for honesty, realism, and transformation. Declaring bankruptcy is not about giving upit is about starting fresh. By acknowledging the reality of water bankruptcy, we can finally make the hard choices that will protect people, economies, and ecosystems. The longer we delay, the deeper the deficit grows." More information Global Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era, DOI: 10.53328/INR26KAM001 China inaugurates university specializing in emergency management Xinhua) 09:14, January 20, 2026 Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends a conference marking the inauguration of the University of Emergency Management and delivers a speech in Langfang, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong) SHIJIAZHUANG, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- A conference marking the inauguration of the University of Emergency Management was recently held in Langfang, north China's Hebei Province. Attending the inauguration event, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing said that the establishment of the university was a major policy decision aimed at strengthening the cultivation of emergency management professionals and the development of related disciplines, as well as promoting the modernization of the emergency management system. Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, called on the university to seize the opportunity and strive to make solid progress toward the goal of building a distinctive, world-class, and high-level applied research university, provide intellectual support for safeguarding people's lives and property, and promote the reform and development of the cause of emergency management. Zhang urged the university to build disciplines and majors serving the fields of work safety, natural disaster prevention and control, and emergency rescue and relief in line with practical needs. He also emphasized the importance of practical training, with a view to cultivating talent who possess both theoretical knowledge and hands-on capabilities in emergency response. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) 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 The staff running the federal World Trade Center Health Program has been cut by 25% as the number of sick 9/11 survivors the group treats is expected to increase by 10,000 this year, the Daily News has learned. Survivor advocates are demanding U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lift the agency's hiring freeze and fully staff the program before the personnel shortfall adversely affects first responders and survivors seeking help. "Over the last 11 months, since you took over as secretary of Health and Human Services, you have ignored the program staffing needs, resulting in disrupting key WTC Health Program operations," Benjamin Chevat, executive director of 9/11 Health Watch, wrote in a letter to Kennedy earlier this week that was acquired by The News. "Today the (program) is at risk because staffing and policy approvals have not kept up with the increased demand for servicesnecessary, often lifesaving services that exposed, ill members rely on." Since taking over HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kennedy has authorized drastic cuts to the WTC Health Program personnel, as well as the firing of program head Dr. John Howard, which was reversed last year after lawmakers from both sides of the aisle sounded the alarm. The rare reversal from the Trump administration saw Kennedy restore two research grants and the jobs of 16 employees. When Kennedy testified before Congress last year and was questioned about his decisions, he admitted the firings were "a mistake." Yet while the WTC Health Program is budgeted for 120 staffers, it currently has only 84, Chevat said. "After the dust cleared from your waves of firings and rehirings, the program now has fewer staff members than when you took over in February," Chevat says in his letter. "That means there are 36 vacancies, more than 25% of the 120 staff, the required minimum needed to ensure medical monitoring and treatment for the responders and survivors enrolled in the program." Enrollment in the program over the last two years has grown by 20,000, Chevat said. An additional 10,000 people are expected to enroll in the program this year. "You have created a 25% staff shortfall in the face of a 25% increase in members," Chevat wrote, adding that the reduced staff has caused slower treatment approvals, backlogged research grant authorizations, and inadequate supervision over cases. In his letter, Chevat notes that Jan. 2 marked the 15-year anniversary of when the Zadroga Act, which created the WTC Health Program, was signed into law. "You cannot run a program with more responders and survivors needing services with less staff and expect care not to sufferespecially a program that depends on so many vendors and contractors who need supervision. But that is what is happening," Chevat wrote. "But despite the growing numbers of responders and survivors needing services, the program cannot hire the staff to meet that need because of the ongoing CDC-wide hiring freeze." More than 140,000 first responders and survivors rely on the WTC Health Program to get treatment and medication and monitor injuries and illnesses caused by the toxins kicked up into the air on 9/11 and the weeks that followed. Since Kennedy took over HHS, 9/11 advocate groups haven't been able to officially speak with anyone to learn if the WTC Health Program has verified any of the new medical conditions linked to the toxins that swirled above Ground Zero following the terror attacks or if any studies are being conducted on new maladies 9/11 sufferers are facing. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. A steering committee had met nearly every month for 24 years to discuss health issues facing 9/11 responders and survivors until Kennedy took over, Chevat said. Invitations to WTC Health Program members to attend the meetings have been met with a curt response, indicating that the HHS has "issued a pause on mass communications and public appearances that are not directly related to emergencies or critical to preserving health." The 9/11 Health Watch is asking Kennedy to remove the hiring freeze so more staffers can be hired, lift communications restrictions between the program and the 9/11 survivor community and to finally decide on petitions that have been pending for more than three years that would add several cardiac, autoimmune and cognitive issues to the list of the program's covered conditions. An email to the HHS regarding Chevat's letter was not immediately returned. Local elected officials have voiced their displeasure at how the WTC Health Program is currently run. In a letter that New York Democratic Sens. Kristin Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer wrote jointly last summer, they noted that the program's support contracts for doctors and pharmacists "will soon be up for renewal." "As far as we know, there is no staff available to work on updating requirements and requests for proposals and there is insufficient staff to do the ongoing contract approvals the current contracts require," the senators wrote. "Unless this contract work can occur in a timely fashion, clinical care will be further impacted because providers will not be paid and medications will not be filled." 2026 New York Daily News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Man who planned logistics including getaway in Tulum cenote murders in custody Tulum, Q.R. Local authorities have made another arrest in the shooting deaths of two people at a Tulum cenote earlier this month. Investigative Police officers have arrested a man they have identified as Pablo Jesus N. Police reported that he is suspected of involvement in drug trafficking, specifically small-scale drug dealing. He is also allegedly implicated in the aggravated homicide of an Argentine citizen and another person, which occurred on January 9 of this year. Pablo Jesus N is believe connected to the January 9 shooting at a Tulum cenote parking lot that left two people dead. He is accused of organizing the logistics for the planned shooting, being the person responsible for renting a hotel where the hitmen stayed. Police say he also provided the getaway transportation for the hitmen as well as ensured their protection. Pablo Jesus N was arrested on Juanek Avenue in the Carlos Joaquin neighborhood of Tulum. During his arrest, police found marijuana, cocaine, an AR-15 rifle, two loaded magazines and a bulletproof vest inside a Nissan taxi. According to preliminary investigations, the suspect is allegedly involved in a homicide that occurred in a cenote parking lot. His involvement reportedly consisted of renting hotel rooms in Tulum to members of a criminal group involved in the crime, police said. He is also alleged to have been responsible for transporting them from one location to another on the day of the homicide, as well as protecting them and moving them with weapons and drugs, Pablo Jesus N is the fifth person implicated in the Tulum cenote parking lot shooting that killed two men, an Argentinian citizen and local resident, while injuring one other. Between January 12 and 14, four men were arrested related to the Tulum cenote shooting. All four men were arrested in Playa del Carmen. Riviera Maya News bringing you headline news for Tulum since 2014 Your official online newspaper Police say gun found during arrests match 2025 murder of Cancun man Cancun, Q.R. A gun found during the arrest of three people during a drug bust has been connected to a 2025 Cancun murder. The two men and one woman were taken into custody in a residential area on drug offences. During their arrests, police found a loaded gun that has since been tied to the October shooting death of a Cancun man. All three were detained in the El Milagro residential neighborhood where, police said, they controlled drug sales. On Monday, authorities confirmed that after analysis, the gun found in their possession matches the one used in the SM 248 shooting death of a local man. Police say 35 year old Griselda Viridiana, alias La Flaca from Guanajuato along with 33 year old Josue N and Angel Mario N (no age provided), both from Veracruz, are in custody. All three are reported part of a criminal group that controls drug sales in the Villas del Mar, Casas del Mar, Galaxias del Sol and Maracuya neighborhoods of Cancun. On October 11, 2025, Salvador N was shot and killed by a man police have identified as Josue N, the leader of the group. Police say the shell casings found on the day of Salvadors murder matched the ballistics test with the weapon that the now detained individuals had during their arrests. The murder was over the sale of narcotics. Riviera Maya News bringing you headline news for Cancun since 2014 Your official online newspaper Cultures soaked in envy invite stagnation, resentment, and conflict. Those that promote gratitude, self-examination, and excellence have a much better chance at enjoying peace and prosperity. Which road are we on now? Political rhetoric surrounding wealth and inequality increasingly reveals an emotive posture rather than an economic argument, since public discourse now treats success as a moral provocation and prosperity as a form of quiet aggression. Consequently, policy proposals arrive wrapped in moral language that frames redistribution as justice and resentment as compassion. This cultural shift aligns closely with what Thomas Aquinas identified as envy, which he defined as tristitia de bono alterius, sorrow at anothers good (Summa Theologiae IIII, q.36, a.1). Therefore, modern class warfare appears less innovative than advertised, since its animating force reflects an ancient vice given institutional form. Aquinas treated envy as a uniquely corrosive disposition because it warps moral perception rather than merely restraining action. Anger reacts to perceived injury, while greed seeks possession, yet envy resents excellence itself. Therefore, the envious person experiences anothers flourishing as a personal diminishment, even when no harm occurs. Aquinas further observed that envy generates secondary vices such as detraction, joy at anothers misfortune, and hatred (ST IIII, q.36, a.4). Consequently, once envy enters the bloodstream of social policy, it multiplies dysfunction rather than correcting injustice. This diagnosis finds early narrative expression in the Cain and Abel account. Genesis describes Cains offering as receiving divine disregard, whereas Abels receives favor, after which Cains countenance falls (Gen. 4:5). The Lords response targets Cains interior state rather than the external disparity: Sin is couching at the door; its desire is for you, yet you must rule over it (Gen. 4:7). Therefore, Scripture locates the crisis within the soul before it manifests in violence. Cains resentment seeks resolution through elimination of the other rather than transformation of the self, thereby establishing a pattern that repeats throughout history whenever grievance replaces virtue as a social engine. The Talmud approaches envy with similar sobriety, through the lens of ordered desire and rational discipline. The Torah warned against covetous dispositions that fixate upon anothers possessions or status, since such fixation distorts judgment and undermines communal harmony. Therefore, the remedy for envy involved habituation toward moderation and gratitude rather than structural coercion. Reformed Jewish scholars Bruce and Barbara Kadden, in Teaching Mitzvot, saliently noted that, according to the Talmud, the tenth commandment summarizes all of the previous ones because envy leads to other sins (pesachin 107a). A desire for something could lead to covetousness, which might lead to robbery, and then to tyranny. Maimonides in his commentaries on the lo tachmod (do not covet) noted: Coveting leads to robbery. For if the owners do not desire to sell, despite a generous offer and much supplication, motivated by a desire for the item, a person may revert to robbery, as it states in the book of Michah: They coveted houses and they stole. And if the owner were to resist and attempt to save his property then the perpetrators may be moved to murder. He and the Talmudic authors understood that external leveling without interior reform amplifies vice rather than curing it, since the soul remains restless even after redistribution. Adam Smith, often mischaracterized as an apostle of unrestrained self-interest, offered a complementary insight through his analysis of sympathy and moral sentiment. In The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith observed that human beings instinctively admire success yet resent superiority, yet civilized society requires moral formation to channel these instincts productively lest envy prejudice the outlook of citizens on the good of others. Therefore, commercial society flourishes when admiration encourages emulation rather than resentment. Smith warned that resentment toward excellence corrodes social trust, since citizens begin to interpret achievement as exploitation rather than contribution. Considering these insights, Marxs analysis fails at the level of moral psychology, since it treats envy as insight rather than disorder. He also recasts resentment as historical consciousness. By reducing economic life to class antagonism, Marx collapses moral agency into material position, thereby absolving the interior life from scrutiny. Consequently, virtue disappears from the analysis, replaced by structural determinism that interprets success as theft and excellence as domination. This framework offers emotional validation to grievance while discouraging self-command, gratitude, and moral aspiration. Therefore, Marxism functions less as an economic science and more as a catechism of resentment, sanctifying hostility toward productive achievement while promising liberation through coercive leveling that history repeatedly confirms as socially corrosive. In that vein of thinking, modern envy economics rejects virtuous moral formation in favor of moralization of resentment. Wealth taxes and punitive regulatory schemes increasingly present success as evidence of wrongdoing rather than creative service. Consequently, political discourse shifts from opportunity expansion toward grievance management. It can be argued that societies collapsing under envy attempt to suppress visible differences rather than cultivate shared standards of excellence. Therefore, leveling becomes a substitute for aspiration, and coercion replaces admiration as the primary social mechanism. Envy thrives in cultures that lose confidence in transcendent meaning. When honor, vocation, and excellence detach from moral purpose, status competition intensifies without restraint. Therefore, economic outcomes become proxies for moral worth, and disparity becomes intolerable regardless of its origins. Biblical anthropology anticipated this danger by grounding human dignity in divine image rather than comparative success: God created man in his own image (Gen. 1:27). Consequently, Scripture removes the metaphysical fuel that envy requires to flourish unchecked. Aquinas reinforced this point by locating peace within rightly ordered love. Charity, he argued, rejoices in anothers good as ones own (ST IIII, q.23, a.1). Therefore, the virtuous soul experiences prosperity as expansion rather than threat. Envy economics inverts this logic by treating gain as zero sum, thereby ensuring permanent conflict. Once policy internalizes this anthropology, it legitimizes coercion as moral necessity, since force becomes the only means to resolve perpetual grievance. Historical experience confirms this trajectory. Societies that elevate envy into principle gradually abandon creativity in favor of extraction. Enterprise becomes suspect, innovation becomes dangerous, and compliance becomes the safest path. Consequently, talent migrates or withdraws, while bureaucratic management expands to fill the vacuum. God through Samuel warned Israel about this pattern long before modern political economy emerged: He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers (1 Sam. 8:15). Therefore, centralized redistribution emerges as a sign of social distrust rather than communal strength. The psychological consequences of envy economics also merit attention. Resentment externalizes failure, thereby relieving individuals of self-examination. Aquinas described this process as spiritual acedia in social form, where sorrow toward excellence dulls aspiration and corrodes hope (ST IIII, q.35). Consequently, cultures shaped by envy experience declining initiative alongside rising entitlement. Welfare systems then expand to manage the resulting stagnation, thereby reinforcing the cycle they seek to address. By contrast, societies that cultivate virtue encourage creative enterprise alongside moral responsibility. Biblical wisdom literature praises diligence while condemning sloth without romanticizing poverty: The hand of the diligent makes rich (Prov. 10:4). Therefore, prosperity emerges as a moral outcome rather than as an accident. Charity functions relationally rather than bureaucratically, and assistance preserves dignity through proximity and accountability. Maimonides articulated this hierarchy in his famous ladder of charity, where the highest form involved enabling self-sufficiency rather than permanent dependence (Mishneh Torah, Gifts to the Poor 10:7). Modern class rhetoric frequently dismisses such formation as naive, although its alternatives have produced consistent decline. Envy-driven systems tend to require constant expansion of surveillance and enforcement, since compliance depends upon coercion rather than consent. Therefore, liberty erodes gradually as moral trust dissolves. Aquinas anticipated this outcome by insisting that law functions best when it presupposes virtue rather than attempting to manufacture it (ST III, q.96, a.2). The biblical vision offers a different path, one rooted in gratitude and vocation. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard confronts envy directly, as those who worked longer resent equal wages given to latecomers. The landowner responds with moral clarity: Am I allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity? (Matt. 20:15). Therefore, Scripture reframes fairness through covenantal generosity rather than comparative resentment. The problem lies within the eye rather than the wage. Aquinas and Maimonides explain todays class warfare with greater precision than Marx because they diagnose the moral psychology beneath economic conflict. Envy-driven societies institutionalize sorrow at anothers good, thereby drifting toward coercion, stagnation, and decline. Conversely, societies that cultivate virtue, gratitude, and creative enterprise generate prosperity alongside peace. The choice remains perennial and unavoidable, since Cain still stands at the door, awaiting either mastery or surrender. Hilary Duff has performed Lizzie McGuire song What Dreams Are Made Of live for the first time. Hilary Duff paid tribute to Lizzie McGuire this week The 38-year-old star - who played the titular character in two seasons of the Disney Channel sitcom - paid tribute to the beloved series on Monday (19.01.26) as she played the hit track from 2003's Lizzie McGuire Movie during a concert in London. Hilary was performing at the 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire - her first concert since 2015 - when she closed her set with the tune. The show has come just days before she releases her new album luck... or something. Hilary was just 14 years old when she recorded the Disney track for the comedy film, but she's come to "love it" despite not remembering the sessions. She recently told the Therapuss podcast: "I will say, now I love it. And when I was filming the movie, I loved it. "It was just a weird time, and it wasn't technically my song. It was a Lizzie McGuire song." Over two decades on, Hilary admitted it is "a lot of joy" getting to sing the song, and she was excited by the prospect of adding it to her setlist. She said: "When I sing it now, I feel a lot of joy. I just think there was such a separation back then of me and my music and Lizzie McGuire. "I didnt really get to perform that song live, because I didnt own it. "But if I would ever tour again, I think maybe I would be allowed to manage to sing that song somehow.some way. Maybe, maybe. Hypothetically. The sitcom was in line for a Disney+ revival, but plans were scrapped as in late 2020 over creative differences between the star and producers. She added to Therapuss last year: "I think that there was just disagreements on how far we could take [Lizzie] and where she is, as you know, she would have been when we were filming that 30 or 31. And for me, I was that age and so I just also felt so deeply connected to her as a character because we were the same... And I was like, oh, man, we cant Mary Tyler Moore her thats not, I dont know, it was 2023. You know what I mean? Theres social media and we werent I wasnt trying to have her wake up and do bong rips or anything, but she was a normal 30-year-old, you know? "So, there was some things I think they just werent like, totally willing to go there. On January 16, H.E. Ambassador Zhao Yong, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone hosted a reception on the occasion of assumption of office. More than 130 guests attended, including His Lordship Chief Justice Kamanda, Minister of Energy and other cabinet ministers, Director General Logan of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, senior military officers, friends from various sectors of Sierra Leone, members of the diplomatic corps, as well as representatives of Chinese enterprises and the Chinese community in Sierra Leone. Ambassador Zhao stated that the friendship between China and Sierra Leone is long-standing. In recent years, high-level exchanges between the two countries have grown increasingly close, and practical cooperation has continued to deepen. China stands ready to work with Sierra Leone to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state as an opportunity to elevate bilateral relations to a new level and contribute to building an all-weather ChinaAfrica community with a shared future in the new era. On behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone, Director General Logan warmly welcomed Ambassador Zhao on his assumption of office. He noted that China is a trusted and reliable partner of Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leonean side attaches great importance to developing relations with China, remains firmly committed to the one-China principle, and is willing to work closely with China to achieve more tangible outcomes in mutually beneficial cooperation. The reception was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere and received extensive coverage from several major Sierra Leonean media outlets throughout the event. On the afternoon of January 19, 2026, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhao Leji held talks with Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Sardar Ayaz Sadiq at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Zhao Leji said that China and Pakistan are ironclad friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners. Last year, President Xi Jinping met respectively with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, providing new strategic guidance for the development of China-Pakistan relations. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. China is ready to work with Pakistan to implement the important common understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and bring greater benefits to the two peoples. Zhao Leji noted that China highly appreciates Pakistan's long-standing and firm support on issues related to China's core interests and major concerns. China will, as always, firmly support Pakistan in safeguarding its state independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity, and support Pakistan in maintaining unity and stability and achieving development and prosperity. China is willing to further synergize its 15th Five-Year Plan with Pakistan's National Economic Transformation Plan (URAAN Pakistan) for the 2024-2029 period, work with Pakistan to advance the development of the upgraded Version 2.0 of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and to deliver more achievements in key areas such as industry, agriculture, mining, transportation and people's livelihoods. China supports Pakistan's resolute efforts to combat terrorism. The two sides should jointly organize activities to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, youth, media, and other fields. China appreciates Pakistan's pioneering support for the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping and is willing to work together to implement these initiatives effectively, jointly defend the United Nations Charter and international law, uphold true multilateralism, and promote international fairness and justice. Zhao Leji emphasized that China's NPC is willing to work with the National Assembly of Pakistan to strengthen exchanges and cooperation at multiple levels and in multiple fields, focusing on topics such as rural revitalization and green development, and to deepen the sharing of working experience in state governance, legislation, and supervision. He stated the need to promptly formulate and adopt legal documents conducive to bilateral cooperation, providing legal safeguards for the CPEC and the Belt and Road cooperation. He also called for enhanced coordination and cooperation on multilateral platforms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Asian Parliamentary Assembly to safeguard the common interests of both countries and other developing nations. Zhao Leji also gave an introduction to the system of people's congresses. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq stated that the ironclad friendship between Pakistan and China remains strong over time, and the bilateral relationship is of strategic significance. Pakistan firmly supports China's position on core interests and major concerns related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, and Xizang. He expressed hope to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade, investment, infrastructure development, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and personnel training. The National Assembly of Pakistan is willing to deepen exchanges and cooperation with China's NPC and make legislative contributions to advancing Pakistan-China friendship. Shohrat Zakir attended the talks. All weekend long, the headlines out of Minneapolis have captured a moment that is by turns alarming and bizarre. For instance, in the wake of the killing of Renee Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, protesters have been gathering at a federal building out by the airport in the bitter cold. Police have greeted them with chemical irritants. Meanwhile, downtown, a pardoned Jan. 6 rioter tried to stage a protest in support of the Trump administration. But his small group was quickly overwhelmedand pelted with water balloons. Locals blasted music from the movie Frozen and carried signs reading ICE out of Minnesota. Around the time that Jan. 6er was getting soaked, What Next host Mary Harris hopped on a call with Keith Ellison, the states attorney general. On a recent episode of What Next, the two discussed the challenging situation in Minneapolis, why it may take time to bring charges over Goods killing, and how Ellison is standing up to President Donald Trump. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Mary Harris: I want to talk about what your office has been doing in the wake of the killing of Renee Good. Youre working with a local prosecutor to beseech the public to send you evidence in this case, and evidence more generally of how immigration enforcement is going down in the state of Minnesota? Keith Ellison: Yeah, two different portals. One is through the Hennepin County attorneys office for evidence concerning the death of Good, and the other one is just general information on what ICE is doing, what theyre up to. And theyre for two separate reasons. One is going to help us determine whether it would be appropriate to file charges against Jonathan Ross, and that decision has not been made yet. And I dont want people to worry. It is the practice for criminal investigations to first investigate, then make a charging decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its been days since Renee Good was killed. Many people have seen the video of her death through multiple angles, multiple different videos. Can you explain to me as a lawyer why the evidence Ive seen is not sufficient to at least impanel a grand jury to consider charges against the officer who shot her? The reason is very simple. Evidence is being gathered as quickly as possible. The final autopsy is not even done yet, and it might not be done in the normal course of events yet. But also, the local FBI, under the direction of the federal government, has been told to deny the state access to the car, which includes the windows that could show the trajectory of bullets, the shell casings, and the gun. Wouldnt bringing charges mean that you had to have access to that evidence? Maybe a judge would say you have to? Advertisement Well, look, you want to have the best case before you file charges. You may still need to do some discovery demands. You mentioned this other portal, the fact that youre also seeking information about how immigration enforcement is behaving in general in Minneapolis and in Minnesota. And I have to say that over the past week, Ive seen so much troubling information coming out of Minneapolis. Ive seen reports of protestors talking about being thrown in cars, being groped by ICE agents, being called names. There are people being told: Didnt you see what happened to that woman? Are you seeing prosecutable behavior when you see these things? Advertisement Yeahthey say it in the most disgusting terms, by the way. Its not just Didnt you see what happened to that woman? Its Didnt you see what happened to that effing , then theres an expletive about her sexual orientation. Its just the nastiest, most revolting, insulting way possible. Weve seen all of that and more. Advertisement Advertisement But one of the challenges we have right now is that prosecutors do not do investigations; police do them. And, quite frankly, its simply outside the experience and culture of police to arrest federal agents, because usually federal agents are doing what the statute says theyre supposed to do, reasonably connected to their legal obligation. They might not do it the way you would do it, and they might violate the rights of people. But more or less, theyre doing what the law says to do. Now, this is very different. I mean, you mentioned throwing people in cars. Theyre ripping people out of cars too. Theyre smashing their windows. Theyre throwing smoke bombs and chemical irritants under the car. There was an infant who stopped breathing and needed CPR by the parents. Theyve been at high schoolssaturating high schools, terrorizing kids. Theres been a wide range of crazy behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge just issued an injunction barring ICE agents from retaliating against protesters in Minnesota. I wonder if you think the federal agents will be abiding by that order, and what that order includes. Well, let me tell you this: It is a good thing that Judge Kate Menendez issued that very thoughtful order. Before we race ahead and say, Oh my God, this order could have a problem, lets just say that the judge considered the evidence and found that the agency was violating peoples rights and she needed to issue an order to protect them. What have you learned from seeing how the Trump administration and immigration enforcement have operated in other cities before they came to your region? Are there lessons you took from that? Or do you feel that there are critical differences in how the agents are behaving now that theyre in Minneapolis? Advertisement Advertisement Theres both. The caper they pulled in Chicago, where they descended upon the apartment building, where theyre kicking in doors indiscriminately, that was sort of an indication that were dealing with people who have absolutely no sense of legality, propriety, or decency. They will harm anyone they want. People analogize it to the Gestapo. And those analogies are very appropriate. We saw that behavior. Me and my fellow attorneys general talk about this stuff all the time. Weve been in touch. Of course, the Minnesota one is the biggest surge theyve done, so nobody really could prepare us for what weve seen. But talking to the folks from Oregon, they taught us a lot about using humor. Youll remember the frog suits and stuff like that. Advertisement I would say that weve learned a lot from our colleagues, but this one has been the biggest and most severe and most aggressive surge. And so, because of that, we are dealing from no playbook here. But we do have a playbook. Its called the U.S. Constitution, and were going to enforce it. Advertisement Republicans say theyre going after your state because theres a big undocumented population (thats a lie) and that the Somali community has been engaged in fraud, and that fraud has not been taken seriously by the local leaders. What do you say to that? Well, if Trump wanted to help us deal with fraud, he would have sent us accountants. Instead, he sent us armed paramilitaries wearing masks, kicking in doors, grabbing whoever. Now, how is that rationally related to white-collar-crime reduction? Its just ridiculous. Do you think theres anything leaders in Minnesota could have done to prevent this? Some would say taking the fraud more seriously would have prevented the most aggressive action. Advertisement First, we take fraud very seriously. My office has prosecuted over 300 people for Medicaid fraud and convicted them. And some have gone to prison, and theyve all been held accountable. This is not about fraud. And if Trump was so concerned about fraud, why would he be pardoning fraudsters who have been committing fraud all over the country? He himself has Trump University fraud. He himself has been convicted civilly. Hes had a civil liability for defrauding the assessment of his buildings and in his taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not about fraud. Youre never going to see somebody doing something wicked and evil and bad saying it. Its never happened in the history of humanity. Even Hitler said, I was protecting the homeland and my people. Mussolini had a reason. Franco had a reason. They all have a reason for the wickedness that they do. If and when the Department of Justice opens an investigation into you, I wonder if you have a game plan. I got a lawyer. Thats my game plan. Heres the thing: Your question is a good one, because what wrong was Tish James doing? None. What wrong was James Comey doing? None. It doesnt matter whether youve committed a crime or acted in violation of the law. What matters is if youve offended the king. It doesnt sound as if you have any problem offending the king. Advertisement I would have no problem giving credit where credit is due if any was due. I just havent seen any. This is a president who has taken onto himself the power to taxthats what a tariff iswhich is Congress job. Hes taken onto himself the power to spend. Hes taken onto himself the power to adjudicate what the outcome of a particular controversy should be. Thats the judiciarys job. He is collapsing the functions of the three levels of government into himself. And then the other element of federalism, which is the balance between the state and the central government, hes trying to convert states into lesser bodies of sovereignty than we are. And so what do we do with that? Stand around and hope for the best? At some point, just trying to be polite isnt going to work. And theres no amount of sucking up thats going to win you favor from this guy. Timothy Busfield has been edited out of the movie You Deserve Each Other in the wake of his child sex abuse charges. Timothy Busfield has been removed from the film You Deserve Each Other The 68-year-old actor was set to play a supporting role in the rom-com led by Meghann Fahy and Penn Badgley but has now been removed from the Amazon MGM Studios flick after being charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one count of child abuse from alleged incidents that took place on the set of The Cleaning Lady - the TV series that Busfield directed several episodes of - from 2022 to 2025. The West Wing star faces the prospect of a decade in prison if he is found guilty after turning himself into police in New Mexico on January 13, five days after an arrest warrant was issued. Busfield has maintained his innocence but is yet to enter a formal plea, with a pre-trial detention motion hearing scheduled for Tuesday (20.01.26). The Field of Dreams actor's wife Melissa Gilbert has stood by him following the allegations and wrote a letter pleading with the judge in his case to ensure that he is "protected" in jail. She penned: "I am trying to tow a line between logic and all the feelings swirling through me. I began this letter with logic, but now the feelings have taken over. I can't help it. "I only want this extraordinary man safe and whole. So, I will close by asking you to please, please, take care of my sweet husband. As he is my protector, I am his, but I cannot protect him now and I think that, more than anything else, is what is truly breaking my heart, I am relying on you to protect him for me." The Little House on the Prairie star explained how she considers he husband to have a strong "moral compass", despite the gravity of the charges against him. The 61-year-old actress wrote: "The reality is that Tim Busfield is my love, my rock, my partner in business and life. He is my comfort and my council. His joy, humour and quick wit bring sparkle to my life. Tim is, quite simply, the beating heart of our wild and wonderful extended family. "I can tell you, and anyone, that I know Tim better and more intimately than anything in his life ever has. Conversely, he knows me in the same way. "Tim has the strongest moral compass of any human I have ever known. He has dedicated his spiritual self to always being of service to others. He starts every day with kindness and compassion." With the 2025 O'Brien Awards less than two weeks away, Trot Insider will shine the spotlight on this year's finalists starting with the O'Brien Award of Horsemanship. The OBrien Award of Horsemanship recognizes a trainer who exemplifies the high standard of horsemanship that was demonstrated by Joe OBrien during their career, including the outstanding care and training of Standardbreds, respect for the horse, a commitment to equine welfare and success in the development and training of young horses. Criteria for evaluation include integrity, professionalism and a commitment to putting the welfare of horses first. Other measures for evaluation include performance ratings, stakes wins as a percentage of overall starts and race lines that indicate signs of development and maturity. From the five candidates put forward by the Nominating Committee, the finalists are Jamie Gray, Carl Jamieson, and Dr. Ian Moore. Strictly from a numbers perspective, the argument could be made that Jamie Gray posted his best season ever in 2025. With a 0.468 UTRS, the Sturgeon County, Alta. resident posted a 35-19-11 summary from just 105 starts with $643,385 in earnings. His purse total was the fourth best of accomplished career, but those seasons featured three to five times more starts. "It's an honour," said Gray when asked about being a finalist in the Horsemanship category. "I still have a letter I received from Joe O'Brien when I was 16 years old and I was looking for employment." Handling duties as trainer, blacksmith and driver, Gray developed and conditioned the likes of 2025 O'Brien Award finalist Custard Dolce, with stablemates B A Dragon and Ruler Of Dragons notching top-two finishes in the Alberta Super Final for two-year-old pacers. In fact, all of his two- and three-year-olds won stakes races in Alberta in 2025. A first-time finalist in this division who has attended the awards gala previously, Gray is looking forward to returning to the O'Brien Awards later this month. "It's a great event, with great horses and horsemen, and it's a chance to take my wife [Shelley] out dancing." Gray's competition in this division boasts Hall of Fame credentials. Carl Jamieson won this award in 2006, and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Famer is now a back-to-back finalist for the O'Brien Award of Horsemanship after stellar seasons in both 2024 and 2025. "It's a nice honour. Just being nominated is good. Top three in Canada," noted Jamieson, indicating that his numbers were strong in quality despite not having the quantity of past years. "We started with 11 and we qualified eight out of 11. It was a pretty good year for the babies, really." In 2025, the Puslinch, Ont,-based Jamieson posted his best season in more than a decade with $1.14 million in purse earnings from his 151 starts by virtue of a 32-27-24 summary. Two Jamieson trainees rookie male pacer Tilthecowscomehome and sophomore pacing colt Fifth And Five are among the 2025 O'Brien Award finalists. "It's really great," said Jamieson when asked about being at the O'Brien Awards as a finalist with horses also up for divisional honours. "For anybody to be able to do that...it's a tough business. To get them there and be successful in a stakes program like Ontario, it's a pretty big deal. "We're going to have a good time there, for sure." The third finalist in this category, Dr. Ian Moore, can capture his third O'Brien Award of Horsemanship in 2025. The Hall of Fame trainer made his way to the stage after his name was called for this award in 2015 and 2022. While criteria for the award has evolved over the years, no horseman has won this award three times as Moore, Bill Davis (2003, 2014), Keith Clark (2004, 2011), Gilles Barrieau (2005, 2019), Rick Zeron (2010, 2016), Marc Campbell (2012, 2017), Kelly Hoerdt (2013, 2020) and Guy Gagnon (2018, 2014) all claim two trophies in this category. "Just to be named a finalist is huge for me, especially amongst some of the other names that have been nominated," stated Moore. "I'm looking forward to the OBrien Award night." Like Jamieson, Moore also comes into the 2025 O'Brien Award with finalists in the two- and three-year-old pacing colt categories with the undefeated freshman Beau Jangles and the millionaire sophomore Prince Hal Hanover. Those two stakes winners propelled the Cambridge, Ont. resident to a season with more than $3.7 million in earnings a career best. Moore is also a finalist for Trainer of the Year, an award he won in 2023 when the O'Briens were held in Charlottetown, P.E.I. "I left my tuxedo suit in P.E. I. two years ago, so hopefully it makes it to London in time and hopefully its still fits," added Moore. "Both Nancy and I are looking forward to being at the OBrien Awards this year. Every time we go it certainly has been extra special, and no matter what happens it's a great night for everybody in the industry." This year marks the 37th edition of the OBrien Awards, named in honour of the late Joe OBrien, an outstanding horseman and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee. The winners will be announced at the OBrien Awards Gala on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 at the J-AAR Expo Centre at Western Fair District in London, Ont. (Standardbred Canada; photos courtesy Century Mile and New Image Media) The Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale is holding a consignors meeting on Friday, Jan. 30 at Harrahs Hoosier Park in Anderson, Indiana. Any and all consignors and breeders are welcome to attend. The Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale organizers will share ideas for the 2026 sale and will open the floor for consignors and breeders to discuss their ideas. The meeting will be held downstairs at the west end of the grandstand at 3 p.m., with coffee and light refreshments. The meeting will also be available on Google Meet for those who cannot attend in person. To attend virtually, either download the Google Meet app and enter the code ebd-udkf-mww or simply dial in 1-224-377-0034 or copy and paste the link meet.google.com/ebd-udkf-mww to your internet browser and use the pin code 593-022-388# to enter the meeting. Any questions should be directed to Jamie Macomber, Sale Manager, by calling 740-974-5048 or emailing [email protected]. (With files from Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale) When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Screenshot from a new animation showing Chinese astronauts servicing the China Space Station Telescope. | Credit: CCTV China is getting close to launching a large space telescope to orbit along with its Tiangong space station, and scientists have just completed a full observation simulation in preparation. The bus-sized Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST) also known as Xuntian , or "surveying the heavens" is being readied for a launch as soon as early 2027. It features a 6.6-foot-wide (2 meters) primary mirror, slightly smaller than that of the Hubble Space Telescope . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xuntian will, however, be a much more capable sky survey instrument, according to Chinese space officials. It carries a 2.5-billion-pixel camera and boasts a field of view around 300 times larger than the venerable Hubble, surveying the sky from near-ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths and delivering high spatial resolution imagery. As preparations for launch enter the final stages, a collaborative Chinese research team built an end-to-end simulation suite to provide mock observations for both the telescope's optical and other observation systems to replicate expected instrumental and observational conditions and evaluate the telescope's overall performance. The results were published in the journal Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics in early January. The Chinese Space Station Telescope is expected to make major contributions to a range of fields, including cosmology, the study of galaxies, the evolution of the Milky Way and stars and planets. It could also provide insights into dark matter and dark energy , according to the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC), which led the mock observation study. 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 It has been over a decade since Google Glass smart glasses were announced in 2013, followed by their swift withdrawalin part because of low adoption. Their subsequent (and lesser known) second iteration was released in 2017 and aimed at the workplace. They were withdrawn in 2023. In December 2025, Google made a new promise for smart glasseswith two new products to be released in 2026. But why have Google smart glasses struggled where others are succeeding? And will Google see success the third time around? What is clear from developments in wearable tech over the last decade, is that successful products are being built into things that people already like to wear: watches, rings, bracelets and glasses. These are the types of accessories that have emerged over centuries and currently adopted as normal in society. Some of the most recent academic research is taking this approach, building sensors into jewelry that people would actually want to wear. Research has developed a scale to measure the social acceptability of wearable technology (the WEAR scale, or Wearable Acceptability Range), which includes questions like: "I think my peers would find this device acceptable to wear." Noreen Kelly, from Iowa State University, and colleagues showed that at its core, this scale measured two things: that the device helped people reach a goal (that made it worth wearing), and that it did not create social anxiety about privacy and being seen as rude. This latter issue was highlighted most prominently by the term that emerged for Google Glass users: Glassholes. Although many studies have considered the potential benefits of smart glasses, from mental health to use in surgery, privacy concerns and other issues are ongoing for newer smart glasses. All that said, "look-and-feel" keeps coming up the most common concern for potential buyers. The most successful products have been designed to be desirable as accessories first, and with smart technologies second. Typically, in fact, by designer brands. A fine spectacle After Google Glass, Snapchat released smart glasses called "spectacles", which had cameras built in, focused on fashion and were more easily accepted into society. The now most prominent smart glasses were released by Meta (Facebook's parent company), in collaboration with designer brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley. Most of these products include front facing cameras and conversational voice agent support from Meta AI. So what do we expect to see from Google Smart Glasses in 2026? Google has promised two products: one that is audio only, and one that has "screens" shown on the lenses (like Google Glass). The biggest assumption (based on the promo videos) is that these will see a significant change in form factor, from the futuristic if not scary and unfamiliar design of Google Glass, to something that is more normally seen as glasses. Google's announcement also focused on the addition of AI (in fact, they announced them as "AI Glasses" rather than smart glasses). The two types of product (audio only AI Glasses, and AI Glasses with projections in the field of view), however, are not especially novel, even when combined with AI. Meta's Ray-Ban products are available in both modes, and include voice interaction with their own AI. These have been more successful than the recent Humane AI Pin, for example, which included front-facing cameras, other sensors, and voice support from an AI agent. This was the closest thing we've had so far to the Star Trek lapel communicators. Direction of travel Chances are, the main directions of innovation in this are, first, reducing the chonkyness of smart glasses, which have necessarily been bulky to include electronics and still look like that are normally proportioned. "Building glasses you'll want to wear" is how Google phrases it, and so we may see innovation from the company that just improves the aesthetic of smart glasses. They are also working with popular brand partners. Google also advertised the release of wired XR (Mixed Reality) glasses, which are significantly reduced in form factor compared to virtual reality headsets on the market. Second, we could expect more integration with other Google products and services, where Google has many more commonly used products than Meta, including Google Search, Google Maps, and GMail. Their promotional material shows examples of seeing Google Maps information in view in the AI glasses while walking through the streets. Finally, and perhaps the biggest area of opportunity, is to innovate on the inclusion of additional sensors, perhaps integrating with other Google wearable health products, where we are seeing many of their current ventures, including introducing their own smart rings. Much research has focused on things that can be sensed from common touchpoints on the head, which has included heart rate, body temperature and galvanic skin response (skin moistness, which changes with, for example, stress), and even brain activation through EEG, for example. With the current advances in consumer neurotechnology, we could easily see Smart Glasses that use EEG to track brain data in the next few years. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A speech study by a research team from The University of Texas at El Paso has identified an underappreciated aspect of speech in English and Spanish speakers that could lead to improvements in artificial intelligence (AI) spoken dialogue systems. People tend to articulate their words less precisely when expressing a positive feeling, according to new research led by Nigel Ward, Ph.D., a professor in UTEP's Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering. Reduced articulation in speech, called phonetic reduction, has not previously been considered meaningful by speech technology researchers, Ward said. The findings are published in the journal Speech Communication. "People often perceive AI systems as cold and unaware and don't trust them, even if their task performance is superb," Ward said. "Current AI voices are consistently highly intelligible, so there's space to sacrifice a little articulatory precision when needed. We plan to build voices that do this, so that AI systems may finally be able to escape the cold, robotic stereotype and become more communicative, more trustable, and more useful." Ward details his findings in a peer-reviewed paper titled "Phonetic Reduction is Associated with Positive Assessment and other Pragmatic Functions." Undergraduate research assistants Raul O. Gomez, Carlos A. Ortega and Georgina Bugarini coauthored the paper. In the study, conducted in fall 2023 and spring 2024, researchers recorded speakers saying one of six phrases twiceonce in a neutral tone of voice and once in a positive tone. An independent set of non-expert judges then compared each phoneme (meaningful unit of sound) across the two versions. Speakers were found to be a third more likely to cut corners in their pronunciation in the positive tone than the neutral tone, with 30% judged to be "reduced" and 9% judged to be "highly reduced" in English. The team also found evidence for the same pattern in Spanish, with 35% reduced and 4% highly reduced. Phonetic reduction, which includes mumbled, sloppy or generally less articulated speech, also occurs in phrases that serve other social purposes, such as self-talk, expressing uncertainty or closing out a conversation topic. In the study, researchers sought to isolate the correlation between reduction and positive speech. "When you're speaking in a more positive way, there is a higher pitch and you tend to speak a little bit faster," said Gomez. "We made sure to eliminate that by making speakers do the positive one first and then the neutral reenactment, so in case the neutral one was longer, they could shorten it down. So we're only viewing the reduction via the positiveness in the voice rather than the length." Ward hopes the study will inspire further exploration of phonetic reduction, especially as it relates to spoken dialogue systems like Siri, Alex and Google Assistant that converse with humans using a human-sounding voice. The researcher also pointed out that his study focuses only on American English and Mexican Spanish, two languages salient to the Paso del Norte region but not representative of all languages worldwide. "Even though we might not be able to conduct research on those languages, other people can pick up the torch and then maybe corroborate the findingsor find something else," Ward said. More information: Nigel G. Ward et al, Phonetic reduction is associated with positive assessment and other pragmatic functions, Speech Communication (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.specom.2025.103305 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 Ransomware is a type of malicious software that makes a victim's data, system or device inaccessible. It locks the target or encrypts it (converting text into an unreadable form) until the victim pays a ransom to the attacker. It's one of the most widespread and damaging forms of cyberattacks affecting organizations around the world. An Interpol report identified ransomware as one of the most widespread cyber threats across Africa in 2024. South Africa reported 12,281 detections and Egypt reported 17,849. Despite global efforts to curb it, ransomware continues to thrive, driven by cybercriminals seeking quick financial gain. In its first-quarter 2025 report, global cybersecurity company Sophos revealed that 71% of the South African organizations hit by ransomware paid the ransom and recovered their data. But the full cost of a ransomware attack is difficult to quantify. It extends beyond the ransom payment to include revenue losses during the system downtime and potential reputational damage. Cybercriminals often select organizations where service disruption can cause significant public or operational effects, increasing the pressure to pay the ransom. Power grids, health care systems, transport networks and financial systems are examples. When victims refuse to pay the ransom, attackers frequently threaten to leak sensitive or confidential information. One reason ransomware has become so pervasive in Africa is the continent's cybersecurity gap. Many organizations lack dedicated cybersecurity resources, along with the skills, awareness, tools and infrastructure to defend against cyberattacks. In this environment, hackers can operate with relative ease. Every business leader, particularly those overseeing information and communication technology (ICT) or managing sensitive data, should be asking a critical question. Can our organization survive a ransomware attack? This is not just a technical issue; it is also a governance matter. Board members and executive teams are increasingly accountable for risk management and cyber resilience. As a researcher and expert in the governance of information technology and cybersecurity, I see the African region emerging as a hotspot for cyberattacks. Organizations must be aware of the risks and take steps to mitigate them. Ransomware attacks can be extremely costly, and an organization may struggle or fail to recover after an incident. Weaknesses that increase ransomware risk Telecommunication company Verizon's data breach report for 2025 revealed that the number of organizations hit by ransomware attacks had increased by 37% from the previous year. This exposes how unprepared many organizations are to prevent an attack. A business continuity plan details how a business would continue its operations in the event of a business disruption. An ICT disaster recovery plan is part of the continuity plan. These plans are critical in ensuring continuity of operations after the attack, as affected businesses often experience prolonged downtime, loss of access to systems and data, and severe operational disruptions. Professional hackers actually sell ransomware tools, making it easier and more profitable for cybercriminals to launch attacks without regard for their consequences. Hackers can infiltrate systems in various ways: weak security controls such as weak passwords or authentication mechanisms unmonitored networks, where there is a lack of intrusion detection systems that can report any suspicious network activity human error, where employees can mistakenly click on e-mail links which contain ransomware. Poor network monitoring can allow hackers to remain undetected long enough to collect data on vulnerabilities and identify key systems to target. In many cases, employees unknowingly introduce malicious software, links or downloading attachments from phishing emails. Phishing is a social engineering attack that uses various manipulation techniques to deceive a user into disclosing sensitive details, such as payment or login details, or to trick them into clicking on malicious links. Paying up Attackers commonly demand payment in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies because the payments will be quite difficult to trace. Paying the ransom offers no guarantee of full data recovery or protection against future attacks. According to global cybersecurity company Check Point, notorious ransomware groups like Medusa have popularized double extortion tactics. These groups demand payment and threaten to publish stolen data online. They often use social media platforms and the dark webpart of the internet which is only accessible by means of special softwareallowing them to remain anonymous or untraceable. Their goal is to publicly shame victims or leak sensitive information, pressuring organizations to comply. These breaches also contribute to phishing scams, as exposed email addresses and credentials circulate across the internet, which leads to more data breaches. Websites such as Have I Been Pwned can assist in checking whether your email has been compromised in any previous data breach. Organizational resilience against ransomware Organizations should strengthen their cybersecurity in several ways. Put strong technical and administrative measures in place to keep data safe. They include effective access controls, network monitoring tools and regular system and data backups. Use tools that block malware attacks early and provide alerts when suspicious activities occur. This includes using strong endpoint protection ensuring that any device which connects to the network has intrusion detection systems that help spot unusual network activity. Equip staff with the knowledge and vigilance to detect and prevent potential threats. Develop, document and communicate a clear incident response plan. Bring in external cybersecurity experts or managed security services when the organization does not have skills or capacity to handle security on its own. Develop, maintain and regularly test business continuity and ICT disaster recovery plans. Obtain cyber-insurance to cover the risks that can't be completely prevented. Ransomware attacks are a serious and growing threat to individuals and organizations. They can cause data loss, financial losses, operational disruptions and reputational damage. There are no security measures that can fully guarantee complete protection from such attacks. But the steps outlined here might help. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Superdrug is rolling out more than 1 million worth of free at-home health MOT kits as winter illnesses continue to overwhelm NHS services. Superdrug is handing out free at-home health MOT kits to help Londoners battle winter bugs The high street pharmacy chain will distribute more than 10,000 free health MOT kits, each worth 111.33, at selected Superdrug stores in London on Thursday (22.01.26), while stocks last. The move is designed to help people quickly assess common winter illnesses without waiting weeks for a GP appointment. The initiative comes amid mounting pressure on the NHS, with recent data showing around 1.7 million GP appointments in England now involve waits of four weeks or more. Several NHS trusts have also declared critical incidents in recent weeks due to surging A E demand as winter viruses spread. Superdrug said the free kits offer a fast and accessible way for people who are unsure whether their symptoms require medical attention to check their health at home, potentially reducing unnecessary visits to GP surgeries. The Health MOT kits include tests for Covid, flu, Strep A and UTIs, alongside checks for iron deficiency, thyroid function, menopause and vitamin D levels. Additional tests covering bowel health, stomach ulcers, kidney health, ovulation and male fertility are also available, with the combined value of the full range totalling 111.33. Frederick Manduca, co-founder of Newfoundland Diagnostics, said: Winter illnesses put huge pressure on both individuals and the healthcare system. By giving away at-home tests to thousands of people across London, were helping people check whats going on before small issues become bigger problems. These tests allow people to assess their health quickly and confidently from home, helping them make informed decisions and easing unnecessary pressure on GP services. To claim a free kit, customers simply need to ask a Newfoundland Diagnostics representative upon arrival at participating Superdrug stores. People can pick up a range of Health MOT kits, each designed to deliver fast results, with many providing answers within minutes. Superdrug said negative results can offer reassurance and allow people to rest and recover at home, while positive results can act as a clear prompt to seek medical help sooner during one of the busiest periods of the year for the NHS. Vietnam's property major Khang Dien posts 23% profit hike in 2025, eyes double earnings in 2026 By Hai Yen Tue, January 20, 2026 | 9:40 am GMT+7 Vietnamese property developer Khang Dien House (HoSE: KDH) reported a 23.5% increase in net profit in 2025 and is targeting a doubling of earnings in 2026 as sales are expected to accelerate at key residential projects. The Ho Chi Minh City-headquartered developer posted preliminary net profit of more than VND1 trillion ($38.1 million) last year, up from nearly VND810 billion in 2024, meeting its full-year target amid early signs of recovery in Vietnams property market, the company said at an investor briefing. A residential project by Khang Dien House. Photo courtesy of the firm. For 2026, Khang Dien is aiming for net profit exceeding VND2 trillion ($76.2 million), with the main contribution expected from Gladia by the Waters, an 11.8-hectare residential project in HCMC, co-developed by Singapores Keppel. Khang Dien holds a 51% stake in the joint venture and expects to complete sales and book profits from the project this year. Gladia comprises 226 villas and terraced houses, the company said. In addition, Khang Dien plans to continue selling remaining units at several existing projects in HCMC, while pursuing new investment partnerships and joint ventures with both domestic and foreign partners. Any deals concluded could provide additional cash flow and earnings in 2026, it added. The company noted 2026-2027 will mark a peak period for construction and sales. It is currently developing four fully-licensed projects in HCMC with a combined land bank of more than 150 hectares, including Gladia, the 18-hectare Binh Trung Dong project, the 16.5-hectare Project 11A in Binh Hung commune, and the expanded 109-hectare Le Minh Xuan industrial park. Together, these projects are expected to deliver about 6,000 high-rise apartments, more than 1,000 low-rise townhouses and villas, and roughly 60 hectares of industrial land, contributing to earnings from 2026 through 2028, the company said. KDH shares ended down 1.51% to VND29,300 ($1.15) each on Monday. Gia cao su tai cac thi truong chinh hom nay (3/2) dien bien giang co, thi truong co ky vong vao nhu cau tieu thu trong nam toi tuy nhien cac tin hieu chua ro rang. Trong nuoc, tiep tuc giu nhip on inh, gia thu mua nguyen lieu tai cac doanh nghiep lon gan nhu khong oi, cho thay nen tang cung - cau noi ia van tuong oi vung. You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). Mark Ruffalos The Incredible Hulk will not appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Mark Ruffalos The Incredible Hulk will not appear in Avengers: Doomsday The 58-year-old actor has portrayed the giant green hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since 2012s The Avengers and was last seen in the 2022 Disney+ show She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and while Doomsday will feature the largest ensemble cast in the franchises history, Ruffalo has confirmed his Hulk will not show up in the film. Even so, Ruffalo - who stars alongside his Marvel co-star Chris Hemsworth in the upcoming thriller Crime 101 - has insisted he is always open to returning as Hulk in the future. Speaking with Empire magazine, the Poor Things star said: As long as they keep finding cool things to do with Hulk. It's given me so many gifts. You know, I probably wouldn't be in Crime 101 if it wasn't for The Avengers. While Ruffalos Hulk will not feature in Avengers: Doomsday, the character is to appear alongside Tom Hollands titular Web-Head in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The Sony/Marvel movie - due to land in cinemas in July 2026 - will also star Zendaya as Michelle MJ Jones-Watson, Jon Bernthal as The Punisher, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds and Sadie Sink in an unknown role. As well as Ruffalo, fellow MCU star Chris Pratt - who has portrayed Star-Lord in the franchise since 2014s Guardians of the Galaxy - recently addressed his potential Marvel return. The 46-year-old actor revealed he would really love to play the character again and make good on the end-screen tease of Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3, which promised Star-Lord would return at some point in the future. During an interview with ScreenTime, the Mercy star said: We made a promise with Guardians of the Galaxy that Star-Lord would return. I think I would really love to make good on that promise. Avengers: Doomsday will star Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (James Bucky Barnes), Wyatt Russell (U.S. Agent), David Harbour (Red Guardian) and Lewis Pullman (Sentry). The Fantastic Four - as portrayed by Pedro Pascal (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (The Human Torch) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Thing) - are slated to feature as well. The film will also see the return of X-Men icons Sir Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Sir Ian McKellen (Magneto), Kelsey Grammer (Beast), Channing Tatum (Gambit), James Marsden (Cyclops), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique). It has also been confirmed Chris Evans will be returning to play Steve Rogers again after last portraying Captain America in 2019s Avengers: Endgame. Avengers: Doomsday - which is being helmed by directors Joe and Anthony Russo and is set to release on December 18, 2026 - will likely follow the Avengers, the New Avengers, the X-Men and the Fantastic Four as they desperately try to stop Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) from unleashing his devastating plans across the Multiverse. The World Bank Group has officially opened its new, energy-efficient offices here, which will serve as the hub for its Caribbean operations. The building brings the Banks Caribbean team together in one physical space, which will strengthen the institutions presence and support in Jamaica and the wider region. LEFT OUT: Some of the graduating pupils of Trinity College, Moka, who werent allowed to take part in their graduation ceremony, gather outside All Saints Anglican Church, Port of Spain, during the function on Tuesday. Death in Paradise's set is regularly visited by killer centipedes. Death in Paradise star Don Gilet Scolopendras are regulary spotted whilst the stars film the BBC murder mystery show on Guadeloupe, Caribbean, and the poisionous beasts even slither into beds and shoes. Leading man Don Gilet - who plays detective inspector Mervin Wilson - told the Daily Star newspaper: "There is a bug we often see when we're filming ... a scolopendra. They have got venom, and they kill. "People have found them in their beds and in their shoes. I have seen a few of them already. I always do checks, so I don't get any surprises! "These things are venomous, so when we see one on set, people who are from the UK are running around like it's Nosferatu chasing them. "But the locals act like it's just an ant." The 59-year-old star said he is not worried about a scolopendra biting him. Don added: "If the locals are not screaming about it, I will think, 'They're not that scary.' But I've not come in contact with any wild beasts on set so far." Despite not having a problem with the wildlife on Guadeloupe, he takes issue with the noises they make. Don said: "I have an issue with how loud it gets at night. There's quite a chorus going on. I'd rather they didn't make so much noise." Death in Paradise returns for its 15th season on January 30, and a whole host of new guest stars are heading to Saint Marie as the police force is tasked with discovering the truth behind more killings. Joining the cast in guest roles are Happy Valley actress Siobhan Finneran, 59, and 40-year-old former EastEnders star Scarlett Alice Johnson. Spooks' Hermione Norris, 58, Ghosts co-creator-and -actor Ben Willbond, 53, and Gavin and Stacey star Steffan Rhodri, 58, have also signed up. The synopsis for the upcoming series reads: "Whilst attempting to connect with his recently discovered half-brother Solomon (Daniel Ward), Mervin's newfound familial happiness soon turns to frustration as he discovers the pair are not quite as similar as he hoped they might be. "Elsewhere, Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) is left facing the consequences of his recent absence from the island. "After some no-nonsense advice from old friend Catherine Bordey (Elizabeth Bourgine), Selwyn sets out to rebuild trust - though winning back Saint Marie may prove easier said than done. "Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) and Officer Sebastian Rose (Shaquille Ali-Yebuah) help new recruit Sergeant Mattie Fletcher (Catherine Garton) find her feet. "But with shadows from Mattie's past beginning to surface, her arrival may bring more complications than anyone bargained for." The King of Southwesteros has been murdered, and the rumor mill is cranking overtime with possible suspects. But most folks in Borderlands Theater's musical "Blame of Thrones: A Chicano Murder Mystery Dinner Theater" are far more focused on who will take the throne. There's a line of people from four wildly chaotic kingdoms "all thirsty for this power," said playwright Jonathan Heras. "Everybody wants to be king. Everybody wants to be queen." And all of them think they have a rightful claim to wear the crown, which gives them motive for murder. "Blame of Thrones," a parody of "Game of Thrones" that Borderlands is presenting Jan. 29-Feb. 1, is a classic murder mystery with some nods to Tucson. Could the killer be the Cannisters (Tinyon, Kursi and Jaime) from the House of OroVallia? Maybe it's Juan Snow, The Bastard of Winterhaven, or Kalichi of Dragons from the House Menloparkia? Or could it be Wildthing from the House Three Points? "It's essentially poking fun of the little kingdoms. If you zoom out of Tucson from top view, you could almost see all these tiny little kingdoms all over Tucson," said Heras, who has worked with Borderlands Theater for 20 years, the last eight or so as the full-time development director. "It's essentially kind of poking fun of that in a sense, but not too seriously." This is the second play Heras, Salpointe Catholic High School's Monte Award-winning musical director, has written for Borderlands. His 2024 play "Antigona 3.0" was selected for the national theater festival Encuentro 2024 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center and later toured Denver. Last November, his musical "Loteria: This Game is No Juego" was presented by Live Theatre Workshop. "Blame of Thrones" is performed in English and Spanglish "There is one character who (speaks) predominantly Spanish until she gets hit in the head with a frying pan and then starts speaking English," said Heras, who is directing the production. There's a three-course royal feast "because its not a murder mystery unless someone dies full" and dinner theater usually means dinner. Warning, though: You might want to skip the wine. Rumor has it that it might be poisoned. Pay attention to the plot twists because your presence is not solely as an observer. You are a witness to a murder, and in the end, you and your fellow audience members will decide whodunnit. That's what makes "Blame of Thrones" so much fun. Each night will reveal a different murderer. Borderlands Theater will perform the show at 7 p.m. nightly Jan. 29-Feb. 1 at the Bell Tower on Stone, 200 E. Yavapai Road. Tickets are $71.49 with fees through borderlandstheater.org, with proceeds benefitting the theater's children's programming. 'The Screwtape Letters' coming to Tucson Novelist C.S. Lewis was reportedly listening to Hitler's speech to the Reichstag on July 19, 1940, urging the British to capitulate to his terms as a way to end World War II. The speech inspired the author of "The Chronicles of Narnia" to write "The Screwtape Letters," which brought him worldwide fame after it was published in 1942. The New York City-based Fellowship for the Performing Arts nonprofit theater company is bringing the stage adaptation "The Screwtape Letters" to Centennial Hall on Saturday, Jan. 24. According to program notes, the play, directed by Max McLean, creates a "topsy-turvy, morally inverted universe set in an eerily stylish office in hell." God is called the Enemy, and the devil is referred to as Our Father Below as the play follows His Abysmal Sublimity Screwtape and his slavish demon, Toadpipe, as they train Screwtape's nephew Wormwood on how to tempt an unsuspecting human on earth. The play, which has been performed before more than 600,000 audience members nationally, stars Brent Harris, whose credits include playing Scar in the national tour of Disney's "The Lion King." Fellowship for Performing Arts, founded by McLean, creates theater and film from a Christian worldview. Saturday's performance at Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. on the University of Arizona campus, begins at 4 p.m. Tickets start at $76.50 through ticketmaster.com. Creator Economy Summit at AACTA Festival New initiative will bring together online creators and film and television producers. Screen Queensland has announced the Creator Economy Summit, a first-of-its-kind initiative bringing together online creators and film and television producers, as part of the AACTA Festival. Screen Queensland Executive Director, Screen Content Julie Eckersley said, It is time to build more bridges between the creator economy and the existing film and television industry. The Creator Economy Summit brings these two elements together to support creators to take the next step in building a sustainable global business. At the same time it opens doors for the film and television industry to establish deeper collaborations with creators and a richer understanding of the amazing opportunities in this space. Changer Founder Farhad Meher-Homji said, The Creator Economy Summit is about giving creators the tools, connections and confidence to scale sustainably and engage meaningfully with the broader screen industry. AACTA Awards and Industry Development Manager Ivan Vukusic said, Bringing together established film, television and media leaders with the vibrant, fast-growing creator economy, this one-day summit will foster genuine dialogue, unlock new partnership opportunities and inspire innovative approaches to Australian screen content. As the perfect crossroads for these two worlds, the AACTA Festival is where legacy and established craft meets next gen creativity and were proud to champion this powerful game changing convergence. Developed by Screen Queensland in partnership with Changer and in conjunction with The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), the one-day event will take place on Saturday 7 February as part of the 2026 AACTA Festival at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast. With Australias creator community now numbering in the millions, the Creator Economy Summit responds to the growing demand from online creators seeking to professionalise their practice, scale their businesses and explore opportunities across film, television and digital screen, while offering valuable insights for producers and screen practitioners navigating new platform-led business models. Designed for online creators and film and television producers to come together, the summit will feature a curated mix of panel discussions with senior representatives from ABC, Netflix, BBC Studios and Screen Australia, alongside creator-led sessions with Sarah Renae Clark, YouTubes Sabine Zonderland, James McPherson and Shannon Jones, focused on business growth, monetisation and pathways into screen. As a pilot initiative, the Creator Economy Summit will test audience appetite and inform future creator-focused programs, with a long-term vision to position South East Queensland as the creator capital of Australia. Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man Long overdue, comedy genius Mel Brooks, gets a lengthy documentary portrait on a life of anarachy, just ahead of his 100th birthday. Comedy legend Mel Brooks will turn 100 in June, but ahead of that HBO has a two part special Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man. The title of this two-part profile riffs on his famous 2000 Year Old Man sketches, developed with the equally iconic Carl Reiner. The pair would improvise the acts at New York parties where Reiner would record them onto tape recorders, eventually released as record albums and showcased on The Steve Allen Show. Both had worked on Sid Caesars variety show Your Show of Shows, which ran from 19501954, with the likes of Neil Simon, Woody Allen and Larry Gelbart. As Brooks tells filmmaker Judd Apatow, If there was no Sid Caesar there would be no Mel Brooks. Brooks had been born Melvin Kaminsky, raised in Brooklyn in the Depression, where he became the comic conscience of my neighbourhood. His path into showbiz, avoiding certain doom in the local garment industry, came via club gigs drumming and replacing a local comedian. His early influences were Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Marx Brothers, the Ritz Brothers. But there were earlier detours into the US Army, where he first experienced antisemitism, and being stationed in Germany at the end of WWII. Part I of this profile focuses on Brooks life up to Blazing Saddles (1974), becoming part of the US-Jewish comedy community and graduating from writing to performing. Writing has always been Brooks first love, and anarchy his driving comedic force, but performing also brought periods of anxiety, addressed with therapy (which no doubt led to High Anxiety). Despite Your Show of Shows, Brooks had ambitions for the longevity of film success. His first marriage was to Florence Baum, a dancer in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Two of their children, Nicholas Brooks and Stefanie Brooks, participate in this doco along with Max Brooks, son of second wife, actor Anne Bancroft. Mel met Anne at a fragile point in his life, a downtime after Your Show of Shows and in periods of creative drought. He even shares stories of Anne paying for restaurant bills, slipping him money under the table, to maintain appearances. I was penniless for a while but Anne kept me going, he says. They remained married for 41 years until her death in 2005. Also featuring in the doco are the likes of Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld, Nick Kroll, Ben Stiller, Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Patton Oswalt, David Chapelle, Robert Townsend, Jerry and David Zucker, Peter Farrelly and there is archival footage of television shows including The Tonight Show, The Dinah Shore Show, British chat shows and even Enough Rope with Andrew Denton. Get Smart, which he co-created with Buck Henry, arrived as a commercial success for Brooks when he needed it most yet it is only given minimal airtime here. By contrast The Producers and Blazing Saddles are afforded much focus. For The Producers, the role of Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder) was originally destined for Dustin Hoffman -but he headed to The Graduate alongside Anne Bancroft, coincidentally. Though the film was largely critically panned, Peter Sellers took out full newspaper ads praising the film which has since gone on to wide acclaim. In Blazing Saddles, Brooks tackled racism with Bart (Cleavon Little) a black railroad worker who becomes sheriff. Use of the N-word abounded in the screenplay, co-written with Andrew Bergman, and draws considerable comment from 2025 reflections. Brooks remains unapologetic, using comedy to highlight the society of the 1970s. Its your fault there are so many N words in this movie racial prejudice is the engine that really drives this film, he suggests. Much is also made of Brooks vision to break the fourth wall through the film, with cameras blatantly veering out of Hollywood sound stages and off the studio lot Lets do everything we werent allowed to do all bets are off. Mel Brooks. Part II will document his other successes presumably Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie (a personal favourite), History of the World Part One, High Anxiety, To Be or Not to Be, Spaceballs, Robin Hood: Men in Tights and more. At more than three hours this is one for devotees, and might have reached a wider audience with a shorter running time perhaps? But it is lovingly told, and well overdue given Brooks remains a genius with a rare EGOT accolade (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award). To have his memories on screen at this chapter of his life is special indeed. It would also be remiss not to mention the inclusion of the late Rob Reiner, son of Carl, who recalls Brooks as a family friend coming over when Rob was just 4 years old. Even then Mel was doing comedy schtick, no cameras in sight. A born entertainer. Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man screens Friday January 23 on HBO Max. Paramount redundancies in Adelaide Eight staff culled from Paramount / 10 sales team in Adelaide, as duties shift to Melbourne. Paramount is moving its Adelaide sales department to Melbourne and losing eight staff members including General Manager and Sales Director for Adelaide Cameron Mudge (pictured). Chief sales officer Rod Prosser advised staff yesterday, InDaily reports, as part of an ongoing focus on driving earnings growth and transforming our business. This was not an easy decision, but one that was necessary to best support our business strategy, he wrote in a staff email. We understand this news is difficult, and we are committed to supporting those affected through this transition. We would like to thank those employees who will be leaving for their valuable contribution to Paramount over many years. We wish them all the best. The Adelaide newsroom is not impacted by the changes. Last year Paramount also made publicity members redundant in several locations, including Adelaide. Greenland Annexation and Probable European Response Greenland has become a focal point of international tensionsyet again, as US President Donald Trump repeated arguments that Washington must control the territory for national security reasons and has refused to rule out using military force to acquire it [This image has been shared by U.S. President Donald Trump on social media] Greenland has become a focal point of international tensionsyet again, as US President Donald Trump repeated arguments that Washington must control the territory for national security reasons and has refused to rule out using military force to acquire it. Trump also announced that he will impose tariffs on those countries that had sent troops to Greenland in recent days for a Danish-led reconnaissance mission aimed at strengthening its security. It seems that there is never going to be a dull day under President Donald Trumps watch. After kidnapping the Venezuelan president, he has again ratchetted-up his demands for Greenlands annexation to the United States or more control of its natural resources. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X that she had discussed Greenland and US actions with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. She emphasised that the European union will always defend its strategic economic and security interests. We will face these challenges to our European solidarity with steadiness and resolve, she added. The comments come as NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed he had spoken with President Donald Trump on January 18 regarding the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic. US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his threats to deploy troops to Greenland, this time accusing Denmark of not doing enough combat potential threats from Russia. "NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland he wrote on his Truth Social platform. EUs response Belgiums defence minister has played down his countrys role in European military deployments to Greenland, saying the mission is focused on reconnaissance and coordination rather than confronting the US. Belgium is sending a single officer to the autonomous Danish territory as part of a European detachment deployed at Copenhagens request. UK opposition leaders also criticised Trump's announcement. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said the tariffs were a "terrible idea", while Reform UK leader and Trump ally Nigel Farage said they "will hurt us". Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey called Trump's behaviour "unhinged" but said how the UK responds "matters a lot". Frances Emmanuel Macron has called for the EU to activate its most potent trade weapon against the US after President Donald Trump threatened to hit several European countries with extra tariffs in response to the dispute over Greenland. An Elysee official said on Sunday (January 18) that the French president would request that the EU activates its so-called anti-coercion instrument that can restrict access to the single market for American companies. Germanys vice-chancellor and finance minister Lars Klingbeil said that a line had been crossed, adding that the affected nations must not allow ourselves to be blackmailed. It is unacceptable to hit countries that are now taking more responsibility for our common security in Nato, said Troels Lund Poulsen, Denmarks defence minister. Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Denmarks foreign minister, said that the tariff move was surprising because he had a constructive dialogue with vice-president JD Vance on Wednesday. He added: It is paradoxical because what makes the president react is that we are doing what we are criticised for not doing: namely taking care of the Arctic. Alexander Stubb, president of Finland, who is known to have a good personal relationship with Trump, said that tariffs would undermine the transatlantic relationship. The Swedish and Norwegian premiers Ulf Kristersson and Jonas Gahr Stre also warned that Europe will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed. EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic on Sunday (January 18) that the implementation of the US-EU trade deal would be very complicated in light of Trumps threats. Trump mania over Greenland Greenlands strategic importance to the US dates back to the 19th century, and successive US administrations have explored acquiring the island. Since the second world war Washington has enjoyed extensive access to it under the 1951 Greenland Defence Agreement. But US Arctic engagement declined after the cold war. Trumps fixation on Greenland emerged during his first term, when he publicly proposed purchasing the island. European leaders largely treated the episode as a curiosity rather than a warning. Yet Trumps interest persisted. He reopened a US consulate in Nuuk in 2020 and officials who worked with him described his focus on acquiring Greenland as unusually intense and enduring. Upon returning to office in 2025, Trump framed it as a national security necessity and accused Denmark of failing to defend the territory adequately. Greenland is home to a massive deposit of rare earths, which are crucial to US efforts to maintain its technological lead over China. But tapping these important minerals crucial for modern technologyisnt easy, according to experts. The US Geological Survey identifies 60 minerals as critical for the American economy and national security. A subset of these minerals, termed rare earth elements, like neodymium and dysprosium, are necessary for manufacturing the magnets and motors that power Americas tech industry, while others are key for the semiconductors driving the artificial intelligence boom. Access to rare earth minerals is seen as a key choke point for many of todays high-tech supply chains. China, one of Americas tech rivals, has grown to dominate the rare earths production and refining market and has used access to rare earths as a negotiating chip with Trump. Due to ancient geological processes, Greenland hosts a variety of valuable ore and mineral deposits, from gold and iron to copper and graphite. Yet much of the countrys resources remain untapped due to the islands isolation, harsh conditions, environmental stewardship, and the mining industrys price sensitivity. In addition to its rare earth supply, which is the worlds third-largest known land deposit, Greenland also boasts extensive stores of germanium and gallium, two critical minerals needed for high-tech applications. Germanium is a key component in fiber-optic wires, while gallium is used in semiconductors required for many consumer electronics, power supplies, data centers and even quantum devices. China currently controls around 98% of gallium and around 60% of germanium supplies worldwide, with particular dominance in the refining of minerals once they have been extracted, and leverages this dominance in trade negotiations with the U.S. What should be the European response Europeans have real leverage in the face of Donald Trumps threats towards Greenlandand time is on their side. They must use it to raise the prospective costs of annexation. Basically, Trump thrives on empty space, ambiguity, and fear of US power. Europes task is to fill the space calmly, collectively and pre-emptively. The joint statement on January 6, by European leaders was a good start and a strong statement of resolve. So too is the ongoing deployment of troops to Greenland by some governments. But more is needed. By acting fast, Europeans can outflank the US administration. Overall, Europeans have leverage. In Trumps language, they have cards. Time is the major factor. Trump wants to move soon. He already faces bipartisan criticism in Congress for his coercive diplomacy, midterm elections in November and the end of his presidential term in three years. Political shifts within Greenland and any commercial benefits of US annexation would take much longer to materialise (if they materialise at all). By acting fast, European leaders can outflank the administration. They are right to be cautious in what they saybut must be clear-eyed about the challenge and decisive in curbing the chances of escalation. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Fred Sirieix and his pals were threatened by an armed janitor after they got caught skinny-dipping at their local swimming pool as teenagers. First Dates star Fred Sirieix The group's midnight fun turned to terror after the worker confronted them before the First Dates maitre d'hotel and his friends fled the facility whilst they bared all in case the worker took a shot. Fred told the new issue of Woman magazine: "When I was 14, I went with my mates to the local swimming pool at midnight. Everybody was swimming naked. "An old janitor living in a big bourgeois house behind the pool opened his window. He was shouting and had a gun. I don't think he had any intention of shooting, but we got so scared, we dashed it butt naked. "All you could see in the moon was our white butts jumping the fence!" The star - who grew up in Limoges, France, and moved to the UK in 1992, aged 20, for a job at the Michelin-starred La Tante Claire restaurant in Chelsea, London - admitted he was "a bit of a rebel" as a teenager. Fred, 53, added: "I still am. That's why I came to the UK. In France, we have a three-course meal every day. When I came to the UK, lunch was a lunchbox - an egg mayonnaise sandwich, a Mars bar, orange juice and an orange. "To me, that lunchbox was freedom because in France, it was so regimented, so disciplined. You eat at the table, not on your laps. "You listen to French music, and I wanted to listen to the Sex Pistols and The Clash." Elsewhere in his interview with the magazine, Fred revealed his hope to become a reggae musician. The I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! 2023 campmate explained: "I don't have a long-term dream, but one thing I want to do is record a reggae track. "I'd like to do that with Jamaican reggae artist Chronixx, but it's a long shot because Chronixx is a real musician, and I'm not!" The 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam officially opened this morning at the National Convention Center in Hanoi, marking a pivotal political milestone for the country. A total of 1,586 delegates, representing over 5.6 million Party members nationwide, are participating in this Congress. The opening session was attended by incumbent and former Party and State leaders, members of the Central Committee, Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, distinguished intellectuals, artists, religious dignitaries, and outstanding young people. Also present were representatives from the diplomatic corps and international organizations, underlining the global attention on this important political event. Key documents and leadership vote During the Congress, delegates will discuss and adopt several critical documents: The Political Report presented by the 13th Central Committee A summary report reviewing theoretical and practical lessons from 40 years of socialist-oriented renewal in Vietnam A report evaluating the implementation of the Party Charter from 2011 to 2025 and proposals for amendments A self-assessment report on the leadership of the 13th Party Central Committee One of the Congress's most crucial tasks will be the election of a new Central Committee for the 14th tenure. Delegates will cast secret ballots to select 200 members - comprising 180 official members and 20 alternates. In pictures: The opening ceremony Motorcade carrying delegates arrives at the National Convention Center for the Congress opening. Photo: VNA President Luong Cuong and Hanoi Party Secretary Nguyen Duy Ngoc attend the Congress. Photo: VNA President Luong Cuong and fellow delegates. Photo: VNA Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrives at the venue. Photo: Pham Hai Standing member of the Party Secretariat Tran Cam Tu and delegates. Photo: Pham Hai Photo: Pham Hai Representatives of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers at the Congress. Photo: Pham Hai Chairman of the Party Central Inspection Commission Tran Sy Thanh attends the Congress. Photo: VNA Photo: VNA Photo: Pham Hai Photo: Pham Hai Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei at the opening ceremony. Photo: VNA South African Ambassador Vuyiswa Tulelo joins the event. Photo: VNA Pham Gia Tuc, Chief of the Party Central Office, announces results from the preparatory session. Photo: VNA Photo: VNA Photo: VNA Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, member of the Politburo, presides over the opening. Photo: VNA President Luong Cuong delivers the opening speech. Photo: VNA Photo: VNA Photo: VNA Photo: VNA Photo: VNA Tran Thuong According to Tran Quang Thang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economics and Management, the groundbreaking policies recently approved by the National Assembly lay the foundation for transformative change. But for the city to realize its full potential - both domestically and across Southeast Asia - it must fully leverage its new role as a key growth engine. More power, more responsibility: The need for deeper decentralization Photo: Hue Nguyen The draft political report for the 14th Party Congress emphasizes major strategic tasks: advancing a socialist-oriented market economy, restructuring state-owned enterprises, boosting the private sector, and driving scientific innovation and digital transformation. How should Ho Chi Minh City - the countrys economic locomotive - bring these visions to life? Thang argues that delivering on these goals requires simultaneous reforms: completing the market economy framework, supporting private enterprise, and adopting a new, innovation-driven growth model. This means slashing bureaucratic red tape, ensuring fair competition, and enhancing transparency in land, investment and financial policies. The state sector must be restructured with a focus on key industries, modern management practices, and a clear separation between ownership and regulatory roles. Meanwhile, private businesses - especially small and medium enterprises - need better access to capital, land and technology. Vietnams new growth model should emphasize quality over quantity: higher productivity, innovation, and hi-tech industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and advanced services. A breakthrough in science, tech, and digital transformation is crucial, Thang says. This includes fostering an innovation ecosystem and scaling up future industries like semiconductors, AI, biotech, renewable energy, automation and smart manufacturing. Given that Ho Chi Minh City contributes 2022% of national GDP, its role is vital. The city enjoys many advantages: economic scale, human capital, an innovation ecosystem, and major transport infrastructure. Still, challenges remain - overstretched infrastructure, limited development space, rigid management systems, and a shortage of public investment and high-quality talent. The newly approved policies aim to unlock solutions. These include a pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) with generous incentives for taxation, investment and foreign currency use; the right to retain 100% of revenues from Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) land use; and expanded autonomy in planning and budgeting. These mechanisms provide a crucial springboard. But to truly lead on a regional scale, Thang says the city must go even further - especially in decentralization, financial independence, human resources and regional integration. From management to orchestration: Becoming a regional conductor Mr. Tran Quang Thang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economics and Management. The draft report also urges enhanced regional linkages and spatial reorganization aligned with new administrative systems; shifting from management to governance; and building development criteria based on local potential and strengths. So how should the newly expanded Ho Chi Minh City seize these directives? Thang says the city is already moving to reconfigure development zones, invest in interregional infrastructure, and embrace new governance models. The goal: become a true Asian megacity and a regional hub for economy, finance and logistics. The merger - absorbing Binh Duong and Ba RiaVung Tau - presents both vast opportunities and fresh challenges. But clinging to traditional administrative thinking would limit the citys potential. Instead, planning must follow economicregional logic, not old borders. First, regional and intra-regional linkages must be at the core of development. The expanded city now forms a new economic ecosystem, integrating industry, seaports, logistics, and finance. This opens up greater use of the Cai MepThi Vai deep-sea port system, high-tech industrial parks in Binh Duong, and financetrade services in HCMCs urban core. Together, these can anchor globally competitive coastal economic corridors. The city must also upgrade multi-modal transport infrastructure - highways, railways, metro lines, ports and airports. Plans include expanding metro links to Binh Duong and developing inter-provincial urban rail networks. New schools, hospitals and urban zones must be designed to support the needs of a megacity population. Equally crucial is rethinking governance. Ho Chi Minh City must go beyond administrative efficiency and become the conductor of a regional development symphony, coordinating across provinces with clear roles and mechanisms. Performance metrics should reflect each areas strength: logistics and ports in Ba RiaVung Tau, hi-tech manufacturing in Binh Duong, and finance and services in HCMC. Sections of the 77km Vung TauBinh Thuan coastal road through HCMC have been completed. Photo: Quang Hung The administrative streamlining after the merger - cutting units from 273 to 102 - will also enhance efficiency and decision-making speed. Ultimately, if it succeeds in assuming this pivotal role, Ho Chi Minh City will not only lead national growth, but help drive prosperity across the Southern Key Economic Region. With Binh Duong as a high-tech industrial engine, and Vung Tau as a gateway for maritime trade and tourism, the city can form a powerful growth triangle - connecting the Southeast with the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta. If managed well, post-merger Ho Chi Minh City could emerge not only as Vietnams growth pole - but as a regional powerhouse. Ngan Anh Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have busted a criminal network that turned pork into imitation ostrich, Australian goat, porcupine, and venison, distributing counterfeit meat to markets in the lead-up to Tet. The ring had already pushed more than 50 tons of fake meat into circulation over the past year. Suspect Nguyen Van Phong and fake meat seized during the raid Photo: Police Key suspects Nguyen Phi Long and Tran Thi Van Phuoc, believed to be ringleaders Photo: Police Inside one of the fake meat storage facilities Photo: Police Counterfeit venison products prepared for market distribution Photo: Police Samples of the seized meat sent for forensic testing Photo: Police On January 16, the Economic Police Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department confirmed the arrest of eight individuals involved in the operation. Investigations are ongoing to identify further accomplices and trace the full network of suppliers and distributors. After months of surveillance and investigation, coordinated raids were carried out at multiple locations across the city. Among the key sites were: a facility in Ba Diem Commune run by Nguyen Van Phong; Khanh Ngoc SG Trading & Production Co., Ltd. in Binh Tri Dong Ward, directed by Tran Thi Van Phuoc; and Dai Loc Phat Food Co., Ltd. in Xuan Thoi Son Commune, led by Nguyen Phi Long. Additional inspections targeted cold storage facilities and restaurants known to distribute the fake products across Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces such as Lam Dong, Dong Nai, and Dak Lak. According to initial findings, from late 2024 to present, the ring produced over 50 tons of counterfeit meat. Their method involved processing and marinating pork through various stages to mimic specialty meats. These included sliced porcupine, Australian goat thigh, venison, and ostrich - products typically sold at a premium during the festive season. Authorities estimate the value of the counterfeit goods at around USD 400,000 - comparable to genuine products - and say the ring pocketed illicit profits amounting to several billion VND. Investigators described the case as particularly dangerous - not only deceiving consumers and disrupting market integrity, but also posing a serious threat to public health. The Economic Police Department continues to expand the probe, focusing on the sources of raw materials and distribution networks. All involved will be prosecuted in accordance with the law. Ho Chi Minh City police issued a warning: Consumers are urged to pay close attention to food quality and only purchase goods with clear origins from reputable vendors. Businesses are encouraged to register trademarks, adopt digital traceability systems, and commit to rejecting counterfeit or substandard goods. Dam De As the Lunar New Year (Tet) draws near, a spectacular lily field located just 70km from Hanoi is coming into full bloom, painting the landscape in vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and white. The picturesque setting has quickly become a hotspot for flower lovers and photographers from cities like Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh. The lily field in Le Dai Hanh Ward, Hai Phong, has become a popular check-in destination at the start of 2026 thanks to its vivid colors. Nestled on the fertile alluvial banks of the Kinh Thay River, the lily field stretches across Vinh Tru Islet in Le Dai Hanh Ward, Hai Phong (formerly Dong Lac Ward, Chi Linh City, Hai Duong Province). Locals shared that in previous seasons, they mostly grew fragrant pink lilies. This year, however, theyve expanded their crops to include a variety of high-yield lilies in different hues - yellow, orange, white, red, and even purple - offering a stunning and diverse floral display. Neatly arranged plots of lilies span dozens of hectares, with footpaths in between for easy maintenance - and for visitors to stroll and explore. Thanks to favorable weather and nutrient-rich soil, flower farming here has flourished, with lilies becoming the standout crop this spring. Nguyen Trong Cung, a traditional medicine practitioner and freelance photographer from Hung Yen (formerly part of Thai Binh Province), was deeply impressed by the sheer scale and vibrant beauty of the lily field during a recent visit. I drove about 50 kilometers to get here around 8 a.m., he said. The fields are beautifully cultivated and the lilies are blooming evenly. You can see the care and passion of the local growers in every row. Aerial views reveal the visual impact of this vast bloom - rows of lilies lining the riverside in radiant patterns. Lily flowers (also known as hoa bach hop in Vietnamese) are herbaceous plants that grow from bulbs, typically reaching 30120cm in height when mature. Their oval-shaped leaves spiral along the stems in graceful patterns. According to Cung, the ideal time to photograph the field is between 810 a.m. or 24 p.m. Early morning fog can reduce visibility, and the light fades quickly in late afternoon. Visitors are advised to check the weather forecast and choose clear, sunny days for optimal photo opportunities. Best of all, the location welcomes visitors free of charge. Locals grow these lilies for harvest, not for tourism, so while no entry fee is collected, visitors are reminded to be respectful: avoid stepping on plants or picking flowers without permission. To stand out amid the vivid blooms, visitors are encouraged to wear dark or soft-toned outfits. Its also wise to take care while moving between rows, as lily pollen can cling to clothing or cause irritation for those with allergies. Nguyen Khanh Vy, who traveled from Hanoi to Le Dai Hanh Ward after seeing photos online, described the visit as worth waking up at 5 a.m. Being surrounded by all those blossoms, I felt like Tet was just around the corner, she said. Although she has visited many flower fields in northern Vietnam, the lily fields in Hai Phong left a lasting impression. Theres no entrance fee, and we bought a few bouquets to support the locals, she added. Lily stems are delicate and easily broken, so we were careful not to damage any while taking pictures. Fertile soil and favorable weather make the area ideal for growing flowers, with lilies standing out this season. Aerial view of the lily field reveals its scale and beauty. Lilies, or hoa bach hop, are herbaceous plants with bulbous roots and oval leaves spiraling along the stem. Morning (810 a.m.) and afternoon (24 p.m.) are the best times to photograph the blooming fields. Visitors are advised to wear neutral-toned clothing and handle flowers with care to avoid damage or pollen stains. Photos by Nguyen Trong Cung. Thao Trinh Ann Widdecombe was rushed to hospital after she injured herself whilst she rescued a mouse from her cat. TV personality Ann Widdecombe The 78-year-old TV personality was stuck in Newton Abbot Community Hospital last December because she could barely walk after she slipped on her bathroom mat and crashed down on the tiles. Ann wrote in her latest column for Best magazine: "Between Christmas and New Year, I had a fall on my bathroom tiles as I tried to rescue a mouse from my cat. Mice have no sense. "Having found a place of refuge, instead of staying in it, they dart out again. No wonder cats find them so entertaining to pursue. "Anyway, my visiting sister-in-law and I chased the wretched rodent around until we cornered it, but not before I had slipped on a mat and crashed down. I got up and put the mouse outside. It ran gaily off. I did not. "The next day, I could hardly walk. Eventually, I gave in and went to A+E. The sayings 'small is beautiful' and 'all the best things come in little packages' have largely held true throughout my life. "Of course, there are exceptions. I never did take to nouvelle cuisine with its tiny heap of food sitting in the middle of a plate, looking pleased with itself because it was surrounded by some sauce, grandly named a coulis. "I can also remember muttering every day in my first flat, 'If only I had just one more room.' "With the NHS, however, small is beautiful, personal and super-efficient." It had been years since the Strictly Come Dancing 2010 contestant visited A+E. Ann - a former politician - said: "Until this visit, my only experience of A+E was of a large London teaching hospital when I was making a documentary for television and of visiting the principal hospital in my constituency. "Long queues, dunks, harassed staff, serious pressure." Ann's A+E trip last year was the opposite, and she lauded Newton Abbot Community Hospital's staff for getting her "examined, X-rayed, briefed and discharged" quickly. The Celebrity Big Brother 2018 runner-up said: "So a big shout-out for Newton Abbot Community Hospital. There were all of 19 people waiting. The staff were relaxed, cheerful and gave you the impression that they could listen to you all day. "Within three hours of arrival, I had been examined, X-rayed, briefed and discharged with all the necessary information. "Nothing was too much trouble. Nothing was rushed." On January 15, Hanoi's Immigration Management Division launched a citywide inspection campaign to monitor foreign nationals compliance with immigration laws. The crackdown focused on residential complexes and lodging facilities across the capital. In total, four separate violations were recorded, involving 17 foreign nationals, including three Nigerians, five Pakistanis, seven South Koreans, and two Chinese citizens. Most had overstayed temporary residence permits in violation of Vietnamese law. Authorities seized laptops, tablets, and phones used in suspected online scams operated by foreigners in Hanois Splendora villas. Photo: NB At two adjacent properties - BT1-D64 and BT1-D25 in the Splendora residential complex in Son Dong commune - authorities found nine individuals unable to produce passports, including seven South Koreans and two Chinese nationals. Upon interrogation, the seven South Koreans admitted they had entered Vietnam to operate an online fraud scheme under the direction of two Chinese organizers. The group's primary targets were South Korean citizens, lured through high-tech scams. Police seized a large cache of electronic equipment suspected to have been used in the operation: 17 laptops, 14 tablets, and 25 mobile phones. At BT1-D64, five foreigners - four South Koreans and one Chinese - were found without identification. Officers confiscated the bulk of the electronics here, which showed signs of involvement in illicit tech-based activities. Meanwhile, at BT1-D25, four others - three South Koreans and one Chinese - were also found without valid documents. Additional evidence collected included three desktop monitors and five personal mobile phones. The suspects claimed to be temporarily residing in a different urban area in Tay Mo ward, Hanoi. When police followed up on this lead, they uncovered seven passports matching the suspects' identities. One Chinese national even attempted to destroy all seven passports to obstruct the investigation and delay identification procedures. Simultaneously, four other inspection teams combed various areas in Hanoi, including Kim Lien ward, Hong Ha ward, and the rural communes of My Duc and Quang Bi. They discovered eight more foreign nationals - three Nigerians and five Pakistanis - who had overstayed temporary residency permits by over a year. Notably, the five Pakistanis had initially entered Vietnam on e-visas, residing primarily in Dong Nai before traveling to Hanoi. Their stated goal was to seek consular assistance from the Pakistani Embassy to return home. The investigation remains ongoing, as police work to clarify the full extent of the scam operation and any potential connections to broader international networks. Tien Dung The scheme aims to strengthen information dissemination and public communications to enhance awareness and understanding of the benefits, effectiveness and contributions of nuclear energy, particularly nuclear power, to national development, thereby enhancing consensus among authorities, sectors and the public, promoting a culture of nuclear safety and security, and facilitating the effective implementation of nuclear energy-related programmes and projects in the new development phase. By 2030, priority will be given to improving information and communication capacity across ministries, sectors, localities and relevant agencies, while gradually forming a pool of communicators equipped with basic knowledge of nuclear energy and nuclear power. According to the roadmap, by 2027 the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), Khanh Hoa and Dong Nai provinces, Vietnam Electricity, and Vietnam National IndustryEnergy Group will establish dedicated sections on nuclear and atomic energy on their official websites. Other ministries, sectors and localities will regularly update nuclear energy-related information on their official portals. The scheme targets that by 2027 around 60% of leaders, managers, civil servants and public employees in relevant ministries and localities will acquire basic knowledge of nuclear energy development and application. In parallel, the professional capacity of reporters, editors and information officers covering the sector will be strengthened. Public communication activities will be carried out in areas hosting nuclear power projects, research reactors and nuclear application facilities. By 2027, about 50% of residents in these areas are expected to receive basic information on the role and benefits of nuclear energy, regulations on nuclear safety and security, and radiation and nuclear emergency response. In the education sector, approximately 70% of secondary school and university students in Khanh Hoa and Dong Nai provinces will be provided with extracurricular knowledge on nuclear energy and nuclear power through appropriate education and communication programmes by 2027. Each year, the number of news items and features, broadcast time and audience reach related to nuclear energy and nuclear power on platforms of Vietnam Television, the Voice of Vietnam, the Vietnam News Agency and other central and local media outlets is expected to increase by an average of 10%. By 2035, the scheme will be expanded nationwide, with further improvements in the quality of information and communication activities. At least 80% of leaders, civil servants and public employees under the MoST, the MoIT, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and at least 30% in other relevant ministries and sectors are expected to have access to nuclear energy-related information. The scheme covers the Partys guidelines and the States policies and laws on nuclear energy development, nuclear safety and security, domestic and international trends, and applications of nuclear energy in health care, industry, agriculture and environmental protection. Funding will come from the State budget for science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, along with other lawful sources. The MoST will serve as the lead agency coordinating implementation, monitoring and reporting./. VNA The village is bustling as potters shape, dry, and fire a flood of horse-themed ceramics - the symbolic animal of Binh Ngo (Year of the Horse) - destined for Tet displays, gifts, and public installations. Each figurine is meticulously shaped by Lam before firing. Situated along the Thu Bon River, Thanh Ha has long been a favorite stop for tourists visiting Hoi Ans ancient town. Today, around 40 households continue the trade, with 68 active artisans producing ceramics year-round and especially during the critical year-end period. For the past week, 29-year-old artisan Nguyen Viet Lam, who runs the Son Thuy pottery workshop, has barely had time to rest. His studio floor is packed with dozens of half-finished ceramic horses - sculpted, styled, and waiting to dry before heading to the kiln. This year, theres a big uptick in customized horse figurine orders - not just for homes, but for public displays, businesses, and institutions, Lam said. Lam says orders are up significantly compared to last year. Hes currently working on a 100-piece order for a client in Hanoi, with horses sculpted in the dynamic galloping to success pose. Its a technically demanding design requiring careful foot placement to prevent collapse during firing. From the clients original sketch, I had to adjust the proportions for ceramic stability while still preserving the horses spirit. Just the sculpting takes over six hours per piece, not counting the 1,270C kiln process, he said. Each client has a different vision, and we have to express that exactly. With so many orders, were working around the clock to keep up, he added. Beyond commissions, his workshop also produces figurines for walk-in tourists. Lams not alone. Other workshops in the village are also working through long days and nights - drying in the sun, fine-tuning forms by daylight, and firing through the evening. Artisan Le Van Nhat, 37, said his entire family has been on duty from dawn till dusk since early January. This year, the local government commissioned him to sculpt a pair of large horse statues for the entrance road to Thanh Ha village. One design features a horse holding a bag of gold coins, symbolizing prosperity for the new year. Nhat finalizing a large-scale horse figurine for Tet Binh Ngo 2026. Because of the size, every detail needs to be perfect - or the piece will collapse in the kiln, he explained. In December alone, he delivered over 600 horse-shaped to he (miniature clay figurines) to souvenir shops in Hoi An and is now rushing to complete more in various sizes. A basic horse figure sells for about USD 2, while the largest, most intricate pieces can go for as much as USD 370, Nhat said. Passing down the fire, one generation to the next Horse-shaped to he figurines add charm to Thanh Has souvenir offerings. At his kiln, 68-year-old artisan Nguyen Van Xe quietly watches the flames. Hes been working with clay since he was a child, learning the craft from his father on riverbanks where they gathered soil. His family has practiced pottery for five generations. Now, his son Nguyen Van Hoang, 39, is continuing the family legacy. This Tet, Xe is sculpting a large, robust horse statue with a proud stance and powerful posture. Horses are hardworking and carry heavy loads. I hope this clay horse brings a sense of economic optimism for the new year, he said. To him, every curve and detail is not just craftsmanship - its a wish for strength, prosperity, and smooth passage into the next cycle. Xe beside the kiln that has been his lifelong companion. Xe and his latest Tet horse sculpture. My greatest hope is that younger generations will keep this fire alive - not just during Tet, but all year round, he said. Tourism boom, Tet spirit keeps kilns glowing According to the Peoples Committee of Hoi An Tay Ward, Thanh Ha welcomed over 251,000 visitors in 2025, 95% of them international. The influx brought tens of billions of dong in revenue and reaffirmed the cultural and economic resilience of this 500-year-old craft village. And even before the Tet peak season hits, the surge in horse figurine orders has already kept kilns blazing deep into the night - a testament to the lasting spirit and adaptability of Vietnams traditional artisans. Ha Nam At the ancient village of Duong Lam in Son Tay, Hanoi, artist Nguyen Tan Phat (born 1983) and his team are racing to finish their ambitious lacquer art collection titled Giong, comprising 2,026 one-of-a-kind lacquer pieces inspired by the legendary figure Saint Giong and the image of the horse. Phat, dubbed the lacquer wizard, has nurtured this vision for a decade. Over 1,900 completed pieces are now on display throughout the historic village, drawing crowds of curious visitors. Roughly 100 more are still undergoing final touches. I have a deep admiration for Saint Giong and his horse, as they symbolize the spirit of the Vietnamese people in defending our homeland, Phat shared. Each work in the collection remains true to the soul of traditional lacquer while adopting modern aesthetics, catering to both domestic and international tastes. What makes the collection exceptional is that no two pieces are alike. Each sculpture features a distinct design, form, and emotional expression - some bold and powerful, others serene or introspective. There are even some with playful, whimsical charm. The average piece measures about 20x25cm and takes at least a month to complete. For Phat, the true challenge lies not in producing such a large quantity, but in ensuring each artwork possesses its own soul and avoids mechanical repetition. These pieces embody the intellect and creativity of the artist. They're not mass-produced but made with artistic intention, he said. One sculpture, for example, fuses laterite stone and wood in a stylized horse form using abstract shapes. Unlike previous Tet animal collections by Phat, the "Giong" horses serve both as decorative sculptures and functional furniture - tea tables, chairs, cabinets, and more. The materials used include laterite, jackfruit wood, longan wood, and bamboo - elements drawn from the architecture and lifestyle of Duong Lam village, offering both rustic charm and artistic durability. As soon as I shared some photos of the pieces online, many people reached out to visit and place orders for Tet, Phat recalled. This year, he created four lacquer tables shaped like horses, each portraying a different posture. Made from sturdy woods such as longan and sapodilla, these pieces go through a meticulous process - shaping, material treatment, priming, sanding, painting, layering, and finishing - that takes around two and a half months per table. Each table is currently priced at $8,000. A collector from Da Nang secured two of the four early on. One of Phats personal favorites is a horse-shaped lacquer cabinet that took approximately four months to complete. The anticipated price for this piece is $12,000. The largest piece in the collection is a full furniture set titled Bat Ma Truy Phong (Eight Horses in Pursuit of the Wind). It includes one table, one main chair, and six side chairs - each sculpted in the form of a horse in different poses. Still in progress, this grand set is scheduled to be unveiled a few weeks before Tet. Smaller display pieces in the collection range from $120 to $400. The Giong project is a collaborative effort involving seasoned artisans, skilled craftsmen, and young painters from Duong Lam. Under Phats guidance, they maintain strict artistic and technical standards. In 2017, Phat was awarded the title Artisan of Hanoi by the Hanoi Peoples Committee in recognition of his mastery in mother-of-pearl inlay and lacquer. In 2023, the former Son Tay township honored him for his contributions to local culture, arts, and tourism. In 2025, he was officially named Distinguished Artisan. Beyond creating art, Phat actively mentors the next generation. He organizes lacquer workshops for students and university learners, fostering appreciation for traditional crafts and inspiring young people to take up the mantle of cultural preservation. Each piece in the collection preserves the essence of lacquer art while presenting a contemporary aesthetic tailored to both domestic and global markets. The artworks vary in mood and form - some powerful and fierce, others calm or endearing. The average piece measures around 20x25cm and takes at least a month to complete. Each work is a product of deep artistic thought, not mass production. This one combines laterite stone and wood into an abstract horse form. Unlike previous Tet animal collections, these pieces serve both as sculptures and functional furniture like tea tables, chairs, and cabinets. Creating each lacquer table takes roughly two and a half months from start to finish. The largest item, Bat Ma Truy Phong, features a table and seven horse-shaped chairs, still under construction. Smaller lacquer horse pieces are priced between $120 and $400. Each table is priced at $8,000, and two have already been sold to a Da Nang collector. Phat spent four months crafting this horse-shaped lacquer cabinet, which is expected to sell for $12,000. Linh Trang Speaking at the opening of the 14th National Party Congress this morning, President Luong Cuong extended a warm welcome to 1,586 delegates representing more than 5.6 million Party members nationwide. These are exemplary Party members, the President said, representing the intellect, will, strength of unity, and a shared determination to rise in a new era. Decisive moment, historic expectations President Luong Cuong delivers the opening speech at the 14th National Party Congress. President Luong Cuong described the 14th Congress as a historic milestone on the path to celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. He stressed that the Congress reflects the collective will, vision, and aspirations of the entire Party, people, and armed forces, with a spirit of strategic autonomy, self-reliance, and confidence toward building a peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, and civilized Vietnam. He praised the nations unity in overcoming immense challenges - from the COVID-19 pandemic to global economic and geopolitical shocks. Vietnam has rapidly stabilized post-crisis, resumed growth, and fulfilled the key goals set out at the 13th Congress, he said, noting revolutionary breakthroughs achieved in 2025. These wide-ranging achievements - in economic development, cultural progress, national defense, diplomacy, and especially Party-building and anti-corruption - have laid a solid foundation of trust and social consensus, powering the momentum of the 14th Congress. New era, new challenges President Luong Cuong pointed to complex global and regional developments - rising strategic competition, climate change, and non-traditional security threats - as urgent drivers of reform. He emphasized the need for a new growth model, improved productivity, and enhanced national competitiveness, along with stronger governance in defense, security, and foreign affairs. After 40 years of reform, Vietnam has made historic progress, he said. Our peoples well-being has improved. Our global standing has risen. But challenges remain. He noted that economic growth still lags potential, labor productivity remains low, and competitiveness is limited. Many citizens continue to face hardship, while climate change, disasters, epidemics, and cyber threats pose growing risks. Amid these realities, he said, the Vietnamese people are counting on bold, strategic, and effective decisions from this Congress. A turning point for the future The 14th Congress bears an extraordinary historic mission, President Luong Cuong stated. It must chart not only the course for 20262030, but also address strategic questions shaping our nations destiny for decades to come. He called on the Congress to reignite national pride and determination, mobilize all resources, and unify the countrys collective strength with global trends. The goal, he said, is to accelerate comprehensive reform and national development, moving Vietnam toward a powerful, globally respected future - realizing President Ho Chi Minhs vision and the aspirations of the Vietnamese people. The Congress is also tasked with evaluating the implementation of the 13th Congresss resolutions in the context of 40 years of reform, identifying key lessons, and setting a foundation for future growth and governance. Key discussions will include setting development targets and breakthrough strategies for 20262030, with a long-term vision toward 2045. This includes revolutionary, high-impact policies to achieve rapid, sustainable development while protecting national sovereignty, the President said. In parallel, the Congress will conduct a comprehensive review of Party building and political system reform to ensure integrity, capability, and strength. Choosing worthy leadership for a critical phase Photo: VNA One of the most important tasks is to elect a new Party Central Committee, President Luong Cuong said. He stressed that the new leadership must be composed of individuals who truly exemplify revolutionary ethics, intellect, courage, and leadership competence - worthy of being the peoples loyal servants and capable of fulfilling the great responsibilities entrusted by the Party and the people. The 14th Congress marks the beginning of a new era of national development, he concluded. With the motto Solidarity Democracy Discipline Breakthrough Development, it embodies our unwavering will and unity toward building a peaceful, independent, prosperous, and happy Vietnam on the path to socialism. President Luong Cuong called on all delegates to demonstrate the highest sense of responsibility, wisdom, and unity in contributing to the success of this pivotal Congress. Tran Thuong - Huong Quynh On the opening day of the 14th National Party Congress, January 20, Dr. Tran Dinh Thien shared with VietNamNet that the goal of achieving double-digit economic growth is not merely a technical target, but a profound test of Vietnams developmental thinking. A high-growth goal meant to lead, not just measure The 14th Congress will deliberate and approve the draft Political Report, which sets the foundation for national development over the next five years. How do you assess the double-digit growth target outlined in the report? Dr. Tran Dinh Thien Member of the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council. Dr. Tran Dinh Thien Member of the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council: Whats notable this time is that the double-digit growth target is not just set for a single five-year term, but is tied to a long-term vision extending to 2045. In my view, this high target serves a guiding and directional role - it is not .just a technical figure. The fundamental difference in the economy compared to forty years ago lies in its structure and quality. Today, we no longer "bet" on the old model of industrialisation - weve moved away from mechanical industrialisation heavily reliant on subcontracting, assembly, natural resources like coal and oil, or cheap labour. The current goal - and also the foundation for development - is to build a high-standard economy rooted in technology, knowledge, and innovation. This time, the double-digit growth target is not simply about scale; more importantly, its about quality. These two goals are inseparably linked. Forty years ago, concepts like digital economy, green economy, or knowledge economy were unfamiliar to us. Now that these new orientations and drivers have become pillars, the way the economy operates must change entirely. If we continue holding on to the old mindset - merely "tweaking," "upgrading," or "expanding" the old model - we will not be able to achieve the new goals. Therefore, the central issue in reaching double-digit growth is whether we dare to change our way of doing things. In essence, this is a major test of mindset and the vision of national development governance - not just a question of GDP. That is the most important logic. Where, in your view, does the momentum for this new development model come from? First, we need to clearly recognize the shift in how we understand the forces and drivers of growth. In the past, we viewed economic sectors mainly as "resources" - things that could be mobilized and allocated. But drivers are what propel the economy forward, generate momentum and renewal. Without true drivers, even with resources, the economy will move very slowly - if at all. So where is the most vital force in the economy? Previously, the private sector was seen as a supporting actor - sometimes even stigmatized. Now, the private sector is positioned at the very center of growth momentum. That marks a fundamental transformation. Growth can no longer rely on the administrative or state sector in the way we used to understand them - sectors that rarely demonstrated full efficiency or competitiveness. It is the private sector, grounded in market competition, that consistently proves its strength. If we look back at 1986, the shift is clear. With just one signal of "opening," the private sector - despite being weak at the time - immediately sprang to life, bringing goods to market and transforming economic life rapidly. Today, we not only recognize the private sector - we affirm it as the principal, leading force. This is a pivot in development thinking, carrying the potential to fundamentally shift our economic trajectory. Beyond the private sector, the industrialisation model is also being discussed as a major shift - would you agree? Absolutely. In the past, industrialisation largely relied on low technology, traditional mechanics, and assembly-based manufacturing. Even when foreign investment was attracted, the main advantage remained cheap labor - which translated to low productivity. Now, that model has fundamentally changed. Weve made it very clear - especially in Resolution 57 - that our direction is high technology, the digital economy, and knowledge-based development. The most frequently mentioned concepts today are innovation and artificial intelligence. Growth drivers are no longer gasoline, machinery, or basic assembly lines - they are high-tech capabilities, knowledge, and creative capacity. From now on, businesses are expected to be technology enterprises, innovation-driven enterprises - rooted in knowledge and modern finance. Addressing infrastructure bottlenecks through rapid, previously unimaginable shifts is also seen as a major development driver. Would you agree? The double-digit growth target is not limited to a five-year term, but is tied to a long-term vision through 2045. In the past, we often said infrastructure should go one step ahead, but in reality, it usually lagged behind. It was fragmented - patching where stuck, unclogging where blocked. Interregional connectivity, in particular, was very weak. In recent years, however, weve witnessed a completely different approach. Infrastructure is now seen as an integrated, high-standard system that connects the entire economy. Expressways are no longer developed in dribs and drabs - they're being rolled out simultaneously along major corridors linking key economic zones. Its not just roads - urban railways, airports, seaports, and energy infrastructure have all been elevated to a new strategic level. The direction is toward clean energy, renewable energy. Industrial infrastructure is no longer understood in the traditional sense, but is now associated with high-tech zones, free trade areas, and modern urban developments. More importantly, doing things right builds trust. When the market has confidence, when businesses have confidence, then social capital will flow much more strongly. In my view, the beginning of this shift was Van Don Airport. That project broke the mental straitjacket of old thinking and old methods, proving that a world-class national infrastructure system is entirely feasible through the strategic combination of public and non-state resources. And what about international integration - a powerful driver of development - how do you assess its current role? Previously, our open economy leaned heavily on trade and foreign investment - but under the old growth model. Rapid and aggressive liberalisation, when our internal capabilities were still weak, often led to dependency and made it difficult to elevate the economys quality - especially if we wanted to rely more on internal strength. Now, integration is positioned at a much higher level. Vietnam is proactively choosing investors, prioritising high technology, and inviting global tech giants to invest, build, and develop innovation ecosystems. Integration is no longer just about opening doors - its about stepping into higher positions within global value chains. Overall, the Vietnamese economy today operates on two parallel pillars: one is the strong push to develop the domestic sector with full market mechanisms; the other is high-level international integration, aligned with technology, value chains, and global standards. Combating waste A driver of growth Looking ahead to the first year of this new development cycle, in your opinion, how should localities set their growth targets to maintain the 10% goal while avoiding a mentality of chasing quotas? Every locality is now setting double-digit growth targets for 2026 - an action commitment and a national responsibility at the local level. Photo: Hoang Ha The first year of a new term - and at the same time, the opening year of a new development cycle - is always a difficult one, especially given the current international context. In 2025, Vietnams average national growth exceeded 8%. However, some localities grew by just over 6%, while others surpassed 10%. This shows that provinces and cities are not starting from the same baseline. Therefore, it's unrealistic to expect every locality to reach equally high growth in the first year of the new cycle. More importantly, each locality must accurately assess its own starting conditions, clearly define its development thinking, and implement solutions that maximize the role of the State - especially local governments. That includes how they use public investment to guide and activate local private sectors, which vary greatly in capability. If the foundation is solid, this new growth cycle will have a real launching pad to ensure sustained high growth throughout the term. We need a flexible approach to growth targets. Every locality is currently aiming for double-digit growth in 2026. That reflects strong commitment and responsibility at the national level. But based on actual implementation conditions, I believe not every locality will realistically reach 10% or more this year on its own. That doesnt mean they arent committed. It simply highlights two essential conditions that must be addressed. First, the central government must promptly empower local levels - give them the space to decide, to act, and to take full responsibility. Such empowerment must be based on trust in the creative capacity of those taking action. Second, localities that face greater difficulties in growth conditions need concrete, active support from the central level - in terms of resources, and especially in terms of mechanisms and policy frameworks. In the medium term, some provinces may need to spend the first one to two years focusing on building foundations in infrastructure, institutional reform, and financial readiness. From that base, they can break through in the later years. This approach is not about lowering commitment or softening targets. It is, in fact, a dialectical method rooted in long-term development logic - tailored to different starting points. In reality, provinces with smaller economies tend to grow faster. Conversely, major economic hubs that are restructuring may initially grow more slowly. According to that logic, if cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City can quickly resolve bottlenecks in infrastructure and urban traffic, their momentum in the following years could be immense. But clearly, these locomotives will require more time and resources. In short, when designing growth targets, localities should not chase numbers under administrative orders. Resources are like food for the human body - you must eat enough, at the right time, to properly digest. Injecting more capital does not automatically lead to higher or more sustainable growth. Youve repeatedly emphasized that fighting waste is a critical growth driver. Why do you consider this a decisive factor, especially in the context of setting a double-digit growth goal? In recent years, the economy has demonstrated a strong capacity to mobilize resources. Thats a powerful engine we can count on. But the risk is that we are overly reliant on static resources. In the coming period, achieving high growth will still require significant capital mobilization. But if we focus only on raising capital without improving how efficiently its used, it wont be enough. The priority must now shift decisively toward combating waste. Our economy is currently wasting at an alarming scale. General Secretary To Lam was among the first to highlight this. His message is clear: we must not only seek new resources, but also drastically improve the effectiveness of how we use what we already have - and that effort needs to start now. If we succeed, we will see stronger discipline and much higher growth efficiency. Take a concrete example: nearly 2,900 investment projects are currently stalled due to legal bottlenecks. The capital tied up is close to $250 billion. In 2026, if we manage to unblock, say, 1,000 of these projects, we could immediately unlock $7080 billion in capital. Simply unfreezing that blocked capital would be enough to wake up the economy and spark strong growth. If that capital remains frozen, interest payments continue, funds erode, assets deteriorate, labor is wasted on a large scale, and Vietnamese businesses remain unable to rise. The cost to society is enormous. Fighting waste here isnt about assigning blame for the past. Its about designing mechanisms to clear current backlogs - and, more importantly, ensuring no new waste is created going forward. We must address both types of waste simultaneously: first, resolve legacy inefficiencies to liberate the economy; second, create mechanisms that prevent inefficiency from the outset in future initiatives. If done well, this alone could significantly lift growth beyond the 8% rate seen in 2025. And we must remember: fighting waste doesnt just help raise GDP. More importantly, it makes the economy healthier, more disciplined, and more transparent. Tu Giang - Lan Anh Lorraine Kelly and her husband Steve Smith would never renew their wedding vows. Steve Smith and his wife Lorraine Kelly / Alpha Press The couple - who mark their 35th wedding anniversary in 2027 - feel they do not need to reaffirm their love for each other because their relationship is so strong. Lorraine - who met Steve when she worked as a reporter and he was a cameraman at TV-am in the 1980s - told the new issue of Woman magazine: "That's not really us. I'd rather just have a party without that." The TV presenter joked that she and her spouse sleeping together in a tent in Africa on holiday proves that their marriage is still alive. Lorraine - who wed Steve at Mains Castle in Dundee, Scotland, in September 1992 - quipped: "Steve and I survive a couple of weeks sleeping next to each other in the bush, sleeping next to each other in a tent on a roof [of a Jeep]. "If we can survive that, I think we're doing alright!" The star - who has daughter Rosie, 31, with Steve - credits her husband for allowing her to still work. Lorraine said: "He's great and so easy-going. He does such a lot for me. I'm only able to do what I do because he takes care of everything." The new year started with a change for the host now that her eponymous ITV morning magazine show has been reduced to 30-minute episodes and airs on a 30-week "seasonal basis" amid the network's brutal budget cuts. Despite that, Lorraine has "so much to look forward to" in 2026 - especially in the summer when Rosie marries Steve White in July. Lorraine said: "It's going to be really lovely. It's going to be up in Scotland with friends and family, very low-key." And Rosie and her fiance - who, in 2024, got engaged and welcomed their daughter Billie into the world - have got everything planned out. Lorraine continued: "Rosie's got spreadsheets and is so organised. I said, 'Do you need me to help you with the wedding?' She said, 'It's done - all you've got to do is get yourself something to wear.'" The new year has also seen Lorraine front Channel 4's Norwegian Odyssey - a three-part travel series that sees Lorraine embark on a voyage through the country's fjords and volcanic mountains, as well as embrace the culture. China's top legislator holds talks with speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan Xinhua) 09:20, January 20, 2026 Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 19. 2026. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, held talks with Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, in Beijing on Monday. Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Zhao said China stands ready to work with Pakistan to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, accelerate the development of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, and bring greater benefits to the two peoples. Zhao said that China is willing to strengthen the alignment of its 15th Five-Year Plan with Pakistan's National Economic Transformation Plan (URAAN Pakistan) for the 2024-2029 period. Zhao added that China is ready to advance the construction of the upgraded Version 2.0 of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and to deliver further achievements in key areas such as industry, agriculture, mining, transportation and people's livelihoods. He also said that China supports Pakistan's resolute efforts to combat terrorism. China's NPC is willing to deepen its exchange of experience with the National Assembly of Pakistan on governance, legislation, oversight and other related areas, focusing on topics such as rural revitalization and green development, Zhao said. Sadiq said that Pakistan firmly supports China's stance on its core interests and major concerns, including issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang and Xizang. He noted that Pakistan hopes to strengthen cooperation with China in such fields as the economy, trade, investment, infrastructure development, people-to-people exchange and personnel training. The National Assembly of Pakistan is willing to deepen its exchange and cooperation with China's NPC, he added. Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 19. 2026. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Hanoi, January 19 - The 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) is not only a major political and social event for Vietnam, but also a clear demonstration that the Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the CPV, are determining for themselves the nations destiny and development priorities. Sergey Syrankov, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus. Photo: VNA The remark was made by Sergey Syrankov, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus, in a recent interview with Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondents in Eastern Europe. He expressed confidence that the congress would comprehensively review the implementation of resolutions from the previous term and adopt strategic documents to promote breakthrough development in key areas such as digital transformation, nuclear energy, and modernisation of infrastructure serving labourers. Vietnams achievements over the past five years are the result of the effective and consistent leadership of the CPV, he stated, noting that improving living standards and human development can only be achieved in a united and stable society. Drawing from Belaruss experience, he pointed out that external influences can only cause instability when internal social cohesion is weak, underscoring the particularly important role of ideological work, communication, and mass mobilisation. Regarding bilateral relations, Sergey Syrankov affirmed that the friendship between the two parties and peoples of Belarus and Vietnam is built on a long historical foundation, from Vietnams struggle for independence to the current stage of cooperation. President Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the national liberation movement and founder of the Communist Party of Vietnam, once visited Belarus. This relationship has continued to be strengthened through recent high-level visits, especially the visit to Belarus by CPV General Secretary To Lam in May 2025, which elevated bilateral ties to a strategic partnership. He also highlighted the mutual contributions of the two countries in human resource training and international support during various historical periods. Amid a complex international situation, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Belarus said that strengthening inter-party cooperation is important for promoting peace, stability, and development. He noted that both sides are working toward building a roadmap for inter-party cooperation for the 2026-2030 period, including industrial, economic, scientific, and educational projects, as well as expanding transport and aviation connectivity. Belarus is particularly interested in Vietnams renewal and Party building experience, as well as its ability to mobilise the business sector to participate in implementing national development strategies, he noted. Sergey Syrankov affirmed that Belarus and Vietnam should continue to coordinate closely within multilateral and interregional mechanisms such as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), BRICS, and other organisations; support the principles of multipolarity and non-interference in internal affairs; and strengthen cooperation on international and regional security. According to him, maintaining and deepening relations among political parties is an important foundation for consolidating traditional solidarity, safeguarding national interests, and effectively responding to challenges in a rapidly changing world. Dr Tran Hai Linh, member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Chairman of the Vietnam-Korea Businessmen and Investment Association (VKBIA) (Photo: VNA) Hanoi In the new development context, properly recognising and promoting the role of overseas Vietnamese is key to driving innovation and sustainable growth, according to Dr Tran Hai Linh, member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and Chairman of the Vietnam-Korea Businessmen and Investment Association (VKBIA). In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Linh said that the Party and State have consistently regarded overseas Vietnamese (OV) as an inseparable part of the nation and a vital development resource, as reflected in major policies such as Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW, Directive No. 45-CT/TW, and Conclusion No. 12-KL/TW. Over the past four decades of Doi moi (renewal), overseas Vietnamese have become a strategic resource, contributing to national development across multiple fields. Economically, remittances have remained high and stable, supporting livelihoods and macroeconomic stability, he said. Many OV entrepreneurs have bridged international corporations with Vietnam, bringing investment into manufacturing, technology, logistics, e-commerce, tourism, and high-quality services, thereby enhancing competitiveness and economic restructuring, he said. Vietnamese intellectuals and experts abroad have also made practical contributions to science and technology, innovation, and education, through research cooperation, technology transfer, start-up support, and policy advice, while helping link Vietnam with global knowledge networks. In addition, overseas Vietnamese play an important role in people-to-people diplomacy and promoting Vietnams image as a dynamic, friendly, and responsible country. Their humanitarian, charitable, and social welfare activities further strengthen national unity and reflect their deep bonds with the homeland. These contributions confirm that overseas Vietnamese are not only an inseparable part of the nation but also an important resource for Vietnams development in the new stage, Dr Linh stressed. As the knowledge-based economy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution are reshaping the global development order, the intellectual resources and international networks of the overseas Vietnamese community have become more strategically valuable than ever. With more than 6 million overseas Vietnamese, including hundreds of thousands of experts working in key fields such as AI, biotechnology, health care, finance, clean energy, and logistics, Vietnam possesses a valuable pool of global talent. Beyond expertise, overseas Vietnamese bring international experience, global mindsets, and strong links with technology centres, research institutes, and multinational corporations worldwide. They also help connect Vietnam with global markets, supply chains, and investment flows, enhancing national competitiveness and integration into global value chains, while contributing to the countrys soft power and international credibility, he added. Looking ahead, Dr Linh expressed his hope that the 14th National Party Congress will introduce breakthrough policies to facilitate OV contributions in economy, science and technology, education, and culture. He stressed that overseas Vietnamese should be positioned not as a supplementary resource but as strategic partners in all national development policies. Overseas Vietnamese should be regarded as one of the countrys strategic resources on par with natural resources, labour, and capital, especially in terms of brain capital, connectivity capital, and social capital, he said, adding they should be viewed as partners in knowledge, investment, and people-to-people diplomacy, with clearly defined roles based on their capabilities to maximise effectiveness. Positioning overseas Vietnamese as strategic partners and bridges of knowledge, capital, and markets will enable Vietnam to mobilise intellectual power more effectively and accelerate development in the digital and knowledge era, he concluded. Canada has announced more than $120 million in funding for 18 development projects in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Fiji. Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State for International Development, concluded a visit to the three nations on January 16. During his trip, Sarai reaffirmed Canadas commitment to deepening economic partnerships, development cooperation and exploring new trade opportunities. He also highlighted Canadas priorities of inclusive economic growth, trade readiness, climate resilience, and gender equality across the Indo-Pacific region. He also announced the allocation of funding for four new initiatives valued at more than $4.2 million, under the ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action Trust Fund for 2023-2029. Canadas support for these projects, aimed at empowering women, strengthening climate adaptation, supporting inclusive governance and fostering sustainable livelihoods, underscores its commitment to shared prosperity. A significant share of this support is directed towards ventures in Vietnam, reflecting Canadas strong development partnership with the country. Accordingly, Canada is supporting the Vietnam Climate-Smart Coastal Communities initiative in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, with funding of $20 million over six years. The initiative aims to build the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities by improving the capacity of local governments, communities and women-led organisations to plan for and adapt to climate change. The initiative will also restore marine and coastal biodiversity to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty through ecosystem recovery. Another major initiative is Vietnam Climate Resilient Municipalities, implemented with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded with $10 million over six years. This initiative will enhance climate resilience in several Vietnamese municipalities by improving infrastructure and waste management through training and technical advice and by promoting the involvement of women-led organisations in decision-making while strengthening policy coordination between local and national governments. Canada is also backing the Advancing Growth Innovation and Leadership for Enterprises initiative, delivered by the World University Service of Canada, with $10 million over five years. The initiative will expand on Canadas engagement in impact investment by supporting the local ecosystem for social businesses. It will also provide opportunities for engagement with Canadian institutions and experts on climate adaptation solutions. Through the Biodiversity and Livelihood Opportunities for Ethnic Minority Women project, Canada is providing $10 million over six years in partnership with SOCODEVI and Desjardins International Development. The undertaking will help strengthen the conservation of high-value forests, promote climate-smart and biodiversity-friendly agroforestry production in forest buffer zones and improve the participation of ethnic minority women in developing and implementing biodiversity and climate change adaptation policies at the central and local levels of government. Governance and justice are addressed through the Inclusive Local Governance in Vietnam initiative ($9.7 million over 6 years). It will strengthen inclusive governance by enhancing the skills of civil servants to deliver services that meet the needs of all citizens. Meanwhile, the VietnamCanada Judicial Capacity Development project ($8.15 million over 6 years) will improve practices among judges and court officials to help increase access to justice for the most vulnerable groups of people. Economic empowerment and gender equality are supported via Impact Investment Readiness Vietnam ($5 million), Womens Political Participation ($4.58 million), the Gender-Responsive Resilient Recovery of Typhoon-Affected Livelihoods in Northern Mountainous Provinces of Vietnam ($2 million), and the Women Entrepreneur Facility ($2 million). Canada and Vietnam have been development partners for more than 30 years. In fiscal year 2023-2024, Canada provided $31.8 million in international assistance to Vietnam, making it the countys eighth-largest donor. EDC and VinaCapital forge partnership to boost bilateral cooperation Canada and Vietnam are set to deepen economic ties as Export Development Canada partners with VinaCapital to expand trade and investment opportunities. Canada's Komaspec invests in Haiphong manufacturing facility Komaspec, a leading Canadian-owned manufacturer, announced on October 17 that the company has opened a state-of-the-art 60,000 square foot (0.56 ha) facility in Haiphong. Hanoi - The first working day of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), which opened in Hanoi on January 19, has drawn broad attention from major international news agencies and media outlets, with coverage focusing on its implications for the selection of senior leaders, socio-economic development orientations, and Vietnams role and standing amid a volatile regional and global landscape. Party and State leaders pose for a group photo with female delegates attending the 14th National Party Congress. (Photo: VNA) Frances AFP news agency underscored the congresss pivotal significance, highlighting priorities for the next five years such as spurring the private sector, digital transformation and technological progress, and targeting annual economic growth of 10 per cent or higher during the 20262030 period. AFP also noted that collective leadership remains a defining feature of Vietnams political system. Meanwhile, the US-based Associated Press (AP) reported on the landmark event, outlining its importance and the key issues set to be discussed by delegates. The UKs BBC emphasised that the 14th National Party Congress is the forum where the most consequential decisions of Vietnams political system for the next five years are made, spanning economic and foreign policies as well as personnel affairs. The Financial Times (FT) observed that the congress is taking place as Vietnam, one of the worlds fastest-growing economies, adapts to global trade tensions and profound shifts in the international economic environment. According to the FT, the event comes at a crucial time for export-reliant Vietnam, an Asian manufacturing powerhouse adapting to global trade tensions and profound changes in the international economic environment. State apparatus reforms, an enhanced role for the private sector and the pursuit of double-digit growth were seen as reflecting the leaderships efforts to realise Vietnams aspiration of becoming a developed nation by 2045. From the perspective of economic prospects, China Daily described the 14th National Party Congress as being held at a time when Vietnam is emerging as a growth bright spot in Southeast Asia. Citing data showing GDP growth of over 8 per cent last year, the highest in ASEAN, the paper noted that for the first time, the congress's documents place science, technology and innovation at the core of Vietnams national growth strategy for the next five years. According to the international media, the 14th National Party Congress plays a decisive role in shaping Vietnams political and economic direction for the remainder of the decade. Large-scale administrative reforms, efforts to streamline the state apparatus and the push for infrastructure investment in recent years underscore a development approach that prioritises rapid growth alongside security and political stability. Beyond its domestic political significance, the congress is being closely watched by the international community, with decisions and personnel choices expected to shape Vietnams development trajectory for the years to come amid both major opportunities and complex external challenges. The 14th National Party Congress is attended by 1,586 delegates representing more than 5.6 million members of the CPV. It will discuss and adopt four key documents: the Political Report; the Report reviewing theoretical and practical issues over 40 years of Doi Moi (Renewal) process; the report summarising 15 years of implementation of the Party Statutes; and the report reviewing the leadership and direction of the 13th Party Central Committee. A central task of the congress is the election of members of the 14th Party Central Committee. Kafi Securities achieved a double win at the Asia-Pacific Enterprise Awards (APEA) Vietnam 2025, receiving the Inspirational Brand Award and the Corporate Excellence Award, recognising its business performance, governance, and organisational excellence. Kafi Securities was honoured with two prestigious awards at APEA 2025 The awards reflect the results of a comprehensive restructuring launched three years ago, as Kafi set out to build a smart, transparent investment platform and support sustainable wealth creation for Vietnamese investors. The company has since revamped its business model, accelerated digital transformation, strengthened service quality, and made customer experience a central pillar of its operations. In the first nine months of 2025, Kafi recorded total assets of $960 million, placing it among the Top 10 securities companies in Vietnam by asset size, while revenue surged more than 200 per cent to $64 million and pretax profit climbed 190 per cent to $14.4 million, alongside the addition of more than 180,000 new investors. Trinh Thanh Can, CEO of Kafi Securities Speaking at the APEA ceremony, Trinh Thanh Can, CEO of Kafi Securities, said the recognition was a source of pride for both the company and Vietnam, reflecting the countrys growing standing in the regional financial landscape. We believe that an outstanding enterprise is measured by its ability to adapt, innovate, and make meaningful contributions to the market, alongside strong financial performance, he said. Can has outlined three key strategies supporting Kafis strong and sustainable growth. The first is a customer-centric approach. Kafi focuses on listening to investors and designing products tailored to the needs of each segment, including Margin Zero, a zero-interest margin trading solution that lowers barriers for first-time investors, and specialised bond investment products offering stable cash-flow options. The second pillar is technology innovation and comprehensive digitalisation. Kafi has invested heavily in its digital trading platform and smart investment ecosystem, highlighted by KAI, an AI-powered investment assistant that helps users manage portfolios and optimise performance. New features on the Kafi app are guided by the principle of helping users understand, control, and grow their assets more easily each day. The third strategy centres on spreading inspiration and strengthening confidence in Vietnamese enterprises. The APEA 2025 awards reflect Kafis progress and support its ambition to become a transparent, internationally standard financial group. The company plans to list on the unlisted public company market, with a roadmap towards an initial public offering on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange later this year, as part of its broader regional integration strategy. Kafi Securities named Fast Enterprise at Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards Kafi Securities was honoured to have been named "Fast Enterprise Award" at the Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards (APEA) 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City on October 3. APEAs honour newChoice for its contribution to womens wellbeing DKT Internationals contraceptive brand newChoice has been recognised for its contributions to womens health and community wellbeing in Vietnam. Hanoi - On behalf of the Presidium of the 14th National Party Congress, Politburo member and State President Luong Cuong on January 20 morning delivered the opening remarks of the Congress, affirming that the Congress is a major political event of the country and a historic turning point. The following is the full text of the remarks. Politburo member and State President Luong Cuong delivers the opening remarks of the 14th National Party Congress on January 20, 2026 (Photo: VNA) OPENING REMARKS OF THE 14TH NATIONAL PARTY CONGRESS Distinguished members of the Presidium of the Congress! Distinguished delegates, guests and all members of the Congress! Today, in Hanoi the capital city of thousand-year-old culture and heroism, a city for peace, the heart of the nation, the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam solemnly opens. On behalf of the Presidium of the Congress and the 13th Party Central Committee, I warmly welcome 1,586 delegates, representing over 5 million Party members nationwide, to the Congress. You are outstanding Party members, epitomising the intellect, mettle, the strength of solidarity, unity of will and action, determination, and aspirations for rising up in the new era of our entire Party, people, and armed forces. Our Congress warmly welcomes former leaders of the Party, State, and Vietnam Fatherland Front, veteran revolutionaries, former members of the Party Central Committee from the 4th to the 8th terms, Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, intellectuals, artists, religious dignitaries, and representatives of the younger generation who have come to attend the Congress. We also warmly welcome the ambassadors, charges d'affaires, and heads of representative offices of international organisations in Vietnam who have come to attend the opening session of the Congress. In this momentous moment, with boundless gratitude, our Congress respectfully commemorates great President Ho Chi Minh - the brilliant leader, the founder, leader, and mentor of our Party, the hero of national liberation, a preeminent man of culture, and an illustrious fighter of the national liberation movement worldwide. Our Congress remembers and expresses profound gratitude to the generations of revolutionary predecessors and to our comrades and compatriots who bravely fought and laid down their lives for the independence, freedom, peace and unification of the Fatherland; and who worked creatively, and contributed their intellect and talent to the national construction and development process and to the safeguarding of the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland. Comrades, delegates! The 14th National Party Congress is a momentous event for the country and a historic turning point toward the 100th founding anniversary of the Party (February 3, 1930-2030), concentrating the will, aspirations, and determination of our entire Party, people, and armed forces with the spirit of strategic self-reliance, self-strengthening, and confidence to advance strongly into a new era, for a peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, civilised, and happy Vietnam steadily progressing towards socialism. The Congress respectfully commends the concerted efforts and unity of our entire Party, people, and armed forces in overcoming all difficulties and challenges, especially the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and global economic and political fluctuations; quickly stabilising life, recovering and promoting socio-economic development, and successfully achieving the goals and tasks set by the 13th National Party Congress, especially the groundbreaking and revolutionary tasks in 2025. The great, comprehensive, and outstanding achievements in socio-economic, cultural and human development, national defence security enhancement, promotion of foreign relations and international integration and, especially, the Party and political system building and rectification towards purity and comprehensive strength, and the fight against corruption, wastefulness, and negative phenomena, have created a solid premise, strengthened the People's trust, and further energised our Congress. The Congress respectfully and warmly welcomes and sincerely appreciates the responsible participation and heartfelt, profound contributions of Party committees and organisations at all levels, former Party and State leaders, all cadres and Party members, socio-political organisations, people's organisations, units of the armed forces, veteran revolutionaries, intellectuals, and a large number of people from all walks of life nationwide, as well as our compatriots abroad, throughout the process of preparing documents for the Congress. These valuable contributions have helped to make the documents submitted to the Congress truly the crystallisation of the Party's wisdom, profoundly reflecting the will, faith, and aspirations of our people in the new phase of national development. Comrades, delegates! The 14th National Party Congress takes place against a backdrop of rapid, complex, and unpredictable developments in the world and the region; growing strategic competition among major powers; and increasingly serious non-traditional security challenges, especially climate change and epidemics. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, particularly the explosive development of artificial intelligence, digital technology, quantum technology, and new technologies is bringing about many epochal changes that are profoundly changing all socio-economic aspects. This sets an urgent requirement for the establishment of new growth and development models, improved labour productivity, production quality, and national competitiveness; as well as new requirements in social development management, national defence and security safeguarding, and foreign relations promotion. After 40 years of implementing the Doi moi (Renewal) policy, our country has achieved tremendous, comprehensive, and historically significant accomplishments, continuously improving the Peoples life quality and happiness, and enhancing the country's prestige and stature on the international stage. However, the country still faces many challenges and limitations: Growth remains below its potential and not truly sustainable; labour productivity is not high, the competitiveness of the economy is still limited; the lives of a segment of the population remain difficult; climate change, natural disasters, epidemics, cybersecurity, etc., continue to have complex impacts and bring many risks. In this context, the People nationwide are placing high expectations on the right, strong, groundbreaking, and effective policies of the Party at the 14th National Congress. The 14th National Party Congress shoulders an enormous historical mission: not only to set goals and directions for the 20262030 term, but also to make decisions on strategic issues concerning the future and destiny of our nation in many decades to come, aiming to continue to strongly inspire the aspiration for development, foster national pride and self-resilience, unlock all resources and driving forces for development, bring into play the strength of the People and the great national solidarity combined with the strength of the era, comprehensively and synchronously promote national renewal, construction, and defence, successfully achieving the goal of building a powerful nation standing shoulder to shoulder with the great powers across the five continents as envisioned by President Ho Chi Minh and the aspirations of our entire Vietnamese nation. The Congress performs the following tasks: Reviewing the implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress in conjunction with reviewing 40 years of Doi moi, affirming outstanding important achievements, pointing out limitations, weaknesses and their causes, drawing major lessons with long-term theoretical and practical value for national construction, development and defence; discussing and approving the strategic breakthrough directions, objectives, and key tasks for the 20262030 period, with a vision to 2045, with emphasis on revolutionary and breakthrough solutions for achieving the goal of fast and sustainable national development and firm protection of the Fatherland in the new context; conducting a thorough and comprehensive review of the rectification and building of a clean and comprehensively strong Party and political system; and electing the 14th Party Central Committee whose members must be truly exemplary comrades in terms of revolutionary ethics, intellect, mettle, and leadership capacity, capable of organising the successful implementation of the heavy tasks entrusted by the Party, the State, and the People in the new term. Comrades, delegates! The 14th National Party Congress marks the beginning of a new era of national development, with the motto "Solidarity - Democracy - Discipline - Breakthrough - Development", demonstrating the unwavering resolve, determination, and the spirit of great national solidarity for the goal of building a peaceful, independent, democratic, prosperous, affluent, civilised, and happy Vietnam steadily advancing towards socialism. I propose that all delegates demonstrate a high sense of responsibility, intellect, and dedication, uphold the spirit of solidarity and democracy, and engage in in-depth discussions, making significant contributions to the success of the Congress. With profound faith in the mettle and wisdom of the Party, in the strength of the People and the great national unity bloc, and in the aspiration for a rich, strong, prosperous, civilised and happy nation, I respectfully declare the opening of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. I wish all delegates and distinguished guests good health and happiness! May the Congress be a great success! At InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort, Lunar New Year is not treated as a festive overlay, but as an expression of place. The resort brings this philosophy to life through the Tet artwork Tides of Heritage, unveiled in the lobby, along with a sense of calm, personal renewal, and a New Year remembered in its most refined form. Across the InterContinental brand, each destination is shaped by its cultural context, where global refinement adapts seamlessly to local identity. On Phu Quoc, that identity is inseparable from the ocean, from craftsmanship born of patience, and from a quiet elegance rooted in Vietnamese heritage. Created in collaboration with a young Vietnamese artist, the artwork celebrates cultural memory through a contemporary lens. Drawing inspiration from Dong Ho folk paintings, familiar symbols emerge: the Lion Dance, alive with movement and joy, and the Boy Riding the Koi Fish, lifting the InterContinental insignia, a gesture connecting tradition with the present, generations, and the wider world. Surrounding motifs echo folk art while reflecting the resorts design language, with flowing waves, architectural rhythms, and colours drawn from sand and sea, allowing the artwork to exist naturally within its setting. The tide continues its journey. It touches sound, as drums begin to resonate and lion dancers bring energy into open spaces, carrying wishes of prosperity and renewal. It then softens into quieter rituals, with calligraphy brushes tracing hopes onto red paper and To He figurines shaped by careful hands, evoking the playful spirit and simple joys of a childhood Tet. As afternoon eases into evening, Lunar New Year takes on a gentler rhythm. At Pearl Lounge, conversations linger over afternoon tea, where sweetness and serenity echo the warmth of reunion. High above the shoreline, at INK 360, anticipation unfolds through the Wheel of Joy, offering guests red envelopes inspired by the tradition of lucky exchange, capturing the delight of chance, fortune, and shared celebration. When night falls, dining becomes another expression of togetherness. At Sora & Umi, a festive feast is accompanied by live music, where flavours and melodies move in harmony, reflecting the communal tables that lie at the heart of festive gatherings. At LAVA, the celebration turns inward and symbolic. During the first days of Tet, a special five-course journey, A Gallop of Fine Flavours, unfolds as a tribute to renewal and forward movement. Guided by Chef Dung and gentle guitar melodies, cuisine and sound progress in quiet synchrony, creating a sense of progression that feels both intentional and serene. Between moments of celebration, space is held for stillness. At the HARNN Heritage Spa, Tet of Renewal invites guests into a healing sound journey guided by singing bowls, a ritual of release and intention-setting that reflects the deeper meaning of Tet beyond festivity, aligning body and mind with the promise of new beginnings. Tet artwork Tides of Heritage at the resort Lobby Meanwhile, February introduces another celebration, quieter, more intimate, and shaped by connection. With Valentines Day on the horizon, the resorts rhythm slows, turning from shared celebration to intimate moments for two. At Pearl Lounge, Sweet Love Harmony invites couples to linger over afternoon tea with delicate flavours and a glass of sparkling wine, where soft light and whispered conversation create a moment suspended in time. Continuing the journey of love, LAVA welcomes lovers to Love Is in the Strings, where candlelight flickers against the horizon and live guitar melodies mingle with the seas gentle rhythm. Long after the festivities draw to a close, a quieter presence remains. Vietnamese spirit settles into the rhythm of the place, felt in unspoken moments and unhurried pauses. On Pearl Island, where nature opens wide and cultural memory is held with care, InterContinental Phu Quoc frames spring as a feeling rather than a season. archives 1 Feb - 8 Feb (2) 18 Jan - 25 Jan (2) 11 Jan - 18 Jan (2) 4 Jan - 11 Jan (2) 28 Dec - 4 Jan (2) 7 Dec - 14 Dec (3) 30 Nov - 7 Dec (2) 23 Nov - 30 Nov (1) 16 Nov - 23 Nov (2) 9 Nov - 16 Nov (2) 2 Nov - 9 Nov (4) 12 Oct - 19 Oct (1) 5 Oct - 12 Oct (7) 28 Sep - 5 Oct (2) 21 Sep - 28 Sep (1) 14 Sep - 21 Sep (1) 7 Sep - 14 Sep (3) 31 Aug - 7 Sep (2) 24 Aug - 31 Aug (2) 17 Aug - 24 Aug (1) 10 Aug - 17 Aug (3) 3 Aug - 10 Aug (1) 27 Jul - 3 Aug (1) 20 Jul - 27 Jul (2) 13 Jul - 20 Jul (4) 6 Jul - 13 Jul (2) 29 Jun - 6 Jul (2) 22 Jun - 29 Jun (4) 15 Jun - 22 Jun (1) 8 Jun - 15 Jun (3) 1 Jun - 8 Jun (4) 25 May - 1 Jun (5) 18 May - 25 May (2) 11 May - 18 May (3) 4 May - 11 May (2) 27 Apr - 4 May (5) 20 Apr - 27 Apr (1) 13 Apr - 20 Apr (2) 30 Mar - 6 Apr (5) 23 Mar - 30 Mar (2) 9 Mar - 16 Mar (1) 2 Mar - 9 Mar (2) 16 Feb - 23 Feb (3) 9 Feb - 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In an unusual move Council Leader Mark Pritchard decided to bring an urgent matter before the Executive Board, to give a statement that detailed that as the council is objecting the matter will be taken to a Home Office asylum adjudication panel for consideration. He confirmed, We are planning a summit to submit a response within the timeframe provided by the Home Office objecting to this proposal. Cllr Pritchard read out a range of objection points, many in the draft response we published last week, impact on local community safety and community cohesion. Impact on healthcare provision, limited car parking, patient safety, and the safety of potential occupants, particularly given the potential for public unrest and disturbance. There is a risk of property damage, service interruption, and unsafe access. He added, The council has been consulted by the Home Office in relation to the property on two previous occasions in 2022, 2023. Both times, we have strongly objected the proposal of the proposed use. Any change in use of the building will be subject to normal planning process consideration, in due course. In circumstances where the local authority objects, Clearsprings will refer the case to the Home Office asylum adjudication panel for consideration. So, what I just said there, the final decision lies with the Home Office. Forget what you read out there, the Home Office makes the final decision, and thats important. Cllr Pritchard noted the recent public meeting with around 700-900 people as well as a petition with 5,000 signatures against the proposals. That meeting had been told the matter would be decided in the next few weeks by Clearsprings/Home Office if the proposal would be taken forward. If it proceeds it would enter the local planning process where it could be accepted or rejected, and possibly even then subject to Welsh Government planning appeals and further judicial review. The meeting was also told that the tight Home Office deadlines would have meant that a council objection should already have had to be lodged before todays Executive Board meeting. Oak Alyn Hall HMO plans were also referenced, with that now in the planning system. Despite a promise of no debate or comment, Cllr Paul Pemberton jumped in via Zoom to note he was told to keep quiet last week, if we had done, it would have gone under the radar. Despite some attempts from councillors to speak or raise points of orders the meeting moved on without debate. You can watch the generally quite tetchy meeting live here. Update the council has provided the full statement, it might slightly differ from what was read out: Statement to Executive Board 20/01/2026 1.1 As part of the Home Office consultation process for asylum dispersal accommodation, the Council has been contacted by Clear Springs (the Home Offices accommodation provider) regarding the proposed use for the site formally known as Plas yn Rhos, Beech Avenue, Rhosllanerchrugog, Wrexham. 1.2 The property referred to in the consultation as Elm House, Beech Avenue, Rhosllanerchrugog, Wrexham LL14 1AA is intended for 35 units for families of up to two people per unit. The site is an ex care home physically connected to a GP practice with shared parking and access from multiple directions. It is surrounded by residential properties, with an abattoir directly opposite. There is direct access to the windows and doors of the building and it is very visible and accessible to the public. 1.3 The consultation process requires we consult with partners including North Wales Police, the Health Authority, North Wales Fire & Rescue Service and relevant departments within the Council such as Housing, Education, Planning and Environmental Health. As an Authority we also have a policy of consulting with myself, the Deputy Leader, the Lead Member and the local member. We are planning to submit a response within the timescales provided by the Home Office objecting to the proposal. North Wales Police and Health have also not supported the proposal. Our objection is based on the following grounds : Impact on Local Community Safety and community cohesion Impact on Healthcare provision The shared site layout, limited parking and joint access routes create heightened risks to staff and patient safety and the safety of any potential occupants, particularly given the potential for public unrest and disruption. There is a credible risk of property damage, service interruption and unsafe access during periods of tension. 1.4 The Council has been consulted by the Home Office in relation to the property on two previous occasions in 2022 and 2023 and both times we have strongly opposed the proposed use. I should advise that not all Home Office consultations go through to the procurement stage for various reasons. 1.5 Any change in use for the building will be subject to normal planning considerations in due course. 1.6 In circumstances where the Local Authority objects, Clear Springs will refer the case to the Home Offices Asylum Adjudication Panel for their consideration. 1.7 Local Members held a public meeting in Rhos on Friday 16 January to which approximately 700 people attended. Community tensions were very high with extreme concern expressed against the proposal. In addition, I understand there is an online petition opposing the development with some 5000 signatories. 2.0 Oak Alyn Hall, Gwersyllt 2.1 As with Plas yn Rhos, Clear Springs formally consulted in October 2025 regarding Oak Alyn Hall to be used as an HMO for 20 single adults. 2.2 This information was disclosed to myself, Deputy Leader, Lead Member and Local Member as per procedure. 2.3 A multi agency meeting was held to consult with partners. A formal response was submitted to Clear Springs later in the month objecting to the proposal on the grounds of community safety, community cohesion. 2.4 Clear Springs submitted the objection to the Home Offices Asylum Adjudication Panel and we were then informed by the panel that the case had been reviewed and the procurement was to go ahead despite objections. Generally, the approach to asylum accommodation is that a property is purchased by an investor, who make the necessary alterations, get the relevant permissions/licences and then lease it to Clear Springs. 2.5 Officers had a meeting with representatives from the Home Office Full Dispersal Delivery Team to express our continued objection to the decision and our frustration that our consultation response had been disregarded. They undertook to investigate further. I also sent a letter to Welsh Government asking for their support. On 20 November we were contacted by Clear Springs/Ready Homes confirming their decision to proceed with the property. 2.6 A planning application has been submitted to the Authority to convert Oak Alyn to HMO accommodation. There is no reference to it being for asylum accommodation, however, there is no planning requirement to do so. Clear Springs have since confirmed that they are still pursuing the property. Local MPs back calls to ban social media for under-16s Two Members of Parliament representing Wrexham have thrown their support behind plans to ban social media for under-16s. It comes as the UK Government begins a consultation on introducing stricter measures on social media use for young people in a bid to protect their wellbeing. In December 2025, Australia became the first country to bring in legislation requiring social media companies to prevent under-16s from accessing some of the biggest social media platforms in the world, including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook. The ban was introduced as part of efforts to protect children from the pressures and risks that users can be exposed to when using social media, and has led to hundreds of thousands of accounts being blocked by major technology companies due to tighter age verification measures. The UK has joined countries including France, New Zealand and Denmark in exploring similar measures aimed at protecting children from harmful online content. Wrexham MP Andrew Ranger and Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr MP Steve Witherden are amongst 60 politicians to sign a letter urging the UK Government to raise the minimum age to access social media platforms to 16. The letter states: We are writing to request urgent action to raise the minimum age for access to social media platforms to 16 years old. Across our constituencies, we hear the same message: children are anxious, unhappy and unable to focus on learning. They are not building the social skills needed to thrive, nor having the experiences that will prepare them for adulthood. At home, the average 12-year-old now spends 29 hours a week on a smartphone, much of it on social media platforms rife with harmful content, designed to be addictive. The consequences of this are clear. More than 500 children a day are being referred for anxiety alone in England. For teenage boys, going from zero to five hours of daily social media use is associated with a doubling of depression rates. For girls, rates triple. Around the world, Governments are recognising the severity of this crisis and taking action. Australia has banned tech companies from providing social media accounts to under 16s. Denmark, France, Norway, New Zealand and Greece are expected to follow suit. Britain risks being left behind. We believe the onus must be placed on technology platforms, not parents, to prevent underage access. We would support a model similar to Australias that requires companies to take meaningful steps to enforce age limits. Public support for this approach is strong. Many of our constituents have recently got in touch sharing their concerns about the impact of social media on children and asking us to support a social media minimum age of 16. Most strikingly, young people themselves recognise the harm: 78% of Gen Z say they would try to delay their child using social media as long as possible. We are all strong supporters of technology, and of this Labour Governments ambition to use tech to improve lives. But successive Government have done far too little to protect young people from the consequences of unregulated, addictive social media platforms. We urge the Government to show leadership on this issue by introducing a minimum age for social media access of 16 years old. The UK Government says that the consultation will identify the next steps in its plan to boost childrens wellbeing online, ensuring they have a healthy relationship with mobile phones and social media. More information on the consultation can be found on the UK Governments website. New programme to accelerate Wales gaming industry growth A new programme to accelerate the growth of games companies across Wales has been launched. Funded by Creative Wales and delivered by Tramshed Tech, the Gaming Academy Programme will provide intensive business support to 12 games companies over eight months. The programme is being offered to recipients of the latest round of Creative Wales Development Funding, who have already received between 25,000 and 50,000 to help them develop their ideas for commercial release. Successful applicants so far have been based in locations from Caernarfon and Pembrokeshire to Cardiff and Blaenau Gwent. The programme consists of two phases. The first is a two-month intensive accelerator where founders will test, refine and validate their gaming business ideas through expert-led workshops, mentoring sessions and a final showcase event. The second provides up to six months of follow-on support including personalised mentoring, networking opportunities and preparation for major international industry events such as Game Developers Conference in San Francisco and Gamescom. Minister for Creative, Jack Sargeant, said: This programme is about giving games developers in Wales the complete package they need to succeed. Its not just funding its expert mentoring, practical business skills, and the connections needed to achieve commercial success. Were backing talented entrepreneurs with the tools to turn innovative ideas into thriving businesses. That means support with everything from refining their pitch to preparing for major international events. Wales has real strengths in this sector, and through Creative Wales and partners like Tramshed Tech, were making sure our games companies have every opportunity to grow and attract investment. Tramshed Tech, named by Wired magazine as a UK Top Ten co-working space, has supported over 300 startups through its ventures unit. Sophie Webber, Head of Ventures at Tramshed Tech said: Wales has incredible creative talent in games, but too often founders dont get the commercial and investor support needed to scale globally. The Gaming Academy is about bridging that gap. With the backing of Creative Wales, were helping ambitious studios turn strong ideas into sustainable, investor-ready businesses and giving them the confidence, skills and connections to compete on the world stage. The programme also aims to address a significant gap in support for gaming founders. Participants will receive support with business modelling, user research, market sizing, revenue planning and pitch refinement, with all sessions delivered by experienced founders and domain experts. The UK gaming market was reportedly worth around 7.82 billion in 2023 and an estimated 352 billion globally. Creative Wales has directly supported 77 digital companies including games, animation and immersive tech studios. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a bombing at a Chinese restaurant in Afghanistans capital that killed at least seven people, including a Chinese national, and wounded more than a dozen others. The group said in a statement posted on its Aamaq news agency late Monday that a suicide bomber entered the restaurant frequented by Chinese nationals in Kabul and detonated an explosive vest. China has advised its citizens not to travel to Afghanistan in the near term after the bombing, and asked Chinese people and companies already in the country to strengthen security measures and evacuate from high-risk areas. China strongly condemns and resolutely opposes terrorism in all forms and supports Afghanistan and countries in the region in jointly combating all forms of terrorist violent acts, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a daily briefing in Beijing. He said that one Chinese national was killed and five others were wounded. He said that China is urging Afghan authorities to make every effort to treat the injured, further take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese nationals (and) projects, and to find and punish the perpetrators. The attack happened at a Chinese restaurant in the Shahr-e-Naw district in the city, according to police spokesperson Khalid Zadran, who said one Chinese national and six Afghans were killed in the blast. He said Monday that the restaurant was jointly owned by an Afghan man, a Chinese national and his wife. Interior Ministry spokesperson Mufti Abdul Mateen Qani said Tuesday that the case was being investigated. I assure everyone that just as the criminals were arrested before and punished for their actions, these people will also be punished for their actions, he said. Seeking to reassure both Afghans and foreigners in the country, Qani said that no other major incident had occurred in the Afghan capital over the past year. I assure all citizens of the country, especially foreign citizens, political missions, and all major political and economic projects throughout the country that security throughout the country is ensured, he said. The IS claim, which was widely shared by supporters of the militants, included a further threat against Chinese nationals in Afghanistan, linking the attack to Chinas treatment of Uyghur Muslims. While nearly all nations withdrew from Afghanistan following the Taliban offensive of 2021 that led to them seizing Kabul, China has maintained a major economic presence in the country. Beijing has yet to formally recognize Afghanistans Taliban-run government. Muhammad u Allah Nemati, who runs a shop opposite the restaurant and witnessed Monday's blast, said: When the explosion happened, I fell from my seat. I saw many people dead and injured. The Italian charity EMERGENCY, which operates a surgical center located near the site, said it had received the casualties shortly after the blast. Bashir Khalil, a doctor at the hospital, said Tuesday they had received 7 bodies and 14 wounded people, of which one was in critical condition. Footage aired by Afghan broadcaster Tolo News showed people running along the street as smoke and dust billowed from the area. Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack in a statement issued by his office late Monday. He accused Afghanistans Taliban government of failing to uphold a ceasefire brokered by Qatar to end cross-border fighting that erupted between Afghanistan and Pakistan in October, particularly commitments to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to carry out attacks. Kabul has repeatedly said it does not allow its territory to be used by militant groups. The Islamic State group 's affiliate in the region, which is a major Taliban rival, has conducted attacks on schools, hospitals, mosques and Shiite areas throughout the country before and after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. Samy Magdy contributed to this report from Cairo. Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Despite severe funding shortfalls, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, responded to a surge of complex emergencies and deepening long-running crises last year, according to its newly released 2025 Impact Report: Response to New Emergencies and Protracted Crises AceShowbiz - During the recent National Board of Review awards gala in New York, Ryan Coogler and Laura Poitras took a moment to address pressing political issues, notably the tragic killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. While the 2026 Golden Globes saw minimal political commentary, Coogler, who was recognized for best original screenplay for , highlighted the need for awareness surrounding social justice. Renee Good was shot fatally by an ICE agent last week while attempting to move her car, a situation that has drawn condemnation from various political figures and activists. Many consider the incident an act of murder, while officials from the Trump administration have asserted that the officer acted in self-defense and labeled Good as a domestic terrorist. This tragic event has sparked protests across Minnesota and beyond, making it a focal point of discussion at the gala. As Coogler accepted his award, he reflected on his earlier work, particularly Fruitvale Station, which dealt with similar themes of violence and injustice. "I was young and naive, and I thought the movie was going to change the world and make it so you didnt see people executed by civil servants on camera anymore," he shared. "I was proven wrong again and again. And its tough to be here and not think about Minnesota." His heart-wrenching comments resonated deeply with the audience, as he acknowledged the pain surrounding Goods death. Coogler went on to talk about the inspiration behind his filmmaking, dedicating his speech to his late Uncle James, who passed away while he was busy working on another project. He credited his college professor, Rosemary Graham, with encouraging his passion for storytelling; she was present at the ceremony to witness her former students success. Meanwhile, Laura Poitras and her co-director Mark Obenhaus also utilized their platform to discuss the injustice surrounding Good's killing while accepting the award for best documentary for their film, , which examines the work of investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. Obenhaus made a statement of solidarity by wearing an ICE Out pin, similar to those sported by several attendees at the Golden Globes. Poitras described the current sociopolitical climate as schizophrenic, illustrating the disarray and conflicting narratives surrounding human rights issues today. Their powerful remarks at the National Board of Review awards gala underlined the importance of using artistic platforms to advocate for justice and amplify voices that often go unheard. AceShowbiz - In recent weeks, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has emphasized the need for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, framing it as a pressing issue of national security. However, Greenland, currently an independent territory under the governance of Denmark, has expressed significant resistance to this notion. The proposed takeover has ignited a wave of concern among the island's residents and politicians, who have shared their views with The New York Times. Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory, has been under Danish control for approximately 300 years. Its strategic location between the United States and the Arctic makes it a valuable military asset, capable of serving as a key outpost and early warning system for the U.S. With the geopolitical landscape shifting, many speculate that Greenland could be next on Trump's list following his administration's dealings with Venezuela. In a recent press conference, Trump declared, "We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not." Unfortunately for him, it appears that the people of Greenland are not in favor of his plans. Recent interviews reveal a strong sentiment against the U.S. takeover proposal. The Prime Minister of Greenland succinctly stated, "If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark, we choose Denmark." This sentiment resonates with the island's population of around 56,000, who understand that independence may be a distant goal. However, when it comes to their current governance, they overwhelmingly prefer Denmark over a potential U.S. administration. For many residents, the prospect of U.S. control represents more than just a shift in leadership; it poses a tangible threat to their traditional way of life. Kunuk Abelsen, a local resident from Kulusuk, articulates his fears related to the hunting practices that sustain his livelihood. He expressed, "I hunt whales and seals. In the United States, they think whales and seals are cute and shouldnt be hunted. Thats what Im afraid of." This highlights a broader concern among residents about how U.S. policies could potentially disrupt their cultural practices and economic stability. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how Trump's assertions will be received both domestically in the U.S. and internationally in Greenland. The islanders are adamant about protecting their autonomy and way of life, and they continue to voice their opposition to any potential takeover. The eyes of the world are on this unique territory as it navigates its future in the face of external pressures. Dr. Martens is an iconic British footwear brand founded in Northamptonshire, England. Its first silhouette, the 1460 boot - named after the date it was produced - rolled off the production line on 1st April 1960. Over six decades later, Dr. Martens operates in more than 60 countries and employs around 3,700 people. Dr. Martens sells boots, shoes, sandals and bags, with iconic products including the 1461 shoe, 2976 Chelsea boot and Adrian loafer, in addition to the 1460 boot, together with new product families including Zebzag and Buzz. Paul Black of Pi Partnership, Chair of Trustees for the Dr. Martens Airwair Group Pension Plan, said: Its a proud moment for us to enhance the security of our members benefits through this transaction with PIC. The team showed throughout the process how its long track record of excellent customer service and commitment to sustainability will support our members for the long-term. Because of this, we know our members are in safe hands. The Trustees and Dr. Martens worked collaboratively throughout the process to ensure a result that met both of their objectives in a timely fashion. I would also like to thank our advisers at Barnett Waddingham, XPS, Baker McKenzie and Schroders Solutions for all playing their part in helping us to achieve this outcome. Matt Richards, Head of Origination Structuring at PIC, said: "It has been a pleasure working with the Trustees and their advisers. Closing a deal involving such a globally recognised brand, and one I personally take pride in wearing, was a year-end highlight for me. Dr. Martens heritage is impressive. Its commitment to creating durable, world-class products for customers truly reflected PICs core values. Our customer-focused mindset and dedication to securing long-term security for our current and future policyholders fully met, and even exceeded, the Trustees objectives for this Plan. We look forward to onboarding Plan members soon." Olivia Westwood, Risk Transfer Actuary at Barnett Waddingham, said: We are delighted to have led this transaction on behalf of the Trustees, securing member benefits less than a year from our appointment. An important feature of this transaction was dealing with the Plans unique benefits, simplifying complexity where possible and then selecting an insurer that could provide the flexibility needed. This was made possible by strong collaboration between the Trustees, Dr. Martens and all the advisers in the planning phase and ultimately working with PIC to achieve this fantastic outcome for members. PIC were advised by HSF, with the Trustees working alongside Barnett Waddingham as its risk transfer consultant, Baker McKenzie as legal representation, XPS as Scheme Actuary and administrator and Schroders Solutions as fiduciary manager. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. NEW YORK and NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has continued its investigation into agilon health, inc. ("agilon" or the "Company") (NYSE: AGL). On January 5, 2024, the Company disclosed that it was slashing its 2023 profit forecasts, specifically, lowering its 2023 Medical Margin expectation to "$340 million to $360 million, approximately $110 million below the previous guidance rangedue to $90 million in higher-than-expected medical costs" and that its Chief Financial Officer, Timothy Bensley would retire and be replaced later in the year. Thereafter, the Company and certain of its executives were sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. Recently, the court denied the Company's motion to dismiss the case in part, allowing the case to continue. KSF's investigation is focusing on whether agilon's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to its shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of agilon shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-833-938-0905 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-agl/ to learn more. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. This past year, KSF was ranked by SCAS among the top 10 firms nationally based upon total settlement value. KSF serves a variety of clients, including public and private institutional investors, and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana, Chicago, New Jersey, and a representative office in Luxembourg. TOP 10 Plaintiff Law Firms - According to ISS Securities Class Action Services To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. Contact: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner [email protected] 1-877-515-1850 1100 Poydras St., Suite 960 New Orleans, LA 70163 CONNECT WITH US: Facebook || Instagram || YouTube || TikTok || LinkedIn SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC SALINAS, Calif., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Legacy Woman Magazine, published by She Rises Studios, has featured California-based personal injury attorney Brittnie Panetta with Matthews & Associates in its January 2026 issue, recognizing her commitment to advocacy and justice as she builds a career in complex civil litigation where she represents underserved and vulnerable communities. Photo of Attorney Brittnie Panetta from the waist up, smiling with her arms crossed in front of her. She is wearing a black suit jacket and a beige shirt. Panetta is highlighted for her role in high-stakes litigation involving pharmaceutical and pesticide manufacturers, as well as her work helping California wildfire victims pursue meaningful compensation. The feature explores Panetta's conviction that legal advocacy extends beyond courtroom victories and should drive lasting, systemic change. The January issue also reflects on Panetta's public-service roots, her early nonprofit work, and her focus on combining legal acumen with empathy and cultural understanding when representing clients navigating complex legal systems. The January 2026 edition of Legacy Woman Magazine is available for purchase through She Rises Studios at: https://www.sherisesstudios.com/product-page/legacy-woman-magazine-january-2026-edition About Brittnie Panetta Brittnie Panetta is a California-based personal injury attorney at Matthews & Associates, where she focuses on complex civil litigation, including mass tort cases against drug and pesticide manufacturers, as well as claims on behalf of California wildfire victims. Her work centers on representing individuals and communities harmed by corporate negligence and systemic failures. Her legal commentary has appeared in Bloomberg Law Insights and Legal Reader, and she has been a featured guest on the Personal Injury Marketing Minute and Ladies Who Law podcasts. About Matthews & Associates Matthews & Associates is a national law firm comprised of more than 20 accomplished attorneys united by a shared mission to effect positive change through the pursuit of justice. With a nationwide presence, the firm handles a wide range of cases, including personal injury, product defects, mass torts, and sexual assault. For more information or to contact Matthews & Associates for legal representation, visit: https://www.dmlawfirm.com/. For media inquiries, contact Shannon Pecca at [email protected]. SOURCE Matthews & Associates English News Smart parking brings greater convenience, efficiency to Jinan, Shandong Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 16 Janvier 2026 "The smart parking project at Shuntai Plaza not only meets parking needs, but also injects fresh momentum into urban renewal," said an official with Jinan High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. By Wang Zhe, People's Daily For years, office workers at Jinan's Shuntai Plaza in Shandong province, eastern China, endured the daily frustration of searching for parking during rush hour. Today, drivers can secure a spot in minutes, thanks to an AI-powered smart parking system transforming the area's commute. On a recent visit, Jinan resident Wei Shouyan drove into the underground parking facility at Shuntai Plaza, a digital display at the entrance instantly identified her license plate and directed her to section A5. "Parking in Section A5 is the ultimate time-saver," Wei explained as digital guidance led her directly to the designated spot.. As the vehicle approached, a rolling shutter rose automatically, allowing the car to enter. After turning off the engine, engaging the handbrake and folding the side mirrors, Wei stepped outside the garage. She then tapped on an electronic screen, confirmed safety checks such as "no one inside the garage" and "doors locked," and clicked to confirm parking. The shutter slowly descended. From entry to completion, the entire process took less than three minutes. "It only takes 15 minutes to drive from home to the office," Wei said. "But I used to spend another half hour just looking for a parking space." Since opening in 2005, Shuntai Plaza has attracted nearly 700 companies, with a regular working population of more than 40,000. As the business cluster expanded, parking scarcity intensified significantly. The turning point came in 2021. By making better use of underground space, Jinan High-Tech Industrial Development Zone launched a smart parking project, constructing a three-level underground automated parking facility beneath the building. To maximize capacity, the project introduced mechanical parking equipment that reduces the footprint of each parking space to about 60 percent of that in a conventional garage. The three underground levels were also designed to fit local conditions, with a total height equivalent to that of a standard two-story office building -- meeting Jinan's strict requirements for spring water protection. The smart parking facility features 20 parking sections, including eight designed for larger vehicles. Equipped with digital systems such as automatic navigation and video monitoring, the facility identifies vehicle information upon entry and recommends the most suitable parking section based on real-time traffic flow and vehicle size. With parking becoming more convenient, safety is a common concern. Beyond the on-screen safety reminders, the garage is fitted with laser monitoring systems. If an oversized vehicle, such as an SUV, mistakenly enters a section designed for sedans, the system triggers an alert and halts the parking process. "The garage is also equipped with wheel-centering devices," said Wang Wei, manager of the parking facility. "After the shutter closes, the system adjusts the vehicle to the center of the space, preventing scratches or collisions caused by misalignment." Based on changes in traffic flow following the facility's completion, Jinan traffic police department has introduced three one-way streets in the surrounding area and installed 17 additional traffic signs. These measures have significantly eased congestion and parking pressure nearby. "The smart parking project at Shuntai Plaza not only meets parking needs, but also injects fresh momentum into urban renewal," said an official with Jinan High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Reading China's modernization through 50,000 kilometers of high-speed rail New landscape of opening up reflected in world's first port to handle 1.4 billion tons 'Food banks' mirror China's new approaches to food conservation Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) Last Wednesday, January 14, 2026, in a little-noticed Supreme Court decision, Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the 7-2 majority opinion in Michael J. Bost et al., Petitioners v. Illinois State Board of Elections, et al. That case saw Illinois Congressman Michael Bost challenge an Illinois State Board of Elections rule that requires election officials to count mail-in ballots postmarked or certified no later than election day and received within two weeks of election day. Advertisement Remarkably, the decision reversed the trend, which has predominated since 2020, of federal and state courts denying standing to petitioners who argue that state board of election rules facilitate fraud and/or violate federal election laws. In a dissenting opinion, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (joined by Justice Sotomayor) objected that the courts decision would open the floodgates to litigation by political candidates challenging that state board election rules are not written or administered to be fair. Advertisement Image by Matt Popovich. Jackson wrote: Advertisement Any litigant who invokes the judicial power of the federal courts under Article III must establish that he has a personal stake in the alleged dispute, and that the alleged injury suffered is particularized as to him. ... Today, however, the Court essentially pronounces that this foundational principle no longer applies to candidates for elected office. It declares that all candidates have standing to challenge election regulations in light of their interest in a fair process. ... No matter that, in a democratic society like ours, the interest in a fair electoral process is common to all members of the voting public. The Court thus ignores a core constitutional requirement while unnecessarily thrusting the Judiciary into the political arena. [Citations omitted.] Apparently dropping resistance to court challenges filed by candidates for political office, Chief Justice Roberts saw the issue of standing as simple: Advertisement Under Article III of the Constitution, plaintiffs must have a personal stake in a case to have standing to sue. ... They must, in other words, be able to answer a basic question: Whats it to you? ... Congressman Bost has an obvious answer: He is a candidate for office. And a candidate has a personal stake in the rules that govern the counting of votes in his election. [Citations omitted.] Justice Roberts also made clear that the right of a candidate to challenge state election rules was not contingent on the candidate proving the rule was detrimental to his election victory chances: Advertisement Win or lose, candidates suffer when the process departs from the law. Thus, the long-shot and shoo-in alike would suffer harm if a State chose to conduct its election by, say, flipping a coin. The result of such an election would not reflect the will of the people, and the candidates would lose the opportunity to compete for the peoplesupport. So too, similar harms would result from less dramatic departuresfor example, if a State decided to discard a random 10% of cast votes. Whether these decisions help, hurt, or have no effect on a candidates electoral prospects, they deprive the candidate of a fair process and an accurate result. The undertone in Justice Robertss opinion leaves no doubt that he has concluded that various state board of election rules and procedures are promulgated and administered unfairly, and have as their goal swinging elections against the will of qualified voters. Advertisement Rules that undermine the integrity of the electoral process also undermine the winners political legitimacy. ... The counting of unlawful votesor discarding of lawful oneserodes public confidence that the election results reflect the peoples will. And when public confidence in the election results falters, public confidence in the elected representative follows. To the representative, that loss of legitimacyor its diminutionis a concrete harm. [R]eputational harms, as a general matter, are classic Article III injuries. ... But they are particularly concrete for those whose very jobs depend on the support of the people. [Citations omitted.] Justice Jackson was correct in that Justice Robertss fundamental argument was that state election rules had to be fairan argument that subtly suggested state election rules designed to permit or facilitate voter fraud are inherently unconstitutionally suspect. Justice Roberts advanced the following analogy to support the point. Candidates, in short, are not mere bystanders in their own elections. Diamond Alternative Energy, LLC v. EPA, 606 U. S. 100, 110 (2025). They have an obvious personal stake in how the result is determined and regarded. Departures from the preordained rules cause them particularized and concrete harm. The same is true of competitors in other contests. Each runner in a 100-meter dash, for example, would suffer if the race were unexpectedly extended to 105 meters. See Tr. of Oral Arg. 90. Whether a particular runner expects to finish strong or fall off the pace in the final five meters, all would be deprived of the chance to compete for the prize that the rules define. The fastest to run 105 meters has not won the 100-meter dash. And in much the same way, an unlawful extension of vote counting deprives candidates of the opportunity to compete for election under the Constitution and laws of the United States. [Citations omitted.] Whether done intentionally or not, the SCOTUS majority opinion in Bost is an open invitation to GOP candidates to begin filing challenges to state board of election rules in virtually every state in the union. Andrew Paquettes research, as documented on our 501(c)3 website GodsFiveStones.com, reveals that algorithms in multiple state election board voter registration files indicate the presence of secret codes that allow unprincipled people to create thousands of false records for non-existent voters who nevertheless are granted legitimate state voter IDs, making modified duplicate records available for use in mail-in ballot schemes. Secret codes embedded in state voter registration files blatantly violate Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requirements that, once challenged in court, could require multiple states to abandon voter registration rolls compromised beyond repair. President Trump should utilize the Bost decision to convince the Senate to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE), House Resolution 22, which has already passed the House. We have previously argued that President Trump has in preparation a new executive order that would declare a national security emergency based on evidence that China penetrated U.S. election computers to alter election votes. In December 2025, the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division announced that it had filed against six statesDelaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washingtonfor failure to produce their statewide voter registration lists, which contain thousands of voter records that violate federal laws, including the registration illegal immigrants through various motor-voter registration schemes, among others. President Trump has repeatedly accused the Democrats of opposing voter IDs, opposing proof of citizenship, and engaging in numerous instances of mail-in ballot fraud to steal elections. President Trump continues to insist that evidence of alleged 2020 election fraud is coming out in truckloads. With the Somali billion-dollar thefts of taxpayer dollars being exposed in Minnesota and Maine, and Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vehemently opposing ICE enforcing immigration laws, middle Americans are rapidly becoming aware of the extent to which radical neo-Marxist Democrats with little or no regard for federal law have captured the center of their party. A flurry of GOP challenges to state election board voting rules could set the stage for public acceptance of a forthcoming Trump national security emergency executive order on voter integrity, with the possibility that the federal government would take over supervision of election boards in Democrat states unwilling to comply. For radical Democrats planning to steal the 2026 mid-term elections, Justice Robertss majority opinion in Bost was the worst news possible. Though he has opposed President Trump consistently on many different policy issues, Chief Justice Roberts rang the bell for election integrity in a decision that armed the MAGA movement to encourage MAGA candidates running for office in 2026 to hire lawyers to get busy filing cases in federal courts throughout the land. GodsFiveStones.com is a tax-deductible 501(c)3 foundation created by Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D., and Karladine Graves, M.D., managed by Capstone Legacy Foundation. As reported on GodsFiveStones.com, Andrew Paquette, Ph.D., has discovered cryptographic algorithms in the State Board of Elections voter registration databases in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, Florida, New Jersey, and Oklahoma. GodsFiveStones.com will now begin covering the ActBlue investigation and the DOJ investigation into the Russian collusion hoax, and will continue our work to promote election integrity. What role should compassion play when enforcing immigration laws and dealing with illegal immigrants, particularly those who have been in the United States for a number of years? Advertisement That question came to the fore following a recent event that evolved into a well-publicized, emotion-driven debate. After dropping her daughter off at an elementary school, a woman, who as a child illegally immigrated to the country with her parents many years ago, was arrested and forcibly dragged out of her car by ICE agents after refusing to obey their orders and was then sent to an immigration detention center. The initial reporting and public reaction centered around the ICE agents actions when they forced the woman to leave her car. This was followed by implications of cruelty and unfairness because she was facing deportation after living in the United States for many years. Much of the public was sympathetic to her plight and condemned ICEs conduct. Advertisement The arrest came up during a recent dinner with our two closest friends. All acknowledged that this woman is and has been living in the country as an illegal immigrant. I asked a question: Does she have a criminal record and/or a pending deportation order? The answer was yes. Advertisement At that point, I noted, Then there is obviously a lot more to the story. Further, she should have cooperated with the ICE agents, and she will have a hearing before being deported. However, regardless of how she arrived in the country, she has had many years to apply for legal status. She chose to remain here illegally and should be deported. I could see that my friends were a bit taken aback, as they knew that I immigrated to the United States as a displaced war orphan and had assumed I would be empathetic to this womans plight. I told them it was because of my background and the myriad legal hurdles I had to overcome as a seven-year old child in order to immigrate to the United States and eventually be adopted and naturalized that I am unalterably opposed to leniency or granting amnesty to those who crashed the nations borders in order take advantage of the American citizenry. Further, with a few exceptions, such as legitimate refugee status, virtually all illegal immigrants should be deported. Advertisement I do have empathy with those seeking a better life, and in particular, the children who have been used as pawns so their extended families can illegally gain access to the societal and economic benefits of living in the United States. However, I am far more concerned about my fellow citizens and the future of my adopted country than the well-being of illegal migrants, a significant majority of whom refuse to assimilate. Thus, I confess to a lack of compassion when it comes to deporting those who deliberately entered the country illegally. I would venture to say I am not alone in my outlook, as a vast majority of legal immigrants and naturalized citizens who have slogged through a byzantine system of legal immigration and naturalization are flabbergasted at the absurdity that has been the tolerance of increasing levels of illegal immigration in America over the past four decades. Advertisement I have long believed the purpose of any nations immigration policy should be based on the principle that immigration must be beneficial to the overall well-being of the country and that compassion must be limited to the acceptance of a finite number of legitimate and verifiable refugees. Immigration policy and enforcement compromised by compassion sends a message to potential migrants from around the worldthe odds of not only successfully crossing that nations border but of avoiding deportation once there are exceedingly high. Advertisement For many decades, Americas political parties have cynically exploited the compassionate nature of American society as they created and promoted a scenario of desperate illegal immigrants searching for a better life in the United States while deliberately conflating legal immigration with illegal immigration. The Democrat party saw potential votes by utilizing government largess to mold the illegal population into another dependable and major voting bloc. And the Republican Party establishment, at the behest of the corporate lobby, viewed these same unfortunates as a source of cheap and easily exploited labor. Bowing to the basest of political motives, money, and votes, the borders have been essentially unsecured for nearly forty years. Currently, the Marxist left, which has taken over the Democrat party, is now exploiting this compassionate nature by propagandistically portraying all illegal immigrants, including violent criminals, as upstanding potential citizens who are being cruelly persecuted and denied their human rights when they are arrested and deported. This anti-American cabal does not care about the welfare of these people; rather, they are using them as a means of fomenting violence and chaos in their drive to undermine Donald Trump and to further their goal of transforming the United States into a one-party socialist oligarchy. By 2018, it was estimated that there were 22 million illegal immigrants in the United States. Since then, and in particular during the Biden Administration, another 12-15 million, including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and terrorists, have freely come across the border. Presently, there are perhaps as many as 40 million illegal immigrants in the United States. How many is enough? The majority of those here are essentially unskilled and/or illiterate. There is also a rapidly increasing number who are rabidly anti-American. Virtually all refuse to assimilate. If compassion dictates that they cannot be deported, what do we do with them and the untold millions more that will come? If the United States is to survive, it cannot afford, either economically, politically, or from a national security perspective, to have an undefined, loose, and emotion-based immigration policy that tolerates open borders and uncontrolled illegal immigration. Faced with this tsunami of illegal migrants and their ominous societal and economic impact, Donald Trump is the first president since Dwight Eisenhower to undertake a mass deportation program and dispassionately enforce immigration laws. However, Trumps deportation efforts must be augmented by new immigration laws and enforcement mechanisms that effectively deter illegal immigration and significantly incentivize self-deportation. If not, the next president can reopen the border and, as Joe Biden did, invite the worlds population to again invade the United States. One need only look at the ongoing and irreversible societal chaos in the nations of Western Europe or read Douglas Murrays brilliant and insightful book The Strange Death of Europe to affirm the consequences of compassion being an inordinate part of a nations immigration policy as those countries have been unable and unwilling to undertake the mass deportation of tens of millions of migrants who refuse to assimilate and are bent on radically transforming their host nations by marginalizing the native citizenry. While compassion for the plight of some illegal immigrants maybe justified, it cannot be the basis of how this nation resolves its burgeoning illegal immigration debacle as both potential migrants from around the world and Anti-American politicians on the Marxist left will continue to take advantage of the compassionate nature of the American citizenry and the United States will find itself in the same quagmire as the nations of Western Europe. Image created using AI. Advertisement From Wikimedia Commons: Allegory of War (Jan Brueghel the Younger, ca. 1640) The post-WWII security architecture of Western Europe has long rested on a fundamental asymmetry: the U.S. provided the backbone of both conventional military presence and an extended nuclear deterrent, allowing European allies to prioritize social welfare, economic integration, and the so-called peace dividend after the Cold Wars end. This arrangement, enshrined in NATO, enabled substantial reductions in European defense spending throughout the 1990s and 2000s, as the perceived Russian threat receded following the Soviet Unions collapse. Advertisement However, accumulated war eventsRussias invasion of Georgia in August 2008, occupation of Crimea in February 2014, and full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022have exposed the fragility of peace and security. By January 2026, amid the second Trump administration, Western Europe confronts a stark reality: the transatlantic security guarantee appears increasingly conditional, transactional, and uncertain, pushing the continent towards a reckoning with its own strategic autonomyor lack thereof. For decades, Western Europe reaped the benefits of American taxpayers funding a robust forward-deployed presence and the nuclear umbrella that deterred Sovietand later Russianaggression. Post-1991, European NATO members slashed military budgets, redirecting resources towards expansive welfare states. Not even the Russo-Georgian war, demonstrating Moscows willingness to use force irrespective of Western opinion, elicited any coordinated European response. Defense spending remained low, with most European NATO members failing to meet even the modest 2% of GDP target until external shocks forced change. Advertisement The Russo-Ukrainian war marked a turning point. Yet, European reactions remained disparate and hesitant. While Poland and the Baltic states rapidly ramped up preparedness, Western European governments provided aid variously characterized as inappropriate, inadequate or delayed. Similarly, the Biden administration, despite vocal support for Kyiv, hesitated on certain advanced weapons systems, reflecting domestic political constraints and escalation fears. Meanwhile, Ukraine was, in effect, not only fighting for its own survival, but also acting as a buffer for the rest of Europeabsorbing Russian military pressure while European support lagged behind rhetoric. The Munich Security Conference in February 2025 crystallized a paradigm shift. American officials openly questioned long-standing alliance commitments, ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine and clarifying U.S. priorities towards strategic competition with China. As Washington pursued bilateral engagement with Moscow, excluding allies from high-level negotiations on Ukraines future, discussions exposed European anxieties about marginalization. Closed-door sessions increasingly centered on Europes need to de-risk from alleged U.S. unpredictability itself. Liberal elites on both sides of the Atlantic rushed to denounce a U.S. retreat from the principles of solidarity and multilateralism that had anchored postwar security, accelerating Europes loss of strategic resilience. Advertisement To further compound matters, U.S. policy towards Ukraine aid shifted markedly. Direct donations largely ceased, replaced by business agreements obliging Europeans to foot the bill. While overall arms flows to Kyiv did not collapse immediatelydrawing on prior authorizations and European-funded purchases from U.S. stocksthe cooperation reset symbolized a move from idealistic alliance solidarity, sponsored by American taxpayers, to transactionalism. European NATO members, already increasing defense outlays significantly since 2022 (with collective EU spending rising from around 218 billion in 2021 to over 340 billion by 20242025), now face pressure to fund both their own rearmament and continued Ukrainian support. Events have fueled profound uncertainty across Europe, particularly in frontline states. Is the U.S. still unequivocally committed to Article 5 in the event of an attack on those NATO members? The 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague attempted to address this by agreeing to a new 5% of GDP defense spending target by 2035 (with 3.5% for core military capabilities), framed as an ironclad reaffirmation of collective defense. Yet, the very need for such a steep increasepushed by U.S. demandssignals doubt about Washingtons reliability. Poland (already nearing 4.75%) and the Baltics are accelerating efforts, but broader European commitment remains patchy. Advertisement The emerging geopolitical picture evokes a return to spheres-of-influence logic, reminiscent of 19th-century great-power politics rather than the post-1945 rules-based international order. Zealously claiming traditional dominance, Russia is reluctant to accept an independent, Western-oriented Ukraineless out of genuine concern about NATO belligerence than out of irredentism, considering Ukraine an inseparable part of its civilizational sphere. The U.S., invoking a revived Monroe Doctrine logic, asserts primacy in the Western Hemisphere and has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, citing Arctic strategic imperatives, rare earth minerals, and deterrence against Russia and China. Statements from the Trump administration in 20252026, including threats that all options remain open and assertions that the U.S. will act whether they like it or not, have revived historical proposals while alarming allies. Advertisement China regards Taiwan as a rebellious province, with reunification framed as an internal affair immune to external interference. These parallel assertions suggest a de facto division of the globe between superpowers: Russia holding sway over its near abroad, the U.S. over the Americas and strategic outposts like Greenland, China over Taiwan. International law, treaties like the Budapest Memorandum (guaranteeing Ukraines security in exchange for denuclearization), and norms against territorial conquest (land grab) increasingly appear as relics, subordinated to raw power dynamics. According to the theory of offensive realism, as propagated by John Mearsheimer, presupposing an anarchic system in international relations, might makes right; possessionbacked by military superioritytrumps legal claims. Nonetheless, abandoning the rules-based international order carries severe consequences. At its core, such a shift erodes the predictability and stability that have underpinned global peace and prosperity since 1945, leading to a resurgence of unchecked aggression, territorial disputes, and arms races. Smaller countries become pawns in great-power rivalries, with their sovereignty routinely violated without recourse to institutions like the U.N. or international courts. Economically, it disrupts global trade and investment, as countries prioritize militarization over cooperation, potentially triggering recessions, supply chain breakdowns, and resource hoarding. Humanitarian crises multiply, with increased refugee flows, famines, and atrocities going unpunished, fostering a cycle of instability that spills across borders. Ultimately, this abandonment normalizes a zero-sum worldview, where alliances fracture, nuclear proliferation accelerates, and the risk of catastrophic wars escalates, threatening the very fabric of international society. Leaving neorealist cynicism aside, history highlights a meaningful distinction between warfare according to autocratic and democratic principles, respectively (e.g., the morality to comply with the Geneva Conventions). In the tradition of Nationalist (Pan-Islamist) Turkey, Nazi Germany, and Bolshevik Russia, non-democratic societies perpetrate war crimes as deliberate state policysystematic, ideologically driven, and shielded by absolute control over media, judiciary, and society. These acts, including indiscriminate bombings, torture or ethnic cleansing, face no internal accountability; dissent is crushed, and propaganda reframes atrocities as necessities for national survival or glory. In contrast, democratic societies, while not beyond violationssuch as the U.S. and Israel fighting in Iraq and Gaza, respectivelyoperate within frameworks of transparency, rule of law, and public oversight. Incidents are investigated through independent courts, congressional inquiries or free press exposes, leading to potential reforms, apologies or leadership changes via elections. The key difference lies in mechanisms for self-correction: democracies, though imperfect, allow for debate, protest, and accountability that can mitigate or prevent recurrence, whereas autocracies institutionalize impunity, making repeated offenses more likely and entrenched. The NSS 2025 poses existential challenges for Western Europe. Long accustomed to outsourcing hard security, the continent must now confront the costs of autonomy: massive, sustained defense investments (potentially requiring societal trade-offs from welfare priorities), deeper EU-level coordination, and even nuclear debates (e.g., French or shared European capabilities). Failure to adapt risks vulnerabilitynot only to Russian coercion but also to American abandonment or coercion. Internal division and indecision since 2022, combined with reliance on U.S. goodwill, has left Europe exposed. The post-2025 transatlantic relationship marks the end of an era where Western Europe could enjoy security on credit. The U.S. nuclear umbrella and conventional commitment, once taken for granted, now appear negotiable. Russia respects American power far more than fragmented European resolve, underscoring the imbalance. As spheres of influence reemerge and international law erodes, Europe must face reality: invest politically and financially in credible self-reliance or risk becoming a contested periphery in a multipolar world dominated by superpowers who respect only strength. The peace dividend is over; the price of security must now be paid in fullby Europeans themselves. A slow death, which occurred years ago, went unnoticed by many at the time. However, that death got full attention in a January 7 exchange involving The Hill associate editor Niaill Stanage and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Advertisement The recent shooting death by ICE of anti-ICE protester Renee Good while driving her car in Minneapolis sharpened a focus on the earlier deaththat of an independent press once committed to reporting truth. It is important to understand the facts surrounding the Minneapolis shooting in order to appreciate the lack of integrity demonstrated by Stanage. Advertisement Whether Good intended to run over Jonathan Ross, an ICE agent, while driving her car is immaterial. What is material is the fact that she did strike him in the process of fleeing, inflicting internal bleeding on his torso. Having tracked the ICE units activities that morning, Good arrived as it had just completed its mission. Purposefully parking her car in a diagonal position in the middle of the street, she blocked ICE, which awaited road assistance for a vehicle which had become stuck in the snow. Advertisement Despite ICE orders to remove her vehicle, Good refused to do so. Ordered to exit her car, she again refused to do so. Three ICE agents approached her, ordering her to exit, and again she refused. One officer had his hand on the driver side door handle as Good, receiving encouragement from her same-sex partnerwho had exited the car to film the incidentto drive baby, drive. The vehicle quickly lurched backward, before then just as quickly, lurched forward. Accelerating in a clear effort to escape with Agent Ross in front of her, Good appeared ready to run him over. Despite Rosss effort to get out of the way, Good struck him. Simultaneously, Rosswho had already been dragged 100 yards in a similar incident during a 2025 arrestpulled out his gun and fired at Good, killing her. Advertisement It is against this factual backdrop Stanage asked Leavitt his question, absent any effort to put things into perspective by providing facts. He claimed Ross had unjustifiably and recklessly killed Good, ignoring any details exonerating him. Leavitt appropriately called Stanage a left-wing hack only posing as a journalist. Stanage criticized Leavitt for claiming ICE was doing everything correctly, suggesting the deaths of 32 people in ICE hands last year and the detention of 170 U.S. citizens indicated otherwise. As Stanage sought to make illegal aliens look like victims, Leavitt suggested he did no research to understand why such immigrants represented a danger to America. Advertisement Perhaps Stanage should have taken the time to interview victims of illegal immigrant violence such as 12-year old Jocelyn Nungary, or 22-year-old Laken Riley. Alas, he cannot, as they are but two on a long list of murdered Americans. Did Stanage know more than 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens with criminal convictions or pending charges? Leavitt acknowledged this: Advertisement [T]he brave men and women of ICE are doing everything in their power to remove those heinous individuals and make our communities safer. And shame on people like you in the media who have a crooked view and have a biased view and pretend like youre a real honest journalist. Unfortunately, Stanage is not alone in prioritizing a political agenda over truth. He ignored too that Goods former father-in-law held no animosity towards Ross, suggesting Good had made a bad decision. But to sell news, the mainstream media (MSM) irresponsibly and deceitfully villainizes ICE, triggering protests by those lacking knowledge of facts MSM will not report. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been left to debunk many of MSMs untruths. Were Stanage interested in truth, visiting the DHS website explaining exactly what false claims MSM are promoting and why those claims lack credibility would have been helpful. Meanwhile, ICE agents simply doing their job to protect us are demonized by protesters accepting the words of Stanage and others as gospel. In the aftermath of Goods shooting, the anti-ICE media now criticizes the agency for dragging people out of their cars for failing to abide by its orders. While ICE attempted to be nice, for the safety of both its agents and anti-ICE protesters, it now must show it is serious about acting at the first sign of non-compliance. Meanwhile, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Freyprioritizing voter support over the lawcalls for ICE to get the fuck out of his city, also erroneously claiming Ross was not struck by Goods car. Administering a dose of reality, Freys police chief says anti-ICE protesters are violent and will be arrested. Fellow Democrat, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, told Minnesotans to film agents during their operations. Interestingly, neither politician suggested protesters refrain from interfering with ICE operations. Their past silence has no doubt already contributed to a rise in assaults against ICE by 1,300% and death threats by 8,000%. Also, in the aftermath of Goods shooting, there is now a rise in monitoring ICE operations and doxxing agents. Both politicians are now under investigation for impeding federal law enforcement agents. Ironically, Democrat leaders who build walls around their own propertysuch as Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)fail to recognize the U.S. must have walls as well. As Minnesotan politicians failed to encourage non-violence, a federal judge perhaps applying reverse logic made it clearhe told ICE not to retaliate against those engaging in peaceful and unobstructive protest activity. Any death is tragic and Goods is no exception. However, the fact that ICE has arrested over 352,000 aliens, obtainedat 73,000the highest detainee population in history and deported another 352,000, only experiencing 32 deaths in the process, is impressive. This is especially true based on the violent behavior of both alien criminals and anti-ICE protesters. Those numbers would increase if ICE were left alone to do its job. Meanwhile, Californias Democrat governor, Gavin Newsom, quickly backtracked on his claim that ICE was committing state-sponsored terrorism. Such indifference to violence against ICE may have led to an illegal Venezuelan immigrants violent attack with a shovel against an agentthis in the aftermath of Goods death and the anti-ICE publicity that followed. The illegal was shot in the leg and hospitalized. This political anti-ICE support undoubtedly is what encouraged protesters to steal DHS weapons from one of its vehicles. A shocking development occurred when a Minnesotan high school, holding an anti-ICE parade with proud liberal parents looking on, turned violent as students started fighting among themselves. It was cut short by community marshals ironically there to protect students from ICE. Anti-ICE comments by Stanage and others have forced Ross into hiding. Some critics are ridiculously calling for the abolition of ICE, blind to the reality of its consequences. As tensions rise, Trump threatens to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act. On his Newsmax program, Greg Kelly criticized MSMs sentimental rush to judgment and how it uses selective empathy to weaponize anti-ICE sentiment. There could not be a more one-sided example of MSM leftist bias than that reflected by Stanages question. Its duplicity clearly crosses the line of journalistic integrity, endangering the lives of ICE agents. Such an inexcusably biased question tells us that truth died long ago, today existing as but the ghost of media past. Image generated by ChatGPT. Once again, Democrats are offering nothing affirmative in service to the American people. All they have is opposition to President Trump and Republicans. Theyve taken the 20% side of every 80/20 issue. Advertisement They have, however, leveraged a myriad of flashpoints in service to their get-out-the-vote efforts. The Hands Off protests claimed that Republicans are pillaging Medicare and Social Security inflaming Boomers to hit the streets in response. Advertisement Gun control activists hit the streets in response to the school shooting at the Annunciation Catholic school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, once again taking the (false) moral high ground of caring for children and gun violence, in spite of the fact that, as more gun laws are instituted, more gun violence ensues. The FREE Gaza protests ran throughout the Summer and Fall of 2025, claiming that Israel was committing genocide in Palestine. They were ironically quiet at the Iranian regimes crackdown on peaceful protesters. Advertisement The 50501 protests were in response to DOGE efforts to cut federal waste, fraud, and abuse. Elon Musk and his businesses were targeted personally, costing him billions of dollars. The No Kings protests claimed that Donald Trump was trying to become a king and a totalitarian, while, ironically, Democrats now support returning actual totalitarian Nicolas Maduro to Venezuela. Advertisement Bernie Sanders and AOC hit several cities for the Fighting Oligarchs tour, blaming millionaires and billionaires for the plight of inequity in America. The Democrat Government Shutdown lasted 43 days, with Democrats eventually passing the continuing resolution with the same provisions that were on the table when the C.R. was due on October 1. Advertisement Anti-ICE protests have garnered headlines, most recently with the defensive shooting of a paid political activist in Minnesota. Democrat governors and mayors have refused cooperation with lawful federal authorities and have incited street activists to interfere with federal functions. All these protests (riots) have one thing in common: stoking emotion. Pick at the scabs of discontent, as Saul Alinsky advised. They offer no opening for discussion of the issues that they rail on about. They offer no affirmative alternative, other than we are angry, you should be angry, and your anger must be channeled into restoring us to power. Advertisement We should not discount the role of emotion in bringing voters out in November and in 2028. Emotion drives action. Democrats understand this, and we should, too. Do not expect to see a slowdown of protests throughout the spring and summer. In fact, as we get closer to November, do not be surprised if another anti-ICE activist is fatally involved in an altercation, or a mass school shooting, or a black perp shooting by a white officer. Democrats cant debate their ideas, because they have none. What they do have though is a myriad of activist groups that can fabricate the circumstances for the mass mobilization of paid and unpaid protesters. It will be a long, hot summer. Image via PickPik. North America's Original Blow Dry Bar Sees 50% Year-Over-Year Increase in New Franchise Units, Expansion from Existing Partners TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Blo Blow Dry Bar, North America's original blow dry bar franchise, closes out a record-breaking 2025 with strong franchise development momentum, fueling growing interest and strengthening the brand's position as a leader in the beauty industry. Awarding 30 new franchise units in 2025, Blo Blow Dry Bar has seen a 50% increase over 2024 and opened 16 new locations across key markets in the U.S. and Canada. Interior of Blo Blow Dry Bar Notably, 27% of new units awarded this year were signed by existing franchise partners, reflecting continued belief in the brand's business model, operational support, and long-term growth potential. Expanding franchise agreements signed this year include Oklahoma City, OK; Cypress, TX; Indianapolis, IN; multiple Canadian markets, multiple Florida markets, and the New Hampshire/Massachusetts region. "Our growth in 2025 reflects the strength of our franchise partnerships and the trust entrepreneurs have in the Blo model," said Vanessa Yakobson, CEO of Blo Blow Dry Bar. "From first-time owners to seasoned multi-unit operators, our franchisees are scaling with purpose and we're proud to support them every step of the way." With the $450 billion global beauty industry projected to grow 5 percent annually through 2030, Blo Blow Dry Bar's momentum is further reinforced by industry recognition. The brand has been recognized by Entrepreneur and Elite Franchise for its leadership and performance within the wellness and beauty franchise space. The brand attributes its continued success to close collaboration with franchise partners, consistent brand standards, and recurring revenue generated through a strong and growing membership program. Looking ahead to 2026, Blo Blow Dry Bar is preparing for a year of strategic innovation and brand evolution, including new marketing initiatives designed to increase visit frequency and lifetime guest value, along with continued enhancements to franchisee training, support, and operational tools. These efforts will allow Blo to better serve guests while helping franchise partners build stronger, more resilient businesses. Blo Blow Dry Bar is currently seeking single- and multi-unit operators to join the growing team and further expansion across North America with a key focus on development throughout the Northeast and Atlantic Coast. For more information about franchise opportunities visit https://franchise.blomedry.com/. About Blo Blow Dry Bar Blo Blow Dry Bar is North America's original blow dry bar and the world's largest blow dry bar franchise. The company transformed beauty norms and reinvented the salon industry when it launched the "no cuts, no color" concept: only blow outs. Since opening its first location in Canada in 2007, Blo has grown to over 165 locations across the U.S. and Canada and continues to expand rapidly. The brand has also evolved over time, adding makeup services, a membership program, and quality retail products to its bars. With a mission to enhance the lives of those in the community through the power of flawless blow outs and beauty services, Blo Blow Dry Bar offers perfectly styled hair and exceptional customer experiences seven days a week. For more information visit www.blomedry.com . Media Contact: Kaitlyn Sterk Fishman Public Relations [email protected] SOURCE Blo Blow Dry Bar President Trump has been in office for a year. While he has thankfully fulfilled many of the promises he made throughout his campaign, the border is closed, the military has been stripped of all the DEI and trans nonsense that made it a global joke, and the economy is recovering from the monstrous incompetence of the Biden administration. The president has put an end to numerous wars but sadly, not the one between Ukraine and Russia. At this point, that is on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, both of whom are power-mad thugs who have proven they do not give a damn about the nearly one million lives lost to this gruesome war. But Trump also promised to fight back against the weaponization of the FBI and the DOJ under Biden. As everyone, even Democrats, surely know by now, the lawfare perpetrated against Trump was all false, fabricated out of whole cloth, and meant to ensure he would never see the light of political office again. Also, as everyone surely knows, they seriously overplayed their hand. James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Christopher Wray, John Brennan, James Clapper, Adam Schiff, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg, Jack Smith, Fani Willis, and all the others who so gleefully joined in the witch hunts should have been charged with the many crimes they committed by now, but they havent been. Oh, we hear about this investigation and that investigation, but except for John Bolton and Fani Willis, who have yet to actually suffer any consequences of their actions beyond a subpoena or two, the rest of them are still walking around free as birds. And while they are walking around free as birds, they are vowing to visit all manner of hell upon Trump and his supporters once they regain power. Hakeem Jeffries is vowing to prosecute every member of the Trump administration. The moronic Eric Swalwell even vows to take away the drivers licenses of ICE agents! That man will never be governor of anything. Meanwhile, the Stalinist left, among them Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, are doing their best to run a color revolution in their feeble, pathetic attempt to overthrow the government of the U.S. as currently constituted. Their shock troops are trained, well-paid, and in the streets creating the violence that Walz and Frey want as a distraction from the most egregious financial fraud in U.S. history, a financial fraud of which they have both long been aware and perhaps have benefited from. These activist/agitators believe they are the virtuous ones, better than all those law enforcement officers who risk their lives on a daily basis to rid the nation of the millions of illegal migrants who Biden opened up our borders to as part of the lefts plan to create a permanent Democrat majority, and thus, the end of our republic as founded. Oh, and by the way, those whom ICE is targeting are all known, convicted criminals, felons, of countless brutal crimes that our sanctuary cities apparently do not find felonious enough to keep them in jail. Now, for a few weeks, we see the violence going on in Minnesota, again, after Minneapolis was nearly destroyed in 2020 over the false claim that George Floyd was killed by police officer Derek Chauvin. In fact, Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose, but the lefts hysteria and the Biden regimes embrace of the lie sent Chauvin to prison and proved to the radical left that they can indeed call the shots and create a political force on the ground based on a litany of lies. That is what they do, and theyve become very good at it, this propagandization, indoctrination of millions of under-educated (in universities) Americans who take their bait. The millions of Americans whom the left has disparaged and ignored for decades, and who have not been brainwashed by far-left university professors, are not fooled; they are angry. The left should remember that after the similar anti-war riots of the 1960s, Nixon won in a landslide. If these virtue-signaling protesters, paid or not, think they are winning over other Americans in flyover country, they could not be more mistaken. The question of the day is why all those criminals who did everything in their power to destroy Trump from 2015 until the present have not been charged with their many, many crimes, including what they did to anyone even near the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. That was the most pernicious, evil undertaking of Bidens administration because it, too, was all based on a lie. So, from day one of Trumps second term, we have all been waiting with minnow on lip (bated breath h/t Al Lohman) for justice. It has not come. And now, with jerks like the dimwitted Don Lemon charging into a Minneapolis church service to rage against ICE, this is a bridge too far to say the least, and he and his fellow rioters have yet to be arrested and charged! Sure, the DOJ says they are investigating. What is there to investigate? It is all on video. They did it, they scared the little kids in that church half to death. And they are all still walking around free as birds, just like Bill Ayers bragged after learning he would not be prosecuted by the government for a bombing spree; he was a domestic terrorist who had gotten away with a few bombings of federal buildings as part of the Weather Underground These radical Marxist/communists are still with us, still getting away with their crimes against America in hopes of taking us down and out. While Trumps base is still with him, with Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Scott Bessent, Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (the best cabinet ever), and Elon Musk, we are still angry that all the people who persecuted Trump and his supporters for going on eleven years now have not been brought to justice. Adam Schiff lied to Congress so many times, so blatantly, he should have been in prison at least a year after Trump was re-elected. John Brennan and the 51 signers of that fake letter about Hunter Bidens laptop? Why have they not been charged with the crime they committed? And why, today, are Don Lemon and his fellow goons who stormed into that St. Paul church during services still walking around free as birds? They have gleefully embraced lawlessness, claiming their violence is their right to free speech. No. Their embrace of lawlessness is criminal and, if successful, signals the end of our once-civilized society. What they have done, what they are doing, are crimes, and must be addressed, or we will lose faith in Trump. Weve already lost faith in Atttorney General Pam Bondi. Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are. --Benjamin Franklin We need to have a national conversation about civil rights and to whom they belong. Advertisement In the 1960s, the phrase civil rights became a black-only thing, or at least a primarily black thing, and nothing could (now!) be further from the truth. Look at this X post. Think about what this means. This civil rights lawyer not only stomped all over the civil rights of everyone in that church, she organized it. She arrogated those rights to herself and her squad of screamers. Stopping worship, terrorizing the children present. Advertisement The Minneapolis Church disruption Pull Up Organizeris a Civil Rights Attorney NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG Shes now the target of a DoJ Civil Rights investigation along with Don Lemons pic.twitter.com/9A9O50yKaH Mark Naughton (@MarkNaughton9) January 19, 2026 What about the civil rights of the terrified kids? The civil rights of the elderly? The civil rights of everyone in that church? What are they teaching in these law schools? That civil rights belong only to the left? When they feel like sharing? And woe betide the poor innocents in their way? Advertisement Civil rights belong to all of us. If the institutional left insists on special rights for this group or that group (black, gay, trans, etc.) then they need to have a bucket of cold water dumped over their pointy little heads, because that aint what civil liberties, the foundation upon which civil rights are built, are all about. Our civil liberties are just that: ours. The right to worship in peace is the first and most fundamental civil liberty we have! There are multiple civil rights laws against depriving your fellow Americans of it. Happily we have seen our Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dillon promise to enforce those laws. Whether or not she will be successful, given the frightening prevalence of lefty activists up and down every level of the judiciary, remains to be seen, but we can hope. Advertisement And in case you thought it was just some random civil rights attorney, nope. Former congressman now Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sees nothing wrong with what the agitators did: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says that terrorizing a church service is just "First Amendment activity." pic.twitter.com/kUt6oXaKAO Advertisement January 20, 2026 Is it malice? Ignorance? Both? Im thinking both, but leaning heavily towards malice. Minnesota Transgender State Rep. Leigh Finke Calls on Anti-ICE Protestors to Storm More Churches https://t.co/uAYJBtNtJy Advertisement January 19, 2026 And here we have a Minnesota State Representative as yet another person being wildly irresponsible with the power he has to lead people. How do they not realize how dangerous this is? How anti-civil, anti-civil rights, and anti-liberty this is? How do they not realize how truly dark this is? At what point do we throw up our hands and realize we cannot share a country with people like this? Before or after the people with the power to arrest them let us down? And just as a kind of cherry on top, we have Michelle Obama inverting and perverting civil rights as only an Obama could, pampered and adored by a small group of sycophants hanging on her every word. No whites allowed. JUST IN: Michelle Obama is being ripped for urging an anti-white BOYCOTT She said to "make it a point" to buy people of color's brands of clothes and to "think" about which race owns clothes you're going to buy Racist and disgraceful First Lady.pic.twitter.com/0F2uiHHnip Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 19, 2026 Its in no small part due to her and her husband we are in the fix we are in right now. Race relations were at an all time positive high when he took office in January 2009. And now look at us. Civil rights belong to all of us, and its time we reclaim them from being a black thing to being an everybody thing. All lives matter. All peoples civil rights matter. All of them and all of us. Image generated by ChatGPT. While I agree that law enforcement should not be interrupting a mass or worship service to do their jobs they can wait until the service is over to make arrests churches are not off-limits for ICE operations, as the left would have us believe. As theyve told us, the government has no business interfering with religious freedoms! (Unless they want to close churches to stop the spread of a virusor a pastor wants to endorse a political candidate from the pulpitor a county clerk refuses to issue a marriage license to two homosexual men.) Advertisement In a great display of irony and hypocrisy, heres the story: A mob of anti-ICE agitators stormed a church Sunday in St. Paul, Minnesota, interrupting a worship service after protesters claimed a pastor inside was affiliated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Advertisement Video shows agitators chanting Justice for Renee Good inside the sanctuary at Cities Church as the service began, raising concerns among law enforcement and religious leaders about protesters targeting houses of worship amid escalating anti-ICE demonstrations across the Twin Cities. In one video circulating online, agitators can be heard chanting, Justice for Renee Good, and Who needs justice, we need justice, as they stood inside the church during the service. Advertisement In another clip, the person filming says demonstrators positioned themselves in the middle of the sanctuary as the pastor was speaking. The person filming then described the disruption as a clandestine mission and claimed agitators had just learned one of the pastors at the church was connected to ICE. So its abhorrent and terroristic when ICE interrupts a church service, but not when anti-ICE agitators do the exact same thing? And a pastor connected with ICE? What does that even mean? He works for ICE? Or, he simply doesnt get in the way of lawful, federal law enforcement operations? Advertisement Anti-ICE protesters just DISRUPTED a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota barging into Cities Church during Sunday worship, chanting, harassing parishioners, and shutting everything down because they falsely claimed the pastor is ICE-affiliated!pic.twitter.com/Tke0geKvPd Public Exposer (@sc_exposer) January 18, 2026 Also, no one broke into any church (or anywhere) to remember the murder of Jocelyn Nungaray, the 12-year old sexually assaulted and killed by an illegal in Houston. Funny how that works. Advertisement This is all about intimidating people for their support of ICE, an agency legally and properly enforcing immigration laws. Invading a church is the just latest example of the suicidal mission that these protestors are on, from defunding ICE to now interrupting a church service to remind the audience that their pastor supports or wants laws respected. Its insane, but these people are insane. To make matters crazier, Don Lemon, of CNN fame, got involved recording the incident. I have no idea what Don is doing these days since losing his gig at CNN, but he reappeared for an interview. Doesnt Don have something better to do? Do the anti-ICE crusaders understand that making Don the face of this movement is a bad move like, a really bad move? Advertisement The craziness goes on in Minneapolis. Yearning for Mary Tyler Moore and those days when Minneapolis was a great city. P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos. Image from X. One of the strongest values that President Trump stood for in his campaigns, and then fought for as a citizen, is legal reform. Advertisement It was as a citizen that the president stood strong and defiant against a massive, partisan judicial machine determined to use the law, the courts, and their Democrat judges to attack a former U.S. president, to try to ruin his political career with malicious prosecution, and even break up and permanently revoke his businesses. Who could forget New York federal judge Arthur Engoron, who deemed himself a real estate accounting expert, with a nearly half-a-billion-dollar judgment against Trump and his family (overturned on appeal)? Theres N.Y. A.G. Letitia James and her departments cooked up subpoenas, and of course the fake election interference case opened by U.S. A.G. Merrick Garland, who appointed the discredited Jack Smith as lead prosecutor. Advertisement Then theres the COVID emergency pandemic pretext used for instantly bypassing election rules for thousands of illegal alien voters and with systematic substitution of absentee ballots. It was legally managed by DNC law firm Perkins Coie and lawyer Marc Elias, who convinced selected state judges, as in Georgia, that their voting rules were subject to emergency midnight alterations, without any legislative deliberation or public authority. Now come two retired federal judges, writing in the New York Times that the legal profession can suddenly regain its dignity, which, according to them, has suffered because President Trump dared to demand that some partisan law firms actually follow the law, stop supporting discriminatory and unconstitutional public policy, and even do some actual pro bono work. Advertisement The two retired judges seem to object. And they made not a peep of protest concerning years of prior corrupt lawfare used by the DNC against the public and against the president and a private citizen The op-ed judges, Shira A. Scheindlin and John Jones III, do make one very good point, stating, we have seen firsthand how fragile the rule of law is, and how powerful the pressure from the federal government can be. Indeed it is. But the judges reveal by their own argument how partisan, and how institutionally ingrained, it remains. They also reveal how tempting it is for judges to believe their own selective interpretations of right and wrong. Advertisement The two judges give readers a solution: Today, we offer a set of principles of legal independence, a reaffirmation of values and obligations designed to guide and to strengthen law firms, bar associations, law schools, businesses and nonprofits. They then point to the Rev. Leon Sullivan, who in 1977 wrote what came to be known as the Sullivan Principles, a set of ethical guidelines for corporations operating in apartheid-era South Africa. Apparently, a distant foreign land hosting long-ago racial policy will somehow serve as the basis for correcting the entire U.S. judicial system. Ironically, however, the two judges forget the recent White House visit by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa who was confronted with documented video evidence of his countrys slaughter of white farmers and recordings of South African opposition figure Julius Malema singing, Shoot the Boer [Afrikaner], shoot the farmer, along with documentation of a burial site for white farmers. That the Trump administration had previously granted asylum to persecuted Afrikaners, and dared to defend them, didnt sit well with Ramaphosa, who turned a blind eye. Advertisement So it is especially interesting to see two U.S. former federal judges point to South Africa as a source of U.S. legal ethics reform, and then fail to realize who was actually upholding ethics and the law: President Trump. The judges then point to another casualty of good intentions, called the higher duty dimension of the legal profession, which is a concept articulated in their regulatory body, the Bar, which states that lawyers and judges have a duty to the public in order to build their trust and confidence in the law, through professional, ethical, and objective behavior. The judges write as though this were a sudden, new principle, but it has been on the books for decades, including by their own Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Advertisement The thing they actually dont like is that President Trump is a better ethics and legal reform advocate than they are, and has the willpower and determination to call out bad judges and bad law. He holds them, and their system, accountable, and they dont like it. It is accountability, not vague appeals to ethics or faraway civil rights stories, that is the hard path to regaining any legal dignity. Matthew G. Andersson is the author of the upcoming book Legally Blind and a graduate of the University of Chicago. Image via Pixabay. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is running to become governor of California, the erstwhile Golden State. Advertisement During a recent Los Angeles summit hosted by something called the Empowerment Congress, he vowed to strip federal immigration agents of their driver's licenses if he is elected. He vowed to go on offense against ICE. Advertisement Asked how he would 'protect' Californians from ICE, the ever-dense Swalwell said, They're going to lose their immunity, they're not gonna be able to drive. I will take your driver's license. Thinking he was being clever and macho, he added: Good luck walking to work, a**holes. Advertisement Fartwell promised to take an aggressive stance against ICE agents in general and those who wear masks in particular, saying: I will direct law enforcement to use every power to prosecute them for battery, false imprisonment, and murder. As with Tampon Tim, here again, we see a clownish politician publicly vowing to violate the Constitutions Supremacy Clause by pitting state law enforcement against federal law enforcement. Battery, false imprisonment, and murder?! Advertisement Eric I Shagged A Chinese Spy Swalwell might want to wait until such a time as an ICE agent in California might be charged with one of those crimes. It is remarkable how willing Blue State leaders are to foment an actual insurrection, especially given their apoplectic reaction to a few hundred people walking through the Capitol Building on Jan. 6, which they characterized as an insurrection and a tragedy on the order of 9/11 and Pearl Harbor. Advertisement It is even more remarkable, given that California has granted commercial drivers licenses (CDLs) to an incredible 17,000 immigrants, some to illegals, some to those who overstayed their visas, and some to those who otherwise werent eligible. And more than one of them has allegedly been at fault in accidents that have killed innocent people. But Democrats dont expect to be truly held accountable for their criminal actions, fraud, corruption, or lies, let alone their staggering hypocrisy. And so far they havent been. Moreover, they are directing local and state law enforcement to help protect violent criminals and repeat offenders from federal officers whose job it is to apprehend them. And they are now suddenly anti-mask after spending years threatening those who had the temerity to eschew them. Advertisement Add it all up and you have a group of anti-ICE protesters, accompanied by the otherworldly repulsive Don Lemon, charging into the Cities Church in St. Paul, disrupting the service, harassing the parishioners, scaring the children, and interrogating the lead pastor. Odd that with all the mosques in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the protesters didnt choose to enter one of those and disrupt its service. Hmm, wonder why? Image: Screenshot from Bad Q Garage video on YouTube The great Sir Winston Churchill of the once-great Britain once noted, There is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them. As evidenced by the spiraling allied feud over Greenland, that simple wisdom seems to resonate with the Brits, but not the fractious French. Advertisement Adjectives one may reasonably associate with the people who occupy France are: haughty, supercilious, arrogant, condescending, foolhardy, and smug. Those words are once again applicable as they capture the sentiment conveyed by French officials who propose a trade bazooka response against the U.S. over the Greenland kerfuffle. While others, including Germany, are more restrained, its just typical of the frightened French to push for the strongest economic counter-threat: the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI). Contrast that to the more circumspect Brits who seem to have internalized Churchills wise advice. While equally disquieted by Trumps threats of increased tariffs over Greenland, their initial response is cool, calm, and collected. To those who want to quickly pigeonhole him, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is a leftist weenie. Agreed! Be that as it may, President Trump personally enjoys him; some have even posited Starmer as the Trump Whisperer. Advertisement While Starmer and his team are as resolute as France in opposing President Trumps Greenland Tariff threat, hed rather fight with, than against, the U.S. (which would be foolhardy anyway, though that doesnt deter French foolhardiness). Rather than ratchet up the rhetoric, Starmer emphasized the importance of reasoned discourse and allied cooperation within todays Donroe realpolitik. America First doesnt have to mean America Alone. The contrasting responses from the U.K. (reasoned) and France (arrogant) to this Arctic-bound geopolitical hotspot (a seemingly incompatible word to describe Greenlands strategic importance) reminds one of how fortunate we are during our 250th Independence Anniversary. Advertisement Thank goodness Great Britain prevailed -- at great cost -- during the French and Indian War. As we become overwrought with patriotic pride this year, cooler reflection might appreciate that Brits, not Frenchies, essentially invented America. That observation may not go over well in todays hyperpatriotic environment, but empirical evidence should overcome xenophobic emotion. For example: Our first President without direct British ancestry was Van Buren (8th); many since retained the honor of British ancestry. In addition to our Founders, many of our intrepid explorers and inventors had British roots. Much is made of President Trumps evolving Donroe Doctrine. Well, even the U.S. Navy Institute admits that is was the great Royal Navy who enforced the original Monroe Doctrine, irrespective of their altruistic motives. Many decades into our great Republic, a vast majority of the populace traced their roots to the British Isles. Indeed, those demographic figures are probably underreported as the original Americans (not the Indians prior to our invention) were essentially Brits -- they didnt hyphenate their identity, but were simply Americans. The economic might of Great Britain during the Pax Britannica was awesome. From finance, to industry, mining, ranching, and infrastructure (including railroads) Great Britain invested heavily in America during the entire 19th century. The upshot of it all is that as we indulge in exuberant celebrations, we might coolly consider that American Exceptionalism is rooted in our Independence. As reinforced by todays disparate reactions to the Trumps Greenland overtures, thank God it was Great Britain, and not France -- just compare and contrast the elan vital of their ex-colonies. Advertisement Image: Public Domain On the evening of 26 July 1909, the SS Waratah sailed from Durban, South Africa, bound for Cape Town. A luxury passenger liner, she was coal-fired and boasted eight watertight compartments. She was said to be practically immune from any danger of sinking. Yet, she never arrived. No wreckage was conclusively identified and no survivors were found. With 211 people aboard, the Waratah disappeared into the Indian Ocean, becoming one of the greatest maritime mysteries of the twentieth century. The Waratah. Credit: Wikipedia Commons The Waratah was a relatively new vessel. Built in 1908 by Barclay, Curle & Co. in Glasgow for the Blue Anchor Line, she was designed to carry both passengers and cargo on the busy route between Britain, Australia, and South Africa. At over 450 feet long and displacing nearly 10,000 tons, she was considered modern and well-appointed, with electric lighting, luxurious cabins for first-class passengers, state rooms, a salon, and other amenities. Part of her cargo hold was fitted with refrigerating machinery and cold chambers to carry frozen produce. But when required, this space could also be converted into large dormitories, capable of holding almost 700 steerage passengers. The Waratah was named after the bright pink emblem flower of New South Wales. In retrospect, the choice proved an unfortunate one. Between 1848 and 1887, no fewer than four other vessels bearing the name Waratah had met with unhappy ends. Superstition aside, the ship inspired genuine unease. On her maiden voyage to Australia, Captain Josiah Edward Ilbery complained that she rolled excessively and lacked the steady behavior of his older vessel. He was particularly concerned about the difficulty of loading the steamship correctly in order to maintain her stability. Waratah at Port Adelaide just before her last voyage. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Three months earlier, the Waratah had departed London on her second voyage to Australia, carrying 215 passengers and a crew of 119. She reached Adelaide on 6 June, where her cargo was discharged and replaced with 970 tons of lead ore. From there she proceeded to Melbourne and then Sydney, taking on additional freight that included flour, wool, dairy produce, frozen meat, and 7,800 bars of bullion. The ship then returned to Adelaide to complete her loading before finally setting sail for Europe on 7 July, with just under 100 passengers aboard. The Waratah arrived in Durban on 25 July. One passenger, a certain Claude Gustav Sawyer, an engineer and an experienced sea traveller, decided he would go no further. Sawyer had been booked through to London, but the voyage from Australia to South Africa had left him increasingly uneasy about the ships seaworthiness. He observed that the Waratah rolled heavily even in moderate seas, a characteristic he found alarming. Concerned for his safety, Sawyer disembarked at Durban and transferred to another vessel, the Kildonan Castle, which carried him to Cape Town. After remaining there for a week, he secured passage to England aboard the steamer Galician. Just before leaving South Africa, Sawyer sent a brief cable to his wife in London: Thought Waratah top-heavy, landed Durban. Eighteen months later, when he testified before the Board of Trade inquiry, Sawyer disclosed that he had also been troubled by vivid, dream-like visions during the voyage from Australia to South Africa. He described seeing a man dressed in a very peculiar dress, which I had never seen before, with a long sword in his right hand, which he seemed to be holding between us. In the other hand he had a rag covered with blood. A First Class cabin on the Waratah. This cabin was occupied by Claude G. Sawyer. Credit: Wikimedia Commons A four berth first class cabin on the Waratah. Credit: Wikimedia Commons The Waratah left Durban at approximately 8:15 p.m. on 26 July, carrying 211 passengers and crew. She was due to arrive in Cape Town on 29 July, but never reached her destination. No trace of the ship has ever been found. The last confirmed sighting of the Waratah occurred in the early hours of 27 July, when the Clan Line steamship Clan MacIntyre exchanged a brief signal-lamp communication with her. As was customary, the two vessels exchanged their names and destinations. The Waratah, being the faster ship, then gradually overtook the Clan MacIntyre off the coast of the Colony of Natal and steamed ahead, disappearing over the horizon at about 9:30 a.m. Later that day, the weather deteriorated rapidly, as was common in those waters. Winds strengthened, seas grew heavy, and conditions worsened into what was later described as a cyclonic storm. The captain of the Clan MacIntyre recalled that it was the worst weather he had encountered in his thirteen years at sea, with winds of exceptional force driving enormous swells. Several unconfirmed sightings were reported by passing ships over the next two days. At about 5:30 p.m. on 27 July, the vessel Harlow reported seeing the smoke and lights of a steamship on the horizon. After nightfall, the crew observed two bright flashes in the same direction, after which the lights vanished. They were unable to determine whether the flashes were caused by explosions or by fires burning on shore. Credit: Wikimedia Commons First class lounge aboard SS Waratah. Also known as the ladies room or the music room. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Later that evening, at approximately 9:30 p.m., the ship Guelph, steaming north from the Cape of Good Hope toward Durban, passed another vessel and exchanged signal-lamp messages. Owing to heavy weather and poor visibility, the crew of the Guelph could identify only the final three letters of the ships name: TAH. A further possible sighting came from Edward Joe Conquer, a member of the Cape Mounted Riflemen. While taking part in a military exercise near the mouth of the Xhora River, Conquer observed through a telescope a steamship matching the Waratahs description, apparently struggling into heavy seas on a south-westerly course. He later stated that he saw the vessel roll heavily to starboard and, before she could recover, be overwhelmed by a following wave. The ship then vanished from view, leading Conquer to believe she had foundered. Although Conquer reported his observations to his base camp, they were not treated as significant at the time. His account did not surface during the Board of Trade inquiry in London and remained unknown until 1929, when he finally came forward with his story. When the Waratah failed to arrive in Cape Town on the expected date, there was at first little alarm. Delays of several days were not uncommon, and ships often reached port well behind schedule. As days stretched into weeks, however, concern hardened into certainty that something was wrong. An extensive search was organised. For nearly eight weeks, dozens of vessels scoured more than 14,000 nautical miles (26,000 km) of the southern Indian Ocean. But not a trace was found. Not even a body. The Waratah on a stormy sea. Credit: Wikimedia Commons In 1910, the Board of Trade convened an inquiry in London into the disappearance of the Waratah. Testimony was heard from passengers and crew who had sailed on her maiden voyage, as well as from her builders and from those responsible for handling the ship in port. While expert witnesses agreed that the Waratah had been properly designed and built, and that she had sailed in sound condition, many passengers painted a different picture. They testified that the ship felt unstable, frequently listing to one side even in calm weather, rolling excessively, and taking an unusually long time to right herself after heeling into a swell. Several also remarked on her tendency to bury her bow in oncoming seas rather than rise over them. One passenger from the maiden voyage recalled that in the Southern Ocean the Waratah developed such a pronounced list to starboard that water would not drain from the baths. She maintained this list for several hours before rolling upright and then settling into a similar list on the opposite side. The witness, a physicist, concluded that the ships metacentre lay only just below her centre of gravity. As a result, when she rolled slowly to one side, she reached a point of unstable equilibrium and would remain heeled over until a change in wind or sea forced her upright. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Other passengers and crew echoed concerns about her stability, and dockworkers testified that when unladen she was so tender that she could not be moved in port without ballast. At the same time, there were former passengers and crew who insisted that the Waratah was perfectly stable, describing her motion as comfortable and easy. The ships builders supported this view, presenting paper calculations to demonstrate that she was not top-heavy. Faced with such conflicting testimony, the inquiry was unable to reach a definitive conclusion. It could assign no responsibility for the ships disappearance. The Board did, however, determine that the Waratah had most likely been lost in a storm. One possible contributing factor was her cargo. At the time she vanished, the Waratah was carrying around 1,000 tons of lead concentrate, which may have shifted suddenly, causing the vessel to capsize. Ships are lost in storms with grim regularity. Yet the disappearance of the Waratah remains especially perplexing because of the complete absence of wreckage. Even vessels destroyed in catastrophic circumstances usually leave some trace. The prevailing view among maritime historians is that the Waratah sank rapidly in deep water, leaving little time for evacuation and little opportunity for debris to reach the shore. Nearly seventy years later, a determined South African, Emlyn Brown, mounted a renewed search based on the sighting reported by Edward Joe Conquer, which Brown believed to be credible. For more than two decades he pursued the wrecks location. In the end, he was forced to abandon the effort. Ive exhausted all the options, he admitted. I now have no idea where to look. Brown concluded that the Waratah had probably capsized during a storm, overturning and remaining afloat long enough to be carried southward by ocean currents before finally sinking into deep water beyond the continental shelf, where her remains would be difficult, if not impossible, to locate. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Credit: Wikimedia Commons Samsung doesnt take long to roll out the latest software update for its smartwatches. The company started rolling out the One UI 8 update for the Galaxy Watch 4 back in December 2025; however, some users have still not received the update. The new One UI version brings the latest Wear OS 6 features and changes. But not all Galaxy Watch users are able to enjoy the features yet. As said earlier, Samsung started the official release of the One UI 8 update to its Galaxy Watch models back in October 2025. The premium and the latest generation were the first to get the update. The Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic finally started receiving the update in December 2025. However, the rollout seems to be very uneven. The update appears to have been rolled out only for the Bluetooth variant of the watch. This has left the Galaxy Watch 4 LTE users both frustrated and confused. According to reports, the One UI 8 update was released in Europe, India, South Korea, and the United States in late 2025. However, most rollouts were limited to non-LTE variants. Users with the cellular variant found that no download was available, despite using supported hardware. This selective update has led to confusion among the users, as Samsung has not yet shared release timelines or an explanation for the delay. Galaxy Watch 4 LTE users are frustrated with the delay Samsung is among the fastest brands to deliver software updates to its gadgets. This particular incident marks a rare moment where the tech giant appears behind its usual smartwatch update rollout schedule. However, the situation is confusing, particularly because while the non-LTE variant of the Galaxy Watch 4 is receiving the update, the LTE variant is not. Several users have raised concerns on online forums and social media channels. The One UI 8 is not a minor update. It brings several improvements and changes to the smartwatch. And not being able to use the latest features despite having the compatible hardware can get really annoying. We hope Samsung expedites the rollout process and offers a clear explanation for the delay. If you use Gemini on a daily basis, you must be aware that Google has done pretty neat work with its AI assistant and its accompanying features. Speaking of which, Gemini Live is among them. For the uninitiated, this feature allows you to have a free-flowing, natural conversation with the Gemini AI assistant in real time. Its like your everyday back-and-forth conversation, but with AI. Now, it seems Google is looking to upgrade Gemini Lives capabilities with Thinking Mode and more features. Gemini Live is about to get Thinking Mode and Experimental Features Folks over at 9to5Google today reported on upcoming upgrades based on findings from Labs in the latest beta version of the Google app. For those unaware, Labs is Googles experimental program that allows you to opt into testing new features for the Gemini Android app. Per their APK Insight report, the Google beta app, version 17.2, reportedly hints at four new features coming, out of which two are related to Gemini Live. First, Google might add a new Thinking Mode for Gemini Live. Based on the details shared by the news outlet, in this mode, Gemini Live takes some time to think more to offer detailed responses. Meanwhile, the second is Experimental Features. Gemini Live appears to also be getting what Google calls its cutting-edge features. The features in question reportedly include multimodal memory, better noise handling, and responding when it sees something. Apart from these three, the list of Gemini Lives Experimental Features also includes personalized results based on your Google apps. Notably, these additions to Labs hint at Gemini Live being powered by Gemini 3. As of now, the feature uses the power of Gemini 2.5 Flash to respond. The Gemini Live Thinking Mode could use either the Thinking or Pro models for detailed responses. As far as Experimental Features are concerned, Google might use Gemini 3 Flash or Pro for the same. Whereas, for the capability where Google mentions seeing something and responding, the company could be using Project Astra. All of these are assumptions, for now. We expect to hear more about these Labs when Google makes an official announcement. Other two Labs spotted in the beta version of the app Apart from the Thinking Mode and experimental features, theres also mention of two others, which are UI Control and Deep Research. As the name suggests, UI Control is all about an AI agent controlling your phone to complete tasks. Its unclear what kind of agent Google is referring to, but it could be the long-rumored Gemini agent. Only time will tell if well see it on Android. Meanwhile, Deep Research will delegate complex research tasks. Bixby has always been the underdog of virtual assistants. While many Galaxy users quickly looked for ways to disable it, Samsung never quite gave up on its homegrown AI. Now, Now, thanks to a press release that was briefly published by Samsung itself and then mysteriously pulled, we have confirmation that a massive Bixby overhaulpowered by Perplexityis coming with One UI 8.5. This is not your typical minor update. The accidental announcement suggests that Samsung is transforming Bixby into a conversational device agent. The goal is to move away from rigid voice commands and toward natural, intent-based dialogue. Instead of digging through five sub-menus to find a specific toggle, you can simply describe your problem. For instance, if you tell your phone youre tired of the screen turning off while youre reading, Bixby will understand the context and enable the Keep Screen On feature automatically. The real surprise, however, isnt just how Bixby handles your settings, but how it handles the queries. Samsung is officially leaning on Perplexity AI to give Bixby real-time search capabilities. This partnership mirrors what Apple is doing with Siri and ChatGPT. When you ask a complex questionlike finding a family-friendly hotel in Seoul with a poolBixby wont just kick you over to a browser. Instead, it uses Perplexitys engine to pull live data and present it directly within the assistants interface. It keeps the experience fluid and, frankly, much more useful than the Bixby we used to know. A peek behind the curtain The fact that Samsung took down the official blog post shortly after publishing it adds a layer of mystery to the launch. Whether it was a premature click of the publish button or a last-minute change in the rollout schedule, the cat is out of the bag. Beta builds of One UI 8.5 have already shown glimpses of these features. But this accident confirms Samsungs strategy: they want an AI that actually knows your phones guts as well as it knows the internet while achieving a bit of independence from Google. It is clear that Gemini AI remains a dominant force on Android. However, Samsung would now bet on a Perplexity-powered Bixby for a more cohesive experience for Galaxy loyalists. Of course, this doesnt mean Gemini will disappear from Galaxy devices. Both conversational AI assistants will be available at the users discretion. We expect the stable version of this new Bixby to debut alongside the Galaxy S26 series. Beta testers on the S25 lineup might get a taste of it sooner, though. If Samsung can deliver on the promise of an assistant that truly understands why is my screen doing this?, Bixby might finally earn its place on your home screen. WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Join Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for a Headliners luncheon on Wednesday, January 28 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the National Press Club. The event begins with lunch in the Holeman Lounge at 12:30 p.m. Prepared remarks begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session moderated by Mark Schoeff Jr., the National Press Club's President ending at 2:00 p.m. Purchase tickets to attend here. Mayor Johnson will address the ramifications of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) crackdowns on Chicagoans, federal intervention into local government and public safety. To submit a question in advance for the speaker, put "CHICAGO" in the subject line and email it to [email protected]. The deadline for submitting questions in advance is 10 a.m. on the day of the address. The National Press Club is located on the 13th Floor of the National Press Building at 529 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C. Registration is required for entry. Press Contact: Cecily Scott Martin, [email protected], 202-662-7525 SOURCE National Press Club Sony has announced that it plans to enter a partnership with TCL that will see TCL carry forward its TV business in the years to come. This might sound like Sony TVs are going away, but that isnt really the case. Sony and TCLs plan is to enter into a partnership that will essentially merge the best parts of both TV brands to produce new TVs. These TVs will still carry the Sony Bravia branding and will utilize components from both companies. Sony will also still be involved in the new venture. The announcement states that Sony will hold 49% of the shares while TCL will hold 51%. For years, Sony has been a behemoth name in the consumer electronics market. However, TCL has been a behemoth in its own right, increasing market share in the TV category considerably over the last few years. Sony says that by starting this new venture with TCL, the two companies can produce TVs that utilize Sonys high-quality picture expertise and TCLs advanced display technology. Its also not just about TCLs advanced display tech. The new venture also benefits from TCLs global scale advantages, industrial footprint, end-to-end cost efficiency, and vertical supply chain strength, Sony says. Sonys TCL partnership will include TV and audio products It isnt just your next Sony TV that might also be a TCL TV; Sonys home audio equipment is going to be a part of the venture as well. That means Sony soundbars, speakers, and more are going to be partly TCL moving forward. This wont happen right away. Sony says the two companies have agreed to move forward with discussions about the partnership and that they plan to have an agreement finalized in March of this year. This new venture will start operations in April 2027. That means it will still be a while before consumers see any actual products from this new venture. However, when and if these products become available, the suggestion is that consumers will end up with Sonys premium quality TVs with TCLs advanced display tech and more affordable prices. The new venture still has to be approved by regulators as well. Action star Jason Statham has praised stunt doubles, calling them the unsung heroes of the film industry. Speaking to the Press Association at the UK premiere of the his new film Shelter, the 58-year-old spoke about the importance of the specialist performers who put themselves in danger. Statham stars in the adventure film as a former assassin living on a remote island, who rescues a young girl in the middle of a storm. The actor reflected on the importance of stunt performers and said it had once been a career ambition. Jason Statham told the Press Association about his affection for stunt doubles (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) My desire when I was a kid was to be a stuntman, he said. My affection for the stunt world is never-ending and I think for anyone who wants to get into that, youll get treated well, hang out with the best people and make these movies very special. Statham added: Its a great thing. The most love and affection I have is for the stunt teams and the action they provide. A lot of the time theyre the unsung heroes. The action star is best known for his hard-man roles in films such as Snatch (2000), The Transporter (2002), and The Fast And Furious film series. Jason Statham (right) stars in Shelter alongside Bodhi Rae Breathnach (centre) and Ric Roman Waugh (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) Statham has previously discussed wanting to perform as many of his own stunts on set as possible and called for stunt performers to have their own category at the Oscars. In an interview with Far Out magazine in 2025, the star revealed he had injured himself many times while performing his own stunts, including tearing a bicep and screwing up his neck. Statham also told PA he really likes the plot of Shelter, and described it as a story that hasnt been told before. He said: For me, its about two lost souls coming together and finding purpose. Hes a man who was on the brink of almost suicide, he gets to find a way to put this girls welfare in front of his own. Its a really good story. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Jason Statham at the premiere of Shelter (Ian West/PA) (Ian West) Statham also praised his young co-star, rising Irish actress Bodhi Rae Breathnach, saying: She knows what shes doing. Shes very talented, I think were going to see a lot of her. Statham, who wore a simple all-black suit paired with a black and grey striped tie and a white shirt, attended the premiere with his model wife Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The pair have been together since 2010 and have two children named Jack and Isabella. Shelter will be in cinemas from January 30. Gabriel Jesus struck a first-half brace to fire an unstoppable Arsenal to an impressive 3-1 victory against Inter Milan and confirm their place in the last 16 of the Champions League. Jesus opened the scoring at San Siro after just 10 minutes before Petar Sucic blasted the hosts level eight minutes later. However, Jesus doubled his tally in the 31st minute and substitute Viktor Gyokeres struck six minutes from time as Arsenal recorded their seventh triumph in as many matches in Europe so far. Arsenal, who have already seen off Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and now last years beaten finalists and remain the only team in the competition to have won all of their group fixtures, are guaranteed to finish in the top two. It means Mikel Artetas side will be assured of hosting the second legs in their knockout matches. Arsenal have one final group game a home contest against Kazakhstans Kairat a week on Wednesday where a point will be enough to confirm them as winners of the 36-team group. Jesus, among seven changes by Arteta ahead of his sides pivotal Premier League clash against Manchester United, was making his first start in Europe in 405 days in place of Gyokeres. And the Brazilians eye-catching performance could see Gyokeres, despite his late goal, warm the bench again for the visit of Michael Carricks side on Sunday. Viktor Gyokeres scores Arsenals third goal (Fabrizio Carabelli/PA) (Fabrizio Carabelli) Jesus struck his first after 10 minutes after popping Eberechi Ezes pass to Mikel Merino, who in turn found Myles Lewis-Skelly. His pass across the box was scuffed goalwards by Jurrien Timber and Jesus was on hand to convert the full-backs strike with an outstretched right foot. The home side took just eight minutes to respond. Cristhian Mosquera, playing for the first time since December 3 following an ankle injury, pulled off a fine sliding tackle to thwart Marcus Thuram before Lewis-Skelly did enough to divert Nicolo Barellas shot clear but Sucics crisp side-footed strike from the edge of the area proved impossible for a diving David Raya to keep out. A chance for Eze followed but he dragged his effort wide. Then Mosquera did well to prevent Sucic from getting a shot away when he was left outnumbered on a three-against-one breakaway, and Thuram could only blaze over. Just four minutes later, Jesus had his second. Sakas inswinger found Leandro Trossard at the back post and his header back towards goal was headed in by Jesus from underneath the Inter bar Arsenals 19th goal from a corner so far this season. Saka and Luis Henrique fired wide at either end before a strong left hand from Raya denied Federico Dimarco. Another club record for the books. pic.twitter.com/LVC7gCPJjA Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 20, 2026 After the break, the influential Eze might have made it three only to fire his shot straight at Yann Sommer. Trossards volley from Sakas cross then drifted just wide. Jesus might have turned provider on the hour mark but Alessandro Bastonis lunging tackle prevented Saka from scoring. Saka then stung Sommers hands with 13 minutes left. There were moments for Inter at the other end, too, but Rayas goal rarely came under significant threat. And Gyokeres put the finishing touches on yet another statement victory for Arsenal when he swept home from the edge of the box in the closing stages to allow the boisterous travelling support, who greeted every Arsenal pass with oles prior to the final whistle, to dream of a first Champions League title. Supermarket giant Asda is planning to outsource delivery for online orders of its George clothing brand in a move impacting around 1,200 workers. The private-equity owned chain confirmed proposals to shift distribution for George.com to DHL from January 2027, which would see all work for the online clothing arm move from its depots in Lymedale, Staffordshire, Brackmills, Northamptonshire, and Washington, Tyne and Wear, to DHLs site in Derby. It said all staff impacted would be able to transfer to DHL under the proposals, adding its distribution sites would remain open and continue delivering to supermarkets for in-store George purchases. Staff who work in distribution for other parts of the business at those sites will remain unaffected. The move comes in response to the significant expansion of George.com in recent years and the groups forecast for it to double in size by 2032, according to the company. It already handles more than 16 million online orders a year for the clothing brand and expects to reach full capacity in the next two years. David Lepley, Asdas chief supply chain officer, said: This proposal supports the continued growth of our George.com business as we seek to achieve our ambition for George to become the UKs largest clothing retailer by volume. The proposed change would begin in January 2027 and be completed later that year. Any colleagues who transfer will do so under TUPE regulations, which protect their existing pay, pension and length of service. Trade union GMB claimed the move, which follows recent reports of plans to cut 150 jobs under an ongoing shake-up at the supermarket, paves the way for a full carve-up of the company by private equity owners TDR Capital. Nadine Houghton, GMB national officer, said: Hardworking families and working-class communities should not see their livelihoods put at risk due to the business decisions of a handful of private equity executives. It is time for TDR Capital to come clean and be honest about their plan for the business they owe it to every single Asda worker. Asda executive chairman Allan Leighton rejected the GMB claims. He said: The suggestion that we are looking to break up the business is categorically untrue and, frankly, insulting to all our colleagues. There is only one agenda in this business its called the Formula for Growth and we are solely focused on that. Australia closes dozens of beaches after fourth shark attack in 48 hours: Just go to a local pool Australia has closed dozens of beaches and urged people to stay out of the ocean after a fourth shark attack was reported within 48 hours. The latest incident took place on Tuesday morning near Point Plomer, in New South Waless (NSW) mid-north coast, where a 39-year-old surfer was bitten by a shark while surfing near a national park campground. The man was taken to a hospital in a stable condition with minor injuries, according to the local health district. The latest attack followed a series of shark incidents across Sydney and its surrounding coastline since Sunday, prompting police, lifeguards, and marine authorities to warn that ocean conditions remain dangerous after days of heavy rain. Steven Pearce, the chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, an organisation that promotes safe coastal enjoyment in NSW and the Australian Capital Territory, said the water quality along much of the coast was currently unsafe and urged people to avoid swimming altogether. If anyones thinking of heading into the surf this morning, anywhere along the northern beaches, think again, Pearce told the ABC. We have such poor water quality. Thats conducive to bull shark activity. We have two people critically injured in hospital this morning. Just go to a local pool, because at this stage, were advising that the beaches are unsafe. Map shows locations of recent shark attacks in New South Wales (The Independent) NSW SharkSmart, the government's comprehensive programme to reduce shark bite risks, confirmed a shark incident at Point Plomer shortly after 10am on Tuesday, while lifeguard teams and drone surveillance were deployed in the area. Beaches between Town Beach and Crescent Head were closed as a precaution. The latest attack comes after a 12-year-old boy was critically injured on Sunday afternoon after being bitten by a shark near Nielsen Park in Sydney Harbour. The boy, who was swimming with friends near a popular rock ledge, remains in hospital with serious injuries to both legs. Police said the boy had jumped from a popular six-metre rock ledge into Sydney Harbour when he was bitten, as heavy rain had turned the water brackish and reduced visibility. Shark attacks in Sydney: how rare are they? Just four shark attacks have been recorded in Sydney Harbour in the past 50 years, according to data from the Australian SharkIncident Database and NSW authorities. The most recent harbour incident, before this week, was in 2024, when a woman was bitten on the leg at Elizabeth Bay. Bull sharks are the species most often linked to harbour and estuary incidents because they can tolerate brackish and freshwater. Across Australia, an average of around 20 shark bites are recorded each year, with fewer than three fatalities annually, conservation data show. Authorities say clusters of attacks are rare and are usually linked to specific conditions such as heavy rainfall, murky water and increased bait fish activity. Officers said the boys friends pulled him from the water and attempted first aid before emergency services arrived. Supt Joseph McNulty of NSW Police said the combination of storm runoff, murky water and splashing may have made that perfect storm environment for the shark encounter. At Dee Why beach, an 11-year-old surfer escaped uninjured after a shark bit through the middle of his board several times, tearing away a chunk of foam, before he was helped out of the water by other surfers. Beachgoers at Queenscliff Beach walk past a shark sighting sign as beaches are closed after recent shark attacks, in Sydney, Australia (REUTERS) Shark biologists later said the bite pattern suggested a bull shark, while Surf Life Saving NSW deployed drones and jetskis to search the area. The beach was closed for at least 24 hours. Later the same day, a 27-year-old man was bitten by a shark while surfing at Manly beach and was taken to hospital in a critical condition. All beaches across Sydneys northern beaches council area were subsequently closed until at least Thursday. Authorities and marine scientists said bull sharks were suspected in several of the recent incidents, noting the species ability to tolerate freshwater and brackish conditions and its tendency to move closer to shore after heavy rainfall. Bull sharks are especially comfortable moving in and out of river mouths and turbid coastal waters after heavy rain (AFP via Getty Images) Bull sharks are commonly found in estuaries and river mouths and are known to follow bait fish into murky coastal waters after storms, increasing the likelihood of accidental encounters with swimmers and surfers. Professor Jodie Rummer, a marine biologist at James Cook University, said heavy rainfall and warm waters draw fish into coastal areas, attracting predators. Storms and river outflows create flood plumes that carry nutrients and fish into coastal waters, which can attract prey species and, in turn, predators like sharks, she said. Bull sharks are especially comfortable moving in and out of river mouths and turbid coastal waters after heavy rain. File image: Bull sharks circle a bait box, getting very close to divers, during a shark dive off the coast of Jupiter, Florida (AFP via Getty Images) Dr Victoria Camilieri-Asch, a shark behaviour expert at Queensland University of Technology, said climate-driven warming was also extending the time sharks spend in coastal areas. Increasing water temperatures are causing sharks to spend more time in higher latitudes and remain longer on their summering grounds, she said, adding that this extended overlap with human activity increases the chance of encounters. According to conservation data, Australia records around 20 shark attacks a year, with fewer than three fatalities on average. However, authorities urged people to follow beach closures and avoid swimming in murky water, particularly after heavy rainfall. WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its preliminary finding that Chinese producers sell fiberglass door panels in the United States at less than fair value. Commerce issued affirmative preliminary dumping rates ranging from 38.78% to 147.85%. These are in addition to the substantial CVD preliminary rates found in August, ranging from 59.17% to 921.42%. The preliminary determination included the following company-specific findings: Fiberglass door panels produced by Jiangxi Fangda Tech Co., Ltd., a supplier to Steves and Sons, Inc., and Trimlite LLC, were found to be dumped at a rate of 99.49%. Fiberglass door panels produced by Dalian Capstone Engineering Co., Ltd., which are sold by Trinity Glass, Inc., were found to be dumped at a rate of 38.78%. Chinese companies that submitted separate rate applications, including Anhui Xinyu Fiberglass Door Co., Ltd., Wuxi Lutong Fiberglass Doors Co., Ltd., East Grace Corporation, and Wuxi Xinli New Material Co., Ltd., are subject to a dumping rate of 68.93%. All other Chinese companies are subject to a China-wide dumping rate of 147.85%. The American Fiberglass Door Coalition, representing the major American fiberglass door panel manufacturers and their employees, commends Commerce for its decision to impose these preliminary duties to remedy the Chinese industry's unfair trade practices. "This decision by the Department of Commerce is another critical step for the domestic fiberglass door panel industry, along with the affirmative preliminary countervailing duty determination, in upholding the trade laws for American fiberglass door panel manufacturers," said Timothy C. Brightbill , co-lead counsel to the Coalition and co-chair of Wiley's International Trade Practice . Importantly, Commerce also preliminarily ruled that the duties will cover Chinese fiberglass door skins that are later assembled into door panels in a third country. This will help stop evasion by Chinese manufacturers that is already occurring in the marketplace, Brightbill said. As soon as Commerce's preliminary determination is published in the Federal Register, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to begin collecting preliminary duties (in the form of cash deposits) on entries of fiberglass door panels from China. These determinations are preliminary, and antidumping duty rates may increase before the final determination. Commerce's final determination is currently expected in early March 2026. Robert E. DeFrancesco , partner in Wiley's International Trade Practice and co-lead counsel to the Coalition, said: "We anticipate a final determination that is favorable to the domestic industry and its employees, and we appreciate all the hard work that Commerce has put into this case." The duties above will be imposed following today's determination and are assessed on the importer of record of the covered merchandise. Duty evasion, absorption (foreign manufacturers or other parties covering the importers duties), and circumvention are illegal and closely monitored by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in conjunction with the Commerce Department. As confirmed by Brightbill in December 2025, counsel for the Coalition is working closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to share evidence of duty evasion, which is leading to heightened scrutiny of imports in certain product lines. The Wiley team representing the Coalition also includes International Trade partner Derick G. Holt ; of counsel Jeffrey O. Frank ; and associates Kimberly A. Reynolds , Stephen A. Morrison , and Jacob Garten . For more information, please contact: SOURCE Wiley Rein LLP Brooklyn Beckham (centre right) has spoken out against his parents in a lengthy statement on social media. (Getty Images) (Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images) Brooklyn Beckham has released a scathing statement that condemns his parents as 'controlling' figures in his life. It's the latest blow in an ongoing feud between David and Victoria Beckham and their eldest child. The aspiring chef and his wife, Nicola Peltz, have been at odds with the Beckham family since their wedding back in 2022, with rumours circling afterward that things went awry on the big day when Peltz did not wear a wedding dress designed by her future mother-in-law. Things escalated to the point that, last summer, the young Beckham reportedly only wanted to speak to his parents through their respective lawyers, Schillings and Harbottle & Lewis, per the Daily Mail. For those who are only catching up with the drama now, or who need a refresher on all that has happened between the Beckham clan in recent years, here is what you need to know. David Beckham speaks out about his children making 'mistakes' David Beckham has spoken publicly since his son's Instagram post hitting out at him and his wife. (WireImage) (WireImage) On Monday, 19 January, Brooklyn Beckham shared a lengthy statement on his Instagram stories, accusing his parents of being "controlling" and "performative" and of "trying endlessly to ruin [his] relationship". The following day, David Beckham broke his silence by appearing on CNBC's Squawk Box to discuss internet use, social media and mental health. During the segment, he referred to his children; although he didn't specifically address his son Brooklyn's comments, he spoke of how they've made "mistakes" on social media. He said: "I have always spoken about social media and the power of social media. For the good and for the bad. The bad weve talked about with what kids can access these days it can be dangerous. "But what I have found personally, especially with my kids as well use it for the right reasons. Ive been able to use my platform and my following for UNICEF. And it has been the biggest tool to make people aware of whats going on around the world for children." He went on: And I have tried to do the same, Ive tried to do the same with my children, to educate them, he said. They make mistakes, but children are allowed to make mistakes. That is how they learn. That is what I try to teach my kids. You sometimes have to let them make those mistakes as well. What Brooklyn Beckham has said about his parents, Victoria and David Beckham David and Victoria Beckham were accused of being 'controlling' by their son. (SI Photos via Getty Images) (Michael Pimentel/ISI Photos via Getty Images) In Brooklyn's statement about his family, he explained that he had wanted to keep matters private but felt he had "no choice" but to speak out because he alleged his "parents and their team have continued to go to the press" and he wanted to correct "only some of the lies that have been printed". Brooklyn wrote: "I do not want to reconcile with my family. I'm not being controlled I'm standing up for myself for the first time in my life. For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. Brooklyn Beckham claimed that his parents have tried to 'ruin' his marriage to wife Nicola Peltz. (WWD via Getty Images) (WWD via Getty Images) "The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into. "Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they'll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the truth always comes out." Addressing reports that Nicola Peltz was "controlling", he went on to say: "The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. Brooklyn Beckham also accused his parents of being 'performative'. (Samir Hussein via Getty Images) "I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. "My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family." Yahoo UK has reached out to representatives of Victoria and David Beckham for further comment. Read more: Brooklyn Beckham launches nuclear attack on 'controlling' parents David and Victoria with scathing online takedown(5-min read, The Standard) What Brooklyn Beckham said about his wedding and wife Nicola Peltz's dress Rumours of a feud in the Beckham clan began after Brooklyn and Nicola's wedding, which allegedly started because Nicola did not wear a dress designed by her mother-in-law. (Corbis via Getty Images) (Stephane Cardinale - Corbis via Getty Images) Addressing his 2022 wedding, Brooklyn added: "My mum cancelled making Nicola's dress in the eleventh hour despite how excited she was to wear her design, forcing her to urgently find a new dress. "Weeks before our big day, my parents repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name, which would have affected me, my wife, and our future children. "They were adamant on me signing before my wedding date because then the terms of the deal would be initiated. My holdout affected the payday, and they have never treated me the same since." Back in 2022, Peltz spoke about reports emerging of a feud because she didn't wear the wedding dress designed by her mother-in-law. In an interview with The Sunday Times, she denied there was a feud and insisted that "no family is perfect". Nicola Peltz previously said that, while she wanted to wear the dress designed by Victoria, she had to find an alternative because it wouldn't be done in time. (WWD via Getty Images) (River Callaway via Getty Images) She explained: "I think it all started and Ive said this before because I didnt end up wearing Victorias wedding dress. But the real truth is I really, really wanted to wear it and I thought it was so beautiful that Brooklyns mum got to make that for me." In an interview with Grazia USA that same year, she said, "We connected to start designing the dress, and then a few days went by, and I didnt hear anything. Victoria called my mum and said her atelier couldnt make it. "I was planning on wearing Victorias wedding dress, and I was truly so excited to be able to wear a design that my future mother-in-law created. I thought that was so beautiful and such a beautiful story." It was because of this, Peltz told the publication that she found an alternative dress: "So, I spoke to my mum and Leslie, and I was like, 'Well, unfortunately, this cant happen, so whats the next step?' Ive been a fan of Valentino and their couture for so long. I was really lucky to be able to travel to [the atelier] to try on the dress. Thats really what happened." Brooklyn and his wife went on to renew their vows in August 2025, three years after their big day, with reports emerging that it allowed them to have the wedding they wanted. The eldest Beckham child also said in his statement that his mother called him "evil" for seating his and his wife's respective grandmothers at their table, rather than having their parents with them. He said that "both of our parents had their own tables equally adjacent to ours". He went on: "The night before our wedding, members of my family told me that Nicola was 'not blood' and 'not family.'" Read more: Brooklyn Beckham's statement in full as he launches scathing attack on parents(5-min read, The Standard) What Brooklyn Beckham has said about his wedding dance Brooklyn Beckham claimed that his mother Victoria 'hijacked' his wedding dance with wife Nicola, and went on to dance 'inappropriately' with him. (NBC via Getty Images) (NBC via Getty Images) In his statement, Brooklyn also specifically mentioned how "embarrassed" he was when his mother "hijacked" his wedding dance with wife Nicola and danced with him "inappropriately". He wrote that he and Nicola's dance "had been planned weeks in advance to a romantic love song" and said: "In front of our 500 wedding guests, Marc Anthony called me to the stage, where in the schedule it was planned to be my romantic dance with my wife, but instead my mum was waiting to dance with me." Brooklyn continued by saying he has "never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life after his mum "danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone". British Vogue's report from the wedding stated that Brooklyn Beckham asked his mother to dance with him. (Stefanie Keenan via Getty Images) British Vogue shared a report on the wedding at the time, writing that "Brooklyn invited his mother on stage for a dance" to the tune of I Need To Know. The publication also reported that the pair were joined by David Beckham and his youngest child, Harper. A source told People in May 2025 that Nicola was "left in tears" by the dance because of how Victoria Beckham was referred to: "Before the song began, Marc Anthony asked Brooklyn to come to the stage, and then announced, 'The most beautiful woman in the room tonight, come on up Victoria Beckham!'" The action, the source claimed, made Nicola feel that her mother-in-law had "ruined" their wedding. Another source told People they were surprised by Victoria's slow dancing with her son. Read more: Here's What We Know About Brooklyn Peltz Beckham's Wedding Dance With Mum Victoria (6-min read, Huffpost UK) What the Beckham family has said about being blocked Cruz Beckham, left, said that his elder brother is the one to have blocked the family on social media. (Dave Benett via Getty Images) In his online attack on his parents, Brooklyn claimed that his family blocked him on social media, saying: "Since the moment I started standing up for myself with my family, I've received endless attacks from my parents, both privately and publicly, that were sent to the press on their orders. Even my brothers were sent to attack me on social media, before they ultimately blocked me out of nowhere this last summer." This contradicts a statement made by his 20-year-old brother, Cruz, on social media in December 2025, when he wrote that it was Brooklyn who cut them out: "My mum and dad would never unfollow their son... Let's get the facts right. They woke up blocked... as did I." What else has been said about the Beckham feud Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola have previously said that they try to 'ignore the noise' around reports of a family feud. (WWD via Getty Images) (WWD via Getty Images) In an interview with Glamour in June 2025, Brooklyn and his wife addressed the then-rumoured feud between the Beckham family. Speaking about how they protect their relationship in the public eye, Brooklyn said they have to: "Ignore the noise. Keep your head down, work hard, be kind. People are always going to talk. What matters is that were happy together." His wife added, "Its not always easy. On TikTok there are always random stories popping up about us. When I see fake news, my instinct is to shut it down. But its not worth it. I just scroll past and move on." Read more: Celebrities react to utterly tragic Brooklyn Beckham family feud(4-min read, Independent) Sir Keir Starmer has in recent months shown hes no stranger to changing his mind. From farmers inheritance tax to welfare reform, U-turns have become central to this Labour government, much to the frustration of Sir Keirs backbenchers. But none of the prime ministers backtracking has been so abrupt and so unexpected as Donald Trumps conclusion that the UKs deal to give away the Chagos Islands, with the crucial Diego Garcia airbase, to Mauritius was an act of great stupidity, which will have stunned Downing Street this morning. Not least because less than a year ago, after Sir Keirs team had painstakingly explained the plan to secure the future of the islands, the president was very much onboard. In fact, I was there in the Oval Office in February last year for that first meeting between Starmer and Trump. Shortly after Sir Keir handed over that invitation to Trump from the King for a historic second state visit, the US president took a question from a reporter on the controversial plan to hand over Chagos to Mauritius. Trump was expected to be sceptical, or even veto the plan, which was vital for both the UK and US because of the Diego Garcia airbase on the islands. Instead, the president said: I have a feeling it is going to work out very well. I think we will be inclined to go along with your country. This was despite being lobbied by Nigel Farage and others to veto the deal, and the then foreign secretary David Lammy suggesting that if Trump opposed it, they would not go ahead with the handover. The Chagos Islands have been at the centre of an international diplomatic row (CPA Media Pte Ltd/Alamy/PA) So that statement, backed up later by a formal agreement from secretary of state Marco Rubio in May, is what paved the way for Sir Keir to get the Chagos deal done. Not much has changed since. True to say, the cost of more than 30bn to the UK taxpayer (not US one), issues around the fate of Chagossians, the treaty being bogged down still in parliament, and questions over nuclear weapons on the islands have all emerged, but most of these were issues back then. So why has Trump U-turned so spectacularly? The Independent knows that opponents of the deal have not given up lobbying and begging the US president to intervene and stop it. It seems that their message may have got through after all. But is that really enough for the president to effectively admit he was wrong last year? The more likely explanation is Greenland. Trump now understands that the same international law logic used that the islands belong to Mauritius applies to Denmarks ownership of Greenland. And, as we have seen with his bellicose language and tariff threats, he really wants the US to take control of the Danish territory. Arguments by the Labour government that it has no choice under international law but to hand over the islands will not wash with this White House administration and actually may just fuel the Greenland grievance more. Starmer may no longer be the Trump whisperer and thats bad news (PA) But there is perhaps a wider issue here. Sir Keir has made a name among international leaders as the Trump whisperer. He got the US president to agree on a range of things, including a better trade deal than the one given to the EU as well as Chagos. But this latest development perhaps shows that the relationship between two men who are ideologically far apart is deteriorating. If Starmers ability to influence the capricious US president is waning, then that really is bad news. His foreign policy generally is to act as the bridge between the US and Europe, but if that is removed, it leaves Britain greatly weakened. Starmer had kept Trump sweet with last years state visit, but it seems not even the prospect of a reciprocal visit to the US by King Charles is enough to tempt the US president to be a reasonable man. The prime minister won some plaudits yesterday at his emergency press conference standing up to Trump for a fellow Nato ally, Denmark. But Trump, not a man who easily forgives, has clearly seen that as a betrayal and his remarks on Chagos are a new front in what is increasingly spiralling into a hostile relationship. Homeowners will be able to access low and zero-interest loans to install solar panels, heat pumps and batteries under a flagship energy upgrades scheme. Low-income households and fuel-poor families struggling to pay energy bills will also receive free upgrades for insulation and clean tech backed by 5 billion of public investment, officials said. The measures form part of the Governments warm homes plan, a 15 billion public spending programme to deliver energy efficiency and technology upgrades to British homes, in a bid to cut bills and reliance on fossil fuels, reduce carbon emissions and lift people out of fuel poverty. Environmental and anti-fuel poverty campaigners welcomed the new plan but called for more action and funding to end the scandal of people living in cold, damp homes and struggling to pay energy bills. Heat pumps are a low-carbon technology (Alamy/PA) In addition to the 5 billion for low-income schemes, some 2 billion is earmarked for consumer loans, 2.7 billion for the boiler upgrade scheme for heat pump grants and 2.7 billion in innovative finance through a new warm homes fund investment facility for home upgrades. There is also 1.1 billion for heat networks and 1.5 billion for other funding including the devolved administrations. The plans also include upgrading protections for renters, along with support for landlords to make energy efficiency improvements, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (Desnz) said. The programme aims to roll out upgrades to up to five million homes, saving families hundreds of pounds on their energy bills, and lift up to a million households out of fuel poverty by 2030. The long-running energy company obligation (ECO) programme, which paid for energy-saving measures through levies on consumer bills comes to an end in March, with the scheme recently leaving thousands of homes with botched insulation jobs. Sir Keir Starmer said the plans showed the Government was bearing down on the cost-of-living crisis. The measures come after moves in last years budget to take an average of 150 off energy bills from April, as well as 150 warm homes discount for around six million households, with the Government saying energy upgrades would bring down bills for good. The Prime Minister said: A warm home shouldnt be a privilege, it should be a basic guarantee for every family in Britain. Todays plan marks a turning point. It will help to slash energy costs and lift up to a million people out of fuel poverty. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: It is a scandal that millions of people in our country do not have the security of a home that is warm, affordable and safe. With this investment, we embark on a national project to turn the tide waging war on fuel poverty and taking another step forward in tackling the affordability crisis for families throughout Britain. The warm homes plan includes direct support for low-income families to receive a free package of energy-saving measures ranging from insulation to technology such as solar panels and a battery worth thousands of pounds, depending on what suits an individual property. There could also be upgrades to entire streets of social housing, officials said. Government-backed zero and low interest loans will be available to homeowners to install solar panels on their roofs, alongside new rules in the Future Homes Standard that will make solar on new homes standard. The loans will also be available for batteries and heat pumps, to allow greater take up of clean technologies, and are in addition to the 7,500 grant for replacing boilers with heat pumps. The Government has repeatedly ruled out boiler bans, and instead hopes the new plan will enable consumers to choose ever more popular clean tech for their homes. A Labour source said: We believe in empowering consumers to make choices about what works for them, not banning one technology or another. Demand is growing for clean tech and we want to lean into it by making these products the cheaper choice. The Government has repeatedly ruled out boiler bans (PA) (Andrew Matthews) A new Warm Homes Agency will support energy efficiency upgrades, local mayors will be in the driving seat for rolling out improvement programmes in their local areas and there will be a new aim to ensure that at least 70% of heat pumps installed in the UK are built here. The 15 billion scheme includes allocations for devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The plan was welcomed by fuel poverty campaigners, but they warned further reforms would be needed and now the hard work begins. Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: The lifeblood of the warm homes plan amounts to a rescue mission for the coldest, dampest homes in Britain and this must be the priority. Combined with long-overdue improvements to conditions in the private rented sector, it could save lives, cut NHS costs and permanently slash energy bills for those in fuel poverty. But he called for further reforms to bring down the cost of electricity and provide financial support for households while they wait for improvements to be installed. Above all, any use of public funds must come with a warm homes guarantee, built around quality advice on the right installations to deliver, enhanced consumer protections and a promise that every upgraded home will see bills come down. Rick Parfett, WWF head of climate, said: In an unstable world, depending on fossil fuels risks soaring energy bills. Thats why todays announcement matters if fully funded and delivered, this plan will create warmer homes and lower bills for households through insulation and harnessing the UKs abundant clean energy. Friends of the Earths head of policy, Mike Childs, said: The warm homes plan is a welcome step forward, with tougher standards for rental homes and 5 billion to help councils and social landlords install insulation and clean energy like solar panels. But without more investment it will fall far short of whats needed to protect peoples health and end the scandal of families forced to live in cold, damp homes. China's plans for a new super-embassy in London have been approved by ministers despite intelligence agencies saying they cannot eliminate the risks to national security. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed green lit the proposals for the huge complex at Royal Mint Court, opposite the Tower of London, on Tuesday, amid heavy criticism from MPs and campaigners over its security implications. The decision removes a diplomatic hurdle in the relationship with Xi Jinping's government, clearing the way for Sir Keir Starmer to make a widely-expected visit to China later this month. But critics of the scheme plan to challenge the decision in the courts, with local residents raising money to launch a judicial review. They have argued that the site, between the financial districts of the City of London and Canary Wharf, could be used as a spy hub, while dissidents fear it will be used as a base for repression. MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum and GCHQ's director Anne Keast-Butler warned that national security risks linked to China's new London embassy cannot be wholly eliminated. In a joint letter with to the Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary, they wrote: "MI5 has over 100 years of experience managing national security risks associated with foreign diplomatic premises in London. "For the Royal Mint Court site, as with any foreign embassy on UK soil, it is not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk. (And even if this were a practicable goal, it would be irrational to drive 'embassy-generated risk' down to zero when numerous other threat vectors are so central to the national security risks we face in the present era.) Protesters at a demonstration outside Royal Mint Court, London, the site of the proposed new Chinese embassy (PA Wire) "However, the collective work across UK intelligence agencies and HMG departments to formulate a package of national security mitigations for the site has been, in our view, expert, professional and proportionate." Luke de Pulford, head of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said: "Years of campaigning about the obvious and manifold risks posed by this embassy development have not been enough to outweigh the UK Government's desire for Beijing's money." The decision comes despite a call from MPs and peers on the Labour-led Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy to reject the plans, warning the embassy - the biggest in Europe - would "create a hub for expanded intelligence-gathering and intimidation operations". Over the weekend Tory leader Kemi Badenoch led hundreds of protesters in opposition to the scheme, telling campaigners: "I stand with you". In a letter announcing the embassy can be built, the Government said the Secretary of State has taken into account representations from the Home Office, Foreign Office and police. Concerns have been resolved, and no further concerns have been raised by the Government departments, it adds. The decision to give the go-ahead is "now final unless it is successfully challenged in court," Mr Reed said. In a written ministerial statement, he said: "The decision was in line with the recommendation of the independent planning inspector who held a public inquiry into this case between February 11 and February 19, 2025. "MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) ministers making planning decisions must follow a quasi-judicial process. This means they must make decisions fairly, based on evidence and planning rules." Police officers hold back protesters outside the proposed site of the new Chinese Embassy redevelopment in Royal Mint Court (PA Wire) The statement added: "Representations received from parties as part of the reference back exercise are listed in the decision letter and are available on request. For convenience, I will deposit a full set of the reference back correspondence in the House libraries. All material considerations were taken into account when making this decision. "The decision is now final unless it is successfully challenged in court." Tory shadow minister Sir James Cleverly said: This is a disgraceful act of cowardice from a Labour Government and Prime Minister utterly devoid of backbone. The first duty of any Government is to keep the country safe. But Keir Starmer has relegated that most critical priority beneath his desperate desire for Beijings approval. Labours latest sell-out confirms they cannot be trusted to stand up for Britain on the international stage. Measures have been developed to "manage any risks" relating to the new London embassy, the Government has insisted. A Government spokesperson said: "This planning decision has been taken independently by the Secretary of State for Housing. This follows a process that began in 2018 when the then foreign secretary (Boris Johnson) provided formal diplomatic consent for the site. "More broadly, countries establishing embassies in other countries' capitals is a normal part of international relations. "National security is our first duty. Intelligence agencies have been involved throughout the process and an extensive range of measures have been developed to manage any risks."Following extensive negotiations in recent months, the Chinese government has agreed to consolidate its seven current sites in London into one site, bringing clear security advantages." Sir David Beckham has broken his silence after his son Brooklyn launched a blistering public attack on his parents, saying his children have made mistakes on social media. Brooklyn Beckham reignited the long-running family feud on Monday night by sharing a six-page statement on Instagram in which he said he had no desire to reconcile with his family and was standing up for himself for the first time in my life. The 26-year-old aspiring chef said he was speaking out to defend his wife, actress Nicola Peltz, 31, amid what he described as years of tension with the Beckham family. Brooklyn and Peltz have been at the centre of the rift after reportedly skipping several major family events, including Sir Davids 50th birthday celebrations and his recent knighthood. In his statement, Brooklyn claimed tensions first emerged around the couples April 2022 wedding. He alleged his parents had endlessly tried to undermine his relationship, claiming his mother cancelled plans to make Nicolas wedding dress at the eleventh hour and accusing Victoria Beckham of hijacking the couples first dance, leaving him feeling embarrassed. Sir David Beckham speaking at Davos on Tuesday (REUTERS) He also criticised his father, claiming that despite travelling to the UK for Sir Davids birthday, repeated requests to meet beforehand were ignored. Brooklyn said he was eventually offered a meeting on the condition that Nicola was not invited. Brooklyn further accused his parents of controlling press narratives and prioritising image and endorsements over family relationships, writing: Brand Beckham comes first. He added that since stepping away from his family, his longstanding anxiety had disappeared, and said he and Nicola now wanted peace, privacy and happiness away from public manipulation. READ MORE: Inside Nicola Peltzs string of falling-outs from Selena Gomez to her stylist Sir David has now spoken in public for the first time since the post, speaking about the power and dangers of social media while appearing live on CNBCs Squawk Box. Ive always spoken about social media and the power of social media, for the good and for the bad, the former England captain said. What kids can access these days, it can be dangerous. Brooklyn, David and Victoria Beckham pictured in 2018 (PA Archive) Reflecting on his own family, he added: What Ive found personally, especially with my kids as well, is using it for the right reasons. Beckham went on to highlight how he has used his platform to raise awareness for charitable causes, including his long-standing work with UNICEF. Ive been able to use my platform for my following, for UNICEF and it has been the biggest tool to make people aware of whats going on around the world for children, he said. Ive tried to do the same with my children, to educate them. Acknowledging online missteps, Sir David added: They make mistakes but children are allowed to make mistakes. That is how they learn. That is what I try to teach my kids. He concluded: You sometimes have to let them make those mistakes as well. Neither Brooklyn nor Victoria Beckham has publicly responded to Davids remarks. Brooklyns explosive statement has led to a number of celebrities taking sides. Lily Allen appeared to side with Brooklyn with a social media post of her own. While Katherine Ryan launched a brutal attack on him in defence of Sir David and Lady Victoria. Andrew Baldings Gewan is likely to head straight to the Qipco 2000 Guineas after being confirmed as the European champion juvenile for 2025. An impressive winner on his Newbury debut in mid-July, the Night Of Thunder colt went on to land the Group Three Acomb Stakes at York before disappointing as a hot favourite for the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. However, he roared back to winning ways with a season-ending Group One success in the Dewhurst at Newmarket, achieving an official rating of 121 to put him 2lb clear of the rest of last terms two-year-olds. Paul Curran, racing and bloodstock manager for Ace Stud, whose owner Harris Li will run his horses under the Forz Europe banner this year, said during a British Horseracing Authority media call: Its a huge honour for us to be involved with such a horse and to have the cherry on top of being crowned champion two-year-old is a fantastic achievement. We look back at the year with great delight and were always talking about it through the winter, saying were going to be dreaming for 2026. It was a dream year that we had with him in 2025 and to come out as the highest-rated two-year-old reflects on the quality that he is. At the moment were obviously looking at the 2000 Guineas. Typically most horses that win a Dewhurst turn their script towards a Guineas campaign and were more than likely going to go straight there. We want to take him easy into the year because were looking at longevity with the horse and we dont want to go gung-ho for one race and one race only. The Guineas isnt the be-all and end-all for the horse, we know hes got a huge campaign after that, and we want to give him every chance to progress. When asked whether he felt Gewan could also develop into a Derby contender, Curran added: Well see, hell tell us what he wants to do. We havent looked beyond the Guineas and who knows? It would be nice to think he could be (a Derby horse), but well let him do the talking for us. Following Gewan in the two-year-old classifications are the Aidan OBrien-trained pair of Gstaad and Puerto Rico, each with a mark of 119. OBrien is also responsible for the two highest-rated fillies, with Precise and True Love being awarded a mark of 115 and therefore sharing the title of champion juvenile filly. The second highest-rated British representative in the colts division, with a mark of 118, is the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Zavateri. A winner of four of his five starts, the Without Parole colt won the Group One National Stakes at the Curragh before finishing fourth behind Gewan in the Dewhurst. Britains highest-rated filly is Venetian Sun (114). Trained by Karl Burke, she too took Group One honours in the Prix Morny to go alongside her victories in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarkets July Festival. Graeme Smith, BHA handicapping team leader, said: Gewan became the first outright European champion two-year-old to emerge from Kingsclere in the 48-year history of the classification, bettering the achievement of Andrew Baldings previous Dewhurst and subsequent 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean (119) in 2022. He follows Forest Flower (125 in 1986) and Mrs Penny (joint champion in 1979 at 121), who were both crowned champion two-year-old fillies for Andrews late father, Ian. Gewans 121 performance in defying long odds in the Dewhurst Stakes capped a stellar year for his sire, Night Of Thunder. As well as being represented in 2025 by the top-class Ombudsman and 1000 Guineas winner Desert Flower, the Darley stallion established a strong hand for the 2026 Classics. Royal Lodge Stakes winner Bow Echo (115) and Distant Storm (115), who finished third behind the imposing grey Gewan in the Dewhurst, also rank within the top 11 in this years classification. Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board handicapper Mark Bird said: Aidan OBrien trained Europes champion juvenile filly for the third year in a row and for a record ninth time in total as Precise and True Love shared top billing on a rating of 115. True Loves victory in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket was matched by Precises success in the Fillies Mile at the same track two weeks later. In what was a banner year for the Ballydoyle-trained two-year-olds, Aidan trained a record seven individual two-year-old Group/Grade One winners in 2025. He also matched his previous best total of nine two-year-old Group/Grade One race wins in a calendar year, as well as equalling his highest total of two-year-old winners (three) at Royal Ascot. This dominance of the two-year-old landscape is reflected in his being responsible for six of the top 10 horses in the classification. The Department of Justice has issued criminal grand jury subpoenas to at least five top Democratic officials in Minnesota who are accused of obstructing a surge of federal law enforcement officers supporting Donald Trumps mass deportation campaign. Federal investigators are targeting Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Mayor Kaohly Her of St. Paul, among others, marking a dramatic escalation of the Trump administrations clash with Democratic officials who have criticized operations as a violent assault on the state and its residents. The subpoenas also target top Minnesota prosecutors, including state Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. The Justice Department appears to be investigating whether state and local officials conspired to impede federal officers from immigration enforcement. Homeland Security has deployed hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officers into the state, making more than 10,000 arrests in recent weeks, according to the agency. The surge is Homeland Securitys largest immigration enforcement operation yet, with officers accused of violently targeting immigrants and citizens alike and facing off against protesters in clashes throughout the Minneapolis area. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is among top Democratic officials in the state subpoenaed by Trumps Department of Justice on allegations that they obstructed federal officers supporting the presidents mass deportation agenda (Getty Images) The president has repeatedly suggested he could deploy active-duty military against Americans after demonstrations against his agenda escalated in the wake of the killing of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer earlier this month. The president has labeled protesters professional agitators and insurrectionists in a state run by corrupt politicians who are now accused of conspiring against the federal government. Minnesota officials, meanwhile, have sued the administration to stop the surge, alleging the operation is a politically motivated and unconstitutional attack on the state. Tuesdays subpoenas appear related to the work in their offices, not in their personal capacity. The subpoenas command officials to testify before a federal grand jury and provide extensive documents to prosecutors, including all records and communications regarding immigration enforcement and instructions about cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The subpoenas also ask for all documents relating to hindering, doxxing, identifying, or surveilling immigration officers. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey were among officials subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury (REUTERS) Walz said his state will not be drawn into political theater. This Justice Department investigation, sparked by calls for accountability in the face of violence, chaos, and the killing of Renee Good, does not seek justice, he said in a statement on Tuesday. It is a partisan distraction. Minnesotans are more concerned with safety and peace rather than with baseless legal tactics aimed at intimidating public servants standing shoulder to shoulder with their community. When the federal government weaponizes its power to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned, Mayor Frey said in a statement. We shouldnt live in a country where federal law enforcement is used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with, he added. In Minneapolis, we won't be afraid. We know the difference between right and wrong and, as mayor, I'll continue doing the job I was elected to do: keeping our community safe and standing up for our values. Ellison said Trump is weaponizing the justice system against him and other officials, instead of seriously investigating the killing of Renee Good. Everything about this is highly irregular, especially the fact that this comes shortly after my office sued the Trump Administration to challenge their illegal actions within Minnesota, Ellison said in a statement. Let's be clear about why this is happening: Donald Trump is coming after the people of Minnesota and I'm standing in his way. I will not be intimidated, and I will not stop working to protect Minnesotans from Trump's campaign of retaliation and revenge. The Twin Cities are home to roughly 80,000 people of Somali ancestry, the vast majority of whom are legal residents or American citizens. But the president seizing on a series of fraud cases involving government programs where most of the defendants have roots in Somalia is surging federal law enforcement officers and Justice Department resources into the state as part of his nationwide efforts to deport millions of people. The Pentagon has prepared nearly 1,500 troops for possible deployment to the state as the president threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act to suppress protests against an aggressive immigration enforcement operation that has targeted immigrants and citizens alike. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says 10,000 people have been arrested. The Duke of Sussex could begin giving evidence in the trial of his legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail on Wednesday, the High Court has heard. Harry, Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, politician Sir Simon Hughes, and actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley are all bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over allegations of unlawful information gathering. This includes claims that information for articles was obtained by carrying out or commissioning unlawful activities such as phone tapping and blagging private records. ANL has strongly denied wrongdoing and is defending the claims. Harry attended court on Monday and the start of proceedings on Tuesday, but was seen leaving the Royal Courts of Justice in London during the lunch break. He was initially scheduled to give evidence on Thursday, but opening submissions for the claimants and ANL concluded earlier than expected on Tuesday. David Sherborne, representing the group, said he would endeavour to have the Duke of Sussex here at 2pm tomorrow. He said: I will do my best and we will notify the court and the defendant. Harry was initially due to give evidence on Thursday (Jeff Moore/PA) (Jeff Moore) In response to a question from the judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, about whether Harry could be available to give evidence on Wednesday morning, Mr Sherborne responded that he needed to make inquiries. The trial will resume at 10.30am on Wednesday. In court on Tuesday, Antony White KC, for ANL, said that the claims against it were threadbare and had been brought too late. He continued that journalists at the organisation provide a compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of the more than 50 articles that are alleged to be the products of unlawful information gathering. Mr White also told the court that payments to private investigators by journalists, cited by the claimants, were examples of clutching at straws in the wind and seeking to bind them together in a way that has no proper analytical foundation. He added that claims made in a disavowed witness statement allegedly given by one private investigator named in the case, Gavin Burrows, including that he received large sums of money from the publisher, were inherently implausible. The barrister said: Associated is not a corner shop. It is audited. Auditors usually do not miss the haemorrhaging of large amounts of cash of this size. In written submissions, Mr White said the publisher strongly denies that there was any unlawful information gathering, including voicemail interception, directed at the duke. He continued that the articles were sourced entirely legitimately from information variously provided by contacts of the journalists responsible, including individuals in the Duke of Sussexs social circle, press officers and publicists, freelance journalists, photographers and prior reports. Earlier on Tuesday, David Sherborne, for the group, said that Harry feels he has endured a sustained campaign of attacks against him because he had the temerity to stand up to ANL. He said: In his witness statement for the trial, the Duke of Sussex speaks of the impact which this has had on him the distress, the paranoia and the other feelings that it generated. But given what weve seen, is it any wonder that he feels that way, or as he explains, that he feels he has endured a sustained campaign of attacks against him for having had the temerity to stand up to Associated in the way that he has so publicly done. The barrister continued that the 14 articles involved in Harrys claim, written between 2001 and 2013 focus primarily and in a highly intrusive and damaging way, on the relationships which he formed, or rather tried to form, during those years prior to meeting his now wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. He also said that smoke and mirrors and carefully orchestrated attacks on the claimants could not save Associated this time. Barrister David Sherborne (Jeff Moore/PA) (Jeff Moore) He said: It is not the claim for damages that brings these claimants here. It is the uncovering of the truth of what was done to them, and Associated taking accountability for that. The barrister continued that while the defence that the claims have been brought too late is a potential life raft in a sea of unlawful information gathering, the publisher may not be able to climb aboard as all of the claims were brought in time. The trial is due to conclude in March, with a judgment due in writing at a later date. Donald Trumps administration allegedly opened, and then terminated, a civil rights investigation into the actions of the federal officer who fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis. An initial review determined there were sufficient grounds to investigate Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jonathan Ross, who fired three shots into Goods car at close range earlier this month, according to The Washington Post. But the investigation appears to have been aborted shortly after. The FBI said in a statement Monday night that those decisions were not made by the FBI. The FBI still continues to pursue evidence in this case with our federal partners, investigating the shooting incident as well as the ongoing violent criminal actors and their funding sources, the agency said. The facts are the initiator, and the facts do not support civil rights investigation. The existence of an initial probe stands in stark contrast to recent statements from Trump administration officials, including Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who told The Independent one week after the shooting that there is currently no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation. Trumps DOJ initially found sufficient grounds to investigate the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier this month but the probe was quickly abandoned (AP) We investigate when its appropriate to investigate, Blanche told Fox News Sunday January 18. And that is not the case here. It was not the case when it happened and is not the case today. The only people who now appear to be under investigation in connection with Goods death and Trumps surge of federal law enforcement officers in the state are Good's widow, Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem noted that the shooting is under internal review at the agency, but Noem and other administration officials including immediately after Goods death have repeatedly defended the officers actions while accusing Good of intentionally weaponizing her car to commit an act of domestic terrorism. As with any officer-involved shooting, each law enforcement agency has an internal investigation protocol, including DHS, a Justice Department official told The Independent last week. As such, [ICEs Office of Professional Responsibility] has its own investigation underway. This runs parallel to any FBI investigation. Noem appeared to confirm that Ross was put on three standard days of administrative leave following the shooting during her appearance on CBS Face the Nation Sunday. We are following the exact same investigative and review process that we always have under ICE and under the Department of Homeland Security and within the administration, Noem said. There always is [a review of the actions]. Every law enforcement officer knows that when they step up and take the oath to defend the public, she added. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the officers actions are under an internal review while DOJ officials say there is no basis for a criminal investigation (REUTERS) The suspension of the federal investigation appeared to come some time after Trump-appointed Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen reportedly forced state investigators out of the probe, which state officials confirmed January 8 one day after the shooting. At least six people inside a Justice Department division that investigates police killings resigned after the agencys decision to abandon the probe, a move first reported by MSNOW. An official with the Justice Department told The Independent that those civil rights division chiefs gave notice of their departure well before the events in Minnesota and that any suggestion to the contrary is false. But one day later, it was reported that top federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned after the administration pushed for an investigation into Goods and rebuffed efforts to investigate Ross. Veteran prosecutor Joseph Thompson who was previously appointed by Trump to serve as Minnesotas acting U.S. attorney and first assistant U.S. attorney was among at least four other top prosecutors who resigned. Thompson reportedly objected to the Justice Departments refusal to investigate the shooting as a civil rights matter, and was outraged by the alleged demand to pursue a criminal investigation into Becca Good, according to people familiar with the matter speaking to The New York Times. Federal investigators are reportedly probing Renee Goods partner and criminally investigating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allegedly obstructing officers (REUTERS) Last week, the Justice Department launched a criminal investigation into Governor Walz and Mayor Frey for allegedly conspiring to obstruct immigration enforcement in the state, two days after Blanche accused the Democratic officials of terrorism. Walz and Frey Im focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary, he wrote on X. This is not a threat. Its a promise. Antonio Romanucci, the attorney for Goods family, argued it is not up to Blanche to determine whether an investigation into the officers actions is necessary. Todd Blanche is telling us that hes determining on his own that that was a defensible act without an investigation. And that is not the way its done, Romanucci told CNN. We need to know, based on the totality of circumstances, not only looking at the video, but also looking at the intent that was there, looking at reasonable police practices. Footage taken by several witnesses as well as footage filmed by Ross himself, who was filming his interaction with Good and her wife with one hand while grabbing his gun and shooting at her with his other shows masked officers approaching her car in the middle of a residential street earlier this month. An officer can be heard saying get out of the f***ing car while an agent pulls on the outside handle. Rosss video captures Good telling him That's fine, dude, I'm not mad at you, while shes behind the wheel. Becca Good, who was outside the vehicle, is also seen filming Ross and telling him they are U.S. citizens. You want to come at us? I say go get yourself some lunch, big boy, she can be heard saying in the footage from Ross. Goods car backs up slightly, then pulls forward and begins to veer to the right. As her car moves forward, Ross moves to the front of her car. He fires three shots and her car accelerates and crashes further down the street. A voice that appears to be Rosss can be heard saying off camera f****** b****. A robust federal investigation could determine whether lethal use of force was justified. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has prepared nearly 1,500 troops for possible deployment to the state as the president threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act to suppress protests in the wake of Goods death and an aggressive immigration enforcement operation that has targeted immigrants and citizens alike. Noem says 10,000 people have been arrested. Intimate details about the Duke of Sussexs relationship with Chelsy Davy, including their sleeping arrangements and how Harry gave his then-girlfriend a set of keys, were obtained unlawfully by the Mail on Sunday, it has been alleged at the High Court. An article published in January 2010 contained granular detail about their plans as a couple, and even Harrys preferences as to where he likes to spend the night, the dukes barrister David Sherborne said on Tuesday. But Harrys evidence is absolutely firm and he insists only a close friend of his or Ms Davys would have known the private information and would not possibly have betrayed their confidence, Mr Sherborne added. Harry with Chelsy Davy at Wembley Stadium at the concert in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales in 2007 (Stephen Hird/PA) (Stephen Hird) Harry, Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, politician Sir Simon Hughes, and actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley are taking legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over alleged unlawful information gathering. ANL vehemently denies the preposterous allegations. The article by Mail on Sunday journalist Katie Nicholl concerned intimate and specific details about Harrys private life, Mr Sherborne said. The story described how Ms Davys friends had said Harry was a regular fixture at her Belgravia home before she left the UK for Christmas. The Duke of Sussex at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday (Jeff Moore/PA) (Jeff Moore) The court heard that Ms Nicholls evidence was that her notebooks indicated she obtained the minute details from a man named Garth Gibbs. Mr Sherborne said that South African-born Mr Gibbs, who died a year after the article was published, was not a member of the royal family nor some young aristocratic socialite, but living alone in semi-retirement on the Isle of Wight, with his cat, called Lord Kismul of Barra, aka Kizzy, as his sole companion. The barrister added that it was utterly implausible that this person would have supplied that level of information about the Duke of Sussex and Ms Chelsy Davy. He suggested Ms Nicholl was applying her familiar unlawful information gathering techniques. Summarising part of the dukes written evidence, Mr Sherborne said that Harry had detailed the distress and paranoia he had been caused. He continued: But given what weve seen, is it any wonder that he feels that way, or as he explains, that he feels he has endured a sustained campaign of attacks against him for having had the temerity to stand up to Associated in the way that he has so publicly done? Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) said disclosures to the press about Harrys private life were a not uncommon occurrence. Chelsy Davy (centre) arriving at Windsor Castle for Harry and Meghans wedding in 2018 (Chris Jackson/PA) (Chris Jackson) The publishers lawyer, Antony White KC, told the court in written submissions: The reality is that the social circles of the celebrity claimants, ie all the claimants bar Baroness (Doreen) Lawrence and Sir Simon Hughes, were leaky and their friends, and friends of friends, or associates, did regularly provide information to the press about the claimants private lives, for obvious reasons on a confidential basis. ANLs written submission said that Ms Nicholl was passed the information from Mr Gibbs from a source in South Africa who was good friends with Ms Davy, as well as being one of her Facebook friends. She would also likely have run the story past some of her other confidential sources on the Duke of Sussex and Ms Davy to confirm whether it was true and to pick up any other details, Mr White said. On Tuesday, Mr White told the court that journalists at the organisation provide a compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of articles. At the start of his opening submissions, he said: Associated, the defendant, defends these claims on two main grounds: firstly on the merits and secondly on limitation grounds. Associated has provided an explanation through a long series of witnesses of the sourcing by its journalists of the 50-plus articles alleged by the claimants to be the product of unlawful information gathering. We dont pretend that that account is perfect and covers every detail, and not every journalist can remember every article, but we do say that overall, it provides a compelling account of a pattern of legitimate sourcing of articles. Zimbabwean-born Ms Davy spent about seven years dating Harry. They had a long-distance relationship while he was training in the Army and overseas and she was at university in South Africa. They split in early 2009 but, after both reportedly had other flings, they rekindled their relationship, and in May 2010 Ms Davy made a rare public appearance to watch him receive his wings after completing his Army Air Corps helicopter pilot course. They broke up again in about 2011 but remained friends and she attended his wedding to the Duchess of Sussex in 2018. China's top procuratorate stresses severely punishing crimes of human trafficking, endangering workplace safety Xinhua) 09:56, January 20, 2026 BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has urged prosecutorial authorities to strictly punish crimes that have sparked strong public concern, such as human trafficking and endangering workplace safety, in accordance with the law. At a national conference of chief prosecutors held on Monday in Beijing, the SPP emphasized the need for the swift arrest and prosecution of individuals involved in severe violent crimes, including individual extreme violent crimes, to impose stringent punishments that deter crime and reassure the public. Authorities are instructed to maintain a regular crackdown on organized crime and to strictly punish other offenses that provoke intense public reaction, including crimes involving guns or explosives, pornography, gambling, drugs, robbery, theft, fraud, and endangering workplace safety. The SPP also outlined measures to punish cyberbullying and to crack down on illegal activities that infringe on personal information. Regarding juvenile justice, the SPP called for collaborative efforts to establish a tiered intervention and correction system for juvenile offenses. It also urged improvements to the mechanism for reviewing and prosecuting serious violent crimes committed by very young minors. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Active Dental, a trusted family and general dentistry practice serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, announces the launch of its newly redesigned website that unifies all five practice locations under one digital platform. The enhanced online experience streamlines appointment scheduling, patient resources, and access to comprehensive dental services for families across Irving, Plano, Frisco, Flower Mound, and Prosper. IRVING, Texas, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Active Dental has unveiled a comprehensive new website that brings together all five of its Dallas-Fort Worth dental practice locations into a single, user-friendly digital platform. The launch of activedentalonline.com represents a significant milestone for the practice, which has grown from a single Irving location in 2009 to become one of the region's most trusted multi-location dental providers. Active Dental The newly consolidated website provides patients across the DFW metroplex with seamless access to dental services at any of Active Dental's five locations in Irving, Plano, Frisco, Flower Mound, and Prosper. Patients can now easily navigate between locations, compare services, and book appointments online at their preferred office. The unified platform reflects Active Dental's commitment to making high-quality dental care accessible and convenient for the more than 8 million residents of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Founded by Dr. Kalpesh Patel, a graduate of the prestigious Baylor College of Dentistry, Active Dental has built its reputation on providing compassionate, patient-centered care. The practice offers comprehensive dental services including general and preventive dentistry, cosmetic treatments, Invisalign clear aligners, pediatric dentistry, periodontal care, restorative procedures, and same-day emergency appointments. With extended evening and Saturday hours across all locations, Active Dental accommodates the scheduling needs of busy families and working professionals. "Our new website represents more than just a digital upgradeit reflects our growth as a practice and our ongoing commitment to serving families throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth community," says Dr. Kalpesh Patel, founder of Active Dental. "By bringing all five locations together on one platform, we're making it easier than ever for patients to access the care they need, whether they're near our Irving office where we started or at any of our newer locations in Plano, Frisco, Flower Mound, or Prosper." The website, developed in partnership with Find Local Company, a full-service digital marketing agency (www.findlocal-company.com), features an intuitive design that allows visitors to explore services specific to each location, meet the dental team, read patient testimonials, and access information about insurance and financing options including the Active Dental Plan, an in-house membership program for patients without traditional dental insurance. With over 2,000 five-star patient reviews, Active Dental has established itself as one of the top-rated dental practices in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Active Dental's team of award-winning dentists includes Dr. Kalpesh Patel, Dr. Samantha Young, Dr. Bhavik Patel, Dr. Vishy Singh, Dr. Fiona Tong, Dr. Jyothi Chodisetty, Dr. Darshan Patel, and Dr. Sang Park. Each practitioner brings advanced training and a dedication to patient comfort, ensuring that every visit reflects the practice's core values of trust, care, and gentleness. More About Active Dental Active Dental is a family and general dentistry practice proudly serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex with five convenient locations in Irving, Plano, Frisco, Flower Mound, and Prosper. Founded by Dr. Kalpesh Patel in 2009, the practice has grown to include a team of experienced dentists committed to providing comprehensive dental care in a comfortable, welcoming environment. Active Dental offers a full range of services including preventive care, cosmetic dentistry, Invisalign, pediatric dentistry, periodontal treatment, restorative procedures, and emergency dental services. The practice is known for its patient-centered approach, modern technology, flexible scheduling including evening and Saturday hours, and multiple payment options to make quality dental care accessible to all families. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit www.activedentalonline.com. Media Contact Dr. Kalpesh Patel Active Dental (972) 556-0600 https://www.activedentalonline.com SOURCE Active Dental Four days after a 21-year-old anti-ICE protester was permanently blinded by a pepper ball munition, the nations deportation agency spent nearly $100,000 on more of the non-lethal rounds, according to federal procurement records reviewed by The Independent. On January 9, Kaden Rummler was struck in the left eye with a projectile fired from a few feet away by a federal agent while the college student demonstrated outside a federal building in Orange County, California. Rummler, whose skull was also fractured in the close-range shooting, will never see out of that eye again, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help with medical expenses. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICEs parent entity, has not confirmed what type of projectile it was, but witnesses said it was a pepper ball. On January 13, ICE spent $98,666.25 on additional less-lethal pepper ball projectiles for control crowd [sic] to support ICE Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs at Fort Benning, GA, contract data shows . The Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs, according to ICE, supports the mission of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by providing world class firearms and tactical training, equipment, support, and guidance to promote officer safety and effective execution of the ICE law enforcement mission. Kaden Rummler, 21, will never again see out of his left eye after being struck by a pepper ball round fired by a federal agent at an anti-ICE protest. Four days later, the deportation agency purchased $100,000 more of them (Getty Images; GoFundMe) Each pepper ball round can cost anywhere from about $0.50 to roughly $4, depending on various factors, including order size. Rummler, who endured a two-day hospital stay and six hours of surgery, was also hit with one count of disorderly conduct , a misdemeanor. Jeri Rees, Rummlers aunt, claimed officers on the scene delayed calling for emergency medical assistance and sneeringly told Rummler, Youre going to lose your eye. A second protester at the same demonstration told the Los Angeles Times that he, too, was blinded in one eye by a projectile fired by federal agents. Both had joined hundreds of others on a march through the streets of Santa Ana, protesting against the January 7 public execution of Minneapolis poet and mother-of-three Renee Nicole Good. (DHS recently laid out some $160,000 on parka jackets to keep immigration officers and agents warm during the ongoing urgent enforcement mission in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, according to a separate set of federal purchasing records.) ICE did not respond to a request on Tuesday for more information about where the latest batch of pepper ball rounds will be deployed, and whether they will be used for training or distributed to officers in the field. Nick Schwellenbach, a senior investigator at the watchdog nonprofit Project on Government Oversight, told The Independent that he does not know how the pepper balls will be utilized in this case, but that ICEs Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs definitely does play a role in equipping agents, not simply training them. In October, ICE agents in Chicago shot a Presbyterian minister in the head with a pepper ball while he was praying with demonstrators at a street protest. The Rev. David Black wearing clerical garb at the time was offering prayers and urging ICE officers stationed on the roof of the Broadview ICE facility to repent from their unnecessarily brutal enforcement of the immigration laws before the officers fired at him, unprovoked, according to a lawsuit he subsequently filed against the agency. The agents were laughing as they launched the chemical projectiles at Black, he told CNN . That same month, another pastor was shot in the face at close range with a pepper ball round by an ICE agent at a protest in Northern California. He did not hesitate, Rev. Jorge Bautista told United Church of Christ News . He had already made a decision he was going to shoot me the moment he started approaching me. No warnings. No other forms of procedures first. It just felt like they had no procedures whatsoever. Kaden Rummler, 21, was permanently blinded in one eye by a 'non-lethal' pepper ball round fired by a federal agent while protesting a lethal ICE shooting in Minneapolis. A short time later, the agency purchased $100,000 more of them (Getty Images) As ICE has ramped up its tactics, federal judges have begun to limit the way agents can respond to peaceful protesters. Pepper ball rounds are marketed as non-lethal, although they have been responsible for dozens of deaths and thousands of serious injuries across the globe, according to Amnesty International . A 2017 peer-reviewed study by a group of U.S. physicians maintained that even purportedly non-lethal projectiles have caused significant morbidity and mortality during the past 27 years, much of it from penetrative injuries and head, neck and torso trauma. Given their inherent inaccuracy, potential for misuse and associated health consequences of severe injury, disability and death, [non-lethal rounds] do not appear to be appropriate weapons for use in crowd-control settings, they wrote. There is an urgent need to establish international guidelines on the use of crowd-control weapons to prevent unnecessary injuries and deaths. Although DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin described Rummler and the other Santa Ana protesters as a mob, and violent rioters, claiming they threw rocks, bottles, and fireworks at federal officers, local officials said the group didnt throw anything more serious than a few orange traffic cones. Rummlers attorney, John Washington, said his client was lucky to be alive, calling the shooting a completely unacceptable use of force, according to the Associated Press. Any officers with just the most basic training would know you don't shoot someone ever in the face with this let alone at point-blank range, Washington said, and that's because it is a lethal weapon when used like that, and it very nearly was. Montclair State University students hold a mock funeral. Photograph: David Bien-Aime (Photograph: David Bien-Aime) Last month, students at Montclair State University in New Jersey held a mock funeral outside the universitys college of humanities and social sciences building. Carrying bouquets of flowers, they stood by a tombstone inscribed with the names of the schools 15 departments, including English, history and sociology. We are gathered here today, in front of the humble home of CHSS, Dickson Hall, to mourn the death of the social sciences and humanities at the hands of the MSU administration, Miranda Kawiecki, a junior at the college and one of the protests organizers, read from a written eulogy. I coordinated this demonstration because I have dreams that cannot be monetized. I have a problem with our society that cannot be solved with an algorithm. I have words to write and say that cannot be generated artificially. The mock funeral was a protest against the university administrations plan to overhaul the college by consolidating its departments into four thematic schools including one devoted to human narratives and creative expressions, encompassing what was previously taught in the English, classics, languages and Latino Studies departments, among others. Fears over the future of the humanities arent limited to New Jerseys second-largest public university. At many schools, those fears are existential. In Indiana, lawmakers passed legislation last year forcing the states public universities to cut or consolidate some 400 academic programs, or nearly 20% of the systems degree programs most in the humanities and social sciences. At the University of Texas at Austin, staff are bracing for cuts they expect will take aim at ethnic and regional disciplines such as African studies, Latina/o studies, and gender studies. The University of North Carolina is planning to close six centers dedicated to geographical area studies, including the Institute for the Study of the Americas and the Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies. The University of Chicago has paused graduate admissions for nearly all its humanities programs. Restructurings, consolidations and layoffs increasingly orchestrated with the help of corporate-style consulting firms are under way at scores of other public and private universities across the country with more than 9,000 higher education jobs cut last year alone (including in the sciences), according to an analysis by Inside Higher Ed. Behind the crisis are both budgetary concerns that critics say are the result of years-long disinvestment in public education in particular, and political pressure from the right, including the Trump administrations cuts of billions in federal research funding to universities that do not fall in line with the presidents ideological agenda. More fundamentally, however, the state of the humanities and liberal arts reveals a widening conflict over the value of higher education with increasingly corporatized universities favoring market-driven metrics for evaluation, and proponents of humanistic education stressing that its worth to both individuals and society at large cannot be measured that way. At Montclair State, for instance, the administration argued in an email to the university community that the restructuring was a strategic effort aimed at maximizing faculty impact, enhancing student success, and ensuring the vitality of every academic program. Critics denounced the restructuring plan as corporate-speak masking an attempt to curtail facultys control of their departments. Its a huge crisis, said Adam Rzepka, a professor of English at Montclair State, referring to the national state of humanistic education. He says the crisis is both decades in the making and manufactured by university administrations that increasingly emulate corporate governance structures. Its not new, but its been accelerating in crazy ways under Trump because Trump has basically issued a blanket permission structure to use executive and corporate power this way. The humanities simply dont fit a corporate model because they are just not monetizable in the same way the sciences or even the social sciences are, he added. And the deeper reason theyre coming under attack is that free thought and rigorous, free inquiry is dangerous to executive power. Andrew Mees, a spokesperson for Montclair State, disputed students and facultys criticism of the universitys restructuring plans, writing in an email to the Guardian that the plan to reorganize the college into four schools will not involve layoffs and that faculty will remain the stewards of the curriculum. Restructuring would change bureaucracy, not dictate course content, he added, noting that enrollment in some of the colleges majors was down by more than 20% over a five-year period. The humanities and social sciences remain the heart of the universitys core curriculum, but the number of students choosing specific humanities majors has declined. Less oriented towards the market For centuries, humanistic education has aspired to the holistic development of the individual by nurturing skills like critical thinking and ethical reasoning. While a liberal arts education predicated on humanistic learning principles was once a prerogative of the elites, the model expanded substantially throughout the 20th century, largely thanks to public investment in education and transformative initiatives like the New Deal and GI bill. But as large swaths of the US public gained access to once-elite educational opportunity, backlash followed from those who viewed the investment as a waste of public resources and an educated citizenry as a political threat. In the 1970s, politicians such as the then California governor, Ronald Reagan, responded to social movements of the time by seeking to impose tuition costs, while elsewhere, austerity measures also led to the introduction of tuition at previously free colleges. Theres been a long-running attack on the basic idea of public higher education, specifically higher education that is focused on the development of the whole person, as opposed to higher education thats focused on job training, said Eric Hayot, a comparative literature professor at Penn State University who often writes about the state of the humanities. And theres a generalized attack on the liberal arts, and specifically the humanities, because the humanities are the place where education is less clearly oriented towards the market. As disciplines like race and gender studies became sites of politicised culture wars over the last decades, those attacks intensified. Eventually, they led to accusations of wokeism, the rights characterization of universities as the enemy, and the Trump administrations ongoing war against higher education. Meanwhile, factors like the 2008 financial crisis led to collapsing enrollment across the humanities and deep seated anxiety about graduates career prospects. Against this backdrop, confidence in higher education has collapsed over the last decade from 57% in 2015 to 36% in 2023. Our students today come into college with very little sense of the value of those things, even unconsciously, said Hayot, referring to the critical thought intrinsic to the study of the humanities. The endgame, he believes, is a political and educational oligarchy, in which the children of elites can access a humanistic education and the rest of the country, they go to trade schools, he said. Some version of that outcome is already under way at several universities across the country. At Portland State University, a public university in Oregon, the administration last year cited an $18m budget deficit when it laid off 17 non-tenure faculty members 15 of them from the schools college of liberal arts. While the university also laid off dozens of non-teaching staff, and is threatening the jobs of dozens more, it has contracted with Gray Decision Intelligence, a higher education analytics firm, to launch an overhaul of the universitys academic programs. The plan dubbed Pivot includes selecting academic programs to be sunset on the basis of persistent low demand, weak financial contribution, and limited mission alignment, according to a 45-page prospectus shared with the Guardian. The review includes program vitality reports based in part on an analysis by the software and consulting firm, which offers AI-generated reviews of student demand, job market trends, and competitor activity to clients that include more than two dozen private and public universities including Montclair State and technical schools. The union representing Portland States faculty is fighting the cuts, and an independent arbitrator last month ordered the university to reinstate most of those laid off. The university initially refused to implement the binding decision but last week, after the Guardian reached out for comment, it reinstated 10 faculty members. Katy Swordfisk, a spokesperson for the university, wrote in a statement to the Guardian that like universities across the country, PSU is facing a changed landscape for higher education. It is imperative that we review our programs and operations and optimize for the future so that we can continue to serve students and our region. She added that the process is also responsive to demand from students. Bob Atkins, Gray Decision Intelligences founder, said in an email that it does not make recommendations about cuts but rather gives clients tools and training they use to make better-informed decisions. We emphasize that decisions should be data-informed, not data-driven: judgment is required, he wrote, noting he had himself been a history major. There are critical qualitative factors such as institutional mission and the holistic value of the liberal arts that data alone cannot represent. Faculty at Portland State say that university leaders have been less than transparent, and that their embrace of consultant-informed restructuring is fundamentally at odds with the hard to quantify value of a liberal arts education. Bill Knight, a professor of English and president of Portland States American Association of University Professors chapter, believes universities will eventually reinvest in the liberal arts model, but cautioned about the dismantling currently under way. Nationwide, people are making really hasty decisions, he said. And its tragic because its hard to get these things back when theyre cut. Soldiers patrol the Kurdish-run al-Hawl camp in 2022. It houses, among others, the most radical foreign women suspected to have been members of IS and their families. Photograph: Delil Souleiman/AFP/Getty Images (Photograph: Delil Souleiman/AFP/Getty Images) Kurdish-led forces in Syria have announced a withdrawal from a detention camp in north-east Syria housing tens of thousands of Islamic State-linked detainees, as the US declared it was no longer supporting them. The fate of al-Hawl, which houses among others the most radical foreign women suspected to have been members of IS and their families, is of great concern to neighbouring states and the international community. These states have warned for years that the camp is a hotbed of extremism and that chaos could result if a jailbreak were to occur. But on Tuesday evening the US said it believed it could work with the Syrian government against IS. Al-Hawl houses an estimated 24,000 people, mostly Syrians and Iraqis but also 10,000 from other countries, and it is unclear what will happen as Syrian government forces move in. A spokesperson for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said: Our forces were compelled to withdraw from al-Hawl camp and redeploy in the vicinity of cities in northern Syria that are facing increasing risks and threats. They blamed the withdrawal on a failure of the international community. A smaller number of female detainees about 2,400, including Shamima Begum who was stripped of her UK citizenship are being held at al-Roj camp further to the north-east and still under Kurdish control. The Syrian government said it would assume control of al-Hawl camp, accusing the SDF of leaving it without guards, allowing detainees to escape. It also accused the SDF of doing the same at a prison in Raqqa from which 120 prisoners escaped, a claim the SDF denied. The withdrawal came as the Syrian government swept through north-east Syria, making unprecedented gains as the SDF lost vast swathes of its territory in just a few days. The SDF lost Raqqa and Deir el-Zour on Sunday as tribal elements defected from the Kurdish-led force and pushed it to withdraw from the Arab-majority areas. The rapid advance of Damascuss forces and partial collapse of the SDF almost overnight was stunning: the Kurdish-led group had controlled nearly a third of the country, with US support, since 2019. It was the biggest shift in frontlines since the fall of the former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Tom Barrack, the US envoy for Syria, said on Tuesday evening the US no longer supported the SDF in the fight against IS. Though the SDF had proved the most effective ground partner in defeating Isiss territorial caliphate by 2019, he said that was because there was no functioning central Syrian state. The US diplomat said the situation had fundamentally changed with the overthrow of al-Assad and his replacement by Ahmad al-Sharaa. Syria now has an acknowledged central government that has joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, he wrote on X, meaning that the original purpose of the SDF as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired. A 14-point ceasefire agreement signed on Sunday by President al-Sharaa and the head of the SDF, Mazloum Abdi, collapsed the next day after a disastrous meeting in Damascus. However, on Tuesday night the Syrian presidency announced a four-day ceasefire with the SDF so that the 14-point agreement could be implemented. It said that if an agreement could be reached, the Syrian government would not enter Kurdish-majority cities, such as al-Hasakah and Qamishli, and that security forces would be drawn from local residents. It also said Abdi would nominate a candidate from the SDF to be the deputy defence minister, MPs for the national parliament, and lists of people to be employed in the Syrian public sector. The announcement seemed to stave off immediate further fighting between the two sides and to reassure Kurdish officials that their rights would be respected. Syrian government sources had previously accused Abdi of trying to stall the implementation of the 14-point agreement, which would turn over most of the Kurdish-led authorities institutions and governance to Damascus. Ilham Ahmed, a senior leader of the Kurdish-led authority, said Abdi requested a five-day grace period to implement the agreement, which was initially rejected by Damascus. They wanted a direct handing over of everything to Damascus. However, with or without this meeting they wanted to go to war and now their plan is to massacre the Kurds, Ahmed said on Tuesday. After the meeting, Kurdish officials, Abdi included, called for a general mobilisation across Kurdish-majority areas and to resist Damascuss advance towards their territory. SDF media published pictures of people, young and old, holding assault rifles seemingly in preparation for a further assault. Clashes between the two sides continued on Tuesday, with shelling reported in Kobani, a Kurdish-majority area on the Turkish border, and Syrian government forces entering al-Hasakah. The areas lost to Damascuss forces so far have been Arab-majority areas, where many residents had longstanding resentments against the SDF. The SDF has seemingly dug into areas closer to the borders with Iraq and Turkey, which are populated mainly by Kurds. If the four-day ceasefire fails and Damascuss forces advance into Kurdish-majority areas, fighting is likely to be deadlier than in previous days. In those areas they have infrastructure, including heavy artillery, drones and underground tunnel networks. The Kurdish population view the fight as existential and have pointed to mass killings when Syrian government forces entered Sweida province and the Syrian coast last year as an example of what could happen to them if Syrian government forces took over the area. The Syrian government said in a statement on Tuesday that it would not enter Kurdish areas and that the armys goal was to restore stability and protect government institutions. The SDF was for years the USs biggest partner in Syria and together they defeated the IS caliphate in 2019. It is the military wing of a Kurdish statelet, an autonomous area that had its own institutions and government. Among other things, it protected Kurdish rights, which for years had been repressed by al-Assad and his father. When al-Assad fell, the SDF and Damascus came to the negotiating table, with the former seeking to retain its autonomy and the latter wanting to consolidate control over the country. Despite the signing of an agreement on 10 March last year to integrate the SDF into Syrias army, the two sides remained at odds and occasionally clashed. At the weekend, the US urged the Syrian government to halt its advance at the dividing line of the Euphrates River, but government forces pushed on. It has since stayed silent as the government continued its campaign against the SDF. Damascuss advance over the last week has helped it extend control over most of the country, and crucially, the countrys largest oil and gasfields, as well as key dams. Largest solar radiation storm in more than 20 years could trigger auroras on Earth Colorful auroras could dazzle skywatchers again on Monday night amid a severe geomagnetic storm and what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said was the largest solar radiation storm in more than 20 years. The northern lights may be seen in the majority of northern states, with an agency forecast extending as far south as Missouri and the Midwest. Although snow over Michigan and Montana could shroud some skies. The solar radiation storm is the largest seen since October 2003, according to NOAA, creating the geomagnetic storm. And, the severe geomagnetic storm - the most impactful level of the storms - was expected to block high-frequency communications in polar regions with an enhanced risk to high flyers. Potential effects are mainly limited to space launch, aviation and satellite operations, NOAA said on social media. A wide swath of the U.S. may see colorful northern lights on Monday night amid the largest solar radiation storm in over two decades (Getty Images) The agency said it had notified FEMA, power grid operators and aviation interests about both storms and had been in contact with NASA about the health of astronauts on the International Space Station. Weve been making all these phone calls to ensure that we are keeping all the critical technological infrastructure operators in the know of whats happening, Shawn Dahl, the service coordinator at NOAAs Space Weather Prediction Center, explained in a video. The aurora is forecast at a level eight on the Kp scale. The scale, which measures the aurora's intensity, ranges from zero to nine. The best way to view them is to find a north-facing view with a clear horizon at around midnight to 2 a.m. local time. Why is this happening? The storm and aurora are the result of a powerful coronal mass ejection: a huge, X-class solar flare aimed at Earth. X-class is the most intense type of solar flare. The coronal mass ejection was expelled from the sun on Sunday and is expected to arrive late Monday into the early hours of Tuesday. Conditions are likely to weaken later on Tuesday, NOAA said. This weeks geomagnetic storm comes as levels of activity of the sun are increased (Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima) Here comes the sun The northern lights are produced as particles from the solar flare collide with Earths magnetic field. The storms come as the sun remains in its most active phase of its 11-year activity cycle, known as the solar maximum phase. During solar maximum, the number of sunspots, and therefore, the amount of solar activity, increases, Jamie Favors, the director of the Space Weather Program at NASA Headquarters, explained in a statement. This increase in activity provides an exciting opportunity to learn about our closest star but also causes real effects at Earth and throughout our solar system. Many locals feel the Bellingham Bridge is overshadowing their homes. (SWNS) Residents living near a huge HS2 bridge have told how the high-speed railway project is making their lives a "daily hell". The Bellingham Bridge - named after Stourbridge-born England star Jude Bellingham - is already starting to dominate Birmingham's skyline. The bridge - also known as the Curzon 2 bridge - will also feature a 25-metre-high curved truss which will form part of the section of viaduct leading to Birminghams flagship Curzon Street Station. Residents in flats nearby say their lives have been ruined by the huge "Godzilla-like" structure which looms over their properties and makes them feel as if they are "living on a building site". They claim the "eyesore" blocks out their sunlight, fear noisy high-speed trains will make life unbearable once the controversial rail line is finished, and say parking in the Duddeston area will only get worse. But HS2 says the 492ft bridge will "create a new icon on the citys skyline" and "celebrate the areas industrial heritage". An 'eyesore' that looks over homes 'like metal Godzilla' Resident Julian Paul, 39, said construction work for the bridge, which will be one of the tallest HS2 bridges upon completion, has become a "daily hell" for locals. "The bridge just looms over our homes like a metal Godzilla. It's absolutely enormous. It has blocked out our sunlight and we're basically living in a building site," he said. "Once the work has finished I'm concerned about noisy trains going past, they are going to shake our homes as they are so close. "I just don't understand why the bridge needs to be so big, it's just so imposing and doesn't even look that good." Julian Paul has described the bridge as a 'metal Godzilla'. (SWNS) Another resident, who would only give her first name, Raheema, 25, said: "It's a bit embarrassing, I don't like telling people I live here. "When I take photos for social media I have to use ChatGPT to add a nice skyline background because the view is so bad." She added locals can't even park outside their own homes as "HS2 workers and students take all the spaces". "When I look out of my window all I can see are buildings and cranes, it's a mess," she added. "If it is this bad now, goodness knows what it's going to be like once it has fully opened." Birmingham resident Parvaiz Rehman added: "I've lived here for 30 years and I think HS2 is a total waste of time and money. "It's not a good view at all that we have to put up with. It's a real eyesore." However, a spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said the project is already "driving investment and creating new jobs in Birmingham". They said it is predicted to bring 10bn of benefits to the West Midlands economy over 10 years, including the creation of around 30,000 jobs. Parvaiz Rahman thinks HS2 is a 'total waste of time and money'. (SWNS) Watch: "We live by gigantic HS2 viaduct - its like having the Forth Bridge in our gardens" "We are working hard to reduce disruption during construction and unlike the existing railways, HS2 will be built to modern standards with noise barriers to minimise disturbance for people living close by, they added. The design for the bridges approach to Curzon Street has been developed by a Design Joint Venture of Mott MacDonald and Systra and architects Weston Williamson + Partners. Its design project director Nicholas Robertshaw previously said: "The Curzon 2 viaduct will be become an iconic part of Birminghams skyline referencing the citys industrial heritage." Some residents are worried about passing trains making their homes shake. (SWNS) When will HS2 be finished? It is hard to put an exact date on this because progress on the HS2 project has had plenty of setbacks, including inflated costs and the scrapping of its northern leg from Birmingham to Manchester. Mark Wild, the project's CEO, said a goal of getting trains from London to Birmingham running between 2029 and 2033 "cannot be achieved" and accepted that the project needed a reset and a review. In a six-monthly report to Parliament in July last year, transport secretary Heidi Alexander said she inherited a "difficult" situation from the previous Tory government. "Although there have been external factors outside of the programmes control, it has also been mismanaged," she said. HS2 staff walk through the Chilterns tunnel towards the tunnel exit at West Hyde, Hertfordshire. (Getty Images) (Jonathan Brady - PA Images via Getty Images) "It is now clear that cost estimates were overly optimistic and the programme moved to construction too quickly when designs were still immature. "Delivery of the programme has not been sufficiently controlled, with a poorly performing supply chain that was insufficiently incentivised." With this in mind the government and HS2 ltd have been working on an updated timeline and funding envelope for 2026. The original and current route of HS2. (PA Wire) The report to Parliament does confirm that over 70% of HS2s 32 miles of bored and mined tunnels between London and Birmingham have now been completed. Construction is progressing across the route, with active works underway on 44 viaducts, 126 bridges, 75 embankments and 60 cuttings. The Northolt Tunnels, which will link Old Oak Common Station to West Ruislip, have been completed, and in May last year, the first Bromford Tunnel broke through, connecting Warwickshire to Birmingham. How much has HS2 cost? As of the end of April 2025, a total of 40.5bn had been spent on the HS2 programme, according to July's report to Parliament. That is higher than the initial estimate of 37.5bn set in 2009 when the scheme was first conceived, according the Institute for Government, and the total is expected to keep rising. Earlier estimates by HS2 estimated the HS2 project to cost between 49bn and 57bn, before the decision to scrap Phase 2 of the project (connecting the Midlands to Leeds and Manchester) was scrapped. "HS2 Ltd has since identified cost pressures which will increase their estimated range further," a report by the National Audit Office said. As Alexander said in her report to Parliament, until a reassessment is completed, "this government is not in a position to say with confidence how much HS2 will cost or when it will be delivered". "That is a deeply unsatisfactory position, but it is necessary to complete the hard work we have embarked upon," the cabinet minister added. Lucy Letby will not face any additional charges relating to the deaths of other infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital - Chester Standard/South West News Service Lucy Letby will not be charged with the murders of further babies, the Crown Prosecution Service announced today. The former neonatal nurse, 35, who was convicted of killing seven babies and attempting to murder seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016, is currently serving 15 full-life terms in prison. Cheshire Constabulary were investigating further incidents at the Chester hospital going back to 2012, as well as alleged attacks at Liverpool Womens Hospital where Letby worked as a trainee. Officers had re-interviewed Letby at Bronzefield Prison last year and in July, the force said it had submitted a full file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for charging advice as part of Operation Hummingbird. However, on Tuesday the CPS announced that following a six month review, no further charges will be brought against Letby. Police said the families concerned were being informed about the decision. Cheshire Constabulary said it was not the outcome that the force had anticipated. The force said in the statement that they were confident that we held enough evidence to take to the CPS. Lucy Letby was convicted in August 2023 of killing several babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital - Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Announcing the decision not to proceed with charges Frank Ferguson, Head of the CPSs Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: We received a file of evidence from Cheshire Constabulary in July 2025 asking us to consider further allegations against Lucy Letby, 36, relating to deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Womens Hospital. Following a thorough review of that evidence, we have decided that no criminal charges should be brought in respect of those further allegations. The Crown Prosecution Service considered offences of murder and attempted murder in respect of two infants who died and attempted murder in respect of seven infants who survived. We concluded that the evidential test was not met in any of those cases. As always, this decision was made independently, based on the evidence and in line with our legal test. The CPS has written to the families involved and will offer meetings to explain our decision-making in further detail. Our thoughts remain with them. The decision not to charge Letby comes as the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) continues to decide on whether to send her original case back to the Court of Appeal following growing concerns about the verdicts. Mark McDonald, Letbys barrister, said: Lucy Letby has always maintained her innocence she has never hurt a child and never would. It is vital that the case is now referred back to the Court of Appeal as a matter of urgency. 31 reports have been submitted to the CCRC, compiled by 26 internationally renowned experts, which provide overwhelming evidence that no babies were murdered. The reality is that a young innocent woman is in prison for crimes she has not committed. Since Letbys conviction, scores of scientists, medics and politicians have come forward to question how the trial was conducted, while an international panel of experts, working for the new defence team, has reviewed the cases and concluded that there were no murders or assaults. The Thirlwall Inquiry, which was examining how the NHS and outside bodies could have stopped the attacks, has also delayed the publication of its report twice. The CCRC told The Telegraph that they would have continued to review the original convictions even if the CPS had brought new charges against Letby. Last year, in an unprecedented intervention into the conviction of a serial killer, 14 world leading experts including the former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health reviewed the deaths and collapses at the Countess of Chester and found they all had medical explanations. Dr Shoo Lee, the president of the Canadian Neonatal Foundation, said: We did not find any murders. In all cases, death or injury were due to natural causes or just bad medical care. At the time, Lord Macdonald, the former director of public prosecutions, said the experts report had to be taken seriously and warned that, if correct, it represented a comprehensive trashing of the prosecutions case. Statisticians have also criticised a chart shown to the jury which appeared to show Letby at every death and collapse. Cheshire Police and the Crown Prosecution Service continue to stand by the original verdicts, arguing that two juries have convicted Letby and three court of appeal judges had refused to grant leave to appeal after examining the evidence. Last summer, Cheshire Constabulary also arrested three former managers from the Countess of Chester over allegations of gross negligence manslaughter and corporate manslaughter. The three, who have not been named, are being investigated over claims that they did not do enough to stop Letby from attacking babies at the hospital. All have been bailed without charge. Chester Constablury added: There will be some who will feel that this is news worth celebrating. We do not share this view and would ask that people respect the privacy and feelings of the families involved. Todays announcement does not affect or undermine the convictions of Lucy Letby for multiple murders and attempted murders of premature babies following an extensive investigation and two criminal trials, including one of the longest running murder trials in British criminal history and two unsuccessful appeals. They confirmed that the CPS decision will not impact the ongoing investigation into corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Child killer Lucy Letby will not face criminal charges in relation to further allegations of deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies, the Crown Prosecution Service has said. It follows an investigation launched in July 2025 into allegations of murder and attempted murder against nine children at the hospitals where she worked. In a rare step, Cheshire Constabulary hit out saying it believed the evidence submitted to the CPS met the standard for charging Letby with further offences, adding the decision not to pursue criminal proceedings wasnt the outcome we had anticipated. But Frank Ferguson, head of the CPSs Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: We received a file of evidence from Cheshire Constabulary in July 2025 asking us to consider further allegations against Lucy Letby, 36, relating to deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Womens Hospital. Following a thorough review of that evidence, we have decided that no criminal charges should be brought in respect of those further allegations. The Crown Prosecution Service considered offences of murder and attempted murder in respect of two infants who died and attempted murder in respect of seven infants who survived. We concluded that the evidential test was not met in any of those cases. As always, this decision was made independently, based on the evidence and in line with our legal test. Lucy Letby (Cheshire Constabulary/PA) (PA Media) The CPS has written to the families involved and will offer meetings to explain our decision-making in further detail. Our thoughts remain with them. Letby, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others, with two attempts on one of her victims, between June 2015 and June 2016. In a statement, Cheshire Constabulary said on Tuesday: This is not the outcome that we had anticipated throughout our investigation; we were confident that we held enough evidence to take to the CPS. We submitted files for charging decisions in relation to nine babies for consideration of nine offences of attempted murder and two of murder. We believed the evidence submitted met the CPS charging standard. The CPS did not agree and despite our representations we must respect the decision that has been made. There will be some who will feel that this is news worth celebrating. We do not share this view and would ask that people respect the privacy and feelings of the families involved. We are deeply grateful to the experts and witnesses who have contributed to this investigation. Their input has been invaluable in answering many difficult questions on behalf of the families. Todays announcement does not affect or undermine the convictions of Lucy Letby for multiple murders and attempted murders of premature babies following an extensive investigation and two criminal trials, including one of the longest running murder trials in British criminal history and two unsuccessful appeals. This decision by the CPS will have no impact on Operation Duet our ongoing investigation into corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter at the Countess of Chester Hospital. These remain separate investigations. Our thoughts remain with the families affected by this. A group of campaigners is backing Letby and has submitted reports to legal review body the Criminal Cases Review Commission to try to get her convictions overturned. Barrister Mark McDonald, who is representing Letby, said: Lucy Letby has always maintained her innocence she has never hurt a child and never would. It is vital that the case is now referred back to the Court of Appeal as a matter of urgency. Thirty-one reports have been submitted to the CCRC, compiled by 26 internationally renowned experts, which provide overwhelming evidence that no babies were murdered. The reality is that a young innocent woman is in prison for crimes she has not committed. Tory MP Sir David Davis, who has repeatedly called for a retrial of Lucy Letby, posted on X, formerly Twitter: The Crown Prosecution Service is right not to bring new charges against Lucy Letby. It correctly states that the evidential test was not met for any of the further allegations. This is, of course, the first and most fundamental reason for this decision. In my view the evidence in the original cases failed to prove guilt and this is the reason that Letbys lawyers have taken the matter back to the Criminal Case Review Commission. The CCRC must conclude its review quickly and refer the case to the Court of Appeal. It has long been my view that any retrial in Lucy Letbys case should happen as quickly as possible. Detectives confirmed three people who were part of the senior leadership team at the hospital where she worked have been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. Cheshire Constabulary said the suspects, who occupied senior positions at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016, were arrested last July. All three have since been bailed pending further inquiries, the force added. Letby, who has always maintained her innocence, lost two bids to challenge her convictions at the Court of Appeal for the seven murders and seven attempted murders, and in October for the attempted murder of a baby girl, which she was convicted of by a different jury at a retrial. Lady Justice Thirlwall is due to publish the findings from her public inquiry in early 2026. Luke Donald will hold talks with Ryder Cup Europe chief executive Guy Kinnings this week as he contemplates a third term as captain and potentially going head-to-head with Tiger Woods. The former world number one led Europe to victory in Rome in 2023 and at Bethpage Black in New York last year. He could become the first captain to win the competition three times in a row, if he decides to take charge of the team in Ireland in 2027. Tiger Woods is a contender to captain the United States at the 2027 Ryder Cup (Jane Barlow/PA) (Jane Barlow) Fifteen-time major winner Woods is reportedly in line for the United States job at Adare Manor. Tigers had my number pretty much 99 per cent of my career, although I did all right against him in Ryder Cups, Donald said at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, according to the Times. He still moves the needle more than probably anyone. Donald has received widespread backing from victorious players, including Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood. Luke Donald took on Tiger Woods at the 2006 Ryder Cup (Rebecca Naden/PA) (Rebecca Naden) The 48-year-old Englishman, who lives in Florida, is weighing up the additional time commitments required for a home campaign against the chance to make history. Its high stress at times and its hard work but its something I love, he said. I think you are chasing some history too. Nobodys won three times in a row. A bigger legacy is up for grabs. I just need to sit down and see if it might work or might not. What does it look like and how many times do they need me? Im happy to sit down with Guy and open the conversation. A high-speed passenger train derailed in southern Spain on Sunday evening and struck an oncoming service, forcing the second train off the tracks and down an embankment and killing at least 40 people. The collision occurred near the town of Adamuz, in Cordoba province, roughly 360km south of Madrid. Emergency services said the crash happened at 7.45pm, around 10 minutes after an Iryo-operated train left Cordoba heading towards the capital. A total of 43 reports of missing persons have been filed so far at police headquarters in Huelva, Madrid, Malaga, Cordoba and Seville, officials said. According to Adif, the state body that manages Spains rail infrastructure, the Malaga-to-Madrid Iryo service derailed and crossed onto the neighbouring line, where it hit a Renfe train travelling from Madrid to Huelva. The impact derailed the Renfe service, sending its front carriages down the side of the railway embankment. Twelve people were in intensive care after the accident, according to emergency services. The Andalusia region's president Juan Manuel Moreno said emergency crews faced difficulties bringing in the heavy equipment needed to lift the wreckage and reach those still lying beneath it. There were about 400 passengers across both trains. More than 300 were on the Iryo service, while around 100 were travelling on the Renfe train. Most passengers were Spanish residents returning to or leaving Madrid after the weekend. January is typically a low tourist period in Spain, and officials said it was unclear how many foreign visitors were on board. Mapped: Two trains collide and derail in southern Spain (Independent) The 27-year-old driver of the Madrid-to-Huelva train was among those killed, reported El Pais. Spains transport minister, Oscar Puente, said most fatalities and serious injuries were concentrated in the first two carriages of the Renfe train, which bore the brunt of the collision. The first carriage carried 37 passengers and the second 16. The Renfe train was travelling at about 200kmph at the time of impact. The cause of the derailment remains unknown. Emergency personnel working after a train accident in Adamuz, southern Spain, on 18 January 2026 (Getty Images) Mr Puente described the incident as really strange, noting that it occurred on a straight section of track that had been renewed in May. Investigators will need to examine potential technical faults, signalling data and maintenance records to determine whether infrastructure standards, oversight responsibilities or operator liabilities require further scrutiny. Passengers described scenes of panic inside the carriages. There are many injured. I am still trembling, said Maria San Jose, 33, who was travelling on the Iryo train. Men assist a woman affected by a deadly train derailment as other victims are transferred and treated at the Caseta Municipal in the town of Adamuz (Reuters) Another passenger told TVE: There were people screaming, their bags fell from the shelves. I was travelling to Huelva in the fourth carriage, the last, luckily. Cordobas fire chief, Paco Carmona, said the Iryo train was evacuated within hours, but the Renfe carriages were severely damaged. There are still people trapped, he said. We have to remove the bodies to reach anyone who is still alive. Local residents in Adamuz, a town of about 5,000 people, opened a reception centre and brought food and blankets as temperatures fell to around 6C overnight. Rail services between Madrid and Andalusia have been suspended while the investigation continues. Additional reporting by agencies Mom accused of shooting 11-month-old son in the face because she did not want to lose custody A Wyoming mother is facing murder charges after allegedly shooting her 11-month-old son in the face because she did not want to lose custody. The killing of Basil Emeric Daly marked a tragic end to a dispute between his parents that began when he was born. Mom Madeline Daly, 35, shared custody with Basils father, Jake Stoner of Kilgore, Nebraska; in an interview with Cowboy State Daily, Stoner said hed had a rocky relationship with the mother of his child, and was forced to take her to court when she resisted his attempts to visit with his son. Stoner last saw baby Basil on September 28, and said he was looking forward to his next visit and getting to know his son. Cowboy State Daily reported. However, in October, Daly failed to show for a scheduled court hearing on visitation, and Stoner was subsequently granted temporary emergency custody by a Washakie County District Court judge. Daly, adamant that she was not going to hand her baby over to his father, instead chose to go on the run, authorities say. The killing of Basil Emeric Daly marked a tragic end to a dispute between his parents that began when he was born (Washakie County Sheriff's Office) On November 22, the Washakie County Sheriffs Office issued a plea for public help on Facebook, saying it believed the mother and child could be traveling in a grey 2017 Dodge Ram and may have left Wyoming. We do not have information indicating that Basil is in immediate danger; however, it is important that he is safely returned to his custodial parent, the sheriffs office said. A month later, the Facebook post was updated with a short message: Child is no longer missing. What may have been cause for hope quickly turned to horror when it emerged that baby Basil had not been rescued; police had found him, but his mom allegedly shot her 11-month-old son in the head rather than relinquish custody. Police and court documents later revealed that Daly had been on the run for about five weeks when a tip came in that she was staying at an RV park near Silver City, New Mexico. Grant County Sheriff deputies tracked her down there on December 23; when Daly spotted them, she ran and hid in a nearby RV whose owner refused to let them follow her. The deputies eventually spoke with Daly by phone, who refused to leave the RV. By then, they had learned she might be armed with a handgun and had requested backup from the local state police SWAT team. While they were waiting, the deputies heard a gunshot from inside the RV. At that point, they forced their way in and found an infant with a gunshot wound to the head. His mom had a gun pointed at her head, but a detective was able to disarm her, and she was taken into custody. Baby Basil was confirmed dead at the scene. After her arrest, Daly reportedly told detectives she knew her time was up, according to an affidavit filed in court, and she knew she was breaking the law but did it to keep her son safe and out of reach of his father. Daly has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse resulting in death, and remains in custody in Grant County. NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Formulary Financial , a full-service, AI-native fund administrator, today announced it has emerged from stealth with $4.6 million in seed funding led by Khosla Ventures , with participation from Acrew Capital , Company Ventures , Human Ventures, Serena Ventures , and Alumni Ventures , among other strategic partners and industry executives. Formulary offers comprehensive fund administration services across the investment lifecycle including accounting, reporting, compliance, audit, capital activity, and investor communications powered by an AI-native platform designed to keep the data accurate, synthesized, and accessible in real time. "We founded Formulary to transform fund administration from a pain point into a strategic advantage for asset managers." Post this The need for reliable data, intelligent operations, and personalized advice More than $23 trillion in private markets capital is still managed with erroneous spreadsheets, outdated software, and expensive shadow fund administration processes. Incumbent providers keep trying to retrofit legacy infrastructure with modern tools, and new software solutions are experimenting with agentic workflows to replace accountants. But the underlying problem is unsolved: the data remains unreliable and fragmented, and the need for expert fund administration support has only become more critical as asset managers grow in size and complexity. The fund administration industry also faces a major bottleneck accountants spend up to 70% of their time on repetitive administrative work and error-prone data entry instead of serving general partners and limited partners. This creates a massive drag on productivity and prevents investors from getting timely, accurate data and high-quality service. As a result, GPs waste time validating their own fund data and LPs receive late or inaccurate reporting. Lack of adequate fund administration support throughout the investment lifecycle could also result in other unnecessary costs and risks, from compliance issues and regulatory penalties to lost investor trust. Formulary replaces these fragmented systems with a structured data foundation and a modern client experience. One Source of Truth. Single platform integrates external and internal data sources, eliminates the need for disparate tools, and delivers an auditable, holistic view of an asset management firm. Single platform integrates external and internal data sources, eliminates the need for disparate tools, and delivers an auditable, holistic view of an asset management firm. Real-Time Reporting. Records are updated, gated, and tracked immediately, not quarterly, to give investors timely information to make decisions. Records are updated, gated, and tracked immediately, not quarterly, to give investors timely information to make decisions. Personalized Investor Service. Embedding AI into workflows enables accountants to focus on value-add activities, deep problem-solving, and strategic advisory for general partners and limited partners alike. Alfia Ilicheva, founder and CEO of Formulary, said: "We founded Formulary to transform fund administration from a pain point into a strategic advantage for asset managers. At Bridgewater Associates, I saw firsthand the power of a systematic, data-driven approach to develop a rich understanding of global markets and deliver thought partnership to the world's largest, most sophisticated investors. We are now bringing data systemization to private capital markets, where operational infrastructure has long lagged behind the needs of investors." "Today, fund administration is defined by manual reconciliation, poor data quality, and massive opportunity cost. Most firms run redundant parallel accounting processes to manage their capital flows. Formulary reimagines fund administration from the ground up, where AI powers fund accounting workflows, accelerates productivity, and generates tailored insights for clients." Formulary's clients and design partners manage billions in AUM Formulary already works with a broad range of leading asset managers that use the platform to keep their data accurate, reduce manual work, and accelerate reporting cycles, giving GPs and LPs real-time visibility into performance metrics. Hari Arul of Khosla Ventures said: "To modernize fund administration, AI cannot be a feature, it has to be the foundation. The Formulary team is strategically positioned at the intersection of investment management, AI/ML, and fund accounting. Importantly, they are solving the fundamental issue of unreliable, inconsistent data. Their early customers are already seeing the value of a platform designed for accuracy from day one, and we are excited to back their vision." In practice, Formulary turbocharges accountants by enabling them to complete fund administration processes end-to-end in a unified platform. From generating financial statements and custom reports to managing capital activity and invoices, Formulary streamlines work that takes the most time and creates the most errors across the industry. About Formulary Financial Formulary Financial, Inc. is a full-service, AI-native fund administration business serving private equity, growth equity, and venture capital firms. Built by a team of experts in asset management, fund accounting, and artificial intelligence, Formulary transforms fund administration from error-prone paperwork into reliable data, intelligent fund operations, and tailored insights to help investors manage and grow their businesses. The company was founded in 2025 and is based in New York City. To learn more, visit: www.formulary.co . About Khosla Ventures Khosla Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on investments in artificial intelligence, financial services, healthcare, consumer, enterprise, and sustainability. It is known for making early capital investments in startups such as OpenAI, Instacart, Affirm, DoorDash, and Block. To learn more, visit: https://www.khoslaventures.com/ Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Formulary Financial, Inc. Official wants Louisiana parish to get permission to host cockfighting again - despite it being a felony A Louisiana parish should try to secure an exemption to the states ban on cockfighting and bring back the brutal blood sport, according to a councilman. Cockfighting is a sport in which selectively bred and trained roosters fight each other and it is illegal nationwide. Louisiana was the last state to ban it in 2008. Now, St. Landry Parish council member Timmy LeJeune is looking to learn more about how officials could create an exemption to the ban in the town, which is about 60 miles west of Baton Rouge, The Acadiana Advocate reports. The move comes after some residents advocated for the move at a December parish council meeting. LeJeune scheduled a meeting of the councils administrative and finance committee earlier this month to explore options for creating an exemption to the law, according to The Acadiana Advocate. A Louisiana official is considering options to potentially bring back cockfighting in St. Landry Parish, despite it being banned across the U.S. (Getty Images) All Im asking is to get this before the full council so we can do research and get some real answers, he said at the meeting. What I understand is that a parish can go to the state and get an exemption for a permit. If we find a way to make that happen, St. Landry could become a worldwide hub for rooster fighting, and that brings in a lot of money. It multiplies. This is all about trying to find revenue for the parish, he added. Garrett Duplechain, the parishs legal counsel, pointed out that cockfighting is a felony, according to The Acadiana Advocate. You cant get a permit to commit a felony, which is what cockfighting is currently, he said. Thats my unbiased analysis of it. The council will return to the topic again at a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, The Acadiana Advocate reports. The Independent has contacted LeJeune for comment. Cockfighting is a tradition that has been passed down through generations in the state, particularly among Creole and Cajun communities, according to The Acadiana Advocate. Before the ban, some cockfights in Louisiana could draw hundreds of spectators, the outlet reports. Some have argued that bans on cockfighting constitute government overreach, while animal advocates have argued that it should remain illegal. Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, an advocacy group that seeks to end animal cruelty, said in a statement last week that discussions around re-legalizing cockfighting are ridiculous. Cockfighting is a felony, period. Lawmakers, in overwhelming fashion, made it so 18 years ago. So many leading Louisianians were embarrassed that the state was the last in the nation to forbid this activity, Pacelle said. Jeff Dorson, executive director of the Humane Society of Louisiana, told local outlet KPLC in 2024 that cockfighting is still prevalent throughout the state. Cockfighting has been a part of our culture in Louisiana, especially the Cajun area for a long, long time. There is a lot of pride associated with it, Dorson said. HMS Anson is the only Astute-class boat believed fit for sea - HMS Anson/MoD The Royal Navy has nine nuclear-powered submarines. Four of them are the Vanguard class, tasked with providing the nations strategic deterrent and armed with Trident nuclear ballistic missiles for this purpose. They are entirely taken up by that task. The other five subs are the Astute class, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack boats: the only other submarines that we have. Attack submarines like this are an absolutely vital part of our continuous, silent struggle alongside the US in the waters of the North Atlantic. In this struggle we seek to monitor Russian ships and subs, keeping our own deterrent boats undetected and perhaps theirs under surveillance and also monitor their efforts against critical British, European and trans-Atlantic undersea cables and pipelines. Just one of the Astute boats, HMS Anson, is believed to be fit for sea at the moment. She departed Faslane naval base in Scotland on January 10 and she has just arrived for a port call in Gibraltar. Soon she will depart, headed for Perth in Australia, to join the Submarine Rotational Force (West) as part of the trilateral Australia, UK and US (Aukus) submarine agreement. Of the seven planned Astutes, five are currently in service, one is in a (years long) trials process and one is in build. Even when all seven are operational, that wont be enough. In the meantime, these boats have had a tricky start to their operational lives, plagued from build by reliability issues (particularly the first ones) and an unforgivable maintenance backlog that has seen some boats stuck alongside for over a thousand days. Often enough in the past couple of years there has not been a single British attack boat at sea for quite long periods. They are brilliant submarines when working, no doubt, but that has been hard to sustain. Last year we didnt have enough availability to send a sub with the Carrier Strike global deployment and a Carrier Strike Group without a submarine isnt really a Carrier Strike Group. There is a grim irony here. Now that the Strike Group is back after its long deployment to the other side of the world, the first thing we do with our sole newly working SSN is send her to where they just came from. HMS Vigilant, one of four Vanguard-class nuclear submarines - James Glossop/AFP/Getty Images The optics of this are terrible. The First Sea Lord recently warned that Britains post-war advantage in the Atlantic is at risk and that we are holding on, but not by much. The now maligned Strategic Defence Review of last year, historic analysis and, frankly, common sense all dictate that the North Atlantic and High North are where we as a maritime nation should be most focused. Our regional seas are essential for our islands survival: there are underwater threats manifesting here every day and its where we can add most value to our allies. Even more pressingly, as Nato wobbles, is now the time to take away one of our key pieces? If Anson had stayed here, there is plenty of work for her. Atlantic Bastion is the name given to the Royal Navys plan to cohere underwater operations across all domains in the Greenland, Iceland, UK gap and beyond. Russian submarines are increasingly deploying through this gap and getting up to no good around our Critical Underwater Infrastructure. They must be constantly tracked and our own SSNs are a key part of this large, multinational web. There are more general contingencies tracking spy ships, gathering intelligence, special forces work or preparing for rapid escalation and all these feature on the things to do list. Attack boat support for the Continuous At-Sea Deterrent (CASD) of Vanguard class submarines is less critical than many make out: the deterrent boats operate effectively with minimal escort, in fact they prefer it. However, its still part of the job more a matter of helping with the bigger Atlantic picture than actually operating with the missile subs. And lets not get into the state of the deterrent submarines themselves for now. On the other side of the argument, this deployment has been long planned as a core part of our Aukus commitment, and bailing out of it would imperil the whole deal. With so few hulls, this crisis is indicative of the Royal Navys continuous need to balance exquisite, long-term programmes against reacting to events. Certainly last years Carrier Strike deployment gathered plenty of criticism as the Prince of Wales and her group sailed past various potential points of action (most notably the Red Sea) to maintain her beautifully crafted programme. This is a painful but inevitable consequence of simply not having enough ships, and here we are again. As part of Aukus, Britain promised to rotate an Astute-class boat through Western Australia periodically to provide a meaningful presence in the Indo-Pacific and to help train Australian personnel in operating and maintaining nuclear-powered submarines. Interestingly, this was due to start in 2027, so we are early. Either way, the United States has started to cycle its own boats through the same Perth base for similar periods. Of course, they have many more of them. Aukus is much more complex than just providing Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, no matter how important that capability is to them and it is very important. The technology-sharing part of it is critical too as is the access this gives the US to the same problem facing Australia. In other words, maintaining it benefits everyone. Letting it fail, no matter how difficult that might become, is not acceptable. And heres why. No Aukus subs for Australia means no replacement attack submarines for us. The SSN(R) programme is directly and inextricably linked to the Australian version in terms of technology development and follow-on yard capacity. Cancel Aukus and we will have to say goodbye to this absolutely critical capability for a very long time, if not forever. Sending this boat out there now, no matter how painful, or how odd it looks, is a recognition of this. b' ' Communication around submarine operations has always been sparse submariners live up to their nickname, the Silent Service. But that landscape is now changing. We dont comment on submarine operations is as outdated as it is incorrect. We do comment on them all the time, when its politically convenient. Its obvious where Anson is going from online accounts, even before you find someone inside the wire to confirm it. So just say so. Use communications as part of your weapons arsenal. Senior officers working on out of date information, armchair admirals and spotters all chime in nowadays with sometimes excellent, but often hugely inaccurate assessments, and in the absence of any official narrative thats what the world hears. Tear up the old school rules and get the information out there quickly and officially and all this goes away. Its also amazingly easy to do without giving away actionable intelligence which is the big, and correct, fear. Sadly, half the people doing the communicating at the Ministry of Defence dont know what this is and the other half just find saying no easier. In this case though, who is right about Aukus vs North Atlantic right now? In my old life I found that a warship works best when you have a team with their radar displays ranging far out, mapping the long range raids and another one dialled right in dealing with the fast attack craft and other close, imminent threats. The captains job is to flick between the two and prioritise. In this case it looks like the long-range team have won, and providing we dont have a disaster on our doorstep in the meantime, in a few years or decades we will be blessing their names for keeping Aukus alive. The alternative fixating on the here and now could lead to a rerun of the wildly misguided Cameron Quad decision in 2010 to delay the renewal of our nuclear deterrent by five years because it was deemed too far away to be important. That decision is now being paid for by the deterrent crews, who are routinely now having to stay under for six months at a time. The same balance of far away and here-and-now is facing our decision makers on this subject. Do we risk the long-term future of our nuclear submarine programme for current events? Its an invidious position to be in, but one our services are now very used to. Much hinges on the availability of the rest of the Astute fleet. HMS Artful may return to sea soon, with others potentially following after prolonged refits, but timelines are not clear. The chronic delays stem from historic under-investment in shore infrastructure and maintenance pipelines. There are programs in place to improve this but here I do get impatient, because these now need a lot more cash to accelerate them. In the end, in my view, the decision to deploy Anson in line with the promises we have made is the correct one, just. Aukus must succeed; as an island nation that is dependent on the sea we need the follow-on boats and, importantly, we need good friends like the Aussies who have stood with us before this when we needed them. Britain cannot afford to be seen as an unreliable partner. Communications around things like this need to improve they are a free good or misinformation will persist. This article is about attack submarines, but zoom out to include the deterrent boats and the whole of Defence come to that and the bill to rectify this decades-in-the-making mess becomes vast. And yet still despite bold announcements we are doing basically nothing to increase Defence spending. In the meantime, fair winds and following seas to the ships company of HMS Anson on what will be a long, testing but excellent deployment. And if it really does escalate here, she can always come back. You might be surprised just how fast and far a nuclear powered submarine can run. Tom Sharpe is a former Royal Navy officer with experience of warship command and helicopter-borne boarding operations at sea Khalid Abu Jarad holds the body of his three-month-old niece, Shaza Abu Jarad, who, according to the health ministry, died from hypothermia, in Gaza City, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) A Palestinian baby died from hypothermia on Tuesday in the Gaza Strip, underscoring the grim humanitarian conditions in the territory as world leaders were gathering at a Swiss resort where President Donald Trumps Gaza ceasefire plan is high on the agenda. Shaza Abu Jarads family found the 3-month-old on Tuesday morning in their tent in the Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City. She was freezing, and dead, the babys father, Mohamed Abu Jarad, told The Associated Press by phone after a funeral. She died from cold. The man, who worked in Israel before the war, lives with his wife and their seven other children in a makeshift tent after their house was destroyed during the war. The family took the girl to the Al-Ahly hospital where a doctor pronounced her dead from hypothermia, said her uncle, Khalid Abu Jarad. The Health Ministry confirmed that the baby died from hypothermia. The family is among hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in tent camps and war-battered buildings in Gaza which experiences cold, wet winters, with temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) at night. As Palestinians in the war-ravaged enclave languish in displacement camps, Trump hopes to establish his new Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos. But the initiative, initially conceived to oversee the Gaza ceasefire, faces many questions over its membership and scope. A photograph shows machinery demolishing a structure inside the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem on January 20, 2026 (AFP/Getty) Israel on Tuesday began demolishing the Jerusalem headquarters of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, pressing ahead with its crackdown against a body it has long accused of anti-Israel bias. Shaza Abu Jarad was the ninth child to die from severe cold this winter in Gaza, according to the strips health ministry, part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own. More than 100 children who have died since the start of the ceasefire in October a figure that includes a 27-day-old girl who died from hypothermia over the weekend. The ceasefire paused two years of war between Israel and Hamas militants and allowed a surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza, mainly food. But residents say shortages of blankets and warm clothes remain, and there is little wood for fires. Theres been no central electricity in Gaza since the first few days of the war in 2023, and fuel for generators is scarce. The International Committee of the Red Cross said recent biting cold and rainfall in Gaza were ultimately a threat to survival. Trumps Board of Peace was initially seen as a mechanism focused on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. But recent invitations sent to dozens of world leaders show that the body could have a far broader mandate of other global crises, potentially rivaling the U.N. Security Council. Trump says the body would embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict, an indication that the body may not confine its work to Gaza. The panel was part of Trumps 20-point ceasefire plan that stopped the war in Gaza in October. Many countries, including Russia, said they received Trumps invitation and were studying the proposal. France said it does not plan to join the board at this stage. Director Park Chan-wook has said he cannot shy away from social issues when making films. His latest movie, No Other Choice, follows a factory worker, played by Squid Game star Lee Byung-hun, who begins killing his competitors while searching for a new job. The film, longlisted for the Bafta for best film not in the English language, explores material ambitions and the corporate rat race. Park, who also directed The Handmaiden and Oldboy, said Korean filmmakers feel a duty to tackle social issues so audiences can better empathise with others. Director Park Chan-wook on the set of No Other Choice (MUBI/PA) In Korea, social conflicts are inherently stronger, and we treat them as serious problems, the 62-year-old director told the Press Association. Thats why it feels almost necessary to reflect these issues in our films, otherwise its hard for the audience to empathise. Its very important that our commercial films and popular culture confront these issues directly, instead of shying away from them. Park said No Other Choice addresses many social issues, such as job security, the impact of unemployment on individuals and their families, and the material desire to maintain a middle-class lifestyle. It also offers a critical exploration of the boxed-in notions of masculinity and male self-confidence. The story follows Man-su, played by Lee, a man who believes he has it all: a steady job, a wife and two children, and a beautiful home. When he is fired from his job of 25 years, he finds himself in a brutal struggle to be rehired, desperate to protect the life he has worked so hard to build. As competition grows increasingly cutthroat, he begins to consider extreme measures. Lee, 55, said he immersed himself in the characters emotional complexity, balancing family life while carrying out brutal actions. Lee Byung-Hun and Son Yejin in No Other Choice (MUBI/PA) I spent a lot of time thinking about this and trying to immerse myself in these emotions as much as I can, its the same approach I take with all my films, the actor said. In this film, Man-su is a very ordinary man, the head of a family, facing a tremendous reality and forced to make extreme decisions. In carrying them out, he ends up in a chaotic situation, which is what I focused on. Everything he does is for his family, everything is to protect his home. In front of them, he appears serene and peaceful, though inside he is experiencing so much. The part that was especially difficult for me and what I paid the most attention to is Man-sus nature. He is always affectionate, warm and clumsy in his own way. How can he hold a gun to people he feels sympathy for, trying to eliminate them? What must he be feeling in those moments? Other films longlisted for the Bafta include Norwegian drama Sentimental Value, Palestinian docu-drama The Voice Of Hind Rajab, and Brazilian drama The Secret Agent. No Other Choice is in UK and Irish cinemas on Friday. Prince William shared a joke over a beer with drinkers in the Gothenburg Pub in Fallin, near Stirling, Scotland - Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace The Prince of Wales has pledged to help British pubs, describing them as crucial for human contact and the beating heart of communities. The Prince, who ordered half a pint of cider at a pub in Stirling, Scotland, said he absolutely loves pubs, which were so important for people to get out and spend time with friends and neighbours. Separately, The Telegraph has launched a campaign to save Britains pubs. Landlords have said their establishments are on the brink because of rising costs, including business rates changes announced in Rachel Reeves Budget, the cost of the employers National Insurance increase, a rise in alcohol duty and the minimum wage and a planned cut to the drink-driving limit. An estimated one pub a day closed permanently in England and Wales during 2025. Since 2000, 15,000 pubs in the UK have closed their doors. The Government has said it is working on relief for pubs affected by the changes, which have resulted in some having their tax bills double overnight. However, it is yet to publish details of what this relief will look like. During a trip to Scotland, the Prince and Princess of Wales paid a visit to The Gothenburg pub in Fallin, a former mining village four miles east of Stirling. The royal couple spoke to locals about the importance of Britains pubs - Russell Cheyne Prince William said: I want to help pubs. This is the best place to come and get to know each other. He called the local pubs the heart of the community. I grew up in pubs. I absolutely love pubs, he added. Sitting down with a group of local men, the Prince heard how The Goth maintains strong links to the local community. It is set up under a model of funnelling profits back into the area, including subsidised rental flats for young people saving to buy a house, and is a centre for activities other than drinking, such as bowls. Hearing about the social benefits the pub brings to the village, Prince William added: Its crucial. Its the human-to-human contact, isnt it, rather than just being on the phone or watching TV. Speaking to a group that included publican Rob Donaldson, 57, William heard about the banter and slagging off that can go on between friends. The Prince laughed and joked: A bit of slagging off we all need that occasionally. It brings us back down to earth. The Princess, who did not order a drink, spoke to teachers at a separate table and was given a crochet bunny for her daughter, Princess Charlotte. The Princess of Wales joined a table of local teachers at the pub - WPA Pool She told Adele Hodgson, 70, who made it, that the 10-year-old would absolutely love that. Shes got lots of teddies on her bed. As they were about to leave, the Princess looked at her husbands unfinished drink and said: You need to finish that. Prince William laughed and replied that he wanted to stay on best behaviour. As they arrived, the Waleses were heckled by a member of the public, who shouted: How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein? Have you been covering up for Andrew? It was the third and final engagement of their day in Scotland. At the first, the National Curling Academy in Stirling, they met Team GB and Paralympic GB curling teams ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games that start in Milano-Cortina next month. The Princess tried her hand at curling at the sports HQ in Stirling - Russell Cheyne/Reuters/Pool She celebrated beating her husband with her second shot - Russell Cheyne/AP/Pool Allowed to try the winter sport themselves, the Princess laughed at her poor first attempt but then beat her husband on the second, celebrating with a fist pump in the air. At the second engagement, the couple, who are known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, joined the Radical Weavers charity to help make a tartan scarf that is intended to reach 3km long, a world record. The Princess worked on a loom, saying: Its such a fantastic way to bring that sense of self and [for people to] think about parts of their lives and parts of themselves that they hadnt explored before in a creative way and abstract way, but in a less judgmental way. The couple visited The Kelpies, Falkirks popular tourist attraction - Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace Her coat, first seen as the Waleses stopped to see the distinctive equine statues, The Kelpies in Falkirk, was by Chris Kerr in cloth woven by Johnstons of Elgin especially for her. The Princess worked with the company on the design of the fabric, as part of her desire to help showcase British textiles and design. Aidan OBrien will consider running both Gstaad and Puerto Rico in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket this spring. The Ballydoyle handler has saddled a record 10 winners of the Rowley Mile Classic and possesses another strong hand ahead of this years renewal, with Gstaad and Puerto Rico joined towards the head of the ante-post betting by stablemate Albert Einstein, who missed the second half of his two-year-old campaign through injury. Gstaad and Puerto Rico did get the chance to fulfil their potential, however, with the former rounding off the year by winning the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar and the latter claiming successive Group One wins in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and Criterium International in France. The pair have both been given a rating of 119 in the two-year-old classifications, putting them 2lb behind Andrew Baldings European champion juvenile Gewan. GSTAAD IS GOLDEN IN THE BREEDERS CUP JUVENILE TURF! Thats 21 @BreedersCup winners and counting for Aidan OBrien, who becomes the Championships winning-most trainer outright! pic.twitter.com/ViTbYRTVyp At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 1, 2025 Considering plans for this season for the duo, OBrien said: Gstaad looks probably an English Guineas horse to start off. We were very happy with him last year. We were a little bit disappointed with him in the Dewhurst (second to Gewan), it just didnt go right for him and he just got trapped back a little bit. He ended up in not a nice position really, but we were delighted with him in America. Puerto Rico is a good, strong, big, mature horse. He could be an English Guineas horse or a French Guineas horse on the way to an Irish Guineas. We entered him in Dubai in the Classic, the three-year-old dirt race, but itll probably come too early and if that is the case, hell probably end up starting in one of the Guineas, either the English or the French. Maybe the two would go to the Guineas (at Newmarket). We think he (Puerto Rico) is that type of horse, hes a high cruiser and its possible that he could get further than a mile, even though he has plenty of pace. OBrien also houses the ante-post favourite for the Derby at Epsom in Pierre Bonnard (rated 113), who won three of his four juvenile starts including a Group One triumph in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Pierre Bonnard in action at Newmarket (Bradley Collyer/PA) (Bradley Collyer) Another likely contender for the premier Classic is Hawk Mountain (116), winner of the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster. Hawk Mountain is a lovely horse, he could be a French Derby horse and he could be an Epsom Derby horse too. We couldnt be happier with him, OBrien continued. Pierre Bonnard we think is a made Epsom horse. He looks like he should get a mile and a half well, hes a big horse. Well start him in a trial and see. Well probably do the same with Hawk Mountain, but Pierre Bonnard looks like a proper Epsom type horse and could come back to an Irish Derby after that. The master of Ballydoyle has made no secret of the regard in which he holds Albert Einstein, while he has several other colts with untapped potential. Albert Einstein has a huge reputation (Niall Carson/PA) (Niall Carson) When asked for a few horses who could step up this season, OBrien said: Isaac Newton ran well in France at the end of the year and could be nice, we could see more of him. A horse called George Stubbs who hasnt run yet, hes a Camelot horse, and Flushing Meadows by Wootton Bassett. He was second at Leopardstown. Constitution River is another one, as is Albert Einstein, and Montreal won a maiden very impressively at Leopardstown and could be anything. The trainer possesses a similarly formidable team of three-year-old fillies for this season, headed by the Moyglare Stud Stakes and Fillies Mile heroine Precise. The daughter of Starspangledbanner, who missed a planned outing at the Breeders Cup due to an infection, is the joint highest-rated juvenile filly from last term alongside stablemate True Love (both 115). No errors made by PRECISE! The @bet365 Fillies' Mile goes to pic.twitter.com/YD0J2ZnOhC Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) October 10, 2025 OBrien said: Precise will probably start in the 1000 Guineas (at Newmarket). She obviously went to America and didnt get to run, but the experience would have done her no harm. True Love is lovely. I went to the Juvenile Turf Sprint in America with her (finished eighth) and I probably should have left her for the Juvenile Fillies Turf, but we thought Precise was going there so there was no point running her in that against Precise. Shes lovely, shes done very well and we could think about starting at seven furlongs in Leopardstown or in one of the British trials at Newbury or somewhere like that, and see if there would be a chance that she would get a mile. If that was the case, obviously shell go down the Guineas route. If we thought not, then shed obviously go the sprinting route. Diamond Necklace (113) rounded off an unbeaten juvenile season with victory in the Prix Marcel Boussac and is another filly with immense promise. Diamond Necklace is lovely. Its possible that she could do that (run in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket) or she could go to a French Guineas, because she won the Boussac, but I would imagine she will probably start at a mile and well see where we go after that, OBrien added. Declan Queally has confirmed his intention to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival with Ill Sort That following his Grade One breakthrough at Naas. The six-year-old has won his four of his five outings over obstacles, most recently making much of the running in the Ballymore Novice Hurdle to provide his trainer and amateur rider with a first top-level success. Ill Sort That holds an entry in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at Leopardstowns Dublin Racing Festival on Saturday week, but Queally is keen to keep his powder dry for a trip to Prestbury Park in March. He came out of Naas great, hes in great form, he said on Tuesday. Well probably skip the DRF and concentrate on Cheltenham, Id say. Queally has entered his in stable star in the two-mile-five-furlong Turners Novices Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett over three miles at Cheltenham and a decision on which race he will ultimately contest is unlikely to be made until much nearer the time. Queally added: Fingers crossed he has a trouble-free passage and gets there in one piece. He does stay well, but hes very versatile. If you go back and look at his win at Listowel, he showed an unbelievable amount of speed the whole way over two miles, so I dont think trip matters. Theres still a long way to go and we need a bit of luck, but hes in good shape at the moment anyway. The project hopes to bridge the political divide. Photograph: Brooks Kraft/Corbis/Getty Images (Photograph: Brooks Kraft/Corbis/Getty Images) Two experimental payphones one placed in San Francisco and the other in Abilene, Texas are connecting strangers across party lines, allowing callers to speak directly with Democrats and Republicans in two of the USs most ideologically opposed cities. The project is the work of Matter Neuroscience, a Boulder, Colorado-based biotech company and is fashioned out of old payphones bought off Facebook. One phone sits outside Black Serum Tattoo parlor in San Franciscos Mission District and the other is in downtown Abilene by the bookstore Seven and One Books. Each phone is marked with a sign explaining that callers will be connected to someone from the opposite end of the political spectrum. The goal for this project is for people from different places to have a meaningful conversation and enjoy common humanity, a sign placed on the San Francisco payphone said. Research shows that the core molecules associated with happiness are the same in all human brains, regardless of political identity. The sign continued: Political disagreements are natural, but hostile discourse often increases our brains cortisol levels (stress) and suppresses our happiness. Positive conversations do the opposite, they lower cortisol and boost our feelgood neurotransmitters like dopamine and cannabinoids. In short, more cannabinoids and less cortisol equals more happiness for all. Speaking to ABC7 San Francisco, Matter Neurosciences co-founder Ben Goldhirsh said the aim was to test whether giving people a simple opportunity to talk to someone with different political views could lead to more understanding. I think our thesis is that humans are pretty awesome and if given the opportunity will really look to find common ground because biologically that actually gives us a lot more happiness. In San Francisco, ABC7 listened to some of the conversations, including one with Berkeley resident Milo Duhamel and someone in Abilene. A Cybertruck just drove by. What do you think of those? Duhamel asked the person on the other line, referring to the electronic vehicle manufactured by Elon Musks Tesla that became synonymous with the tech moguls role as a business adviser to the second Trump administration. Recalling their response, Duhamel said the person on the other end of the call did not like self-driving cars, an apparent reference to the full self-driving (supervised) feature in some Cybertrucks. Duhamel added that the conversion was not really anything political, really, but it was kind of interesting to just see whats going over there right now. Meanwhile, Duhamels father, Sai, asked his own Abilene counterpart: On the phone it says call a Republican. Do you consider yourself a staunch Republican? According to Sai, the person in Abilene said that he was not a Republican nor a Democrat but was instead part of the Green party. Sai added that the other person was thinking about switching to the Peace and Freedom party. Seven and One Books owner Arlene Kasselman told ABC7: People are excited. I think the opportunity to have civil discourse in a time where theres so much polarization is important for people. I think people want to experience a unifying thing and these conversations can be unifying. Matter Neuroscience said the conversations are recorded, and some will be shared online around the end of January. The Guardian has reached out to Matter Neuroscience for comment. Robert Jenrick was heckled by an audience member during his first Reform UK constituency speech since defecting from the Conservatives last week. The politician, described as the former shadow justice secretary, was sacked by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch on Thursday (15 January) just hours before announcing his switch. A man can be heard angrily shouting at the MP as he took to the stage at the event in Newark, Nottinghamshire on Monday (19 January). "Good to see you my friend," Jenrick told the man, who was ejected from the event. The battle of the billionaires between Elon Musk and Ryanairs boss, Michael OLeary, has intensified. Europes biggest budget airline has launched what it calls a Ryanair's Big Idiot Seat Sale. Millions of email subscribers have been sent a mock-up of Mr Musk and Mr OLeary on a plinth labelled Big Idiots. The airline CEO has a I [heart] Ryanair poster with which he appears to be striking the owner of Tesla, X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX and Starlink. The figure of Mr Musk, the worlds richest man, is holding a red model Tesla car, and has a model rocket beside his left leg. The advertising copy promises 100,000 seats are available from 16.99 for travel between February and April. It reads: Only available for Elon Musk and any other idiots' on X!!. Book today before Musk gets one! Clicking through takes the prospective traveller to a page with dozens of destinations at prices starting at under 15. Promotional fare: Advertisement emailed to millions of Ryanair subscribers (Ryanair) The spat between Mr Musk and Mr OLeary began when the latter said he would not follow other airlines in installing Starlink wifi on the Ryanair fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft. The airline boss said the necessary equipment would create extra aeronautical drag that would cost 250m annually. We dont think our passengers are willing to pay, Mr OLeary said. The Starlink owner said Mr OLearys calculation was wrong. The stakes increased when the Ryanair boss told an Irish radio station: I would pay no attention whatsoever to Elon Musk. Hes an idiot. Very wealthy, but hes still an idiot. Mr Musk has insisted Mr OLeary needs to be fired and suggested he could buy Ryanair. But European Union rules on airline ownership make that prospect most unlikely. While the entrepreneur has American, Canadian and South African citizenship, the EU requires airlines to be owned by European entities. Read more: My picks of the National Express flash sale for half-price coach travel New model enables governments to deploy AI immediately while retaining full legal authority, control, and resilience across global infrastructure DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- G42 today announced the launch of its Digital Embassies framework and Greenshield, a new sovereign operating model that enables nations to deploy artificial intelligence securely and at scale while maintaining full legal authority and control over their data, systems, and policies regardless of where infrastructure is located. Existing AUH6 data center in Abu Dhabi. G42 As governments accelerate AI adoption across public services, national security, healthcare, energy, and industry, many face a growing gap between ambition and infrastructure readiness. Domestic sovereign cloud and data center buildouts can take years, while legal, regulatory, and security obligations apply from day one. Digital Embassies and Greenshield are designed to close that gap. At its core, Digital Embassies and Greenshield treat sovereignty like a flag that travels with a workload, much like a diplomatic mission carries legal authority beyond borders. This concept makes jurisdiction portable and enforceable across agreed Digital Embassy environments, rather than being constrained by physical location. This allows governments to deploy AI now, without locking themselves into premature or inflexible infrastructure decisions. "Our vision is that every government, regardless of size or geography, can operationalize its digital and AI strategy with full sovereign control over its data, systems, and policies, from day one," said H.E. Omran Sharaf, Assistant Foreign Minister for Advanced Science and Technology. "Digital Embassies and Greenshield define a new era of governance where law and infrastructure are not in tension, but in alignment, enabling trusted AI at scale, even when infrastructure is hosted across borders." "Governments are clear on their sovereignty responsibilities, but they need practical ways to deploy AI today," said Ali Al Amine, Chief Commercial Officer of G42 International. "Digital Embassies and Greenshield provide that path. They allow nations to enforce their laws and policies from day one, while preserving flexibility over how and where infrastructure evolves over time." From Policy to Execution The Digital Embassies framework establishes government-to-government legal constructs that define jurisdiction, authority, and sovereign rights upfront. These frameworks ensure that national laws govern data and systems, even when infrastructure is hosted or operated beyond a country's physical borders. Greenshield is the operational layer implemented by Core42, G42's digital infrastructure arm, that translates sovereign policy into execution. It applies consistent sovereign controls across environments, governing identity and access, data handling, security, compliance, auditability, and continuity. With Greenshield, sovereignty remains intact even as workloads move across different cloud and infrastructure configurations, ensuring control is preserved as systems scale and evolve. "Greenshield is implemented through Core42's heterogeneous AI Cloud, a mesh of sovereign compute and cloud environments already deployed across multiple geographies, including sovereign AI clusters in North America, Europe and the UAE," said Talal Al Kaissi, Interim CEO of Core42 and Group Chief Global Affairs Officer at G42. "When coupled with the government-to-government agreements, Greenshield introduces technical and policy controls that enable governments to run accelerated AI workloads with sovereign controls regardless of where the infrastructure is located." The implementation of the framework is supported by G42's strategic partnership with Microsoft, leveraging global cloud platforms and services where appropriate. It also complements ongoing major infrastructure initiatives such as the UAE's 5 GW AI campus, whose strategic design positions it to serve roughly half the world's population within a 3,200 km radius with sub-60 ms latency, a critical sovereign AI backbone that can work in tandem with Digital Embassies and Greenshield to deliver resilient, high-performance services across regions. A Shift in How Sovereignty Is Delivered Historically, digital sovereignty depended on physical location. Data was considered sovereign because it was stored locally, and control required local infrastructure. Digital Embassies introduce a shift: sovereignty is treated as a legal and operational status that can be enforced consistently, even as infrastructure becomes more distributed. This approach reduces the need for heavy upfront investment, accelerates national AI strategies, and provides a resilient path for countries seeking strong sovereign protections without waiting years for infrastructure buildouts to complete. As discussions with partner countries advance at the World Economic Forum in Davos and beyond, Digital Embassies and Greenshield, grounded in G42's Intelligence Grid vision, are emerging as the de-facto model for sovereign AI deployment globallyensuring that intelligence is powerful, secure, and equitably accessible wherever nations choose to build, compete, and collaborate. About G42 G42 is a technology holding group and a global leader in artificial intelligence, delivering impactful solutions across sectors including government, healthcare, energy, finance, and space. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi and operating worldwide, G42 is building the Intelligence Grid to deliver intelligence on demand, securely and at scale. For more information, visit www.g42.ai For more information, please contact: [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2865015/G42_Introduces_Digital_Embassies_and_Greenshield_to_Make_AI_Sovereignty_Portable_IMAGE.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2158819/G42.jpg Nurse Sandie Peggie complained about sharing a female-only changing room with a transgender doctor - PA/Jane Barlow The judge who presided over the Sandie Peggie employment tribunal has been cleared of making up quotes using AI. Judge Kemp faced a complaint of judicial misconduct after he was forced to reissue his controversial judgment twice to correct 12 mistakes. They included four examples where the judge had quoted other cases in support of his conclusions, only for it to emerge that the quotes did not appear in those rulings, This prompted claims that AI had been used to write the original ruling. But Employment Tribunals (Scotland) has now dismissed the complaint, which was lodged by Ewan Kennedy, a retired Glasgow solicitor. Judge Walker, the organisations president, wrote to Mr Kennedy stating: Having made inquiries, I am satisfied that Judge Kemp did not use generative AI in drafting the judgment. It is clear from my inquiries that the sources of the erroneous quotes from [the previous legal case] Forstater and Ashers was an exchange of correspondence between Judge Kemp and a judicial colleague. Judge Kemp was cleared of using AI in his Sandie Peggie judgment In the letter, seen by the Wings Over Scotland blog, Judge Walker said that Judge Kemp acknowledges that he is ultimately responsible for the content of the judgment and he has taken steps to correct the errors promptly when he became aware of them. In December, Judge Kemp ruled that Ms Peggie, a veteran nurse who complained about sharing a female-only changing room with a transgender doctor, had been harassed by NHS Fife. But he dismissed her allegations of discrimination, indirect discrimination and victimisation and ruled it was not inherently unlawful for a biological man to use a womans changing room. His ruling had to be issued again three days later, on Dec 11, after it emerged that a quote he attributed to a tribunal involving Maya Forstater did not appear in that cases judgment. Ms Forstater, the chief executive of Sex Matters, a sex rights charity, said the quote was completely made up and suggested AI could have been responsible. Its not good enough In a highly unusual move, the ruling was reissued again on Dec 23 to correct 11 more mistakes, including three more examples of quotes that did not appear in the cases that had been cited. In addition to issuing two certificates of correction, the judge apologised to all parties in the case for the errors that have been made. He provided, however, no explanation for how they occurred. This week, Ms Peggies legal team tabled an appeal. Mr Kennedy lodged his complaint on Christmas Eve, writing: Purely and simply, my concern is that for any judge to issue words in quotation marks that are not contained in the previous case for which a reference is given belongs to the highest level of judicial misconduct. Any solicitor who did something similar in professional practice could expect immediate disqualification for life. Mr Kennedy received a response from Judge Walker on Jan 5 stating his complaint had been dismissed. But Ms Forstater said: Its not good enough. Judges hold one of the most respected and responsible positions in the land. By blaming these mistakes on an unknown colleague, Judge Kemp is ducking personal responsibility while undermining trust in the legal system. Maya Forstater said the clearing of Judge Kemp wasnt good enough - Belinda Jiao Murdo Fraser, a Scottish Tory MSP, said: It is astonishing that a judge used this information without bothering to corroborate it. Serious questions remain as to why so many mistakes have been made in such a high-profile judgment and it is hardly surprising Sandie Peggies team are preparing an appeal based on this fresh development. The Judicial Office was approached for a response on behalf of Judge Kemp. At least 42 people died after a train derailed and crashed into another train travelling in the other direction. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock (Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock) A six-year-old girl who had travelled to Madrid to see a musical was the only member of her family to survive Sundays rail disaster in southern Spain, which killed 42 people, among them her parents, her brother and her cousin. The girl, who has not been named, was found walking along the tracks after two trains collided near the town of Adamuz in the Cordoba province of Andalucia. She had emerged from the accident with only a minor head wound. According the Spanish media, the child and her family had been on their way home to Aljaraque, on the Atlantic coast near Huelva, after travelling to the capital to see the Lion King musical and to visit the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. The outing had been a treat to celebrate the Christian feast of the Epiphany, which is when Spanish children traditionally receive their Christmas presents. Jose Carlos Hernandez Cansino, the mayor of the nearby town of Punta Umbria, told the broadcaster Canal Sur: Wed been hoping that we wouldnt have to declare any days of mourning or to lower the flag to half mast. But then we got the call telling us that four members of the same family who were missing had been found dead, confirming our worst fears. He said the girls survival was a miracle. Adrian Cano, the mayor of Aljaraque, said the town was broken with grief and almost without words of comfort. The girl was cared for overnight by a police officer before being reunited with her grandmother in Cordoba, authorities said. As work continued to recover the remaining bodies of those who died in Spains worst rail crash in more than a decade, other families shared stories of what had happened to their loved ones. Alberto Garcia told the Antena 3 TV channel that one of his daughters, who is five months pregnant, was in intensive care because of serious injuries she sustained in the crash. He said doctors had placed her under sedation and on a ventilator and were monitoring the babys heartbeat. Relatives told El Pais that firefighters had pulled the woman unconscious from the wreck of the carriage after passengers smashed windows to escape from the train. Her sister, Ana, who was travelling with her and their dog, had lighter injuries. Relatives say the dog, named Boro, is still missing. Ana said she believed her sister may have been injured while trying to protect the animal. If I cant do anything for her, at least I hope I can find Boro, she told El Mundo. Spain began three days of national mourning on Monday to honour the dead. The high-speed train was travelling from Malaga to Madrid when it derailed near Adamuz, crossing on to another track where it hit an oncoming train travelling from Madrid to Huelva. Reuters contributed to this report Sonay Kartal declared her performance the worst she had played in years after slumping to a first-round defeat at the Australian Open. There was no disgrace for the British number two, who is ranked 66th, in losing to 31st seed Anna Kalinskaya, but it was the manner of her 7-6 (3) 6-1 defeat than rankled. Kartal arrived in Melbourne on the back of a very narrow loss to Elina Svitolina in Auckland that seemed to have carried on her momentum from a strong end to last season. Sonay Kartal initially had the upper hand in Melbourne (Bradley Collyer/PA) (Bradley Collyer) She initially had the upper hand against Kalinskaya but ultimately paid for relying too much on the Russians errors. Kartal played a poor tie-break and her chances of a comeback evaporated as Kalinskaya opened up a 5-0 lead in the second set. Obviously very disappointed, said Kartal, who is still looking for her first victory at the tournament. For me, it was not my finest at all, even my base level was not really there today, which is something I rely on. I think, if I could go back out there now and play that match again, Id play it a completely different way. Kartal suffered a 7-6 (3) 6-1 first-round defeat (Adam Davy/PA) (Adam Davy) Maybe she did raise her level but my level dipped to a level that hasnt been that low for years, probably. I ended last year feeling good and feel like I was training well. The warm-up this morning, I was playing well. Im super disappointed, especially after Auckland. Its a long old season ahead so Im not going to look too deep into this. Spanish rail operator ADIF was warned about severe wear and tear on high-speed rail tracks last year, before a horrific collision killed at least 40 people on Sunday. The SEMAF train drivers union wrote to the state-owned infrastructure manager in August to caution the operator about potholes, bumps and imbalances in overhead power lines that it said were causing frequent breakdowns and damaging trains. The letter warned about damage on one of the tracks where two trains collided yesterday evening near Cordoba. It added that drivers had told the operator of their concerns daily but that no action had been taken. Drivers had urged the operator to implement a maximum speed of 250kph (155mph) on damaged lines until the state of the network rail was improved. A source briefed on the initial investigations into the disaster said today that experts had found a broken joint on the rails. Technicians on site identified wear on the joint between sections of the rail, known as a fishplate, which they said showed the fault had been there for some time, the source said. They found that the faulty joint created a gap between the rail sections that widened as trains continued to travel on the track. The source, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue, said the technicians believe the faulty joint is key to identifying the precise cause of the accident. Two trains collided in the south of Spain on Sunday, causing dozens of casualties (Guardia Civil) The fatal collision, near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, killed dozens of people and left more than 120 injured, with 48 still in hospital and 12 in intensive care. It could be a month before an investigation determines the cause, transport minister Oscar Puente said. Jose Trigueros, president of the Association of Road Engineers, said his preliminary analysis of images and information released by the authorities suggested failure of the undercarriage of the back units of the high-speed Freccia 1000 train, operated by Iryo, which was travelling north from Malaga to Madrid when it derailed. Most of the casualties are believed to have been on board a second train, operated by Alvia, which is run by Spains public railway company Renfe. That train was heading south from Madrid to Huelva when it collided with the derailed Iryo train and was pushed off the tracks into an embankment. ADIF had reported problems with infrastructure at Adamuz on social media ranging from signalling failures to issues with overhead power lines that caused delays to high-speed trains between Madrid and Andalusia 10 times since 2022. The Spanish government was criticised last year for a series of delays on the network, caused by power outages and the theft of copper cables from the lines. The network is vulnerable to cable thefts, as it crosses large swathes of empty countryside. The crash happened on Sunday when a train operated by rail company Iryo, travelling from Malaga to Madrid, derailed near Adamuz (Guardia Civil) Mr Puente said that the Iryo train was less than four years old and that the railway track had been completely renovated last May before the warning from the SEMAF union with an investment of 700m (607m). Iryo said the train was last inspected on 15 January. The transport minister called the accident tremendously strange and said that had it not been for the oncoming train, the derailment would have likely caused no deaths. Renfe chief Alvaro Fernandez Heredia ruled out human error and said that there was a 20-second interval between the first derailment and its impact with the train heading the other way, a period of time too short to activate the automatic braking system. It must have been some kind of failure in the rolling stock or the infrastructure, and that will take time [to investigate], he said. Officials said the Alvia train had apparently hit the derailed carriages or undercarriage debris of the Iryo. The 27-year-old driver of the Alvia train died in the crash, the Renfe chief said. Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday promised a thorough and absolutely transparent investigation into the crash. The countrys high-speed railway network, with 3,622km of tracks, is the largest in Europe and the second-biggest in the world after China, according to ADIF. Spain opened up its high-speed rail network to private competition in 2020 in a bid to offer low-cost alternatives to Renfes AVE trains. Iryo is a joint venture between Italian state railway operator Ferrovie dello Stato, airline Air Nostrum and Spanish infrastructure investment fund Globalvia. It began operating in November 2022, starting with the Madrid-Barcelona route and expanding to other major cities. The Iryo ETR1000 train is manufactured by the partnership of Hitachi Rail-Bombardier in Europe for Ferrovies unit Trenitalia. Renfes Alvia trains are manufactured by local makers CAF and Talgo. Plans for a controversial Chinese super-embassy in London have been approved by the government, despite warnings from MI5 that it cannot eliminate every potential risk posed by the new site. Local government secretary Steve Reed gave the green light to a planning application on Tuesday, undeterred by fears it could become a colossal spy hub for Beijing, and warnings from international allies. MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum and GCHQ director Anne Keast-Butler, warned the home secretary and foreign secretary that national security risks linked to the new embassy, at the former Royal Mint near the Tower of London, cannot be wholly eliminated. In a joint letter to Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, and Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, they said: MI5 has over 100 years of experience managing national security risks associated with foreign diplomatic premises in London. An aerial photograph of the former site of the UK's Royal Mint, now owned by China and set to be the site of its new embassy in London (Sky News) For the Royal Mint Court site, as with any foreign embassy on UK soil, it is not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk. (And even if this were a practicable goal, it would be irrational to drive 'embassy-generated risk' down to zero when numerous other threat vectors are so central to the national security risks we face in the present era. However, they added that efforts to mitigate national security risks had been expert, professional and proportionate. Beijings proposals for the building are reported to include 208 secret rooms and a hidden chamber in the basement. Those opposed to the plans fear the hidden chamber would be located in close proximity to data cables used by Britains financial industry for communications between the City of London and Canary Wharf. There are also concerns that the secret rooms could be used for the detention of dissidents who have fled China for safety in Britain. Luke de Pulford, head of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, told the Press Association: Years of campaigning about the obvious and manifold risks posed by this embassy development have not been enough to outweigh the UK governments desire for Beijings money. The government has hit back at opponents of the new embassy, branding them either naive or recklessly isolationist. Protesters outside Royal Mint Court last week (PA) Sir Keir Starmers spokesperson told reporters: Its of course a normal part of international diplomatic relations for countries to agree to establish embassies in each others capitals. They are the first line of communication between countries. They offer vital help to their nationals when they need it, and above all, they help us to advance our economic, cultural and defence goals abroad to deliver for, and protect, our citizens at home. Those who dont accept this basic premise are either naive or recklessly isolationist. It comes after Labour MPs revealed on Monday that several UK allies have raised fears about the plans. Sarah Champion, chair of the international development select committee, said in an urgent Commons debate: Weve now had interventions from the Dutch government, Swiss parliament, Swedish parliament and two interventions from the White House about the risks posed to UK infrastructure by the cabling that runs along the Royal Mint Court. Parliaments Intelligence and Security Committee criticised the governments process of approving the new embassy, but said security concerns can be satisfactorily mitigated. Christopher Mung, a former Hong Kong district councillor who fled to Britain in 2021 said he felt betrayed by the governments decision, which would encourage repression by the Chinese Communist Party regime. The decision removes a diplomatic hurdle in the relationship with Xi Jinpings government, clearing the way for Keir Starmer to make a widely-expected visit to China possibly within weeks (PA) Ministers have argued the new site would consolidate Chinese diplomatic presence in London from seven buildings to one, which could have security benefits. Security minister Dan Jarvis said that, while China continues to pose a threat to UK national security, Britain is protected. The decision which is final unless challenged in the courts also removes a diplomatic hurdle in the relationship with Xi Jinpings government, clearing the way for Sir Keir to make a widely-expected visit to China possibly within weeks. Mark Nygate, the treasurer of the Royal Mint Residents Association, said he believes there is enough opposition to seek a judicial review. A government spokesperson said the planning decision has been taken independently by Reed (House of Commons/UK Parliament) He said: The documents have just turned up from the Ministry of Housing and we will be passing those over to a barrister to do an independent review to give us some feedback. At that point we will move forward with the judicial review, based on legal opinions that have already been given in 2025. A government spokesperson said: National security is our first duty. Intelligence agencies have been involved throughout the process and an extensive range of measures have been developed to manage any risks. The decision has sparked criticism from across the political spectrum, with the Liberal Democrats branding it Labours biggest mistake yet (AP) Liberal Democrats said the decision was Labours biggest mistake yet, while Labour peer and top barrister Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws called it a dangerous concession. Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said the government is giving Xi Jinping what he wants a colossal spy hub in the heart of our capital. The government has announced plans for a consultation on social media restrictions for under-16s amid growing calls for an Australian-style ban. The consultation will look at all options for reform, including a blanket ban, limits on app time, raising the digital age of consent, and restricting potentially addictive app features such as streaks and infinite scrolling. Ministers will visit Australia as part of their consultation, where a social media ban for under-16s came into force in December. It comes after dozens of Labour MPs signed an open letter urging prime minister Sir Keir Starmer to back a ban, and to protect young people from the consequences of unregulated, addictive social media platforms. Another letter, written by the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey and signed by eight sets of bereaved parents, urged Sir Keir to back an amendment to stop children under 16 from using social media platforms. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said it will be taking immediate action on childrens social media use, including by directing Ofsted to examine schools mobile phone policies and whether they are effectively implemented. The government will produce screen time guidance for parents of children aged five to 16, before guidance for parents of under-fives will be published in April. Later this week, the Lords is set to vote on an amendment to the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which, if passed, would require social media platforms to stop children under 16 from using their platforms within a year of the bill passing. The consultation is expected to look at all options, including a blanket ban or limits on app time (Getty/iStock) The amendment, tabled by former schools minister John Nash, is supported by the National Education Union (NEU) and the 61 Labour MPs who signed the open letter to Sir Keir. Lord Nash said the governments consultation will only produce more delay. This announcement offers nothing for the hundreds of thousands of parents, teachers, medical professionals, senior police officers, national security experts and parliamentarians of all parties who have been calling for a raising of the age limit for social media, the Conservative peer said. The prime minister must be in no doubt about the strength of feeling on this. The longer we delay, the more children we fail. I continue to urge all peers to back my amendment on Wednesday, which would begin to end the catastrophic harm being done to a generation. In her joint letter from the Bereaved Families for Online Safety, Esther Ghey described how her daughter had a social media addiction and was exacerbated by the harmful content she was consuming online. Sir Keir Starmer previously that no options are off the table (PA Wire) I speak not only as Briannas mother, but alongside many other bereaved parents who have lost their children to harms that began or were amplified online, the letter, signed by a number of bereaved parents, reads. Some have lost children after they were groomed by online predators, others through dangerous online challenges, and others following prolonged exposure to self-harm and suicide content. It adds: The online world our children are living in, and the harms that come with it, are vast. We need a multi-pronged approach to address this crisis properly, one that includes legislation, regulation, education, and societal change. Speaking on the government consultation, Jess Asato, Labour MP for Lowestoft, said: Consulting on a social media ban for under-16s is a good first step in protecting our children from the huge harms they face on platforms which were never designed with their wellbeing and development in mind. Parents and carers across the country are calling for bold action now, and its crucial the consultation does not simply kick this issue into the long grass. Esther Ghey has backed a plan to fund devices that lock away pupils phones during school hours (PA Wire) There is strong evidence that social media has a significant negative impact on childrens physical and mental health, educational attainment and exposure to harms such as child sexual abuse and exploitation. Listening to parents, children and the generation who have grown up with this technology must take priority over the industry itself. On Monday, Sir Keir said that no options are off the table when it comes to changes to the use of social media for children. We are obviously looking at whats happened in Australia, something Ive discussed with the Australian prime minister, he added. I dont think its just a question of social media and children under 16. I think we have got to look at a range of measures. The open letter from 61 Labour MPs read: Across our constituencies, we hear the same message: children are anxious, unhappy and unable to focus on learning. They are not building the social skills needed to thrive, nor having the experience that will prepare them for adulthood. The letter, signed by dozens of backbenchers as well as education select committee chair Helen Hayes, former whip Vicky Foxcroft, and former education minister Catherine McKinnell, says Britain risks being left behind if it does not act. The UKs largest teaching union has also said the prime minister should fully support an amendment for an outright ban (Getty) The UKs largest teaching union has also said the prime minister should fully support an amendment for an outright ban. National Education Union (NEU) general secretary Daniel Kebede said No 10 signalling it is open to raising the age limit for social media was a welcome shift. Mr Kebede said: The additional pressure from Labour backbench MPs needs to move Keir Starmer to full support of this amendment to ban social media for under-16s. This cannot be a moment for passivity it demands leadership. Every day, parents and teachers see how social media shapes childrens identities and attention long before they sit their GCSEs, pulling them into isolating, endless loops of content. However, at the weekend, 42 child protection charities and online safety groups issued a joint statement warning a blanket social media ban would not deliver the improvement in child safety and wellbeing needed, and would treat the symptoms, not the problem. Instead, the government should strengthen the Online Safety Act to require platforms to robustly enforce risk-based age limits, the organisations said. Former Trump strategist turned MAGA influencer Steve Bannon boasted in a recent interview that the president isnt receiving any meaningful resistance, from the media or the American public as a whole, despite moving headlong with a maximalist strategy that has seen the erosion of civil rights and democratic norms over the past year. F*** the Overton window, the War Room podcaster told The Atlantic this week, referencing the term used for the slow evolution of societal values and norms over time. You have to take it however deep you can take it and, quite frankly, until you meet resistance. And we havent met any resistance. Bannon briefly served as Trumps chief strategist during his first term and has since become one of his loudest cheerleaders in the right-wing media ecosystem. With the past few weeks marked by the U.S. militarys capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Trumps renewed push to seize Greenland, protesters taking to the streets after ICE fatally shot a Minneapolis woman and the DOJ launching a criminal probe into the Fed chair who Trump has regularly criticized, Bannon seemed elated that there appears to be little that can stop the administration. Steve Bannon boasted about the lack of resistance that Trump has faced in his second term during a recent interview with The Atlantic (The Economist) As Trump begins his second year in office, his job approval rating has reached new lows and his standing with independent voters has cratered. The presidents first year in office has seen National Guard troops patrolling American cities, the US bombing other countries without Congressional approval or notice, right-wing influencers posing as journalists, the forceful mass arrests and deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants, American citizens and residents getting caught up in ICE raids, the administration pulling funding from universities for supposedly being hostile to Trump and too woke, and the Justice Department taking orders from the president. Bannon told The Atlantic that Trump feels further emboldened because the Overton window keeps shifting with little to no consequence for him. You move it, and you do it, and no one complainsor MSNBC and The Atlantic complain and nobody gives a f***and then you do it again, and push it again, Bannon, who recently floated the notion of Trump running for a Constitutionally-banned third term, bragged. Hes driving deep. Remember, our strategyI say it every dayis maximalist, a maximalist strategy, he added. You have to take it however deep you can take it and, quite frankly, until you meet resistance. And we havent met any resistance. One of the reasons why Trump has been successful in shattering the Overton window, the presidents allies also told The Atlantic, is that hes framed the trampling of rights and democratic boundaries as necessary, in order to get rid of bad people and organizations. Bannon, a former Trump strategist, said that the president has a maximalist strategy and that as long as no one complains, you keep driving deep until you meet resistance (AFP via Getty Images) Trump is a master at getting his enemies to defend things that are politically damaging to them, a former senior administration official close to the president told the publication. So if you are going out and defending the principle of due processor whatever high-minded legal and constitutional thingseven if your constitutional argument is strong, you are still effectively defending a narco-terrorist. That person added: Its interesting, the issues he picks. Even if his enemies have a legitimate beefconstitutional, legal, whateverit still puts them in a position where they appear to be defending bad people. People participate in the Martin Luther King Jr parade in Miami, Florida, on Monday. Photograph: Cristobal Herrera/EPA (Photograph: Cristobal Herrera/EPA) Martin Luther King Jr Day was marked with parades and services across the US on Monday. But the celebration for the achievements of the slain 60s civil rights leader was tempered by contemporary anxieties over racial and social equality and Trump administrations crackdown in Minneapolis. At a rally in Harlem, the Rev Al Sharpton referred to Renee Good, the 37-year-old mother of three who was killed by an immigration officer in Minneapolis earlier this month. If she cursed them out does that give them the right to shoot her? he asked. Now theyre talking about sending in the national guards, sending in more ICE agents. We are in a state that Dr King would have been fighting against this country going this far. Sharpton called for a broad sense of unity, saying that if people are on our side, we can disagree without being disagreeable because we have folks that are adversarial to the interests of our community. We need to make a pledge on King Day that we gonna fight and make what should happen to preserve the dream of Dr King, he added. Zohran Mamdani, the newly installed New York City mayor, framed inequality as an economic issue at the Brooklyn Academy of Musics annual MLK Day celebration. While the city is wealthy beyond measure, it is also deeply unequal, he said. Some New Yorkers sleep in penthouses. Others sleep on the sidewalk below. We cannot only speak of Dr Kings legacy as if it is a legacy of rights that can be given to people, he said. It must also be a legacy of rights that those people can exercise themselves. In Washington, hundreds of people marched along Martin Luther King Jr Avenue to honor the civil rights leader. We got to continue to do this because not just of Dr King, but of what he stood for, said Sam Ford, a retired broadcaster and member of the Martin Luther King Jr Day Parade Committee. The struggle continues. Parade participant Harold Hunter echoed that sentiment. Its not just a white thing or Black thing. This is a people thing, he said. Wisdom Cole, NAACP senior national director of advocacy, said elevated fears within racially diverse and immigrant communities meant that King Day observances were forced to take a more urgent tone. We are faced with increased police and state violence inflicted by the government, he said. The Movement for Black Lives said it had planned events in Atlanta, Chicago, Oakland and other cities under the banner Reclaim MLK Day of Action. This year it is more important than ever to reclaim MLKs radical legacy, letting his wisdom and fierce commitment to freedom move us into the action necessary to take care of one another, fight back, and free ourselves from this fascist regime, Devonte Jackson, a national organizing director for the coalition, said in a statement. At the National Civil Rights museum in Memphis, Tennessee, located on the site of the former Lorraine Motel, where King was shot on 4 April 1968, was opened and offering free admission, an annual tradition. This milestone year is not only about looking back at what Dr King stood for, but also recognizing the people who continue to make his ideals real today, the museum president, Russell Wigginton, told the Associated Press. But some typical MLK Day events were cancelled, including a dinner at Indiana University in Indianapolis. In a social media post, the schools Black Student Union said the event was officially cancelled because of budget constraints, but the group expressed concern that the cancellation was connected to broader political pressures. A church in Westbrook, Maine, cancelled an MLK Day service due to unforeseen circumstances, according to the parish website. A member of the congregations social justice and peace committee told the local news site NewsCenterMaine.com that the service was cancelled because agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were in the area. This years Dr King celebration comes a year since Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term. Trumps inauguration ushered in an administration opposed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, whether in government agencies, schools, universities or cultural institutions. The justice departments civil rights division, which under previous administrations has been charged with rooting out discrimination against minority groups, has shifted focus. In comments to the New York Times this month, Trump said civil rights protections and affirmative action programs had hurt white people. White people were very badly treated, where they did extremely well and they were not invited to go into a university or a college, he said. Meanwhile, the administration has launched aggressive anti-immigration operations in several Democratic-led cities. Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, one of the nations oldest and largest civil rights coalitions, told the Associated Press that the Trump administrations priorities made clear it is actively trying to erase the movement for social justice. Citing healthcare access, affordable housing, good-paying jobs and union representation, Wiley said, things Dr King made part of his clarion call for a beloved community are still at stake and is even more so because (the administration) has dismantled the very terms of government and the norms of our culture. Last month, the National Park Service said it would no longer offer free admission to parks on King Day and Juneteenth, but would instead offer free admission on Flag Day 14 June. That day is also Trumps birthday. At Ebenezer Baptist church in Atlanta, where Dr King preached, there were calls on Monday to unite against injustice. Senator Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat and Ebenezers senior pastor, said the administration was trying to weaponize despair and convince us that we are at war with one another. Warnock later posted online: You cannot remember Dr King and dismember his legacy at the same time. He called for a recommitment to Dr Kings legacy: In these dark and difficult days, Dr Kings memory continues to light a path for our nation toward an abiding peace and a just democracy. Doctor holds up a ribbon to represent prostate cancer awareness (Alamy/PA) Prostate cancer has now become the most prevalent cancer across the UK, new analysis reveals, surpassing breast cancer as the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease. Figures compiled by the charity Prostate Cancer UK show that 64,425 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022, compared with 61,640 cases of breast cancer, which had previously held the top spot. This marks a significant 24 per cent increase in diagnoses from the previous year, when 51,823 men were identified with the condition. While prostate cancer officially became the most common cancer in England last January, newly released data from Scotland, alongside existing figures from Wales and Northern Ireland, has now provided a comprehensive UK-wide picture. The charity attributes a 42 per cent rise in diagnoses over the past decade to heightened awareness campaigns by charities, the NHS, and high-profile individuals. In response to these escalating figures, Prostate Cancer UK is advocating for the NHS to implement wider screening using the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. Wes Streeting was surprised by advice that prostate cancer screening should not be routinely offered to the majority of men in the UK (PA) The organisation is also conducting a major clinical trial, with results anticipated within two years, to assess whether combining the PSA test with other diagnostic methods, such as rapid MRI scans, could lead to a recommendation for population-wide screening for all men. However, a draft recommendation issued in December by the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC), which advises the government, stated that prostate cancer screening should not be routinely offered to the vast majority of men in the UK. The committee explicitly advised against population screening using the PSA test, arguing it "is likely to cause more harm than good." Instead, the UKNSC recommended screening only men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations, who face a significantly higher risk of prostate cancer, every two years between the ages of 45 and 61. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has expressed surprise at this decision and is currently reviewing the findings. The UKNSC's recommendation has drawn criticism from several prominent figures who have been diagnosed with the disease, including Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy, former prime minister Lord David Cameron, broadcaster Sir Stephen Fry, and actor Sir Tony Robinson. While Prostate Cancer Research supports increased screening, Cancer Research UK aligns with the screening committee's decision. Prostate Cancer UK voiced its disappointment but affirmed its commitment to overturning the decision through further research and evidence. Chiara De Biase, director of health services, equity and improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, commented on the latest data: "Were hugely proud to have played our part in the growing awareness of prostate cancer, which has led to more men than ever being diagnosed and treated. David Cameron previously revealed he was diagnosed with prostate cancer (PA) But its unacceptable that the full weight of responsibility still falls on men to understand their risk and talk to their GP about the pros and cons of a PSA test. Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK, but despite this, men are facing deeply unfair inequities across the country, and their experiences vary hugely based on where they live. We urgently need an early detection programme that will address these regional inequities. My message to men today is, find 30 seconds to do Prostate Cancer UKs online risk checker. Its free, anonymous and in a few quick questions you will understand your risk and your rights like the four million men who have already taken it. Knowing your risk could save your life." Sir Chris Hoy added: "Prostate cancer is curable if found early. Thats why its vital we get the message out to men to think about their risk and to talk to their GP about a simple blood test to check. That way well get more men with prostate cancer diagnosed earlier, and well save thousands more lives. What we need now is action to change the system, to enable more men to be diagnosed earlier and stop them getting the news I got. Sir Chris Hoy, who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, has urged more men to get routine blood checks (PA) We need GPs to be able to proactively speak to men at highest risk, for example men with a family history like me, or black men, and discuss the PSA blood test to check for signs of cancer at an earlier stage. It shouldnt be only mens responsibility to make these potentially lifesaving conversations happen." Analysis by Prostate Cancer UK further highlights significant disparities, showing that men residing in areas of higher deprivation are 29 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with disease that has already spread, compared to those in more affluent areas. Although Scotland has seen an increase in diagnoses, men there are more prone to being diagnosed with prostate cancer at a later stage (31 per cent) than their counterparts in England (21 per cent). The charity contends that "outdated" NHS guidelines currently prevent GPs from proactively engaging with men at the highest risk of prostate cancer to discuss their risk and offer a PSA test. The reliability of the PSA test remains a point of contention among experts; some argue it is not dependable, as men with high PSA levels may not have cancer, while others with cancer may show normal PSA results. A positive test, they warn, could lead to unnecessary treatment for slow-growing or harmless tumours, potentially causing serious side-effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Conversely, other experts maintain that current evidence strongly supports much wider testing. Viktor Gyokeres came off the bench to score in Arsenals win over Inter Milan (Arsenal FC via Getty Images) Arsenal did not need to win this match. Doing so, though, was yet another message sent to the rest of Europe. The Gunners rocked up to the San Siro, made seven changes against Inter Milan, and came away with a 3-1 win. Make that seven wins from seven in the Champions League. Mikel Arteta's side are in a class of their own domestically and in Europe. Gabriel Jesus scored twice and Viktor Gyokeres netted off the bench, with Petar Sucic's brilliant strike ultimately counting for nothing. Arsenal will now not have a meaningful Champions League match until the second week of March. Nobody will want to be their opponents when that comes. Job done for Arsenal Manchester City's defeat to Bodo/Glimt earlier in the evening meant Arsenal's place in the last-16 was sealed before they kicked a ball in the San Siro. That was never in any real doubt anyway, but victory over Inter wrapped up a top two finish and with it a key advantage heading into the knockout stages. Arsenal will have home advantage in the second leg of their knockout ties right the way through to the final, if they make it that far. Arsenal are through to the Champions League last-16 with a game to spare (Getty Images) The latter stages of the competition can come down to the finest margins and Arsenal will have that edge in their favour. It has been a remarkable run in Europe from Arteta's side, with seven straight wins including victories over Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and now Inter. Next week's match at home to Kairat has nothing at all riding on it and Arteta can rotate as much as he wants. Mosquera makes his mark Before tonight, Cristhian Mosquera's last appearance came in early December, when he limped off before half-time against Brentford. To give the 21-year-old his first minutes back at the San Siro was a clear show of faith from Arteta and Mosquera rewarded it. He came in alongside William Saliba and showed no signs of looking rusty and unsettled by the occasion. Back in action: Cristhian Mosquera (Arsenal FC via Getty Images) There were two perfect blocks to stop Marcus Thuram shots troubling David Raya and Mosquera went toe-to-toe with the striker throughout. It was also about what the centre-back did not do. When Sucic drove into open space around the Arsenal area, Mosquera stayed on his feet, shut the door and forced the pass wide. There was a real maturity to his performance, particularly considering his age. Mosquera showed he can be trusted whenever Gabriel and Saliba drop out of the side. Strikers battle it out Jesus is still yet to start a match in the Premier League this season but that surely cannot be far away. The Brazilian presented a very compelling case to Arteta for why he should be starting over the Gyokeres with an impressive display. His two first-half goals were poacher finishes, the kind of ruthless striker instincts that Arsenal need more of from Gyokeres. Jesus played his part in a very fluid attacking display. His lay-off was part of a lovely move that he finished for the opening goal. He could well have had an assist too, but Bukayo Saka took too long to get his shot away and it was deflected over. Gabriel Jesus scored twice in Arsenals win over Inter Milan (Arsenal FC via Getty Images) The pressure was on, then, when Gyokeres came on for the 15 minutes and he responded exactly as he needed too. The Swede was strong when wrestling with defenders and then produced a brilliant curling finish to put the match to bed. When Manchester United make the trip to north London on Sunday, Arteta will have two confident strikers waiting for them. Selected from a field of 59 elite innovators, GrayMatter's adaptive robotics are set to transform defense maintenance through high-speed, AI-driven automation CARSON, Calif., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GrayMatter Robotics, a leader in AI-powered surface finishing automation, announced its selection as one of five finalists in the Department of Defense (DoD) Maintenance Innovation Challenge (MIC), chosen from 59 competitive submissions. The company will present its AI-driven robotic maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) solutions to senior defense maintenance leaders at the 2025 DoD Maintenance Symposium, now scheduled for Jan. 2023, 2026, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. GrayMatter Robotics' finalist submission, "AI-Powered Robotic Maintenance Repair and Overhaul," demonstrates how the company's proprietary GMR-AI platform enables geometry-agnostic, adaptive automation without preprogramming. The Maintenance Innovation Challenge, facilitated by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) and sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for DefenseMaterial Readiness, identifies transformative technologies with the potential to revolutionize DoD maintenance and sustainment operations. GrayMatter's selection underscores the strategic importance of autonomous surface finishing capabilities in maintaining military readiness across air, land, and sea domains. "This recognition validates our mission to solve the most challenging problems in defense maintenance through Physical AI," said Ariyan Kabir, CEO and co-founder of GrayMatter Robotics. "Our technology directly addresses the DoD's critical maintenance workforce shortage while dramatically improving turnaround times for essential weapon systems. By automating the most ergonomically demanding and time-intensive surface preparation tasks, we're enabling maintainers to focus on higher-value work that keeps our warfighters mission-ready." Revolutionary Approach to Defense Maintenance Automation GrayMatter Robotics' finalist submission, "AI-Powered Robotic Maintenance Repair and Overhaul," demonstrates how the company's proprietary GMR-AI platform enables geometry-agnostic, adaptive automation without preprogramming. The technology addresses critical challenges in military depot maintenance, including: Closed-Loop Workflow Integration : Combining surface preparation, coating, and inspection into a single adaptive process that reduces rework and scraps : Combining surface preparation, coating, and inspection into a single adaptive process that reduces rework and scraps Dramatic Labor Reduction : Minimizing manpower requirements for labor-intensive sanding, blasting, and coating operations across aircraft, ships, vehicles, and submarines : Minimizing manpower requirements for labor-intensive sanding, blasting, and coating operations across aircraft, ships, vehicles, and submarines Accelerated Maintenance Timelines : Reducing depot flow days and increasing fleet availability through autonomous operations : Reducing depot flow days and increasing fleet availability through autonomous operations Enhanced Quality Consistency: Delivering repeatable, specification-compliant surface finishes critical for coating adhesion and corrosion prevention The company's physics-informed AI approach uniquely handles high-variability defense assets, from canopies to submarine components, adapting in real time to part geometry without manual programming a capability that traditionally requires weeks of skilled technician time. Strategic Impact on Defense Readiness The selection comes at a critical time as the DoD faces mounting maintenance backlogs and workforce challenges. With more than 1.5 million unfilled manufacturing jobs nationally and turnover rates exceeding 70% in surface finishing roles, autonomous solutions are essential for maintaining the organic industrial base's capacity to support global operations. Competition Excellence Among Elite Field Selected alongside innovations from the U.S. Marine Corps' Marine Depot Maintenance Command and other leading defense technology providers, GrayMatter Robotics distinguished itself through: Technical Maturity : Production-ready systems currently deployed at major defense contractors : Production-ready systems currently deployed at major defense contractors Cross-Service Applicability : Applicable capabilities across Air Force, Navy, and Army maintenance requirements : Applicable capabilities across Air Force, Navy, and Army maintenance requirements Measurable Impact : Demonstrated 10x productivity improvements with 95% reduction in rework rates : Demonstrated 10x productivity improvements with 95% reduction in rework rates Rapid Implementation: Turnkey deployment within two weeks versus months for traditional automation The five finalists will present their solutions during a high-profile breakout session at the symposium, with winners of the Overall Award and People's Choice Award receiving $50,000 in in-kind support from NCMS for further DoD demonstrations. Building on Defense Innovation Momentum This MIC recognition adds to GrayMatter Robotics' growing portfolio of defense contracts and partnerships, including: AFWERX SBIR Direct to Phase II contract for Smart Robotic Canopy Sanding Systems Active engagements with multiple Air Logistics Complexes for depot modernization Strategic partnerships with defense primes for submarine and aircraft maintenance The company's dual-use technology, developed with commercial and defense applications in mind, has already processed millions of surface area across aerospace, defense, and specialty vehicle sectors. About the DoD Maintenance Symposium The 2025 DoD Maintenance Symposium, originally scheduled for December 2025 in Louisville, has been rescheduled to Jan. 2023, 2026, at the Phoenix Convention Center due to government operational requirements. The symposium is the DoD's only official forum dedicated exclusively to weapon system maintenance and sustainment, attracting more than 3,000 military maintenance professionals, government officials, and industry partners. The Maintenance Innovation Challenge presentations will feature prominently in the symposium agenda, providing finalists direct access to senior sustainment leaders, program managers, and acquisition officials who shape maintenance policy and investment priorities across the defense enterprise. About GrayMatter Robotics GrayMatter Robotics, headquartered in Carson, California, designs advanced, physics-informed, AI-driven robotic cells that empower high-mix manufacturers to tackle complex, ergonomically challenging surface finishing tasks, such as sanding, grinding, buffing, polishing, blasting, and spraying. Featuring proprietary technologies like GMR-AI, GMR-Guardian, GMR-Care, GMR-Insights, and GMR-ProcessPro, GrayMatter Robotics enhances productivity, safety, and sustainability through streamlined, turnkey automation accessible to manufacturers of all sizes. Founded in 2020, the company serves diverse manufacturing sectors, including aerospace and defense, marine and boat building, specialty vehicles, general manufacturing, and recreation and consumer products. Named one of Fast Company's most innovative companies in robotics and engineering for 2025, GrayMatter Robotics is accelerating the transformation of American manufacturing. For more information about GrayMatter Robotics' defense maintenance solutions, visit www.graymatter-robotics.com . Media Contact: Christina Ko GrayMatter Robotics [email protected] (310) 283-2335 SOURCE GrayMatter Robotics Inc. Timothy Busfield to be edited out of upcoming romantic comedy after child sex abuse arrest Timothy Busfield is set to be edited out of an upcoming romantic comedy after he was arrested and charged with child sexual abuse. The West Wing actor, 68, surrendered to Albuquerque police on January 13, four days after an arrest warrant charged him with two counts of criminal sexual contact and child abuse in connection with alleged incidents that occurred while working on the set of Fox series The Cleaning Lady. Deadline reports that Busfield will now be cut out of You Deserve Each Other, a rom-com starring Penn Badgley and Meghann Fahy. The film, based on Sarah Hogles bestselling 2020 novel, follows an unhappy couple whose attempts to sabotage their own wedding end up bringing them closer. Busfield had reportedly already filmed his scenes as Bernie, the father of Fahys character Naomi, but they will now be discarded. No release date for the movie has yet been announced. Timothy Busfield, pictured in New York in 2020, is facing allegations of child sexual abuse (Steven Ferdman/Getty Images) Last week, NBC pulled an episode ofLaw & Order: SVU that was set to guest-star Busfield as a judge. At the time Busfield turned himself in to police, his lawyer Larry Stein said in a statement to The Independent: Tim Busfield denies the allegations in the criminal complaint and maintains they are completely false. As a voluntary step, he submitted to an independent polygraph examination regarding those allegations and passed. After Busfields arrest, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bergman and Deputy DA Savannah Brandenburg-Koch filed paperwork to keep Busfield behind bars while he awaits trial, citing new allegations that the actor groped a 16-year-old girl. According to the court filing, obtained by Deadline, the father of the newest alleged victim came forward on January 13 and told police that several years ago, his teen daughter alleged that Busfield kissed her and put his hands down her pants and touched her privates while she auditioned at the Sacramento theatre he founded, B Street Theatre. Following those allegations and the actors first court appearance on January 14, where he did not enter a plea, Busfields team submitted documents on January 16 opposing the motion to keep him locked up before trial. The States attempt to transform responsible self-surrender into aggravating conduct only underscores the absence of genuine evidence of dangerousness, the documents read, per Deadline. Known for his roles in The West Wing and Field of Dreams, Busfield was working on season two of The Cleaning Lady as a director and executive producer when he met the two young boys who have accused him of inappropriately touching them. One of the boys alleged that the incidents started when he was seven years old, according to the arrest warrant. The Fox show was cancelled last year. Stein said in a statement that the allegations against him are an attempt by the boys mother to get revenge after the actors were not cast in the final season of the show. Busfield has maintained his innocence, denying all allegations against him. If convicted, he faces years in prison. A dingo on a beach at Fraser Island, Australia (Getty Images) Authorities in Australia are investigating whether a 19-year-old Canadian woman, whose body was discovered on a beach on Monday, was killed by dingoes. The woman was found on Kgari, formerly known as Fraser Island, with police confirming her body had been "interfered with" by native Australian dogs. However, officers have refrained from speculating on the precise cause of death, highlighting that her body was discovered approximately 90 minutes after she had gone for a morning swim. The incident occurred on the worlds largest sand island, located off the Queensland state coast. Police were alerted to the scene, near a popular shipwreck tourist attraction, at 6.35am. Two men were driving an SUV along the beach when they saw around 10 dingoes near the body, Police Insp. Paul Algie said. An Australian dingo is photographed at the Australian Wildlife Park near Sydney on April 4, 1998. (AP Photo/Russell McPhedran, File) (AP1998) It was obviously a very traumatic and horrific scene for them to uncover, Algie told reporters. I can confirm there was markings on her body consistent with having been touched and interfered with by the dingoes, he added. A post-mortem examination of the remains to determine the cause of death was expected to be completed on Wednesday. We simply cant confirm whether this young lady drowned or died as a result of being attacked by dingoes, Algie said. Mapped: Kgari, formerly known as Fraser Island The woman had been working at a tourist accommodation on the island for about six weeks. Three years ago, a pack of dingoes mauled a 23-year-old jogger in an attack police said was almost fatal. The dogs had driven the woman into the surf before a tourist came to her rescue, beating off the attackers. Police said the man had saved her life. About 200 dingoes roam free on Kgari and are a protected native species at the World Heritage-listed national park. The younger animals have become more aggressive and less fearful of humans since tourists returned in large numbers following the COVID-19 pandemic. Marine Le Pens political career could depend on the outcome of her appeal trial in Paris - Shutterstock A French judge has claimed Donald Trumps envoys tried to influence Marine Le Pens trial, which could block her from running for president. Magali Lafourcade, a prominent magistrate and human rights campaigner, said she was approached by diplomats seeking information to cast the trial as purely political. The revelation has emerged as the former National Rally (RN) leaders high-stakes appeal trial opened in Paris this week. Ms Le Pen, 57, is appealing a landmark ruling handed down on March 31, when a Paris court found her guilty of misusing European Parliament funds to pay party staff under the so-called fake jobs scheme at the then Front National, now the RN. She was sentenced to a prison term, partly suspended, and an immediate five-year ban from public office, a penalty that currently bars her from standing in the 2027 presidential election. Mr Trump, the US president, condemned the verdict as another example of European leftists using lawfare to silence free speech and added free Marine Le Pen in a post on Truth Social. Donald Trump shared a long post on social media after Ms Le Pens trial last year - Reuters Peimane Ghaleh-Marzban, the president of the Paris court that sentenced Ms Le Pen in March, previously warned against unacceptable American meddling in her appeal. But Ms Lafourcade told France 5s En societe, a television programme, that in May she was approached by two representatives linked to the Trump administration at the request of the US embassy in Paris. She said: We were supposed to have a discussion about human rights, as I regularly do with diplomats from allied countries. And quite quickly, the conversation turned to Marine Le Pens criminal situation. According to Ms Lafourcade, the envoys were seeking material that could accredit the idea that this was a purely political trial to prevent her from running for president. The aim was to find proof of interference, she said, adding that while the exchange was courteous, it left her unsettled. I was surprised by the content of the conversation, she said. It seemed to me that it was my duty to make an alert. Magali Lafourcade, a magistrate, has made claims of an approach by members of the Trump administration Ms Lafourcade said she reported the meeting, which she dated to May 28 2025, to the French foreign ministry, stressing that such a step was unusual in her dealings with foreign diplomats and that the ministry took it seriously. She also warned of a broader climate of pressure on judges abroad, citing sanctions imposed on magistrates involved in cases touching on Mr Trumps circle. The US has sanctioned 11 judges in recent months from the International Criminal Court (ICC). These include a French judge involved in approving an ICC arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, for war crimes in Gaza. Ms Lafourcade described the sanctions as forms of intimidation that go beyond the national framework. Her claims revive the warnings from senior French judges against what they called potential unacceptable and intolerable interference after Germanys Der Spiegel reported that the Trump administration was considering sanctions against magistrates involved in Ms Le Pens sentencing. The former RN leaders appeal trial is now under way in Paris. On Tuesday, Ms Le Pen, who denies wrongdoing, said she disagreed with accusations that a system of embezzlement had been put in place to syphon EU funds to pay for national party members. A court sketch of Marine Le Pen as her appeal begins in Paris - AFP The term system bothers me because it gives the impression of manipulation, she told the court, referring to a key charge in the prosecutions case, which was upheld by the judges in the first instance. Ms Le Pen, her party, and 10 other executives stand accused of misusing EU funds to pay party employees between 2004 and 2016, when it was experiencing financial difficulties due to poor election results. Of the 25 people convicted in the first instance, half have appealed. If Ms Le Pens electoral ban is upheld, she has made it clear that her protege and party president, Jordan Bardella, 30, will take her place. Both are riding high in the polls, which suggest the party has never had a better chance of clinching the French presidency. The trial continues. Donald Trumps drastic demolition and revamping of the White Houses East Wing is reportedly hiding a far more secretive construction project, about which few details are known. Building work has been underway since October after the president unveiled plans for his lavish ballroom now estimated to be costing up to $400 million but court documents have hinted that another classified project is being carried out simultaneously. White House director of management and administration Joshua Fisher said previously that the overall East Wing project would [enhance] mission critical functionality and make necessary security enhancements. Observers have speculated that the top secret work is a refurbishment of the underground presidential bunker, first commissioned in 1941 to protect the president in the event of an attack on the U.S. There are some things regarding this project that are, frankly, of top-secret nature that we are currently working on, Fisher said, during a recent meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission. That does not preclude us from changing the above-grade structure, but that work needed to be considered when doing this project, which was not part of the NCPC process. Trump tore down the East Wing of the White House for his multi-million dollar ballroom and now he is renovating the bunker beneath it, according to a report (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Fisher cited the project as part of the reason why demolition for the ballroom had begun before specific permission had been given by the commission. According to recent court filings obtained by CNN, the White House defended the East Wing demolition by saying stopping the process would endanger national security and therefore impair the public interest. A source close to the project told the outlet with a high degree of confidence that all of the subterranean structures [seem] to be gone, to make way for refurbishment. Now reports speculate that work might be done on the bunker underneath the old East Wing (Getty Images) The Independent has contacted the White House for comment about reported plans to revamp a bunker under the White House. The presence of a subterranean facility initially built to serve as a place for the Commander-in-Chief to shelter from a nuclear blast, has evolved in the years since it was first constructed in 1941. All the infrastructure is 1940s infrastructure, CNNs source added. The US National Archives have released photographs from inside the White House in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks As well as living quarters, including beds, food and water and other supplies, the bunker has external communication facilities, other sources who have seen the bunker told the outlet. The space also includes the Presidential Emergency Operations Center a centralized command and control facility for administration officials to contact the outside world in case of a nuclear attack. Over the years the bunker has been used for all manner of national security events including an evacuation of Dick Cheney on 9/11 as well as the planning of Joe Bidens secret trip to Ukraine in 2023. Sources said that several contingencies remain should the president need to be evacuated while work on the bunker is still being carried out. Trump has said multiple times that the cost of his presidential ballroom will be footed by private donors. The exact costs of the refortified bunker, likely falling onto the taxpayer, may never be known. Emmanuel Macron wearing sunglasses owing to what he described as a mild eye condition called Trumps proposed tariffs on European countries useless aggressivity. Photograph: Jeanne Accorsini/Sipa/Shutterstock (Photograph: Jeanne Accorsini/Sipa/Shutterstock) European leaders have lined up to condemn Donald Trumps new colonialism and warn that the continent was facing a crossroads as the US president said there was no going back on his goal of controlling Greenland. After weeks of aggressive threats by Trump to seize the vast Arctic island, which is a largely autonomous part of Denmark, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said on Tuesday he preferred respect to bullies and the rule of law to brutality. Macron told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that now was not a time for new imperialism or new colonialism, criticising the useless aggressivity of Trumps pledge to levy tariffs on countries that opposed a US takeover of Greenland. The US was seeking to weaken and subordinate Europe by demanding maximum concessions and imposing tariffs that were fundamentally unacceptable even more so when they are used as leverage against territorial sovereignty, he said, wearing sunglasses because of an eye condition. Trumps push for Greenland has intensified in recent weeks, with the president saying the US would take control of the vast Arctic island one way or the other and: Now it is time, and it will be done!!! He is expected to visit Davos and give a speech on Wednesday. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said Trumps threat to impose a 10% tariff on imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland unless they dropped their objections to his plans was a mistake. Appearing to call Trumps trustworthiness into question, she also noted the EU and US had agreed to a trade deal last July, and in politics, as in business, a deal is a deal. When friends shake hands, it must mean something. Europeans, she added, consider the people of the US not just our allies, but our friends. She warned against plunging relations into a downward spiral, but said the EUs response, if necessary, would be unflinching, united and proportional. Belgiums prime minister, Bart De Wever, said Europe was at a crossroads and so many red lines are being crossed by Trump that the continent had to stand up for itself or lose its dignity The most precious thing you can have in a democracy. De Wever said he would like to confirm that [the US] is an ally, but they have to behave like an ally. Eighty years of Atlanticism could be coming to an end, he said. A Nato country is threatening another Nato country with military invasion. Related: Gavin Newsom attacks Europes complicity over Trump Greenland demands Trump posted on social media on Tuesday that during a call with the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, he had expressed very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back. He posted an AI image of himself, the US vice-president, JD Vance, and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, planting a US flag next to a sign reading: Greenland, US territory est. 2026. Another image showed a map with Canada and Greenland as part of the US. Separately, the US president posted a message to him from Macron, who said he did not understand what you are doing on Greenland. The US president had earlier threatened to hit French wine and champagne with a 200% tariff if Macron did not accept an invite to join his Board of Peace. The spiralling row has plunged trade relations between the EU and the US into fresh chaos, forcing the bloc to consider retaliatory measures, and also risks unravelling the Nato transatlantic alliance that has guaranteed western security for decades. The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, fresh from a trip to Beijing to forge a new Canada-China partnership, told Davos the worlds middle powers need to work together to build a better world order. It seems that every day we are reminded that we live in an era of great power rivalry. That the rules-based order is fading, Carney said in a speech that ended with a standing ovation. Carney said the world faces the end of a pleasant fiction and the dawn of a harsh reality of geopolitics in which the great powers are unconstrained. We know the old order is not coming back. We shouldnt mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy, he said. UK prime minister Keir Starmers response to Trumps Greenland threats has been more muted than those of his French and Canadian counterparts, but it has shifted slightly from his usually deeply cautious approach towards the US president. He told his cabinet on Tuesday that US tariffs were the wrong thing to do, while his government is pressing ahead with plans - criticised by the US president as an act of great stupidity - to cede the Chagos islands to Mauritius. While Starmers strategy to deal with Trump - maintaining a steady approach in the face of the chaos the US president has unfurled - is being called into question at home, sources said he for now has his cabinets backing. I dont think wed gain very much from attacks just to get some headlines for a day or two, only to cause irreparable damage to a partnership thats so important to us, one said. In what appeared to be an attempt to smooth over US-UK relations, the US House speaker Mike Johnson told parliament that he had spoken at length to Trump yesterday on Monday - and that his mission in London was to help calm the waters. Trump is due to be at the WEF gathering with EU leaders who are mulling retaliatory measures that could include a package of tariffs on 93bn (80bn) of US imports that has been suspended for six months. Another option is the blocs anti-coercion instrument (ACI), which has never been used but would limit US access to public tenders, investments or banking activities and restrict trade in services, including digital services. Senior MEPs on the European parliaments international trade committee are expected to announce on Wednesday the formal suspension of ratification of the EU-US trade deal sealed in July, after a deal between the largest political groups, a European parliament source said. However, the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said that US relations with Europe were strong and urged partners to take a deep breath and let tensions over Greenland play out. Bessent said a solution would be found and European hysteria was unjustified. Its been 48 hours. Sit back, relax, he said. I am confident the leaders will not escalate and that this will work out in a manner that ends up in a very good place for all. Greenlands prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said in the capital, Nuuk, that it was unlikely military force would be used, but it could be. Greenland is part of Nato, and if there is an escalation, it will have consequences for the outside world, he said. The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, speaking in the Danish parliament, said that the worst may still be ahead of us. Frederiksen added that her country had never sought conflict. We have consistently sought cooperation. Trump has repeatedly said the US needs to take control of Greenland for national security, despite the US already having a military base on the island and a bilateral agreement with Denmark allowing it to massively expand its presence there. Von der Leyen said in her speech that the EU was working on a package for Arctic security based on Greenlandic and Danish sovereignty, a big investment surge in Greenland, and cooperation with the US in the region. The Danish public broadcaster TV2 reported that 58 Danish troops had landed in Greenland on Tuesday to join about 60 others who were dispatched earlier for a multinational military exercise, Operation Arctic Endurance. European leaders are considering establishing a more permanent military presence in the high north to help guarantee security in the Arctic region, a key US demand, the Swedish defence minister, Pal Jonson, said. Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said he had no plans to travel to Davos but could change his plans if his delegation and US officials make a breakthrough in peace efforts aimed at ending the war in his country. One of the victims, Nico Antic, 12, is in for the fight of his life, after a shark bit him Australia has been left shocked by four shark attacks in New South Wales in under 48 hours, two of which have left their victims in critical condition. A 39-year-old surfer is the latest victim in the string of shark attacks after being bitten on Tuesday morning on the Mid North Coast, about 250 miles north of Sydney. While Australians are used to occasional shark attacks along the countrys vast coastline, it is highly unusual for multiple attacks to occur in such a short period, and even more unusual for three to occur in the waters of a city like Sydney. One of the victims, Nico Antic, 12, is in for the fight of his life, police say, while a 27-year-old musician, Andre de Ruyter, also remains in hospital with an amputated leg. A third victim managed to escape an attack unharmed. The fourth victim is in a stable condition in hospital. An 11-year-old surfer escaped unharmed after a shark attack at Dee Why Beach Experts say recent heavy rainfall in Sydney may have contributed to the attacks, flushing rubbish and other debris into the harbour and ocean and attracting bull sharks, an aggressive species that favours murky or brackish water. All northern beaches will remain closed for at least 48 hours. First incident: Sydney Harbour The first attack occurred on Sunday afternoon inside Sydney Harbour when Nico was swimming with friends outside a netted area in the harbourside suburb of Vaucluse. He sustained very serious injuries to his legs in the sudden attack. Nico had jumped from a rock ledge near Shark Beach at Nielsen Park, in the citys east, when he was attacked at about 4.20pm local time (5.20am GMT). While the species of shark involved in the attack has not been formally identified, police believe it was a bull shark based on the bite marks. One of Nicos friends, of a similar age, dived into the water to help, while two others pulled him onto a nearby rock platform, where he lost consciousness. Officers on a water police boat arrived within minutes. A New South Wales Police officer applied tourniquets to his legs to stem heavy bleeding, while colleagues performed CPR. He was taken to Rose Bay ferry wharf.. Emergency services at Shark Beach following an attack on a 12-year-old boy Insp Giles Buchanan, of the NSW ambulance service, said: It was touch and go the entire time. By the time Nico reached the wharf, paramedics had resuscitated him. He received several blood transfusions before being taken to Sydney Childrens Hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma in intensive care and underwent surgery. Supt Joseph McNulty said: The actions of his mates who have gone into the water to pull him out have been nothing but brave, [it was] a gallant recovery from his mates. Hes in for the fight of his life now, and the actions of emergency services yesterday gave him that chance. It was a horrendous scene at the time when police attended. We believe it was something like a bull shark that attacked the lower limbs of that boy yesterday. Authorities warned swimmers and surfers to exercise caution after recent heavy rainfall made coastal waters murky, increasing the likelihood of sharks approaching shore. The boys were jumping off a six-metre rock thats popular in the Vaucluse area into that brackish water. We believe the combination of the brackish water, the fresh water, the actions of the splashing may have made that perfect storm environment for that shark attack yesterday, said Supt McNulty. Shark experts from the state Department of Primary Industries say they think the attack was carried out by a bull shark. They believe a bull shark was likely responsible based on the nature of the injuries and the environmental conditions at the site, a statement said. Our thoughts are with the boy, his family and the other young people who witnessed the incident. Second incident: Dee Why On Monday, an 11-year-old boy was surfing at Dee Why Beach in northern Sydney just before lunchtime when a shark lunged at his board, biting it several times and knocking him into the water. Images showed a large chunk missing from the side of the surfboard. The boy screamed for help and was rescued by his father and a bystander. Witnesses reported seeing a bull shark, possibly up to 1.5 metres long. A piece of the board has been sent to NSW Fisheries to help identify the shark. Dee Why beach is expected to remain closed for up to 48 hours - Jeremy Piper Third incident: Manly A third shark attack on Monday evening left 27-year-old South Coast musician Andre de Ruyter fighting for his life at Manly. Mr de Ruyter was pulled from the water shortly after 6.20pm, NSW Ambulance said. His lower right leg was amputated overnight at Royal North Shore Hospital, where he remains in intensive care. Andre de Ruyter, 27, was pulled from the water by fellow surfers and taken to shore after being attacked by a shark in Manly Surf cameras captured the chaotic rescue as another surfer dragged him toward the sand while paramedics performed CPR, a helicopter hovered overhead, and lifeguards cleared the water. Surfer Dayyan Neve was among those who rushed to help, using a leg rope as a makeshift tourniquet as Mr de Ruyter fell out of consciousness. The poor guy, I dont think he was feeling much by then we were just talking to him and we were all just trying to keep him awake, Mr Neve said on Monday night. Surfers stick together we all know to grab a tourniquet when theres talk of a shark attack, all of us would do it for each other. It is high summer in Australia and warmer water tends to attract sharks, particularly bull sharks, said expert David Baxter. The water temperature is optimum now so there are migratory species like bull sharks cruising up and down our beaches, he said. The fact is that conditions are just right for a species like the bull shark. Weve got dirty water, it was overcast, there had been rain, run-off from the creeks and the drains stimulate the curiosity of the sharks, he told ABC Radio. They dont have hands, so they feel with their mouth. Because their teeth are so sharp, they may sever a major artery. After all the big storms we have had, and the run-off, I personally wouldnt go in the water. We have had attacks in the harbour and I am predicting there will be more. Fourth incident: NSW Mid North Coast The fourth attack occurred on Tuesday morning, when a 39-year-old man was bitten by a shark while surfing at Point Plomer Beach, near Crescent Head, around 10am local time (11pm GMT). The shark reportedly bit through his board, but the man escaped serious injury, suffering only minor cuts and grazes to one leg. Bite marks in the side of the mans board after the fourth shark incident at Point Plomer Beach Local surfers reported seeing multiple bull sharks in the area before the attack. Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce told the ABC the surfer was fortunate to avoid serious injury and is now recovering in hospital in a stable condition. The area is known for some shark activity, Mr Pearce said. Hes very lucky not to have sustained any serious injuries. The location of the attack is isolated, not netted, and has no smart drumlines in place. Sir Keir Starmer has delayed his Chagos Islands handover deal in the face of backlash from the US after Donald Trump labelled it an act of great stupidity. The UK governments plan to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, which was set to be debated in the House of Lords on Monday, has now been withdrawn, amid warnings it could breach a treaty with the US that asserts the UKs sovereignty over the archipelago. Ministers have furiously accused peers of interfering with Britains national security and irresponsible and reckless behaviour in response to the news. While sources insist the bill will return, opponents claim it cannot move forward without support from the US. Mr Trump, in a scathing attack on Britain earlier this week, said there was no reason whatsoever for the deal to be struck, adding that it is another national security reason why Greenland must be acquired by his country. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump added: Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. Keir Starmer and Donald Trump speak at the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt in October last year (PA) As the deal faces further delay, here is why it matters. What is the Chagos deal? Last year, Sir Keir agreed a deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while retaining control of the UK-US military base on the island of Diego Garcia. In return, the UK has been promised a 99-year lease on the base, in return for an average annual fee of 101m in current prices. The government estimates this will mean a total cost of 3.4bn. These islands are currently governed by the UK as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), and have been in some form since 1814. In 1965, the UK and US officially detached the islands from Mauritius for joint defence purposes, creating a separate colony and forcibly removing native Chagossians soon after. Mauritius will be free to arrange the resettlement of Chagossians on all islands in the archipelago under the terms, except for Diego Garcia. The UK has agreed to lease a military base on the Chagos Islands (CPA Media Pte Ltd/Alamy/PA) Mr Trump appeared to indicate his support for the deal last year, telling Sir Keir during his visit to the White House in February that he was inclined to go with your country and that he had a feeling its going to work out very well. Why was a deal being agreed now? International law had long called into question the UKs sovereignty over the BIOT, with the feeling largely mirrored by the Chagossian community. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion on the arrangement, finding that the UK had an obligation to bring its administration of the islands to an end as rapidly as possible. This was not a legally binding judgement, and the Conservative administration in power at the time disagreed with it. Less than a year after his election victory, Sir Keir announced that Labour was taking a different approach and striking a deal with Mauritius. This is absolutely vital for the safety and security of the British people, he said. The government argues that the deal will guarantee the Diego Garcia base for the long term, avert the risk of future legal judgments affecting the UKs ability to use the base, and secure the base and islands against China or other states that may want to set up a presence there. Following Mr Trumps comments, a government spokesperson said: The UK will never compromise on our national security. We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it from operating as intended in future. US president Donald Trump has criticised the UKs Chagos Islands deal with Mauritius (PA) This deal secures the operations of the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia for generations, with robust provisions for keeping its unique capabilities intact and our adversaries out. It has been publicly welcomed by the US, Australia and all other Five Eyes allies, as well as key international partners including India, Japan and South Korea. Why has Starmer delayed the deal? The decision to pull the deal comes as Trump disparaged the agreement on Tuesday as a great act of stupidity, despite his government having previously been content with the terms. But a Labour source in the Lords said that the US presidents remarks had no bearing on the decision to reschedule the Bill for another day, instead blaming a counter-response from Tory peers to the deal. They said: It is simply a response to Tory peers having flexed their much greater numbers in the House by tabling a wrecking amendment to a government bill just hours before the end of business ahead of a scheduled debate on the next sitting day. The Tory amendment, which has not appeared on Parliaments website but was seen by the Press Association, also called for the government to ensure the Chagos deal does not breach a 1966 treaty signed with the US, which confirms British sovereignty of the islands. It would also ensure ministers give the Chagossian people, banished from the islands in the 1960s and 1970s, a formal say over the deal. The later stages of parliamentary scrutiny, which the Chagos Deal is currently in, are known as ping pong, where it bounces back and forth between the Commons and Lords as they attempt to amend elements of it. Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands, which the UK will lease from Mauritius to continue operating the joint US-UK military base there. Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty Images (Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty Images) The UK will press ahead with plans to hand the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius despite Donald Trump calling it an act of great stupidity and suggesting it was among the reasons he wants to take over Greenland. The US president said ceding sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, which includes the Diego Garcia military base, was a sign of total weakness by the UK. The unexpected move caught the UK government off guard after Trump warmly endorsed the handover when Keir Starmer visited the White House last year and the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, signed it off. Downing Street insisted on Tuesday that the US still supported the agreement, which is intended to provide a firm legal basis for the operation of the strategically important facility, despite Trumps remarks. Starmers official spokesperson said: Our position remains unchanged. This deal secures the operations of the joint US-UK base for generations. It has robust provisions for keeping its unique capabilities intact and our adversaries out. It has been publicly welcomed by the US. As the world grows more dangerous, so too does the importance of the base for our national security. Its one of the most significant contributions to the UK and US intelligence and security relationship, and almost every operation from the base is in partnership with the US. Trump, who is travelling to Davos in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, made the claim as he ramped up his rhetoric on Greenland, firing off a flurry of posts on his Truth Social platform about taking over the Arctic territory, which is part of Denmark. He wrote: Shockingly, our brilliant Nato Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital US Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognise STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Trumps comments will add fuel to Conservative and Reform criticism of the move. Both parties have cited US concerns as a reason to drop the deal with Mauritius, but they have been met with surprise by Labour as they had previously criticised Trumps threats over Greenland. The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, said: Paying to surrender the Chagos islands is not just an act of stupidity but of complete self sabotage. Ive been clear, and unfortunately on this issue President Trump is right. Keir Starmers plan to give away the Chagos Islands is a terrible policy that weakens UK security and hands away our sovereign territory. And, to top it off, makes us and our Nato allies weaker in face of our enemies. The Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, said: Thank goodness Trump has vetoed the surrender of the Chagos Islands. However, the chief secretary to the prime minister, Darren Jones, suggested Trumps intervention would not have an effect on the UKs deal with Mauritius and that it was no longer possible to reverse the clock on the decision. Weve done a deal with the Mauritian government, weve legislated for the process, weve agreed the terms of the treaty, which has been signed, he told Sky News. This is the way in which to secure that military base for the next 100 years. The welfare secretary, Pat McFadden, who is close to Starmer, told broadcasters: I think what we saw last night was a series of posts criticising a number of world leaders. That may tell us that the president is frustrated right now. Related: What are the Chagos Islands and why is the UK returning them to Mauritius? I dont really believe this is about Chagos, I think its about Greenland, and the best way to resolve that is through dialogue with the Danish government, and thats what weve said all along. The UK has signed a 3.4bn agreement to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius but it is facing significant opposition in the House of Lords. Under the plan, Britain will cede control over the islands to Mauritius but lease the largest, Diego Garcia, for 99 years to continue operating a joint US-UK military base there. Downing Street has said in the past that the deal is a legal necessity and is backed by the five eyes intelligence-sharing partnership with the UK. A UN court gave an advisory opinion in 2021 that the UK did not have rightful sovereignty over the archipelago. At the time of the agreement in May 2025, Rubio welcomed it as historic. This is a critical asset for regional and global security, he said. President Trump expressed his support for this monumental achievement during his meeting with prime minister Starmer at the White House. This milestone reflects the enduring strength of the US-UK relationship. Critics of the handover have said the deal gives China an opening in the region because of its close relations with Mauritius. Trump has regularly cited fears of Chinese influence as a reason he intends the US to take over Greenland. The UK will reimburse visa fees and fast-track applications for top international firms under plans to be announced by Rachel Reeves. The Chancellor will pitch Britain as a haven of stability in a volatile world as she seeks to woo business chiefs at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday. In a speech at the gathering in the Swiss Alps, Ms Reeves is expected to unveil incentives for global companies in AI, life sciences and sustainable energy industries to invest in the UK as part of her push for growth. Rachel Reeves will lead a delegation including Peter Kyle and Yvette Cooper to the Swiss Alps town (Jordan Pettitt/PA) (Jordan Pettitt) Under the proposals, visa fees will be reimbursed for select trailblazers in deep tech sectors and workers joining British companies in these priority industries, the Treasury said. Meanwhile, companies seeking to grow their footprint in the UK will be offered fast-track processing for their sponsor licenses. It comes as tensions simmer between Washington and European countries including Britain after US President Donald Trumps threats of a trade war over Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory in the Kingdom of Denmark. In an emergency press conference on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer called for calm and co-operation between allies amid the dispute over the mineral-rich island, which Mr Trump wants to take over because of its strategic Arctic location. But the US President, who is also expected to attend the gathering in Switzerland, said he was 100% committed to hiking import taxes on the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland. He said he would charge Britain a 10% tariff on any and all goods sent to the US from February 1, increasing to 25% from June 1, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland from Denmark. And asked if he would use force to seize Greenland, the president told NBC News: No comment. Ms Reeves will lead a delegation including Business Secretary Peter Kyle and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to the Swiss Alps, where she is expected to take part in a panel discussion including US secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick. There are no current plans for the Prime Minister to go, it is understood. Ahead of her appearance at the summit, Ms Reeves said: In a volatile world Britain stands out. This Government is making sure Britain is home to the stability, talent and capital that businesses and investors want and that drive greater growth. Some countries give you a platform, but Britain gives you momentum. My message at Davos this week is clear: choose Britain its the best place in the world to invest. Ukraines armed forces are introducing a new facet of air defence, made up of small groups deploying interceptor drones, as the country braces for new mass Russian attacks, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday. Ukraine is still reeling from a wave of Russian strikes earlier this month that knocked out power and heating to thousands of apartment blocks in freezing temperatures, particularly in the capital, and Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for air defences to be strengthened. There will be a new approach to the use of air defences by the air force, concerning mobile fire groups, interceptor drones and other short-range air defence assets, the Ukrainian president said in his nightly video address. The system will be transformed. Zelenskyy announced the appointment of a new deputy air force commander, Pavlo Yelizarov, to oversee and develop the innovation. NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Harvest Partners, LP ("Harvest" or "the Firm") today announced that Partners Steve Fessler, Jim Mitchel and Nick Romano have joined the Private Equity Investment Committee. In addition, Harvest announced several promotions within the Private Equity team, including Lucas Rogers to Partner, Matthew Bruckmann and Ian Singleton to Principal, and Connor Scro to Vice President. Harvest announced an additional 13 promotions across the Firm within Credit & Capital Markets, Portfolio Support, Investor Relations, Legal, Finance, and Operations. Michael DeFlorio, Harvest CEO, said, "We are thrilled to have such a strong year of promotions at Harvest. We believe deeply in a talent-first approach and recognizing those individuals that have made significant impacts to our business. Importantly, we are highly focused on providing pathways that continue to allow for professional growth and are excited for the year ahead." Stephen Carlson, President, Private Equity, at Harvest, added, "Congratulations to these individuals, each of whom has contributed significantly to Harvest's efforts. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, Harvest is well positioned for the future." Individual promotions are as follows: Private Equity Lucas Rogers was promoted to Partner. He joined the Firm in 2018 and has been involved in the Firm's investments in Med-Metrix, Yellowstone Landscape, Integrity and Galway. He has a B.S. in Economics from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, an M.S. from George Washington University and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Matthew Bruckmann was promoted to Principal. He joined the Firm in 2018 and has been involved in the Firm's investments in Road Safety Services, Inc., Yellowstone Landscape, Integrity and EPIQ. He has a B.A. in Economics from Harvard College. Ian Singleton was promoted to Principal. He joined the Firm in 2025 and has been involved in the Firm's investments in Med-Metrix, Hand & Stone and Galway. He has a B.A. in Psychology, a minor in Economics, and a certificate in Markets and Management Studies from Duke University. Connor Scro was promoted to Vice President. He joined the Firm in 2021 and has been involved in the Firm's investments in Magnit, Fortis, OnPoint Group and Insight Global. He has a B.S. in Applied Economics and Management from the Dyson School at Cornell University. Credit and Capital Markets Ken Chen, Partner, was promoted to Co-Head of Capital Markets. He joined the firm in 2021 and has a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Iris Duong was promoted to Senior Associate. She joined the firm in 2023 and has a B.A. in Literature from King's College London and Columbia University. Portfolio Support Griffin Cohen was promoted to Vice President. He joined the firm in 2024 and has a B.S. in International Political Economy from Georgetown University and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Investor Relations Elizabeth Coughlin was promoted to Principal. She joined the firm in 2020 and has a B.A in Economics and Psychology from Williams College. Margy Taylor was promoted to Vice President. She joined the firm in 2021 and has a B.S. in Accounting from Lehigh University and a M.S. in Accounting from NYU Stern School of Business. She is an inactive Certified Public Accountant. Legal Nina Assouline, Deputy General Counsel, was promoted to Head of Investment Funds. She joined the firm in 2021 and has an A.B. magna cum laude from Harvard College and a J.D. from Yale Law School. She is admitted to the State Bar of New York. Finance Fabia DeCrescenzo was promoted to Chief Financial Officer. She joined the firm in 2004 and has a B.S. and M.S. in Accounting from St. John's University. Scott Hopson was promoted to Managing Director. He joined the firm in 2022 and has a B.A. from Columbia University. Erik Weil was promoted to Managing Director. He joined the firm in 2021 and has a B.S. from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is an active Certified Public Accountant. Rom Lipa was promoted to Vice President. He joined the firm in 2022 and has a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Rutgers University. Martsina Pilchuk was promoted to Vice President. She joined the firm in 2022 and has a B.B.A. in Finance from Baruch College of the City University of New York. Corey Settler was promoted to Vice President. He joined the firm in 2021 and has a B.S. in Accounting from Syracuse University and a M.S. in Accountancy from Hunter College. He is an active Certified Public Accountant. Operations Denise Dlugozima was promoted to Office & Operations Manager. She joined the firm in 2023 and has a B.S. in Business Management from Niagara University. About Harvest Partners Founded in 1981, Harvest Partners is an established private equity firm with over 40 years of experience investing in middle-market companies and partnering with high-quality management teams to build growing businesses. For more information, please visit www.harvestpartners.com. Media Contact: Lambert by LLYC Caroline Luz [email protected] or Jennifer Hurson [email protected] SOURCE Harvest Partners Chongly Scott Thao, a U.S. citizen, sits for a photo at his home Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn., the day after federal agents broke open his door and detained him without a warrant (ap) Federal immigration agents forced their way into a US citizen's Minnesota home, detaining him at gunpoint without a warrant and leading him outside in his underwear in subfreezing temperatures. The incident, which occurred Sunday in St. Paul, involved agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ChongLy "Scott" Thao, the man detained, recounted the terrifying ordeal to The Associated Press, with his family and videos corroborating the account. Thao said his daughter-in-law woke him from a nap, alerting him to agents "banging at the door of his residence." He instructed her not to open it, but "masked agents then forced their way in and pointed guns at the family, yelling at them," he recalled. I was shaking," he said. They didn't show any warrant; they just broke down the door." This photo provided by Hmong Story Legacy shows Choua Thao, the late mother of Chongly "Scott" Thao, during a graduation ceremony for a class of nurses at a Hmong nursing program in Ban Xon, Laos, 1971 (HmongStory Legacy via AP) Amid a massive surge of federal agents into the Twin Cities, immigration authorities are facing backlash from residents and the local leaders for warrantless arrests, aggressive clashes with protestors and the fatal shooting of mother of three Renee Good. ICE is not doing what they say theyre doing, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, a Hmong American, said in a statement about Thao's arrest. Theyre not going after hardened criminals. Theyre going after anyone and everyone in their path. It is unacceptable and un-American. Thao, who has been a U.S. citizen for decades, said that as he was being detained, he asked his daughter-in-law to find his identification but the agents told him they didnt want to see it. Instead, as his 4-year-old grandson watched and cried, Thao was led out in handcuffs wearing only sandals and underwear with just a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Videos captured the scene, which included people blowing whistles and horns and neighbors screaming at the more than a dozen gun-toting agents to leave Thao's family alone. Thao said agents drove him to the middle of nowhere" and made him get out of the car in the frigid weather so they could photograph him. He said he feared they would beat him. He was asked for his ID, which agents earlier prevented him from retrieving. Agents eventually realized that he was a U.S. citizen with no criminal record, Thao said, and an hour or two later, they brought him back to his house. There they made him show his ID and then left without apologizing for detaining him or breaking his door, Thao said. Chongly "Scott" Thao, a U.S. citizen, sits for a photo at his home Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn., the day after federal agents broke open his door and detained him without a warrant (ap) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security described the ICE operation at Thao's home as a targeted operation" seeking two convicted sex offenders. The US citizen lives with these two convicted sex offenders at the site of the operation, DHS said. The individual refused to be fingerprinted or facially IDd. He matched the description of the targets. Thao's family said in a statement that it categorically disputes the DHS account and strongly objects to DHSs attempt to publicly justify this conduct with false and misleading claims. Thao told the AP that only he, his son and daughter-in-law and his grandson live at the rental home. Neither they nor the property's owner are listed in the Minnesota sex offender registry. The nearest sex offender listed as living in the zip code is more than two blocks away. DHS did not respond to a request from The Associated Press seeking the identities of the two convicted sex offenders or why the agency believed they were present in Thao's home. Thao's son, Chris Thao, said ICE agents stopped him while he was driving to work before they went to detain his father. He said he was driving a car he borrowed from his cousin's boyfriend. Court records show that the boyfriend shares the first name of another Asian man who has been convicted of a sex offense. Chris Thao said the two people are not the same. This photo provided by Roger Warner Monday, Jan. 19, 2025, shows Choua Thao, the late mother of Chongly "Scott" Thao, a U.S. citizen detained by federal agents without a warrant at his home in St. Paul, Minn., sitting for a photo in Milpitas, Calif. (Roger Warner via AP) The family said they are particularly upset by ChongLy Thaos treatment at the hands of the U.S. government because his mother had to flee to the U.S. from Laos when communists took over in the 1970s since she had supported American covert operations in the country and her life was in danger. Thao's adopted mother, Choua Thao, was a nurse who treated CIA-backed Hmong soldiers in the U.S. government's Secret War from 1961 to 1975 against the communists, according to the Hmong Nurses Association website. Choua Thao, who passed away in late December, "treated countless civilians and American soldiers, working closely with U.S. personnel," her daughter-in-law Louansee Moua wrote on a GoFundMe page for the family. ChongLy Thao says he's planning to file a civil rights lawsuit against DHS and no longer feels secure to sleep in his home. I don't feel safe at all, Thao said. What did I do wrong? I didn't do anything. What happened last year had a huge impact on us, said Martha Keith. When I read the news at the weekend, my heart sank again. The news that had left Ms Keith fearing for the future of her business was Donald Trumps threat of increased tariffs on goods imported to the US. The US president has said the UK and other countries opposing his pursuit of Greenland would face 10 per cent tariffs on all products from next month, which would increase to 25 per cent from 1 June, until a deal is reached for Washington to take over the Danish territory. That threat, which was described as completely wrong by prime minister Keir Starmer, comes after 10 per cent tariffs were introduced by the US for a large swathe of British goods last year though there were exemptions for UK steel, aluminium, aerospace and cars. For Ms Keith, the founder and chief executive of Dorset-based stationery business Martha Brook, the prospect of higher tariffs is far from welcome. She believes it presents a significant challenge to the viability of several small firms in the UK, compounding the impact of the tariffs introduced in 2025. Established 12 years ago, Martha Brook produces stationery, manufactured in the UK and sold directly to customers online. A vast majority of its business is conducted on sites such as Etsy, where US buyers make up around 40 per cent of its sales. Those sales could be subject to a 25 per cent tariff in June, which Ms Keith views as yet another hurdle for her company to overcome. Martha Keith, founder of stationery company Martha Brook (Amber-Rose Smith/Martha Brook) About the presidents threat, Ms Keith told The Independent: The US has been a very big, growing part of our business. What happened last year had a huge impact on us. When I read the news at the weekend, my heart sank again. Even the threat of higher tariffs and speculation surrounding them impacts business, according to Ms Keith, as it hits consumer confidence in the States. For her, this compounds reduced sales in America since Mr Trumps existing tariffs were introduced. Before the tariffs, we were up 50 per cent [on Etsy], it was a massive area of growth for us, she said. Now theyre down 50 per cent. The swing is astonishing. I genuinely think if there's another 10 per cent imposed - or even just the talk around it youre talking about getting to a point where we're going to wipe out what has been a really big chunk of our business. In response to the presidents threat, Sir Keir urged calm on Monday, warning that a trade war would benefit nobody amid fears that the UK and the EU could be plunged into recession with a hit to UK GDP of up to 22bn. Between July 2024 and July 2025, the US was the UKs largest trading partner and accounted for 17.8 per cent of total UK trade, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). William Bain, the British Chamber of Commerces head of trade policy, said: New tariffs on goods exported to the US will be more bad news for UK exporters, already struggling with the tariffs levied last year. We know trade is one way to boost the economy and the success of transatlantic trade depends on reducing, not raising, tariffs. Keir Starmer has called to calm the tensions between the US and the UK, saying that a trade war is in no ones interests (Jordan Pettitt/AFP via Getty) Raising tariffs would mean the business models of firms like Martha Brook would no longer be sustainable, according to Ms Keith. Its absolutely something that threatens the future of a business like ours, she said. Weve come into this year thinking, how we continue our existing model of manufacturing in the UK and sending products overseas. Last year was the first year that it felt like that model was truly under threat. Weve come into this year really thinking about how we can do things differently and innovate. Its genuinely not sustainable to continue to operate without changing the way that we do things. Its getting to a point where its not cost-effective, and we need to be smarter. Ms Keith took the decision to absorb the extra costs of the tariffs last year, rather than passing them on to the consumer. She said that cost her business $7,500 (5,500) on products that had already been sold, before sales dropped dramatically when the tariffs were implemented. Martha Brook manufactures stationery products in the UK and says tariffs threaten the future of a business like ours (Martha Brook/Laura Hutchinson) The tariffs have provided an extra challenge that the sector is ill-equipped to navigate, she said, citing Brexit and the coronavirus pandemics impact on operating costs as factors, which have damaged the resilience of British businesses. She said: This is the direct-to-consumer route, this is how a lot of businesses in the UK start and they grow. It has become so hard post-Brexit, with the intricacies of European shipping, the different packaging regulations for every country, GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation) its one thing after another. The US was a great market for us. It feels unfair on the customers and it feels unfair on the businesses. That route is being shut down. As such, she believes that businesses born out of peoples hobbies and interests face a very tough trading climate, When I started this business, it felt like if you had a passion project, it was something you could do as a career. I employed a lot of people but its come to a point now where its not an amazing thing to do any more. Even if its something you love, it feels so tough. Geoffrey de Mowbray, chairman of the British Exporters Association, said the tariffs would threaten years of hard work, travel, and investment from British businesses to build transatlantic relationships. He said: The idea that new tariffs could be imposed with little warning leaves businesses unsure how to plan or price for the months ahead. A significant number of our members are owner-managed companies with tight margins. They dont have teams of lawyers or the ability to simply swallow extra costs, so tariffs can very quickly tip a viable export relationship into something that no longer works. What makes it particularly difficult is the uncertainty. Businesses can plan for challenges, but its much harder to plan when trade becomes entangled in wider political disputes. The HDMS Knud Rasmussen ship of the Royal Danish Navy patrols near Nuuk, Greenland, as Trump ramps up plans to take ownership of it (Getty) Likewise, Michelle Ovens, chief executive of Small Business Britain and adviser to the UK governments Board of Trade, said any further tariffs would create significant uncertainty for companies across the country. Ms Ovens said: Government data published in September 2025 shows that while just 17 per cent of SMEs (small to medium enterprises) export, they account for almost half (44 per cent) of the UKs exports to the US. This makes small businesses a critically important part of the conversation and particularly sensitive to sudden changes in trading conditions. But Ms Keith thinks it will only serve to test the resilience of stretched small businesses even further. Weve committed to keep going and navigating this, she said. Small business owners are very resilient but this is really testing the resilience. She added: It feels very frustrating, and it has had a demonstrable financial impact on our business already. I think, if there are any more tariffs brought in, we could see a further impact which would be quite devastating. How to watch the 2026 Grammys, who is nominated and who is hosting The 68th annual Grammy Awards are poised to make a grand return to Los Angeles on 1 February, with the Crypto.com Arena set to host an evening promising "history-making moments". This years ceremony marks a significant shift back to tradition, following the 2025 event, which was adapted to focus on supporting relief efforts in the wake of devastating wildfires across the Los Angeles area. When are the Grammys and how can I watch or stream the show? For those wishing to tune in, the main show will air live on CBS from 8 p.m. Eastern Time on 1 February. Viewers can also stream the Grammys via live TV streaming services that include CBS, such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and FuboTV. Paramount+ premium subscribers will have live streaming access, while essential subscribers can watch on-demand the following day. The premiere ceremony, preceding the main event, begins at 3:30 pm Eastern Time (12:30 pm Pacific) at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, and can be streamed on the Recording Academys YouTube channel and live.GRAMMY.com. The Grammys take place in Los Angeles on 1 February (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Harvey Mason Jr, CEO and President of the Recording Academy, expressed his anticipation for the upcoming show. "I think we will see some history-making moments," he told The Associated Press. "With artists being nominated in categories they haven't been previously nominated in, and a new crop of talent coming through the system this year I think we're going to see some really exciting results." How can I watch the red carpet? The Associated Press will stream a four-hour red carpet show with interviews and fashion footage. It will be streamed on YouTube and APNews.com. Who is hosting the Grammys? Comedian Trevor Noah is set to host the prestigious awards for the sixth consecutive time, though it will be his last. Ben Winston, the Grammys' executive producer, lauded Noah's contribution in a statement: "I am beyond thrilled to welcome Trevor Noah back to host the Grammys for his sixth, and sadly, final time. Hes been the most phenomenal host of the show. Hes so smart, so funny, and such a true fan of the artists and music. His impact on the show has been truly spectacular, and we cant wait to do it together one last time." Noah joins an elite group of hosts; only musical artists Andy Williams (seven shows) and John Denver (six shows) have helmed more Grammy telecasts. Noah previously tied LL Cool J, who hosted five times. Grammys host Trevor Noah is also nominated for an award this year (Invision/AP) A four-time Grammy nominee himself, Noah is also up for an award this year in the audiobook, narration, and storytelling recording category for his childrens story, Into The Uncut Grass. Mr Mason Jr. praised Noah's unique ability to blend humour, intelligence, and genuine fandom. Regarding his departure, Mr Mason Jr. added: "Every person at some point in their career decides they want to do something else. And were so appreciative of the years that we got from Trevor. Hes really helped define the show and make the show what its become over the last six years." Who is nominated for a Grammy? Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations with an impressive nine nods, including for record, song, and album of the year marking his third time with simultaneous nominations in these major categories. He also secured nominations for pop duo/group performance, melodic rap performance, rap song, and rap album, alongside two nominations in the rap performance category. Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff, and Canadian record producer/songwriter Cirkut each follow with seven nominations. Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Leon Thomas, and Serban Ghenea have six nominations apiece, while Andrew Watt, Clipse, Doechii, Sounwave, SZA, Turnstile, and Tyler, the Creator each received five. Kendrick Lamard has been nominated in nine categories this year, including record, song and album of the year (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The best new artist category will see Leon Thomas, global girl group Katseye, Olivia Dean, The Marias, Addison Rae, sombr, Alex Warren, and Lola Young compete for the coveted prize. This year also features a host of first-time nominees, including Tate McRae, Zara Larsson, PinkPantheress, JID, and even Timothee Chalamet. Donald Trump has announced that the US is exploring a potential deal on Greenland, following weeks of tariff threats aimed at European allies that opposed his acquisition plans. Just hours after the US president said at the World Economic Forum that he wanted Greenland including right, title and ownership, he announced the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland on social media. Trump had been threatening a 10 per cent tariff on goods sent from the UK to the US from 1 February, rising to 25 per cent from 1 June, until a deal was reached for the US to purchase Greenland from Denmark. This would also have applied to goods from Nato Members Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland. But after meeting with Mark Rutte, secretary general of Nato Trump appeared to change course. "Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st," Trump said on Truth Social. Diplomatic sources told CBS that there was no agreement for American control or ownership of Greenland. Trump said in his speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos that force would not be used to acquire Greenland. "We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive force. We'd be unstoppable, but we won't do that," Trump said. "I don't have to use force. I don't want to use force. I won't use force." Trumps interest in Greenland is not new: he became embroiled in a spat with Denmark back in 2019 after suggesting the US was interested in buying Greenland. At the time, Denmarks ex-foreign minister Martin Lidegaard told broadcaster TV2 that it was a diplomatic farce and said Trump's behaviour was grotesque and he was throwing a hissy fit. So why does Trump want to make Greenland part of the US and what could the new deal mean? Upernavik in western Greenland Who owns Greenland? Denmark has had ties to Greenland for centuries and it claimed as a colony until 1953 when it became a Danish province. Home rule was established in 1979 and a 2009 referendum gave more autonomy granted to the region. Greenland depends on Danish economic support but handles its own domestic affairs, while Copenhagen looks after defence and foreign policy. Why does Trump want to buy Greenland? The US has a refuelling base for long-range bombers and other military infrastructure on Greenland Greenland lies between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans on a strategically important route between North America and Europe and, by extension, Russia. It is a quarter of the size of the US. America already has an established presence on the island. In 1952 it constructed the Thule Air Force base as a refuelling stop for long-range bombing missions. It has also been a ballistic missile early warning and space surveillance site since 1961. Former military airfields in Narsarsuaq, Kulusuk and Kangerlussuaq have become civilian airports. Trump has in the past cited national security concerns as to why he wants to pursue purchase of the nation, saying: We need greater national security purposes. I've been told that for a long time, long before I even ran [for president]. People really don't even know that Denmark has any legal right to it but, if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security. Not only that, but Greenland is also rich in natural resources, particularly coal, zinc, copper and iron ore. Retreating ice could uncover the potential oil and mineral resources, which, if successfully tapped, could dramatically change the island's fortunes. However, no oil has yet been found in Greenlandic waters and the thickness of the ice means exploration is only possible in coastal regions. Having access to Greenland's resources would also allow the US to counter China's aggressive economic expansion the country dominates the global market in rare-earth metals mining. Control of Greenland could also hinder Russia's military ambitions. Buying the territory would also go some way to securing Trump's place in US presidential history after Andrew Johnson bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 and Thomas Jefferson purchased Louisiana from the French in 1803. ButTrump is not the first American leader to think of the idea, which has been mooted since the 1860s. In 1946 Harry Truman, as president, proposed to pay Denmark $100 million to buy Greenland after considering the idea of swapping land in Alaska for strategic parts of the Arctic island. What have Denmark and Greenland said about it? The countrys politicians and leaders have repeatedly remained firm that Greenland is not for sale. In 2019, then Greenland prime minister Kim Kielsen said: Greenland is not for sale but Greenland is open for trade and co-operation with other countries, including the USA. In 2025, Jens-Frederik Nielsen of the Demokraatit party won 30% of the vote and took the helm in the country and continued opposing Trumps goals. "We don't want to be Americans, he said. No, we don't want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders. And we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country by ourselves, not with his hope. Denmarks prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, has also advocated for Greenlands independence, emphasising that she did not believe the US would use military or economic power to secure control over Greenland. Greenland is not for sale, Ms Frederiksen said. We need to stay calm and stick to our principles. What could a deal look like? Trump said to reporters that the deal could involve mineral rights. This may allow the US to mine for rare earth minerals without Denmarks permission, according to The Telegraph. The potential plan could also enable the US to build more military bases on the territory, according to US media. Officials at the Nato meeting on Wednesday said to the New York Times that the arrangement could resemble British sovereign bases in Cyprus. However, on Thursday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Denmark could negotiate on "everything political; security, investments, economy. But we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty". A Nato spokesperson said that Rutte did not put forward any compromise on Greenlands sovereignty during his discussions with Trump. The government has paused the progression of the Hillsborough Law, prompting a Liverpool MP to voice concerns over its "direction of travel" amid fears of a potential loophole for intelligence services. Labour's Paula Barker welcomed the decision to delay the Bill's parliamentary proceedings but called on ministers to continue engaging with campaigners. The legislation was entirely withdrawn from Monday's agenda, having initially been scheduled for its report stage and third reading. The pause stems from worries that a government amendment could have been exploited by intelligence agencies, allowing them to bypass the proposed duty of candour. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pledged to get the balance right on the proposed law, formally the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, at a press conference in Downing Street on Monday morning. In the Commons, justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said there is absolutely no carve-out here, adding the duty of candour will apply to all public authorities, including the intelligence services. Paula Barker said she is increasingly concerned at the direction of travel when it comes to the Hillsborough Law (UK Parliament) During the statement, Ms Barker (Liverpool Wavertree) said: Whilst I am pleased that the government has paused proceeding on the Hillsborough Law, I am increasingly concerned at the direction of travel. In March last year, the families of the 97 and Merseyside MPs made clear that we would not accept anything less than the Hillsborough Law. We all understand the importance of national security, but this Bill is not incompatible with national security and as has already been said provisions already exist, and nobody, quite frankly, is above the law. A carve-out for the security and intelligence services would only allow the very behaviour exposed by the Manchester Arena inquiry to happen again, where MI5 were able to withhold information and avoid accountability. She pleaded with the minister to continue to work with the families and bring the Hillsborough Law back to this House so we can all pass it. Ms Davies-Jones replied: The Prime Minister was clear at second reading that the Bill as introduced was one that was agreed with Hillsborough Law Now and families, and it would not be watered down. We will do all we can to strengthen this Bill, we will continue to work with the families. Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby Ian Byrne also welcomed the pause but pressed for a timeline on when the Bill will return. He added: As (the minister) rightly stated, we have waited a long, long time for this. Ian Byrne has pressed for a timeline on when the Bill will return (David Woolfall/UK Parliament/PA) Theres a real, real concern now that this could be kicked into the long grass. In her response, Ms Davies-Jones said: We know that families have waited too long. This is overdue. We are not kicking this into the long grass. We are committed to doing this as soon as possible, but we have to get it right, and I am not setting an arbitrary deadline on this. The families have asked me not to. They want us to get it right, and were committed to doing that and to getting this policy correct. Labour MP for Knowsley Anneliese Midgley said: Any amendment that fails to satisfy families on the duty of candour of individuals in the security services is a red line for me and for so many other colleagues in this place. So will the minister promise me that she will work like the clappers with the families to bring forward an amendment that has their full support and deliver justice for all victims of state cover-ups so we can finally say never again? Ms Davies-Jones said she will continue to work with the families and the intelligence services and the Intelligence and Security Committee on finding a way forward. Quest for speed: Concorde taking off (British Airways) It was 50 years ago this week that Concorde first flew paying passengers: British Airways flight 300 from London Heathrow to Bahrain on 21 January 1976 marked the start of a 27-year career for the supersonic jet. Both BA and Air France grounded their Concorde fleets in 2003. Boom Supersonic plans to bring back flying at around twice the speed of conventional aircraft in the shape of Overture. The aim of the plane is to fly up to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7: nearly twice the speed of sound, but slower than Concorde. Founder and CEO Blake Scholl told The Independent: Were aiming to pick up where Concorde left off. Yet there are strong environmental arguments against reintroducing supersonic flight articulated by Anna Hughes, director of Flight Free UK. Theres no denying that in the 1960s and 70s, developing something like Concorde was incredibly exciting and impressive, she told The Independents daily travel podcast. But now were 50 years on. The world has changed, and were now aware of what that type of travel does. Knowing that, we can choose not to do it. Maybe now we can leave it in the past. Zoom, not Boom, is her recommendation: We can do things virtually. We can cut the number of in-person meetings in half just by connecting online. Those models of working are much better in terms of emissions, and actually better for business as well. Its far cheaper to have a Zoom call than to get on a flight. So it really comes down to looking at the reasons we fly and asking: is it absolutely necessary? Simon Calder at controls of Concorde on show at Manchester airport (Simon Calder) As the dozens of daily flights each way between London and New York testify, many people believe flying is essential. But Ms Hughes cautions against breaking the sound barrier: The amount of energy required to go that fast is vast. When were looking at energy use and carbon emissions that need to come down, we really have to question whether supersonic flight should be a priority. Blake Scholl, developer of the Concorde successor, concedes: Yes, flying faster takes more energy. But were optimising efficiency and designing for next-generation sustainable synthetic fuel. Overture will be capable of running on 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel [SAF]. Ms Hughes is unconvinced: SAF still accounts for less than 1 per cent of aviation fuel use. The target was around 5 per cent by now, but were nowhere near that. Something is clearly blocking uptake: most likely, cost, because its far more expensive to produce than conventional jet fuel. As The Independent has explained, the amount of fuel burnt and carbon dioxide generated by an aircraft using sustainable aviation fuel is exactly the same as if normal Jet A1 kerosene had been used. The saving in greenhouse gases happens over the lifecycle of the fuel. For example, converting household waste to SAF prevents it generating methane as landfill. Plant-based fuel has the merit that, while those plants are growing, they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. But when powering an aircraft, they release it back. Even if we imagine a future where supersonic flights use 100 per cent SAF which is unlikely given the cost and slow uptake theres still significant doubt about the actual emissions reductions, says Ms Hughes. A retired British Airways Concorde being moved by a barge past the Statue of Liberty in 2024 (Getty/iStock) A lot of the industry narrative suggests we dont need to worry because technology will solve everything. So far, that hasnt happened, and theres no strong reason to believe it will. Besides carbon concerns, environmentalists are alarmed at the noise generated during take-off and landing. By the 21st century, Concorde was far noisier than any conventional aircraft. But Mr Scholl says that setting a maximum speed slightly slower than Concorde, and using modern technology rather than 1950s jet engines, enables Overture to be no louder than subsonic aircraft during takeoff and landing. Then there is the sonic boom created by breaking the sound barrier which meant Concorde could not fly supersonic over land. The Boom Supersonic founder says his firm has a technique for flying so that the boom bends upward in the atmosphere, making a giant U-turn so no one on the ground hears it. Blake Scholl urges passengers: Demand better faster, more comfortable, more human travel. And if youre an innovator, help make it happen. But Anna Hughes says the quest for speed is a relic from an earlier age: Flying is extremely energy-intensive, but supersonic flight even more so. Fundamentally, what we need to do is fly less. Read more Plane and Train Talk from Simon Calder here Pet parents know how joyful an animal's zoomies can be, but so do the zookeepers at the Australia Zoo. Even though the adorable slang term was created and popularized by pet parents on social media, many animals, like one of the zoo's resident wombats, experience sudden bursts of energy that leave them running, jumping, and even rolling, with joy. On January 6, zoo visitor @hollyadam_ was in the right place at the right time when she saw the wombat with the zoomies. No one could resist the Australian mammal's contagious joy, though many people were surprised that the marsupial could even move that quickly! Look at her go! This may be a familiar sight to pet parents, but something about the wombat's round bottom and unpredictable movements is even more comical than a dog's zoomies. Besides, how often does one get to see such a happy wild animal? Viewer @murrupukart explained the scene perfectly when they commented, "Its like bunny binkies mixed with the dog zoomies." The wombat can jump surprisingly well for having such short legs, and those tumbles are positively priceless! Watching this wombat scampering around is somehow both sweetly familiar and entirely different, which is probably why no one can stop watching. Related: Robert Irwin Stresses Out During Australia Zoo Show When a Bird and a Crocodile Get Too Close for Comfort "This is most likely Elle," shared commenter @harmonyjae1. "Elle is one of their more playful wombats. I used to be a keeper at Australia Zoo, and Elle would always make your day somehow." Anyone can see what she means! This happy wombat knows how to put on a show, but I know I'm not the only one wondering what has her so excited. Is she just a showgirl who loves the spotlight? Wombats in Australia Wombats, which are found only in Australia, are the koala's closest relatives and among the largest burrowing mammals on Earth. They are short and stout creatures with sharp claws and more muscle than many people think. Despite having such stubby legs, they can run up to 40 miles per hour in short bursts! There are three species of wombat in Australia, one of which is critically endangered. The Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat is sadly now considered one of the rarest mammals in the world, while the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat is near-threatened and rapidly declining. The Common, or Bare-nosed, Wombat is still common throughout southern and eastern Australia, though its population is also in decline. Species conservation and education at the Australia Zoo are essential efforts to support native animal populations, such as wombats. Robert Irwin and his family continue to support Australian wildlife in many wonderful ways, including keeping the Australia Zoo an accessible and educational place for people of all ages. SIGN UP to get pawsitivity delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Jan 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Jonathan Ross was part of a team of ICE officers carrying out a raid in Minneapolis when he shot and killed Renee Good on Jan 7 Clyde Emmonss whip-round for the defence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, Jonathan Ross, was no masterclass in the art of fundraising. Two days after Ross shot dead protester, Renee Good, in Minneapolis, Emmons started a GoFundMe page for him, despite never having met Ross personally. All he knew was what he had seen on TV including reports that a separate GoFundMe for Good, whom he described as a terrorist, was already under way. After seeing all the media bull---- about a domestic terrorist getting a GoFundMe, I feel that the officer who was 1,000 per cent justified in the shooting deserves to have a GoFundMe, Emmons wrote in a brief message. Funds will go to help him. Normally, a random fundraiser by someone entirely unconnected to the beneficiary would struggle to raise more than a few dollars. In this case, however, money poured in. Within a week, Emmonss GoFundMe page had raised more than $600,000 (445,000), and as of Tuesday, the total has climbed to $787,000. Nearly 17,000 people have made donations, including one of $10,000. The fundraiser, set up by Clyde Emmons, has raised nearly $800,000 from tens of thousands of donors The scale of the pledges intended to help Ross start a new life away from the public eye shows how bitterly divided America has become over Goods shooting and the Trump-backed migration policies that preceded it. Ross was part of a team of ICE officers carrying out a raid in Minneapolis on Jan 7 when they became involved in a confrontation with Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, at a roadblock near her home. The Trump administration has claimed Ross shot at her in self-defence after she attempted to run him over. Critics deny that she intended any such thing, and Minnesotas governor, Tim Walz, described the shooting as totally avoidable. The Trump administration has claimed Ross shot Renee Good, 37, in self-defence after she attempted to run him over - David Ryder/Reuters Since then, protests over Goods death have taken place across the US, in echoes of those after George Floyds killing in 2020. A GoFundMe page set up for her family raised more than $1.5m before it was closed, while celebrities, such as Mark Ruffalo, and others wore Be Good solidarity badges at the Golden Globe awards. At the same time, many Americans are championing Ross, portraying him as a brave public servant doing a tough, dangerous job. Donations have poured into a fundraiser for his defence including a $10,000 contribution from hedge-fund billionaire, Bill Ackman. He said he was a big believer in our legal principle that one is innocent until proven guilty. He also shared the link with his 1.9 million followers on X, sending contributions soaring. Ackman later said he had also offered to donate to the fund set up for Goods family, although her account had by then closed. Supporters argue Ross deserves this type of support while the case is resolved. Bill Ackman, an American billionaire, was among the GoFundMe donors, contributing $10,000 - Mike Blake/Reuters Emmons, 40, a landscaper from Michigan, has declined to make any further public comment perhaps rattled by suddenly finding himself in the spotlight. He has complained of receiving a deluge of stupid hate, possibly linked to an earlier post on his GoFundMe account in which he described Good as a stupod (sic) b---- that got what she deserved. But despite his lack of PR skills some have likened his fundraiser to a drunken social media post that unexpectedly went viral his GoFundMe page continues to attract donors of varying ages and backgrounds. While most have donated under online pseudonyms, some have been happy to be named, such as Ronald Eibensteiner, a venture capitalist and former chair of the Minnesota Republican Party, who gave $1,000. I donated the money because I support police and law enforcement, he told The Telegraph. They have an extremely difficult job, and they deal with the most unappealing elements of society, yet they dont get the respect they deserve. We live in a country where a person is innocent until proven guilty, but some of our political leaders dont understand that. This officer has a tough job. His entire family has a tough job. It drives me crazy when peoples first reaction is to accuse the police of doing something wrong. I wish our governor would be a police officer for a year, and hed find out how difficult it is. I may give the officer $25,000 more just to support him. While Goods death has not sparked protests on the scale of those after Floyds, it has polarised the US just as deeply. Irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the incident itself, many Americans are deeply uncomfortable at the sight of masked ICE agents descending on cities and dragging migrants from cars and homes. Even the podcaster, Joe Rogan, who endorsed Trumps re-election in 2024, has questioned ICEs tactics, likening them to the Gestapo. ICE agents insist the only reason they wear masks is to avoid being identified online and harassed by activists - Seth Herald/Reuters Supporters of ICE argue that agents are merely enforcing the crackdown on illegal immigration that Trump was elected to deliver. They also contend that raids would be more orderly if Democrat-run cities, such as Minneapolis, did not forbid their own police from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. Jacob Frey, Minneapoliss mayor, has accused ICE of spreading chaos and told them to get the f--- out. ICE agents insist the only reason they wear masks is to protect themselves from doxxing being identified online and harassment by activists. While no criminal charges have been filed against Ross, his supporters believe it may be difficult for him to resume a normal life, given the furore over the shooting. The Iraq war veteran, who has an immigrant Filipina wife, is currently living at a secret location because of death threats. This guy is a law enforcement agent doing a thankless job after the prior [Biden] administration let 14 to 18 million unvetted illegal immigrants in, said Brian Kitchin, 70, a retired construction and car plant worker, and another donor to Emmonss GoFundMe appeal. We want them out, and we voted for that. The agent is doing a thankless job dealing with a bunch of white liberal women who have nothing better to do with their time, and a corrupt Democratic Party whose base is the fringe lunatic. I felt bad for the guy. To me, its all about choices. She [Good] made some bad choices. I feel bad for her family, but if another agent is in the same boat, Ill throw another couple of bucks their way. Many Americans are deeply uncomfortable at the sight of masked ICE agents descending on their cities - Scott Olson/Getty Images Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the donors work in law enforcement themselves, or have relatives who do. Some are from Americas traditionally Democrat-voting Hispanic community, which swung towards Trump in 2024 amid concerns that illegal migrants were bringing crime to their neighbourhoods. One donor who ticked both boxes was Jennie, 54, a stylist from Virginia, who declined to give her surname. Im Hispanic, and my Hispanic mother and three of my aunts worked for US Customs and Border Patrol, she said. The people they rounded up in Minneapolis and other states were child predators. Im talking about the sodomising of 13-year-olds, rape and terrible sex crimes. This wasnt some unauthorised shooting this was valid. The lady rammed him with her car, although I feel terrible for her, her family and her children. She said she had been a long-time Democrat voter, but had backed Trump in the past three elections because of what she described as insane Democratic positions on issues, such as transgender rights. Ive been in trouble with the law before, she added. I dont like police brutality, and I will call it out. But this was valid. Im pretty sure he [Ross] will have to move, so maybe he can take some of that money and find himself a nice gated community to live in, because these people [protesters] are crazy. If people are willing to ram their cars into others, Im worried for his children. Demonstrators in Minneapolis call for the arrest of Ross after he shot and killed Good - Adam Bettcher/AP Another female donor from Minnesota, whose son worked for the local police department, expressed sorrow for both Ross and Good. I support law enforcement, and they shouldnt be punished for doing their jobs. In the street right now, people are throwing fireworks at them. Law enforcement doesnt make much money I speak from experience so its whatever I can do to make that a bit easier. She said she hoped the fundraising could help Ross take a work sabbatical if needed, but added that the other real benefit was showing that there are people on your side. People forget about mental health in law enforcement. I dont want him to go into a dark place when he feels hes alone and the entire world is against him. Whether Ross will see any of the money pledged is not yet clear. Equally unclear is whether Ross either needs or wants the money, which, at current fundraising rates, could make him an overnight millionaire. Such is the sympathy for Ross, however, that many of his well-wishers do not particularly mind what he does with it. I dont care what he uses it for, said Kitchin. When my 90-year-old dad passed away, and somebody asked what he did with his money, I said, I hope he spent it on cocaine and women. Among the most visible signs of water bankruptcy are the 700 sinkholes peppering the heavily farmed Konya plain in Turkey. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images (Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images) The world has entered an era of global water bankruptcy that is harming billions of people, a UN report has declared. The overuse and pollution of water must be tackled urgently, the reports lead author said, because no one knew when the whole system could collapse, with implications for peace and social cohesion. All life depends on water but the report found many societies had long been using water faster than it could be replenished annually in rivers and soils, as well as over-exploiting or destroying long-term stores of water in aquifers and wetlands. This had led to water bankruptcy, the report said, with many human water systems past the point at which they could be restored to former levels. The climate crisis was exacerbating the problem by melting glaciers, which store water, and causing whiplashes between extremely dry and wet weather. Prof Kaveh Madani, who led the report, said while not every basin and country was water bankrupt, the world was interconnected by trade and migration, and enough critical systems had crossed this threshold to fundamentally alter global water risk. The result was a world in which 75% of people lived in countries classified as water-insecure or critically water-insecure and 2 billion people lived on ground that is sinking as groundwater aquifers collapse. Conflicts over water had risen sharply since 2010, the report said, while major rivers, such as the Colorado, in the US, and the Murray-Darling system, in Australia, were failing to reach the sea, and day zero emergencies when cities run out of water, such as in Chennai, India were escalating. Half of the worlds large lakes had shrunk since the early 1990s, the report noted. Even damp nations, such as the UK, were at risk because of reliance on imports of water-dependent food and other products. This report tells an uncomfortable truth: many critical water systems are already bankrupt, said Madani, of the UN Universitys Institute for Water, Environment and Health. Its extremely urgent [because] no one knows exactly when the whole system would collapse. About 70% of fresh water taken by human withdrawals was used for agriculture, but Madani said: Millions of farmers are trying to grow more food from shrinking, polluted or disappearing water sources. Water bankruptcy in India or Pakistan, for example, also means an impact on rice exports to a lot of places around the world. More than half of global food was grown in areas where water storage was declining or unstable, the report said. Madani said action to deal with water bankruptcy offered a chance to bring countries together in an increasingly fragmented world. Water is a strategic, untapped opportunity to the world to create unity within and between nations. It is one of the very rare topics that left and right and north and south all agree on its importance. The UN report, which is based on a forthcoming paper in the peer-reviewed journal Water Resources Management, sets out how population growth, urbanisation and economic growth have increased water demand for agriculture, industry, energy and cities. These pressures have produced a global pattern that is now unmistakable, it said. Interactive In some of the worlds most densely populated river basins, including the Indus, Yellow, and Tigris-Euphrates, the rivers were periodically drying up before reaching the ocean. In many basins, the normal to which crisis managers once hoped to return has effectively vanished, the report said. Lakes were also shrinking, from Lake Urmia, in Iran, to the Salton Sea, in the US, and Lake Chad. Wildlife suffered as well as people, as humans steal water from nature, Madani said. The over-exploitation of groundwater was causing cities to subside around the world, with Rafsanjan, in Iran, sinking by 30cm a year; Tulare, in the US, by about 28cm a year, and Mexico City by about 21cm a year. Jakarta, Manila, Lagos and Kabul were other major cities affected. Among the most visible signs of this water bankruptcy, the report said, were the 700 sinkholes peppering the heavily farmed Konya plain in Turkey. Cities, such as Tehran, Cape Town, Sao Paulo and Chennai, had all faced day zero water crises, the report noted, while the number of water-related conflicts around the world had risen from 20 in 2010 to more than 400 in 2024. Humanity was also slashing the amount of water available by destroying natural stores, such as wetlands, and polluting waterways. Wetlands equal in size to the entire European Union had been erased in the past five decades, the report said. The report calls for a fundamental reset of how water is protected and used around the world. This would include cutting the rights and claims to withdraw water to match todays degraded supply, and transforming water-intensive sectors, such as agriculture and industry, via changes in crops, more efficient irrigation and less wasteful urban systems. The report emphasises support for communities whose livelihoods must change. Water bankruptcy management requires honesty, courage and political will, said Madani. We cannot rebuild vanished glaciers or reinflate acutely compacted aquifers. But we can prevent further losses, and redesign institutions to live within new hydrological limits. Tshilidzi Marwala, UN undersecretary general, said: Water bankruptcy is becoming a driver of fragility, displacement and conflict. Managing it fairly is now central to maintaining peace, stability and social cohesion. The challenge of sustainable water management around the world was very real, said Prof Albert Van Dijk, at the Australian National University who was not part of the UN report, although, he added, he preferred the description of collapse, or systemic failure, over bankruptcy. A recent water report led by Van Dijk highlighted the increasingly erratic climate. Increased variability is as much a problem as scarcity, he said. Sometimes theres more water available overall, but it increasingly arrives in bursts, at the wrong place and at the wrong time. This makes management genuinely harder. For example, dam reservoir levels need to be kept low to mitigate floods but high to ensure supply during droughts. Dr Jonathan Paul, at Royal Holloway, University of London, said: The report lays bare humankinds mistreatment of water [which] threatens the viability of the water cycle as a concept. The elephant in the room, which is mentioned explicitly only once, is the role of massive and unequal population growth in driving so many of the manifestations of water bankruptcy, he said. Addressing this growth would be more useful than tinkering with outdated, non-inclusive, and top-down water resource management frameworks. Labour councillors Basildons lead councillor has a string of controversies trailing behind him involving bullying claims, abandoned policies and alleged mishandling of funds. Unsurprisingly, the Essex-based council is also one of the key areas that has successfully lobbied to delay its May local elections, supposedly for reasons of stability and capacity. But one thing we have learnt by now is that politicians are rarely so altruistic. Like Basildon, many of the councils that have requested a postponement Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, has told MPs that 29 council elections will now be delayed are the ones with lead councillors whose histories raise awkward questions or who dont appear to have the experience or the ability to do an important job well. Its why The Telegraph has launched a Campaign for Democracy to prevent postponements if councils simply claim that a vote while restructuring is too expensive or too difficult to organise. There is a growing pattern of councils with the worst financial records and governance failures being the ones postponing elections, says John OConnell, chief executive of the TaxPayers Alliance. Councils that have presided over scandals, ballooning debts or collapsing services are now seeking to delay the moment when voters get to pass judgment on their record. The law must be changed so elections cant be cancelled. Labour Party member Gavin Callaghan was 28 years old when he was elected Basildon lead councillor in 2017 and, while he made history for his age, his time at the top has hardly been a triumph. Last year, he was urged by his own officers to consider social media training after he was accused of bullying fellow councillor Sam Journet, branding him thick as mince and mocking him as sweaty Sam. The row followed an extraordinary council meeting in which a female Labour councillor allegedly made an obscene hand gesture at Journet one that Callaghan later dismissed as an exercise for carpal tunnel syndrome. Journet was later arrested in connection with harassment charges and no further action was taken. Labour Party member Gavin Callaghan (right, with Keir Starmer) was elected Basildon lead councillor in 2017 his time in the role has hardly been a triumph The controversies didnt stop there. A different Basildon councillor under Callaghan was suspended last year over alleged racist tweets and support for Tommy Robinson, while a deeply unpopular plan to build 17,000 homes on green belt land has been languishing in public consultation for years. Basildon council was also fined 150,000 for publishing sensitive personal data about a traveller family in an online planning application, while another row erupted after the authority paid almost 10,000 to the husband of a councillor in order to enhance the quality and accessibility of its Facebook Live broadcasts. The council says that the relationship was declared and all procurement rules were followed. But still, none of this sits easily with claims that Basildon simply needs to postpone this Mays local elections in order to focus on delivering local government reorganisation in Essex. It raises the question of whether Callaghan, who is also the managing director of Beartas a public affairs, public policy and strategic communications agency and who is paid 371 per council meeting attended, has the focus or the ability to continue at the job. If you give some members the chance not to face the electorate, especially if they think they will get a hammering, they will take it, says Colin Copus, professor of local politics at De Montfort University. The Government has given them a handy excuse but in situations like these, it is not the elections that should be postponed, it is the reorganisation. Peterborough offers an even starker example of this issue. The city council under former Labour leader Dennis Jones has been under sustained scrutiny for years, with a three-year government review of its finances uncovering a predicted 27m budget gap. The authority is now forecasting a 6.1m overspend, having already written off millions from a failed 23m loan scheme for rooftop solar panels. Alongside the financial chaos has come a string of reputational blows. Two claims of harassment against the council were upheld at an employment tribunal. To top it off, last year Jones was suspended by Peterboroughs Labour group after referring to victims of grooming gangs as poor white trash in Rotherham. Dennis Jones stepped down as council leader and was suspended by Peterbroughs Labour group for his message to fellow councillor councillor Daisy Blakemore-Creedon Jones has since been replaced by Shabina Qayyum, an NHS GP and the citys first female leader in nearly three decades. Qayyum was herself suspended from Labour in 2021 under an anti-Semitism probe but was reinstated to the party (saying she apologised profusely for any hurt or upset) and last year inherited this floundering authority, one that is still struggling to answer questions over how a council-owned building worth 4.6m was sold for just 1. In such circumstances, an election would force a reckoning with past leadership and the culture that allowed these failures to persist. In Redditch, tensions have already spilled over into open disorder. Police were called to a council meeting after a Labour councillor branded a member of the public a Nazi during a heated debate over election delays. That confrontation came against the backdrop of a borough still reeling from the suspension of its former Labour leader, Joe Baker, who pleaded not guilty to sexual offences after just 11 months in charge. He will appear in court for a trial in January 2028. Sharon Harvey took over in May 2025 alongside her work as a pastoral manager for Trinity High School Redditch. The councils problems are not confined to personalities. Redditch has been criticised for the poor condition of its town centre, with residents describing it as a dump after road signs were left broken for months. Social housing in the borough has received the lowest possible rating from the regulator. Council tax has been raised. Unsurprisingly, those in charge are asking to delay for financial reasons, rather than submitting themselves to the judgment of voters. Its extraordinary, says Copus. There are people on the streets of Iran dying so they can elect a government and council leaders here are saying Oh, lets cancel it to save some money. Local elections are part of a regular cycle; they are budgeted for and councils know how much they will cost cancelling them is not going to magically fill all the potholes. Worthing, a Labour-run council on the south coast, tells a similar story. Former celebrity reporter Sophie Cox runs the authority, which faces a 4m budget shortfall and admits it will need exceptional government funding for the foreseeable future. More than 30 per cent of its annual budget is forecast to be swallowed by temporary and emergency accommodation, with homelessness cited as the cause of repeated overspends. Former celebrity reporter Sophie Cox runs the Worthing council, which needs exceptional government funding for the foreseeable future At the same time, Worthing carries borrowing debts of 215m, and has drawn ridicule for culture-war skirmishes, including councillors claiming that flying St Georges flags risked hostility and division. Cox regularly speaks passionately about climate change, but for residents facing rising bills and shrinking services, this ideological focus can feel misplaced. In Blackburn with Darwen, the council is looking at a 7.8m budget shortfall and a catalogue of governance failures. It has been issued with an improvement notice after a woman was killed by a falling tree branch in a council-run park in an incident that is still under investigation by government safety regulators (the council say that there was no precautionary work that could have prevented the incident). The authority spent 78,000 on staff parking and one councillor was found to have failed to pay 6,600 in council tax. It has also been forced to confront the legacy of serious abuse suffered by a woman while living in a council-run childrens home. The council didnt admit liability, but agreed an out-of-court settlement. Its Labour leader, Phil Riley, has held power since 2022 and previously served as deputy leader for seven years. The continuity of leadership has brought experience but also responsibility for the institutional failures now laid bare. Viewed individually, each of these councils can point to mitigating factors that explain their need for an election delay. But taken together, a pattern emerges of badly-run authorities looking for extra time. Equally, democracy, like bin collections or housing policy, works best when it is not postponed. And when councils with the most troubled records are also the most eager to push elections into the long grass, voters are entitled to suspect that it is the incumbents themselves that are being protected. CORRECTION: This article has been amended. The article previously reported that under the leadership of Gavin Callaghan a disastrous waste collection overhaul sparked fury among residents, cost more than 1m, and was eventually scrapped after leaving people ashamed and in tears. In fact, the scheme was implemented in March 2023 under the previous administration. We are happy to correct the record. DALLAS, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlander Partners, L.P. ("Highlander"), a Dallas-based private investment firm, today announced the acquisition of Tapatio ("Tapatio" or the "Company"), the #5 hot sauce brand in the U.S. with authenticity that resonates across mainstream and Hispanic consumers, from the Saavedra family. The Arnold Companies also invested a significant minority equity position along with Highlander, and the Saavedra family will retain a minority position in Tapatio post-closing. Tapatio is a beloved hot sauce brand that has been bringing a flavorful kick to dishes since 1971. Founded in California by Jose-Luis Saavedra Sr., Tapatio is named after the term used to describe someone from Guadalajara, Mexico, reflecting its deep connection to traditional Mexican flavors. Known for its perfect balance of medium heat and rich, tangy flavor, Tapatio is crafted from a blend of red peppers and spices. It's a versatile condiment, commonly used to enhance everything from Mexican cuisine to eggs, soups, and more. Tapatio has built a trusted, authentic brand within the growing hot sauce category. Tapatio's products have developed a large, loyal following in the Western U.S., where its customers include big-box retailers, supermarkets, restaurant chains, and other retail outlets. With Highlander's investment and partnership, the Company plans to extend its reach into nascent geographies, broaden its distribution channels, bolster new product development and enter complementary new product categories. "We are excited to partner with Tapatio, a generational business that is distinguished by a strong, authentic brand in the fast growing hot sauce category. We believe that Tapatio is poised to benefit from several secular trends that are dramatically reshaping consumer food choices, and we look to take advantage of the brand's significant whitespace opportunity," said Jeff L. Hull, President and CEO of Highlander Partners. "It is both a privilege and an immense responsibility for Highlander to be the next steward of the Tapatio brand," said Jeff Partridge, Partner at Highlander. "We share the Saavedra family's vision to maintain the brand's legacy as we carefully and purposefully target opportunities to grow the brand geographically, introduce new flavors and products, and deepen penetration in both the retail and foodservice channels." Luis Saavedra Jr., former CEO for Tapatio stated, "Highlander is a perfect fit given their extensive background in the branded Hispanic food category, and we are pleased to have a partner that invests their own capital and takes a long-term strategic approach to growing companies. Tapatio has a strong business with a proud heritage and identity. Highlander shares our vision to maintain this legacy." Stout served as exclusive financial advisor to Tapatio on the transaction. J.P. Morgan led the senior financing facilities, and NMP Capital provided both financing and equity in support of the transaction. Katten served as legal advisor to Highlander. About Highlander Partners Highlander Partners, L.P. is a Dallas-based private investment firm with more than $3 billion in assets under management. The firm focuses on making investments in businesses in targeted industries in which the principals of the firm have significant operating and investing experience. Highlander Partners employs a buy and build investment approach, creating value by helping companies grow both organically and through acquisitions. For more information, visit www.highlander-partners.com. About Tapatio Tapatio is a beloved hot sauce brand that has been bringing a flavorful kick to dishes since 1971. Founded in California by Jose-Luis Saavedra Sr., Tapatio is named after the term used to describe someone from Guadalajara, Mexico, reflecting its deep connection to traditional Mexican flavors. Known for its perfect balance of medium heat and rich, tangy flavor, Tapatio is crafted from a blend of red peppers, vinegar, garlic, and spices. It's a versatile condiment, commonly used to enhance everything from Mexican cuisine to eggs, soups, and more.. For more information, visit www.tapatiohotsauce.com. SOURCE Highlander Partners, L.P. Jennifer Melle was investigated for misgendering a convicted paedophile last year - Eddie Mulholland A nurse threatened with the sack after she misgendered a transgender paedophile prisoner has been reinstated to her NHS job. Jennifer Melle, 40, was reported to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) after she referred to an inmate from a high-security mens prison listed as male on their medical record, as Mr and he. She was then hauled before a disciplinary hearing, accused of breaching patient confidentiality by speaking to the media, an allegation she denied. The Christian nurse told the individual: Sorry I cannot refer to you as her or she, as its against my faith and Christian values, but I can call you by your name. Ms Melle, who works at St Helier Hospital in south London, was referred to the NMC over alleged breaches of its conduct policy. Its code states that nurses should not express personal beliefs in an inappropriate way, even for religious reasons. On Tuesday, the Trust dropped the confidentiality case against her. It said it has since reinstated her following the suspension. Deeply relieved and grateful She is due to attend a full employment tribunal hearing in April against Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust over her claims of mistreatment during the incident. Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Melle said: I am deeply relieved and grateful to hear that Epsom and St Helier Hospital has confirmed it will take no further action against me. This has been an incredibly long and painful journey. I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has stood with me, prayed for me, and supported me through the darkest moments. Your encouragement has meant more than you will ever know. I am thankful that this chapter is closing, but I remain determined that the lessons of my case, and the cases before mine, must be learnt. The NHS must protect its staff, uphold fairness, and ensure that no nurse is ever again placed in an impossible position for simply doing their job with integrity. Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservatives, wrote on the social media site X: I am delighted for Jennifer that common sense has prevailed. But it is not justice. Jennifer has been dragged through the mire for two long years. And for what? Radical gender ideology that makes a mockery of the law. The Government must act to end these absurd witch hunts. On Monday, Sandie Peggie and the Darlington nurses joined Ms Melle to protest outside the Houses of Parliament. Ms Melle was joined by Sandie Peggie (left) and two of the Darlington nurses outside the Commons - Yui Mok/PA Wire Meanwhile, Claire Coutinho, the shadow women and equalities minister, wrote to Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust to protest against her dismissal. Ms Coutinho has also written to Sir Mark Lowcock, the trusts chief executive, and James Blythe, the chairman of Jennifer Melles Trust, urging them to intervene to prevent disciplinary action being taken against her in order to avoid a grave injustice. The solidarity between the NHS nurses follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling in April that sex under the Equality Act was defined by biological sex, not gender identity. Ms Peggie, who took action against NHS Fife after being forced to share a hospital changing room with a transgender colleague, said she was proud to stand against the mistreatment of Ms Melle. Ms Peggie, who has worked as a nurse for more than 30 years, claimed she was subject to unlawful harassment when she was expected to share a changing room with a transgender doctor. She took her case against NHS Fife to an employment tribunal and secured a partial victory last month. Claire Coutinho wrote to the NHS Trust to protest against Jennifer Melles dismissal - PA The employment judge ruled that the NHS trust had harassed her by allowing her transgender colleague to continue to use the womens changing rooms even after Ms Peggie had complained. The Darlington nurses are eight colleagues at the Darlington Memorial Hospital, who brought a claim against their NHS Trust after a transgender colleague was allowed to share changing facilities. In a judgment on Friday, employment judge Seamus Sweeney ruled that the NHS had violated the nurses dignity and that the trusts conduct amounted to harassment. An Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS spokesperson said: Following an investigation into a breach of patient confidentiality, we are pleased that a member of staff who was previously suspended on full pay is being reinstated to clinical duties. Racial abuse of our staff will never be tolerated and we are sorry that she had this experience. Taliban fighters patrol a street in Kabul during the fall of the Afghan capital in 2021 - AAMIR QURESHI/AFP Taliban fighters may have been granted asylum in Britain following the evacuation of Kabul, a former defence secretary has suggested. Sir Ben Wallace could not rule out whether the members of the group had slipped through the vetting process in the wake of the chaotic fall of the Afghan capital in 2021. The former Cabinet member made the comments while giving evidence to MPs on the Commons defence committee as part of the inquiry into the Afghan data leak scandal in 2022. Described as the most expensive email in history, the fallout forced the government to relocate Afghans affected by the data breach to protect them from Taliban reprisals at a cost of 850m. The evacuation was one of three Afghan resettlement programmes being run by the government. They were initially predicted to have cost the taxpayer 7bn. This figure has since been revised to between 5.5bn and 6bn, the Ministry of Defence said. British and US military help evacuate eligible civilians from Kabul as part of Operation Pitting - NEWSPIX INTERNATIONAL Questioning Sir Ben on Tuesday, Lincoln Jopp, the Tory MP for Spelthorne, asked: Do you think that we probably did let some Taliban in? Sir Ben told MPs: Im sure in a large-scale evacuation we didnt get everything right, but ultimately we tried to vet and did as much as we could and thats where we got the leak. What I cant talk about is the ARR [Afghanistan Response Route], when the ARAP [Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy] morphed after Id left, and what they did under the pressure of that leak and whether people dropped the bar. The Taliban rapidly regained power after the United States pulled the last of its military out of Afghanistan in August 2021. The countrys collapse led to a surge of applications to Britains ARAP scheme to offer sanctuary to those locals who had worked for or with the UK Government. It prompted a major evacuation, called Operation Pitting, which Sir Ben said military chiefs later dubbed Dunkirk done by WhatsApp, in reference to the Second World War rescue mission to save 338,000 British and Allied troops stranded in France in May 1940. Sir Ben said he was determined that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) oversaw the ARAP mission and kept it separate from the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), which sought to offer sanctuary for vulnerable people including women, children and minority groups. The Home Office was always very keen to blur the two and I didnt want to blur the two, the former defence secretary told MPs. But he said the decision led to the MoD having to effectively design and make immigration databases from scratch. Maybe, in retrospect, I should have just handed it over and let the Home Office run its own immigration system. I think none of us in this room are ever impressed with the Home Office immigration system under any government, so I think it was rather better to just run it ourselves. Following the Kabul evacuation, the names of some 33,000 people who had been helping Western forces during the war in Afghanistan were spread online, after being accidentally shared by a Royal Marine in April 2022, exposing them to the Taliban. The blunder was discovered in August 2023 and led to nearly 24,000 Afghan soldiers and their families being secretly offered asylum as part of the ARR. They included members of the Afghan special forces, known as The Triples, who carried out some of the most dangerous missions against the Taliban. Evacuees on board a US transport aircraft at Kabul airport - LPhot Ben Shread/MoD/PA Dozens of people are alleged to have been killed as a result of the leak, research submitted to the Commons Defence Committee last year claimed. Sir Ben said the cause of the breach came about because someone didnt do their job. The error was kept secret from the public for 683 days by two successive governments, following an unprecedented ministerial super-injunction that cost taxpayers 2.41m. The injunction, applied for by the MoD on the day Sir Ben left Government, was eventually overturned after a legal challenge by The Telegraph and other media organisations. Sir Ben said that, at the time, he had directed a time-limited injunction to be used to protect the news of the data leak while the MoD fought to understand what had gone wrong. However, he believed it was wrong to issue the superinjunction, telling MPs: I didnt think it was the right thing to do. I didnt think it was necessary. The MoD said there was no evidence to suggest any member of the Taliban had been relocated through the ARP. A spokesman said: As the public would rightly expect, anyone coming to the UK must pass strict security and entry checks before being able to relocate. If they dont pass these checks, they are not granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK. Food & Wine / Photo by Miguel Angel Fuentes Every chef or home cook seems to have that one ingredient they always keep stocked a dried spice thats never missing from the rack or an herb thats used to finish every dish. For Hank Shaw, the James Beard Awardwinning chef, outdoorsman, and author of cookbooks including Borderlands, one staple ingredient has earned a permanent place in his freezer: roasted Hatch chiles. Related: What Makes Hatch Chiles So Special? If you do any sort of New Mexican cooking, and really any Mexican cooking, youll find yourself in need of roasted green chiles, says Shaw. Roasted, with the undigestible seeds and skins removed, a few flecks of char here and there, they are the perfect way to eat a green pepper. Hatch green chile grown in Hatch Valley, New Mexico is a versatile, smoky pepper with a pleasant kick that is used in everything from stews and chilis to tacos and burgers. Since fresh Hatch chiles are mainly in season from July to late October, keeping a frozen stash is an ideal way to enjoy their smoky, fruit flavor year-round. What are roasted Hatch chiles? Shaw explains that poblano chiles are more common than Hatch chiles across Mexico and the United States except from West Texas to Arizona, Coahuila to Baja. In these regions, The Hatch chile called chilaca, chile verde, or Anaheim reigns supreme. "Good green chiles have an almost floral character to them, with a touch of sweet to balance the heat. " Hank Shaw Compared to poblanos, Hatch chiles are lighter in color, have thicker flesh, and are more variable in heat. According to Shaw, Good green chiles have an almost floral character to them, with a touch of sweet to balance the heat. He recommends keeping frozen roasted Hatch chile in your freezer to save you the trouble of roasting them fresh every time. Jarred or canned versions are available as well, but, for Shaw, frozen roasted green chile is far superior. Where to buy frozen roasted Hatch chiles I love buying [frozen Hatch chile] from small businesses in New Mexico they have shipping down to a science, says Shaw, noting that hes never had a package arrive thawed. But if you dont have access to New Mexicos family-owned Hatch chile businesses, he recommends the Hatch Chile Store for its excellent service and produce. The online stores chiles are flame-roasted and hand-peeled in Hatch Valley, then frozen to maintain freshness, vacuum-sealed, and shipped with dry ice to prevent thawing. Depending on what youre cooking, you can buy the frozen chiles either chopped or whole. Chopped are more versatile, because you just thaw and add to whatever, Shaw says. Whole are indispensable for stuffed chiles, or rajas long strips of roasted green chile you use in tacos, burritos, or queso. How to cook with frozen roasted Hatch chiles Take a tip from the New Mexicans: Put that shit in everything! Shaw emphasizes. But mostly in green salsas, in stews of any kind, in homemade queso, as a smooth, roux-based green chile sauce, added to a green relish for hot dogs, or, quintessentially, top a burger with some. His top tip when cooking with thawed Hatch chiles? Save the liquid from the packet and add it to dishes for an extra hit of smoky chile flavor. Related: Keep These 18 Ingredients in the Freezer Your Future Self Will Thank You At the Hatch Chile Store, frozen chiles are available in varying heat levels: mild, medium, and hot. Shaw often opts for medium, which is enough to feel [the spice], but not so hot you cant pile them into a dish. In his own Southwestern cooking, the chef treats roasted green chile as a vegetable rather than just a spice, and thats hard to do with the fully hot ones. Occasionally, though, Shaw uses the hot ones for salsas and the mild chiles to make pies yes, pies. That varying heat level lends roasted green chiles to all kinds of dishes, from fiery salsas truly fiery; dont get fooled by a hot Hatch chiles size, itll have the heat of a serrano at the very least to green chile apple pie. Read the original article on Food & Wine Key Points Alphabet is dominant in nearly every business it pursues. Taiwan Semiconductor is a vital part of the world's economy. 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet Finding stocks that are great candidates to buy now and hold forever isn't easy. These need to be fairly stable companies, with several avenues to continue their growth path. Furthermore, they need to have market-beating growth opportunities, as owning stocks that underperform the market misses the whole point of investing in individual stocks. Two that I think investors can buy in 2026 and hold forever are Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM). Each of these stocks has massive tailwinds blowing in its favor and is a vital part of the industries in which they operate. I think investors can confidently buy them now and hide them away in their portfolio, as they are slated to deliver market-beating returns for the foreseeable future. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue Investor looking at stock quotes. Image source: Getty Images. 1. Alphabet Alphabet is the parent company of businesses like Google, YouTube, Waymo, Android, and many others. While it has a wide reach, the largest part of its business operates on advertising revenue. This primarily comes via its Google Search engine, which has evolved to integrate generative AI summaries in each search result. This innovation will keep Google relevant for years to come, allowing it to maintain its cash cow. Additionally, Alphabet is emerging as a generative AI leader. While it stumbled out of the gates, it has quickly caught up to become a leader, making it one of the more popular models available. While this isn't generating a ton of revenue right now, it has the potential to down the road. One area where it could see a boost is in its cloud computing business. Google Cloud is one of the big three of cloud computing, and its popularity could rise as Gemini's status does. Similar to how Azure has grown quickly due to its tie-in with ChatGPT, Google Cloud could experience outsized growth thanks to Gemini. Alphabet is in a great position to grow its core business and expand into artificial intelligence (AI) over the next few years. Alphabet has proven that it's a relevant force in any industry it operates in, and if it ever falls behind, it has the resources to catch up. This makes for a great company to invest in, and I think Alphabet can be a breakthrough position in any investor's portfolio. 2. Taiwan Semiconductor There are several vital companies in the world, but I'd argue that Taiwan Semiconductor is among the most important. It produces the majority of the world's cutting-edge chips, and this position is relatively unchallenged, as there aren't many chip foundry businesses operating around the world due to the high cost to enter this field. Additionally, Taiwan Semiconductor is also a fierce competitor, and it is consistently innovating to launch new chip technologies. Right now, Taiwan Semiconductor's next-generation 2-nanometer chip has just started production. This chip offers vast improvements in energy efficiency, consuming 25% to 30% less power than its previous 3nm chip when configured to run at the same speed. It isn't stopping there, either. Taiwan Semiconductor has several more technologies launching over the next few years, and each will offer improvements over the others. Without Taiwan Semiconductor's capabilities, tech wouldn't look the same as it does now. An investment in Taiwan Semiconductor is a bet that we're going to use more advanced chips in greater quantities in the future. That seems like a no-brainer to me, making Taiwan Semiconductor an excellent stock to buy now and hold forever. However, there is one caveat with Taiwan Semiconductor: its location. Many investors are worried that China could invade Taiwan to bring it back under its control. While this would be bad for the stock, it would also be bad for the world. Military action like that could drag the U.S. and its allies into a conflict with China, which would tank the stock market in its entirety. So if this happens, there would likely be few safe havens. As a result, I tend to downplay that risk, as there will be far wider implications if military action does occur. What's more, Taiwan Semiconductor is expanding geographically, building fabrication plants in such places as the U.S., Japan, and Germany. I still think Taiwan Semiconductor is an excellent stock to buy now and hold forever, as there are far too many tailwinds blowing in its favor to miss out on this huge winner. Should you buy stock in Alphabet right now? Before you buy stock in Alphabet, 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 Alphabet 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 $474,578!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,141,628!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 955% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 196% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of January 19, 2026. Keithen Drury has positions in Alphabet and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. designer491 / iStock via Getty Images (designer491 / iStock via Getty Images) Quick Read California has over $70B in unaccounted for federal tax dollars under Newsom. Hawaii has the highest state tax burden at 13.9% of income. New York ranks second at 13.6%. California leads the nation with a 14.3% top income tax rate and 90 cents per gallon gas tax. A recent study identified one single habit that doubled Americans retirement savings and moved retirement from dream, to reality. Read more here. Over the past 12 months, the sheer amount of revealed taxpayer dollars involved in fraud, bribes, and other illegalities by politicians and NGOs has been staggering. The fraud committed in Minnesota under Gov. Tim Walz, which now appears to outstrip the $9 billion initial estimate, appears to be dwarfed by new indications over CA Gov. Gavin Newsoms unaccounted for $70+ billion. The Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress last year offered a number of federal tax relief measures for beleaguered taxpayers. However, tax rates in blue states that are still unconscionably high have not undergone similar reductions. In fact, these high state and local taxes are the major reason why affordability has continued to be an issue for those big city citizens in blue states. How Taxes Differ Across Various States teegardin / Flickr (teegardin / Flickr) School taxes, property taxes, excise taxes, etc. - the number of taxes that bureaucrats can conceive to take more money from citizens defies rationality in some cases. The average federal tax paid per capita by US citizens is roughly $13,800 as of recent years, which may go down slightly thanks to BBB reductions on federal income tax for social security, tips, and some other areas. However, while the average state and local tax is approximately $7,100, the discrepancy is quite broad. State and local taxes may include separate income taxes, as well as property, school, and other taxes. However, the variances can include such areas as: Certain states, most notably Texas and Florida, have no state income tax. Other states, where land is at a premium, and much of its food and energy are shipped in from the mainland or elsewhere, like with Hawaii, have very high cumulative state taxes. Additionally, local sales tax, another factor directly affecting affordability in blue states. Over 10% sales tax is a big factor in elevating Louisianas total tax burden to 8.90%, and Tennessees 9.6% comprises an even bigger ratio of the state's overall 6.4% tax burden. After one dies estate taxes, which can range from 0% in states like Pennsylvania to as high as 35% in Washington. From a cumulative perspective, Washington, D.C. easily has the highest per capita tax grab, $14,979 although it is not the highest tax percentage of income, since non-residents who work in D.C. are taxed in their respective residence states. Based on a total tax burden percentage, the states that take the largest bite from its residents incomes are: Hawaii: 13.9% New York: 13.6% Vermont: 11.5% California: 11.0% Hawaii Maridav / Shutterstock.com (Maridav / Shutterstock.com) With a cumulative 13.9% state tax burden on its citizens, Hawaii ranks #1 in the nation. As the Pacific Island Paradise of the US, Hawaiis residents pay a hefty toll for the luxury of living there. The 13.9% cumulative tax burden breaks down to 4,2% in state income taxes (can go as high as 11% for wealthy residents), 2.6% in property taxes, and 7.2% in sales and excise taxes. Additionally, Hawaiis taxation has some unique twists not found in any other state: Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) : Hawaiis heavy dependence on tourism includes a statewide tax on short-term hotel stays and vacation rentals. This tax is presently 10.25% of gross rental income. Hawaii Real Property Tax (HARPTA) : A HARPTA tax of 7.25% of the sale price is withheld at the closing of any Hawaii real estate by non-residents, and if sellers are required to prove their actual capital gain when filing for a refund. General Excise Tax (GET): Due to inordinate dependence Hawaii has on imported necessities like food and energy, as well as other items, The GET, for all intents and purposes, exceeds a normal sales tax in several ways: * The tax is levied on not just final sales, but on the gross receipts of businesses on services, goods and rentals sold. * Costs are passed onto the buyer via price hikes from the seller. * The state rate in Hawaii is 4%, but counties surcharge rates vary, with Honolulus at 4.5%. New York Domingo Saez / Shutterstock.com (Domingo Saez / Shutterstock.com) New York City taxes are a labyrinth of charges and levies that make it one of the most expensive cities on the planet, while the rest of the state is considerably less costly. The Big Apple has been synonymous with high finance, tall buildings, glittery nightlife, and cutting edge art and fashion for over a century. As such, its no surprise that it has one of the highest state income tax rates:10.9%. However, the rest of New York state is considerably less highly taxed that New York City, which is a tax leviathan unto itself. For example, the average NY state property tax is between 1.2% to 1.7%. However, New York City property taxes depend on classification: 1-3 family homes are normally assessed around 6%, but can reach a nominal rate of over 20%; co-ops and condos are assessed at 45% of market value with larger buildings possibly higher; commercial real estate tax rate for 2026 stands at 10.8%. With New York City taxes so high, the rest of the state mathematically calculates out much lower in order for the mean to fall closer to 1.5%. Additionally, New York City residents pay a local income tax on top of state income tax. Socialist Mayor Zohan Mamdani wants to increase New York Citys rates even higher across the board, so tax relief in the Big Apple is not expected anytime soon. Additional taxes unique to New York for individuals (businesses have an entirely separate long list) includes: Congestion pricing: Instituted by Gov. Hotchul, this tax is levied on any drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street, with peak hours rates for cars at $9.00, trucks at $21.60, and motorcycles at $4.50. Business Specific Surcharges : customers of parking lots, hair and/or nail salons, and gyms are charged an additional tax on top of their fees, along with a fixed 12% surcharge on auto rentals. Apparel and Footwear : Any clothing or footwear that costs over $110.00 triggers an added combined additional state and city tax. Excise Taxes : Ridiculously high taxes on tobacco ($5.35 per cigarette pack) and fuel (added petroleum testing and several other taxes) are charged as extra cents per gallon at the pump. Vaping: Vapor products are charged a 20% additional tax. Vermont Katherine Welles/Shutterstock.com (Katherine Welles/Shutterstock.com) Vermont is known for being the #1 producer of US maple syrup and for having the highest property taxes in the nation. Popular for its excellent ski resorts, gorgeous foliage, and for being the largest supplier of maple syrup in the US, Vermont also has the highest state property tax rates: a 1.78% average with some areas like Caledonia as high as 2.48%. Vermonts school system is especially reliant upon property tax revenues for its budgets. Additionally, Vermont has a progressive income tax in brackets, with the top rate at 8.75%, an average combined sales tax of 6.39%, and its own high gas and tobacco excise taxes. Taxes unique to Vermont include: Property Transfer Tax : This is a 50% tax used as a revenue stream for several Vermont state-run funds for Municipal Planning and Housing & Conservation. Education Property Tax : The rate averages 1.78%. Meals & Rooms (Hotel and Lodging) Tax: This is a tax which is divided 69% to the General Fund, 25% to education, and 6% to the Clean Water Fund. California Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images) In 7 Years, Gavin Newsom has made California the #1 state in homelessness and poverty from his mismanagement of hundreds of billions of dollars. every year. In his seven years as Governor of California, Gavin Newsom has gutted the strongest middle class in the nation and replaced it with record setting levels of poverty and homelessness. His reckless spending has included estimates of $70 billion in unaccounted for federal tax dollars given to California in addition to his own mismanagement of the L.A. wildfire disaster, the bullet train to nowhere, and other boondoggles. With a state GDP that outstrips that of a large number of sovereign nations, Newsoms taxation takes his pound of flesh and then some: Highest State Income Tax : Californias top state income tax rate is 13.3% with an extra 1% mental health surcharge (not a joke!). Highest Gas Tax : In a state where public transportation is abysmal and a car is a must Californians pay a cumulative 90 cents per gallon tax - highest in the nation. Highest State Sales Tax : Californias 7.25% state sales tax is another #1 national ranking - and additional local sales taxes bump that figure up higher. Capital Gains Taxes : Unlike lower rates for capital gains as per the IRS, California insists on taxing capital gains as income. Non-Deductability of HSA: California does not recognize the triple tax deductibility (contributions, earnings, and withdrawals for medical needs) of Health Savings Accounts and taxes contributions. When some Americans plain about affordability as an issue, Californians who venture outside their state to compare know who is actually at fault, and its not the federal government. In 1789, Benjamin Franklin came up with the famous phrase, In this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes. Interestingly, he strongly approved of external taxes, just like President Trumps tariffs, and was against internal taxes, like the Stamp Act, and only believed that additional taxes should be levied by consent. Hes probably rolling in his grave when the above states tax rolls come to his attention from the beyond. Data Shows One Habit Doubles Americans Savings And Boosts Retirement Most Americans drastically underestimate how much they need to retire and overestimate how prepared they are. But data shows that people with one habit have more than double the savings of those who dont. And no, its got nothing to do with increasing your income, savings, clipping coupons, or even cutting back on your lifestyle. Its much more straightforward (and powerful) than any of that. Frankly, its shocking more people dont adopt the habit given how easy it is. Aerial view of Kansanshi Copper Mine in northern Zambia Credit - Photograph courtesy of FQM The journey from tawny earth to copper wire begins with an explosion. Or 2,697 explosions, to be precise. At the 1,100-acre main pit of Kansanshi copper mine in northern Zambia, a lattice of six-inch blast holes punctuates the ribboned moonscape. At 3 p.m., the ground erupts in an echelon pattern, sending plumes of dust skyward. Cue the arrival of the worlds largest electric dump trucks, which haul away the rubble to be ground to a fine powder. The ore is then concentrated via chemical flotation and finally transformed into 99.5% pure copper anode on site in Africas biggest smelter, where the liquid metal emerges amid an emerald glow. The green color shows its pure copper, says Edmund Mokolo, a smelter engineer for First Quantum Minerals (FQM), which runs Kansanshi. Zambia is already Africas second largest producer of copper, which accounts for around 70% of its export earnings. As with many of its neighbors, its history and culture have been shaped by minerals. Coppers historic importance is spotlighted by an orange stripe on the Zambian flagthe worlds only national banner to reference the mineral. The landlocked nation of 22 million has highly ambitious plans to quadruple copper output to 3 million tons annually by 2031, electrifying the global economy while juicing its own. About $10 billion of private capital is being invested into mine expansion, including $1.25 billion by FQM for its new S3 processing plant in Kansanshi. But Africas current moment isnt just about copper. Its about whether the continent can shed historic dependencies to turn its mineral wealth into prosperity, without repeating mistakes of the past. One way is to leverage the U.S.-China rivalry, and the global clamor for the minerals essential to both the green transition and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Zambias potential is undisputed. Slightly larger than Texas, the country is 60% arable, though only 14% of its landmass is cultivated. Its English-speaking population has an enviable median age of 18. (The U.S. and China are over double that.) With eight countries on its borders, Zambia is perfectly placed to serve as a regional economic hub for a quarter of a billion people. It is a country that has never been at war with itself or its neighbors and, notwithstanding flirtations with authoritarianism, has been broadly democratic for over three decades. Then there are mineral resources that are the envy of the developed world. Yet Zambia remains both the sixth poorest and sixth most inequitable nation on the planet. Power shortages are endemic. In 1996, 46% of Zambian people were living in poverty. Today, its 63%. Squandered promise is a refrain across Africa, galvanizing calls in Washington to prioritize trade over aid as the best means of uplifting its people. Theres plenty to be excited about. By the year 2050, over 25% of the worlds population is expected to hail from the continent, including a third of those ages 15 to 24. Africas combined GDP was $2.6 trillion in 2020 but is projected to reach $29 trillion by 2050. Africa boasts a middle class exceeding 350 million people as well as three of the worlds 20 fastest-growing tech hubs, including Nigerias Lagos in first place. There are ambitious plans for blockchain technology to unlock the value of gold, copper, and diamond reserves while leaving them in the ground. We should stop crying and blaming other people, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema tells TIME on the veranda of his palatial home on the outskirts of Lusaka. We should take charge of our destiny. After 15 years in opposition, and five unsuccessful presidential bids, Hichilema finally secured power in 2021 after winning fans in Western capitals by painting himself as a principled champion of democratic values. The shine has come off since, with Western diplomats muttering bitterly about graft and backsliding democracy, even as enormous billboards adorned with Hichilemas stern visage loom over Lusakas acacia-lined streets exhorting citizens to Say No to Corruption. In 2017, as opposition leader, he was imprisoned for four months and tortured before being released amid an international outcry. There were some excesses here and there, he shrugs. The last government was a little bit heavy-handed. Hichilemas desire to play down his past tribulations and play up Zambian stability is understandable. In particular, he wants last Januarys dismantling of USAID, which had allocated $12.7 billion to the sub-Saharan region, accounting for 0.6% of GDP, to entrench a new paradigm of self-sufficiency. Its a decidedly silver-lining perspective on a shock treatment that was widely condemned at the time. Various studies suggest the aid cuts could push 5.7 million more Africans into extreme poverty within a year, while 2 million to 4 million people were likely to die annually as a result. Zambia was receiving around $600 million annually toward health care, food security, governance, and securityof which some $70 million was cut. At first, food imports had to be urgently distributed to Zambias poorest to plug the gap. We had to work hard to make sure that nobody died of hunger, says Hichilema. Still, he calls the cuts a long overdue wake-up call. After inheriting an economy that contracted 2.8% in 2020, Hichilema is now aiming for 6% growth next year. In 2022, he made primary and secondary education free for all citizens and has since added 10,000 teachers to the 30,000 already on the national books. At Mushitala Primary School in Zambias northern town of Solwezi, attendance has soared from 1,700 boisterous schoolkids in azure blue uniforms when universal education was introduced to over 2,800 today. We have 47 teachers today instead of 30 before, says head teacher Doreen Shimishi. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema pictured on June 23, 2023 IANNISG/REA/Redux In August, Hichilema inked an agreement with Indian pharmaceutical firm Akums to start producing 700 types of generic drugs at a special economic zone outside the capital. He also unveiled a policy to irrigate 1.2 million acres of farmland to allow two maize crops each year. Despite one of the worst droughts in decades last year, Zambia just enjoyed its highest agricultural yield since independence in 1964. So well be food secure, says Hichilema. We should continue being a food basket for not just ourselves but the region. Despite Africa hosting 20 of the 25 most climate-vulnerable countries, in other ways the fight against global warming plays to the continents advantage. The continents young population, natural resources, and abundance of untapped renewable energy make it essential to climate goals. Africa hosts 60% of the planets uncultivated arable land yet only 16% of the global carbon-credits market. Zambia sits on the southern fringe of the Congo Basin, the worlds second largest rain forest, which every year removes $55 billion in carbon from the atmosphere. Anyone serious about decarbonizing major chunks of the global economy will invest where the energy, the people, and the raw materials are, says James Mwangi, founder and CEO of Africa Climate Ventures. Still, many challenges persist. Africa faces limited access to international markets, unfair trading conditions, and only 6% of global capital allocation. Corruption remains rife. But the hope is that the decline of foreign aid creates a rallying call that compels African countries to forge their own paths, freed from the rules donors attached to aid. Studies show ready access to aid cash also gnaws at professionalism and fosters corruption. Every year, an estimated $88.6 billionsome 3.7% of Africas GDPleaves the continent for overseas bank accounts, according to U.N. data. In 2021, $5 billion reportedly vanished from Zambias coffers alone, about 20% of GDP. Owing to perceived venality and instability, many African countries pay four times as much interest on their debt as do high-income nations despite often having lower debt-to-GDP ratios. An average African government spends 18% of all state revenue on interest alone, compared with 3% for E.U. nations. Since coming into office, Hichilema has restructured 94% of Zambias debt, but laments the high price of capital as a trap and death sentence for Africa. Money that goes to servicing debt could fund health care, education, and other public goods, he says. The risk premiums attributable to Africa are overly inflated. This is now a moral issue. Indeed, a September report by the Global Emerging Markets Risk Data-base found that while sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest rate of default on private loans from 1994 to 2024 at 6.05%, it also had the highest rate of recovering funds (78%). Africa is not without risk, says Mark Napier, CEO of Financial Services Deepening Africa, which helps establish capital markets across Africa. But on average its less perilous than you might think. Despite efforts to diversify Africas economy, near-term prosperity relies on more efficiently exploiting natural resources. Africa is home to 30% of the worlds minerals but nine of its 10 poorest nations. Unfortunately, until now mineral wealth has been more likely to correlate to instability than prosperity, as spotlighted by the ongoing civil war in Sudan, where access to gold fields is a key driver. The continent has always been very rich under the ground, says Moses Michael Engadu, secretary-general of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), an intergovernmental body that aims to ensure the continent benefits from its vast mineral wealth. But that wealth is not being transformed above. Geopolitics may help unlock this potential. For decades, most of the copper leaving Africa was bound for China, whose 58 smelters underscore its stranglehold over processing. (The U.S. has two.) But with the Trump Administration adding copper to its list of critical minerals in November, extricating supply chains from Washingtons superpower rival is now a national-security priority. In recent months, the U.S. has signed seven bilateral critical-minerals agreements with countries around the globe. Zambia hopes to take advantage of great power tensions to refine more minerals locally and retain more value-add. On Dec. 11, Caleb Orr, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs, visited Kansanshi and met with Hichilema to discuss accessing critical minerals. Data centers and the AI boom rely on copper, Orr tells TIME. And so our own economy has immense interest in securing the copper supply chain. Kansanshi is Africas largest copper mine and pivotal to Zambias development goals. As the world clamors to electrify and embrace transformative technology like AI, soaring demand for copper is poised to outstrip supply, with the world facing a 30% copper deficit by 2035, according to the International Energy Agency, which has warned scaling copper production will require more investment than any other transition mineral. We want our copper ... to do to us what oil and gas has done to the Middle East, says Hichilema. Thats our aspiration. Historically, the generosity of Western nations put aid recipients in a bind, making governments accountable to donors rather than constituents, who are spared the hardship of paying taxes but are less likely to hold public officials to account. Meanwhile, the sovereignty of their resources is diluted. Now, African governments have recognized that they have more autonomy and must use it to become more self-reliant and to achieve genuine financial sovereignty, says Marcus Courage, founder and CEO of Africa Practice, a business consultancy. Guinea, the worlds top bauxite exporter, has begun mandating that foreign mining companies invest in local alumina refineries. Ghanas first commercial gold refinery opened in August 2024, while a ban on foreign traders to combat smuggling helped gold exports to rise 75% year-on-year. Malawi banned all raw-mineral exports in late 2025; Gabon is set to stop exporting raw manganese by 2029. For a long time, Africa has been operating on potential, says Engadu. Its time to transform that promise into action. Zambia has eyes on doing more with mining than collecting royalties. FQM is already its top taxpayer, contributing $650 million to state coffers in 2024, not including an additional $2 billion in wages, supplier contracts, and community outreach. The Canada-headquartered firm, which started life in Zambia as a copper-tailings reprocessor but has since expanded across five continents, has also trained 7,000 local farmers, supports 35 schools and 23 health facilities, and runs a range of community activities. We very much understand that were in a community, says FQM CEO Tristan Pascall. We need to be there with people to provide something that impacts their lives beneficially. Molten copper pours from First Quantum Minerals smelter in northern Zambia Timothy KambidimaFQM Hichilema wants to codify that largesse into policy. From Jan. 1, 2026, new local-sourcing legislation compels Zambian mines to purchase 20% of core goodsmaterials used in the actual mining processand 100% of secondary goods and services from Zambian-owned businesses, with the aim to seed domestic manufacturing for lubricants, explosives, PPE, foodstuffs, and more. Over time, the core provision will be increased to 40%, says Hichilema, with the mines themselves encouraged to work with nascent suppliers to build capacity and ensure quality, as well as provide capital via prepayment and loan guarantees. We still have to teach our people to do business, says Hichilema. Another hope is that tokenization can boost investor confidence by ensuring transparency. In theory, anything can be tokenized. Once an asset has been quantified and assigned a value, it can be sold on open markets much like shares. Blockchain technology can then follow that asset via every stage of processing. It solves problems related to fraud, transparency, provenance, says Chris Wong, CEO of LifeSite, whose TokenX platform is being used by the AMSG to develop a standardized Africa Mineral Token. Carbon credits offer another potential revenue stream. The Luangwa Community Forests Project east of Lusaka is the continents largest REDD+ project by size and the largest in the world by quantified social impact, part of a U.N.-backed framework that pays communities to protect forests rather than clear them. Its run by Lusaka-based Bio-Carbon Partners (BCP), which sells carbon credits to private industries including oil and gas and luxury goods, as well as individuals. BCP manages a total of 16.5 million acres of forest in Zambia, where over 70% of the workforce is recruited from communities served, and is currently undertaking additional projects in neighboring Mozambique. Still, CEO Nicholas Mudaly cautions that BCP took seven years and spent $85 million to achieve the necessary accreditation and that money hasnt been recouped. While carbon credits are different from aid, they still rely on a capricious West keeping its side of the bargain. In 2022, Gabon pursued an ambitious strategy to leverage its vast rain forests to issue 187 million REDD+ carbon credits. Pricing guidelines at the time suggest they should have reaped up to $2 billion. However, Gabon only managed to sell $17 million worth to Norway. Critics say the economic and social cost of Gabons conservation efforts contributed to President Ali Bongos removal in a coup detat the following year. Lee White, a conservationist who served as Gabons Environment Minister until Bongos ouster, says that $2 billion could have drastically altered the national mood if spent on education, health care, and forestry management. Carbon markets are a risky thing for a country to gamble on, says White. Should we put our limited financial resources into creating forest carbon credits if we arent confident that we will actually get paid for it? When it comes to seeking economic opportunities, Hichilema makes no bones about looking both East and West. He held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in both 2023 and 2024, with bilateral ties upgraded to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. On Nov. 17, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed shared economic goals by phone with Hichilema. Two days later, Chinese Premier Li Qiang came to Lusaka. The superpowers courting of Zambia can verge on pantomime. In September, China inked a $1.4 billion deal to rehabilitate the historic Tanzania-Zambia Railway, which was first built with Chinese help and serves as a vital link for Zambias copper exports to the Indian Ocean port of Dar es Salaam. In response, the U.S. Embassy in Zambia tetchily posted on social media that two years after its 1976 opening Washington had to provide locomotives for the prematurely decrepit railway, as well as an additional $45 million toward maintenance in the 1980s owing to poor quality and cutting of corners in project delivery. Not that the U.S. has been a model of consistency. In May, its ambassador announced the U.S. was cutting $50 million of medications and medical supplies because of systematic theft of these products and minimal responsive action by the government. But just six months later, Washington unveiled a $1.5 billion grant over five years to build capacity in Zambias health care sector. The reversal appeared a ploy to counter China, whose no-strings, look-the-other-way approach to mineral-rich nations can both produce results and leave a stain. In Zambia, for all his progressive and pro-business rhetoric, Hichilema has been accused of implementing oppressive measures, like a draconian cybersecurity law, while opposition figures have been targeted with a flurry of charges such as sedition, defamation, unlawful assembly, hate speech, and espionage. In August, Hichilema will seek re-election and has backed a controversial constitutional amendment that would allow him to stack parliament with presidential appointees. Hichilema insists that his government respects the rule of law and denies undermining democracy. We want stability, peace, security, he says. This government does not support ... conflict, settling matters in the streets, agitating populations, disrupting the flow of ordinary life and conduct of business. But the concern is that Zambias leverage in the global marketplace will be squandered without true accountability. In February, a tailings dam collapsed at a copper mine operated by a Chinese state-owned enterprise in northern Zambia, releasing some 13 million gal. of highly toxic and acidic wasteincluding heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, and leadinto the Kafue River, Zambias longest waterway and a major drinking-water source. The spill killed fish, destroyed crops, and rendered the water undrinkable. Experts say a full cleanup could take longer than a decadeand nobody is sure who is going to foot the bill. Were not happy about the spillage, says Hichilema. That is why were working closely with Sino Metals, working with the Chinese government, because they own the company, to make sure that theres no repeat. Still, an independent audit into the disaster was dismissed by Lusaka, raising fears of a whitewash. (The fact that Zambia is burdened with more than $4 billion in Chinese debt, some of which had to be restructured after defaulting on foreign repayments in 2020, has not gone unnoticed.) In November, Hichilema was forced to abandon a speech in northern Zambia after the audience pelted him with stones. The prospect of any nation getting a free pass is galling for Zambians, for whom autonomy also means being able to hold foreign companies to account. Its also a potential self-inflicted wound for attracting the new investment necessary for Zambia to thrive. If were going to grow in Zambia, it needs to be on the basis of strong institutions, low levels of corruption, and a democratic process, says FQMs Pascall. Rather than begging for a seat at the Wests table, Africa now has every power clamoring for an invite to its own. But while the new paradigm of self-sufficiency means future successes will be purely Africanfailures must share that same label. Write to Charlie Campbell at charlie.campbell@time.com. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks to the media at Ritan Park, during the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to China since 2017, in Beijing, China, January 16, 2026. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio By Promit Mukherjee, Andrew Mills and Federico Maccioni OTTAWA/DOHA/DUBAI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is trying to foster a new global trading order by working more closely with China and inking smaller trade deals, but faces constraints from Canada's still overwhelming economic dependency on the United States. Last week, Carney took his trade diversification push further than his allies in Europe by signing a deal with China, and aims to project Canada as a potential leader in a new global trading order after U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs upended long-standing relationships. Forging new alliances and trading partnerships has taken on new urgency for countries like Canada as Trump's foreign policy grows more aggressive and unpredictable. Trump has intensified his push to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow NATO member Denmark, prompting the European Union to weigh hitting back with its own measures. Carney, the former head of both the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada, won an election last year promising to create new economic alliances to help Canada survive Trump's tariffs and threats to annex Canada. Before arriving at an annual gathering of the global elite in Davos on Monday, he circled the world and visited countries previously overlooked by Canada. "A number of the multilateral relationships, institutions, rules-based systems, are being eroded by various decisions of various countries, the United States included," Carney said in Doha on Sunday, where he pledged more cooperation on defense and security and said progress had been made on an investment promotion agreement. "Where there is progress, and where Canada and like-minded countries are looking to make progress, is through plurilateral deals," Carney said, advocating for agreements between a smaller number of countries. Carney said Canada was already advocating to be a bridge between the European Union and Pacific Rim nations. "In this moment of volatility, Canada will step up and lead. We will make sure that we are bringing countries to the table who will assist in this role," Foreign Minister Anita Anand told Reuters in an interview in Doha. U.S. TRADE DEPENDENCY The European Union is also intensifying its trade diversification efforts - signing a deal with South American trade bloc Mercosur after 25 years of talks, concluding a deal with Indonesia in September and updating agreements with Mexico. The EU has resumed trade agreement negotiations with Malaysia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates and India. But while the EU relies on the U.S. for just over 20% of goods exports, Canada still sends close to 70% of its exports south of the border. For Canada to reduce merchandise exports to the U.S. by 10%, it would have to double its exports to China, Germany, France, Mexico, Italy and India or find similar countries of that size, said Prince Owusu, senior economist with Export Development Canada. Carney has pledged to double Canada's non-U.S. exports over the next decade. Trade experts and economists say to achieve this, Canada has to heavily rely on China, currently its No. 2 trade partner. "We have to be very cautious... Moving too quickly and integrating too quickly with China also creates some issues around long-term stability for the economy," said William Pellerin, partner and co-head for international trade at law firm McMillan. Chinese manufacturers have the ability to flood the Canadian market overnight in just about every category of goods, he said. China's shipments to the U.S. fell last year but rose sharply to the rest of the world. Canada's share of exports to the U.S. fell to their lowest ever level outside the COVID-19 pandemic years in October, according to official data. But the U.S. still accounted for 67.3% of all exports. While the government hopes to sell more oil to Asia, 90% of Canadian crude goes to the U.S. Economists say the U.S. share of Canadian exports is unlikely to decline much more anytime soon, with many companies awaiting the outcome of negotiations over the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement this year. PURSUING MULTIPLE TRADE DEALS Carney last week became the first Canadian prime minister to visit Qatar and the first to visit China since 2017. In Beijing, Carney said China had become a more predictable partner than the U.S. He is expected to visit India soon, after the two countries restored diplomatic ties and agreed to restart trade talks that had stalled under his predecessor Justin Trudeau. Canada has also wrapped up trade deals with Ecuador and Indonesia and signed investment agreements with the United Arab Emirates. Carney's Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu said Canada will next focus on the Philippines, Thailand, Mercosur and Saudi Arabia, as well as India. "Normally, the government of Canada signs one trade agreement a year," Sidhu said in an interview in Dubai. "We want to make sure we get those done as soon as possible." (Additional reporting by Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Nia Williams) An Arizona Army National Guard soldier and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent inspect a vehicle at the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, Ariz., on April 29, 2025. Photo: Staff Sgt. Amber Peck / U.S. Army National Guard via DVIDS / Public Domain (The Center Square) - A new bill seeks to make Arizona the first state in the country to prevent its National Guard from fighting in wars not authorized by Congress. State Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, who served in the Air Force for 20 years, introduced Senate Bill 1047. The legislation says Arizonas National Guard cant be released from the state into active duty combat unless the United States Congress has passed an official Declaration of War or has taken official action pursuant to Article 1, Section 8, Clause 15 of the Constitution. The article allows Congress to federalize the National Guard to repel invasions, put down an insurrection and enforce Americas laws. SB 1047, also known as the Defend the Guard bill, would require the Arizona governor to take all actions necessary to comply with the order. Nationwide, the Defend the Guard bill has been pushed by an organization called Bring Our Troops Home, founded by Sgt. Dan McKnight, a 13-year veteran of the U.S. armed forces who served 18 months in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2007. In the past, Trump administration officials, including Secretary of DefensePete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have endorsed the bill. Also, Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Yuma, has supported the bill. Defend the Guard bill is a state-based prohibition on the use of militia unless [it has] been activated federally with proper authority, McKnight told The Center Square. If they want 'em to fight in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan or Venezuela, the first thing they have to do is have that proper authorization from Congress, he said. The Defend the Guard bill is attempting to give governors and states one more ounce of resistance that they can apply to the federal government to protect their own militia and citizens, he explained. The last time America had a congressionally approved war was in 1942 during World War II against Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania. Since then, Congress has abdicated [its] responsibility to decide when to change the condition of our nation from one of peace to one of war, McKnight noted. All the wars America has gotten into since World War II have been done by some quasi-legality, he said. As examples, he brought up how America entered the Korean War based on a United Nations charter and how the Vietnam War was based on the Gulf of Tonkin resolution. Since 9/11, the National Guard has turned from a defense force to an expeditionary war-fighting force, McKnight explained. The quasi-authority has been used to deploy National Guard members overseas due to Congress giving authorization of use of military force to the president in 2001 after the Sept. 11 attacks, he said, adding that this is not a legal declaration of war. Since the Global War on Terror, nearly 50% of the boots on the ground fighting outside of America have been National Guard members, McKnight stated. McKnight noted his organization gets comments from National Guard majors, captains, lieutenants and enlisted members who agree with the Defend the Guard bill. However, he said, people higher up in the military, such as generals, tend to oppose the bill. A common argument against this bill is that it will affect National Guard funding, but McKnight called this argument an absolute red herring. Congress decides where the money goes and where its spent, not the Department of Defense, he said. He added that if funds were taken away from a state, it would be political suicide. Senators and their congressmen from that state would never allow it to happen, McKnight said. If the federal government did take money away from a state like this, McKnight explained, it would leave the state vulnerable to responding to emergencies and disasters. All we're asking is that Congress does the one thing that they absolutely refuse to do, take up the issue and give the informed consent of the American people before we send our sons and daughters to fight and die somewhere else, McKnight explained. 2026 is the fourth year in a row that the Defend the Guard bill has been introduced in Arizona, McKnight stated. In the Arizona state Senate, the Defend the Guard bill has passed three times. However, the bill has never passed the state House. Last year, when the Defend the Guard bill went to the state House, it passed the Arizona House Rules Committee and the House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections Committee, but it never reached the House floor for a vote. McKnight said House Speaker Steve Montenegro, R-Surprise, did not allow the bill to be voted on. This year, McKnight said his organization is gonna put a lot of pressure on Speaker Montenegro to let the bill have its due process. The Center Square reached out to Montenegro for comment, but did not hear back before press time. McKnight said he thinks the bill will have enough support in the House to have it reach Gov. Katie Hobbs desk. He added that he doesnt know whether the Democratic governor would veto the bill or sign it, but he acknowledged her past history shows she may veto it. We look forward to that fight, McKnight said. During her time as governor, Hobbs has vetoed nearly 400 bills. Republicans hold majorities in both houses, but lack enough seats to override Hobbs' vetoes. Nationwide, McKnight told The Center Square that 35 states could introduce the Defend the Guard bill this year. He added that he thinks the bill has a pathway to victory in Idaho, Arizona, Tennessee and New Hampshire, which recently passed the bill out of its state House. McKnight said he anticipated the Defend the Guard bill would be put on a governors desk at in two states this year. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivers a speech at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting held in Davos, Switzerland on January 20, 2026. - Harun Ozalp/Anadolu/Getty Images The image may have been fake, but with each passing day Canada is coming to terms with the fact that the threat could be real. Canadians woke up Tuesday to an all-too-familiar troll ripping through their social media feeds. US President Donald Trump shared an image on Truth Social depicting him speaking to European leaders with an AI-generated map in the background, showing the US flag plastered over Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela. So far, so normal for Canadas relationship with President Trump, which has been repeatedly tested in the past year. What is different now is Canadas reaction. The feelings of shock and offense have given way to resolve and a newfound preparedness to help Canada cope with provocative, even menacing, demands from the Trump administration. Canadas Prime Minister Mark Carney charted a path forward for Canada Tuesday warning that stronger countries have been using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, and supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited. While he did not name the US in his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Carney characterized it as a global rupture and not a transition, adding that middle powers must act together because if were not at the table, were on the menu. US President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image on social media featuring a map of the Americas with US flags superimposed over Canada, Greenland, Venezuela and the United States. - Donald J Trump/Truth Social Canadas defense commitment Canada has spent nearly a billion dollars fortifying its southern border. It will now spend billions more in the years to come protecting its northern one. Carney reiterated in Davos that Canada stood firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully support their unique right to determine Greenlands future, and said Russia remained the greatest threat to Arctic security. We are working with our NATO allies, including the Nordic Baltic 8, to further secure the alliances northern and western flanks, including through unprecedented investments in over-the-horizon radar, submarines, aircraft, and boots on the ground, on the ice, he said. Canada in recent months has made a point of showcasing its newfound commitment to defense, and Arctic security, in particular. One of Carneys first acts as prime minister was to commit more than 4 billion dollars to an Over-the-Horizon radar system to provide early warning radar coverage for threats in the Arctic. He also committed to a larger, sustained military presence in the Arctic for years to come. But with Trump, Canadas defense and strategic goals have become more complicated. Canada shares one of the worlds largest land borders with the US and one of the worlds largest maritime borders with Greenland. For decades, Canada has conducted joint defense operations and planning with both NATO and NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command), including a NORAD mission in Greenland this week. NORAD confirmed in a statement that aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada would be in Greenland to support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defense cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark. But will this kind of cooperation and new military spending be enough for the Trump administration? It remains an open question, which the US ambassador to Canada hoped to dodge during a radio interview last week. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra was asked during an interview with CJAD 800 Radio in Montreal whether the US would have to act if it decided Canada could not adequately defend its Arctic borders. Hoekstra responded that the question was almost purely hypothetical adding thatthe indications from the Canadian government has been that we want to very, very closely coordinate and cooperate with the United States on Canadas north. Canadian officials do not deny that they are currently weighing whether to send troops to Greenland in a symbolic show of support for its sovereignty. The decision gives more weight to Carneys Davos speech where he asserted there is a third path where the power of legitimacy, integrity, and rules will remain strong, if we choose to wield them together. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The US and UK built a military base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands that make up the Chagos Islands, in 1971. - Reuters Donald Trump has accused the United Kingdom of stupidity over its plan to hand over ownership of the Chagos Islands, including the US air base on Diego Garcia, to Mauritius. Shockingly, our brilliant NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness, Trump wrote early on Tuesday morning on Truth Social. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, he added, citing the move as another reason for Washington to seize control of Greenland. The US presidents newfound opposition to the Chagos Islands plan has reignited a fierce debate in the UK and comes despite the fact that he praised the deal last year as a monumental achievement. What are the Chagos Islands? The islands make up an archipelago in the center of the Indian Ocean, more than 1,000 miles northeast of Mauritius. The UK took over the islands along with Mauritius in 1814 under the Treaty of Paris after the defeat of Napoleon. In 1965, a Cold War agreement between the US and UK split the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, keeping control of the archipelago and renaming it as the British Indian Ocean Territory. Over time, many Chagossians were removed from the island to create space for a military base, with most resettling in Mauritius. Although Mauritius gained independence in 1968, the Chagos Islands remain under British control. Why does the US have a military base there? Hoping to stave off Soviet military influence in the region, the US and UK built a major base on Diego Garcia in 1971. One of Americas most important and secretive overseas assets, Diego Garcia has helped launch two invasions of Iraq, served as a vital landing spot for bombers that fly missions across Asia, and has been linked to US rendition efforts. Why is the UK relinquishing control of the islands? Mauritius has for decades claimed sovereignty over the islands and pursued the case through international courts. In 2019, the International Court of Justice the United Nations highest court ruled that the UK must return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as rapidly as possible. In its ruling, the court said the move would enable Mauritius to complete the decolonization of its territory in a manner consistent with the right of peoples to self-determination. Although the judgment was non-binding, the UK has faced growing international pressure to give up control of the islands. Successive British governments both Conservative and Labour have argued it is a test of the UKs commitment to international law. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, pictured in London on Monday, argues that the UK has a legal obligation to give up the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. - Jordan Pettitt/Getty Images Will the UK and US still have access to the islands? Only to Diego Garcia. Under the terms of a treaty approved and signed by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Mauritian counterpart in May 2025, the UK will transfer sovereignty over all the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. However, the UK will pay Mauritius 101 million ($136 million) each year for a 99-year lease on the military base at Diego Garcia, meaning the UK and US can still use the facility. At the time the US State Department said Washington welcomed the deal between the UK and Mauritius. Following a comprehensive interagency review, the Trump administration determined that this agreement secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation at Diego Garcia, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement, adding that Trump expressed his support for this monumental achievement during a meeting with Starmer. Could the deal be terminated? Although the treaty has been heavily scrutinized by both chambers of the British parliament and is nearing final approval, Trumps sudden opposition to the deal has spurred politicians on the British right to renew their criticisms. The Americans have woken up to the fact that they were lied to, Nigel Farage, the leader of the populist Reform UK party, said Tuesday. They were told that the UK had no choice but to surrender the Chagos Islands. This was simply not true, and now they are angry with us. Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the opposition Conservative party, went further than Trump, saying: Paying to surrender the Chagos Islands is not just an act of stupidity, but of complete self sabotage. It is not clear, however, whether Trumps opposition or the outrage among opposition parties will scupper the deal, since Labour has a commanding majority in Parliament. Why did Trump call the decision stupid? Contradicting his earlier praise, Trump said the decision would be viewed by China and Russia as an act of total weakness. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before, he said. Chagossians protested outside the Houses of Parliament in London on January 7 against the plan to hand over the islands to Mauritius. - Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty Images What do Chagossians want? The negotiations between the British and Mauritian governments took place without the involvement of the Chagossians. The global population of Chagossians is estimated to be around 10,000, with many living in the UK, Mauritius and Seychelles. A poll of more than 3,600 respondents conducted by Whitestone Insight found that the global Chagossian community overwhelmingly backed remaining British and opposed the transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius. In a statement on Tuesday, Mauritius said it has taken note of Trumps claims about the Chagos Islands, adding that the sovereignty of the Republic of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago is already recognized without ambiguity by international law and should no longer be subject to debate. What does Greenland have to do with it? On the face of it, not much. Trump claimed that the UK relinquishing control of the Chagos Islands is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired, without elaborating. Trump has offered several reasons why he feels Washington must seize Greenland. On Monday, the president tied his hope to acquire Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, saying it meant he no longer felt bound to think purely of peace. In many ways, Trumps opposition to Starmers deal represents a clash of world views. While Starmer argues that the UK has a legal obligation to give up the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, Trump has made it clear he does not recognize such constraints. Asked last week by The New York Times what can check his power on the world stage, Trump said: There is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. Its the only thing that can stop me. He added: I dont need international law. CNNs Rob Picheta, Max Saltman and Catherine Nicholls contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com BOISE, Idaho., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Real Leaders has announced its 2026 Top Impact Companies, a prestigious annual ranking recognizing the world's most inspiring businesses putting purpose into practice. Jitasa, a Certified B Corporation that exclusively serves nonprofit organizations, was named to the list and ranked 47 out of 125 companies globally. As the #1 global community for values-driven CEOs, Real Leaders celebrates companies proving that profit and positive impact can scale together. This year's honorees were selected through a rigorous evaluation process measuring three-year growth, 2024 revenue performance, and each company's submitted impact application detailing how they are transforming their industries for the better. "Real Leaders exists to celebrate the achievements of the leaders who are inspiring better business for a better world," said Kevin Edwards, CEO of Real Leaders. "The 2026 winners demonstrate that scaling impact and revenues are not competing priorities. They are the future of great companies." From consumer products improving human health to companies advancing climate solutions, equitable supply chains, social innovation, and community well-being, the 2026 ranking features impact leaders who are not only growing fast, but growing with integrity. Jitasa was recognized for its commitment to strengthening the nonprofit sector through specialized bookkeeping, accounting, controller, and CFO services, and for its people-first culture, global volunteer programs, and dedication to using numbers for good. "Being named one of the Real Leaders Top Impact Companies and ranking 47th among such an inspiring group of organizations is an incredible honor," said Jon Osterburg, Co-CEO of Jitasa. "Our growth is rooted in the belief that strong financial stewardship helps nonprofits change lives and strengthen communities. This recognition reflects the passion of our team and our ongoing commitment to helping mission-driven organizations thrive." Each winning company earns a feature in the 2026 Real Leaders Top Impact Companies magazine, receiving recognition among peers, investors, and impact-minded business leaders worldwide. About Jitasa Jitasa is the largest national provider of accounting and bookkeeping services exclusively for the nonprofit sector. Since 2008, Jitasa has served over 3,000 mission-driven organizations with a commitment to affordability, financial clarity, and impact-focused service. Learn more at www.jitasagroup.com. SOURCE Jitasa Inc London - Despite fears of Chinese spying and hacking, the British government gave the go-ahead Tuesday for China to build a massive new embassy in the heart of London. The mega-embassy's designs will see it occupy an entire city block with a view of The Shard, Britain's tallest building on the banks of the Thames. It will be China's biggest embassy in Europe. The U.K. government's decision ended a saga that began in 2018 with Beijing's purchase for nearly $350 million of the former Royal Mint building, which used to produce Britain's money and long served as a symbol of the U.K.'s economic might. After the COVID pandemic, the U.K. government amid multiple changes in leadership delayed final approval for the project as intelligence experts, members of the Chinese diaspora, and would-be future neighbors of the new embassy raised concerns and protested. The U.K. has approved plans for Beijing to establish a new embassy in London, which will be China's biggest embassy in all of Europe and take up an entire city block, despite concerns over espionage. CBS News' @RamyInocencio has more. pic.twitter.com/VfFozZY4Q2 CBS News (@CBSNews) January 20, 2026 Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of the British foreign intelligence service MI6, previously called on the government to reject China's plans to build on the site, which sits on top of buried cables that transmit sensitive financial and commercial data across the U.K. capital. "Having a Chinese embassy sitting on top of those cables, which could in extremis be attacked, is a significant problem," he told CBS News in early December, when a previous deadline for the government's decision was pushed to this month. With a larger physical presence, Beijing could also employ more Chinese diplomatic staff, who would have freedom of movement in Britain thanks to diplomatic visas. "If it's got a very large embassy, there could be a very large number, and then going off to third countries, ostensibly on holiday or whatever, or to travel, and doing stuff outside the country to which they're accredited," said Dearlove. "They're purporting to be ordinary diplomats, ordinary attaches, who are actually highly trained intelligence personnel," he said. U.K. officials respond to concerns about Chinese Embassy In response to intelligence concerns, the heads of the domestic intelligence agency MI5 and GCHQ, the intelligence, cyber and security agency, on Tuesday admitted that British national security risks tied to China's new embassy could not be totally eliminated and implied attempting to do so would be impossible. "It would be irrational to drive 'embassy generated risk' down to zero when numerous other threat vectors are so central to the national security risks we face in the present era," GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler and MI5 Director-General Sir Ken McCallum said in a joint letter to government ministers. They also said that the work to mitigate risks had been "expert, professional and proportionate." A general view of the building on the site of the former Royal Mint in London on Dec. 6, 2024, where China wants to build its new embassy. / Credit: Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images (HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images) Separately, on political grounds, the 240-page report by the U.K. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said decisions about embassy approval should not be decided based on a country's style of governance. "Planning law and national and development plan policies, and for its signatories, the Vienna Convention which is founded on reciprocity, are nation-neutral," the report says. "It is not possible to discriminate against a use on the basis of the anticipated user. Otherwise that could give rise to an untenable situation of the embassy of one nation being permitted but another nations embassy being refused." "In this regard, any ethical or similar objection to the provision of an embassy for a specific country cannot be a material planning consideration," the report says. "It would not be lawful to refuse permission simply because it would be for a Chinese Embassy The same would hold for any other specific country seeking an embassy use through the planning system." Chinese Embassy's approval sparks criticism Despite the ministry's report, British opposition parties criticized approval of the embassy as an "act of cowardice" and Prime Minister Keir Starmer's "biggest mistake yet." Anti-Beijing activist and dissident groups reacted with disappointment and anger. As China's government has cracked down on freedoms in Hong Kong, Tibet and China's Muslim-majority region of Xinjiang in its northwest, many sought refuge in the U.K. "It is definitely deeply disappointing but not surprising," said Carmen Lau, a former Hong Kong politician living in self-exile in London. She said she believed the U.K. approved the embassy so that Starmer could keep his planned trip to Beijing later this month. The U.K. has also been trying to get approval for a new embassy in Beijing. "But to me it is a disproportionate deal," said Lau. "China's economic favour / return to the UK isn't worth giving up on a huge chunk of national security concern." The U.K. has also become home to the world's largest Hong Kong diaspora community with an estimated nearly 200,000 having fled in the past five years after the failed mass democracy protests in 2019. "(The) Hong Kong diaspora would definitely be affected," said Lau. "I've heard people planning to relocate (into) secondary exile. The reason is that we have been seeing Chinese agents and the PRC (People's Republic of China) itself becoming bolder in reaching us in the UK." "This embassy will be a daily reminder of China's increased presence, increased influence, over the UK government," said Tenzin Rabga Tashi of Tibetan advocacy group Free Tibet. "It will be a reminder for my community members to watch how they behave, to not be as active in advocacy," Tashi said. "You know, many of them have family inside Tibet so they won't be able to as freely be comfortable living in the UK knowing that China has more eyes on them, not just them but their friends, their families. This system of fear, this system of repression has increased in the UK and it will continue to expand as long as China's mega embassy is here." "I am dismayed absolutely furious," said Rahima Mahmut, executive director of human rights charity Stop Uyghur Genocide. Human rights groups say that, starting in 2014, up to a million Muslim Uyghur people were rounded up in Xinjiang and imprisoned. Those who could escaped, and thousands settled in the United States. "The approval of the mega embassy is deeply dismaying and feels like a profound betrayal," Mahmut said. After the British government gave its approval, the Chinese Embassy in London said in a statement that it had noted that its application had been approved. Billy Bob Thornton on how his "Landman" role is a personal phenomenon "Mastermind" behind the Minnesota fraud scheme defends herself and admits regrets "Queer Eye" cast addresses member's absence and reflects on legacy of show Eight years ago, when President Donald Trump arrived at the World Economic Forum in his first term, the alpine gathering of billionaires and heads of state waited nervously to hear how a self-described nationalist would address a temple of globalization. He told the audience that America First did not mean America alone, boasted about tax cuts and deregulation, and charmed many in the room into seeing him as a pro-business disrupter rather than a threat to the postwar order. On Wednesday, as Trump prepares to take the Davos stage for the third time, the world is once again waiting nervouslybut for very different reasons. His return to the World Economic Forum comes amid an extraordinary standoff with U.S. allies over his threats to seize Greenland from Denmark, a widening trans-Atlantic trade dispute, and growing alarm among world leaders that the United States has become an unpredictable and coercive power. Trumps address will be the first major speech of the second year of his second term, coming as his approval ratings have slipped at home and backlash has grown over proliferating immigration raids by federal agents. It is also shaping up to be a defining moment for a presidency that has alienated U.S. allies to an unprecedented degree. It will test whether Trump still sees value in reassuring alliesas he did in 2018or whether he now intends to formalize a doctrine of coercion, using tariffs and threats of territorial acquisition to bend partners to his will. Asked on Tuesday for a preview of his address in Davos, Trump told reporters in the White House briefing room that he plans to project American dominance. I think more than anything else what I'm going to be speaking about is the tremendous success that we've had in one year, he said. World leaders began the week in Davos with thinly veiled denunciations of Trumps conduct. Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada warned on Tuesday of a rupture in the world order and the end of a pleasant fiction in which great powers were constrained by rules. President Emmanuel Macron of France said that Europe would not submit to bullies and preferred the rule of law to brutality. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, argued that Europe must build a new form of independence and deepen trade ties with partners beyond the United States. None of them mentioned Trump by name. None needed to. Their remarks came hours after Trump posted an AI-generated image showing himself hoisting an American flag in Greenland, labeled U.S. Territory. Est. 2026, and shared what appeared to be private text messages from Macron and Mark Rutte, NATOs secretary general, praising his leadership and seeking a way forward on the crisis. Greenland is imperative for National and World Security, Trump wrote in one post. There can be no going back. The Greenland standoff has upended the opening days of a forum that had been expected to largely focus on artificial intelligence, economic growth, and climate change. European leaders have scrambled to update their Davos talking points to try and contain a confrontation that threatens to rupture NATO. Nostalgia will not bring back the old order, von der Leyen said on Tuesday. If this change is permanent, then Europe must change permanently too. In recent days, Denmark and its NATO partners have taken visible steps to reinforce their presence in Greenland, sending hundreds of soldiers to the island. Greenlands leaders said they were reviewing civil preparedness plans, including advice that households might need five days of food supplies. Speaking in Davos on Tuesday, world leaders appeared to brace for Trumps address. Carney said medium-size countries would have to band together because if you are not at the table, were on the menu. Macron warned against vassalization and said Europe would not accept the law of the strongest. Those remarks landed against the backdrop of Trumps increasingly mocking posture toward allied leaders. He dismissed Macron as irrelevant, predicted he would soon be out of office, and threatened tariffs of up to 200% on French wine and Champagne. He ridiculed Britain for agreeing to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritiusa deal his Administration previously praised, but now cites as another reason the U.S. must acquire Greenland. The confrontations have made Trump the inescapable topic of a gathering that bills itself as Committed to Improving the State of the World. Some 3,000 participants from 130 countries have descended on the Swiss resort town, including 65 heads of state and 850 major corporate executives, according to forum organizers. The Trump Administration is touting this years U.S. delegation as its largest and most senior delegation in Davos history, with five Cabinet officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, alongside Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. A sprawling USA House has taken over storefronts along the main promenade, offering a visual display of American power. A White House official said the President would emphasize that the United States and Europe must leave behind economic stagnation and the policies that caused it, and that housing affordability would remain a chief focusa message aimed at domestic audiences struggling with the cost of living. But Trump will likely also boast about projecting U.S. power abroad, including the recent capture of Venezuelas president, Nicolas Maduro, and his efforts to stop foreign wars. He is also expected to expand the remit of his Board of Peace, a new organization initially billed as overseeing Gazas reconstruction, into a more expansive global body that some allies fear is designed to rival the United Nationswith Trump holding veto power over its decisions. The charter-signing ceremony is scheduled for Thursday at Davos, with invited leaders facing a choice that has become emblematic of their week at the conference: align with Trump or risk being targeted by him. France has already said it will not join the board, and other European governments are deeply skeptical, worried the initiative could undermine the U.N. system. Democratic governors, including Gavin Newsom of California, have accused world leaders of failing to stand up to Trump and warned Europeans not to capitulate. You mate with him or he devours you, Newsom said from Davos. Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com. A fishing boat is docked along the pier at Apalachicola Bay in north Florida. Photo: Kim Jarrett/The Center Square (The Center Square) A conservative legal group is asking a federal appeals court to overturn a ruling allowing the government to charge New England commercial fishermen for the cost of boat monitors. In a legal brief filed with the First Circuit Court of Appeals, the New Civil Liberties Alliance asks the three-judge panel to prevent the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from enforcing an "unlawful" regulation requiring Atlantic herring fisherman to pay for the cost of federal monitors to observe their catch. The legal fight stems from a 2024 ruling by the U.S. Supreme that overturned the so-called "Chevron doctrine," a decades-old administrative law principle that directs courts to defer to a federal agencys interpretation when regulations or policies are unclear. The principle stems from the Supreme Courts 1984 ruling in Chevron v. National Resources Defense Council, in which the justices said courts should defer to an agency in "ambiguous situations" as long as its interpretation of a law is "reasonable." The high court's ruling stemmed from lawsuits filed by Atlantic herring fishermen in New Jersey and Rhode Island who challenged a fee requirement. Lower courts used the Chevron decision to uphold a 2020 National Marine Fisheries Service rule that herring fishermen needed to pay for federal government-mandated observers who track their fish hauls. The federal agency claims the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and regional fisheries management programs require vessels to "carry" observers to collect data on fish stocks. But lawyers for the alliance say Congress never gave authority to set the requirements. They want the appeals court to strike down the monitoring rules, based on the Supreme Court's 2024 ruling. The group's lawyers said the federal monitoring rules will force Atlantic herring fishery fishermen to pay more than $700 per day to contractors, or about 20% of their pay. Forcing fishermen to pay the salaries of government regulators watching them conduct their work is backward," Kara Rollins, the NCLA's senior litigation counsel, said in a statement. "The regulation unlawfully places the governments financial responsibilities onto the governed and without congressional authorization." The harvest of Atlantic herring, which is typically used as food and bait, is a major fishery on the East Coast, with 11 million pounds of landings in New England, New York and New Jersey valued at $6.6 million last year. But NOAA cites data showing the species is overfished and has set tight catch quotas in recent years that fishermen say have considerably shrunken the yearly haul. US President Donald Trump speaking to media outside Air Force One with Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum [Reuters] A series of text exchanges between Donald Trump and European leaders about ownership of Greenland have sensationally been released. The US president has pledged to tell European leaders at this week's forum in Davos, Switzerland, that "we will have to have" Greenland. Diplomacy has traditionally been seen as synonymous with discretion and most of it continues to be behind closed doors. The latest revelations, however, fall in a different category. Here are the messages in full and what experts told the BBC one should read into them: Text exchange between Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Stre Released by the office of Stre following a freedom of information request by the BBC, 18 January at 15:48 (14:48 GMT) Stre: Dear Mr President, dear Donald - on the contact across the Atlantic - on Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine - and your tariff announcement yesterday. You know our position on these issues. But we believe we all should work to take this down and de-escalate - so much is happening around us where we need to stand together. We are proposing a call with you later today - with both of us or separately - give us a hint of what you prefer! Best - Alex [on behalf of Finnish President Alexander Stubb] and Jonas Trump's response, 18 January 16:15 (15:15 GMT): Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a "right of ownership" anyway? There are no written documents, it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT This is evidence that "diplomatic norms have been changing for a while and it's not just President Trump", the former Nato spokesperson, Oana Lungescu, told the BBC. "It's rather unusual for private messages between leaders to be made public, but it's part of President Trump's propensity of conducting diplomacy in public. You could say it's the ultimate megaphone diplomacy." Mark Weller, professor at Cambridge University who has advised governments and international organisations, agrees. "Exchanges between governments at a high level are ordinarily carefully scripted. This avoids misunderstanding and accidents when responding on important points without due reflection," Weller says. "This is not a problem for President Trump, who thrives on disrupting expectations." But he notes that it is unusual "for the cool Norwegians to retaliate in kind - clearly there is a sense that one must fight fire with fire, in addition to personal frustration about the loss of all diplomatic form". Message from French President Emmanuel Macron to Trump Posted on Truth Social by Trump, 19 January, 17:01 (12:01 GMT): From president Macron to President Trump My friend, We are totally in line on Syria We can do great things on Iran I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland Let us try to build great things : 1) I can set up a G7 meeting after Davos in Paris on Thursday afternoon. I can invite the Ukrainians, the Danish, the Syrians and the Russians in the margins 2) Let us have a dinner together in Paris together on Thursday before you go back to the US Emmanuel Macron's texts being exposed could be "embarrassing" for the president, said former French diplomat Francios-Joseph Schichan, as some parts were "exposing". "At the beginning of the text, Macron clearly acknowledges something he didn't acknowledge in public, which is he didn't understand Trump's behaviour with Greenland," Schichan said. "I think that's damaging because you don't want to be exposed like that, so that's pretty embarrassing." However, Schichan noted Macron's invitation to Trump with a meeting at the G7 [group of most industrialised countries] "isn't embarrassing, that's something he precisely needs to do". The texts further show how "Macron is trying to engage with classic diplomacy", he said, warning, "that doesn't work with Trump because he puts it on Truth Social and the plan blows up". "That's another element of global diplomacy that's crumbling. You used to be able to have a one-on-one conversation in private, but now you don't know if it'll end up on social media." Message from Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte to Trump Posted on Truth Social by Trump, 20 January, 01:53 (06:53 GMT) : Mr. President, dear Donald - what you accomplished in Syria today is incredible. I will use my media engagements in Davos to highlight your work there, in Gaza, and in Ukraine. I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark Similar to Macron, Rutte's private message to Trump being exposed is "unusual", says Lungescu - the longest-serving of Nato spokespeople and now a senior fellow at Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defence think tank. Lungescu said Rutte's message was "consistent in what he says publicly and privately" - whilst other leaders "may appear stronger in public and more conciliatory in private". "So there's been a lot of risks that what was private is no longer so," she said, adding that "if people are tempted to appear powerful on social media, that risks leading to more rhetorical escalation rather than working behind the scenes to find win-win solutions." "The space for diplomacy will have a focus on more phone calls and more face-to-face encounters. In that case, that may bring us back to traditional diplomacy," Lungescu said. Marc Weller, who is also a programme director for international law at Chatham House think tank as well as a former UN senior mediation expert, cautions that "the tendency to publish as it happens really makes any serious, confidential-crisis diplomacy impossible where rapid and confidential action and dialogue is in fact required". Correction 20 January: This article was amended after we wrongly described Alexander Stubb as Finland's prime minister rather than president. Claude in his enclosure at the California Academy of Sciences in 2023 [Getty Images] Claude wasn't much of a talker, he barely moved, and never wore a costume to entice his audience - but on Sunday, hundreds gathered in San Francisco to celebrate the life and legacy of the city's beloved albino alligator. A New Orleans-style brass band, a gator-shaped eight-foot-long white sourdough bread, drag queen story time and even a street officially bearing his name, Claude the Alligator Way, the memorial was one of its kind. The reptile sure won millions of hearts when he was alive, but he was also remembered for stealing from a 12-year-old girl. The 10-foot-long, 300-pound white alligator with pink eyes and poor eyesight once stole - and then gobbled- the girl's ballet shoe, recalled Bart Shepherd of the California Academy of Sciences, Claude's home for 17 years before his death in December. "It's no small feat to get a shoe out of an alligator," Shepherd told a crowd of Claude's fans in Golden Gate Park. It took a lot of anaesthesia, specialised tools, and multiple vets and staff members to extract the shoe from inside Claude - a task that was completed successfully, despite a fire alarm going off throughout the building at the time, Shepherd said. [Heidi Alletzhauser/California Academy of Sciences Press Office] "It was really heartening to see San Francisco come out to celebrate this beloved San Francisco icon," Jeanette Peach, the communications director at the academy, told the BBC. Part of why people loved Claude so much, Peach said, was that he "embodied something that we think of as a really San Francisco ideal, which is not just accepting but welcoming people for their differences". Claude's albinism, which is extremely rare in alligators, provided visibility for people who feel a little outcast, Peach said. "Here is this wonderful animal who is a little outcast from how the rest of his species is, but who is beloved and treasured and has value," she added. An 8-foot-long sourdough bread honouring Claude, baked by local business boudin Bakery [Heidi Alletzhauser/California Academy of Sciences Press Office] Cal Academy Managing Director Amber Mace standing with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a charitable drag performance group. [California Academy of Sciences Press Office] Claude "delighted and captivated more than 22 million visitors and showed us the power of ambassador animals to connect people with nature and science", the academy wrote on its website. The reptile, who died from liver cancer at the age of 30 in December, hatched in 1995 at an alligator farm in Louisiana before coming to live at the academy's swamp exhibit in 2008. Since his passing, the academy has received thousands of letters from Claude's fans, writing to say how much the alligator meant to them. "Thank you for inspiring so many young children over the years," one of Claude's visitors wrote in a note to him. "You reminded us that our differences are what make us unique and special and that they are something to be celebrated." "You will forever be in my heart," another wrote. "I will miss you so much and thank you for being a part of my childhood." [Heidi Alletzhauser/California Academy of Sciences Press Office] Lana Krol, a senior veterinarian at the academy, said that out of all the alligators she's worked with, Claude "struck me as the most laidback of them all". "I can say with confidence that I won't meet another gator like Claude in my lifetime. I'll miss him terribly," Krol said. SAINT PAUL, Minnesota A Minnesota man told Reuters he felt fear, shame and desperation after ICE officers broke down his door with guns drawn, handcuffed him and dragged him into the snow wearing shorts and Crocs. ChongLy Thao, 56, a naturalized U.S. citizen who goes by the name Scott, was returned home hours later on Sunday, Jan. 18, without explanation or apology, he said. "I was praying. I was like, God, please help me, I didn't do anything wrong. Why do they do this to me? Without my clothes on," Thao, a Hmong man born in Laos, told Reuters from his home on Monday, Jan. 19, while neighbors were at work fixing his broken door. ICE pulls Minnesota man from house, barely clothed. Later returned. ChongLy Thao looks out the window with his son Chris Thao as several vehicles with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents idle in the street outside of their home in St Paul, Minnesota, U.S., January 19, 2026. Pictures of the incident showing Thao barely clothed and covered in a blanket taken by a Reuters photographer and bystanders spread on social media, further fueling concern that federal law enforcement officers were exceeding their authority as part of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, which has seen some 3,000 officers deployed in the Minneapolis area. A statement published by the family called the incident "unnecessary, degrading, and deeply traumatizing." The highest temperature in Saint Paul on Sunday was 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The Department of Homeland Security said officers were investigating two convicted sex offenders at the address and that a U.S. citizen living there refused to be fingerprinted or facially identified, so he was detained. ChongLy Thao was taken by ICE agents after they broke down his door and was only returned some time later after they discovered they took the wrong person and that he is a U.S. citizen. "He matched the description of the targets. As with any law enforcement agency, it is standard protocol to hold all individuals in a house of an operation for safety of the public and law enforcement," DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. DHS published wanted posters for two men targeted in the investigation who were still at large, describing each as a "criminal illegal alien" from Laos who is subject to deportation orders. One of the men in the wanted posters previously lived at the house but moved out, according to relatives close to the situation, who described him as the ex-husband of a member of the Thao family. A U.S. District Judge in Minnesota on Friday issued an injunction blocking the Trump administration from some aggressive tactics that she said would "chill" an ordinary citizen from engaging in constitutionally protected protest. "That conduct includes the drawing and pointing of weapons; the use of pepper spray and other non-lethal munitions; actual and threatened arrest and detainment of protesters and observers; and other intimidation tactics," Judge Katherine Menendez wrote. Federal agents continue surge of immigration enforcement in Minnesota US Customs and Border Protection agents arrest a man after not providing documents proving he's a citizen of the United States while patrolling a neighborhood during immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis in Minneapolis, Minn. on Jan. 11, 2026. A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on the streets of Minneapolis on Jan. 7, leading to huge protests and outrage from local leaders who rejected White House claims she was a domestic terrorist. The Trump administration is appealing her injunction. Thao said his parents brought him from Laos to the United States in 1974 when he was four-years-old and that he became a U.S. citizen in 1991. During the ordeal, he feared being sent back to Laos, where he has no relatives. He said he was singing karaoke when there was a loud noise at the door. He and his family hid in a bedroom, where the federal officers found him. Thao said that he was trying to find his ID as officers escorted him out of the house. Thao was wearing only boxer shorts and Crocs on his feet when officers denied him the chance to put on more clothes, he said. He used a blanket that his four-year-old grandson had been sleeping with on the couch to cover his torso. After taking his fingerprints and a head shot in the car, officers returned him to his home, Thao said. "We came here for a purpose, right? ... To have a bright future. To have a safe place to live," he said. "If this is going to turn out to be America, what are we doing here? Why are we here?" (Reporting by Maria Alejandra Cardona in Saint Paul; Writing by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Michael Perry) (This story was updated to add a video.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ICE arrested barely clothed US citizen in his own home Italian fashion legend Valentino Garavani, whose elegant evening gowns were favored for decades by some of the worlds most glamorous women, has died at 93, according to his foundation. He peacefully passed away today at his residence in Rome, surrounded by the love of his family, a statement posted to Instagram said. Born in the northern town of Voghera, Italy, in 1932, Valentino who was popularly known by his first name learned his trade in the haute couture ateliers of Paris before founding his own line in Rome in 1959. Early on, he became known for his red dresses, in a rich scarlet shade that became his signature color to the extent that it was known within the industry as Valentino red. In 1960, he met his long-time business partner (and, for 12 years, romantic partner) Giancarlo Giammetti, then a young architecture student. Together, the pair turned Valentino SpA into an internationally recognized brand. One of Valentinos first famous customers was the actress Elizabeth Taylor, whom he met while she was filming Cleopatra in Rome in the early 1960s. Other glamorous followers and buyers of Valentinos work in the early years of his career included Begum Aga Khan, Queen Paola of Belgium, the actresses Audrey Hepburn and Joan Collins and Jacqueline Kennedy, who even wore a Valentino gown to wed Greek shipping giant Aristotle Onassis in 1968. Valentino and former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis at a Valentino fashion show benefit for the Special Olympics in 1976. (Photo by PL Gould/IMAGES/Getty Images) - PL Gould/Images Press/Getty Images His popularity continued as the decades progressed. Valentino spent much of the 1970s in New York, surrounded by a wide circle of friends that included the artist Andy Warhol and Vogue editor Diana Vreeland. In the 1990s, he became a favorite of the decades supermodels, including Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell. His creations also featured regularly on the red carpet. At the Oscars alone, noteworthy Valentino ensembles over the years have included the heavily-beaded gown Jane Fonda wore in 1981 when she accepted the Best Actor prize for her father, Henry; the vintage black-and-white gown Julia Roberts wore in 2001; the pastel mint caftan-style gown Jennifer Lopez wore in 2003 and the sunshine yellow gown Cate Blanchett wore in 2005. (Both Roberts and Blanchett won Oscars in those respective years.) At the 2011 Academy Awards, Anne Hathaway walked the red carpet in an ornate Fall 2002 Valentino couture gown, accompanied by the designer himself. In more recent years, Zendaya, Carey Mulligan and Gemma Chan have been among fashion plate Oscars attendees wearing the label to much acclaim. Anne Hathaway wore Valentino couture to the 2011 Academy Awards, arriving with the designer on the red carpet. - John Shearer/Getty Images With his precision tailored suits, suntan and perfectly coiffed hair, Valentino was every bit the quintessential Italian gentleman. He was an avid collector of Chinese antiques and indulged his love of flowers and topiary in the landscaped grounds of his 17th century Chateau Wideville, outside of Paris, which he bought in 1995. He also had homes in London, Paris, New York, Spain and Gstaad, Switzerland. He was passionate about his pug dogs and at one time owned six of them: Milton, Monty, Maude, Margot, Maggie and Molly. I dont care about the collection, he memorably proclaimed in the 2008 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor. My dogs are more important. In 1998, Valentino sold his company to the Italian conglomerate HdP for some $300 million, although he continued to work for the company. Valentino retired from the industry in 2008, after more than 45 years, marking the end of one of the longest careers in fashion. The occasion was marked with a star-studded fashion show at the Musee Rodin in Paris. For the finale, models donned identical Valentino red gowns. Valentino in his atelier in Rome in 2000. - Gianni Giansanti/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images The designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli were appointed as Valentinos creative directors that year. In 2016, Chiuri was named artistic director at Christian Dior; Piccioli stepped down in 2024 and was appointed creative director at Balenciaga last year. Following Picciolis departure, Alessandro Michele has helmed Valentinos design for nearly two years amid a wider industry reshuffling. Valentino Garavani was not only an undisputed protagonist of fashion, but a central figure in Italian cultural history. A man who pushed the boundaries of possibility, traversing the world with rare delicacy, silent rigor, and a boundless love of beauty, Michele said in a statement posted to his Instagram account. He leaves us all a profound legacy: the idea that creating means caring, that beauty is radical and patient attention to bodies, to forms, and to the time that passes through and preserves them. Piccioli also spoke to Valentinos sense of beauty in a lengthy tribute to his mentor. For you, beauty was never a luxury nor an ornament: it was a form of defence, a place of safety, the only one possible. A protection, a shield against the world, he wrote. You were my mentor without ever needing a lectern; you had no need of one. You taught me that fashion is joy, though a profoundly serious kind of joy. Valentino also taught him how to make the most beautiful bows in the world, Piccioli added. Tributes poured in following the news of the legendary designers death. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called him the eternal symbol of Italian haute couture in a statement on social media, thanking him for his contributions. Gwyneth Paltrow recalled his laugh, his love of company and a good Hollywood story, and how he always pestered her to at least wear a little mascara, in a post to her Instagram account. The family of Giorgio Armani, who died in September at 91, called Valentino an undisputed master of grace and elegance, for whom Giorgio Armani always held great admiration. The statement continued: Valentino embodied the excellence of couture, the rigor of craftsmanship, and a unique vision of fashion made of pure lines, iconic colors and absolute beauty. His passing leaves an immense void. For many, Valentinos passing represents the end of a generation of old-world fashion maestros. And it seems he knew this too. When he was asked, in the 2008 documentary about his life, about others claims that he was irreplaceable, Valentino replied with a wry smile: After me, the deluge. This is a developing story and will be updated. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Cases in the nations largest measles outbreak are still ticking up after officials said infections have spread from the South into the Pacific Northwest. Washington state health officials on Jan. 16 confirmed an outbreak connected to a contagious family traveling from South Carolina. The Southern state has a major outbreak of the highly contagious viral disease, with nearly 250 new cases documented in a week's span. The three cases in Washington are all among unvaccinated children in Snohomish County, just north of Seattle, according to the state's health department. The children had fever, cough and rash, all common indicators of measles. They tested positive Jan. 14, the Snohomish County Health Department said. Were expecting more measles cases as a result of the previous exposures as well as these new outbreak cases, Dr. James Lewis, the county health officer, said in a Jan. 15 statement. We are hoping to contain it, but unfortunately, there have been a number of exposure sites already and there are likely more cases in the community that we do not know about yet. Health department spokesperson Jeff Hodson confirmed to USA TODAY on Jan. 19 that the children, who range in age from around 2 to 9 years old, are recovering at home and didnt need to be hospitalized. He added that more cases are still expected due to the number of exposures, as well as the number of unvaccinated people who came into contact with the infected children. The outbreak is Washingtons first since 2023. The South Carolina family included an adult and two children visiting Snohomish and King County in late December through New Years Day, health officials said. South Carolina has nearly 560 measles cases as of Jan. 16. There were over 500 people in quarantine and 85 people in isolation with symptoms to keep from spreading the disease. A rash on the cheek of a child infected with measles during a 2024 U.S. outbreak. With an ongoing outbreak since early October, South Carolinas cases have been centered around Spartanburg County, in the upstate region. The area has a low vaccination rate compared to the rest of the country. Local schools have seen increases in parents seeking exemptions to opt children out of receiving vaccines, USA TODAY previously reported. Cases linked to South Carolina's outbreak have also appeared in North Carolina. Washington state has a declining vaccination rate as well. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data for the 2024-25 school year put Washington's rate at 90.9%, lower than South Carolina's. Both are below the 95% community threshold needed to prevent outbreaks. Health officials in Washington also identified a separate measles case of a student who recently traveled to South Carolina. Officials said the Central Washington University student returned and had possible exposure to others at the campus located in Ellensburg. Measles is highly contagious, spreading through the air when a person who is infected coughs, sneezes, breathes, or talks. Viral particles can stay in the air for up to two hours. It can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, swelling of the brain and a weakened immune system. An infection can result in death. In 2025, the United States had 2,242 measles cases, the most in over three decades, according to CDC data. The country also saw three deaths after not documenting a death in 10 years. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: South Carolina measles outbreak tied to West Coast cases Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 21, 2025. Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Saint Petersburg, Russia, December 21, 2025. Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS MOSCOW, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed an agreement on Tuesday to join U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, the latest step in a rapprochement with Washington after years of international isolation. A presidential Telegram channel published video of Lukashenko signing the document, and quoted him as saying he hoped to contribute towards peace in Ukraine. Lukashenko, in power since 1994, was long shunned by the West because of his poor human rights record and backing for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the war in Ukraine. But Trump last year began easing sanctions on Belarus in return for the release of political prisoners. He has called Lukashenko a "highly respected" leader - a description that jars with the exiled Belarus opposition, which sees him as a dictator. The invitation to join the Board of Peace marked a further stage in the U.S. rehabilitation of Lukashenko as it continues to negotiate with him on further prisoner releases and a normalisation of ties. Trump originally proposed establishing the Board when he announced his plan last September to end the war in Gaza. But an invitation sent to world leaders last week outlines a broad role for the body in ending conflicts globally. A draft charter sent to about 60 countries by the U.S. administration calls for members to contribute $1 billion in cash if they want their membership to last more than three years, according to the document seen by Reuters. On Monday Trump said he had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to be a member of the Board. On Tuesday, Armenia said it would also join. Trump has claimed credit for ending a long-running conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have fought two wars since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. (Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark TrevelyanEditing by Gareth Jones) Emmanuel Macron has called out Donald Trumps bullying as European leaders united to prepare for a showdown with the US president over his demands for Greenland. As Donald Trump doubled down on his demands for the Danish sovereign territory and exacerbated his threat of tariffs on allies who oppose the move with the shocking reveal of private texts he had received from Mr Macron and other world leaders, the French president said the EU should not bend to the law of the strongest, and should resist what he called the new colonial approach. Just hours before Mr Trump is expected to arrive at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos to face international leaders, Mr Macron warned: We prefer respect to bullies, we prefer science to conspiracies, and we prefer the rule of law to brutality. In a press conference on Tuesday, the US president was asked how far he would go in order to obtain Greenland, to which he ominously replied: Youll find out. The unprecedented breakdown of relations between the US and its Western European allies comes as Mr Trump launched a blistering attack on the UKs plans to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as one of great stupidity despite publicly welcoming the deal last year. Macron told audiences at the World Economic Forum that we prefer respect to bullies (AFP/Getty) In the long-winded conference, in which he discussed the administrations achievements in its first year, Trump also cast doubt over whether Washingtons allies in the Nato military alliance would come to its defence. I did more for Nato than any other person alive or dead, I think you could ask the secretary general [Mark Rutte] about that, he said it, I've done more for Nato than anybody, he said. But Nato has to treat us fairly too. The big fear I have with Nato is [that] we spend these amounts of money with Nato, and I know we'll come to their rescue, but I just really do question whether or not they'll come to ours, he added. Trump added that he believed the US and Nato would come to an agreement over Greenland which would make all parties very happy. Former Nato secretary general Anders Rasmussen, an ex-prime minister of Denmark, warned that the Nato alliance, which has underpinned Western security since the end of the Second World War, is now on the brink of collapse because of Mr Trumps behaviour. He told Times Radio: Its extremely serious. Actually, if that threat [taking over Greenland] comes to fruition, it will be the end of Nato. It doesnt make sense to have a collective defence organisation where the major ally attacks another ally with the aim to take territory. So it would be the end of Nato. Trump arrived at the press conference with a large booklet of his achievements during his first year in office (Getty) Sir Keir Starmers hopes that the UK could act as a bridge between the US and Europe appeared to have evaporated after Mr Trump lashed out at the prime ministers stupid deal to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The prime ministers closest lieutenant, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones, insisted Sir Keirs approach to Mr Trump was yielding results, but admitted: Its not normal for geopolitical discussions to be handled in this way. The crisis has proven to be the biggest strain on the special relationship between the UK and the US since Harold Wilson refused to send British troops to Vietnam in the 1960s. But Sir Keir risked igniting Mr Trumps rage further by agreeing to the new Chinese super embassy to be built in Royal Mint Court, near the Tower of London, despite MI5 warning that security risks could not be ruled out. With anger growing in Switzerland ahead of President Trump touching down in the Alpine resort, EU leaders made it clear that they will deploy the toughest economic response possible to the US presidents threat of tariffs. Mr Macron called for EU leaders to use the blocs big bazooka of economic countermeasures. The anti-coercion mechanism is a powerful instrument, and we should not hesitate to deploy it in todays tough environment, he said. Meanwhile, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen used her WEF speech to warn Mr Trump that the EUs response will be unflinching, united and proportional. An incensed Donald Trump called Starmers Chagos Island deal stupid, despite having supported it last year (AP) She said that when friends shake on a deal, we expect them to honour the deal. But members of the Trump administration already in Davos were unapologetic about their tearing up of international rules and norms. In a frosty moment on a panel with UK chancellor Rachel Reeves, Mr Trumps commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said he was at the event to make the point that globalisation has failed the West. He said: When America shines, the world shines, but added that a world without the US gets dark pretty quickly. Mr Lutnick later tried to reassure Ms Reeves that the US still loves its allies in the wake of the Greenland threat, saying: We love you, we do, to which Ms Reeves responded: Thank you very much, the feeling is mutual. The awkward exchange came after the chancellor had urged the US to think of how your allies can also help you achieve your objectives as well as helping all of the Western world to thrive. But Democratic California governor Gavin Newsom urged Europes leaders to stop the bull**** and stand up to Trump. French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, meanwhile, told his parliament that France supports the suspension of a trade deal between the EU and the United States, given Washingtons ongoing threat of tariffs. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and Rachel Reeves had a frosty encounter at Davos (Reuters) The threat of customs duties [is] being used as blackmail to obtain unjustifiable concessions, Mr Barrot said, adding the European Commission has very powerful instruments to respond to Mr Trumps threats. European Unions foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc would hold its ground on Greenland despite growing US pressure. She stressed that the tariffs threatened by Mr Trump on goods from Europe would undermine the prosperity of both the EU and the US. Addressing the European parliament, Ms Kallas said Greenlands geostrategic importance had increased recently, stressing the Nato alliance was well suited to deal with the security of the island. Meanwhile, senior Republicans have sought to try to mend relationships with their allies. Mike Johnson, speaker of the US House of Representatives and an ally of Mr Trump, who is visiting London, said his mission was to help calm the waters. In a speech to MPs and peers in Westminster on Tuesday, he said he agreed with Sir Keirs approach of finding a resolution. Weve always been able to work through our differences calmly as friends. We will continue to do that. I want to assure you this morning that that is still the case, Mr Johnson said. I spoke to President Trump at length yesterday, and I told him that I really felt that my mission here that even though we planned this back in the fall we didnt know how the events would develop over the last few days. But I told the president that I felt that my mission here today was to encourage our friends and help calm the waters. SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Lunit, a leading provider of AI for cancer diagnostics and precision oncology, will participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, as an Associate Partner. The meeting will take place from January 19 to 23 under the theme A Spirit of Dialogue. This marks Lunit's fourth consecutive participation in the World Economic Forum, reflecting the company's sustained engagement with global stakeholders on the responsible development and deployment of AI in healthcare. Lunit first joined the Forum in 2020 as a Technology Pioneer, followed by attendance as a Global Innovator in 2023. In 2024, the company became the first medical AI company worldwide to participate in the Annual Meeting as an Associate Partner. The Annual Meeting convenes leaders from across sectors to exchange perspectives on global challenges, with particular focus on the responsible deployment of emerging technologies, including AI. At Davos 2026, Lunit plans to engage in discussions with leaders from business, government, civil society and the scientific community, focusing on how AI can be applied responsibly to address global healthcare challenges. Through a series of bilateral meetings and informal dialogues, the company aims to exchange perspectives on the role of AI in improving cancer detection, supporting clinical decision-making and strengthening healthcare systems amid growing technological and geopolitical complexity. Lunit's participation aligns with its broader commitment to advancing AI in a manner that delivers meaningful clinical impact while remaining grounded in ethical and responsible practice. By engaging with global stakeholders at the Annual Meeting, the company seeks to contribute to ongoing conversations on how frontier technologies can help shape the future of healthcare. "As AI moves from experimentation to real-world deployment in healthcare, the questions we hear from governments, providers and society are becoming more concrete," said Bradon Suh, CEO of Lunit. "At Davos, we are focused on listening to how different stakeholders think about responsibility, evidence and trust, and reflecting those perspectives in how we build and deploy AI." ### About Lunit Founded in 2013, Lunit (KRX: 328130) is a global leader on a mission to conquer cancer through AI. Our clinically validated solutions span medical imaging, breast health, and biomarker analysisempowering earlier detection, smarter treatment decisions, and more precise outcomes across the cancer care continuum. Lunit offers a comprehensive suite spanning risk prediction and early detection to precision oncology. Our FDA-cleared Lunit INSIGHT suite and breast health solutions support cancer screening in thousands of medical institutions worldwide, while the Lunit SCOPE platform is used in research partnership with global pharma and laboratory leaders for biomarker research, and companion diagnostic development. Trusted by over 10,000 sites in more than 65 countries, Lunit combines deep medical expertise with continuously evolving datasets to deliver measurable impactfor patients, clinicians, and researchers alike. Headquartered in Seoul with global offices, Lunit is driving the worldwide fight against cancer. Learn more at lunit.io/en . SOURCE Lunit Investigative author Peter Schweizer alleges the Mexican government is operating a coordinated influence effort inside the United States, using diplomatic missions, education programs and migrant outreach initiatives in ways he argues go far beyond traditional diplomacy. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Schweizer said his forthcoming book, "The Invisible Coup," available Tuesday, documents what he describes as "weaponized immigration," a strategy he claims Mexican officials view as a means to exert political leverage inside the U.S. "Foreign powers are using migration as a weapon to undermine American sovereignty," Schweizer said. "Mexico is a clear example of this." Schweizer pointed to Mexicos expansive diplomatic footprint in the United States, noting that the country operates 53 consulates nationwide far more than most U.S. allies. Us Embassies In The Western Hemisphere Directed To Report On Human Rights Violations Tied To Mass Migration "Those consular officials have been tied up in organizing political activity in the United States, which is a clear violation of their diplomatic status," said Schweizer, investigative journalist and co-founder, alongside former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, of the conservative think tank Government Accountability Institute (GAI). Read On The Fox News App Schweizer alleged that Mexican consular officials have supported or encouraged anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests in the U.S., pointing to what he described as instances in which officials praised or took credit for community mobilization following immigration enforcement actions. Mexican consulates routinely provide legal assistance and outreach to migrant communities after ICE raids, which Mexican officials characterize as consular protection duties, though critics argue the efforts blur the line between assistance and political activism. Schweizer also cited the role of Mexicos so-called "migrant legislators" elected Mexican officials who reside in the United States and represent Mexicans living abroad as evidence of cross-border political engagement. While those officials do not hold U.S. office, some have participated in advocacy events in the United States, raising questions among critics about the scope of foreign political activity on American soil. Schweizer further claimed the Mexican government is actively discouraging assimilation among migrants living in the U.S., pointing to government-produced Spanish-language textbooks distributed to American school districts. State Department Yanks Visas From Mexican Executives In Migrant Smuggling Crackdown "The Mexican government gives textbooks to school districts in the United States from Los Angeles to Orlando," Schweizer said. "Those textbooks are designed to make sure that migrant children view themselves as Mexican first, not as MexicanAmerican." Mexican governmentproduced textbooks are distributed inside the United States through Mexicos consular network, primarily as donated supplemental materials. The books are published by Mexicos state textbook authority and are typically made available through consulates, libraries, community centers and, in some cases, schools that request them for Spanish-language or heritage instruction. According to Schweizer, the textbooks present what he described as a highly politicized version of American history, including depictions of the MexicanAmerican War that frame the United States as an adversary. Mexican migrants deported at the U.S. border. Schweizer claims Mexico sees migration as an opportunity to exert influence in the US. (Reuters) "The textbook describes the United States as the enemy," he said, adding that school districts may be accepting the materials without closely reviewing their content. Schweizer also alleged coordination between Mexican diplomatic missions and U.S.-based advocacy groups that he said crosses into American electoral politics. He referenced a 2024 meeting held at the Mexican consulate in Oklahoma City that he said included Mexican diplomatic officials and Democratic Party activists. "The conversation was about how California had been turned from red to blue, Arizona had been turned from red to blue, and how Republicans were going to find out that they were planning to turn the whole country blue," Schweizer said, citing what he described as a transcript of the meeting. "Thats not what diplomatic officials should be engaged in," he added. Asked whether such conduct would violate U.S. law, Schweizer said foreign diplomats are prohibited from participating in American elections and argued that expulsion of involved officials would be an appropriate response. "We need a zero-tolerance policy," he said. "Were gearing up for midterm elections, and based on their history, this should not be tolerated." Schweizer also pointed to a Mexican governmentbacked streaming platform known as Migrant TV, which he said was created to communicate with migrants living in the United States. "When you look at the content, it was extremely pro-Kamala Harris and very anti-Trump," Schweizer said, adding that the platform has portrayed ICE officials as Nazis and fascists. The Mexican government launched TV Migrante, a channel dedicated to giving voice to migrants, in March 2025. The channel is available across Mexico and in the U.S. on digital platforms and some cable packages that include international channels. Schweizer said his forthcoming book, "The Invisible Coup," documents what he describes as "weaponized immigration," a strategy he claims Mexican officials view as a means to exert political leverage inside the U.S. Schweizer argued that Mexicos approach should be viewed in a broader geopolitical context, drawing comparisons to Chinas use of diplomatic missions and affiliated activist groups in the United States. "The question is why are we tolerating this?" he said. "I think its high time to say enough is enough." The allegations come as relations between Washington and Mexico are under strain, with President Trump warning of tougher action against Mexican drug cartels and border security failures. Trump has said the U.S. is prepared to escalate its posture, while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has emphasized cooperation and respect for sovereignty. Sheinbaum has highlighted what she describes as progress cracking down on cartels, declining migration flows and joint security efforts with U.S. officials, while warning against any violation of Mexicos territorial integrity. Schweizer said he remains skeptical of those assurances, arguing that migration provides Mexico with both economic and political leverage. "More than $60 billion flows from the United States to Mexico in remittances," he said. "Thats a crucial lifeline." "They view (immigration) as an opportunity to exert influence and sovereignty into the United States," he said. In 2024, Mexico received around $62.5 billion from remittances sent from the U.S., according to economists with BBVA Research group. Click Here To Download The Fox News App Mexican officials previously have said their consulates exist to provide services and protect the rights of Mexican nationals abroad, and the Mexican government has emphasized its partnership with Washington on security and border enforcement. The Mexican embassy could not be reached for comment on Schweizer's claims. Original article source: Mexico using 'weaponized immigration' to undermine US sovereignty, author of new book alleges The Michigan Capitol building in Lansing, Michigan. Photo: Scott McClallen / The Center Square (The Center Square) Michigan will need to tighten its purse strings over the coming fiscal years or generate more revenue as new projections show it could face a $2 billion budget shortfall. Republicans in the state legislature say this is something they have seen coming, but that state Democrats have been slow to act. These numbers confirm what we have been preparing for: tighter revenues and the need for continued fiscal discipline, said State Rep. Ann Bollin, R-Brighton Township. Bollin serves as the chair of the House Appropriations Committee. Last year, we made the tough but responsible decisions to rein in spending, cut waste, and refocus taxpayer dollars on core priorities like roads and essential services, she added. We reduced pork projects, eliminated ghost employees, and began restoring fiscal discipline to state government after years of reckless spending by Democrats. That work matters now more than ever. January kicked off the beginning of the annual budget-making process for the state of Michigan. July 1 is the legally mandated statutory deadline for the finalization of the entire budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, including the separate School Aid budget. This past year, the legislature blew by that deadline, not passing a finalized budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year until Oct. 7. With the state Senate and governorship held by Democrats, and the state House held by Republicans, any movement on the budget requires lengthy negotiations. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle hailed that budget as a win. Republicans were happy it lowered the state spending by $1.1 billion, but the budget still totalled $53 billion. In the wake of Michigan losing federal COVID-19 funding, that cut to the budget will not be enough to address the drop in revenue. Yet, not everyone was happy with it at the time. Senate Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, was one of five Republicans who voted against it. Now, he warns the next budget must make even more cuts. Its time to make government smaller and put a stop to the waste, fraud and abuse of tax dollars by Lansing Democrats, Nesbitt said. We must ensure our next state budget focuses on what matters mosthelping our students succeed, keeping our communities safe and making transformational investments in our infrastructure. State Democrats have not yet released statements on the budget shortfall. In the wake of the last budget, they applauded the legislature for maintaining many of its services, including protecting Medicaid, providing free school meals, and lowering taxes. This all comes after the state agencies reached a consensus on revised economic and revenue figures for the remainder of fiscal year, as well as forecasts for the coming two fiscal years. That report found that more than $2 billion in budget savings will need to be found in the next two fiscal years, largely due to a drop in state revenue. This comes just a few years after the state boasted a $9 billion surplus due to COVID-19 funding. Despite the looming shortfalls, State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks remained positive. Michigans economy continues to demonstrate resiliency and stability despite federal uncertainty, she said. Revenue collections are meeting expectations, and our long-term economic outlook remains positive with steady unemployment and job growth. Michigans foundation is strong, and we remain cautiously optimistic as we look ahead to the coming years. This is one of the three churches attacked [Reuters] Nigeria's police have now confirmed that a group of worshippers was kidnapped from three churches in a remote part of the northern Kaduna state, after previously denying it. More than two days after the raid on the Kurmin Wali village, police on Tuesday night said that an earlier statement denying the attack had been "widely misinterpreted". Local residents told the BBC that 177 worshippers had been abducted but that 11 later escaped. Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin did not give any numbers but said subsequent checks by operational units and intelligence sources had confirmed the abduction. He said security forces had been fully deployed to the area, and that search-and-rescue operations and patrols were under way. The police spokesperson added that the earlier statement was "not a denial of the incident but a measured response pending confirmation of details from the field, including the identities and number of those affected". One eyewitness said the attack happened at about 10:00 local time on Sunday. "Some people tried to run, but they couldn't because the armed men had surrounded the village," he said. "They gathered people together and later forced them to march into the bush." Residents said the attack affected three churches - two which are part of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, and one from the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA). In a joint statement with local government officials on Monday, Kaduna state police commissioner Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu described the reports of a kidnapping as "mere falsehood which is being peddled by conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos". He challenged "anyone to list the names of the kidnapped victims and other particulars." The chairman of Kajuru local government area, which includes Kurmin Wali, Dauda Madaki, said security forces had been sent to the area but found no sign of a kidnapping. ''We visited the church where the so-called kidnap took place. There was no evidence of the attack. I asked the village head, Mai Dan Zaria, and he said that there was no such attack." A list of those kidnapped seen by the BBC on Tuesday contains more than 160 names, though this has not been independently verified. Amnesty International has criticised Nigeria's authorities over what it described as "the desperate denial" of the kidnapping. The rights group said: "Authorities must also take immediate and concrete measures to prevent rampant abductions that are gradually becoming the norm in Nigeria." The worshippers were reportedly kidnapped during Sunday service [Reuters] In November, more than 300 students and teachers were seized from a Catholic school in neighbouring Niger state. They were later released in two successive groups. This was among a spate of kidnappings that made international headlines. Nigeria is facing numerous security challenges - including kidnappings for ransom by criminal gangs, an Islamist insurgency in the north-east, separatist violence in the south-east, and a battle between herders and farmers in the centre over access to land and water. Experts say corruption, poor intelligence sharing and underfunded local policing have hampered efforts to tackle the various crises. Nigeria's defence minister resigned last month at the height of the kidnapping crisis, officially for health reasons, according to the president's office. The US last month took military action in Nigeria - launching airstrikes on Christmas Day on two camps run by an Islamist militant group in north-western Nigeria. US President Donald Trump has followed up by warning of more strikes if Christians continued to be killed in the West African nation. There are more than 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, which is roughly divided into a mainly Muslim north, a largely Christian south, with intermingling in the middle - and the government says people of all faiths have been victims of attacks. A Nigerian foreign ministry spokesman responded to Trump's warning by saying that Nigeria would continue to engage constructively with partners such as the US. ''Nigeria remains committed to protecting all citizens, Christians and Muslims alike, without discrimination,'' Alkasim Abdulkadir said. Additional reporting by Mansur Abubakar, Natasha Booty and Chris Ewokor 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 Two Ohio men were among three people killed in a central Florida shooting over the weekend. Douglas Kraft, 68, and James Puchan, 68, of Columbus and Galena, respectively, were fatally shot Jan. 17 near Kissimmee, Florida, in what families said in a statement was a "random, tragic act." Kraft's brother Robert Kraft, 70, of Holland, Michigan was also killed in the shooting. Authorities arrested Ahmad Jihad Bojeh, 29, on three counts of murder, Dispatch news partner NBC4/WCMH-TV reported. Douglas Kraft of Columbus, Robert Kraft of Holland, Michigan and James Puchan of Galena, Ohio were killed in a fatal shooting near Kissimmee, Florida on Jan. 17, 2026. The killing was described as a "random, tragic act" by the victims' families. "These three wonderful men did not deserve this," the victims' families said in a joint statement sent to The Dispatch. "Our families are left with an unexpected, unimaginable loss that cannot be put into words. We ask for privacy, prayers, and respect as we mourn and begin to process this tragedy." The three men were staying in an Airbnb to attend Kissimmee's Mecum Car Show, according to the families' statement. While they were waiting for help after "rental car trouble" and preparing to travel home, they were "being observed from a distance by an unknown individual who was well-known to local law enforcement." "There were no known interactions between the men and this individual prior to the event; they were then approached and senselessly murdered," the families' statement reads. "This was a random, tragic act." Deputies were called around noon on Jan. 17 to reports of shots fired in the Indian Point subdivision near Kissimmee, NBC4/WCMH-TV reported. Authorities found the three men dead from gunshot wounds in front of a residence in the 200 block of Indian Point Circle. Not long after, law enforcement detained Bojeh, who lives nearby. Investigators said deputies reported seeing the suspect flee toward his home, later finding two firearms in Bojeh's residence after obtaining and serving a search warrant, according to NBC4/WCMH-TV. Investigators are waiting to confirm whether the firearms were used in the shooting, NBC4/WCMH-TV reported. Bojeh was booked into the Osceola County jail on three counts of murder, and he was denied bond after making his first court appearance, NBC4/WCMH-TV reported. The case continues to be investigated. There is not threat to the community, as a suspect of these horrific and senseless murders has been caught and arrested, Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said in a statement, according to NBC4/WCMH-TV. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified one of the victims. Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com or @emma_wozniak_ on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 2 Ohio men killed in Florida shooting, suspect charged with murder Peru's new president Jose Jeri walks on the day of the swearing-in ceremony, after Congress voted to remove former President Dina Boluarte, in Lima, October 10, 2025. REUTERS/Angela Ponce/File Photo By Marco Aquino LIMA, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Peruvian President Jose Jeri has asked to appear before Congress to "clarify" meetings he held with a Chinese businessman outside of his official agenda, which are being investigated by the public prosecutor in a new political scandal rocking the country. Jeri, who assumed power in October after the expulsion of former President Dina Boluarte, sent a letter to Congress on Tuesday requesting to participate the following day in the legislative oversight committee that is also investigating him for the meetings. The request "is made in light of the country's need for matters of public interest to be clarified with transparency and responsibility," said Jeri's letter, seen by Reuters. Later, the head of the congressional oversight committee, Elvis Vergara, announced that he would meet with the president. Peru has been reeling from an ongoing political crisis, with a revolving door of seven presidents since 2018 due to resignations or dismissals. Jeri's meetings with businessman Zhihua Yang, who owns commercial stores and a concession for an energy project, and his failure to publicly disclose them as part of his agenda, prompted criticism over a lack of transparency and potential corruption. In Peru, the president's meetings are traditionally included in the official agenda. Jeri met with Zhihua Yang on December 26 and January 6, according to local media. Opposition lawmakers have said they will present a motion to impeach or censure Jeri, 39, whose popularity remains high despite dipping to 44% in January, according to the local polling firm CPI. A 'FRIENDLY' MEETING Jeri issued a public apology for the initial meeting, a dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Lima, via a recorded message on Sunday. He said he went to coordinate the celebration of another anniversary of Peruvian-Chinese friendship and denied having received an "irregular request" to meet. "I admit my mistake," he said. "And I publicly apologize for entering the meeting with the businessman the way I did, hidden, and for that, giving rise to suspicions and doubts about my behavior," Jeri said. Hours after Jeri's apology, a second meeting with Zhihua Yang, whose business has been suspended by Lima's authorities for selling unauthorized products, was made public. An attorney representing Zhihua Yang told radio station RPP on Monday night that the encounters were a "friendly meeting in which President Jeri broke some protocols." Although a censure of Jeri requires fewer votes than impeachment (87 out of 130), his removal is unlikely, political experts have said. Two-thirds of Peru's lawmakers are seeking reelection and will likely opt for stability before the April general elections, analysts said. (Report by Marco Aquino, Editing by Cassandra Garrison, Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Andrea Ricci) Johnson County Iowa Jail James Fuller Martin NEED TO KNOW James Fuller Martin was charged with murder in the first degree after police say he admitted to stabbing his wife, Amber Nicole Martin On Friday, Jan. 16, he allegedly stabbed her repeatedly with a kitchen knife in their Coralville, Iowa, home James allegedly had malice aforethought, willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation kill the victim," according to a criminal complaint obtained by Muddy River News An Iowa man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of his wife. Coralville Police officers responded to a report of a stabbing early on Friday, Jan. 16, reports KWWL. The victim was found with stab wounds when police arrived. Authorities administered medical aid, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, per Muddy River News. The Coralville Police Department identified 41-year-old Amber Nicole Martin, a medical laboratory scientist supervisor of microbiology at the University of Iowa Health Care, as the victim on Monday, Jan. 19, in a press release, per The Gazette. Her husband, James Fuller Martin, 47, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. James allegedly admitted to stabbing Amber in the couple's home in Coralville, Iowa, according to Muddy River News, citing a criminal complaint filed with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office. He was taken into custody at the scene. Amber Martin/Facebook Amber Nicole Martin In the hours leading up to the defendant killing the victim, the defendant formulated a plan to kill the victim, the criminal complaint alleges, according to Muddy River News. The complaint further alleges that Amber was stabbed at around 6:40 a.m., when James allegedly retrieved a kitchen knife and surprised the victim as she exited another room." The victim was stabbed multiple times, the complaint alleges. Amber Martin/Facebook Amber Nicole Martin Amber's supervisor at work, Connie Floerchinger, exclusively tells PEOPLE that Amber was "a very good leader," who "fit into our team very quickly." "Our technologists all thought very highly of her," Floerchinger says. According to Floerchinger, Amber expressed "on multiple occasions" how much she loved her job, the team and the lab. "She and I were talking about succession planning, and I told her that I could see her taking my position when I retired," Floerchinger recalls for PEOPLE of a moment the coworkers shared during the week of Amber's death. "She walked to my doorway and I looked back at my computer. She turned around and said my name and when I looked up she gave me the hand heart sign. That was Amber in a nutshell." Amber previously worked at Quincy Medical Group as the Microbiology Coordinator. James also worked at Quincy Medical Group as the Hematology Coordinator. Quincy Medical Group employee Ann Ostermiller told Muddy River News that the couple worked at the company. Amber was such a wonderful woman. She was vivacious, kind, and loved by all her coworkers, Ostermiller said. Jim was quieter and more reserved. This murder is beyond the comprehension of those that knew them when the worked at QMG," Ostermiller continued. "They seemed to be such a close and loving couple. I cannot imagine what transpired to change their relationship so much. 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. An investigation into Amber's death is currently underway. PEOPLE reached out to the Coralville Police Department, University of Iowa Health Care and Quincy Medical Group for comment. If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents charge towards demonstrators during a protest outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, more than a week after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good on January 7, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 16, 2026. REUTERS/Tim Evans Jan 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice served grand jury subpoenas on Tuesday to Minnesota government offices, including those of Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a department official said, amid protests and an immigration enforcement crackdown in the state. A source familiar with the investigation had said last week that the Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation of Walz, Frey and others over an alleged conspiracy to impede immigration agents. Democratic politicians in Minnesota have called for calm, but have also been sharply critical of what they see as a politically motivated crackdown by Republican President Donald Trump's administration. Walz said on X earlier on Tuesday: "This Justice Department investigation, sparked by calls for accountability in the face of violence, chaos, and the killing of Renee Good, does not seek justice. It is a partisan distraction. Minnesotans are more concerned with safety and peace rather than with baseless legal tactics aimed at intimidating public servants standing shoulder to shoulder with their community." Frey said on January 16 he would "not be intimidated" by reports the DOJ planned to subpoena him. "This is an obvious attempt to intimidate me for standing up for Minneapolis, local law enforcement, and residents against the chaos and danger this Administration has brought to our city," Frey wrote on X. (Reporting by Jana Winter and Costas Pitas, Editing by Franklin Paul, Rod Nickel) [Reuters] Syria's army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia alliance have reported fresh clashes in the country's north-east, a day after a ceasefire deal brought much of the autonomous region under government control. The 14-point agreement signed on Sunday, which will see the SDF withdraw from Raqqa and Deir al-Zour provinces and then be integrated into state institutions, was supposed to end almost two weeks of fighting. President Ahmed al-Sharaa said he hoped it would allow Syria to "end its state of division and move to a state of unity and progress". SDF commander Mazlum Abdi said the fighting had been "imposed on us" and that he had accepted the deal "to stop the bloodshed". Abdi added that he would explain the terms after returning from Damascus, where he was expected to fly on Monday for talks on implementation. It appears to be a major blow for the SDF, which had been reluctant to give up the autonomy it won for Syria's Kurdish minority when helping US-led forces defeat the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) during the country's 13-year civil war. Sharaa has vowed to reunify Syria since he led the rebel offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, but the country remains deeply divided and has been rocked by several waves of deadly sectarian violence. On Monday, Syrian government forces advanced deep into northern and eastern areas previously controlled by the SDF. In the afternoon, the army announced that it had entered Shaddadi, in Hassakeh province, following what it alleged was the SDF's decision to release a number of detained IS members from the town's prison, according to state news agency Sana. The army said it had contacted mediators and the SDF to discuss an organised handover of the prison, but that the SDF's leadership had "refused". Soldiers would not take the necessary measures to restore security and apprehend the escapees, it added. The SDF said Shaddadi prison had "fallen outside the control of our forces" following repeated attacks by "factions affiliated with Damascus" since the early hours of the day. Dozens of SDF fighters had been killed as they tried "to prevent a serious security catastrophe", it added. The SDF also reported that clashes were continuing around another prison holding IS members, al-Aqtan in Raqqa, where it said nine of its fighters had been killed. Earlier, the army said three soldiers had been killed in two attacks by "terrorist groups" in the north-eastern Jazira region. It alleged that members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for decades and has a long-running association with the SDF, were attempting to disrupt the ceasefire and "remnants of the former regime". The interior ministry also said its forces had begun deploying to Deir al-Zour province as "part of a broader security plan aimed at protecting civilians and property". Dozens of government military vehicles were seen crossing a bridge to the eastern bank of the River Euphrates along with cars, lorries and motorcycles. Safia Keddo, a 49-year-old teacher who was making her way on foot, told AFP news agency: "The past few years have been very difficult... Today we must turn the page". "We want children to return to school without fear, and for electricity, water, and bread to be restored. We're not asking for a miracle; we just want stability and a normal life." President Ahmed al-Sharaa said the deal would allow Syrian state institutions to enter all regions and manage their affairs [Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images] On Sunday evening, the government and SDF agreed an immediate ceasefire on all fronts across the country, which the president hailed as a "victory for all Syrians". "The Syrian state is unified and centralised in decision-making, and its institutions will enter all Syrian territories and manage all regional affairs," Sharaa told a news conference, according to Sana. "In areas with special characteristics, security personnel will be appointed from local residents." He also urged Arab tribes living in Raqqa and Deir al-Zour to "maintain calm and allow the implementation of the agreement". Before he left for Damascus, the SDF's commander said it had accepted a ceasefire agreement following an "intense war" in which many of its fighters had been killed or wounded since 6 January. "This war was imposed on us. We wanted to prevent it, but unfortunately, because it was planned by many forces, it was imposed on us," Abdi said in a statement on Kurdish TV. Syrian security forces took control of the al-Omar oil field after the SDF withdrew [EPA] According to Sana, the deal stipulates that the SDF will immediately hand over administrative and military control of Deir al-Zour and Raqqa provinces to the government, including all civilian institutions and facilities. It says the government will take control of all border crossings, oil and gas fields, and prisons and camps where captured IS fighters and their family members and other affiliated civilians are detained. It also says that the SDF's military and security forces will withdraw to Hassakeh province, where they will be fully integrated into the ministries of defence and interior "on an 'individual' basis" - not as separate Kurdish units, as the SDF had demanded. The agreement also welcomes a decree issued by the president on Friday which recognised Syrian Kurds as an "integral and original" component of the Syrian people. The decree affirmed their cultural, linguistic and civil rights, including designating Kurdish as a national language, which will allow its teaching at schools in Kurdish-majority areas, granting Syrian nationality to stateless Kurds, and declaring the Nowruz spring festival as a paid national holiday. The agreement also commits the SDF to expelling all non-Syrian members of the PKK and reaffirms Syria's participation in the US-led coalition against IS. US special envoy Tom Barrack said the deal represented "a pivotal inflection point, where former adversaries embrace partnership over division". "The challenging work of finalising the details of a comprehensive integration agreement begins now, and the United States stands firmly behind this process at every stage - as we safeguard our vital national security interests in defeating [IS] remnants and advance President Trump's bold Middle East Peace Plan," he added. The agreement followed months of stalled negotiations over a March 2025 integration deal, which both sides had accused each other of trying to derail. Sharaa said last week it was unacceptable for a militia to control a quarter of the country and hold its main oil and commodities resources. US president Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on Britain, calling Sir Keir Starmers plan to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius one of great stupidity. Writing on his Truth Social platform, the US president said the deal is another in a very long line of national security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. The criticism comes just one day after Sir Keir Starmer called for calm among the US and Nato allies as tensions mount over Trumps threats to Greenland. Lashing out in an online rant, the US president wrote: Shockingly, our brilliant NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. The government hit back at the presidents comments, saying the deal had already been publicly welcomed by the US. We acted because the base on Diego Garcia was under threat after court decisions undermined our position and would have prevented it operating as intended in future, a government spokesperson said. Donald Trump took to social media to criticise the deal (Truth Social) It has been publicly welcomed by the US, Australia and all other Five Eyes allies, as well as key international partners including India, Japan and South Korea. Last year, Sir Keir agreed a controversial deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while retaining control of the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. The UK has agreed to pay Mauritius at least 120m annually during the 99-year agreement to lease back the site, a total cost in cash terms of at least 13bn. Trump appeared to indicate his support for the deal last year, telling Sir Keir during his visit to the White House in February that he was inclined to go with your country and that he had a feeling its going to work out very well. Donald Trump appeared to indicate his support for the deal last year (PA Archive) But early on Tuesday morning, the US president launched a scathing attack on the move as he ramped up his rhetoric on acquiring the Arctic territory of Greenland. There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness, he wrote. These are International Powers who only recognize STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before. The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. In another post on Truth Social, Mr Trump shared what appeared to be an AI-generated image of him and his vice president JD Vance planting a US flag on a snowy landscape with a signpost that reads Greenland, US territory, est 2026. An AI-generated picture of Donald Trump, vice president JD Vance and secretary of state, Marco Rubio, with an American flag on Greenland (Donald Trump/Truth Social) A further post showed a doctored image of the US president meeting European leaders in the White House, with a map that highlighted the US, Canada and Greenland in the colours of the American flag. When asked whether Trumps criticism could change the deal, government minister Darren Jones insisted Britain cant reverse the clock. The chief secretary to the prime minister told Times Radio it's fine that Donald Trump doesnt agree on the plan and said: The treaty has been signed with the Mauritian government. So I cant reverse the clock on that. The treaty has been signed. He insisted that Britain shouldnt be embarrassed or humiliated at all by the deal and told the BBC: Quite frankly, Diego Garcia which is a small island that was part of the British Empire was having its sovereignty challenged by the Russian government. The agreed Chagos Island deal is set to cost the UK a total of 13bn (CPA Media Pte Ltd/Alamy/PA) Weve secured that island as a military base for the next 100 years, because it is an important military base for the UK and for our Nato allies, including the United States. The US president is travelling to Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday for the World Economic Forum on Tuesday. However, Sir Keir will not travel to the meeting because there are lots of challenges on his time, one of his senior ministers has said. Some UK opposition parties welcomed Trumps intervention, with Conservative shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel saying the US president has said what weve said all along. She said: Weve opposed it from day one and its time Starmer put the security of our country first and scrap his rotten deal. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also added: Thank goodness Trump has vetoed the surrender of the Chagos islands. President Trump on Monday declined to say whether he would use force to seize control of Greenland, according to a new interview with NBC News. The president told the outlet that he had no comment on the question, as he continues to push for the U.S. to acquire the Arctic territory thats part of Denmark. Trump also said that he 100 percent plans to follow through on implementing new tariffs against Denmark and other European countries if theres no deal on Greenland. Among the countries that would be affected by the Feb. 1 tariffs is Norway. In a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre that has drawn heavy scrutiny, Trump appeared to link his threats to acquire Greenland to his having not been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize though Stre and others have stressed that the prize is awarded by an independent committee, and not by the Norwegian government. Trump in the NBC News interview disputed that, saying Norway totally controls it despite what they say. He also told the outlet that he doesnt care about the prize. Trumps efforts have drawn significant pushback from European allies and top figures in the U.S. Trump is set to address the World Economic Forum annual meeting this week in Davos, Switzerland, where global leaders are descending amid the tensions. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. SHANGHAI, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Maybelline New York, the world's leading make-up brand, today officially announced the appointment of the acclaimed Chinese top boys group Teens in Times (TNT) as its newest Brand Ambassadors and Global Partners. This landmark collaboration marks a significant fusion of New York's urban energy with the dynamic, youthful spirit of China's contemporary pop culture. MAYBELLINE NEW YORK BRAND AMBASSADORS AND GLOBAL PARTNERS - TNT TNT x MAYBELLINE NEW YORK EYE & LIP REMOVER TNT has risen to become a definitive voice for Gen Z since their debut. Known for their exceptional talent, relentless work ethic, and authentic connection with their audience, TNT embodies the core values of Maybelline New York: self-expression, confidence, and the courage to "make it happen." The partnership comes at a time when Maybelline New York is accelerating its digital-first and youth-centric strategies globally. By welcoming TNT into the Maybelline family, the brand aims to inspire a new generation of beauty enthusiasts to embrace their individuality through high-performance, trend-setting products. As Global Partners, TNT will not only be the partner of upcoming campaigns in China but will also participate in brand initiatives, showcasing the universal appeal of Maybelline's iconic product lines. By merging TNT's immense cultural influence with Maybelline's industry-leading expertise, the two powerhouses are set to redefine the beauty landscape for the next generation. This alliance is not merely a localized campaign but a strategic move to bridge diverse cultures through the shared language of self-expression. SOURCE MAYBELLINE Videos from a Facebook Live by activist group Black Lives Matter Minnesota on Sunday show the moment a group of protesters disrupted services at a church in St. Paul where they say a local official with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor. - Black Lives Matter Minnesota A Sunday morning church service in the Twin Cities interrupted by anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protesters is the latest flash point in escalating tensions between the Trump administration and demonstrators in Minnesota. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who oversees the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, announced an investigation within hours, calling the protesters actions desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers. Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law, Attorney General Pam Bondi posted to X late Sunday night. Dozens of people rushed into Cities Church in St. Paul Sunday morning, interrupting the church service and leading to tense confrontations, videos posted by activists and content creators show. The Saint Paul Police Department said it responded after receiving multiple calls reporting up to 40 protesters in the church. ICE out! protesters shouted as the lead pastor and congregants confronted them. The demonstrators said they were there to protest David Easterwood, who is listed as a pastor at the church and appears to be the same David Easterwood who is a top ICE official in the Twin Cities. He was recently named as a defendant in a case brought by protesters who allege immigration agents had violated their First and Fourth Amendment rights. David Easterwood, out now! protesters yelled at one point. The protesters then moved outside and started walking down a nearby alley, police spokesperson Nikki Muehlhausen told CNN Monday. The incident is actively being investigated as disorderly conduct, she added. None of the videos show Easterwood in the church, and its unclear if he was in the building on Sunday. In response to CNNs inquiry about his connection to ICE, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson responded, DHS will never confirm or deny attempts to dox our law enforcement officers. President Donald Trump has sharply condemned the antiICE protest, describing the demonstrators as agitators and insurrectionists and accusing them of being highly trained to sow disorder. Just watched footage of the Church Raid in Minnesota by the agitators and insurrectionists. These people are professionals! No person acts the way they act. They are highly trained to scream, rant, and rave, like lunatics, in a certain manner, just like they are doing, Trump said on his Truth Social early Tuesday. They are troublemakers who should be thrown in jail, or thrown out of the Country, he went on to say. Federal investigation promised In announcing the federal investigation, Dhillon cited the FACE Act, a federal law that prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with a person seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship. She reiterated the Justice Department is pursuing federal charges in a post on social media Monday. She said federal officials must first obtain a warrant before making arrests. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Fox News on Monday that the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has sent experts to Minneapolis. The US Attorneys office, the FBI and DHS are all involved in the investigation, he said. A surge in immigration enforcement around Minneapolis, known as Operation Metro Surge, brought thousands of additional federal agents to the area and prompted widespread protests, especially after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, on January 7. The swift promise to investigate the demonstration stood in contrast to the administrations response to Goods death, as the FBI quickly shifted an investigation into the ICE agent who shot Good to focus on whether the agent was assaulted, and the Justice Department refused to cooperate with local law enforcement agencies on their own investigation. Nekima Levy Armstrong, a former president of the local NAACP chapter and one of the organizers of the protest at the church, said some parishioners were unaware of Eastwoods role as an ICE director. She told CNN she doesnt know how anyone who claims to be Christian could condone his behavior and the dual nature of the roles that he plays. The reality is that its unconscionable and unacceptable for someone to claim to serve as a pastor while also being responsible for a lot of what is happening here in our community as a result of thousands of ICE agents descending upon the state of Minnesota and the Twin Cities in particular. Easterwood does not have a listed phone number, and requests for comment sent to his office were not immediately answered. Armstrong said protesters not officials are the ones who should be concerned about being doxed. Further, she said the Trump administration has rolled back protections for people to attend church, by allowing federal officials to perform enforcement actions and make arrests in protected spaces, including churches. Cities Church has not responded to CNNs requests for comment. A St. Paul police vehicle was briefly seen parked outside the building Monday morning, and no one answered when a CNN crew rang the doorbell. Don Lemon facing DOJ scrutiny Former CNN anchor Don Lemon said he was present at the demonstration as a journalist and not as a protester after Department of Justice officials suggested he could face charges soon. We will pursue charges, Dhillon said during an interview about the protest with conservative influencer Benny Johnson. She continued, saying Lemon could not use his role as a journalist as a shield. Don Lemon himself has come out and said he knew exactly what was going to happen inside that facility. He went into the facility, and then he began, quote, unquote, committing journalism, she said. She singled out Lemon in a post on X, saying that he is on notice. When reached for comment, Lemon said over email to CNN, Its notable that Ive been cast as the face of a protest I was covering as a journalist especially since I wasnt the only reporter there. That framing is telling. He continued: Whats even more telling is the barrage of violent threats, along with homophobic and racist slurs, directed at me online by MAGA supporters and amplified by parts of the right-wing press. Lemon, an independent journalist, reported from the protest on his YouTube channel. Im just here photographing, Im not part of the group Im a journalist, Lemon is heard saying. Other faith leaders criticize protests Several faith leaders have denounced the impacts of the protests on the congregation, while saying migrant families should be treated with compassion. The Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention called for state and local officials to ensure that the rule of law is applied consistently and that our houses of worship remain sacred sanctuary spaces and said the protests caused unacceptable trauma, according to a statement. While we recognize the tensions surrounding federal enforcement, the local church is a place for spiritual transformation and biblical teaching, not a platform for political theater or coerced denouncements, it said. Cities Church is affiliated with the convention, according to its website. Trey Turner, the executive director of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention, however, said there are many people caught in the middle. At churches around the state, parishioners are fearful of being scooped up by larger operations, he said. Other churches have stopped meeting in person, he added, calling the tension and climate unnecessary. The head of the North American Mission Board, Kevin Ezell, said there is no cause that justifies the desecration of a sacred space and called for local and state leaders to make sure it doesnt happen again, he wrote in a statement. Similarly, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention said the governor should commit to protecting the right of this church and to assemble free of threat. Who is David Easterwood? The man targeted by protesters Sunday is the acting field office director in St. Paul for Enforcement and Removal Operations at ICE. In a declaration filed in this months lawsuit by protesters, Easterwood said he has worked for ICE since 2015. Easterwood argued in his statement any order from the court would further endanger the safety of law enforcement personnel and the public. Judge Katherine Menendez found ICE agents had been overzealous in pulling over some demonstrators who were following agents in vehicles. The Court has carefully considered and weighed Director Easterwoods account of how vehicles have been used by observers to protest ICE activity in the Twin Cities, Menendez wrote. But, even crediting his statements about incidents of misconduct among other people following Operation Metro Surge, it simply does not establish reasonable, articulable suspicion to stop as to these particular plaintiffs. Despite Easterwoods testimony, Menendez issued a largely symbolic injunction ordering agents not to detain people who are engaging in unobtrusive protest activity, including observing the activities of Operation Metro Surge. The Department of Justice has appealed the order. Just days after taking his current position, Easterwood appeared alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in a news conference on immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities. Our officers demonstrate every day what it means to serve with honor and dedication, Easterwood said in October. Agitators arent just targeting our officers. Now theyre targeting churches, too, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to CNN. She also blamed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for whipping these mobs into a frenzy and then allowing them to run rampant. With emotions running high and confrontational tactics escalating on both sides, Sundays protest highlights the growing tension between protecting free expression and silencing opposing voices. The question that were coming to is how law enforcement is going to protect the rights of protesters to engage in their First Amendment-protected activity, and at the same time not be intimidating other people for whatever rights they are engaged in, CNN legal analyst Carrie Cordero said. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs Julia Vargas Jones, Sarah Moon, Even Perez, Hannah Rabinowitz and Ramishah Maruf contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Sermitsiaq mountain rises above the harbor and hillside neighborhoods of Nuuk, Greenland. Ken Mathiasen / Unsplash (The Center Square) President Donald Trump positioned the annexation of Greenland as essential for U.S. and global security, even as European leaders voiced strong resistance during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Trump said that he planned to meet with European leaders and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum. "As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperative for National and World Security," Trump said in a social media post. "There can be no going back On that, everyone agrees! Over the weekend, Trump warned that NATO allies who oppose his plans to acquire Greenland will face escalating tariffs: a 10% duty on all exports to the U.S. from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland beginning Feb. 1, rising to 25% by June 1. Trump has said the tariffs will remain in effect until Denmark hands over Greenland. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned European nations against retaliation. "I tell everyone, sit back, take a breath, do not retaliate," he said in Davos. "The president will be here tomorrow and he will get his message across." French President Emmanuel Macron denounced Trump's plans to acquire Greenland. He said the "endless accumulation of new tariffs" is "fundamentally unacceptable." "Even more so when they are used as leverage against territorial sovereignty," Macron said. Macron also said the European Union "should not hesitate" to use an anti-coercion measure after Trump's tariff threats over Greenland. The 27-nation bloc could sanction people and institutions found to be putting unreasonable pressure on the EU. The EU has never used the instrument, which has been called its "trade bazooka." Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, speaking in Copenhagen on Tuesday, said the "worst may still be ahead of us." "We are now being threatened by our closest ally," she told lawmakers in Denmark. Trump said only the U.S. can protect Greenland. "We are the only POWER that can ensure PEACE throughout the World And it is done, quite simply, through STRENGTH!," the U.S. president wrote in a social media post. Trump also posted a text message from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in which Rutte said, in part, "I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland." Rutte previously tried to keep NATO out of Trump's plans for Greenland. Trump maintains that U.S. ownership of Greenland is crucial to national security. He argues that Denmark cannot protect the island's mineral-rich territory from major powers such as China and Russia. Public polling shows Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose joining America. Experts say as ice melts in the Arctic, more shipping and military ship routes could open in the region, changing the global trade and the defensive relationship between the U.S. and Russia. More mining and drilling exploration could also open up. Buying the nation could cost U.S. taxpayers billions or trillions, depending on how the Arctic island is valued. Greenland is almost entirely reliant on fishing and Danish subsidies of about $1 billion a year. Earlier this month, Denmark's central bank found Greenland faces "challenges for public finances in the form of large deficits and a long-term sustainability problem." That report noted that investment in Greenland is expensive and supported by taxpayers in Denmark. Total investments amounted to 36% of gross domestic product in 2023. Gross domestic product is a measure of a nation's total economic activity. In 1867, when President Andrew Johnson bought Alaska, he also considered buying Greenland. The U.S. also tried to buy Greenland in 1946. The United States proposed to pay Denmark $100 million in gold to buy Greenland, according to documents in the National Archives. The sale never went through, but the U.S. got the military base it wanted on the island. Pituffik Space Base, previously known as Thule Air Base, is located in Greenland. Pituffik SB is locked in by ice nine months out of the year, but the airfield is open and operated year-round. Pituffik exists due to agreements between the U.S. and the Kingdom of Denmark, specifically addressing mutual defense, according to the Space Force. A teenager poses holding a mobile phone as law banning social media for users under 16 in Australia takes effect, in Sydney, Australia, December 10, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo By Muvija M and Sam Tabahriti LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Britain is considering an Australian-style ban on social media for children under 16, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer warning on Tuesday they risk being pulled into "a world of endless scrolling, anxiety and comparison". Starmer said the government was prepared to take robust action, a day after it announced it would examine whether features such as infinite scrolling and the age at which children can access platforms should be restricted and how such measures could be imposed. "This is a hugely complex issue so it's important it's properly considered," Starmer said on Substack. Ministers are due to visit Australia, which last month became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, to look at their approach. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said Britain was weighing the same age threshold as Australia. While some see a ban as the clearest way to protect children, she said in parliament, others fear it could let platforms off the hook and push harmful activity underground. It could also deprive children of the positive sides of social media, she added. The government is also considering stronger age checks and whether the current digital age of consent is too low. Governments and regulators worldwide are looking at the risks of exposing children to social media, and the impact of screen time on their development and mental health. The recent rapid explosion of AI-generated content online has exacerbated those concerns, highlighted this month by a public outcry over reports of Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot generating non-consensual sexual images, including of minors. STARMER SAYS THERE IS MORE TO DO The British government has already set out plans for an outright ban on artificial intelligence nudification tools, while working to stop children being able to take, share or view nude images on their devices, it said in Monday's statement. The government said it was also considering removing features that could drive addictive use of social media. Britain's recently enforced Online Safety Act, one of the strictest safety regimes, has increased the share of children encountering age checks online to 47% from 30%, and cut visits to pornography sites by a third, according to the government. Starmer said childhood should not mean judgement from strangers or pressure to perform for likes, adding that "for too many today, it means being pulled into a world of endless scrolling, anxiety and comparison". "We will work with experts to identify the most effective measures we can take to do more," he said, reiterating that "no option is off the table". (Reporting by Muvija M and Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Timothy Heritage and Alexandra Hudson) Iranian human rights activist Ahmad Batebi speaks during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Iran at the request of the United States at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., January 15, 2026. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz Iranian human rights activist Ahmad Batebi speaks during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Iran at the request of the United States at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., January 15, 2026. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz By Olivia Le Poidevin and Emma Farge GENEVA, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold an emergency session on Iran on Friday, with proponents aiming to discuss "alarming violence" used against protesters, a document showed on Tuesday. An Iranian official said authorities have verified at least 5,000 deaths in the protests which are the biggest demonstrations since 2022, prompting U.N. rights chief Volker Turk to condemn the violence. "A special session is needed because of the importance and urgency of the situation, in particular due to credible reports of alarming violence, crackdowns on protesters and violations of international human rights law across the country," according to a letter written by Iceland's ambassador Einar Gunnarsson on behalf of a group of countries including Germany and Britain, and seen by Reuters. The special session will happen on Friday, the U.N. confirmed, adding that 21 countries so far have supported the proposal. Human Rights Watch has denounced mass unlawful killings and is asking for an existing U.N. probe, set up by the council in 2022 after the last wave of protests, to investigate the deaths and be given extra financing to do so. Iran's diplomatic mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Diplomats said Iran had sent to missions pages of rebuttal against allegations of a crackdown, saying the clashes followed armed attacks on security forces. "The session will be a message to Iranian authorities that the bloodshed and the suppression of dissenting voices must stop, that they are under watch," Glenn Payot from Impact Iran, a coalition of 19 non-governmental organizations campaigning for human rights in Iran, told Reuters. "It will also be an opportunity for the community of states to demonstrate global support for the rights of all Iranians to protest peacefully and make their voices heard without fear of reprisals or violence," Payot added. (Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin and Emma Farge in Geneva, editing by Linda Pasquini, Editing by William Maclean) A U.S. Navy veteran, who was reportedly sailing in international waters until Russian authorities forced him to dock his yacht with a firearm onboard, has been sentenced to five years in prison for smuggling weapons, court officials announced Monday. The court system of Krasnodar Krai identified the man as Charles Wayne Zimmerman, 58, whom U.S. officials had reported missing before Monday's announcement. A website set up in support of Zimmerman described him as a U.S. Navy veteran, a father of two and an electrician, The Associated Press (AP) reported. According to local authorities, Zimmerman docked his yacht in the Russian port city of Sochi on June 19, 2025, after departing from North Carolina in July 2024 and sailing through several European countries. During border control in Sochi, Zimmerman allegedly failed to declare a firearm onboard. Authorities said an inspection later uncovered the weapons and ammunition, which they claimed had been purchased by Zimmerman prior to entering Russia. At the subsequent court hearing, "the defendant pleaded guilty in full," the court system in Krasnodar Krai said. Records show Zimmerman was convicted in October and that the Sochi courts verdict was upheld two months later by the Krasnodar Regional Court, the AP reported. Russia Ups Jail Sentence Of U.s. Citizen To 10 Years For Beating Prison Staff A general view of the Seaport in Black Sea resort on May 14, 2015, in Sochi, Russia. (Getty Images) Zimmermans sister, Robin Stultz, claimed that her brother was wrongfully detained in Russia, saying that Russian authorities forced him to pilot his vessel to Sochi from international waters, according to the AP. Read On The Fox News App He was "sailing in international waters when he was intercepted by the Russian Navy and forced to motor 22 hours to Sochi," Stultz added in a statement to CBS News. Zimmerman reportedly disclosed his weapons but was charged anyway, Stultz said, claiming that his arrest was a strategic move by Russia to use him as leverage in a potential U.S. exchange. Venezuela Arrests More Americans As Trump Ramps Up Pressure On Maduro: Report A picture taken from a helicopter shows a view of the Black Sea coast near Sochi, Russia, on Oct. 26, 2010. "He was sailing from the U.S. to New Zealand, so of course, he had a firearm on board," she told the AP in a statement. "You cant just call 911 if something goes wrong out at sea. He voluntarily disclosed it to them and they charged him with arms smuggling. This is an obvious set-up to get another American they can trade. He needs to be declared wrongfully detained." His sister added that she "wouldn't trust any 'confession' the Russians claim he's given," and alleged that Russian authorities had denied her brother access to U.S. diplomatic representatives since his arrest. Washington has accused Moscow of imprisoning U.S. nationals to use them as bargaining chips for Russian spies held abroad. Since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, dozens of Westerners, including Americans, have been detained in Russia, with many later released in prisoner exchanges. Us Pilot And Influencer Released From Chilean Antarctic Detention 2 Months After Alleged Unauthorized Landing A general view of the Sochi seaport on June 22, 2017, in Sochi, Russia. Russian authorities reported that Zimmerman decided to sail to Sochi on his own after reportedly meeting a Russian woman online. While he reportedly did not know it was illegal to store weapons on his yacht when docking, authorities said that "ignorance of the law does not exempt from liability." "He met a girl online who lives in Kazan and decided to join her in Russia on his yacht," the Krasnodar Krai court system said. "Before setting out, he didn't bother to research Russian laws and assumed that the weapons he kept on board for self-defense should simply remain on board at all times." A video released by the regional court shows a docked yacht, a single black hunting rifle in a case and two boxes of Remington rifle-caliber cartridges. Click Here To Download The Fox News App On Sept. 6, 2024, the U.S. Coast Guards East region issued a missing person alert for then-57-year-old Charles Zimmerman, who had departed North Carolina aboard his 35-foot green-and-white-hulled vessel, named the Trude Zena. He was reportedly heading to New Zealand, with planned stops in the Mediterranean Sea. Original article source: US veteran gets 5 years in Russian prison after authorities reportedly force him to dock with firearm onboard Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodriguez and US President Donald Trump. - Getty Images Lee este articulo en espanol More than two weeks after the stunning US raid on Caracas that led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro, the political confrontation over the future of Venezuela is rapidly coalescing around two leaders, both women, who represent different visions for their country: the acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, who stands for continuity, and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who seeks the restoration of democracy. For both leaders, support from US President Donald Trump, or at least an understanding with him, is paramount. Trump can lift the economic sanctions that are saddling the Venezuelan economy or could even extract other top officials who face US charges, just like he did with Maduro on January 3. Machado grabbed the headlines last week with her visit to the White House, where she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump. However, she was received without much fanfare and left with a gift bag and a photo session but no concrete support. Machado is a skilled politician and a tireless campaigner the last person who made the mistake of underestimating her now sits in Brooklyns Metropolitan Detention Center. Yet, recent events in Washington and Caracas suggest it is Rodriguez who has the advantage in this new clash. Here are four signs that Rodriguez is gaining momentum, at least for now. 1. A warmer personal relationship with Donald Trump Any world leader can attest to how important a personal and effusive relationship is for the US president just ask Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Delcy Rodriguez lacked one, until last week. On Wednesday, Trump surprised many Venezuelan insiders by saying he had spoken by phone with the acting Venezuelan leader and praising her as a terrific person. Delcy Rodriguez issues a statement saying the country reaffirms its commitment to peace and peaceful coexistence. - From delcyrodriguezv/Instagram Until last week, it had seemed that Machado, who has spoken with US officials for years and has a strong personal relationship with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was going to be the US partner of choice, at least on a personal level. But Rodriguez can now boast a direct connection to Trump, too. 2. Tighter oil coordination On January 9, Trump invited several oil executives to pitch proposals for investments in the derelict Venezuelan oil industry. Many attended the White House meeting, but few chipped in, with ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods summing it up for the gathering when he said that legal and commercial frameworks in place today make Venezuela uninvestable. On Thursday, Rodriguez got to work, announcing a change to the Law of Hydrocarbons that regulates oil extraction in Venezuela. While Maduro had mulled a similar revision for years, Rodriguez broke the deadlock in less than a week, signaling her readiness to heed the calls from Washington. 3. Intelligence relationship On the same day she announced the legal reforms, Rodriguez also welcomed CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Caracas. Photos leaked the following day showed a relaxed and friendly atmosphere the normally ultra-elegant Rodriguez even donned a casual pair of Asics sneakers to host the impeccably dressed intelligence chief. Ratcliffe also met the new head of the Presidential Guard, Enrique Gonzalez, less than two weeks after US Special Operations forces killed dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban presidential guardsmen on their way to Maduros bedroom, according to Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino. Ratcliffe did not comment on those deaths. It was the first visit to Caracas by a US Cabinet member in more than a decade and signaled a much closer relationship between the US spy chief and his Venezuelan counterparts. 4. Deportations resume On Friday, Venezuela received its first US deportation flight since December 10, an Eastern Airlines Boeing 767 carrying 231 migrants from Phoenix. Washington stopped deportation flights when increased US military activity over Venezuela meant it was no longer safe to travel there. The rapid resumption of the flights shows how important this effort is for Trumps agenda as a whole. As long as Rodriguez guarantees that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement can deport as many Venezuelan migrants to Caracas as it wants, she will have plenty of friends in Trumps circle. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Another major financial giant is planting its flag in Florida. Wells Fargo confirmed to Fox News Digital that it is moving its wealth management headquarters to West Palm Beach, underscoring a growing exodus of money and corporate influence from traditional financial hubs to low-tax, business-friendly states. The relocation makes Wells Fargo the first major U.S. bank to base its wealth-management operations in the Sunshine State. "Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management (WIM) is advancing its strategic commitment to serving high and ultrahighnetworth clients by increasing its presence in West Palm Beach," a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "Several senior leaders are relocating to the area, strengthening our local leadership presence, and deepening engagement with clients in this high-opportunity market." Billionaires Flee California Within Seven Days Over Proposed Wealth Tax: Inside The Miami Migration "West Palm Beachs strong business climate and expanding economic opportunities align well with our longterm growth prioritiesboth in the region and across our organization," they continued. "Numerous members of WIMs leader team will continue to be based in New York, St. Louis and Charlotte, North Carolina." Read On The Fox Business App A Wells Fargo bank branch in New York, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. Striking a deal with Stephen Ross Related Companies, the San Francisco-based banker will reportedly lease a 50,000-square-foot office space at the Class-A, One Flagler building. Barry Sommers, CEO of Wealth & Investment Management at Wells Fargo, told Bloomberg that about 100 employees mostly senior executives will move to the new headquarters by the end of the year, with the office on track to open in August. Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management unit generated $16 billion in revenue last year and accounts for about 20% of the banks total revenue. CEO, chairman and real estate billionaire Stephen Ross is openly pushing to turn Palm Beach County into a "Silicon Valley of the East," and recently said he expects more recognizable names to expand their presence. "What weve seen is companies that have already dipped the toe, have been here for years, have expanded their offices," Ross said in an interview with Bloomberg last week. "People are seeing the growth and where the country is headed." Related Companies told Fox News Digital in a statement: "Wells Fargo is making a bold move by bringing senior leadership and a major part of its wealthmanagement business to One Flagler in West Palm Beach. Its a strong sign of long-term confidence in our city and in South Floridas continued growth." The move comes just over a month after local leaders told Fox News Digital that West Palm Beach is shedding its tourist-driven image and becoming Americas next business boomtown. "I think if you were starting a job or starting a business, having certainty is always top of mind. And the certainty to do business, to get things done, there's no better place to do that than South Florida. And we believe West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County are really at the epicenter of that," Related Ross Executive Vice President Jordan Rathlev previously said. "We've got a bunch of employees here who are delighted to be here simply because of the lifestyle and the connectedness that West Palm Beach provides," said Visium CEO John Rajchert, who moved the company from Orlando. "Willingness to move is very, very, very good. So what we're finding is that we have a national talent pool that's prepared to move here." Over the last five years, Palm Beach County has seen the relocation of more than 140 companies , the creation or retention of more than 13,110 direct jobs and more than $1.12 billion in capital investments, according to the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County. Since the 2020 U.S. Census, West Palm Beach has seen the largest population gain in the county at nearly 9,600 new residents. "When we opened this office eight years ago, four of us called West Palm Beach home. There's over 160 today," Rathlev said. "This is where people want to be and this is where you want to raise a family." "There's no question that people are fully, fully aware of what's happening here. And I think we're [in the] very early days for what's gonna be a tremendous growth story to come." Read More From Fox Business Original article source: Wells Fargo becomes first major bank to relocate wealth operations headquarters to Florida Ariel view of the town of Boquete in Chiriqui Province, Panama - Davorlovincic/Getty Images Sliding from the vertiginous volcanic tips of inland Panama to the soft white sands of Central America's Pacific shore, the pristine Chiriqui province is a microcosm of the wild diversity packed into the small country. Scattered with small coffee-growing villages and dense cloud forests canopied by tropical birdlife, the 1500-odd miles of the region 300 miles southwest of the capital was singled out by Conde Nast Traveler as one of 2026's best destinations. Tucked into Panama's westernmost corner, the region's sprawling wilderness feels a world away from Panama City and its historic walled city-within-a-city, a colorful hidden jewel with unmatched food. Indeed, it takes a bit of an extended journey to reach the region from the capital. The drive takes around seven hours, so those not inclined for a long stretch on the Pan-American Highway can catch a connecting flight instead. The closest air connection is to Enrique Malek International Airport in David, which is accessible from the capital's Tocumen International Airport, which itself provides direct connections to 19 U.S. hubs. While a tropical Central American escape may seem most appealing in the winter, it's best to schedule your trip around the activities you plan to take part in. The sunniest season runs from February to March, while short, heavy spurts of rain douse the region from May to December. However, it's worth weathering the downpours to watch humpback whales migrate along the coast from July to October or to see the abundant wildlife of the woodlands thrive on the freshly drenched forest floor. Read more: 25 Best Beaches In The Caribbean Exploring the forests, parks, and peaks of Panama's Chiriqui province Canopy tree trek in the forests of Chiriqui province, Panama - Andamanse/Getty Images Settled in the shadows of the mighty Volcan Baru, the fertile foothills of the ashen peak roll out into verdant cloud forests and coffee-rich hills. To plan an active outdoor adventure or just a simple stroll through the wildlife-filled thickets, base yourself in the small plantation town of Boquete. Nestled in the western province between Panama's tallest peak, roaring waterfalls, and green scenery, it acts as a jump-off point for some of the country's best adrenaline-inducing activities. Warm up with a tour of the bucolic coffee fields or a soak in the natural thermal springs of Caldera. Then, ramp up for an adventure and catch a sunrise summit panorama on one of the best active volcano hikes in Central America, rocket over rapids on a white water rafting excursion, or scale up vertical rock walls and down rushing waterfalls. For a more stripped-back adventure through the misted mountains and heady forests of Chiriqui, map out a route along the myriad trails that run through La Amistad International Park. The UNESCO-designated jungle reserve is jointly managed by Panama and Costa Rica, spanning across 400,000 hectares of undisturbed forest. Following a muddied trail between the thickets, wildlife lovers should keep an eye out for the viridescent feathers of the fluttering quetzals and the dangling limbs of slow-moving sloths, or for monkeys scampering from tree to tree and for the supremely rarely sighted jaguars that prowl just beyond the shadows. Explore the underwater wonders and secluded Pacific Coast beaches of Panama's Chiriqui province Secluded beach in Panama's Chiriqui province - Alfredo Maiquez/Shutterstock Only disturbed by the tiny tropical islands that are scattered off Panama's Pacific shore, the pristine oceans of the Chiriqui province are teeming with underwater wildlife. Its mangrove forests and snow-white sands lead out to an enormous coral reef, interwoven with technicolor fish and intermittently shadowed by the humpbacks, orcas, dolphins, turtles, rays, and sharks that skim the surface above. The submerged world falls under the protection of the Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park, which shields reefs, islands, and abundant animals of the province. Get an up-close view of the wildlife by booking a tour out to the isolated island national park of Isla Coiba, where you can snorkel over the surface or spy big mammals boatside before retreating to the isle's quiet, snow-white sands. The best beaches of the Chiriqui province are distributed across the mainland and the quiet isles that sit just offshore. Among the most easily accessible are Boca Chica and Boca Brava. From Boca Chica, a mainland stretch of shore just an hour away from David, you can catch a ferry onwards to the remote sands of Boca Brava. Both quiet beaches host a small scattering of hotels, keeping each quiet while providing any amenities you may need for a stay on the sand. Those looking to splash out on a private tropical island retreat can alternatively book a stay at Isla Palenque, a luxurious eco-resort where a mere eight beachfront cabanas lead onto the sands of seven truly secluded beaches. Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter and add us as a preferred search source for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. Read the original article on Islands. Michele Crowe/CBS News/Getty; Bethany Baker-Pool/Getty Erika Kirk, left, and Tyler Robinson NEED TO KNOW Erika Kirk has reportedly filed a request for a speedy trial in the case against Tyler Robinson, accused of killing Charlie Kirk Robinson is charged with aggravated murder in connection with the alleged September assassination of Charlie Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University Utah law grants victims the right to a speedy trial Erika Kirk, the widow of slain right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk, has filed for a speedy trial in the case against Tyler Robinson, who is accused of assassinating her husband in September. Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at a Turning Point USA event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah in September. Following a manhunt, Robinson, 22, was identified as a suspect after turning himself in to police, authorities said. He has been charged with aggravated murder, among other felonies. According to KUTV, Fox 13 and ABC4, Erika Kirk filed for the speedy trial on Friday, Jan. 16 and accused Robinson's defense team of delaying proceedings in her court filing. While the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees a defendant the right to a speedy trial, Utah law also grants victims of crime "right to a speedy disposition of the charges free from unwarranted delay caused by or at the behest of the defendant." "The Defendant in this case is entitled to a fair trial, and he must be given one, but he is not entitled to cause undue delay to the criminal justice process," Erika's attorney wrote in the filing, per Fox 13. Meanwhile, Robinson's attorneys are trying to have the Utah County Prosecutor's Office removed from the case, according to the outlets. Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Charlie Kirk 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. Fox 13 reported that Robinson's attorneys have claimed in their motion to disqualify that the daughter of a deputy county attorney attended the rally when the shooting occurred and have argued that created a conflict of interest. The county attorney called the defense's claim a "stalling tactic," per Fox 13. Authorities have previously said they plan to seek the death penalty for Robinson, who has not yet entered a plea. Read the original article on People AP Photo/Matt Rourke Frank Olivieri, owner of Pat's King of Steaks on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014, in Philadelphia NEED TO KNOW The longtime owner of Pat's King of Steak's Frank P. Olivieri died at 87 The former restaurant owner ran the family business for nearly 30 years Pat's King of Steaks is considered one of the most popular cheesesteak spot's in Philadelphia Frank P. Olivieri, the longtime owner of Pats King of Steaks, died on Sunday, Jan. 18. He was 87. The restaurant owner had been receiving care for dementia, his son Frank E. Olivieri told The Philadelphia Inquirer. He is survived by his wife Ritamarie, aforementioned son Frank Jr. (also known as Frankie), and daughters Danielle Olivieri and Leah Tartaglia. He is also survived by nine grandchildrenJulian Travaglia, Jade DelGiorno, Nicolette and Blake Olivieri, Vienna OBrian, Joseph Tartaglia, Francesco Tartaglia, Haillie Marandola and Stephanie Marandolaand three great-grandchildren: Verona, Bray and Luna Rose OBrian. Jon Bilous/Alamy Pat's King of Steaks, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Franks father, Harry Olivieri, and uncle, Pat Olivieri, opened Pats in 1930, per his obituary. Originally, the pair sold hotdogs on the corner before switching to steak sandwiches, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Franks obituary claims that the restaurant introduced the world to what became known as the Philadelphia cheesesteak. Frank started working at the stand at 11 years old and Frankie reported that Frank turned down the opportunity to attend the University of Pennsylvania and study to become an attorney to support the family business. Frank and Harry bought the original stand from Pat in 1968, according to the restaurants Instagram post. Under the father-son duos ownership, Pats became a 24-hour restaurant open 365 days a year for locals, tourists and celebrities. His obituary says that under Franks leadership, Pats grew from a beloved neighborhood institution into an internationally recognized landmark. It has been featured in pop culture, including Rocky, Mad Men and Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Frank, who is also remembered for being an expert handyman and avid fisherman, retired in 1996 and Frankie has been running the business since. Part of Pats lore is the supposed rivalry with Genos Steaks, another landmark cheesesteak spot located across the street and opened by a former Pats employee in 1966. But, per The Philadelphia Inquirer, the feud is overblown and Frankie and the Genos current owner, Geno Vento, are friends. A memorial service will be held on Friday, Jan. 23, and the family is asking for donations to St. Maron Church in lieu of flowers. Read the original article on People Independent media agency is listed as the ninth best place to work for companies with under 150 employees NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mediaplus North America , the media agency under Serviceplan Group, is pleased to announce that it has been named one of the 2026 Ad Age Best Places to Work, an annual ranking of companies that lead the pack in factors ranging from pay and benefits to corporate culture and leadership. The agency was ranked number nine among companies with under 150 employees, standing out to the judges because of their flexibility-forward policies, transparent communication and shared moments of recognition. Ad Age Best Places to Work 2026 "Winning Ad Age's Best Places to Work award is an incredible honor because it celebrates what truly defines Mediaplus North America: our people," said Tamara Alesi, CEO, Mediaplus North America. "This recognition belongs to our teams, who bring passion, curiosity, and a real love for what they do every single day. That energy fuels stronger thinking, deeper partnerships and sustainable growth for our clients, all while creating a culture where people feel inspired, supported and excited to do their best work." Ad Age recognized Mediaplus North America for their human-first approach, which has driven a 91% employee retention rate and a 93% employee satisfaction score, even as the agency grew by 50% over the past year. The agency prioritizes intentional growth by investing in a culture where employees feel supported and empowered to do their best work across every pitch, project, and client partnership. Diversity is a core part of that culture, with 74% of the team identifying as female, 26% as male, and 32% as racial or ethnic minoritiesensuring a range of perspectives that better reflect the audiences Mediaplus' clients seek to reach. "In just four years, Mediaplus North America has built something truly special. This recognition reflects a culture created with intention, one that embraces ambition and moves fast without losing its humanity," said Matthias Brull, CEO, Mediaplus Group. "Under Tam's leadership, the region has shown what's possible when trust, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit come together. This award is proof that a strong culture isn't a byproduct of success; it's what drives it." The 2026 Ad Age Best Places to Work honors 50 companies that distinguished themselves over the past year as the advertising and marketing industry navigated economic uncertainty, shifting brand priorities and the growing integration of artificial intelligence across the business. The winners reflect the highest overall numerical scores based on an analysis of questionnaires submitted by employers and survey responses from their employees. Ad Age's scoring system factors in employee responses on topics including pay and benefits and seven other core focus areas (80% of the score) and a company's policies and practices on areas including pay and benefits, work/life balance, recruitment, training and development (20% of the score). "This year's Best Places to Work winners show what it looks like to lead with intention during a period of constant change," said Dan Peres, president of Ad Age. "They're investing in their people, prioritizing flexibility and building cultures that support both performance and retention." Ad Age produced the 2026 Best Places to Work in partnership with Workforce Research Group, an independent research firm specializing in identifying and recognizing great places to work. The competition was open to agencies, ad tech firms, data and research firms, brand or corporate marketing departments or groups and in-house agencies of marketers. About the Mediaplus Group Mediaplus is part of the Serviceplan Group. As the world's fastest growing independent media agency with around 3,500 employees in 25 countries, we stand for concentrated media and data expertise around the globe with strong presence in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia. Based on data-driven insights and signals, as well as innovative real-time solutions, we tightly integrate media consulting, planning and execution. Using our globally applicable social, performance, commerce, programmatic and traditional buying capabilities, we precisely target consumers and help our clients achieve sustainable growth by optimising media investments in real time. About Ad Age Created in 1930 to cover a burgeoning industry with objectivity, accuracy and fairness, Ad Age continues to be powered by award-winning journalism. Today, Ad Age is a global media brand focusing on curated creativity, data and analysis, people and culture, and innovation and forecasting. Contact: Gabriella Schatz [email protected] SOURCE Mediaplus North America, LP Getty Prince Harry on September 9, 2025 The Gist Prince Harrys memoir, Spare, came out three years ago this week on January 10, 2023. In it, the Duke of Sussex shares numerous anecdotes, including one about a 2012 trip to Las Vegas (which eventually became infamous for a different reason). Harry recounted that he had an idea to get an unexpected tattoo in the most surprising of places, but that his friends said a hard no to the idea. Prince Harry doesnt have any tattoos that the public knows aboutbut that almost wasnt the case. During a 2012 trip to Las Vegaswhich ended up being the same trip as his infamous strip pool debacle from 14 years agoHarrys friends stopped him from getting some ink while in Sin City. In his 2023 memoir Spare, published three years ago this week (and per People), Harry said he and his friends ate like kings at a steakhouse and woke up the next day and, after enjoying some Bloody Marys, headed to a pool party. As the dayand the drinkswent on, Harry wrote, I was in rough shape, and filling up withideas. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Prince Harry in 2013 I need something to commemorate this trip, I decided, he wrote in the tell-all. Something to symbolize my sense of freedom, my sense of carpe diem. For instancea tattoo? Yes! Just the thing! Harry decided to get a tattoo of Botswana on his foota country that has meant so much to Harry throughout his life, and where he took future wife Meghan Markle on their third date over the summer of 2016 (and where they ultimately fell in love). After presenting his friends with the idea, they were decidedly not on board, with Harry explaining that In fact, they promised to physically stop me. I was not going to get a tattoo, they said, not on their watch, least of all a foot tattoo of Botswana, he continued. They promised to hold me down, knock me out, whatever it took. A tattoo is permanent, its forever! Getty Prince Harry on September 8, 2025 He added, Their arguments and threats are one of my last clear memories from that evening. I gave in. The tattoo could wait till the next day. Ultimately, the tattoo never happenedand was overshadowed by photos that leaked of Harry playing strip pool. Flash forward to 2024, 12 years later, and, in a promotional video for the 2025 Invictus Games, Harry pretended to get a neck tattoo from none other than Jelly Rollthough, of course, it was fake. Harry is due to head to the U.K. next week for a trial against Associated Newspapers Limited, the publisher of The Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday. The legal proceedings kick off on January 19, and Harry is expected to take the stand on January 22. He is not expected to see his father, King Charles, during this visit, as he did the last time he was in the U.K. in September. Getty Images Prince Harry on September 10, 2025. Ahead of his trip across the pond, Harry stepped out for an appearance in Santa Barbara, California, showing his support for firefighters and emergency responders one year after the devastating Southern California wildfires. Last year, at a Living Legends of Aviation event, Harry said of emergency responders (per Hello!), We saw courage. We saw commitment. And we saw an extraordinary group of men and women take to the skies, also risking their lives to protect people they would never meet. Tonight, we thank and honor members of our community, especially aerial firefighters and the supporting ground teams. He added of first responders in the same speech that they rise to the challenge every single timeyet we rarely get the chance to thank them. Read the original article on InStyle Francisco J. Olmo/Europa Press via Getty First responders at the scene in Adamuz, Spain, following a deadly train crash on Jan. 18. NEED TO KNOW Survivors are remembering the horror they experienced during a deadly high-speed train crash in southern Spain on Sunday, Jan. 18 One woman recalled seeing fellow passengers die before she was extracted from a train car Another survivor said it was like experiencing an "earthquake" As survivors of a catastrophic high-speed train crash in southern Spain speak out, one woman is recalling how she was pulled from her rail car covered in blood after she saw fellow passengers die. Some people were fine and others were really bad, the unnamed survivor told Reuters in an emotional interview one day after a Madrid-bound train derailed and crashed into a train set for Huelva on Sunday, Jan. 18. And we had them in front of us and you could see them dying and you could do nothing, the survivor said. On Sunday, at 7:45 p.m. local time, a Iryo train heading to Madrid was approaching the Adamuz train station when its last two cars derailed, according to a preliminary report from the transportation ministry. The derailed cars then crossed into the path of a Renfe Alvia train traveling in the opposite direction. The impact caused the two front cars of the Renfe Alvia train to fall down a 13-foot embankment, leaving at least one train employee and 38 passengers dead, according to officials. Twenty-nine others were seriously injured and 123 people suffered minor injuries, as the response operation continues. In video footage shared by Reuters, the survivor is seen wearing a blanket and limping, with a person by her side, as she enters a building in Adamuz on Monday. She told the outlet that she often travels by train but noted something was wrong when she started to go up. Thats where I looked at my sister, the woman told Reuters in a translated interview. I looked for her and its the last moment I remember before it all went dark. The survivor said she heard screams. When asked how she got out of the derailed train car, she told Reuters that other passengers broke the windows to get to her. [They] pulled me out because I was covered in blood, the woman said. Salvador Jimenez, a Spanish journalist, was traveling in the first car of the train that derailed. The crash was like an earthquake, he told The New York Times. Originally, Jimenez thought his train had hit an animal as the lights went out. But when he exited his car, he witnessed passengers breaking windows with emergency hammers so they could escape, the Times reported. He saw the last train cars turned on their sides and people retrieving trapped passengers from windows that were facing upwards. Handout / Guardia Civil / AFP via Getty Video footage of the crash site. Many people were shouting the names of passengers, Jimenez told the Times. He and other survivors later walked to safety in the dark. Other passengers described the initial chaos when speaking with the BBC. One man recalled people and belongings that went flying during the crash. And a woman who survived told the BBC that the scene was absolutely terrifying. Juanma Moreno, the president of the Andalusian regional government, said on Monday that the tragedy is going to be much greater once the scene is assessed, local outlet La Sexta reported. JORGE GUERRERO / AFP via Getty The aftermath of the fatal collision that killed at least 39 in Spain. "We have 39 confirmed deaths, but unfortunately, the number won't stay there, Moreno told Canal Sur Television. Right now, we're waiting for the heavy machinery, the crane, to be set up around 1 p.m. so they can lift carriages one, two, and three of the Alvia train, which was the one that suffered the most damage in this accident." He added, Some people have already been identified and counted, but when they are lifted, we may find more deceased individuals underneath, beside, or among the wreckage. Authorities have yet to confirm what caused the collision, but an official previously said that the track had recently been updated in May 2025. The Iryo-owned train was manufactured in 2022 and had passed its inspection on Jan. 15, 2025, according to La Razon. The other train was operated by the state-owned railway company, Renfe. Francisco J. Olmo/Europa Press via Getty Emergency teams at a sports center in Adamuz, Spain following the deadly train crash. 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. PEOPLE has contacted both organizations for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Starting on Monday night, Spain will observe three days of mourning, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced, the Times reported. Spanish society is asking what happened, how it happened, and how this tragedy could have occurred, Sanchez said. Read the original article on People A handgun is displayed for sale at Arcadia Firearm and Safety in 2023. (Raul Roa / Los Angeles Times) Do licensed gun owners have a right to carry a loaded weapon into stores, restaurants and other private places that are open to the public? California and Hawaii are among five states with new laws that forbid carrying firearms onto private property without the consent of an owner or manager. But the Trump administration joined gun-rights advocates on Tuesday in urging the Supreme Court to strike down the laws as unconstitutional under the 2nd Amendment. Such a law "effectively nullifies licenses to carry arms in public," Trump's lawyers said. If you stop at a gasoline station, "you're committing a crime" if you do not have the owner's consent, Deputy Solicitor Gen. Sarah Harris told the court. An attorney representing Hawaii said the issue is one of property rights, not gun rights. "An invitation to shop is not an invitation to bring your Glock," Washington attorney Neal Katyal told the court. "There is no constitutional right to assume that every invitation to enter private property includes an invitation to bring a gun." Read more:Supreme Court will decide if gun owners may carry in private places open to the public The justices sounded split along the usual ideological lines, with the court's conservatives signaling they are likely to strike down the new laws in five Democratic-led states. "You are just relegating the 2nd Amendment to second-class status," Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. told Katyal. He said the court had ruled law-abiding persons have a right to carry a firearm for self-defense when they leave home. That would include going to stores or businesses that are open to the public. "Could Hawaii enact a statute that says that if you are wearing attire expressing approval of a particular political candidate, you can't come in unless you get express consent from the owner of the restaurant?" Alito asked. Both sides agreed that business owners are generally free to allow or prohibit guns on their property. However, state officials said, the laws are important because business owners rarely post signs that either welcome or forbid the carrying of guns. "Why is this a big deal? If they want people carrying guns to stay out, just put up a sign," Alito said. At times, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. has been wary of extending gun rights under the 2nd Amendment, but not on Tuesday. He said he was concerned the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms has been treated as a "disfavored right." A candidate for office has "a very clear constitutional right under the 1st Amendment to walk up to your door on private property and knock on the door and say, give me your vote," he said. "You say it's different when it comes to the 2nd Amendment. When a candidate is carrying a gun, what exactly is the basis for the distinction?" Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh said they too believed the "right to keep and bear arms" included the right to carry weapons, including into stores. Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson said property rights should prevail over gun rights. "Is there a constitutional right to enter private property with a gun without an owner's express or implicit consent? The answer has to be simply no," Sotomayor said. "You can't enter an owner's property without their consent." Read more:9th Circuit upholds California gun bans in some 'sensitive' places, but not others But with the possible exception of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, none of the conservatives agreed. Four years ago, the court ruled law-abiding gun owners had a right to carry a concealed weapon for self-defense when they left home. They also said then that guns may be prohibited in "sensitive places," but they did not decide what that meant. In the wake of that decision, California, Hawaii, New York, New Jersey and Maryland adopted new laws that restricted carrying guns in public places, including parks and beaches. The laws also said gun owners may not take a gun into a privately owned business without the "express authorization" of an owner or manager. California's law went a step further and said the owner must post a clear sign allowing guns. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the laws from Hawaii and California in a single opinion, except for the required posting of a sign in California. Three Hawaii residents with concealed carry permits appealed to the Supreme Court and won the backing of the Trump administration. The case is Wolford vs. Lopez. In recent weeks, the justices have been considering whether to hear a 2nd Amendment challenge to the laws in California and Illinois that forbid semiautomatic "assault weapons" and large-capacity magazines. Four of the conservative justices have already issued dissents asserting these laws are unconstitutional. On Friday, when the court meets for its private conference, the justices will consider the California case for the fifth time. If the court votes to hear the appeal in Duncan vs. Bonta, the arguments would likely be held over until the fall. Get the L.A. Times California Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox twice per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.